a call to Renew the Covenant: Countdown – 4 weeks

The First Passover The first of the annual ‘convocations’ was the feast of Passover, or as Leviticus expresses it “Jehovah’s Passover”. It marked the people’s last day in Egypt and the beginning of their freedom. The event is a new

Abraham, my Friend 10

Abraham, my Friend 10

This is the way you shall bless An excursus is an academic expression. It means a digression in the narrative, a detour. Most preachers use detours in the course of their preaching. Some exceptional preachers can actually start with a

a call to Renew the Covenant: Countdown – 5 weeks

So what does that mean? What is a covenant and why do they need to be renewed? It’s a long story… What is a covenant? A covenant is a legally binding agreement between two or more people. Perhaps the covenant

biblebase Romans Project

During the winter months of 2013-2014 we began a Bible Study project as part of our biblebase online bible school; we called the series the ‘Romans Project’. The project was designed to cover at least three winter sessions. The sessions included

Abraham, my Friend 11

Abraham, my Friend 11

The essence of the blessing I’m still thinking about The Blessing. I have been trying to define blessing by subtraction. In other words, what is the essence of blessing? This is how I have been thinking. I am blessed; what

Abraham, my Friend 12

Abraham, my Friend 12

Shechem Time to move on, I think. It is one thing to come out, but quite another to enter in. Later in Israel’s history, there was a whole generation that came ‘out’ but never entered ‘in’. God’s intention is always

Back on the flight path – Abraham, my Friend – Part 07

Chapter Two: The Blessing second blessings? It is time now to examine the Blessing. Thus far we have identified Abraham as an ordinary man who became an extraordinary man. He was born into no special family and had no special

Abraham, my Friend 06

Abraham, my Friend 06

The head of an old man’ Guernico. Used by kind permission of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Thy prayer was heard The story of Abraham’s family begins with a little list of sons and daughters which comes to an abrupt stop:

Thy prayer was heard – Abraham, my Friend – Part 06

Chapter One: Beginnings unsatisfied hungers The story of Abraham’s family begins with a little list of sons and daughters which comes to an abrupt stop; “but Sarai was barren she had no child”. Perhaps it’s something to do with the

If we say we have no sin… Part 3

Getting Real There is one more element we need to add to complete the ‘context’ of 1 John. Four hundred years before Christ a Greek philosopher had taught ideas of form and reality. Plato used a famous illustration to make