Press On Journal

Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho, hid Israelite spies and helped them escape, showing her faith in God. God rewarded her by sparing her family during Israel's conquest of Canaan. Her actions symbolically represent her role as a midwife, assisting in the birth of Israel as a nation in the Promised Land.

The war in Ukraine provides an opportunity to reflect on two biblical themes: longing for God's justice and overcoming evil with good. It highlights the biblical vision of God's Kingdom where justice prevails, and encourages Christians to respond to injustice through acts of love, empathy and compassion towards all, including refugees.

Confirmation bias involves favoring information that confirms our existing beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence, leading to distorted interpretations and flawed decision-making. It is exemplified by the Pharisees' rejection of Jesus despite overwhelming evidence of his divine origins, due to their preconceived notions about the Messiah.

Paul's first letter to the Corinthians addresses various issues and conflicts within the Corinthian church, based on reports from Chloe's household. He addresses divisions and misunderstandings about marriage, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection. Paul emphasizes the importance of love, unity, and proper conduct in the church, while refuting false teachings.

There are many different threads to expressing spirituality, including truth-seeking, service, preaching, mysticism, and expressing emotions. Pride can easily corrupt these expressions, whereas balance and humility enables engaging various spiritual expressions without denigrating others.

Tamar's story reveals God's care for widows. From her tragic tale grows our introduction to the gospel of hope. Once widowed, God becomes our God, and we experience the freedom to seek a new and better groom.

Literature provides solace, widens our perspective, reprimands us, warns us, guides us, and trains empathy. God can use secular sources to move our hearts towards spiritual truth.

Studying horticulture opens up new worlds of plant biology, design, and ecology. Flowers showcase intricate structures from reproduction through pollination. Their diverse methods of seed dispersal display ingenious design. Nature's marvels testify to an intelligent Creator. The brevity of flowers reminds us of life's fragility yet God's care.

Doubt can promote spiritual growth. Biblical figures like Abraham, Sarah, Gideon and Thomas all expressed doubts yet are examples of great faith. Facing doubts honestly and vulnerably (rather than suppressing them) is the path to addressing spiritual decay and strengthening relationships with God and Christ.

Adam and Eve's disobedience in the garden led to an awareness of sin and their separation from God. This account depicts humanity's awakening to its need for divine connection, not a tragic fall from perfection. God allowed adversity to help humanity realize its spiritual condition and grow closer to him, ultimately restoring paradise through Christ.

Holy living requires balancing separation from uncleanness with loving service to neighbors, emulating Jesus' compassion for outcasts. Our royal priesthood involves spiritual duties like teaching God's word, as well as humanitarian responsibilities like pursuing justice, providing for the poor, and advocating for the oppressed.

Jael, a woman from the traitorous group of Kenites, seizes the opportunity to kill Sisera, the commander of the Canaanite army, by driving a tent peg through his temple while he sleeps in her tent, fulfilling the prophecy of the woman's offspring bruising the serpent's head and foreshadowing the Messiah's ultimate victory.

The author shares his journey as a gay Christadelphian, facing ostracism and hate, but ultimately finding solace in God's love, encouraging LGBTQ+ Christadelphians to embrace their faith and identity, reminding them that God's love is unconditional.

Christadelphians should reconsider using divisive language like "The Truth" and "brethren" that alienates outsiders. Outdated Bible translations and insensitive word choices can create stumbling blocks. Adopting inclusive, contemporary language rooted in Biblical principles of love and acceptance will foster a welcoming environment and help share the Gospel effectively.

By changing the lens through which we view narratives like those of Tamar, Bathsheba, and others, we gain new insights that vindicate these women from unfair vilification and reveal their honor, courage, and faith. We would do well to follow Jesus’ example and listen more carefully to the often-overlooked female voices in Scripture.

We classify ourselves into groups based on shared traits, forming communities that fulfill our need for acceptance and connection. However, Christ's message encourages us to engage with the world, building relationships across our various identities to share his teachings. By embracing our diverse communities while anchoring in our faith, we can find belonging and reflect Christ's light.

Climate change driven by human activity is a reality. Urgent action is needed to reduce carbon emissions and transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Christians have a moral responsibility as stewards of God's creation to make lifestyle changes and advocate for solutions to avert catastrophic impacts.

Being compassionate and loving is more important than being right or having all the answers. Focussing on head knowledge can hinder loving like Jesus, and what matters most is walking in truth through actions, not just words.

Deborah arose as a mother in Israel, judging and leading God's people to victory against the Canaanites, foreshadowing Jesus' servant leadership as a mother hen gathering and nurturing her children.

Christadelphians face racism within their community, including social exclusion, racist remarks, stereotypes, and biased interpretations of Bible verses. Addressing these challenges requires humility: admitting mistakes, educating oneself, promoting diversity and representation, supporting businesses run by people of color, and consciously challenging racist attitudes and behaviors through specifi...

The bible itself is not an instruction manual or the foundation of faith; it reveals God's redemptive story through inspired writings, guiding us to be more like Jesus, the Word made flesh, who is the true foundation of Christian faith through his death and resurrection.

Evolutionary mechanisms involving cooperation alongside competition appear to have been integral to life's development. Mechanisms like kin selection, reciprocity, and group selection allow cooperators to survive against defectors. Cooperation may reflect God's relational nature, with human altruism and self-sacrifice mirroring divine love. An evolutionary process, though messy, could manifest God...

Environmental stewardship is a Christian responsibility. The Earth belongs to God, and we must treat it with gratitude, respect, and love. Environmental degradation prevents creation from praising God as intended. Christians cannot ignore environmental issues, and caring for our planet is one way we show love to our neighbors.

Based on biblical accounts, historical records, and astronomical data, Jesus was likely born in September, 3 BCE, during the Feast of Trumpets, especially as specific celestial alignments occurred in the constellations of Virgo and Leo. Elements of the birth narrative hold special significance, including Bethlehem, the manger, the shepherds, and the swaddling cloths.

Women in the Bible faced rampant sexual oppression and abuse, often from powerful men, mirroring today's world. Hagar, Bathsheba, Tamar, Esther endured exploitation – even rape – with bystanders enabling the crimes. Their brave perseverance demands justice, dignity, and safe spaces for women to thrive without oppression.