When God Says Lets Reason

I am a sinner. When AA was set up and started encouraging its members to introduce themselves by acknowledging the particular addiction from which they suffered, they were following a confessional tradition that has spanned the ages. I’m not arrogant enough to believe that Christians started it and initiated it and have a patent on it, but it is a crucial part of the confessional element of the faith. The first step of humility is this acknowledgement. Knowing who you are in the eyes of God begins with knowing who you are in the reflection of His holiness and purity and that is way off the mark ... or a sinner as the bible helpfully defines it.

Now you’ll notice that I never started this segment off with I was a sinner. Neither did I allude to being a former sinner. I quite clearly and deliberately stated that I am a sinner. It is not something I revel in, but something that keeps me ever in mind of the fact that I am in need of a Saviour, Redeemer and Guide. A Saviour to rescue me from my sinful nature, a Redeemer to take me from the sinful state to the state where I truly belong and a Guide to draw me ever closer to the source of my existence who helps me realise who I was always created to be.

These things I am in need to be mindful of constantly because it is just my way to slip out of that and get ahead of myself. It is just my way to consider myself as sorted and alright where others have not reached that point of spiritual and intellectual clarity and enlightenment. I catch myself in this state whenever I’m being critical of someone else whether my children, my siblings, my wife, my friends or the other vast cast of characters that comes in my life however fleetingly and for whatever reason. There I am pontificating even albeit internally on just how misguided and ignorant the person in question is from that which is true and how far they have missed the mark. Only to be graciously reminded of how I have been in that position myself and how my natural disposition would keep me there were it not for the love of God.

That’s why I love being a Christian. That dose of humility that you need to keep going and that realisation that it comes from a loving God whose mercy is without end saves us from the extremes of self-pity and despair as well as complacency and self-reliance. I love being a follower of Christ, because I’m invited into a relationship where my Creator seeks me out to lead me back to Him and to straighten me out and in that place I realise how good it is to love because you’ve been loved and how then spiritually it is possible to love without strings attached. Not easy, I said, but possible.

So I’m always perturbed when I read in the Bible the first chapter of the book of Isaiah and how the prophet outlines the charge against Judah for the first 15 verses. I’m perturbed because the allegations strikes every part of a nation’s life – political, economic, social as well as religious and spiritual. Especially the indictment of the religious hypocrisy that rampant throughout the country that made the people of Judah believe they could carry on with their rituals whilst beyond that their relationships were a mess. Now saying relationships are a mess is today translated as cultural breakdown, anti-social behaviour and the kind of circumstances that leads to pensioners bemoaning the fact that whereas back in the day you could leave your front door open, now you need an alarm, CCTV and several locks to keep you safe.

What’s worse about all this is that the charge that God makes in this chapter is against His own people. Not to strangers, not to people who don’t know, but those who have been engrafted in a relationship with Him by his saving power as seen in the Exodus. As seen in repeated episodes of His grace in action as time after time the spiritual adultery, deceit and outright rebellion has always been followed by His return to help whenever they call on Him.

To have similar complaints about the moral decay of countries like America and Britain actually neglects the fact that although there was the concept of Christendom these countries were never in the truest sense Christian – after all no such nation-state was ever due to arise since Jesus ascended. Instead God’s people would be a people out of a people who would come from all people and were not a people but became the people that Christ will return for as His Bride.

In the meantime concepts of a ‘Christian’ country have been misleading, whilst the called out people have slumbered on their ill-gotten political and social influence that has compromised their witness to the world of being called out of sin to be like their Saviour, Redeemer and Guide. So the very same charge that God levels at the people of Judah can often be levelled at the called out people. We make a song and dance of the ritual of church-stuff but the quality of our real relationships is shambolic to be a shame and bring disrepute to the name of our Saviour, Redeemer and Guide. This all comes because of a lack of recognition of that first step of humility. Remembering that first step and that first encounter with the amazing grace and yet startling holiness of God should convict us of the need to remain ever close to the One who has saved, redeemed and guided us.

I don’t say that in accusation to people out there. I say that because I get perturbed when I then read Isaiah 1:18-20.

Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Now why get perturbed at that, you may ask, surely it’s the good news of a God giving a second chance. Well the reason I get perturbed is because here we see that whenever God says let us reason it is not to sit and converse over things as equals, it’s actually to have the riot act read to us and giving a severe warning that unless we do what was always designed for us for our good then there are dire consequences. Oh come on, don’t be so pessimistic, Chris, I hear you remark. Yet I’m an optimistic guy by nature – in the context of where this text goes and what happens to the people, God’s request for reasoning is almost a last saloon time for His people. Reasoning with God is always a time for stiff reminder of how this walk is meant to go and how it’s not about self-pity or self-reliance, but about being like the publican who went away justified because his prayerful approach was to ask God for mercy.

That posture of the contrite spirit and broken heart doesn’t lead to miserable looking people forever condemning themselves for sinning yet again. On the contrary, it leads to compassionate, joyful, thankful people only to aware of being sinners saved by grace and so only too ready to help out wherever possible, but never compromising the call with which they have been called by Christ.

(It’s rather apt that I should be inspired to write this piece towards the end of the year as it bookends nicely with this piece at the beginning of the year about what we are like and why that should determine how we live.)

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Just Chilling - Just Blogging

When you get the chance to be with your wife and children and enjoy time with them it is so cool to treasure time with them. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be able to do that over today and much of this week. Today sees the end of the first full week we’ve had since we’ve moved here and it has been fairly eventful without being a strain. We’ve been to Nottingham, went to a wedding and also found out a bit more about what can be received online.

It is so important as well as enjoying your time with the family when it presents itself to also be clear on who you are and where you are going in life. It’s been great being able to ignore the mobile phone for two full days and just reflect on those fundamental questions as it is my desire to keep on working out the answers to those issues in the days and months to come.

I have so enjoyed being able to catch some movies with my wife – it’s what it’s all about really, getting to watch these and talk them through with her and get her insights. Lots to be eeked out in them and values that can be applied. Keep praying.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Prayer - Taking A Load Off

It’s another Sabbath evening. These are precious, precious times. Times to physically, mentally and spiritually unwind. The rest offered on this day is one in which I am refreshed in the presence of God. It’s as though as I relax further I’m able to give him all the week’s stuff and He in return gives me peace of mind and rest. Were you to be made aware of the stuff that’s been on the menu of my life this week, this is a most gratifying and relieving activity in which to engage.

I did have it mind to write on another subject this evening, but just before I got to blogging I did the evening devotion with the girls. Sometimes I read from their Children’s Bible, sometimes we watch some bible cartoons or sometimes I’ll just make up a story on the spot. This evening I chose the latter. As I held both close to me it gave me a chance to meditate and ponder with them in some quiet. As I did so I reflected on the power of prayer and made up a simple story on the lines of how essential prayer is in every walk of life in whatever we’re doing.

We obviously prayed to end the session and on tucking the girls to bed a new song entered the consciousness. By new I mean old, but it was new in my head at the time after another song had dominated for a fair while as you’ll see in a later post.

The first song that popped in me head was Tis The Blessed Hour of Prayer, the second was Sweet Hour of Prayer then of course the third was Did You Think To Pray. Sometimes being so far from home, my parents and the old way of living and doing church I forget some of the old favourites that my dad loved singing to himself. These three compliment each other very well and as you look at the lyrics you notice them really selling the virtues of taking the time to pray whether it’s when your life is dark and dreary or as a balm when you’re weary or even as one on whom we can cast every care.

It is so reassuring to know that God offers all of this through prayer. So once more I salute my parents and my old church for embedding these songs into me so that even now as I look to solve some complex and deep issues, and also enjoy the rest made for man, I am reminded that prayer is the route through which all that I need can be found. In the light of that conversation the rest is made even sweeter, the joy is even richer, the peace is even greater as I can engage as friend to friend as well as son to Father.

So enjoy these reminders (even one modern updating) and remember you can take a load off through prayer – talk, He’s listening, listen, He’s talk, stop He’s embracing you and giving comfort even in the hardest times and whatever your life situation He is right there to live it with you.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Having A Laugh

Part two of Playing Out Of Position will be published tomorrow.

In the meantime I just wanted to share this from something I read today.

This article made me laugh. A legitimate report on the BBC with the National Secular Society are complaining that staff in faith schools have to support the faith of the school! Whatever next? Doctors may actually be required to have some desire to see the health and welfare of their patients?! Lawyers may actually be required to have some knowledge of the law?!

Good grief, this epidemic could actually spread and people might actually be required to care and have some affiliation to the occupation in which they work. That’s just scandalous. I sincerely hope the government, who I hope aren’t all politicians, takes this matter seriously and challenges this business of people in faith schools actually needing to support the faith of the school. It’s just preposterous.

Oh and heaven forfend that we should discriminate, oh dear me, no. Discriminate, that’s just wrong, even if we do it every day on very good grounds like I want a taxi driver who can actually drive, I won’t accept one who can’t. I think the National Secular Society should invest some time into that as well, so as to make this world a safer place to live in where no one has to believe in anything and can do anything they like.

Thank God for the National Secular Society.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Hope You're Getting Dis

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)

Yesterday on the way into work I was reflecting on the words ‘disenchanted’ and ‘disillusioned’. It occurred to me that these are usually related to negative experiences. In the larger scheme of things though, this process is actually a very good thing.

Think about it – we have been under a chant or an illusion. We have been fooled and blinded by that which is actually not true but an apparition that keeps us bound in a falsehood, however pleasant that apparition may appear. Of course the process itself is not too positive. It’s not great to know you’ve been hoodwinked. Knowing that something has been had over you for any period of time can be frustrating and annoying. However, the truth that sets you free to wake up to reality as it is can actually help to allow things to rest on a sound basis.

The experience of being under a spell can make you wary of being put there again and warn others off likewise. The deal with being disillusioned and disenchanted is not to allow that to become entrenched positions of being dispirited, discouraged and disappointed. Each new step in the world of reality maybe nerve-wracking and be tentative at first, but at least these are steps taken in the real world, at least the solidity and reliability of where you walk lets you know that it won’t lead to such an experience again.

Earlier this year I posted an entry about Keith Green’s Your Love Broke Through. I was thinking about it again recently in regard to this issue. It is one of the saddest things in the world to know that the god of this world has blinded people’s eyes to the gospel. The concept of being blinded is so evident when people are being captured by different pursuits so completely that they are wrapped up in it. The illusion is complete by the apparently beatific looks on their face as they engage in their chosen passion. It is apparent by the way I can be so deceived and were it not for God’s abundant mercies a rang of fads and phases could have overwhelmed me.

That is why I’m so glad for the opportunities to see the eyes of people opened by the reality of the gospel and the need to follow the way that Jesus makes clear. As I take further steps on this journey with some tricky paths ahead, I trust that I will not fall into a spell of legalism or the enchanting tones of licentiousness. I trust that my heart will not be deceived by independence, or crippled by unhealthy dependence on others. I trust that as Paul continues to say in the same section of scripture that the light will shine out of darkness in the face of Jesus Christ.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Seekers Start With Word From The Beginning

I am back again in the land of blogging after several days away from net access. I’ve got loads more to share which will come in due time. What you’re about to read is the blog entry I had all specially prepared for Thursday. There’ll be more in catching up on what’s been going on in due time.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)

Of all the gospels, John’s one often comes across often as the most intriguing, mysterious and compelling. Whereas Matthew outlines Jesus as the fulfilment of scripture and Mark’s Jesus is an action man suffering as a servant whilst ruling as Lord and Luke’s appeals to a universal audience, John’s portrait of Jesus is both intimate and familial and divine and magisterial. Nothing conjures that up more than the first chapter where you get those at 11 titles/names for Jesus all on display and we are not just introduced to the Promised Messiah or a Suffering Sovereign or a Man of All Peoples but we are met by this awesome yet very present God.

And then to kick it all of we get those amazing first words of the gospel account that mesmerise me more than virtually any other verse in scripture as it holds me to that which I love most – Jesus is the Word. And the Word was at the beginning. Light brought life indeed as a very real reading of created order, but Light was first thought expressed in Word.

For even as we recall Genesis 1’s account of how things came to be nothing happened until Light – as long as it was ‘let there be’ there was a divine intake of breath in anticipation … let there be what? There it exploded – Light. Word creates and all things thus came from Word.

Now some of us faith dudes get all hung up on it especially running away with verses like ‘life and death is in the power of the tongue’ and believing our words hold the very same creative power as God’s. If that genuinely is the case then there must be a number of disappointed speakers because for all the words spoken for financial prosperity and global harmony neither reality seems to have hit the earth in a very real way for the masses.

This is not to neglect the importance of words, but it is to set the Divine Order above our efforts. It is also to remind us, especially me, that if we are to see results for the words spoken, it is in our/my best interests to go back to aligning ourselves/myself with the original Word. Not only that but in pursuit of God we go back to the beginning and we see Him expressing Himself as, in and through Word.

Today has been a really good day. Part of it was spent walking the streets of Glasgow city centre getting a feel for the place and I must say I like the feel. It is not hectic at all, even with the amount of people that go in and out of it I never got anything near the sense of speed and hyper-activity that characterises a place like London or Birmingham.

It’s hardly a friendly town, but there are a lot more natural smiles on faces than I find in Stoke-on-Trent for example and there’s definitely no sense of depression that is also accustomed with S-o-T. That’s not to decry S-o-T, I still love living there, but some experiences have to be acknowledged and that’s one of them!

Glasgow is a rather imposing and foreboding structured city centre architecturally as the building look over you, but that adds to the feel of the city. I like it. I’d definitely like to come here again and find out a bit more about it experience one or two different things.

I am not here presently though on a sight-seeing tour. In regard to what I am here for it has been a most relaxing, engaging, refreshing and reinvigorating day in the sense of being able to attune myself and focus on who I am and what God has called me to do. The majority of the day was spent with words – words read, words thought, words written and on the rarest of occasions words spoken.

Those words have helped crystallised a lot of things in terms of reaffirming my focus and as with any team building the system around the focus. It is very much like the syndrome of having a star player and building the team to play around his strengths and that can definitely be seen in the engagement I am pursuing.

Herein lies the issue and this is why Jesus as the centre of all life is so crucial. He is the star player around which the team of life plays around. He is the creator – both in the football analogy and in real life. He starts the passes going and He sets up achieving all the main goals in life. He directs traffic and He is the first port of defence to prevent conceding any own goals. He is the one that makes everything happen for the glory of His Father by the power of the Word.

So to guarantee success, today in the cherished city of Glasgow I have been reminded, it is all down to being in the Word.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Seeking Makes Sense

This blog entry has been a week in the making. Last Wednesday as I got my laptop out and set up stuff for the evening’s cell group session I reflected on the text I’d sent to Authrine. I told her that we needed to get some smelling stuff for the front room and our bedroom. The thought suddenly occurred to me that in seeking God, He expects us to use all of our senses – smell, see, taste, hear and feel. Searching for Him is not something that can be done by one sense alone, but a combination of all of them. He can be experienced through all of them.

Now I know that there is the thing about being careful not depend n our natural senses. We live in a material world where one of the great deceptions is to get people to depend only on what they can see with the natural and what they can physically attain. That’s the great deception that suckered the first couple and it’s the great deception that Jesus snookered by giving the Word’s supremacy in all things.

Acknowledging this, however, the point about seeking God with all the senses is about recognising God uses these to make Himself known. We look at some of the more immediate examples of this like being in a beautiful natural setting where the senses are bombarded with the beautiful diversity of creation in whatever aspect. The nostrils are tickled with a distinct soul-pleasing scent, the hands and feet are caressed with the soft grass, the eardrums reverberate to the noise of the animal kingdom in all its pomp and majesty, even the taste-buds take in some pleasures available. Of course the sight we behold in itself is breathtaking and led one songwriter to put it all down and say that on reflection when he considers it all he mentioned to the Almighty How Great Thou Art.

So faith-awakened physical senses are capable of receiving evidences of grace and go on to prick the conscience about the Living God. What I am contending further, however, is that for those who have come in contact with God and are privileged to be doing life in search of Him, those self-same sense can be key aids in interacting and engaging with Him. The whole concept of seeking God reminds me of a detective story especially Columbo. That brother is a pest, he is a dog that cannot be put down, he has the sniff in his nose and he pesters and digs and peeks and feels and prods knowing what we all know, that is the identity of the culprit. He knows it, we know it, but we need to seek out the clues that will bring us to the conclusion.

I confess I’m not that diligent in searching for God. As an audio and visual kinda guy unless I read it or see it then I’ll miss it. Even then to apply myself to that Columbo-like pursuit is not always the case for me. Yet in line with the Fast and the Curious series I recognise the great need for such diligence. Not only is it diligence, but it is diligence with delight. Fully engaging the senses in pursuit of God is not in search of a criminal, it is in search of the Creator, the Father, the Giver of good gifts. Using a waft from a nearby kebab house can even get you twitching to think about food that lasts forever rather than for a second. Feeling some sharp object pierce our flesh can remind us of the nails that tore into the flesh of the Saviour. This is not specious connecting for the sake of it, but it is alerting the senses and the heart to seeking God through the senses.

I write this blog on the seventh floor of a hostel in Glasgow where outside, even at this time of night, there is the noise of traffic and a near train track with the trains going from place to place. Hearing these sounds reminds me of the busyness of life and rushing to and fro for noble or ignoble purposes. It reminds me of the call of God to find His still small voice in the busyness, not to be caught up in the hustle and bustle but be driven by another sound, another rhythm, another beat. It reminds me of how easy it is to be distracted by noble or ignoble purposes, but for my heart to find peace I am to practice even in the middle of a hectic life the ability to be still and know God for who He is. I am aware He is not impressed by my busyness or my work outputs for the day. I am aware that it is not in the noise of my activity that I’ll necessarily find His blessing even if it produces the acclaim of those that look on and material benefits. I am aware that fruitfulness comes through dedicated and consistent, diligent and dogged abiding in Christ. Hearing His voice, smelling the fragrance of His presence, seeing His glory, tasting the satisfying nature of the Bread of life and feeling Him near me guiding me along paths of righteousness …

That is why this month is particularly appropriate for a time to seek God with greater fervency. There is a lot of stuff still on the plate of my life, family developments, church developments, personal developments, relational developments – some very exciting, all very challenging and in the midst of it all I know there be the presence of the risen Saviour beckoning me towards Him. Not neglecting these developments but placing them in the proper perspective of allowing them to be conduits towards Him rather than distractions from Him. Should they be the latter to have the courage to dispel them so that there is nothing that hinders me from embracing Him and seeing Him work through my family, work, church and relationships – not because I dictate His movements, but allow my life to directed by His call towards closer intimacy with Him.

I recognise now more than ever that it’s all well and good encouraging others to start or make progress in their spiritual journey to seeking the Saviour, but the best position that I can do that from is as one humble sojourner seeking Him likewise with all the internal and external senses that He places at my use for His glory.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

September is for Seekers

I wonder if it’s safe to say you’re desperately seeking God? Things go in swings and roundabouts in my life and one of my greatest requests has been for a level of consistency. Still, I’m aware that as with nature we go through various seasons and it’s just about making the most of those seasons and seeing how you are to behave and learn from each. So for example like the Joseph principle to the Pharaoh it’s about saving up in the time of plenty for the inevitable time of lack.

Ever since April, as you may have gathered, it’s been a season for me of at least looking to have a more conscious awareness of the part Jesus plays in my whole life. I’m very much more interested in Him and following Him in the frail way I manage and His grace allows.

Recently I’ve posted about Audio August and how one of the things in that came out of the experience was a desire to focus more on God. In among all of those considerations I came across two familiar verses. The second one (in the order in which I got them) is this one,

And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:9-13)

The real deal about the ASK model is almost an invitation to join God on a journey to discover Him and how that quest informs you on all that you need in life, especially when it’s clear that the main goal – the means and the end is Christ. The first part of the ASK model is verbal and conversational, but the second part takes it to active mode, where almost like a treasure hunt we look at the clues of what we’ve been instructed and we go looking. Because we are not looking for health, wealth, fame or those kinds of things, but something far greater – of eternal value, then we are assured that we will always find what we’re looking for. (That must be good news to U2 who apparently still haven’t found …)

This is not something to take complacently, but something to proactively engage in and move with, even as Jesus’ ministry was about movement. Just like the children of Israel who were guided by the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night, we are always on the move being led by God into the eternal rest we can only find in him.

So motivated by the Spirit of God, every day we go seeking. Where is He today? What is He doing today? What are we invited to witness Him doing and engage with Him? Is it a kind word to a friend? Is it taking care of the children with a trip to the park? Is it by being diligent and attentive at a business meeting? Is it sharing a meal? Is it being patient in the middle of trying circumstances? Where is He? That doesn’t just go for the small stuff, but the bigger stuff as well. In all this as we search for Him, He assures us we find Him, however, this is where the first scripture comes into its own and this is the key verse that I intend to meditate on throughout this month and see what emerges in it as I do some serious seeking of my own.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Now the KJV puts in a word in this verse that I love a lot and that word is diligently. Now why is that so important, well as I’ve mentioned before sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down and it’s not always possible to sustain that mood. This verse, though, and the concept of diligence says that not so much despite, but through these ups and downs I am still required to keep searching. In the searching the wisdom emerges. In the searching the peace settles any troubled mind. In the searching a sense of holy contentment is found in the sufficiency of Christ and holy discontent is there in the absence of Him in the lives and situations we come across daily. All in the searching.

So this month is about the seekers. Not airy fairy searching for something quaint spiritually to salve that sense of incompletion. Not the seeker who just wants to find out practical solutions to practical issues. This is about seekers who know that life is about Christ and that if we’re meant to be following Him it would help if we knew where He is on any given day at any given moment.

I hope to note down some of the findings in the search over the month and share them with you here. In the meantime feel free to conduct the search in your own way and see what comes up – this kind of seeking wasn’t designed to be a strictly individual thing especially if the fullness of Christ is to be found in His Body. Let’s go seeking together and see where He is today.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Overcoming Gospel Assumption Challenges

Now relocated back at the Dryden Family base in Stoke-on-Trent and I’m glad for the weekend spent with my brother, his wonderful wife and their beautiful baby boy. We’ve been to Milton Keynes three times in the last two months and it always feels like a bit of a holiday going down there. It’s just cool chilling with them and their hospitality is ace. Sometimes it can be a bit suffocating going from one activity to another and it’s good to break it up with quality family time.

One of the things I learnt whilst down in MK and then in Harlesden for the blessing of their beautiful baby boy was the difficulty it is in actually getting second generation church children to genuinely having saving faith in Christ. In conversations and on reflection I saw how difficult it can be to have children who have been brought up in church to develop their own living faith in Christ that is free from the forms of Christian community in which they’ve grown and is solely based on their relationship with Christ.

One of the reasons that appears to be the case in my particular experience is that the gospel is easily assumed. It is not often refreshed and reinforced in the common life of the community. Likewise individuals are not challenged and encouraged in their sharing of the gospel not only among non-believers but among themselves and their families. Subsequently secondary issues are prioritised and we get wrapped up in petty issues of morality that is unrelated to dynamic spiritual growth in love and even more dangerously is completely detached from the crucial work of marrying heavenly pursuits with earthly sojourning. It is into such petty squabbles that people from the second generation feel obliged to join the church without any real sense of conviction or the desperate need for a new Spirit-filled life in Christ.

You may have noticed the running theme of the last few blog entries or so on biblical literacy. The link here is that in an environment not primarily focussed on Christ but the stuff around that like churchianity the Bible is not seen as a doorway in developing relationship with Christ but as a rule-book to maintain the status quo. Something that Jesus says gets to the heart of the problem with this approach to God’s Word.

You search the Scriptures, because you think you will find eternal life in them. The Scriptures tell about me, but you refuse to come to me for eternal life. (John 5:39, 40)

That mentality of getting the Word right but missing the whole point of the Word still dominates aspects of church life and infects that second generation factor of preserving the status quo rather than growing in grace and allowing others to do so and the necessary changes to church life that will bring. As a result it is no surprise that young people get frustrated with church life and members are virtually dying where they are because events come and events go but little changes in the actual lives of God’s people.

The answer to this issue is the individual impact we can make as we are convicted by the Spirit in how to make disciples. The answer lies in how we can build intentional confessional relationships with Jesus as the priority. The answer lies in how the personal individual vertical devotion and commitment to Christ segues into relational communal horizontal gospel connections that are not about boosting self-esteem but rather focussing on Christ-esteem and the sacrificial lifestyle based on righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

We have a great opportunity of walking with Christ in our day to day lives and episodes of insight He gives as He leads us to fulfil His call on us. Focus on that I believe will have an impact on these issues and see genuine disciples being made convicted of sin, filled with the Spirit and committed to pursuing God with all they have and becoming Christ-like day by day.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

A Day In the Life Of A Google Reader

I’m currently here at my brother’s crib in Milton Keynes. His firstborn was blessed today at the nearest church branch that his wife attends. It was an honour to be there to celebrate with him.

On returning to his crib from the event I settled down to do something I do enjoy doing and that’s trekking through me Google Reader to see if there’s anything of interest worth reading. I subscribe to a fair number of blogs and news sources and what I tend to do is just flick through most of them til I get to something worth checking further. I usually make a note or two on what they’re on. I don’t usually post what I get into, but to give an idea of the sort of material I come across, here is some of the things I noted today.

I’ve never been an Oasis fan. I acknowledge a few catchy tunes they’ve done and also recognise the impact to pop music in the 90’s in Britain. They have been a part of the pop culture for almost 20 years and that’s no mean feat. I’m not a fan, however, but despite this I found the news of Noel leaving the group to be sad especially on the premise of fraternal dispute being the source. When I think further, I wonder how the group survive properly without him because he’s the songwriting hub of it all. Interesting days ahead for the group.

I read this article about Doncaster’s mayor with mixed feelings. On the one hand he makes commendable moves to cut bureaucracy and do what he feels is in the best interests of the area. What’s concerning is his basis of operation ideologically. I get the feeling more than anything it’s proud and isolationist. It doesn’t bode too well if you’re promoting a lot of the Christian values that lead to social justice. I will be interested to see how his mayoral time in office changes the city if it does at all. And any attempt by the Daily Mail to come off as unbiased is shot to smithereens by the tone of the article – nothing screams a right agenda than this does.

So this is the way people say goodbye to Ted Kennedy, quite a turn-out and I wonder if he was held with such esteem while he was alive. It’s back to the theme of thanksgiving while people are around.

Looks like the Archbishop of Rochester is retiring so he can spend more time with his Christianity! Reading this article of an interview with him before he departs from office makes for interesting reading in terms of where CoE stands on a lot of the key issues and with him departing who will continue speaking up for the things that he did?

So Tony Blair believes that materialism could be a real threat to the planet. Indeed a lot of the sentiments expressed in the recent speech are noble, but it just feels as though he’s bolting the stable doors after the horse, donkey and my little pony have wandered out. What’s even worse is his role in actually letting the barn animals escape in the first place. For what it’s worth, though I hope that his new Catholic convictions help in his Damascus Road change of heart that will see him contributing to peace in the world.

Should we pay for services? We have it fairly good in this country. Welfare state, NHS, benefits, BBC and apparently free schooling. Sure they take it out of taxes, but we are guaranteed certain privileges in this country that others would have to pay for. I mention this because on face value I thought James Murdoch’s comments on the threat to independent journalism by the BBC were rather hilarious. I also thought the position of News International to charge for online material was also hard to maintain. I thought again, though, not by any means to decry the merits of getting stuff for free from the BBC. The argument I’m making though is that does Murdoch make a point of fairness and righteousness? I mean it’s not free, that’s what the fee covers and is why the BBC are asking for more support to expand its services and keep it going at a quality standard. However if you want things to be fair and encourage competition for the sake of excellence then inhibiting that competition by giving someone a significant head-start over the competition may not be fair. Put it another way, if we pay for basic food goods like bread, milk and the like and also pay for the newspapers and magazines, isn’t only reasonable that a price should be fixed for online material? We’ll see how my thoughts develop over time.

This is a tremendously helpful outline of what it is realistic to expect from a pastor.

God speaks in different ways on the same things and it may help in terms of steering me to something to study and share further. I think it was yesterday or it could have been Thursday when I was considering Biblical literacy. I don’t mean can you read the Bible, but do you love the Word and the Author enough to really develop a way of understanding what you’re reading beyond surface informational input. It is something I’ll write about at some point later. In any case, I was talking about the same issue as it came up in a conversation with my brother today and then tonight I see it popping up through Randy Alcorn’s blog on developing a biblical worldview. The strands are all combining and it’s worth prayerfully pursuing this in practice as well as through further Bible study.

In line with this reading Steve Camp’s blog on the Weapon of Mass Instruction is a great piece getting to the heart of the centrality of the Word in our understanding of God and who we are. I love Camp’s passion for the Word.

So as I’m thinking and believing further for confessional community, the naked pastor posts something of great intrigue as to what his experiences has led him to believe. I wonder what this means as to the reality of seeing such a community develop.

It feels like ages since I’ve read some quality stuff from Alan, not to say he’s not writing it, just that I haven’t been reading it. So it is great delight that I read this brilliant word matching well with the quest for community on what that looks like and how it can work in that love/hate relationship way.

I love the ministry of C.J. Mahaney. He hits a level that I can reach soaked in the Word and Christ and the Spirit without being cloaked in high-faluted, intellectual, terminological jargon that alienates people who haven’t spent three years in seminary. So this great news of his videos online being available shall occupy some hours from now on.

So you’re going to a new church, eh? What kind of questions would you ask of it? As a church how would you answer these questions? Now you’re talking some tough questions! Maybe I should take some time to answer these of my current church experiences!

Speaking of questions – and it is something I want to do more of, asking and answering questions – my man John Piper answers a good question as to whether true believers can be suckered into the prosperity gospel. Again if that question were put to believers in my church and leaders how would they answer?

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd