There are always ‘things’ that happen that defy human reason and logic. Everything that happens in this world doesn’t always have a logical explanation, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen or that somehow we have to demythologize the event so that we won’t look silly trying to explain. In the Old Testament, there are several events that seem to defy human logic or explanation. For instance, the talking serpent (Gen 3); that people lived for more than nine-hundred years (Gen 5 - can we really understand that in light of what we see in our own bodies today?); The flood...

I just attended my first “Carols by Candlelight” for the season – although these days the “Candlelight” is conspicuous for its absence. Too many people, it appears, have been scalded by molten candlewax. This particular event should have been billed as “Carols by Glow-sticks”. And the kids do love them – the glow-sticks I mean, not so much the carols. The evening once again provided an annual reinforcement of my ambivalence to Carol events. For starters there is the attitude of so many that are present tonight. Just over to my right is a group of three ladies who keep up...

During the week I was chatting with a friend and he asked how our plans for the upcoming Europe trip were going. After making a few comments about it, I concluded by mentioning the date we hope to leave and that is when the ‘adventure’ would begin. My friend then noted that the first part of that word is also what we use for this time of the year, ‘Advent’. The definition of ‘Advent’ according to the dictionary is, “the coming into place, view, something exciting about to happen.” This Sunday is the beginning of the ‘advent’ season, the first Sunday...

I was alerted to this article written by Geoff Thomas.  It is really worthwhile reading.  Here is the link for thsoe interested to read it.  May it prove to be a blessing to you as it was to me.    https://banneroftruth.org/us/resources/articles/2011/a-ministers-regrets/?utm_content=bufferc7c2b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

I am somewhat surprised how many people, including some Christians, who have become unsettled with Mr Donald Trump’s election as President-elect. Some suggest that he is too rash, a little like a loose cannon. Others suggest that his foreign policy is far too confronting. Some suggest that he is not fit to have the nuclear codes in his hands. Others suggest that the policy towards illegal immigrants and Muslims is far too harsh. Still, others suggest that his ‘locker-room’ talk indicates that he is not morally fit for office. Well, I am sure some of these concerns are justified, and sure,...

There are several reasons why sinful man suggests that God is unfair to hold them to account for their rejection or total unbelief toward Him. For instance, some just flatly say that God cannot be real or true, for He cannot be seen (Atheists). Others suggest that they ‘believe’ there is a God, but that he cannot be known (Agnostic). Still, others say that if God was real and loving, He would reveal himself in such a way that people could not help but believe. The Bible says that man is without excuse for their unbelief. The reason given in Scripture...

As most of you know, in our Reformed Church we practice both infant and adult baptism. Today, we actually witness the ‘adult’ or ‘believer’s baptism of Sean Sweeney. In a denomination where we generally see infants being baptised, it’s rather special to witness an adult baptism. Strangely, it is not all that different than infant baptism for all the promises in Christ that are true and sure for our little children when they are baptised, are also true for adults when they come to faith and are baptised. Of course, there is one major difference and that when infants are baptised...

One of the great verses in Scripture is found in 2 Tim 3:15, “...and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation...” One of the reformational 'solas' is based on this verse for this teaches that no additional people or books are needed to bring us to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. During the Middle Ages, the Roman Church insisted that the clergy was instrumental in bringing people to faith, but the ‘reformers’ including Luther, Calvin, and others, insisted that this teaching was contrary to Scripture. Hence, Scripture alone, along...

On the 31st of October, we celebrate the reformation of the church which began with Martin Luther, way back in 1517, when he nailed his 95 theses to the Wittenberg Castle doors. These theses were usually one or two lines indicating a wrong teaching by the then Roman Church. Of course, being part of the churches that were formed after the reformation, we really appreciate what God did through men like Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, Cranmer and others. The great doctrines of grace which we hold dear, find their roots in the reformation. What a great privilege to know that we are...

Last Sunday in church I joined in the singing of a hymn of praise to God from words set out on the video-screen. It suddenly struck me afresh what we are able to do with just those 26 letters of the English alphabet and the seven basic notes of the musical scale. What a huge variety of “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” are sung in churches across the nation on any given Sunday using just those very basic resources. Let me leave aside for the moment the seven notes of the major scale and focus just on those twenty-six letters of...

One of the questions that leaders of worship have to deal with is the essence of worship. On occasions, I have been challenged to think seriously about the purpose of our worship services, including the preaching. Should our services and preaching have an evangelistic thrust or should it be targeted only at those who are Christians already? Personally, I would hope it is both. As we genuinely worship, delighting in the glorious gospel of forgiveness and salvation unto eternal life, it is my prayer that those who are not yet Christians would hear the beauty of knowing Christ and be drawn...

One of the things I keep hearing is people’s opinion about worship services. I appreciate the fact that God has made us all different and all have different tastes, but I just wonder with the comments I hear whether perhaps we haven’t taken our eyes of the major purpose for worship and focus too much attention on the minor things. We all know we come to worship because God is worthy of our worship. Not only is He our Creator God, He is also the One who has redeemed us in Christ from a hopeless way of life to one that...

The Weekend Australian Magazine carried an article attempting to explain why 105 boys are born for every 100 girls. The explanation was largely along the lines that evolution was simply making sure that the species survives in view of males having a higher mortality rate. Interestingly the author referred three times to Mother Nature. In one case he suggested that since Mother Nature was female she had a bias in favour of girl babies. Stone the crows! How unscientific can you get? But don’t you love it when atheists and evolutionists cheat? We have scientific answers for everything. Well, nearly everything....

When the apostle Paul faced the end of his life, he said to Timothy, whom he’d mentored and trained, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2Ti 4:7). How will we finish the race? Elsewhere, Paul says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” (1Co 9:24). It’s an apt metaphor with the Rio Olympics held recently. Unfortunately, it seems that finishing well might not be nearly as common as we might...

One of the distinctiveness of ‘reformed’ teaching and preaching is the centrality of Christ, often referred to as being “Christocentric”. We do so for that is the way Scripture presents Him. Scripture records for us that all things made in heaven and on earth were created through Him (Col 1:16; Heb 1:2). Immediately after the fall of mankind into sin, God the Father speaks about the Saviour who would come and crush the serpent’s head, even though the serpent would bruise His heel (Gen 3:15). Scripture records God’s promise to king David that his seed would be on the throne forever...

One of the creation ordinances is that God the Creator set one day aside in seven to rest. On that one day, the seventh day, the Sabbath in the Old Testament, He asks the pinnacle of His creation, mankind, to just focus their attention on who He is and to delight in all His goodness to them. They could delight in the beauty and diversity of creation and all that God had made. They could marvel at the heavens above and the billions upon billions of stars and galaxies that He created. They could give thanks for all His provision for...

The topic that receives some discussion in our circles from time to time is how “Word and deed” ministries come together. On the one hand, we like to take some pride in the way we have a high view of Scripture, crossing our ‘tees’ and dotting our “i’s” carefully when it comes to doctrine and the teaching of God’s word. It’s an important aspect of any ministry. We all wish to be absolutely faithful to God’s word.On the other hand, however, and without any disrespect intended, I wonder whether we are all that good with our ‘deed’ ministries. It’s not a...

This Sunday is father’s day and we pay a little more attention to our dads whom we still have with us. Thankfully, many of us have great relationships with our dads, a reason for thanks. However, we also live in a world where relationships with fathers are broken. So today, even as we come to worship, father’s day can either be a day of celebration of the Lord’s goodness to us or it is a day with mixed emotion, because the relationship we once enjoyed with our father is now either strained or broken altogether. There is a little story that...

I am sure you have heard the saying, “The devil’s in the fine print” indicating often that contracts all seem to be OK until you read the details in the fine print at the end of the page or even next page. Well, let me remind you that God is in the fine print, not just in Scripture, but also in our lives. I am sure you have heard it said that Scripture is “His – tory”. In other words, from the Garden of Eden through to the Garden of Paradise, Scripture is all about God working through history to bring...

I am frequently asked, by parents who lose a child in infancy, whether they will ever see their child again.  Many are the mothers and fathers of stillborn babies who have asked that question. Some folk seem to think that it is more pious to doubt that believers will one day meet those children again in glory.  They say that we as human being should not enquire about their salvation but simply leave this to the justice and mercy of God.  I’m afraid that I have to disagree with those people. I am the oldest of four surviving siblings.  It came...