In Depth:  Peter Jeffery

James Buchanan said of revival: 'It properly consists in two things: a general impartation of new life and vigour and power to those who are already of the number of God's people; and a remarkable awakening and conversion of souls who hitherto have been careless and unbelieving; in other words, it consists of a new spiritual life imparted to the dead, and a new spiritual health imparted to the living.'

Revival has nothing to do with national temperament or characteristics. It comes to both the staid English lands and to the more excitable Celtic and Latin countries. In his book The Flaming Tongue, Dr. Edwin Orr traces revivals in the first half of the 20th century. He takes us to Wales, England, Korea, Scandinavia, Europe, North America, Latin America, Australia, South Africa, China and Japan.

Wondering with the shepherds

Peter Jeffery comments on Luke 2.1-20

A young woman in her mid-20s came into the church one Sunday for the first time. After the service I spoke to her and discovered she was a devout Roman Catholic. 'If you are a Roman Catholic,' I said, 'why have you come here?'

She answered: 'I know God but I know nothing about Jesus. I want to learn about Jesus.' I replied: 'You cannot know God without Jesus.' She was amazed at the answer, as many religious people would be, but the Bible is very clear that Jesus is the only way to God.

How to get a suntan

God's Word says: 'This life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life.' (1 John 5.11,12). The gift does not merely come through Jesus, it is in Jesus. This means that you cannot have the gift apart from Jesus.

Over the summer months, many people go away on their holidays. Most folk just like to sit in the sun, relax, and come back with a suntan. You may see a man with a deep tan that you admire, and you ask him where he got it. 'In Spain', he replies.