The Meaning of Life

“Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!”

A - Toodyay
B - Mildura
C - Melbourne
D - Canberra
E - Sydney
F - Brisbane
G – Newcastle
H – Wellington
I – Sydney
J – Nowra
K – Tahmoor
L – Canberra
M – Melbourne
N – Bendigo
O – Ouyen
P – Adelaide
Q - Norseman

Well I've been home for 3 weeks and am finally ready to write my final blog for my trip. My trip lasted 10 months 2 weeks and 4 days as I travelled over 11,000km from Toodyay, to Brisbane via the WA Goldfields, Mildura and Melbourne, and back to Norseman via Mudgee, Molong, Melbourne, Ouyen and Adelaide stopping in at Canberra both ways. I cycled about 10,000km out of the 11,000, having a 350km lift in a truck after snapping spokes before Port Augusta, also in a ute between Ballina and Kempsey on the way when the road was flooded in a "mini cyclone" on June 3rd and also got a lift 75k when I snapped my crankset outside of Kangaroo Valley in NSW. I had small lifts <50k many times.

I think in my final blog I will pose some questions to myself and answer them aswell as make some final observations.

Trip time: 10 months 2 weeks and 4 days
Cycling time: 8 months
Stopping time: 11 weeks summative, spent in capital cites mostly, also Mudgee and Port Augusta
Weight: Between 80-120kg luggage, total vehicle weight of 200kg+
Average speed: 10km/h, 45km/day including Sundays, 50km/day not including Sundays
Top speed: 85km/h going down a hill in Sydney on my way to Impact Conference, crossing the river in Roseville
Lowest speed: Stopped, resting on the road going up hills
Steepest hill: Two hills of rougly 12-13% gradient on Nerriga Rd between Braidwood and Nowra in NSW, walked my stuff up in lots for the first hill and a sympathetic truckie delivering crushed rock to roadworks gave me a tow up the second.
Longest steepest hill: 7km climb of approximately 10% coming out of Nowra on the way to Kangaroo Valley in NSW, see picture
Longest day: 121km into Norseman on my last day, beating a previous 120km into Nullabor Roadhouse 8 months earlier
Shortest days: 30km, numerous occasions due to very strong headwinds, hills, the cold, relaxing days or combinations of them all
Best priced accomodation: Merridin Caravan Park, $10 unpowered with good facilities
Worse priced accomodation: Norseman Caravan Park at $26 for an unpowered site. Most of the caravan parks in NSW too are $25+ for an unpowered site without good facilities.
Worst weather: There was 3 weeks of rain everday between Canberra and Melbourne on my way home, including many storms. The Victorian floods occured the day after I entered Melbourne. A lake that hadn't had water in it for 20 years had very large puddles in it when I rode past. Also it just happened to rain when I got back to Perth too...
Best weather: Apart from headwinds, I had beautifully fine days for my first eight weeks between Toodyay and Melbourne. Maybe a touch hot hitting 50C at some roadhouse some days.


What did I learn?
I shall list the important things I 'learnt' I already knew, it just dropped from my head into my heart, certain things gained importance in my mind. Head knowledge is useless without the application of it through the heart.

1. God is in control of everything
From the smallest thing to the largest everything is in God's wonderful plan.

God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding...Does he not see my ways and count my every step?...It is not for man to direct his steps...And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him - Job 37:5, 31:4, Jeremiah 10:23, Romans 8:28

2. God speaks to people
Everyone has the potential to hear from God personally through a variety of ways, and to converse with the Almighty.

1 Samuel 3:10 - The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Acts 8:29 - The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

John 5:29 - Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

How did Jesus know what the Father was doing? Because as well as following in the generalities of the word he spoke to and heard from God about the specifics of who to heal,what to speak etc.

3. God performs miracles, however the greatest miracle occured on the cross
John 14:12 - I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

1 Corinthians 1:18 - For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

4. The Christian faith must be active, otherwise it is no faith at all

James 2:26 - As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead

If I am a Christian but I live in the same suburb as my neighbour, shop the same places as my neighbour, eat the same food, watch TV and movies like him, go for a run like he does and do basically the same things as him, what is the point of my being a Christian. I am no Christian if I do not act like a Christian. And how does a Christian act?

A Christian is "devoted... to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42). If you aren't devoted to the apostles teaching (the Bible), fellowship with other Christians and prayer you either aren't a Christian or you are a Christian in a very perilous situation.

5. The world is screwed, Jesus can and will fix it
I only now realise the priviledge it is to live in Western Australia. The views of society in the east are more extreme when it comes to a lack of morals and ethics. Even just buying a product became a stressful situation as I found myself constantly fending off the sharks at every store, misleading me and ripping me off to a much greater degree than has ever happened to me in WA.

Romans 1:28-32 - Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Isaiah 65:17-19 - “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.

Revelation 22:1-5 - Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

6. The church is screwed, Jesus can and will fix it
On my trip I have seen the church as it is. If the church is the bride of Christ, then the bride is almost dead due to disease. The church is full of half-heartedness towards God.

Revelation 3:16 - So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

The people in those building unfortunately are mostly Sunday Christians, they do not live out their faith. As a traveller, a visiting stranger to church what stood out to me was an absolute lack of hospitality in most churches. More than that even, some Chriatians were hostile to me for needing the support of my family (the Church) as I travelled.

1 Peter 4:8-9 - Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling

Romans 11:21 - Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

Quotable quotes

It only takes one to make a difference
It takes a little to change
Lets start today for a new tomorrow
Don’t look back
I wont look back now

Hey yea gonna find a new beginning
Lately tired of the life I’m livin
Find a way to make a change
In the lives of all of us who need
To find the meaning of life
- Hawk Nelson, Meaning of Life

This might hurt
It’s not safe
But I know that I’ve gotta make a change
I don’t care
If I break
At least I’ll be feeling something
‘Cause just ok
Is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything?
Instead of going through the motions

No regrets
Not this time
I’m gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love
Make me whole
I think I’m finally feeling something

Take me all the way
- Matthew West, The Motions

my new blog, because this part of my life has come to a close, http://christcrazy.blogspot.com/

Sure in hope, certain in blindness

"And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect"

Hebrews 11:32-40

What do you expect to gain for your faith? What does great faith look like? Looking at the first part of Hebrews 11 we might expect that with our faith will come great and awesome miracles, providence of wonderful things by God, a generally good life which achieved something. Indeed this may be the case, the presence of God may be seen by even the blind at heart wherever you are, great miracles of God may follow you. However we see in this passage a much different outcome that also came with great faith, being tortured, jailed, stoned, sawn in two generally much less attractive lives. Was this because of any lack of faith or disobedience of God? In no way! Rather great faith and obedience led them to such ends.

Our faith in God is not an insurance policy for this life. It is not a guarantee of material happiness or the 'good life'. Our faith guarantees only a life in which we have the ability to follow God, a life in which he is by our side, a life in which he will provide our true wants and needs. The only insurance it gives us is that against spiritual death.

Do not make foolish claims, or have foolish thoughts over a man's faith because of his riches, health or worldly 'success' or lack thereof. "These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised"


A call to battle
"Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'"
Bob Dylan, The times are a changing

The time in which we live is a critical time. This is a time of change, a time where everything matters. We cannot stay silent, we cannot be idle for if we are the Lord will raise up others for his work and it will not be a joyful day for you.

"Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire" Matthew 3:8-10

"If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks" Ecclesiastes 10:18

Let us rise up as the church in this time, in true unity.


True Unity
"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all" Ephesians 4:1-6

Unity is through a bond of peace, built on the things we are one in along with the humility, gentleness, patience and love we show to each other. Unity is not agreement.


Words of wisdom
"Not all gospels are equal. We've fallen prey to this thinking that it is wrong to draw a distinction between various movements in Christianity or churches or Christians. After all we know it's wrong to judge. "Do not judge" Jesus said, "or you too will be judged" (Matthew 7:1). This is a good command, by the way. I'm all for it. But the meaning of this warning has got twisted into something else altogether. I find that many Christians are uncomfortable, unable even, to make distinctions between various churches and gospels. And they are really uncomfortable saying that one is better than another...Most Christians know the passage, but they think it means "Don't ever let yourself get in the mind-set where you think you are right and someone else is wrong."...Jesus also said "Stop judging by mere appearances and make a right judgement" (John 7:24)..."I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel --- which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one which we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!" (Galations 1:6-9)... Do you see, not every gospel is equal, we need to say so." John Eldredge, Walking With God


Poetry

The birds cry out their last notes for the day
As the final wisps of the sun fade away
The fire flickers on into the night
And the dingo heads out to find his prey

Who would have thought such a land exists
With it's sunburnt plain and it's ocean bliss
With the drought of all droughts before the torrential rain
Who would have known of this before the first man came

The sun burns bright during the heat of day
Then the stars come out as the light fades away
A few days a month you'll see the moon
But back it returns, it leaves so soon

The Lord has blessed this land, it's kissed
The Spirit will blow away the mist
Another rain will cause a flood
But when people are saved there'll be no mud

Nathan Combs

Ecclesiates part 2

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 - Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

I have finally gotten round to writing up another entry in the hopefully somewhat interesting chronicles of my trip. I am well rested after being in Melbourne two weeks, during that time recovering from sickness. Just quickly I'd like to share with you how I actually got to Melbourne...

The story

It had been raining for a few weeks in Victoria, NSW and the quaint ACT, with the rain always seeming to follow me (I think I may have inherited my grandfathers rainmaking skill/curse). I stayed in a rest area on the side of the Hume Freeway this night as per usual and was a bit annoyed by a small cough. Next morning I woke up feeling like I had been hit by a truck (to borrow a metaphor from Dad). I packed up my gear ever so slowly and sent off a pray request text message. I trundled down the road until later that morning it got so bad that I almost couldn't move. Pull over just off the side of the road I sat there for about 5 min in the meantime trying to contact the closest church (20k away) for help. As I was using my mobile it was raining so I had to sit forward over the phone to keep it dry. Five minutes later a lady pulls up and asks if I'm ok, so I told her I was sick and she offered me a lift to Euroa the closest town of decent size. I was pretty sure God had sent her whether she knew it or not. It turns out she came back when she saw me leaning over my phone, thinking I was cramped over in pain. Anyway she drove me to
Euroa (the closest decent sized town) after I stashed my trike down a slope. She was working that day at Euroa Community Services which she only works at one day a week. When we rocked up someone at the Community Service Centre asked if I had anywhere to stay and offered for me to stay at her house. Her husband just happened to be driving past my trike with a ute that day and so could pick it up. He also he happened to have another guy with him this day who could help lift my trailer which is fairly heavy onto the ute. Later that night when I was at their house Paul, a guy I was trying to contact whom I had met on the way up to Brisbane called me and offered me a lift to Melbourne. So I got a lift to Melbourne even though I was sick and had a busted wheel, and I caught up with Paul. God certainly has his hand on all those he loves.

Melbourne and sweet sweet fellowship

Well I've been in Melbourne 18 days and it has been an awesome time due to the wonderful people who live in this city. I visited 6 different churches over 3 Sundays and attended quite a few Bible studies and cell groups very much enjoying the time of Christian fellowship, something I don't get to do much of on the road. How true is Psalm 133 assuming oil running down your beard is awesome...

Psalm 133 - How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

How awesome is that! The Lord bestows his blessing, the blessing of life uponus when
we fellowship in unity with each other and therefore ultimately him. I feel the life pumping through my arteries after time spent together with other Christians honoring the Lord our God in our speech, our actions, the real breaking of bread together and ultimately with the worship of our lives. How I wish the church was all and always like this.

God is stirring things up, teaching his people, opening eyes, hardening hearts and conrolling every little detail, every choice, every opposition, every disater, every birth, everything! God is moving people! As I travel sometimes I see God's work when I stop being a fool and allow God to clear my vision and it encourages me greatly. All around Australia God is doing his stuff. Big things are happening, get ready, get passionate, get serious or you'll get left behind. This is no game, this is war.

Joel 3:9 - Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.

1 Peter 2:11-12 - Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

2 Corinthians 10:3-4,7 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds... You are looking only on the surface of things

I want to end with an old battle story, that many people are familar with (Nathan's paraphrase version):

David and Goliath

"Now the enemy had gathered their forces for war and assembled in our country and were camping out. Our handsome, brave and strong king led our nation out and we drew battle lines against the enemy. Both nations stood on hills looking out towards each other with a valley between.

The enemy had a champion soldier whose name was named Goliath, whose hometown was Gath. He was a true giant, he was more than nine feet tall and wore fitting bronze armor and had a bronze javelin and a spear.

Goliath used to mock our great nation and therefore mocked God, but all the men were too scared to stand up to him. He challenged us for forty days saying "Choose a man to fight me, if he is able to kill me, we will surrender but if I kill him you will surrender"

There was this scrawny young lad named David who was just a shepherd boy, the youngest son, not of great importance in his family, had to take some food down to his brothers who were camped at the battle.

This boy was of such courage he resolved in front of the king to fight the giant, confidant that as he was fighting for God, God would fight for him. He took with him only stones from the stream and his sling and approached Goliath. Golaiath mocked the boy and called down the curses of his gods upon him. In reply David revealed his secret to winning against all odds "Though you attack me with weapons of war, I attack you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the nation of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me."

As the giant moved to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him reached into his bag took out a stone, slung it and struck Goliath on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

Our nation won a great victory that day, the day a boy fought in the name of God."

We can be like the boy David.

Let us continue to faithfully pray for God to coninue his work and for us to play our part in it.

Nathan



Quotations


A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent - John Calvin

"Give me the love that leads the way, the faith that nothing can dismay, the hope no disappointments tire, the passion that will burn like fire; Let me not sink to be a clod: Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God." - Amy Carmichael


"I understand though bro, see someone's been training you
to think like you think and act like you do.
Its' getting old not like it should have ever been new
but as long as shallowness exists I shall persist
to rip apart the whole structure and expose the nucleus.
Shallowness exists I shall persist to rip
apart the whole structure and expose it for what it is" - John Reuben, Do Not lyrics

God's Achilles Heel
I will write of heresy
Of weakness of the LORD
Why his hands are tied behind his back
And how the devil could have won

But before I’m stoned I’d like to say
Twas the LORD himself who made it
That control was in the hands of men
He needs us, don’t forget it

The first example, at the start of time
An assignment was then given
First name the creatures, rule the world
And multiply, that’s God-given

And later on, a giant stood
Mocked, blasphemed the living God
Stood arrogant and prideful, said
“Send a man, decide who the battle has won”

Perhaps behind these giant words
Stood the cursed one
Perhaps the LORD in stern reply
“Here’s a man, my perfect son”

Such a great example of man
Being used in the great grand plan
God chooses to use men
In his sovereignty he can

So when it’s time to make a choice
Remember in your heart
God needs you to do his work
Without men his plan is thwart

Nathan Combs

Ecclesiates part1

If your looking for an upbeat, feel good message do not continue on...

The trip home feels much more long and arduous than the trip to Brisbane. Everything is tiring and joy though present is often fleeting. Maybe its just winter getting me down. I thank the Lord for all the joy is from him, all goodness and mercy from God alone. I often think about but never really consider actually doing it, taking the easy way home, whether by car, plane or train but the Lord has work for me. Sometimes I wonder why he uses my hands, my mouth and my feet when in the depths of my mind lies the filth of mankind, perhaps not seen from the outside but weighing me down inside. It is not the fact I sin but that I choose sin over him time and time again. I would wish for God to strike either my evil inner man or even me as a whole dead, then my torment would end. Surely it is easier for a man to give in to his sinful nature, of course ignoring future consequences.

I seek the Lord out, but where is he to be found? In the bland and dry prayer and reading of the word? I think not. But how do you transform something the has become religion back into the relationship it was always intended to be? How do we truely approach the throne of grace with confidence? Stuff religion in whatever form it might take, church attendance every Sunday, being 'saved' more times than you have digits, speaking in tongues to prove your baptism in the Holy Spirit, being a public philanthropist but a private scrooge, publically acting righteous but privately hiding your sin or engaging in the politics of the church. What would the Lord rather? For you to truly seek him out or to attend a church service? Religion is safe, secure and is how you can control God, put him in his box, a relationship with him is unstable, ever fluxing, dangerous yet alive. I want to feel God not feel church, to know him, not know about him.

I have seen the Lord do marvellous things in the last 2 months. One of the many things occured as I was leaving Brisbane. I became very ill in a matter of hours with nausea and vomitting, splitting headache, general severe muscle aches and a fever. Some people from a church took me to the doctor and gave me a place to crash where I got progressively worse throughout the day. It came to a point where all I could do was go to sleep. I managed to send a text message to 8 WA people asking them to pray for me and 2 hour later I woke up with all gone except a mild headache. Praise the Lord oh my soul! I evermore realise the reality of having conversations with God, sometimes with him entrusting you with even realities of that which you could not possibly know in the natural. Every Christian has the potential to converse with God through the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit. Why neglect this gift from God? God's proveidence has increased 100 fold as I have now stepped out in faith to rely on him for all my needs. Our God is truely an awesome God...understatement of all time.

Please keep me in prayer,I feel the prayer waning as I have been gone longer. The greatest support you can give me is your prayer, and that I truly need. May God's plan come to pass, may he be with us all.
Nathan

Literature of a kind

Sin
My heart is heavy as with weight of stone
My mind knows he's here I feel so alone
This all because the weight of sin
Discard the weight and let him in
Yet why do I return to wrong
When pleasure it lacks and it grieves the one
O Lord strike dead all evil in me
And let me rest safely on your knee

Nathan

Deuteronomy 4:29
But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.

To God Be The Glory

A - Toodyay
B - Mildura
C - Melbourne
D - Canberra
E - Sydney
F - Brisbane

On Boxing Day last year I left my Grandmothers farm outside Toodyay, Western Australia on a crazy cycling trip, with my trusty Logo recumbent tricycle, church-made trailer and a trust in a God in whose hands the paths of our lives are laid. It has been 4 months, 26 days since I left and now I am in Brisbane after cycling over 5250km. As much as it may be cliche to say so, this trip has changed me. God has been faithfully working his plan in all that has happened, unusual and interesting circumstances and Godincidences (coincidences organised by God).

At this point in time I would like to define my trip. When I left I had no set objectives, only the vague notion of spending time with God in the bush. What has occurred is that and so much more. I like to think that perhaps I've achieved something for the Lord on this trip, that it is not just me who has benefited from what I've done and am going to do on the way home.

A lot of people ask me what I have learned on my trip so I'll summarise a few points for you.
- I've seen God's plan put into action time and time again, the smallest and the biggest details all being in his plan. Truly God is sovereign and he holds all of time, the beginning and the end in his hand.
- There is an unseen kingdom, in which the angels and demons have glorious battles over the souls of men, where the prayers of everyday saints change the course of history
- The Holy Spirit is alive and well, as active today as he ever was. God speaks to his people today too, in many different ways, when they are humble, available and seek him. He speaks to guide and edify his people, having an active relationship with individual people, Isaiah 46:10 - I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.
- The church is much less than what it should be, Christ's bride requires a lot of work before his return, but this is the work of God

And on that note I'd like to have a quick jibe at the absolute lack of hospitality shown to me by 90% of churches I've contacted on my trip. Non-Christians put Christians to shame when it comes to hospitality. Having said that the few that did help me out were generous indeed. However instead of ranting on in my disappointment in God's people I'll leave you with a verse of scripture, Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it (Hebrews 13:2).

All glory to God.

Glimpses of Literature to stimulate the hunger:
Isaiah 40:6-8 - "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."

Isaiah 45:3 - I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.

1 Corinthians 12:27-29 - Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

To God Be The Glory - Fanny Crosby
To God be the glory, great things He has done;
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Great things He has taught us, great things He has done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

"The church has encouraged a silent divorce between the Word and the Spirit. Divorces are painful, both for the children and the parents. One parent gets custody of the children, and the other only gets to visit occasionally. It breaks the hearts of the parents and the children are much worse off because of the arrangement. Many in the church today are content to live with only one parent. They live with the Word and the Spirit only has limited visiting rights. He just gets to see and touch the kids once in a while. Some of his kids don't even recognise him anymore. Some have become afraid him. Others in the church live with the Spirit and only allow the word sporadic visits. The Spirit doesn't want to raise the kids without the Word. He can see how unruly they are becoming, but he won't force them to do what they must choose with their hearts.

So the church has become a divided family with separate parents. One set of kids is proud of their education and the other set of kids is proud of their freedom. Both think they are better than the other.

The parents are brokenhearted. Because unlike most divorces, they didn't choose this divorce. Their kids did. And the Word and the Spirit both have to honour and endure that choice" - Jack Deere, Surprised by the Voice of God

Pornography - Nathan Combs
Pornography the angry beast
It swallows whole
It chews the least
It devours up the sons of men
And even sons of God swept in

The only cure for this disease
It lies in Christ, the mystery
The devil wants you kept locked in
But it comes to light, the hidden sin
Confess, repent, before made known
And forgiveness accept through Christ God's own

Sydney

Just a short less specific write-up today asI have come to the end of my time here in Sydney for now and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed my time here, mostly spent with a nice family (Hello Alex, Marianne, Joel, Ben, Jack, Ellena) in Hunters Hill and the rest spent at Impact. Had an interesting ride up from Canberra, snapped a bolt out of my frame on my first attempt to leave town, took a good 'short cut' with a bad gravel road, got towed up a hill by a truck and had to walk my gear up another hill in multiple trips(must have been >15%), got driven across 20k of roadworks, stayed with a lovely couple in Nowra and experienced another glimpse and was priveleged to be used by God in hardcore spiritual warfare. Thanks also to the Wollongong Reformed Presbyterian Church for their hospitality, an unusual characteristic these days.

Impact (A Christian Healthcare conference) was the usual inspiration it is to myself and the many others who attended from the states and territories of Australia to New Zealand and even Latvia. We had awesome, supportive and challenging talks from Steve Withington (awesome Kiwi doctor/pastor), Jeremy Beckett (good bloke/doctor) and Mike Raiter (Moore Bible College boss guy/good bloke on Mission in the now, the 3 R's (Re location, Redistribution... temporary blank on the last one)and real poverty amongst other things. As always the last night wen off with a bang with a great time of praising God and having D&Ms (deep and meaningful conversations) all round. It was also great just to see the great work other people are doing, its really encouraging.

Now to bag Sydney....your public transport is way to expensive (the thugs wouldn't even let me get concession with my healthcare card) and your people in the CBD need to calm down and slow down. Life is not always about money. But other than that the vegetation and parks around Sydney are nice though their is a shortage of ovals for sport (you have to see 200 kids playing footy on one oval to really understand this).

Literature taste of the moment:
Friedrich Nietzsche - The essential thing ‘in heaven and earth’ is... that there should be long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results, and has always resulted in the long run, something which has made life worth living.
(Stolen from Steves talk at IMPACT)

Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Proverbs 28:26 - He who trusts in himself is a fool but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe

Proverbs 26:18 - Like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows is a man who decives his neighbour and says "I was only joking"

Canberra

Well here I am in the nations capital and I have to say it is extremely controlled in its layout due to territory government planning. It probably is the most beautiful city I've been in due to the numerous parks, ovals and bushland distributed throughout the city giving it that rural feel. With a population of approx 340,000 it is quite a nice city.

It was probably the most beautiful part of my trip once again from Melbourne to here with the hills getting taller and steeper and my climbing of them getting slower. Though I take much comfort in the fact that the trucks struggle up them too.

So I went up from Kilsyth on the Maroondah Highway and spent a lovely night on the side of the mountain overlooking the Maroondah dam much to the disappointment of many couple who came up to this romantic spot. The next day I proceeded up this steep, windy road ignoring a sign saying how dangerous the next 16k was due to the boy or the signs in this case often crying wolf. It was a very dangerous road. I was tempted to turn around about 3k in but the effort to get back would get me further so I continued on. Two hours after I had left that morning I had made a whooping 7k! I proceeded to eat copious amounts of food in order to maintain energy levels. Then as I was heading off from my break who should pull me over but the police. The policeman from Maryville Police station proceeded to inform me of the dangers of this stretch of road. Apparently the police had been angrily informed by numerous good citizens of the public of my presence on this stretch of road so they sent not one, but two police cars to turn around this dangerous daredevil cyclist. Anyway because I was already halfway when the police got to me they decided it wasn't worthwhile making go back and they took me through to the other side of the pass. So with the bike on top of the Landcruiser and the trailer in the boot of the commodore we went through, my thanks go to the Maryville Police for taking me through and not making me go back.

I went to church in Alexandra and ended up getting a lift out to near a town called Merton where I spent the night with a lovely couple from the church, Paul and Lisa Hobby. I then headed up to Bonnie Doon just because it was in The Castle, it was awesome. I went north from there up to the Hume Highway via Benalla to Albury Wodonga where I stayed with some more lovely people there. I then headed up to Holbrook the navy's unofficial base in the wheat/sheep belt of NSW where I spent Sunday and the next Sunday (Easter Sunday) after riding up to Gundagai and back just for kicks.

I then proceeded back up the Hume towards Gundagai, cutting off towards Tumut on the Snowy Mountains Highway where I broke my speed record, now a ripping 72km/h. I headed up the Hume again after cutting back from Tumut to Gundagai, heading towards Yass where by "coincidence" or as I like to say Godincidence I ran into some people I know from WA in this incredibly small town called Bookham on the Hume. I had my coldest night ever at Yass and then headed down to Canberra.

On a deeper note in this stage of my trip I have really experienced God's goodness to me through other people. Also I have come to a greater awareness of the actual world, a world where there are spiritual things we do not (usually) see, where the physical directly impacts on the spiritual.

Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

And I have learnt a lot about prayer, it's power and importance. How great would it be if all the church were united together within themselves and with God in prayer.

I pray that it would be as in the early days of the church (if we consider the church of the new testament rather than the old) where "All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had." Acts 4:32

May the Lord my God, the God who has always been and always will be, bless you and keep you, working in all of your lives always
Nathan

Literature of the month:

"Pray for prayer. Pray until you can pray. Pray to be helped to pray, and do not give up praying because you cannot pray. It is when you think you cannot pray that you are most praying." Charles Spurgeon

"While God's power is increasing evident in many "Third World" countries, much of the western church seems to be spluttering towards extinction. We are often overly distracted away from our basic mission into a labyrinth of preoccupations with liberation, feminist or post-modern theologies, not to mention our skirmishes with various forms of secular culture or just with other Christians. Affluence allows for such leadership luxuries" - Stuart Robinson 'Positioning for Power'

Nathan's poems

Manure
People have become manure
The filth of the earth
The useless excretions of a heritage of sin

And yet God uses this manure
He takes it and puts into it a seed
He waters it with the work of the Holy Spirit
And gives to it the light of his word
And up out of the filth comes the goodness
Of a beautiful flower

Psalm 14:3 - All have turned aside,they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good,not even one.
Mark 10:18 - No one is good—except God alone

Grace
The flowers of grace
Spring from the ashes of sacrifice
Amidst a dew of forgiveness
Without forgiveness and sacrifice there would be no grace
Without grace man would not know love

Romans 3:23, 6:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The caring God

What if the storms on the hilltops
The descension of God's presence
The rain his tears at the state of man
The clouds to dim his view
To try and numb the pain he sees

And yet, the more he weeps
Then suddenly the flood gates break
And lightening strikes the evil man

For the Lord is slow to anger
Abounding in love and faithfulness
Seeing every child's tear
Feeling every person's pain