Sunday, July 29, 2007
Hillsong - For who you are
Thumbs up to all those hand models. Love the song though, for some reason. wooo
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Uni, Rowling and Africa
Here are my thoughts from tha last few days/weeks (in a very raw form, ok!)
Uni
Its always been about balance for me while studying at AUT...How much time should I give to what, how to make sure I'm in the right place, doing the right thing and at the right time. I have been putting a lot of time into church, Youth group and AUT Christian Fellowship this year (and last). But as Africa approaches I think Im gonna have to lean back in the service side of things...maybe. Vineyard Youth Camp was great, it was a get together of many youth groups from the north Island and it was just good to see God moving in young peoples lives. Was also encouraging as I got to fellowship with some other ppl my age who are a part of leading a youth group. Was great to pray with this one dude who was going through a hard time and spend a few hours talking to this guy. Bless God.
But balancing Uni work is getting more demanding and I must admit Im not really giving it the time it needs to get done -_-
Rowling
Don't read this unless you have read the last book of harry potter, or don't care if you kill the story for yourself as you will never read it.
I finnished the last Harry Potter book on thursday, read it in four days, and I was quite affected by it. J.K.Rowling, the writer, planned the books very well from the very first book. It was always intended to be a series of stories with a climax and a whole lot of closure in the seventh book. Rowling took a lot of inspiration from C. S. Lewis' Narnia books, also seven, and she uses a heap of images and ideas from his books. Tolkien was also an influence, amoung others.
Now I have come against lots of christians who don't think highly of The HP books at all, and it is true in some ways it has encouraged witchcraft (though this was in no way Rowling's intention in the books.) She herself said "I believe in God, not Magic". She is also a member of the church of Scotland, attends church, and a believer. If you are interested in this point I suggest you read this interesting article:
here
It was written BEFORE the seventh book was written and is remarkably predictive. Now I don't agree with a few things in the article, especially that HP is the son of God. No of course he isn't and Rowling doesn't make him out to be, BUT he is a type (an archetype if you like) of Christ. He is like Jonah, an image in someways of Christ as the article goes into, yet decidedly not him. HP had flaws: He has anger problems, he makes bad desicions which hurt others, he can be stubborn and ignorant. He is obviously is not the son of God, but in some ways he is like him. He lays his life down for his friends, he can't help to love others unto death, as revealed in the last book. "No greater love is there that a man should lay down his life for his friends."
Rowling makes this especially obvious in the final book, bluntly obvious. She quotes the verses such as "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" Matthew 6:21 and " the last enemy to be defeated is death" 1 Corinthians 15:26.
read it and tell me what you think, if you wanna.
___edit:
I've been thinking, and I may have been wrong in these words above. In many ways, if Rowling was truly for God's kingdom above all else, she would have taken a very different approach to her books, but especially how she communicates with the media. She is in the spotlight of the world, and in being so she needs to glorify God. Which she hasn't done. So I could be wrong in my assumptions.
Africa is looming over me, Im excited and nervous, but not very consciously. I don't notice it until I think about it. I can't wait!
adieus
Uni
Its always been about balance for me while studying at AUT...How much time should I give to what, how to make sure I'm in the right place, doing the right thing and at the right time. I have been putting a lot of time into church, Youth group and AUT Christian Fellowship this year (and last). But as Africa approaches I think Im gonna have to lean back in the service side of things...maybe. Vineyard Youth Camp was great, it was a get together of many youth groups from the north Island and it was just good to see God moving in young peoples lives. Was also encouraging as I got to fellowship with some other ppl my age who are a part of leading a youth group. Was great to pray with this one dude who was going through a hard time and spend a few hours talking to this guy. Bless God.
But balancing Uni work is getting more demanding and I must admit Im not really giving it the time it needs to get done -_-
Rowling
Don't read this unless you have read the last book of harry potter, or don't care if you kill the story for yourself as you will never read it.
I finnished the last Harry Potter book on thursday, read it in four days, and I was quite affected by it. J.K.Rowling, the writer, planned the books very well from the very first book. It was always intended to be a series of stories with a climax and a whole lot of closure in the seventh book. Rowling took a lot of inspiration from C. S. Lewis' Narnia books, also seven, and she uses a heap of images and ideas from his books. Tolkien was also an influence, amoung others.
Now I have come against lots of christians who don't think highly of The HP books at all, and it is true in some ways it has encouraged witchcraft (though this was in no way Rowling's intention in the books.) She herself said "I believe in God, not Magic". She is also a member of the church of Scotland, attends church, and a believer. If you are interested in this point I suggest you read this interesting article:
here
It was written BEFORE the seventh book was written and is remarkably predictive. Now I don't agree with a few things in the article, especially that HP is the son of God. No of course he isn't and Rowling doesn't make him out to be, BUT he is a type (an archetype if you like) of Christ. He is like Jonah, an image in someways of Christ as the article goes into, yet decidedly not him. HP had flaws: He has anger problems, he makes bad desicions which hurt others, he can be stubborn and ignorant. He is obviously is not the son of God, but in some ways he is like him. He lays his life down for his friends, he can't help to love others unto death, as revealed in the last book. "No greater love is there that a man should lay down his life for his friends."
Rowling makes this especially obvious in the final book, bluntly obvious. She quotes the verses such as "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" Matthew 6:21 and " the last enemy to be defeated is death" 1 Corinthians 15:26.
read it and tell me what you think, if you wanna.
___edit:
I've been thinking, and I may have been wrong in these words above. In many ways, if Rowling was truly for God's kingdom above all else, she would have taken a very different approach to her books, but especially how she communicates with the media. She is in the spotlight of the world, and in being so she needs to glorify God. Which she hasn't done. So I could be wrong in my assumptions.
Africa is looming over me, Im excited and nervous, but not very consciously. I don't notice it until I think about it. I can't wait!
adieus
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Hey ---
Life is a struggle isn't it?
Every step is an effort, every word is painful. I always think what an effort it would be to go through this hard, homeless world and not to have a destination, not to have a goal of a home after death. God has promised a home to me, a land of peace. When life is hrad I look to that. I find it hard to comprehend the lives of those who live without a non-temporal hope. Its no wonder that a third of western civilisation is depressed...you'd have to be a robot not to be at sometime in your life, without hope.
Its good to look back and see whats been happening in your life. In fact its important. Where have I been? Where am I going? Who has joined my path and is walking beside me now? who has left? Who am I giving my time to? Why?
As a christian I ask myself 'who are you that you would serve a mighty god'? That the bright and morning star would shine a light on my path when I lose sight of the path set before me?
Its amazing how humbled I am in just a few moments considering the greatness of God.
Look at the Universe; the stars are so far away, the universe so huge, and for all we know this galaxy we are a part of could just be one of many such galaxies. Then change the lens and focous on a leaf, on an insect, on a human cell. The hugeness creation is just mindblowing!
Now I don't know about evolution, I don't really understand it. Im not going to make a judgement on whether its reight or wrong. But I cannot believe in aetheistic evolution anyway.
Do you balieve your brain is a product of time+matter+chance?
And what is chance anyway?
I don't beieve in chance..think about it...do you?
The sun sets
the starts fade
the moon slides away
yet the spirit goes on.
Yet the uncreated
remains unchanging
remains forever
who he says he is.
-----
Every step is an effort, every word is painful. I always think what an effort it would be to go through this hard, homeless world and not to have a destination, not to have a goal of a home after death. God has promised a home to me, a land of peace. When life is hrad I look to that. I find it hard to comprehend the lives of those who live without a non-temporal hope. Its no wonder that a third of western civilisation is depressed...you'd have to be a robot not to be at sometime in your life, without hope.
Its good to look back and see whats been happening in your life. In fact its important. Where have I been? Where am I going? Who has joined my path and is walking beside me now? who has left? Who am I giving my time to? Why?
As a christian I ask myself 'who are you that you would serve a mighty god'? That the bright and morning star would shine a light on my path when I lose sight of the path set before me?
Its amazing how humbled I am in just a few moments considering the greatness of God.
Look at the Universe; the stars are so far away, the universe so huge, and for all we know this galaxy we are a part of could just be one of many such galaxies. Then change the lens and focous on a leaf, on an insect, on a human cell. The hugeness creation is just mindblowing!
Now I don't know about evolution, I don't really understand it. Im not going to make a judgement on whether its reight or wrong. But I cannot believe in aetheistic evolution anyway.
Do you balieve your brain is a product of time+matter+chance?
And what is chance anyway?
I don't beieve in chance..think about it...do you?
The sun sets
the starts fade
the moon slides away
yet the spirit goes on.
Yet the uncreated
remains unchanging
remains forever
who he says he is.
-----
Monday, May 21, 2007
travels
Its been a busy few weeks since I last posted....
I really need to get back into some painting...!
And to go visit the rest home, Chris here is from a rest home I visit. Shes amazing.
For those who don't know I am going to Africa in November this year for up to 3 months. I will be staying in Tanzania for at least 1 and a half months, but don't know how long elsewhere...Please pray for me all you christians!
Well gtg
Friday, April 27, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
longing for peace
Listen to the poem of a leading atheist thinker Bertrand Russell:
Through the long years
I sought peace,
I found ecstacy, I found anguish,
I found madness,
I found loneliness.
I found the solitary pain
that knaws the heart,
But peace I did not find.
-a poem to Edith.
Listen to these words:
Come unto me, all ye that labour
and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.
Through the long years
I sought peace,
I found ecstacy, I found anguish,
I found madness,
I found loneliness.
I found the solitary pain
that knaws the heart,
But peace I did not find.
-a poem to Edith.
Listen to these words:
Come unto me, all ye that labour
and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Sharing faith
Thinking back over the few times I have walked up to strangers and shared my faith with them (that is the power of Jesus to save us in a perishing world) and I've had varying results. If you scoot down my blog you will see a video with a skit about excuses of why christians don't share they're faith. Its funny and quite true in some ways but I was talking to a friend and he said that the main reason Christians in our modern society don't share their faith is that they don't know Jesus sincerely expects us to. Matt 28:19. Its unclusive to all christians to... go and make more christian babys. In fact I think its essential to a believers growth in their faith-to be share it.
Think about that all you christians, cause if we stand still on this train of a secular world we will be flying a hundred miles away from the truth. We need to be active!
Falling back to my original thought, that being about the varying results of sharing my faith with strangers, I think its important to speak the truth even if no one listens.
One night me and some friends went out to Queen street and talked to people for hours about Jesus and I was amazed at how open people were. The whole night was amazing, I had so many conversations with people who were just hanging round with nothing to do and they were so open to God's truth and my testimony. We didn't get back home till 4 am or so which was crazy, but God did some great things in people's hearts that night. Other times I've shared and people have been totally closed.
At AUT we were doing an easter thing giving out eggs and I was invited to play Scum with these girls in the common room. I managed to mumble out a few words about the gospel but it just felt so wrong, like 'I shouldn't be here'. I left feeling like a bully after beating them all 3 rounds in a row.
But looking back, I know its God who changes people's hearts not me. So if I speak it out and nobody listens its not my responsibility. And if people do and respond its God who does the work not my many mumblings.
if your interested there are some fantastic talks by Ravi Zacherias you should listen to:
http://rzim.org/radio/archives.php?p=LMPT&v=detail&id=259
http://rzim.org/radio/archives.php?p=LMPT&v=detail&id=258
Its about being active in your faith, in your life and being proactive about what you believe in.
YOU CAN'T BE NEUTRAL ON A MOVING TRAIN - Howard ZinnMr.Zinn is a peace activist.
Think about that all you christians, cause if we stand still on this train of a secular world we will be flying a hundred miles away from the truth. We need to be active!
Falling back to my original thought, that being about the varying results of sharing my faith with strangers, I think its important to speak the truth even if no one listens.
One night me and some friends went out to Queen street and talked to people for hours about Jesus and I was amazed at how open people were. The whole night was amazing, I had so many conversations with people who were just hanging round with nothing to do and they were so open to God's truth and my testimony. We didn't get back home till 4 am or so which was crazy, but God did some great things in people's hearts that night. Other times I've shared and people have been totally closed.
At AUT we were doing an easter thing giving out eggs and I was invited to play Scum with these girls in the common room. I managed to mumble out a few words about the gospel but it just felt so wrong, like 'I shouldn't be here'. I left feeling like a bully after beating them all 3 rounds in a row.
But looking back, I know its God who changes people's hearts not me. So if I speak it out and nobody listens its not my responsibility. And if people do and respond its God who does the work not my many mumblings.
if your interested there are some fantastic talks by Ravi Zacherias you should listen to:
http://rzim.org/radio/archives.php?p=LMPT&v=detail&id=259
http://rzim.org/radio/archives.php?p=LMPT&v=detail&id=258
Its about being active in your faith, in your life and being proactive about what you believe in.
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