Blame Someone Else - we all suffer from it. A post I read somewhere reminded me of that little acronym which I heard years ago. Interestingly it is incredibly biblical. Adam the first man to sin didn't admit it he blamed everyone but himself; "The woman you put here with me - she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it." And ever since we have followed the same pattern.
So when we get angry rather than confess to our sin we excuse it saying it was their fault for making me, or it was the result of a series of pressures and strains, or whatever. All the time we seek to excuse ourselves from taking any blame. We do the same with lust - the adverts are just so sensual, they should change what they wear...
The Bible doesn't allow us that luxury in fact it would bluntly tell us we are deluding ourselves and that 1 John 1:7 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul is one of my favourite hymns, both for the truths it sets forth but also because it is a great rock when sufferings hit.
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot,
Thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul
It is well (it is well)With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come
Let this blessed assurance control
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate
And hath shed His own blood for my soul
My sin, 0 the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin, not in part but in whole
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, 0 my soul!
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend
Even so, it is well with my soul
Spafford was a Chicago lawyer, but this great hymn was not written in the midst of ease and plenty but pain, grief and almost unimaginable personal tragedy. In 1870 their only son was killed by scarlet fever at the age of four. A year later, it was fire rather than fever that struck. Horatio had invested heavily in real estate on the shores of Lake Michigan. In 1871, every one of these holdings was wiped out by the great Chicago Fire.
Aware of the toll that these disasters had taken on the family, Horatio decided to take his wife and four daughters on a holiday to England. They needed the rest and their friend DL Moody needed the help as he was traveling around Britain on one of his evangelistic campaigns. They planned to join Moody in late 1873 and traveled to New York in November, from where they were to catch the French steamer 'Ville de Havre' across the Atlantic.
Just before they set sail, some last-minute business forced Horatio to delay. Not wanting to ruin the family holiday, Spafford persuaded his family to go as planned saying that he would follow on. Anna and her four daughters sailed to Europe while Spafford went back to Chicago. Just nine days later, Spafford received a telegram from his wife in Wales. It read: "Saved alone."
On November 2nd 1873, the 'Ville de Havre' had collided with 'The Lochearn', and sank in only 12 minutes, claiming the lives of 226 people. Anna Spafford had stood bravely on the deck, with her daughters Annie, Maggie, Bessie and Tanetta clinging desperately to her. Her last memory had been of her baby being torn violently from her arms by the force of the waters. Anna was only saved by a plank which floated beneath her unconscious body and propped her up. When the survivors of the wreck had been rescued, her first reaction was complete despair. Then she heard a voice speak to her, "You were spared for a purpose." And she immediately recalled the words of a friend, "It's easy to be grateful and good when you have so much, but take care that you are not a fair-weather friend to God."
Upon hearing the news, Horatio boarded the next ship out of New York to join his bereaved wife. Bertha Spafford (the fifth daughter of Horatio and Anna born later) explained that during her father's voyage, the captain of the ship had called him to the bridge. "A careful reckoning has been made", he said, "and I believe we are now passing the place where the de Havre was wrecked. The water is three miles deep." Horatio returned to his cabin and penned the lyrics of his great hymn.
The words Spafford wrote that day come from 2 Kings 4:26 and echo the response of the Shunammite woman to the sudden death of her only son. Though "her soul is vexed within her", she maintains that 'It is well." And Spafford's song reveals a man whose trust in the Lord is as unwavering as hers was.
His worship doesn't just depend on how he feels. "Whatever my lot", he says, come rain or shine, pleasure or pain, success or failure, joy or grief "Thou hast taught me to say / It is well, it is well with my soul".
Nor does his worship centre on himself rather he focuses on what God has already done at the cross (0 the bliss of this glorious thought / My sin ... is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more) and what God will do in the future ("Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight / The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend").
In fact, Spafford's worship brings us back to the bottom line: at the end of the day, come hell or high-water, it is "this blessed assurance" that holds us fast.
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot,
Thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul
It is well (it is well)With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come
Let this blessed assurance control
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate
And hath shed His own blood for my soul
My sin, 0 the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin, not in part but in whole
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, 0 my soul!
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend
Even so, it is well with my soul
Spafford was a Chicago lawyer, but this great hymn was not written in the midst of ease and plenty but pain, grief and almost unimaginable personal tragedy. In 1870 their only son was killed by scarlet fever at the age of four. A year later, it was fire rather than fever that struck. Horatio had invested heavily in real estate on the shores of Lake Michigan. In 1871, every one of these holdings was wiped out by the great Chicago Fire.
Aware of the toll that these disasters had taken on the family, Horatio decided to take his wife and four daughters on a holiday to England. They needed the rest and their friend DL Moody needed the help as he was traveling around Britain on one of his evangelistic campaigns. They planned to join Moody in late 1873 and traveled to New York in November, from where they were to catch the French steamer 'Ville de Havre' across the Atlantic.
Just before they set sail, some last-minute business forced Horatio to delay. Not wanting to ruin the family holiday, Spafford persuaded his family to go as planned saying that he would follow on. Anna and her four daughters sailed to Europe while Spafford went back to Chicago. Just nine days later, Spafford received a telegram from his wife in Wales. It read: "Saved alone."
On November 2nd 1873, the 'Ville de Havre' had collided with 'The Lochearn', and sank in only 12 minutes, claiming the lives of 226 people. Anna Spafford had stood bravely on the deck, with her daughters Annie, Maggie, Bessie and Tanetta clinging desperately to her. Her last memory had been of her baby being torn violently from her arms by the force of the waters. Anna was only saved by a plank which floated beneath her unconscious body and propped her up. When the survivors of the wreck had been rescued, her first reaction was complete despair. Then she heard a voice speak to her, "You were spared for a purpose." And she immediately recalled the words of a friend, "It's easy to be grateful and good when you have so much, but take care that you are not a fair-weather friend to God."
Upon hearing the news, Horatio boarded the next ship out of New York to join his bereaved wife. Bertha Spafford (the fifth daughter of Horatio and Anna born later) explained that during her father's voyage, the captain of the ship had called him to the bridge. "A careful reckoning has been made", he said, "and I believe we are now passing the place where the de Havre was wrecked. The water is three miles deep." Horatio returned to his cabin and penned the lyrics of his great hymn.
The words Spafford wrote that day come from 2 Kings 4:26 and echo the response of the Shunammite woman to the sudden death of her only son. Though "her soul is vexed within her", she maintains that 'It is well." And Spafford's song reveals a man whose trust in the Lord is as unwavering as hers was.
His worship doesn't just depend on how he feels. "Whatever my lot", he says, come rain or shine, pleasure or pain, success or failure, joy or grief "Thou hast taught me to say / It is well, it is well with my soul".
Nor does his worship centre on himself rather he focuses on what God has already done at the cross (0 the bliss of this glorious thought / My sin ... is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more) and what God will do in the future ("Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight / The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend").
In fact, Spafford's worship brings us back to the bottom line: at the end of the day, come hell or high-water, it is "this blessed assurance" that holds us fast.
Monday, 23 June 2008
Coping with Pressure
We met last night as part of our learn to lead course to look at the issue of coping with pressure and we began by doing a self analysis using a well being survey. It is a helpful self examination tool:
a. How is your relationship with God right now?
b. What have you read in the Bible in the past week? What has God said to you through it?
c. Where do you find yourself resisting God?
d. What specific things are you praying for in regard to yourself?
e. What general reading are you doing?
f. How are you doing with your spouse? Children?
g. Are there any unresolved conflicts in your relationships at the moment?
h. What are your fears/worries?
i. What have you done to play/relax?
a. How is your relationship with God right now?
b. What have you read in the Bible in the past week? What has God said to you through it?
c. Where do you find yourself resisting God?
d. What specific things are you praying for in regard to yourself?
e. What general reading are you doing?
f. How are you doing with your spouse? Children?
g. Are there any unresolved conflicts in your relationships at the moment?
h. What are your fears/worries?
i. What have you done to play/relax?
Thursday, 19 June 2008
Loving as God loves
We are about to take a break from our preaching through Luke's gospel for the next couple of months. So I have been reviewing what God has been teaching me and hopefully the church from chapters 4-6 of Luke.
You cannot read these chapters and not marvel at God's love for sinners. Jesus gave up heaven, glory and eternal worship, all that he was due and deserved and came to earth and then we see him calling fishermen and tax collectors to come into God's kingdom. Not holding their sin against them but lovingly engaging with them and presenting to them the good news that the kingdom of God is here. The contrast is with the Pharisees who are judgemental and keep sinners in quarantine, never thinking of introducing them to God.
Jesus knows the seriousness of sin, he describes himself as the doctor come for the sick, as the one come for the sinners, he does not minimise judgement or the nature of the commitment he is asking for. He shows us God's great love for people, God's concern for the lost, and then he calls these sinners that he is changing to come and be part of God's salvation plan, to buy into God's big vision of a redeemed humanity, a new grace bought community.
And these chapters challenge me asking the question; have I bought into that vision? Do I share Jesus concern for people? Or do I judge them like the Pharisees? Do I view them as lost people whom God loves in need of salvation or as mission impossible? Chapter 6 of Luke ends with a call to love our enemies in the context of gospel persecution, to value people not our rights or things, to be merciful, to be self examining, to be fruitful and to be active in applying Jesus words to our lives.
Luke 4-6 has been a treasure house as I have studied it and preached it along with others. I am to bear the family likeness as Jesus shows and as God eternally is, merciful, loving engaging with and offering salvation to all.
You cannot read these chapters and not marvel at God's love for sinners. Jesus gave up heaven, glory and eternal worship, all that he was due and deserved and came to earth and then we see him calling fishermen and tax collectors to come into God's kingdom. Not holding their sin against them but lovingly engaging with them and presenting to them the good news that the kingdom of God is here. The contrast is with the Pharisees who are judgemental and keep sinners in quarantine, never thinking of introducing them to God.
Jesus knows the seriousness of sin, he describes himself as the doctor come for the sick, as the one come for the sinners, he does not minimise judgement or the nature of the commitment he is asking for. He shows us God's great love for people, God's concern for the lost, and then he calls these sinners that he is changing to come and be part of God's salvation plan, to buy into God's big vision of a redeemed humanity, a new grace bought community.
And these chapters challenge me asking the question; have I bought into that vision? Do I share Jesus concern for people? Or do I judge them like the Pharisees? Do I view them as lost people whom God loves in need of salvation or as mission impossible? Chapter 6 of Luke ends with a call to love our enemies in the context of gospel persecution, to value people not our rights or things, to be merciful, to be self examining, to be fruitful and to be active in applying Jesus words to our lives.
Luke 4-6 has been a treasure house as I have studied it and preached it along with others. I am to bear the family likeness as Jesus shows and as God eternally is, merciful, loving engaging with and offering salvation to all.
Wednesday, 18 June 2008
What is a Healthy Church Member
There is a new book which has been published by Nine Marks publishing, it looks well worth reading, I'll certainly be trying to get my hands a copy or two. Click on the link to read a review of 'What is a healthy Church member' book review
The first chapter on expositional listening sounds worth the price of the book alone. We don't learn and grow by osmosis we need to learn to listen to preaching, test it, accept it and act on it.
Thursday, 12 June 2008
Keeping our vows
I'm preaching at a wedding on Saturday and have been giving some thought to the awesomeness of the promises we make when we marry. Then I came across this on Benjamin Warfield:
Benjamin B. Warfield was a world-renowned theologian who taught at Princeton Seminary for almost 34 years until his death on February 16, 1921. Many people are aware of his famous books, like The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible. But what most people don’t know is that in 1876, at the age of twenty-five, he married Annie Kinkead and took a honeymoon to Germany. During a fierce storm Annie was struck by lightning and permanently paralyzed. After caring for her for thirty-nine years Warfield laid her to rest in 1915. Because of her extraordinary needs, Warfield seldom left his home for more than two hours at a time during all those years of marriage.
We all promise to love our spouses for better or worse but rarely does the worst happen, and even more rarely on our honeymoons.
When you then read Warfield's comments of Romans 8:28 you know he speaks as one who has tested these words and found them true.
The fundamental thought is the universal government of God. All that comes to you is under His controlling hand. The secondary thought is the favour of God to those that love Him. If He governs all, then nothing but good can befall those to whom He would do good.... Though we are too weak to help ourselves and too blind to ask for what we need, and can only groan in unformed longings, He is the author in us of these very longings...and He will so govern all things that we shall reap only good from all that befalls us.
Benjamin B. Warfield was a world-renowned theologian who taught at Princeton Seminary for almost 34 years until his death on February 16, 1921. Many people are aware of his famous books, like The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible. But what most people don’t know is that in 1876, at the age of twenty-five, he married Annie Kinkead and took a honeymoon to Germany. During a fierce storm Annie was struck by lightning and permanently paralyzed. After caring for her for thirty-nine years Warfield laid her to rest in 1915. Because of her extraordinary needs, Warfield seldom left his home for more than two hours at a time during all those years of marriage.
We all promise to love our spouses for better or worse but rarely does the worst happen, and even more rarely on our honeymoons.
When you then read Warfield's comments of Romans 8:28 you know he speaks as one who has tested these words and found them true.
The fundamental thought is the universal government of God. All that comes to you is under His controlling hand. The secondary thought is the favour of God to those that love Him. If He governs all, then nothing but good can befall those to whom He would do good.... Though we are too weak to help ourselves and too blind to ask for what we need, and can only groan in unformed longings, He is the author in us of these very longings...and He will so govern all things that we shall reap only good from all that befalls us.
Thursday, 5 June 2008
Am I a Questionner
Are you good at conversation? I guess many of us feel like we struggle to build new relationships, we know we should go introduce ourselves to others but how do we actually do it?
The first thing is to genuinely care about people, I need to pray and ask God through his Spirit and for the glory of his Son to enable me to love and see people as he sees them not as I see them. I also need to pray that he will remind me that rejection is not failure, refusing to try to build relationships is.
Everyday we are surrounded by people we could build relationships with. The person who is always on the same bus as us, the lady who always serves us in the paper shop, why not ask them how their day was? begin building a bridge. The neighbour who walks the same way we do to pick up his or her kids from school, why not head out the same time and ask how the weekend was? Or how school is going? Just show that you are interested and genuinely listen to their responses.
It is interesting in reading the gospels you notice that Jesus uses a lot of questions with people to engage them in dialogue, in fact at times you wonder if they wished he would just give them a straight answer, after all he already knew it. But Jesus questions, I think, to build relationships.
The first thing is to genuinely care about people, I need to pray and ask God through his Spirit and for the glory of his Son to enable me to love and see people as he sees them not as I see them. I also need to pray that he will remind me that rejection is not failure, refusing to try to build relationships is.
Everyday we are surrounded by people we could build relationships with. The person who is always on the same bus as us, the lady who always serves us in the paper shop, why not ask them how their day was? begin building a bridge. The neighbour who walks the same way we do to pick up his or her kids from school, why not head out the same time and ask how the weekend was? Or how school is going? Just show that you are interested and genuinely listen to their responses.
It is interesting in reading the gospels you notice that Jesus uses a lot of questions with people to engage them in dialogue, in fact at times you wonder if they wished he would just give them a straight answer, after all he already knew it. But Jesus questions, I think, to build relationships.
Wasting your life
Saw this over at Desiring God thought it was a great little reminder of what I spent some time looking at in 1 Tim yesterday. I am not to live to accumulate wealth but use wealth for God's glory.
Wednesday, 4 June 2008
I am Legend
Finally got round to watching I am Legend last night. Its OK as a film but it contains a brilliant ending and a great final statement that just rings with parallels to Jesus and the ongoing mission of discipleship.
"In 2009, a deadly virus burned through our civilization, pushing humankind to the edge of extinction. Dr. Robert Neville dedicated his life to the discovery of a cure and the restoration of humanity. On September 9th, 2012, at approximately 8:49 P.M., he discovered that cure. And at 8:52, he gave his life to defend it. We are his legacy. This is his legend. Light up the darkness."
If you want to read more there is an article on it in the Christianity and Culture section of the www.graceinthecommunity.org website.
"In 2009, a deadly virus burned through our civilization, pushing humankind to the edge of extinction. Dr. Robert Neville dedicated his life to the discovery of a cure and the restoration of humanity. On September 9th, 2012, at approximately 8:49 P.M., he discovered that cure. And at 8:52, he gave his life to defend it. We are his legacy. This is his legend. Light up the darkness."
If you want to read more there is an article on it in the Christianity and Culture section of the www.graceinthecommunity.org website.
Tuesday, 3 June 2008
Discipleship
We have been thinking about discipleship as we have gone through Luke, today I came across this poem over at The Unashamed Workman by Bill McChesney called 'My Choice'
I want my breakfast served at eight
With ham and eggs upon the plate.
A well-broiled steak I’ll eat at one
And dine again when day is done.
I want an ultramodern home
And in each room a telephone;
Soft carpets, too, upon the floors
And pretty drapes to grace the doors.
A cozy place of lovely things,
Like easy chairs with inner springs,
And then, I’ll get a nice T.V.
- Of course, I’m careful what I see.
I want my wardrobe, too, to be
Of neatest, finest quality,
With latest style in suit and vest
Why should not Christians have the best?
But then the Master I can hear
In no uncertain voice, so clear:
“I bid you come and follow Me,
The lowly Man of Galilee.”
“Birds of the air have made their nest
And foxes in their holes find rest,
But I can offer you no bed;
No place have I to lay my head.”
In shame I hung my head and cried,
How could I spurn the Crucified?
Could I forget the way He went,
The sleepless nights in prayer He spent?
For forty days without a bite,
Alone He fasted day and night;
Despised, rejected - on He went,
and did not stop till veil He rent!
A man of sorrows and of grief
No earthly friend to bring relief;
“Smitten of God,” the prophet said
Mocked, beaten, bruised, His blood ran red.
If He be God, and died for me,
No sacrifice too great can be
For me; a mortal man, to make;
I’ll do it all for Jesus’ sake.
Yes, I will tread the path He trod,
No other way will please my God,
So, henceforth, this my choice shall be,
My choice for all eternity.
I want my breakfast served at eight
With ham and eggs upon the plate.
A well-broiled steak I’ll eat at one
And dine again when day is done.
I want an ultramodern home
And in each room a telephone;
Soft carpets, too, upon the floors
And pretty drapes to grace the doors.
A cozy place of lovely things,
Like easy chairs with inner springs,
And then, I’ll get a nice T.V.
- Of course, I’m careful what I see.
I want my wardrobe, too, to be
Of neatest, finest quality,
With latest style in suit and vest
Why should not Christians have the best?
But then the Master I can hear
In no uncertain voice, so clear:
“I bid you come and follow Me,
The lowly Man of Galilee.”
“Birds of the air have made their nest
And foxes in their holes find rest,
But I can offer you no bed;
No place have I to lay my head.”
In shame I hung my head and cried,
How could I spurn the Crucified?
Could I forget the way He went,
The sleepless nights in prayer He spent?
For forty days without a bite,
Alone He fasted day and night;
Despised, rejected - on He went,
and did not stop till veil He rent!
A man of sorrows and of grief
No earthly friend to bring relief;
“Smitten of God,” the prophet said
Mocked, beaten, bruised, His blood ran red.
If He be God, and died for me,
No sacrifice too great can be
For me; a mortal man, to make;
I’ll do it all for Jesus’ sake.
Yes, I will tread the path He trod,
No other way will please my God,
So, henceforth, this my choice shall be,
My choice for all eternity.
Monday, 2 June 2008
What is evangelism?
Evangelism is making the news about Jesus known. In our culture however sometimes we have to do pre-evangelism, we have to knock down the barriers people have before we can share the gospel with them.
If you think of it as a scale that runs: -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3...
0 is the point at which a person accepts they are lost and need Jesus and are willing to become a disciple, 1 and so on are disciples growing in maturity.
Most of the people we meet are somewhere on the minus side of the scale, they have all sorts of barriers that have to be overcome before they will listen to the gospel. It may be that they have had a bad experience of Church, maybe they think all Christians are hypocrites, that Christians are weird, perhaps they believe the Bible is full of errors and contradictions, maybe it is that they don't know any Christians at all.
With every person we meet we are to be called as God's ambassadors to be knocking those barriers down, to be moving someone maybe from a -10 to a -9, or a -4 to a -3, or at the very point when they become a follower of Jesus. It can be in something as simple as walking over and introducing yourself to someone you don't know and chatting with them. It is in living out the gospel in front of friends and colleagues, it is in engaging with their questions, it is in showing them love even if rejected.
Why not pray today that God would involve you in moving someone closer to accepting Jesus as Saviour and King and continually ask God to prompt you by his Spirit for opportunities.
If you think of it as a scale that runs: -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3...
0 is the point at which a person accepts they are lost and need Jesus and are willing to become a disciple, 1 and so on are disciples growing in maturity.
Most of the people we meet are somewhere on the minus side of the scale, they have all sorts of barriers that have to be overcome before they will listen to the gospel. It may be that they have had a bad experience of Church, maybe they think all Christians are hypocrites, that Christians are weird, perhaps they believe the Bible is full of errors and contradictions, maybe it is that they don't know any Christians at all.
With every person we meet we are to be called as God's ambassadors to be knocking those barriers down, to be moving someone maybe from a -10 to a -9, or a -4 to a -3, or at the very point when they become a follower of Jesus. It can be in something as simple as walking over and introducing yourself to someone you don't know and chatting with them. It is in living out the gospel in front of friends and colleagues, it is in engaging with their questions, it is in showing them love even if rejected.
Why not pray today that God would involve you in moving someone closer to accepting Jesus as Saviour and King and continually ask God to prompt you by his Spirit for opportunities.
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