Scottish independence: John Swinney clarifies Bank of England discussions, BBC News

 

Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney has clarified comments he made regarding discussions with the Bank of England over a currency union.

Last Wednesday Mr Swinney said the Scottish government had held "technical discussions" with the bank.

The Bank of England denied holding talks about future monetary arrangement proposals.

Mr Swinney has since said it was "not my intention" to give the impression the bank had done so.

He faced calls in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday to explain his initial claim that "the Scottish government has had technical discussions with the Bank of England regarding our proposal for a currency union."

Mr Swinney said: "Following agreement in March 2012 from Mervyn King and as set out to the Scottish Parliament, a number of technical and factual discussions have taken place with the Bank of England.

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Is Suicide a Ticket to Hell? Charisma Magazine, Tom Brown

The Bible describes two believers who committed suicide: King Saul and Judas. For sure Judas went to hell. Peter said about him in Acts 1:16-18: "'Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus--he was one of our number and shared in this ministry. With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open, and all his intestines spilled out."

This Scripture implies that Judas was not saved.

The other story is about King Saul. He was mortally wounded in battle, so to avoid torture he killed himself. From David's words about Saul, it appears that Saul went to heaven. He says in 2 Sam. 1:23, "Saul and Jonathan—in life they were loved and gracious, and in death they were not parted."

We know that Jonathan was godly, so if Saul and Jonathan were not parted in death, this would mean Saul is with Jonathan in heaven. I should also note that this passage may simply mean that they died together in battle, not necessarily that they are still with each other in death. At any rate, Saul killed himself only because he was trying to avoid torture, and he was going to die soon anyway

Read the full article here:

Can a Christian commit Suicide?

This controversial topic has unfortunately often been addressed in emotional ways, not through biblical analysis. Those of us who grew up Roman Catholic have always heard suicide is a mortal sin that irretrievably sends people to hell. Influenced by the arguments of Augustine and Aquinas, this belief dominated through the Reformation. However, for Luther, the Devil is capable of oppressing (not possessing) a believer to the point of pushing him to commit the sin of suicide (Table Talk, Vol 54:29). As the salvation became better understood, many Reformation thinkers and theologians distanced their views from the Church of Rome.

TGC Nunez

Besides this traditional position of the Catholic Church, we encounter three others:

a) A true Christian would never commit suicide, since God wouldn't allow it.

b) A Christian may commit suicide, but would lose his salvation.

c) A Christian may commit suicide without losing his salvation.

So what does the Bible say? Let's begin by talking about those truths we know as revealed in God's Word:

Humanity is totally depraved (Isa. 64:6; Rom. 3:10-18). This doesn't mean we're as evil as we could be, but that every human capacity—intellect, heart, emotions, will—is tainted by sin.

Even after regeneration, a Christian is capable of committing any sin except the unforgivable one (Rom. 7).

The unforgivable sin is mentioned in Mark 3:25-32 and Matthew 12:32-32, and from these passages we can conclude it refers to the continual rejection of the Holy Spirit in the work of conversion. Others believe this passage speaks of attributing to Satan the work of the Spirit. It's clear that in any case it's referring to an unbeliever.

It's important to remember a believer is capable of taking the life of someone else, as David did in the case of Uriah, without this action invalidating his salvation.

Christ's sacrifice at the cross has forgiven all of our sin—past, present, and future (Col. 2:13-14; Heb. 10:11-18).

The sin a Christian will commit tomorrow was forgiven at Calvary—where Jesus justified us, declaring us positionally righteous. He accomplished this work through one single offering that didn't need to be repeated again. On the cross Jesus didn't make us justifiable; he made us justified (Rom. 3:23-26; 8:29-30).

Imputed righteousness, Some thoughts

Imputed righteousness is a theological concept directly related to the doctrine of Justification. It is particularly prevalent in the Reformed tradition.

"Justification is that step in salvation in which God declares the believer righteous. Protestant theology has emphasized that this includes the imputation of Christ's righteousness (crediting it to the believer's "account"), whereas Roman Catholic theology emphasizes that God justifies in accord with an infused righteousness merited by Christ and maintained by the believer's good works," (Elwell Evangelical Dictionary). Imputed righteousness therefore means that upon repentance and belief in Christ, individuals are forensically declared righteous. This righteousness is not the believer's own, rather it is Christ's own righteousness 'imputed' to the believer.

A primary line of argumentation for this doctrine maintains that perfect righteousness or holiness is necessary to be with God. All mankind "fall short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:23) because all their 'righteousness' is like filthy rags (Is 64:6) before the throne of God, and so all are "dead in their trespasses and sins" (Eph 2:1), and as a result "will not come into [God's] light for fear that their evil deeds will be revealed" (John 3:20). All mankind is in this predicament because all are the offspring of Adam and Eve (Rom 5) who originally sinned against God. As a result of Adam's fall, the world was cursed and sin entered the world. But upon confession of one's own sin and faith in Christ's death and resurrection, the sinner is justified and counted as having the righteousness of Christ.

Although all of Christianity would agree that Christ is the believer's chief representative and head before the perfect holiness of God, not all would agree that Christ's righteousness is imputed to the believer. In some circles, imputed righteousness is referred to as positive imputation - where the believer receives the righteousness of Christ. It stands in contrast to negative imputation - where the sin and judgment due to the repenting sinner is imputed to Christ. Virtually all would agree with the latter, but not all will agree with the former. The debate turns on a number of Bible verses not the least of which deal with what and whose righteousness was credited to Abraham when he believed God (Genesis 15:5-6).

Imputed righteousness is one of the classic doctrines of Protestantism and traces back through the Reformers - chiefly John Calvin and Martin Luther. These men stood against the Roman Catholic doctrine of infused righteousness where the righteousness of the saints and of Christ is gradually infused to the believer through the sacraments. For the Catholic, infused righteousness either gradually dissipates as the believer takes part in worldly sins or is enhanced by good works. If the believer dies without having the fullness of righteousness, coming in part from the last rites, he or she will temporarily spend time in purgatory until the sinful status is purged from his or her record.

http://www.theopedia.com/Imputed_righteousness

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 The Voice

17 Therefore, if anyone is united with the Anointed One, that person is a new creation. The old life is gone—and see—a new life has begun! 18 All of this is a gift from our Creator God, who has pursued us and brought us into a restored and healthy relationship with Him through the Anointed. And He has given us the same mission, the ministry of reconciliation, to bring others back to Him. 19 It is central to our good news that God was in the Anointed making things right between Himself and the world. This means He does not hold their sins against them. But it also means He charges us to proclaim the message that heals and restores our broken relationships with God and each other.

20 So we are now representatives of the Anointed One, the Liberating King; God has given us a charge to carry through our lives—urging all people on behalf of the Anointed to become reconciled to the Creator God. 21 He orchestrated this: the Anointed One, who had never experienced sin, became sin for us so that in Him we might embody the very righteousness of God.

Philippians 3:9-11  The Voice

⁹ When it counts, I want to be found belonging to Him, not clinging to my own righteousness based on law, but actively relying on the faithfulness of the Anointed One. This is true righteousness, supplied by God, acquired by faith. ¹⁰ I want to know Him inside and out. I want to experience the power of His resurrection and join in His suffering, shaped by His death, ¹¹ so that I may arrive safely at the resurrection from the dead.

Galatians 2:16-21 The Voice

16 But we know that no one is made right with God by meeting the demands of the law. It is only through the faithfulness of Jesus[c] the Anointed that salvation is even possible. This is why we put faith in Jesus the Anointed: so we will be put right with God. It’s His faithfulness—not works prescribed by the law—that puts us in right standing with God because no one will be acquitted and declared “right” for doing what the law demands. 17 Even though we are seeking a right relationship with God through the Anointed, the fact is we have been found out. We are sinners. But does that mean the Anointed is the one responsible for our sins? Absolutely not! 18 If I reconstruct something I have worked so hard to destroy, then I prove myself a sinner.

19 The law has provided the means to end my dependence on it for righteousness, and so I died to the law. Now I have found the freedom to truly live for God. 20 I have been crucified with the Anointed One—I am no longer alive—but the Anointed is living in me; and whatever life I have left in this failing body I live by the faithfulness of God’s Son, the One who loves me and gave His body on the cross for me. 21 I can’t dismiss God’s grace, and I won’t. If being right with God depends on how we measure up to the law, then the Anointed’s  sacrifice on the cross was the most tragic waste in all of history!

Leading Scottish business figure calls for currency Plan B | Better Together

Leading Scottish business figure calls for currency Plan B | Better Together

One of Scotland’s most respected business figures has said that Alex Salmond must come clean with a Plan B on currency.

Jack Perry is the former Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, the agency responsible for supporting Scotland’s firms to compete at home and around the world.

He knows what he is talking about when it comes to creating jobs for Scotland. That’s why his intervention in the referendum debate is so significant.

Jack Perry has said that if Alex Salmond follows through on his hints, nods and winks to use the pound without a formal currency union in a separate Scotland, there would have to be big spending cuts on vital public services like our NHS and schools.

This is over and above the £6 billion in either tax rises or spending cuts that the impartial experts Institute for Fiscal Studies have said a separate Scotland would face in the years after separation, in addition to those taking place today.

That is half of our entire NHS budget. We can’t afford to put that at risk.

The currency we use is fundamental to everything that we do as a country.

How can we have any confidence about the future if we don’t know what money we would get our wages, pensions and benefits in?

The future of our schools and hospitals would be at risk if we don’t know what currency we would use to pay for them in an independent Scotland.

And how can families plan for the future when we don’t know what currency we would use to pay for energy and shopping bills if we leave the UK?

Train fares ‘will increase 25% in next four years’ unless funding rules are torn up: Labour call for cap on price rises and simplified ticket structure Daily Mail

  Rail fares are on course to soar by about a quarter over the next four years

  Will rise by up to 5.6% next year - total increase of 24% since last election

  Labour calling for reform of 'broken market' including capping of fare rises 

  Shadow Transport Secretary: 'Our rail fares are among highest in Europe'

Rail fares are on course to soar by a quarter over the next four years unless funding rules are torn up, Labour will warn today.

Official figures released this morning are expected to show that rail fares will rise by up to 5.6 per cent next year.

The Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) said this would take the total increase to 24.7 per cent since the last election.

And Shadow Transport Secretary Mary Creagh will warn that fares will rise by a further 24 per cent by 2018 unless existing rules are changed.

Although annual rail fare increases are implemented in January they are based on Retail Price Index figures from the previous July. Under current rules, regulated train fares will rise by RPI plus 1 per cent.

Read the full article here:

RICHARD LITTLEJOHN: Why the world is dying to come here, Daily Mail

The discovery of 35 desperate people inside a shipping container at Tilbury docks is a real-life horror story. Basic humanity requires that we give them medical treatment and temporary accommodation.

Clearly they have suffered a terrible ordeal. They were dehydrated and close to suffocation. One of them died on the voyage from Zeebrugge.

There were 13 blameless children among those packed into what has been described as a ‘metal coffin’. We can only imagine what they have endured on their 3,500-mile journey across continents.

They have been exploited and put in mortal danger by callous traffickers, who trade in human misery.

But they weren’t kidnapped. While the children are exempt from any responsibility for their plight, all the adults involved knew what they were getting into.

They voluntarily paid the traffickers to smuggle them into Britain. Typically, it costs £20,000 to get from Afghanistan to Zeebrugge and a further £1,500 for a passage to England. I’m assuming they weren’t expecting to be flown first-class to Heathrow.

We are told they are all Afghan Sikhs fleeing Taliban persecution and they were attracted here because of the ‘thriving and established Afghan Sikh community in London’. There is also a thriving Sikh community in India, right on Afghanistan’s doorstep. So why didn’t they flee there? I’m sure they’d be more at home in the Punjab than Putney.

Why didn’t they seek asylum in Russia, or Turkey, or any of the countries that they crossed en route to Zeebrugge?

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Oswald Chambers, My Uttermost for His Highest, Self Awareness

Self-Awareness

Come to Me . . . —Matthew 11:28

Matthew 11:28-30 The Voice (VOICE)

28 Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Put My yoke upon your shoulders—it might appear heavy at first, but it is perfectly fitted to your curves. Learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. When you are yoked to Me, your weary souls will find rest. 30 For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.

God intends for us to live a well-rounded life in Christ Jesus, but there are times when that life is attacked from the outside. Then we tend to fall back into self-examination, a habit that we thought was gone. Self-awareness is the first thing that will upset the completeness of our life in God, and self-awareness continually produces a sense of struggling and turmoil in our lives. Self-awareness is not sin, and it can be produced by nervous emotions or by suddenly being dropped into a totally new set of circumstances.

Yet it is never God’s will that we should be anything less than absolutely complete in Him. Anything that disturbs our rest in Him must be rectified at once, and it is not rectified by being ignored but only by coming to Jesus Christ. If we will come to Him, asking Him to produce Christ-awareness in us, He will always do it, until we fully learn to abide in Him.

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"The revelation of God's will has been brought down to us in words. The Bible is not a book containing communications from God; it is God's revelation of Himself, in the interests of grace; God's giving of Himself in the limitation of words. The Bible is not a faery romance to beguile us for a while from the sordid realities of life; it is the Divine complement of the laws of Nature, of Conscience and of Humanity; it introduces us to a new universe of revelation facts not known to unregenerate common sense. The only Exegete of these facts is the Holy Spirit, and in the degree of our reception, recognition, and reliance on the Holy Spirit will be our understanding." --Oswald Chambers, in God's Workmanship from The Quotable Oswald Chambers.

Theology test your worship songs, Christianity Magazine

What happens when you put the lyrics of some of our best-known worship songs under the theological microscope?

We’ve all stood in a Sunday morning service, bleary-eyed from a late night, and submissively warbled our way through an entire worship set without engaging our brains. We could have been singing anything.

And we’ve all sung lyrics to worship songs we didn’t fully understand. A favourite at my own church is the hymn ‘I Will Sing the Wondrous Story’, which includes the repeated line, ‘Sing it with the saints in glory, Gathered by the crystal sea’. Despite the fact that I don’t know what this refers to – and it sounds strangely like the title of an episode of Dr Who – I gamely sing it every time.

Many of us have sung things we don’t actually believe. Matt Redman’s magnum opus ‘Blessed Be Your Name’ contains the questionable line ‘You give and take away’, which seems to suggest that God actively causes, rather than allows, suffering. But is this really the nature of the biblical God? The trouble is, it’s such a good song.

LYRICS COUNT

In a Church culture in which personal engagement with the Bible is sometimes patchy, worship songs and hymns become a primary source of theology for some. For others it is the most dynamic tool in terms of connecting with God. We pick up memorable bits of scripture (often a bit mangled to fit the verse structure), and larger principles about God through the lyrics of our Sunday anthems. So the accuracy of their theology really matters.

The other reason we should carefully consider our song lyrics is a missional one. If a non-Christian, with no prior knowledge of the faith or its traditions, walks into your church, what might (s)he make of singing ‘These are the days of Elijah’? It gets worse at Christmas. Every year we force nominal believers to sing ‘Christian children all must be, mild, obedient, good as he’, thus reminding them why they only come to church once a year.

Read the full article here:

Cameron accuses Salmond of being 'desperate' after claims independence will protect the NHS from privatisation Daily Mail.

  The Prime Minister said health is already devolved to Holyrood

  Mr Salmond said NHS cuts in England would be replicated in Scotland

  Scottish Government's spending on private contractors has risen by 25%

David Cameron has accused the First Minister of ‘desperate’ tactics over his claim that separation will protect the NHS from privatisation.

The Prime Minister stressed health is devolved to Holyrood and controversial changes at Westminster cannot be imposed on Scots.

Alex Salmond, who went green bowling in Arbroath with Scotland's Commonwealth medallists today, has argued that NHS budget cuts south of the border would be replicated in Scotland – despite the fact Holyrood has received an extra £1.3billion from Westminster over five years.

He has persisted with the argument despite claims of hypocrisy after it emerged the Scottish Government’s own spending on private contractors rose by almost a quarter last year to more than £80million.

Mr Cameron said: ‘Health is a devolved issue. So the only person who could, if they wanted to, introduce more private provision into the NHS in Scotland is Alex Salmond.

‘I think this is a desperate man recognising the argument is going away from him making a pretty desperate argument.

‘Actually because of the protection on NHS spending that the UK Government has given that we would not cut NHS spending while we have had to make difficult decisions elsewhere - that has actually made sure under the Barnett formula that money is available for Scotland as well.‘So I think that argument does not stack up at all.’

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Manchester United 1 Swansea City 2: Garry Monk's men deserve much more credit after proving everybody wrong, South Wales Evening Post

IF Manchester United are as bad as we have been told since Saturday lunchtime, why did nobody give Swansea City a chance of beating them this weekend?

Because for all the weaknesses within this United side compared to the various top-class teams Sir Alex Ferguson put together, the current crop were still expected to have far too much power for Swansea.

No-one, as Garry Monk pointed out afterwards, thought his team would have a hope in hell of troubling United on the first day of their new era.

Swansea, therefore, deserve more credit than they have received for what goes down as one of their most famous victories regardless of United's current state.

Predictably, Swansea's first ever league triumph at Old Trafford has been met with minimal praise for them and maximum criticism for United.

Last season, David Moyes was carpeted every time the Red Devils dropped points, yet Gylfi Sigurdsson's late winner has not prompted flak for Louis van Gaal.

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Travelodge removes Bibles from its rooms, The Christian Institute

The nationwide hotel chain Travelodge has removed Bibles from all of its rooms, in a move criticised by the Church of England.

Bibles provided free by the Gideons have been taken away for “diversity” reasons.

The removals took place after refurbishment work across the hotel chain, which replaced the drawers where Bibles were being kept.

‘Cultural vandalism’

In response, a spokesman for the Church of England said: “It seems both tragic and bizarre that hotels would remove the word of God for the sake of ergonomic design, economic incentive or a spurious definition of the word ‘diversity’”.

Writing on the Telegraph website, commentator Tim Stanley described Travelodge’s decision as “an act of cultural vandalism upon a tradition that goes back 126 years”.

A spokesman for Travelodge said: “The reason is because of diversity. With the country being increasingly multicultural, we didn’t feel it was appropriate to just have the Bible”

Read more here:

Further Reading here:

Travelodge removes the Bible from every room: No one had complained... but chain 'doesn't want to discriminate'  Daily Mail

Elim Superintendent John Glass @ Lakeside

I was greatly blessed and challenged, when I visited Lakeside Church, Southport to hear John Glass,  The General Superintendent of the Elim Pentecostal Church, on his recent visit to Southport.

Every Blessing

Blair Humphreys

Southport 

Sofa Car (Benny Hill Mix)

John Glass, Elim Pentecostal Church, General Superintendent, Cappuccino Communication, An Easy Yoke, Parts 1-3

Part 1










Part 2









Part 3