Another year, another host of changes. If we keep all of our hope and security in anything except God, things will change. But we serve an unchanging God; a God who stays the same. Praise the Lord that we are safe in Him who is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

We come to some very practical principles now: do not be a stumbling block; do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil; etc. While we have the liberty to act according to our conscience, this certainly does not override the command to love our neighbours. Walk in love and pursue peace and mutual upbringing!

There are many hot potato issues, or "grey areas", that we have to deal with as Christians. The Bible is clear on the essential truths. Once we have those unified, why would we quarrel with one another on the non-essentials? Let us be unified in the essentials, maintain biblical liberty to act according to our consciences for non-essentials, and always keep a close eye on what we are doing (assiduity) so that we are honouring God!

Give thanks in ALL circumstances! Everything that we have comes from God.

We cannot explain why somethings happen to us. But we can trust that God is sovereign and in control. That's the simplest and the best answer!

Jesus is the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays His life down for His sheep. His sheep are an integral part of His mission and purpose - their salvation is right there in that close unity between the Father and the Son. Praise God that His sheep hear His voice!

We are all born into sin and we will all die with our natural inclination to sin. However, although we cannot overcome our sin nature, God can. And He did! Let us remember that we are born again and called to a better way. Acknowledge your natural weakness to sin, submit to God, and content for righteousness!

Are you foolish? Don't be foolish! It is the Spirit at work within you, not your own "goodness" or "Christianess". What was begun by the Spirit cannot be completed by the flesh!

Jesus is both the door to the sheep and the door to salvation. Anybody who comes in by any other way is a thief. And the thief is only there to steal, kill, and destroy. But praise God that His sheep hear His voice!

This is one of those strange and confusingly ambiguous narratives that one plain read-through does not do justice. However, if we read the circumcision stuff in light of the New Testament, we start to understand the eternal disctinction between those who have Christ and those who do not. Let's go back to the Cross!