Category Archives: Uncategorized

Religious acts are no substitute for true spirituality

Posted on August 12, 2018 by vincentsmithauthor

Mark Twain once had a heart to heart discussion on religion with a prominent Boston business man, well known for his ruthless business practices. With great sincerity, the businessman told the writer, ‘Before I die I mean to make a … Continue reading →

Posted in Spiritual discernment, Spirituality, True and False Religion, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Making the best, even when you don’t have it.

Posted on August 12, 2018 by vincentsmithauthor

A nurse wrote about having removed some stitches from an elderly man who was anxious to keep another appointment. She assumed it was with one of the doctors in the clinic, but it turned out that he wanted to have … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Choices, Christlikeness, love, Positive Thoughts, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Turning up the heat

Posted on August 12, 2018 by vincentsmithauthor

The Bible talks about God ‘Sitting as a refiner and purifier of silver.’ A group of women, trying to understand the implications of this visited a silversmith to watch him work. They watched him hold a piece of silver over … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflecting, Tested, Transformation, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Happiness is not the same as fun

Posted on August 12, 2018 by vincentsmithauthor

Dr Vera Ranki, writing in the Sydney Morning Herald, said that the first lesson towards achieving happiness is to realize that happiness is not the same as fun. In our desperate pursuit of happiness we often forget that when we … Continue reading →

Posted in Abundant life, Blessedness, Blessings, Happiness, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Calming our confused internal chatter

Posted on August 12, 2018 by vincentsmithauthor

According to an article in the Sydney Morning Herald entitled ‘Scientists Find Biological Reality Behind Religious Experience’, scientific research shows that when people pray and meditate things happen in their brains which give a sense of connectedness to a reality … Continue reading →

Posted in Peace, Peace of mind, Prayer, Revealing God, Silence, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The darker the night the brighter the stars shine.

Posted on August 12, 2018 by vincentsmithauthor

There’s a sheet of paper I keep that someone once gave to me when I was going through a very tough time. I can’t remember who it was but I do remember them scribbling these words for me; “God’s promises … Continue reading →

Posted in Grief, Promise, Trials and testings, tribulation and trouble, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Self-centre vision

Posted on August 12, 2018 by vincentsmithauthor

An American newspaper reported the sad story of a young man who expected his dad to give him a car as a graduation gift. But on the night of the graduation, instead of finding a car in the driveway, his … Continue reading →

Posted in Anger, Blindness, Selfishness, Spiritual blindness, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The laws of probability

Posted on February 23, 2018 by vincentsmithauthor

Professor Peter Stoner applied the laws of probability to just eight of the Old Testament prophecies regarding Jesus Christ. He says: ‘The chance that any man might have …fulfilled all eight prophecies is one in ten to the seventeenth place. … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ, Fulfilment, Jesus, Prophecy, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Rampant consumerism – our year-round affliction

Posted on February 22, 2018 by vincentsmithauthor

Many of us would agree with psychologist Patricia Dalton, who says that rampant consumerism, once confined to the holidays, has become a year-round affliction. She observes unhappy people trying to fill the emptiness of their lives by irresponsible spending and … Continue reading →

Posted in Abundant life, consumerism, Contentment, emptiness, Materialism, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

It takes a great spirit to come through hardship

Posted on February 22, 2018 by vincentsmithauthor

Four centuries ago Martin Rinkert became the minister of his hometown parish in Eilenburg, Germany. A year later the Thirty Years War broke out and Eilenburg was caught in the middle. In the midst of it a massive plague swept … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Life, Life's journey, Life's lessons, Trials and testings, tribulation and trouble, Uncategorized | Leave a comment