When Deborah Orr was diagnosed with cancer, she learned that there are ten things you should never, ever say to someone when they’re sick:-
1. “I feel so sorry for you.” Don’t say it with words. Don’t even say it with your eyes. Or with your hand (by patting the patient on the thigh). Who wants to be made to feel like an object of pity; a helpless victim? What you must say is, “”I so wish you didn’t have to go through this ghastly time.”…
“Irrespective of whether you currently pray or not, if you were to pray for something at the moment, what would it be for?”
This was the intriguing question posed in a recent online survey, conducted by ICM Research, of 2,000 adults in England, Scotland and Wales.
The most popular answers were:-
Just 15% said that they would not ever pray for anything.…
I recently got round to listening to the podcast of a discussion on this topic on Premier Christian Radio’s Unbelievable show. The Revd Dr Alasdair Coles is a neurologist and a Christian. His interest in the subject was stimulated by meeting a Christian patient who claimed to have some very powerful religious experiences but which, as it seems, were actually being triggered by epilepsy. The sceptical perspective was represented by Martyn Frame, a psychological therapist.…
B.M. Palmer, Theology of Prayer, ch. 10
All the objections to the necessity of prayer are based on a misunderstanding of its nature and purpose. If prayer were intended to inform God of what he did not already know, or to stir up his reluctant generosity, or to persuade him to change his plans by appeals to his reason, then it would be an affront to God’s nature and a denial of his divine attributes. …
Communication with God is immensely important, but also difficult. It is real for the Christian, who experiences God in forgiveness and mercy, in love, joy and peace, and in prayer. However, it fluctuates, hence the need for nurture through meditation and similar means.
Christian meditation
1. Elevates, because of God’s immensity.
This is true in the material realm, as in contemplation of the vastness of the heavens.
But it is even more true in the spiritual realm. …
James 1:26 says, ‘If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.’
According to Prov 18:21, ‘The tongue has the power of life and death.’ It was said in time of war that ‘careless talk costs lives’.
In a courtroom situation, the spoken verdict of the judge can spell the difference between conviction or acquittal, punishment or freedom, sometimes even death or life.…
John Flavel (1628-1691) offers much in very few words:-
If therefore, in doubtful cases, you would discover God’s will, govern yourselves in your search after it by these rules:
1. Get the true fear of God upon your hearts; be really afraid of offending him.
2. Study the Word more, and the concerns and interests of the world less.
3. Reduce what you know into practice, and you shall know what is your duty to practice.…
In his celebrated book, Holiness, J.C. Ryle writes with his customary vigour about the Christian fight. He takes as his text 1 Timothy 6:12 – “Fight the good fight of faith.”
What follows is a summary.
Many are fascinated by warfare and fighting. But there is a warfare that is as real as any human battle, and of far greater importance. It is waged by every Christian man and woman who ever entered the world.…
In his celebrated book Holiness, J.C. Ryle writes:-
Bare simple faith in Christ shall save a man, though he may never attain to assurance; but will it bring him to heaven with strong and abounding consolations? I will concede that it shall land him safe in harbor; but I will not concede that he will enter that harbor in full sail, confident and rejoicing. I would not be surprised if he reaches his desired haven weather-beaten and tempest-tossed, scarcely realizing his own safety, till he opens his eyes in glory.…
Christians, as J.I. Packer reminds us, believe in divine guidance. We believe that God has a plan for us, and we believe that God is able to communicate that plan to us.
We fall into error, however, when we think of guidance as inward prompting of the Holy Spirit apart from God’s written Word.
It is a mistake to narrow the focus of guidance exclusively to vocational guidance (Whom should I marry? Which church should I join?…
