Advent

Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you, declares the Lord. Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.

Taken from Zechariah 2:10-11 (New International Version)

Discipline

I few weeks ago, we were encouraged to get into reading our bibles more. This is a huge challenge to me, as my discipline for this is generally awful, and my bible reading can at times be sporadic. So, over the next couple of years, to try and keep a bit more discipline, I'm going to be joining a few people at church in following a bible reading plan which covers the whole bible in 1 or 2 years (I'm going for the two year option - a couple of chapters a day is about the right amount of reading for me I think).

The plan we're following is by McCheyne, and can be found here. To follow in 1 year you read all four columns, and to follow in 2 years you do the first two columns one year, and the 3rd and 4th columns in the 2nd year.

Anyway, I hope that this will help me be more disciplined, especially with encouragement from others. I'll probably put the odd post on how I'm getting on with it up here. If I don't, give me a nudge to make sure I've not given up.

This post is (apparently) not heretic

Here are the results for my "Are you a heretic?" and "What's your theological worldview?" tests. Thanks to Mel and Rich Burley for finding these first, and to QuizFarm.com for hosting the quizes in the first place.

Are you a heretic?

You scored as Chalcedon compliant. You are Chalcedon compliant. Congratulations, you're not a heretic. You believe that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like us in every respect, apart from sin. Officially approved in 451.

Chalcedon compliant		100%
Monophysitism		50%
Pelagianism		33%
Docetism		0%
Arianism		0%
Apollanarian		0%
Donatism		0%
Adoptionist		0%
Modalism		0%
Socinianism		0%
Nestorianism		0%
Albigensianism		0%
Monarchianism		0%
Gnosticism		0%

What's your theological worldview?

(I should point out that the final result was a tie-break between the top two results)

You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan. You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavly by John Wesley and the Methodists.

Emergent/Postmodern		82%
Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan		82%
Neo orthodox		43%
Classical Liberal		32%
Roman Catholic		29%
Charismatic/Pentecostal		29%
Modern Liberal		29%
Reformed Evangelical		21%
Fundamentalist		11%

Outside The Box

Feeling glum, stuck in your little man-made box? Perhaps it's time to get out into the big God-made world. Even if it's 8:30 at night, you'll feel better. No longer bored and cooped up, but filled with thankfulness, joy and freedom.

Acts Challenges

Had quite a challenging sermon on Sunday evening. A challenge from Acts 3, and a very tough one.

Now it's quite possible you may have read my comments (and other peoples) on Steve Tilley's blog about the challenge at the end of Acts 2. This is a big challenge, and yet it does seem achievable in human terms, so although a big challenge, it's not a big and scary and impossible seeming challenge. However, when we get to Acts 3 we're in a whole different ball game.

Here we see Peter and John walking past a begger, who has been unable to walk since birth - about 40 years. Without any hesitation, they tell him in the name of Jesus to walk, and he does. There is no, "if God wants you to walk, then walk", it is clear cut. Why is it then that we don't see this. We can rationalise it and say "Peter and John are special". Well, they did meet Jesus when he was personally performing miracles, but how special were they, really?!?

As the preacher pointed out, these men had come from ordinary backgrounds, and then followed Jesus wholeheartedly. This surely should not be so different from us. They were filled with the holy spirit at Pentecost. Surely though all believers have this given to them. One big difference that can be highlighted is faith. This is something these guys had. They expected God to turn up.

Still, how can we move beyond this, how can we expect God to work through us, and how can we do what God calls us to? This is where everything becomes tricky. I'm not sure from my experience how to make this next step. Maybe a prayer, "Lord I believe, help my unbelief", as used by another seeker back in the days of Jesus. With this, maybe we can build up to that mustard seed of faith. Still, I am a long way off, but hope and pray that my faith one day will stretch this far.

This post may finally be complete, but still, I am a work in progress.

Challenge

I found yesterday evening's sermon made quite a challenge. It was based on Jesus' Teaching on the law, on Murder, Adultery and Divorce. These are things that are not permited under old testament law. A lot of people don't take the old testament law as being important, and yet Jesus was issuing a challenge in his own words right there that we must be more righteous than the pharasies when it comes to this law.

This is where the challenge comes, in how we are more righteous. It is in going beyond actions, which the world may see, and looking to the roots of those actions, and the very feelings, which God can see. If we murder, then the whole world sees this, but if we hate, the world can turn a blind eye. God however sees this, and wants us to sort this out. The same goes for Adultery; the world can turn a blind eye too our lust, but God sees, and asks that we repent. I think though, that the challenge goes deeper than these particular points, and goes to our whole attitude. God knows our thoughts and wants them to be purified even more than our actions.

This is not to say that grace do not play a part. All our sins are cast asside by grace at the end. But the most powerful thing grace does, is go beyond wiping sins off our record, by changing us and our sinful natures to be more holy, that we may not be as shackled by the chains of sin, even in this life.

Words follow me around

I'm starting to get the impression that certain sets of words are following me round. After reading a chapter of "Beyond Confirmation" (see previous post), I find that not only do I get quoted, yet again, some words from David Watson's book Discipleship (which is on my reading list after hearing the quote recently in church), but I also get more teaching on John 15 which I was hearing twice over the last year (once from my vicar after his sabatical, and once at New Wine).

I'm feeling like God is trying to point something out to me here. That I really need to start taking discipleship a lot more seriously. And I think he's probably going to keep reminding me till I get it sorted.

---

PS. I hope you like the site's new colour scheme.

Hot and Cold...

...or Music, Dance and Prayer.

Well, an exciting weekend all round, so time to blog about it I think. So here goes...

Cold 1

Well, friday night, started with some food in browns, to avoid going home from uni, just to come back to cov. Then, on to Coventry Cathedral. It was freezing! But the London Community Gospel Choir soon got everyone warmed up. Got to chat to some friends in the interval, and get hold of one of their fine CDs too. Grund!

Cold 2

Saturday, once again to Coventry Cathedral, which was once again cold! This time, for my confirmation. A great opportunity for me to state my faith publicly again, and to receive much prayer and blessing. We started with a little explanation of how everything would work, so that when we got to the service itself, we could worry less, and concentrate on god more. Then tea with the bishop, where some of us ended up in a random cake eating competition (I blame the kids for starting that, no adults involved of course (hmm, right)).

Anyway, after this, back to the important stuff. The service was good, and Bishop Colin prayed for each of us in turn, for a greater filling of the holy spirit. At the end of the service we all lighted candles to signify our comming out of darkness and into light. It was very encouraging to see so many people there, both being confirmed (about 180) and supporting (nearly 2000!).

Of course, although this was good and a blessing to me, it is still the small event. The main important event was of course my baptism, which I am thrilled to have done. Now though the important thing is how I continue with my spiritual journey, and my relationship with God, how I can follow Jesus better. For this I have much reading, action and of course prayer to do...

Hot 1

Next day, Sunday, was introduced to the Church at St. Pauls (all those baptised and/or confirmed, or having renewed vows stood up in church during the service for everyone to see, and some video of the confirmation service was shown), and then lovely roast turkey in a yorkshire at the Cask. Then, that evening, the heat of bright lights on the stage, as we (the University of Warwick Symphony Orchestra) began our performance. Great fun, we performed a selection from "The Armed Man" by Karl Jenkins with the chourus, they performed, "The Three Kings" by Dove, and then we played "Symphonic Dances from West Side Story" by Bernstein. After the interval, Tchaikovsky's Fith Symphony (with a really beautiful horn solo, by the first horn).

Hot 2

Finally, rounding off this, with Monday night. My usual Ceroc dancing. This week's intermediate routine started with a couple of nice easyish moves, but the third move, very tough. You either got in knots, and needed long arms not to, or got the crouch bit wrong, but hey, all fun :-). Freestyle, once again exhausting, and hence, hot!

Anyways, until next time, Ciao Ciao, M

Baptism

I was baptised this evening. It was a great oportunity to declare my faith in public, and to accept God's blessings. Also, was really encouraging to hear the testimonies of the other people being baptised or renewing vows. It was grand. The only slight niggle is water up the nose, but I don't really care, because it was so fantastic. Anyway, you can view the photos here. Sorry they're not great yet - there will be some better ones along, but they will have to wait for my uncle to develop them.

A big thankyou to all those who have been praying for me, and to those who got me cards and books. I think that my christian book selection is now about doubled, which is no bad thing. Next up, on saturday, is my confirmation. Baptism is the big important bit, but the confirmation will be good also, and oportunity for more prayer and encouragement, and to meet the bishop of coventry.

Less than 48hrs to go...

Till my baptism. Yay, will be grand!

Baptism

I am going to be baptised on Sunday 20th at 6:30PM in St. Paul's Church, Leamington. Anyone who knows me (or doesn't but is curious about the whole baptism thing) is welcome to come. You can find details of the location here.

Stars

Ok, I was going to talk about strange things in search and messaging industry for computers, then I was going to talk about cricket, and then I was going to talk about a film... All this will follow in good time, but for now I think I'll talk about stars...

I was outside, and looking up, on this clear night, and a few things popped into my head. First I thought of the song stars from Les Misérables, which follows here...

Stars in your multitudes,
Scarce to be counted,
Filling the darkness
With order and light.
You are the sentinels,
Silent and sure,
Keeping watch in the night,
Keeping watch in the night.

You know your place in the sky,
You hold your course and your aim,
And each in your season
Returns and returns
And is always the same.

Stars from Les Misérables. Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Lyrics by Alain Boublil & Herbert Kretzmer

And then I thought of a part of the bible, where God speaks to Abraham about his descendents and stars...

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:

"Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward."

But Abram said, O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.

Then the word of the Lord came to him: This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir. He took him outside and said, Look up at the heavens and count the stars — if indeed you can count them. Then he said to him, So shall your offspring be.

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Taken from Genesis Chapter 15, verses 1-6. Using the New International Version translation of the Bible

So, there are a lot of stars, which I see, and a lot of descendants of Abram too. Stars are great reminders of how we fit in. Yes there are many many stars. But although those stars are tiny in our skies, they are even more beautiful, intersting and complex close-up. I think that there are many descendants of Abraham (Should point out here to avoid confusion - Abram and Abraham are one and the same), but god knows us in all the interesting close-up detail, not just like the blanket of stars we see.