Albert Dock from the Costa Coffee Shop

Revelation 21

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea no longer existed. I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.

Then I heard a loud voice from the throne:

Look! God’s dwelling is with humanity,
and He will live with them.
They will be His people,
and God Himself will be with them
and be their God.
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Death will no longer exist;
grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer,
because the previous things have passed away.

Then the One seated on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give water as a gift to the thirsty from the spring of life. The victor will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son. But the cowards, unbelievers, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Read it for your self - How to become a Christian

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized (for John had not yet been put in prison).
Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.”

He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

(John 3 ESV)

Liverpool Town Hall - The Jewel in the Crown

I am always amazed at the variety of buildings that you come across in Liverpool. In recent years with the regeneration and renaissance of the city a number of well designed and attractive modern buildings have been constructed in the city centre. They are pleasant to look at and I assume eco friendly in their construction and use of energy.

However one thing that you cannot miss in the city is the classic buildings. I am told that after London, Liverpool has the most listed buildings of any city in the UK. The picture in today's blog is the Town Hall. Come inside and discover the elegance of a past generation - they really knew how to build (inside and out) in those days. Glorious days of style and craftsmanship. I find it very pleasing to the eye and senses.

The God of heaven is interested in things that are well made. After he had created the world he sat back and looked at everything that he had made and his final assessment was this - it is very good (Genesis ch 1). The world isn't in the condition that it was when first made. Sin, wrong and evil have distorted it in every sense - morally, physically, environmentally etc. Hebrews  ch 1 in the bible states that things are not as they were at the beginning. It goes on to say that 'we see Jesus made a little lower than the angels..... for the suffering of death". God became man to sort out the mess of our world. The ultimate sacrifice was made to rectify what had gone wrong in our world. Hebrews ch 1 goes on to say that he (Jesus) 'by the grace of God' would 'taste death for everyone'. 

Here is the amazing truth. We spend millions to restore buildings to their former glory. It is worth it to retain the glory and splendour of the craftsmanship. God does the same - he spared not His own Son but delivered him up for us all so that we might know the restoring and forgiving grace of God in our lives.

If you would like more info about Liverpool or the bible message in this blog please e-mail me at stepcar61@gmail.com or visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk 

The Old and the New - View of St George's Hall from Lime Street Plaza

This photo was taken about a week ago. It was a lovely crisp and clear morning. I was on my way to lecture in a college in Birkenhead about professional ethics (lovely subject). I love the mix of old and new in this photo. St George's Hall in all it's ornate grandeur with the reflection of the mega TV screen on the windows of the glass lift shaft for disabled access to Lime Street Station. Quite a contrast.

Old and new things often mix but sometimes they are so different. Jesus taught that the old sometimes is better but it eventually gives way to the new. Listen to the words of an old preacher - 'if anyone be in Christ he is a new creation, old things have passed away behold all things have become new'. I wonder if you have walked this path yet? It's wonderful when you do. Let me know if you have any questions.

Stephen