Whoever fulfills the law in every part has yet to please God by accepting His witness of His Son.
'If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which he has of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life'
John's first letter, chapter 5.
Thursday 31 December 2009
RECOGNITION
Vital to our well-being is to be recognised for who we are and our contribution to life. As Berger expressed it, it is to be 'recognised, needed and embraced'.
'He came unto his own people and his own people received him not.'
John 1 vs 11
Surely the greatest insult to God, the cause, our spiritual blindness
'He came unto his own people and his own people received him not.'
John 1 vs 11
Surely the greatest insult to God, the cause, our spiritual blindness
Monday 21 December 2009
LIGHT AND DARKNESS
An answer to Matthew Parris's comments on Malawi in the Sunday Times December 2009
Rural Africans value light far more than we do. In a spiritual sense, this is something they have gained from men and women from the West, who went out to serve them rather than rule them.
My grandparents went to Malawi in the early 1900’s with a concern to minister to their physical and spiritual needs. They were both awarded MBE’s but it is even more thrilling to me now to read how this light has spread. The Malawians are training their own pastors and small churches are flourishing in rural areas, together with schools, clinics and homes for children. They are reaching into Mozambique and say they are taking the light with them.
God has promised that such light will never be put out.
Rural Africans value light far more than we do. In a spiritual sense, this is something they have gained from men and women from the West, who went out to serve them rather than rule them.
My grandparents went to Malawi in the early 1900’s with a concern to minister to their physical and spiritual needs. They were both awarded MBE’s but it is even more thrilling to me now to read how this light has spread. The Malawians are training their own pastors and small churches are flourishing in rural areas, together with schools, clinics and homes for children. They are reaching into Mozambique and say they are taking the light with them.
God has promised that such light will never be put out.
Friday 18 December 2009
OBEDIENCE
'MANY RELIGIOUS TEACHERS have not taught Christ.
They have presumed to explain a Christ whom years and years of obedience could alone have made them able to comprehend.'
'PRACTICALITY is the code of true faith: can something be done? If so, where is to be found the first opportunity to do it?'
George MacDonald
If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know if the teaching comes from God.
John's writings.
'Though He was a son,yet learned He obedience by the things that He suffered.'
Writer of the letter to the Hewbrews.
They have presumed to explain a Christ whom years and years of obedience could alone have made them able to comprehend.'
'PRACTICALITY is the code of true faith: can something be done? If so, where is to be found the first opportunity to do it?'
George MacDonald
If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know if the teaching comes from God.
John's writings.
'Though He was a son,yet learned He obedience by the things that He suffered.'
Writer of the letter to the Hewbrews.
BURNING BUSHES
'It is because our life does not shine that men have stood up and said "There is no light."'
'If every Christian were as the bush that burned with fire--that would be the shining our light before men. Atheism would soon vanish; unbelief would draw in its horns.'
Geoge MacDonald
'If every Christian were as the bush that burned with fire--that would be the shining our light before men. Atheism would soon vanish; unbelief would draw in its horns.'
Geoge MacDonald
ECHOES OF TRUTH
'Echoes of the word of truth gather volume and richness from every soul that re-echoes it to brother and sister souls.
Every new embodiment of a known truth must be a new and wider revelation. No man is capable of seeing for himself the whole of any truth: he needs it echoed back to him from every soul in the universe.'
George Maconald
Every new embodiment of a known truth must be a new and wider revelation. No man is capable of seeing for himself the whole of any truth: he needs it echoed back to him from every soul in the universe.'
George Maconald
Thursday 17 December 2009
SELF-IMAGE
If only man was preoccupied with projecting God's image, wherein we are made, as much as he is with projecting his own.
SECULAR HOSTILITY
Why are secular believers so hostile towards Christmas? How can they feel threatened by the birth of a baby?
God's weakness is seen at every turn, from the manger to the cross. The King came to his city on a donkey. It is surely overplay?
Why is evolutionism so set against the greatest love story of our world? Processes don't produce love. How many species would survive without the care of the mother for her young? Is this something that also evolves?
'..the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil'
John's record of God's good news.
God's weakness is seen at every turn, from the manger to the cross. The King came to his city on a donkey. It is surely overplay?
Why is evolutionism so set against the greatest love story of our world? Processes don't produce love. How many species would survive without the care of the mother for her young? Is this something that also evolves?
'..the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil'
John's record of God's good news.
Saturday 5 December 2009
TRUE PROFESSIONAL
A true professional sees the skill and knowledge he has as useful and beautiful and seeks to share this with others to benefit their lives.
Every moment is turned into learning, sharing and caring.
Every moment is turned into learning, sharing and caring.
Friday 4 December 2009
SHADES OF LOVE
Love in its forms, swirls and eddies from one to the other. Eros, philia and agape. Sometimes for the same person, sometimes each for another.
Passion loves itself, taking pleasure in the pleasure it affords. It is always passing, and needing to be renewed.
Philia, the love of friendship, takes delight in the other without asking for anything in return. This love has a lightness about itself and that lightness is joy. When we joy in another's existence, when we delight in them, we are loving them.
This can be spoken or unspoken, a smile, a caress, a moment of tenderness.
How significant that at the Last Supper, Christ spoke three times about joy, both His and that of the disciples. Its presence was to be the fulfillment of His mission. How closely linked to love in those chapters. Joy was to be full in those who loved him. His joy was in His Father and in His friends.
Passion loves itself, taking pleasure in the pleasure it affords. It is always passing, and needing to be renewed.
Philia, the love of friendship, takes delight in the other without asking for anything in return. This love has a lightness about itself and that lightness is joy. When we joy in another's existence, when we delight in them, we are loving them.
This can be spoken or unspoken, a smile, a caress, a moment of tenderness.
How significant that at the Last Supper, Christ spoke three times about joy, both His and that of the disciples. Its presence was to be the fulfillment of His mission. How closely linked to love in those chapters. Joy was to be full in those who loved him. His joy was in His Father and in His friends.
DAY OF SMALL THINGS
A life full of joy in small things, is a life of fortitude in the difficult times.
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