Throughout scripture, faithfulness in marriage is presented as a shadow of faithfulness in worship. And so, the idolatry of Israel is often depicted as an adulteress woman. Those same images form the backdrop of the warning given to young men in Proverbs chapter 5. My son, be … [Read more...] about Keep and Guard ~ Proverbs 5
Worship
#16 Jesus and Church
The people of God have always had a mother and so when we talk about the church, we are not talking about an idea, we are not talking about a club, we are talking about her. In addressing the question of the church then, we need to understand just how important the question … [Read more...] about #16 Jesus and Church
The Cost of Faithful Worship
One of the things we learn from the opening chapters of 1 Samuel is that it's God who opens and shuts things. If Hannah cannot bear children it is because God has shut her womb. If Hannah bears a son it is because God has opened her womb. Beyond childbearing, we recognise this … [Read more...] about The Cost of Faithful Worship
Worship is Warfare
Whenever we pray, “Thy Kingdom Come”, a host of important questions arise. What do we mean by "Kingdom come" and, how is this Kingdom brought about? Some talk about the kingdom in ways that frighten their Christian brothers with visions of clergy looking for a witch to burn. … [Read more...] about Worship is Warfare
Jesus, Worship and Work
Jews and Samaritans did not speak to each other and did not worship together. More importantly, a respectable rabbi and a sinful woman would never have had a conversation in public. The beautiful thing we see in the Lord's encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4:7 is that … [Read more...] about Jesus, Worship and Work