Tag Archives: Grace

How Gone has helped me grasp the gospel better

Posted on November 28, 2012 by neilrobbie

Regular readers of this blog will know the story of Gone, our local rough sleeper, who has been on the streets of the Black Country for 30 years.  Last year, he spent 4 months up to Christmas sleeping under our … Continue reading →

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Parenting to the heart. Rules, incentives, grace and godliness

Posted on March 19, 2012 by neilrobbie

If there’s one thing being a parent has taught me, it is to think about the relationship between house rules or incentives, punishment for breaking the rules or the with-holding of incentives, and when to show grace.  If I show … Continue reading →

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West Bromwich: lessons from Jonah on mission

Posted on May 12, 2011 by neilrobbie

This is a transcript of a 10 minute talk I gave on Monday 9th May at a West Bromwich churches prayer meeting, UNITE. How many of us know the stories of Gladys Aylward or Jackie Pullinger? Both women really wanted … Continue reading →

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Spurgeon: Feed your kids beside the shepherds’ tents

Posted on May 10, 2011 by neilrobbie

William Still, the Church of Scotland minister under whose preaching ministry I was converted, had a phrase “pastor, feed the sheep on such truth that men are called to Christ” [The Work of the Pastor]. C.H. Spurgeon uses similar language … Continue reading →

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From the vicarage May 2011

Posted on May 3, 2011 by neilrobbie

From the vicarage May 2011 I’ve been looking again at a paper I wrote for my interview for the post of Vicar at Holy Trinity. As I read it I rediscovered this seven value statement, which I borrowed from another … Continue reading →

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Ebenezer Erskine on what it means to be justified

Posted on July 12, 2010 by neilrobbie

Here’s a little extract from another Ebenezer Erskine sermon, this time on the wonders of what it means to be justified. It is God that justifies, who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is … Continue reading →

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Another 8 biblical personality types

Posted on January 11, 2010 by neilrobbie

I recently posted the 3rd of Ebenezer Erskine’s points on how God in Christ is a God of love, where he shows that God sits on a throne of glory, justice and grace: 1. Throne of Glory – Matthew 25:31 … Continue reading →

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10 ways in which God in Christ is a God of love #3

Posted on December 8, 2009 by neilrobbie

Here’s number 3 of Ebenezer Erskine’s 10 points on the love of God in Christ: 3. God in Christ is a God sitting upon a throne of grace: and does not this say, that “God is love?” God has a … Continue reading →

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10 ways in which God in Christ is a God of love #1

Posted on November 25, 2009 by neilrobbie

Here’s abridged extracts from Ebenezer Erskine’s 10 point sermon on 10 ways in which God in Christ is a God of love: 1. GOD in Christ is a reconciled God, a God of peace, that has received the atonement : … Continue reading →

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Advice to weak and strong believers

Posted on September 24, 2009 by neilrobbie

There’s a danger, particularly in cities, of homogeneous churches forming within social networks where the subconscious message is “this church is for the fit or fine, weaklings are not welcome.” Ebeneezer Erskine’s advice to several believers takes both “weak” believers … Continue reading →

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