https://www.ogmorebyseachurch.com/

Ogmore by Sea Church, Church Close, Ogmore-by-Sea (2026)

07/06/2026

WHERE IS GOD?

ACTS 17:27-28:
"God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being."

Have you ever had a time in your life when you have prayed to God but He appears silent?

Maybe that is where you are right now, and you want to shout out:
"God, where are you?"
"Why aren't you talking to me anymore? "

Hard times in our lives can make us feel isolated and when we face problems it's common to wonder why our loving, kind, and all-powerful God would allow us to feel so defeated, anxious and alone.

Feelings are powerful and real but they are not reliable. However we should not suppress our feelings, we should talk about them with trusted people in our lives.
Ask them:
"Do you ever feel at times that God is distant?"

The truth is we have all felt like this at times, because this world is filled with trouble. There are times we feel closer to God than at other times, this is natural. There is no reason for it to cause us shame or make us question our love for Him; in fact we need to guard against doing that because it is a tactic of the enemy. The enemy wants us to feel shameful about our relationship with God, because it gives him an opportunity to build a foothold in our lives.

Remembering that our feelings are not our reality is hard isn't it?

But......the Bible tells us differently. Go back to Scripture and look at what is true. God reveals Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but there were times when neither of these three felt God was close. And then of course, there was Jesus Himself who asked:
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" ( Matthew 27:46)

The Bible is full of situations where people felt abandoned by and consequently separated from God.
We might feel that God is far away but the truth is He never leaves us and He is always with us. Just because we think we are separated from God, doesn't mean we are!

In the dark hours of our lives when we cannot see God, when we cannot feel His presence, we can take great comfort and assurance in Jesus' final words to His disciples:
"....... And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:30)

We might not feel God is near because our lives are in chaos! The life choices that we are making may not be pleasing to God and are separating us from Him.
Could it be that we have abandoned Him?
Could it be that our disobedience to God have closed our eyes to His presence and closed our ears to hearing God's voice?
It's certainly something to pray about and consider.

In the book of Genesis, the slave girl Hagar in a moment of desperation ran away from her masters who were mistreating her. But God saw Hagar in her worst moment and cared for her. He promised to give her and her son a future. Hagar called God "El Roi: the God who sees me."

God sees us and He is with us carrying our burdens alongside us. But....He is not simply beside us, His presence is inside every believer through the Holy Spirit making us new every day.

In Scripture God says that in the midst of trials when we need wisdom, and are trying to figure out what to do and how we feel, we should talk to Him honestly and say:
"LORD, I feel like you are far from me."

Where is God when life is hard?

When we cannot see His hand trust His heart, and know for certain He has not forsaken us. He is exactly where He says He will be, he is with us, beside us, above us, and within us, leading us to join Him in making the world a better place for everyone.

When life is hard it's not a sign that God has abandon us, instead it's a sign that we are still in God's process of making all things new. God's Spirit sees our potential. He loves us for who we are yet He wants us to become more like Jesus every day.

He is with us in our pain, sharing our burdens and helping us take steps forward. He is a wonderful counsellor and He offers hope which reminds us that a better future is ahead of us.

How amazing is His love!

God bless
Sue ❤🙏

31/05/2026

LOVING GOD

1 John 4:19:
"We love because He first loved us."

Recently I was asked by a dear friend, "How do you love someone you cannot see?"

It's an honest question and I totally understand this dilemma, because I wrestled with this same question before I truly knew Jesus.

A lot of people quietly struggle with this, but often won't admit it, because they think everyone else has figured it out already. They hear believers talking about "relationship with God" yet internally they feel bewildered; because to them reading an ancient book, listening to sermons, talking to someone you cannot see, or forcing emotions they do not naturally feel, is totally bizarre.

But.... the beautiful thing is, God is not intimidated by honest questions! (Jeremiah 29:13)

One of the biggest revelations that changes everything, is understanding that a relationship with God, does not begin with us trying to reach Him; relationship begins with realising He already is near us through Jesus. We can exhaust ourselves trying to "find God" whilst scripture tells us through Jesus, God already made His home within the children of God.

"On that day you will realise that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you." ( John 14:20)

Doesn't this change the entire perspective?

Instead of asking, "How do I force myself to feel close to God?" Ask " How do I become more aware of the God in me? "

It isn't about chasing a distant God, it is about an awakening to the reality of His presence through Jesus.

We are familiar with how human relationships develop, we can physically see them, hear their voice audibly, and interact face to face; but a relationship with God grows differently.

Spiritual relationships grow through trust, awareness, communion and learning God's heart through Jesus. The Bible reveals who Jesus is and what He did for us. The goal of Scripture is not merely information, it is revealing Jesus.

"You study the Scripture diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me....." ( John 5:39)

One of the most practical ways relationship with God grows, is through simple awareness during our day to day lives.
-Talking to God honestly whilst driving.
-Thanking Him during the day.
-Becoming aware of His peace in difficult situations.
-Bringing our thoughts, feelings, frustrations, excitement and questions to him naturally.

Healthy human relationships for many people, grow through consistency and awareness, a relationship with God grows through daily awareness of His presence and goodness. He is constant, regardless of emotional fluctuations. We do not have to fake emotions to have intimacy with God, we can come to Him honestly.

Some of my most deepest moments with God have began with raw honesty:
"Father, I want to know you, but I honestly struggle sometimes."

The enemy's greatest goal is convincing us that God is distant, silent or unreachable; because if we believe God is far away, relationship begins feeling impossible. But God is always near, because the Holy Spirit lives within the children of God permanently. (Ephesians 2:13)

The beautiful reality is, is that relationship with God is not about trying to climb your way toward heaven; through the finished work of Jesus, heaven came near to us. Our heavenly Father is not asking us to force a relationship with an invisible stranger; through Jesus, the Father already knows us completely, loves us deeply, and desires daily communion with us as His children.

How comforting is that!

God bless
Sue ❤🙏

25/05/2026

ALONE OR LONELY?

Acts 2:1-4:
"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."

At times during the busyness of the day, I long to be alone without phone notifications going off, TV noise, "to do" lists going around in my head; and I yearn for the stillness and silence I sense when God is present, when I feel the Spirit of God gently moving in the room and in my soul.

Do you feel like this at times?

Is this sense of wanting to be alone different from loneliness?

Loneliness, or at least my impression of it, is not wanting to be alone. It's the person we see spending 2 hours drinking a coffee in a cafe, because they have nowhere else to be. It's the person we always see on the same bench when out walking, always alone. It's the couple in a restaurant, alone in their own thoughts, and not communicating with each other. We can be in a room full of people, but we can still feel isolated, alone or invisible.

That is why it is important that we separate what we feel, from what we know. In our loneliness, our instinct is often to withdraw and isolate ourselves even further, but that only intensifies how we feel!

The good news of Pentecost is that we are never alone; the Spirit of God has been given to "all people."

After Jesus' crucifixion, the Apostles experienced a complex mix of fear and confusion, so they hid behind closed doors. Even though they were together, they had a history of struggling with unity with each other, they were often self willed and self promoting. (Mark 9:33-34, Luke 9:46-47)

Then 10 days after Jesus' ascension, on the day of Pentecost, everything changed! They were aware something significant was going to happen, because Jesus had told them before His ascension, (Acts 1:7-8) but what exactly?

The Holy Spirit descended upon them and they started speaking in different languages.

Can you imagine how they must have felt at that moment?

Instead of fear, they must have been filled with awe and wonder, the Holy Spirit emboldened them right there to start preaching in the streets of Jerusalem. A radical transformation took place, instead of competing with each other, the disciples were co-operating, instead of conflict, they were now collaborating. (Acts 2:46-47)

Without exception, "all" of the 120 people waiting in the upper room in Jerusalem for what Jesus had promised, were "filled with the Holy Spirit." All people!

We are not alone!

The Holy Spirit brings Jesus alive in us. The Holy Spirit is our comforter, our counsellor and guide ( John 14-16) as well as the empowerer ( Luke 24:49); and the source of daily strength and guidance in our lives. Jesus, opens our eyes to the life that is available to us, when we align our hearts and minds with the Spirit.

There is a void, or a lack in our souls that most of us are aware of, but we don't often talk about it.

This is a God- breathed space that only the Spirit of God can fill. It is a space for relationship, a spiritual space for us and the Holy Spirit to do life together. It is a space of nurture and companionship, but also it is preparing and equipping us for God's work in this world.

How does this journey with the Holy Spirit begin, or continue if it has been interrupted?

Well..... It's easy! Jesus tells us in Luke 11:9:

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

What a glorious promise Jesus presents here! He could not be any clearer.

Approach God in prayer with boldness and confidence, our Heavenly Father is eager to respond. It's that simple!

Isn't that amazing!

God bless
Sue ❤🙏

17/05/2026

A TIME FOR EVERYTHING

Ecclesiastes 3:1:
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heaven."

I love this famous poem describing the different seasons, the facets of life, and the sovereignty of God over all things. Our lives are packaged into different seasons; and no season, whether good or bad lasts forever.

Every season are part of a broader and meaningful plan, ultimately aimed at making "everything beautiful in its time." ( Ecclesiastes 3:11) There will, however, be seasons in life when God begins to remove things, people, habits and places from our lives.

At first, it can feel painful and confusing, and we may find ourselves asking:
"LORD, why did this happen?
Why did this door close?
Why did this relationship end?
Why did I lose what I once valued?"

But often, what feels like loss, is actually God's loving preparation for our future. God removes what no longer serves the purpose He has for our next season. Many times, we can become too comfortable in places where we have stopped growing. We settle in jobs, mindsets, relationships or routines that feel safe, but keep us stagnant. Comfort can become a cage.

Sometimes, our lives are so full of old things and routines that we cannot receive the blessings God wants to give us. If our hands are gripping onto bitterness, fear, old disappointments or unhealthy attachments, how can we receive peace, joy and fresh opportunities?
What stayed too long cannot stay forever when God declares a new season.

Isaiah 43:18-19 says:
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!......"

God knows that some things must go before greater things can come. A gardener prunes branches not because he dislikes the tree, but because he wants it to bear more fruit.

In John 15:2, Jesus says:
"He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, so that it will be even more fruitful."

When God cuts something away, it is not punishment, it is preparation. Not everyone assigned to our past, will walk with us into our future, some people, were only meant for a season. Also, God will separate us from those who drain our peace, weaken our faith or distract our purpose. Their departure may have hurt, but it protected us more than we realise.

There does come a time to wipe our tears, and trust God's wisdom, because if He has removed it, He saw what we cannot see. We may not understand every loss, every ending, every change, but we can trust the hands of God.

Romans 8:28 reminds us:
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

So, if something or someone has been taken from your life - a relationship ended, a plan failed, a season closed or a comfort disappeared; do not only ask:
"What did I lose?

Ask:
"What is God making room for?"

Because when God removes what no longer serves our future, He is clearing the path for what does.

So, trust in the LORD to clear away every hindrance, and lead us into the new season He has prepared for us. God is sovereign.

Our activity in this world is meaningful as we rely on His wisdom, His timing and His goodness.

How heartening is that!

God bless
Sue ❤🙏

10/05/2026

HIDDEN IN CHRIST
Colossians 3:3:
"For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."

I have to admit, this verse written by the apostle Paul, perplexed me for some time!
What does it mean?
What is it telling me?

When I think of people being hidden, I think of danger. When Jochebed hid Moses for three months, it was to keep him alive, because Pharoah had ordered his death. When Rahab hid the two spies on the roof, she did this to protect them from being killed.

Even in ourselves we have hidden parts of us that no one sees.

Do you feel like parts of yourself, in fact some of the most important parts of yourself are hidden from other people?

If you do, then you are not alone. There are parts of us that just cannot be fully seen and known by other people.

Our minds, our hearts, our deepest worries, motivations and joys, are all inherently hidden to varying degrees from the eyes of other people, no matter how much we desire to let them in. That is simply part and parcel of being human, we are made up of more than what can be seen.

But, our God sees everything, He knows us fully, He knows us better than we know ourselves.

So what did the apostle Paul mean when he wrote that "our lives are now hidden with Christ in God? "

Well, Paul wrote this letter to the Christians in Colossae, who externally, were faced with being persecuted by the Roman Empire; and internally there were strife and division, primarily because of false teachers who were confusing the heart of the gospel. So, Paul is strong in his emphasis of the true heart of the gospel. He wants them to know that they are new creations in Christ. Their old selves have died and they have been raised to a new life in Christ through faith, and they are called to live out that new identity in Christ. The old has gone, the new has come!

It means that no matter what, the very core of us are no longer bound to the things of this world, Christ pulled us out, and hid us with Him. Our lives are hidden in Christ, because He is our mediator to the Father. When God the Father looks at us, He does not see us, He sees Christ because we are hidden in Him.

Being hidden with Christ in God, means our previous history - our old life - is over and done, and our new life with an entirely different and glorious future has begun.

The apostle Paul said:
"My old self has been crucified in Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." (Galatians 2:20)

Our heavenly Father ceases to count our sins against us because of our identification with the death and resurrection of His Son. In the eyes of God, we are changed, into a new creation in Christ's image and likeness, yet we are still being transformed.

The idea of being "hidden" with Christ in God also relates to our eternal security, no matter what happens, we are as secure as Christ Himself, for we are hidden with Him; when our lives are lived by the faith of Jesus, who loved us and gave Himself for us. God Himself has secured us. We are here in the flesh, but our lives are not in this visible world, we have a life that is eternal, incorruptible and indestructible.

This is total security.

How should we respond to such a beautiful and core changing action?

Every breath we take should feel different. We may think air gives us life, but it is the life of Jesus that sustains us. We can be hidden in many things, but the only true source of life is Jesus. He is the very air that we breathe.

God is hiding us, protecting us in Christ, until He is ready to fully reveal all of His children. Until that day comes, we must live by faith, knowing we are hidden in Christ.

How incredible is that!

God bless
Sue ❤🙏

04/05/2026

FREEDOM IN THE SPIRIT

2 Corinthians 3:17:
"Now the LORD is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is freedom."

Freedom! Don't we all long to be free?
For some, the idea of freedom may mean an end to slavery, a sense of patriotism or overcoming addiction. Everyone seeks freedom.
Freedom is the highest virtue, and it is sought after by all who are, or consider themselves to be oppressed.

I used to think that I was free, I love Jesus, but then I realised that I wasn't truly free; because I was held back by what people thought of me, my past, doubt, fear and guilt. Do you know, the enemy loves it when we allow doubt, fear, guilt and shame to reside in our hearts; when, even after Jesus forgave us, the weight of our past, still weighs heavily on our shoulders.

What does it mean to truly experience freedom in the Spirit of the LORD?

In 2 Corinthians 3:17, the Apostle Paul addresses the Corinthian Church, and he connects freedom to God.
He reminds us of a powerful truth: God's Spirit brings true freedom.
Freedom from fear.
Freedom from guilt.
Freedom from everything that tries to hold us back!

Freedom in Christ, is not the same as physical, political or economic freedom. In fact, some of the most harshly oppressed people in history, have had complete freedom in Christ; because the gift Jesus grants us as believers, is freedom from sin.
Living in freedom, is much better than living in bo***ge! The moment we decide to place our trust in Jesus and follow Him is when sin loses the power to control us. (Romans 6:6)

When we believe, God's presence is so near as to be within us. Jesus has paid the price for us on the cross. We have been redeemed and set free into a spacious and victorious life; He didn't give His life for us to remain bound in sin and defeat!

When we invite the Spirit into our lives, we experience a transformation that gives us true freedom. We are set free from sin, shame and the chains that hold us back, allowing us to embrace the full life and joy that a life in Christ offers us!

Yes, we will have challenges and difficulties in life, that's a certainty, but, we go through them as victors in Christ Jesus, because the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead, lives in us! All we need to do is fix our eyes on Him.

By believing in Jesus, we can exist in a sinful world, without becoming trapped in it. Freedom is meant to be enjoyed, it's meant to give us a new life, a fresh start, and an opportunity to be everything God designed us to be.
When His Spirit is present, we don't just survive, we breathe, we rise, we live free.
Isn't that wonderful!

My prayer for you today, is for you to know you are not bound....you are free.

God bless
Sue ❤🙏

26/04/2026

"FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE"

Psalm 139:14:
"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

Don't you just love babies!

It's so hard not to smile when you see a baby: we marvel at their tiny toes, their chubby little hands, their button noses and their rosy cheeks. There is no denying that babies capture hearts, and they bring so much joy to even the most jaded adult!

So, where does all that joy go when we grow up?

At what point do we stop delighting in the way God made us?

We stop celebrating all of the things that make us wonderful, and start focusing on all that we think is wrong with us. We see these perfect, happy, successful, filtered images of celebrities on TV and social media, and want to look like, and be like them. We have all looked at our reflection in the mirror and wished to see something different! We tell ourselves we are too fat, too thin, not pretty or handsome enough, nose is too big, lips are too thin, we are too unfit, and the list goes on!

But, we still keep scrolling social media and feel more unsettled, like there is a heaviness or emptiness that we cannot identify that leaves us feeling unhappy and drained.

Why do we do this to ourselves, why do we tear ourselves apart like this?

Because focusing on our flaws and insecurities fill us with doubt, and deep down, this desire to change how we look, is rooted in not understanding God's good design and purpose for our physical bodies.

That feeling we get isn't new, it's a problem that stretches back to the very beginning. When sin entered the world, so did confusion about ourselves, our identity and our value in God's eyes. But, if we walk with Jesus, we can throw off the lies society tries to force on us. We don't have to value ourselves based on the world's standards and values.

Scripture tells us that the same God who made the stars, breathed life into us and gave us a place of dignity among creation. God's design of each of us, is intimate and intentional from the start. We are unique, there is no one else in all creation like us. Only humans are made in the likeness and image of God, therefore we have a unique role as mediators between God and the rest of creation; and God purposely and intentionally made each one of us to fulfil this role!

Instead of seeing our bodies as our enemies, we need to recognise that our bodies are an essential part of our identity. God made us as holistic creatures, which means our minds, emotions, and bodies are completely intertwined and connected. Our bodies are not just a container for our souls, but an integral part of who we are, with the ultimate purpose of bringing glory to God.

We know that all of God's works are wonderful, and do you know what?
We are also God's works!

Our lives may feel small in the scope of creation, but each of us is incredibly significant to our Creator.

God made us specifically to be ourselves, and not so we can emulate someone else. We are "fearfully and wonderfully made," and every day of our lives was ordained and known by God.

How awesome is that!

God bless
Sue ❤🙏

20/04/2026

Tuesday 9.30am - 11.00am

A fun time for little ones with plenty for them to do including free play, messy play, crafts, songs, story time, and snacks. Also, a great time for those looking after the children to chat and have a drink.

Contact Ricky: 07842947686

19/04/2026

Join for us for Coffee & Cake tomorrow morning 11.00am

Prof. Ron Eccles will be speaking on "Going the Extra Mile"

15/04/2026

"Hot Topics: The Shroud of Turin"

with Dr. Paul Blackham

5.30pm Sunday 26th April @ Ogmore By Sea Church

Ogmore by Sea Church

07/06/2026

31/05/2026

25/05/2026

17/05/2026

10/05/2026

04/05/2026

26/04/2026

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15/04/2026

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