We all settle into routines and habits after a while. After the rapid changes we experienced at the start of this pandemic, for many of us life has settled into a different ‘normal’. This has meant working from home and experiencing church via online services and Zoom Bible studies. It felt strange to start with …
One thing that strikes even the casual reader of 1 Kings is the sheer wealth of Solomon. Chapter after chapter describe his building projects, his food, his trading partners, and his exotic animal collection. He was so wealthy that his ivory throne stood out in an age when kings often flaunted their wealth, and he …
Do you get wiser as you get older? Is it fair to say that, in general, those who are older are wiser? Instinctively, most of us would like to think this is true. And it often is! As we grow older, as we have more experiences and make more mistakes, we should learn things. And …
Organisation matters. If we are organised and use our administrative gifts, it will mean that we are more likely to do what we promise to do. It will mean that we don’t forget the important things we need to do. And we will reflect our Heavenly Father, who loves order. Solomon’s kingdom in 1 Kings …
Some people love to make lists and plan out their diaries. They know what they need to do and when they need to do it by. I am one of those people. I always have a lot of diverse things to do and responsibilities to manage; if I don’t make some kind of plan, things …
Our lives are messy and complicated. All of us are sinners in all kinds of ways, people who would rather run our own lives instead of doing what God wants. There are times when we feel this very strongly. Perhaps I am not good enough for God? Maybe God is interested in saving good people, …
As Christians, we have many rich blessings right now, yet we long for the ultimate form of those blessings in the future. There are things we have now, and some things we don’t yet have. This tension between the ‘now’ and the ‘not yet’ can be seen in quite a few passages, including 1 Peter …
I do hope that you love your family, whatever form that family takes. And that you like the people in your household if you share a house with others. Even though you do love them, our current confinement together can put pressure on every relationship. Most people are a little more sensitive than normal and …
In a world that doesn’t make sense anymore, people want answers and hope. That gives the church a wonderful opportunity to tell people about the hope that we have. Like most of our lives right now, the way we go about evangelism now needs to be a little different to before. The principle is the …
It is Good Friday today. A time when church bells are usually ringing, when even those who usually sleep in make the effort to come to church. A time usually full of colour and excitement. This year is different. Maybe it doesn’t feel like a festival time to you. You can watch the online sermon …