Category Archives: Theology

Where Can I Find True Love?

First Corinthians chapter 13 is probably the most widely known description of love in the English language. Yet, ironically, the word ‘love’ is also probably the most devalued word in any language. That is why this definition is so important, for here we see authentic true love described.  Although popular at weddings, it is our Maker’s instructions for all relationships whether we are single or married, whether we are 14 or 94.  I believe God has something to say to each one of us today.

  1. The Motive in True Love is Giving

“And now I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 12:31-13:3)

Do you see how important love is? The gifts mentioned – of prophecy, knowledge, faith, giving, are valuable or worthless depending on one thing: Motivation – to serve or be served? To give or receive? Our motivation in loving is to give. Continue reading →

Making the Most of Christmas Time

fourstagesoflifeThey say there are four stages in life. In the first stage you believe in Father Christmas. In the second stage you don’t believe in Father Christmas. In the third stage you are Father Christmas. In the final stage you just look like Father Christmas. Doesn’t time fly? It’s Christmas Eve again. Another year. Hard to believe the year went so quickly.  Have you noticed how the pace of life seems to accelerate the older you get? Why does time seem to speed up? There is apparently a scientific explanation for this perplexing phenomena. But with most scientific theories there are several explanations.

  1. Proportional Time: The most common explanation is that time is perceived as a proportion of time we have lived. To a five-year-old, a year is a long time because it is 20% of their entire existence. To a 62 year-year-old like me, one year is less than 2% of your life. Proportional time.
  2. Complex Time: Another theory is that as we get older, life gets busier and we have more things to do.

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How to have a Relatively Stress Free Christmas

stress-free-vacationSomeone once said, “Christmas is a time when children tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults tell the government what they want and their children pay for it.” Three phrases probably best sum up Christmas – ‘Peace on Earth”, “Good will to all” and “batteries not included”.

This was originally going to be about “How to have a Stress Free Christmas”. Then I realised there is no way we can experience an entirely stress free Christmas. Its impossible. Without some stress, it would be a very floppy Christmas. Stress is like cholesterol. Not all cholesterol is bad for you. There is good and bad cholesterol. We must choose more of one and less of the other. In the same way there is good stress and bad stress. What is good stress? Stress is like inner biofeedback. Its purpose is not to harm you but help you focus or concentrate, to flee or fight, for limited periods of time. Stress is to the mind what blood pressure is to the body. We all generate waste as a bi-product of living but we don’t always dispose of it properly. Without balance in life  – work, rest, play, sleep, solitude, fellowship, the waste levels pile up and take over and we lose control in destructive ways. If you think about it, stress, whether its caused by worry, anxiety, fear or anger does not exist independently of ourselves. It simply does not exist in the physical world. It is internal. That is because stress is not about what happens to us. Stress is our response to what happens to us. We therefore choose our stress levels. And the holiday season of Christmas provides a wonderful opportunity to learn to handle stress constructively.

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Jesus Mean and Wild: Challenging our Confirmation Bias

maxresdefaultBertrand Russell once said, “Most people would rather die than think; in fact, they do so.” A recent research study at the University of Iowa, Tippie business school, seems to confirm that. Researchers found that people are reluctant to change their minds and adapt their views, even when new information has been presented. This holds true even if they stand to lose money. The phenomenon is called “confirmation bias” and apparently operates at a subconscious level at all times. The new research confirms numerous previous studies undertaken over ten years which show people invariably stick to their original viewpoint even when new facts contradict those beliefs.  Confirmation bias is the tendency to look for evidence that confirms our existing beliefs and practices, rather than considering alternative possibilities, despite having access to new data to influence them. When faced with facts that don’t fit, we tend to ignore or change them to fit our beliefs.[1]

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The Rev. Canon Francis Omondi on Al-Shabaab in East Africa

Rev. Canon Francis Omondi gave a presentation about the persecution of Christians in East Africa and the pressures they face there from Al-Shabaab at Christ Church, Virginia Water. Canon Omondi was participating in a tour of churches in the UK, as part of Suffering Church Week. The Revd Canon Francis Omondi is the founder and International Director of Sheepfold Ministries, he is chair of CMS Africa and Barnabas Fund in Africa.

Jesus, Mean and Wild: Good Warnings

SwoingA husband was distraught over his wife’s stubborn refusal to admit she had a hearing problem. He went to see their family doctor to ask for advice on how to convince his wife that she had a hearing problem. The doctor advised him to go home, open the front door and in a normal voice ask his wife what’s for dinner.  The doctor said, if she doesn’t answer, move closer to the kitchen. Repeat the question again, and if she still doesn’t answer, stand behind her and whisper in her ear, “What’s for dinner, honey?” Then, the doctor assured him, she’ll have to admit she has the problem.  So the man went home, opened the front door and asked “What’s for dinner, honey?” His wife made no reply, so he moved closer to the kitchen and asked again. “What’s for dinner, honey?” Again, nothing. So he tiptoed over to her and whispered in her ear, “What’s for dinner, honey?” She turned and looked at him straight in the eye: “For the 3rd time, I said, we’re having MEAT LOAF!”

Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” (Mark 4:9). Clearly those who cannot hear do not get it, and those who can hear, should. What did you hear when this well known parable of Jesus was read just now? I suggest the majority of us think we are like the good soil. We are sorry for others whose hearts are like the rocky, weedy or hard soil.

Lets be honest: Is that what you thought? That is because when the Scriptures are read, we invariably see ourselves in the best possible light, we tick the box and move on to the next passage. This is a very serious mistake. When Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” (Mark 4:9) he was giving a warning. That is the main point of the parable.

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Remembrance Sunday: Love That Makes Enemies

“Treacherous colleagues, competitive friends, bloody-minded commuters – it’s a war out there. And according to Robert Greene, it’s a conflict we’re ill-equipped to deal with. Now, after analysing the moves of history’s great military leaders, he’s written a rulebook to achieving victory in life’s daily battles.”[i] Spanning world civilizations, synthesizing dozens of political, philosophical, and religious texts and thousands of years of violent conflict, The 33 Strategies of War is a comprehensive guide to the subtle social game of everyday life informed by the most ingenious and effective military principles in war. Abundantly illustrated with examples from history, including the folly and genius of everyone from Napoleon Bonaparte to Margaret Thatcher, from Shaka the Zulu to Lord Nelson, and from Hannibal to Ulysses S. Grant, each of the thirty-three chapters outlines a strategy that will help you win life’s wars. Learn the offensive strategies that require you to maintain the initiative and negotiate from a position of strength, or the defensive strategies designed to help you respond to dangerous situations and avoid unwinnable wars.[ii] According to Penguin the publishers, this is “An indispensable book…  The great warriors of battlefields and drawing rooms alike demonstrate prudence, agility, balance, and calm, and a keen understanding that the rational, resourceful, and intuitive always defeat the panicked, the uncreative, and the stupid… The 33 Strategies of War provides all the psychological ammunition you need to overcome patterns of failure and forever gain the upper hand.”[iii]

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The King of Kings and Queens

Do you know this lady? What’s her name?  Elizabeth. Her second name? Alexandra. Her third name? Mary. And her family name? Windsor. Hands up if you have ever seen Her on TV?  I think that’s everyone!  Hands up if you’ve written to her?

Hands up if you received a reply? Hands up if you have met Her Majesty in person? Hands up if you have ever spoken to her? Hands up if you have ever been invited to tea? Dinner? Breakfast? Hands up if you have ever been i
nvited to stay with her? Hands up if you have been on holiday with her?  Hands up if you are related to her?  No one?   Who wants to be the Queen? [Queen]

How could you become a member of the Royal Family?  By birth. By royal bloodline.  [3 Helpers]  How else?  By marriage. If you married a member of the Royal Family [2 Helpers]. Any other way? By adoption – you could be chosen to become her sonor daughter. Anyone like to be adopted into the Royal Family? [Helper] These are the three ways you could be related to Her Majesty. Based on our survey today, we all seem to know about her Majesty, but very fewqueen-elizabeth-ii-bill-cannon, if anyone, can actually say, “I know her personally”. And as far as we know, no one here is related to her. She
is a very very important person, and very difficult to contact unless she takes the initiative. Do you have her mobile number or email address?  We aren’t surprised if she doesn’t phone or invite us to tea, even though she only lives a few miles away in Windsor. We aren’t disappointed if she doesn’t invite us to join her family or share her inheritance.   Do you know Queen Elizabeth’s full title?

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