Ezra 6 — It had been a long and difficult process with much opposition and now the future of the Temple hinged upon whether an old Persian decree could be found. If it was found, what would the present emperor do? The rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem had been filled with twists and turns but…
Ezra 5 — After 15 years of inactivity those who returned to Jerusalem finally recommenced work on the Temple. However, the work was once again opposed! As we consider this part of the narrative, it brings to the fore some bigger questions — why do bad things keep happening? Why doesn’t God make life easier? Why…
Philippians 2:1-4 — Unity, harmony, love and friendship — these are all attributes we would expect to find in the church, and yet so often they’re lacking. Sadly, many have been turned away from the church by the failure of Christians to get along. How can this be avoided? How can disunity be rectified? This is…
II Corinthians 5:10 — The wonderful message of the Gospel is that Jesus bore the penalty of sin when He died on the cross. The person who places their faith in Jesus as Saviour is completely forgiven. The penalty of sin is forever removed but that does not mean there is no accountability. The New…
Ezra 5:1-2, Haggai 1 — The captives who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon set to work on rebuilding the Temple, but as a result of opposition the work ceased. As the years progressed the Temple remained unfinished and the people turned their attention elsewhere. Their priorities changed and God was not pleased, so He sent…
Various texts — Have you ever prayed and not received an answer? This can be a frustrating experience, but Divine silence should not surprise us. The Scriptures spell out clearly particular practices that can hinder our prayers being answered.
Romans 8:15 — When was the last time you paused and considered what it means to actually call God, Father? Too often Christians ignore this truth or take it for granted and so miss out on a wealth of comfort and blessing. In this sermon, Pastor Brendan explains the wonderful doctrine of adoption and its precious implications.
Matthew 6:7-13 — Prayer is a wonderful gift from our loving heavenly Father, but are our prayer lives all that they could be? Are they lacking power? In this lesson, a number of practices that prevent powerful prayer are addressed and the Biblical remedies offered.
Philippians 1:19-26 — “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (v.21) This ranks as one of the Apostle Paul’s most iconic statements. So what exactly does it mean, and what would it mean for Christians to live this way today? What would it look like practically? This is what Pastor Brendan draws out…
Philippians 1:9-11 — Spiritual discernment is the ability to think and make decisions in light of the teachings of the Bible. This is vital for living in a manner that pleases the Lord and it enables us to enjoy the good life He has for us. So how do we develop this discernment? The answer is…