Wow - it’s been almost two years since I’ve posted anything here. Anyway - the day job has changed so I expect to start putting some fresh materials up. This is a meditation based on the Babel chapter in Chris Watkin’s excellent “Biblical Critical Theory”.
Prayer
Tsunami of Grief/countered by Eternal Growth
in Death, Faith, Grace, Life, Love, Suffering, Resurrection, Jesus Christ, Reconciliation, Eternity, Prayer, Revelation, Service, Joy
“This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. “ 1 Peter 1:4-6
Rewards
in Prayer, Technology, Discipleship, Jesus Christ, Joy
5 And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:5-6
The Messiah replaces sandy wells with powerful streams
in Sin, Life, Grace, Prayer, Joy, Covenant, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ
Wisely Responding to the Sexual Revolution
in Atheism, Bible, Commandments, Community, Consumerism, Conversion, Creation, Covenant, Culture, Faith, Father, Heaven, Grace, Idols, Isolation, Joy, Love, Life, Narcissism, Prayer, Redemption, Repentance, Revelation, Sin, Service, Slavery, Suffering, Teaching, Technology, Wisdom, Wedding
I attended a lecture by Glynn Harrison recently on this vital (and polarising) topic. He brought a lot of wisdom to bear on the matter of how to respond sensitively as a Christian to widespread changes in thinking on what is or isn't acceptable on the sexual morality front.
In particular his comments on posture (sorry-thankyou-please-never) and dissection of why soft power is so attractive were really helpful. As a Christian I found it particularly useful to listen to the 'better story' that - when properly understood¹ - is incredibly liberating.
My full sketch notes can be downloaded here (7megs).
¹ meaning: when not being used for power games or ideological land-grab antics.
Speech/actions
in Love, Mercy, Jesus Christ, Commandments, Sin, Suffering, Repentance, Service, Wisdom, Idols, Grace, Holy Spirit, Incarnation, Faith, Discipleship, Holiness, Prayer
1 John 3:18
18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
Passing away
in Culture, Wisdom, Discipleship, Death, Consumerism, Narcissism, Sin, Father, Commandments, Eternity, Idols, Grace, Conversion, Prayer, Faith, Service, Heaven
1 John 2:15-17
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
Growing Seed
Drawn
in Covenant, Discipleship, Faith, Father, Freedom, Grace, Holy Spirit, Holiness, Jesus Christ, Joy, Prayer, Sin
Rooted
in Eternity, Discipleship, Faith, Holy Spirit, Holiness, Prayer, Wisdom