johnf@jfm.org.nz

The author has 70 posts

You’re hearing from God all the time

“I haven’t heard from God for years.” “God only speaks to me through scripture.” I hear these comments regularly. But the Lord recently showed me something astonishing! The Bible tells us we consist of spirit, soul, and body, and 1 Corinthians 2:11 says, “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him.” Thoughts […]

God picks his moments

I was busy wiping a cow’s backside when the Lord spoke. On our farm in England, we kept 150 dairy cows. We struggled to make money, so we decided to keep pedigree Holsteins, worth several times an ordinary cow. Their daughters could fetch thousands of pounds. The only thing was, you had to take them to livestock shows. If they […]

Commissioned

“Commissioned,” Ali said. “We’re commissioned by the star. We can’t go home, Ben.” Ben pointed behind them. “The king’s lying, that’s all. Didn’t you see his eyes?” They left the city gates and passed a lively market. Shouts echoed from the stone walls. Produce cluttered the pavement―melons, onions and pomegranates. They steered their donkeys away from the crowds. A third […]

Why is idolatry so deadly?

The Ten Commandments begin: “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol.” Pretty stern, but what exactly is an idol? Other gods are things we’ve not made, like the sun, moon, angels or people. An idol is something we’ve made, images or art, sport or entertainment, as long as we worship it. […]

What is church?

When we come together, what do we do? Sing, pray, preach, offering, notices, communion and coffee. That’s church, surely? Actually, the Scriptures suggest otherwise. The Apostle Paul has a very different picture in mind. When you come together, he writes in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue of an interpretation. […]

My vision of choice

The worship service seemed to dissolve. I became aware of a small church on a broad rise, set in rolling countryside. A small crowd emerged from the south door, laughing together. To the right, beneath the sun-bright sky, a gentle breeze wafted the scent of elderflowers from the verdant hedgerows. It was a perfect English day in May. But not […]

Toxic Compromise

King Solomon of Israel was born with a golden spoon in his mouth. It was to prove deadly. Worse still its long shadow still cripples us today. His father, King David, promoted him to the monarchy above his brothers. Barely eighteen, he asked the Lord for wisdom. In a dream, the Lord promised he would establish his throne forever, if […]

King Solomon’s wives

Seven hundred, of royal birth? And three hundred concubines? Do the math: he must have had a wedding a week, unless he married them a dozen at a time. It seems so unlikely many commentators have dismissed the figures as political spin. Fake news. But the Bible isn’t fake. Solomon reigned for forty years. According to 1 Kings 14:21, his […]

The Prayer of Faith

Is anyone of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven (James 5:14-15). But when Jesus healed […]

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