A Dad's Wise Advice

When I was a young boy, one of the most profound pieces of advice my father ever gave to me was this:

Don’t form an opinion on someone based on the words of someone else.

For 20 odd years, I enjoyed playing cricket with various clubs. Every Saturday morning, I can still remember the smell of the fly repellent, the fresh dew on the grass at 8am, and chatting and laughing with my buddies. The regular butterflies in my stomach in some ways still haunt me as I prepared to pad up to face the first ball of the day. Whether I was out in the middle batting, bowling or fielding, or whether I was sitting with my team mates waiting to bat, cricket was great fun.

I recall my very first game at Llandilo against Nepean Youth Club. They were formidable opponents. We fielded first. When it was time to bat, I pleaded with Mr Hadler to let me open the batting. He accepted. I remember racing out to the middle to face the first ball. On a score of 1 run, my team mate hit the ball straight back to the bowler, and in my haste to be on strike, I started running. Much like most of my running between the wickets in my grade days, I was run out from an utterly suicidal attempt at a run. Ha! Those were fond memories.

With these pleasant memories, playing cricket for many years also exposed me to the dark side of the sport. It wasn’t the actual game that was ‘dark’, but rather the politics of the selections and so on. The politics of the game brought the worst out in people. Good mates would turn on one another, dragging down people who had nothing to do with the disagreement.

I can still recall the time when the Penrith Junior Cricket Association elected a new President, Mr Clarence. He revolutionised many aspects of the club, drawing new sponsors, innovations and interests in the club. These changes allowed more boys who did not make the first XI to be involved in representative cricket. I benefitted from this when I was in the Under 13s, playing in the IDCA comp that year.

With the revolutionary changes, though, came the opponents. Many people had negative things to say about Mr Clarence, some perhaps may have been warranted. Though, even when I was inclined to agree with the petty gossip, my father, however, was very quick to redirect me to think about the interactions I had had with Mr Clarence as opposed to blindly following what other people had to say about him. “Clarence seems alright to me”, my dad would say. “Don’t listen to what others say, Rhys”.

We humans have a nasty knack of blindly believing and following others. A great deal of the time, we are persuaded by the petty, agenda laden gossip, aimed at turning one against another. The poison tends be proceeded by a gentle and seductive, “You won’t believe what I heard…”. It’s in our workplaces, our clubs, all over the media and into our homes.

Now, take that poison we’ve all been dosed up with and consider how much of it has persuaded you and your perceptions about God. I wonder how much you truly know about what Christianity actually teaches about God? I wonder whether you have ever considered who God is and what He desires. We all have some theological understandings, from believing in an all-powerful deity, to believing in not believing in a deity, pardon my play on words. But, just how much have your perceptions about the divine been shaped by the unguided and misleading popular media. I wonder whether you’ve based these beliefs about God on what someone else has said rather than just listening to God himself.

One of the most provocative stories in the Bible is about the interaction between God and his first people, Adam and Eve. After crafting all that exists, God carefully and wonderfully created humans in his image (Genesis 1:26). God then placed the first humans into an abundant paradise, filled with sumptuous treasures. God personally related with them, protecting and providing for their every need.

As the story progresses, we meet the ultimate chaos agent, the serpent. Rather than being a faithful member of God’s creation, the serpent worked towards forming a wedge between God and his image bearers. The serpent, just like the gossipers we encounter day after day, whispered the most manipulative words – “Did God really say; He is holding you back from reaching your potential; You can be just like God!” Rather than trusting in the integrity of God first hand, the first humans rejected Him in open rebellion. They based their opinion of God on what someone else had told them.

To not know God is a product of our rebellion. To not seek to know God is an outworking of our rebellion. Ignorance, as they say, is bliss, but ignorance does not hold up in court. This world and everything in it belongs to God. You and I belong to God and a day of reckoning has been set when we will give an account for the way we have lived the life God has given us. This life only has meaning when we are plugged into following God’s plans and purposes. But how can one do this without knowing God and what He wants? Rather than rely on what God has said about himself, we tend to rely on what others have said about Him. I’m sure you’ve heard all too often, “God wouldn’t care if I did this”, or “God isn’t like that”. Honestly, how would you know whether God would care or what he’s like if you don’t even know Him?

My father’s wise words still ring true. Rather than go to someone else to know about God, a more productive thing to do would be to ask yourself what does God actually say about himself. Christians, for two thousand years, have believed that the Bible is the inspired words of God. They believe that if you want to know God, then reading the Bible is the answer as in it, God reveals himself through them, ultimately pointing to Jesus, God incarnate.

So, finally, what’s my point? The Bible has a huge amount to say about God and our relationship with Him. The challenge I have for you is do you actually know what the Bible has to say about God? Have you ever sat down and actually studied it? Are you going to take ‘my dad’s wise advice’ and take God for face value, or will you rely on what others have said about Him?

Psalm 100 - Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture….. For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Have a Merry Christmas

Immortality: There can be only one!

Have you ever seen the movie, “Highlander”? It was a pretty entertaining movie starring Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery.

The premise of Highlander: Once, there lived men and women who possessed the ability to live forever. The only way these people could die was to be decapitated. The ultimate goal of these individuals, however, was to kill one another until only one was remaining, whom would receive the prize of mortality.

The movie does something so interesting. It takes something we all desire, that being the ability to postpone death, and then the movie twists it. Instead of living forever, these people wanted to die.

The movie is a bit of Hollywood fun, but, I’m sure you don’t really want to die. Like you, I don’t want to die, nor do I want to see the ones I love die. But, sadly death is a reality; one that seems unescapable.

However, what if I told you that you could live forever? Would you take it?

What if I told you your loved ones could live forever? Would you want it for them as well?

I was reading the bible this morning and I found this verse:

In the way of righteousness there is life;Along that path is immortality (Proverbs 12:28)

Immortality can be ours!!! All we need to be is righteous. Simple, right?

The Hebrew and Greek words used in the bible for “righteous”, basically mean “innocent”. To have immortality, you need to be innocent.

Do you know anyone who is innocent? Do you know someone who has never told a lie, stolen something, hated someone, looked at porn, been drunk, cheated someone or so on and so on? I sure have not known anyone like this, including me.

The Good News is that God has made it possible for the guiltiest of us to have immortality:

The righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe (Romans 3:22)

Like you, I’m not innocent. Therefore, according to the Christian Bible, I don’t deserve immortality. But the verse from Romans states that God can make you and me innocent. This innocence comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

So, back to that question from before – Do you want to live forever? You can have it. It comes through faith, or trust, in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Yes, we will still die in this life, but death will not keep us. There is hope. Rather than death, we can have life after death. Additionally, God promises that life after death will take place in a perfect paradise! A paradise where people will know and love God and a place where people with love one another perfectly.

You can be immortal! I want it; you want it. Even, your family can have immortality. Why not share this amazing news about Jesus with your family this Christmas!

Christmas: A great time to reflect

Christmas is here again. Along the same lines as Ricky Bobby explained in Talladega Nights, it’s time to give thanks for Baby Jesus!

In days gone by, before the ideology of “Political Correctness” took a grip on Western Society, Christmas was about remembering the arrival of the promised King, Jesus.

Now, Christmas is a great time to stop and reflect on what Christians actually believe about this man named Jesus.

So, Christians believe: 

• God created the Universe and everything in it, including us
• The picture at the beginning of the bible is that of God loving, providing, caring for, protecting, teaching etc his people
• In turn, as the creator, God is to be worshipped; put first in our lives; loved; revered; enjoyed, honoured

• All of humanity has rejected God
• We have made for ourselves other gods that take the place of the true creator God
• In the past, humans worshipped the stars, statues, animals etc
• Now, we worship money, sport, alcohol, power, status, technology, sex and the list goes on
• This is called sin. We separate ourselves from God
• As a result, we die spiritually and eventually physically

• God puts into effect a plan to rescue his people whom he created and loves
• This is what the Old Testament in your bible is all about
• God will come and rescue His people from their sin

• Jesus is God, the creator of the universe and rescuer of his people
• About 2 000 years ago, a baby was born
• This baby was the promised King, the fulfilment of the Old Testament

• Jesus lived the perfect life and died a sinners death
• Jesus did not sin, yet he died

• Jesus rose from the grave
• Although he died, he was resurrected bodily
• Completing the rescue mission

• God’s people, Christians, have eternal life after death
• The Christian’s sins were paid for by Jesus’s death on the cross
• Jesus defeated death by rising again
• Christians will be raised like Jesus was when he returns

• Jesus saved us so that we can live for him
• The New Testament explains what this looks like

In summary, Christmas is a great time to reflect upon Jesus and the true Christian message.

When you reflect, I wonder whether you agree these eight points and how they have or have not shaped your life.

If these have not shaped your life, start celebrating because Christmas is all about new beginnings and fresh starts in the King, Jesus.

Christmas and Gifts

If you are like me at this time of the year, you are probably thinking about gifts, family and what gift to give to which person.
 
Consider this, for a moment. There is a deeply moving scene in the Gospel of Mark, where we encroach upon a meeting between Jesus and some men. Suddenly, a poor woman enters, approaching Jesus while he sat, conversing with his company. The woman, who by entering into the presence of these men bravely violated many traditions, broke open an alabaster flask of ointment and poured it over Jesus.

This gesture of generosity washes quickly over our heads. Please understand a couple of key points here. Firstly the woman was poor; secondly, she broke open an alabaster flask and, thirdly, she poured the contents over Jesus’s body.

COOL FACT 1: An alabaster flask was a type of ancient jar, usually sealed, used for holding oils, perfumes and ointments. Alabaster was an expensive and rare material, similar to calcium and marble.

COOL FACT 2: The ointment, contained in the flask which the woman poured on Jesus, was nard, which too, was very expensive. It was used for moisturising, deodorising and comforting a guest after a long journey on foot.

In Mark, we see a poor woman, breaking open an expensive, precious flask, then pouring the valuable, most costly contents over Jesus. This, as I hope you see, is a huge sacrifice for a woman with very little. It’s like someone off the street, taking a bottle of Clive Christian’s Imperial Majesty Perfume, worth more than $200 000, taking it to some person they’ve probably never met, and pouring it over them in one hit.

Hint, hint - Christmas and gifts. Fret not, I’m not asking you to buy me a bottle of Imperial Majesty Perfume; I’m not even asking you to focus on the woman’s gesture. In actual fact, I want you to consider the woman’s most sacrificial motive.

By breaking the alabaster flask and pouring the ointment over Jesus’s feet, the woman is making a huge statement. More valuable than a rare and precious material or an expensive perfume, what Jesus offers is something that is far more treasured than anything else in our lives. Jesus offers us eternal life with him.

What the woman saw in Jesus was more than just a “nice guy” with some cool teachings. More deeply, she saw God, giving the ultimate gift: His life instead of ours – on the cross – suffering for those who trust him.

Now, this Christmas, while you do all your Christmas shopping, take some time to remember what the woman saw in Jesus. Remember the ultimate gift, waiting for you in Jesus!

Merry Christmas!

REF: Mark14:3-9

Jesus and Santa: Are they connected?

As Christmas is just around the corner, I thought I might share a couple of musings with you. One could be fooled into thinking that Santa and Jesus share something in common. They do both seem to be celebrated over the Christmas period. But, is there really a substantial connection between the two, or is it all just coincidence?

Growing up, I always thought Jesus and Santa must be connected. I believed that Jesus was born the King of Israel and Santa brought presents to celebrate his birth. If I was good, like Jesus wanted, I would receive a present from Santa. Perhaps, that is the connection between Jesus and Santa? Santa is Jesus' kind of henchman, delivering presents to 'good' god-fearing people, right? 

Obviously, this connection is not the case. Jesus and Santa, as you will clearly see, share nothing in common and I would like to demonstrate how. Let’s do a comparison between the two:

Jesus	Santa
Jesus died on the cross to give eternal life to those who don’t deserve it.	Santa gives gifts to only those who are good, those who deserve it; he gives coal to bad people.
Jesus teaches that all are unworthy (essentially evil).	Santa teaches that some of us are good and some are bad.
Jesus is loving towards those who don’t deserve it.	Santa is judgemental and intolerant.
Jesus is a historical figure. He lived, died and rose again to bring his followers to worship God.	Santa is a myth, perpetrated by and proclaimed to bring glory to the false god of consumerism.

Clearly, Jesus and Santa, theologically and ideologically speaking, are opposed to one another. And, obviously, no one actually follows Santa, religiously speaking, unlike Jesus. But, each year, children are, I'll label, indoctrinated into waiting for this big fat man to arrive. They are taught that if they are good, they will receive a gift. Whereas Jesus calls on us to rely and trust in him. Santa is worshipped as some sort of hero, thus robbing Jesus from his glory and honour. It sounds a little extreme, but just consider these things for awhile. 

So, who will you celebrate, or encourage your kids to celebrate this Christmas? Will it be a historical, generous man, who gave his life for you? Or will it be a big, fat, intolerant, judgemental man, who does not really exist?

In conclusion, Jesus offers to those who don’t deserve it eternal life; that’s you and me!! The error in the thinking or ideology behind “Santa” is the same error the Religious Leaders of Jesus time fell into, that being that God only accepts good people.

Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?"(John 5:45-47)

In Moses, you have the Ten Commandments. No one can keep these, but in Jesus, the God-Man, we can be rescued by his death on the cross. Why not, this Christmas, celebrate the birth of your saviour, Jesus, the King of the Universe!

A Tale of Two: Scandal, Sex and Payouts

Sadly, when we pick up the newspaper or switch on the news, our ears and eyes frequently witness the travesty of children, who have murdered their parents, or the crazed individual, who has murdered their partner, all for the pleasure of inheriting the pot of gold, their parent’s or partner’s belongings, superannuation or large insurance payout. Of course, our emotions are mixed, but the thoughts that rush through our minds play the tune of, “How could they?” What sane person would do it, right?

Jesus tells us of the parable of two sons, who have worked hard for their father most of their lives. One of the sons, which I’ll call the ‘rebellious son’, approached his father and demanded his inheritance. The father calculated each of his two son’s inheritances and gave them their portion. The rebellious son, the following day, packed his bags in haste and departed for the ‘big smoke’.

By demanding for his inheritance, which had been set aside for him in the future, the rebellious son was essentially saying, “Father, I wish you were dead!” A grand kick in the face for a loving father, wouldn’t you agree? On one level, this replicates the travesties of our society, but on another, I guess we can see this slyly weaved in our lives.

Returning to the story, the rebellious son arrived at the ‘big smoke’ and participated in “wild living”. Not only had he wished his father were dead, but now he was dishonouring his father’s name, something prized in that time. Eventually, the rebellious son’s money ran out and a famine struck the land, causing the rebellious son to plunge into poverty. Jesus explained that the son was so hungry the he yearned to eat pig’s food. He had fallen from high society to the very bottom of the barrel.

At this point, the rebellious son’s conscience returns to him and pricks his memory of his father, whom he had proverbially punched in the face and dishonoured. “Oh what a mistake I have made”, he says to himself. After realising how horrible he was to his father, the rebellious son returns to him and fearfully pleads for mercy. The father accepts his son back and throws a huge party to celebrate.

This story can be found in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15, verses 11 through 32. We pause for a moment to soak up the sheer loving mercy of the father. How cruel and evil the son was to abandon and dishonour his father and waste all his inheritance.  Yet, the father forgives him. Being the bible and a story of Jesus’, we know the son is us and the father is God, who accepts us back through Jesus’ cross. But, it would be a grave mistake to stop reading now, for the punch line is still yet to come.

Remember, there were two sons? The rebellious son, who returned to his father, and there was the, we’ll call, the ‘faithful son’. While the party raged into the night, the ‘faithful son’ heard the commotion in the house and went to inspect. Upon arrival, he found his stupid brother being held high by his father. This is the moment where we take a glimpse into the ‘faithful sons’ heart. This is the crunch point; the point Jesus is trying to emphasise.

The ‘faithful son’ is repulsed and violently rejects the situation. He pulls his father to the side, a dishonouring thing to do in that time, and proceeds to tell his father what to do. He reasons with his father, “I worked for you like a slave, I always obeyed you”, and so on. The father responded, “Look, your brother is back!” But the ‘faithful son’ didn’t care. His eyes were on the wealth; “You took the fattened calf for him and served it”, a big and expensive thing in that time. The ‘faithful son’ wasn’t on-board with his father. Why?

At first reading, it seems as though the ‘rebellious son’ is the only one using his father for his wealth, but after his return and the joyous celebration that ensues, it is revealed that the ‘faithful son’ is no different. He too, sees his father as an opportunity for wealth and fame. “Where was my fattened calf?” asked the ‘faithful son’. “I’ve worked hard for you; where’s my payment”. Like his brother earlier in the story, he is essentially saying where is my money? He wasn’t working hard because he loved his father, but rather, was working simply to gain wealth and fame. But what was it that the father desired? He desired that his two sons love him.

Where do you sit with God? He created you, sustains you and provides for you. He, like the father in the story, loves you and desires to have a relationship with you. Possibly, you, like the ‘faithful son’, haven’t killed anyone or stolen anything, yet you use God for the treasures of his creation. Perhaps, you store up your God given money and enjoy the God given relationships given you by God. Yet, you never turn to listen or follow him.

Some may say now, I follow God in my own way. But, so did both sons in the story. God created us, yet we reject him. We live our lives without honouring God. This is sin. Like the father in the story, God yearns to have a relationship with you. He loves you so much that he sacrificed himself on the cross to pay for all of your rejection.

There are so many travesties in the news, but there is a greater travesty at play today, the travesty that you and I are a part of, the rejection and ‘murder’ of our Father and creator, God. Turn now, and follow his Son Jesus Christ. See your spiritual poverty and return to your loving Father, who waits for you with open arms.

If you have questions, I would love to try to answer them and guide you to Jesus Christ.

Resource Review: The Message of John

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John's Gospel has long been a favourite among Christians. In it the truth of God in Christ is displayed in both childlike simplicity and penetrating depth.

John the disciple of Jesus had known the Word of God incarnate. John the pastor and evangelist had contemplated the meaning of that unique person and event. Through the eyes of faith John retells the story of the Word, drawing out its meaning for his contemporaries so that they "might come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God" and "have life in his name."

John's Gospel has had an incalculable impact on human history. Its pages contain a moral and spiritual potency which, over the centuries, has transformed communities, brought about political change and remade human character on a scale without precedent.

The power remains in the Gospel today. At its centre, as at the centre of his exposition, is Jesus Christ in his glory and grace, majesty and tenderness. Bruce Milne believes that we can experience his presence even today, for the Gospel was 'written that … you may have life in his name'.

The Gospel of John is a witness to the King, as much a tract for our times as for John's. Bruce Milne's exposition focuses on the ministry of Jesus before his incarnation, during his life on earth and after his resurrection. The centrepiece of this Gospel is the cross, and its background the solemnity of God's judgment of the world.

True to his mentor, the Fourth Evangelist, Bruce Milne has a passion for passing on this Word and helping others speak it. As Milne puts it, "The mystery of Jesus Christ is the theme of this gospel; always beyond us, yet always summoning us to explore it more fully."

Theology Study at your Finger Tips

Are you someone who is seeking a deeper understanding of the Scriptures?

Did you know that there is actually an abundant source of literature available for one who is searching the Scriptures (the Christian Bible). Whether it is the historicity of the bible and the Church, study of the biblical languages Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, Biblical Theology, Apologetics (defending the claims of the Bible), missiology or Christology, there is so much literature to satisfy your enquiry.

Traditionally, those who desired to study theology would have needed to enrol at a Theological Institution. However, this is beginning to change. Institutions in the U.S., like Covenant Theological Seminary and Reformed Theological Seminary have started supplying the public with access to solid theological material, developed through their Master’s degree programs. Access to lectures, readings and discussion forums has been made available.

So, you may be someone who desires a deeper understanding of Jesus through his Scriptures and you want to serve a world in dire need of the Gospel, but you are not in the position to study at a Theological Institution. This describes me. I have been yearning to know the God who rescued me from my sin in Jesus Christ, but I haven’t been in the position to attend formal academic theological study. However, this changed, when Covenant Theological Seminary made their academic units available for free.

Well I have some great news for you. I have placed some links below which will give you access to Covenant and Reformed Theological Seminary’s online study.

Institution	Link
Reformed Theological Seminary Note: Follow the links provided on the RTS webpage for more assistance.	http://itunes.rts.edu/index.html
Covenant Theological Seminary Note: You will need to subscribe with the Seminary, but it is all free.	http://www.worldwide-classroom.com/

I hope this enriches and blesses your walk with Christ. If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact me at vintagejc@hotmail.com

Resource Review: The Trouble with Paris

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What if you're living in the wrong reality?

Doesn't everyone want the good life these days? Our shopping mall world offers us a never-ending array of pleasures to explore. Consumerism promises us a vision of heaven on earth - a reality that's "hyper"-real. We've all experienced hyper-reality: a candy so 'grape-ey' it doesn't taste like grapes anymore; a model's photo so manipulated that it doesn't even look like her; a theme park version of life that tells us we can have something better than the real thing. But what if this reality is not all that it's cracked up to be? Admit it, we've been ripped off by our culture and its version of reality that leaves us lonely, bored, and trapped. But what's the alternative?

In The Trouble With Paris, pastor Mark Sayers shows us how the lifestyles of most young adults (19-35) actually work "against" a life of meaning and happiness to sabotage their faith. Sayers shows how a fresh understanding of God's intention for our world is the true path to happiness, fulfillment, and meaning.

Post links:

• Stuff! Are you all about it?
• Life (9): Mountains, mirrors and glory

Paperback Book, 224 pages

Price: Approx. $13.95 (Koorong)

Price: Approx. $11 (Amazon)

Bible: Fiction or Nonfiction?

University is an amazing institution where the minds of the future can be shaped and moulded. As a university student, I was exposed to many different types of theories and philosophies. One of those philosophies was post modernism, which is the belief that there is no absolute truth, but there are actually many different truths which are socially constructed. As a student who did not believe in the teachings of the bible, I found this philosophy compelling as it seemed inclusive and tolerant, blowing ‘narrow minded Christians, Muslims, Modernists and so on, out of the water.

My post modernism shaken

Midway through my university studies, I started to question the philosophy of post modernism. My mind dabbled in the possibility of their existing absolute truth and meaning. So, naturally, I asked the question, ‘how can all belief systems (including atheism) be right’ if there is such a thing called absolute truth? Thus, I came across the bible, which teaches that:

• The world was created by one God, who loves us and wants to have a fulfilling relationship with us,
• However, we have all rejected him and now suffer the consequences of death and suffering.
• God became a man named Jesus, lived the perfect life, experienced the turmoils and trails we face, and died on the cross to pay for our rejection,
• Jesus was resurrected and now reigns as King of the universe, and will return to recreate everything, judge the world and save those who trust in him.

Learning these biblical teachings and becoming regenerated by the Holy Spirit, my post modern understandings were shaken and eventually made completely obsolete, as the teachings of the bible were clearly absolute in nature.

How can the world still neglect the bible?

So if the bible is absolute in its teachings, then what place does post modernism have in our society? Strangely, post modernism, and every other counter argument to the bible, continues to thrive even though it’s contradicted by the bible. A driving force against the bible is the notion that the scriptures cannot be trusted as it is an unreliable text, full of historical errors and contradictions. This was one of the hurdles I tackled on my path to Christianity, which I found in the end, a rather facetious counter argument.

The claim that the bible is unreliable text due to the amount of errors and contradictions in it, is a rather laughable counter argument. Biblical textual criticism is the field of study where scholars compare the many New Testament manuscripts dating back to the Early Church period. Most critical biblical scholars are in agreement, that the bible is a reliable historical document which holds absolutely no damaging contractions, as claimed by some. The contradictions that seem to be evident are possible minor changes in words, which have occurred over time.

 

An immensely helpful article was written about five years ago, titled Misanalyzing Text Criticism--Bart Ehrman's'Misquoting Jesus'. This article was authored by two of the world’s most leading textual and biblical scholars, Professor Ben Witherington III and Professor Daniel Wallace. The article is a response to another textual critic named Professor Bart Erhman, who has created a stir with some of his most recent publications, claiming that the bible is a fabrication, full of historical errors. Both Witherington and Wallace expertly dismantle Erhman’s arguements. I recommend you read the article as I will do this field of study a massive disservice if I try.

Where to from here?

After examining the evidence, I came to the conclusion that the bible is God’s word, in perfect agreement within itself and a reliable historical document, detailing the work of God in his creation. I endorse the endeavour of examining the historical and biblical evidence for yourself. To many of us, including myself, can be indifferent, ignorant or hold an incorrect bias to the field of biblical textual criticism, and as a result, completely miss the enormous claims of scripture. Please don’t fall into this trap, as there is a great and loving God who is communicating with us through his scriptures.

So I leave you with this question – are you listening to God? Or, have you closed your ears and minds to God because you are taking someone’s else’s word for it? 

Stuff! Are you all about it?

Take a look at your life for a moment and think, if someone was to watch me for a day, what conclusion would they draw from their observations? I am not speaking moralistically as such, but rather, what do you value most in life? What or who are you living for?

Now, watch this compelling video. It was produced by Annie Leonard (The Story of Stuff):

At this point, I am not sure whether I necessarily share the same spiritual views as Annie as I don’t know her personally. However, she raises an interesting point – we live in a society that is enslaved by the machine of consumerism! Our lives are consumed with consuming more stuff, which is an empty and destructive pursuit.

Am I saying that buying stuff is against God? No, but I am trying to push forward a point. Why not let Jesus, God incarnate, creator of the Universe speak for himself. Jesus said: “Where your treasure is, that is where your heart lies also” (Matthew 6:21). Then latter in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus said: "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field (Matthew 13:44). The issue isn’t with buying stuff, but rather, what is at the centre of your life? Do you live and work simply to buy things, which brake or rust and are worth nothing in the end anyway? Is consumerism is what life is all about or is there a deeper more fulfilling meaning to life?

The answer is simple, and Jesus stated it in the verse above. The kingdom of heaven basically is God’s people living in perfect relationship with him. Jesus likens it to a treasure, the most valuable thing in the entire world. It is so valuable that life is meaningless without it. God created us to know, love and enjoy him, and vice versa – this is the treasure. A life without God is essentially meaningless.

Life does not need to be this way. Our rejection and denial of God can be done away with through Jesus, God in human form. You don’t have to live enslaved by consumerism anymore and you can now live for the most valuable treasure in the world – God!

So, what will you place as the treasure of your life? Will it be that stuff you bought that will only break within the next few weeks, or would you prefer a fulfilling relationship with God?

Resource Review: Foxes Book of Martyrs

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I am constantly struck by Paul’s words in the letter to the Philippians in that Christians are to magnify Christ whether in life or in death (Philippians 1:20-21). John Foxe put together an interesting account of those Christians that stood firm in their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, even to the point of death. I have found this book rather convicting personally and encouraging at the same time.

Outside of the Bible itself, the works of John Foxe were the most readily available writings of the 16th century. These amazing stories of faith and courage in the face of terrible persecution inspire perseverance in all circumstances.

John Foxe
John Foxe (1516-1587) was a professor at Oxford, then a minister in London before being forced to flee to Europe when Queen Mary came to power. While in Europe he wrote this classic and published it after returning to England when Queen Elizabeth took the throne.

Paperback, 416 pages

Price: Approx. $4.95 (Koorong)

Price: Approx. $9 (Amazon)

For other Christian testimonies, check out Owned Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

Life (9): Mountains, mirrors and glory

You are what you eat! So, let me get this straight, what goes into your stomach will influence who you are? What do you think about this comment – ‘we are all influenced by what we watch, read and listen to’. Do you agree or disagree? I put this question to few people a couple of weeks ago. It troubled some those whom I asked, but seemed to resonate with the others. What do you think?

In my opinion, we are simply more than what we eat. In actual fact, I believe we are all greatly influenced by what we watch, read or listen to. We tend to emulate our heroes, people who we hold in a place of great respect, envy or admiration. We might want to have our hero’s style, fashion, look, physique, language and so on.

Reflecting back a few years, the person I held as a hero was Australian cricketer, Brett Lee. I wanted to play cricket like him, speak like him, look like him and have all the girls like him. Sadly, I even tried to style my hair like him to which I sadly failed. At this point you are either thinking “What a loser”, or you are in some way resonating with me. I guarantee that if you thought hard enough, I’m sure you would be able to identify a time in your life when you tried to be like your hero.

We all like to be made small!

Why do we try to emulate our hero’s? Have you ever asked yourself that question? I will come back to this question in a moment, but for now, I would like to slightly change topics and gears and move to something else.

I live in Sydney, Australia and I frequent the Blue Mountains quite often. They are a magnificent sight of grandeur and beauty. They dwarf and embarrass us in size, yet millions of tourists flock from around the world to see this spectacle. This is not limited to the Blue Mountains, but also other spectacles like the Alps, the Grand Canyon, the African Savannah, the galaxy and the list goes on. Why is this the case? Why spend loads of money to see some big rock?

Let me answer to the above question by posing this notion – ‘We find joy in witnessing great and glorious things’. We all enjoy witnessing the beauty and the grandeur of the amazing sights of this world. It is hardwired into us. This relates closely to the initial section of this article, in that we want to observe great people, sights and events. These could be sporting moments, movies, performances, monuments, landmarks and so on. Witnessing these events or sights brings us joy.

Alright, you may be asking ‘so what’? By now, you may have realised (from reading other sections of this blog) that I am a follower of Jesus – a Christian. I believe that God created the universe, which includes all of us. With this in mind, God must have created us for a purpose with a set of skills and instincts to fulfil his purpose. So how does the pursuit of great events and things tie into God our creator’s purpose?

The bible, which I believe was written by God through people, claims that we were created to live in relationship with God. The bible describes God as being a magnificent and grand being (Deuteronomy 5:24; Psalm 3:3; Psalm 8:1-3; Isaiah 6:2-4; Revelation 4:7-9 – the bible is full of these quotes!), to which we were designed to find joy and pleasure in witnessing his fulfilling and satisfying glory and give him praise (Psalm 19:1; Psalm 27:3-4; Psalm 71:8 – again the bible is full of these quotes!).

We are creatures who find joy in witnessing and observing glorious things, because our creator God designed us to seek his glory and magnificence. When we observe greatness on this earth, we should want to turn and praise God because His hand is/was at work in it (Psalm 29:2).

In summary, God is glorious and he created us to witness his glory and find joy and meaning in this. This is evident in humanities thirst to experience grand events and sites. So let’s turn our attention back to the question posed at the beginning of this paragraph, why do we emulate our hero’s?

We reflect what we worship!

If we were created to live off the metaphorical ‘fuel’ of God’s glory, then the praising God would be on our lips right? Correct! Humanity, according to the bible, was created in the image of God (to reflect him like a mirror):

Then God said, "Let us [God] make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Genesis 1:26).

According to the bible, we were created to reflect God’s character on the earth. Humans are therefore, reflectors or mirrors of God on this earth.

Sadly, as the bible moves on, humans reject God and seek to live without him (this is called sin) (Romans 1:22-24). Rather than reflecting the glory of God, we reflect the glory of our selected gods. And I believe this is evident in the way that we emulate our hero’s. In my case, this was Brett Lee. I witnessed his glorious bowling speed and ability to attract the opposite sex, which lead me to reflect and worship my god – Brett Lee.

What we worship will inform how we live

The word worship is quite misunderstood in the culture I live in. Essentially, the word means, according to the Macquarie Dictionary – to attribute worth to something or someone. Continuing on with my example, I worshipped Brett Lee. I attributed worth to him. To change gears again, what is it that engaged me in the pursuit of worshipping my god/s.

My goal in this article is to examine the nature of media and how it influences who we are and how we live. From what I have expressed thus far, humans are created to seek out and find joy in glorious things (God’s glory more explicitly). We are created to reflect that which we glory in (God’s image). Due to sin, we seek to glory in things other than God. So how does this all link in with the media?

The media influences society in what is normal, acceptable and fashionable (interesting article on Media Influence). We receive a constant barrage of stimuli from the media each day. This includes, but not limited to, what we should eat, wear, dress like, think about, invest time in, spend our money on, who we are as citizens, what to believe etc.

Our lives are informed by the media, whether it be print, audio or visual, it impacts and influences who we are and what we believe. Generally, we don’t worship the media, but the media displays for us a plethora of things that are glorious and attractive, to which we respond in worship (remember the meaning of this word). This worship then informs who you are and how you will live – it is your god.

I want you to think about who you are as a person, or were, and consider your beliefs and lifestyle at that time and then compare it to the people you find intriguing each day. Do you see a correlation? If you do, this or these things are your gods.

Glory, joy and rescue

God created us to worship and glory in him. God hates when his creation finds glory in things other than him (Isaiah 42:8). Worshipping these things will be our undoing and practically, destroy us as we are not created to find joy and pleasure in glorious things that are not God (Romans 1:22-24). These things cannot sustain our joy and pleasure and were not designed to do so. Jeremiah, an Old Testament (section of the bible) prophet puts it this way – rather than seeking the fulfilling pure waters of the glorious God, we find unfulfilling joy in drinking from the toilet (Jeremiah 2:11-13). Rather than worship God, we worship his creation.

The bible urgently expresses our destruction if we hold this lifestyle. To live in opposition to the creator and owner of the universe is a cosmic crime. God has set in time a day where we will all be judged according to the way we have lived. If we have gloried in God, we will have eternal life, if we have worshipped things other than God, we will suffer eternal hell.

Take a look at this world. Do you think any of us have worshipped God? I am guilty as charged. My god was Brett Lee, a mere man. For this reason, God put off his glory and became a man (Philippians 2:5-8) to rescue us from our plight. Even this act demonstrates the glorious nature of God (Psalm 21:5). Jesus (God) lived in perfect obedience to his Father, bringing glory to him and experiencing the joy that came with this, even at the point of his death (Hebrew 12:2). Jesus died the sinner’s death, the most inglorious death on a cross to pay the penalty for our rejection of God.

The bible calls us to turn from our God rejecting lives, accept Jesus death for our sins and live for God (Ephesians 2:8-10). There is nothing we can do to be forgiven except to accept Jesus death on our behalf. Jesus was than resurrected from the grave, defeating our greatest enemy, death, and he now reigns in heaven, in glory and power.

We all find glory in great things. We all reflect what we find glory in. We all seek joy. Jesus offers us all these things! I plead for you to turn to him. He is speaking to us all. He has given us a great library of scriptures called the bible to let us see him and his world rightly. We can either listen to the preaching of the anti-God media, or we can listen to the voice of God through his scriptures.

I will close with these questions. Take a look at your life. What does it reflect? What do you worship in your life? Who or what is your god? Is it Jesus?