I have only recently returned to work after having the longest holiday I have had for years: a little over three weeks of rest. It has made me reflect on why we need rest and what it can teach us about ourselves and God. Rest is hard for many of us. If you’re usually a …
When we think of prayer, sometimes what think about are the carefully crafted prayers we hear in church and see in prayer books. You know the type of thing I mean. These are prayers with carefully thought-out structures, references and echoes from all kinds of different Bible passages, with confession and thanksgiving and prayer all …
One of my main jobs is as a preacher. I have the privilege of explaining and applying God’s word to people most weeks of the year. As an organised person, I plan my preaching programme well in advance. I can tell you which sermon series I am preaching for every Sunday in 2021, and in …
I have had the privilege of leading a group of people from my church on a whirlwind tour of church history in recent weeks. There was something great about seeing so many great themes and issues that God’s people had faced throughout the centuries. One thing that struck me was the way that God used …
I was recently asked a great question: is it OK to pray to Jesus instead of to the Father? Many Christians pray to Jesus and the Father interchangeably, and favour praying to Jesus because of the focus on Jesus in the church. Jesus loves me and died for me, so it seems to make sense …
The word ‘grace’ is a simple word; it means getting something good that you don’t deserve. You experience grace when someone gives you a gift. Grace is not something you earnt or worked for; it was simply given to you by someone who loves and cares for you. The concept of grace is at the …
In Protestant churches, we are used to praying to God the Father. That’s how the Lord’s Prayer starts, and all the Biblical prayers are directed towards God. Prayer is a fundamental part of what it means to be one of God’s children. In the Roman Catholic Church, however, it is common to pray to all …
Some people love big words, and others hate them. Sometimes people use big words to disguise the fact that they don’t know what they are talking about, and often simple words can be used just as well to express an idea. With that in mind, today I want to explain a really important big word …
It is near the end of a school term and the kids are getting tired. And not just the kids. Many people have been feeling tired. These past few months have been unusual in many ways and the many changes have been wearying. It is possible to feel a little less bright than usual. This …
King Solomon famously had 700 wives. That’s mind-boggling. I’m not sure I even know 700 people, let alone understand all that goes into having 700 wives! This raises lots of questions in our minds. How did the scheduling work? Did he have favourites? How did he even remember their names? There is one question that …