5th October 2024
We all have faith in something or someone. We put our faith in the systems of our society that keep things running. If we didn’t, we’d all go live in the woods, off the grid, away from...
4th October 2024
The final words purported to be uttered by famous people range from the prosaic ‘I’m bored with it all’ – Winston Churchill; to the tragic ‘I’m just going outside. I may be some time’...
3rd October 2024
My prayers often focus on requests. Please God do this for me, provide that for me, get me out of this trouble. Sometimes they are not selfish prayers: my requests are for God to do this, and provide...
2nd October 2024
James points to the example of Elijah as a man whose prayers were answered. We may read this and be encouraged. Or we may react by feeling a tad discouraged. I don’t think anyone would say that...
1st October 2024
We often think of living as living well physically, living the high life as some say. Many focus on what they can attain in possessions, what they can gain in the way of notoriety, and perhaps living...
30th September 2024
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the playwright has his protagonist create a situation intended to draw out evil and corruption in this story of jealousy and tragedy. Hamlet declares in Act 2 Scene 2,...
29th September 2024
If you’re an animated movie fan, and I say, ‘To infinity and beyond!’ you probably will immediately think of Buzz Lightyear from the movie Toy Story! In the movie, Buzz Lightyear was an...
28th September 2024
Faith is an interesting topic. In some respects, it’s very simple and in others, it can be quite complicated, depending on whom you ask. A lot has been written about it and everyone has an...
27th September 2024
Local congregation: Grace Communion International Central GlasgowGarnethill RoomConference SuiteSt Andrews West260 Bath StreetGlasgowG2 4JP Meeting time:Sunday 11:15 am Local congregational...
26th September 2024
I recently watched the Matrix trilogy of films, which I hadn’t seen for many years. In the first film the leading character Neo is given a choice between two pills: the red pill would reveal the...
25th September 2024
Jesus Christ, when he ascended to the Father, gave us a magnificent parting gift — the Holy Spirit. We celebrate this gift on Pentecost. After Pentecost in the worship calendar, we turn our...
24th September 2024
This was not the first time that Jesus told his followers that he was headed for his own death. It is a subject that we all try to avoid. Yet, Jesus refused to avoid it. Even though I have tried to...
23rd September 2024
In Daniel we find a passionate, faithful and sometimes private man who fought to keep his relationship with his Creator alive, despite being surrounded by a culture that denied that Creator – and...
22nd September 2024
I imagine that we have all witnessed the wonder, honesty, and even humour in kids as they grow and develop. When my son Glenn was three years old, he somehow got away from the family and initially it...
21st September 2024
Last time, I talked about how important it is to practice the presence of God, as described by Brother Lawrence in his book, Practicing the Presence of God. It’s a great discipline to help...
20th September 2024
The main point throughout the book of James is to make a distinction between mere profession of faith and actual possession of faith. James’s point is faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26). He...
19th September 2024
So, why do we gather? I have 5 key points to answer this question. The number 1 reason is to Worship our triune God. To raise our collective voices in song. To be washed over by the reading of God’s...
18th September 2024
Have you ever said to God something like, ‘If you get me out of this scrape, I’ll be good’, or ‘If you heal me, I’ll start going to church’? We need to be very careful what we vow to God....
17th September 2024
We had a duck and a Banti hen nesting right next to each other one year, and there was just a wire fence that ran between them. It was a rainy spring with a large puddle nearby, so keeping the...
16th September 2024
Jesus told a parable about a man with two sons. When the father asked them to work for him in the vineyard, both sons clearly ‘heard’ the father’s request, but the first son refused,...
15th September 2024
What comes to mind when you imagine God? Perhaps you think about his nature: his love, mercy, and grace. You may see God in creation – in the beautiful harmony of the universe. Maybe you see God in...
14th September 2024
Have you ever been called a Johnny one-note? The origin of the name is a 1937 song from the Broadway musical, ‘Babes in Arms.’ It was used to describe a male vocalist who could sing only one note,...
13th September 2024
The taming of the tongue …no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.James 3:8 (ESV) Like so many parts of our bodies, our tongue is fearfully and wonderfully...
12th September 2024
How do you feel about how you have lived your life so far? Do you feel you have wasted your time? We may ask, ‘How can I ensure that my remaining years count?’ If you have these thoughts, then...
11th September 2024
The disciples have been unable to cast out an evil spirit from a man’s son that has kept him unable to speak and subject to violent convulsions all his life. Jesus is grieved by the lack of...
10th September 2024
The Greek word here for compassion is ‘splagchnizomai’. The word literally means to ‘be moved in the bowel’. When Jesus saw the crowds, he noticed and felt their pain and suffering deep within...
9th September 2024
I was in the process of getting my hearing aids fitted to my ears. As we went through the steps together, the woman surprised me by saying that if in the first 30 days, I decided not to hear, I...
8th September 2024
Jesus interrupted Have you ever been interrupted? We all have! Kids especially have a gift for knowing the worst time to burst in the door and throw off the whole trajectory. Every one of us has some...
7th September 2024
How do you read the psalms? Many of us love to read the psalms – we can find encouragement, read uplifting words that stir our hearts, make the prayers our own and of course, praise God along with...
6th September 2024
Playing favourites My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.James 2:1 (NIV) We can’t seem to help it. We instantly form judgements...
5th September 2024
Listening to God This is the 23rd in a series of studies on the subject of prayer The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Then Samuel said,...
4th September 2024
Postmodernism Test all things; hold fast what is good.1 Thessalonians 5:21 (NKJV) Some people in the West are influenced by a postmodern culture which claims that there is no truth,...
3rd September 2024
Our Advocate When the Advocate comes, whom I will send you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me, and you also will testify, because you have...
2nd September 2024
Glory that lasts And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! 2 Corinthians 3:11 (NIV) We all want things to last – that toaster, our marriage, our...
1st September 2024
James Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you...
31st August 2024
The who question Most of us who were born more than (ahem) a few years ago probably remember learning about the 5 Ws and the H. It was the first thing I heard about during a class on journalism. Who,...
30th August 2024
A balanced view of Christianity Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the...
29th August 2024
Passing away When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:4 (ESV) Today we are living in what can be described as a troubled world – a world where...
28th August 2024
Unbelieving prayer This is the 22nd in a series of studies on the subject of prayer …The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. James 5:16 (NRSVA) Do you believe things will happen when...
27th August 2024
In all things It’s inspiring to see God work his infinite power. For me, it’s also in the little things that I get to see God and experience him on a daily basis. I usually take time to...