Gospel Generosity
Paul and I have just returned from a few days visiting another church in New Zealand. We went to see some of the ministry initiatives they have developed to reach people with the good news of Jesus. It was a great joy to spend time with brothers and sisters who share our love for Christ, treasure his word, and long to make him known.
I really enjoyed preaching on Sunday on the amazing truth of how the Holy Spirit has given us a new identity as God’s children.
How amazing is it that God hasn’t just saved us from our sin, but he’s adopted us into his family! And there’s nothing that can take this away from us! It’s a source of deep security and profound significance that helps us weather the storms of life. […]
I still remember my first real job interview like it was yesterday. It was for a graduate accountant role with a pay TV company. I wanted to make a good impression…
So, I dressed up in my Dad’s suit—it was a size too big. I polished my old school shoes. I found the only tie I owned that didn’t have cartoon characters on it.
And I was prepared. Well, I thought I was…
Do you ever feel like God is distant?
I know I do. There are days when I sit down to read the Bible and pray, and God just feels far away. The truth about the indwelling power and presence of the Holy Spirit can feel more like a concept than a reality.
If you’ve ever had days—or even seasons—like that, you’re not alone. The question is: what do we do when God feels distant?
We’ve had some great questions about the Holy Spirit come through the comment cards during this series. I’ll try to address some of them here in the eNews as we work our way through. My prayer is that this helps us grow in our knowledge of God—Father, Son, and Spirit—and also grow as his followers together.
What gender is the Holy Spirit? Why do some people call the Spirit “it,” “she,” or “he”?
I recently read a theologian who consistently referred to the Holy Spirit as “it,” which made me think more about this question.
“What I am saying is reasonable and true.”
That line from Acts 26:25 has stuck with me over the past few weeks. As Paul makes his defence of the gospel before King Agrippa and Festus, Festus accuses him of being out of his mind. But Paul calmly replies, “What I am saying is reasonable and true.”
Have you ever thought that before? I know for myself, many times I’ve remained silent when talking to my friends about Jesus because they might think, I’ve lost my mind. And that’s exactly what Festus thought of Paul! But Paul’s words have been a real encouragement to me: the gospel is both reasonable and true.
