embracing a vision of courageous faith

My hope and endeavour here is to spur myself on toward "love and good deeds": to rekindle the vision and calling God has given me.

I am writing this as I would a sermon - keeping in mind the two places I know best: West Auckland and Chicago.

I write this hopefully and prayerfully as an encouragement to those who read these words: they are just my prayers, ramblings, opinions and thoughts about straining to to become and live in a way worthy of my calling.

It will probably be put onto the blog in 6 sections; as I have time and as it flows! We'll see what happens:

Embracing A Vision of Courageous Faith:

What embraces us when we think about the problems in Chicago, in Auckland and the world?
We just need to observe and look and we will see the devastating effects of poverty:
Gang warfare and initiation, domestic violence, bug eyed crack and meth(P)-heads, junkies, alcoholism, street kids, homelessness, evictions, precariously housed people, imprisonment, hospitalizations, prostitution, street corner faa’fafines, psychotic disorders and gut wrenching hunger are just a sample of the realities that devastate poverty stricken families and neighborhoods.

· Do we ignore this fact?
· Do we pray in the privacy of our houses, requesting the Lord’s mercy?
· Do we cower in fear, lacking courage, as we contemplate it’s very real, present and scary dangers?
· Do we grasp for a revolution, yet it turns into a fleeting dream as we realize that such a movement means effort, pain and hardship?
· Do we, like Moses, express our weakness; and as a result, instead of embracing God’s power, we shrink away from rugged responsibility wanting others to lead and to do the work?
· Do we feel guilty for our lack of action, yet fail to do what we know we should do?
· Do we give, volunteer and seek to do what we can, when we can and how we can?
· Do we blame the government, the pastors, the elders and other people for not embracing the mission of liberating and helping the poor, and thus, ignoring our own responsibility?
· Maybe we just blame the poor for being poor, and thus think, let them live to their own demise.
· Do we seek to follow the Lord’s example, but struggle to find like-minded believers to embrace the narrow path together – thus having the same vision, quest and passion?
I know I have grasped at and lived most of these ways.

YET, sadly: The reality remains, poverty exists and it exists with devastating and fatal results, and we, as followers of Jesus, are called to set life’s captives free and proclaim the good news. This message is NOT meant to be a rebuke, but an encouragement, a spur on, a gentle nudge to embrace the poor: The poor in our neighborhoods, our cities, in our lives; the poor who Jesus embraced with the words He quoted from Isaiah;
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

My quest in this message is to discover how a weak fragile individual, like me, can live a life embracing a vision of courageous faith. In this endeavor, I am going to encourage us all to embrace 4 things. The reason I love and use the word embrace is that it suggests a lot more than just grasping; to me it suggests seeking, finding, waiting, grabbing and a long hug – like the loving Father of the prodigal son. Taking something and making it my own! Not letting go! Persevering!

REST, SILENCE and SABBATH

I am discovering how difficult it can be to truly REST. The nature of this society, combined with the busyness of my work, the constant needs of the folk I work with and the endless sea of suffering that floods my cell phone and my wanderings. (i received two phone calls last night: 10.30pm and 4.39am). REST is a sacred commodity! Establishing the Sabbath for our family is a MUST!



This a ramble to Discover, as I seek the Lord's purpose and as I pray over this NEED! This is a Prayer! This is me seeking an Island of relief, renewal, reflection and relaxation amongst the waves of the endless sea! 24 hours of living in the grace, hope and love of the LORD.

The quest is to be FREE in this pursuit. As I have already mentioned, I cannot be governed by the laws of legalism.

The Lord has gifted me, throughout the years, with three significant reminders that keep me focused on HIM amongst life's turmoil, self-imposed demands and busy schedules: 14 years ago at BCNZ the explanation of the verse: "Be Still and Know that I am God" and I recently read a little book by NT Wright about the Lord's Prayer and some recent studying of the Book of Revelation.

It's all about letting God be God, and me being me. About knowing, I cannot change people, and sometimes my best efforts are another person's grief, and my mistakes and weaknesses can result in another person's growth and sanctification! Pride is an ugly monster. "The Politics of God and The Politics of Man" by Jacques Ellul explains this mystery.

My first Sabbath quest is to pursue the Gift of Silence. A healthy rhythm of life involves the art of resting and ceasing. We need times of being Still! To Pray! To Reflect! But why? So that we can be renewed.

God must be with us in the Silence - otherwise it is a pointless exercise. It is a time to be embraced by the God who welcomes us. It is a time to shut off the human voices (first and foremost my own) and being able hear from the God who comforts.

The protestant work ethic captures and alienates many of us, yet values all work as sacred, but the Bible also vigorously promotes rest and celebration with work, to define the rhythm of life. Ellul points out that "the sabbath is a gift of God to remind us that we are not constantly under the burden of ....... toil."

As I endeavour to fight the powers of self promotion and self worth through my own doing, the Power of Lord is seen through His REST and His SABBATH and thus realizing that He is in control and I dwell in His Kingdom.

Essential Sabbath time

Living in a world full of chaotic mayhem, where rest is virtually impossible to find, I am being challenged to re-think, pursue and embrace a weekly Sabbath ritual. A ritual based on the freeing grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, while trying to dispose of any Pharisaical legalism that can easily penetrate such a vital habit. This is based off the understanding that God's Sabbath Command was established in Creation, was mercifully commanded for the sake of His created beings - that my family and I would not be overwhelmed by the pressures of this world and, essentially, live my life knowing God is in control - NOT ME! I am basing my reading off Marva dawn's book: Keeping the Sabbath Wholly; Resting, Ceasing, Embracing and Feasting! My plan is to continue to study it and live it .....

Living the Impossible Dream

I got this devotional book from Beth for Christmas - I love it.
It is called "Resist the Powers with Jacques Ellul" by Charles Ringma

Here's the last 2 days thoughts: they challange me and make me think and pray and strive to live for His Kingdom and no other kingdom .......

To view and analyze my thoughts, dreams and ways continually in the light of His kingdom .......

February 9:
Living the Impossible Dream:
There is nothing finally achievable about living the Christian life. It is always beyond us, yet it is our present possession.
Jacques Ellul is adamant that "what the New Testament really means by being a Christian is the very opposite of what is natural to us." He could not be more correct. The Christian life is the attempt to live the impossible dream. This is not to suggest that we don't have a firm relationship with Christ through faith. Nor does it suggest that we cannot be sure about the life to come as we continue to live in Christ by the Spirit.
What it does mean is that living the lifestyle of the kingdom of God will cut across all our normal values. For in God's kingdom, the least are favoured; the great are to become servants; those who have all are impoverished; those who are the social outcasts are welcomed home; the blind are made to see; and those in bondage experience release. This is a new order of which we naturally know little. But Christ invites us to enter this new world, promising to train us and to remain with us as our encourager and supporter.
Action:
Love and practice servanthood. In that action , many of the ethical dilemmas as to how we should live and respond to others are disolved.

February 10:
Empty Hands:
Prayer is not the art of exchange where I give to God what I think He wants in order to get what I think I need.
Prayer is not the art of exchange. Nor is prayer the art of bargaining. Rather, prayer is art of vulnerability. It is the recognition of our creatureliness and the acknowledgment of God's greatness, love, and mercy. It is the confession of our powerlessness and our need of God's intervention and potection. It is the acknowledgment of our waywardness and wrongdoing, and seeks God's grace, forgiveness, and empowerment.
These are never exchanges. We don't hand to God our sin and He automatically hands to us forgiveness. For God's grace is out of proportion to what we give to Him. God's forgiveness is always a miracle. It is a free and undeserved gift. Prayer as the art of vulnerability, therefore, recognizes that we come to God empty-handed.
Ellul emphasizes this and adds a timely warning. He writes: "We seek to fill our hands with things which we bring in order to hide the fact that we are not bringing our lives and ourselves."
Reflection:
Our nature is always to prefer bargaining to vulnerability. God's grace, however, seeks to make us more vulnerable!

The Power "gods" of Politics and Mammon!

I have read a bit, lately, about Mammon, Technology and Politics in relation to God's Kingdom and how these powers set themselves in opposition to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I pray and hope through these studies, I can live my life free from the slavery and bondage these powers impose upon the children of God.

Holy Spiirt, guide my readings, my studies, my thoughts and my meditations........

Authority - a developing thought part 2

Upon reflection of my previous thought - I would add that authority / power etc., in God's kingdom is so substantially different from any human establishment of power or authority.



It is a Christian's responsibility to denounce power and render them void - except God's power. That power can come from so many avenues, whether human, technological or systematic. By operating this way, we can feel perfectly fine in submitting to these authorities, as they have no power over us. We can exist in whatever situation in freedom, as Christ is our only authority. It is difficult to verbalize, as there seems to be contradictions - but living the life Christ wants us to live - means contradictions and challenging the ways, institutions, systems and people that oppose the Kingdom of God.

THUS: we may submit to them, BUT they have no power over us!!!!!!

As a side note: I know that these powers, authorities, principilities and even ourselves can control us. But the blood of Christ has given us freedom from the bondage that these things do to us - and we must live in that freedom!!!!!!

Authority - a developing thought

What does the Kingdom of God say, instruct and teach us about Authority?

Obviously: God is King.
Obviously: We must obey Jesus.
Obviously: The Holy Spirit was given to us to guide, teach and exhort us.
God reigns in us, through: The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit!

All this is obvious! All authority and power belongs to Them!!!

Yet, we are all faced with some form of human authority. Unjust leaders, dictators, oppressors, teachers, the police, parents, bosses and so forth. There is no escaping it. Even good and Godly leaders make terrible mistakes and fall into iniquity. King David is the prime example!

The question then arises: how do we balance what Romans 13 (or 1 Peter 2 & 3) says with life and ministry of Jesus (and the apostles in Acts)?
I recently read the 1 Peter passage and have frequently pondered Romans 13. I have been angered by hearing many Christians quote these passages as a form of guilt tripping and manipulation. It angers me more when Christians use it to entice the young to military service. Yet, history proves, the early church did not readily participate in military service - in fact, they opposed it!
Jesus, on the other hand, challenged authority: He refused to answer the "powers that be". He overturned the tables in the temple. He scolded the religious leaders in Matthew 23. He rendered to Caesar what was Caesar's and God what was God's, and then paid his tax from the mouth of a fish! He refused to render any significance to such a worldly deed. The fish, in fact, served to glorify the Kingdom of God and challenged the importance of the kingdoms of this world. He paid His tax! He submitted! He went about His business and He, thus, made it extremely clear that the Father was His authority, and nothing was going to stop him from being obedient to that calling!

Through this brief and rather fragmented monologue, on a topic that would and could amount to numerous words, I will try to clarify and summarize my thoughts:
Jesus lived a life of obedience to God the Father. He had His eyes set on Him. When authorities came, he submitted, yet did not necessarily obey. He did not start a violent revolution, yet he had the power to do just that. He operated in weakness, meekness and in submission. His revolution operated by creating a humble, peaceful and loving Kingdom. A Kingdom which has the power to exist amongst other kingdoms and render them as nothing. Freedom and love, through faith and the Kingdom of God, can and will exist in the harshest of regimes, the worst prisons and the bondage of a technological society.
I believe Romans 13 and 1 Peter teach us this: Submit (but not necessarily obey) to your authorities as this is the Will of God, render void their power, as all power belongs to God and the authority's power comes only by and through God. May persecution or punishment be through obedience to God, not through the rowdy and disruptive disobedience to the "powers that be".

Jesus hung on the cross because he chose the way of the Kingdom of God and opposed the kingdoms of this world. He suffered and died, yet he did not sin! He was able to submit to the "powers" because He knows the Power of God's Kingdom! He now sits in Heaven! May I also render void the powers that be - and be obedient to the One true Power!

PURPOSE!

I feel the purpose of this blog is to be a personal reflection!

Through reading the Bible and books, thru discussion, the observation, thru study and thru(much needed yet often lacking) prayer:

I intend to use this blog to REFLECT!

What is Jesus saying to me, What am I reading and How do I put these Kingom principles into action and live as Jesus lived!

I intend to use this blog as PRAYER!

I struggle to "BE STILL", as silence does not always serve as my friend. I want to DO or I waste too much time, rather than comtemplate, listen and hear the words of the LORD.

Finally, I want Jesus to use this blog in my life:

to take me from Faith to Faith (Romans 1.17)

to draw me closer to Him

To love Him more

To love my neighbour

To love my enemies

To pray without ceasing

To denounce and reject all power that challanges Christ's Throne and His Kingdom (whether in me or in my surroundings), BY:

Living the ethics of Biblical Freedom

Accepting and rejoicing in my weaknesses

Doing Kingdom work in His power - Not mine!

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