Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category

A Discovery

by Colin Dexter

A twenty one year old man studying for  a Chemical Engineering degree had been reluctantly persuaded to attend with a friend to a meeting where he heard the gospel explained properly for the first time. H then mad a commitment to Christ.

“Nothing seemed to happen to me that evening, but when I woke the next morning I was immediately and vividly aware that I was now living in a different. The Lord had become real to me and I found myself consciously experiencing a gracious love way beyond anything I had ever experienced before. I became aware that I was now spiritually “born” with a new spiritual awareness of God and his love for me.”

 

Johns Gospel Chapter 3

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.[b] Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life

Listening to and learning from the churches

by Colin Dexter

More than ever before, the Labour Party is committed to listening to and learning from the churches. We realise that many will not support a particular political party. We are nevertheless keen to hear what you have to say. Labour recognises the immense contribution of the churches in communities across the country

Chinese Christians fear crackdown

by Colin Dexter

Christians in the south eastern city of Wenzhou are warning of a crackdown on their faith, following the destruction of one church and warnings to others.

Despite official atheism, there are more regular church goers in China than in the whole of Europe.

Wenzhou is often called the Jerusalem of China with over a thousand churches, but events of the past week have caused consternation among its Christian congregations.

Do I treat my Christianity like an eccentric relative?

by Colin Dexter

Paul says in Romans:- For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.[]

2 Corinthians4 v 5 says:-

 You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

I read from the Bible and she started to walk!

by Colin Dexter

The day a man (in Afghanistan) brought a copy of the Bible into his house he witnessed a miracle: his disabled daughter began to walk. He had tuned into  Christian radio station and heard the gospel. Then he managed to obtain a copy of the New Testament. He took this into his house. He had seven children one of whom was disabled and could not walk. When the New Testament was brought into the house she started to move . When the man began to read from the Bible she started to walk.

“Miracles happen to the glory of God. Share your experience with Jesus to the people”

Extract from Open Doors May 2014

 

“Duck Tape Surfing”

by Colin Dexter

God doing in us what we can’t do on our own.

Phil 4 v 11-13

11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ,[c] who gives me strength

Matt 16 v24 to end

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?[l] Is anything worth more than your soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. 28 And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

 

Will we allow the Holy Spirit to  a makeover in our lives?

RO April 27th Sunday Am

Alcohol Pricing?

by Colin Dexter

Nick Smith (MP): Given strong evidence that a higher price for alcohol means
less public disorder and better health, when will the Government do the
right thing-as they have finally done with plain packaging-and introduce
minimum unit pricing for alcohol?

Who does your allotment belong to?

by Colin Dexter

A Song about the Lord’s Vineyard (Isaiah)

Now I will sing for the one I love
    a song about his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
    on a rich and fertile hill.
He plowed the land, cleared its stones,
    and planted it with the best vines.
In the middle he built a watchtower
    and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks.
Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes,
    but the grapes that grew were bitter……..

I will make it a wild place
    where the vines are not pruned and the ground is not hoed,
    a place overgrown with briers and thorns.

(A vineyard that doesn’t have owner soon looks like one that doesn’t have an owner)

What is the significance of thorns & briars in the Bible & was it just by accident that a crown of thorns was [laced on the head of Jesus?

John 19:2    New Living Translation (NLT)

The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head,

Have a look at Leviticus 16.     Jesus came for the sins of the world. Is there also  symbolism in the crown of thorns?

Lev 16

20 “When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place and the Tabernacle and the altar, he must present the live goat. 21 He will lay both of his hands on the goat’s head and confess over it all the wickedness, rebellion, and sins of the people of Israel. In this way, he will transfer the people’s sins to the head of the goat. Then a man specially chosen for the task will drive the goat into the wilderness. 22 As the goat goes into the wilderness, it will carry all the people’s sins upon itself into a desolate land.

Thanks  CW April 20th 2014

 

 

by Colin Dexter

There are many things that I don’t know. The things I do know span a spectrum from certainty to uncertainty and all points between. I know this though: that my faith can be battered by contrary argument and experience, but always seems to survive. It survives big because of any dogged determination and strength on my part, but because I have found that God does what He says he will do.

 

God is not Dead (Film showing in Cardiff)

by Colin Dexter

Film Synopsis

Present-day college freshman and devout Christian, Josh Wheaton, finds his faith challenged on his first day of Philosophy class by the dogmatic and argumentative Professor Radisson. Radisson begins class by informing students that they will need to disavow, in writing, the existence of God on that first day, or face a failing grade. As other students in the class begin scribbling the words “God Is Dead” on pieces of paper as instructed, Josh find himself at a crossroads, having to choose between his faith and his future

 

See  Showcase Nantgarw  19th & 22nd April