Christmas Devotion 2025

‘Light that gives Life!’
John 8:12

Auckland Council and partners announce a jaw-dropping festive season set to electrify city centre streets. A magical and enchanting time of the year, a magical pathway of festive lights of family fun and dazzling performances. A time of magical moments so bring the kids and make lifelong memories.

Christmas lighting in our world today is seen as a magical tradition that brings many people joy, warmth, and holiday cheer. There are countless reasons why people are so passionate about Christmas lighting. Christmas lights are beautiful and they do create a festive ambience that many people find appealing. They can evoke joy and wonder and do affect our mood and emotions.

However those of us who celebrate Christmas as a special holiday, see the lights as a precious symbol of the hope and joy that God gave us when our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was born. We are reminded of His love, of how He came to deliver us from sin and give us eternal life in Him.

“I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.” John 8:12

God’s Word also reminds us that we are to be a light to others. That is what the Lord requires of us to not only walk in the light but to be the light for others and show them the way to Christ.

Just as Jesus ministered personally to the people, lifting the oppressed, giving hope to the discouraged, and seeking those who were in the darkness, we must ask the question of how we can be a light to the world, not just this Christmas season, but always.

“But you are God’s chosen and special people.
You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation.
God has brought you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
Now you must tell all the wonderful things he has done”. 1 Peter 2:9

Women’s Spring Retreat Rotorua – Oct 2025

Abide and Flourish.

Join us in Oct for a Women’s Retreat in Rotorua.

Lovely women, beautiful food, pretty retreat and plenty of God’s Word with Chris Bovill.

We will enjoy the warmth and beauty of Spring together, as we glean from Scripture–how to abide and flourish. 

 

Easter Devotion 2025

Coming in from the fields!
Living in the city can be quite noisy at times. Nowadays, the use of microphones and loudspeakers add volume to the voices of people who gather in the city to demonstrate and declare issues close to their hearts. Marching through the city with banners and flags, they call out their concerns. Can you imagine walking home from work and suddenly being forced to join in a demonstration like this and carry a banner or a flag not knowing what it represents?

We read in God’s Word, Mark 15:21, about a man, called Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the fields to his home in Jerusalem. Suddenly, he was grabbed and forced into a situation out of his control. The scene before him was confusing. There were crowds demonstrating and taunting a badly beaten man carrying a heavy cross. They were jostling each other to see the one known as Jesus of Nazareth, the one to whom they so recently cried “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” Simon recalled witnessing that a few days ago.

Now he was carrying the cross of this man. It was laid upon him. Luke says, “he carried the cross behind Jesus.” What a confusing situation before him. Try to imagine what Simon of Cyrene saw, heard, and thought as He carried the cross.

Perhaps he recalled the Scripture he had been taught, Isaiah 53:3, “He was hated and rejected; His life was filled with sorrow and terrible suffering. No one wanted to look at Him. We despised Him and said, “He is a nobody!” As Simon surveyed the scene, he saw the scoffers and soldiers, but he also recognised the men he knew were followers of this teacher who had been talked about so much.

We can only imagine the great impact that carrying Jesus’ cross had on Simon of Cyrene. Simon’s plans for the day were turned upside down and he was forced to head in another direction. Little did he realise that this was to be a turning point in his life and that of his family. As part of His divine plan, God chose Simon to encounter Jesus only hours before He died, in order to bring salvation to Simon’s household.

Mark 15:21 also tells us, Simon was the father of Rufus and Alexander. We further read of Rufus and his mother, believed to be this same Rufus, in Romans 16:13, “Greet Rufus, that special servant of the Lord, and greet his mother, who has been like a mother to me.”

Simon carried the cross for Jesus! Carrying the cross behind Jesus is a beautiful and painful picture of our calling as followers of Jesus. This Easter take time to reflect on His call to you. What will be your response? How will it affect your family, friends and neighbours?

“Then Jesus said, to all the people, “If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross each day and follow me.” Luke 9:23

Take up thy cross and follow Me
I heard my Master say
I gave My life to ransom thee
Surrender your all today
My heart my life my all I bring