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!

Monday, January 31, 2005

Rachel

Hi Gary

I always enjoy your relaxed style of communication.

I read that book when it first came out and have loaned it to a lot of people. In fact, I think it's gone somewhere now and who knows if I shall ever see it again.

Oh well... may they emjoy it.

Her faith was incredible, wasn't it. I think we are talking about the same one..... she drew that amazing picture of a rose?

Keep writing.

Carol

PS Whats football, anyway?

# posted by Caroline @ 10:16 am

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Geoff re Tsunami relief

Geoff

You know me, I never even read any newspapers nor listen to any news and nor watch any on TV, so am a veritable newsgeek.

So I got hold of my brother on Sunday and asked him whats going on regarding the tsunami relief from NZ?

He, being a newsfreak, erupted into fierce opinions on what he thought about it all. Far too much for this poor mind to take it all in. However, I did get the picture that NZ has given 65 mill now and he is so disgusted it isn't funny. Apparently there is a HUGE need in Sudan or somewhere (Africa?) where half of this could have gone, but noone seems interested in that. And apparently it could have paid for some huge numbers of beds desperately needed in public hospitals, and another so many hundred operations which noone can afford and people are dying like flies! I think he said we are pressurised into it because NZ started off giving so little, and now our pride has stepped forward and we are trying to be part of the big wigs.

We are only a little country when you look at the big picture but seem to have a desire to feature very much amongst the big wigs.

So, thanks for asking me the question, as it made me rouse my sedatory mind and blink my eyes and take in something of worth!

This turtle might now go back into it's fast becoming 100 year old shell!

Ciao dude!

# posted by Caroline @ 10:07 am

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Wednesday, January 26, 2005

Reading

I have just read "The Journals of Rachel Scott" the first student, and the main target, of the killing at Columbine High School. It an easy and delightful thing to read, cute in places, fresh and sad too. Not many people in the west are killed for their faith. There are some interesting ideas that are raised but not explored with any depth. I recommend it.

I'm always reading something, (slowly), just finishing a book on Harry Potter and going to re-read "Brave New World".

I'm not writing anything special because its Australia Day: it doesn't mean much to me.

Gary

# posted by Anonymous @ 8:56 am

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Friday, January 21, 2005

Friday thoughts

Well Geoff,
I must say that I have doubts about George W. but also feel that he gets terrible press in this country. Its not hard we are too critical. Then I'm skeptical of anyone who is so sure of the will of God in the modern contest, ie outside the promises of the scripture. Was it the will of God for the USA to invade Iraq? Some are sure it was.

At one stage in the talk on Wednesday night Paul Barker basically asked us: what is really important. A good question and one I've got to many times, and considered many times. Yet we must have some relaxations and enjoyments. That man has his faults and supports Richmond in the football and likes cricket: he goes to both quite often.

And its only 3 weeks away the 'mickey mouse' practice matches. Excited Geoff?

Anyway back to Paul Barker, he is able to handle the difficult bible passages and difficult questions. I like the guy.

Gary

# posted by Anonymous @ 9:07 pm

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Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Bush and his new hotline - to God

President Bush tells us that US Presidents need to be in contact with God!

(and there's a nice little picture of evangelist Bush with the caption "George Bush has faith in faith")

# posted by geoff @ 11:56 am

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Monday, January 17, 2005

The Giving

I worry about the massive size of the charity-fund for the tsunami relief. What accountability is there? What checks that the money is properly spent (not largely wasted, misused or even misappropriated)?? I think these possibilities increase as the size of our charity increases.

Nice to know of some more direct way that we can help.

We heard yesterday that our national "mourning" and expressions of sympathy, in the absence of directly knowing some of those who have suffered loss, can be pretty meaningless in assuaging their grief. But that our "mourning" can be useful if it affects us! Good thought, I thought!!

Stan, Carol, what are the situations re tsunami relief funds in Canada & NZ?

# posted by geoff @ 2:16 pm

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Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Why the giving

Why is the nation giving so much to the tsunami appeals. Never have we given so much!

My father's view is that we are feeling guilty. We live in a safe, western country with stronger buildings, and we have been mean in the past.

Is the old bloke right? Is guilt a big part of it?
Surely compassion comes into it and is major for most people?

Views everyone?

Gary

# posted by Anonymous @ 9:17 pm

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Sunday, January 09, 2005

Churches and disasters

Well, folks there are people in the Anglican church and the R.C. church with little theology left after too much discussion and disection of the scripture. I would say about the recent disaster that its the way it goes in an imperfect world. It is not God's judgement on the people, en masse, but may be on some. It may be a sign of 'the end' and it may not. There have been disasters before eg the Californian earthquake, and there probably will be again. Its a great opportunity for us to show caring and to help re-build better places for the people left.

I suspect there are people in both churches who don't believe very much at all, (theologians), and some people who believe what they want to believe. I can understand that, but we have to go by the scripture. Maybe that's why the RCs and the Anglican get on so well, the leadership anyway, for there are considerable theological differences.

I believe that we are not meant to be all the same, especially in our worship style, but there is an essential core of beliefs for a Christian.

Lets get back to telling what we believe; its not always easy to put it into words but we should be able too.

Gary

# posted by Anonymous @ 7:11 am

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Saturday, January 08, 2005

Tsunamis - Confronting this horror

In today's Age, the philosopher's view (a philosopher from the Australian Catholic University, actually).

The best line of argument that the Christian tradition has developed is that the suffering caused by natural events is not a means that God uses to achieve some good end - as if God were the Great Utilitarian - but, rather, is a necessary feature of our being bodily creatures capable of thought and compassion. We cannot enjoy the beach at Phuket without the kinds of bodies we have; but those bodies make us vulnerable when a tsunami strikes. We grieve over the death of our loved ones; but without that suffering there can be no compassion for those who mourn.

# posted by geoff @ 10:43 am

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Friday, January 07, 2005

Trinity

The biblical basis of the Doctrine of the Trinity - good article.

# posted by geoff @ 2:37 pm

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The Sea - A Peaceful Place to Fear

On the day of the tsunamis, at the very midday hour here in Oz that all chaos was breaking loose elsewhere, we were enjoying a beachside meal at a restaurant L'Aquarium right on the sand at Sorrento. Could not imagine a more idyllic setting or occasion - good food and friends, sand and sun outside, and peaceful blue water calmly lapping while the dog sat under a shady tree on the sand.

Troy Broadbridge's dad had much the same to say of the beach at Phi Phi "When you look at this place, it's as peaceful and beautiful as any place on this earth. In a place like this it doesn't seem quite real yet." He is speaking, of course, of the spot where his son Troy, no.20 for the Melbourne Football Club, was cruelly taken by the tsunamis (leaving his wife of one week, Trisha, to recover alone). Football in 2005 will be a sadder affair for those of us who enjoyed watching Troy in action on the MCG last year - Troy's best for the club. A player of vitality and passion, who on occasions was capable of true brilliance.

Vale Troy Broadbridge!

In today's Age, an article Treacherous and Alluring Sea. It begins Joseph Conrad knew the power of the sea. "The ocean has the conscienceless temper of a savage autocrat spoiled by much adulation," he wrote in 1906. "He has gone on swallowing up fleets and men without his resentment being glutted by the number of victims."

While modern people tend to romanticise the ocean, not so our ancestors and particularly not so the Jews apparently. Traditionally they have feared the sea - it speaks to them of God's judgement. In fact, the sea represented chaos to the Hebrews and other ancients, and all water tragedies were regarded as forewarnings pointing to a final day of judgement!

The final storm will come on account of human sin - we must do as the disciples did in Matt8:23-27 (which wasn't just a few big waves, it was a "great storm" or megas seismos in Gk!) - call "Lord save us".

There are many quotes like "the ancient Hebrews feared and hated the sea and have never shown any evidence of being a sea-faring people..." and as Jenny Diski points out (book review "The Children of Noah: Jewish Seafaring in Ancient Times"), Noah was more a survivor than a sailor (although back on land, he did exhibit an elemental trait of the old seadog in getting blind pickled)!

And the reluctance of Jews to get their feet wet is rather useful today for a politician like Sharon: "the primary, and familiar, fear that Mr Sharon draws on, the one that allows him to claim all aggressive actions as defensive ones, is the fear that Israel's neighbours want to drive the Jews into the sea".

Quelle horreur!

Where Is God When Disaster Strikes?

# posted by geoff @ 1:48 pm

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Anglican Church Troubles

Gary,

Here's the link to the article by Rev Dr Paul Barker "Trouble in the Anglican Church".

There's some good lines:

The crucial issue facing the Anglican Church is the issue of authority. What is our final authority? Is it the Bible? Or is it our human reason and experience? Or is it church tradition? Often Anglicans say that it is a joint authority of all of these but this never works in practice for, in the end, one sole authority must be the determining factor even though the other factors play a role.

Though the symptoms of the current crisis are to do with sexuality, the issue is one of authority: what authority from God determines Christian standards, beliefs and behaviour?

Just as each of us remains imperfect, so too does any church or denomination. Inevitably we will live in and be part of an imperfect church where some of its members will uphold wrong practices and/or doctrine. So long as heresy and immorality is not forced on congregations, ministers or people, and the official statements of a church remain biblical, then I see every reason to stay within the church and seek to reform it from within.

# posted by geoff @ 11:43 am

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Monday, January 03, 2005

Holy Trin. Doncaster

The sign on the board at the front says,
"Holy Trinity Anglican Church meets here".

Its Paul's doing to say that the church is a group of people that meet at times in a certain place. Yes, genereally, they are a fine group of people. I hope that they live the Christian life in joy and service. I certainly know some people give a lot of time and some give the big dollars to the church each week. Two of the staff are unpaid: their husbands are on huge salaries and 'cover' their wives involvement in the church. On top of that they retired guy that co-ordinates the maintenance puts in a lot of hours, and so does the treasurer for the buildings are huge and the church owns four houses.

You don't need a big church to have good teaching, but it helps. Paul teaches a little at Ridley each semester, and is only away a little too. I believe that he sets the pace for the others who speak, one in recent years had some signs of laziness. He does a lot of things, and reads a lot too. I think that he gets by on a small amount of sleep. We are alike in a few ways.

# posted by Anonymous @ 8:14 pm

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Tsunamis and God

Here's how the recent tsunamis spoke, rather strongly, to me (written last Thursday, 30th Dec):

The slowly dawning realisation of the extent of devastation by the recent tsunamis in Asia has probably had us all thinking and asking some difficult questions.

In today's paper, news that the death toll is near to 70,000 and still rising, pictures of the unbelievably widespread destruction, personal stories of tragedy and of hope, and an article "Is God to Blame?"

An immediate response is awe at this demonstration of God's power - far greater than anything the biggest weapon of man could wreak. Scripture tells us that earthquakes are God's domain (as the newspaper article quotes from Job "God sends earthquakes and shakes the ground, he rocks the pillars that support the earth").

So, is God to blame? This is how it's been speaking to me, rather loudly. No, the blame is with man. God in Genesis 3:17 cursed the ground because of man's sin. God's creation was perfect, God pronounced it "good". In fact, very good. That doesn't sound like an earth wreaked by earthquakes and all the other natural disasters. And man was created in God's image, to live in this "good" creation, created to live as immortal beings in a perfect creation. No wonder, clothed in mortal sinful flesh, in a creation now cursed, we experience dissonance. God has made us for something far better.

I see the tsunamis as actually a merciful act by God. Why did those people in Asia perish and not us in Australia, for instance? Are we better humans in some way than them? Not at all. We too deserve and will experience the same wrath of God, very soon. Unless we heed the warnings given by a merciful God who by His grace gives us warnings and time to repent and turn to Him. These are warnings and time we don't deserve. They are acts of God's grace.

I do feel strongly that we as Christians need to be telling this urgent message to a world facing great and awful judgement.

The message that, with the coming of Christ, and particularly his death and resurrection, this is the beginning of the end of the curse on our world. We see merciful God holding out loving hope, amongst the most severe of warnings.

**********************************************************************************

And in today's paper "God alone knows why there is suffering on earth".

As Mike Raiter said at BHC, our world has heard the most terrifying clarion call these last few days, but who will listen? It is a wake-up call to a world under judgement - judgement that is imminent, hence there's nothing more urgent than proclaiming that message - for God has fixed the day!

And Paul Barker "It would have been terrifying on those beaches, watching the tsunamis coming - but it's more fearful to fall into the hands of judgement of the living God". What awaits (the world) is a fearful prospect of judgement (more fearful than the greatest tsunami, and absolutely certain.

**********************************************************************************

Looking to Jesus as our example in responding to this tragedy, we see that he didn't try to explain evil in the world but always sought ways to comfort those who suffer. While never ceasing to preach the need to repent and turn to God (such as in Luke 13:3-5, regarding another tragedy), he was always full of compassion!

"No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."

# posted by geoff @ 10:36 am

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Re: Happy New Year

Janice, thanks for your encouragement for us all to have a good 2005. Which we will do as we trust God, more deeply than ever before. Love to you and your family up in Sydney! (and don't over-do the sun - some of us can't afford to get any blonder!!)

# posted by geoff @ 9:54 am

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Re: After the convention

Gary, challenging words! BHC was good. Very good, actually. And you know what? Church (as Paul remarked when people compliment him on his "nice church", he replies "yes they are - some of them, anyway") is about people, us. And it's about fellowship and worship. Some forms (natural systems) are better at that. For instance, I'm not convinced that going along week after week in a big congregation, and listening (passively!!!) to others - generally the "big wigs" in our "church" - praying and speaking ("prophesying") is necessarily all that there can be to worship and close fellowship. BUT, such a set-up is very good for teaching (especially if you have Paul Barker doing the teaching). And of course, teaching is fine but as you say Gary, there's a life to be lived!

Over to you Gary (this could develop like a game of tennis - you serve one up, we return, volley - who's scoring???)

Michele, we met Jonathon last night - great kid. Know what? He knows Dave's sister, Carolyn. They both help out in the creche. We belong to a great family!

# posted by geoff @ 9:43 am

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After the convention

This is after the Belgrave Heights Summer Convention, some thoughts:

there were some excellent talks, notably by Paul Baker giving improved versions of the series of talks he gave at our church two months ago on the letter to the Hebrews. His talks are very structured, there are challenges usually done softly and there is a lack of leagalisms.

Some people I know went there a lot, ok that's what they want to do. I am fortunate in getting excellent teaching at church week after week.

We have to live the Christian life, Belgrave is very passive.

Sing 30 hymns or Christian songs in one session (just a slight exageration) isn't teaching, and to me is passive.

If you don't get something 'for you' from your church; change!

At the end Mike told us that we should fix up 'tonight' one thing wrong. God would do it. Only one thing. And what will change in my circumstances. Ten hours later I'm working on five, or have I taken 5 things to God and let Him work on them.

love Gary

# posted by Anonymous @ 5:25 am

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