"What I am trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God's giving." Luke 12:29
This is a good reading for 30th June, Australian financial New Years Eve. Tomorrow we can start lodging our tax returns. For many, decisions will be made today purely for financial reasons, to minimise tax. To get more wealth.
So much of this chapter in Luke seems to relate so well the the world in which we live today - people concerned about accumulating wealth to retire early; concerned about being in fashion or spending too much time peering into a mirror trying to change things. It's all about getting what we want or what we think we need.
Jesus encourages people to let go of the preoccupation they have with getting and instead to relax and trust in God to provide, because the preoccupation with getting is stopping them from responding to God's giving.
Our list of priorities, our state of mind, is so critical to how able we are to respond to God. Selfishness makes it incredibly hard for us to hear God.
So, what are the things that are occupying my mind to the point that I am unable to respond to God's giving?
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Hope before time began
"..a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time." Titus 1:2
"Before the world began, you were on his mind." So begins the beautiful Hillsongs song. Paul in Titus talks about eternal life - promised before the beginning of time.
We worry about most things - at least I do - because we can't see the future and choose not to see the past. God has done amazing things over the course of time and everything he has done has happened at just the right time. Nothing has happened that God hasn't seen before the beginning of time. So why should I worry? Before time began God knew who I was and what I would become. He has seen my birth and he knows when I will die.
Do I rest on the hope of eternal life promised before the beginning of time? Yes, but maybe not always with the sense of victory and triumph that I should. Often it is accompanied by some trepidation too.
God, forgive me for the times when my hope in you isn't as strong as it ought to be.
"Before the world began, you were on his mind." So begins the beautiful Hillsongs song. Paul in Titus talks about eternal life - promised before the beginning of time.
We worry about most things - at least I do - because we can't see the future and choose not to see the past. God has done amazing things over the course of time and everything he has done has happened at just the right time. Nothing has happened that God hasn't seen before the beginning of time. So why should I worry? Before time began God knew who I was and what I would become. He has seen my birth and he knows when I will die.
Do I rest on the hope of eternal life promised before the beginning of time? Yes, but maybe not always with the sense of victory and triumph that I should. Often it is accompanied by some trepidation too.
God, forgive me for the times when my hope in you isn't as strong as it ought to be.
Monday, June 28, 2010
What is Truth?
"Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine". 2 Tim 4:2-3.
Over the years my 'pursuasion' has definitely moved from the fundamentalist end of the spectrum to the liberal end. I have never been an 'off the scale' fundamentalist and nor have I become a rabid liberal. But I have moved.
I am often concerned about the possibility of trashing sound doctrine. But what is sound doctrine? Maybe this warning could be just as much a warning to those who take a very narrow view of the scriptures, sifting it through their own narrow worldview and, in so doing, coming up with an unbiblical, harsh and judgemental viewpoint, as it is to one who becomes so liberal that they don't actually end up believing anything.
If we are prepared to put our own preconceptions to one side and forget what we personally might prefer God to be saying through the scriptures and, in turn, try to envisage what message God is attempting to get through to his world, then we will have the best chance of discerning his word.
We might be surprised to find that the Bible actually says something very different to what we have been taught.
Over the years my 'pursuasion' has definitely moved from the fundamentalist end of the spectrum to the liberal end. I have never been an 'off the scale' fundamentalist and nor have I become a rabid liberal. But I have moved.
I am often concerned about the possibility of trashing sound doctrine. But what is sound doctrine? Maybe this warning could be just as much a warning to those who take a very narrow view of the scriptures, sifting it through their own narrow worldview and, in so doing, coming up with an unbiblical, harsh and judgemental viewpoint, as it is to one who becomes so liberal that they don't actually end up believing anything.
If we are prepared to put our own preconceptions to one side and forget what we personally might prefer God to be saying through the scriptures and, in turn, try to envisage what message God is attempting to get through to his world, then we will have the best chance of discerning his word.
We might be surprised to find that the Bible actually says something very different to what we have been taught.
Friday, June 25, 2010
The meaning of 'PM'
"Rend your heart and not your garments." Joel 2:13
So, we have a new Prime Minister. Did the 'PM' after Kevin Rudd's name mean Prime Minister or Post Modern?
Certainly our erstwhile PM professed a strong belief in many areas of life. But it seems that in the end the electorate felt he was a fraud; that what he claimed to passionately believe in, global warming for example, either wasn't a belief at all or was a belief held purely because it could help him achieve more important goals. Either way, once the Australian people felt that he wasn't living his values his popularity dropped like a stone.
The post modern world has a great ability to compartmentalise things. Seemingly strong beliefs in one compartment of life don't necessarily cross over and influence other compartments resulting in some bizarre inconsistencies of values and actions.
Many Christians also exhibit classic post modern behaviour even though they believe in an overarching story of life and absolute truths. Sometimes this results in fake humility and repentance.
God's word given through the prophet Joel (the Ian R paraphrase) was "don't play games with me. Don't just tear your garments, but tear your heart. Make your repentance real in every area of your life."
There is a real lesson for 21stcentury Christians of the post modern world. Don't compartmentalise your beliefs. Don't cherry pick values for one part of your life then discard them for the rest of your life. Don't insult God by showing some remorse in one compartment of your life but leaving the rest of your life untouched.
"Rend your heart and not your garments."
So, we have a new Prime Minister. Did the 'PM' after Kevin Rudd's name mean Prime Minister or Post Modern?
Certainly our erstwhile PM professed a strong belief in many areas of life. But it seems that in the end the electorate felt he was a fraud; that what he claimed to passionately believe in, global warming for example, either wasn't a belief at all or was a belief held purely because it could help him achieve more important goals. Either way, once the Australian people felt that he wasn't living his values his popularity dropped like a stone.
The post modern world has a great ability to compartmentalise things. Seemingly strong beliefs in one compartment of life don't necessarily cross over and influence other compartments resulting in some bizarre inconsistencies of values and actions.
Many Christians also exhibit classic post modern behaviour even though they believe in an overarching story of life and absolute truths. Sometimes this results in fake humility and repentance.
God's word given through the prophet Joel (the Ian R paraphrase) was "don't play games with me. Don't just tear your garments, but tear your heart. Make your repentance real in every area of your life."
There is a real lesson for 21stcentury Christians of the post modern world. Don't compartmentalise your beliefs. Don't cherry pick values for one part of your life then discard them for the rest of your life. Don't insult God by showing some remorse in one compartment of your life but leaving the rest of your life untouched.
"Rend your heart and not your garments."
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Fake worship
"You know, don't you, that I'm the one who emptied your pantries and cleaned out your cupboards, who left you hungry and standing in bread lines? But you never got hungry for me. You continued to ignore me." Amos 4:6
These chapters of Amos are one of the best sprays delivered in scripture. Ps 86:5 says that God is not easily angered. Israel must have really gotten under God's skin to receive this message from Amos.
The interesting thing is that they were still 'worshipping' - doing the done things. But it was all show. They didn't really have any hunger or thirst for God.
Not surprisingly God gets rather testy when people bring gifts to him that are not from the heart; gifts that are more a show to others than a gift to God.
God wants us. He wants our love. He wants us to hunger and thirst for him. He wants to be the object of our attention, not be used by people for their own ends.
I need to ensure that my worship is pure; that I am continually hungry and thirsty for more of God.
These chapters of Amos are one of the best sprays delivered in scripture. Ps 86:5 says that God is not easily angered. Israel must have really gotten under God's skin to receive this message from Amos.
The interesting thing is that they were still 'worshipping' - doing the done things. But it was all show. They didn't really have any hunger or thirst for God.
Not surprisingly God gets rather testy when people bring gifts to him that are not from the heart; gifts that are more a show to others than a gift to God.
God wants us. He wants our love. He wants us to hunger and thirst for him. He wants to be the object of our attention, not be used by people for their own ends.
I need to ensure that my worship is pure; that I am continually hungry and thirsty for more of God.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Don't just get by. Go the extra mile
"Don't just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ's servants doing what God wants you to do." Ephesians 6:6
For those of us who have been on the faith journey for a while it can, if we are not careful, become a bit monotonous. We do the same things every week and we lose the fascination and excitement that we had when we were new Christians. At times like that we tend to just do what we have to do to get by. The sense of going the extra mile because we are really immersed in our mission and ministry disappears.
It's not wrong to become weary or burdened at times. We are human. But when this becomes the norm, and when the spark of excitement is lost, then we need to spend more time on our spiritual health.
God wants our walk with him to be one of mutual joy and desire to go the extra mile with, and for, others consistently.
When I look at my service I don't always approach it heartily! Most times I do just enough. Maybe the drive of the Holy Spirit in my life is not evident enough.
Lord, send the fire! Renew my spirit and my passion for you and your mission.
For those of us who have been on the faith journey for a while it can, if we are not careful, become a bit monotonous. We do the same things every week and we lose the fascination and excitement that we had when we were new Christians. At times like that we tend to just do what we have to do to get by. The sense of going the extra mile because we are really immersed in our mission and ministry disappears.
It's not wrong to become weary or burdened at times. We are human. But when this becomes the norm, and when the spark of excitement is lost, then we need to spend more time on our spiritual health.
God wants our walk with him to be one of mutual joy and desire to go the extra mile with, and for, others consistently.
When I look at my service I don't always approach it heartily! Most times I do just enough. Maybe the drive of the Holy Spirit in my life is not evident enough.
Lord, send the fire! Renew my spirit and my passion for you and your mission.
Monday, June 21, 2010
There's 2 in every church
3 John - Diotrephes & Demetrius
There are equivalent people to these 2 in every church - such as Diotrephes who is disruptive and divisive, and who gives you serious reason to question his salvation. Then there is Demetrius who is loved by all - 'a trophy of grace' as us Salvos would say.
The sad thing about Diotrephes is that he appears to hold a position of authority; is a person of influence. Little did he know that he would end up being mentioned in the scriptures. He is now famous as being a Biblical face of sour grumpiness. But he also represents many thousands over the years who could just as easily have received the 'honour' of a mention for the same reasons.
Well done to Demetrius for being mentioned for righteous reasons.
If the Bible were being written now and my church or your church happened to be the recipient of the letter, whose names would be mentioned? More importantly, would you or I get a mention and would it be as a good guy or bad guy?
There are equivalent people to these 2 in every church - such as Diotrephes who is disruptive and divisive, and who gives you serious reason to question his salvation. Then there is Demetrius who is loved by all - 'a trophy of grace' as us Salvos would say.
The sad thing about Diotrephes is that he appears to hold a position of authority; is a person of influence. Little did he know that he would end up being mentioned in the scriptures. He is now famous as being a Biblical face of sour grumpiness. But he also represents many thousands over the years who could just as easily have received the 'honour' of a mention for the same reasons.
Well done to Demetrius for being mentioned for righteous reasons.
If the Bible were being written now and my church or your church happened to be the recipient of the letter, whose names would be mentioned? More importantly, would you or I get a mention and would it be as a good guy or bad guy?
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