The Pastor’s Pen

As we read the book of James, it’s easy to conclude that he was a wise man. And it’s no wonder that he was wise, after all, James was the younger half-brother of Jesus. I couldn’t imagine living for  years in the household of Jesus without something good rubbing off on you. James, therefore, had…

Scattered throughout Jesus’ many conversations while on earth, are invitations for people to enter into a personal relationship with Himself and His heavenly Father. One of the best-known invites is recorded in Matthew 11:28-30. Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you,…

In writing to the sin compromised church at Corinth, the apostle Paul repeatedly emphasises the unique relationship believers have with the Lord. In doing so, he uses different phrases to accentuate different facets of the spiritual connection intertwining them with God through Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit. In the first few chapters of 1…

This question challenges personal identity, individuality, and autonomy. What a mouthful. But these are the heart issues that arise when possession or ownership of our lives are spoken of. We understand this when talking of worldly slavery or identity theft, but when speaking of the Christian life, it can evoke raw emotions. For some, they…

As we read the New Testament, it doesn’t take long to realise that first generation Christians of the first century faced the same issues we do today. Time, different cultures, and advancing technology has not changed the aggression of the world towards Jesus Christ. Nor have they changed the deceptive desires of the human heart…

The apostle Paul, in writing to the church in Ephesus, explained some of the deepest truths found in Scripture. He also gave practical guidance on how to apply these truths in daily life. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us,…

Following the apostle Paul’s words of thanks and appreciation for the Lord producing salvation in the believers of Thessalonica, he presents a short prayer. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in…

Encouragement is one of those universal tools that can be used by anyone wishing to benefit another person or group. For Christians, encouragement can be especially effective when we transfer to others the encouragement God implants in our lives. The apostle Paul was a master at this, as he sprinkled uplifting words throughout His writings,…

For many, seeking God is not easy. This is not because God’s hiding, but because our thinking is biased towards worldly misinformation about Him, which Satan fortifies through godless culture. Added to this struggle, is the instinctive self-deceiving nature of our hearts which lead us as far from God as possible. Thinking we can successfully…

Buried within David’s prayer of Psalm 86, sit two verses that speak to the very essence of our human condition and response to God. David, like many of us, lived a life packed with complexity and change. Both he and those who surrounded him, were inconsistent and unreliable in their day to day living towards…