congrats my friends!

I am so happy for my friends who tied the knot yesterday. So much contraversy surrounds marriage these days but there is just something special about these two that you know they are so perfect! It really was a beautiful day, and I wish them God's best for the future. Michael and John made a hilarious video about dave, so if I can get a link to it I wil put it up. You can find photo's on my bebo

It seems so many of my friends around me are either married, getting married or getting engaged. Excuse me if I sound cynical but it just seems to be that it's the latest fashion! (not the case with these guys though

Upside down kingdom

I saw this video courtesy of Beth in youth cell, and I thought it was a great way of describing the kingdom of God. Do you ever wonder what heaven is like? We should really listen to Jesus in the Bible when he says things like "The kingdom of God is like..." because he would know!....

Happy Friday!

My friend dave and I when we were in school used to go around on Friday's and randomly shake peoples hands and say "Happy Friday!". Well on this in particular Friday, I want to say happy Friday!

A lot people when they think of this day, think of how Christ died on the cross - the phyical pain he went through because he loves us; but I want to concentrate on a worse torture. When Christ died and took the punishment of our sins, He took on every sin every believer has ever made upon him. Imagine being at the right hand of God, completely sinless, entirely in love with His Father one minute, to the next where he is feeling, and being punished for over, 2000 years of millions of peoples sins. I can not even come infinitely close to comprehending what that must have been like, except to say thank you so much for saving my life Lord!

Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

So lets rejoice! So many Christians walk in condemnation of their sins (sexual, drinking etc..) and they forget that Jesus has already taken the punishment for that and you are forgiven! All those sins that hold you back have been nailed with Him to the cross. So put your faith in Him and stop letting satan condemn you because God has "disarmed" him of that, as only unforgiven can be condemned.

As it turns out today happens to be the Spring equinox (where the day and night are theoretically of equal length at the equator). It marks the coming of the Spring time where new life dawns. Lets take this opportunity to take the shackles of winter off, and live in the freedom that Christ won for us on the cross and let's blossom in our relationship with Him.

To finish I would like to mention that easter egg chocolate is outstanding! What is it about it that makes it taste so much better! If you know please comment!

hats in church?

I was in church this morning and was reminded to write this because of something my friend Besty had said to me. Besty usually wears a 'beanie', and apparently some people were giving off, and this is why...

1 Cor 11:2-onwards "..keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head...13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?...16 But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.

So here we see paul establishing the tradition that men should not cover their heads but women should whilst in worship. However what people tend to miss when talking about hats in church is that paul opens the paragraph declaring that he was establishing a tradition, not a commandment! Furthermore he reiterates this in the closing of this section by suggesting that if the issue causes arguments then not to worry because not even his church or any other church of God, strictly adhere to this, as it is not a commandment. It clearly does cause arguments in today's church, so lets take pauls advice and not be a bad witness to the world by bickering over something as unimportant as head dressings in church.

I would also love to know where people get the whole "women must wear skirts" and men must dress respectfully. Yes I know you would want to look your best for God but doesn't it say in His Word "come as you are?" and besides who decides what items of clothing are respectful and what aren't? It's these very things that people can be put off the church!

There are indeed some very wacky hats around churches these days, ranging from the minimilistic to royal ascot!