thoughts out !oud

a Christian’s news, views, opinions and occasional poetry …

Jesus ain’t no happy hippy in a dress

Sometimes ( … okay, a lot, I think!) Christians need to be reminded that Jesus is no tree-hugging, free-loving wimp, that he’s no happy hippy in a dress that our metrosexual societies and luke-warm churches make him out to be. Jesus has come, not to just redeem with the fire (Luke 12:49) that it is the Gospel, but to also (be the occasion to) divide, setting son against father, daughter against mother, family against family (Luke 12:51-53).

In the end, a great and just war will be waged, with Jesus acting as Commander-in-chief, getting up to his elbows in the blood of the enemies of God:

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and… Continue reading Jesus ain't no happy hippy in a dress

The only Jesus they knew

Christians can be a reprehensible lot; they can be the self-refuting testimony of an otherwise marvelous and positive influential Christianity. And I don’t excuse myself from among them, only to try to be aware of my own shortcomings and to be open and honest with them and then to deal with them.

I have no doubt that Jesus looks at the state of the wider church today and weeps over its lack of cohesion, strength and unity. Church is Satan’s favourite playground (he attends more religiously than anyone) - and he knows all the rules, better than the vast majority of Christians, and his pawns are those in church who hold prominent positions of office. Not only does he have pawns in his ranks, but also some of… Continue reading The only Jesus they knew

“Have mercy on me, for I am a sinful man”

Jesus was very much a master provoker - the stories he often told were well engineered to whack you up-side the head. His parables not only carried with them profound truths, some of them would have made some great stand-up comedy (plank in your eye, anyone?) while others just sought to directly stir the religiosity and prejudices of men.

As a pioneer panning for gold would often find, the parables of Jesus sift through our lives to reveal the worthless stones that clutter, weigh down and mar our souls.

By way of example, the Gospel of Luke records Jesus’ story of a Pharisee and a Tax Collector who were at the Temple to pray (Luke 18:10-14). The Pharisee rattled off a litany of reasons why he was better than a… Continue reading "Have mercy on me, for I am a sinful man"

Poem: Touches in the dark hours

touches in the dark hours

what’s desired
the most
we deserve
the least –
that’s biblical, that is –

to be left
to hurt
is worse than being left to die –
or is it there being no hope
for atonement?
or redemption?
no soft touches
in the dark hours
when your spirit has no words
to speak
because they’re empty
and so there’s a guttural
yelp
a vacuumed cry for help
followed by the mind burst
that the worst
is yet to bear its teeth
expectation can be equally painful

trickery is at work
in these dark hours
thoughts jump over balcony railings
to fall
lazily
into foul language in a foul world
rushing upwards
with greetings of a sudden kind
so much for civilities

but we have no Superman
nor Spider-man
nor least of all good ol’ Captain America
just a man –
weeping
offering
the soft touches
that we need
in these dark hours
he’s been through them too

© 2007 mathew hamilton… Continue reading Poem: Touches in the dark hours

How to get your fear of death to drop dead

I wonder how many of us fear death? If even only on a subconscious level, perhaps? I think it would be fair to say that the majority of people really don’t give much time thinking about death. I mean, why dwell on something that is so morbid and dark, right? Wouldn’t we rather just think of the happier things in life and tend to what is present than to waste our grey matter thinking of death?

Since you’re reading this, do you? Are you scared of death? Or are you somewhat like me … not really fearing death itself but not looking forward to how it might actually take place?

At one point, I used to think that Christians had the monopoly of not fearing death… Continue reading How to get your fear of death to drop dead

Heathens, heaven and hell

[The writing of this article owes itself to the inspiring and thought-provoking post, and ensuing comments discussion, The 'Innocent' Heathen? over at Duane's Mind. Be sure to check out the comments related to his post!]

You would agree that all human knowledge is finite - we can’t know everything. (I mean that as a statement - I doubt anyone could say with absolute certainty that this is incorrect.) You would also agree, based on a traditional interpretation of the Bible, that Christianity teaches the following: God is Holy; mankind is sinful; mankind is destined for Hell; God, by His Graciousness, provides a remedy for mankind’s destination; Jesus, alone, is that remedy; those that acknowledge Jesus are redeemed; the redeemed are taken into God’s Holiness in Heaven; those… Continue reading Heathens, heaven and hell

‘If God says “No”, will I still be happy?’

I saw this question just this morning. I can’t say I know exactly what it is that it’s trying to say, but it did get me thinking a little. (Rare, I know ;) )

When weighing up such a question, I guess we need to consider the implied assumption(s) - if there is one or any. Once we have some idea as to the motivation for the question, we should then be able to best address it. But let’s start with the possible assumption.

The author of the question could be implying that only an affirmative from God will make them happy. (Don’t misunderstand - God is really the only person who can fulfill every deep-seated emotional, physical and spiritual need that a person can have.)… Continue reading 'If God says "No", will I still be happy?'

Christianity - a religion of hypocrisy?

Hypocrite [hip-oh-krit]: n. a person who pretends to be what he or she is not.

Linking back to my previous post (Moral standards and hypocrisy), I thought I would expand a little on the theme of the cartoon in a kind of broad Christian context.

In Christianity, there are two types of hypocrites.

1). There are those who know that they will always stumble to achieve God’s standard if they rely on their own efforts - even sheer will-power cannot make them immune from their own depravity and sin. These are the types who, when they acknowledge that they have sinned against God, genuinely repent and seek forgiveness - firstly, from God and secondly, from those whom they have offended/hurt by their actions. Having sought forgiveness… Continue reading Christianity - a religion of hypocrisy?

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