Spiritual Moods
Funny how moods change. Today I look out on a miserable wet Sunday, with no desire to drip my way into any church meeting. The attempt at praise and worship was proving to hard, and apathy and sloth took over. I picked up the good book but found it proved to heavy to open, those pages weighed a ton. I decided the football was more my kind of thing and settled down to watch that, but even this is proving unsatisfactory. A few days ago all was different! The book was light and easy, the chain references I was following interesting and enlightening, prayer came naturally. What happened? The sun shone on me then, now faith is hard, God does not exist, and nothing matters.
Life is a nuisance. Moods change all the time, one day you have eaten well, circumstances are good and God is in his heaven. The next, poor diet, sickness, bad football result and the world is at an end, God has gone and reality is unwanted. In fact this is everyday life for us all. While one is up and down from day to day others vary over weeks or even months, but mood swings are with us always! Pity really. It is difficult to worship when there is no joy, or worries intrude, or the mood is flat, but this is normal. God, like bad weather in the UK, is always there, and an ever present reality! Just because I am flat does not mean he is hiding. Paul must have been flattened many times, no friends, no food, in jail, slapped about, opposed, unwanted, life threatened, yet he continued in faith. Real faith, not the nominal stuff we often live out, but believing God is there and Jesus would never leave him. He was right!
I tell myself this, and attempt to praise, worship, and adore, bringing to mind the good times, but in reality I just want to fall asleep again! I did however dream I was in a big church last night, does this count as worship I wonder?
‘Having Food and Clothes We are Content’
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Hungry, Mammon, Money, Poor, Poverty, Riches, Wealth
Comments(1) Somewhere, I can’t be bothered looking it up, Paul talks about being content with having food and clothes, but he does not mention shelter, a car, TV or a football team to support. This shows something, it shows he had nothing all to often and had ‘learned the secret of being content, Christ Jesus, his Lord.’ We are not like this.
After the second world war the UK was bankrupt, Europe was devastated and all was poverty. In the end the US Marshall plan (Marshall was one of America’s better men in my opinion) fed and reinstated Europe. His main aim may well have been to re-establish markets for American goods, but it was the only way to avoid disaster in Europe. During the fifties the world changed for the better as far as the continent was concerned. The Cold War may have hung over our heads but prosperity increased and so did the desire to forget wars and build a decent life. This reached a peak in the sixties when wealth in the UK grew so much that car use became quite common and luxury goods, running water and decent housing were accepted as par for the course. However during the seventies old attitudes, an abundance of wealth, and personal greed led to many conflicts in what was a rich nation. The eighties allowed wealth to develop under Thatcher’s love of the god Mammon, but society died. care for others was forgotten, the ’service element’ was removed from utilities and now we pay the price. Price indeed! Higher prices, less public services, and many redundancies ‘revitalised’ badly run organisations. Some of the millions unemployed by her never worked again!
Wealth made us take riches for granted. We expected, and claimed to ‘deserve’ houses, hospitals, good pay, cars, foreign holidays and cheap abundance of food. A few coins into a charity box eased our conscience regarding the million starving to death world wide, ‘but hey, what could we do?’ Now we find life hard when debts rise and we can no longer fill the house with goods we never use, food we waste, (about a third of what is bought is thrown away!) yet we are never happy! Overweight, overdressed people, many of them Christians, complain about the price of fuel for their over large cars, whine that they cannot find the goods they ‘need’ cheap enough, and replace casually objects that are still working but merely ‘out of fashion.’ TV are adverts tell us how to be happy with what is in front of us. Often things we neither need or like, but if the stars have one, we ‘need’ one. Kids, especially at secondary school level, do this honestly and openly - they cannot afford to be different from the rest. Adults live like this, but by stealth, always justifying our Mammon worship and idolatry.
However this attitude is not found only in the west, it is in all societies. Achan took a robe and gold and silver dedicated to God, and suffered the consequences. One tribe in a mud hut will steal vessels and goods from another group of mud huts. It is of course not the goods nor the dwellings, it is not the lifestyles that produce such attitudes, it is the heart. Your heart and mine.
Being unemployed I can see how easily I wasted cash before, and how I now regret it. However, once employed, and money is filling my pockets, will I care for the hungry, be content with what I have? No, I doubt it. Needs arise, and soon greed overtakes need. The only answer is to be close to Jesus, who had no place to lay his head, and expect him to provide. Paul was rich, and sometimes poor. he worked at his mission and with his hands. He was content simply to rely on his God’s provision, a God who promised never to leave him. That way brings contentment, peace and all requirements to us. How funny that we read it daily, know it in our minds and hearts, and forget this when some glittering object is placed in front of us. The world, the flesh and the devil are a real pain!
The Congregational Church
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: AV, Congregational Church, Old
Comments(1) Once again I made my way to the Congregational Church this morning. I say, ‘once again,’ as I occasionally pop in there but would not consider it ‘home.’ However it has a marvelous Scotsman as minister and is so sparsely populated I find it relaxing and in a sense, comforting. The ‘hymn sandwich’ style reminds me of my early Church of Scotland days, and the minister knows his God.
However there are some things which some may find less than appetising. They are all old! I mean old! Since his arrival the minister has buried over half his congregation, not because of what he says, (in fact he rarely speaks for more than twenty minutes, just in case another pops her clogs while he speaks), but through what you could call, natural wastage. The church has been established for several hundred years in this town and as such many families connected with the town worshiped here for generations. Those elderly folk often represent people who first came through the doors when John Bunyan was around. In fact Spurgeon, the famous Victorian preacher, was born in a town not far from here and a relative (Great nephew ?) was a member here until his death recently. This age problem I think hinders newcomers, although two families with young were present today, and several children left for the ‘Sunday School,’ however if more than two of us were under sixty I would be surprised. Another problem I find is the use of the ‘Authorised Version’ of the bible. I can cope with this as it was what I first used but younger folks do find its arcane language difficult. N.I.V’s are on offer at the door however, which is good. Also, to continue the bad bits, the music is slower than it ought to be as the ministers wife has to play the organ, no-one else being available. She makes a real hearty attempt but a seven verse song sometimes takes longer than waiting for a bus!
However, that really is the main difficulty here. This is not a charismatic assembly, just a decent honest minister and wife, with a good hearted congregation, attempting to worship God and live their lives. The short sermons are biblical and his voice authoritative, encouraging and knowing. This is indeed a ‘canny man’ who has known many troubles and understands others also. Today he spoke regarding the ‘Lord’s Table,’ and then we broke bread in the slow old fashioned way. My old church, once Baptist and now after a renewal on the ‘lunatic fringe’ of Christianity, would somewhat surprise him in the way ‘Communion’ is taken. There folks gather around the table and share bread and wine in a free and relaxed manner, not slack you understand, but going from one to another and attempting to build one another up in Christ. Such behaviour would cause a few heart attacks here! That is also why there are no arms raised in this small crowd, not only would it cause a stir it would cause a seizure for the one taking it! Which reminds me, during intercessory prayer for the sick, over a dozen names were mentioned. I imagine none of them to be less than seventy years of age.
Now you must not get the impression that this is a dying group of Christians. It may be small but Jesus is sought by these folks. The minister and his wife, also from Glasgow, have a decent crowd, and while it does not suit me in many ways in others I, as I have said, find it strangely comforting. I like it! I have no idea of the stories of the folks, as I do not have much to do with them, by the time I have reached the door most are still looking for their zimmer frames! But I do know the minister and trust him. I wonder how Jesus sees the folks here? They appear to want him, and too many churches are social clubs these days, and I think he may well be happy with what he sees before him here. With a twinkle in his eye the minister shook hands at the end and said to me, “Remember, if you think things cannot get worse pop in - and I’ll show you how wrong you can be!” What a man!
I am an Arminian Calvinist!
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Arminius, Bible, Calvin, Know alls, Teachers
Comments(1) Folks say to me, at least those that talk to me, they say “How can you be an Arminian Calvinist? Surely these are two opposing extremes?” I say, “This is easy. I just call myself an ‘Arminian Calvinist’ and lo, I am one.” I suggest they try it but usually they walk away, heads shaking and muttering prayers aimed in my direction.
Of course I have only ever come across one other ‘Arminian Calvinist’ in my life. I did not meet him, I just heard about him being kicked out of a decent bible college for being a ‘heretic!’ Hmmm. My kind of man! My designation of myself upsets so many people, and rarely has any of these, usually ‘reformed’ characters stopped to think as to why I use this term. They allow their minds to wend their way through the ‘teachings’ they have undergone, and consider the books they have been told to read, and the sermons and lectures they have listened to, yet never stop to think, to consider, why?
The reason is simple. Biblical truth!
i don’t know about you but I am sick of ‘biblical truth!’ I hear it everywhere, I read it in all the best places. I see it in blogs and pamphlets and hear it in sermons and evangelising, yet it is often different! It appears to change from person to person, from church to church and book to book. As you know, ‘of the making of many books there is no end,’ and sometimes I wonder if it is time to end the making of books! When I ran the church library folks were always coming up with books and telling me “You must read this!” All to often a glance at the book, the cover alone telling you a great deal, or the authors name, indicated to me that this book was not worth reading, no matter how much it meant to the one so enthused by it. I got into the habit of ignoring their suggestions and attempting to get the lazy so and so’s to read the bible study books I knew were what they really needed instead. A charismatic thriller, while excellent in itself, needs a biblical base, and a book telling of the evangelistic outreach in a dark Amazon rain forest needs biblical instruction on how to do this here at home. Few listened. The book of the moment, the famous name preacher nearby, the fashion of the day counted more than solitary biblical reading.
In the seventies there was an ‘Evangelical Bookstore’ in Edinburgh which I once visited. The chap inside looked at me askance as though I came from outer space, I was a hippy look a like then, and his ‘conservative’ shop was miles from my world. However looking at the books so many of them just attacked one another! Minute points were developed into large tomes and while study and academic thought is required I found myself even then, knowing little, depressed by this. Now I know everything (Ha!) I am still depressed by the meaningless debates and point scoring which goes under the name ‘biblical truth.’ It has always been there, as Paul indicated, false teachers and wolves would arise, and a sharp lookout is indeed required to prevent mistakes. However, I decided I had seen enough of pride masquerading as knowledge, of ‘biblical truth’ from those who refused to accept others points of view, and the lack of real understanding in congregations. For it is fair to say most of us, as I did, just accept what the preacher says and never look for ourselves. One pastor told me, “If I make a mistake and he church does not tell me, it should apologise to me.” He was right, although when I did tell him his mistakes he was none to pleased! Typical!
There is Arminism found in the book, as their is Calvinism. But which is right? Neither as they were both just men, and what passes for their thought is often nothing but others interpretation. Let’s have men of God to teach us, but let us read the book for ourselves. I failed to do this, and still do, and am swept along with various trends and ideas, often because I do not consider what is in front of me. A lack of understanding and by this I do not mean intellect, for Jesus did not bring intellectual difficulty, but profundity, if such a word exists. My designation Arminian Calvinist is a satire on those ‘who know the biblical truth’ and a sign I am sick to the death of them all!
So there!
Man sues God - Case dismissed
A Nebraska state senator has attempted to sue God because of the “death, destruction and terrorisation” he has caused. It is interesting that the judge ruled that as ‘…the defendant has no address papers cannot be delivered!’
“Mr Chambers sued God last year. He said God had threatened him and the people of Nebraska and had inflicted “widespread death, destruction and terrorisation of millions upon millions of the Earth’s inhabitants”.”
“Mr Chambers, a state senator for 38 years, said he filed the suit to make the point that “anyone can sue anyone else, even God”.”
I note that God is described as ‘God.’ But which God is God? He does not use any of the names found in the bible, so how does he know who this ‘God’ is? However, if he is suing the Living God, I hope he does not intend to file an appeal!
I suppose I should point out, this gentleman is an American, so that will explain everything.
End Times
The credit crunch has some believing the end times are upon us, and this may well be so, however there again it may not. Global warming, whether natural or man made, financial collapse, the Jews back in Israel all point , for some, to the end being upon us.
However let us hold on a moment.
Financial collapse is not new, it happens occasionally and sweeps the entire world, natural disasters will be there until the end, and the Jewish return nowhere implies an immediate return for Jesus, it is in the Fathers time after all.
Israel it must be said does not behave as a Godly society ought to behave. Their treatment of the Palestinians does not comply with Jesus attitude to the Romans who dominated the land in his day! It is one thing to defend yourself, it is another to terrorise and brutalise your opponent! Blind support, usually from the US, takes sides with ‘the apple of Gods eye,’ but does not consider their behaviour. This is wrong! Supporting the work of the Lord in the middle east does not mean accepting wrong behaviour from either side. Both need to accept salvation and Christians ought to be offering love to both. Some even see Muslims as demonic and Jews as righteous! Both are sinners God wishes to accept salvation and if the middle east is important to you prayers need to be directed to this end.
Jesus will return soon, and we may be alive to see it, the indications are there. However we often make mistakes and misunderstand. Therefore if we really wish to see Jesus return we need to stop reading the signs and start living the life. There is little point in understanding scripture revelation if we don’t love our neighbour, or our enemy. If our marriage is failing and we don’t get on with those around us. Jesus does not want folk ’standing looking into the sky,’ he wants those who love him to live for him. Then they will see him all around them and walk into his eternal kingdom. They way is hard, but glorious if we hold to it.
Lax with God
Only today I was faced with two choices, concentrate on Jesus or other things. My mind allowed the wrong to take root. There again I should have seen it growing over the last few days. But I did not, and was lax with God. Instead of concentrating on him, I just got on with life and fell flat on my face, again. It never ceases to amaze me how often I see the grace of God in action, a word here, a prayer there, and an opening unexpectedly occurring at just the right time. But within moments I am back to my self, vain, unforgiving, concentrating on me and not him. I understand those who spent forty years in the wilderness! So now I remember, too late his grace and goodness. Now, when I have allowed sin to lead me I wonder where I stand, why I forgot him, and how on earth I end up here. Still, I suppose he is used to this. Sometimes I wonder how Jesus puts up with all the sin, and from those he has reached out to at that! You create the earth, you die on the cross, call folks to you, and find them wrapped up in themselves and not you. Being God is not all it’s cracked up to be! I get annoyed when folks don’t treat me right, I cannot guess how the creator must feel when folks like me forget him and concentrate on their little world, a world he wishes to enlarge and develop for them! Dearie me, I do wrong, and push him aside to do so, and then say,” Sorry God,” and move on as if it was not important. Oh look, there it is again, self indulgence for my guilt, instead of tears for his pain and heartache. And what heartache, echoed millions of times a day, does he endure from those that use his name……
Prayer, Praise and Reality
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Cycling, Prayer, Railway line, reality, {raise
Comments(1) So there I was, struggling up the slopes that appeared to me on my bike to be mini Matterhorn’s, just to reduce the fat lump of lard that comprises my beer belly. To be honest there is more pasta and chips in there than beer, a left over from the time I stopped running around and sat down all day but kept eating as if the work was physical! The media call it ‘obese’ but my doctor said it was not there yet, I was in his words, “Just a fat slob.” This is reassuring.
Hundreds of miles up the road (well two) I turned round and began the descent via the old rail line. One of the great idea of recent times has been the regeneration of defunct rail lines but turning them into country walks. This one is much used and suffers little from litter and vandalism. The Rangers team do well in maintaining it as a place to spend a short time with nature. Cycling down the hill when nobody bar the occasional dog walker is excellent. I tend to glide slowly listening out for the birds and watching the squirrels drop objects on me from the trees high above as I pass. This time I thought I was praying. I say thought, but I wonder if I was? I began at the far end and considered I was doing all right, no-one being around I was free to enjoy the trees and fields and so on and pray happily. Two thirds of the way down there came to my mind the song ‘ Jesus we adore you, we proclaim you our king.’ A song I always liked and meant much to the church in the mid eighties. I continued happily, in spite of the rain pretending I was back amongst Edinburgh’s usual downpours.
Back in civilisation, I knew it was that by the plastic bottles and crisp packets that lay in the streets, I made my way homewards. Then reality set in. As I came onto the main road I remembered a woman I once worked with who lived along here. A sour faced bint who never smiled in all the time I knew her. Once or twice our paths crossed and I could imagine what she might say if I saw her again. Suddenly I found myself mentally telling her what I thought of her, and in a ‘full and frank’ manner at that. I lashed out with all the horrid depth of my being, as you do. As I dawdled home I wondered what on earth happened there? It is not as if she actually crossed my path, it was a mere thought that suddenly got out of control! Prayer, praise? Aye right!How often do I realise that there is no point in such things if I am not living it? I hear of ‘revivals’ and ‘outpourings of the Holy Spirit’ and wish it would happen to me. However there is no point if I cannot ‘Love my neighbour, or my enemy.’ There is no point in being ‘filled with the Spirit’ if my heart is rotten.
It is reality that will show Jesus life, not praise, prayer or works. Reality hides nothing.
Orissa Troubles
The troubles continue in Orissa with several towns still suffering the effects of the riots. More dead, and no doubt much more needless destruction. While India remains a great country and its people lovely to know it never fails to amaze me just how easily mob violence is to create there.
Continue to pray for peace in this area. For protection for the believers, and all others, and reconciliation between the tribes and groupings. Write to the ‘Times’ and ensure the nation knows the world hears what is happening in India.
Orissa India
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: India, Orissa, Persecution, Pray
Comments(0)
In recent days the situation in Orissa has once again led to violent outbreaks. A young woman was burnt to death, houses and church premises have been attacked and individual Christians have suffered greatly.
Please pray for the situation. While we sit in the west complaining about the missed bus and the meaningless adverts that dominate the TV screen in India there is a real persecution, and I for one do nothing to help ease it.
Read the following links and pray as led, although protection, provision and the strength which God supplies through Jesus Christ his Son must be uppermost in our thoughts. Pray that they may know Gods will for each in this time.
The Times of India There is a chance to write to the editor on this link! Consider this please.
Persecution Update India Latest.
Remember also Yash & Monica facing similar plight elsewhere.
