An 11th Century Prayer For The Spread of Christ’s Kingdom

Doomscrolling – Christ Has An Answer

Matthew 13 offers us several of the Lord Jesus’ parables. This episode examines one of those…the parable of the wheat and the tares/weeds. The Lord gives us the instruction to pay careful attention to His interpretation of the parable. The parable has an application for us in the here and now. We live in the time before the wheat and tares will be permanently separated. What does it mean for us to know that good and evil are growing up, side-by-side, in our time? We examine the current phenomena of “doomscrolling.” It is, in light of this parable, a lopsided way to view the events of our world. It concentrates on bad news and ignores the good. A “spiritual prescription” is offered….Isaiah 26:3

What Are You Collecting?

People love to collect things. Collections can include a wide range of objects including thimbles, automobiles, books and Bibles. We truly have treasure in our print and digital copies of Scripture. Yet, the Bible points to an even greater way that a Bible collection can be produced. It is made up of Scripture which we have stored/treasured in our hearts and minds. This episode examines Psalm 119:11. We look at some reflections from the 17th century British minister Thomas Manton for insight on the value and great help an internal Bible collection can be to others and to you.

An 11th Century Prayer For The Spread of Christ’s Kingdom

Today, we are blessed to have texts of Christian prayers from over the centuries. In this episode, we read a prayer from 11th century England for the spread of Christ’s kingdom across the world. This prayer is not simply a kind of museum piece. It’s words ring as true and relevant to our time as it did a thousand years ago. Here is an instance in which 11th century devotion can shape ours today.

Pay Attention!

We live in a distracted time. Our culture and technology demand our time. We need wisdom to recognize and avoid distraction. In contrast, the Bible calls us to be attentive. With over a thousand references in the Bible to behold and gaze, we are being instructed to take the time to observe and pay attention to what God wants us to notice. This requires more than a glance. This episode lays out some scriptural calls to behold. These calls are more than just how God addressed those He spoke to, back then, in Bible times. These calls to behold are present day instructions to stop, look, observe and take in what God wants us to know.

Are You A Secret Christian?

Are you a secret Christian? An answer in the 21st century and an answer in 17th century England would be different. Rather than trying to prevent others from knowing you are a believer in Christ, in the 17th century, a believer carried on three types of spiritual duties (Public – Fellowship with large numbers; Private – Fellowship with smaller numbers of persons; Secret – The spiritual duties/activities carried on by oneself in solitude. This episode reviews these and looks to encourage us in the “secret duties”, not so much as to check off a spiritual activity list but with the mindset of taking time to commune with Christ and find rest for our souls.