What do you say about yourself?

What do you say about yourself? - It's the question the world wants us to be able to answer with pride and confidence. Common answers include: I'm in control of my life; I'm free and no one can say otherwise; I'm a winner; I'm in charge of my destiny. "Speak positive talk and don't let anyone say otherwise," we're told.

John the Baptist took a very different view. He could've claimed to be the Messiah, a prophet, even Elijah - they would've believed and respected him. But no, John said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord.' (John 1v19)

Later in John 3v29, John the Baptist says, "... The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease."

This is the view of a true Christ-believer. Christ the bridegroom has the words of eternal life and far greater worth than any other person. My voice is only to declare the way to my worthy Saviour, to rejoice that One came to reconcile us to God. If a Christian 'decreases' without Christ 'increasing' that's just low self-esteem and brings misery. If a Christian 'decreases' and Christ 'increases' that's true purpose and brings complete joy.

Bits and pieces...

Spotted this gem of a quote on the 'Desiring God' website.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer says:

Revival of church life always brings in its train a richer understanding of the Scriptures. Behind all the slogans and catchwords of ecclesiastical controversy, necessary though they are, there arises a more determined quest for him who is the sole object of it all, for Jesus Christ himself.

What did Jesus mean to say to us? What is his will for us to-day? How can he help us be good Christians in the modern world? In the last resort, what we want to know is not, what would this or that man, or this or that Church, have of us, but what Jesus Christ himself wants of us.

The Cost of Discipleship, 1937, (New York: Touchstone, 1995), 35.

And... a video of the beautiful flight patterns of starlings (you may learn a new word too!) Best watched on full screen.



And... finally a song that blessed me recently: 'Knees to the earth' by Watermark.
http://youtu.be/-AQL8Zk2sOk


I know this is a ramble, but I'm trying to kick-start a more regular blog output!

God with us … or not?

The sin of the people of Israel was a stench to God. They'd made the golden calf even as their Redeemer was cutting a covenant into stone to bind them to Him. In effect, they'd slept with a prostitute on the night before their marriage. The LORD lets them know how serious this really is.

First He strikes them with a plague. Then in chapter 33, He makes the gravity of the situation plain to Israel.
"I'll remove your enemies from the land. So off you go...that's what you want isn't it - a nice peaceful, pleasant land with plenty of milk and honey for your sweet tooth."

Then comes the thunderbolt: "but I will not go up among you lest I consume you...for you are a stiff-necked people." And finally, the Israelites begin to realise how serious their sin is and that without God they might as well be dead.

This side of the Cross we can be even more blasé than Israel were. Expecting God to drive away our problems, bring us a heap of blessings, whilst we keep stubbornly hugging the idols of the world and proudly wearing our ornaments of self-promotion.

God is not pleased. He has been so patient and loving with us, but only wants one thing: that we would go nowhere without Him.

I'm thoroughly challenged. How many plans that we know God wants us to fulfil become so important to us that we fail to notice, He's not among us! Take a lesson from Israel, if you're wandering around in circles in a desert place, perhaps He just wants to convict you of ignoring Him and draw you to Him and Him alone.

Don’t resist! Repent over your sin, lay your pride down and tell the LORD how desperately you desire His presence.

I Have Found the Book!

Imagine if you were sitting in an aeroplane on a long-haul flight, and you hear an announcement from the pilot, “I have found the flight plan.” Firstly, you’d wonder how for so long no one had noticed this vital information was missing. Then, I think you’d be fairly keen to know that the flight was now on that right path!

Now jump to the Bible and the people of Israel in 2 Kings 22. The ‘people of God’ didn’t even notice that His very words were missing from among them. The king was supposed to read the Book of the Law before the people every year. This hadn’t happened for years. It had got lost in the temple of God, the place where it should have been the centre of sacrifices and worship.

How is that possible? The words of God were to be prized and treasured...and obeyed. That was the problem. Israel couldn’t obey the words, so they ignored the words with a blatant disregard for God’s honour and a despicable desire for doing evil. And then, inevitably, they forgot the words. It was as though they’d never existed.

BUT... “Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law...” (verse 8) What a moment for Israel! Wiping the dust of the Book God had written. What a moment for Josiah the king! He can either allow these words to come out in the open to everyone’s humiliation (and the inevitable demand for change). Or he can hide it away again and save all the hassle of reforming a nation. He chose to open the Word of God and take it seriously and God blessed him for it (verses 18-20).

How many of us have the Word of God in our homes (and even in our churches) sitting in cobwebbed corners collecting dust? How often do we sit back and wait for the plane to drop out of the sky before we wake up to our own lack of direction in life? Finding the book is more than mere identification. It’s seeing what is sweeter than honey and feasting on it continually. Have you found the Word of God? And are you going to open it and see what happens?!

Evolution - Nuff Said!

This is a nice quirky video questioning some of the assumptions evolutionists make.

Do We Need a 'Call' to Go to the Nations?

"The missionary call is not like a prison dog that tracks us down, sniffs us out, and hog-ties us for the nations. That is silly-talk and really bad theology. Nowhere in Scripture is a mysterious (supernatural) call a prerequisite before we can respond to the Great Commission. The opposite is actually true."

- David Platt, 'Don't Complicate the Missionary Call' - Check out the link to read the whole article. Really thought-provoking!

Salvation for Homosexuals

Since homosexuality was legalised in 1974, the church has been under increasing pressure to sanction or at least tolerate the practice. The culture has quickly assumed an outwardly positive attitude towards homosexuality be it in the courtroom, the classroom or the cinema. Clearly the church cannot afford to ignore such a relevant issue but should provide a far more open atmosphere in which to discuss it.

This brings us to the question, what does the Bible teach about homosexual practice? It will surprise many to know that the Bible has less than 10 specific references to homosexuality. And these only say that same-sex practice is sinful.

The foundation for a theology of sexuality is in Genesis 1-3: “Male and female [God] created them.” The relationship is made absolutely clear as referring to marriage (2:24). Anything outside of God’s pattern of heterosexual marriage is sinful.

Leviticus 18:22 picks up on the Genesis theme in its specific command against homosexual practice. But why is this any more detestable to God than the eating of pork and wearing of mixed-fibres in the same group of commandments? Surely this is just selective reading says the Christian homosexual lobby. But remember, Jesus came to fulfil the law and not to abolish it. Sometimes he moved the interpretation along – as when he said all food was clean in Mark 7:17 or said sacrifice was no longer necessary in Hebrews.

But when the New Testament talks about marriage and sexuality it goes right back to Genesis 1-3. In Matthew 19, Jesus speaks to the Pharisees about God’s joining of husband and wife through marriage. They are ‘united’ in a mysterious way that belongs to no other human relationship. Ephesians 5 affirms this in comparing the relationship to that of Christ with his church.

In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, God clearly condemns those who practise homosexuality. Yet look at the sins it’s listed by: greed, drunkenness and slander. The undeniable meaning of this text has often been used to beat homosexuals over the head. But verse 11 instead gives a great sense of hope for change – “such were you”. How often have we been able to say this to people in the church? Or would it shock us all if a homosexual even turned up?

The final question that must be asked is this: what hope does the gospel bring to those who struggle with this issue? For starters, there is good news of a new beginning for in Christ, “you are a new creation.” There is no more promise for a changed orientation than there is for the end of heterosexual lust, but that does not undermine how radical a new beginning this is. The individual is declared righteous and freed from captivity to sin. As with every believer, every day of life must be submitted to Christ and sanctified by the Holy Spirit through the washing with the Word.

Next up is the good news of a new community. Adoption papers were signed. You’re in God’s family now. So no matter your past sins or present struggles there should be acceptance, love, support, understanding and deep friendship. Sadly many gay people have had a very bad experience of churches.

Practical steps a church should take include a declared break with homophobia, embarrassment or plain ignorance. Those who struggle in this area within the church must feel accepted and this will be aided through good teaching on singleness and marriage.

Finally, the good news of a new world brings hope to every sinner. Yet none of us should have an over-realised eschatology. People who are homosexually oriented may not be transformed to the degree that they can marry, but they will be new people in a new world. That is the hope held out for every Christian who loves Jesus, fights sin and seeks holiness with all their heart.

Who Cares? (Part 2)

Jesus helps us with our theology of suffering. The Bible has shown that suffering is something we cannot escape as evidenced by God’s words to Eve (Genesis 3:16) and in the lives of Job and Paul. We must understand the limits of our answers on suffering, but the presence of our loving, suffering and redeeming God is the best answer by far. He provides a clear example of how to respond to those with a disability. Jesus accepted the infirmities of humanity firstly by healing them.

Take a few examples from his ministry. He broke the social conventions by touching the unclean including lepers. In John 5:6, Jesus is considerate, asking the man who cannot walk if he wants to. He cares about the individual no matter what state he or she is in. There are too many examples to list, but John 9 has a particularly good lesson for us. Jesus doesn’t judge the blind man by blaming it on his sin. He even involves the man in the healing process.

Jesus also accepted the infirmities of humanity secondly by participating in them (Isaiah 53). He took on our flesh and sympathised with our weaknesses. As a baby, he became dependent on others, yet never ceased to be the Son of God. And as the last Adam, Christ ascended to heaven in an eternal resurrected body. That means every person, disabled or otherwise who trusts in Jesus will follow that route and at last be free from the burdens of this world!

Some practical implications naturally flow out of the Biblical principles discussed above. Pastoral care is essential in providing support for those with disabilities in our churches. This must include active listening with a ready ear for strong feelings and with a compassionate heart aware of losses. What disabled people most need is someone who will get alongside them as a friend. Their family should also be taken into consideration and given access to support. Where necessary, it may be useful to refer them to other organisations such as ‘Prospects’.

The use of Scripture and prayer should always be sensitive especially in relation to theological issues. These might include the question of the origin of the disability, its relation to God’s will and the issue of healing. Others in the church need to be properly educated in this area, having their attitudes and prejudices tackled. With a proper biblical understanding, other members of the church will be keen to include disabled men and women in the services and activities of the church.

But the most inclusive thing that may be done is to enable the Christian with a disability to find areas where he or she can serve the church – be it welcoming, singing, children’s work or reading the scripture passage before the sermon. John Gilibrand puts it well when he says a disability is not an affliction. The church should not primarily consider the limitations of an individual, but the unique nature and role of that individual. For the LORD is the “God and Father of all.” (Ephesians 4:6)

Who Cares?

The BBC's report into a care home near Bristol has 'horrified' and 'sickened' people across the country. Even those paid as 'specialist' carers for people with disabilities have, in this case, failed abysmally. Hopefully, this will be a wake-up call to people across the country to reach out with more love and support for the huge but largely disregarded section of our society. Thankfully the church has led the way in its support of people having disabilities, but I want to ask if we could do any more. And by we, I mean you and me!

In an age where there are loop sound systems in church for the hard of hearing, ramps for those in wheel-chairs and large-print Bibles for those who have weak sight, the local church may think it is accommodating people with disabilities more than ever. However, considerations for the emotional, social and spiritual well-being of such people are often few and far between. What’s more, even within the ‘family of God’ people with disabilities can feel like distant relatives. To address these issues, the church must start with a Biblical theology of disability.

Let’s start with the four part framework of Biblical history: Creation, Fall, Redemption and Consummation. The beginning of the Bible gives crucial information about humans. The first chapter speaks of the loving order and detail of God’s design. Yet it is humanity that is raised above everything else – created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Image is not just how we look or what we can do and achieve. God’s image in humans means the being and nature of God himself is what we intrinsically are by creation. And no one is excluded.

So how can we respond to God’s image in people with disabilities? We must treat them with wonder, respect, empathy and protection. Why? Because each one mysteriously reflects the God-head. It is only in Him that the dignity of humanity is found, since humans depend upon him for their ultimate meaning and purpose (Jeremiah 10:23). And creation in God’s image implies loving communion, since God existed in Trinity. Therefore, part of being human is being known and loved by God first and also by others.

The Bible makes it clear that loving others honours God. The commandments are tightly tied together (Mark 12:29-31). ‘Loving your neighbour’ allows no distinctions because God makes no distinctions (Proverbs 22:2).

As a result of Adam’s fall (Genensis 3), death and decay are part and parcel of this world. The first genealogy in the Bible emphasises this: “and he died...” No can escape death, since every human is like dust – utterly frail and finite.

The book of Ecclesiastes makes it clear that the lives of the most physically fit and intellectually brilliant have no more value in essence than the disease-wracked or mentally disabled. Both can only receive meaning through the Redemption offered in Christ Jesus. Are we willing to give everyone the opportunity to encounter this message of hope?

Two Men in the Bible

The One Who Lost Everything

The book of Job talks about a man whose livelihood was taken away, his crops were destroyed, his animals killed and all his children died.

His friends gave no comfort and Job cried out to God from his misery, asking why God would allow him to suffer like this. Finally, God answers … by asking hundreds of questions Himself – seeing if Job knows about the great mysteries of creation and the way God works in relation to humans. Job doesn’t! Instead, he says these words (in Job chapter 42):

1 Then Job answered the LORD and said:
2 “I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ (God’s earlier question)
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4 ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’(Another earlier question)
5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you;
6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

And God restores to Job his livelihood and gives him more children. Job saw that in view of God’s holiness and otherness (that He is far greater than us and beyond our understanding), all he could do was to cry out to God in repentance.

The One Who Had Everything

King Solomon was the richest king Israel ever had. He had everything he wanted, he tried everything that interested him: science, business, women, drink and parties. Yet none of it satisfied him. He (or perhaps some other great leader of Israel) said in the book Ecclesiastes chapter 2 verse 11:

"Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun."

So, Solomon had basically lost any sense of purpose in life. But as he wrestles with the issues and problems of life, eventually he sees why God put him on the planet. In chapter 12 verse 13 & 14 he says,

"The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil."

Thinking about the final judgment of God changes our direction in life. We realize that we are to follow Christ who delivers us from condemnation and death and gives meaning to life – a life of relationship with our Creator God. He tells you that, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” This is real life!!

Psalm 118: a Paraphrase

Taking a precise Bible translation and paraphrasing it has proved a useful exercise. So often the glorious truths of Scripture become familiar and their impact lessens. The following Psalm may not provide you with an accurate or complete picture, but working through it certainly made the astounding deliverance of my God more vivid and real. So...

Say a massive thank you to Yahweh,
because He's so good,
and his song of love is everlaaaaaaaaaaasting...

...I was in a right fix, so I sent an SOS to Yahweh
Of course, He got my message and came to my rescue
I'm glad He's on my side ... so what's there to fear?
Other humans? No chance!
Yahweh is on my side like a bodyguard
So even those who hate me, are as good as dead

What's best? Hiding in Yahweh or running to tiny man for help ... no contest
What's best? Hiding in Yahweh or relying on self-important princes ... easy choice
I was boxed in by my enemies...
They hemmed me in behind and before me...
They buzzed like angry bees around my head
They burst in like flames through a thornbush
But I sent them packing in Yahweh's name.

I was shoved off a cliff...falling...falling
But Yahweh stood below to catch me
Yahweh made me fight boldly, sing triumphantly ... and...He's my Saviour
That's why I was singing with my mates all night long:
Yahweh is the ultimate warrior, Yahweh honours His own, Yahweh is the supreme warrior

Death - to hell with you! Life - bring it on! Yes!
and remember again and again Yahweh's awesome works
I've been put through my paces by Yahweh til I'm crawling, but not dead
(no, it's actually all for my good)

Somebody open the gates - "for the righteous only" it says
That means me! Thank you Yahweh!
It's your gate. Your rule of entry... and yes the righteous can come in
Thank you for answering when I knocked and saving me
The concrete the builders dumped as rubbish
Was used by the master builder - a foundation for His new family home
News is He's got a lot of children moving in
No one else but Yahweh could've done this
Any reaction? - "stunned!"

Yahweh made this day what it is, a happy reminder or rescue...party time!!
Everyone pray: "Yahweh rescue! Yahweh bless! We beg your favour!"
What a happy man who's arrived as Yahweh's king!
We bless you from the meeting place of Yahweh's people
I AM is God and His shining brightness has enveloped us
Let's go and make a sacrifice on the altar
Thank you with all my heart for being my God
I worship you - Creator, Sustainer, King

Say a massive thank you to Yahweh because He's so immeasurably good
for His song of love will not stop playing forever
and ever and ever and ever and ever

Favourite Books - 2010

I read a stack of books - mostly worthwhile - last year. Here's the cream of the crop. Fiction first.

The Bronze Ladder

On my trip to Tunisia I came across a book called "The Bronze Ladder" based on the story of the Christian martyrs Perpetua and Blandina. Perpetua's prison diary was a fascinating discovery, unveiling previously unknown experiences of the Christian community in North Africa. Malcom Lyon's book is based on her story. He states that it is a work of fiction based on the available facts, but I found it all very plausible. A lot of this is down to the author's extensive research not to mention the years he has spent living in North Africa.

I read the book whilst travelling throughout Tunisia and visiting the ruins of Christian churches. The story came alive to me. Tears came to my eyes as I looked out upon the amphitheatre in Carthage where Perpetua and her friends met such a cruel death. The faith and courage of early Christians is vividly shown on every page of the book and is a story deserving a far wider audience.

Lords of the earth

Many have heard of the brilliant book "Peace Child", in which Don Richardson told how the love of God invaded the desperately dark cannabilistic tribes of Irian Jaya. But fewer have read his later book "The Lords of the Earth". This book is just as compelling as the first, though a little more dark and gruesome. But please don't let this put you off one of the best missionary tales ever told. First, the reader is plunged into the depth of the most pagan culture imaginable. Here is the hopeless existence of life without Christ Jesus. Suicides, revenge killings, subjugated women, ignorance, hatred and fear.

Then the unlikely 'hero' of the story is introduced: Stanley Dale. He had grown up to be a fighter in every sense in a bid to lose the 'weakling' label. But the Holy Spirit softened his heart, filled him and made him a soldier of Christ in the foothills of Irian Jaya. With a boldness rarely seen, Stan, along with his colleagues, did battle with the spiritual forces of darkness that bound so many thousands of Yali people. The pages of this book are full of great miracles, amazing deliverance, but also immense personal sacrifice. Prepare to be challenged and inspired!