Don’t abandon your life

I’ve been thinking recently about pieces of advice and teaching I’ve received over the years.  There are times in life when we all just want to retreat, run away, curl up into  a small ball and rock, hide, give up, give in, pull out, etc.  This advice strikes a chord with me during these times:

Abandon your plans of escape and be where you are (Kyle Lake)

Hard times are not wrong times.  They are opportunities to grow in maturity, character and faith.  Often our groaning pains are our growing pains.

Abandon your plans of escape and be where you are (Kyle Lake)

A verse that helps me often is where Jesus says (Matt 28) “I will be with you always.  Question: if Jesus is with us do we really need to escape?

  Perhaps our attitude of escape needs to be turned into an attitude of embrace.

Abandon your plans of escape and be where you are (Kyle Lake)

How does God guide and speak to us?

                                                                                      

I have been asked this question so many times recently that I felt I had to think it through and respond to it.  We are created to be in relationship with God, as well as to follow his design/plan for our lives.  But how can we do this if we are unsure about how he guides us and speaks to us?  Part of growing in our faith is learning to know God’s voice speaking to us and guiding us.  How many of us know people that say things like “God spoke to me”?  I’ve said that phrase many times.  Although it is true, perhaps it is not a useful phrase because it implies that God speaks to us in an audible voice.  Yet even in the Bible God rarely spoke with an audible voice – more often than not he chose to ‘speak’ in different ways.  Most of us do not hear audibly from God (although we should not rule out that he can, and may), so how can God speak to us today?

God is concerned about our lives and he loves us and wants to speak to us about what we should be doing with it – He has a plan for our lives; “I know the plans I have for you; plans to prosper you and give you success” (Jeremiah 29:11).  So how can we know them?

The Example of Jesus

Jesus was “led by the Spirit” (Luke 4:1) and only did what he saw his Father doing (John 5:19).  Jesus shows us that even he had to depend on God the Father and the Holy Spirit for guidance.  In the garden of Gethsemane he prayed “not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).  Jesus trusted God.  He took time in prayer to know God’s will.  He was honest with God about his fears and weaknesses (Luke 22:42-43) – and God gave him strength.  If we are willing to do as God wants then we can expect him to speak to us.

He speaks to us through scripture (The Bible)

The Bible is the Word of God.  It is not just another book of wisdom – it is given to us by God himself so that we can know him.  The Bible shows us what God is like (Psalm 103:8-12; 1 John 4:8; Hebrews 10:30-31).  It shows us his purposes for our lives.  It reveals how much he loves us (John 3:16).  It is full of wisdom (Proverbs).  It instructs, guides, encourages and disciplines us, and we can place our trust in it because it is God’s own words to us.  As we read the bible we ought to read it prayerfully, asking God to speak to us from it.

Guidance through the Holy Spirit

Before Jesus ascended he told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the promised gift of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5).  Jesus had told the disciples previously that he would send the Holy Spirit to them (read John 14:16-27).  He told them that the Holy Spirit would be their counselor (advisor) and that he was the “Spirit of Truth” (v16-17).  The Holy Spirit would remind Jesus’ followers (us too!) of the teaching they learned (v26) and that he would convict us of our sin  as well as lead us into righteousness (John 16:8-10) – the Spirit show us how to live in God’s will regarding right and wrong.  He shows us God’s will for our lives when we are willing to be led by him as Christ was.

Common sense

God gave us the common sense that we have and he does not expect us to abandon it because we are Christians.  As we are seeking God’s will for our lives we need to look at our decisions with intelligence as well as with spiritual eyes (true spirituality should embrace all the gifts, sensibilities and abilities God has given us).  As you think about the decisions you have at the moment, what makes the most sense?  What path allows you to use the skills and passions that God has given to you?  What do you enjoy?  God speaks to us in very natural ways, as well as supernaturally.  Are you good at sport, but not at literature? – Then look in that direction.  The natural gifts and abilities we have are part of how God prepares for the plan he has for us.  What has God already given to you?

Advice from Christians

“A wise person listens to advice” (Proverbs 12:15).  Don’t be afraid to ask other people for their advice and opinions.   God often speaks to us through other people.  God intended the Church to be a community of people that pray, share, talk, worship and learn together – God will use other people to guide us because as members of his Church we are not meant to be alone.  We are meant to rely on those around us.  God may use other people to guide you, and he may use you to speak to other people.

Whom should we ask for advice?

The best people to ask are people that are walking close to God.  These may be older Christians who have much spiritual and practical experience in life – Perhaps a parent, a Church leader, a trusted friend.  It is important that we trust those of whom we are asking for advice.  God often speaks to us through other people, so aim to seek advice from people that have shown closeness to God and who are spiritually mature.

God guides through circumstances

“In his heart a man plans his course but the Lord directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).  God leads us one step at a time.  We do not need to be in a hurry and at times we may have to wait a long time for guidance to come.  Take time to look at your current circumstances – is there a reason to rush into so.   There are important times in life where our circumstances draw us to seek God’s guidance – preparing to leave school; thinking about our career; changes in relationships; etc. 

On the more day to day questions of life perhaps God just wants us to stay close to him; to listen for his voice; to seek his word in the bible; to enjoy the friendships we have (and expect God to work through them); to keep our heart and mind fixed on those things that please him. 

The Silence of God

There are also times when God is silent – periods when God does not answer our prayers; times when even God’s word does not seem to speak to our hearts.  These times can be a source of blessing in the long-run – although in the middle of it they can be frustrating.  Persevere through times of silence – God will not always be quiet.  He will speak to you.  He will continue to lead you.  Perhaps he just wants us to listen.  Billy Graham offers us great advice in the concluding statement:          

“If you want God’s will badly enough, you can’t miss it!”

Prayer and Peace

Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me 

Comfort. We all want to be in this state, yet often we find ourselves in uncomfortable situations. Jesus was aware of this and when his disciples were troubled in heart he advised them with the statement above. As I read the words I’m struck by how obvious they are – Don’t let your heart be troubled!

I’m thinking ‘like I have a choice’. As I thought about that it struck me that perhaps Jesus was saying we do have a choice. I read it like this:

Don’t allow your heart to be troubled – guard your heart from trouble 

There are two verses in the bible that say “Guard your heart”. One is in proverbs. It says

‘guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life’. 

Tthe other is in Philippians 4 where Paul tells the Church:

Don’t be worried about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which transcends our understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus 

Those words are life and beauty to our hearts. As we pray – as we focus on Jesus – God’s peace enters our hearts and minds. We guard our hearts from trouble through trusting in Jesus in the place of prayer. Prayer focusses our heart on the solution and takes it off our problems.

God’s peace is not a fabrication of our imagination – it is transcendent. Perhaps we need to persevere in praying until God’s peace comes to guard our hearts from trouble.

Are we in an uncomfortable situation where troubles are welling up like storms around and within us?

Then let us pray…

Missional Blindness?

My wife and I have been exploring “organic” and “simple” Church recently. Our experience in Trad structures has not been most positive to be honest. I’ve been on the journey for 30 years in one way or another (I’m 35 now!) and have been a commited Jesus Follower for 17 of those. I came to a point where I was wondering if our “christian service’ is doing more to oil the ‘Church machinary’ than to reach the lost with the amazing love of God. I mean it often seems like mission is an ‘add on’ to being Church rather than being the core mission of the Church.

You go into most churches and you see a rubbish mission notice board with out of date newsletters and ancient photos (ok, I’m being a bit mean and I’m not intending to be offensive!) and other than that you need to stay alert during the service (that probably lacks transcendence – being mean again!) to hear the passing mention of mission work.  Mission happens elsewhere and it’s somebody else’s calling! It’s almost like we’ve been blinded to God’s mission around us.

Surely we have got it all wrong – Jesus’ life portrayed in the Gospels was a truly missional life. He ministered everywhere. He listened to people and to God and lived a life that connected the two together. That’s being missional in my estimation.

Perhaps we’ve got so caught up in trying to keep Church going that we’ve stopped going into our world and being Jesus to our neighbours. Is being ‘missional’ part of our life, or is it the defining purposeof our lives?

Read MARK 10:46-52 (go on, do it now!)

Answer these questions in your own mind:
1. Ask God to show you your ‘blind spots’ in being Missional
2. Ask God to open your eyes and see the world as he sees it
3. Ask God to lead you to the people that you can share the love of Jesus with (in wrds and in works)

May we follow Jesus into the messinesss of people’s lives and communities.

God is only a whisper away

Perhaps this week holds stress and worry. Perhaps it holds blessing anf joy. Whatever it holds, God holds it. God is a whisper away:

He’s in the breeze, he’s in the sea

He’s in your thoughts, and he’s in me

He’s in the person that shouts you down

he’s in the sadness of the clown.

he’s in the concepts we have of truth

he’s in the Word, he’s not aloof

He’s even closer than we see

He’s close to you, and he’s near to me

- S McCormack

Whatever you’re feeling you can always whisper a prayer to the one who is closer to you than your breath.

Pestering Prayer!

9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”   -   Luke 11:9-13 (New Living Translation)

These verses come in the context of Jesus teaching on prayer. Jesus moves from teaching us how to pray into encouraging us to keep on praying. He tells us:

Keep on asking!
Keep on seeking!
Keep on knocking!

Keep on keeping on – don’t stop. Pray without ceasing.

How often do we stop seeking God because the answers don’t arrive within our designated time-frame? – too often. Giving up in prayer has become our habit!  Perhaps this is why Jesus encourages us to persevere.

Jesus (the Son) then discloses vital information about the character of God (the Father). Jesus knows what he’s talking about because his whole life is in dee intimacy with the father. He tells us that God desires to give to us even more than other fathers – even an evil father will give to their kids. Interesting that Jesus refers to ‘evil fathers’ – perhaps he’s aware that we have created mental barriers in our minds towards God because of our hurts and disappointments. Jesus knows that we have each resented God, questioned God and doubted who he is – we have at times thought of him as ‘evil’, mean and harsh.

Yet Jesus shows us a different Father – a Father who will give if we keep on asking. A father we will find when we seek (cf, the lost son – luke 15). A Father who will open doors when we keep on knocking. A Father who will give us his very own Holy Spirit if we ask.

Are we asking, seeking and knocking to the Holy Spirit’s presence and power in our lives?
How ardent is our desire for God’s presence in our lives?
Where do we need to fix our relationship with God so that we can come to him as loving Father?
Will we persever in our talking with God until we see answers come down?

“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened”

God wants us to perster him with our prayers!!

The Church is not being allowed to be missional

The following article is an excerpt from: http://www.globalconnections.co.uk/forchurches/intentionallymissional.htm

You can read the whole article there or read a little bit of it here:

For the last hundred years the UK church has not being encouraged to be missional because other organisations have been set up with the express purpose of doing mission. Mission agencies, evangelistic organisations, mission halls and various outreach groups have been focused on preaching the gospel and sharing the good news in a great variety of creative ways. Some have specialised in a particular approach and become experts in their ministry. Many have been very effective and many Christians look back to a ‘para-church’ group and are thankful for all they learnt through its ministry.

But simply because they have existed, the church has continued to be sidelined in its missional role. How does a church now begin to get involved in a particular ministry when an organisation has many years experience and is well known for expertise?

For most of the last 200 years, churches have been expected to ‘do mission’ through the ‘pay and pray’ approach. Organisations have done mission on behalf of and in the name of the church, with the church’s financial and prayerful support. It will take time and a lot of persuasion to change the perception.

I think this is a thought provoking piece of writing that we need to be engaging with.  It ties in with a question I’ve had for a while (and I don’t know the answer!):

Do parachurches serve the local Church, or is the local church serving para-church organisations? 

Following the Son

I wrote last week about following the father.  The God we serve is (as we know) a missionary/missional God.  He is also only one member of the Trinity (Father, Son and  Holy Spirit).  He does nothing on his own – it is all done with and through Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

God is a missional God.  He is the one who sends into the world.  The first missionary he sent out into the world was Jesus.  But God did not end the sending there.  God the son sent his followers in the Gospels out into the world.  He asks us to follow him into ALL the world.  we cannot live as Christ followers with part of  our lives (Sunday services and Weds Home group/prayer meetings!) – we are to live with and for Christ in ALL our world with ALL our lives.  The world should know we follow Jesus through:

The words we speak

The things we do

The things we don’t do.

It’s time to get our hands dirty for Jesus!

By “all our world” I mean that our faith is to be lived out in school, at home, at University, on the dole queue, at the pub, at work, at a concert, at the supermarket – EVERYWHERE!!  Jesus did not compartmentalise his faith.  He lived out his relationship with the Father everywhere.  He lived out his prayers to ’see the kingdom come’.

As followers of the Father and the son we need to live this way.  Jesus did not just die to save us from sin and secure us for eternity.  He also lived to show us how we ought to live – he set us an example we should follow.  I hear people saying that this is a hard task – yes it is, but Jesus did not promise us it would be easy. 

If you are looking for easy ways to live out faith without taking risks, making sacrifices and taking up your cross then you are not looking to Jesus – he always made it hard (take up your cross; count the cost; in this world you will have hardships & trials;etc).  It’s time to get our hands dirty for Jesus!

Following the son yields blessings, but it is not the easy life many preachers have promised.  In my life as a christian I have been abused, marginalised, trodden on, laughed at – and all that by leaders and members of the Church!  Despite this I hold to the joyful truth that Jesus is the only one truly worth following.  Following Jesus is not easy, but it is the most blessed path one can follow.  It’s time to get our hands dirty for Jesus!

May we follow the Son into the presence of God the Father not just in eternity, but also daily in this life.  May we encounter God in tangible ways that revive our faith to be the living , transformational force for the world that God intended.

It’s time to get faith out of the building and into real life and get our hands dirty for Jesus!

 

Following the Father

Just a quick thought.

Jesus said that he only did the things he saw the Father doing.  Imagine if we were following the Father closely.  Imagine being able to know exactly what God the father is doing.

Are we yearning for that closeness to God that gives us confidence that we are doing HIS mission rather than being ‘missionally blind’?

Do we know what god is doing in our community or workplace?

Are we hearing God calling us towards ‘people of peace’ that are ready to meet with Jesus?

I am convinced that when we draw near to God he draws near to us.  I am also convinced that we struggle to draw near to God.  We are easily distracted from his presence.  Perhaps this is because we are focussed on what we are ‘doing’ for the Father rather than just ‘being’ with the Father.  God the Father calls us (through Jesus) just to be with him.  I am also convinced that in being with the Father he will lead us into the relationships and missional situations he longs for us to participate in.

The question is:

Will we Follow the Father?

Being a Shepherd

There’s not much need for sheperds in the world I live in.  I move in circles of education and troubles teens.  I spend spare time with friends and family – I occasionally see sheep as I travel on the bus to Leeds. 

I’m on the bus. 

They are minding their own business in the fields.

I have had a few experiences recently that have reminded me that people are indeed ‘like sheep without a shepherd’:

 The first was a youth session where (on reflecting with the help of a our Church leader) I came to see that young people are in need of shepherds who will lead them into meaningful relationship with Jesus – shepherds that will give young people the gift of ‘presence’ and ‘time’; shepherds who will act and talk and respond with the compassion of Christ.

In Mark 6:34 we read that Jesus looked on the crowds with compassion – I can’t even pretend to clain I understand yet what that means (but I want to, so I guess that’s a good starting point!).  Compassion is a deep gutteral emotion that wells up from deep within us (it’s probably birthed in the very heart of God)

In my work (monday to friday – 9 till 5!! – I’m blessed!) I listen to the hopelessness my students feel and live with every day of their broken lives - I often feel my heart breaking and tears forming within me.  These young people are truly shepherdless!  They are the lost sheep of the Kingdom.  I believe that deep down they are looking for The Good Shepherd.

As Christians I wonder who we are ’shepherding’?  Who are we reaching out to with compassion?  Who are the sheep that we are longing ‘to seek and to save’ (Luke 19:20)  Who are we being Jesus to?  Are we shepherding the sheep to The Good Shepherd?

May we CARE for the lost as Jesus cared.

May we FEEL with the same compassion Jesus feels for the lost sheep.

May we ACT in unconditional love even when it hurts and feels like a waste of time.

May we SHEPHERD God’s lost sheep until they are safely in the pen of God’s kingdom.