just like jesus

I have posted twice before about what Jesus looks like. If you asked me about that I would probably say it is not important to me, but I've kind of had some of my prejudices about it shown up recently.

I was looking at this clip on YouTube, which is an amazing drama which some young folk from our church did at a main event at the start of the year depicting the struggle over a soul. I was actually quite disappointed to discover it was not original. I then decided to look at some of the other versions, but did not very far 'cos I found myself getting offended at some of the men playing the role of Jesus: Some were fat, or too old, or not handsome, or too handsome, or too amateur, or... just not like I imagined.

This got me thinking: Do I reject Jesus because I do not like the person who is representing Him to me?

Do I get offended if the person bringing a message or a word is too young? or too old? or fat? or needy? or professional? or nervous?

I know it is very easy to be swayed by cultural differences. We might esteem the liberated worship of African churches, but then write off American churches for what we see as their slick performances. Even within the UK we can disregard the established Anglican and Catholic churches and not consider that there may be very sincere believers who do touch with God through liturgy and ceremony.

When I have been to church with a friend of mine (still charismatic, but a different stream) I have found some of their “niceness” very difficult. When she came to our meeting, her husband struggled with leaders wearing hoodies. But we sang the same songs!

Even the apostles in the early church struggled to cope with believers from different backgrounds. Although Jesus had no issues about who he spoke to or ate with, God had to send Peter a vision to prepare him to listen to and go with Cornelius to preach to his household. It was a real dilemma for the Jewish believers to know what to do with the Gentiles who started to believe in Jesus.

Mother Teresa used to seek for the image of Christ in every person she dealt with. On days when she had to deal with really difficult people she would tell the sisters “I met Christ in the most distressing disguise today”.

I don't know if she ever failed to love someone as the image of Christ. I know I do.

purity #4

How do we find purity?

I listened to a song recently that seemed to me to sound like purity was a kind of golden rain that comes down from heaven and makes everything beautiful again.
I do agree that purity is a gift from God, but it is a gift that cost Him a lot and it does also take effort on our part to work it out.

Jesus blood makes us clean.
Right at the beginning God said that someone had to die to pay the price for sin. For centuaries people made animal scarifices again and again to try to keep right with God.
Then God became man as Jesus and did what we could not do by paying the price for us. We can pray for the cleansing power of Jesus blood to be over us to wash away our sins.

Baptism makes us clean.
When we are baptised we share in Jesus death and resurrection. Going under the water is a symbol of how Jesus died and rose again. It signifies that our old life and all it's sin has died and we rise as a new creation in Jesus.
Of course we have to keep choosing to live in the new life. But the truth is we can live a new life, all the old stuff is dead, and we can claim the power of our baptism to put to death the things that keep bugging us from the past.

The Holy Spirit makes us clean.
The Holy Spirit is God the Spirit living in us. God is pure and holy, so if we have the Holy Spirit in us then we have the power to live pure and holy lives. The Holy Spirit is sensitive and so brings a sensitivity to our conscience. We find we do not want to do the things that offend Him, and when we feel that absence of his presence it nudges us to put things right.

purity #3

On Sunday someone said that mixing the world with the church is like mixing ice-cream with horse pooh: The pooh is not much affected, but the icecream certainly is.

So what has that to say about purity?

Well, the church is supposed to be pure and separate from the world, but we let stuff from the world creep in (music, media, attitudes to money, fashion........). A lot of this stuff seems quite subtle or harmless, but thinking about putting pooh into ice-cream I would say that standard should be zero contamination.

When I was studying Food Hygiene I learnt that a lot of the food poisoning organisms are gut bacteria found on food instead of in the guts of the animals they came from. Our EHO explained this “faecal-oral contamination” as “shit on your food”.

Maybe if the church is feeling a bit sick or weak there is some cross-contamination with the world that needs sorting out???

The other way around.... the church is told to affect the world around us like a salty flavour, or like light in the darkness.

Many Christians are busy trying to find subtle ways to affect the world without being too outspoken about their faith incase it offends someone.

But Jesus did not do subtle.We are not meant to be subtle or acceptable. We are meant to be the clear beacon into the darkness.

How are people going to find the church if we have blended ourselves into the world?

Is it not better to be clean and cool icecream rather than a murky half melted mess? Then when people are in need they will find a church that is refreshing and life-giving.

Purity is not "intense" or "super-holy". Purity is how the church is mean to be.

Purity #2

My second pondering on purity comes from a discussion we had at home about holiness/purity/morality.

An illustration was given...
If you are wearing a white t-shirt you are careful to keep clean and you are aware of the smallest spot of dinner you drop down your front.
If you are wearing a dark top you can drop all sorts down your front and will not notice.

Infact, that day I was wearing a black top with a red cross, but I did have food spilled down it. Wearing the cross did not make me clean, the dark top meant the dirt did not show.

What does this mean in practice?
It shows how, if you are setting a high standard you will be aware of every spot and moral weakness and that will send you back to God for His cleansings.
If your standard is not set so high, all sorts of stuff can creep in step by step, and then you end up in a dilema or a big mess and you think “How did I get here???”

I have good friends who have made BIG mistakes. (I do not judge them, I pray to God he will be able to keep working in their lives so it comes good in the end).
I am sure none of these people would have dreamed of doing what they ended up doing, but somehow what they stood for gradually got erroded until they gave up or gave in or made a rash and previously out of character choice.

Someone else said (years ago) that it is easier to stop the car a mile from the cliff than an inch from the edge.
Our attitude should be how high we can set the standard, how much we can show our love for God. Not how much we can get away with.

Talking about standards can sound a bit negative, like you have to make the grade.
I prefer to think about the positives
... to be clean and free to express love to God.
... to be able to relate to others in purity without issues and agendas
... to be able to truly want the best for another person (not to want my own way)
... to be free from fear that untruths we have told will catch up with us
... to be able to worship without vanity, or pride, or self consciousness
... to be clear in your motives
... to be the person people can come to for help in God
... to not be the person they come to when they have a borderline joke to tell
... and so on!

Purity #1

The subject of purity has come up a few times recently in different ways.
Obviously God is holy and pure and he calls us to be like Him. But purity is an over-used word.

Volvic mineral water used to tell us “Purity, not just for the innocent”
We sell “pure” margarine at work which is gluten and dairy free.
“Pure indulgence” has been described as a box of luxury chocolates.
Will these products really bring us purity?

As Christians, when we talk about being purity we tend to think about sex. As if it is our sexual behaviour that makes us impure (or not). Is that all it is about?

The dictionary says:
purity noun 1 the state of being pure or unmixed. 2 freedom from contamination, pollution or unwholesome or intrusive elements. 3 chasteness or innocence.
ETYMOLOGY: 13c: from Latin puritas, from purus pure.

So what does it mean to be pure? Psalm 119 v 9 (RSV) says:
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to thy word.
So is that purity? Following what we read in the Bible down to the last letter?

In Matthew 5 v 8 (RSV) it says:
Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God
So is that the motive for purity? To experience God?

Philippians 4 v 8 (RSV) says:
Whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
So... this is the first of a series of ponderings on purity.

AND

When I was reading Colossians recently I noticed one bit where Paul uses “and” several times. It’s like, you have just got the hang of something when there is a bit more, and when you think you have got that sorted, there is more again. I guess all the “ands” stop us from thinking we have got God sussed, there is always more to do, more to understand, more to reach into.
Here is the passage I was reading, it is from the RSV, but I have changed the spacing a bit .Paul has just been talking about thinking on the “higher things” of heaven and therefore putting to death worldly attitudes and opinions and behaviour…

Colossians 3 v 12-17
Put on THEN, as God’s chosen ones,
holy AND beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness,
AND patience, forbearing one another
AND, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive.
AND above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
AND let the peace of Christ rule in your heart, to which indeed you were called in the one body.
AND be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach
AND admonish each other in all wisdom
AND as you sing psalms
AND hymns
AND spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
AND whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

This is my translation:
Because of what I’ve just explained, you can see how you are God’s chosen ones and how you are loved by him.
Because of this you are of course compassionate and kind and lowly and meek and patient with each other.
You are forgiving to each other because you remember how God has forgiven you.
There is love between you, joining you all together.
The peace of God is in you and flows from you.
The word’s of Jesus are always in your heart and on your lips, whether you are teaching or correcting or singing or praising God spontaneously whatever you say or do is always God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
This is not a problem, is it?

CRAP

At the weekend someone made us some T-shirts with the acronym “Christians Ready And Praying” on them. Part of this was as a joke “what do you mean there is a rude word on my t-shirt??” and part of it made me think.

It made me think that I should not have a t-shirt that says I am ready to pray if I am not.

It made me consider wether I do believe prayer to be the answer in all situations.

It also made me think of the situations when I am likely to swear. “Crap” is not a word I would generally use, but I have been know to say “Poo” under my breath when the car stalls in a tricky spot.

If CRAP is my way of life, then I should be ready to pray in the crap situations in life.

At the times something winds me up, CRAP reminds me that the fruit of the Spirit is peace.

When I am stressed, CRAP reminds me that the fruit of the Spirit is patience.

When I need the answer to something, CRAP reminds me that God knows, and also know wether I really do need to know or not.

When I am sick, CRAP reminds me Jesus is our Healer.

When I am worried, CRAP reminds me Jesus is in charge of all our lives and knows the end of the story.

When I am annoyed and ready to swear or thump someone, CRAP reminds me to stop and behave in a more Christ-like manner.

When it seems like the devil is having a laugh and situations smack you in the mouth, CRAP reminds me of the victory that Jesus has won.

All this probably sounds unrealistically holy- floating through with a “Ready-Brek” glow surrounding you, and praising the Lord when you knock your toe on a piece of gravel.

I'm not trying to be a super-saint ... what I am trying to say is that we need to practice being aware of God in our every day lives. Then the first thought that comes to mind probably won't be **** but “Lord Jesus, I need you”

Non conforming non conformist

This church could be described as “non-conformist”. We are not traditional and things like “Jesus Army” make us stand out from the main stream have provoked a lot of opinion/rejection from other churches.

This church is also non-conformist to the standards of the world we live in. Covenant, Loyalty, Community, Simplicity, Celibacy, Godly Marriage. All these things are opposite to the lack of commitment, the consumerism, the greed, the loose morals around us.

I love opposing the standards of the world. I am a non-conformist. I love it when the standards I live to are baffling to the people I talk to. I love it when something comes up that proves to me how different we are.

But within that I do not go blindly along with the flow. I am not a “brain-washed clone”. I know what I believe and I answer to God for my choices. I feel I have been called by God to this church 'cos this is the people I can see are honestly trying to live out what Jesus said. If this church was to lose the plot, then I would not be obliged to stay.

I think we have to be very careful not to adopt a “corporate conscience”. To behave like animals in a herd or a pack and not consider our individual actions.

True, we need to be obedient to leaders and pay attention to the prophetic word. When there are activities that ask for our support it is good to give support.

Also, God more often speaks to us through people around us than by bolts of lightening, so we do need to listen to advice and consider “the witness of the brethren”

Opinions and attitudes and defending our own corner does not build the body of Christ. There is a right measure of putting our self aside for the common good. You might call it “taking up your cross” or “dying to yourself” or “the thorn in your flesh”.

BUT if we don't know what we think, if we don't stop to check our own spirit or conscience then we are on thin ice.

Firstly, if you have made commitments or choices based on what everyone else was doing at the time you will at some point struggle in those choices and without a firm foundation will flounder. It is knowing that God has called me that has kept me strong. As some people say “I know that I know that I know”.

The other thing is... and this has probably been said by opponents of the church... when a large group move in corporate conscience all sorts of crazy things start to happen 'cos people stop asking questions. That's how come you get suicide cults, that's how come atrocities happen. Of course I don't think this church is in danger of such things happening, but I hope you get what I mean.

The golden rule of course is always to check “How does this measure up to what I read in the Bible?” and “How does this match with what I already know about God?”

If we are familiar with what is in the Bible, and if we are in touch with God through prayer or worship then we won't easily go off on a tangent. Sometimes God leads us a way we have never gone before. It's good to check this out, just to be sure it is a “leap of faith” rather than “a leap into the dark”.

Unity of vision and purpose is good.

Conformity is something I would be wary of.

leader, signpost, yardstick

Somebody asked me what “leadership type” I was. I guess they were thinking of the management types like “motivator” “initiator” “starter/finisher” and so on.

To be honest I do not see myself as a leader and I would not want to be seen as such.

I totally believe in the order of things that Paul talks about in Corinthians ie the head of man is God and the head of the woman in man. For me this means that a woman does not have authority over men.

Practically a woman might have some responsibilities that affect men, and I know there are women with prophetic giftings but I would not expect a woman to be leading or teaching men. That still leaves loads of scope for women to be leaders of other women or children or to minister in a supporting role.

The other thing is, I am wary of the title “sister leader”. It makes me think of feminist battle axe sisters with issues who need the badge to boost their insecurities and prove they are “as good as the men” (I am deliberately exaggerating here, but I hope you get the point.) A woman of God who has found her place is not weak but strong in her Godly womanhood and right submission.

So... what do I see myself as?

I hope to be an example. I hope my life would be a bit like a signpost that points the way and encourages people it can be done. I am not “famous” but I hope that in being faithful I can help or inspire other people.

One of the things said at my birthday ministry was that somone saw me as a yardstick, and that in some of the choices they made they considered what I would do. I was gob-smacked, blessed and scared by that!

I was gob-smacked by the person who said it 'cos it was not someone I would have expected to say that.

I was blessed that someone did think my example was worth following.

I was scared 'cos it made me realise the effect we can have on other people.

It especially made me think that I need to be careful not to go back on things I have stood for, 'cos you never know who is looking and needing the strength to stand themselves.

So yeah, all in all I want to life this life to the full and encourage others to have a go and come along with we.

love for the world

Loving the world

We are told in the Bible not to love the world, to live in the world and not be a part of it.

Living that out can be quite difficult because there are some ways you cannot avoid interracting with the world and its system, such as: work or business life; shopping (even if “only for essentials”); education; health care and so on.

There is also stuff which is not bad, but might not really be necessary and could be a distraction: newspapers and books; sports and entertainments; music and the radio.

Then there is stuff that is perfectly innocent, but might just show up where your own heart is at: food and nutrition; clothes and fashion; use of leisure; body care and cosmetics.

Some of the things that tempt me include: Body Shop toiletries, Thorntons chocolate, Hagen Das icecream... You get what I mean? The things are not a problem, but the brands speak of “quality” and “luxury” and you find yourself longing after what the world esteems (or what the advertisers promote) rather than being content.

The society we live in has the motto “please yourself, you deserve it” and huge sums of money are spent on luxuries which are obscene. I can't say that by living simply I can sort out the UK homeless problem or Third World debt, but it is important to stand against the greed and selfishness which feeds these problems. People say “there will never be equality in the world, it is against human nature” and we can say “Yes there can be, we are living in community and simplicity and proving it can be done”.

Another reason for not conforming to the standards of the world around us is that there are people who cannot afford to “keep up” and they feel excluded 'cos they don't have the latest fashions or technology. It is good to be able to show by the way we live that these external things are not important to us and to be able to accept people for who they are. If we do not project an image or hide behind things then people can feel free to be themselves too.

Jesus spoke about not worrying about wealth and possessions and did not even have a home to call his own. He was the most approachable, available and accepting person ever. Just maybe being free from the cares of the world and the love of the world was part of made Him that way???

The way to God

This is a quote I heard recently
“Jesus is the only way to God, but we are not the only way to Jesus”
I want to say I disagree with that.

It is true that Jesus is the only way to God.
He said Himself that He was “The Way, the Truth and the Light”
He also told Philip that “Those who had seen Him had seen the Father”

The bit I disagree with is that we are not the only way to Jesus.
I agree that I personally am not the only way to Jesus. I know my inadequacies and I know there are many people anointed by the Holy Spirit to speak about Jesus and help other's to faith. Anyway, if I was the only way, how would I get there with no-one to show me???

I also agree that our church is not the only way to Jesus. We have a call from God and a particular ministry/distinctive/calling. I do not have a problem with other denominations- churches who are also called by God and fulfil a different ministry or have a different style of worship to our own. God is well big so it would be a tall order for any one church to demonstrate his entire purpose and nature!

I am certain however that the Church in the wide sense of the word is and must be the way to Jesus. The church is described in the Bible as a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden- we must be a light, a beacon, a lighthouse even to shine into the dark and call people into the light.

The church is described as the Body of Christ, and that body must be doing what he would do- must show people to Jesus, to his kingdom, to his Father.
The “great commission” given by Jesus is to go out into all the world to make and baptise disciples. This is to be done by all believers in all true churches in all ages.
The church must not apologise for having the truth or be silent in the face of conflicting “truths”.

There is the thinking that “all paths lead to the top of the mountain”. This is totally untrue.
Right from the beginning God clearly showed people who He was and what He expected from them. Whether it was walking in the garden and instructing which fruit not to eat; or thundering on a mountain and carving the law into stone; or dying on a cross and giving his own body and blood to make us all one.
If we want to chose a path, chose THE path.

There is only way to God, which is Jesus
The church is the way to Jesus. Is the Holy Spirit filled, anointed and united demonstration of Christ to the world- the whole wide world through all history.

what if Jesus had never been born?

I have been lent a book which is a novel about what it would be like if Jesus was born now instead of 2000 years ago.

I have not started to read the book yet, but it made me think. You see, if Jesus had not been born the world would not be at all like it is now. Followers of Jesus and of Christianity (not necessarily the same thing) have had a huge impact on shaping the world as we know it.

If there was no early Church then there would have been no Roman persecution. There would have been no believers spreading across Europe with the message of Jesus. If there was no Jesus there would be no Christianity for Constantine to adopt as the religion of the Roman Empire. So would Rome have carried on with Pagan Gods? What kind of dark stuff would have gone on in the centuries since then.

What about art or music- loads of amazing stuff by amazing people like Leonardo de Vinci, Michael Angelo, Handel, Bach has been commissioned to worship God. What would have been the influences if there was no Jesus?

Fast Forward a good few centuries... many of the significant social reformers were Christians and were influenced by their beliefs: William Wilberforce, Elizabeth Fry and more. Was it just their faith that told them “something is wrong” and made them press for change? Would mankind have a conscience to make the world a better place without the influence of the Holy Spirit in lives dedicated to Jesus?

Thinking about life without Jesus makes me think of a very dark world as much of the influence of God I am aware of has come from Christians but of course, life without Jesus is not the same as life without God or “god”.
What would the influence of other religions have been without Christianity on the scene? Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, New Agers all worship many gods while Muslims and Jews have the same roots as Christians.
If “Jesus the Prophet” was not on the scene would Muhammed have come along? Would Islam be the same as it is now? Would it have become the dominant religion of Europe?
What about the Jews? They are God's chosen people, they are still looking for the Messiah. Would they have become a stronger religion if there was no Jesus?

Anyway... while it is interesting to ponder these things the fact is Jesus did come and does show us the way to live, and I am well glad He came. The challenge is to live our faith in a way that shows Jesus came and proves He is relevant today.

the end of the world

Folk at home have been reading a series of novels about the end of the world. I have an aversion to that topic 'cos when I was growing up, predicting the second coming was a favourite pass time and it never happened. Even if we are not “end-times-orientated” it is thought provoking to consider whether we would be ready if Jesus came back right now. We are supposed to be ready, he warned us in the Bible that he would come suddenly and unexpectedly and we should live our lives ready for him to return at any moment.

There is a song that tries to imagine what it will be like to finally meet Jesus- would you worship? would you fall on your face? would you sing? would you be awestruck?

The thing that made me think about it was.... recently there was a red moon due to an eclipse. There was a red moon a few years ago which did make me feel “oh, is this a sign of the end?” but this time I was not so bothered. I just told myself not to be superstitious about it.

Then the next week there was an earthquake which woke us up in the night. Sorry to say my response and that of my room mate was not “Jesus is coming!” We both swore. (Though once I realised what it was that woke me I did check outside the the graveyard to be sure everything was still “normal” out there before I went back to sleep)

I suppose if it really was the end of the world and the second coming there would be spiritual stuff cracking off, and the Holy Spirit in us would respond to that.
But the fact that my first words were “bleep” rather than “Jesus!” probably means there is something to be sorted out in my heart, cos as it says, “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks”

I have a good friend who is over 80. He does not look to the second coming so much as to be faithful to the end of his life. I suppose whether Jesus comes for us, or we go to Him, we will all have to give an account of our lives. Which brings me back to making sure we live ready to meet Him at any moment...

Vision

This is a vision I had last night at the celibates meeting:

We had been worshipping with songs and then in the quiet with people speaking to God in tongues when someone started up the song “Jesus, all for Jesus”

I was singing (as I often do) with my hands held clasped in front of me. I felt God asking me to reach out one closed hand to Him, and then to open it up. I did this very slowly and I felt God place a new celibacy ring in the centre of my palm. It was much bigger and heavier and thicker than the ring I wear, infact more so than a typical ring anyone would wear, and made of iron rather than silver.

I did not know what God meant by this, but it was awesome.

As the evening went on I gained a sense that God was saying “You are going to find there is more to celibacy than you have known so far.”

Lust for Posessions

This is an extract from a book on celibacy by AW Richard Sipe.

I did find this book a real revelation when I first read it and this passage particularly spoke to me:

Recently, a celibate priest shared from his own experience an example of the interrelatedness of celibacy and material things. Once in a supermarket, food shopping for the rectory table, he had a kind of epiphany. He was tossing items into the cart with abandon, guided by his own taste and what he thought were the gastronomical and brand preferences of his associates, when he notices a parishioner- the mother of three children- also shopping. She was too engrossed in her enterprise to notice him or anything else. She was comparing the prices of brands, rechecking her coupons, pausing thoughtfully in front of certain sections, shaking her head “no” before moving on empty handed.

He told me that “the sight of her, at a moment when the biggest decision in my life was whether to buy the imported Swiss or the French Roquefort” focused a bright light on him and his celibacy. From that time on, he said, he realised that his celibacy was more than simple sexual abstinence. He said, “I knew then that celibacy is a way of loving that has to affect every aspect of how I live.” The mother of three was an unknowing grace for the priest who continues to meditate frequently on what she had taught him.

Desire- how we hesitate to call it lust- for things (such as seemingly necessary, good, and useful things like house, car, boat, even res eccleiasticae like church, rectory, vestments) can be a means to celibate undoing. This is not nihilistic doctrine. Notice that I emphasised desire. It has to do with us, heart and mind. Just as celibates do not interact thoughtlessly with others, they cannot interact thoughtlessly with things and maintain integrity at the same time. Radical self-honesty about our desires for possessions is a vital as it is with sexual desires. The goal is honesty freed from rationalisation, or denial...

Some priests compromise their celibacy eventually by an indirect path. Sexual temptations are resisted for long periods of time, while, almost imperceptibly, the foundations of celibacy are eroded as the lust for things is indulged either with a thoughtless abandon or sometimes as a kind of occult compensation for sexual deprivation. “Poor me” or “I deserve it” are attitudes that should bring a person to renewed intensity in prayer. Left unattended, these feelings will corrode celibacy from the inside.

worshipping in spirit and in truth

I was listening to an old ministry tape recently 'cos I felt in need of a bit of inspiration about celibacy and this tape was some ministry which was a big influence in me becoming a celibate, so I tend to return to it from time to time.

The thing that really struck me about it on this occasion was not particularly about celibacy.
The brother was speaking about the bit where Jesus says we are to worship “in spirit and in truth”.

He explained that we are made of body (the world aware bit), soul (the self aware bit) and spirit (the God aware bit).

The medium God uses to speak to us is by the spirit, the way we connect to God is through our spirits.

The thing that struck me is that we cannot get to God through our soul or through our body 'cos He is spirit and we are to worship in spirit.
This means that I cannot do anything physically to get nearer to God.
This means I cannot eat anything special to get nearer to God.
This means there are no special clothes or charms that will get me nearer to God.
This means I cannot get closer to God by looking at something special

I know there is a place for meditation, and there is inspiration to be found in things like going for a walk in the country. BUT these things only lead us to God if they feed our spirit, if they cause our spirit to be awakened.

There is a danger in trying frantically try to DO something to make us feel nearer to God, but we just end up feeding our soul, our emotions.

There is a danger in trying to repeat an experience we have had, or in practising religious routine to get nearer to God. We just end up in a rut or self-righteous.

The only way to God is through our spirit, and He has put His spirit in us to help us in that.
Even when we don't have a clue what to do the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and at the times we can only groan or sigh the Holy Spirit carries our prayers to God

This revelation brought a lot of peace to me.

chewing old gum

Someone had a word on Sunday morning. They described somone chewing and chewing on an old piece of gum even though there was no flavour left in it and no pleasure or nourishment to be got from it. The word was that this person was going over and over the same old problem from every possible angle and what they really needed to do was to stop it and let God deal with it.

This did not particularly speak to me at the time, but I do see how we can so often be like that. We spend hours going over the same thing again and again in our minds, and it never makes things any better. If we “spat the gum out” we would have room in our mouths and appetite for new food. If we stop thinking along the same old thought tracks we have room for new thoughts, to receive fresh insight or inspiration from God. We might even get the word in the spirit we need to sort the situation out!

So, whenever I catch myself returning to the same old issues I am going to remind myself to spit the old gum out.

death and dying

I have been thinking about the issues of death and dying and eternal life, not for any particular reason, just that I have noticed the way people respond to death and it does not quite make sense to me.

Often folk in the world will tell you that they do not believe in God, that there is nothing after this life, that when you are dead that is it. We are just the same as animals.

BUT (and this is a big BUT) people do not behave like that is what they believe.

In all societies there is a respect for the dead, there is ritual about burial or disposal of bodies. If the body were an empty shell like the box the computer came in then what is the problem? Why show respect for the dead?

There is also a taboo about suicide and euthanasia.
If someone commits suicide that is more tragic and traumatic than accidental premature death.
In the UK it is not allowed to assist another person to die, whatever the circumsances.
Why?
What is the problem with finishing life at the end of it's useful period?
If there is nothing left after death, and no eternal consequences, why not opt out when you want to?

There is also the fight for life.
Families will fight the medics to keep their loved ones alive past hope of life. The human body itself will fight ilness and cling on to life. Surely this fight shows that there is a soul and a spirit inside the "shell"?

All this adds up to show we are more than "just a body". The sense that there is "something more" is one of God's hints to mankind, one of those little nudges that alerts us to seek Him out.

And the reason why people would like to think there is nothing after death?
I would venture to say they would prefer there to be nothing, because if there is something that means there are consequences to the way we live now, and to realise there are consequences means we have to take action.
I think some people are like a little kid, sticking their fingers in their ears yelling "la, la, la, I can't hear you!" as if deafing out God will mean He is not there.

prophetic poetry

Some time ago we were talking at home about how God removes our sins from us “as far as the east is from the west”

This shows how vast God's love and forgivenes is 'cos there is no absolute east or west on the globe, so this is an infinite distance. I was thinking how amazing that is 'cos in the bible times they did not know the world was round. Poetically they could have just as easily said “as far as the north is from the south”, but that would have been a limited amount of forgiveness 'cos there is an absolute north and south. I believe the inspiration for the poetry was from God, which is why they said “east from west”.

This is another examples of how the Bible is scientifically correct in a way beyond the understanding of the time. In Isaiah and in the Psalms there is mention of “the paths of the seas”. This was before America was discovered and in a civilisation whose geography was limited to the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Asia and the Mediterranean. When men first began travelling across the Atlantic for trade they found there were “paths through the seas”- they found that by following the gulf stream they could days off the journey across the Atlantic. So... what made "nice poetry" is scientifically true, and even if they had some knowledge of currents in the seas, they still did not know there was a "path" across the Atlantic.

There are also some amazing descriptions in more than one part of the Bible of how Jesus was to and be crucified - centuries before the Romans came along and invented crucifixion.

That can only be God speaking through the prophets and poets. God who is eternal and was there and beginning of the world and will be there at it's end and is with everyone as they live it out along the way.

If the Bible was just poetry, or superstition, or “OK for simple civilisations” then we would not find revelations like this. The people who wrote the Bible did not have the technology or knowledge we have, so it could only be God who could inspire stuff like this. God who knows that the brain-boxes of our centuary need to be shown that He is God and he knows stuff that is far beyond our intellectual reach.

amazing message

On Christmas Eve we had planned to go for a night walk with a bunch of girls. Once it was planned, everyone gradually pulled out till there was just two of us, and when we got there it started to rain, and then...... basically I got scared of the dark and we turned back after 100 metres and sat in the car to drink hot chocolate instead!

Anyway... the amazing thing about it all was I put the ignition on to get the time and the radio came on- it was the midnight service on Radio 4.

If you know me you know I am not a big fan of the seasonal indulgence and tinsel trip. I also hate the mushy sentimental “baby-jesus-in-a-manger” stuff 'cos to me Jesus is God Almightly humbled to come to earth and die to sort out the mess we are in. We cannot patronise Him like that.

But before I go off on a sidetrack, the amazing thing was this service was really radical. I was gob-smacked. We listened until gone 12, and then listened all the way home, and then stopped in the car park at the end of the road to listen some more!

This is the reading from Titus 2 11-14

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

How good is that?

Salvation is not for me to have a nice blessed time on earth and eternity on a fluffy cloud in heaven.

We are called and saved in order to live lives that honour God. We are waiting for Jesus to return. We are His people who he chose.

I was impressed that this was being said at a Christmas service. I was impressed that the purpose/mission of our faith was being spoken about. That people were being challenged to do more than merely believe, but to let it change their lives.

Then the speaker chap (Rev Murphy O Connor, if that makes any difference to you) got preaching.

He talked about how the angels were not tinselly creatures but terrifying messangers of God.

He said how so often the message of God is not well received.

He said the message of Christmas was of good news for all people, but does the message of our faith get to all people?

He asked how we treat the immigrants and refugees in our country.

He asked what our attitude is to the homeless on our streets.

This is the last paragraph

“I would say that we have to return again to the first Christmas night and hear again the message the angel brought to the shepherds- 'news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people,. Ultimately I think it's a question of wether we believe in the God of Christmas. the God of Christmas is not light years away, living in another dimension. For us, Christmas means that God became one of our kind and lived a human life; in a sense God moved in nearby and is called 'Emmanuel', a word that means 'God is with us'. God is with us! It is worth letting those words sink in. Not only did God come to be with us then; He has promised to be with us all days, until the end of time."