Strange Ideas about Christians

People sometime have strange ideas about Christians. Too often the media wants to lump all Christians in the one basket. So do a lot of other people. The reality is Christians are a varied lot. What they do have in common is a saving faith in the work of Christ on the cross. Some Christians will not touch alcohol. They see alcohol as a major problem in society, which it is, and one that often causes other problems making people behave in a way that they would not normally do. So they choose to abstain from alcohol. The problem occurs … Continue reading →

Can You Forgive?

Forgiveness, it’s a word we often hear in church. In fact, we hear about forgiveness every time we say the Lord’s Prayer. But how much notice do we take of it? Or do we skim over that bit? Forgiveness sound good when we’re on the receiving end of it from God or from others but its not always so easy when we’re on the other end. It’s not always easy to do. Our minister gave a great talk last week and the theme was forgiveness. It is something that is sadly needed in our marriages, in our relationships with family … Continue reading →

All About Attitude

So much depends on our attitude towards the people we meet and the circumstances in our lives, circumstances often over which we have no control. In Philippians 1 Paul has a lot to teach us about attitude. Though he was in prison at the time of writing this letter to the Philippians and might have bemoaned his fate, he did not. Instead he saw that it would turn out for his deliverance. He could have sat on his behind and did nothing while in prison. Instead he chose to write and encourage those in the church with his words of … Continue reading →

In a Seemingly Hopeless Situation?

Have you ever felt you are in a seemingly hopeless situation? I’m sure that’s how Martha and Mary felt too. By the time Jesus arrived Lazarus had been four days in the tomb. If ever there was a seemingly hopeless situations this was it. Martha believed if Jesus had been there this would not have happened. There is an element of accusation in her words, John 11:21. It is followed by an affirmation of faith, verse 22. Jesus encourages that faith, bringing it to a higher lever, verses 25-27. Mary’s response is similar to that of Martha, verse 32. Jesus … Continue reading →

Only a Prayer Away

Recently my darling husband went through a lot of my 78s inherited from my Mom. In the process of putting them onto CD he picked up and played several I’d forgotten about. One such was ‘Only a Prayer Away.’ This song was later recorded by Elvis but the 78 was around long before that version. I particularly like this song because it talks about thanking the Lord for everything and counting your blessing each day. As you all know, I’m being on giving thanks to God and counting our blessings. And it’s such an easy thing to do. Once you … Continue reading →

Judging by Appearances

A recent episode of Britain’s Got Talent showed how often people judge by appearances. Watch the video and you will see the look on the faces of the judges and some of the audience when this woman walks on the stage. Susan Boyle, a 47 year old spinster doesn’t fit the image of what they were expecting. But listen to her sing and you’ll see exactly how and why she blew the judges and the audience away and had people standing and cheering. This is a woman who has been victimized and bullied since childhood. It’s great to see someone … Continue reading →

Doing Ourselves out of Great Benefits

Have you ever given someone a gift and they didn’t thank you? Don’t you feel it’s unappreciated? Imagine how God feels when we don’t thank Him for the gifts He gives us. Since we are created in God’s image and we know we feel when a gift is unappreciated, it’s not unreasonable to suspect that God is far from happy when we don’t acknowledge his gifts and thank Him for them. Deitrich Bonhoeffer points out that we could be doing ourselves out of great benefits by not thanking God. He says, ‘we prevent God from giving us the great spiritual … Continue reading →

‘Just in Case’ at Easter ?

Easter is a time for gifts of Easter eggs and chocolates. It is also the time to remember the greatest gift that was given – the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for your sins and mine. In a recent episode of Eli Stone when he was struggling with his gift of visions and querying why it had been given to him when sometimes it caused him nothing but trouble. he was told, ‘A gift is something that is given. You don’t own it. The world does.’ That’s basically the message of Easter. The gift Jesus gave at that first … Continue reading →

Closed or Open Minds?

Yesterday we saw the Pharisees finding fault and criticizing Jesus and his followers. Nothing has changed. There are plenty of people today who criticize Jesus and his followers. In Luke 5:33 and 34, the Pharisees criticized Jesus because his followers did not fast as the followers of John the Baptist and their own followers did. Jesus knew a time would come when his disciples would fast and mourn, but it was not yet- not while He was with them. Jesus was intent on showing the Pharisees that he was the new and only way to God, rather than through keeping … Continue reading →

It Makes You Think

I love TV shows and books that make me think. Last night we watched Boston Legal. Apart from the wacky sense of humor that permeates David E. Kelley shows, one of the reasons I like this show is because it is concerned with the law and makes me think. Legal shows always fascinate me. It also makes me think about things I might not otherwise think about. It may be only a TV script and not an actual case, but it’s enough to start the brain ticking over. Take the episode we watched where Alan Shore was to go before … Continue reading →