Many of you will know the Matt Redman song Blessed be your name
Blessed be Your name in the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name when I’m found in the
desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name
Every blessing You pour out I’ll turn back
to praise
And when the darkness closes in Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be Your name when the sun’s shining
down on me
When the world’s “all as it should be”
Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name on the road marked
with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name
I have to start by saying that the Newsboys version is the best. Musically they rock!!!
However the key to this song is the deep truth that are in its words. The extra bit...
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name
God gives. God can take away. In the good times it is easy to sing God's praises and bless His name. In the bad times it becomes more difficult. However it remains a choice.
What does your heart choose???
I think God really wants us to choose to bless His name, no matter the circumstance. His name is of great value!
Tuesday, 27 September 2005
A cool trick
Ever wondered how you can get your photo on your blog without going through that painful process of using a photo hosting service. Well load one up as normal, use the URL for your profile. Sweet!!!
Thursday, 22 September 2005
Wednesday, 21 September 2005
Pollution in China
I have attached an article about the problem of pollution in China. This is the first article in a mainstream publication I have seen. It will not be the last.
China has adopted a one child policy to hold back a massive population explosion. General living standards have increased and as such more people are living longer. However to do this they are literally burning their natural resources. As you travel through China it is noticable that there is less sunlight. This is from the coal and chemical smog. The rivers are just dead. The hills are erroding.
China has had to do this to move its standard of living up. However they now face the same decisions England faced when it went through the industial revolution. Basically, what was the point of advancement if it ends up dropping the standard of living?
What will happen is that the worst polluters will be removed or moved. You can see this already with solar hot water heaters replacing coal. A compromise will be found between advancement and living standards.
Interestingly I think we in the West need to have the same debate. We have become increaingly efficient over the years. But what for? Has our increased productivity increased our living staandard? It may have increased our incomes but has this actually transferred into an increase in doing what we enjoy?
I would suggest for most people it has not.
Would a four day working week be a better option????
Pollution turns Chinese village into cancer cluster
21 September 2005
BEIJING: The residents of Huangmenying village are poor, even by Chinese standards, but more and more are opting to splash out for bottled water rather than drink from local wells.
Well water, they say, gives you cancer.
Their fears are backed by the unusually large number of cancer cases in this village of fewer than 2500 in central Henan province. The village gets most of its water from a foetid tributary of the Huai River, probably the most polluted stretch of water in China.
Kong Heqin, a 30-year-old woman suffering cancer of the throat and intestine, cannot afford the luxury of filters and pumps water that stinks of rotten eggs and contains grainy sediment from a communal well into a red plastic pail.
Three operations to control the cancer have left Kong unable to pass solid waste, with a ropy scar snaking up her abdomen. She can feel tumours still growing in her belly, but has no more money for treatment.
"I have spent 70,000 yuan ($NZ12,574) on three operations and I can't borrow any more," Kong said.
"My husband said we could sell our older son to another couple looking to adopt to raise the money, but I refused. I would rather die than sell my son."
Kong's husband, like many men from the village, has gone to Shanghai to earn money as a labourer, but only makes enough to cover the basics for his wife and their two school-age sons.
Local activist Huo Daishan says 118 people have died of cancer in Huangmenying since 1990.
Huo is convinced the deaths are directly linked to the rampant pollution of the Huai River and its local branch, the Shaying, which he says have been poisoned by tanneries, paper mills and an MSG factory, all of which enjoy protection from local officials.
"Once the factories are able to get the local government involved and combine their interests, it becomes hard to get a grip on the situation. That is why it's been so hard to solve this problem in recent years," Huo told Reuters.
Local protectionism and industrial pollution are hardly isolated problems in China.
Top officials have said 90 per cent of the rivers that flow through Chinese urban centres are severely polluted, and some 300 million people nationwide have no access to clean water.
Beijing has acknowledged the crisis and launched a "clear water for the people" campaign, but if decade-old efforts to clean up the Huai alone are any indication, there is a long way to go.
This spring, central authorities conceded that tightened regulations and a reported 60 billion yuan ($NZ10.69 billion) invested in improving the Huai, which supplies water to one sixth of China's 1.3 billion people, had done little to stem the tide of pollution.
Huo, a former county official and photo journalist who has documented the Huai's decline, said the water had improved to some extent under the government push, but at times remained as foul as ever.
"When the problem is more severe, the water is black, like soy sauce, with a lot of foam. It has a noxious smell," he said.
Tests have shown the Huai contains dangerous amounts of metals, ammonia and oils.
China's lax environmental protection rules are also at fault. The tanneries and MSG factories that have ruined the river were allowed to move in from overseas after being banned by foreign governments because of their pollution, Huo said.
"A lot of industries are not accepting responsibility," he said. "They refuse to clean up their waste and just discharge back into the river water they take out."
In other parts of China, polluting factories and unsympathetic officials have sparked riots by outraged residents.
But in Huangmenying, people have not risen up - they have died or fled.
Along a red brick path dubbed "cancer street", weeds grow wild in front of empty, boarded-up houses, their owners either victims of cancer or run off to safer places.
Those that have stayed cannot afford to leave or have found some way to cope. And they buy bottled water at such a rate that village store owner Lao Chen can barely keep enough in stock, selling around 100 big bottles a day.
China has adopted a one child policy to hold back a massive population explosion. General living standards have increased and as such more people are living longer. However to do this they are literally burning their natural resources. As you travel through China it is noticable that there is less sunlight. This is from the coal and chemical smog. The rivers are just dead. The hills are erroding.
China has had to do this to move its standard of living up. However they now face the same decisions England faced when it went through the industial revolution. Basically, what was the point of advancement if it ends up dropping the standard of living?
What will happen is that the worst polluters will be removed or moved. You can see this already with solar hot water heaters replacing coal. A compromise will be found between advancement and living standards.
Interestingly I think we in the West need to have the same debate. We have become increaingly efficient over the years. But what for? Has our increased productivity increased our living staandard? It may have increased our incomes but has this actually transferred into an increase in doing what we enjoy?
I would suggest for most people it has not.
Would a four day working week be a better option????
Pollution turns Chinese village into cancer cluster
21 September 2005
BEIJING: The residents of Huangmenying village are poor, even by Chinese standards, but more and more are opting to splash out for bottled water rather than drink from local wells.
Well water, they say, gives you cancer.
Their fears are backed by the unusually large number of cancer cases in this village of fewer than 2500 in central Henan province. The village gets most of its water from a foetid tributary of the Huai River, probably the most polluted stretch of water in China.
Kong Heqin, a 30-year-old woman suffering cancer of the throat and intestine, cannot afford the luxury of filters and pumps water that stinks of rotten eggs and contains grainy sediment from a communal well into a red plastic pail.
Three operations to control the cancer have left Kong unable to pass solid waste, with a ropy scar snaking up her abdomen. She can feel tumours still growing in her belly, but has no more money for treatment.
"I have spent 70,000 yuan ($NZ12,574) on three operations and I can't borrow any more," Kong said.
"My husband said we could sell our older son to another couple looking to adopt to raise the money, but I refused. I would rather die than sell my son."
Kong's husband, like many men from the village, has gone to Shanghai to earn money as a labourer, but only makes enough to cover the basics for his wife and their two school-age sons.
Local activist Huo Daishan says 118 people have died of cancer in Huangmenying since 1990.
Huo is convinced the deaths are directly linked to the rampant pollution of the Huai River and its local branch, the Shaying, which he says have been poisoned by tanneries, paper mills and an MSG factory, all of which enjoy protection from local officials.
"Once the factories are able to get the local government involved and combine their interests, it becomes hard to get a grip on the situation. That is why it's been so hard to solve this problem in recent years," Huo told Reuters.
Local protectionism and industrial pollution are hardly isolated problems in China.
Top officials have said 90 per cent of the rivers that flow through Chinese urban centres are severely polluted, and some 300 million people nationwide have no access to clean water.
Beijing has acknowledged the crisis and launched a "clear water for the people" campaign, but if decade-old efforts to clean up the Huai alone are any indication, there is a long way to go.
This spring, central authorities conceded that tightened regulations and a reported 60 billion yuan ($NZ10.69 billion) invested in improving the Huai, which supplies water to one sixth of China's 1.3 billion people, had done little to stem the tide of pollution.
Huo, a former county official and photo journalist who has documented the Huai's decline, said the water had improved to some extent under the government push, but at times remained as foul as ever.
"When the problem is more severe, the water is black, like soy sauce, with a lot of foam. It has a noxious smell," he said.
Tests have shown the Huai contains dangerous amounts of metals, ammonia and oils.
China's lax environmental protection rules are also at fault. The tanneries and MSG factories that have ruined the river were allowed to move in from overseas after being banned by foreign governments because of their pollution, Huo said.
"A lot of industries are not accepting responsibility," he said. "They refuse to clean up their waste and just discharge back into the river water they take out."
In other parts of China, polluting factories and unsympathetic officials have sparked riots by outraged residents.
But in Huangmenying, people have not risen up - they have died or fled.
Along a red brick path dubbed "cancer street", weeds grow wild in front of empty, boarded-up houses, their owners either victims of cancer or run off to safer places.
Those that have stayed cannot afford to leave or have found some way to cope. And they buy bottled water at such a rate that village store owner Lao Chen can barely keep enough in stock, selling around 100 big bottles a day.
Monday, 19 September 2005
Notes on Alcohol
I lead a study on alcohol some time ago. I have found the notes for that study. Maybe they would be useful
Alcohol Study Notes
Alcohol is a drug.
Effects of Alcohol Intoxication are…
• General Effect
Alcohol is a DOWNER that reduces activity in the central nervous system. The alcohol intoxicated person exhibits loose muscle tone, loss of fine motor coordination, and often has a staggering "drunken" gait.
• Eyes
The eyes may appear somewhat "glossy" and pupils may be slow to respond to stimulus. At high doses pupils may become constricted.
• Vital Signs
At intoxicating doses, alcohol can decrease heart rate, lower blood pressure and respiration rate, and result in decreased reflex responses and slower reaction times.
• Skin
Skin may be cool to the touch (but the user may feel warm), profuse sweating may accompany alcohol use.
• Observation
Loose muscle tone, loss of fine motor coordination, odor of alcohol on the breath, and a staggering "drunken" gait.
Specific Effects
(related to the Blood Alcohol concentration (BAC))
The effects of alcohol intoxication are greatly influenced by individual variations among users. Some users may become intoxicated at a much lower Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level than is shown.
• 0.02-0.03 BAC: No loss of coordination, slight euphoria and loss of shyness. Depressant effects are not apparent. Illegal for under 20 year old to drive in NZ
• 0.04-0.06 BAC: Feeling of well-being, relaxation, lower inhibitions, sensation of warmth. Euphoria. Some minor impairment of reasoning and memory, lowering of caution.
• 0.07-0.09 BAC: Slight impairment of balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and hearing. Euphoria. Judgement and self- control are reduced, and caution, reason and memory are impaired. Illegal for over 20 year old to drive in NZ
• 0.10-0.125 BAC: Significant impairment of motor coordination and loss of good judgement. Speech may be slurred; balance, vision, reaction time and hearing will be impaired. Euphoria.
• 0.13-0.15 BAC: Gross motor impairment and lack of physical control. Blurred vision and major loss of balance. Euphoria is reduced and dysphoria is beginning to appear.
• 0.16-0.20 BAC: Dysphoria (anxiety, restlessness) predominates, nausea may appear. The drinker has the appearance of a "sloppy drunk."
• 0.25 BAC: Needs assistance in walking; total mental confusion. Dysphoria with nausea and some vomiting.
• 0.30 BAC: Loss of consciousness.
• 0.40 BAC and up: Onset of coma, possible death due to respiratory arrest.
The law on alcohol in NZ is…
Driving
If you are going to drink, then find an alternative way to get home rather than driving.
Research indicates that driving after consuming any level of alcohol, impairs your ability.
Blood Alcohol Levels
There are two ways of assessing the alcohol limit for driving:
• Breath - Breath testing measures the number of micrograms of alcohol (mcgs) per litre of breath
• Blood - A blood test measures the number of milligrams of alcohol (mgs) per 100 millilitres (mls) of blood
Although the measures appear different, they are essentially the same. The both measure the same level of alcohol for drink driving purposes.
Breath testing is used for both screening and evidential purposes. Blood testing can be used as a check on the accuracy of teh breath testing. The Police can require a blood test if the person refuses to do a breath test.
Current legal limits
• Drivers under 20 years - 150mcg breath or 30mg blood
• Drivers over 20 years - 400mcg breath or 80mg blood
Underage Drinking
If you are under 18 and are with your parent or legal guardian you can...
• drink responsibly in a private home or at a private function - like a family BBQ or 21st
• go into supervised area of bars and pubs (that's most bars - but to be sure - check the licence)
• Drink in a public place - except where there is an alcohol ban
If you are under 18 (without your parent or guardian) you can't...
• drink in a public place
• go into pubs and bars
• buy booze or get an adult to buy you booze
• carry a fake ID or use someone else's
A person who is less than 18 can only be supplied with alcohol by their parent or legal guardian. Things are being toughened up for underage drinkers and those who sell or supply them alcohol. Penalties for breaking the law have increased.
Legal guardian (as defined by the Guardianship Act) means exactly that. It does not include other family members including grandparents, uncles and aunties or older brothers, sisters, spouses or partners. Neither does it include sports coaches or anyone else temporarily acting in the place of a parent.
Drinking in Public
Over 18's
Drinking in public places is legal unless there is an alcohol ban in place. Alcohol bans are becoming increasing popular in New Zealand. Towns and cities around the country are introducing them in an attempt to reduce alcohol-related crime, violence and public disorder in public places.
An alcohol ban is a prohibition on possession or consumption liquor for specific days, hours and public locations. These are set by local councils – usually as a by-law.
For example, in Cuba Street Wellington during the Cuba Street Carnival, or as in some areas between 6pm and 6am Friday, Saturday and Sunday all year on named streets.
In some areas liquor bans are used only for specific events – e.g., New Year’s Eve.
A liquor ban gives police power to search a person for alcohol, seize any found and destroy or confiscate it. They are just one tool available to police to assist them to deal with alcohol related crime and disorder.
The bans aim to address local authorities' concerns about public drinking in particular problem areas, such as:
• town centres
• shopping centre car parks
• beaches
Anyone knowingly disobeying the ban can be fined, although the police must first warn people who are in breach and give them an opportunity to leave the area or to cease drinking and/or carrying alcohol by tipping it out.
Under 18's
Even if there is no alcohol ban in place, under the Summary Offences Act it is illegal for anyone under 18 years of age to consume or possess alcohol in a public place unless their parent or legal guardian accompanies them.
If they break this law they may have to pay an infringement fee of $200 or a fine of up to $300. The police can also confiscate the alcohol. It is legal for parents or guardians to allow teenagers to drink at home or at other private gatherings.
What does the bible say…
Positive
• Medicinal (Prov 31:6-7)
• Part of banquets (Est 5:6, Est 1:7; Isa 5:12; Dan 5:1-4; Jhn 2:3)
• Paul recommends it (1 Tim 5:23)
• Part of meals in general (Matt 26:27-29)
• A symbol of Jesus’ blood
• Jesus made it (John 2:9-10)
Control
• Excessive usage disqualifies you from eldership
• Kings are not allowed to drink (why do you think that was???)
• Excessive use:
o Is forbidden (Eph 5:18)
o Infuriates the temper (Prov 20:1)
o Impairs the health (1Sa 25:37; Hsa 4:11)
o Impairs the judgment and memory (Pro 31:4-5; Isa 28:7)
o Inflames the passions (Isa 5:11)
o Leads to sorrow and contention (Pro 23:29-30)
o Leads to remorse (Pro 23:31-32)
Obeying the law
• Romans 13:1-2
Respect for Authority
Obey the government, for God is the one who put it there. All governments have been placed in power by God. So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow.
Bring the salt and the light to the world
• Ephesians 5:8-11
For though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, rebuke and expose them.
Personal questions…
Why do you drink?
What is the goal? What/who do you do it for?
What is an addiction?
Are you addicted? Seriously…
Can you go to a party and not drink?
Can you go two months without drinking at all?
If your answer is no, are you concerned that you are addicted?
Is it important that people obey laws?
Interesting Stuff…
Some tips for Safer Drinking:
• Quench your thirst with a non-alcoholic drink.
• Eat before you drink, especially if you plan to party.
• Drink alcohol slowly.
• Alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
• Set a limit for yourself and stick to it.
• Arrange safe transport home.
• Pick one type of alcoholic drink and stick to that. Mixing drinks increases the effects and generally leads to vomiting and increased intensity of ‘hangovers’.
Stuff
• A standard drink is a 100ml glass of wine, a nip of spirits or a 330ml glass of beer
• In any one week, drink no more than
• 21 standard drinks (for adult men)
• 14 standard drinks (for adult women)
• On any one drinking occasion drink no more than
• six standard drinks (for adult men)
• four standard drinks (for adult women)
• A standard drink has 70 calories in the alcohol alone. (for you point counters out there!!!)
• Alcohol, technically speaking, is a chemical compound, formula = C2H5OH. Most of the family of alcohols are totally poisonous to the human body, but the kind we drink, called ethyl alcohol, is tolerable in small amounts.
• Research suggests the more alcohol some women drink, the greater their risk of developing breast cancer.
• Alcohol mixes badly with almost any type of medication
o Antidiabetic medications.
o Antihistamines.
o Antipsychotic medications.
o Antiseizure medications.
o Cardiovascular medications.
o Narcotic pain relievers.
o Nonnarcotic pain relievers.
o Sedatives and hypnotics ("sleeping pills").
Alcohol Study Notes
Alcohol is a drug.
Effects of Alcohol Intoxication are…
• General Effect
Alcohol is a DOWNER that reduces activity in the central nervous system. The alcohol intoxicated person exhibits loose muscle tone, loss of fine motor coordination, and often has a staggering "drunken" gait.
• Eyes
The eyes may appear somewhat "glossy" and pupils may be slow to respond to stimulus. At high doses pupils may become constricted.
• Vital Signs
At intoxicating doses, alcohol can decrease heart rate, lower blood pressure and respiration rate, and result in decreased reflex responses and slower reaction times.
• Skin
Skin may be cool to the touch (but the user may feel warm), profuse sweating may accompany alcohol use.
• Observation
Loose muscle tone, loss of fine motor coordination, odor of alcohol on the breath, and a staggering "drunken" gait.
Specific Effects
(related to the Blood Alcohol concentration (BAC))
The effects of alcohol intoxication are greatly influenced by individual variations among users. Some users may become intoxicated at a much lower Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level than is shown.
• 0.02-0.03 BAC: No loss of coordination, slight euphoria and loss of shyness. Depressant effects are not apparent. Illegal for under 20 year old to drive in NZ
• 0.04-0.06 BAC: Feeling of well-being, relaxation, lower inhibitions, sensation of warmth. Euphoria. Some minor impairment of reasoning and memory, lowering of caution.
• 0.07-0.09 BAC: Slight impairment of balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and hearing. Euphoria. Judgement and self- control are reduced, and caution, reason and memory are impaired. Illegal for over 20 year old to drive in NZ
• 0.10-0.125 BAC: Significant impairment of motor coordination and loss of good judgement. Speech may be slurred; balance, vision, reaction time and hearing will be impaired. Euphoria.
• 0.13-0.15 BAC: Gross motor impairment and lack of physical control. Blurred vision and major loss of balance. Euphoria is reduced and dysphoria is beginning to appear.
• 0.16-0.20 BAC: Dysphoria (anxiety, restlessness) predominates, nausea may appear. The drinker has the appearance of a "sloppy drunk."
• 0.25 BAC: Needs assistance in walking; total mental confusion. Dysphoria with nausea and some vomiting.
• 0.30 BAC: Loss of consciousness.
• 0.40 BAC and up: Onset of coma, possible death due to respiratory arrest.
The law on alcohol in NZ is…
Driving
If you are going to drink, then find an alternative way to get home rather than driving.
Research indicates that driving after consuming any level of alcohol, impairs your ability.
Blood Alcohol Levels
There are two ways of assessing the alcohol limit for driving:
• Breath - Breath testing measures the number of micrograms of alcohol (mcgs) per litre of breath
• Blood - A blood test measures the number of milligrams of alcohol (mgs) per 100 millilitres (mls) of blood
Although the measures appear different, they are essentially the same. The both measure the same level of alcohol for drink driving purposes.
Breath testing is used for both screening and evidential purposes. Blood testing can be used as a check on the accuracy of teh breath testing. The Police can require a blood test if the person refuses to do a breath test.
Current legal limits
• Drivers under 20 years - 150mcg breath or 30mg blood
• Drivers over 20 years - 400mcg breath or 80mg blood
Underage Drinking
If you are under 18 and are with your parent or legal guardian you can...
• drink responsibly in a private home or at a private function - like a family BBQ or 21st
• go into supervised area of bars and pubs (that's most bars - but to be sure - check the licence)
• Drink in a public place - except where there is an alcohol ban
If you are under 18 (without your parent or guardian) you can't...
• drink in a public place
• go into pubs and bars
• buy booze or get an adult to buy you booze
• carry a fake ID or use someone else's
A person who is less than 18 can only be supplied with alcohol by their parent or legal guardian. Things are being toughened up for underage drinkers and those who sell or supply them alcohol. Penalties for breaking the law have increased.
Legal guardian (as defined by the Guardianship Act) means exactly that. It does not include other family members including grandparents, uncles and aunties or older brothers, sisters, spouses or partners. Neither does it include sports coaches or anyone else temporarily acting in the place of a parent.
Drinking in Public
Over 18's
Drinking in public places is legal unless there is an alcohol ban in place. Alcohol bans are becoming increasing popular in New Zealand. Towns and cities around the country are introducing them in an attempt to reduce alcohol-related crime, violence and public disorder in public places.
An alcohol ban is a prohibition on possession or consumption liquor for specific days, hours and public locations. These are set by local councils – usually as a by-law.
For example, in Cuba Street Wellington during the Cuba Street Carnival, or as in some areas between 6pm and 6am Friday, Saturday and Sunday all year on named streets.
In some areas liquor bans are used only for specific events – e.g., New Year’s Eve.
A liquor ban gives police power to search a person for alcohol, seize any found and destroy or confiscate it. They are just one tool available to police to assist them to deal with alcohol related crime and disorder.
The bans aim to address local authorities' concerns about public drinking in particular problem areas, such as:
• town centres
• shopping centre car parks
• beaches
Anyone knowingly disobeying the ban can be fined, although the police must first warn people who are in breach and give them an opportunity to leave the area or to cease drinking and/or carrying alcohol by tipping it out.
Under 18's
Even if there is no alcohol ban in place, under the Summary Offences Act it is illegal for anyone under 18 years of age to consume or possess alcohol in a public place unless their parent or legal guardian accompanies them.
If they break this law they may have to pay an infringement fee of $200 or a fine of up to $300. The police can also confiscate the alcohol. It is legal for parents or guardians to allow teenagers to drink at home or at other private gatherings.
What does the bible say…
Positive
• Medicinal (Prov 31:6-7)
• Part of banquets (Est 5:6, Est 1:7; Isa 5:12; Dan 5:1-4; Jhn 2:3)
• Paul recommends it (1 Tim 5:23)
• Part of meals in general (Matt 26:27-29)
• A symbol of Jesus’ blood
• Jesus made it (John 2:9-10)
Control
• Excessive usage disqualifies you from eldership
• Kings are not allowed to drink (why do you think that was???)
• Excessive use:
o Is forbidden (Eph 5:18)
o Infuriates the temper (Prov 20:1)
o Impairs the health (1Sa 25:37; Hsa 4:11)
o Impairs the judgment and memory (Pro 31:4-5; Isa 28:7)
o Inflames the passions (Isa 5:11)
o Leads to sorrow and contention (Pro 23:29-30)
o Leads to remorse (Pro 23:31-32)
Obeying the law
• Romans 13:1-2
Respect for Authority
Obey the government, for God is the one who put it there. All governments have been placed in power by God. So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow.
Bring the salt and the light to the world
• Ephesians 5:8-11
For though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, rebuke and expose them.
Personal questions…
Why do you drink?
What is the goal? What/who do you do it for?
What is an addiction?
Are you addicted? Seriously…
Can you go to a party and not drink?
Can you go two months without drinking at all?
If your answer is no, are you concerned that you are addicted?
Is it important that people obey laws?
Interesting Stuff…
Some tips for Safer Drinking:
• Quench your thirst with a non-alcoholic drink.
• Eat before you drink, especially if you plan to party.
• Drink alcohol slowly.
• Alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
• Set a limit for yourself and stick to it.
• Arrange safe transport home.
• Pick one type of alcoholic drink and stick to that. Mixing drinks increases the effects and generally leads to vomiting and increased intensity of ‘hangovers’.
Stuff
• A standard drink is a 100ml glass of wine, a nip of spirits or a 330ml glass of beer
• In any one week, drink no more than
• 21 standard drinks (for adult men)
• 14 standard drinks (for adult women)
• On any one drinking occasion drink no more than
• six standard drinks (for adult men)
• four standard drinks (for adult women)
• A standard drink has 70 calories in the alcohol alone. (for you point counters out there!!!)
• Alcohol, technically speaking, is a chemical compound, formula = C2H5OH. Most of the family of alcohols are totally poisonous to the human body, but the kind we drink, called ethyl alcohol, is tolerable in small amounts.
• Research suggests the more alcohol some women drink, the greater their risk of developing breast cancer.
• Alcohol mixes badly with almost any type of medication
o Antidiabetic medications.
o Antihistamines.
o Antipsychotic medications.
o Antiseizure medications.
o Cardiovascular medications.
o Narcotic pain relievers.
o Nonnarcotic pain relievers.
o Sedatives and hypnotics ("sleeping pills").
Sunday, 18 September 2005
Things you need to know when visiting America
I wrote this in 2002 after Claire and I spent three weeks travelling around the USA. Just found an old copy so I thought I would put it up.
-------------------------------------
Things you need to know about America or travelling to America from New Zealand
This is a series of observations and comments on things that are quite different in America when compared to New Zealand or things that are worth knowing. It is based on a recent trip to Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington DC and New York. We also went to Montreal, Canada… but that is a whole different kettle of fish.
Not knowing some of these things can lead to culture shock. This is surprising given that New Zealand and America are both relatively wealthy western societies.
1. After travelling 12 hours from New Zealand to the USA, don’t try anything brave like being in the front passenger seat of a car on the LA freeways. The standard speed on the freeways is 140km/hr. Having cars flying around you at this speed, going the wrong way is very disconcerting. What is more disconcerting is that you do not have a steering wheel even though you are on the right hand side of the car. It appears after 12 hours flying that you lose all ability to think though your base reflex which is to reach out for the steering wheel that is not there and make a B-line for the other side of the road.
2. More driving tips. In the USA you are allowed to turn right on a red light. Do this in New Zealand and you will be looking for a good panel shop and a good lawyer.
3. New Zealanders are not very patriotic. When coming into the LAX terminal we were greeted with American flags and a lovely picture of George W. Bush. Can you imagine being greeted by a picture of Helen Clark?
4. In New Zealand a light switch works by being flicked down for on and up for off. In the USA it is opposite. Power plugs seem not to have switches in the USA but some do work off light switches.
5. Do not plug an electrical device purchased in USA into a NZ power plug. Firstly it probably won’t fit. Secondly it probably won’t work. Thirdly, if it doesn’t work, it is unlikely to ever work again. If you plug in an NZ device into a USA plug it probably won’t work but it seems not to do too much.
6. Toilets are very different. In general the water level in USA toilets sits about three inches from the very top of the toilet bowl. When you flush, this huge mass of water forms a whirlpool and goes all the way out leaving no water in the bowl. The toilet then refills from the bottom. What is very scare is the second before the whirlpool starts to form, the water level actually goes up. When you flush a NZ toilet, where the water level is only a couple of inches from the bottom, the water level tends to rise a good 4 inches before mass evacuation occurs. When you first see a USA toilet start to rise and you only have 3 inches from the top and you know your normal toilet rises 4 inches… You do the maths!
7. In the USA there is more space devoted to bottled water in the display fridges in shops than Coke. There is a very good reason for this. The water from household taps either tastes like biting a piece of tin or diving into a swimming pool with your mouth open. Bottled water is cheap in the USA. Buy it and save yourself a few high-speed trips to the toilet in the middle of the night.
8. Go to Disneyland. It is all it is cracked up to be. Take a Southern Californian resident and you will get US$10 off the per ticket price.
9. Go to the Getty Centre. It is fantastic! Te Papa is a bit of a let down when you see what a real museum/gallery can be like.
10. Go to the Smithsonian’s. They are excellent.
11. Downtown New York smells. It doesn’t matter if it has rained the rain of a thousand years in 5 minutes. It still smells. Fantastic shops though and the Staten Island ferry is a must.
12. If you are travelling overnight on a train, get a sleeper unit whatever the cost. Preferably with its own toilet. If there are none available, take a laptop with a DVD and watch a movie. There is no way to sleep in a carriage with 100 other people, kids and other goings on.
13. Toilets in trains are disgusting where ever you go in the world. Guys, as good as your aim might be, you can’t be 100% on a train. The people running Amtrak should get some of the conductors who are doing nothing for most of the trip to periodically clean the toilets.
14. The people running Amtrak should also put the sleeper units at the back of the train. Trains seem to have to blow their horn at every crossing all through the night. For the people paying more money for a sleeper, which is the first carriage on the train, this must be disturbing, although not as disturbing as almost a hundred others trying to sleep around you.
15. Cops in the USA have guns. Guards in airports have very big guns. Strangely everyone loses their sense of humour when someone has an M-16 five metres away.
16. NZ has the best internet availability and market penetration. It is really hard to find an internet café in any of the downtown areas and when you do they charge like the proverbial “wounded bull”.
17. When in southern states, learn to say “ya’ll”. This the words you and all smashed together and generally used in the phrase… “How are ya’ll doing?”. The common response if you are two or more is “we’r’ll good”. “We’r’ll” is of course the words we, are and all smashed together.
18. You can spend an entire day at Disneyland, in and outside and not get sunburnt. If I spend 30 minutes at lunchtime outside in the summer in Wellington I turn into a cooked lobster. Ironic really when you think of where most CFC have emanated from.
19. Americans drive very big cars and increasingly what they call SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles???). The reason for this was said to be that petrol (or gas as it is called in the USA) was cheap. Petrol was not that cheap. The real reason is that if you are in anything but one of these battle wagons in a car crash, you are history. Two reasons… One… you will probably run into one of these big vehicles. Two… you will be travelling at 140km/hr when you run into the backside of the car in front which has managed to slow to 20km/hr because of a traffic jam. Traffic jams seem to form for no reason unless of course some poor person didn’t make the transition form 140km/hr to 20km/hr in about two seconds. That said Americans don’t seem to have too many accidents… very odd.
20. American wilderness with its deciduas trees is spectacular. The pines in NZ are not very inspiring.
21. NZ video tapes don’t work in the USA, and visa versa.
22. ATM machines charge you US$2 per transaction. ATMs tend to be inside and McDs has them.
23. The USA version of EFT-POS is very new. It has only been working on a large scale for about a year I believe. Hence people carry a lot of cash.
24. There are more fast food chains than you can shake a burger bun at. Many seem to be specific to a state, which actually means there are more outlets than McDs in NZ. Chick-fil-la, Bahai Fresh and Rocket were worth a go. If you get a chance, try something that is described as barbequed. What this really means is that they have used barbeque sauce instead of tomato sauce. Still it does seem to make things taste nice. Chick-fil-la has waffle fries. Wonderful invention.
25. American cheese is inedible for New Zealanders. Don’t even bother having anything with cheese in it unless they advertise that it as having some special cheese.
26. NZ Coke is actually Classic Coke.
27. There are beggars everywhere in the big cities in the USA. Some appear to be professional beggars. Others are old folk or people with psychological problems. As a New Zealander you may find this very distressing. What’s more distressing is to know that there is no option for these people. While we complain about our taxes being too high and the government spending too much, it is a lot better to know that there is a “safety net” for people like this in New Zealand.
28. American money looks all the same if it is a dollar or more. A dollar is a piece of paper as is a five, ten, etc. Coins are confusing. The five-cent piece (called a nickel) is bigger than the ten-cent piece (which is called a dime). There are also one-cent pieces, which seem to be only good for chucking in water attractions, and quarters (25 cents). To overcome this confusion, most big chain stores use an automated change dispensing machine to deal with the coins. If you only get handed notes and you expect coins, look for a small silver dish. NZ notes are of course coloured differently, there are one and two-dollar coins and the sub-dollar coins are worth more as they get bigger. No one-cent pieces. Fives are the smallest.
29. Fly Delta internally in the USA. Their planes might be a bit older but their service and food is first rate.
30. Don’t fly United or Qantas between New Zealand and the USA. Their planes are old and their legroom… what leg room! Air NZ may have the business nous of an on-heat moose but at least they understand you are not a midget.
31. When going through US security, realise that the word “random” to US security means search all New Zealanders at least once. If you are lucky, “random” will mean you get searched twice.
32. When going through NZ security, realise that the word random is not used and everyone goes through a detector and has their bags X-rayed. It took 2 minutes to get through Customs and security in Auckland.
33. Forget about converting the US prices to NZ prices. It is too depressing.
34. Book hotels within downtown when staying in US cities. Don’t rely on taking a train to your hotel because it is just too stressful. We recommend the Hotel Pennsylvania in New York.
35. US hotel check out times are way later than NZ times. In NZ 10am is standard. In the US it seems like 1pm is ok.
36. Most houses in the US have air-conditioning. This is because temperatures seem to vary a lot. In NZ our temperatures are very stable which I guess is because most parts of the country are very close to water. This provides a stabilising influence. Because of this air-conditioning, opening windows is very much a novelty. You can end up feeling quite claustrophobic in a US house, particularly if you are not used to venetian blinds.
37. Cars are used extensively. Even for a 2 minute drive which would equate to a ten minute walk on the flat.
38. Tipping is what you are expected to do at most food outlets except fast food places. The little places have a bowl that you can dump your change into and anything else you might want to give. Flasher places expect you to add it to the bill. This is the way waiters and waitresses earn their money. Ten to fifteen percent is standard. This applies to taxis. The good things about this are that it means people who rely on tips are so helpful and the food is cheap.
39. Related to tipping, most nice places will provide you with “free” entrees and top ups of your drinks, if they are water or fizzy drink. Don’t pig out on the entrees, which can be endless, as the mains tend to be huge.
40. Showers in the US are what we call shubs. They are bigger than the metre square cubicles we call a shower. They also generally don’t have a separate controller for the tabs and the shower. The ways of switching between tap and shower can be quite a challenge, especially first thing in the morning.
41. After a 12 hour flight, have shower. You will feel awful because of the air-conditioning in the plane. Whoever decided that it was acceptable to pack people into a tin can (ie 747) like sardines and try to freeze dry them with a zero percentage humidity environment should be the first up against the wall when the revolution comes.
Well there are forty-one things to know. If you are thinking of going to the USA, my suggestion is go. Despite all these differences and strange things, the USA is a very interesting and enlightening place. You will learn a lot, principally about yourself. This is a good thing.
-------------------------------------
Things you need to know about America or travelling to America from New Zealand
This is a series of observations and comments on things that are quite different in America when compared to New Zealand or things that are worth knowing. It is based on a recent trip to Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington DC and New York. We also went to Montreal, Canada… but that is a whole different kettle of fish.
Not knowing some of these things can lead to culture shock. This is surprising given that New Zealand and America are both relatively wealthy western societies.
1. After travelling 12 hours from New Zealand to the USA, don’t try anything brave like being in the front passenger seat of a car on the LA freeways. The standard speed on the freeways is 140km/hr. Having cars flying around you at this speed, going the wrong way is very disconcerting. What is more disconcerting is that you do not have a steering wheel even though you are on the right hand side of the car. It appears after 12 hours flying that you lose all ability to think though your base reflex which is to reach out for the steering wheel that is not there and make a B-line for the other side of the road.
2. More driving tips. In the USA you are allowed to turn right on a red light. Do this in New Zealand and you will be looking for a good panel shop and a good lawyer.
3. New Zealanders are not very patriotic. When coming into the LAX terminal we were greeted with American flags and a lovely picture of George W. Bush. Can you imagine being greeted by a picture of Helen Clark?
4. In New Zealand a light switch works by being flicked down for on and up for off. In the USA it is opposite. Power plugs seem not to have switches in the USA but some do work off light switches.
5. Do not plug an electrical device purchased in USA into a NZ power plug. Firstly it probably won’t fit. Secondly it probably won’t work. Thirdly, if it doesn’t work, it is unlikely to ever work again. If you plug in an NZ device into a USA plug it probably won’t work but it seems not to do too much.
6. Toilets are very different. In general the water level in USA toilets sits about three inches from the very top of the toilet bowl. When you flush, this huge mass of water forms a whirlpool and goes all the way out leaving no water in the bowl. The toilet then refills from the bottom. What is very scare is the second before the whirlpool starts to form, the water level actually goes up. When you flush a NZ toilet, where the water level is only a couple of inches from the bottom, the water level tends to rise a good 4 inches before mass evacuation occurs. When you first see a USA toilet start to rise and you only have 3 inches from the top and you know your normal toilet rises 4 inches… You do the maths!
7. In the USA there is more space devoted to bottled water in the display fridges in shops than Coke. There is a very good reason for this. The water from household taps either tastes like biting a piece of tin or diving into a swimming pool with your mouth open. Bottled water is cheap in the USA. Buy it and save yourself a few high-speed trips to the toilet in the middle of the night.
8. Go to Disneyland. It is all it is cracked up to be. Take a Southern Californian resident and you will get US$10 off the per ticket price.
9. Go to the Getty Centre. It is fantastic! Te Papa is a bit of a let down when you see what a real museum/gallery can be like.
10. Go to the Smithsonian’s. They are excellent.
11. Downtown New York smells. It doesn’t matter if it has rained the rain of a thousand years in 5 minutes. It still smells. Fantastic shops though and the Staten Island ferry is a must.
12. If you are travelling overnight on a train, get a sleeper unit whatever the cost. Preferably with its own toilet. If there are none available, take a laptop with a DVD and watch a movie. There is no way to sleep in a carriage with 100 other people, kids and other goings on.
13. Toilets in trains are disgusting where ever you go in the world. Guys, as good as your aim might be, you can’t be 100% on a train. The people running Amtrak should get some of the conductors who are doing nothing for most of the trip to periodically clean the toilets.
14. The people running Amtrak should also put the sleeper units at the back of the train. Trains seem to have to blow their horn at every crossing all through the night. For the people paying more money for a sleeper, which is the first carriage on the train, this must be disturbing, although not as disturbing as almost a hundred others trying to sleep around you.
15. Cops in the USA have guns. Guards in airports have very big guns. Strangely everyone loses their sense of humour when someone has an M-16 five metres away.
16. NZ has the best internet availability and market penetration. It is really hard to find an internet café in any of the downtown areas and when you do they charge like the proverbial “wounded bull”.
17. When in southern states, learn to say “ya’ll”. This the words you and all smashed together and generally used in the phrase… “How are ya’ll doing?”. The common response if you are two or more is “we’r’ll good”. “We’r’ll” is of course the words we, are and all smashed together.
18. You can spend an entire day at Disneyland, in and outside and not get sunburnt. If I spend 30 minutes at lunchtime outside in the summer in Wellington I turn into a cooked lobster. Ironic really when you think of where most CFC have emanated from.
19. Americans drive very big cars and increasingly what they call SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles???). The reason for this was said to be that petrol (or gas as it is called in the USA) was cheap. Petrol was not that cheap. The real reason is that if you are in anything but one of these battle wagons in a car crash, you are history. Two reasons… One… you will probably run into one of these big vehicles. Two… you will be travelling at 140km/hr when you run into the backside of the car in front which has managed to slow to 20km/hr because of a traffic jam. Traffic jams seem to form for no reason unless of course some poor person didn’t make the transition form 140km/hr to 20km/hr in about two seconds. That said Americans don’t seem to have too many accidents… very odd.
20. American wilderness with its deciduas trees is spectacular. The pines in NZ are not very inspiring.
21. NZ video tapes don’t work in the USA, and visa versa.
22. ATM machines charge you US$2 per transaction. ATMs tend to be inside and McDs has them.
23. The USA version of EFT-POS is very new. It has only been working on a large scale for about a year I believe. Hence people carry a lot of cash.
24. There are more fast food chains than you can shake a burger bun at. Many seem to be specific to a state, which actually means there are more outlets than McDs in NZ. Chick-fil-la, Bahai Fresh and Rocket were worth a go. If you get a chance, try something that is described as barbequed. What this really means is that they have used barbeque sauce instead of tomato sauce. Still it does seem to make things taste nice. Chick-fil-la has waffle fries. Wonderful invention.
25. American cheese is inedible for New Zealanders. Don’t even bother having anything with cheese in it unless they advertise that it as having some special cheese.
26. NZ Coke is actually Classic Coke.
27. There are beggars everywhere in the big cities in the USA. Some appear to be professional beggars. Others are old folk or people with psychological problems. As a New Zealander you may find this very distressing. What’s more distressing is to know that there is no option for these people. While we complain about our taxes being too high and the government spending too much, it is a lot better to know that there is a “safety net” for people like this in New Zealand.
28. American money looks all the same if it is a dollar or more. A dollar is a piece of paper as is a five, ten, etc. Coins are confusing. The five-cent piece (called a nickel) is bigger than the ten-cent piece (which is called a dime). There are also one-cent pieces, which seem to be only good for chucking in water attractions, and quarters (25 cents). To overcome this confusion, most big chain stores use an automated change dispensing machine to deal with the coins. If you only get handed notes and you expect coins, look for a small silver dish. NZ notes are of course coloured differently, there are one and two-dollar coins and the sub-dollar coins are worth more as they get bigger. No one-cent pieces. Fives are the smallest.
29. Fly Delta internally in the USA. Their planes might be a bit older but their service and food is first rate.
30. Don’t fly United or Qantas between New Zealand and the USA. Their planes are old and their legroom… what leg room! Air NZ may have the business nous of an on-heat moose but at least they understand you are not a midget.
31. When going through US security, realise that the word “random” to US security means search all New Zealanders at least once. If you are lucky, “random” will mean you get searched twice.
32. When going through NZ security, realise that the word random is not used and everyone goes through a detector and has their bags X-rayed. It took 2 minutes to get through Customs and security in Auckland.
33. Forget about converting the US prices to NZ prices. It is too depressing.
34. Book hotels within downtown when staying in US cities. Don’t rely on taking a train to your hotel because it is just too stressful. We recommend the Hotel Pennsylvania in New York.
35. US hotel check out times are way later than NZ times. In NZ 10am is standard. In the US it seems like 1pm is ok.
36. Most houses in the US have air-conditioning. This is because temperatures seem to vary a lot. In NZ our temperatures are very stable which I guess is because most parts of the country are very close to water. This provides a stabilising influence. Because of this air-conditioning, opening windows is very much a novelty. You can end up feeling quite claustrophobic in a US house, particularly if you are not used to venetian blinds.
37. Cars are used extensively. Even for a 2 minute drive which would equate to a ten minute walk on the flat.
38. Tipping is what you are expected to do at most food outlets except fast food places. The little places have a bowl that you can dump your change into and anything else you might want to give. Flasher places expect you to add it to the bill. This is the way waiters and waitresses earn their money. Ten to fifteen percent is standard. This applies to taxis. The good things about this are that it means people who rely on tips are so helpful and the food is cheap.
39. Related to tipping, most nice places will provide you with “free” entrees and top ups of your drinks, if they are water or fizzy drink. Don’t pig out on the entrees, which can be endless, as the mains tend to be huge.
40. Showers in the US are what we call shubs. They are bigger than the metre square cubicles we call a shower. They also generally don’t have a separate controller for the tabs and the shower. The ways of switching between tap and shower can be quite a challenge, especially first thing in the morning.
41. After a 12 hour flight, have shower. You will feel awful because of the air-conditioning in the plane. Whoever decided that it was acceptable to pack people into a tin can (ie 747) like sardines and try to freeze dry them with a zero percentage humidity environment should be the first up against the wall when the revolution comes.
Well there are forty-one things to know. If you are thinking of going to the USA, my suggestion is go. Despite all these differences and strange things, the USA is a very interesting and enlightening place. You will learn a lot, principally about yourself. This is a good thing.
Friday, 16 September 2005
Blog Modifications - comments
I have changed the settings on my blog so you can post comments if you wish. All comments get e-mailled to me and I will remove any I don't like (ie are rude, objectionable etc). Happy for people to disagree with stuff I write but do be encouraged to back up what you say (preferably from the Bible).
The West Bank barrier
For some time I have openly supported the Israeli built wall that is to separate the Palestinians and the Israelis. My hope is that it will give them a few generations in which the majority of families do not know anyone who has been killed by one side or the other.
I came across a really interesting thing that has happened with the wall. Just to put it in perspective... the wall is over 300km long and I think I read that it is up to 50 foot tall.
Anyway, check these pics out. It shows people starting to engage with the wall in a non-violent way.
Tuesday, 13 September 2005
TYG night pics
Thought I would put up some pics from last Saturday's TYG.
Love the hat (shlarper in Russian) Heather!!!!
The person in the dark is Matsy wedded to his phone.
Monday, 12 September 2005
Thoughts on 1 John 4
We went to a concert the other night. They had a speaker called Michael Frost who was an Australian. We won’t hold that against him since we beat them in the rugby tri-nations. If we had lost it would be a whole different matter.
Anyway, he told a story that I will try to relay.
The scene is a German concentration camp. A number of prisoners had tried to escape and had been shot on the spot. The Commandant ordered all the prisoners lined up outside. He announced that 10 prisoners would be selected at random and executed. The Commandant started reading out the names.
The story is from the point of view of one prisoner. He started praying that his name would not be read out.
The first name was read out. It was not him. The second. And so on. This was the longest period of his life, knowing that his life hung by a thread.
Finally the tenth name is read out. It is his. He falls to the ground, screaming! Begging! He has a wife and young children. He begs for his life. The German soldiers start to drag him towards the group of nine other men.
Just then a man breaks ranks and steps forward. He asks to speak to the Commandant. This man is known as Father. He is a Jewish Catholic priest. He is know throughout the camp for his generosity. He gives food to those who have more food than he does. He gives blankets to those who are warmer than himself.
The Commandant motions him forward. Father says to the Commandant that this young man with a family is strong and will do much more work for the Germans that himself. He is now weak and old. Why don’t they take him instead and spare the young man.
The Commandant replies that he supposes ten prisons is ten prisoners and accepts the offer. Father is lead away with the nine other prisoners. They are locked up and starved to death. No use wasting a bullet. When the other nine die and only Father is left, the Germans shot him because he is taking too long to die.
The war ends and the young man survives the concentration camps. He returns home. The story of what Father did spreads and becomes well known. Eventually many memorials to his brave action are made. But the first one is made in the back garden of the young man.
This young man knows something many of us forget. He knows that his life was bought with someone else’s. He saw it happen with his own two eyes. He knows his life is not his own. Every day, every minute does not belong to him. It was paid for and is owned by the Jewish Catholic priest called Father.
I guess the question that springs to mind from this story is “Do we realise the same has happened for us?”. This amazing act of love has been show to us in what Jesus did. We celebrate and commemorate this with communion each week. But does it actually make a difference in the way we live our lives? It should!
1 John 4:7-21 discusses this. 1 John 4:11-12 really are the core of this passage.
9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us.
God loved us. He sacrificed His only Son for us. As the verse says, this is real love. It emphasises that it was nothing we did. It was not that we loved God. It was not that we did anything to deserve it. He just loved us.
So how should we respond to this love? Well verses 11 and 12 set this out. Love each other. It goes on to say that His love is bought to full expression when we do this. We show God’s love by loving others.
I want to make some points about this and how it works out in out lives.
1. Stop trying to win God’s favour. You can not do this.
2. Know that God loves you. Accept it. Why fight this by trying to do stuff off your own back. Just accept it. Would you not accept a present given to you by your earthly father (or mother or someone you love)? No! So accept this gift.
3. You will have doubts. We all do. When you face doubts, this is a time of testing. Pray that God will let you be tested. And pray that he will sustain you through that test because during that time your faith will be built up. Seeing God use you to bring Him glory is hugely faith building.
4. There are so many arguments about theology and science and whatever. Look, none of that matters. If all you had is the verses above and no other information you would do alright.
5. Stop judging others and yourself. Our natural tendency is to “put people in boxes”. Just stop doing that. It is not loving.
6. Forgive others (and yourself while you are at it). God has forgiven you (and others) so you should share this forgiveness around.
7. Know that you have nothing. Absolutely nothing you think you possess is yours. If you can’t give something you possess away then it actually possesses you. We collect so much stuff. Cell phones. Computers. iPods. Cameras. Cars. You name it. If these things are more important to you than another person or are more benefit to another person than they are to you then give them away.
So there are some thoughts on 1 John 4.
Anyway, he told a story that I will try to relay.
The scene is a German concentration camp. A number of prisoners had tried to escape and had been shot on the spot. The Commandant ordered all the prisoners lined up outside. He announced that 10 prisoners would be selected at random and executed. The Commandant started reading out the names.
The story is from the point of view of one prisoner. He started praying that his name would not be read out.
The first name was read out. It was not him. The second. And so on. This was the longest period of his life, knowing that his life hung by a thread.
Finally the tenth name is read out. It is his. He falls to the ground, screaming! Begging! He has a wife and young children. He begs for his life. The German soldiers start to drag him towards the group of nine other men.
Just then a man breaks ranks and steps forward. He asks to speak to the Commandant. This man is known as Father. He is a Jewish Catholic priest. He is know throughout the camp for his generosity. He gives food to those who have more food than he does. He gives blankets to those who are warmer than himself.
The Commandant motions him forward. Father says to the Commandant that this young man with a family is strong and will do much more work for the Germans that himself. He is now weak and old. Why don’t they take him instead and spare the young man.
The Commandant replies that he supposes ten prisons is ten prisoners and accepts the offer. Father is lead away with the nine other prisoners. They are locked up and starved to death. No use wasting a bullet. When the other nine die and only Father is left, the Germans shot him because he is taking too long to die.
The war ends and the young man survives the concentration camps. He returns home. The story of what Father did spreads and becomes well known. Eventually many memorials to his brave action are made. But the first one is made in the back garden of the young man.
This young man knows something many of us forget. He knows that his life was bought with someone else’s. He saw it happen with his own two eyes. He knows his life is not his own. Every day, every minute does not belong to him. It was paid for and is owned by the Jewish Catholic priest called Father.
I guess the question that springs to mind from this story is “Do we realise the same has happened for us?”. This amazing act of love has been show to us in what Jesus did. We celebrate and commemorate this with communion each week. But does it actually make a difference in the way we live our lives? It should!
1 John 4:7-21 discusses this. 1 John 4:11-12 really are the core of this passage.
9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us.
God loved us. He sacrificed His only Son for us. As the verse says, this is real love. It emphasises that it was nothing we did. It was not that we loved God. It was not that we did anything to deserve it. He just loved us.
So how should we respond to this love? Well verses 11 and 12 set this out. Love each other. It goes on to say that His love is bought to full expression when we do this. We show God’s love by loving others.
I want to make some points about this and how it works out in out lives.
1. Stop trying to win God’s favour. You can not do this.
2. Know that God loves you. Accept it. Why fight this by trying to do stuff off your own back. Just accept it. Would you not accept a present given to you by your earthly father (or mother or someone you love)? No! So accept this gift.
3. You will have doubts. We all do. When you face doubts, this is a time of testing. Pray that God will let you be tested. And pray that he will sustain you through that test because during that time your faith will be built up. Seeing God use you to bring Him glory is hugely faith building.
4. There are so many arguments about theology and science and whatever. Look, none of that matters. If all you had is the verses above and no other information you would do alright.
5. Stop judging others and yourself. Our natural tendency is to “put people in boxes”. Just stop doing that. It is not loving.
6. Forgive others (and yourself while you are at it). God has forgiven you (and others) so you should share this forgiveness around.
7. Know that you have nothing. Absolutely nothing you think you possess is yours. If you can’t give something you possess away then it actually possesses you. We collect so much stuff. Cell phones. Computers. iPods. Cameras. Cars. You name it. If these things are more important to you than another person or are more benefit to another person than they are to you then give them away.
So there are some thoughts on 1 John 4.
MacPac
When we went to Siberia we borrowed two backpacks, both MacPacs. Claire's MacPac was damaged during the return. A shoulder strap was torn off the frame of the pack. This was a result of those dear baggage handlers who presumably were the same people who broke my almost indestructible (as in you can stand on it and jump up and down) guitar case.
Anyway... back to MacPacs. Well I went and took the bag into the MacPac agent. They sent it away and I asked them to fix it and while they were at it, replace a chest strap that had been missing when we got it. A week later it was returned, all fixed and like new.
AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY CHARGED ME??????
$20!!!
They are amazing. You can't even look at something now days for $20 let alone fix it and write a lovely Product Support notice.
So, serious big thumbs up for MacPac and a big recommendation from me. You can not ask for better support than that. When I eventually get a backpack for travelling, it will surely be a MacPac, even if it costs a bit more.
Oh, did I mention the pack is 10 years old and they still had the parts for it???
Anyway... back to MacPacs. Well I went and took the bag into the MacPac agent. They sent it away and I asked them to fix it and while they were at it, replace a chest strap that had been missing when we got it. A week later it was returned, all fixed and like new.
AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY CHARGED ME??????
$20!!!
They are amazing. You can't even look at something now days for $20 let alone fix it and write a lovely Product Support notice.
So, serious big thumbs up for MacPac and a big recommendation from me. You can not ask for better support than that. When I eventually get a backpack for travelling, it will surely be a MacPac, even if it costs a bit more.
Oh, did I mention the pack is 10 years old and they still had the parts for it???
Thursday, 8 September 2005
Personality Test
Check out the personality test on the right hand link section. It is relatively quick.
I'm an INTJ!
The test is pretty accurate. It just does not indicate how strong each of your four trait areas are. You have to do the 400 question version which costs $$$$.
I'm an INTJ!
The test is pretty accurate. It just does not indicate how strong each of your four trait areas are. You have to do the 400 question version which costs $$$$.
Wednesday, 7 September 2005
Thoughts on Psalm 96
Psalm 96
The ultimate driver of everything should be bringing glory to God. I other words, worship
This is what we are designed for. This is our purpose
Missions is not the ultimate. Worship is.
Missions exist because worship does not. This is probably/should be the case of all ministries.
There are four points that stand out for me:
• The Lord is worthy to be praised
He created the heavens
He established the earth
He is glorious
He is strong
• The Lord wants to be known by all
How will the nations, this includes our own nation, know if no one tells them
Each day we are called to proclaim the “good news”. We can do this by:
• Literary proclaiming the good news (the Gospel)
• Tell everyone about the amazing things He has done
This means your kids
This means your workmates
This means your class mates etc
• Publish, I would say GO, to the nations.
• The Lord is coming to judge the earth. He will judge fairly, real fairness/righteousness.
This is a time of trembling
This is a time of rejoicing
Even the trees, the fish, the crops, the land will rejoice on this day
• The Lord ultimately wants the whole earth to “sing to the Lord”
The challenge for us as Christians, particularly in a fast paced, jam packed world, is…
Is bringing glory/worship to God our core, our base, our first calling?
What are we doing to ensure when God knocks, we are ready?
The ultimate driver of everything should be bringing glory to God. I other words, worship
This is what we are designed for. This is our purpose
Missions is not the ultimate. Worship is.
Missions exist because worship does not. This is probably/should be the case of all ministries.
There are four points that stand out for me:
• The Lord is worthy to be praised
He created the heavens
He established the earth
He is glorious
He is strong
• The Lord wants to be known by all
How will the nations, this includes our own nation, know if no one tells them
Each day we are called to proclaim the “good news”. We can do this by:
• Literary proclaiming the good news (the Gospel)
• Tell everyone about the amazing things He has done
This means your kids
This means your workmates
This means your class mates etc
• Publish, I would say GO, to the nations.
• The Lord is coming to judge the earth. He will judge fairly, real fairness/righteousness.
This is a time of trembling
This is a time of rejoicing
Even the trees, the fish, the crops, the land will rejoice on this day
• The Lord ultimately wants the whole earth to “sing to the Lord”
The challenge for us as Christians, particularly in a fast paced, jam packed world, is…
Is bringing glory/worship to God our core, our base, our first calling?
What are we doing to ensure when God knocks, we are ready?
Monday, 5 September 2005
Yet more photos from Siberia
These photos are from the last few days we were in Irkutsk. The second to last photo is in Shenyang, China on the way back. It took us 52 hours to get back. I have to say the Siberia Airlines flight was the best. The food was wonderful and it was on time. Many of the other flights were a bit late or the standard of service was not very good.
More Siberia Photos - Arshan
These photos are from Arshan. This is where we went camping. They are all prior to the main group of people came to camp.
Sunday, 4 September 2005
Sermon from OCC 4th Sept 2005 - Luke 15:11-32
Well good morning! Or should I say “DZRAS” which is Russian for “Hello”?
This morning we have a short time in God’s Word. Let’s commit this time to Him.
Father God. We thank you for this time together, this time in which we can study your Word. Father, reveal to us what you have for us to learn. Open our hearts and our minds. Use Your Holy Spirit to challenge us. We ask this in Your Son’s holy name. Amen.
This morning we are talking about fathers. This might have something to do with it being father’s day.
However I want to focus not on our earthly fathers but on our Heavenly Father.
Please open your bibles to Luke 15:11-32. This story is known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son or the Story of the Lost Son.
The context in which Jesus was telling this story was that He had been challenged by the Pharisees. They were upset that He was associating with sinners. Jesus knew this and you might say He was addressing their concerns.
Jesus tells a number of stories in Luke 15 and 16 which would have left the Pharisees a little bit uncomfortable.
They had got so focus on their rules that they had lost sight of the heart of God.
Their hearts had turned cold.
Their actions now reflected an attitude or motivation that was devoid of God.
Jesus was laying down the challenge to them in these stories.
This morning however I want to focus on just the story of the lost son.
I want to focus on what it teaches us about how our Heavenly Father choses to relate to us and how we are to relate to Him.
My desire is that we will refresh our understanding of just what God has done for us, the immensity of it and that this will cause our hearts to turn to Him in praise and worship.
Let’s read the story…
(Vanessa to read from NLT)
Story of the Lost Son
11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: "A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, `I want my share of your estate now, instead of waiting until you die.' So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.
13 "A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and took a trip to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money on wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him to feed his pigs. 16 The boy became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
17 "When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, `At home even the hired men have food enough to spare, and here I am, dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, "Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired man." '
20 "So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.*'
22 "But his father said to the servants, `Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.' So the party began.
25 "Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 `Your brother is back,' he was told, `and your father has killed the calf we were fattening and has prepared a great feast. We are celebrating because of his safe return.'
28 "The older brother was angry and wouldn't go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, `All these years I've worked hard for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the finest calf we have.'
31 "His father said to him, `Look, dear son, you and I are very close, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!' "
So in short… a greedy, self focused, self loving young son demands his inheritance early, blows it all on fast cars (well maybe fast donkeys!!!) and fast women, crashes to the lowest of lows, realizes just how stupid he has been, comes meekly and repentantly back to his father, father reaches out to him and gives him what he does not deserve, older brother gets jealous and father explains his heart.
I want to quickly look at two aspects of this story.
But first realize Jesus was teaching a whole pile of stuff here. There is a great depth in this story and the stories Jesus told in Luke 15 and 16. These are more than just nice stories!
One of my challenges to you this morning is to leave your marker in these pages and ponder them this week.
The two aspects I would like to focus on are in verses 18 and 19, and in 20.
Firstly, verses 18 and 19.
18 I will go home to my father and say, "Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired man." '
The son has realized his mistake. He was now the servant of a foreigner. He was dealing with pigs! He was even thinking about eating the lowest of food feed to pigs. To his Jewish upbringing this was bad upon bad upon bad.
He also realized that the answer to his desperate situation was to be back with his father.
It did not matter whether he was to return as the father’s son or the father’s servant. He needed to be with his father.
He was repentant. He knew he had done wrong.
He was intent. He knew the only way forward was to return to the father.
He was humbled. He knew he did not deserve even to be a servant but he could but ask.
So how did the father respond? Verse 20 is simply amazing.
… And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
What you have to realize is that in verses 11 and 12, the son had in the culture of that day, behaved quite disgracefully.
He would have received 1/3rd of the father’s wealth as the younger son. The older son received 2/3rd as dictated by the Old Testament law. So as a family, he had put them at financial risk. 1/3rd of their assets gone.
He would have shamed his family.
Not only had he decided to leave the land, he had decided to live as a heathen.
You can see even today, with the recent moving of the Jewish settlers in the West Bank, just how important land is to the Jewish people. How much more so in Jesus’ day. To turn your back on your homelands would have been huge.
Then we had living as a heathen or wild living in this translation. This was breaking Jewish law left, right and centre. You can imagine all this family’s neighbours talking about this young man, imagining what he was getting up to, shaking their heads and then being silent as the father walked by only to talk behind his back.
But look at the father’s response!
The father sees his son coming and he is filled with love and compassion.
He runs to his son!!!
He doesn’t just shake hands. He embraces him, kisses him.
Do you get the sense of joy?
In the following verses he showers him with the best of the best.
All the son hoped for was mercy.
To become a servant of his father.
Instead he was restored as a son.
He was given the finest clothes. A huge celebration with the best meat.
Amazing! Is this a picture of grace or what?!
Is this what the young son deserved?
No! Of course not.
Later in the story the older son focuses on this. But the father is not focused on fairness or retribution in a human sense. He is just overjoyed that his lost son has returned to him.
Well, Jesus wasn’t telling this story because it was a nice story. This is a story to illustrate the relationship between our Heavenly Father and us.
The father in the story is God!
We are that young son!
The living a “wild” life is where we were before being called by God. And yet when we realize that we need God, repent and come humbly back to Him, he shows the same amazing grace that the father in this story showed his son.
What’s more, God ran to us in the shape, form and example of Jesus.
He didn’t just wait until we arrived.
He called out.
He went out.
He reached out.
He walked the talk.
He paid the price.
This describes the simple faith we are to have. Forget the complexity! All those deep theological discussions. Be like the son! Know you need to be with your Heavenly Father.
I want to invite you to close your bibles… and to close your eyes as we enter a time of communion.
(Music – softly!!!!)
I want to ask you to reflect on this story.
This picture of our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
This picture of our Heavenly Father’s love and sacrifice.
Take a moment to realize we did not deserve to be allowed back.
A moment to realize we did not deserve to be welcomed back.
A moment to realize we did not deserve to have our Heavenly Father ran out to us through Jesus.
A moment to realize we did not deserve to have our Heavenly Father sacrifice His only son.
To our human minds this all just does not make sense. What amazing grace He has shown us.
Ask yourself, “Does knowing this make a difference in the way I live?”
As we take communion together, I would invite you to tell your Heavenly Father just what this story means to you.
This is more than a story. This is what our Heavenly Father has done for you!
Offer up from your heart the praise and thankfulness that He deserves.
This morning we have a short time in God’s Word. Let’s commit this time to Him.
Father God. We thank you for this time together, this time in which we can study your Word. Father, reveal to us what you have for us to learn. Open our hearts and our minds. Use Your Holy Spirit to challenge us. We ask this in Your Son’s holy name. Amen.
This morning we are talking about fathers. This might have something to do with it being father’s day.
However I want to focus not on our earthly fathers but on our Heavenly Father.
Please open your bibles to Luke 15:11-32. This story is known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son or the Story of the Lost Son.
The context in which Jesus was telling this story was that He had been challenged by the Pharisees. They were upset that He was associating with sinners. Jesus knew this and you might say He was addressing their concerns.
Jesus tells a number of stories in Luke 15 and 16 which would have left the Pharisees a little bit uncomfortable.
They had got so focus on their rules that they had lost sight of the heart of God.
Their hearts had turned cold.
Their actions now reflected an attitude or motivation that was devoid of God.
Jesus was laying down the challenge to them in these stories.
This morning however I want to focus on just the story of the lost son.
I want to focus on what it teaches us about how our Heavenly Father choses to relate to us and how we are to relate to Him.
My desire is that we will refresh our understanding of just what God has done for us, the immensity of it and that this will cause our hearts to turn to Him in praise and worship.
Let’s read the story…
(Vanessa to read from NLT)
Story of the Lost Son
11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: "A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, `I want my share of your estate now, instead of waiting until you die.' So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.
13 "A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and took a trip to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money on wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him to feed his pigs. 16 The boy became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
17 "When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, `At home even the hired men have food enough to spare, and here I am, dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, "Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired man." '
20 "So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.*'
22 "But his father said to the servants, `Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.' So the party began.
25 "Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 `Your brother is back,' he was told, `and your father has killed the calf we were fattening and has prepared a great feast. We are celebrating because of his safe return.'
28 "The older brother was angry and wouldn't go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, `All these years I've worked hard for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the finest calf we have.'
31 "His father said to him, `Look, dear son, you and I are very close, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!' "
So in short… a greedy, self focused, self loving young son demands his inheritance early, blows it all on fast cars (well maybe fast donkeys!!!) and fast women, crashes to the lowest of lows, realizes just how stupid he has been, comes meekly and repentantly back to his father, father reaches out to him and gives him what he does not deserve, older brother gets jealous and father explains his heart.
I want to quickly look at two aspects of this story.
But first realize Jesus was teaching a whole pile of stuff here. There is a great depth in this story and the stories Jesus told in Luke 15 and 16. These are more than just nice stories!
One of my challenges to you this morning is to leave your marker in these pages and ponder them this week.
The two aspects I would like to focus on are in verses 18 and 19, and in 20.
Firstly, verses 18 and 19.
18 I will go home to my father and say, "Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired man." '
The son has realized his mistake. He was now the servant of a foreigner. He was dealing with pigs! He was even thinking about eating the lowest of food feed to pigs. To his Jewish upbringing this was bad upon bad upon bad.
He also realized that the answer to his desperate situation was to be back with his father.
It did not matter whether he was to return as the father’s son or the father’s servant. He needed to be with his father.
He was repentant. He knew he had done wrong.
He was intent. He knew the only way forward was to return to the father.
He was humbled. He knew he did not deserve even to be a servant but he could but ask.
So how did the father respond? Verse 20 is simply amazing.
… And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
What you have to realize is that in verses 11 and 12, the son had in the culture of that day, behaved quite disgracefully.
He would have received 1/3rd of the father’s wealth as the younger son. The older son received 2/3rd as dictated by the Old Testament law. So as a family, he had put them at financial risk. 1/3rd of their assets gone.
He would have shamed his family.
Not only had he decided to leave the land, he had decided to live as a heathen.
You can see even today, with the recent moving of the Jewish settlers in the West Bank, just how important land is to the Jewish people. How much more so in Jesus’ day. To turn your back on your homelands would have been huge.
Then we had living as a heathen or wild living in this translation. This was breaking Jewish law left, right and centre. You can imagine all this family’s neighbours talking about this young man, imagining what he was getting up to, shaking their heads and then being silent as the father walked by only to talk behind his back.
But look at the father’s response!
The father sees his son coming and he is filled with love and compassion.
He runs to his son!!!
He doesn’t just shake hands. He embraces him, kisses him.
Do you get the sense of joy?
In the following verses he showers him with the best of the best.
All the son hoped for was mercy.
To become a servant of his father.
Instead he was restored as a son.
He was given the finest clothes. A huge celebration with the best meat.
Amazing! Is this a picture of grace or what?!
Is this what the young son deserved?
No! Of course not.
Later in the story the older son focuses on this. But the father is not focused on fairness or retribution in a human sense. He is just overjoyed that his lost son has returned to him.
Well, Jesus wasn’t telling this story because it was a nice story. This is a story to illustrate the relationship between our Heavenly Father and us.
The father in the story is God!
We are that young son!
The living a “wild” life is where we were before being called by God. And yet when we realize that we need God, repent and come humbly back to Him, he shows the same amazing grace that the father in this story showed his son.
What’s more, God ran to us in the shape, form and example of Jesus.
He didn’t just wait until we arrived.
He called out.
He went out.
He reached out.
He walked the talk.
He paid the price.
This describes the simple faith we are to have. Forget the complexity! All those deep theological discussions. Be like the son! Know you need to be with your Heavenly Father.
I want to invite you to close your bibles… and to close your eyes as we enter a time of communion.
(Music – softly!!!!)
I want to ask you to reflect on this story.
This picture of our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
This picture of our Heavenly Father’s love and sacrifice.
Take a moment to realize we did not deserve to be allowed back.
A moment to realize we did not deserve to be welcomed back.
A moment to realize we did not deserve to have our Heavenly Father ran out to us through Jesus.
A moment to realize we did not deserve to have our Heavenly Father sacrifice His only son.
To our human minds this all just does not make sense. What amazing grace He has shown us.
Ask yourself, “Does knowing this make a difference in the way I live?”
As we take communion together, I would invite you to tell your Heavenly Father just what this story means to you.
This is more than a story. This is what our Heavenly Father has done for you!
Offer up from your heart the praise and thankfulness that He deserves.
Some thoughts on Christianity - Cat and Dog Theology
Cat and Dog Theology
I have recently read a book that has changed the way I see my relationship with Jesus. In the past I had seen the outworking of my faith as quite complex and often contradictory.
The book Cat and Dog Theology sets forth a simple proposition. It suggests that when we look at what the bible says it is actually about God and His glory, not us. Most Christians would have no issues agreeing with this proposition but I suspect many of us do not live this out in what we really think and do.
For instance, what was Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection about? What it about the salvation of mankind? Yes of course it was. But was that the main reason? I would suggest the main reason was that it bought glory to God in an amazing way. It defeated evil. It conquered sin’s curse and in an amazing way that only God could imagine. All praise to Him!!!
This act of submission, that got spun around into the most amazing history changing event, continues to bring glory to God to this day and will do so into eternity. It illustrates His complete and utter sovereignty, His power and His endless love. Ultimately it was about Him and His glory, not us.
In many cases we as humans get caught up in our own selves. We see events such as Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection as being about us. Even our attempts to praise God end up focusing on ourselves. Matt Redman’s song “The Heart of Worship” reflects this realisation in terms of our musical worship on Sunday mornings. “…I’m coming back to the heart of worship. And it is all about You, all about You, Jesus…” These lyrics say it so well. It’s not about us. It is about Jesus, our Lord and God.
Many other areas have become “us focused” or “task focused” when they should be “God honouring”. Many churches, missions organizations, para-church organizations, writers, musicians, etc have ended up focusing on themselves or their objective rather than what is core, to bring honour to God. Unfortunately when this happens there is an inevitable fall as reality catches up. This generally does not bring glory to God.
I would like to suggest that “Christian work” that becomes self indulgent is one of the subtlest traps the devil has come up with. Even something as “righteous” as focusing on our own personal holiness can turn inwards onto ourselves and away from God. Anything that causes us to turn our focus from bringing glory to God is a trap. I have seen a number of people who have focused on “becoming deeper” in one spiritual area or another become so absorbed on that area of their lives that they have fallen away from what should be their first love, God.
Cat and Dog Theology suggests a different and controversial approach. How about we put God first in our lives? Seriously… it suggests that everything we do should be focused on bringing glory to God and His name. If this is our overriding, first call then everything else will be ok.
I would suggest this is what Paul was getting at when he said he was content when he had plenty and content when he had little. What he had was irrelevant because all he wanted to do was see more people following Jesus, bringing glory to God.
Jesus set the example, the ultimate example of how we can bring glory and honour to God. He showed all the individual characteristics we need to follow. However we are sinful people. We fail at “doing” all these characteristics at once and for prolonged periods of time. Jesus showed something more important. He showed that if our attitude is right, that is if our desire is to bring glory to God in everything we do, then God is pleased. God looks at where our heart is and that is what counts with Him.
The amazing thing is this is not new. The bible is full of stories and illustrations and statements that shout this out. Cain and Abel. What was wrong with the offering of Cain? The desire to honour God was not there. Was David’s taking another wife wrong? No. However David’s desire was for Bathsheba and not God that made it wrong.
For me this “new” way of thinking has simplified my life and my faith. I want to bring honour and glory to God’s name in everything I do. I do not worry about personal holiness. I do not worry about tithing. I do not worry about setting aside a dedicated time to do a quiet time. [the list can go on and on] All these things basically happen but they happen because my focus is on what brings glory and honour to God’s name. When I am focussed on God’s name, nothing else seems to matter and everything makes sense. Yet curiously, it seems that everything else matters in the right proportions.
I would like to recommend you read this book. It is no substitute for the bible and never pretends to be. It does however give you a new set of glasses through which to read and understand God’s revelation.
Sym Gardiner
15th August, 2005
I have recently read a book that has changed the way I see my relationship with Jesus. In the past I had seen the outworking of my faith as quite complex and often contradictory.
The book Cat and Dog Theology sets forth a simple proposition. It suggests that when we look at what the bible says it is actually about God and His glory, not us. Most Christians would have no issues agreeing with this proposition but I suspect many of us do not live this out in what we really think and do.
For instance, what was Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection about? What it about the salvation of mankind? Yes of course it was. But was that the main reason? I would suggest the main reason was that it bought glory to God in an amazing way. It defeated evil. It conquered sin’s curse and in an amazing way that only God could imagine. All praise to Him!!!
This act of submission, that got spun around into the most amazing history changing event, continues to bring glory to God to this day and will do so into eternity. It illustrates His complete and utter sovereignty, His power and His endless love. Ultimately it was about Him and His glory, not us.
In many cases we as humans get caught up in our own selves. We see events such as Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection as being about us. Even our attempts to praise God end up focusing on ourselves. Matt Redman’s song “The Heart of Worship” reflects this realisation in terms of our musical worship on Sunday mornings. “…I’m coming back to the heart of worship. And it is all about You, all about You, Jesus…” These lyrics say it so well. It’s not about us. It is about Jesus, our Lord and God.
Many other areas have become “us focused” or “task focused” when they should be “God honouring”. Many churches, missions organizations, para-church organizations, writers, musicians, etc have ended up focusing on themselves or their objective rather than what is core, to bring honour to God. Unfortunately when this happens there is an inevitable fall as reality catches up. This generally does not bring glory to God.
I would like to suggest that “Christian work” that becomes self indulgent is one of the subtlest traps the devil has come up with. Even something as “righteous” as focusing on our own personal holiness can turn inwards onto ourselves and away from God. Anything that causes us to turn our focus from bringing glory to God is a trap. I have seen a number of people who have focused on “becoming deeper” in one spiritual area or another become so absorbed on that area of their lives that they have fallen away from what should be their first love, God.
Cat and Dog Theology suggests a different and controversial approach. How about we put God first in our lives? Seriously… it suggests that everything we do should be focused on bringing glory to God and His name. If this is our overriding, first call then everything else will be ok.
I would suggest this is what Paul was getting at when he said he was content when he had plenty and content when he had little. What he had was irrelevant because all he wanted to do was see more people following Jesus, bringing glory to God.
Jesus set the example, the ultimate example of how we can bring glory and honour to God. He showed all the individual characteristics we need to follow. However we are sinful people. We fail at “doing” all these characteristics at once and for prolonged periods of time. Jesus showed something more important. He showed that if our attitude is right, that is if our desire is to bring glory to God in everything we do, then God is pleased. God looks at where our heart is and that is what counts with Him.
The amazing thing is this is not new. The bible is full of stories and illustrations and statements that shout this out. Cain and Abel. What was wrong with the offering of Cain? The desire to honour God was not there. Was David’s taking another wife wrong? No. However David’s desire was for Bathsheba and not God that made it wrong.
For me this “new” way of thinking has simplified my life and my faith. I want to bring honour and glory to God’s name in everything I do. I do not worry about personal holiness. I do not worry about tithing. I do not worry about setting aside a dedicated time to do a quiet time. [the list can go on and on] All these things basically happen but they happen because my focus is on what brings glory and honour to God’s name. When I am focussed on God’s name, nothing else seems to matter and everything makes sense. Yet curiously, it seems that everything else matters in the right proportions.
I would like to recommend you read this book. It is no substitute for the bible and never pretends to be. It does however give you a new set of glasses through which to read and understand God’s revelation.
Sym Gardiner
15th August, 2005
Saturday, 3 September 2005
Siberia Photos
These are some photos of our recent 2 months in Irkutsk, Siberia.
The hydrofoil rocks and is called the Rocket.
The guy with the beard is me. Sergey, the other guys is a legend!!!
As is Dominos 24 hours pizza. They have an English menu so you can order by numbers.
Friday, 2 September 2005
First Entry
Hi Everyone
I have decided to start a blog. I want to use this as a place to publish my thoughts, experiences and photos.
Sym
I have decided to start a blog. I want to use this as a place to publish my thoughts, experiences and photos.
Sym
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