Author: Alex

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.”

Last week in part one of this devotional, we talked about the crippling affects of fear – how it is best defined as ‘False evidence appearing real.’ We discussed Elijah’s bold conquest over the prophets of Baal as told in 1Kings 18, and how it contrasted with his anxiety and depression in 1Kings 19, when he found out Israel’s queen was out to kill him. Elijah ran away and hid, but when God sought him out, he gently corrected his wrong thinking and showed him he still had a plan, and that the prophet wasn’t as alone as he feared.
Continue reading “Fear, Trust, And Promises Part 2.”

There’s a lot of fear in our world at the moment. In fact, I think 2020 has to be one of the most fear-provoking years I’ve ever known, as much of our world has been in lockdown and people have been prevented from socialising with one another. Even now that we are allowed to meet up in small groups, some people are understandably still fearful.
Continue reading “Fear, Trust, And Promises, Part 1.”

In Acts chapter 4, we find Peter and John being brought before the Jewish Sanhedrin because their teaching isn’t meeting their so-called high standards. This follows close after the healing of the lame man at the temple gate called Beautiful. That man had been begging there for many years, so was well known to those going in and out of the temple, and his healing drew a crowd, especially when he started walking, jumping, and praising God. Verse 10 of Acts 3 says the people were filled with wonder and amazement. They obviously had questions, and Peter and John were more than glad to answer.
Continue reading “Can People Tell You’ve Been With Jesus?”

As the Israelites stood on the banks of the Jordan river on the verge of entering into the promised land, they must have wondered how they were going to get across. The Bible tells us the Jordan was at flood stage, so it would have been flowing pretty rapidly. (Joshua 3: 15). About 40 years earlier, the previous generation had stood on the bank of the Red Sea and seen the miraculous hand of God as he made a dry path through its centre, allowing his people to walk through, but killing their Egyptian enemies as the waters tumbled back down and drowned them.
Continue reading “Stones Of Remembrance.”