Christian Anti-Semitism Today “I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means!…. For the gifts and the calling of God can never be withdrawn.” (Rom 11:1, 29) Background After the atrocities initiating the Hamas-Israel war, I was approached … Continue reading →

Known By God “Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” (Hos 6:3) … Continue reading →

A Patchwork of Protective Prayer Background A major shift on my spiritual journey came decades ago when the Spirit of the Lord persistently, and uninvitedly, challenged me to change my prayer life. Whilst the outstanding dimension of this was the … Continue reading →

Change the Culture 1: Re-laying the Foundation “no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 3:11) Introduction Whilst many contemporary Western Christians are appalled by the “woke” culture flooding our … Continue reading →

Seeing Angels Gen 28:10-18; John 1:43-51 Introduction  https://youtube.com/watch?v=wu5X_PZys84&si=yjiQ09sH4k0CDIhb Today’s Gospel story, unlike the remarkable miracles (walking on water, feeding the 5, 000) and famous teachings of Jesus (Sermon on the Mount), is virtually unknown to many believers. “Who after all … Continue reading →

Recapitulation Through Suffering Foundational Background: a Revelation of Jesus My journey into understanding something of the scope of Jesus person and work started with an unexpected call in 1994 at the end of a week of prayer (7 days, 6am-6 … Continue reading →

Jesus’ Baptism and Ours Gen 1:1-5; Ps 29:1-11; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11 Introduction https://youtube.com/watch?v=HRm6MU5hpV8&si=G6HfD1NRMgZzrMn6 Though the Bible speaks of “one baptism” uniting all Christians (Eph 4:5), but the Church has divided itself over the age of baptismal candidates, how much … Continue reading →

2024 More Shocking than Ever Background In, The Experience of God, the saintly Romanian Orthodox theologian, Dumitru Staniloae (1903-1993), speaks truth out of suffering. The love of Christ shines through his very concentrated volume. As a Confessor of Jesus, imprisoned … Continue reading →

The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple Ps 148; Isa 61:10-62:3; Gal 4:4-7; Luke 2:22-40 Introduction https://youtube.com/watch?v=2tRa-ds4oU4&si=VyiR3YzlL3Mq1DY4 The omission of the Song of Simeon from our regular liturgies has been costly to the life of the Church, because today’s Gospel … Continue reading →

The Sacrifice of Faith “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.” … Continue reading →

Worship Old and New Part 8: Things that must soon take place (Rev 1:1). Bible Readings [] =used in sermon https://youtu.be/NouP1slwvaQ?si=jfztV_qOaxkl-Xvj Revelation 6   Revelation 13 Introduction Made in God’s image, humans have an inbuilt instinct that life is meant to … Continue reading →

Worship Old and New Part 7[1][2]: Music and Singing Bible Readings [] =omitted from sermon https://youtube.com/watch?v=sWD3LAFe9gs&si=SNeDyxRQXPLETsBW Ex 15:1-18 Psalm 116 Rev 15:1-4 Introduction [Long ago I realised the power, promise and pitfalls of singing.] As a very young enthusiastic believer … Continue reading →

The Cost of Confidence in Christ Introduction I am meant to be on a spiritual retreat, seeking refreshment from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:20), but sometimes God has other plans. Given that 2023 has been a hard year, … Continue reading →

Talents and the Judgement Ps 85:1-2; 8-13; Isa 40:1-11; 2 Pet 3:8-15a; Matt 25:14-30 st Marks 9.30 10.12.23 (Explanation on extra section at conclusion) * Like many of the parables of Jesus, that of the talents includes us all, you … Continue reading →

Seeing the Invisible Introduction An aged Christian friend commonly shares how he loves testimonies, for no one can argue with a personal experience. There is something to this claim, especially when backed, as it should always be, by the foundation … Continue reading →

Worship Old and New Part 6: Charismatic Gifts in the Bible and Today Bible readings  [] =omitted from verbal presentation https://youtube.com/watch?v=ybRpjiH2YH8&si=jaHRNh1QP-sECZM4 Luke 3:15-22 Acts 2:29-33 1 Cor 12:1-11 Introduction In the process of coming to Christ [from an unchurched background][1], … Continue reading →

Worship Old and New 5: Confession and Repentance   https://youtube.com/watch?v=dXh-S-7rOGs&si=Fout7LKsMweRB9gR  Bible readings Psalm 32 Mark 1:9-15 Acts 19:11-20 James 5:13-16 Preamble For a consistent Christ-centred approach like I intend, tonight’s focus on confession of sin is especially difficult. Whilst it … Continue reading →

Is Hell Really Real? A Meditation Background It has been a most difficult week. Besides my usual cardiac symptoms, I have come down with excruciating arthritis in both knees, making mobility at times extremely difficult (sceptics can see for themselves: … Continue reading →

Worship Old and New Part 4: The Lord’s Supper as the Story of Jesus Bible Readings  [ ]  = not preached Luke 22:14-22 1 Cor 11:27-34 Introduction  https://youtube.com/watch?v=25p1TBuRIwU&si=b1e0D-OREXTknuUW A well-known Evangelical teacher prophetically spoke of the Lord’s Supper, “Satan fears … Continue reading →

Discipleship Crisis: stop imitating ordinary people Introduction A global prayer figure was recently accused of sexual improprieties, https://ministrywatch.com/international-house-of-prayer-relieves-mike-bickle-of-duties-begins-formal-investigation/. True of false, what I have noticed is that he shares a cultural trend common in Pentecostal-Evangelical circles, tolerating imitation. Whether this … Continue reading →

Worship Old and New Part 3: Rival Stories [] = omit from spoken presentation https://youtube.com/watch?v=2uQIfBWi3wg&si=lrBcgi6MSWvg_fn_ Practical Application: Apostles’ Creed[1] I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our … Continue reading →

Worship Old and New Part 2: Starting in Heaven https://youtube.com/watch?v=RL4K0vMu3yY&si=ZId27zZHqdDcDDH2 Practical Application (to be sung) Therefore, with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and singing: … Continue reading →

Meditation on Nothing Background In the post World Prayer Assembly environment, the Church in Perth is increasingly recognising its desperate need for a new type of leader. This teaching is designed to sharpen our focus on this point of need. … Continue reading →

Worship[1] Old and New: Recovering the Presence and Power of the Story of Jesus Part 1: Confronting the Crisis https://youtube.com/watch?v=AVxzCXVCvCA&si=5KQxwQrJFx8iZgRe [] = words omitted from preached sermon Bible Readings: Psalm 148; 2 Ki 17: 28-34; John 4:1- 26; Rev 3:14-22 … Continue reading →

Children of the Light (Yes 2023) Background The connection between our referendum on an Indigenous Voice to parliament and our recent World Prayer Assembly is largely unseen, though real. I have long believed in a God-appointed spiritual oversight for the … Continue reading →

The Test of Love World Prayer Assembly 2023 (7.10.23) Introduction The World Prayer Assembly is over, and though unable, due to medical issues, to attend all sessions, I was able to attend enough to gain some sense of its overall … Continue reading →

Hearing the Silence of Heaven Introduction Very early this morning I was very conscious I was not hearing anything from the Lord. That is, the consciousness of not hearing was pronounced. As I prayed into this awareness, clarity emerged. To … Continue reading →

Jesus: Marriage and Divorce Ps 105:1-6, 37-45; Ex 16:2-15; Phil 1:21-30; Matt 19:1-12 Introduction  https://youtube.com/watch?v=iSTs49ntARs&si=uYymAJ9UjWrZhILh The modern sense of a legally approved court annulment stripped of the notion of fault[1]stands in strong contrast with the circumstances of Jesus’ day where … Continue reading →

Read Your Life Introduction What a couple of weeks health wise, breathlessness due to an ongoing heart condition that took us into RPH emergency, then chronic nagging from kidney stones, then a heavy head cold. Finally, just as I as … Continue reading →

Marriage, in the Light of Eternity  Darlington Christian Fellowship 19/9/21 Eph 5:21-33 https://www.darlingtonchristianfellowship.com.au/sermons/ Prelude It is no accident that the primary bearers of New Testament revelation about marriage, Jesus, Paul, and John[1], were single men, because their painful submission to … Continue reading →