by Chris Mabey | Sep 25, 2025 | Devotional
Living by the natural order of another, truer world We have had the poetic insights of David, the propitious prophecies of Isaiah and the dazzling dreams of Daniel. Now, Jesus radically redefines kingdom: a place not defended by armies and patrolled by border guards,...
by Don Freeman | Sep 20, 2025 | Devotional
Each morning, on our 15-minute walk to the Vineyard Church here, we join others on their way to school and work; moms and kids, teens on scooters, more on bikes and motorbikes, trucks making deliveries, and the occasional taxi (all of which are the same distinctive...
by Chris Mabey | Sep 18, 2025 | Devotional
The Son of Man meets the Ancient of Days A century or so on and Isaiah’s prophecies must have seemed like a distant dream: Jerusalem had been toppled and the people of God are in Babylonian exile. Daniel, at the time of King Belshazzar, has an apocalyptic dream. A...
by Don Freeman | Sep 13, 2025 | Devotional
It was time to refresh the front flower bed (at a previous house). There was a tight group of azalea plants which had seen better days and were about to be exchanged for a simpler planting. To say they resisted my efforts is to underestimate the painful task before...
by Chris Mabey | Sep 11, 2025 | Devotional
Three centuries on from the time of David, God’s chosen people continue to be besieged, and their earthly kingdom is divided between Israel in the north and Judah in the south. In calling his people back to God, the prophecies of Isaiah are peppered with descriptions...
by Don Freeman | Sep 9, 2025 | Devotional
Health food aficionados are currently touting the benefits of ancient grains. Archeologists always wax eloquent about discovering ancient ruins. Musicologists get teary-eyed listening to ancient forms of melodic line such as Gregorian chant. Well, as Jesus’ followers...
by Don Freeman | Sep 6, 2025 | Devotional
In the ‘60s, the TV drama, Mission Impossible, starred a cast of spies presented with a, well, impossible mission on a tape (which would self-destruct in 5 seconds), should they decide to accept it. It was always a harrowing series of twists and turns, threatening the...
by Chris Mabey | Sep 4, 2025 | Devotional
Today, Thursday 4th Sept, April and I are driving home to the UK from France. From one country to another. We are British nationals, we belong there and enjoy all the privileges of citizenship. We are there but not quite. Now but not yet. Heading home but not...
by Don Freeman | Sep 2, 2025 | Devotional
One of many things my mother passed on to me was the love of reading. She could disappear into a book and remain oblivious to her surroundings (i.e. the nagging of my siblings) for what seemed like forever. She would plead with gift-giving family members for books for...
by Don Freeman | Aug 30, 2025 | Devotional
Challenging words from Pete Greig: “Inevitably the media I consume starts to consume me. It realigns my neural pathways, amplifies my prejudices, and embeds unhealthy dependencies. The culture in which I swim inevitably shapes my most fundamental perception of...
