Bible teaching

"Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them." [Proverbs 26:12] Are you truly teachable? Can you be confronted without bristling or making excuses for yourself? If you have ever lost your temper, hurt someone you care about, or found yourself acting in ways that even you don't fully understand, you already know how heavy regret can feel. You may have promised yourself it wouldn't happen again, only to find old patterns creeping back

"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." [ James 1:19] In the context of this chapter, James is mainly talking about the Word of God. James is saying we need to be quick to hear the Word of God, slow to question it, and not get mad about what He says! But this verse makes us think about our interactions with each other. Think for a minute about these three things: quick to listen, slow to sp

My normal pattern of writing a devotional is to start with a Bible verse that has spoken to me and prompted me to write on that theme; but today it's a beautiful poem called "Selah" by a lady called Sarah Trent that has stirred me to write, which I have included below. I have not noticed this beautiful, mysterious Hebrew word "Selah" in the Bible before, and it's one of those words we tend to overlook. It appears in the text of the King James Version and other translations, b

"So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He answered our prayer." [Ezra 8:23] Don't we love to eat? We love to meet up with family and friends over a delicious meal and it's also a great way to get to know new people, by sharing a meal together. So, it comes as no surprise that we feel more comfortable feasting rather than fasting! Fasting and prayer, though, are powerful tools for seeking God's guidance and help, especially in hard times. The purpose of fasting s

"For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." [Romans 8:24-25] Isn't it hard when we are waiting for something big or life changing to happen in our lives? Doesn't the time drag on, because we want it to happen now! It could be we are waiting to have enough money saved for a deposit on our first house. Waiting for a long overdue promotion at

"Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply from the heart." [1 Peter 1:22] This verse may be one of the most difficult commands, not only in this letter, but in the entirety of Scripture. There is a lot to unpack regarding love but let us first of all put this verse in its context. In 1 Peter 1:22, Peter is telling believers what their new life in Christ should look like. He is saying that

"For everything in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - comes not from the Father but from the world." - 1 John 2:16 Don't we live in a culture where we can get everything we want, anytime we want it by a click of a button? We live in a day and age where everything is accessible and all of this convenience means we don't often choose to go without something. It's hard not to get swept up in the quest for more. We are marketed to con

"I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought." [1 Corinthians 1:10] If you grew up with siblings, you have almost definitely been involved with family squabbles. Usually the quarrels within my family were over some unfairness that we perceived was happening. Generally the fallout did not last lon

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you." [ Ephesians 4:31-32] Have you ever been hurt deeply by someone and struggled to move past the pain? Do you feel bitter and resentful and unable to let go of an offense? If so, you are not alone! Being wounded by others, is an inevitable part of life in a broken world. Forgiveness

As we continue to read, meditate and pray through this Psalm, we will see everlasting evidence of hope, peace and truth.

a beautiful picture of how God wants to guide us and bless us throughout our lives.

What is God calling you to do today?

Matthew 24:9-10 "Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers....

...there is one object of fear which produces a positive reaction...

When God is our hiding place, we find peace that cannot be disturbed by the circumstances around us.

Part of following Jesus is to intentionally help others learn from Him, and become more like Him.

God did not call us to do His work in isolation, but within a community

Good things take time

I may not understand everything in the Bible, and often have difficulty explaining it, but I believe it all.

As believers, we are called to embrace forgiveness