The whole pooint of the Bible is that we give up sin all year round and love God through Jesus Christ all the time with our heart sould and mind. We can never do better than that. In fact we fail so much. However our determination should be 24/7 and we cannot think that we can be slack all year and somehow make up for it during Lent.

To see how Lent has been so downgraded today, consider the old 1662 Book of Common Prayer service “A Commination” and it should at least cause you to think soberly of yourself and to repent and glory in the Lord Jesus Christ rather than in your own failing will power. See THIS LINK. to read the text of the service. Especially read aloud the main exhortation given by the minister. It really is one of the most wonderful compilations of Bible verses to express not only the holiness and wrath of God but also His amazing grace.

http://www.eskimo.com/~lhowell/bcp1662/occasion/commination.html

1 Corinthians 1

18For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

19For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

20Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 22For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

support a Biblical Witness in Edinburgh

NEW TESCO MADNESS

Tesco, the supermarket giant have annouced that they are sponsoring the Sodomite Parade in London next year. The vile display of fornication and obscenity encouarges this dangerous lifestyle but Tesco are quite happy. We are very happy to shop at supermarkets other than Tesco and maybe you are too. IF you live in Sussex you can even find a Christian supermarket that is not open on Sundays and encourage Lord’s Day observance. They have been replying to complaints saying that they support sodomites as much as anybody else. It is therfore important to state that you are not objecting to Tesco employing sodomites but to the fact that they are sponsoring “London Pride 2012″ which is a vile display of perversity.

1. Pray for the Iranian pastor who is being threatened with the death penalty for supposedly converting from Islam.

2. Sign the e-Petition to preserve our Protestant Constitution at:

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/21216

And write to your MP about this.

3. Continue to pray for the Lord’s blessing the preaching of the Word unto the salvation of souls.

There are some important articles including:

• Dr Patrick Sookhdeo responds to criticism in the Guardian
• Recognising the True Church – by Rev John J Harding
• Editorial – Judgment at St Paul’s
• Reading Romans to be blessed and to be a blessing
• Marriage – the unalterable status – by Peter Murcott

Be sure to get your copy!

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING

We don’t know how long we have got! The photograph above is of the Editor with his 95 year old grandmother Caroline and his 3 year old daughter Hannah. No one would have guessed that Caroline would outlive Hannah but that is exactly what happened. Caroline is still driving her car while Hannah has been in heaven in the presence of the Lord since April 2011. Such things one has to live with and yet we believe that God makes no mistakes. Having the reality of eternity brought to us in such a shocking manner means that as Editor my greatest desire is that our readers are saved. In Christ there is a bright and glorious future beyond death but without him there is only hell.

NEW INDEX OF OUR ARCHIVES

We have done some work on the website now and hope you find it helpful.

We have started an index of articles and subjects that have been published in the paper recently. This is not comprehensive (yet) but is a selective index designed to help those wanting to access articles for reference or research. Obviously some of the news comes and goes and most people will not need to turn to it again unless doing research. However many of the articles in the English Churchman are going to be useful to turn to again and we hope that this will be of use to the Church and to Christians in general as well as others.