The Gift of Kindness
If you’ve spent even a little time watching the disheartening news on television or looking over the headlines of your magazine—or even found yourself waiting in a long line of Christmas shoppers, you’ve probably asked yourself, “Why is it so difficult for someone to be kind?” Or worse, “I wish I had been kinder.” Jesus was born into a “troubled and turbulent world”—not a kind world. Long before his birth, the prophet Isaiah said, “The people that walked in darkness have
Christmas: What’s Important in Your Life?
By Mike Page It’s not easy being Caesar you know, an emperor. Even if I wanted to be the good guy, there are still taxes to be brought in—the empire doesn’t run itself. And unfortunately, like the saying goes, you can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs! I hate having to threaten people to get the taxes in. Wouldn’t it be great if I just asked and people cheerfully gave? But no! You have to threaten to break a
Washed Clean
Alastair Hayward, Guest Author A few years ago, on the London Underground there was a sign that asked, ‘If History could be folded, where would you put the crease?’ I think that what the sign was getting at is where is the pivotal or most important point in History for us. That betrays what is most important to us. Is it an Economic view? In which case, you might put the crease during the industrial revolution during the 18th Century. Or,
Why Is God Doing This to Me?
Two weeks ago, we took a look at Job’s suffering and questioning and the counsel of his ignorant “comforters.” Finally, tired of their useless ramblings, God breaks in and assures them that only he knows everything that can be known. In fact, only he holds in his hands the explanation for all that happens. We don’t, and can’t! Last week, we focused on the bedrock truth that we all fall back upon when we have no other understanding of our own
A Super Christmas — Pageant
Calling a special Superheroes Meeting for Sunday, 15 December! We hope all your kids are eager to take part in this year's pageant entitled A Super Christmas! It's about a group of well-known super heroes
“The Abiding Life” — Summer Bible Study Continues
The word "religion" occurs only four times in the Bible. What the Bible does exhort is a life in Christ—a close, personal relationship with God our Father, not a bondage system to some indeterminate, controlling deity. "Religion put Jesus on the cross… Religion is striving after God, but Jesus brought God to man, and man to God." Join us at 16:00 hrs as we continue our study on "The Abiding Life" and learn more truths about what Christians believe. Photo credit:
A Gracious Offer
God offers us his friendship. How amazing is that? I remember hearing a sermon once where the preacher reacted uncomfortably to the idea of “God as friend.” To refer to God as “friend” was inappropriate or presumptuous, even derogatory. To him, God is “Almighty,” not “All-matey.” God in all his majesty, glory, power, purity, and awesomeness was not to be spoken of on the same level as just another person. Just to be clear, there’s nothing low or second-rate about friendship, or
Do You Feel Ugly, Undesirable, Unlovable?
Judging from the billions of dollars of beauty products that are sold every year, it appears that we really don’t like what we see in the mirror every morning. Sadly, there is a short step from this to thinking that others see us in the same way, and eventually imagining that God views us in this light. What we need to keep in mind is the fact that God looks upon us with different eyes. While it’s true that he looks
Resurrection: The Key to Understanding Life
Imagine the disciples witnessing Jesus’ trial—his brutal beating and excruciating death, and finally, his burial in a sealed tomb. After all the jubilation and endless miracles, silence. Painful silence. It was the sudden end of all their hopes and dreams. The Messiah and their whole future was dead, buried, and gone. By the evening of Good Friday, that glorious promise and hope had become just one more illusion and disappointment, another mirage in the desert. But the astonishing, extreme event of
Jesus’ Authority – My Responsibility
By Philipp Meinecke Read Luke 8:26-39 and Matthew 28:18-20 18th century English writer and theologian G. K. Chesterton postulated that “the first effect of not believing in God is to believe in anything.”[1] This effect is felt throughout the Western hemisphere, where belief in Christianity has given way to the erosive forces that have sought to break it down. Fascination and pursuit of alternate experiences have left a gaping hole that yearns to be filled. Add to that the void that has
