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| Today I went to Bangor Worldwide Missionary
Convention, for the morning Bible Reading. Rev Hugh Palmer was speaking
on 1 Corinthians. He had some good things to say.
1. The cross creates the fundamental division in the human race- saved or not.
We should respond to less important divisions (v10-13) with this true division. 2. Only the message
of the cross, the power of God, can save. We must keep telling the
message. (Why is my margin not straight!!??)
The cross doesn't appear
to be miraculous or wise- on it hung a broken saviour, foolishness by
the standards of philosophy and worldly wisdom. 3. No one should boast about academic achievements, sporting prowess, business
acumen or anything else. Status and security is only found in knowing the Lord
(v31) Societies love strength, wealth, and wisdom. But we aren’t supposed to
imitate society. Remember God's values. There is a danger in parading 'high
profile' Christians. Mission is reaching the 'despised, lowly' people that God
has chosen to enjoy eternity with. 4. Paul didn't want to
'press the right buttons' or just say what people wanted to hear. He only
wanted to share the 'message of the cross'. Do preachers want people to say
'what a preacher!' or 'what a saviour!'?
When someone asks you 'do you know
the power of God' I hope you can reply "yes, I know the message of the cross". | | |
| Last week I met up with two friends who also work in China. We did a lot of eating, walking and chatting
.
A good time was had by all, I believe, until dinner time, when a flying pork chop came out of nowhere, no doubt set on some skulduggery or other. Fortunately I was at hand with my trusty fork, intercepted it, and dealt with it in an appropriate fashion...
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On Monday the
family came to visit me in my new flat. They all seemed very impressed and we
had coffee and cakes. How frightfully British, heh heh.
On Tuesday I went
to visit an old friend from college to have dinner with her, her husband and
another friend. Fiona and her husband Alan are on career breaks and are about
to go Ecuador. They are also thinking about a trip to China in January. So we
had good craic over the salmon and potatoes.
I’m keeping
my exercise regime going. I’ve found a nice spot in the nearby park, where I
can skip in the mornings till my heart’s content, and no one could care less.
Last Sunday
night the preacher in church focused on another of Jesus’ questions, this time
from Matthew 9:27-33: “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” The challenge
here is quite obvious: whatever our situation, whatever trouble we are in,
whatever sin has overtaken us, whatever problem it is that seems to us
impossible to overcome, do we believe that Jesus can put it right? Surely our
answer should be a resounding “yes, Jesus! I believe you can do this!”
| | |
|  | Currently Watching
Futurama, Vol. 3
By Billy West (II), Katey Sagal, John Di Maggio, Lauren Tom, Tress MacNeille, Phil LaMarr, Maurice LaMarche, David Herman, Frank Welker
see related |
I
went to Belfast Chinese Christian Church last Sunday. They were very friendly.
I’m sure I’ll go back again 
Last
Sunday night in my home church the preacher spoke on Luke 18:35-43, where Jesus restores
sight to a blind beggar. What did I take away? Well Jesus' question, “What do
you want me to do for you?” is quite remarkable. Of course Jesus already knew
what the man needed. So why ask him? Well, maybe he needed to think about what
he needed! Sometimes people don’t realize they need Jesus because they haven’t
thought enough about it, and there’s nothing like a question to make us think.
Lets hope more people today allow Jesus to speak to them and question them
about their own helplessness and their need of his endless resources.
I started
exercising again this week! Just walking before dinner and after tea, but want
to take it easy on my ankle (which I sprained about a month ago…).
Yesterday
I welcomed my friends from Yantai, Mark and YiMing, to Northern Ireland. We
hung out for a bit at my flat, and had brunch in Springsteen’s American Diner.
Last
night I went to an Ulster Orchestra invitation concert in the Ulster Hall with
some friends. Actually this was my first classical music concert, and it was an
interesting experience! There was a guest musician from Finland called Kari
Kriikku, whose instrument was the clarinet. He danced almost as
enthusiastically as he played. I even met some Korean and Chinese high school
students studying English at Queens this summer.
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| I got to spend more quality time with my lovely nieces. They
have been teaching me how to play “The Simpsons: Road Rage” and then mum and
dad and I took them to Donaghadee for a round of putting.
I vacuumed my new apartment for the first time!
I went to a McDonalds and carried out my meal because the
restaurant resembled a nursery.
I joined my
downstairs neighbour for a coffee in the Starbucks down the road. He's a nice
guy and we had a good time chatting about Indonesia, China, callings and
cross-cultural experiences.
I went to a
Chinese restaurant with an old friend, and was not impressed: the dishes were
not as delicious as “real” Chinese restaurants back in the People’s Republic,
but they were obscenely overpriced.
I discovered
that the top oven in the kitchen of my new apartment is psychotic. I set the oven
at 180 degrees to heat up my Marks & Spencers Spaghetti Bolognese but the
temperature just rocketed higher and higher until the plastic container melted
into the grill tray, and the pasta ends got frazzled; all in all not a terribly
successful culinary effort. Hrrmm…
My fridge's personality is stable by comparison...
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