Count it all joy when you fall into various trials.

This admonition from James chapter one can seem out of sight or even ridiculous when you first read it. But it makes sense in a common sense sort of way. I mean we have all heard of the power of positive thinking, and life certainly seems to go better for those with a positive attitude. On the other hand this is very hard for those of us who have been deeply wounded by life. And putting this advice into practice can be more of a journey than something we just do and get on with.

Clearly the inner wounds that some have sustained in life are much much greater than those of others. Those who come from a stable, loving and affirming home are streets ahead of those who do not. Not that the pain is in any way comparable, but lack of nurture can be as just debilitating as abuse. But in either case there is much that others have done or not done, that helps us explain to ourselves where we are at, and why this admonition from James can seem so out of reach.

When we were children we had no defence for what came down on us, but when we are adults we do not need to let the past be our future. As adults we need to understand that our response to the wrong done to us, can be just as big a factor in keeping us stuck as the wrong done itself. So long as we do nothing but blame others for the state of our emotional health we will not heal. What I am saying, and I do not claim this is easy, is that we need to take responsibility for our responses to the wrong done. If we let Him, and if we fully cooperate with Him, God will help us to come out from under it all. There is much truth in the saying without God man cannot, without man God will not. It is only under full radical surrender that we can prove the good and perfect and acceptable will of God (Romans 12:1,2). In the words of AA “half measures profited us nothing.” Even then it is a process, not an instant over night fix. We may have to suffer more until we are ready to take the radical step. “Are we there yet mummy?”

Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

We live in an age where integrity, faithfulness and doing right have essentially gone down the drain. If it feels good do it, is more the prevailing philosophy of life. The problem is that my doing what feels good too often impacts others negatively. For example, the ease with which we trash relationships because it is “not working for me,” pays little attention to the devastation of the children from such relationships. We excuse it of course, saying that it is better for them not to be in a situation where there is tension and fighting. It never seems to occur to us that we need to deal with the fighting and the selfishness that lies behind our “feel good” culture.

When we have suffered enough, and caused others enough pain, we may be open to the incredible mixture of love, faithfulness and righteousness that is offered to us in the Gospel. Love, faithfulness and righteousness meet supremely in the cross, where for those who will receive it, the penalty for our sin and selfishness is paid in full. Here, by taking the penalty upon Himself, God can be both just (righteous) and loving at the same time. Seeing this in the future, the Psalmist rightly declares that love, faithfulness, righteousness and peace kiss in God's incredible act of unselfishness. It should break our hearts, so we turn to Him in repentance and so receive this indescribable gift.

Big boys don't cry! Really?

The stereotype image of the male is that of the macho man. He can handle anything that comes his way, especially if you are English “stiff upper lip and all that!” The expression is defined by saying that the one who has a stiff upper lip displays fortitude in the face of adversity, or exercises great self-restraint in the expression of emotion. The image is that of the upper lip that starts to tremble as the person seeks to hold back the tears. We can put it this way, the macho man can handle anything but emotion!

So are tears a sign of weakness or of strength? The stuffing of emotions is in fact destructive. Owning our emotions and dealing with them is wholesome and life giving. So how do we deal with them? King David knew how, he “poured out his complaint unto the Lord,” the apostle Paul's prayers were accompanied by “may tears.” If as we read in Ecclesiastes, it is true that with increased knowledge comes increased grief, then it is only appropriate that we weep, as Jesus did, over the state of the World and over those we love who are perishing. It takes courage to allow ourselves to feel our feelings, and if we do allow ourselves to feel our feelings, there will be times when we laugh and times when we cry. There will be times we do not know which to do.

For me there is comfort in the fact that God sees our tears and our joy. He keep our tears “in a bottle.” He is not unmoved by our pain. So do big boys cry? Well I do, and I am not ashamed of my tears, they cleans and they heal. And actually there is not one of us who is not in need of healing! Jesus told us that He came to heal the broken hearted, and the way He seems to do that is to open up the wounds so that He may cauterize them. If this seems to be further wounding, we need to fall back on the saying “faithful are the wounds of a friend.” And there is no greater friend than Jesus!

Waiting is a refining fire

It seems that nobody likes to wait. You know the definition of a split second as the time interval between which the light turns green and the fellow behind starts to honk? We live in an instant, fast paced society, and we hate to wait for anything. If you are like me you want what you want and you want it now!” But I have had to learn to wait.

My life verses start off with “I waited patiently for the Lord ...,” and I always knew these were His instructions. They finish with a promise that I believe, but has not yet been fulfilled. As a little old lady friend of mine (now with Jesus) used to say “The trouble with God, is that He has no sense of time!” Amen!

A few years ago now He asked me if I had waited patiently. I could only say that I waited (and grimaced :) ). I could not add “patiently!” But this period of waiting though very difficult at times, has been good for me because it has been a refining fire. If we submit to it (letting patience have its perfect work) it produces all kinds of fruit (love, joy, peace, patience – especially patience – goodness etc.). I am not yet what I should be, but thank God His refining fire that operates in the period between the promise and the fulfillment, is making me a lot more like Him. Progress, but still a long way to go!

What about the heathen?

It's a politically incorrect way of asking, but a friend of mine asked it this morning citing his grandfather. So I suppose we can forgive him. :). My answer, was that we are not told clearly about those who are distanced from the good news either by geography, or time.

There are indications. For example we are told Abraham, separated by time from Christ, believed and it was counted to him for righteousness. Or again “Where there is no law, there is no transgression for sin.” But there is no getting away from the exclusivity of Christianity. If he or she who chooses not to believe is condemned already because he or she has chosen not to receive the forgiveness offered, then the question about the heathen is mute. When asked a similar question, Jesus answered this way “What is that to you? You must follow me.”

For me the biggest difference (though not the only one) is this question of forgiveness. If, when I am offered the free gift of forgiveness I refuse it, then I remain unforgiven. All choices (even the choice not to choose) have consequences. As for me, though very far from perfect, I am forgiven.

Dealing with guilt the right way

One of the problems of being a committed Christian is that your conscience tends to become more and more sensitive. Things you did before that did not bother you, suddenly become sources of guilt when you fall into/ respond in the same old way to, entrenched hurts habits and hangups. It then becomes necessary to deal with guilt in a functional way (not beating up on oneself, not stuffing it and trying to ignore it).

Before I get into the functional way to deal with guilt, I want to mention that I was asked (under suspicion) by a non-Christian friend of mine (his own self description) about what motivates me. In other words what is in it for me? This is one of the things that the World does not understand, that the motives of the Christian are not purely selfish. Clearly we cannot fully get away from selfishness. No matter how mature in the Lord, we still see the World from behind our own two eyes! But when I fail (as we all do), it is precisely because I did or said or thought (attitude) something that was displeasing to Him. So what is my motivation? It is to please the Lord. It's easy to be distracted. There are many things including the trials and pains of life that tend to pull us away from our desire to please Him. Again as the Scriptures say “In many things we all fail.”

So back to dealing with the guilt we all have to deal with at times. I am talking here about true guilt (I did something wrong) as opposed to false guilt (guilt trips/shame - you are (I am) no good). As the conscience becomes more sensitive the feeling of having let Him down becomes heavier. The Scriptures again “there is a godly sorrow that leads to repentance.” Repentance is about turning away from something and turning to something (someone), turning to the Lord. What a faithful Friend. He is just not only to forgive but also to cleanse – the blood of Jesus – amazing. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Since we all fair, what is the difference between me and my friend? It is simply this, I am forgiven and cleansed. In this way (when we do repent and meditate on what He has done) our failures simply lead us closer to Him and will eventually fortify us, bring us into the security of His acceptance and set us free from the power of our failures. My guilt is gone, I've been set free. This is much better than beating up on me or stuffing or denying my guilt. Hallelujah what a saviour!

Do life's lessons get harder?

I keep coming back to a verse from James which instructs us to count it all joy in the midst of the trials of life. We all go through trials, and the way we deal with them says something about who we are, or about who we are becoming. Secular Psychology talks about acceptance which I am told is “a person's assent to the reality of a situation, recognizing a process or condition (often a negative or uncomfortable situation) without attempting to change it or protest.” Biblical (as opposed to secular) wisdom both agrees and disagrees with the admonition to do this.

We can cause ourselves a great deal of grief when we are unable to accept or come to terms with what is happening around us and in us. And this lack of acceptance can be the very thing that either prolongs the pain or even makes the situation worse. The unwillingness or the inability to forgive, for example, can poison us and our relationships. There are times we need to forgive others for our own sake, and for the sake of those we love and who have to live with us! On the other hand there are times when acceptance without “without attempting to change it or protest” is nothing less than fatalism and capitulation.

The 12 step prayer “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference” brings a more Biblical balance to the concept of acceptance. But the admonition in James is deeper still. However, the ability to go beyond just acceptance and enter into joy, is predicated in a faith in God who “works all things together for good for those who love Him.”

This faith "knows" that God is in control and that He will actively use even the evil things that happen to us to for our good. This knowing does not preclude working to change things, but when appropriate, it allows us to do so from a place of rest. He does not promise, by the way, that we will always understand how He can possibly work this or that for our good, but the knowing of faith, trusts that it is so. With the help He gives, it is then possible to have joy (different from happiness) even in the midst of life's difficulties. All this is available to all who choose to trust in Him. Even so, we have to grow into it, but when we do, even if life's trials do get harder, we will progressively be able to enter into His joy and peace. “Getting there, not yet arrived :)” P

Give the flesh an inch and it will take a mile!

We have all heard the saying that anything I enjoy is either illegal, immoral or it makes me fat! The problem I find in giving into my appetites (even if they are not in and of themselves sinful), is that giving in never satisfies me and, in ever increasing volume/frequency/intensity, I want more. I mean it's easier to refrain from adultery altogether than to just do it a little (it's a joke!).

In the good old King James version Paul talks about buffeting the body. He was not talking about indulging in all you can eat buffets, he was talking about his need of self discipline, and that the phenomenon described above was his reason for fasting. Reluctantly, kicking and screaming, I am seeing the need of this myself. If I give me and inch, it seems I at least want to take a mile!

The horse you ride is every hand as high as those of the Fundamentalists you so despise!

I am the first to admit that there are expressions of what is passed off as Christianity, that make me cringe. It is said that Jesus was full of grace and truth, when some of us who seek to follow him speak, it is not always grace and truth that comes out of the mouth, even when it it truth.

But those who follow Christ are not the only ones who lack grace in their speech, even when it is true. Again I am the first to admit that there are, and have been, gross injustices and even violence against those who are perceived as different. I want to apologize for this, it seems that there are many times we “know not what we do!” But, and I speak to both sides, is it true tolerance if we only tolerate those people and views with which we agree?

My response, stated in the head of this post, was to one who was showing the very same attitude and contempt as those he was lambasting. Unfortunately the liberal agenda, while it has many things to say that we need to hear, too often is saying them in a way that is fast becoming tyrannical. Christian Lawyers are being barred from the bar, Christian therapies are being literally outlawed, people of faith being denied access to training in psychiatry, and even to political parties. One has to wonder whatever happened to “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” The tyranny of Political correctness intimidates into silence any and all dissension, and seems self righteously content to do this, even when what is spoken is spoken with grace. I came across this example recently. Watch and judge for yourself.

http://www.godvine.com/School-Administrators-Tried-to-Make-This-Boy-Deny-Jesus-3-Times-But-He-Wouldn-t-And-Now-Whoa--5526.html?utm_source=GodVine%20Daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=06/20/2014

What people do not seem to realize is that it is only in a culture this has been heavily influenced by the Bible that democracy, human rights and equality can even be preached with a any expectation of being heard!

Consider it all joy when you fall into various trials. You're joking right?

The morning of the day I knew was going to be the most difficult in my life, I woke up with an old hymn on my heart:- “Oh joy that seeks me through the pain, I cannot ask to hide from thee. I trace the rainbow through the rain and feel the promise is not vain, that morn will tearless be.” Next came the memory of a verse from Hebrews speaking of Jesus “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross despising the shame.” I felt I was being told that pain is a barrier the other side of which is joy.

I have wrestled with the admonition in the title of this post. I know at some level secular Psychology and even common sense will tell us that “it is no use crying over spilt milk.” Your (my) kicking, screaming and staying in denial is not going to help! So why not just suck it up and get on with life? It all makes perfect sense logically, but our emotions (mine in particular) are not necessarily subject to cold cool and hard logic. Even the best advice is more often than not far easier to say, than it is to do!

But for me, there is One who works in me both in my desire to do and in the wherewithal to do what otherwise would be impossible. I did kick and scream for a while, before I came to the stage where I can say that I am learning to stop fighting the people and circumstances I have no influence over. It's called acceptance. But I can also say that I really am finding that path, and that strangely the deeper the trial the more (with His help) I am able to stay close to the One who comforts and strengthens me. In fact I am even having joy in these times. So no I am not joking and, by the way in case you did not guess it, His name is Jesus!

You make me mad! Really?

How many times do we hear this, but how can someone force you to be mad? Am I without control over my reactions to what others say and do to us. Is there a “mad” gene within us that absolves us of any and all responsibility of taking control over our lives?

The teaching about Jesus being the God man is important here. Being God, Jesus shows what God is like ("If you have seen me you have seen the Father" – gracious, kind, loving full of grace and truth). Being man, Jesus shows us man as God intends man to be (Man? Women are off the hook! :)). He demonstrates grace, kindness, love, gentleness and (in terms of this post) self control (i.e. all the fruit of the Spirit). As thy drive cruel nails through His hands and His feet He prays “Father forgive them, they do not know what they do!” So did they make Him mad? In the moment of greatest pain He is forgiving and looking after His mother. How is this possible? Only by the Spirit, and again part of the fruit of the Spirit is self control.

Certainly we loose our temper at times (I have not yet arrived have you?). Part of the problem is that we have failed to exercise the self control of those who, with constant practice, have by the Spirit overcome the sinful nature. We do not have a choice about what wrong is done to us, but we do have a choice as to how we react to the wrong done to us. More often than not, our response to wrong done is wrong too. We are told to be angry and sin not, and to cease from wrath (getting mad – in particular allowing ourselves to be out of control). We (I) need to change these patterns. As for me, I am not yet what I should be, but thank God I am not what I once was!

On open letter to Emma Teitel concerning Trinity Western's covenant (Maclean's 12th May 2014)

Dear Emma,

Against what I consider my better judgement, I am finding your article on Trinity Western University (TWU) persuasive. I can see clearly, at least from your point of view, why you feel that lawyers graduating from TWU should not be allowed to practice law. The article is well thought out, well written and is perhaps one of the better representatives of your point of view.

On the other hand, I find your rewording of the TWU covenant as “in other words Gays are not welcome,” a bit puzzling. You yourself admit that this covenant has been in place for a long time, long before homosexuality was at the forefront of our thinking in terms of sexuality. Why do you not say heterosexuals are not welcome? Is that not equally logical (illogical)?

While it is certainly true that Gay rights have been trampled and need to be upheld, should we trample the rights of others in an attempt to rectify that? What about the rights of those of us who do not want to be defined by our sexuality, who want to find some shelter from the seductive forces of the current pseudo hyper sexuality of our society? Your article seems to trash any such rights. From the point of view of one who discovered the hard way that promiscuity is destructive in many ways, I also want to promote such rights which are increasingly being trampled.

I did not always felt the way that I feel today. I came to my current position by graduating from the school of hard knocks. I came to see that my self gratification was not about love, but rather selfishness, as I looked back on the trail of destruction and broken hearts (my own and others). Even after I stopped sleeping around, got married and was faithful to my wife, the addictive effects of my former behaviour continued to impact the intimacy in my marriage. I have come to feel that sexuality is a precious gift from God and not to be squandered and devalued outside of a monogamous life long relationship. I want better for my children and grand children, and hope that they can learn from what I now consider to be my wrong moves. Is this not what lies behind the impetus of the non-religious “second virginity” movement? Do not those of us who feel this way have rights too, or must we bow to the god of Political Correctness?

Respectfully Phil Heath

Saved from the penalty, being saved from the power, will be saved from the presence of sin

Been studying Psalm 103 in the fellowship. As far as the east is from the west so far has He removed our transgressions from us. That is even further than the North is from the south (I can keep going east or west forever!) But in what ways are our transgressions (sins) removed? Well first and foremost it means that He has separated me from the penalty (eternal consequences) of my sin. He is just to do this because He Himself has paid the penalty on the cross. I don't fully understand this, but I gladly and gratefully receive it.

When my attitude is right (walking in gratitude for what He has done for me) He is then actively at work also removing (separating) me from the power of my hurts, hang ups and habits. When I confess and choose with His help, the ongoing process of forsaking the wrong things, He is quick to forgive and restore me to full fellowship with Him. In this way He is involved in the complicated process of separating me from the power of my transgressions. I may not yet be what I (and probably you) want me to be, but thank God that, through this process, I am not what I once was! This process (called sanctification) even helps to separate me from my negative attitudes such as ingratitude, unforgiveness etc., all of which tend to drag me down. My sanctification will only be finished when I meet Him face to face.

And there is one more thing that helps with my ongoing growth in Him, and that is the sure hope that it will not always be wrestling with my hurts, hang ups and habits. Since I will be with Him for ever and ever and ever, it is necessary that I submit to this process of refinement, because when I finally get to go home with Him, I will be separated not only from the penalty, not only fully separated from the power, but also fully separated from the very presence of sin. Just think about it, no more hate, no more put downs, no more manipulation, no more grief (He personally will wipe away every tear), no more death, no more separations.

I know that I have not yet arrived (if you know me you will know that too), but on that day the process of sanctification will be complete. Just think all the annoying things about me will disappear! What a hope that up there, I will not even want to do negative things as He, in the blink of eye, changes me. Hallelujah – praise (hallel) the Lord (jah)!

Repentance requires greater intimacy with God than with our sin

It is a quotation from Rosaria Champagne Butterfield a former lesbian convert to Christ, who considers herself healed. But what does she mean?

Christianity is not primarily about rules and regulations, though they do play a part. Christianity is first and foremost about relationship with God. Jesus himself said as much in His high priestly prayer to the Father where He said “this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” There is a reality about relationship. You cannot have a relationship with something or someone who does not exist, but those of us who have known true intimacy know it's reality, be it an earthly or Heavenly relationship. The problem though is that our passions get in the way, at least mine do, and I think Rosaria's too.

Passions are a lot like appetites. Those of us who gain weight by even looking at deserts know full well that left to our own devices we would soon become as big as a house. What seems to happen is that the more we indulge, the grater our capacity to indulge. I am told that when we eat a lot, our stomachs stretch, and that creates greater hunger pangs. Part of what we need to do when trying to loose weight is to starve ourselves a little so that our stomachs (and hence our appetites) shrink.

I have experienced the same thing with desires that lead me away from God. The more I feed the desire either by indulging it, or by fantasizing, the further away from God that I feel, and the less real my relationship (with God) feels. In order to get back to the intimacy with Him, I need to starve my inapropriate passions. I need His help for this, and it is help He freely gives when we ask. The point is that I seem to be a leaky vessel (for the Holy Spirit). But I miss Him when I am not close, and I need to exercise discipline to return (repent). I think this is at least part of what Rosaria is saying!

Is there a heaven and a hell?

I was in jail (no not as an inmate, they didn't catch me yet :) ) when the above question came up. I was there as part of an alpha team and we were having this discussion with the “guests” (captive audience :) ). It's not a question we talk a lot about on the outside, but prison (and the hard knocks of life) have a way of focusing the mind. My response was that if God exists and He is just, there has to be a heaven and a hell. I mean death is not good enough for the likes of Hitler, Bashar Al-Assad and a lot more (probably including myself!).

Someone voiced the opinion that Heaven and hell are here on earth. It seems to me that there is something in this, I mean if we remove all the bad out of life, it gives us a glimpse (probably a poor one) of what heaven is like, and if we remove all the good out of life we likely have a glimpse of hell. These can be uncomfortable thoughts, but for me there is comfort in the gospel which tells us that if we admit that we are wrong (easier to do in the pen) and turn our lives over to Him, there is forgiveness and provision for life in all its fullness in the here and now, and even fuller in the hereafter.

Can questions be wrong?

During my daily readings today, I came across a question by the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection (that is why they were sad-u-c :) sorry I can resist anything by temptation). The question boiled down to asking in the resurrection whose wife would a woman widowed and remarried be. Jesus answers “Do you not greatly err because you do know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?” Jesus is essentially saying “Your question is wrong.” When questions are wrong, it is usually because of ignorance or because they cloak a hidden assumption. “Have you stopped beating your wife yet?” is a much a statement as it is a question. It's hard to answer that one well, no matter what I say I condemn myself!

I find this a lot in discussing God. “Can you prove to me that God exists?” If I say “no,” I am dismissed because most of our society has bought the lie that only things that can be verified scientifically are valid. But you cannot prove scientifically that you were in bed last night, nor can you prove scientifically that love is real. We are however the poorer if we live our lives as if things that cannot be proved scientifically are false. And actually nobody does. We all act in faith in something, or we would not get on a bus or a plane! If I say “yes” (to the above question), and give one of the classical proofs of God's existence, I am met with such statements as “all truth is relative.” I do need to say though, that in my experience that line is only brought out when the other person is starting to loose the argument!

Most questions by skeptics involving God, have some hidden presupposition. The last question above assumes (and assumes wrongly) that scientific proof is the only valid proof. If this were the case many criminals would go free who should not go free. What I am saying is that the testimony of a witnesses is held up in court as a valid “proof.” It does need to be examined and tested, and this involves the character of the witness. This by the way, is one way we can find God, through the testimony of credible witnesses. Perhaps you don't know any. In my book that would be a valid excuse. But hey, I'm not God (ask my kids :)).

Confess your faults one to another that you may be healed

When was the last time you said “I was wrong,” and why is it so hard to say “Sorry” (except when you were just being polite – we're Canadian!)? I guess that at least part of the answer to the last question is that in order to say sorry, we have to admit that we are wrong. But being unwilling or unable to admit it when we are wrong, does terrible things to our relationships. The Scriptural promise/principle that healing comes when we are willing to be open and vulnerable with each other has a converse.

If we are not willing to confess our faults to each other, we inevitably finish up confessing each others faults (either “you did this or that,” or “Do you know what he/she said /did.”). Believe me (I think you will) this is not so healing.

Modern research into such things as conflict resolution, and the discovery of what and how intimacy works, has discovered the Biblical principle at the head of this post. It phrases it differently but it's the same thing. Openness and transparency and the willingness to take responsibility for our poor choices promotes bonding and intimacy. Is is any coincidence that principles that work in the study of human behaviour, all seem to reflect Biblical promises/principles? I don't believe it is. If all else fails read the (God's) instructions!

The world wants you happy but not holy, religion wants you holy but not happy. Jesus came to do both! - Bill Johnson

Some people have the view that God is a kind of Scrooge in the sky, and that whenever He sees someone down here having fun leans over the balcony of heaven and shouts down “Cut that out.” Nothing could be further from the truth, though it is unfortunately true that the Pharisee (those who feel self-righteous because they think they obey all the rules) are alive and well and living on planet earth. They do not however represent Him!

The World, often in reaction to the Pharisee, wants to throw out all rules, and sees all attempts at restraint as oppressive, old fashioned and guilt inducing. The problem, when we do this, is that we find that there are unwanted consequences to our behaviour. Some of us have learned from the school of hard knocks that when God says “No,” He does it for our provision and protection. Protection in the same way a parent tells the child “Do not touch the hot stove.” Provision because the things which entice us so often keep us from true freedom, true intimacy and the joy and peace that a relationship with God brings.

Jesus told us that the thief comes for no other reason but to kill and to steal and to destroy, but that He came to bring fullness of life. The thief stole a lot from me, but the Lord brought me a joy and a peace that I would not trade for anything. It is available to all, but we need to let go of the things that hinder and embrace His way, His will and His free gift of life. His invitation remains, He is waiting to be gracious to us!

Everything in life happens for a reason! Really?

Through no fault of your own, you lost your job, but there's a reason for it! No matter how hard you try, you can't seem to make ends meet. God is trying to tell you something! Your child has cancer, and so God is obviously punishing you for something. Really? That would be child abuse in my book!

If I believed that, I would be mad with God, and I am not! Certainly God allows this or that, but to say that such or such a thing happened for a reason, has the implication that God did it for that very reason, and I am not at all sure I could worship a God like that! To say that God allows this or that, is not the same as saying that He caused it.

It remains something of a mystery as to why He allows the things He does, but at least part of the explanation is that we are in a war to the death with the enemy of our souls. In the West it is often thought to be naive to believe in the devil. Not so in Africa, they know His power! He has (at least) two modes of operation. Here he seeks to persuade us that he does not exist. When he succeeds, he can whisper evil thoughts into our minds and we think it is our own thoughts. Sometimes it is, but I am thinking about the thoughts you (I) hope nobody ever finds out that you (I) have! In Africa he uses his power to seduce or cause fear. Ask our African brothers!

Jesus put it this way, “The thief comes for no other reason to steal and to kill and to destroy, but I am come that you might have life in all it's fullness.” The thief seems to be doing a good job. If it's all true would you not want to stop him stealing and robbing and destroying in your life? We need to get mad with him! It's not rocket science - God good, Devil - bad!

We are also told that “God works all things together for good for those who love Him.” This is not saying that bad things are good, it is not saying that God caused the bad things, and it is not saying that we will necessarily always understood how that can possibly be true. How can God possibly bring good out of the death of a child or out of any other incredible and devastating loss? He does not even promise that we would agree if we knew (at least not in the here and now). But He does promise that He is working and does work all things together for good for those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.

What I do know is that when I chose to trust Him, He used all the things that cause me pain to draw me closer to Him, and that I am finding the fullness of life that He promised. Sometimes the pain is (was) a direct result of something I did (we reap what we sow). Sometimes it is the result of someone else's choices, something someone else said or did! Life is not fair, the good guys do not always win. If there is no hereafter, then certainly there is no justice, period! But God is just, and He has promised that in His time He will right every wrong, dry every tear, and mend every broken heart.

What if it's all true, and that the main reason we are here at all is to choose, to choose to follow either the thief or Him? What if there is no fence? Jesus told us there is not. “He who is not for me is against me!” What I know for sure is that my choosing to trust Him with the bad things that happened, and staying close to Him has allowed me to not only survive, but to live in hope and peace and even joy at times, starting to enter into the fulness He promised.

So does everything happen for reason? Not in the sense of the first paragraph. But can God bring meaning and reason into our suffering? Yes indeed He can, and He does when we choose to trust Him and to stop fighting the people and circumstances He allows!

The angst of not being allowed to warn of what we, rightly or wrongly, see as very real danger

There are times when being a Christian who takes Biblical revelation seriously (as in believing it to be true) is very hard. So hard that I can honestly say that if I am wrong in what I believe, I want to be gotten out of it. I will say more in a minute, but I do need to say that if you want to try to dissuade me, it will not be an easy job (British understatement). You see I am very, very convinced, not of every tiny detail (I do not by any means believe I have all the truth), but certainly of the basic essentials outlined, for example, by Inter-Varsity (can be Googled). For me the essentials are sure, some of the denominational distinctives, less so!

To come back to why it is hard, it's not only difficult to behave myself at times (I can resist anything but temptation :) ), but believing what I do about the existence of the afterlife with its two alternative destinations, has been and is unbearable at times. This is especially so, since there is more and more pressure to zip the mouth (or the pen!).

The way I think about this, is of it being Winter, there being slippy roads, and of knowing that down the road there is a bridge, round a sharp bend, that has been washed out. You see loved ones laughing and carrying on in a truck headed in that direction. They are having a whale of time, ignoring your warnings, telling you not only to mind your own business, but getting mad at you for trying to warn them.

We are told that there is a way that seems right to a man (or a woman), but the end thereof is destruction. It's not only the consequences of what we reap in the here and now, but, if is it true that there is a Holy God and we ignore His offer of forgiveness, we will remain unforgiven. Some see this belief in and of itself as self righteous and judgemental, but I have nothing to be either self righteous or judgemental about. The only real difference between me and the unbeliever is that I am forgiven and they (you?) are not. Considering the consequences of being wrong, and our propensity for all of us to be in denial, these things are surely worth investigating with our adult minds. It would lessen my angst, if there was more of it! Would the New Year not be a good time to do this?