This startling picture sent in by Daniel J. awesome!
2 Samuel 22:13
"Out of the brightness of his [the Lord's] presence
bolts of lightning blazed forth."
Thursday, 31 May 2007
blazing
This startling picture sent in by Daniel J. awesome!
2 Samuel 22:13
"Out of the brightness of his [the Lord's] presence
bolts of lightning blazed forth."
Sunday, 27 May 2007
unmoveable
This photo taken by Warwick B.
Psalm 36:6
"Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains"
Saturday, 26 May 2007
Pentecost - II
More needs to be said about the Spirit's descent. Not only is God now tabernacling with his people by the Spirit so that they know him. God has, by the Spirit, overcome the divisive effects of Babel.
You will remember the story from Genesis 11. People living together with one language make this decision,
"Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."
In response God descends and confuses their language to scatter them and frustrate their efforts and to make what might have been possible (?) for them impossible.
The promise to Abraham that through him the whole world would be blessed occurs in the context of this dispersion and confusion.
At Pentecost we read,
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
It is worth noting that people are not drawn back to one single language, but rather God speaks to them one message in their varied languages. Babel is not, in this sense, reversed, but overcome! The spirit acts so that people might be built together into a building, declaring the name of Jesus, gathered from every place on the face of the earth.
You will remember the story from Genesis 11. People living together with one language make this decision,
"Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."
In response God descends and confuses their language to scatter them and frustrate their efforts and to make what might have been possible (?) for them impossible.
The promise to Abraham that through him the whole world would be blessed occurs in the context of this dispersion and confusion.
At Pentecost we read,
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
It is worth noting that people are not drawn back to one single language, but rather God speaks to them one message in their varied languages. Babel is not, in this sense, reversed, but overcome! The spirit acts so that people might be built together into a building, declaring the name of Jesus, gathered from every place on the face of the earth.
Friday, 25 May 2007
John Piper Friday
"The cross is the pinnacle of God's love for sinners, not because it demonstrates the value of sinners, but because it vindicates the value of God for sinners to enjoy. God's love for man does not consist in making man central, but in making himself central for man. The cross does not direct man's attention to his own vindicated worth, but to God's vindicated righteousness.
This is love, because the only eternal happiness for man is happiness focused on the riches of God's glory. "In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forever more" (Psalm 16:1 1). God's self-exaltation is loving, because it preserves for us and offers to us the only all-satisfying Object of desire in the universe – the all-glorious, all-righteous God."
Did Christ Die for Us or for God? 'Taste and See' article. January 1, 1995.
This is love, because the only eternal happiness for man is happiness focused on the riches of God's glory. "In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forever more" (Psalm 16:1 1). God's self-exaltation is loving, because it preserves for us and offers to us the only all-satisfying Object of desire in the universe – the all-glorious, all-righteous God."
Did Christ Die for Us or for God? 'Taste and See' article. January 1, 1995.
Thursday, 24 May 2007
God vs Pharoah
Erastus Salisbury Field, He Turned Their Waters into Blood c. 1865/1880 (left).
William Turner, The Fifth Plague of Egypt, c. 1800 (right).
Wednesday, 23 May 2007
Pentecost - I
In resurrection Jesus is declared to be Lord! As Lord he wants His land inhabited. In Acts 1:8, Jesus commissions His followers,
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
At Pentecost, the Spirit comes! In interpreting the event to those around, Peter quotes the prophet Joel (Acts 2:17ff. quoting Joel 2:28-32),
'In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
Peter clearly identifies the Pentecost event with the coming of the new age!
I believe two other passages help us to understand the nature of the Spirit in this new age.
Jeremiah 31:33-34
"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time," declares the LORD.
"I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,'
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,"
declares the LORD.
Ephesians 2:19-22
"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."
God is no longer dwelling within Temple/Jerusalem but in Jesus/Church and his dwelling is by the Holy Spirit. Jesus has been definitively declared Lord in resurrection, and his Lordship is being worked out by the agency of the Holy Spirit in the people of God, the Church.
(see also 1 Cor 3:5-17 and 6:19)
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
At Pentecost, the Spirit comes! In interpreting the event to those around, Peter quotes the prophet Joel (Acts 2:17ff. quoting Joel 2:28-32),
'In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
Peter clearly identifies the Pentecost event with the coming of the new age!
I believe two other passages help us to understand the nature of the Spirit in this new age.
Jeremiah 31:33-34
"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time," declares the LORD.
"I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,'
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,"
declares the LORD.
Ephesians 2:19-22
"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."
God is no longer dwelling within Temple/Jerusalem but in Jesus/Church and his dwelling is by the Holy Spirit. Jesus has been definitively declared Lord in resurrection, and his Lordship is being worked out by the agency of the Holy Spirit in the people of God, the Church.
(see also 1 Cor 3:5-17 and 6:19)
Monday, 21 May 2007
Tower
An interesting perspective proposed by Jill W.
Genesis 11:4
Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."
NB: this series is open to any bloggers with a photo that adds texture to a verse from scripture. Email them to phil_and_al@yahoo.com.au
The root of all evil?
The herald reports on the short documentary called 'the root of all evil?' by famed atheist Richard Dawkins.
Is radical scientific materialism a remnant of the modern era uttering its final dying screams?
Does Dawkins represent a serious challenge to faith and religion, one we should be concerned about?
An interesting start to the discussion, again in the herald, by Rachel Kohn, 'despite what the scholars say god isnt dead yet'.
Is radical scientific materialism a remnant of the modern era uttering its final dying screams?
Does Dawkins represent a serious challenge to faith and religion, one we should be concerned about?
An interesting start to the discussion, again in the herald, by Rachel Kohn, 'despite what the scholars say god isnt dead yet'.
Sunday, 20 May 2007
Phews 3: Wed, 04 Apr 2001.
REAL POWER!
Sometimes I feel a complete inability to reach out to my non-christian friends with the gospel. Often I am just overwhelmed by the knowledge that they have set ideas about the world, a defined lifestyle and established priorities. I wonder whether it is possible that anything could change their hearts. I run out of arguments, they get angry or offended... After one such week, my bible study group highlighted this verse, "...you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you
will be my witnesses..." (Acts 1:8). When it comes down to it, I just need to remind myself of who has sent me, and who it is that goes with me. Will not the Almighty achieve his aims?
Sometimes I feel a complete inability to reach out to my non-christian friends with the gospel. Often I am just overwhelmed by the knowledge that they have set ideas about the world, a defined lifestyle and established priorities. I wonder whether it is possible that anything could change their hearts. I run out of arguments, they get angry or offended... After one such week, my bible study group highlighted this verse, "...you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you
will be my witnesses..." (Acts 1:8). When it comes down to it, I just need to remind myself of who has sent me, and who it is that goes with me. Will not the Almighty achieve his aims?
Friday, 18 May 2007
John Piper Friday
"The church has not been spending its energy to go deep with the unfathomable God of the Bible. Against the overwhelming weight and seriousness of the Bible, much of the church is choosing, at this very moment, to become more light and shallow and entertainment-oriented, and therefore successful in its irrelevance to massive suffering and evil. The popular God of fun-church is simply too small and too affable to hold a hurricane in his hand. The biblical categories of God’s sovereignty lie like landmines in the pages of the Bible waiting for someone to seriously open the book. They don’t kill, but they do explode trivial notions of the Almighty."
Ten Aspects of God's Sovereignty Over Suffering and Satan's Hand in It. 2005 Desiring God National Conference. October 7, 2005.
Ten Aspects of God's Sovereignty Over Suffering and Satan's Hand in It. 2005 Desiring God National Conference. October 7, 2005.
Thursday, 17 May 2007
the bowel
Whilst upon the throne,
in a world of my own,
I contemplated the human bowel.
Several metres of plumbing,
from stomach to rectum running,
the subject of much fascination and study.
Each cell characterized,
each movement examined,
by the scientist in their laboratories.
The source of much humour,
when it decides to speak,
and voice an opinion or two.
Often unappreciated are its thoughts;
infact in pleasant society,
it is known to be downright rude.
And how to clean up,
all the leftover muck,
when it chooses to pass on its product.
To fold or to scrunch,
how will it be done ?
Each method defended by some.
Everyone must deal with their own twisting tube,
and each has their own special way
of relating to this enigma within.
But I must admit,
my interest is but this,
that it removes all the excess bits.
in a world of my own,
I contemplated the human bowel.
Several metres of plumbing,
from stomach to rectum running,
the subject of much fascination and study.
Each cell characterized,
each movement examined,
by the scientist in their laboratories.
The source of much humour,
when it decides to speak,
and voice an opinion or two.
Often unappreciated are its thoughts;
infact in pleasant society,
it is known to be downright rude.
And how to clean up,
all the leftover muck,
when it chooses to pass on its product.
To fold or to scrunch,
how will it be done ?
Each method defended by some.
Everyone must deal with their own twisting tube,
and each has their own special way
of relating to this enigma within.
But I must admit,
my interest is but this,
that it removes all the excess bits.
Don't burn the day - II
I think that biblical christianity maintains that this creation is deeply good. Waterfalls, hummingbirds, tasty food, motherhood, companionship, beaches, rainforests, planets, constellations...
It is good because a good God made it, and declared it to be so. It is good because Jesus - the God-Man - dwelt within it and affirmed it in Ressurection.
In that sense Onfray and Dave Matthews are right to join in a pointed criticism of anyone who would not celebrate the goodness around us.
But you can't help but think that this is not the whole picture. Sure when looking at people and the world around us one must exclaim 'Good', but to be sure this must be followed with 'Not Good!'.
Oil spills, malaria, wars, famines, HIV, domestic violence, paedophilia...
Onfray and Dave Matthews fail to see how the powerful effect of this 'Not good' means that the experience of pleasures realised, passions fulfilled, dancing etc. are beyond the reach of so many in this world. I suspect this represents a certain self interest and apathy towards the 'Not good'. Praying for something more from above is an appropriate response for those embroiled in the effects of 'Not good'.
It is the assumption of 'Good' and the apprehension of 'Not good' that drives the desire for renewal. Renewal, not destruction. Biblical Christianity certainly affirms the continuity of this world and the world to come. But, truly apprending 'Not good' (let alone experiencing it!), demands that it be ended, put away, shut up... Thankfully, Biblical Christianity is full of the affirmation that this will happen (is happening!); that the world to come is discontinuous with this world.
To give Dave Matthews some credit, he offers a way forward... Love. He claims the poweful effect of Love can bring change, renewal. It think he's right. I wonder whether he realises that living out Love in a world full of 'Not good' is exactly what Jesus did. It led him to a certain confrontation, however.
Are we prepared to acknowledge and own that.
It is good because a good God made it, and declared it to be so. It is good because Jesus - the God-Man - dwelt within it and affirmed it in Ressurection.
In that sense Onfray and Dave Matthews are right to join in a pointed criticism of anyone who would not celebrate the goodness around us.
But you can't help but think that this is not the whole picture. Sure when looking at people and the world around us one must exclaim 'Good', but to be sure this must be followed with 'Not Good!'.
Oil spills, malaria, wars, famines, HIV, domestic violence, paedophilia...
Onfray and Dave Matthews fail to see how the powerful effect of this 'Not good' means that the experience of pleasures realised, passions fulfilled, dancing etc. are beyond the reach of so many in this world. I suspect this represents a certain self interest and apathy towards the 'Not good'. Praying for something more from above is an appropriate response for those embroiled in the effects of 'Not good'.
It is the assumption of 'Good' and the apprehension of 'Not good' that drives the desire for renewal. Renewal, not destruction. Biblical Christianity certainly affirms the continuity of this world and the world to come. But, truly apprending 'Not good' (let alone experiencing it!), demands that it be ended, put away, shut up... Thankfully, Biblical Christianity is full of the affirmation that this will happen (is happening!); that the world to come is discontinuous with this world.
To give Dave Matthews some credit, he offers a way forward... Love. He claims the poweful effect of Love can bring change, renewal. It think he's right. I wonder whether he realises that living out Love in a world full of 'Not good' is exactly what Jesus did. It led him to a certain confrontation, however.
Are we prepared to acknowledge and own that.
Wednesday, 16 May 2007
World Champ Chilli
I am a lover of spicy foods. National geographic is probably my favourite magazine. You can imagine my joy when in this month's NG there was a short article explaining the rating of the 'hotness' of peppers. They are rated according to the Scoville Heat Unit, which is essentially a measure of the amount of sugar required to neutralise the capsaicin (spicy molecule). The world champ is the Bhut/Bih/Naga jolokia (pictured). It is 20 times as hot as your standard thai chilli!
Tuesday, 15 May 2007
Burning bush
Domenico Feti (1589-1623), Moses before the Burning Bush (left).
Eugene Pluchart (1809-1880), God Appears to Moses in Burning Bush (right).
Don't burn the day - I
Over at dustandashes Laura T pointed out this quote.
“The invention of an afterlife would not matter so much were it not purchased at such a high price: disregard of the real, hence wilful neglect of the only world there is... Religion tells us to give up this life for another... They are telling us to give up our desire, passions, pleasures- that by doing so, our existence in this world will make more sense, because the real sense of our life here below is the existence we will have once we are dead. What type of comfort in that? ‘Die while you are alive so you can be alive when you are dead?’… But I know there will always be people who will fight for reason, intelligence, happiness, pleasure, relationships, women, music, painting, literature, good wine, gastronomy. They will think reason is better than fiction.”
-Self pronounced Atheist, Michael Onfray [May 12th ‘Good Weekend’]
It reminded me of this song by Dave Matthews.
Pig.
Oh, isn't it strange
How we move our lives for another day?
Like skipping a beat
What if a great wave should wash us all away?
Just thinking out loud
Don't mean to dwell on this dying thing
But look at my blood
It's alive right now,
And deep and sweet within
Pouring through our veins
Intoxicate moving wine to tears
And drinking it deep
Then an evening spent dancing
It's you and me...
This love will open our world
From the dark side we can see a glow of something bright
Oh, there's much more than we see here
Don't burn the day away
Is this not enough?
This blessed sip of life,
Is it not enough?
Staring down at the ground
Oh, then complain and pray for more from above,
You greedy little pig
Stop, just watch your world trickle away
Oh, it's your problem now
It'll all be dead and gone in a few short years
Just love will open our eyes
Just love will put the hope back in our minds
Much more than we could ever know
Oh, so don't burn the day away
Don't burn the day away
Come sister, my brother
Shake up your bones, shake up your feet
I'm saying open up
And let the rain come pouring in
Wash out this tired notion
That the best is yet to come
But while you're dancing on the ground
Don't think of when you're gone
Love, love, love, what more is there?
'Cause we need the light of love in here
Don't beat your head
Dry your eyes
Let the love in there
There's bad times
But that's okay
Just look for love in it
And don't burn the day away...
Look, here are we
On this starry night, staring into space
And I must say
I feel as small as dust lying down here
What point could there be troubling?
Head down wondering what will become of me?
Why concern "WHAT" we cannot see
But no reason to abandon it
The time is short but that's all right
Maybe I'll go in the middle of the night
Take your hands from your eyes, my love
All good things must come to an end some time
But don't burn the day away
Don't burn the day away...
Come sister, my brother
Shake up your bones, shake up your feet
I'm saying open up
And let the rain come flooding in
Wash out this tired notion
That the best is yet to come
But while you're dancing on the ground
Don't think of when you're gone
Love, love, love, what more is there?
'Cause we need the light of love in here
Don't beat your head
Dry your eyes
Let the love in there
There're bad times
But that's okay
Just look for love in it.
Both pieces accuse 'religion' of being irreverant towards what is now, the world around us, both its needs, failures, glories and successes. It is the 'religious' exposition of what the future entails that is thought to undermine our identification with what is now. But is biblical Christianity subject to this charge. Certainly Christians throughout the ages have failed to appropriately revere all that God has made, and have committed great evils against other humans and the environment, but what about Jesus and the bible?
I recommend you check out a few posts (series on heaven) over at nothing new under the sun. Byron is passionate about the fact that Christianity rightfully understood reverances and upholds all the goodness of creation and that new creation is in continuity with what is now.
“The invention of an afterlife would not matter so much were it not purchased at such a high price: disregard of the real, hence wilful neglect of the only world there is... Religion tells us to give up this life for another... They are telling us to give up our desire, passions, pleasures- that by doing so, our existence in this world will make more sense, because the real sense of our life here below is the existence we will have once we are dead. What type of comfort in that? ‘Die while you are alive so you can be alive when you are dead?’… But I know there will always be people who will fight for reason, intelligence, happiness, pleasure, relationships, women, music, painting, literature, good wine, gastronomy. They will think reason is better than fiction.”
-Self pronounced Atheist, Michael Onfray [May 12th ‘Good Weekend’]
It reminded me of this song by Dave Matthews.
Pig.
Oh, isn't it strange
How we move our lives for another day?
Like skipping a beat
What if a great wave should wash us all away?
Just thinking out loud
Don't mean to dwell on this dying thing
But look at my blood
It's alive right now,
And deep and sweet within
Pouring through our veins
Intoxicate moving wine to tears
And drinking it deep
Then an evening spent dancing
It's you and me...
This love will open our world
From the dark side we can see a glow of something bright
Oh, there's much more than we see here
Don't burn the day away
Is this not enough?
This blessed sip of life,
Is it not enough?
Staring down at the ground
Oh, then complain and pray for more from above,
You greedy little pig
Stop, just watch your world trickle away
Oh, it's your problem now
It'll all be dead and gone in a few short years
Just love will open our eyes
Just love will put the hope back in our minds
Much more than we could ever know
Oh, so don't burn the day away
Don't burn the day away
Come sister, my brother
Shake up your bones, shake up your feet
I'm saying open up
And let the rain come pouring in
Wash out this tired notion
That the best is yet to come
But while you're dancing on the ground
Don't think of when you're gone
Love, love, love, what more is there?
'Cause we need the light of love in here
Don't beat your head
Dry your eyes
Let the love in there
There's bad times
But that's okay
Just look for love in it
And don't burn the day away...
Look, here are we
On this starry night, staring into space
And I must say
I feel as small as dust lying down here
What point could there be troubling?
Head down wondering what will become of me?
Why concern "WHAT" we cannot see
But no reason to abandon it
The time is short but that's all right
Maybe I'll go in the middle of the night
Take your hands from your eyes, my love
All good things must come to an end some time
But don't burn the day away
Don't burn the day away...
Come sister, my brother
Shake up your bones, shake up your feet
I'm saying open up
And let the rain come flooding in
Wash out this tired notion
That the best is yet to come
But while you're dancing on the ground
Don't think of when you're gone
Love, love, love, what more is there?
'Cause we need the light of love in here
Don't beat your head
Dry your eyes
Let the love in there
There're bad times
But that's okay
Just look for love in it.
Both pieces accuse 'religion' of being irreverant towards what is now, the world around us, both its needs, failures, glories and successes. It is the 'religious' exposition of what the future entails that is thought to undermine our identification with what is now. But is biblical Christianity subject to this charge. Certainly Christians throughout the ages have failed to appropriately revere all that God has made, and have committed great evils against other humans and the environment, but what about Jesus and the bible?
I recommend you check out a few posts (series on heaven) over at nothing new under the sun. Byron is passionate about the fact that Christianity rightfully understood reverances and upholds all the goodness of creation and that new creation is in continuity with what is now.
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