Jesus is the lens through which we see our world, and also the Bible. A lens makes things clearer so that you can discern properly, something that makes attitude and character different as we tread the path.
Jesus is the lens through which we see our world, and also the Bible. A lens makes things clearer so that you can discern properly, something that makes attitude and character different as we tread the path.
As we are surrounded by news and views that may or may not be true, we really do need something that will enable us to think and feel in the way that God, our designer, intends.
Avoiding pain means avoiding disappointment which means avoiding the expectation of desires that so often don’t get met. But our reality is that nothing will stop the ultimate pain of loss and grief.
Look back to look forward. Recognise the ruin and have vision for blessing
Thinking about the times when I have known God close by and the times when I have felt him far away
For wisdom on how to live life, look at the bible with an attentive and open heart
Changing the usual rhythms and activities in order to be both newly settled and surprised by the comfort and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is the risen one who speaks life even to the most infected and deathly situations.
Artists are prophets; they shape truth in such a way that it seeps into our souls or crashes into our hearts
In the Old Testament a tithe is introduced - not a tax by the regent - but a principle of giving and sharing
The church needs to be a place of welcome, sanctuary and wellbeing - shelters from the storms.
Along with celebrating greatness and success there is also the reality of who we are as creatures – finite, limited and our image-of-God-ness marred and tainted.
This season is quite trapeze-like – the exhilaration of a new kind of social freedom and the frozen dread of finding ourselves in solitary isolation
Medals aren’t always needed but rituals of honour are rich and meaningful.
Most of us are aware of the sharp change of mood and turn of events in such a short time as Jesus goes from hero messiah to common criminal.
Is it best for each of us to take responsibility for ourselves or to be told what to do and how to do it?
How do we know what is right or what is wrong? Different people have different ideas of morality and the impact of being ‘immoral’.
It may not feel that our own actions have the weight and consequence of a society that is broken, but actually, our own personal worlds are just as thorny and toxic as the culture we find ourselves in.
The Old Testament is full of ways to act as an older brother, using the power and resources to create a great environment for the whole family.
The bible is great collection of human experiences and writings, from lots of perspectives, all of which help us understand our condition because it is so honest and authentic.
Although Psalm 121:3 says 3 “He will not let your foot slip”, actually in practice, he may.
Shedding blood is a strong theme, not just in literature, but in the bible.
As well as faultlines between nations and ethnic and regional peoples, there are faultlines that run in families – patterns of behaviours.
Much of Jesus’ teaching is reassuring, kind and lovely. But there is a huge amount that is challenging, mysterious and even annoying
Have you ever been in a position where you have considered all that you have to do, and it is overwhelming?
The fight to breathe is dominating our planet, expressing the sin, sickness and death of a world far from its creator
Martin's new book is about how the Kingdom of Heaven was always God’s plan for humanity and creation, and how to see it everyday living.
The art of being a follower of Jesus is the art of seeing; the nurturing of the ability to not just look but to find; to watch and have vision
Jesus did not let his humanity and earthliness dictate his thinking and mission. He showed that you can inherit the Kingdom while living on the earth.
Why did Jesus curse the fig tree? Had the tree been naughty or was it a prophetic statement about what really matters?
If you ticked Christian, how will you live that out so that others will see your good works and glorify your father in heaven?
The life we’ve always wanted has to be about our own experience of being centred, whatever is happening around us or to us.
There are forces that help us move forward through pain and dread toward freedom and peace.
Changing the attitude of our hearts and minds can change the way we pray and think.
Even though he was facing rejection, cruelty and murder, he set his face towards these things and on the way not only avoided misery but brought joy.
The way to exercise prophecy and to fulfil prophecy is to get on with living like Jesus in the here and now.
What happens when a community is anxious? Factions, underlying politics, power struggles and poor behaviours start to emerge.
It is very hard to have patience and trust these days, but hiddenness can be a place of development and growth.
Overwhelmings can be exhilarating and exasperating. How can we deal with them without being destroyed by them?
What did the chaos in Washington DC reveal about us as individuals and how can we deal with it appropriately?
As Easter eggs replace mince pies at the shops, can we see this as an act of prophetic faith in resurrection and new life as well as the next marketing opportunity?
The Church has to do Christmas ever year, so there is probably a little pressure to find new ways of communicating the same classic tale.
An actual experience of God’s love and power releases us from the anxiety of circumstance and the restlessness of the soul - the good news of the Kingdom.
There is something profound about the safety that we find in goodness and kindness when we travel through stormy weather.
Like the sea that comes lapping, rolling or crashing into our lives, the Holy Spirit also leaves evidence of his presence and power.
How does the church learn to live and speak, so that our voice is truly prophetic and our actions bring the heavenly power of God into our world?
The story of Paul's shipwreck can help us learn about the practical solutions to problems as well as relationships, motivations and spiritual responses to the storms we find ourselves in.
The story of Noah is more relevant today that we may think. There are three things that make sense of what feels so out of control around me in the world in 2020.
Donkey Laws from the Old Testament can teach us how we should treat and help people today.