Viewing all items in Resource Category: Looking at God

The hymn ‘Just As I Am’ must be one of the most famous in the world. It has been sung by tens of millions of Christians at Billy Graham Crusades the world over, just for starters! Yet it was not written by a professional who was ‘aiming’ at a specific market, as many songs seem...

‘I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.’ (Psalm 40:1). ‘Dear God, I pray for patience, and I want it now!’ Most of us can identify with this prayer, especially as we face an uncertain future. Psalm 40:1-3 describes how David waited patiently on God (lit: ‘I waited, waited...

Have you ever got into trouble while abroad? The true story is told of a group of tourists who went to Israel some years ago and arrived in Jerusalem very eager to see the sites of the old city. Four members of the group were so engrossed in taking pictures of each other by the...

The Frailty of Life  From the Vicar Psalm 46 – a psalm of comfort in anxious times Local is back! Ask Him for ‘pandemic grace’ Why sometimes you need a broken heart One in 20 starts praying since Coronavirus began As fine silver… Do you need a new pain killer? ** Editor:  Canon Paul Hardingham...

According to one survey, during the lockdown, a quarter of adults in the UK have watched or listened to a religious service and one in 20 have started praying. While the majority of people who contract Covid-19 survive, it reminds us that we are much more frail and weak than we like to think. As...

According to one survey, during the lockdown, a quarter of adults in the UK have watched or listened to a religious service and one in 20 have started praying. While majority of people who contract Covid-19 survive, it reminds us that we are much more frail and weak than we like to think. As the...

To say that we are living in uncertain times is an understatement! Psalm 46 speaks into our anxiety and fear, just as it did to Israel originally. At this time, we must focus on God, who alone can deliver us in such times. He is our refuge: ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present...

Odd things have been happening to my world in these past weeks of lockdown. It’s got bigger. I’ve been speaking regularly via the web with friends in Australia and the United States. Worshippers from Canada and South Africa are taking part in our online church services. Other churches are telling the same stories, with increasing...

There are hardships you and your family might be facing, as you try to respond well to the challenges brought about by this COVID-19 pandemic. At the 2nd Lausanne Congress in 1989 in Manila, a Chinese brother shared the story of his imprisonment in a labour camp in China because of his faith. The authorities...

There is a Hasidic tale which evokes Deuteronomy 11:18, and seems especially apt for now: ‘The pupil comes to the rabbi and asks, “Why does Torah tell us to ‘place these words upon our hearts’? Why does it not tell us to place these holy words in our hearts?” ‘The rabbi answers, “It is because as we are, our...

Is the nation turning to God in prayer? Well, not quite yet, but recent research from Tearfund has shown that prayer is more common than many would think, with just under half (44%) of UK adults saying that they pray, and one in twenty (5%) saying they have started praying during the lockdown. In addition,...

Malachi 3:3 says: “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study. They got to wondering what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the...