Can I ask you to think back over this last week and ask yourself, what thoughts have I had, what words have I spoken, what things have I done that I know absolutely are wrong? ...

Most of us wouldn’t consider ourselves to be wealthy. Depending on your circumstances, you might think of yourself as somewhere between “middle class” and … not so well ...

Today I’d like to share a profound word about those who remain single. Now perhaps you’re not, but doubtless you know someone who is. If so, perhaps you can share today’s ...

Whilst most people end up married, that’s not the case for everyone. Protracted singleness is far more common than we might imagine. Sadly though, people look at the singlies ...

Families are something we tend to take for granted. Most of us grew up in a family for better or for worse and many of us have started our own families. And yet as much as this ...

The nagging wife is something of an unpleasant and unwelcome stereotype that many women rail against. And fair enough too. But then again, some women do nag their husbands to the ...

The biggest mistake I see women making in their marriages is, once the children come along, relegating their husbands to third, fourth or fifth place in the family hierarchy. Big ...

Too many men have become emotionally distant from their families, both as husbands and fathers. And that, right there, is one of the biggest mistakes we men can ever make because ...

Honestly … a man, when it comes to his family, can be such an oaf. Seriously! We somehow never stop to think what our families truly need from us, so we keep repeating the same ...

Families are something we tend to take for granted. Most of us grew up in a family for better or for worse and many of us have started our own families. And yet as much as this ...

Families are something we tend to take for granted. Most of us grew up in a family for better or for worse and many of us have started our own families. And yet as much as this ...

Confidence can be a powerful force in our lives, provided that we place our confidence in the right things. With all that life’s throwing at you right now, let me ask you, how ...

Anyone who’s married will be able to tell you that every now and then, their wife or their husband does something completely unexpected. You thought you knew them, but boom! And ...

There are forces at play in this world that seek to shut down the Gospel; to silence the Good News of Jesus; to deprive God’s people of the opportunity – so speak out the love ...

I don’t know about you, but I get up out of bed each day hoping and believing for the best. A new day, new opportunities … but some days, things simply don’t work out that ...

One of the biggest mistakes that you and I can make is to imagine that God’s plans revolve around us, around our comfort and convenience – because His plans are so much bigger ...

So here’s a question for you: Can you trust the promises of God? I mean, really. Given all the things life throws at you, do the promises of God stand true, or are they ...

It’s going on thirty years since my dear old dad passed out of this world. I still think of him. I still wish he was here to chat to. After all, he was my dad. But I wonder how ...

As Jesus walked the dusty roads of 1st century Israel, He did and said some powerful things. Countless lives were touched and transformed. And that’s the point. When eventually ...

One day, all the things that we hold dear in this world – our relationships, our possessions, our reputations even – will pass away. Every high priority in your life and in ...

We live in a world today where the things that we’ve always known to be wrong – greed, lust, immorality and the like – are now not only being called right, but applauded. ...

Suffering is a theme that I love to return to again and again, both in my learning and development and in yours. Because it’s in that place of suffering that we have the ...

Throughout life, we tend to search for wonderful things; good things that’ll bless us, good things that’ll enrich our lives and the lives of those we love. But those wonderful ...

No doubt you’ve had the experience of feeling a bit down, and then someone’s come along with a simple word of encouragement, and in an instant lifted you up, changed your day ...

It’s really quite staggering, you know, how often we judge other people – how they look, their facial expressions, their body language, what they say, what they do. In fact, ...

It amazes me how two people can look at the same issue, the same thing – the same object, even – and yet see two entirely different things. Why does that happen? How does that ...

Have you ever felt locked in your circumstances? It feels like a straitjacket, right? If feels as though nothing’s ever going to change; as though you are going to be stuck in ...

Have you ever wondered to yourself, “What brings God joy?” I mean, we’re made in His image and we experience joy in our lives. So it stands to reason that He does too. What ...

There’s a fine line, isn’t there, between confidence and overconfidence? But here’s a question: can you ever have too much confidence in God? Is it possible to be ...

Every now and then, we find ourselves in a position where people are plotting against us.  Murmuring.  Whispering.  It hurts a lot. We feel isolated and it can be ...

Have you ever eaten a tough piece of meat? Meat’s allegedly good for you, and you can even pay a bit extra for a superior cut, but if it comes up tough after you’ve cooked it ...

The big mistake we make in this life is that we think that happiness and joy are the same thing. They simply aren’t. Happiness relies on our circumstances, and they can change, ...

You know how it is … out of all the important things in your life – your relationships, health, finances – nine out of ten of them are bubbling along just fine, but ...

In this day and age, the deal is that when you invest in something you expect a return. After all, that’s what, by and large, makes the world economy go round. I lend you some ...

The big mistake we make in this life is that we think that happiness and joy are the same thing. They simply aren’t. Happiness relies on our circumstances, and they can change, ...

The big mistake we make in this life is that we think that happiness and joy are the same thing. They simply aren’t. Happiness relies on our circumstances, and they can change, ...

So, a question for you today: how often do you think about how you’re living your life? How often do you reflect on how you respond to different situations, different stimuli, ...

There’s a lot of pressure on any Christ-follower these days to bend their belief, their understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, away from that old-fashioned interpretation ...

It’s always interesting to tap into the experiences of other people, particularly when those experiences are close encounters with God.  And that’s exactly what this ...

Jesus promised His disciples many things. One of those promises that we can stand on with shouts of praise and hallelujah is that if they persecuted Him (which they did) they’re ...

One of the most unpalatable things about being a Christian is repenting; turning away from what we know is wrong –  which is why a lot of people hold out on Jesus. The thing ...

One of the things that parents fears most is that their child would be led astray by hanging out with the wrong crowd; by allowing the wrong people to become their role models. ...

I wonder … what does “church” mean to you? Is it a building (for many it is)? Is it the traditional service that you attend on a Sunday? Is it an institution, a family, or ...

It’s an odd feeling, you know, sitting on this side of the Fresh devotional each day; my side – the side of praying, preparing, writing, recording, shooting a short message ...

So what is it that you do day after day? Perhaps you have a job so you go to work. Or you’re a homemaker. Or retired. What is it that’s going to take up a good chunk of your ...

Well, a blessed and a merry Christmas to you on this Christmas day, that one day in the year when we stop to remember the entry of God’s grace into this world through that Child ...

It’s one thing to have a spectacular “come to Jesus” moment. And if that happened to you, as it did to me many years ago … fantastic. But it’s another thing entirely to ...

Yesterday we chatted about the absence of civility in public discourse and the powerful role that you and I can play in bringing that back through gracious understanding and ...

I was just chatting by video conference the other day with Bob Beasley, a dear friend of mine in Canada. He made the point that civil dialogue amongst people of opposing views is ...

Our days on this earth – yours and mine – are numbered. We have a finite time left to have a positive, lasting impact on the lives of those around us, those who matter most. ...

All the things in this world that we take for granted – whilst they’re here today – could very well be gone tomorrow. In fact, one day no matter how permanent the things of ...

Do you know the biggest difference between doing bad and doing good? Doing bad is so easy. It just seems to come naturally to us. Doing good on the other hand … well, that can ...

It’s funny how God (if we’ll let Him) can use even the most mundane of situations to teach us a powerful lesson, even when we’re feeling decidedly unspiritual. That’s ...

There was a time in Israel’s history when they’d turned their backs on God yet again. And they were suffering the consequences of their rebellion against Him … yet again. ...

We all have days when God appears to go missing from our lives. In theory you may well believe that He never leaves you or forsakes you. But in practice … well, where is He? Why ...

Have you ever had the sense that God’s calling you to do something for Him? You know … that little voice, that nudge in your spirit. It can be a tad disconcerting because ...

From time to time, we all come across people who rub us the wrong way – perhaps even people who offend us, belittle us, seek to harm us. We wish we didn’t, but we do. So what ...

There are two approaches to pretty much anything in life that’s worth doing. The first, the one most people take most of the time, is the half-hearted approach. The second, the ...

When you’re out doing good things for God, using your gifts and abilities, your time and resources to share the love of Christ with those around you, there’s a temptation, to ...

It’s easy these days with the “I’m entitled” mentality that pervades our culture to read the Bible through that very same “I’m entitled” lens, to perceive the things ...

Have you ever wondered why it is that we can be so disobedient, so rebellious, not just toward the authorities set over us on this earth, but towards God Himself? Where does it ...

One of the key strategies of those who oppose Christianity is to “jam” us whenever we speak up about the things of God, to shut us down by creating an environment of deep ...

Sometimes it’s hard to come to grips with the fact that we have some real untapped potential.  The sad thing is when people live their whole lives without realising that ...

Have you ever been with a group of people where one person clearly stands out as the smartest one in the room? So you have to ask yourself, how did they become the smartest person ...

Mentorship is something of a lost art in this day and age. The idea of the older, wiser men and women helping to shape and mould the younger ones seems to have been lost amidst ...

“The fear of God” is perhaps the strangest notion you’ll ever find in the Bible. Seriously. But God is love; He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us so that we could be ...

One of the worst things we can ever do is to talk over the top of people, or even just hold our tongue – not with the aim of taking in what’s being said, but just so that we ...

I don’t know about you, but I am a master of self-delusion. So many times in my life I’ve believed something to be true, but then lived my life in completely the opposite way ...

Each and every day, as I read the news, as I see how people behave towards one another, the abject evil of so many people in this world just slaps me in the face like a cold fish. ...

Other people can be so incredibly annoying, can’t they? You’re planning on having a day of peace and joy, of honouring God, and then … boom. Some idiot comes along to ruin ...

We live in a world where so many terrible things are taking place. Wars, atrocities, exploitation, starvation not to mention the political and ideological difference tearing ...

None of us likes being offended. Sometimes we take offense, because the person dishing it out is just being obnoxious. Other times though, it’s because they’re telling us a ...

We live in a world where so many terrible things are taking place. Wars, atrocities, exploitation, starvation not to mention the political and ideological difference tearing ...

We live in a world where so many terrible things are taking place. Wars, atrocities, exploitation, starvation not to mention the political and ideological difference tearing ...

I don’t know about you, but I have this objective to become a better person as time goes on – little by little, day by day – to deal with my foibles and failures, so that ...

We live, more and more, in the age of entitlement. I deserve better than this. I’m entitled to say and do what I want. How dare they tell me what to do? And yet to live in ...

When I was growing up, I wasn’t allowed to use the word “hate”. I certainly was never allowed to hate someone. That was strictly verboten. Even saying that I hated this or ...

Do you ever get the wobbles in your faith walk? Sure, you believe … but just in that moment, perhaps right here in this moment, it’s difficult to discern any rhyme or reason ...

There is so much pretending that goes on in the world today in people’s lives, perhaps even in our lives. In public, we say nice things about others, but in private we curse ...

Most days, I make sure that I read the news – local, national and international. I also make sure that I read God’s Word, the Bible. And I tell you, the gap between those two ...

There are people in this world who will oppose you – some for the right reasons, some for the wrong reasons. How you respond to them has a lot to do with your inner, core ...

From the youngest age, each one of us has been subject to rules. Our parents told us what we could and couldn’t do. And if you’re anything like me, as a child and as a ...

The Good News of Jesus comes in two parts: forgiveness of our sins through His sacrifice on the Cross: and a new life from now to eternity. In other words, pardon from the past, ...

At some point along the way, anyone who chooses to believe in Jesus has a choice to make. Will they actually do what He tells them to do, or will they just carry on with business ...

It’s a rough and tumble world that we live in. Criticism can be hurled your way without notice. Those feelings of inadequacy rise up and before you know it, the lie that God ...

Without a doubt, Christians these days are suffering more persecution than ever before. For some, that still means being shot or beheaded. For others, it’s governments limiting ...

The one thing we’re not short of in this day and age is information. And as we’re being bombarded left, right and centre, the big decision for each of us now is, whom or what ...

Everyone you know, no matter how much they love you, will at some stage disappoint you. And that emotion of disappointment can end up ruining not just your day, but if you allow ...

Sometimes when communion is passed around at church – a small cup of grape juice, and a nice, fluffy little cube of white bread – let me be honest here … I want to scream. ...

There seem to be two types of people walking planet Earth today – those with a strong sense of purpose, and those without one. There doesn’t seem to be much in between. So ...

So, these last few days we’ve been reading about the vitally important subject of breaking free from the power of sin in our lives so that we can be all that God made us to be. ...

This world in which we live, you and I, operates on the unwritten and yet inviolable law that wealth is good and poverty is bad – which means that pretty much everybody is ...

One of the most powerful truths of the Bible is that “love” isn’t just a noun, it’s also a verb. It’s not just something that you have or don’t have, it’s also ...

The notion that you and I can turn our own lives around, that we can pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and become a better person, is an attractive one. The problem is, it ...

Not everybody you meet is actually who they appear to be. Sadly, some people promise a lot, but right in that moment when you need them, they fail you and sometimes, even turn on ...

The glory of God is something that fills the heavens. Look around – look up at the stars, look at the amazing world that God has created. There’s glory all around … and God ...

If the rhetoric of Christians in the social media feeds that I monitor is any indication, then we, the church, have drifted a long, long … long way from biblical Christianity. ...

Have you ever made a serious blunder along the way and afterwards, when your emotions had settled down, in the cold, hard light of day, you thought to yourself: Why on earth did I ...

Have you noticed how sometimes, time seems just to fly by, and other times it drags on interminably? How is it that time, which should be an absolute constant, seems to be able to ...

People are sometimes confused about how you end up in the Kingdom of God. On the one hand, we’re told that our salvation is a free gift, not by works but by faith. On the other ...