Gus Cameron

9 December 2025

John 1:43-51

Gus Cameron

9 December 2025

43 The next day Jesus decided to set out for Galilee. Finding Philip, He told him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do You know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
49 “Rabbi,” Nathanael answered, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
50 Jesus said to him, “Do you believe just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” 51 Then He declared, “Truly, truly, I tell you, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Charis Ould

This passage follows on from Jesus calling the first disciples. He continues on to Galilee, and there he finds Philip, and tells him to follow him. This passage reminds me that it is God who brings people to himself. We could never find Jesus on our own, but it is only through Jesus seeking us out and reconciling us to him that we can come to him.

After Jesus finds Philip, Philip then goes and finds Nathanael. He encourages Nathanael that Jesus is the one they have been waiting for, the one who will fulfil all God’s promises through the Old Testament of a saviour, prophet and king. For some strange geographical reason, Nathanael is sceptical – “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” I love Philip’s response: “Come and see.”

So Nathanael takes up Philip’s invitation to come and meet Jesus, but before Nathanael can even reach him, Jesus already knows exactly who he is. He recognises that Nathanael has followed the Israelite law, and is waiting for the one the prophets foretold. That is why Nathanael recognises that Jesus is the Son of God and king of Israel. I’m encouraged that Jesus knows us even before we come to him! He can see our hearts and our intentions. And if we follow him, he promises that we will see even greater things than these.

In the same way that Philip went to find Nathanael after Jesus had found him, I am reminded that I have been found by Jesus and should find others! Christmas is such a wonderful opportunity to do that. Last year at our carols we sang a great song called “O Come and See,” by Nikki Chiswell. I think it reflects this well. Christmas isn’t just about Santa, or food, or presents; it’s about what God has done by sending Jesus.

We have been found by Jesus, so let’s find others and invite them to come and see!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charis is a member of our Bossley Park Morning church.

Gus Cameron

8 December 2025

John 1:35-42

Gus Cameron

8 December 2025

35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37 And when the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
38 Jesus turned and saw them following. “What do you want?” He asked.
They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are You staying?”
39 “Come and see,” He replied. So they went and saw where He was staying, and spent that day with Him. It was about the tenth hour.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s testimony and followed Jesus. 41 He first found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated as Christ).
42 Andrew brought him to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated as Peter).

REFLECTIONS

Written by Ken Ip

The phrase “Lamb of God” might not mean much to the average person on the street today, but for first-century Jewish men like Andrew and Peter, it would have meant everything. It was a phrase loaded with memories and hopes they had carried since childhood.

When they heard “Lamb of God,” their minds would have gone straight to the Passover, the moment when God had rescued their ancestors from slavery in Egypt. Every year they remembered how a spotless lamb was sacrificed so their people could be protected and set free. So when John the Baptist points to Jesus and says, “Look, the Lamb of God,” it would have stirred something deep inside them.

No wonder they were excited. They had been waiting their whole lives for this Messiah, the one who would save their people and make things right. And now suddenly he’s here!

Jesus then turns to them and simply says, “Come and see.”

It's perfect, in that it sums up the whole message of the gospel. God doesn’t push, demand, or make us jump through hoops. He invites us to come to him. He says, “Come and see what I’ve done for you.”

It reminds me that the gospel really is an invitation. Jesus doesn’t tell us to "earn your way to God", or “prove your worth”. Instead, He says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me… and I will give you rest.” That’s so different from all other religions, which focus on what we must do to reach God with rules, rituals, self-improvement, and endless effort.

Today, let's come to Jesus and spend some time reflecting and being thankful for what he has done for us on the cross. And like Andrew, when we have found something wonderful and precious, we will naturally want to share it: “Come and see what I have found!”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ken is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

Gus Cameron

6 December 2025

John 1:29-34

Gus Cameron

6 December 2025

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.”
32 Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him. 33 I myself did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Ness Wong

Imagine meeting, for the very first time, the person that you’ve been raving about for years. You were just doing your thing and suddenly, you see this amazing person coming towards you. How would you react?

In today’s passage, I sensed something of John’s surprise and shock when he first met Jesus. John had been telling the Jewish leaders that he was not the ‘the One’ the people of God were waiting for, he was simply telling everyone about ‘the One’ who was much greater than himself (verse 30, see also verses 19-23). Then finally, John sees Jesus in the flesh and exclaims, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (verse 29). John is basically saying, ‘See, everyone, this is the One I have been telling you about. It was never about me, it’s all about Him! I even saw the Holy Spirit come down upon Him! He is the One whom God has sent and the Spirit proves this!’ (verses 30-34).

I felt challenged by John’s response to Jesus on two levels. First, within my own heart, do I eagerly anticipate Jesus’ return? Or have I sunk into complacency and lost this zeal? And secondly, thinking about others, do I readily tell people about Christ and how He came to take away our sins? Do I also let people know that He is coming back again?

John knew that Jesus was coming and he was ready to meet Him. Jesus found him faithfully telling others about Him just as God had sent him to do. Especially as we approach Christmas, I need to repent of my lukewarm heart and ask God to make me ready to share the true reason for season: the hope that I have in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:15).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ness is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

Gus Cameron

5 December 2025

John 1:24-28

Gus Cameron

5 December 2025

24 Then the Pharisees who had been sent 25 asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands One you do not know. 27 He is the One who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
28 All this happened at Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Ken Wong

I recently saw a post-match interview for a football game. Without hesitation, the player being interviewed jumped in and said, “I’d like to thank my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ…”. I must admit, it felt a little cringy to me when I first saw it. But the more I think about it, the more I realise there’s something I need to learn from him. Here is a believer who is eager to turn the spotlight to Jesus whenever he has the opportunity.

When I read today’s passage about John the Baptist, I see the same attitude on display. The Pharisees gave John multiple opportunities to turn the spotlight on himself. Yesterday we heard how they asked him, “Who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” (v 22). He could have said “Yes, I am the great prophet foretold in the Old Testament.” But by quoting Isaiah 40, he simply calls himself “a voice in the desert.” The important one is not John, but the one he is paving the way for: “the Lord”!

When John is quizzed again in v 25, he again replies by pointing to Jesus. Even though Jesus came after John, so John could have claimed superiority, he emphasises that the one coming is so glorious that John is not even worthy to untie his sandals.

I am challenged by John’s humility and his clear understanding of Christ’s glory. In those moments in life when the spotlight is placed on me, John challenges me to use my voice (and actions) to turn that light onto Christ, who deserves all the honour and praise.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ken in a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

Gus Cameron

4 December 2025

John 1:19-23

Gus Cameron

4 December 2025

19 And this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He did not refuse to confess, but openly declared, “I am not the Christ.”
21 “Then who are you?” they inquired. “Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“I am a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Keith Hengpoonthana

The passage began with a key question: Who was John the Baptist?

So, I thought I would ask my 3 daughters who they think John the Baptist was.

My 3-year-old: “He is a boy and he plays drums.”
My 8-year-old: “He is Jesus’s cousin who baptises people.”
My 12-year-old: “Isn’t he that dude who eats honey and baptises people and also baptised Jesus when the Spirit came down from heaven in the shape of a dove on him?”

The gospel accounts tell us of a man who appeared in the wilderness, preaching repentance and baptising people in the Jordan river. People travelled to John from all over Judea and Jerusalem in the hope that he was the promised Messiah. But the Jewish leaders were wary and suspicious at the attention the people were giving him, which is why they asked him the question: “Who are you?”

You might sometimes ask yourself, “Who am I?” Today, there are many movies, songs and books that pressure you to “find your identity, your purpose, your true self,” and they promise you’ll find it by looking deep inside yourself. Often, we just end up worrying about how others might perceive us.

I wish I was more like John. He didn’t care what other people thought of him. And he knew his true purpose – not because he looked inside himself, but because he knew God’s promises in the Old Testament. He simply pointed people to Jesus as the Messiah, God’s chosen saviour king. He boldly announces the good news with such conviction that he makes the way “straight” for people to recognise Jesus (v 23). It’s like winding mountain paths are flattened and straightened out, so that it’s as easy as possible for people to see and believe.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:11, “Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.” I thought to myself: “Yeah, there’s no way I can compare with John’s credentials or his zeal for evangelism.” But hold up … Jesus continues by saying, “yet, whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” John was such a bold witness, but he died before seeing the completion of the work of Christ. We know even more clearly than John of God’s plan of salvation through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. We have even more reason to share the good news than John!

What about you: Who would people say you are? I’ve always liked the chorus to the song “Nobody” by Casting Crowns:

“'Cause I'm just a nobody trying to tell everybody
all about Somebody who saved my soul.
Ever since You rescued me You gave my heart a song to sing.
I’m living for the world to see nobody but Jesus.”

Pray that those words would describe your life and purpose too.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Keith is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

Gus Cameron

3 December 2025

John 1:14-18

Gus Cameron

3 December 2025

14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”
16 From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Grace Ip

I recently had a conversation about God with a non-Christian colleague. He said he believed in God, but thought he was distant and far above our everyday lives. In some ways, I can understand why he might feel that way. After all, why would a powerful and Holy God want anything to do with us humans?

John tells us, in verse 14, that “the Word became flesh”, and also that he “dwelt among us”.

I recently learned at church that the word “dwelling” in the original language means “tabernacled”. In the Old Testament, the tabernacle was a temporary place of worship, a tent where God’s presence lived among His people. However, the tabernacle wasn’t a place that you could just visit God whenever you liked – and you certainly couldn’t walk into the presence of God in the most holy place. That was only allowed once a year and only by the High Priest.

Since learning this, I have found verse 14 even more mind-blowing. The God who is more glorious than the whole universe chose to become fully human so He could dwell among us! In other words, God came and set up His tent in our world – not with barriers to keep people away, but as a flesh-and-blood man who people could talk to and touch and be with. Considering the sacredness surrounding the presence of God, it still amazes me that God chose to live among ordinary people as Jesus – entering fully into the human experience, feeling what we feel and walking where we walk. This “incarnation” shows that God is not distant but a loving God who desires a relationship with us and wants us to truly know him. We see this again in verse 18 when John reminds us that through Jesus, we truly see and know God. In Jesus, we can understand God’s character, His compassion, His patience, His mercy, His overflowing and unending grace. And likewise, we know we have a Saviour who understands our weaknesses, struggles and sufferings.

I am deeply grateful that God entered our broken world to reveal His love and bring us back to Him. I am also comforted in knowing that God is not distant, and He intimately understands our thoughts, struggles and sufferings.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Grace is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

Gus Cameron

2 December 2025

John 1:6-13

Gus Cameron

2 December 2025

6 There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe. 8 He himself was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
9 The true Light who gives light to every man was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Alan Vongsavanh

Today’s passage introduces us to John the Baptist, who was chosen by God to proclaim the coming of Jesus, the saviour of the world. John was sent by God to witness to Jesus and testify that Jesus is the Light of the world, so that those who hear might believe in Jesus and be saved. This makes me think about those who God brought into our lives to “show” us Jesus. You might remember the first person who spoke to you about the gospel, or others on your journey who have spoken to you about Jesus. They were not the Light, but God used them to testify to the Light so that we might believe. Thank God for them in your prayer time today.

The passage then goes on to talk about how the world did not recognise the Light. When we read the Gospels and hear about the true Jesus, and we see things that he did and said that were confronting or shocking, it’s a reminder that the real Jesus doesn’t conform to what we would naturally recognise or expect. Many people who haven’t read the Bible have wrong ideas or assumptions about Jesus, because the world prefers a version of Jesus that is more comfortable and doesn’t demand anything of me. But the Jesus of the Bible is the Jesus we need to accept.

When I read the final verse – that we become children of God not by human means but born of God – it fills me with gratitude. It reminds me that we don't have to come from the right family or background to belong to the family of God, it’s an amazing gift that God gives us simply through receiving the one true Light, Jesus.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alan is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

Gus Cameron

1 December 2025

John 1:1-5

Gus Cameron

1 December 2025

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

The Christmas crazy season is upon us. At least, that’s how I feel. Once you hit December, the rush has begun: there are presents to buy, the diary is filling up, the shops are crazy, everyone is stressed, there’s not enough time. I get anxious just thinking about it.

That’s why I love that we are starting the prologue of John’s Gospel today. This is so necessary for keeping things in perspective, isn’t it? “In the beginning was the Word”: the Word of God, who is himself fully God and was with God, the perfect self-expression of God; the Son of God, eternally begotten from the Father, in a perfect relationship of love and joy with the Father, in the Spirit, from all eternity. Outside of our crazy and stressful world, outside of time and creation itself, there was, is, and will be the light, life and love of God.

The light, life and love of God are eternal constants, never changing, unaffected by our crazy seasons, sustaining all things – and with a plan to rescue us from all craziness, a plan that we can rely on with absolute confidence.

Because the Word has not remained silent. The Light has shone into our darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (v 5). That light, life and love shone at the beginning of time, when God created everything through his Word. And that light, life and love of God blazed into our darkness when the Lord Jesus Christ was born – when the Son of God took on a human nature and was born as a man.

In a couple of days, we will read about how the Word of God entered the hustle and bustle and stress and mess of the world we live in. That first Christmas season was the craziest – when the Word became flesh? (v 14) That’s really crazy, in the best possible way.

But for today, allow the unchanging reality of the light, life and love of God bring you peace and reassurance as you face the Christmas season. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). If he has shone God’s light into the darkness of your life – if you have put your trust in Jesus for your salvation – then know that the darkness can never overcome that light. You can rely on him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our Senior Minister.

Gus Cameron

29 November 2025

Hosea 14

Gus Cameron

29 November 2025

1 Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God,
for you have stumbled by your iniquity.
2 Bring your confessions
and return to the LORD.
Say to Him: “Take away all our iniquity
and receive us graciously,
that we may present
the fruit of our lips.
3 Assyria will not save us,
nor will we ride on horses.
We will never again say, ‘Our gods!’
to the work of our own hands.
For in You the fatherless find compassion.”
4 I will heal their apostasy;
I will freely love them,
for My anger has turned away from them.
5 I will be like the dew to Israel;
he will blossom like the lily
and take root like the cedars of Lebanon.
6 His shoots will sprout,
and his splendor will be like the olive tree,
his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.
7 They will return and dwell in his shade;
they will grow grain and blossom like the vine.
His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.
8 O Ephraim, what have I to do
anymore with idols?
It is I who answer and watch over him.
I am like a flourishing cypress;
your fruit comes from Me.
9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;
whoever is discerning, let him know them.
For the ways of the LORD are right,
and the righteous walk in them
but the rebellious stumble in them.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Gus Cameron

Today we finish the book of Hosea. In this final chapter, we see that God’s great desire is for people to return to him. He wants people to come back to him and say, “Please God, forgive me”. Our confidence is that we know that God will always answer that prayer because Christ Jesus died to wash us clean and God is faithful.

Hosea finishes with a question for us to reflect on: “Who is wise?” Are we wise enough to understand what Hosea has been teaching us? The wise person will recognise their sin and rebellion. They will recognise God’s just judgement on sin. They won’t downplay it or ignore it. The wise person will recognise the idols they have worshipped instead of God and they will repent of their idolatry. The wise person will return to the Lord God and ask for forgiveness. The wise person will be forgiven through Christ Jesus.

The warning in the last verse is also that the rebellious will stumble. The only right path in life is to follow the way of the Lord, every other path ends in destruction. It’s a heavy warning, but it’s the warning we need to hear. It’s a warning that we also need to share with others.

If you have not yet asked God to forgive you through Jesus, please do that now.

If you have already done that, then pray for someone you know who needs to turn to Christ. Pray that God would help you to speak the truth to them, and pray that God would help them be wise to the reality of God’s judgement on their sin, but also to the wonderful assurance and joy of God’s love freely given to us in Christ Jesus.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gus is our Senior Assistant Minister.

Gus Cameron

28 November 2025

Hosea 13:9-16

Gus Cameron

28 November 2025

9 You are destroyed, O Israel,
because you are against Me—
against your helper.
10 Where is your king now
to save you in all your cities,
and the rulers to whom you said,
“Give me a king and princes”?
11 So in My anger I gave you a king,
and in My wrath I took him away.
12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up;
his sin is stored up.
13 Labor pains come upon him,
but he is an unwise son.
When the time arrives,
he fails to present himself at the opening of the womb.
14 I will ransom them from the power of Sheol;
I will redeem them from Death.
Where, O Death, are your plagues?
Where, O Sheol, is your sting?
Compassion is hidden from My eyes.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Gus Cameron

If anyone wants evidence that God judges sin, we need to look no further than death. Many of us try to ignore it and just not think about death – and with our amazing health care and endless safety measures, many people manage to delay death until old age. But as Hosea says, our sins are stored up before God (v 12) – or as the NIV puts it, our sins are “kept on record.” That means sinful people must bear their guilt (v 16).

Verse 14 briefly holds out the hope that God might rescue people from the grave. But – at least in Hosea’s time – that glimmer of hope is crushed when God declares that he will not have compassion.

Thankfully, that glimmer of hope bursts to life again in the New Testament, because God has always had an answer: Christ Jesus. Death is not the end for those of us who trust in Christ, because he died on the cross and rose to defeat death. That’s why in 1 Corinthians 15:55 the apostle Paul quotes Hosea, without anything to crush that hope again:

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

Hosea forces us to face the horror of our sin and the punishment we deserve, but in doing that it shows us even more clearly how beautiful it is to know Christ Jesus and the victory over death that he has given us.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gus is our Senior Assistant Minister.

Gus Cameron

27 November 2025

Hosea 13:1-8

Gus Cameron

27 November 2025

1 When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling;
he was exalted in Israel.
But he incurred guilt through Baal,
and he died.
2 Now they sin more and more
and make for themselves cast images,
idols skillfully made from their silver,
all of them the work of craftsmen.
People say of them,
“They offer human sacrifice
and kiss the calves!”
3 Therefore they will be like the morning mist,
like the early dew that vanishes,
like chaff blown from a threshing floor,
like smoke through an open window.
4 Yet I am the LORD your God
ever since the land of Egypt;
you know no God but Me,
for there is no Savior besides Me.
5 I knew you in the wilderness,
in the land of drought.
6 When they had pasture,
they became satisfied;
when they were satisfied,
their hearts became proud,
and as a result they forgot Me.
7 So like a lion I will pounce on them;
like a leopard I will lurk by the path.
8 Like a bear robbed of her cubs I will attack them,
and I will tear open their chests.
There I will devour them like a lion,
like a wild beast would tear them apart.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Gus Cameron

Verse 6 of today’s passage reminds me of Western society over the last century. God says: “When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.”

The Western world has, in general, been the best fed in history as God has blessed us with great riches. For most of us, our problem is too much food, not too little! But God has also blessed our society with the riches of the gospel message. We have churches in almost every suburb, and Christian principles are engrained in our laws.

Yet where are we now? Our society has become proud and forgotten the Lord God.

And what will be the future? We know that God will not allow rebellion to go on forever, Christ will return as judge.

It should grieve us that a society that has so clearly benefited from God’s plan of salvation in Christ Jesus should turn its back on him. But that is very similar to what is described in Hosea 13. God rescued the nation of Israel from slavery in Egypt, only for them to turn their backs on him.

Our prayer should be that many will hear the warning God has given us before it’s too late. But we also pray with confidence, because we know that Christ Jesus died for rebellious people, so those who do come to him will escape that judgement and have life forever with him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gus is our Senior Assistant Minister.

Gus Cameron

26 November 2025

Hosea 12

Gus Cameron

26 November 2025

1 Ephraim chases the wind
and pursues the east wind all day long;
he multiplies lies and violence;
he makes a covenant with Assyria
and sends olive oil to Egypt.
2 The LORD also brings a charge against Judah.
He will punish Jacob according to his ways
and repay him according to his deeds.
3 In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel,
and in his vigor he wrestled with God.
4 Yes, he struggled with the angel and prevailed;
he wept and sought His favor;
he found Him at Bethel
and spoke with Him there —
5 the LORD is the God of Hosts—
the LORD is His name of renown.
6 But you must return to your God,
maintaining love and justice,
and always waiting on your God.
7 A merchant loves to defraud
with dishonest scales in his hands.
8 And Ephraim boasts: “How rich I have become!
I have found wealth for myself.
In all my labors, they can find in me
no iniquity that is sinful.”
9 But I am the LORD your God
ever since the land of Egypt.
I will again make you dwell in tents,
as in the days of the appointed feast.
10 I spoke through the prophets
and multiplied their visions;
I gave parables through the prophets.
11 Is there iniquity in Gilead?
They will surely come to nothing.
Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal?
Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones
in the furrows of the field.
12 Jacob fled to the land of Aram
and Israel worked for a wife—
for a wife he tended sheep.
13 But by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt,
and by a prophet he was preserved.
14 Ephraim has provoked bitter anger,
so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt upon him
and repay him for his contempt.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Gus Cameron

Today’s passage reminds me of the saying, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” It’s saying that children are often like their parents. In this case, Israel is like their great, great, and a few more, grandfather Jacob whom God renamed Israel.

Jacob was not a nice guy. He was deceitful and scheming right from birth, only interested in looking after himself. But God came and humbled Jacob. He sent an angel to wrestle with him, and Jacob learned his lesson and was a changed man.

In Hosea 12, God is looking at Israel and seeing them act like their ancestor Jacob. They are scheming to make themselves rich, but God is promising to come and humble them too. The question is, will they learn their lesson, or will they continue in their rebellion?

As I reflect on their rebellion, I can’t help but think about the society we live in today, which is consumed by a desire to be rich. People proudly live in full, open rebellion against God. The next time God comes in judgement will be when Christ Jesus returns, and then it will be too late. We need to pray that God will humble them before that day comes. We have the wonderful promise of the gospel! Pray now that God’s Spirit would bring many more to new life in Christ as we share the hope we have in him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gus is our Senior Assistant Minister.

Gus Cameron

25 November 2025

Hosea 11:8-12

Gus Cameron

25 November 2025

8 How could I give you up, O Ephraim?
How could I surrender you, O Israel?
How could I make you like Admah?
How could I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart is turned within Me;
My compassion is stirred!
9 I will not execute the full fury of My anger;
I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim.
For I am God and not man—
the Holy One among you—
and I will not come in wrath.
10 They will walk after the LORD;
He will roar like a lion.
When He roars,
His children will come trembling from the west.
11 They will come trembling like birds from Egypt
and like doves from the land of Assyria.
Then I will settle them in their homes,
declares the LORD.
12 Ephraim surrounds Me with lies,
the house of Israel with deceit;
but Judah still walks with God
and is faithful to the Holy One.

REFLECTIONS

Written by James Davidson

Though Israel deserves to face God’s fierce anger, though they deserve total destruction, God will not do it. Why? Because of his compassion. Any human ruler would not show such compassion. But God’s compassion is far greater than human compassion. Yes, he will discipline his people but then he will transform them. At last, they will follow him. He will roar like a lion, that is, he will speak his powerful word and call his people out of slavery. They will come trembling, trembling in awe before his greatness, trembling at his word. He will settle them in their homes.

Ultimately, this is a picture of what God has done for his people through his Son – and we Gentiles are included. We deserved destruction, but God’s compassion for us in Christ is beyond our understanding. He roars the gospel message to the world, and we come trembling before him and his word. He brings us out of slavery to sin and causes us to follow him. He gives us an eternal home in the New Jerusalem. Praise God for his compassion on sinners like us!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Gus Cameron

24 November 2025

Hosea 11:1-7

Gus Cameron

24 November 2025

1 When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called My son.
2 But the more I called Israel,
the farther they departed from Me.
They sacrificed to the Baals
and burned incense to carved images.
3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
taking them in My arms,
but they never realized
that it was I who healed them.
4 I led them with cords of kindness,
with ropes of love;
I lifted the yoke from their necks
and bent down to feed them.
5 Will they not return to the land of Egypt
and be ruled by Assyria
because they refused to repent?
6 A sword will flash through their cities;
it will destroy the bars of their gates
and consume them in their own plans.
7 My people are bent on turning from Me.
Though they call to the Most High,
He will by no means exalt them.

REFLECTIONS

Written by James Davidson

This passage is about the tragedy of Israel. God loved them as a father loves his only son. He chose them to belong to him. He called them out of slavery in Egypt. But the tragedy was that, from then on, the more he called them, the more they went away from him (v2). The more he sent them saviours and prophets, the more they turned away from him and worshiped other gods. This will inevitably lead to further tragedy, Hosea says. God will punish them. Israel will return to Egypt (v5) – that is, they will return to slavery, this time under the Assyrians.

But this passage also contains the solution to this tragedy. According to chapter 2 of Matthew’s gospel, God has sent a new Israel into the world, his eternal Son. He too was forced to take refuge in Egypt – because of King Herod’s murderous intent. But God also called him out of Egypt back to the land of Israel. But unlike the old Israel, this new Israel would always obey God’s call, even to death on a cross. And so he would win an eternal salvation for all who trust in him. How blessed we are to live in the days of this new Israel, Jesus.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Gus Cameron

22 November 2025

Hosea 10:9-15

Gus Cameron

22 November 2025

9 Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel,
and there you have remained.
Did not the battle in Gibeah
overtake the sons of iniquity?
10 I will chasten them when I please;
nations will be gathered against them
to put them in bondage
for their double transgression.
11 Ephraim is a well-trained heifer that loves to thresh;
but I will place a yoke on her fair neck.
I will harness Ephraim, Judah will plow,
and Jacob will break the hard ground.
12 Sow for yourselves righteousness
and reap the fruit of loving devotion;
break up your unplowed ground.
For it is time to seek the LORD
until He comes and sends righteousness
upon you like rain.
13 You have plowed wickedness and reaped injustice;
you have eaten the fruit of lies.
Because you have trusted in your own way
and in the multitude of your mighty men,
14 the roar of battle will rise against your people,
so that all your fortresses will be demolished
as Shalman devastated Beth-arbel
in the day of battle,
when mothers were dashed to pieces
along with their children.
15 Thus it will be done to you, O Bethel,
because of your great wickedness.
When the day dawns,
the king of Israel will be utterly cut off.

REFLECTIONS

Written by James Davidson

Israel have sinned greatly. God warns that terrible judgement is coming. But God longs for his people to repent. He longs for them to turn back to him and walk in his ways so that he can forgive and spare them his punishment. In v12 he calls them back to the right path. ‘Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love’. As a farmer sows seeds, God’s people are to do righteous deeds, that is, live his way. Then they will reap the reward of experiencing God’s unfailing love as he blesses their lives.

But this will not be easy. It will be like a heifer breaking up unplowed ground. They need to make every effort to seek God. And it’s urgent. Now is the time to seek the Lord, says Hosea, otherwise judgement will come soon. And they need to persist in seeking the Lord until he comes and showers his righteousness on them.

Here is a wonderful statement of God’s saving grace that is as true for us today as it was then. As we turn away from our sin and seek God, he promises to shower his righteousness on us. As Romans 3 says: ‘But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe’ (Romans 3:21-22). As we put our trust in Jesus’ sacrifice for sin, God declares us to be perfectly righteous in his sight. What a gift! Hallelujah!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Gus Cameron

21 November 2025

Hosea 10:1-8

Gus Cameron

21 November 2025

1 Israel was a luxuriant vine,
yielding fruit for himself.
The more his fruit increased,
the more he increased the altars.
The better his land produced,
the better he made the sacred pillars.
2 Their hearts are devious;
now they must bear their guilt.
The LORD will break down their altars
and demolish their sacred pillars.
3 Surely now they will say,
“We have no king,
for we do not revere the LORD.
What can a king do for us?”
4 They speak mere words;
with false oaths they make covenants.
So judgment springs up
like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.
5 The people of Samaria will fear
for the calf of Beth-aven.
Indeed, its people will mourn
with its idolatrous priests—
those who rejoiced in its glory—
for it has been taken from them into exile.6 Yes, it will be carried to Assyria
as tribute to the great king.
Ephraim will be seized with shame;
Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols.
7 Samaria will be carried off with her king
like a twig on the surface of the water.
8 The high places of Aven will be destroyed—
it is the sin of Israel;
thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars.
Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!”
and to the hills, “Fall on us!”

REFLECTIONS

Written by James Davidson

The sentence that jumps out at me in this passage is the final one: “Then they will say to the mountains, ‘Cover us!’ and to the hills, ‘Fall on us!’” This describes the desperate attempt of unforgiven sinners to hide from the judgement of God. But they will not be able to. It’s even more sobering when you consider that the sins of Israel described in this passage are ordinary sins, common in our society today. For example, in v1, ‘As his fruit increased, he built more altars’: Israel became prosperous, but instead of thanking God for it and serving him gladly they served other gods. In v4 they break contracts and take each other to court. Sound familiar?

Revelation chapter 6 picks up this sentence and applies it to the final judgement.

Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?” (Revelation 6:15-17)

When that day comes unforgiven sinners will not be able to hide from God’s judgement. Let’s praise God for the Lamb’s forgiveness and pray for opportunities to warn unbelievers of the judgement to come.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Gus Cameron

20 November 2025

Hosea 9:10-17

Gus Cameron

20 November 2025

10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness.
I saw your fathers as the firstfruits
of the fig tree in its first season.
But they went to Baal-peor,
and consecrated themselves to Shame;
so they became as detestable
as the thing they loved.
11 Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird,
with no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.
12 Even if they raise their children,
I will bereave them of each one.
Yes, woe be to them
when I turn away from them!
13 I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre,
planted in a meadow.
But Ephraim will bring out
his children for slaughter.
14 Give them, O LORD—
what will You give?
Give them wombs that miscarry
and breasts that dry up!
15 All their evil appears at Gilgal,
for there I hated them.
I will drive them from My house
for the wickedness of their deeds.
I will no longer love them;
all their leaders are rebellious.
16 Ephraim is struck down;
their root is withered;
they cannot bear fruit.
Even if they bear children,
I will slay the darlings of their wombs.
17 My God will reject them
because they have not obeyed Him;
and they shall be wanderers
among the nations.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Andy Rowlands

In this passage, Israel is presented as a grapevine, as those who are to bear fruit for God. I find this such a humbling passage, because it’s not for their fruit that they were chosen: wild grapes don't bear good fruit. It’s a striking image that shows us the nature of Israel’s (and our) relationship with God. Just as God found Israel, He is the one who found me and made himself known to me! And not only to me, but also to his church.

And yet, sin is so terrible as to take Israel away from the God who loved them. It is so terrible that the destruction of the people God loves is better than their continued sinning. Their children are being taken away so that they cannot sacrifice them, and they are being driven away from the places that lead them to sin.

That’s confronting for me. I cannot pretend that I do not sin, and the consequences are so serious! When I consider all the evil of my life, I am so thankful that God will not curse me for my detestable sins, nor reject me because of my disobedience. Instead, he will see my Lord, Jesus, who at the cross became accursed for me, bearing the punishment for my sins, so that I do not have to. And so now I rejoice, as one God has chosen and even justified at the cross.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andy is one of our Student Ministers.

Gus Cameron

19 November 2025

Hosea 9:1-9

Gus Cameron

19 November 2025

1 Do not rejoice, O Israel,
with exultation like the nations,
for you have played the harlot against your God;
you have made love for hire on every threshing floor.
2 The threshing floor and winepress will not feed them,
and the new wine will fail them.
3 They will not remain
in the land of the LORD;
Ephraim will return to Egypt
and eat unclean food in Assyria.
4 They will not pour out wine offerings to the LORD,
and their sacrifices will not please Him,
but will be to them like the bread of mourners;
all who eat will be defiled.
For their bread will be for themselves;
it will not enter the house of the LORD.
5 What will you do on the appointed day,
on the day of the LORD’s feast?
6 For even if they flee destruction,
Egypt will gather them
and Memphis will bury them.
Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles,
and thorns will overrun their tents.
7 The days of punishment have come;
the days of retribution have arrived—
let Israel know it.
The prophet is called a fool,
and the inspired man insane,
because of the greatness
of your iniquity and hostility.
8 The prophet is Ephraim’s watchman,
along with my God,
yet the snare of the fowler lies on all his paths.
Hostility is in the house of his God!
9 They have deeply corrupted themselves
as in the days of Gibeah;
He will remember their guilt;
He will punish their sins.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Susan Everett

In our passage today, it seems that Israel is having a party. People rejoicing, new wine, fresh grain – all these ideas sound like a great feast day to the Lord. But in the midst of this great party, Hosea speaks a sombre warning – Don’t rejoice. The days of punishment have come.

You see, even though everything seemed great at this moment, Israel’s greatest problem still remained – their spiritual adultery (v1). They had been unfaithful to God. And God’s judgment was coming against them as a result. Hosea warns Israel of a great reversal of their situation – their abundant crops will not feed them; their silver will be taken; they will not be able to celebrate the LORD’s feasts; and they will be cast out of God’s land. They might be partying now, but soon their worlds will be turned upside down.

It's not easy to warn people about God’s judgment – especially when everything seems good. For a lot of my friends, life is a bit of a party – they have good jobs, good houses, and good holidays. Life isn’t perfect, but it’s pretty good. But they have a big problem too – they have been unfaithful to the God who made them. And I know that a day of judgment is coming for them too (2 Peter 3:8-10). Jesus has rescued me from that judgment – praise God! – but my non-Christian friends are still facing that judgment, even though they don’t know it. I’m not a prophet like Hosea, but as an ambassador of Christ, I still want to try and warn my friends, and implore them to be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:20). Why don’t you pray today that we would have the courage to warn others about God’s judgment, and share the amazing news of Jesus with them?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan is one of our Student Ministers.

Gus Cameron

18 November 2025

Hosea 8

Gus Cameron

18 November 2025

1 Put the ram’s horn to your lips!
An eagle looms over the house of the LORD,
because the people have transgressed My covenant
and rebelled against My law.2 Israel cries out to Me,
“O our God, we know You!”
3 But Israel has rejected good;
an enemy will pursue him.
4 They set up kings, but not by Me.
They make princes, but without My approval.
With their silver and gold they make themselves idols,
to their own destruction.5 He has rejected your calf, O Samaria.
My anger burns against them.
How long will they be
incapable of innocence?
6 For this thing is from Israel—
a craftsman made it, and it is not God.
It will be broken to pieces,
that calf of Samaria.
7 For they sow the wind,
and they shall reap the whirlwind.
There is no standing grain;
what sprouts fails to yield flour.
Even if it should produce,
the foreigners would swallow it up.
8 Israel is swallowed up!
Now they are among the nations
like a worthless vessel.
9 For they have gone up to Assyria
like a wild donkey on its own.
Ephraim has hired lovers.
10 Though they hire allies among the nations,
I will now round them up,
and they will begin to diminish
under the oppression of the king of princes.
11 Though Ephraim multiplied the altars for sin,
they became his altars for sinning.
12 Though I wrote for them the great things of My law,
they regarded them as something strange.
13 Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to Me,
and though they eat the meat,
the LORD does not accept them.
Now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins:
They will return to Egypt.
14 Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces;
Judah has multiplied its fortified cities.
But I will send fire upon their cities,
and it will consume their citadels.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Matt Radloff

Are you “all in” on Team Jesus? Or do you still want to have it both ways?

In today’s chapter, God continues his condemnation of Israel through Hosea. Here we see that claiming to acknowledge God while seeking security in other things is a recipe for disaster. Time and time again throughout Israel’s history, God had saved them. And yet time and time again, they looked elsewhere for something more, as though He meant nothing to them. They kept on seeking security in idols, kings and foreign nations instead of the God who rescued them.

Sure, Israel offered sacrifices and cried out to God, but He sees what’s really going on. God always sees. While Israel claimed to acknowledge God, they’ve chased after the nations around them and even set up an idol the resembles the golden calf that Israel had worshiped way back in Exodus 32, at Mount Sinai. God wasn’t enough for them; they thought they needed more.

Are you in danger of having the same attitude? God has saved us in Jesus and given us everything we need. He’s our maker, and our saviour, and our loving Father, what more could we want? When we’re tempted to find security in money or status, God’s word reminds us to find security only in him. He’s the one who provides. He’s the one who sustains. He’s the one who cares. So, we can live confidently, going “all in” on Team Jesus.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Matt is one of our Student Ministers.

Gus Cameron

17 November 2025

Hosea 7:11-16

Gus Cameron

17 November 2025

11 So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove—
calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.
12 As they go, I will spread My net over them;
I will bring them down like birds of the air.
I will chastise them
when I hear them flocking together.
13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me!
Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against Me!
Though I would redeem them,
they speak lies against Me.
14 They do not cry out to Me from their hearts
when they wail upon their beds.
They slash themselves for grain and new wine,
but turn away from Me.
15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms,
they plot evil against Me.
16 They turn, but not to the Most High;
they are like a faulty bow.
Their leaders will fall by the sword
for the cursing of their tongue;
for this they will be ridiculed
in the land of Egypt.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Alex Chen

In the face of hardship or suffering, we tend to naturally turn to and trust in what we think is powerful. When there’s a car accident, an emergency room visit, conflict with a close friend, it’s so easy to freak out. In those moments, it feels so safe to turn to something like money to fix my problem. Paying for my problem to go away is almost a reflex reaction.

In our passage God’s people have looked for help anywhere but God. They turn here and there like a dove, looking for powerful allies in pagan superpowers – Egypt and Assyria. They fail to cry out to God and trust Him, and judgement will come with great certainty for them. They turn to other gods, but do not turn to the one true God – just like a faulty bow will turn to the side and fail to hit the right mark.

But the truth is: God is the only one who brings victory for His people. This was true for Israel, and is true for us now, as He has brought victory over sin through Jesus at the cross. Jesus defeated death for all those who believe in Him. While there will still be hardship and sin now until Jesus returns, God is the powerful one who we can and should turn to. For now, that means faithfully waiting in our uncertainty, anxiety, and suffering. It means praying, meeting with other Christians, reading and hearing God’s Word. Our great comfort is knowing that Jesus’ ultimate victory at the cross means we can look in certain hope beyond our situation now to eternal life with God, when suffering will truly pass away.

We are good at seeking refuge in the wrong things because of what the world tells us is strong, but Hosea reminds us of people who have missed the mark. It’s a pointer back to the God who is truly powerful and sufficient. Perhaps Peter’s words about Jesus in John 6 are clearer in light of this: “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alex is one of our Student Ministers.