Christians persecuted by Islamists, says Prince Charles
It’s the Gospel truth - so take it or leave it
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If you’re anything like me, the new year brings a time of reflection. Whether you’re in to new year resolutions or not, it’s good to look back and see what has gone well in the past year and look forward, thinking about what could do with changing in the coming twelve months.
One area of my life that constantly disappoints is my prayer life. I’m acutely conscious that my prayers all too often tend to be vague, human-centred, irregular and offered on the assumption that I know what’s best for me and everyone around me. And I know I’m not the only one who struggles in areas like these!
So, in 2014 I’m not so much going to plan to pray as itch to pray. It’s a mnemonic – one you might like to use too. It goes like this. Let’s pray:... continue reading
I know these ways are effective because I have fallen, and still fall, into all of them, and need prayer that I will battle against them every day of 2013.
1. Regularly go away for the weekend and go to a different church
You’re still in church each Sunday. It just happens that no one church family gets to know you well enough to be able to challenge you where and when it’s needed. Being away once a month should do the trick; twice will make sure of it.
2. Be too busy doing ministry to pray or read your Bible daily
This way, you can look busy and godly to everyone around you, while growing more and more self-reliant and self-congratulatory, and never needing to be disciplined in working on your relationship with the Lord.... continue reading
At the end of 2013, we thought we'd repeat our most popular deal of the year. Pick up any ebook in our Questions Christians Ask range for just 75p!
Whether you're looking for answers on:
Is God anti-gay?
Who on earth in the Holy Spirit?
Did the devil make me do it?
or
What happens when I die?
Simply use the code qcae13 at the checkout. Offer closes Thursday midday.
I've always had a strange feeling about New Year's Eve.
As a child we celebrated some curious rituals from a bygone age on New Years' Eve. As the youngest, I was regularly sent out the back door with a lump of coal and a sixpence in my pocket, only to be admitted in the front door after the chimes had struck midnight. It was cold, lonely and a little bit scary being stuck outside on a freezing night.
And I will never forget the time at my Auntie's home in Rochdale, when the "mummers" showed up - with blackened faces, and strange clothes, they dusted the furniture making a humming noise to clean out the old year, and bring in the new. I still have nightmares...... continue reading
It's that day again. The heart-bearing cards, with mushy poetry, have been filling the shelves of shops for weeks. The advertisements on TV have been encouraging us to book that romantic break, organise that sumptuous meal. All to show that special someone how much they're loved.
It's fun. There was certainly a flurry of excitement in my home when an unexpected Valentine's card landed on the doorstep. Intriguing to say the least! But it's fake. Not because couples don't genuinely care about one another - many do. But because, as a BBC article suggested recently, the phenomenon of February 14th capitalises on a fictional notion of romantic love, rather than true love. It fixates on the rush of emotion, the lie that there's a soulmate out there somewhere who will make life simply wonderful with all other problems melting away.... continue reading
It won't come as a surprise that many of us here at The Good Book Company are avid readers. Good books, or not so good books, we dip in to as many as we can! As we approach the end of another year, we thought we'd share with you some of our favourite titles of the past 12 months. Feel free to add your favourites at the end...
Carl (Senior Editor)
Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel. Brings history to life, brings characters to life, and challenges your own easy assumptions... And it means you can say you read a Booker-prize winning novel!... continue reading
Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
Proverbs 19:21
As the New Year approaches, praise God that he will be sovereign over every day of it.
It's a subject that's taboo. A reality that many find shocking. A fact that some would prefer to deny. But the truth is out there: women use porn too.
Accurate statistics are difficult to source but a quick trawl of the web seems to suggest that about a quarter of those who visit internet pornography sites are female. Some pages suggest that up to 60% of women have used porn at some point in their lives. And while we might prefer to think otherwise, it's fairly safe to assume that some of those surfing such sites will be Christians who are confused, ashamed, addicted or desperate. Indeed over the last decade I've had quite a few Christian sisters confide in me - each convinced that they are the only one. Far from being a solely male pastoral issue, porn is something that affects women too and those involved in women's ministry need to be addressing the subject proactively.... continue reading
