Viewing all items in Resource Category: Looking at God
Inspirational and devotional articles to encourage your readers in their faith.
- The Book of Proverbs is an anthology of sayings (‘mishle’) that are generally attributed to Solomon (Proverbs 1:1), who uttered 3000 proverbs (1Kings 4:32). The purpose of these oracles is ‘for attaining wisdom and discipline’ (1:2). Solomon was concerned that people, especially the young, would understand ‘the sayings and riddles of the wise.’ (1:3-6). His...An Introduction to the Books of the Old Testament: Proverbs
- What time of year were you baptised? For the first few centuries of the Early Church, baptisms were only held at Easter, with the preparation being taught in the few weeks beforehand. Leo I, Bishop of Rome from 440 to 461 AD, was a strong advocate of holding baptisms solely at Easter. He wrote: “… for...Reflecting Faith: Baptisms and Easter
- A Lent Reflection From the Vicar An Introduction to the Books of the Old Testament: Psalms Reflecting Faith: The Meaning of Baptism Praying the Prayer of Forgiveness Bearing fruit takes time Is it time you remembered ‘eureka!’? ** Editor: Canon Paul Hardingham considers A Lent Reflection Somebody asked a Christian friend why he was eating...Looking at God (all articles) for March 2025
- Somebody asked a Christian friend why he was eating doughnuts, when he had given them up for Lent! He answered, ‘At the bakers I told God, that if He wanted me to buy doughnuts, He should provide a parking space in front. On the eighth time around, there it was!’ Rather than seeing Lent simply...A Lent Reflection
- Somebody asked a Christian friend why he was eating doughnuts, when he had given them up for Lent! He answered, ‘At the bakers I told God, that if He wanted me to buy doughnuts, He should provide a parking space in front. On the eighth time around, there it was!’ Rather than seeing Lent simply...From the Vicar
- This month we continue our examination of a selection of books from the Old Testament. ‘The Psalms have a unique place in the Bible, because most of the Scripture speaks to us, while the Psalms speak for us’(Athanasius of Alexandria). The Book of Psalms contains 150 prayers or songs of praise, the majority (73) attributed...What’s the Big Idea? An Introduction to the Books of the Old Testament: Psalms
- Last month we considered the overall ‘look’ of a church building and how that often reflects the way faith is celebrated inside. One of the clearest visual symbols inside a church building relates to where the font, used for baptism, is placed. We often think of Baptism as being uniquely Christian, but this is not...Reflecting Faith: The Meaning of Baptism
- Numbers 12:13, ‘O God, heal her, I pray.’ These six words are Moses’ prayer for his sister Miriam. They tell us a lot about Moses and a lot about prayer. For some time Miriam and her brother Aaron had been simmering with anger against Moses. They protested that he had married a Cushite woman (v.1),...Praying the Prayer of Forgiveness
- The nine fruits of the Spirit are Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. We don’t strive for the fruits of the Spirit, rather we plant ourselves in good soil, allow ourselves to be fed by the Holy Spirit, keep taking in nourishment, turn to face the light of Christ and these...Bearing fruit takes time
- As Lent 2025 gets underway, do you suspect that your Christian commitment is not all it could be? If so, you are not alone. As one American church leader sadly put it: “In America the church is 3,000 miles wide – and one inch deep.” But Jesus is still calling us to be His disciples,...Is it time you remembered ‘eureka!’?
- Love in Action! From the Vicar What’s the Big Idea? An Introduction to the Books of the Old Testament: Job Reflecting Faith: Church Buildings Prayers of the Bible: Praying in your Discouragements What you have in common with a woodcarving How do you keep your life going in the right direction? ** Editor: Canon Paul...Looking at God (all articles) for February 2025
- ‘Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.’ (1 John 3:18). The writer Gary Chapman describes how love can be expressed in 5 different ‘languages’: words of encouragement, quality time, gifts, acts of service and touch. Do you have a preferred language of love? As we think...Love in Action!