God will be known and exalted among the nations! This is the promise that we have at the end of Ps 46. Thank God for the security that we have in Him that can withstand even the worst destruction of nature (Ps 46:2-3). But as we participate in the excitement of this sporting season, let's also remember the far greater spiritual reality that is at stake.
A quick note before we begin - prayer can often be intimidating (what do I say? where should I pray?), and tends to feel like a Spiritual Activity that we launch ourselves into as we block out the world around us. We initiate it, we sustain it, and we often force it. But a short piece that I read by Glen Scrivener reminds me that I'm not the author and perfecter of prayer. God is.
Our God is "King of Kings" and "Lord of Lords". He is sovereign over all the nations, even the most imposing and fearsome of human rulers. Empires and civilisations come and go, but God remains the same yesterday, today and forever. Praise God for His unchanging power and might! Thank God that He is a God who loves the nations and desires for all to worship Him!
As I sat down to watch my first World Cup match of the season, it suddenly struck me how this is a glimpse of what heaven is to look like! Football is often described to be the global game.
What do we do when the Christian life feels less than awesome? This is a common question that we all struggle with and here, we’re taking a deeper look at what the Bible says joy is, how we are to experience it, and also what are some obstacles in our lives.
“If God had perceived that our greatest need was economic, He would have sent an economist. If He had perceived that our greatest need was entertainment, He would have sent us a comedian or an artist. If God had perceived that our greatest need was political stability, He would have sent us a politician. If He had perceived that our greatest need was health, He would have sent us a doctor. But He perceived that our greatest need involved our sin, our alienation from Him, our profound rebellion, our death; and He sent us a Savior.”
This quote by D.A. Carson is always a good reminder that the best economic policies and strategies cannot solve our greatest need. Let's keep this in mind As we pray for our world this week and even as we go about our lives, striving at work and doing the best we can.
Ties between the US and North Korea and US and China are still tenuous and serves as a constant reminder that peace in our world is often difficult to attain. As Christians, we know that this part of living in a fallen world and even as we pray and work hard for peace on earth, we know that truth peace is more than just nations agreeing with each other. It is about peace with God where we who were once enemies can now be reconciled with Him.
What does it mean that Christians are those whose citizenship is in heaven (Phil 3:20)? How does that change the way we think about politics, political power and interact with friends of different faiths? One thing we can do is to pray! Pray with a realistic hope, knowing that this place in this state is not our hope, and depending on political power is no certainty. Pray with a gospel-shaped optimism, trusting that God, and only God, can bring about the change of heart that we all need.
In the previous introduction, we've read about the context and background to this book. As we begin to unpack and understand the context of the book of Nahum, we'll see that it's about Nineveh. The main purpose of this book is not so much to tell us about Nineveh, but rather, focuses on what God does to Nineveh and Assyria. This will be a helpful thing to keep at the back of our minds as we try to understand this book!
On Wednesday nights, we gather to study God's word together. Many of us leave with a clear sense that God has spoken, but what do we do with it? Here are three suggestions that you could take up to continue pursuing God even on Thursday and in the rest of the week!
We often celebrate Christmas by speaking of "peace" and "joy", and the reality of God with us. But sometime around May, when Christmas seems far away, how real is God? Is He with us? When we read of unrest more than peace, it does seem like a fight to believe that God is at work in our world and in our lives. The Psalms are full of such groanings, and Christians are both optimistic (because we know of a future hope) and realistic (because we understand the reality of sin). And we know that we can take all these things to God in prayer.
This week our neighbours to the north go to the polls. Even as Singapore continues to talk about leadership succession and new policies to build up our society, let's not also forget about the peace and stability of our neighbours and our region.
