I love thinking about Jesus. Because His name is inextricably linked with infinite, creative power, even my thoughts about Him hold potential to change my heart. Indeed, the epic hymn Be Thy My Vision exclaims, Thou my best Thought, by day or by night… So, settling down with the Bible in hand and regularly spending timeContinue reading “Exercising an Exorcising Faith “
Tag Archives: Jesus
Ready: Developing Affections in an Adulterous World
“Listen! My beloved! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills.” He’s leaping and bounding towards us. He’s coming over the horizon. He’s walking up the road. He’ll be here any moment. What do you do? Tidy the house? Hide? Run out to meet him. And he says: Arise, come withContinue reading “Ready: Developing Affections in an Adulterous World”
Ready: The No. 1 Hallmark of a Healthy Christian
Your Spiritual Spring Clean “I will agree with something Godly, righteous and true, nod my head, allow my heart to rise, even say ‘amen!’ out loud and then…do nothing.” Last week I encouraged you to go away, get alone with God and begin a conversation with Him about how you might begin to convert thoughtsContinue reading “Ready: The No. 1 Hallmark of a Healthy Christian”
Ready: Living Prepared For The Coming Storm
Living urgently, alertly and appropriately replete in the 21st Century has been the focus of this blog series so far. Thomas, Andy and Joshua have kindly helped us to honestly consider our Christian lifestyles, provoked by Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, and to what extent we’re living with urgency or lethargy, with alertness or sleepinessContinue reading “Ready: Living Prepared For The Coming Storm”
Ready: Living Full in a Bloated World
The Need For Learning The early church exploded from a small group of misfit disciples into the most dynamic and cohesive movement within the Roman empire in just three hundred years. They were the new kids on the block and they were taking over the place. One early critic was claiming that they had ‘turnedContinue reading “Ready: Living Full in a Bloated World”
Ready: Living Alert in a Sleepy World
Are we asleep to this gospel? Am I really living as if this is true – that Jesus is coming back – maybe later today – to punish rebels and reward his waiting bride? Have we replaced the bracing realities of the gospel with “evenings without number obliterated by television, evenings neither of entertainment nor of education, but of narcotised defence against time” (Neuhaus, Freedom for Ministry, p. 227)?
Ready: Living Urgently in a Messed-Up World
Kissing a Lifestyle of Convenience Goodbye I’ll be up front – I am writing this at the worst possible time for my family and me. Rachel and I are in the throes of moving from Thailand to Vietnam. Not only are there the logistical challenges of visas, accommodation, flights, ‘yard sales’ (to borrow a termContinue reading “Ready: Living Urgently in a Messed-Up World”
Ready: Introduction
What’s This All About? Most of you who read Firebrand Notes on even a semi-regular basis will know that about eighteen months ago we produced a film/music project called Jesus Come. Not only were Mairi and I really pleased with the way the project turned out, we passionately believe in the message that it carries:Continue reading “Ready: Introduction”
New series: Ready
To find someone in need who desperately needs your help, complete the following 5 simple steps: 1) Wherever you are about your day, look up from whatever you’re doing 2) consider what you see 3) pray for discernment 4) pray for courage and wisdom and power 5) open your mouth/move your feet We’re soon startingContinue reading “New series: Ready”
The Places We Call Home
Space When you’re relaxed and at peace, when things are sweet between you and God, (currently not just fundamentally), you tend to notice things. This is because the spaces that you need in order to hear, and the discipline that you need in order to listen, are too often rammed with the traffic fumes ofContinue reading “The Places We Call Home”