For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. (Luke 19:10 NIV) I’ve just completed another cycle of my weekly wash, now it’s time to hang up the washing to dry. On to the clothes horse go my shirts, underwear, jeans, a jumper, and seven pairs of socks. Hold on a […]

‘How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your river of delights’.(Psalm 36:7-8 New Living Translation) Have you ever played the game ‘effeuiller la marguerite’? It’s a game of French origin […]

‘…Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry’. (2 Timothy 4:11 NIV) Have you ever had a bad school report? Here are some famous people who clearly could have done better according to their school reports: “This boy will never get anywhere in life.” Eric Morecambe “He must devote less […]

There was also a prophet, Anna…She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying…she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were […]

‘…God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.’ (Acts 2:24 NIV) It’s estimated that more than a billion people around the world watch the Oscars. It’s an evening filled with: Laughter, music, dance, creativity, surprises, tears, and a few dodgy […]

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9 NIV) The custom of Trooping the Colour dates back to the time of Charles II in the 17th Century. The Colours of a regiment were […]

‘I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour’ (1 Timothy 2:1–2 NIVUK) If you live in the UK you can’t […]

‘…Honor one another above yourselves’. (Romans 12:10 NIV) Jonathan Jones, an art critic on The Guardian, has written that “In late 19th- and early 20th-century France the paintings of [J.M.W.] Turner hovered…in the imaginations of artists from Monet to Matisse, who learned from them how colour could be expressive, atmospheric, even abstract”. He goes on […]

‘…keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.’ (Hebrews 12:2 NLT) Recently I went to see the rock band Queen (plus Adam Lambert) live at the O2 arena; a performance which the Evening Standard called an ‘all-guns-blazing rock machine’. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea I know but it warmed the cockles […]

[The Lord] will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. (Micah 4:3 NIV) The story of Anne Frank has always […]

“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates which the LORD your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment”. (Deuteronomy 16:18 NKJV) Have you noticed that there are so many programmes on TV that have a panel of judges? There’s the X-Factor, Strictly Come Dancing, The […]

‘…he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters… I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland’. (Isaiah 43:16,19 NIV) I’ve recently sat through the DVD series on ‘The Bible’ and watched the films ‘The Ten Commandments’ and ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’ with varying degrees of enjoyment […]

‘Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path’. (Psalm 119:105 NIV) I recently got a TomTom; a portable Global Positioning System (GPS) for car navigation. Incredibly this Satellite Navigation (Sat Nav) system works out for me the most direct route from A to B and provides me with real-time information about which […]

‘I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you’. (John 15:15 NIV) Joseph Scriven was born in 1819 and at the age of 25 he was engaged to be […]

‘…Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry…’ (John 6:35 NIV) The world’s first food bank was established in the US in 1967, and since then many thousands have been set up all over the world. Until recently the UK had little need for food banks due […]

[The disciples] were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:41 NIV) When I was a manager in a local Benefit Agency office, claimants would call into the office to discuss their case with the counter clerk. If they were unhappy with the information given […]

‘I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others’. (Genesis 12:2 New Living Translation) I think it’s true to say that all Christians would want to be blessed by God. That’s a good thing to desire and has its foundation rooted in both […]

‘And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me’. (Matthew 18:5 NIV) Walthamstow, the area where I live in north east London, is famous for a few things. E17, (now known as East 17), is a pop group that has sold over 18 million records worldwide, and was formed in Walthamstow, taking its name from […]