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!

Wednesday, June 30, 2004

Music Site

I found a really neat site which you can listen (and download) really lovely hymn midis, and it even has the sheet music on pdf file which can be printed! SOME sheet music even has instrumental options!!! Most of the hymns have been written by these people ..... so you won't find hymns like "How Great Thou Art" here!!!! Most of them have a little description at the top of the reason for the writing of that hymn.

Here is the site: http://www.joypals.com/

First go down the left hand column to "Music: Midi Music"
Go to "Songs of Praise" for this particular site.

One which I loved was: "Create in Me A Clean Heart."
"Come Fill My Heart" is another nice one.
For something a little more 'majestic', try "Nothing Can Compare".

I think you have to save a pdf file (for the music scores) to your own files and then print it from there.

On the far right column of this page there is a word "SONGS" which you can click on to get the whole lot. The ones on the front (which include Create in Me) are their "Most Popular" as you will see.

# posted by Caroline @ 7:44 pm

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Tuesday, June 29, 2004

reading

Well with BSF finished it has been so nice that a lot of pressure is off. As I keep saying to people, the Christian life is not meant to be a burden, and when BSF was becomming too much I sought in prayer for other things: to get to know them and to not be hurried. Thus I'm going to a new bible study on Monday nights, just fitting in not pushing in.

There is so much to read, but in my case re-read having read good books years ago, and probably rushed through them for that's what I seem to have been doing in recent years.

This year I have started 'Every Day With Jesus' the Selwyn Hughes daily studies. I think they are excellent with many ideas and challenges. And not a burden to do: quite short.

I think that 'How to read the bible for all its worth' is so good I have already read it twice.

Gary

# posted by Anonymous @ 8:07 pm

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Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Heaven in Canada

Stan, if I ever get to Canada rest assured I will visit your little piece of Tuscany - to get a dose of heaven-on-earth (our unkemp gum-trees with dropped bark and old rotting gum leaves all over the place would be quite a shock to you!)

And Carol, you've sowed the seed - who knows, but John MacArthur may just be on your doorstep one day. Expect all of us to arrive at the same time!

# posted by geoff @ 4:54 pm

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Tuesday, June 22, 2004

John M again:)

Hi Stan and Geoff:

I received an answer from someone from John MacArthurs site, after inviting him to come to New Zealand!

The lady who has written to me is from NZ, so I presume they have an office here! Thats cool!

I have taken the liberty to copy it here, and hope it is ok with them! I am sure they will never be reading this! But am also sure it wouldn't matter anyway!

Dear Carol
Thankyou for your response. We appreciate your offer of accommodation and would also love to have John MacArthur come to NZ. His health and extremely busy schedule would not allow that at the moment.
We can only pray that at some time in the future it may be possible.
Regards
Yours in His Service

Denys Tomaselli
Grace to You

Stan, when he spoke to you recently, how did his health seem? I hope he is ok.

# posted by Caroline @ 9:46 pm

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Monday, June 21, 2004

Bringing Jesus to people

Gary, I enjoyed your thoughts on Eccl. Thank you.

You asked:
+++++How do we bring Jesus to people? My answers is kindness, patience, friendliness, invitiations to church, helping, giving food when sick, spending time, encouraging, complimenting, showing an interest.

God bless and tell me your thoughts.+++++

Good thoughts there.
I have a little prayer that I try and read and think about most days, and the children have it taped on their walls beside their beds. I think even if they don't read it daily as such, by being there it is going into their minds unconsciously.
I feel it covers the main issues of what we are talking about and sometimes as I think of the words in this prayer, it can take a long time to cover.

I notice that since praying these words, or similar, the marks you mentioned Gary, are becoming more part of me. (Still a long way to go, though!!)

I know Jesus spoke about "vain repetition" but my thoughts here are, we can repeat, as long as it isn't without meaning. Yes, I feel happy about the repeating thing, but if I find I have said the words without thinking about them, then they have become vain to both God and myself.

Here are the words: (having been adapted for the children to a certain extent!)

Let go of yesterday
Let go of tomorrow
Concentrate on the present moment
Help me Love those I care about, and those I don't care about!
Please connect me to the Spirit of God
(think about that as you say it!)
Please lead me where I need to go today
Please show me what I need to know for today
Please tell me what I need to do today
Tell me who I can pray for today
Help me to be in the right place at the right time.
Thank you, Lord. I love you. Amen

# posted by Caroline @ 11:34 am

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Sunday, June 20, 2004

Ecclesiastes

I have been doing some of my favourite reading, the wisdom writings of Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. Proverbs are little grabs of wisdom, not complete and therefore worth considering for more applications. Some statements are out of date and need to be reinterpreted for today, and some are worded in exagerations, but all that is ok. (The bible has exagerations?)

Ecclesiastes makes me consider what is important.

Now Geoff is having a patch of problems dealing with the regulations of BSF and the leader. Consider what is important and what can change and can't be changed.

How do we bring Jesus to people? My answers is kindness, patience, friendliness, invitiations to church, helping, giving food when sick, spending time, encouraging, complimenting, showing an interest.

God bless and tell me your thoughts.

Gary

# posted by Anonymous @ 5:17 pm

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Thursday, June 17, 2004

I had a dream......

Last night I had an amazing dream .....

I seemed to be up in the air with Jesus, floating along and He said to me, "Look down".

I looked down to see the whole world.
It was covered mostly in dense black polluted type smoke or smog. In little places here and there you saw lights. But mostly darkness.

I saw a woman crying in her bed! I saw rough, black clothed, scary looking boys/men in back alleys. I saw other pictures. The woman crying in her bed, didn't in reality mean that. I kind of knew it meant that she was alone and unhappy in spirit and soul.

Jesus said to me, "They need me".

Thats the dream!!!! I woke up, safely back on earth!

But it has had quite an effect ... I can't stop thinking about it and it has really made me want to help in the seemingly hopelessness of it all to assist in making the world a place with more light. The light of Christ!

Are we doing this?

HOW can we do this?

I heard on the radio today: We aren't meant to be bring people to Jesus. We are meant to be bringing Jesus to people! How true.

Really, what else matters in life, when we see the Big Picture. From where Jesus sees. The picture of glorifying God so that others might find Him as we know Him!!!

I felt sick that here I am, scurrying round looking after MYSELF! Who and what am I to be spending my energy on this No. 1! ME??? I am embarrassed to have seen myself like this. Well, dream or otherwise, I received a real jolt! I now pray for opportunities to reach people.

I remember once, a minister in our church saying: If you knew someone had a terminal disease. You knew the cure. Would you turn the other way and keep the cure to yourself????

Fair question, I say!

# posted by Caroline @ 7:11 pm

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Wednesday, June 16, 2004

Ravi Zacharias

Thats the name of the preacher I couldn't remember a couple of posts down.....

Also.... there are quite a few references to him on google... here is one to listen to him speak.

I am certain you will have all heard of him.

# posted by Caroline @ 5:15 pm

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JM's Question and Answers Page

Here it is ..... the elusive page where JM shows how he doesn't mess around with Bible truths!

# posted by Caroline @ 5:13 pm

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Invitation to John McArthur

Geoff!!!!
Now, will you please settle down!

When you come back down to earth, then read this! There was a place on JM's site where I could make a comment. So... I invited him to New Zealand and whats more ..... told him that he is always welcome to stay with us (ie: be a guest at our home!!)

Actually, I was hoping some church might organise him to speak and I could listen to that!
Time for me to come back to earth? LOL

# posted by Caroline @ 5:02 pm

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MacArthur

Carol, wouldn't it be great to be able to invite someone like John MacArthur as guest speaker to one of our conventions??? As you say, no "lite" Christianity with him, and I'm sure it would be a total revelation to some (I know you think I'm dreaming, or lost my marbles, or something!)

But hey, could we hatch a plot, work out an elaborate scheme whereby this "visiting preacher" who's been in a faraway country for longer than anyone can remember (Mogazambesi will do) has suddenly reappeared and here he is, ready to preach to us thirsty folk...

Alright, I just pinched myself!

(but it would be worth the thirty years of purgatory, or whatever the sentence that would get, just to watch the faces...)

# posted by geoff @ 4:31 pm

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McArthur

Thanks Stan
I was really looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
I can't thank you enough for putting me onto his Study Bible some time ago.
When I went to purchase it, the shop had never heard of it!
They ordered it in for me. Since then my friend bought it, then my brother and sister-in-law (bought two!) and now my dad and his wife. And I note the shop stocks them now!
I have read a part of a website he has which has questions and answers. I note he is very "straight" with his answers. There is no messing around, or moving the Bible guidelines to suit people. No lite christianity, Geoff!!!!

(He is a Baptist minister, right?)

I would adore to listen to him sometime in person, and must make the effort to go to his site and listen.

Sometimes my husband downloads various talks (he has done that with another preacher.... will let you know who he is shortly) onto a cd and I enjoy listening to those too. I find that easier than sitting at a computer with earphones trying to listen and concentrate!

Thanks again, and I did love that article Geoff.

# posted by Caroline @ 2:17 pm

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Tuesday, June 15, 2004

"Lite" Christianity

Interesting article on "Lite" Christianity in Melbourne's "little" paper, the Hun.

Here's a quote:

Lite Christianity; a land of faith without the fattening guilt. In this new, culturally palatable environment, God is in his heaven and really doesn't need to be bothered.

There will be no serious references to guilt, repentance, forgiveness, suffering or evil. Just try not to hurt anyone, never be judgmental and all will be OK.

And for a glimpse of heaven-on-earth, take a peek at Stan's little piece of Tuscany in Canada! (I guessed it would be idyllic Stan, and it is!!)

# posted by geoff @ 4:59 pm

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Friday, June 11, 2004

Preparations for Death

Morbid topic?

I discovered this interesting article written by the Dalai Lama on death. I paste here the summary he made.

I felt it was well written, is good advice and fits with the christian thinking.

SUMMARY ADVICE

1. If you cultivate a sense of the uncertainty of the time of death, you will make better use of your time.
2. To prevent procrastination with regard to spiritual practice, take care not to come under the influence of the illusion of permanence.
3. Realize that no matter how wonderful a situation may be, its nature is such that it must end.
4. Do not think that there will be time later.
5. Be frank about facing your own death. Skillfully encourage others to be frank about their deaths. Do not deceive each other with compliments when the time of death is near. Honesty will foster courage and joy.

# posted by Caroline @ 4:44 pm

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Tuesday, June 08, 2004

John MacArthur - Stan

Stan, please give us a critique of your evening with John MacArthur. One of our friends here in Melbourne, Ken Simpson, is an avid MacArthur listener (he lives in the country, and gets JMac's program Grace to You regularly on their gospel radio station). We miss out! He's not Canadian, is he?

I think you might have said you listened to him sometimes, Carol, or seen some of his videos??

I found this "mission statement" from his Grace Community Church (in California):

Grace Church is a teaching church, first and foremost committed to the Bible, and a firm belief in its authority over our lives. All of our ministries are intended to increase the knowledge and application of God's Word in the lives of His people and lead others to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ so that they can live to the glory of God.

BTW, do you live anywhere near where Charles Price teaches (The Peoples Church, Toronto). He's worth hearing, too.

Your farm-garden sounds idyllic - is it? And tell me about the BibleWay church - are they exclusivisits? (some of these charismatic groups actually are, although they're a bit coy about coming straight out with it)

# posted by geoff @ 12:40 pm

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The Writing on the Wall

(or George Bush's Lament)

If only there were evil people
Insidiously committing evil
Deeds and it were necessary
To separate them from the
Rest of us and destroy them.
But the line dividing good and
Evil cuts through the heart
Of every human being. And
Who is willing to destroy a
Piece of his own heart?

(Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn)

# posted by geoff @ 12:23 pm

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Friday, June 04, 2004

Legalisms...

Gary, I agree with your critique of the flavour of the past few week's BSF questions and teachings. I go to a church with no formal tithing, and so was glad to have your answer to that question (12a, that tithing was part of the old covenant, and for the temple which is now gone, and that 'living sacrifices' means live the Christian life!). Well put.

I know someone near and dear to me, who will agree with your answers too. She has some interesting thoughts on the BSF emphasis on Malachi being a marriage guidance book. I will get some quotes, and put them here for you!

See you tomorrow morning, 6.30 am (but I won't be bright - I need a sleep-in!)

# posted by geoff @ 5:14 pm

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Tuesday, June 01, 2004

Legalisms

Geoff, We should go over our BSF answers one day, over some good wine of course. Here are a few of mine fron last week:

14a. What do we have to do in order to be included in the wonderful group described in 3:16-18?

Have faith; you don't earn salvation.

12a. How do Malachi's teachings on tithes and offerings apply to our present call to be 'living sacrifices'?

They don't, the requirement for tithing was part of the old covernant, which is gone, tithes were for the Temple which is gone and 'living sacrifices' means live the Christian life!

10a. How is the hypocrisy in Malachi reproduced in our day?

Is it. I don't know that, but if you do fine. Are you being judgemental? What about accepting, understanding and forgiving.

8c. How do Christian leaders (including you) cause others to stumble today?

Do they, do I? There's nothing I feel guilty about! Perhaps the teaching, the example, the illustrations used are not perfect, but the faith is for real people with human faults and imperfections. And I and pastors may point others to the bible.

Geoff, the implicatations are that the churches are not right, society is just unbelievably terrible, but righteous BSF can teach you exactly what is right and how to live.

On top of that, its the same routine, nothing changes, and to me the Saturday morning session could have half and hour cut from it at least.

I've had enough. I know why I had a break last time. And questions like those above are not on Malachi. They are padding from BSF that doesn't want to go onto a couple of chapters of another book this week.

# posted by Anonymous @ 9:17 pm

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