2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 From this bold introduction to Paul’s second letter to the church in Thessalonica, you might have thought that they were perfect. But they weren’t. As Paul’s letter progresses, he addresses a number of issues. They had becom...
Psalm 143:7-8 Depression is tragically common and is one of the world’s most pervasive health conditions. It’s estimated that one in three women and one in five men have an episode of major depression before the age of 65. King David was clea...
Psalm 142:1-2 This psalm was written by David as he reflected on the experience of hiding from his enemies in a cave. This happened on two occasions. Firstly, in Adullam and secondly in En Gedi. On both occasions he was being threatened by King S...
Psalm 141:5 This verse reminds us of the Proverb which says: “An open rebuke is better than hidden love! Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy” (Proverbs 27:5- 6). These words are no doubt wise, but that doesn’t me...
Psalm 141:3-4 This psalm begins as we meet David worshipping God. He asked God to accept his prayer as an incense offering and raises his hands in worship. But he knew that his worship couldn’t stand apart from everyday life. If he worshipped God,...
Luke 8:20-21 For 30 years, Jesus had lived with his family and, apparently, no one had taken much notice of him. Certainly, we have no record of him coming to public attention. But now, suddenly, he had started a ministry which was drawing huge c...
Luke 8:18 In many ways, these wise words are the punch line to the parable of the sower. Jesus is saying we need to listen carefully to his words, so they will grow deep roots which shape the people we are. The sad fact is that it’s perfectly pos...
Luke 8:16 Here, Jesus is making an absolutely obvious point. It would be absurd to go the trouble of lighting a lamp and then cover it so it cannot be seen. If you decide to light a lamp, you want its light to shine. So you find a place where the...
Luke 8:15 Although this is still early on in Jesus’ public ministry, he already had a considerable following. In telling the parable of the sower, he was making it clear that it wasn’t enough for people merely to hear his message. They needed to...
Luke 7:50 The woman in this story was almost certainly a prostitute. She had come to Jesus while he was visiting the home of a Pharisee called Simon, and had generously poured out an expensive perfume on Jesus, kissing his feet and wiping them wi...
Luke 7:35 John the Baptist and Jesus had very different personalities. John spent much of his time in the desert, well away from the main centres of population. He dressed in camel’s hair and ate locusts and wild honey. Many people concluded that...
Luke 7:22 John the Baptist was in prison when he sent his disciples to check out Jesus. He asked them to go and ask him whether he really was the Messiah or whether they should be looking for someone else. John had prepared the way for Jesus’...
Luke 7:6-7 The Roman officer who spoke these words was a fascinating character. He was not a Jew but was clearly deeply respectful of the Jewish faith. He had even paid for the construction of a synagogue and was, not surprisingly, much loved by t...
Luke 6:47-48 The foundations of a building are not a luxury. If you have ever purchased a house, you will have almost certainly had a building survey carried out. Part of this process would be to ensure that the foundations were solid. Subsidence...
Luke 6:46 The title ‘Lord’ is far more than just a term of respect. It is to affirm that they have authority, and deserve to be worshipped and obeyed. That was the reason the early Christians felt that they couldn’t possibly declare: “Caesar is Lo...
