South Featherstone Gospel Hall

Sadly, we have all been wronged at some time in our lives by someone else, but more critically I’m sure we have all wronged someone else during our lives. Why can I say this? Well, the basis for this is the fact that we are all born into this world as sinners, it is natural and human for us to sin, and that can result in personal offence. Hopefully, in that situation, having realised the seriousness of the mistake, we may approach the other person with a sincere apology and seek to bridge the gap created by whatever means at our disposal to restore a valued relationship. If the other person accepts that state of repentance, as it were, then there will be reconciliation. Another phrase for that offended person’s action could be to be showing mercy. However, the scars in our minds may be there for life. Though forgiveness has been demonstrated, it is difficult to actually forget, because we are human. That demonstrates the difference between us as human beings and the God we love and ser...

Have you ever benefitted from someone else’s Will? I must be very friendless because I can say I have never been a beneficiary from a Will! My Mum’s house passed down to me when she died but that was because I was her nearest living relative and it had to go through probate to secure possession. But that is the only time I have benefitted financially from someone’s death and to be honest, I would rather have had my mother alive than receive the house. In all respects it is essential that each of us makes a Will, otherwise the legal complications that can arise make life difficult for those who are left. If we were left something, we would probably wish to express thanks to anyone who was involved, obviously not the deceased person, but any relative that was involved because we have obtained benefit from a person’s death. In Colossians 1 12 we have exactly the situation that I have described above, but in totally spiritual terms, “Giving thanks unto the Father, who has made us meet to b...

The Greek word most often translated as power in the New Testament is dunamis. It’s a rich, layered word that carries far more weight than the English equivalent. When early Christians heard dunamis, they didn’t think of authority or dominance; they thought of divine energy — something alive, creative, and unstoppable. Dunamis speaks of inherent power — the kind of strength that comes from within rather than something borrowed or imposed. It’s the root of our English words dynamic, dynamo, and even dynamite, yet it’s far deeper than raw force or explosion. It’s the God-breathed capacity to bring about real change — spiritual, moral, and physical. When the New Testament writers used dunamis, they were describing the very activity of God at work in the world: the power that creates, heals, restores, and transforms. It’s not simply strength to resist; it’s strength to renew. It’s the life-giving essence of the Holy Spirit moving through ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Dunamis ...

The Chinese are supposed to have invented gunpowder. Its very name suggests hostile use and since then man has gone on to develop even stronger and flexible sources of explosives, mainly for use in warfare. Apart from gunpowder which probably everyone has heard of, another well-known explosive is dynamite, which comes prepared in stick form which lends itself to many applications. Explosives do have industrial and commercial uses. In the recent past, the cooling towers at Ferrybridge and Eggborough were demolished by controlled explosions and quarrying for stone would be hard pressed to turn out quantities required if it were not for explosives. We use the word ‘dynamite’ in speech to describe words and actions which have a dramatic effect, creating emotional and mental shockwaves on those affected. In the verse we looked at yesterday, Paul goes on to describe the effect of the Gospel as ‘dynamite’, because the verse continues, “….. for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone...

Led by Shaun  Fereday, Prison Chaplain (Sessional) &  Leader  @SFGH Church  When Love Leaves Room for Choice (Transcribed from Tuesday's Bible Study Group) Sometimes, a Bible study begins with something light and ordinary, but before long, you find yourself staring into one of the most sobering truths of Scripture. That’s what happened this week at SFGH Church. The discussion opened with a few heartfelt words about those struggling most—the ones on the fringes of faith—and soon deepened into the kind of spiritual conversation that makes you pause long after the final prayer. Life on the Fringes We started by acknowledging that everyone faces difficulties, but as Shaun observed, it often seems that those on the fringes of faith —the ones feeling isolated, wounded, or worn down—come under especially fierce attack from the enemy. Brian nodded in agreement and mentioned *****, who’s endured two recent family deaths and now faces his brother’s s***** diagnosis. T...

The Apostle Paul, before he was converted, belonged to the strict religious Jewish sect of the Pharisees. He was a strong supporter of the Mosaic Law and the strict implementation of that Law. He was so fanatical about his religion that he was fully involved in the persecution of the early followers of Jesus. But on the road to Damascus to arrest converts to Christianity, the Lord Jesus spoke very forcibly to him, and he became an even more fervent disciple of Jesus and, as they say, the rest is history, particularly found in his letters in the Bible. The book of Romans someone has described as the fifth Gospel, the gospel according to Paul. And it was following the reading of Romans that Martin Luther began the Reformation. Very early in the book, Paul writes these words, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ”. Whilst in the letter to the Philippians, he describes his life as a Pharisee and all his achievements BEFORE he was saved, as ‘worthless’. He doesn’t actually use the w...

When the words of today’s thought were written, the writer had no idea of the vastness of the universe. He could look up from the earth on which he was standing, to the skies and, whilst he knew, that the skies were unreachable and went on above the highest mountain, he could no t have conceived what we know now, that the universe has distance to the farthest stars discovered of 12 or 13 thousand light-years, an utterly inconceivable distance, and yet the statement the psalmist made is still true. So what is this totally true statement? “Your mercy is great above the heavens”. I realise that we are not literally comparing physical distance to a state of ‘grace’, but God’s mercy extends to the very worst of mankind because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and that is beyond human comprehension. Firstly, that God could permit, and even approve of the death of His Son under the weight of the sin of the world and secondly, that God who is completely perfect and holy in every way, cou...

The Apostle John was probably the closest disciple to Jesus and the content of his 4 books in the Bible which bear his name, reveals the intimacy of his time with Jesus. He frequently refers to what he personally has seen and heard and even touched, and in his Gospel, when he refers to himself, he describes himself as the ‘disciple whom Jesus loved’. Much of his teaching in his Gospel and Letters is concerned with love. So when we come around the Lord’s Table this morning we will gather in love for our Lord, just as John could love the Lord, but we also gather with love for each other and any absences from our Remembrance Service are noted and we wonder and even ask why they were missing from our fellowship. So we have fellowship with each other but what is our fellowship based on? Well, 1 John 1 v 3, says this, “And truly our fellowship is with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.” If we fail to recognise that the whole basis of our fellowship is our God and Father, and we have gather...

When God created the universe and in particular our own Solar System of which our Earth is part, His first command, having created the heavens and the earth, was ‘Let there be light’, and light now is something we take for granted. Someone way back in history, decided that a day should consist of 24 hours and broadly speaking, it splits into a period of darkness and a period of light, the difference being that as the earth rotates in space, the sun, which is our prime source of light, and which is pretty much fixed in space relative to the earth, cannot shine on the whole globe of earth as in rotates. We would think it catastrophic if when we woke up and looked at the clock and it was still dark when it should be light, although, because the Earth’s axis is tilted as it rotates, those areas nearest the poles do experience 24 hours of darkness in winter. Light is then associated with goodness in a metaphysical sense, so much so that Jesus said when He was on Earth, “I am the light of th...

On the day of our late Queen’s Coronation, our church organised an outing to Chatsworth House. The weather wasn’t brilliant, it did rain several times, but we all had a good day, as far as I can remember. There are few memories that stick with me seeing I was only 8 at the time, but the most significant was when they switched on a magnificent fountain which shot water quite high into the air. It was probably the first time I had seen such a display, and it brightened up my day. A water fountain is in one way a joyous and extravagant display. It emphasises the power and flexibility of water and in a way it seems actually alive. When Jesus was on earth, He said, “I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly”. In Psalm 36, the psalmist brings together these two ideas, “With You is the fountain of life”. And truly we get both characteristics of water as the source of life and the extravagant fullness of a fountain spring upwards in a visible display of power. And that is ...

There cannot be any of us who do not face some sort of problem during every day. It may be a chronic condition that reduces our ability to function properly, it may be something that just arises out of nowhere, but we all are afflicted by probably several during any day. Hardest to solve are what I would call ‘people problems’, where someone lets us down or does something that is contrary to what we would expect. A broken television can be fixed, but a broken relationship is much, much harder to repair and even if repaired can leave scars which perhaps prevent it being fully restored. Yesterday we considered the lovingkindness of God which comes fresh to us every morning and verse 2 in Psalm 92 says, “We experience the faithfulness of God every evening”. That faithfulness is 100% fail-proof because it is part of God’s unchangeable character. We may let Him down or our friends and families during a day, but He will never let us down. He sticks to His promises and apart from the blessing...

Yesterday we considered one ‘good thing’ as far as God is concerned, to give thanks to Him for all he has done for us in every way. That initial verses in Psalm 92 go on to list 3 other ‘good things’ that we can do that God is pleased with. There are many programs on television, other than reality television, that show events of special heroism or dedication to a cause. Emergency Services who have gone that extra mile to deliver much-needed support or save life. Armed forces personnel in conflict situations who succeeded in achieving a victory where defeat seemed inevitable. Even sportsmen and women who have gone beyond what seems to be human endurance. Unlike much of television, these emphasise the best of character and we feel we would want to add our praise for their achievements. Psalm 92 goes on from yesterday where we were reminded ‘it is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord’ to say “… and to sing praises to Your name O Most High!”. Here we are reminded that whether we persona...

I would certainly say that there are no two people exactly alike, even so-called identical twins. Physically they may be indistinguishable but in terns of mental and emotional characteristics, there the exactness will disappear. In many respects, every human being is so different and unique, it is amazing that we ever get on with each other at all. Even the best of human relationships is human at best and there is little as unpredictable as human behaviour. However, psychology was never my field so I will leave that where it is. In emotional and just pure value appreciation, again every individual will have a scale of values that differs but in spiritual terms there are more absolute and unchangeable values, because these are based on an unchangeable God whose characteristics are fixed and of absolute intrinsic worth. How can we rate the love of God when our love is sometimes so feeble and erratic? But the Bible rates God’s love in clear terms, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, b...

As we get older, our memory functions less effectively. Scientists say that it is not the actual memories that disappear but that the pathways to those memories in our brains become fractured, a little bit like a path that has suffered a minor earth tremor and is slightly distorted. But the tremors continue and sometimes the path corrects itself and we actually reconnect with the memory, mostly when we don’t expect it to. On Sunday mornings, around the Lord’s Table we are blessed by the fact that we don’t have to rely on our human memory but that the Holy Spirit leads our thoughts, and worship flows to our Lord not just from our brain and memory but from the very heart of our being. We remember our Lord Jesus, and who He is and what He has done. This is why we have to prepare ourselves before we come, to empty our minds of our normal day-to-day concerns and ask God to lead us totally for the brief hour we are together. We need to be like the Apostle John in Revelation 1 v 10, “I was in...

Over the last days, we have been looking at the characteristics of Jesus and the blessings He brings to those who know Him and the potential blessings to those who as yet have not put their faith in Him, through a consideration of the statements made by Jesus beginning with ‘I am’. If we put them all together, we would see that they encompass virtually all of our needs as Christians, both now and for the future. We should value them as prized characteristics and seek to reproduce them in our relationships with others to bring saving trust to those who are lost and rich fellowship to our fellow believers, who we realise are part of the whole church and spiritual body of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we have eternal life and are fed by our Saviour, so we should seek to build up our fellow believers in our most holy faith and point others to that ‘bread of life’. Whilst we cannot provided the security and shepherding that Jesus brings, we as under-shepherds should seek to guard and guide our ...

  Many Christians quietly avoid the Book of Revelation. It’s often seen as too mysterious, too confusing, or even frightening. Dragons, beasts, plagues, seals, and trumpets—it can all sound like something from a nightmare rather than a message of hope. But here’s the truth: Revelation wasn’t written to confuse believers; it was written to comfort them. The very word Revelation—or Apocalypse in the Greek—doesn’t mean destruction. It means to reveal. This final book of the Bible pulls back the curtain on God’s plan and shows us what’s really happening behind the chaos of history. It reveals Jesus Christ in His glory, His justice, and His ultimate victory. Far from being a puzzle to avoid, it is an invitation to look deeper, to see that the darkness of this world is temporary, and that Christ’s triumph is certain. Revelation is also the only book in the Bible that carries a specific promise of blessing: “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are th...

The last “I am” we will be considering is also found in Revelation. By no means is it the complete study of all the ‘I AM's that Jesus spoke but this one, like yesterdays, was spoken by the resurrected Saviour in the vision that John saw at the start of Revelation. Here Jesus appears as the glorified and victorious one, His battle to secure our salvation behind Him and His plans for the future revealed as Revelation unfolds, leading to the ultimate defeat of evil. In the King James Version (KJV) the verse in Revelation 1.18 says, “I am He that liveth, and was dead but behold I am alive forevermore”. In some respects, other translations connect this verse with the previous verse and miss out the first ‘I am’ and replaces it with “the Living One”. This does not take away but rather adds to the importance of the verse because it emphasises the mystery about how the ever ’ Living One’ could actually die and it also shows the uniqueness of the God/man which Jesus is! It takes us back t...

I want to challenge you all today. It’s a simple challenge, but a worthwhile one — and one that can be applied to both life and Scripture . The challenge is this: 👉 Don’t take anything on face value — check it out for yourself! Why do I say that from a biblical point of view? Because Scripture itself tells us to. Paul writes in Philippians 2:12 , “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” That’s a powerful statement. Paul isn’t saying, “Take my word for it.” He’s saying, “Make sure you know what you believe and why you believe it.” Faith isn’t meant to be second-hand — it’s meant to be personal, tested, and rooted in truth. When we simply accept what others tell us, even well-meaning teachers or long-standing traditions, we risk building our beliefs on interpretations rather than on the Word itself . Church history is full of examples where tr...

All the I AM's we have considered thus far are all found in John’s Gospel. John wrote his Gospel, it is believed, many years after the other Gospels were written, and his Gospel is much different in structure and content but still supports the other accounts by Matthew, Mark and Luke. And please remember that John had not seen any of these other Gospels when he was writing his Gospel , probably as an old man looking back over the new church that he and the other Apostles had brought into being but was based totally on Jesus Himself. The emphasis John puts into his Gospel is spiritual teaching, not a diary of the events of Jesus life and well over 50% has been remembered from the Upper Room meeting just before Jesus’ crucifixion, which is why we have so many key sayings of Jesus. But John also wrote 3 letters to churches he had been associated with and the book of Revelation. And it from that book that we will be taking our last 2 “I AM’ statements. But these are so different as th...

When I was a youngster, many years ago it seems, we used to sing a chorus, “One door, and only one, and yet its sides are two. I’m on the inside, on which side are you?” Doors have many uses or purposes and my Dad used them quite unashamedly when going round Stately Homes to get access to another side of the Home, mostly which he wasn’t supposed to see! But that illustrates just one of the purposes of a door, to open up. new world, new sights and new opportunities, either if figurative or physical. Jesus said “I am the door, by me if anyone enters in, he will be saved. It links to the chorus I mentioned above and reminds us that belief in Jesus is the only way to eternal safety and abundant life. When we step through His door, we step out of sin’s confinement and into a life of freedom and fellowship with God. On the inside of Jesus’ door is eternal security, safe from the punishment of sin, which He bore on the cross. On the outside of His door, we are exposed to the full weight of Go...

The Greek word τέρας (teras), meaning a wonder or a marvel, carries the sense of something that leaves people astonished — an act or event that seems to transcend the natural order. In Scripture, this term is often paired with σημεῖον (sēmeion, “sign”) to describe divine acts that reveal God’s power and glory. However, in passages like 2 Thessalonians 2:9, the same word is used to describe the false wonders performed by the Antichrist — miracles that imitate the divine but are rooted in deception. This distinction is vital: a wonder in itself simply evokes awe, but it is the source behind it — God or Satan — that determines whether that wonder leads people toward truth or away from it. In our study, we reflected on how Paul warned believers that “the coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders.” The frightening truth is that these “wonders” will not be illusions or stage tricks, but genuine supernatural acts permitted by God’s sovere...

This article is for those who like to pick over the detail. A summary article - in magazine format - can be found on an alternate post -  click the icon to read 📚 Shaun SFGH Church Leader Recorded on the Day Outline - 00:00:00 — Welcome and Introduction to Passage - 00:00:32 — Bible Reading: 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12 - 00:01:20 — Initial Reflection: Tone and Hope within a Dark Passage - 00:02:05 — Teaching: Structure and Focus of the Passage - 00:03:00 — Exposition: The Lawless One and Satan’s Activity - 00:05:10 — Teaching: Nature of the Antichrist’s Power - 00:07:05 — Teaching: Temptation of Christ as Context for Satan’s Authority - 00:09:20 — Q&A: “Why” Questions—Suffering, Deception, and Purpose - 00:11:00 — Teaching: Trusting God and Spiritual Warfare (Ephesians 6) - 00:12:30 — Discussion: The Seriousness of Satan’s Power and False Miracles - 00:14:10 — Teaching: Clarifying “False Signs and Wonders” - 00:16:15 — Cross-References: Revelation—Signs, Fire from Heaven, and the I...