MATURITY

He Stole My Bible again…

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I am not sure how you read your scriptures and what you draw from the arranged letters that are offered to us.    A number of years ago I was presented with a new translation of the scriptures every year, it was a planned and purposeful exchange, so i would change the way i read and listened to what I read.  It took me a few years to realize what was going on, I was a little slow, rather funny really, every year the question came “What bible are you reading?” I offered my translation and by the end of our conversation, in those first days of each new year my old bible walked out of the room and  a new translation was let in return.   Excuse me I said but my notations are in that bible, the reply was “Yes” my comment was  “Hmmm” and his “that’s exactly why I am taking it”.   But it instructed me to read from different a different vantage point the same word, it brought the scriptures alive again as I saw the different angles of the diamond of this book.   It was a challenging lesson initially, then every first of the year meeting I learned to present my old 1-year-old bible and open my hand for the new one to be exchanged.

One of the lessons of reading the Scripture is to grasp the fuller story, the panoramic view of Gods dealings with his people, some times we get so caught up with this and that little thing, and  we have not understood the over all panorama of Gods working, cause and purpose.   I long for more people to catch what God is doing from a distance rather than getting into the minutiae, when we don’t understand the wide aims of his purpose.   For instance You can look at the book of Joshua and see all the in’s and outs – all good stuff walls falling, inheritance gaining, conquering armies, trust and obedience, establishing a people etc.   But one thing that encourages me in the narrative is simple when we get across from the deliverance from Egypt the victory of transferring from supply upon supply, that is food, water, clothes never wearing out etc., to a place, as we enter the promise and realize there is still unfinished business!    The book is the story of unfinished business, the settlement in the land is the account of unfinished business. We often wish it was not so, why did God not do it all?     Perhaps its the issue of God making us partners with him in everything, he has done his bit, now we have to take hold of the unfinished business and bring it to pass “earth becoming like heaven, his likeness and image in you and me.   That’s another blog.

Unfinished business.    Each new episode of life, each new year each new day is the account of unfinished business.

So you wake up each day with unfinished business, not procrastination on yesterday’s stuff but today is the continuation of completing the purpose, the set course that God has for humanity and creation, your story and mine is the story of unfinished business until a generation comes to see Christ filling all things.    The small reading of Scripture can so easily introduce to us a narrative of me and the immediate, yet we are about a course of direction the Father has begun and we are involved in unfinished business.   I wonder what your unfinished business looks like?

Lets’ Keep Moving Hitting the Mark

You cannot get away from Paul’s encouragement to have one goal in mind and heart as we travel through our Christian journey, the goal to become more and more like Christ until ‘he fills all things’ or until he has the pre-eminence in our lives in book of Philippians he says we are to ‘press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus’.    It was with this in mind that we set out every year to so call Hit the Mark, to get entwined with unfinished business of the cause of God.

As ever Now in our journey we take steps forward, to grow from strength to strength, glory-to-glory, faith-to-faith and favour-to-favour, it is not the time to settle back and simply enjoy the inheritance we already have.     There is Unfinished business here.

The children of Israel had to be ready at all times to up stakes and move on whenever the cloud or the pillar moved, they moved, sometimes they stayed a month in one place other times a day, they had to be ready and willing at all times to be obedient to the call of the Lord.   As soon as they heard the trumpet sound they were to up camp and move on.    I wonder how they felt about the trumpet sound, did they wait eagerly to hear it knowing that they would be moving closer to Gods purpose for them, or did they dread the sound knowing that once again it would mean uprooting and change.     They journeyed and crossed into the inference which was full of unfinished business.

The trumpet of the Lord is certainly sounding across His church in these days calling us to wake up and step into the fullness of our calling.    It is calling us to move on and not simply camp around our experiences of the past whether good or bad, it is calling us to press on and embrace the revelation that is being birthed in this day.     Unfinished business prevents us from stopping around anything that is not the full cause of Christ.   People say this and that is the main event, the thing God is doing, this is the structure and pattern, it’s that theology and practice, it’s this experience and encounter, yet the main event has always been one thing God’s cause “Christ filling all things” and all is unfinished business until that happens.

Each generation have their own journey to walk, their own milestones to reach, and we are so aware of the continuity of the body of Christ knowing that the achievements of each generation build on the last and prepare the way for the next.   I remember once being told that God had no grandchildren, meaning that each generation will have their own encounter and task to fulfill in the great scheme of things.      It is our joy to be in the position to build on what we have received whilst knowing that we will advance a greater unfolding of what we had received – faith-to-faith.

We recognize that the children of Israel had certain milestones in their journey, and likewise we know that the Lord has given us certain milestones that we must reach towards in our journey together.   These are marks for us to hit, things for us to reach towards together and see achieved in our day and generation.

You and I have unfinished business and the grace and supply of god is there as we make his cause our unfinished business!    As you move further and further into this year may you truly finish unfinished business for this is the draw of God s work.  Complete that which is in our day to finish.

Things no one told me

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2012 will be my 28th year of serving the people of God, when I was 28 years old I was asked to consider leaving the building industry, laying brick and mortar down, to give my focus into building a dwelling through people’s lives.   It has been an amazing adventure to date and it is not over yet.  Myself, Sandra and our family have served in so many ways.  I was once told ”try everything” to discover the grace on your life, which we did with eager abandonment.   Serving in different capacities of influence and leadership, being administrators, running children’s ministry to 1000’s, leading outreach teams across the UK from cities and towns, serving in a mission environment, teaching, preaching, imparting,  painting, digging trenches, carrying bags, repairing cars, caring for and loving the ministers of God,  leading congregations, envisioning people, being known as prophets and laying our lives down as apostolic servants of the body.  The list is quite endless when we think of it.

In our journey we have been schooled by some wonderful men and women, been imparted to, impacted by and had understanding laid down in us over the years, some things we learned no one could have taught us or prepared us for.   Here are some of these lessons we hope will empower and advance you in your journey.

People told me about loving God and loving people, but they did not teach me how to love. That came through experience, joys and often challenge.

I had not fully understood how complicated the lives of people were, I learned the need to engage with people in the long journey as well as immediate situations with constant love

I was surprised at how judgmental and cruel Christian people could be.  I was not warned or perhaps I did not listen at the time.

It would have been helpful to have more insight into problem solving, and crisis management.

I thank God for my business training, as not much attention or training was given to financial management.

Although we began more than 20 years ago we heard much about family integrity, we still have many that did not listen as within families of leadership much pain is left to one-side, I recall some saying, “You just go out and serve the church. God will take care of your family.” Many families fractured through it.

There is no way anyone can prepare you for the loneliness of leadership.  The importance of friendship with colleagues should have been reinforced.  We have to help each other, aloneness is a necessary skill to learn and occupy.   To understand aloneness is empowerment but loneliness is a killer.

Another problem that is on ongoing for us all to learn on the hoof was that the church was God’s church … not mine. I was an under-shepherd.   We all subscribe to the notion that the church is His church, but the practicality of that comes into focus when we deal with vision, competitiveness, pressure to conform etc.

I had to learn how to be myself and build on my own strengths.  People, ministry and peer-pressure can make us conform and be as the USA would say “cookie-cutter” copies.

Loving and caring is not for the faint of heart.  Probably, if I had been told everything, I would not have completed the course, perhaps not even begun, but discovering my love for God and for His people enabled me to continue the course. I am so glad no one told me everything, and I am so glad I am pursuing.

“Why O Why…”

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We all have many friends that live around our lives, some pass through for a season others stay around for longer.   I begin this blog not with friendship in mind directly buy more to ask I wonder out of all those friends or acquaintances now many helped us on our journey though life.    Who has impacted me and to what extent?    It always amazes me we have friends even that don’t help and well as those that do.     Who walked through my life and is still doing so, being the imprint of wisdom through words, actions.   Who has become the fingers of God working in my life, is this not “every joint supplying”.   I opened up a meeting on Sunday with this thought “…to join my self to any one even to be joined to a people group, a church, cannot be just to attend…” Unfortunately for far to many this is so, the Christ like life degenerate to attending rather a relational joining, a felt joining, even the language used can be ever so relational but do we feel one another?   It’s much more “you are not joined until I feel you, we have not joined until we feel one another”.

I would suggest that Jesus showed this in his own life painting pictures constantly of this, glimpses of joining’s so many times.   One story comes to mind of the woman who had bled for 12 years she came not just to be in the crowed but to join herself to him.   When she did so Jesus felt it, it was not just a healing we are told Jesus felt something leave him.   She was joined he felt it and I am sure she did, a story of order, government (number 12 is always seen as government, 12 tribes, 12 apostles of the lamb, 12 disciples etc.) her life came back into order after 12 years of disorder.    This was a relational touch in story form “she touched him”, actually her  healing came not as she just brushed past his prayer blanket, in her action she joined here self to him and Jesus announced “…who touched me…”, I felt it flow from me.   Is this not “ever joint supplying”?

Back to where I began some people touch our lives and help us to put lenses on that enable us to see bigger picture to get a balance back in life, others to see the detail of all that goes around, some more to put lenses that assist us to appreciate people and circumstance, and there are those that even help us to see with future lenses making sense of past and future along with present.   Few come along and probe strategic questions on how we see , view so that we can prioritize or respond correctly.  Questions that shake but ultimate make secure our journey and the way we live that journey.

Here is my point reading today the Psalmist viewpoint as life is lived around him and as the Message translation brings home some necessary view to consider reading today.   I read a simple word yet major in its consequence if dealt with incorrectly it could shipwreck a life but if dealt with correctly will enhanced and make authentic our faith journey and intimate relationship with the Christ of God.

Psalm 106:1-3 says “…hallelujah! Thank God! And why?   Because he’s good, because his love lasts.   But who on earth can do it — declaim God’s mighty acts, broadcast all his praises?   You’re one happy man when you do what’s right, one happy woman when you form the habit of justice.

My simple word is WHY

What a great opening and a wonderful habit to get into asking WHY?   It’s not any why being asked here, it’s why are you being God focused, why are you thankful focused and why are you both together thanking God?      Don’t just do it as the pressure of the crowed or the church you belong too expectantly expect you to conform in what we call “worship” just do it.   I think God likes the question to be able to cut through the dross of performance to the real essence of you and his relationship felt with us.

The Psalm commences with Hallelujah where does that go to, what is its meaning here.     Praise it starts with in heart and action then we have an abrupt stop WHY?

One sure thing that this WHY exposes is don’t give you self to form the anchor of things that are so emotional, soul issues, gaining ego stuff or position to be included in the inner group the things of life that change and that are insecure, find the unchanging stuff.   Find a WHY that is worthwhile and a WHY that is compelling, a WHY that brings a reason and momentum an advance, that creates a sure foundation.

Praise, thanks, WHY these three may be a good combination for life’s journey a threesome, a coupling that brings a way forward.

Praise

Thanks

WHY

Three legs of an expressive disciple, a disciple that turns his her heart to the Lord becomes one of these who God looks for!

That we have a WHY not to undermine but to engaged further, to become personally authentic, rather than to be part with this group I have to do it.    So I need to understand WHY and there is a way to ask my WHY’s even.   How can I ask an empowering WHY, not just a child’s frustrated why or we even a rebellious why, but a why so I can get to know me along with my motivations.

This WHY is to bring and understanding of

Self

My environment

The overcoming power of testimony

An encounter of God

Why I do what I do that the expression comes from an inner well.

That no religion distracts or engrosses

That no unreality destroys authenticity

That we are always aware of the inner man discovering in the wilderness of inner the challenges of motive.

WHY ASK WHY?

Should I never ask, is it productive, should it be part of my life’s cycle, do I have the ware all on managing asking the question.

WHY are you doing what you’re doing, find the answer the Father will bring it, WHY is a powerful a belonging word, it really will cause you to feel your relationship when WHY’s are asked that we will feel one another as we bring form to our WHY’s of life and faith.

My View Of God.

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People often hang around after I preach, talk or even simply share some thoughts, they leave with an understanding that in my journey I have come to a place of, experience and pursuit of God, and realise that my deliverance, liberty and freedom in life, comes down to a basic statement “my view of God determines how well I live”.      For yourself, try removing the ‘my’ and the ‘I’ and replace it with ‘your’ and ‘you’.  The way we picture God in our minds, determines our liberty.     Before you go down the avenue thinking about what you picture, God is faithful, just, or generous, this is not the picture I am getting at, I don’t mean the concepts mentioned which we could go on listing, but I literally mean, what picture of God do you see? Do you see, a great judge in the sky, the wonderful teacher, a Father, and nurturing Mother?

Whatever picture you have will have an implication on the way you live and conduct your affairs; it will have a formulating hand and could bring a new freedom and liberty.

Your view will colour your pursuit and your research into understanding your Father God.   Our theological journey, our study of God is meant to serve who He is and his purpose in creating this world.    Theology is to be a servant of the gospel and the church.  Pursuit of understanding and experience of God, is meant to clarify the truth we proclaim, helping us to re-examine what we believe and equip us to practice what we believe and preach in a more consistent way.

Eventually all this pursuit is a reflection of God and is reflected in life. Good teaching produces a healthy lifestyle bad teaching produces distorted living. For the theological pursuit to perform its servant ministry we must learn to address the central biblical truths and relevant social and cultural issues. We do not deal with our faith in a removed monastery, but in continually changing societies, that shout for relevance at us daily.  Our View of God will equip us to practice faith with relevance and integrity in our changing world.

The world in which we live is undergoing considerable social change, our view, our theology, our experience of God is intrinsically bound to our personal and corporate worldview.   We live in a world that is inventive on its sin and brings new thinking and practices to old human issues (Romans 1:21), the one thing that has not changed is human hearts, what we find is more modern ways of repeating cycles of sin.    Surely my living faith should help and inform me as I view changes in our world?    There are some, who will consider any change in secular society as negative, because of a fundamental negative view of the world and an eschatology that we are waiting to be removed, to escape, saved from a fallen world, this broken world.    There are others who have grasped a Kingdom view of creational transformation (Romans 8:18-22), grasping that all things are spiritual, that God is aiming to have everything displaying his Christ “…fill all in all…” (Eph. 1:18-23), filling everything with his essence, along with “…the Earth is the Lords…” realising he dwells everywhere (Psalm 139:7-12).    Therefore seeing every “progressive” step in history as an act of God, a direct result of the God of creation in our world.     Today it is paramount that we discover a balanced biblical view of these two poles, while no changes in society can be given utopian status because of the condition of mankind, yet it is true that many changes in society are to be welcomed as God indicated his “…so loved the world (Cosmos)”.

My personal desire and aim is to uphold a high view of the word of God, seeing the scriptures as authoritative, as it speaks about salvation and speaks intentionally on issues.  I am not sure it speaks intentionally on everything as we wish it did, it would certainly make life much simpler and easier if it did, easy to order into prescribed boxes of thought, but this is not our Father God, who longs to bring his son’s into liberty and not prescribe everything for them, all of creation is actually longing to join the liberty (Romans 8:21).

I have arrived at this position of my view of scripture not because I am oblivious to life’s challenges, or having my head in the sand, hiding from realities, but we are all aware of the difficulties that exist in scripture.    History has demonstrated time and time again that the moment we set ourselves up as the judge of what is essential or non-essential within the word of God, we begin to slide towards a rejection of scriptural authority and the enthronement of the human mind.

My journey to date has caused me to end up where I stand at present; history has pushed and pressed me formulating my way of thinking.    Have you ever been challenged by others asking, “…have you had this or that experience…”, or “…do you experience God like this…”, and of course “…this is the way…”, or better said the “…higher way…”, suggesting a superior way, O God help us.    Let me give you an example from my journey regarding a controversial issue, my view on male-female.      Are you a ‘complementarian’ or an ‘egalitarian’?   I have been asked do you stand on this side or that side of the argument, well here is a shock or a truth, I am not sure that all, or better said, every biblical text fits either view.     Here is another “Are you pre-tribulation, post-tribulation” etc., etc., again I am not sure if scripture fits neatly either position, every one would have to admit that there are gaps in each and there are scriptures that do not fit in any view.     So what do we do?

Can I appeal to us all that we mature in our views of scripture, before you say “he wants us to become liberal” I began by saying I have a high view of the scriptures, the word of God so hold on!    However I do believe that there is a new reformation upon us, demanding a gospel that relates to our streets and brings Gods biblical view into life daily.    I know its makes some of us uncomfortable, lets not react, but rather see what the Holy Spirit is doing in bringing forth a better grasp and a clearer view of God and understanding of God.

One helpful practice, I would suggest to all who are journeying and being led by the Spirit, which makes us son’s of God, is, we must avoid getting hijacked along the way by asking some good questions in order to become word based and led by the Holy Spirit here is one good question and practice

When a fresh idea, thought, teaching, a revelation, an insight arrives and captures people’s imagination, ask what direction does it set us on?

Every missile, every aircraft, every vehicle of transportation has a direction, it will conclude, if it’s not knocked off course or its course changed.   Ask then, what course does this thinking, this theology, this experience set us upon, where will its full trajectory take us?

As we consider the issues of our day along with scripture we must ask this question in relating to the arguments take the issue of gender, homosexuality, abortion, youth euthanasia etc., where does the theology take us to if we take on board that way of thought and practice?    If the destination of any way of thought, or new experience, or old experience that is coming around again, etc., replaces the Trinitarian God of scripture with anything we must be careful.   If Christ is not lifted up at the center of every trajectory adjust the compass, change the course.

Trajectories – Where is it going? – An important question, if any destination replaces the Trinitarian God of Scripture with anything they must be careful.

Lets get our View of God sharpened, enlarged as this where our freedom and liberty and equality of life lies!   Happy adventures in Christ and life!

Changes In The Air

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First Flight

On board a recent flight I picked up an article called “Changes in the air” quickly scanning the title my mind was taken back to that old song “Flying through the Air” that was made popular by the Snowman animation, but this  was an aviation article outlining the necessary and needful emerging changes, it stated:

Aviation: Emerging technologies are ushering in more fuel-efficient comfortable and exotic aircrafts.   Get ready for the future of flight

On the evening of July 23rd 1983 Air Canada Flight 143 ran out of fuel after a series of human errors.   The new Boeing 767 lightly loaded with 61 passengers and eight crew, become a glider with 8,686 meter of altitude to reach the nearest airport at Winnipeg, around 120 Km (75 miles) away.   Ten minutes later it became clear that the plane was losing altitudes too fast to make it.

The pilots changed the course hoping to reach a former air-force base near the town of Gimli.  They were unaware that its runways had been converted into a drag racing track.   Spectators scattered when they saw the silent approach of the aircraft, as the aircraft wheels hit the racetrack it divided the track in two and skidded to a stop No one was killed.

Had a modern more aerodynamic airline been used they could have easily reached Winnipeg’s airport, todays planes will glide 24% farther and the next generation promises additional gains, Boeings new 787 consumes 40% less fuel per passenger than the planes of the 70’s.  Change is in the air, the same article said that one plane maker has put iPad in the inflight systems which are much lighter than the exiting entertainment systems, metals replaced by composite material are also reducing weight by 20-40% both bringing about savings and change.  CHANGE.

I wonder what you have seen in your neighborhoods?   Changes right in front of your face.   The article was about emerging developments necessary for the survival of the aerospace industry.   As I read it I was pressed once again on the necessity of change to enable onward effectiveness.   We must pay attention to things that are emerging in order to keep a purpose, and progress in living.  It sounded as if the emerging developments effect was being heralded as the savior, the coming of an exciting new age for this industry?   I recently made a statement “that God comes disguised in our lives”, not only this but that he is in the little details of our every day, we might need to learn to look more closely in order to realize this and find him.   I wonder what changes you are seeing that are actually, God in disguise, it is time to see his fingers nimbly working across our surrounding lives and recognize the plans these fingers are engaged with.

As I travel, I cannot get over Gods grace in so many ways, the manifestations of his love, healing and transforming lives,  the list would be endless if I listed all I have seen over the last month in three continents.  How can we list everything God is doing, all I know is He who is LOVE is manifesting his love in so many diverse ways now?    Unfortunately we try to sum up this diverse loving Father by saying he is doing this one thing, or we say, this is it or you can only find him in this   But my Lord, I have discovered that you are in every place, uniquely working and bringing a full council to bear on this your beloved creation.    We must realize that God sent the Son as he “…so loved this…Cosmos…world…” that’s right world…cosmos not just humanity, its his whole creation.

I listen to some communicating what God is doing with tem, as the right thing, the new thing, and unfortunately as the only thing, yet I see God doing, diverse things but with one aim.  To manifest his love in lives and through creation.

The story I recounted above is not only about the wonderful escape 69 people had that evening but its aim is to stimulate the thought that things are different and constantly emerging.

We have terms in our economy such as “Emerging Markets”, advancements being made in every walk of life medicine, engineering, new things, new stuff emerging is what we are seeing.   Emerging is certainly becoming a way of life, and we must train ourselves as best we can even though on occasions it is tiring to keep up.   The church, your faith is an emerging journey and life style.   While at a youth leaders setting in Sri Lanka I talked with a young man who had some computer knowledge, he commented on how I was using my iPad and becoming computer handy when I collared some 15 and 30-year-old only too demonstrate by the time the 15 year olds arrives at 30 the possible advancement I suggested that we will not be using archaic screen iPad and the like but some something small we all would carry that would project, at a voice command a hologram screen projected in front of us and with simple hand movements we would change screens and through virtual keyboards or probably better through spoken commands write on these 3D virtual screens that where now in front of us.   Emerging technology.

The word emerging is something we should embrace, needing to become comfortable as a believer not to run away from

Emerging

emergence or attempt to keep it at bay.    Emerging has also been hijacked to mean a certain style or administration of church life, but even that has its problems.   What i would like to propose is that through the scriptures it is evident we have an emerging work going on and we are part of the greatest emergence on the face of creation.

For the sons of God are emerging as they are led by the Spirit and bring liberty to all creation in its release (Romans 8).

We are part of a Kingdom that has come, yet its only a taste of what is to come (Hebrews 6:5), that is, there is more to arrive, there is more to come – this Kingdom is an emerging Kingdom “your Kingdom come as it is” (Matt 6).

The coming of the Son of God, the Christ coming again, is that not only an emerging of an age that is to come

Revelation by its nature, the opening up of understanding, the dawning of truth, the filling out of God is this not emerging experience and onward life style, God emerging to us.

God himself is a progressive revelation individually and corporate, in the work of slowly filling out his nature, making more and more known – if this is not emerging, I am not sure what is?

What about Proverbs 4:18 the paths of the righteous is growing brighter and brighter, its emerging until is fully revealed.

“Emerging” I want to propose is what the bible calls a pilgrim life style that we are to walk, Abraham saw a city from a distance, did not know where it was, what was its name? where was he going?  all he knew was that he had seen a a city whose maker was God.   This city was constantly coming towards him making itself greater and greater known to him, it was emerging and that very emerging kept him pressing forward.

I trust you will begin to think on EMERGING with me join my walk come back later to see where I will go and say, why not second guess me and come back and see if you are correct by the time I writ the next emerging saga of “Change in the Air”.

E-merg-ing (I-mur-j-ing)  adj. Newly formed or just coming into prominence; emergent: emerging markets; the emerging states of Africa.        Coming into existence “an emergent republic”, being born or beginning, coming to maturity “the raising generation”.