To the Cross

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.' ?