Sunday, December 31, 2023
Hardly Fair.
SIR – Recent letters have discussed inheritance tax (December 28). I am 86 years old. I was born and brought up in the Black Country, the eldest of four boys. Our father was a holder up in a steel rolling mill.
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God Is Love.
God is love: Do you realize how amazing that is?
iStock/leolintangUnbelievers all seem to have their own ideas of who or what God is. For many, they claim He doesn’t exist. For others, He does exist, but He’s not active in creation in any personal way. Then there are some who believe, if He exists, He would have to be some kind of tyrannical, destructive, selfish, mean dictator — otherwise how do you explain pain, disease, natural disasters, starvation, and human suffering?
At least, that’s what I’ve heard on more than one occasion. But I think it goes without saying that no unbeliever can be faulted for their view of God — whatever it may be — because they don’t know Him. And they don’t understand sin.
Romans 1 says all are “without excuse” in terms of the existence of God, but a tree isn’t going to transmit the Gospel of John or the Old Testament into anyone’s soul. Considering the pretenses of the unconverted, it also goes without saying that God is not going to seem loving to them. After all, “A god that allows any kind of evil could not possibly be loving.” Moreover, “A god who sends people to hell could not possibly be loving.”
Unpacking those arguments against God would require their own articles. However, reflecting on how unbelievers define Him made me realize something: How amazing is it that God is not like that? That He is just toward the wicked, and wrathful toward sin, and yet, He is a loving Father. You don’t know this until you know Him by being in a relationship with Him. And even then, I believe we undermine how significant this truly is.
R.C. Sproul, pastor and theologian, once said, “[A]n evangelist can always get a crowd if he continually speaks in meaningless terms about the love of God.” In other words, it’s easy to be flippant because, as he continued to say, “I don’t think there’s any word in the English language that’s been stripped of the depth of meaning such as that word love.” These statements are pulled from his sermon series, “Loved by God,” in which he emphasized the crucial distinction between secular love and biblical love — more specifically, the slippery slope of viewing biblical love through the lens of secular love. It’s a conflation we ought to avoid.
When we view the love of God by any secular standard or definition, we flatten it. We strip it of its magnitude, and we only do ourselves a disservice in the process. Yes, to some extent, our perspectives will always be tainted by our finite understandings, but we (particularly believers) should strive to understand Scripture as it pertains to its holy Author, not by its flawed readers. The reason why Sproul emphasized the common misuse of the word “love” is because, in relation to God, it should cause us to be dumbfounded. Truly analyzing the love of God should leave us breathless and in awe.
God could have been all wrath, all fury, all judgement, and all the things many unbelievers make Him up to be. But instead, even before the foundation of the world, He is (and will always be) love. He didn’t need to create us, because even before us, He, the Son, and the Spirit all had their being within one another — the perfect and holy Trinity. However, He chose to create us. And the Garden of Eden was one of His first depictions of love toward us because it was a depiction of how things were supposed to be. Work was not laborious but enjoyable. Adam and Eve could walk with God, unhindered, in the cool of the day. Sin had not flooded into the earth, which meant there was no separation between the Creator and His created beings.
But God also showed us His love by giving us free will, even though Adam and Eve used that free will to rebel against Him. However, their rebellion is what led to the most perfect display of love we could ever fathom both in the macro and the micro sense of the term.
In love, God made a plan to redeem us. He sent down His Son, who then walked among us, despised and rejected. The Son of Man was mocked, beaten, and scorned by the men of earth. He stripped Himself of His glory, faced the complete wrath of His Father, and died an indescribably painful death. He suffered in more ways than one, but in no way greater than by taking on the sins of all mankind to make us right with God. He rose again on the third day and shortly after ascended to the right hand of the Father.
And still, we were not left alone.
The Spirit of God flooded the earth and now dwells in those who believe. So, even amid the horrors of this life — the pain, suffering, illnesses, disasters, wars, and persecution — we have never been left alone. The unbeliever could never understand how these evils only exist because of sin. Nor could they understand how much they reveal God’s love and goodness.
But you see it, right? Even before the fall, God already had a plan to restore the perfect union represented in the garden to an even greater capacity. He has never stopped pursuing His people. All of time portrays the message of Romans 8:35-39:
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
My God is Love. He sent His own Son to die for me. He is faithful, merciful, and gracious to ensure nothing could separate us from Him. The God I serve is patient when I fall short. He is tender and kind. My God is sovereign and holds me in His righteous right hand. He walks me through the valley of the shadow of death. He keeps me afloat in the bottomless pool and unscathed in the middle of the fire. He disciplines and guides me when I go astray. Even when I ignore or disobey, He remains planted with arms wide open, ready to embrace even the most dreadful of sinners.
All of this is true because my God is love.
Sproul said no word is more stripped of its meaning than the word “love,” because there are no number of words that could do it justice. But this I know: If you really pay attention to the love of God and it doesn’t leave you starstruck, then you’re either reading it with too much of a secular understanding or you’re simply serving the wrong god.
Originally published at The Washington Stand.
Sarah Holliday serves as a reporter for The Washington Stand. She earned her undergrad from Boise State University in Creative Writing and Narrative Arts, as well as a Certificate in Arts and Theology from Reformation Bible College. CP.
Can You Be Bothered To Learn The Truth About All The Climate Scams?
https://youtube.com/watch?v=RW8KYbbabKQ&si=0hT1dp9Wt7_yKFim
Saturday, December 30, 2023
Meaning of The King's Speech To Parliament?
THE MOST NOTABLE ABSENCE FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE WAS A LAW ON CONVERSION THERAPY
Many of the plans set out had been previously discussed, including reform to rental markets, football governance and smoking. One of the bills most likely to attract political disagreement proposes continued licenses for oil and gas extraction in the North Sea, although placing this bill before parliament also pushes the Labour Party to take a position on the issue - one which affects many jobs in Scotland, where the party is looking to gain seats.
One piece of legislation that may impact Christians is the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill. This has been proposed in the wake of the Manchester Arena bombing and will introduce new responsibilities for venues open to the public. No new responsibilities will apply to venues with a capacity below 100, a standard level to those between 100 and 800, and an enhanced level for venues larger than this. It is likely that these duties will apply to churches and this is an area the Evangelical Alliance will be engaging with as the proposed law progresses.
NOTABLE ABSENCE
The most notable absence from the speech (from a Christian perspective at least) was a law on conversion therapy. In the previous speech in May 2022, plans were set out for a draft bill, following a consultation that had taken place a few months previously.
Since then, there have been numerous rumoured changes of direction and occasional commitments to introducing legislation. In the past month alone, it has been suggested that there would be no new bill – on the basis that existing laws tackle abusive practices and new laws risked undermining individual choice and religious freedom – followed by pushback, and a brief that a draft law would be introduced for scrutiny by a committee of MPs.
The Evangelical Alliance, along with many other Christian organisations and churches, as well as others outside of the Church, raised many concerns about the potential consequences of poor legislation in this area. The point has often been made (which is now being acknowledged by government) that where abuse is taking place, it can and should be addressed through existing laws. PC.
I Assume That You Have Read Some George Orwell?
If not, then it is 100% necessary to read: Animal Farm; Homage To Catalonia and 1984 if you want to possess any understanding of today's absurd world.
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Although left-leaning, Orwell has shown remarkable prescience about the developing lunacy of the left in politics.
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Odd. But I find zero scriptural urging to disarmament in any Gospel.
Pope Francis: Christmas Means Saying ‘No’ to Weapons.
Pope Francis made “peace” the theme of his 2023 Christmas message, urging the world to say “no” to weapons.
Rudeness Loses Votes, Nigel.
You are clearly a moron, Farage tells Cleverly.
Home Secretary hails lack of Channel migrant crossings, but ex-Ukip leader says reason is stormy weather.
James Cleverly was called a “moron” by Nigel Farage on Thursday after praising Border Force for the first Christmas in five years when no migrants made a Channel crossing. DT.
Impunity.
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An opportunity to present in UK Parliament |
At the beginning of December, our UK Parliamentary Liaison Officer Chibuzor hosted an excellent event with the APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief. The APPG is a cross-party group of parliamentarians. It was another key opportunity to champion this human right in Parliament. Chibuzor and CSW colleagues challenged attendees with stories of how impunity is affecting the lives of religious and belief groups across the world, from Mexico to Nigeria to Pakistan, and encouraged them to address it. Impunity means that individuals, groups, or governments are not held to account for the violations and abuses they commit. This encourages and perpetuates the injustices faced by countless individuals and communities. The event was a resounding success, and we look forward to working closely with key parliamentarians in 2024 translating recommendations into concrete action. |
Friday, December 29, 2023
More Islamist Murders.
Christmas murder spree leaves at least 140 Christians killed in horror massacre.
This marks the bloodiest attack in the area since 2018, when more than 200 people were massacred.
Correct, Franklin.
Franklin Graham says Pope Francis doesn't have the right to bless 'what God calls sin'.
The Rev. Franklin Graham speaks at the "God Loves Your" tour event at the ExCel London convention center in London, England, on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023. | Courtesy BGEAThe Rev. Franklin Graham slammed Pope Francis for approving a measure that will allow Roman Catholic priests to offer blessings to same-sex couples, warning that such "blessings" will not "save you from the judgment of God."
In a Facebook post on Monday, the son of legendary evangelist Billy Graham responded to news that the Vatican will allow priests to bless same-sex couples, though not in a way that endorses their unions.
"So-called 'blessings' from religious leaders won't save you from the judgment of God!" wrote Graham, the president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse.
"Pope Francis has now approved Catholic priests' blessing' same-sex couples. But none of us, including the Pope, has the right to 'bless' what God calls sin. 'Woe to those who call evil good and good evil…' (Isaiah 5:20)."
"The Good News is that right now God will forgive sin, but we have to come to Him His way, on His terms — by repenting of our sins and placing our faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Otherwise, the Bible says, 'The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together, and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed' (Isaiah 1:28)."
Graham's comments came hours after the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a declaration titled "Fiducia Supplicans," providing "a broadening and enrichment of the classical understanding of blessings, which is closely linked to a liturgical perspective."
"It is precisely in this context that one can understand the possibility of blessing couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples without officially validating their status or changing in any way the Church's perennial teaching on marriage," stated the Catholic Church leadership.
"This Declaration is also intended as a tribute to the faithful People of God, who worship the Lord with so many gestures of deep trust in his mercy and who, with this confidence, constantly come to seek a blessing from Mother Church."
The Vatican document stated that "when people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral analysis should not be placed as a precondition for conferring it" and that "those seeking a blessing should not be required to have prior moral perfection."
For same-sex couples, "a blessing may be imparted that not only has an ascending value but also involves the invocation of a blessing that descends from God upon those who — recognizing themselves to be destitute and in need of his help — do not claim a legitimation of their own status."
The declaration warned that "one should neither provide for nor promote a ritual for the blessings of couples in an irregular situation."
"At the same time, one should not prevent or prohibit the Church's closeness to people in every situation in which they might seek God's help through a simple blessing," the Vatican document continued.
"In a brief prayer preceding this spontaneous blessing, the ordained minister could ask that the individuals have peace, health, a spirit of patience, dialogue, and mutual assistance — but also God's light and strength to be able to fulfill his will completely."
A declaration issued by the same body in 2021 stated that churches have no power to bless same-sex marriage since God "cannot bless sin."
Officially, the Catholic Church teaches that same-sex attraction is not sinful, but homosexual acts are. However, in the United States, about six in 10 Catholics (61%) said in a 2019 survey that they favor allowing gays and lesbians to marry.
Last month, the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a guidance stipulating that people who have undergone trans surgical procedures or taken cross-sex hormones can be baptized, provided "there are no situations in which there is a risk of generating public scandal or disorientation among the faithful." CP.
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This Leftist Tory Party Is Wholly Unfit For Purpose. There Must Be A Redrafting of The Centre Right. This May Be The First Step.
Farage-Founded Reform UK Party to Challenge Tories Every Seat in Next Election.
Jack Taylor/Getty ImagesThe Nigel Farage-founded Reform UK party has confirmed its intentions to put forward candidates in every parliamentary constituency in the next general election, which will likely cement the widely predicted defeat of Rishi Sunak’s Tory Party at the ballot box.
The conservative populist Reform UK party has already recruited some 440 candidates to stand for parliament in the next general election — which is expected to take place in the UK next year — and plans to have the other 190 candidates confirmed by the end of February so that the party can challenge in all 630 constituencies in England, Scotland and Wales, with the party opting not to compete in Northern Ireland, which is dominated by local parties.
Although the Farage-founded party has long stated its commitment to draft a full slate of candidates, Reform UK leader Richard Tice has written to top party members to give his “cast-iron guarantee” that there will be no scenario under which they will stand down to help the Tories defeat the resurgent Labour Party.
“In the 2024 election year, we will be ready whenever it comes, spring, summer or autumn. We will be standing in seats everywhere in England, Scotland and Wales. Many, including Tory MPs and commentators, still don’t believe us, but I have news for them: you are seriously underestimating our intent to have a massive impact in this coming election,” Tice told the Sunday Times.
The firm commitment from the Reform leader will serve to ameliorate concerns of a repeat of the 2019 general election, in which Reform UK, then known as the Brexit Party, stood down in key races under Nigel Farage to ensure a strong majority for Boris Johnson so that the Conservatives could finally complete the formal withdrawal from the European Union after years of delays.
While many within Reform and on the right more broadly believe that the Tories have failed to deliver on the promises of Brexit, there is a consensus that even if the anti-Brexit Labour Party were to secure victory in the next general election — as all current polling suggests — that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will not attempt to overturn the referendum and seek to re-enter into the EU.
Therefore, there is little motivation for the populist party to help the Conservatives avoid their expected defeat. Top Reform UK politician Ann Widdecombe said: “The situation is completely different now. In 2019 if we had not stood down Labour could have won and there was a real chance that Brexit could have been overturned. This time Brexit has been done — at least legally. Yes, Starmer will do some things that we don’t like, but the Conservatives are doing that anyway.” Breitbart.
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Probably Not.
Was Jesus born in the bleak midwinter?
iStock/RomoloTavaniWas Jesus born in the bleak midwinter? Understood as poet Christina Rosetti meant it, the answer to the question is: Yes.
English poet Christina Rossetti penned the poem, originally titled “A Christmas Carol,” sometime before 1871 at the request of William James Stillman, editor of Scribner’s Monthly, where the poem was first published in January 1872. The fact that she titled it the way she did seems to imply that Rossetti’s goal was for the poem to be used as a carol, but it wasn’t until after her death that it appeared in the English Hymnal (1906) as a hymn to a tune by Gustav Holst.
Here is the text:
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.
I raise the issue of winter portrayed in Rossetti’s first stanza because it well illustrates a problem with how many, if not most, evangelicals think about hymns today.
Most Christians today seem to view the purpose of hymns as merely good theology set to a pretty tune so that truth is enjoyable to sing. They approach hymn (and poem) texts, therefore, with an eye for propositional accuracy most of all — a very prosaic perspective.
So with this particular poem, for example, I have been told directly, by several pastors in fact, that they would not allow this hymn to be sung in their service because, “it really doesn’t have a whole lot of doctrine in it,” and “Jesus wasn’t really born with snow on the ground, so it’s historically incorrect.”
Now don’t get me wrong — I do think that it is important to examine the theology of what we are singing, I strongly advocate hymn texts that are rich with doctrine, and we should never sing something that is theologically inaccurate.
But to approach poetry as if one is a journalist is to miss the purpose and power of poetry.
Poems are not supposed to tell truth in the manner of a history textbook or a newspaper column. In fact, as Leland Ryken once noted, poems are lies that tell the truth. They make statements that aren’t scientifically accurate, but whose imagery grips the imagination and says something that mere factually correct propositions could not on their own.
Scripture itself is filled with this kind of poetic imagery. Is God technically a shepherd, a king, or a hen? Considered from the perspective of a court reporter, no He isn’t. But understanding the function of metaphor, He is indeed those things.
If Scripture had been written by the aforementioned pastors, they probably would have said, “The Lord is a God who really cares for us and protects us and feeds us. A lot.” But David wrote the divinely inspired words, “The Lord is my shepherd,” metaphorically capturing all of that, and so much more, in a concise manner that grips the imagination.
So what Rossetti is portraying in her poem is not a weather report on the day of Christ’s birth. Rather, she is using quite conventional metaphorical imagery to paint a picture of the condition of the world when Jesus was born. This was a harsh world, a world that was cold as ice, dark as midnight, and hard as iron. Think of the picture C. S. Lewis paints in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: “Always winter but never Christmas.” Sin had built up upon the world like snow piled upon snow upon snow upon snow. This world was bleak.
And it is into this world that the God of Heaven descended. Rossetti beautifully contrasts the bleakness of a cold dark world with the warmth and light of the stable. You can almost see the light and feel the warmth through her words.
Contrast Rossetti’s theologically dense imagery with many contemporary Christian songs. Most songwriters today either write lyrics that are mere prose set to a catchy tune, or they pack in as many cliche metaphors as they can with no internal coherence or logical narrative.
Christina Rossetti is one of the greatest Christian poets in the tradition, and I strongly commend that you include this carol (among others) in your Christmas worship. Not only will the imagery grip the imagination, but it also provides a wonderful opportunity to teach people the real purpose and power of Christian poetry and song.
Originally published at G3 Ministries.
Scott Aniol, PhD, is Executive Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of G3 Ministries. In addition to his role with G3, Scott is Professor of Pastoral Theology at Grace Bible Theological Seminary in Conway, Arkansas. He lectures around the world in churches, conferences, colleges, and seminaries, and he has authored several books and dozens of articles. You can find more, including publications and speaking itinerary, at www.scottaniol.com. Scott and his wife, Becky, have four children: Caleb, Kate, Christopher, and Caroline. You can listen to his podcast here. CP.
Echoes of Doreen Irvine?
From witchcraft to Jesus: Woman details path to Christ after years of searching for 'the truth'.
Lindsay Smith shares her testimony in an October 2023 episode of Delafé Testimonies. | Screengrab: YouTube/Delafé TestimoniesTexas resident Lindsay Smith, who turned away from witchcraft and left a same-sex lifestyle to follow Jesus, said that from an early age, she had a unique ability to see things in the spiritual realm.
Adopted as a baby, Smith was raised in a traditional Christian household where she often felt misunderstood and like a bit of an outcast because her family couldn't relate to her or understand why she was frequently seeing demons.
The 24-year-old shared her journey to Christ in an interview with The Christian Post, detailing how God opened her eyes to the Gospel and delivered her from spiritual warfare at a time when she had lost all hope.
"The devil's agenda is to get you in your child years so he can keep you in your adult years," Smith said.
"I first started seeing spirits, which I thought were ghosts. I thought I had a gift of being able to see ghosts. But they were really demons. I had countless encounters of seeing things like that. The first time I saw something from the spiritual realm, it appeared to be like a black and gray dust cloud flying through my grandma's house," Smith recalled.
"There was another time I was just laying in bed trying to fall asleep, and I just saw eyes staring at me from the bathroom, and I was like: 'What is that?' Because I didn't know anything about spiritual warfare," she added.
"I didn't know anything about the fact that they were demons that I should be rebuking and that they're not ghosts. They're not kind or nice spirits of people that are just wandering around. That's not what they are. They're literally demonic spirits that were preying on me."
Smith shared her testimony in an Oct. 19 episode of Delafé Testimonies — a YouTube channel with over 580,000 subscribers that aims to "create the world's largest archive of Jesus testimonies."
In the video, she shared why she rejected Christianity from a young age.
"I was seeing ghosts, and I would tell my Christian family. … 'I'm literally being able to see in the spirit,'" Smith recounted.
"I was going and telling Christian people what was happening to me, and they would just tell me, 'it's my imagination.' They 'have no explanation for me.' That kind of made me think in my mind, 'OK, well, my answer is not in the Christian Church.'"
As she continued into grade school, Smith said she kept seeing "terrifying" demons but was told by her parents that it was all in her imagination.
"I felt like I was just always misunderstood. … I just had this depression, anxiety. I was so shy really, really like in my shell," she said.
When she entered high school, she dated a male who introduced her to the occult.
"He actually started teaching me about astrology, Ancient Egypt, all of the things like the New Age and the witchcraft stuff. I ended up getting out of the relationship. It took me like nine months to get out. The relationship was very abusive, narcissistic, and it involved mind control," Smith said.
"He would do witchcraft on my mind. It took me a long time to get out. It was like, every time I was trying to get out, blackmail, 'I'll do this and you won't be able to ever find someone else. I'll leak this picture.' It was bad," she continued.
After the relationship ended, Smith began college in 2017 and entered into a same-sex relationship with a woman who was also transitioning to become a male.
"I was dating this person, and I was learning so much about the whole LGBT mindset of being 'open, accepting whatever people, you're born this way. … There's nothing you can do. There's no solid concrete objective truth,'" Smith said.
As time passed, Smith said she continued in the relationship and practiced witchcraft but began to realize both were not bringing her peace.
"The root of it was depression. If we're being really honest, the root of it was generational curses, trauma, fear; all these different things. … It's a counterfeit. It's not real peace," she said.
After a few years of searching for answers, Smith searched online about New Age and witchcraft and came across video testimonies of former witches who turned to Christ. Those videos changed the trajectory of her life, saying, "It was the truth that I was always looking for and I finally got."
"'[I Googled] what is this New Age to Jesus? What is New Age?'… I started watching these videos for a whole week straight. I'm watching a boom, boom, just all I'm consuming is that, and I was literally destroyed. Just to be quite honest, I was very much destroyed," Smith said.
"Every single thing that I built my life on was torn down in that moment. I threw everything [out], the spiritual books. I had all these witchcraft books. They were witchcraft books. People were trying to teach you how to control and manipulate energy. It was so disgusting. So I threw all those away. I threw out all my crystals [and] sage … [and] natal chart."
After giving her life to Christ on May 23, 2021, Smith says she is still growing closer to Him in her daily walk. She said walking away from same-sex relationships and turning away from the occult are the best decisions she could have made.
Smith said she no longer sees demons and the demonic spiritual realm in the earthly world because God has since delivered her from those encounters.
"I'm still trying to figure God out. There's so many facets to Him. I can't even sit here and be like, 'I know everything about Jesus.' I know what the Bible tells me. I know I experienced Him. I know how I talk to Him. I know when He answers my prayers. I know that about Jesus," Smith said.
"He said in His Word, we prophesy in part, but at some point, it's going to all be revealed to us. I'm like, 'I know You, but I know there's so much more to You that I don't know.'"
Nicole Alcindor is a reporter for The Christian Post.
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Franklin Graham preached in Glasgow, launches new fund to defend religious freedom in the UK. Staff writer Franklin Graham preaching at ...
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https://www.christianpost.com/voices/marys-magnificat-the-wait-is-over.html
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I went to grammar school, leaving at 16 with seven O-levels. I did National Service thereafter, and married the daughter of a miner. Together we made our way in life with its ups and downs, both paying our dues as required.
We have two children and four grandchildren. I do not consider myself wealthy, my so-called estate consisting of a house I have lived in for over 50 years, plus a modest sum of savings and investments. I am advised that, on my death, as things stand, my beneficiaries will have to find around £100,000 for inheritance tax before (perhaps lengthy) probate is granted. And all this simply because I have been conscientious, prudent - and died.
The system hardly seems fair.
Arthur Nicholls