It is about AD 33 on the Mount of Beatitudes, a hill in northern Israel on the Korazim Plateau. It is an unprecedented day, a day that will have priests poring over the sacred texts of Leviticus to remind themselves of what to do and what is required. Someone Needs Healing Unexpectedly, a man approached Jesus, his skin… Read More »
Brace yourself for a quick history lesson! In the year AD 64, the Roman Empire was ruled by the infamous Emperor Nero. During his reign, one of the most well-known examples of Christian persecution occurred in Rome, which would have a massive impact on the Christian community. According to the Roman historian Tacitus, a devastating fire swept through… Read More »
The Christian life is not a once-in-a-moment event; instead, it is one of discovery, change, transformation, and adventure. The challenge of Matthew 16:24–25 to “Take up your cross and follow Christ” is not a nominal call; it is an “all hands on deck” call. The change and transformation that take place are due to the Holy Spirit’s work… Read More »
Have you ever sat down and worked your way through the years of the first few generations of mankind (Genesis 5)? It takes just a few minutes, but the insights are profound. As you trace the lineage from Adam through his descendants, you’ll find surprises that grab your attention straight away. One of these surprises is particularly sobering:… Read More »
Two men appeared in court on 27 August, having denied causing criminal damage to the huge Sycamore tree in the middle of Hadrian’s Wall. What possessed them to mindlessly cut down the magnificent tree is anybody’s guess. When I heard the news about the tree today, it made me wonder about some things nearer to home; signs of… Read More »
In recent years, the delivery of prophetic ministries has undergone significant changes, with new generations of prophetic voices emerging. Some of the well-known characters who have all recently gone to be with the Lord represent a different generation of prophetic voices compared to those heard today. They cultivated a unique perspective and gifts that are less prevalent among… Read More »
If you read the ESV, after pushing through the drama of the Gospels, you come to another book, authored by Luke, simply called “Acts”. It is best understood as the Acts of the Holy Spirit, but it also recounts the acts or adventures of the Church and key individuals in the early days of the Church. God was… Read More »
The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump captured the world’s attention due to the violence of the act and the mayhem it would have caused had it been successful. President Trump was perhaps one centimetre away from death and had turned his head slightly to read the stats from his teleprompter, unusual because he strongly dislikes using… Read More »
Have you considered the lifestyle challenge of Acts 13:22? I have, and have found myself sadly short of the mark, but… I aspire to it! I’ll explain. In Acts 13:22, we encounter a profound declaration from God that has intrigued theologians and believers alike: “I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart,… Read More »
There appears to be a significant surge in church planting at this time across a wide spectrum of denominations and church groups, not just in the UK but also around the world, despite the difficult circumstances that everyone faces. There are a few challenges (actually, there are many!) leaders face in dealing with these challenges, but there is… Read More »
If you want God’s best in your life and desire to make your life count, you likely need to be prepared to travel a road that includes a measure of adversity. This road is ever-present, and it is incredible how God uses these challenging times to shape us, making us fit for His purposes. Adversity is a reality… Read More »
The Urgent Question of Christ’s Return As a new Christian in a Pentecostal church, I grew up with the regular question, “Can Jesus return at any moment?” It affected everything I did, including the terrifying prospect of what would happen if Jesus returned while I was at the cinema! Happily, things have changed now, but the former question… Read More »
Having recently read Andrew Wilson’s brilliant book “Remaking the World,” I have been reflecting on the early days of America’s pioneers and settlers. It’s hard not to be inspired by the pioneers and settlers who ventured on white-knuckle adventures into uncharted territories. They faced gruelling sea crossings, countless challenges, and the harsh elements with sheer grit and determination.… Read More »
I thought it might be worthwhile to provide some context about what I am trying to achieve on Substack… I’m keen to introduce a Scripture-honouring approach to the prophetic ministry. Prophets are like finding hedgehogs in your garden. Feed them, care for them, look after them. Sometimes, you will stumble across two of them. When you find three,… Read More »
My Observation: The Remarkable Gift of Prophecy in the UK Church Recently, a Canadian church leader asked me about prophecy in the UK Church. Like everywhere else, we face different challenges across various churches in the UK. However, as American presidents often say, “The State of the Union is good.” The difference is, we mean it. God is… Read More »
As a missional church, we’ve been exploring various ways to share the gospel. From the simplicity of the 3 Circles to the depth of Alpha, any tool is better than none—after all, you can’t harvest without a plough! However, amidst our laughter and brainstorming, the question remains: “Will it work?”, “Can I actually remember all this?”, “Is there… Read More »
An Invitation to the Improbable. When Jesus tells us to leave things behind and follow Him, amidst a vast array of theological and lifestyle changes, it is also an invitation to join in the excited conversation about revival and improbability. It is a call to adventure, and of necessity, I think this is where God is taking the… Read More »
Keeping the ‘Encouragement Tank’ full Have you ever run a marathon? The thing that carries you through the final three or four miles of the gruelling, muscle-numbing race is the encouragement, cheers, and applause of the crowd, urging you ever onwards. I know this is true because I have observed from the side-lines the effect that encouragement has… Read More »
“The task of every generation is to discover in which direction the Sovereign Redeemer is moving, then move in that direction. It’s a brilliant quote—often attributed to Jonathan Edwards; however, there is no evidence that he actually wrote or said it! (Somewhat akin to Smith Wigglesworth’s ‘Word & Spirit’ prophecy) It’s very possible that the quote is a… Read More »
A few years ago, thanks to the generosity of my brother and sister-in-law, I had the privilege of visiting and touring a vast expanse of Lebanon, which included a trip through the Bekaa Valley to see the incredible Roman ruins at Baalbek, and then visiting the spectacular caves of Jeita Grotto. Beirut city by day and night was… Read More »