A Selfish Heart – 1 Samuel 2:11-36 If you want to listen to last Sunday’s sermon, it was in my local church. The second in the series on Spiritual Heart Surgery, my given title was- ‘A Selfish Heart’, and the text was 1 Samuel 2:11-36. It’s not a passage I would have chosen to speak from, which makes it all the fun to dig into an unfamiliar text and find some real gold. I hope you enjoy it!
Category: Sermons
Life Built on Rock!
Matthew 7:24-29 Watch, listen to or download this sermon I gave last Sunday. Some notes and cool quotes from the sermon: Most of us have been educated way beyond the level of our obedience. It’s not about being biblically literate but biblically obedient… Is your life built on rock? Not feelings… “Believe God’s Word and power more than you believe your own feelings and experiences. Your Rock is Christ, and it is not the Rock which ebbs and flows, but your sea.” (Samuel Rutherford) “The waters are raging and the winds are blowing but I have no fear for I […]
A Stunning Invitation
So I’ve been in the USA preaching this week, and felt led to this passage, which is not what a visiting speaker would usually choose if he wanted to get invited back! What a passage! Just 9 verses, which include one of the worst and one of the best five verses in the whole Bible (which has 31,102 in total). I started with a few questions to reflect on, but you’ll need to listen to it to get the full impact: Listen to the audio or download here: “So I want to start with a question, a crucial question: What […]
Made Whole, Imago Dei
Here is a talk I gave yesterday on being made in the image of God. Below is some of the material I shared: Some guests were visiting an orphanage and shared the Christmas story with the children for their first time ever. They sat, enthralled, and were then given materials to re-create the manger scene. All was going to plan until one of the visitors spotted six-year-old Abu’s efforts – he had put two babies in the manger. He was asked to repeat the story, and he did so perfectly until the end when he made up his own version. […]
Come and See!
Today’s talk is the fifth in a series given recently at Lee Abbey. Come to me Weary! Come to me Dirty! Come to me Hungry! Come to me Thirsty! Come and See, then Go and Be! Here are a few juicy bits if you haven’t the time to listen: You won’t have heard of Edward Kimball. This man was becoming increasingly active in church and wanted to make an impact with the youth. His constant refrain was ‘come and see’. There was one lad he saw great potential in but just wasn’t able get through to. In the end, Kimball just decided to […]
Thirsty!
Today’s talk is the fourth in a series given recently at Lee Abbey. Come to me Weary! Come to me Dirty! Come to me Hungry! Come to me Thirsty! Here are a few juicy bits if you haven’t the time to listen: “Lord, please put salt on my lips that I might thirst more after you.” Augustine The revival on Lewis (1949-1952) was steeped in prayer. Seven men and two old ladies had decided to pray and not stop until God visited them in a powerful way. One night, at a prayer meeting held in a barn, one of them said, […]
Hungry!
Today’s talk is the third in a series given recently at Lee Abbey. Come to me Weary! Come to me Dirty! Come to me Hungry! Here are a few juicy bits if you haven’t the time to listen: George Orwell described a wasp that “was sucking jam on my plate and I cut him in half. He paid no attention, merely went on with his meal, while a tiny stream of jam trickled out of his severed oesophagus. Only when he tried to fly away did he grasp the dreadful thing that had happened to him.” The wasp and people without […]
Worthy or Unworthy? Dog or Heir?
Do you feel worthy of God’s love, or unworthy? It’s an important question. Lots of people live under guilt and shame, which is no way to do life. You see, we may be undeserving of God’s grace but we are certainly not unworthy. Because our worth is defined or measured by what Someone is willing to pay for us. And Jesus showed us just how valuable we are on the cross, didn’t he? He settled the matter there. Below is the second in a series of talks given a few weeks ago at Lee Abbey. The first was ‘Come to […]
Turning Down the Queen’s Invitation
Back in 2017, I received an invitation from the Queen to join her at Buckingham Palace. I turned her down. Why? Because I’d already heard her on the radio. I’d read her written messages. I’d seen her on TV plenty of times. That was enough for me. Seriously? Of course not! Lizzie and I went there with a great sense of privilege, anticipation and honour, and had a wonderful time. Now, what is on offer today, to all of us, is not a personal invitation from the Sovereign of a nation, rather one from the Sovereign of the Universe, the […]
Who Do You Say I Am?
In a talk for a local church last Sunday, I was asked to look at this passage and the question Jesus asks of His disciples, ‘Who do you say I am?’ If you agree with what Peter answered then the implications are huge. Do take a listen. You can also listen to the sermon or download the audio recording. Some Quotes Oswald Chambers: Is God going to help himself to me, or am I so taken up of my conception of what I want to make of my life? CS Lewis: “Anything which isn’t eternal is eternally out of date” […]
Down with the Kids!
I invite you to listen to this last Sunday’s sermon, it’ll challenge you to the core! We had a powerful time… Watch the sermon: Listen to the sermon below or download here. Jim Wallis writes: “The danger of secular fundamentalism is its allergy to spirituality and disdain for anything religious. Prophetic religion is the antidote to bad religion. Prophetic faith is not the battle between secularism and faith, but rather between cynicism and hope. Prophets begin in judgment, social critique of status quo, but end in hope – that those realities can be changed. It’s a spiritual choice. Ultimately, cynicism […]
Love Bites
Have you ever had a love bite?! No, I’m not talking about the hickey variety… Below is last Sunday’s sermon from St Mark’s Battersea Rise as part of their series ‘Love Justice’. After so long in lockdown, it was lovely to be back preaching in the flesh. Have a listen, it’s challenging stuff: Here are some quotes that I shared: Anthropologist Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Edmund Burke: “All that it takes for evil to prosper is for good people […]
Wake up NOW to the Satanic Lullaby!
Can you hear it? Let me explain. An extraordinary phenomenon has taken place over the last few years in Iran – or, to give it its full title, the Islamic Republic of Iran. In the context of the strict application of Shariah Law and in a climate of severe persecution for anyone who converts to Christianity, a steady stream of people are risking life and limb in their declaration of allegiance to the way of Jesus. To become an apostate of Islam is extremely costly, and there are plenty of documented cases of rape, imprisonment and torture of those brave […]
Lockdown Encouragement!
I just recorded this talk and sent it out to a number of churches. If you fancy a listen, may it bring you some encouragement through these difficult times… God bless you loads, cheering you on in the Spirit! Simon PS Lots of folks have joined the Choose Life Big Church 365 Read, and it’s easy to sign up for, with a weekly vlog to further encourage folks. Here’s the link: glo.org.uk/chooselife
Wartime Walkie-Talkie or Domestic Intercom?
The world we are living in is nuts, and only getting more nuts. Most people, however intelligent, are seeking rational explanations. But the truth is, there aren’t any. I genuinely think most of us in the West are so blind to spiritual realities that we have an awful lot to learn from other worldviews.I was cleaning up my computer and came across this talk given in 2017. I’d never posted it. But I found that all the more after a short time of living back in the West I needed to hear it. I think it’ll do you some good […]
Come Down!
‘Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.’ (Habakkuk 3:2) Sunday’s sermon at Holy Trinity Cheltenham can be viewed below. The covid limitations and seating restrictions were a little strange, but it was good to be back in a church, and we had a powerful time. Below is some of what I shared: A few years ago I flew to the Hebrides to speak at a number of meetings. It was great to go to places I’d read about from the 1949-52 revival there, and even talk […]
How Long Will This Epidemic Last?
“My belief is that when you’re telling the truth, you’re close to God. If you say to God, “I am exhausted and depressed beyond words, and I don’t like You at all right now, and I recoil from most people who believe in You,” that might be the most honest thing you’ve ever said. If you told me you had said to God, “It is all hopeless, and I don’t have a clue if You exist, but I could use a hand,” it would almost bring tears to my eyes, tears of pride in you, for the courage it takes […]
My Failed First Relationship and then Finding True Love…
Gini was my first love (or should I say lust?). It didn’t work out well, much to my chagrin… I was given 5 minutes as part of 24-hour speaking event, and this is what I came up with. Feel free to pass on to folks who could do with hearing it. Next steps? Over lockdown I’ve been looking at the Alpha Course. Short videos that are so clear and helpful. Here’s the first one:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBMMD5C0k-s
The Gospel Call – Urgent, Costly, Precious
William Booth’s last speech to the Salvation Army ended with this: “While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight. While little children go hungry, as they do now, I’ll fight. While men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight. While there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight – I’ll fight to the very end!” Greetings! The above and below are a few of the stories I shared in this talk […]
The Adventure of Calling
My life motto is John 10:10 where Jesus says: “I have come that you might have life, and life to the full.” This talk on the Adventure of Calling was given a few months ago in North Carolina. It definitely applies to all of us, and is worth a listen. Below I’ll paste a few quotes that I included: If you want the adventure of calling, you have to COME: Claim God’s promisesObey God’s instructionsMaintain faith in God’s leadingEmbrace risks for God’s glory “My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road […]