Pete's Blog

 “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.’” Romans 4:7. Don’t be deceived into holding into things that are in the past. Jesus frees us from these wrong things that we have done in the past to set us free in the future. These things in the past that we have done wrong need not have hold on us now but we decide to change. We need to turn to Jesus who alone can forgive us and we need to make the decision to follow his ways and in making that decision, we are claiming the forgiveness that God offers through Jesus.  “Blessed is the one whom God corrects;   so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.”  Job 5:17 If you know that you’ve done things wrong and you haven’t asked God for his forgiveness, if you are in the habit of doing something that you know that is wrong, then it’s time to decide to change. If you’re holding on to wrong things that have bee...

"For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice..." (Zechariah 4:10) St Francis of Assisi was a man of action, impetuous and impulsive and totally committed to the Lord Jesus.  The song below with lyrics by Donovan is meant to be a reflection on the life of Francis.  It talks of simplicity and heartfelt service for the Lord.  However Francis' great achievements in preaching and teaching were gained at a rapid pace before he died at the early age of 45.  The slow pace of the song seem at odds with that.  Nevertheless I like  the idea in this song of taking care day by day of the small things and remembering the ultimate goal. If you want your dream to be,  Build it slow and surely.  Small beginnings greater ends.  Heartfelt work grows purely.  If you want to live life free,  Take your time go slowly.  Do few things but do them well.  Simple joys are holy.  Day by day, stone by sto...

In the Sunday services at Mill Hill East Church, we are featuring a series of sermons answering the question, "Jesus is Alive, what does that mean to you."  A summary of the topic and the Bible verses featured on on the slideshow on this website. Here is a poem by John of Damacus, a Syrian monk from the 8th Century AD, called: “The Day of Resurrection”. The day of resurrection? Earth, tell it out abroad; The Passover of gladness, The Passover of God. From death to life eternal, From this world to the sky, Our Christ hath brought us over With hymns of victory. Now let the heavens be joyful,  Let earth her song begin; Let the round world keep triumph, And all that is therein. Let all things seen and unseen Their notes in gladness blend, For Christ the Lord hath risen, Our Joy that hath no end.  The fact that Jesus is Alive brings great joy.

Britain is becoming a more religious country, historian Simon Shama has said. After years being relegated to the sidelines, religion has once again become part of mainstream life, he told Radio Times. The 69 year old, whose most recent documentary was The Story of the Jews, said: "My generation grew up thinking that religion was completely marginal to British life, which, as for the rest of the world, has been proved more and more wrong. "We were arrogantly isolated from that, thinking religion was just an ornamental part of Britishness. Now look at the success of the Alpha Evangelicals, how important Christianity has been to the community of West Indians, the huge place of Islam. Britain is becoming a more religious place, not less". A few years ago I produced a short Youtube video to introduce the idea of Britain being post-Christian but I think we need to revisit this idea.

There was a large group of people who’d gathered from all over the world, from different countries. And had come to that one place in Jerusalem. There were religious leaders, there were people of great philosophical learning and they all heard the disciples of Jesus getting up and appearing to be drunk early in the morning, 9am in fact. That’s first thing. They accused the disciples of this. Of just being drunk. And Peter replied to them, ‘men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk as you suppose since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered to the prophet Joel.’ Then he went on, to quote from the prophet Joel. The prophet from our old testament and he applied this prophesy of Joel to what was happening right then. In fact, he applied it to what had happened to them that made them appear drunk. This was what he quoted: ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,...