A no Nonsense Sermon you must hear to start 2010!

On Sunday we had a visiting speaker by the name of Simon Guillebaud. I have rarely heard a sermon that is so no nonsense and absolutely direct about how our comfortable western Christianity is so safe. I don’t mean safe in a good way. I mean it in a nice ‘come to Jesus and everything will be fine’ message way.

The message that so many Western Churches give out is that if you come to Jesus then all your problems will be sorted is so unbiblical. Simon clearly shows how this is just wrong. He worked in Burundi for several years which is possibly the worst place on earth to see all the horrors that Humans are capable of where the western Gospel message as above would seem like a cruel joke. He brings out what the message should truly be about Jesus. That suffering goes hand in hand with the true Gospel.

Oh and his rather direct explanation for why Big Brother is such junk for Christians to watch is something else.

This sermon is powerful stuff and a good kick up the backside at the start of 2010.

Click HERE for the MP3 download and be challenged to live a radical Christian life.

Big Brother, Calivinism/Arminianism and Sushi!

Reckon you never thought you'd see those words in once sentence. Gosh my mind is awash with things!

Big Brother

So Big Brother has almost caused a Diplomatic Incident, gosh the power of reality TV. Certainly there were racial overtones used during the exchanges but I still think it was a case of total clash of personalities with Jade resorting to playground name calling as she couldn't be grown up about it. That still doesn't excuse the bullying tactics and ganging up. Though that is what people watch BB for, the bitching and back stabbing. One of my reasons for loathing the program! Well Jade will be out tonight and her reputation as a harmless dimwit seriously damaged.

There are no crowds tonight either which is interesting. What are they afraid of? Another small point I found curious was that Jade herself is mixed race. What mix that is I know not.

Channel 4 are condemning any racial abuse that may have been made but on the other hand are gleefully rubbing their collective hands together at the 4.5 million viewing figures. Oh sorry is that a bit cynical!

India want the UK look into such racism in the country. All I can say to that is speck, plank and eye! This is a country that supports a caste system that seems to me very discriminatory, unless you are at the top, and does nothing to stop Hindu extremists from regularly beating and oppressing Christians in various provinces around the vast country. This is an external view of the country based on what I read and is not a comment on the population themselves.

Anyway enough about BB from me!

Calvinism/Arminianism

What? you may ask. I have been pondering this issue for quite a while and am not about to go into a big long treatise of the various arguments for and against both sides. There are many websites that can do that far better than I possibly could. I think I am beginning to understand reformed theology and Calvinism a little better and certainly lean towards that way except for one major question regarding Unconditional Election. Which is the thing that pulls me to the Arminian way of thinking which I disagree with some of as well. Ultimately I want a totally biblical view and any emotional feelings about it to be won over by scripture.

If anyone can give me a good answer on how it can be in God's nature to 'elect/predestine' certain individuals for saving and let the rest suffer His absolutely righteous justice and condemn them to the fires of hell. It is not that I object to the condemnation of sinners. I understand the doctrine of depravity etc and that we all deserve judgment. If Christ died once, for all then how come under Reformed thinking not everyone gets the opportunity for salvation since only certain people are elected?

Sushi!

I am going to a friends birthday meal tomorrow and it is at a sushi restaurant. Now I don't like most fish at the best of times let alone not cooked. I will be hoping that there is something cooked available that I can eat. I may blog about it more if it turns into a traumatic experience.

Racism in Big Brother?

So there is supposedly racism in the Big Brother House. I am not a 'Big Brother' fan by any stretch and only occasionally see it. Now from what I have read and seen I think what is being labeled as racism is far more total and utter ignorance on the part of the other house mates.

The three girls involved, one of them being Jade, are just showing themselves to be completely ignorant of other cultures and people groups and merely showing their own prejudices. What do you expect from Jade's mother than to call an Indian 'the Indian'. She couldn't even pronounce her name for goodness sake. Having now seen her mum is it not surprising that Jade turned out the way she did.

Why a successful Bollywood actress would want to go in the Big Brother house I have no idea. Why Ken Russell wanted to go in either is a mystery as clearly it was to him as he stayed only a few days.

All I hope is that the viewing audience get bored of this reality nonsense and go and get lives for themselves instead of investing in a cruel freak show that tries to pass itself off as entertainment. Sadly we have until 2010 to put up with BB on our TV screens.

Let us be agog and feel pity for these utterly ignorant so called 'celebrities' who some people hold up as idols and realise they are not amazing and haven't really achieved something to aspire to. Celebrity is not a career or an aspiration. (Edit 17/01) While I say feel pity for their total ignorance, that doesn't excuse any form of bullying which I think if any label should be attached it should be that. There may be a personality clash but that is no excuse for ganging up on Shilpa.

There is only one person to have ever walked this earth who is worth aspiring to and even that is worthless unless your eternal salvation is secured in and through and by what that person achieved by His death and resurrection 2000 years ago. If you 'Live the Dream' and die without ever knowing what it is to know your 'sins forgiven' through repentance before the living God then I am afraid life has all been but a passing breeze, a forgotten moment with no eternal significance at all. Don't live someone else's life through celebrity or aspire to live life as your 'idol'. Be yourself, the unique beautiful individual you can be and get some eternal perspective in your life before it is too late.

Wow from Big Brother to eternal thoughts. Who would have guessed?