Classic moment at my class for 3-7 year olds last Sunday. We were explaining about Jesus clearing the Temple, and saying: "this is a house of prayer". My friend Tom, leading , asks a brilliant question: "What is prayer?"
Big smile (minus front teeth) from 7-year old Grace with an eager hand in the air. "It's the quickest way to get a message through to God"
Fabulous answer from left of field, which was meant as simply as it was said. And over coffee in the church lounge afterwards our conversation turned to the alternative. If prayer is the quickest way, what are some of the "less quick" ways we try. I could think of at least three:
Thanks Grace for a brilliant answer, and a timely reminder that I should always take the quickest route when I need to get a message through to God.
Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
(1 Corinthians 10 v 31)
If you're anything like me you'll be spending at least part of your weekend taking in the sights and sounds of the various social-networking sites. Between Facebook, Twitter, Google-plus and the blogs, there will be moments that amuse, a few that inspire, the odd one that makes us think... and the inevitable gaggle that shock, dismay, offend or simply make us shiver at their inappropriateness.
Words are powerful - they can build up others (Ephesians 4: 29) or they can wreak great evil (James 3:5-6). And, as such, should never be typed lightly. But how often do we, as Christians, sit and think about the effect our posts and status updates have on those around us?
Earlier this week, local pastor, Gavin McGrath wrote an interesting article calling for a return to modesty on social networking sites.
Earlier this month another minister, Mark Meynell helpfully suggested that before we post our thoughts on the internet we need:
They're principles worth pondering as we engage in the very public world of cyberspace.
Or maybe next time we log on, we should simply discipline ourselves to read a spot of Colossians 3 before we begin to type:
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
There are lots of books around that give us good ways of answering tough questions. In Confident Christianity, Chris Sinkinson takes us to the next level. This thoughtful and exciting race through archeology, philosophy, science and more shows how the Christian faith stands up under heavy fire. It will not only give you greater confidence in speaking about Christ to others. It will help you stand firmer in your faith, knowing that the Bible and the Gospel are built on solid rock, not sinking sand.
Confident Christianity is for you and Good Question is perfect to give away
At checkout enter the discount code 'confident' or 'question'.
The Command of 1 Peter 3 v 15-16 seems reasonable enough:
always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you…
But the reality, at least for me is always a little more flustered. My problem is that often I have too many answers - attacking the question from different sides! Where do I start?
That's where Chris Sinkinson's latest book is a real God-send (via IVP!). Confident Christianity is a breezy survey of the many faces of apologetics that makes real sense of all the competing approaches that we are offered. The concise chapters look at and compares the various merits of different approaches to how we answer questions, and applies them to some key questions that are raised.
I loved the helpful chapters overviewing Philosophy, Archaeology and "presuppositional apologetics". It put together for me (for the first time), the different ways these arguments can be helpful, and, crucially, when they are best deployed. The tone throughout is not judgmental over any particular approach, but seeks to ark the thinking Christian with a better understanding of how arguments work, and how to use them to lead people to Christ. It is robust and scholarly, but very accessible and applied.
And Chris understands the limits of apologetics. Because no-one can ever be argued into the Kingdom of God. But careful and caring answers are of real value in removing roadblocks to faith, in our own lives as well as in others. A right rivetting read. Check back later for a great deal ...
The story about doctors giving abortions on the basis of gender, “no questions asked”, must be one of the saddest news items of recent years. Let’s be thankful it has come to light, and is being dealt with.
But there’s something illogical about the outcry, too. If an unborn baby girl has the right to life, then surely surely any unborn baby does—whether the sex is known or not, whether the baby is a girl or a boy.
It seems strange to accept you can terminate because you are upset at the prospect of having a baby—but not because you are upset at the prospect of having a baby who happens to be a girl.
And just another thought… in the UK you can opt to find out the gender of your child when he/she is 20 weeks old. You can opt to terminate a pregnancy up to 24 weeks. Which means you can easily abort a girl you don’t want—you simply have to say it’s for social reasons, not sexist ones.
Let’s pray that this news story means no baby loses their life ever again in the UK simply because they’re of an unwanted gender. But let’s also pray that no baby loses their life again in the UK for any other reason. And let’s pray that women, and men, who find themselves in difficult, unplanned situations receive the help and love they need—and that women, and men, who look back at difficult decisions they wouldn’t take now accept and appreciate the forgiveness that Jesus offers all of us.
For some more in depth biblical reflection on the issue of abortion, scroll down a few blogs and see last week's series ...
I heard this at a prayer meeting recently:
“There is no such thing as a great man or woman of God. There is only a man or woman – and a great God.”
Do you agree?
I guess many of us would think of C.H. Spurgeon as a great man of God. But I don’t think he’d agree. Here’s a fantastic Spurgeon quote I was sent last week. He puts the emphasis and glory exactly where it ought to be.
“Consider what you owe to his power; how he has raised you from your death in sin; how he has preserved your spiritual life; how he has kept you from falling; and how, though a thousand enemies have beset your path, you have been able to hold on your way. Consider what you owe to his immutability. Though you have changed a thousand times, he has not changed once.”
There will be many Christians with very full stomachs this evening. A significant number of frying pans with burn marks. And more than a few ceilings sporting the odd stalactite of half-cooked batter, casualties of the inevitable over-enthusiastic pancake-toss. But once the eating and cleaning has been completed, many believers will be turning their minds to a highly tricky question: what on earth should we do about Lent?
Evangelicals have a strange relationship with these 40 or so days of the Christian calendar. It's not that we object to the concepts of sacrifice or fasting or repentance. Nor that we mind giving up a few things. But many of us worry about the half-hearted candy-related resolutions that all too often get made at this time of year just out of tradition. While giving up chocolate might have benefits for some people's waistline, and if the money saved is given to charity then good work in the world can result, is this really what God wants of us? Isn't it true that an outward show of sacrifice, if not accompanied by an inner change of heart, is quite frankly very far from God's will for his people? So how to respond?
Isaiah had this to say to believers who were involved in tokenism in their fasting:
"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice, and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free, and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter - when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?" Is 58:6-7
We live in a world where millions are in physical bondage to tyrants and spiritual bondage to the devil; a world where many have no idea where their next meal is coming from and are ignorant of the awesome gift of the bread of life; a world where countless numbers have no roof over their head and no understanding of the eternal God, the ultimate rock and refuge for those who turn to him. Spending Lent prayerfully and proactively addressing some of those needs might just make the post-pancake period of 2012 rather more gospel-centred than it might otherwise be.
Another great visual representation of gospel truth from Tim Challies. This time, it's Philippians 4:8 (with a spot of Greek thrown in!):
