Q: What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?
A: The word of God, which is contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.
(Question II from the Westminster Shorter Catechism)
Another activity to resume after my holidays was violin lessons. I was wondering how much I’d have remembered after a few weeks without a lesson! My teacher got me to play a few scales, which seemed to go OK – well, she reckoned so anyway. She then told to play some of the exercises I’d been set. Surprisingly, I hadn’t forgotten anything, and she reckoned I was playing a lot more musically. I guess I’m used to hearing myself play the piano and compare my violin playing with that, but in terms of someone learning to play the violin, I guess I’m not so bad. 🙂
After a month’s hiatus, I was back on the football pitch yesterday evening. All things considered, it could’ve been worse. For a start, it took a while for my foot-eye coordination to sort itself out, athough that probably wasn’t helped much by the fact I hadn’t worn contact lenses for a month either! On top of that, I’d forgotten that football, being a non-contact sport, is anything but. Ah well, managed to keep running for the whole hour, as well as have a couple of shots at goal. Team lost by a whisker or two though. Woke up this morning with the odd ache and pain, although I’m not sure if that’s due to overexertion or from the odd rather physical challenge.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is central to the Christian, which is why it is mentioned in almost all of the books of the New Testament, and why the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth:
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 1 Co 15:13-14
From the Gospel of Matthew…
They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. Mt 27:53
…through to the Revelation of John…
I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Rev 1:18
…there is testimony to the resurrection.
Yet, in many cases, many did not realise at first what was going on. When Jesus first appeared to Mary, she thought he was the gardener. On the road to Emmaus, a couple of disciples talked with the risen Christ, without realising who he was at first. The disciples had problems believing Jesus was sitting with them eating broiled fish, even though they could talk with him and touch him. In each case, people eventually realised what had happened and testified to his resurrection.
Today, the resurrection is as important as ever, but many people dispute it, even prominent churchmen and theologians, despite the clear teaching of the bible. If we do not hold the bible as the word of God, and so give it the authority appropriate to God’s word, we are in danger or losing touch with the Gospel. For the Gospel is not just about what Jesus did on the cross, but also what he did in his resurrection.
This evening’s birthday celebration was a little different from usual! After spending the day at Black Park, we descended at Sharon and David’s place for a murder mystery dinner. Dave had purchased a murder mystery game pack titled, “Murder a la carte: The brie, the bullet and the Black Cat”. On the invites circulated a while ago, the scene was set, and suggestions for suitable attire were made. The game is set in Casablanca in the early 1940’s (sound familiar?) with a motley group of individuals, and a murder. Everyone is a suspect, and the game was afoot this evening. I had been cast as Kurt Ramson III, a philandering, shady American, biding his time in Casablanca sheltering from the war. I even managed a rather dodgy sounding American accent.
The game started with some more scene setting, as well as information about various characters slowly appearing, either directly, or through discussion. By the end of the round of discussion, most of us were none the wiser as to who might have committed the murder, but the seeds of suspicion were being sown. After the first round of discussion, dinner was served, with the first course of soup. Once the first course was dispensed with, more clues were trickelled out, again some of it in the form of hard evidence, and some of it in the form of pointed questions to various characters. Again, after a little discussion, the second course was served. This pattern continued until all four courses were served, and rather sordid revelations about the various characters had surfaced. It then came to deliberations, and decisions.
After a lot of finger pointing and accusations, we made our decisions concerning the identity of the murderer and the truth was revealed. Yet, even if we had misjudged and got the wrong verdict, this seemed unimportant, the actual proces of the game was fun. It was interesting analysing the situation after each round, watching how various characters interacted, as well as learning about the intricacies of the relationships of each of the characters. The game was well structured and well-written, not that this was the greatest crime story ever, but that it was entertaining to experience.
A fun evening was had by all, as we each played out our characters and had a good laugh. Above all, the birthday boy and girl seemed to enjoy themselves.
Went round Sarah’s to watch Renaissance Man on DVD this evening. The film is a story of Bill Rago, a well-educated advertising executive, who loses his job and through the employment office ends up teaching a bunch of Army cadets. Little does he realise he might learn something as well as the cadets. The film itself is a little cheesy in places, but the overall story hangs together. Bill slowly realises he should listen to what he is rather reluctantly teaching – to be true to himself. That, instead of doing something out of pragmatism, it might be more worthwhile doing something you are naturally talented at and so will enjoy as well as be good at. Through doing so finds he actually wants to teach, and is a much better teacher than advertiser. Worth watching.
Now here’s something I didn’t expect! Almost a month after the General Election, and I’ve received a response to the email I sent to the parliamentary candidates for the constituency I live in. Ah well, better late than never I guess. None of the others have made any response (yet!). I’ve removed his mobile number from his response, as I’m sure he doesn’t want to receive random phone calls from people on the internet, otherwise the rest is a copy and paste operation!
Dear GeraldFirst of all apologies for the delay in getting back to you. I was
overwhelmed with emails in the final days of the campaign and I am only just
managing to catch up. Let me take each of your questions in turn:“1. Abortion – Would you favour a reduction in the term for “social”
abortions i.e. those done for any reason other than to save the mother’s
life (at present 24 weeks)? Do you oppose late abortions carried out
because of foetal abnormalities?”With respect to abortion I feel there must be a balance between protection
of the rights of the unborn and the mother. I appreciate that new
scientific knowledge is challenging current time-limits and would consider
the latest information as and when I found myself making a decision in
parliament. I appreciate that this may seem a little like avoiding giving
you a straight answer, but it is not an area I make any claim to be expert
on. Hence I would explore it in depth at the time and read up on the latest
advice from a range of experts.On late abortions carried out because of foetal abnormalities it rather
depends how late you are talking. Generally though I think it is something
that the parents are best deciding, with advice from physicians, rather than
the state.“2. Embryo research – Are you opposed to the use of human embryos for a)
cloning; b) choosing a child’s gender; c) chimeras (human cells blended
with cells of other species; d) hybrids (human cells implanted in other
animals; e) gathering stem cells?”“3. Assisted suicide – Would you oppose any move to make assisted suicide
easier (no longer an offence)?”This issue was first raised with me when I visited the Convent Care Home in
the Butts, Brentford. As I explained at the time, my view is that today, if
people can afford it, the reality is that they will go overseas –
Switzerland, for example. Hence the priority must become ensuring that
people of all ages are engaged in depth during their education on this
issue. This will mean they can come to an informed decision on the matter
and appreciate the various perspectives on euthanasia. Personally I can
not honestly say what decision I would come to faced with a terminal illness
and chronic pain. Hence I believe others too should be able to make an
informed choice, with the necessary safeguards in place.“4. Euthanasia – Do you oppose the provisions of the Mental Capacity Bill
which a) require hospitals to allow patients with little hope of
recovery to die and b) require patients to be deprived of food and water
if they fall into a coma or become too ill to speak for themselves?”My view is that we should do a better job of ascertaining people’s desires
before they get into such a terrible position. Families, doctors and nurses
can then act upon the person’s own wishes rather than speculating.“5. Religious hatred – Do you agree that the measure contained in the
Serious Organised Crime Bill restricts freedom of speech, particularly
for Christians?”Yes I agree that there are elements of the Serious Organised Crime Bill that
restrict freedom of speech and to which I am opposed.“6. Civil Partnership – Do you agree that this measure weakens the
sanctity of marriage and is misguided?”No, I do not believe Civil Partnerships weaken the sanctity of marriage. I
believe it presents a formalising of many peoples’ co-habitation
arrangements which for some, may encourage them towards marriage at a later
date. However, crucially I think it can provide children with greater
stability.“Would you also be willing for your responses to be made known to others?”
Yes. Please include the caveat that these are brief responses and haven’t
gone into any of the nuances/ complexities that I know exist in these
debates.If you would like me to go into further depth on any of these issues please
do not hesitate to contact me again by email.Yours sincerely
Andrew Dakers
Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Brentford & Isleworth
So there you have it. Some interesting responses. If Andrew Dakers decides to stand again in the next election, I shall probably follow up this email closer to the event and cast my vote after a little more consideration.
After a couple of days in Ieper (Ypres) in Belgium, I have to take a sharp intake of breath every time I think back to it. Karen, Sarah and myself set off for Ieper at 5am(!) on Monday with the intention of getting some hands on history, in this case the First World War, with the battles around Ieper in particular. We drove down to Dover, had a two hour crossing to Dunkerque and continued on to Ieper. Karen had booked us into the Cherry Blossom, and Sarah had collated a pile of maps and information about the area and its history. We arrived after about an hour and set about finding the cemetaries and memorials in and around Ieper.
By the end of the two days, we had visited numerous Commonwealth War cemetaries, including the largest – Tyne Cot near Passchendale, as well as the German military cemetary near Langemark, and a number of memorials, including the Menin Gate. By the end of the first day, I was glad to be in the b & b, which was very comfortable, with a very homely feel to it and well-priced to boot. However, I think the lasting memories will be of the cemetaries.
Just looking across the vast number of gravestones at Tyne Cot left one speechless. To see so many gravestones, each one corresponding to at least one life, in precisely placed row upon row. To read the inscriptions on each stone and to see the names of so many unidentified/undiscovered men on the walls of both Tyne Cot and the Menin Gate. To see the locations, the fields, the hills, where these men fell. The past two days have certainly left an impression in my mind. To think so many men gave their lives in the so-called “War to end all wars”. If only it was so. Yet, I think war will always be with us, for as long as our fallen nature is with us. As horrible as it may be. Sometimes, it won’t be the solution to a problem, but sometimes, because of our nature, it might be the only solution to a problem.
Hmmm, I just got back from a couple of days away, after getting back from France on Saturday. In between, I went to church and heard two sermons. Usually, I blog what I understood of the sermons, mostly for my own benefit, as it demonstrates to me what I’ve understood and makes me think about what I’ve heard, that I might compare it with Scripture, like the Bereans did with the apostle Paul’s preaching. It also helps me to keep track of what I’ve been told, and gives me something to refer to later on. However, being rather tired after a holiday, as well as packing for a short trip the next day meant I didn’t blog what I heard in the sermon. It would seem, that even after two days, I have forgotten most of the detail! It would seem my blogging actually helps me remember, both in terms of imprinting it in my mind, as well as producing a reference apart from my mind.
What I do remember was that the morning sermon was on faith, with the main gist being that it was not the size of your faith which mattered, but the object of your faith. After all, you could have huge faith in a rabbit’s foot, but it’s not going to do anything for you. Whereas even a little faith in Jesus Christ, who is God the Son, creator and sustainer of the universe, is sufficient to justify us before God. Of course, faith, if it is true, is going to manifest itself in obedience to Jesus Christ. Anyone who says they have faith in Christ, but doesn’t do what he says in any way, is lying. After all, he loves us and knows what is best for us, and if we say we trust him, then we will do what he says.
The evening sermon was on the word of God, the bible. Through it, God tells us everything we need for salvation, and everything we need to be built up in the faith. The bestselling book of all time, was inspired by the Holy Spirit, through at least 30 different human writers across two millenia. Somehow, God through the free will of these writers, brought about the bible. Despite these odds, the bible is internally consistent, and infallible, such that it can be relied upon to show us the mind of God. That through it, God reveals himself to us, and ultimately, God is glorified through it.
The more observant amongst you (whoever “you” are), may have noticed this blog has been quiet for a week. The curious amongst you (again, whoever “you”) are, although if you’re not curious, you should probably ask yourself why you’re reading this blog 🙂 …er…anyway, where was I? Oh yes, for the curious, I’ve spent the past week in France, in a gite, with some very old friends, in Genevraye, a little south of Paris.
As with most holidays, it started with a rather unnatural early morning start in Portsmouth, which is not particularly picturesque. However, as the ferry left port for Caen, there was an impressive array of Royal Navy vessels docked, including two aircraft carriers. The journey by car was fairly uneventful, with no unpleasant surprises like driving on the wrong side of the road, although we did have an unexpected glimpse of an industrial area of Paris.
Most of the days were spent exploring the French countryside, with its vineyards and towns dotted about the place, sampling the fine cuisine and (for the others anyway) the wines of the region. Destinations included the wine cellars of Sancerre and Chablis, the historic town of Troyes, and the impressive Chateau of Fontainbleu. The only disappointment was the lack of evangelical churches, which meant Sunday, whilst being restful, was not as worshipful as usual. 🙁
I must admit, I haven’t eaten so well quite possibly ever! My previous visits to France had only been as a stop-off point to another European country, but this time, after spending a week there, I was well acquainted with the food. To say it is good would be an understatement. It was fresh, well-prepared, with just the right herbs and spices to maximise the experience, and very reasonably priced. In addition, the French idea of lunch is a leisurely three hour affair, with plenty of time to allow the food to be experienced.
The evenings were spent back at the gite, playing various card and board games, chatting and generally relaxing. A couple of the group are good cooks, so we ate well, and I had a plentiful supply of fruit juices to make up for my non-wine tastes. As the week developed, the weather grew hotter and hotter, becoming almost unbearable – although I’m told there was a heatwave back in Blighty as well. I even managed to pick up a few French phrases, successfully ordering a double-bouled sorbet without using a word of English. (I think I managed the whole week without using the phrase “Parlez vous anglais?” as well).
Eventually, the week came to a close and I arrived home safely, if not a little later than anticipated. Hopefully, I’ll sort out my photos and post some up soon.
Well, I’ve just concluded an interesting two weeks serving as a juror. I must admit, this is the first time I’d ever been to a Crown Court, so it was all a bit unusual for me. Saying that, the experience has given me an insight into how the English judicial system works (or doesn’t, as the case might be). It’s given me an appreciation of how difficult it can be for a jury to come to the correct verdict, as they’re constrained to answer on matters of law rather than morality, to come to a conclusion from the evidence presented. Above all, they need to be sure, beyond all reasonable doubt before pronouncing a defendant to be guilty of the charges against the defendant. I can quite understand how someone who is guilty is let off due to lack of evidence, or conviction on the part of the jury.
The experience has shown me how important evidence is in a court of law. It has shown me how one person’s account of events might seem correct at the outset, but upon cross-examination turns out to be fictional. It has shown me that two accounts of the same event might be completely different, without either party attempting to distort the truth, and becomes even harder to judge when someone is trying to distort the truth.
Above all, it has shown me that the judicial system is not perfect. This is not because the law is at fault, but because it is run and regulated by humans beings, and is judging human beings by human beings. Alas, there is nothing which can be done about that, but I think the system is possibly the best on offer.
My knowledge of scales on the violin continues to increase, with the scales of E and E flat major to put under my belt, as well as a chromatic scale starting on D. The chromatic scale looks quite tricky, as it involves using the same finger to play two different successive notes. Although saying that, once I’ve mastered one, the rest should be easy. Not sure what is a reasonable pace of progress on the violin though…How long should it take one to start from scratch to be able to play something like Beethoven’s Spring violin sonata, or maybe the solo part of Winter from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons?
Sometime this week, Miz has a birthday, so Ally organised a birthday meal at the Blue River Cafe in Maidenhead. After fighting through the rush hour traffic, we arrived in plenty of time, allowing us to sit back, get a drink and relax before our meal. Inside, the restaurant was light and airy, and very clean and modern looking. Once everyone was assembled, we shuffled in the the main restaurant. The menu had many mouthwatering dishes listed, making it rather difficult to decide what to have. I finally settled on some garlic and paprika marinated lamb rump, with Mediterranean vegetables and mint infused cous-cous. Most of the others had gone for burgers, probably showing up my age (Although Sarah had gone for the same dish as myself). When it arrived, the food was almost perfect, with the lamb being very juicy and tender and very flavourful. Dessert followed, with a summer pudding, with fresh fruits and clotted cream. A very satisfying meal. Finally we wandered along the Thames towards a lock.
Good conversation on all manner of topics permeated the whole evening. A great evening of both food and conversation, and above all, the birthday girl seemed to enjoy herself.
How can we tell if our faith is genuine? In this excerpt from John’s gospel, Jesus defines the hallmarks of a Christian.
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. Jn 7:37-39
“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink”, Jesus first describes a Christian as thirsty. When a person physically needs water they become thirsty and realise they need water. Similarly, a Christian is someone who has realised they need something they do not have. In the beginning of his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes a Christian as someone who is “poor in spirit”, someone who has become humble before God. A Christian realises they need the Spirit of God, to make them right before God – to justify and purify them, as well as to enable them to do Gods will, and accepts the freely offered grace of God. Anyone who thinks they can make themselves right before God through their own efforts, without God’s help, is not a Christian. Anyone who believes they need the Spirit of God, offered freely by his grace, but does not accept it, is not a Christian.
“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said”, Jesus secondly describes a Christian as someone who believes in him, according to his word – the Scriptures. God has made himself known through the bible, that Christians can know him. As such, any authentic experience of God a Christian has, will be in accordance with the bible, as God will not contradict himself. Accordingly, any experience which is contrary to the bible is not from God.
“Streams of living water will flow from him”, Jesus finally describes a Christian as someone who’s behaviour is governed by the Holy Spirit. In comparison to their old, sinful nature, there should be a difference in their conduct, as the Spirit works in them, producing his fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Gal 5:22-23) This is not to say they will be perfect, as the sinful nature will still be contended with until death, but that the Spirit will have a significant impact in their lives.
I’m getting used to these lazy Saturday mornings. I managed to stay in bed until noon, when I finally decided to kick myself into life. I had a shower, put on some clothes and trundled down to Kingston.
The main purpose of my journey was to exchange a DVD at the Virgin Megastore, as I already had it, but had been given another as a gift. It might also be an opportunity to purchase various odds and ends for forthcoming holidays and the like. Little did I know that, when I came to the last known location of the Virgin Megastore in Kingston, it was no longer there! Duh! I decided to get a meatball sub from Subway and wander around Kingston for anything else I might need. Eventually I came across a Millets and decided it might be worth getting some clothing suitable for Kenya. On exiting, I had purchased a pair of light coloured, light material trousers, impregnated with mosquito repellant, which had been tagged as £40, but I paid £12 for as the till said they were £12, so despite the DVD disappointment, not a wasted trip.
In the evening I made my way up to The Plough in Ruislip, to meet up, and have a meal, with former members of the choir I used to accompany on the piano. It was good to spend the time catching up with each other, seeing how each other was getting on and getting our weekly musical fix. Some had joined other local choirs, some were even going to be performing at St Martin-in-the-fields! Good food and good company, producing a good evening.
