[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during October 2026]
He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’
Psalm 46 v10 [NIVUK]
Stillness and its companion, silence, are increasingly rare experiences in our modern world. Even those who do not live close to a major airport or a motorway will always be aware of the persistent intrusion of movement and noise around us.
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[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during September 2026]
All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53 v6 [NKJV]
As a general rule, people do not take kindly to being likened to sheep. However, there are some semblances which help to justify the description. Like sheep, we prefer to move with the crowd, we tend to repeat our mistakes and we often think the grass is greener elsewhere.
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[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during August 2026]
Surely wickedness burns like a fire; it consumes briers and thorns, it sets the forest thickets ablaze, so that it rolls upwards in a column of smoke.
Isaiah 9 v18 [NIVUK]
Throughout the past few weeks our tv screens have shown images of the extensive wildfires that are raging in southern Europe and parts of north America. At the same time, devastating floods and earthquakes have hit other parts of the world. Floods and droughts do not make comfortable companions.
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[This reflection by Helen Ruffhead was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 14/Jun/2026]
As Martin reminded us in his sermon on 24th May, we need to start by spending time with God and listening to him. Martin also mentioned 3 ways of testing what we think God is guiding us to do, laid down by Pete Grieg on the Prayer Course:
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[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during April 2026]
Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Isaiah 55 v1 [ESVUK]
In the UK the 21st April has been designated as National Tea Day. Whether your preference is the scent of Earl Grey or the real taste of Yorkshire, this date gives us an excuse for an extra ‘cuppa’. A cup of tea is an excellent aid when reading the Scriptures so it is particularly disappointing that there is no mention of tea, as we know it, in the Bible.
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[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during March 2026]
The path of trouble is the way home.
CH Spurgeon [1]
Is there a modern relevance to these words, written by a prominent preacher in 1865? Or are they now just an outdated expression of a sentiment that was prevalent in non-conformist denominations at a time very different from our contemporary experience?
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