Author: Alex

It seems that at the moment, the Lord wants to teach me about fearing him alone. He has also been educating me about true wisdom, and that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, as stated in Proverbs 9:10.
Continue reading “Whom Shall I Fear? (Part 1)”

During my mid-20s, I was involved with helping my mother coordinate a weekly children’s club called Sunshine Corner that had existed ever since I was a child. During the 6 week summer school break, we would often host a themed holiday club, which proved to be a lot of fun for adults and children alike.
Continue reading “A Powerful Proverb.”

This is the final part of the sermon I heard my father-in-law preach nearly 20 years ago which had a massive impact on my thoughts and attitudes.
For the past 2 weeks we have been discussing the problem of hatching snake eggs. We have seen how angry and bitter thoughts and gripping, and overwhelming fears can sow seeds of destruction in our lives.
Finally today, we will consider the Terrible Consequences of allowing these eggs to hatch.
Continue reading “Hatching Snake Eggs (Part 3), By Rev. Ernie Banwell.”

This is part 2 in an incredibly challenging set of devotionals, taken from a sermon Ernie preached at the church I attended almost 20 years ago.
In this series, we are talking about the danger of hatching snake eggs. Last week in part 1, we considered the danger of angry and bitter thoughts, and how they can consume and destroy us.
Continue reading “Hatching Snake Eggs (Part 2), By Rev. Ernie Banwell”

I asked my father-in-law if I could share the text of this sermon, because it made a huge impression when I first heard him preach it about 20 years ago. Although I have heard many more sermons in my lifetime, this one has stayed with me.
Hatching Snake eggs is a biblical term, not a joke. It has to do with walking in holiness before God.
Continue reading “Hatching Snake Eggs By Rev. Ernie Banwell (Part 1)”

Last week, we began looking at 3 of the 7 “I Am” statements of Jesus as they appear in John’s gospel. WE considered Jesus as the Bread of Life and talked about how we must feast upon him every day. Next, we presented him as “The Resurrection and the Life.” Since Jesus rose from the dead on our behalf, we can have eternal life if our lives are hidden in him.
Continue reading “Feasting, Living, And Abiding (Part 2)”

I don’t know if a person should admit to having a favourite book of the Bible, but Mine is undoubtedly the gospel of John. Each of the 4 gospels shows a slightly different aspect of Jesus’ character, and one of John’s aims in writing was to show us that Jesus was and is the Son of God – that he is co-equal with God the Father in every way. That’s why john begins with those famous words: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1: 1.) There aren’t any details about Jesus’ birth in John, because he wants us to understand that although Jesus became a man in the natural sense, he has always existed.
Continue reading “Feasting, Living, And Abiding (Part 1)”

Last week we began considering the word “new”. WE talked about how Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment to love one another, yet as we consider the old testament laws, this seemingly new precept was really just a summing up of what had always been. We also rejoiced that the Lord’s compassion is new every morning. What a comfort that brings.
Continue reading “New, Part 2.”

As we begin 2021, I’m comforted by the fact that only our Lord and Saviour knows what the next 12 months will bring, but we can rest in the assurance that whatever may come, he’s going to be with us through it all. So with the word “New” foremost in our minds, I thought I’d take a look at a few places in the Bible where this 3-letter word is mentioned and see how we can apply the lessons we learn from scripture to our own lives as we look ahead into 2021.
Continue reading “New, Part 1”

At the beginning of this year, there was a general sense of excitement and anticipation in the church over the fact that we were entering a new decade. It was 2020 – the year of 20/20 vision! Our eyes would be opened to see things clearly, and God was going to do new and amazing things! What a time to live! Meanwhile, people in Australia were fighting terrifying bush fires, and rumours were coming out of China of a strange flu-like illness that seemed frightening and deadly for many. As January slid into February, we felt an increasing foreboding, and by March, Coronavirus was the trending word on the news and social media. No one could deny the fact that we were facing a global pandemic, and new words like “lockdown”, and “social distancing” were on everyone’s lips.
Continue reading “20/20 Vision”