Day Fourteen Medal Tally - Rio 2016

Day Fourteen
Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
United States 38 35 32 105
Great Britain 24 22 14 60
China 22 18 25 65
Germany 14 8 13 35
Russia 13 16 19 48
Japan 12 8 21 41
France 9 14 14 37
Australia 8 11 10 29

Star Trek: First Contact review

 46 Star Trek: First Contact

Rewatch. The eighth Star Trek movie. The second based on The Next Generation. The Borg are back, and Picard is the only one who can stop them. Following up on the episodes where the Borg appeared in The Next Generation, the movie shows the Borg attacking the Federation again. Picard's distaste at Starfleet's attempt at keeping him from fighting the Borg is well presented (especially when he explains it to Riker in his ready room). The loyalty of his crew is shown when they are willing to follow his disobedience of Starfleet's orders.

The battle against the Cube in the Sol System is also shown rather well. The introduction of Worf on the Defiant is done rather well (with a brief return of the Klingon theme from The Motion Picture) in a way that establishes his character. The way the cube is defeated, with Picard 'hearing' the Collective and using it to the fleet's advantage is also done in a believable way. The progression from this to the Sphere travelling to the past is quite good. Picard is right to order the Enterprise to persue the Borg into the past, to change what they had done.

The situation caused by the Borg attack on the settlement around the Pheonix launch site is well presented. Cochrane's characterization as a reluctant figure, inventing the warp drive not to travel to the stars, but to get rich, is well done. He's more relatable than the 24^th Century characters (who, as Picard tells Lily, more altruistic). The situation on the Enterprise, after the Borg begin to assimilate the ship, is suitably suspensive. In relation to this, the sequence on the deflector dish is well shot, with the stakes suitably high for such a sequence.

Data's experiences with the Borg Queen are also quite well done, building on his character development from the previous film. The launch of the Pheonix and the Borg Queen's attempt at destroying it are done well too. Overall it is a great film. 9/10.

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country review

 44 Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Rewatch. The sixth Star Trek movie. The last starring all the members of the Original Series cast. A very good send off for the original cast. The motivations of the conspirators are well developed, as well as Kirk's lack of forgiveness regarding David's death. It is good that Sulu had got command of the Excelsior. However it is the explosion of Praxis that is important, rather than the Excelsior's mapping of 'gaseous anomalies' (although that does come back later). This is sets up the main plot of the Klingons seeking peace with the Federation.

Not only that, but also the conspiracy to stop the peace process. It is not revealed until well into the film that there was a conspiracy. Not until after Gorkon's assassination and the capture of Kirk and McCoy. That the Klingons would seek peace after such a disaster is quite plausible. If there are any quibbles with the plot, it would be with Spock's logic in vouching for Kirk, given the latter's history with Klingons. (It also gives an 'in' for the conspirators, in particular, Valeris). However that's important to the plot.

The characterization of Gorkon is what one would expect from a Klingon leader who is seeking to end hostilities that had lasted over a century. The portrayal of him as hopeful of reaching dente with the Federation was rather good. He is willing to face the difficulties that dente with the Federation would pose to the Empire and the dominant Klingon culture. The use of Shakespeare (the line from Hamlet) by the Klingons in this is well conceived. First by Gorkon during the dinner with the Enterprise officers, and later by General Chang as he admitted defeat by the Enterprise and Excelsior above Khitomer.

The detective work by Spock (and the rest of the Enterprise crew) in uncovering the plot is also rather well done. It is an excellent send off for the original cast of Star Trek. 9.5/10.

Learning to Pray with Guaranteed Results

Learning to Pray with Guaranteed Results
Psalm 100

Testimony - Laura Forest
Prayer and looking back and seeing God's hand.
Son's hole in heart healed through prayer
With God she was able to cope after her husband passed away.

'Popcorn Prayer' - lots of small prayers

'Laying hold of the promises of Scripture'

Mark 11:20 - 26
We get to tap into what God has promised
87,000 people a day becoming Christian (a few years ago)

If we are to lay hold of the incredible power of prayer...

Become a student of God's word
Identify scriptural promises
Speak out those promises despite circumstances

Reality will confront the dream

Ask
Seek
Knock

Ask
Ask Him what He wants you to know in the situation at hand

The Gibeonite Deception

Crafted Prayer
Written Prayer
Takes a couple of drafts
Pray it in season and out
Invite others to participate

Declarations
Based upon scripture or God's specific revealed will
Said out loud
Proclaimed Regularly

His specific revealed will - won't contradict scripture
Proverbs 18:21

Our words influence the spiritual realm moreso than our thoughts
Binding the demonic and releasing the angelic
A power in saying it out loud.

Declarations
eg Perfect love casts out fear.
Romans 8:26, 27

You can fail, but you'll never be a failure

Influence is not about power.

The Best is yet to come

Declaration exercises
Identify the lie you are believing
What verses of scripture relate to that?:
Write a declaration based on God's truth

A stronghold - 'a mindset tainted with the lies of the Enemy'

July Overall

July Overall
Polls Open: https://plus.google.com/+ChristopherFardell/posts/B2VY4ojjENC

June Overall: http://brenorenz.deviantart.com/journal/June-Overall-619038052

Church notes - 3rd July 2016: http://fardell34.blogspot.com.au/2016/07/church-notes-3rd-july-2016.html

3rd July: http://brenorenz.deviantart.com/journal/3rd-July-619470365

52 Tales of 2016 - June: https://plus.google.com/115245633245722817719/posts/GgHpWcormFj

52 Tales of 2016: Daria - Lost in School: https://plus.google.com/115245633245722817719/posts/WJD3r9uVUqf

52 Tales of 2016: Daria: Thoughts about Daria 1.2: https://plus.google.com/115245633245722817719/posts/ZnBXheNHuJw

Terminator Salvation review: https://plus.google.com/115245633245722817719/posts/gcKAShg7VBV

Ice Age (2002) review: http://fardell24b.tumblr.com/post/147122733080/ice-age-2002-review

Ice Age 2: The Meltdown review: http://fardell24b.tumblr.com/post/147128752140/ice-age-2-the-meltdown-review

Church notes - 10th July 2016: http://fardell24b.tumblr.com/post/147173494960/church-notes-10th-july-2016

10th July: http://fardell24.dreamwidth.org/122840.html

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs review: http://fardell24.dreamwidth.org/123045.html

Ice Age Collision Course preliminary review: http://fardell24.dreamwidth.org/123260.html

Star Trek: The Motion Picture review: http://fardell24.dreamwidth.org/123592.html

Church notes - 17th July 2016: http://fardell24.dreamwidth.org/123750.html

17th July:  http://fardell24.livejournal.com/210103.html

Election 2016 - New Ministry Sworn in: http://fardell24.livejournal.com/210381.html

Election 2016 overall: http://fardell24.livejournal.com/210641.html

Church notes - 24th July 2016: http://fardell24.livejournal.com/211695.html

23rd July: http://fardell34.blogspot.com/2016/07/23rd-july.html

Star Trek Beyond preliminary review: https://plus.google.com/+ChristopherFardell/posts/PBPFER8cL7N

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home review: http://brenorenz.deviantart.com/journal/Star-Trek-IV-The-Voyage-Home-review-624216502

52 Tales of 2016 - Reverse Map Game: 2016 - July - December 2013: https://plus.google.com/115245633245722817719/posts/fhLNCrq65aE

Ice Age Continental Drift review: http://fardell24b.tumblr.com/post/148186057815/ice-age-continental-drift-review

Church notes - July 2016: http://fardell24.dreamwidth.org/126337.html

Church notes in 2016 so far: http://fardell24.livejournal.com/212975.html

23rd July

23rd July

Finding Dory preliminary review: http://fardell24.livejournal.com/210784.html

Independence Day review: http://fardell24.livejournal.com/210981.html

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock review: http://fardell24.livejournal.com/211278.html

Church notes - 3rd July 2016

3rd July
The Welcoming Church
Welcome
- Know that your coming here gives me pleasure
- To receive gladly
- To take the initiative in action

Luke 15:1, 2
Jesus welcomed the sinners

Luke 15:11 - 24
The father represents God.
God is absolutely a welcoming God.
He welcomes us with initiative
Romans 5:8

Luke 15:24 - 32
The older son was resentful. The younger son was coming home in defeat.

How to be a welcoming church
Regulars pray for a set number of new families to come to the church.
Intentionally sit next to someone you don't know.
Go out of your way to meet someone you don't know.
When you meet a visitor, introduce them to someone in the congregration who may have similar interests.