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Dave’s daily dose! #donpatterson #sonnystitt #bluegrant #grantgreen #billyjames #donnybrook #prestigerecords #1970 #souljazz #organjazz #rudyvangelder #newarrivals #nowplaying #recordcollector #vinyl #davesdailydose
Dave’s daily dose! #yazoo #rcrumb #robertcrumb #bluesrecords #vinyl #davesdailydose
Dave’s daily dose! This dose is in action! #theloniusmonk #ahmedabdulmalik #theloniousinaction #johnnygriffin #royhaynes #fivespotcafe #deepgroove #smallbluelabels #riversiderecords #1958 #hardbop #davesdailydose #newarrivals #nowplaying
Dave’s daily dose! #garybartzntutroop #home! #milestonerecords #1970 #newarrivals #nowplaying #jazzrecords #vinyl #recordcollector #localrecordstore #davesdailydose
Dave’s daily dose! A needle full of Kellee! #kelleepatterson #kellee #shadybrookrecords #1976 #recordcollector #vinyl #localrecordstore #newarrivals #nowplaying #davesdailydose
Dave’s daily dose! A dose of the hard stuff. Bop that is. With a chaser of brotherly love. #bennygolson #thephiladelphians #leemorgan #raybryant #percyheath #phillyjoejones #unitedartistsrecords #wlp #mono #1959 #deepgroove #hardbop #jazzrecords #vinyl #localrecordstore #vinyligclub #davesdailydose #nowplaying #newarrivals
Dave’s daily dose! #jackwilkins #windows #mainstreamrecords #redclay #1973 #newarrivals #nowplaying #jazzrecords #recordcollector #localrecordstore #davesdailydose
Dave’s daily dose! This dose is for real! #hamptonhawes #haroldland #scottlafaro #frankbutler #contemporaryrecords #1958 #roydunann #demonstrationcopy #deepgroove #hardbop #jazzrecords #vinyl #newarrivals #nowplaying #recordcollector #localrecordstore #davesdailydose #forreal #mono
Dave’s daily dose! Sometimes your seeds go bad. And that’s good. #nickcaveandthebadseeds #newarrivals #tenderprey #thegoodson #kickingagainstthepricks #vinyl #recordcollector #localrecordstore #davesdailydose
Dave’s daily dose! The homie @razadelsoul came through with the goods! If you need a hit of sweet soul or funk we got you! @adriancarminemusic @theblaxound @theheavysounds @theeheart_tones @thehpsband @los_yesterdays_official @johnny.ruiz_ #neearrivals #sweetsoul #funk #45rpm #vinyl #recordcollector #localrecordstore #davesdailydose
Dave’s daily dose! Got my own needle so I don’t need no doctor! #thevillagecallers #rampartrecords #1968 #latinfunk #nowplaying #localrecordstore #vinyl #recordcollector #davesdailydose
Dave’s daily dose! So much sonic medicine today! #jimmysmith #rootdown #ververecords #1972 #vinyl #jazzrecords #funkyorgan #localrecordstore #recordcollector #nowplaying #davesdailydose
Dave’s daily dose! Triple shot! My favorite tenor! #joehenderson #blackisthecolor #milestonerecords #1972 #factorycloseouts #jazzrecords #vinyl #localrecordstore #nowplaying #davesdailydose
Dave’s daily dose! How much Charlie Parker on Dial do you need? This six LP box set should just about do it! These Dial recordings are widely considered the best Bird put to wax. Not to take away from the Mercury/Clef/Verve sessions but this is the quintessential essence of bop. Do you agree? #charlieparker #yardbird #dialrecords #spotliterecords #boxset #bebop #bop #modernjazz #jazzrecords #recordcollector #vinyl #localrecordstore #davesdailydose
Dave’s daily dose! How much Horace Parlan on Blue Note do you need? How about all of it! #horaceparlan #bluenoterecords #mosaicrecords #2000 #numberededition #hardbop #jazzrecords #vinylcollector #localrecordstore #boxset #davesdailydose
Dave’s daily dose! One needle. Nine LPs of Blue Note serum. Getting well all day! #bluenoterecords #2002 #davesdailydose #recordcollector #jazzrecords #localrecordstore #vinyl
Dave’s daily dose! A needle full of sonic serum! #theprestigejazzquartet #prestigerecords #1957 #teddycharles #malwaldron #hardbop #deepgroove #rudyvangelder #reidmiles #jazzrecords #vinyl #localrecordstore #davesdailydose
Dave’s daily dose! A needle full of satanic serum! #sinsofsatan #thoushaltboogieforever #buddahrecords #1976 #vinyl #vinylcommunity #recordcollector #localrecordstore #davesdailydose
Dave’s daily dose! This is the medicine your needle is craving! Brand new release from Orchestra Gold and it is hot y’all! Psychedelic fuzzy funky afrobeat will fix whatever ails you. #orchestragold #medcine #davesdailydose #vnyligclub #recordcollector #localrecordstore #localmusic @orchestragold
Dave’s daily dose! A needle full of soul! #thesoulofikeandtinaturner #suerecords #1961 #iketurner #tinaturner #davesdailydose #sonicserum #vinyligclub #recordcollector #localrecordstore
Dave’s daily dose! A needle full of sonic serum! Careful tho cuz this one comes with a funky side effect! #sideeffect #fantasyrecords #1975 #davesdailydose #blm #vinyligclub #localrecordstore #recordcollector
Dave’s daily dose! A needle full of solar sonic serum! #sunraandhismythsciencearkestra #cosmictonesformentaltherapy #elsaturnrecords #1967 #davesdailydose #sunra #spaceage #blm #blackastronaut #elsaturn #recordcollector #vinyligclub #localrecordstore
Dave’s daily dose of sonic serum! #royhaynes #busmansholiday #emarcyrecords #jazzep #45rpm #sahibshihab #recordcollector #vinyligclub #1954 #hardbop #davesdailydose #sonicserum
Dave’s daily dose! Today’s needle full of sonic serum! #davesdailydose #sonicserum #siouxsieandthebanshees #juju #spellbound #pvcrecords #1981 #goth #vinyligclub #recordcollector #localrecordstore #recordnerd
Dave’s daily dose. Need some sonic medicine? #davesdailydose #mainsource #breakingatoms #wildpitchrecords #1991 #iheartthenineties #vinyligclub #recirdcollector #localrecordstore
Neighbours, Everybody Needs Good Neighbours 1 JOHN 2 – Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers This is the oldest commandment in the book, and you’ve known it from day one. It’s always been implicit in the Message you’ve heard. On the other hand, perhaps it is new, freshly minted as it is in both Christ and you—the darkness on its way out and the True Light already blazing! 9-11 Anyone who claims to live in God’s light and hates a brother or sister is still in the dark. It’s the person who loves brother and sister who dwells in God’s light and doesn’t block the light from others. But whoever hates is still in the dark, stumbles around in the dark, doesn’t know which end is up, blinded by the darkness. MSG DIRECT SUNLIGHT When Bilbo Baggins first discovers Gollum, in the book The Hobbit, Gollum is living underground. He lives in a boat on an underground lake out of direct sunlight. Gollum has become addicted to the Ring (the Precious), a golden Elvish charm. It’s power is something that elongates his life considerably, but reduces the quality of life to a constant struggle. No friends, only darkness, no hope, just embitterment. LITMUS TEST John the Apostle in today’s passage, describes something very similar to Gollum’s plight. He contrasts people who live in darkness and people who live in the Light. He gives a brilliant litmus test as to whereabouts we ourselves might be living, in the dark or the light. He says, if you love other people then you live in the Light. If you hate your brother or sister, then you are effectively in darkness. Simples. NEXT JUNCTION It really is as straightforward as that. And that makes it actually very, very annoying at the same time! Because it seems virtually impossible to me, to actually love everyone who isn’t me. All the other people in the world. Everyone I meet. Just the nature of modern politics today will cast a goodie vs baddie slant, depending which side of the political divide we fall. Plus a huge chunk of reality TV encourages me to “vote off the weakest link” just about every Saturday or Sunday at around 9pm, imploring me to dislike certain acts compared with others. ⬇️⬇️⬇️
One Does The Right Thing, One Cannot See ROMANS 7 – The Law and Sin 14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! SHADOWS We start a new Daily Dose series today centred around the “2 of me” that I see at work within the same (my) skin. There is an Amy Grant song called Shadows that starts with the line “There are two of me. One does the right thing: one cannot see.” SMALL CHURCH, BIG SQUARE The passage above is from Paul’s letter to the Roman Christians (probably about 100 of them at this time – a relatively small church, especially considering the hundred thousands who meet in St Peter’s Square to listen to the Pope today in what is, effectively the self same church), where Paul is refreshingly honest about his personal struggle with sin. There is abundant life in the Spirit. And then there is the sinful nature. . . . ⬇️⬇️⬇️
House of Cards 1 KINGS 19 – Elijah Flees to Horeb 19 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” 3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life… 15 …The LORD said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” WICKED Our Daily Dose series this week is all about the Bible’s Biggest Baddies. Today its Queen Jezebel. The Bible has spawned a number of descriptive words that have become dictionary definitions. Words/names like Judas (the betrayer), Herod (hedonism), (doubting) Thomas. Today’s entry is very similar: Jezebel means “a wicked, shameless woman” ZERO POWER Queen Jezebel gets murderously irritated with Elijah because he has slaughtered nearly 1000 of her righthand prophets. She breaths out homicidal threats saying she will do to Elijah the prophet exactly what Elijah has done to her own prophets. Now the key to this story is – who here has the power? The answer to that question is the same then, in 850BC, as it is today. The answer is – the real power is all in God’s hands. The enemy NEVER has the power. He just tries to convince us that he has! HOUSE OF CARDS In 2003, in the invasion of Iraq, the coalition forces found no weapons of mass destruction, despite Saddam’s insistent rhetoric that he had them. They didn’t exist. Its exactly the same with the Devil. His weapons of power have been greatly exaggerated and embellished. Why does Jezebel threaten Elijah? Why not just go ahead and send armies to destroy him? Her empire is really only a house of cards. One gentle breeze from God..
EVIL INTENT 1 SAMUEL 16 - David in Saul’s Service 14 Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him. 15 Saul’s attendants said to him…16” Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.”… 19 Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” 20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul. 1 SAMUEL 19 9 An evil spirit from the LORD came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre, 10 Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape. RICHES TO RAGS We start a new Daily Dose series today centred around the Bible’s Biggest Baddies. Today its King Saul. It’s a RICHES TO RAGS story this one, as Saul starts out as quite a good king but turns into a jealous murderer as David’s youth and fame overtakes him. EVIL INTENT What EVIL INTENT did these biblical characters manifest and how can we learn from this? We are seeking to learn this week from what evil can show us about ourselves. Saul, due to his sins, was tormented by evil spirits. David was a true worshipper of God. He was a worship leader and music was a big thing in his life. These 2 issues collided one day in the king’s palace as Saul tries to pin David to the wall with his speer as David is worshipping. An evil, murdering spirit manifests in Saul. HATERS GONNA HATE Our enemy hates worship. It exposes the truth and reality of any current situation. Whenever we worship God, we are mimicking heaven. No darkness or pain or fear or shame is found in heaven. It cannot co-exist with God. But the enemy thrives off of such negativity. Its his food. If he can cause us pain or scare us or intimidate us, then we are under his control and he feasts on our weakness. If we’re worshipping God, however, he has no such power. Our gaze is solely on Jesus. ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Let’s Give it a Try. Luke 5 3 He (Jesus) got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signalled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. BIG BUTS The Bible is full of big BUTS. And this story has a seismic one in it if your name is soon to be Simon Peter! We’ve been looking at how we can hoist our sails and “catch” the wind of the Holy Spirit. “But – because you say so…” ON THE WATER All our stories this week are “on the water” to fit with our sailing theme. And today we start with Jesus and Peter quite literally on the water. There is something so gentle with the way Jesus deals with Peter. Pete was impetuous, outspoken, rugged, stubborn, all the traits we might find should be resistant to the ministry of the Lord. But not Peter. Peter is teachable. He says (paraphrased), “we’ve caught diddly squat tonight but this guy seems to know what He’s talking about – let’s give it a try.” NOTHING TO LOSE Another great 3 letter word, there – as well as BUT – we’ve got to TRY. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” goes the saying. Not always true, but VERY true in this case. What has Pete got to lose but a bit of face? FIRST AT PUTTY Peter is putty in the Lord’s creative hands. Malleable and ductile (2 words I learnt in Physics at school and have never forgotten!). Peter is pliable and the Lord gently moulds him into the spiritual giant that he one day became. First of the Popes; first to minister to the Gentiles; first out of the boat (twice!). . . . ⬇️⬇️⬇️
You’ve Got This MARK 6 - Jesus Walks on the Water 45 Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. 47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. LOSING MUM Our Daily Dose subject this week is Hoisting our Sails and Waiting for the Wind. Sometimes in life, it can feel like Jesus wants us to do something or go somewhere but has not gone with us. Like He may have abandoned us or is too busy to accompany us. When I was small I was constantly losing my mum whilst out shopping. I would wander ahead and she would often tail back behind me absentmindedly. After a few moments, I would look round and see her a way back, window shopping. WINNING SPIRIT Life’s storms (like in the story) can often battle against us. It can feel as though everything is going wrong. Murphy’s law “anything that can go wrong, will go wrong” seems to be in the ascendancy. And for the disciples, the night just got darker and darker, stormier and stormier. The enemy appeared to be winning – and then, to cap it all, they saw a ghost coming towards them (they would actually been thinking that this apparition was the evil spirit who was controlling the storm). . . . ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Born Again JOHN 3 - Jesus Teaches Nicodemus 3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” PERPLEXED NICK We start a new Daily Dose subject today looking at the WIND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. When God likens the Holy Spirit to a gust or a breeze or a hurricane, what does that signify to us? We cannot see where He is coming from OR where He might be headed, but those born of the Spirit spot Him and catch the wind. (Its not wholly unlike the story of Mary Poppins!) Today we look (once again) at Nicodemus, who is one of my favourite Bible characters. Jesus is trying to explain to Nick what God is really like, so He uses a very well known subject that Nicodemus (and all of us) will be aware of. The wind. UNAVOIDABLE RITA With today’s modern technology, the weather can be predicted more accurately than it has ever been. However, its still difficult to foresee EXACTLY which way it will twist and turn, sometimes. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, USA, with such a force that it devasted the city with major flooding for a number of weeks. The following month, Hurricane Rita rolled across the Caribbean and hit the south coast of the USA, too. Because of the disaster that was caused by Katrina, the authorities were much more nervous and therefore alert to this new force. . . . ⬇️⬇️⬇️
All You Can Eat ISAIAH 55 - Invitation to the Thirsty “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. 3 Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.” ME IN MIND Some Bible passages can really, really resonate with me. Today’s is one of them. I feel like when God was putting the scriptures together, He put this passage in there especially with me in mind! WHEN I WENT TO PRISON I first read it when I was having a difficult time in my life. I was a Christian and doing all the things expected of me, but my heart was quite cold to God and I was merely going through the (e)motions. I was due to preach at a prison service, one Sunday. When I turned up at the chapel within the prison, just inside the door was a large Bible on a stand open at this chapter, Isaiah 55. I read it with real intrigue, especially verse 3 which jumped right off the page at me, as it actually mentioned me by name! I went from a previous place of struggle to euphoria within a few seconds. GOD IS PROMISCUOUS Todays talk about wine symbolises an abundant life for us. A richness of life. A freedom to indulge in whatever is God’s. The prodigal father says to the elder son “Everything I have is yours”. God is lavish, financially promiscuous, not holding anything back from us, abundantly generous. GOD IS SCARY I don’t have a problem when something I feel should actually be mine is withheld from me by God (well…actually I do often have a problem with it, but deep down I know I really shouldn’t!). Because God is always scarily generous to us. My mum used to say, “He spends money like a man with greasy hands” ie cannot hold onto anything. . . . ⬇️⬇️⬇️
The Best Wedding Ever John 2 There was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” 5 But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons.[b] 7 Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, 8 he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. 9 When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. 10 “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” QUALITY OF LIFE This week’s Daily Dose is all about WINE and what it can tell us about God, about us and about the Universe around us. Whenever wine is mentioned in the Bible, it highly symbolises something. Today’s Bible contribution gives us wine as QUALITY OF LIFE. I often wonder what happened to the couple who get married in this story. Did having Jesus at their wedding really add to their marriage? Were they mentioned anywhere else in the gospel narrative? Was the husband one of the disciples? John’s gospel is full of symbolism. The No.7, the “I am” statements of Jesus, and this current theme of wine, to mention but a few. And its fascinating to see where John puts this story in his gospel. Very early on, right after a long discourse on the reasons why Jesus came down to see us. John shows us in pictorial language how Jesus plan will unfold. . . . ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Twin Thing Genesis 33 - Jacob Meets Esau Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming (angrily?) with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two female servants. 2 He put the female servants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear. 3 He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother. 4 But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. 5 Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. “Who are these with you?” he asked. Jacob answered, “They are the children God has graciously given your servant.” LOSER We finish our series today on the MILD ONES with Esau, the twin who lost it all. Betrayed by his younger brother, deprived of his birth-right, unrecognised by his own father, he had a lot of anger inside. Our story today is of the reconciliation between the twins after a long, long period of time. “Time is the greatest healer”. Not totally true, but often can be (when combined with God’s grace) and this was the case with Esau and Jacob. When they meet up after an extended period apart, they realise what they had missed and lost by being estranged. Esau meets Jacob’s burgeoning family in a scene that wouldn’t look out of place in ITV’s Long Lost Family programme. NEVER MINE Its taken years but the brothers have realised that what Jacob took by deception never belonged to Esau in the first place. Jacob, renamed Israel, would have got what he stole anyway. They reconcile and live in peace for their remaining years. TEMPER TEMPER Esau had a temper. He reacted strongly and violently when Jacob first stole from him. But age and wisdom had caught up with Esau and he had mellowed in his later years. Jacob saw this as something that God had done in his twin brother (Jake sets up an alter called God is Mighty). STRONGER AND LONGER The stronger the emotion within us, the longer it takes God to unravel it in our hearts. We see the “red mist” of anger that blinkers us and stops us being objective. . . . ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Premature Death 1 Samuel 18 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. 2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. 4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt. 1 Samuel 31 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his son Jonathan. FAR TOO SOON Today’s example in our Born to be Mild series is Jonathan, the son of King Saul, probably known better as David’s best friend. Unfortunately, he dies far too soon in the story. ROBBED Life then and today is full of premature deaths. People that die too young. It feels like we’ve not just lost the person, but the life they would have brought to us. (I’ve still not forgiven EastEnders for killing off Fats too early! Or is he really gone?) Tragedy haunts us when a loved one passes over before we do. Its maybe the hardest part of life, to continue on without them. Miscarriages, cancer, early onset dementia, all rob us (and them) of a life we had hoped would be better. BACK ROOM STAFF And today, David is confronted with the death of his arch enemy and his best friend on the very same day. But what was Jonathan’s legacy? Why is he in our “back room staff” narrative this week? Well, Jonathan, being the king’s oldest son, was due to inherit the crown that David had already been anointed for. If anyone was ever (and they are not) allowed to be jealous, it would be Jonathan. But instead, David and Jonathan become the best of friends. Possibly the closest friends that the Bible has to offer us. ABDICATION What causes Jonathan’s humblest of approaches to the hand life has dealt him? 84 years ago King Edward VIII inherited the British throne. He abdicated within a year for the love of a woman that his advisers said he wasn’t allowed to marry (a divorcee). ⬇️⬇️⬇️
The Greatest? Acts 11 25 Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. ARGUMENT There is an argument amongst some Bible scholars that Barnabas, our subject for today, is actually THE most influential of all the New Testament characters, and not Paul or Peter (other than Jesus, of course!). Its just that we don’t HEAR very much about him from the text, mainly because the New Testament writers followed Peter and Paul around to record their story, rather than Barney! NO ACTS Without Barney, a lot of the book of Acts would not be there. He finances the church in the early days after Pentecost, twice he goes looking for Paul to rescue him from the doldrums of his life, and he is as prolific as Paul in church planting arenas around the Middle East and Europe. LOST CAUSES Of course, it was never a competition between the disciples as to who was the best (well…not AFTER Jesus death, anyway!). But its important to us that we see how these “minor” characters fit into the metanarrative (bigger story). Barnabas is called the “son of Encouragement”. He is generous, he champions and disciples others, he is righteous and keen for the truth to be told. Lots of really good traits. He is very good with the Bible’s “lost causes”. SPIKY MESS How do you react to failure? Are you spiky and deflect others attention away from you when you mess up? Or do you take it inwards and stew on it inside? How do you react when others fail? Do you write them off? Avoid them? Or do you encourage them to try again? MAKING LEMONADE Barnabas is the guy you want with you when life gives you lemons. He’ll show you how to make the lemonade! He represents that part of God that never gives up on us. Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Sometimes we expect the Christian life to be an ever increasing upwards trend that just gets better by the day. We get wiser as we get older and we feel that we should therefore be able to improve on the past. . . . ⬇️⬇️⬇️
The Brave and the Bold Acts 9 10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. 11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” BRAVERY Its said that milder, quieter people are much more familiar with bravery because, to live in this extrovert world, they have to leave their comfort zone more often. Whereas adrenaline junkies like King David were more familiar with fear as they had a regular cavalier lifestyle. Today’s subject, Ananias, is a perfect example of that mild person’s bravery. It would be the modern day equivalent of being sent to talk to Hitler, who had converted to Judaism. 2 SHORT EVENTS Saul, the arch enemy of the church, has become Paul, the church’s main character literally overnight. But very few Christians are aware of this fact yet. And certainly not Ananias, who is told by God and instructed to go pray for this guy, the guy who has Ananias’ death warrant in his hands. This is the only story we get in the Bible of Ananias. He appears for 2 short events and then disappears completely. The impact that he makes on the whole bible narrative is nothing short of astonishing. He is like God’s spotlight worker in a theatre. He shines the light on Paul so Paul can be introduced to the fray and do everything that Paul did. (Tomorrow we’ll look at Barnabus who did something similar). So, Paul, and all the amazing things that he accomplished, relied on Ananias’ bravery. . . . ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Slowly Unwrapping Luke 2 16 The shepherds hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. SUPPORTING CAST In the Bible there are many swashbuckling heroes but just as many in the supporting cast. Lots of super humans who grab their destiny by the throat and wouldn’t look out of place in a Marvel Comic. And there are those who work behind the scenes and plod along with the plot, one step at a time. Here is a week of Daily Doses to honour the latter group. Those who were BORN TO BE MILD. UNAVERAGE YEAR “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” A lot happens to Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the first year after she is first brought to our attention. Angelic visitations, pregnant, but not by her husband, 100 mile journey just a month before the birth of Jesus, a host of perfect strangers turning up just after the birth, then on the run for 2 years from a murderous king. Not your average year! But the Bible tells us that Mary wasn’t phased by these dramatic events. She just soaked it all up. Didn’t react. Didn’t go off like a firework. She just PONDERED. She spent a lot of time thinking. She mused. She prayed. She valued everything she had seen in that year. She gave God time. Time to unwrap her life, slowly. ZOOM Having spent the best part of a year running many meetings and services on zoom online, I have gained a huge appreciation for those people on telly that you don’t see on screen. The producers, the scriptwriters, the make up artists, the cameramen (and women). So much goes into any kind of visual production that you see on your screen. Most of those who ARE behind the scene are quite happy to be out of the limelight. But it shouldn’t stop them being fully appreciated. . . . ⬇️⬇️⬇️
No.4: Very Tasty Psalm 34 8 Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—how good GOD is. Blessed are you who run to him. 9 Worship GOD if you want the best; worship opens doors to all his goodness. 10 Young lions on the prowl get hungry, but GOD-seekers are full of God. TASTY, TASTY, VERY, VERY TASTY This week’s Daily Dose is about things that get in the way of our journey towards heaven. Things that try to hamper our progress towards holiness. Based around the 5 senses, sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch, today we are looking at the tongue and taste. PROXIMATY If I were literally to taste somebody and lick them, I would need to get up-close and personal with them. Hopefully with their consent! So the key to today’s hurdles is PROXIMATY. Hence the 2nd line of verse 8: we are blessed when we run to Him, when we get closer; another Bible translation puts it “those who take refuge IN Him.” You can’t be closer to someone than actually getting inside them! FULL TO BURSTING To taste is to consume, to ingest. If we take refuge IN HIM, we are actually inside Him, being consumed. So the whole “taste” metaphor here goes 2 ways. We taste God; He tastes us. And the passage, today, goes on to tell us that worshipping God opens doors. If we are consumed that much, when we worship Him and taste Him, then life starts to open up around us. We enter into something that is very good. God-seekers are FULL TO BURSTING OF GOD. THORNS AND THISTLES A similar passage in Hebrews 6 looks at taste and helps us by comparing “a land that drinks in the rain and produces a crop” with “a land that has thorns and thistles”. Tasting God brings fruit, whereas more distant or no contact produces thorns etc. So what does it mean to produce thorns and thistles in our lives? How can we avoid that? . . . ⬇️⬇️⬇️
David’s Darkest Hour 2 Samuel 11 2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba…the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4 Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. Then she went back home. 5 The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.” 6 So David sent this word to Joab, (on the war front): “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent him to David… 10 David was told, “Uriah did not go home.” So he asked Uriah, “Haven’t you just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?” 11 Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents,[a] and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!” 14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15 In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.” 16 So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. 17 When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died. DARK TIMES Its difficult to choose which part of this story you might think is the worst part. David is not with his army. He becomes a voyeur on the rooftops. He gets a servant to fetch someone else’s wife. He sleeps with her. She becomes pregnant. He tries to cover it up by pretending that the child is the woman’s husband’s. When that fails he puts the husband in danger by exposing him on the war front. He sends him back to the frontline with his own death warrant in his hands. I make that 8 dastardly, dark, deliberate deeds of David. EastEnders scriptwriters, are you taking notes?! . . . ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Anger, Mine Matthew 5 21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.” (Jesus speaking) THEOLOGY LESSON For most life issues that we want some wise theology on, Jesus has something to say about it. And He has a view on murder as well. But its may not be what we would want to hear. We expect grace and mercy from the our Lord and Saviour, but today’s passage comes across as quite stern and awkward to hear. INTENTION. Jesus takes the Old Testament law, as given to Moses, about murder (the 6th commandment “you shall not kill”), and updates it for His 1st century listeners. Only instead of liberating his listeners and showering grace on them, He actually tightens the law and makes it even trickier to carry out. The 6th commandment was originally interpreted as an INTENTION to murder. Murder was classed as a deliberate act. Pre-meditated. First degree murder. The Jews understood it as meaning no more than that. The guilty ones were those who new exactly what they were doing and acted thusly. But Jesus teaches about the emotional aspect of murder. He re-classes it as a internal feeling rather than just an external act. We could be guilty of murder just by being angry with someone. And according to the law of Moses, murderers should be put to death. UNJUST ANGER Jesus goes on to equate anger with murder. Anger is that feeling which we have when we are injured when we defend ourselves when in danger. It is a natural feeling, given to us for a good reason. When anger arises due to sin, it is lawful. God is angry with the wicked. Jesus looked on the hypocritical Pharisees with anger But what Jesus condemns here is anger without a cause. Anger that is unjust, rash, hasty. Where no offence has been given or intended. In that case it is evil and it is a violation of the sixth commandment, “He that hates his brother, is a murderer”. if it were fully acted out, he would commit murder and “brother” here means relative or neighbour or perhaps anyone with whom were associated. . . . ⬇️⬇️⬇️