Good old Kiwi Tolerance

New Zealand has a history of tolerating many imported things that have not always worked out well. From possums and stoats to gorse and other noxious plants, we have been the recipients of many bad ideas. We do seem to absorb these assaults with a degree of stoic British reserve, an “oh well!” and a hot cuppa’.

How to be "Not of this World".

John15:18-27 “If the world hates you, then become aware that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you do not belong to the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you. Remember what I told you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed my word, they will obey yours too. But they will persecute you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But they no longer have any excuse for their sin. The one who hates me hates my Father too. If I had not performed miraculous works among them that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen the miracles and have hated both me and my Father. Now this happened to fulfil the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me without reason.’ When the Helper comes, whom I will send you from the Father – the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father – he will testify about me, and you also will testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.

The security of being in the Holy Spirit

The Evangelical Church in Western nations is finding itself drawn into a new liberalism. Led by some well known leaders of Mega-churches, the over use of bottom-line business principles and psychology has fuelled a desire for so-called progress and relevance that is simply the same old liberal stuff under a new technological guise. Their pastors are expected to be Psychologists in the pulpit and CEO’s in their office. Even the car park attendants run round with iPads keeping up with statistics.

The Point and purpose of Love from God

John 15:9 “In the same way that the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain in my love. If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete. My commandment is this – to love one another just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this – that he lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that remains, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. 15:17 This is my command to you – love one another.”