To the Cross

"We would prefer the bliss of a kingdom without moral absolutes, presided over by a God without wrath and entered through a Christ without the cross. But the price of this would be to discard not just this or that bit of the Bible but the whole God - given book, for in it God has revealed his absolutes and that He is a God of intense, fiery holyness. Jesus died bearig our sins in his body on the cross, for that is what sin merits, and saving us from the wrath to come, for that is where sin leads." (Alec Motyer: 'Exodus' 2005) Some may read this passage and feel condemned, others will read it and discover God's grace (perhaps for the first time). For me the good news is that we are all in the same boat - that is to say, All have sinned and fallen short of God's glory (Romans 3: 23) we are all in need of a Noah's ark to escape the wrath of God - and that ark has been provided through the blood of Christ. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, s...

I write this post in response to the person who has decided to become a follower of my blog using a pseudonym and photo (for a joke?) that suggests that he/she is involved in pornography. First to note is that I have blocked their picture and name (not them as follower).* Some Statistics World wide in excess of £100 Billion is spent on accessing pornography every year (what might be achieved if the world put that sort of money to good use?) In a US survey 20% of those asked admitted to accessing pornography at work 40 million US adults admitted to visiting pornography websites on a regular basis 10 % of adults admitted to internet sexual addiction. I haven't got statistics for British pornography but I would assume it follows similar trends to that of the US. Like many of Satan's prisons, pornography causes breakdown in marriages, breakdown in family relationships and drags people into a dark lonely existance. Since the day's of Adam and Eve, Satan uses glamour as he tries...

"What sort of knowledge of God’s action in Christ’s death may we have? That a man named Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate about AD 30 is common historical knowledge, but Christian beliefs about his divine identity and the significance of his dying cannot be deduced from that fact alone. What further sort of knowledge about the cross, then, may Christians enjoy? The answer, we may say, is faith-knowledge: by faith we know that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself. Yes, indeed; but what sort of knowledge is faith-knowledge? It is a kind of knowledge of which God is both giver and content. It is a Spirit-given acquaintance with divine realities, given through acquaintance with God’s word. It is a kind of knowledge which makes the knower say in one and the same breath both ‘whereas I was blind, now I see’ (Jn 9:25) and also ‘now we see as in a mirror, darkly . . . now I know in part’ (1 Cor. 13:12). For it is a unique kind of knowledge which, though real, is n...

"I do find it rather comical anyway that you need to scrabble around for ‘evidence’ (often pretty dodgy evidence) when it suits and then spend ages refuting any empirically tested evidence with all ‘sound and fury’ when it doesn’t suit." (A comment posted to me on an earlier post) I have yet to see any empirically tested evidence that a creator God does not exist. Or that Jesus did not resurrect from the dead. Or That after receiving the 'death sentence' from doctors my friend wasn't miraculously healed of cancer IMMEDIATELY after another friend prayed and heard Jesus say that he (Jesus) was going to heal him - even the doctors were quoted in the papers as stating this was a miracle! If there is empiracally tested evidence for such things, why is that many who I suspect are greater and more intelligent thinkers even then those who post negatively on my blog (if that be possible - given the rudeness and patronsisation of some 'intellectual' protestors) beli...

Man is nothing but: FAT enough for seven bars of soap IRON enough for one medium size nail SUGAR enough for seven cups of tea LIME enough to whitewash one chicken coup MAGNESIUM enough for one dose of salts PHOSPHOROUS enough to tip 2,200 matches POTASH enough to explode one toy crane SULPHUR enough to rid one dog of fleas (C E M Joad) OR PERHAPS MAN IS SOMETHING MORE THAN THIS .... PERHAPS HE IS SOMEONE WHO CAN EXERCISE FREE WILL! PERHAPS HE IS SOMEONE WHO IS ABLE TO RATIONALISE! PERHAPS HE HAS A SOUL AND A SPIRIT! PERHAPS HE HAS A REASON FOR BEING! The human soul consists of our mind, our free will and our emotions. To say that free will does not exist, that the choices that we make are random, would make the penal system unjust. Why should one be sent to prison for murdering (even a child) if all we are is a combination of physical matter? It would also rob us of any sense of conscience any purpose or meaning of life. Evidence for the soul can be based on experience of ourselves -...

Is the Old Testament God a God of wrath and the New Testament God a God of Love? This is the question we have been looking at tonight at a superb presentation by two leaders in our church. In the next few days I will attempt to summarise what has been said and add a few thoughts of my own. Meanwhile what do you think?

Perhaps a silly and too basic a question, but I wonder if you have sat and thought about the question: "Where does the ability to love come from?" There is a new film out about Charles Darwin's life and of course his theory of evolution. The theory (and that is all it is!) describes a dog eat dog existence - where only the fittest survive. In all this the theory fails to address the existence of love. I'm thinking about the type of sacrifical love that we see clearly in the life of Jesus Christ. The type of love that on a good day we might manage to emulate. The Bible of course is absolutely clear about the source of love. Dear friends (says John) let us love one another, for love comes from God. And more clearly goes on to say: God is love! In the New Testament there are 3 words for love: Philia (family loyalty) Eros: (physical intimate love) And Agape: (sacrificial, life transforming, Christ like love) All these are gift from God but it is the th...

A couple of days ago Prime Minister Brown boldly and declared that we have 50 days to save the planet. He was referring of course to Copenhagen summit. A blog by my friend in America (here) picked up on his comment and it set me wondering if there is anyone out there who would put their trust in politicians to save the planet. My second thought had an eschatological slant: If the planet had 50 days left - would that sharpen Christians' resolve to evangelise their part of the planet. The truth is we do not know the day or the hour of Jesus' return. But we do know that His return will triger the end of this planet as we know it. Why then is the church still nonchalent in its aproach to obeying Jesus' command to 'Go and make disciples of all nations.' ?

"For centuries in Europe, people debated the question as to whether there was a land beyond the western horizon, beyond the sunset. SOme said there was, others expressed their doubts. Then one day Columbus and his men sailed out from Europe across the vast Atlantic Ocean into the sunset. When they returned they could say, 'we've been there and we know'. In the same way, for generations people have debated the question of life after death. Some have said, 'Yes, there is life beyond the grave', others have denied it, 'No there isn't.' Then one day Jesus sailed out into that 'undiscovered country', and he came back, and in coming back, still says to us, in Isaac Watts' verse: There is a land of pure delight Where saints immortal reign; Infinite day excludes the night And pleasures banish pain. 'There is a heaven after death. I've been there and I know!' " (From 'Heaven and Hell' Bruce Milne)

My family and I are just back from a lovely few days in North Wales. Weather wise we were quite blessed, but from time to time there was a gathering of cloud (and rain!) on the hills. For some reason being near to clouds never fails to fascinate me. As they perched on the hills I was awestruck. I couldn't help but gaze upwards. After (Jesus) said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee", they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

The BBC are today reporting on an atheist camp - an alternative to the Christian Camps that happen throughout summer: "For the "centrepiece" of its scientific approach to religion the camp asks its participants to search for two invisible unicorns. The unicorns cannot be seen or heard, tasted, smelt or touched, they cannot escape from the camp and they eat nothing. The only proof of their existence is contained in an ancient book handed down over "countless generations". A prize - a £10 note signed by Professor Richard Dawkins - is offered to any child who can disprove the existence of the unicorns." This is of course indoctrinatioin of the highest order - the very thing that atheists like Dawkins complains about. It is implying that the only proof of God's existence is an ancient Bible - of course this is not the case. I have never seen any person change their lives around from violent robber/drug addict/theif/ to servant simply because they have ...

The orders from the head of the Church of England to 'prevent' catching Mexican Swine Flu in church: (1) Only the Priest may partake in the wine during the Lord's Supper (2) Those distributing bread should first wash their hands in a cleansing gel (3) All physical contact should be avoided during the church service at all costs What foolish panic!!! You might as well put out a notice "Don't come to church - you are likely to catch swine flu". It is effectively banning all social functions in church (especially where food is served), banning the laying on of hands for prayer, and more importantly banning full participation in the Lord's Supper. Why do I get the feeling that the leaders of the church have not prayed this one through and asked God for His guidance? Why do I get the feeling that Jesus is saying "Oh ye of little faith!"?

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off, it is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell . And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where "their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9: 43-48) From this teaching of Jesus we can see: (1) That Jesus certianly does believe that hell (greek - geenna) exists. (Indeed if there is no hell, as many churches are now teaching, Jesus suffering was futile!) (2) Jesus is asserting the fact that no one who has sinned can enter the kingdom of God. (Gulp! that's all of us!) (3) The fate of the sinner is so serious that it is worth endless sel...

Perhaps a strange question, but the way many churches talk (or refuse to talk) about hell, you would think he didn't. In the next few days I am going to remind people about the truth about Jesus' beliefs on this subject, according to the most reliable source - ie the Bible.

Question: What is the first verb in Jesus' great commission (Matthew 28:20) That is right we are told to "GO ... therefore and make disciples of all nations". Simple isn't it? Why then have we continuously expected people to 'come' to church, to come to us? Jesus' model for the Church is for the Church to Go! This verb should run through our veins, should be our reason for being, our very essence/DNA. It's about time the whole church got out there in the community to proclaim to the world the Good News of Jesus Christ. A church that is not continuously looking outwardly is dying inwardly!

So I arrived at Elim Church Huddersfield expecting the usual good worship and challenging sermon, only to find that this evening was going to be different. Yes there would be some worship but then we were to be sent out into the market square to witness to passers by. How refreshing is that! We were to use use a questionnaire called 'Who do You Trust the Most?' to start off our conversations with people and invite them to a service on this subject the following week. For some, this was their first experience of public witnessing in this way. Conversation with Chris and his two friends There were three students sat outside McDonalds and I felt that the Holy Spirit was guiding me to them. They were most willing to fill in the questionnaire and treated me with some respect. One of the questions was about who we trust the most. Whilst to Chris politicians were the least trustable, he thought that he himself was amogst those he trusted the most:- Neil: What makes you think that y...

Radio one Dj Chris Moyles had an amazing conversation about a church service he watched on TV the other day. Although clearly non-Christian, there was a real sense of exuberance and excitement as he described the service. Well worth a listen! http://bendigital.com/blog/2009/06/01/chris-moyles-comments-on-thats-the-spirit/

Satan is a liar - Jesus calls him "the father of Lies". One of his greatest lies to the church (in England) over recent years is that you can not set up a toddlers club, an retired person's dinner club, an after school club etc that mentions Jesus. He tells us that relational evangelism is the only way to reach the lost - that encounter evangelism doesn't work any more. (Personally I believe both are effective - as long as in our relationship we don't forget to mention Jesus). Satan is implying that the Holy Spirit has lost His power to convict. Satan tells us that the Gospel is no longer "The power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes". In contrast Jesus tells us that "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." Whose report do you believe? I believe the report of the Lord! There is a brilliant post on this on FriendFluence's blog here

This card was made by my sister. I like it because it reminds me that Jesus made it clear that He is the only way to the Father. It reminds me that there was only one way in which we could be redeemed from the consequence of our sin and that is through Jesus taking the Way of the cross and by our believing and trusting in Jesus and the victory that He claimed there. For this it takes pride of place on my shelf in my office. Jesus answered "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. ( Isaiah 53:4-6 NKJV ) ('borrowed' from my good friend Wayne on Dawgonthelawn )

“ (True) Quietness of heart is not achieved through escapism, optimism or any newly invented technique, but through a relationship with Christ ”. (Doctor Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

I am speechless! (But if we don't speak up for innocent babies then who will?) "He desecrated Topheth, which was in the valley of Ben Hinnom, so no one could use it to sacrifice his son or daughter in the fire to Molech." (2 Kings 23: 10)

There are churches out there that have no intention of offering salvation to the lost. Many are very inward looking, with an "It's all about us" attitude - "they can come and join us if they want." A church that is not l ivi ng OUTWARD LY is DYING INWARDLY! Church was never meant to be like this -in Acts it was all about the church moving outwards (being sent). God is indeed a sending God - not a 'let's hang around and see what happens' type of God. God sends his Son, Jesus send us and sends the Holy Spirit to motivate us to GO. Our first motivation for mission is of course Jesus command to "GO and make disciples of all nations." It is because Jesus is Lord that we say "Yes ... Here I am ... send me" a nd in fact we should need no other motivation than this. For me though I have a picture in my m ind when I am doing mis sion and sharing God's grace and means of salvation. It looks something like this: Beautiful isn't ...

My sister Michelle has amazing gifts as a craft designer. She is involved with a craft club and designs cards and stuff which can be seen here I have no doubt that her gifts are God given! I sometimes pop into a school breakfast club where again (mainly mums) there is regularly some fantastic crafting going on. It was here that I put my hand to designing this fish, painted on wood. My wife liked it so much that she put it up on the wall in our lounge and I felt really encouraged! No I am not a natural but enjoyed making it never the less. Craft has very much been on my mind just recently. I need a craft designer for a Christian after school drama club that I am launching next week. I have my first craft in place. We are thinking about Jesus calming of the storm and so I have designed a boat. On the sails of the boat is written 'Be still and know that I am God' (Psalm 46:10). This 'being still' talks about that peace of God that passes all understanding! - even when we ...

"In highbrow circles, ridiculing Jews is Nazism, ridiculing blacks is racism, ridiculing feminists is sexism, but ridiculing Christians is freedom of speech." (William Reel writing in the The Times - taken from my good friend Peter Graystone's book: Ready Salted) [Ironic smile]

Are you a person who is prepared to witness in your work place? As a retail manager a few years ago I had to go into Leeds to close down a shop. One of the girls was very distraught at the thought of her loosing her job and nonchalantly as anything I offered to pray for her (I meant that I would go home and lift her up to the Lord in prayer) and to my amazement - there and then on the shop floor she closed her eyes expecting me to pray. (Gulp!) I had no choice but to pray. A couple of days later she came running into the shop shouting at the top of her voice - "Neil I've got a new job - your prayer has been answered!" I mention the above having learned today that a Christian nurse in Somerset has been suspended from duty after offering to pray for an elderly patient in her care ( see Ekklesia ). Caroline Petrie who is a Baptist said "I'm not angry and I do understand if people don't believe in the way that I do. But I am upset because I do like this job and t...

I woke up this morning to find that the more elegant snowman that I referred to yesterday has had its head chopped off. You guys need to know - IT WASN'T ME!

Not the economy - but the biggest nation wide snow fall for 18 years (I'm talking inches not feet) in England has brought the nation and particularly London to a stand still. Why? I am told (correct me if I'm wrong) that in New York it can snow for days and life carries on as normal. Anyway it gave me and my daughter opportunity to build this rather elegant looking snowman. Well I thought he looked rather elegant anyway - until that is I looked outside my front door window and saw one twice as big donned with a hat and scarf. All this leaves me with 2 questions: (1) Is coveting the neighbour's snowman really a sin? (2) What has happened to global warming? Answers on a post card please.

The production team of Coronation Street got a blasting in the press this week for covering up a cross that was fixed onto the altar in a church where they were filming a fictitious wedding of two characters from the Street. Their reason? Because they did not want to offend anyone. This of course is political madness gone crazy! We shouldn't be too surprised about this: It was Paul who said that the cross is an offense to unbelievers and considered foolishness to those who are perishing - "but to us who are being saved it is the power of God!" 1 Corinthians 1:18 I am however more concerned for parts of the church who effectively cover up the cross in their denial of the doctrine of penal substitution! - The fact that Jesus took the punishment for our sin, so that those who trust and believe in Him shall not go to hell but have eternal life. This doctrine is absolutely central to the Christian faith and to deny it is as far as I am concerned is to cover up the cross and to...

Is God calling you to be an evangelist in the UK? Why not check out Church Army's Website and view the film entitled: 'Mission Based Training' ? And for further information check out this lead If you want a chat about how exciting this calling can be - contact me by e-mail - details available on my profile. One thing I can confirm for sure: It will be life changing!