Dr Paul Allen

Hillsong Church London logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Brian Houston , senior pastor of Hillsong , led a "Let's talk church" segment on the final morning of the Hillsong Conference in London . Joined by a panel which included his wife, Bobbie, and Gary and Cathy Clarke, who head up Hillsong London , Brian led a discussion on the importance of good decisions, and making a positive impact on the lives of generations to come. "Some of you haven't met your children yet, but you're making decisions now that will affect them," Brian noted. "We can't be indecisive - never underestimate the power of decisions. There is no such thing as a small decision, if the consequences are great - that's just a big decision in disguise." He offered some general advice, suggesting that we "don't make permanent decisions in temporary circumstances," before highlighting the seven most significant decisions Christians are faced with in life...

Hillsong Church London logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) "You have no idea how powerful Christ in you really is - how much he wants to do in and through you. It's more than your mind can comprehend." This was the message of LifeChurch.tv pastor Craig Groeschel on the third day of the Hillsong No Other Name conference in London . Speaking before over 10,000 people gathered in the 02 Arena , Groeschel urged the crowd to allow God to raise their ability to lead, whether in church, family or work. "We have to let him increase our leadership capacity so he can do more through us for his glory," he insisted. Going on to highlight five ways by which we can let God move in our lives, Groeschel underlined the importance of opening ourselves up to being changed and moulded. 1. Build Confidence: "We talk ourselves down, and we as leaders so often act as a lid to what God wants us to do - we say 'I just can't do this anymore, I don't have wh...

Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553): Adam and Eve. Beech wood, 1533. Bode-Museum, Berlin (Erworben 1830, Königliche Schlösser, Gemäldegalerie Kat. 567) (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The emphasis placed on pride, and its converse humility, is a distinctive feature of biblical religion, unparalleled in other religious or ethical systems . Rebellious pride, which refuses to depend on God and be subject to him, but attributes to self the honour due to him, figures as the very root and essence of sin. We may say with Aquinas that pride was first revealed when Lucifer attempted to set his throne on high in proud independence of God (Is. 14:12–14). The fallen devil (Lk. 10:18) instilled the craving to be as gods into Adam and Eve (Gn. 3:5), with the result that man’s entire nature was infected with pride through the Fall (cf. Rom. 1:21–23). The ‘condemnation of the devil’ is associated with pride in 1 Tim. 3:6 (cf. ‘the snare of the devil’ in 1 Tim. 3:7; 2 Tim. 2:26); pride was his undoi...

Giotto's depiction of Jesus before Caiaphas in the morning based on Luke 22 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The next day the “rulers” (the executives or official members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Senate and Supreme Court ) with the “elders and teachers of the law” (experts in the interpretation of the law of Moses; professional teachers of the Law) who were in Jerusalem assembled. With them came, specifically, Annas , Caiaphas , John, Alexander, and all the rest of the relatives of the high priest who happened to be in the city. This was probably not an official meeting of the Sanhedrin, but “may simply have been a rather ad hoc gathering instigated by the family of Annas.” Annas here is called the high priest. He was officially high priest from a.d. 6–15. Then his son Jonathan was appointed for about three years. Next Caiaphas, the son-in-law of Annas, was made the official high priest (a.d. 18–36). But Annas remained the power behind the position and kept his honorary title....

What’s special about this name? In Philippians 2:10–11, Paul writes, “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father .” Every one ever born on this planet will give glory to God the Father by bowing the knee and saying that Jesus is Lord. Some do that willingly, others unwillingly. But they all will do it. Those who do it willingly are those to whom this truth has been revealed: “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). They can say with the Psalmist : “Come let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, For he is our God and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand” (Ps. 95:6–7). The second person of the Trinity has a sacred name, but so do the other members of the Trinity. Remember that Jesus prayed, “ Our Father who art in ...