So Jack Tweed, fiance of Jade Goody, is to have his curfew relaxed so that he can spend the night with Jade after their wedding this weekend.
Legally, Tweed is under curfew to return to his mother’s house, and he wears a tag to make sure he complies. But the restrictions on him are being relaxed. Why? Because Jade has only months to live, and is marrying Tweed this weekend. Initially it was reported that the curfew would not be lifted, so what has happened?
Well someone has acted with compassion. It’s a quality we see all too little of these days, and not something that forms a part of our legal system. Can compassion be codified? Not sure. But it can be defined. Here’s the definiton from answers.com “deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.”
So here is compassion in action. In fact compassion doesn’t mean much unless it’s followed by action. Sadly, few of us have the power to act compassionately towards Jade and her fiance, but thankfully, someone with that power has used it well. It’s good to see that the legal system, necessarily rigid, can be relaxed when circumstances demand it.
Compassion is a quality that Jesus had. He saw suffering, and went out of his way (literally, sometimes) to relieve it. Now today, compassion is surely not just the preserve of Christians, but it’s a quality that was exemplified in Jesus himself, and it has come down to us largely through the Christian heritage we’ve enjoyed in this country for some 1500 years.
People may look at Jade and say, “well, where’s God’s compassion in this? Why does she have to go through this ordeal?
We don’t know the answer to that question, but we do know that Jesus went through an unfair ordeal himself. He died young, aged 33, not from the chance affliction of cancer, but at the hands of evil men. He knew what it was to die friendless and alone. And he did it voluntarily. He did it so that words like “compassion” might still be known today, and showed us how we too, in our day, can be compassionate to others.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
mystery solved
Apparently the song was
"my Country Tis of Thee" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Country_%27Tis_of_Thee
"my Country Tis of Thee" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Country_%27Tis_of_Thee
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Don't quite get the music
It was great to see barak Obama's inauguration, but I'm bemused about the music used. First Aretha Franklin sings a song that was announced as the national anthem, but it clearly wasn't, instead it was something to the tune of the British national anthem "God Save the Queen"! Then those very talented musicians played a tune said to be a composition by John Williams, but it was clearly a variation on Sydney Carter's "Lord of the Dance"! Wierd!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Todd Bentley
Found this on www.saffronplanet.net - excellent comment!
"After all it would be good to know, wouldn’t it? No other recent event has split the Christian world as the “Florida Outpouring” under Todd Bentley, followed by the brummie offshoot, the “Dudley Outpouring”. Resplendent with motto (Come and get some), slogans, (Let the Fire Fall) catchphrases (Bam!!) and desktop wallpaper, we appear to have a real 21st Century media-propagated (courtesy of God TV) phenomenon.
While the secular media, at least in the UK, has remained silent and unaware, the Christian world is split in two over the activities of the Illustrated Man in Lakeland, Florida, USA. Revival or deception? The jury is out.
Of course, from my cynical tone you are expecting a hatchet job, but I feel that would do a disservice to an issue that has already generated megabytes of polemical views. I have read much from both sides of the argument. On the one hand there has been evidence of healings and miracles, both at Lakeland (and in Dudley) and in homes worldwide, imparted through digital images by satellite or web. On the other hand there have been accusations of deception, either through innocent enthusiasm or even the implication of demonic influences, concentrating on the track record of the personalities involved. I am not going to add fuel to the fire, but rather make an obvious observation, the one made by the Rabbi Gamaliel.
For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." (Acts 5:38-39)
Yes, let’s wait and see what comes out of it. Let us judge it by its fruit. Let us, first, imagine …
150,000 people becoming Christians within six months, enough to make a real difference in society. Pubs in the area having to close down, magistrates courts being empty through a lack of crimes committed. The work-shy becoming enthusiastic in their occupations and swear-boxes being committed to the trash cans. The open public singing of hymns. People paying their bills at the first asking, paying back all they have borrowed.
Unrealistic, perhaps, but it did happen, as a result of the Welsh revival at the start of the 20th Century, an “Outpouring” that changed a whole nation. Yet, in a sermon given on May 10th by Jerame Nelson, one of the leaders of the Revival Fires ministry at Dudley, the current revival was going to be released to a National level and, in fulfillment of a prophecy given in the last Century by Smith Wrigglesworth, is going to be the biggest move of God the UK has ever seen!
The Welsh Revival changed a nation for the better. The Methodist revival, led by the Wesley brothers and Charles Whitfield, changed the World. The Dudley revival is going to have to make major inroads into our society to live up to its billing. Nelson remarked, “God has chosen this region as an epicenter of His glory – it must hit the streets!”
So, let’s give it a chance, after all it has been packing the Church since early May, bringing in thousands of Christians from all over the UK, each eager to grab the impartation and take it back to their home Churches.
It is too early to expect the “Dudley Outpouring” to have comparable effects on our Nation as earlier revivals, so let’s look at the streets of Dudley. There is a local paper the Dudley News, that publishes local news stories on the web. Today I read of a Tom Jones impersonator, two teens killed in a road smash and a controversy involving taxicab signs. Very soon I expect to read of unexpected healings, the increase of religious fervour and the singing of hymns at the local football stadium. When and only when that starts to happen, even in a small way, the jury remains out.
But, if the situation remains the same six months down the line then I would fully expect those at the centre of these “Outpourings” to admit that they were wrong and explain why they were wrong, to the thousands of Christians who believed that we were at the edge of a major revival in this country.
On the other hand, if our nation has truly been touched by the “Dudley Outpouring” then we can all rejoice and cynical old hacks like me can cheerfully eat their words."
"After all it would be good to know, wouldn’t it? No other recent event has split the Christian world as the “Florida Outpouring” under Todd Bentley, followed by the brummie offshoot, the “Dudley Outpouring”. Resplendent with motto (Come and get some), slogans, (Let the Fire Fall) catchphrases (Bam!!) and desktop wallpaper, we appear to have a real 21st Century media-propagated (courtesy of God TV) phenomenon.
While the secular media, at least in the UK, has remained silent and unaware, the Christian world is split in two over the activities of the Illustrated Man in Lakeland, Florida, USA. Revival or deception? The jury is out.
Of course, from my cynical tone you are expecting a hatchet job, but I feel that would do a disservice to an issue that has already generated megabytes of polemical views. I have read much from both sides of the argument. On the one hand there has been evidence of healings and miracles, both at Lakeland (and in Dudley) and in homes worldwide, imparted through digital images by satellite or web. On the other hand there have been accusations of deception, either through innocent enthusiasm or even the implication of demonic influences, concentrating on the track record of the personalities involved. I am not going to add fuel to the fire, but rather make an obvious observation, the one made by the Rabbi Gamaliel.
For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." (Acts 5:38-39)
Yes, let’s wait and see what comes out of it. Let us judge it by its fruit. Let us, first, imagine …
150,000 people becoming Christians within six months, enough to make a real difference in society. Pubs in the area having to close down, magistrates courts being empty through a lack of crimes committed. The work-shy becoming enthusiastic in their occupations and swear-boxes being committed to the trash cans. The open public singing of hymns. People paying their bills at the first asking, paying back all they have borrowed.
Unrealistic, perhaps, but it did happen, as a result of the Welsh revival at the start of the 20th Century, an “Outpouring” that changed a whole nation. Yet, in a sermon given on May 10th by Jerame Nelson, one of the leaders of the Revival Fires ministry at Dudley, the current revival was going to be released to a National level and, in fulfillment of a prophecy given in the last Century by Smith Wrigglesworth, is going to be the biggest move of God the UK has ever seen!
The Welsh Revival changed a nation for the better. The Methodist revival, led by the Wesley brothers and Charles Whitfield, changed the World. The Dudley revival is going to have to make major inroads into our society to live up to its billing. Nelson remarked, “God has chosen this region as an epicenter of His glory – it must hit the streets!”
So, let’s give it a chance, after all it has been packing the Church since early May, bringing in thousands of Christians from all over the UK, each eager to grab the impartation and take it back to their home Churches.
It is too early to expect the “Dudley Outpouring” to have comparable effects on our Nation as earlier revivals, so let’s look at the streets of Dudley. There is a local paper the Dudley News, that publishes local news stories on the web. Today I read of a Tom Jones impersonator, two teens killed in a road smash and a controversy involving taxicab signs. Very soon I expect to read of unexpected healings, the increase of religious fervour and the singing of hymns at the local football stadium. When and only when that starts to happen, even in a small way, the jury remains out.
But, if the situation remains the same six months down the line then I would fully expect those at the centre of these “Outpourings” to admit that they were wrong and explain why they were wrong, to the thousands of Christians who believed that we were at the edge of a major revival in this country.
On the other hand, if our nation has truly been touched by the “Dudley Outpouring” then we can all rejoice and cynical old hacks like me can cheerfully eat their words."
Friday, May 23, 2008
Florida "outpouring" - Todd Bentley
I'd like to get some views UK on the current so called "Florida Outpouring" in the US. A preacher by the name of Todd Bentley is holding forth every night and miraculous healings are being claimed. Is this of God? I'm not sure. I don't want to quench the Holy Spirit or stand in the way of what an Almighty God might do, but i have not yet seen much that convinces me about this.
Unfortunately have not yet come across a "balanced" critique of what's going on. On the one hand are the keen enthusisasts, and on the other the rampant opposition.
My idea of a revival is when whole communities are transformed permanently by the presence of God. When non-Christians come along and are convicted of their need of salvation. What I see in this Florida thing is Christians coming along to get "blessed" and healed.
I find Todd Bentley's style very hard to take. He seems hyperactive, shouting repeadly, going "bang bang bang!" and causing people to fall down by one touch. But what happens when they get up again? Are they changed? If people are being healed then lets have medical verification and coverage in the secular press. They would lap it up!
I am not averse to moves of the Spirit. I personally was blessed by "Toronto" and on the whole I think it was a move of God - but I reckon there was a lot of the "flesh" in it as well.
So whats' this new thing? God, or nor?!!
Unfortunately have not yet come across a "balanced" critique of what's going on. On the one hand are the keen enthusisasts, and on the other the rampant opposition.
My idea of a revival is when whole communities are transformed permanently by the presence of God. When non-Christians come along and are convicted of their need of salvation. What I see in this Florida thing is Christians coming along to get "blessed" and healed.
I find Todd Bentley's style very hard to take. He seems hyperactive, shouting repeadly, going "bang bang bang!" and causing people to fall down by one touch. But what happens when they get up again? Are they changed? If people are being healed then lets have medical verification and coverage in the secular press. They would lap it up!
I am not averse to moves of the Spirit. I personally was blessed by "Toronto" and on the whole I think it was a move of God - but I reckon there was a lot of the "flesh" in it as well.
So whats' this new thing? God, or nor?!!
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