Cairns Road Weekly Podcast

 The book of Judges is hard to read. God’s people obeyed Him until Joshua died. They were supposed to drive out the Canaanites from the land, not to assimilate with them or with their gods or lifestyle, but rather to be a holy witness to the world about God. They failed and failed: time and time again God rebuked them, judged them, then rescued them when they cried out to Him. It wasn’t so much th...

 Fasting as a spiritual discipline can be found throughout the Scriptures, ‘though more in the Old Testament. In this passage it is linked with prayer and almsgiving quite naturally. Jesus says “when” rather than “if”, and contrasts the Pharisees, who did everything for human approval (and consequently only received human respect) from what we should do. God sees in secret: including the secrets o...

 God is, and He is not silent. Out of love for Him, we must listen to what He has to say to us. God made us with bodies, hearts, minds, and spirits: and longs to communicate and have fellowship with His creatures, who bear His image. He made us, knows us, loves us, and is full of grace and compassion. He asks that we love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and spirits. (Matt 10 v 27). And the...

 Prayer filled Jesus’s life. The disciples noticed, and asked Jesus to teach them all how to pray. Jesus didn’t hesitate, telling them how to approach God as “Abba in the heavens” – their vital relationship. He gives them a model, a template for their prayers: and tells a parable to encourage them. All of us need to be taught to pray, and to give our relationship with our Father in the Heavens a c...

Because of who Jesus is and what He brings, He offers a clear path through the complicated rules people follow. Jesus invites everyone to come to him, have a relationship with Him, and make Him central. He calls people to take on His yoke, which gives rest: this is counter-intuitive: how can a yoke bring rest ? Jesus looks into the peoples’ tired eyes and sees into their souls. 

Jesus calls us to wholehearted devotion—living in relationship with the Father rather than seeking approval from people or material gain. Our righteousness should reflect true transformation, not religious performance. The Father sees, knows, and rewards those who seek Him in secret.

Jesus challenges the scribes and the Pharisees and exposes their hypocrisy as their attitudes and actions were not adding up with their God given authority!

The kindness of God is central to the story of salvation. In Titus 3:3-8, Paul reminds us of the transformation that takes place through God’s mercy and love. This passage invites us to examine our response to His kindness which is bespoke and powerful—whether in unbelief, or misunderstanding.

Isaiah 6:1-8 calls us to stand in awe of God’s holiness, confront our own sin, and respond in faith to His call. It reminds us that God works through ordinary people like us, cleansing, equipping, and sending us into the world with a mission to bring His light into dark places. Our lives should reflect His holiness and grace, inspiring others to see Him through us.  4 main ideas: 1. Wholehearted d...

We’re setting out on a year of wholehearted discipleship.  Being a wholehearted disciple is not just about gritting our teeth and following the example of Jesus.  Life as a disciple of Jesus is empowered by being united to Christ who died and is now risen.  

We’re setting out on a year of wholehearted discipleship.  Being a wholehearted  disciple is not just about gritting our teeth and following the example of Jesus.  Life as a disciple of Jesus is marked by offering ourselves to God, by seeing how sin is our old boss and how God is our new boos and He is a very very good one.