Providence Baptist Chapel

Several times in the Gospels, we see Jesus remaining silent. The One known as The Word, who loved to speak and had much to say, chose not to respond. We reflect on the meaning of His silence and the powerful questions it invites us to consider.

The Apostle James addresses Jewish believers forced to migrate due to persecution. We explore his central message: what genuine faith in Christ truly entails, how faith will be put to the test through trials, and the fruits that such testing brings in the life of every true believer.

King David was a "man after God's own heart". One through whom the Holy Spirit chose to signpost to Christ and teach us many lessons. As we begin this series on David's life, we learn vital lessons of God's unfolding plan of salvation which will come through David's greater Son.

God has written certain truths within our hearts. We look briefly at 7 such truths, but dig into the essential fact of eternity. Solomon spoke of a knowledge of Eternity being set by God in each of our hearts. We all know death is not the end, yet many ignore this fact or chose willingly to deny it and so will never be prepared for it.

Jeremiah urges us to pause and seek the ancient, tried-and-tested paths, timeless truths of God's Word. Genuine rest for our souls will be found only when we return to God's way, listen to His voice, and walk in obedience. In a world of distractions and empty promises, we need to seek the Lord with our whole hearts, for only then can we experience true and lasting peace for our souls.

Before entering the promised land, the Israelites needed to be humbled so they would trust and rely on God. Only then could they be ready to receive His blessings. Similarly, we must learn humility and depend on Christ first, then our prayer life, will grow and flourish.

Jesus' method of calling His disciples is also a parallel of the personal invitation of the Gospel. With only a few spoken words, these ordinary men left everything to follow Him. Though it would be challenging, He would radically change their lives and send them on a mission with everlasting consequences.

Nehemiah "faced an unfinished task". He turned to prayed and urged the people to gather when they heard the trumpet's sound. They must avoid isolation and be encouraged by one another in the great work of re-building. God promised to fight for them. We too must hear the Lord's rallying call and unite in difficult days, with much opposition to face.

Isaiah addressed Israel when they faced God's judgment because of pride, misplaced trust in foolish things, and their disregard for His numerous warnings. Yet, even in the midst of judgment, salvation remained accessible—they could still be cleansed, covered, and made safe. Christ, as the Branch of the Lord, is also promised to us if only we will turn from our sins and trust in Him.

The parable of the lost sheep and their shepherd was so straightforward and easy to understand. Yet, many of Jesus' listeners failed to grasp its meaning, which caused division among them. His response was to give them a theological masterpiece: the "Golden Chain of Salvation." We consider its 5 unbreakable links.

One of the vivid Old Testament Gospel illustrations is a picture of The Potter and the clay. In the allegory, Christ is evidently the Potter, and we are the clay. It teaches us that God has the absolute sovereign power to do as He pleases, choosing to shape the clay into a vessel of honour or of dishonour.

Heaven is a topic that captivates many people. Some believe it does not exist, others see it as just an emotional state of mind or something that can be completely experienced here on earth. We turn to the Bible's vivid imagery to break through the many misconceptions and understand the wonderful mystery of what heaven will truly be like.

We live in a pleasure obsessed age but look in the wrong places for happiness. Unless the source of our delight is in our Creator God, we will be disappointed. The Christian has come to see "that only Christ can satisfy" whereas "fading is the worldling's pleasure".

Conversion to Christ is a gracious work of God, accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit. Though with Jesus for three years, clear understanding and realization had not yet fully dawned on the disciples. But when the resurrected Jesus appeared to them personally, He opened their hearts. Suddenly, everything He taught them became so clear. This is conversion.

Disobedience is another subtle sin that often quietly takes root in our lives. It represents both a rejection of God's way and a rebellion against His authority. The phrase of "Disobedience to parents in the Lord" serves as a broad warning, against refusing to submit to God's appointed rulers and rejecting the accountability and responsibility He has placed over us.

Since the fall of man, a spiritual battle has been waged between humanity and our Creator. A conflict seen throughout Bible history, as many have repeatedly sought to deny, destroy, defeat, or diminish the power, authority and knowledge of God.

Dr. Luke records that people brought those with all kinds of illnesses to Jesus, and He healed them. Christ is the "Great Physician" — He can heal all our diseases, He charges nothing, and cures the soul of the most widespread and serious disease of sin for good.

Pride is the original sin and the root of all evil. However, we often let it silently enter our thoughts, words, and attitudes. Obadiah provided a clear diagnosis of this problem with the words: "The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?"

In closing his personal testimony of God's faithfulness throughout his life, David expresses full confidence that the Lord will continue to lead and follow him in the days ahead. God's goodness and mercy are ready to restore and heal the damage caused by sin, and the Psalmist stands assured and confident in the Lord's presence.

Hypocrisy is one of many subtle sins of the heart that Jesus Christ clearly identified as detestable - something God hates and will not accept. Instead, every genuine believer should remove hypocrisy from their lives and seek to live with integrity and sincerity.

The Lord pleaded with His people yet again, after they had deserted their God and sought unholy and useless alternatives. They had laboured to dig reservoirs to hold valuable and lifesaving water, but they held no water. How similar to us, in labouring to find alternatives to salvation in Christ alone by faith alone.

One of God's many attributes, revealed in the Old Testament, is His mercy and compassion. We see the same character in the life of Christ. It is striking how often the Gospel writers record how He was moved with compassion. This should be a driving motive for believers and translate into genuine compassion in our witness of and for Christ.

The death and resurrection of Christ are the pivotal events upon which the Christian faith is founded. But who was responsible for Christ's death? While many bear blame, Peter explained that God delivered His Son, and Christ willingly laid down His life. Ultimately, all for whom Christ died share in the responsibility for His death.

Since the fall of humanity, people naturally experience fear and anxiety. For believers, it is important to focus on the concerns of Christ. However, sinful anxiety will arise when we lose sight of Christ and true peace will leave us. This message explores the persistent issue of sinful anxiety and how we should address it.

In the beauty of Boaz and Ruth's love story we can miss the far bigger picture. Here is redemption, deliverance and hope, During one of Israel's lowest points, the promise of a Saviour who will restore life is again given to them and to us.

Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple teaches us that whilst the temple was to bring benefit to the nation, it would chiefly point to Christ, and the sole remedey for the disease of sin. Christ is the One greater than Solomon

The courtship and marriage of Boaz and Ruth was designed in heaven, before the foundation of the earth. God's provision to Ruth of her Kinsman-Redeemer, gave security and protection to a vulnerable woman. Each astonishing detail of this union mirrors that of Christ to His chosen and precious people.

The God of the Bible is called "The God of Peace", "God of Love" and "God of Hope". Paul tells us the Old Testament Scriptures were written so we might have hope. The God of Hope, gives us His Word, so that we might have hope and abound in this hope.

Because of the fall of humanity, discontent is one of the subtle sins Satan exploits to weaken us. We consider the i) Definition; ii) the Development of Discontent in a heart & life and iii) how we can be Delivered from this enslaving and weakening sin.

Oh how the grace of God amazes me! How does God appear in the day-to-day challenges of a believer's life? The answer is seen in the powerful account of Ruth, as the Lord's providential care and provision for this faithful believer's needs. Boaz so beautifully pictures Christ as our Kinsman-Redeemer in numerous delightful parallels.

Salvation in Christ is a divine gift and the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit. The Bible describes, through various verbs, how the Spirit grants new life to the soul. We plot the Spirit's actions to understand the meaning of being born again and why this new birth is essential.

Pleasant words are like honey, beneficial to both soul and body. The tongue is a little member says James, yet how much power it has and how much damage it can do. We consider the Power of the Tongue, the Damage it can cause and how to Control the tongue.

The book of Ruth is a wonderful narrative recording God's rescue and protection for a vulnerable woman. It mirrors the provision of free and sovereign grace in Christ's salvation. What lessons we learn from this book, showing "Christ in all the Scriptures".

What a truth, despite being said in scorn, that "Christ receives sinners". Satan's greatest lie, that will keep most people outside of Christ, without hope and without heaven is "heaven is only for good people". Praise God that Christ still receives those who acknowledge themselves as sinners.

The word of God highlights several so-called "subtle" sins which it gives surprising prominence to, such as ingratitude. Paul saw it as a causal sin in his masterful description of the decline of pagan humanity, preceding a sobering list of 20 others we might consider worse. What is ingratitude? How does it lead to other sins? In what ways are we vulnerable to falling to it? How can we seek the opposite positive virtue?

Coming to faith in Christ necessarily involves a crisis. We need to come to an end of ourselves and fully believe the word of Christ. The healing of the Nobleman's son powerfully illustrates the reality of conversion, as he went forward believing Christ had healed his son and given new life.

Violent anger can start with an inner bitterness and resentment. But soon it will progress. In the life of a believer it means the rejection of the Sovereignty of God. It is damaging, destructive and will distance our relationship with others. What forms does anger take and how are we to put-off and mortify this subtle sin?

Do we have zeal for the Lord and for His truth and glory? Zeal means heat and jealousy for God's glory. A willingness to promote and to defend His truth. Some have no zeal, others have a wrong kind of zeal. What is real zeal and how can we cultivate it?

The cry of all creation is that the Creator should come, the bride of Christ, His church calls for him to return. All who are thirsty can come to Christ, whosoever will may come, and take of the water of life freely. What is this water of life?

Selfishness is the root of all sin. This is the #1 sin on Paul's list given to Timothy and is a mark of the perilous times of the last age, before Christ returns. What is selfishness, how might we unknowingly be selfish, and how can we learn from the selflessness of Christ?