Going the Distance

Just about to start Going the Distance by Peter Brain. Quote to kick off chapter 1:

"my life was given to me to spend for God. I have no intention of hoarding it or wasting it, but I intend to spend this one life wisely."
James A Berkeley

New Word Alive

Looking forward to the week ahead at New Word Alive in Wales - at an impossible to pronounce and spell town - staying with the in-laws!

It'll be my first such conference, so I'm looking forward to experiencing the atmosphere along with hearing some great teaching and music, and getting alongside some students along the way.

Hoping to be able to keep connected while I'm there, either by Twitter or on this blog - we'll see how it all goes!

Apparently there's a starbucks there but no Cafe Nero - tough times ahead ;-)

Excerpt from Bradford's examination

Lord chancellor: "Well, to leave this matter: how sayest thou now? Wilt thou return again and do as we have and thou shalt receive the queen's mercy and pardon?"

Bradford: "My lord, I desire your mercy with God's mercy; but your mercy with God's wrath, God keep me from: although I thank God, my conscience doth not accuse that I did speak anything why I should need to receive the queen's mercy or pardon. For all that I ever did or spake was both agreeable to God's laws and the laws of the realm at that time, and did make much to quietness. I have not deceived the people, nor taught any other doctrine than, by God's grace, I am not ready to confirm with my life."

an examination of John Bradford - martyred in Smithfield... Of his last moments he was described as "constantly abiding in the same truth of God which before he had confessed, earnestly exhorting the people to repent and to return to Christ, and sweetly comforting the godly young man who was burnt with him" (a 19year old called John Leaf).

Band of Brothers

Just finished Band of Brothers (first time watching it through having missed the TV series). To even contemplate what these men went through will give but a shadow of the reality... to see grown men still brought to tears as the look back to 50 years in the past, it is a humbling and thankful emotion that wells!

From this day to the ending of the world,But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother...

To them!!!

In all your ways, acknowledge Him

Just reading some helpful articles on Biblical Productivity... here's a helpful quote that was used, by Charles Bridges on Proverbs 3:5-7

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own
understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight
your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from
evil. (Proverbs 3:5-7 ESV)

On this, Charles writes:

Let our confidence be uniform. In all thy ways acknowledge him (Proverbs
3:6). Take one step at a time, every step under divine warrant and direction.
Ever plan for yourself in simple dependence on God. It is nothing less than
self-idolatry to conceive that we can carry on even the ordinary matters of the
day without his counsel.

He loves to be consulted. Therefore take all thy difficulties to be
resolved by him. Be in the habit of going to him in the first place—before
self-will, self-pleasing, self-wisdom, human friends, convenience, expediency.
Before any of these have been consulted go to God at once. Consider no
circumstances too clear to need his direction.

In all thy ways, small as well as great; in all thy concerns, personal or
relative, temporal or eternal, let him be supreme.
A commentary on Proverbs, Banner of Truth, 1846/1968 pp. 24-25

Darwin's Dangerous Idea

Was just reading a brief article by Andrew Marr (read it here) written ahead of his BBC programme "Darwin's Dangerous Idea"

He writes:

"Darwinism, as I take it, is a creed of observation, fact, a deep modesty about conclusions and lifelong readiness to be proved wrong. I don't say it offers everything that religion can. But I do say that, in this respect, it is better. However we celebrate the old man, we mustn't let his work crust into creed or harden to dogma"

I couldn't help but recall this eye witness testimony of John [1 John 1:1-3, ESV]:

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ."

Which would you rather stake your life on?

St Pirans Day

Today is St Pirans Day... not that you would hear much about it... he's the patron saint of tin-miners and adopted more generally as Cornwall's patron saint! He is said to have brought Christianity to Cornwall!

(Wiki Entry)