I highly recommend Bruces blog and find his writing both challenging and stimulating.
I have not read this particular book referred to in this post, but have now added it to my reading list for the future. Do check out this post and a book if you have time, and let me know what you think!
J. Warner Wallace has stated that he became convinced of the truth of who Jesus was and in Christianity, over an extended period of time, wherein his…
Death By a Thousand Paper Cuts
I have been dabbling with a bit of poetry lately. It has never been something I was particularly good at or interested in, but perhaps the Lord is opening up something new. Perhaps not! Time will tell!
This first attempt at a poem is based around Psalm 150, and is perhaps a little trite to the experience poet. Go easy on me however, I beg you! I here post the original words from the WEB Bible.
Praise Yah!
Praise God in his sanctuary!
Praise him in his heavens for his acts of power!
2 Praise him for his mighty acts!
Praise him according to his excellent greatness!
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet!
Praise him with harp and lyre!
4 Praise him with tambourine and dancing!
Praise him with stringed instruments and flute!
5 Praise him with loud cymbals!
Praise him with resounding cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise Yah!
Praise Yah!
Psalm 150 (WEB)
And my poetic version…
Praise the Lord in the temple!
Praise the Lord for His might!
Praise the Lord in the heavens!
Cease not by day or by night
Praise the Lord for His acts
Praise the Lord for His deeds
Praise our God for His greatness
Praise Him for meeting our needs
Praise the Lord with the trumpet
Praise our God with the lyre!
Praise God with the harp
And lift your voices higher!
Dance for His glory
And sing for delight
Pluck strings for His praise
To worship God is right
Crash the cymbals together
Let the bells ring out
Play the flute and the ram’s horn
And make a joyful shout!
Let everything that breathes
Worship our wonderous Lord
That all may come to know Him
And He’ll forever be adored.
Do let me know what you think, and grateful for any pointers on how to step into the daunting world of poetry! If you know of any good blogs on the subject, I’d be keen to hear about them.
As ever, thanks for reading.
I remember writing this post from a few years ago, and the algorithms which drive traffic to one’s blog still baffle me today!
For me, what remains true, is that even if one person read my blog and is blessed by it, it was all worthwhile.
I hope you enjoy this repost
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This post lands on Tuesday 31st March, and I think is the 15th day in a row where I have posted. That is a pretty good run, and although I did not start this because of COVID-19, I am carrying on because of it. There is so much negative news going around, and I just…
— Read on andy-brown.org/2020/03/31/on-christian-blogging/
I sat down the other evening and put on the TV. There was some superhero movie on which I watched idly. After that, I went to bed and listened to a Christian podcast on the subject of marriage. These two seemingly unconnected things were brought together in my mind as the host of the podcast began to read from Philippians 4:8, which says:
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Philippians 4:8 (NLT)
As I began to ponder that verse, I wondered if the movie I had been watching could be categorised in any of the descriptors Paul mentions here? Was it an “honourable” movie? Was it “lovely”? I got stuck when the word “pure” seemed to leap out at me. Was it “pure”?
The movie itself was ok… there was a bit of action, and no bad language as I recall. It wasn’t rated for adults (an “18” rating here in the UK) and was billed as family entertainment. As I say, it was ok…
But was it pure? No, I can’t say that it was. For however long I was watching it, I wasn’t fixing my thoughts on something pure, I was fixing them on something that was just plain “ok”.
Why on earth would any of us settle for ok, when we can have purity?
Why on earth would any of us settle for ok, when we can have purity?
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One definition of purity is to “be free from anything which contaminates.” While this movie was not bad, it was hardly free from anything that contaminates.
I do not wish to be contaminated. I do not want to compromise the purity and holiness offered by the cleansing blood of Christ. I find myself challenged by a simple movie choice. Am I overthinking it? Perhaps I am. Yet if God is directing me away from such movies, then I will never find satisfaction in them.
I have a fairly demanding job at times, alongside helping to look after the children, manage the household and a whole host of other things. When I get to the end of the day, I am often tired and I guess like most of us, just want to flop into a chair and switch off for a while. As I approach my chair of an evening, the temptation of the TV remote is strong, requiring little effort. My Bible is not far away either, yet the thought of studying the scriptures when tired, seems like effort (I’m just being honest here!). Too often I take the easier road.
In my heart though, I know that spending time with the Lord is far more fruitful. Being tired is a weak excuse (if you pardon the pun).
Isaiah says this:
He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
30 Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:29-31 (NIV)
God is the One who gives us strength. While even the young grow weary at times, those who trust in God will have new energy. At night, when we are exhausted, our bodies are refreshed and renewed as we spend time in His presence and enjoying His holy and pure Word.
God’s Word is pure. It is without taint. If you could sum up my calling in a few words, it would essentially be to encourage believers to fully engage with the Bible. The world has a multitude of entertainment offers; music, TV, streaming services, Internet, podcasts, and the list goes on. Yet so little of it could be called “pure.” Some of it may be ok, but why would we – born again, Spirit filled, children of the Most High God – want to dabble with something that is just “ok?”
God’s Word is pure:
Everything God says is pure; he is a shield for those who take refuge in him.
Proverbs 30:5 (ISV)
I know that the next time I sit down, I’m going to have that same struggle with the TV remote. Do pray for me that I make right choices. I want to look again at all of my entertainment choices and weigh them up against the benefits of studying the Word.
For balance, I am not saying you must read the Bible solely and nothing else. That, I think, would be too far and legalistic. There are many forms of entertainment out there, and it is possible to find decent material out there. For instance, there are now Christian TV streaming services which you may find far more wholesome than the mainstream options.
Ultimately, as disciples of Christ, we should be on the hunt for purity. We must hate sin in all its forms, and not tolerate watching it for sheer enjoyment. Indeed, if we devote ourselves to purity, such worldly entertainment will seem alien or even detestable.
How do we seek purity? As always, the Bible gives us a clear answer. And I will close this post with these words:
How can a young person stay pure?
By obeying your word.
Psalm 119:9 (NLT)
I don’t want you to just take my word for it… We take a little break from our current series on Psalm 103 to discuss something important. It is an immense privilege to share God’s Word with you through this blog, and I take that responsibility very seriously. But you, the reader, have a responsibility…
— Read on andy-brown.org/2018/04/12/the-berean-approach/
An open rebuke
is better than hidden love!
Proverbs 27:5
Generally speaking, and not wanting to assume, you probably are not all that keen on being rebuked… let alone having it done openly where others may overhear it!
At work, if we need to correct a member of staff about something, it is thought bad practice to do so in the open office where others may listen in. It does happen from time to time, and it is surprising how quiet an office can get when it does!
So, all in all, an open rebuke doesn’t sound all that fun. And yet, this proverb tells us it is preferable to hidden love. How so?
Firstly, what is a rebuke (open or otherwise)?
A rebuke is a stern reprimand. It is essentially to pull someone up on something in a not always so gentle manner. For me, what makes a rebuke tolerable or not is the heart behind it. If someone is trying to show me up, catch me out or just downright embarrass me, then I have little time for it. If, however, they are generally trying to help me, turn me away from some destructive behaviour or to improve my performance in some way, then I gladly accept it.
The “open” part might be harder to handle than the rebuke itself. We might be able to take a rebuke conducted privately where no one else can see. We certainly do not want others to see the mistakes we have made or to be aware of our faults and failings. Something about a public correction seems far worse than a private one… and could that simply be pride? We tend to portray a certain persona to the world around us, and rarely let our guard down except with close friends or loved ones. An open rebuke may allow others a glimpse beyond the veil of our external personality.
Given this, in what way is “hidden love” worse?
I am reminded of these verses from James’ letter.
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
James 2:14-17 (NLT)
This situation is similar to hidden love. While the character here may bestow good wishes on this individual in need, they do nothing to actually help them. Hidden love, likewise, may make one feel warm and fuzzy, but does no good to the one being loved.
I may love my wife and children, but if I do not show that love at any point, then it is hidden.
Hidden love appears identical to “no love”.
Hidden love appears identical to “no love”.
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At least if someone rebukes me, I know that they care. Someone who cares nothing for me will simply let me continue in error. But a friend will point out my fault, and help me get back on to the right road.
And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.
Hebrews 12:5-6
These verses from Hebrews remind us that God’s love is not hidden, and that He rebukes and disciplines those He loves. Discipline is a sign of love, believe it or not. When I discipline my children, it is not because I am some mean ogre, but rather because I do not want them to engage with sin, danger or behaviour which will not set them up for a good life. While I take no pleasure in rebuking, it is more loving to point out the danger than to ignore it.
Imagine a person walking towards an open pit and not realising it is there. It is not loving for me to avoid telling them about it, for fear of rejection or how they might react. No, I tell them, “Look out!”
There are a number of ways we can apply this verse in our lives.
Firstly, do not be offended when someone tries to set you straight. For the most part, we must trust that people have our best intentions at heart. Take their rebuke to the Lord and see how He directs you. If it is a true rebuke, it will lead you to repentance and change. If it is not, you can move on and not waste your energy on offense.
Secondly, do not hide your love. If you care about someone, then show them! This is not about rebuking them left, right and centre, but love them in every way you can. Don’t just wish them well, as James points out, actually do something they can see or feel.
Lastly, is there anyone in your life whom you need to challenge? Make sure it is your place to do so. If some random stranger started rebuking me in a coffee shop, I probably won’t respond all that well! Why? Because they have no place or right to speak into my life. If my wife comes and points something out, then that is very different. She has more than earned the right to correct me, and I trust her to do so. We err when we think we have the right to tell anyone we like what we think.
Pray about it before you decide to confront. Let the Lord guide you carefully. He will show you if it is you who should do it, and the timing and the words you need. Humbly ask Him if you need the same message yourself first.
Thanks for reading!
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14 (NIV)
I want to begin this new year with a series I’ve entitled “Sunday Suggestion.” It’s not too cryptic, and I intend it to be a fairly brief post each week about how you can make the most of your Sunday, and engage more fully with your church.
As it is a new year where people are setting themselves various resolutions, why not set yourself some goals around church?
You might want to improve your attendance, and commit to being there each week no matter what other offers you get.
You might want to set a goal that you will make notes during each sermon and review them throughout the week.
You may wish to set a goal to help out in the youth or children’s group, or serve coffee after the service.
There are any number of things you could commit to this coming year, and don’t do so lightly. Sit down with the Lord later today and ask Him what He might want you to do. If you get a clear direction, then go for it.
I know that goal setting can become a legalistic exercise at times, and I do not want that for you. Equally, I know life can be extremely busy and the thought of taking on something new might leave you in a cold sweat. If that’s the case, then do not feel you must take something new on. Perhaps your goal could be to prioritise your activities so you can be all the more fruitful for the Lord?
Write the goal down somewhere where you will see it often. If you don’t have a useful place, set a reminder on your phone or tablet to keep the goal in your mind.
Lastly, tell someone about your goal. Ask them to help you stay on track, or to at least review it in a few months. Accountability keeps us honest.
If you intend to go for a new goal this year, please share it below (if you are happy to do so). I’m sure others will be inspired to do the same, and we can help one another stay on track.
I really enjoyed this post from another Andy B. lots of wisdom in these words… Do check it out if you have the time.
It’s been lovely seeing both the personal, and generic messages, from friends and family, wishing everyone a Happy New Year. So, Happy New Year from …
It’s a new year, so let it go!
Father, in these words You tell me how to be blessed. Help me, my husband, sons, and loved ones obey these words to receive Your blessing. Oh Lord …
Jan 1 Blessing for the Year
Let me join in the chorus of other voices in wishing you a very happy New Year!
May 20 22 be a joyous and Blessitt year for you and those whom you love. I pray you draw nearer to the Lord this year, and through your life he may be glorified. May many come to faith through your ministry and witness for Christ.
That said, and not unrelated to my “best of “series, I share a post I wrote just over a year ago about a year long Bible reading plan. If you intend to follow the bible reading plan this year, then there is still plenty of time to start one today!
God bless you…
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On this, the final day of 2020, I have completed a one year Bible reading plan. I have been following a chronological plan, where you read the Bible not as it is laid out, but instead in the order things actually happened. I wanted to offer a few thoughts today on one year Bible plans,…
— Read on andy-brown.org/2020/12/31/bible-in-a-year/
Continuing my “best of “series, it seems appropriate to share this post on prayer as it goes right alongside my earlier post this morning.
I hope you enjoy reading it!
Have a very blessed 2022!
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During the height of the lockdown in the UK, where we were only allowed out for short periods of exercise, I began to fairly regularly record prayer videos which I put out here on the blog and on my Facebook page. You can see an example here, if you’re interested. I really love to pray…
— Read on andy-brown.org/2021/06/12/a-stirring-to-pray/
The Lone Tree at Milarrochy, Loch Lomond, Scotland at sunset. https://www.facebook.com/SpectacularScotland This is yet another rewrite of an old …
2022 : Prayer Warriors Still Required
Andy Brown 