I will plant her for Myself in the land;
I will show My love to the one I called ‘Not My loved one.’
I will say to those called ‘Not My people,’ ‘You are My people’;
and they will say, ‘You are my God.’
Hosea 2:23
Google 'as trusted as the Church' by Britons
Obama Cleanses Day of Prayer of Christianity
Extravagance of Methodism founding father Charles Wesley's wife
Pentagon May Court Martial Soldiers Who Share Christian Faith
Single people feel 'ignored and lonely' at Church
Disclaimer: The Good Book Company is not responsible for the content of external sites and does not necessarily agree with the content of articles listed.
Spotted this car on my way into work this morning, and momentarily wondered if it were Daniel Craig or Matt Damon at the wheel. But it did get me thinking.
Why do people buy personalised number plates? For some it's an opportunity to make others smile. Others just spell out random funny words: LA54GNE, W4LLY or B1NGO. Others have a marketing message - G0 0GLE. There has even been one spotted with altogether darker intent: J1 HAD. But for most, it is surely all about an ego boost. They are known as "Vanity plates" for a reason.
But those who have experienced the grace of God in Christ should never boast about themselves:
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Galatians 6 v 14
So it got me thinking - what number plate would I put on my car that either admitted my own weakness (WAL 1Y might work), or else said something meaningful about God and the Gospel?
Your suggestions below please...
1. 15 Measurements of Whether Americans Are Post-Christian (Infographic)
An infographic showing the findings of the Barna Group.
2. The Ministry of Hospitality
A whole series from Feathers in our Nest on the topic of hospitality.
3. New Daily Devotional Website
Desiring God's daily devotionals, Solid Joys, now available on a new website.
4. Taking It All In
A really helpful post from Joe Thorn on taking in God's Word.
5. 10 Tips for New Church Planters
20schemes shares 10 tips on church planting.
6. And finally…
Our video of the week, Pete Woodcock talks about the Jesus and You series of evangelistic courses:
Found something that you think should make it on to the On to a Good Thing round-up? Send it to: ontoagoodthing@thegoodbook.co.uk
"We know from the facts and figures the average age of starting to watch pornography is about 11." So runs a sentence in a recent BBC article.
Of course, not every 11 year old is watching porn. But it seems some are. And as children progress through their teens, it is more and more likely that they will engage with pornographic material. There's so much out there - in magazines, in books and, above all, on the internet. No longer are our adolescents having to sneak mags off the top shelf and hide them under their beds, there's a whole world of explicit material just a click away. And - unless internet accountability systems are put in place - a simple "clear browser history" manoeuvre often hides the evidence from the responsible adults of the house.
Much as it would be convenient to do so, it would be unwise to assume that children from Christian homes are immune from such temptation. Whether it's driven by natural curiosity about the sexual experience (which every child has at some stage) or peer pressure to conform to the porn-watching that slips somewhat un-naturally between video-games and eating chocolate at teenage sleepovers, some of our young people will be confronted with the sorts of images that make our hearts sink.... continue reading
That's how one church in Brazil is taking part in Jesus' Great Commission - and they're doing so with the Portuguese version of Christianity Explored structuring all they do.
There is a great hunger for God's Word in South America. The Lord is calling his elect to himself. And it's a huge privilege for us to be playing a small part in that.
So, please do join with us in praying for these Christianity Explored courses in Brazil throughout April, May and June: that the workers will be faithful and that the harvest will be plentiful as the Spirit opens blind eyes and unchains captive hearts.
And do please let us know how your Christianity Explored courses are going too ... you may not have quite as much going on as our Brazilian brothers and sisters but we'd still love to hear your news!
You turned my wailing into dancing;
You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing Your praises and not be silent.
LORD my God, I will praise You forever.
Psalm 30: 11-12
Archbishop of Canterbury's daughter: My battle with depression
Vanuatu: The New Testaments Have Arrived!
Christians launch landmark human rights case
Church shelled, seven Christians killed in Central African Republic
Attendance at religious services lowers risk of depression, study finds
Francis Chan Confesses Struggle With Doubt, Says He Started to 'Slip'
Disclaimer: The Good Book Company is not responsible for the content of external sites and does not necessarily agree with the content of articles listed.
I have a fridge magnet. On it is a cupcake. And, underneath, those words we all know so well: "I can resist everything except temptation".
So often that magnet can feel true. So often we mess up and fall into the same traps time and time again. Temptation leads to sin leads to guilt. It certainly feels true for me today as I fail - yet again - to stick to the new low-fat diet recommended by the doctor. And, more importantly, fail to keep control of my thoughts and my speech.
In part, the magnet is true because we are sinful human beings who are not yet free from the snare of our wayward hearts and our fallen environment. Temptation and sin are inevitable this side of Jesus' return. But partly it feels true because we see battling temptation as a predominantly negative thing. We think of it purely in terms of giving things up, denying ourselves, being austere, missing out.... continue reading
There was much interest in the office yesterday at a new survey ranking 200 jobs, from best to worst. The big question: which TGBC employee had the best (and worst) job?
IT guru Jonny Barker won the contest; software engineer came in at third on the US-produced list, which ranks jobs based on five criteria: physical demands, work environment, income, stress and hiring outlook.
The editorial team lost, collectively; publication editor is down at 168, four below carpet installer and eight below refuse collector. It could be worse, though: newspaper reporter (which I used to be) is rock bottom, at 200. You can see the whole list here.... continue reading
