Adrian Hawkes | Books & Blogs

Category: Blog

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The Spirit Level

The Spirit LevelOver the years I have listened to Politicians quote from this book and thought to myself, very clever but that is not your quote we have read the same book.Going past the current debate on leaving the EU though one does have to consider…

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Only Remembered Because …

Only remembered because…Recently, I was told that answered prayer is not a reality. “It’s just one of those coincidences.”  To counteract their argument, I quoted a complicated story of what for me was an amazing answer to prayer. Here is my story…

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Welcoming Strangers.

Welcoming Strangers.Let us look at this problem in a more rounded way.  There is now something like 70.8 million displaced people in the world.  That is, people running away from war, persecution and terrible conditions. The population of the…

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Fake News or Lazy Journalism?

Fake News or Lazy Journalism?I wasn’t really looking for such an article. I was looking for something else totally unrelated. However, you know what it’s like when you search the web, all sort of things pop up, relevant, interesting and “don’t waste yo…

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CHURCH?

Church?I recently watched a BBC documentary entitled, “The Most Dangerous Man in Tudor England”. Fascinating stuff. Melvyn Bragg took us through the dramatic story of William Tyndale and the first English translation of the Bible.The story was not new …

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Knowing

KnowingDuring my time in college studying theology, I concluded that many of the people whose opinions I had to study knew the Bible Scriptures much better than me.  However, I also concluded that they did not know the God who inspired it all. I a…

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Trying to Answer my Critics. (some who are my friends) …

Trying to Answer my Critics. (some who are my friends) …This is something that I think needs to be said.  My hope is that it will be understood.There was a great article recently about the fact that it is not Politicians, whoever they are and what…

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The Power of words…Watch your language!

The Power of words…Watch your language!We do many things with words. The book of James in the Bible says so. Chapter 5 of that book tells us how difficult the tongue is to tame. It says no one can control it. It can start a fire. It can be destructive …

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Morals and Values 10 – What and where they should come from?

Morals and Values for

Values. What and where they should come from.

ž They must take precedent above our culture –whatever culture that might be.

ž  They need to come from more than our upbringing or education.

ž The best place they should come from is from the heart of being a “follower of the way”.

ž Often times, issues that people say have “Christian’ values” do not. Often times people’s values have nothing to do with the Bible, or, more importantly, being a “follower of the way”, or of becoming like Christ.

ž Non-Religious Christianity removes any show or pretence from our seen value system and our inner personal value system. Our publicand private persona should be identical.

ž That our values should come from relationships is paramount. Jesus died to restore relationships. Relationship with God as well as people.

ž In building our paradigm of values, relationship with each other and the well-being of others is central.

ž It is vital to hold to a Christological interpretation of the Bible, i.e. that Christ is central to scripture. It is more than helpful if we work back from who He is.

ž To grow in Christ- likeness, a theology of Grace and freedom is foundational to thoughts and actions.

ž It is important to have a strong theology of issues such as: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female,” so that the leadership of females is not an issue, neither is race, colour, or earthly nationality. These issues are contemporary throughout the global village.

ž Choose a lifestyle that reflects the character of Jesus. Thereby we take on the mantle of Christ.

ž Adopt a world view that creates a mindset where we consider all our human relationships as bringing and giving meaning to the whole of life.

ž Know that Christ is central in the story of God’s creation, because He is in the process of restoring all things to perfection.

ž Know that Grace fulfils and then surpasses law and brings freedom.

ž Value the equality of all. Hold tight to a value system, where all people are identified in the cross of Christ.

It’s a good idea to think about the differences in Values between what we see as Hebraic and what was Greek thinking at the time of Christ

ž Have a look at what is the difference between the thinking that was Hebraic, and what is and was Greek thinking and value.

ž This would be another way of checking our real Values. And I think it would give you quite a surprise.  You will find a comparison analysis of these things in my book, “Jacob. A Fatherless Generation.”

Scripture says:

ž Romans 8:29.  Amplified Bible (AMP)   

 29For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be moulded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.

ž  Romans 12:2 New Living Translation (NLT)        

 2 Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Adrian Hawkes

3 min talk for UCB

w. 442