I love the Proverbs but my appreciation of them has grown when I’ve spent time reading them as a book of the Bible, not just selecting memorable ones to quote. You see, whilst we tend to treat them as a source book for lots of anatomised wise advice, I believe that we are meant to… Continue reading How Reading Proverbs has helped my understanding of the rest of the Bible
Tag: Prophecy
Eschatology and Isaiah
Isaiah frequently employs imagery that looks back to Eden to envisage an ideal world where there is peace and harmony not just between humans but also between creatures. A classic and well known example of this would be 11:6-9 where famously, lions, wolves, leopards, lambs and calves can live side by side and small children… Continue reading Eschatology and Isaiah
Biblcal Theology and Isaiah
Biblical Theology helps us to see God’s big story of redemption unfolding on the pages of Scripture. There are a couple of aspects to this. First of all, authors such as Graeme Goldsworthy and Christopher Wright have identified three themes running through Scripture. We can talk about The story that the Bible tells us the… Continue reading Biblcal Theology and Isaiah
Introducing Isaiah
Backdrop The setting for the book of Isaiah is the reigns of four kings of Judah, Uzziah, Ahaz, Jotham and Hezekiah. The kingdom of Israel had split into two after Solomon’s death. Israel in the north was the larger, with most of the tribes joining and also the more prosperous due to its situation on… Continue reading Introducing Isaiah
Why is Jonah in the Bible?
Our church are currently studying the book of Jonah on Sundays and in our midweek Life Group. It’s a fascinating story but unusual in the Bible in that it focuses not on God’s plan for Israel but takes the action many miles away to a pagan city. So why is it there and what is… Continue reading Why is Jonah in the Bible?
Hearing the Holy Spirit
At our Life Group this week, we picked up on the theme of God sending the Holy Spirit from Sunday’s service. We focused in on these words from Acts 2:17-18 where Peter quotes the prophet Joel: ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and… Continue reading Hearing the Holy Spirit
When the Holy Spirit breaks in
In Acts 2, when is seeking to explain what has happened, he quotes from the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit even… Continue reading When the Holy Spirit breaks in
What Was The Abomination of Desolation?
In Mark 13:14, Jesus warns his followers that when they see “the abomination of desolation” then they should get far away from Jerusalem. They were to make a run for it. What was that “abomination”. The phrase conveys the idea of something or someone doing something that is so terrible, so appalling that it causes… Continue reading What Was The Abomination of Desolation?
A house of prayer: Foreigners and Eunuchs welcome
Here’s this week’s additional podcast. As a new term begins, Chris, our lead elder at Church Central spoke on Sunday about the church as citizens of heaven and a house of prayer. We try to link our life group discussions in with the Sunday talks. So, this week, we went to Isaiah 56, which is… Continue reading A house of prayer: Foreigners and Eunuchs welcome
Press on with the Gospel – Regardless (Acts 21:1-25)
Here are my notes from a sermon preached at Bearwood Chapel, Smethwick. Introduction We recently spent an evening at the Commonwealth Games athletics. One standout moment was the 3k women’s Steeplechase. As the frontrunners competed for medal positions, one poor lonely athlete was well back from everyone else and struggling. I wonder what was going… Continue reading Press on with the Gospel – Regardless (Acts 21:1-25)
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