What’s the Best Place in Scotland?
We all have special places that feel ‘home’ in a unique way. But is there one place that can be labelled the best place in the world? I think there is…
5 Ways to Reduce Fear
Although all of us are prone to fear, in Christ we need not be content to live in fear. We serve a God who repeatedly tells us, ‘Do not fear!’ His consistent word to us is that, if we recognise who He is, and if we put our trust in His steadfast love, our hearts can find rest from agitation. Rather than anxiety, we can experience the peace of being still and resting in His care.
How to Satisfy a Restless Heart
How do we avoid such restlessness? The only answer is to drink regularly and deeply from a fountain that is able to satisfy the deepest cravings of the human heart. There is only one such fountain, God himself.
How to Avoid Fearfulness
Our faith is only as firm as the amount of weight that we are willing to put on the ground of our trust. A lot of Christians live in fearfulness because they are only willing to put half of their weight on the promises of God. Their instability is not due to any deficiency in God, but a spiritual reluctance to place absolute trust in Him.
Is God Beautiful?
There can be nothing more ravishing than the worship of the Holy One. This, of course, is why from the beginning of creation God has used His servant beauty in order to manifest His presence. For a very long time, God has worked hard to communicate the point that His presence is the fullness of joy.
October Is Pastoral Care Month at Holyrood
The real hope of October is not to have intellectual discussions or to provide formal training. The real goal is for us to be inspired to show love and concern for people who we might otherwise overlook due to the busyness of life. So here is my challenge to members of Holyrood in October…
How to Make Washing Dishes into an Act of Worship
How do you turn an ordinary life into a life of holy devotion? Is there a way to take the burning love of the heavenly seraphim and to translate it into a mundane routine of making porridge, doing laundry, and filling out spreadsheets? Is there a spiritual alchemy by which we can turn acts too trivial for human notice into deeds of worship that bring delight and honour to the throne of glory?
Daydreaming about New Creation
There are no more exciting words in the Bible than these: ‘Behold, I will do a new thing’ (Is. 43:19). None of us can outthink God. His creativity is as limitless as His power. Thus, as children of God, we need to feel as if we are on the eve of a cosmic Christmas morning. The trees that we see in this world are but stick-figures of what God can do with the class, ‘tree’. The mountains and hills of the Western Highlands are just the wet clay of the better sculptures that an almighty hand will one day cast. Are we amazed at sunsets in this world? Brothers and sisters, these are just primary colours of fiery skies yet to be painted.
What Is a ‘Stingless’ Death?
As Christians, we need to avoid being prudish regarding death. Although there is no reason to fixate on the topic, now and again, we need to think soberly about the reality of death since it is the final and, for some, greatest trial of faith. In past days, Christians used to talk about ‘dying well’. There is some merit in this thought. Death is something we must all be prepared to face. Yet, how do we do this? One critical step is making sure that we understand how Jesus’ death was both similar and different to what we will experience at the end of our lives.
