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Recently I’ve been struck again by just how simple the ways of God are. Often His ways are not easy, but He doesn’t make it hard for us to know how to follow.
Human nature tends to complicate things. How often we take a simple truth and pull it apart, find excuses to hid behind and talk our way out of what He is saying to us in our hearts. It’s an action, I believe, that can often be driven by hurt and fear. Perhaps what He is asking feels too painful and we are too afraid to move forward. This beautiful verse holds the key to so much. Put into practice, this word has the power to protect the unity that we have with one another, and the power to set us free in our individual hearts and lives. Forgiveness can be hard. The hurt that comes from another person can run very deep. I believe there are times, even in the house of God, that we can deeply wound one another and not even be fully aware of it. There’s a place for an open conversation with another when that happens, but I think even more often the way forward is to go alone before God and pour out the pain that we feel to Him. He knows it all, and He alone is the Healer of our souls. When forgiveness is hard, it does our soul good to take time to meditate on Calvary, and our suffering Saviour who was, indeed, despised and rejected of men. The One who was utterly broken that we might know true forgiveness. He has walked before us in all our pain, and has compassion on us in all our weaknesses. Forgiveness is vital if we are to move forward in our walk with Christ. Likewise, we are called to show love and kindness to others at all times. The message of preferring others over ourselves and laying down our lives for others has been somewhat lost in our society, but this simple, though challenging, way of living is so vitally important in the work of God. The Bible tells us that it’s the little foxes that spoil the vineyard. When we don’t forgive, there comes hardness, bitterness, and distrust in our soul. Sometimes finding a place of forgiveness truly requires a miracle. I believe for each one of us, we will find that miracle when we come to the cross and take time to look deeply: meditating on that One who suffered so deeply for each one of us. The words of an old song come to mind; By and by, when I look on His face, Face that was marred Brow that was scarred By and by, when I look on His face, I’ll wish I had given Him more. Dear friend, as we go into this new week, let us find what we need at the cross of Jesus Christ. Let the revelation of what He has faced for each one of us open more deeply to our souls. For from this place, flows all that we need to truly forgive and to truly love, even as He has forgiven us, and poured out His love upon us. Blessed be His name.
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I’ve had a busy week being about my Father’s business. Here is a quick rundown of my week.
On Monday, I had a church business meeting to discuss the renovation of the Glasgow Church. On Tuesday, we had our Bible Study and Prayer Meeting. Our study has been really interesting, based on the life of Abraham. This week Tipu took it. We were looking at the part where the angels visited Lot in Sodom and took him out of the city. On Wednesday, we had our Discipleship Group. Normally there are around 12 of us who meet in the coffee shop and sit around a table to discuss the problems folks are encountering and how to combat these. This week our numbers were low, but we still had a lovely time discussing how to cope with some very real difficulties folks are facing and then had a wonderful prayer time together where the atmosphere became heavy with His presence. Each one prayed aloud as we sat quietly in the atmosphere that was full of His restoring presence. On Thursday we had Ignite, our meeting for P7s & high school age. There were 26 local kids who turned up. We had a fun game of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John before sharing pizza. Craig H shared the word with us that night. His message was very relevant to our youngsters. On Friday, I was speaking at an African church in Cumbernauld. There were 14 people taking part and each person’s ministry flowed into the next. We had a good time worshipping together and before the end of the evening there was salvation, deliverance and healing. On Saturday evening, we had our Cumbernauld monthly meeting. It was rich with His presence. I preached from “They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house.” Quite a number came out for prayer and received ministry. We were satisfied! In short, I’ve been out every night this week which is unusual for me, but I’m not grumbling; I have been blessed in serving Him. It made me think of the verse I have used for today and I thought this translation was interesting. Sometimes we serve because it is necessary, and sometimes because it is a duty, and sometimes out of sheer pleasure and joy. It would be easy if we always served out of the latter but it’s not always so. We have a duty to be a good example to others. We have a responsibility to look after those who are younger than us in Christ, whether in physical years or spiritual years. It is necessary that new folks are welcomed into the church and that we fulfil our obligations in having the right adult/child ratio for our busy children’s work on a Sunday morning. And there are times when we feel weary and want to give up or at least have a break. Paul said: “And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.” Galatians 6:9 AMPC Even Paul grew weary. He must have grown discouraged with the amount of opposition he experienced but he also encouraged us not to ‘relax our courage’, to lose heart and to grow faint. We know the saying: the darkest hour is just before the dawn. If you are feeling weary, it could be that the appointed season of reaping is just around the corner when we shall see the benefit of our labours and joy will break upon us once again. Hold fast and don’t lose heart! I looked back, as I bobbed about in the sea, at the crowd on the beach, the roaring fire, the happy children playing with their kites and our big loveable labradoodle running free and I felt an immense wave of gratitude to God for all that He had done.
Yesterday, Sunday 20 September 2026, we were at St Andrews beach with members of our Falkirk, Glasgow and Cumbernauld churches. There were 10 candidates who waded out into the waves and were baptised as a sign of their decision to follow Christ. We even had a group who came over from Dublin to join us for the day. It’s one of these occasions that is becoming part of our yearly church calendar. For many years we have enjoyed our Candlelit Service at Christmas and our Family Fun Day in the summertime. Now, to add to our church calendar, a regular baptismal service at St Andrews in September. This is the third year in a row that it’s been held at this time. It couldn’t have been better. The weather was lovely, the sea calm and there wasn’t a moan or complaint from anyone. In those moments alone in the water, there came around me such an exquisite stillness and silence as if for a few minutes the whole world was cut off and I was alone with God. In those moments my heart overflowed with gratitude to my Father who has stood with me through many troubles. It was just one of those special moments where time seemed to stand still. I reflected on how busy and happy life has been: how full of God and His work. I looked into the coming week: a business meeting on Monday evening to discuss the way forward for the Glasgow Church repairs, a discipleship group on Wednesday where baby Christians will come hungry to know more about Christ, Ignite on Thursday evening where teenagers come to learn more about God and to share fellowship together and on Friday evening a visit to speak at an African church in Cumbernauld. Not only locally, but bookings are also coming in for our Midlands Conference in October and numbers are increasing substantially this year. “I’m thanking you, GOD, from a full heart.” It is good to be about my Father’s business. In those moments I felt His quietness, His perfect stillness and thanked Him from a full heart. Let each one come in their own unique way to give God thanks for all His goodness. The Message Bible describes it like this: “I’m whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy; I’m singing your song, High God.” Not every departure from God begins with a decision to leave Him. Sometimes it begins with something much quieter. The sheep in Jesus’ parable did not necessarily wake up one morning and decide to abandon the shepherd. It simply wandered. One step led to another, and eventually it was far from where it belonged. This is one of the dangers of spiritual drift. It can happen gradually enough that we do not notice it while it is happening. Prayer becomes less frequent. The Word becomes less important. Fellowship becomes easier to miss. Conviction becomes quieter. Nothing seems serious enough to demand attention, until one day we realise we are no longer where we used to be.
That is why the writer of Hebrews says, “Pay the most careful attention.” Drifting away does not require rebellion; it only requires a failure to pay attention. A boat does not have to deliberately turn away from the shore to become distant from it. It only needs to remain unattended while the current carries it. In the same way, spiritual life requires intentional attention. We cannot assume that because we once walked closely with God, we will automatically remain there. Our hearts must continually be turned toward Him. Take a moment today to honestly examine your direction. Not simply what you believe, but where your heart is moving. Is your hunger for God increasing or diminishing? Are you becoming more responsive to His voice or less? If you discover that you have drifted, do not wait until the distance becomes greater. Turn your heart toward the Shepherd again. A small drift noticed early can prevent straying great distance later. First, a confession: I am neither a skilled gardener nor a particularly enthusiastic one. I have my favourite plants, and I appreciate the beauty, colour and fragrance of a well-kept garden, but I lack both the patience and the expertise to maintain one properly. The pruning I occasionally attempt tends to be somewhat haphazard and probably causes as much harm as good.
I know that pruning and cultivation are necessary, both in the natural world and in our spiritual lives, yet I have often felt uneasy when reading John 15. Looking back, I think that unease came from an unspoken concern that God might prune as I do: randomly cutting away here and there, frustrated by the mess and disappointed by a lack of fruit. A good friend introduced me to The Passion Translation recently, and it has given me fresh insight into these verses. The first thing that struck me was the phrase: "He cares for the branches connected to me." That thought brought to mind Isaiah 27:3: "I, the Lord, watch over my vineyard of delight. Moment by moment, I water it in love and protect it day and night." We are not a burden to God; we are His delight. He never grows weary of us, never becomes distracted, and never takes His eyes off His vineyard. Unlike me, He is the faithful, loving, attentive Gardener. Every action He takes, even when it involves cutting something back, is guided by perfect wisdom and overflowing love. He waters His vineyard in love, and His skilled hands are always working for our good. But what about the fruitless branches? The Passion Translation says that He "[lifts and props] up the fruitless branches." That phrase stopped me in my tracks. It offers a very different picture from the one I often imagined. The Greek word commonly translated "takes away" can also mean "lifts up" or "raises up." Suddenly, the image changes. Instead of a branch being discarded, we see a vine that has fallen into the dirt, and is languishing in the shadows. The gardener gently lifts it up into the sunlight and secures it to a trellis where it can thrive. In that position, the vine receives the light, air and nourishment it needs. Disease is reduced, growth is encouraged, and healthy fruit begins to appear. What a beautiful picture of God's heart towards His people. How often are we like that wilted, drooping vine? We find ourselves weighed down by disappointment, failure, fear or distraction, struggling in the shadows and wondering why fruit seems absent from our lives. Yet God's first response is not necessarily to cut us off, but to lift us up. He draws us into the light of His presence, chases away the shadows, and gives us what we need to flourish again. Of course, pruning still has its place and can be essential. Dead wood must sometimes be removed. Habits, attitudes and distractions that hinder growth need to be cut away. But even then, His pruning is never careless or cruel. It is the work of a loving Father who sees not only who we are, but who we can become. Unlike the vine, however, we have a choice. We can resist His care, or we can surrender to it. We can remain in the shadows, or allow Him to lift us into His light. So wherever you find yourself today, whether feeling fruitless and discouraged or fruitful and growing, remember that your Great Vinedresser is watching over you with love. Trust His hands. Welcome His care. Allow Him to lift you up, prune what needs pruning, and nurture what He has planted within you. As you remain close to Him, and draw your life from Him, you will discover that His purpose is not simply to produce more fruit, but to make your life a vineyard in which He delights. “Those who sow their tears as seeds will reap a harvest with joyful shouts of glee.”Psalms 126:5 TPT23/8/2026 This is a verse I have known and loved for many years, but this translation put a slightly new slant on it for me.
Other versions say those that ‘sow in tears’, which has always given me the image of one sowing seed while tears flow. In this version we see that the tears themselves become the seeds and there can be growth that comes as a result of that time of weeping that we would not otherwise have known. In life there are seasons of pain that we all face. Some pain is more visible, and often others around us will do their best to bring comfort and love. Some pain is more private. There are things we face that can be so painful, that we just can’t see a way through at that particular point. Even our loved ones can seem very far away, not understanding or recognising how deeply we suffer. Such times can feel very lonely. Yet it’s in these times, when we feel most alone in our suffering, that we have an opportunity to find Christ deeply. We serve a Saviour who is no stranger to suffering, and who knows us every inch of us. There’s no need to try and explain our pain, He already knows; and He has already made provision for us. Joy and ‘shouts of glee’ can feel very far away when we suffer, but joy runs so much more deeply than circumstantial happiness. The depth of our joy is found in Christ, and the knowledge He has paid the ultimate price for each one of us that we may be forgiven, and made free in Him. Friend, if you find yourself in the valley of suffering at this time, can I reassure you that He will bring you through if you let Him. He is the only one sees every tear you shed, and the only one who can bring true healing to your soul. He makes beauty from ashes and brings peace that goes far beyond the circumstances you find yourself in. Trust Him, and allow yourself to lean utterly upon Him. The day of harvest will come, and He will fill your mouth with shouts of glee. What a wonderful Saviour we have, how safe to trust Him and how blessed we are that we need never walk one single step alone. He is underneath and all around us at every point, and no circumstance or pain can ever remove us from His hand. All we have to do is abide in Him. Go on standing and He will do the rest. He will fight for you and bring you through. You will come out of your wilderness, leaning on your beloved Christ and rejoicing in who He is and all that He has done for you. Blessed be His name. We have just returned from our Stirling Summer Conference, where over 300 people gathered to worship God. I thought this was an appropriate verse to introduce my report, as people from several nations attended the conference. Not only were Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland represented, but we also had folks from Canada, Malta, France, Portugal, Mexico and Sweden. And we mustn't forget our growing African community, who are such an integral part of us and bring their own unique life and energy among us.
In the mornings, we had a rich time in the presence of God studying different aspects of revival which overflowed into the evening meetings. Not only did we hear fascinating stories of the past, but we experienced the gripping presence that comes when teaching and preaching are given under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. In moments like these, when heaven breaks through, we see miracles. This week healings, deliverances and baptisms in the Holy Spirit were all witnessed. My highlight was when a husband carried his wife’s crutch out of the meeting above his head, whilst she walked unaided down a flight of stairs. She certainly couldn’t do that before the meeting! We heard wonderful testimonies of God’s deliverance. From one stuck in a difficult, backslidden, frozen place to a breakthrough, experiencing the warmth of His love, hearing His voice and being fully restored. From another, a testimony of how Christ had accompanied him through the death of his son, a marriage and family break-up, to eventually a full restoration of his family. They were all at the conference together. We listened to a great report from Karen about the recent Youth Camp where over 40 children came together for fun and fellowship. They had a wonderful time. There was salvation, and over the week, ten children were baptised in the Holy Spirit whilst others received fresh anointing. For me, the tarry meeting on Thursday night was outstanding as we sought God together. Some were on their faces praying, others on their knees as we cried out for more of His presence. God did not disappoint us, and all who sought found. I had been a bit concerned that the Logie Theatre would be a bit stiff and formal for us but as voices rang out through the auditorium during that tarry meeting all my fears were relieved. Our people were finding Him. We have come home tired but grateful. May His Name forever be praised. “So I thank you, Yahweh, with my praises! I will sing my song to the highest God, so all among the nations will hear me.” Psalms 18:49 TPT It wasn’t enough for Herod to respect and protect this good and holy man of God. It wasn’t enough for him to even enjoy listening to him. Herod had to take that extra step and seal his attraction with faith; and because he didn’t we read in the next few verses that Herod, after being enticed by his daughter, ordered the execution of John. What tragedy! Here was a man who had the potential to follow Christ and change a nation.
Let us learn that it is not enough to respect Christ and even to protect His reputation, there needs to be commitment, a laying down of our lives in obedience to Him. We have got to become a servant to truly honour, respect and protect His good and holy name. In the previous verses, when Jesus was sending out His disciples in twos, we read: ‘He allowed them to wear sandals but not to take a change of clothes.’ Mark 6:9 NLT Now, this was discipline. I can just imagine our generation saying, ' What right has He! How will He know if I take a change of clothing?' There comes a level of discipline in the life of the man or woman who would be ‘good and holy’ like John the Baptist. You remember his clothing consisted of coarse camel hair and a leather belt. Our commitment affects every aspect of life from what we do and feel on the inside, to where we go and what we wear on the outside. This is not a cult. It is the teachings of Christ. It becomes a cult when it is dictated by man or woman but when it comes from Christ it is there to set us free from ourselves and the hold the world has over us. If you would be a true good and holy disciple of Christ you will soon discover that His presence needs to permeate every part of your life both on the inside and the outside. It is not a drudge but a joy. The One you loved to listen to becomes your Teacher, your Instructor, your Counsellor, and your Friend. There comes a longing to emanate Him in every aspect of life that you might win others for the King. It is not enough to respect and protect and to enjoy listening to Christ and even feeling disturbed by His words and His presence. We must commit, become His slave, and give our all utterly, so that no other takes His rightful place in our hearts. If we don’t, then we will always be in danger of being influenced like Herod by another, a son or daughter, who has a bigger sway on our lives than Christ Himself. The thought for the week, inspired by these verses, is an exhortation to preparation; for in a few weeks we have an important rendezvous. For the second time, our summer conference will be held on the campus of Stirling University from the 3rd to 7th August.
Accommodation will be prepared ready to receive guests. Kitchens will be supplied and staffed, and meeting rooms will be set up and sound-tested. Welcoming and ushering teams will be organised and children's work prepared. Those who are speaking will have waited on the Lord to know what He wants to say to the assembled company. They will have listened, pondered and prepared. "Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him." Luke 3:4 NIV For the word to have a straight path, we must prepare our hearts for the conference week. We should begin to pray like this, “Lord, l come again to lay down my life, to present myself as a living sacrifice and yield again to the work of the Holy Spirit in my life.” We should consider whether there is any obstacle on the path to our hearts that might prevent us from hearing His word to us. We need to ponder what might constitute an obstacle: a troubled conscience from sin that needs confessing, worries and cares that distract us, preconceived ideas and preferences. Let us lay it all down, and come with open and humble hearts that make a straight path. ‘so is my word, that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire’. Isaiah 55:11 NIV As we present soft hearts to the Lord, and not ‘hard ground’, the preached word, the worship, the prayers and tarry time, initiate a work of the Holy Spirit in us. This might be to encourage a work already in progress, or finish a work and begin a new season of usefulness. ‘and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.’ Isaiah 55:11 NIV If you're having a battle in preparing practically or spiritually for the Summer Conference, it's a sure sign you're meant to be there. If you are preaching, helping in any capacity, or attending, then submit all preparations to God, and He will bring you through. ‘As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.’ Isaiah 55: 10-11 NIV “And He came down with them and stood on a level place… and they were all healed.” Luke 6:1713/7/2026 In this chapter Jesus came down from the mountainside, where He had chosen His twelve apostles. He was surrounded by a large crowd of disciples and a great multitude of people from all over the region including Judea, Jerusalem, and the coastal areas of Tyre and Sidon.
Jesus welcomed everyone without exception, drawing both Jewish and Gentile audiences to His message. The crowd included devoted disciples, curious onlookers, and those who had come filled with hope that they would be healed. Jesus never distances Himself from suffering, instead He meets us exactly where we are, offering both physical healing and spiritual restoration. By choosing to stand on level ground, Jesus removes all barriers to His presence. He openly invites the physically ill, the deeply broken, the hopeless, and those who are hungry for a deeper relationship with Him to gather closely around Him. God’s gift of salvation extends to all people! He does not reveal His divine authority by staying detached from humanity. Instead Jesus shows His true power by immersing Himself in the crowd to bring wholeness to body, mind, and spirit. Jesus holds nothing back; He does not expect anyone to clean up their own brokenness before approaching Him. We arrive with all our flaws, seeking hope, deliverance, restoration, and an encounter with Him. He stands right in the centre, allowing His divine power to flow to all who eagerly look to Him - they were all healed! God desires that everyone hears the good news, experiences His love, and undergoes genuine spiritual transformation. Far from being unapproachable, Jesus offers a wide-open invitation for all people to come and discover His forgiveness, grace, and healing. ‘For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” ‘Matthew 9:21 NKJV ‘The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.’ John 1:14 NIV |
