Martin Wickens
Speaking the Truth in Love
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Overwhelmed
“Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.” – Psalm143:4-5 When the psalmist found himself overwhelmed he turned to God. David at different times had been overwhelmed due to personal…
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The Wounds of a Friend
“Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.” – Psalms 141:5 True friends who will lovingly challenge us toward Christlikeness are few and far between. Yet, for…
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Through the Bible in 90 Days – Day 35
2 Chronicles 35 As the kingdom of Judah draws closer to judgment it is encouraging to see that even in those days there could be a revival. Under the godly reign of King Josiah, a Passover was held that was unequaled Israel’s history. 2 Chronicles 36 Surprisingly, the son of Josiah turned out to be an evil…
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Through the Bible in 90 Days – Day 34
The plan continues in 2 Chronicles 23 today with the establishment of the reign of King Joash by the wisdom of the High Priest, Jehoida. 2 Chronicles 23-24 Jehoida impressed me earlier in the chapter when he spoke of doing “as the Lord hath said”. His focus was on God’s will and not his own…
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Through the Bible in 90 Days – Day 33
Day 33 of 90 – Just over a month ago I began a Bible reading plan that will take me through the Bible in 90 days. Most Bible reading plans I have used have gone through the Bible in a year. Sometimes I have finished the plans, other times I struggled to keep up and…
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The Voice of Jezebel
Concerning the church at Thyatira in Revelation 2, G Campbell Morgan warns, “Through the whole New Testament the call is to separation, to peculiarity, to a clear line of demarcation between the Church and the world. I fear that the voice of Jezebel is yet tolerated, and that the children of God are being seduced.…
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When Works, Labour and Patience are Not Enough
Let me describe a church for you. This church was planted by a pre-eminent missionary and theologian. His own conversion had shaken a nation and his consequent ministry set the standard for generations. He is still the measure that many look to and his methods have been copied ever since his groundbreaking ministry. This church…
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Deacon, Evangelist, Husband and Father
Many characters in the Bible appear out of nowhere, get a brief mention and then the Gospel narrative continues. Some only get described in one arena of life, they were a king, a prophet, a priest. We rarely get a deeper profile of a man. When we do, we can know the extra details God…
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“Unsanctified Knowledge of Christianity”
“Let us beware of an unsanctified knowledge of Christianity. It is a dangerous possession, but a fearfully common one in these latter days. We may know the Bible intellectually, and have no doubt about the truth about its leading texts, and be able to talk glibly about its leading doctrines. And all this time the…
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Why I Would Prefer Guilt Over Bitterness
Over the years we have all met bitter people and guilty people. More than likely we have all experienced bitterness and guilt at some stage to some degree. We quickly feel the weight of guilt, but I do not think we identify bitterness quite as well. Bitterness is one of those sins we see in…