tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27440270891757994772024-03-05T20:33:22.061+13:00Eastside ChurchA blog to increase communication and allow you to get to know the management team at Eastside.Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-86080767534554641782010-04-14T09:29:00.000+12:002010-04-14T09:29:06.409+12:00Defined By Your Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlQPoBQvB4iYradohNcEesqABs-tCM2lmknF3mTC4dbhBmPE0A0KDQEvNoX2Sp2gkgnck6wtgC9HmvJRMraWGQeN62uH1c-LRwBr1se3W2f4lvwmgCsUJe4tMxq7cg-m-AqleQDWvZpg/s1600/Dancing_000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlQPoBQvB4iYradohNcEesqABs-tCM2lmknF3mTC4dbhBmPE0A0KDQEvNoX2Sp2gkgnck6wtgC9HmvJRMraWGQeN62uH1c-LRwBr1se3W2f4lvwmgCsUJe4tMxq7cg-m-AqleQDWvZpg/s320/Dancing_000.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YEEHAA!! ...It’s Girls Day Out next Saturday (24th Apr)! <br />
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It’s so great for ‘Girls’ (Women) to get together, chill out, be pampered, be encouraged, be inspired, have fun and eat! <br />
Nadia Clark (Get Smart Director & Youth Pastor) from LIFE, Auckland will be speaking on ‘Defined by Your Love’. <br />
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Mmmmmm... an interesting thought... What defines you? <br />
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<b><span style="color: lime;">Zephaniah 3:17 says... ‘For the Lord your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty Saviour. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song.’</span></b><br />
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Does God’s love define your life? <br />
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Through life, so much barrage of stuff comes our way – and often we can start to believe words that have been spoken over us or actions that have been done to us... which are totally contrary to the Word of God – the Truth.<br />
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God’s love for you is unconditional – that is, He loves you no matter what!! <br />
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His love will calm fears... it will bring strength... courage... peace... joy... <br />
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Let His Love envelop your being... and let His Love define you!! </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Blessings</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Ps Jan</span></span>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-32670066990438515892010-04-06T09:31:00.001+12:002010-04-06T09:31:00.398+12:00Easter<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a very powerful video on Easter. May it help you to reflect about Christ's sacrifice for you in a fresh way.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Leave a comment and let us know what you thought.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Godspeed & Kaizan</span><br />
</div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Clive</span></span>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-53126171857038332742010-03-30T10:00:00.001+13:002010-03-30T10:00:03.045+13:00Relieving Status Anxiety<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The title of philosopher <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alain_de_Botton">Alain de Botton’s</a> new book <a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/17-9780375420832-4">'Status Anxiety' </a>(Hamish Hamilton: 2004) describes an emotion capable of hobbling the most astonishing life. <br />
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He uses the term ‘status’ in its broader sense to mean one’s value and importance in the eyes of the world. When one has status, life can be very good: you are considered important, perhaps even indispensable; you are invited to the right parties, flattered by the right people; everyone laughs at your jokes, regardless of whether they’re funny or not.<br />
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The author notes that anxiety arises whenever we are in danger of failing to conform to the ideals of success as endorsed by society. However, de Botton challenges the normal assumption that the prime reason for our hard work is financial. Rather, he believes that our efforts – late nights, extra hours, political smiles – are in fact motivated by something that economists rarely acknowledge: love. He observes,<br />
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To be shown love is to feel ourselves the object of concern. Our presence is noted, our name is registered, our views are listened to, our failings are treated with indulgence and our needs are administered to. And under such care, we flourish. [1][1]<br />
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There is food for thought here for us as Christians, and particularly Christian leaders – do we appreciate those with whom we work? More to the point, do we show it? Do we allow people a voice? Do we validate their opinions and feelings? Do we value them? In short, do we love them?<br />
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In writing on ‘the social self’ the American psychologist William James suggested that if we remained completely unnoticed, ignored and overlooked, if no one ever acknowledged us when we entered a room and everybody treated us as non-existent entities, then “a kind of rage and impotent despair would ere long well up in us, from which the cruellest bodily tortures would be a relief.” [2][2] Why should the attention of others be so important? Why should we need their approval?<br />
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de Botton proposes that we suffer from an innate doubt of our own value, that “our sense of identity is held captive by the judgments of those we live among.” In an ideal world we would know our worth; however, as we all know, life ain’t always that simple…<br />
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The author states, “There is no definitive solution to status anxiety. The best we can do is hope to understand it, talk about it.”<br />
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How dreadful, that one must be locked into such a way of life, ever seeking approval, looking for love, hopefully in the right places, driven onwards to sate the furious desire to be loved…<br />
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Jesus offers another way. On one occasion the disciples ask him “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” They were jockeying for position, flexing their muscles, preening their feathers. Then Jesus takes a child in his arms and says, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matt 18:3-4 NIV).<br />
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A child. <br />
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It’s important to understand the first-century Jewish attitude if we are to grasp the full impact of Jesus’ teaching here. Today we tend to idealize childhood as the happy age of innocence and simple faith. However, in New Testament times the child considered of no importance. They couldn’t fight, and they hadn’t been around long enough to gain wisdom from experience or to accrue wealth. Albert Nolan declares, “Children in that society had no status at all-they did not count.” [3][3] <br />
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Of course kids are important – valuable, a treasure – Jesus himself got angry when the disciples tried to keep children away from him (Mk 10:14). However, in this sense, For his followers becoming like a little child meant, as Manning puts it, “the willingness to accept oneself as being of little account and to be regarded as unimportant.” [4][4]<br />
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This is not to say we act like doormats for the self-absorbed to use and discard or the bullies of life to trample and mock. As John Stott declares, our chief claim to nobility as human beings is that we were made in the image of God. [5][5] We are of great worth – indeed, God says we are worth the life of his only Son. However, rather than seeing people as resources to be exploited, as mere carcasses to be crawled over as we climb the slopes of acceptance to take the citadel of self-worth, God calls for us to imitate Jesus – to step back and prefer others, to willingly live for the good and best of others. The ability to, “in humility consider others as better than yourself” (Php 2:5); to serve, to put others first. To be happy at the back of the line, with the smallest slice, with a cup of water because the wine has run out. To rejoice when your colleague is esteemed, to mourn when another suffers.<br />
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I once heard Jack Haines preach that the key to abundant living was to live for others. This is a superb way to break away from striving for acceptance and status, and reflects the nature and character of Jesus, who came not to be served, but to serve (Mk 10:45).<br />
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With regards to this overwhelming human desire for love, the Bible tells us of a God who loves this world so much (Jn 3:16; 1 Jn 4:10) and calls for his people to love one another (Jn 13:34-35). And this is, indeed, is good news. As we live for others, we glorify God on our obedience, we fulfil a deep need within ourselves to love, and we express love to those around us. While relieving ‘status anxiety’ might by no means be a simple task, the gospel offers a way to alleviate this dark emotion, and to set us free from the tyranny of status…<br />
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Which is great, because I can’t afford label clothing anyway… </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Blessings</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Ps Simon Moetara</span></span>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-82398392329669934462010-03-22T15:14:00.000+13:002010-03-22T15:14:39.944+13:00A CHEERFUL HEART!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTFpeAn4c2hzF1n3f3bpZod0gQQNNFWVGzsaWFyEMsSVL5h_laLQ61sT1u7nahleSmEVSKQfG90S-XyhgEkc0tVwVEp_7eEu3b5Fskd_OqdgT45kFuoTO03cfU62Z9f9HY1ds1CLoG2c/s1600-h/Dancing_000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTFpeAn4c2hzF1n3f3bpZod0gQQNNFWVGzsaWFyEMsSVL5h_laLQ61sT1u7nahleSmEVSKQfG90S-XyhgEkc0tVwVEp_7eEu3b5Fskd_OqdgT45kFuoTO03cfU62Z9f9HY1ds1CLoG2c/s320/Dancing_000.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Life is full of ups and downs – sometimes things are easy, sometimes they’re not! <br />
That’s life!... <br />
I believe choosing to have a cheerful heart gives strength to our very being. <br />
<span style="color: lime;">Proverbs 15:13</span> even says that a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day. <br />
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David (in Psalms) reminded himself over and over again to... <span style="color: lime;">“Bless the Lord, O my soul!!”</span> <br />
He often would not have felt like doing that – because things were often really tough!... <br />
Yet I believe he knew that having that ‘cheerful heart’ – an attitude of praise – helped to lift his countenance, giving strength for each day. <br />
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Go on!... Choose a ‘Cheerful Heart’ today!... Smile – and make someone else smile! Bless the Lord – He is for you!! <br />
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<span style="color: lime;">Pro 15:13-15 A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day. </span><br style="color: lime;" /><span style="color: lime;">An intelligent person is always eager to take in more truth; fools feed on fast-food fads and fancies. </span><br style="color: lime;" /><span style="color: lime;">A miserable heart means a miserable life; a cheerful heart fills the day with song. </span></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Ps Jan</span></span>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-52071694687653668942010-03-16T09:36:00.002+13:002010-03-16T09:36:00.285+13:00Finding God's Will<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As with just about every subject in theology... there are varying viewpoints that people take. In this video <a href="http://www.skitguys.com/">The Skit Guys</a> talk about figuring out God's will for your life.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><embed align="middle" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="viewkey=3827912c3b399aa7bfc0" height="270" name="tangle" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" src="http://www.tangle.com/flash/swf/flvplayer.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="330" wmode="transparent"></embed></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The point of posting this video is to get you thinking... and asking yourself questions about 'God's will' and how you can follow it in your own life.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If you have any great thoughts on this subject please leave a comment and share your thoughts with us. In our interaction we are bound to grow and stretch each other's thinking and action. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It's sure to be an interesting conversation!</span></span><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Godspeed & Kaizan</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Clive</span></span>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-12545707417004681382010-03-09T14:20:00.001+13:002010-03-22T16:38:22.610+13:00Twilight... Some Thoughts<o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Some thoughts on Twilight…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriy_SYvhdHmpi5_dAMVmhsmiNtgmmmpPyA2ZgZFxSWvQa0tK6Dn7Ih_Wbrg83hgoib6Mo_pm0iXKspqldK6USkS2Echydkt-ReE3f0OlmEknQ30eAevZOzWkG7P6utaaVlU8-xzR23Q8/s1600-h/twilight-movie-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriy_SYvhdHmpi5_dAMVmhsmiNtgmmmpPyA2ZgZFxSWvQa0tK6Dn7Ih_Wbrg83hgoib6Mo_pm0iXKspqldK6USkS2Echydkt-ReE3f0OlmEknQ30eAevZOzWkG7P6utaaVlU8-xzR23Q8/s200/twilight-movie-poster.jpg" width="135" /></a><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Bella Swan ( played well by Kristin Stewart) </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">moves from sun-drenched Phoenix, Arizona to perpetually drizzly Forks, Washington to live with her father, where she encounters the intensely striking but initially boorish Edward Cullen, a somewhat pasty taller version of Jason Priestly (remember <i>Beverly Hills 90210</i>? No? oh…). Edward is drop-dead gorgeous, wears designer clothes and drives a Volvo S60R (I had to look that up – I’m no petrol-head). After being saved by a display of superhuman strength by Edward, Bella learns that he is a vampire, but he and his ‘family’ are vegans – i.e. they take blood not from humans but from animals (and not just any animals – only those that are over-populated; humanitarian <i>and</i> eco-friendly…). They fall head over heels in chaste love. She meets the family, bad vampires turn up, one of whom stalks her, which leads to a difficult time for our star-crossed lovers…</span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">The enduring popularity of vampires -- </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">from Bram Stoker’s 1897 gothic novel <i>Dracula</i>.<i> </i>to 1994’s controversial<i> Interview with a Vampire</i> with Cruise and Pitt, from HBO’s graphic TV series starring our own Anna Paquin,</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">to Buffy and Blade, and Hammer Horror and Anne Rice, and countless other expressions -- has been attributed to two key factors: the representation of sexuality and the perennial dread of mortality. (1)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Author Stephenie Meyer takes a different approach to sexuality than the sordid approach often associated with the vampire theme. Meyer’s devout Mormonism is reflected in the film’s attitude to sex, which has our couple maintaining carnal abstinence. One reviewer says that this allows young girls “to splash around in a pool of obsessive love without having to swim in the turbulent waters of scary teenage sex.”(2) This is a pleasant change from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hollywood</st1:place></st1:city>’s usual laissez-faire treatment of issues of teen sexuality. Edward’s efforts at self-control are admirable in a postmodern world that says ‘if it feels good, do it.’ Edward’s ‘family’ also attempt to fight their inner struggles and powerful urges, choosing rather to live lives that help, rather than use, humans.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">I decided to read the first book in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga about a year ago. It’s not a boy book. Man, was I bored. Nothing happened. Edward looks gloweringly at Bella, Bella’s heart palpitated a lot when his finger brushed her skin, they pledge undying love, teen angst, etc. etc. And the main bit of action at the novel’s conclusion we don’t even get to experience because Bella – who’s narrating the story! – is unconscious! Here I was expecting a big climactic fight, and my commentator is out for the count!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Okay – I’m a 38 year old male, not a teenage girl, which may have something to do with it. And I think that’s significant – the novels are written with teenage females in mind, and lack the broader appeal of the Harry Potter books, which were read by young and old, male and female alike.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">But before I dismiss all the hysteria as including only a horde of hormonal teen girls, I also found out that one of the most active and popular fan sites is <a href="http://www.twilightmoms.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">www.twilightmoms.com</span></a>. Mums who love <i>Twilight</i>. I went to a John Rowles concert recently, and there were women fawning over the iconic singer, but at least they were the same age. I mean, imagine if you had a bunch of Dads screaming over a group of 17 year old girls – they’d either be arrested or beaten up. Can you imagine Miley-CyrusDads.com? Billy Ray would have a fit. Sad; so sad…</span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Anyhooo… as tedious as I found the book, the written page gives more scope for the relationship to develop and allows the minds eye to be utilized to envisage some fantastical images. For example, when Edward shows Bella why vampires can’t go in the sunlight in the novel, the imagination is employed to startling effect; on film, it comes across kind of lame. “Oh, is that it… Sparkly.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZUn4YhTtCjDccm86ApXiEdy_OuumHAZUJABYLy00QpC96unD52sV0VMxU-Xe8eyzGFF9tK7LbqgJiqJ1DEC3G5ggcjDiiHhs_dlpYOkepXcBJFSDtkXQKuG03jYoYXqUu0pZAUEzI08/s1600-h/twilightmoms2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZUn4YhTtCjDccm86ApXiEdy_OuumHAZUJABYLy00QpC96unD52sV0VMxU-Xe8eyzGFF9tK7LbqgJiqJ1DEC3G5ggcjDiiHhs_dlpYOkepXcBJFSDtkXQKuG03jYoYXqUu0pZAUEzI08/s200/twilightmoms2.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Some parts of the film are likewise unconvincing. I’m not sure why the movie Bella suddenly falls for Edward and trusts him so much. Perhaps this was an issue stemming from condensing 460 odd pages into a couple of hours viewing time, but it just didn’t ring true. By the time Bella eventually declares that she’s “unconditionally, irrevocably in love” with Edward, I’m still not sure why she feels as powerfully as she does. You trust him with your life when he says he’s not sure if he can control himself around you? Why? You don’t know him. I found it rather unconvincing…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Strangely enough, the presence of vampires and wolves wasn’t the major concern for me in considering the appropriateness of the book/film. Not that I’m Vampire Goth or horror fan; it’s just that I agree with Wendy Lee Nentwig that the biggest issue I have with this series is the one that probably seems the most innocuous on the surface: the love story. (3)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Allow me to explain: The idea of Romanticism grew extremely popular through the efforts of the Romantic poets of the eighteenth century When I did my BA in English Lit, one of the papers I did was a 2nd year paper entitled “Romantic Poetry and Prose.” I thought it was about writing love poems. It actually looked at the poetry of Wordsworth, Coleridge and Keats, as well as the writings of guys in floppy shirts like Shelley and Byron. These guys argued with great passion that it was a travesty, a crime, to marry for any reason other than “love,” by which they meant intense feeling and grand emotion. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Katherine Anne Porter lamented the surreptitious creeping of romance into marriage over the centuries, “bringing its absurd notions about love as eternal springtime and marriage as a personal adventure meant to provide personal happiness,” and rather declared that the reality of our humanity means that we must “salvage our fragments of happiness” out of life’s unavoidable sufferings (4)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">“What?!” I hear you cry. “Are you trying to say that romance is bad?!” Not at all. Buy flowers. Go out for dinner. Speak often of your love for one another. Romance and feelings are important – it’s just that they are not everything. Consider: when I no longer <i>feel</i> as intensely passionate about my wife now as I did in the heady days of our courtship, can I leave? Or is a more muscular and mature form of love called for?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Gary Thomas, in his book <i>Sacred Marriage:</i></span><i> </i><i><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">What If God Designed Marriage To Make Us Holy More Than To Make Us Happy?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">, writes (and I wholeheartedly agree), “Romantic love has no elasticity to it. It can never be stretched; it simply shatters. Mature love, the kind demanded of a good marriage, <i>must</i> stretch, as the sinful human condition is such that all of us bear conflicting emotions… This is the reality of the human heart, the inevitability of two sinful people pledging to live together, with all their faults, for the rest of their lives.” (5)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">And that’s a concern of mine with the books and movies. Edward is too good to believe. He has those old-fashioned values (he was, after all, born in 1901). He shows Herculean physical restraint around Bella. He is powerful and can protect her always. He runs as fast as the Flash and is as strong as the Hulk. He’s always there – even while she’s sleeping. He drives a $100, 000 car (way too fast) and appears to have almost limitless disposable income. The slightest touch from him sends her heart into overdrive, and her scent drives him crazy. What real man can compete with that? I love my darling wife, but she doesn’t give off this natural perfume that sends me into heady spins of delight in her presence... (but please; just keep that between us). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-AU">When the Harry Potter phenomenon was in full swing, I remember reading an article in which author J. K. Rowling suggested a reason for the popularity of the young bespectacled sorcerer. Rowling believed the main reason for the success of her stories was that people were having their desires to be special met through empathising with Harry Potter, particularly young children. Using Harry’s orphan status as an example she told CBS, “It’s a very common fantasy with children: “These boring people cannot be my parents. They just can’t be. I’m so much more special than that.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Rowling continues: “Nearly everyone I knew went through that…Not only are you leaving this boring existence, but you really are special. You’re not only magical, but you’re famous as well.” (6)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Harry Potter – orphaned, nerdish, unwanted by his uncaring muggle uncle and aunt, harassed by his spoiled cousin (bullied by a kid named <st1:place w:st="on">Dudley</st1:place>, no less!), forced to live in the cupboard under the stairs… life sucked for Harry. Until he found out this whole other world, in which he was rich, famous… special. “Everyone thinks I'm special,” utters a humbled Harry. (7) And so off he goes to Hogwarts school, where he makes new friends and has lots of adventures…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Think about it… Shy Bella Swan moves to a new town. She drives to school in her 1953 Chevy pick up hunk-of-junk truck (shaaaaame!), makes friends and boys compete for her attention. Then in walks dreeeeamy Edward Cullen… he can read minds (but not Bella’s – because she’s special) and the scent of her – no other girl’s, just Bella -- drives him crazy (because she’s special). She frustrates him, but he just can’t get enough of her; and as for Bella, Edward has this citrus scent and mellifluous voice that are incredibly seductive to her… wow; like, eternal attraction… coooool…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">I just wonder – what happens when a teenage fan walks out of the darkened theatre or places her bookmark neatly between the pages, and wanders back into reality? No man can be Edward. Only Jesus is perfect (that’s not excusing poor behaviour on our part as men – just acknowledging the false and unreachable standard of trying to measure up the literary creation of Edward Cullen). I would hate to see the false notions of romance set people up for disappointment, and fuel the thinking that such feelings are normal if one is truly in love, and that such emotions remain at the same level of intensity for the duration of a marriage. Nentwig says, <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">[Edward is] more than a boyfriend and even more than a vampire, he’s her own personal god. Edward is the one she goes to for help, advice, protection and love. With Edward in her life, Bella’s parents are completely superfluous. She only hangs around because her scatterbrained mom and absent-but-loveable dad need her so much. It’s dysfunction with a capital “D”. (8)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">I think </span><i><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Twilight</span></i><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"> taps into the secret longing of lovesick teenage females – to be special and adored. I believe too often that we’re born into this world asking the question, “Am I valuable? Am I worth being loved?”, and sadly, too often the answer is in the negative: “No. You are not. You are not beautiful enough, sexy enough, clever enough, popular enough. You wear the wrong clothes. You buy the wrong shoes. You drive the wrong car. No boy will ever love you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">However, because of Christ’s love, we now regard no one from a worldly point of view (2 Cor 5:16). The world may reject us and find us laughable, but God says that we are of infinite worth:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">It was the glory of Christianity that it made people who were things into real men and women, nay more, into sons and daughters of God; it gave those who had no respect their self-respect; it gave those who had no life life eternal; it told men that even if they did not matter to men they still mattered intensely to God. It told men who, in the eyes of the world, were worthless, that, in the eyes of God, they were worth the death of God’s only Son. Christianity was, and still is, literally the most uplifting thing in the whole universe. (9)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Bella seems to look to Edward to be her all in all; we cannot make the same mistake. No human being can fulfill us – it is God alone in whom we find security and contentment, ultimate acceptance and unfailing love, and through whom alone eternal life is found.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">There is much in popular culture that is seductive to the child of God attempting to walk the narrow path. A lot of emphasis is placed on wizards and vampires, but there are other subtle thing around that we allow to erode our values on a day to day basis – music, TV, peer pressure, cutting corners, rationalizing our sin bit by bit. We must all give more thought to the things we allow for our own entertainment. Food for thought, anyway…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Oh, one other thing I did find odd though… Edward Cullen was actually born on June 20, 1901 (I didn’t notice this detail in the movie; only in the book). He was transformed into a vampire by his adoptive father Carlisle Cullen in 1918 in order to save him from the deadly Spanish flu, confining him eternally in a seventeen-year-old body (poor sod).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">But here’s the thing…Edward’s not seventeen-years-old. In 2005 (when the first novel was released), he would have had his 104th birthday. Bella is seventeen. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Now, as a guy you may look seventeen, but mentally and emotionally you’re an undying centenarian, over a hundred-years-old – and you’re hitting on a teenager? Maybe I don’t understand the dynamics of human-vampire immortal relations, but that strikes me as kind of creepy… but maybe that’s just me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Blessings</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Ps Simon Moetra</span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><u><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">References:<o:p></o:p></span></u></div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">(1)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> Wayne Bartlett and Flavia Idriceanu, <i>Legends of Blood: The Vampire in History and Myth</i> (<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:city>: NPI Media Group, 2005), 46.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">(2)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> Will <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lawrence</st1:place></st1:city>, “Review: Twilight”, <i>Empire online</i>; available online at:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=135600">http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=135600</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">(3)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Wendy Lee Nentwig, “Taking on <i>Twilight</i>,”; available online at: <a href="http://www.crosswalk.com/books/11597837/page0/">http://www.crosswalk.com/books/11597837/page0/</a> [accessed 5 Feb 2010].<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">(4)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Katherine Anne Porter, “The Necessary Enemy”, in John Gross (ed.) <i>The <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Oxford</st1:city></st1:place> Book of Essays</i> (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991), 437.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">(5)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Gary Thomas, <i>Sacred Marriage</i> (<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Grand Rapids</st1:place></st1:city>: Zondervan, 2000), 15-16.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">(6)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> Mark Phillips, “Tough Times Ahead for Harry Potter,” <i>CBS</i> <i>News</i>, July 8, 2000.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">(7)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> J.K. Rowling, <i>Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone</i> (London: Bloomsbury, 1997), 66.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">(8) </span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Wendy Lee Nentwig, “Taking on <i>Twilight</i>,”; available online at: <a href="http://www.crosswalk.com/books/11597837/page0/">http://www.crosswalk.com/books/11597837/page0/</a> [accessed 5 Feb 2010].<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">(9) </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">William Barclay, <i>Letters to Corinthians </i>(DSB: Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 2nd ed. 1956), 24.</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-76898650777161788142010-03-02T13:01:00.000+13:002010-03-02T13:01:08.818+13:00Spark Your Enthusiasm!<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thoughts from Haggai!</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve recently read a book in the Bible called Haggai.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Things weren’t going the best for the people... yet when God spoke to them about their lifestyle – they chose to obey Him ‘and worshipped Him in earnest’ (Haggai 1:12). </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Because they chose to obey God... this is what God said in response... “I am with you!”. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wow – who wouldn’t want to hear the Creator of the Universe, God Almighty say ‘I am with you’ to them??!! </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Haggai 1:14 says these words ‘sparked enthusiasm’ in the people. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 Samuel 15:22 says, ‘Obedience is far better than sacrifice. Listening to God is much better than offering the fat of rams’.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let’s obey God in our lives! He wants the best for us... and He will ‘spark enthusiasm’ in you when you respond to Him with obedience. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Be blessed and know that God is with you as you step out in obedience to Him... and may your enthusiasm be sparked! </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jan Rodgers </span></div>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-70974648765034306132010-02-23T10:45:00.003+13:002010-02-23T10:45:00.498+13:00101 in March - The Bible<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPwzXi-RpsS7eA77a5X8oYSf3LqHefwX4MauzYRUO2tDzvxj3RwKusCSZIk0iwroqmCG8F_zsmLN9seKoaz7Die-anotpatejHP01mS__SHbBeH-d9cWrOOM18iMbMpweZe5Z5nhdZmE/s1600-h/bible+cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPwzXi-RpsS7eA77a5X8oYSf3LqHefwX4MauzYRUO2tDzvxj3RwKusCSZIk0iwroqmCG8F_zsmLN9seKoaz7Die-anotpatejHP01mS__SHbBeH-d9cWrOOM18iMbMpweZe5Z5nhdZmE/s320/bible+cross.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As we move into March, our teaching theme is going to centre around The Bible.</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">With this in mind I wanted to let you know about a great resource that is being provided by <a href="http://www.youversion.com/about/reading-plans">YouVersion</a>. They offer the Bible on-line in over 20 translations, the chance to create community and even set up groups for your life group, they have over 20 Bible reading plans with a facility for accountability.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">They can explain it alot better than I can, so check them out <a href="http://www.youversion.com/about/reading-plans">HERE</a>.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR9R9nBTEYS3nkxWZ7fuzPVVTH5eb5CczljvdiHZSvWeqxVSAFMebtjb2wVB-Bfx9InJDupFWlNp4F2NEkhb6UbdFqIF6_8Rfqzp-t_N152APXAZqYN33pogL93r3GZlaH5l06bcYon-A/s1600-h/bible3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR9R9nBTEYS3nkxWZ7fuzPVVTH5eb5CczljvdiHZSvWeqxVSAFMebtjb2wVB-Bfx9InJDupFWlNp4F2NEkhb6UbdFqIF6_8Rfqzp-t_N152APXAZqYN33pogL93r3GZlaH5l06bcYon-A/s320/bible3.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Can I really challenge you this month to make a commitment to reading the Bible daily. </span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It saddens me to read the stats that only 9% of born again adults hold a Biblical world view or that only 30% of Christ centered Christians read their Bible daily.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 1:1, 14 reveal to us that the words of the Bible... are Jesus Himself. Its mysterous. </span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But reading the Bible is life giving and beautiful.</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So why not commit to daily reading the Bible daily this month. Use one of the <a href="http://www.youversion.com/about/reading-plans">YouVersion</a></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Bible reading plans or come up with your own...</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Who knows, after this month you could have just formed one of the most important and life changing habits of your life!<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'll leave you with some quotes about the Bible: <br />
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</div><div class="center" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. —Jerome, A.D. 340-420</span><br />
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<div class="quote" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">To get the full flavor of an herb, it must be pressed between the fingers, so it is the same with the Scriptures; the more familiar they become, the more they reveal their hidden treasures and yield their indescribable riches.</span><br />
</div><div class="author" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">— John Chrysostom, A.D. 347-407 </span><br />
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</div><div class="quote" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">THIS BOOK contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveller's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword and the Christian's charter. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand object, our good is its design and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened in the judgement, and will be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labour, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.</span><br />
</div><div class="author" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">— <i>Anonymous</i> </span><br />
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</div><div class="quote" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Born in the East and clothed in Oriental form and imagery, the Bible walks the ways of all the world with familiar feet, and enters land after land to find its own everywhere. It has learned to speak in hundreds of languages to the heart of man. It comes into the palace to tell the monarch that he is a servant of the Most High, and into the cottage to assure the peasant that he is a son of God. Children listen to its stories with wonder and delight, and wise men ponder them as parables of life. It has a word of peace for the time of peril, a word of comfort for the time of calamity, a word of light for the hour of darkness. Its oracles are repeated in the assembly of the people, and its counsels whispered in the ear of the lonely. The wicked and the proud tremble at its warnings, but to the wounded and the penitent it has a mother's voice. The wilderness and the solitary place have been made glad by it, and the fire on the hearth has lit the reading of its well-worn pages. It has woven itself into our dearest dreams; so that love, friendship, sympathy and devotion, memory and hope put on the beautiful garments of its treasured speech, breathing of frankincense and myrrh.</span><br />
</div><div class="author" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">— Henry van Dyke </span><br />
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</div><div style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> "I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from The Savior of the world is communicated to us through this Book."<br />
<i>Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), 16th U.S. President</i></span><br />
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</div><div style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> "I have known ninety-five of the world's great men in my time, and of these, eighty-seven were followers of the Bible. The Bible is stamped with a Specialty of Origin, and an immeasurable distance separates it from all competitors."<br />
<i>William Gladstone (1809-1898), British statesman, served as Prime Minister four times.</i></span><br />
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</div><div style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> "The Bible is no mere book, but a Living Creature, with a power that conquers all that oppose it."<br />
<i>Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), Emperor of the French</i></span><br />
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</div><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">"All human discoveries seem to be made only for the purpose of confirming more and more the Truths contained in the Sacred Scriptures."</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Sir William Herschel (1738-1822), English astronomer, he made numerous discoveries about the laws of the heavens.</i></span><i> </i><br />
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<i>Godspeed & Kaizen</i><br />
<i>Clive<br />
</i>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-56566570439957973682010-02-16T09:43:00.002+13:002010-03-22T16:37:10.088+13:00At The Box Office - AVATAR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvllizbXr6OhBI7SYQOW114hkeesOrYfRPXiUxmc7mMhyTILPcvBwGos20bAXC6ozp_HFcysm54HFOWfLmk0-vxrSF8UxG4xGnCGslIIo7QRsMy_8FO9x8fkXpOIRMHPkG3qSltTwdQwk/s1600-h/109449_james-camerons-avatar-continues-to-break-box-office-records.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvllizbXr6OhBI7SYQOW114hkeesOrYfRPXiUxmc7mMhyTILPcvBwGos20bAXC6ozp_HFcysm54HFOWfLmk0-vxrSF8UxG4xGnCGslIIo7QRsMy_8FO9x8fkXpOIRMHPkG3qSltTwdQwk/s320/109449_james-camerons-avatar-continues-to-break-box-office-records.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Disabled ex-Marine Jake Sully is recruited to aid a mining expedition on the distant jungle moon of Pandora when his twn brother is killed, as only his DNA will allow him to utilise the alien body (known as an Avatar) that allows human beings to breathe the poisonous air. He is ordered to infiltrate the Na’vi and to provide information for his superiors. However, along the way, he falls in love with a Na’vi girl, with the Na’vi people and with their culture, and so difficulties follow, resulting in a climactic confrontation between the Na’vi and the heavily armed mercenary Earth forces…</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Unlike Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen, which is a loud and overblown special effects extravanganza with a nonsensical plot and virtually no substance (I hated it) there is more depth here. True, the tale is a simple one; this is Pocahontas meets District 9, Dances with Wolves at the edge of the universe – but simple stories well told win us over time and time again.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I can understand how this concept of an avatar fascinates people today. In Hindu mythology, a god would descend to earth from heaven in physical form, an ‘avatar’ (from the Sanskrit avatāra ‘a passing down’). In present day usage, a computer user would create a graphic image as an alter ego, a representation of him or herself or alter ego (which is usually far cuter than it’s actual user). Whether in computer games or internet forums, it allows people to ‘be’ someone else – the essence of fantasy. This ability to fabricate our human identities is a powerful draw – from kids who are unhappy at home but long to be special like Harry Potter, to the intimacy sought in chat-rooms, the ability to ‘be someone else’ is a craving of so many today. Jake Sully can leave behind his human body with its ineffective legs and enter the 12 foot body of a Na’vi male, squishing mud between his toes and leaping from branch to branch – and eventually leading the Na’vi against the destructive human forces that brought him to Pandora. Imagine what it would be like for us – no longer uncoordinated, no excess weight, able to reach that tin on the top shelf… The concept taps into the fantasy world of humans with ease. </span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What about the visuals? Well, what can I say? In 3-D, the film is absolutely mind-blowing. It is the most visually astonishing film I have seen. As Chris Hewitt wrote in his review for Empire, once you put on those 3-D glasses it “becomes a transcendent, full-on five-star experience that's the closest we’ll ever come to setting foot on a strange new world.” (1) The 3-D effects add depth to a spectacular and unfamiliar world, and it’s as though you are there as Jake Sully explores the alien environs in his new form, with its six-legged beasts, iridescent foliage, massive stone arches 300 metres in height and 500 metres across, and floating mountains with waterfalls that plunge into nothingness. Cameron creates a whole new world, a moon almost ten times the size of Earth (I know that because I bought Wilhelm and Mathison’s Avatar: A Confidnetial Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandaora (2) – okay, I’m a geek, but I know it and I’m proud). The 3-D technique enhances the experience of exploring the undiscovered wonders of this Eden-like world, unsullied by the rapacious greed and the countless ravages of war and pestilence of our own planet. </span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Phrases such as “preemptive strikes,” “shock and awe” and the need to fight “terror with terror” have led a number of critics to see the film as anti-American, or anti Bush/Republican. However, while using such recent terminology, I think Cameron’s view is a bit bigger. At the London Premiere of Avatar Cameron shared the following thoughts on the human proclivity for conquest and the insatiable need for more:</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">“I think there’s this long wonderful history of the human race written in blood going back as far as we can remember... where we have this tendency to just take what we want without asking. That’s how we treat the natural world as well - there's a sense of entitlement. We’re here, we’re big, we’re got the guns, we’ve got the technology, we’ve got the brains. We are therefore entitled to every damn thing on this planet.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">And that’s not how it works - and we’re going to find out the hard way if we don't wise up and start seeking a life that’s in balance with the natural world [and] the natural cycles of life on Earth.” (3)</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Sounds all right to me… For too many Western Christians, Christianity and capitalism go hand in hand, and to Gordon Gecko’s mantra “Greed is good” would shout a hearty ‘Here here!” Some critics point the finger at Christianity as the primary source for the present ecological crisis, with the divine mandate to exercise “dominion” over the earth used to justify ruthless treatment of the natural world (4), and the mission movement charged with being used as a vehicle to pave the way for colonization. While simplistic and harsh, the challenge cannot be dismissed out of hand. Cameron’s commentary on the first world’s lack of respect for the culture and values of indigenous peoples of the majority world is hard to ignore, and in a world where global warming, rising oil prices, oil slicks and deforestation are hot issues, Cameron’s vision calls for a respect for the planet that should be at the forefront of any global Christian agenda.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The Na’vi themselves are impressive also. The Na’vi are three metres tall, and move with the otherworldly grace of the Elves in Lord of the Rings. With their azure skin and feline grace, they are a sight to behold. They are a Neolithic society, a highly developed culture based on the spiritual connection of all living things. This connection is emphasized through the use of the queue, a long braid that houses neural tendrils that allows the Na’vi to connect to other living creatures, like connecting your i-pod to a laptop. This allows the Na’vi to be in harmony with plants and animals. It kind of reminds me of Neo in The first Matrix film where, after being jacked in, he wakes up and says, “I know kung fu.” Wouldn’t that be cool – with such intimate connections among our leading rugby players, perhaps we could bring home the Rugby World Cup in 2011… but I digress…</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Regarding its religious outlook – the humans in the film show no interest in religion at all. Their interests are scientific, technological and financial, as they seek the precious element unobtainium. Obviously they didn’t take a chaplain. I think it is interesting that film prefers the simpler and more spiritual outlook of the Na’vi to the soul-less technology and voracious materialism of the human forces.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The Na’vi, on the other hand, are very spiritual. There religion is a mystical form of nature worship. The Na’vi worship Eywa (which sounds like a switched-around version of Yahweh, the name of God in the Hebrew Scriptures, usually translated as “the LORD” in capitals in our modern translations). Eywa is the guiding force and deity of Pandora. The Na’vi believe that Eywa acts to keep the ecosystems of Pandora in perfect balance. The scene where the Na’vi corporately call on Eywa while writhing from side to side had me thinking of the hideous rave scene in The Matrix: Reloaded, or the hippie 60s musical Hair. The Na’vi are in touch with this maternal, organic energy that runs through the entire planet.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This ‘mystical force that unites all things’ is the religion that the prophets Hollywood find acceptable. Consider the similarity to the spirituality of the Star Wars universe, with its mystical force is a mystical energy that permeates the universe and runs through all living things and unites all living things in the universe. Remember Yoda talking to Luke in the swamps of Dagobah in The Empire Strikes Back? (No – oh man, I am a geek!). “My ally is the force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us, binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the force around you. Here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere…” The religion of the Na’vi is very similar, although, unlike the force, they can pray to Eywa.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">There’s been a resurgence in the beliefs and practices of neo-paganism – ‘new paganism’, influenced by pre-Christian European beliefs - and the desire within New Age spirituality to return to indigenous forms of spirituality, which seem to many ‘untainted’ by the spiritual lack and materialistic views of western life. Howe describes modern neo-pagan witchcraft in the following way:</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The ideal in most neo-Pagan practice is to become as one with the natural world-to live in harmony with nature… Witches are people who revere both the God and the goddess. They seek a more friendly relationship with their natural environment, endeavoring to recognize the sacredness of all of nature. (5)</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">While the respect for nature is a positive response to poor stewardship over the last century or so, the spiritual view is clearly not a Biblical one. It can be described as a pantheistic view of God (‘pan’ – all; ‘theo’ – god; lit. “all is god”) where nature and ‘god’ are identical, and, as much as Hollywood advocates this idea, it is a far cry from the personal God of the Bible. God is not merely the energy that runs through all things. Rather, God spoke creation into being. God – Creation; Different. </span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Yes, “the heavens declare the glory of God” (Ps 19:1), and so creation can reflect the glory of God. However, the personal God of the Bible speaks and grieves and loves, and we can live before him in majesty and mystery, love and acceptance…</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So, go put the glasses on and enjoy the visual feast of Avatar, but be wary of the spirituality that Tinseltown’s evangelists seek to preach from their cinematic soapboxes…</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">written by Ps Simon </span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">References:</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">(1) Chris Hewitt, “Review: Avatar”, Empire; available online at: http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=133552 [accessed 3 Feb 2010].</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">(2) Maria Wilhem & Dirk Matheson, James Cameron’s Avatar: an Activist Survival Guide (HarperCollinsPublishers: London, 2009), 6.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">(3) “James Cameron's Avatar Premieres in London” BBC News 11 Dec 2009; available online at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8406868.stm. </span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">(4) Cf. Lynn White Jr, “The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis,” Science 155 (1967): 1203-7.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">(5) Richard G. Howe, “Modern Witchcraft: It May Not Be What You Think”, Christian Research Journal Vol 28, No 1, 2005, 15, 18.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span></span>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-12372572454930093722010-02-12T10:04:00.000+13:002010-02-12T10:04:03.167+13:00Life Lessons<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I’ve been walking a very interesting journey of late.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">One year ago today my husband proposed to me and I said yes!</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">One year down the track we’re married – and would recommend it!</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What we learnt in the first 24 hours of marriage to expect the unexpected – but that story will be shared another time.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The other morning I was driving my husband to work at 5am. He works out at Hatapu at the moment and so it’s out in the country. So I was driving 100km on the open road in the dark before the sun rose when all of a sudden a dog ran out onto the road out of nowhere.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I slammed on my breaks, smoke literally coming from my tyres, skid marks on the ground and grinding to a stop just in time just before I hit the dog standing there.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My heart was racing, I felt very blessed to be o.k and thanking God for his protection.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I must say I drove slowly home on the main roads. So my thoughts pondered about the happenings and how I could relate it to life.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Here’s a few thoughts.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">• Sometimes we can be going so fast in life that it takes something out of the ordinary, something that scars us to finally slow down and stop. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">• Sometimes we can be so preoccupied in our own lives and where we’re going that we don’t notice the people that stumble into our paths. Sometimes we are going too fast so we mow right over them.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">• It’s important to remember that we are not invincible and that we need to take responsibility with the role or task that God has placed in our hands</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Just a few thoughts.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So be inspired – God can speak to us throughout our every day situations if we just stop and listening.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Naomi van Jaarsveld </span></span>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-55576037313781994102010-02-11T10:00:00.003+13:002010-02-11T10:00:01.141+13:00Our Own Dr Seuss?<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Putting rhyme and words together is fun – particularly when it works!<br />
So I took on a challenge to put Eph 3:20 to rhyme:<br />
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Here it goes:<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;">He said to Mable, he is able,</span><br style="color: yellow;" /><span style="color: yellow;">To do far above,</span><br style="color: yellow;" /><span style="color: yellow;"> what you can think or even pen down in ink. </span><br style="color: yellow;" /><span style="color: yellow;">And the pictures of your mind,</span><br style="color: yellow;" /><span style="color: yellow;"> are not enough to find what he has in store.</span><br style="color: yellow;" /><span style="color: yellow;">There is more and more. </span><br style="color: yellow;" /><br style="color: yellow;" /><span style="color: yellow;">Now that’s not the quote exact, </span><br style="color: yellow;" /><span style="color: yellow;">but you get the matter of the fact.</span><br style="color: yellow;" /><span style="color: yellow;">He is able. He is able.</span><br />
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<span style="color: lime;">Ephesians 3:20 (King James Version)</span><br style="color: lime;" /><span style="color: lime;"> 20Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,</span><br />
</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Blessings,</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Ray.</span></span>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-29809546974092985042010-02-04T10:47:00.000+13:002010-02-04T10:47:00.679+13:00It's Time To Celebrate!<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Our household is celebrating Sheridyn’s 40th Birthday!... Yeehaa, blow the party whistles, cut the cake – it’s celebration time! <br />
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I love celebrations!... Do you? <br />
Have you ever noticed that the Bible is full of celebrations, banquets and feasts! Wow, what will Heaven be like?! <br />
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Celebrations can refresh, revive and invigorate us. <br />
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If you read the book of Esther (an amazing, adventurous book – with a wise and gutsy woman!)... you’ll see that the Jews stopped and celebrated (Esther 8:17) because they were given the opportunity to defend their lives on what was to be a ‘Day of Destruction’. <br />
The ‘Day of Destruction’ was still coming – but the Jews chose to celebrate the positive, rather than moping around on the negative.<br />
They were refreshed, revived and invigorated to go and win the battle before them. <br />
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I believe that Celebrations can also be a declaration of faith! <br />
Let’s celebrate the positive things in our lives - as well as ‘celebrate by faith’ what God is yet to do in and through our lives! <br />
Yes and Amen!</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><i><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jan Rodgers</span></b></i>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-484346380396974612010-02-02T10:00:00.002+13:002010-02-02T10:00:00.593+13:00The Good News of the Gospel<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Alot of people think that they understand what it means to be a Christ follower... but I bet that most people can not explain why there is a heaven and a hell and why we needed Jesus to die on the cross.<br />
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Today people believe that good people from all 'roads' will be on the road to heaven.<br />
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Others convientlty believe that there is no hell.<br />
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Well here is a video that gives a very clear and convincing presentation of the Gospel: <br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I challenge you... why not share this video with a few of your family members, friends and acquaintances'.</span><br />
</div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If you've taken the challenge, why not share what you've done with our blog's community... it will encourage and inspire others.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXU6klEUlnTjAPemWr7GcdLbkikIrcWz2ootPP-qA-SqH2TgJ1R5VICJ_Uwla9CrdtsRCU-Vb6PtDaAI-5Kw-FFqriYqFvinYb7i37JtwU14ZdWuYAMP9LvZc64y4ItiGNL3B4UgZip7w/s1600-h/evangelism+with+laptop+in+church.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXU6klEUlnTjAPemWr7GcdLbkikIrcWz2ootPP-qA-SqH2TgJ1R5VICJ_Uwla9CrdtsRCU-Vb6PtDaAI-5Kw-FFqriYqFvinYb7i37JtwU14ZdWuYAMP9LvZc64y4ItiGNL3B4UgZip7w/s320/evangelism+with+laptop+in+church.gif" /></a><br />
</div>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-31511700726324025752010-01-26T12:15:00.001+13:002010-01-26T12:15:00.216+13:00New Years Resolutions<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hope you enjoy this video:</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So what new years resolutions / goals / vision do you have for 2010?</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Godspeed & Kaizan</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Clive</span><br />
</div>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-89589985234796212882009-12-02T01:17:00.000+13:002009-12-02T01:17:52.620+13:00Christmas Gifts That Make A Difference!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgzKnqUlPpQ2tufZE-sRJq7bp3dp76noBjQJ7Bnh2BZ9o4q8mQNu3O0UNFgd-KILVyzuENblcE-YZRXyrmjxoSY2ZgA7lhP9Ys220QmaV96BK-kiwQOFvw-9hTBa9Zy9sR0LBE90Proo/s1600/Tree-Christmas-Faux-GTL1205-de.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgzKnqUlPpQ2tufZE-sRJq7bp3dp76noBjQJ7Bnh2BZ9o4q8mQNu3O0UNFgd-KILVyzuENblcE-YZRXyrmjxoSY2ZgA7lhP9Ys220QmaV96BK-kiwQOFvw-9hTBa9Zy9sR0LBE90Proo/s320/Tree-Christmas-Faux-GTL1205-de.jpg" /></a><br />
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I recon that if you click this <a href="http://clivesmit.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/christmas-gifts-that-make-a-difference/">LINK</a> that it could just revolutionize your Christmas experience!<br />
Go on... I dare you!Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-30602786064397084802009-12-01T11:45:00.000+13:002009-12-01T11:45:00.818+13:00The Husband as a Loving Leader<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I get a weekly e-mail from <a href="http://www.fivelovelanguages.com/">Dr Chapman</a>, and I found a really great article which I have included below. I hope you enjoy it!</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The Husband as a Loving Leader</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">In modern marriages perhaps nowhere has confusion reigned more than in the area of the husband's role in marriage. On one extreme is the concept of the dominant husband who makes all decisions and informs the wife as to what they are going to do. On the other extreme is the contemporary "don't count on me" husband who expects his wife to support the family and make all the major decisions while he spends his time at the local gym.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Somewhere between these two extremes there is a healthy middle road where the husband is responsible, dependable, leading but not domineering. He is deeply committed to his wife and family. This is the biblical pattern which sees the husband as the loving leader. Loving in that his focus is on caring for his wife and leading in that he takes initiative to look out for her interest; in the same way that Christ took the initiative to look out for our interests. </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">What Does A Loving Leader Look Like?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">For some, the words loving and leader are anomalies; some people cannot conceive of the two concepts working in tandem. Their idea of leadership is the authoritarian dictator who rules with an iron fist, and their concept of love is mushy and weak. But in a healthy family, the husband fits neither of these stereotypes. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">One the one hand he is able to express both pain and joy. He is able to relate to his wife on an emotional level. On the other hand, he is strong and dependable, feeling a sense of responsibility for the well-being of his wife and family. He does not run when things get tough, but looks for solutions that will benefit the whole family. He is a leader to be sure, but he does not lead in isolation. He recognizes that the most effective leaders are servants, not dictators. He values the partnership with his wife; he wants to be there for her, but he has no desire to dominate her. This is the biblical husband.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">A Partnership:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The idea of the wife as partner is as old as human literature. In the creation account the man and the woman were instructed to subdue the earth and to rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air and other living creatures. The man was not instructed to subdue his wife. He was told to become "one flesh" with her.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">In marriage, the man and the woman become partners. We are different physically and have different roles in the reproductive process. Our uniqueness means that we each bring something different to the table, but we come the table as partners. She may not think the way he thinks; she may not have the same skills he has; but the differences are assets, not liabilities. Together we are more likely to make wise decisions, become good parents, and accomplish exploits for God. Working as a team we reap the benefits of marriage. When the husband tries to dominate the wife, no one wins. When he takes the initiative to love her they both win. Marriage is a partnership.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Communication:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Some research indicates that the average woman speaks 25,000 words per day while the average man speaks only 12,500 per day. There are certainly exceptions, but assuming this is generally true, it is possible that the average man uses most of his words in the workplace and arrives home with only one word left in his vocabulary. When the wife asks "How did thing go today?" his response is "fine." Such brevity will never build a healthy marriage. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I'm not suggesting we count our words, but I'm saying that some husbands will have to push themselves to go beyond what is "natural" for them in order to engage their wives in conversation. Life is shared primarily by means of communication. Without communication we become house mates rather than marriage partners. The husband must make time to keep connected with his wife. This may mean less TV or less time on the computer. Establishing a daily sharing time in which the two of you "connect" is the first step in being a leader. </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Priorities:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">All of us live by priorities. In our minds, we rank some things more important than others. These priorities are revealed most often by our actions. Answer the questions, "How do I spend my time? How do I invest my money? How do I use my energy?" and you will have the answer to the question "What are my priorities?"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">For most men, vocation ranks near the top of their list. In our society, men draw much of their sense of significance from their vocation. This is not necessarily in conflict with a man's relationship with his wife unless the vocation comes to possess him. If your wife says, "He's married to his job. I only get the leftovers." It's time to sit down and talk. If that is the way she feels, then the loving husband will make some changes in his work patterns. Marriage is more important than vocation. Tragically, some men learn this too late. I've never met a man who regretted putting his wife at the top of his priority list. </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=44c2c347fa3d26a59adc">The Family You've Always Wanted: Five Ways You Can Make It Happen</a> by Dr. Gary Chapman. To find out more about Dr. Chapman's resources, visit <a href="http://www.fivelovelanguages.com/">www.fivelovelanguages.com </a></span></span><br /><br /><embed src="http://www.tangle.com/flash/swf/flvplayer.swf" flashvars="viewkey=44c2c347fa3d26a59adc" wmode="transparent" quality="high" width="330" height="270" name="tangle" align="middle" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Hope you enjoyed that!</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Leave a comment and share your thoughts.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Godspeed & Kaizen</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Clive</span></span>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-24928723957297857712009-11-24T11:31:00.000+13:002009-11-24T11:31:00.610+13:00Coming Home<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I absolutly love the video below! I must admit, I even had tears streaming down my face.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><embed src="http://www.tangle.com/flash/swf/flvplayer.swf" flashvars="viewkey=6ac96d55aee8539d9b45" wmode="transparent" quality="high" width="330" height="270" name="tangle" align="middle" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">As I watched this video God whispered to me that this is how He responds when we come into His presence and spend time with Him. He is so excited, so estatic... He values every second!</span><br /><br /></span><h2 style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);" id="passage_heading"><span style="font-size:130%;">Zephaniah 3:17<br /></span></h2><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);"> </span><sup style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);" class="versenum" id="en-NIV-22838">17</sup><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);"> The LORD your God is with you, </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);"> he is mighty to save. </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);"> He will take great delight in you, </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);"> he will quiet you with his love, </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);"> he will rejoice over you with singing."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The word picture here is that God springs out of His throne and twirls in delight over you!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">May you know His great love for you and may your love for Him increase with each day!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Godspeed & Kaizan</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Clive</span></span>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-52075215591385223452009-11-18T15:23:00.001+13:002009-11-18T15:23:00.282+13:002012<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7v-3m8IU4PyKg2_p6gb1ZOAtVFz0oTI_Ry9oXTs_DtMBcBgVhm_YhIABhsj246J5h9KOtL1sPy1TDxOpq8GWXhAC45aGcHUSA6HrQonGvVge2z4CDAhMtkZ__X0UiDUyDSaqPkYt9_M8/s1600/2012+movie+poster.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 270px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7v-3m8IU4PyKg2_p6gb1ZOAtVFz0oTI_Ry9oXTs_DtMBcBgVhm_YhIABhsj246J5h9KOtL1sPy1TDxOpq8GWXhAC45aGcHUSA6HrQonGvVge2z4CDAhMtkZ__X0UiDUyDSaqPkYt9_M8/s400/2012+movie+poster.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404523752115681762" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">2012 is looking to be quite a big hit at the box office. And with it, there seems to be quite a buzz around the end of the world and such prophesies. This of course presents us with a great opportunity to talk about what the Bible has to say about the end...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The people at '<a href="http://www.websiteevangelism.net">website evangelsim</a>' have launched a 2012 website to scratch where people are itching. Click </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.endoftheworld2012.net/">HERE</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> to check out the site.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">NASA have also launched a website to debunk the myths presented in the movie Click </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2012.html">HERE</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> to go there now..</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Let us know what you thought of the movie and websites by leaving a comment.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Godspeed & kaizan</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Clive</span></span>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-32330113264188997622009-11-16T15:07:00.005+13:002009-11-16T15:19:18.678+13:00LOVE<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBpE6AmVYWDao0kBt3RNXKCp1JEF3l99a6WD_ZBRz7ZUV8M-1TrvSM4SrjuZoW2T-aueV-r9qIZpY6TcraqBGc6jeWwO74tnD9QYVYq7qWBeC6yM9R5VPgDudzYnSYA2uI0EDN5306ws/s1600/love.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 347px; height: 346px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBpE6AmVYWDao0kBt3RNXKCp1JEF3l99a6WD_ZBRz7ZUV8M-1TrvSM4SrjuZoW2T-aueV-r9qIZpY6TcraqBGc6jeWwO74tnD9QYVYq7qWBeC6yM9R5VPgDudzYnSYA2uI0EDN5306ws/s400/love.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404518840516223234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I’ve been thinking a bit about LOVE lately.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Not the mushy stuff but more about the bottom line.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I was chatting with God on my walk this morning and was thinking about</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">the fact that the bottom line for God is LOVE.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">He is LOVE</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">And he wants us to LOVE.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I was thinking about the command to LOVE the lord with all you heart,</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">mind, soul & strength. Do I do that? Do I really LOVE with my everything?</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Or am I like many others that only LOVEs when it makes logical sense?</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">when the person deserves it, or earns it, gives it first.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">God says if we only love those that love us then we are no better</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">than those people who haven’t got a relationship with God.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">We need to be different. LOVING people that don’t deserve it, have let us down, treat us poorly,</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">spoken badly of us or judged us. This isn’t an easy thing to really live!</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">And then there’s addition on how we are feeling on good or bad days...or what we’ve been facing...</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Will we let that effect the way we LOVE?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">So I’m on a mission...to learn how to love in a way that God loves us – in a way that isn’t determined on others behaviour or how I feel but to continue to love people no matter what.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I think it’s gonna be a life journey – but I’d love to hear any insights into your own journey on love.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">It’s one worth taking! It’s the one thing that God desires of us above all else.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">LOVE...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">by Naomi Moore</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EKrBj8L6keBYFcJ_AVygXxtbKA8JYrLD4ADLF1q9uKf8VaeKM8LwqKSWNjIppsm3t2clPCDfUV6JCPd_ootOROgTz5P8AOpVA1V9Gw3t4FR4LMmTnTZBhrZRXFk01ygZtB0xDgSoeCw/s1600/love+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EKrBj8L6keBYFcJ_AVygXxtbKA8JYrLD4ADLF1q9uKf8VaeKM8LwqKSWNjIppsm3t2clPCDfUV6JCPd_ootOROgTz5P8AOpVA1V9Gw3t4FR4LMmTnTZBhrZRXFk01ygZtB0xDgSoeCw/s400/love+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404519091145040018" border="0" /></a>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-72518976047719881642009-11-09T11:05:00.001+13:002009-11-09T11:10:26.340+13:00Just For Laughs<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Thanks to Suzy McFarland who passed these on to me...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Kids Are Quick</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North America. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">MARIA: Here it is. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered America? </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">CLASS: Maria. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">____________________________________ </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor? </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">__________________________________________ </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell 'crocodile?' </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L'</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">TEACHER: No, that's wrong</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">(I Love this kid) </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">____________________________________________ </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water? </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">DONALD: H I J K L M N O. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">TEACHER: What are you talking about? </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">__________________________________ </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">WINNIE: Me! </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">__________________________________________ </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get so dirty? </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">GLEN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">_______________________________________ </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">TEACHER: Millie, give me a sentence starting with ' I.'</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">MILLIE: I is…… </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">TEACHER: No, Millie..... Always say, 'I am.' </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">MILLIE: All right...'I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.' </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">________________________________ </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted it. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn't punish him? </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">LOUIS: Because George still had the axe in his hand. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">______________________________________ </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating? </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">______________________________ </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">TEACHER: Clyde, your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly the same as your brother's.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Did you copy his? </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">CLYDE: No, sir. It's the same dog. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">___________________________________ </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested? </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">HAROLD: A teacher </span><br /></span>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-12120562074973034002009-11-06T12:50:00.002+13:002009-11-06T12:55:59.834+13:00The 6pm Service is on Facebook!<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" >For those of you who attend the 6pm service, or who want to keep up with what's happening in the 6pm service, we have created a page on FaceBook.<br /><br />Click <a href="http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#/group.php?gid=170860961989">HERE</a> to check it out. On this page we'll give you speacial sneak peaks at what is comming up as well as some resources that you will only find on the Facebook group! So if you haven't joined yet... what are you waiting for?<br /><br />While we are on the subject of technology, have you checked out the podcasts of all our services available to download from iTunes or the <a href="http://eastside.apo.org.nz/page/1-home">church's website</a>?<br /><br />Enjoy<br />Clive</span>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-54479110031106420822009-11-06T12:40:00.002+13:002009-11-06T12:42:27.059+13:00A Letter To SatanThere is nothing quite like listening to people with passion! Watch this video made by the <a href="http://www.p4cm.com">Passion For Christ Movememnt.</a><br /><br /><embed src="http://www.tangle.com/flash/swf/flvplayer.swf" flashvars="viewkey=26145462cb5b63af56c7" wmode="transparent" quality="high" width="330" height="270" name="tangle" align="middle" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-91666574433477754052009-10-28T23:07:00.003+13:002009-10-28T23:42:54.243+13:00The Technology Revolution<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHqq8pucmBxX3aUXX9aEEBz6Kr0-9Uync6iatfR8ZM8plV-xNaLyNyRkh7Hyiqk_1-2TNlayOugqArViJuz4hK0Nat5wrymsCbFd_H_nX1IA2IRs6qkQH_VroWBtGi4Q1LeiNK2gfsbY/s1600-h/mobile-mdot.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHqq8pucmBxX3aUXX9aEEBz6Kr0-9Uync6iatfR8ZM8plV-xNaLyNyRkh7Hyiqk_1-2TNlayOugqArViJuz4hK0Nat5wrymsCbFd_H_nX1IA2IRs6qkQH_VroWBtGi4Q1LeiNK2gfsbY/s400/mobile-mdot.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397597260054378034" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The digital revolution has been upon us for sometime now... and it's great to see that the church is not lagging too far behind.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">One of the most exciting developments in the last couple of years has been the creation of </span></span><a href="http://www.youversion.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">YouVersion</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">... an online Bible experience. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Now there is nothing new about an on-line Bible, but where </span></span><a href="http://www.youversion.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">YouVersion</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> separates itself from the pack is it's innovation.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><a href="http://www.youversion.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">YouVersion</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> has 16 English versions of the Bible. Nice.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">But where it really leaves the rest of the pack behind is in the following 3 areas:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1) Interactive focus. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">One can make contributions about verses that one has read that are available to anyone reading the verse.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">One can also host live events through the mobile application. More on this later in the post.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2) Community Focus</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">You can form groups, where you can compare notes and even study together.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">3) Mobile application. </span></span></div><div><a href="http://www.lifechurch.tv/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Lifechurch.tv</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> have made the mobile application available for free. If your phone is web enabled, you can download a version for your phone. 1 out of every 27 iPhones has the </span></span><a href="http://www.youversion.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">YouVersion</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Bible application on their phone!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Putting these all together is the latest feature... the hosting of 'Live' events.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">If you have the latest version of the </span></span><a href="http://www.youversion.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">YouVersion</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Bible on your phone you will be able to connect with a live event happening in Eastside's 6pm service.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This includes: notes of the message, questions, polls, twitter comments, Bible reader, etc.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We will be running the Live events starting this Sunday in the 6pm service for a time to trial these exciting features.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">If you haven't downloaded the app for your phone yet... what are you waiting for? You can download the app from iTunes for free.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I'd love to hear your feedback from this weeks first trial run. Please do leave a comment on this blog or comment through the live event.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">PS: If you're interested in hearing about </span></span><a href="http://www.youversion.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">YouVersion</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> and other on-line strategies that </span></span><a href="http://www.lifechurch.tv/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Lifechurch.tv</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> are using click </span></span><a href="http://www.lifechurch.tv/message-archive/watch/behind-the-curtain"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">HERE</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">.</span></span></div>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-32512705535555021912009-10-19T00:48:00.004+13:002009-10-19T01:06:51.189+13:00Evaluate To Elevate<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsUuamoW8E2I1UF4ZN-smDdhjih-OTPRRQPWGtvc7i51QsP9rrIjk7gChDovUsKmnhgJpCR6KpHZQtzO6XI7USzufABYQwrkcAts1U0wMNhkhR1kVhnhGIFcimycFHEeyEOOgKwlx-Lvs/s1600-h/EvaluateRisks.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 271px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsUuamoW8E2I1UF4ZN-smDdhjih-OTPRRQPWGtvc7i51QsP9rrIjk7gChDovUsKmnhgJpCR6KpHZQtzO6XI7USzufABYQwrkcAts1U0wMNhkhR1kVhnhGIFcimycFHEeyEOOgKwlx-Lvs/s400/EvaluateRisks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393909078022188658" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I have recently written a message (which is more for myself than for the church... but that's usually the case) about our need to constantly evaluate ourselves so that we don't drift off course.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A pilot, who is just one degree out will fly 17 1/2 m off course for every kilometer traveled. Not a big deal if you're flying a few kilometers. But what happens if you're flying from Auckland to London, a trip of 18 331 km's? If you were just one degree out... you'd end up in Dublin, Ireland instead of London. Thats 530km's off course!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I am constantly suffering with drift in my life, so I have found that I need to evaluate where I am at least once a week.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Below is one such set of evaluation questions that I have used (I got this from </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Hybels">Ps Bill Hybels</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">):</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I’m not abiding when:</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">1. I go through most of the day or week pre-occupied with self concerns. (You’re the big number one on the agenda).</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">2. I go through long periods of time with no promptings or convictions from the Holy Spirit.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">3. I go through long periods without being concerned for the poor.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">4. I go through long periods of time not being broken for the Lost.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">5. I can sit through worship sessions without being stirred to worship and honour God.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">6. I’m easily angered when corrected.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Let me challenge you to try using this set of questions to evaluate yourself weekly over the next month.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">If you would like to hear the podcast of this message, you can download it for free from iTunes. Simply open up the iTunes Store, search out Eastside Church, Click on our 6pm service and you'll find the podcast entitled: Evaluate To Elevate. Its a great message... even if I do have to say so myself : )</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Leave a comment and let me know what you thought... or perhaps even share with us how you evaluate yourself.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Godspeed & Kaizan</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Clive</span></span>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744027089175799477.post-38416471220914005082009-10-02T10:54:00.004+13:002009-10-02T11:17:27.090+13:00Lets Keep The Main Thing... The Main Thing!<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">This week some of the staff and other volunteers have been at the National Acts Church Conference. We had some really great speakers: </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.jentezenfranklin.org/">Jentezen Franklin</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://stevekennedyministries.com/">Steve Kennedy</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://jubileechurchsurrey.blogspot.com/">Peter Prothero</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, Jordan Smith and </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.brucemonk.net/">Bruce Monk</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> (our national leader).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The wednesday evening session was the most challenging for me personally as Ps Steve Kennedy challenged us to reach out and share our faith.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">We can all make excuses why we cant reach out: busyness, shyness, spending most of your time with Christians, etc.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">But as Ps Nick always says, "We need to keep the main thing, the main thing!"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Jesus put it this way:</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold; font-family: trebuchet ms;">"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Luke 19: 10</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Today as I came into work and read my e-mails I saw the video that I have included in this post. Don't you just love God's gentle nudgings : )</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><embed src="http://www.tangle.com/flash/swf/flvplayer.swf" flashvars="viewkey=7b4dd4de9138d11a6364" wmode="transparent" quality="high" width="330" height="270" name="tangle" align="middle" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">May you feel encouraged to reach out to those in your world.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Godspeed & Kaizan</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Clive</span></span>Clive Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15832613964154722658noreply@blogger.com0