Flying High

One of the benefits of travelling is that I get to fly from time to time. I enjoy flying and am not too bothered if the plane is large or small. 

Once when I was visiting Vancouver I had the opportunity to fly in a three seater small plane. It seemed tiny to me. We took off and climbed high above Vancouver, had a quick look over the edge of the Rockies, dipped over downtown Vancouver and returned to the airfield. I enjoyed it but I was trusting the pilot, the technicians who maintained the plane, air traffic control and a lot of other people. Events in life are often only safe because people care, prepare and plan things in advance. 

A new baby

Most people love a new baby. The recent arrival of Prince Louis Arthur Charles Windsor has filled columns of newsprint and helped sell celebrity magazines as well as bringing some joy into our national life for a moment or two. I am sure it is not why Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, have had another child but it’s amazing what the arrival of a baby can do.

I know the feeling well. My daughter has recently given birth to her second child, a gorgeous baby boy - and as you can tell, I am genuinely not biased!

This week - ending 28th April 2018

Pictures of the death of Christ in Leviticus 1-7

I have just completed a week looking at the five offerings of Leviticus 1 - 7. These are instructive, challenging and vivid pictures of the death of Christ and what was happening when he made ‘one sacrifice for sins for ever,’ Hebrews 10:12. 

Our hearts are touched and our commitment challenged as we consider the life of Christ and his death at Golgotha. 

I thank God he died for me and that he lives in the power of an endless life, in heaven.

GQ's list of 21 Books you don't have to read - they got at least one wrong!

GQ magazine has placed the Bible on its list of "21 Books You Don't Have to Read." This is quite a ridiculous stance even in terms of literature never mind ethics and morals. 

Here are some quotes from famous people about the Bible - they are not all Christians but they testify to the value of reading the Bible:

Ethical Business Based on the Bible

DOING BUSINESS BY THE BOOK

1. WHAT BOOK - The Bible 

2. WHY - BECAUSE GOD’S WORD IS OUR GUIDE FOR LIFE

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

3. WHY - BECAUSE GOD’S WORD SPECIFICALLY TEACHES ABOUT EMPLOYMENT 

THE WORK ETHIC

WORK IS NORMAL

WORK IS TO PROVIDE FOR FAMILIES

WORK EXISTED BEFORE SIN

Genesis 2:15 ‘to dress it and to keep it’ plus 1:28

2 Thess 3:6-12 - Verse 10 - If a man does not work neither shall he eat

4. PRINCIPLES OF BUSINESS 

Faithfulness and Trustworthiness (Luke 16/Heb 3:2,5/2 Cor 4:2)

Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much... 

Luke 16:11 Who will commit to your trust true riches. 

5. EXAMPLES OF BUSINESS

1 Samuel 25 - Nabal  - a bad example

Matthew 20:1-16 - On keeping your word

Luke 12:15-21  - Greed and forgetting God

Nehemah - Leadership (Nehemiah 4)

Moses - Jethro and Moses on delegation (Exodus 18)

Boaz (Ruth 2)

Ruth 2:4 The way he greets his employees 

Ruth 2:8 He had instructed the young women

Ruth 2:9 He had charged the young men

6. SPECIFIC PASSAGES ABOUT WORK

Ephesians 6:5-8 Employees

Ephesians 6:9 Bosses

Colossians 3:22-25 Employees

Colossians 4:1,2,5,6 Bosses

1 Timothy 6:1-3 Employees & Bosses

Titus 2:9-11 

HOW WE WORK IS A PROOF OF SALVATION

Titus 2:10 Not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.

PURLOINING - 3557. νοσφίζω nosphízō; fut. nosphísō, from nósphi (n.f.), apart, separated. In the NT, only in the mid. nosphízomai, to embezzle, keep back something which belongs to another (Acts 5:2, 3; Titus 2:10; Sept.: Josh. 7:1). Applied by Greek writers to embezzlement of public treasures.

Syn.: kléptō (G2813), to steal; aposteréō (G0650), to deprive by fraud.

Ant.: euergetéō (G2109), to do good.

FIDELITY - 4102. πίστις pístis; gen. písteōs, fem. noun from peíthō (G3982), to win over, persuade. Faith. Subjectively meaning firm persuasion, conviction, belief in the truth, veracity, reality or faithfulness (though rare). Objectively meaning that which is believed, doctrine, the received articles of faith.

7. PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

James 4:13-17 If The Lord will

1 Timothy 6:10 The love of money

8. USING YOUR WEALTH

1 Timothy 6:6-8  Be content 

1 Timothy 6:9  Beware

1 Timothy 6:17  Trust God not wealth 

1 Timothy 6:18  Use your wealth for others 

1 Timothy 6:19  Invest in the future

Our visit to The Hague

Since Thursday afternoon I have been in Holland. My son and I joined four other guys for a two night trip to The Hague in the Netherlands. It has been a great few days. We visited a number of places in the city, took a walking tour, ate lots of food and enjoyed every minute of it. 

Here are some pictures of The Hague. I’ll be back blogging next week. Until then have a good weekend. 

Take a trip to www.seekthetruth.org.uk and watch a video message or listen to something this weekend. 

Last Day in Ukraine - Kiev

This is our last day in Ukraine: for this trip! We travelled to Kiev on Monday leaving Lutsk at 0521 and arrived at around 1200. The journey was uneventful mainly because I slept for ma lot of it. 

We went out to McD’s for a bite of lunch and then booked into our rooms at 1400. The room was lovely but we had to request a change of room as workmen were drilling through the wall next door and we were told they wouldn’t be finished until 1700. We couldn’t doze or work with the racket so we moved.