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 …
We all need to be part of a community. Yes, even the extreme introverts among us. Even you. I have come to realise that although I do enjoy my space and quiet, I have missed seeing people face to face. Meeting people individually and small groups in recent times has been a real joy, and …
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 …
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 …
When I was a university student, I became a member of the local church that I had grown up in. I distinctly remember the first congregational meeting I ever attended. There was the kind of pressing, controversial issue found in churches everywhere: the organ had recently died. This was in a church that had (at …