Have you seen those postcards of a quiet Christmas? The snow lies thick about a picturesque village. Warm light glows from the windows of several cottages, sprinkled about the bottom of rolling hills. You can almost hear the bells in the little chapel's steeple ringing out in the crisp night air. The only sound for … Continue reading Silent Night: The Story Behind the Carol
If you need a laugh, search the internet for bad versions of this belter. There are some brave people out there... who can't hit high notes... but, fair play to them, keep trying! Classic FM (a posh radio station here in the UK) reckons O Holy Night might just be the greatest Carol of all. … Continue reading O Holy Night: The Story Behind the Carol
At the very heart of the Christian hope is the crucifixion of Jesus. "He died," we say, "to pay for our sins." But then literally thousands upon thousands of people were crucified in the Greco-Roman world. How does one more tragedy in that far off era matter today? Jesus went to the cross willingly. Out … Continue reading Jesus: Our Sin Bearer
The Bible says that Jesus of Nazareth is God's promised Saviour who died to take away our sins. But why did he take so long? Why didn't He appear on earth Good Friday, go straight to the cross, ascending back to heaven, mission accomplished, on Easter Sunday? Why the of 33 years of growing from … Continue reading Jesus: Our Righteousness
Despite our current secular age, belief in some version of Heaven is going strong. Not so with Hell. In fact, it seems Hell is rarely mentioned today, sometimes even by Christians. Jesus took Hell seriously. From His recorded words, it is clear He considered Hell to be a real place. Possibly no one in the … Continue reading Is There Really A Hell?
If our Creator demands perfection from human beings, has anyone managed to live up to that standard? Is it even possible? And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he [Jesus] said to him, “You shall love the Lord your … Continue reading Is It Actually Possible to Keep God’s Law?
Sin is the breaking of God's laws. Today it seems like there aren't many people about, worrying over sin. We get indignant when we hear of "big" crimes like murder, abuse and theft, but at the same time we cut ourselves some slack and say "nobody's perfect" when it comes to the "little" stuff. But … Continue reading What’s the Big Deal About Sin?
You don't have to live very long to discover that this world can be a cruel place. Intermixed with the breathtaking beauty of the natural world and the happy moments, all of us have experienced sorrow, suffering, frustration, and disappointment. Then all our lives come to a tragic end in death. Isn't there a longing … Continue reading Did A Good God Create A Bad World?
Yours Truthfully 