Accepted because of God’s love

Nov 9, 2014

At the Remembrance Day service at Cherry Tree Court this morning, we spent time praying for the survivors of war and their families and observed two minutes’ silence on this Remembrance Sunday. Afterwards, Garry spoke from Ps 5 which looks at all the things God does not like. He is not pleased with wickedness or evil (which can also be translated as ‘malignant’) and does not like the arrogant or boastful and hates those who do wrong and the bloodthirsty. Many of us would not put ourselves in these categories, but the psalm also says that God will destroy all those who tell lies and we may well feel at this point that there is no hope for us, then, to be accepted by God!

Ps 5:7 tells us that we can come into God’s house by His great love. To get to God, we simply have to rely on His love. God’s love reaches out to everyone (see John 3:16) and there is no need for us to be destroyed, for we can be welcomed into God’s presence. (Rev 3:19-20). The God who does not even associate with the wicked is the same God who loves us and has made a way for all to be welcomed into His presence. As we remember men’s sacrifices for us during war time, we remember also Christ’s sacrifice for us which has made it possible for all to receive new life and to be accepted in God’s love.

Discouragement

Nov 8, 2014

Discouragement comes to us all at some point in life, that feeling of dispiritedness or fatigue which causes us to lose enthusiasm or confidence. Sometimes the cause can be external – criticism from others, failure, fatigue which distorts our perspective, frustration that things are not going exactly as we think they ought to. Sometimes it’s harder to pin down a cause, but we simply lose interest in the ordinary and feel we are bogged down in the mundane. Trivial things get on top of us and we feel we cannot carry on a moment longer. Discouragement and disappointment are often closely linked and can often lead to depression.

Whatever the cause of the discouragement, action has to be taken if we are not to wallow in the Slough of Despond, as John Bunyan vividly described it. Brennan Manning reminds us ‘Suffering, failure, loneliness, sorrow, discouragement, and death will be part of your journey, but the Kingdom of God will conquer all these horrors. No evil can resist grace forever’ Nehemiah, instigator of the great rebuilding programme in Jerusalem, knew what it was to face opposition that cause discouragement. Neh 4 lists the problems and shows us some action which can be taken.

Rest is essential to productive work. We often think we have to keep on working in order to be productive, but there are times when we are too weary to work effectively and need to rest. God designed us for rest as well as for work and we do well to heed the day/night cycle and commandment to rest on the Sabbath. As Elijah shows us, sleep can be an effective tool against discouragement, for perspectives are restored. (see 1 Kings 19).

With rest comes new perspectives; maybe new insights into doing the same things a little differently. Nehemiah reorganised his workforce, with half the men working and half defending. Reorganisation and reflection are useful tools in overcome discouragement.

We also need to remember God. Ps 42:6 reminds us to remember God when we are downcast. Remembrance is a powerful tool against discouragement. As we remember all that God has done on our behalf, faith stirs within us to trust Him for our current situations and continue to hope. We also need to resist the temptation to give in and give up. Charles Stanley reminds us ‘disappointment is inevitable. But to become discouraged, there’s a choice I make.’ That’s why so many of the psalms urge us to speak to our souls and urge us to praise God regardless of how we feel: ‘Come on, my soul, let down the walls and sing.‘ (‘Come On’, Rend Collective) As we declare by faith the things God says are true, we are helped to overcome discouragement and carry on in the strength of the Lord.

Praise Like Fireworks

Nov 5, 2014

On this Bonfire Night (only the English could celebrate a failed attempt to blow up Parliament, surely?!) , fireworks are going off all over the country: in organised displays, in back gardens, in community gatherings. Such displays provide a dazzling display of colour and a deafening noise…

fireworks 1

fireworks heartRend Collective’s song ‘Praise Like Fireworks’ captures something of the exuberance and vitality of what praise should be like:

‘We’re letting praise like fireworks
Loose from our thankful hearts.’

I regularly sing this song whilst walking to Goldthorpe and it’s a challenge to do both because of its pace! Our praise should be full of joy and enthusiasm, for our God has done so much for us. He’s taken our ‘concrete hearts’ and given us new hearts; He’s our strength and the light in our darkness. We’re no longer alone; we have hope! Let’s praise Him as exuberantly as we can, for He is worthy of our praise.

November prayer topic

Nov 4, 2014

This Sunday, Fredrick and Reeba, missionaries our church supports from India, will be with us, sharing more about the work they do and what God is doing in that country. Come along to the evening meeting to find out more!

During November, we will be praying especially for national and international issues:

Pray that God will:

  • bless Fredrick & Reeba who work in India. Pray that God will continue to use the tailoring empowerment programme and that He will bring many people to know Him through their ministry.
  • bless Steve & Katuska, working in the Bible college in Mozambique. The college needs more teachers and a youth worker for the English speaking community
  • meet the financial, practical, emotional and spiritual needs of these missionaries and help their children to grow up in God
  • help all in local, national and international government to make wise decisions and handle difficult situations with sensitivity and godly wisdom
  • bless local councillors and all who are involved in implementing policies in our area, especially those who are Christians

Ps 67:4 says ‘May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth.’  It’s easy for us to feel there’s little point in praying for national or international issues because these things are too big for us to influence. The Bible is adamant, however, that God is the ruler of this earth and that He is reigning over all. Ps 2 reminds us that the One enthroned in heaven laughs at the schemes of man to overthrow Him; He is in control of world events just as much as He is in control of all that happens to us and we are a people privileged to bring our requests and petitions before Him. Abraham pleaded for God to spare Sodom and saw Him move to rescue Lot from that place. (Gen 18:16-33). James reminds us that the prayer of a righteous person is both powerful and effective. (James 5:16) Let’s approach God with confidence and allow Him to use us to change situations all around the world, even if we never get to leave our homes.

Hope

Nov 4, 2014

Hope is a fuel that enables us to live by faith and not by sight. Many of us find it easier to languish in despair than we do to live in hope, for despair (which is from a word meaning a lack or absence of hope) is fuelled by the visible. It requires vision and commitment to live with hope, to refuse to believe that what we see with our natural eyes is the final story.

Jeremiah, living at a time of oppression and invasion, bought a field in Anathoth. (Jer 32:1-29)

field of Anathoth

That must have seemed a ridiculous thing to do, because the Babylonians were about to take over the land and owning property in an occupied country does not seem like a wise investment. Eugene Peterson, in commenting on this chapter, says ‘All acts of hope expose themselves to ridicule because they seem impractical, failing to conform to visible reality. But in fact they are the reality that is being constructed by is not yet visible. Hope commits us to actions that connect with God’s promises.’ (Eugene Peterson, ‘Run With The Horses’, P 174)

He goes on to say ‘hope acts as the conviction that God will complete the work that He has begun even when the appearances, especially when the appearances, oppose it’ (see Phil 1:6, Rom 4:18) and concludes ‘hope is buying into what we believe. We don’t turn away in despair. We don’t throw up our hands in disgust. We don’t write this person off as incorrigible. We don’t withdraw from a complex world that is too much for us.’ (ibid.)

Jeremiah’s action seemed ridiculous, risible, eccentric, incomprehensible. Others around him must have mocked him for his act of faith. People will do the same when we step out in faith, doing things that seem to make no visible sense. But as William Stringfellow says, ‘hope is living constantly, patiently, expectantly, resiliently, joyously in the efficacy of the word of God.’ (William Stringfellow, ‘An Ethic For Christians And Other Aliens in a Strange World’, P 138) The most practical thing we can do is hear what God says and act according to  that word we hear. ‘Hope-determined actions participate in the future that God is bringing into being.’ (Eugene Peterson, ‘Run With The Horses’ P 176) With the benefit of hindsight, we know that the Babylonian invasion was not the end of the story for Israel. We know that Jeremiah’s actions were nowhere near as ridiculous as they seemed. But for us now, living in the middle of our story with God, it requires great faith to hope in God. Ps 42:5 reminds us ‘Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.’ Keep hoping. God’s not finished with us yet.

New music

Nov 4, 2014

For those of you who are interested in new worship music, here are the set lists from the Worship Central conference. If you click on the name of highlighted songs, you can listen to these. Many of these feature on the new Worship Central album ‘Set Apart’, which I’m really enjoying.

Friday evening

 

Saturday morning (led by Bryan and Katie Torwalt)

 

Saturday afternoon (led by Martin Smith)

 

Saturday evening