Matthew 26:35

HOW TO BACKSLIDE

(September 27, 2025) Dr Richard Winter challenges…

How to backslide?

‘What?’ you’re exclaiming, probably shocked by this title! The reality is that no Christian ever plans on backsliding, yet it happens. Stay with me, readers…

The prophet Jeremiah admitted backsliding happened many times. He wrote in Jeremiah 3:21-22 that although Israel had forgotten God, He was graciously saying ‘Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding.’

The apostle Paul wrote a lot about backsliding… note his warning in Galatians 6:7GWV, ‘Make no mistake about this: You can never make a fool out of God. Whatever you plant is what you’ll harvest.’ 

Apostasy
Let’s get to the point here—

  • Such activity is committing apostasy!
  • ‘Backsliding’ is actually a theological term for the activity of falling away.
  • It’s a process by which a convert to Christianity reverts to pre-conversion habits.
  • Such lapsing into sin is when a person turns from God to pursue their own desires.
  • And no Christian should do it!
(more…)

TEMPTATIONS – THEY HAPPEN!

(February 26, 2024) Robert McQuillan challenges…

Easter eggs have been around for several weeks now! Christians will soon be really thinking of Easter celebration weekend, especially rejoicing regarding Resurrection Sunday, not eggs!

While kids, even adults, will be ‘tempted’ to enjoy Easter eggs – and will, of course – the coming season reminds Christians not only of our risen Saviour but of the temptations Judas and Peter yielded to… and for that matter others who succumbed to deserting Jesus (Matthew 26:56).

Remorse and Regret
Regarding Judas and Peter’s yielding to temptations (Judas – Matthew 26:14-16,47-50; Peter – Matthew 26:35,69-74), let’s grasp that the title above… Temptations – They Happen!… applies to all of us in various ways!

From among His closest ranks, that elite twelve, it happened that these two were tempted to wrongdoing regarding their Lord, their friend, the one who came to earth to be their Saviour. Judas deliberately, Peter rather sheepishly, lacking confidence.

(more…)

‘COURAGE TO CONTINUE’

(July 26, 2022) Dr Jim McClure, noted theologian, challenges every Christian to be a role model…

One of the great world leaders many decades ago was Winston Churchill. Recently I came across a statement he made which made me stop and think. He said, ‘Failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.’  

1. Present experience
One of the things that has encouraged me in my ministry has been the courage of the prophets. One of their principle roles was to remind the people to live faithfully for God and to reject any ‘moral’ standard that opposed what He had revealed. Often the prophets were vigorously opposed as they declared what God had revealed. They were prepared to confront the ruling powers that were leading people away from God and they challenged the people to be faithful to God’s revealed truth.

They never preached compromise!

  • Isaiah didn’t mince his words when he declared,  ‘Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter’ (Isaiah 5:20).
  • Amos was told by the leading priest in Israel told Amos, ‘Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there’ (Amos 7:12).
  • Jeremiah, during his 40 years of ministry was physically attacked, insulted, imprisoned in a hole in the ground, and put on trial for the things he preached were not what the people wanted to hear. The king even destroyed the scroll containing God’s word that Jeremiah had written, but God told Jeremiah to rewrite it.

All those men were threatened and abused because their preaching did not agree with moral and religious values of their day.

(more…)