Hidden From Darkness

Moving on

2010-10-23T22:34:00.000+01:00

I think I'll be retiring this blog for now...working on a new one with a different direction to it. Anyways, my life isn't so interesting, but what I am learning about worship is!

Check it out:

http://rockscryout.blogspot.com/

Life goes on

2010-01-17T00:15:00.005Z

Been a while since I updated! To be honest nothing much has been happening, work, work, sleep...everything feels a bit dry. I seem to be a bit spiritually tired and it's hard to regenerate without a good rest, just a rest from everything. But life goes on, even when I want time to stop so I can catch my breath! I'll be unemployed soon yay!! Need lots of prayer that I can get a training contract but that looks unlikely...me of little faith. Still, I stumbled across this on youtube again which is always cool!

EDIT
Youtube embedding has gone weird

HERE

Underdog

2009-11-21T00:58:00.000Z

Underdog.
I wince everytime I say the word.
Especially in connection with Jesus.
Yet, as I read the birth stories about Jesus,
I cannot help but conclude that
although the world may be tilted towards the rich and powerful,
God Hallelujah, in his mercy, is tilted towards the underdog!

- Audio Adrenaline

The Lord of All

2009-11-10T02:02:00.002Z

I decided to change back to this skin...it looks the best methinks.

Well, I've just (kinda) finished my property law prep and it was a big big toughie!! I still don't understand it and I got really frustrated because the questions didn't really relate to the documents given etc etc. Well, I decided to read Handsnfeet247's blog (check it out!! >>>>>) and once again she has managed to encourage me. Reading about the woman who was healed after she touched Jesus' clothes reminded me of something I was thinking about on the train today.

I know that I often forget hoe amazing and great God is. I was thinking that it would be great if I had a contact in a law firm who could give me a training contract and I would be set! Ring him/her up and then they will sort me out quick and easy. Then I thought, well I have God who is...God, I mean, He is greater than any partner in any firm and He can easily hook me up! Time after time I pray and not much seems to happen, though my eyes are very very dull. But this women who went to Jesus...she KNEW that she would be healed, she KNEW that Jesus was greater than any doctor. I don't know if she had been praying for many years for healing but in that moment, she sought God. In that moment she reached out and asked for healing and she got it.

I see so many kids nowadays asking their parents for things and they get it, indeed God is also said to be like that in the bible so where are we going wrong? Of course there are always the reasons...because it's not the right time or because it's not good for you. But I think the biggest hurdle is our lack of faith in God, that we forget God is...God, The Lord of all.

~Ciao

The Jesus I Never Knew

2009-11-02T19:25:00.002Z

I just finished reading this book by Philip Yancey and I highly recommend it. For me, the title rings true, it is about The Jesus I Never Knew, the real Jesus, the person Jesus. Sure, I knew a lot about Jesus but I must say I never really knew Him that well. The person Jesus took time out for individuals, stayed out of the spotlight, went to the insignificant places of society, befriended sinners. He is not the god that this world thinks, He did not come to rule in a physical kingdom or rule over politics but His kingdom is within our hearts and that is the kingdom we have to further.

Highly recommended! Yancey speaks to both believers and non-believers, reflecting on reasons why we believe or not believe, showing us how far we are from the Real Jesus.

Standing out!

2009-10-26T22:58:00.002Z

New blog template! How is it working out? The green changed in the old one and it became a bit of an eyesore for me so I thought I'd change it :)

Anyway, I just watched an old old documentary about who wrote the bible. It was presented by 'leading' theologian Robert Beckford, but after watching it I was very discouraged because of the naivety and the spin on it. It didn't mention anything theological and what it looks into historically was on a very poor level. He studied at LST...perhaps I shouldn't go there! haha. The other thing I watched recently, was question time, yes all the hype about the BNP and Nick Griffin. Personally, I was disappointed at how the panel just threw insults at him rather than give any valid arguments or actually criticise what he was saying. Though, I must say that I was impressed at how Nick Griffin stood out for what he believes in (however perverse it may be).

I googled this Robert Beckford and there was an article praising how he stands out and criticises the C of E about it being racist etc etc. This coupled with Nick Griffin's courage, if you can call it that, has really inspired me to stand out. Stand for the truth in the midst of shoddy 'intellectual' digs at the Word of God. We should be sorrowful that this world is like it is but we should also have hope that God will one day restore all things.

Creativity

2009-10-13T21:48:00.002+01:00

It's been a while, but here's for another post! My friend is doing a project at school and she tells me that her theme is to look back into creation and see how God made it, to take influence from that. It hit me that so often we miss out on what God has to offer us in the simplicity (or not so simple) of creation, everything around us. All of humanity's creativity comes from...God...the Creator.

I am reminded that the first person the Bible mentions of receiving the Spirit is a craftsman, someone who works creatively. Today I was listening to a podcast and they were saying how the Church should be leading creativity in the world. Be it through music or through drama, programs, the lot. And that's true, we really should be, we know the most creative being in existence and He has given us gifts, He has given us ideas.

Maybe you might not be 'creative' but creativity is about being yourself, not copying others. Love God, know Him, be yourself and you will surprise yourself, and this world.

Paid in Full

2009-09-07T22:51:00.002+01:00

I never shared this for some reason...but it's amazing!

Warning: Contains scenes from The Passion.

New Strings

2009-08-17T22:50:00.002+01:00

I just changed the strings on my guitar (put in elixirs for the first time yay!) and after much tuning, it sounds really fresh and bright...however, inevitably it will get out of tune as the strings stretch. Anyways, I looked at my old strings and seeing how dirty they are, how they've lost their brightness, I am reminded of my walk with God. So often I am like a new set of strings, bright and full of promise, sounding good, looking good but soon they get dull. Soon I forget just how much God loves me, how important His word is to me. I need to refresh, start something new, perhaps a new book in the bible or perhaps new devotional material. It is true, it is a walk with God and sometimes I get tired, I need to refresh...be a new set of strings. That's where I am now. It will take some time and pain before I can be sounding good for God, just like the new strings. For those reading this, prayer would be much appreciated!! Prayer that like my new nanoweb coated elixirs, I can last up to three times longer than other strings! And also prayer that I can make a sweet sound for God and that I will know when I need to refresh so that I don't break. After all, you can't play on broken strings...haha

PHAT Camp

2009-08-09T22:54:00.003+01:00

So I've just recently returned from this thing called PHAT Camp...extremely uncool name but hey, what can you do? It was actually really good, much better than I expected it to be and there is a lot to share, lots of encouragement.

To begin with, I went because I was asked by one of the organisers to go as a leader. I've seen what PHAT camp was like before (it has been dubbed 'Flirt camp') so...you get the picture. It never really seemed to be very good to me, all about emotion with no real substance. But the focus this year was one of a new beginning, to try and change the direction of phat camp and I think it worked.

The talks were very good, really easy to engage with and the speaker was extremely honest which I think was the best aspect. However, I was still dubious...the musicality of the worship sets were good but so much focus was given to music and praise that I felt the kids were not being taught about true worship. Nevertheless, they seemed to engage well with it so praise God! There was one night where people got very emotional, no doubt God was at work but it was very discouraging to see that the kids can be crying one moment and the next be laughing, playing cards and doing stupid things. The next night another one of the leaders commented on the expression on my face, saying that I looked very skeptical about it all...and indeed, I was. I didn't want this phat camp to be like the others, for the campers to have an emotional high but then lose it all when they got home and not have their lives changed.

Then the fabled final night sharing came and I was told that there would be even more crying, I felt this was a great chance to have another go at praying hard for these kids and have their lives changed. I prayed hard for a few of the kids and also prayed hard for the night in general...and yes, there were loads of tears. I know God definitely worked that night and I know that He touched many hearts. I know that some lives have truly been changed, others, I am not so sure but I hope that they have.

As I said to the other leaders before I left, the real work starts now...follow-up. Although, I must confess I am still slightly dubious, but I have faith that God will work and that He will be glorified. I really pray that he will give me the strength and patience to do this follow-up well.

It's been a while...

2009-07-14T19:42:00.003+01:00

So it has been a while since I posted here. A lot has happened, exams, graduated from uni etc etc. Still, despite all of these advancements in life, I find that the problems remain the same. I still need clarification for the future, I still worry about useless things. It all really boils down to my inability to let go of things and ultimately trust in God. To let Him take the time required, to wait and do nothing, to trust and to have faith, yet at the same time doing my share. I get so restless sometimes and find myself chasing after so many things of this world and thus I do not seek first the kingdom. And if you don't seek first the kingdom...you don't seek it at all.

But despite these struggles, I must really be thankful to God for the blessings he has poured out for me. I am learning to slowly appreciate the little things and to do everything without complaining. Besides, things actually have been going pretty well.

On a side note, I've just finished watching the second season of Dexter...it's a show about a serial killer who kills...killers. Good show, although it's not really one you can sit and watch for ages at one time!

But until next time, I will leave it here.
~Sudek

Back fom SEEC

2009-04-15T22:45:00.004+01:00

So I just got back from SEEC on Monday, it was really enjoyable and just generally really good. I really enjoyed our group discussion times and I think everyone learned a lot. I must say the highlight was the Good Friday meditation. We went around the place stopping at different 'stations' and meditating and praying about different things. It was really fresh and I found it easy to engage with. It was also good to see how other churches do worship too, different styles, different songs etc. A few people came up to me thanking me after our sets and I am glad that they were able to engage because as a worship leader that is my job. Though, as a worshiper I can't help but think that worship is what I make it, I get out of it whatever I put in.

Food was good and our group went slightly overboard during some meals...finishing off all the leftovers from the tables around us. Good job guys! My mum says I've put on weight. The last night was good, to just stay up and not sleep chatting and just spending time with each other. I've learnt a lot this SEEC, perhaps not from the talks but from interactions with different people. Can't wait til next year!

As for now...it's back to reality, although I really hope I can keep in contact with more people this time around.

Group Ezra (-Dan and Catherine who for some reason arent there):

SEEC 09

2009-04-06T12:01:00.002+01:00

I'll be off to SEEC on Thursday and I'm pretty excited about it! I've done all the worship powerpoints yesterday and now need to organise some sort of practice. My group looks promising too and I'm desperately trying to finish a book I'm reading to prep me for leading a group - How to read the Bible for all its worth (Fee+Stuart). Very interesting, I learned a lot about how bible translators work and the problems they face.

As for now...back to revision! sigh...

Everything

2009-04-02T18:09:00.004+01:00

So following on from the last post...I AM fine, but it's still going on but hey, life is not life without its joys, happiness and suffering! Anyhoo, continuing on from the lifehouse theme, I've been listening to more...the song Everything still stands out and strikes me everytime I hear it. Such an amazing song, especially that skit which is really cool...albeit a bit cheesy at times! haha. Anyway, I was seraching for videos of Tim Hughes' 'See His Love' for worship team purposes and I stumbled apon this vid which is...just inspired! Hope you like it!

Blind

2009-03-16T01:25:00.002Z

I would fall asleep
Only in hopes of dreaming
That everything would be like it was before
But nights like this it seems are slowly fleeting
They disappear as reality is
crashing to the floor

After all this time
I never thought we'd be here
Never thought we'd be here
When my love for you was blind
But I couldn't make you see it
Couldn't make you see it
That I loved you more than you'll ever know
A part of me died when I let you go

(Lifehouse - Blind)

I guess that's how I feel, sums it up quite well actually. Sometimes I wonder why God makes these things so hard...perhaps it is to teach us to trust Him, perhaps it is to get us to look to Him or perhaps it's something completely different that you've never even thought of...

AAAnyway, sorry for such a depressing post but as you can tell, much prayer is needed! Oh and don't worry, I highly doubt she will ever read this...

Who's Kingdom?

2009-03-01T19:57:00.003Z

I've been really busy so haven't updated in a while but here goes!

So last night I was feeling a bit down about stuff, my 'problems' which are very real and do hurt so I decided to talk to God about it. No, my problems didn't get solved but my outlook dramatically changed. I was looking through a few christian youtube vids and reading the comments. It really struck me just how many people are aggressive to something as simple as a song or a worship session. The replies were hardly ever gracious...if there was a reply at all. I sat there asking myself the question "how can I further Your kingdom when I'm so wrapped up in mine". I'm here praying about my issues when I could be praying for all those who are seriously in need, those who reject God and claim to want intellectual answers when in fact it all stems from a longing in their hearts.

I guess sometimes you just have to shrug off your own problems and ask who's kingdom you are in, who's kingdom are you a part of? Do I really have time to mull over my failings and my hurts when I should be seeking first the kingdom of God. I know that I've fallen into a trap of bringing my problems to God and being honest with my feeling so much that...I've neglected the one thing I am on this earth to do.

On a side note...just came across a band called 'Revive' they sound pretty cool so you might wanna check them out.

http://www.reviveband.com/

A Response

2009-02-19T00:20:00.001Z

Forgotten.
Forgiven.
Risen.
My life reaps death as I taste sin,
But the eyes that burn, see my pain within.

Crucified.
Justified.
Glorified.
Though a sinner's shame, within I hide,
You took the cross, to be by my side.

Powerful.
Joyful.
Wonderful.
My deepest wounds are healed in full,
And the sting of death is made a fool.

Begotten.
Magnified.
Beautiful.
My every pain, you feel them all,
And by Your love, no tear shall fall.

God on Mute 2

2009-02-08T18:20:00.002Z

OK, so I finally finished reading it...was great, I learned so much about prayer and standing in faith. I'll mention a few of the things that especially stuck out.

Deeper Faith
The passage used was Daniel 3:17-18. Here, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are about to be thrown into the fiery furnace. They show a deeper kind of faith...they have faith that God is able and will save them, this is where most of us stop. But they go on to say that even if He does not, they will not bow down to other gods. This type of faith really is something deeper. It's as CS Lewis puts it (I paraphrase very very losely)...it is one thing to stand firm in God when everyone around is is doing the same and when we can see God. However, we come to a point of true faith when we stand firm in adversity, with no one around us, when we can't see God and when there is no explaination.

In the Muck
Another story that really touched me was about a Jewish worker in a concentration camp during Nazi Germany. He was cleaning toilets and the guard was mocking him, asking 'Where is your God now?'. The answer was a quiet 'Here with me, in the muck'. This really reminded me that Jesus suffered on this earth for us, so that He can be with us in our sufferings. I don't believe that He needed to go through all that He did if 'mere salvation' was the goal, but He wanted to give us something more. So often, I feel sad and down and I lash out at God, wondering where He is and I completely miss that He is right there with me. Suffering with me and feeling what I feel...this is the God that I worship.

The bottom line is...this book is great, I really recommend it whatever your circumstances. I do think that we always will have prayers which we feel are unanswered or perhaps they are. But I've learned how to engage with the silence, what it means and know why it happens. Come to think about it...my life isn't so bad, sure I have my share of sufferings in my own heart but I need to take it into perspective. Speaking to a couple people recently have helped me do this...I'm here blogging...how bad can my life be? And you're here reading it. sometimes our prayers aren't answered because we need to learn to stand on our own two feet. I'll leave with this poem...

I asked for strength that I might achieve;
He made me weak that I might obey.
I asked for health that I might go greater things;
I was given grace that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy;
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
I was given life so that I could enjoy all things.
I received nothing tha tI asked for, all I that hoped for.
My prayer was answerd, I was most blessed.

Broken

2009-01-21T00:56:00.002Z

Thought I'd share this rockin' tune with everyone! Old but...still great!

Alone again again alone
Patiently waiting by the phone
Hoping that you will call me home
The pain inside my love denied
Hopes and dreams swallowed by pride
Everything I need it lies in you

‘Cause I’m broken
I know I need you now
‘Cause deep inside I'm broken
You see the way I live
I know I know your heart is broken
When I turn away
I need to be broken
Take the pain away

I question why you chose to die
When you knew your truth I would deny
You look at me
The tears begin to fall
And all in all faith is blind
But I fail time after time
Daily in my sin I take your life

All the hate deep inside
Slowly covering my eyes
All these things I hide
Away from you again
All this fear holding me
My heart is cold and I believe
Nothing’s gonna change
Until I'm whole again

It is well

2009-01-16T00:00:00.003Z

So, I've been struggling for a while now. I've come to a patch in my life which is really affecting me in so much that I do, emotionally I am all over the place and it's a bit of a mess. I keep getting reminded of Paul's 'thorn in his side' and God's grace being sufficient. I am reminded of Jesus' prayer at Gethsemane as He lays down His will for the Father's. But still I am suffering, I am down, I am sad...however hard or honestly I pray. As you are reading this you might be thinking I don't have enough faith, or I need to pray harder or maybe you're shouting at your screen there is no God...

If we are promised that everything we pray for in Jesus' name will be ours then why am I suffering? If I am promised a hope that will never disappoint, then why am I disappointed? What does it mean to rejoice in our sufferings? It is a preposterous idea, how can we do that??

So often we look at the gospel, see that it saves us and then move on. We say that we need to go into deeper things, look into sanctification, the gospel is elementary. But the gospel is our hope, it is our joy and always will be. It is the foundation of the hope, it is the one and only thing that brings us true joy.

For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10)

That's it, the gospel that gives me hope that brings me joy. And this is where it all changes, although I am sad, weary, alone, tired and longing for healing, I am joyful.

Though I am sad, I rejoice in hope. Though I am broken, I know Christ is with me. Though I cry for this world, I am joyful for salvation. In all of this, in all my sufferings, in all the thorns my hope is in Christ alone, my hope is in the gospel. It is the power of God.

So even though my prayers are unanswered, I suffer, I am disappointed, I feel forsaken...because of Christ it is well. I can rejoice in spite of all this and say, it is well with my soul.

The Gospel

2009-01-06T23:02:00.003Z

So let's not lose the point of Apologetics. It is to break down some barriers that might be in the way for some to hear or accept the gospel, which is the important thing. The book of Romans is Paul's account of the gospel so I'll quickly go thorough it.

The gospel is the power of God, revealing the righteousness of God through faith. Because God is righteous, He must judge sin. We know we sin because of the Law which God has given us. However, all the Law does is tell us that we have sinned, there is no lasting remedy and there is no assurance of salvation under the Law. This would not be a problem if we were without sin, but we have all fallen short of the glory of God and have therefore sinned. So, we are all to receive judgment because God is righteous.

However, there is a hope given to us. Through Christ we are JUSTIFIED, that means not only are we pardoned, it goes beyond that, there is no case to be brought against us. This is done through His PROPITIATION, which is a once and for all acceptable sacrifice. This leads to us being robed in RIGHTEOUSNESS, which goes beyond being 'ok' with God, we are given the honour of being righteous, like Him. How does this work though? How does believing or having faith in someone else's sacrifice work? Paul discusses this in chapter 4 where he points out that Abraham was acredited with righteousness because of His faith. This was before corcumcision (the covenant) and thus before the law, so salvation has always been through faith. Not just any faith, but faith in God and it is not by works.

This justification leads us to a hope in Christ, a biblical hope is one that does not disappoint and it is different to our everyday sort of hope. This hope is based on God's love for us which is seen through Him giving up His only Son for us, which was not a light sacrifice (see Isiah 53:5). In this hope, we are no longer slaves to sin which produces death, but we are slaves to God which produces abundant life. Being a slave of God is much more free than freedom in sin.

So what do we do with the Law? Do we still follow it? We do still follow the Law because it condemns us wich means it is holy. The Law is good because we know it in our own hearts, each one of us has something that we hold in our hearts and will not tell anyone about it because we know that it is wrong. This is the greater Law which God has placed within our hearts.

Although we have a great hope, God has not promised us that there will be no suffering, in fact, expect it to come thick and fast. However, God does promise that His love will not leave us, no power on earth, in heaven or in hell can seperate us from the love of God. With this hope, we become more than conquerors, in the before, we were subjected to sufferings but now, not only are we not subjected, but we rejoice in them.

---------

So, that's the gospel shortened, but I urge you to read Romans for yourself and see what you make of it!

God on Mute

2009-01-01T21:44:00.008Z

So I've recently picked up a book called 'God on Mute' which tackles the question of unanswered prayer. I must confess it's been something that I've been struggling with. I'll blog again about this book when I'm done but here's a poem in it.

Engaging the Silence
first
there is
.......prayer
and where there is prayer
there may be
.......miracles
but where miracles may not be
there are
.......questions
and where there are questions
there may be
.......silence
but silence may be
more than
.......absence
silence
may be presence
.......muted
silence
may not be nothing but
.......something
to explore
defy accuse
.......engage
and
this is
.......prayer
and when there is prayer
there may yet be
miracles...

Glorifying God

2008-12-29T00:48:00.002Z

So recently, I've just come back home from our church retreat and God has been speaking to me more about glorifying Him. Psalm 51 was mentioned, about giving a broken spirit and a contrite heart. That true worship comes from our brokenness in Christ and that as a result we will receive healing from Him. Also that we need to worship God in acceptable ways. For a lot of the OT, God despised the offerings given to Him because they were not REAL worship. Doing things in an unworthy manner where the heart did not glorify God...this is not what He wants. We need to be living fruitful lives in Christ, drawing strength from His sacrifice, His resurrection and His hope. The same power which rose Christ from the dead also resides and works within us!

Another thing that has really challenged me is glorifying God in our sufferings. John Piper said "God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him". This is a great quote on it's own as it teaches us to rejoice in Christ. However, often the next part of the quote is neglected, that is, "...in our sufferings". This, takes it to a completely different level. So often we will praise God when we have it all, when we have plenty but what about in sufferings? If the Holy Spirit does live in us then we will have a hope that surpasses all understanding, a hope that does not disappoint. We need to examine ourselves and ask, is God enough? Are we satisfied with just God? or do we need other things as well? As Job said...

The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised."

Likewise, we need to do this, we need to know that God is enough and rediscover that joy that befell us when we He first found us. Only then can we bring God a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart...worship and offerings that are acceptable to our God.

...On a side note, Church retreat was decent, the Lake District was amazing, check my facebook for photos!

Boast in Christ

2008-12-10T00:28:00.003Z

So recently, I've been constantly reminded about boasting in Christ. I guess it's God reminding me, curbing the pride inside my heart. If you think about it, without Him we are so inadequate, God chooses the weak to lead the strong, chooses the rejected to become important. The underdog is the one who God will use. It's amazing and totally against what the world thinks...It was God who reached down to us, God who died for us and God who gives us strength. If we can manage to grasp this then we cannot help but rejoice! and in turn this gives us even more strength. In our work, play, evangelism...we need God in it. So often we think of the nitty gritty things, iron out the creases and make sure everything is ok but we forget to put God in it. How often does the thing then not turn out good? and how often has little preparation but lots of God made the situation turn out well?

What do we have to boast but in Christ? By His Spirit, all things are possible.

Psalm 127
1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.

2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to ^[a] those he loves.

3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.

4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.

5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

(biblegateway)

Pour Out my Heart

2008-12-06T02:24:00.007Z

Here I am, once again
I pour out my heart for I know that you hear
Every cry, you are listening
No matter what state my heart is in

You are faithful to answer
With words that are true and a hope that is real
As I feel your touch
You bring a freedom to all that's within

In the safety of this place
I'm longing to...

Pour out my heart to say that I love you
Pour out my heart to say that I need you
Pour out my heart to say that I'm thankful
Pour out my heart to say that you're wonderful

So I heard this song at CU a few weeks ago and it has remained in my heart. Just before writing this I was really bogged down by many things but just life in general. But I was reminded by a friend that it's time for me to seek God, time for me to knock because all that I need is in Him. It is true, I feel safe with Him, He makes me lie down in green pastures and as Psalm 121 says, my help is in the Lord. And as the song says, He hears our every cry and is always faithful to answer. But it doesn't end there, we also need to pour out, we need to soften our hearts and be vulnerable before God so we can receive His love. So often I find that when I do this, my complaints, my fears and sorrows become praise. The more I pour out, the more I praise. I am convinced that it is God's comfort.

So here I am, once again, I pour out my heart...

Tonight (Christmas Song)

2008-12-01T01:39:00.002Z

So this is a song I wrote for Christmas, hope you like it!!

Verse 1
What is this light that I can see?
What is this joy surrounding me?
Why are the choirs of angels singing tonight?

What is this plan of mystery?
A baby clothed in majesty
Is born to us and sleeing in a manger tonight!

Chorus
We're singing, Wonderful, Counsellor,
Mighty God, our Prince of Peace!
Anointed one, the Risen Son,
Our Saviour is born onto us tonight!

As shepherds watch their flock at night,
They're greeted with a mighty light,
The angels sing of peace on earth tonight!

Verse 2
And far off in the eastern sky,
A shining star it shines so bright,
So all can see, our king is here tonight!

Bridge
Beauty for ashes, down You came,
Gave all Your glory, took our place,
So we can see You face to face.

Chorus 2
We're singing, Wonderful, Counsellor,
Mighty God, our Prince of Peace!
Anointed one, the Risen Son,
Our Saviour is born onto us...

Chorus 3
Wonderful, Counsellor,
Mighty God, our Prince of Peace!
Anointed one, the Risen Son,
Immanuel is born onto us tonight!

Songs/Poems

2008-12-01T01:38:00.004Z

Shortcut links to them ^^

Tonight (Christmas Song)
A Response

The Resurrection

2008-11-30T23:57:00.004Z

Why is the Resurrection important to Christians? Paul outlines this in 1 Corinthians 15:12-20. Before we look at the resurrection of Jesus, we need to establish that He actually died. If a cow is hit by a train and then staggers back up, there are two conclusions. Firstly, it died and ressurected, and secondly, it was merely stunned and got revived.

Did Jesus die on the cross?
Certain passages of scripture support the idea that Jesus might not have died. For example, He could have been drugged by something in the sponge and that fact that Pilate was surprised that Jesus died so quickly also supports this somewhat. So, let's look at the medical evidence. After the 39 lashes and the blood loss with that, Jesus would have had low blood pressure, a high heart rate and low levels of bodily fluids which are used up to replace the lost blood. Perhaps Jesus had just fainted on the cross.

The word excruciating comes from crucifixion. The death itself, is not, as most would think due to blood loss but it is by asphyxiation. When hanging on the cross, you would need to push up from your feet to take every breath. At the same time, your feet are slowly ripped by the nail and your back rubs against the rough surface of the wood. The lack of oxygen and the exhaustion leads to an erratic heartbeat and then cardiac arrest. All of this leads to a build up of clear fluid around the heart and lungs.

Now if Jesus did not die on the cross, surely He would die in the tomb? Or surely, if He did not die, and somehow managed to get out of the tomb, then surely He would not be able to convince His disciples to spread the word that He has resurrected...in that condition. The death of Christ is not a question, the fact that a resurrection story exists is testimony to this. Also, the medical evidence of Jesus dying is overwhelming.

Empty Tomb
This is not actually much of a contested issue, even skeptics to not question this because the early Christian leaders did not refer to it explicitly. Never once in Acts 2, for example, did Peter say..."Go look at the tomb yourself it's at xxxxxxx". In Matthew 28:11-15, the Jewish leaders bribe the guards to say what they are told. Never once did they claim that the tomb was not empty. Maybe you don't believe in the bible and think that it is inaccurate and that this did not happen. However, if this was so, no historical document would have survived scrutiny as long as the bible has.

Perhaps the disciples stole the body, as the guards claim in scripture. However, if you examine Luke 24:13-24 and John 20:19, we can see that the disciples were in no position to do this. If they had not lost all hope, then they were scared and locked themselves away. The actions of these men after Jesus appeared to them again completely changed, they were courageous and were willing to die for what they believed in. It must have taken a big event like the resurrection to cause this.

It is also out of the question whether some other group such as the Jews or the Romans stole the body. If they had, they would have just reproduced the body when the resurrection story was spreading and quickly dismantling the story.

Witnesses
In 1 Corinthians 15:3-6, Paul writes that there were 500 witnesses to Jesus after His resurrection. These documents were circulated and used as teaching material in the early Church, basically what Paul is doing here, is to INVITE others to ask these witnesses, to get the evidence form themselves. There is an argument that these 500 were merely hallucinating but this falls on so many levels. Firstly, hallucinations generally only happen when there is a stimulus such as a drug, secondly, they happen individually about different things, at different times. It is actually arguable that God making 500 people hallucinate the same thing at the same time a greater miracle than raising Jesus from the dead!

Another argument is that the resurrection was merely wishful thinking on the part of the disciples. However, this doesn't add up either because no one expected Jesus to rise again because no one understood it. All the Jews at the time were expecting the Messiah to be a great warrior to lead them out of foreign oppression, like a second exodus. In fact, even Peter thought this, He did not understand who Jesus was, and this is displayed in Mark 8:27-38. Another one is Paul, who, at the time did not even want Jesus to rise again. He went round persecuting the Christians, stoning them and throwing them in prison, yet even he went on to preach about it.

My Updates

2008-11-30T23:53:00.012Z

Quick link to my update blogs!

Phat Camp - 09 Aug
Who's Kingdom? - 01 Mar
God on Mute 2 - 08 Feb
Broken - 21 Jan
It Is Well - 16 Jan
God on Mute - 01 Jan
Glorifying God - 29 Dec
Boast in Christ - 10 Dec
Pour Out my Heart - 06 Dec
Woo! Blogging! - 27 Nov

Woo! Blogging!

2008-11-27T18:32:00.004Z

I am quite excited about this!...kinda sad really, but I think this will provide a nice break from all the law work I have to do!

I just got back in from CU and then having a drink with a few of my friends. CU was great, Romans 8...no condemnation in Christ, really reminded me that everyone is hurting inside. Even if they don't admit it, the world cries out to God and each person has something that they feel guilty about. Such hope we have in Christ that we are under no condemnation and are righteous before God!

This led nicely on to a chat I had with my friend at the pub about how much are we willing to suffer in light of this hope? He told me about two guys in Africa who were beaten up for not rescinding their faith in Christ, then had their legs broken, dragged as dogs on their knees and skulls smashed in. At any point, they could have escaped this by denying Christ. They ended up being burned to death singing God's praises. Such sacrifice, such assurance in their faith, really made me think of how little I actually offer up, how weak any suffering I receive is.

After walking back with my friend to halls, we bumped into a guy on her corridor and he was stumbling out of a taxi, completely smashed. Such a saddening sight, oh how much this world needs the Lord!

On a slightly lighter note...I'm well on track with my writing credit, gone through the relevant parts in two books this week already and two more are on the way!

So concludes my first ramble...I'll get onto updating the apologetics stuff now!

Looking at the Bible Historically

2008-11-27T17:43:00.015Z

Recently there have been many questions about the historical accuracy of the bible as a whole as well as in singular books. So let's look at some of the books historically, to date them and to critically assess the authors and witnesses.

Luke and Acts
We can see from the style and vocabulary that these were written by the same author, Luke, who was a physician. He was writing for a king or ruler named Theophilus who had heard about Jesus and had told Luke to make a report about Him. The book of Acts does not mention the crucial historical event of the fall of Jerusalem in 70AD, this suggests that it was written before that time. The prominence of the Sadducees suggest a time before 66AD when Roman and Jewish relations broke down. A less accurate indication would be the ommission of the cruxifiction of James at the hands of the Sanhedrin in 62AD. Nevertheless, historical evidence suggests a time before 70AD at least. Luke would have been written before Acts as can be seen in Acts 1. Therefore, Luke would have been written about 30 years after Jesus' cruxifiction which by historical standards is very close to the events. It can also be seen in Luke 1:1-4 that Luke wrote His book in a historical way, by looking at sources available to him at the time as well as interviewing witnesses. This also means that records of Jesus before Luke was written, further adding weight to the historical evidence for the gospels. As we have established that historically Luke is sound and the picture it paints of Jesus are in line with the other gospels, it would not be unreasonable to assume they are sound as well.

Are the Words Accurate?
There are some arguments such as discrepencies between the gospels for example how many women were at the empty tomb. However, addressing this argument, none of the gospels mention how many women were present, but all agree that it is plural. It would also be historical malpractice to discredit historical documents on the basis of secondary matters. In fact, the slight differences actually enforce the validity of them. If witnesses were to make up a story in court, they would sit together and make sure that they get every single fact exactly right. Here, this is not the case because the authors just wrote the truth. This can be seen but the fact that they did not change their story from the beginning, if they did, there were many Jewish leaders ready to pounce.

Perhaps there is a question on whether the witnesses would have exaggerated or lied about Jesus, after all, they were close friends. However, if the context is examined, they preached about Jesus in a very hostile environment, under persecution from both the Jews and the Romans. It would be in their self interest not to exaggerate what Jesus did, but to not say anything at all. But yet they spread the word? why? the only reason would be if it was the truth, a truth so great they were willing to risk their lives for it.

Constantine and The Council of Nicea
There is a school of thought that Constantine and the Council of Nicea put together the biblical canon and that many documents were burned and also they decided the Jesus was divine. In fact, the bible as we know it was not put together until 60 years after Constantine died. The reason was that there was no need for a bible as such, the teachers knew which documents were correct and accurate. However, there were some books which some accepted but others didn't such as Hebrews, Jude and James. The gospels not included in the bible are called the gnostic gospels, an example is the gospel of Judas which was recently discovered and dated to 300-400AD by the National Geographic. At the time these gospels were known to be inaccurate, it would be like buying The Sun for good political analysis.

What WAS discussed at The Council of Nicea was to tackle the view of Arianism which was a school who thought that Jesus had been created. At the council, this was strongly opposed and unlike a certain Mr. Dan Brown claims, the doctrine of a divine Jesus already existed before Constantine.

Heaven and Hell

2008-11-27T17:43:00.014Z

Heaven and Hell are very important, it is the reason why we spread the gospel so it is vital that we understand what they are.

Hell
Hell is the place of judgement, where God's wrath falls on those who have not accepted Him and so are cast away from Him. Hell must exist because God is just, there must be punishment for sin. There are many biblical descriptions for hell.;
Matthew 8:12 - Weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mark 9:43-49 - Fire.
Romans 2:7-9 - Wrath and anger.
2 Thessalonians 1:9 - Everlasting destruction.
Hell is an everlasting death, a spiritual death where you are detached from God.

Heaven
Heaven is to dwell with God, to be in the relationship with Him that He created us for, a good description is found in Revelation 21. Heaven is a spiritual place as can be seen in 2 Corinthians 12:1-3. The Jewish science at the time set the universe in three layers, the first heaven was the sky, the second heaven was the universe and the cosmos and the third heaven is the spiritual realm where God is. To get to hell you merely have to reject God (which we all have done already), to get to heaven, you must place your trust in Jesus Christ. Paul outlines this in Romans 4.

Is Jesus the Only Way?

2008-11-27T17:43:00.013Z

Are all religions different paths up the same mountain? Or is there only one way? Is this way Jesus? There are so many religious views, so many different possible ways, which is the most convincing? Which one works?

Exclusive or Inclusive
In general, these are the two types of religious view, that either they are the only way, or all religions provide a way. One popular argument is that all religions are different parts up the same mountain. However, there is a fundamental flaw in this view because to know that this is truth, you have to not only have reached the top, but also see the whole of the mountain. In other words, you are claiming divinity. If we are to take an inclusive view, we would have to accept that religions such as Islam, Judaism and Christianity are true in their views, so, we end up at position of exclusivity.

Why Jesus?
The fundamental problem according to all exclusive religions is that of sin. To be with God, one must be righteous in His eyes. All have sinned so it is a problem which all mankind faces. The reason God cannot be with sin is because He is perfect and just, He cannot be with sin otherwise He would be denying His own nature. This is where Islam falls, there is salvation only in Allah but there is no remedy for sin, which demands punishment, death. This is where Jesus comes in, He lived a sinless life and gave up His life as a sacrifice for sin, once and for all. It is the same case with Judaism, the law was never supposed to be permanent. In fact, Abraham, the father of the Jews was accredited with righteousness not because He followed the law, but because He had FAITH in God. Therefore, by the same logic, we can only get to God through faith in God, that is, through Jesus Christ.

Paul sums up all the arguments very comprehensively in the book of Romans.

God and Science

2008-11-27T17:43:00.011Z

Is there a place for both God and science? Richard Dawkins believes that scientific truth is the only truth. However, what is this view based on? It is surely not based on science, there is no evidence to this truth, in fact, it is a philosophical truth. Does a place for God mean no place for science? Again, I would have to say no, God uses science as a mechanism. This leaves us with one other option, the harmony of God and Science. Let's take a look at one of the most controversial and hot topics, Genesis and Evolution.

Evolution
This is a scientific theory. This means that it is a basis of scientific outlook, a starting point, one where new hypotheses are based on. It is not (as some say) 'just a theory' in that it is not proven. The mass of evidence about evolution comes from fossils which are carbon dated. This is a very accurate form of dating and the data can, on a whole be trusted. There are questions however, which do face evolution, such as the 'Cambrian Explosion'. A time where seemingly a lot of fossils appeared in a short space of time, however this could be due to the climate and conditions with just suited fossilization. Nevertheless, the evidence for evolution appears to be quite comprehensive but as any scientist will tell you, it does not deal with how life got here in the first place.

Genesis
To some, this is hard fact, take it word for word, God created the earth in six 24 hour days out of nothing. However, this argument seems to fall short because the notion of a 24 hour day did not exist until day 4, when the Sun was created. I believe that Genesis 1 is in fact, a poem. There are many poetic traits in it, such as the rhythm, how each day starts and how each day ends, it is a cycle. There is also structure in it, God separates in days 1, 2 and 3, God fills in days 4, 5 and 6. What God separates in day 1 He fills in 4, what He separates in day 2, He fills in 5 and what He separates in day 3, He fills in 6. It would be illogical to lecture the Israelites on microbiology and evolution, instead, God tells them what is important, that He created them.

Conclusion
This is only a brief summary of the debate but it can already be seen that there is a place for both God and science to work. Benjamin Warfield, one of the 'Princeton Theologians' said, "A theory of the method, of the divine providence". There was no tension then so why should there be now? Science does not and never will prove how we got here, the universe is so intricate so many levels and balances. You may argue that this is one of the 'God for the gaps' arguments but is it? The two are addressing very different things, on one hand science tells us how things work and on the other God tells us why they work.

Additional Resources:
Rob Bell - Everything is Spiritual
Francis Collins - the Language of God

A Few Questions of Belief

2008-11-27T17:43:00.010Z

There are often many questions people have for not believing or trusting in God (whether genuine or not). Generally, these four always come up, so let's look at them!

Isn't the idea of God just wish fulfillment?
Often we have a sense of awe, when we look at a beautiful landscape or a huge cathedral dome, something that cannot be explained or described. Is this God or is it just our WANT to be God? Freud held onto the belief that a person's view or perception of God is no more than an exalted father. However, the biblical God is very different to this, He is constant, objective. Also, the bible tells us that we will suffer, there will be suffering for Christ, yet people still follow. There must be something greater than that to cause our continue strive towards God.

The argument can also be turned on its head. Just because you wish for something, it does not mean that it cannot happen, a farmer can wish for rain, a man can wish for a loving wife. Both are possible realities, C.S. Lewis sums this up well:

"Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exist. A baby feels hunger, well there is such a thing as food...Men feel sexual desire, there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."

What about the harm done in the name of religion?
There has been a lot of harm done, the crusades, September 11...there seems to be a valid point here. However, the good is often omitted, what about Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt, or William Wilberforce convincing Parliament to outlaw slavery or Martin Luther King? Look at the 20th century, it has been the bloodiest in all of history and at the same time, society is becoming more and more secular. There is much evidence to show that actually, religion has a positive effect.

Most people look at the church and see it's flaws, and there are many, because it is made up of broken people. It is not right to judge Christ through us, though we strive to be like Him, we cannot be. This is the same as judging the water inside by looking at the rusty can it is in. Or, a more biblical analogy would be to judge the treasure by looking at the jars of clay that hold it. To examine Christianity, one must look at Christ.

Why would a loving God allow suffering?
There are so many responses to this question. Most of the pain and suffering is caused by mankind because of our own actions through free will. It is our fault, so we shouldn't blame God for it. The other type is that of 'natural evil', things like earthquakes and tsunamis. Perhaps this is God's judgement, or perhaps God is working behind the scenes to save so many more people.

Whatever the response, however intellectually satisfying (or not) it may be...it doesn't solve the question. Suffering happens and no explaination will justify it within our hearts. We complain because we believe in ourselves that things should be better, if not, then why complain? Instead of shaking your fist at God, why not ask Him how He can remedy it, how He can comfort you. God has promised us so much concerning suffering. In our comfort, God whispers but in our suffering God is loud, ask yourself, do you learn more when things are smooth, or when you suffer? Would life be life without suffering?

Can a rational person believe in miracles?
In short, yes. A rational person must not write off anything, there is always a chance of anything happening however small it may be. The problem is that the word 'miracle' is used too much nowadays, it is something that science and nature cannot explain. Examples would be parting the red sea, the Sun standing still in Joshua, Jesus rising from the dead, miraculous instant healings or even the changing of a heart. Science cannot explain these things, they are miracles. Perhaps you will never see a miracle in your lifetime, God does not shake them about randomly but they happen at times of great spiritual importance. So yes, a rational person can believe in miracles, of course, look for other explainations first but it should never be ruled out, or you would be being irrational.

Introduction, what is it?

2008-11-27T17:42:00.002Z

So what is apologetics? It can be simply put as two things. 1) Presenting the rational basis of Christian faith, 2) Defending the faith. It is important to know what you believe, to have some sort of foundation for your faith, be it through experience or logic. Apologetics is important because it is practiced in the bible (Acts 26:2) and we are also told to do it (1 Peter 3:15).

It is important to be clear and honest about what you believe in and know. As with all things, do it with humility because the aim is not to win the argument, but to break down some intellectual barriers which may be holding back people from coming to Christ. Often, it would be appreciated if you just said "errrm...I don't really know, but I will write it down and get back to you on that one" rather than forcing out an argument which you yourself may not find to be convincing or relevant.

One thing to keep in mind is to address the question. If someone asks you...WHY DID YOU BECOME A CHRISTIAN? It would be useless to tell them about how you met a nice guy, then went for coffee and joined a small group then after reading the bible you committed your life to Christ! Sure, that is a great thing but have you really answered the question? You told them HOW you became one, rather than WHY.

So why do you believe? Is it because of better answers, or morality, or ways of life? Address these questions. However, I believe that if you search within yourself, the answer is a sunday school one...JESUS. It is because of Jesus we believe, because of Jesus' sacrifice, because od Jesus changing our lives. But why Jesus? Because He was the only one who could do it. If you look at all the 'founders' of 'religions', for example Buddha, or Mohammad, they could have been replaced by anyone else in history, but Jesus can't! Without Jesus, we have no reason to believe.

So think logically, be gentle and above all pray about it, let God work!

Additional resources:
http://bethinking.org/what-is-apologetics/

Apologetics

2008-11-27T17:38:00.003Z

So here are the titles I have discussed so far. I will be updating them as I go along!

Introduction, what is it?
A Few Questions of Belief
God and Science
Is Jesus the Only Way?
Heaven and Hell
Looking at the Bible Historically
The Resurrection
The Gospel

Useful links:
www.bethinking.org