Posts Tagged: ‘1 Corinthians’

Do Whatever He Tells You

[This reflection by David Makanjuola was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 01/Jun/2025]

Inspiration for most of my articles in Yours come from conversations with people. This one is no different. After the service a couple of weeks ago, someone came up to me and asked if he could ask a question. He said he wondered why God allowed so much trouble and sorrow in the world. He said that we didn’t ask to be born, and if we knew what the world would be like, we would probably have chosen not to come into it.
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Contributor: David Makanjuola

Bees, Creeds and Measuring Up

[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?
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Contributor: Steve Humphreys

You Matter To Christ

[This reflection by David Makanjuola was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 02/Mar/2025]

Jesus, in the gospel of Luke, told a parable as follows:

Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Luke 15 v4-7 [NIVUK]

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Contributor: David Makanjuola

Snakes and Ladders

[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during February 2025]

Last week saw the start of the lunar new year, an event commonly known as the Chinese New Year. According to the Chinese calendar, the New Year is triggered by the closest new moon to the beginning of Spring. This year the corresponding date on the Gregorian calendar is 29th January; the next New Year will be 17th February 2026.
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Contributor: Steve Humphreys

God Can Use Your Skills

[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during January 2025]

2025 logoAs 2024 disappears into the dusty archives of time and last week’s resolutions are rapidly following the same fate, what can we do to usefully fill the next 11 months before Christmas comes around again? It is said that idle hands do the devil’s work so how can we work for God instead? The apostle Paul shared some ideas:

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers
Ephesians 4 v11 [NKJV]

As a young Christian, I found these words written by the apostle Paul to be somewhat unsettling. I wanted to serve God but none of these callings matched my personal ambitions or what I considered to be my skill-set. (more…)

Contributor: Steve Humphreys

The Last Post

[A ‘Tuesday Challenge’ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during December 2024]

The Last Post – what do those words conjure up in your mind?

The Last Post: I suppose that if you were a fencing contractor then this might mean that your day’s work was complete or that you had reached the end of the line. Fences need to be firmly grounded and regularly maintained, otherwise they soon become useless.
Do you ever feel like a broken fence? You try to hold a line but people can trample all over you. The Psalmist identified with that feeling:

I feel like a shaky fence or a sagging wall. How long will all of you attack and assault me?
Psalm 62 v3 [CEV]

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Contributor: Steve Humphreys