David’s Death

Sep 18, 2025

At our Bible study tonight, we looked at the death of David after forty years as king (see 1 Kings 2:1-12, 1 Chron 29:26-30). This is the end of an era (if not quite the end of our studies, as we will be looking at the psalms of David next time!) – and as we know from when Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022, the end of a long reign can bring many mixed emotions. What is striking in this account is that David was prepared for his death and his last words are a charge to his son, Solomon, giving both practical and spiritual advice.
Death is the one sure thing about life (‘in the midst of life we are in death’), as Ecclesiastes 3 makes plain. David himself recognised that his times were in God’s hands (Ps 31:15) and had faced death on many occasions. He could face death with trust and faith because God was the constant in his life. We too have a hope beyond death (see 1 Thess 4:13-18) and can understand that death is likened to sleep or rest. We do not grieve as the world does with no hope, but have a glorious future to look forward to.
Life carries on after death (‘the king is dead; long live the king!‘) and David is concerned to give practical advice (about both his enemies and friends) to Solomon and to give spiritual advice (urging a life of wholehearted devotion and obedience to God.) We do well to prepare for our own death, both practically (such as making a will or sorting funeral arrangements out) and spiritually (ensuring we live in right relationship with God and with others.) Because of Christ, we need not fear death (Heb 2:14-15) and can leave a legacy of love and faith to pass on to others.

Called By Name

Sep 14, 2025

It was lovely to have Joy Gascoigne from Grimethorpe Pentecostal Church with us today. She spoke from Isaiah 43:1, where God tells us He has called us by name; we are His. God knows us and loves us and wants us; we are chosen by Him. It’s easy to apply this verse to other people, but it applies to us too; we too are part of God’s big plans!
God is a big God with big plans and we have a high calling, a calling which transforms our lives from the mundane and gives us purpose and meaning.
God asked Adam in the Garden of Eden where he was, and Adam’s response was that he was afraid and therefore hid. There are times when we need to evaluate where we are and understand that God calls out to us not to condemn us but to rescue us. We have all been called into fellowship with the Son and called to freedom (see Gal 5:1). We are called to hope and to communicate hope to others. (Eph 1:3-4). We are called to live differently to the world. (1 Thess 4). Peter tells us we are called out of darkness into God’s glorious light (1 Pet 2:9-10) and that we are now His chosen people. To be called by name is a wonderful thing; to belong to God is even more precious.

More Than Conquerors

Sep 8, 2025

Paul says in Romans 8:37 that we are more than conquerors through Christ who loves us. Most of us do not particularly feel like conquerors or victors, but in Christ, we can thrive and not merely survive. It’s not because of our own strength or skill or ability, however, but because of the victory Christ won on the cross. We may face ‘‘trouble, hard times, hatred, hunger, homelessness, bullying threats, backstabbing… even the worst sins listed in Scripture’ (Rom 8:35), but still nothing can separate us from the love of Christ and so we can overcome all that comes against us. Paul is adamant that no circumstance in life can ultimately knock us down!
The cross may well look like defeat initially, but we see that God’s ways are not ours (1 Cor 1:18-25) and that the resurrection shows us God’s power is greater than any obstacle we will ever face. We do not have to live with fear and anxiety making us feel as though we are permanently treading on eggshells. Instead, we can have confidence that Jesus’s victory over sin, death and the grave means we have a future that is guaranteed.
As we see God as our provider, healer, rock and salvation, the now becomes more than bearable, but Paul reminds us in Romans 8 that there is a future we must also look towards. What we have now, here, on this earth, is not all that will be. There is a glory yet to be revealed. (Rom 8:18) There is a groaning in creation itself as we wait for God’s final judgment and the making of a new heaven and new earth, and we feel this groaning ourselves. (Rom 8:22-25) Being more than conquerors means accepting that this world is not the end of the story.
Rend Collective, in their song ‘More Than Conquerors’, remind us:
‘Nothing is impossible.
Every chain is breakable.
With You, we are victorious.
You are stronger than our hearts;
You are greater than the dark.
With You, we are victorious.’ (‘More Than Conquerors’, Rend Collective)
May we enter Christ’s victory and see that this gives us purpose and power in our own daily lives.

David’s Last Words

Sep 4, 2025

At our Bible study tonight, we looked at David’s last words in 1 Chronicles 28 and 29 and saw how praise and prayer formed an integral part of his life throughout. We see in the last chapters of David’s life how important the construction of the temple was to him, and how he longed for his son Solomon to be in the best position to fulfil this work, according to God’s word to him. We reflected on how God searches our hearts and knows our desires and how He longs for us to serve Him with wholehearted devotion and a willing mind (emotion and reason working together.) The detail that went into David’s plans for the temple came from God (down to forks!) and reminds us that He is a God of the tiny details as well as the big picture.
David gave willingly of his riches to this project, and the official responded with equal generosity, reminding us of Paul’s teaching on giving generously in 2 Cor 8 and 9. God loves a cheerful giver, for He Himself gives generously. God’s work should be fuelled by God’s people, responding generously from their finances to the work of God, because they recognise all they have comes from Him in the first place.
David’s prayer for Solomon involves much praise and thanksgiving and focus on who God is and what He has done. Sometimes, our prayers are all petition and no praise, but we need to learn to pray according to the blueprint set out for us in the Lord’s prayer. Praise and thanksgiving are vital elements of prayer. David is confident in all God has done and this gives him confidence that God will work on Solomon’s behalf in the future. We see that the future is bright because God’s people have God firmly at the centre of their worship and work.

Manvers Lake baptisms

Sep 1, 2025

We took part in a joint churches service and public baptism at Manvers Lake on Sunday 31 August. This was a great event, attended by about 800 people, with 56 people being baptised and 5 people making first-time commitments to Christ. Praise God for what He is doing locally!

Our thanks to Liberty Church Rotherham for organising the event and for all who attended and helped in any way. We were privileged to baptise Philip and Rebekah from our church.

Citizens of Heaven

Aug 24, 2025

Tonight we looked at our identity as citizens of heaven (Phil 3:20, Romans 6:1-5). Despite living in the world, when we become a Christian we are given a new identity as citizens of heaven. Moving house is ranked as the third most stressful experience in life (after bereavement and separation or divorce) and moving to another country is even more stressful, especially when another language is involved. It can take years to integrate into a community, and we too can find it difficult to leave the old behind, even though Paul stresses that this is what happens when we are baptised: ‘when we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land!’ (Romans 6:2) 

The Israelites did not find it easy after their exodus from Egypt, even though they were leaving a life of slavery behind. Still they grumbled and complained (remembering the past with rose-tinted spectaclues) and put God to the test (see Psalm 78), because we find it very hard to change and adapt. Nonetheless, our old life must go and we must embrace the new reality of life in a ‘grace-sovereign country’, as the Message version translates Romans 6. What we believe affects how we live (see 2 Pet 3:11-12) and, like Abraham, we recognise that we have not reached our final destination yet (see Heb 11:9-10). There is a yearning in our hearts for God to wipe away every tear and bring us to the place He has prepared for us. (John 14:1, Rev 21:3)

Heaven isn’t really a place on earth (despite the Brenda Carlisle song!), but the reality of heaven can be the fuel that sustains us through present suffering (Rom 8:18) and can be the motvation to live as God wishes.Paul says, ‘I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom 8:38-39) We have been given a new passport to life in a grace-sovereign country; now it’s up to us to live as citizens of heaven, even while we are still living on earth.