Divided Loyalties

Sometimes when I watch movies, especially James Bond ones, I listen out for when the title of the movie will be mentioned. (Obviously in my opinion Roger Moore always delivered his best of all the Bonds, that raised eyebrow just convinced me from the start.) I think that sometimes it is whilst writing the narrative or some dialogue in the narrative that the title for a book or a movie emerges, just as a significant theme in a song that is repeated can lend itself as the song title. In the same way I was engaging in a conversation when the phrase of this blog entry came to mind.

I said it to the person and it had a resonating effect on me. This dear friend had said some things around looking forward to spend more time with the family. I was thinking, however, that the reason why things have come to this point is because there’s always a competing force for the attention that means the family suffers.

I also thought that it’s not just this person who suffers from divided loyalties. To some extent there is an overriding interest that takes up the heart, even if the time is otherwise taken with other activities, the mind is just going over that issue again and again. It is so often the case that someone is physically present and to some degree engaging in the activity of the time, but it’s obvious that they are elsewhere either in spirit or mind. Their mind is taken up with their own thing of desire.

As ever Jesus exposes the issue slap bang in the middle of his famous teaching on the mount where he simply says,

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Matthew 6:24)

That which captures the heart and takes up the attention has virtual mastery over us. It’s funny really, we run away from the sense of anyone owning us or telling us what to do. We make a big deal of being autonomous, independent, free-thinking individuals when in most cases, (come on it’s presumptuous and arrogant to say all in a blog like this when you’re not that brave yet) we’re actually not that autonomous, or independent or free-thinking. Sooner or later some master will take us under his wing – especially the enticing allure of money and all it can seemingly buy and what it can mean in the sight of others. We come under its wings and before you know it moods, thoughts, decisions, temperament, life activities and relationships are determined by what masters us.

Not only that, but it’s not as if there’s choice to be mastered or not. All this liberalism and free country jargon may keep us warm in our thoughts at night, but slavery has not been abolished, just either blatantly ignored in the so-called Third-World, or made to be far more sophisticated in the so-called First-World. Slavery and mastery is wrapped up with the whole human psyche and it’s then a case of discovering which mastery will give us the best chance of not being oppressed, compressed, distressed, depressed, repressed and even negatively possessed.

That sounds a bit harsh, doesn’t it. I’m not going to make it any softer, though. Think of it this way, though. As a slave if your master is responsible for upkeep and takes that seriously to ensure that your working conditions are as conducive and constructive to your benefit as possible and you are just required to be obedient to instructions that are actually to your overall benefit, how is that a bad thing? If the Lord who has mastery over us instructs us … commands us to love each other and empowers and equips us to do that how is that a bad thing? If the Lord who has mastery over us instructs us … to find the truest sense of liberty in being like His Son by linking with Him and allowing Him to carry the bulk of the burden how is that a bad thing?

Obviously it’s a bad thing to us because we don’t appear to be in control, even if we’ve been deluding ourselves in thinking that the autonomous, independent, free-thinking position has improved our situation. It’s got to be a definition of madness to think that illusive and elusive living is somehow any better.

The divided loyalty continues though and in reality it’s not that divided at all, whenever something else other than that which is meant to be occupying the heart is there, then we’re always giving cheap second-hand service to everything else. The funny thing is, under the Lordship of the creator there’s more than enough time to look after the family. There’s more than enough time to be effective at work. There’s even enough time to pursue pastimes that help you in building relationships and the like. Indeed under this mastery all of those activities are effused with life and purpose possible because it’s rooted in acknowledging first and foremost the Lord who makes it all possible.

Until then, though, it’s the ongoing challenge of seeing where the heart is and asking this kind, forgiving and liberating Lord to help us find our hearts in Him.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Power and Freedom

So I’m reading about Michael Foot as you know and it’s just one of a number of books of a political flavour. A good question to ask is what is it with all the politics? I find it interesting that some cultural traditions have it that around the dinner table or in the home two subjects are not discussed, religion and politics. Two of the most important issues of life are not to be discussed over the most intimate setting of family. Interesting, that. We never had that rule at home because politics wasn’t talked about anyway. Dad wasn’t one to talk about politics, because it never appeared to bother him. I think he voted, but he never made a big deal of it. Stuff would happen and he wouldn’t comment on it. Likewise my mother, vociferous on issues as she was, never made that much of a big deal about politics. I got into it through my interest in books.

This is not a bit about how I love politics. It is a bit, however, about how politics is about power and the problem we have with power. The saying power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely is interesting because no one ever has absolute power, but the desire for power continues to corrupt everyone. When we were younger so much younger than today and perhaps never needed anybody’s help in anyway there was that eager excitement about being an adult. There was something exciting about being able to do whatever we wanted and to practice all the adult stuff that we looked at – expressions of the will, expressions of power to do whatever it is we wanted to do without recourse to restrictive parental … power. The power would be ours. Don’t get me wrong, nothing wrong with wanting to grow up and stuff, but the allure wasn’t responsibility – too much hard work – the allure was that little bit of power.

The problem then comes in with how that power is meant to be exercised and how it’s actually exercised. Whatever the culture, whatever the philosophy there is something running in it that promises some level of control and power. You don’t have to be religious to buy into it, the thing works through family, sports and is blatant in the business world and other areas of the world of work. We tolerate restrictions to power only in as much as it allows us to express that power for self-satisfaction elsewhere. So far, apparently nothing wrong with that. Then we meet Jesus and discover there’s plenty wrong with that. Plenty in the sense that it’s all for the glory of man, whereas doing things for another’s glory would require giving up that power, leaving it to be used by someone else for their glory. Almost as if we revert back to that position where we aspire to something we would never experience.

The funny thing about it is, that in giving up all that we desired so much, it is in the light of this that real freedom is experienced. It is only when the quest for power and control is yielded to a desire to find love from its true Source that all that has ever been desired is made possible.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Breaking The Silence - An Opening

Much to say about what’s been going on the interim period – tests, failures, successes, visits, home-stays, books read, bed slept in, boring conferences attended, friends met, friends adored, comedians seen, decisions made, with all kinds of significant implications as a result. Also faced a life-threatening illness, weakening more than any I’ve had before and only just about getting over it. It has really been a manic time with a lot more to be said on the issue. There is a silence to be broken and this note is my expression of gratitude that after so long without putting finger to keyboard even to begin getting the thoughts expressed now I’ve got a chance to begin untapping some of that stuff. So be prepared in the upcoming days to read a bit more into what exactly is up with dmcd.

Welcome to November, people, this here is my month and special for obvious and less obvious reasons. I hope to be present a bit more this month than I was last, but as future comments will outline, don’t be surprised if it proves a challenge. In the meantime as I keep asking, keep praying for your man cd. I love God, I love Jesus, I’m grateful for their Spirit which they’ve poured in my hearts. I love my wife and beautiful children. I love my family and intend to do right by them. It be an interesting road ahead, though – an interesting road in interesting times, indeed. Stay tuned.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Big Ones and Little Ones

Following on from yesterday’s bit about the super vacuum cleaner it also reminded me of a thought process that I was considering earlier this week. The link will become clear soon, follow the thread and you should get the jumper at the end of it. (You’ll need the jumper – it’s nearly winter!)

A dear friend of mine (ah ha, back to that one again, but it’s all about relationships right?) sent a prayer request on a pressing issue and that triggered an immediate response of mine which had all the right words of piety in it. The text ended with me riffing off the top of my head (reads better than following the leading of the Holy Spirit, doesn’t it?) and stating the same words that Paul uses in Romans 12:21 – Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. As ever it’s well worth checking the context of the verse as will become clear.

As I hit the send button on the text I actually started thinking again about the nature of evil. What is it? Is there a difference between evil, ungodly and wrong? Is there a difference between evil and ungodly? What is it?

The thought lingered with me throughout Monday and led to an engrossing conversation I had with another dear friend of mine. (That’s four different dear friends, if you’ve been counting from yesterday. Here I was thinking I didn’t have any!) I was talking with her about the nature of evil and what it is and we went up and down life experiences, general reasoning and scriptural support for the various positions being put across. She was a tremendous help in giving a different angle on what I was thinking about. Sadly, however, she failed to convince me of a growing conviction I have about the nature of evil. That is this: evil is that which goes against God.

Now in case you think my dear friend was refuting that, I quickly add, that’s not the contention I put to her. The far reaching consequences of that, however, will see God describing things as evil that we wouldn’t. I mean let’s face it, when the word evil is mentioned we have certain images, behaviours and accompanying words that spring to mind. To bring it across these are usually linked to graphic, horrific and physically moving definitions. You can fill in the gaps with your own views of evil, I won’t list them here. My friend was helpful here by giving a definition of evil as the extreme opposite of good. That definition is supported as you’ll notice by a deduction of that Romans 12:21 trip which gives us the two battling sides. Now by ‘battling’, I’m being a bit naughty, I know, for how can evil even think it has a chance against good, when it always wins? Oh yeah, it always wins – not all experiences may give that impression, but the entire tapestry of history at the end will show who wins and it be not evil, and evil be trounced good and proper by … errr … good.

So having that definition in mind, it should help us further to see what God would consider evil – apparently when we play favourites and discriminate on material basis, that’s evil. Don’t take my word for it – read James 2:4 for yourself. Now come on, the reasonable thinker will think, we’re hardly calling that an atrocity. That’s hardly something to be considered by the term ‘evil’. Bad, sure. Socially unacceptable, fine – but evil? That’s taking it a bit far isn’t it? Well evidently if Jesus is to be taken seriously, we’re actually not taking it far enough, because the whole deal of the Sermon on the Mount is about Jesus highlighting just what evil looks like when He riffs out the clarity of what we’ve heard it said and what he says to us. Calling someone a fool isn’t just naughty or ill-considered. Fantasising sexual encounters with one who is not your spouse is not just harmless play.

What’s my point? What does that have to do with the vacuum cleaner? Well we have this tendency of establishing big sins and little sins. We safely categorise deeds as being little white ones or dark, nasty, ugly ones. As we do this we fail to realise that these little white ones (which are not that clean) get embedded into our psyche, a psyche that’s already in need of re-wiring. Then the little ones become engrained and before you know it, while you’re looking to demolish the ‘big ones’ the little ones have such a hold on you that you can be justly accused of the very things that God Himself considers to be evil. As I said, don’t just take my word for it – check the book for yourself. As these little ones remain a part of the system, unseen and unconsidered just like our vacuum cleaning experience of yesterday, we will miss it and suffer for it.

Therein lies the problem of sin – it’s not just the big, obvious, blatant, stomach-churning ones, it’s the little ones that don’t even get so much as a slap on the wrists. It’s the little ones that even get promoted as positive values to pursue by various outlets. It’s the little ones that are passed on in playgrounds, offices, churches, leisure centres and homes from mouth to ear, heart to heart and perpetuated with no realisation and thus no repentance. Yeah, sure fight the major injustices, but unravelling that thread will show just how interconnected that is to those small ones that tend to go unnoticed. Not only will they need to be exposed for what they are, but they will need to be dealt with. There is only one Man for that job.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Break Free: How Deep Is Your Sin?

Recently a dear family friend came to give us a demonstration of a multi-faceted vacuum cleaner that was said to be significantly better than the regular ones on the market. It’s her job you see and because she’s relatively new she gets to try it on her friends and family. Also because of the nature of the product it is not something that can be slapped on a leaflet or a TV advert but a personal demonstration is required – it’s about the personal touch of hearing and seeing the good news in action for yourself. Sounds familiar that, I wonder if that could work for the church?

Anyway, so this friend of ours popped over the house and gave us this demonstration of the vacuum cleaner. One element of the demonstration highlighted that the mechanic operation of a typical vacuum cleaner was only to actually suck up the dust. However it does not pick up all the dirt that is there because of its nature. The new product however works by an action of impact, vibrate and suction thus it is able to get deeper into the material to remove more dust. It so happened that our current vacuum cleaner sucked in the not good sense of the term and so to compare the effectiveness of this new product especially based on the principle of its action to the old model and its ineffectiveness was a wonder in itself.

What got me thinking was the whole thing of digging deep, exposing stuff and then removing it. Not just digging it out and letting it settle, not just dealing with the surface stuff and giving the impression of cleanliness, but the hard work of digging beyond what is seen to the point of getting to where it is, exposing it and dealing with it.

When Jesus became a part of my life that I was conscious about, I didn’t realise He worked in the same way. I’d learnt quite a bit about him at an intellectual level. I did the church routine and engaged in the emotional fervour without getting any sense of depth spiritually into the character of Christ and what that had to say about me. Thankfully that stage of naivety did not last too long.

In this month of Break Free, one of the first things to consider is that there is bondage. There is captivity. There is oppression. To some extent, we are all under negative pressure. That has an affect on our entire mentality.

For example there’s another dear friend of mine. (Sounds like I have quite a collection of dear friends, doesn’t it? No, you’ve only counted two so far, so let’s not get carried away!) This dude suffers from depression and at its worse it can virtually socially cripple the guy. In all other aspects of his life he may appear free and at his best he can come across as a rather engaging liberated individual, but the brother knows he’s in captivity to that which is over him. My prayer (and I’d love this to be yours too) is that he experiences that Break Free process. However in as much as his depression maybe dealt with, this is only the beginning.

We often get carried away with the physical/immediately apparent stuff, but there is stuff that’s deep down. There are mentalities and spiritual conditions near or at the heart of our being that plague us in worse ways than the actual physical/immediately apparent stuff. In reality the practices and solutions we’ve tried at this time have not got to the deepest level. Psychoanalysis, new age spirituality, religion, consumerism, etc. act much like my vacuum cleaner. They may appear to suck, but actually they suck – they don’t deal with the stuff beyond what we see, and left to their own devices these will accelerate a process of deterioration not just for the material around us, but even our own lives.

That is what makes the challenge of Christ convicting – we are slaves to sin at the very core of our being and the only solution is Him. Sounds cocky, doesn’t it? Sounds arrogant, I grant you. Sounds fairly exclusive as if to suggest not other route provides that level of liberty. The thing is, I’ve tended to notice that it’s not arrogant or cocky if you actually deliver what you talk about. Even more does it actually sound like a fair description of what has been demonstrated if you’re pointing it out after and as you’re doing it. The only question is whether people are willing to take Him at His Word in that desperation to Break Free.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Why Break Free?

Every October for the last three years I’ve been looking at the theme of freedom especially for the workplace. This year is particularly poignant though.

I don’t think the blog entries have done justice to the turmoil, triumph and trauma that I’ve undergone in the last year or so, but this season is very important. I saw a vision where I was emerging from a dark place into the light of the sun shining on a glorious inviting landscape that drew me along a path. The vision was about emerging from the shadows and experiencing nature and life in all of its simplicity as it really is in the light of the Son. Sometimes the time in those shadows is character forming, like that moth in the chrysalis taking shape from its first form to its developed state. That cocoon time can be very important and of course timing is critical because leaving early could mean there’s not enough to withhold the new life and susceptible to the elements it falls easily and dies. Leaving too late means possible suffocation and an inability to cope likewise when it is released. Yet there’s no doubt that a release needs to take place. There is a place in nature, in the scheme of things in which I belong and this season appears particularly crucial in that whole development process.

So this month’s focus on freedom is as much a personal project as it is a theme to coincide with the month’s activities on Black History Month. I have not really been a huge proponent of expressing pride in achievements, however much it may help people’s sense of racial identity. I do acknowledge what a pivotal time it is for people to assess who they are and where they come from in a time where it is easy to have those factors overwhelmed by dominant cultural forces.

That’s why for me the concept of freedom is so important. As the series will outline over at the LJN devotional, it’s not just about freedom from stuff, it’s about freedom to stuff and sometimes what we are free to do some really odd things … So I’m really excited as ever about the what God has in store for the month and I hope to share episodes of how that freedom is impacting my thoughts, words and actions as well as witnessing its impact in the lives of others.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Seeking in Surrogates

I have no idea what it is this year about the movies. In the first quarter there were a few things that got my interest, but really since then the choice of films on offer has been somewhat substandard. Transformers 2 was alright, but GI Joe was disappointing. The Taking of Pelham 123 was actually a pretty decent film, but other than that the choice has been fairly poor and someone really must have thought that witchcraft and that kinda jazz sells. Whatever.

So of late I’ve been a bit bored with the fare and given the movies a wide berth which is disappointing. However lately there has been a film or two that has taken my interest and for the first time in weeks I’ve made it into a cinema. (Of course the discount I get as a student was also an inducement.)

I’ve never been the biggest fan of Bruce Willis. Not to say I hate the guy or dislike his movies, I’ve just not been taken with his material and don’t think of him as that much of a big deal. I acknowledge his skill though in playing certain roles well. He seems to choose stuff that doesn’t require too much of a stretch for his core abilities so when he does the part he can be as convincing as he needs to be. For example I was a fan of his work in Unbreakable.

So with all that on board I wasn’t going out to watch a Bruce Willis film when I heard about Surrogates I was looking forward to watching a film that happened to have Willis in it. I was so glad I did watch it because it turned out to be one of the better films of the year.

One thing that did ring true with one of the reviews was their comment that it was a bit like I, Robot. I was thinking how disappointing I, Robot was. In contrast I really enjoyed the film.

What I enjoyed about the film are the many questions it raised about identity, control, power, freedom and the role of technology in fulfilling our desires. I do love a film sets up those moral dilemmas and those are strewn throughout the film especially the premise for the climax.

One thing it also highlighted again was the following questions:

Who are we really?

Can we be anything we want to be?

What happens when the opportunity comes to do just that but at a cost?

What is more important, your ability to do what you want or your responsibility to others?

Who or what defines us?

Who has the right to rule over us?

What role does technology play in the development of who we are as humans?

What does freedom mean, in an age where it’s not always clear who is on the side of it and what its costs are?

It’s particularly appropriate as the month of October looms and we look at those issues through various means and all with the desire to get a Christocentric understanding of the topic in question.

I recommend you check the movie, although you won’t have to for answering these questions that you can begin exploring now.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Unhindered

Unhindered Praise, Unhindered Worship.

There’s something about having that Audience of One mentality that can lead to a worship and praise lifestyle free from being inhibited by the thoughts of others and the issues going on within you. It is something particularly experienced in those intimate times on your own with God where the full range of emotions can come out and you can be as honest as you can with God. That is based on reminding ourselves of the character, covenant and consistency of God, reflecting on His awesomeness.

It is so clear, that true worship by people is often heavily hindered as well as genuine personal expressions of worship are sidelined for a more acceptable form to conform to on what it is thus reinforcing that sense of being hindered in true worship whether that be declarative or contemplative, emotive or reflective. Sometimes it doesn’t need to be expressed through words shouted but through quiet sombre murmurs to oneself. In any case the desired outcome should be the same and that is to experience that intimacy with the Creator and Saviour of all mankind in whom we now have a hope we could never have imagined.

I love those opportunities as they arise and when I see my brothers and sisters so obviously trapped behind a façade of formality, my heart’s desire is for them to join in with that liberty that comes with the Spirit of the Lord. This can often be experienced as we practice the Presence in private and inevitably that which is done in private will bear fruit in public. The refreshing thing about that liberty is that is not for show or public display primarily it remains that unhindered worship and unhindered praise to that Audience of One who is worthy of it.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Daily Thoughts - Celebrate Freedom: It's Good News

The Lord's Spirit has come to me, because he has chosen me to tell the good news to the poor. The Lord has sent me to announce freedom for prisoners, to give sight to the blind, to free everyone who suffers, (Luke 4:18)

The theme of October’s Daily Thoughts has been around Freedom and Slavery. The mission of Christ was based around giving people freedom. Since then millions of lives have been set free by getting to know and follow Him. Far from being an easy time, this has caused people to suffer greatly both from internal and external opposition. Yet one thing that remains the same for all those who have taken the journey is their story of the great inner liberty they experienced when they received this good news. Perhaps it’s time to consider the power of this good news today.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Daily Thoughts - Learning The Path To Freedom

But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. (Romans 6:17, 18)

Learning something new can be fun with thanksgiving. Freedom does not come naturally, neither is it something that is natural. Old habits die hard and have a … habit … of emerging under pressuring times. Yet as we remember the One who sets us free we can be motivated through thanksgiving and a new heart to follow the road to freedom. It is a path of discipline, but also a path of liberty and expression previously unknown. The standard of teaching is one based on following and accepting the Way, the Truth and the Life that is Christ.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Daily Thoughts - Beware The Dodgy Freedom Salesman

They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. (2 Peter 2:19)

‘I couldn’t help it’.

You may remember the initial question of whether you were a slave or not. As you chose to carry on with your daily activities with the choices open to you in so many areas, the answer to this issue would appear to be that we were all free. Yet whether it’s nicotine addiction, temper challenges or a critical attitude there are things that overcome us leaving us with these four pitiful words.

Be careful of some who may promote freedom only to find out that they too are confined by similar corrupting elements.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Daily Thoughts - Weekend Extended Edition - Light on Identity

But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done. (1 Peter 2:9)

On Thursday a group from the YMCA went to view the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool. This was part of the Christian Spiritual Development (CSD) month on the theme of slavery and freedom.

An interesting exhibit was on the strategy of the slave owners to destabilise the African slaves they had recruited by separating them from family and treating them little better than their own cattle. Hundreds of years later young people from an African-Caribbean background still struggle with a sense of identity – not just what it means to be black, or African, or Caribbean but even what it is to be a man or a woman.

The strategy of destabilising people by robbing them of their identity is not a new tactic, neither is it one that only those of African descent suffer from. The effects of the slavery of sin leave humanity itself deluded by a false notion of who they are. This has been brilliantly masked in the whole drive of ‘self-esteem’ where the focus is to look at the self first and get a good feeling about yourself before engaging with others. The problem here is the same problem that is seen in asking a broken pot to fix itself – though it may recognise it’s brokenness it evidently doesn’t have the resources to fix itself, however the pieces are readjusted. What is patently needed is the Master Potter who knows how to mould these pots as they ought to be. So when the focus is on the Potter, rather than ourselves, the healing process is likely to be substantial, meaningful and whole, rather than a shallow cover job.

Realising the great job that has been done in our lives in being brought from darkness into light, realising who we are as a result of this great transaction we are thus free to share with others what’s been done in our lives and who others can look to in hope of experiencing real enlightenment. The identity crisis is really over in the light of who God is in Christ and who we are in the light of His love.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Daily Thoughts - Free From Slavery - Free To Be A Slave

Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. (1 Peter 2:16)

Doulos. It is not frequently used as it is an old Greek word. It means slave and this is the word that is translated as servant. Effectively we are free to become slaves. All that grief of slavery; the hassle to be released only to be a slave again? Yet freedom in Christ shows how we always serve something or someone. We are only as free as serving Someone who releases us to be the good we were created to be. This is why this freedom is no excuse for evil but to reflect the nature of the Master Liberator.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Daily Thoughts - Free From Slavery - Free To Serve

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (Galatians 5:13)

Some debate over whether freedom is positive or negative. Whether we are free to do whatever we want, or free from a nanny state telling us what to do. (What’s the difference?) God’s version of freedom is not about an anything-goes, do-what-you-like attitude, neither is it a jump from one strait-jacket of condemning rules to another. Rather responsible freedom leads to being a servant to others. Just to ensure that this serving in freedom is genuine it is done out of love – a (super)natural overflow from a connection with the Son of love.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Daily Thoughts - Set Free - Stay Free

Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you. (Galatians 5:1)

Door is opened. Walk out. Look back just once. See the bars. Grey room. Misery written all over. Never going back. Keep walking. Keep remembering. Never going back. The pain. The loneliness. Never going back. Drugs, alcohol, abusive relationship, financial mistake. Never going back.

Kept walking. Kept remembering. Adding stuff to avoid going back. Work hard. Make the marriage work. Must make the bills. Must keep the family secure. It’s too much. You stop. Look around. Surroundings are familiar. Right back where you started.

The freedom gained in Christ is precious and is maintained only through focus on Him.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Daily Thoughts - Whom Nelson Sets Free?

"Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:34-36)

All being well Nelson Mandela will celebrate his 90th birthday on 18 July 2008. His struggle in South Africa led to the amazing transformation of a country crippled in the degrading system of apartheid to one now known as the Rainbow nation. Rightly commended for being a freedom fighter, even Nelson could not offer the key to freedom that remains elusive in economic, social, political, educational programs. This is why the Son – He who knows the deepest part of ourselves – can offer us the chance to be free indeed.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

(Look out for a book review on Mandela’s autobiography ‘Long Walk To Freedom’ coming to a blog near you soon.)

Daily Thoughts - Slaves To Sin

"Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:34-36)

Apparently we live in a country where we are free to say or do almost whatever we want. It would be almost absurd to call us slaves. Jesus’ critique was to a people who thought that they weren’t slaves because of their ancestry. We can feel we’re not slaves because of the political and social liberties we have cherished for years. Jesus’ point though is that there is something deep inside everyone that enslaves us, preventing us from enjoying all that the Father has made this house – earth – for. We need someone to set us free.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Daily Thoughts - Consolation of Freedom

"If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.” (John 8:31, 32)

The truth that frees us is not always comfortable. The challenge and commitment involved can lead to tough areas where our characters are severely tested and they may even upset us from time to time. The words of Jesus, however, strike to the heart of that which his audience needed most. Just the thought of being released from the chains of oppression not to an outer rule, but the rule within – whether it’s the chain of the past, negative habits and attitudes, or feelings of guilt, shame and fear. This consoling thought makes the cost for freedom worth paying.

For His Name Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Daily Thoughts - Commitment to Freedom

"If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.” (John 8:31, 32)

People like Gandhi, Luther King, Mandela and Mother Theresa are known for their lifelong commitment to freedom from harsh situations political, economic, racial, social or physical. What they highlight is that freedom cannot be taken for granted. What Jesus challenges His followers to do is to remain free by committing themselves to following His way – sticking with living what He tells us. What Jesus presents us with is committing to something even greater than political, racial, social or physical. He looks for us to commit to whole life freedom.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Daily Thoughts - Challenge Of Freedom

"If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.” (John 8:31, 32)

There are many definitions of freedom some more appealing than others. Jesus’ words to those who believe Him are attractive and challenging. The appeal is in the promise to be set free, the challenge is His exclusive claim to hold the truth that sets us free. Where many other sources offer freedom –successful living of the rich and famous, or excessive living, or even moral codes based on other walks of life – Jesus’ challenge provokes commitment to living by His word. The challenge today is will His word be followed for others to experience that freedom in truth?

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd