The Pastor’s Pen

Peter’s usefulness for Jesus’ ministry was questionable with his old character. Jesus required radical change…

Doctor Luke records the evening before Jesus’ crucifixion; His last Passover with the 12 disciples. Simon Peter, like the others failed to understand the significance of this last dinner with Jesus. But Judas, he understood perfectly. The 11 were focused on the happenings of the here and now, instead of listening to Jesus words about…

There comes a time for some believers, when enough is enough. For them, the spiritual battle of life becomes overwhelming. While there are many reasons for this exasperation, I wish to consider just one today. As I read the New Testament, I relate well with the apostle Peter. Peter seemed to learn best through painfully…

To abide in Jesus and His Word is not always as easy as we make it out to be. There exists a constant spiritual undercurrent in the believer’s life trying to drag us away from an intimate walk with Christ. Sometimes the negative spiritual tide is undetectable, while other times it seems overpowering. Exhaustion is…

Persistence is put to the test when starting any new project, because without it we lose interest and don’t complete the task. Keeping the original core desire and values is what makes persistence possible. Explaining to the relentless crowd who had followed Him to Capernaum, Jesus said; “I have come down from heaven, not to…

Replicating Christ’s character is the best way to prepare yourself to remain faithful during difficult times. It was the night before Jesus trial; His betrayal and arrest would soon eventuate. Taking Peter, James and John, Jesus escaped the city and went to Gethsemane for pray. Jesus explained to His three disciples; “My soul is very…

Perseverance in walking daily with Christ is one thing, but to endure with purpose in the Lord until He returns is quite another. Typically, perseverance and endurance are interchangeable, but for today I wish to highlight some subtle distinctions. While perseverance speaks of keeping in step with the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:25), endurance speaks of…

The Bible speaks of perseverance using different words and looks at different areas of life. The idea of ‘keeping on keeping on’ in Christ is however the commonality. Perseverance is applicable in both the good times and the difficult. Both life conditions test the legitimacy of faith. Solomon recognized these dual faces of life with…