Tag: Suffering

This is how much God loves us (Romans 5:6-11)

What is the thing that we perhaps find hardest to believe during trials and suffering?  Well, it’s the very thing we need to know the most. We need to know how much God loves us. We left off last time with that wonderful declaration of God’s love for us. This is the first mention of… Continue reading This is how much God loves us (Romans 5:6-11)

How God builds hope in our lives (Romans 5:1-5)

Would you consider yourself an optimist or a pessimist? How do you respond when you go through periods of struggle and suffering?   Are you ever tempted to doubt God’s love, forgiveness and acceptance of you? Paul’s teaching on justification is crucial as we seek to persevere in our faith. A Look at the text V1… Continue reading How God builds hope in our lives (Romans 5:1-5)

The pastor’s thorn

Paul David Tripp writes: “I was a failure and I was running. I couldn’t imagine a life of pastoral ministry anymore. It had once been a passion, a dream that seemed too good to be true but that passion had now morphed into a burden, one I no longer wanted to bear.”[1] I’m sure that… Continue reading The pastor’s thorn

“I don’t just want you to survive ….”

The other day, I talked about how the stand out thing I’d learnt from Mike Ovey was to allow God to disagree with me through his word. Well, one way that God disagreed with me came through Mike’s teaching, though in this case posthumously. After Mike’s untimely death, I remember one former student sharing that… Continue reading “I don’t just want you to survive ….”

When the answer to prayer is not what you expected or hoped for

I was taught as a child that God answers prayer in 3 ways “Yes” , “No” and “Wait” . Well although helpful, that’s a rather one dimensional view. Prayer is a conversation and sometimes the response is not what I expected or even what I would have hoped for.

How long?

Here is the latest in our series of daily expositions/mediations #TheDailyDose – we are looking at the book of Habakkuk and here are vital words for anyone struggling, fearful, grieving or even angry at wickedness, evil, suffering and persecution. The reading is Habakkuk 1:1-4. We are attempting something new from this week. As well as… Continue reading How long?

Why have I contributed to a book about pastors with depression? … And why do I want you to read it?

You probably have picked up by now that there’s a book coming out in May that I’ve contributed to. It’s called “The pastor with a thorn in his side” and it’s edited by my good friend, Steve Kneale who is the pastor of Oldham Bethel  So, why a book on this topic? Surely, it’s a… Continue reading Why have I contributed to a book about pastors with depression? … And why do I want you to read it?

Through the Fire

Today’s #DailyDose from Isaiah 43:1-13 points to God as the Lord and Saviour who created, redeemed and calls us. We discover doctrinal truth -that Christ is fully God and pastoral hope that no-one can snatch us from His hand.

Unity (Ephesians 4:1-10)

Today we talk about unity. Key points Unity is something to be worked at keeping. There is effort required Unity is not something we create, it already exists in the Spirit Unity is based on the truth that there is one God and one Gospel Unity is about patient, humble love There is no place… Continue reading Unity (Ephesians 4:1-10)