For a while now I’ve been reading other people’s blogs. Ever since I started my own blog, I’ve become interested in what other people, who I don’t know, blog about. Additionally, my blogging exploits have persuaded some of my friends to start their own blogs.
Recently I’ve been reading Jollyblogger. The author’s just started going through the five points of Calvinism which I find very interesting. It’s interesting how others approach the findings of the Synod of Dort and its relation to Scripture.
I’ve also been reading Allthings2all, initially struck by the author’s vibrant Christian life and experience, and recently been following her critique of post-modern thought. Well worth reading.
On a lighter note, a couple of the young people at my church, Ally and Dave, have their own blogs, with their eclectic mix of teenage angst and insight as they walk through life, maturing into adults with each step. It’s encouraging to see them growing in maturity, both temporally and spiritually. In addition to these blogs, Nigel has a half-blog which chronicles his life. (I say half-blog as it doesn’t have all the features you’d expect from a blog).
Finally my old mate Dave (not to be confused with Dave above) hasn’t updated his blog in ages, and I’ve stopped reading it. Update it Dave!
Of course, I don’t visit these pages manually, but use Bloglines (an RSS aggregator) to tell me when they’ve been updated, which allows me to read them only when there’s something new.

On a completely separate note, I’ve now installed Fedora Core 3 and so far – it’s brilliant! I must admit to being slightly disappointed when Core 2 was released as it had annoying bugs aplenty, whereas Core 3 has pleasantly surprised me with welcome features I didn’t expect. If you’ve ever considered having a look at Linux, this is a very good distribution to use. Highlights include Firefox, Gnome 2.8, a 2.6.9 kernel and X.org.

I had a magnificent vantage point as the plane I was on came into Heathrow this evening. One minute I was looking across the top of the cloud layer, with a brilliant clear view of the stars. Then, as we slowly descended, I could begin to see glimpses of the lights of London in the breaks in the cloud. Before long we had completely broken through the cloud layer and I had a clear view of the Thames and the whole of west London. I could see the outlines of streets marked out with streetlights, lights of individual cars as they went about their business like ants. I know it sounds cliché, but I’m amazed how everything is brought into perspective when viewed from a distance. The vast man-made structures of London appear so small and insignificant when viewed from cloud level, even the far-off suns in their vast array appear so small, and remind me of how vast the universe is and how small I am. Even more amazing that the creator of all I saw, and everything beyond, is interested in something as small and insignificant as me and loves me.

In Romans chapter 5, the apostle Paul talks about peace. Over the past few days we’ve been reminded of peace bought at the huge cost of human life, through the terrible, yet sometimes necessary, act of war. Yet this peace is temporary and does not bring us ultimate peace. For ultimate peace, we need peace with our Maker, we need peace with God.
For all our efforts though, we cannot justify ourselves before God and earn our peace with him. Our sin puts us at war with God and is too great for us to deal with. God the Father, through God the Son, has generously dealt with it, that through faith in the Son we are justified before God and find peace with God.
God had no responsiblity on his part to fulfil, he could’ve left us in our sin. As sinners, we deserve his wrath because he is holy and just and cannot tolerate sin in his presence. However, because he loved us, Christ bore our sin and so bore the wrath due for that sin.
It is an amazing sacrifice that God the Son, the creator and sustainer of the universe, gave up his glory, taking on the wrath of God, for those who put their faith in him.

Went rambling across the North Downs today. It was a beautiful day – Bright blue skies, not a cloud in sight, clean fresh air and nice and cool. A perfect way to enjoy God’s creation, wandering leisurely across the Surrey countryside and chatting with friends.
Got home and had a short nap before going out in the evening to meet up with some of the former members of the Harlington Singers. Even though the choir no longer exists, we still exist as a group of friends and we still meet up every now and then, as friends do. The evening was spent at The Orchard restaurant in Ickenham, with good food and good company.
I think I’ll sleep well tonight.

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13-16

I attended the funeral of little Nathaniel this afternoon. Not being a parent, I cannot begin to imagine what it would be like for them to lose a child. As such, I will leave a few verses from the Bible which were read during the service and had stuck in my mind.

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” Job 1:21

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:1-5

Scene Four

**Ruth 4:1-12**

After meeting with Ruth, Boaz doesn’t waste any time sorting out who will carry on Elimilech’s name. He convenes a meeting between himself and the closest kinsman-redeemer at the town gate, with ten of the town’s elders as witnesses. Initially, the closest kinsman-redeemer takes on the task, but when told Ruth is part of the package, he withdraws his claim. At this Boaz takes on the responsibility of taking on Ruth as his wife and seals the contract with a sandal.

Throughout the proceedings, Boaz was a man of character and integrity, being able to convene a meeting at his behest and doing everything completely transparently. Evidently, both Boaz and the nearest kinsman-redeemer had the means to take on the contract, but the cost of taking on the contract was too much for the nearest kinsman-redeemer, whereas Boaz was willing to go through with it.

Through this small event, the monarchy of Israel would be descended, and ultimately the redeemer of the world, Jesus Christ, would come.

This is also a picture of this redeemer. Though I am a sinner and worthy of hell, the redeemer was willing and had the means to save sinners such as me. He was willing to pay the cost of his own life and standing that I might be redeemed through faith. If he is willing to do that for me, shouldn’t I be willing to trust him and do his will?

“Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus Christ (John 15:13)

(What’s all this about?)

I had a bit of a fright this evening on my way home from work. Being November, it’s now dark when I leave the office, so the law requires that I utilise the lights on my car. Obviously, this is a good thing as then I can see others better and others can see me.
Anyway, I’m almost home, about to turn into my road. I indicate, see nothing coming either in front of me, or where I’m about to turn and so I continue my journey, passing from the well-lit main road to the slightly darker minor road where I live. About four metres down my road, I suddenly see a cyclist coming towards me, wearing dark clothing and without lights! A quick nudge of the wheel means I avoid him (or was it a her?)
It would seem that while I think it obvious to make myself visible to others on the road, some people do not. Had I turned a little later, the cyclist would’ve been further along the road and then possibly ended up on my bonnet. Is it too much to ask that cyclists purchase some lights given that may possibly save their lives one day? Reflectors alone aren’t good enough they require a light source and a light source may not be shining on them until it is too late. Maybe there’s a reason the law states cyclists (as well as motorists) must have lights switched on when it is dark? (Apart from which, it would save me having a heart-attack everytime something like this happens!)

For those of you who’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, Firefox is a free web browser with fewer security issues than Microsoft Internet Explorer. As of today it is now at version 1.0.
Regardless of whether you’ve got a previous version or not, I’d recommend downloading it. I’m using it now to make this entry. 🙂

For the propeller heads amongst you, Fedora Core 3 (the free Linux distribution sponsored by Redhat) has also just been released. I’m currently downloading it and I’ll let you know how I get on with it at a later date.

Well, I thought I’d configure my MSN Messenger with a more recent email address, as the one I used previously was registered years ago. I’d already started using a newer, different email address because the old email address was being spammed so much it was unusable. Of course, this new email address isn’t being published on the web in an effort to avoid spam. Most people I know now send email to my newer address, so now seemed like a good time to kill off the old address completely. However, there were a few people who would still send email to the old address because they saw it in my MSN Messenger account. In order to kill it off completely then, it seemed necessary to transfer my MSN Messenger account to my new address.
At first, this appeared straightforward as I saved my contacts list before changing the email address which was registered with MSN. After changing the email address and firing up MSN all my contacts appeared offline and none of them could see me. I then deleted all my contacts and imported the list I had saved earlier, which brought some contacts into view and they could see me. Some contacts remained offline and they still can’t see me, however I can’t tell for certain which ones! It’ll take time to work out who can and can’t see me I think.
So, in summary, if you want to contact me on MSN and I’ve appeared offline for a week or so, try adding a new contact to your MSN contacts list using my new email address. If you don’t know my new email address and you want to know what it is, use the email form here and I’ll let you know what it is. (Assuming I know who you are :))
I do apologise for the interruption in service.

I should probably avoid late nights as my concentration span and memory appear to suffer.
This morning’s sermon was on the passage in Genesis where Pharaoh appointed Joseph as his second in command after Joseph explained Pharaoh’s dreams to him. Pharaoh had recognised that Joseph was different to all his other advisors, that Joseph had the Spirit of God and so treated him accordingly. Through the Spirit, Joseph’s behaviour was different, he worked honestly and faithfully and through it all, he trusted in God. Despite the hardship and difficulties he had experienced to this point, Joseph remained loyal to God and God honoured him and Joseph was fruitful.
In the bigger picture, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob demonstrated that he was unlike any of the other gods who were worshipped. He ruled over everything, throughout time, even dictating when times of plenty and famine would occur, unlike the gods of the Egyptians whose supposed powers were limited at best, and who were ultimately man-made gods.
This same God calls us to trust in his Son, Jesus Christ that we might be different from the world. When we trust in him, his Spirit will dwell in us and will cause us to bear his fruit.

OK, so it’s not the fifth of November, in fact as I write it is now the seventh, but the sixth is what I’ve just experienced.
To any non-British readers, on the fifth (or usually the closest Saturday to the fifth), the majority of Britain commemorate and celebrate an event which took place on November 5th, 1605. On that day, a small group of Roman Catholics, headed by Guido “Guy” Fawkes, plotted to blow up the Houses of Parliament during its formal opening, with gunpowder. This would remove both Commons and Lords as well as King James I, leaving a power vacuum in which a Catholic could seize power and restore Catholicism to Britain. However, the plot was discovered and Guido and his group were arrested by the authorities, thereby leaving Britain a Protestant country. As such, in commemoration, across the country bonfires are lit and firework displays are commonplace.
So my evening was spent first at my church, where the annual bonfire and fireworks display was organised. It was very good, with many visitors, both from other local churches and people who had connections with the church but who wouldn’t normally go to church. This was a great opportunity to get to know people and for them to get to know us. The display was followed with food and a short epilogue. All in all a good evening with a great way to share the gospel both in word and deed.
The rest of the evening was spent with young people from HTC, APC and HWEC as we went in a large group down to Battersea to see a huge fireworks display. It took a while for all of us to find each other but we managed it in the end. Quite a few of us had taken our cameras with us, so there was a line of us taking photos throughout the display. (Photos from the evening are in the usual place.) After the display we sauntered off to find something to eat and just to chat and chill, and then eventually we headed home.
All in all a great evening.

Sometimes after a long hard day, I play some music on the piano to wind down. This has the added benefit that it keeps my piano playing at a reasonable level. Recently I’ve discovered The Sheet Music Archive which has loads of music scores available for free download. Being free and above board, it means only scores which have passed out of copyright are available. This suits me fine though as I prefer classical music.
So far I’ve tried learning to play Fantasie Impromptu, by Chopin and The Pathetique Sonata, by Beethoven. I think I’ve cracked the Fantasie Impromptu, with only the problem of keeping the momentum going in the fast bits to sort out. I do love the beautiful lyrical melodies entwined within it though. You could almost envision it as a lover whispering sweet nothings into the ear of his beloved, with his beloved responding back to her lover very delicately in the middle of the piece, returning to the lover on his original theme and finishing off with his beloved and a kiss.
The Beethoven is a completely different kettle of fish though! I’ve got the second movement sorted and the final movement is coming along nicely. The first movement isn’t quite so easy to pick up though. In addition to remembering a vast number of notes, its speed and relentlessness cause my arms to ache after a while! Despite the title, the Beethoven is significantly more robust than the Chopin, encompassing more of the emotional spectrum, with frustration and anger in it, as well as tenderness and reflection.
I think with continued effort and perseverance, they might even be performable and I’ll be able to share these delights with others. We’ll see.

The day Thou gavest, Lord, is ended,
The darkness falls at Thy behest;
To Thee our morning hymns ascended,
Thy praise shall sanctify our rest.

We thank Thee that Thy church, unsleeping,
While earth rolls onward into light,
Through all the world her watch is keeping,
And rests not now by day or night.

As o’er each continent and island
The dawn leads on another day,
The voice of prayer is never silent,
Nor dies the strain of praise away.

The sun that bids us rest is waking
Our brethren ‘neath the western sky,
And hour by hour fresh lips are making
Thy wondrous doings heard on high.

So be it, Lord; Thy throne shall never,
Like earth’s proud empires, pass away:
Thy kingdom stands, and grows forever,
Till all Thy creatures own Thy sway.
John Ellerton

Every now and then I get email forwarded to me from well meaning friends which purport to be petitions supporting a good cause. The most recent one allegedly supporting Dr. James Dobson, of Focus on the Family, in his alleged appearance on TV to oppose the alleged proposed restriction of religious broadcasting by the Federal Communications Commission. Maybe I’m just cynical, as you may have guessed from my liberal scatterings of “alleged”, but I thought I’d check it out before considering it and forwarding to anyone I know. After a couple of minutes with Google, this page surfaced which showed, with very little doubt, that this particular petition was bogus. In fact, the aforementioned article highlighted a few important points.
If we claim to follow the truth, we should be careful that everything we say in our own name, the name of others, and in the name of God is the truth. (Which is effectively what we’re doing when we forward these emails.) Otherwise we may be guilty, albeit unintentionally, of breaking the ninth commandment – You shall not bear false witness.
If we receive an email claiming to pursue the glory of God, we should investigate its claim – especially if we intend to forward it. After all, as 1 John 4:1 says, we should test what people say in the name of God against his word, to see if they really are from God. The Christian faith is not about blindly believing everything we are told, but about using the brains God has given us that we believe the truth which will withstand rigorous inspection.
It usually doesn’t take long to uncover a hoax. Usually a quick Google search or a visit to somewhere like Truth or Fiction will determine the validity of an email.
Additionally, the time wasted on fake petitions could be better spent on legitimate concerns such as those raised by organisations such as The Christian Institute and The Barnabas Fund.