After a number of minor health problems over the last few months, I have finally got a diagnosis. Apparently I spend too much time at a computer, exercise too little, eat too many unhealthy foods, and drink too little water. All this has caused quite severe pain in my shoulders and neck. At one point in my assessment I was asked to use some muscles to push downwards. It was a bit like being asked to wiggle my ears. I just didn’t know I had muscles there, never mind how to put them into action!
The ‘cure’, apparently is some physiotherapy, some physician-led exercise three times a week - and a new diet! Quite where I’m going to find an extra six hours a week to do all this, I’m not really sure, but I know I must.
It’s a simple application from the physical to the spiritual, isn’t it? Many of us are spiritually weak, perhaps even having forgotten we are supposed to have some spiritual muscles, it being so long since we have used them. Is it any wonder we’re often so vulnerable to temptation?
Continue reading ‘Spiritual health’
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Tragically, there has been a lot of nonsense written and spoken about the return of Christ. For example, in 1988 Edgar Whisenant published a wildly popular book (which sold around 4 million copies), entitled 88 Reasons why the Rapture will be in 1988. It wasn’t, of course, but undaunted Whisenant wrote a sequel the following year. In a rare moment of common sense the publishers decided not to call it 89 Reasons why the Rapture will be in 1989. Instead it was titled The Final Shout – Rapture Report 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993. I suppose that’s what’s called hedging your bets.
But don’t let the nonsense put you off. The return of Christ is glorious and well worth dwelling on.
Why is Jesus coming back?
Of all the questions we could consider when looking at the return of Christ, the most important is probably Why is Jesus coming back? It is rarely answered. Whenever your thoughts wander to Christ’s return, let them dwell on this question before you ever start thinking about dates and signs and millennial views.
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Adrian is looking for Warnie awards for Christian blogs, and in view of the fact they I’ve enjoyed reading GospelDrivenLife more than any other blog, I feel that deserved the nomination from me.
Although I’ve only been reading the blog for a few weeks, it’s a real joy to be confident of reading something that’s both thoughtful and thought-provoking - I almost always want to leave a comment, or write a post of my own in response!
Most importantly though, I don’t feel as though Mark is beating a drum. All his posts are cross-centred. And you can’t say more than that. In a world where there is so much Gospel Drivel, it’s a pleasure to read something Gospel Driven.
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There’s been a great deal of hot air generated by the number of churches who have cancelled their Christmas services. Most who have followed this route are holding Christmas Eve services instead, as those who usually attend would not be willing to attend on Christmas Day. A Willow Creek spokeswoman made this clear:
“If our target and our mission is to reach the unchurched, basically the people who don’t go to church, how likely is it that they’ll be going to church on Christmas morning?” (source: CNN)
Frankly, whether Willow Creek has its services on a Saturday or a Sunday, does not matter one iota to me. The Biblical mandate to meet on the Lord’s Day is given to the Lord’s people, not to the unchurched or to seekers.
Willow Creek and other places like it are just being true to its vision. Despite it’s name, it’s not a church - it’s an outreach centre. An frankly, an outreach centre can have its meetings on any day that it chooses.
But it’s impossible to imagine that church leaders would want to prevent people who think that worshipping God together with His people is just about the best thing they can do on Christmas day?
Continue reading ‘Skipping church at Christmas?’
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It seems I’m not the only one concerned about the influence that entertainment is having in our lives. Rob’s post takes a slightly different slant from my recent article. His great concern is the way we often are entertained by sin, my concern also the time entertainment uses up, which we could be using for more glorious things. Either way, the solution is the same. To quote from the post:
Do not love the world any longer. It is dying. It is corroding and rotting. Those who love it will die, corrode, and rot with it. Love the Father. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Love one another. Follow King Jesus and learn of His pleasures. They are eternally satisfying, full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control. They are rivers of delight. They cause abundance of happiness. And the cross provides it all.
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