The sermon for December 11th 2016 is now available on the New Life web-site.
In this sermon, which is based on Matthew 11:2-11, i talk about how we are greater than John the Baptist.
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Trump and Clinton
I’m pretty much over the post-apocalyptic whining of the Left and that election thing that happened in the U.S. last week. But I think Stephen McAlpine nailed it:
Hillary Clinton lost the US election because she was talking about glass ceilings to people who were simply worried about keeping a roof over their heads.
To read the whole article, which I highly recommend click here
Today’s Sermon
Today’s Sermon
Today’s Sermon
Reflection on Joel 2:23-32
Passage: https://www.biblegatesway.com/search?%s=Joel+2.23-32
Scripture
“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Observation
The Lord tells Israel to be glad for He will bring the rain they need. There will be showers of abundance, and the grain and wine will overflow.
God will repay what the locusts have taken- the great army of destruction. Then there will be plenty to eat, and they will praise the name of the Lord for the wonders He has worked.
Then, God promises, He will pour out His Spirit on all people. Sons and daughters will prophesy, old men will dream dreams, and young men will see visions. There will be wonders in the heavens above and on the earth below. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Application
We live in the age that Joel prophesied about- the era when the Holy Spirit is poured out on all God’s people. In the Old Testament the Spirit was available only to those whom God had called and anointed- prophets, priests and kings. But in the New Covenant, everyone who calls on the name of Jesus for salvation is filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter calls us a “royal priesthood” so all who are in Christ have the Holy Spirit.
We can all dream dreams, see visions and prophesy. The Spirit of prophecy is in us. Many do not, but I think the blockage is in them, not in God. We need to still our hearts and minds and learn to hear the still small voice of God and to discern the visions and dreams He gives us.
Prayer
I believe your promise Lord. Ever since I asked Jesus into my life your Holy Spirit has been in me. Help me to hear your voice and activate the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Today’s Sermon
Reflection on Luke 18:1-8
Passage: https://www.biblegatesway.com/search?%s=Luke+18.1-8
Scripture
“Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?”
Observation
Jesus tells His disciples a parable to illustrate that they should always pray and never give up.
He tells about a corrupt judge who didn’t care about other people or God. A widow keeps coming to him to plead for justice.
For some time the judge refuses her, but he grows tired of her persistent requests and in the end he gives in to her, just to get her off his back.
If an unjust judge is like that, how much more will God answer the prayers of those who call out to Him day and night? He will see that they get justice.
Application
We live in a world where everything is instant. Waiting is something we find hard to do. At times a four minute microwave meal seems too slow.
When we pray and our prayers seem to go unanswered, we should not give up. God answers faithful persistence. But His answers come in His time not ours.
Jesus here tells us to pray and keep on praying, believing that God is working on answers to out prayers.
Prayer
Lord please help me in the battle of prayer to keep on trusting that you will answer. Amen.
Today’s Sermon
Hurricane Drought Continues in USA
Despite the alarmist squeals of the climate change crowd that the frequency of “extreme weather events” (one of those very vague terms that the very unscientific boosters of man-made climate change like to use to hide the fact that they are telling porkies), the US is undergoing a very large hurricane drought that has lasted for 4001 days- almost 11 years.
The Greens will be all over Hurricane Michael when or if it lands in Florida and say it is evidence of man-made climate change and we must act now, as if this is the first ever category 3 storm to hit America.
The fact is that the southern parts of the USA like the northern parts of Australia have historically been subject to regular tropical storms- called cyclones in Australia, hurricanes in the USA.
Here is a graph that looks at the 78 hurricanes to hit the US since 1900. For each one (labelled 1 to 78) on the horizontal axis, the graph shows the days between that storm and its predecessor. The red line shows an estimated “trend” line, although I am not sure that on this type of graph that is very helpful, especially as we do not yet know if this latest “drought” will be followed by a dozen storms in quick succession.
From wattsupwiththat.com
If there is any statistical link between temperature, CO2 and storm occurrences I think it is clear that rising temperatures are associated with fewer storms not more.
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