Stuff Michael Meeks is doing
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This is my (in)activity log. You might like to visit
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- Up early, off to Church, there was a children's
singing and acting something or other. They got a standing
ovation [ whilst the ( actualy extremley good ) Bach Offertory
didn't - doh. Studied
Daniel 6. I'd never noticed that if he had just not prayed
for 30 days, he could have got away with it. I also didn't know
that
prayer towards Jerusalem was not just random wierdness and
superstition but obediance.
- Bagel for lunch, back to the office. Sat around and
talked to Daemon and Chris, more lunch at the Steak House.
- Big argument with Miguel over the war on drugs, felt
rotten, late for the evening service.
- Excellent sermon on Miracles by Gordon. Lots of points.
- Miracles are miraculous, "Expect a Miracle" is
an oxymoron, they don't happen often by definition.
- Text
Acts 3 - the healing of the cripple from Birth who hadn't walked for
40 years
- Notable, is that the miracle is undeniable,
it is not something you have to 'percieve' by faith, or to claim
or whatever - the only suprising question is "How did you do it ?"
another person saved by
faith
- Indeed, this was a obvious quality job, complete
recovery, not just walking but
jumping and praising God.
- It appears there are seasons of Miracles in
scripture, they come in droves, and then nothing. Miracles, or
"signs and wonders" as they are commonly called, usualy acompany
God's redemptive work in history. Eg.
Moses and the deliverance from Egypt. But then Gideon is wondering
where all the signs and
wonders are ? and he God delivers Israel through him. Again,
Daniel after being rescued from the Lion's den,
prayed for his people's redemption, and was instantly answered.
- Some confuse themselfs with
Mark 11:24, into thinking that some kind of self delusion is
neccessary to be healed. And indeed the text is problematic, however -
if viewed from the angle of non measurables such as God's forgiveness
(cf. verse.
25 ) it makes total sense to believe you have received it and move on.
- Of course, the pinacle of redemptive history
being Christ, and the smorgasboard of miracles that were performed both
in
Quantity and
Quality.
- The Saducees are like today's rationalists, they
accepted a Hellenized faith, they thought Miracles had happened in the
past, but didn't happen today - and they didn't belive in the
resurrection or personal supernatural beings Jesus
told them, they were in error because they knew neither the Scriptures
nor the power of God.
- It sounds another oxymoron, but scripture suggests
a distinction between ordinary and
extra-ordinary miracles. Indeed, these extraordinary miracles
were proof of
apostleship - exceptional, since there were plenty of miracles in the
Corinthian church. Again, in the early church Tertulian says they had
plenty of miracles: healings, exorcisms, prophecy - but no ressurections
since the apostles.
- But some misunderstand the
John 14:12 text to mean that we should all be performing miracles,
and we should - but what is the miracle ? is it 'Greater' than Jesus' ?
if so - we should be providing wine for umpteen weddings ? we should be
feeding the 3rd world miraculously ? but not even the apostles did
greater miracles - true, Paul resurrected a guy - but he was only dead
a minute - not
4 days - and with a bad smell. So perhaps the real miracles in
spiritual terms are those Jesus talks about in
Mark 2, the gospel of forgiveness and new life.
- God can do anything, and choses to do in his own
time - as the end of time draws near we should expect heavy duty,
exceptional miracles. But we should not be confusing reports of the
miracles of today, with those of scripture which when they came were
unarguably awesome and un-deniable.
- Finaly, our approach should be that of
Daniel 3:16-18
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O
Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this
matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve
is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O
king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we
will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set
up."
- Back to the office, apologised to Miguel, and bed.
My content in this blog and associated images / data under
images/ and data/ directories are (usually)
created by me and (unless obviously labelled otherwise) are licensed under
the public domain, and/or if that doesn't float your boat a CC0
license. I encourage linking back (of course) to help people decide for
themselves, in context, in the battle for ideas, and I love fixes /
improvements / corrections by private mail.
In case it's not painfully obvious: the reflections reflected here are my
own; mine, all mine ! and don't reflect the views of Collabora, SUSE,
Novell, The Document Foundation, Spaghetti Hurlers (International),
or anyone else.
It's also important to realise that I'm not in on the Swedish Conspiracy.
Occasionally people ask for formal photos for conferences
or fun.
Michael Meeks (michael.meeks@collabora.com)
