Prosperity and suffering. It is often easier to read songs about prosperity like this than it is to read songs ranting about injustice or laments, at least it is for some people. For other people it is the other way round, they are living the rants and laments but find the prosperity psalms difficult. Psalm …
Tag: Bible
We don’t read the Bible as we should
God's call on our life. Holy Trinity Church, Huddersfield, Sunday 23 June 2019 There was a slightly smaller congregation today. After all the excitement of the mission week that ended a week ago, you can't blame people for taking a week off. Especially those who were involved in the planning of the events. Those of …
Matthew’s Pasion: The cross is forgiveness
Matthew's Passion: Take and remember 40 Blogs of Lent: 15 Matthew 26: 26-30 Something strange Jesus has already spoiled what is supposed to be a party by talking about being betrayed. Now we move on to something even stranger. Four cups of wine are drunk at a Passover meal, which tie in with the Exodus. …
Matthew’s Gospel: The baptism of Jesus
Matthew's Gospel: The baptism of Jesus 40 Blogs of Lent: 3 Yesterday's blog was about John the Baptist and his link between the Old Testament and Jesus. Now the narrative switches to Jesus. Jesus comes to John for baptism. John's baptism is all about repentance, and John recognises that Jesus does not need to repent. …
More valuable than diamonds
Roots: Habits for fruitfulness 3: Study and meditation Holy Trinity Church Huddersfield, Sunday 3 February 2019 A cold but dry morning, typical of early February as we set off for church in a subdued mood as this was the Sunday following the funeral of Betty, my Mother-in-law, last week. The flowers that had been on …
Refugees
God's heart for refugees. God has revealed in Scripture, through stories of the faithful, through the law and prophets and poets of the Old Testament and the life and teachings of Jesus and the New Testament writers that he favours some people above others. God is biased. His bias is to three groups of people: …
Unity, conformity and abuse
The last issue of IDEA magazine, the magazine of the Evangelical Alliance in the UK, has been about unity. Issues tend to be themed these days. One thing that struck me as \I recently re-read was the difference between unity and conformity. Unity Unity is different people with different gifts and even ideas working together. …
Donald Trump’s Bible
In what is a prime example of the way I blog, a stream of consciousness where I start with an idea and see where it leads, i bogged in March last year about Donald Trump's Bible, ans the wall he said he was building. Here's the link. https://stevenhpape.blog/2016/03/04/donald-trumps-bible/ The same Bible I blogged about last …
Loads more.
More than this? Have you ever thought you needed more? Ever wanted more? Have you ever prayed for more? Take a look at this prayer: For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he …
Donald Trump’s Bible
Abide with me 40 blogs of Lent, day 21 An interesting week for Christianity between the 14th and 21st February this year. Pope Francis has said that people like American Presidential hopeful Donald Trump, who want to build walls instead of bridges, are not Christian. Trump responded, "No leader, especially a religious leader, should have …