WordLive

Send a little love?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:12:00 +0000

North Africa and the Near East once again dominate our news. The Libyan rebels are getting closer to the power base of Colonel Gaddafi. The people of Yemen are also protesting, while the government try to tackle other issues. And Syria is trying to persuade its people that reforms and not revolution are the answer.
In the UK, thousands marched in protest at the cuts that the government are making to reduce the national deficit. Unfortunately events turned nasty when some decided to turn a peaceful protest into a violent one.

Back at WordLive, we’re getting ready for one or two changes. However, before we get there we are looking at Jonah. He was the prophet who didn’t want to go and tell the nasty people of Nineveh about God’s love.

The shameful thing is that I often feel the same way about some people… does God really love them? As we see people struggling with and fighting each other over political views and ways to rule, how much would a good dose of God’s love help those situations?

Darren

The cost of helping others

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 10:24:00 +0000

Over the weekend military action began to protect the people of Libya from Colonel Gadaffi and his supporters. A joint effort, sanctioned by the United Nations, aims to keep those who oppose the unelected leader safe.

It has been reported that 110 Cruise missiles were fired in the first wave of action. According to some accounts the cost of these cruise missiles is about $600,000 each. A simple piece of arithmetic (it needs to be simple for me) means that this action cost about $66 million for missile hardware alone.

Meanwhile on Friday night, the British charity Comic Relief held its main event. By the end of the evening it was believed to have raised £74.3 million. Two large figures, both related to the intention of helping others.

In other news, it’s Twitter’s fifth birthday. I use Twitter quite a lot to find out what is happening around the world. And it has been said that the uprising in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya itself wouldn’t have happened if not for Twitter and other social networks.

Back to WordLive and this week we’re still with Paul’s letter to the church at Rome. This week we hear that everyone, literally everyone, has in some way fallen short of God’s glory. And to be honest, we don’t need to look at the news to see that; we just need to take a look in the mirror.

Darren

Shock and awe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 15:04:00 +0000

The events in Japan remain at the forefront of our thoughts as we enter a new week. Graphic images of the earthquake and the subsequent tsunami were broadcast around the world at the digital speed of light. Images of the waves crossing swathes of land and hurling cars and boats like toys bear witness to the power of nature.

In a world where these awesome events of nature are now often captured digitally, we can share the shock with those who experience them first hand. For the first time in the history of the world humanity can join together almost instantly in shock and support. Our prayers and aid go to those whose lives have been devastated by these events.

In WordLive we visit Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. Paul begins to reveal God’s plan for salvation that has run throughout human history, and culminates in Jesus. Humanity is sometimes helpless before the power of nature. But the creator of nature has an even more powerful and awe-inspiring love for us.

Darren

Tsunami hits Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:32:00 +0000

As we witness events in Japan via the Internet and TV, pray for all the lives affected by the Tsunami. The images being beamed around the world show us how fragile our existence is.

Latest news

Today's highlighed verse in Wordlive shows where we can turn in times of distress.
‘David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”’ 2 Samuel 24:1–25

All good things come to an end

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:01:00 +0000

From the regeneration of a favourite Doctor Who to the end of an empire to the end of the whole universe and life as we know it… all good things come to an end. Or so it seems.

As far as I know, the new season of Doctor Who won’t be Matt Smith’s last, but I did want to mention him in a post here. However, I did think that last week would be Colonel Gaddafi’s last as Libyan leader.

But he is still there, and there seems to be little change in the situation. Let’s pray that the situation is resolved quickly, peacefully and in the best interests for the Libyan people.

And last night I ended up feeling a little, ‘So that’s it?’ as I watched Wonders of the Universe. Dr Brian Cox, the Uk’s hip cosmologist, explained entropy and the out-working of the second law of thermodynamics, which basically means that eventually the universe will just fade away to nothing.

I know this will take an unfathomable amount of time, but there is something quite final about such a worn out end to things. Give him his due, he did try to promote the importance of living in the here and now and enjoying the marvel that is life, but even so…

This week’s WordLive covers the end of David’s reign as king of Israel. I wonder how the nation felt at the loss of David? Future generations certainly missed him and longed for a king like David, a messiah in fact.

Personally I think that the Messiah has already existed. And I believe that something exists beyond what is bound by entropy.

How’s your faith holding up?

Darren

Your kingdom come

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 09:13:00 +0000

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, or you have better things to do with your life, you’ll know that the Oscars have just taken place. The red carpet and designer frocks were beamed worldwide as the Academy handed out their gold statuettes. The King’s Speech received the award for best film and its star Colin Firth the award for best actor.
In the real world (Oh, was that a little harsh?) the leader of Libya Muammar Gaddafi is still holding on despite increased pressure from the rest of the world.

And across the sea from England, a new Irish government is being formed after the country rejected the rule of the previous government following the financial crisis that hit them.

And in WordLive David, the king, is struggling with his kingdom and his children. From king’s speeches to revolutions, from ousted governments to family feuds, it seems that when we rely on our own strength, humanity messes things up.

Darren

Tumbling like a house of cards

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 10:37:00 +0000

A little over a week since the Egyptian people overthrew an unjust regime, a similar story unfolds on the streets of Libya. As I type this the world is unsure as to exactly what is going on and what is happening. There are rumours of defections, alliances falling and security force crackdowns.

At one point on the night of 21st February, a rumour that Colonel Gaddafi had fled the country led to crowds celebrating in the streets. But then his son appeared on state television, offering to talk to the protestors and warning of civil war.

Meanwhile there is still unrest in the kingdom of Bahrain. Once again the people want reform and are unhappy with the way the country is being ruled. After an initial military crackdown protestors are once again making their voices heard.

And these two countries are not the only ones in the Middle East that are having civil unrest. Yemen, Algeria and even Iran are all experiencing varying degrees of protest.

In WordLive this week we hear about Jesus’ compassion for those who are the outcasts and least in their society, and how these people respond to Jesus. As we look at events in the world, how should we respond?

Do we ask for a peaceful resolution? Of course! But should we also be calling for the oppressed to be set free and the widow, orphan and poor to be treated justly?

Prayer is not our only option.

Darren

Love is all around?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 09:24:00 +0000

This week started with Valentine’s Day, so there may be a theme running through this piece…
One of the long-running stories in recent weeks came to an initial conclusion. On the whole, a peaceful revolution in Egypt took place when President Hosni Mubarak resigned. Love had been shown by many of the protestors and one of the most endearing images was one that highlighted the love between Christians and Muslims.

Back in the UK, the Prime Minister was defending his plans for the Big Society, where local people take care of local issues. It’s a ‘share the love’ idea where people care about others in their communities and make those communities a better place.

He was defending it because its detractors feel a lack of funds will stop it from being viable. I wonder if a bigger problem could be the general lack of love between people in society. Are we more concerned about ourselves than others?

And that brings us to this week’s WordLive. Later this week Jesus challenges his society to love their enemies. In a week when love is all around, what better message could there be?

Darren

Actions have consequences

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 09:03:00 +0000

The news is still dominated by the events in Egypt with the call from the protestors for the President to go. The government is trying to make a deal with the demonstrators and bring some stability to the country. But the demonstrators are wary of what is being offered.

In the strange world of sport we have Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica fighting for his career, and the use of his arm, after crashing a rally car. Meanwhile in football the current Premier League leaders Manchester Utd, the team on an unbeaten run lasting 29 games, finally lost… to the team currently bottom of the league – Wolves.

In WordLive we see that the great King David can mess things up big time. And one man’s ‘indiscretion’ ends up affecting a multitude of others. Whether it is in government and politics, or sport, or any other activity we take part in, individual actions can have big consequences.

How do you decide what to do?

Darren

Over-qualified?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 15:06:00 +0000

Your suitability for a job can be determined by your qualifications and your ability to perform its requirements. Over the weekend the ability of Sian Massey to perform the job of assistant referee was called into question by two TV presenters. However, it could be that their ability to perform their jobs is now in question.
The world’s ability to feed its growing population is also under the spotlight following a study by The Foresight Report on Food and Farming Futures. It reveals that urgent action is needed to avoid global hunger.

And a deal to get British banks lending to small businesses has apparently stalled. So despite small businesses having the right ‘qualifications’ they’ll continue to struggle to get the credit to run until a deal is met.

But what about the qualifications and abilities of the people who Jesus recruited to be his followers; the disciples? Well this week on WordLive we’ll see Jesus call the first of them. An interesting selection – unqualified and lacking ability – but they did have faith and believed in Jesus. Perhaps that is all that is needed?

Darren

Lack of understanding leads to inaction?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 09:19:00 +0000

Both the United Kingdom and parts of North America have recently been hit by severe cold weather. Over the weekend snowfall in Minneapolis caused the roof of a sports arena to collapse. This has led to people wondering why it is so cold if the world is heating up, although world climate and local weather are two different things.

Following two bomb blasts in Sweden, a house in Luton is being searched. The house belongs to the suspected bomber; although neighbours appear to be in shock that he could possibly do such a thing. What leads people to such desperate actions often seems hard to understand.

Monday's Manchester United football game against Arsenal will be watched by some of the Chilean miners who were trapped underground for so long. As they were trapped in the mine I wonder how many times they asked the question: why is this happening to us? However, they kept going and were eventually rescued.

This week WordLive is delving into the sometimes difficult to understand words of the book of Revelation. But as we have seen above, life isn’t always about understanding everything but about how we respond to what we do know.

Darren

It’s good to talk

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 09:35:00 +0000

Talks will take place this week over Iran’s nuclear programme. The concern being that the Middle Eastern nation may use its nuclear capability to do more than simply create electricity for itself.
And the UK government has revealed its plans to provide super-fast broadband across the country. Once the roll out is complete the whole nation will be able to communicate over the network.

And we have more ‘sensitive’ information coming from the Wikileaks site. Or should we say sites – apparently there are over three hundred mirrors of the site around the web to keep the message up and running. This, despite one major route of funding for the site being cut.

This week in WordLive we are still listening to the words of Ezekiel. He didn’t have broadband to tell others the message God had given him. But for those concerned the information was sensitive and potentially life-transforming.

Darren

WordLive app for Windows 7 phones

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 14:19:00 +0000

It is with great pleasure that I am able to announce that there is now a WordLive app for Windows 7 phone users. And it is with even greater pleasure that I can tell you that it was created by a WordLive user.

Paul wanted a way to browse WordLive and listen to the podcast at the same time. So, he got his coding fingers working and bundled up the available feeds into this wonderful app. We thank Paul for his work and effort in putting this together and sharing it with the world.

For more details follow the links below. And if there are any other people who are creating ways to use WordLive we'd love to hear. I know there are one or two Blackberry users who would be interested in an app ;)

Feature list

Info on how to get it

It’s just words and information, right?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 09:09:00 +0000

Some pretty sensitive information has been posted on the Wikileaks site, whose purpose is to make information available to all. The site believes that some information that is hidden from the public should be seen by all. However, others feel that this information is too sensitive to be freely available.

Another release of information, although this time through a more informal route, has had interesting consequences for the Bishop of Willesden. He posted numerous comments about the upcoming royal wedding, and for doing this he has been suspended.

And the posturing and strong words continue on the Korean peninsula. After the shelling of an island under the authority of the South by the North, both sides are engaging in a war of words, each condemning the actions of the other.

Meanwhile, in WordLive we’re looking at Ezekiel, a prophet who had a great many things to say about his nation, other nations and God. The role of a prophet and the words he shares aren’t always welcome either. Would Ezekiel have been suspended or condemned for what he had to say if he was posting those words today, online?

Darren

Little or big, it’s about change

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 09:09:00 +0000

In the UK, the new Labour leader Ed Milliband is about to embark on a rethink of his party’s policies. He says it’s time to make some changes as they begin the journey to regain power.

A Japanese politician has resigned after he said that his job was easy. Apparently he had two standard replies when he was asked a difficult question to which he didn’t know the answer. I wonder whether he may have been able to stay if he had learnt one or two more answers. But some people can’t change, even a little.

Still in Japan and speaking of little, a tiny Chihuahua is about to become a police dog. The tiny pooch has just passed its police exam and will help out in search and rescue operations. It is amazing how something so small could have such a profound affect on the lives of others.

This week WordLive is all about the things that can bring us closer to God: being like a child, being less than others, selling everything you have and giving the money to the poor. It’s all about change, and how those changes in your life can have a big effect.
Darren

Realising what is there

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 09:05:00 +0000

For those with a sporting interest you may have noticed that the youngest Formula 1 world champion was crowned. Sebastian Vettel realised his dream by winning the final Gran Prix of the season.

Those of us whose interest lies in the business and economic arena, may have noticed some news coming from the banking sector. It seems that banks have realised that their bonus systems may appear to be a little unfair to the general public and therefore need a rethink.

And finally in the political arena the world has greeted with joy the release of Aung San Suu Kyi. Perhaps Burma have realised that democracy may be a way forward for the country, and who better to help with that than the pro-democracy supporter Aung San.

And then, perhaps one additional pause for thought. This week in WordLive Peter realises that this Jesus who has been walking among him and his fishing buddies may just be someone a little more important than a carpenter’s son.

Darren

We will remember them

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 08:58:00 +0000

This week in WordLive we follow Daniel as he comes under attack for his faith in God. His continued commitment to prayer, despite the very real risk of death it entailed, is a challenge to us all. What would we do if worshipping God in public meant putting our lives at risk?
This is a question Christians in Iraq are facing this week, following the recent attack on a Catholic church in Baghdad in which 52 worshippers were killed. As many as 60 per cent of the Iraqi Christian population have already been killed or fled the country since the invasion in 2003 and those remaining are now being warned to leave.

However, many are determined to stay ‘whatever the sacrifices, to bear witness to our faith’ (Ignatius Metti Metok, Syriac Catholic Bishop of Baghdad). A prominent Christian member of the Iraqi parliament, Yonadam Kanna, said, ‘This is our home, we have been together with Muslims for centuries, this is our destiny, and we will stay together’.

Daniel’s response to opposition in Babylon was to pray and keep trusting God, though it’s hard to imagine him not being terrified as he was thrown to the lions. This week, let’s remember in prayer those Christians living in constant fear in Iraq. And in Remembrance Week, let’s also pray for all the members of our armed forces who confront danger daily in order to protect our freedom.

Lizzie Evans

Doing the right thing, for the right reason

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 10:26:00 +0000

We know that some things are wrong, but we also seem to be concerned with some things being ‘more’ wrong than others. In a recent report a former drugs advisor has said that alcohol does more damage than hard drugs. Of course this report will now be used by various pressure groups who either want to ban alcohol at one end or legalise drugs at the other.

We also know that some things are good for us. A major study of Norwegians has revealed that exercise is good for us. But not just any exercise – the exercise has to be done in your free time and therefore done because you want to do it.

This week on WordLive we delve into the world of Daniel, a devout follower of the Jewish God who found himself amidst the beliefs and rituals of a totally different culture. He knew what was good for him and why.

Praying and reading the Bible are things that we can do, but if we don’t really want to do them, is there any point?

Darren

Inside or outside?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 08:38:00 +0000

How much more can Haiti take? Just as people begin to recover from the earthquake, they now have to face an outbreak of cholera, mainly in the tent encampments where a million earthquake victims are living.

Health workers have been fearing this situation – the first outbreak in the country in more than a century – as the poor sanitary conditions in the camps leave people vulnerable. As of Sunday there were more than 3,000 cases and 250 deaths. Fortunately it seems that the spread to the capital Port-au-Prince has been slowed if not halted.

With clean food and water, cholera is not a difficult disease to avoid. Sadly however, life in Haiti is not so simple and this is the result.

In Mexico however, the violence continues. On Friday gunmen burst into a 14-year-old boy’s birthday party, killing 14 and wounding another 20. About 7,000 people have been murdered in the area since 2008 when the government declared war on the drug cartels.

A 20-year-old local criminology student, Marisol Valles, has been appointed as police chief in a nearby town. Her predecessor was beheaded in January 2009.

‘I am frightened, I am only human, but you have to learn to trust and to have hope that things can change,’ she said. ‘Have faith that we can do something about this security problem. We want to build a place where young people can fulfil their hopes and dreams.’

So which is worse, cholera in Haiti caused by taking in infected food and water? Or the relentless violence in Mexico resulting from the evil within those involved in the drug cartels?

According to this week’s readings, Jesus saw the heart as the source of defilement, something much harder to deal with (Mark 7:14–23). Brave Marisol Valles is facing quite a challenge.

Emlyn Williams

Miracles

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:49:00 +0000

Miracles have been on the news agenda much more than usual this past week. The remarkable rescue of the miners in Chile dominated the news for more than 24 hours, and the President of Chile (amongst many others) called it a miracle.
According to the president’s Protestant chaplain Rev Alfredo Cooper (also a CMS mission partner), ‘Many of the miners went down as atheists or unbelievers or semi-believers and they have come up to a man testifying that they were not 33 but that there were 34 down there – that Jesus was there with them and that they had a constant sense of his presence and guidance.’

All of this was welcome relief from the cynicism which surrounds us for much of the time. Sadly however, as this week’s readings show, miracles don’t necessarily lead to strong faith. They can even have the opposite effect (Mark 6:51,52).

Nevertheless, the success of the rescue highlighted another important principle seen in this week’s readings (Mark 6:7) – that of cooperation. And it was far from being the only example in the news this week.

For the past 14 years, two teams of workmen have been boring the world’s longest rail tunnel – 35.4miles long – under the Swiss Alps. On Friday, a tunnelling machine broke through the remaining rock to complete the tunnel. The accuracy was stunning – within 8cm horizontally and 1cm vertically.

Liverpool fans will be hoping for a demonstration of partnership and cooperation from their club’s new owners. Echoing the club anthem ‘You’ll never walk alone’, John W Henry, head of the new owners NESV, said, ‘We're going to do a lot of listening, we have a lot to learn, and we'll walk this path together.’

Emlyn Williams

Finishing the race

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 08:46:00 +0000

Perseverance has been seen in spades this week, not least in the Commonwealth Games. With 20 per cent of England swimmers having suffered from stomach problems, it’s been a tough time for many of them.

But Delhi Belly was not the only problem. Confusion over false starts led to Australian runner Sally Pearson crossing the line first in the 100m final but being disqualified. Despite her disappointment she persevered and came back to an easy win in the heat of the 100m hurdle.

We ‘are created for goodness’, according to Archbishop Desmond Tutu in a trailer for BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. Aid worker Linda Norgrove demonstrated perseverance in tough circumstances by going to work in Afghanistan having previously worked in Mexico, Uganda, Peru and Laos. In September she was kidnapped by extremists with links to al-Qaeda. Sadly, it seemed that they didn’t recognise goodness and she was killed moments before being rescued.

In Chile, however, perseverance has paid off. The miners, who have been trapped since 5 August, are on the point of release now that the rescue drill has broken through to their chamber. I wonder how significant their daily prayer meeting has been to their survival?

For preacher-turned-soul-singer Solomon Burke, the end came on Sunday at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. The 70-year-old father of 21 and grandfather of 90, died on an aircraft having just arrived from Los Angeles. He recently told the Telegraph, ‘As long as I have breath to do it, I'll sing, with God's help.’

Whether he realised it or not, Burke was following in Paul’s footsteps. For Paul, perseverance was a challenge but he recognised that ultimately it was only possible because of God’s help (2 Timothy 4:7,8,17). How much do we recognise God at work in surprising situations with possibly unlikely people?

Emlyn Williams

Keeping going

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:34:00 +0000

Once again the Tour de France is under a cloud after this year’s winner tested positive for a banned substance. But whilst the cycling world waits to find out what really happened, Ryder Cup contestants endured torrential rain and driving winds, with the European team going right to the wire to secure a 14½-13½ win.

As for the Commonwealth Games, the arguments are over (for now at least) and the Games are under way. Hopefully they won’t be tainted by allegations of drug taking.

Sadly, the Welsh Heritage Minister missed the Games altogether, arriving 12 hours late at Heathrow Airport. The Welsh Conservative Leader said: ‘It doesn't sound like it was the airline's fault anyway. It's unlikely a plane would leave 12 hours early.’ He’s probably right.

A very different kind of athlete, Sir Norman Wisdom, has died at the age of 95. His slapstick comedy demanded huge energy and athleticism and drew fame and acclaim from the most unlikely places, including Hong Kong.

During the Cold War he was a great favourite in Albania, whose Stalinist government said that his films were politically acceptable. He was even mobbed when he visited the country to receive the Freedom of Tirana.

If by now you’re wondering where the connection is between this and WordLive, Timothy made a clear connection between the successful athlete and the faithful Christian (2 Timothy 2:3). We may not all be athletic, but we need the athlete’s dogged perseverance.

Emlyn Williams

The fame of leadership

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 14:42:00 +0000

Once again the theme of leadership is weaving its way throughout the newsiverse. Ed Milliband has beaten his older brother to become the leader of the Labour party in the UK. All eyes are now looking to see what exactly it is he stands for and what sort of leader he will be.
Meanwhile the much rumoured promotion of the favourite son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has happened… we think. A young man being thrust from obscurity into the limelight in the world’s most secretive state – I wonder if he needs a publicist?

In Moscow, the President has dismissed the mayor after some disagreements. The Mayor, tipped as a future president, is now looking for another career.

But then, fame is a funny old thing. I listened to a news report that announced the death of an actress. The report told me that she had starred in many films before retiring in the 1940s. It then told me that she had been the oldest actress to be nominated for an Oscar.

It wasn’t until I was told that it was the actress who played the old lady in James Cameron’s Titanic that I had any idea who had died. But then fame is a funny old thing, here one minute and gone the next. And they say a week in politics is a long time.

In WordLive we are continuing our journey through Paul’s letter to Timothy. The young leader gets some much needed advice from the older leader who’s been there and done that. How many of today’s leaders seek and listen to advice? How about us?

Darren Hill

Following the leader

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 09:55:00 +0000

We wouldn’t be particularly on the ball if we didn’t mention the Papal Visit. The trip raised a whole host of controversial issues, from upsetting some because the state paid toward it to the issues of child abuse within the church’s history. However, it did bring the concept of spirituality into focus.

The ruling party of North Korea have announced their first conference for almost a generation. It looks like they may reveal a successor to the ageing leader Kim Jong-il. However, news from the most secretive state on the planet isn’t always as current as it could be.

And back in the UK we have entered the Political Party Conference season. This week the Lib Dems are holding their conference. For the first time in the living memory of most people, especially this writer, what they are debating will directly effect the government. However, the fear is that the price of power may be too high.

This week in WordLive we are looking at Paul’s words to a young leader of a church. Timothy, like the leaders today, had a lot to deal with. But that’s life isn’t it?

Darren

Hopes and fears

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 08:47:00 +0000

Fear is a pretty powerful tool. It is used by some to control others. It often rears its head when people are unaware of all the facts.

Such an example can be seen in the misunderstanding and misinformation surrounding the proposed burning of the Qu’ran by a small church in Florida.

Meanwhile the UK economy is bracing itself for cuts. But will these cuts be its salvation or destruction? Both sides of the political agenda are using fear in their arguments.

As the unions meet they are warning the government that their members won’t accept the measures being proposed. And the government has taken a swipe at the alleged millions being given to those who can work but don’t. The fear being that so much of the money that could be saved is simply being wasted.

And then of course there is the media itself, putting a little spin here and there to change the angle of a story for its own political bias. And what about us, involved in telling others about Jesus? Are we ever guilty of throwing in a little fear to enhance our message?

This week’s WordLive begins with a story about the disciples being afraid. Take a look and you’ll see.

Some have said that the church has used fear to control people too. No doubt that has been and is true in some instances. But that’s a shame, because the message found in the Bible is one of hope and not fear.

Darren