| 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! |
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Saturday, November 29, 2003 Special Morning at BSFThis morning as usual, the men discussion leaders and children's leaders of North Balwyn Evening Men's bible study got together at 6.30 am to pray and go over this week's questions. But it's our last study before a two-month Christmas break, and we had a time of BSF "fellowship" after the usual group session. That is, we had breakfast and a time of sharing.BTW, Grant chose that hymn "Great is Thy Faithfulness" (the one with the line I was thinking of yesterday morning, "sun, moon and stars in their courses above"). Truly great, how God affirms so much to us so often. Craig, our secretary (and I hope soon to join us on the blog) shared how, before he spoke to us men on faith that Saturday morning a few weeks ago (see below, Nov 10th - but I'll repeat it below here), he was sitting at his desk, at a loss for the words. He prayed, got up, and there on his bookshelf right before his eyes was the book by Spurgeon on faith. Craig opened it to find what he shared, and what has so inspired a few of us. Thank God, and also for faithful intermediaries like Craig on that occasion, who God can use to get His message to us! Then Craig's dad, Garry (note: 2 r's!), a children's leader, spoke of how on the odd occasion when he's been preparing the children's talk on the subject and he's felt this time he understands it all, got it all down pat, how he's been surprised that those are the times kids have been yawning, and it's all been flat. But other times when Garry's not felt so capable, and needed to pray a lot, that's when it's been inspirational (somehow!) for the kids! And Pak Ting, another children's leader, shared from this week's study of king Jehu, how we can quickly judge others' lives (especially guys like Jehu), and see that he was obedient in those things that he wanted to be, but do we really judge ourselves in the same way - what are the things that we're clinging to, disobediently, while feeling comfortable that we're obeying God in certain areas that it actually suits us to? May expand this, but time is short. The BSF notes compare Jehu (king of Israel, invariably the bad half of the dual kindoms of Israel/Judah) with the message in Rev to the church of Pergamon. Special guys, these children's leaders. And our blogging friend, Gary, would appreciate our prayers for him this week and for his son, Andrew who returns after a year or so in Canada, that Andrew will gain financial security and settle back peacefully into the family. Here's Spurgeon again on fathfully claiming God's promises from scripture as our own: Spurgeon tells of faith as taking the promises that God gives us for our own. We put our name to those promises that we discover in God's word, and in so doing we attain a blessing from God's word. Spurgeon went on to describe it as placing the promise before the Lord (in prayer), like presenting a cheque to the bank. We plead it by prayer, expecting to receive. And if we come to the bank on the right date, we cash the cheque! If the cheque is post-dated, we count it as we will have it surely. # posted by geoff @ 11:30 am 0 commentsFriday, November 28, 2003 Christmas Invite: Philip's GateSeasons Greetings!Come and join the celebrations for Christmas and New Year at Philip's Gate. Everyone is invited - social entrepreneurs, volunteers, staff, supporters, local community groups, St Philip's congregation, City of Banyule, Social-e members. Its the opportunity to meet old friends, make new ones and find out more about Philip's Gate and Social-e. Local Bands - Music - Dance - Prizes Finger Food - Drinks 4pm - 11pm, 10 Dec 2003 at Philip's Gate premises (West Heidelberg, Melbourne). RSVP BY: Tel (03) 9457 7525 or Fax: (03) 9457 7641 or Confirm Online by clicking on this link! Please pass it on to some or our friends: David Peake # posted by geoff @ 5:20 pm 0 commentsNave's Topical BibleAdding this one to our permanent list of resources over there on the left; found it while looking up "polygamy" yesterday, to find where in scripture is God's authoritative statement on this (in Deut17:17 it seems "Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold").Here's what you get: Nave's Topical Bible "POLYGAMY" to "POTTERY" POLYGAMY -Forbidden De 17:17; Le 18:18; Mal 2:14, 15; Mt 19:4, 5; Mr 10:2-8; 1Ti 3:2, 12; Tit 1:6 -Authorized 2Sa 12:8 -Tolerated Ex 21:10; 1Sa 1:2; 2Ch 24:3 -Practiced by Job 27:15 -Lamech Ge 4:19 -Abraham Ge 16 etc. Interestingly, Solomon (imbued by God with more wisdom than we'll ever have) not only violated Deut 17:17 in the most spectacular way, he also violated the previous verse ("But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way") - ref. 1Ki10:28-29 "Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue - the royal merchants purchased them from Kue. They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty". All to his great detriment! # posted by geoff @ 12:54 pm 0 commentsGreer the Convent GirlHere's a fascinating piece of journalism, and tale of life, by Germaine Greer the convent girl (from yesterday's Guardian) - writing about all those things that are "the nuns' fault entirely"! (Carol, a good talking piece for the tea-ladies' list!)I think one of the reasons why I was never properly domesticated is because I was actually socialised by a gang of mad women in flapping black habits. I am more like them than I am like my mother. I owe them more in a way because they loved me more and they worked harder on me than my mother did. They really loved us. I realise that now, although I didn't realise it at the time. The whole article is vintage Greer, very lucid - worth the read! # posted by geoff @ 12:13 pm 0 commentsGreat Cosmic ConductorThis morning is a beautiful late-spring morning in Melbourne, warm and sunny. Perfect morning to be out driving that taxi, Gary! (any good taxi stories this week?)And I was thinking of you already having had your morning walk, Carol, as I was rushing out the door on way to work (not that early, I hasten to add!). The line of a great old hymn was actually what I was thinking in relation to you out walking: Sun, moon and stars in their courses above Do you know it? Just thinking of God in his heaven, all well with our world; those suns, moons and stars all in their courses above - and us! God the great Cosmic Conductor, conducting His great cosmic symphony with everything operating right on cue just as He commands it - but are we in our course? Got a little glimpse of how discordant we can make it when we're not in the course that God has set for us. And the urge to do the only thing I can to be in concord with God's purpose for me today - yield to His Spirit within! Here's the whole hymn (Great is Thy Faithfulness): Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not; As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be. Refrain Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided; Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! Summer and winter and springtime and harvest, Sun, moon and stars in their courses above Join with all nature in manifold witness To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! # posted by geoff @ 10:43 am 0 commentsEarly Prizewinner!Carol, what's that about early birds getting the worm? Well done. But I'm not saying what's right (judge's decree, but correspondence will be entered into!) in your 4 options below, until some of the other theologians have opportunity.And I'm thinking about the prize... # posted by geoff @ 10:25 am 0 commentsThursday, November 27, 2003 Chorus error?Chorus:Have faith in God Let your hope rest on The faith He has placed in your heart Never give up Never let go of the Faith He has placed in your heart Hmmm, I would never have picked anything, and would have just seen the overall picture, but since you asked, I have spent the last 10 minutes thinking and thinking until my eyes are square! The only options I can see are: (is this allowed? me to pick some options? delete my post if I am playing the game wrong!!) #1 Line One is correct. #2 Faith is a gift from God, thus I agree He placed it in our hearts. #3 Does our hope rest/rely/relax us by resting on our faith? Or does our hope rest on Jesus Himself? and our salvation through Him? #4 Never give up and never letting go: The OSAS people wouldn't agree with this, thus it would be a doctrinal error to those with that thinking, but as I am not an advocate of OSAS totally, then I do not see a problem with these lines. OK so, now I have picked the chorus to pieces, and dissected it acording to my own thinking, and probably left no meat on the bone for anyone else, I await any further remarks or replies..... # posted by Caroline @ 8:43 pm 0 commentsBlog Competition!OK, here's something to stimulate those jaded (blogged-out?) minds - a competition with a prize for the first correct (or maybe most amusing, judges yet to decide) answer.In this song Have Faith in God by Geoff Bullock: Oh Lord you lead me By the still waters Quietly restoring my soul You speak words of wisdom The promise of glory The power of the presence of God Chorus: Have faith in God Let your hope rest on The faith He has placed in your heart Never give up Never let go of the Faith He has placed in your heart Oh Lord You guide me Through all the darkness Turning my night into day You'll never leave me Never forsake me The power of the presence of God pick the doctrinal error in the Chorus (or, if it's not an error, or you don't think it is, pick what some people think is a doctrinal error - that's covering all bases, or wimping out by de judge!) (gotta be wary of those Hillsongs songs!!!) # posted by geoff @ 5:00 pm 0 commentsCarol's PostsCarol, enjoyed your posts - that fascinating experience sitting next to George from Melbourne, and your comment about seeing things that happen to us in life no longer as coincidences. Much truth (and good practical application, I feel) in such an attitude!And we haven't had any bites yet from our clever comrades-in-arms (our fellow bloggers) to help us understand something about limited atonenment. Someone must have some view to share on this?? # posted by geoff @ 4:49 pm 0 commentsWednesday, November 26, 2003 Ron & FelicityHi there you two.Glad to see you here and look forward to some writings from you. # posted by Caroline @ 7:29 pm 0 commentsWelcome - Ron & Felicity Great News! Our very dear friends from WA, Ron & Felicity, have just signed up to our blog. Hope you enjoy sharing and encouraging us here, and getting to all know each other. Ron & Felicity are good friends with WA bible teacher David Boan, who has inspired us recently with his teaching over at St Luke's in Vermont. # posted by geoff @ 5:29 pm 0 commentsFace to FaceOn the plane from LA to Mexico, I sat beside a man from Melbourne ... George. Got talking, asked him if he was alone or married (It's ok, my husband was there too (grin)Said he was married but his wife had motor neurone disease (spelling??) and was not yet 30 years old, and only perhaps a year or so left. They have a 4 year old son. Sad or what????? George is a believer and I asked if he minded if I pray for his wife? He tearfully said how grateful he was, very touching to me also. After a while, we stopped talking and had a small sleep. Popped my eye mask on and decided to pray for her before sleeping. While praying, a sudden image of a womans face, VERY clear to every detail, slipped in front of my eyes and I got quite a good look at this woman. Much later, I was thinking about that and wondered if it was his wifes face! So asked him, do you have a picture of her? Yes! Out came his wallet and there was a picture of a pretty woman, and alas, it wasn't her! Oh well.. good try:) Then he said, Oh thats back at our wedding time, I have one taken this morning on the digital cam. He got it out, and showed me her pic, and there was the woman I had seen in my minds picture! Not only the same woman, but the exact same photograph! Same angle and everything. I gasped and told him..... and he was astounded and then we looked down to see goosebumps all over our arms.... the amazement of it all! Interesting story, huh? # posted by Caroline @ 8:36 am 0 commentsLimited AtonementOK I'll bite.I've never heard of this.. what does it mean? That....... a/ the atonement of Jesus is limited to certain people?(agree) b/ we slip in and out from under the umbrella of atonement? c/ we limit the atonement from our end? (Not sure how that can happen 'cos I thought we were either saved or not saved and no wishy washy inbetween) d/ God/Jesus limits the atonement of salvation to those who don't appreciate what Jesus had done? OK sorry to be thick, must be cos I had Maccers for breakfast and too many carbs! Carol thankful to have a reasonable excuse # posted by Caroline @ 8:26 am 0 commentsHelp me to be......Since I've been praying daily for the Lord to help me to be in the right place at the right time, I note the days of coincidences are now past!Pray this every morning, and you will begin to have meaningful encounters on a daily basis. And when you meet someone, whisper a prayer to the Lord ... Please Lord... I will be the voice box and you be the words if this is to be a meaningful encounter. Such a powerful request and God honours it, I can tell you. When in Mexico, everytime we went to the restaurants for meals, we would pray to Jesus that our time would not be wasted and meaningless, and every single time without fail, we met with various christians and had such heartwarming moments, one was filled to bursting. The amazing encounters grew more and more gobsmacking as the days passed. What a priviledge to be in Gods hands. Why did I take so long to realise this? # posted by Caroline @ 8:20 am 0 commentsTuesday, November 25, 2003 Ancient spirits?Hi guys,Thanks Geoff for the Mexican thrust! We visited Chichen-Itza, some ruins in Cancun. Another site here. Pretty amazing site, and history, and well worth a visit for those who enjoy the ancient lore. Apparently Pavarotti sang there in April 1997... and they say it was rather spectacular. Well, we were with a large bunch of christians, and some of them were pretty sensitive to what they felt was evil spirits. Well, guess I believed them, as there was a pool of green stagnant water from way back and was a sacrificial pool! They had some pretty weird traditions. EG, they had this game (in the "Ball Park") they played and the winner got his head chopped off! Worse.... it was a priviledge! The wives were always volunteering their husbands for the game....... not because they wanted to get rid of them, but because it was a HUGE priviledge to have ones husband sacrificed to the gods!!!! Oh yes, there was a platform of skulls too. Morbid stuff. Fascinating. If it had been a few degrees cooler, I might have had more energy to enjoy it more. When we got on the bus to go back to the hotel, one woman came to the front of the bus and announced she was prompted to pray for cleansing for all of us, as we may have some evil spirits attached to us. Startling though it may have seemed, it felt a good idea somehow! She got a pretty hearty "amen" I can tell you! More coming....... watch this spot...... # posted by Caroline @ 10:41 pm 0 commentsLimited Atonement? Last night, our BSF secretary Craig asked me did I believe in "Limited Atonement". Gulp. But I realise it's doctrine connected with the Great Debate between Calvinism on the one hand, and Arminianism on the other. Two ends of a wide spectrum; election vs. free-will choice maybe? The most sensible teaching I've heard on this came from Chuck Missler (66/40 man), where he argues that neither extreme is totally correct, nor is either totally wrong - and suggested that the truth is a balance somewhere between those two extremes. Chuck got me thinking and led to my stock answer (which Katrina says is just a cop-out!) on any questions related to this; that we can't give answers because we (from our limited time-bound perspective) can't ask the right question. How would our understanding of all this differ if, like God, we could step outside of time and not only look backwards but forwards too, with knowledge of events? Omniscient and fore-knowing, in other words. I think we'd ask the question somewhat differently. Anyway, I'm happy to cop-out and ask my mate Stan (who shares Craig's love of discussing doctrine) to give me the benefit of his understanding. And BTW, I'm inviting Craig to join us on the blog - someone who loves discussing doctrine is a real find! Craig, you'll enjoy this - this is why blogs are so good. Click on here for a link to Chuck Missler's series on The Sovereignty of Man, all about free will and predestination! And I checked with Mr Google to see what he had to say on Limited Atonement - much, it turns out. There's over 52,000 entries - the first of which links to some sermons by Spurgeon and others. Stan, you may be able to give us some good links to useful sites on these doctrinal issues. # posted by geoff @ 1:34 pm 0 commentsMonday, November 24, 2003 Repeat QuestionAnd Gary, if you're on a roll, please help me (serious or silly responses all equally valued) with this question I asked back on 10th November:Now, a question! In 2Chr13:4 Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, "Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me!" Seems that Abijah atop that mountain was addressing Jeroboam and his 800,000 troops (v.3). How on earth did he do this? Did they have amplifiers or something (or big horns!)??? # posted by geoff @ 3:41 pm 0 commentsGlad for GaryGary, it's a rare day that someone's pleased with something I've said or done, so you've made my day by expressing your pleasure with my quoting the KJV. So I'll keep doing it!! (big grin!)BTW did I get it wrong? KJV says (James 5:16): "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" and ESV (the very latest, you-beaut "Eastern Suburbs Version" for us non-Greeks amongst us): "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working" Both seem to be saying the same thing, maybe different from the hippy versions some of us prefer (bigger grin!@!) Now, why confession and praying go together for effective prayer eludes my frazzled brain right now, so I have need that some man shouldest guide me. Over to you, teacher Gary! # posted by geoff @ 3:38 pm 0 commentsSaturday, November 22, 2003 yes GeoffGeoffI like the way that you use the Authorized Version of 1605, generally called the King James Version: it shows what a backward person you are. Now if you go to translate the Greek written by James, my reference is that James 16 is: Confess to one another the offences and pray for one another, so as you may be healed. much (is) strong a petition of one righteous being made effective. Comments Geoff. And why do confession and praying for one another go together for effective prayer. # posted by Anonymous @ 1:12 pm 0 commentsFriday, November 21, 2003 RighteousnessThis week's BSF doctrine was righteousness (studying Elijah - James 5 "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (KJV), or "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working" (ESV), or "The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]" (AMP)) Here is what I scratched down in my notes as Grant was speaking to us: what does righteousness mean? Justification implies bringing back a righteous state, we must understand righteousness to understand justification. Noah was first person referred to as righteous. Tamar more so (interestingly!) by Judah (Gen38:26). In 1Sam24, Saul is referred to also as "more righteous" by Saul (v.17), whose life David spared. Our righteousness is not a comparative standard but the righteousness of Christ imputed to us. It's upright moral conduct, not just to live a life that gets by - we can't do it in our own strength, we're justified because of Christ's righteousness imputed to us. In Elijah, we see a righteous person humbly waiting on God - maybe years of solitude, loneliness for Christ. God uses righteous people as blessings for others! # posted by geoff @ 3:08 pm 0 commentsMonday, November 17, 2003 Trading... on the Blog?One of the end-time warnings that Jesus gave involved what's known as The Parable of the Talents.The point of the warning is that the servant who was given one talent (monetary unit of about twenty years of average wages, according to my ESV bible) was berated by the master "You wicked and slothful servant!" because he hadn't traded with his talent (like the ones given 5 and 2 talents had). And it was a serious reprimand, as he was called "worthless servant" and cast into "outer darkness" where "there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth". Not a nice fate! Now, someone has just suggested to me that the other 2 servants had been trading with what their Lord had given them, while the one had just hid (preserved it but he wasn't using it). He suggested that trading is the exchange with others of what has been given to us. "So often in the world we lose in the exchange, but in God's way we just gain. I see it as everything from trading with God-given thoughts to loving others with the love that Christ has for each one of us". I hope others here might share their understanding of this warning given by Jesus, but perhaps we could say that we're all "trading" even on this blog!? And on this note, it's a good question to ask ourselves why we're still here, as God has already equipped us with all that we need to fit into heaven and fellowship with holy God, by giving us His Spirit from the moment we become a child of God. Why not just move on, what's the point of all this time of struggle and being misunderstood, and hopefully even persecuted for our belief? Seems the answer was given by Jesus in Jn15 - "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing". We're here to bear fruit for our master, God. For him to get his work done through us. And our part is to simply abide so that God can work through us. Because if we're not bearing fruit by abiding, then we're not trading with our gifted talents, and we're risking being labelled "worthless servant". That's my understanding, at least. So, maybe we can all achieve some worthwhile value-added to our accounts by trading here on our blog! # posted by geoff @ 11:18 am 0 commentsSunday, November 16, 2003 Carol & Mike in Mexico..Carol & Mike, Just to let you know we're thinking of you both as you travel to Mexico and returning via LA, 9 days of excitement! IF you get to a computer and read this, send us a quick comment from the Other Side. And we promise not to mention rugby. Not one little word, unless you ignore us, in which case...This morning in our Sunday fellowship mtg (which, for all you non-home churchers here, involves a personal time of testimony from each member, youngest to oldest should they wish), someone spoke that nothing can separate us from the love of God, nothing external to us (Paul's words "neither height, nor depth..."). Nothing can separate us, while we don't want it to. Not a bad way of expressing our eternal assurance of salvation, I felt. Hard to imagine any one of us, who's tasted of the love and goodness of our heavenly Father, ever wanting to be separated from Him! # posted by geoff @ 5:01 pm 0 commentsTuesday, November 11, 2003 Clear As... BibleBellI can't vouch for all the doctrine, but let me know if anything's badly unsound. But it's an interesting site, with heaps of answers to interesting questions (good just to ponder the questions themselves, how would we answer them?).He's called Bible Bell, and there's interesting study aids as well as commentaries etc. # posted by geoff @ 4:33 pm 0 commentsMonday, November 10, 2003 BSF Doctrine - FaithThis week's BSF doctrine (studying lives of kings of Judah Abijah and Asa, David's great grandson and great great grandson, if I've calculated correctly) is faith. It's the first step to a person's salvation (faith in Christ the Son of God).We find that the kings of Israel who had faith in God were blessed (faith amounts to blessing). Asa prayed to God expecting God to give victory in battle (against the vast Ethiopian enemy). Spurgeon tells of faith as taking the promises that God gives us for our own. We put our name to those promises that we discover in God's word, and in so doing we attain a blessing from God's word. Spurgeon went on to describe it as placing the promise before the Lord (in prayer), like presenting a cheque to the bank. We plead it by prayer, expecting to receive. And if we come to the bank on the right date, we cash the cheque! If the cheque is post-dated, we count it as we will have it surely. Thus we study God's word, not to boast in what we know, but to believe what God is saying to us through his word - his promises as recorded. Study of God's word without application is a faithless study! # posted by geoff @ 12:54 pm 0 commentsBSF TonightTonight, our lecture will be given by a young guy Craig (the admin officer) as Grant is having a break and we don't have a 2IC (SubTL in the BSF jargon for substitute teaching ldr). I'm sure Craig will do it well, prayers are with him and as he inferred Sat morning, preparing such a talk (on the lives of kings Abijah - who was "half-hearted" 1Ki15:3 - and Asa) is a rich blessing in itself.Now, a question! In 2Chr13:4 Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, "Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me!" Seems that Abijah atop that mountain was addressing Jeroboam and his 800,000 troops (v.3). How on earth did he do this? Did they have amplifiers or something (or big horns!)??? Doing this week's BSF q's, it's easy to be harsh on Asa (who definitely mucked up late in life by not trusting God in a couple of significant matters). But this is what we have been left on record of Asa by God surely as warnings to us - not so that we can judge the guy. In fact, God has this to say of Asa: 2Chr14:2 "Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God", and 2Chr15:17 "Asa's heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life". As one of the leaders said Sat morning, for Asa it's "promising"! Indeed, probably a lot more promising than for Solomon?? (for whom we don't have such a report card). # posted by geoff @ 12:38 pm 0 commentsGary - DilemmaGary: I don't think I got any comments about Shirley's dilemma. She'll keep going to the Anglican church for a while because I want to because from Paul Barker we get excellent teaching.Gary, look at 5/11 post (I was musing on Shirley being home-church material!). But I agree with your comments on Paul Barker, we appreciated the series you invited us to by Paul. Good teaching is to be valued and cherished - it's a rare commodity, it seems! # posted by geoff @ 12:35 pm 0 commentsSunday, November 09, 2003 Sunday morningWelcome Janice from GaryI dion't think I got any comments about Shirley's dilemma. She'll keep going to the Anglican church for a while because I want to because from Paul Barker we get excellent teaching. What's the Malcolm Muggeridge quote, (roughly) 'that the Church of England finds it easy to get on with everyone because deep down they believe nothing'.. My e-mail address for those who don't know it is garybondfield@iprimus.com.au # posted by Anonymous @ 6:29 am 0 commentsFriday, November 07, 2003 Viva la Difference!(French - beautiful language - sadly isn'y my strength!)Little lesson in differences: Jesus was very diferent from John the Baptist. Amongst the disciples, Peter's character stood out as the natural leader, very different from John for instance. There are those of us who are thinking students of God's word - this is our calling by God who we serve. Others write from the heart ("heart affair topics") and boy, do we value you! One of the wonderful things is how God's Spirit is so diverse in operation - to the extent that the manifestation of the Spirit is unique in each individual. Imagine the pleasure of God as he observes this diversity, the delight of his Spirit working with Peter's spirit amongst the disciples; his Spirit working with each of ours to produce individual works that are diverse yet pleasing to him? It's this diverse work that we encourage in places like this, and celebrate. And we respond to each other, different as we all are, with the same delight that the Father has in each one of us. Welcome, Janice Two (J2)!!! # posted by geoff @ 3:32 pm 0 commentsLessons from FridgesDavid Boan mentioned this great little lesson that we get from the front of many of our fridges:What do we find there? Stuck-on pictures of stick figures, blobs - this one's granny, this is you dad (hey!), etc. Why do we have them? Not because they're great works of art, but because of the relationship behind them - this is done by our son, our granddaughter - so it's precious and meaningful to us. Isn't it the same with our feeble efforts for our Father in heaven - yet he delights in us? He values us! # posted by geoff @ 3:28 pm 0 commentsThursday, November 06, 2003 Thank God the bills are paid...Popped into the bank in Eltham on the way to work this morning to pay the bills. A warm and sunny spring day (after a month of rain). At the next counter was a little old lady with a walking frame. She was talking to the teller about all her bills; the optometrist today, others on the way. But she said she was grateful to just have enough to pay them all. The teller told her "that's the way to look at it". To which she responded "yes, and I thank the Lord for it every day".On the way out, I tapped her gently on the shoulder and we smiled. That little old lady has helped me this morning to find strength in God for this day, with her genuine word of praise in an unexpected time and place! And I'm also grateful the bills are paid! # posted by geoff @ 11:42 am 0 commentsWednesday, November 05, 2003 Weekly BSF DoctrineThis week's BSF doctrine (weaved into our study of Rehoboam and Jeroboam - and yes, I mix them both up, except Rehoboam is of royal line sometimes helps!) was on judgement.Two kinds, actually. Punitive Judgement - on the unregenerated, consequences are grave, missing out on eternal salvation for rejecting God! Evaluative Judgement - the type of judgement awaiting believers, for whom eternal salvation is guaranteed. Sometimes called "rewards judgement". Some points Grant made: - judgement proves that who we are and what we do matters to God! (good thought) - if we understand God's place and ours (clay in His hands), we won't find God as Judge offensive. Rehoboam chose his own ways, thinking that it didn't matter (to God) what he did. - substantive texts on this matter of judgement are Ro8:1, 14:10, 2Cor5:10 and 2Ti4:8. And we're not to mix up the penalty of sin (which believers are freed from - which is death, actually) with the consequences of sin (which we all suffer, to varying degrees). # posted by geoff @ 5:49 pm 0 commentsShirley's New ChurchGary, did you mean in your last sentence "He will leave any person under complete rejection of God's truth or God's existence"? (something got wrong with your fingers and the keyboard, and just want to understand exactly what you believe here).I appreciated your thought re the Holy Spirit: "it is with his help that we see the need to repent and convert". Good point. Both John the Baptist and Jesus said "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is here". Sort of, repent - because the kingdom of heaven has come. Not the other way around. We repent (with the Holy Spirit's help) because that's our (loving) response to please God who has brought His kingdom to us. Our only merit is we believe that God through the crucified and resurrected Christ has offered us His Spirit (and eternal salvation). We respond, but it's all God's work. And I can understand Shirley's response, but also your feeling that we're all as bad as each other (just in different ways!). Maybe Shirley might look at home-church fellowship. Now, for those here who do this, that would create an interesting situation... (but God sorts all these things out - do I believe it, is the difficulty!) # posted by geoff @ 5:43 pm 0 commentsTuesday, November 04, 2003 Shirley and the Anglican ChurchShirley, having seen Bishop Gene Robinson being consecrated, the night after seeing a lesbian minister in the Episcopalian Church taking a service and encouraging more same-sex couples, has had enough. Shirley doesn't think that the Anglican Church has any morals, (pretty right Shirl.) and want to leave. Fair enough, but I'm not convinced that others are better.Gary # posted by Anonymous @ 9:59 pm 0 commentsDave's writingsDavid, I think what you wrote about the Holy Spirit is quite right. Everyone gains some measure of the Spirit on conversions, in fact it is with his help that we see the need to repent and convert. People can and do lose their faith and drive out the Spriti. He will leave and person undercomplete rejection of God's truth or God's existence.Yes Geoff I did have to work today.: good in the morning but flat in the afternoon. # posted by Anonymous @ 9:53 pm 0 commentsCup HolidayIt's Melbourne Cup afternoon in Melbourne, been a very relaxing and sunny day and (5 pm) we've just finished lunch at Dave & Tricia's!Gary, I imagine you've enjoyed the sunny afternoon to walk the dog (hopefully you haven't had to drive taxis??). Now, Dave's asked some good questions on an important issue. Hope someone will feel inspired to respond. Earlier, I had an email from Carol who is keen for me to order her the videos of Charles Price's talks (based on some verses from John's gospel, but ranging over the whole gospel) from Christmas convention at Belgrave Hts. If anyone else is keen to purchase a set (3 videos, cost about $50) let me know. He's inspirational, very sound and an entertaining speaker (kids enjoy him, and learn heaps). And how do we encourage our silent blog members to contribute - thereby encouraging and stimulating the rest of us??? Ideas welcome (a cattle prod comes to mind...) # posted by geoff @ 6:28 pm 0 comments |
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