Mark of the Beast.

Professor John Lennox, a scholar of science and Christianity, says the mark of the beast is already here and we willingly worship it. We surrender to the algorithms, which tell us what to think, what to buy, what holidays we’d like to take and on and on.

Lennox goes on to say there’s a 66% higher rate of depression between people who spend five hours watching screens than those spending four hours. We’re always on the phone. Never alone with our thoughts. There is no interior silence. The bible says; “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10), however, we’re never still. We can never really get to know God if we never stop, be still and get into His presence.

Orientation to the One who made us can only come through the practice of solitude, prayer and deep reading. It’s face to face with community living that brings satisfaction, not in the transient membership of the latest online game.

Who do you serve? Do you wake and turn to your bible or your phone? Do you, at lights out, scroll until sleep overtakes, or rehearse memorized scriptures?

“But His delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law he meditated day and night, then he shall be like a tree planted by rivers of water, that brings forth fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he does prospers.” (Psalm 1:2f.) It pays to meditate on God’s word.

Do you have the mark of God or the mark of the beast? Where is the work of your hands taking you? How do you think? For it is written the mark is on the hands and the forehead. That is in what we do and what we think. God knows which people His mark rests upon.

There are studies done now which bring to light the problem with screen time. “20 years ago,” said Lennox, “our focus was at 12 seconds. Focus has now reduced to 8 seconds. A goldfish has a nine second focus.” So effectively, we as a human society, have less focus today than a goldfish.

Troublesome, if you ask me, especially when you consider where we’ll be in another 20 years. How bad can it get? We shall soon find out.

Using phones every moment is misplaced worship. As the algorithm’s read us, who or what are we waking up to? Who or what, are we going to bed with? For those algorithms are geared to snatching away your attention. Removing attention from the quiet and peaceful place of God to the ever-increasing desire for more; more stuff, more knowledge, more stimulation. 

To you, I say; “Don’t be fooled.” Get into the secret place and spend time with the One who will improve your life, not the one who comes to kill, steal and destroy.

Ministry.

Ministry, at its deepest, is the God‑shaped movement of a person’s life toward serving, healing, and building others. It’s far more than a church role or a task list. Scripture treats it as a way of being—a posture of availability to God and a willingness to carry His heart into the world.

What “ministry” means at its core

The central biblical word for ministry is diakonia, meaning service or attentive care. It describes someone who steps toward the needs of others with God’s love as their motive. 

This service is not limited to preaching or leadership. It includes:

- Meeting practical needs  

- Offering spiritual care  

- Speaking truth  

- Acts of compassion  

- Building up the community of God  

Ministry is therefore any action—public or hidden—through which God’s character becomes visible through you.

The biblical dimensions of ministry

These layers show how Scripture frames the idea:

1. Service that reflects Christ’s own posture

Jesus defined ministry by giving, not receiving. He “came not to be served, but to serve.”  

Christian ministry mirrors this self‑giving pattern—meeting needs with humility and love. 

2. A calling rooted in reconciliation

Paul describes believers as “ambassadors for Christ,” carrying God’s appeal of reconciliation into the world. Ministry is therefore participation in God’s healing work—restoring what is broken, mending relationships, and pointing people toward wholeness. 

3. A stewardship, not a status

Ministry is never about rank. It is about entrusted responsibility—caring for what belongs to God: His people, His truth, His purposes.

4. A wide spectrum of expressions

The New Testament uses diakonia and its related words in many contexts—teaching, leadership, charity, administration, prophecy, hospitality, and more. Ministry is not one shape; it is the Spirit expressing God’s heart through the unique gifts of each person. 

Ministry as a way of life

When Scripture speaks of ministry, it is not describing a department of the church—it is describing the life of a person who has said yes to God’s love and yes to being its vessel.

This means:

- Ministry happens in conversations, not just pulpits  

- Ministry happens in kitchens, workplaces, and quiet moments  

- Ministry happens when you listen, encourage, discern, protect, or intercede  

- Ministry happens whenever you carry God’s compassion into a situation  

It is the overflow of a heart aligned with God.

The spiritual psychology of ministry

Given your own journey with agency, symbolism, and calling, it may help to see ministry as:

- A channel: God’s life flows through you into others  

- A shaping: Ministry forms you as much as it blesses others  

- A stewardship of presence: Sometimes the ministry is your presence—your discernment, your clarity, your courage  

- A participation: You join what God is already doing, not initiate it alone  

Ministry is not something you perform; it is something you become.

Pride.

Man’s Destruction; Pride.

What does the bible say about pride? From a biblical perspective pride falls into two categories; sinful pride and righteous pride.

The more common of the two, sinful pride, is pride that exalts itself above God. This kind of pride refuses correction. It seeks independence from God and looks down on others while also claiming the credit for oneself over that of God. This kind of pride is consistently condemned by God throughout the bible.

Righteous pride is pride not of arrogance but a sense of gratitude for what God has done. It’s a joy in God’s work towards oneself or others. It’s a confidence rooted in God, not self. Boasting in the Lord is an example of righteous pride. This righteous pride is not the pride I’m going to be discussing today.

What I’m writing on here is a warning about the disastrous and spiritually dangerous effects of sinful pride. It’s the pride that blinds the heart; hardens the heart, makes a person spiritually numb, unteachable, unrepentant, self-reliant and separated from God.

This kind of pride leads to disgrace, destruction and downfall. This kind of pride competes with God for glory. It doesn’t just distance us from God but opposes us against God as it tries to steal what belongs to God.

If you believe you’re self-reliant, self-righteous, morally superior, are ungrateful for what God has done or fail to acknowledge what God has done, you’re walking in sinful pride. When you become stubborn, refuse correction, obsess over your own image, reputation or status, consequences follow.

Separation from God causes nothing but strife. Separation from God fractures the inner life, leaving the heart to carry burdens it was never designed to bear, which inevitably spills out as conflict, confusion and unrest.

When the source of love, wisdom and alignment is removed, strife becomes the natural by-product, both within the person and in every relationship touched by that inner dislocation; the space created when the soul is no longer aligned to its true centre - God. It’s not dramatic on the surface, it’s subtle, like something inside has shifted a few degrees off its proper axis.

When a person is connected to God, there’s an internal orientation, an instinctive sense of direction, meaning and coherence. Separation disrupts that coherence. The person still moves, decides and acts but without the inner touch that keeps everything integrated and this is why strife emerges.

I’ve heard it said that pride is the mother of all sins. Pride goes before downfall. God actively resists the proud. Price causes a person to be unable to see truth and with that comes a loss of wisdom.

There are a number of examples of pride and its consequences in the bible. Pride started right at the beginning of the book with Lucifer who became impressed by his own beauty, power and intelligence. The Lord dealt swiftly with him, throwing him out of heaven and telling him, “on your belly you will go.” This was before Adam was even created. Ezekiel discus’s Lucifer in chapter 28:13-16.

Next was Adam and Eve. They ate of the forbidden fruit and while a visible transgression, the deeper issue behind it was the desire to be like God. Satan tempted them, by appealing to their pride. See Gen 3:5.

Then we have the Tower of Babel spoken of in Gen 11:4-9. People decided to build a tower to make a name for themselves. It symbolized self-exaltation. Pride leads to division and disobedience, as the Lord then scattered the people and mixed their speech, as He did at this time.

King Saul fell due to pride. He didn’t start out that way. Initially he was a humble leader however he became proud and began to fear losing popularity, when David began to rise in status in the eyes of the people. King Saul became jealous and obsessed over protecting his own status. In his pride, Saul disobeyed God’s commands and chose his own judgement over God’s and God at that time rejected Saul. Saul went into spiritual decline. The king eventually lost his kingdom.

Another king, King Uzziah, also had issues with pride. Uzziah achieved marvellous feats for Judah but forgot at some point that he was doing it for the Lord. As his pride swelled, Uzziah pulled away from God. Uzziah went into the temple and burned incense – a duty allocated only to priests. When confronted about this, Uzziah refused to listen and God struck him with leprosy and he lived the rest of his life isolated.

There’s a danger in success; we tend to forget where we’ve come, if were not careful. Both Saul and Uzziah overstepped their bounds when they became prideful at the height of their fame. Both were brought low and lost out in the long run.

Success and fortune can draw us away from God. We need to remember this, to remember where we came from.

King Nebuchadnezzar’s downfall too, was from pride. Spoken of in Daniel chapter 4 – the King’s great achievements and power went to his head, when he declared he built Babylon with his mighty power and for the glory of his majesty – his, not God’s. God struck him with madness and it wasn’t until years later that he turned his eyes heavenward and humbled himself before God. Only then was his sanity restored.

Pride, arrogance, the refusal to recognise God as the true source of authority, success and stability brings all sorts of calamity on the one who carry’s the pride. It’s in humility and repentance that restoration is given.

Hezekiah got into pride and it affected him, his city and his future generations. 2 Chron 32:25 states; But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favour shown to him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore, wrath was looming over Judah and Jerusalem.

King Hezekiah lay on his bed, dying. He pleaded with God and God miraculously healed King Hezekiah and extended his life. Rather than praise God for this, Hezekiah instead showed off his treasures, revealing them to his enemies who later stole his kingdom and all his treasures. As he lay ill and dying Hezekiah humbled himself and repented and God delayed His sentence of death and judgement towards the king but his kingdom was eventually lost and his children were taken into captivity.

There are many more examples I could give; Pharaoh, Hayman, King Herod, the Pharisee, the tax collector, Simon the magician. Pride is the enemy, humility a friend. God hates pride because He knows what it will do. It will destroy lives, relationships, health, finances. All the areas we hold dear to our hearts.

“Pride is your greatest enemy, humility is your greatest friend.” So said John Stott – a remarkably humble man who made great impact for Christ. Pride and humility; the heart of the matter and the heart of the bible which teaches on the deadly roots of sin.

Pride is now celebrated as a virtue, even though biblically recognised as the deadliest of vices. Pride walks hand in hand with arrogance, covering the rich, the famous, the ordinary and even some religious leaders. We are all at risk. Few of us realise the danger it poses to our soul. It hinders our intimacy with God and with the love of our fellow man.

C. S. Lewis, another man who achieved a great impact for Christ, calls pride; “the great sin.” Lewis said; “Pride leads to every other vice.” It is the complete anti-God state of mind. It is pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and family.

Could this be exaggeration? I don’t believe so. Christianity teaches pride is the utmost evil, unleashing anger, greed, and drunkenness. The saints of old have been warning us of this for centuries. Luther, Calvin, Augustine, Aquinas, as well as Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant churches all unite around this point.

Make no mistake; pride is a great sin – it’s a spiritual cancer, an anti-God state of mind which pervades silently. Eventually it will lead to a spiritual death, ensnared by self-deception, bringing about erosion and unbelief in the word of God.

The outworking of pride eventually shows up in the affairs of individuals, families, nations and cultures. The knowledge of God is suppressed and a spiritual darkness enters the scene. Man becomes larger in his own eyes, while at the same time, God is diminished. Life moves away from God and self becomes the priority.

Adolf Hitler failed at many things as a youngster and yet pride still got in his way, as he felt his race to be the superior race. One man of many men who believe they’re better than the rest. You saw where that led. It destroyed families and nations. Pride entitles us to do things to other people that are unspeakable.

Pride precedes deception. When you stop seeking the Lord, when you lessen your dependence and reliance on God, you head down a slippery slope. Serious consequences befall man when he heads along this path.

A proud person can’t humble themselves because they think they know everything. God has things to show us and teach us but the proud are not open to learning it if they can’t humble themselves and be teachable. The proud man refuses correction and goes astray.

In our pride, we lose friendships and close relationships as our heart hardens and we condemn those who don’t agree with our ideals. As a prideful person believes they know everything already, they become haughty and arrogant and in being so, they use cutting remarks, often alienating those closest to them.

Humility helps us submit to God’s authority. It allows for correction and helps us see God as He is. It shows us we might be wrong in our thinking. God brings down the proud and exalts the humble.

Don’t lift yourself in praise. If it’s worthy of praise, let others praise you. Also, he who scoffs at another person will not listen to rebuke, even when in their own best interest, for in every criticism is a grain of truth. A wise person sifts through instruction and criticism and searches for that grain of truth.

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18.

The Lord rewards the true, the just, the righteous. You can’t keep God contained in a box. God has to have every area of your life. Allow Him to work in your life, as you walk in humility with Him and He will show you great and mighty things.

Pride is a character flaw and yet we appear blind to it. Pride manifests itself by way of judging, in a lack of gratitude, in anger, as viewing yourself better than others, an inflated view of your importance, in thinking your gifts and abilities are superior.

Perfectionism is a form of pride, as is talking to much about yourself, or being consumed with what others think about you. Seeking independence, angered by criticism, being unteachable (thinking you know everything), degrading towards others, lack of compassion or service-hood towards others, needing recognition, blame shifting, refusing to ask or give forgiveness.

Showing disrespect, voicing opinions when not asked, minimizing your own sin or shortcomings, impatience, irritableness, jealousy, envy, using others for selfish gain. Deceitful gain, covering sins and faults, even not having a close relationship with others.

The above few paragraphs are a long list and this may have surprised you. So many areas can catch us off guard and lead us down wrong paths. I’m sure I haven’t covered them all but it’s good to at least be aware of them.

If you’ve had a moment where you feel pride has entered your heart, confess to the Lord immediately. Don’t brush it off. Don’t hide what you thought or did. Confess quickly and repent. And when confessing, be humble and submissive. Ask God what He wants you to learn from this experience and what He wants from you at this time.

God may ask that you call a person, or that you write a letter, or just that you ponder a moment and think about it. Confess, follow God’s guidance and then let it go. We’re not to get into condemnation for “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ…” (Romans 8:1). Let go and move on.

A foolish person talks too much; that’s how we end up saying and doing the wrong thing. Stop and pause, especially if you feel a check in your spirit. Put a gate at the door of your mouth – pause before speaking. Being sarcastic and hurtful towards someone, attacking and degrading is not Christian.

Much is said about the foolish person. Proverbs has a lot to say on the matter. He who hates correction is stupid, but a humble person attains wisdom from above. He seasons his words with salt and grace. He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow. Strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise. Any fool can start a quarrel. The lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

Final thoughts and examples of pride – What’s the answer? Humility. Seeing yourself as God sees you; we are His workmanship, a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a light on the hill, holy and blameless. Be teachable. Value others. Submit to God’s will. Repent!

Jesus is the ultimate model of humility. He chose servanthood over kingship. If we can look to Jesus, remember who God is, along with having a higher esteem of God above our own. If we practice gratitude, acknowledge God as the source, embrace correction, confess sins frequently and quickly, humble ourselves and serve others, we can reshape our position before God – And then we will have good success.

Spearheads, Arrows, Axes and Darts.

We had both arrows and axes at church recently, between the church service and bible study and then I got an email through the week, which spoke of spearheads. And yet another service the following week with mention of fiery darts. I just felt led to put it all together and see what comes of it.

Weapons are often used symbolically in scripture. They can mean violence, leadership, breakthrough, judgement, protection and spiritual initiative.

The symbolic meaning of spearhead is; one who goes first – or leadership and initiative. The spear is the front-line warrior. The spearhead is the first part to breakthrough into new ground or regions. The spearhead is the person who goes first, the one who initiates what others will later follow. It’s often costly and can leave one feeling exposed.

In piercing what resists, breakthrough opens the way. The word of God is an instrument that punctures into breakthrough. It’s the spiritual warfare which challenges God’s people.

A spearhead confronts, penetrates and disrupts darkness or stagnation. It’s a tool used in God’s judgement against oppression and wickedness. It exposes the hidden and ends the unjust. It’s divine intervention through daring, clarity and truth.

The spearhead is a representation of protection, through those who stand between danger and the vulnerable. The spear feels like something you must accost head on; a truth, a responsibility, a moment of bravery.

I feel that’s me this week, as I stand in the gap for a woman having trouble conceiving and bringing a baby to full-term, after a number of miscarriages and failed IVF attempts.

Once I heard of her plight, I have been and still am, standing in the gap, interceding between the danger of the loss of the vulnerable new life that is within her at this moment and the victory of the promises of God; that whatsoever we ask in His name, we shall have.

I am the spearhead, meeting eye-ball to eye-ball with fortitude, the truth of God’s word for this woman. I’m holding God to His promise, as I decree and declare this baby go to full term and live.

While a spearhead represents confrontation, an arrow represents precision. One used to battle at close range the other used for distance.

An arrow is released from afar and is often unseen until it hits its target; swift and sure. God’s judgement is described as an arrow, one that strikes suddenly and accurately, such as the fiery darts quenched by God’s arrow of truth.

Fiery darts; another sharp pointed instrument, generally used to denote satan’s method of attack as they try to penetrate God’s shield of faith. With shields up we can deflect these fiery darts. This is why we put on the armour of God, so we can do battle fully covered.

In biblical days, warriors would link their shields. Those shields would be used in the front and the sides of the army for protection. The middle ranks linked the shields overhead, so there was cover on all sides, including from above.

There is no armour to cover the rear of the formation because God’s protection was in the rear. The fighting was done from the front and sides, never the rear. It also shows; God’s armies never ran in retreat, for if they did, they’d be exposed and without cover, where the darts and arrows could easily hit their mark. Forward and onward is the only way.

Arrows are crafted quietly and hidden in a quiver. They are aimed and sent forth at precisely the right moment. Deliberate, targeted, invisible until impact. Akin to a laser focus when aimed through you; a message, calling, conviction or spiritual attack, the arrow will get your attention.

The axe head is for breaking, dividing, revealing. It’s a tool to cut through what is resistant. It takes discernment and gallantry to sever and split truth from lies. Cutting the outer layers to reveal the inner. It’s raw action.

The axe has the ability to split truth from illusion; Spiritually; it’s discernment. It’s a tool of courage with the ability to sever that which no longer serves. It cuts away the outer to expose the inner. What is it the axe comes against? It’s the thing which must yield to the pressure. It’s the; “It stops here” energy.

Where the axe divides, the spear pierces. The axe clears - the spear targets - while the arrow has purpose and trajectory; its job is to aim (the goal) tension (the drawing of the bow) the release (trusting the path) and distance (looking at what’s ahead).

The axe is to clear what’s blocking. The arrow; the prayer of intention. The spearhead is the true target. Remove. Discern. Send. Act. Cut away. Pierce through. Move forward.

You also have to know what tool to use for the season you're in. You can't use Moses's rod to bring down Jericho's walls and you can't use the trumpets at Jericho to part the Red Sea.

These four instruments are instruments of intention. They’re wielded by God, by the people, by satan himself. They’re for clearing, piercing or releasing. You decide which instrument is needed for each battle you face.

At the end of the day, you get to choose. John 10:10 states; The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.

Notice the word ‘may.’ It’s not you ‘will’ have life but that you ‘may’ have life. God gives you free will to choose. You may choose not to stand on His word and with that is a different outcome. When you choose to stand on God’s word, you will have life.

Armour on. Shields up. Stand ready. Choose life and life abundantly.