At the end of November after paying a cheque into the bank, the girl behind the counter asked me, ‘are you already for Christmas yet?’ That’s right. The end of November! As I walked down the high street, I started thinking about the things that needed to be done and...
On Monday, I chaired a meeting at which the Life in the Spirit Team considered what subject to tackle at our conference in 2016. Although there are numerous subjects we would love to address, we unanimously agreed on ‘Not Ashamed’. In his letter to the Romans the Apostle Paul says...
I am convinced that if we can grasp the glorious truths revealed in Paul’s letter to the Romans, then we will have grasped the glory of the Gospel of God. So what does that mean in practice? That we can simply quote chapter and verse? That we can debate the...
This week, Tracey and I had the privilege of spending six wonderful (and unbelievably dry) days in the Lake District. From the cottage in which we stayed we could see the shifting shadows on the ‘Old Man’ of Coniston and on occasions, its impressive stature reflected in the lake below....
Last week I sat and listened as a friend of mine spoke to one hundred and fifty, predominately twenty and thirty year old’s about hope. For many the message was a ‘word in season’. Having ‘intentionally ‘moved into some of the ‘toughest neighbourhoods’ in the nation believing that they would...
I am about to do something that I have never done before. That is, rather than write my own piece, I am paraphrasing the words of the brilliant American pastor and theologian, Jonathon Edwards (1703-1758), who thrilled my heart with this. Please take time to read it, re-read it and...
A week ago we were enjoying an Indian summer and I, maybe foolishly, was considering dusting down the BBQ for one last time. Then, within forty-eight hours it appeared that everything changed. The temperature dropped, the wind blew, the leaves fell and we found ourselves in the onset of autumn....
There is a staggering verse in Galatians Chapter 4 which should both thrill and amaze us. The Apostle Paul says; ‘And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying Abba! Father’ (Vs 6). Isn’t that wonderful? Not only has God has adopted...
I am sure that all those who were present last Sunday morning on the Kinecroft would agree that it was fabulous to have the opportunity to worship God at the Bunkfest. As I made my way across the field at around 9.30, I could already hear the band singing; ‘At...
Last week we had the privilege of Samson Paul, from Bangalore, India, speaking to us. Those who were present will undoubtedly remember that Samson constantly urged us to ‘wake up’. Samson shared with us from Scripture, occasions when God’s people had slept when it was imperative that they were both...
