Spurgeon on Discouragement

This morning I am preaching from Zechariah. After Zechariah God would send only one more prophet, and then 400 silent years would descend on Israel. A 400 year silence that God would break explosively with the declaration of the birth of Jesus Christ! Zechariah pointed Israel to the Messiah more than almost any other prophet. … Read more

Redemption – Studying the Gospel Book by Book

Earlier this year I started a sermon series going through each book of the Bible chronologically and identifying some truth related to the unfolding plan of the Gospel, of redemption. I have also tried to convey the narrative of the Gospel. So, the majority of the messages have focused around a person, a people, or … Read more

A Few Thoughts On Listening to Sermons

A few thoughts came to mind about listening to sermons as I listened to one this morning. I initially shared them on Twitter but thought I’d put them all together in one blog post here: Prepare your heart before the service, even before Sunday, to receive what God has prepared for you. Put as much … Read more

The Relentless Love of God

In Hosea we find a tragic love story that pictures the relationship between Israel and God. Hosea’s wife, Gomer, betrays him, abuses his trusts, takes advantage of him and no doubt wounds him deeply. Yet, when Gomer finds herself sold off as a slave and abandoned by her lovers, it is Hosea that comes to … Read more

“True Encouragement”

In Sidlow Baxter’s daily devotional, “Awake My Heart”, he shares this thought on David’s plight and his response in 1 Samuel 30:

“Afflictions and trials are sometimes allowed to accumulate without intermission, until it seems as though one more ounce of pressure, and our spirit will snap. Then, just at what seems to be the last minute, providential intervention transforms the whole picture; and oh, what lessons in trust we learn! Human help is vain. Heart and flesh fail. The one resort is the flight of the lonely heart to God.”

Bandit Country Now a Beauty Spot

We had the opportunity to visit some of these areas when we lived in Northern Ireland and they are really amazing places to visit.

He Saved in the Power of the Fact He Would Not Save Himself

G. Campbell Morgan commenting on Mark 15:31

“Though they did not understand it-even the disciples themselves did not understand, but presently the light came, and ever and anon these men who wrote the records reveal in some passing phrase their past ignorance and their new illumination – the truth is this, that all those whom He (Jesus) had already saved, He had saved in the power of the fact that He could not, in that final way, save Himself.

“He had opened blind eyes, He had healed palsied limbs, He had driven fever away, He had restored physical conditions; but He always did these things upon the basis of His passion and His atonement.

“The writers came to know it, I repeat, and one memorable passage comes to mind, in which Matthew tells the secret of a wonderful eventide by the side of the sea. They brought unto Him from all the countryside the sick fold, and He healed them all.

“If Matthew had written his record that night, he would have written with wonder and amazement; but later on the publican saw things as he had never seen them; and in the light of the resurrection, when he wrote his record afterwards, this is what he said: He healed them all, ‘that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases.’

Behind all His physical healing, was the spiritual passion of the Lord. I reverently declare that the Man of Nazareth would never have healed a sick lad or lass, man or woman, but in the power of that hour, when they mocked Him and scorned Him.”

Israel and Hamas

In light of recent events in Israel I wanted to share some valuable resources. They come from the website www.standwithus.com. I would not claim Israel to be entirely innocent in all of their dealings, however, they are misrepresented in the western media and sadly many Christians do not know the whole truth. I encourage you … Read more

“Striken, Smitten, and Afflicted”

– by Thomas Kelly 1. Stricken, smitten, and afflicted, See Him dying on the tree! ‘Tis the Christ by man rejected; Yes, my soul, ’tis He, ’tis He! ‘Tis the long-expected Prophet, David’s Son, yet David’s Lord; Proofs I see sufficient of it: ‘Tis the true and faithful Word. 2. Tell me, ye who hear … Read more

Two that Were “Of God”

Have you ever wondered why Matthew begins with the genealogy of Christ but Luke includes it after the baptism of Christ? Matthew writes to a Jewish audience with a key goal of convincing his readers of the rightful claim of Jesus Christ to the throne of Israel. He also writes, of course, to demonstrate that … Read more