An all-age introduction to the book of Jonah (when the live stream didn’t work!)

What can we learn from Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane about the importance of praying through trials?

Mark continues in the second half of the Lord’s Prayer.

Looking the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-10.

Continuing the evening series considering what it means to pray together as a church family. This time – what is prayer? What does it mean to call on the name of the Lord?

Mark begins a new Sunday evening series looking at what it means to be a church that prays together. Looking mainly at how the early church prayed in the book Acts, Mark challenges us to show our trust in the Lord in the way that we pray to Him.

The next part in our series in 1 Peter.

What is our confidence in Christ?

How should Christians and churches engage with the State? See Peter’s challenging answer in 1 Peter 2:13-25.

We continue in our evening series in the book of 1 Peter.

The second part in our Sunday evening series in 1 Peter on the important subject of holiness in the life of the believer.

The first in a new Sunday evening series in the letter of 1 Peter. We see that, just like these 1st-century believers, we are both elect (chosen by God) and exiled (strangers in this world).

This week for Women’s Bible Study we will be looking at Ruth chapter 4:13-22. If you are able to read or listen to the fourth chapter of Ruth first, please do! It will help you get the most of the study.

We have reached our last week in Ruth.  What a great book it has been to study! There is so much in here, more than we were even able to touch on in the study.  I hope that you have been challenged and encouraged through studying the book of Ruth.  

This week we spoke of leaving a legacy.  The people in this story, Naomi, Ruth and Boaz were all normal people who lived in faith and hope of their God and this spoke volumes of who they were, who their God was and affected history. What a legacy! 

Kelly Minter puts it: “Faithful obedience and love to God during our earthly years can affect things long after we are gone.” 

I would love for you to spend some time looking through this book and thinking about what has changed, encouraged, challenged by this book of the Bible.  Take time to journal about this! It helps instill things in our hearts and minds! 

Resources

1. Holy Bible, New International Version, 2011
2. Minter, K, 2009, Ruth: Loss, Love and Legacy, LifeWay Press, Tennessee

This week for Women’s Bible Study we will be looking at Ruth chapter 4:1-12. If you are able to read or listen to the fourth chapter of Ruth first, please do! It will help you get the most of the study.

I hope you were able to listen to the talk on Ruth and below you will find further questions and thoughts to help you dig deeper into some of the things talked about.  Why not ask a friend to do the study with you and talk about these things?

Kinsman-Redeemer

This week we talked about how Boaz became Ruth and Naomi’s kinsman-redeemer. Remember a kinsman-redeemer needed to be: someone near the kin, able to redeem and willing to redeem. We saw that Naomi and Ruth’s nearest relation, was near kin, able to redeem but not willing to redeem. Which was a blessing really as it allowed Boaz to become their kinsman-redeemer.  

This makes me think of our own redeemer, Jesus Christ! He chose to become a man, making him like us, he was able and willing to redeem and he did!

Romans 5:6-8 says:
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us

How does Christ’s willingness to redeem you further impact your understanding of His love for you? 

John 10:14-15
I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

I love the fact that Jesus knows my name. That He is our shepherd, who guides us, cares for us, protects us and was willing to die for us because we are his! It helps me give myself to him when I remember this! Remember his care and love for me. 

Blessings

One of the other things we see in this passage is the women of the city speaking a blessing over Ruth, Naomi and Boaz.  It doesn’t seem that we often speak blessings over one another today.  We say prayers, wish and hope for people but it’s not very often we speak blessings over them. Spirit-led, biblical words that implore the power of God over your life in a purposeful manner.(2) 

My challenge for you is to speak or text a blessing over someone today. 

Here are a couple of examples from the bible for you: 

Numbers 6:22-26
The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

1 Peter 5:10-11
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

May God bless each of you today, may you be filled with the knowledge of his love for you and may God instill in you a heart of grace and love for one another that you may become more like Christ each and every day.  

Resources

1. Holy Bible, New International Version, 2011
2. Minter, K, 2009, Ruth: Loss, Love and Legacy, LifeWay Press, Tennessee
3. Iain M. Duguid, Esther and Ruth (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing Co., 2005), 173

Click here to listen to Ruth chapter 4.

This week for Women’s Bible Study we will be looking at Ruth chapter 3. If you are able to read or listen to the third chapter of Ruth first, please do! It will help you get the most of the study.

This week, we’ve a bit more of a personal reflection with the Lord. So I’ve planned 3 short meditations for us to consider. Each meditation is about 10 minutes so you might want to do just one or all three, but grab your bible, some paper or post-it notes and a drink and get ready!

Ruth taught us about the characteristics of trust, self-control and patience. As we think about these today, let’s listen to a song based on Psalm 130.

“I will wait for you” (Psalm 130) [LIVE] by Shane & Shane
https://youtu.be/l8pCbtLeXzc

PART ONE

There is something both dull and draining about waiting. But when I look to God and look to him for strength, I find him. 

Isaiah 40:31
Those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

When you’re weary of waiting, God will give you strength.

Take a moment, to think about your weariness and then what it means to Soar, Run and Walk.
Remember a mercy God has shown you when you’ve been waiting, where he has strengthened you. Thank him for that mercy. 

If you can’t think of anything right now, ask God to open your eyes to one way he surrounds you today.

On separate post its or scraps of paper, write down the things that most challenge you today/ at the moment. Things that you’re waiting for now.  Now in turn pray into each challenge, the situation people and timing of it. Ask God for strength. Give the challenge to him. Now tear each one up. They are His not yours.

PRAY
Lord God,  you whisper hope to me even though I wait for answers.
Please open my  eyes to your presence around me.
Strengthen me and give me endurance as I wait.
Thank you for your faithful love. Amen

Now listen to 

“Eagles Fly” taken from the album ‘Joanne Lunn sings Prom Praise Solos’ by Joanne Lunn © Christian Focus ISBN5028519012128

PART TWO

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

To trust on my own is impossible, the key is to lean on God.  When I remember how great He is I can trust in God. After all He is King of the universe!

Take a moment to praise God for the wonders you can see as you look around right now, (you may want to wander into the Garden and feel the sun on your face).

Now, come and sit or kneel before Him and confess the things you’re trying to control. 

Remember He is patient and loving.  In your heart, what are your hopes right now? Give these things to God.  As you sit, open and lift your hands to God. Picture yourself giving the hopes to Him.  Remember He is in control.

PRAY
Heavenly Father,
you are the one who sets the earth on its axis,
you are the one who orchestrates everything, big and small.
It’s so difficult  to wait for answers, but You are
the one true King who uses all things for good.
You waste nothing.
Let me lean on your understanding, I submit to you. Amen

Now Listen to 

“Lord you have searched me and know me” © Joel Payne / RESOUNDworship.org, RESOUNDworship.org, Administered by Jubilate Hymns Ltd – 

https://youtu.be/F5fN7JvdfUE 

PART THREE

The Lord is enough.  It’s the most beautiful truth that gives all trial, all weakness, all waiting purpose.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12 :9
My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Take a moment, close your eyes, bow your head and breath. Be still. Think. Breath.
If your mind has wandered, come back to your thoughts.
Feel the rhythm of your breath

Is there something you want right now that seems to eclipse God? Tell him about it.
Ask him to teach your heart that He is your portion today and every day.

PRAY
Lord God,
You are grace and glory,
You are my daily bread.
Take my hopes and take my heart,  sustain me
and give me what I need to live well today.
Let me persevere with true joy, so that Your power
is made perfect in my weakness. I love you Lord.
You are enough for me. Amen.

Now listen to 

“What a faithful God Have I” by Heavenly Worship

https://open.spotify.com/track/2YPxTLRAJfEKjarKIo6jce?si=fWB8HA7WRwOI1i-K1UXs0Q 

PRAY
Finally, Give thanks that God has done everything we need through Jesus.

Thank God for your breath

Thank God for your passions and desires

Thank God for your family

Thank God for the cross

Thank God for his love

Thank God for his Grace

Thank God that he holds us and sustains us. Today, Every Day. Without Fail. 

Listen to 

“Grace Awaiting Me” by Emu Music

https://open.spotify.com/track/0Tbs7QhLdhXBGV6SbHlAJH?si=DGLqCzypS3S2wcyt2d3vvg 

Click here to listen to Ruth chapter 3.

This week for Women’s Bible Study we will be looking at the rest of Ruth chapter 2. If you are able to read or listen to the second chapter of Ruth first, please do! It will help you get the most of the study.

Below you will find a few questions to go along with the talk above. We hope they will help you to further explore the Bible passage for this week. Why not ask a friend to do the study with you and talk about these things?

Question 1

‘And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.’
2 Corinthians 9:8

Complete the sentence: Today, God has given me….

Question 2

‘You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.’ (Joseph when forgiving his brothers, Genesis 50:20)

List (share) examples of times when it was in looking back that you saw God’s providence in your struggles. 

Question 3

‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.’ Philippians 4:6 

How can thanksgiving and prayer help us combat feelings of bitterness and anger? What other things can we do to fight against the lie that God is against us? 

Question 4

‘At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favour in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?” Ruth 2:10

If you are able, try and take some time today to meditate on the awesomeness of Jesus. Why have we found such favour in his eyes that he notices us – mere sinners?! There are some links below to a few songs that may help you do this. 

I Stand Amazed – Chris Tomlin – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue8ZCAc9xQ8

Who Am I – Casting Crowns – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C53GgUJ6y-Y

The Stand – Hillsong – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV5iZBTNYrk

How Can It Be – Lauren Daigle – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt5X91ciE6Y

This is Amazing Grace – Phil Wickham – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPQKj2Zptr0

Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me – CityAlight – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwc2d1Xt8gM

Thank you for joining in with this week’s study! If you have any further questions, thoughts or feedback please get in touch.

References:
English Standard Version Study Bible, Crossway, 2008
Ruth: Under the Wings of God, John Piper, July 8 1984 (accessed via www.desiringgod.org)
‘Can e-Harmony Beat This? Ruth 2’, Robert L Deffinbaugh, (accessed via bible.org)

This week for Women’s Bible Study we will be looking at Ruth chapter 2. If you are able to read or listen to the second chapter of Ruth first, please do! It will help you get the most of the study. 

Below you will find a few questions to go along with the talk above. We hope they will help you to further explore the Bible passage for this week. Why not ask a friend to do the study with you and talk about these things?

Question 1

Romans 5:3-5
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that sufferings produce perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. 

As we saw in chapter 1, Ruth is definitely perseverant! Her character is constant in every aspect of her life and it is this integrity that earns her Boaz’s notice when she needs help. Some of the aspects of Ruth’s character we’ve seen over the last two chapters are: 

• Caring
• Initiative
• Loyalty
• Humility
• Respect
• Diligence 

Is there a characteristic (listed here or not) that you would like to develop further in yourself? How can we help each other to do this? 

Question 2

Romans 12:10
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honour.

Boaz chooses to go beyond the requirements of the Law in order to show kindness to Ruth. He wasn’t simply concerned with what people could see, but with doing what was right and good. What are some practical ways that we could go beyond what is expected for our husbands? Our children? Our friends? Our co-workers, neighbours, teachers, acquaintances? People we pass on our daily walks, or who we see in the grocery stores or wherever else we may see others?

Question 3

Leviticus 23:22
And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner. I am the Lord your God.’

Can you think of some creative ways we could practice ‘gleaning’ for those in need around us in modern times? 

Question 4

Are we willing, like Ruth, to stay where God has called us and persevere even in the hard things, or, like Elimelech, are we always looking for the next comfortable thing? In what ways could we persevere in the field of lockdown and social distancing that we’ve been called to right now? 

Thank you for joining in with this week’s study! If you have any further questions, thoughts or feedback please get in touch.

References: 

English Standard Version Study Bible, Crossway, 2008
Ruth: Under the Wings of God, John Piper, July 8 1984 (accessed via www.desiringgod.org)
‘Can e-Harmony Beat This? Ruth 2’, Robert L Deffinbaugh, (accessed via bible.org)

Click here to listen to Ruth chapter 2.

This week for Women’s Bible Study we will be continuing to look at Ruth 1. If you can, read or listen to again the first chapter of Ruth before you dive in here.

I hope you were able to listen to the talk on Ruth and below you will find further questions and thoughts to help you dig deeper into some of the things I talked about.  Why not ask a friend to do the study with you and talk about these things?

Ruth 1:20-21 Naomi says, “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.  I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”

How have you been angry or disappointed in God? Were you honest with God about it? Do you feel it’s okay to be angry/disappointed with God? 

Psalm 126
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev.
Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.
Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.

How does this Psalm encourage you to keep moving forward in the middle of difficult times? How can you practically do this? 

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says ‘He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.’

How does this truth challenge you?  Are you okay with letting go and letting God have control because his timing is perfect? 

I hope this truth encourages/challenge you. It is hard to let go and give it all to God. It can be scary but remember that His timing is perfect and remember who your God is! If you’re finding it hard, remind yourself of who he is, challenge yourself to look throughout the Bible finding that out! And then trust him with it all!

Holy Bible, New International Version, 2011
Minter, K, 2009, Ruth: Loss, Love and Legacy, LifeWay Press, Tennessee

This week for Women’s Bible Study we will be starting our study of the book of Ruth.

I hope you were able to listen to the talk on Ruth and below you will find further questions and thoughts to help you dig deeper into some of the things I talked about.  Why not ask a friend to do the study with you and talk about these things?

Galatians 6:9 says Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 

Hebrews 11:24-26 says By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.

How do these verses encourage you to stand firm where God has you?

In these verses in Ruth 1:16-17 we learn about Ruth’s loyalty and obedience to God.   We see her desire to change her circumstances so she can continue to stand firm in her decision to follow God. We also see her loyalty to Naomi in these verses.  We won’t be able to make it if our motivation for obedience is based on anything but our relationship with God. Remember Ruth was willing to leave her home to do what was right for her in her relationship with God.  

Can you think of an area in your life/heart that you need to change in order to completely give yourself to God? 

How does Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi encourage you to show this same type of committed loyalty to a friend or loved one? 

James 1:2-4,12
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything…Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

Remember that in this life, you are not alone. We are in this together and not one of us is perfect. So have hope in our God who has not left you alone and will finish what he began in you! 

Holy Bible, New International Version, 2011

Minter, K, 2009, Ruth: Loss, Love and Legacy, LifeWay Press, Tennessee

Click here to listen to Ruth chapter 1.

This week’s message comes from Acts 2:14-47. Let’s see what God has to say to you through Richard speaking to us this week.

Our visiting speaker, Tom Brewer from Bath,  talks to us about where we place our confidence. We can rely on our own ability and confidence, or we can put our faith in Jesus Christ. Tom encourages us to place our trust in the Lord, whether or not we already know him.

If we don’t already know God, we can rely on him to forgive our sins when we turn away from them and trust in God’s forgiveness.

If we do know God, we can trust in his power – the power that raised Jesus from the dead – to change us to be more like him. This may well involve us in suffering a little of the pain that Jesus suffered when he died on the cross.

How should we stand up for what we believe in? We are not talking here about a crusade against an enemy or interminable disputes about what a word means, but about knowing what the Bible teaches in order to recognize when someone teaches something different. If someone accidentally makes a mistake about what the text means, we can help them to see the truth, but when someone is deliberately distorting the truth to excuse behaviour that should not be accepted, what then?

Listen to this talk to see what one of our church leaders, Paul Sherwood, explains what the book of Jude has to say about this situation and how we can remain faithful to God’s word and the standard of behaviour He calls for.

The Book of Acts starts with the risen Jesus establishing his church in Jerusalem. He spent time with the Apostles, teaching them about the Kingdom of God, before ascending into heaven.

In this talk, Richard Wardman discusses three aspects of a time of waiting that the church experienced: waiting for God’s power, rejoicing in the ascension of Jesus and trusting that God is reigning.

If we acknowledge the Kingship of Jesus,  we are also going to experience the same sort of things: we are dependent  on God’s power, we rejoice in the fact that Jesus ascended into heaven – and will return – and that in everything, God reigns as king.

In this new series on the Book of Acts, Richard Wardman starts by placing Acts in context: Luke’s gospel and Acts were written by the same person, and in many ways, Acts continues from where the gospel ends, both in the narrative and by continuing the themes important to Luke.

If Luke is about what Jesus did and taught, then Acts is very much the “Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus”, through the Holy Spirit and through the church.

There are problems and there are serious problems. In this encounter, Jesus helps a man who our society would regard as mentally disturbed; what makes the problem even more serious is the root cause: the man was under the control of a large numbers of evil spirits who were causing the man’s madness.

In this talk from Mark 5, verses 1-20, we see how Jesus heals the man – and the consequences of what he does. Richard Wardman also takes us through the A-B-C of how to approach Jesus.

The reading for this talk was not recorded, so you might want to read Mark 5 before listening.

How do you know what you love and why you love it?

In this talk, Richard Wardman looks at the lessons that we can learn from the story of the woman who loved much. She showed her love for Jesus in what she did – even though it must have been a great sacrifice of what she had long treasured. Richard also looks at the motivation, the risks to her reputation that she took, and how Jesus saw her actions.

Richard Wardman continues this short series on what we can learn from encounters that people had with Jesus in the Bible. In this talk, he looks at what happened when some parents brought their children to be blessed by Jesus in Mark chapter 10.

Jesus’ followers wanted to turn the children away: their thinking seems to be that Jesus was far too important to be bothered with kids. By contrast, Jesus wanted to bless them and commanded his followers not to stop them coming to him.

What can we learn about how we see children and about how they can be encouraged to come to Jesus in today’s world?

As we prepare for 2020, one of our church leaders, Steve Riisnaes, asks us to consider what sort of people we are: busy folk with full agendas, always doing something, or people who take time to sit at Jesus’ feet, listening to what He wants to say, and filling our hearts with His word.

In this story about Martha and her sister, Mary, Jesus points out that sometimes we need to make the effort to just sit and slow down,  and Steve considers what modern people can do to achieve that.

In this third talk for the period just before Christmas, Richard Wardman links the Old Testament prophecies of Isaiah about Immanuel and the Son who is to be given to us with Matthew Chapter 1. This talks about the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem at Christmas, the Son of God as well as a baby human being. God is with us!

But Richard also introduces us to the name and title of the baby – Jesus, which means “he saves” and the title “Christ”, which means “the anointed one”. Listen on to see why that is the most important element of the Christmas story.

In this talk, we again look at the period of waiting which we call Advent. This is derived from the Latin words meaning “to come”, and is the period when we prepare spiritually for Christmas, the time when Jesus was born as a baby in Bethlehem.

Richard Wardman looks again at the prophecies of Isaiah, this time in Chapters 8 verse 19 to 9 verse 7, when Isaiah looks forward to the birth of a child, a son, who will be King. Richard looks at the qualities of this son, and why he is qualified to be King. The words of this prophecy are very well known to Christians and lovers of Handel’s Messiah:

“For unto us a Child is born; unto us a son is given. The Government will be upon his shoulders and he shall be called ‘Wonderful Counsellor’, ‘Mighty God’, ‘Everlasting Father’, ‘Prince of Peace’.”

The reading that starts this talk starts at Isaiah 9 v1.

Advent is the time of waiting: waiting for Christmas, waiting to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It is easy to get caught up with the commercial side of Christmas: shopping, exchanging gifts, sending cards and eating and drinking, but Advent gives us the opportunity to press pause for a few minutes to reflect on the real meaning of Christmas: that God came to be with us on earth, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Richard Wardman introduces this short series by reflecting on one of the names ascribed to Jesus before he was born: Immanuel. This means “God with us”, and Richard takes us to Isaiah 7 and Matthew 1 to see how this name was given by prophecy and how the gospels introduce Jesus as “God with us”.

Our visiting speaker giving this bible talk is Colin Poyntz from Winslow, an old friend of New City Church. His church has been working its way through the book of Galatians, and we are delighted that he was able to teach us from Galatians chapter 4.

Paul is talking to the folk in Galatia (now modern day Turkey) to whom he previously preached the good  news. However, they are in danger of losing the plot, having been led astray by false teachers. Colin examines what Paull has to say about the attitudes of the Galatians both now and in the past, and contrasts the motivation of himself with the false teachers.

In this talk, Richard Wardman is continuing to tell the story of Jacob, from Genesis. Jacob was originally a con artist, chiseling his brother out of both his rightful place in the family and his father’s blessing. He’s been away with his mother’s family, who cheated him of his proper wages and tricked him into marrying both the woman he loved and her sister.

Now he is returning to his family, and has to face up to the brother he tricked. Will Esau try to get his own back?

Listen to the story to see how Jacob has changed and what he and each person who wants to follow God can do to grow in grace.

Can you imagine what it might be like to sit down to a meal with Jesus? In this sermon, Caleb Woodbridge looks at what Jesus had to say to a group of religious people who invited him to dinner. It is fair to say that he didn’t hold back!

This talk is based on Luke 14, verses 1 to 14, but the recording starts partway through verse 5, so you might want to read the passage first.

How can we know that we will arrive at our destination? If you’re on foot you might rely on landmarks; in a car, you could depend on a satnav. But what about the destination of our Christian lives?

How can we be sure that we will get to heaven, despite our wrong-doing, a world that tries to push us into its mould, and the things and circumstances that try to stop us following God?

Richard Wardman talks here about an episode in the life of Jacob, who is determined to set off home, despite his dependency on his job, his lack of resources and outright opposition from his tricksy uncle.

Listen on to see how Jacob depended on God to persevere in his quest, and how this applies to us as twenty-first century people.

In Genesis 28, Jacob has an encounter with God, through a dream. In this talk, Richard Wardman shows us how much Jacob is being transformed.

Like many of us, Jacob finds that the consequences of past actions can affect our present lives; the crunch is how we deal with them: finding God’s mercy and forgiveness and doing our best (with his strength) to do the right things and do away with the wrong actions that affect our walk with God.

If it sounds so easy, why do many of us have difficulty doing it?

When Jacob was on the run from his brother and father’s anger, he came to a place that he thought was nowhere special. He went to sleep – and had a dream that changed the course of his life.

He had an encounter with God that changed his beliefs, and because of that, changed his actions. God was no longer the God of his father and grandfather, but his own master and protector.

Listen on to find out how and why this happened…

We continue in our exploration of the life of Jacob, and what a dysfunctional family we find: a father and mother who play favourites between their sons, the eldest son who is careless about his role in the family, and a mother’s boy who is not above swindling his brother and his father.

But despite all that, Richard Wardman brings us a message of how gracious God is towards us, even if we sometimes feel that we have lied or cheated: God can still bless us as we come to Him in our need.

Now it’s Autumn, we start a new series in Genesis, on the life of Jacob. Richard Wardman kicks off this series by looking at Isaac, Jacob’s father.

He asks the question, “Are we looking at the details of how God will provide for us, or the big picture?”

Do you feel weak in the face of the pressures of modern life? Overwhelmed? Unable to cope? So did the greatest king of Israel, David, when faced with having to march from the north to the south of his kingdom to overcome an enemy attack.

Psalm 60 tells us how he made the physical journey, and a greater journey from weakness to trusting not in his own ability but God’s mighty power.

NB The reading in this recording starts at Psalm 60 v 2, so you might want to read the whole Psalm before you listen to the recording.

What are you waiting for?

Most people seem to be waiting for something: a job, a family, to be better people – the list is endless. It’s the same in the Bible: in individual stories, people are often waiting for a change to happen. In fact, in this talk, Richard Wardman says that it is the Biblical pattern to be waiting, because the whole of Jewish History is waiting for Jesus, and since then, we are waiting for his return.

He goes further: “Waiting is not just inevitable, it is vital“.

Listen in to see why waiting is an important spiritual season.

Note: we want to apologize that the reading and the introduction to this talk are missing because of technical problems with the recording device. We have summarized Richard’s opening remarks, and you will profit from reading Psalm 37 before listening to the talk.

How do you feel spiritually: “yay!” or “meh”?

Most of us have spiritual seasons, some joyful and some not so joyful. In fact, Richard Wardman, tells us in this talk that we can sometimes be running on empty, as far as our spirits are concerned.

Listen on to hear what Richard has to say about recognizing the signs of emptiness and what we can do about it.

In this, the second of our summer series in Psalms looking at “Spiritual Seasons”, Richard Wardman talks about joy in the Lord and how to find it.

There’s an old statement of the faith which talks about joy being central to our purpose as human beings:

Q. What is the chief end of man?

A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever

Listen on to see how focusing on God and His word will help you to increase your joy, and make sure that it focuses on God rather than politics, the cricket score or keeping up with the neighbours.

The Bible is all about the Good News of Jesus Christ, isn’t it? And yet, bad things do happen in all of our lives. In this first talk on a series on the spiritual seasons which we see portrayed in Psalms, Richard Wardman speaks to us about how we can handle bad news because of the Good News that Jesus died in our place.

We welcome Richard back from his sabbatical.

Today, one of our leaders, Gavin Naylor, talks to us about God’s way of expressing real love to one another in the setting of the Church family.

Listen on to see what the Apostle Paul urges us to do in order to behave as people saved by God’s compassion and sacrifice.