Shows
Exploring ScriptureWalking With Jesus E12: Zechariah and ElizabethToday's thought: God does not forget our prayers. He is the Absolutely Reliable One. His timing is perfect.
2024-05-0408 minExploring ScriptureWalking With Jesus E11: The Changing Of The StageToday's thought: amidst all the tumults of the earth, and the silences of heaven, God is always active.
2024-05-0308 minExploring ScriptureWalking With Jesus E10: The Words That Spoke Of HimToday's thought: we need to ask Jesus to show us how he sees the Old Testament Scriptures.
2024-05-0207 minExploring ScriptureWalking With Jesus E09: He Came Down From HeavenToday's thought: before all things began, God chose you, your birthday, and the hour of your conversion.
2024-05-0108 minExploring ScriptureWalking With Jesus E08: IncarnationToday's thought: he came down in order to lift us up. He came all the way to us because we were lost and stuck.
2024-04-2909 minExploring ScriptureWalking With Jesus E07: A Chosen PeopleToday's thought: before God named Adam, he chose you, named you, and saw your place in his purposes.
2024-04-2808 minExploring ScriptureWalking With Jesus E06: Conversations and ChoicesToday's thought: our conversations, like those of the Godhead, need to be primarily creative and constructive.
2024-04-2708 minExploring ScriptureWalking With Jesus E05: MysteryToday's thought: at the heart of the Godhead is a loving relationship. That needs to be modelled among us.
2024-04-2607 minExploring ScriptureWalking With Jesus E04: Before All ThingsToday's thought: the mysteries of God are designed to invoke worship and wonder.
2024-04-2308 minExploring ScriptureWalking With Jesus E3: Introduction (Part 3)Today's thought: “I believe there is no one deeper, lovelier, more sympathetic and more perfect than Jesus – not only is there no one else like him, there never could be anyone like him.” - Fyodor Dostoevsky
2024-04-2011 minExploring ScriptureWalking With Jesus E2: Introduction (Part 2)Today's thought: “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12).
2024-04-1909 minExploring ScriptureWalking With Jesus E1: Introduction (Part 1)
Today's thought: Eugene Peterson wrote: “we cannot domesticate the holy. Moses did not take a photograph of the burning bush to take home to show his wife and children. Isaiah’s singing angels were not accompanied by a Handel’s oratorio, which he then purchased on a CD for later listening at his leisure. John didn’t reduce his vision of Jesus into charts which he used to entertain."
2024-04-1809 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E64: Concluding RemarksToday's thought: the outcome of the life and the letter of James – that which he left behind him – has touched millions of lives. What will you and I leave behind us as a legacy? What will people remember us for?
2024-04-1707 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E63: The Restorative CommunityToday's thought: there is an old hymn, written by a twenty-two-year-old, that contains these words: “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it...”180 Out of a sense of personal fragility comes the best help for those who are struggling.
2024-04-1608 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E62: The Power of PrayerToday's thought: prayer is firstly a gift, by which we encounter and build our walk with the Lord, and then it is a responsibility on behalf of others.
2024-04-1508 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E61: The Power of ConfessionToday's thought: one of the best gifts that you can give to another is your gracious, merciful, understanding and listening ears.
2024-04-1408 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E60: The Prayer of FaithToday's thought: here’s an interesting thought: Jesus promised that the things he did would be possible, not only to elders and leaders, but to all who believed in him. That means both you and me!
2024-04-1308 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E59: A Strategy for SicknessToday's thought: to those who worry about whether healing is for today, I heard the late John Wimber once say that those who pray for the sick see far more people healed than those who don’t.
2024-04-1207 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E58: Take Initiative in your ResponsesToday's thought: our reactions to the ups and downs of life tell more about us than our words and actions. The work that God does in us is always tested, and it is our responses to those tests that are measured in heaven.
2024-04-1107 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E57: Say What You MeanToday's thought: the name of God and the name of Jesus are not meant to be used as expletives. They are to be loved and revered. Can our conversations and action drag these wonderful names into the mud?
2024-04-1008 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E56: Patience and SteadfastnessToday's thought: A.W. Tozer once wrote, “We want to be saved but we insist that Christ do all the dying.”
2024-04-0908 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E55: Patience and ImpatientToday's thought: I may not express my disapproval in words, but how often do I let out an exasperated sigh or a disgruntled grunt? Can I do something about that?
2024-04-0707 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E54: Be PatientToday's thought: patience is not a gift to be received; it is a virtue to nourish and grow.
2024-04-0608 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E53: A Warning to the PlutocratsToday's thought: Jesus said, “Life is not measured by how much you own." (Luke 12:15) How do you measure yours?
2024-04-0509 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E52: Leaving God Out of the PlanningToday's thought: we humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but GOD’s purpose prevails. Do we want God to follow us, and bless our plans? Or is it that we are meant to be following him?
2024-04-0409 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E51: Speaking Against Each OtherToday's thought: see who is around you today, and determine to speak words of encouragement to them.
2024-04-0308 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E50: Stances of FaithToday's thought: when life revolves around me, somehow I am out of sync with heaven.
2024-04-0209 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E49: The Greater GraceToday's thought: God has not left us to ourselves to muddle through as best as we can. Within us, and around us, and therefore available to us, are the unbelievably boundless stores of grace.
2024-03-3009 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E48: The Jealous LoverToday's thought: Jesus talked about the possibility of the seed of God that has been planted in us being “choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life...” (Luke 8:14) Are there any weeds and thorns in the garden of your soul that need pulling out? Would you let the Lord show them to you?
2024-03-2908 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E47: Friendship with the WorldToday's thought: who or what has the greatest tug on your heartstrings? Remember, God is a jealous lover.
2024-03-2709 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E46: The Genesis of StrifeToday's thought: unconquered and ungoverned areas within us are the source of much distress and defeat. Maybe we need to ask the Holy Spirit to do a deep cleansing and to bring under his, and our, control certain troublesome areas of our lives.
2024-03-2610 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E45: Impartial and SincereToday's thought: we do not want the wisdom of God for ourselves only; that is spiritually selfish. We seek the wisdom of God also to be a blessing to others, creatively beautifying their worlds.
2024-03-2409 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E44: Reasonable, Merciful and FruitfulToday's thought: what will we leave in our trail today? At the end of the day, will people be thanking God for the influence that we have had upon them, or will they be in pain?
2024-03-2208 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E43: Pure, Peaceful and GentleToday's thought: it is a good thing to think about the character of wisdom. Sharpness in our words of wisdom will cut and fragment things, whereas the pure, gentle and peaceful wisdom of God will cleanse, reassure and settle things.
2024-03-2110 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E42: The Two ParenthesesToday's thought: the eternal wisdom of God is always relevant simply because it issues from a divine perspective. Don’t be earthbound in your thinking.
2024-03-2010 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E41: The Two ParenthesesToday's thought: the proverb says that “a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver”. (Prov.25:11) A ‘fitly spoken word’ is a word that constructs and moves thing along, adding to and inspiring any conversation. Do my words do that, or do they deconstruct and bring the conversation to a jarring stop?
2024-03-1909 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E40: The Two Behavioural WordsToday's thought: an ambition that climbs over, disregards and hurts other individuals is totally incongruent with the ways of the kingdom of heaven. We are either serving Christ and each other, or we are serving ourselves.
2024-03-1810 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E39: The Two Wisdom WordsToday's thought: in Hebrew thought, God himself was to be sought after. After that, wisdom was the one thing to be chased after, and with a holy passion!
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.
2024-03-1708 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E38: A Beautiful LifeToday's thought: Jesus epitomized the beautiful life, not so much by the things he said and the things he did, but the way in which he spoke and acted. It was with gentle compassion. It was with profound love.
2024-03-1608 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E37: The Inconsistency of It AllToday's thought: in relationships, consistency breeds confidence and trust; incon- sistency results in lack of confidence and distrust. Can we be trusted?
2024-03-1508 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E36: The Restless EvilToday's thought: today, I am going to leash my tongue, and I am going to look for someone to whom I can bring a word of restorative grace.
2024-03-1409 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E35: The Tongue of FireToday's thought: "The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences." What consequences would you like to see today out there in your world? You choose.
2024-03-1309 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E34: Boasting of Great ThingsToday's thought: speak to your brothers and sisters in Christ as you would speak to Jesus himself, and you won’t go far wrong.
2024-03-1107 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E33: Bits and RuddersToday's thought: in the darkest and most traumatic moment of his life, the Lord Jesus spoke the Scriptures into a prayer. Now there’s a goal to aim for.
2024-03-1008 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E32: It’s Easy to StumbleToday's thought: knowing also how precious people are to God, and knowing how powerful our words can be, we ought to become both thoughtful and skilful in our use of them.
2024-03-0908 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E31: The Responsibility of TeachersToday's thought: we need to teach in order to shape and construct souls, not to distort and tear them apart. Be careful how you use your words today.
2024-03-0808 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E30: The Example of RahabToday's thought: the grace and mercy of God is always larger than our concepts of both. He sees far more than we do.
2024-03-0708 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E29: The Example of AbrahamToday's thought: when the fruit of our faith becomes the focus of our faith, then it will turn bad on us. Don’t let the vision become an idol. Keep your eyes on the Lord.
2024-03-0608 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E28: Faith Alone?Today's thought: use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands?
2024-03-0510 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E27: Faith without WorksToday's thought: God has planned this day already for you to walk into. He has things for you to do.
2024-03-0408 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E26: Mercy Triumphs Over JudgmentToday's thought: “Where mercy, love, and pity dwell, there God is dwelling too.” (William Blake, The Divine Image) Is he dwelling with you?
2024-03-0308 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E25: The Royal LawToday's thought: Francis of Assisi overcame his fear and embraced the leper, after hearing the Lord say to him, “What you used to abhor shall be to you joy and sweetness...”59 At that point, he had mastered himself.
2024-03-0208 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E24: Despising the PoorToday's thought: if we find within us desires to fill our churches with the right kind of people, that do not put others off from joining us, are we not building beautiful but empty shells?
2024-03-0108 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E23: God's ChoicesToday's thought: the cross of Christ is the great leveller. For some it humbles us; for others it lifts us up.
2024-02-2908 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E22: God’s ValuesToday's thought: my estimation and my feelings towards the poor and dis- advantaged of this world is a pretty accurate reading of the true levels of my actual estimation and feelings towards Christ.
2024-02-2808 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E21: PartialityToday's thought: with the poor, the treasure is often found in their hearts, not on their clothes. And if we engage sincerely with them, we will certainly find it.
2024-02-2710 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E20: Pure ReligionToday's thought: be very clean on the inside, and allow yourself to get dirty on the outside. Let it never be the other way around.
2024-02-2610 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E19: Practitioners of the WordToday's thought: my attitude toward the Word of God is crucial. To hear the voice of God in the Scriptures, I need to approach them quietly, slowly, reverently and with a child-like heart.
2024-02-1410 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E18: The Best BehaviourToday's thought: a garden, left to itself, will naturally become inundated with weeds. We need to welcome the activity of the divine gardener as he sows his seed into us. We then need to work with him in cultivating these seeds into profound fruitfulness.
2024-02-1309 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E17: The Best GiftToday's thought: this gift that God has given us is far greater than us. The divine life that stirs within us is the same life that with four words brought the whole of the universe into being.
2024-02-1208 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E16: The Reliable GodToday's thought: If it were down to our grip on God, we would quickly fall. Thankfully, his grip on us is stronger. (Psalm 37:23-24/Psalm 138:8)
2024-02-1109 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E15: Do Not Be DeceivedToday's thought: under God’s hands, the ‘bent out of shape’ can be reshaped, and can learn to walk straight.
2024-02-1007 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E14: Understanding Temptation (Part 3)Today's thought: Either my thoughts will capture me, or I will capture my thoughts. (2 Corinthians 10:4-6)
2024-02-0909 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E13: Understanding Temptation (Part 2)Today's thought: “Within me is both a dove and a wolf,” said the young novice monk to the desert Father. “I am afraid the wolf will win. What shall I do?” The wise Father replied, “Feed the one and starve the other.”
2024-02-0809 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E12: Understanding Temptation (Part 1)Today's thought: Falling into temptation is never an isolated act. It has a background in our hearts...
2024-02-0708 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E11: Sticking It OutToday's thought: Trials and temptations are there, not to strip our faith, but to strengthen our faith.
2024-02-0608 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E10: A Temporary View of Life (Part 3)Today's thought: Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt.6:21) The Preacher’s Commentary says, “Gathering earthly treasures is not a great enough cause by which to structure a philosophy of life.”
2024-02-0408 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E09: A Temporary View of Life (Part 2)Today's thought: Our attitude towards money and possessions is a good litmus test of whether or not, in God’s sight, we are rich or poor. We either hold them tightly or lightly.
2024-02-0309 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E08: A Temporary View of Life (Part 1)Today's thought: Jesus taught that our attitude to the least of his brethren actually reflects our attitude towards the Lord himself. (Matt.25:40)
2024-02-0209 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E07: Spiritual InstabilityToday's thought: Insecurity in any relationship is never constructive; it is always damaging. How secure are you in God’s love? Do you know in your heart that he loves you?
2024-01-3008 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E06: The Gaining of WisdomToday's thought: The landscape of life is littered with the wreckage of projects and schemes that have been attempted for God with little or no reference to him. Better to get close to him, to listen to him, and obey his promptings, than run at the world with a clutch of good ideas.
2024-01-2908 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E05: Developing MaturityToday's thought: Living in a culture that finds difficulty with any form of long-term commitment, where will I be in my walk with Jesus in about twenty years from now?
2024-01-2809 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E04: Handling the Hard TimesToday's thought: Our attitudes and our responses to trials will tell the true story about the levels and the maturity of our faith. We cannot choose the circumstances, but we can choose our responses.
2024-01-2709 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E03: Wherever You AreToday's thought: The Lord knows where he has placed us, and for what reason. His word can reach us wherever we are, and can nourish us in our faith.
2024-01-2608 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E02: James the Half-BrotherToday's thought: The Bible teaches that “we have this treasure in jars of clay” (2 Cor 4:7). You, and your brothers and sisters in Christ, are all “jars of clay”, and yet within, there is the life of Christ. Don’t be caught up in seeing them in the natural. Can you see the life of Jesus within them?
2024-01-2508 minExploring ScriptureShoe Leather Faith E01: Introduction
The faith that James wrote about was a faith that is not merely a cerebral affair, but one that is to be believed, experienced and worked out in the nitty- gritty of life at ground-level. This series will take your time over one or two verses at a time, hopefully allowing them to sink deeply into your heart and spirit. May you pick up the heart of James as you spend time with him.
2024-01-2409 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E24: The WardrobeToday's thought: each day, a volume of songs and prayers sits on your shelf, inviting you to enter and experience the world of the kingdom of heaven. Will you respond?
2024-01-2306 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E23: Movements of HeavenToday's thought: when was the last time you somehow sensed what was happening in heaven?
2024-01-2205 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E22: Choosing PurposeToday's thought: choose well. Don’t let the wind blow you away
2024-01-2105 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E21: The Narrow GateThought for the day: Read Proverbs 24:11,12. Ignorance is unjustified.
2024-01-2005 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E20: Death
Today's thought: if people need to be saved, should that affect the reason and the way we do evangelism? Do we have a responsibility?
2024-01-1906 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E19: The ChaffToday's thought: when the storms of life hit us, will we stand firmly rooted in Christ, or will we be blown away?
2024-01-1805 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E18: EstablishedToday's thought: the wisdom and ways of God are ageless and have no need to be adapted to modern cultural tastes.
2024-01-1705 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E17: Spiritual ProsperityToday's thought: of all the kinds of prosperity that are out there, what kind are you looking for?
2024-01-1605 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E16: TrialsToday's thought: am I in charge of my attitudes, or are they in charge of me?
2024-01-1505 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E15: It’s Leaf Does Not WitherToday's thought: someone once said that “we need to learn how to turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones”.
2024-01-1405 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E14: SaunteringToday's thought: God is not in a hurry. It is not in his nature, and neither should it be in ours.
2024-01-1306 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E13: Fruit-bearing TreesToday's thought: if you sit long enough in the presence of Christ, you will feel his heartbeat. It will not only be for you; it will also be for those who have never known him.
2024-01-1207 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E12: PlantedToday's thought: Our local church, although not perfect, is the very place where God wants to nurture us. Our brothers and sisters in the faith have been strategically placed to walk with us, the light of Christ shining through their weaknesses and imperfections.
2024-01-1106 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E11: Deeply RootedToday's thought: "There is no such thing as a spiritual journey. If a little shocking, this is refreshing. If there were a spiritual journey, it would be only a quarter-inch long, though many miles deep." We are usually more concerned about the visibility of our ministry whereas God is more concerned with the depth of our ministry.
2024-01-1006 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E10: YearningToday's thought: There was an ache in the soul of David. It could only be assuaged by the presence of God. Meditating in the Scriptures and subsequent worship took him there.
2024-01-0905 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E09: Duvet VictoriesToday's thought: maybe we ought to think about getting some ‘duvet victories’ – where we are able to crawl out from underneath our duvets in the morning to seek the company of the one who deeply loves us, and desires to meet with us, in the quietness of the dawn.
2024-01-0805 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E08: Meditation in ScriptureToday's thought: Guigo II was a Carthusian monk and the 9th prior of the Grande Chartreuse monastery in the French Alps from 1174-80. He wrote: "...reading puts as it were whole food into your mouth; meditation chews it and breaks it down..."
2024-01-0706 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E07: Delight into DiggingToday's thought: a Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.
2024-01-0605 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E06: LawToday's thought: The words that we speak to each other can have profound effects. Many of us remember the effects of words spoken at us or into us years ago. God’s words are deliberately and intentionally spoken into us to cleanse, heal, restore, challenge and grow us into maturity. We need to open our hearts up to them.
2024-01-0506 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E05: DelightToday's thought: When you delight yourself in the Lord, His Word and His ways become the focus and foundation of your life.
2024-01-0405 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E04: Deliberate ProgressToday's thought: According to the text in Heb.12:1, there are things that are sinful, and then there are “weights” (ESV) – “things that hinder” (NIV). These are not sinful in themselves, but they can rob us of spiritual vitality. Can you identify any in your life?
2024-01-0306 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E03: Posture, Character, ConductOn Day 3 of our study of Psalm 1, we unpack three sets of triplets in the first verse describing the wicked.
Today's thought: All of us are influenced. It can be by our upbringing, the people around us, the sermons we heard, or the books we read, to name a few. We need, however, to be shaped and influenced by what God says to us through the Scriptures.
2024-01-0205 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E02: Blessed
For the second day of our study of Psalm 1, we look at the first word of the first verse, 'blessed'.
Today's thought: in our hands is a book that, rightly understood and entered into, will open to us a deep well and usher us into a spiritual landscape that is beautiful beyond words.
2024-01-0105 minExploring ScriptureSong In The Gate E01: IntroductionWelcome to the first day (and first podcast attempt!) of this devotional on Psalm 1.
Today's thought: the book of Psalms is placed roughly in the centre of the Bible. Maybe this is where our attention to Scripture, worship and prayer should be placed in our life as well.
2023-12-2810 min