We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for youColossians 1:3 I remember a time when my prayers consisted of the following:Lord - save me from this bad situation I’ve put myself inGod - please give me this thing I need (or more likely - want)God - please change this person because they aren’t doing what I wantLord - please make me feel happy instead of sadOne of the ...  Read More

Q. 16. Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression?A. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression.Westminster Shorter CatechismI think today’s topic is one of the more controversial/strange theological realities, at least to modern eyes an...  Read More

The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.Proverbs 12:26It’s a strange thought. Choosing your friends. But we do don’t we? We have a choice and there aren’t many more important choices than who we surround ourselves with. I wish I had understood this wisdom sooner. For much of my life, I surrounded myself with people who led me astray rather than clo...  Read More

5 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being exampl...  Read More

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.Jeremiah 17:7In the Hebrew, the word blessed literally means happy (or if you prefer, deeply joyful). It’s funny, sometimes we should be happy and yet we don’t feel happy. That can be for a number of reasons. But, sometimes, we need to remind ourselves that we have every reason to be happy.Memorise this passage and be remin...  Read More

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.Acts 2:42One of the things I love about Village Church is our dinners together. Food is a wonderful way to celebrate togetherness, to serve one another and to enjoy each other in Christ. When we do this, we partake in a tradition from the earliest converts to Christ.Acts 2 reminds us that th...  Read More

16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.1 Peter 4:16I grew up hating my last name. Kids at my primary school would tease me because it was Italian. My nickname in some circles is a remnant of those days. It went from Canosa, to Cabanossi to Cabo.As I got older, I started to really warm to my name. It has a rich history. There is a whole r...  Read More

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.Colossians 3:16Many of us love singing. Particularly at Christmas. There is something special about singing Christmas carols, songs that we only sing at a particular time of year but that we have always...  Read More

Q. 16. Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression?A. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression.Westminster Shorter CatechismI think today’s topic is one of the more controversial/strange theological realities, at least to modern eyes an...  Read More

As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.Proverbs 26:11Are you a New Year’s Resolution person? Have you already failed? Hopefully you haven’t! No doubt you made some great commitments. Exercise more, spend more time with people you love, (hopefully) read the Bible/pray more.If you are anything like me, New Years Resolutions often take the form of starting something or doing more ...  Read More

3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.1 Peter 4:3I spent four hours talking to the phone company about my latest bill. Feels like such a waste. There are so many things I would have rather been doing in that time. Our language when it comes to time is instructive isn’t it. We sa...  Read More

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of ChristEphesians 3:17-18The start of a new year is always a good time to begin new habits (or is it!?). Either way. Why not commit to memorising a passage of Scripture each week? And no need to come up with which passage on ...  Read More