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Christianity is full of beliefs that seem to go against science, so lots of people can't believe what we believe. What they don't understand is that if you believe in God, you also believe that He can bend the laws of nature when He wants to,'' says Claire George.
Just because you become a Christian it doesn't mean that life is suddenly going to be perfect, cautions Claire George.
"If your way of being a good Christian is never ever ever thinking about your own needs, you will eventually run into trouble,'' says Claire George.
Becoming a Christian literally turned my world upside down. Everything that I had previously understood about human behaviour, the Earth and its purpose, had to be shifted sideways to make room for God,'' writes Claire George.
"When God looks at us, does he see us in the way we see ourselves? Does he even notice if a person has nice clothes or is American or a university professor? Or does he still see us as we were for much of our history, simply a very clever species of ape, one type of human among several kinds?'' Claire George asks.
"God calls us to treat other people with the same kindness that we want them to show us,'' says Claire George.
"It's not difficult to understand why so many people find Christian belief hard to swallow. We live in an age where fact is king. The existence of God can't be proved. There is no way to prove that God came to us in Jesus. So sceptics feel that Christian belief is ridiculous,'' says Claire George.
"God wants us to tell others about the love He has for the world. That means living in a way that shows others what He is. Note I say what He is, and not what we believe,'' says Claire George.
"God is a parent to us and we are his children. All parents know that older children need personal space in order to learn how to be independent. If you feel that God has withdrawn from you, it may be a sign that He wants you to grow strong by learning how to do something on your own,'' suggests Claire George.
Continue reading "Does God Seem To Be Absent From Your Life?" »
"Transcendence is a long word but it is easy to understand. It is the feeling that there is something beyond the physical world,'' writes Claire George.
Claire George suggests aids to prayer.
Claire George reminds Christians of why so many people are opposed to their faith.
"Christianity is full of beliefs that seem to go against science, so lots of people can't believe what we believe. What they don't understand is that if you believe in God, you also believe that He can bend the laws of nature when He wants to,'' Claire George declares.
"The way in which Christians talk about their calling also depends on the level to which they believe that God interferes in daily human life,'' writes Claire George.
Claire George considers the broad spectrum of Christian beliefs.
"Story communicates directly with the imagination and with the emotions, so is often a more effective way of delivering a message than giving a direct description of what you want to say.'' writes Claire George.
"The life of a Christian is a constant struggle to do what is right,'' says Claire George in these words of encouragement.
"All human beings are joined together in a vast net of interconnected relationships. Everything we do affects others. If we make our influence on others a positive thing it is something that may outlive us for centuries,'' writes Claire George.
"...He knows that it's better for you to be independent, resilient and self supporting. What loving parent, friend or partner would wish for you to be dependent and unable to survive without their reassurance?'' says Claire George in this sermon.
"Money makes us lazy,'' says Claire George. "When we're unhappy we buy things to cheer us up instead of dealing with the cause of the unhappiness. When we haven't got time to spend with our loved ones we buy them things instead of making time.''
...In human beings love is an emotion but it is also a cool, rational intention. If there is a person you do not like, and you act in their best interests for their well being and actively avoid doing anything to harm them, that is still love...
Claire George considers the Christian imperative to love our neighbours.
Claire George points to practical ways in which we can bring aid to our planet.
...The Practice of the Presence of God has a beautifully simple message. We can open ourselves to God by remembering him and talking to him throughout the day...
Claire George Introduces us to a book by a 17th Century French monk.
Claire George offers comfort to those who have been treated unfairly.
...It sounds so easy to say we can make a difference. In reality a lot of us don't try because we are held back by negative feelings such as apathy, self-doubt, fear and embarrassment. The thing to remember is that we generate our own emotions. They don't come from outside us. They are our emotions, so we can learn to control them or at least subdue them...
Claire George encourages us to try to make a difference.
Continue reading "What Keeps Us From Making A Difference?" »
...As Christians we must acknowledge that we are not alone in our longing to be close to God. God is loved by Muslims, Hindus and Jews. He is adored by Liz Gilbert and many others like her. When we practice faith in daily life we should allow belief in Christ to be our support, but we mustn't use it to block out non-Christians. There is potentially a lot to be learnt from reading about faith in God outside Christianity. If you are secure in your Christian faith there is no need to avoid non-Christian reading material....
Claire George says that the success of Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir Eat, Pray, Love is proof that people are very interested in God.
"To be a Christian is to be a thinker and a decision maker. You must think and make decisions if you are to be a Christian. It's not enough to identify as a Christian and believe particular things are true, you have to take action, you have to actively try to live a Christian life,'' Claire George advises.
...God doesn't reward our prayers with shinier cars and bigger houses. He calls us to stop pretending to be what we are not, to make the most of our natural gifts, to understand ourselves and to develop our characters by learning how to be kind and loving. In God's kingdom, to be a mature and loving human being is riches. Money is just a worldy thing, it means nothing...
Claire George brings us the greatest of all messages for this Christmas Eve.
...Words can never present life as it really is. Memories are faulty. Two people come away from a conversation with different recollections of what was said. Stories change with each retelling. Removing an adjective can alter the meaning of an entire tale....
Claire George, employing persuasively readable words, comminicates some thoughts on words.
Claire George says that people who shape the world in words may not actually be looking at it.
