Jan2020
Eligible for membership
While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came down on all those who were listening to his message. The Jewish believers who had come from Joppa with Peter were amazed that God had poured out his gift of the Holy Spirit on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speaking in strange tongues and… Read more
Jan2020
The power of one
The Lord’s voice shakes the oaks and strips the leaves from the trees while everyone in his Temple shouts, ‘Glory to God!’ The Lord rules over the deep waters; he rules as king for ever. The Lord gives strength to his people and blesses them with peace. (verses 9-11) Read Psalm… Read more
Jan2020
The dung beetle syndrome
The LORD, the holy God of Israel, the one who shapes the future, says: ‘You have no right to question me about my children or to tell me what I ought to do! I am the one who made the earth and created human beings to live there. By my power I stretched out the… Read more
Jan2020
Quick to condemn
‘Teacher,’ they said to Jesus, ‘this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. In our Law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death. Now what do you say?’ They said this to trap Jesus, so that they could accuse him. But he bent over and wrote on the… Read more
Jan2020
Until you become a parent
As soon as Jesus was baptised, he came up out of the water. Then heaven was opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and landing on him. Then a voice said from heaven, ‘This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased’. (verses 16,17) Read… Read more
Jan2020
High anxiety
‘Do not be afraid, my people! You know that from ancient times until now I have predicted all that would happen, and you are my witnesses. Is there any other god? Is there some powerful god I never heard of?’ (verse 8) Read Isaiah 44:6-8,21-23 The excruciating experience of anxiety is in epidemic… Read more
Jan2020
Shine bright
And so they left, and on their way they saw the same star they had seen in the East. When they saw it, how happy they were, what joy was theirs! It went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. They went into the house, and when they saw… Read more
Jan2020
God’s amazing grace
Out of the fullness of his grace he has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after another. God gave the Law through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is the same as God and is at the Father’s side, he has… Read more
Jan2020
God ministers to us
Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! He keeps your gates strong; he blesses your people. He keeps your borders safe and satisfies you with the finest wheat. (verses 12-14) Read Psalm 147:12-15,19,20 A wife remarked to her husband after a church service, ‘Did you see what Mrs Jones was wearing?’ ‘No’,… Read more
Jan2020
The mountain and the desert
The Lord is a God who is eager to save, so he exalted his laws and teachings, and he wanted his people to honour them. But now his people have been plundered; they are locked up in dungeons and hidden away in prisons. They were robbed and plundered, with no… Read more
