Category Archives: Christian Life

Conquering the dark side of money

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Richard Foster offers some practical suggestions of how we can get to grips with what he calls ‘the dark side of money’:-

1.  Let’s get in touch with our feelings about money.  Let’s acknowledge our fear, our insecurity, our guilt about it.  Let’s realise that we often feel threatened by the whole subject of money.  We may be afraid that we have too little, or afraid that we have too much.  If we have been raised with little we may develop a hoarding attitude; if we have been raised in affluence notions of frugality may seems like vices rather than virtues.…

Money, sex and power

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Money, sex and power, writes Richard Foster, are inseparably intertwined:-

Money manifests itself as power.  Sex is used to acquire both money and power.  And power is often called ‘the best aphrodisiac’.  We could discuss at length the interlacing connections.  There is, for example, an important relationship between sex and poverty: sex is the poor man’s holiday and the poor woman’s disaster.  Note also the connection between power and wealth: power is frequently used to manipulate wealth, and wealth is used just as frequently to buy power. 

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Praying for people we have never met

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I like this entry in the Handbook of Bible Application:-

Sometimes we wonder how to pray for missionaries and other leaders we have never met. Paul had never met the Colossians, but he faithfully prayed for them. His prayers teach us how to pray for others, whether we know them or not. We can request that they

  1. understand God’s will,
  2. gain spiritual wisdom,
  3. please and honor God,
  4. bear good fruit,
  5. grow in the knowledge of God,
  6. be filled with God’s strength,
  7. have great endurance and patience,
  8. stay full of Christ’s joy, and
  9. give thanks always

All believers have these same basic needs.…

Options for rich Christians

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John Stott outlines three options for rich Christians.

Become poor

It might be supposed that 2 Cor 8:9 teaches this. Consider also:-

(a) The example of Jesus. He was born into a poor home. He had no home and few possessions. ‘He taught from a borrowed boat, rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey, spent his last evening in a borrowed room, and was buried in a borrowed tomb. He and his disicples shared a common purse, and depended for their support on a group of women who sometimes accompanied them.…

Julian of Norwich

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Recently, I attended a Eucharist.  It being the feast day of Julian of Norwich (8th May), some attention was given within the service to this spiritual writer (1342-c1416).

Those who know me, or who are regular readers of my web site will realise that I was slightly out of my comfort zone at this event.  Clearly, we were firmly within the High Church, or Anglo-Catholic tradition of the Church of England.  A crucifix was prominent, as was a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and various other accoutrements of that tradition.…

Celebrating the Cross

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Reflection on the death of Christ and its achievement, so far from being a sombre experience, actually leads to a type and degree of celebration that can be found nowhere else.

For the cross brings us into a new relationship with God.  This relationship is marked by boldness, love and joy.  And these do not belong merely in the interior experience of the individual believers, but are to distinguish our public worship.

As W.M. Clow points out:-

‘There is no forgiveness in this world, or in that which is to come, except through the cross of Christ. …

The television mind

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It would be easy to moan about the negative impact that television has had on our ability to think.

So here goes.

Despite the impact of computer technology, television continues the shape the way people think, feel and behave.  And in some ways the impact of TV may be greater even than schools, families and churches.

Many people get their news, and have their opinions moulded by, television (rather than by books and newspapers).

This creates a peculiar climate for Christian apologetics. …

Meditation

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In a number of religious traditions, both Christian and non-Christian, the practice of ‘meditation’ is understood to be a non-verbal way of praying.  This can often reflect a certain suspicion of propositional truth and verbal expression.

The relevant article in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia provides helpful clarification:-

‘In the biblical world meditation was not a silent practice. [The underpinning Hebrew word] means “growl,” “utter” or “moan” as well as “meditate” or “muse.” No doubt meditation involved a muttering sound from reading half aloud or conversing with oneself.

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John 17 – What if Jesus did not pray? – sermon notes

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A long time ago, a young man finished an evening meal with his friends, spoke to them about various things, then looked up to the sky, and prayed.

I want you to imagine for a moment that it never happened.

I want you to imagine that he did not at this time pray for himself. What would be the point? He had been hated, hounded, and harangued, he had been betrayed into his enemy’s hands, and they were going to kill him the next day.…

1 Tim 6:3-10, 17-19 – Living simply – sermon notes

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Could we be contented with less in order to give away more?

We probably have items – cutlery, crockery, baby equipment, clothing, furniture, toys – that are in good condition but we don’t use or need them. We know that The Besom is able to pass them on to vulnerable people who really do need them.

We could easily identify one area in our everyday lives in which we could practice conservation (water, paper), sharing (books, tools, transport) or recycling (plastic, aluminium).…