Although faith & obedience are clearly two distinct things, in reality they are virtually inseparable in the experience of life.

So wonderful to have such a powerful & sympathetic high priest in God’s presence on our behalf. Not sympathetic because he also failed & sinned & therefore feels our wretchedness but he understands humanity & was tempted in every way. He’s not a fellow loser but a winner!

God completed his creation & rested & blessed the 7th day as a day of rest. Jesus cried from the cross, “It is finished (accomplished)!” Now we cease from our dead works & enter into his triumphant rest.

Real change is at the heart level. Simply watching out for your external performance & conduct is no substitute for being internally changed. Getting to know God, experiencing his love & grace transforms you from the inside & you find rest for your soul.

Relating to Jesus simply as an example to imitate misses the gospel completely. He came to do what we couldn’t do, to rescue us from all our inability & remove our guilt & shame. His innocence is beyond our ability to copy but it thoroughly qualified him to cover our failure.

Jesus seemed to challenge his apostles more about their unbelief than their morality. “Where’s your faith?” It seems that above all he wanted their faith in him to be strong & robust. Everything flows from genuine faith & knowledge of God & his ways. Morality follows.

Massive privilege to be with Tope Koleoso at the Manifest Presence conference over the last few days.

Absolutely true!

Excellent Joel.

At the resurrection Jesus’s words weren’t “Go & tell those miserable failures who all ran away”, but, “GO TELL MY BROTHERS”. His triumphant death & resurrection changed their STATUS completely. He’s not ashamed to call them “brothers.” He2:11.

Jesus doesn’t only “save the lost.” He “brings many sons to glory” He2:10.

Jesus endured death in order to restore humanity to God’s original intention. Made for a little while lower than the angels, now raised, glorified & reigning, soon to usher in the glorious new creation & restore his ultimate purpose, bringing many sons to glory. He2:5-10.

Preaching here at Hope Church, Winchester tomorrow for the first time since moving here in November.

Looking forward to preaching in Johannesburg very soon on God’s Lavish Grace.

Important, disturbing piece - given clear evidence from the department of health that sex-selective abortions are happening, it is mad to be legalising this.

Sad how things can spoil through neglect. You don’t have to break them or deliberately damage them. You simply have to neglect them & they can become almost unrecognisable. Beware the serious danger of merely “neglecting your great salvation.” He2:3.

Such an excellent book by Stef Liston. I enthusiastically recommend it. I know of some very painful church situations which could have been avoided if these clear biblical principles had been followed.

Jesus who preceded creation & was responsible for creation entered creation as a baby in order to be a perfect & innocent sacrifice removing our guilt & qualifying us to inherit all things including the glorious new creation when he makes all things new.

Jesus was “holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners” He7:26. Utterly perfect yet utterly approachable, shocking the religious because he sat & ate with sinners. What an extraordinary person. What a glorious Saviour we follow. Isn’t he wonderful! Don’t you admire him?

Jim Elliot’s story had a huge impact on me as a young convert. Amazing man.