Cycles of grief

I was at a celebration of life breakfast this morning, for a brother who recently went to be with the Lord. And because we know that Dennis is with the Lord, the breakfast was a mixture of sorrow and joy, laughter and tears. Concerning those who go to be with the Lord the Scripture says “We do not grieve as those without hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). It does not say that we do not grieve, but that our grief is not without hope. I know the difference, because when my father died over fifty years ago now, I had no hope. I knew nothing of the possibility of seeing him again, and I was devastated, and inconsolable.

What a difference! It’s not only about the hope of seeing our loved ones again, it is also about receiving comfort from the God of all comfort. And He comforts us with a comfort that enables us to comfort others who have gone through, or are going through similar things (2 Corinthians 1:4). There was a lot of it going on this morning!

I was speaking to another brother on the way out, who has also suffered from a recent bereavement. We were talking about the emotional roller coaster these significant losses bring. The way I describe it, is that grief comes in waves. And when the grief is new and raw, the waves are high and frequent. But when, with His help, we deal with our grief in a healthy way, the waves get smaller, and further apart. They can however be triggered by all kinds of things. And this morning the grief in the room brought back echoes of grief from the time my mother-in-law died over thirty years ago. In fact each new loss seems to trigger echoes of all other past significant losses. And I am grateful again for the comfort that He brings, and that I do not have to face these things alone without Him, neither do you, it is there for the asking!

Father, nobody said that it was going to be easy, You did not, and it’s just as well because it’s not! But I want to thank You this morning for Your promise Lord, that on that day there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Revelation 21:4). And once again I can identify with Paul that down here for me is all about living for Christ, nevertheless there is a strong longing from my home in heaven (Philippians 1:21). But also like Paul, I know my work down here is not yet done, so Father please keep me faithful, in Your precious Name Amen

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind

In the movie “The Mexican” Brad Pitt is mixed up with characters who will kill him if he crosses them. He tells his girlfriend Julia Roberts, “I need to go to Mexico, if I don’t go, I will be killed!” Julia hearing the word “I” three times in this sentence replies “I, I, I, it’s always all about you!” There are two things here worth noting. The first is when we accuse somebody of something, we are often doing the very same thing, in this case thinking only about oneself (Romans 2:1)! The second thing, is that though there would not have been time in this case, interactions like this, can be used as opportunities it’s to change our thinking, to renew our mind.

The wife of a Christian couple I know told me not long ago “I didn’t realize how selfish I was until I got married!” There are two encouraging things going on in this marriage. The first is that they are is mutual submission and they are sharpening each other (Ephesians 5:21; Proverbs 27:17). The second is they are both seeking to put into practice Philippians 2:3 which says “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.” What I am trying to say here, is that the renewing of our minds works best when we are applying Biblical principles, and are motivated by gratitude and allegiance to what God has done.

In particular it is because of the tender mercies of our God that Paul admonishes us to be in the ongoing process of being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1, 2). And the tender mercies of our God include deliverance from the penalty, the power and the pollution of sin. Not only this, but also the future deliverance from it’s very presence (Romans chapters 6 to 8). Cognitive psychology has cottoned on to the Biblical principal (two thousand years later) that our behaviour can be changed by the transformation of the mind. But as I have already said, this works best when (a) we have a Christ inspired motivation, (b) we use Biblical principles and (c) tap into the resurrection power available to us in Him (Philippians 3:10)!

Father, I want to thank You again this morning Lord, that secular psychology many times confirms or gives insights into Biblical principles. But there is so much more to it than the principles. Thank You not only for the motivation, but also for Your promise to change our desires and to give is the wherewithal to do what we know we should do when we fully surrender to you (Philippians 2:12, 13). Thank You Lord that I see this transforming power in those You are calling to Yourself, and I thank You for it in my own life! And I give you the honour and glory and praise again this morning in Jesus Name Amen

Anger and honour. Generational sins (Part 9)

The idea we all have as infants, that our parents are all wise and all-knowing, will likely always have disappeared by the teenage years, sometimes much, much earlier. Certainly no parent is perfect, and being angry at one’s parents, especially the father, is quite common. But the principle/promise that our own failings will not be visited upon our children is contingent upon our turning to God to love and obey Him (Exodus 20:6). And one of His commandments,given in this very context, is that we should honour our fathers and mothers (Exodus 20:12).

It is hard to honour someone when you’re angry with them, but this commandment has a promise attached to it. And the promises is “that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth” (Ephesians 6:3). And though for some it may be hard, it is necessary for our spiritual health and the spiritual health of those we love (Hebrews 12:15). I have heard it said that unforgiveness and bitterness, is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. It seems to be true. We need to forgive and honour our parents even for our own sake!

Honouring your father and mother is about being respectful of their position in words and actions, even if they don’t deserve it. I am linking honour and forgiveness in this post. But it does not honour our parents if we continue to let them abuse or manipulate us. Likewise forgiveness is very different from saying that what happened, or what they did was right, or that we should continue to put up with things that are wrong. As adults, we may in fact even have to respectfully distance ourselves from them at times. And the principal that I think applies here is “As much as is possible within you live at peace with all” (Romans 12:18). It is not always possible!

Father, perhaps there are many reading this post who had a very happy childhood, and kind and loving parents. But I know that this is very far from always being the case! But in any case, there are always issues that need to be dealt with. I know I will never be perfect in this life, but what I want to pass on to my children, and my children’s children, is the example of dealing with issues as You reveal them to me. Thank You Lord, for the help that comes with each such revelation, and thank You that You continue to work in me to make me more like You. We cannot do this without You Lord. We cannot in Jesus Name Amen

Generational sins (Part 8) Dealing with guilt and/or anger - Guilt

We are strange creatures us humans, we can be dealing with crippling guilt or debilitating anger and still be in denial about it, or it can be just about the only thing we think about. We can be blaming ourselves, or be stuck in victim mode. This morning, I’m thinking about the guilt we bear because the consequences our sins have for our children, and/or those we influence. Earlier in this series of posts on generational sins, we were looking (Part 4) at Exodus 20:5,6 in terms of motivation to deal with our issues. This morning I want to look at the verse “But showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments” (Exodus 20:6) in terms of dealing with guilt.

Coming to the place where we come out of denial, and begin to realize how deeply our sin and our issues impact the lives of others, especially our children, can be very difficult. But for those of us who turn to Christ, our faith is in a God of redemption. And behind the principal in this morning’s verse, is the fact that when we turn to him in radical obedience, then we are in effect standing in the gap and he begins the process of setting right the wrong. He turns the negative inheritance of three or four generations (verse 5), into blessings for many, many generations to come (verse 6). And I am claiming this principle/promise for my own children, and for those my life’s has influenced and is influinsing.

In discussing these things at the Bible study last night, the verse “I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring“ (Isaiah 44:3) was brought to my attention. We can add to this other promises such as “All your children shall be taught by the LORD, And great shall be the peace of your children” (Isaiah 54:13). And when I choose to trust that He will do what He says he will do in this area, and also in the area of cleansing me of my guilt (1 John 1:9), then my peace returns. And it comes to me again, that the very best thing that I can do for my children and those I influence, is for me to become whole by loving Him, obeying Him and in particular, dealing with my issues.

Father, once again this morning I had to cast my care and concern for others upon You. It was threatening to trip me up! After I have done my part in repenting and turning to You, then I need to leave the consequences to You. I am still tending to take on more responsibility than You call me to. But I’m learning! Thank You Lord that You who begun a good work in me will bring it to completion in Jesus Name Amen

What elephant? Generational sins (Part 7)

Most of us can see the flaws in others far more clearly than we can see them in ourselves. Add to this our tendency to blame rather than accept responsibility for our part in all that goes wrong, and it is easy to see why so many of us are still in denial. And it seems to me that each and every one of us is in denial at some level (yes me too). I have often thought that if the Lord showed us everything that is wrong at the same time, we would (I would) die. Thankfully, He is too merciful to do that, and what I have experienced is that He does not reveal more than with His help, I can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13). But if we are to keep moving forward we will need to fully cooperate with Him.

The secular way of doing things and the Biblical way, things have much in common (though of course the Bible got there first). Family systems therapy employs what is called the genogram. It is a kind of family tree that records family difficulties and distress. So for example it records incidents of divorce, alcoholism, suicide, codependency issues etc., etc. The idea is to detect patterns of behaviour so that we can predict what might happen, and then intervene in some way. The idea behind the fearless moral inventory and making amends in the Biblically inspired 12 step programs, is similar. In these steps we discover the often hidden patterns by systematically working through who we need to forgive, and to whom we need to make amends. This also helps us to see that we are at some level still deep in denial!

When the higher power in a 12 step program is Jesus, it opens up many advantages. For example we have the sure principles of the Word of God as well as the promises we find there. Plus we also have access to the Power of the Holy Spirit. Part of this power, when we fully surrender, is that He gives both the desire and the wherewithal to do what needs to be done (Philippians 2:12,13). It needs to be fearless, because this process is hard, and many give up at this stage. We should not do this alone. The fellowship of fellow strugglers is huge and we have an amazing promise, that if we confess our faults to one another, and pray for one another, then we will be healed (James 5:16) Hallelujah!

Father, it is important for us to keep praying “Search me oh God, and see if there be any wicked way within me” (Psalm 139:24). But I also need to be obedient to deal with what You show me. Thank you Lord, that You always have my best interest at heart, and that You have promised to work all things together for my good because I love you and am called according to Your purposes. Thank You that when I surrender completely to You, then You change my desires into Your awesome desires for my life, and You give me the wherewithal to do what pleases You. I thank You again this morning Lord for this, and for many other things, in Jesus Name Amen

The elephant in the room (Part 2) Generational sins (Part 6)

Some elephants in the room are bigger than others, and some have been there so long and are so much part of the furniture, that we are no longer aware that we are tiptoeing around them. The Lord gave me a picture years ago, of how painful and disruptive a process dealing with these “elephants” can be. The potato patch in the garden had been left idle for four years. I had the use of a rotary tiller for four hours, and had intended to do a 20 x 20 plot. But the grass was so matted I finished up only doing a 10 x 10 area. And even after that, it needed a lot of spadework. The Lord then gave me a mental picture of a huge tree stump with a chain linking it to a huge carthorse. There were also several men digging around the stump all trying to extract it.

I felt the Lord saying to me that if it was difficult to till the ground after only four years, imagine how difficult it would be if it was left generation after generation. To mix the metaphors a little, it’s a little bit like pulling a tooth without anesthetic. I understood that if someone starts to deal with the issues, then they are likely to be violating the unspoken but strongly held family rules such as “Don’t think, don’t speak, don’t feel, don’t act, don’t rock the boat.” But to continue the dentist analogy, if the problem is not dealt with it gets worse, and though dealing with the issues is painful for a while, the long-term effects are beneficial.

Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and since the sins of the fathers are visited on the children when the issues are not dealt with (Exodus 20:5,6), then it is highly likely, that you and I have inherited family dysfunction at some level even if we do not recognize it (it’s all part of denial!). I only recently realized, that the men in the carthorse picture represent the fact that we cannot do this alone. When our actions cause others pain, even with the best of intentions, we are likely with the kickback to second-guess ourselves. We need support in order to push through. And this is why recovery programs that involve the fellowship of fellow strugglers tend to have higher success rates learn those who attempted recovery alone.

Father, I see this last point in spades in the prison ministry. I see inmates who really want to change, want to give up the drugs etc., etc. But their existing support group outside usually consists of those who are still using. And more often than not, we are seeing them come back time after time. It is not just with inmates of course, and I am asking You this morning Lord to help anyone who is beginning to see the need to deal with the problems in their life, that You give them the courage and the support they need to start the process of making the necessary changes. Help us Lord, like You did, to push through the pain to the promised joy (Hebrews 12:1,2). Thank You Lord for the support that You give, and while I certainly need others, more importantly I cannot do this without You. I would not have survived! In Jesus Name Amen

Generational sins (Part 5) The elephant in the room (Part 1)

There seems to be a widespread the public perception, that twelve-step programs are only necessary/useful for those dealing with substance abuse. But this is not the case. What I am seeing over and over, is that people who come into such programs to help “those people,” finish up realizing that they are one of those people themselves! What is happening here, is that as they go through the steps, it starts to become evident that they too have an elephant in the room. You know, an issue that at some level everybody is aware of, but for whatever reason is neither talked about nor dealt with. What I am saying is that as we work the steps we start to come out of denial, the very first of the twelve steps!

There are a number of reasons why we don’t talk about/deal with the elephant in the room. Perhaps one of them is that it’s always difficult, and that we may have no idea how to handle it. Another reason may be that we may simply want to keep the peace, such as it is! Programs like Al-Anon, which are also 12-step based, can help us to come to terms with the fact that our own behaviour may be hindering rather than helping the situation. it is not only twelve-step programs that can help of course, and all recovery programs have strengths and weaknesses. That’s because they are run by people, and nobody is perfect!. Certainly some programs are more suitable than others for dealing with our own particular elephant. But what is interesting to me, is that programs that work all seemed to have common elements, and that all of them at some level have Biblical warrant!

Common elements of Christ based recovery programs include coming out of denial, finding Hope that God can help us solve our problems, and then fully committing our lives to follow Him. At this point, there is a need to dig deeper and, in the language of twelve-step programs, to take a fearless moral inventory. This is about figuring out my part, what is my responsibility and what is not. It’s about making amends for the wrong I have done, and extending forgiveness for the wrongs done to me. We need support at this stage, I don’t think we can do this effectively alone. There is a reason that we are told to confess our faults one to another and to pray for one another, it is that this is the sure route to healing (James 5:16). It does need to be done in a safe place however, and this is where having Christ is our higher Power comes into full advantage. What I mean, is that we when we are all willing to come together to the foot of the cross in mutual submission, then we begin to see there is no difference (Romans 3:23), and this gives us the very best hope to find solutions and peace with each other!

Father, it is very clear to me that recovery is a life long process. In fact I have found that there are a number of elephants in the room. It seems that when we have dealt with the most obvious one, and continue the process of recovery, we discover smaller elephants that were invisible because of the enormity of the first one. I think we have misunderstood sanctification Lord as simply becoming holy. But more and more I am convinced that Christ centred, Biblically-based recovery programs are vehicles that You want to use to bring us into the abundant life that You have promised. I want all that You have for me Father, and I ask You again this morning Lord to do whatever it takes to keep me moving forward, and I will give You all the honour, glory and praise in Jesus name amen

Sins of the fathers visited upon the children .. but .. showing mercy .. to those who love and obey (Exodus 20:5,6 part 4)

I hear many say, who make no profession to love and obey God, “But I don’t hate God!” Actually, my observation is that many who say they don’t even believe in God hate Him!. But here, as we have been saying, the word picture is of the spousal relationship, and the words used are not about feelings, but actions. So in effect, if one spouse ignores and refuses to be in relationship with the other, the actions are indistinguishable from hate, the very opposite of love. So it is in our relationship (or lack thereof) with God.

The word “but” is important here. “But” changes everything. I bought a winning lottery ticket, but I lost it! Here, the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Him, but steadfast love and mercy to thousands who (a) love Him come and (b) obey Him (Exodus 20:5,6). So if you want your children and your children’s children, and your children’s children’s children to not fall into the traps you yourself fell into, then turning to Him, choosing to love and obey Him is the way to go!

I am currently involved in ministry in the woman’s prison in Clarenville. Many of the women interred there are separated from their children, and the pain of it is palpable. As we talk about the choices we make in life and their consequences, many of the ladies are having moments of clarity. This is akin to the prodigal son coming into his right mind (Luke 15:17). The point is, that most of us when our kids are ill, would gladly take their place if it were possible. What I’m saying, is that when we are in our right mind, we are highly motivated to do the right thing for our children. The Lord knowing this, has formed reality accordingly. He knows that when we start to see the consequences on our children of not dealing with our baggage, most of us will become highly motivated to change. But we do have to see, we do have to become willing to see!

Father, how well You know us! You know that if we are not willing to change for our own sake, we are more likely to be willing to change our children’s sake. But dealing with our baggage is so difficult many of us are still in denial about it. It’s difficult Lord, because if we come out of denial, then we will actually have to deal with what needs to be dealt with. It's hard Lord and it is painful! We need your help, I need your help. Open our eyes this morning Lord, continue to open mine. Thank You Lord that this is a prayer You delight to answer in Jesus Name Amen

I visit the sins of the fathers upon the children ….. (Exodus 20:5 part 3)

As both a father and a son, I have become increasingly aware over the years, of the baggage that was passed down to me, and the baggage I passed down to my own children. I didn’t want to pass it on, I didn’t mean to, but it happened! Coming to terms with the negative stuff I received, and the negative stuff I passed on, is part of coming out of denial, but it is also part of what motivates me to bring everything I am and have to the Lord to be forgiven and cleansed, and for Him to redeem what needs to be redeemed. I want to talk more about the redemption part in the days to come, but this morning it’s about our need to come to terms both with what we have received and what we therefore are likely to pass on, or have already passed on, and what the Lord therefore wants to redeem.

I once made the mistake of telling a domineering woman that she was manipulative. There was the devil to pay. Interestingly enough, one of the things that she said was “I won’t put up with that at home, and I won’t put up with it with you!” I don’t think she intended to admit that she had been accused of being manipulative at home. I have no doubt she was, but her angry response both with me and at home, was likely enforcing one of the unspoken but strongly held family rules “You don’t criticize mother (or father)!” This kind of family rule is quite common and strongly reenforced, as this lady did, without words. But you are not allowed to know it's a rule, and you’re not allowed to know that you are not allowed to know! It’s crazy making!

This is perhaps a little overly simplistic, but in this type of scenario you are likely to either not see through it at all, or you see it all too well and break out of it into judgement and/or blame, blame, blame. How many of us have sworn “I will never be like my dad (mum),” only to find out years later that in the things we so despise we are exactly like them? So to use extreme examples, abused children tend to be come abusers, and children of alcoholics become alcoholics. It is not an unbreakable rule of life. Thank God it’s not! It is however the default, and can occur in and all sorts of variations. For example, children of parents who are too strict, can become too permissive, and then their children and become too strict etc., etc. The good news is that God has provided a way, with our cooperation, to interrupt and redeem these cycles. Stay tuned!

Father, thank You for making it clear that it is Your intention to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers (Malachi 4:6). And the closer I get to You Lord, the more my heart seems to yearn for the reconciliation of relationships in my life that are in need of reconciliation. It’s no wonder really, because it Your heart. It hurts Lord, but then I know that it hurts You too, and it leads me to pray, and that draws me closer to You the God of all comfort. Thank You again this morning Lord for Your extravagant healing love in Jesus Name Amen

I am a jealous God ….. (Exodus 20:5 part 2)

In case you are thinking that God being jealous is a purely Old Testament concept, I want to quote James 4:4 and 5. After warning friendship with the world is enmity with God, he says “Do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?” The picture both here and in the Exodus passage, is of God as the spouse to His people. God’ s jealousy is, as He is pure, and reflects His life giving love and passion for each one of us in relationship. In fact life, both eternal and in all its fulness, is found relationship with Him (John 17:3).

Concerning His love, He loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 30:3), and He dances over us with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). His steadfast love and faithfulness even in the face of multiple backslidings and betrayal, is pictured in the book of Hosea. Hosea is told to marry a prostitute, who is unfaithful multiple times. Yet Hosea welcomes her back and pays the price for her deliverance. It is a picture of our redemption, and the price and the pain involved in securing it. Such love, such passion deserves an unconditional and undivided response. In fact the only a reasonable response to such extravagant healing love, is as Paul tells us, to present ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1 NKJV).

I said above, that God’s jealousy is pure. It is not capricious like human jealousy (given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behaviour). And His strong emotions and desires have our very best interests at heart. He is not some Scrooge on the sky looking down in yelling “Cut that out,” whenever He sees someone having fun. And when He says “No,” it is for our provision and protection. He wants relationship, and like all healthy relationships, there needs to be boundaries. In fact any commandment He gives is to keep us safe, and to help us to move towards a life of satisfaction and fulfillment. He is jealous for our safety, for our protection and for us to secure all that He has for us. It is a Godly jealousy, and I for one welcome it!

Father, it was your passion, Your love for us that caused You to send Your one and only Son Jesus, so that anyone who puts their trust in You should not perish but have everlasting life! This expression of Your jealousy is pure and humbling, and I want to thank You for it this morning in Jesus Name Amen

I am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children (Part 1)

I think that it was in my mid-50s, that I first began to correctly understand this verse from Exodus 20:5. The context is the expanded version of first of the 10 Commandments “You shall have no other gods before Me” (verse 3). Other translations have “I punish the children for the father’s sins” (i.e. NIV). The Hebrew is ambiguous, and both translations are logically possible. However this alternative translation would contradict Ezekiel 18:20 which says “The child will not be punished for the parent's sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child's sins” (NLT). So then "visiting" is to be preferred to "punish." But what does this “visiting,” mean?

Let me start by saying that mum and dad likely represent our first view of God. I konw that for the longest time while I knew that God loved me, He was nevertheless distant, and didn’t seem to have time for me. But this was exactly the way I felt about my father. I remember one man remarking that it took him 40 years to wipe the face of his father off the face of God. And part of what this morning’s verse is saying, is that if we hold on to these inadequate views of Him, it is nothing less than idolatry. God is jealous, zealous for us to have the correct view of who He is (see next day)!

In the prison ministry in which I am involved, I hear stories over and over of abusive fathers. And if your abusive father represents your view of God, then no wonder you reject Him. But such views are false views, and need to be corrected. Jesus told us that if we want to know what the Father is like, all we have to do is to look at Him (John 14:7-9). And we see that He is merciful, gracious and full of compassion in the story of the woman taken in adultery (John 8:1-11). He does not condemn her, but tells her “Go and sin no more.” He wants to deal the very same with us. In fact "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). It is a verse I have need over and over, especially when I have failed him!

Father, forgive us, forgive me, for believing warped and twisted false view of who You are. Thank You that I now know that You are not distant, not at all. But it is my sin, even sin that I’m not aware of, that at times keeps me from a deeper relationship with You. Thank You that as I continue to walk in the light, and as You expose what hinders, then the blood of Your Son Jesus Christ keeps on cleansing me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:7). And I am then able to draw near to You. And when I do, then You draw near to me (James 4:8). And I give You all the honour and glory and praise again this morning, in Jesus Name Amen

Jesus, who for the joy … endured the cross, despising the shame

Shame comes in all shapes and sizes. There is the shame associated with guilt. Adam and Eve felt shame for what they had done. There are the “shame trips” that that get laid on us “You should be ashamed of yourself!” Then there is the shame associated with abuse. Jesus knows all about that type of shame. He was brutally beaten, stripped naked in public (not with some delicate loincloth hiding his private parts as in most depictions of the crucifixion), and subjected to the most brutal death then known to man. Yes Jesus knows about the shame of abuse!

This distinction is a little simplistic, nevertheless it’s a useful distinction. Guilt asks “What did I do that was wrong?” On the other hand shame asks “What’s wrong with me?” It is important to know that Jesus despised the shame (Hebrews (12:2) as He bore both our guilt and shame on the cross. Shame seeks to rob us of our identity and our value. In despising the shame, Jesus is essentially saying “Shame I will have no part of you, I will not let you rob me of my value, I will not let you rob me of my identity, I am the beloved Son of the Father, and He is well pleased with me” (Mark 1:11).

If you belong to Christ, then you are His brother (or sister). And God knows no favourites. So then when you identify with Christ in His death and resurrection (Romans 6:5), then you too are a precious son (or daughter) of the living God (1 John 3:1). If you belong to Him, you have been purchased with His blood (acts 20:28). The value of something purchased is the price paid for it. And Jesus purchased you with His precious blood. And if you were the only one who had responded, He would still have come and suffered and bled and died for you. And this makes you and I of infinite value. He bore our shame on the cross, and He did it so that we need not be ashamed anymore (Isaiah 54:4).

Father, it took me quite a while to come to the place where what You think of me, is more important than what others think of me. It is a process, and it is my prayer this morning Lord, that those reading this blog will either enter into this process, or be taken deeper into it by Your extravagant healing love. I want to thank You in advance for Your positive answer to this prayer, and I give You all the honour and glory and praise in Jesus Name Amen

The prison of shame fear and control

If anyone ever found out … i would die! Shame, debilitating shame, it crushes and overpowers our spirit, it robs us of our Joy and controls us. It keeps us trapped and isolated. They must not find out, and so I need to be guarded lest I let it slip. Better to keep others at a distance. But shame grows in the dark, it increases in the dark, and so does the pain, so does the isolation, and so does the fear and the control. It is a prison. But thank God that Jesus came to set the prisoners free (Luke 4:18)!

There is a recovery saying that is so appropriate here “You are only as sick as your secrets.” The Christ centred twelve step ministry that I am part of uses James 5:16 here. It says “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” Actually the very fact of keeping your shame hidden is a trespass and a sin. It is a sin against yourself because it keeps you trapped, and you were made to be free in the Lord! It is a sin against others, because you cannot hide in this way without negatively affecting your relationships! But I do realize that the thought of coming out of hiding can be scary, very scary. We do need to find somebody who is safe, someone who will not judge us and will keep our secret in the strictest confidence!

The way our recovery ministry handles this, because our goal is freedom, is to suggest that we find just one safe person to confess to. Some would ask “Why do I need to confess to another person, God has forgiven me?” Well yes we confess to God to be forgiven (1 John 1:9), but we confess to one another to be healed (James 5:16). So the question is “Do you want to be made whole” (John 5:6)? Part of what all this means, is that in the end, the prison of shame is one of our own making!

Father, every Christian aught to be safe, but this is not the case! I mean I am in no position to judge anyone, but not everyone seems to have this knowledge (Romans 2:1). I want to thank You again this morning for the freedom I found in confessing to the safe person You gave me. And I found out again the truth that there is no temptation that is not common to man (1 Corinthians 10:13). In particular, he told me had the same fault! And what freedom that brought. It is true that if the Son sets you free you are free indeed (John 8:32). And I thank and praise You again this morning in His precious Name Amen

We will not likely change, until the pain of being stuck is greater than the pain and fear of change

There is a certain comfort in being stuck, the kudos the spouse of the alcoholic gets for putting up with the dysfunction, the familiarity of giving into the addiction, the relative safety of the same old, same old! I mean what’s the alternative? Change can be scary, wasn’t it curiosity that killed the cat? Better to stay stuck, a life of quiet desperation though unenviable, is manageable, at least so far! Better the devil I know!

But it’s not the promised abundant life, it’s not life in all its fullness (John 10:10b), it’s not joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8)! It’s hard when you have not even began to experience these things, or when the last time you did, was in the distant past. But we think “If I start over, there are so many things that can go wrong.” The fear can paralyze us, it can! But living in fear is not living the life of faith. Living in fear is having more faith that the devil can work, than that God can!

So then there is the fear of change, but also (and not unrelated), is the pain. I might have to deal with those issues I have been putting off year after year. And I have been putting them off, because dealing with them is painful, I might have to relive the trauma. But again, a life of true faith imitates our forerunner, the One who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross despising the shame (Hebrews 12:2). And we don’t have to do it alone, He has promised that He will never leave us, and He is the God of all comfort and grace and peace and hope and love and joy.

Father, we need Your help to push through the pain and fear, I do! Help me again this morning Lord to continue to contend for Your promises. Thank You that You will never leave me nor forsake me. Thank You for Your promise that You will always provide the means whereby I may be able to endure what needs to be endured (1 Corinthians 10:13). Thank You for the joy of ongoing fellowship with You and Your faithful saints as I choose to give You my all, in Jesus Name Amen

Sin? Don’t lay that guilt trip on me!

I need to start, by admitting that the church at times, rather than it being the intended hospital for the sin sick, has laid guilt trips on us. And the fact of the matter is, that many of us suffer from debilitating guilt, guilt that trips us up. And because of the abuse of the church (and it is abuse, it is spiritual abuse), society had tended to throw the baby out with the bath water. Part of what I am saying here, is that there is true and false guilt. King David, after he had committed adultery and murder and was confronted with it, was suffering from true guilt. He was feeling so bad it was as if his very bones were broken (Psalm 51:8). In this same Psalm he says to God “Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight (verse 4). So is there a cure for true guilt, and if there is, what is it?

When I googled ”Cure for guilt, psychology,” I came across an article in Psychology Today entitled “8 Empowering Ways to Stop Feeling Guilty.” The article talked a lot about making amends, which is a good thing, the rest seemed to be about minimizing guilt. That’s okay if it’s false guilt, but what if it is true guilt, the gult of realizing what we did was truly evil? The Bible tells us of course that the cure for real guilt is to be forgiven. And being forgiven starts with admitting that we have done something wrong. In fact “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Note that He is faithful and just (because of hat Christ did on the Cross) not only to forgive us, He is faithful and just to cleanse us from the pollution of our sin!

The Bible tells us “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). And in fact the verse contains a definition of sin, it has to do with falling short of the glory of God, of falling short of His perfection. And we see His perfection most closely mirrored in the life of Jesus. I am not like Him! As they drove cruel spikes through His hands and His feet, He prayed “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). No, I am not like Him, but I want to be!

Father, thank You for Your promise that if I steadfastly keep my eyes on Jesus, then you will transform me into His image from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18). Thank You that at the end when I see You, You will complete the transformation in the blinking of an eye, and I will be like You (1 John 3:2). Hallelujah Amen

It is not right to take the children’s meat and give it to the puppies

Jesus had gone to the region of Tyre and Sidon likely to rest, and a local women had come asking Him to cast a demon out of her daughter. The title of this post from Matthew 15:26 is Jesus answer to her. Her response was “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” The woman’s faith had touched Jesus’s heart come and He agreed to her request.

I am seeing this story as validating the teachings of Cloud and Townsend on boundaries (Google it!). The teaching has a lot to do with helping us to know when to say yes, and when to say no. In the exchange we are discussing, Jesus had clearly stated that His ministry was to the Jew. It’s tempting to think that we can minister to everybody. With this incident, Jesus is telling us no! And if we try, we will likely burn out and not have sufficient energy etc. to fulfil the calling to which we are called. It is of course important to know our calling, our destiny. It’s not a short conversation, but one clue is to be found in the joy we find in doing certain things. In particular it is my observation that people come alive when doing certain things.

We are not told specifically that Jesus had gone to Tyre and Sidon to rest. But it’s not too much of a leap to believe so. We do need rest, and the saying “Man was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for man” (Mark 2:27) comes to mind. It’s an important point in our hectic world, and we do need to take time out to rest! But I think the incident also shows that Jesus was not legalistic about this, that his boundaries were not rigid, but that he left room for the Holy Spirit to move. Don’t you just love the balance in this man?

Lord Jesus, most of us need help in these two areas, knowing knowing our calling, and knowing our boundaries. Thank You for your amazing example Lord, You are so real, so authentic and so worthy of imitating. Thank You that You have promised to show us the way moment by moment, day by day as we choose to follow You. Thank You that You have promised to continue Your work in us. And l give You all the honour all the glory and all the praise again this morning, in Your precious Name Amen

Where shall we go, You have the words of eternal life?

Jesus had just told the crowds something they could not possibly have understood. We understand it now, this side of the cross, but they had no chance of understanding it then, and they found it offensive. “This is a hard saying” they said and left (John 6:60,66). It seems to me that at some level it was intended to be offensive, designed to expose the religious spirit. He does that you know, as it separates the sheep from the goats, Those who are truly seeking God, and those who were not!

The verse at the head of this post was Peter’s reply to what happened next, Jesus asking the disciples if they too would go away (John 6:67). Reading between the lines Peter was saying “Lord we don’t have a clue what You’re saying here, but what we do know is that when You speak, the words You speak bring life, and we have learned to trust You even when we don’t understand.

It’s much the same today, both inside and outside the church. We all have our gods, our idols be it science, or intellect, or our little group. We tend to think that have it right and everyone else has it wrong, and then Jesus comes along and messes the whole thing up. How dare He? I have come to realize, we don’t really understand the Scriptures until at some level we have sympathy with those who got offended with Jesus. I mean, in this case, what was this man talking about? It seems to me that if I am not careful, the religious spirit can live in me, and more than likely in you too. When we don’t understand, or we don’t like it, it’s far too easy to be offended.

Father, some of the things You do are decidedly odd, and what You require, if it were anyone else, would be unreasonable. Do we really need to take up our cross every day and follow You? But Your ways are the ways of life, and too often my way is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12). If You are not Lord of all, then You are not Lord at all. So I choose You again this morning Lord, and in doing so I choose life. In Jesus Name Amen

If we walk in the light, as he is in the light…

The context of this partial quote from 1 John 1:7 is of John giving us a message from the eternal (from the one who was from the beginning), historical (seen and heard) and tangible (our hands have handled) Christ (the Logos of life - all in v1). And the purpose of the message, is that we might have the fellowship of the saints (with us v3), and with the Father (verse 3). And the message is, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all (v5). Verse 7, started above, continues with “then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son keeps on cleansing us from all sin.”

It’s a bit of a puzzle in a way, I mean if we are walking in the light, then why would we need the continual cleansing from sin? We get a clue in the phrase “in him there is no darkness at all.” What is being implied here, is that there is darkness in us all of us. A lot more than we realize! And the fact of the matter is that there is "nothing hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light" (Luke 8:17). So from my point of view, it is better that we get it out in the open now, so that it can be confessed and forgiven(v9).

There is a similar thought about the hiddenness of or darkness in Paul’s phrase “My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent” (1 Corinthians 4:4 NIV). My own experience has been that as I keep on seeking to walk in the light, the Lord in His gentle and loving way, exposes things I was in denial were there. It can be discouraging, because once I have a certain amount of victory over something He put his finger on, inevitably He shows me something else to deal with. And that is why we so desperately need verse 9 of this chapter. It tells us that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, not only this, but He is also faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Hallelujah!

Father, there is a sense in which the closer I get to You, the less holy I feel. In particular I seem to have such little love. I know that part of this, is that when I get closer to You I see my love in comparison with Your amazing, reckless and outstanding love. However, I felt You telling me this morning, that I cannot get closer to You, without being transformed by You in a positive way. And I choose to allow this to encourage me this morning, and to trust that I am indeed being transformed from one degree of glory to another. And I give You honour, glory and praise in Jesus Name Amen

Contending for the faith (Part 3): Promises and prophecies

God had promised Abram a son (Genesis 12:7), but it had been over 10 years. So Abram and Sarai decided to try and make it happen with plan B (Genesis 16). The results were disastrous! In fact, the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael, Abram’s two sons are still fighting today. God still makes promises, in fact there are many exceedingly great and precious promises in the Word (2 Peter 1:4). And whether they be in the Word or individual promises, we like Abram can mess things up either by trying to make then happen, or by simply giving up.

There is a tendency to think that if God has made a promise or prophecy, then is going to happen independently of what we do, or do not do. But as with Abraham, our actions or lack thereof, can mess up things up. We will not thwart God’s ultimate purposes, but we can lose out on God’s first choice and best for us (but see Jeremiah 18:1ff). So I have come to regard prophecies and promises, as what God will do, when we fully cooperate with Him. In particular we need contend for them. So for example if we feel that God is calling us to be a pastor, then we should start to do the necessary preparation for such an office.

For Abram and Sarai, the main job in contending for the faith, was to continue to believe through the fire and testing of a long delay. I can identify! I have been waiting a long time for a promised reconciliation. sometime ago I was complaining to friend about how long it was taking. She told me “The trouble with God, is that He has no sense of time!” I have been tempted with plan B a number of times, but God has always done something to help me to wait. One time, it was hearing Patricia King say “I would rather get to heaven and ask God why His promise had not happened, than to get there and for Him to ask me why I had given up.” Never give up, never (Galatians 6:9)!

Father, waiting is certainly a fire, a refining fire. I mean did I hear correctly, or was it simply wishful thinking? Sometimes is it a battle to continue to believe! Thank You that when I came to You with these questions, You gave me confirmation after confirmation. Thank You for prompting me to write down all the different verses You have used to do this, and thank You for sending me back to some of them again this morning to remind me to continue to press in. Thank You that You are not a man You should lie, and that I can trust that You will do what You say You will do. Thank You for Your grace as I continue to wait in home in Jesus Name Amen

Contending for the faith (Part 2)

If God is sovereign (and He is), then why are we instructed to pray “Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10)? Part of this is encapsulated in the saying “Without God man cannot, without man God will not!” So for example “Without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). On the other hand, Philippians 2:12, 13 makes it very clear that we have a strong part to play before God will change our desires and give us the wherewithal to do what He calls us to do. The above saying is not completely true however, since God can certainly do what he likes! But as the prayer makes clear, God is inviting, even commanding, our partnership with Him in contending for the Kingdom.

And God has been drawing my attention to the need to pray this prayer. I am thinking about the epidemic of drug use and pornography both inside and outside the church. I am thinking about the inroads ungodly philosophies are making into our culture. I am thinking about the need for the Lord to bring our land back to its Judeo-Christian roots. I am thinking about the need for us, the people of God, to do our part in the premise of the promise that God will heal our land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

First and foremost we in the Church need to wake up, we need to humble ourselves and pray. Ancient Israel is our example, as over and over when they got into deep trouble, they cried out to the Lord, He heard them in their distress (Psalm 107:6, 13, 19 etc.). We need to humble ourselves, climb down from the high horse of thinking that we, and we only, have it right! We need to turn from our wicked ways as so much of the world has infiltrated the church, we need rend our hearts (Joel 2:13), we need to repent of our lac of love for those who are different. We need to call a solemn assembly and weep and travail before the Lord (Joel 2:15). We need to answer a resounding "Yes as for me and my house," to His question of will He find faith on the earth when He comes (Luke 18:8).

Father, I want to thank You for stirring my heart this morning, I am however, feeling very small as I hear what You are saying to me and to those reading these posts. And once again I have much sympathy for those who fear that if they commit to You, they will not be able to live up to that commitment. Lord this morning, and every morning, I come to You and I say here I am, use me. But Lord I desperately need Your help to do my part faithfully and consistently. Thank You for Your mercy and grace when (not if) I fail. Thank You for Your love, and the assurance that I am accepted in the beloved in spite of my weaknesses (Ephesians 1:6). Father, let Your Kingdom come, and Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven in Jesus Name Amen

Contending for the faith (Jude 3, Part 1)

There are many battles in the Christian life, and these battles will not be won, if we are passive in our resistance. There are three things that I am contending for that I want to talk about this morning. The first is the battle to refuse to be discouraged. I have often described the prison ministry as exciting and frustrating. It’s exciting because I love the opportunity to share the Words of life. It’s frustrating, because while over and over I see them in responding positively, far too often when they get out, they go back to their “friends.” And before you know it they are back inside. But as I come to Him morning by morning, He encourages me not to be weary in well doing, because He promises that I will reap in due time, if I do not faint (Galatians 6:9).

The second battle I am facing in these days, is the battle of offence. At this point in time, it’s not so much that I am offended by what is happening to me, but rather I am being tempted to take up the offensive of what is happening to others I love. But if I take up their offence, then I am of no use to them, or myself, or anyone else! And I am learning to turn the grief I feel at these things, into prayer.

The third battle, has to do with contending for joy. In the midst of trials, temptations and difficulties, it’s far too easy to lose my joy. And one of the things that I need to be reminded of over and over, is to count it all joy in the midst of multifaceted trials and temptations (James 1:2), and to rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4). I can’t do this without Him, and I can’t do this unless I come to Him morning by morning to receive anew His encouragement, to turn over any potential offence to Him, and to embrace His joy in the midst of it all.

I want to thank You again this morning Lord, for Your partnership in the gospel. The trials, problems and difficulties are huge, but You my God are greater, You are stronger, and You will prevail. So all I need to do this morning is to stay close to You, and to believe that You will do it. Thank you Lord for the fresh bread that I received from You morning by morning. Thank You, thank You, thank You, in Jesus Name Amen

The thief comes to kill steel and to destroy

Being a man, I have less skill at understanding my feelings than do most of the female of the species. But when I’m confused, I can ask the Lord who is ready willing and able to explain. And in asking myself and Him this morning what it is about others not dealing with the issues that causes me to feel the way I feel (see last day), I am sensing that at least part of this is grief. In particular, I grieve for those who are stuck in their pain, when if they were willing they could, with His help, push through to Joy (Hebrews 12:2). And I grieve over the pain of the dysfunction that surrounds the lives of those who do not deal with their issues.

The pain and the dysfunction are huge, and it is all part of what this morning’s quote (John 10:10a) is talking about. There are so many different ways that the thief, the Evil one, robs us of the abundant life (John 10:10b). And not dealing with our issues is one of them. But I have also been there deep enough, and long enough to know that sometimes the pain is so great, that even though we know that medicating it will in the long run prolong the pain, nevertheless the desire for the momentary relief can be just too enticing! Addictions of course are not the only issues we are talking about here. I am thinking of victim hood, co-dependency etc.

Redemption is a free gift, sanctification, getting free will cost you everything you are and have. But what is the alternative? At the very least, the alternative prolongs the pain. It’s a little bit like refusing to go to the dentist because you have a toothache! Sure it could be painful, very painful, but the pain of the cure does not last forever, and the relief is well worth it. It’s the same when it comes to dealing or not dealing with the issues. And I am learning, when I am in emotional or spiritual pain, that I need to turn to the Lord for help. Sometimes that help is simply His comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3), but sometimes He is allowing the pain in order to bring my attention to something that He wants me to deal with.

Father, You are a good, good Father. And you always, always have our best interests at heart. And I am learning to trust that when You put your finger on something You want me to deal with, that You want to turn it to my good (Romans 8:28). And this is true this morning Lord even of the grief I am feeling at this time. And part of it is that you are making me more like Jesus. Another part is that it is drawing me closer to You the God of all comfort. So I thank and worship You this morning Lord, and once again I give You all the honour, all the glory and all the praise in Jesus Name Amen

What is your pet peeve?

In a recent round of introductions we were asked, as an icebreaker, to say what was our pet peeve. When it came to me, I explained my pet peeve was that people do not seem to be willing to deal with their issues. I am talking about the baggage that life has handed us, and to which we ourselves have contributed. I realize this could sound self righteous, but there’s no self-righteousness in me here, at least I hope not! The fact of the matter is that for the first twenty plus years of my Christian life, I didn’t even know that I hand baggage, let alone that I needed to deal with it. But then the Lord opened my eyes to the way that issues I did not even know I had, were negatively affecting my then present and future.

So then the reason this is my pet peeve is because I’m starting to see others through God’s eyes, starting to see the enormous potential that is not realized because of life issues not dealt with. And part of my problem, and it is my problem, is my impatience. And it’s really quite silly, because the picture that I believe the Lord is giving me of this, is of an impatient farmer. He goes out and he sows the seed, and then becomes exasperated because the crop is not ready the very next day. And I realize again, that I am the only one I can change, and once again I resign my self appointed role as keeper of the universe!

But I am also learning again this morning in the process of writing this blog, that I need to be patient not only with others, but also with myself. In particular, the fact that I am describing this as my pet peeve, is also showing me, if I have eyes to see, that the Lord is wanting me to deal with my issue of impatience. And I see once again that it is so much easier to see the faults of others (in this case others not dealing with issues) than it is to see it in myself. And once again I’m humbled by way that at the right time, He gently shows me the next step I need to take in my growth, in sanctification.

Father, I want to thank You this morning for Your patience with me, and thank You that with the growth You are provoking in me, comes healing. Indeed there is such healing in Your wings! Thank You Father for Your ongoing assurance, that You who began a good work in me, will keep right on helping me to grow until the day that we meet face-to-face. And on that day, in the twinkling of an eye, You will complete the transformation, and I will be like You Hallelujah! In Jesus Name Amen

I complained to your boss

It took me a moment or two to catch on, but then he added “About the weather.” It must be the worst June so far since, I don’t know, Adam? I mean it was snowing the other day! The boss he was talking about is of course, the Lord. But here is a man who makes no profession of believing, but he knows that I’m a Christian. He was joking of course, complaining about the weather is an occupation in Newfoundland!

As I’m sure you know, there is much hostility in our culture towards Christians and the gospel. And there is much pressure not to talk about your faith. Given what I know and believe, there are times there that really bothers me. But sometimes the best way to preach the gospel, is to live the gospel. I’m not saying I do this perfectly, but my colleagues do know whose I am. And once they know then I need to live what I believe. That's probably why I never did put Christian bumper stickers on my car!

And when they are in trouble, they know who to come to. I remember a colleague coming after he had been diagnosed with cancer. And one thing I have found, is that even if people don’t believe, they are often very open to being prayed for, even there and then. And I have found too, that the Lord often touches them when I pray this way! So this relates to what I was blogging last day about comfort, since it is His intention that we pass on the comfort we receive to others (2 Corinthians 1:4). So this too is a way to preach the gospel!

Father, it’s very clear to me that people are watching, and that can be scary too, since I’m far from perfect. But what I think is more important than being perfect, is that I’m growing, that I’m willing to admit it when I’m wrong, and to apologize when I need to. And there are certainly times Lord that I need to speak. Please give me boldness at such times and help me not to miss the opportunities that You open up. And please open up many more of them In Jesus Name Amen

A sower went out to sow

Being a fan of Winnie the Pooh, the phrase that comes immediately to mind is “That’s what tiggers do best.” I mean that’s what sowers do, they sow! And in the various word pictures the Scripture gives us of Kingdom increase, we see that the sower and the reaper are not necessarily the same person. Paul tells us for example that he had planted, Apollos had watered, but that it is God who gave the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6).

In these blog posts I am asking the Lord morning by morning, to give me something that is relevant to my life. At this point in time, this blogging is an important part of my quiet time. And As I look back over the last few posts, trying to get an overview of what the Lord is saying to me, the verbs that stand out have to do with perseverance, endurance, overcoming, steadfastness, sticktoitiveness and the like. But I’m not feeling that this is simply a bunch of admonitions, I am also feeling that behind these admonitions He is cheering me on, telling me that I can do it!

These instructions are so relevant and necessary. I suppose we all get discouraged at times, and over these last few days in particular, I have been struggling with discouragement as apparently, in spite of what I have been blogging, I have been looking more at circumstances, more at the lack of, or perhaps the slowness of the fruit, rather than keeping my eyes on Him! And the Holy Spirit brought the verse to mind that I had hidden in my heart “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9).

Father, thank You for Your day by day encouragement. How well you know us, how well You know me! I cannot do this without You Lord. Thank You for Your involvement in my life, thank You that You know what we need even before we ask. Thank You for the relevance of Your Word, and how Your Spirit brings the exact verse that is needed at the exact time that it is needed. And I have needed it this morning Lord. In fact I’ve needed the step-by-step encouragement You have been giving me. And my prayer Lord is that others will receive the same encouragement that You are giving to me, as they read these blogs. And I give You all the honour, all the glory and all the praise in Jesus Name Amen

Never mind Ducky, let’s have a nice cup of tea

There is a picture that comes to mind, taken during the London blitz during the war. The picture is of a lady on her rooftop with a pot of tea in her hand, looking at the bombs falling. There is something so typically British about tea! When a policeman was sent to a home in Britain with bad news, the first thing they would do after having delivered the bad news, would be to put the kettle on for a cup of tea. And part of this, is that there is something comforting about coming back to something normal in the midst of chaos. But the amount and level of comfort that is available to the believer is far, far greater than a cup of tea.

In particular, our God is the God of all comfort 2 Corinthians 1:3, and the need for comfort often draws us to Him. In fact one of the names of the Holy Spirit is the Paraclete, the one called alongside to comfort and strengthen us. But it’s not just the comfort of God that is available to the Christian. Paul, in Philippians 2:1, taking it for granted that there is encouragement in Christ, and comfort in the love of the saints, uses these facts to spur us on to be Christ like. And I am appreciating this morning, the comfort I am receiving from both sources in these days.

But I would be less than honest if I did not admit that the communion of the saints is not always all that it is cracked up to be. In particular, part of why I was needing comfort in the first place, is that I am feeling the pain of a brother in Christ who has been treated quite shabbily by the church. And part of why that is so difficult for me, it is because of the echoes of how I myself I’ve been treated by those who should know better. However, when I think about this, I am reminded that one of the purposes of the church is to be a hospital for the sin sick. And it is to the church’s credit that it accepts people who are less than, shall we say, perfect. Getting healed is a process, and of course the Pharisee is alive and well and living on planet Earth!

Father, I want to thank You this morning for Your comfort, and for the comfort I receive in partnership with Your saints. But I want to pray this morning Lord, for those who are finding it difficult, for whatever reason, to find comfort in any of these places. We need your grace Lord, I need Your grace. And I need to more clearly to find the path between being unconcerned, and being bogged down by the problems and pain of others. Thank You Lord that in You all things are possible. Thank You Lord Jesus that You came to heal the brokenhearted in Your precious Name I pray Amen

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us and to us

If you are like me, there are times when the pain of others, my own pain and the dysfunction of the world including those I love, threatened to overwhelm me. This is part of the weight we were talking about recently (see archives). The Lord put this verse from Romans 8:18 on my heart this morning, and I felt Him asking me if I believed what I had been blogging recently. And the answer is yes, but that does not mean that I don’t wrestle with things, nor that it’s easy! But His question prompted me once again, to turn my eyes on Jesus, and to seek to see things from His perspective and from the perspective of eternity.

In the context of this morning’s verse, Paul had been reminding us that a mind set on the things of the Spirit, is life and health and peace (verse 6). The words of an ancient hymn come to mine “Though the wrong seems oft so strong, He is the ruler yet!” And it came to me again, that it’s not over yet, and that in the end we win. This is what the book of Revelation is all about! Our job is to keep hope in the midst of the chaos and the devastation, and with Paul to put our suffering in the here and now in the correct perspective.

And the correct perspective concerns the glory that is to be revealed in us, and to us. His glory is in fact revealed in us, as we stand, refuse to lose hope and trust and believe in the face of what to the world are impossible circumstances. And His incomparable glory will be revealed to us on that day. Everyone who has this hope based on Christ and His work keeps himself pure (1 John 3:3). And part of keeping ourselves pure, is to refuse to be offended, and to trust that in the end He will right every wrong, and that He, the God of all comfort, will wipe away every tear from our eyes!

Father, thank You for Your Word, thank You for Your promises, thank You that as I turn my eyes and my thoughts to You and Your kingdom, the peace returns. Thank You that You are the God of all comfort, and I ask You this morning Lord to comfort all who are struggling and wrestling with the weight that so easily besets us. Help us Lord to run with patience and endurance the race that You have set before us, so that Your glory may revealed in us and to us in Jesus Name Amen

Lay aside weight and sin… (Part 4) looking unto Jesus who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame (Hebrews 12:2)

Joy and suffering are inextricably linked within the pages of the New Testament. And part of what the verse here means, is that Jesus in order to push through, was not looking at the pain and difficulty of what He needed to face. Rather, He was looking ahead towards what His endurance would accomplish, namely the salvation of the world! With this perspective, He could in comparison totally dismiss the shame He was called to endure, as something to be despised, something to be totally dismissed!

There is so much in these verses, but what I want to look at this morning, is the principle that many times we need to endure short-term pain, in order to accomplish long term gain! In a world that screams out “I want what I want, and I want it now,” this is not a popular principal. But it is the road to maturity! Last night, I was at the graduation party of a friend celebrating having gained her PhD. It was a lot of hard work, it took a long time, and she had had to press through. There were times she wanted to give up. Likewise the road to maturity is sometimes difficult, but we will not reach maturity if we are not willing to press through the relatively short term pain in order to accomplish our goals.

This same principle is applicable to recovery. We will not gain the fullness of life that we are promised (John 10:10b), unless we are willing to deal with the issues. There is a recovery saying, that we will not change, until the pain of being stuck becomes greater than the pain and fear of change. So many of us would rather medicate the pain, rather than deal with what needs to be dealt with. So then many who use drugs do so to dull the pain, rather than to get high. But all this does is prolong the pain! And in order to recover, in order to move towards maturity, we have to follow the example of Jesus who pushed through the pain, setting his eyes on the joy of the end of the matter.

Father, thank You that we do not have a High Priest who cannot be touched with the weaknesses of our human nature, but, was tested and tempted in the very same way that we all are, and yet still did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). Thank You Lord for the Holy Spirit who You called alongside us to help and encourage and inspire us. Nobody is saying that its easy Lord, but with His help we can push through, with You all things are possible. Thank You again this morning Lord for Your life giving help in Jesus Name Amen

Lay aside the weight and the sin… Looking unto Jesus (Part 3)

I am reminded this morning, that we are never intended to live the Christian life alone. We need each other, and we need the Lord. In the previous two posts, we have been looking at the part we play in laying aside the weights and the sin that so easily besets us (Hebrews 12:1). The sentence continues (verse 2) “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…”

The first part of this “looking unto Jesus,” is about keeping our eyes on the one who loved us and gave himself for us. Too often, in the midst of trial or temptation, in the midst of burdens, worry etc., I find that I have lost the heavenly perspective. We are intended to live our lives in the awareness of His promise that He is always with us and will never to leave us, nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). The picture that I have of this, is of an artist painting a portrait of the king. He or she, would be constantly aware that he or she was in the presence of a great man. Clearly there is no one greater than our God, and as we learn over and over, to turn our eyes upon Jesus, the things of earth will indeed grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.

And as part of the process of doing this, when we realize that He is both the author and the finisher of our faith, even of our faith, then we can learn to rest in His presence. He is the one who drew us to Himself in the first place (John 15:16). He is the one who sustains us, He is the one who is able to keep that which we committed unto Him against that day (2 Timothy 1:12), and He is the one who, having begun a good working us, will indeed bring it to completion on that day (Philippians 1:6)!

Lord Jesus, there is a mystery here! My tongue in cheek translation of Philippians 2:12, 13 is “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, because God does it all for you.” I mean You give us both the desire, and the wherewithal to do Your will. It sounds like nonsense to the world, but our primary part in working out our salvation, is to stay close to You, to turn our eyes upon You, and to fully and completely surrender moment by moment day by day. And we cannot do this without You, and so Lord You truly are the author and finisher of our faith. And I thank and praise You again this morning in Your precious Name Amen

Lay aside the weight and the sin (Part 2) ….

A friend of mine tells of when he first went to AA seeing a man get a 30 day chip indicating that he had been sober for 30 days. It seemed impossible to my friend, because he had tried and tried to quit, but had not been able to do so. But seeing the man get this chip he thought “If he can do it, so can I.” We were talking last day about the many witnesses we see, that are intended to motivate us to persevere in our struggles. This morning I want to look a little closer at the phrase “Lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily trips us up” (Hebrews 12:1).

Laying aside sin involves dying to self, saying no to the desires of the sinful nature and coming progressively to the place where “sin no longer rules in our lives” (Romans 6:14). We need to be among those who have overcome the evil one (1 John 2:14). For me like the Prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), I had to come to moment of clarity. In fact I had to come to a number of theses moments, times when I would cry out the the Lord to show me His way of escape in the particular temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). And then afterwards, being diligent taking one day at a time, knowing that if I think I am standing firm I need to take care lest I fall (1 Corinthians 10:12).

But what is the weight being talked about here? It is any hindrance, any obstruction to living the Christina life. It is anything that trips us up. It is the overpowering burden, be it a burden of responsibility or liability, it is the debilitating pain of loss. It is the crushing weight of worry over a loved one etc., etc. It is not that we should not care, but too often we worry and fret and allow ourselves to be swamped by burdens we are not intended to carry. For me, for the longest time I was dragged down by the problems and difficulties of those to whom I was seeking to minister. In doing so, I because useless both to them and to myself. Learning to “lay aside every weight” what ever it is, and laying it at the feet of Jesus is a process, but unless we learn to do this, we will not be effective in the work He is calling to us to.

Father, learning the stories of those in prison, stories of murdered relatives, stories of abuse, be it physical or sexual or verbal, these are stories that weigh heavy on my heart this morning. Thank You Lord that I am learning the part You want me to play in bearing their burdens, but not being swamped by them. I cannot do this without You! Without You, my heart will either grow cold, or I will find myself in the same pit they find themselves in. Thank You Lord that You are ready and willing and able to help in these things. With You all things are possible and I give You all the honour and glory and praise in Jesus Name Amen.