well I've finally joined the big FB.
and what a challenge it is too, or is that just a sign of age
like when your grandchildren can work the dvd recorder faster than you can sneeze.
still we've got there and you can access it via http://christchurchoswestry.org/
or I suppose by going onto your Face Book account and looking up Paster Nick.
But does it take more time to manage more social accounts than you actually have time to live.
That's rather like of those measures of the probability of chance in enabling the evolution of life all by itself from bio-chemical building blocks. A number with so many zeros that most of us cant pronounce it and none of us could live long enough to count it out.
Let the adventure begin.
God bless.
Saturday, 19 March 2011
Sunday, 12 December 2010
Christmas Decisions
Have you seen how the Christmas season has become decision season - it's the finals for the X Factor, and Strictly Come Dancing and the BBC Sports personality of the year - with the competitor's hopes resting on the judges and the people's votes. Do you join in, do you give your decisions, do you voice your vote?
When the wise men came to visit Jesus, they first went to Herod. He also said he wanted to know where Jesus could be found, so he also could worship Him. But Herod only wanted to know where Jesus was so he could get rid of Him. There are some people who feel that about Christmas, as Dicken's Jacob Marley says in the Christmas Carol, it's all humbug. Now most people are not like that - Horrible Herod is a king too far, rather most people are more like the priests whom Herod consulted. They know what Christmas is all about but they don't let it make any real difference to their lives.
There's a story of a tree who wanted to be chosen to be a Christmas tree. But no one chose her - she was so wrong for so many reasons. Rejection made the tree sad as she thought she was missing out on Christmas, but then God's angels come to her and decorated her with the gifts of Jesus, the gifts of love, forgiveness, peace, the abundant and eternal life. Instead of losing out for Christmas she'd found the true Christmas. If the angels offered the same gifts to you would you take the offer? And if you did would that be because you're only being polite? It's just what you do at Christmas.
But what do most of us really want in our lives: to be rejected, to be uprooted and cut down and generally put upon or love, forgiveness and peace? And how often are our hopes of Christmas spoilt by the cries of 'is that all it is?'; by broken promises and the loss of those we have loved. Don't most of us want the abundant, the eternal life, the life of blessings that never stops being good, the joy that lasts longer than a turkey dinner, the love that's deeper than a two minute song, the prize that wont be passed on to another winner? When its all done who can remember the previous Strictly, or X Factor winner and the Sports Personality of any number of years ago? The real Christmas is around you. The decision time is upon you. Mary and Joseph did it, the shepherds did it, the wise men did it. Will you do it? Who will give a Yes to Jesus today? Then do it!
When the wise men came to visit Jesus, they first went to Herod. He also said he wanted to know where Jesus could be found, so he also could worship Him. But Herod only wanted to know where Jesus was so he could get rid of Him. There are some people who feel that about Christmas, as Dicken's Jacob Marley says in the Christmas Carol, it's all humbug. Now most people are not like that - Horrible Herod is a king too far, rather most people are more like the priests whom Herod consulted. They know what Christmas is all about but they don't let it make any real difference to their lives.
There's a story of a tree who wanted to be chosen to be a Christmas tree. But no one chose her - she was so wrong for so many reasons. Rejection made the tree sad as she thought she was missing out on Christmas, but then God's angels come to her and decorated her with the gifts of Jesus, the gifts of love, forgiveness, peace, the abundant and eternal life. Instead of losing out for Christmas she'd found the true Christmas. If the angels offered the same gifts to you would you take the offer? And if you did would that be because you're only being polite? It's just what you do at Christmas.
But what do most of us really want in our lives: to be rejected, to be uprooted and cut down and generally put upon or love, forgiveness and peace? And how often are our hopes of Christmas spoilt by the cries of 'is that all it is?'; by broken promises and the loss of those we have loved. Don't most of us want the abundant, the eternal life, the life of blessings that never stops being good, the joy that lasts longer than a turkey dinner, the love that's deeper than a two minute song, the prize that wont be passed on to another winner? When its all done who can remember the previous Strictly, or X Factor winner and the Sports Personality of any number of years ago? The real Christmas is around you. The decision time is upon you. Mary and Joseph did it, the shepherds did it, the wise men did it. Will you do it? Who will give a Yes to Jesus today? Then do it!
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Rejoicing at the rescue of the Chilean miners
I'm sure we've all been amazed by the good news of the rescue of the 33 trapped miners in Chile. The BBC reported it under the heading: miners clock off 69-day shift from hell. Surely it was a hellish experience being trapped 2300 feet underground, enduring life without sunlight, fresh air, and loved ones, and for the first 17 days without any hope of rescue. How the men's hearts must have echoed the cry of psalm 13: "How long, O Lord? How long will You hide Your face from us? Give light to our eyes or we will sleep in death." It is by the blessing of God they were all rescued. No wonder when they were found and were then sent food, water, and general supplies, they also wanted Bibles, and MP3 players containing the New Testament and “The Story of Jesus”. As Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said “we looked for them like our children. We found them with God's help. We rescued them as Chileans.”
We prayed for this rescue in Christ Church. Hundreds of thousands of churches prayed for this. Millions of people across the world prayed for this. Chile as a nation, where over 90% of people are Christians, prayed for this. And the miners prayed. One of the men trapped was Jose Henriquez, an evangelical part-time preacher, who led the men in worship twice a day, in the morning and at lunch time, surely calling them to the hope expressed in psalm 13: "I trust in Your unfailing love," whose first action on leaving the rescue Fenix, like that of others, was to kneel on the ground to pray and praise God. As Mario Sepulveda, the second miner to be rescued said: "I have been with God and with the devil. I fought between the two. I seized the hand of God, it was the best hand. I always knew God would get us out of there."
After 69 days facing death these men have a literal chance to make a new life. Cristian Nunez, nephew of one of the miners, speaking after his uncle's rescue, put it this way "In this world we worry so much about insignificant things, while these 33 men were trapped underground just trying to survive. Maybe it's time we all started concentrating on the vital things in life …”
Already we've seen some of that re-valuation of the vital things in life. Esteban Rojas proposed to his girlfriend of many years. Raul Bastos wrote to his wife during his days below saying: “My God left me alive with a miracle and with a purpose.” Victor Zamora, the poet amongst the miners wrote: ”under the earth there is a ray of light ... I have been born again.” Although Yonni Rojas has some sorting out to do, for his wife met his mistress when they came to the same prayer vigil.
As the Auxiliary Bishop of Santiago, Cristian Contreras Villarroel said the lives of the 33 are a sign of the need all people have for redemption. And as another Chilean Bishop commented, the lives of these men remind us that: "There is no saint [ie Christian] without a past, nor sinner without a future." Everyone who trusts in Jesus is also a saint with a past and a sinner with a future – not because there is anything special about Christians as people but because of God's grace. No one can rescue themselves from death or hell, but we can be rescued by the Lord. Is it your time to start concentrating on the vital things in life?
We prayed for this rescue in Christ Church. Hundreds of thousands of churches prayed for this. Millions of people across the world prayed for this. Chile as a nation, where over 90% of people are Christians, prayed for this. And the miners prayed. One of the men trapped was Jose Henriquez, an evangelical part-time preacher, who led the men in worship twice a day, in the morning and at lunch time, surely calling them to the hope expressed in psalm 13: "I trust in Your unfailing love," whose first action on leaving the rescue Fenix, like that of others, was to kneel on the ground to pray and praise God. As Mario Sepulveda, the second miner to be rescued said: "I have been with God and with the devil. I fought between the two. I seized the hand of God, it was the best hand. I always knew God would get us out of there."
After 69 days facing death these men have a literal chance to make a new life. Cristian Nunez, nephew of one of the miners, speaking after his uncle's rescue, put it this way "In this world we worry so much about insignificant things, while these 33 men were trapped underground just trying to survive. Maybe it's time we all started concentrating on the vital things in life …”
Already we've seen some of that re-valuation of the vital things in life. Esteban Rojas proposed to his girlfriend of many years. Raul Bastos wrote to his wife during his days below saying: “My God left me alive with a miracle and with a purpose.” Victor Zamora, the poet amongst the miners wrote: ”under the earth there is a ray of light ... I have been born again.” Although Yonni Rojas has some sorting out to do, for his wife met his mistress when they came to the same prayer vigil.
As the Auxiliary Bishop of Santiago, Cristian Contreras Villarroel said the lives of the 33 are a sign of the need all people have for redemption. And as another Chilean Bishop commented, the lives of these men remind us that: "There is no saint [ie Christian] without a past, nor sinner without a future." Everyone who trusts in Jesus is also a saint with a past and a sinner with a future – not because there is anything special about Christians as people but because of God's grace. No one can rescue themselves from death or hell, but we can be rescued by the Lord. Is it your time to start concentrating on the vital things in life?
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
If you were trapped 2,300 ft below ground, what would YOU ask for?
What have the 33 trapped Chilean miners asked for?
Some things you would very much expect.
Letters from loved ones. Medicines. Tooth paste and brushes.
Food including vitamin drinks and oranges.
Entertainment: a games console and a pack of dice.
A camera – to make a personal record.
And two other things also.
Signed Barcelona football shirts and Bibles.
I can understand the Bibles. When you are caught between life and death; especially when that is below ground, getting in touch with God, by whose almighty power Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, seems a wise thing to do. But why, when you are caught between life and death, would you want a signed football shirt?
Perhaps as a warmer? Perhaps to give you hope as you look forward to what you team might win. Perhaps because to wear the shirt helps you forget your worries as you remember what your team has done. But it's still only a shirt. If it has any meaning it's only in what you give it. A shirt cant even stand up unless you hold it up. Someone somewhere takes the raw materials and shapes them into a shirt – in the form of a man, of a man in all his glory but it has no life without a man. It carries words but it cannot speak. It has arms but it cannot lift. Is it not essentially empty.
The Bible is a library of words but to read it is to converse with the living word. The Bible is an open way to the God who raises people from the dead. It is the speaking voice of God. Can a shirt, even a football shirt, declare what will be? But the Lord has declared the future from the past, and what He has said, He will do. Whether trapped in a mine, or trapped in suffering above ground, there is no condemnation, no going down instead of coming up, for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Christians, whether stuck in a mine or stuck in life, are encouraged to remember that present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that is to come. So we invite you to let go of your trust in the things of this life, and instead put your trust in Jesus.
Some things you would very much expect.
Letters from loved ones. Medicines. Tooth paste and brushes.
Food including vitamin drinks and oranges.
Entertainment: a games console and a pack of dice.
A camera – to make a personal record.
And two other things also.
Signed Barcelona football shirts and Bibles.
I can understand the Bibles. When you are caught between life and death; especially when that is below ground, getting in touch with God, by whose almighty power Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, seems a wise thing to do. But why, when you are caught between life and death, would you want a signed football shirt?
Perhaps as a warmer? Perhaps to give you hope as you look forward to what you team might win. Perhaps because to wear the shirt helps you forget your worries as you remember what your team has done. But it's still only a shirt. If it has any meaning it's only in what you give it. A shirt cant even stand up unless you hold it up. Someone somewhere takes the raw materials and shapes them into a shirt – in the form of a man, of a man in all his glory but it has no life without a man. It carries words but it cannot speak. It has arms but it cannot lift. Is it not essentially empty.
The Bible is a library of words but to read it is to converse with the living word. The Bible is an open way to the God who raises people from the dead. It is the speaking voice of God. Can a shirt, even a football shirt, declare what will be? But the Lord has declared the future from the past, and what He has said, He will do. Whether trapped in a mine, or trapped in suffering above ground, there is no condemnation, no going down instead of coming up, for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Christians, whether stuck in a mine or stuck in life, are encouraged to remember that present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that is to come. So we invite you to let go of your trust in the things of this life, and instead put your trust in Jesus.
Thursday, 30 September 2010
The Pope's visit 2010
The Pope: 17th September 2010:
I am convinced that .. there are many areas in which the Church and the public authorities can work together for the good of citizens.
Yet “I cannot but voice my concern at the increasing marginalization of religion, particularly of Christianity, that is taking place in some quarters, even in nations which place a great emphasis on tolerance. There are those who would advocate that the voice of religion be silenced, or at least relegated to the purely private sphere. There are those who argue that the public celebration of festivals such as Christmas should be discouraged, in the questionable belief that it might somehow offend those of other religions or none. And there are those who argue – paradoxically with the intention of eliminating discrimination – that Christians in public roles should be required at times to act against their conscience. These are worrying signs of a failure to appreciate not only the rights of believers to freedom of conscience and freedom of religion, but also the legitimate role of religion in the public square. I would invite all of you, therefore, within your respective spheres of influence, to seek ways of promoting and encouraging dialogue between faith and reason at every level of national life.
“The angels looking down on us from the magnificent ceiling of this ancient [Westminster] Hall remind us of the long tradition from which British Parliamentary democracy has evolved. They remind us that God is constantly watching over us to guide and protect us. And they summon us to acknowledge the vital contribution that religious belief has made and can continue to make to the life of the nation.” [from the Pope’s speech 17th September 2010]
Sunday 19 September 2010 Prime Minister’s farewell speech to Pope Benedict XVI:
“Your Holiness ..you have offered a message not just to the Catholic Church but to each and every one of us of every faith and none. A challenge to us all to follow our conscience, to ask not what are my entitlements, but what are my responsibilities? to ask not what we can do for ourselves, but what we can do for others?
“For many, faith is a spur to action. It shapes their beliefs and behaviour; and it gives them a sense of purpose... it ...inspires them to help others. And we should celebrate that. Faith is part of the fabric of our country. It always has been and it always will be.
“But people do not have to share a religious faith or agree with religion on everything to see the benefit of asking the searching questions that … your Holiness, [has] posed to us about our society and how we treat ourselves and each other. You have really challenged the whole country to sit up and think, and that can only be a good thing.”
But a generally good thing only becomes your personal goodness when you respond to it. An unopened present gives no blessing. Jesus Christ is God's good gift of love and life offered freely to you. Will you receive the gift or will you forever leave it unopened?
I am convinced that .. there are many areas in which the Church and the public authorities can work together for the good of citizens.
Yet “I cannot but voice my concern at the increasing marginalization of religion, particularly of Christianity, that is taking place in some quarters, even in nations which place a great emphasis on tolerance. There are those who would advocate that the voice of religion be silenced, or at least relegated to the purely private sphere. There are those who argue that the public celebration of festivals such as Christmas should be discouraged, in the questionable belief that it might somehow offend those of other religions or none. And there are those who argue – paradoxically with the intention of eliminating discrimination – that Christians in public roles should be required at times to act against their conscience. These are worrying signs of a failure to appreciate not only the rights of believers to freedom of conscience and freedom of religion, but also the legitimate role of religion in the public square. I would invite all of you, therefore, within your respective spheres of influence, to seek ways of promoting and encouraging dialogue between faith and reason at every level of national life.
“The angels looking down on us from the magnificent ceiling of this ancient [Westminster] Hall remind us of the long tradition from which British Parliamentary democracy has evolved. They remind us that God is constantly watching over us to guide and protect us. And they summon us to acknowledge the vital contribution that religious belief has made and can continue to make to the life of the nation.” [from the Pope’s speech 17th September 2010]
Sunday 19 September 2010 Prime Minister’s farewell speech to Pope Benedict XVI:
“Your Holiness ..you have offered a message not just to the Catholic Church but to each and every one of us of every faith and none. A challenge to us all to follow our conscience, to ask not what are my entitlements, but what are my responsibilities? to ask not what we can do for ourselves, but what we can do for others?
“For many, faith is a spur to action. It shapes their beliefs and behaviour; and it gives them a sense of purpose... it ...inspires them to help others. And we should celebrate that. Faith is part of the fabric of our country. It always has been and it always will be.
“But people do not have to share a religious faith or agree with religion on everything to see the benefit of asking the searching questions that … your Holiness, [has] posed to us about our society and how we treat ourselves and each other. You have really challenged the whole country to sit up and think, and that can only be a good thing.”
But a generally good thing only becomes your personal goodness when you respond to it. An unopened present gives no blessing. Jesus Christ is God's good gift of love and life offered freely to you. Will you receive the gift or will you forever leave it unopened?
Friday, 30 July 2010
University Researchers confirm Bible truth: Friendship is good for you.
The research suggests that lack of friends cuts survival odds far more than being obese or not exercising. Professor Sally Macintyre, director of the Medical Research Council's Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, proposes that “policy-makers and health care staff should note this important finding, and … build on it to find out how we can use social relationships to reduce the risk of death."
...
Do you notice the underlined words? The Professor, having discovered that friendship is good for life, urges policy - makers to use it. But friendship isn't something you can use to mprove your life. You can't do friendship in the way you can do diets or exercise. That's why it's so challenging to many, for many are focused on getting – getting ahead, getting money, getting by, & getting the latest, when friendship is about giving.
You can't get friends in order to live longer. The heart of many social problems is that we are so devoted to loving ourselves and our own families we have forgotten that love is for others. Such love will not flow from a health prescription: GP to patient, “For a long life I prescribe time off work, pills before meals and two new friends a week.” Such love only flows from God. If we really want everyone to live longer, we should encourage them to seek God, for this is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.
Love brings us to the great mystery: whoever wants to save his life will lost it, but whoever loses his life for Jesus will find it. Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. When we do that then we find life, abundant life, life in all its fullness, and not just a longer life before death but eternal life.
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
Milo: Microsoft's "virtual human": the good news?
Milo is Microsoft's "virtual human"that reacts to a person's emotions,body movements and voice.The technology is the brainchild of veteran UK games designer Peter Molyneux. Is this the 'Good news? Mr Molyneux demonstrated Milo at the European TED: (Technology, Entertainment and Design); under the theme: "and now the good news".He said that he wanted to create a character "that seemed alive, that would look me in the eyes, and feel real"; “you are actually sculpting a human being.” He also said that the later stages of the game, which were not shown, allowed a player to explore the landscape with Milo more freely."There are lots of adventures - some of which are quite dark."And as if to prove it, the player encouraged Milo to crush a garden snail!
When we try to be like God, darkness soon follows. There was a man and a woman. And the woman became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son. And later she gave birth to a second son. The first son was jealous of the second son, so one day he said to his brother, “Let's go out to the field”, and while they were in the field, he attacked his brother and killed him. [from the book of the Bible called Genesis, which means, the beginning, the origin of all things, chapter 4].
Is this the good news, that we have invented images of people we can egg on to be killers in adventures of darkness? The dictators and the terrorists, and every abuser and user of others are surely be rejoicing
And now the good news: Jesus came from Nazareth. As it was written:He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a wick he will not snuff out. He took our infirmities, and carried our sorrows; he was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; but by his wounds we are healed
And now the good news: love. In the beginning was the Word – the Lord Jesus Christ – and He was with God and He was God. Through Him all things were made. In Him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness but the darkness does not understand it. He came into the world, but though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognise Him. Yet to all who received Him, He gave the right to become children of God.Jesus Christ, the very Son of God became a human being. In Him God's love walked among us. And this is how He showed it:He laid down his life for us.
This is the good news: in His great love for Him, God the Father raised Jesus to life again. Jesus is alive: not as a video image, or or a memory, a hero in the pages of a book but as a real person who is willing to bring you into fullness of life, for now & forever. The good news for you – will you receive it?
When we try to be like God, darkness soon follows. There was a man and a woman. And the woman became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son. And later she gave birth to a second son. The first son was jealous of the second son, so one day he said to his brother, “Let's go out to the field”, and while they were in the field, he attacked his brother and killed him. [from the book of the Bible called Genesis, which means, the beginning, the origin of all things, chapter 4].
Is this the good news, that we have invented images of people we can egg on to be killers in adventures of darkness? The dictators and the terrorists, and every abuser and user of others are surely be rejoicing
And now the good news: Jesus came from Nazareth. As it was written:He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a wick he will not snuff out. He took our infirmities, and carried our sorrows; he was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; but by his wounds we are healed
And now the good news: love. In the beginning was the Word – the Lord Jesus Christ – and He was with God and He was God. Through Him all things were made. In Him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness but the darkness does not understand it. He came into the world, but though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognise Him. Yet to all who received Him, He gave the right to become children of God.Jesus Christ, the very Son of God became a human being. In Him God's love walked among us. And this is how He showed it:He laid down his life for us.
This is the good news: in His great love for Him, God the Father raised Jesus to life again. Jesus is alive: not as a video image, or or a memory, a hero in the pages of a book but as a real person who is willing to bring you into fullness of life, for now & forever. The good news for you – will you receive it?
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