Self-justification

Don't waste any time justifying yourself  - it rarely works and usually does more harm than good.

Preparing to worship

What to do immediately
before corporate worship of God
is not easy to know
but it's certainly a subject to which
it's worth giving thought.

Preaching

Whenever you preach
Be yourself from the start
And speak, I beseech,
Always straight from the heart

Temptation

Temptation is rarely very far away
It just varies its strength and approach from day to day

Extremity

A man will try anything in extremis - even praying to God!

Being sure

A mark of maturity in understanding a position you may hold is to also see what weaknesses it has.

(He could appreciate the value in something, even if he ultimately rejected that something – and could see the errors and flaws in something, even if he ultimately accepted that something. Eric Metaxas on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, p 61)

Strong convictions

The man with strong convictions can afford to be liberal towards those with whom he disagrees.

Preaching

Entertainers amuse, politicians abuse,
But it's only preachers who come bearing good news.

New

A new year, a new month, a new week, a new day - the one who makes all things new gives opportunities aplenty to start out once again.

Means of grace

When we feel dead in making use of the means of grace, we should not abandon them but then especially seek to make use of them.

Morning communion 01

There's nothing like the silence of a brand new day
For getting on your knees and starting to pray