The third in a six part series by Paster Anthony MacPherson on the Problem of Evil.
You can fill out the form that is spoken about at the end of the talk here
The second in a six part series by Paster Anthony MacPherson on the Problem of Evil.
The first in a six part series by Paster Anthony MacPherson on the Problem of Evil.
As a girl I had the wrong ideas of what an ideal man should say or do. Blame it on the romantic comedies or misguided naiveté, I thought a true guy fought for the girl to the end, even if she pushed him away.
But as I grew into a woman, I realised that a true man is someone who respects the woman’s wishes, even if they are contrary to his desires. If she says no, he should not push back. If she is undecided about the relationship, he should step back and give her space to come to her own conclusions without pressure or invasion of boundaries.
That kind of respect requires strength of character – security in himself and God, that whatever happens is not going to be unbearable or unacceptable, but a stepping stone in the bigger picture. It requires unselfishness and discipline, that he can limit himself from exerting his influence or strength manipulatively to coerce the woman into doing what he wants.
This is what true love looks like.
And the greater the love, the greater the respect – and the greater strength of character, unselfishness, and self-discipline needed to sustain that submission to the other person’s will.
So it is truly amazing that God, who we typically think of submitting to, submits to us and our decisions – even if they’re against His desires. As much as He yearns for us to love Him back, He constrains Himself from doing too much – for example, I bet He wishes He could answer all our prayer requests – wouldn’t that wow us into worship? Yet He does not want to manipulate us into wanting Him out of indebtedness alone. What about if He manifested His glory, visibly and audibly? Wouldn’t a herald of angels win us over? But then would our response be infatuation or commitment?
We must seriously consider the fact that God, while being all-powerful, limits Himself and His powers for our sake – so that we can make our decisions without pressure and coercion. He constrained His powers into the form of a human babe. He constrained Himself into the life of an itinerant preacher. He constrained Himself on the cross, naked and burdened with the guilt of the world. It wasn’t the nails that held Him there – it was His great love for us. He won back our ability to choose.
So once again I fall in love with this True Man – who dies for His bride and submits to her. And in love, I willingly submit in return.
What is the purpose of a child dedication? How did Jesus treat children? Our guest speaker, Pastor Paul Kotanko, will be dedicating Micah and sharing the meaning of family.
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Many times, we try to change God with our goodness rather than beholding the goodness of God and allowing Him to change us. We set up standards for ourselves and others to follow in the name of religion. How do we escape this cycle of manipulation? – Presented by Roy Kim
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The audio & video recordings are now available online!
Eight years is a long time to wait for victory.
I watched the State of Origin game tonight (I feel legitimately Aussie now) and was happy for NSW, who hadn’t won the series in 8 years.
How long are you willing to wait for a win? How long are you willing to fight?
If it’s worth it, we say, we’re willing to clench our fists and keep running the race, no matter how many times we’re knocked down.
If it’s worth it.
Is God worth it?
Maybe not. Perhaps you’re too tired of the same old game of hide-n-seek with God, where it seems you’re always apart – either crouching behind shields of shame and doubt or searching for a Divinity that’s too silent and invisible. Perhaps you’re about to throw in the towel or already given up but just going through the motions in guilt-fuelled denial.
But what if the Israelites had stopped marching around Jericho after six times? (Joshua 6)
What if Captain Naaman had only washed in the Jordan River six times? (2 Kings 5)
What if you had left Jerusalem before Resurrection morning? (Luke 24)
Imagine this scene: The sky is red – fiery red. Smoke is still rising from the ashes of the stone altar Elijah had carefully rebuilt from the withered rubbles of Mount Carmel. The ground is so dry that you can feel the sharp ridges of the cracks on the soles of your feet. It has been three years since there was any rain.
While the air is still crackling from the fire and drought, Elijah says to Ahab, “There is the sound of a heavy rain.”
Where, Elijah?
There is but the sound of thirsty men panting for relief.
Elijah bends down to the ground and puts his face between his knees.
“Go and look toward the sea,” he tells his servant.
“There is nothing there.”
“Go back and look towards the sea.”
“There is nothing there.”
“Go back and look again.”
“There is nothing there.”
Seven times the servant looks.
Finally, he says, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”
Suddenly, the sky grows black, the wind rises, and a heavy rain starts pouring down on the hungry land. (1 Kings 18:41-46)
Perhaps you’ve seen nothing yet. Perhaps your soul is parched, lonely, and worn… you feel you’ve been fighting giants alone. But don’t give up now. An outpouring of the Spirit is coming – Habakkuk 2:3 “For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”
That revelation of God will not be in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire, but in the still, small voice that reminds you that you’re not alone; you’re in a team that fights in the multitudes. (1 Kings 19:11-18) And that team, that God – will be worth struggling for.
So fight the good fight, finish the race, keep the faith (2 Timothy 4:7).
There is already a cloud in the horizon; God will come and flood our lives with the power of His grace.
Many of us only know Jesus second-hand – from what others have told us or what we have picked up from media, culture, and our family background. One of the common beliefs is that those who are “right” with God have special privileges, like having their prayers answered. This idea is reinforced by texts like “The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29). But is that really how God treats the wicked? Does He hear the unrighteous cry? What does the Bible really say? Presented by Jinha Kim
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There are few words that, though often used, are actually quite hard to properly define. This week we will discuss and explore the concept of maturity, particularly in the spiritual context. What is it? When does it happen? Can it even be attained?
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