[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during May 2025]
I believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord;[1]
This month, May 2025, sees the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea. This council and subsequent deliberations led, in due course, to the compilation of a series of statements of the Christian faith into a common creed.
(more…)
[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during May 2025]
Did you notice a particular buzz today? The 20th May each year has been designated as World Bee Day; the purpose of the day is to help recognise and promote the importance of bees and other pollinators in the production of crops and maintaining the natural environment. The date has been chosen as it is the anniversary of the baptism of Anton Jansa who pioneered the keeping of bees. Was your baptism a memorable occasion?
(more…)
[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during May 2025]
Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Luke 11 v2 [NKJV]
These words are taken from the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples, after they had asked him to teach them how to pray.[1] The prayer-lesson was recorded by both Matthew and Luke and it serves us as an example of the way we should structure our prayers.
(more…)
[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during May 2025]
Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.
Psalm 119 v49 [NKJV]
This extract from the psalmist’s prayer encourages us to refer back to God’s promises when we pray; that in turn requires us to know what God has promised. The NIV identifies over 200 references to God’s promises; to individuals in particular circumstances, to the nations of Israel and Judah or to those who follow him in faith. How many can you recall?
(more…)
[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during April 2025]
In this manner, therefore, pray: “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name”.
Matthew 6 v9 [NKJV]
This is the opening phrase of the template prayer that Jesus used to demonstrate to his disciples how they should pray. It is a regular component of worship services in more traditional denominations and many of us have learnt the prayer verbatim. But does the familiarity of the words mean that their significance is diminished?
(more…)
[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during April 2025]
Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Saviour,
waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!
From a secular point of view, Easter is over for another year but that is not so for sincere Christians for whom the events at Easter are the primary and constant focus of our faith. The writer to the Hebrews urges us to remember Easter throughout the year:
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12 v2 [NIVUK]