tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24424103579032661522010-03-13T11:59:25.848ZBeing Forgiven by God means you can Forget your sin. A blog exploring the glorious truth that through Jesus' death on the cross, God can completely wipe out my wrongdoing, my mistakes, and my regrets, past present and future.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125forgivenforgethttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-10387786496842286802009-09-02T10:22:00.002+01:002009-09-02T10:35:49.618+01:002009-09-02T10:35:49.618+01:00

Do you want the good news or the bad news?One sunny day a man decided to jump from an aeroplane. When he jumped there was good and bad news...Good news: He had a parachute. Bad news: It didnt work. Good news: There was a haystack down below. Bad news: There was a pitchfork in the haystack. Good news: He missed the pitchfork. Bad news: He missed the haystack.The Bible has bad news and good news

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-36037991701061353162009-08-19T18:56:00.003+01:002009-08-19T19:16:45.114+01:002009-08-19T19:16:45.114+01:00

There are two kinds of people. Those who are the children of God, and those who are the children of sin. Two families, and two destinies.Everyone is born into the family of sin. In a letter written to encourage Christians, the apostle Peter describes the people in this family as "living in ignorance" (1 Peter 1:14) - he's not very complimentary!But he uses these harsh words to draw out the strong

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-16864828063451703172009-08-04T18:56:00.000+01:002009-08-04T10:39:11.881+01:002009-08-04T10:39:11.881+01:00

It's not easy to live God's way. You won't find people on TV telling you God's way is best. You won't find many people at work or in school telling you God's way is best. Teach me knowledge and good judgment,for I believe in your commandsPsalm 119:66We really need God to help us see his way is best. We need him to teach us knowledge and good judgment, so that we don't just have the same attitudes

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-63807768579464954272009-08-04T09:46:00.002+01:002009-08-04T09:49:32.887+01:002009-08-04T09:49:32.887+01:00

"He who is forgiven little, loves little." This small statement reveals a mammoth truth for us: we will love God to the degree that we recognize the magnitude of our sins and the immensity of God’s grace to forgive them. Great blog post from Jon Bloom at desiringGod.org. Read the rest of it now.

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-36411604783983334082009-07-31T11:42:00.004+01:002009-07-31T11:48:53.407+01:002009-07-31T11:48:53.407+01:00

Blessed are they whose ways are blameless,who walk according to the law of the LORD.Blessed are they who keep his statutesand seek him with all their heart.They do nothing wrong;they walk in his ways.You have laid down preceptsthat are to be fully obeyed.Psalm 119:1-4Law-keeping? Obedience? Decrees? Commands? Statutes? Precepts? Laws? Sounds real fun...Yes, Psalm 119 is a song written by a guy

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-56864673751756217882009-03-02T13:29:00.001Z2009-03-02T13:31:26.481Z2009-03-02T13:31:26.481Z

It reveals God. It's written by him in order to show us what he's like.It's like a mirror. It shows us what we're really like as humans.It's a warning. It shows the danger we're in. It shows us how we've made God angry.It's a lifeline. It points us to Jesus, God's rescuer, the only one who can sort us out and sort out our messed up world.It's a love letter. It's easy to feel lonely, or isolated.

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-31588520725804957662009-02-28T11:10:00.001Z2009-02-28T11:10:00.532Z2009-02-28T11:10:00.532Z

There's no easy one-size-fits-all answer to the question. And people will ask it for many different reasons - some from merely an academic point of view, others out of their own personal experiences of deep grief or pain.One reason God has allowed situations of suffering is so that he could demonstrate his power to change them. And as we look at Jesus' life and see the many ways in which he

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-83183677113479179032009-02-27T11:13:00.003Z2009-02-27T11:19:51.292Z2009-02-27T11:19:51.292Z

Theological study, the study of God, is a wonderful thing. But it's a signpost pointing to Jesus, and not following that signpost to its final, wonderful destination is the fatal mistake that Pharisees made. Our Lord is and must be the leading theme of our ministry. We must continue to exalt him rather than Calvinism or any other system of theology... Much as we love the masters throne, we still

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-70147787390645432332009-02-26T11:26:00.006Z2009-02-27T09:54:56.784Z2009-02-27T09:54:56.784Z

I just posted a response to this article on the BBC news website. The article suggests that we should set aside ideas of God and religion, in order to be able think properly. I've tried to argue that logic and God are not at odds, but rather God is the reason for order, reason and logic.Here's what I wrote:There is no room for logic in 'basic humanist principles'. If humans only exist as the

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-21276989652927855282009-02-25T19:55:00.006Z2009-02-25T20:28:15.221Z2009-02-25T20:28:15.221Z

Don't lose your focus. Being a Christian begins with Christ. If all you did for the rest of your life was deepened your love for Jesus, you would have lived a wonderful life.Think about him. Chew over what he has done for you on the way to work. Consider what it would have been like to listen as he taught crowds while you sit at the bus stop. Name all the blessings that are now yours through his

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-11224801275409368112009-02-24T07:56:00.003Z2009-02-24T08:15:20.186Z2009-02-24T08:15:20.186Z

Whatever your Christian life looks like, whatever setting God's got you in - sometimes you just feel the need of a boost of energy to keep going.Since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart2 Corinthians 4:1When the writer of this verse, Paul, talks about 'ministry' he's talking about the job every Christian on the planet has. The job, by the Spirit, of showing off the

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-5490291555103864052009-02-21T08:59:00.010Z2009-02-21T10:02:51.401Z2009-02-21T10:02:51.401Z

What are the ingredients of a humble life?I wish could write this from my own experience - "Humility: and how I achieved it" - but that's perhaps not the best way to be humble! Fact is, I'm still putting my boots on in the changing room at the training ground - and there's many Christians who I look up to as already playing in the World Cup Humble Final.So these following takedowns on pride are

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-51746729157748118292009-02-14T09:54:00.008Z2009-02-14T13:44:29.869Z2009-02-14T13:44:29.869Z

What are the situations that force us to pray? Perhaps someone you know is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, or you feel the strain on a valued friendship. Maybe you're facing an important decision. These are things which have made me consciously pray more over the last year. I guess at the moment, lots of people have begun praying with panicked enthusiasm about their jobs or money

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-51022936059208066702009-02-10T08:12:00.003Z2009-02-10T08:24:31.219Z2009-02-10T08:24:31.219Z

How much do I really care about the lost world around me? Each day my unbelieving friends and family are one day closer to that terrifying day where they will stand before God and have to give an account for why they have lived their lives ignoring him. Do I care enough to pray, care enough to spend time with them, care enough to speak to them?Paul says:I could wish that I myself were cursed and

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-34960990237927735352009-02-09T13:53:00.008Z2009-02-09T14:29:29.168Z2009-02-09T14:29:29.168Z

One of the idols in society today is the idol of comfort. It's the ambition of many to acquire enough money so they don't have to work, and can live out their lives in peace and quiet, probably on a desert island somewhere.It doesn't sound too bad does it? Say they've earned their money honestly, and they've done some good for society. Surely a peaceful retirement is what they deserve?Except that

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-90525476856224343552009-02-05T20:21:00.004Z2009-02-05T20:30:45.819Z2009-02-05T20:30:45.819Z

In Deuteronomy, the leader of God's people, Moses, reminds them where they've come from. Of what God, in his goodness, has done for them, and how they've answered his generosity with grumbling and dissatisfaction.The following quote is from a sermon preached on Deuteronomy which gets to the heart of the issue of sin, the need for judgement, and the offer of God's love.In all of this you begin to

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-85791135826106544692009-02-04T18:59:00.009Z2009-02-04T22:30:01.279Z2009-02-04T22:30:01.279Z

Just wanted to post a few things about my Dad, and the way he brought me up, which I'm really grateful to God for. I hope it'll stay on the non-cringy side of sentimentality(!), and that if any of you reading this are parents, or hoping to be in the future, you'll find encouragement in it.I look at my own life now and see more and more how much I've been shaped by my Dad's example, particularly

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-65635661678569190262009-02-01T14:46:00.001Z2009-02-01T14:46:00.606Z2009-02-01T14:46:00.606Z

Have been a fan for while of Iona, an Irish Christian progressive rock/folk band, since hearing their awesome 12 minute epic, Encircling.You can listen to the whole album, legally and completely for free with the We7 widget below. Let me know what you think!Free music - Journey Into The Morn

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-19325079483248214382009-01-31T11:16:00.004Z2009-01-31T11:16:00.382Z2009-01-31T11:16:00.382Z

I reckon you can learn loads about the way people listen, from kids. On Tuesdays I help lead a youth group at church. We have a short 10 minute talk each week in which we try and teach them something from the Bible. I've learnt a heap of stuff as I've seen the way the kids react to things, and what they particularly pick up on... or not.Kids have hopelessly short attention spans. Those who come

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-34310478029683896432009-01-30T14:58:00.000Z2009-01-30T14:58:00.837Z2009-01-30T14:58:00.837Z

Another talk I've found hard-hitting this week. C J Mahaney on 1 John, "Do not love the world". Why do we make next to no impact on our colleagues/neighbours/friends as Christians? What are we really living for? How do we live in the world, not be of the world, and yet reach the world? It's all very relevant stuff and ties in with a Tim Chester blog post quoting Josh Harris (is that confusing?),

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-71037054338727029162009-01-29T18:12:00.001Z2009-01-29T18:12:00.425Z2009-01-29T18:12:00.425Z

Back in 2005 I heard Terry Virgo speak at Forum on God's grace explained in the book of Romans. While I'm sure I'd heard something on Romans before that, and had certainly read it, I was blown away afresh by the liberating truth that Jesus has done it all. I can live here on earth as a conqueror, no, more than a conqueror, because my sin and guilt has all been heaped onto Jesus in my place!Jesus

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-758322308990937092009-01-28T18:03:00.000Z2009-01-28T18:03:00.677Z2009-01-28T18:03:00.677Z

Was amazed to come across this project connected with x3watch (aChristian internet monitoring program): http://stripchurch.com/A church on the Las Vegas strip reaching out to gamblers, strippers,porn stars etc.When the church not only campaigns against the sin, but also reachesout to those enslaved to/addicted to it, then the world sits up andtakes notice.

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-52518453116718934252009-01-27T19:34:00.005Z2009-01-27T22:54:43.144Z2009-01-27T22:54:43.144Z

I'm part of St Ebbe's Church, Oxford, and on Sunday some friends from church managed to make the front page of the Oxford Mail along with the headline "Oh-Porn All Hours". Bad pun, and not a great sentiment. It was in reference to a pub, the Thirst Lodge, 20 metres from the church front door, which has recently obtained a license to have lapdancers.We're protesting against the license as a church

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-2780752457451936572009-01-26T20:24:00.005Z2009-01-26T20:33:44.150Z2009-01-26T20:33:44.150Z

If I heard God speaking to me, right out of heaven, I would sit up and listen. I'd certainly be quicker to obey what he said, and there'd be a greater sense of fear towards God faced with absolute confirmation of his reality, knowing all my faults, failings, and feeble efforts to live his way.I need to repent of that attitude of partial unbelief, of stagnancy, and laziness. Because God has spoken

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442410357903266152.post-55612331805247058902008-08-31T18:51:00.006+01:002008-08-31T19:37:25.130+01:002008-08-31T19:37:25.130+01:00

Yesterday I went to the wedding of two of my friends, Tom and Lily. It was wonderful seeing two Christians publicly declaring their love for each other and being joined by God for a life of service to him. The whole day was amazing, from the service to the reception... but also slightly unusual, as the previous night, Tom had been severely sick, and had to go to hospital. It brought particular

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508404525758244813noreply@blogger.com0