I was recently on holiday with my boys and while one was playing in the grass he got stung by a nettle. To sooth the pain I did what anyone does, looked for a dock leaf. As I rubbed the stings, the itching and pain slowly went from his arm and he was happy again to run in the grass …
I often get asked questions about creation, usually the question is, do I think the universe was created in seven days? My usual response is to ask them the question, does it matters? I don’t ask this to be flippant but to get away from what I find is a superficial, surface question to some of the much more important and profound questions. …
If you are a fan of nature documentaries, I am sure you will have seen David Attenborough quietly talking over the video of a river on the African plains. Birds cautiously swim on the surface and lions and antelope drink at the edge. Under the water, other creatures lurk, fish, hippos and crocodiles making the most of the water that …
As Ezekiel makes his way back from the mouth of the river he sees trees along the banks of the river producing fruit. He is told that fruit trees will grow where-ever the river flows. In Revelation, John sees a single tree, the tree of life. This tree has roots on both sides of the river and again is said …
When I was younger I used to love playing out in the nearby woods. It had been a warm summer and the ground was very dry and one day, whilst building dens with my friends, we discovered an area of ground that was smoking. We investigated by poking the ground with sticks to find that, in the peaty earth underneath, …
My favourite thing to do at the beach is redirect water. Yes, it sounds strange but it’s true. I love finding a stream that runs down to the sea and setting about trying to change how it flows. I build dams, dig trenches and excavate pools. One thing I have learnt from all this digging is that no matter how …
As I read the definitions of pioneer/pioneered/pioneering one word kept cropping up. Settle. Pioneer has always felt like an exciting word, a word of adventure and discovery of the unknown. Settle feels the exact opposite. It’s a word that feels static, comfortable, stationary and safe. So, I want to explore how these two link together and what this has to say about …
All four of the texts talk about water in some form. There is mention of streams, springs, rivers and even oceans. If you can remember your school days and geography lessons you will understand how these four are linked. Springs bubble up from the ground and form small streams that meander towards the sea growing wider and becoming rivers, these finally …
As I enter my second year in the North Shields and Whitley Bay Circuit serving Cullercoats Methodist Church and now the Fisherman’s Mission, I have been reflecting on where God has brought me and where he is leading. As a family we have been amazingly blessed through this year and as Naomi has said many times it has been the …
I was preparing a bible study a couple of weeks ago on the book of Revelation. It’s one of my favourite books and I have read and studied it many times and will continue to do so in the future. As part of the study I asked people what would be there desert islands bible book? my answer would probably …
On July 1st 2015 Methodist conference will discuss a report entitled Holy Communion Mediated through Social Media which was set up to address the following. To reflect on the issues regarding the suggested practice of celebrating Holy Communion with dispersed communities via live, interactive media such as the internet or videoconferencing. The key recommendation of the report is that the conference …
Written for the Methodist Churches Online Bible study, A Word in Time. The original post appears here http://www.methodist.org.uk/prayer-and-worship/a-word-in-time/2015/3-9-may-2015/saturday Acts 12:1-17 “They said to her, ‘You are out of your mind!’ But she insisted that it was so. They said, ‘It is his angel.’” (v. 15) Psalm: Psalm 5:1-8 Background This passage begins with the news of the second martyrdom in the book …
It’s a dark day for many. For others it’s a day of celebration and joy. I hope in 5 years I will look back and realise I was wrong. No one may ever read this but I need to get it on paper and out of my head so that I can find out where God is in all of …
Written for the Methodist Churches Online Bible study, A Word in Time. The original post appears here http://www.methodist.org.uk/prayer-and-worship/a-word-in-time/2015/3-9-may-2015/friday Acts 11:1-18 “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” (v. 3) Psalm: Psalm 4 Background Peter returns to Jerusalem after his journey through Lydda, Joppa and Caesarea. He had stories to share of God’s working in the world beyond Jerusalem. …
Written for the Methodist Churches Online Bible study, A Word in Time. The original post appears here http://www.methodist.org.uk/prayer-and-worship/a-word-in-time/2015/3-9-may-2015/Thursday Acts 10:44-48 “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” (v. 47) Psalm: Psalm 3 Background As Peter continues to preach to Cornelius and his family holy chaos descends upon proceedings. The passage …
Written for the Methodist Churches Online Bible study, A Word in Time. The original post appears here http://www.methodist.org.uk/prayer-and-worship/a-word-in-time/2015/3-9-may-2015/Wednesday Acts 10:34-43 “…but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” (v. 35) Psalm: Psalm 2 Background Here we join Peter as he begins to speak to an unusual group of people. Cornelius and his family …
Written for the Methodist Churches Online Bible study, A Word in Time. The original post appears here http://www.methodist.org.uk/prayer-and-worship/a-word-in-time/2015/3-9-may-2015/tuesday Acts 9:36-43 “Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity.” (v. 36) Psalm: Psalm 1 Background In this story we are told of a disciple called …
Written for the Methodist Churches Online Bible study, A Word in Time. The original post appears here http://www.methodist.org.uk/prayer-and-worship/a-word-in-time/2015/3-9-may-2015/monday Acts 9:1-20 “And immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’” (v. 20) Psalm: Psalm 149:1-5 Background At the end of Acts 7 and beginning of chapter 8 we are told of a young man named Saul who …
Written for the Methodist Churches Online Bible study, A Word in Time. The original post appears here http://www.methodist.org.uk/prayer-and-worship/a-word-in-time/2015/3-9-may-2015/sunday John 15:1-8 “I am the vine, you are the branches” (v. 5) Psalm : Psalm 150 Background Jesus shares his final ‘I am’ saying with his disciples between leaving the upper room (John 14:31) and entering the garden known as Gethsemane (John 18:1). We …