Labour for the Lord is not in Vain!

I have read 1 Cor 15 many times and I have heard it preached several. Yet never have I thought about how Paul applies the great news of Christ's Resurrection and our bodily one. I have often missed the point of the passage. I have been more concerned with thinking over the Resurrection body or what indeed the last day may appear like. How foolish!

Paul states because Christ has been raised, we have a message to preach and faith in God is real and a tangeable reality. So therefore he says v31 "I die daily..." for the work of the Lord and then concluding the whole passage he states in v58 " therefore let nothing move you, always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour is not in vain."

The good doctrine which Paul teaches, leads in to follow and serve God with a wonderful freedom and vision.

Paul brings us back to the reality of the resurrection of Christ and then explains, that to work and labour and expend yourself because of that reality.

I think often the temptation for Christians can be to give up and doubt this message and be blown by many new theories and ideas. But no reality can be found anywhere else but in Christ and no humble service (no matter what it is) for him will be futile or wasted.

How therefore in every area of our lives must we seek to give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord. For it is not in vain! For then he will say as he does in Matthew 25.21 " Well done my Good and faithful servant."

How this truth may stop us from realising this earthly life is all there is and propel us from our idle ways into heartfelt continual service for our Resurrected Lord!

Dr John Paton

One of my Christian heroes is Dr John G Paton. He lived between 1824 - 1897. He was a pioneering Missionary to the New Hebrides. These are islands which lie just South of the Solomon Islands, (basically just of the north west of Australia). At the time of his arrival they we inhabited by cannibals... not so when he left though...

Infact a wee click here will show you all about the islands today and the rich long and christian heritage it enjoys. Just look at the countries motto!
It has been my great privilege to re-read his autobiography to my wife.

Here is a great excert which has made me think about the necessity of living truly as a converted man, which Jesus Christ inside me.

"When I have read or heard the shallow objections of irreligious scribblers and talkers, hinting that there was no reality in conversions, and that the mission effort was but waste, oh, how my heart has yearned to plant them just one week on Tanna, with the "natural" man all around in the person of the cannibal and heathen, and the only one "spiritual" man in the person of the converted Abraham, nursing them, feeding them, saving them, "for the love of Jesus" - that I might just learn how many hours it took to convince them that Christ in man was a reality at all! All its doubts would dissolve under one glance of the new light that Jesus, and Jesus alone, pours from the converted Cannibal's eye".

If you want buy this awesome book go here, and if you want to listen to John Piper give a biography of the man listen here.

It is a thrilling, emotional, challenging, beautiful read which will undoubtedly change your perspective to love, and honour and declare Christ better.

I am the Resurrection and the Life

The Resurrection of our Lord - Is one of the founding doctrines of the Christian faith. Without Christ's resurrection we are still in our sins and a people greatly to be pitied. (1 Cor 15;17).

I have been reading Josh McDowell's research on the authenticity of the resurrection. Read it here.

For Christians the resurrection is of course not a intellectual event to engage with, but a delight to explore and Praise. Here is Sinclair Ferguson's sermon on the resurrection of Lazarus.

"I am the resurrection and the Life. John 11:25"

The God Who Suffers

Good Friday

1. When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of Glory died;
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.

2. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
save in the death of Christ, my God;
all the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.

3. See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown.

4. Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small;
love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.

Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

Mr Robert McCheyne

Despite being Scottish and proud of it, I have been struck since the start of the year as to how little I know of my countries History and Christian heritage. In January I read a entitled " Scotland's Christian Hertiage". It was an excellent account of the great men who God has used to form and shape Scotland for the Lord.
Since then, I have been dipping into and reading some more of these great men. I have read a couple of papers written by Thomas Chambers but just last week I was delighted to pay the princely sum of 50p for a Biography of McCheyne by his excellent good friend Andrew Bonar. I am to date just over half way. But reading of this young man has done much to engage and prepare my mind for Christian service.
The sad death of his brother seemed to galvanise him for the Lord and redeem the time God has afforded him.
Here are a few of my favourite quotes for you to chew over.

"How apt we are to loose our hours in the vainest babblings of the world!"

Bonar comments "During his first years in Dundee, he often rode out to the ruined church of Invergowrie, to enjoy a perfect hours solitude; for he felt meditation and prayer to be the very sinews of his work....he had a systematic pursit of personal holiness."
In 1838 McCheyne travels to Israel to recover his health and see the Holyland. Whilst there he notes in his journal " It is a remarkable feeling to be alone in the desert; it brings God near."

He was a great humble man, who has lived so it would seem, two lives, one shut in with the Lord, praying and reading and one lived in public serving his Master. Truely here was a man, who was so attentive to God, he was used so effectively by Him.

Wilberforce

Yesterday I was reliably informed that it was 200 years ago since William Wilberforce championed the cause of slaves, and Slavery was abolished in Britain.

What a great man he must have been to fight for the rights of those who couldn't speak for themselves.

Indeed, it was his strong Christian faith and belief in Gods Word which surely was the bedrock and foundation of all that he did for the plight of slaves and the country of Great Britian .

Which books are worth reading on Wilberforce? Does anyone know? Help!!

To mark this excellent anniversary, there is a movie out called "Amazing Grace" retelling this very story. Check out their website for the trailer, resources for youth groups and classrooms.

Remarkable then that 200 years later, Parliament have been busy passing legislation to limit the freedom of Christians and our beliefs!

Latest from the Vidiprinter

Scotland 2 Georgia 1


Israel 0 England 0

log onto
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/default.stm

to see a frustrated McClaren and a delighted McLeish!!

Having married an English lass, this is my only opportunity to gloat!

Cool Calvinism!

Reading this month's "Briefing" I have been intrigued by an Article called "Reaching out without selling out". It paints a brief profile of a guy called Mark Discoll and his book entitled "Confessions of a Reformed Rev". Mark is a minister of Mars Hill Church in the States. He seems quite a guy, or should I say "dude"! In 10 years God has blessed him greatly and his church is now 4000 strong!! This article and his church website has inspired me to become a "Cool Calvinist!"

Of the three people who read this blog, Do you any of you know much else about him, does he have any more books? Is he coming to the UK? and more pertinently Who is his contempory in the UK - someone who seems to be at the forefront of our Culture and still sound doctrinally on the national scale?

Check out his church website, and amongst other stuff download some Rocking Hymns!!!
http://beta.marshillchurch.org/

Proclaim it! - The Multimedia Gospel

Proclaim it! - The Multimedia Gospel
This has been put together by the "Taming the Tiger" bloke Tony Anthony!! The ex Kung Fug Champion

Read his book, its quite a conversion and just declares the Abounding Grace of God in our lives

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Cardiff Mens Convention

My Brain Hurts.

I am in the process of surviving a weekend of talks and sermons by Prof Don Carson!
Yesterday, I went to the Cardiff Mens Convention. It was held in All Nations Christian Centre, here in Cardiff. Some 700 men descended from over 100 Churches in Wales and England to here Don and others on the title of Making Men Strong.

Don took a look at two passages from John's gospel and looked at doubt and failure. Thomas and Peter were his two examples. Both messages extolled Christ as the only one to save us and keep us in our Christian walk. If you want to get the tapes go to

www.cardiffmensconvention.org.uk

During the seminar time I went to one all about reaching men for the gospel. It was excellent and run by a guy called Carl Beech. He has started and organisation called CVM "Christian Vision for Men. The premise of which is empowering men to be much more pro active witnessing and leading men to the gospel and witnessing in the workplace.

the two websites to check out are

www.GG2W.org.uk and www.CVMen.org.uk

they are packed with loads of ideas about setting up blokes outreach programmes and how to show integrity in the workplace.

A statistic which was mentioned yesterday, hit me between the eyes! Carl said that of men who are led to the Lord, 93% of them are then able to lead the rest of their families to Christ! (Now quite where these stats come from I don't know) however, if it is to be believed surely it must alter how we do evangelism in the local church.??

Why is there such an emphasis on women and kids evangelism around the UK? If you win the man you invariably win the family! Think of all the women in our congregations who have an unbelieving husband - it is very rarely the other way about!!!!!!!

Church planters, WOW, Where should so much time and effort in evangelism be aimed, the blokes! Don't get me wrong, witness to the kids and young mums, but it seems that we as guys (me included) are stepping up to the plate and taking on the challenge and taking out the gospel message as we should!!

Recover the Gospel

Having now decided to "blog" for over a week now. I have been surfing and checking out some other better blogs. Here is one called www.recoverthegospel.com/

It lots of good articles and inparticular, the blogger has uploaded videos of various John Piper sermons. I have listened to the 1st on a series on marriage. It is excellent, log on and see for yourself!!

Christianity and the Curriculum

Recently, I have taken over a two day post teaching in a Primary School.

Whilst there I have been teaching RE.

The chosen topic which was given to me was on Baptism. Hmm, I thought, bit of a toughy for the class of year 3 pupils I have. It not an easy concept to relate to childern with no or very litttle Christian background? Anyway, I ploughed on.

The first worksheet I pulled out, on infant baptism, stated "When a child gets baptised, they become a christian."!

Today's lesson was a comparision of infant and adult baptism.

Here, the worksheet stated,

"The priest prayed that the water would wash away my old ways..."

Why are we teaching children in schools, facts about Christianity which are clearly wrong? No wonder the world does not know the truth about christianity, if in schools we are teaching what is blatantly wrong?

Who writes this stuff? We would not think of teaching wrong facts about Science or English, why then about Christianity?

Trevethin - Pontypool

Last night it was the commissioning service for a young family in our church.

Di and Michelle Hankey are to go to the Trevethin estate in Pontypool to set up a Church. Please go to www.gracefamilychurch.org.uk for updates as to how they are getting on and progress to the church plant.

What an challenge they are to us to step out in faith and service to God trusting always in his eternal promises. We rest on thee our sheild and our defender.

Do I blog so I don't have to do any chores?

All morning I have been procrastinating!! Setting up this blog seems a more legitimate excuse than my usual others, like I'm too tired or I forgot?

Must try and get on with tidying and sorting, oh the joys of half term!!!

have had a pretty busy one with my family arriving for a few days. It was great to see them. We watched NAcho Libre and Napolean Dynamite!! rent them - they are both excellent if a little surreal and bizarre!!

Jack Black is my new hero.

with songs lyrics like

" so forget about Hector,

his mustache is like a girls

i could rupture his intestine

with the inflection of my thigh"

it is a must see!!!!!!!!!!!!!