EDEN Church

06/10/2026

A sure foundation.

Isaiah 28:16: God declares, "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic."

“The Bible was written by more than thirty authors over a period of about fifteen hundred years, all the writers tell the same story, giving the same account of the world, the character of its Creator, and the problem of the human heart.

Culminating and pointing to the same way of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God—all the way from Genesis to Revelation!

The Bible transcends time, culture, gender, and intellect. Some books may fit a certain person, a certain era, or a certain place, but there is no other book that perfectly stands up to the challenges of every day and every age and to the questions that confront life itself.” A. Begg

The brightest minds cannot exhaust the riches of God’s word, and yet, at the same time, even young girls and boys can read their Bibles and discover its truth transforming their lives.

The authority, sufficiency, infallibility, and inerrancy of Scripture are the grounds on which we must stand; and we have divine help in order to do so.

We must view the world view through the word of God, not view the word of God through the view of the world.

05/10/2026

The right to be angry.

The story of Jonah is not so much about a big fish, but a big ego.
Jonah was resistant to Gods leading as many of us our today; but what the story reveals is the true character of man in comparison to the character of God.

Jonah 4:1 "Jonah, however, was greatly displeased, and he became angry". v4 4But the LORD replied, “Have you any right to be angry?”

A telling question which sets the stage for the story, AND SO IT SHOULD FOR US. Do we have the right to be angry with our current state?
God allows a vine to grow up and give Jonah shade from the heat of the day, but he also causes a worm to eat it exposing him to the weather where Jonah is so angry he tells God “It is better for me to die than to live.”

9 Then God asked Jonah, “Have you any right to be angry about the plant?”
“I do,” he replied. “I am angry enough to die!”

Look at Gods response:
10 But the LORD said, “You cared about the plant, which you neither tended nor made grow. It sprang up in a night and perished in a night. 11 So should I not care about the great city of Nineveh, which has more than 120,000 people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well?”

120,000 people is a likely reference to children, which places the City at possibly half a million people! Surely contrasting Jonah's troublesome vine and Gods total creation, mankind has priority?

The lesson of priorities is clear:

Jonah vs. God:

• Jonah values personal relief; God values repentant people.
• Jonah’s mercy lasts a day; God’s patience spans generations.
• Jonah grieves a plant; God grieves lost souls.

v4 4But the LORD replied, “Have you any right to be angry?”

04/10/2026

Devoted devotion.

Imagine the scene?
A whole bunch of people were gathered listening to the word of God being taught and hanging on every word.
There was no selfish independence being declared "I don't need anyone to teach me", instead with one accord they were thrilled at the thought of being taught. The book of acts is full of devoted seekers, hungry for more of Gods word, and devoted to the Apostles teaching.

Do we value those who teach the word? Do we hunger for Gods message?
Acts 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

I often wonder how central is teaching Gods word to our gatherings? Does our attention span demand less or more? Are we as devoted as the early church.

C.H. Spurgeon was a man with a burden to preach. So much so that he declared his pulpit to be more influential than the throne of the king of England. His reasoning was he brought a message directly from the throne of God.

All too often when we talk of the early church we reference Acts chapter 2. But chapter 1 holds the key to what (or who) prompted the Acts.

“We will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering.
Acts 6:4–5

02/10/2026

Purpose versus Mission.

Often we are guilty of getting our priorities wrong. In the clamor to “do” we can miss the desired outcome.

Take Jesus ministry for example. Often more is talked about the miracles He performed and yet underestimate His ultimate purpose.
Contrary to popular belief; Jesus ultimate purpose was not to heal the sick or perform miracles (as helpful as they are). His purpose was to speak the truth.

Mark 1:36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”

Purpose answers the "Why" of the issue The timeless, enduring reason for being that can be pursued forever. When we live out our daily life with a clear understanding of our life purpose, It directs all our activities and does not change despite the changes around us.

Mission identifies the "What & How" of things The active, roadmap of what an organization does, who it serves, and how it operates in the present. Missions can evolve, and change to adapt over time, but the core purpose never does.

We put our plans in sand, but our purpose in concrete. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Luke 19:1-10.

02/10/2026

What’s in your heart?

It’s long known that in the fields of physiology, psychiatry, and general well-being; that what is happening in a person’s heart and mind is often reflected in an individual’s demeanour or body.

A comprehensive study of scripture will give an extensive correlation between the two. The bible goes even deeper and identifies the connection between the state of our body and the state of our soul.

God’s word makes it clear that there is a natural outcome to lust, excesses, and a disregard for the commands of God (see Romans 1:24-25).
Whilst traditional sources of support may well treat the symptoms, the bible identifies the cause.

David paints a sorrowful picture of a man in distress:

“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer”. Psalm 32:3–4

“My heart throbs; my strength fails me, and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me. My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague, and my nearest kin stand far off” (Psalm 38:10-11).

David knew his failings as well as knowing the cure.

It wasn’t a detox diet, a week off the booze or an early night; it was a return to his maker with a repentant heart.

“I acknowledged my sin to you … and you forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:5)

It’s actually a blessing when The Holy Spirit continues to prompt us to confess our sin.
The symptoms that David experienced, were not treatable with tablets or potions; for the soul needs its creators grace and mercy extended in forgiveness.

"Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit" Psalm 51:12

29/09/2026

What's the time?

None of us have a monopoly on time, nor when life ends. Whilst the faithful look forward to Christs return; our knowledge if His timing is lacking.

At the point of His return our earthly preparation ceases at the point of our death. So we are encouraged to live in a state of continually preparation.

Matthew 24:44
(44) So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

The prophetic parables of Matthew 24 and 25 instruct us that "the end"—whether of this age or of this life—is entirely beyond our knowledge, so the wise will be setting their hands to the priorities of life while there is time. D. C. Crabb

Matthew 25:13 (13) "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Redeeming the time is essential in our preparation. Some things have value others do not.

27/09/2026

How can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,” when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye. Luke 6:42

Perspective and Distortion affect the image we capture.

• The Positional Rule: Perspective is controlled exclusively by where you stand.

• Proportion and Distortion: Deep focus, exaggerates relative sizes, while stepping back normalizes these ratios.

Simon the Pharisee's focus was micro and distorted. His view was one dimensional; unlike Jesus' vision which was four dimensional.

Luke 7:39 (NLT) “When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!'”

• What Paul describes is NOT a one dimensional view of Gods love.
Ephesians 3:18 “That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];

Simon could not see the eternal view that Jesus saw. Nor do we, until we get the log out of our eye. Only when a regenerated heart views things from a heavenly perspective, can we see the completed work of Christ, in the sinner in our midst.
• “Her sin was public, while Simons pride was private”.

Romans 3:23 (NLT) “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”

26/09/2026

https://youtu.be/v6QI2gi_Wgs?si=kJIYyfZw3jJ_P2Ih

Tony McKeown says hope activates faith. When hope starts, innovatio...

24/09/2026

To the elders among you.

What a loaded statement that is? Most of us are influenced by status and titles. The elderly among us, were taught this as children; and yet this statement from Peter is far more than what at first glance we may think.

"As a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and a partaker of the glory to be revealed, I appeal to the elders among you: 2 -
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but because it is God’s will; not out of greed, but out of eagerness; 3 - not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock". 1 Peter 5:1-3

"As a fellow elder" - whilst the term aligns itself with Church leadership, it is more about maturity than it is position. The church global lacks maturity. The congregations lacks maturity globally.

"I appeal to elders among you" - The NT is not about position, it is about function. Many are hung up by titles needed to function, but that has no biblical premise in this context. There are many mature people in our churches who could function, if they understood they are already equipped.

"Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you" - Comforting, guarding, caring, watching, are all "doing words," they are functions that the body itself is equipped to do. Peter back then understood the dilemma of church life, just as we do today. It lacks function not opportunity, for the opportunities are available to us all, but it requires maturity (not title) to act.

"Being examples to the flock". There it is! Functioning is acts of shepherding without a name tag. We see the need, respond to it in genuine care, love and maturity.

The next time you meet with your fellow believers, you don't need permission to care, keep watch for the opportunity and act.

23/09/2026

Hide and Seek?

For many of us, finding direction in life can be a struggle. It's as Isaiah 59 says "Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like people without eyes. At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead".

In the middle of the brightest part of the day, we stumble to see our way.
And yet finding God is not a game of "come find me if you can"? It is a heartfelt search which is rewarded through His unchanging word. His word is a map to His will.

It's like the person who wanders from church to church, conference to conference, house to house saying they are looking for a word from God, when all the time Gods word is in clear sight but not sought nor seen.

2 Chronicles 15:2 (ESV):"The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you."

Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV):"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

Isaiah 55:6 (KJV):"Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near."

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. 2 -My soul boasts in the LORD; let the oppressed hear and rejoice. 3 -Magnify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together. 4 -I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34

Finding direction from God is not a game of hide and seek. It is a heartfelt desire to seek out his word in plain sight.