MacDonald expounds upon that which makes the gospel truly good news: "...that God is light and in him is no darkness at all."

Those who come at the call of the Lord, and take the rest He offers them, learning of Him, and bearing the yoke of the Father, are the salt of the earth, the light of the world.

It's hard to underscore the need to get a handle on just what makes up "the good news" that Jesus came to deliver to mankind, the core of his message. The conclusion each of us reaches has practical impact.

I think it a good idea for those who identify themselves as “Christians” to put ourselves in the shoes of our critics and gain what insight there is to be had from their observations and perspectives. Although we may not agree with everything they have to say—perhaps not even with the bulk of it—nevertheless, there is often truth enough in some of their criticisms for us to reflect on when viewed in the illuminating light of our Lord’s own words.

While sorrow doesn't fall into the category of an essential good, George MacDonald makes a compelling case for sorrow being a harbinger of future joy.

Jesus poses this penetrating question to a man who has been ill for thirty-eight years. It is not rhetorical. It is a question put to us all–together with a warning!

This writing, first published in June of 2011, flows from my deep-rooted conviction that every individual born is precious to God, his intention and desire being for their welfare, unwilling that any should perish and ultimately bringing home to his great heart of infinite love every one of his wayward children.

Preached in the West Croydon Congregational Church...

The passage found in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 15:22-28, strikes many as one of the more harsh sounding pronouncements of our Lord. It almost seems as though he is relegating a Canaanite woman seeking his help to no more than the status of a dog! Nothing could be further from the truth...

I am a man in need of mercy. Of this fact I am ever more keenly aware… But to better appreciate the nature of mercy I have had to gain an understanding and recognition of mercy’s particular characteristics, its nature, to grasp how mercy differs from other virtues such as kindness and generosity.