Search Results for: blog why we dont need signs and wonders

How Can You Tell a Cult?

One of the big problems in today’s world as it was even back in New Testament times and the early church is false teachers. Sometimes alarm bells seem to go off while you are listening to someone teaching but you’re not quite sure why. How can you tell if what you are hearing is false teaching and if it is a cult instead of real Biblical Christianity? Thanks to Footprints magazine here are some pointers to look out for and others I have added. A cult will invariably have a charismatic leader. You know the type of person I mean, … Continue reading →

Learning from Past Mistakes

Have you ever looked at your kids and wondered how they can keep making the same mistakes, after you’ve told them time and time again about it? We can be tempted to think much the same when we look at Scripture and the Israelite people. Recently my readings have been in Numbers. I read how the Israelites refused to listen to Caleb and Joshua and ended up wandering in the wilderness for 40 years instead of entering the Promised Land. They also refused to listen to Moses and Aaron and grumbled against them, Numbers 16 and again in Numbers 20 … Continue reading →

What is a Christian?

Recently I heard several people describe themselves as Christian and there appears to be some misunderstanding over what a Christian is. Let’s start firstly with what a Christian is not. A Christian is not someone born into a particular denomination or religion. As someone said once being born in a garage doesn’t make you a car. A Christian is not someone who goes to church, though many Christians do go to church. A Christian is not someone who follows a set of rules or beliefs, though being a Christian will affect your choices. A Christian is not someone baptized or … Continue reading →

We See Differently

Last week someone challenged me about what I wrote for this blog. Unless I misread his comment he seemed to suggest that because Christ died for all, we all had the same destiny – of heaven. The way I read it, that’s not what the bible, which is my authority, says. The trouble comes often because we see things differently to the way God sees Isaiah 55:8-9. We tend to categorize people as good or bad. We tend to see sins as major, as in murder and violent crimes or minor, as in telling lies, cheating on income tax, etc. … Continue reading →

What a Difference!

Sometimes the words of the old hymns touch us so deeply. Last night as we practiced for church one we sang was, ‘May the Mind of Christ My Saviour,’ except we sang it with a more modern tune. Check out these words. It started me thinking what difference would it make to my life if I thought the way Jesus did in every situation? What difference would it make to your life to have the mind of Christ? Yet that is exactly what Jesus promised us in a way. He promised his helpers that the He would send another just … Continue reading →

Something for Nothing

These days everyone wants something for nothing it seems. This is the theory behind why supermarkets and shops offer coupons and reward cards. And I have to admit to being part of it. Not only have we managed to get a few helpful items through using our reward points, but I am one of the featured authors in a free book give away. To promote her new book The Listening Land, due out soon, Anne Hamilton is running a giveaway of 1111 books by Australian Christian authors. The list includes children’s books, poetry, non fiction and fiction. 3 of mine … Continue reading →

Who’s Choice is It?

Sometimes we think that we are the ones who have the choice. We choose to believe in God or we don’t. After we become a Christian, we can sometimes look back and see how God has been leading us to that point. Paul tells us in Philippians 1:6 that it is God ‘who began a good work in you,’ and that He is the one who will bring it to completion. So God is the one who began our spiritual journey, and He did it long before we even knew we were on a journey. Even before we realized what … Continue reading →

Dreams and Visions

God spoke to people in Old Testament times in dreams and visions and even in New Testament times by this manner, does this mean we can expect God to speak to us today by dreams and visions. I don’t believe it necessarily does. Yes, I know there are those that will disagree about his and that people have written books about how we can still expect God to speak to us in this manner today. These people will say that God hasn’t changed. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Certainly that is true. So what has changed? What … Continue reading →

Connected to the Source

Are you unconnected to the source of life? Jesus reminds us in the parable of the vine that God’s aim for our lives is that we bear fruit. The only way this can happen is if we are connected to the main part of the vine. Left to run wild though, it will not bear fruit properly either. The vine needs to be pruned so it will bear more fruit, verse 2. Although we are made clean by the Word and by believing in Jesus that is not enough for us to have a fruitful productive Christian life, verse 3. … Continue reading →

The Proof of Love is Obedience

Love of Jesus requires us to be obedient. If we profess to love Him we cannot do as we please, we must be obedient to His commands, Jesus tells us, John 14:15. Thankfully we are not left to do this alone. Jesus promised a Helper to be with the disciples and to be with us forever, verse 16. This Helper is the spirit of truth. The spirit of truth helps us discern what is right and true. We can know Him because he abides with us and is with us, verse 17. How wonderful for the disciples and for us … Continue reading →