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Would you say Jesus is a good person?

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                    The  fruit  of the Spirit is love,  joy, peace,  forbearance, kindness, goodness...Galatians 5:22 Every Easter, Christians remember the brutal crucifixion of an innocent man, Jesus Christ. Why? Because we prize justice, decrying the evil that placed him on that Roman cross. Jesus claimed to be God’s Son, a ‘crime’ the authorities labelled as blasphemy. Yet he is the Son of God who lived among men, proving his identity by his selfless, pure life. Perhaps the contrast between his goodness and their sin convicted them, and they hated him for it. Jesus exposed their pride, their adherence to rules that concealed indifference to the needy.  Who doesn’t feel inadequate or guilty in the presence of someone greater?  Jesus told a parable to those who prided themselves on their goodness. A Pharisee and a tax collector approached the Jerusalem temple. The Pharisee prided himself on his goodness b...
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Alone on the Cross- Alone in a crowd

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       Alone on the Cross     On that cross alone, forsaken,       Where no pitying eye was found       Now to God’s right hand exalted               With thy praise the heavens resound.                                                                                                   E.M.C. Thompson, c. 1881.        The cross of Jesus Christ pre...
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In need of a little kindness?

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                                                                             Jesus is so very kind   The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness… This is Jesus, who is   also purposeful and generous   During his earthly ministry, Jesus traveled from Judea to Galilee by the shorter route. Jews avoided this road because they would pass through Samaritan towns, where residents of mixed descent lived. The Jews despised them. By midday Jesus, under the scorching sun, grew thirsty, and he rested in Sychar at Jacob’s well while the disciples went into town to buy food. A lonely woman arrived to fill her water pots during the hottest hours of the day, avoiding local gossip.  Jesus seized the opportunity to befriend her.   “Will you give me a drink?...
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Ever feel like lashing out?

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                         The Patience of Jesus: going the extra mile Meg swept the floor and scrubbed it until the bronze and white patina glistened in the sunlight, before stepping back to admire the sparkling mosaic of the tiles. The clean floor filled her with pride and appreciation for this gorgeous feature of her home. Bang! The door flung open and hubby strode past her, leaving behind the corrugated imprint of his muddy boots and sticky grass cuttings across the floor. Her jaw dropped as she stared after him.   “Do you mind? I’ve just washed the floor!”  But he’d already grabbed his spanner from the garage, and with a furrowed brow, stomped another trail of mud and clippings in his path before disappearing outside.   “Jerry!”   “Huh? The mower’s broken down. I’ve got more important things to deal with than mud on the floor. Get your priorities straight, Meg...
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Sailing through the storm to a peaceful haven

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                                                                 Peace: resting in Jesus                                                            On a mountain beside the Sea of Galilee, Jesus sat with his disciples, telling them about his Father’s kingdom as he comforted them. If they felt sad, or were humble or merciful, they were blessed. The pure in heart and the peacemakers were God’s children because they represented his family by their attitudes and love for him. They would enter his kingdom, the realm of eternal peace.   Sometime later, Jesus, wishing to reach the far shore of the Sea of Galilee, boarded a boat with his disciples. He rested his head on a cushi...
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Did Jesus have fun?

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                                                                                  JESUS: bringer of joy                                                                              Was Jesus happy?  What did he say about joy?                                                                                          The tables were laden with food, as the community c...
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Jesus: The Perfect Hero

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                                                   Understanding the power of his perfect love     Welcome to my study. If you look around you, you’ll see my piano and a music stand. My Bible rests on the desk next to my computer. The bookcases are full of novels, Bible commentaries, CDs and music, and a variety of pictures line the walls. You’ve probably decided I’m a Christian, a music lover, and an avid reader. The Bible has played an important role all my life, but the New Testament stories about Jesus have always resonated with me. He is so perfect that I wish I could be as perfect as he is.   So, why do I love Jesus? What characteristics about him  are appealing ?  His most outstanding quality is love. When he walked the roads of the Holy Land, his love governed his actions and guided his relationships.   Jesus loved ...
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Holey-ness or Holiness? Wisdom for the new year.

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                                                      Holey-ness or holiness?         The dawn of this new year may inspire resolve: improvement, striving for perfection. A musician practises to perform a perfect melody that rises and falls with ease and grace. The artist stretches a fresh canvas onto his easel, sketching and adjusting his pencil outline and paint until a perfect form emerges.    What are your goals for 2026? Increased fitness and weight loss to create the perfect body shape? Is there a significant project you desperately want to finish to the best of your ability?    Everyone craves perfection; for some it’s a dominating passion, but for others, a distant dream. We’re fashioned in the image of God, intrinsically yearning for His nature. Adam and Eve live...
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The gift that matters

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                   Gifts for a King   Toward the east, a star, the emblem of Israel’s king, had lit up the heavens. Wise men arrived in Jerusalem, searching for the Messiah, the rightful King of the Jews, but the news disturbed King Herod and the city of Jerusalem because this new king’s birth threatened Herod’s reign. Horrified, King Herod secretly summoned the Wise Men to his Jerusalem court and questioned them.   “We saw his star, and we must worship him.”     “Where did you first see the star?”   “It arose in the East.”   In fear and hatred, Herod consulted the priests and law teachers.   “Do you know the Messiah’s birthplace?” “Yes, because nearly seven hundred years ago, Micah prophesied God’s shepherd would arise from Bethlehem.”   Herod sent the wise men to Bethlehem to find this young king, pretending he wanted to worship him.  They left ...
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