My teenager was asked by a boy at school this week “I’m an atheist does that mean that I am condemned to hell?” She wasn’t sure what to say – as a Christian she knows that the Bible teaches that apart from belief in the atoning death of Jesus on the cross we all go to hell, but how to say that in a way that doesn’t sound harsh and judgemental?
Continue readingTag: Jody Bennett
It is all about how you finish
Are you in prison? Have you done a lot of stuff you’re not proud of? Hurt a lot of people? Broke a lot of laws? Do you think you have done too many bad things for God to forgive you or make your life right?
Let me tell you the story of Manny.
Continue readingWhat does ‘Jesus loves you’ mean?
Most of us have heard the phrase “Jesus loves you”. It sounds ‘nice’, non-judgemental and kind, but what does it actually mean? If God loves everyone, no matter how you behave or what you believe then does it matter how we behave or what we believe? “Jesus loves you” is a phrase that does not actually appear in the Bible and, although it is true and seemingly simple to understand, the word “love” has been so diluted and redefined by our culture that saying “Jesus loves you” is often either meaningless to people or misunderstood.
Continue readingScary power
I recently watched a series on Netflix (Marvel Comic’s Jessica Jones) where the villain had the most terrifying superpower I could imagine: to be able to mind-control people and make them do anything he tells them to.Continue reading
Grace and Jeffery Dahmer
Grace. You might know it as a girl’s name or a prayer at meal times, but that is not the amazing kind of grace I want to talk about here.
Grace is a Biblical concept that basically means getting something we don’t deserve (sometimes paired with the term mercy, which means not getting what we do deserve). For instance, getting a promotion when we deserve to be fired, or getting a prize when we deserve a fine.
Christians talk about the grace of God in terms of us receiving His undeserved, free forgiveness which is not earned by moral living, but accepted as a gift, through faith.Continue reading
Is there an alternative reality?
Do you ever think – “what if?” What if I had married my first love? What if I had pursued my dream to …? What if my parents hadn’t divorced? What if I hadn’t tried drugs/ fallen pregnant/had that car accident?Continue reading
If I were king
Do you sometimes wish you could be in charge of the universe and make all the rules? I think many of us believe we know best how others should live and wish we could tell them!
Continue readingYou’re in the army now
Published in the African Military edition
When one joins the armed forces one is required to wear a uniform, to obey orders unquestioningly, to work in close co-operation with others, to focus on a common goal and to subordinate one’s own identity and desires to those of the organisation.
Each member of an army, navy or air force uses his or her abilities and training, which are often acquired in the military, to promote and serve their country through that corps.Continue reading
Is prayer impotent?
After the recent school shooting in Santa Fe, Texas, Senator Ted Cruz tweeted, “Heidi and I are keeping all the students and faculty at Santa Fe High School in our prayers this morning, along with all first responders on the scene.”
This sparked a vicious reaction on Twitter.
Continue readingHeaven
When someone says “heaven”, what do you think of?
Wings, harps and clouds? Doing your favourite thing all day? A bland place with lots of singing?
Many people define heaven by the things that make them feel happy and fulfilled on Earth, but what if I were to tell you that in heaven there is no sex, no marriage, no Wi-fi, no computer games, no Netflix, no sport and probably no sleep. Would you still want to go?