Applying the timeless word of God to the modern world| Written for our instruction
I love Facebook and Instagram. I hate Facebook and Instagram. Sometimes I love and hate social media at the same time. I am sure I am not alone. I signed up for Facebook a very long time ago. In the early days, it did seem fun and a good tool to connect with people, especially … + Read More The post Love and hate for social media appeared first on Written for our instruction.| Written for our instruction
Everyone tells me that they are busy. It has become the standard response whenever I ask anyone how their week has been. It doesn’t matter what their life situation is, whether they are a working single mother or a long-term retiree, it is a badge of honour to claim busyness. If we are busy, we … + Read More The post “I can’t help, sorry; I’m too busy.” appeared first on Written for our instruction.| Written for our instruction
Sickness reminds us that we are not in control as much as we think we are; God is in control and we are not.| Written for our instruction
In Malachi chapter 1, God pointed out a major problem with the worship that the people of God were bringing to him. The people of Judah had returned to their homeland after many years in exile. They had rebuilt the temple and the walls of Jerusalem and had resumed the worship required in the law … + Read More The post Bringing God less than the best (Malachi 1) appeared first on Written for our instruction.| Written for our instruction
Christians should not be defeatist about saying no to temptation. We should take sin seriously and grow in holiness.| Written for our instruction
There is a line in a famous Christmas carol, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, that says that Jesus is “risen with healing in his wings”. You’ve probably sung that line countless times and never really understood what you have been singing. Wings? I don’t remember that bit in the Christmas story! Charles Wesley, who wrote … + Read More The post What does “risen with healing in his wings” mean? appeared first on Written for our instruction.| Written for our instruction
God doesn't owe us anything. In Jesus, He has given us way more than we deserve! We are sons, not customers of God.| Written for our instruction
Religion can be described as doing the same things over and over. We often use it in the context of spiritual matters, like praying every day or going to church religiously. Yet we can do other things religiously as well. We might eat dinner at the same time every day, or always go shopping on … + Read More The post Religion makes us think we’re in control; we are not! appeared first on Written for our instruction.| Written for our instruction
Many people think of Christians as people who like to follow rules. There are a range of things Christians do that others do not, like going to church and praying. There are also things Christians avoid doing that many others think as normal, like drunkenness and lying. It sure looks like rule following or religion! … + Read More The post Rule keeping is not the same as Christianity appeared first on Written for our instruction.| Written for our instruction
God works in mysterious ways to save people and grow their faith. Sometimes we can look back and see God's hand in events.| Written for our instruction
The Old Testament sacrifices seem odd to us. Yet their cost, substitution, and the need for a priest, all help us understand Jesus.| Written for our instruction
Everyone wants to express their opinion. Everyone wants to get their views across. We want to be heard and valued and noticed. All of this is perfectly natural. What has become less natural is to listen. To really listen. It is incredibly difficult to listen well to someone else. There are two broad reasons why … + Read More| Written for our instruction
The Bible has a storyline to it. It is not like a news website where you choose the articles you want to read and the order doesn’t matter. The order of the Bible does matter. It is more like a novel than a dictionary, a building storyline of God with his people that develops over … + Read More| Written for our instruction
Easter time is often a full time for people, whether you are Christian or not. In Australia, it is the only four-day weekend on the annual calendar. It often falls near school holidays as well so those with children have a change of pace. Many have family gatherings or a weekend away, and Christian people … + Read More| Written for our instruction
There was a major public disagreement in the church in Antioch in Galatians 2. Peter, who had previously eaten meals with the Christian Gentiles in the church, withdrew because of the opinions of a part of the Jewish church community. Paul confronted him publicly about this because it was splitting the church and not showing … + Read More| Written for our instruction
Paul often refers to the Old Testament in his letters, and he uses a key verse from Genesis at key points in his argument in both Romans and Galatians. It is Genesis 15:6. Let’s have a look at this verse in its original context: After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram … + Read More| Written for our instruction
I have heard people say that they don’t feel that they feel connected to the local church family that they go to because there is no-one there who is like them. Perhaps this could be said by a young person in a church mainly populated by middle-aged or older believers. Perhaps this could be said … + Read More| Written for our instruction
When we are trying to communicate the Bible to people, we need to consider both sides of the bridge. Firstly, and most importantly, we need to understand the word of God well, spending time and effort in understanding what God is saying in this particular passage. And secondly, we need to understand the people being … + Read More| Written for our instruction
Most Christians are used to listening to sermons, but how well do we really listen? I have had the privilege of growing up in church and often attended multiple services when I was younger. I have probably listened to at least a couple of thousand sermons in person, not counting conferences and online listens. On top of that, I have probably preached somewhere close to a thousand myself. Yet I don’t remember the details of all that many of them.| Written for our instruction
Happy new year! A new year always makes us think of new possibilities. Perhaps you are making plans for the new things you want to do this year. Perhaps you have made new year’s resolutions. You might have signed up for that gym membership, enrolled in that new course, or decided to try a new sport. Perhaps you are considering how to serve Jesus in different ways in 2025 compared to how you have served Him up to this point.| Written for our instruction
I read a lot of books, and this has been a year particularly full of reading due to my Sabbatical mid-year. I have found that the act of reading longer-form pieces of writing like books is revolutionary in a world that is full of swiping from 10 second video to 10 second video. Having to think through a sustained argument builds concentration and stimulates your thinking.| Written for our instruction
The collection of songs typically sung in Christian churches are heavily weighted towards praise songs. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It is a fundamental truth that Christians will want to thank God for what He has done! It is great to be given thoughtful words to sing that express our thankfulness to the One who loved us first. We certainly need songs like that.| Written for our instruction
Some people like to plan for the future; others just seem to deal with whatever might happen to them. I am a planner. I like to make lists. I like to know what my diary is likely to look like next week, and what major events are planned next month. I realise that not everyone is wired like I am, and the idea of strategic planning to some people seems as interesting as watching paint dry. Yet hear me out: leaders in the local church need to plan for the future.| Written for our instruction
I’m sure that all Christians have heard glib, basic conclusions in Bible teaching in churches. Maybe you’ve heard a preacher tell you that God is love or God is in control. Or a Bible study leader tell you that you should love God and not money, or that you should tell other people about Jesus. All of these things are true! They are encouraging and needed. Yet it is helpful not to leave the conclusion in this general form but to help people think through what believing that looks like in ...| Written for our instruction
Too many sermons are more complicated than they need to be. Like any specialty, the Christian world has its own special vocabulary. Words like holy, justification and glorification do turn up in the Bible, yet they rarely if ever turn up in everyday conversation. On top of this, there are all kinds of theological terms used to describe Biblical concepts that are rich and meaningful if you know what they mean, like Trinity and ordo salutis and transcendence. Yet the majority of people in our c...| Written for our instruction
We live in a world which values extroverts very highly. School children are marked on contributions in class. Job interview processes always include evidence of teamwork. TV shows and movies portray typical social lives as being dominated by attending parties and large social gatherings. We all love someone who loves people and is in their element when spending all of their time with people.| Written for our instruction
I am the father of three boys. We have a family tradition to measure every child’s height on their birthday. The fast-growing teenagers always look forward to the confirmation that they have grown a lot, especially if it means passing the height of one of their parents! There is much banter about who is taller, and who will be taller than who when they finish growing. (It is also humbling for the parents; I lost my tallest status a few years back and am likely to be passed twice more in the...| Written for our instruction
Those who are not married and those who are married are of equal value in God’s sight. All people are made in the image of God. All Christians are saved only by grace through the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross for our sins. In no way does our marital status impact whether we are of value to God.| Written for our instruction
All relationships have emotional ups and downs to them. There are times when you feel close to the people you love and times you do not. That’s true in friendships, between parents and children, and also between married people. We don’t always feel the same about the other person day to day or month to month.| Written for our instruction