I keep having a sporadic, good-natured battle with my vicar. He likes new hymns and I like old hymns. Except when I sometimes like new hymns and he occasionally likes old hymns. I lament that Mission Praise has done away with a great many hymns from my childhood and he thanks God that new hymn writers are flourishing. I'm sure you've heard the argument - I suppose it's a variant of "Is the glass half full or half empty?"

Anyway, why do I like old hymns? Well, strictly speaking, I don't...... Well, ok, I do......... That is, I believe that it shouldn't make a difference whether a hymn is old, new, borrowed or........ well, we'll skip the last one shall we?

• Topic: Miscellaneous
• Score: 0 / 5

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Cody just left our house. He was here with his boss, reviewing issues we have with the work they failed to complete. We made an expensive purchase from them and they seriously failed their contractural and moral obligations. You see, Cody's employer, Mr. Lowville, has a reputation of being one of the worst businessmen in the region. We didn't know this when we signed a contract with him and since that day, we have regretted our decision. We have heard horror stories from many people how Mr. Lowville takes advantage of everyone he meets. Unfortunately, we have learned of his unscrupulous dealings firsthand. This purchase has been one of the worst experiences of our life. Imagine our shock and disbelief when Cody told us he is a Christian.

• Topic: Reflections
• Category: Daily Walk
• Score: 0 / 5

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Stan, not his real name, is a walking contradiction. When I first met him, he proudly introduced himself as a Radical Messianic Jew. He has an impressive library of sacred books, and at first, appeared to be fairly well-versed in Judaism and Christianity. He religiously kept the Sabbath, Jewish food laws and celebrated the feasts. His initial display of faith was admirable, but like many others before me, I soon realized things aren't always as they seem. The more Stan spoke of his lifestyle, the more troubled I became. For example, he bragged how he violently killed over thirty goats with his AK-47 in a fit of rage. From what I have seen of his brittle personality, I believe him.

• Topic: Devotionals
• Category: Daily Walk
• Score: 5 / 5

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The movie, Bruce Almighty, stars Jim Carrey, Jennifer Aniston and Morgan Freeman. It is about a news reporter (Jim Carrey) who, when his life is turned upsidedown, complains to God, complains about God and ultimately dares God to smite him. God, in the form of Morgan Freeman, eventually confronts Bruce, bestows His powers on him and gives him the job of being God for a while. The early part of Carrey's godly new life is spent using his new powers to pull pranks. Obviously, this is less than Biblical.

When I saw the previews several months ago, I was mildly annoyed and righteously indignant. I voiced that I had no desire to see that movie at all because it was obviously mocking God. I felt good about my decision. Months later, my wife rented the movie and brought it home for the evening. I was faced with a dilemma. Would I watch it with her or stick to my decision and personally boycott the work of the devil?

• Topic: Devotionals
• Score: 5 / 5

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Recently I was talking to a group of young people about my faith. I started out by restating some of the same ideas you will probably have read, ad nauseum, in my articles. I can be a 'one-trick pony' at times.

I basically told them that they didn't have to be perfect before Jesus would accept them. If they tried, they would simply set themselves up to fail because man, by his very nature, sins. I also told them that they would continue to sin once they'd accepted Jesus into their lives - but that it was ok, it was natural. I told them that, basically, to be a Christian you had to accept Jesus - not be like him (you SHOULD try, but you WILL fail and it's ok to fail, it's expected, God understands - after all, it's the way He made us).

But then we took it a step further.

• Topic: Devotionals
• Score: 4 / 5

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