Devotionals

Recently, I heard of a pastor who was told off by a member of his congregation for saying Easter was cancelled this year. Of course, given that we are in 2020, and most of the world is in lockdown thanks to a scary virus that is ravaging our communities, what the pastor actually meant was that there wouldn’t be the regular church services. This is usually one of the church’s most active seasons, with many celebrating Maundy Thursday, not to mention Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday itself. Yet in 2020,, for the first time in living memory, the church doors have remained closed. However, I would argue that in our time of fear and confusion, the church has been more active than ever before.
Continue reading “Easter Will Never Be Cancelled.”

This is the final instalment in Sarah’s excellent series of lent devotionals.
Last week, we saw how Jesus was constantly persecuted, but there is something even more hurtful: Rejection from those you’re trying to reach. “’This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live for ever.’ He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Continue reading “Rejection, by Sarah Tummey”

This is the penultimate instalment in Sarah’s excellent series of lent devotionals.

From the very beginning of His life, people were at odds with Jesus. “At this they exclaimed, ‘Now we know that You are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet You say that whoever obeys Your word will never taste death. Are You greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do You think You are?’
Continue reading “Enmity, By Sarah Tummey.”

This is the fourth instalment in Sarah’s excellent series of lent devotionals.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve considered what Jesus gave up. Now let’s look at some of the things He suffered. Though He lived a blameless life, He did experience temptation. “Jesus fasted for forty days and nights. After this, He was very hungry. The devil came to Jesus to tempt Him, saying, ’If you are the Son of God, tell these rocks to become bread.’
Continue reading “Temptation, By Sarah Tummey.”

This is the third instalment in Sarah’s excellent series of 6 devotionals for the season of Lent.

So much has been written about this, but while we’re on the subject of what Jesus gave up, I must include the most important gift: Himself. “Then Jesus went with His followers to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him, and He began to be very sad and troubled. He said to them, ’My heart is full of sorrow, to the point of death. Stay here and watch with Me.’ After walking a little farther away from them, Jesus fell to the ground and prayed, ’My Father, if it is possible, do not give Me this cup of suffering. But do what You want, not what I want.’ Then Jesus went back to His followers and found them asleep. He said to Peter, ’You men could not stay awake with Me for one hour? Stay awake and pray for strength against temptation. The spirit wants to do what is right, but the body is weak.’ Then Jesus went away a second time and prayed, ’My Father, if it is not possible for this painful thing to be taken from Me, and if I must do it, I pray that what You want will be done’” (Matthew 26:36-42).
Continue reading “Self, by Sarah Tummey.”

This is the second instalment in Sarah’s excellent series of 6 devotionals for the season of Lent.

In these weeks of Lent, the church thinks of Jesus’ life, given for us. He didn’t cling to equality with God, and nor did He cling to His almightiness. “Coming to His home town, He began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. ‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?’ they asked. ‘Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother’s name Mary, and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all His sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?’ And they took offence at Him.
Continue reading “Almightiness, By Sarah Tummey”

As we begin the season of Lent, Sarah has produced a series of devotionals, and has kindly agreed to share them with us all.

Today is the first Tuesday in Lent – a season where the church spends forty days (or more, if you count Sundays) reflecting on all that Jesus went through for us. Much like Advent prepares us to celebrate Christmas, Lent takes us towards Easter when we remember Jesus’ death on a cross and God raising Him from the dead. Some people use this time to abstain from something, in order to identify with Jesus’ disciplined lifestyle.
Continue reading “Equality With God, By Sarah Tummey.”

Many thanks to my friend and sister in Christ Ines Higgins for sharing this deeply moving and personal testimony. If you’d like to hear more from Ines, you can subscribe to her podcast, Intentional Purposeful Living With Ines. just search in your favourite podcasts app, or:
Click here

Pretty much since I have been a Christian, I thought I’d believed in forgiveness. I would say amen every time someone would say that it is important to forgive. I would pray for people to forgive others and I would even forgive others for the little things they did to annoy me, like if someone stepped in my way when I make my way through town with my cane or if someone steps before me in a queue. But what about the big things?
Continue reading “Forgiveness, … The Power That Can Break A Dam, by Ines Higgins.”

A massive thank you to my dear friend Sarah Tummey for writing this week’s devotional.

“I am now ready to visit you the third time, and I will not be a burden to you. I want nothing from you, except you” – 2 Corinthians 12:14. Paul wrote this verse to believers in Corinth and southern Greece, but I’ve always liked it because I think that’s what God wants most from us – not our possessions or the works we do for Him, but us as people.
Continue reading “What God Wants, by Sarah Tummey.”

In Ezekiel chapter 20, we find the leaders of the nation of Israel presenting themselves before the prophet to ask for guidance from God. We might think this is a good thing for them to be doing, since it’s important for all of us to seek god’s guidance. However, as we consider this chapter in its context, we’ll come to understand that these leaders were rebellious, and responsible for guiding their nation into sin and idolatry. They want to hear from God, but are not prepared to forsake the idols and false gods they have permitted to be set up all over the land. For them, The Lord is just one option out of many, and they aren’t truly committed to taking on board what Ezekiel has to say.
Continue reading “Acting Out Of Who We Are, Not What we Feel.”