John Howell

For me, the fact that the goodness of the character of God is so far beyond what my mind can imagine is evidence for the existence of God. He’s a God who’s worthy of your love, and to whom you can entrust your life.

How did Barabbas feel? He was condemned to death and there was nothing he could do to save himself. Then, unexpectedly, he was told: “You are free. Someone else has taken your place.”

The reality of the world is itself evidence for the existence of God. The universe’s fundamental constants fall within a narrow range that is compatible with life. Today, there are 38 recognised cosmic constants. Of these, the most sensitive is the space energy density (the self-stretching property of the universe). Its value cannot vary by more than one part in 10,120, or else life would be impossible.

The cities of refuge were arranged in the land of Canaan so that anyone could reach one of them within half a day at most. In the same way, our salvation is near to us. Jesus is a present Saviour, and the way to salvation is close by. We must simply give up our own merit, and take hold of Jesus, to be our all in all.

You must be born again (John 3:7). One of the most striking things about what Jesus said is not what he said, but whom he said it to. Nicodemus was a member of the Jewish ruling council and the leading theologian of his religion (John 3:1,9: “Israel’s teacher.”) Jesus was talking to a man who was revered by the nation for his knowledge and achievements. But what Jesus basically told Nicodemus was, “I appreciate your sincerity. However, when you are in my presence, everything you have done from the day of your birth until today – and I mean absolutely everything – means absolutely nothing.” Jesus was referring to salvation.

There are times when to pray for just one person is enough to stagger us. To intercede for a whole city needs a vast amount of faith. But how far-reaching was the psalmist’s request: “Let the whole earth be filled with his glory.”

When God is real to us, we will trust him with both our past and our future. Then we will be able to live for the present. We will look to him for wisdom and strength. Only those who see the invisible can see the impossible.

Belief in God’s providence does not mean that God always answers our prayers affirmatively. He answers all our prayers, but he answers some of them negatively, and for the very best reasons.

Abraham’s belief, trust, laying hold of God was credited, reckoned, imputed, accounted, and attributed to him for righteousness. Now, this is the same man who had lied to the Egyptian pharaoh that his wife, Sarah, was only his sister. This is Abraham, the great man of faith—whose faith occasionally balked and faltered.

Our Lord Jesus was not a pessimist. He was, however, a perfect realist. He said that in the last days, people’s hearts would fail them for fear. He said there will be a time of trouble such as never was, a tribulation so intense that unless God shortened the days, no flesh would be saved. (See Luke 21:26; Matthew 24:21-22 KJV.) Jesus was a realist. Christians must be, too.

There’s a story of a shipwrecked sailor on an inhospitable island. He was dying of hunger. One day a box was suddenly swept to shore and he rushed eagerly to open it. But he fell back to the ground with bitter disappointment, because the box was full of gems and pearls. It was filled with riches that could not sustain his life.

Faith is the gospel’s chosen vehicle because faith has no virtue in itself. Faith gives all the credit to God. That’s because the moment we forget that we are paupers, on a pension from heaven, we’re in danger.

God’s judgment is not to be just an indictment because of sins committed. In fact, the real issue is not primarily the sin question but the Son question. Jesus said that whoever believes in him is not condemned.

We live in a society where everyone is too busy doing something else other than what we should be doing.

It is the privilege of all God’s children to call him Father. Perhaps you think you have little faith. Perhaps you want to be full of courage to face the challenges of life, but you stumble at every step, and even shadows make you afraid.

Joseph was a dreamer. He was teased about it. He was bullied. He was almost killed by his brothers because of it. He spent years as a slave, and then in prison.

I’ve never fell quite like the majority. As a child I was very ill for several years, so I was always skinny and small. I was born overseas. I looked different, and I had to learn a whole new language. I got called a lot of names at school.

He put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself (Genesis 8:9, NKJV). Do remember the story of Noah and how he sent out the dove to see if there was dry land? Worn out with her long flight, the dove returns to the ark as her only resting place. How heavily she flies! Will she drop into the waters? Will she ever reach the ark? But she struggles on.