Baptism
Luke 3:1-18 + 21- 22 Engage Tiberius Caesar : He was Roman Emperor from 14-37AD he was known as a great general but in later life suffered a decline in his mental health. He ordered Jews out of Rome at one time and in his final years his reign was marked by fear. Pontius Pilate : Fifth prefect of Judea …
Jesus Through the Eyes of Luke : Lent 2016
Deep in the book of Ezekiel we are given a description of the angels that surround the throne of God. Their faces looked like this: each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had …
Six Nations 2016
I have been a fan of Rugby for a number of years now and the Six Nations was where my love began. From around 2000 I followed England in the annual tournament and in to the memorable 2003 world cup. Since that time my knowledge of the game has grown and I watch a lot more rugby now. This year I …
Building Up and Knocking Down
As I continue my reflections on pioneer ministry I come to the area which intrigues me the most… The idea of building up and knocking down. The idea links back to one of the earlier posts in this pioneer series entitled ‘foot soldiers‘ which looks at the background of the word in the military. Whilst looking at this early root I discovered …
Hope : Jesus
Hope : Jesus Titus 2:11-13, Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:1-7 ‘Turn around and believe that the good news that we are loved is better than we ever dared hope, and that to believe in that good news, to live out of it and toward it, to be in love with that good news, is of all glad things in this world …
Hope : Joy and Love
Hope : Joy and Love Romans 12:9-12, Colossians 1:3-8, Luke 2:19 ‘They were coming for him and his people. Friends were being killed or fleeing for their lives. So Andrew White did what he always does when faced with an enemy. “I invited the leaders of Isis [Islamic State] for dinner. I am a great believer in that. I have …
Hope : Past, Present and Future
Hope : Past, present and Future Psalm 78:1-8, John 1:1-13 ‘Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.’ Corrie Ten Boom Anything to Declare It’s a long time since I have been to an airport and had to check baggage in for a flight. There are the endless questions asking if you have packed it yourself …
Hope : The Glory of God
Hope : The glory of God Romans 5:1-5, Luke 2:8-20, John 1:14 ‘It is always darkest before the day dawn’ Thomas Fuller Walking the Road Have you ever had a time in your life where you have found yourself in the middle of an adventure? A time when you have started out on a simple journey and it’s turned into …
Hope : Grace and Gospel
Hope : Grace and Gospel 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, Colossians 1:15-23, John 1:15-18 ‘There we are – the multitude who so wanted to be faithful, who at times got defeated, soiled by life, and bested by trials, wearing the bloodied garments of life’s tribulations, but through it all clung to the faith. My friends, if this is not good news to …
Always read the small print : Some thought on #JustPray
This morning as I viewed my various social media platforms I came across a number voicing outrage at the above advert being ‘banned’ from three cinema chains as it may be ‘offensive’. The advert, which forms part of a #JustPray campaign run by the Church of England, includes a number of people saying lines from the prayer. I did a bit of …
Let the River Flow
I’m excited! Why? Because I believe something is happening. Small streams are beginning to flow. Springs are bubbling in the wilderness. God is doing something. Psychotherapy or prescription viagra without hypnotherapy has the answer to all the behavioral problems. Emotional states (extreme anxiety, “bug-eyed,” withdrawn, angry, etc.) When therapists take time to focus, relax, and carefully listen to the levitra …
Feed the World
As we have mentioned before, the rivers in Ezekiel and Revelation feed trees that produce fruit. This fruit is produced every month and we are told it will never fail. Ezekiel also mentions that fisherman will come to the river to catch its many species for food. Again this is an image of the life-giving water that provides food for …
I See Leaves That are Green
I was recently on holiday with my boys and while one was playing in the grass he got stung by a nettle. To sooth the pain I did what anyone does, looked for a dock leaf. As I rubbed the stings, the itching and pain slowly went from his arm and he was happy again to run in the grass …
In the Beginning
I often get asked questions about creation, usually the question is, do I think the universe was created in seven days? My usual response is to ask them the question, does it matters? I don’t ask this to be flippant but to get away from what I find is a superficial, surface question to some of the much more important and profound questions. …
The Variety of Life
If you are a fan of nature documentaries, I am sure you will have seen David Attenborough quietly talking over the video of a river on the African plains. Birds cautiously swim on the surface and lions and antelope drink at the edge. Under the water, other creatures lurk, fish, hippos and crocodiles making the most of the water that …
Long Term Gardening
As Ezekiel makes his way back from the mouth of the river he sees trees along the banks of the river producing fruit. He is told that fruit trees will grow where-ever the river flows. In Revelation, John sees a single tree, the tree of life. This tree has roots on both sides of the river and again is said …
More Than a Pail of Water
When I was younger I used to love playing out in the nearby woods. It had been a warm summer and the ground was very dry and one day, whilst building dens with my friends, we discovered an area of ground that was smoking. We investigated by poking the ground with sticks to find that, in the peaty earth underneath, …
Following The River
My favourite thing to do at the beach is redirect water. Yes, it sounds strange but it’s true. I love finding a stream that runs down to the sea and setting about trying to change how it flows. I build dams, dig trenches and excavate pools. One thing I have learnt from all this digging is that no matter how …
Let’s Settle Down
As I read the definitions of pioneer/pioneered/pioneering one word kept cropping up. Settle. Pioneer has always felt like an exciting word, a word of adventure and discovery of the unknown. Settle feels the exact opposite. It’s a word that feels static, comfortable, stationary and safe. So, I want to explore how these two link together and what this has to say about …