In the Old Testament the unity of worship was clearly God’s plan. That worship was to be centred on the temple in Jerusalem. While God prophesied the division of the kingdom because of sin, it was His intention that this should only be a political division, not a spiritual division. Two kingdoms were OK, two … Continue reading The temple of God
Bible
Understanding the language of the Bible
There is a good possibility that using a dictionary of the English language will muddy the waters when it comes to trying to understand a word used in the Bible. The word science found in 1 Timothy 6:20 is a case in point. The Greek word here translated science is gnosis, which in all its … Continue reading Understanding the language of the Bible
Are You Perfect?
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructed his disciples: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:46). Instructions like this are found all through the Old and New Testaments. In Genesis 17:1, God said to Abraham: “I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be … Continue reading Are You Perfect?
The Bible is enough
Image by Pexels from Pixabay A reader of my French blog recently mentioned the book Le roi des derniers jours, l’exemplaire et très cruelle histoire des rebaptisés de Münster (1534-1535), written by Barret and Gurgand, first published by Hachette in 1981. I obtained a copy of the book and found it a meticulous, almost day by day account … Continue reading The Bible is enough
What’s wrong with the world?
The spirit of the world tells us: “You’re OK. You’re doing the best you can under the circumstances. Your problems are caused by the people around you, your family, your co-workers, your teachers, the government. You need to do what is right for you and try to get those others to change.” There in a … Continue reading What’s wrong with the world?
Evidence of roots that go deep
Image by Hans Braxmeier from Pixabay We can read the Bible in a superficial way, looking for heart-warming stories or good moral guidelines, but if our roots are shallow a storm or drought might be enough to topple our faith. When we go deeper, seeking to know God through His Word and through prayer, our roots will grow … Continue reading Evidence of roots that go deep
Heart Health
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, health authorities have been telling us that elderly people are most in danger from the virus. Mortality counts appear to bear that out. However, studies of the data are refining that message, showing that heart health is the critical factor in whether or not one survives an attack … Continue reading Heart Health
Are you a deist or a theist?
If you are a deist, you believe: - that there must be a higher power because this complex world could not just have happened; - that there are moral lessons in the Bible that will help us to find happiness; - that the Bible as a whole is mysterious and confusing and better left alone; … Continue reading Are you a deist or a theist?
Getting from survival to revival
I trust that most of us have coped well during this time of enforced hibernation. Now spring has come, nature is alive once more and we want to be too. What now? Do we go back to the way things were before our hibernation? Is that even possible? What is normal going to look like … Continue reading Getting from survival to revival
Written in the earth
An interesting detail in the account of the woman taken in adultery told in chapter 8 of the gospel of John is that it is twice mentioned that Jesus wrote on the ground. This appears to have some connection with the fact that the woman’s accusers left one by one, from the oldest to the … Continue reading Written in the earth
Flatlander Faith 