blog

  • Just a Thought... 7 May

    We rightly regard ‘slavery’ as an awful practice: people ‘owned’ by others, denied their freedom, forced to work for no or little reward and certainly with no choice, haunt world history. Yet in the ancient world, ‘slavery’ could mean indentured labour: a firm but time-limited work contract that provided some form of social security in a world where there was no welfare state. We would much prefer a welfare state but can recognise that for some ancient people it might have been better to work than starve. Last Sunday morning we saw from Deut ch15 how...

  • Just a Thought... 30 April

    Last Sunday we celebrated our 19th church anniversary (the actual date we first met all together was 17th April 2005, meeting in Hardenhuish School Hall). It’s important to note such anniversaries because, as Moses prays: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm90:12) As a church we can gain a heart of wisdom by looking back over the last 19 years of the LORD’s faithfulness: through challenges and opportunities, massive discouragements and wonderful encouragements, He has kept us. Always we have sought to be driven by the Bible...

  • Just a Thought... 23 April

    On Sunday evening we continued to see from Matthew 26 that the events leading up to Jesus’ death were all part of God’s plan to save many people. God was working out His purposes even as Jesus was betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, and deserted by all the disciples. Jesus knows everything that is about to happen to Him and as he anticipates the cross, we read in verse 38: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” And in verse 39: “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken...

  • Just a Thought... 16 April

    “Surely just a little bit won’t hurt…” is how our thinking often goes in all sorts of areas. Sometimes that’s true… Yet when it comes to decisions over right and wrong, the Bible makes clear that ‘compromise’ isn’t acceptable to the LORD. Last Sunday morning we saw Moses starting to apply the implications of the 10 commandments to the day-to-day lives of God’s people as they went to live in the promised land. The implications of loving God and not making idols were explained in graphic detail as God’s people...

  • Just a Thought... 9 April

    The greatest crisis coming on the world isn’t global warming, financial crisis, inflation, poverty or even wars. The MOST important crisis coming on the world will be the return of Christ and the judgment of God. Yet as we saw last Sunday evening from Matthew ch 26, even as the Lord Jesus warned His disciples about the coming judgment of God, He described God’s rescue plan to them. The fact is that although our world looks and feels as if it is out of control and in chaos, it isn’t. God’s plans ARE being fulfilled: We...

  • Just a Thought... 26 March

    Decisions, decisions, decisions – life is full of them: From the large decisions about relationships, jobs, accommodation and health to the small ones about whether to have another cup of tea or how many biscuits are enough? The question is how we make such decisions: What criteria do we use? Do we just go with the flow of our upbringing, the flow of society or go with the demands of our appetite?! Last Sunday morning we saw Moses reminding the Old Testament people of God that the LORD has given them criteria that will guide both their large and small...

  • Just a Thought... 19 March

    In a world that has sadly begun to feast on ‘cancel culture’, as Christians we know the grace of God, giving us who don’t deserve it second chances. Last Sunday morning we saw again from Deuteronomy ch 9 & 10 Moses’ account of God’s people: How they broke their covenant with the LORD within days of receiving it. Moses had illustrated clearly what they had done by breaking the stone tablets on which the LORD had written the 10-commandments. Only his prayer for their forgiveness saved them from destruction. Yet what’s clear is that the...

  • Just a Thought... 12 March

    On Sunday evening we were continuing to consider Jesus’ return from Matthew 24. We saw from v36: “No-one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” God the Son willingly took on human flesh and was made like us. He humbled Himself as Philippians 2 reminds us, limited Himself, so the He could go to the cross and save us. In His humanity Jesus could say that He did not know the hour of His return. It is, therefore, futile and wrong for us to try...

  • Just a Thought... 5 March

    For the majority of people alive, this world is all they know. Therefore, their great concern and fear is the end of the world and not where they will spend eternity. We should not be surprised, then, when there is worry about nuclear disaster, climate catastrophe or the sun burning itself out. As Christians it would be easy to worry about these things too but as we have seen in the last 2 Sunday evenings from Matthew 24, God is in total control and will bring this world to an end in His perfect timing. In explaining the conditions of...

  • Just a Thought... 27 February

    Many of us will have heard the illustration: “If your whole life, what you thought and your heart attitudes were all put on a huge display screen for everyone to see, how would you feel?”. The answer of course, if that were ever possible, is that all of us would feel deeply ashamed! Last Sunday morning we saw from Deuteronomy ch 9 Moses describing a major incident in which the people of God had shamed themselves so sinfully and deeply, that it seemed as if they were damned: ““13 I have seen this people, and they...