To the Cross

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!