alright

i have to do a 10 minute talk on faith for a course i am doin with church, i was just wondering if any of you had any thoughts verses or insights?
leave them in the comments thanks

apart from that i am trying to work hard for my course, went to a sports ball with waterpolo on tuesday night which was great fun, and I have applied to do a 24/7 mission team in ibiza in august


i have been reading read moon rising about the 24/7 great book but at the back it uses Jesus sending out the 72 as a model for mission:
luke 10 1-9
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[1] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
5"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
8"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' 12I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

but at the end of luke's gospel Jesus goes on to say: luke 22:35-37
5Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?"
"Nothing," they answered.
36He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. 37It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'[2] ; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment."

my question is this; how much does this second statement affect the first ie is the model in luke 10 still relivant? is it short sighted to solely consider it? or was this final statement of Jesus more a footnote to the earlier time that its gonna be harder but keep at it?

thanks g

pray for the pornstars

watched the passion of the Christ last night...

it fairly blew my mind, really disturbed me. cried for some bits but just left the cinema feeling stunned, knew no-one would be up when i got in so went to friends for a cup of tea and some mind numbing friends on dvd.

i am not quite sure why i am feeling what i am, i really liked how crazy Jesus seemed when we was on His way to death and was telling mary "I make all things new" it gave me confidence in when what i am doing seems totally carzy by the worlds standards... also was scared by the presence of satan in many of the scenes, really made that verse in peter
"Be self­controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
come to life.

but i still feel pretty uneasy about the whole thing, maybe i had kidded myself that it didn't cost so much for Jesus to die, that when i choose my own way its not really that big a deal. its funny cause i wanted to do photographs of someone madeup to look just like He would have looked on the cross, i desired a true representation of what He went through, but now i have seen it, it shakes me to my core.

at one point just before he is whipped He says "My heart is ready Father"... i dont think my heart is... and yet as the film shows Jesus saying at the last supper
"Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.'[ 15:20 John 13:16] If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also."

i know that not everyone is called to martydom or extreme physical suffering, but i had been reading Brother Yun's "Heavenly Man" and Jesus Freaks vol2(a record of martyrs) and i think i was thinking it would be pretty cool to be in some of those situations, but now i realise it would be incredabily difficult.

i have felt God tellin me to take how i live my life more seriously, focusing on grace not leagalism but considering more seriously staying sober and 1 thes 4 v 3-
It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body[1] in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
1. 4:4 Or learn to live with his own wife; or learn to acquire a wife

all prayers as ever appreciated

alright the world
sorry for the delay to anyone who has been checking, so thats probably you because you have now checked again, unless you were playing guess a blog address, anyway...

just got back from kenya was staying at a friend from uni's house with 5 other friends, it was banterful to say the least, also a little extreme with

kite surfing
wind sufting
surfing
wake boarding
scuba diving
sailing

the climate there is also amazing, 30-40 degrees all the time all day, like sittin in the house at night in shorts and t-shirt was too hot. felt amazing blessed and undeserving of such a wonderful place and holiday. grace
the generosity and hospitality of al's parents was AMAZING he lost his passport so we showed up to meet them for the first time 5 fellas. And they gave us beds and food and let us drive their cars and use their phones and internet and drink their cokes and beers and sail their boats etc
they arent christians but their kindness was incredable...
went to church in a local village with the two house maids, it was a totally different world the welcome we recieved at the church was incredable, they moved down on the front seat and continued the rest of the service with a translator from swahili to english! just for us! and got us to stand up and introduce ourselves and fed us afterwards incredable so close the to Jesus instructions, very challeneging for back here ...
read 24-7 red moon rising, highly recommmend it, definately want to do an ibiza team this summer
pl;ease pray for guidance and wisdom as to how to organise my summer and finances as i want to work for the money and will need to be *very* disciplined in spending this term to afford it.

before i left i destroyed my relationship with beth in a night of drunkeness and cruelty to quote the song i cant quite remember now...
i am also goin to do st. ignatius' spiritual excercises which are totally amazing, practical way to live a life of serious hoyliness but i think i need to find a priest to lead me in it... a great adventrue waiting there

oh and for those with a sense of humor could someone send me the computer science student an email on how to get shout outs working !!!