Sermons @ Salford Elim Church

It's easy to become discouraged when we don't see the results of our prayers but, as the story of Abraham reminds us, we must take our place as priests who will intercede on behalf of the world.

Psalm 23 is much more than a scripture to read at funerals. It's a radical reminder that we pray to a God who is the shepherd of our lives.

Paul's prayer for the Ephesians reminds us of the core business of prayer - that we may know God better.

Luke's telling of the birth of Jesus reminds us that God acted at a real time in history, in a real place, with real people. If we pause from our busyness, we might just be amazed again at the one who comes close to us.

The genealogies at the end of Ruth & at the start of Matthew's gospel are full of remarkable people. What has God called you to continue to be committed to?

The end of the book of Ruth is much better than a simple love story; the actions of Ruth, Naomi and Boaz have much bigger consequences.

Both Ruth and Boaz took risks in order to create new possibilities for others. What might God be asking of us which could prove redemptive for others in our families and work places?

How do we make sense of the good things that happen in life which are beyond our control? Do we put them down to luck or is God involved somehow? “When I pray, coincidences happen; when I don’t, they don’t.” William Temple pic.twitter.com/0XmpodIG3c — Salford Elim Church (@SalfordElim) 17 November 2019

The book of Ruth is a story of God's hand in the midst of an ordinary family. When tragedy strikes, we, like Naomi, may well ask: 'where are you God?'

The story of the blind beggar reminds us that we are all spiritually blind until we see Jesus for who he really is. The question is, how much do you want to see him?

Paul ends his letter to the Galatian church with an encouragement to do good; particularly to carry one another's burdens. We still need to hear that encouragement today.

We can believe the lie that everything depends on us. Sometimes we need reminding to simply trust in the Father who holds all things in His hands.

The temptation to compare yourself with someone else has always been part of a diverse church community. Thankfully Paul reminds us that God sees us all in the same way; simply as his children and that means we are free to be ourselves.

The past can be hard to shake off but God calls us to a bigger future in which our identity is in Christ alone.

We may be tempted to try hard to earn the approval of those we respect, including God. Paul reminds us of the true gospel which tells us we don't need to.

The early church asked itself a question that still echoes through the centuries: 'Am I good enough?' Paul's letter to the Galatian church responds definitively to that question.