For the past few weeks I’ve been going through the book of Hebrews in my daily studies. It’s quite a long book and contains some rich theology as well as practical teaching in everyday living. I did have to smile when I got the the last few verses and read ‘bear with me… for I have written to you briefly’! (Hebrews 13:22) If it has an overall theme it’s this: You can’t go back – press on. At the time…
In may last post I mentioned spiritual disciplines. Things like prayer, Bible reading etc. Then I was reading in Hebrews 12 about how God disciplines us as sons (and daughters). The context initially looks to be about God correcting us for our sins. Heb 12:6. But there’s also a sense of training, the way athletes discipline themselves when preparing for a race. In fact the chapter goes on to talk that way in Heb 12:12-13. This shows another aspect of…
I’ve previously posted about being In my Chair. A place where I meet with God, sometimes called a ‘devotional’ or a ‘quiet time’. I included a couple of posts about some of the things I do that help me focus in those times.They’re all well and good (I hope!). In previous times these have been called ‘spiritual disciplines’. A title which is correct, if a little off-putting. ‘Discipline’ is not a particularly positive word these days, especially in a culture…
“every life matters … because we’re made by God in his image”We’ve all seen the ‘Black Lives Matter’, ‘All Lives Matter’, ‘White Lives Matter’ slogans – even movements – that have sprung up recently. Some of this is proving to be a force for good, but some of it seems to merely inflame existing, and deep-rooted tensions.Rather than enter these debates for now, I wanted to take a step back and ask: why does any life matter? And to whom…
When the lockdown started we all had to hunt around for ways of communicating with each other. Right from the word go, it was the most natural thing in the world to want to engage with other people.Technology played a massive part in this, with one app that most people had not heard of becoming so popular it became a verb. We ‘zoom’ one another.That’s interesting to me – as someone whose whole career has been in IT. Why should…
My last two posts have been about spending time in the Word and prayer while ‘in my chair’. That is, in a focused devotional time.These are important times and a vital part of a relationship with God. But a relationship with God is not solely a matter of a short time with him, it needs to be something that carries through into the whole day. So I want to share three things that may help to take what we learn…
The next topic in this ‘mini-series’ is on spending time with God in the Word.Interestingly, I read this tweet this morning:“The Scriptures are absolutely key in the process by which the Spirit gives—and strengthens—the faith of Christians.”Without them we have no ‘anchor’ – nothing objective.Of course, all you really need is a Bible and somewhere quiet. And there have been times when that’s worked fine.But most of the time I need something that is structured, and that holds me accountable…
For the next two or three posts, I’m going to describe some of the ways I spend time ‘in my chair’. ‘In my chair’ is a response to our Pastor’s challenge of a couple of years ago “Where’s your chair?’ It’s simply where and how do I spend time alone with God.The most important thing is to discover what works for you. I’m sharing here what works for me – I hope you will find it useful! And if you’ve…
A close friend of mine was having a ‘wobble’.Too many Zoom meetings, colleagues getting stressed out and fractious, to say nothing of home life in general.Can certainly identify with this, after all we’re living in a situation that has challenged a lot of the ways we’ve being living our lives. All of a sudden, but with no end in sight. And no time to think it out, as we’ve get on with coping.Sometimes we’re ok, but then a few things…
A few thoughts from Psalm 8 – not an exhaustive exposition! 1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,4 what…