"The Prophecy fulfiller, Army of Demons Killer!"

Our God He Reigns - Simon Brading & 29th Chapter at Newday 2008



Brilliant! just love it!

Let it brew...

So i'm sitting on campus after finishing perhaps one of the most pointless exercises so far of my degree - a quantification exercise. Don't ask me why the university thought a maths exercise would benefit our degrees but oh well wasn't too bad. Anyways what i really came to discuss was an interesting article i found on the metro. Now the metro isn't the source of all knowledge but it can chuck up an interesting story every now and then.

Headline: Leave your tea 4mins 'or face higher cancer risk'

Supposedly we should let our tea cool down before drinking otherwise it will increase the risk of cancer by eightfold. Scientists claim we should let our tea brew or stand for at least 4 mins as the hotter it is the greater the risk of developing cancer. The findings emereged in the British Medical Journal after research in northern Iran which has the highest oesophageal cancer rates.
Hmmm well i'm always a bit skeptical of such research, but i guess i shouldnt gulp down my tea...

here's a video of some famous tea lovers (they probably would have got cancer)... don't ask why, i just typed in tea into youtube...

one man band...

some people are just talented... this guy is pretty amazing



cheers to joe for the introduction

and just cause my blog wouldnt be complete without some more talking animals...

"Wasn't Jesus just a good moral teacher?"

Upon my arrival home i realised i had never rummaged properly through my parents vast book collection, so i decided to look! I found various books which have now been added to my "to read" list, but i managed to read one of them already (it's only like a small booklet) It's called For Your Joy by John Piper and it was a good little read. It was the intro that struck me the most as it addresses that common phrase people say when they're asked who they thought Jesus was i.e. "oh wasn't he just a good moral teacher." Piper quotes a C.S Lewis who deals with the issue rather bluntly.

I am trying to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg - or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.

I guess all that you can ask after reading that is, who do i say Jesus was if he can't simply be a 'good moral teacher'

How much is that Kinkajou in the windooowww....

This is copied from a magazine but those who know me, know i can't resist a good random animal... these are some of the exotic pets you can legally own! so maybe coming to a pet shop near you! (you definitely can't say God isn't creative)


1. Kinkajou - Also known as the Honey Bear(see picture above), it uses its five-inch tongue to harvest nectar from flowers. Nuff said i want one!


2. Squirrel Monkey - These Central South American Monkeys have the largest brain, proportionately. Must say they look pretty fun


3. Emu - Natives of Australia, they are the world's second largest bird and can sprint for extended periods at 31mph... emu flap for the door sounds interesting...


4. Raccoon - One of my personal favourites! They have extremely sensitive front paws and studies show they can remember solutions to problems 3 years on!


5. North American Porcupine - The 2nd largest rodent in US and Canada after the beaver. Antibiotics are naturally present in their skin as they often fall out of trees and prick themselves!


6. Woolly lemur - these Madagascan Primates need long naps to digest their meals... sounds familiar...


7. Aldabra Tortoise - these Seychelles natives have a the long neck that means that they can eat branches 1 metre from the ground


8. African Praying mantis - They drink through their skin and only require a light misting of water to survive. If lacking in food they have no qualms in eating each other! yikes!


9. Common musk turtle - Also call 'stinkpot' it emits a nasty odour to deter predators...


10. Brazilian Wolf spider - My least favourite from this list... their prey includes dogs and its bite can cause the premature death of cells which has proven to be fatal... maybe don't leave the lid off too long...

When Disneyland goes wrong...

Welcomed home

Have you ever been been gone from home for a really long time? Maybe one of your parents has been gone for awhile and you've had to have that wait at the airport where the clock goes by really slowly. Can you remember the feeling as they come round the corner and the excitement just bubbles over and you run into their arms?

I was thinking about what it will be like when we're reunited with Jesus and running into his arms. It was all sparked off by listening to the song "How long" by Al Gordon. The lines "Jesus you will wipe these tears away when the morning comes" and "Jesus we will hear the victory roar when this race is run" just made me stand back and think how amazing it'll be. All pain and suffering just wiped away as he welcomes us home and into his arms. There's still the race to run but to hear the words "Well done good and faithful servant" and know that "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7) will make everything worthwhile. The victory roar when all the saved join in the celebration that death is finally finished and we're finally with our saviour, man how amazing will that be.

In a not completely unrelated diversion, as i was looking for photos i came across the Team Hoyt. Now this is one of those rare moments where i'm moved to man tears. If you have a few minutes just watch these 2 videos (you'll be glad you did!) and think of how we have such a loving Father whos love knows no boundaries to give us life.

Desert Song

This song has been really been speaking to me recently! really encouraging to keep remembering that God is our victory through everything and in everything... (i love the lines My God is the God who provides and also I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ! some brilliant song writing)

Verse 1:
This is my prayer in the desert
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides

VERSE 2:
This is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flame

CHORUS:
I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

VERSE 3:
This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on its way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

BRIDGE:
All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

VERSE 4:
This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will sow



p.s. well done to the Arsenal!

Girls and Guitars

i've posted this on Fb before but still it's funny and maybe has a slight element of truth in it...

Spotify this...

I was introduced into the wonderful world of Spotify last week. It's an ingenious little application which essentially gives you free music and is paid for by advertising. It has a pretty large selection of music (though if you're into 18th century Czech violinists you may be disappointed) and all that you may have to bear every couple of songs is a 30sec advert break for some other band. To me thats a price definitely worth paying for listening to all the music i've always wanted to and sadly lack the necessary funds to buy the albums! Essentially brilliant

pick it up here - http://www.spotify.com/en/

not much else has happened... good fun day on sunday. Another excellent talk to do with Jesus money and me by Sean. Been really challenged by it all seeing as i've been the type of person that buys first and thinks later.
(http://www.readingfamilychurch.org.uk/sermonarchive.php)

Church was followed by our cell descending on the Greens house which was brilliant fun and culminated in a very competitive session of washing machine throwing and melon bashing (wii game for those who may be slightly worried by the thought of us chucking washing machines around) and Betts didnt manage to beat any of my scores! how satisfying! :P the day was rounded off by watching Last King of Scotland which was great apart from some interesting scenes (meat hooks at the end :S those who've seen it know what im talking bout...)

Verse of the day that speaks to me: Isaiah 43:18-19, brilliant!

Riteo, it's off to work i go!

Arsenal 3 - West Brom 1

For those who may not know i'm a pretty large Arsenal fan.. and yesterday they finally got back on the winning track. Even better news is that Aston Villa lost to Man City which now means we're only 3 points away from that crucial Champions league place! After reading the reports it seems we played alot better than before and Bendtner decided that he would actually start to do what he is paid to do i.e. play football and score goals... Arshavin once again looks like he'll do well for us (well done wenger for spending wisely) though i must agree with arseblog (http://www.oleole.com/blogs/arseblog) he does look like an owl... All in all a good result though bigger matches coming up so i hope they keep it up!

until next time...

Who would win between...

4 words i loved to hear as a child. It all probably began from buying top trumps but comparing is most definitely fun. One of my favourite ones was being asked at school, "Josh how do you think would win in a fight between Scooby Doo and Bagpuss" Now i think there are a large amount of factors involved e.g. has Scooby Doo had a scooby snack as that affects his performance, or do they both have their entourages?... anyways i guess thats up for debate at a later date...

What sparked off this thought pattern was reading a description of Richard I (i.e. the Lionheart) during my reading for my essay

Tall in stature, graceful in figure, King Richard has long straight limbs, his father's red-gold hair and startling blue-grey eyes. He is a fine horseman and swordsman, holding a commanding appearance. Bold, daring and dashing, he shines in war, loves pageantry and dressing-up in fine magnificent clothes.

This reminded me of a description of another King...

Rev 1 12-18
Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades

hmm.. if we factor in achievements i guess reconquering Acre seems rather small in comparison to defeating death itself... yikes old Lionheart never had a chance... i know who wins in my mind...

here's a video of some talking dogs just cause it amuses me so much (esp the last one)

So it starts?

Umm i don't really have much important to say... until i do...



JJ and the Js... good times...