My last post concentrated a lot on this World we live in. The concepts and precepts in this World are vastly different from the way of God. The world's paradigms tell us to do the opposite of God's Word at almost every turn.
A few weeks ago I was chatting to a colleague at work who was truly horrified to hear I have never had a one-night stand or casual sex.
I laughed at the time, but her horror at the thought was tangible and became the subject of conversation for some time.
Her response was typical of worldly people. But we need to expect that.
Our expectations must be different to the World if we are to be a light in the darkness. We are conditioned by society, especially in Western society, to expect nothing. Claw our way to the top and fight tooth and nail to stay there. We fool ourselves that we can change the world from the inside out, that by living as the world lives we can influence them, but we are, in fact, being digested by the very beast we are wanting to change. We must be mindful of anything that can take our eyes off our ultimate goal.
A few years ago a church a family member was involved in leading Worship was advised by the senior leader to stop singing the worship song "I believe in Jesus" because it contained the phrase "Here with the power to heal now". The rationale was that this line might create an expectation in the congregation that God heals today. The leader had never seen a healing, and didn't expect to.
I've been a member of churches like that in the past. Frankly the religious nature sickens me. It becomes a modern day hive of pharisees all trying to earn brownie points. Exactly what Jesus came to do away with.
Jesus did what they didn't expect. He forgave sins, healed on the Sabbath, threw out the money-changers from the Temple, ate with sinners, befriended tax collectors and hookers and raised the dead. Then he told his disciples (including us) we could do all those things and more because of His sacrifice.
He told us to expect what the World tells us not to.
So many people in congregations sit in their pew once a week for an hour or two and think it makes them a Christian. Or the devoted ones go to home groups or bible-study meetings as well. Try convincing them you're a car because you spend every Tuesday evening sitting in your garage. The principle is the same, but they can't see it. It's a ludicrous notion.
Be what the World doesn't expect. Do what it doesn't expect. Expect what it doesn't expect.
Jesus didn't tell us to pray for the sick. He told us to heal them. No instruction to study medicine, just heal the sick. Freely receive and freely give.
The World says store it for a rainy day. God says give away your umbrella and I'll provide.
Right now my wife and I are starting up a new venture. The economy says it's a bad time to start a business. The exchange rate says it's a bad time to start a business. The World system says it's a bad time to be starting a business. Global recession. God inspired us. We're starting a business. God gave us Hope, we looked at that Hope and it grew into Faith, and Faith is transforming the vision into a reality. We expect the unexpected according to the World.
We forget God's Wisdom is folly to the World and those in it. I'll readily admit I've had moments where the thought of what we're doing scares me, but then I remember God inspired this. We were offered a business in exactly the same field for a fraction of the expected price, but in a different location. We wrestled with the choice, but eventually we reached a place of unity about it being the wrong thing to do and we're moving ahead where God told us to move. The doors have opened with a little push, not had to be forced. If you've read the posts before this, you'll know I have referred to myself as a "wrecking-ball" for God. I just bluster ahead and blast anything that tries to get in the way aside. My wife, thankfully, whilst just as strong as I am is a weapon of more finesse. We complement one another's shortfalls and bolster each other's strengths. It's a good team.
Expect the unexpected. Always.
Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Friday, 17 May 2013
Upside Down or Right side Up?
It's been a couple of weeks since I posted here. I tried to write a few times, but nothing really came up to write about.
Until I looked back on the time.
Without going into the long and boring details, I realised something about this World.
It's upside down.
Completely.
I currently am employed in a call center environment. The call center is "Customer Service" technically. In that I interact with customers I guess you could describe it as such.
We are assessed in our performance through a sample of our calls being evaluated over the course of the month, and on feedback from client satisfaction surveys. It all makes sense until you look under the surface.
We are encouraged to keep interactions short. Long calls are discouraged as being a lesser form of customer service. Keep it short, avoid small talk and get to the next call quickly.
I worked for a different organisation a few years ago. Their attitude was the opposite. It was an easier environment to function in. In fact I've worked in the general industry for over 20 years in one way or another. The place I miss most was a Church in South Devon. As part of my "work" there I met people, chatted to them about issues they had with the way things were in the church itself, and issues affecting their lives. Sometimes I'd spend an entire morning talking to just one person. Sometimes it would be several. But time was never an issue.
Don't misunderstand me. I understand the needs and differences between a local church and a national organisation, and that the service needs are different. I'd be very worried if the clients I deal with daily were just calling to say "hi" and chat about their day. But there needs to be recognition of humanity as well as efficiency.
There was an audit recently of our company. The Head Office wanted to make sure standards were being met by our managers. These standards included how forms are filled out, how many calls agents are handling efficiently (read "quickly" there). The thrust on the managers is first contact solutions for issues. The thrust on agents is speed. in my experience, these can often be antithetical concepts.
For over 20 years I've focussed on solving issues first time. And I was good at it. Taking my time is something that enables me to give the highest level of service. And I put myself into the contact, empathy not sympathy has to drive me.
But that's me. What about God?
God takes His time. He created seasons for a purpose. There needs to be a time for all things as recorded in Ecclesiastes.
Jesus took His time teaching the disciples and the people of the day what God's way was. He was never hurried. In fact, He often was deliberately cryptic to prolong an interaction with people. He was God incarnate and yet He empathised with the prostitute at Simon the Pharisee's home. He made sure 5000 men plus the women and children with them had enough food rather than sending them away. Mary sat at Jesus' feet and Martha bustled around, and Mary was praised.
Through the entire scripture we witness God chastising His people for majoring in the minor things of life. Provision of manna in the desert, a scrawny shepherd defeating a giant of a man because he knew His God and the Covenant he had. Then grumblings when Moses was too long up the mountain led to the golden calf, David staying home in his palace at the time Kings go to war resulting in the murder of Bathsheba's husband. Majoring in the minor, even by the great men of the old and new testament, resulted in God chastising them out of Love.
The World system today emphasises things that are ultimately of no consequence and minimises the things that matter. Magazine headline articles glorifying why it was the right thing to do for the celebrity couple to divorce because he saw a younger woman and decided he'd look "better" with her. There's no emphasis on commitment. Marriages fail. It doesn't work, the "proof" in the statistics says that 40% of marriages end in divorce. Whilst shocking, doesn't that mean 60% don't? And how many of the 40% that fail are consisting of people in their 2nd, 3rd or 4th try? Perhaps the people divorcing just don't know Love, real Love is a choice, not an emotion. Emotional Love didn't take Jesus to the Cross for us. Emotional love cannot sustain a marriage when the storms hit.
Jesus was the first Customer Relationship Manager. He dismissed the managers who focussed on the little stuff - the Pharisees. He focussed on the major things. He did it Right Side Up.
This world is upside-down. We've allowed ourselves to glorify the minor and ignore the major issues. Most people will never reach their full potential because it isn't valued by them. They are taught to kill their own desires for the sake of trimming time, not just in a call-center, but in everything. We are bombarded with "time-saving" devices. Jesus showed that we can't actually "save" time. We can live or not. It's up to us.
"All men die Angus, but not all truly Live" says William Wallace in "Braveheart"
Living involves making our priorities right. I would die for my family, friends or my Faith. There isn't anything any employer could do to persuade me to die for the company, but most companies expect us to surrender our off-time to them instead of spending quality time with family, friends. They call it "team building" or some other term to make it sound important. It isn't. I like most of the people I work with, but there's only a handful I would describe as friends the way Jesus used the word. I'll do anything to help them because they are real relationships based on shared hopes, dreams and Faith (mostly). My Best friend works in my office. I'd go almost as far for her as I would for my wife to help her. God guides me and gives me the strength to be a support to her, and vice-versa. The friendship has a solid foundation based on the truly important things.
It's time for the Church to wake up and turn this world right side up again. 2000 years ago Jesus did it with 12 close friends and around 120 followers. Why not do it again now?
Ultimately it's our choice. Change is painful, but if the caterpiller doesn't spin the cocoon it never becomes a butterfly.
Upside down or right way up? Live life to the full or live as an oxygen thief?
You choose.
Until I looked back on the time.
Without going into the long and boring details, I realised something about this World.
It's upside down.
Completely.
I currently am employed in a call center environment. The call center is "Customer Service" technically. In that I interact with customers I guess you could describe it as such.
We are assessed in our performance through a sample of our calls being evaluated over the course of the month, and on feedback from client satisfaction surveys. It all makes sense until you look under the surface.
We are encouraged to keep interactions short. Long calls are discouraged as being a lesser form of customer service. Keep it short, avoid small talk and get to the next call quickly.
I worked for a different organisation a few years ago. Their attitude was the opposite. It was an easier environment to function in. In fact I've worked in the general industry for over 20 years in one way or another. The place I miss most was a Church in South Devon. As part of my "work" there I met people, chatted to them about issues they had with the way things were in the church itself, and issues affecting their lives. Sometimes I'd spend an entire morning talking to just one person. Sometimes it would be several. But time was never an issue.
Don't misunderstand me. I understand the needs and differences between a local church and a national organisation, and that the service needs are different. I'd be very worried if the clients I deal with daily were just calling to say "hi" and chat about their day. But there needs to be recognition of humanity as well as efficiency.
There was an audit recently of our company. The Head Office wanted to make sure standards were being met by our managers. These standards included how forms are filled out, how many calls agents are handling efficiently (read "quickly" there). The thrust on the managers is first contact solutions for issues. The thrust on agents is speed. in my experience, these can often be antithetical concepts.
For over 20 years I've focussed on solving issues first time. And I was good at it. Taking my time is something that enables me to give the highest level of service. And I put myself into the contact, empathy not sympathy has to drive me.
But that's me. What about God?
God takes His time. He created seasons for a purpose. There needs to be a time for all things as recorded in Ecclesiastes.
Jesus took His time teaching the disciples and the people of the day what God's way was. He was never hurried. In fact, He often was deliberately cryptic to prolong an interaction with people. He was God incarnate and yet He empathised with the prostitute at Simon the Pharisee's home. He made sure 5000 men plus the women and children with them had enough food rather than sending them away. Mary sat at Jesus' feet and Martha bustled around, and Mary was praised.
Through the entire scripture we witness God chastising His people for majoring in the minor things of life. Provision of manna in the desert, a scrawny shepherd defeating a giant of a man because he knew His God and the Covenant he had. Then grumblings when Moses was too long up the mountain led to the golden calf, David staying home in his palace at the time Kings go to war resulting in the murder of Bathsheba's husband. Majoring in the minor, even by the great men of the old and new testament, resulted in God chastising them out of Love.
The World system today emphasises things that are ultimately of no consequence and minimises the things that matter. Magazine headline articles glorifying why it was the right thing to do for the celebrity couple to divorce because he saw a younger woman and decided he'd look "better" with her. There's no emphasis on commitment. Marriages fail. It doesn't work, the "proof" in the statistics says that 40% of marriages end in divorce. Whilst shocking, doesn't that mean 60% don't? And how many of the 40% that fail are consisting of people in their 2nd, 3rd or 4th try? Perhaps the people divorcing just don't know Love, real Love is a choice, not an emotion. Emotional Love didn't take Jesus to the Cross for us. Emotional love cannot sustain a marriage when the storms hit.
Jesus was the first Customer Relationship Manager. He dismissed the managers who focussed on the little stuff - the Pharisees. He focussed on the major things. He did it Right Side Up.
This world is upside-down. We've allowed ourselves to glorify the minor and ignore the major issues. Most people will never reach their full potential because it isn't valued by them. They are taught to kill their own desires for the sake of trimming time, not just in a call-center, but in everything. We are bombarded with "time-saving" devices. Jesus showed that we can't actually "save" time. We can live or not. It's up to us.
"All men die Angus, but not all truly Live" says William Wallace in "Braveheart"
Living involves making our priorities right. I would die for my family, friends or my Faith. There isn't anything any employer could do to persuade me to die for the company, but most companies expect us to surrender our off-time to them instead of spending quality time with family, friends. They call it "team building" or some other term to make it sound important. It isn't. I like most of the people I work with, but there's only a handful I would describe as friends the way Jesus used the word. I'll do anything to help them because they are real relationships based on shared hopes, dreams and Faith (mostly). My Best friend works in my office. I'd go almost as far for her as I would for my wife to help her. God guides me and gives me the strength to be a support to her, and vice-versa. The friendship has a solid foundation based on the truly important things.
It's time for the Church to wake up and turn this world right side up again. 2000 years ago Jesus did it with 12 close friends and around 120 followers. Why not do it again now?
Ultimately it's our choice. Change is painful, but if the caterpiller doesn't spin the cocoon it never becomes a butterfly.
Upside down or right way up? Live life to the full or live as an oxygen thief?
You choose.
Sunday, 5 May 2013
A Longing Fulfilled
Proverbs 13:12 has been on my heart a lot the last few weeks. Initially I was focused on the first part of the verse. I've lived in a state of deferred hope for a long time. I suffered depression so dark that I couldn't see a way out and even tried suicide more than once - I don't recommend it as a plan!
My life story has been filled with loss and brokenness. But there's also been times of hope that have kept me going. It's easy to forget the good when the bad hits in such waves.
"A tree of life" is how the passage describes what it is to have the hope fulfilled. Life.
Hope deferred is a way of life today. Depression, suicide, drug abuse, alcoholism are just symptoms of the desperation the World has filled our hearts with. Insidious promises we can never hope to achieve dog us daily in this world.
The Enemy of our Souls has found a way to trap us. We live mndane existances that only the most cynical would call life. We stopped asking the deep questions long ago. Why are we here? What is God's plan for us?
These questions drove the first Christians in the Bible. St Paul spent his whole life after meeting Christ on the road to Damascus seeking the answers. He phrased is simply with 2 questions:
Major questions today are "what's for dinner" or "when does the game start?" We have been fooled into thinking these are the meaningful questions. Answers like "get a degree", "get a promotion" or "stay in your cubicle" catrate us from living the life God has intended. We need to use our imagination to give us Hope, our Hope to feed our Faith, and our Faith to proceed into living the dream.
Then we need to ask God to expand it. Our Longing will be fulfilled.
We will have Life.
My life story has been filled with loss and brokenness. But there's also been times of hope that have kept me going. It's easy to forget the good when the bad hits in such waves.
"A tree of life" is how the passage describes what it is to have the hope fulfilled. Life.
Hope deferred is a way of life today. Depression, suicide, drug abuse, alcoholism are just symptoms of the desperation the World has filled our hearts with. Insidious promises we can never hope to achieve dog us daily in this world.
The Enemy of our Souls has found a way to trap us. We live mndane existances that only the most cynical would call life. We stopped asking the deep questions long ago. Why are we here? What is God's plan for us?
These questions drove the first Christians in the Bible. St Paul spent his whole life after meeting Christ on the road to Damascus seeking the answers. He phrased is simply with 2 questions:
- Who Are You?
- What do you want me to do?
Major questions today are "what's for dinner" or "when does the game start?" We have been fooled into thinking these are the meaningful questions. Answers like "get a degree", "get a promotion" or "stay in your cubicle" catrate us from living the life God has intended. We need to use our imagination to give us Hope, our Hope to feed our Faith, and our Faith to proceed into living the dream.
Then we need to ask God to expand it. Our Longing will be fulfilled.
We will have Life.
Sunday, 28 April 2013
Hope Deferred
In the world we live in we need hope. It has been said that there are two methods only to control a society: fear and hope.
The Bible tells us in Proverbs 13:12 "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life"
Many more people are suffering depression and mental illness today than at any time in human history. Entire hospitals dedicated to the depressed and suicidal are increasing in size and position in society. Psychology and Psychiatry are boom industries in the medical world.
Hope is key to survival. Jesus came to give hope to the poorest of the poor, the most broken. He reads from Isaiah in Luke's Gospel:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,[j]
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,[j]
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
(Luke 4:18-19 NKJV)
In it's simplest form, He was anointed to give Hope. Restoration to all who needed it.
We are tasked with continuing His work, giving Hope to those who have none. Restoring it to both those who had it taken against their will, and those who have given up hope.
Hope deferred can cripple us emotionally and physically. Medicine calls the psychological effect a psychosomatic illness - a physical manifestation of the emotional wound. It can be anything from headaches to full blown paralysis. There's an illness called Takotsubo Syndrome or Broken-heart Syndrome which mimics a heart-attack, but is brought on purely be stress - hope deferred being a major cause of stress.
Jesus's teachings were revolutionary 2000 years ago. He was mocked and ridiculed by the "learned" men of the time because His teaching halted their religious prattle in it's tracks. They had a salvation of works, earning your spot in heaven, where Jesus taught faith in Him alone was enough. Healings followed Jesus as He walked the earth, then His followers after the resurrection. Hope was restored to thousands on a daily basis. The Power of God flowed through them, and despair was replaced with Hope.
Today we have lost sight of that. We seek help from medics rather than primarily through Faith. We read that Faith is the substance of things Hoped for, yet we have forgotten how to hope.
My personal history is riddled with this. I suffered depression and a lack of hope for years, culminating in several suicide attempts just to make the pain go away. Even today I have times when the doubts and fears of my youth come in to try to overwhelm me. I'm Blessed in that I have learned to overcome these attacks, for the most part, and I can fight in Christ's power to overcome the issues.
The key was deceptively simple. I was in a good Bible-based Church at the time, and despite everything in my mind telling me not to, even at my darkest times I kept going to fellowship. Please note, Fellowship is not necessarily Sunday Morning activities. In fact, true Fellowship seldom happens on a Sunday. The meetings can be superficial and no matter how emotive the talk and worship are, there is a sense of loneliness that can leave a person feeling more isolated than ever. True fellowship comes from letting other people speak into your life and be involved. Don't misunderstand me, Church is important, but Fellowship is vital. Sitting in a service on a Sunday morning doesn't make you a stronger Christian on it's own any more than sitting in a garage makes you a car, but fellowship meeting where you talk and laugh and cry and pray together will strengthen anyone.
It did for me.
I've written before that I have trials in my life. Over a decade ago I went through something similar and walked away because I didn't know the Power and Authority I had. Through teachers like Andrew Wommack, Dave Duell, Martin Ruskin and a list so long I could take all night to list them, I was able to see hope begin to be restored. As that happened I had the strength to tell my psychiatrist I didn't need him any more. Prayer and fellowship became my treatment, and eventually I was able to wean off the medication.
Today I take pills to help me sleep again. My hope remains, but it has been knocked back - deferred - so many times that it gets harder to hold on to.
My heart is in danger of becoming sick again. Hope deferred truly does make the heart sick.
So what's my point?
Keep hope alive. As Paul write, take all my thoughts captive and compare them with the Gospel. Those that don't match up I throw out. Those that do I hold onto.
It sounds simple. CS Lewis is quoted as saying "experience is a brutal teacher, but you learn. My God do you learn."
I chose experience as my teacher, something I regret immensely. Everything we need for survival in this world, no matter the level of despair we have can be found in John's Gospel, chapters 14 to 16. Jesus used them the night He was arrested to remind the disciples of what He had given them. They are a "survival Kit" for all Christians. I would urge anyone going through a hard time reading this to check out this link: Christian Survival Kit Audio Teaching - Andrew Wommack or Christian First Aid Kit - Andrew Wommack for audio teachings on a crisis situation. If you prefer reading, then use Christian Survival Kit - wirtten The downloads are free. Andrew Wommack Ministries inspired me in my work to not withold any message from the Gospel due to financial constraints.
I have a very dear friend with a similar call on her life that I had on mine when I was her age, longer ago than I choose to remember. I delight in watching her moving towards her dream, the Hope God has set before her, and seeing her move each day towards the fulfilling of the dream. It has restored my dream, dusty and cobweb covered that it may be, with a wash and brush up it still shines after almost 20 years of neglect. This blog is part of it, but it will grow. The first step is taken, and the next is coming
My hope was deferred, but now I see it again.
You can too. Over the next few days I'll be working on the second part of the verse, "when the desire comes, it is a tree of life"
Watch this space
Monday, 22 April 2013
The Nature of Hope and Trust
We use the words every day. Hope. Trust. Faith.
They're so glibly thrown around that we forget the real power of these words.
I "hope" it doesn't rain. I "trust" we'll be ok. It's not the way God looks at the words.
Rick Warren, a teacher I admire a great deal, recently endured an unimaginable tragedy in their family. Earlier today he went onto Twitter and wrote "The real tragedy is that most people never trust God until they have to, and then they have no experience to fall back on". Later he wrote "It's not enough to have hope. We must persue hope, practice hope, and preach hope" and "Real hope doesn't deny tragedy. It faces it head-on. Hope says 'yes it's really bad, but I still trust God.'"
Tragedy hits us in life. We can't always avoid it. The enemy of our souls strikes out at us at every opportunity. He exploits our weaknesses to seek to drive us away from God and into his trap. He minimises the power of words until we become unaware of how much power we wield.
Proverbs 18:21 in the Amplified Bible says "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]." We live oblivious to the Truth. Hebrews 11:1 in the same translation says "Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]."
Jesus faced tragedy head-on. Fully human, he endured the full range of human emotions. He laughed with His friends, wept for loss, and experienced anxiety so intense He sweated blood! He also faced death, and defeated it.
Jesus did this by practicing Trusting God for everything, from the smallest morsel for His own needs to feeding a crowd that was maybe over 15000 people, since only the men were counted.
He stated that the things He did, we would do also, and still greater than that. Personally I'd be praising if half the issues I face would heed my prayers and depart. For 41 years I have been hounded by sicknesses in my body, cancer in my family, and death of some of the people I cared most about. I even reached a point after my commitment to Jesus that I fell so low leaning on my own strength and pride that I attempted suicide.
More than once.
Then one day it hit me. God brought some scripture back to my memory. He reminded me that I was more than a conqueror, but that my declarations over myself were killing me - literally. I spoke nothing but death over myself for almost 2 years. It wasn't an easy pattern to break, but through His strength in me I broke it by learning to trust Him, and to hope for a future that seemed out of reach, then to learn to have faith inspired by God for that future.
Is my life perfect? No. There are many things God is working on in me, but I've learned that it's ok to be a leaky vessel, because God will just keep topping me up when I ask Him to - which is usually several times a day.
My heart goes out to Pastor Warren and his family. I have Biblical Hope that from the aftermath will come pure Gold, refined by God's fire, and I pray constantly that we will all Trust a little more today than yesterday.
They're so glibly thrown around that we forget the real power of these words.
I "hope" it doesn't rain. I "trust" we'll be ok. It's not the way God looks at the words.
Rick Warren, a teacher I admire a great deal, recently endured an unimaginable tragedy in their family. Earlier today he went onto Twitter and wrote "The real tragedy is that most people never trust God until they have to, and then they have no experience to fall back on". Later he wrote "It's not enough to have hope. We must persue hope, practice hope, and preach hope" and "Real hope doesn't deny tragedy. It faces it head-on. Hope says 'yes it's really bad, but I still trust God.'"
Tragedy hits us in life. We can't always avoid it. The enemy of our souls strikes out at us at every opportunity. He exploits our weaknesses to seek to drive us away from God and into his trap. He minimises the power of words until we become unaware of how much power we wield.
Proverbs 18:21 in the Amplified Bible says "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]." We live oblivious to the Truth. Hebrews 11:1 in the same translation says "Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]."
Jesus faced tragedy head-on. Fully human, he endured the full range of human emotions. He laughed with His friends, wept for loss, and experienced anxiety so intense He sweated blood! He also faced death, and defeated it.
Jesus did this by practicing Trusting God for everything, from the smallest morsel for His own needs to feeding a crowd that was maybe over 15000 people, since only the men were counted.
He stated that the things He did, we would do also, and still greater than that. Personally I'd be praising if half the issues I face would heed my prayers and depart. For 41 years I have been hounded by sicknesses in my body, cancer in my family, and death of some of the people I cared most about. I even reached a point after my commitment to Jesus that I fell so low leaning on my own strength and pride that I attempted suicide.
More than once.
Then one day it hit me. God brought some scripture back to my memory. He reminded me that I was more than a conqueror, but that my declarations over myself were killing me - literally. I spoke nothing but death over myself for almost 2 years. It wasn't an easy pattern to break, but through His strength in me I broke it by learning to trust Him, and to hope for a future that seemed out of reach, then to learn to have faith inspired by God for that future.
Is my life perfect? No. There are many things God is working on in me, but I've learned that it's ok to be a leaky vessel, because God will just keep topping me up when I ask Him to - which is usually several times a day.
My heart goes out to Pastor Warren and his family. I have Biblical Hope that from the aftermath will come pure Gold, refined by God's fire, and I pray constantly that we will all Trust a little more today than yesterday.
Saturday, 6 April 2013
Dreaded Days...
There is a day coming up in the next couple of weeks I'm dreading. Every year for the last few I've dreaded this particular day. It reminds me of something I'd rather not be reminded of.
I'm getting older.
Last year I turned 40. In ten days I will be 41.
I have only realised the dread it fills me with since I hit 35 and I realised that the 3 score and ten years noted by Moses were half up.
And I swear they get shorter as I get older.
My best friend is several years younger than me, as are most of my colleagues, which sometimes helps me feel younger than my yeaars - a good thing. Then something comes up in conversation which reminds me I'm not in my 20's any more.
I've developed an addiction to the TV series Bones, and find I would like to liken myself to the male lead, Booth, played by David Boreanaz. Booth is a senior FBI agent and trained army ranger who specialised as a sniper. Aside from being roughly the same age I actually have nothing in common with Booth, but I identify anyway. I was a reasonable marksman at my school with a rifle, and have learned to fire pistols since leaving, but not to the character's level of expertise.
Where I identify is in the areas not work related.
Booth is in his early 40's, and because of combat his body has taken it's share of punishment. I ride a motorcycle, and have picked a fight with the planet a few times, so I have some aches and pains. I never managed to serve in the RAF as I hoped to growing up because my introductory medical revealed that, whilst at that point I was physically resilient enough to fly, not being able to see the eye examination chart made it impossible for me to continue in my preferred role as pilot, or any of my back-up roles as they all required 20/20 eyesight.
This still didn't stop me identifying with Booth, especially in one episode he asks how it was he went to bed as Han Solo and woke up as Obi-Wan Kenobi...
Now don't misunderstand me here. I actually don't mind getting older mostly. My hair is slowly being replaced with a solar panel, and my 52 inch chest and shoulders have slipped down and become a 40 inch waist, but I'm working on that now. I was told I had diabetes a few years ago, which I'm controlling and (with a LOT of Spiritual help) fully expect to be able to see reversed in the next 2 years.
What I dread about my birthday is not the day itself. It's the value this world places on youth. Every year it gets harder for me to find a new employer because there's someone ten years younger who'll do the job for half the price because they don't realise how much power they can control in an interview.
The Bible says to revere our elders. Today's Western and pseudo-Western philosophy reviles them. I am regularly told I'm too old to apply for certain jobs, not because I'm physically incapable, but because they need someone who speaks modern technobabble, which I'm not even certain I can spell.
I re-watched one of my favourite movies yesterday, Space Cowboys. Clint Eastwood, Donald Sutherland, Tommy-Lee Jones and James Garner sent into space to fix a satellite that has a programming language none of the youngsters at NASA can understand. Age is no barrier to them as they essentially use the wisdom of age to con their way into the shuttle program by managing to fool medical staff, fitness assessors and the managers of the program. I love the movie because their age is what makes them valuable. It's simply impossible for a younger person to fix the problem.
The world loves it in a movie - old and wily guys putting one over on the boss - but in real life it doesn't happen. It was fun to see Stallone, Schwazenegger, Willis, Norris, Van Damme, et al poking fun at themselves in Expendables 2, but who in real life these days would hire a bunch of guys over 50 when they can get guys of 30?
The issue is that the story appeals to us because it's in our hearts. We want to be revered for our wisdom gained through blood, sweat and years of work. It's hardwired into the God-given soul of every human on the planet. But the enemy is subtle, or actually not so much.
A wounded animal is dangerous, far more so than an uninjured one. And an animal that can feel the end is close becomes ferocious. My wife was badly bitten by a dog she tried to save after it was hit by a car outside our home. It went on to chew up her cellphone (and hand again) and then finally the basket the local SPCA inspector tried to put it in to take it for emergency treatment. Sadly the dog died before it got to the vet.
In these days, Satan has robbed us of 2 consecutive generations of fathers. World War 1 and 2 eliminated many of the men who would have gone on to be sages in their communities, and scarred many of the others who survived so badly they simply were unable to fill this vital role.
As a result there was a generation born in the 1940's and 50's who were fatherless and had to work it out themselves because fathers and grandfathers were either emotionally or physically not there. The result was the "free love" generation of the 60's and the following downhill slide of Western society through the 70's up to today. Society demands men be men, but does not teach us how.
I was Blessed in than both my grandfathers came through WW2 intact, mum's dad in the army and dad's in the Salvation Army as part of the Home Front. They played a major role in my life as a child and into adolescence before mum's dad died and then into my mid 20's when Grandad died. As a result, I was able to learn from them and see how not only my own father treated his family, friends and even adversaries, but also how they did. I have a quick temper, but I have learned through their example to curb it.
Grandad was 80 when he died. He was Deputy Bandmaster at his local Salvation Army Corps in Wimborne, Dorset - he refused to accept the post of bandmaster, despite there not being anyone to take the role as he had no formal musical education. We spoke 2 weeks before he died, and I am still trying to assimilate everything he told me in that one conversation. He "retired" technically, but for almost 20 years afterwards until the day he died - literally - he went out on a daily basis selling copies of The War Cry, and talking to anyone who would ask about Jesus and Salvation. Children loved him. Older folk - over 35 - loved him as well, but there was an age range he told me where they had known him as children, then after they hit about 18 he would lose touch until they looked him up again between the age of 30-35.
Our dreaded days are the years we lose because this world tries to cheat us out of them. We are not old enough to be considered elders, and too old to be "useful" in the modern workplace. When I was talking to a friend recently about a project God is building, the comment was made that it was nice to have someone more mature giving their experience and input into the venture. I agreed, then realised it was me being referred to. We both laughed about it, but I still feel like Booth. I woke up one morning to find my youth has gone - and now I'm Obi-Wan!
Perhaps I shouldn't dread the times coming now though. Whether Christ returns now or in a thousand years, this is the last generation I can reach personally.
In retrospect, God has guided me through storms and tempests for over 40 years. I trust Him to do so in the future as well. So I'll rest.
No fear. No dread. Just the peace in the midst of the turmoil that I'm being held by the One who can make a difference to any life at any age.
I'm getting older.
Last year I turned 40. In ten days I will be 41.
I have only realised the dread it fills me with since I hit 35 and I realised that the 3 score and ten years noted by Moses were half up.
And I swear they get shorter as I get older.
My best friend is several years younger than me, as are most of my colleagues, which sometimes helps me feel younger than my yeaars - a good thing. Then something comes up in conversation which reminds me I'm not in my 20's any more.
I've developed an addiction to the TV series Bones, and find I would like to liken myself to the male lead, Booth, played by David Boreanaz. Booth is a senior FBI agent and trained army ranger who specialised as a sniper. Aside from being roughly the same age I actually have nothing in common with Booth, but I identify anyway. I was a reasonable marksman at my school with a rifle, and have learned to fire pistols since leaving, but not to the character's level of expertise.
Where I identify is in the areas not work related.
Booth is in his early 40's, and because of combat his body has taken it's share of punishment. I ride a motorcycle, and have picked a fight with the planet a few times, so I have some aches and pains. I never managed to serve in the RAF as I hoped to growing up because my introductory medical revealed that, whilst at that point I was physically resilient enough to fly, not being able to see the eye examination chart made it impossible for me to continue in my preferred role as pilot, or any of my back-up roles as they all required 20/20 eyesight.
This still didn't stop me identifying with Booth, especially in one episode he asks how it was he went to bed as Han Solo and woke up as Obi-Wan Kenobi...
Now don't misunderstand me here. I actually don't mind getting older mostly. My hair is slowly being replaced with a solar panel, and my 52 inch chest and shoulders have slipped down and become a 40 inch waist, but I'm working on that now. I was told I had diabetes a few years ago, which I'm controlling and (with a LOT of Spiritual help) fully expect to be able to see reversed in the next 2 years.
What I dread about my birthday is not the day itself. It's the value this world places on youth. Every year it gets harder for me to find a new employer because there's someone ten years younger who'll do the job for half the price because they don't realise how much power they can control in an interview.
The Bible says to revere our elders. Today's Western and pseudo-Western philosophy reviles them. I am regularly told I'm too old to apply for certain jobs, not because I'm physically incapable, but because they need someone who speaks modern technobabble, which I'm not even certain I can spell.
I re-watched one of my favourite movies yesterday, Space Cowboys. Clint Eastwood, Donald Sutherland, Tommy-Lee Jones and James Garner sent into space to fix a satellite that has a programming language none of the youngsters at NASA can understand. Age is no barrier to them as they essentially use the wisdom of age to con their way into the shuttle program by managing to fool medical staff, fitness assessors and the managers of the program. I love the movie because their age is what makes them valuable. It's simply impossible for a younger person to fix the problem.
The world loves it in a movie - old and wily guys putting one over on the boss - but in real life it doesn't happen. It was fun to see Stallone, Schwazenegger, Willis, Norris, Van Damme, et al poking fun at themselves in Expendables 2, but who in real life these days would hire a bunch of guys over 50 when they can get guys of 30?
The issue is that the story appeals to us because it's in our hearts. We want to be revered for our wisdom gained through blood, sweat and years of work. It's hardwired into the God-given soul of every human on the planet. But the enemy is subtle, or actually not so much.
A wounded animal is dangerous, far more so than an uninjured one. And an animal that can feel the end is close becomes ferocious. My wife was badly bitten by a dog she tried to save after it was hit by a car outside our home. It went on to chew up her cellphone (and hand again) and then finally the basket the local SPCA inspector tried to put it in to take it for emergency treatment. Sadly the dog died before it got to the vet.
In these days, Satan has robbed us of 2 consecutive generations of fathers. World War 1 and 2 eliminated many of the men who would have gone on to be sages in their communities, and scarred many of the others who survived so badly they simply were unable to fill this vital role.
As a result there was a generation born in the 1940's and 50's who were fatherless and had to work it out themselves because fathers and grandfathers were either emotionally or physically not there. The result was the "free love" generation of the 60's and the following downhill slide of Western society through the 70's up to today. Society demands men be men, but does not teach us how.
I was Blessed in than both my grandfathers came through WW2 intact, mum's dad in the army and dad's in the Salvation Army as part of the Home Front. They played a major role in my life as a child and into adolescence before mum's dad died and then into my mid 20's when Grandad died. As a result, I was able to learn from them and see how not only my own father treated his family, friends and even adversaries, but also how they did. I have a quick temper, but I have learned through their example to curb it.
Grandad was 80 when he died. He was Deputy Bandmaster at his local Salvation Army Corps in Wimborne, Dorset - he refused to accept the post of bandmaster, despite there not being anyone to take the role as he had no formal musical education. We spoke 2 weeks before he died, and I am still trying to assimilate everything he told me in that one conversation. He "retired" technically, but for almost 20 years afterwards until the day he died - literally - he went out on a daily basis selling copies of The War Cry, and talking to anyone who would ask about Jesus and Salvation. Children loved him. Older folk - over 35 - loved him as well, but there was an age range he told me where they had known him as children, then after they hit about 18 he would lose touch until they looked him up again between the age of 30-35.
Our dreaded days are the years we lose because this world tries to cheat us out of them. We are not old enough to be considered elders, and too old to be "useful" in the modern workplace. When I was talking to a friend recently about a project God is building, the comment was made that it was nice to have someone more mature giving their experience and input into the venture. I agreed, then realised it was me being referred to. We both laughed about it, but I still feel like Booth. I woke up one morning to find my youth has gone - and now I'm Obi-Wan!
Perhaps I shouldn't dread the times coming now though. Whether Christ returns now or in a thousand years, this is the last generation I can reach personally.
In retrospect, God has guided me through storms and tempests for over 40 years. I trust Him to do so in the future as well. So I'll rest.
No fear. No dread. Just the peace in the midst of the turmoil that I'm being held by the One who can make a difference to any life at any age.
Monday, 1 April 2013
Easter Tales
When I was at school we were taught about Easter & Christ from an intellectual perspective. Intellectual knowledge often prevents Spiritual Truths from taking root. I was thankful then that I already had deep roots in my faith. The intellectual part of my mind tried to drive my faith out.
The recounting of the events of Easter week are, from a "scientific" view impossible. Yet every argument I have ever heard against the resurrection is more implausible than the Resurrection itself.
The description of Christ's execution is precise. Lashed and nailed to a beam and left to die by men who did this for a living. The Jewish leaders, desperate to prove Jesus wasn't the promised Messiah, ordered the legs of the crucified to be broken. The soldiers, to prove that Jesus was already dead, stabbed Him in His side, causing blood and water to flow. In trying to prevent one prophecy about the Messiah from being proved - "These things that happened confirmed the Scripture, “Not a bone in his body was broken,” and the other Scripture that reads, “They will stare at the one they pierced.”"John 19:35-37 (The Message)
The scripture predicts the Crucifixion in psalm 22, and the prophet Zechariah predicts the piercing in chapter 12:10.
Scientific arguments of the falsification of the accounts include the concept of Jesus was only in a coma and revived in the tomb, simply wandering out when he woke up. The physical beatings he had taken before the Crucifixion itself, followed by the cross would have rendered Him physically incapable of moving the stone from the entrance of the tomb. If he had moved the stone himself, the guards would simply have killed him where he stood and put the stone back.
Accounts of the appearances of the Risen Christ are recounted from sources outside the accepted scripture. Josephus, Pliny and other historians of the day record the message of the Christians being spread after the crucifixion. Evidence of the speed their message and influence spread is demonstrated by the merciless persecution and martyring during the remaining years of the Roman Empire until Constantine converted.
And yet today people doubt Jesus' very existence, despite more primary source evidence for his life than there is for Julius Ceasar or any of the ancient Pharoahs,
Charles Baudelaire stated the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world he didn't exist. - And no, Kevin Spacey in 'The Usual Suspects' was not the original source of that quote.
If that is so, then he's working on the second greatest now. If there is no Devil, why do we need a Saviour? If we don't need a saviour, what's the point in Jesus, and did he ever actually exist?
I am in touch with some people I went to school with. We differ in our respective beliefs. They, at best, describe themselves as agnostic. I don't argue with them any longer. I pray that someone will be put in their lives who can show them the folly of their beliefs. I know that person is not me. Jesus himself said that a prophet is without honour in his home country. I accept this, although enough of my friends of my own generation have died now without, to my knowledge, accepting Christ's sacrifice. It saddens me greatly as these were (mostly) people I respected at school - and there weren't many of them of my peers -and I wish I could have done more to reach them.
Easter is the time of miracles, New life and power through Christ's Victory over Death on the Cross, building up to Pentecost and the gift of living fire in the Holy Spirit to the believers as was prophesised by Joel.
I have in my home a cross on a shelf. It is the focal point as you enter our home.
It was Rene's idea. A simple expression of our faith, more poignant now for us than other times of the year. She chose the cross because of the nails, and we placed a candle in front in order to remind us of the Light of the World.
You can believe what you wish about the Scripture. I will not try to force my beliefs on anyone. Read CS Lewis's "Mere Christianity" or Tony Campolo's book "A Reasonable Faith" for insight int a "logical" argument for Christianity, or get around people who live this life, spend time with them and see Christ in Action in our lives. I am not afraid to live my life as a Christian. I have flaws and I fail in more areas than I often care to admit, but my closest friends have seen me wrestle with fear, depression so deep it has almost consumed me, anger, apathy and all the enemy's tools to the point where I have stood on a precipice and considered letting myself fall. Each time there has been a good friend to speak Truth to me (in fairness, usually the same good friend) and set me back onto the Rock of my Salvation.
I am truly Blessed to be involved with friends who can share my walk as a part of a fellowship borne through fire and battle in the Heavenly realms.
Any arguments you may have about the authenticity of the Easter story I'm happy to answer, asked in earnest. Leave a comment and I'll reply. If all you want to do is to attack me personally, don't waste your time.
The recounting of the events of Easter week are, from a "scientific" view impossible. Yet every argument I have ever heard against the resurrection is more implausible than the Resurrection itself.
The description of Christ's execution is precise. Lashed and nailed to a beam and left to die by men who did this for a living. The Jewish leaders, desperate to prove Jesus wasn't the promised Messiah, ordered the legs of the crucified to be broken. The soldiers, to prove that Jesus was already dead, stabbed Him in His side, causing blood and water to flow. In trying to prevent one prophecy about the Messiah from being proved - "These things that happened confirmed the Scripture, “Not a bone in his body was broken,” and the other Scripture that reads, “They will stare at the one they pierced.”"John 19:35-37 (The Message)
The scripture predicts the Crucifixion in psalm 22, and the prophet Zechariah predicts the piercing in chapter 12:10.
Scientific arguments of the falsification of the accounts include the concept of Jesus was only in a coma and revived in the tomb, simply wandering out when he woke up. The physical beatings he had taken before the Crucifixion itself, followed by the cross would have rendered Him physically incapable of moving the stone from the entrance of the tomb. If he had moved the stone himself, the guards would simply have killed him where he stood and put the stone back.
Accounts of the appearances of the Risen Christ are recounted from sources outside the accepted scripture. Josephus, Pliny and other historians of the day record the message of the Christians being spread after the crucifixion. Evidence of the speed their message and influence spread is demonstrated by the merciless persecution and martyring during the remaining years of the Roman Empire until Constantine converted.
And yet today people doubt Jesus' very existence, despite more primary source evidence for his life than there is for Julius Ceasar or any of the ancient Pharoahs,
Charles Baudelaire stated the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world he didn't exist. - And no, Kevin Spacey in 'The Usual Suspects' was not the original source of that quote.
If that is so, then he's working on the second greatest now. If there is no Devil, why do we need a Saviour? If we don't need a saviour, what's the point in Jesus, and did he ever actually exist?
I am in touch with some people I went to school with. We differ in our respective beliefs. They, at best, describe themselves as agnostic. I don't argue with them any longer. I pray that someone will be put in their lives who can show them the folly of their beliefs. I know that person is not me. Jesus himself said that a prophet is without honour in his home country. I accept this, although enough of my friends of my own generation have died now without, to my knowledge, accepting Christ's sacrifice. It saddens me greatly as these were (mostly) people I respected at school - and there weren't many of them of my peers -and I wish I could have done more to reach them.
Easter is the time of miracles, New life and power through Christ's Victory over Death on the Cross, building up to Pentecost and the gift of living fire in the Holy Spirit to the believers as was prophesised by Joel.
I have in my home a cross on a shelf. It is the focal point as you enter our home.
It was Rene's idea. A simple expression of our faith, more poignant now for us than other times of the year. She chose the cross because of the nails, and we placed a candle in front in order to remind us of the Light of the World.
You can believe what you wish about the Scripture. I will not try to force my beliefs on anyone. Read CS Lewis's "Mere Christianity" or Tony Campolo's book "A Reasonable Faith" for insight int a "logical" argument for Christianity, or get around people who live this life, spend time with them and see Christ in Action in our lives. I am not afraid to live my life as a Christian. I have flaws and I fail in more areas than I often care to admit, but my closest friends have seen me wrestle with fear, depression so deep it has almost consumed me, anger, apathy and all the enemy's tools to the point where I have stood on a precipice and considered letting myself fall. Each time there has been a good friend to speak Truth to me (in fairness, usually the same good friend) and set me back onto the Rock of my Salvation.
I am truly Blessed to be involved with friends who can share my walk as a part of a fellowship borne through fire and battle in the Heavenly realms.
Any arguments you may have about the authenticity of the Easter story I'm happy to answer, asked in earnest. Leave a comment and I'll reply. If all you want to do is to attack me personally, don't waste your time.
Saturday, 30 March 2013
Good Friday - Sunday's Coming
Good Friday is normally a day of great significance to me on a personal level. I normally spend it with family or friends. This year has been a bit different.
The battles my family and friends have been fighting are massive, and can appear insurmountable. There has been death, financial loss on a massive scale, severe illness and in-fighting within the family that has left division and wounds on both sides.
Hardly a way to begin Easter weekend.
I have spen the day asleep, sleeping from around midnight Thursday into Friday until after 6pm today. Now I find myself thinking about the year so far.
I am not happy in my job. It's showing in my behaviour there. I feel it's tie to leave in my heart but I see no clear path to move in. I hear no voice saying this is the way to walk in. Ironically, God seaks to me to give messages for my friends and family in encouragement. Confirmation of their visions and dreams being from Him who made our paths, but not for myself. I can't understand it. I habe no option but to concede that my own selfish desires are getting in the way. I look to my own understanding too much of the time.
A few years ago I had a near miss while I was swimming off a beach in South Devon. I love the ocean, and this particular beach is a great beach to swim at, no currents to pull you out to sea, just a gentle beach slope into the water. We swam out to a row of buoys and back then lay in the sun enjoying good company. It never occurred to me that the tide was coming in when we set out for a final swim before going home. We swam out to the buoys again, but the distance was much further. By the time we reached them I barely had the strength to hold onto the ropes holding it in place. As we set off for the shore again, I knew I wouldn't make it. My breathing was laboured, my muscles screaming, and I couldn't reach land. I didn't have the strength for one stroke. Then a voice from behind me offered me help. A lifeguard had been watching over me and seen my struggle. Before I reached the buoy he launched a small powered dinghy and took a circuit round to approach me safely. I didn't have the strength to hold the ropes on the side of the boat. I was heavy and exhausted. Easily the heaviest in the group (by over 25kg/50lbs). The rescue guard hauled me out of the water into the boat and took us back to land.
I feel a little like that now. Out of my depth, unable to pull myself onto the rescue boat that has come to drag me to safety. But it's Friday.
Good Friday.
A friend posted a slightly fascetious comment on facebook which I take very seriously. Thank Christ for dying.
I agree. But not with the sentiment he made.
I see a truth in his statement.
Thank Christ for Good Friday, Thank Him for surrendering to death on a cross to save us. Our life-boat. For pulling us out of the the ocean of this world and setting us up with life.
Jesus died on Friday. But Sunday's coming.
The battles my family and friends have been fighting are massive, and can appear insurmountable. There has been death, financial loss on a massive scale, severe illness and in-fighting within the family that has left division and wounds on both sides.
Hardly a way to begin Easter weekend.
I have spen the day asleep, sleeping from around midnight Thursday into Friday until after 6pm today. Now I find myself thinking about the year so far.
I am not happy in my job. It's showing in my behaviour there. I feel it's tie to leave in my heart but I see no clear path to move in. I hear no voice saying this is the way to walk in. Ironically, God seaks to me to give messages for my friends and family in encouragement. Confirmation of their visions and dreams being from Him who made our paths, but not for myself. I can't understand it. I habe no option but to concede that my own selfish desires are getting in the way. I look to my own understanding too much of the time.
A few years ago I had a near miss while I was swimming off a beach in South Devon. I love the ocean, and this particular beach is a great beach to swim at, no currents to pull you out to sea, just a gentle beach slope into the water. We swam out to a row of buoys and back then lay in the sun enjoying good company. It never occurred to me that the tide was coming in when we set out for a final swim before going home. We swam out to the buoys again, but the distance was much further. By the time we reached them I barely had the strength to hold onto the ropes holding it in place. As we set off for the shore again, I knew I wouldn't make it. My breathing was laboured, my muscles screaming, and I couldn't reach land. I didn't have the strength for one stroke. Then a voice from behind me offered me help. A lifeguard had been watching over me and seen my struggle. Before I reached the buoy he launched a small powered dinghy and took a circuit round to approach me safely. I didn't have the strength to hold the ropes on the side of the boat. I was heavy and exhausted. Easily the heaviest in the group (by over 25kg/50lbs). The rescue guard hauled me out of the water into the boat and took us back to land.
I feel a little like that now. Out of my depth, unable to pull myself onto the rescue boat that has come to drag me to safety. But it's Friday.
Good Friday.
A friend posted a slightly fascetious comment on facebook which I take very seriously. Thank Christ for dying.
I agree. But not with the sentiment he made.
I see a truth in his statement.
Thank Christ for Good Friday, Thank Him for surrendering to death on a cross to save us. Our life-boat. For pulling us out of the the ocean of this world and setting us up with life.
Jesus died on Friday. But Sunday's coming.
Friday, 22 March 2013
The Good; The Bad and The Ugly
No, this isn't about th iconic Clint Eastwood Spaghetti Western. If that's what you're looking for, well read on anyway - you have nothing to lose...
I am a man with simple tastes, for a first-world boy. I just want hot and cold water, fire in the hearth when it's cold and a fan when it's hot, my dvd player not to refuse to play my favourite disc (even though I've played it so often it looks worn out to me), a good cup of tea (after all, I am English) and an income enough to meet these needs.
Basic first world stuff.
Unfortunately, I no longer live in the first-world. No matter what the TV coverage of the soccer world cup a couple of years ago may have suggested, South Africa is in no way a first world country.
I earn around $800 per month - depending on the exchange rate - with the possibility of a monthly incentive of up to $300 on top of that. Assuming I make average incentive every month, the financial laws here would allow me to pay a mortgage bond of around 30% of my salary. So if I assume my average monthly income to be $1000 I can pay a bond up to $300. Sounds ok, until you examine the other facts:
That's the bad.
So far probably wondering what this little rant has to do with God, given this is a God-driven blog. Keep with it.
Here's the ugly...
In the last few months, vinyard workers in the Western Cape have gone on strike asking for a pay rise to $10 a day. Miners and others classified as "unskilled" workers were fired on by police officials. People died. In scenes straight out of the apartheid era they were gunned down by police. Deaths were inevitable.
At the same time, the nation's president has been accused of using public funds to build a new homestead for his personal use - not an official residence which will be passed to the next incumbent. Costs into millins of dollars diverted into the project. Yet he claims to be "in touch" with the people.
Here's the Good:
God's power is moving in this land. People are being positioned strategically for a new outpouring of His Spirit. Dormant believers are being activated, latent gifts unused in years but gently ticking away are being turned up to maximum. New skills are being discovered and revealed to God's children.The fight may be intense for some of us, but suddenly there are warriors with a fierce heart around us, on our side. The storm hits, but we are supported enough to get through it intact.
There are Truths to overcome the facts:
What do you think?.
I am a man with simple tastes, for a first-world boy. I just want hot and cold water, fire in the hearth when it's cold and a fan when it's hot, my dvd player not to refuse to play my favourite disc (even though I've played it so often it looks worn out to me), a good cup of tea (after all, I am English) and an income enough to meet these needs.
Basic first world stuff.
Unfortunately, I no longer live in the first-world. No matter what the TV coverage of the soccer world cup a couple of years ago may have suggested, South Africa is in no way a first world country.
I earn around $800 per month - depending on the exchange rate - with the possibility of a monthly incentive of up to $300 on top of that. Assuming I make average incentive every month, the financial laws here would allow me to pay a mortgage bond of around 30% of my salary. So if I assume my average monthly income to be $1000 I can pay a bond up to $300. Sounds ok, until you examine the other facts:
- in the last 10 years house prices have almost tripled while incomes have not increased by half that. A house that cost around $40000 ten years ago is generally worth around $100000 now.
- Interest rates are around 9% - 10%, so the average person looking at a $40000 house 10 years ago has to look at houses in line with their income - they can now only afford a house of $75000.
- Electricity has increased dramatically as government forward planning didn't account for the increase in demand. Ten years ago I spent around $15 a month on electricity. Now I spend $20 per week - after converting to cooking on gas.
- Rateable value tax on property is based on the house's current market value, not what you paid for it. The result? Many people fall behind in their rates and water bills because of the increase in charges being more than the increase in income.
That's the bad.
So far probably wondering what this little rant has to do with God, given this is a God-driven blog. Keep with it.
Here's the ugly...
In the last few months, vinyard workers in the Western Cape have gone on strike asking for a pay rise to $10 a day. Miners and others classified as "unskilled" workers were fired on by police officials. People died. In scenes straight out of the apartheid era they were gunned down by police. Deaths were inevitable.
At the same time, the nation's president has been accused of using public funds to build a new homestead for his personal use - not an official residence which will be passed to the next incumbent. Costs into millins of dollars diverted into the project. Yet he claims to be "in touch" with the people.
Here's the Good:
God's power is moving in this land. People are being positioned strategically for a new outpouring of His Spirit. Dormant believers are being activated, latent gifts unused in years but gently ticking away are being turned up to maximum. New skills are being discovered and revealed to God's children.The fight may be intense for some of us, but suddenly there are warriors with a fierce heart around us, on our side. The storm hits, but we are supported enough to get through it intact.
There are Truths to overcome the facts:
- He will never let our circumstances dictate His outcome.
- Our abilities are not the issue - Our trust in His Provision is what matters
- Irrespective of the circumstances, God ALWAY has our best interest at heart
- The rates, taxes and fuel prices, the "shopper's basket" and the buying power of the consumer is irrelevant. If God has given it to us, all we are charged with is receiving.
What do you think?.
Sunday, 10 March 2013
Another Day, Another Heartache
It's been an interesting 2 weeks. This entry has more of a "story" than most of my writing on this blog, but bear with me. There's a point to it all...
My wife's Grandmother, lovingly known to us all as Mamma, passed away and her funeral was held - in Windhoek. Having applied for leave from my employer - who out of "respect" I'll not name here - offered me the Friday and Tuesday off to travel from Cape Town to Windhoek by road. 1000 miles approximately. Each way. I pointed out that it had to be Friday & Monday. Thankfully, the management understood, and granted me emergency leave to attend the funeral.
It's a long drive - around 15 hours. I actually love the road. The first time I drove it I was captivated by the beauty of the landscape, and the emptiness of the land.
There are so few corners in the road that my first thoughts were of the old Roman Roads in England, but they are way shorter than this one. The entire country is shorter than this road. The road is hypnotic in its sameness. It just blends into itself during the drive, the only changes coming as we pass a limestone quarry or as the light changes during the drive.
I drove up with my wife and her brother. The drive was long - no breaks setting off at 11pm and driving until the middle of the afternoon the following day, only stopping for fuel. I can't sleep in a car - not for lack of trying - so by the time we arrived on Friday I was exhausted and had been awake for 36 hours straight. I slept for a couple of hours then we had what for our Namibian family was the third memorial service in a week. I didn't follow most of it as the talks were all in Afrikaans, however although limited in speaking, I did manage to glean some of what was spoken as the minister spoke from Romans 8:18-39. It was a deeply moving service, for all my lack of understanding the language, the spirit of the service was as clear as crystal.
Saturday saw the funeral itself. Six hours in Afrikaans in the church and at the graveside. Didn't understand the words, but the spirit was again completely clear. It was a beautiful and moving experience for a very special lady.
We set off to drive home on the Sunday, arriving Monday evening. I drove the majority of the homeward leg. While driving through the night is a stressful experience in itself, having a large bird of prey eating carrion on the road as you come round a corner, take off and fly head first into the bonnet of the car. It certainly woke me up. Hitting something big enough to disable a car at 140kph is a disturbing experience. Stopping and looking at the damage and realising God was protecting us from the impact is humbling. Just 1cm either way and the car would be undriveable. Closer to the passenger side and it would have ripped into the headlight and wing, crushing the wing into the wheel and causing the car to spin out of control. Closer to the driver's side would have destroyed the radiator which would cause the engine to seize in short order. The only impact point where there would be nothing but superficial damage was the exact point of the impact.
I went to work on Tuesday, but was wrecked by the end of the day. On Wednesday I apparently called my manager, although I don't remember doing so, I woke up in the afternoon. Thursday I went in again, and only got through the day by my wife bringing me bioplus caffeine tablets. I made the decision at that point that I was not fit to work and made an appointment for the following day to see my GP.
As we were settling down to rest in the evening we got a call from my sister-in-law. My wife's brother had been taken seriously ill. We went through to their home where she assessed him and made the arrangement that she would sort out hospitalisation the following morning.
Friday saw my brother-in-law admitted to hospital and my doctor sign me out of work until the following Wednesday - officially diagnosed with stress and burnout. I thank God for the support he has placed around me. That His Grace has proven sufficient in strength to carry me this far, and to allow me to give support to my wife and her mother at this time.
I went back on Wednesday as planned, and although tired at the end of the day I had peace about being back. Thursday was a normal day, and then Friday...
Friday was raining. I suited up - anyone who knows me knows I'm a biker. Have been for 20 years. The problem with being a biker is on a wet road you're vulnerable. For the second time in 12 months the bike slid out from under me - fortunately this time it was a low-speed fall.
"For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone." Psalm 91:11-12
My wife, understandably given the firestorm she's been through in the last few weeks, is not thrilled at me riding any longer.
I see something different. I have bruises, not broken bones. I have mild headache, not concussion. My rainsuit is undamaged, and the bike runs as though nothing was wrong. The most damage is one slightly bent footrest, which doesn't interfere with the running of the bike at all.
The point of the story for me?
God keeps His promises. He never promised we would not know heartache, loss and suffering. He promised He would hold us through them.
Or as Paul put it:
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8: 38-39
My wife's Grandmother, lovingly known to us all as Mamma, passed away and her funeral was held - in Windhoek. Having applied for leave from my employer - who out of "respect" I'll not name here - offered me the Friday and Tuesday off to travel from Cape Town to Windhoek by road. 1000 miles approximately. Each way. I pointed out that it had to be Friday & Monday. Thankfully, the management understood, and granted me emergency leave to attend the funeral.
There are so few corners in the road that my first thoughts were of the old Roman Roads in England, but they are way shorter than this one. The entire country is shorter than this road. The road is hypnotic in its sameness. It just blends into itself during the drive, the only changes coming as we pass a limestone quarry or as the light changes during the drive.
I drove up with my wife and her brother. The drive was long - no breaks setting off at 11pm and driving until the middle of the afternoon the following day, only stopping for fuel. I can't sleep in a car - not for lack of trying - so by the time we arrived on Friday I was exhausted and had been awake for 36 hours straight. I slept for a couple of hours then we had what for our Namibian family was the third memorial service in a week. I didn't follow most of it as the talks were all in Afrikaans, however although limited in speaking, I did manage to glean some of what was spoken as the minister spoke from Romans 8:18-39. It was a deeply moving service, for all my lack of understanding the language, the spirit of the service was as clear as crystal.
Saturday saw the funeral itself. Six hours in Afrikaans in the church and at the graveside. Didn't understand the words, but the spirit was again completely clear. It was a beautiful and moving experience for a very special lady.
We set off to drive home on the Sunday, arriving Monday evening. I drove the majority of the homeward leg. While driving through the night is a stressful experience in itself, having a large bird of prey eating carrion on the road as you come round a corner, take off and fly head first into the bonnet of the car. It certainly woke me up. Hitting something big enough to disable a car at 140kph is a disturbing experience. Stopping and looking at the damage and realising God was protecting us from the impact is humbling. Just 1cm either way and the car would be undriveable. Closer to the passenger side and it would have ripped into the headlight and wing, crushing the wing into the wheel and causing the car to spin out of control. Closer to the driver's side would have destroyed the radiator which would cause the engine to seize in short order. The only impact point where there would be nothing but superficial damage was the exact point of the impact.
I went to work on Tuesday, but was wrecked by the end of the day. On Wednesday I apparently called my manager, although I don't remember doing so, I woke up in the afternoon. Thursday I went in again, and only got through the day by my wife bringing me bioplus caffeine tablets. I made the decision at that point that I was not fit to work and made an appointment for the following day to see my GP.
As we were settling down to rest in the evening we got a call from my sister-in-law. My wife's brother had been taken seriously ill. We went through to their home where she assessed him and made the arrangement that she would sort out hospitalisation the following morning.
Friday saw my brother-in-law admitted to hospital and my doctor sign me out of work until the following Wednesday - officially diagnosed with stress and burnout. I thank God for the support he has placed around me. That His Grace has proven sufficient in strength to carry me this far, and to allow me to give support to my wife and her mother at this time.
I went back on Wednesday as planned, and although tired at the end of the day I had peace about being back. Thursday was a normal day, and then Friday...
Friday was raining. I suited up - anyone who knows me knows I'm a biker. Have been for 20 years. The problem with being a biker is on a wet road you're vulnerable. For the second time in 12 months the bike slid out from under me - fortunately this time it was a low-speed fall.
"For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone." Psalm 91:11-12
My wife, understandably given the firestorm she's been through in the last few weeks, is not thrilled at me riding any longer.
I see something different. I have bruises, not broken bones. I have mild headache, not concussion. My rainsuit is undamaged, and the bike runs as though nothing was wrong. The most damage is one slightly bent footrest, which doesn't interfere with the running of the bike at all.
The point of the story for me?
God keeps His promises. He never promised we would not know heartache, loss and suffering. He promised He would hold us through them.
Or as Paul put it:
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8: 38-39
Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Turnabout
Turnabout is a funny thing. It's the essence of Christianity. The jargon tends to use "repent", but the basic meaning is the same.
In the last 2 years our family life has undergone a turnabout. In a big way..
My wife was diagnosed with a terminal illness, I had to move from us earning in excess of R70000 per month to less than R10000, but with the same outgoings. Try it sometime - it cripples you financially. Our formerly reliable car has developed old age problems and started breaking down at inopportune moments. We have a family of 4 moved into our spare room in December who will be a family of 5 by the end of the week, and I get almost no downtime to decompress.
I'm a late-night person, technically, but it's trying to balance that from the perspective of the chaos surrounding me that distresses me. I can't find anything. My kitchen, which is filthy, is atrocious. I love the family, and they have accommodation from March, but a huge part of me wises they could stay. In the last 2 months they have grown immensely, and so have I. I've been a father to them (yikes) and a surrogate grandfather to their children. Their antics push back my time for myself, time to recharge. This weeked I'll be travelling to Namibia to attend the funeral of a very dear lady, Mama, Rene's grandmother. She's doing ok under the circumstances, but our finances are totally skewed for February month end. I'm even cosidering dropping the level of medical cover I have to make it more affordable.
Our life got turned about.
In the last few days, Rene has sart saying if it can fall apart so easily, then we can see it turn around into God;s idea for our life.
The turnabout nature is exactly what God wants for us. Turning away from Satan and his wiles, submitting to God and seeing him flee from us like James describes. Capturing every thought and allowing God to have free reign in our lives allows us to live Free.
Living by God's rules, making that turnabout into His Church family gives us freedom beyond our imagination. Allowing the Holy Spirit to set up His home in our heart allows the fruit of the spirit to grow. It allows us to move in ways impossible without. We can literally see the sick healed, the deaf hear, the blind see and the dead rise.
Freedom from death, freedom from debt, freedom from sickness. Restored relationship with God. There's no guarantees on this issue though. I love my wife dearly, but that has opened me up to attack through her and the other people I care about. My best friend at work, an invaluable warrior in the Spirit has had her own battles to fight, some of the most vicious coming after she became my best friend, standing by me and supporting me. It's the way Satan operates. His attacks on them break me down, try to force me to capitulate and sing his tune in place of the Glorious Worship God places in my heart.
Its not pretty befriending someone on the front line. In the first world war, there was a cameraderie between the soldiers which was cautious in many cases because they didn't know if tomorrow they were going to be dead. In the great stories there is always a core group around the central character. Frodo has the Fellowship, Bilbo has the company of Thorin and his companions, Maximus is supported by the other Gladiators, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy fall into Narnia and Aslan has prepared an army for them. Even in TV shows you'd not expect it, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel surround themselves with a circle of friends who fight and are ready to die for the cause. Jack O'Neill has SG1 and Jack Bauer has CTU. It's a hard life for the central character, they have their story and the result turns their lives around on an episode by episode basis, just as a reflection of what happens in the real world.
Turnaround, repentance, whatever you want to call it is essential to our walk. We must remember that we are part of the inner circle that walks with Jesus, and it's an awesome existence. If we don't meet resistance from Satan and his forces, it generally means we're moving in the same direction!
Turn around, trust Christ and let Him give you True Freedom.
In the last 2 years our family life has undergone a turnabout. In a big way..
My wife was diagnosed with a terminal illness, I had to move from us earning in excess of R70000 per month to less than R10000, but with the same outgoings. Try it sometime - it cripples you financially. Our formerly reliable car has developed old age problems and started breaking down at inopportune moments. We have a family of 4 moved into our spare room in December who will be a family of 5 by the end of the week, and I get almost no downtime to decompress.
I'm a late-night person, technically, but it's trying to balance that from the perspective of the chaos surrounding me that distresses me. I can't find anything. My kitchen, which is filthy, is atrocious. I love the family, and they have accommodation from March, but a huge part of me wises they could stay. In the last 2 months they have grown immensely, and so have I. I've been a father to them (yikes) and a surrogate grandfather to their children. Their antics push back my time for myself, time to recharge. This weeked I'll be travelling to Namibia to attend the funeral of a very dear lady, Mama, Rene's grandmother. She's doing ok under the circumstances, but our finances are totally skewed for February month end. I'm even cosidering dropping the level of medical cover I have to make it more affordable.
Our life got turned about.
In the last few days, Rene has sart saying if it can fall apart so easily, then we can see it turn around into God;s idea for our life.
The turnabout nature is exactly what God wants for us. Turning away from Satan and his wiles, submitting to God and seeing him flee from us like James describes. Capturing every thought and allowing God to have free reign in our lives allows us to live Free.
Living by God's rules, making that turnabout into His Church family gives us freedom beyond our imagination. Allowing the Holy Spirit to set up His home in our heart allows the fruit of the spirit to grow. It allows us to move in ways impossible without. We can literally see the sick healed, the deaf hear, the blind see and the dead rise.
Freedom from death, freedom from debt, freedom from sickness. Restored relationship with God. There's no guarantees on this issue though. I love my wife dearly, but that has opened me up to attack through her and the other people I care about. My best friend at work, an invaluable warrior in the Spirit has had her own battles to fight, some of the most vicious coming after she became my best friend, standing by me and supporting me. It's the way Satan operates. His attacks on them break me down, try to force me to capitulate and sing his tune in place of the Glorious Worship God places in my heart.
Its not pretty befriending someone on the front line. In the first world war, there was a cameraderie between the soldiers which was cautious in many cases because they didn't know if tomorrow they were going to be dead. In the great stories there is always a core group around the central character. Frodo has the Fellowship, Bilbo has the company of Thorin and his companions, Maximus is supported by the other Gladiators, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy fall into Narnia and Aslan has prepared an army for them. Even in TV shows you'd not expect it, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel surround themselves with a circle of friends who fight and are ready to die for the cause. Jack O'Neill has SG1 and Jack Bauer has CTU. It's a hard life for the central character, they have their story and the result turns their lives around on an episode by episode basis, just as a reflection of what happens in the real world.
Turnaround, repentance, whatever you want to call it is essential to our walk. We must remember that we are part of the inner circle that walks with Jesus, and it's an awesome existence. If we don't meet resistance from Satan and his forces, it generally means we're moving in the same direction!
Turn around, trust Christ and let Him give you True Freedom.
Monday, 18 February 2013
Shades of Grey
I was challenged recently by a close friend of my wife. I posted a comment on my facebook page I had believed to be quoted from Bill Cosby, and found I agreed with the majority of what was said, so I re-posted it.
I have discovered since that it was actually a quote from a US Senator in a 2009 blog (http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2009/02/robert.html)
The current version of the post talks of people who deliberately leech from Western society, taking advantage of the average tax-payer by deliberately changing their appearances to prevent them being offered employment, and an array of social issues, but also it speaks of Islam.
Now I'm not someone who generally sets out to offend people, although the meaning of "tact" and "subtle" are alien concepts to me. I speak my mind, and feel free to disagree with me as much as you wish - I have my opinions, I believe in Biblical principles, and if you don't then it doesn't mean we can't be friends in the worldly sense, but you're unlikely to be in my innermost circle.
I'm hardcore. I believe the Bible literally - in the original language meanings, not necessarily the English translations as they are only as accurate as the individual translator when a word has a plethora of uses or meanings. English is not the rich language it once was, and as a consequence some nuances from the original get lost in translation. My favourite example is when a friend who'd studied geology told me we were living in the seventh major geological era. I thought about it, and suddenly Genesis makes sense. Exchange the word "day" for the word "Era" and suddenly we have a very different picture of creation. An era can be thousands of years, some even more. But the seventh is still a work in progress - like us.
Back to literal. The quote offending my wife's best friend objects to the liberal Western society putting up with watering down their societies by allowing Islamic places of worship and schools to be built, whilst the countries many of these people have fled from refuse to allow Christian places of Worship or educational facilities to be privately funded. Indeed a group in one country, was prosecuted under a local Islamic "blasphemy" law ruling the use of "Allah" may only refer to Islam, no other deity. Fine with me, as I pray in the name of Jesus, but the local churches had printed a Bible in local colloquial language to teach the Gospel and had used "Allah" where in English "God" would have been used.
I'm not right-wing in most of my views, but I'm learning the value of principles. The Bible says we should let our Yes mean YES, and our no mean NO! Easy to say, but hard to do. Especially in a customer-service environment. Harder in a multi-cultured society like South Africa where individual beliefs are taken by many as sacrosanct.
I'm a firm believer that Jesus Christ is the Way, Truth and Life. I know nobody comes to God the Father unless they accept His sacrifice. My wife's friend knows I believe this, so we generally don't speak of our religions to maintain the peace for the sake of her friendship with my wife.
This time was different. I believe CS Lewis said something to the effect that the Truth of the Christian Message will always provoke a reaction one way or the other. In this case, it was opposition. Strong opposition.
My agreeing with the statement did not alter when I found out it wasn't Bill Cosby who'd made it. My understanding of the statement stands, and I will not try to water down the message. I acknowledge that the teachings of Islam have been twisted into a weapon to attack the West, just as 1000 years ago the teachings of Christianity were twisted to justify the Crusades (Genghis Khan school of Evangelism). A fundamentally peaceful teaching used to break spirits and wills and force that religion down people's throats.
Christianity is about absolutes. Jesus' message wasn't "be good and we'll accept you, regardless of who you believe in", it was clear: Believe in Jesus and accept His sacrifice made in your stead, or die. Through the entire Bible we see God say this, but follow it instantly with the instruction to choose life because He loves us.
I love and respect my wife's friends who are not Christians. They are entitled to their opinion, and to make their own choices. But I refuse to compromise my faith to accommodate theirs. If we go to their home for a meal I am not offered a pork chop, but halal beef or chicken. No wine with the meal. Don't get me wrong, the food is delicious, and they are wonderful hosts - I enjoy her family's company enormously, but they will not eat at our home. I don't have Halal cookware. My pots and pans and crockery have ham, bacon or pork on it or prepared in it once a week on average, in fact I have ham sandwiches most days for work. I did, at one point, have 2 braai/barbeque griddles, one for Halal meat (with paper plates) and one for non-halal foods. I don't any more. It was a waste of space. If you enter my home and eat my food, it will most likely not be Halal.
I don't expect our muslim friends to provide non-halal food to us. I disagree with the faith, but it's an individual's right to choose.
There's no space for grey in God's world. Grey isn't one thing or the other. And it never can be anything but grey once the world gets hold of it. The Power of Words results in misunderstanding & miscommunication when they are taken out of context.
I, along with millions of Christians around the world, believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to relationship with God. It's not rocket science. Biblical scripture declares it to be so, and I have an ongoing relationship with God through Jesus that sustains me. I make mistakes, but they will not result in me being cast out into Hell because I accept the Salvation of the sacrifice of Christ on my behalf. Anyone can.
But there's no half measures in Christianity. Either you're Christian or you're not. Black or white.
There's no room for grey.
I have discovered since that it was actually a quote from a US Senator in a 2009 blog (http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2009/02/robert.html)
The current version of the post talks of people who deliberately leech from Western society, taking advantage of the average tax-payer by deliberately changing their appearances to prevent them being offered employment, and an array of social issues, but also it speaks of Islam.
Now I'm not someone who generally sets out to offend people, although the meaning of "tact" and "subtle" are alien concepts to me. I speak my mind, and feel free to disagree with me as much as you wish - I have my opinions, I believe in Biblical principles, and if you don't then it doesn't mean we can't be friends in the worldly sense, but you're unlikely to be in my innermost circle.
I'm hardcore. I believe the Bible literally - in the original language meanings, not necessarily the English translations as they are only as accurate as the individual translator when a word has a plethora of uses or meanings. English is not the rich language it once was, and as a consequence some nuances from the original get lost in translation. My favourite example is when a friend who'd studied geology told me we were living in the seventh major geological era. I thought about it, and suddenly Genesis makes sense. Exchange the word "day" for the word "Era" and suddenly we have a very different picture of creation. An era can be thousands of years, some even more. But the seventh is still a work in progress - like us.
Back to literal. The quote offending my wife's best friend objects to the liberal Western society putting up with watering down their societies by allowing Islamic places of worship and schools to be built, whilst the countries many of these people have fled from refuse to allow Christian places of Worship or educational facilities to be privately funded. Indeed a group in one country, was prosecuted under a local Islamic "blasphemy" law ruling the use of "Allah" may only refer to Islam, no other deity. Fine with me, as I pray in the name of Jesus, but the local churches had printed a Bible in local colloquial language to teach the Gospel and had used "Allah" where in English "God" would have been used.
I'm not right-wing in most of my views, but I'm learning the value of principles. The Bible says we should let our Yes mean YES, and our no mean NO! Easy to say, but hard to do. Especially in a customer-service environment. Harder in a multi-cultured society like South Africa where individual beliefs are taken by many as sacrosanct.
I'm a firm believer that Jesus Christ is the Way, Truth and Life. I know nobody comes to God the Father unless they accept His sacrifice. My wife's friend knows I believe this, so we generally don't speak of our religions to maintain the peace for the sake of her friendship with my wife.
This time was different. I believe CS Lewis said something to the effect that the Truth of the Christian Message will always provoke a reaction one way or the other. In this case, it was opposition. Strong opposition.
My agreeing with the statement did not alter when I found out it wasn't Bill Cosby who'd made it. My understanding of the statement stands, and I will not try to water down the message. I acknowledge that the teachings of Islam have been twisted into a weapon to attack the West, just as 1000 years ago the teachings of Christianity were twisted to justify the Crusades (Genghis Khan school of Evangelism). A fundamentally peaceful teaching used to break spirits and wills and force that religion down people's throats.
Christianity is about absolutes. Jesus' message wasn't "be good and we'll accept you, regardless of who you believe in", it was clear: Believe in Jesus and accept His sacrifice made in your stead, or die. Through the entire Bible we see God say this, but follow it instantly with the instruction to choose life because He loves us.
I love and respect my wife's friends who are not Christians. They are entitled to their opinion, and to make their own choices. But I refuse to compromise my faith to accommodate theirs. If we go to their home for a meal I am not offered a pork chop, but halal beef or chicken. No wine with the meal. Don't get me wrong, the food is delicious, and they are wonderful hosts - I enjoy her family's company enormously, but they will not eat at our home. I don't have Halal cookware. My pots and pans and crockery have ham, bacon or pork on it or prepared in it once a week on average, in fact I have ham sandwiches most days for work. I did, at one point, have 2 braai/barbeque griddles, one for Halal meat (with paper plates) and one for non-halal foods. I don't any more. It was a waste of space. If you enter my home and eat my food, it will most likely not be Halal.
I don't expect our muslim friends to provide non-halal food to us. I disagree with the faith, but it's an individual's right to choose.
There's no space for grey in God's world. Grey isn't one thing or the other. And it never can be anything but grey once the world gets hold of it. The Power of Words results in misunderstanding & miscommunication when they are taken out of context.
I, along with millions of Christians around the world, believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to relationship with God. It's not rocket science. Biblical scripture declares it to be so, and I have an ongoing relationship with God through Jesus that sustains me. I make mistakes, but they will not result in me being cast out into Hell because I accept the Salvation of the sacrifice of Christ on my behalf. Anyone can.
But there's no half measures in Christianity. Either you're Christian or you're not. Black or white.
There's no room for grey.
Thursday, 7 February 2013
What If...?
In the office next to mine they have a poster up that says "What would you do if you knew you could not fail?"
I've seen it every day, more or less, for the last 18 months. Today a deeper question struck me as I was walking through the office.
I started asking myself "What if I took Jesus' Words literally?"
What if I did? How would it change my way of living in this world?
The more I think about it, the more I realise how little I actually grasp of what Jesus said, and what the promises of God for our lives actually mean. Health, prosperity, the entire life of eternity in our hearts right now.
Imagine for a moment fulfilling the promises of God. Doing what Jesus did. Speaking His words. Thinking His thoughts. Living His life for us.
What if the Bible is true? What if chasing the trappings of this world is a distraction? What if the promotion, the car and the house are not permanent?
What if the only thing you can count on is this one book of stories written over thousands of years?
I'm a Christian, anyone reading this blog can hardly not see that from my topics and writing (I hope)
What if I'm right? What if this world isn't all there is? What if Allah is a false god? Or Shiva? Or Buddah?
What if Jesus is the only way to God?
What do you lose by believing in Christ and accepting His Love?
Think for a moment: What do you lose if I'm right?
I've seen it every day, more or less, for the last 18 months. Today a deeper question struck me as I was walking through the office.
I started asking myself "What if I took Jesus' Words literally?"
What if I did? How would it change my way of living in this world?
The more I think about it, the more I realise how little I actually grasp of what Jesus said, and what the promises of God for our lives actually mean. Health, prosperity, the entire life of eternity in our hearts right now.
Imagine for a moment fulfilling the promises of God. Doing what Jesus did. Speaking His words. Thinking His thoughts. Living His life for us.
What if the Bible is true? What if chasing the trappings of this world is a distraction? What if the promotion, the car and the house are not permanent?
What if the only thing you can count on is this one book of stories written over thousands of years?
I'm a Christian, anyone reading this blog can hardly not see that from my topics and writing (I hope)
What if I'm right? What if this world isn't all there is? What if Allah is a false god? Or Shiva? Or Buddah?
What if Jesus is the only way to God?
What do you lose by believing in Christ and accepting His Love?
Think for a moment: What do you lose if I'm right?
Monday, 28 January 2013
Choose Life, it's free - but it'll cost
Life is a free gift from God. More than that, it's His desire for us.
In Deuteronomy 30:19 God has just outlined through Moses the lists of the Blessings for obeying His Law, and the Curses for breaking it. Then comes the clincher - "I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live"
The statement is stunning - it's our choice.
Heaven or hell is our choice.
Forgiveness or bitterness - our choice.
Ours.
All power in Heaven and Earth is in His hands. He can wipe us from existence and start over. Satan's biggest gamble paid off. He gambled God wouldn't wipe out creation because of His Love for us. He gambled God would choose to give us a choice.
Choose Life.
It's free, but it costs everything. To truly choose Life means to turn away from everything this world offers. Revenge, unrighteous anger, lust. Doesn't sound so difficult really, except for one thing - we make that system. We build that kingdom one brick at a time through our lives until we open ourselves to Christ and choose Life.
Choose Life
We can't just forget the old way of thinking. Even Paul wasn't immune to it. "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." (Romans 7:15) It's programmed into us by the curse. We battle our old nature daily in every choice we make. Every decision requires us to rebel against the old man. To choose Life requires us to declare war on Satan.
We must declare war on what put us where we are. Kick away the ladder we are standing on. Saw off the tree limb where we are sitting.
The difference is the outcome. By trusting God, the Truth is revealed. The ladder is shown to be an illusion, the tree falls and the branch remains steady.
The cost of Life is persecution. The reward is relationship with God on an intimate level. The world hates God and His People because the Light exposes the darkness in them. As John writes: "the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." (John 1:5) Another translation reads "has not overcome it".
Persecution comes in many forms. It can be blatant oppression in some places - threatening of life and limb. In Western societies it is more subtle - loss of status, preference given to people who will compromise their beliefs and many other subtle attacks that undermine our faith or expression of it. The insidious nature of of the persecution means we are often blindsided by the attack until we have been totally disabled by it. We compromise in the name of convenience and a desire to not "rock the boat", when what we should do is hold fast to our confession, capsizing the boat if necessary.
Choose Life. Live. Resist the persecution and the temptation to compromise
Choose Life that you and your family may live. Let the cost be what it may, the cost is worth the Price Jesus paid.
Choose Life.
In Deuteronomy 30:19 God has just outlined through Moses the lists of the Blessings for obeying His Law, and the Curses for breaking it. Then comes the clincher - "I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live"
The statement is stunning - it's our choice.
Heaven or hell is our choice.
Forgiveness or bitterness - our choice.
Ours.
All power in Heaven and Earth is in His hands. He can wipe us from existence and start over. Satan's biggest gamble paid off. He gambled God wouldn't wipe out creation because of His Love for us. He gambled God would choose to give us a choice.
Choose Life.
It's free, but it costs everything. To truly choose Life means to turn away from everything this world offers. Revenge, unrighteous anger, lust. Doesn't sound so difficult really, except for one thing - we make that system. We build that kingdom one brick at a time through our lives until we open ourselves to Christ and choose Life.
Choose Life
We can't just forget the old way of thinking. Even Paul wasn't immune to it. "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." (Romans 7:15) It's programmed into us by the curse. We battle our old nature daily in every choice we make. Every decision requires us to rebel against the old man. To choose Life requires us to declare war on Satan.
We must declare war on what put us where we are. Kick away the ladder we are standing on. Saw off the tree limb where we are sitting.
The difference is the outcome. By trusting God, the Truth is revealed. The ladder is shown to be an illusion, the tree falls and the branch remains steady.
The cost of Life is persecution. The reward is relationship with God on an intimate level. The world hates God and His People because the Light exposes the darkness in them. As John writes: "the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." (John 1:5) Another translation reads "has not overcome it".
Persecution comes in many forms. It can be blatant oppression in some places - threatening of life and limb. In Western societies it is more subtle - loss of status, preference given to people who will compromise their beliefs and many other subtle attacks that undermine our faith or expression of it. The insidious nature of of the persecution means we are often blindsided by the attack until we have been totally disabled by it. We compromise in the name of convenience and a desire to not "rock the boat", when what we should do is hold fast to our confession, capsizing the boat if necessary.
Choose Life. Live. Resist the persecution and the temptation to compromise
Choose Life that you and your family may live. Let the cost be what it may, the cost is worth the Price Jesus paid.
Choose Life.
Saturday, 5 January 2013
Old Problem in Newtown
In the weeks since the tragedy in Newtown I've read many things about the "solution" to preventing repeats. Most of it is remarkably similar to what was said after Columbine. Gun control, improved security in schools, better escape access. Now I read someone has even suggested training teachers in the use of firearms.
Terrifyingly stupid.
The Governor of Connecticut said "Evil visited this community today" on the day of the tragedy. That statement has been lost in the following media clamour.
Tighter gun laws won't prevent another tragedy. If restricting access to firearms alone were the answer then it would be an easy fix. The real problem is not access to guns - although assault rifles have no place in civilian society - rather it is people.
The cry for "freedom" by people outstrips the obvious. The "right" to bear arms in the US constitution was written at a time when a flintlock musket and a sword were the weapons of the day. It was beyond the conception of the Founding Fathers that a man would devise the weapons of today, never mind the crimes that are committed with them.
There was a reason for that. One that is slowly being eroded from Western society today. The men who wrote the Constitution were largely men of Faith. The document cites Biblical laws as it's foundation. Public Schools had the Bible placed firmly in their midst to provide a moral compass - one missing in those same schools for many years now.
Today's instant gratification society is outstripped only by the desire for acclaim - the "15 minutes" of fame theory. Morgan Freeman succinctly summed it up after the shooting by pointing out that most people know the names of the perpetrators of these crimes while being oblivious of the names of the victims.
Guns don't cause the problems. I live in South Africa, a country damaged by decades of violence, where I hear gunfire almost every night as I lie in my home. Guns are easy to come by and gang wars regularly spill onto the streets. But school massacres? In Kindergartens?
A child was killed by a jealous lover a few years ago in Cape Town, and the horror expressed from the gangs was tangible. Guns are not the problem any more than a collapsing house causes an earthquake or a moving tree causes the hurricane.
The issue of Sin and Mankind's fallen state is never addressed as the cause of tragedies like Newtown. The media hypes up the event and compares previous tragedies to the current one. Our society feeds the fire of a Fallen world with no regard for the consequence, then seeks to blame something else when the monster it created turns on it.
We need collectively to resist this impetus. Take back what the Enemy of our Hearts has taken. We must resist in Christ's name. The media and society will blame an inanimate object before it takes responsibility for the disaster it has caused.
Newtown was horrific, but ultimately why are we surprised? If it hadn't been guns, perhaps it would have been knives. Then there would doubtless be calls for knife controls.
Terrifyingly stupid.
The Governor of Connecticut said "Evil visited this community today" on the day of the tragedy. That statement has been lost in the following media clamour.
Tighter gun laws won't prevent another tragedy. If restricting access to firearms alone were the answer then it would be an easy fix. The real problem is not access to guns - although assault rifles have no place in civilian society - rather it is people.
The cry for "freedom" by people outstrips the obvious. The "right" to bear arms in the US constitution was written at a time when a flintlock musket and a sword were the weapons of the day. It was beyond the conception of the Founding Fathers that a man would devise the weapons of today, never mind the crimes that are committed with them.
There was a reason for that. One that is slowly being eroded from Western society today. The men who wrote the Constitution were largely men of Faith. The document cites Biblical laws as it's foundation. Public Schools had the Bible placed firmly in their midst to provide a moral compass - one missing in those same schools for many years now.
Today's instant gratification society is outstripped only by the desire for acclaim - the "15 minutes" of fame theory. Morgan Freeman succinctly summed it up after the shooting by pointing out that most people know the names of the perpetrators of these crimes while being oblivious of the names of the victims.
Guns don't cause the problems. I live in South Africa, a country damaged by decades of violence, where I hear gunfire almost every night as I lie in my home. Guns are easy to come by and gang wars regularly spill onto the streets. But school massacres? In Kindergartens?
A child was killed by a jealous lover a few years ago in Cape Town, and the horror expressed from the gangs was tangible. Guns are not the problem any more than a collapsing house causes an earthquake or a moving tree causes the hurricane.
The issue of Sin and Mankind's fallen state is never addressed as the cause of tragedies like Newtown. The media hypes up the event and compares previous tragedies to the current one. Our society feeds the fire of a Fallen world with no regard for the consequence, then seeks to blame something else when the monster it created turns on it.
We need collectively to resist this impetus. Take back what the Enemy of our Hearts has taken. We must resist in Christ's name. The media and society will blame an inanimate object before it takes responsibility for the disaster it has caused.
Newtown was horrific, but ultimately why are we surprised? If it hadn't been guns, perhaps it would have been knives. Then there would doubtless be calls for knife controls.
Wednesday, 2 January 2013
Choose Today to Live
Don Francisco's Facebook Status today came as a reminder to me - quite a stark one - that our outcome is our choice.
God told the Children of Israel to choose life or death " I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19).
Joshua invites the people to choose which god they will serve " “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24: 14-15).
Jesus invites us to choose him and life. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." (Revelation 3:20-21)
Choice is key in God's Kingdom. God never wanted to be a dictator - not even a benevolent one. He longs for us to come to Him as children, because He loves us, not forces us.
Jesus chose to save us. He chose the nails. He chose the Cross. He decided to give up Heaven and die on a Cross for us so we could have a relationship with the Father through His sacrifice.
We need to choose for 2013, and every day in it and beyond, to give ourselves over to God. If we do, He will establish His Covenant in our lives. Bad events may still happen to us - probably will in fact. Possibly more.
So choose.
Choose Life in Christ.
God told the Children of Israel to choose life or death " I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19).
Joshua invites the people to choose which god they will serve " “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24: 14-15).
Jesus invites us to choose him and life. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." (Revelation 3:20-21)
Choice is key in God's Kingdom. God never wanted to be a dictator - not even a benevolent one. He longs for us to come to Him as children, because He loves us, not forces us.
Jesus chose to save us. He chose the nails. He chose the Cross. He decided to give up Heaven and die on a Cross for us so we could have a relationship with the Father through His sacrifice.
We need to choose for 2013, and every day in it and beyond, to give ourselves over to God. If we do, He will establish His Covenant in our lives. Bad events may still happen to us - probably will in fact. Possibly more.
So choose.
Choose Life in Christ.
Wednesday, 26 December 2012
Church Definitions
What's the definition of "church"?
It was great to see Mark & Rach Farrin - very dear friends from the UK, a few weeks ago down here after so long, and it got me thinking about the old gang. "Church" for me wasn't (and isn't) an event once a week in a set location, it's having deep fellowship with a few individuals who challenge, love and respect you enough to say to your face "You're wrong" as much as they'll say "You're right".
Sitting in a building once a week won't make e a Christian any more than sitting in a garage will make me a car. I get daily fellowship with a few people who speak into my life and I speak into theirs - it's real, and not always comfortable. That's Church to me.
Intimate. Personal. Often uncomfortable, but with an unmistakeable undercurrent of Love behind it.
I've been to big churches. Went regularly for several weeks, into months. Then I stopped without telling anyone. After a year nobody had called. My absence was unnoticed.
I've been in small churches. One week I was half an hour late and someone stepped out of the service to phone me and ask if I was ok.
The relationships were different. The small group I was in in Totnes was called TQ9, based on the area code for the town. There were about 25 - 30 in total, and we had clicques like any group. Within the group there were people I was very close to and others not so much. But we spoke into each others lives. We knew one another's stories. We could see by looking at someone if they were troubled.
That was fellowship. That was Church. We met together in each other's homes. We prayed, rejoiced, grieved, laughed and played together. Fellowship. We sharpened one another. Made each other strong.
Now I have only intermittent contact with most of them. A fleeting facebook message that tells me nothing. Once these people were my closest confidantes. They knew when I got engaged. They helped me through the break up. I walked away when my dad was dying - I didn't want their pity and my pride got in the way. I blamed them, but it was me who distanced myself. I stopped taking their calls. My fellowship crumbled because I didn't maintain it.
I went into a dark place, deep depression and 4 suicide attempts later God placed a new fellowship around me that would lift me up and set my feet back on the Rock. They dogged me and hassled me into loving them. Most of them had known me over a year before they heard me laugh or saw me smile. But they Loved me anyway.
Again, it was a faithful few who chose to love me God's way. I am alive today because of their Faithfulness. Dave, Tina, Mark, Rachel, Martin, Louise. Ok, Mark and Rach knew me, but the others just happened. And God Blessed me.
Now in a dark place again there is one person I'll not name here but she knows who she is who, more than anyone else here outside the family has become a strong member of my fellowship. Not because she had to, but because she chose to. We speak into one another's lives regularly, sharing what God is doing.
The Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our Testimony. And slowly we are both seeing the enemy beaten back in our lives by simply worshipping God by doing nothing more than sharing what His love is doing for us and our families. Giving Him the Glory that is His and being humble enough to use the gifts He gives us to speak out to one another.
My church is not where I sit on a Sunday. It's where I have fellowship and feeding. The two are not mutually exclusive, but they are not one and the same either.
Just a thought.
It was great to see Mark & Rach Farrin - very dear friends from the UK, a few weeks ago down here after so long, and it got me thinking about the old gang. "Church" for me wasn't (and isn't) an event once a week in a set location, it's having deep fellowship with a few individuals who challenge, love and respect you enough to say to your face "You're wrong" as much as they'll say "You're right".
Sitting in a building once a week won't make e a Christian any more than sitting in a garage will make me a car. I get daily fellowship with a few people who speak into my life and I speak into theirs - it's real, and not always comfortable. That's Church to me.
Intimate. Personal. Often uncomfortable, but with an unmistakeable undercurrent of Love behind it.
I've been to big churches. Went regularly for several weeks, into months. Then I stopped without telling anyone. After a year nobody had called. My absence was unnoticed.
I've been in small churches. One week I was half an hour late and someone stepped out of the service to phone me and ask if I was ok.
The relationships were different. The small group I was in in Totnes was called TQ9, based on the area code for the town. There were about 25 - 30 in total, and we had clicques like any group. Within the group there were people I was very close to and others not so much. But we spoke into each others lives. We knew one another's stories. We could see by looking at someone if they were troubled.
That was fellowship. That was Church. We met together in each other's homes. We prayed, rejoiced, grieved, laughed and played together. Fellowship. We sharpened one another. Made each other strong.
Now I have only intermittent contact with most of them. A fleeting facebook message that tells me nothing. Once these people were my closest confidantes. They knew when I got engaged. They helped me through the break up. I walked away when my dad was dying - I didn't want their pity and my pride got in the way. I blamed them, but it was me who distanced myself. I stopped taking their calls. My fellowship crumbled because I didn't maintain it.
I went into a dark place, deep depression and 4 suicide attempts later God placed a new fellowship around me that would lift me up and set my feet back on the Rock. They dogged me and hassled me into loving them. Most of them had known me over a year before they heard me laugh or saw me smile. But they Loved me anyway.
Again, it was a faithful few who chose to love me God's way. I am alive today because of their Faithfulness. Dave, Tina, Mark, Rachel, Martin, Louise. Ok, Mark and Rach knew me, but the others just happened. And God Blessed me.
Now in a dark place again there is one person I'll not name here but she knows who she is who, more than anyone else here outside the family has become a strong member of my fellowship. Not because she had to, but because she chose to. We speak into one another's lives regularly, sharing what God is doing.
The Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our Testimony. And slowly we are both seeing the enemy beaten back in our lives by simply worshipping God by doing nothing more than sharing what His love is doing for us and our families. Giving Him the Glory that is His and being humble enough to use the gifts He gives us to speak out to one another.
My church is not where I sit on a Sunday. It's where I have fellowship and feeding. The two are not mutually exclusive, but they are not one and the same either.
Just a thought.
Tuesday, 25 December 2012
The Cross behind the Manger
It's that time of year again. Tinsel and ridiculous images everywhere portraying the most remarkable event of all time: the incarnation of God Himself.
I get angry at this time of year.
Very angry.
In South Africa we get all the signs: Eid Mubarak! Blessed Diwali! Happy Hannukah! Holiday Greetings!
Wait a minute... "Holiday Greetings!"? What about Christmas?
Shops will use any euphamism they can to avoid the word Christmas.
This year hasn't been an easy one. My friends and family that I care about most have suffered loss and heartache, which makes the Cross behind the Manger more important.
The Christmas story isn't a cute fuzzy tale to warm the heart. It's the beginning of the most violent act of Love God ever did for His children. He took on the form of the ones He came to save. He reached out to us on our level.
Hands that had created the Heavens and Earth had to be taught to feed himself. His nappy had to be changed. He became utterly human, tempted as we are tempted. He would experience stress, hunger, grief, joy. Just like us.
He was persecuted from the day of His birth. The mission starts with genocide. Joseph and his family have to flee to Egypt to escape the slaughter of children Herod orders.
The stable-cave of Bethlehem is replaced with a life on the run. By 12 he is back in Jerusalem, understanding and talking with the leaders of the synagogues and Temple. Amazing them with his insights. Sowing the seeds of Hope into their hearts only to heav Satan sow envy and hatred alongside. How many of the younger leaders He spoke to then called for His murder 20 years later?
The purpose of the manger is the Cross and the Empty Tomb.
Not presents.
Not a cute story.
Victory over Death. Salvation from Hell. Restoration of Relationship with the Creator Incarnate.
I get angry at this time of year.
Very angry.
In South Africa we get all the signs: Eid Mubarak! Blessed Diwali! Happy Hannukah! Holiday Greetings!
Wait a minute... "Holiday Greetings!"? What about Christmas?
Shops will use any euphamism they can to avoid the word Christmas.
This year hasn't been an easy one. My friends and family that I care about most have suffered loss and heartache, which makes the Cross behind the Manger more important.
The Christmas story isn't a cute fuzzy tale to warm the heart. It's the beginning of the most violent act of Love God ever did for His children. He took on the form of the ones He came to save. He reached out to us on our level.
Hands that had created the Heavens and Earth had to be taught to feed himself. His nappy had to be changed. He became utterly human, tempted as we are tempted. He would experience stress, hunger, grief, joy. Just like us.
He was persecuted from the day of His birth. The mission starts with genocide. Joseph and his family have to flee to Egypt to escape the slaughter of children Herod orders.
The stable-cave of Bethlehem is replaced with a life on the run. By 12 he is back in Jerusalem, understanding and talking with the leaders of the synagogues and Temple. Amazing them with his insights. Sowing the seeds of Hope into their hearts only to heav Satan sow envy and hatred alongside. How many of the younger leaders He spoke to then called for His murder 20 years later?
The purpose of the manger is the Cross and the Empty Tomb.
Not presents.
Not a cute story.
Victory over Death. Salvation from Hell. Restoration of Relationship with the Creator Incarnate.
Sunday, 23 December 2012
Personality vs Character
Ok it's not original, Steven Covey said it first, but we live in a world that venerates Personality over Character today.
God puts Character first though.
Character develops over time. It is forged through experience and often hard knocks. Our decisions shape our characters. Personality is like a mask. We put it on as we leave the house and take it off as we get home. My GP refers to it as "Eleanor Rigby syndrome".
There are examples of the Character vs Personality through Scripture. King Saul had Personality. David had Character. Pharaoh had Personality, Moses had Character.
Having Character doesn't mean doing everything right. It means owning our decisions and choices. Saul tried to blame everyone else. He blamed Samuel for arriving late. He blamed the people for pressuring him. He passed the buck as far as he could, and it cost him everything. He was a Personality leader. The people admired him. He was tall, well built and good looking. He went out with the Prophets and spoke out for God. He led God's people in battle.
David committed adultery with Bathsheba, then had her husband killed to hide his behaviour. Adultery. Murder. Yet God describes him as a Man after God's Heart. Why? Because when the Prophet Nathan comes to David and faces him with his sin, David acknowledges it and repents. He throws himself down before God and weeps over his actions. He owned his choices. He lived up to his Character.
Moses started with Personality. He, Like Paul later, became Character. He owned up to his past mistakes and led the Exodus, risking his own life going before Pharaoh to deliver God's message. After living as a Prince he commits murder and flees to the desert, where he allows God to shape his Character. On his return to Egypt his Personality has been rebuilt into Godly Character by spending time with God. Pharaoh on the other hand is self-obsessed and determined to be the embodiment of his petty-minded deification in Egyptian culture. Even when he summons Moses and Aaron to ask them to pray to get the frogs removed from Egypt, his pride and Personality get in the way. The land of Egypt is overrun by frogs and he summons Moses to ask God to remove them. When Moses asks him 'And Moses said to Pharaoh, “Accept the honor of saying when I shall intercede for you, for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses, that they may remain in the river only.”' his response is driven by his personality - "So he said, “Tomorrow.” And he said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God". (Exodus 8:9 & 10).
Today we have nations led by Presidents and Prime Ministers who are elected on massive majorities, but their behaviour is less than admirable. They are modern Pharaohs. When faced with their crimes they try to hide by distraction. Then they use what has become known as "spin" to cover up and misrepresent the facts to distract the population from . Sex is redefined by Bill Clinton. Marriage by Jacob Zuma. The concept of Character was eclipsed by Personality. Robert Mugabe started with noble principles. His personality got him support initially, but after so long in power his Character has come through and he turned one of the wealthiest nations in Africa into one of the poorest. It remains to be seen what will happen in Egypt.
Leaders like Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill, Desmond Tutu all displayed Character in their leadership. They led by example and acknowledged their mistakes. They lived their character day in and day out (and still do in some cases).
Personality is selfish, Character is selfless. A Character leader seeks to serve, a Personality leader promotes himself.
Jesus and the disciples lived by Character. Paul started as a Personality, then God knocked him off his donkey and opened his eyes to the importance of Character. He humbled himself and although a leader in the Jews he went and sat to let God build his Character.
He still wants to do the same for us.
God puts Character first though.
Character develops over time. It is forged through experience and often hard knocks. Our decisions shape our characters. Personality is like a mask. We put it on as we leave the house and take it off as we get home. My GP refers to it as "Eleanor Rigby syndrome".
There are examples of the Character vs Personality through Scripture. King Saul had Personality. David had Character. Pharaoh had Personality, Moses had Character.
Having Character doesn't mean doing everything right. It means owning our decisions and choices. Saul tried to blame everyone else. He blamed Samuel for arriving late. He blamed the people for pressuring him. He passed the buck as far as he could, and it cost him everything. He was a Personality leader. The people admired him. He was tall, well built and good looking. He went out with the Prophets and spoke out for God. He led God's people in battle.
David committed adultery with Bathsheba, then had her husband killed to hide his behaviour. Adultery. Murder. Yet God describes him as a Man after God's Heart. Why? Because when the Prophet Nathan comes to David and faces him with his sin, David acknowledges it and repents. He throws himself down before God and weeps over his actions. He owned his choices. He lived up to his Character.
Moses started with Personality. He, Like Paul later, became Character. He owned up to his past mistakes and led the Exodus, risking his own life going before Pharaoh to deliver God's message. After living as a Prince he commits murder and flees to the desert, where he allows God to shape his Character. On his return to Egypt his Personality has been rebuilt into Godly Character by spending time with God. Pharaoh on the other hand is self-obsessed and determined to be the embodiment of his petty-minded deification in Egyptian culture. Even when he summons Moses and Aaron to ask them to pray to get the frogs removed from Egypt, his pride and Personality get in the way. The land of Egypt is overrun by frogs and he summons Moses to ask God to remove them. When Moses asks him 'And Moses said to Pharaoh, “Accept the honor of saying when I shall intercede for you, for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses, that they may remain in the river only.”' his response is driven by his personality - "So he said, “Tomorrow.” And he said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God". (Exodus 8:9 & 10).
Today we have nations led by Presidents and Prime Ministers who are elected on massive majorities, but their behaviour is less than admirable. They are modern Pharaohs. When faced with their crimes they try to hide by distraction. Then they use what has become known as "spin" to cover up and misrepresent the facts to distract the population from . Sex is redefined by Bill Clinton. Marriage by Jacob Zuma. The concept of Character was eclipsed by Personality. Robert Mugabe started with noble principles. His personality got him support initially, but after so long in power his Character has come through and he turned one of the wealthiest nations in Africa into one of the poorest. It remains to be seen what will happen in Egypt.
Leaders like Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill, Desmond Tutu all displayed Character in their leadership. They led by example and acknowledged their mistakes. They lived their character day in and day out (and still do in some cases).
Personality is selfish, Character is selfless. A Character leader seeks to serve, a Personality leader promotes himself.
Jesus and the disciples lived by Character. Paul started as a Personality, then God knocked him off his donkey and opened his eyes to the importance of Character. He humbled himself and although a leader in the Jews he went and sat to let God build his Character.
He still wants to do the same for us.
Sunday, 9 December 2012
AAAAGH! A Wealthy Christian!
There's a lot of negative stuff been bandied about regarding Christians and money. More experienced people than me have argued this subject and been put down for it. Less experienced have as well.
Young ministers are gently told by their listeners that they will learn the facts with experience. Older teachers are accused of being led astray by pride or greed or envy.
But scripture tells us there is a purpose to prosperity.
A purpose devised by God himself - to establish His Covenant with His People. "Establish" may be better interpreted as "prove". Proof to the people who didn't know Him. Proof to the Faithful of his goodness and provision.
"But you shall [earnestly] remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day" Deuteronomy 8:18 (Amplified)
Given this statement, what makes us think financial prosperity is bad? Yes, there are many corrupt people who are wealthy, but wealth and prosperity are not the same thing. Wealthy men can be owned completely by a spirit of Poverty. They are so money-focussed that they will do anything and everything to hold onto that money. Their drive is to preserve and gather for themselves.
A Prosperous man, conversely, gives. As a result, God places wealth into his hands for redistribution. He becomes a reservoir into which God pours a harvest of resources; financial, physical, whatever the area in which he is blessed. Sometimes it's time. Sometimes it's money. It may even be compassion. He prospers in all areas as a means of confirming the presence of God in his life.
Abraham knew God. Joseph knew God. David knew God. Their prosperity was in multiple areas. They walked with God. They used their relationship with God to draw others to God. Abraham became an entire nation. Joseph saved the greatest civilisation of the day. David gave the largest individual share to build the Temple completed by Solomon. Their prosperity, whilst ultimately financial in manifestation, was an expression of God's presence and Covenant with them in their lives.
Somehow having money has become synonomous with being Godless. Whilst worshipping finances and seeking them for their own sake is clearly opposed to everything the Bible teaches, having financial wealth in and of itself is no more inherently evil than having nothing. Both cause issues for a believer's life. Excess is not what God wants for us, but neither is lack.
Each believer must walk his path with God. We need finances to share the Gospel, and we need clothes and food to live. God knows this, and His prosperity manifests in our lives how we need it in order to demonstrate His covenant with us. He gives us power to create wealth, and allows us to ask so we may receive, but the asking must not be from selfish intentions, but simply and in faith - inspired by Him to do His work.
Young ministers are gently told by their listeners that they will learn the facts with experience. Older teachers are accused of being led astray by pride or greed or envy.
But scripture tells us there is a purpose to prosperity.
A purpose devised by God himself - to establish His Covenant with His People. "Establish" may be better interpreted as "prove". Proof to the people who didn't know Him. Proof to the Faithful of his goodness and provision.
"But you shall [earnestly] remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day" Deuteronomy 8:18 (Amplified)
Given this statement, what makes us think financial prosperity is bad? Yes, there are many corrupt people who are wealthy, but wealth and prosperity are not the same thing. Wealthy men can be owned completely by a spirit of Poverty. They are so money-focussed that they will do anything and everything to hold onto that money. Their drive is to preserve and gather for themselves.
A Prosperous man, conversely, gives. As a result, God places wealth into his hands for redistribution. He becomes a reservoir into which God pours a harvest of resources; financial, physical, whatever the area in which he is blessed. Sometimes it's time. Sometimes it's money. It may even be compassion. He prospers in all areas as a means of confirming the presence of God in his life.
Abraham knew God. Joseph knew God. David knew God. Their prosperity was in multiple areas. They walked with God. They used their relationship with God to draw others to God. Abraham became an entire nation. Joseph saved the greatest civilisation of the day. David gave the largest individual share to build the Temple completed by Solomon. Their prosperity, whilst ultimately financial in manifestation, was an expression of God's presence and Covenant with them in their lives.
Somehow having money has become synonomous with being Godless. Whilst worshipping finances and seeking them for their own sake is clearly opposed to everything the Bible teaches, having financial wealth in and of itself is no more inherently evil than having nothing. Both cause issues for a believer's life. Excess is not what God wants for us, but neither is lack.
Each believer must walk his path with God. We need finances to share the Gospel, and we need clothes and food to live. God knows this, and His prosperity manifests in our lives how we need it in order to demonstrate His covenant with us. He gives us power to create wealth, and allows us to ask so we may receive, but the asking must not be from selfish intentions, but simply and in faith - inspired by Him to do His work.
Sunday, 2 December 2012
No Mystery in Unity
I had the priviledge of being at a wedding yesterday. My wife's cousin married his fiancee and they have begun a journey that will change their lives forever.
It put me in mind of the changes that I've seen in the last ten years I've been with my wife, courting for a year, and married for a little over nine now.
I wouldn't change my decision to ask her for anything. It's not been the easiest option, but I'd not want to be anywhere else.
Together we've walked this amazing journey that has seen us encounter joy and pain, loss and heartache, happiness and tragedy. Most of all, however, we've lived with Hope, Love and Faith as our companions.
We've walked through fire - life-threatening illness for both of us - still an ongoing battle - financial prosperity and crushing loss from medical bills. Through it all, Jesus has supported us. The support has come in many forms from many places externally, but through it all there has been a constant theme within the relationship.
Not once have we both hit bottom at the same time. God has aways given one of us the strength to lift the other - even when we couldn't see it until later.
It's 18 months since our lives really changed forever in a way I won't go into now, but in that time He's brought new friends into our life together who have themselves experienced hardships. We've been able to live as a true fellowship.
There's a unity between us. We are united not by our troubles, but by our Hope. Not by the hardships, but by Faith. Not by the bitterness of the past, but by Love carrying us forwards.
The writer to the Hebrews says not to abandon the gathering of the believers. More and more recently I've realised that isn't necessarily a denominational church as such, but rather getting together and sharing our lives on an intimate level with a few close friends.
I've not been a regular attendee of a denominational church since I left Torquay in 2003. I've not given up meeting with believers though. Family and friends who are born-again who we share our Faith with, teaching one another and sharing testimony.
I went to a few denominational churches over the last few years. Even a few house groups. Good people in them, but I felt superfluous. I wasn't necessary to the life of the organisation. It seems to me that the church isn't meant to be an organisation as much as it is an organism. An organisation will continue if parts are missing without change or noticing. Cut a piece off an organism and it stops functioning the way it was designed to.
My fellowship is small right now, but I know the people in it intimately and I trust them enough to let them know me. There's a unity between us. It defines us. There's no mystery in it.
It put me in mind of the changes that I've seen in the last ten years I've been with my wife, courting for a year, and married for a little over nine now.
I wouldn't change my decision to ask her for anything. It's not been the easiest option, but I'd not want to be anywhere else.
Together we've walked this amazing journey that has seen us encounter joy and pain, loss and heartache, happiness and tragedy. Most of all, however, we've lived with Hope, Love and Faith as our companions.
We've walked through fire - life-threatening illness for both of us - still an ongoing battle - financial prosperity and crushing loss from medical bills. Through it all, Jesus has supported us. The support has come in many forms from many places externally, but through it all there has been a constant theme within the relationship.
Not once have we both hit bottom at the same time. God has aways given one of us the strength to lift the other - even when we couldn't see it until later.
It's 18 months since our lives really changed forever in a way I won't go into now, but in that time He's brought new friends into our life together who have themselves experienced hardships. We've been able to live as a true fellowship.
There's a unity between us. We are united not by our troubles, but by our Hope. Not by the hardships, but by Faith. Not by the bitterness of the past, but by Love carrying us forwards.
The writer to the Hebrews says not to abandon the gathering of the believers. More and more recently I've realised that isn't necessarily a denominational church as such, but rather getting together and sharing our lives on an intimate level with a few close friends.
I've not been a regular attendee of a denominational church since I left Torquay in 2003. I've not given up meeting with believers though. Family and friends who are born-again who we share our Faith with, teaching one another and sharing testimony.
I went to a few denominational churches over the last few years. Even a few house groups. Good people in them, but I felt superfluous. I wasn't necessary to the life of the organisation. It seems to me that the church isn't meant to be an organisation as much as it is an organism. An organisation will continue if parts are missing without change or noticing. Cut a piece off an organism and it stops functioning the way it was designed to.
My fellowship is small right now, but I know the people in it intimately and I trust them enough to let them know me. There's a unity between us. It defines us. There's no mystery in it.
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