Gus Cameron

22 August 2026

John 12:27-36

Gus Cameron

22 August 2026

27 Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it is for this purpose that I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
29 The crowd standing there heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said that an angel had spoken to Him.
30 In response, Jesus said, “This voice was not for My benefit, but yours. 31 Now judgment is upon this world; now the prince of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to Myself.” 33 He said this to indicate the kind of death He was going to die.
34 The crowd replied, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever. So how can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”
35 Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of light.”
After Jesus had spoken these things, He went away and was hidden from them.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Matt Radloff

Why did Jesus come into the world? Why did he enter the world that he made? Why face rejection, humiliation and death? Jesus tells us that this is the very reason that he came. He came to die. But not a pointless, meaningless death. Jesus came to die a death that would be the most significant death in the history of the world. He knew that this was the reason for him to come, and he knew what it would accomplish. It would bring glory to his Father's name. Even while Jesus' soul was troubled, fearful of what stood before him, he called for his Father to glorify his name. Jesus knew that his death on the cross would bring glory to God. And that's exactly what it did. Jesus was lifted up, nailed to the cross in pain and suffering. And from there, he shone as light for all people, radiating God's glory. He gathered us to himself, people from all tribes and nations. He brought us to see the Father's love for us, so that we might give glory to the Father.

Jesus shows us how important the Father's glory is to him. And I think this passage challenges us to seek the Father's glory as well. We don't do that by making ourselves look good. Instead, we give glory to the Father by listening to him. Jesus listened to his Father and obeyed him to the cross; he glorified his Father's name. And so, for us, we also bring glory to God when we listen to and obey him. As God calls us to step out in faith each and every day, we bring him glory when we listen to his voice. Most of all, we glorify God when we obey his word by coming to Jesus.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Matt is one of our Student Ministers.

Gus Cameron

21 August 2026

John 12:20-26

Gus Cameron

21 August 2026

20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip relayed this appeal to Andrew, and both of them went and told Jesus.
23 But Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

REFLECTIONS

Written by George MIhas

We see in verse 20 some religious Greeks go to Jerusalem to worship before Passover. Whether they were Gentiles following the Jewish religion or converts is not clear. Nevertheless they have heard of a famous miracle worker and they want to see him. We’re not told why – do they want to be entertained or could they really believe he is the promised Messiah? (What does that even mean, seeing as no one truly understood what the Messiah came to do?)

One thing stands out to me: Jesus is not distracted. He is determined to continue his path to the cross, and he starts to preach a cryptic sermon about why he is going to die. He doesn't run to them. He isn't interested in man's approval. He isn't chasing money or fame, he is determined to finish his Father’s work.

This part of Scripture makes me think of those television evangelists who have swayed from the truth and who preach a gospel of health, wealth and prosperity, like “Just give me more money and you can get back to the Garden of Eden.”

Isn’t it funny that I’m criticising that, as a former charismatic Christian? I believe these people start off in ministry with a heart to serve, but man is corruptible. Not everyone can handle the wealth and fame and all the temptations. And I’m no expert in this - Lord have mercy on us and help us!

Praise God that Jesus is not like that. Let us look to Jesus so that we learn to serve God in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in. Let us push on and walk with Christ when life is hard and learn to praise God when everything is going wrong.

The other thing that stands out to me is what Jesus says about his death. He explains that his time to be glorified is approaching because he is going to the cross. He does this symbolically by saying that when a seed falls to the ground and dies, it produces a great crop (v 24). In the same way, Jesus’ death for the sin of the world is producing much fruit of sinners rescued from hell to eternal life.

But then Jesus connects his death to us, by saying that every true Christian will follow his example of giving up our lives of worldliness to serve him. Use his words as you pray today:

“Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.” (v 25-26)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

George is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

Gus Cameron

20 August 2026

John 12:12-19

Gus Cameron

20 August 2026

12 The next day the great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting:
“Hosanna!”
"Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the King of Israel!”
14 Finding a young donkey, Jesus sat on it, as it is written:
15 “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion.
See, your King is coming,
seated on the colt of a donkey.”
16 At first His disciples did not understand these things, but after Jesus was glorified they remembered what had been done to Him, and they realized that these very things had also been written about Him.
17 Meanwhile, many people continued to testify that they had been with Jesus when He called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead. 18 That is also why the crowd went out to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.
19 Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You can see that this is doing you no good. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Grace Ip

Have you ever looked back on a season of your life and thought, "Now it makes sense"? At the time, you couldn't understand why God allowed things to unfold the way they did. Yet, with the benefit of hindsight, you can often see His wisdom and faithfulness more clearly.

I think back to a time when I started a new job and, not long after, wanted to quit. I questioned whether I'd made the right decision and kept asking God for a sign. Looking back now, I'm so glad I stayed. Among the many things God was doing, He brought a beautiful friendship into my life that I would never have known otherwise. At the time, I couldn't understand why God had me there. Now I can see that He was doing far more than I realised, working in ways I never expected.

The disciples experienced something similar. They had just witnessed one of Jesus' greatest miracles—raising Lazarus from the dead! Crowds gathered because of it, welcoming Jesus with palm branches and cries of "Hosanna!" and "Blessed is the King of Israel!" As Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, He rode on a young donkey, just as Zechariah had foretold. You might expect that, by now, the disciples finally understood what kind of King Jesus had come to be.

But John records something surprising in verse 16: "At first His disciples did not understand these things." Only after Jesus was glorified did they look back and realise it had all unfolded according to God's Word, making sense in light of the cross and resurrection.

Perhaps you can relate. Maybe it's an unanswered prayer, a hurting relationship, or a season that feels directionless. Like the disciples, our perspective is often limited; we may not see clearly what God is doing in the present.

John reminds us that understanding doesn't always come immediately. Sometimes God calls us to trust Him before we fully understand what He is doing. In Christ's life, death and resurrection, God showed that He always keeps His promises. Because of that, His faithfulness gives us every reason to trust Him in the present. So when the path ahead seems uncertain, we can hold onto the hope that God is always at work, even when we cannot yet see the bigger picture.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Grace is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

Gus Cameron

19 August 2026

John 12:9-11

Gus Cameron

19 August 2026

9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews learned that Jesus was there. And they came not only because of Him, but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were deserting them and believing in Jesus.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Rodney Clarke

This passage recalls what we read about in chapter 11 – the miraculous resurrection of Lazarus from the dead.

To me, it's the different reactions to this event that I find striking. It’s clear that what Jesus did was unparalleled. It defies logic and makes you wonder about the nature of Jesus. A teacher who can perform miraculous signs – in fact, who can raise the dead!

But the Pharisees don’t respond with wonder or even curiosity. They feel that Jesus is a threat to their power, which means their position in the social hierarchy is being threatened. In fact, they were so determined to hang onto their power that they plotted to kill not just Jesus, but Lazarus as well! Clearly they valued their social position more than what God might have been saying about Jesus.

Then there was the crowd of people who had personally witnessed Lazarus being raised. They flocked to him, and many put their faith in him. Jesus clearly transcended their culture and limited beliefs. What does this amazing sign mean? What does it say about God? What does it say about hope? And what does it say about this humble carpenter from Nazareth? The resurrection of Lazarus clearly proved Jesus’ power and majesty.

We know far more about the meaning of the sign now, because of Jesus’ own death and glorious resurrection. We are dead in our sins and under God’s judgment, but Jesus brings us back to life again by his atoning sacrifice on the cross. Like Lazarus, we are given a second chance – not just to be resuscitated for a while, but to be raised forever.

Jesus did this sign because he wanted people to understand the nature of his ministry and what he came to do. In the Gospel of John we see the capacity for light and darkness. We see the hope of the crowds in seeing Lazarus’s resurrection, as well as the stubborn resistance of the Pharisees. We know deep down we have the potential for both these responses in our own hearts. Let's look to the hope that Jesus offers, because he has the power to call us out of the darkness and into his wonderful light.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rodney is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

Gus Cameron

18 August 2026

John 12:1-8

Gus Cameron

18 August 2026

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 So they hosted a dinner for Jesus there. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of expensive perfume, made of pure nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray Him, asked, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” 6 Judas did not say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money bag, he used to take from what was put into it.
7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “She has kept this perfume in preparation for the day of My burial. 8 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Rebecca Mihas

When I read this passage, I was really encouraged by Mary's love for Jesus. She poured expensive perfume on His feet and wiped them with her hair. She wasn't worried about how much it cost or what other people thought. She just wanted to honour Jesus and show Him how much she loved Him.

This passage made me stop and think about my own relationship with Jesus. Life can become so busy with work, family, church, and everyday responsibilities that it is easy to focus on everything that needs to be done. Sometimes I can become so busy doing things that I forget to just spend time with Jesus. Mary's example reminds me that nothing is more important than sitting at His feet and making Him my first priority.

Judas saw Mary's gift as a waste, but Jesus saw it as an act of love. This reminds me that God looks at our hearts. He knows why we do the things we do, even when others don't understand. It challenges me to ask myself if I am giving Jesus my best, or only what is left over after everything else.

This passage reminds me that every day is an opportunity to spend time with Jesus, trust Him, and grow closer to Him. I don't want to let the busyness of life distract me from what matters most.

My prayer is that I will have a heart like Mary's that loves Jesus deeply and puts Him first. I want my life to honour Him in the way I speak, the way I treat others, and the choices I make each day. I also pray that, as a church family, we will continue to encourage one another to keep our eyes on Jesus and grow closer to Him every day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

Gus Cameron

17 August 2026

John 11:53-57

Gus Cameron

17 August 2026

53 So from that day on they plotted to kill Him. 54 As a result, Jesus no longer went about publicly among the Jews, but He withdrew to a town called Ephraim in an area near the wilderness. And He stayed there with the disciples.

55 Now the Jewish Passover was near, and many people went up from the country to Jerusalem to purify themselves before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus and asking one another as they stood in the temple courts, “What do you think? Will He come to the feast at all?” 57 But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where He was must report it, so that they could arrest Him.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Linda Vu

This passage is deeply convicting. After hearing that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, the chief priests and Pharisees still chose to kill Him. Instead of falling down before him, we read, "from that day on they plotted to kill Him" (v. 53). Their hearts had become so hardened that even a miracle that great did not lead them to faith. It reminds me to examine my own heart. Am I willing to let God's Word change me, or do I sometimes resist Him when His ways are different from my own?

As the Passover drew near, the people kept asking, "What do you think? Will He come to the feast at all?" (v. 56). While the religious leaders were searching for Jesus to arrest Him (v. 57), Jesus was never anxious or rushed. He lived according to His Father's perfect timing, not the plans of His enemies. This encourages me to trust God's timing even when life feels uncertain or difficult.

This passage also speaks into my everyday life. In the midst of the busyness and of raising two young boys, I often find it easier to scroll through Instagram or simply fall into bed exhausted after a shower. Yet I wonder, am I still seeking Jesus with the same eagerness as the crowds who were looking for Him? I want that same longing in my own heart – to seek Him wholeheartedly, spend time in His Word and prayer, and trust that time with Him is never wasted.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Linda is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

Gus Cameron

15 August 2026

John 11:45-52

Gus Cameron

15 August 2026

45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
47 Then the chief priests and Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. 48 If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
49 But one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
51 Caiaphas did not say this on his own. Instead, as high priest that year, he was prophesying that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not only for the nation, but also for the scattered children of God, to gather them together into one.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Andy Rowlands

How could some of the Jews, after seeing Jesus raise Lazarus, go and tell the Pharisees? How could they not believe in him? It flies in the face of people who say, “I’ll believe it when I see it,” because here, seeing isn’t believing! It reminds me of what Jesus said to Thomas after his resurrection: “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

This passage shines a light on how we respond to Jesus, because rejecting him isn’t always about having sufficient knowledge or proof. When friends have told me that they needed more proof or to see Jesus to be able to believe, it’s often that – like the Pharisees here – they really don’t want their lives to change. They’ve become too attached to the life that they have, and they think that Jesus’ authority will only get in the way of them doing the things that they want to do.

And yet, this doesn’t get in the way of God doing his work in the world! The Pharisees and the high priest here reject Jesus and his authority, but God uses them to proclaim what he is going to do through Jesus. “It is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish,” says Caiaphas. He thinks that Jesus is a problem, and by getting rid of that problem they will save God’s people. But God planned Jesus as the solution, the perfect sacrifice whose death would save sinners – including us – from eternal death and bring us into the body of Christ.

God used this rejection of Jesus to bring about good, and this same God is at work today. Only God can bring good out of evil, and only God can change the hearts of those who reject Jesus. As we pray that God would work in their lives to bring them into the one body of Christ, I am comforted knowing that he is working all things for good, by building his church in this messy world today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andy is one of our Student Ministers.

Gus Cameron

14 August 2026

John 11:38-44

Gus Cameron

14 August 2026

38 Jesus, once again deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” Jesus said.
“Lord, by now he stinks,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man. “It has already been four days.”
40 Jesus replied, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted His eyes upward and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 I knew that You always hear Me, but I say this for the benefit of the people standing here, so they may believe that You sent Me.”
43 After Jesus had said this, He called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
44 The man who had been dead came out with his hands and feet bound in strips of linen, and his face wrapped in a cloth.
“Unwrap him and let him go,” Jesus told them.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Helen Mitry

Growing up in a Christian family and attending church and Sunday school, I have read and heard this story many times before, but as I read over it this time, one thing stood out to me that I hadn't fully appreciated before. The first half of verse 44 says, “The man who had been dead came out” – or the NIV translation, which is more succinct: “The dead man came out.” Let that sink in a bit.

It reminds me of the title of a movie I watched last year. It’s the third film in the “Knives Out” comedy murder mystery trilogy, and it’s called, “Wake Up Dead Man.” The movie also had biblical references – perhaps the producer did some research in John’s Gospel! Because dead people shouldn't be doing anything. The word “dead” should not be paired with any active verb, but God in his power raised Lazarus up from the dead so that he could walk out of his own tomb.

Throughout the chapter, Jesus tells us the purpose of this miracle in a few different ways: so that God the Father would be glorified (v 40), so that the Son of God would be glorified (v 4), and so that people will believe God the Father has sent Jesus his Son (v 42). Ultimately, by this miracle Jesus shows us that if we ask him, he will do the greatest miracle of all for us. We were dead in our sins and couldn’t do anything to save ourselves, but Jesus paid the debt of our sins so that we could glorify him and gain eternal life in him. Jesus only asks for our belief. Do you believe? Take a moment to thank him, and also to pray for people you know who don't believe in him yet.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Helen is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.

Gus Cameron

13 August 2026

John 11:28-37

Gus Cameron

13 August 2026

28 After Martha had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside to tell her, “The Teacher is here and is asking for you.” 29 And when Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Him.
30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met Him. 31 When the Jews who were in the house consoling Mary saw how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. 32 When Mary came to Jesus and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit[D] and troubled. 34 “Where have you put him?” He asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they answered.
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”
37 But some of them asked, “Could not this man who opened the eyes of the blind also have kept Lazarus from dying?”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Mercy Saw

How do you respond when things don't work out the way you want? Some of us tend to react with anger. Others retreat inwards in self-pity or apathy to ward off the pain of disappointment. Sometimes this might cause us to question or doubt God’s character.

Mary's response is remarkably different – as Martha’s had been also. It would have been natural for Mary to be angry at Jesus for not making it on time, or to continue grieving privately and not see him. Instead, she immediately goes to Him, and brings her grief and sorrow to him. She acknowledges his power and that he could have saved her brother. Yet this does not lead to resentment, blame, or doubt, but faith-filled submission to him.

We see also that Jesus is one who is worthy of such trust. This passage comforts me that Jesus was a real human, with real emotions and a real love for those he cares for. Even though he knows he will soon raise Lazarus from the dead, Jesus is moved by the tears of Mary and those around him, and he weeps. This wasn't just a tear trickling down a cheek. Jesus wept to the point that it was evident to all around him how much he loved Lazarus.

Whatever heartaches and loss we experience, whatever disappointments or unmet hopes, we know that Jesus is not immune to our pain but feels and cares deeply. Though we may not know as clearly as in Lazarus’ story why Jesus allows our suffering to occur, we can be comforted that he grieves with us. More than this, we have a greater hope because Jesus experienced the ultimate suffering on our behalf by dying on the cross to deal with the source of all suffering, and he rose to bring about a new creation where there will be no more tears or mourning or pain. Let’s continue to draw near to him with all our cares and concerns, knowing he is both sovereign and compassionate to those who trust in him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mercy is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

Gus Cameron

12 August 2026

John 11:17-27

Gus Cameron

12 August 2026

17 When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already spent four days in the tomb. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, a little less than two miles away, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them in the loss of their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Him; but Mary stayed at home.
21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give You whatever You ask of Him.”
23 “Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her.
24 Martha replied, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. 26 And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she answered, “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Rebecca Lin

When Jesus arrives at Bethany, he is met with scenes of complete hopelessness and despair. We learn immediately that Lazarus had already been dead for four days. Any last glimmer of hope that Jesus might come to heal Lazarus from his sickness had disappeared when Lazarus died. Many Jews had come to see Mary and Martha, but all they could do was console them. There was nothing they could do to change the situation. And Martha, overwhelmed by her grief and the hopelessness of death, greets Jesus by saying, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” To her, Jesus had arrived too late and death had already won.

But all of this only makes Jesus’ next words stand out even more. Amidst their mourning and suffering, Jesus declares in verse 25, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.” While physical death and sickness are at the forefront of everyone’s minds, Jesus points them to the only solution to their hopelessness, to a greater comfort and the firmest hope – that he himself is the resurrection and the life. When he took our sins upon himself, died to pay the price for us and rose from the grave to conquer death, Jesus brought us the incredible gift of salvation and everlasting life with him. He brings the certain hope that physical death is not the end for those who believe in Him.

It can be easy to be overcome by the brokenness, hopelessness, stress, grief and pressures of this world. But at one of the lowest points in Mary and Martha’s lives, Jesus’ words brought true comfort and meaning, and that reminds me that we can cling to his promise of life with complete assurance.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

Gus Cameron

11 August 2026

John 11:11-16

Gus Cameron

11 August 2026

11 After He had said this, He told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.”
12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will get better.” 13 They thought that Jesus was talking about actual sleep, but He was speaking about the death of Lazarus.
14 So Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
16 Then Thomas called Didymus said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Ken Ip

One thing that stood out to me in this passage is how differently Jesus viewed death compared to the disciples. When Jesus said Lazarus had "fallen asleep," the disciples naturally thought he meant ordinary sleep. But Jesus was speaking as someone who has complete authority over death. To him, waking Lazarus from the grave was like waking someone from sleeping.

I also found verse 15 both surprising and comforting. Jesus says, "for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe." At first, those words seem harsh, like he didn't care about Lazarus’s death. But he wasn't glad that Lazarus had died, he was glad that through this painful situation, the disciples would see something even greater about who he is. What looked like a delay wasn't a lack of love but rather part of God's plan to glorify Jesus and strengthen their faith.

Maybe it’s something about living in an age of instant gratification but so often I want God to answer my prayers immediately, and when he doesn't, it's easy to wonder if he's forgotten or doesn't care. This passage reinforces what we saw in yesterday’s devotion, that God's delay does not mean he doesn’t care. Yesterday we were reminded that God’s plans are bigger than my plans. Today we see that his ultimate goal is centred on his Son. It’s that we would trust in and know Jesus more deeply. As Jesus later prays, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3).

Father, thank you that you have power over death itself and that through Jesus we also have hope of resurrection. Forgive us when we are impatient with you and think we know better than you. Help us to trust you especially when your timing doesn't make sense to us. We ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ken is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

Gus Cameron

10 August 2026

John 11:1-10

Gus Cameron

10 August 2026

1 At this time a man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (Mary, whose brother Lazarus was sick, was to anoint the Lord with perfume and wipe His feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one You love is sick.”
4 When Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So on hearing that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was for two days, 7 and then He said to the disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
8 “Rabbi,” they replied, “the Jews just tried to stone You, and You are going back there?”
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? If anyone walks in the daytime, he will not stumble, because he sees by the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks at night, he will stumble, because he has no light.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Vinh Dang

The passage today really challenged me to think about how I respond when God doesn't answer my prayers in the way or timing that I expect. When Lazarus became sick, Mary and Martha knew that Jesus loved them, so they expected that Jesus' response was going to be quick. Instead, Jesus waited two more days before telling his disciples that they should go back to Judea (verse 6). At first, this was hard to understand, but it reminded me that God's timing may not be the same as mine. Even when I cannot see what He is doing, I can trust that He has a greater purpose.

Another thing that stood out to me was that Jesus' delay was not because He didn't care. In fact, John makes a point of saying that Jesus loved Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. This encourages me as there are times when I feel like God is distant or slow to answer my prayers. This passage tells me that His silence does not mean he has ignored me. Instead, He may be working in ways that I cannot yet understand. It is for God’s glory, as Jesus says in verse 4. I was also encouraged by Jesus' determination to return to Judea, even though it was dangerous (verse 7). Jesus was not controlled by His fear but by obedience to His Father. This particular part of the passage challenged me to think about whether I sometimes allow fear to stop me from doing what God wants me to do. I want to trust God more and follow Him faithfully, knowing that He is in control of my life.

God's plans are always better than mine, and He is always working for His glory and the good of His people. I pray that we would all become more patient, trust in God's good timing, and continue to follow Him confidently, even when we don't understand what He is doing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vinh is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.

Gus Cameron

8 August 2026

John 10:31-42

Gus Cameron

8 August 2026

31 At this, the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him. 32 But Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone Me?”
33 “We are not stoning You for any good work,” said the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because You, who are a man, declare Yourself to be God.”
34 Jesus replied, “Is it not written in your Law: ‘I have said you are gods’ ? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken— 36 then what about the One whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world? How then can you accuse Me of blasphemy for stating that I am the Son of God?
37 If I am not doing the works of My Father, then do not believe Me. 38 But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works themselves, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.”
39 At this, they tried again to seize Him, but He escaped their grasp.
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had first been baptizing, and He stayed there. 41 Many came to Him and said, “Although John never performed a sign, everything he said about this man was true.” 42 And many in that place believed in Jesus.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

Not long ago, I had a really frustrating conversation with a guy who seemed to be seeking the truth about Jesus, but as the conversation dragged on, it seemed to me that he just wasn’t listening. He had already decided that Jesus was not God become man. No matter where we went in the Bible, he would be looking for the word or phrase that proved Jesus was not God.

That’s what is going on with the Jewish leaders in today’s passage. They have just heard Jesus say, “I and the Father are one.” They didn’t stop to wonder if this might somehow be true, given that Jesus had just opened the eyes of a man born blind, among countless other God-like deeds. They had rejected him, and here was their proof: no one can ever compare themselves with God. Jesus had said a magic phrase they could jump on to prove what they knew all along: “Blasphemy!”

So Jesus quotes Psalm 82:6. In its context, the Psalm says: “I have said, ‘You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High. But like mortals you will die, and like rulers you will fall.” Jesus isn’t trying to prove to them that he is God the Son – they’re literally about to stone him to death, he doesn’t have time for complex arguments! He’s simply showing that their case against him is much weaker than they thought. According to Scripture, there’s a sense in which even sinful people can be compared with God.

Jesus made them pause long enough that he dodged the stones, nothing more. But if they really stopped to look at Jesus’ works and words, they would realise he is so much more than any other god-like person. He is “the one whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world” (v 36).

Today was a reminder that sometimes all we can hope for is to show someone that maybe they haven’t read the Bible as carefully as they think.

But the last few verses were a reminder that sometimes God uses the simplest testimony about Jesus to bring saving faith. Jesus meets others who had heard John the Baptist speak about him. John never did a single miracle. But when those people encountered Jesus, they simply realised: “What John said about him is true!” And they believed.

Pray that over the next month, as we invite people to our church evangelistic events, God might bring many of that second sort of person!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our Senior Minister.

Gus Cameron

7 August 2026

John 10:22-30

Gus Cameron

7 August 2026

22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple courts in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 So the Jews gathered around Him and demanded, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25 “I already told you,” Jesus replied, “but you did not believe. The works I do in My Father’s name testify on My behalf. 26 But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe. 27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Alex Chen

This passage reassures me when I have doubts, when I see my sin most clearly, when I worry if I'm doing enough of the right things by God. Knowing Jesus as king means being held securely by God. There's full certainty. No one can snatch me from Jesus. No one can snatch me from God's hand. When I trust in Jesus, eternal life is certain. What happens to me in this life – even beyond this life – is in the hands of the God who is greater than anything in this world.

When uncertainty comes into my life – perhaps because of physical pain, or relational hardships, or coming up short at work – I find myself praying earnestly in dependence on God. When I’m experiencing uncertainty, I'm just far more aware of God and his power. As I read this passage, I see all of my life always in God's hand. That leads to two things I want to apply to my own life. When I feel like my life is in a good spot, I would like to give thanks more to God for his provision and for whatever will come. When I'm facing uncertainty, I will practise being dependent. I will ease my anxieties and burdens by speaking to my Father in heaven. I still want to make sure I take responsibility for what is given to me, but know that God is ultimately in control.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alex is one of our Student Ministers.

Gus Cameron

6 August 2026

John 10:17-21

Gus Cameron

6 August 2026

17 The reason the Father loves Me is that I lay down My life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.”
19 Again there was division among the Jews because of Jesus’ message. 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?”
21 But others replied, “These are not the words of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Herman Tu

A fun fact about me is that I am a big hoarder. I love to keep things. I love to keep awards, info sheets, clothes, relics of my high school days, and even sermon outlines. The issue with keeping things is that I also hate giving things up. My coffee machine, my bed, my car. If I am called to give up any of those things, that call provokes fear, anxiety and resistance in me.

But in John’s Gospel, we see just how radically Jesus was willing to give things up.

In this chapter, we see how Jesus divided the Jews because of what he was testifying about. Some of the Jews accused Jesus of being possessed, while others saw how Jesus could open eyes. They are wildly different opinions on him!

So what was Jesus testifying about?

From the beginning of his ministry, Jesus spoke about an “hour” that would come (John 2:4). He was speaking about the hour when he would suffer on the cross to drink the cup of God’s wrath against all humanity, and be declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Holy Spirit by his resurrection from the dead (Romans 1:4). As Jesus spoke to the Jewish people, he was clearing pointing forward to that “hour.”

But the wonderful thing we see in today’s passage is that Jesus carried out this mission of his own accord (v. 18). Even though he knew the horror of what he would endure in his death on the cross, he willingly, voluntarily, and obediently went to the cross to give up his life for us. I can't even give up my coffee machine, but Jesus gave up his life. How great a love is that?

Ultimately, what motivated Jesus was the Father's love for humanity. Jesus received this charge from the Father to lay down his life. God, the Father, so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in HIM will not perish but have eternal live (John 3:16). The Son of God died for us so that you and I can be children of God. That is true love.

Give thanks to God for his amazing love for humanity and pray that you can share this great love with others.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Herman is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.

Gus Cameron

5 August 2026

John 10:11-16

Gus Cameron

5 August 2026

11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me, 15 just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Ian Mu

As I was reading this passage I wondered, “What would I actually lay down my life for?” Even just reflecting on the last week, I thought, I couldn't even give the people I love an hour of my time. I didn’t even manage to lay down my time, my comfort and my plans.

Jesus really is a good shepherd because he laid down his life for us. A hired hand might look like he cares for his sheep, but the second danger strikes he is out of there! The false shepherds Jesus talked about are definitely not like the Good Shepherd. A false shepherd is not willing to lay down his comfort for God’s sheep.

If I look at it from our perspective – we are the sheep, so the kind of person we need to follow is Jesus, because he laid down his life for us sheep.

I also really like verse 14 where Jesus says, “I know my sheep.” As I was reflecting on that I thought: Wow, Jesus really does know everything. He knows my struggles and the reason and motivation for those struggles. He knows my thoughts and how I feel. And then I thought: How well do I really know him? When I think about how deeply Jesus knows us, I think how amazing it is that he still chose to lay down his life for us.

That makes me ask myself: Who am I really following? Am I following the Good Shepherd who knows me and still chose to lay down his life for me, or am I following the hired hand who doesn't really care? I am challenged here to fully rely on the Jesus, the only one who cared so much that he laid down his life for me and for all God’s sheep.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ian is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

Gus Cameron

4 August 2026

John 10:7-10

Gus Cameron

4 August 2026

7 So He said to them again, “Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before Me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Paul Bogg

Recently we had a short discussion in growth group about bucket lists. A bucket list is some list of things you really want to before you die. Stuff like travelling to particular countries, or having certain experiences, or making some kind of accomplishments – at least, typically things that apply to what you can do in the world. I wondered how and why that term came about, and I guess it has something to do with feeling you have led a “full life”. Life is like a bucket, and you want to fill it as full as you can with good experiences. So if you didn’t do these things, you might die feeling like you missed out on something.

Jesus drops a real bombshell in today’s passage: He, and he alone, is “the gate”. Anyone who enters through him is saved and will have life. But not just an ordinary life – in verse 10, he says they will have life “in all its fullness”.

Pondering what it means to have a “full life”, I reflect on my time before I knew the Lord. As a single man, I had the freedom to go places, to travel, to eat whatever I wanted. But I wasn’t happy, and I knew that these experiences didn’t satisfy. There were temporary joys, momentary and fleeting – but nothing lasted. Coming to church and hearing Jesus himself speaking from the Bible, it was like I could see the pasture in front of me. I could even talk to the sheep. I wasn’t yet in that pasture myself, but I could see that it was good, and I wanted to be there. So – I listened to the Shepherds voice and entered through the narrow gate.

Having been grazing in the pasture for many years now, I can say that now I have a full life. To know the good Shepherd, to come under his guidance, the safety of his protection, fellowship with God himself, fellowship with his flock, I have this deep-seated joy now, an inexplicable satisfaction that my life here on earth is full. I no longer desire the things that I once did – although those things are still good as part of God’s creation, I’m fully content now with all that life has to offer me.

The bucket list promises fullness through check lists. Jesus offers fullness through relationship. Reflect on your time with him today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

Gus Cameron

3 August 2026

John 10:1-6

Gus Cameron

3 August 2026

1 “Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 But the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen for his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.”
6 Jesus spoke to them using this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling them.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

Back in April we read chapters 6 to 9 of the Gospel of John, and this month we’re covering the next block. We’re up to one of my favourite passages, about Jesus being the Good Shepherd. He doesn’t call himself that until a bit later in the chapter, but we know that’s where it’s heading.

I especially love the personal tone of verse 3, where Jesus says the shepherd of the sheep “calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” It’s a beautiful picture of a profound truth: that if you belong to Jesus, you’re not just a nameless, insignificant member of his multitude of followers. He knows YOU – personally, intimately, at the deepest level. And he loves you and leads you to green pastures.

But I was also a bit shocked when I realised the context of this passage. Over the last few chapters of John, opposition and hostility to Jesus have been mounting. In the verses just before today’s passage, some of the unbelieving Pharisees were arguing with Jesus again, because he was accusing them of spiritual blindness.

That means Jesus said these things not just in front of the humble and soft of heart, but in front of hostile leaders. Part of his message was to condemn them, to their faces, as evil, false shepherds of God’s people. He’s reminding them of Ezekiel 34, where God condemned Israel’s spiritual leaders as greedy, selfish, and abusive shepherds of God’s flock. Jesus is saying, “That is ALL of you” – because, as he’ll go on to insist, he is the only Good Shepherd.

That was a good reminder to me that flawed and weak “pastors” or shepherds of the church (like me!) are nothing more than under-shepherds of the Chief Shepherd, Jesus (1 Peter 5:2-4). The flock belongs to him alone, and we pastors are first and foremost exactly the same as the rest of you: sheep who have been called by name to follow the voice of the Good Shepherd.

Pray that all of us would never stop listening to his voice and following him as he leads us to obedience and eternal life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our Senior Minister.

Gus Cameron

1 August 2026

2 Kings 10:25-36

Gus Cameron

1 August 2026

25 When he had finished making the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and officers, “Go in and kill them. Do not let anyone out.”
So the guards and officers put them to the sword, threw the bodies out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal.
26 They brought out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it. 27 They also demolished the sacred pillar of Baal. Then they tore down the temple of Baal and made it into a latrine, which it is to this day.
28 Thus Jehu eradicated Baal from Israel, 29 but he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
30 Nevertheless, the LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in My sight and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel.”
31 Yet Jehu was not careful to follow the instruction of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.
32 In those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael defeated the Israelites throughout their territory 33 from the Jordan eastward through all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh), and from Aroer by the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan.
34 As for the rest of the acts of Jehu, along with all his accomplishments and all his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
35 And Jehu rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz reigned in his place. 36 So the duration of Jehu’s reign over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

There’s an amazing little connection between today’s passage and the opening verses of Matthew’s Gospel. It’s a detail I only learned when I was preparing to preach on Matthew earlier this year, and it blew my mind, so I want to share it with you.

Matthew famously arranges Jesus’ genealogy in three groups of 14 generations each: 14 generations from Abraham to King David, who was a preview of the Messiah; 14 generations from King David to the exile in Babylon; and 14 generations from the exile to Jesus.

But many people say that Matthew has fudged the generations to make Jesus’ line look like a neat, God-ordained pattern. The reason is that it looks like Matthew skips 3 generations. In Matthew 1:8, in the middle of the second group, Matthew says, “Joram was the father of Uzziah.” Joram – or Jehoram, as he is also known – was the king of Judah we met briefly in 2 King 8. But he wasn’t directly the father of Uzziah, he was actually his great-great grandfather. There were three generations of kings in between them: Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah.

So was Matthew fudging? Not at all! The key detail is in verse 30 of today’s passage, where God tells Jehu that because of his faithfulness in eradicating the wicked house of Ahab, “four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel.” That phrase “the throne of Israel” is a very special phrase. In the whole Old Testament, there are only two other kings who said to sit on “the throne of Israel”: King David and his son Solomon. They both ruled over the whole, united kingdom of Israel. After Solomon’s death, the kingdom was divided in two, so from then on, there were parallel kings over Israel in the north and Judah in the south.

But in 1 Kings 9, Jehu assassinates the kings of both Israel and Judah, to end the threat of Baal-worship. And from God’s point of view, that meant that the dynasty of Jehu – this northern usurper – had temporarily replaced the line of King David in Jerusalem. For four generations (which is how long Jehu’s dynasty would last), there would again be a king on the throne of all Israel – so during that time, from God’s point of view, there was a gap in the line of David’s heirs.

Guess how long Jehu’s four generations lasted? They lasted through the reigns of Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah in Judah – the three kings Matthew leaves out of his genealogy of Jesus. Matthew leaves them out because God left them out of his reckoning of Jesus’ royal line.

“As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him” (Psalm 18:30). Pray today that God might grow us all in our conviction that his word is flawless, and that it might lead us to marvel at Jesus and take refuge in him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our Senior Minister.

Gus Cameron

31 July 2026

2 Kings 10:12-24

Gus Cameron

31 July 2026

12 Then Jehu set out toward Samaria. At Beth-eked of the Shepherds, 13 Jehu met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and asked, “Who are you?”
“We are relatives of Ahaziah,” they answered, “and we have come down to greet the sons of the king and of the queen mother.”
14 Then Jehu ordered, “Take them alive.” So his men took them alive, then slaughtered them at the well of Beth-eked—forty-two men. He spared none of them.
15 When he left there, he found Jehonadab son of Rechab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked, “Is your heart as true to mine as my heart is to yours?”
“It is!” Jehonadab replied.
“If it is,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.”
So he gave him his hand, and Jehu helped him into his chariot, 16 saying, “Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD!” So he had him ride in his chariot.
17 When Jehu came to Samaria, he struck down everyone belonging to Ahab who remained there, until he had destroyed them, according to the word that the LORD had spoken to Elijah.
18 Then Jehu brought all the people together and said, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot. 19 Now, therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. See that no one is missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing will not live.”
But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal.
20 And Jehu commanded, “Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they announced it.
21 Then Jehu sent word throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; there was not a man who failed to show. They entered the temple of Baal, and it was filled from end to end.
22 And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out garments for them.
23 Next, Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab entered the temple of Baal, and Jehu said to the servants of Baal, “Look around to see that there are no servants of the LORD here among you—only servants of Baal.”
24 And they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and warned them, “If anyone allows one of the men I am delivering into your hands to escape, he will forfeit his life for theirs.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

I struggle to know what to make of Jehu – and I’m sick of all the killing! I suspect we’re supposed to be sickened by it … and yet, we’re told again and again that this was “according to the word that the LORD had spoken to Elijah”.

The dynasty of Ahab in the northern kingdom of Israel had almost eliminated worship of the Lord, and had made it virtually compulsory to worship the Canaanite storm god Baal instead. Earlier this month, I mentioned that in Deuteronomy 13, God had warned his people that any Israelite city that abandoned him to worship other gods would be wiped out. The land of Israel, during the time of the old covenant, was set apart for God’s holy presence, and profaning God’s holiness with idols must bring death.

But it was even worse. King Ahab’s dynasty had even infiltrated the line of King David in the southern kingdom of Judah. King Jehoram – Ahaziah’s father – had married Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab. That marriage alliance was like a poison in David’s line which threatened to derail God’s promises. So maybe Jehu was right to wipe out Ahaziah’s family too … was he?

Yet in Hosea 1:4, after Jehu’s death, God announced that he would judge Jehu’s house “for the massacre at Jezreel,” which is a solid clue that Jehu went beyond God’s command. Maybe he used God’s word as an excuse to kill whoever he wanted, or simply enjoyed the terrible task he was given.

Today’s passage reminded me of a truth that I’m so glad Paul clarifies for us, as Christ’s people: That unlike Israel’s kings, “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against … the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms,” and we fight those spiritual enemies by standing firm in the righteousness of Christ and preaching the gospel so the lost will find life (Ephesians 6:10-17). Pray that we might see the ugliness and evil of worshiping anything other than the true God, and that we might be zealous for the Lord Jesus and his gospel.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our senior minister.