In this brief reflection, Graham gives some thoughts on God refusing to allow Moses to lead His people into the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 3:23–27)...
This week's W-W gives thanks for the gathered church, warns against overfamiliarity with God, challenges those who make people bigger than God, or themselves as more worthy of worship....
In this week's W-W there is a classic gospel illustration, a word on singing together, a summary of marriage truth, and a reminder of an important reason we gather together as a church....
Unpacking John's teaching in 1 John 3:22-23, where he speaks of the necessary interrelationship between our belief in Christ Jesus and our love for others....
Though genuine believers will struggle with sin, the work of the Spirit of Christ in us prevails such that we cannot live in ongoing, unrepentant sin....
In this week's W-W, we have a sensible productivity tip, an observation about discipleship, a word on God's will and prayer, and a reformation history doco to watch....
In this week's W-W, there is a discipleship encouragement, a family encouragement, a prayer encouragement, and a tempo of life encouragement... ...
This week's W-W has an illustration from marriage, encouragement from gospel conversations, a word on church divisions, a lesson from Afghanistan, and a prompt to pray for those living in pain....
In this week's W-W there is encouragement to fight, to pray, to trust, and to run... all in God's strength!...
As we have continued to work through the book of Job we have listened as even Job's closest friends turn on him. We have considered what they have had to say- the three not-so-comforters, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. We have heard the advice they have tried to give Job- or I should say the abuse they have dumped on poor Job. We tried to summarise their worldview and we real...
Keep ReadingHow would you describe your deepest longings as you turn the eyes of your heart to eternity?...
Keep ReadingWe were to work through Job 19 on Sunday. But the extreme weather, an uprooted tree* and fallen power lines meant that we were not able to gather for church. My wife wondered if there was something in the message which I had prepared that God didn't want us to hear this week! And yet, there was much in the events of the weekend- the power in the weather, the devastation of...
Keep ReadingRead through Job 16 Job feels "worn out" and "devastated" by God (Job 16:7), "assailed" and "torn" by God (Job 16:9), "shattered" and "crushed" by God (Job 16:12). And yet Job knows that- somehow- God is his only hope: "O earth, do not cover my blood;may my cry never be laid to rest!Even now my witness is in heaven;my advocate is on highMy intercessor is my friendas m...
Keep ReadingAs we have been listening to Job, we have been looking for marks of genuine faith. One of the most encouraging signs would have to be Job's perseverance. While it seems like he comes perilously close to throwing in the towel, Job does not let up. Deep down his faith holds on in hope that God will turn his face back towards Job and listen to his cries. Where does this pers...
Keep ReadingAs we listen to Job's words in speech after speech, I wonder if you begin to question his integrity. The raw manner with which he challenges not just his friends, but the Lord God Almighty, seems very presumptuous. It is little wonder that his comforters lose patience with him. Listen to Zophar in Job 11:2-5: "Are all these words to go unanswered? Is this talker to be vin...
Keep ReadingThis Sunday we will have a message summarising Job's speeches. In preparation for working through what Job has to say, it is necessary for us to consider what and why we as the readers of the book know more than Job and his friends. We have had Christopher Ash's excellent commentary as our regular guide as we have been working through the book. I include his extended insi...
Keep ReadingIt is not easy to get a handle on Job's thoughts when you read his speeches. Like most who are experiencing significant trauma, he is confused and inconsistent. Job is trying to make sense of 'God, life and the universe and everything'- which is not easy to do when you are in the midst of suffering. He is doing his theology on the run, and so he is not a completely reliabl...
Keep ReadingWhat is the ultimate reason for Job's misery? What causes him the most distress? We must not dismiss his considerable grief at the loss of his children, the stress of financial ruin and the agony of his physical suffering, yet there is something deeper still. Something more fundamental. When we come to Job's words in chapter 9, the theme of God's justice is ramped up. It'...
Keep ReadingA photo gallery from our Mother's Day service....
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