From System Comic
Month: November 2013
Reflection on Luke 23:36-43
Scripture
And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Observation
Jesus is led away to be crucified.
A man called Simon is forced to carry the cross for Jesus. A large crowd follows, including many grieving women. Jesus turns to them and tells them not to weep for Him, but for themselves, for times of awful suffering are coming.
Two other men are crucified with Jesus.
Jesus calls out “Father forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
The crowds watch. The leaders scoff. The soldiers mock.
One of the criminals with Jesus asks Jesus to remember him when He comes into His Kingdom. Jesus assures him, that he will be in paradise that very day.
Application
Jesus is a King unlike any other.
The Kings of this earth lord it over their subjects, but Jesus dies for His.
The Kings of this earth try to make it seem like their people have never had it better, but Jesus promises something far better than we can imagine.
The Kings of this earth kill their rebels, but Jesus raises them to new life.
Prayer
King Jesus this day I commit myself to following you wherever you lead me. Whether it is a cross or a crown that you call me to take up, I will do it for your glory. Amen.
“97% of all scientists”
A survey of American Meteorologists discovered that when you actually ask people what they think about the cause of climate change (as opposed to getting a bunch of activists to rank a bunch of scientific papers and guess the thoughts of the authors), the number of climate scientists who actually believe that climate change is caused by humans is not 97% but only 52%.
From wattsupwiththat.com
The 97% consensus myth – busted by a real survey
Posted on November 20, 2013 by Anthony Watts
We’ve all been subjected to the incessant “97% of scientists agree …global warming…blah blah” meme, which is nothing more than another statistical fabrication by John Cook and his collection of “anything for the cause” zealots. As has been previously pointed out on WUWT, when you look at the methodology used to reach that number, the veracity of the result falls apart, badly. You see, it turns out that Cook simply employed his band of “Skeptical Science” (SkS) eco-zealots to rate papers, rather than letting all authors of the papers rate their own work (Note: many authors weren’t even contacted and their papers wrongly rated, see here). The result was that the “97% consensus” was a survey of the SkS raters beliefs and interpretations, rather than a survey of the authors opinions of their own science abstracts. Essentially it was pal-review by an activist group with a strong bias towards a particular outcome as demonstrated by the name “the consensus project”.
In short, it was a lie of omission enabled by a “pea and thimble” switch Steve McIntyre so often points out about climate science.
Most people who read the headlines touted by the unquestioning press had no idea that this was a collection of Skeptical Science raters opinions rather than the authors assessment of their own work. Readers of news stories had no idea they’d been lied to by John Cook et al².
So, while we’ll be fighting this lie for years, one very important bit of truth has emerged that will help put it into its proper place of propaganda, rather than science. A recent real survey conducted of American Meteorological Society members has blown Cook’s propaganda paper right out of the water.
REad the rest of the article here
Reflection on Colosssians 1:11-20
Scripture
He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
Observation
Paul prays for the Colossians to be filled with strength to endure, with joy and thanksgiving to the Father who enables us to share in the inheritance of His people. The Father has transferred us from the kingdom of darkness and into the Kingdom of Christ who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
Christ is the image of God and, like God is eternal. He is the one who created all things and holds all things together. Everything exists for Christ, including the church, His body.
Application
We have been set free from our sins by Christ. We were once in bondage to the kingdom of darkness, but Christ has set us free.
We need to understand this deeply. People sin because they feel they have no choice. People labour under feelings of guilt because they fail to appreciate the depths of God’s grace.
Christ has set us free from all of this.
Let us rejoice in His goodness to us and be thankful to our heavenly Father.
Prayer
Thank you Jesus for setting me free. Through your death my sin has been forgiven and I am now a child of the kingdom of light. Amen
Related articles
- Colossians 1:15-20 – The Supremacy of Christ (readingacts.wordpress.com)
- Jesus the Exalted King (altruistico.wordpress.com)
So sad…
Cycling in Narrabri- if the magpies don’t get to you, the burrs will 😦
Rode to Bohena Creek this morning then discovered the rear tyre was a little soft.
Meanwhile in the real world
While the Labor Party and the Greens hang desperately to the dream of emissions trading as the cure for climate change, and they keep spreading the lie that the rest of the world is moving that way, in the real world things are very different.
Jo Nova, Australian scientist, has long advocated the maim “follow the money” when looking at the climate change advocates. Now the money is leaving the room.
London Bankers abandon trading — 70% of jobs gone: “it’s over” says Executive
At least someone once thought London was the home of carbon finance. Now, not so much. According to the Financial Times, JP Morgan has scaled down their carbon trading team, Morgan Stanley traders are now “part time”, Barclays sold theirs last year, Deutsche Bank closed the office, and UBS shut its climate change advisory panel. Then there is a slew of smaller fish, EcoSecurities, Camco Clean Energy, Nedbank, Sindacatum, and TFS Green.
[Financial Times] At least 10 London banks have scaled back or closed their carbon trading desks amid turmoil in the European emissions trading scheme.
The fledgling market was once seen as a promising growth area, with the City of London Corporation predicting in 2006 that London would become the leading provider of services to the “mushrooming” sector.
But the number of City workers employed on carbon desks has fallen by 70 per cent in the past four years, according to Anthony Hobley, president of the Climate Markets & Investors Association.
Things are dire:
“…as a stand alone business it is basically over,” said an executive who oversees European energy trading at one large bank.
Read the full story here (Paywall)
The State of the EU market is so sick the World Bank canceled the report.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the money is leaving the room…
Reflection on Luke 1:68-79
Lord you sent a Saviour
A Redeemer for your people
The promised one Jesus
He is our Lord
The King of all Kings
The light for the World
And path to God.
Reflection on Jeremiah 23:1-6
Scripture
“What sorrow awaits the leaders of my people- the shepherds of my sheep- for they have destroyed and scattered the very ones they were expected to care for,” says the Lord.
Observation
The Lord proclaims judgement for the leaders of Judah- the kings and priests who were supposed to look out for the safety of their people but through their disobedience to the Lord actually destroyed the people.
The leaders will receive judgement, but the Lord Himself will gather together the sheep of his flock from all over the world. He will appoint responsible shepherds who will protect the Lord’s sheep.
The Lord will send a righteous King who will rule with justice and wisdom and bring safety to his people.
Application
God takes seriously the responsibilities of those who are in leadership whether political or religious leadership.
Those of us who are called to serve in this way should approach our task with solemnity. It is so easy to lead people away from the Lord rather than towards Him. We can do this through our silly words, inconsistent actions and loveless attitudes.
Jesus is our true King. As leaders we need to copy closely Hid perfect example.
Prayer
Lord make me like you. May everything I say and do reflect who you are. Amen.
Victoria Boyson: Partnering with the Holy Spirit Changes Everything!
Partnering with the Holy Spirit Changes Everything!
“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27
Saturated with jealousy, satan has been consumed by his lust for power. God created humans and chose to give them a free will. Satan continually, without rest, pushes to steal that free will away from God’s creation. He will stop at nothing to gain power over humanity. Through his unquenchable thirst for power, he’s ravaged the earth in his war for dominance.
Satan coveted what belonged to God and fell from the exalted position God had given him. He burned with envy then and has not changed his tactics since this war began. He is still emboldened by jealousy – it’s the way he works – he can’t stand for you to have anything God wants to give you.
While subverting our destiny, satan seeks to align us with his twisted agenda. When we open ourselves up to trying to control others, we allow the enemy to use us. The strongholds of evil that we allow to have place in us can so easily beset us from the plans and purposes of God. So, like the generations before us, we must wage war for the control of our own hearts.
Read the full article here
Related articles
- Partnering With The Holy Spirit Changes Everything! (lumatha.wordpress.com)
- I needed power (viktoriaveigas.wordpress.com)
- Anointing in the Holy Spirit (loopyloo305.com)
- Holy Spirit (achristianmeditation.wordpress.com)
- One of Satan’s Greatest Tools (ccalachua.wordpress.com)
Today’s Sermon
The sermon for November 17th 2013 is now available on the New Life web-site.
In this sermon, which is based on Luke 2:40-52, I talk about growing in favour with God.
Click here to listen.
New Life Narrabri 