Gorse Hill Baptist Church

Remembrance stands as an example and a corrective to a nihilistic, fatalistic, self obsessed, selfish world. It points us beyond ourselves to recognise and to be thankful to those who have given so much to and for us. It also calls us to examine our hearts because it begs the question: what might sacrifice look like for you and i?Psalm 46 is a celebration of security. We know where we stand with God because we know from experience what He is like...

Whether you’re part of a church or involved in running a business, Mission statements are all the rage. A few well chosen words – perhaps with a snappy catchphrase - articulate the values and goals of the organisation. A lot of time can be spent getting the statement just right but the real problem lies when you go beyond the words...

Battles and wars are fought on many fronts. On one level there are the strategic campaigns of big battles, fought over large areas, with army pitted against army, man against man. Then, there are the tactical (day to day) matters: small pieces of the jigsaw that go on to make up the big picture of any military campaign. In any battle, though, not everything that contributes to victory or defeat is immediately visible: some things are certainly not as they first appear...

29-Oct AM; Eph 6 v18-20

The closer you are to danger, the further away you are from harm. What may be true in Tolkein’s fantasy land of Middle Earth is rather different when it comes to real life decisions. It is, as they say, one of those battles where you have to choose very wisely. The martyr syndrome isn’t attractive but the importance of standing our ground on well thought out principles and beliefs won’t necessarily win you many awards...

What happens when you are in trouble? When someone comes to you in need, what do you do? Ignore them, add to their misery or extend the hand of help and support? When you see someone going off the rails physically and spiritually do you leave them to God to get sorted out? Do you shrug your shoulders, thank God that you are not like that, and remind yourself that it’s His job to do it? If there is one thing we can learn from the New Testament, it’s this: our responsibility as believers extends...

It’s the next step in conquest but the battle lines are drawn in an unexpected manner. There’s opposing “sides” as always but this time there’s more to the fight that one army against another.It’s holy ground. It’s God’s fight. Battle hardened strategist Joshua could have ploughed straight into the battle with scarcely a second glance at a man standing in the middle of the road...

There's nothing more inspiring than the power of example. When we see a friend involved in something they feel is important and which clearly lifts them significantly, we'll want to join in if we can. When it's clearly a vital part of their life, there's an added impetus for us to take part.The disciples have been with Jesus as he's taught the crowds, healed the sick and shared food and drink with outcasts...

Meg Atkinson works for SASRA, a Christian Charity focussing on direct mission and support to those in the Armed Forces. Over 40 years of experience means Meg has a few stories to tell as well as a message to share.