Inspiration

I was watching the 2012 Olympics and I saw the bloke called ‘Bolt’ run in a 200m race. While he was a fast runner, it was not his speed that caught my attention but his arrogance. This news article captures it. “I am the greatest … the greatest ever,” he...

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A Good Church

If someone moves to a new area we may commend a local church to them as  ‘good church’. But what criteria do we use to make such an assessment? Preaching? Youth work? Music? For Peter a good church is characterised by love , compassion, forgiveness, generosity, service and grace (...

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Use It or Lose It

As I get older I see a principle at work in both my body and mind – The ‘use it or lose it’ principle! For several decades, people have used the term “use it or lose it” to aptly describe the best way to off-set the problems that come with...

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Try your luck with God

I love board games. For me a good board game has a good balance of luck and decision.  Some games like Chess involve much human decision, while other games like Bingo involve no human decision. I don’t like bingo as I feel like I have no control. On researching cleromancy,...

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Syncretism

SYNCRETISM I recently read an interesting article about some strange Muslim behaviour. Every year, on the first Suro, Java’s new year, the Sultan of Yogyakarta climbs to the top of the Merapi followed by a regal procession. At the caldera of the most active volcano in the world, located North...

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Loud TVs

LOUD TVs One of my personal peeves, when I am watching TV, is when the volume suddenly goes up when an ad comes on?!?! It is as if the commercials are shouting for my attention. The reality is that the TV, radio, and even the internet are always shouting, telling...

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Am I a Prostitute?

Am I a prostitute? In Ezekiel 16 God retells His relationship with the people of Israel in the form of a story. The story is emotionally raw and it ends with God considering His own people worse than prostitutes! 32 “You adulterous wife! You prefer strangers to your own husband! 33 All prostitutes...

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Evangelism Made Easy

EVANGELISM MADE EASY When we think of evangelism we should not first think of guest services, evangelistic courses, street preaching or door knocking. We should think of Gary at a meeting of the residence association, Hannah in her office, Sharon serving a meal to her husband. Here is an exercise...

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Jam, Children and Holiness

I made jam this week. There was not a lot that could go wrong in the process: chopped strawberries, sugar, lemon juice; microwave until done. Don’t burn the sugar. Don’t let it boil over and sugar-crete your microwave. Wear heat mitts and stir slowly. Have a chilled plate ready to...

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Rembrandt’s Apprentices

Rembrandt’s Apprentices A good many of Rembrandt’s paintings were initially painted by apprentices in his workshop, Rembrandt then applying the finishing touches. Sometimes what a gifted apprentice handed over to the master was already so much like a Rembrandt that little remained for the master to do… On other occasions,...

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