The purpose of Christianity is not to avoid difficulty, but to produce a character adequate to meet it when it comes. It does not make life easy; rather it tries to make us great enough for life.
Friday, 28 November 2008
A short thought for today
The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.
(G.K. Chesterton)
(G.K. Chesterton)
Friday, 21 November 2008
Ten Reasons Why I Never Wash!
What's your reason for not going to church?
Before you answer read 'Ten Reasons Why I Never Wash'
1. I was forced to wash as a child.
2. People who wash are all hypocrites: they think that they are cleaner than everyone else.
3. There are so many different kinds of soap; I just can't decide which one is best for me.
4. I used to wash, but I got bored and stopped doing it.
5. I only wash on special occasions like Christmas, Easter, weddings and funerals.
6. None of my friends wash.
7. I'll start to wash when I get older and dirtier.
8. I don't have time to wash.
9. The bathroom is never warm enough in winter, or cool enough in summer.
10. The people who make soap are only after your money.
I'm sure that you'll admit these are silly reasons not to wash.
Read the list again replacing the word 'wash' with 'go to church' and the words 'soap' and 'bathroom' with 'church'. This is ten of the most common reasons why people say that they don't go to church.
I'm not saying that these are silly reasons not to go to church. In church you'll find a loving family to belong to, a faith to live by and a focus for your life. Most people find that church is a lot different than they expect and that it does have a positive impact on their life rather than the negative impact that society portrays.
The New Year is an ideal opportunity to make some positive changes in your life. Why not make it your New Year resolution to go to church and find out for yourself? See you on Sunday!
Before you answer read 'Ten Reasons Why I Never Wash'
1. I was forced to wash as a child.
2. People who wash are all hypocrites: they think that they are cleaner than everyone else.
3. There are so many different kinds of soap; I just can't decide which one is best for me.
4. I used to wash, but I got bored and stopped doing it.
5. I only wash on special occasions like Christmas, Easter, weddings and funerals.
6. None of my friends wash.
7. I'll start to wash when I get older and dirtier.
8. I don't have time to wash.
9. The bathroom is never warm enough in winter, or cool enough in summer.
10. The people who make soap are only after your money.
I'm sure that you'll admit these are silly reasons not to wash.
Read the list again replacing the word 'wash' with 'go to church' and the words 'soap' and 'bathroom' with 'church'. This is ten of the most common reasons why people say that they don't go to church.
I'm not saying that these are silly reasons not to go to church. In church you'll find a loving family to belong to, a faith to live by and a focus for your life. Most people find that church is a lot different than they expect and that it does have a positive impact on their life rather than the negative impact that society portrays.
The New Year is an ideal opportunity to make some positive changes in your life. Why not make it your New Year resolution to go to church and find out for yourself? See you on Sunday!
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Christmas Excess
Christmas, the season of excess (going over the top)…
- we party to excess
- we drink to excess
- we eat to excess
- we buy presents to excess
- in some cases we decorate our houses to excess
and in order to do all this we nearly all spend to excess and then have to borrow to excess to pay for it.
This only leads to STRESS IN EXCESS!
And after all of the excess what then?
We have to pay for it…
- we put on weight, so we go on a diet or join the gym
- we make New Year resolutions to do better
- we struggle to repay loans and credit cards
sometimes we even make ourselves ill with the stress of it all.
The excess of Christmas is always short-lived and afterwards comes the pain when we suffer for our indulgences. That is not what Christmas is about, it is about abundance or fullness not excess.
At Christmas we remember that God came to earth in the form of Jesus. In the Bible we read that Jesus said, "I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." One translation says 'life to the full'. Jesus came so that we could get the most out of life, so that we could have an abundant life, not one of excesses. Living a life of excess does not bring happiness but a life of abundance (or fullness) does - we all want the most out of life and living to excess does not bring it.
This Christmas let's put aside some of the excesses and search out the abundant life that Jesus promises.
- we party to excess
- we drink to excess
- we eat to excess
- we buy presents to excess
- in some cases we decorate our houses to excess
and in order to do all this we nearly all spend to excess and then have to borrow to excess to pay for it.
This only leads to STRESS IN EXCESS!
And after all of the excess what then?
We have to pay for it…
- we put on weight, so we go on a diet or join the gym
- we make New Year resolutions to do better
- we struggle to repay loans and credit cards
sometimes we even make ourselves ill with the stress of it all.
The excess of Christmas is always short-lived and afterwards comes the pain when we suffer for our indulgences. That is not what Christmas is about, it is about abundance or fullness not excess.
At Christmas we remember that God came to earth in the form of Jesus. In the Bible we read that Jesus said, "I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." One translation says 'life to the full'. Jesus came so that we could get the most out of life, so that we could have an abundant life, not one of excesses. Living a life of excess does not bring happiness but a life of abundance (or fullness) does - we all want the most out of life and living to excess does not bring it.
This Christmas let's put aside some of the excesses and search out the abundant life that Jesus promises.
Friday, 14 November 2008
Would you like to know the truth?
"Would you like to know the truth?" So goes the title of a leaflet being delivered around the village by the Jehovah's Witnesses.
Like many of tracts that they produce there is an element of Christianity in what they say in this leaflet - they even quote from the Bible (or their particular version of it). It's only when you take things forward and begin to get involved that the real truth of their beliefs comes out. This is why they are regarded by many as a sect and to be avoided.
If you'd really like to know the truth then I'd recommend that you make contact with an evangelical church near you. Whilst not everyone believes exactly the same thing there are some fundamental truths that do not change. These form the basis of what Christianity is all about.
Here in Shipdham we have a Christianity Explored course beginning early in the New Year where you can find out what Christians really believe without making any commitment. You don't have to do anything other than enjoy the refreshments and watch the DVD and you can ask any question that you'd like - while we may no know the answer we will be able to explore the issue. Please contact me for more details.
Like many of tracts that they produce there is an element of Christianity in what they say in this leaflet - they even quote from the Bible (or their particular version of it). It's only when you take things forward and begin to get involved that the real truth of their beliefs comes out. This is why they are regarded by many as a sect and to be avoided.
If you'd really like to know the truth then I'd recommend that you make contact with an evangelical church near you. Whilst not everyone believes exactly the same thing there are some fundamental truths that do not change. These form the basis of what Christianity is all about.
Here in Shipdham we have a Christianity Explored course beginning early in the New Year where you can find out what Christians really believe without making any commitment. You don't have to do anything other than enjoy the refreshments and watch the DVD and you can ask any question that you'd like - while we may no know the answer we will be able to explore the issue. Please contact me for more details.
Things God Won't Ask
- God won't ask what kind of car you drove, He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transport.
- God won't ask the size of your house, He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
- God won't ask about the clothes you had in your wardrobe, He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.
- God won't ask what your highest salary was, He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.
- God won't ask what your job title was, He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of our ability.
- God won't ask how many friends you had, He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
- God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.
- God won't ask about the color of your skin, He'll ask about the content of your character.
Thursday, 13 November 2008
A short thought for today
Slow Dance
Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round
or listened to the rain slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight
or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down. Don't dance so fast.
Time is short. The music won't last.
Do you run through each day on the fly?
When you ask "How are you? " do you hear the reply?
When the day is done so you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores running through your head?
You better slow down. Don't dance so fast.
Time is short. The music won't last.
Ever told your child, "We'll do it tomorrow"?
And in your haste, not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch, let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time to call and say, "Hi"
You better slow down. Don't dance so fast.
Time is short. The music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift thrown away.
Life is not a race. Do take it slower.
Hear the music before the song is over.
Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round
or listened to the rain slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight
or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down. Don't dance so fast.
Time is short. The music won't last.
Do you run through each day on the fly?
When you ask "How are you? " do you hear the reply?
When the day is done so you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores running through your head?
You better slow down. Don't dance so fast.
Time is short. The music won't last.
Ever told your child, "We'll do it tomorrow"?
And in your haste, not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch, let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time to call and say, "Hi"
You better slow down. Don't dance so fast.
Time is short. The music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift thrown away.
Life is not a race. Do take it slower.
Hear the music before the song is over.
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