Been looking for a new Bible app for a while. Finally found the Youversion app. So far so very good. Has some nice reading plans (almost through my first of them) and seems to be fairly easy to use.

Not been able to use it offline yet but hopefully it will work.

Been asked to preach on Sunday because our Pastor has something else more necessary. I am relishing the challenge and think I am getting on top of the message (not written a word yet).

The passage I want to preach on is 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Been reading some more of the Tim Keller book on preaching and have found some great stuff in it that hopefully will help.

Please pray because as ok as I feel, the fact is it is an awesome responsibility and I know I'm far from perfect

I often read the website of the Independent newspaper, generally to decide what to blame Israel or the Jews for this week. Upon reading it yesterday, I spotted this

Atheists can get into heaven

Now, I was surprised to see it, not least because of the dodgy theology. It is from 2013, when the Pope was still the apple of the media's eye.

He is wrong of course. You cannot get into heaven without a knowledge and acceptance of one's position with God. If you don't believe in God, it has been my opinion for years, then you cannot get into heaven.

However, I have had to have a little rethink. You see, if what I have been taught is correct then nobody will have an excuse. Before the great separation of the sheep from the goats all will know that there is a God and all will see what He is like.

So, no atheist will get into heaven if they don't believe in God. All atheists will know that there is a God and that he is very very real.

What the Pope then says is that if they have a contrite heart and are genuinely sorry they will be allowed in to heaven. Is this true? Yes I would say that it is. God is loving and merciful. He doesn't want anyone to go to hell. People can go if they want to (that's a different post right there) but if they want to be forgiven they can.

Is this down to the Pope or to the reporting? I am not sure. Probably the reporting. It's hardly a secret that God will let anyone with a contrite heart into his kingdom after all. The media however would have it otherwise. Some people are beyond forgiveness they say; anyone who can forgive them is a monster and not a God. Hmmmm

At the heart of the Bible lies the book of Psalms. I will freely admit that I am not a massive fan of psalms. I find them difficult to understand and don't often get a lot from them. This sounds awful and I don't mean it to but there you go. However, that being said, when God speaks to me through psalms, He really does. I remember when my wife was pregnant the first time I read the psalms to the baby in her belly. I was daunted when I got to this one but pushed on and read it in one go. Wow. Simply amazing. Here is a word cloud of it, I hope to edit this post later with some reflections on it ...

Earlier in the year my wife and daughter were having their hair cut. My son was asleep and I was bored. I tried to play around with my new phone and the gravel that was lying around. After fishing through the fag ends and the general detritus, I was able to come up with this

Obviously, I added the words but I think it is a nice picture. In the midst of all that rubbish, I was able to find some beauty.

I have often said that my favourite book in the whole Bible is Philippians. When in doubt, search it out. Written near the end of Paul's journey it is full of joy and hope. It is something that reminds me of the joy of being a Christian. I intend to read it again and have some good prayer times with it.

In the meantime, here is a word cloud of the whole book

Having just read chapter one. Wow. Paul is amazing. Here he is in prison and what a joyful man. Shines through with his love of his disciples. There is no arrogance or conceit. He wants to stay to help, he is prepared to put off glory. He knows that preaching the gospel is his only job and he knows that it matters not how or where he does it. He just needs to do it.

I found the first chapter very inspiring. I met with a humble Paul. A Paul who knows what he has done, knows what still needs doing and wants to get it done. Funnily enough, this part of the book (in my favourite Bible) has the least amount of scribblings and highlights. Perhaps I have done it a disservice in the past. I am happy to rectify this.

Christmas has been good. Kids had a ball, wife was pleased with her gifts and I cooked an awesome dinner. I also had a dose of what felt like the flu and I am still a little run down. I am so tired but I am trying to get through it. Funny thing is, when I am so tired, I actually find it easier to connect to God. Maybe I am more open when I am out of the everything. At the end of me is the beginning of God? I wonder...

I am blessed enough to look upon this view almost daily. The Lord is magnificent and I adore his handiwork

It is almost Christmas. I have not felt less festive in all my years of teaching. School is very busy and I have so many assessments to get the kids through it is almost unbelievable. If  I am feeling this much pressure, goodness knows what the students are feeling.

Still, it is important not to forget the reason for the season (sorry). I read something yesterday that made me think. It said that if you want to keep Christ in Christmas, you need to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and defend the weak. What an excellent thought. The wife and I have had a guest staying with us for a couple of weeks now. She has been without a job and without a home for a little while (both now sorted, thanks to an amazing God) and it has been a pleasure. I can't say it has been perfect, giving home to someone who isn't a family member. Our routines have had to change and our lives have been impinged upon a little bit. Thing is, I would do it again in a flash.

At this time of year, I have noticed that people get a little bit funny with their attitudes to Christianity. I am confident of seeing a couple of things this year. There will be my atheist friend who posts about how we stole Christmas from Pagans. How we took all our Christmas liturgy and tradition from Mithras or the cult of Dionysus or various other things. Funny how it is always us who appropriate, despite evidence that it was the other religions who took from us. Another thing I am confident of seeing more of is the political statement using the Christian story (you know, the sort of people who say 'Jesus had two dads and he turned out ok' when discussing same sex issues, despite this not being true as he had one father and one step father). The most common one this year has been a picture of Mary and Joseph travelling to Bethlehem accompanied by the text 'If only we had a story at this time of year about a Middle Eastern couple struggling to find shelter while fleeing persecution'. It is meant to guilt us into feeling bad about the huge numbers of refugees in Syria and other places. Well done, very funny, see what you did there. Again not true. Mary and Joseph weren't fleeing persecution. They were travelling for a census. They were turned away from nowhere. They easily found room, probably with family.

People misunderstand Christmas all the time. It isn't (just) about Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all men. Life should be like that all the time. I am not supposed to like people just at Christmas. Peace is for life not just Christmas for goodness sake.

Don't even get me started on the Christmas jumpers! I'm a scrooge apparently because I haven't been out and bought a jumper that shows some unfunny or twee Christmas scene. I don't want to dress like an elf, be a walking advent calendar or have my jumper flash whilst playing a tinny version of jingle bells.

The TV is good though, as is the food! Modern Christmas isn't all bad really. It does remind many people that there is something more. Church attendance rises and the opportunities to share the gospel are wonderful.

I read an interesting article yesterday in the independent
Interesting article
I know it isn't about bums on seats (an awful phrase) but what a remarkable opportunity to share the gospel with people. Not the gospel of an orange, some dolly mixture and a candle. Not the gospel of Peace on earth and goodwill to men. Not the gospel of smile for a couple of weeks and think about others.
I mean the gospel that's in Luke chapter 2

---

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.’ 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
Jesus presented in the temple 22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord’[b]), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: ‘a pair of doves or two young pigeons’.[c]
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 ‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss[d] your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.’ 33 The child’s father and mother marvelled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: ‘This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.’
36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[e] She never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
The boy Jesus at the temple 41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they travelled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, ‘Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.’
49 ‘Why were you searching for me?’ he asked. ‘Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’[f] 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

---

Look at that passage about peace on earth. What do people often forget? The bit the comes before the peace on earth is so important. Glory to God in the highest. Give God the glory at Christmas. He deserves it.
Then look later in the chapter. The bit when Jesus meets Simeon at the temple. What a powerful passage this is. People need to be reminded that Christmas isn't our main time of year. That's Easter. We need to remember that Easter is just down the road. This year Christmas is on a Friday. Vicars, pastors, priests and preachers would do well to remember another Friday that'll be coming up soon.
Even the end of this wonderful chapter is instructive. Plenty of people like to remember the sweet silent (!) baby in the manger .
(I hope you will allow me an indulgence here for one of my favourite scenes in movies. It is from Talladega Nights. It is somewhat irreverent but nicely shows what people think of Jesus at times. Don't click if you don't want to be amused/offended)

Prayer from Ricky Bobby

You see, this baby grew up. He grew into a man. The only perfect man. This is the Jesus I am going to try and think more about this festive season.
Now, where are the mince pies ...

Today, in Northern Ireland, a man is on trial. He is on trial for saying that Islam is a heathen and Satanic religion. Whilst he is on trial because he broadcast an apparently 'grossly offensive' sermon, I think that he is basically on trial for saying that Jesus isn't the only way to God. This is the country we live in. The core message of the Bible is on trial and I have no idea where the case will go.

James McConnell preached a sermon that was then broadcast online. He was not very conciliatory and was a little too fire and brimstone for my liking. He was not loving and he made a mistake (in my opinion) to label all Muslims in one way. We need to share the gospel with love and grace and I don't think he did. However, the message, that Jesus is the only way to God is, in my opinion, sound. 

Scripture makes this clear; John 14:6 says it explicitly and the rest of the Bible is also just as clear. However, we live in a world where all religions have the same ending apparently. It is wrong to say that ours is right. The problem is, they can't all be right.

Christianity says that God is a Triune God, Father Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus died on the cross and rose again and was the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. Islam says God is one. Jesus didn't die on the cross and was merely a (albeit very special one) prophet. They can't both be right.

Christianity says there is one (triune) God. Hinduism says there are many gods. They can't both be right.

Christianity says there is a God. Buddhism says there is no god. They can't both be right.

I think Christianity is right and I reject all the other religions. I love all of them dearly because they, like me, are sinners loved by God. I don't hate them, I don't dislike them and I will do my best to convince as many as I can. 

Nothing can stop me saying that Jesus is the only way to God. Even though we live in the world Paul foretold where

For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather round them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

I have a wonderful piece of artwork on my wall at home, bought by my beautiful wife. It is a mock up of a train ticket which contains a reference to Joshua 24:15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.’

Lots of time to listen to some wonderful worship songs recently. The other day was very very stormy and I was in the bus stop belting out these two into the wind.






Both of them are amazing. I always feel so empowered when I sing them

I preached the other week (first Sunday in Advent) on approaching the kingdom of God. What inspired me (apart from the Spirit of course) was the decision to ban the release in cinemas of the advert below



At first I was angry, as usual, but then I thought a little about it and read some stuff which suggested that the advertising people were right to ban it. Think about it, it is hardly a welcome prayer in the modern world.

Our father - see we are all one family, we are not these disparate floating pieces all doomed to loneliness for eternity. Advertisers can't sell much stuff to people who aren't lonely.

Hallowed be your name - we have a holy father, we are to be encouraged to be like God. Be different. Don't be selfish. Don't let our desires overrule our heads. Not a popular idea with some.

Your will be done, on earth ... - Easy to see why this is hated.

Give us this day our daily bread - we should only have what we need, not what we want. I imagine some alarm bells went off over this part.

Forgive us our sins - we can't get a better life with better stuff. We get a better life with Grace.

As we forgive others - don't compete or compare, but forgive!

Lead us not into temptation - advertisers are like the devil. They offer seemingly easy solutions to problems./ We have another solution.


You see, we are hated in this world. We always will be. But there is another Kingdom. a kingdom that is so different (I actually had a real glimpse at what Holy means) that we should be amazed whenever we catch a little tiny peek.

We need a guide though and that's what Christmas is all about. A newborn king, a king who would pierce our hearts and die on a cross for our sins.

Amen, come lord Jesus come

Am off Facebook for a while. Am back on Twitter. I'm trying to get myself sorted a little bit. Been very poor at reading lately so I am trying to work through the new Tim Keller book on preaching ...

Been busy as the title suggests. Preaching more often now and that's been a challenge.

Previously we didn't have a real pattern at church. It was nice to let God lead us and to see what He brought to mind. This usually allowed me a good couple of weeks to get a sermon ready.

However, we have been through Hebrews and now are doing James. We decided that it would be better service to God and the congregation. But, it is not quite perfect as I don't know until the week before what section the previous preacher is covering!

Title says it all really. The family and I are away for three weeks from tomorrow. I probably won't be blogging much (nothing new there eh!) but there are some things that I wanted to think about for a bit before we descend into the family.

First off, family. Mine are not Christian, the wife's are. Church at my mum's house if not only boring but it is taking precious time away from family time. What's the Christian thing to do? I am hoping to get to church at least once. I hope to get to this church ...


St Mary's Ruabon.


It is where I used to go when I was first a Christian and away from Uni. They are a lovely church and I have learned the hard way not to think that God is not there just because it is a conservative Anglican church.

When we are at the other family there is much more chance that we will get to church. The wife's sister goes to what sounds like a very interesting church



Welspring.

We shall have to see.

Something else I saw again today was the consecration of the first Diocesan bishop who also happens to be a woman. Now, I have discussed this before but it would seem that my residual Anglicanism has finally gone. I saw the pictures today and read the words published about it but I felt so much that it was wrong. I definitely have to try and think some more about this.

Yet another reference to Matthew 10 today (see yesterday's post). Made me think about families.

You see, none of my family (except my beautiful wife) are Christians. I have spent a good deal of time wondering if they will become Christians. I used to worry about it a lot but these days I trust god a lot more than I used to.

The issue is though; how much of a 'Christian' should I be? We have a party coming up soon with lots of family there. There will be drinking, swearing, lewdness and general being an idiotness.Should I sit in the corner and tut away? Not go? Dip my toe in the water? Dive in? I don't know really. Scripture says that we are to be salt and light but we also need to be in the world sharing the Gospel. how are we to share the Gospel if we never mix?

Worst part of it is though, that many of the family use Jesus Christ as an extra piece of punctuation!


Guess I will have to try and remember Exodus 20:12

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

Last Sunday, I had the enormous privilege of preaching again. Preaching has become something that I really really enjoy. At first, as you can see from some of the posts here, I wrote it all out and read it through as the talk. Recently, taking some advice from the pastor, I have been a little more relaxed.

What I am doing now is writing out several different mind-maps and working through them. I stop to change things as the Spirit dictates and I enjoy doing just that. The Sunday just gone, I felt that I should preach on Matthew 10

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. 9 “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. 16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! 26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[b] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. 34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— 36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’[c] 37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. 40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

There were two or three different things that came out of the passage for me upon deeper reflection. Firstly, the first bit is for the First Century. It is one of those passages in Scripture that is meant to be for the people at the time. Yes, there are lessons to be learned but we needn't worry about taking no shoes and no staff! Yes, God has a specific place he wants us but I firmly believe that it is where we are right now. Yes, God may have somewhere else in mind for us but we have a mission now. The second part of the passage, from verse 16 to verse 23 is definitely for us. And it is a scary passage as well. We are being sent out among wolves. We will be brought before powers and flogged. Ok, maybe we will not be physically flogged but we are in danger of ridicule and punishment. Take the man arrested for preaching in the street from Leviticus. Now that passage is banned in England effectively and Christians can be guilty of a hate crime (as opposed to one of those I really really really like you crimes) if they preach from Holy Scripture. Then there is the Ulster preacher in trouble because of comments he made about Islam. Apparently you cannot really claim that Jesus is the only way to God these days.

A little aside here for one moment if you please -

'I am the way and the truth and the life. Nobody comes to the father except through me' John 14:6 Only Jesus will get you to heaven. All other religions are wrong and I do not care who knows it. I believe it with all my heart

You see, that is something else that comes out of the passage. We are told (three times in this chapter alone) that we need not worry. God will give us the words we need.
Finally, the chapter makes it clear. It will be tough and we will be hated by people. Maybe our family will hate us. Society certainly will. Doesn't matter, what's the worst that could happen?

You see, they can kill the body but not the soul. God is more important. Fearing him is more important. I think this part means respect rather than be scared but it makes no difference. He is stronger, more important and a better judge of what is happening. He has told us some news and we need to share it, we need to shout it from the rooftops. People are going to go to hell if they done respond to the message. It might be the people who hate us but we need to love them!

Incidentally, this passage contains the verse about Jesus not coming to bring peace. It seems to be the go to verse of a friend of mine who is a devout atheist. Interesting that this week I preached on it.

Incidentally, ever since Sunday there have been a lot of things pointing to Matthew 10...

So Sunday went well. Leading. Sorting worship. Preaching. Organising communion. All of it was me. I was a little nervous but it went off well. Coming only two weeks after my last time of preaching I don't think that the talk was as good as it could have been but it was ok.

I preached on Matthew 10 and it  contains that beautiful verse about not worrying what to say because God will send his Spirit to speak through you. I cannot tell you how many times I have thought about that verse! It is a powerful verse.

I hope to write a bit more later

Preaching went well last Sunday. Was good fun and what a message from Hebrews 12. Preaching again next week. No idea what yet though. Plus I am leading and there's  no worship leader! Wow. Need God to help eh

This was meant to be a post about how the new phone might help with blogging. Well, it crashed!

Just as I was really getting into it as well!

It is an Interesting  day  today thanks to the SCOTUS. They have said that gay marriage should be legal all through the USA. Of course, evangelicals are getting  their theological knickers in a twist about it. My question is though; why? Yes scripture is clear about marriage but the bible also says that God loves us enough to allow us to make our own choices. There is nothing that we can really do about it now. Acting with such bad grace is not Christian and is not right.

There are other things that are more important at the minute and we need to focus on them. The poor and needy. Sharing the gospel. Serving Jesus.

Nobody is being forced to marry anyone. Nobody yet anyway. There are far worse persecutions  of believers out there.

Those animals of ISIS again attacked today. Killing in the name of their religion. Their lies will find them out and they are heading for destruction  but we need to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters.

Preaching again on Sunday. And again in a couple of weeks. This week's sermon has been different in terms of preparation from the others. Firstly, we have been following a theme this month. The book of Hebrews. An amazing book. Each of the regular preachers at church has been looking at a different section. This week, I get to preach on Hebrews 12. It is a tough passage (more on it shortly) but I am looking forward to it. Secondly, there has been less time to prepare. I had to wait until last Sunday to see what I was preaching on. I thought it would be difficult but I have fundamentally finished it. I will read it through tomorrow, maybe make a few changes but I think it is done. Some parts of the passage leaped out at me. I know it talks about discipline and that is a hard topic to talk about but that is only because God loves us. he is the ultimate parent. It also talks about the differences between Sinai and Sion. We are citizens of Sion already. Any joy in our worship and in our prayer is a reflection of our position in the throne-room of the Lord Almighty. But, how can we, mere mortals and sinful ones at that, possibly enter the throne-room? That's the message of Hebrews. We can't but we can. We can because of the sacrifice of Jesus. His death and resurrection have opened the way. His new role as the Great High Priest lets us into the Holy of Holies. This is a really powerful passage and I hope to write more on it later.

One thing that has been vexing me a little lately is the issue of gender and God. There has been a good deal of stuff from supposed Christians who argue that t is ok to call God She rather than He. Now, I don't really have a major issue with it. God certainly doesn't. He has been called a lot worse after all but it has annoyed me for two reasons.

Firstly; much of it is coming from prominent Christians and they are setting a bad example. One piece in particular found its way into my sphere of attention this week. It comes from the chaplain to the Bishop of Rochester (the last bishop to have any authority over me).

Here is a quote for you to muse on

But how we talk affects how we think. Centuries of keeping women linguistically out of the picture has helped keep them out of the picture politically, financially and legally – what the tongue doesn’t mention, the eye needn’t see. Keeping silent about the feminine aspect of God, helps keep our theology androcentric, keeps us thinking, at some level, that God is male, that male images of God are somehow more accurate ... To talk about God as ‘her’ - not all the time, but often - widens our concept of the divine. God ceases to be an old man in the sky, but becomes someone ‘bigger’ than can be described by just one pronoun. She becomes a God of wind and fire and smoke and silence. We can stop crowbarring the Holy Spirit into some sort of false-feminine aspect, but allow the whole Trinity to be ‘she’ from time to time. God becomes the Queen of Heaven, Holy Wisdom, Divine Comforter, still robustly personal, but also more, also beyond us and above us: the Unknowable Incarnate.

The whole piece can be found here - 

God is a she

The thing is, these people get a lot of attention for their ideas. Not a bad thing in and of itself one might argue but what are their aims? The aim of a Christian must surely be to seek and save the poor, lonely, disadvantaged and lost. To preach the gospel of Christ's crucifixion, death and resurrection. Sadly though, all too often these people are more concerned with righting a wrong rather than sharing the gospel. Their all encompassing desire for full social equality ignores the real social inequalities on the streets and in the houses of Britain.

Moreover, there seems to be a desire to liberalize the church. Take on trendy ideas and you will make your church more appealing. Sorry, I disagree (as I will show in a little bit). These important people in the Anglican church need to stop sharing trendy ideas and start sharing the gospel a little more.

Secondly; there is a similar desire to do away with gender in scripture. More and more bibles are removing obviously male language and replacing it with gender neutral language. In some cases this is fine. It makes sense and it has no bearing on doctrine. The problem is though, that sometimes it does have a bearing. One verse in particular, Hebrews 2:6, often sees the phrase 'son of man' removed and swapped with various collective nouns for humans.

Removing the son of man? Why is that even necessary? Surely it misses a vital link with the Son of Man.

Overall, as I said earlier, it doesn't really matter to God. He has no gender. He does indeed have both feminine and masculine aspects but it is important to remember that one part of the Trinity does, actually, have a gender. Jesus was born a man, lived as a man (or as one particularly pedantic friend of mine would say - as a cis-gendered man!), died as a man and rose from the grave as a man. Would this affect me, were I a woman? Did Christ die more for me because we share the same gender? The answer to that is surely no.

It is interesting to note that those denominations who are sticking to Scripture and to the real message of the Gospel are thriving. Look at the Free Church of Scotland or the church I go to. Whereas, those like the C of E and the Church of Scotland, those who water down the gospel and change the saving message of Christ in line with societal trends, they are dying on their feet. The Anglican church is a generation away from irrelevancy. I will mourn its loss but will not follow its lead anymore.

If it helps you to understand God more, do play up his motherly tendencies. Don't however change scripture to suit your ideas. The gospel is bigger than your ideas or mine and should remain the focus. Do this and it will all be ok

Nehemiah 4. Wonderful chapter. It was the part that I was looking for and now I can truly understand why the Mrs chose the name she did. Here are some ordinary people who are doing ordinary things for God and they are threatened by a powerful force. What do they do? They stand in that wall and are prepared to fight and die for what God wants them to do. Definitely a new favourite chapter for me.

As for Acts 9. This contains one of the funniest as well as most important parts of Scripture. For the funny - Ananias is told by God to go and talk to Saul. Imagine his face! He turns to God and says 'are you sure?' I truly love that exchange.

Important- the birth of Paul and look at what he did ...

I read three chapters today. One of them was a whole book!

Nehemiah 3 was a detailed but somewhat dull passage. What I mainly got from it was the ways in which so many people helped out. There were people from all different walks of life and with different skills, all doing their bit. It sounded like the church should be. God needed something doing, he gave some people the authority and desire to do it and others followed their lead. Yes there was some opposition but the main thing is, it got done.

Acts 8 was as good as I thought it would be. Full of excitement and wonder. Peter and the sorcerer, Philip and the Ethiopian. Wonderful stories. I really loved the passage that the Eunuch was reading from Isaiah 53. It tells, so movingly, the story of Jesus' walk to the cross and the wonder of his sacrifice.

A message that God seems to have been putting on my heart lately is that nothing ever changes. Again and again I have seen God that what happened to the apostles and the early church, happens to us. Today's was a message from 2 John. In verse 7 he writes that 'many who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

Now, I am sure that there are many different theological perspectives, maybe John was talking about a particular heresy but to me it is simple. All too often we hear people on the internet saying that 'Jesus never existed'. It is such an obvious falsehood but it is becoming very tempting for many in the modern world. More and more people are being convinced that Jesus wasn't real. This is a deception and a message from the antichrist.

Luckily (well, predestined good fortune rather than luck of course, we are Christians), there is an even better message in 2 John. If we are obedient to Christ, we will be walking in love and as we all know; God is love. Be obedient, ignore the deceivers and you will be walking with God.

That's a message eh!

I came across an interesting website today. Proof that you really can find anything you want on the internet. I am very interested in word-clouds and find them a very nice way to visualise the messages of the Bible. Anyway, this website

http://www.66clouds.com/index.html

has word clouds for each book of the Bible as well as each testament and the whole Bible. I am going to use them as much as I can to help with my devotionals. 

Here is the one from the whole bible

What a fantastic piece of work. I am very very grateful to the people at 66clouds.com and wish to thank them for helping me do something that I have been trying to do for a while.

An interesting pair of chapters tonight. On the surface, they could be seen to be very boring. Nehemiah 2 sees him getting upset and gaining permission to go back to Jerusalem. It just is full of language and nuance though. Little parts show the evident truthfulness of the chapter and the warmth of the King and his wife to Nehemiah is lovely to see.

Another potentially boring passage was the speech given by Stephen to the Sanhedrin. Taken out of context (oh how often does that happen when discussing the Bible with our opponents!) the speech is merely a re-telling of the history of Israel. However, this epic has a sting in the tail. Stephen recounts all the times that the Israelites ignored God and ignored the prophets he sent. Then there is his final point. The Sanhedrin are as guilty as anyone else. They rejected Jesus and that's the most heinous of all rejections.

This is followed by one of the most beautiful scenes in all of Scripture. Stephen is taken out to be stoned and he looks up to heaven and sees Jesus standing there at the right hand of God, waiting for him. Dying and in pain and ready to meet God, what does Stephen do? He prays for his torturers and for their forgiveness. What a hero.

Tomorrow we see the church persecuted and spread about. I am looking forward to reading that chapter ...

I see them out and about in town and I really want to engage with them. Problem is, what is the right way to (ahem) witness? I am thinking of doing some research into this topic over the next couple of days. Hopefully I will be able to post about it and then actually do it ...

This is what our pastor is talking about on Sunday. It is an interesting question and on that we definitely need to get the right answer to.

Churches in Fort William are going from strength to strength. Their buildings are full and there are new pastors and new preachers in abundance. Scotland used to be known as the land of the book. At least we may still be a page in that book.

Problem is though, that we need to make sure we are not being complacent and resting on our laurels. They aren't our laurels after all! So what does God want? We live in a difficult world where the church is not relevant to many people. This is a shame. In our little town there are a myriad of different churches. Some have music, some don't. Some allow a guitar and some don't even allow a piano. Some are high in their liturgy, others are a little more relaxed. They all have something in common though. All of them worship the same Jesus, just in slightly different ways. People should be seeing these churches as beacons. Are they?

Don't get me wrong. I am not now nor ever will be a universalist. I know that there are doctrines of some churches which are wrong. I don't agree with the Roman Catholic veneration of Mary or their ideas about intercession. Doesn't stop Jesus shining out from their churches though. I definitely don't agree with the Free Church and the emphasis it places on membership and the way they do communion. Yet, anyone who goes to their church will hear a powerful exposition of the Good News. Which Christian wouldn't want that?

So, we, as a church, need to be getting Jesus' message out there. Show the people that He is relevant and there are different places and ways in which he can be met. It isn't that we have a mission remember. It is that God has a mission; he also happens to have a church ...

Acts 6 and Nehemiah 1. Both wonderful chapters. Very inspiring. I like the descriptions of Stephen in Acts. When I get to heaven, I am so gonna wait in line to see that man with the face of an angel.

I was also moved by the prayer of Nehemiah about Jerusalem. I love that city dearly. It is a beautiful and moving place. I know how Nehemiah must have felt

Here is something that I knocked up after reading the chapter this evening ...

This is an important question and possibly it is too late to be asking it.

In all honesty, I am not sure. I have never been one for putting forward plans suggesting that they are form God. However, recently, there have been a couple of times when I have stepped up to the plate and shared what I think God is trying to say through me.

On both occasions it has been the right thing to do.

So, what does God want for me? I think he wants me to do a lot more preaching and teaching. To generally get involved more in the church. This is something that pleases me and I do like it when I share God's word. However, I also think that He wants me (and the wife) to get more involved in the wider church in Fort William. Mission is important both locally and globally. I need to sit and pray and pray and think about how I can do this.

Yes, my last Mission Week was a big flop and it hurt me to admit that. It was a big flop because I am a useless organiser. This time it will be different if I go ahead with anything. It will be different because I am better at realising my own strengths and my own limitations. I am willing to ask for help and I know where to ask.

So, any ideas?

Grill a Christian night. Have it in a local venue, ask a couple of the local pastors along, open the floor to any questions. I think that might be a goer.

Pub church. Does what it says on the tin. I am sure there are ways we could do this. (I know it would be difficult for some so maybe a cafe church).

I certainly think some interactive prayer stations will be needed. I will ask the wife to help with that; this is definitely her forte.

Happy New Year

2014 was a great year. It was a year in which I re-connected with God and in which He very graciously allowed me to share some things about him. Church was wonderful Work was great. Family life (when I wasn't being unnecessarily grumpy) was wonderful.

We are expecting our son to arrive in a few weeks and this is utterly wonderful. We have chosen a name for him which the beautiful wife found when she was in hospital. It relates to the story of Nehemiah and I think I will be reading the book about him over the next couple of weeks.

Not everything was hunky-dory. There are still problems that I am facing and there are still things that I irrationally let annoy me. I am working on them but thankfully so is God. That is an amazing truth and one that I hold onto every single day