“Oh come, let us sing to the LORD;let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!”Psalm 95:1, ESV If your church experience has been anything like mine, you’ve heard the term “joyful noise” quite a bit in your life. Sometimes it’s used to encourage that person who doesn’t join in on Sunday … Continue reading Noise, by Kristi Ann Hunter
‘”You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness.”‘ 1 Thess 2:5 Masks then! I’m not really a fan of the mask. Other than when they come in a lovely packet with ‘soothing’, ‘restorative’ or ‘moisturising’ emblazoned on them. We remember with sorrow the state … Continue reading Mask, by Catherine Hutton
“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace…” 1 Corinthians 14:33a My life has been full of disorder—chaos—for quite a while now. Especially the last nine months. In fact, I can now say that the last nine months have been the hardest of my life. (Before this, we’ve dealt with some pretty … Continue reading Disorder, by Kimberley Woodhouse
The Ammonite commanders said, “Hanun, do you really believe David sent this delegation to express sympathy for the loss of your father? Don’t you think his intent is to explore the city, find its weak points, and overthrow it?” 1 Samuel 10:3 (Becky’s No-nonsense Paraphrase) Intent Matters As a child, I loved the movie Pollyanna. A … Continue reading Intent, by Becky Antkowiak
‘”The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.”‘ 2 Corinthians 13:14 Earlier this month I sat in a Baroque church in Central Europe. I was overwhelmed by the splendor displayed everywhere my eye alit. A sister in Christ leaned over, “If … Continue reading Communion, by Melissa Carey