Sometimes I can’t think of anything to say on my weekly Saturday post. Today is one of them! Enjoy the links below…
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We watched ‘Kung-Fu Panda’ 2 weeks ago with 10,000 people outside ANZ Stadium! Big crowds make me think of the great multitude: After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.
They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Rev 7:9-10)
[click pic for HDTV]
You don’t have to look too far to realise that “life is all about me”. Here is the most recent addition to my collection of me-centred narcissistic paraphernalia. It’s a t-shirt. A week after I photographed the t-shirt on the rack, I saw some crack pot actually wearing it at the local mega-plex shopping centre!
But I’m not so stupid to believe that the world really revolves around me? Am I? Are you? Often I am. Often you are. The problem is: we hear this message so often, that we actually start to believe it.
It’s into this context that Michael Jensen has written a book called you: an introduction. It might sound like it’s a book all about you. It is. And it isn’t.
Here’s the video of the Mars Hill Church Pastor on ABC Nightline. Article. MD says thanks.
(h/t the resurgence) (original h/t JT)
John Piper encourages the new President of the USA to be courageous in protecting life.
(h/t abe @ dg)
Bill Mounce is a Greek Ninja. Of all the people who can kung-fu greek style – he’s one bad dude you don’t want to mess with (imagine if he and Con Campbell double teamed you!). He’s written a flippin’ sweet blog post on how to use Greek in the pulpit:
“Before the ESV was available, I used another translation that was a little freer in its translation philosophy. There were two Sundays in a row where I had to correct its interpretation to make what I thought was the true point of the passage. After the service a new Christian came to me and asked, “Can I not trust my Bible?” Ouch! So here is one of the big no-noes from the pulpit. Do not correct the English Bible. Ever! Never say, “the translators got this wrong.” The damage you can do to a person’s trust in Scripture is unimaginable.”
Read the whole thing. His post helps Pastors to not be jerks in the way they use greek from the pulpit – this is a must read for all wannabe preachers/greek ninjas. Seriously.
(h/t acl)
Happy Australia Day 09. Keep it real.
shout out to susie from the real thing camp for the photo
Today we started at or new church: St Stephen’s Willoughby. We will be part of the 6pm congregation and I will also be running the Sunday afternoon yr7-9 Bible study group.
We were warmly welcomed today by all 3 services. Good times ahead.
Today was hot. 43 Celsius (110 Fahrenheit).
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That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:35-41)
I’ve just updated my design portfolio. I used the NextGEN Gallery plugin – it’s easy to use and uber-customisable. I’ll be adding some more projects soon.
If you need some design work done… let me know how I can help.
Rick Warren from Saddleback Church in California, prayed this morning at Barack Obama’s Inauguration. He prayed some really good stuff. Here’s a vid of the prayer:
(h/t JT’s blog – warning lots of stupid comments!) EDIT: Mark Driscoll has some good stuff to say. Here’s the transcript:
The ninjas at wordpress have done it again. They’ve just rolled out WordPress.tv. “WordPress.tv is Your Visual Resource for All Things WordPress.” Need a website???
(h/t WordPress Blog)
Today I spoke at the GenR8 Ministries Annual Conference. “GenR8 helps NSW Scripture Teachers, Chaplains and Scripture Boards strengthen their ministry in NSW schools so that many more young lives will be transformed through the Lord Jesus Christ.”
It was a privilege to hang out with this great group of people. They are doing such a valuable work in NSW government schools, and there’s exciting plans in the pipelines. I kicked off the day speaking on 2 Corinthians 4 – Do Not Lose Heart.
Here is my Bible Reading plan for 2009: PDF or EXCEL (adpated from bibleyear.com). I plan to read the whole Bible this year. Reading a few chapters from 1 Old Testament book each day and one chapter from 1 New Testament book each day. I think this plan is more achievable than the M’Cheyne/Carson plan that seeks to read the OT once and the NT and Psalms twice each throughout the year from 4 different books per day. Never read the Bible? Start here then here.
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We’ve seen that it’s easy to lose heart in the Christian life and in Christian ministry. We’ve also seen how 2 Corinthians 4 can encourage us to not lose heart. What does all this mean?
It means we keep in mind the big picture. We need to keep seeing the forest from the trees. When we are ready to give up, we need to fix our eyes on eternity.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him…
…For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. (Psalm 33:6-11)
I promised 5 more posts. I’ll give you 2. There are lots of reasons why it’s easy to lose heart in the Christian life and in Christian ministry. But don’t. Don’t lose heart.
Here are 5 things we can know from 2 Corinthians 4, that will help us to not lose heart:
New youth website FERVR is now live. The official launch is in April, but you can set up a page for your group now! Go try it out and contact fervr with any feedback. CLICK ME.
or CLICK ME.
It’s pretty easy to lose heart in the Christian life and in Christian ministry. I’m continually saddened by the number of people I personally know who have given up on the Christian life. To a lesser extent, it’s devastating when Christian ministers lose heart and give up their ministry.
2 Corinthians has a lot to say about reasons for not losing heart. In it we meet the Apostle Paul who goes through much hardship, yet has good reason to persevere in his Christian life and ministry. In 4:1 and 4:16 Paul says “therefore we do not lose heart”, and in between those two verses there are at least 5 reasons to not lose heart. Knowing these things will enable you to not lose heart – whether you are a young Christian or an old-timer. Want to know more? Keep an eye out on the next 5 posts, in the meantime have a read of 2 Corinthians 4:1-18:
