By Not Known The Christian faith has many puzzles that seem to raise ‘either / or’ questions. Is God three or one? Was Jesus divine or human? Is the Bible divine or human? Does God rule everything or are we responsible? Do we need faith or works? Many of these puzzles have ‘both / and’…
By Not Known We want to be the best. That’s common for nations, organisations, individuals and even for churches. We boast of our triumphs and define the contest so narrowly that we can all be the best at something. Tiny triumphs indeed! Let’s face it, most of us are not the best at anything much.…
By Not Known Most of us love to have a lasting and sustained relationship with God through Jesus. For some, keeping spiritual disciplines such as prayer and Bible-reading is quite in line with their almost regimental outlook to life. For others, serving where the needs could often keep them busily in touch with the church.…
By Not Known Many would remember the rock opera by Tim Rice and Andrew Llyod Webber, Jesus Christ Superstar. It shook the Christian world with the song that implied Mary Magdalene was Jesus’ lover. Then when Da Vinci Code came out, it stirred up once again the controversy that Mary Magdalene was married to Jesus.…
By Not Known People have a way of forming a religion centred on an object, whether be it a supreme person, a deity-like animal, or an inanimate thing of mythical origin. The Bible warns against such worship of created beings rather than the Creator alone (Ex 20:3-4; Rom 1:25). Unfortunately, Christianity is also subjected to…
By Not Known The last rays of sunlight left the evening sky and the lights of the city begin to shine brightly against the dark sky. I did not turn on the light in my SGH room. These were precious moments for me after the last visitors were ushered out. I savoured every moment of…
By Not Known Most of us want to be happy and we want happiness for those whom we love. There is nothing wrong with the pursuit of happiness. But there is everything wrong with looking for happiness in the wrong place. Many seek happiness through having ‘things’ such as possessions, wealth, degrees, titles, career, relationships,…
By Not Known Many people live with a sense of a bad past. We may have a sense of a bad childhood with overly strict, uncaring, foolish or abusive parents. Or perhaps there were experiences at school or with friends, strangers or neighbours that leave us scared. Maybe our sense of a bad past is…
By Not Known Who are you? Consider these views: I think therefore I am. (Descartes) I am but a monkey shaved. (WS Gilbert – adapted) I am the master of my fate and the captain of my soul. (WE Henly) I am who I am. (Popeye the sailor man) I think I am IM therefore…
By Not Known We sometimes make a virtue of being passionless. Thus we respond to suffering with a (non-Christian) stoical ‘stiff upper lip’ instead of a tear. And permit ourselves just a passing smile at joy. This is not the heart of Jesus or of his Father. The Gospels show the passion of Jesus in…