Book of Brilliant Things!

The above is a title of a great Simple Minds song from their album 'Sparkle in the Rain', released in 1984.

One of the lines declares 'I open up, I take a look, into the bright and shiny...book of brilliant things.

For me ...and maybe this is totally inaccurate ...I have always thought this to be about the Bible. For me it is a as the title says a Book of Brilliant things.

I have over the past couple of months resurrected a mostly daily habit of reading the bible. The plan I am following gets you to read the Bible in a year but it is more than that.

About 3 years ago I read a book entitled 'The Divine Mentor' ...this book encourages you to follow the SOAP process. In a daily journal you then pick and write out a single verse from the 3/4 chapters you read, hence the S. You then make / write an observation about the verse (O). You then write out an application (A) of that verse and finally you write out a prayer of how you make that application (P) = SOAP!

This daily process has, as the book declares become my mentor. I have gained so much from doing this. It has helped me, counseled me, supported me and guided me through some tough times.

The Bible is indeed a Brilliant Thing. Probably the most underused resource we have. Dust it down and as the lyric says ‘open it up’ and ‘take a look!’

Andy

One of those nights!

Unfortunately it's one of those nights when I can't sleep. I went to bed feeling tired, with all the best intentions of sleeping but found myself in one of those strange quandaries where the more I tried to sleep the more awake I felt.

So I have ended up coming downstairs and blogging!

Its 2.25am....there is a solitary bird singing outside...early dawn chorus...a (police?)helicopter has been circling above for what seems hours...and my mind has suddenly gone into overdrive.

It's strange how sometimes these moments bring about a clarity of thinking that rarely comes in the daytime. Suddenly things slot into order and find there place. Or thinking can go to the other extreme....chaos reigns....nothing makes sense!!

Tonight, aka this early morning, things make sense....in fact a new business idea I have thinking through is suddenly taking a clear shape. Why?? Don’t know ...but sometimes we have to take hold of the moment or opportunity when we can.

Anyway I have now put the TV on in the hope that the rerun of a past Holby City episode (that looks remarkably like am 80's pop video!!) will do enough to send me off to sleep....or maybe more thinking ....who indeed knows??

Andy

Sacred

Last Saturday we (EQUIP) held our second in a series of six meetings entitled Restore in Bristol.

We have now been holding these meeting for 12 months and have had some great times of praise and worship and ministry. But this Saturday was something else.

I have not felt God's presence like I did on Saturday for many years. I am sure there are many reasons for this. But one particular aspect which I know played a significant part was my reading of Exodus and Leviticus over the previous weeks.

What the Children of Israel had to do to maintain relationship, forgiveness and righteousness with and before God was extraordinary. This has led me to appreciate, value and cherish so much more what Jesus did on my and our behalf. Making a way to restore our relationship with the Father.

But I also realise how much more sacred this relationship is. When we read and understand about the acts of sacrifice and ceremony in the Tabernacle we can gain a new understanding of the holiness and glory of God

Today God desires a deeper, more intimate relationship with you and me more than we will ever truly understand. Sacred indeed.

Andy

Grace Under Pressure

I am just watching a programme on BBC 2 re the nuclear disaster that followed the Japanese Tsunami in March last year.

Two things are clear....how close Japan and the wider world came to a catastrophic nuclear disaster, but far more amazing is the countless stories of bravery and selflessness demonstrated by soldiers and workers of the nuclear plant.

Their acts no doubt saved thousands of lives with little regard for their own.

The sense of duty they displayed was and is inspiring, but also with quiet dignity and resolve they simply got on with their jobs.....grace under pressure indeed!

Andy

Restore...Pt. 2!

This Saturday (18th) is our second Restore meeting in Bristol at Broadmead Baptist (see flyer opposite.)

I have recently been reading through Exodus and was once again amazed at the relationship God had with Moses, probably more than at any time before.

I have been particularly drawn to the following verses in Exodus 33: 12 - 19....you can feel the relationship they have by the nature of the dialogue. God and Moses have this simple conversation about something so profound...His presence

Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’ 13 Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.”14 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
15 Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.”17 So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”18 And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.”19 Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”

I believe this Saturday God wants to restore / pour out a measure of His Presence / Glory that we have not felt or seen for some time.

I have often quoted the promises of God to Joshua in Joshua 1: 3....every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon I have given you.....but the groundwork, foundation for this promise was founded many years earlier in Joshua’s attitude in one of the verses prior to Exodus 33: 12 – 19.

This is what it says in Exodus 33: 10.... So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.

Joshua wanted to be where God was...he saw what Moses had and wanted the same. A question for us all is are we as passionate for God, the Father, that type of relationship, to desire His presence like Joshua did?

I hope you can join us Saturday...Blessings!

Andy