Posts from 2009 (Page 3)

Posts from 2009 (Page 3)

he … ran for his life

“he … ran for his life” (1 Kings 19:3) In these words we find the reality of Elijah – yes that mighty man of God, and who had just come from a glorious victory and vindication – struggling with fear in the face of persecution. In this he is not alone; in fact it is faced by many believers around the world.

COLLEGE THANKSGIVING SUNDAY

“And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2) Here we see the marks that are essential for godly and effective ministry, ministry that is trans-generational. 1. Study rightly – Timothy is reminded that during the many years of association with Paul he had…

What good does it do to pray?

Good question.  And there’s a really good answer! Charles Spurgeon explains: ‘The act of prayer teaches us our unworthiness, which is a very salutary lesson for such proud human beings as we are. If God gave us favours without constraining us to pray for them, we should never know how poor we are, but a true prayer is an inventory of wants, a catalogue of necessities, a…

James (12) No Works? No Faith! (James 2:14-26)

Evening Service, 23 August 2009 Around ten years ago a University outreach event in Sydney was advertised as ‘Bad People Go To Heaven!’ This was met with great interest. Ever since then Christian groups have tried to use provocative titles as attention-getters. This is what James is doing here in…

James (10) The Church Mixing Bowl (James 2:1-7)

Evening Service 9 August 2009 What upsets sports fans more than anything else –a part form their team loosing I mean? Is it not inconsistent calls by the Umpire or Ref, decisions that always seem to favour the other side? We don’t like it in the classroom either do we, seeing someone who seems to…

Elijah (13) Reality Revealed (1 Kings 18:20-40)

Morning Service 9 August 2009 Ezekiel had confronted the people of Israel with the two basic alternatives that shape life, calling them to decision: God or Baal. Today it may not be Baal, it may be another out of the smorgasbord of deities promoted in the modern world, it may be something you have…

Elijah (12) Wholly the Lord’s! (1 Kings 18:20-21)

Morning Service 2nd August 2009 Elijah calls Ahab to organise not a religious convention but a religious confrontation – ‘the Battle of the Gods’, one writer calls it. It was a Promoter’s Dream: ‘The ultimate power struggle between Yahweh and Baal!’ But it would prove Ahab’s nightmare, and that of…

Prayer for Illumination

Startle us, O God, with your truth and open our hearts and our minds to your wondrous love. Speak your word to us;silence in us any voice but your ownand be with us now as we turn our attention,our minds and our hearts, to you, in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. This is the weekly Prayer for Illumination by the Rev. John Buchanan at Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago. In…