Resources
As an additional feature to the
LASERcyg website, we’ve decided to include a few articles and extracts from
books that we’ve found useful. New material will added from time to time, God
willing. Let us know if you’d like something on a particular topic.
Please send
any comments on this material to lasercyg@yahoo.co.uk
Twenty Facts Seldom Taught to Students (Creation or Evolution?)
Getting into Shape – A Personal Action Plan
Redeeming the Time – A ‘How to’ Guide
University – My First Fortnight
A SUMMARY OF BIBLE DOCTRINES
1. The Gospel
This is the Good News of the Kingdom of God which is to be set up on the earth. This message is to be found in the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Genesis
22:17,18; Matthew 4:23
2. The Bible is the Word of God
The 40 writers
of the 66 books were inspired by God.
Psalm 68:11; 2 Peter 1:21
3. God was the Creator of the world
Everything on
the earth was made by God for the benefit of the human race, with the intention
that the earth would be filled with His glory. Jesus Christ is the centre of
God's purpose.
Genesis 1:1; Numbers 14:21; Psalm 103:8-11; Isaiah 45: 18
4. Jesus will come back to the earth
He came nearly
2000 years ago to preach the Gospel and to give his life as the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world". He is now in heaven, but he will return, as the King of the
earth.
Matthew 25:31-34; Acts 1:10-11; Acts 3:20,21; Revelation 22:20
5. The return of Jesus is very near
Bible prophecy
is being fulfilled and there are many signs today that the coming of Jesus is
near. For example: the Jews and the State of Israel; immorality; terrorism;
hunger; plagues and earthquakes.
Luke 21:10-11; Luke 21:24-33; 2 Timothy 3:1-5
6. The Kingdom of God will be on the earth
This is the
central message of the Bible. The Kingdom we pray for in the "Lord's Prayer"
will have its centre in Jerusalem in Israel, where Jesus will reign for 1000
years over the nations at peace. After that, there will be no more sin and
death.
Isaiah 25:23; Jeremiah 3:17; Micah 4:1-8; Revelation 11:15
7. God made Promises to Abraham
Abraham,
because of his faithful obedience to God, was promised that he and his family
(the Jews) would possess the land of Israel and that one of his descendants
(Jesus) would be king of the world.
Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 15:5-6; Genesis 22:15-18; Galatians 3:8,16,29
8. The Jews are God's People
They were to
be witnesses to God's existence and power. But they disobeyed and so were
scattered allover the earth. The Bible foretold that in "the last days" they would return to the land of Israel.
Isaiah 11:11,12; Isaiah 44:8; Ezekiel 37:21,22; Romans 9:3-5
9. Jerusalem will be the centre of the earth
Jesus was a
Jew. Many of the descendants of the Jews who crucified Jesus will accept him as
their Messiah. Jerusalem will be the capital of the Kingdom of God and Israel
will be "the head of the
nations". Travellers from every country will visit Jerusalem to
worship.
Jeremiah 3:17; Micah 4:1,2; Zechariah 14:16; Matthew 5:34-35
10. God made Promises to David
King David was
told that he would have a descendant who would sit on his throne for ever. This
was a prophecy about Jesus.
2 Samuel 7:12-16; Luke 1:30-33
11. Jesus is the Son of God
He was born by
the operation of the Holy Spirit on his mother Mary. In this way he was both "Son of God" and "Son of man". Jesus always
spoke of his Father (God) as being "greater
than I". There is nothing in the Bible to suggest that Jesus was God.
Matthew 1:20-25; John 14:28; Romans 1:3,4; Galatians 4:4
12. Jesus lived a sinless life
Although he
was human, Jesus was the Son of God, and therefore able to overcome all
temptations and he lived a perfect life. He set an example for all his
followers.
Isaiah 53:5,12; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22
13. Jesus died on the cross for us
He had to die, like all men, because he was a descendant of Adam. But because he was without sin he was a perfect sacrifice (the "Lamb of God") in his death. Because of this he is able to take away the sins of those who die with him in baptism.
John 1:29; John 3:16; Galatians 1:4
14. Jesus was raised from the grave
Because he did
no sin "the grave could not hold
him". God was right to bring the only righteous man back to life. The
Lord Jesus Christ was the "firstfruits"
– the guarantee that those who are "in
Christ" will rise from the dead at his return.
Acts 2:24; Acts 17:31; 1 Corinthians 15:22-23
15. The Holy Spirit is the power of God
God's power is evident in all of His creation. When God uses His Spirit for special purposes it is called "the Holy Spirit". The Holy Spirit cannot act separately from God; it has no separate existence, but is simply God's power.
Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke
1:35; Acts 10:38; 2 Peter 1:21
16. The wages of sin is death
Death is the
punishment for sin in the human race. Since Adam was disobedient in the
beginning, all have sinned (except Jesus) and so all have died. All men and
women will perish in the grave unless they know the purpose of God, and respond
to the gospel.
Genesis 3:17-19; Romans 5:12; Romans 6:23
17. The gift of God is eternal life
We cannot earn
eternal life. But God, in His love, has promised to give it to those who
believe His Word, trust in the Lord Jesus and strive to do His will.
John 17:1-3; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 5:15; Romans 6:23
18. There will be a resurrection of the dead
But not everyone
will be raised. Jesus will bring out of the graves those who have had an
opportunity to respond to the Gospel message of salvation.
John 5:28,29; 1 Corinthians 15:12-19; 2 Timothy 4:1
19. There will be a Judgement
Those who have
understood the call of the Gospel must stand before the King at his return to
the earth, either to be punished by final death or to be rewarded with
everlasting life. There will also be stern judgements on the people of the
earth who will oppose Jesus at his return.
Daniel 12:1-2; John 5:28-29; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9
20. Living for ever
Those who are
granted eternal life will have the privilege of serving the Lord Jesus on the
earth and, under him, will rule the mortal people. The mortals will eventually
die and be raised again for judgement at the end of the 1000 years; but the
"saints" will enjoy perfect health and happiness while they preach "the everlasting Gospel" and
make the earth a wonderful place to live in.
Psalm 37:9-11,22; Daniel 7:27; Revelation 20:4-7
21. The Angels are God's messengers
God made the
angels to be His servants for ever. They never die and they carry out God's
instructions in the universe. They also watch over those on earth who are
called by God to be His "saints".
Exodus 23:20-21; Psalm 103:20; Hebrews 1:13, 14
22. The Devil and Satan
In the Bible
the "devil" describes the power of sin which is in all men and women.
Those who oppose the will of God are sometimes called "satan". There
is nothing in the Bible about an evil angel or god, outside of a person, which
tempts them to sin.
Matthew 16:23; John 8:44; Acts 10:38; James 1:14
23. We must all repent
God requires
that we recognise our sins, are sorry for them, and try to live differently in
the future. We cannot hope for salvation unless we do this. Repentance means a
whole new way of life, following Jesus.
Psalm 51:1-10; Matthew 4:17; Luke 13:1-5; Acts 3:19
24. Adult baptism in water
This is
absolutely essential, but we have to understand and believe the teachings of
the Bible and the commandments of Jesus before
we can be baptised. Baptism is a symbol of dying with Christ for our sins and
rising again to a new life.
Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38
25. Christians do not fight
A follower of Christ cannot use force nor join in military service or the police force. He must "love his enemies" as well as his friends.
Matthew 26:52; Luke 6:27-29; Luke 22:25; Romans 13:1-2
26. Christian marriage
The Bible is
very clear that God intended a man to have only one wife, and for the couple to
bring up a Godly family. In accordance with this ideal a Christian should not
seek divorce, nor indulge in polygamy.
Genesis 2:21-24; Matthew 19:3-6; Hebrews 13:4
27. Our duty to the State
Christians
obey all the laws of their country, unless they conflict with the laws of God.
Because they are citizens of the Kingdom of God they cannot give their time and
energy to the politics of any worldly government. It could be that we might
find that we were fighting against God.
Matthew 22:21; Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:17
28. Christians can pray for forgiveness of their sins
This is one of
the privileges of being "in
Christ" (that is, baptised). The Lord Jesus is in heaven, acting as a
Priest for his followers and asking God to forgive their weaknesses.
Philippians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:24-26; 1 John 1:9
29. Daily Bible reading is necessary
Bible reading
is like taking daily food. God talks to us through His Word. We learn from the
examples of the Scriptures and there are passages to suit all our problems and
needs.
Psalm 119:89-112; Acts 17:11-12; 2 Timothy 3:16-17
30. Communion with the death of Jesus
True
Christians remember the death of Jesus by "breaking bread" and
"drinking wine" every week, as Jesus instructed at the Last Supper.
This memorial includes the promise that the disciples of Jesus will share meals
with him in the Kingdom of God.
Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28
31. True fellowship
This is
something that can only be shared by those who believe and practise the same
true Bible doctrines as taught by the Lord and his followers in the first
century. Christadelphians have a wonderful fellowship with thousands of
brothers and
sisters in many lands across the world.
John 17:16-18; Acts 2:41-42; Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 John 1:3-7
32. The call of the Gospel
God is calling
people from all nations, to follow Jesus and to prepare for his coming Kingdom.
Matthew 16:24-26; Acts 15:14; 1 Corinthians 1:26-27; Galatians 3:27-29
Will you respond
to this call?
reproduced from the Christadelphian Bible Postal Course, by permission of the Christadelphian Bible Mission
TWENTY
SCIENTIFIC FACTS SELDOM TAUGHT TO STUDENTS
1.
The origin of life
is unknown to science. The Law of Biogenesis observes that life only comes from
life. Louis Pasteur proved scientifically that life does not come from
non-life, a fact that is the basis of the food-canning industry to this day.
2.
Natural
selection, the supposed basis of evolution, can only select from existing
characteristics and does not produce new genetic material.
3.
Mutations,
said to be the source of new genetic material, are harmful to life and often
lethal. Deliberately induced mutations in over 3,000 consecutive generations of
fruit flies have failed to produce a better fruit fly, or to increase its
viability.
4.
As Charles
Darwin admitted, there is no actual evidence of any species having developed
into another species.
5.
Acquired
characteristics cannot be inherited – a one-armed man will not have one-armed
children, as Lamarck’s theory falsely assumed in order to account for
evolution.
6.
The variations
within species are all explicable by Mendel’s law of genetics, and variations
are limited.
7.
All known
species (several million) appear fully developed with all vital organs fully
operational. There are no part-formed eyes, half-developed intestines or
evolving feathers.
8.
Each human brain
contains about 100,000 billion electrical connections (more than can be found
in all the world’s electrical appliances), a complexity that could not possibly
have been produced by chance.
9.
Many animals
possess sophisticated equipment that science has been unable to replicate: the
sonar of whales and dolphins, the electro-detection system of the platypus, the
navigation system of many birds, and the amazing self repair system of most
forms of life. Such sophisticated facilities require a super-intelligence to
install.
10.
While
single-celled creatures are numerous, there are none with 2, 3, 4 or even 20
cells. Thus there is no evolutionary sequence from single-celled to
multi-celled creatures.
11.
The genetic
code in every form of life is a precise set of information for the development
and activity of that form of life, accompanied by elaborate transmission and
duplication systems, without which life would cease. This complexity cannot be
accounted for by chance, but testifies to intelligent design in every form of
life.
12.
The genetic
information encoded in each cell of DNA, if written out in detail, would
require as many as 4,000 large volumes of closely printed text. This is no
accident of nature.
13.
The DNA helix
in each cell requires twenty proteins for its structure. These specific
proteins can only be produced under the direction of the information in the
DNA; therefore the whole system must have been formed complete from the
beginning of life.
14.
Amino acids
formed synthetically are either right-handed or left-handed. The amino acids in
all forms of life are all left-handed, without exception, clear evidence of
intelligent selection and design.
15.
Symbiosis, the
interdependence of two forms of life, such as the fig tree and the fig gall
wasp, the yucca plant and Pronuba moth, pollen plants and the bee, each
dependent for life upon the other, must have been formed complete at the same
time.
16.
Fossils are
the evidence of extinctions, not of new forms of life. Their condition is
evidence of very rapid burial, while many polystrate fossils indicate that
several strata were laid rapidly round the upright fossil.
17.
At the base of
the fossil record there is evidence of many highly complex creatures, but no
evidence of an evolutionary sequence.
18.
The so called
‘missing-link’ between one form of life and another requires many millions of
missing links if a slow evolutionary process did actually take place. All are
missing.
19.
Most dinosaurs
are known only by their tracks impressed on mud that turned to stone. In
Russia, horse-hoof tracks and human footprints have been found alongside
dinosaur tracks, contrary to the evolutionary scenario.
20.
Language studies have revealed that
ancient languages were far more complex than modern languages in their form,
syntax, cases, genders and tenses. Of the thirty-six known cases of feral
children, reared without contact, it is evident that language is not inherent
but is learned from other humans. Language did not evolve but was an endowment
from creation.
From “Creation, Evolution & Science” by John V.
Collyer. Reproduced by permission of the Testimony magazine committee – www.testimony-magazine.org
GETTING INTO SHAPE – A Personal Action Plan
If there is
one thing more than another which a young Christadelphian needs, it is to take
a good look at himself and decide what sort of Christadelphian he is and what
sort he would like to be.
There is
planning enough when it comes to deciding what exams to pass and what career to
shape, and even what girl to marry. But there are few outstanding examples of
lives that are tailored to the service of Christ.
The reasons
for this sorry discrepancy are easy to trace. But it is more important right
now to decide on positive measures. Here, then, brief and to the point, are
some down-to-earth suggestions of the kind I should have liked to have had
thrown at me when I was somewhere about 18 or 22:
1. Take a straight honest look at your own
character and way of life. What habit is there in it which, in your better
moments, you have the grace to be ashamed of? Axe it forthwith, and tell your
friends and family that you have done so. In this way you have the moral
support of their knowing what you are at. If, peradventure, you are unsure just
which eye to pluck out or which hand to chop off, ask your parents - they'll
know, for certain.
2. Next, take a good look at your friends, one by one. Ask yourself which of these are a good wholesome influence on your life, and just what it is that makes them so. Ask yourself also which of your good companions are really not so good, setting you the wrong sort of example, encouraging you in spicy but illicit talk, showing you the way to worldliness. Unless these individuals are the sort you can dominate and lead, you would be better without their company altogether, even if they are Christadelphians!
3. Set yourself a good routine. Your
age-group are the most blameworthy time-wasters in all the world. Your physical
and mental talents are at their very best, yet in large measure you choose to
frivol away both, to the glory of nobody. How many hours a week on Bible
reading? How many times a week does good Bible talk come into your conversation
(of course, it may be your parents who are to blame here)? Are you a Sunday
School teacher? If not, whose fault? Are you at Bible Class regularly? – and
because the answer's "No", are you using other people as an excuse?
How campaign-minded are you? Two a year should not be deemed an outrageously ambitious
target. Again, your attitude to the old folk - ever spend time talking to them
after the meeting? ever think of putting in a visit to one of these lonely
souls? Why not once a week?
4. Look ahead. To what extent is the
service of Christ well marked in the blue-print you are working to? Or are the
main features just what they would be if you were in the world and of it? -
college, exams, good job, ladder-climbing, swanky car replacing jalopy, cosy
marriage, svelte home, babies, with increasing affluence and social success
thrown in? Where does the Lord come in all this? Are you determined that more
important than these are your self-training as a student of Scripture and as an
efficient proponent of God's Truth? Does that blue-print of yours include a
firm decision to make some positive act of self-dedication - what about work at
the Christadelphian Home and Hospital or in one of our Homes for the Aged, two
or three fruitful maturing years helping the Bible Mission, or migration from
your ever-so-comfortable ecclesia to one which is small, struggling and
isolated?
This short
survey can ask you pointed questions galore, yet all to no purpose if the valve
of your will happens to be set the wrong way. Do you want to lick yourself into
shape, or would you rather be a flabby worldling, of no use to Christ or to
anybody else?
from ‘Exhorting and Testifying’ by Harry Whittaker.
Reproduced by permission of Biblia Books.
REDEEMING THE TIME - A ‘HOW TO’ GUIDE
Grandma wants
me to mow her lawn - and it hasn't been mowed for a month. My best friend wants
to spend the day with me at the beach - and it's almost the end of summer. My
girlfriend complains that I never spend my Saturdays with her – and she's
probably right. My little brother wants me to spend an hour at the park playing
football with him - and I'm always fobbing him off. My car looks like it
crossed the Sahara yesterday, it's so dirty. I've got a major assignment to
hand in next Friday, and a talk to do at Youth Group that same night. And what
about my job?
H-e-l-p!
Have you ever
felt that kind of pressure? When you feel like you're in the middle of
everybody's tug-of-war, being pulled this way and that. And then what about
those personal, but highly important spiritual activities, like Bible reading
and meditation, and prayer? Are they just quietly dropped, in desperation?
All of us fill
many different roles in life: all of them are legitimate: and all of them
demand time and energy from us. Think about it: we are first and foremost
children of God, and time must be spent on building and maintaining our
relationship with Him. But we are also children of parents, family members,
relatives, friends, neighbours, owners of assets, members both of a religious
body and of a local ecclesia, members of a youth group, employees, students. .
. and the list could be extended. And only so much time to go round. No wonder
life gets complicated at times!
And, date
unknown, but looming ever nearer, there's the Deadline to end all
deadlines: the
return of Jesus Christ. "He has
appointed a day in the which He will judge the world," Paul warned the
Athenians (Acts 17:30-31). "Now is
our salvation nearer than when we believed," wrote Paul to the Romans.
. . in AD 60 or thereabouts (Rom 13:11-12). What would he say now?! "Surely I come quickly," the
Lord warned (Rev 22:12,20). Then how important is it for us to "redeem the time, because the days are
[more] evil [than ever]"? (Eph 5:15-17).
Scripture is
full of examples of men and women who did exactly that. Always busy about the
Lord's work, their lives are a record of diligence, conscientious hard work,
and spiritual achievement. I only need to mention their names, and you know
what I mean: Joseph, Moses, Samuel, David, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Josiah,
Daniel, Nehemiah, Stephen, Paul, Tabitha, Priscilla and Aquila, Timothy…Jesus.
While none of them had heard of electronic organisers, they all knew what was
truly important in life, and occupied themselves wholeheartedly with God's
work.
Understanding
and appreciating the grace of God, they filled every hour with
praise and
good works. There is nothing to stop us being exactly the same. But several
things are needed: heartfelt and frequent prayer; regular Bible reading; a
tremendous awareness of God; sensitivity to His law and thankfulness for His
grace; and a willingness to be organised and diligent in His service.
Enter time
management. More than watching the clock, time management is a
simpIe system
for balancing the many different demands of life, determining what is
important, and doing the most we can in the limited time we have.
If you manage
your time well,
·
you know where
you're going;
·
you can aim
for excellence;
·
you get things
done;
·
you have time for
God, people and the important things of life;
·
you are in a
position to contribute in many valuable ways to the spiritual health of the
body of Christ; and
·
you experience
the peace that comes from knowing you are doing your best to serve the Lord as
he wishes to be served.
If you manage
your time poorly,
·
you are
worried, anxious and stressed;
·
you are
probably causing considerable worry, anxiety and stress for those around you;
·
you are
getting a reputation for being unreliable;
·
you have less
time for God, people and the important things of life;
·
you are not
serving others around you as well as you could; and
·
you repeatedly
miss deadlines, and you are beginning to litter your life with
unfinished work and half-completed projects.
Any questions
about the value of time management?
Organising
your time requires some self-discipline, but it is not one of the
mysteries of
science. There are 7 simple steps:
1. Spend time to reflect on the state of
your life and focus on what is important.
2. Set goals - the ultimate things to aim
for.
3. Work out what you need to do to reach
those goals.
4. Determine what is important in helping
you to reach those goals - set priorities.
5. Plan your use of time.
6. Use your time well.
7. Be flexible, allowing God room to move
in your life.
The next few
paragraphs put some meat on this skeleton, but the process really is a simple
one. In all of it, it is important not to become so enamoured with the system
as to lose sight of the fact that it is a means to an end: the greater glory of
God, the greater welfare of others around us, and greater achievement and
satisfaction for ourselves - in that order.
1. Reflect
/ focus
Too rarely we
spend quiet time to think about where our life is at, and where we are going.
Our lives are very full and busy, and there's always pressure to keep moving,
rather than sit down and think. For the same reasons, prayer, Bible reading,
meditation and study are easily squeezed out. Time spent thinking is not time
wasted - it is time invested in a more God-glorifying, people-benefiting,
personally satisfying life.
Find a quiet
place - in your bedroom, in a park. Take a pen and paper, and write down what
you think are the different roles you play in life.
When you have
done this, begin to write down the things you must do to be
successful.
For example, you are a friend. To be a good friend, you need to:
·
be loyal.
·
spend time
together.
·
share
difficulties and triumphs.
·
ask for help
without embarrassment, and give help without grudging.
·
discuss the
Word of God together.
·
show your
affection and care in tangible ways.
There may be
other things you can add, but these are probably the most
important
things. Make your own list.
When you have
spent some time thinking alone, you will benefit from discussing your thoughts with
a friend you trust.
2. Set
goals
Without a
clear vision of where we are going, how will we know what direction to head, or
what to do to get there? For all of us the major goal is a place in the Kingdom
of God. Whatever the world's standards of success might be, God has only one.
At the end of the day, you are either in or out. Therefore, Goal One ought to
be, 'A place, however humble, in the Kingdom of God'. Under this goal there may
be other legitimate goals that we set for ourselves, to do with ways in which
we might serve God, relationships, work and recreation. Your goals will change
over time, but make a list now of what your goals are at the moment.
3. Set objectives
Popular wisdom
recognizes that it is easy to set big goals, but very hard to achieve them.
Hence proverbs which advise taking things one step at a time. 'A journey of a
thousand miles begins with a single step'. Time management courses sometimes
use the analogy of eating an elephant. This rather daunting task could be
accomplished by any person - provided they were prepared to eat one elephant
steak a day.
Objectives are
the practical steps required in order to reach the goals set. At the start of
every year is a good time to refocus on our goals. Then we can set objectives
for the year - what we intend to that year toward reaching our goals. Yearly
objectives can be broken down further into monthly objectives, and monthly
objectives can become daily action plans.
Objectives
should be realistic, but they should also be challenging. You never
know how much
you can do until you have stretched yourself. Objectives should be specific,
and set by reference to specific timeframes. Objectives should also be in
writing. This will help to keep you focused on putting in the time and energy
necessary to reach them.
An example
might be the personal quality of holiness. How can you develop this critical
quality? This is a difficult task, but there are some things you can do to
begin the process:
1. Do some research to find out what the
Bible means by holiness.
2. Read chapter 11 of Brother Dennis
Gillett's The Genius of Discipleship, which deals with this subject.
3. Begin to include in your prayers a
request that God will help you to become holy in mind and body.
4. Rid your life of anything that makes
holiness harder - habits, places, books, magazines, music, bad company.
5. Raise the problem with your friends,
talk about ways to deal with it, and help each other to implement them.
6. Think about what it is that attacks
your holiness, then find a positive strategy for going in the opposite
direction (just as Paul advised the Ephesians that thanksgiving is an antidote
for dirty jokes and unclean talk).
These are all
short or long-term objectives for reaching that important goal, and the same
process can be applied to the other goals you have.
4. Set priorities
The next step
in organising your time is setting priorities. Have a look at the time
management diagram below, and ask yourself in which quadrant you spend most of
your time. Most people will honestly admit that they spend the majority of
their time in Quadrants 3 and 4. That's a tragedy - because, while these
quadrants include many small and pressing matters, and many things that are
relaxing, they do not include anything that is truly important in the
long-term.
|
|
Urgent |
Not urgent |
|
Important |
1. ·
Attending
meetings ·
Meeting
deadlines ·
Major
problems ·
Dealing with
crises |
2. ·
Investing
time in personal knowledge and skills ·
Building
relationships ·
Clarifying beliefs
and values ·
Visioning
and planning ·
Passing on
skills and knowledge to others |
|
Not
important |
3. ·
Answering
some mail and phone calls ·
Dealing with
interruptions ·
Some
meetings ·
Many
household and leisure activities |
4. ·
Collecting and
talking trivia ·
Reading junk
mail ·
Time wasters ·
‘Escape’
activities |
Self-test
Just to test your sense of priorities, ask yourself in which quadrant you would place the following common activities. (Suggested responses are included at the end of this article.)
1. Pray
2. Tune my car
3. Read junk mail
4. Prune the roses
5. Write to a friend
6. Clean out the cupboards
7. Read a daily Bible portion
8. Buy yet another surfing t-shirt
9. Complete a university assignment
10. Organise next week’s football game
11. Attend a Youth Group committee meeting
12. Read up on the doctrine of the atonement
13. Begin to study first principles with a view to baptism
14. Draw up a list of books to buy for my personal library
15. Revise notes for university exams in four months’ time
5. Plan your time
Now grab a
scrap piece of paper, and sketch out the next two weeks. This will take some
time initially, but you will become skilled and quick at it if you are willing
to persist.
Put the days
and dates across the top of the page. Down the left hand side write a rough
time scale, beginning at 6 am, or whenever you start the day, through to 11pm,
or whenever you finish. (A question to ponder: Just like everybody else, you
need to sleep - but for how long? How much time is wasted in bed?)
1. Quickly mark in all the time that is
already allocated - work, meetings you are going to, tutorials, lectures,
practicals, appointments.
2. Mark in the things that should be done
every day without fail- Bible reading and prayer. There may also be daily tasks
that you want to include, such as exercise.
3. Now look at all the big things you want
to tackle during that fortnight: Mark them in. Sometimes you will have to
allocate time over several days. Be sure to allocate the hardest tasks to the
times when your energy is highest.
4. Finally, allocate time for all the less
important or quick and easy tasks that you want to knock over during the
fortnight.
5. Have a quick look at your fortnightly plan. Is it realistic? Have you left a bit of free time here and there, to allow for the unexpected? Have you incorporated plenty of time working with and helping and spending time with other people?
6. Commit your plan to God in prayer. Tell
Him that you accept His will for the
coming fortnight, whatever it may be, but as you don't yet
know what He has in mind, you have drafted a plan so as to use the time He has
given you as effectively as possible. Ask Him to guide you in your decision
making and help you in your activity, and pray that all you do might glorify
Him, and benefit others, and give you satisfaction and joy.
7. Look at your plan again. What is the
first thing you need to do? Fold the plan, put it in your pocket, and get on
with it!
8. In a week's time, do the same for the next
fortnight.
A pocket or
electronic diary is a key tool for organising your time. They are available in
a wide range of styles and prices. Make sure you get one - a cheap one is all
you need - and use it regularly. Never mind the fact that you will frequently
forget to look at it during the first few weeks: you'll soon get the habit, and
you'll never regret it.
It might seen
superficially that careful planning will squeeze people out of life.
But plan
people time into your life and - here's a key point - if you plan and use your
time well, you will have MORE time for people, NOT LESS: and the time you spend
with them will be valuable time, well spent. So in your planning, plan to spend
time on other people.
6. Use your time well
God gives us
each 168 hours a week - and the reality is that we rarely get 168 hours of
value out of them. There are tried and tested strategies for squeezing more out
of the time available to you. Some of these tips and traps are below:
Time management tips
1. Plan ahead! Plan your day the day
before, your week the week before, your month the month before, and your year
the year before. That way you are ready to start right in as soon as you open
your eyes.
2. Do it now! Get things done well before
the deadline. Reward yourself when
you do by doing something worthwhile that you thoroughly
enjoy.
3. See things through to completion. Don't
let your life be littered with half-
completed projects and ideas that ran out of steam.
4. Do things as well as you can, the first
time round. Time spent doing
something again because it wasn't properly done the first
time is time
wasted.
5. Build 'quiet time' into your life. Try
to study and do other important tasks
when you are unlikely to be interrupted.
6. Keep your desk and your room tidy. Clutter
will interrupt and distract your
mind, and make finding things that much harder. Invest in a
filing cabinet.
7. Even when tasks have no deadline, set
one for yourself, and stick to it.
8. Make time spent with other people
'quality' time, rather than wasted time.
Make the time work for you and for them.
7. Be flexible
Finally, be
flexible with your time. It is tempting, once you have an elegant plan, to want
to stick to it at all costs. Beware of this temptation. By all means use your
plan to order your life, and get more done. By all means use your plan as a
discipline for spending your time productively. But beware of using your plan
as an excuse for ignoring legitimate demands on your time. If somebody needs
help, and your plan didn't allow time - too bad for the plan! If somebody is
sick or needy, or an older sister requires your help, or a crisis hits a friend
and they need your time, give it wholeheartedly. Your plans will never work out
exactly as you intended.
There is an important reason for this. God has His own view of human plans: "The disposings of the heart in man. . . is from the LORD. . . Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established" (Prov 16:1,3). It is entirely proper to make plans, even ambitious plans, provided that it is recognised that all our life, at every point, is rightly subject to the will of God (Jas 4: 15). Repeatedly the over-riding will of God is acknowledged in the New Testament (Acts 21:14; 1 Cor 4:17-19; 16:4-7). Do not try to plan God out of your life. When something unexpected happens to you, calling for a godly response, lay your plans aside, and embrace the will of God wholeheartedly.
In conclusion…
Well that's about it, really. We have an unknown amount of time ahead of us, but we do know there is a limit on it. Life as we know it will not go on forever. As we cannot do everything, we must decide what is important, and use our time as productively as possible to achieve these things. Let the Word of God be your guide in setting goals and objectives, in determining priorities, and in planning and using your time. And prayerfully commit all plans to God, who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.
We'll let the
Lord himself have the last say. "Happy
is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say
unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods" (Mt
24:46-47).
Brother Michael Edgecombe, Mount Barker, Australia
Suggested responses
to the priorities self-test
(1). 1 - Prayer
is always urgent and important. (2). 3 - sometimes tuning the car might be very
important, but it's not important in the big scheme of things. (3). 4. (4). 3.
(5). 1 or 2 - encouraging friends in Christ is important. Sometimes they need a
letter now, sometimes it can wait for a week or two. (6). 4 - but don't tell
your Mum I said that! (7). 1 - very important, and if you don't do it today,
you missed out. (8). 4. (9). 1 - if you don't get things like that done, the
consequences can be serious, and can really interfere with your ability to do
other things that are truly important. (10). 3. (11). 1 - this is God's work,
and ought to be taken seriously. It's also something you can't put off. (12). 2
- important, but doing it today or this week is generally not crucial. However,
don't put it off forever! (13). 1- highly important, and never ought to be put
off for anything. About the only things more important are prayer and Bible
reading. (14). 2 - important (personal prejudices here!), but my wife will tell
you it can wait! (15). 2 - important, but it can wait a few weeks. See the
response to question 9.
First published in Contending for the
Faith Quarterly, April 1997. Used by permission.
UNIVERSITY – MY FIRST FORTNIGHT
by Becky Brook
University is
a very strange place. The preparation for it didn't seem real, and even the
morning we packed the car full of bags and bags of clothes, photographs and food
seemed insignificant. However, it wasn't insignificant, and I realised this
after Mum and Dad had left me in my Halls of Residence and I was going to bed
for my first night in Reading. It's a pretty bizarre feeling - I was aware that
I was going to be here for ten weeks, not just a short holiday, and that would
take some adjusting to.
My first
evening was spent with three other Christadelphian first year students, as we'd
all arranged to go to Reading University together, and to meet up that evening.
Freshers' Week was quite hard, but having in total five Christadelphian friends
in their first year too made an immense difference. I think the most obvious
advantage was that I had something else to do, other than going to all the
social events arranged by my Halls of Residence. In addition, we were able to
go to Bible Class and the meeting together, rather than having to get ready and
go out alone.
One of the
first surprises when I got to Reading, was that even the lecturers expect you
to spend most of your time at university drinking. This wasn't a very nice
surprise - my flat mates needed no encouragement! I'm living in self-catering
Halls of Residence where eight students share a kitchen and a corridor. It is
very secure with locking doors at the outside of the building and the corridor
as well as my door - and I have my own toilet and shower. This is really nice
and means I can spend as much time as I like in a hot shower after a very wet
cycle ride to the university, which is about a mile away!
However, I
hadn't really anticipated just how noisy, especially in the first week, the
halls would be. All my flat mates came home most nights at around midnight, but
would be up banging around the flat until the early hours. At first I felt very
threatened by this because they were always very noisy, banging on everyone's
doors, including mine, but eventually I learned to get used to it and it was
just a bit annoying! After lectures started they did get quite a bit quieter,
and began to develop their own groups of friends, so that they go out more
independently and so come in more quietly!
A Welcome at the Local Ecclesia
The second
evening we were there was the Bible Class at Reading Ecclesia, which three of
us walked to. We only just made it in time, so had to slip in quite quietly,
but after the meeting every person there came to say hello to us and to welcome
us. That would be the last time we would have to walk to anything to do with
the meeting - we've had numerous offers of lifts to everything! When I got home
from Bible Class I felt so much better. The members of the ecclesia who we'd
met couldn't have been more friendly - we'd already all got an offer of Sunday
lunch and they'd arranged tea and
an evening
with some of the ecclesia on Saturday night. It all made me realise just how
much support we can get from the ecclesia in our university town, and hopefully
that we can give them something back too.
Eventually
Freshers' Week was over. For me it was just something to get through, because
there wasn't really that much to do during the day. With Monday morning came
the start of lectures, and the start of getting really lost! Sarah (one of the
six Christadelphian first years) and I are doing the same course, so at least
we got lost together! Our course seemed to be particularly disorganised, as
some people had letters telling them where the first lecture was and others,
like Sarah and me, didn't. We spent the hour looking for where we were meant to
be! So we missed our first lecture, but we got to the second! It was nice to
get started, and so far the lectures have been interesting.
These are the
main reasons for coming to university – to expand and build on the education I
obtained at school. But during the first week at university, you could be forgiven
for forgetting this objective. Once the lectures started, and there was private
study to do, the focus quickly changed.
Flying the Flag
I think my
flat mates are getting increasingly suspicious about the number of Bible
Reading Groups I'm going to! It definitely makes everything so much easier if
you're up front with people you meet about religious beliefs, and my
opportunity came quite quickly as my flat mates wanted to know where I was
going when I was heading out for Bible Class. However, in the second week we
had a Reading Class on Tuesday, and then Bible Class on Wednesday - they
probably thought it was a bit of an overkill! Also, I usually come back from
things very well fed, which is extremely good for me, but probably a bit
confusing for my flat mates, as they put on more toast at 1:30 a.m.!
It took me
these first couple of weeks to get settled in, and I think for me it was just a
matter of getting through them and sticking it out. It is getting more fun, and
I am feeling much more relaxed about this whole university thing. It's a bit
odd waking up and having breakfast and going out without seeing my family. But
being so busy means I soon got used to that. Still, the regular post I have
been receiving definitely helps keep everything in perspective, particularly
the box full of sweets and yummy things my sister sent me one week!
University is
a place where you are surrounded by people who don't believe in much (it seems
most people's philosophy doesn't go much further than to eat, drink and be
merry). But if you can see how shallow this is by comparison with the deep and
lasting things of the Truth, you have a safe haven that will enable you to get
the benefits of university without being sucked into the dangers.
First published in Faith Alive! Spring 2001 and reproduced
with the permission of The Christadelphian Office
Links
Here are some links to other Christadelphian youth web sites
Midlands Truth For Youth - http://www.tfy.org.uk/
Northern YPG - http://www.nypg.co.uk