Sunday 30 May 2010
EVANGELISM
The gospel is often presented as a teaching to give man a sure destination, but without telling of the journey.
God expects effort and exercise. Toil of the mind and labour of the body. Without these fruits in our lives we will not survive the race.
'Christians' more often have self-satisfied smugness and a big belly, telling of how good God has been to them.
Without a God-glorifying journey we may well deprive ourselves of the destination.
God expects effort and exercise. Toil of the mind and labour of the body. Without these fruits in our lives we will not survive the race.
'Christians' more often have self-satisfied smugness and a big belly, telling of how good God has been to them.
Without a God-glorifying journey we may well deprive ourselves of the destination.
Saturday 29 May 2010
LAST SUPPER
The conversation round the table at the time that Jesus spoke to his close followers for the last time before His death, was one that suffused them with joy and love.
It was not all joy as He warned them of the suffering they would endure as His followers and their life was to be one of humble service to those around them.
There was no mention of their weakness and sinfulness, but a call to obedience and fruitfulness. The only negative note was concerning lack of fruit in their lives and the stern action God would take against that.
It is perhaps strange to us that He does not speak of their sinfulness, causing them to perhaps value more what He was about to accomplish in His approaching death. One hears this theme from some who preach the gospel. It was future glory made possible by His Resurrection, and the Holy Spirit given to them that was uppermost in His mind. It was comfort He came to bring.
It sounds much more like the welcoming arms of the Father to His errant son who realises his lostness and returns home. It is the returning that marks repentance and is the cause of joy. The older brother could and would not return; his heart had never been there. It is coldness of heart and lack of fruitfulness that Jesus abhorred.
Men can never keep balance in life as he is unable to fully comprehend God who alone is all wisdom.
It was not all joy as He warned them of the suffering they would endure as His followers and their life was to be one of humble service to those around them.
There was no mention of their weakness and sinfulness, but a call to obedience and fruitfulness. The only negative note was concerning lack of fruit in their lives and the stern action God would take against that.
It is perhaps strange to us that He does not speak of their sinfulness, causing them to perhaps value more what He was about to accomplish in His approaching death. One hears this theme from some who preach the gospel. It was future glory made possible by His Resurrection, and the Holy Spirit given to them that was uppermost in His mind. It was comfort He came to bring.
It sounds much more like the welcoming arms of the Father to His errant son who realises his lostness and returns home. It is the returning that marks repentance and is the cause of joy. The older brother could and would not return; his heart had never been there. It is coldness of heart and lack of fruitfulness that Jesus abhorred.
Men can never keep balance in life as he is unable to fully comprehend God who alone is all wisdom.
Thursday 27 May 2010
LUCIDITY
Clear-sightedness is to be highly valued, especially when it pertains to our future. There is little hope of well-being if we don't understand who we are, why we are here and where we are going.
Several issues make this difficult, not least of all that we have cut our ties with past teaching of man made in the image of God. This in turn denies us a purpose and destination. Thereafter it does not take long to deny God.
There have been cycles of thought down through the ages but it is increasing complexity and speed of change which seem to be sucking us down into a 'black hole'. As Lippman said a hundred years ago, 'we are uprooted and disorientated' and have no words to express what is happening to us. How can we articulate our needs if we don't know what they are? Life is fragmenting and globilising at the same time. We are ever more dependent on technology and machinery but so much the more on energy resources.
The sources of wisdom, through many ages, have been the Church, Judicial and Educational systems of one form or another, together with rule and authority of many kinds. No one man or body can possess this today. Many have attempted to delve into the ills of our society and of course there is no one problem or one solution. Of greater concern is that many do not give thought to the dire straits we are in.
Walter Lippman has critiqued the church as the one institution that gave a solid foundation to society, but has lost this authority and hence lost its voice. As he says, the preacher should exercise his mind to determine the way to give meaning and direction in disordered chaos. If not relevant preaching and pastoring, men will turn elsewhere. It is our feelings and behaviour that must be addressed.
Jesus spoke with authority, evident to all, and addressed the day to day issues of life. If we are in doubt as to His identity, He made it clear that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, the wisdom and righteousness of men.
In the Psalms the writer says that 'The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him and He will show to them His covenant' What is that covenant? 'I will be your God and you will be my people'. Caring authority and belonging, what man craves. However it is man that has brought this miserable condition on himself and rightly reaps what he has sown.
The wonder is that God's grace is greater than our sinfulness and He anxiously waits for our repentance. God has a passionate longing for the hearts of His people. ‘Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all my commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!’ Deut 5:29
Several issues make this difficult, not least of all that we have cut our ties with past teaching of man made in the image of God. This in turn denies us a purpose and destination. Thereafter it does not take long to deny God.
There have been cycles of thought down through the ages but it is increasing complexity and speed of change which seem to be sucking us down into a 'black hole'. As Lippman said a hundred years ago, 'we are uprooted and disorientated' and have no words to express what is happening to us. How can we articulate our needs if we don't know what they are? Life is fragmenting and globilising at the same time. We are ever more dependent on technology and machinery but so much the more on energy resources.
The sources of wisdom, through many ages, have been the Church, Judicial and Educational systems of one form or another, together with rule and authority of many kinds. No one man or body can possess this today. Many have attempted to delve into the ills of our society and of course there is no one problem or one solution. Of greater concern is that many do not give thought to the dire straits we are in.
Walter Lippman has critiqued the church as the one institution that gave a solid foundation to society, but has lost this authority and hence lost its voice. As he says, the preacher should exercise his mind to determine the way to give meaning and direction in disordered chaos. If not relevant preaching and pastoring, men will turn elsewhere. It is our feelings and behaviour that must be addressed.
Jesus spoke with authority, evident to all, and addressed the day to day issues of life. If we are in doubt as to His identity, He made it clear that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, the wisdom and righteousness of men.
In the Psalms the writer says that 'The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him and He will show to them His covenant' What is that covenant? 'I will be your God and you will be my people'. Caring authority and belonging, what man craves. However it is man that has brought this miserable condition on himself and rightly reaps what he has sown.
The wonder is that God's grace is greater than our sinfulness and He anxiously waits for our repentance. God has a passionate longing for the hearts of His people. ‘Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all my commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!’ Deut 5:29
Monday 24 May 2010
SOLDIERS OR SOCCER
Can they be spoken of in the same breath? It seems they can.
Both rate time on TV. From those who go beyond the call of duty in protecting others from the evil devices of man to those who entertain others and rake in thousands, basking in the glory of their fans, both seem rated as of equal worth.
The victorious team parade through London to the adulation of thousands, while our true heros neither see nor hear aclaim as their hearses slowly and silently make their way past the few who mourn and care.
'Times are indeed out of joint'. It takes a grieving widow to try and set it right.
Both rate time on TV. From those who go beyond the call of duty in protecting others from the evil devices of man to those who entertain others and rake in thousands, basking in the glory of their fans, both seem rated as of equal worth.
The victorious team parade through London to the adulation of thousands, while our true heros neither see nor hear aclaim as their hearses slowly and silently make their way past the few who mourn and care.
'Times are indeed out of joint'. It takes a grieving widow to try and set it right.
AUSTERITY
At the heart of austerity lies self-denial, a rare virtue in today's world. Some would say it is the essence of virtue itself, underlying all others.
More than ever before the Me-Society has ruled, promoted by those wanting control over people and profit.
Baby-boomers, in the 1960's, adopted self-serving self-esteem as their banner, inculcating the importance of self-image in their offspring, preparing them for consumerism.
A generation less prepared for austerity is hard to imagine. Banks, unions and consumers see only their prosperity denied. It seems we will die if there is no 'progress', no increase in self-pleasing, no better life, however defined.
The greatest tragedy is the complacency of those calling themselves Christians, blind to the danger and wallowing in self-ease. Talking to the church at Laodicea, Jesus Christ says they make Him retch with their luke-warmness and will be spat out of His mouth.
For what can we hope? Society is desperately sick but there is little hope of our world being healed without us acknowledging that there is a Creator God and we are made in His image, now distorted beyond recognition. Restoration of the dignity of man will mean sacrifice, service and suffering, seldom spoken of and unpalitable to Western man.
Perhaps it will be another 'Niniveh' with secular man, who has more insight and concern, leading the way in repentence and so restoration. Perhaps our new coalition government will be true progressives, but only if they acknowledge the one and only God who made them and brought them into power for His purposes.
More than ever before the Me-Society has ruled, promoted by those wanting control over people and profit.
Baby-boomers, in the 1960's, adopted self-serving self-esteem as their banner, inculcating the importance of self-image in their offspring, preparing them for consumerism.
A generation less prepared for austerity is hard to imagine. Banks, unions and consumers see only their prosperity denied. It seems we will die if there is no 'progress', no increase in self-pleasing, no better life, however defined.
The greatest tragedy is the complacency of those calling themselves Christians, blind to the danger and wallowing in self-ease. Talking to the church at Laodicea, Jesus Christ says they make Him retch with their luke-warmness and will be spat out of His mouth.
For what can we hope? Society is desperately sick but there is little hope of our world being healed without us acknowledging that there is a Creator God and we are made in His image, now distorted beyond recognition. Restoration of the dignity of man will mean sacrifice, service and suffering, seldom spoken of and unpalitable to Western man.
Perhaps it will be another 'Niniveh' with secular man, who has more insight and concern, leading the way in repentence and so restoration. Perhaps our new coalition government will be true progressives, but only if they acknowledge the one and only God who made them and brought them into power for His purposes.
Wednesday 19 May 2010
DIET
Eat only that which has the lable 'Prepared and Made by my Own Hand'.
God has ordained that we will eat with toil. 'In the sweat of your face you will eat bread'
Not to do so will disadvantage our bodies.
God has ordained that we will eat with toil. 'In the sweat of your face you will eat bread'
Not to do so will disadvantage our bodies.
Sunday 9 May 2010
DRIFTING OR DRIVEN?
Drifting makes one think of a lazy summer afternoon on the banks of a slow-flowing river. A leaf floats by going nowhere.
There is a sense of purposeless motion.
Driven on the other hand speaks of earnestness, energy and emotion. There is steady progress towards a chosen destination.
Some are driven by others, like a herd of sheep.
Are we driven or drifting?
What decides the choice? Is there a choice?
There is a sense of purposeless motion.
Driven on the other hand speaks of earnestness, energy and emotion. There is steady progress towards a chosen destination.
Some are driven by others, like a herd of sheep.
Are we driven or drifting?
What decides the choice? Is there a choice?
Tuesday 4 May 2010
FOSSILS
Evolutionists have a great love of fossils. Is that because they like to trace their human lineage from them?
Surely another form of ancestor worship.
'Those who hate me love death'
Proverbs 8
Surely another form of ancestor worship.
'Those who hate me love death'
Proverbs 8
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