But what about…?

Mar 16, 2025

Tonight in our Bible discussion we looked at how Christian denominations came about and what distinguishes one denomination from another as well as the core Christian beliefs which unite all Christians, regardless of denominations. There was also discussion about translations of the Bible, about how God reveals HImself (through the world and through the word) and about different sects which deviate from orthodox truth. It was a varied discussion, much enjoyed by those who took part!

 

God’s Treasured Possession

Mar 16, 2025

We live in a largely secular society in the West which places little value on human life (as abortion and euthanasia testify). Often, we feel like a mere number, especially as automation and AI can do our jobs more quickly and efficiently than we can, and many treat people as though they are the scourge of all ills rather than as valuable individuals. This can lead us to feeling worthless and without value and adds to our mental health problems, for we all need to feel worth and significance to function well.

The way God sees people is radically different. We are made in His image (Gen 1:27) and are loved unconditionally by Him. (John 3:16) We belong to Him (1 Cor 6:19-20) and are called His treasured possession, His special possession. (Ex 19:3-6, 1 Pet 2:9) This gives us dignity and worth, no matter what others may think. We are chosen by Him; we are a royal priesthood, a holy nation. Our identity in God is far greater than we often assume.

Treasure is precious, and God says we are ‘a royal diadem in the hand of your God.’ (Is 62:3) At art auctions, we often see mind-boggling prices paid for paintings (Vincent Van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime and relied on the generosity of others to survive; in 1990, his Portrait of Dr Paul Gachet sold for $83 million. Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi is the most expensive painting in the world, selling for $450.3 million in 2017. It’s not just paintings, either! Robbie Williams recently paid £20,000 for a pair of Eric Morecambe’s glasses, saying ‘the sunshine you asked for, you gave to me.’) The value of something lies in the price someone is willing to pay, and the price God paid for us is the life of His only Son. That gives us an identity as a treasured possession beyond our wildest dreams; we are loved and wanted by God.

Bounce!

Mar 14, 2025

My granddaughters love trampolines and bouncing pillows. Despite the difficulties of standing and walking on these, they love to bounce and jump and appreciate the heights they can reach thanks to the trampoline’s springs.
A trampoline consists of a strong fabric sheet connected by springs to a frame and is used as a springboard and aid to acrobatic and gymnastic exercises. It’s totally unlike the solidity of a normal floor.
My youngest granddaugther, aged just two, is unable to bounce without the aid of the trampoline. She has not yet learned to jump of her own accord. She’s got the knee-bend movement off pat, but her feet don’t yet leave the ground! Her ‘bounce, little bunnies’ (possibly her favourite song) looks cute and there’s plenty of jigging in her actions, but no technical bounces or jumps yet. One day it will all click, and she’ll be off!
Some of us used to bounce but now seem decidedly earth-bound! Life’s circumstances and troubles leave us feeling careworn and without much desire or reason to bounce. We lack enthusiasm and zeal. We need the ‘bounce’ of the Holy Spirit in our lives, giving us an ability not simply to survive life but to thrive, to overcome. God enables us to flourish, even in a dry and weary land where there is no water. He is able to refresh us and add a bounce to our step today, for the joy of the Lord is our strength. (Neh 8:10)

What’s In A Name?

Mar 14, 2025

Naming a child is a significant decision for most families. Parents may choose a ‘family’ name to honour a loved one or may choose a name with special significance or appeal to them. Names often have meanings which they hope will reflect the character of the child. In Beth Lincoln’s wonderfully quirky novel ‘The Swifts’, members of the Swift family are brought before the Family Dictionary and named, with the assumption that they will grow up to match this definition. Perhaps that’s a good thing if you’re named ‘Felicity’ or ‘Phenomena’, but not quite so reassuring if you’re named ‘Schadenfreude’ or ‘Shenanigan’! The novel explores the question of identity, foreknowledge and free will.
Names matter hugely in the Bible, with God often giving people a new name to reflect His work in their lives (Abram and Sarai become Abraham and Sarah, Jacob becomes Israel, Simon becomes Peter.) The names given to Jesus reflect His identity as our Saviour and God (‘Jesus’ means ‘God Is Salvation’; ‘Immanuel’ means ‘God with us.’)
One part of the Bible people dislike are the genealogies, those lists of unfamiliar and (to us) unpronounceable names which are scattered throughout. Our eyes tend to glaze over when we reach these; skim reading is the only way we cope with these lists!
Yet the Bible affirms the importance of individuals by naming them, and although there are plenty of unnamed individuals who feature prominently, it’s worth considering just how many people are, in fact, named. Numbers 1:17 tells us that when carrying out the first census of Israel, Moses and Aaron took men ‘whose names had been specified’ to do the job.
God knows us by name (Is 45:4). We are given a personal name that identifies us and gives us wortth. Names matter.

Finding God In The Hard Times

Mar 10, 2025

Many of us long for an end to our troubles. We long for a stress-free life and feel we would be better Christians if only our circumstances were different. If only we had a better job, different neighbours, a nicer family, more money, a bigger house, then we would give God our full attention and devotion, we reason. Life is just too difficult!

David could have said exactly the same thing. Plucked out of obscurity as a shepherd boy by Samuel, he was anointed king of Israel. He saw great victories (the slaying of Goliath, for example), but the net result of this was Saul’s jealousy and a fugitive life on the run. He spent years in the wilderness dealing with one battle after another, and even when he became king, things were not easy. Some of the problems were his own fault; many were not.

Yet in the midst of trouble, David experienced the love of God: ‘Praise be to the Lord, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege.’ (Ps 31:21)

We don’t have to wait for answers or find solutions to our dilemmas before we experience God’s love. God’s love, help, comfort and rescue are all found in a city under siege. When we feel alarmed and as though God is far away (‘I am cut off from Your sight!’ Ps 31:22), it is then that God hears and answers us and reveals Himself to us.

We can know God in the wilderness. We can find God in the place where we are besieged. He can provide rescue and refuge, a safe place of shelter, a fortress, even when we see no respite to our troubles. We don’t have to wait for better times.

Jesus quoted this psalm as he hung on the cross (‘Into Your hands I commit my spirit.’ Ps 31:5, Luke 23:46) If he could find consolation and hope in the agony of crucifixion, we can find consolation and hope as we wait for the Lord: ‘Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.’ (Ps 31:24)

Exploring God’s Word

Mar 9, 2025

Today we started a new discussion format in our evening meeting (hence the lack of livestreaming). We are still preaching and teaching God’s word in the morning, but are using the evening meeting to explore the Bible and issues that affect us through a Bible study discussion format which allows for questions and the sharing of our experience and understanding of God’s word.
Tonight we discussed witness, questions that people ask of Christians, our experiences of witnessing and gave testimonies about how God had answered our questions and spoken to us.
The children, meanwhile, were learning about the similes and metaphors used to describe God’s word (a sword, a hammer, milk, a lamp and an imperishable seed) and planted sunflower seeds which we hope to see grow – just as we grow from learning from the Bible and being directed by God.