Joseph

JOSEPH THE DREAMER

(December 18, 2023), Alan Higgins shares… and challenges.

It’ll soon be Christmas Eve and we’ll all be looking forward to Christmas Day and all the joy that it brings. I don’t know about you but I love Christmas Day… except I can’t stand all the build-up to it.  Christmas songs are played on the radio from mid-November and Christmas adverts seem to get on our TV screens and in stores earlier each year, indeed so many weeks before the great day. 

To me it gets a bit tiresome at times.  And people on Facebook remind me that there’s only so many days to go until Christmas!  Ah well – call me a grumpy old man, but I’ll be glad when Christmas Day comes and all the charging-about-like-‘eejits’ comes to an end and we can relax, open our presents, have a nice meal and fall asleep in front of the TV.

But that’s not what Christmas is – it’s about the arrival of the Saviour of the world, the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).  It’s about Jesus – Immanuel – God with us (Matthew 1:23)!

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AMOS THE LORD’S MESSENGER (Part 2)

(June 29, 2023) Brian Bell continues sharing his mediation in Amos… 

What lessons we can learn from the prophet Amos!

In this article I turn our attention to Amos 7:10-17. As I read these verses I see three ‘lessons’ from which we may profit.

1) The challenge Amos faced
In verse 10 we find the challenge to Amos comes from Amaziah who is identified as the priest of Bethel. At this time in Israel’s divided history Bethel in the northern kingdom was a ‘false’ centre of worship, as distinct from Jerusalem which was situated in the southern kingdom of Judah.

 Amaziah brought false accusations against Amos, including –

  • Plotting against king Jeroboam, then ruler of the northern kingdom
  • Inciting rebellion
  • Speaking for personal or financial gain

It is never easy to face accusations or allegations against us and it can be particularly difficult when they come from people who like Amaziah claim to have a ‘spiritual standing.’

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MARY – WHAT AN INCREDIBLE LADY!

(December 10, 2022) Geri  B challenges us not just to believe the gospel message but to live it!

When Christmas comes around we naturally think of Jesus, born of a virgin, born in a manger, born to die on a cross for the sins of the world. That’s as it should be! There is no greater message to be proclaimed, nor any other focus that should be given.

But I would add that one of the greatest messengers of this truth is the mother of Jesus, Mary herself. Mary doesn’t preach this message, she lives it!

When we take time to go through the gospels and study this woman of God we find a very humble woman…

  • Great in faith
  • Persistent in prayer
  • Steadfast in her trust in God
  • Specific in believing that what He said about her son, Jesus, would come to pass
  • Willing to be willing!

Mary was willing to –

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