The Heidelberg Catechism - The Foundations Of Our Faith

Counselling as a profession was only really established in the UK in the 1960’s.  By 1970 there were a few hundred.  At the turn of the century, it was around 20,000.  But today it is estimated that there between 80-100,000.  In Australia the number is 40,000 – a doubling in the past 15 years.  It seems that counselling is in vogue.   We are a counsel culture.    One of the reasons for the increase is that the number of issues we can receive counselling for keeps increasing.    We have moved from counselling for the trauma of death, horrific accidents and terrible abuse, to counselling for hurt feelings, ‘harmful’ words and even political results.  When Trump was elected in 2016, some school districts in the US offered professional counselling to their students (it is unlikely they would have done so if Hillary Clinton had been elected). I suspect that if Pauline Hanson spoke at Sydney University, counselling could be ...

Philippians 3:17-21 ESV Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. [18] For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. [19] Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. [20] But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, [21] who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Paul has struggled with his detractors.  Some years ago my daughters gave me a little sign for my office door that I could not put up.   “Do not disturb: I am already disturbed enough!” I was in a struggle with detractors that included: A pedophile network that expressed anger at my refusal to participate in fellowship activities with them.  Denomina...

translation philosophy and the underlying Greek text should be taken seriously. Those are two distinct questions, and they are often conflated in popular discussions. First, while Wilbur Pickering is certainly a respected advocate for the Byzantine or Majority Text tradition, his position remains a minority one within contemporary textual criticism. That does not make him wrong, of course, but neither should his conclusions be presented as though they represent scholarly consensus. There are thoughtful evangelical scholars on both sides of the discussion who share a high view of Scripture yet arrive at different conclusions regarding the transmission of the New Testament text. Second, I would hesitate to frame the debate as one between those who believe God preserved his Word and those who do not. Most evangelical textual critics working with the Nestle-Aland or UBS critical text affirm both the inspiration of Scripture and God’s providential preservation of it. Their disagreem...

Philippians 3 The Other Enemies Of The Gospel Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are  the enemies of the cross of Christ:19 whose end is  destruction, whose god is their  belly, and whose glory is  in their shame --- who set their mind on earthly things.20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.   The Dogs, The Evil Workers The Mutilation The Earthly Minded the enemies of the cross of Christ:19 whose end is  destruction, whose god is their  belly, and whose  glory is  in their shame --- who set their mind on earthly things. The Prosperity ...

“To me the biggest fool is not the man who says ‘There is no God’, but the man who says ‘There is a God’ and then lives like there is no God.” ~ Dr. Adrian Rogers (1931-2005)

Acts 5:1-11 ESV But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, [2] and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. [3] But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? [4] While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God." [5] When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. [6] The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. [7] After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. [8] And Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much." And she said...

YOUR RELIGION IS DEAD IF: 1. Outward appearance is more important than inner purity (37-41)  God says: These people say, “Stand by yourself, do not come near to me; for I AM HOLIER  THAN YOU.” These people are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all day.” Isaiah 65:5 NKJV “The Lord does not look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” I Samuel  16:7 2. Ritual acts are more important than a personal relationship with God (42)  “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly  and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 3. Being seen by others is more important than serving God (43-44)  “Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you  will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce  it with trumpets a...

Responding to Trouble The most important thing about suffering is not why it happens, but how we respond to it. Attitudes, not answers, are the keys to triumphant living. We like to focus on why. But to know why suffering comes does not ease the pain or heal the hurt. If we respond to it correctly, it can make us better regardless of its cause. We do not get to choose our experiences in life. And we may never understand why they come to us, but we can choose our response to them. We determine how they will affect our lives. There are at least five responses we can make to suffering: 1. We can become bitter.  We can follow the advice that Job’s wife gave to him in his suffering. We can “curse God and die” (Job 2:9). We can blame God for everything that happens to us and become resentful, skeptical, and unbelieving. 2. We can sink into self-pity.  We ca...

Philippians 3:7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is  through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do,  forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,14 I pres...