You can't let it change your life

This was the reaction of a friend to my conversion many, many years ago. “Religion is alright” he told me, “but you can't let it change your life”. I was reminded of this, this morning as I re-read the story of the Magi, who saw His star in the east and came to worship Him (Matthew 2:1- 13).

Actually, there were three reactions to the revelation of the knowledge of the coming king. There was Herod who was violently opposed, there were the religious leaders who possessed knowledge but it was “not mixed with faith” (leading to action – Hebrews 4:2), then there was the Magi who went out of their way not only to seek Him, but to worship Him. Their attitude shouted “It must change your life.” As James would have it “Faith without works is dead – works are the evidence of faith (James 2:17,18 - see also the post salvation by faith, assurance by works).

Jesus told us “He that it not for me is against me. He would rather that we be like Herod than like the “religious”. Jesus speaking to the Church at Laodicea told them “I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:15,16).

Prayer: Lord forbid that I should respond to your coming with apathy. Father grant me a renewed passion and zeal for You and Your Kingdom. In Jesus' name.

How terrible never to have failed / never to have suffered loss. It's all right for you buddy!

I was recently asked if I love Christmas. I love that God sent His Son, and it is good to be reminded of the humility in which He came. I love that Jesus came to this sin filled world, and that the one behind the season the reason for the season (Jesus), is with me always. But Christmas is difficult for me and for many others. When I was recently asked how I could be prayed for I mentioned this and was told “We are not lonely when we have Jesus”. The Bible though tells us “it is not good that man should be alone.” I know that is it theologically correct to say that we do not need to be lonely, because Jesus is always with us, and while I have not suffered the losses that even many that I know have suffered, I am always more aware of my losses at this time of the year. I have still not adjusted to retirement, and sometimes the long hours that stretch ahead of me leave me with a gnawing loneliness. But I am not looking for pity here, I am just protesting the trite theological answers that get thrown up at me, and at others who are suffering far more deeply that I am.

I know that it is true that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28), but I have had this verse thrown at me betimes, as a kick in the pants. “What is wrong with you, God is working this out for your good, get a life”. No doubt there were times when I needed such a kick in the pants, but I can't say I ever appreciate it (at least not at the time). And part of it is the way such things were given, or even that they were given in sincerity with a desire to help, but by someone who had not yet suffered significant failure or loss (and so done without any real empathy). In such cases I have wanted to say “Don't worry brother it will come to you too!”

But where does empathy come from, and why is it absent in so many? Let's start by considering the fact that theological truth, if it is indeed truth, though often hard to take, always has a practical and a redemptive side. Take Romans 8:28 (quoted above). It is certainly true that if I love God, He is working for my good within the evil that surrounds me. It is His promise. But this does not mean that I see it, or ever feel it. Sometimes things get worse before they get better. Nor does it mean that receiving/embracing this truth and living in the light of it, is easy. The point though is that the practical side of such theological truths will not even start to kick in, until we do start to receive them, and continue to receive them, with faith. God is in this for the long haul, and it goes against the grain of our modern world that demands instant solutions. But “those who endure to the end will be saved (delivered)” (Matthew 10:22). He is interested in the forging of our character, and this does not happen overnight! In the very next verse after Romans 8:28, Paul tells us that part of the good is that we are made more like Jesus, and that in submitting to it we bear much fruit!

The first part of the title of the post comes from something M. Scott Peck wrote (I don't remember where). He was telling of the reaction of a Nun to his revelation that his marriage was in trouble. “How terrible never to have failed” was her considered reply. I do not know how this was spoken, but in any case I am sure it was hard to take. Her point however was that if we cooperate with Him, God will use our suffering to refine us, and until we have suffered, we are more than likely to give unhelpful answers to those around us who are in need. We were talking the other day of the need to be real. If our Christianity consists of trying to show others how good we are, we will never be any good to them. It is the continual returning to Him in our times of trial and failure, that our Christianity is seen to be real (and hence point the way to others). Even when we are painfully aware that have let Him down over and over, He will use this for our good, if we let Him. We do need to repent and to turn, of course, but I have found that such times draw me closer to Him as I cry out for deliverance and mercy, as I thank Him for His faithfulness to forgive, and claim the cleansing that His blood affords. Paul talks about a godly sorrow that leads to repentance and zeal for the Lord (2 Corinthians 7:10,11). What an amazing God who can even use my sin and failures for ultimate good. The fact is, that it is many times the trials and the failures that draw us close to Him. And when we allow Him to work in us, in and through these things, then they advance the Kingdom.

And the way this works is that it is and through the grace that we receive from Him in our trials, that we have something to pass on to others. He is the God of all comfort, in receiving His comfort we testify to its reality, and draw others into it (2 Corinthians 1: 3,4). If we have never suffered, then we will not have experienced His comfort in our suffering, and we will have nothing to pass on. How terrible never to have failed (or to pretend that we have not)! It is when we are weak that we are strong!

That I might know Him II – The fellowship of His sufferings

Nobody wants to suffer, at least not anybody I know. Clearly some suffer more than others, but we all suffer at some level or other. It seems to be part of life. Peter admonishes us “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you” (1 Peter 4:12). We may not have a choice as to whether we suffer, but we do have a choice as to how we respond to that suffering.

I have sometimes joked “These things are sent to try us.” I pause and then say “And they do, they certainly do try us – Oh mi nerves!” Whether they are from God or the Devil, or are consequences of our own poor choices is not always immediately clear, but as the quotation from Peter suggests “they are to try us”. I have observed that we tend to fall into two camps, either we allow our pain to refine us, or we allow it to push us the other way, into bitterness, revenge thinking, and taking it out on others. It's not that we can't switch either. God will help us move from bad to good, if we let Him. For the Christian the question is “Will we stand or will we fall?”

I hear some protesting “But it's not fair!” We don't always see things clearly, but certainly life is not always fair. Christ Jesus Crucified was not fair! What is clear is that if God is just (and He is), there has to be a heaven and a hell. There has to be a day of reckoning. We can choose justice or mercy. What I can't choose, is mercy for me and justice for him. It does not work that way. If we want to choose mercy, we must live mercy. I need His help to do that.

In an earlier post I talked about the fact that He suffers for us and with us. The quotation from Philippians 3 that we are talking about, takes it one step further and talks about “the fellowship of His sufferings” (verse 10 NKJV). The NIV translation “share in His sufferings” is weak. The Greek word is “koinonea”. It is a rich word describing the sort of intimacy and selfless living that characterized the early Church, where they were “of one heart and soul ... Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, ......and they distributed to each as anyone had need” (Acts 4:32-35). As His followers, we need to move a lot closer to the essence of this, but that's for another day. The point though, is that it is Christ's intention that our suffering foster and cement a relationship with Him that has the depth of this koinonea type fellowship and more (because He will never let us down!).

One picture that I have of this, is that of buddies in a war. The drawing together in danger and the constant looking after each other's back, forms a bond between them that (when they survive), lasts a lifetime. For me this is something to pray into. “Lord I know that we are in a war, and that You constantly watch my back. It's not that You don't allow suffering, but You are always there. Help me to see it, and to stop resisting the people and circumstances that You allow into my life. You have promised that You will not allow me (when I embrace Your help), to be tested above my ability to endure (1 Corinthians 10:13). You have also promised that You will use every evil thing to refine me, to draw me closer to, and to make me more like You (Romans 8:28,19). You never promised that it would be easy, nor that I would not be stretched to the uttermost! Help me to cling to Your promises, and to be to You, like a buddy in the war we are most certainly in. Show me how to respond in each and every circumstance, but not only this, help me in the wherewithal of that response (Philippians 2:12,13). Help me Lord, for I am week and prone to wander. Thank You Father, that when I stumble and fall short of Your Glory, You are always ready and willing to pick me up and help me start over. Help me to draw close to You now (James 4: 8). In your precious name I pray - Amen”

That I might know Him and the power of His resurrection (and the fellowship of His suffering) I

The title of the post is from Philippians 3:10. Paul is telling us what the successful Christian life involves, what is available to us , and what is the cost of living on the cutting edge for Christ. Most of us would be happy to (experientially) know, what it is to walk in Christ's resurrection power. We might not be so keen to share in His sufferings. Why would we want to? Why, well in this passage Paul is telling us the rewards are out of this world, and not just in the there and then (afterlife), but in the here and now. Today we will be looking at some of the things that hinder our attaining to the power of His resurrection.

We used to joke in my job (researcher/teacher of Mathematics) that we were daily pushing back the frontiers of Mathematical knowledge. Most of the time it was pretty slow, and not always terribly significant. Living on the cutting edge in the Christian life however, is significant in every way. When we are living for Christ our “tiny steps for mankind” have eternal significance, even if we don't immediately see it. Elsewhere Paul tells us to “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Indeed it is not! Even when we have failed over and over, our willingness to repent, confess and start over, positively affects the atmosphere of world in which we live. But the fact of the matter is, that most of us live far, far below what He has called us to, and equipped us for! When we walk in the power of His resurrection, we are enabled to rise above it all, we walk in the very footprints of Jesus, do the things that He did and touch lives in a way we may never have imagined.

There are many things that hinder, and can prevent us entering into the fullness of all that Christ has provided for us. In the context in Philippians 3, Paul is dealing with a particularly insidious hindrance that affects the religious and those of us who are satisfied with where we are “at.” He introduces it by admonishing us to “have no confidence in the flesh” (verse 3). He had been there and bought the t-shirt. But now he tells us that he had “lost all things in order to gain Christ and the power ...etc”. He was not griping however, for he says (in the vernacular) that what he formerly valued, he now thought of as shit (KJV dung - any refuse, as the excrement of animals (Thayer) verse 8). Some will find my use of this word offensive, but if you can get over it (you have probably heard worse) it can help us to see just what Paul is saying here. It's not just that he no longer values the things that were formerly important to him, he sees them as something vile and unclean, negative, something to be cast off. In the same context, what was gain is now loss (verse 7), but the force of the Greek word translated loss – has to do with causing damage. In particular the things he formerly valued kept him from the “surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (verse 8 NIV). Before he encountered the Lord, these things were what was most important to him, it was where he placed his confidence. He now sees them for what they are: pride of place, pride of race, pride of position, pride of education, pride in his own goodness (righteousness), pride in his zeal, i.e. pride, period (verses 4-9), the pernicious pride that kept Him from seeing his need of Christ.

So then, these things are worse than worthless, they are something to get rid of by any and all means. Paul is telling us that these things cannot co-exist with an intimate and powerful equipping relationship with the Lord. We have been given access to the very same power that raised Christ from the dead (Ephesians 1:19,20). We do need to see it (Ephesians 1:17) pursue it, and make it our own (Philippians 3 - later). But when we need to look good, and act in such a way as to get the glory from who we are and what we do, He has to withdraw His power and presence or it would consume us. On the other hand, whatever keeps us from God, be it pride or self sufficiency or sin, it is less than useless, dung! All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).

Prayer: Father open my eyes to see what things keep me from the fullness of knowing You and the power of Your resurrection. In Jesus name.

The price of being real, the cost of not being

If you are open and vulnerable, you will not in general fit in. Some will look down on you, others will judge you. It's why most of us are covered. But not being open and vulnerable has its own costs. In particular we will not find deep intimacy either with God or others. It is said that being covered is it a disease among Pastors, most of whom seem to feel the need (or pressure) to appear strong. But is it when we are weak that we are strong (2 Corinthians 12:10 and January 12th post 2011). When we need to appear strong, what we are left with is just our own strength, and we are acting like “mere men” (1 Corinthians 3:3). As Christians, we are not intended to be mere men (or mere women), we are intended to walk in resurrection power (Philippians 3:10). There is a price to pay to do that (see next post), but there is also a cost if we do not avail ourselves of it. No one does it perfectly, but many unnecessarily live lives of quiet desperation.

The Scripture tells us that all who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). While the application of this verse is much wider than the application I am talking about today, it is nevertheless very real and not a little subtle. Jesus encountered it in the beginning, with the religious. It started small and subtle, but it would eventually lead to His crucifixion.

People sometimes ask me if I am religious. My impression (but not necessarily theirs) of a religious person is someone who likes to be seen as a good person (righteous), and/or who knows he or she is right about God (and possibly everything else) and everybody else is wrong. “Our Church is the best, and every other Church comes in a poor second”. With regard to wanting to be seen to be good, who would not want that? The problem though, comes when we are not willing to be real, when we wear masks, and hold people at arms length so that they will not discover who we are. So when I am asked if I am religious, my answer is “God forbid”. But the shame fear control strongholds I was talking about last day, are everywhere, and they exert a pressure on us to hide our imperfections. The price of being real is that there will be times when you will be judged, dismissed or shamed. On the other hand, the cost of not being real is that we will remain isolated and wounded. This is because it is only when we “confess our faults one to another” (within a safe community) that we will be healed (James 5:16).

There is a book entitle “Hiding from love”. The title itself speaks to me. At some level we all do it. You see God is love, but we hid form Him in our shame. It's what Adam and Eve did when they sinned. But when we cover our sin and our shame we will not grow. In Proverbs 28:13 we are told “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Our sin/shame guilt separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2), and in fact from each other. On the other hand, the purposes of God have to do with bringing us back into relationship with Him and each other (Ephesians 1: 9,10). Jesus died on the cross to accomplish this, but to avail ourselves of it requires confessing/admitting and turning from our sin, the very opposite of our hiding it! We cannot hide our sin and not at the same time hide from His love.

So then there is a price to pay for being hidden (loneliness, continued woundedness, separation from God and each other etc.), and there is a price to pay to become whole (there will be many places we do not fit in). As the James reference above implies healing takes place in community. It's in confessing to one another that we are healed. This cannot just be in one direction, I confess to him, but she does not confess to me. It is to “each other”. The alternative by the way, is to confess each other's faults, and this is not so healing (British understatement)! So this mutual confession can only take place in safe community, but when it is real is is unbeatable.

So then in either case there is a cost, a price to pay. You can pay the cost of remaining in your shame and isolation, or you can pay the price of openness in genuine community and find true Christian fellowship with Him and each other. Those who have tasted this testify that even though it is not without pain, it is it worth it. What will you choose? I have decided that I will either find/create a safe place, or die trying, and in the meantime, allow Him to draw me closer to Himself in the struggle. (More to come).