Had an interesting night tonight. We have had a drumming solutions meeting to discuss systems for accounting and administration. We recieved some great advice off an accountant friend and there was alot of catching up and enjoyment. However I have come away feeling a little confused and in some ways less clear on how things will work.
In my experience, these times of confusion often have to happen for the next stage to take place, but at the time feel uncomfortable. It's a big amount of information flying at us, that we want to process straight away and have immediate answers, but actually we need to process everything, and take time to make informed decisions, and most importantly let God into our thinking. If your reading this and believe in prayer, please pray that God will direct drumming solutions. If you want to check out the website it's a link on the right.
Monday 23 February 2009
Sunday 22 February 2009
As I said in a previous post, I am going to use the content of an old note book that I found. In October 2005 I spoke at the University of Glamorgan Christian Union. The topic was How is Jesus relevant to us today? This is Part 1.
To start at the beginning I thought it was important to think about who Jesus is. Has there ever been a time in History when Jesus was not relevant or important to us as humans?
The Bible says that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (the past , the present and the future).
To go a bit deeper into this... The word used in the first verses in the Bible for God is the word (or name) Elohim. This name of God, Elohim, means God the Father, God the Son(Jesus) and God's Spirit. This is known as the trinity, meaning that God is three in one. These are three different aspects of God.
Jesus was God incarnate when He came down to earth. He was fully God, yet fully Human.
Also, in the Gospel of John chapter 1, we can exchange the word 'word' for Jesus. 'In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God, He was with God in the beginning.'
If Jesus was God coming down to earth, surely that is hugely relevant to us today!
To start at the beginning I thought it was important to think about who Jesus is. Has there ever been a time in History when Jesus was not relevant or important to us as humans?
The Bible says that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (the past , the present and the future).
To go a bit deeper into this... The word used in the first verses in the Bible for God is the word (or name) Elohim. This name of God, Elohim, means God the Father, God the Son(Jesus) and God's Spirit. This is known as the trinity, meaning that God is three in one. These are three different aspects of God.
Jesus was God incarnate when He came down to earth. He was fully God, yet fully Human.
Also, in the Gospel of John chapter 1, we can exchange the word 'word' for Jesus. 'In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God, He was with God in the beginning.'
If Jesus was God coming down to earth, surely that is hugely relevant to us today!
Friday 13 February 2009
As I said in my last post, I have found and old note book of talks that I did with my old youth group. Here's a talk I did in 2005 for Tonypandy Christian Union. As you can see, very topical. Can't believe that was four years ago.
There is much mystery surrounding the story of Valentines day. Valentine was at one time a very common name amongst Christians in Rome. In fact there were at least a few instances of Saints called Valentine being Martyred for their stand on particular issues to do with their Christian faith.
In A.D 270 , the emperor in Rome was Claudius II. He was only the emperor for 2 years then he died of smallpox. As was the tradition with Roman Emperors he wanted to be immortalised as Divine. In other words he wanted people to worship Him. Part of the law that he wanted to pass was to outlaw Christian worship and to outlaw marriage.
St Valentine stood up against these laws. He believed that people should be free to love God and to marry each other as the Bible taught. Valentine continued to Marry people and to worship the true creator God. In the end he was beaten, stoned and finally decapitated.
When in prison waiting to be executed, it is said that St Valentine fell in love with the jailers daughter. The night before his execution Valentine sent her a final farewell note. He signed it ‘From Your Valentine’.
Discussion points:
Have a look at Matthew 19 v 4-6 it tells how marriage should be. Discuss how the Creator intended marriage to be.
The creator made them male and female, a man will be united to his wife, they will become one and no man should try to separate them.
Valentines day in our culture has become more to do with Eros love, how does this differ from what St Valentine stood up for all those years ago.
What was the cost for St Valentine when he stood up for his faith?
What legislation should we be defending or standing up against in our society today?
There is much mystery surrounding the story of Valentines day. Valentine was at one time a very common name amongst Christians in Rome. In fact there were at least a few instances of Saints called Valentine being Martyred for their stand on particular issues to do with their Christian faith.
In A.D 270 , the emperor in Rome was Claudius II. He was only the emperor for 2 years then he died of smallpox. As was the tradition with Roman Emperors he wanted to be immortalised as Divine. In other words he wanted people to worship Him. Part of the law that he wanted to pass was to outlaw Christian worship and to outlaw marriage.
St Valentine stood up against these laws. He believed that people should be free to love God and to marry each other as the Bible taught. Valentine continued to Marry people and to worship the true creator God. In the end he was beaten, stoned and finally decapitated.
When in prison waiting to be executed, it is said that St Valentine fell in love with the jailers daughter. The night before his execution Valentine sent her a final farewell note. He signed it ‘From Your Valentine’.
Discussion points:
Have a look at Matthew 19 v 4-6 it tells how marriage should be. Discuss how the Creator intended marriage to be.
The creator made them male and female, a man will be united to his wife, they will become one and no man should try to separate them.
Valentines day in our culture has become more to do with Eros love, how does this differ from what St Valentine stood up for all those years ago.
What was the cost for St Valentine when he stood up for his faith?
What legislation should we be defending or standing up against in our society today?
Saturday 7 February 2009
An Old Notebook
I haven't been to school all week because of the snow. It's been a great time of getting on top of some things that I usually wouldn't do in the business of day to day life. Such as tidy up! I came across an old note book that I would use for making notes for a youth group I used to run.
The Bible says in Hebrews 2 verse 1 'We must pay more careful attention , therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.' I think it's going to be good to look back at what I have written in these devotions from the past to make sure that 'what I have heard, does not drift away'. It's like playing an instrument, the foundations are the most important thing, however much we have heard them.
My next few posts then, will be from this old notebook!
The Bible says in Hebrews 2 verse 1 'We must pay more careful attention , therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.' I think it's going to be good to look back at what I have written in these devotions from the past to make sure that 'what I have heard, does not drift away'. It's like playing an instrument, the foundations are the most important thing, however much we have heard them.
My next few posts then, will be from this old notebook!
Sunday 1 February 2009
6 Nations fever
So the RBS Six Nations tournament is starting again next week. I'm a huge rugby supporter and have been for as long as I can remember. I guess I grew up in the centre of the culture, going to school and playing with Welsh internationals such as Gethin Jenkins and Michael Owen and being in University with Ceri Sweeney. I also played against Gavin Henson and other players still playing top class rugby.
To me the interest isn't just who scores the best tries on the day and who gets the win, that's just the end product. The interesting and inspiring thing is the commitment to discipline and lifestyle choices these players put in every single day. The training, the diet, the attention to detail in video analysis and that's before the actual physcological and physical battering they get for 80 minutes. I find fly on the wall documaentaries of the lead upto big games intensely interesting.
As Disciples, we are called to have huge discipline in our lives. We are constantly having to over come temptation and grow through trials. We have a motivation that should far out way winning a Grand Slam and that is to fulfill our God given life purpose and have Him say to us when we meet Him face to face 'Well Done'.
Looking forward to the opening game a week today against Scotland. For the players, the preparation started weeks ago, all for a 80 minute performance. Come on Wales!
To me the interest isn't just who scores the best tries on the day and who gets the win, that's just the end product. The interesting and inspiring thing is the commitment to discipline and lifestyle choices these players put in every single day. The training, the diet, the attention to detail in video analysis and that's before the actual physcological and physical battering they get for 80 minutes. I find fly on the wall documaentaries of the lead upto big games intensely interesting.
As Disciples, we are called to have huge discipline in our lives. We are constantly having to over come temptation and grow through trials. We have a motivation that should far out way winning a Grand Slam and that is to fulfill our God given life purpose and have Him say to us when we meet Him face to face 'Well Done'.
Looking forward to the opening game a week today against Scotland. For the players, the preparation started weeks ago, all for a 80 minute performance. Come on Wales!
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