Our God reigns!

30Oct09

BIll James said some challenging things in his sermon a couple of weeks ago:

If you truly understood the sovereignty of God you would never worry.

If you truly understood the love of God you would never be lonely.

We need to remember the sovereignty of Christ – not because we have nothing to fear, but because our future is in God’s hands.

Put all the energy that worrying takes out of you into worshipping Jesus. – Mark Driscoll

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Tags: love, Mark Driscoll, christ, sovereignty of God, anxiety, worries, burden, challenging, lonely

Emotions not welcome

22Oct09

British people don’t like to show their emotions. Stiff upper lip and all that. It’s still around in my generation – it seems the only time people feel free to show their true emotions in public is when completely drunk, because then at least they have an excuse. Unfortunately, this ’stiff upper lip’ culture is present in churches too. In many churches showing emotion is just not the done thing. If you have the urge show any outward expression of what is going on in your heart, you’d better sit tight and suppress it. And don’t even think about raising your hand in a worship song and distracting everyone by the sheer inappropriateness of it all.

Churches where people are free to show emotion are often dismissed and labelled as ‘misguided’, ‘charismatic’ (which is definitely used as a dirty word in some Christian circles), ‘wacky’, ‘happy clappy’ (another ‘insult’) or ‘doctrinally unsound’ . Of course, there are some churches that emphasize on emotions and neglect essentials such as the preaching and teaching of God’s word.  And of course, some emotional displays or outbursts are inappropriate. These things should clearly be avoided. But the disapproval of showing emotions in church stems mainly from our cultural upbringing, however much people attempt to back up their disapproval with theological reasons. If you don’t believe me, just go to an African church and spot the difference. Better yet, read any account of worship in the Bible.

Surely, if emotion is to be expressed anywhere, church should be the place? It is not irreverant to show emotion, in fact it is the opposite. Joy, awe and wonder, along with other emotions, are a suitable and fitting response to meeting with the almighty God. Some may find it ‘weird’ and get uncomfortable when people show emotions in church, but to me it is significantly more weird to go to a church service where people display no emotion until tea and coffee after the service, and are seemingly unaffected by the presence of God.

Authentic worship is what God requires:

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth - John 4:23-24

If you are supressing your emotions, how can you be authentic? Does God delight in your worship if you appear indifferent and, dare I say it, bored? What are you saying to God (and any non-believer observing you) if you are quite comfortable showing a whole range of emotions at a football match, or when watching a TV programme but when it comes to celebrating and praising your God and Saviour….nothing. When you are passionate about something you inevitably show emotion, you just can’t help yourself. How can we claim to be passionate about God in emotionless churches?

That’s why it gives me joy and reassurance to read throughout the Bible of believers who worshipped God with body and soul, who had intimacy with Him and who were not afraid to show their emotions.

This morning I was reading from the book of Ezra:

When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by David king of Israel. With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD :
“He is good;
his love to Israel endures forever.”
And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away. – Ezra 3:10-13

Psalm 149

¹ Praise the LORD.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the saints.

² Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
let the people of Zion be glad in their King.

³ Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music to him with tambourine and harp.

⁴ For the LORD takes delight in his people;
he crowns the humble with salvation.

⁵ Let the saints rejoice in this honor
and sing for joy on their beds.

⁶ May the praise of God be in their mouths
and a double-edged sword in their hands,

⁷ to inflict vengeance on the nations
and punishment on the peoples,

⁸ to bind their kings with fetters,
their nobles with shackles of iron,

⁹ to carry out the sentence written against them.
This is the glory of all his saints.
Praise the LORD.

Filed under: Cultural Strongholds, World & Culture, church   |  4 Comments
Tags: authentic, Bible, charismatic, church, culture, emotion, ezra, happy clappy, John, passion, service, stiff upper lip, worship

Is it worth it?

01Oct09

This week we have been putting on lots of evangelistic events for the international students arriving at university. Sometimes when we put so much time and effort into events I can find myself lost in the busyness, and sometimes after it’s all over and I’m completely exhausted find myself thinking “Is it worth it?”. Sometimes things don’t go as planned, and it’s discouraging. It can seem pointless, like we are fighting a losing battle. But we’re not! The battle is already won, and God is in control of everything, working out his purposes in the good times and the bad. But even when events we put on seem to go well, the question can still loom ‘Why? Why are we doing this? Why are we going to all this trouble?’

Because it’s what God did for us.

He has invested all his time and effort into us. He has given up his very life for us on the cross.

And God has chosen to use us to spread his glorious message! To be like Christ, and love people as he loves them. This is such a massive privilege. This is why we give our time, and our resources and ourselves. Because God loves these people more than we ever could, and somehow in our weak and broken ways we can demonstrate some of that love. Because God is there, in the midst of our weakness, empowering us with his almighty strength and power and ready to transform lives. This is so exciting. This makes everything worthwhile! Because we are not working in our own strength but the strength of the Creator! It is God’s pleasure to use us to win people to himself; it is our privilege to live sacrificial lives as servants of the King.

This is beautiful

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Tags: beautiful, effort, evangelism, evangelistic event, Jesus, phil wickham, resources, time, weakness

27Sep09

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind – Ecclesiastes 1:14

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Tags: ecclesiastes, Life

Committed to Christ and Culture

25Sep09

We can not abandon our culture.

We can not embrace our culture.

What do we do?

http://www.vimeo.com/1455355

I haven’t read this book yet, but when I have I’ll do a review.

Filed under: World & Culture   |  4 Comments
Tags: christ, conformist, culture, seperatist, world

Battles of the mind

25Sep09

As Christians, especially those of us living in a Western culture, the majority of our  battles take place in our minds. Our culture feeds us a multitude of lies, twists good and evil on its head and condemns those who think differently. It is our ‘developed’, materialistic culture that has resulted in a mass of people with more mental health problems than any other culture (depression, psychotic disorders and eating disorders are highest in the US and Europe). Our culture is inherently selfish. It is about getting, not giving. It is about acquiring wealth, status, possessions and personal satisfaction at any cost. This is not what life is about. And as the mental health statistics tell us, it’s not really working for anyone either. How can we as Christians go against the flow of our culture? How can we live as we were meant to live and reject the values the world enforces on us?

We are either influenced by the world, or we are influenced by God. We are either full of God, or full of the world. There is no middle ground. So if we are not spending time with God, feeding on his word, listening to his voice, then we will be influenced by the world, because we are defenseless. When our focus is not on God, we start to believe the lies the world tells us. We no longer see God how he truly is – a loving Father who works everything for our good. Our view of God and the gospel becomes warped until it seems abstract and irrelevant to our daily lives. We become disillusioned and weary with life, because we are trying to fight in our own strength not God’s. Jesus died to give us freedom. Freedom from the world’s lies and temptations. So how can we live in this freedom? Ultimately, by knowing more of God and nurturing our relationship with him. Here, I am going to discuss just one way which I believe is vitally important in resisting the influence of the world: memorizing Scripture.

Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:13-18

Memorizing Scripture helps us to:

1. Resist the world

From the moment we wake up, to when we go to bed the world is literally bombarding us with its views, values and ideology. Advertising, newspapers, films, music, public figures, people around us…etc. How are we supposed to resist this influence? I am convinced one of the main ways we can do this is by memorizing scripture. If we have memorized scripture, we can access truth at any time. When surrounded by the lies of the world, we can defend ourselves with God’s truth. It keeps our hearts and minds focused on God’s truth, rather than becoming slowly disillusioned by the world which leads to a warped view of God, ourselves and life.

2. Resist temptation

If we have memorized Scripture then we can resist temptation whenever it strikes, through the power of God’s word. We can fight with God’s power, not our own. This is exactly how Jesus resisted temptation from the devil, by answering Satan with the truth of Scripture (Matt 4).

The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip. - Psalm 37:29-31.

3.  Be transformed

We can not glorify God unless we obey God’s word. We can not obey God’s word unless we know what God’s word says. We know what God’s word says by reading it and meditating on it. How can we truly meditate on it if we do not store it in our hearts? Sure, we can spend half an hour in the morning reading the Bible, and then that’s it for the day. But if we memorize scripture and rehearse it in our minds we can mediate on it wherever we are, at any time. Meditating on Scripture changes us from the inside out.

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45

4. Be prepared.

The Bible tells us to be prepared to answer those who ask us questions about our faith. How can we answer someone’s questions if we do not know what the Bible says on a matter, or can not remember where it is? If we have memorized verses then we can give and/or show the person answers from the Bible rather than making up something on the spot.

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. – 1 Peter 3:15

5. Be discerning.

If we know the Scriptures well, we can recognise when someone is misusing Scripture and identify false doctrine much more easily. In addition, the more we meditate on the Bible, the more God’s desires become our desires and we can discern what God’s will for our lives is.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:1-3

There are many other reasons why memorizing Scripture is beneficial to our Christian walk, but this is my attempt at summarizing some of them! This video of John Piper explaining why we should memorize scripture is excellent. Please watch!

Filed under: Bible, Cultural Strongholds, Living for Jesus, World & Culture   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: battle, Bible, culture, individualistic, Jesus, John Piper, lies, materialism, media, memorizing scripture, selfish, spiritual warfare, temptation, truth, values, western culture

Hopes and Fears

15Aug09

In less than a year I will have graduated (hopefully!)…

I have no idea what I want to do, I have no idea what God wants me to do. I feel a lot of pressure to make the right decisions; the choices I make now could affect the rest of my life. It is hard to avoid a worldly perspective on life and careers when I am surrounded by worldly attitudes and advice. Even Christians place inappropriate value on getting a good degree, a ‘good’ job, and having job and financial security. I want to reject that attitude. If I limit myself to ’safe’ options, I limit how much God can use me, and I am not offering myself as a living sacrifice – I am holding something back. I believe it is important to trust God and step out of your comfort zone, to do things that make no sense to the world (and often, unfortunately, are even criticized by fellow Christians), to follow him wherever he will lead. Because that is how God works. Throughout the Bible, God asks his people to do things that make no sense (at least without hindsight) and ends up doing amazing things through those who trust him enough to obey him. It is very important to me that I do what God wants, not what I want, or what the world thinks is best for me. That may mean passing up the offer of a good, well paid job. That may mean going to a foreign country and serving him in difficult circumstances. It is a scary prospect, and it is not the easy way. I hope and pray I can trust God enough to follow him wherever he leads.

Sometimes it’s hard because there are just so many options, so many things I could do with my life. And so many questions. Do I follow the cautious advice of others or follow my (perhaps unattainable) dreams? Where do my dreams come from – God or me? What are my motivations? Do I desire worldly success, comfort and financial security or solely to bring God glory whatever I am doing? What can I do to make my life worthwhile in the eyes of God? How can I hone my attitudes towards studying and work and careers so that they honour God? Are some professions more valuable than others? Are there some that Christian’s should avoid?…….

I certainly don’t know the answers to all those questions. But right now, my focus needs to be on knowing God more rather than worrying about my future. I need to resist the pressure of the world, but not resist the pressure of the Holy Spirit to do God’s will. And these decisions I make now are important. In order not to waste my life I need to trust. Pray. Seek.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6

Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.- Colossians 3:5

I believe God does plant desires and hopes and dreams in our hearts. It is not wrong for me to pursue them, as long as my main desire is to know God. So then, even if all my dreams remain unfulfilled I can live with no regrets because my hopes are not everything, save the hope I have in Christ.

Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ. – Philippians 3:8

For me to live is Christ, and die is gain – Philippians 1:2

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Tags: advice, attitudes, career, choices, Christians, colossians, decisions, dreams, education, faith, financial security, future, God's will, graduation, hopes, Jesus, jobs, John Piper, Life, Living for Jesus, money, philippians, pressure, proverbs, questions, sucess, trust

God is good!

25Jun09

So, I’ve finished all my exams, second year is nearly over…which means I may get a chance to write all those posts I’ve been meaning to for months and months! Maybe.

God has been so amazing this year. I look back to this time last year and I can see how I’ve grown with Him and how much He’s taught me and am left in awe and wonder at his goodness. This is crazy love.

When I was doing my exams, I was very stressed and tired and had no time to do anything except sleep,revise, do exams, repeat, for a whole week. I honestly wouldn’t have got through without breaking down without God. And though it was horrible being under so much pressure, I realised in the midst of it that I was learning more of God.  It is only really in our struggles that we’re  really forced to fight and depend on God more than anything else and that is the time when God can really display himself.  God kept guiding me to Psalm 31, which I took to reading every morning before my exams.

¹ In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.

² Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.

³ Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

⁴ Free me from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.

⁵ Into your hands I commit my spirit;
redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.

⁶ I hate those who cling to worthless idols;
I trust in the LORD.

⁷ I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
for you saw my affliction
and knew the anguish of my soul.

⁸ You have not handed me over to the enemy
but have set my feet in a spacious place.

⁹ Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and my body with grief.

¹⁰ My life is consumed by anguish
and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction,
and my bones grow weak.

¹¹ Because of all my enemies,
I am the utter contempt of my neighbors;
I am a dread to my friends—
those who see me on the street flee from me.

¹² I am forgotten by them as though I were dead;
I have become like broken pottery.

¹³ For I hear the slander of many;
there is terror on every side;
they conspire against me
and plot to take my life.

¹⁴ But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”

¹⁵ My times are in your hands;
deliver me from my enemies
and from those who pursue me.

¹⁶ Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.

¹⁷ Let me not be put to shame, O LORD,
for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
and lie silent in the grave.

¹⁸ Let their lying lips be silenced,
for with pride and contempt
they speak arrogantly against the righteous.

¹⁹ How great is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you bestow in the sight of men
on those who take refuge in you.

²⁰ In the shelter of your presence you hide them
from the intrigues of men;
in your dwelling you keep them safe
from accusing tongues.

²¹ Praise be to the LORD,
for he showed his wonderful love to me
when I was in a besieged city.

²² In my alarm I said,
“I am cut off from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.

²³ Love the LORD, all his saints!
The LORD preserves the faithful,
but the proud he pays back in full.

²⁴ Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.

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Tags: blessings, exams, God, goodness, love, Psalm 31, stress

Treasuring CHRIST!

14Jun09

Yes!! Let’s live with Christ as our treasure, and truly live as we were created to live. With GOD at the centre of everything. Lord, help us let go of our wordly idols.

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Tags: christ, Jesus, John Piper, Life, paul, treasure

Do you treasure Jesus?

22May09

Have we truly recieved Jesus if we do not treasure Him?

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Tags: Christianity, church, Jesus, John Piper, nominalism, receiving Christ, treasuring Christ