Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Sign Of Things To Come? A Typical CD Note Taking Session

I guess this is something I should have been doing throughout the year to keep a record of the sort of things I come across as I do my daily stuff. I’ll look into doing that in 2009. In the meantime here’s an insight in a typical day’s notes that I’m taking … completely unedited so there.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
dmcd

· Naked Pastor does some good cartoons and this one is a good example.
· Piper’s done it again – what did they pray for in the NT? Ah here it is.
· Don’t know if I’m going to do a reading plan for 2009, but if I do I’ll take this on board.
· Not silent but holy – good way of putting it.
· So there was a conference dealing with an issue close to my sin, so their findings will be of interest.
· As Hughie prepares to start what could be the most important series of teachings our young church engages in based on the authority of scripture, the article on Evangelical Outpost sums up what I’d been looking at yesterday and the day before concerning Lisa Miller’s misguided riposte to the Christian approach to homosexuality and marriage.
· I’ve been advised by a good source to check this site, so I will.
· Another good cartoon about the birth of the Saviour.
· Faith and repentance. A phrase I’ve read and heard quite a lot recently and in my current mind-set is something very challenging. It’s not a one off thing but an ongoing behaviour – it’s what I keep on doing. I turn from what I think towards God and I believe what He says. I turn to God and believe Him on what He says I should do as a worker, husband, father, brother, teacher, student and follower of Christ. It’s something I do. It’s something we do. It’s something we call others to do. It’s something that can only be done by the power of the Spirit by the preaching of the gospel as that’s the only way to connect to God recognising where people are currently looking and where they need to be looking. That’s why the three lessons I’m scheduled to teach are so important. I don’t do it – the Spirit does it.
· Wow – this is a heavy approach to the whole homosexuality issue. Again, though it is spot on, biblically rich and spiritually balanced in sharing what His nature is all about. When I read it though I find that the advice given is applicable to any sin – not just homosexuality. Quality stuff.
· More by Carl Trueman on the above subject – all playing into our understanding of the importance of the authority of scriptures and a right way of reading it.
· Pip Wilson – youth work legend – has a blog. Apparently its worth my while checking it.
· This definition of agnosticism is crucial for our engagement with unbelievers – it’s not that they’re undecided – they have decided that it’s not worth making a decision on it.
· Yep I read The Shack. Yep I thought it was a good book. Yep it is a book I would recommend to others. Similarly I’d also recommend serious Christians to check this out as well to get a balanced approach on it.
· Making much out of God and not of ourselves has to be the spring from which we do life.
· In line with our year of Compassion in 2009 I’m thinking of the morning session looking at episodes where compassion is mentioned and the first one I thought we would look at was Luke 15. This blog entry appears to confirm especially that last parable which for some reason we’ve only entitled the Prodigal Son.
· One of the key reasons for doing this series of basics now is that people need to know why they believe what they believe before they can share it. Reading the news of the students at university only reinforces that and I know full well that’s not just a student thing at all.I have seen some things in my time. I’ve heard some things in my time. I have never ever come across a network that would put on someone whose position completely opposes the network. If there is anyone who would be against TBN it would be John MacArthur. So who does Kirk put on TBN? Watch this and get back to me! Wowsers! Now especially check the second clip and here the reference to Luke 4 (Jesus goes to his home town and tells them …) Now that opened my understanding to the section in a way I had never read it before! Jesus is telling His own people that He fulfils the scripture to help those in chains and blind – which is His own people which wouldn’t have gone down too well.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

A Reflection with Beautiful Saviour by Stuart Townend

It's been quite a year. I look at the entries this year and compare them to last year and the yar before and it's clear that I haven't posted as often as I would have liked to. I mean virtually one every week? Not good enough at all. What makes it all the more sad is that I've been making copious personal notes over the year and some cool links to fascinating sites only some of which I get to mention either on this blog or on me Facebook profile. Not it's not been the kinda blog year I was hoping for as I looked at 2008 from December 2007.

For all that though I am thankful for the year. It has brought up some amazing experiences and some tough challenges and it wouldn't be possible to put them together in this post. Tragedy struck recently when me laptop refused to work and me hard-drive malfunctioned. We are praying the prayer of faith for it's resuscitation so that I may successfully remove over 90GB worth of material that would otherwise be consigned to history. You don't want that. I don't want that. We don't want that, so we'll keep on storming the mercy seat for help in our time of need.

Thankfully though whereas on previous occasions this would be a travesty and disaster on the scale of the Titanic, because of the year that's been about Christ it puts a larger perspective on things. After all, one day the hard-drive, laptop and earth will come to an end and only what I've done for Christ will last. I tust and hope that in the year to come both online and especially on this blog I'll be able to do more for Christ in conveying the good news and sharing my own experiences through that.

In the meantime, should I not blog again before the year's end. Thanks for reading and viewing and commenting where you have. Let's hope for more of the good stuff in the time to come. I as ever look forward with a great deal of optimism to what we're about to recieve and trustthat you'll get something that will allow you to enjoy life and make the most of it.

For His Name's Sake
Shalom
dmcd

Monday, December 29, 2008

jon Gibson On Calvary

I'm not sure if I've posted this already and to be frank I don't care if I have. As I reach the end of the year this song remains one of the most important ones I've ever heard. It says so much about what Jesus means to me, what He's done for me and the reason why I want to live my life in gratitude for all of that. JG puts it together in this track so simply and movingly in the melody that whenever I get too self-absorbed it pierces through with the Christ-centredness that I so desperately need to put things in their proper perspective. It is a candidate for track of the year - more importantly it is also a candidate for track of my life so far. I'm grateful to God to allow me to live to hear it and be so blessed by it. I trust that you likewise will be challenged to rejoice in the God of our salvation. Enjoy.

For His Name's Sake
Shalom
dmcd

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Doing What On A Harmonica?

This is not what I was expecting from a harmoica player, but then I also should have known with it being at the world famous Carnegie Hall.

For His Name's sake
Shalom
dmcd

Monday, December 01, 2008

John Piper - How Does God Build Faith?

Ouch.

For His Name's Sake
Shalom
da man cd