Random Quote - Bono

As the band was just starting off many years ago, Bono wrote the following words to his father, who just recently passed away; 

"[God] gives us our strength and a joy that does not depend on drink or drugs. this strength will, I believe, be the quality that will take us to the top of the music business. I hope our lives will be a testament to the people who follow us, and to the music business where never before have so many lost and sorrowful people gathered in one place pretending they're having a good time. I is our ambition to make more than good music"

Quoted from "Walk on: The Spiritual Journey of U2" by Steve Stockman

Worship songs arnt for blokes?

Matt Redman comments on someone quoted as saying that worship songs arnt for blokes. Don't know what I think - I don't have a problem telling Jesus that I love him! Its quite interesting though what Matt says about making sure that the language in our worship songs is saying exactly what we mean it to.

d

What about them apples..?

I would like to take this opportunity to offer the right hand of fellowship to McDermott, welcoming him into the Cult of Mac - congratulating him on a life changing decision to turn his back on his wicked Windows ways and embrace the Apple!

d

Fools Gold

Fools Gold has a post on something rather topical in Glenmachan - doesn't offer too much at the minute but as people's comments build up it might be quite interesting.

d

Random Quote - Lloyd Jones

“I am certain that the world outside is not going to take much notice of the organised efforts of the Christian church. The one thing she will pay attention to is a body of people filled with this Spirit of rejoicing. This is how Christianity conquered the ancient world.“
D. M. Lloyd Jones - Joy Unspeakable

With so much talk these days about responding to culture, and making the church "relevant(?)" - perhaps we've put too much emphasis on the small things and lost sight of what matters most.

d

CAP - Christians Against Poverty

Of those in debt:

- 67% missed meals with 22% doing so regularly.
- 80% lived in fear.
- 6% attempted suicide with 34% considering suicide.
- 69% visited their GP as a result of debt with 41% being prescribed medication.
- 39% said debt caused arguments, with another 17% saying debt led to their relationship breakdown.

The stats above are taken from the website of an organisation that has only recently come to my attention - Christians Against Poverty.

As its name would suggest this is an organisation focussed on reducing poverty within the UK, which it hopes to achieve by offering free debt counseling to those in need. It does so through partnering with local churches, who burdened for the needy, set up "CAP centers" within the church, receive specialist training from CAP, equipping them to reach out into their local communities helping those most effected by debt. It was founded in 1996 by John Kirkby and there are now 72 centers nationwide. 

From reading their website they operate as a kind of debt consolidation firm, except they have close links with credit companies, and lenders, allowing them to negotiate new interest rates for people who are being crippled by ever increasing loans. As a result they are in the unique position to help people pay their own ways out of debt, through sensible money management and budgeting. 

Check out the website and read more about the work this organisation does and the results that they continue to achieve, and "make your mark on UK poverty".

d

Finally updated!!!

Realise its been a while but finally started updating 18-30s site again! Figured out a way of doing it from here without having to sign in and out all the time.

d

Random Quote - Tim Challies

Challies posted yesterday on "Data Smog and the Christian Life". Its a long post, but in one of his closing paragraphs he states,

"It is such a temptation to begin my day with checking my email and checking my favorite blogs and news sites rather than beginning quietly with God. I have a difficult time turning off the phone and the computer so I can sit and memorize God’s Word, even for just a few minutes at a time. I have succumbed to the information overload, and have loved being a part of it. I have seen the data smog envelop my life. But, as with many other Christians, I know it has affected my spiritual life. While the information we are privy to is in many ways a blessing, in other ways it is a temptation and a curse."

As someone more or less addicted to reading and posting on blog sites, I can second this. This blog itself charts my desperation for having my internet connection returned after a period of downtime! 

Its a bit of a shame, considering my bible sits on the same desk...

d

"his delight is in the law of the Lord, 

and on his law he meditates day and night"

                    Psalm 1:2

Q Cafe - Seattle

As anyone who reads this blog regularly will know, there are two churches in Seattle that I pay a passing interest in - Mars Hill, and Quest. Quest is pastored by Eugene Cho, who's blog is on my recommended list. Part of the ministry at Quest is Q Cafe - and it looks amazing!

It is basically a non-profit community coffee shop, set up in a formerly disused warehouse next to their church in downtown Seattle run with the motto "be a good neighbour". As well as serving the usual coffee shop stuff, they offer local artists a bit of gallery space, and act as a venue in the evening for local musicians, drama groups, and open mic nights etc. They offer internet facilities (free wifi) and IT training to the local community, and provide a base for the churches homeless outreach program! Before the church had dedicated sanctuary they met here on Sundays!

The best thing about it is it cost the church very little! The warehouse was a free gift and the decor is very minimal.

The more I read about it I think, why doesn't our church have one! What an outreach into their community it must be. Eugene has mentioned in the past about talking a certain amount of stick over it not being "overtly christian", but surely as a Church there is more to outreach than preaching at people.

I have been meaning to post on this for ages, but it was being in the Eat etc (which was great by the way, only had ice-cream and coffee, but the decor and atmosphere was really great), on the site of the old Movies and Mochas today that got me thinking about it. From what I can see they are running this place to do something similar - I just wish Glenmachan had bought it instead and we were involved! 

d

A new era...

The volume of posts lately has been a bit pathetic. My deepest apologies to anyone who started confusing this blog with Marvelous Light. However ... BT have finally seen fit to send me out a new home hub! No more begging a connection of my parents, technical wifi theft from my neighbours, and no more days off doing constructive things. Instead I welcome the internet back into my home, and with it the hours spent reading other peoples blogs, watching people get hit in the groin with footballs on YouTube, buying songs I don't listen to on iTunes, and posting things nooone reads.

Isn't technology amazing!

d

The Uncomfortable Commission (part 2) - Jim Fleming

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?... 

... and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday "
Isaiah 58: 6-10

The word in verse 10 is IF.
- IF you feed the hungry and do away with injustice so oppression can be lifted then the promise is that “your light will rise in the darkness.” Fantastic!!
- IF we follow and act out these instructions God will enable his light to shine through us into the darkness of the world!

What our group, “Doing it for Him”(Matt 25:40), are looking for are co-workers to partner with us in the work of bringing food aid, in the form of hampers, to the most needy in society. We have a contact in Social Services who pass on details of those who really need assistance.

If anyone feels led to become co-workers then we need much prayer and also on a more practical level donations of non-perishable food, toiletries, etc. A large black bin has been left on the wall facing the reception desk at church for all donations.

God bless you all as you “do it for Him.”

Jim

Thanks to Jim for the post and the challenge - pray for this ministry, and for Jim and his team and they try to find ways to reach out in love and meet the needs of our city. d

a moral dilemma...

My internet is still broken, and its too late to be at my parents... what chapter and verse deals with using your neighbour's wireless signal?! 

and does using that signal to waste the night away reading christian blogs make it ok? 

Healer

Petey Nik has a great post on a new worship song, "Healer" by Mike Guglielmucci. Read his review and watch the video here.

d 

BT still suck...

Still scrounging from the parents... bit pathetic!

The Uncomfortable Commission (part 1)

The following is by Jim Fleming who's involved in setting up a new ministry in the church, introducing why they felt the call to set it up, I'll be making sure one follows on what they'll actually be doing, and how to get involved.

Who is my neighbour, where’s the love?
That speaks for those our world has lost,………Martin Smith, Delirious?

Feed the hungry, give the thirsty a drink, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, take care of the sick and visit the prisoner.

These were the last instructions that Jesus gave to his followers, his last teachings before the events that led to his death unfolded. Is there something poignant in that? (see Matthew 25-26).

God in the OT and Jesus, Paul, Peter and James in the NT have given us clear instructions on how to treat the poor, needy, widows, orphans, strangers, aliens and prisoners. There is little doubt that God has a heart for those in need.

In the Bible there are over 31000 verses and recently the Bible Society revealed that over 2000 of these refer to God’s views on poverty and justice, the highest concentration being 1 in every 7 verses in the Gospels!

So what can we do to reach this world that’s lost, who are our neighbours? Well there are many, fine Christian charities working with those in need in the developing world but what about here in Norn Iron or to be more specific in our homeland of East Belfast? 2006 statistics for the Province reveal that 1 in 5 adults and over a quarter of children live in low income conditions!

Well our group, “Doing it for Him”, feel led to bring comfort for those who really need it, the poor, the single parents, the needy pensioners. God willing by following his instructions we can reach these “neighbours” with His love.

Jim

BT suck...

Sorry for the absence of any posts lately, my BT hub has gone up the left - you only realise how much you use the internet when its broken! And going to your parents house solely to scrounge wireless off them is a bit pathetic!