The Sign Of The Cross

Bethel Madness

2026-03-03T11:44:00.008+00:00

A quick reminder why Bethel Church and associated ministries worries me.

Can't remember where the clip came from but it's been languishing on my hard drive for a number of years. I initially thought it was from their Christmas Panto but apparently not.

Lord, have mercy.

Newlands Corner to St Martha's Church

2025-08-26T07:51:00.004+00:00

A beautiful walk with Carol today. Found a walk on AllTrails going from Newlands Corner to St Martha’s Church.

St Martha’s Church is also known as St Martha’s church-on-the-hill. And it really does sit on a hill, no access roads just trails through the woods up to where the church sits. It has Holy Communion or Matins every other week and the graveyard is still in use with evidence of a fresh internment.

Our first visit to Newlands Corner and we were blown away by the views. It was a beautiful day, not too hot, with a little breeze. When you get to a place like this you realise just how beautiful England, and the United Kingdom can be, and how privileged we are to live here.

View from the car park

Down the initial slope and away across the fields.

Through some pretty narrow footpaths.

After what seemed a long climb through woods with a lot of sandy soil this was the fantastic view of the church.

In some ways it’s beautiful yet in other ways it’s somewhat sad and melancholic, thinking about how much Christianity has played in creating our culture and yet we are now in a season where our culture and Christianity is derided and put down. How much the CofE has wasted 😥

New life we thought, alas it was just a jar of flowers nestled between the fork of a dead branch.

Heading back down we came across an old WW2 pillbox.

The combine harvester gives an indication of the scale of the scene.

Down more footpaths and rolling wheat fields.

Waverley Abbey

2024-08-27T07:54:00.005+00:00

Last Bank Holiday Monday we decided to visit the ruins of Waverley Abbey. It’s only a mile or two from Farnham and only 25 mins from where we live so reasonably local but have never been there.

From the car park you follow a path across fields with the ruins of the Abbey in the distance. It was a lovely day for a walk, switching between the August sunshine and traditional cloud so not too hot for me.

Going through the final gate you come across some notice / info boards outlining the history and the events during the Reformation. Did Henry VIII get it wrong? Were the Abbeys and associated communities dens of debauchery, vice and greed or were they true Christian Communities holding the nation in prayer?

What struck me most was how ‘peaceful’ it is. If you believe in the concept of ‘thin places’ then this would be one for you.

From the Abbey ruins you can cross a bridge over a lake into the grounds of the current Waverley House where you can find a warm welcome and a fantastic tea shop.

Broken

There is light

Where the Lay Brothers ate

Vaulted Ceilings

The Monk’s dormitory

The ancient yew

The Upper Rooms

2019-12-27T10:04:00.001+00:00

We often think of the 'upper room' as being the place where Jesus and the Disciples held the Last Supper but the Bible has many more 'upper rooms'.

Here's a list of some of these instances.

Acts 20:7-12 Eutychus in Troas, falls asleep as Paul is preaching in the upper room and falls out of the window and is dead. Paul's faith and actions bring Eutychus back to life. - Miracles, Healing, Faith.

7 On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord’s Supper. Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight. 8 The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps. 9 As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below. 10 Paul went down, bent over him, and took him into his arms. “Don’t worry,” he said, “he’s alive!” 11 Then they all went back upstairs, shared in the Lord’s Supper, and ate together. Paul continued talking to them until dawn, and then he left. 12 Meanwhile, the young man was taken home alive and well, and everyone was greatly relieved.

Acts 20:7-12 New Living Translation

Judges 3:12-29 The Lord raises up Ehud after Israel cries out in repentance. Ehud takes vengeance against Moab by assassinating Eglon, the King of Moab in the upper room. - Victory

20 Ehud walked over to Eglon, who was sitting alone in a cool upstairs room. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you!” As King Eglon rose from his seat, 21 Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled out the dagger strapped to his right thigh, and plunged it into the king’s belly. 22 The dagger went so deep that the handle disappeared beneath the king’s fat. So Ehud did not pull out the dagger, and the king’s bowels emptied. 23 Then Ehud closed and locked the doors of the room and escaped down the latrine.

Judges 3:20-23

2 Kings 4:8-37 Elisha prophecies the birth of a son for the Shunammite woman in the upper room. He also raises the child from death in the same room. Miracles, Healing, Prophecy

9 She said to her husband, “I am sure this man who stops in from time to time is a holy man of God. 10 Let’s build a small room for him on the roof and furnish it with a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp. Then he will have a place to stay whenever he comes by.”

2 Kings 4:9-10

Mark 14:12-26 The disciples meet with Jesus for the Passover in the upper room. Jesus prophecies his betrayal and the sacrament of The Lord's Supper is instituted. Prophecy, Fellowship

13 So Jesus sent two of them into Jerusalem with these instructions: “As you go into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 At the house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ 15 He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where you should prepare our meal.” 16 So the two disciples went into the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover meal there.

Mark 14:13-16

Acts 9:36-43 The disciple Dorcas (Tabitha) becomes sick and dies. Her body is laid in an upper room. The disciples know that Peter is nearby so call him to come to the town of Joppa. Peter prays and Dorcas is brought to life. Miracles, Healing, Faith

36 There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. 37 About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room. 38 But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, “Please come as soon as possible!”

Acts 9:36-38

2 Kings 1:1-18 Ahaziah, King of Judah falls through the lattice of the upper room and is severely injured. He is taken back to his bed in the upper room and calls upon Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron as to whether he will survive his injuries. The Lord sends Elijah to admonish Ahaziah for his idolatory and to prophecy Ahaziah's death. Ahaziah dies. Idolatory, Prophecy, Justice

2 One day Israel’s new king, Ahaziah, fell through the latticework of an upper room at his palace in Samaria and was seriously injured. So he sent messengers to the temple of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether he would recover.

2 Kings 1:2

Daniel 6:10-23 When Daniel learns of King Darius's decree on worship Daniel takes himself to his upper room in prayer. When the King learns of what must happen to Daniel according to the laws he has signed he prophesies that The God of Daniel will deliver him. And as we know, The Lord did deliver Daniel from the lion's den. Prayer, Deliverance, Prophecy

10 But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

Daniel 6:10

Acts 1:4-14 Jesus prophecies the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples as they gather in the upper room in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit does indeed fall upon the group and many miracles abound. Prophecy, Miracles, Spiritual Gifts.

12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a distance of half a mile.[b] 13 When they arrived, they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying.

Acts 1:12

We look upon the Bible as a testament, both old and new of God's relationship with His people. Yet the faithful continue daily in leaving a testimony behind. What does our testimony relate? Do we live in expectation of prophecy, miracles, healing and victory?

(This post was originally published back in June 2014)

Sound familiar?

2015-11-21T00:15:00.000+00:00

Watching the BBC interview of Adele by Graham Norton tonight and Adele sang one of the new tracks off her forthcoming album. The track was called A Million Years Ago. Listening to it reminded me of a different song by someone else. You know where you almost recognise a tune but get lost with the words, yet it's the words which are the key!

Eventually it came to me, El Shaddai by Michael Card, famously sung by Amy Grant. It's a song that I occasionally play during worship.

Have a listen. What do you think?

Distant Pics of St Michael's Abbey

2015-09-30T06:19:00.001+00:00

Seems that every Saturday when I take Charlie for a walk we stop and look at the sheep, and St Michael's Abbey at Farnborough. Well I say 'we' but I really mean me. Charlie is far too busy rooting round in the undergrowth for something to eat.

Met a man who was working on the boundary fence from the inside. He was repairing a 'doorway' that had been cut in the mesh fence. Was probably going to be used to enable something of a reasonable size to be pilfered from somewhere in the monastery grounds, or even a sheep.

Pray for the monastery, Abbey, those who have their vocation there and those who labour in support. And also pray for those who vandalise and steal from this wonderful place.

The guided tours they do on a Friday are worth it as well and is also an opportunity for them to be supported.

Monastery with crooked cross and dome of the Abbey

Baa!

Someone's been at it with the filters again

Thank You (You're Everything to Me)

2015-06-07T22:33:00.002+00:00

Such a simple yet moving act of worship!

And also on Vimeo http://vimeo.com/124910254

The Fall of Constantinople

2015-05-30T00:05:00.001+00:00

The Hagia Sophia, the greatest church of Christendom

562 years ago yesterday the Turks finally took the great Christian city of Constantinople.

Greedily desired by the Muslims since the time of their prophet they finally stormed the walls on the 29th May 1453 under the leadership of the Turk Mehmed II.

There Is A Day

2015-05-28T17:43:00.001+00:00

Couple of years ago a brother of mine gave me a CD that he'd won in a raffle. The music wasn't really to his African taste. I think I listened to it partially and then unfortunately forgot about it.

Fast forward to recently and I was browsing through theDove's TV channel and came across a wonderful worship song by Phatfish called There Is A Day. Such a wonderful song I decided that I'd see about purchasing it or at least the album that it was on.

Searching through XBox Music I did find it on a compilation album and then remembered that somewhere I had got a Phatfish CD. Digging out the CD called Heavenbound what is the last track on the album? Yup, There Is A Day!

So here it is, this wonderful song performed by Phatfish.

The Church of The Living God

2015-05-12T18:48:00.000+00:00

Sometimes scripture leaps out of the pages of the Bible and just slaps you round the chops! You read something, often something you've read many times before and fresh revelation comes from the words.

Take 1 Timothy, one of Paul's pastoral letters. We often look at it and see a set of conditions that leaders within the church must adhere to and work towards. But at the end there's a phrase which has really touched me. It's in verses 14-15.

14 I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, 15 so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.

See it there? The phrase 'the church of the living God'.

What do we take from that phrase squirreled away in the text? For me it says that the church has to be seen as the church of the living God.

Not just a Baptist Church

Not just a Roman Catholic Church

Not just a Methodist Church

Not just an Anglican Church

Not just the Redeemed Christian Church of God

Not just the Southern Baptist Assembly

But the Church of the Living God

To be the church of the living God then people must see the evidence of a living God, not a dead God. People must see and must walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. We should be seeing salvation, repentance, healings, miracles. We should be seeing the love of God manifest as love for God and love for our neighbours. We should be seeing compassion, holiness, a people growing in maturity and seeking solid food.

What do you see?

In the words of Satan

2015-05-12T17:59:00.001+00:00

Intelligent and thoughtful lyrics from South Africa's The Arrows.

Capturing the moment

2015-04-08T18:34:00.001+00:00

Sometimes the subject of a picture falls into a perfect position. Depending on your point of view of course!

**purloined off Facebook, no idea of copyright**

The Pedants' Revolt

2014-10-03T14:11:00.001+00:00

English Devolution and the West Lothian Question

2014-09-24T08:20:00.001+00:00

West Lothian (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Back in 2004, 46 Labour MPs representing Scottish constituencies were pivotal in passing The Higher Education Bill through Parliament at Westminster. The final vote was 316 for and 311 against.

What this meant was that both of my children when they came to enter university were saddled with astronomical debts. The passing of the Bill enabled top-up fees to be levied on English resident students going to English universities. However, Scottish students going to Scottish universities were exempt from fees as this has been decided by the Members of the Scottish devolved Parliament.

So we ended up with Scottish Labour MPs voting to impose charges on English students when students in their own constituencies were exempt. Tim Yeo the Shadow Education Secretary at the time described the situation as an 'utter humiliation' for the Labour government.

And there was a similar situation when it came to the creation of Foundation Hospitals. Again the votes of the Scottish MPs were crucial in passing legislation that did not affect their constituents but had a massive impact on other parts of the UK.

This whole issue was described as the 'West Lothian Question' by the MP Enoch Powell in response to it being raised as a question by the MP Tam Dalyell.

And you can also throw in the annoying situation where both my wife and I have to pay for subscriptions upon which our health depends when Scottish residents (and Welsh) are exempt.

So with the recent failure of the vote for Scotland to leave the United Kingdom it's a good time to look at ways to ensure that such injustices can't be imposed by MPs whose constituencies are totally unaffected. The current debate evolving over and English Parliament or English Regional Assemblies can't come soon enough and I look forward to seeing how the parties work this one out.

New Every Morning

2014-09-17T14:40:00.003+00:00

English: Early Morning Sunrise over Scarborough Castle (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

At our midweek church cell the Pastor asked if we had any testimonies, old or new. I have to admit I didn't have any new or recent testimonies that I could share.

It got me thinking though, to have something as a testimony you have to firstly recognise it. A miracle could happen right in front of your eyes and yet you may not even notice it.

There's a verse in Scripture about God's mercies being new every morning. It comes from the book of Lamentations:

Lamentations 3:22-24

New Living Translation (NLT)

22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends!

His mercies never cease.

23 Great is his faithfulness;

his mercies begin afresh each morning.

24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;

therefore, I will hope in him!”

Let's make a start in using our spiritual eyes and seeing the work of God, the creator of the heavens and the earth, in all that we see!

Eating Food Sacrificed to Idols

2014-09-06T09:25:00.001+00:00

Seems that the education authorities still feel that feeding Christian and Sikh children food that has been sacrificed to idols is of no consequence. For a Christian we may eat meat that has been sacrificed in such a way as we are strong enough in our faith not to assign anything to that sacrifice. However, for those who are less set in the Christian faith there is always the danger that they could be led astray.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2575724/Parents-fury-pork-sausages-banned-school-menu-replaced-halal-meat.html

We have guidance in the Bible for circumstances such as this and Paul sums it up nicely.

1 Corinthians 8:1-13New Living Translation (NLT)

Food Sacrificed to Idols
8 Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. 2 Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. 3 But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.[a]

4 So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God. 5 There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. 6 But for us,

There is one God, the Father,

by whom all things were created,

and for whom we live.

And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ,

through whom all things were created,

and through whom we live.

7 However, not all believers know this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. 8 It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do.

9 But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble. 10 For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol? 11 So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer[b] for whom Christ died will be destroyed. 12 And when you sin against other believers[c] by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ. 13 So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.

Such is the arrogance of those that care naught about offending Christians, and in doing so leading astray Christian children, and Sikhs as they are forbidden from eating Halal slaughtered meat.

Time to ban Halal where it's sneaked in without telling anyone?

They're back!

2014-09-01T06:11:00.000+00:00

The tube web spider that is. Took these pics of one of them on my patio the other day.

Authored by Chris Hall

Phillipa Hanna

2014-06-10T10:41:00.001+00:00

Phillipa Hanna is a great artist and performer who tells the gospel story through her works. She has recently been supporting Lionel Ritchie and Wet Wet Wet on their tours.

Phillipa will be performing at St John's church in Egham on the 27th June 2014 in support of Abba Father's House, a British charity supporting orphans and widows in Uganda.

You can purchase tickets for this event at www.hope42morrow.co.uk

Authored by Chris Hall

DWP Smears Trussell Trust

2014-06-09T14:20:00.002+00:00

Holy Bible Title Page (Photo credit: mrbill)

The government remains determined to ignore the real reason behind the rise in food bank usage throughout the UK as they chip away at the welfare system so as to prop up the bankers and bondholders. Now the Department for Work and Pensions, which should remain neutral on political issues is trying to blame the Evangelical Christians. Apparently food banks are a God-given opportunity to evangelise and proselytize and the impetus is not to feed the poor and hungry but to indulge in a bit of Bible bashing.

“For the Trussell Trust, food banks started as an evangelical device to get religious groups in touch with their local communities. As far as I know, the Government has no policy on evangelism.”

See minutes of the Scottish Parliament Welfare Reform Committee, Section 1464.

I'll let the Apostle St Matthew speak for me.

Matthew 25:35-36
New Living Translation (NLT)
35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

Authored by Chris Hall

Too many icons on the desktop

2014-06-09T05:25:00.000+00:00

Sorry, couldn't help it.

Image purloined somewhere off Google+

Authored by Chris Hall

May the Peace of The Lord be With You

2014-06-06T17:31:00.000+00:00

Crikey, got this email today.

Dear Chris Hall, May the peace of the Lord be with you, as i was browsing through the internet i come across you name and email address, God gave me a revelation and directed me to you that you are a very good person, there is a breakthrough coming your way by end of June, but the enemies are trying to stop it because as at now, you are already facing problems in your life and they won't stop until they kill you, through slight illness and you are destined to be great but a lot of enemies and supernatural forces are trying to stop you from attaining the height God has planned for you. Do not be afraid beloved for the same God that revealed this to me will surely provide a solution, the Lord will see you through. Prayer without seizing

Not quite sure how to take that!

Authored by Chris Hall

If Loving God Was a Crime

2014-01-15T06:40:00.000+00:00

If Loving God Was a Crime from Big Tent Revival. Remember seeing it shortly after coming to faith.
Awesome.

Authored by Chris Hall

Lost My Blogroll

2014-01-09T21:51:00.000+00:00

In amongst all the faffing around choosing other templates I've realised that I've lost my blogroll.

If I had linked to your blog and it's now disappeared then I do apologise. Please do contact me to get the link added back.

Authored by Chris Hall

How To Integrate Disqus Into Blogger Dynamic Views

2014-01-08T11:15:00.001+00:00

I'm not going to tell you how to integrate Disqus Commenting System into Blogger's Dynamic Views because it's far too difficult for me. But I know a blog where someone has done just that and provides a step-by-step guide to integrating it.

Go see Subin's Blog.

So check if it works by adding a comment to the Disqus section below!

Authored by Chris Hall

And they wonder why we don't respect them

2013-12-11T07:58:00.000+00:00

At a memorial service for Nelson Mandela no less. Must have been a bit of a wheeze, eh?

Authored by Chris Hall

The Sign Of The Cross

Bethel Madness

Newlands Corner to St Martha's Church

Waverley Abbey

The Upper Rooms

Sound familiar?

Distant Pics of St Michael's Abbey

Thank You (You're Everything to Me)

The Fall of Constantinople

There Is A Day

The Church of The Living God

In the words of Satan

Capturing the moment

The Pedants' Revolt

English Devolution and the West Lothian Question

Related articles

New Every Morning

Eating Food Sacrificed to Idols

They're back!

Phillipa Hanna

DWP Smears Trussell Trust

Related articles

Too many icons on the desktop

May the Peace of The Lord be With You

If Loving God Was a Crime

Lost My Blogroll

How To Integrate Disqus Into Blogger Dynamic Views

And they wonder why we don't respect them