A day or two of reading… June 27, 2009
Posted by jonesy24 in Bible, Christianity, Read Through, Relationships, The Bible - it's quality stuff!, What's happening with me....2 comments
Yesterday was interesting. I’ve got a new book called ‘Desiring God’ by John Piper. And it’s brilliant. So much so that last night I went to be, couldn’t sleep from thinking about what I’d read and learned, and had to get up in the early hours of the morning to share it with people. 
Today however, I spent more time focusing on some BIBLE!
My bible reading is a bit all over the place at the minute really. I’m mixing a lot of Old testament with New, and generally reading a lot of whatever takes my fancy.Today was a section of Genesis.
I love the fact that having been through the bible several times now, there’s always something new that jumps out at me. So here’s my 3 points from Genesis 2.
1) Genesis 2:9(b)
The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Now, we see a few verses later that God commands Adam, saying “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
We also see in chapter 3 that the tree was “good for food”, and that it was a “delight to the eyes”, as well as it being ‘desirable’ to make one wise.
What I found interesting here is how this ‘temptation’ is right in the centre of the Garden of Eden. Adam, would have to walk by this ‘temptation’ all the time. It wasn’t on the edge of the garden, or off in a corner… it was in the centre. Which relates to temptation today. In a culture (for guys, for example), there’s temptation everywhere. It’s not hidden from us. It’s in the ‘centre’. It’s in the spotlight. Through media, the internet, shops, billboards, the movies, pubs, barrs, etc, etc, etc.
We see in chapter 3 the ‘fall of man’. But the idea is that before that, the tree was right in the centre. It was a temptation that required walking by, and perhaps away from.
2) Genesis 2:15
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
God put Adam to work. I get the impression that ‘work’ for a guy is an important thing. Even when God curses the ground (NOT ADAM), it’s all related to ‘work’. I believe guys need to work. Some guys probably even need 2 jobs. Even in relation to the last point, I think guys that don’t work will be tempted in their bordom. Guys that are working full time, and involved in their local church, aren’t going to have as much time to be sitting in their bedrooms, in front of a computer, looking at Porn… or even wasting their time playing computer games.
3) Genesis 2: 20(b)
But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.
God decides it’s not good for Adam to be alone. And that he needs help. Then after going through the possible animal companions, God creates EVE! (PRAISE GOD!). I think I would struggle with a cat as a companion. Something tells me it just wouldn’t work. I like this idea of Eve being Adam’s helper. It points towards guys not being single. It shows that we need ‘help’. It shows that we need a wife, I guess. It shows that we’re not complete without a wife.
On top of that, the idea of Eve being formed out of Adam’s rib. Eve being made out of Adam’s side. I guess that’s where guys need a wife! At their side. It would potentially also explain why ‘girls’ or ‘gurls’ enjoy cuddling so much. They’re at home. At your side. hahaha.
Anyway. Back to reading Desiring God by John Piper.
Year in review June 20, 2009
Posted by jonesy24 in Christianity, Church, Glasgow, Internship, Re:Hope, What's happening with me....2 comments
So all of a sudden, I realize I only have just over a week before I move back home to Ardrossan (unless something changes very quick, like me getting an amazing job with good pay!). That means I’ve got a lot of packing to do, and have spent a lot of time in the flat over the last week, which has given me A LOT of time to think about the last year – working with Re:Hope, the internship, where I’ve grown, etc.
The Internship
First off, my mentor Mike Libolt has been amazing. Anyone who knows ME, knows that HE has put up with A LOT! This guy has been there from the start, guiding me through the internship program, coaching me, pastoring me, and giving me a kick up the backside when it’s been required. Looking back from when I started the internship, I am amazed at the amount of stuff I’ve learned, and how I’ve grown through it.
I remember when I first felt sure about being Called to do the internship, and wondering what God had in store for me. Now all I can think is WOW. I couldn’t have imagined all of the stuff over the last year, the books, coaching sessions, prayer, spiritual retreat, etc.
If it wasn’t for the fact I know how much work and time it takes Mike, I’d strongly recommend the internship. It’s a huge growing experience.
Re:Hope
I am honoured (not a word I’d generally use!) to be a part of what God has been doing in Re:Hope. Equal to the internship, I’ve learned a huge amount from working with Brian Ingraham and the staff at Re:Hope. It’s astounding looking back, having been part of the church for around 3 years now, and seeing the growth (in congregation size, in Spiritual maturity, in Godly Character), in particular over the last year.
In a dark city, Re:hope has been a light. In a City where many Church buildings are either crumbling around their dying congregations, or turning into pubs, we’ve seen Re:hope grow. One point in particular sticks out: having prayed for growth, within 2 weeks, we doubled in size!
Seeing a Church be ALL IN, any time, any place, no matter what the cost. Seeing more people join bible read through groups – becoming a people of the word. Watching people come to know Jesus. Seeing people get baptised. Seeing people making Jesus’ mission – their mission. Seeing people making ‘this’, their life – what they’re living for. Seeing people follow God’s plan, at any cost, instead of their own.
If Re:Hope had a lifetime membership, I’d sign up. Although I don’t intend on going anywhere for at least this year (unless someone has a spare £18,000?), when the time comes when I have to leave – at least for a little while, I will continue to pray for Re:Hope, and take what I’ve learned in Re:Hope where ever I go.
Re:Hope – the time has come! AGH! June 1, 2009
Posted by jonesy24 in Christianity, Church, Glasgow, Re:Hope.add a comment
We’ve been given 2 weeks notice to get out of Re:Hope – the building.
When I heard the news, I was gutted. My initial response was confusion, and I got pretty ‘low’ about the whole situation. I guess my thoughts were… ‘God, what the heck is going on?’.
BUT… having prayed and thought about it a bunch since I found out, I am confident in God’s plan for his church. We’ve had complete faith in him for the last 2 years, in the knowledge that at any given time we could be given 2 weeks notice to get out – and the time has finally come. As Stephen and I prayed in the back garden of the house we’re staying at in Ohio, I simply prayed for God’s will to be done, knowing that he would use this situation/time to bring glory to himself, to move in mighty ways, to grow Re:hope in spiritual maturity, and to make us more like him.
I have HOPE. I know that by no means this impossible situation be the end of Re:hope – because I’d refuse to give up. God is the God of the impossible, and we’ve watched him move and intervene in Re:Hope since the very beginning. I believe it’s only going to become BIGGER and BETTER.
I have hope in the unknown plan of Almighty God, the One who formed Re:hope, opened it’s doors, and at least with regards to the current situation with the building, is closing them for the time being. We’ll still be there – we’re not giving up that easy!
Ohio June 1, 2009
Posted by jonesy24 in What's happening with me....add a comment
I’m in OHIO!
Stephen Irwin, one of the staff at Re:Hope facilitated me going to Ohio with him to help him raise support. Basically, I’m here representing what’s going on in Re:hope, and why we need help doing what we’re doing.
It’s a 50/50 split of ‘work’ and FUN. Stephen has a lot of meetings with current/potential supporters, as well as sorting out some of his old storage stuff, and a lot of dinners at people’s houses.I guess even the work is fun.
On top of that, I’ve had the opportunity to go shooting with some of the guys from Stephen’s church, been driven around in a MUSTANG COBRA, and ate the largest steak I’ve ever seen in my life.
Anyway, a brief update. There hopefully will be more, but blogging feels like a chore at the minute, so we’ll see.
