repentance

LEANING INTO LENT

(March 09, 2023) Dr Jim McClure shares… 

We are very familiar with the festivals of Christmas, Good Friday and Easter that are commemorated each year.  In fact they are so popular that the secular and commercial world has largely taken over Christmas and Easter as holidays rather than ‘holy days.’

Even so, as Christians, we do try to focus on the profound spiritual significance and meaning of those events. 

Lent
We are in the midst of festival of ‘Lent’ that is celebrated each year by millions of Christians throughout the world. It is a 6-week event that began this year on Wednesday, February 22, and will end on Saturday April 8, 2023 – the day before Easter Day. While many churches worldwide observe Lent, some denominations – and Christians – pay little attention to it.

What is Lent and why did it become part of Christian practice?  Almost 1900 years ago one of the leaders of the church, Irenaeus, mentioned a time of prayer and fasting for 40 days before Easter.    A couple of hundred years later it was generally practised by Christians worldwide. Its purpose was focusing on God, developing a closer relationship with Him and reflecting on the wonderful fact that Jesus Christ rose triumphantly from the tomb.

I am not suggesting that Lent should become part of the  calendar of every church and every Christian.  I wholly agree with the comment, ‘You could observe 1,000 Lents and it won’t ever accomplish in your life what the cross of Jesus has.’ That is absolutely true. 

Nevertheless, I believe that that our relationship with God can be greatly deepened and strengthened whenever we seriously set aside time in prayer and think deeply about what it truly means to be a Christian.

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REBELS WITHOUT A CAUSE

(March 19, 2018) Stuart Reynolds reflects …

It was Swiss theologian Karl Barth who said, ‘Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.’

In this connection, do note how the Bible is a commentary on our times today:

  • The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:1: ‘But mark this: There will be terrible (literally ‘violent’ in the Greek) times in the last days.’

But note also a testimony to God’s triumph in Psalm 2, which begins with these words:

  • ‘Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his Anointed One, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”’

Almost every news story could be introduced, explained and concluded with those words. Bad news is so often linked with rebellion against God or ignorance or breakage of his laws.

Let’s consider three important issues:

1) Humanity’s Petulance
A father was driving to school one day. His youngest child was standing on the back seat. Realising the danger, the father said, ‘Sit down, son, I may have to stop suddenly and I don’t want you to get hurt.’

‘No!’ squeaked the rebellious refusal from the rear, ‘I don’t want to!’ Again the father said, ‘Please sit down, I don’t want you to get hurt.’ ‘No!’ came the stubborn reply. (more…)

LETTING GOD TAKE CONTROL

Starsky ReyesStarsky Reyes shares from his heart how God challenged him to really trust.

Romans 8:28 declares, ‘We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.’

A great scripture for Christians! And believing it, in March last year I made a declaration that God was our provider. Foolishly I even boasted, ‘But I wouldn’t say God is my provider if I couldn’t place my complete trust in him financially!’

God can so easily take you up on your boasting! (more…)

EVANGELISTIC PREACHING

Murray CapillDr Murray Capill, author and Reformed Theology College’s principal, writes…

All biblical preaching should be gospel preaching. But some gospel preaching is specifically evangelistic. That is to say, some preaching particularly aims at presenting the gospel to unbelievers as clearly, accurately and winsomely as possible, so that they might be saved. (more…)

MISSIONS IS PERSONAL

 Erica Grace

 

Former missionary Erica Grace asks: ‘What comes to your mind when you hear the word “Missions”?’

You’ll probably say: the ‘lost’ – and you would be right.

I think this way…

A prodigal, so lost
There was a young man who was totally lost.
He had lost his career, his home, his future, his dreams. He was so lost people had given up on him. He drank himself to oblivion every day. Friends would bring him to his desperate wife each night, where she would endure his frustrating beatings. (more…)