Devotionals

In 2014, BBC Radio 4 began an audio drama series about the First World War that ran for about 4 years. While listening, I found it very interesting to learn about life when the war started in 1914. In many ways, it was a different world from the one we live in today, and I’m pretty sure 2 world wars contributed to many of those differences.
Continue reading “A Path Of Peace.”

In this 2-part series, we are discussing the fact that Jesus’ birth as a human baby in Bethlehem was not the beginning of his story as recorded in the Bible. Rather, this was the point at which God became flesh. Yet Jesus had always existed, even before creation itself. In part 1, we looked at a couple of his preincarnate appearances – when he physically visited Abraham and Jacob, speaking to them, and interacting in their lives. In fact, we could spend all day in the first book of the Bible alone and see Jesus everywhere. The Bible is his story, and we will find him on every page if we choose to look hard enough.
Continue reading “Jesus – The One Who Always Was, Part 2.”

Recently, our pastor asked me and 2 other church members to preach a series of 6 sermons on Jesus. Perhaps you think this would be a pretty easy undertaking. After all, he’s the central focus of our Christian faith. Even the name Christian has his title of Christ at the very core of it. We are Christ followers. Without Jesus and his death on the cross, there would be no salvation, and we would still be without hope, facing a lost eternity. Yet the trouble is that there’s just so much to say about him. Since I had to go first, I pondered where to start, and I came to the conclusion that we should start at the very beginning.
Continue reading “Jesus – The One Who Always Was, Part 1”

In Acts chapter 9 verse 10, we meet a man called Ananias. He is a devout believer, eager to hear and obey the word of the Lord. That is until his Saviour gives him a message he can’t fathom. Appearing to him in a vision, the Lord says: “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” (Acts 9: 11-12.)
Continue reading “Don’t Hold The Past Against Them.”

I once learned that quadraphonics was the earliest form of surround sound, where 4 speakers were placed in the 4 corners of a room to widen the soundscape. Of course, things have moved on a lot since then, and we now have much more complicated surround sound setups, with up to 10 speakers being placed anywhere from floor to ceiling, but for the purposes of today, let’s stick to 4.
Continue reading “Quadrophonics”

Thanks to Lou for these beautiful seasonal thoughts.

I love harvest! It always makes me think of two things. Thankfulness for all God has provided, and a harvest of people.
Continue reading “Harvest, By Lou Beard.”

In this 2-part series, we are discussing Numbers chapter 7 – a particularly long and tedious list of the offerings the Israelites brought for the dedication of the tabernacle about a year into their wilderness wanderings. In part 1, we considered the fact that detailed lists have their purposes, and when we study them, they aren’t always as boring as they can first appear.
Continue reading “Even The Tedious Chapters Are There For A Reason, Part 2”

I love reading right through the Bible every year, but I would be lying if I didn’t admit there are certain parts I struggle to get through. One example is Numbers 7 – a rather long and repetitive chapter.
Continue reading “Even The Tedious Chapters Are There For A Reason, Part 1.”

When I was in my teens, I used to go with my mother and her sister on daytrips with my grandmother and a group of her elderly friends. This gathering of retired individuals simply called themselves “The Old Age”, and they would meet at the local community centre every week. During the summer months, they took bus trips to seaside resorts, and as there were always free spaces needing to be filled on the coach, I got to be an honorary member of the “Old Age” for a day.
Continue reading “Legs 11!”

When I was a child, one weekday stood alone as different from all the others. From Monday to Friday I went to school. On Saturdays we went shopping or had family outings, but Sunday was unique. It was the day when the whole pace of life slowed down to a crawl. My mother took me to Sunday School, while also attending morning and evening worship. The streets seemed quieter, apart from the merry sounds of children playing, and the mouth-watering smell of Sunday roasts permeated the air. It was truly a day of rest and reflection. The shops were closed, and people generally stayed close to home and enjoyed time with their families.
Continue reading “It’s Not Just Okay To Rest; It’s Necessary.”