At our church we  are reading the bible (out loud) in big chunks.   We take a book from the bible and each week in our small groups we read the bible together. 

Last month we read John’s gospel.   

I love it!   Its all about Jesus and it begins in such  a grand dramatic way.  take a look at these words - 

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome^[a] it.

 ⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

 ⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

 ¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

They walk in all humility and kindness, falsehood is not found among them, and they love one another. They do not despise the widow or grieve the orphan. He that has, distributes liberally to him that has not. If they see a stranger thet bring him under their roof, and rejoice over him as if he were their own brother; they call themselves brothers, not after the flesh, but after the spirit and in God. Where one of their poor passes away from the world and one of them sees him, he provides for his burial according to his ability save it; and if they hear that any of their number is imprisoned or opressed for the name of their Messiah, all of them provide his needs, and if it is possible that he may be delivered, they deliver him. And if there is among the many man who was poor and needy, and they have not abundance of necessaries, the fast 2 to 3 days so that they may supply the needy with the food they need. And they observe scrupulously the commandments of the Messiah.

Aristides of Athens c125

What makes someone funny? Is it their looks, timing, accent, quick response, material? I think most of the time it is a combination of all of these but i also think it is people who don’t take themselves too seriously and are chilled people? What do you think?

In 1984 I became a Christian at a Billy Graham meeting at Ashton Gate, Bristol.  Since this event I have followed Billy’s ministry closely and although his public ministry has ceased due to his age, there have been a number of books written about him.    The best I believe is his autobiography called ‘Just as I am’, in this book Billy speaks in depth about the many years of his public ministry and his involvement for instance with many of the Presidents of the US of A!  

I was interested to read a new book about Billy Graham and I was wasnt disappinted with the latest called Billy Graham - His LIfe and influece by David Aikman.   
Before I review the book it is worth saying that the writing in this book is top quality, but I guess when you know that the author was the Senior Correspondent for Time Magazine then this should be of no surprise.  

If ‘Just as I am’ was all about the man and the key events in his life this book is just as much about the influence that he and his ministry has had on millions of people both the famous and the ordinary man in the street.  

Although I am not that familiar with American history I enjoyed how Graham was working behind the scenes (for good) with Presidents such as Bush, Nixon and reagan, to name a few.  

So would I recommend this book? most definitely!