QRBC - Daily Devotions: Recent Episodes
Queen's Road Baptist Church, Broadstairs
There are our Daily Readings & Reflections - each weekday morning, we take a moment to reflect on scripture and see what God might be saying to us.
Philippians 3:7-14
We have been thinking about road signs this week – all in relation to our life of faith – our following Jesus.
UTurn – Jesus call to repent and believe, the first followers turning their back on their old way of life as fishermen -and changing direction, going Jesus way.
One Way – The decision to follow Jesus isn’t a one off – it’s a daily decision to fix our eyes on Jesus – to persevere, keep going his way.
Today – this sign – uneven road ahead – bumps in the road.
I’ve had the privilege of visiting our partners in Soroti – spending time with our brothers and sisters there – part of Global Challenge.
Hebrews 12:1-3
This week we are using road signs to help us reflect on the Christian faith. Yesterday, we thought about making a u-turn - the call of Jesus to ‘repent and believe the good news’. And how we saw this in those first disciples – going one way in their lives as fishermen, meeting Jesus and having their lives turned around, making a u-turn, and now travelling Jesus, kingdom way.
Today, we are going to think about the sign ‘One-Way’. It’s so easy to find yourself driving the wrong way up a one way street – isn’t it? I’m sure we have all done it. Particular if you are in a strange town.
Mark 1:14-20
How are you at recognising road signs? If you are a driver, hopefully you are good. When I passed my driving test, a very small part of it was understanding and digesting the Highway Code, these days potential drivers must pass a written test first. This week we are going to have an overview of our faith – what it means to live for Jesus, using road signs to help us along the way. Our first sign is the U-Turn. If you have a satnav, you may get fed-up with the ones that constantly tell you to do a U-Turn – perhaps you have decided you know a better way to go, a better direction to drive – and you are met with a constant patient instruction to ‘when possible, make a U-turn’! In the opinion of the device, you are going in the wrong direction. I guess the start point of the Christian faith is that we are going in the wrong direction – we need to make a U-Turn.
Running Away With The Oppressed Israelites.
Moses truly rose to God’s command to lead His oppressed people out of Egypt and towards the promised land. Many were the ups and downs along the way, we’ll hear about a few today, in fact there are more than enough to fill a future week of devotions should anyone feel they might like to tackle these by going further into the book of Exodus!
Running Away From Pharaoh
If you were with me yesterday you’ll recall Moses, an Israelite in Egypt who had close contact with the despotic ruler of the powerful land of Egypt, had been tasked by God to lead the oppressed Hebrews away from Egypt a long, long way to safety and freedom in a different land. Pharaoh, understandably, wasn’t too keen on the idea of losing his slave labour force. However, after some further discussion with God Moses does decide to obey this command. You might like to read this for yourself in
Moses Not Running Away
Today we’ll think about three periods in his life when Moses did not run away.
Moses experiences a period of stability and domesticity.
Moses Running Away From Murder
By the time we meet Moses today he is a grown man having been brought up and educated by Pharaoh’s daughter in the Egyptian Court.
Babies Can’t RunBefore we hear today’s reading from the book of Exodus, the 2nd book in the OT, I’d like to put the Moses story into context. A few generations earlier Joseph, one of Abrahams descendants had been forced to move from his family home in Canaan on the eastern Mediterranean coast to Egypt some 300 miles away where he rose to become second in command under the then Pharaoh. Because of a dreadful famine that Pharaoh agreed to Joseph’s request for his extended family to move to Goshen in Egypt. The Israelites/Hebrews moved, settled and their numbers grew. Over time a new Pharaoh became seriously worried by their sheer numbers and used them as forced labourers and treated them increasingly harshly.
The Boy Who Heard
1 Samuel 1:26-28, 2:34 - 3:2
...and she said to him, ‘Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he shall be given over to the Lord.’ And he worshipped the Lord there...
Protective Sister
In Exodus 1, we have the record of a new pharaoh turning against the Israelites. One thing he wanted was all the Hebrew boys to be killed at birth, but we have Shiprah and Puah, the midwives, disobeying. They were Israel's first deliverers as, because of them, the family of around 70, who entered Egypt was able to expand to 600000 men, plus women and children.
Philippians 1:3-6
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Noreen's School, Lokichar, Turkana
This week we are focusing on the work of organisations and projects with which some of us are involved. For my part, I will be sharing with you about the Timothy Project, which has been close to my heart since its inception, in Brazil, fifteen years ago.
This week, we think about Lego and allow God to speak to us through it – Five ways we can learn together from Lego as we continue walking in God’s ways together.
WithMe #Reflections
This week, we think about Lego and allow God to speak to us through it – Five ways we can learn together from Lego as we continue walking in God’s ways together.
WithMe #Reflections
This week, we think about Lego and allow God to speak to us through it – Five ways we can learn together from Lego as we continue walking in God’s ways together.
WithMe #Reflections
This week, we think about Lego and allow God to speak to us through it – Five ways we can learn together from Lego as we continue walking in God’s ways together.
WithMe #Reflections
This week, we think about Lego and allow God to speak to us through it – Five ways we can learn together from Lego as we continue walking in God’s ways together.
WithMe #Reflections
Surrounded with Compassion
As I think about the next series of daily reflections, we have just had ‘Father’s Day’. I wonder what they day means to you? Perhaps it is a day tinged with sadness – mourning the loss of someone? Perhaps it leaves you cold – not everyone has a good relationship with a father. Perhaps it is a very special day in your house, as you celebrate these relationships.
This week, we are going to use the image from Jesus of God as Father as our launchpad.
Don't Worry...As I think about the next series of daily reflections, we have just had ‘Father’s Day’. I wonder what they day means to you? Perhaps it is a day tinged with sadness – mourning the loss of someone? Perhaps it leaves you cold – not everyone has a good relationship with a father. Perhaps it is a very special day in your house, as you celebrate these relationships.This week, we are going to use the image from Jesus of God as Father as our launchpad.
We can ask...
As I think about the next series of daily reflections, we have just had ‘Father’s Day’. I wonder what they day means to you? Perhaps it is a day tinged with sadness – mourning the loss of someone? Perhaps it leaves you cold – not everyone has a good relationship with a father. Perhaps it is a very special day in your house, as you celebrate these relationships.
This week, we are going to use the image from Jesus of God as Father as our launchpad.
Family ExpectationsYesterday, we started to think around the idea that God is our heavenly Father – not an austere Victorian figure to be avoided – but a Father/Daddy/parent who can be approached confidently – A father who knows us and loves us, encourages us, challenges us, disciplines us – provides for us.
This knowledge should encourage our prayer life – encourage our faith life.
We are going to think during the rest of the week about how this amazing, privileged relationship should affect how we live our lives, how we relate to one another as children of Father God.
Father
As I think about the next series of daily reflections, we have just had ‘Father’s Day’. I wonder what they day means to you?
Perhaps it is a day tinged with sadness – mourning the loss of someone?
Perhaps it leaves you cold – not everyone has a good relationship with a father.
Perhaps it is a very special day in your house, as you celebrate these relationships.
This week, we are going to use the image from Jesus of God as Father as our launchpad.
Conduct and Behaviour
This week we have spend some time in the books/Letters of Paul that begin with T! They are all grouped together in the NT library.
We have focused in on two themes in these letters – of course just dipping into parts of these letters. Two themes of the encouragement to pray more consistently and strategically and the call to live good lives, in the light of Christs ‘sudden’ return, in the light of our call to be good examples – people whose actions and words match and point to our purpose as people living for the kingdom of Jesus.
We move into Titus – Titus had been ‘left in Crete’ under Paul’s direction to organise and lead the church there.
Our focus today, as we read Titus 3:1-11, is again the conduct and behaviour and focuses of the followers of Jesus.
Our examples….
Yesterday we looked at a short passage in 1 Timothy – Paul’s encouragement and challenge to sharpen up Timothy’s prayer life. Today we are moving into a short passage in his second letter.
Paul was a great encourager of Timothy – Paul had left Timothy with lots of tasks and struggles to deal with in his leadership in the church in Ephesus – Timothy was young, but here in these letters, we see Paul’s wise advice and encouragement for Timothy to stay strong, be a faithful leader and defender of the Gospel.
As Timothy’s encourager, Paul’s words and actions matched – his example was a good one. There was a consistency about Paul – word and deed, that meant he was a good mentor, encourager of young leaders like Timothy.
Praying for our leadersYou can’t spend much in time in Paul’s letters without being encouraged to pray. We have already this week thought about this – Paul’s example of praying consistently with thanksgiving for the believers in Thessalonica!
In today’s reading – we are moving on through our ‘T’ books to 1 Timothy – Paul not writing to a church, but to a young leader who he has invested time in. A young leader who is called to some tough tasks.
Lives lived in light of the future
I don’t know if you heard the two fathers speak, the dads of the two students who were murdered in the recent Nottingham attack. It was tough to hear – and just reminded me how quickly life can change for us. One moment, all can be well, normal – the next, an event, some news, a change can shake us to the core. Life can change in an instant.
Of course, as a church family, we are amongst people who are experiencing life-changing events at this time - medical emergencies, sudden deaths, breakdowns, job loses – relationship breakdowns – can all strike without warning, leaving us realing. Life changed forever.
We must be a community that supports each other through such times.
Thanking and Praying
Last week we dipped into a few passages in four of Paul’s letters – I always remembered their order by the saying ‘God Eats Pink Custard’ – Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians. This week we are going to spend time in the next five letters of Paul– the ones that follow on from G, E, P, C – all of these books/letters start with the letter ‘T’ - 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. If you are trying to find a NT book starting with the letter ‘T’ – you know they immediately after ‘God Eats Pink Custard’. – Well it helps me find the books!
Today, we are going to start by looking at the opening words in 1 Thessalonians. This letter is probably the earliest surviving Christian document – certainly pre-dating the Gospels. One of the focuses in this letter is Paul’s desire that the Christians live their lives faithfully in the light of Christ’s return – Jesus’ promised return should call us on to living well, for him.
We have spent a few days dipping into bits of Paul’s writing to the church in Galatia, Ephesus, Phillippi and today, we are going to think about some astonishing things Paul says in Colossians chapter 1.
I remember writing stories as a child, in my English lessons at school – I can remember getting carried away with the story – punctuation would go out the window, my hand-writing would get scruffier and scruffier – but I would be totally immersed in what I was writing – which for me at least, was an exciting story!
For me, I sometimes imagine Paul doing the same thing, getting carried away with the wonders he is writing about, so carried away as he writes about the wondrous Good News of Jesus -I wonder if his punctuation disappeared and his hand-writing became un readable.
We are spending this week with well-known passages from Paul’s letters – his instruction to the church.
Yesterday, we read from the first part of Philippians Chapter 2 – a challenge to stop ‘grasping’ – but imitate Christs humility, servant-heart in the way we relate to one another.
Today, we carry on in chapter 3 – Ask the question – Are you a moaner?
The older I get, the more I seem to moan and whinge!
It became more apparent recently when I was giving my son a lift to his piano lessons. I was in a rush, trying to cut across busy Thanet roads, lots of post-school traffic – and I guess, lots of quite poor driving.
But I suddenly realised that, in a journey of less than 15 minutes I had probably moaned about 7 or 8 drivers. They were driving to slow, or to fast. They had cut corners, forgotten to indicate, not let me through……
Now of course, the reality is that I too at times drive too slow, too fast, I can sometimes cut corners, forget to indicate, push through in a hurry….
I hope that hasn’t shocked you! It becomes so easy to moan and whinge our way through life. Particularly about the things that really don’t matter.
What kind of example was I being to my son!
We are dipping into a few familiar passages from Paul this week – Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians. Paul’s teaching is practical and challenging – he his desperate for these churches to grasp what living lives for Jesus looked like.
So far this week we have thought about the battle raging within our lives – the challenge for us to show the whole fruit that Jesus showed in his life.
Yesterday, in a culture that struggles with identity – our primary identity is in Christ – this identy can form the bedrock in which all other of our other identities can be built – this identity will last when other identities have ceased.
Today, we are going to head into the first of two days in the great chapter of Philippians 2 –
This week we are picking a few passages from among Paul’s four letters – Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians for our reflections.
Paul’s passion is for the church, the new Christians in these communities, to grow, become more like Jesus. Yesterday we thought about the famous passage in Galatians that encourage us to choose to allow the Spirit to produce his fruit in our lives, to win out over the acts of our fallen human nature. We are to ‘walk in the Spirit’ – allowing his power to produce the fruit that we see in the life of Jesus.
Today we are moving onto a Passage in Ephesians and thinking about identity -
This week we are going to dip into five passages from four of Paul’s letters – Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians.
We could fill up weeks of Paul’s amazing teaching and challenges – but I have just dipped into a few well-known parts of these four books.
The first one is from Galatians 5:13-26. Paul is talking about a battle, a war going on within us – the acts of flesh v the fruit of the Spirit.
What is it to be human?
Recently I noticed a BBC article with the thought-provoking strap-line, “AI – will it make humans boring?”
Personally I find human beings far more interesting than AI. We are prone to error, inherently selfish yet with the capacity for incredible generosity of spirit that would confound any AI, - capable of both love and hate while AI will only be able to employ cold logic based on its programming, even if it will be able to do that much better than us. It will be able to debate on existence of consciousness in AI, yet never know what it is to be content. It will be able to win philosophical debates on the existence of God yet never be able to truly know Him. It will never be able to answer truthfully the question "How's your family?" It will never be capable of spontaneous love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness or self-control. A society dominated by AI would be one where such qualities would have no place.
What will always fundamentally separate us from AI is that "God so loved humanity that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not end up spiritually dead but have everlasting life." AI can never be made spiritually alive as it will never be human, with all the spiritual potential that implies. It can only replicate a form of humanity.
It got me thinking about what it truly means to be fully human as God intended, which is the connecting thought for all of this week’s devotions. In this my thinking has been inspired by reading Charlie Peacock’s book “New Way to be Human” back in 2019 while recuperating after a knee operation.
What is it to be human?
Recently I noticed a BBC article with the thought-provoking strap-line, “AI – will it make humans boring?”
Personally I find human beings far more interesting than AI. We are prone to error, inherently selfish yet with the capacity for incredible generosity of spirit that would confound any AI, - capable of both love and hate while AI will only be able to employ cold logic based on its programming, even if it will be able to do that much better than us. It will be able to debate on existence of consciousness in AI, yet never know what it is to be content. It will be able to win philosophical debates on the existence of God yet never be able to truly know Him. It will never be able to answer truthfully the question "How's your family?" It will never be capable of spontaneous love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness or self-control. A society dominated by AI would be one where such qualities would have no place.
What will always fundamentally separate us from AI is that "God so loved humanity that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not end up spiritually dead but have everlasting life." AI can never be made spiritually alive as it will never be human, with all the spiritual potential that implies. It can only replicate a form of humanity.
It got me thinking about what it truly means to be fully human as God intended, which is the connecting thought for all of this week’s devotions. In this my thinking has been inspired by reading Charlie Peacock’s book “New Way to be Human” back in 2019 while recuperating after a knee operation.
What is it to be human?
Recently I noticed a BBC article with the thought-provoking strap-line, “AI – will it make humans boring?”
Personally I find human beings far more interesting than AI. We are prone to error, inherently selfish yet with the capacity for incredible generosity of spirit that would confound any AI, - capable of both love and hate while AI will only be able to employ cold logic based on its programming, even if it will be able to do that much better than us. It will be able to debate on existence of consciousness in AI, yet never know what it is to be content. It will be able to win philosophical debates on the existence of God yet never be able to truly know Him. It will never be able to answer truthfully the question "How's your family?" It will never be capable of spontaneous love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness or self-control. A society dominated by AI would be one where such qualities would have no place.
What will always fundamentally separate us from AI is that "God so loved humanity that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not end up spiritually dead but have everlasting life." AI can never be made spiritually alive as it will never be human, with all the spiritual potential that implies. It can only replicate a form of humanity.
It got me thinking about what it truly means to be fully human as God intended, which is the connecting thought for all of this week’s devotions. In this my thinking has been inspired by reading Charlie Peacock’s book “New Way to be Human” back in 2019 while recuperating after a knee operation.
What is it to be human?
Recently I noticed a BBC article with the thought-provoking strap-line, “AI – will it make humans boring?”
Personally I find human beings far more interesting than AI. We are prone to error, inherently selfish yet with the capacity for incredible generosity of spirit that would confound any AI, - capable of both love and hate while AI will only be able to employ cold logic based on its programming, even if it will be able to do that much better than us. It will be able to debate on existence of consciousness in AI, yet never know what it is to be content. It will be able to win philosophical debates on the existence of God yet never be able to truly know Him. It will never be able to answer truthfully the question "How's your family?" It will never be capable of spontaneous love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness or self-control. A society dominated by AI would be one where such qualities would have no place.
What will always fundamentally separate us from AI is that "God so loved humanity that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not end up spiritually dead but have everlasting life." AI can never be made spiritually alive as it will never be human, with all the spiritual potential that implies. It can only replicate a form of humanity.
It got me thinking about what it truly means to be fully human as God intended, which is the connecting thought for all of this week’s devotions. In this my thinking has been inspired by reading Charlie Peacock’s book “New Way to be Human” back in 2019 while recuperating after a knee operation.
What is it to be human?
Recently I noticed a BBC article with the thought-provoking strap-line, “AI – will it make humans boring?”
Personally I find human beings far more interesting than AI. We are prone to error, inherently selfish yet with the capacity for incredible generosity of spirit that would confound any AI, - capable of both love and hate while AI will only be able to employ cold logic based on its programming, even if it will be able to do that much better than us. It will be able to debate on existence of consciousness in AI, yet never know what it is to be content. It will be able to win philosophical debates on the existence of God yet never be able to truly know Him. It will never be able to answer truthfully the question "How's your family?" It will never be capable of spontaneous love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness or self-control. A society dominated by AI would be one where such qualities would have no place.
What will always fundamentally separate us from AI is that "God so loved humanity that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not end up spiritually dead but have everlasting life." AI can never be made spiritually alive as it will never be human, with all the spiritual potential that implies. It can only replicate a form of humanity.
It got me thinking about what it truly means to be fully human as God intended, which is the connecting thought for all of this week’s devotions. In this my thinking has been inspired by reading Charlie Peacock’s book “New Way to be Human” back in 2019 while recuperating after a knee operation.
Whereas the fruit of the Spirit is a collective whole (a kind of all or nothing) the gifts of the Spirit are distributed according to the will and purpose of God. It is most unlikely that anyone will have all the gifts. One of the most important tasks of the church is to discover the gifts that its members possess. No one has all the gifts, and no one is without a gift. Those whom God calls he equips. Spiritual gifts are for spiritual ends. Some are practical, such as hospitality and administration, but these also serve a spiritual purpose.
An apple tree bears much fruit or little fruit, or it bears fruit every few years. An apple is a type of fruit. The fruit we have in mind today is ‘spiritual fruit’. The allegory of the Vine and the branches comes to mind, where we are the branches, Jesus is the Vine, and the Father is the Vinedresser. As the branches, we chosen to bear fruit typical of the vine into which we are grafted. Jesus said, ‘I am the vine.’
Our reflection today is about the Holy Spirit and our witness to Jesus Christ.
Perhaps the most important of our reflections this week. Though I hope you will join me tomorrow and on Friday, when we will consider the fruit and gifts of the Spirit.
Following the healing of a lame man at the Temple gate called ‘Beautiful’, Peter and John came into direct conflict with the Jewish leaders. The two apostles were put in prison overnight and the next day brought before the Jewish Council and questioned about the message they preached concerning Jesus and the resurrection from the dead.
After his resurrection, at that first meeting in the Upper Room, Jesus breathed on his disciples the Holy Spirit. This was a foretaste of the general outpouring of the Holy Spirit as foretold by the prophet Joel. The disciples had received the Holy Spirit on this occasion as a prelude to the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on hearers as well as preachers. The Holy Spirit is given to all those who follow Jesus, enabling us to hear God speak, as well as enabling us to speak on his behalf.
Our theme this week is the Holy Spirit. This last weekend we celebrated the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the church. The Holy Spirit was gifted to the church at Pentecost, which occurred 50 days after Easter. The name comes appropriately from the Greek word meaning ‘Fiftieth’.
Pentecost is also one of three Jewish pilgrim festivals, and is also known as the Feast of Weeks, as it occurred seven weeks after the Jewish festival of Passover.
Ascension
We have been focusing in on the humanity of Jesus – fully God – but fully human – Jesus the living, breathing God man – showing us what true human life, physically life should be like.
We have thought about Jesus hands – the hands of the Servant King. Hands that washed feet, hands that touched, healed, welcomed – hands that were nailed to a cross.
Jesus feet – feet that took the Good News into a world, that took him to places of darkness, so he could bring his light – feet that took him to the cross and then were damaged by cruel nails.
Jesus heart – his core, his being – his love and compassion – God so loved the World he sent his Son – his heart pierced and broken on the cross.
Jesus breath – every breath lived to serve his God, all his words breathed out to bring healing and hope, invitation and challenge – his last breath, signalling his work on the cross was accomplished – and then Resurrection – his new body and his breath given to his followers so they could become newly invigorated, receiving the new life of the kingdom, to serve and work with Jesus.
Your Breath
We have been thinking about Jesus as a physical, human being. One who touched and was touched, who walked and loved, was fully-physically human. How amazing that the fullness of God should be there in a physical form – the Creator, walking, living, touching – breathing amongst his creation.
Our focus today, is the breath of Jesus. Our song, that we have been using this week says -
Your breath, giving new life,
Your breath, finished you cry
Your breath, spent on the cross of love
Your Heart
This week, we are focusing on Jesus, the human and physical man, who had within him the very fullness of God. Monday and Tuesday, we have thought about how he used his hands and feet to serve the Good News, to serve the kingdom. Lifting up the weak, going into places as a bearer of the amazing Good News. Jesus had, without doubt, the most beautiful hands and feet of any human – not because of the way they looked, but because of how they served, loved – how Jesus used them in service of the kingdom.
The song we have been using this week moves onto the heart of Jesus -
Your heart – chasing the lost,
Your heart – bearing the cost,
Your heart – pierced on the cross of love –
Your FeetThis week, we are focusing in on the physical humanness of Jesus – Jesus the walking, talking image of the invisible God. This human who had the very fullness of God in him. We look at Jesus, and we get our clearest view of God.
Yesterday, we thought about the hands of Jesus, hands that reached out to heal, protect, welcome, love – hands that ultimately were nailed to a cross. Today, feet!
Feet are among the least glamorous parts of the body I guess! We often think of them as dirty or smelly. Yet Scripture talks about feet being beautiful –
‘How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Isaiah 52
‘Your Hands’
This week, we want to focus in on the humanity of Jesus. We will use some words of a song to help us – a song that focuses on Jesus who was fully human, physically engaged with the community he came to live with and serve.
How amazing that God would come himself, into his world, become one of us.
What will I speak about today?
The 3 little monkeys, you know the ones with their mouths and their eyes and their ears covered, hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil. It is really important to ensure that we don’t get mixing up old proverbs and sentiments with the true word of God. What is interesting in these 3 monkeys is that it recognizes a passive and an active element in our behaviour.
Where am I going today?
Some of us might have a set idea of where we are off to, maybe an office or to the school or some set rota, that’s not what I am talking about here. It’s not the time span I am thinking of when I mention today, although by today I am thinking of this day that I am in. If you have a set rota it doesn’t mean you are doing well, it just means you are doing. Some people are doing well just at home.
Who am I today?
When you wake up do you lie in bed or just get up? I really battle to lie there, it’s like the day grabs me and pulls me out of bed. I wish I could lie a little longer and sleep a little more.
Whatever type of person you are, when you open your eyes, do you think about yourself?
The apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13 -
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
What am I planning today?
I can so often go through my life on autopilot, following a plan from a long time ago, the steps to get to this destination are long and can be wearisome. The fact that the fulfilment may be taking time doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a bad goal, but what was in my mind when I planned it? Or maybe I dont have a particular goal, how can today be meaningful?
When it comes to creating a set of daily devotions I am set to the task of what exactly is it?
Devotion is to set aside something – to keep it for a special service – to give yourself 100% to a person, task, etc…
But why, why do this?
There can be many reasons to devote yourself to something and I am hoping that in each event that I write it will be about the motivation to devotion – set yourself to the days task of serving the requirements of Jesus … who we call Lord – and so we should then serve Him.
I know that, out of myself alone, I have nothing that makes me love, give, serve, apart from my own self-interest.
The task of writing a devotional is not to encourage the doing of good things (for me this would be pointless) it is to set you, me, in awe of God, the LORD, in order that you and I are open to his influence.
Servants of HopeMartin and his dad - New Creation
This week, we are exploring Servants of Hope.
Five people that have a story of faith and hope in the love of Jesus.
Servants of HopeNora - Worth hoping
This week, we are exploring Servants of Hope.
Five people that have a story of faith and hope in the love of Jesus.
Servants of HopeEric Liddell – Eyes on the Prize…
This week, we are exploring Servants of Hope.
Five people that have a story of faith and hope in the love of Jesus.
Servants of HopeJanet - Sort out death to live
This week, we are exploring Servants of Hope.
Five people that have a story of faith and hope in the love of Jesus.
Servants of Hope
Peter - Even if...
This week, we are exploring Servants of Hope.
Five people that have a story of faith and hope in the love of Jesus.
Let’s have a look at the experiences of two men who spoke with Christ during Holy week and how “Encouragement” plays its part.
First, we will read Luke 22 vs 31 to 34.
“Simon, Simon, … I have prayed for you that you will not lose your faith! Help your brothers be stronger when you come back to me.”
But Peter said to Jesus, “Lord I am ready to go with you to prison and even to die with you!”
But Jesus answered: “Before the cockerel crows this day you will say three times that you don’t know me.”
You might think this is discouraging but remember how the conversation started. “Help your brothers when you come back to me.”
Today the word ‘courage’ is the important bit of our theme. Encouragers give courage and inspire people to be courageous. I think we have said that word enough times now. It has sunk in.
Let’s go back to March 2020. I had just had surgery in Kings College Hospital, a triple bypass. If I had known what it entailed, I might not have been able to go ahead.
Welcome to our reflections on Encouragement. We want to start with reading a little part from the sermon on the mount. Matthew 5 vs 43 to 48
“You have heard that it was said “Love your neighbour and hate your enemies” But I say to you, love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you. If you do this you will be true children of your Father in heaven. He causes the sun to rise on good people and on evil people, and he sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong. If you love only the people who love you, you will get no reward. Even the tax collectors do that. And if you are nice only to your friends, you are no better than other people. Even those who don’t know God are nice to their friends. So, you must be perfect, just as your father in heaven is perfect.”
Good morning. Its our week of Encouragement and once again, we’re going to start with how not to do it. Have you ever heard this: If you want to know what your wife/husband will be like or look like in years to come, look at their mother/father. That might bring a smile to your face or make you cringe.
Encouragement.
Hello! Its us again and it’s a great privilege to be able to share in this way. Thank you so much for your engagement in our last week of reflections, it was very encouraging.
And that is the word of the week “Encouragement”. We’re going to get technical now with a definition:
Inspire with courage, embolden, stimulate by assistance, reward, approval.
We are going start by spending some time talking about what isn’t encouraging.
A Running Joke
We have had a number of weeks, Sundays and our daily reflections, dipping into the Resurrection stories – looking at them from different angles – joining in with the ordinary men and woman who became the first Resurrection People.
We are going to finish with a reading that takes us back to that first moment – that moment of shock and confusion – the empty tomb.
Everything has changed!
Everything had changed for the Mary’s, Peter, John, Thomas, the other disciples. Resurrection had turned what they knew on its head. Everything had changed.
Of course these ordinary heroes in our story – they were changed. They still were the same people – but through resurrection transformation they were more the people God intended them to be.
Everything had changed.
First Fruits Of A New Creation
We are immersing ourselves in Resurrection themes at the moment, on Sundays – and during our daily reflections. Followers of Jesus believe that Resurrection was the turning point – the moment a victory was won – the Victory was won. That the Old Testament was always pointing to God acting through his Son in this way and that when he was raised to live through God’s Resurrection Power, everything changed – new life was possible – Jesus was the first fruits of that new life.
Breakfast on the Beach
Yesterday we finished up with Jesus meeting the disciples in the ordinariness of their fishing trip. Jesus meets them in their failure to catch fish – not a good night’s work. And Jesus brings transformation – empty nets – to bursting nets, bursting with large fish.
Then we get that beautiful moment, when the Lord, the Creator of the Universe gives such a simple, beautiful invitation – ‘Come and have breakfast’ – Jesus uses the fish, the disciples caught, as they share this precious resurrection moment.
‘Meeting Jesus – in the ordinary ’
I wonder where you might expect to encounter/meet Jesus? – Church – Conference or Event – Prayer – Beautiful spot – the sick bed of a loved one – in a crisis…. Imagine him turning up at our place or work, the club we meet our friends, whilst we are doing jobs around the house.
Our Resurrection encounters happen in all sorts of places – tomb, garden, upper room, dusty road – Sea of Galilee.
Today, we are going to read from John 21:1-6. Some of the disciples have gone fishing. Perhaps they are still lost, still confused – Jesus has appeared, but then he quickly disappears again. So perhaps, they naturally return to what they think they know – what they think they are good at.
Meeting Jesus
Yesterday we spent time thinking about doubts – doubts, if we are honest and if we allow Jesus to meet us in those doubts, can produce the fruit of new, stronger belief. That is what we saw in the story of Thomas – he didn’t hide his doubts, but meeting Jesus – his doubts blossomed into a larger, stronger renewed faith.
Today, we are going to look at the same Bible reading, looking at Thomas again, but with a different angle –
A thought I came across in some daily reflections during the Easter time, gave me a fresh insight into the Thomas account.
Raising Doubts
The Resurrection is a fantastic story. We get lots of angles from our Gospel writers. They were either eyewitnesses themselves, or they spent time investigating, interviewing those eyewitneeses that feature in the accounts.
What we get in each of the accounts is that none of these eye witnesses expected Resurrection. It took them by surprise. So we see shock, tears, joy, confusion, wonder – all in these accounts. We also see doubt – in Matthew’s gospel – just before we get the great commission in chapter 28 Matthews says -
- Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
Resurrection BodiesResurrection - is a but of a misunderstood word. It’s easy to think that resurrection means a person will live on in spirit, that their soul will continue on like a disembodied ghost. But that is not what resurrection means in the bible, nor is it the understanding Jews in Jesus time would have understood by the word.
The belief at the time was that at the end time, God would raise them physically, in bodily form. Tom Wright writes:
“Everybody knew about ghosts, spirits, visions, hallucinations and so on. Most people in the ancient world believed in some such things. They were quite clear that that wasn’t what they meant by ‘resurrection’... Resurrection meant bodies.” Surprised by Hope
In our story today, the disciples see the risen Jesus, and they think he is a ghost. But Jesus proves that he has flesh and bones - he has the marks in his hands and feet, he can eat fish. He is no ghost - he is physical. However, this body is also able to appear and disappear, it is eternal and incorruptible. Jesus has a resurrected, transformed physical body.
Imagination
There is a story that Michaelangelo, the great Renaissance artist, looked at a raw block of stone and said “I see the angel in the marble and carve until I set him free.” Basilica of San Domenico. Michelangelo’s imagination was the spark for his art – he saw/imagined the finished piece, before even starting.
I love watching my youngest child’s imagination at work. It comes out in something he is building or designing. Lego, junk, bits of wood in the garden – you can see him ‘imagining’ some fabulous creation – and then he goes about trying to give birth to that idea. Often his imagination exceeds his skills or the material at hand – but his imagination drives him forward.
Easter Emotions
We are spending April focusing in on themes around Resurrection. And many of our morning reflections are being based in and around the events and words spoken around the resurrection of Jesus.
Today we are going to think about the emotions surrounding Holy Week and on into the resurrection appearances of Jesus. As we look back at these amazing accounts in our gospels we can see that at every turn of events there were strong emotions – and the whole range of emotions too! Joy and celebration – Palm Sunday/Festival time, intense, anger in the Temple courts Jesus confrontations with the leaders/money changers, plotting and scheming behind the scenes, intense promises to be loyal, betrayal, fear, violence, despair, loss. I can well imagine that by the Saturday, in between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, everyone involved was drained, lost – perhaps numb with all that had happened. And then, came more intensity, more roller-coaster emotional experiences – Easter Sunday.
Today we shall conclude our reflections on the resurrection. The final piece of evidence for the resurrection is the existence of the church. The church is essentially made up of people who have met with the risen Christ.
There is no other explanation for the existence of the church except that Jesus did rise from the dead, resulting in a message of hope for all our futures.
Today, I would like us to consider the post-ascension appearances of Jesus and what these teach us about Jesus and our relationship with him.
Firstly, I am in full agreement with Archbishop Michael Ramsey who says, John wishes us to understand that the Ascension took place on Easter Day. That is that Jesus had already ascended to the Father before his appearance to the disciples in the Upper Room, but after his appearance to Mary Magdalene at the tomb.
The personalities surrounding the resurrection are interesting. They are so different one from the other, and none so different as Peter and John. The first disciples were not believers by nature.
Initially, they refused to accept the report of the women. Thomas refused to accept the report of the other disciples. James, the brother of Jesus, was not a follower of Jesus during the days of his ministry and didn’t become a believer until after the resurrection.
These are, in fact, good reasons for affirming the resurrection.
As Christians we are exhorted in Scripture to give the reason for the hope that is within us. Those of us who believe that Jesus rose from the dead do so primarily because we have met him personally and have a living daily experience of his resurrection power in our lives. The apostle Paul’s dearest ambition was: ‘To know him and the power of his resurrection.’ Of course, this is the most important thing. But how do we communicate this effectively to others?
Easter is a time in the Christian year for both quiet reflection and celebration. And the days and weeks after the first Easter event were a time when the first disciples grew in their awareness that Jesus had conquered death, vacated the tomb, and was, somehow, tangibly and at the same time intangibly present among them.
Pilate to the Cross
The cockerel has crowed, Jesus is all alone - Good Friday – starts with those set against Jesus, making their plans, determined to end things. More characters join the story – Pilate, The Soldiers, Simon the cross carrier, Barabbas, The Centurion and of course the faithful women.
Trials and Denials
We are working through Mark’s account from Holy Week – our last few days have been a focus on what we know as Maundy Thursday – Last Supper, all the events of Gethsememnie – now in the darkness of that evening through, the night to the cock crowing as morning begins to break on Good Friday .
Gethsemane
I wonder if you can think back to a moment in your life, a surreal moment – a moment when you look back and think – did that really happen. The Last supper, must have a been an emotional meal – Jesus sharing some words, followers making promises – Jesus talking of the disciples falling away.
The Last Supper
We read yesterday of Jesus eating at the home of Simon the Leper, in Bethany. We thought about the response of those at that meal when the woman poured expensive perfume on the head of Jesus. Well lets carry on following Mark’s account through this Holy Week.
‘Jesus anointed at Bethany’
Yesterday was Palm Sunday, Jesus welcomed into Jerusalem – if you joined in with QRBC or another church, there would have been chance to focus on Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem. Which of course starts off Holy Week, and the chain of events which will lead us to the darkness of Good Friday and on to the Glorious New Life of Easter Day.
But it’s so easy to dash from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday without paying too much attention to what happens in between. And yet the Gospel writers spend much of their time telling us the stories of this week leading up to the cross. Jesus continues to teach, continues to heal, continues with his life. So this week we are going to focus on what Mark’s gospel tells us about this week.
Welcome to the final devotion for this week. All week we have been reflecting of Sabbath or Sabbat. Yesterday we saw how the Sabbath and Sabbaticals reached their fulfilment in the year of Jubilee. Today it’s a chance to think about the things Jesus said and did on the Sabbath.
Welcome to Thursday mornings devotions. This week we are think about Sabbath or Sabbat as a period of rest. Yesterday we thought about the way that sometimes we are blessed with a longer period of ‘rest’ such as a holiday or holy days. Today we are thinking about the blessings of holy days in relation to Jubilee.
Welcome to Wednesday mornings devotions and thanks for joining with us. This week we are thinking about Sabbath or Sabbat. Yesterday we saw that keen was so committed to us having a Sabbath – a time of rest – He made it into a commandment. Today it’s the feast of weeks.
This week we are thinking about Sabbath or Sabbat. Yesterday we reflected on the Creation story from Genesis 1 and 2. We were able to picture God as a worker but also one that took time out from His work to rest. Today we are thinking about Sabbath as Commandment.
Welcome to another week of Devotions. This week we are going to think about the term Sabbath or Shabbat. Let’s begin by reading from the Biblical account of Creation.
Genesis 1:31-2:3
Over the last four devotions, we have explored what the Bible tells us about rest. We have looked at how rest was ordained and set apart by God at the very start of creation. and that that Sabbath rest is now fulfilled in the person of Jesus.
In this final devotional in our series, I want to look at some practical ideas as we move forward in our understanding of rest.
First and foremost, what has struck me most from researching this topic is that we often conflate ‘rest’ with sleep.
When I told a few people in my home group that I was going to be writing devotionals on the subject of ‘rest’ there were some raised eyebrows and even a few sniggers. It is fair to say that I had not missed the irony myself. I am truly terrible at resting. I place value in business, in order, in structure. Resting feels like it has to be earnt. I wonder how many of you feel like that. I know that Martha felt like that.
What are you carrying around with you?
I don’t actually mean physically, what are the things that you are shouldering?
Pressures at work, family commitments, financial worries, mental health concerns, just a lot on your plate.
These things fill up our bags. They are heavy. They aren’t all bad. Aren’t families such a blessing and work can be hugely fulfilling. Yet, they still add to our mental load.
I don’t know about you, but my social media is flooded with adverts, endorsements and ideas for how to rest well. From creating the perfect sleep environment to videos showing how to remove distractions from your life all the way to music and meditation apps that promote good rest.
Rest feels like something that we can quantify and thus monetise. It is also something that so many of us are chasing, and yet somehow deep rest is alluding us.
Have you ever had the pleasure of trying to get a toddler to nap? My ‘three-n-ager” will adamantly declare that he does not need to sleep. That naps are the worst, that the very idea of resting is abhorrent to him. And yet, ten minutes into his anti-napping soliloquy, his eyes are shutting and by the time we are home, rousing him is nigh on impossible.
The Disciples Flee
This week we have spent time with Elijah feeling exhausted and scared – God ministered to him. Jonah – trying to out run the God of the whole earth. Moses fleeing for safety – God using this time to shape and prepare Moses for Service. Joseph fleeing from temptation – choosing integrity.
Today we focus on perhaps the saddest story of running we find in Scripture.
Jesus is in the garden of Gethsemane, pouring out his heart to his Father, asking his disciples to stay awake – ‘watch and pray’ he says.
Then Judas arrives – and betrays with a kiss. Chaos ensues, the result the disciples run, desert Jesus in his lowest hour of need.
Joseph
This week we have spent time with OT characters who have run away – Elijah, exhausted and afraid, needing to meet God in a deep way. Jonah, trying to escape God’s call. Moses, running for his life, needing 40 years away from Egypt to be shaped and prepared for God’s big task. Today, we look at part of the story of Joseph – a time when he needed to run!
Moses
Continuing our week spent with some OT characters who, in some way, ran or hid away. Elijah, fleeing for his life, overwhelmed – needing God’s gentleness and refreshing. Yesterday, Jonah – who professed a belief in a God of the seas and land, trying to outrun God by going in the opposite direction to a clear command. Today – we are going to focus on an early story of Moses.
Jonah
This week we are dipping in to spend a bit of time with some of our OT characters – we have a broad theme of ‘running away or hiding’ yesterday, Elijah ran away, tired, exhausted afraid – God met him in his need in both practical and deeply spiritual ways.
Today, we are going to take a dip into the story of Jonah – some one else running away – this time, someone deliberately running away from God.
Elijah
This week we are going to dip into the Old Testament, a few brief encounters with some of our OT characters. All of our stories this week have some sense of the main character running away, or trying to hide from God. They are of course rich stories that come down the centuries to bless us, reveal God’s character and God’s good intentions and purposes.
We start with Elijah.
Are we willing to be someone’s answer to prayer?Here we meet a high ranking soldier in the roman army, Cornelius. He would not be the choice of the jewish Christians to be the first Gentile convert and this will be a hard lesson for the church to learn.
Cornelius was not just devout himself, but encouraged his whole household to be so too. His devotion to prayer led to the practical out giving to the poor and needy. But he was lacking something.
Where does your faith lie?
Here we have the accounts of Moses sending twelve men to spy out the land of Egypt. The people were not content to take God’s word for it, that it was good, but wanted proof. How absurd to send spies out to the land that God had already spied out for them. Are we prone to walk by sight rather than faith?
Balaam and the DonkeyThe Israelites are travelling through the desert and they come to Moab. Balak, the Moabite king, is terrified of these people - obviously, stories of what had happened in Egypt has spread. He wants to hinder them, so he decides to hire Balaam, a famous conjuror, to come and curse them. His reputation was that, whoever he blessed was blessed and whoever he cursed was cursed.
Daily bible-based devotions, reflecting on the relevance of scripture in daily life. This week, Katy brings us five reflections themed around Messengers from the Bible.
A messenger with bad news, in order to bestow God’s grace
David has committed adultery and murder. What was David’s state? We can imagine that his spiritual life wasn’t great, he wasn’t enjoying that sweet communion with the Lord, as in years gone by. His harp was probably gathering dust in the corner and no psalms were flowing from his heart.
The months have past and the baby is born. Then David’s faithful friend and confidant of former years, Nathan, comes to visit him. He will bring him a message from the Lord. But who would want to be Nathan, delivering this message?
Daily bible-based devotions, reflecting on the relevance of scripture in daily life. This week, Katy brings us five reflections themed around Messengers from the Bible.
An amazing messenger, with amazing news for a willing recipient
Here we have Mary, living in poverty and obscurity, as does her fiancé Joseph. Despite this, because the promise of the Messiah had not yet been fulfilled, the Jews had preserved the genealogy of the royal bloodline and both Mary and Joseph would have known they were part of this line.
Mary lived in Nazareth, in a remote town called Galilee, with no reputation for religion or learning. In fact, it bordered on the heathen nations and was called Galilee of the Gentiles. Yet, here we see Gabriel. Sent from the throne room of God, to this backwater townl; because there is no disadvantage of state or status that will turn God from blessing those whom he chooses to bless.
This week we will be looking at different stories in the bible where people put God as their number one priority and today we are looking at Jesus
This week we are looking at different stories in the bible, where people put God as their number one priority and today we are looking at Jonah.
This week we will be looking at different stories in the bible, where people put God as their number one priority.
Today we are looking at Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
This week we are looking at different stories in the bible where people put God as their number one priority and today we are looking at Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
Abraham & Isaac
What is your number 1 priority today?
Where is God in your priorities today?
This week we will be looking at different stories in the bible, where people put God as their number one priority.
Today we are looking at Abraham and Isaac
Jesus’ last recorded words according to Matthew are in the form of a command ‘to go’, followed by his promise to be with us to the end of time.
This is an example of where we hear his voice through the written word. We can hold on to this in the toughest times and in the darkest hour.
God also speaks to us, through his Spirit.
How can we know God’s leading in our lives? What ways does God use to show us how he wants us to serve him?
Firstly, God speaks to us through the Bible. That is not to say God only speaks to us through Scripture. However, everything we believe we have heard from God must be tested by Scripture. Scripture is our benchmark.
God also speaks to us through his Spirit and through our circumstances.
Sensing God’s direction in our lives can be something sudden; but quite often it is gradual, like the dawning of a new day, or the rising of the full moon above the evening horizon.
God sometimes speaks through dreams. Not always, but it does happen. I once had a dream in which God spoke to me very clearly. I didn’t expect this to happen, I wasn’t waiting for this to happen, but it did, and it brought me great peace and assurance at a very difficult time in my life.
Jacob was a complex character. The grandson of Abraham, the son of Isaac, he is one of the Patriarchs, a founding father of Israel, whose name is intrinsically linked to that of Israel itself. However, he was not always straightforward in his dealings with others, especially his brother Esau and his Uncle Laban. He was a bit of a rascal really.
I think I would be right in saying that I’ve never gone after specific opportunities to serve God. Except, as I said yesterday, to serve him in Africa.
That’s because I think our service should be a response to God. It is God who takes the initiative in our call and in our sphere of service.
When I offered for Africa and ended up in Brazil, what I learned then was that the important thing is to be available to God. We don’t need to tell him where we should be serving him. He’s probably got other ideas anyway, as I found out.
Isaiah was in the temple when the vision of God’s absolute glory and authority came to him, and the invitation from God to speak out (or prophesy) in God’s name.
How can we know God’s voice?I want to journey with you around the theme: Hearing God’s voice.
It will be an opportunity to share with you some of my favourite Bible verses.
I sometimes hear it said, ‘God isn’t speaking to me.’ Quite often, those words are spoken by people who attend church and follow Jesus. ‘He used to speak to me, but he doesn’t now.’
How can we know we are hearing God’s voice?
That it is God who is speaking to us?
What should I do in this or that situation?
Where should I be serving him?
Hearing God’s voice may need a trained ear.
Good morning and a warm welcome to the 5th and final session in this series of Some Scintillating Psalms. Each day we’ve been hearing a bit about the background to our OT psalms. Then we’ve thought about some recurring themes in these books before zooming in on one or two examples. And I’ve tried to leave you with a thought about how you might like to take it a bit further under your own steam.
Here we are at Day 4 of our “Some Scintillating Psalms” series. I hope to unwrap some further background information to the Psalms, think about some themes psalms may highlight, read one particular psalm together and leave you with a suggestion about how you might like to take it a bit further.
Good morning or Good afternoon or Good Evening to day 3. It’s good that once these recordings go live you can access them at your convenience. I’ll try to unwrap some more background information about our scintillating psalms today.
We’ve established psalms are Hebrew poetry and often use rhythm of sound and/or rhythm of thought, along with similies and metaphors. In addition to being poetry a number of psalms are “Wisdom” literature, other such examples are found in Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and perhaps in the NT James. Wisdom literature was common in the ancient Near East in writings by sages and the wise about divinity and virtue.
Hello again and welcome to day 2 in our series of “Some Scintillating Psalms”. So far we’ve discovered psalms are poetry but not exactly in the sense we are used to it in Europe. Here’s a bit more background to biblical poetry.
Good morning and a very warm welcome to another week of bible based devotions from Queens Road Baptist Church. We’re going to be looking at some scintillating psalms. There’s certainly plenty to choose from, one hundred and fifty, in fact. Which makes it one of the largest books in our bible. So, if “size matters” it is a very significant part of the whole.
The ChallengeWelcome to Friday mornings devotions. Thanks again for joining with us. This week we are thinking about what it means to be a people who are sent out into the world to live out and talk out our faith. The church is both a gathered community and a sent community. And we are basing that on the model of mission that Jesus laid out in Acts 1:1-8.
Opportunities
Welcome to Thursday mornings devotions. Thanks again for joining with us. This week we are thinking about what it means to be a people who are sent out into the world to live out and talk out our faith. The church is both a gathered community and a sent community. And we are basing that on the model of mission that Jesus laid out in Acts 1:1-8.
Reaching OutWelcome to Wednesday mornings devotions. Thanks again for joining with us. This week we are thinking about what it means to be a people who are sent out into the world to live out and talk out our faith. The church is both a gathered community and a sent community. And we are basing that on the model of mission that Jesus laid out in Acts 1:1-8.
A Good Model
Welcome to Tuesday mornings devotions. Thanks again for joining with us. This week we are thinking about what it means to be a people who are sent out into the world to live out and talk out our faith. The church is both a gathered community and a sent community. And we are basing that on the model of mission that Jesus laid out in Acts 1:1-8.
Being Sent
Welcome to a new week of devotions. Thanks again for joining with us. This week we are thinking about what it means to be a people who are sent out into the world to live out and talk out our faith. The church is both a gathered community and a sent community. We gather to encourage each other, for worship, for the sharing of bread and wine, to hear God’s word and to respond to His presence through bring out prayers and intercessions to Him. Just as the disciples of Jesus gathered in Jerusalem prior to Pentecost to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit just as Jesus had promised. The outcome of Pentecost was that the disciples were thrust out onto the streets of Jerusalem – no building could contain what they had experienced. Filled with the Holy Spirit they exploded out onto the streets just as Jesus had asked them too to tell people about the Goodnews they had discovered in Jesus. I think it’s probably fair to say that many Christians prefer to gather rather than scatter.
Rest
This week we have thought about real life following Jesus – being reminded that we are called to be patient, God will answer hear our calls for help – in the meantime, put our roots down deeper, grow stronger in the difficult times.
We have reminded ourselves that every moment can be lived for God – this transforms each moment, each task – nothing is ordinary if we are seeking the glory of God in all we do.
Relationship with God
Right at the heart of the Christian faith is relationship. We believe that God has reached out to us, in order to relate to us, to make Himself known to us – to draw us into oneness with Father, Son and Spirit.
If you stop and think about that, it sounds preposterous, doesn’t it?
How can we know an invisible, ineffable, eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, triune deity?
Prayer
How is your prayer life? I think for me, above any other challenge over the last year – that has been the challenge laid before me. How is my prayer life?
We have the amazing privilege of being permitted, encouraged, commanded to communicate with the Lord God, Creator of the heavens and earth!
We have a bible chock full of the prayers of people going through every kind of human experience to draw from.
Daily Life
I’m always amazed when someone says they are bored. I’m not sure I remember a time when I was bored, not having anything to do. I normally have a list of things I would love to do if I had the time.
Nevertheless, life can become all routine, it can feel we are stuck in a rut, life feeling stayed and predictable.
How is your faith life at the moment – does that feel stuck, predictable?
Patience, Waiting, Produces Fruit
This week we are going to think about our Christian life – our day-by-day relationship with the God who made all things.
To start with, we are going to think about those times when we are in a difficult season, or a dry season – a time when God perhaps feels distant, silent – perhaps you are in one of those season right now –
Maybe you are asking God questions like - How long will this carry on – I can’t wait anymore – when will I see break through – when will this be over? We are left feeling frustrated, impatient.
Friends with the World
All week we have been thinking about friendship. This morning I want to challenge a scripture that maybe has been misunderstood in some circles.
James 4:4-6
4 You adulterous people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us[b]? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
‘God opposes the proud
but shows favour to the humble.’
A Community of Friends
We are continuing to think about friendship this week. Today its about church as a community of friends and we reflect on just one verse, from a book that maybe hasn’t cropped up much in our thinking.
3 John 14
I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.
Jesus & His Friends
This morning we are going to think about the way that Jesus gathered up a group of men and shaped them into a community of friends – people that Jesus was able to call His friends.
Its incredible how Jesus takes a group of loosely connected men and turns them into disciples. Fishermen, Tax-Collectors, Political activists, men from very different social and economic backgrounds, introverts and extroverts, hot headed individuals and quiet methodical individuals. What a crazy bunch. And yet, Jesus shaped these individuals into a team that would eventually help turn the world upside down with their words and action in the name of Christ. Quite incredible! What has brought about such a change?
David & Jonathan
One of the most amazing friendships that we find in the Bible is the one between David and Jonathan. It was a friendship that defied all the odds stacked against it and proved to be a costly one, particularly for Jonathan.
For the sake of context, David had been employed by Jonathan’s father, King Saul, as a court musician with the task of calming the manic, dark and violent mood swings of the King. What becomes clear, is that King Saul saw David as a threat and attempted on one occasion to take his life. Jonathan was caught between his Father and his friend.
It was a complex and volatile situation but, somehow, the love and loyalty of two friends stayed the course.
Welcome to another week of devotions. Over the next five days we are going to be thinking about friendship. Firstly, the friendship between God and Moses; secondly, a model of loyal and costly friendship with David and Jonathan; thirdly, Jesus and His friends; fourthly, church as a community of friends; and lastly, friendship with the world.
He Can Always Find Me
When was the last time you played hide-and-seek? My children love to play it – particularly in a new space – on holiday. Over Christmas we had a children’s party here in the building, it was dark and we played a great game of hide-n-seek. But it quickly became obvious where the children were hiding.
Fidgeting, giggling, moving – all we had to do was stand still and listen, watch and we would discover exactly where everyone was.
According to the writer of Genesis, the original game of hide-and-seek was between Adam, Eve and God
My Eyes Are On The Lord
So far this week we have been encouraged to ‘look up’ with David, to stop looking back with regret, looking forward with worry – look up and know we belong to the God who made it all – make time to look up and worship.
We have reminded ourselves that our God doesn’t sleep – his eyes are always on us – his love always surrounds us.
A God Who Listens to Our Lament
It seems to me that the world is full of complainers! And I am surely one of them. We find it easy to moan, complain, whinge – when things don’t turn out how we think they should. I wonder how many times you and I have moaned or whinged so far this week. We often do so to the wrong person don’t we. We whinge about someone, to someone different – rather than going to the source of our discontent.
God Who Watches Over Us!
I don’t know how security conscious you are. A few years ago it was estimated that there were 4 million cameras watching us in the UK, 20% of the worlds total surveillance camera installations - and that the average citizen of the UK appeared on a camera over 300 time a day. These stats came before people started to have those smart camera door-bells. So I imagine those stats have rocketed up.
Make Space to Look Up!
We are going to spend a few days with a few of the Psalms this week – ancient writing, written by people of faith, full of honesty, struggle – faith and confidence. We are going to start with one of David’s
Psalm 8
We spend so much of our life looking around us;
focusing on those things that worry us, the pressures of daily life, struggle
with relationships, the uncompleted tasks, concerns of health, finances.
We can spend time looking back; regrets, past
failures and mistakes, missed opportunities, hurts, injuries. We also spend time looking forward; hoping and
waiting for something to change, to happen.
In Psalm 8, David isn’t looking around, looking
back or looking forward - he is looking up!
You may recognise the song that introduces these reflections, but, if you didn’t, it’s a song by Don Fransisco called “Love is not a feeling, its an act of your will.” We agree with that, up to a point. Love is certainly something you give and do; “acts of”. But when you receive love, it gives you a feeling.
You may recognise the song that introduces these reflections, but, if you didn’t, it’s a song by Don Fransisco called “Love is not a feeling, its an act of your will.” We agree with that, up to a point. Love is certainly something you give and do; “acts of”. But when you receive love, it gives you a feeling.
You may recognise the song that introduces these reflections, but, if you didn’t, it’s a song by Don Fransisco called “Love is not a feeling, its an act of your will.” We agree with that, up to a point. Love is certainly something you give and do; “acts of”. But when you receive love, it gives you a feeling.
You may recognise the song that introduces these reflections, but, if you didn’t, it’s a song by Don Fransisco called “Love is not a feeling, its an act of your will.” We agree with that, up to a point. Love is certainly something you give and do; “acts of”. But when you receive love, it gives you a feeling.
You may recognise the song that introduces these reflections, but, if you didn’t, it’s a song by Don Fransisco called “Love is not a feeling, its an act of your will.” We agree with that, up to a point. Love is certainly something you give and do; “acts of”. But when you receive love, it gives you a feeling.
Happy New Year
We are back with our Daily Devotions, after an impromptu break. To start off the New Year, Dr John Dyer takes us on a journey to discover deeper insight behind the miracle birth.
Happy New Year
We are back with our Daily Devotions, after an impromptu break. To start off the New Year, Dr John Dyer takes us on a journey to discover deeper insight behind the miracle birth.
Happy New Year
We are back with our Daily Devotions, after an impromptu break. To start off the New Year, Dr John Dyer takes us on a journey to discover deeper insight behind the miracle birth.
Happy New Year
We are back with our Daily Devotions, after an impromptu break. To start off the New Year, Dr John Dyer takes us on a journey to discover deeper insight behind the miracle birth.
Happy New Year
We are back with our Daily Devotions, after an impromptu break. To start off the New Year, Dr John Dyer takes us on a journey to discover deeper insight behind the miracle birth.
God goes ahead
During teacher training, I had the option to spend a term in California. I chose the
college because of this exchange. In the summe,r before going, it suddenly struck me
that I was scared. I had to go because I didn’t want to lose face, but I had a lot of
worries. Then I was led to a passage in the Bible.
Psalm 139:1-10
Boundary of Direction
All week, we have been thinking about the boundaries that God sets for our well-being and the well-being of His creation. Each boundary invites us to ask an important question.
He sent His Son to show us the way; yet, we try to find our own way and end up feeling lost. God has a plan and a direction for our lives, when we get the direction wrong and realise it and turn again to God for guidance, He will lead us back to the right way and the right path for our lives.
This week's song is "Your feet O Lord have walked this earth" by Paul Wigmore, Keiko Ying - https://www.resoundworship.org/song/your-feet-lord-have-walked-this-earth
Boundary of Intervention
This week we are thinking about the boundaries that God sets for our well-being and the well-being of His creation. Each boundary invites us to ask an important question.
God has called us to live within the boundary of intervention. To act when we see a need. He asks us to care – we turn a blind eye and things get worse. To turn a blind eye to a need is to put the person with the need outside of that boundary. The challenge this morning is to ask the question – when have I failed to care and turned a blind eye to a need?
Crossing Boundaries
This week we are thinking about the boundaries that God sets for our well-being and the well-being of all of His creation. Each boundary invites us to ask an important question.
But there is a more serious side. The decision to be over the limit and drive; to misuse drugs; to ignore the warning sign; and so much more - crossing boundary lines that result in personal harm or hurt and pain for others. And it seems to me these are the kind of boundary lines that God has marked out for our lives. Not to restrict us but to enhance our sense of well-being and to enable us to live together. I imagine the Christian message is – there is more freedom within God’s boundary lines than outside them.
Challenging Boundaries
This week we are thinking about the boundaries that God sets for our well-being and the well-being of all of His creation. Each boundary invites us to ask an important question.
People of all ages like to challenge boundaries and mostly it’s a fairly harmless activity. The baby who throws the dummy out of the pram; the young person who comes home 10 minutes later than agreed; the working person who challenges the way a company acts; the senior who refuses to give in to the obvious – and so it goes on. And of course that’s all natural and helps us to maintain that sense of independence and thinking for ourselves. But there is a more serious side.
Agreed Boundaries
This week we are going to think about boundaries and the questions they ask of us.
I guess we would all agree that to live in community there needs to be some agreed boundaries. No-one can simply do just what they want if by implication it means that someone else loses out – for society to succeed in providing the best possible life for all its citizens boundaries have to be drawn up and appropriate sanctions applied to those who break them.
Is God Concerned with Justice? Look with me, this week, at the importants of a Christian response to justice and equality.
Is God Concerned with Justice? Look with me, this week, at the importants of a Christian response to justice and equality.
Is God Concerned with Justice? Look with me, this week, at the importants of a Christian response to justice and equality.
Is God Concerned with Justice? Look with me, this week, at the importants of a Christian response to justice and equality.
Is God Concerned with Justice?
Look with me, this week, at the importants of a Christian response to justice and equality.
Teaching Nicodemus
Jesus is dealing here with Nicodemus, a serious & thinking man who is a Pharisee. This means he was not a priest but a layman and also a member of a Jewish party that believed in resurrection, angels & spirits and in following the legal traditions of the fathers rather than the scriptures.
Wedding in Cana
The wedding was in the town of Cana, a hilly area pretty central in the region of Galilee, about 20 miles almost due west of Capernaum. Perhaps we sometimes think of the people of the New Testament times as having quiet, boring, static lives. But although possibly rather scaled down from our life in 21st century UK, if they could walk they certainly got around on good ole “shanks’ pony”. And just like now who doesn’t enjoy a celebration like a wedding?
Jesus with his mum & his disciples were at a wedding. There’s much we do not know about this wedding – the names of the bride & groom, & whether they were neighbours, friends or relations, was there music & dancing, did part of it take place at the local synagogue? We simply don’t know. We imagine there was plenty of joy & good company along with food & drink. But then disaster, the wine ran out…
Beginning to preach
If you read each of the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, you’ll see that, although many events, miracles or parables are mentioned in more than one of them , the sequence of events is not identical in each. For example, in Matthew and Luke ,beginning to preach comes immediately after Jesus’s temptations. Whereas, in Mark, calling the first disciples follows the temptations. I don’t think we need to treat this as a problem, but it is perhaps something to be aware of.
Calling the first disciples
A job is easier when the load is shared. Jesus knew his time on earth was to be short and God’s message of salvation must be established. Then, in turn, passed on across places and through time. He needed disciples.
The Temptations in the Desert
Directly after Jesus’ baptism by John, he’s lead by the Spirit to the desert. So what’s happening here? At his public baptism, Jesus has been launched into his mission to lead God’s people, indeed all people, back to life as intended by God at Creation. Now Jesus goes to the desert, alone and without human company, to a harsh environment of extremes. Very hot by day and very cold by night. Alone and not eating for forty days and nights. At this, the outset of his ministry, Jesus needs to focus utterly on what the Father asks and not be persuaded off course by anything or anyone.
Welcome to Friday and to our final day of sharing this verse:
“The effective fervent prayer of a righteous couple availeth much” or in modern paraphrase:
“The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.” From James 5 v 16
Welcome to Thursday’s reflections. We are sharing our experiences around this verse from James chapter 5 v 16
“The effective fervent prayer of a righteous couple availeth much” or, in a modern version
“The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.”
Today we want to share what fasting has come to mean to us.
Welcome back to our week of finding out about how to pray for other people. As it says in the letter James wrote “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous couple availeth much”.
Or a modern paraphrase is:
“The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.” It is James 5 v 16.
Thank you joining with us on the second day of talking about praying for others.
Our verse of the week, and title, is from James 5 v16:
The effective fervent prayer of a righteous couple availeth much
Or a modern paraphrase is:
The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.
Dave and I are bringing you the reflections for this week.
Once I was asked “How do you know what to talk about when you lead a service?”
The answer was easy, it is always something that has been on our mind, in our hearts and taking our attention for several weeks. That is how the Lord confirms what he wants us to say. We don’t do studies; we share our experiences.
This week, what we would like to share is this verse: James 5 part of verse 16:
The effective fervent prayer of a righteous couple availeth much
Calming the storm…
This week, we have thought about Fear – and that promise that runs through our Scriptures, that we don’t need to be afraid because God is with us. We have spent time with Abraham, Joshua, and Psalm 46, our Christmas story characters. Hopefully, we have been reminded that this promise of a life that is free of fear through God is possible.
Do not be afraid…We have been thinking this week about ‘fear’ – that resounding message throughout Scripture ‘do not be afraid’ comes to us from story, after story in the Bible. Perhaps the phrase appears most in the Christmas story.
Fears...
We are continuing to think about fear – more specifically to remind ourselves that we are told to not be afraid!
Trouble, stress, worry – fears of life - these things are never far away. Even in the easyiest moments of life, we still have things that don’t work out how we expect or want. It seems that, whoever you are, life without trouble, stress or worry is not possible.
It is very easy for us to get caught up in the lie that life should be easy, that when things go wrong, in some way, we are facing persecution, being picked on, singled out – the cry, it’s not fair!
Worries...
As we think about fears, I wonder what your fears are at this time -
Health – finance – war in Europe – Covid – Fear for a family member – fear of change – fear of a decision to be made – fear of responsibility –
I wonder what fears you and I have – we live in un settled and changing times, don’t we. We seem to be swinging from one world crisis to the next. Pandemic, fuel shortages, new normal, political unrest, death of our monarch, financial chaos, war in Europe.
Yet, of course, we are not unique – every age, culture had it’s worries, changes, wars and famines. Perhaps, we have be spoilt, with the stability we have enjoyed here in the West for most of our lifetimes.
Phobias…
Following on from Sunday’s reflection on ‘Fear’ we will continue to consider our fears this week.
What are you afraid of?
Fear can dominate our lives, overwhelm our decisions, leaving us frozen – unable to act, leaving us wanting to run away or hide. Some of our fears we are happy to share – but others, perhaps are deep-seated – perhaps we have never shared them with anyone. Maybe even sometimes we have a sense of fear that we can’t really name.
The Shepherd's Peace
This week, I'm going to draw a few lessons from the time I spent with my brother and sister, in Somerset. My sister Ali and I spent a week with my brother Tim, where he's just become a shepherd. He started there at the end of February and we had gone to help him, because his family were away.
The Shepherd's Peace
This week, I'm going to draw a few lessons from the time I spent with my brother and sister, in Somerset. My sister Ali and I spent a week with my brother Tim, where he's just become a shepherd. He started there at the end of February and we had gone to help him, because his family were away.
The Shepherd's Protection
This week, I'm going to draw a few lessons from the time I spent with my brother and sister, in Somerset. My sister Ali and I spent a week with my brother Tim, where he's just become a shepherd. He started there at the end of February and we had gone to help him, because his family were away.
The Shepherd's Joy
This week, I'm going to draw a few lessons from the time I spent with my brother and sister, in Somerset.
My sister Ali and I spent a week with my brother Tim, where he's just become a shepherd. He started there at the end of February and we had gone to help him, because his family were away.
The Shepherd's Voice
This week, I'm going to draw a few lessons from the time I spent with my brother and sister, in Somerset.
My sister Ali and I spent a week with my brother Tim, where he's just become a shepherd. He started there at the end of February and we had gone to help him, because his family were away.
The Dark Side
Welcome to Friday morning devotions. All week we have been thinking about evil and its influence and effect on us as people. Today we can have the opportunity to think about the way that the dark side tries to influence our world and by implication our lives.
Outlets
We are continuing to think about evil and its influence and effects in our world today. This morning we are going to concentrate on some of the ways that people are finding outlets for their increased sense that the material world is not all we have and that we all have spiritual natures that connect with things outside of the normal accepted principles of science and logic.
Good vs. Evil
Welcome to Wednesday morning’s devotion. We are continuing to reflect on evil and think about its influence and effects in all our lives. Today it’s good and evil and their connection to God and the Devil.
Modern-day Evil
This week we are thinking about the nature of evil. Yesterday we had a chance to reflect on temptation which might lead to an act that could be described as evil. I think most people would accept the existence of evil. They may talk about someone that they would describe as evil – for example someone who has committed a crime that shocks everyone. Or something they are made aware of like a family that is suffering food deprivation which they might describe as a modern-day evil.
Temptation
This week we are going to think about evil. Is there such a thing and how do Christians understand it. On Sunday as a church, we looked at Matthew 8:14-17 which, following on from the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law, tells us how Jesus drove out demonic spirits from people. This week we will think about that some more. How do we understand such things? Let’s begin by thinking about temptation.
Mary
This week, we have spent a little time with four men of faith from the Old Testament. Abraham, his faith meant that he could step out on a journey to a new life because he believed the promises of God – he held the promises before him and lived in the light of those promises. Jacob – who after a life full of drama and deceit – looked to the promises God had made him and wrestled in faith with the Lord over them. Moses, surrounded, potentially overwhelmed with danger and responsibility he was able to stand firm, and not be afraid, leading the people across the Red Sea in a miraculous way. And yesterday, David, growing his faith muscles in smaller ways, able to face even the obstacle of an experienced and deadly Goliath in the name and strength of the Lord. Today we are going to move into the opening parts of the New Testament, and spend time with Mary, and her amazing, courageous, and obedient faith.
David & Goliath
This week, we are focusing on just 5 people who showed faith in our Bible. Today, we are moving further through Israel’s history onto the story of David and Goliath. You will remember that Goliath, was the Philistine champion who taunted the armies of the Lord for 40 days – he was up for a winner-takes-all battle. But no one in all of Israel had the courage to face him, until David comes along.
The Red Sea Crossing
We are looking at just five stories of faith this week, five bible characters who engage the Lord God, who act in faith, that the Lord God can be trusted and followed. We have had a brief look at Abraham and then his grandson, Jacob. Today we are going to skip on a bit in the story of God’s people to Moses.
Jacob
Today, in our mini series on faith, we are going back to one of the Patriarch’s – Jacob, grandson of Abraham. Jacob’s life reads a bit like a soap-opera plot – his life is full of family drama. He of course tricked his brother Esau out of his birthright and inheritance, Esau was understandably incensed and threatened to kill him, Jacob’s mother helped him escape to his Uncle Laban’s house. Now it was Jacob’s turn to be tricked – by Laban, tricked into marrying Leah, the sister of the Rachel whom he loved – waiting 14 years before he could marry her.
Abraham
This week, we are going to spend time with just five stories of faith from our bible. Faith, of course is a common theme through our Scriptures and the starting place of a relationship with the Lord God. All the heroes in Scripture demonstrated faith in God in some kind of way, the Psalmists write about it and Jesus himself drew attention to the faith, even small mustard seed-sized faith of those he came across. And of course, there is that great chapter on faith, Hebrews 11
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.This is what the ancients were commended for.
Rising from the Depths
We have lived in a time, an age when our expectation is that life should be good. That trouble shouldn’t come our way. We have often watched whilst the rest of the world has faced trouble, wars, disease, crazy prices, unrest, fear - but in the West we have seemingly behaved as if we were immune from such events.
Perhaps the last few years has shown us that we are vulnerable too – that what we built our lives on, our securities on, our hope on, our confidences on – can disappear overnight. It is a wakeup call to turn our lives around, to recognise that we in the West have put our trust, and faith in the wrong places – in things that can fail and disappear. We can only trust in the Lord God, we can only build our lives on the Lord God.
Facing the Opposition
Part of being human is facing opposition. Individuals, situations – sometimes it seems life itself, can be set against us, stopping us.
I don’t know if that is how you feel at the moment? Whatever you are trying to do, you are facing a wall of opposition.
Psalm 129, part of the Psalms of the ascents. A group of psalms used by the psalmist as they make there way up to Jerusalem for sacrifice and worship.
Our Daily Lives
Today we are going to have a brief look at two of our Psalms – part of the group of the Psalms of Assent. Some commentators group these two Psalms together – they both focus in on ordinary daily life – family and work. Both of the psalms remind us that we are dependent on God in the basic, ordinary areas of life – a God who is interested in our daily life, expects to be involved, to bless, shape and guide as we go about our lives.
Joy through Pilgrimage
In the West we spend a lot of money and time on entertainment – in search of distraction, laughter fun – enjoyment. Many of these things in of themselves are good and wholesome – but are we searching for something – and instead of finding the real thing, are we settling for something that can only give us a temporary fix, a momentary escape – a fleeting glimpse of what deep down we are looking for.
The Psalms and many other parts of Scripture place a high value on joy – ‘The joy of the Lord is my strength!’ Nehemiah 8:10
These pilgrims’ psalms mention it too. There is this sense that there is a deep joy, connected to the Shalom, Well-being, Wholeness and Peace of knowing the Living God the Maker of Heavens and Earth – and this joy can only be found through the way of pilgrimage and discipleship.
The Shalom Peace of God
We are going to return to our Psalms of the Ascents for a week – these pslams were probably used by pilgrims making their dangerous journey up into the mountains to arrive at Jerusalem and the Temple.
These pslams were a way of the pilgrims preparing themselves for their Temple time, bringing sacrifices and worship.
The pilgrimage was not just about the destination – getting to the temple – but about the preparation, the journey too.
What are the consequences?
Its Friday morning and yet another week of devotions has flown by. All week we’ve been reflecting on sin. We began by asking the obvious question – what exactly is sin. Then we thought about the origin of sin and how that affects our lives today. On Wednesday we thought about corporate and structural sin and then yesterday thought about sin in the church. Today we are going to finish the week with a chance to reflect on the consequences of sin. Sin – so what?
Is it in the church?
Welcome to this morning’s devotions. We are continuing to think about sin and its consequences. Today we are going to think about sin in the church. One thing that non-church goers often accuse us of is that as Christians we so often identify sin in them but not in ourselves. Maybe the last 30 years or so has highlighted that for us. Some of the worst abuse and neglect imaginable has been carried out in the context of the church. The church all too often as an institution has turned a blind eye to it. Sin sadly is nothing new in the church. This morning we are going to hear about one such church in Corinth.
Can it be corporate?
We spend a lot of time thinking about individual sin and for good reasons. We are – or at least should be – very aware of our own sins and failings. Where we fall short on God’s good intentions for our lives. The Holy Spirit lives within us and with a real desire to re-align our lives with God’s good intentions will help us to see where we are going wrong. And many of the Bible stories that we love reveal to us the reality of human individual failure whether it be Samson, David or Solomon. We are probably less aware that sin can be corporate and that corporate groups can and will be held accountable before God.
When did it come from?
Welcome to Tuesday mornings devotions. This week we are thinking about sin. Yesterday we used a couple of illustrations which pick up on two of the words translated for us as sin in the Old and New Testaments. This morning we are going to ask the question where and when did sin start and how does that affect our individual and corporate lives?
This week we are going to have a chance to think about a very small word but which can have huge consequences.
S I N
What exactly is it?
Where did it come from?
Is it individual or corporate too?
Can it be in church?
What are the consequences of it?
Five questions to think about this week. So, let’s address the first:
What exactly is it?
The Psalmist uses all sorts of imagery to make his point –
One of the images is of being engulfed in a torrential flood of water – a sudden catastrophic flash flood sweeping down in great power and absolute destruction. The metaphor of water as a destructive force is a common feature throughout the Old Testament. The geography and weather of the land of Israel meant that flash floods were fairly commonplace and devastating.
As the psalmist looks up, he sees His God on the throne. The Lord of Heaven and earth in His position of power and majesty and control. The Psalmist cannot help but imagine themselves as servants, looking to God their perfect Master, trusting God for provision, instruction and direction.
And what a perfect master – a master to whom the servant can call out for mercy from the struggles of his life and world – not once, but three times in this short psalm.
Worship unites us. As the different tribes arrive in Jerusalem with their differences, as the different family groups and neighbours arrive, perhaps with their petty grievances – when they come together to worship, they come as one – compacted together!
When we come with open hearts into the presence of God together, we get a right view of ourselves and also one another. As followers of Jesus, we are one, united together in Jesus. Worship helps celebrate this and reinforce the reality of our oneness in Jesus.
The Lord God is different to the local gods. He watches over us, he never sleeps or daydreams – his eyes of love never, ever leave us. He watches over our coming and going both in the here and now, but also for ever. We cannot wander out of his sight.
We don’t have to wake God up, shout and scream and get God’s attention, like the prophets of Baal did on mount Carmel. Like Elijah, we can know and have absolute confidence that our God is awake, aware – and we have his full attentions
The journey to Jerusalem was dangerous, and inevitably meant going up into the hills, as the city was built on plateau in the Judaean Mountains. The journey meant dangers, risking bandits - most often extended family groups would travel together for safety. When these psalms were written, the journey meant passing past sites of worship to other gods, the local Canaanite gods, found up in the high places, offering all sorts of temptations and deviations from the journey. But these Psalms, helped the pilgrim prepare their hearts for their encounter with God, and helped them as they faced the dangers and temptations found on the way. They are written for pilgrims – those who have set their hearts and their minds on a journey of faith.
Power
We have been thinking about the resurrection and asking how that amazing event in the journey of Jesus changes our lives. This morning, we are going to think about the way resurrection speaks of eternal life.
All of us are called to the most amazing and abundant life which will continue for all eternity.
Romans 8:11
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
Our bodies may be mortal, increasingly diminishing the older we get, but what Paul is stating here is that, whilst the clay earthen vessel is cracking, we have treasure inside that is increasing every day until we see Jesus face to face.
Downtrodden
Ever had one of those times in your life when you felt so downtrodden and low you just needed someone to pick you up and to set you on your feet again?
Like when a young child, who has fallen over, our first instinct is to get them up again and treat their cuts and bruises. Or someone who just needs a strong arm around them to take the next step until, eventually, they are strong enough to do so themselves. Resurrection is about raising people up from their lowest point and to provide the strength for them to be able to stand for themselves and become all that God has created them to be.
Hope
How does the resurrection of Jesus affects our lives? This morning, we are going to think about it in terms of the hope we receive because we know Jesus is alive.
Its all too easy, in our present world situation, to lose hope. We look at the Ukraine and wonder if there could be hope for those who face such terrible times. This last week, we experienced unusually hot weather in the UK and we know we are heading in the direction of further weather outbursts because of global warming, unless we can reverse the present trends.
Maybe we are losing hope on behalf of the next generation. Hope is so important in life and we know that, when we lose it, life becomes very challenging for us and we reach the point of wanting to give up. Hope today and for all the days of our lives; hope for the next generation and generations yet to come is to be found in the resurrection. And as followers of Jesus, we are to be people who bring hope to others.
Renew
If we believe the resurrection to be true what difference does that make for us?
Philippians 3:10-11
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Romans 8:11
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
Confidence
For the next few weeks, we are going to think about the resurrection of Jesus and particularly focus on its impact on our lives. If the cross takes a central place in history, the resurrection takes a central place in the whole of Scripture. Everything that comes before it and everything that happens after it right up to this present time, is interpreted from the empty tomb.
As Paul states in 1 Corinthians 15:13-15
“If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised”.
If its true, there is a future for the whole of humanity and death is not a full stop. If its false, Christianity collapses into mythology.
So let’s start with that question – is it true? That’s a huge question, so I’m just going to focus on one reason why I believe it to be true.
Hebrews 10:12 & Hebrews 11:13-16
This morning, we are going to think about the way the cross straddles the whole of time – past present and future. The Christian calendar (although not totally accurate) puts the cross at the centre of history: History, is His Story. All that happens before it, leads to it, and all that follows, leads out of it. That’s why Easter is the most important Christian festival. The cross happened at a particular historical moment, but the effect of the cross straddles all time.
1 John 2:1-2
Crucifixion was a brutal and humiliating means of execution. Some of you may have seen various films that try to capture something of the horror in the death of Jesus on the cross. Here was an innocent man, brutalised and desecrated. But we all know we live in a world where the most terrible things happen. Innocent people face death in ways that beggar’s belief. It’s impossible to compare one terrible death with another. The New Testament does not claim that the death of Jesus was anymore brutal then the death of the two condemned men that hang either side of Him. In fact the, it puts very little emphasis on the physicality of the cross. No sordid details, really. Just a skeleton of an account of His crucifixion.
Much more attention is put on the spirituality of the cross.
Mark 15:34, 2 Corinthians 5:19 & John 14:9-10
...And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
This is often referred to as, "the cry of abandonment." Perceived to be the cry of the God-forsaken Christ, Even the use of Eloi captures a change of relationship between Jesus and His Father. It’s a formal name rather than the more intimate one that Jesus uses at other times. As with the story of Abraham, and his intended sacrifice of his son Isaac, the whole idea of a Father abandoning his son is one that people struggle with. So what exactly is going on here?
Romans 3:21-31
I have never had to go to court to answer for something I have done or been accused of. In the New Testament, the cross is often pictured in the context of someone being in court, standing accused, and awaiting judgement.
Peter 1:17-21 & Romans 6:15-18
For lots of people, the cross remains a mystery. For some it’s simply a nonsense, whilst others might see it as lucky charm. What it is, though, is hard to avoid.
It’s featured in all kinds of art, drawn, painted, engraved, worn, it can be a visible sign of faith as well as a reminder of the role that Christianity has played in the history of not only this nation but so many across the globe. Many churches are built in the shape of a cross and most would have some kind of symbolic representation. Even football players cross themselves as they run onto the pitch and for many crossing themselves is a symbolic way of sanctifying their actions. It can be powerful and it can be sanitised to such an extent that it loses its impact.
All of which is amazing when we consider the cross to be a place of execution.
The Tax Collectior
What a contrast these two characters make, the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Jesus often use that particular technique in his teaching, especially in his parables. He would often take extreme examples. It was a good way of making his point clear. And in this particular parable, Jesus does just that. We have two characters here, who are poles apart. Jesus has deliberately chosen to put them in that place.
The Lost Sheep
There’s no shadow you won’t light up,
mountain you won’t climb up, coming after me.
There’s no wall you won’t kick down,
lie you won’t tear down, coming after me.
(Reckless Love - Cory Asbury)
This parable, and the song, tell the story of a shepherd who stops at nothing to find his sheep. It defies all logic, all reason – it makes no sense. If you have 99 sheep, why on earth would you risk everything to find that one that ran away? The simple answer is love. Undeniable, totally reckless, love. No matter what goes on, no matter what we do the reckless love that God has for us will never give up. No matter how lost we get, our shepherd is coming after us.
The Growing Seed
When I was growing, as a child, there were certain things I didn’t enjoy doing with my parents. I had a very fortunate childhood with lots of wonderful memories but my biggest nemesis would invariably be any form of visit to a garden centre.
Anywhere looking and wandering around plants and flowers was the dullest thing to me and a garden centre was the place where my parents could spend hours on a Saturday afternoon. As a child, too young to be left home alone, these aren’t fun places to be. No such thing as ball pits, soft play or coffee and cake back in my day.
However, fast forward 40 years and, against all the possible odds, I have become my parents. I have become a lover of the garden centre and, most of all, the garden and anything floral, green and natural in it. I am easily at my happiest when browsing for new plants or taking a cheeky cutting in a park, looking for possibilities of life in the garden and, dare I say it, even a very recent visit to Wisley in Surrey was an absolute joy.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is such a key aspect for living a Christian life. Firstly, and mostly God sent His one and only Son Jesus to take on human form to be tortured, beat, mocked, and crucified so that He could take all our sin upon Himself as an ultimate way of showing love and forgiveness.
And He calls us to forgive
The Invited Guests
This week we are having a closer look at five of the parables of Jesus. We have five different contributors reflecting on five different parables.
I really value the parables of Jesus, they contain so much; deliberately funny, thought-provoking, and challenging. So often we see the disciples confused by the point Jesus was making but, of course, the disciple will work at trying to grasp what Jesus is saying. Growing through the thinking and struggling. Grasping more about the kingdom, which is not fully graspable.
One of the pictures of the kingdom Jesus uses, is the picture of the feast; The Banquet. People gathered around, eating and celebrating, enjoying the best that life offers in food, drink and company. It’s a picture that speaks of generosity, hospitality, welcome. These are never grabbed meals, fast-food, watching calories. These meals are banquets, taking time to celebrate, enjoy, experience abundance, laughter and beauty.
An Act of Substitution
Galatians 3:10-14
This morning we are going to think about the cross as an act of substitution. I guess all of us will have stood in for someone, acted as their sub. If you play or watch sport you will know that many players spend their whole career acting as substitutes, only called onto the field when others have performed badly or used up all their energy. Maybe at work you have had to step in for another colleague, had to play a different role in a drama because another actor has become ill or step in to cover for someone at church because they couldn’t carry out their task.
The cross is a place of substitution.
Atonement
Hebrews 10:19-25
We are continuing to meditate on the cross of Jesus. This morning we are going to think about the cross as atonement. When people enter onto a covenant relationship through marriage we talk about two becoming one. When we have a deep relationship with someone, we talk about a sense of oneness. Sometimes it happens very quickly, when we find we share something in common with someone. Maybe a point of view or a common activity. We might say “It feels like we are one”. That’s something of what the word atonement means but it has an added dimension; it’s about two estranged parts becoming one in a whole new way. And it’s the cross that has enabled that to happen. The cross is atonement.
An Act of Covenant
Genesis 9:8-11, 12:1-3, Exodus 19:3-6, 2 Samuel 7:11-13 & Hebrews 8:6-13
We are meditating on the cross of Jesus. This morning we are going to think about a very important concept in Scripture: covenant.
We are all familiar with the idea of an agreement. Some of them maybe just verbal and perhaps agreed by shaking hands; some may be more legal and have binding contractual implications. Some we may have agreed to without knowing and others we are still looking for ways out of. The Bible reveals to us a God of sacred covenant. God enters into covenant commitments to individuals and through those individuals to a nation and through that nation to other nations. He will be their God and they are to worship and honour Him alone.
This morning we are thinking about the cross as God’s supreme act of covenant commitment. Let’s begin with a speedy journey through a few of the covenants we see in the Old Testament.
Who is accountable?
Acts 2:23, 36, 4:27-28 & 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
This morning, we are continuing to meditate on the cross and ask a question; who, exactly, killed Jesus? The cross was a place of execution, but who were the executors? History is made up of legends around people who have acted as executioners. Some of them have a chilling reputation for brutality, and nicknames to match. But who did the terrible act of crucifying Jesus? Who is responsible and therefore accountable for the death of an innocent man?
Capital Punishment
Deuteronomy 21:22-23 & 1 Corinthians 1:22-25Over the next few sessions we are going to take look at the cross of Jesus.
For lots of people, the cross remains a mystery. For some it’s simply a nonsense, whilst others might see it as some kind of lucky charm. What it is though is? It features in all kinds of art; drawn, painted, engraved, even worn. It can be a visible sign of faith, as well as a reminder of the role that Christianity has played in history. It can be powerful and it can be sanitised to such an extent that it loses its impact.
All of which is amazing when we consider the cross to be a place of execution. At the time, the Roman cicero described it as ‘The most cruel and disgusting punishment’.
But how did the Jews see it?
Active Prayer
James has been brutal at times, he has certainly not held back, but throughout it all we know he has this longing that people would discover the kingdom life. A life of faith that produces fruit.
As he brings his letter to a close, he turns to prayer.
"The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective," he says!
Patience is a Virtue
My son has a real interest in gardening. He loves planting, growing and particularly loves harvesting. What he struggles with, of course, is being patient. Gardening requires a lot of patience. Preparing the soil, planting seeds and plants at the right time, watering, protecting, feeding – until, in time, a harvest comes.
Jesus uses illustrations from farming life as we see in the gospels and so does James. James wants to remind the followers of Jesus that patience is a mark of discipleship, so he turns to an agricultural example.
Careless Luxury
It is likely that James is one of the earliest written books in our New Testament cannon. The author is likely to be the brother of Jesus himself. One thing that has struck me, as I have been reading it, is how often you hear echoes of the words of Jesus in James' instructions. In today’s passage James will say – ‘your wealth has rotted, moths have eaten your clothes, Your gold and silver are corroded.’
Similar to the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, when Jesus was talking about us investing in treasure that moths and rust can’t destroy.
Yet James’ letter precedes the four gospels. James, as the brother of Jesus, would of course have heard his teaching, remembered his words, and it has struck me that we are hearing many of the words of Jesus shared in this letter.
Holding Court
Yesterday, we thought about James’ harsh words for the followers, calling them adulterous. How they were called to a faithful covenant relationship with the Lord God, but too often were pulled away by the world. It was a call from James to come back to God; repent, return and discover that God is waiting.
But with James, he is constantly interested in what faith means, how it’s worked out in our life and the fruit of our relationship with God. For James, a sign of a healthy relationship with God, a faithful relationship and one that sees us coming near to God, will be seen in the way that we treat others.
Marriage
We are carrying on and finishing the letter of James, this week – our third week in this challenging letter. Not a book I have spent much time in, but I have enjoyed looking at it and being challenged by his writing.
Last week, we looked at the amazing reality that, through faith, we can be friends with God. God called Abraham friend because of His faith; He called the nation of Israel, Abraham’s descendants ‘friends’ because of their faith. Through faith, we are grafted into Abrahams family; therefore, faith draws us into that place of friendship with God. Which is truly amazing! We can be friends with God!
In todays passage, James is again focusing on our relationship with God – and he brings in another picture – that of marriage.
We have been spending time in James' letter, probably one of the earliest writings in the New Testament. It is a challenging letter, as James writes to this early church full of Jewish Christians. James is desperate for the early believers to recognise that the way they live out their lives matters. That faith is living and active. Belonging to God demands that we live lives of the highest kingdom standards.
We are finishing this week with a similarly challenging and practical reading .
Wise Words…
Yesterday, James challenged us about our words – whilst he was focusing on the spoken word, the tongue, we also reflected that James would have much to say about social media; our communication with the written word, which can be as immediate as the spoken word and cause as much hurt and damage.
It all comes under wisdom, which is a constant theme for James.
Tame that tongue!
There is a famous saying; sticks and stones can break my bones, but names can never hurt me. To be honest, that just isn’t true. Often, words that have been used against us years, decades ago, can still sting, hurt, shape us, and cause us harm. Perhaps more deeply than a physical attack.
The tongue, undoubtably is a weapon. It can start wars, lead to a breakdown in relationships, leave families torn apart.
As we continue our work through the early chapters of James, let’s hear what he has to say to those early Christian believers –
God’s Friends
Today, we are going to focus on friendship – which get’s a mention by James, almost in passing, but in an extraordinary way.
I wonder who your friends are? Who are you thinking about when you mention the word friend? We all have automatic expectations of those we call friends. We don’t spell them out, we don’t really need to talk them through, it is a relationship that has natural expectations.
I guess I would expect my friends to be loyal, supportive, kind, willing to help, be interested in the things I’m interested, be there in tough times, be their when there is something to celebrate…. I’m sure there is longer list of automatic expectations.
The Real Thing!
Are you one of the millions playing Wordle? It’s a five-letter word puzzle, with a new mystery word everyday. A friend recently showed me it on his device – and I thought it would be good to try. So, in a quiet moment I went to my phone’s app-store and searched wordle – downloaded the first one, and then I was hit with adverts and requests for charges. It looked nothing like the version my friend had shown me.
A bit of research later and I discovered that it is free but you have to go straight to the website – there are no adverts or charges.
I had come across something that was masquerading as the real thing, but was a poor imitation.
We are continuing with our look at James, moving through chapters 2 and 3.
I guess, James is asking that question – when it comes to faith are you and I the real thing!
God Amongst Us
John 1:1-18
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, ‘This is the one I spoke about when I said, “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.”’) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[b] is in the closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
God made Known
Matthew 8:28-34
28 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes,[a] two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29 ‘What do you want with us, Son of God?’ they shouted. ‘Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?’
30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31 The demons begged Jesus, ‘If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.’
32 He said to them, ‘Go!’ So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 33 Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.
God of Equality
Philippians 2:5-11
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death –
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
God in the Community
Matthew 3:13-17
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, ‘I need to be baptised by you, and do you come to me?’
15 Jesus replied, ‘Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then John consented.
16 As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’
God is Omniscient
Isaiah 40:12-31
12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?
13 Who can fathom the Spirit[a] of the Lord,
or instruct the Lord as his counsellor?
14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,
or showed him the path of understanding?
God the Omnipotent
As with all of us, there are some things I can do better than other things. Somethings I’m really no good at and they are best left to others. I’ve always loved running and walking but cycling is not my favourite thing. It just doesn’t seem to work for me. Others are great cyclists and really enjoy it. As they say, ‘horses for courses’. What would you say you do well? Don’t be modest, we all have some things we excell at. What about the other side? Maybe there is something you’ve given up trying because it just hasn't worked out for you?
God is omnipotent – which means there is no lack to His power and His ability to do all things.
God the Omnipresent
Ever looked at your diary, realised you have double booked, and had to apologise and cancel one of them?
God never double-books.
Ever been on the home phone and your mobile has gone off in another room? You can’t answer both at the same time.
God can and does billions of times over every single day.
Ever been stretched in three directions at one time and failed to adequately manage any of them?
God can and does.
How? Because God is omnipresent. He is present everywhere and every time - all of the time.
God the Immutable
Today, we're thinking about how God is immutable! How cool is that?
So what does that mean?
All of us have undergone change in our lives; we change as we grow older. We change location, jobs, we might even change our style. We certainly change our views, as we learn more about the reality of life and how to navigate it.
"Change and decay are all around us," as Allan Massie stated.
We might not always welcome change but we know its inevitable. God is immutable – He doesn’t change. He is forever the same. If God has DNA, then change is not in it.
What kind of God do we believe in?
This morning we are going to ask the question “where did God come from?”
How many times have you had a conversation with someone about creation and you’ve arrived at this place? "Ok, if God created everything there is who created God?"
Good question, and not one that’s easy to answer; at least, not in a way that people can initially grasp.
God is Spirit
Welcome to another week of devotions.
This week, we are going to ask that question “What is God like?”. It's often a question we pose when we are talking about someone we haven’t met yet. "What are they like?"
We may be expecting a physical description; some details about their background, where they have come from, or where they live. Initially, we are probably not looking for too many intimate details like their mental or physical health although we might be interested in their views and values. When it comes to God, it all gets a bit more complex. Thankfully, God has revealed enough of Himself to give us a good start in trying to address the question “What is God like?”
A Kingdom Welcome
Imagine a world where the rich have all the power. Where status and wealth means you get special preferential treatment. Imagine a world where the rich and the powerful exploit those who have less, and order society so that they get richer and keep others down.
Of course, it is not hard to imagine because we live in such a world. I guess every age, society, country, kingdom has, to a greater or lesser degree, succumbed to this. The wealthy and powerful keeping the status quo. With our own leaders, there are stories of contracts given to friends and old school mates, peerages seemingly gifted to those who can financially support, cash for questions.
We live in a world where the rich and famous jump to the front of the queue, get the best invites, get things for free, even though they could afford it.
A society where the divide between rich and poor seems to grow, despite government priorities and manifestos.
True Wisdom
We are working through the opening verse of James’s letter, spending our second day on part of chapter 1, where James brings challenging statements of wisdom. Sayings that really cut to the heart of how we are to live as followers of Jesus.
Yesterday we thought about being quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to be angry, being people in control of our words. But James wisdom in these few chapters doesn’t stop there.
Quick to Listen, Slow to Anger
I wonder, if I asked you to give me some sage advice – a line of wisdom – what would you say to me? What would I say to you?
Perhaps it would be something passed on to you from a family member, or a wise friend. Perhaps it would be something you have picked up; a life experience. James is full of such lines. He is almost following in the style of some of the Old Testament wisdom writings. Today’s short passage is stock full of wise advice, lines of wisdom for the follower of Jesus. We are going to spend time in this passage today and tomorrow, so we can think a little about the wisdom James wants those early Christians to hear.
Bearers of Fruit
With the season moving on, we are watching our garden spring into life. As I write this, we have some decent rain, the grass is greener and the vegetables we have planted are beginning to grow. We have a bed of established strawberries and are seeing the fruit take shape. Green at the moment but it won’t be long before they start turning red. You can be sure that the first person to taste the first fruits of our garden this year will be Isaac; he will be the first to pick a strawberry and bite into it.
But that strawberry, will hopefully bring with it the promise of many more to come this season
Stand Firm
We are going to spend time this week in the opening chapter of the letter of James.
There has been lots of debate over who the James is that wrote this letter; James being a common name at that time. Many believe it was written by James, the brother of Jesus, the prominent early church leader in Jerusalem. But the letter is written very much with Jewish believers in mind. It was written to a church that is suffering persecution. A very practical letter, with lots of strong challenges encouraging the followers of Jesus to live out their lives in obedience. For James, the lives of the followers of Jesus, should count; should make a difference.
In this week's devotions, I thought we would have a think about God. Sounds straight forward I know - of course, it's not as straight forward as we might think. There are many gods in this world: Hinduism alone has thousands, regardless of all the other faiths. Today, people worship all kinds of gods, even Christians seem to have some differences. Some see God as One of judgement, law and apartness. Others see God as One of love, grace and connectedness. The question we are going to explore is, what kind of God do we believe in? and, of course, the answer to that will affect everything.
In this week's devotions, I thought we would have a think about God. Sounds straight forward I know - of course, it's not as straight forward as we might think. There are many gods in this world: Hinduism alone has thousands, regardless of all the other faiths. Today, people worship all kinds of gods, even Christians seem to have some differences. Some see God as One of judgement, law and apartness. Others see God as One of love, grace and connectedness. The question we are going to explore is, what kind of God do we believe in? and, of course, the answer to that will affect everything.
In this week's devotions, I thought we would have a think about God. Sounds straight forward I know - of course, it's not as straight forward as we might think. There are many gods in this world: Hinduism alone has thousands, regardless of all the other faiths. Today, people worship all kinds of gods, even Christians seem to have some differences. Some see God as One of judgement, law and apartness. Others see God as One of love, grace and connectedness. The question we are going to explore is, what kind of God do we believe in? and, of course, the answer to that will affect everything.
In this week's devotions, I thought we would have a think about God. Sounds straight forward I know - of course, it's not as straight forward as we might think. There are many gods in this world: Hinduism alone has thousands, regardless of all the other faiths. Today, people worship all kinds of gods, even Christians seem to have some differences. Some see God as One of judgement, law and apartness. Others see God as One of love, grace and connectedness. The question we are going to explore is, what kind of God do we believe in? and, of course, the answer to that will affect everything.
In this week's devotions, I thought we would have a think about God. Sounds straight forward I know - of course, it's not as straight forward as we might think. There are many gods in this world: Hinduism alone has thousands, regardless of all the other faiths. Today, people worship all kinds of gods, even Christians seem to have some differences. Some see God as One of judgement, law and apartness. Others see God as One of love, grace and connectedness. The question we are going to explore is, what kind of God do we believe in? and, of course, the answer to that will affect everything.
This week, we have five contributors to our daily readings and reflections. We have asked them to choose scriptures that have particular meaning to them, perhaps have been helpful or influential. Of course, all of us have passages that have spoken to us, inspired us, challenged us. Passages that have stayed with us through the years and passages that have helped us through a season, a scripture that takes us back to a moment of decision.
I wonder what passage you would have chosen? Our contributors this week will look at a wide number of scripture; including Psalms, Matthew, Numbers, Romans and Ecclesiastes.
This week, we have five contributors to our daily readings and reflections. We have asked them to choose scriptures that have particular meaning to them, perhaps have been helpful or influential. Of course, all of us have passages that have spoken to us, inspired us, challenged us. Passages that have stayed with us through the years and passages that have helped us through a season, a scripture that takes us back to a moment of decision.
I wonder what passage you would have chosen? Our contributors this week will look at a wide number of scripture; including Psalms, Matthew, Numbers, Romans and Ecclesiastes.
This week, we have five contributors to our daily readings and reflections. We have asked them to choose scriptures that have particular meaning to them, perhaps have been helpful or influential. Of course, all of us have passages that have spoken to us, inspired us, challenged us. Passages that have stayed with us through the years and passages that have helped us through a season, a scripture that takes us back to a moment of decision.
I wonder what passage you would have chosen? Our contributors this week will look at a wide number of scripture; including Psalms, Matthew, Numbers, Romans and Ecclesiastes.
This week, we have five contributors to our daily readings and reflections. We have asked them to choose scriptures that have particular meaning to them, perhaps have been helpful or influential. Of course, all of us have passages that have spoken to us, inspired us, challenged us. Passages that have stayed with us through the years and passages that have helped us through a season, a scripture that takes us back to a moment of decision.
I wonder what passage you would have chosen? Our contributors this week will look at a wide number of scripture; including Psalms, Matthew, Numbers, Romans and Ecclesiastes.
This week, we have five contributors to our daily readings and reflections. We have asked them to choose scriptures that have particular meaning to them, perhaps have been helpful or influential. Of course, all of us have passages that have spoken to us, inspired us, challenged us. Passages that have stayed with us through the years and passages that have helped us through a season, a scripture that takes us back to a moment of decision.
I wonder what passage you would have chosen? Our contributors this week will look at a wide number of scripture; including Psalms, Matthew, Numbers, Romans and Ecclesiastes.
The Book of Acts
This week we are taking a look at the five history books from the beginning of the New Testemant. Four gospels, that tell the story of Jesus, and The Book of Acts, which tells the story of His church as it grew from Jerusalem right across the known world.
Today, we finish by looking at Acts...
The Gospel According to John
This week we are taking a look at the five history books from the beginning of the New Testemant. Four gospels, that tell the story of Jesus, and The Book of Acts, which tells the story of His church as it grew from Jerusalem right across the known world.
Today, we look at John's gospel...
The Gospel According to Luke
This week we are taking a look at the five history books from the beginning of the New Testemant. Four gospels, that tell the story of Jesus, and The Book of Acts, which tells the story of His church as it grew from Jerusalem right across the known world.
Today, we look at Luke's gospel...
The Gospel According to Mark
This week we are taking a look at the five history books from the beginning of the New Testemant. Four gospels, that tell the story of Jesus, and The Book of Acts, which tells the story of His church as it grew from Jerusalem right across the known world.
Today, we look at Mark's gospel...
The Gospel According to Matthew
This week we are taking a look at the five history books from the beginning of the New Testemant. Four gospels, that tell the story of Jesus, and The Book of Acts, which tells the story of His church as it grew from Jerusalem right across the known world.
We begin with Matthew's gospel...
Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish...
Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus...
...Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water...
Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.”
Jesus Appears to Thomas...
Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
Jesus Appears to His Disciples...
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
The Empty Tomb...
This week, we are going to focus in on the amazing Resurrection stories. From Mary arriving in the dark at the tomb, to the disciples meeting Jesus on the shores of Galilee for breakfast. A chance for us to dwell on these amazing moments of meeting with Jesus.
There are different people leading our readings each day this week – grateful for the different voices, different reflections on what, of course, are very familiar stories.
We are going to follow John’s gospel through these stories – John starts on the Sunday, with the morning still being dark, and Mary arriving at the tomb.
Pilate to the Cross
The cockerel has crowed, Jesus is all alone. It is Good Friday. It starts with those making their plans, determined to end things. Then, more characters join the story; Pilate, The Soldiers, Simon the cross carrier, Barabbas, The Centurion and, of course, the faithful women.
Todays’ Song: The Stone – Sam Hargreaves
Trials and Denials
We are working through Mark’s account from Holy Week. Over the last few days, we have focused on what we know as Maundy Thursday: Last Supper and all the events surrounding Gethsemane. Now, in the darkness of that evening, the night leads to the cock crowing and morning begins to break on Good Friday
Todays’ Song: What Kind of King – Matt Osgood
Gethsemane
Can think back to a moment in your life? A surreal moment – a moment when you look back and think, “Did that really happen?”
The Last Supper must have a been an emotional meal; Jesus sharing some words, followers making promises and Jesus talking of the disciples falling away. Afterwards, they left the city, headed out towards the Mount of Olives, to the garden of Gethsemane.
Todays’ Song: Watching and Praying – Joel Payne
Last Supper
Last Supper... We read yesterday of Jesus eating at the home of Simon the Leper, in Bethany. We thought about the response of those at that meal, when the woman poured expensive perfume on the head of Jesus. Well, let's carry on following Mark’s account through this Holy Week and another gathering around a table.
Todays’ Song: Table of Love - S Hearle
Jesus anointed at Bethany
Yesterday was Palm Sunday, Jesus welcomed into Jerusalem, if you joined in with QRBC or another church, there would have been a chance to focus on Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem. Which of course starts off Holy Week, and the chain of events which will lead us to the darkness of Good Friday and on to the Glorious New Life of Easter Day.
It’s so easy, though, to dash from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday without paying too much attention to what happens in between; and, yet, the Gospel writers spend much of their time telling us the stories of this week leading up to the cross. Jesus continues to teach, continues to heal, continues with his life. So this week we are going to focus on what Mark’s gospel tells us about this week.
Todays' Song: There is Love - Joel Payne
The Destination...
This week, we are going to think of the way the Bible is shaped at the beginning of both the Old and New Testaments. We start with the first five books of the Bible: The Pentateuch. The first five books or the Torah, as it is known within Judaism; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
A Census...
This week, we are going to think of the way the Bible is shaped at the beginning of both the Old and New Testaments. We start with the first five books of the Bible: The Pentateuch. The first five books or the Torah, as it is known within Judaism; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
And He Called...
This week, we are going to think of the way the Bible is shaped at the beginning of both the Old and New Testaments. We start with the first five books of the Bible: The Pentateuch. The first five books or the Torah, as it is known within Judaism; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
Departure & Deliverance...
This week, we are going to think of the way the Bible is shaped at the beginning of both the Old and New Testaments. We start with the first five books of the Bible: The Pentateuch. The first five books or the Torah, as it is known within Judaism; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
In the Beginning...
This week, we are going to think of the way the Bible is shaped at the beginning of both the Old and New Testaments. We start with the first five books of the Bible: The Pentateuch. The first five books or the Torah, as it is known within Judaism; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
Do you like receiving invitations? Our two children seem to get no end of invites to birthday parties at the moment. Perhaps because so many parties didn’t happen in the last few years, every child is having one this year to make up for it and celebrate their birthday.
Scripture is full of invitations. The Living God is an inviting God. We are going to look at some of those invitations this week – we are going to marvel that the God who made everything, stoops down to invite us into friendship – He even offers breakfast to His friends!
Do you like receiving invitations? Our two children seem to get no end of invites to birthday parties at the moment. Perhaps because so many parties didn’t happen in the last few years, every child is having one this year to make up for it and celebrate their birthday.
Scripture is full of invitations. The Living God is an inviting God. We are going to look at some of those invitations this week – we are going to marvel that the God who made everything, stoops down to invite us into friendship – He even offers breakfast to His friends!
Come and see
Do you like receiving invitations? Our two children seem to get no end of invites to birthday parties at the moment. Perhaps because so many parties didn’t happen in the last few years, every child is having one this year to make up for it and celebrate their birthday.
Scripture is full of invitations. The Living God is an inviting God. We are going to look at some of those invitations this week – we are going to marvel that the God who made everything, stoops down to invite us into friendship – He even offers breakfast to His friends!
Come follow me
Do you like receiving invitations? Our two children seem to get no end of invites to birthday parties at the moment. Perhaps because so many parties didn’t happen in the last few years, every child is having one this year to make up for it and celebrate their birthday.
Scripture is full of invitations. The Living God is an inviting God. We are going to look at some of those invitations this week – we are going to marvel that the God who made everything, stoops down to invite us into friendship – He even offers breakfast to His friends!
Come to me
Do you like receiving invitations? Our two children seem to get no end of invites to birthday parties at the moment. Perhaps because so many parties didn’t happen in the last few years, every child is having one this year to make up for it and celebrate their birthday.
Scripture is full of invitations. The Living God is an inviting God. We are going to look at some of those invitations this week – we are going to marvel that the God who made everything, stoops down to invite us into friendship – He even offers breakfast to His friends!
Stephen returns to finish the job... This week, the second half of the Ten Commandments.
Stephen returns to finish the job... This week, the second half of the Ten Commandments.
Stephen returns to finish the job... This week, the second half of the Ten Commandments.
Stephen returns to finish the job... This week, the second half of the Ten Commandments.
Stephen returns to finish the job... This week, the second half of the Ten Commandments.
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
Today’s song focusses on the parable Jesus told about two men who came to pray at the temple. A Pharisee and a Tax Collector.
In many of His parables, Jesus often has a very clear hero and villain, but He often turns the expected on its head. When His listeners think they now which direction the story is heading, Jesus would shock them by ending with a twist.
As we look at this parable, which character do we associate with? Which character would we consider ourselves to be?
‘The Two Sons’
This week we are going to reflect on some of the parables of Jesus. To help us do this, perhaps in a fresh way, we are going to use five songs written by Olwen Ringrose on her Parables E.P. Olwen is a friend of mine, that I know through the Resound 12-song-challenge community.
Today's song will help us to think about the parable of 'The Two Sons.' This is perhaps a less familiar parable. These are two sons, who were asked by their father to work in the family vineyard; they both respond differently.
Jesus tells the story in the context of an altercation with the religious leaders. It's the beginning of Holy Week, Jesus entered Jerusalem, riding on a colt. The crowds have welcomed him, shouting "Hosanna to the son!" They lay down palm leaves and their cloaks, welcoming him as King.
Then Jesus goes into the temple and gets angry, scatters the moneychangers. Then, later on in the evening, he returns to Bethany.
‘Why do you call me good?’
This week we are going to reflect on some of the parables of Jesus. To help us do this, perhaps in a fresh way, we are going to use five songs written by Olwen Ringrose on her Parables E.P. Olwen is a friend of mine, that I know through the Resound 12-song-challenge community.
Jesus was teaching/showing how life should be lived, how God always intended for humanity to relate to Him and to each other. Jesus was the perfect human, demonstrating what humanity was intended to be like.
Olwen, I think, picks this idea up really powerfully and simply in today’s song, based of course on the parable of the Good Samaritan:
‘Why do you call me good? I was just doing what anyone should!
'The Prodigal’s Return'
This week we are going to reflect on some of the parables of Jesus. To help us do this, perhaps in a fresh way, we are going to use five songs written by Olwen Ringrose on her Parables E.P. Olwen is a friend of mine, that I know through the Resound 12-song-challenge community.
Today’s reading, is from, I guess the most famous of all the parables, one of my favourite chapters in scripture – Luke 15, the story of the Lost Son. For me, this is one of the most powerful moments in Scripture, when Jesus describes the Father seeing his lost son return – ‘But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him, he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.’
‘Incomplete Pictures’
This week we are going to reflect on some of the parables of Jesus. To help us do this, perhaps in a fresh way, we are going to use five songs written by Olwen Ringrose on her Parables E.P. Olwen is a friend of mine, that I know through the Resound 12-song-challenge community.
The first song is called ‘Incomplete Pictures’ – it focuses on four of the shorter parables of Jesus, contained in Matthew 13. Jesus starts each of these parables, "The kingdom of heaven is like"
Mustard seed, yeast/leaven, treasure hidden in a field, a merchant looking for fine pearls…..
Welcome to a new week of devotions. The last few times I’ve headed up devotions, we’ve concentrated on 5’s:
5 Metaphors, 5 pictures and 5 gifts that strengthen the church.
I thought we could carry on for a while with this pattern and look at the 5 commandments...
"But, there are 10!" I hear you cry.
Yes, that’s true, but they can be divided into two groups of 5...
Welcome to a new week of devotions. The last few times I’ve headed up devotions, we’ve concentrated on 5’s:
5 Metaphors, 5 pictures and 5 gifts that strengthen the church.
I thought we could carry on for a while with this pattern and look at the 5 commandments...
"But, there are 10!" I hear you cry.
Yes, that’s true, but they can be divided into two groups of 5...
Welcome to a new week of devotions. The last few times I’ve headed up devotions, we’ve concentrated on 5’s:
5 Metaphors, 5 pictures and 5 gifts that strengthen the church.
I thought we could carry on for a while with this pattern and look at the 5 commandments...
"But, there are 10!" I hear you cry.
Yes, that’s true, but they can be divided into two groups of 5...
Welcome to a new week of devotions. The last few times I’ve headed up devotions, we’ve concentrated on 5’s:
5 Metaphors, 5 pictures and 5 gifts that strengthen the church.
I thought we could carry on for a while with this pattern and look at the 5 commandments...
"But, there are 10!" I hear you cry.
Yes, that’s true, but they can be divided into two groups of 5...
Welcome to a new week of devotions. The last few times I’ve headed up devotions, we’ve concentrated on 5’s:
5 Metaphors, 5 pictures and 5 gifts that strengthen the church.
I thought we could carry on for a while with this pattern and look at the 5 commandments...
"But, there are 10!" I hear you cry.
Yes, that’s true, but they can be divided into two groups of 5...
We are going to spend a few days looking at some of Israel’s Judges. I guess, for some, the book of Judges is one to be avoided – a bit of an embarrassment. In it, God seems to sanction war, conflict, violence and murder. To others, Judges is full of those exciting stories that make a good season of Sunday School sessions; Gideon, Deborah, Samson. So perhaps it’s good for us to stop and take a little look at this book, ponder its purpose and see how it can speak to us and our age.
We are going to spend a few days looking at some of Israel’s Judges. I guess, for some, the book of Judges is one to be avoided – a bit of an embarrassment. In it, God seems to sanction war, conflict, violence and murder. To others, Judges is full of those exciting stories that make a good season of Sunday School sessions; Gideon, Deborah, Samson. So perhaps it’s good for us to stop and take a little look at this book, ponder its purpose and see how it can speak to us and our age.
We are going to spend a few days looking at some of Israel’s Judges. I guess, for some, the book of Judges is one to be avoided – a bit of an embarrassment. In it, God seems to sanction war, conflict, violence and murder. To others, Judges is full of those exciting stories that make a good season of Sunday School sessions; Gideon, Deborah, Samson. So perhaps it’s good for us to stop and take a little look at this book, ponder its purpose and see how it can speak to us and our age.
We are going to spend a few days looking at some of Israel’s Judges. I guess, for some, the book of Judges is one to be avoided – a bit of an embarrassment. In it, God seems to sanction war, conflict, violence and murder. To others, Judges is full of those exciting stories that make a good season of Sunday School sessions; Gideon, Deborah, Samson. So perhaps it’s good for us to stop and take a little look at this book, ponder its purpose and see how it can speak to us and our age.
We have made a change to our starter for this week’s reflections – tomorrow we will start a mini-series on the book of Judges. But today we will and stop and prayerfully consider Ukraine together.
Welcome to this week’s devotions. Previously I looked at 5 pictures and 5 metaphors. This week we are going to think about 5 gifts that God has blessed the church with. Gifts that create a sense of well-being and spiritual strength.
Welcome to this week’s devotions. Previously I looked at 5 pictures and 5 metaphors. This week we are going to think about 5 gifts that God has blessed the church with. Gifts that create a sense of well-being and spiritual strength.
Welcome to this week’s devotions. Previously I looked at 5 pictures and 5 metaphors. This week we are going to think about 5 gifts that God has blessed the church with. Gifts that create a sense of well-being and spiritual strength.
Welcome to this week’s devotions. Previously I looked at 5 pictures and 5 metaphors. This week we are going to think about 5 gifts that God has blessed the church with. Gifts that create a sense of well-being and spiritual strength.
Welcome to this week’s devotions. Previously I looked at 5 pictures and 5 metaphors. This week we are going to think about 5 gifts that God has blessed the church with. Gifts that create a sense of well-being and spiritual strength.
This week, we are going to spend some time in chapters 1 and 2 of Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica. A bit of background – this is likely to be the earliest of Paul’s letters and one of the earliest New Testament writings, pre-dating the gospels. Thessalonica was a bustling sea-port city, the largest and the capital city of the Greek region Macedonia. It was an important trade centre and was sited on one of the main-road trade routes along the Egnatian Way. Paul and his friends had fled persecution in Philippi and arrive in Thessalonica. The historical accounts can be found in Acts 16 & 17. There was some response from the Jewish population, but most of the early converts were Gentiles. It wasn’t take long befor Jewish opponents to Paul and his message stirred up trouble and Paul had to again flee from Thessalonica during the night. But he left behind a church. Although Paul was desperate to spend more time with them, to visit them again, he still helps them by writing this letter...
This week, we are going to spend some time in chapters 1 and 2 of Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica. A bit of background – this is likely to be the earliest of Paul’s letters and one of the earliest New Testament writings, pre-dating the gospels. Thessalonica was a bustling sea-port city, the largest and the capital city of the Greek region Macedonia. It was an important trade centre and was sited on one of the main-road trade routes along the Egnatian Way. Paul and his friends had fled persecution in Philippi and arrive in Thessalonica. The historical accounts can be found in Acts 16 & 17. There was some response from the Jewish population, but most of the early converts were Gentiles. It wasn’t take long befor Jewish opponents to Paul and his message stirred up trouble and Paul had to again flee from Thessalonica during the night. But he left behind a church. Although Paul was desperate to spend more time with them, to visit them again, he still helps them by writing this letter...
This week, we are going to spend some time in chapters 1 and 2 of Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica. A bit of background – this is likely to be the earliest of Paul’s letters and one of the earliest New Testament writings, pre-dating the gospels. Thessalonica was a bustling sea-port city, the largest and the capital city of the Greek region Macedonia. It was an important trade centre and was sited on one of the main-road trade routes along the Egnatian Way. Paul and his friends had fled persecution in Philippi and arrive in Thessalonica. The historical accounts can be found in Acts 16 & 17. There was some response from the Jewish population, but most of the early converts were Gentiles. It wasn’t take long befor Jewish opponents to Paul and his message stirred up trouble and Paul had to again flee from Thessalonica during the night. But he left behind a church. Although Paul was desperate to spend more time with them, to visit them again, he still helps them by writing this letter...
This week, we are going to spend some time in chapters 1 and 2 of Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica. A bit of background – this is likely to be the earliest of Paul’s letters and one of the earliest New Testament writings, pre-dating the gospels. Thessalonica was a bustling sea-port city, the largest and the capital city of the Greek region Macedonia. It was an important trade centre and was sited on one of the main-road trade routes along the Egnatian Way. Paul and his friends had fled persecution in Philippi and arrive in Thessalonica. The historical accounts can be found in Acts 16 & 17. There was some response from the Jewish population, but most of the early converts were Gentiles. It wasn’t take long befor Jewish opponents to Paul and his message stirred up trouble and Paul had to again flee from Thessalonica during the night. But he left behind a church. Although Paul was desperate to spend more time with them, to visit them again, he still helps them by writing this letter...
This week, we are going to spend some time in chapters 1 and 2 of Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica. A bit of background – this is likely to be the earliest of Paul’s letters and one of the earliest New Testament writings, pre-dating the gospels. Thessalonica was a bustling sea-port city, the largest and the capital city of the Greek region Macedonia. It was an important trade centre and was sited on one of the main-road trade routes along the Egnatian Way. Paul and his friends had fled persecution in Philippi and arrive in Thessalonica. The historical accounts can be found in Acts 16 & 17. There was some response from the Jewish population, but most of the early converts were Gentiles. It wasn’t take long befor Jewish opponents to Paul and his message stirred up trouble and Paul had to again flee from Thessalonica during the night. But he left behind a church. Although Paul was desperate to spend more time with them, to visit them again, he still helps them by writing this letter...
This week we are going to look at five metaphors: The Body, The Political Unit, The Household, The Building, and The Temple. For this, we will be looking at Ephesians 2:14-22.
Ephesians 2:14-22 is taken from a section of the letter to the Ephesians, in which the author seeks to explain to his readers the meaning of Christian community and our unity in Christ. To do so, he uses these five metaphors to aid understanding.
This week we are going to look at five metaphors: The Body, The Political Unit, The Household, The Building, and The Temple. For this, we will be looking at Ephesians 2:14-22.
Ephesians 2:14-22 is taken from a section of the letter to the Ephesians, in which the author seeks to explain to his readers the meaning of Christian community and our unity in Christ. To do so, he uses these five metaphors to aid understanding.
This week we are going to look at five metaphors: The Body, The Political Unit, The Household, The Building, and The Temple. For this, we will be looking at Ephesians 2:14-22.
Ephesians 2:14-22 is taken from a section of the letter to the Ephesians, in which the author seeks to explain to his readers the meaning of Christian community and our unity in Christ. To do so, he uses these five metaphors to aid understanding.
This week we are going to look at five metaphors: The Body, The Political Unit, The Household, The Building, and The Temple. For this, we will be looking at Ephesians 2:14-22.
Ephesians 2:14-22 is taken from a section of the letter to the Ephesians, in which the author seeks to explain to his readers the meaning of Christian community and our unity in Christ. To do so, he uses these five metaphors to aid understanding.
This week we are going to look at five metaphors: The Body, The Political Unit, The Household, The Building, and The Temple. For this, we will be looking at Ephesians 2:14-22.
Ephesians 2:14-22 is taken from a section of the letter to the Ephesians, in which the author seeks to explain to his readers the meaning of Christian community and our unity in Christ. To do so, he uses these five metaphors to aid understanding.
The British are fascinated by the weather, it’s often our first ‘go to’ conversation. How often do we open up a conversation with a weather-related comment! This week our devotions are inspired by the weather and nature - dipping into different parts of Scripture to reflect on how God acts within our lives.
The British are fascinated by the weather, it’s often our first ‘go to’ conversation. How often do we open up a conversation with a weather-related comment! This week our devotions are inspired by the weather and nature - dipping into different parts of Scripture to reflect on how God acts within our lives.
The British are fascinated by the weather, it’s often our first ‘go to’ conversation. How often do we open up a conversation with a weather-related comment! This week our devotions are inspired by the weather and nature - dipping into different parts of Scripture to reflect on how God acts within our lives.
The British are fascinated by the weather, it’s often our first ‘go to’ conversation. How often do we open up a conversation with a weather-related comment! This week our devotions are inspired by the weather and nature - dipping into different parts of Scripture to reflect on how God acts within our lives.
The British are fascinated by the weather, it’s often our first ‘go to’ conversation. How often do we open up a conversation with a weather-related comment! This week our devotions are inspired by the weather and nature - dipping into different parts of Scripture to reflect on how God acts within our lives.
Welcome to a new week of devotions. This week we are going to think about what it means to “live by the Spirit” and to “keep in step with the Spirit”. We are going to use five images to help reflect on Galatians 5:16-26 - Dance, Formation, Syncronisation, Harmony and Togetherness
Welcome to a new week of devotions. This week we are going to think about what it means to “live by the Spirit” and to “keep in step with the Spirit”. We are going to use five images to help reflect on Galatians 5:16-26 - Dance, Formation, Syncronisation, Harmony and Togetherness
Welcome to a new week of devotions. This week we are going to think about what it means to “live by the Spirit” and to “keep in step with the Spirit”. We are going to use five images to help reflect on Galatians 5:16-26 - Dance, Formation, Syncronisation, Harmony and Togetherness
Welcome to a new week of devotions. This week we are going to think about what it means to “live by the Spirit” and to “keep in step with the Spirit”. We are going to use five images to help reflect on Galatians 5:16-26 - Dance, Formation, Syncronisation, Harmony and Togetherness
Welcome to a new week of devotions. This week we are going to think about what it means to “live by the Spirit” and to “keep in step with the Spirit”. We are going to use five images to help reflect on Galatians 5:16-26 - Dance, Formation, Syncronisation, Harmony and Togetherness
Happy New Year! As we start into this new year, we're going to spend our time mostly in the second chapter of Matthew's Gospel. We're going to have a bit of a focus on Epiphany.
Happy New Year! As we start into this new year, we're going to spend our time mostly in the second chapter of Matthew's Gospel. We're going to have a bit of a focus on Epiphany.
Happy New Year! As we start into this new year, we're going to spend our time mostly in the second chapter of Matthew's Gospel. We're going to have a bit of a focus on Epiphany.
Happy New Year! As we start into this new year, we're going to spend our time mostly in the second chapter of Matthew's Gospel. We're going to have a bit of a focus on Epiphany.
Happy New Year!
As we start into this new year, we're going to spend our time mostly in the second chapter of Matthew's Gospel. We're going to have a bit of a focus on Epiphany.
It's the last week of Advent; JOY. Celebrating and reflecting on the Joy that Jesus brings to us all and for us all. A joy that goes beyond our earthly knowing.
It's the last week of Advent; JOY. Celebrating and reflecting on the Joy that Jesus brings to us all and for us all. A joy that goes beyond our earthly knowing.
It's the last week of Advent; JOY. Celebrating and reflecting on the Joy that Jesus brings to us all and for us all. A joy that goes beyond our earthly knowing.
It's the last week of Advent; JOY. Celebrating and reflecting on the Joy that Jesus brings to us all and for us all. A joy that goes beyond our earthly knowing.
It's the last week of Advent; JOY. Celebrating and reflecting on the Joy that Jesus brings to us all and for us all. A joy that goes beyond our earthly knowing.
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
The Adoration of the Magi
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
It is week two of Advent – Peace. We continue with our Advent Reflections, starting with Ellen and Philip in California; Peace is a luxury.
It is week two of Advent – Peace. We continue with our Advent Reflections, starting with Ellen and Philip in California; Peace is a luxury.
It is week two of Advent – Peace. We continue with our Advent Reflections, starting with Ellen and Philip in California; Peace is a luxury.
It is week two of Advent – Peace. We continue with our Advent Reflections, starting with Ellen and Philip in California; Peace is a luxury.
It is week two of Advent – Peace. We continue with our Advent Reflections, starting with Ellen and Philip in California; Peace is a luxury.
We are into the season of Advent – it is a season of preparation, getting ready. On December the 25th we celebrate the biggest event in History – God entering His world, not as some "All-powerful Deity," ready to throw His weight around, but coming in weakness, humility – coming as a baby into obscurity.
The season of Advent should be seen as a gift, an invitation to journey towards this event, to make space to wonder – to ensure that when Christmas day comes, we are ready to worship, to be changed and transformed.
We are into the season of Advent – it is a season of preparation, getting ready. On December the 25th we celebrate the biggest event in History – God entering His world, not as some "All-powerful Deity," ready to throw His weight around, but coming in weakness, humility – coming as a baby into obscurity.
The season of Advent should be seen as a gift, an invitation to journey towards this event, to make space to wonder – to ensure that when Christmas day comes, we are ready to worship, to be changed and transformed.
We are into the season of Advent – it is a season of preparation, getting ready. On December the 25th we celebrate the biggest event in History – God entering His world, not as some "All-powerful Deity," ready to throw His weight around, but coming in weakness, humility – coming as a baby into obscurity.
The season of Advent should be seen as a gift, an invitation to journey towards this event, to make space to wonder – to ensure that when Christmas day comes, we are ready to worship, to be changed and transformed.
We are into the season of Advent – it is a season of preparation, getting ready. On December the 25th we celebrate the biggest event in History – God entering His world, not as some "All-powerful Deity," ready to throw His weight around, but coming in weakness, humility – coming as a baby into obscurity. The season of Advent should be seen as a gift, an invitation to journey towards this event, to make space to wonder – to ensure that when Christmas day comes, we are ready to worship, to be changed and transformed.
We are into the season of Advent – it is a season of preparation, getting ready. On December the 25th we celebrate the biggest event in History – God entering His world, not as some "All-powerful Deity," ready to throw His weight around, but coming in weakness, humility – coming as a baby into obscurity.
The season of Advent should be seen as a gift, an invitation to journey towards this event, to make space to wonder – to ensure that when Christmas day comes, we are ready to worship, to be changed and transformed.
This week, we are going to focus on some of the events that surround the giving of the 10 commandments. These events are shrouded in great mystery and invite us to discover something about the relationship that God invites us to enjoy with Him.
This week, we are going to focus on some of the events that surround the giving of the 10 commandments. These events are shrouded in great mystery and invite us to discover something about the relationship that God invites us to enjoy with Him.
This Week, we are going to focus on some of the events that surround the giving of the 10 commandments. These events are shrouded in great mystery and invite us to discover something about the relationship that God invites us to enjoy with Him.
This Week, we are going to focus on some of the events that surround the giving of the 10 commandments. These events are shrouded in great mystery and invite us to discover something about the relationship that God invites us to enjoy with Him.
This Week, we are going to focus on some of the events that surround the giving of the 10 commandments. These events are shrouded in great mystery and invite us to discover something about the relationship that God invites us to enjoy with Him.
This week, we are going to spend some time in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 6, focusing on the generosity of the kingdom.
This week, we are going to spend some time in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 6, focusing on the generosity of the kingdom.
This week, we are going to spend some time in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 6, focusing on the generosity of the kingdom.
This week, we are going to spend some time in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 6, focusing on the generosity of the kingdom.
We love a story of transformation. The generous kingdom, that Jesus brings to life wherever he goes, is about transformation.
This week, we are going to spend some time in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 6, focusing on the generosity of the kingdom. The focus of today’s reading is on Jesus’ understanding of the Sabbath as a celebration of life, versus the religious view of His day.
Psalm 139
This week we are going to hang out with Psalm 139. It truly is an amazing Psalm – one that we can gain so much insight from. To begin with we are going to think about our sense of identity.
Psalm 139
This week we are going to hang out with Psalm 139. It truly is an amazing Psalm – one that we can gain so much insight from. To begin with we are going to think about our sense of identity.
Psalm 139
This week we are going to hang out with Psalm 139. It truly is an amazing Psalm – one that we can gain so much insight from. To begin with we are going to think about our sense of identity.
Psalm 139
This week we are going to hang out with Psalm 139. It truly is an amazing Psalm – one that we can gain so much insight from. To begin with we are going to think about our sense of identity.
Psalm 139
This week we are going to hang out with Psalm 139. It truly is an amazing Psalm – one that we can gain so much insight from. To begin with we are going to think about our sense of identity.
COP26, starts today and is the 26th annual UN climate change conference. COP stands for Conference of the Parties, and the summit will be attended by the countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - came in force in 1994. This year’s conference is being held in Glasgow – 1-12 November.
It will be biggest summit the UK has ever hosted - many people see it as the most significant climate event since the 2015 Paris Agreement. This event, delayed for a year due to COVID-19, is seen as crucially important as countries will be looking to set out solid plans for reaching the emissions-reduction targets they set five years ago at the Paris conference. COP26 is seen by many as a make-or-break moment for our world.
Each day, this week, we will be focusing on some of the issues that surround climate change and climate justice; using passages from scripture, and songs from the Resound ‘Doxecology’ project. Hopefully, this will also be a call to prayer for us at this critical time.
COP26, starts today and is the 26th annual UN climate change conference. COP stands for Conference of the Parties, and the summit will be attended by the countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - came in force in 1994. This year’s conference is being held in Glasgow – 1-12 November.
It will be biggest summit the UK has ever hosted - many people see it as the most significant climate event since the 2015 Paris Agreement. This event, delayed for a year due to COVID-19, is seen as crucially important as countries will be looking to set out solid plans for reaching the emissions-reduction targets they set five years ago at the Paris conference. COP26 is seen by many as a make-or-break moment for our world.
Each day, this week, we will be focusing on some of the issues that surround climate change and climate justice; using passages from scripture, and songs from the Resound ‘Doxecology’ project. Hopefully, this will also be a call to prayer for us at this critical time.
COP26, starts today and is the 26th annual UN climate change conference. COP stands for Conference of the Parties, and the summit will be attended by the countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - came in force in 1994. This year’s conference is being held in Glasgow – 1-12 November.
It will be biggest summit the UK has ever hosted - many people see it as the most significant climate event since the 2015 Paris Agreement. This event, delayed for a year due to COVID-19, is seen as crucially important as countries will be looking to set out solid plans for reaching the emissions-reduction targets they set five years ago at the Paris conference. COP26 is seen by many as a make-or-break moment for our world.
Each day, this week, we will be focusing on some of the issues that surround climate change and climate justice; using passages from scripture, and songs from the Resound ‘Doxecology’ project. Hopefully, this will also be a call to prayer for us at this critical time.
COP26, starts today and is the 26th annual UN climate change conference. COP stands for Conference of the Parties, and the summit will be attended by the countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - came in force in 1994. This year’s conference is being held in Glasgow – 1-12 November.
It will be biggest summit the UK has ever hosted - many people see it as the most significant climate event since the 2015 Paris Agreement. This event, delayed for a year due to COVID-19, is seen as crucially important as countries will be looking to set out solid plans for reaching the emissions-reduction targets they set five years ago at the Paris conference. COP26 is seen by many as a make-or-break moment for our world.
Each day, this week, we will be focusing on some of the issues that surround climate change and climate justice; using passages from scripture, and songs from the Resound ‘Doxecology’ project. Hopefully, this will also be a call to prayer for us at this critical time.
COP26, starts today and is the 26th annual UN climate change conference. COP stands for Conference of the Parties, and the summit will be attended by the countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - came in force in 1994. This year’s conference is being held in Glasgow – 1-12 November.
It will be biggest summit the UK has ever hosted - many people see it as the most significant climate event since the 2015 Paris Agreement. This event, delayed for a year due to COVID-19, is seen as crucially important as countries will be looking to set out solid plans for reaching the emissions-reduction targets they set five years ago at the Paris conference. COP26 is seen by many as a make-or-break moment for our world.
Each day, this week, we will be focusing on some of the issues that surround climate change and climate justice; using passages from scripture, and songs from the Resound ‘Doxecology’ project. Hopefully, this will also be a call to prayer for us at this critical time.
Using the image of Aladdin’s cave of wonders,let’s further explore all the amazing resources that God has provided for our lives. Resources that enable us to grow our relationship with God and with those around us.
One of the most amazing resources we can discover more and more is the gift of silence and solitude. This week again I want to take the opportunity to think about special gifts that encourages us to enjoy God’s gift in the midst of a busy and noisy life. They are sacraments, ritual and rhythm.
Using the image of Aladdin’s cave of wonders,let’s further explore all the amazing resources that God has provided for our lives. Resources that enable us to grow our relationship with God and with those around us.
One of the most amazing resources we can discover more and more is the gift of silence and solitude. This week again I want to take the opportunity to think about special gifts that encourages us to enjoy God’s gift in the midst of a busy and noisy life. They are sacraments, ritual and rhythm.
Using the image of Aladdin’s cave of wonders,let’s further explore all the amazing resources that God has provided for our lives. Resources that enable us to grow our relationship with God and with those around us.
One of the most amazing resources we can discover more and more is the gift of silence and solitude. This week again I want to take the opportunity to think about special gifts that encourages us to enjoy God’s gift in the midst of a busy and noisy life. They are sacraments, ritual and rhythm.
Using the image of Aladdin’s cave of wonders,let’s further explore all the amazing resources that God has provided for our lives. Resources that enable us to grow our relationship with God and with those around us.
One of the most amazing resources we can discover more and more is the gift of silence and solitude. This week again I want to take the opportunity to think about special gifts that encourages us to enjoy God’s gift in the midst of a busy and noisy life. They are sacraments, ritual and rhythm.
Using the image of Aladdin’s cave of wonders,let’s further explore all the amazing resources that God has provided for our lives. Resources that enable us to grow our relationship with God and with those around us.
One of the most amazing resources we can discover more and more is the gift of silence and solitude. This week again I want to take the opportunity to think about special gifts that encourages us to enjoy God’s gift in the midst of a busy and noisy life. They are sacraments, ritual and rhythm.
This week we are going to focus on a few of those single lines from the Psalms that perhaps stand out for us or, at least, stand out to me. I’m sure we all have them; verses that have meant something, that leap out and stay with us. Some of those verses will be familiar to us all, others are ones that have leapt from the page at a pertinent moment in my life. Perhaps, after this week’s series, you might like to do a reflection for us on a verse that has stood out for you. Please, let us know.
This week we are going to focus on a few of those single lines from the Psalms that perhaps stand out for us or, at least, stand out to me. I’m sure we all have them; verses that have meant something, that leap out and stay with us. Some of those verses will be familiar to us all, others are ones that have leapt from the page at a pertinent moment in my life. Perhaps, after this week’s series, you might like to do a reflection for us on a verse that has stood out for you. Please, let us know.
This week we are going to focus on a few of those single lines from the Psalms that perhaps stand out for us or, at least, stand out to me. I’m sure we all have them; verses that have meant something, that leap out and stay with us. Some of those verses will be familiar to us all, others are ones that have leapt from the page at a pertinent moment in my life. Perhaps, after this week’s series, you might like to do a reflection for us on a verse that has stood out for you. Please, let us know.
This week we are going to focus on a few of those single lines from the Psalms that perhaps stand out for us or, at least, stand out to me. I’m sure we all have them; verses that have meant something, that leap out and stay with us. Some of those verses will be familiar to us all, others are ones that have leapt from the page at a pertinent moment in my life. Perhaps, after this week’s series, you might like to do a reflection for us on a verse that has stood out for you. Please, let us know.
This week we are going to focus on a few of those single lines from the Psalms that perhaps stand out for us or, at least, stand out to me. I’m sure we all have them; verses that have meant something, that leap out and stay with us. Some of those verses will be familiar to us all, others are ones that have leapt from the page at a pertinent moment in my life. Perhaps, after this week’s series, you might like to do a reflection for us on a verse that has stood out for you. Please, let us know.
Continuing to use the image of Aladdin's Cave of Wonders, this week we consider the wonders of God's voice in the silence...
Continuing to use the image of Aladdin's Cave of Wonders, this week we consider the wonders of God's voice in the silence...
Continuing to use the image of Aladdin's Cave of Wonders, this week we consider the wonders of God's voice in the silence...
Continuing to use the image of Aladdin's Cave of Wonders, this week we consider the wonders of God's voice in the silence...
Continuing to use the image of Aladdin's Cave of Wonders, this week we consider the wonders of God's voice in the silence...
This week, Samuel focuses on Harvest; how our relationship to the season may have changes and what it might mean to us now. A chance to reflect and give thanks to God for His provisions in our lives.
This week, Samuel focuses on Harvest; how our relationship to the season may have changes and what it might mean to us now. A chance to reflect and give thanks to God for His provisions in our lives.
This week, Samuel focuses on Harvest; how our relationship to the season may have changes and what it might mean to us now. A chance to reflect and give thanks to God for His provisions in our lives.
This week, Samuel focuses on Harvest; how our relationship to the season may have changes and what it might mean to us now. A chance to reflect and give thanks to God for His provisions in our lives.
This week, Samuel focuses on Harvest; how our relationship to the season may have changes and what it might mean to us now. A chance to reflect and give thanks to God for His provisions in our lives.
Aladdin’s cave of wonders. Using the image of Aladdin’s cave of wonderslets further explore all the amazing resources that God has provided for our lives. One of the most amazing resources we can discover more and more is our ability to pray. This week again I want to take the opportunity to think about prayer in a way that encourages us to pray as intercessors for the world.
Aladdin’s cave of wonders. Using the image of Aladdin’s cave of wonderslets further explore all the amazing resources that God has provided for our lives. One of the most amazing resources we can discover more and more is our ability to pray. This week again I want to take the opportunity to think about prayer in a way that encourages us to pray as intercessors for the world.
Aladdin’s cave of wonders. Using the image of Aladdin’s cave of wonderslets further explore all the amazing resources that God has provided for our lives. One of the most amazing resources we can discover more and more is our ability to pray. This week again I want to take the opportunity to think about prayer in a way that encourages us to pray as intercessors for the world.
Aladdin’s cave of wonders. Using the image of Aladdin’s cave of wonderslets further explore all the amazing resources that God has provided for our lives. One of the most amazing resources we can discover more and more is our ability to pray. This week again I want to take the opportunity to think about prayer in a way that encourages us to pray as intercessors for the world.
Aladdin’s cave of wonders. Using the image of Aladdin’s cave of wonderslets further explore all the amazing resources that God has provided for our lives. One of the most amazing resources we can discover more and more is our ability to pray. This week again I want to take the opportunity to think about prayer in a way that encourages us to pray as intercessors for the world.
Do you like getting an invitation? Do you get excited when an invite to a wedding or a party comes through the letter box? I guess we have all had less invitations to events in the last twenty months.
Some invitations we get are really exciting, perhaps we have been waiting and hoping to get the invite; others we are not so excited about, if we are honest. Perhaps we feel obliged to go, to attend.
The Bible is full of invitations from the Lord God to his people. Invitations to come, to follow, to discover, to find out. We are going to spend this week thinking about some of these invitations in Scripture.
Do you like getting an invitation? Do you get excited when an invite to a wedding or a party comes through the letter box? I guess we have all had less invitations to events in the last twenty months. Some invitations we get are really exciting, perhaps we have been waiting and hoping to get the invite; others we are not so excited about, if we are honest. Perhaps we feel obliged to go, to attend. The Bible is full of invitations from the Lord God to his people. Invitations to come, to follow, to discover, to find out. We are going to spend this week thinking about some of these invitations in Scripture.
Do you like getting an invitation? Do you get excited when an invite to a wedding or a party comes through the letter box? I guess we have all had less invitations to events in the last twenty months.
Some invitations we get are really exciting, perhaps we have been waiting and hoping to get the invite; others we are not so excited about, if we are honest. Perhaps we feel obliged to go, to attend.
The Bible is full of invitations from the Lord God to his people. Invitations to come, to follow, to discover, to find out. We are going to spend this week thinking about some of these invitations in Scripture.
Do you like getting an invitation? Do you get excited when an invite to a wedding or a party comes through the letter box? I guess we have all had less invitations to events in the last twenty months.
Some invitations we get are really exciting, perhaps we have been waiting and hoping to get the invite; others we are not so excited about, if we are honest. Perhaps we feel obliged to go, to attend.
The Bible is full of invitations from the Lord God to his people. Invitations to come, to follow, to discover, to find out. We are going to spend this week thinking about some of these invitations in Scripture.
Do you like getting an invitation? Do you get excited when an invite to a wedding or a party comes through the letter box? I guess we have all had less invitations to events in the last twenty months.
Some invitations we get are really exciting, perhaps we have been waiting and hoping to get the invite; others we are not so excited about, if we are honest. Perhaps we feel obliged to go, to attend.
The Bible is full of invitations from the Lord God to his people. Invitations to come, to follow, to discover, to find out. We are going to spend this week thinking about some of these invitations in Scripture.
Continuing to use the image of Aladdin’s cave of wonders lets further explore all the amazing resources that God has provided for our lives. One of the most amazing resources we can discover more and more is our ability to pray. This week I want to take the opportunity to think about prayer in a way that encourages us to pray even when we feel uncertain.
Continuing to use the image of Aladdin’s cave of wonders lets further explore all the amazing resources that God has provided for our lives. One of the most amazing resources we can discover more and more is our ability to pray. This week I want to take the opportunity to think about prayer in a way that encourages us to pray even when we feel uncertain.
Continuing to use the image of Aladdin’s cave of wonders lets further explore all the amazing resources that God has provided for our lives. One of the most amazing resources we can discover more and more is our ability to pray. This week I want to take the opportunity to think about prayer in a way that encourages us to pray even when we feel uncertain.
Continuing to use the image of Aladdin’s cave of wonders lets further explore all the amazing resources that God has provided for our lives. One of the most amazing resources we can discover more and more is our ability to pray. This week I want to take the opportunity to think about prayer in a way that encourages us to pray even when we feel uncertain.
Continuing to use the image of Aladdin’s cave of wonders,lets further explore all the amazing resources that God has provided for our lives. One of the most amazing resources we can discover more and more is our ability to pray. This week I want to take the opportunity to think about prayer in a way that encourages us to pray even when we feel uncertain.
I remember having a conversation with a friend, many years ago. She just didn’t get the Psalms, didn’t find them helpful. They were not a part of Scripture that she would turn to for help or guidance.
I remember being surprised. From a fairly early age, I have found comfort in the Psalms. At different times and seasons, different Psalms have become prominent, helpful, significant for me.
How about You? Do you have a favourite Psalm? Do you find them helpful?
This week we are going to spend time in the first five Psalms.
I remember having a conversation with a friend, many years ago. She just didn’t get the Psalms, didn’t find them helpful. They were not a part of Scripture that she would turn to for help or guidance.
I remember being surprised. From a fairly early age, I have found comfort in the Psalms. At different times and seasons, different Psalms have become prominent, helpful, significant for me.
How about You? Do you have a favourite Psalm? Do you find them helpful?
This week we are going to spend time in the first five Psalms.
I remember having a conversation with a friend, many years ago. She just didn’t get the Psalms, didn’t find them helpful. They were not a part of Scripture that she would turn to for help or guidance.
I remember being surprised. From a fairly early age, I have found comfort in the Psalms. At different times and seasons, different Psalms have become prominent, helpful, significant for me.
How about You? Do you have a favourite Psalm? Do you find them helpful?
This week we are going to spend time in the first five Psalms.
I remember having a conversation with a friend, many years ago. She just didn’t get the Psalms, didn’t find them helpful. They were not a part of Scripture that she would turn to for help or guidance.
I remember being surprised. From a fairly early age, I have found comfort in the Psalms. At different times and seasons, different Psalms have become prominent, helpful, significant for me.
How about You? Do you have a favourite Psalm? Do you find them helpful?
This week we are going to spend time in the first five Psalms.
I remember having a conversation with a friend, many years ago. She just didn’t get the Psalms, didn’t find them helpful. They were not a part of Scripture that she would turn to for help or guidance.
I remember being surprised. From a fairly early age, I have found comfort in the Psalms. At different times and seasons, different Psalms have become prominent, helpful, significant for me.
How about You? Do you have a favourite Psalm? Do you find them helpful?
This week we are going to spend time in the first five Psalms.
I remember beginning a course on spirituality. I guess it was an area I hadn’t had much time to think about, up to that point. Suddenly, it was like a whole new world opened up for me. I felt like Aladdin – that I had entered the cave of wonders. God had stored up all these spiritual resources for our lives and was now inviting us to explore faith in new ways.
Over these few devotional sessions I’m inviting you into the cave of wonders. To begin with, let’s focus on what spirituality is and is not.
I remember beginning a course on spirituality. I guess it was an area I hadn’t had much time to think about, up to that point. Suddenly, it was like a whole new world opened up for me. I felt like Aladdin – that I had entered the cave of wonders. God had stored up all these spiritual resources for our lives and was now inviting us to explore faith in new ways.
Over these few devotional sessions I’m inviting you into the cave of wonders. To begin with, let’s focus on what spirituality is and is not.
I remember beginning a course on spirituality. I guess it was an area I hadn’t had much time to think about, up to that point. Suddenly, it was like a whole new world opened up for me. I felt like Aladdin – that I had entered the cave of wonders. God had stored up all these spiritual resources for our lives and was now inviting us to explore faith in new ways.
Over these few devotional sessions I’m inviting you into the cave of wonders. To begin with, let’s focus on what spirituality is and is not.
I remember beginning a course on spirituality. I guess it was an area I hadn’t had much time to think about, up to that point. Suddenly, it was like a whole new world opened up for me. I felt like Aladdin – that I had entered the cave of wonders. God had stored up all these spiritual resources for our lives and was now inviting us to explore faith in new ways.
Over these few devotional sessions I’m inviting you into the cave of wonders. To begin with, let’s focus on what spirituality is and is not.
I remember beginning a course on spirituality. I guess it was an area I hadn’t had much time to think about, up to that point. Suddenly, it was like a whole new world opened up for me. I felt like Aladdin – that I had entered the cave of wonders. God had stored up all these spiritual resources for our lives and was now inviting us to explore faith in new ways.
Over these few devotional sessions I’m inviting you into the cave of wonders. To begin with, let’s focus on what spirituality is and is not.
Galatians 5:22-25
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
This week, we are going to focus our attention on the fruit of the Spirit:
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control.
The Spirit longs to show us Christ Jesus and then to conform us to him – these 9 parts of the same fruit, are all Christ-like characteristics. Any time spent in the gospels will show us evidence of this fruit in the life of Jesus.
The Spirit wants to form us into the people we were designed to be.
Galatians 5:22-25
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
This week, we are going to focus our attention on the fruit of the Spirit:
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control.
The Spirit longs to show us Christ Jesus and then to conform us to him – these 9 parts of the same fruit, are all Christ-like characteristics. Any time spent in the gospels will show us evidence of this fruit in the life of Jesus.
The Spirit wants to form us into the people we were designed to be.Galatians 5:22-25
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
This week, we are going to focus our attention on the fruit of the Spirit:
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control.
The Spirit longs to show us Christ Jesus and then to conform us to him – these 9 parts of the same fruit, are all Christ-like characteristics. Any time spent in the gospels will show us evidence of this fruit in the life of Jesus.
The Spirit wants to form us into the people we were designed to be.
Galatians 5:22-25
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
This week, we are going to focus our attention on the fruit of the Spirit:
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control.
The Spirit longs to show us Christ Jesus and then to conform us to him – these 9 parts of the same fruit, are all Christ-like characteristics. Any time spent in the gospels will show us evidence of this fruit in the life of Jesus.
The Spirit wants to form us into the people we were designed to be.
Galatians 5:22-25
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
This week, we are going to focus our attention on the fruit of the Spirit:
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control.
The Spirit longs to show us Christ Jesus and then to conform us to him – these 9 parts of the same fruit, are all Christ-like characteristics. Any time spent in the gospels will show us evidence of this fruit in the life of Jesus.
The Spirit wants to form us into the people we were designed to be.
Galatians 5:22-25
- But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
This week, we are going to focus our attention on the fruit of the Spirit:
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control.
The Spirit longs to show us Christ Jesus and then to conform us to him – these 9 parts of the same fruit, are all Christ-like characteristics. Any time spent in the gospels will show us evidence of this fruit in the life of Jesus.
The Spirit wants to form us into the people we were designed to be.
Light and darkness. Right from the beginning of creation, as the writer of Genesis 1-2 reflects on it, light is separated from the darkness. Both day and night are part of God’s good creation. Yet within a few paragraphs we are told that a different kind of darkness enters God’s world, which is filled with light and life. It’s not the physical night, with the beauty of the stars and the brightness of the moon. It’s a spiritual darkness. Suddenly, humans found themselves attracted to the less than the lovely; the dishonest; the harmful; the dark. It becomes our default setting, and we struggle to overcome our tendency to choose darkness over light. Jesus himself said it when Nicodemus came to visit Him by night (Night is significant).
John 3:19. “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil”.
Light and darkness. Right from the beginning of creation, as the writer of Genesis 1-2 reflects on it, light is separated from the darkness. Both day and night are part of God’s good creation. Yet within a few paragraphs we are told that a different kind of darkness enters God’s world, which is filled with light and life. It’s not the physical night, with the beauty of the stars and the brightness of the moon. It’s a spiritual darkness. Suddenly, humans found themselves attracted to the less than the lovely; the dishonest; the harmful; the dark. It becomes our default setting, and we struggle to overcome our tendency to choose darkness over light. Jesus himself said it when Nicodemus came to visit Him by night (Night is significant).
John 3:19. “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil”.
Light and darkness. Right from the beginning of creation, as the writer of Genesis 1-2 reflects on it, light is separated from the darkness. Both day and night are part of God’s good creation. Yet within a few paragraphs we are told that a different kind of darkness enters God’s world, which is filled with light and life. It’s not the physical night, with the beauty of the stars and the brightness of the moon. It’s a spiritual darkness. Suddenly, humans found themselves attracted to the less than the lovely; the dishonest; the harmful; the dark. It becomes our default setting, and we struggle to overcome our tendency to choose darkness over light. Jesus himself said it when Nicodemus came to visit Him by night (Night is significant).
John 3:19. “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil”.
Light and darkness. Right from the beginning of creation, as the writer of Genesis 1-2 reflects on it, light is separated from the darkness. Both day and night are part of God’s good creation. Yet within a few paragraphs we are told that a different kind of darkness enters God’s world, which is filled with light and life. It’s not the physical night, with the beauty of the stars and the brightness of the moon. It’s a spiritual darkness. Suddenly, humans found themselves attracted to the less than the lovely; the dishonest; the harmful; the dark. It becomes our default setting, and we struggle to overcome our tendency to choose darkness over light. Jesus himself said it, when Nicodemus came to visit Him by night (Night is significant).
John 3:19. “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil”.
Light and darkness. Right from the beginning of creation, as the writer of Genesis 1-2 reflects on it, light is separated from the darkness. Both day and night are part of God’s good creation. Yet within a few paragraphs we are told that a different kind of darkness enters God’s world, which is filled with light and life. It’s not the physical night, with the beauty of the stars and the brightness of the moon. It’s a spiritual darkness. Suddenly, humans found themselves attracted to the less than the lovely; the dishonest; the harmful; the dark. It becomes our default setting, and we struggle to overcome our tendency to choose darkness over light. Jesus himself said it, when Nicodemus came to visit Him by night (Night is significant).
John 3:19. “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil”.
As I record these devotions, we are in the thick of the Olympics. Despite the time difference between us and Japan, there is plenty of chance to watch the competitors.
Of course, one of the great things about the Olympics is that we get to see all different types of sport – some of which we had no idea existed. Perhaps you are enjoyed the new additions – ‘Speed Climbing’ or ‘Bouldering’ – ‘Surfing’ or ‘Street Skateboarding’. Perhaps you are even eyeing up Paris 2024 and wondering what sport you could take up to get you onto the Olympic team?
We are going to use the Olympics to springboard ourselves off into different readings this week and reflect on what God has to say to us.
As I record these devotions, we are in the thick of the Olympics. Despite the time difference between us and Japan, there is plenty of chance to watch the competitors.
Of course, one of the great things about the Olympics is that we get to see all different types of sport – some of which we had no idea existed. Perhaps you are enjoyed the new additions – ‘Speed Climbing’ or ‘Bouldering’ – ‘Surfing’ or ‘Street Skateboarding’. Perhaps you are even eyeing up Paris 2024 and wondering what sport you could take up to get you onto the Olympic team?
We are going to use the Olympics to springboard ourselves off into different readings this week and reflect on what God has to say to us.
As I record these devotions, we are in the thick of the Olympics. Despite the time difference between us and Japan, there is plenty of chance to watch the competitors.
Of course, one of the great things about the Olympics is that we get to see all different types of sport – some of which we had no idea existed. Perhaps you are enjoyed the new additions – ‘Speed Climbing’ or ‘Bouldering’ – ‘Surfing’ or ‘Street Skateboarding’. Perhaps you are even eyeing up Paris 2024 and wondering what sport you could take up to get you onto the Olympic team?
We are going to use the Olympics to springboard ourselves off into different readings this week and reflect on what God has to say to us.
As I record these devotions, we are in the thick of the Olympics. Despite the time difference between us and Japan, there is plenty of chance to watch the competitors.
Of course, one of the great things about the Olympics is that we get to see all different types of sport – some of which we had no idea existed. Perhaps you are enjoyed the new additions – ‘Speed Climbing’ or ‘Bouldering’ – ‘Surfing’ or ‘Street Skateboarding’. Perhaps you are even eyeing up Paris 2024 and wondering what sport you could take up to get you onto the Olympic team?
We are going to use the Olympics to springboard ourselves off into different readings this week and reflect on what God has to say to us.
As I record this, we are in the thick of the Olympics. Despite the time difference between us and Japan, there is plenty of chance to watch the competitors.
Of course, one of the great things about the Olympics is that we get to see all different types of sport – some of which we had no idea existed. Perhaps you are enjoyed the new additions – ‘Speed Climbing’ or ‘Bouldering’ – ‘Surfing’ or ‘Street Skateboarding’. Perhaps you are even eyeing up Paris 2024 and wondering what sport you could take up to get you onto the Olympic team?
We are going to use the Olympics to springboard ourselves off into different readings this week and reflect on what God has to say to us.
It seems to me that, so often, we only get to hear someone’s life story at their funeral. How often have you come away from a funeral and thought "I never knew that about them?" John begins his Gospel story with an overview of the significance of Jesus. Right from the outset, he wants us to understand that Jesus is so much more than anyone could imagine.
It seems to me that, so often, we only get to hear someone’s life story at their funeral. How often have you come away from a funeral and thought "I never knew that about them?" John begins his Gospel story with an overview of the significance of Jesus. Right from the outset, he wants us to understand that Jesus is so much more than anyone could imagine.
It seems to me that, so often, we only get to hear someone’s life story at their funeral. How often have you come away from a funeral and thought "I never knew that about them?" John begins his Gospel story with an overview of the significance of Jesus. Right from the outset, he wants us to understand that Jesus is so much more than anyone could imagine.
It seems to me that, so often, we only get to hear someone’s life story at their funeral. How often have you come away from a funeral and thought "I never knew that about them?" John begins his Gospel story with an overview of the significance of Jesus. Right from the outset, he wants us to understand that Jesus is so much more than anyone could imagine.
It seems to me that, so often, we only get to hear someone’s life story at their funeral. How often have you come away from a funeral and thought "I never knew that about them?" John begins his Gospel story with an overview of the significance of Jesus. Right from the outset, he wants us to understand that Jesus is so much more than anyone could imagine.
Last Monday was labelled as ‘Freedom Day’ – the government ending social distancing, mask wearing in England. For some, last Monday was the day, when finally, the government weren’t telling them how to live – they were free to do what they want to do, with their lives. Of course, one persons freedom can create another persons prison. The thought of people choosing not to wear masks, the end of social distancing are sending some back to isolation. We have many freedoms, particular in this country, but it’s how we choose to use our freedoms that counts. I think that is the question Paul would want to ask us, in our reading ...
Last Monday was labelled as ‘Freedom Day’ – the government ending social distancing, mask wearing in England. For some, last Monday was the day, when finally, the government weren’t telling them how to live – they were free to do what they want to do, with their lives. Of course, one persons freedom can create another persons prison. The thought of people choosing not to wear masks, the end of social distancing are sending some back to isolation. We have many freedoms, particular in this country, but it’s how we choose to use our freedoms that counts. I think that is the question Paul would want to ask us, in our reading ...
Last Monday was labelled as ‘Freedom Day’ – the government ending social distancing, mask wearing in England. For some, last Monday was the day, when finally, the government weren’t telling them how to live – they were free to do what they want to do, with their lives. Of course, one persons freedom can create another persons prison. The thought of people choosing not to wear masks, the end of social distancing are sending some back to isolation. We have many freedoms, particular in this country, but it’s how we choose to use our freedoms that counts. I think that is the question Paul would want to ask us, in our reading ...
Last Monday was labelled as ‘Freedom Day’ – the government ending social distancing, mask wearing in England. For some, last Monday was the day, when finally, the government weren’t telling them how to live – they were free to do what they want to do, with their lives. Of course, one persons freedom can create another persons prison. The thought of people choosing not to wear masks, the end of social distancing are sending some back to isolation.
We have many freedoms, particular in this country, but it’s how we choose to use our freedoms that counts. I think that is the question Paul would want to ask us, in our reading ...
Last Monday was labelled as ‘Freedom Day’ – the government ending social distancing, mask wearing in England. For some, last Monday was the day, when finally, the government weren’t telling them how to live – they were free to do what they want to do, with their lives. Of course, one persons freedom can create another persons prison. The thought of people choosing not to wear masks, the end of social distancing are sending some back to isolation.
We have many freedoms, particular in this country, but it’s how we choose to use our freedoms that counts. I think that is the question Paul would want to ask us, in our reading ...
Returning to Ecclesiastes 3 and the first eight verse, we continue to reflect on the philosophy behind the passage and how that relates to us and our journey with God.
Returning to Ecclesiastes 3 and the first eight verse, we continue to reflect on the philosophy behind the passage and how that relates to us and our journey with God.
Returning to Ecclesiastes 3 and the first eight verse, we continue to reflect on the philosophy behind the passage and how that relates to us and our journey with God.
Returning to Ecclesiastes 3 and the first eight verse, we continue to reflect on the philosophy behind the passage and how that relates to us and our journey with God.
Returning to Ecclesiastes 3 and the first eight verse, we continue to reflect on the philosophy behind the passage and how that relates to us and our journey with God.
The letter to the Romans, written by Paul is amazing. Paul spends 11 chapters telling the Roman Christians about God’s grace, mercy and salvation. He spends 11 chapters excitedly going on and on about what God has amazingly done for them. God’s free gift of life, undesereved, un-mereted – but given be because of his great love. Basically, Paul has spent chapter after chapter revealing how rich the Roman Christians are, how much God has done for them. We are going to spend the week in Chapter 12. Paul starts this chapter – ‘Therefore’. Paul is really saying: look, in light of all I have been saying, this is how you should respond!
The letter to the Romans, written by Paul is amazing. Paul spends 11 chapters telling the Roman Christians about God’s grace, mercy and salvation. He spends 11 chapters excitedly going on and on about what God has amazingly done for them. God’s free gift of life, undesereved, un-mereted – but given be because of his great love. Basically, Paul has spent chapter after chapter revealing how rich the Roman Christians are, how much God has done for them. We are going to spend the week in Chapter 12. Paul starts this chapter – ‘Therefore’. Paul is really saying: look, in light of all I have been saying, this is how you should respond!
The letter to the Romans, written by Paul is amazing. Paul spends 11 chapters telling the Roman Christians about God’s grace, mercy and salvation. He spends 11 chapters excitedly going on and on about what God has amazingly done for them. God’s free gift of life, undesereved, un-mereted – but given be because of his great love. Basically, Paul has spent chapter after chapter revealing how rich the Roman Christians are, how much God has done for them. We are going to spend the week in Chapter 12. Paul starts this chapter – ‘Therefore’. Paul is really saying: look, in light of all I have been saying, this is how you should respond!
The letter to the Romans, written by Paul is amazing. Paul spends 11 chapters telling the Roman Christians about God’s grace, mercy and salvation. He spends 11 chapters excitedly going on and on about what God has amazingly done for them. God’s free gift of life, undesereved, un-mereted – but given be because of his great love. Basically, Paul has spent chapter after chapter revealing how rich the Roman Christians are, how much God has done for them. We are going to spend the week in Chapter 12. Paul starts this chapter – ‘Therefore’. Paul is really saying: look, in light of all I have been saying, this is how you should respond!
The letter to the Romans, written by Paul is amazing. Paul spends 11 chapters telling the Roman Christians about God’s grace, mercy and salvation. He spends 11 chapters excitedly going on and on about what God has amazingly done for them. God’s free gift of life, undesereved, un-mereted – but given be because of his great love. Basically, Paul has spent chapter after chapter revealing how rich the Roman Christians are, how much God has done for them. We are going to spend the week in Chapter 12. Paul starts this chapter – ‘Therefore’. Paul is really saying: look, in light of all I have been saying, this is how you should respond!
Over the last eighteen months, during our morning devotions, we have had the chance to reflect on something from the Bible. It has been quite a journey, with lots of twists and turns. This week, and probably a number of weeks to follow, I want to look at part of a chapter that probably we all know fairly well but can be a challenge to work out what is going on. Its Ecclesiastes 3 and we will focus on the first 8 verses.
Over the last eighteen months, during our morning devotions, we have had the chance to reflect on something from the Bible. It has been quite a journey, with lots of twists and turns. This week, and probably a number of weeks to follow, I want to look at part of a chapter that probably we all know fairly well but can be a challenge to work out what is going on. Its Ecclesiastes 3 and we will focus on the first 8 verses.
Over the last eighteen months, during our morning devotions, we have had the chance to reflect on something from the Bible. It has been quite a journey, with lots of twists and turns. This week, and probably a number of weeks to follow, I want to look at part of a chapter that probably we all know fairly well but can be a challenge to work out what is going on. Its Ecclesiastes 3 and we will focus on the first 8 verses.
Over the last eighteen months, during our morning devotions, we have had the chance to reflect on something from the Bible. It has been quite a journey, with lots of twists and turns. This week, and probably a number of weeks to follow, I want to look at part of a chapter that probably we all know fairly well but can be a challenge to work out what is going on. Its Ecclesiastes 3 and we will focus on the first 8 verses.
Over the last eighteen months, during our morning devotions, we have had the chance to reflect on something from the Bible. It has been quite a journey, with lots of twists and turns. This week, and probably a number of weeks to follow, I want to look at part of a chapter that probably we all know fairly well but can be a challenge to work out what is going on. Its Ecclesiastes 3 and we will focus on the first 8 verses.