Hebrews 10:26–31 are some of the most severe verses in all of Scripture. If people are looking for a kinder and gentler God in the New Testament than in the Old Testament, this is not the place to look. These are terrifying verses, which threaten the fire of God’s wrath on those who do not embrace the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. One can imagine the recipients of this … [Read more...]
Growing Old is Not for Sissies
I believe I first heard this phrase from Beryl Quinn. And if anyone has proved this maxim it has been her. In recent years Beryl has undergone major surgeries, endured relentlessly severe headaches, and has fallen, resulting in broken bones and torn ligaments. In fact, she has been good for the medical industry! When I reflect upon Beryl’s disposition in these trials, the … [Read more...]
A Call to Serve (Acts 20:17-27)
With the help of our maintenance guy at the church, I re-hung a picture in my office of an Ethiopian shepherd, one that I had purchased in 1999 on my first trip to Addis Ababa. As I travelled in different places around Ethiopia I had the opportunity to observe various shepherds tending their flocks. I came to appreciate for the first time that shepherding is hard work. It is … [Read more...]
Our Fearless Brother (Hebrews 2:16-18)
Death is not a popular topic of conversation. It never has been. Yet in recent generations much of our society has become increasingly squeamish about facing this reality. There was a time, at least in places like Europe and the Americas, where homes were built with rooms called “parlours.” This was because, when there was a death in the family, that room functioned as … [Read more...]
A Vision of Holiness (Isaiah 6:1-13)
At dusk on 3 August 1914, the eve of the First World War, Sir Edward Grey and a friend were standing at the window of his room in the British Foreign Office. As they watched the lamps being lit in the courtyard below, Grey, remarked, “The lamps are going out all over Europe. We shall not see them lit again in our time.”[1. Wikipedia, “The lamps are going out,” … [Read more...]