all I want for christmas...

48 hours till houses all across Durban North will have a man in a red suit creep in through the chimney to drop off presents, devour the milk and cookies left on the shelf above the stockings and to cry "ho ho ho" as he lifts off into the dark night sky. And no, I'm not talking about me when I'm wearing James Robertson's red skinny jeans!
With mistletoe, christmas trees and carols being the main thing on all our minds at the moment, I've compiled a list of a few CD's and books you can slip onto your late christmas wish-list to santa...

Music:
*Jesus Culture (two cd's out at the moment of theirs, "Your love never fails" and "consumed"...both come with an extra live dvd...very, very cool stuff...include songs like "you won't relent until you have it all", "revelation song", King of glory" and tons more...on sale at CUM and Gospel Direct)
*Jason Upton (he's got lots out and they're all good)

Books:
*John Piper ("Christian Hedonist", "don't waste your life"...read more about him and check out his blog at www.desiringgod.org)
*Rob Bell ("Velvet Elvis", Sex God"...controversial but will make you think)
Anything written by these guys are also winners...
*RT Kendall
*Bill Johnson

One book that I picked up today and which i'll definitely recommend is called "Even greater" written by the mass-evangelist Reinhard Bonnke. It's only 188 pages and it's 12 stories of God doing incredible things around the world, so it won't take you long to read and it won't be any length of time until your faith shoots through the roof...in short, it's a brilliant book if you want to get amped for what God can do through you.

Happy Christmas mates...don't forget about the christmas service on Friday at Northwood at 8am

Gabe

Just a thought...

"The chief end of man is to glorify God AND (not "or") enjoy him forever."
*A.W Tozer

"God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in him"
*John Piper

Just some quotes that I've been pondering over for the last while...and I'm sure I will be mulling them over for quite a while to come!

gabe

The young and the restless

It's 01:45am on a Monday morning and I'm with James page and Andrew Wilkins at the Smith's house and guess what we find? No it's not david's secret stash of twinkies under his bed but rather folder upon folder of ridiculously young photo's of back in the day vibes at COGS youth. Here's 5 of the best...

1 - Carrington Collier (aged 13/14)
2 - Kiddies party at COGS youth 2004 (this was the entire youth)
3 - The day of COGSCARS 2004
4 - Chris Dudley (aged 11)
5 - Ashleigh Bargate (aged 9)

Hopefully we'll have more to come when we stop laughing

"An Indian Boy trying to make good in a black and white world"

Recently Ashneel and I were driving around Effingham and he was regaling me with story upon story of how the Lord had miraculously saved him out of his former lifestyle (Leader of the Effingham Heights Gang, Kagita and CatchHimDog) and had brought him into COGS youth. I asked him a few probing questions and I feel the depth of his answers might inspire alot of you out there. Here's a tiny look into the life and times of an Indian boy trying to make a difference in a black and white world...

Gabe: So Ashneel, tell us a little bit of what life was like growing up in the wild neighbourhood of Effingham?

Ashneel: It was rough, quite rough. Everytime you went for a walk you'd have to look back just to make sure no one was following you. Your money was safer in your shoes than in your pockets. Yes, it was rough but it made me a man. I had grown chest hair by the age of 5, just so that I would have respect on the playground and gulleys. Where witou lighties are drinking milk, I was drinking "spook and diesel". Nothing glamorous about the EHG lifestyle.

Gabe: Wow, and you seem so innocent now. Tell us a little more about the EHG (the Effingham Heights Gang)...

Ashneel: I joined the squad in the summer of 1997, I had just turned 10 and the wise Kagita took me under his wing and taught me the ways of the CatchHimDog. We used to walk maround and blow up peoples post boxes during diwali, take stones and right vulgar words on the road. When we walked down the streets heads used to turn and h'asses used to burn. People wanted to be with us but they knew it would cost them too much. We were feared, hated and loved. Kagita was tough with me, but he saw something that the other gangs didn't.

Gabe: How did you rise to the top of EHG?

Ashneel: In the early hours of one fateful Monday morning, we were involved in a terrific battle with the VSR (Verulam Sewer Rats) and Kagita was leading the charge up Sanjay Hill...we were making great headway as we slowly took control of the Hill. All of a sudden as light started to appear in the distance, a great cry went out as Kagita was slain by a stray fishing line. As he lay on the ground so close to death, I knelt on the ground next to him, my tears spilling upon the soil. He took hold of my hand, and whispered, "Watkind laanie? Chune Lugs farwell for me". Then he breathed his last. I took his words to mean I was in charge, and from that day forth I was no longer just Ashneel, I became Bra George, head of the EHG.


Next blog, the conversation continues as we find out how the Indian became a Chrindian (a christian indian)

The Ghost of COGSCARS Past...#1

With COGSCARS 2009 now just under a week away (and with a little spare time on my hands this morning), I've let my thoughts wonder down memory lane and reminisce over some of the highs from previous end of year COGSCARS events. Here's a quick list of what made the first one I can remember (2004) so great:

It was the end of my grade 11 year and I had been in Durban for just over 14 months at that stage. David Smith, Andrew Wilkins and myself had just become good friends and during the year we had played with the idea of starting a band (read some of our history on the facebook group "Smash and Grab" or click on the link here http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=app_2373072738&ref=ts&gid=6217291287#/topic.php?uid=6217291287&topic=3292). News of our musical attempts reached the ears of Mike Gooch (the guy leading the youth at the time) and he foolishly thought it would be a good idea to get us to play at the COGSCARS that year. Despite Paul's many vociferous protests, "De ja vu", as we were first named, somehow made it onto the agenda for the infamous night.

The three of us hadn't been playing our various instruments for any substantial length of time, so you can imagine the torment for the audience that followed. If you ask people who were there that night what they remember from that auspicious occasion, I bet they won't mention our 5 minute time slot as they have conveniently erased it from their memories!

But besides this, it was a great night! We had it in the actual church building, and the decor was absolutely incredible. Nick Hustler had braided hair, Jono Rich wore a t-shirt and a jacket and Dan Bailey won "most likely to take his shirt off in public" (mainly because James Robertson wasn't there). James at this stage had a preoccupation with showing off his abs, his biceps and his lats to anyone who was remotely interested. When he realised that not many people were interested, he began removing his shirt at youth at the proverbial drop of a hat. So we thought that pointing out this particular obsession of his with an award at COGSCARS would maybe curb his enthusiasm, but alas he was playing in a cricket tournament that week, and so Dan Bailey won the prize intended for James instead(a packet of cat food if I remember correctly) and the legend of "Dan the ladies man" became official!


As our countdown continues till friday night, so to will our recollections of COGSCARS through the years. So make this blog your home-page and get ready as the Ghost of COGSCARS Past keeps you in the loop...

A John the Baptist people...

John the Baptists life prepared the way for Jesus! Yes he ate wild honey, ate locusts, and lived in the desert... but what makes him one of the great men of the bible is this - everything John was and all he did was done with the intention of preparing the way for Jesus! How insane is that.. and how challenging!

The question I ask is this... Isn't this God's plan, intention, purpose and desire for our lives as well? How can it not be if the nations - those who don't know Jesus - are so important to Him?

John lived a life that prepared the way because he knew God and understood the heart of God - he lived in the desert ( Luke 1 : 80 ) - it wasn't the locusts or honey that sustained him, it was God! It was through intimate relationship with God, in the desert, that God was able to prepare John to prepare the way!

God works in us to flow out of us!

We prepare the way - God saves! Us preparing the way for Jesus starts with allowing God to prepare and equip us in His presence, through His Word, in worship and by searching our hearts and leaving revelation of the mysteries of Jesus and who He is to us ( see Gabe's blog about how God does this - the red font ).

God works in us to flow out of us!

God my prayer is that when people speak of my life they will say I prepared the way for Jesus! Thats my prayer for you as well... God take us to that place more and more! God keep raising up this John the Baptist generation!

God work in us to flow out of us!

Bradlows...

Time to go swimming!

This weekend, The Killers, an American alternative rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, will jet into South Africa for two highly anticipated gigs in Johannesburg and Cape Town. With this in mind, The Killers have a song called "the river is wild" and another which contains the lyrics "the river is deep, the river is wide" and this got me thinking about the passage in Ezekiel 47:1-12 which speaks about the wild, deep and wide river that flows from the throne of grace.
Go read it...then go read John 7:38...

The River of his presence is flowing and he is saying “put on your board shorts boy!”
The river is increasing…what-ever you have experienced, no this with an absolute certainty...THERE IS MORE!!! Not ankle deep limits, not waist deep limits but more and more and more!
there is always, always, always more to him!!!!

It's holidays for some already, nearly holiday for all and that means time will for once be on our side...if you're going to do one thing over the next 5 weeks of summer holiday, make sure that it's plunging yourself deeper into the river of God. Sometimes it can feel a little difficult, so that's why I've taken the liberty of typing out a few helpful hints which are helping me get a little "wetter" as I continue pushing out into the deeer parts of this river:

*Why is it difficult:

• don’t be in too much of a hurry...learning to swim with your feet off the bottom doesn't take 5 minutes...
• We feel unworthy:
  When we realize who he is, we then will know who we are (remember that the only way you can come to dad is through Jesus! Plead the blood of Jesus! (I feel crap but I’m not coming in my own name!!!!)
• as you pray you are looking for the help of the Holy Spirit/ We pray to the father, through Jesus, seeking the power and the anointing of the Holy Spirit…he’s the one who gives you the strength and liberty
• The word of God
  -If God promises you something in his word and you are not seeing it, turn the promise into prayer! (“but you said, and you don’t lie”)
  LAY HOLD OF GOD! (read Genesis.32:22-32)
• Practically: EVERYONE IS UNIQUE…I struggle to sit still (I draw what God says, I write, I dance really crazily, I waltz with my dad, I Lie on the floor with music in my ears weeping…I have a pen and paper to write down thoughts etc…Turn your bedroom into a fortress but don’t be confined there)
• Get God conscious…Quiet times no more/LOUD times/every times

my prayer is that before the clock ticks to midnight on december 31st and the calendar moves onto 2010, that I would have pushed into deeper waters, to a place where my feet no longer touch the bottom, where i have discarded my water wings and to where I am in wilder, deeper and wider parts of his river.

The safety of the shallow ends or the adventure of the depths...it's up to us!

COGSCARS 2009

With the big day just over 11 days away, you can almost taste the hype in the air. So just in case you missed the voting on Friday night, if you want to change your mind or if you just want to get ready for what's coming up, here are some of the categories for COGSCARS 2009:

*W.I.T.K (Woman in the kitchen)
-past winners=
2008 Steph Dungan/Nikki Rich
2007 Nikki Rich
2006 Jen Collier
2005 Nikki Rich
2004 Kerry Cilliers

*Camel Man
-New award but David Smith assures me that this one's in the bag...but I suspect Ben "Bear Grylls" Van Wyk won't lie down easily!

*Male model
-top contenders include=
James Robertson
James Groom
James Page
Matt Blackburn
Matt Wilkes
(notice that what they all have in common is flawless hair)

*Most likely to be married at 18

*Cutest grade 8

*Tightest pants

And a whole lot more

If you haven't bought a ticket yet, make sure you bring your money this coming Friday to book your place.
Only the first 110 people get a spot.
It's only R20, but as Mastercard would say, the memories will be priceless!

Now I'm off to Cape Town

Gabe

Youth Blog Facelift!

If you've been here before, you may have noticed that the blog is looking a little bit different.

Ok. A lot different.

Cogs Youth is charging head first into the blogosphere, and we needed a bit of a cosmetic boost. But its not only the look of the site that's changed. There are a whole lot of exciting new features too, so why not browse the site for a bit, you can start by:


Following us on twitter!

Yes, Cogs Youth is now on Twitter. Network, receive updates, see what we're up to. All on Twitter!


Becoming a "fan"!

There is a new COGS YOUTH Facebook fanpage. Follow the link, or click the button in the right hand collumn. (Also, if you haven't joined the group, now is the time!)


Leaving a comment!

You can now comment on the blog using your Disqus, Facebook, Twitter or Open ID log in details, or as a guest. Please leave us comments! We want to hear from YOU!


Checking out the links!

Click the buttons at the top of the page for more information on what COGS is all about. We're more than a youth!

Expect big things from the COGS Youth blog! More stirring, leather clad words from our chief, Paul; solid theology from Bradlows; the piercing wit of the ginger; and more! Maybe one day we'll even see the elders venture into the terrifying world of the internet to write us a few words.

2 days 'till FIREDAY!

Why the Gospel?

We all know the great commission found at the end of Matthew in chapter 28 - the passage most people can recite in a cliche way during preaches and services! The passage calls us to the nations, to reach them with the Gospel... But why the Gospel?

Aren't Muslims, Jews Hindus and other religious groups all trying to win converts to their religions everyday as well? Why the Gospel and not Islam? Why the Gospel and not Hinduism?

Colossians 1:6... "...All over the world this Gospel is bearing fruit and growing." Aren't all the other religions of the world also growing? Yes they are... so what sets the Gospel apart?

The above scripture not only speaks of the Gospel growing but it speaks of it bearing fruit, this is what sets it apart - it is the only faith that produces true fruit in the lives of people! Fruit is a sign of birth, a sign of life, a sign of abundance!

The Gospel, unlike all other religions, invites us in to intimate relationship and fellowship with our creator God through the blood of Jesus, it is the bread of life that sustains eternally, it conforms us into the likeness of Jesus ( the perfect man ) as we are transformed from glory to glory - we are a people set apart and being made holy!

This is the fruit of the Gospel, it changes our lives - brings new birth, life and abundance! And here's the cool thing about fruit on a tree... its for others as well! The fruit God puts on your tree, in your life, is for others to recieve as you go to the nations because of the commission and annointing upon your life - so that others might freely recieve what we have recieved - the fruit of the Gospel!

big love... the bradlows

Events events events...read all about it!

It's a monday morning and I find myself at the church picking up everything that I forgot to take home from church last night...my guitar, my bag of clothes, my bowling ball, my flashdrive from Paul's office..and while in Paul's office I've just caught myself gazing at the wall above his computer which is littered with fliers from past events we have done over the years at COGS youth. There's the infamous retro's valentines, Punks and Nerds from 2005, the Survivor finale night from 2006 when Carrington beat Tyler McConnell to the prize by a 7 to 6 vote from the jury, and the Brawl in the hall when Paul almost died at the hands of Fanie "the beast" Stolz in a final round punch up. But all this reminiscing got me pretty excited for what's just on the horizon for us until the end of the term...hell it's going to be explosive. Here's what we've got in store:

20th November: COwboys and Indians (live band, dancing, dress-up, shoot-outs, good times will be provided)

27th November: FIREDAY (voting for Cogscars, huge worship, killball match of death versus the young adults)

4th December: Grade seven disco (old school, dancing, disco ball etc)

11th December: COGSCARS (need I say more?)

Make sure you don't miss a moment of the next four weekends at COGS youth cause I promise you, they will be Friday nights that you will never forget.

COGS youth: "we won't stop the magic"

Elaine's come to chat...I better go

The SAXON Files!

With our first ever "The Sex Files" coming up this Friday (13th November, mark it down in your diary's people!), I thought I'd quickly compile a short list of some of the contenders of the "raunchiest and most saxon" moments ever to happen at COGS youth over the last 5 years or so that I have been here. So here goes:

1. The 2.Samuel.6:14 moment
Number one HAS to be the blindest moment of my life, but probably the most significant. This one particular Friday evening (possibly +-2 years ago?), I felt the Spirit move so I went up to bring a song. Unfortunately for me and the entire front row, the Spirit wasn't the only thing that moved that night...as I finished my prophetic song ("Now is the time"???), I leaped off the stage only to remember that I hadn't worn a belt that night...you can guess the rest of the story.
Let's just say that pride was never an issue in my life again after this night as I had literally danced my pants off! You may now understand why Richard has had a permanent nervous twitch for the last couple of years.
(Tip #1: Always, ALWAYS wear a belt to youth)

2. The emergence of "Tracey"
In the latter half of 2008, during a typical youth gameshow of "win a date with Matt WIlkes" (the handsome twin), COGS youth was introduced to "girl number 3", Tracey, a combination of everything you've ever wanted in a "woman". Defined features, husky voice, an extremely tight fitting skirt coupled with most sultry calf muscles ever. Mmmm...
(Tip #2: Always go with girl number 3)

3. "we're gonna wlatz like a child in your presence"
Worship was pumping, James Page had just finished a heaven opening solo and the glory cloud was making it's way from the coffee counter to the front, when I opened my eyes and spotted the funniest occurence during worship that I had EVER seen! Lo and behold, in the back corner by the sliding glass door, an unnamed couple were hand in hand, gazing deeply into each others eyes and doing the most seductive version of the "waltz/samba/shuffle" in the history of youth worship! Needless to say, I couldn't help but laughing, but because the glory was so thick everyone assumed it was just the Holy Spirit...
(Tip #3: When we sing "we're going to dance in your presence", it doesn't mean with the hot girl next to you!)

4. Michael Cilliers
3 or 4 years ago Mike Cilliers was on youth leadership. At every single youth leaders meeting without fail, when Paul (or Mike Gooch) would ask how we could spice up youth a little bit, Michael would pipe up with his suggestion: "Girls in bikinis". Needless to say he never got his way.
(Suggestion #1: Bring Mike back onto team?)

5. Every canoodling "couple"
Over the years we have seen coutless incidents of a guy and a girl who started worship eyeing each other out, go through the stages of digging to liking to going out by the time Paul has finished his preach for the evening. It is impossible to count the amounts of couples that have been spotted cuddling at the back by the sound desk, but in we honour them all in this blog! Hell, it's actually an impressive achievement as all I've got in 5 years is a far too intimate confession of love from "Jamie Lynn" two weeks ago at the Sleepover!
(Tip #4: If you secretly like someone at youth, make sure you're ready to "pray" for them the moment you see them start crying in worship)
(Suggestion #2: Follow Tip #4 at your peril. Brad and his security team have eyes everywhere!)

So there you have it...my Top 5 saxon moments at COGS youth...feel free to add to the list.

PS, I'm pretty sure we'll be adding to it this Fireday!

*Vintage Phillips

Jalaps' questions to Pautro...

I recently sat down with our commander and Chief, Paul Edy (otherwise known as "Roy" or "Kaizer") and asked him a few questions about life, youth and his leather jacket. Here are a few of the highlights from that chat...

Gabe: "Paul, when did you first come to COGS youth? Was it really at a similar time as Nelson Mandela's release from prison?"

Paul: It was back in '96. Nelson Mandela had been leading our country into a colourful democracy for two years already. Francois Pienaar had lifted up the William Webb Ellis trophy at an exhuberant Ellis Park Stadium on 24 June the previous year. Soundgarden released their last album, as did Stone Temple Pilots, and the grunge era started to wane, with the exception of the birth of Foo Fighters. These are some significant things that occurred in and around 1996. The most significant occurrence, however, being that I, Paul Edy, a shy little 8th grader, joined COGS YOUTH.


Gabe: "Did you meet Evie at youth? Did she like you from the very beginning?"

Paul: Yes, I did meet Evie at youth. No she didn't like me from the beginning. She had her eyes fixed on older guys (no names mentioned - G_ _ TH). But for all you groms, hang in there, because in due time you'll begin filling your T - shirts. It was when i got to matric that not only Evie, but I can confidently say that every heterosexual girl at COGS YOUTH, quote unquote, "has had a crush on Paul". I don't mean to come across as arrogant, it just happens naturally.


Gabe: "Interesting. Speaking of that, why do you despise the ancient art of Killball so much?"

Paul: Speaking of what? Filling your T - shirt? Well believe it or not, back in the day I would actually look forward to the killball game. Not because of the game itself, but because it meant i could take off my T- shirt.Back then we had a strong culture of girls perving over boys during the game, those were the glory days. We seem to have lost that. But I found that it didn't take long after working full time at COGS for me to start filling my T - shirt excessively, and the novelty of the game swiftly wore off. And also, I don't enjoy pain.


Gabe: "Obviously I don't totally agree but I suppose that is why you're in charge. On another note, what is your favourite youth event each year?"

Paul: That would be between Retros Valentines and COGSCARS. i SMAAK to cut rug.


Gabe: "Mine too. Looking back a few years now, would you say that the year I spent in the office with you (2006) was one of your favourite memories ever?"

Paul: 2006 was my 10 year anniversary of being at COGS YOUTH. It was the year I officially took over the leadership and the year I married Evie. Having you and the dirty champion with me through all those events, who could ask for more? My favourite memories, by far, take me back to the Dbn North swimming pool, bad breathing techniques and vomit.

Gabe: "Looking forward to next year already, everyone's talking about the explosive youth launch at the start of 2010. Can you tell us more?"

Paul: Aah Gabe, so naive, so young in this ministry. You will come to learn one thing about youth. I, as a seasoned campaigner in this ministry, can tell you, that the youth of today love two things... surprises and explosions. The launch will deliver.


Gabe: "I'm already pumped! Finally, would you ever let me borrow your leather jacket?"

Paul: Hell no! My Tele, my Line 6, my pedals AND MY LEATHERS?!




So as you can see, Paul and I do talk to each other besides a Friday night! Keep an eye out on this blog for many more insightful future interviews.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF THE PRECIOUS MOMENTS MADE IN SLEEPOVERS GONE BY

The best and most famous memory, young and naive Gabriel Phillips and James Robertson, many years ago, enjoying the finer things in life over a game of Voltaren Returns, Voltaren Strikes back and Voltaren II. Oozing with new found confidence they dominated the early hours of the morning shirtless and bandanna clad. Swedish bitters, what a treat!! By the way, please submit your parents cell no's as you walk in the door.

It may have been the same night that we were treated to some extremely intimate secrets of a well known guest speaker, who we'll never look at in the same light. Let's just say "two is better than one", and "a chord of three is not easily broken". One could say that one's sacrament wasn't entirely blessed.

Then there's the occasion that some would remember of Graham Lewis' tyres being seasoned with swaz. The perpetrators were chased away by what they thought was a vicious canine, but it turned out to be their one mate who usually klaps the lights.

The bible speaks of a dog returning to it's vomit, but doesn't say anything about someone elses'. Our canine friend was the victim of a generous outpouring of Michael Ashton's over indulgence of weak Oros. Remember guys, choose your positions carefully when the Oros comes out.

This Fireday, many more moments to be made, will you be a part of it?


PS. Oros will be provided.

What keeps you up at night?

It's that time of year again...the COGS youth Sleepover has come rolling into town!!! Over the past few years, our Sleepovers have become infamous for many reasons and over the course of the next few days, this blog will hopefully be littered with some of the better sleepover tales...so keep checking in with us here as we continue the countdown to this Friday night...I'm pretty much convinced that we're in for the best one we've ever had!

Shofire,

Gabe

Good people of the technological era,
I am glad to have finally got the opportunity to extend my warmest greetings to the 6 of you.

I know everyone's been waiting to hear if I ever really take off my leathers, the answer is...
"Yes, when I go jogging. It's not easy getting the stench of sweat out of the leather."

That settles that.

This term has launched a little less explosively than last term. I mean, we kicked off last term with YOUTH CAMP, which was a little like what we could expect the BIG BANG to have been like, if that theory were true. No, but this term, was a little more like WWII or at least the attack on Pearl Harbour.

Last term God broke into our midst by His Spirit and completely turned our lives right side up. He came upon us in power and graciously allowed us all to experience Him like never before. Many had the shakes, many felt like they were on fire, many felt His powerful electricity run through their bodies but one thing's for sure, all of us felt his love, all of us heard His call and all of us were transformed.
We thank God for the miracles we've witnessed. Healings, lives literally being saved from fatal conditions, people being set free from spiritual strongholds. And all at the laying on of our ordinary hands.
Thank you Jesus for mobilising your church!

This term we are focusing on those who are still positioned under the hammer of God's wrath.
We were all, at one stage, objects of this wrath (Eph 2), destined to be crushed for the evil that resides in the heart of all mankind. There was a time where every one of us looked up and acknowledged that this hammer was not to be escaped, except through the One whose destiny it was to be crushed for us.

Isaiah 53:5 - But He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

God, in His rich mercy, crushed His own Son so that we would stand free from accusation.
The wrath of God fell upon the Son of God who had earned God's favor as a man.
The favor of God now rests upon sinful men who believe in the Son of God.
He became my sin and died, I became His righteousness and live.

Jesus Christ surrendered himself to the hammer of God's wrath so that we wouldn't get what we deserve. We exist so that He didn't do it in vain.

This term there'll be a whole lot of opportunities to invite your mates to join us, bring 'em!
Keep savaging your schools, mates and families for God cos there are still too many o's getting hammered!

PEACE!!
PAUROS

We are "PLAN A"

Galatians.1:15-16
"... when God, who set me apart from birth, called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his son in me, so that I may preach him to the Gentiles..."

"who set me apart from birth"
-no matter if you've just been saved or have been a Christian for a while, God did not choose you when you slipped up your hand in a youth or church meeting in response to the preaching of the gospel...you were set apart, set aside, chosen by God at the very moment you were born! When your mom and dad held you for the first time, the joy that was in their hearts could not even come close to the joy that filled heaven as God declared with a burning excitement to all the angelic beings and to all creation, "That right there is my Plan A!"

"called me by his grace"
-not by ANYTHING that I've done! And the great thing about this is that this means that there is now absolutely nothing I can do to fall out of his amazing grace! If I sin, God is still declaring over me, "You are my Plan A, not because of anything you did or are going to do but because I CHOSE YOU!!!!

"was pleased..."
-It was God's greatest pleasure and delight to choose you and me! he didn't do it begrudgingly!And the book of Zephaniah in the Old testament speaks about how our dad in heaven rejoices over us with singing and how he is spinning wildly over me! Our God is passionately in love with us...not moderately in love, but PASSIONATELY IN LOVE!!!!!

"to reveal his son in me"
-the one who was there at the very beginning, who spoke the world into motion, who said "let there be light!" and there was...the Jesus who was whipped and beaten beyond recognition, who carried the heavy cross, who hung upon the same cross as he was mocked and insulted and spat upon...the Jesus who rose victoriously from the dead with the keys of life and death in his hands, who will return riding on a white horse, with eyes like fire, and with a sword in his mouth to judge the world...God was pleases to reveal THIS Jesus IN ME!!!!!!!!!!

"so that I may preach him"
-God settles my identity (who I am) and then gives me a purpose...not a "have to" but something I get to do! We have Christ, the Light of the World, being formed in us and there is a world which is being over run by the forces of darkness...the spiritual is very real...and we have the task of proclaiming freedom!!!!!! Setting the prisoner free: this is my joy and delight...this is my greatest privilege!

"Youth group cannot be boring"

And fourth term started with a bang!

As Phil Dooley of Hillsong United once famously said in his Australian drawl, "Youth group cannot be boring!". And if this last Friday was anything to go by, COGS youth is DEFINITELY living up to the first of Phil Dooley's commands. Where else can you find 60 second countdowns that end in a savage Muse riff, crazy videos featuring the comedic genius of Chris Dudley and dave Smith and a game of Killball that had Northwood headboys almost in tears? I tell you the truth, Fireday's are assuredly not boring! And that's without mentioning our very loud time of worship ("Every time we touch I get this feeling, every time we touch I think I can fly...") and our chief, Paul Edy reminding us of what an unbelievable treasure the gospel is ("would you have rather won the lotto or have heard the gospel?"). All in all, it was a completely VINTAGE night...and that was just the first one of the term!!!

Just imagine what's going to happen this week......

Half way through the holidays...

Today is the start of Equip 2009 up at HCF, and it's looking like it's going to be a crazy time! For all of those who aren't going to be there, here's a little something to inspire you to get stuck into the word!

A little extract from a Bill Johnson preach (pastor of Bethel church in Florida):

"It’s every generation’s responsibility to try and extract every promise in the Bible out now, not to sit still and say “it’s for another day”
The bible is a minefield. He put the gold in rocks. He’s hidden gems.

"It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, the glory of kings to search them out." (Proverbs)

God hides stuff for us, not from us. (Easter egg hunt)
The parents’ joy is in the kid finding the egg.
The parents’ thrill is in their discovery and their sense of adventure in discovery.
The kids’ joy is in the discovery and in the countenance of those who take pleasure in them.

God hides things for you.

Why did Jesus teach in parables?
So that not everyone would get it.
Why? He only wanted desperate people to understand because they were the only ones ready to obey, and God, in his mercy, doesn’t throw out truth, because then he’s increasing the responsibility on those who don’t have the ability to obey.
So he conceals truth, he tells it in stories.

He puts the gold in the rock and says,
“If you want it, break the rock”

‘Glory of kings to search it out’ – Never does your royalty shine more than when you realise you have legal access to the mysteries/ secrets of God because it’s your inheritance."

And off we go...

MATES!!!! Welcome to COGS YOUTH's first ever blog!!!!And some people said we weren't technologically minded enough!!!
Anyway, every week we promise to keep you updated with the thoughts and deep musings that are dominating our head spaces (which aren't many at the best of times) as well as giving you an inside look into the life and times of our fearless leader Paul "Leathers" Edy. All we ask is for you to read them from time to time, and even if you don't, just pretend that you do when we ask...

But seriously, here are a few of the questions that will be covered here over the coming months:

-does Paul EVER take off his leather jacket?
-Do rich's dreads have supernatural powers?
-am I ever going to get a girlfriend?
-How old is too old for youth? (brad King will be writing this one)
-Will Evie really name her baby Gabriel?

So fasten your seatbelts and pull your chair closer to the computer screen because if you keep an eye on this blog, you're in for a VINTAGE time!

And as we always say here at COGS YOUTH: life's a party and the party is life, you gotta keep it together, keep living the life!


Gabe