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My brother showed me a fantastic application for his phone last week and added it to mine for me. It is the entire ESV and KJ Versions of the bible... on your phone. It is easy to navigate and a fantastic way of keeping a copy (or 2) of the Word on you at all times. I have had to recharge my battery several times through regular use.

Have a look to see if your mobile is compatible here.

There are many other books to download also. Some are free others need to be paid for. Thus far I have loaded onto my phone the following (free) books:

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  All of Grace - CH Spurgeon
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  Come Ye Children - CH Spurgeon
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  Daily Light (KJV)* - which allows you to refer to the verses in the KJV with one touch.
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  ESV*
• 
  
  KJV*
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  Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners - John Bunyan
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  Power through Prayer - EM Bounds
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  Purpose in Prayer - EM Bounds
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  Spurgeon's Sermons Vol 1: 1855 - CH Spurgeon
• 
  
  The Essentials of prayer - EM Bounds
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  The Institutes of the Christian Religion - John Calvin
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  The Necessity of Prayer - EM Bounds
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  The Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan*
• 
  
  The Reality of Prayer - EM Bounds
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  The Veil Rent - Horatius Bonar
• 
  
  The Weapon of Prayer - EM Bounds
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  Till He Come - CH Spurgeon
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  Bible maps - Then and Now

* Are the ones currently in use.

I'm aware that may seem like a an OTT bookshelf to have at one time, but I've already found that having these in my pocket allows me to fill those spare minutes with something worthy. The Daily Light in particular is a wonderful help. Certainly when I start back to work next week it'll be an encouragement. Any spare 5 minutes or longer I have can now be used in reading a short tract or verse. 

I'd highly recommend using this service if your phone is compatible. If it isn't go and buy one that is!!! I have a Nokia 5800 and it is ideal for use with this application, see one here.

It has a 6 gig memory card as it is intended to double up as an mp3 player. Consequently you can store lots of pictures, video, books and sermons.

Cave diving in this darkness of the world...

Some years ago I read a book about a couple of nutjobs who decided to try the 13 most dangerous sports they could find. They did a skydive, ice climbing and other spectacularly stupid activities which probably saw their adrenal glands grow to the size of a grapefruit.

Now I like a good fix of adrenaline... but cave diving... oh my... cave diving, you have to be 100% certifiable in my book. This is a statement made by someone who has a considerable penchant for adrenal gland tickling. As I have mentioned before I have tried most dangerous sports and activities, with a handful of exceptions. I have had professional MMA fights, which while not directly life threatening presents a degree of nervousness and anxiety for one's health and safety. In other words, I feel well qualified to reiterate my point.

"Cave divers are as mad as a box of frogs high on sugary espresso."

'So how does this apply to my Christian life Mr Bear?' I hear you say. Well, in this book the writer explained some of the pitfalls and dangers of deep cave diving. First off they have to be sure when they go very deep into a network of caves that they have enough air to get them back to the surface. So they can't afford to get lost or hang around looking at the rocks. Run out short of the surface and it is fair to assume you'd regret it. Negotiating a maze underwater can't be easy either, so, in their cunning these lunatics often use a 'lifeline' (cave divers please excuse the incorrect terminology - I'm sure it is some sort of 'personal rescue guide cord' or a complicated word I can't spell... I'm calling it a lifeline).

Now in deep caves there can be silt that has settled over maybe hundreds of years, maybe more (though you and I know it can't be millions of years hehehe). So whilst swishing on by they try hard to keep their fins off the floor. If they do touch the bottom the silt kicks up in clouds and vision is quickly lost and then, barring a wait of several hundred years for it to clear it will stay that way till further notice.

The author went to great lengths to explain that in this instance the lifeline becomes exactly that. When you can see nothing you can't orient yourself. Underwater in the dark (lights won't help in this case) one can even lose the sense of which way is up and down. You could swim into a dead end, a bottomless hole... or you could miss the lifeline by a centimetre as you flounder in the dark. Distance makes no odds, miss the lifeline and fail to find it before your air runs out and. You. Are, DEAD.

It is that simple. One slip, one mistake. Kick up the silt and not having a firm grasp on that line means you are potentially and likely a goner.

What would you do? I would certainly be tempted to do the following:

1. Never ever, ever let go of the lifeline.
2. Be incredibly careful that it wasn't me who stirred up the silt and muddied the waters.
3. Keep the closest of eyes on and have a close relationship with that precious life giving rope.
4. Trust the lifeline to lead me out safely.

It's a very simple analogy really. But if one were to use the analogy that the lifeline is Christ and the muddied waters can be likened to living in this world of sin it rings so true. Incredibly Christians so often loosen that grip on the lifeline of Christ. They take their eyes off the route out of the deep dark cave. They pause and look around and sometimes leave the lifeline to inspect things that intrigue them. Its crazy isn't it? Dare we risk losing site of the lifeline of Christ? He'll rescue His people for sure, but what a traumatic experience it would be to feel so lost in the muddy waters. Especially when we were all once there before and must remember what it was like to be lost?

In the deepest darkest muddiest of waters you can be guided to that lifeline. We should cling to Christ and the cross because He and it is our route out, our salvation. We can get so comfortable and over familiar with the lifeline we lose respect for its saving powers and importance. In that cave it should be pre-eminent. The most important thing.

We need to guide other divers to the lifeline too. Because in those dark waters, like was explained, someone could flounder and miss the rope by a millimetre, they could think they were swimming the right way but get lost. Some might even try and guide others the way they think is right. But only the lifeline can lead you to the surface... and fresh air and light... and life.

The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.

I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.

Jonah 2: 5 and 6

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Six days?.. but when does day mean day?

I find the whole 6 days vs 'other' when it comes to creation interesting. Now I say that for different reasons. Firstly I find it intriguing in an intellectual capacity, but am aware that too much pondering can err dangerously close to philosophising about life, the universe and everything. The answers are in scripture plain and simple.

'Ah! Yes, but' many would say is six days really six days? Or is it 6 Yom (undefined periods of time)? Or does it matter? Should we worry about it? Well yes. And no.

Here lies the second element of intrigue - exegesis. Exegesis is to draw out the meaning of the text. It comes from the verb exago (or ex-ag'-o, or even eÍca/gw) which means literally 'to lead out' (taken from 'Basic Greek and Exegesis' by Richard B Ramsey). There are numerous translations for this in the KJV there are 13 times it is used - these vary from 'bring forth' to 'bring out' also 'fetch out' and 'lead out'. So what is the correct way to use exegesis? Online definition of Exago

Staunch 6 day-ers (24 hr periods) will say that the correct exegesis of the word 'Yom' (OT Hebrew) means day and day alone in Genesis 1. Others will point out that 'Yom' used elsewhere in the OT can mean any of the following dependent on context - time; year; age; ago; always; season. chronicles; continually; ever and evermore. Online definition of Yom Confusing eh?

The only way of settling this in one's own mind is to actually know and understand Hebrew and New Testament Greek... but even then one would still need to apply exegesis 'correctly'. So the confusion remains as long as people argue the context.

Personally I roll with 6 literal days when it comes to creation and anyone who knows me knows I'm always right (cue rolled eyes and groans). Other interpretations can only fall closely in line with evolutionary theories and discredit in some way the possibility that God can or did make the world and universe in 6 x 24 hour periods (in my opinion).

Either way, one thing is sure - the universe is of unimaginable proportions and how man can have the arrogance ever to think that we come within a million light years of understanding it or how it came to be is frightening. One look at the attached pictures should really make us stand back and consider the awesome nature of space and our inability to grasp what eternity is. This is largely why scientists limit the size of the universe and give it an 'edge'. You can find all the originals here.

In this last picture our sun would be one pixel in size!!!!

There are much more detailed and deeper arguments that can be presented about this topic - these are just my Wednesday morning musings and haven't been too thoroughly researched, so don't label me a heretic or dimwit for any errors please. It made my brain itch enough just looking at the pictures. 

Dead at 34, alive at 35

Throughout my teens I joked about ‘not making it to 35’. I have consistently managed to risk life and limb in a variety of thrill seeking exploits designed to tickle my adrenal gland. Skateboarding, BMXing, climbing just about anything, bungy jumping, skydiving... you name it, I’d try it.

The claim was half hearted. But only half hearted. Part of me quite realised the risks I was taking and the fatalistic side of me probably expected to ‘come a cropper’ as my Mum would say. I really did do some stupidly dangerous things and all along joked that there was ‘no way’ I’d make to my 35th birthday alive... so ‘I may as well enjoy myself while I can’.

 Truth is I was right.


At 34 years and 8 months old I died.


Dead as a doornail.


Dead as a Dodo.


Dead to the world.


Dead to my sins.


Alive in Christ.

“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:11 (KJV)

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved”

Ephesians 2:4 - 5

Don't follow me...

I'm in South Wales this week visiting the family and this morning travelled to my brother's church for the morning service. On the way there I overtook a car that had one of those yellow square signs stuck in the back window... you know, the ones that say 'Baby on board' or some sort of cheesey one liner. This one had this:

Now I had to chuckle at that... I wondered at the truth of that statement for the unconverted. I did wonder if there were any Christians who had a sign saying the opposite.

"I know where I'm going... follow me!"

Or maybe more appropriately it should read 'follow Him'.

I smiled again in the service when we sang 'The Servant king' and in particular this verse:

This is our God,

The Servant King,

He calls us now

To follow Him,

To bring our lives

As a daily offering

Of worship to

The Servant King.

 

I'm not a huge fan of the song, but in light of my in-car ponderings it made me smirk slightly.

 

So, are you following Him?... or someone who is lost?


As an aside - it was one year ago today I was converted... and what a year!!! So here I am one year into an eternity of following Him!

Returning to your own vomit?

I was listening to a Chris Hand sermon on the way to and from work today and he made reference to "The dog is turned to his own vomit again." from 2 Peter 2:22 (KJV) the full verse being:

"But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."

This is (as I have since discovered) Paul's reference to Proverbs 26:11 (KJV) which reads:

"As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly."

This painted a wonderfully disgusting picture for me. Let me explain.

Since I was converted nearly a year ago I have struggled with varying degree with my propensity to stumble, slip, wander and even at times stride straight back into my sinful ways. Now I'm fully aware of my state as a 'wretched man' and a full blown sinner (who is saved by grace... *here is where you see me grinning ear to ear*). So it doesn't surprise me that I do sin... regularly. Hourly in fact. As do you.

What does confuse me at times like these though is the stupidity of us all. Many a time over the years I knew of people who woke up after a hard night on the town, reeking of booze, with a filthy hangover. Said drunkard would clutch their head, groan and utter "never again... that's it... I'm never ever drinking again..." Cue a week later and there you have them, knocking back another shot of liver killer with a smile on their face and wreckless abandon in their heart.

I'm as stupid and wreckless as any of the boozers in town this past Saturday. Why? Because so often there are things I say or do that my conscience tells me are wrong. 'Don't do/say/think/behave like that' it says... 'you'll be sorry', 'you'll regret it!' And time after time I end up like that drinker... hopelessly drawn into doing something I know I'm going to plead with God to forgive me for... again.

'The temptation is too much'. 'I can't resist it'. 'It won't hurt just the once'. 'It's a bit naughty, but I'm only human'. Sound familiar? I'm sure there's plenty of excuses that could be added to that list. But they're all feeble excuses and don't stand up. So picture this:

Imagine eating a spoonful of vomit. Your own. Imagine the bitter, acidic slime. The smell and taste deep in the back of your nasal cavity. The heat of the juices and the sticky, yet watery texture of the liquid and the soft partly digested chunks of meat and vegetables. Imagine the sickening heave as you close your mouth and swallow. Horrible yes? Ok now consider this.

Your sin (and mine) is far more vile and disgusting than that spoonful of sick. Yet if you picture the sick as sin which you've been purged of. Poison that is forced up and out of you in a painful, yet necessary action of rejection by the stomach of the soul. Why would you gladly spoon it back in?

Would you sit and watch someone eat a bowl of their own vomit? Would you want to stop them? Would you even contemplate eating it yourself? Or would the thought itself make you want to vomit some more?

We should view our sin as such a vile substance as this. We should turn our noses up at it every time, but we don't because we're stupid. Just like the Saturday night binge drinker. We validate and accept our sins as being part of us without resisting enough. Sure we'll slip and stumble, we have sinful natures every man has. But we can resist... I wish I could remember the verse about God not allowing us to experience a temptation we couldn't resist. You know the one?

I hate it when I behave like that dog, lapping up its own sick before its even cold. I'll be praying this week and for a long time to come that I see my vomit/sin for what it is... then carry on my way, leaving it far behind.

Further prayer

I listened to a Dr Joel Beeke sermon on the way home today entitled 'John Calvin on intimate prayer' and of course my last blog came to mind. I had never intended my previous post to be anything like a definitive guide to prayer of course, but listening to Dr Beeke I did ponder the amazing depth that exists within prayer and realised that I have barely scratched the surface of the relationship I have with our Lord and Saviour.

One of the things that Dr Beeke mentioned was about how easy it is for our prayers to become dry and repetitive and different ways in which he goes about refreshing his prayer life, both of which I have done myself. One is to use a prayer book, the other is to use scripture. My brother sent me a copy of a prayer book entitled 'The Valley of Vision' following my baptism and it has been a great encouragement and a 'starter for 10 ' (as he described it). It really is a wonderful book and I would wholeheartedly recommend you get a copy if you don't have one. Valley of Vision by Banner of Truth

The other way in which Dr Beeke suggested one could revive our prayer is through reading/using scripture. He gave the following analogy (excuse the paraphrase). He commented on a book (it may have been notes or even prayers, I'm afraid I can't remember... it isn't that important to the story) that had been found by a friend of his father, that had been written by his father. Dr Beeke's father had passed into Glory some time before. He was handed the book and gazed at the words, recognizing his father's handwriting. The friend asked if he'd like to have it, to which he replied "of course!" Later reading his father's words he became conscious of how proud and happy his father would have been to see and hear him studying the words he had written himself. How much joy and pleasure his father would've got from having his own written word read back to him.

Well there in istself is the justification for using God's word in one's prayers. God would surely delight in hearing any one of his children reading to him, or better yet memorising and repeating His word in prayer.

Anyway, here's a link to the sermon - don't take my word for it, take Dr Beeke's or John Calvin's... or maybe more specifically, God's. Click the title below for a sermonaudio.com link
Calvin on Intimate prayer