Author Archives: firebrandnotes

Into the Barn to Burn (sermon)

Plato’s problem is that there isn’t enough stimuli in the world around us to reinforce the knowledge-based convictions we have in our heads; we don’t experience what we know. But Heraclitus would have said 100 years before that it doesn’t matter because everything is changing constantly anyway – you can’t step into the same riverContinue reading “Into the Barn to Burn (sermon)”

“If we really believe the gospel we proclaim, we’ll be honest about our own beauty and brokenness, and the beautiful broken One will make Himself known to our neighbours through the chinks in our armour – and in theirs” In September I wrote about The Furious Longing of God, by Brennan Manning, whose revelation expresses…

“Defeating pride through 1 Peter 5” works as a title for a sermon and as a poetic device (in that it rhymes) but it’s no reason to be proud. In fact, we have nothing to be proud about. Nothing. Spurgeon makes the point, “We have reasons for almost everything, but we have no reasons for…

The Devil Is Not A Natural Lion

“Defeating pride through 1 Peter 5” works as a title for a sermon and as a poetic device (in that it rhymes) but it’s no reason to be proud. In fact, we have nothing to be proud about. Nothing. Spurgeon makes the point, “We have reasons for almost everything, but we have no reasons forContinue reading “The Devil Is Not A Natural Lion”

Easter Paradidomi – Why is Good Friday good?

I’m colour blind – i.e. I can’t always discern between shades of brown and red and green. This means very little to me except that I can’t be an RAF pilot or a bomb disposal expert. It also means that I occasionally foul in snooker by playing a brown by mistake. And it means thatContinue reading “Easter Paradidomi – Why is Good Friday good?”

Global Bridegroom Fast

In Matthew 9, Jesus has a bunch of finger-pointing guys come up to Him and demand an explanation for His disciples not fasting while the disciples of John were. (Matthew 9:15) Jesus’ response was surprising because He pointed immediately to the issue of His forthcoming absence as being the fitting time for His disciples toContinue reading “Global Bridegroom Fast”

33 Meters

“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.” Eric Liddle I think we all know the feeling when you’re doing something and not only knowing that you’re not doing it very well but knowing that that’s because you’re kind of notContinue reading “33 Meters”

Thank You

This blog article is to stimulate gratitude for the simple things in life…the blessings that are by their thousands, every day, but that often go uncelebrated. I’m sat in a restaurant in Torbay in Devon looking out to sea. There’s an Easterly wind today which is good news for surfers because the waves are churning,Continue reading “Thank You”

30-year old Brothers

I thought I’d write a quick post  without much thought because it’s my brother’s 30th birthday today. I’ll turn 30 in a few years (I jest – I have already). Banter. But I remember at the time thinking, “wow…I’m really 30?”. It felt landmarkesque. That’s not even a word. It is now. The seventeenth verseContinue reading “30-year old Brothers”