The nature of marriage has been under attack since the Fall – but particularly in the last 100 years as culture norms have challenged Biblical patterns for marriage.
Western society used to think biblical marriage was a good idea, and that divorce, adultery, pre-marital sex, cohabitation; serial monogamy and same sex marriage were bad ideas.
Chris
How did the axe-murder of the lady across the road lead Chris to become a Christian?
‘I grew up in a comfortable part of Sydney where nothing ever went wrong. But then came the night when the man across the road axe-murdered his wife before running outside, only to die of a heart attack. Not long after that, my next door neighbours were kidnapped by thieves, and had such a terrifying experience that they sold their house and moved away. Soon after that, the lady down the street blew her brains out, leaving her husband and four kids behind. All this happened in a safe place where bad things weren’t meant to happen! My assumption about life—get a good education, so you can get a good job, so you can live in a place like ours where nothing ever went wrong—was totally blown apart. I began to seriously wonder what life was all about.
Peter
As I sit here writing this testimony in the Trinity MAP office overlooking North Tce and as I do frequently during the day, I can never get too frustrated or concerned over whatever it is I am doing (or attempting to do!). This is because as I look over at where the skate park used to be before the new developments were underway, I always remember that is where I used to meet my drug dealer on occasions, right opposite where I am now a Ministry Apprentice. This is a humbling experience and an important reminder of where I was in my life before I knew Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour.
Believers have something that the unbeliever wants (although they might not know it!).
God’s ear!
As the book of Job comes to a close there is an intriguing twist. God rebukes Job’s three unhelpful friends and sends them back to Job with their tails between their legs.
Sunday’s sermon ‘God Knows!’ (Job 38-42) by Ken Noakes is now available: http://bit.ly/1K2P9ZL
‘Is there anyone who can presume to know better than God?’ – Ken Noakes
Sunday’s sermon ‘Listen To My Words’ (Job 32-37) by Ken Noakes is now available: http://bit.ly/1hFgtXd
‘A big danger when suffering is that you stop listening to God’ – Ken Noakes
What does it mean to ‘fear the Lord’?
Job 28:28 is the first time Job hears the words of God in this long and heavy book. Job has suffered greatly, more than what most could imagine, and finally God speaks. And he says ‘The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom’. Thanks!
Sunday’s sermon ‘Where Is Wisdom?’ (Job 28-31) by Ken Noakes is now available: http://bit.ly/1EgJenJ
‘In suffering, set your gaze away from the answer you may want and towards God whom you should seek.’ – Ken Noakes
Good question. And here is a brief answer that by no means considers all the ‘issues’.
Australia’s polices and treatment of asylum seekers is not good (although I can recognise it is not a simple issue). The way that we are handling this humanitarian crisis (in my view) is driven more by protecting our sovereign rights (mostly our level of wealth) than it is driven by compassion for those who are vulnerable – for the myriad of reasons that they are more vulnerable.
churchcentralonline.com 