Fear into Faith
Visiting the sphinx and the pyramids fulfilled a dream. But my most significant Egyptian discovery was to see fear as something to be dealt with, and replaced with faith—faith in others and faith in Christ.
Visiting the sphinx and the pyramids fulfilled a dream. But my most significant Egyptian discovery was to see fear as something to be dealt with, and replaced with faith—faith in others and faith in Christ.
Acts 2 marks the successful delivery of more than three thousand “baby” Christians! It was the miraculous, Spirit-fuelled birth of the church. What an adventure! A large gathering of people witnessed the incredible, supernatural power of the Holy Spirit and heard the life-changing Gospel message preached by Peter and the other apostles. Birthday: Pentecost.
In the first chapter of the book of Acts, the apostles were gathered in Jerusalem, waiting and even a bit confused. Would the kingdom of Israel be restored now that Jesus had risen from the dead? What was the nature of the kingdom of God? What did Jesus mean when He said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you”?
It's during Advent I’m reminded of the duality of waiting—remembering the Hebrews who waited eagerly for the birth of their Messiah, but also the waiting we endure for the second coming of Christ.
“Do not be afraid.” We see this phrase recur throughout the Christmas story and it’s easy to gloss over without fully comprehending it.
“How does a person get wisdom? I realize we are to be men and women of wisdom, but few people ever talk about how it’s acquired.” His answer was quick and to the point. “Pain.”
Reading the Bible is unlike anything else because it is a book unlike anything else. Here are five ways to get the most out of your Bible reading and five tips for learning to observe Scripture.
Questions about God and His Word are natural. When questions come, we shouldn’t be afraid to ask them in honest humility.
We’re prone to treat the Bible like a textbook and we’re cramming for a test. We know how to read, analyze, colour code, timeline, and graph the Scriptures, (all good!) but meditation is a neglected skill.
When I think of doctrine in the Christian life, I liken it to grammar. Doctrine is boring. It’s old school. But wait…is that true? Maybe doctrine is actually the key to a passionate and vibrant faith.