Making Sure our Hearts are not Hard, and our Ears are Ready to Hear
Mark in a Month Part 3 (Mark 4:9-13, 8:17-19) Does God deliberately harden people’s hearts to stop them repenting? Why did Jesus frequently accuse the disciples of unbelief? These are some of the questions that come up as we read through Mark, and lead to some powerful opportunities of hearing Jesus speak to us.
Daily Reading through Mark - The Big Story and Structure
Mark in a Month Part 2 (Mark 2:13-22) Let Mark’s presentation of Jesus engage you, captivate you, and change your life!
Hearing God Speak to you Personally Through the Bible
Mark in a Month Part 1 (Matt 5:13-16 & Mark 1:1-20) A method for daily Bible readings that you can try out for yourself, which will help you to more clearly hear God speak to you through the Bible.
What God Loves to Do
What God loves to do is to undo the work of Satan, turning the most broken and damaged people into the strongest and beautiful members of his Kingdom. (Mark 5:1–20)
Setting up Stones to Remember what God has Done
The practice of “raising up stones” is a powerful one that we should be doing to grow in our faith. Here are some stories to get you started. (Joshua 4 & 1 Samuel 7)
A Different Take on How to Please God
It’s wonderful to live under Grace and not Law, but sometimes it can leave us with a level of confusion. Is God pleased with me right now? Does it matter what I do? What God actually wants from us is not what most of us think! (Rom 4 & Gen 15)
Pulling Together the Overall Message of Ephesians that will Change your Life
Ephesians Part 26 (Eph 6:21-24) The New Creation has already begun, but the Old has not yet ended. We are living in the overlap, which is tough, but if we understand it will be a source of immense power and joy.
“I Will be With You!” - The most important thing to know in the coming year
The most amazing promises of God being with people run through the Bible. If we can truly get hold of these promises and allow them to sink deeply into us, it will be a huge strength for us as we go into the New Year (various Scriptures)
Connecting Deeply with Jesus as a Human
Jesus became a man, in part, so that we could have a deep relationship with him. The challenge today is, how can we deepen that relationship? (Heb 4:15-16)
How to Put On God’s Armour
Ephesians Part 25 (Eph 6:14-20) Fully taking hold of the message of Ephesians equips us for warfare in the spiritual world.
You’re Taller and Stronger than You Think You Are
Ephesians Part 24 (Eph 6:10-13) You live in two realities: material plus spiritual where there is a huge war raging. You are joined inseparably to Jesus, so take a stand with courage and joy.
Slaves and Masters — on Earth and in Heaven
Ephesians Part 23 (Eph 6:5-9) We ask why the Bible does not condemn slavery directly, explore the rich content of Ephesians 6:5-9 and the shocking challenge to all of us in the workplace, and talk about how this works out in practice today.
How do we Honour Parents with Problems?
Ephesians Part 22 (Eph 6:1-4) Tough questions about how to honor your parents, even when they are broken.
What does it mean that we are the Bride of Christ?
Ephesians Part 21 (Eph 5:25-32) Paul says: This mystery is profound, and I speak with reference to Christ and the church. By bringing in verses from throughout the Bible, we can shed some light on this amazing truth!
Wives and Husbands - Addressing the Difficulties with this Passage
Ephesians Part 20 (5:22-33) It is precisely because husbands are not like Christ that wives can have trouble submitting. But when you really understand what is going on with this passage, it is deeply encouraging!
Understand the Will of the Lord
Ephesians Part 19 (Eph 5:17) The stories in Acts of Paul’s visits, plus what history tells us about Ephesus help us to see the life-changing power of these words.
The Surprising Literary Structure of Ephesians
Ephesians Part 99 (Ephesians) Seeing how this letter is structured, on the one hand provides a helpful framework for fully understanding the message, and on the other is a work of art which frames the beauty of the truth, like a diamond setting holds a diamond.
Singing: the link with being filled by the Spirit
Ephesians Part 18 (Eph 5:15-21) The seventh, and final, Walk in Ephesians has three parts to it: wisdom, understanding, and being filled by the Spirit. Then there is a link to singing which is interesting and important.
The Seven Walks that Shape Ephesians —Walk in the Light
Ephesians Part 17 (Eph 5:7-14) Paul uses the command to Walk to organize the structure of the letter in a very helpful way. This time we look at the 6th Walk: Walk in the Light
Two Big Threats to Love, and How to Overcome Them
Ephesians Part 16 (Eph 5:1-6) Seven parts of Ephesians open with the expression: ‘Walk...’ We look at the fifth, ‘Walk in love’ which is immediately followed by the two biggest threats to a loving community. Thankfully there is a way they can be overcome.