Why celebrate Christmas?

If we simply look at what goes on in the world at this time of year, we gain a very skewed perspective of what Christmas is all about: glitter, lights, spending vast amounts of money, overeating, noise and toys. Christians celebrate Christmas, however, because this is...

Advent songs

Throughout Advent, I’ll be trying to help us to focus our thoughts on the arrival of Christ as a baby at Bethlehem through a variety of songs. The first one is from Aaron Shust’s new Christmas album ‘Unto Us’ and is called ‘Advent...

Waiting

Today is the first Sunday in Advent, and Stephen spoke this morning from Micah 5:2-5. The Old Testament saints were in a time of waiting and preparation, looking for the arrival of the Messiah. Now, we are in a time of waiting and preparation: first of all, looking...

This weekend

Advent officially begins on Sunday 30th November and this period is one full of anticipation and expectation as we prepare for Christmas and remember our Lord’s arrival in Bethlehem as a baby and anticipate His second coming in glory as King and Ruler of all!...

Sin and protection

1 John 5:16-17 contain some of the most disputed verses in the New Testament. John, in urging us to pray for others, talks about ‘sin that leads to death’ and ‘sin that does not lead to death’. Interpretations of these verses have varied over...

Answered prayer

Tonight’s Bible study looked at 1 John 5:13-18. Strictly speaking, verse 13 belongs more to the previous section, when John is writing about the testimony God has, namely that life is in the Son. His aim in writing is that we may know we have eternal life. Once...