Grace Communion Lewes

07/09/2026

It is well

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him…

Matthew 14:31 (ESV)

In Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus walks on the water to reach his disciples in their time of need. It has been a trial of one thing or another for me lately, but now we have a wildfire nearby that is warning us to prepare to possibly leave. The smoke is reaching hazardous levels, something I have not experienced before here. My Asthma is kicking in, and it is harder to breathe. Still, I feel all is well with my soul as the song reminds us.

Over and over again God has reminded me that he enters into the storm, enters into the room with me. He does not save from a distance; he does not remain on shore. He does not even ask us to come half of the way on our own. God comes to us in our times of need. God reaches out and takes us by the hand and pulls us up out of the water and helps us to walk to the safety of the boat.

This will not be my usual study. I am finding it difficult to think right now, but I wanted to stay in touch with you to remind you who your Saviour is and how much he loves you. He is right there in the room with you, wherever you are, and whatever the circumstance. I have had a taste of heaven in the past, and it is a beautiful, peaceful place, but God is not far away, he is right here with you now and always.

So, it is well with my soul. I have peace with God my Saviour near. I am ready to walk out on the water with him. He will take us all by the hand in our times of need. What a wonderful God we have. I know my Saviour lives and we have a wonderful future with him. Amen, Amen, Amen.

Study by: Anne Gillam

About the author:
Anne Gillam is a retired Pastor in Grace Communion International, Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA.

03/09/2026

Ordinary Time

And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Mark 1:16-18 (ESV)

Throughout our lives, there are seasons that unfold with unexpected grace, where the Father, Son, and Spirit gently surprise us amid the ordinary rhythms of life. We are currently in the season of Ordinary Time, where in our everyday lives, we become more aware of how the Spirit is moving and building the church.

Ordinary Time is not merely a period marked by routine, but a time to be attentive to the call of discipleship and disciple-making. We are joining Jesus in building the church, participating in the ongoing work of redemption and restoration. As we journey through Ordinary Time, we are invited to embrace the wonder of being surprised by the grace extended to us each day as we join Jesus in ministry. It is a time of heightened awareness, where the mundane becomes infused with divine purpose and meaning.

In the simplicity of our routines, we discover opportunities for discipleship and growth. Whether it’s worshiping together, serving our neighbours, or being present in our church communities, each moment becomes an invitation to participate in the ongoing work of the triune God. Ordinary Time is not a period of stagnation but a season of dynamic movement, as the Spirit empowers us to join in the mission of building God’s kingdom here on earth. It is a time to listen attentively to the whispers of the Spirit, guiding us in our journey of faith and discipleship.

Like seeds planted in fertile soil, we are called to cultivate the fruits of the Spirit in our lives – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. As we nurture these virtues, we participate in the ongoing renewal and transformation of the world around us.

And so, as we embrace the sacredness of Ordinary Time, let us remain open to the surprises of the Divine. For in the midst of the everyday, the Father, Son, and Spirit beckon us to join in the eternal dance of love and redemption. In the stillness of this moment, we wait. And as we wait, we hold fast to the promise of new beginnings, ready to unfold in the fullness of time.

So, let us take heart, dear friends, for in the sacredness of Ordinary Time, we find moments of divine encounter. May our hearts be open to the surprising movements of the Spirit as we journey onward, for it is in the midst of the everyday that we are called to discipleship.

This study is a slightly amended transcript of an equipping video to empower and inspire Grace Communion International congregations around the world to live and share the gospel. It has been produced by the Home Office Team in Charlotte, NC, USA, and was first published in the 1 May 2024 edition of the Equipper publication.

01/09/2026

Joanna: faithful in the shadows
Part of a series – Extraordinary women in the Bible

Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

Luke 8:3 (NIVUK)

Joanna is one of those remarkable women in Scripture whose story can easily be overlooked. We know very little about her, yet what Luke tells us is extraordinary. Joanna was the wife of Chuza, a manager in the household of Herod Antipas. She lived close to the centre of political power, yet she became a devoted follower of Jesus. Luke tells us that Joanna had experienced Jesus’s healing (Luke 8:2) and, together with other women, became one of those who travelled with Jesus and the disciples, supporting Jesus’s ministry from her own resources (v. 3). Later, Joanna was among the women who went to Jesus’s tomb and discovered that it was empty (Luke 24:1–10).

The inclusion of Joanna in Scripture shows us that following Jesus is not restricted to those who stand at the front; her ministry was largely unseen; she did not preach a recorded sermon, lead a congregation, or become one of the Twelve. Yet she participated faithfully in what Jesus was doing by offering what she had. This is an important perspective for Christian ministry. We sometimes measure significance by visibility – who preaches, who leads, or who has a title. Joanna points us toward a different measure: faithful participation in the life and ministry of Jesus.

Her story also reminds us that women were not merely spectators in the ministry of Jesus: they travelled with him, supported his ministry, witnessed his death and resurrection, and became proclaimers of the resurrection. Joanna was among those entrusted with the astonishing news: ‘He is not here; he has risen!’ (Luke 24:6). Perhaps the most beautiful feature of Joanna’s story is that she appears in both the beginning and the climax of Jesus’s earthly ministry. She served him during his ministry and then became a witness to his resurrection. Her faithfulness connected ordinary acts of generosity with the extraordinary good news of the gospel.

Joanna’s story encourages us to ask, ‘What has God entrusted to me that I can place at Jesus’s disposal?’ It may be our resources, our time, our home, our skills, our encouragement, or simply our faithful presence; none of these things are necessarily extraordinary. In Christ, even quiet acts of faithfulness can participate in God’s extraordinary work. Joanna may have lived in the shadows of the Gospel story, but she was never insignificant in the purposes of God. Her story reminds us that extraordinary discipleship often looks remarkably ordinary.

Prayer
Loving Father, thank you for calling us to participate in the life and ministry of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Thank you for the example of Joanna, whose faithful generosity and witness remind us that no act of love offered to Christ is insignificant. May we, like Joanna, faithfully follow Jesus and bear witness to his resurrection wherever you have placed us. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Study by: Barry Robinson

About the author:
Barry Robinson is a minister in Grace Communion International and Deputy National Ministry Leader for the UK and Ireland

30/08/2026

Encountering the God who comes near

God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: “I am has sent me to you.” ’

Exodus 3:14 (NIVUK)

The account of the burning bush in Exodus 3:1–15 is one of the most profound revelations of God’s character in Scripture. Moses, now a shepherd in the wilderness after fleeing Egypt, was going about an ordinary day when God interrupted his routine with an extraordinary encounter. A bush burned with fire, yet it was not consumed. Drawn by curiosity, Moses approached only to hear God call his name. Before revealing his mission, God invited Moses into relationship. He said to Moses, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground’ (Exodus 3:5). The ground is holy because God is present. Holiness begins with God’s presence. The God who called Moses from the bush is the God who, in the fullness of time, came to us in the person of Jesus. In Jesus, God does not remain distant or hidden. He comes near, entering our humanity to rescue and reconcile us to himself.

At the burning bush, God introduces himself as ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob’ (v.6), reminding Moses that he is the faithful covenant God who does not forget his promises. He has seen the suffering of his people, heard their cries, and has come down to deliver them (vv.7-8). This reveals the compassionate heart of God. He is not indifferent to human pain. Throughout Scripture, we see that God’s saving action always begins with his love and faithfulness.

God’s rescue of the Israelites from Egypt is the great act of deliverance in the Old Testament, prefiguring God’s greatest act of deliverance accomplished through Jesus Christ. Just as God delivered Israel from bo***ge in Egypt, Jesus delivers humanity from the deeper slavery of sin and death. The Exodus points forward to the greater redemption accomplished through Christ’s incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. God’s plan has always been to bring his children into the freedom of life with him.

When Moses objects because he thinks he is inadequate for such a task (v.11), God does not reassure him by pointing to Moses’ abilities. Instead, he gives the only assurance that truly matters: ‘I will be with you’ (v.12). God’s presence is the source of our confidence. The Holy Spirit continues this promise today, dwelling within believers and enabling us to participate in Christ’s mission. We do not serve God through our own strength, but through the life of Christ shared with us by the Spirit.

Finally, God reveals his covenant name: ‘I am who I am’ (v.14). This name speaks of God’s eternal, self-existent, faithful nature. Jesus echoes this divine identity in the Gospel of John through his many ‘I AM’ statements, revealing that he is the living presence of the God who spoke to Moses. In Jesus, we know the ‘I AM’ personally. He is Immanuel, which means ‘God with us’ (Matthew 1:23).

Like Moses, we often encounter God in unexpected places and ordinary moments. The question is whether we will, like Moses, turn aside to see what God is doing. Every day offers opportunities to recognise Christ’s presence, listen to his voice, and join in the work he is already accomplishing through the Holy Spirit. May we respond with willing hearts, trusting in God’s faithful presence.

Prayer
Loving Father, thank you for making yourself known perfectly in Jesus Christ. Thank you that you see our needs, hear our prayers, and come near to us through the Holy Spirit. Give us attentive hearts to recognise your presence in our daily lives, and willing spirits to join you in your mission of love and reconciliation. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Study by: Barry Robinson

About the author:
Barry Robinson is a minister in Grace Communion International and Deputy National Ministry Leader for the UK and Ireland

28/08/2026

God, are you there?

I must admit that there have been times when I felt God had abandoned me. You’ve probably felt the same. Sometimes, in the severity of our trials, we may think that God has forgotten about us. I’ve cried out, ‘God, are you there?’

The psalmist expresses a similar sentiment but comes to a comforting realisation.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7-12 NIV).

Even in our darkest moments, God is there. Even when we fall into problems, dilemmas, or circumstances where it seems impossibly dark … he sees us.

No matter how dark or difficult life may seem, God is always there. We are never lost to him. In our moments of doubt or despair, let’s remember that God’s light shines brightly, even in our darkest hours. His presence is constant, and his love for us never wavers.

Prayer
Father, thank you for never abandoning me, even when I feel lost or alone. Help me to trust that you are with me, even in the darkest times. Remind me that I am precious to you and that your presence is a light that never fades. Give me strength and comfort, knowing that you see me, care for me, and are always near. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

This study was first published in the 8 October 2025 edition of the GCI Update

Study by: Bermie Dizon

27/08/2026

From small beginnings to eternal treasure

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”

Matthew 13:44 (NIV)

In chapter 13 of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus clearly states that these parables are about what the kingdom of God is like. We see that it is the reign of God in the lives of ordinary men and women: all those who have responded, or will respond, to the call of the gospel. It is not a physical kingdom but a spiritual one. The kingdom, therefore, has no physical geographical territory, and so possesses no physical boundary. Its beginnings are humble, yet it steadily increases, growing with kingly power, until it extends its rule to every corner of the earth. If we have understood these parables, then we understand these basic facts concerning the nature, establishment, and growth of the kingdom of heaven.

However, Jesus used different types of parables, and not all are presented in the same story form. In addition to the familiar narratives of the sower and the seed, and the wheat and the tares, where many seeds are sown in both stories, and many crop stems appear as a result; Jesus also tells the parables of the mustard seed (Matthew 13:31-32) and the yeast (v.33).

The mustard seed was the smallest of seeds commonly sown in the Judea of Jesus’ day. So insignificantly small, in fact, that a bird might scarcely choose to peck such a minor morsel. But, once planted, this seed can grow to such glorious heights that myriads of birds will flock to nest in the rich canopy of its branches. God’s work in the world, Jesus says, is just like that. It may appear small and insignificant in its beginnings but will grow so great that a new heaven and a new earth will be needed to hold the final, complete fullness of its glory (Revelation 21:1).

Similarly, a modicum of yeast which may be blended into a whole basin of flour, will so pervade and pe*****te the mix that its raising, expanding effects will be seen to permeate every inch of the dough. Jesus informs us that God’s work of grace is just like that. If God is truly at work in your life, as he is at work in the world, then you can be sure there is much more going on in your life than either you or others, at the present time, can visibly see.

After dismissing the crowds (Matthew 13:36), Jesus addresses his disciples in private, sets aside his storytelling, and proceeds to utter a series of forcefully concise and pithy sayings (vv.44-52), which, unlike the earlier longer stories, and more like the latter parables of the mustard seed and the yeast, continue to have a unique, specific, and individual emphasis. Though extremely brief, these are given to encourage us.

Is the Christian life worth all the inconvenience, inherent persecution and personal sacrifice? Jesus explains, as he leaves three final images swimming, inspiringly, in the heads of his disciples: here is a tenant farmer working in a field, who stumbles across a box of buried treasure (v.44). He isn’t looking for treasure, but he finds it and rejoices. Recognising the true value of such a discovery, he willingly parts with everything he has in order to possess that field with its hidden, secret trove. The kingdom of heaven, Jesus says, is like that. Here is a merchant who deals in nothing else but the finest of pearls (vv.45-46). Always seeking for the very best, he comes across one pearl that so excels in beauty and lustre that it dwarfs all others. With this one pearl the merchant is wholly satisfied and sells all that he has to buy it. The kingdom of God, Jesus reassuringly tells us, is just like that. Have you found anything so precious, a treasure so bountiful? If so, how much is it worth to you?

Prayer
Loving Father, thank you for revealing the incomparable treasure of your kingdom through Jesus Christ. Open our eyes to recognise its true worth, even when its work begins in small and seemingly insignificant ways. May our lives bear witness to the growing power of your love until the day your kingdom is revealed in all its fullness. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Study by: Richard Dempsey

About the author:
Richard Dempsey is a minister in the Peterborough congregation of Grace Communion International.

26/08/2026

God wants

This [praying for all people] is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.

1 Timothy 2:3-4 (NLT)

Because we’re human, we often forget God isn’t like us and assume he looks at people in the same way. We think those who’ve committed atrocities can’t or shouldn’t be forgiven and must suffer in some kind of hell. Some look at their lives and hope they’ll be forgiven but are afraid of God’s anger. And some are afraid for those who don’t accept Christ, agonising over their fate or perhaps wondering if God casually writes them off without another thought.

This verse gives another wonderful clue about God. He doesn’t want anyone to spend eternity away from his presence. God really does love everyone and his desire is for each and every human being to accept his love and come to him as a Father. And if he desires everyone to be saved, he just might be powerful enough to make it happen. Is anyone out of his reach? Is death stronger than God? Is any sin too great that God would wring his hands and give up, admitting defeat? I think not. What God wants, it makes sense God will get.

This devotion was first published on 20 January 2012, at www.gemsofgodsgrace.wordpress.com

Study by: Tammy Tkach

About the author:
Tammy Tkach is the Assistant Pastor of the River Road, Oregon, USA, Grace Communion International congregation.

Knowing God from a Trinitarian perspective

25/08/2026

Martha: growing from service to trust
Part of a series – Extraordinary women in the Bible

Jesus said to [Martha], ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’

John 11:25-26 (NIVUK)

Martha is often remembered as the busy sister who was distracted by many tasks while Mary sat at Jesus’s feet (Luke 10:38–42). Because of this familiar story, Martha is sometimes portrayed as overly anxious or concerned with practical matters. Yet the Gospels present a much richer picture of this remarkable woman. Martha was a faithful disciple whose relationship with Jesus matured into one of the clearest expressions of faith found in the New Testament.

When Jesus visited her home in Bethany, Martha welcomed him with generous hospitality. Serving others was not her problem; hospitality was, and remains, a beautiful expression of God’s love. Jesus did not rebuke Martha for serving, but for allowing anxiety and comparison to rob her of the joy of simply being with him. His invitation was one of grace: to receive before striving, to rest in his presence before becoming consumed by activity. Our relationship with God does not begin with our work for Jesus, but with his finished work for us. We do not earn God’s acceptance through faithful service, rather, because we are already loved and accepted in Jesus, our service becomes a joyful participation in his ministry instead of an anxious attempt to prove our worth.

Martha’s greatest moment came later, after the death of her brother Lazarus. Grieving and heartbroken, she nevertheless ran to meet Jesus. Her words reveal both honesty and faith: ‘Lord…if you had been here, my brother would not have died’ (John 11:21). Martha did not hide her disappointment, yet neither did she abandon her trust. Jesus gently led her beyond the hope of a future resurrection to the reality that resurrection itself stood before her in his own person. He declared, ‘I am the resurrection and the life’ (v.25). Then Martha made one of the most profound confessions in Scripture: ‘Yes, Lord…I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world’ (v.27). Her confession echoed Peter’s (Matthew 16:16), and demonstrated that she had come to know Jesus not merely as a respected teacher or miracle worker, but as God’s promised Son. Even before Lazarus was raised, Martha trusted the One who holds life itself.

Martha’s growing faith illustrates how the Spirit patiently transforms us from people who rely on our own efforts into disciples who confidently rest in the faithfulness of Jesus. Martha also reminds us that faith is not the absence of questions or grief. She stood before Jesus carrying both sorrow and hope, and he met her exactly where she was, speaking words of life into her pain. The same risen Lord meets us today where we are. He does not reject our struggles, rather, he invites us to bring them into his presence, where his grace renews our hearts and strengthens our faith, so we can rest securely in the One who is the Resurrection and the Life.

Prayer
Loving Father, thank you for the example of Martha. May the Holy Spirit, teach us to rest in your grace before we serve, to trust you in every season, and to find our hope in Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Study by: Barry Robinson

About the author:
Barry Robinson is a minister in Grace Communion International and Deputy National Ministry Leader for the UK and Ireland

24/08/2026

Jesus sees

And after [Jesus] had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone

Matthew 14:23 (ESV)

It had been a very long day. Jesus had just learned of the death of John the Baptist, and though he knew this was coming it still hit home deeply, personally, and the pain of loss was real to him. He needed some ‘alone time’ as we often say now. Yet, a large crowd was following him. Jesus had got in a boat, leaving the area for the other side of the lake, in order to escape the crowds that wanted to make him a physical king (John 6:15). They did not realise that he was truly more than this, nor did they know that now was not the time for his coronation. The crowds still came, seeking what they saw as a salvation from their illnesses, oppression, and suppression. Not perceiving clearly, as Jesus did, they desperately clung to all they knew and understood. We are all like this at times. Jesus wanted more than this for them.

So, the crowd continued to follow Jesus, there was no escape right now, no alone time. Jesus saw them; how could he not. He loved them, he hurt deep inside for them, and he called them all to come to him and sit down to be fed spiritual food. I cannot imagine the noise and the confusion of so many – I avoid crowds. Did they listen intently? Did they argue among themselves about his teaching? I do not know this, but one thing I can be sure of is that Jesus saw them, and Jesus cared about their needs more than they realised. Are there times when you feel that Jesus does not see you? Do you ever think he does not care about your situation? Are we similar to Zacchaeus who climbed the tree to see Jesus, who was not seen because of the crowds, hidden by stature or worth (Luke 19:1-10), desperately seeking recognition?

Jesus fed them spiritual food and before sending them away he fed them physical food to give them strength for the journey. It was no coincidence that they collected twelve baskets of leftovers with nothing being wasted; miraculous food to continue the feeding of the people of God and symbolic of the work the disciples would have to do. After sending the crowds home, Jesus sent the disciples away in the boat to sail to the other side of the lake where he would soon join them. Finally, Jesus got his alone time to pray on the mountainside. After spending himself for others, Jesus needed to refuel himself by connecting to the Father through the Spirit.

While the disciples were on the water, a storm, something some of them were very familiar with being fisherman, rose quickly as it so often did on that lake. How vulnerable they must have felt, how alone. If Jesus were here, he could have done something about it. They knew by personal experience that he was capable of many wonderful and miraculous things. But he could not see them so far into their journey on the lake. Or could he? While upon the mountainside he could see across the lake, but he also had contact with them by the Spirit of God.

There were many things they would be sent out to do, and they would need help. As the storm rose, he came to them walking on the water (Matthew 14:25). He was God himself after all. What we cannot do, he can. He sees us, he understands our limits, and he comes to us in our need; supporting us in our storms of life.

Prayer
Merciful God, and merciful you truly are, we thank you for seeing us and seeing our needs. You are always there to support us when the waves rage in our lives, and you take us by the hand and lead us to the shore. I praise you and thank you in the name of Jesus my Lord and your precious Son, Amen.

Study by: Anne Gillam

About the author:
Anne Gillam is a retired Pastor in Grace Communion International, Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA.

23/08/2026

Hidden in grace, prepared for a purpose

But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.

(Exodus 2:3 NIVUK)

The birth of Moses takes place during one of Israel’s darkest periods. Pharaoh had ordered that every Hebrew baby boy be thrown into the Nile (Exodus 1:22). Humanly speaking there seemed to be no hope, yet it is often in the darkest moments that God’s grace shines most brightly. The opening of Exodus 2 tells the remarkable story of a child whose life was preserved through a series of seemingly ordinary events. A courageous mother prepared a waterproof basket. A loving sister watched from a distance. Pharaoh’s daughter discovered the child and was moved with compassion. Moses’ own mother was then employed to nurse and care for him. At every stage, God is quietly at work, directing events without dramatic displays of power.

When God works with human beings his grace always precedes our response, and that was the case with Moses. Before he could do anything for God, God was already acting for Moses. Before Moses would one day confront Pharaoh, lead Israel out of Egypt, or receive the law, he was first the recipient of God’s preserving grace. This reflects the greater story of salvation in Jesus Christ. Long before we sought God, God sought us. Before we responded in faith, the Father had already acted through the Son for our salvation. Our relationship with God begins not with our initiative but with his gracious initiative. As the apostle John wrote, ‘We love because he first loved us’ (1 John 4:19).

Moses was preserved to become Israel’s deliverer, but he foreshadowed the greater Deliverer, Jesus. Where Moses would lead Israel out of physical slavery, Jesus delivers all humanity from the deeper bo***ge of sin and death. Moses was saved through God’s providence; Jesus entered our broken world voluntarily to accomplish our salvation. Through his life, death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus has reconciled humanity to the Father, and through the Holy Spirit we are invited to participate in the life of the Triune God.

When life feels uncertain or circumstances seem beyond our control, Exodus 2 encourages us to trust the God whose grace is already at work before we can see it. He is never absent, even when he appears silent. His purposes are unfolding, often through willing people and unexpected circumstances.

The God who watched over Moses continues to watch over his children today. Our lives rest securely, not by chance, or human strength, but in the faithful grace of the Father, revealed in the Son, and made real to us by the Holy Spirit.

Prayer
Loving Father, thank you that your loving purpose for our lives begins long before we recognise it. Thank you for your faithful care, revealed throughout Scripture and fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Help us to trust you when we cannot see the way ahead, and make us willing participants in your gracious work in the lives of others. May we rest in your unfailing love, and faithfully follow wherever you lead. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Study by: Barry Robinson

About the author:
Barry Robinson is a minister in Grace Communion International and Deputy National Ministry Leader for the UK and Ireland