Author: Alex

Imagine what an honour it was to have been chosen as one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. How would we have felt if we were present on the day our Saviour said: “follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”? That special dozen must have been an incredible group, right? Except we know they weren’t. As we read the gospels, we discover they were just ordinary people with struggles and weaknesses like you and me. They included a denier, a doubter, and even a betrayer. Do you find that off-putting? Perhaps it feels like a bit of a let-down. Well it doesn’t for me. in fact, it’s the total opposite. Reading about these flawed but favoured men encourages me that if Jesus could use them despite everything, then he can use me too.
Continue reading “Doubted, Denied, Betrayed.”

My theme for this devotional is the promise of the rainbow. It was inspired by a rainbow I saw in the sky recently while traveling in my car. In Genesis chapter 9 verses 13-17, God is speaking. “I will set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, this is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.”
Continue reading “the Promise of The Rainbow, By Pastor Peter Norris.”

When I was about seven years old, I attended a kids’ Bible teaching course during which we were taught the names of the first five books of the Bible. I was very proud to learn them, even though the words sounded funny to me. However, I guess it must have given me a thirst to know more about God’s word, because some time later when my mother and I were sitting out in the garden, I asked if she would read to me. She wondered what I wanted her to read, and I rather proudly announced that I wanted her to read the book called Numbers. Looking back, I think Numbers fascinated me the most because the word was familiar. I already knew something about numbers from doing maths at school. My mother did honour my request, but we soon realised that the first few chapters of Numbers aren’t ideal reading material for a young child, and I think we moved onto something more suitable. Whenever I read through the Bible and I get to Numbers, I always smile as I think back to that day, and I wonder if my mother remembers it too.
Continue reading “Nuggets In The Numbers.”

We are considering the account of the ten lepers, as told in Luke chapter 17 verses 11-19. We discussed how one was a Samaritan, thus making him doubly rejected, doubly isolated, and doubly hated by society. The lepers recognised that Jesus was no ordinary teacher. They knew he had a higher authority. They asked for pity, possibly seeing themselves as unworthy of a gift as great as healing. Then Jesus presented them with a divine predicament by telling them to go to the priests, which was something people with leprosy legally couldn’t do. We thought about our own divine predicaments, and the times in which Jesus has given us strength to do things we never thought we could.
Continue reading “Learning From The Lepers (part 2), By Rev. Ernie Banwell.”

I’d like us to consider a story found in Luke chapter 17, starting at verse 11. If you’re not familiar with this story, it is when ten lepers have an encounter with Jesus. And as we know, when someone has an encounter with Jesus, they are never the same again. When people have an encounter with religion, they stay the same, but when you have an encounter with Jesus, he changes your whole life. It is impossible for him not to, because that’s who he is. He is a God of transformation. He is a God of all power, and he works to heal and to restore.
Continue reading “Learning From The Lepers (Part 1), By Rev. Ernie Banwell.”

Do any of you remember playing games of Hide and Seek as a child? I do. It was a huge favourite. One of my parents would begin counting backwards from ten, allowing me time to search out the best hiding place. I would scurry through the house, trying to be as light on my feet as possible. I didn’t want to give them any clues about where I was going. All the while, I was listening, and the closer they got to the end of the countdown, the more my heart pounded. Sometimes I barely got into my chosen corner before I heard those dreaded words: “Ready or not I’m coming!”
Continue reading “Hide And Seek”

I have often heard it said that the darkest hour comes just before the dawn. I wondered once if this was a quote from the Bible, but I now realise it’s not. However, I saw this for myself in the natural when a close friend and I had the crazy idea of going back to our childhood and camping out in her garden overnight. It was mid-summer, so sunrise came early. We chose a warm night ideal for being outside. Yet an hour or so before the birds began their early morning song, a cold breeze started blowing, and the night sky seemed to be at its darkest. I would have to say this was the most eery part of the night, as I lay awake waiting for dawn. Then I saw the first glimmer of light, which seemed all the brighter and more hopeful given the darkness that had gone before. The first bird chirped, and a new day dawned – full of hope and promise. It has only been in the last few years that I have started noticing and appreciating such things, as I realise how many of god’s best lessons are taught through his marvellous creation.
Continue reading “The Darkest Hour”

IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, WHAT DO YOU DO?
The answer to such a question may be obvious, as for example, in the following statements. (to name a few)
A household appliance goes wrong – look at the manual or call a technician or a repair person.
You are seriously unwell – seek medical help.
Your car has broken down – contact a garage.
Continue reading “If You Are Faced With A problem, By Pastor Peter Norris.”

During one of my earliest devotionals for this website, posted on 5 March 2019 under the title I Believe in The Resurrection, I told you all about a very special man called Jeffrey Durbin who spent much of his life struggling with a lack of faith. Yet, he lived out many of the qualities of the Christian walk far more thoroughly than I could ever hope to.
Continue reading “Do Unto Others.”

I wish to thank Darren Reed, my friend and brother in Christ, for sharing this amazing testimony. I pray that his words will touch your hearts as powerfully as they have touched mine, as he gives glory to God for miraculously bringing him through an unimaginably difficult situation.

Sometimes as Christians, God gives us extremely difficult situations, so that we will see not only that He will get us through – that He is there, but to strengthen our faith. This testimony is my life example of the faith of God.
Continue reading “Darren’s Testimony.”