God Spot

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God Spot
This Christian Resource Blog has been created by a group of friends from around the world. Our purpose is to provide links to useful resources, some commentary on topical or doctrinal issues, a place where anyone can come with questions and a means whereby we can share our faith. And above all, to grow and encourage each other. As Christians, we believe we bear God's image in this world, and seek to glorify God's name in this endeavour. Any Christian who wants to join with us is very welcome!

Tuesday, September 30, 2003

Church outside the box!
Re your suggestion David about exploring options for today's church outside the box, a few weeks ago some of us went to an Anglican church, St Luke's at Vermont, pastor you will know, a lovely guy with a great singing voice, Richard Temby. Another old mate of yours, David Boan (a lapsed Anglican!) was speaking on discipleship. David B's a very gifted teacher, and currently involved with home-churches in Perth.

He's coming back to Melb in November for another series of talks; let's go along and listen, and talk with Richard & David and see what they're up to in this regard. I got the feeling that Richard's congregation, as well as David's loose-knit group of home-churches in Perth, are very definitely Spirit-led and outside the box, one within and the other without the formal church system.

When I return to Melb I plan to invite Richard to join with us here. Great to here from you David - albeit from a long way away just now!

# posted by geoff @ 6:01 am

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David - Welcome!!
G'day David, you have done well, mastering blogger and actually posting! There's lots here who are very good at thinking outside the square - our mate Gary Bondfield definitely qualifies, he dobbed Dave & me in for BSF leadership (completely outside the square!).

More soon, I'm at the piano keyboard in Vienna and someone is waiting to use the computer!

# posted by geoff @ 5:23 am

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Thursday, September 25, 2003

Anthony Rocca and Regret

Passionate stuff! Following on from below, where I was touched by the analogy between that line in Wesley's hymn where Christ "bled for Adam’s helpless race", and Rocca's helpless plight; in today's Age story of Rocca's tribunal hearing, the statements of two former players (Schwab & Crowe) tell the anguish:

Schwab told the board he did not believe Rocca's action malicious. "At worst, it was an error of judgement," Schwab said. "To play in the ultimate game is indescribable. To miss it is an enormous penalty."

Crowe said that missing a grand final "continually grinds away at your soul. I would not wish or want any player of any club to go through the continuing misery and grief that's involved.
"It kills you to miss it. I don't know Anthony personally, but it will kill him, too."

That's a description of the insatiable regret that Rocca will carry for the rest of his life - for missing the opportunity to play in a footy game (admittedly the biggest game of his life).

What about the anguish and regret of those who miss God's grace - who face the Judge and hear the pronouncement "guilty" but without being able to plead for God's grace based on sheltering under the blood of the Lamb of God??

Words of Jesus in Matthew 8:11-12 "I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

# posted by geoff @ 10:38 am

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Anthony Rocca and Grace!

Because football (the AFL variety, where A=Australian!) involves so much passion, it's a great analogy for lots of Really Important things in life.

And with that One Day in September almost upon us (the AFL Grand Final on Saturday), the passion can be almost unbearable (especially for the likes of our Gary B and his beloved Brisbane Lions, who do battle with traditional Victorian club Collingwood for the ultimate prize).

Now, one of Collingwood's biggest and most exciting champions, and certainly their toughest, has been found guilty of striking (in last week's preliminary final) and suspended - so he's OUT of the big one!

Heart-breaking stuff, for the Collingwood Football Club, their supporters, but especially for the guy himself.

Now, Rocca pleaded not guilty but the tribunal found otherwise. Once he was found guilty, there was no option but for Rocca to pay the penalty, which was a 2-match suspension. Which in this case is particularly tough, because one of those 2 matches is the only one that counts, the Grand Final!

Which brings us to the subject of GRACE. Being guilty, what Rocca was desperately in need of was grace from the tribunal - ie. "I deserve to pay the penalty for my guilt, but please give me something that I don't deserve - which is my freedom from that awful penalty".

Now the tribunal, being a legal entity, had two options (had Rocca pleaded for grace, which with hindsight might have been his best option, instead of pleading "not guilty"). The tribunal could have exercised justice and, having found him guilty, enforced the just penalty - which is what they did.

Or the tribunal could have exercised grace, and given Rocca what he didn't deserve - an exoneration. But in this case, justice wouldn't have been done.

In human legal courts, we can have one (justice) or the other (grace), but not the two together.

The remarkable thing is that God in His wisdom organised for grace and justice to come together at the cross, so that justice was satisfied (this is particularly important, because God being a just God must punish sin - He can't just wink and say "you're forgiven" - altho we'd be quite happy with that!). Jesus took the penalty, the wrath of God, so that we - the undeserving sinners who are without doubt guilty, walk free.

Unlike poor Anthony Rocca, we walk free from the tribunal (even though we're as guilty as all heck - and we know it!) because someone else has paid the penalty to the Judge's satisfaction, on our behalf. We don't even need to feel guilty about it, rather we step out with the spring of freedom from guilt in our step, knowing that we'll be participating in the Big One!

1Jn1:8-9 "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

That verse tells us that God is just to forgive our sins - it's not God's mercy that we're depending on for forgiveness, it's God's justice - because the penalty has been paid in full, God being a just (and faithful) God must forgive us (as we fulfill the condition - "confess our sins").

And Can it Be (by Charles Wesley)

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain-
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

He left His Father's throne above
So free, so infinite His grace-
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam's helpless race:
'Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
'Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

# posted by geoff @ 9:19 am

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Tuesday, September 23, 2003

holiday views

Its good that we have written so much about beauty, that we can see it and appreciate it. I have been away on holidays on the shore of Lake Mulwala, a big lake on the border of Victoria and NSW, and being a person unable to sleep in, I got up each morning for a walk as the sun was rising over the edge of the Lake. It was delightful, beautiful, different colours, peaceful, just nice.

Its good to get out of the city, or just to go for a walk a park. My wife, Shirley and I are keen to get out of Melbourne when we retire!

# posted by Anonymous @ 9:18 pm

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Tuesday, September 16, 2003

Cake in Romans

On a Sunday morning stroll beside the river a couple of days ago, God put these thoughts into my mind.
That verse in Romans 8 v 28:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.

He got me thinking about a beautiful cake. Lets take it apart, He said! Could you eat these ingredients easily? Four cups of flour .... hmm.... so shall I eat that with a teaspoon? Choke choke! A few pounds of butter .... imagine biting that like a cookie (or use a knife and fork?) Yech! A cup of sugar. Very sweet, but a cup? Too much! A teaspoon of baking soda? (Ever tried it?) Half a cup of cocoa. (no words for that!)

But..... put them all together, and in the right application... and hey presto! A beautiful cake.

OK, so in thinking of that verse again. Many things in life happen to us and some are so sweet they are almost unbearable. Others so awful, they are also unbearable! But isn't it awesome to know they can all work together for GOOD! (We mean spiritual good here!)

If we don't have Christ as our living saviour, then we also have bitter and sweet things, but I believe when God is orchestrating this mixing and blending, He knows what He is doing and all these things can work together for good.... HIS GOOD!

Isn't it humbling to realise we have the privilege of being able to put our lives in Gods hands for HIS purpose, and just leave Him to direct and control?

# posted by Caroline @ 7:14 am

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Friday, September 12, 2003

Davidic Covenant #3 (Song)

This Geoff Bullock song seems to sum up what got me excited about the kingdom of Christ:

Jesus, God's righteousness revealed
The Son of Man, the Son of God
His Kingdom comes

Jesus, redemtion's sacrifice
Now glorified, now justified
His Kingdom comes

And this Kingdom will know no end
And it's glory shall know no bounds
For the majesty and power
Of this Kingdom's King has come
And this Kingdom's reign
And this Kingdom's rule
And this Kingdom's power and authority
Jesus, God's righteousness revealed

Jesus, the expression of God's love
The grace of God
The Word of God revealed to us
Jesus, God's holiness displayed
Now glorified
Now justified His Kingdom comes

Jesus God's Righteousness revealed
Jesus God's Righteousness revealed.

Think you can hear two versions of this - try mp3 or RealAudio!

# posted by geoff @ 5:24 pm

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Davidic Covenant #2 (2Sam7:8-17)

Firstly, Scofield's comments:

This covenant, upon which the glorious kingdom of Christ "of the seed of David according to the flesh" is to be founded, secures:

(1) A Davidic "house"; i.e. posterity, family

(2) A "throne"; i.e. royal authority

(3) A kingdom; i.e. sphere of rule

(4) In perpetuity; "for ever"

(5) And this fourfold covenant has but one condition: disobedience in the Davidic family is to be visited with chastisement; but not to the abrogation of the covenant.

I think we can see all these things in the record of this promise between God and man. The thing that struck me was how directly we can relate it to our own experience. A family, under God's royal authority, and forever. Disobedience generally results in punishment, and we see many bearing awful natural consequences of wrong choices. BUT, God's mercy is never taken from his children (God himself has promised this "If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee").

As children of God, sealed by his Holy Spirit, we are assured of God's eternal grace - we need never doubt our salvation!

We don't need to live guilt-ridden, uncertain miserable lives - we muck up, we feel dreadful, we repent and God has promised us his mercy will never depart from us!

But the part of this that really spoke to me was the "kingdom" bit - God said (presumably referring to the Lord Jesus) "thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever".

The amazing thing (and thanks to David Boan who also emphasised this) is that since the ascension of the resurrected Christ into heaven, there is a man on the throne in heaven (1Tim2:5 "the man Christ Jesus"), whose kingdom is not sometime off in the future, but he is ruling right now from heaven - and his subjects are you and me, and he rules the whole world (everywhere where he has those who recognise his Lordship).

We see this in Ps2 "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed" - they think they're in control, but "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision" because "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion".

This happened at the ascension - Christ is ruling his kingdom, which is everywhere on this earth! Impressive to realise who our real ruler is, as we set out each day in whatever land we find ourselves...

And this is all described in Ps110 too "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool" - a king is being addressed, seated at the right hand of the Father. It goes on "rule thou in the midst of thine enemies", etc. A description of Christ and his rule right now.

So, our relationship right now with the one we acknowledge as Lord of our lives, is also with the King and ruler of the whole of this current world. Makes our relationship pretty significant, and pretty powerful! And finally at the end of time, Christ will hand his kingdom back to the Father!

# posted by geoff @ 3:26 pm

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2 Samuel 1-10 - Davidic Covenant #1

I'm probably a very slow learner. At least, I know I've not been a diligent student of OT, so undoubtedly miss so very much that many of you others know and assume the rest of us know too!

This week's BSF study is on the first 10 ch's of 2 Samuel, and there I was ploughing through the homiletics for this section when - wham, amazing - right in the middle of accounts of wars and various murders, there's God speaking (just a few verses in ch.7:8-17) and declaring His covenant with David.

And it's an awesome covenant, because in those few sentences I feel that God set the criteria for our very own relationships with Him today - and His promises to us, and the consequences, and the conditions under which we are living right now (in a kingdom with a King on the throne - in heaven - as we speak!).

It's a bit like God setting the rules in these matters; but unlike our own football umpires (AFL), He doesn't change the rules or their interpretation from season to season. God is a covenant God who keeps his promises forever. Pretty useful to know that!

I know we're under the New Covenant, but I feel that the Davidic Covenant isn't superseded, it's simply been unfolded into even greater clarity in this the final declaration of God's dealings with mankind.

In another forum, some of us have been debating the pros and cons of scripture, and the role of the Spirit speaking heart-to-heart to us without reference to scripture. It was clear to me last night, that none of the inspiration I got from this topic would have come easily to me (likely not at all!) without the OT record in scripture of God speaking to David. These written words become alive as the Spirit speaks.

Here's my homiletics for those 10 ch's:

2Sam1-2: David mourns the deaths of Saul and Jonathon and becomes king of Judah.

2Sam3-6: After murderous civil war, David becomes king over Israel and brings the ark to his home in Jerusalem.

2Sam7: David desires to build the Lord's house, God makes his covenant with David, and David worships God.

2Sam8-10: David, his kingdom fully established, shows kindness to Jonathon's son and destroys enemies.

Subject Sentence (strictly limited to 10 words; BSF rules!!):
"David's kingdom is established and God declares His Davidic covenant."

And if I were teaching on this portion, here's my aim:
TCATL ("to cause the audience to learn") that through his covenant with David, God establishes his family, authority and kingdom forever, punishing disobedience yet never withdrawing his mercy.

I hope to find time shortly to add part #2, trying to put in words how this covenant became meaningful to me last night.

# posted by geoff @ 11:56 am

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Thursday, September 11, 2003

"Bible doubters' theory down the drain" - Age

In today's Age newspaper, there's a story that Israeli and British scientists have accurately dated one of Jerusalem's most ancient tunnels, the Siloam, confirming that it is the same structure mentioned in the Old Testament.

According to the Bible, the tunnel was built by a Judahite king, Hezekiah, about 700BC. It was constructed to move water from the Gihon spring into a pool within the walls of ancient Jerusalem, protecting the city's water supply in case of siege from the Assyrians.

The same story appears in today's Sydney Morning Herald under the headline "And lo, men of science brought credibility to the Bible's descriptions":
"2 Chronicles 32:30. Hezekiah . . . stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon, and brought the water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David. The Bible is right, scientists have decided at least when it describes the construction of an ancient tunnel under Jerusalem, known as the Siloam Tunnel."

And lo, a small miracle - Blogger has provided us with a spell-checker!

# posted by geoff @ 1:48 pm

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Tuesday, September 09, 2003

Music (to Gary)

I feel fine about modern christian music etc. I do feel though, that there needs to be respect shown and being a mother of teenagers, I feel that a lot of modern music seems to lack respect. (Funny using "respect" synomously with music, isn't it!)

To be honest Gary, I don't listen to a lot of modern christian songs/hymns/music. But as someone recommends an artist, I am always interested to search them out, and then enjoy them, if they suit my personal taste!
Feel free to recommend!

# posted by Caroline @ 10:21 pm

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Ups and Downs

Interrupting the music thread here, I had quite a thought tonight.
As one grows a closer and closer relationship with God, something happens.
The highs become higher and the lows become lower!

The "highs" of being in Gods presense, are more deeply fulfilling and satisfying. Sometimes one wonders ... how much more beautiful can this be? I feel I am bursting inside almost (physically), with this love between God and myself.
I never used to have this when my relationship with Him was less than now.

But, ahh, the "lows"! Is it because satan hits harder? Is it because we come down much further than before? I don't really know. But this I do know: those "lows" are low.

I have just spent ten minutes trying to think of a sentence to finish this post on a positive note ..... and can't think of anything! Too late at night! So ... hope you all have a nice Wednesday!

# posted by Caroline @ 10:16 pm

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music

How do we feel about modern music songs/hymns. I'm all for it. I think that the great hymn writers, wrote for the popular instruments of their times, the wooden framed piano and the pipe organ. With many modern church songs its the words that I have questions about.

# posted by Anonymous @ 6:41 pm

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Songs

Charles Wesley said that he wrote his hymns to teach people, a simple statement that has had quite an effect on me. I don't sing songs of praise or songs of worship, I sing then to learn something from them. I'm glad you like, Geoff, This Is My Fathers World. It has good music and words and words that remind me of something. God knows that this is his world, and that he made it: he does not forget, but I do forget, and get caught up sometimes in just admiring the beauty of it all.

# posted by Anonymous @ 6:36 pm

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Amy Grant

Thank you Geoff for the song of worship, and the link to listening to it!
One of our favourite christian artists is Amy Grant. You can listen to some clips of her music here. DO make the effort to listen to "This is my Fathers World" as that is one of our favourites!!

# posted by Caroline @ 11:13 am

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Monday, September 08, 2003

I Bow My Knee

Heard a great song of worship on Saturday, after listening to David Boan telling about the need to worship the Giver not the gifts (I hope - mainly for my benefit! - to summarise this shortly - when I get a free few minutes).

Anyway, here's the song:

I bow my knee before Your throne
I know my life is not my own
I offer up this song of praise
To bring You pleasure Lord

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Glory to the King

I seek the Giver not the gifts
My heart's desire, is to lift you up
High above all earthly kings
To bring you pleasure Lord.

("I Bow My Knee Before Your Throne", Bonnie Deuschle c.1990, Integrity's Hosanna! Music)

# posted by geoff @ 5:31 pm

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Saturday, September 06, 2003

Something Simple

My seven year old child was telling me that sometimes when he asks God some things, and receives an answer, he is never quite sure if it is God speaking, or his own imagination!

I told him that if he talked to his cousin in Scotland only once a year, he might not remember her voice. But, if he spoke with her every night on the phone, it wouldn't be long and he could be blindfolded in a room with 500 people, and he would be able to identify her voice.

God is the same. The more we speak with Him, the clearer His voice will be to our hearts and minds.

(Geoff, I have often been interested in the ressurection topic. Any thoughts are interesting!)

# posted by Caroline @ 4:21 pm

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Friday, September 05, 2003

Resurrection

Last night, I listened to the 4th talk by West Australian bible teacher, David Boan, in a series on Discipleship. The talks are at St Luke's Anglican Church in Vermont, Melbourne.

This was on the resurrection. I hope to add a little more, but time is scarce today so just a few brief notes to make a start.

- David told us that the resurrection is at the centre of Christian belief, and indeed was always a significant part of the gospel preached by the Apostles (he gave an excellent overview of Paul's preaching to Jews and "others (ie. Greeks) who feared God" in Acts 13 - note significance of the resurrection!)

- the early church, when they met, welcomed each other with the exclamation "Christ is risen!" which was met with the reply "He is risen indeed!!"

- the dilemma of the Christian life is how do we live in a body which is not redeemed when you already are?

- there is absolute and insepparable continuity between the resurrection of Christ (the "first fruits") and our resurrection (the rest of the crop!) - indeed, everyone will be raised, in the order first Christ, then all who are in Christ at his coming, then at the end of the age, everyone else.

- death for the Christian is simply like going to sleep tonight; we are confident we will awake tomorrow! (1Cor15) - no more fear than we have when we put our head on the pillow for sleep; just as Jesus said about Lazarus "he's asleep, and I'm going to wake him!"

- the significance of the resurrection is such that time is split in two by the event - before the resurrection (in Adam, all die), and post-resurrection (the era of the second Adam - Christ the life-giving Spirit). Here, Adam and Christ are being compared as federal men, and we choose with which to be associated.

- since the resurrection, Christ's kingdom has been established on earth (those who recognise him as Lord are to be found everywhere on earth) - relevance to the second psalm (which Paul refers to in Acts 13).

I hope to develop that last point further, as time permits! Enjoy the weekend, all...

# posted by geoff @ 4:08 pm

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Thursday, September 04, 2003

Saul and David

Here are people to consider deeply. Enough has been written by Carol and Geoff on Saul that put it accurately, but the problem is 'Am I Saul?'. I keep asking myself frequently am I doing what God wants or losing it because of pride and taking encouragement the wrong way. And am I being too hard on myself or too easy. Of course Saul is the person not to be like. When his relationship with God was slipping away he just let it slide. David did wrong and truly repented and went finding God again, (and God we see isn't hard to find for someone who really wants to find him).

That's enough rambling, as you can gather I do a lot of self analysis.

Gary

# posted by Anonymous @ 9:11 pm

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Friend on Saul #2

Geoff, yes a terrible waste of a guy who had so much potential:(

I have some verses that I read daily in the hope they will keep me down! (sigh) One of them is this one:

".....but I am among you as he that serveth."

Every day I feel so humbled just thinking of Jesus, not only amongst us, but serving.
I pray in my heart often that I can say those same words from my heart. If Jesus served, how can we think we don't need to??

I used to think daily prayers which are the same, and "same word" repetition of verses etc were what many people call: "vain repetition". Lately I have received a lot of help using some "same" verses and thoughts daily. It keeps me on track. It reminds me, and refreshes my short (for purity!!) memory.

Another verse I like to reflect on daily is this one: [Let] nothing [be done] through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Daily reminders of certain helpful hints are good for me! I badly need them. I even have them written in a notebook, and refer to it whenever I have a moment:) Sometimes I am so full of confidence (like Peter walking on the sea? I know that story was about faith, but couldn't it be about an overconfidence in ones self also?) in my inner strength, and then fall flat on my face. (Maybe thats the part where faith is a bit short!!).

There is something comforting about a tiny little personal notebook, tucked away in your pocket, filled with the names of people you are prompted to pray for .... special divinely inspired thoughts which pop into your mind at an odd hour; verses which melt your heart every time you read them... and so on:)

# posted by Caroline @ 8:57 pm

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Who would stab a baby?

This shocking news hit our front pages this morning, and I think what affects people the most, is the fact that some dirty dog actually had the gall to stab a baby!!!! I remember someone telling me, that the one thing that just doesn't happen in movies, is serious harm done to small children and babies. It seems to stick in everyones gullet!!!!!

I've been thinking about the nastiness and intentions of satan. I refuse to credit that demon with an upper case initial!
satan has absolutely no kindness or compassion or heart for any sort of good at all. I think we can give him more credit than he deserves. I suggest we underestimate him grossly. satan stabs babies too.

Notice the verse about the new seed of faith planted and before it even has a chance to take root, he removes it! He will try anyway! He knows that if he gets that seed early on, then that is when the 'baby' is at its weakest and most helpless.

Forgive me for any sad sack thinking here tonight, but felt strongly urged to blog this thought!
It is much more pleasant to think on the beauty, peace and fulfillment of God ... but once in a while it doesn't hurt to give satan a hateful look!

# posted by Caroline @ 8:36 pm

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Friend on Saul

A friend who attends Sydney DW BSF classes wrote this, which I enjoyed:

This reminded me of what we read about Saul. He was chosen because he was comely and tall and would appeal to the people. He also was humble, open, prepared to listen to both his servant and Samuel. Set out to find a few donkeys and ended up a king. But power corrupted him. He took the credit for Jonathon's victory and began to care more about his own reputation than what God thought of him.

So sad that the place this humble man was given led to pride and his downfall, and lack of repentance.

I do believe that power corrupts and this can happen within our system as in any other. I so appreciate the older humble ones who still act like servants and not like kings. Jesus gave the perfect example as the servant king, the greatest wisest man on earth at the time, who washed the feet of his disciples.

Today I want to pray for those amongst us that are given power or place that they could remain humble like Jesus and not become proud like Saul.

# posted by geoff @ 12:02 pm

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