| 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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Thursday, May 19, 2011 For this, I have JesusFor this, I have JesusGeoff and Michelle, when Charles was here recently, he told us this story too. It really touched our hearts. I think it is a story worth the retelling as often as we can! # posted by Caroline @ 7:50 pm 0 commentsHello Gary, Michelle and Geoff ~ and others!I think of you all from time to time and just wanted to visit.Michelle, that 2008 post was not easy for you ~ what a tough year you had. How are you now? I would love to hear more from you Geoff, and Gary and anyone else! Personally, I, and my family are doing fine. We have had the mountain and valley experiences... in the past few years and I have no doubt they will still come for the rest of our time here! If anyone reads this, how about a little hello! I will come and check from time to time:) Love and Hugs to all, Caroline # posted by Caroline @ 7:48 pm 0 commentsThursday, January 31, 2008 New YearMichele,It's good to hear from you, albeit not happy news. Dreadfully sorry to hear about your Mother's passing. We missed you at Belgrave this year. Charles Price told of an old man he knew, in poor health who had a favourite saying that he printed and handed out on little yellow bookmarks. It is "For this, I have Jesus". That has undoubtedly been your strength & comfort in the past year! Love, Geoff # posted by geoff @ 11:46 pm 0 commentsWednesday, January 30, 2008 2007
# posted by shellymac @ 8:20 am 0 commentsMonday, December 10, 2007 Christmas Blessings!Carol, what a surprise. And thrill! Indeed this blog has spent a year in hibernation, on sabbatical, whatever. But it's still here (not sure how many former members still are?). And Gary is on our minds, now he's finished his BSF duties we hardly see him. Which needs rectifying.So Carol, co-founder of this little enterprise, special love and greetings your way, to your family, and to all who still drop by here. Gary, would love to hear from you, with some of your special thoughts on the validity and indeed importance of celebrations in the Christmas calendar such as Christmas. Geoff Labels: Christmas blessings # posted by geoff @ 5:00 pm 0 commentsThursday, November 29, 2007 Christ-masWow a whole year almost passed since the last post! I pray you are all well and flourishing in the Lord God and the Lord Jesus Christ. All the best for the Christ-mas season:)# posted by Caroline @ 2:36 pm 0 commentsMonday, January 08, 2007 Exclusive Brethren (again!)This odd sect has been in our newspapers quite a lot recently, both nationally (secret donations to political parties, cover-ups of immorality) and locally (they tend to congregate in clusters and we've got a couple of big clusters of them nearby - buying up all the houses in certain small areas, building unmarked "church gospel chapels" for their meetings). To the consternation of other neighbours.Here's a link to the most recent newspaper article, and a couple of para's from it: Former members tell of extraordinary restrictions on Brethren, who are told where to live and work and who to marry, and of the cruel and total ostracism of those who leave. Many mainstream Christians are a little embarrassed at what is being done by those claiming to share their religion and, with the wider community, a bit bewildered about what this narrow group is trying to achieve. So what's wrong with the Exclusive Brethren? The answer is right there in the name. If there's one thing that the founder of Christianity was not, it's exclusive. Jesus came in for considerable criticism for dining with prostitutes, tax collectors and others despised or ritually impure according to the religious rules of the day. The first Christians proclaimed the gospel as good news for all but especially for those on society's margins. It's always unattractive when religion is seen as something you "don't", as in don't drink, don't dance, don't smoke, don't gamble, don't borrow. That might generally be sound advice, but it is peripheral — to see it as the heart of Christianity (or Islam or Buddhism) is a serious error. The Exclusive Brethren's set of don'ts is formidable. On the proscribed list are television, radio, cinema, mobile phones, university education, health insurance, life insurance, membership of any union or professional association or sports club, short hair for women, long hair for men. Even pets are reportedly banned, because of an obscure verse in the book of Revelation. Exclusive Brethren cannot eat or drink with non-members, because their rules require them to be utterly separate. As one Melbourne theologian noted, the key verse in the Bible for them seems to be Matthew chapter 18, verse 17, "let (them) be unto thee as a heathen and a publican (tax collector)". I am quoting from the 1611 King James version so beloved of such fundamentalist groups. The article is by Barney Zwartz, religious editor for The Age. Anybody here had any experience with any exclusive brethren? Michele?? # posted by geoff @ 5:05 pm 0 commentsMonday, December 04, 2006 ROLL CALLRecently I had the experience of working at a polling booth on election day. A very busy area and on my table alone I had over 600 people come up to me. Several of the people who came up to have their name marked on the electoral roll were quite upset when their name could not be found. I was able to direct them to the appropriate people to attend to them.It was a long day and challenging and I would be very happy to do it again. But it got me thinking..... What will it be like for those who go to see if their name is in The Lamb's Book of Life only to find no record. Their grief, agony, regret will come too late. They will remember when they rejected Christ, but it will be too late to do anything. They will be doomed to a Christless eternity. A very sobering thought. So often at this time of year (amid all the stress that comes with it) people's minds are turned towards the Babe in Bethlehem. They think it's a nice story and feel that if they attend midnight mass or church that all will be well. Don't we, as Believers, have a responsibility to bring the Good News of Jesus to them. To show them that Christmas without Easter means nothing, for the reason why Christ was born, was to ultimately die for our sins that we might have new life, and hear our names when 'the Roll is called up yonder.' We are joining with 3 other churches this year to hold an Evangelistic Carols in the Centreway on the 16th. A big undertaking, but we have an opportunity to share in the Good News (again amid all that stress!) # posted by shellymac @ 5:42 pm 0 commentsSaturday, September 23, 2006 Exclusive Brethren in the News There's heaps on them in today's Age exposé. This on their financial accountability: THE leaders of secretive Christian sect the Exclusive Brethren enrich themselves to the tune of millions of dollars a year, tax free, by drawing systematic donations from their flock. Former Australian Brethren leader Ron Fawkes told The Age that a previous world leader, American James Symington, boasted of buying 600 hectares of prime North Dakota ranch land out of the proceeds of the donations. Mr Fawkes was excommunicated in 1984 and cannot comment on the size of gifts going to the current "Elect Vessel" of the church, Sydney office equipment supplier Bruce Hales, but believes they would be worth millions of dollars a year (that's Hales and his family in the pic). "I was very close to Symington. He received big money. I estimated at that stage, in the 1980s, that it was well over a million a year," Mr Fawkes said. The group also claims council rate exemptions on each of their dozens of parcels of land in Australian capital cities on the grounds that they are used for religious worship. The closed and immensely wealthy Exclusive Brethren have been outed recently as spending large sums trying to influence elections in the US, Australia, New Zealand and, most recently, Sweden. The Age discovered that the Brethren were planning a foray into Victorian state politics with a campaign in support of Nationals leader Peter Ryan, and against the Greens. Then this on how they regard the rest of us: IN THE minds of the 40,000 or so worldwide devotees of Bruce Hales, the world is divided into "us", the Exclusive Brethren, who live in the light of God's love, and "them", the rest of the community. Only through this, the doctrine of separation, can the Brethren be understood. "You come in touch with worldly people; if you get a little close to them, you'll have some sense of defilement," says Hales in one of his regular sermons. In this singular scripture, Hales, a tangle-tongued Sydney office equipment supplier, is the direct spiritual descendant of the sect's biblical hero, St Paul; he is God's representative on Earth, the only route to salvation. The Exclusive Brethren's God is judgemental and interventionist, particularly in politics. "We do not mix in politics; we are not of the world; we do not vote," said church founder John Nelson Darby in 1878. And some history of the practice of 'shunning': WHEN a pair of Exclusive Brethren came to visit Melbourne Presbyterian minister Rowland Ward they refused even a cup of tea. As a member of the Free Church, Ward is about as theologically conservative as a Protestant can get, but he wasn't pure enough for them. "A cup of tea is fellowship, and that's not acceptable — they have to be utterly separate," says Ward, author of Religious Bodies in Australia. They believe purity comes by separating from evil people and associations — everyone outside the group. They are called exclusive, in contrast with other brethren groups, because they shun anyone outside their teaching, including other Christians. They believe this brings them closer to God. Exclusive Brethren say the Bible is the literal, inspired Word of God, but they interpret it very narrowly. Worship is simple, with no ritual or liturgy, and women may not preach or pray aloud. They have two distinctive beliefs, according to Ward. First, they have no clergy, because the New Testament talks of the priesthood of all believers. The second is a particular theory about how the world will end, called pre-millennialism, which focuses on certain Bible prophecies they think are yet to be fulfilled. According to this theory, Christians will be lifted out of the world by God in a "rapture", the rest of the world will suffer a period of intense tribulation, then Christ will come again and rule for 1000 years from Jerusalem before a final apocalyptic battle with evil. (Some other Christians also believe this scenario, which is filled out in the Left Behind series of novels, which have sold more than 60 million copies.) The Brethren movement began in Ireland about 1830, as a reaction to the low spiritual state of the churches. According to Religious Bodies, they wanted a fresh start, without authority, precedent or guidance beyond the letter of the Bible. The early leaders were mostly university-trained, and the various groups of Brethren have always been a middle and upper-middle class movement. But with no structure for resolving conflicts, there have been many splits, the first in 1848. Exclusive Brethren followed one leader, J. N. Darby, who believed that existing church organisations were doomed and that true Christians must have nothing to do with them. He died in 1881, and his followers divided in 1885, 1890 and 1908, with another group splintering off in 1970. Because of the insistence on avoiding evil, when members leave the group they are shunned to avoid contaminating the others. And finally, some of the thoughts of Chairman Hales: On the world: See, it's whether I can pour scorn on the world, look at the world as an utter object of contempt as I go through the streets and the book-stalls and anywhere I go, and through the crowds, and I look at the world as an utter and absolute object of contempt, because it's already been judged… To be intelligent as to that, the world has no grip on you, it's utterly demeaning for a Christian to be sucked in by the world. On avoiding contamination by "worldly" people: It's really by the power of the Holy Spirit. It says, greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. And that forces these wicked worldly people back. You don't need to know that they're wicked or whatever, but it forces them back, and you're in control, you're superior, I mean morally. They might have a point about mobile phones...! # posted by geoff @ 10:21 am 0 commentsWednesday, September 20, 2006 Exclusive Brethren & Politics They're getting involved in politics down here, and quite a powerful lobby group it seems on account of their wealth and zealous views. From today's news (The Age), there are some typical cultish responses by the Brethren: Sydney businessman Warwick John, styled as a "church spokesman", said he knew nothing about the meetings when contacted yesterday by The Age. He also declined to identify any of the church's Victorian leaders, and said nobody from the church would be interested in talking to the media. "The facts are twisted. You are taking information from four or five disaffected people who have left the fellowship, who cast innuendo and spread false stories," he said before hanging up. Athol Greene, a church elder and the father-in-law of the sect's supreme leader, "Elect Vessel" Bruce Hales, said The Age's questions were "over my head", adding, "I'm sorry, I'm a very old man, I'm 74". And some cultish practices: The Age was denied entry last night to a meeting of hundreds of sect members at their main hall in Pascoe Vale, at which the men were neatly dressed in collared shirts and the women wore headscarves. A guard on the gates, Henry Burgess, said it was a public meeting of worshippers but "we have a set way of doing things", including making an appointment and being interviewed by "a couple of us" before being permitted to enter a meeting. "This is a Christian group. We are believers in the Lord Jesus; you could be the most corrupt person in Melbourne. Do you think we'd let anyone in?" Mr Burgess said. When the reporter tried to walk down the driveway anyway, four heavies came out of the dark and escorted them off the "private" property. Why on earth would a real Christian group try to stop "the most corrupt person" from getting in? Thought that was the purpose of Christianity, to reach out to corrupt people. As Cameron the chaplain to the Melbourne Football Club ("The Demons") said, in response to a query as to what's a good Christian doing associating with a club whose nickname is Demons, where better for a Christian to be than mixing amongst the Demons in this world (and presenting what we are created to present, the image of God in such an environment). Cameron incidentally challenged us men to get out from the cosy four walls of church, to take up the challenge of being Christians where we really can make a difference. He quoted Leigh Matthews quoting General Patton: "Accept the challenge. Be prepared for the depression of failure, in order to experience the exhileration of victory". And thus it is in our Christian lives... # posted by geoff @ 5:38 pm 0 commentsMonday, September 18, 2006 Steve Irwin again.It's Monday night and an old Bible College friend from 30 years ago rang me up. During our conversation we talked about Steve Irwin and the e-mail that was forwarded on to me. Bruce then told me that their church in Queensland has looked into this report (that Steve Irwin gave his life to Christ) and says that it is apparantly a hoax. Terry does attend different churches at times, so I guess there has been truth mingled with untruth.So now I'm in the dumps again. Why on earth do people have to say things like this if they aren't true?? # posted by shellymac @ 9:49 pm 0 commentsPope - Infallible But Still SorryFor Protestants like myself, the notion of an infallible Pope is rather weird. On account of being deeply aware of human inadequacies, even in the strongest of faith (like Abraham and Jacob, for starters...) Still, they really believe it. Just today my RC mate informed me (with a smug grin) that as far as the Pope goes, "whatsoever he binds on earth is bound in heaven, and whatever he looses on earth..." As he said, what power! I asked "what if he gets it wrong" and the response "that's not possible"! And he wasn't joking.So, rather incongruous (but somehow reassuring) to read today that the Pope is sorry for a mistake he feels he's made. I know infallibility only extends so far, but a papal apology is surely newsworthy. And while he's at it, why stop there? There's the crusades, the inquisition, myriads of burnings of "heretics" at the stake,... Guess I shouldn't quibble, we've got a PM who can't even get the word "sorry" out, his teeth are gritted so hard... # posted by geoff @ 8:14 pm 0 commentsIrwin Michele, here's a pic to go with your post on Steve Irwin. Gary can't post here, something mucked up. I've restarted him but he needs some encouragement to get his enthusiasm back. He's at church tonight (and we're on hol's from BSF - ha!) BTW do you still want to work on the election, as a polling official on Nov 25th? Gary is planning to, me also (have done for many years now and enjoy it). If so, let me know and I have a friend who can organise it! # posted by geoff @ 8:05 pm 3 commentsSunday, September 17, 2006 Steve IrwinThis past couple of weeks has seen two famous Australians die. One was Steve Irwin, a unique man, full of vitality and enthusiasm for wildlife and nature. The other was Peter Brock, a racing car driver.This really stunned me - especially the death of Steve Irwin and I said to my mother that sometimes I don't understand God. Why should Steve die at such a young age, with a loving family, when rapists and murderers live to 100. Fortunately the decision is not up to us, and we have to accept that God is in control even though we do not understand. Yesterday I received this email. I cannot say for sure that it is true, but if it is then Praise The Lord!.......... Decision for Christ. Fantastic News. It appears confirmed that Steve Irwin became a born again Christian two and a half weeks ago at the Kings Church AOG, Buderim, QLD, going forward publicly before the congregation to ask Christ to become his Lord and Saviour. Many of us will now spend eternity with him. I am sure Terri is comforted as a Christian, in the fact that she will be with Jesus and also Steve again, for eternity. Steve declared the day before he died, that he was the happiest he had ever been in his whole life. Terri is known around the Sunshine Coast area for making surprise visits to local churches, bringing her children Bindy and Bob with her. # posted by shellymac @ 6:58 pm 0 commentsMonday, July 17, 2006 Armageddon - Coming Soon to a Screen Near You?? I'm wondering how folks here are viewing the latest Israeli/Arab conflict? Some Christians I've raised it with over the past few days have the attitude "so what, just another uprising in a long list of similar events" and "what else should we expect?" Well, yes. Except, in my understanding, one day something like this will happen and it won't be just another kerfuffle between the descendants of Ishmael and Isaac, but the start of a big stoush at Megiddo (which must be somewhere near to where the current battle is being fought?). Culminating in the return of Christ and God's battle to destroy evil once and forever. When that happens, will we be lulled into thinking, it's just another skirmish in a long list, and miss many of the signs that we could be looking for? And of course, this could just be it?! Another interesting question is how long can Iran keep out of this current fighting? Israel believes they're in it already: Iran was thrust to the forefront of the widening conflict on Saturday when Israel and the US blamed it for supplying Hezbollah with sophisticated weapons to fight a proxy war against the Jewish state. Israeli intelligence claimed that 100 Iranian Revolutionary Guards were in Lebanon helping Hezbollah, and that their weapons would enable Hezbollah to strike with devastating force at Israel's armed forces and civilian population as far south as the capital, Tel Aviv.  And Israel believes that their warship was hit by an Iranian missile: Israeli Brigadier-General Ido Nehushtan, claiming that the weapon was a Chinese-designed, Iranian-made C-80 radar-guided missile, said: "We can confirm that (the ship) was hit by an Iranian-made missile launched by Hezbollah. "We see this as a very profound fingerprint of Iranian involvement in Hezbollah." At the same time US intelligence agencies claimed that Iran might have supplied some of its more lethal and up-to-date weapons to Hezbollah. They include two that can carry a warhead of up to 90 kilograms — the Fajr-3 missile, with a range of 40 kilometres; and the Fajr-5, with a range of about 72 kilometres. And of course there are equally belligerent words from Iran: IRAN has warned Israel of "unimaginable losses" if the Israelis attack Syria, adding that the Islamic republic is "standing by the Syrian people". Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said last night that Hezbollah would not be disarmed despite calls from Israel and the US.  How long can Israel keep pounding Lebanon, with so many civilian and child casualties? Looking at today's photos of the carnage, it's hard to imagine the feelings of ordinary Lebanese - must be a miserable way to start the week, coming out to drive to work and finding your car in a watery bomb crater. So, will cool heads prevail? Are there any in the Middle East?? [And as it's been the topic of BSF these past weeks, a question they don't ask or answer - who exactly are "Arabs", strictly only descendants of Ishmael, or do they include all the other Egyptians alive at the time (and their descendants)?? Reading today's newspapers, Abraham and Sarah have a lot to answer for, getting Hagar involved in their family business!] # posted by geoff @ 12:14 pm 0 commentsSunday, July 02, 2006 Quite rightWell, I did send off two things with nothing in them. That would be right, I'm a boring old bloke with nothing to say, doing nothing interesting, but trying to get by, to earn a dollar and pay the bills. And perpetually tired too!Gary # posted by Anonymous @ 7:44 am 0 commentsFriday, June 30, 2006 friday night 2# posted by Anonymous @ 8:40 pm 0 commentsfriday night# posted by Anonymous @ 8:40 pm 0 commentsWednesday, June 28, 2006 The right attitudeAustralia has become a nation of complaining people, the last great incident being the penalty a the end of the World Cup match with Italy. One: sport always has some dubious decisions by umpires, live with it. Two: all through the game the referee was penalising sliding tackles, he wanted the players on their feet and by the end of the game the Australians should have had that clear. Three: I thought it was harsh sending off the Italian player just after half time. And we couldn't capitalise on the advantage of an extra player.So we have a nation of complainers. Worse still we have a nation who seem blame God when things go wrong. I doubt it. Things do go wrong, its a world out of harmony. Live with that too, Australians, like umpiring decisions in the World Cup. # posted by Anonymous @ 8:28 pm 0 commentsSaturday, June 10, 2006 the world game'We support the SocceroosThey're from the land of the kangaroos Well the World Cup has started and already there has been some great play, some marvellous goals, lots of color in the crowd. I started as a junior with Warragul United Soccer Club and was a founding member of the soccer league in Warrnambool. Sport sometimes shows that people have marvellous abilities. Yet why do some get so fanatical, and why do they only follow when a team is successful. Is it about belonging, acceptance, success, people of all ages and backgrounds together....... Some aspects for churches to be about. Do they ...... The Aussies will go in hard and wreck 'em They're all as good as David Beckham! # posted by Anonymous @ 8:00 pm 1 comments |
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