Summer is a great time to listen to some new music. On holiday me and my friends make each other CDs to listen to on the long journey, and it's a great time to get into some new tunes. Of course with Spotify, YouTube etc now available exploring new bands and artists is a lot easier.
Anyway here are some of my favourite tracks I'll be enjoying over the summer:
The Drums- Let's Go Surfing
Eliza Doolittle- Pack Up
Yolanda Be Cool & D Cup- We No Speak Americano
Plus a great song i heard at the Lion King Musical the other day- (great show by the way- sorry of you hate musicals!)
Poor old rubbish England. Nevermind... I continue with a countdown of my Top 10 Best World Cup Moments:
1. 1966 World Cup Final
Surely, from an English perspective, the best ever moment of the World Cup... well until four years time anyway!
2. BBC Best Goals of the World Cup
Basically filling in time before we get to the number one spot, this video includes some goals I haven't yet!
3. Michael Owen's Goal against Argentina
A brilliant goal from France '98.
4. 1990 Semi-Final- England v West Germany
This would have come higher up my top ten as certainly the best moment of the World Cup in my living memory, but I thought with Sunday's game looming it was best to show this now, rather than later.
I remember being emotionally shell-shocked for days after this and also started supporting Spurs from that moment on due to Gazza and Gary Lineker both playing for them!
5. Bergkamp goal
An amazing goal from Dennis Bergkamp in France '98.
6. 1986 Quarter Final
It was England v Argentina and within the game came two of the most famous moments in World Cup history
Maradona's "Hand of God" putting England 1-0 down.
Then one of the best individual goals of all time, again by Diego Maradona.
The thing is, after a deliberate handball should he have been on the pitch anymore?
Gary Lineker pulled one back but England were unable to equalise and were out of the tournament.
7. Hilarious and Ludicrous
In the 2002 World Cup Rivaldo did this...
So awful it's quite funny.
8. Red Cards
From the sublime to the ridiculous Beckham and Rooney's red cards aren't exactly good moments from the World Cup- but will certainly live long in the memory.
In 1998 Beckham sees red.
In 2006 so does Rooney. Please don't do it again!
9. Beckham Free kicks
Beckham scores to see us qualify for the 2002 World Cup finals.
Beckham scores again to get us through the last 16 stage of the 2006 World Cup
10. Amazing Cameroon Miss-Tackle
Brilliant that his boot flies off!
For more info on the World Cup see the brilliant BBC website here, and also Luke Davydaitis' Blog here where he is doing analysis of every game in five words, and also has included a few world cup songs!
Tonight at youth there's a great opportunity to ask any question you want about sex and relationships. Text the above number anonymously and see you there!
Psalm 100 (as well as many other places) tells us that we are His. We are God's. We are His people, His sheep, His Children.
It occurred to me that being His has some pretty awesome implications:
We are loved, cared for, safe, valued, secure and cherished. We have identity, authority, hope, access and worth. We belong. We're not isolated, separated or rejected. We are His.
The person to whom you belong has exclusive rights over you. To do with you whatever they so please. Praise God that His will for us is the best for us too.
1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 reminds us that we are not our own- we have been bought at a price. This should change our whole approach from living for me, to living for Him.
Many of you will have exams in the next few weeks so here are a few basic tips from our exam prep night:
- Spend time with God
- Rest
- Eat well
- Get Exercise
- De-stress
Here are a few great Bible verse to remember through this busy time,
Colossians 3:23-24 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him”
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
1 John 3:1 “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”
Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7 “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
Often in crisis human beings turn away from God, but that’s not the way to do it! MAKE TIME just to be quiet/loud with God, and take him with you into your exams!
My 6 points will be that baptism in the Holy Spirit is:
1. for Everyone
2. Extra to conversion
3. Experiential
4. Evident
5. Everyday
6. leads to Evangelism
As a fun way to make point three I'm showing four of my favourite adverts ever, as you can see below.
If God's there by His Spirit- which He has promised he always is- it should be an awesome morning. By early next week you'll be able to listen to the preach here.
It seems like the whole world has come to a standstill because of one volcano. The vast plumes of ash, and the molten lava spewing out are massive images that cameras struggle to reproduce. Yet when we worship Jesus, thinking of all this can help us:
These eruptions are just a fraction of God's power. They're a tiny glimpse of it. Just His voice sent billions of stars spinning into space! That same power is able to go to work through you too!
The effect of His truth can travel far beyond, and settle on loads more people than this cloud of ash.
God lasts forever- this volcano will run out... one day!
His fire can flow into and touch our hearts, changing us and giving us strength to serve Him.
By His will alone, all things live and move and have their being- including planes.
God can erupt, by his Spirit, wherever and whenever He wants. Are you ready and waiting for that in your life?
One day this world will all come to an end- involving what the Bible seems to suggest as a lot of earthquakes and volcanoes. Jesus told us to be ready. Are you?
Let every lake of lava, let every cloud of ash, let every disruption, and every image remind you that the God who made this volcano is the same God who is living in your heart, answering you when you pray and wanting to build His Church and advance His kingdom for His Glory! Do it Lord.
Have you guys been doing anything apart from sleep over the easter holidays? Personally i've been trying to learn somthing, after the weather picked up enough i've been slacklining quite a bit. Really good to try and learn somthing new and actually do somthing a bit more productive than staying in bed for weeks on end :P This is a lil vid of somone a lot better than me :)
