Acts

This week I have been reading through the document entitled "Acts of the Apostles". Through reading it has really struck me how detailed and accurate this document is. It was written by man named Luke. Luke was a disciple of the early church in the first century A.D. he wrote this book to a man named Theophilus. He wrote this as a first hand witness of being a traveller with the apostle Paul. He was a doctor and academic who gave up his life a s a doctor of the physically to be a doctor of the spiritually sick. The accuracy he writes with, the first hand witnesses he travelled with and the document he compiled that is the gospel of luke and Acts is written from the first hand accounts of people who knew Jesus and first hand account of luke himself. The earliest fragments of these two volumes written to Theophilus date back to the century after it was written in. These fragments show that the words have not changed to a degree that affects the meaning of what was written - even in 1,900-ish years.This fact alone is quite incredible. The gospel of luke is actually quoted by Paul in one of his letters meaning that it must have been written in paul's lifetime and thus was written before 67ishAD, Probably around 60AD. The historicity of this book is undeniable - it is an incredible source thats only point of controversy is wether Jesus rose from the dead. The historical evidence is so overwhelming through the 27 different documents that make up the new testament plus many other non biblical documents written by Josephus and Tacitus to name a few. The documents all line up and agree with each other with Luke the Doctor contributing the document that really ties every other one of the documents together. He was a smart man, a doctor who states that in compiling the books of Luke and Acts he went to the eyewitnesses (The 11 disciples, the other at least 70-odd other followers including James and Jude as well as Paul). This was a document based on the key witnesses of who Jesus was and with great detail showing definitive knowledge of the Mediterranean.

The historical and documented evidence for Jesus is overwhelming and through reading the book of Acts I was totally struck by the call to which those who accept the truths in the gospel are summoned. 

The call is to preach the gospel to all peoples, and just like Paul my mission is to do many many many msisionary journey's around my university (Macquarie University), my city (Sydney) and the wider world.

The historical facts are as absolute as the force of gravity.

The call is to tell others and through the Holy Spirit let us pray that they may not be ignorant to the facts and accept the great news that from the beginning the Lord God has planned to make a way for us to return to him and through coming down himself as the man they called Jesus he died to save us all that we can live in eternity with him. It is not about what we can do because we are helpless (look how many wars we started) but what God has done for us.

He has left us on this earth with the Holy Spirit so that as many people as possible may come to know him. This is our call!

Let us preach this good news to everyone.

Amen.

Currently I find myself at Macquarie University.

     I have joined an acapella group which I enjoy immensely. I have made an effort to be always on time with my assessment tasks and am part of the Christian Group on campus. My course content is interesting and I love to learn what I am taught (Psychology with a Diploma in English Secondary Education). I enjoy what I do.

           In the end however, my degree, my love of singing, my knowledge and my friends will be turned to food for moths, eternal bars of rest, a voidness and dust of the Earth. What I do won't matter. Without a God there isn't much hope in life. With humanity eventually becoming nothing. Nothing matters there is no right and wrong. But as a Christian I do believe there is a purpose in life, and my purpose isn't any more important than any other's purpose. Even though what I do will go to the grave, I do believe in right and wrong and that there is morality among humanity. Despite the fact I will be wiped off the face of the Earth in my death, I am not scared or frightened but will cherish every day and enjoy what meaningless things I participate in.

    I will enjoy being able to sing!
    I will enjoy what I learn!
    I will enjoy being comforted in my God.

Rubble

Where is the glory of Solomon's Kingdom? 
Gone to ruin like Babylon and Giza,
Where is its gold and its wealth?
Gone, now but rubble of a bushfire.
Where is its power and victory?
Its Might now like that of the sand.

Show me your merit,
I'll tell of its demise.
For gone, all will be to nothing,
Both the fools and the wise.

Rubik's Cube

Your life's a Rubik's cube,
Four by four by four - I'll never solve it,
Red, green, White and blue,
Different shades, the latter is you,

I like to hear your words, your sorrows,
I like to assure you of better tomorrows,
Yet they never come,
What is it like in your mind?

Your mind's a puzzle to you and I,
The blue stands out; I see you cry,
The red is similar to marks you've made,
Your legs, your arms, judgment you've laid,

Why? For what reason? You're loved,
You see no olive branch nor pair of doves,
The green of life from the cube seems lost,
The hope through white 'tis tossed,

The pills you took that day; why I met you,
Your body dumped, pumped and stabilised,
Though you're physically fine,
I look to your mind,
Your eyes are see through,
Beautiful and deep,
Yet so steeped,
In misery and pain,

I sit beside you puzzled, holding my cube,
You talk and I'll listen,
Your eyes, they don not glisten,
But send shards of death through words,

Snatched from my hand you distract yourself,
Click. Click. Turn,
You try not to focus or your heart will burn,
I can't solve it.
And neither can you.

I see you collapse. I feel stabbed,
I want to help, yet you're beyond and trapped,
Beautifully torn, a puzzle indeed,
No hope that you see,
No hope You'll be freed

Like the cube in your palms,
This puzzle will remain,
Yet useless I feel when I see your frame,

Torn, ripped, beyond.

~ Beautifully torn and a puzzle unsolved ~

Not There

            Its a year today since my friend, Jacob Davies left us. He was always great to be around and the memories and funny things we did I'll always remember. He's one of those people you don't forget. Jacob had cystic fibrosis and so time was always ticking. If there's one thing I've learnt from Jacob, it was his ability to smile and live his life no matter what might happen. I only saw him breakdown once. And even then he got back up and kept on smiling.

        Life is short. You don't know when you're going die. So don't waste the time you've been given and make the most of it. That doesn't mean I'm advocating a licence to do stupid things, life's pretty short and there's no need to make it shorter.

        I knew a guy. His name was Jacob Davies. He was brilliant.

    Heres to you Jacob (Y)

Not There

I see the Sharks,
Or just a jersey,
The words, "Cronulla",
But you're not there,

I see a rose,
Like the one always on my blazer,
Red,
So red,
So very very red,
But you're not there,

My tears felt red that day,
At the service,
In streams they flew
Because I knew,
That you're not there,

We were friends - not best friends,
But a friend indeed,
The memories now only I recall,
For you and I were in them,
But now you're gone,

I see your name,
And I stop.

And I think.

I'd like to speak to you,

But you're just not there,

           

Born Again Close To You

Verse 1

Here I stand at the cross once again,
Every sin that i've done; mocking Jesus to his face,
Here I am the worst of sinners,
Yet there he said, instead, "It is finished",
For me,
For me,

Through trials and pain, how can I complain?
Death is my deserve, Yet I'm here by the Lord's grace,
So distant I ran, away my own way,
Yet Jesus, you ran to me,
To me,

Chorus

Teach me Lord that I am nothing more,
Than a teardrop in the harbour of this city,
Your glory, Your power, Its here I realise,
That I'm not even close,
Not even close,

Fill Me Lord with a passion ever burning,
To see the lost saved, to see them turning back,
I could try on my own, but i'd fail, 'cause I need you,
Cause I'm not even close,

Verse 2

I'll be gone one day, buried in the grave,
In time be forgotten, no longer remain,
Al my efforts and achievements gone to dust,
In your blood I put all of my trust,
For your the only thing that'll last forever,
Forever,

Fill our hearts with love for you,
Throughout these ages you're all thats true,
Like Nehemiah, be on fire our visions,
Having visions for you,
For you,

Chorus 

Teach me Lord that I am nothing more, 

Than a teardrop in the harbour of this city,

Your glory, Your power, Its here I realise,

That I'm not even close,

Not even close,

Fill Me Lord with a passion ever burning,

To see the lost saved, to see them turning back,

I could try on my own, but i'd fail, 'cause I need you,

Cause I'm not even close,

Bridge

I was so far away,

Dead and in dismay,

But I've been born again close,

To you,

Lord breathe your word in me,

Ever for eternity,

Let Christ be in my final words,

I was so far away,

Dead and in dismay,

But I've been born again close,

To you,

Chorus 

Teach me Lord that I am nothing more, 

Than a teardrop in the harbour of this city,

Your glory, Your power, Its here I realise,

That I'm not even close,

Not even close,

Not even close,

But I've been born again close, to you

Verses

A hand to grip and hold,

Silent, nearing cold,

Yet the scars they show are bold,

And warmth is in your heart,

Words seem slow,

They're there, although,

What can one say or do?

But sing,

But sing the tune of your soul,

The pipes are far away,

The glens and bonnie braes,

The snow is hushed,

The flowers wither,

In an ancient tongue,

Our ancestors sung,

Of summers in the meadow,

Of life as bright and mellow,

So I'll sing these verses,

Your favourite verses,

I'll sing them one more time,

And where the church is,

My soul it searches,

To sing to you one more line,

'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide,