Beware of presumption. We serve a holy God not a cuddly best mate. There is a major difference between many modern worship music and the Psalms. Too many modern songs speak only of the love of God, and he is seen only as a gentle and loving friend. It’s not that the worship songs are wrong. It’s just that they can almost completely miss a different side of God’s character. I want to explore that a little today before we... Read more
There are two verses in 2 Samuel 5 which together make a very important point for every leader. Whether your leadership is at work, in the church, or at home, you do well to take notice of these verses. The first answers an important question: “how did David become a great King?” The answer is simple: because God was with him. It is God who raises up leaders. It is God who determines our positions. And it is God who... Read more
This morning in church we sung an amazing hymn which I somehow haven’t heard of before. Robert Robinson’s hymn, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” spoke a clear and warming message to this wandering heart: O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be! Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart, O take and seal... Read more
Many of us go through life feeling like a square peg in a round hole. If we have any sense of destiny at all we think of it as something out there, unreachable. We feel like King David probably did for many years: out of place, awaiting that sense of fulfilling our destiny. I’m not altogether sure which is harder: not knowing what it is you were put on earth to accomplish, or knowing what you think it is, but being... Read more
I’m back. Truth is, over the last few months I have been struggling. Struggling with a new job, which I enjoy but has been demanding more of my time, effort, and emotional energy than I expected. Struggling to balance work with all the other demands on my time. Struggling to be all that I am meant to me. Feeling like a failure many days and in many ways. Struggling to find both the time and emotional space to write. Struggling... Read more
It seems that hardly a month goes by these days without there being another account of a leading evangelical who has fallen. Perhaps someone has deserted a doctrine traditionally held dear by fellow evangelicals. Or maybe they have had to resign their leadership in a storm of controversy about their leadership style, or because of a significant moral failure. Then, of course, there is an increasingly hostile media and society. Evangelicals are branded as fundamentalists and claimed by some to be... Read more
The world waits with bated breath as Greece and the rest of Europe are locked in an impasse. Greece says, “Enough is enough, we can’t cope with more austerity, we need debt relief.” Germany and others refuse to budge, presumably because they feel that if they grant relief to Greece, then Portugal, Italy, Spain, and Ireland will be next in line. But Germany itself was the recipient of the grace of debts cancelled, as this article from back in 2013 in... Read more
The above sermon was preached at Jubilee Church on Sunday 31st May. Here are the notes I preached from: Colossians 2:6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. I am, just like you, grateful in light of all God has done. We celebrated vision day, then international day, thankful to God What could we better look at... Read more
Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. (2 Corinthians 1:9 ESV) . When I feel weak, you are strong. When I sin, you remain righteous. When I am repentant, you forgive. When I am sick, you are the healer. When I am in dispair, you give me hope. When I am depressed, you are my source of joy. When... Read more
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb (Revelation 7:9) Stop what you are doing. Look in your diary for this Sunday. Ask yourself “Can I cancel that, and can I get to North London?” If the answer is even “mmmm….maybe?” then DO IT!. EVERYBODY is welcome. This trailer gives you some idea of what it... Read more
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