Aptiva

There is Dear Reader, a most strange event recorded in the bible, a book burning, well scrolls to be exact. Yet on deeper reflection we discover the people who burnt these items did so willingly, and as sign of their turning from the teaching of reliance upon magic. This is of God. God wishes public demonstration of our change of life, from the old and towards the new. Yet within it this must be personal. I Dear Reader, cannot enact your devotion, on your behalf! I cannot burn your scroll, you must do that! God desires burning, but this is a burning in the heart of our love for him, not of a hatred of the creation which still needs to come and meet him. Your response shows how you have turned from your past, my response shows how I have turned from mine, each may have the same intent, yet a very different content. Let us Dear Reader show our devotion in our lives and encourage, not force others to show it in theirs.

There is Dear Reader, a simple experiment that can show something of the grace of God. We can take some water, and in it, place some colouring or dye, black for example, it's tiny amount colours the whole jar of water. Like sin contaminating the world. Yet for all it's effects, sin is finite. God's grace however is coming from an infinite being, and like fresh and clear water added to this mix, slowly , then with ever more quickening force, the dye starts to dilute. Eventually, it becomes transparent, and then but a memory, and finally not even that. This Dear Reader is the power of God upon our lives, for those who accept his wonderful solution, sin will not even be a memory in our lives, it's effects will be diluted, then forgotten, this is grace in action.

How can we know Dear Reader, what the Christ sees when he looks at us. For in His amazing sight, nothing is hidden, he sees the sin, bent upon our back, twisting the form God gave to us at the beginning. Yet at the same time he sees the potential of what we were meant to be, the humans he desired to see upon his earth, and he weeps. He weeps because sin has removed us so far from where he wanted us to be, he weeps because of the cost which must be paid on this friday to cover and remove this power of sin, he weeps because so many will fail ever to take the time to understand the sacrifice which was made, he weeps because so many will never be with him. Yet he triumphs, he triumphs because the debt is paid and sin rules no more, he triumphs because his is risen and is the perfect human, he triumphs because some do listen and are returned to where we are meant to be, with the Christ. The question Dear Reader, is where will you be this Friday?

How often dear reader do you desire to be in a different place from that which you find yourself. The grass often does look greener on the other side. We can look at this viewpoint in many ways be it financially, emotionally, or spiritually. "If only", we have this that or the other, then of course we would be happy, fulfilled and content. The truth of course is a very different matter. While this can be painful in most parts of our life, when applied to our spiritual life it can play into the hands of the devil himself. If we are obedient to God, we must assume that where he has placed us is exactly where he wants us to be. We can look at other servants of God and perceive the difference they make to the kingdom, always wishing that we could be them and have their ministries. Yet this is not God's way, we need to learn contentment in the positions that God has called us to. If we truly believe that the kingdom is built not by man's hands but by God's, than

We live Dear Reader, with heroes who too often end up showing that their lives are corrupted. This sportsperson ends up drunk, this singer dies from a drug overdose. All around people find those they look up too falling short. Yet belief in Christ requires tenacity, the willingness to hang on, not because we are too scared to let go, but because we have an unswerving faith in Christ alone. We know that he will never be overcome, or prove himself false, in him we show tenacity.

The Bible records the first murder when Cain took the life of his brother Abel. When God challenges Cain to the whereabouts of his brother, he replies " am I my brother's keeper?". Cain in this one statement denies two things, firstly he is denying accountability of his action of murder. Added to this he is denying responsibility for the care of his brother that he should have shown. While many do not commit the sin of murder, most of us have denied something we should have been held accountable for. In fact it becomes clear that God calls us to be held accountable for the actions of our fellows. Christianity is about community in action, and we are accountable for our care and concern of those around us. "Am I my brother's keeper?", the answer is "yes I am". Yet this is a two-way street, not only must I be accountable for the actions of others, but I must be willing to be held accountable by others for my own actions. This is often the biggest pro

There are Dear Reader, many things which make useful servants, but poor masters. Something, which has purpose and is used for this purpose only can be a useful tool, but when projected beyond itself can lead us to the trap of idolatry. A house is essential for living, yet when it becomes the purpose for existence, as happens in many western countries, it becomes the symbol of success and a way of boasting of status. Then it has crossed from useful tool, to all consuming entity. We worship at it's doorway in our continual improvements, our making perfection of it's gardens, our continuing maintenance of perfectly adequate structures. It stops just being a refuge, and becomes a fortress. Our ability to feel control of our property becomes dominating in our life, until subtly, we fail to realize, what we perceive as control has become obsession. The side effect is our removal of God. Man has finite time, and anything done without it's dedication to God, removes God. A man m