My wife and I were privileged to be in Israel for two weeks recently. One of the highlights was a communion service in Gethsemane. Douglas Jacoby shared some thoughts before we took communion. I recorded the audio in the hope that it will give you special spiritual fuel for your next devotional time with God.
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.
Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.
God bless, Malcolm
PS: If you would like some coaching in spiritual disciplines, look me up here.
PPS: You might also be interested in my book: “An elephant’s swimming pool”, a devotional look at the Gospel of John
“Without honesty, there is no authenticity, and our religion runs the risk of losing touch with reality. Without honesty, we cannot find the intimate connection with God we long for.”
On a recent tour of Israel, I spent some good time with my old friend Douglas Jacoby. We discussed the Psalms and he mentioned the book he’s written on them called “Thrive!”. I bought a copy and started reading it straight away. It’s been blessing my spiritual life and I thought I’d bring you a brief description and review of the book for today’s quiet time coaching episode.
Please let me know what you think of Psalms, books on the Psalms, and Douglas’s book if you’ve read it.
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.
Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.
God bless, Malcolm
PS: If you would like some coaching in spiritual disciplines, look me up here.
PPS: You might also be interested in my book: “An elephant’s swimming pool”, a devotional look at the Gospel of John
“God creates ‘that which is not God’ out of generous love in order that he may then in the end fill it, flood it, drench it, with his love and his glory.”
I paid a visit to a local art exhibition at the invitation of my friend, Bill. He was exhibiting four of his paintings. Very impressive. It made me reflect on the amazing gift some people have been given in the area of creating art. And, of course it made me reflect on God as the supreme artist.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV11)
Do we take enough time to notice and reflect on the beauty all around us? Perhaps if we did so, we would connect better with the God who is the most supremely talented artist. Why not take some time today to contemplate the beauty in creation?
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.
Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.
God bless, Malcolm
PS: If you would like some coaching in spiritual disciplines, look me up here.
PPS: You might also be interested in my book: “An elephant’s swimming pool”, a devotional look at the Gospel of John
Just one of today’s many highlights from the Museum of Israel: the heel bone of Yehohanan son of Hagkol crucified in the 1stC CE. The nail through the ankle confirms that crucifixion was practiced in the time Jesus lived.
We’d all like to have healthy spiritual habits. But how do we build them? And what we do if we feel guilty about the need for external support?
Encountering some dog walkers on my prayer walk this morning reminded me of how helpful it can be to have a friend when trying to establish healthy spiritual habits.
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.
Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.
God bless, Malcolm
PS: If you would like some coaching in spiritual disciplines, look me up here.
PPS: You might also be interested in my book: “An elephant’s swimming pool”, a devotional look at the Gospel of John
Do you sing in your times with God? Is it part of your relationship with him? In today’s podcast and video I reflect on an experience I had last night and connected with something that happened a little while ago in my local woods.
Thank you for listening and watching to this recording.
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.
Thanks again for listening.
God bless,
Malcolm
PS: If you would like some coaching in spiritual disciplines, look me up here.
What is the connection between the kingdom of the heavens, peace and joy?
I’m teaching a three-part series on the kingdom for the Thames Valley churches of Christ. There’s no way I will do it justice, but I do hope to make it more relevant to myself and the congregation. One of the kingdom verses which has given me the most pause to think and pray is Romans 14:17-18.
Here is Tom Wright’s translation:
“God’s kingdom, you see, isn’t about food and drink, but about justice, peace, and joy in the holy spirit. Anyone who serves the Messiah like this pleases God and deserves respect from other people.” (Romans 14:17–18)
Compare that translation with the NIV:
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.” (Romans 14:17–18 NIV11)
Finally, take a look at this translation by Dallas Willard:
“The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking [whether you do it in one way or in another] but is inner rightness and peace and joy sustained by the Holy Spirit. For those serving Christ in this way are well-pleasing to God and approved by men.”
The key phrase here for me, is “inner rightness”. Far be it from me to criticise the NIV or Tom Wright, and I’m sure the translations are correct, but the Willard version emphasises the personal connection with Jesus. It is this personal connection which ensures our ability to experience the peace and joy of the Messiah. It is he who gives us peace (John 14:27) and joy (John 15:11). Why are we confident of this personal connection? Because Jesus promised, “I will be with you” Matthew 28:20. Since we have the spirit of Christ, we can enjoy the fruits of that spirit (Rom 8.9; Gal 5.22).
As Willard says, “..the kingdom of the heavens, from the practical point of view in which we all must live, is simply our experience of Jesus’s continual interaction with us in history and throughout the days, hours, and moments of our earthly existence.” (The Divine Conspiracy)
Would you like more joy and peace? Practice becoming more aware of the presence of Jesus. That is why we pray, and engage with spiritual disciplines. Not to make us “better”, but to make us more aware and thus more connected with the source of peace and joy. And the benefit? Why do we need to question the benefits of more peace and joy! But, we should also be aware that the fuller our experience of the peace and joy of the spirit, the more it will set us apart in this world as people who have something others need. Those with spiritual hunger will sit up and take notice.
The kingdom has many facets. But perhaps, practically, the most fundamental is the opportunity to avail ourselves of a supernatural peace and joy for which we were always designed.
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website.
Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.
God bless, Malcolm
PS: If you would like some coaching in spiritual disciplines, look me up here.
PPS: You might also be interested in my book: “An elephant’s swimming pool“, a devotional look at the Gospel of John
