In talk 3, Paul Gardner explains how the fruit of self-control is vital to our growth in all other areas.

In talk 2 on our weekend away, Paul Gardner explains how the fruit of the Spirit is a vital marker for true Christian faith... and the way we image the God who made us- as we were made to do.

Paul Gardner introduces our them of a weekend looking at some of the fruit of the Spirit with a reminder that the Christian life is one of joy... whatever the circumstances.

Hezekiah was a great king; perhaps even the best Judah ever had - but he was far from perfect. And we are left saddened by his foolishness and longing for a perfect king to come to our aid.

The Assyrians hoards are at the gate and Hezekiah's options are few. Should he fight, surrender, rely on Egypt's promises of aid, or can God be relied upon to save his people? Hezekiah chooses wisely - and leaves us with lessons to learn for the the ordinary struggles of life and the days when we feel outnumbered and outgunned.

Self-reliant pride and arrogance abounds in all of us, but where we relegate God to a bystander in our lives, refusing to acknowledge his rightful Lordship, that pride leads to an eternal fall. BUT... Isaiah 35 gives a vision of the joy and the future for those who are redeemed. So we look closely at that vision and end with an antidote to arrogance that leads to everlasting joy.

It isn't just the pagan nations that have problems with pride - God's people had their own struggles with the pride of religion. "as long as we do our religious duties, nothing else matters."

Money may be funny in a rich man's world but so often the love of money and wealth pulls us from God. Yet the LORD alone can provide us with deep and lasting peace, security, joy, rest and a place to call home. Realising this is a challenge to our pride in our wealth and to how we use our resources.

Egypt was proud of their religious wisdom, proud of their economic wisdom and proud of their 'everyday, how we see the world, what to do in a crisis' wisdom. And Judah looked on and wondered if Egypt could be trusted to protect them from Assyria. But Egypt's wisdom was folly. God would show up the foolishness of the wise and prove to be far wiser and more gracious than anyone could imagine.

The first of a series on the oracles of Isaiah against the nations. This time the focus is on Babylon and the arrogance of power -"We are invincible. God doesn't see. There will be no judgement. We can behave however we like." A common thought for those with great power, but absolutely wrong.