Our North Star For those born within the last twenty-five years, it might be hard to believe people used to navigate by looking at stars. They had no radar, no GPS, no satellites, and no way to...

What makes your blood boil? The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves and the money changers seated at their...

The last words of Jesus from the cross: ‘…you will be with me in paradise.’ This is the second in a series of studies for the Easter Preparation season. Jesus answered him [the...

By what authority? “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?” Mark 11:28 (NIV) When reading the header verse, it first...

Take up your cross Some time ago, filmmakers gathered with a cast of hundreds to create a fully immersive virtual reality experience called JESUS VR. They’re trying to do something that’s never...

Lost and found As I packed for a trip, I discovered a favourite sweater missing from my closet. I realised I had left it in a hotel room on a past trip. I don’t like to lose things. Losing...

Take up your cross …‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’  Mark 8:34 (NIVUK)  What does Jesus mean when he says his disciples must take...

All your needs And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (NIV) Things were in abundance and readily available before 2020. The year...

The last words of Jesus from the cross: ‘Father, forgive them’. This is the first in a series of studies for the Easter Preparation season.  Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not...

Humility Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. 1 Corinthians 1:26 (NIV) Kop, Klopp. You can probably guess from the opening two words the inspiration behind this...

One man, one boat, one Saviour This is the third study in a series of studies about shadows in scripture By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his...

Death is short The older I get the more I can relate to the statement, ‘Life is short!’ It seems it was just yesterday I was a child in my parents’ home. Now if there is a child in my home, it...

Keeping the right company A lot has been said about the company we keep, most of it warnings about the bad kind. A quotation often attributed to George Washington says, ‘It is better to be alone...

Soon … “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15 (ESV) Recently my wife and I began watching our way through The Chosen, the first...

A gifted response This is the fifth in a series of studies on praise and worship. …be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make...

Forgiveness And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32 NKJV) Ash Wednesday begins our Lenten journey to Easter. A reoccurring...

Spiritual practices for Easter Preparation The 40 days (plus Sundays) between Ash Wednesday (14/2/24) and Easter Sunday (31/3/24) give us a beautiful opportunity to implement some spiritual practices...

Christ the second Adam This is the second in a series of studies about shadows in scripture And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. 1...

The Father is pleased Think back to a time in your childhood when your mother or father was pleased with something you did. Maybe it was when you accomplished something great. Perhaps you received an...

Life is messy Yes, I’ve been watching Star Trek again. No, I never get tired of it. There’s just something about space travel that excites my imagination. But life in this imaginary...

Men’s looking Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them,  and his clothes became...

A song of praise This is the fourth in a series of studies on praise and worship. Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.  Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all...

God’s revelation of his love And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove...

A new way of thinking After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John … and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun,...

Shadows This is the first in a series of studies about shadows in scripture …a shadow of the good things that are coming… Hebrews 10:1 (NIV) If we are to live the world of the Apostle Paul, we...

Jesus heals relationships Human beings were created and designed for relationships. God made us not only with the capacity to relate to him and each other but with the need to connect to thrive....

Open the eyes of our heart ‘I thought what a [strange] world it is and how two different people could see the same thing each of them the other way round.’ This observation in Agatha...

What is our motivation for sharing the gospel? For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 1 Corinthians 9:16 (NIVUK) What...

Total commitment “…I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” John 5:30. (NKJV) There is a little anecdote you may have heard about a pig and a chicken who discussed...

Praise his names This is the third in a series of studies on praise and worship. Glorify the Lord with me: let us exalt his name together. Psalm 34:3 (NIVUK) God’s names give us tremendous insight...

Focusing on hope Where do you turn when you are feeling hopeless? There have been a number of times in my life when I felt hopeless. The first time I remember was when I was 12 and two of my sisters...

God is my Rock When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. Psalm 94:18 (NIV) It is hard to walk on frozen ground as it is thawing. There is just a thin layer on...

God’s generosity I grew up in apple country. My grandparents and my parents owned apple orchards, and each year we would hire labourers during harvest time to pick and pack apples. We paid a fair...

Lopsided grace It’s been said there are only seven stories in the whole world and the storyline of every book and movie are simply variations. The most common is the battle between good and evil...

Authoritative. Not authoritarian. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. Mark 1:22 (NIV) Although Jesus didn’t...

The normalcy of missional living Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he...

Leap for joy and sing with praise This is the second in a series of studies on praise and worship. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for...

We will find strength But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31...