In Spite of Toxic Religion, God is Still God

Can you imagine that despite the arrogance of some prominent preachers, there is still a good God?

In the Bible, I read about many false prophets, but the few true prophets wrote the Bible with God's inspiration.

In the Bible, we see the sad story of the sins of the Jews, and the history of the Christian church is no better.

Nevertheless, I do not want to focus on the sins of the Jews and Christians, but on the wonderful role models, the heroes of faith and the many believing Jews and Christians in the Bible who have shown us the way to God and still do.

Have you ever thought that despite all the scandals in the churches, Jesus is there and loves you?
Everywhere we look, we see pornography, sexual perversion, abuse and rape. Nevertheless, I know that sex is good.

Despite all the perversions of religion, despite hypocrisy, self-righteousness and
know-it-all attitudes, I still believe in God.

Do you want to invest your money? There are scams everywhere, but do you want to bury your money in the garden or keep banknotes under your bed?

A clever person wants to invest their money in productive projects.

A wise person is not interested in toxic religion, but they are also not satisfied with this world.

Are you disappointed by religion? Don't give up though. Where there is counterfeit money, we can often also find the real thing.

God is real. God is your creator. God loves you.

Jesus said:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Mt 7:7–8 NIV

A young atheist felt the emptiness in his soul. He saw a church and went in, where he observed pious worshippers.

He began to address God in his own way.

God, if you exist, and I don't believe you do, then I don't think it's my duty to believe in you. On the contrary, it is your duty to reveal your existence to me. If you do exist, then let me find you.

In a remote village lived an old man who loved Jesus. He prayed for years that God would help him to bring a Jew to faith.

One day, the young atheist, who was Jewish, was travelling. He sought shelter in the village and the old Christian welcomed him.

He gave him a Bible to read. As the young man read the Testament, he felt the love of God like fire in his heart and he believed.

The young atheist was of Jewish origin, but only when he met Jesus as his Messiah did he find the God of Israel.

Are you Jewish, Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist? It doesn't matter. Jesus was born a Jew and lived on earth as a Jew, but he died on a cruel cross to suffer the punishment for our sins.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn 3:16 NIV

Christians Bullying Christians.

 So many Christians are bullied by other Christians. 

I was once the victim of bullying. Sadly, victims often also become bullies. As a child I bullied my younger brothers and am sorry to say I became a harsh controlling step-father. I am now friends with my brothers and step-sons.

Jesus spoke very harsh words against the sin of Christian bullying.

But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. Matthew 24:48-49 (NIV)

There are also religious bullies who don't get drunk or indulge in sins of the flesh but is Jesus suggesting that bullying is just as bad as getting drunk and indulging the flesh? or worse?

Religious legalism often leads to bullying.

What is legalism? It is an attempt to prevent or correct sin using human rules and punishments.

You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: "'These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'" Matthew 15:7-9 (NIV)

Jesus spoke more strongly against bullying and legalism than any other sin.  

I am not against pastors. There are wonderful pastors and I know some as friends. Pastors too can be victims of bullying. I have seen this several times and it is horrible.

The Apostle Paul was also very strong in condemning bullying. In his second letter to the Corinthian church, Paul rebukes the Corinthian believers. Why? Not for sexual sin. That was in his first letter.
He rebukes them for submitting unconditionally to bullying preachers.

You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or pushes himself forward or slaps you in the face. 2 Cor 11:19-20 (NIV)

Any pastor or preacher who demands unconditional and total submission is a false shepherd.

If a pastor responds to criticism or disagreement with threats or intimidation, why not just leave?

If a leader imposes his will on people to the point that his word is law, he is usurping the lordship of Jesus.

There are many Christians who feel uneasy, resentful or secretly angry towards over confident, controlling leaders but they believe they must not resist because that would be the sin of rebellion.
This is a false understanding of scripture.

When King Saul tried to kill David, David fled for his life.

 If you are bullied in church, you are entitled to leave the church. It may even be your duty to leave.

You cannot serve two masters. 

If you submit to a bully, you are submitting to a false spirit, because the Spirit of Jesus is never cruel, but kind and loving.

Supposing you are imprisoned by religious parents or a ruthlessly controlling husband. If you leave the church, you could become homeless or lose your children.  

You can be like Joseph in prison who cultivated a secret relationship with God.  

He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds. Ps 147:3 (NIV)

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the broken hearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; Isaiah 61:1 (NKJV)

It is good if you can talk back to bullies and it is not a sin but sometimes a soft answer is better.

In extreme cases, the strongest answer is a stubborn, determined silence, especially if you are expected to agree, express submission or apologise when you believe you are not in the wrong.

When Jesus was on trial for his life, He answered many aggressive questions and accusations with silence. His silence was the strongest answer.

 

The Light of the World.

 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14 (NKJV)

When you travel through the night, whether by car or by plane, you can see a city far ahead as a blaze of lights.

Jesus says his followers are like a city filled with light. This is a representation on earth of the City of God in the glorious Kingdom of God which is to come.

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. Rev 21:10-11

What is a city like? It is a community filled with diversity, different kinds of businesses and trades, different kinds of organisations. There are government offices and private companies, big businesses and small family businesses. In a healthy city the government does not own or control businesses and big businesses do not totally dominate small businesses.

So it is with the people of Jesus. There are big churches and denominations, and there are house churches and informal prayer groups. There are fellowships where believing business people meet to prayer and bring their faith into their work.

In a secular city there are very creative people who are self-employed writers, artists, architects and consultants. No company boss or government official controls their lives. Their free creativity keeps the society open to new ideas.

So it is in the Kingdom of God. CS Lewis was a great Christian writer, but he did not hold a senior position in his church and he did not have a church leader telling him what to write or what not to write. Some of the most influential Christian leaders have not been church leaders.

Bach and Handel wrote worship music that moved the hearts of millions. Bach was a humble church organist and music director in a local church. Handel was a commercial composer who wrote operas and music for public occasions.

For centuries, we have been locked into a narrow, stereotyped idea of church and the Kingdom of God.

God is now saying: LET MY PEOPLE GO!

Following Jesus with Childlike Trust

 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)  

 Moses was the light of his generation. After forty days alone with God, Moses came down from Mount Sinai a changed man. His face shone. 

The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light ... Matthew 6:22 (ESV) 

When a woman is in love, her eyes shine. Her whole face lights up. If we love Jesus and we are living in His presence, we are like young people in love and the world can see it. This love is not based on achievement or good work. It comes from the revelation that God loves you with all His heart. 

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 (ESV) 

CHILDLIKE TRUST
How does a child grow up? By experiencing his parents´ love and trusting in their guidance. 

Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. Mark 10:15

In a healthy family, the parents exercise sacrificial love and the children enjoy that love. It is in enjoying the love of God, that we shine like lights in a dark world. Nothing makes a person’s face like up like the enjoyment of loving because you know you are loved. GOD IS LOVE. 

If we focus on our own striving to keep God’s commandments, we lose the childlike enjoyment of God, which is our source of love, joy and power. 

But isn’t obedience also important? 

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. John 15:10 (NKJV) 

Disobedience is not childlike trust in a good Father. Jesus spoke about good works that draw unbelievers to His light. 

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? Matthew 25:37 (ESV) 

And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. Matthew 25:40 (ESV) 

When we heal the sick or carry a shopping basket for an old widow, kindness motivated by the love of Jesus shows the goodness of God to the world. 

The obedience that Jesus loves is not based on an obligation to a ministry. Jesus is not impressed when we strive to win approval, escape criticism or please leaders. 

And he said to them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Luke 22:25 

But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Matthew 23:8-9  

Preachers who intimidate and control are trying to make people good but they destroy the childlike love, joy and faith which is the real source of Christian goodness.

Fear is the opposite of faith. The fear of man (including church leaders) actually undermines trust in God.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 1 John 4:18 (ESV) 

Should preachers always be soft and comforting? Jesus was not. Godly ministers lead, teach and challenge but they do not control people with guilt, duty and intimidation. 

Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 

Any ministry which is not leading you into an enjoyment of Matthew 11:28-30 is not for me and I hope not for you.
ྭ
ྭ

Blessings from Bad Things

 I am 76, but not feeble. After 40 years teaching English to adult immigrants, I retired nearly 5 years ago. Retirement has been a great relief after years of stressful wrestling with senseless bureaucracy, but stress can take its toll.

Since I retired, I have nearly lost count of the operations, including six on my eyes. God looked after me wonderfully and I had amazing eye surgeons. My eyesight is close to 20/20 and with good spectacles I can read and write on my laptop with no effort at all.

A few weeks ago I flew from coast to coast to visit cousins and friends in Melbourne, Australia. It was wonderful to see the city where I was born and to visit familiar places.

Two days before my return flight, I was crossing a road when I tripped on a tram line and fell flat on my face. I was bruised and bleeding around my right eye and I looked like the loser in a boxing ring. I was 76 and old people can easily break bones but only the little finger on my right hand was damaged, possibly broken, but two months later, the finger is only very slightly out of shape and not painful.

My right eye was surrounded by bruises and I was bleeding from a cut in my eyebrow, but I can only thank God that my eye was not damaged. I was mostly concerned that my spectacles were badly bent out of shape and there were two small scratches on the right lens.

There was no sign of concussion and I was able to drive back to my friend’s house where I was staying. I am so grateful to God for His protection.

The following day I found an optician who repaired my spectacle frame and I was able to read in spite of the small scratches. The optician also had an identical frame which I bought for only $64. Three weeks later, I had new spectacles. The multi focal lenses were better than my old ones. I found that it was no longer an effort to focus on print in my favourite paperback books.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Rom 8:28 NASB95

Active and Passive Christians

 

Christian Life

Active	Passive
Open to new insights from the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit.	Believes what Christian leaders and authority figures say and refuses to think for himself or seriously ask God for deeper understanding.
Willing to learn new ways of understanding and applying eternal truth.	Holds fast to traditional thinking.
Personally seeks to learn more through personal reading and prayer, listening to other Christians and not only the leaders of his or her church.	Passively accepts what is preached and taught in his own church.
Able to read good Christian writing and learn from it, while not necessarily agreeing with everything.	Some passive Christians are not readers but others read the doctrine they are taught and accept everything without question.
Eager to discover and his or her unique calling and gifts and to use them for God with God’s help and guidance.	Tries to be a good Christian.
Expects and receives great blessings in private prayer, meditation and study.	Heavily dependent on meetings, services and conferences for blessings from God.
NKJ John 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. Active Christians learn to know and recognise the communication of God to their own hearts.	Cannot distinguish between what preachers or leaders are saying and what God is saying.
Has a close personal relationship with God. Follow Jesus personally, knows Jesus as his or her personal pastor.	Follows Jesus mostly indirectly by following the example and teaching of other Christians, especially teachers and pastors.
Expects guidance from God to know how to pray and expects God to answer his or her own prayers.	Passively depends on the prayers of others for God to help. When a passive Christian prays, he copies the way others pray.

New Heaven New Earth

For over a hundred years, the future of humanity and our planet has been a burning issue.
For the Bolsheviks in Russia, the coming glorious age of communism was the redemption of humanity.

During the Cold War, there was a terrible fear that nuclear war would destroy us all.
In our time, the Greens are desperately fighting to save the planet.

The devoutly religious Muslims believe in a Golden Age, Dar Es Salaam, ‘House of Peace.’ In this fulfilment of their hopes, Islam is supposed to rule the whole world.

In the ‘New Age’ movement, there is song of a wonderful new era.

This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the mind's true liberation, Aquarius
Aquarius

Thoughts like these have been cropping up more and more frequently for over a hundred years, but as early as 150 years ago, the American poet Walt Whitman wrote a beautiful poem.

I DREAM'D in a dream I saw a city invincible to the attacks of the
         whole of the rest of the earth,
I dream'd that was the new city of Friends,
Nothing was greater there than the quality of robust love, it led the rest,
It was seen every hour in the actions of the men of that city,
And in all their looks and words.

Where do these far-reaching thoughts come from, which emerge from the depths of our hearts?
 
King Solomon reflected at length on the deep questions of life. He wrote of God:

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ec 3:11 NIV

God did not create us as mere biological machines, as Karl Marx and other 19th- and 20th-century philosophers taught.

In our time, we recognise the emptiness in our hearts to which these lifeless philosophies have led.
About a hundred years ago, German poets sensed the deep loneliness of a life without a relationship with a loving Heavenly Father.

Strange to walk in the fog!
Life is loneliness.
No man knows the other, everyone is alone. (Herman Hesse 1905)

But 2000 years ago, the Son of God came into this world to reconcile us with our dear Father God.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Jn 3:16–17 NIV

Jesus wants to give you a new life with the good Father God.
Why?

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 1 Jn 4:16 NIV

But God's plans are even more far-reaching.

God wants to save this planet and restore everything, and he will do so irresistibly.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. Rev 21,1 NIV

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Rev 21:5 NIV

Faith and Unbelief in the End Times

 Not only Jesus raised the dead to life again, but also some prophets in the Old Testament and apostles in the New Testament.  

Some today want to believe in Jesus somehow, but they also want to deny the amazing miracles in the Bible as alleged superstition. This is nothing but unbelief mixed with religion and philosophy.

Others want to believe in all the miracles in the Bible, but when they hear reports of totally extraordinary miracles in our time, they react negatively, as if God was only allowed to work dramatic miracles in Bible times, but not today.

This makes no sense at all.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Heb 13:8 NIV

It is part of his nature to far exceed our limited natural expectations. The Scriptures are infallible, but our theology is always imperfect and limited.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, Eph 3:20 NIV

A pastor died in a car accident in Africa. He visited hell because he harboured bitterness against his wife, but his wife did not give up and prayed hard for his recovery. Faithful Christians took the body to a meeting where Reinhard Bonnke preached. There was intense prayer, and the dead pastor came back to life.

“But that can't be real! It's not biblical!“

Yes it is! You can find amazing stories like this in the Bible, too.

”But it can't happen today!"

Why not! Because of the unbelief of conservative Christians who believe in Bible stories but don't want to believe in miracles in our time.

“But Bonnke was a false teacher.“ Why? Because he worked miracles like the apostles in the Bible?

”But you can't work miracles in our time like in the Bible!"
Who made up this rule? Certainly not God!

I know a woman who visited India in a dream and helped Christians with problems by giving them wise advice.

An English missionary in Thailand was caught in an ambush by Islamists. How did she escape? She became invisible. 

Many Christians understand that we are living in the end times. They recognise the prophecies that are being fulfilled through natural disasters and the restoration of Israel.

They attend prophetic conferences where they learn a lot about the alarming signs of the end times, but they don't want to believe that God wants to and is actually working amazing signs and wonders in our time.

This is completely illogical. It also contradicts God's wonderful nature.

Many pray for revival, but when God performs wonderful works that do not conform to their theological thinking, they reject God's answers to their own prayers.

Jesus warned of the unbelief in the last days.

And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them?
I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Lk 18:7–8 NRSV

Mutual Submission in Action

 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. NIB Eph 5:21-22

Christian submission means first of all submission to God, to His word and to the promptings and leadings of His Spirit.
Secondly, Christians have to submit to earthly authority. What is the nature of this human submission in the church of Jesus Christ?

Here is a radical idea. The first and most important commandment concerning submission amongst Christians is that Christians should submit to one another in love and reverence for Christ.

That means that a husband must submit to his wife and she to him. after that comes the commandment for a wife to submit to her husband, within the context of a mutually submissive partnership.

What does it mean for a husband to submit to his wife?

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her Eph 5:25 NIV

Paul does not say a husband must lead or direct his wife as Christ leads and directs the church. Jesus is God to the church but a husband is not God to his wife.

Other relationships within the church should follow the same principle and pattern. A pastor must submit to a member in his congregation, and the member should submit also to his pastor. That means obedience to pastors and leaders must be in the context of a mutually submissive partnership between brothers.

The primary connection between a prophet, apostle or pastor and an “ordinary Christian” is one of brotherly equality. The secondary connection is one of leader and member but the authority aspect is secondary and is only valid in the context of brotherly co-membership of a community.

What does this mean in practice?

Firstly, a senior pastor should consult about church policy with fellow church members, those in the official leadership group and especially mature or wise believers outside the official leadership group.

When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church about church policy, he did not address his letter to a senior pastor, an executive committee or an exclusive board of elders but to “the church in Corinth.”

My father was a medical student during WW2. His father and older brothers fought and suffered in the war.

After the war, he became a psychiatrist treating war veterans. He read 70 books about Australian war history.

The siege of Tobruk took place from April to December 1941, during the Western Desert campaign. One Australian division was supplemented by British, Polish, Indian and Czechoslovakian troops, but they were besieged by a far stronger German force with German tanks. 

They withstood the siege for nearly 9 months and delayed the German advance towards Egypt and Israel.
The usually invincible German tanks repeatedly attacked. The Australian foot soldiers took refuge in deep trenches and let the tanks pass over. Then the Australians climbed out and attacked the tanks from behind.

When German tank commanders surrendered, they were amazed, because up till then they had been undefeated.

I told my father the Australian general was amazing to devise such tactics. My father replied at least some Australian generals were open to ideas from men of all ranks. This is mutual submission in action.

Loving all Christians, also in other denominations

 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?  1 Jn 4:20 NKJV

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 1 Jn 3:18 NKJV

• “You believe that all believers are your brothers, don’t you?” she asks. “What kind of Christian are you?” she continues.

• “Pentecostal,” you say.

• “You Pentecostals talk about love a lot but what are you DOING to love the Uniting Church people around the corner?”

• “We are very worried about the Uniting Church because they support homosexuality.”

• “When you have prayer meetings in your church, do you pray for the Uniting Church Christians around the corner?”

• “We pray against sin and wrong teaching in the traditional churches and we pray for homosexuals to get saved.”

• “Yes, but do you pray for the Uniting Church people in the church around the corner, and the Baptist people in the church down the road?”

• “Sometimes I pray for other churches.”

• “But in your church prayer meetings, do your leaders pray for the believers in different denominations in your area?”

• “I can’t remember. Maybe sometimes.”

• “Maybe when? Maybe how often?”

• “Our pastor used to be a Catholic. Sometimes he prays for Catholics to get saved.”

• “But has your pastor ever prayed for God to bless the Presbyterian church or the Church of Christ down the road?”

• “Not exactly. A few of our members used to be members of dead churches in our area. We invited them to hear a visiting preacher at our church and they got wonderfully saved.”

• “But do you pray for the churches that they came from?”

• “No. They are pretty dead, you know. I think the people would be better off going somewhere where there is spiritual life.”

• “Do you think the people in the local Anglican church are saved?”

• “How can they be saved if they just repeat words from the prayer book and sing the same old hymns? I have even heard the local Anglican priest favours gay marriage.”

• “Didn’t Jesus command us not to judge?”

• “But the Bible is against homosexuality. We have to stand for the truth.”

• “But might there not be some sincere older people in that church who love God in spite of what their priest’s opinions might be?”

• “How can they be sincerely converted if they put up with that anti-Christ teaching? If they are sincere, they will leave and go to a church where there is spiritual life.”

• “So you consider the local Anglican church is dead?”

• “Yes. One of our members came from there and he got saved in our church. She told us the Anglicans are dead and she should know. Her father is the priest.”

• “You are Pentecostal, right?”

• “Yes.”

• “You believe Jesus is the resurrection and the life, right?”

• “Yes.”

• “You believe God can save religious Anglicans who are spiritually dead, right?”

• “Of course.”

• “Do you believe Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead?”

• “Yes, in John chapter 11.”

• “If God can give new life to individuals, can’t he also give life to groups or communities of people?”

• “Yes, I suppose so.”

• “Do you believe God has blessed your church?”

• “Yes, very much.”

• “Why has God blessed your church?”

• “Because we stand by the Word of God.”

• “So you believe you have earned God’s favour?”

• “Not really.”

• “But you just said God blesses you because you are true to the Bible teachings.”

• “Yes.”

• “So that means God blesses you for being good Christians.”

• “The Bible does teach that God blesses faith and obedience.”

• “But what about GRACE? Doesn’t that mean the undeserved favour of God.”

• “Yes.”

• “So why don’t you pray for God to give more grace to the Anglicans?”

• “ We do pray for people to get saved by the grace of Jesus. I guess that includes religious Anglicans.”

We must not hide our faults.

 Jesus demonstrated His humility by being baptised. He was identifying with sinners. When we go under the water in baptism, our sins are symbolically washed away but Jesus had no sins of His own to be washed.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptised by him.
And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptised by You, and are You coming to me?”
But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. Mt 3:13–15 NKJV

When we go under the water in baptism, we are symbolically burying our old life of sin and our sinful nature and rising again with Christ to the new heavenly resurrection life. But Jesus had no old sinful life and no sinful nature to bury. Jesus became one with us in His humble birth, His humble childhood, His humble social status, His humble occupation and His humble baptism.

If I am humble like Jesus, I will identify with people who might be considered beneath me in social standing, education, age, wealth or position in the church. I will not try to elevate myself above the poor, the mentally ill, the ignorant or uneducated people around me. 

If I have more intelligence, education, wealth, rank, power, social standing or any other advantage, I will use that to bless people apparently beneath me, not to make me feel superior or separated from others.

In Hebrews we read that the Old Testament priests had to sacrifice first for their own sins and then for the sins of the congregation. So many preachers subtly behave as if this spiritual truth did not apply to them.  

A preacher who gives the impression of living in superhuman victory above the level of his weaker church members can pay a great price for his subtle deception.

The people can form such a vivid mental picture of their leader as a supernaturally superior person, that all exhortations to pray for their leader do not penetrate their heart. Somehow they do not believe in their heart that this great man of God could really be so weak and vulnerable as to urgently need prayer support.

When a preacher plays at being Moses and then he falls, the people get a great shock but sometimes the gifted preacher brought it on himself. When he tried to persuade people of his great need for prayer support, it contradicted the image he created at the same time of being a virtually infallible man of God to whom everybody owed a debt of constant submission and even in some cases of lifelong allegiance.

The overexposed leader, inadequately supported by prayer, suddenly falls into personal sin or does something else equally mad, damaging to himself and his people. He reaps what he sowed.

Some preachers always talk about their achievements and never about their mistakes. This is a serious mistake.

Knowing God. Taste and See

 I love cappuccino coffee. When I go out, I love to try a different café and taste the coffee. I have found there is good coffee, bad coffee and wonderfully delicious coffee. Sometimes I go to the same café on different days and I find delicious coffee on one day and ordinary coffee on a different day.

I talked about it to a café proprietor I know, and she explained it this way. It depends on who serves you. If a person who does not love coffee serves you, the coffee is not likely to be good. 

What is the message here? If you want to bring people to God, you must learn to love the taste of the Holy Spirit. You cannot be a good cook if you don’t enjoy your own food.

Christian service can become an end in itself. You can work hard at being a good Christian but in fact you are trying to conform to human ideas of being a good Christian. 

So often we can copy church leaders or copy one another, or be ruled by rigid ideas of Christian duty and morality.

In the New Testament, Jesus taught something quite different. He called his disciples to follow him personally, to be with him, to know him, to enjoy his company.

I find that I can also fall into this trap. I get consumed with doing good things for God, but I spend less time enjoying His company. I get spiritually and emotionally dry.

Jesus said:

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. Jn 10:27–28 NKJV

I can read my bible and feel the touch of God in my heart or I can just read the Bible. I can pray and tell God what I think or need, or I can tell God what I think he wants to hear, or I can ask God what He wants to tell me and expect Him to answer.

This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Ps 34:6–8 NKJV

Taste and see ….

Dealing with Anger

 When I was 12. A very tall strong Englishman walked into the classroom. He spoke to us in a booming resonant voice like a thunderclap. Many of our teachers had nicknames and we called him Thunderguts. He was not a nasty man. He did not exploit his immense size or his powerful voice unfairly or aggressively.

He taught me for two years. When I was 12, he taught me for only one lesson a week. I felt uncomfortable with him but it was not so bad. The next year, when I was 13, he was my teacher for Geography. The course and the textbook were deadly boring and I hated the subject.

My discomfort with the English giant with the thunderous voice developed into a passionate hatred. He was not unpopular but I detested him. In my eyes he became an English ogre who salivated over the blood of Australian boys, especially a rather small boy like me. 

There was no evidence to support my intuitive judgement of his character. My best friend really liked him.

I was a good student but that year I failed Geography with a mark of 33%. I did it on purpose. It was deliberate rebellion. I refused to make an effort. I was proud of myself at the time.

What was the reason for my reaction? My father was a wonderful friend to me but he also had an anger problem. When he was angry, he sometimes shouted with rage, although he was never violent.

Do you ever dislike people for little reasons, because of something in their personality that makes you feel uncomfortable?

Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety. Pr 29:25 NLT

For human anger does not accomplish God's righteousness. James 1:20  NET

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. James 1:19 NET

But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Col 3:8  NKJ

WHY DO PEOPLE GET ANGRY?
When people in your family or school get angry, what kinds of things do they say?
Do you know anyone who gets angry a lot?

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH ANGER?
What do you get angry about? Who do you get angry with?
What kinds of things do you do and say when you are angry?
How long do you stay angry?
Is there any connection with anger and fear?
What can you do about anger?

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH FEAR?
What are you scared of? Who are you scared of?
How often do you feel scared?
Can you remember being seriously terrified?
What can you do about fear?

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH RESENTMENT?
Resentment is often a feeling of helpless frustration, indignation and anger. Someone has hurt you and you feel you are a helpless victim. Maybe you feel vulnerable and afraid that you will continue to be a victim. You feel weak and defenceless.

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH BITTERNESS?
Bitterness is long term anger. If you resent something or someone for a long time, you feel bitter.

Expect Sudden Turnarounds from God

When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him.
A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Mt 8:1–3 NIV

God can change a man or a woman in an instant. God can change a person’s life in 24 hours. The day that David killed Goliath, he changed from being a shepherd boy to being a national military hero, in one day. More than that, in one day the nation of Israel changed from being terrified victims to being conquerors as God intended, all because one boy became a man in one day.

When the day of Pentecost finally arrived, there was the sound of a mighty rushing wind. 120 disciples of Jesus were baptised in the Holy Spirit. They all spoke languages they had never learned; Peter preached an inspired sermon and 3000 people were born again. The Church was born in a day.

One day a Pharisee named Saul was on his way to Damascus. The purpose of his journey was to arrest and imprison Christians in that city. On the way, Jesus appeared to Saul and the Apostle Paul was born.

On two days towards the end of 1915, a great but defeated army evacuated the coast of Turkey. Not one life was lost. In 2 nights, an unknown Australian colonel became a military hero whose brilliant thinking rewrote the British military textbooks and whose battle plans in 1918 shortened that terrible war by months.

When Jesus returns to Jerusalem to end the Battle of Armageddon, the surviving Jews will see their Messiah and believe, and a nation will be born again in a day.

Prepare for good things and great blessings. Expect sudden turnarounds.

God in Tough Places

If you have had an experience of deep darkness, terror or despair, you may have experienced the miraculous intervention of God. His presence has come into your experience.

It was like you were a child terrified of the dark and then your mother came into the room and turned on the light. Your mother spoke words of comfort and reassurance, and suddenly the darkness was like a distant memory. Let us recall to our minds the times when God turned on the light.

And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. Gen 1:3-4 (ESV)  

He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. Ps 107:20 (ESV)  

When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him,  
"Lord, my servant is lying paralysed at home, suffering terribly."  

And he said to him, "I will come and heal him."  
But the centurion replied, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. Mt 8:5-8 (ESV)  

A pastor’s wife was desperately ill. No prayer for healing made any difference. The pastor read aloud the 91st psalm every hour until she was completely healed.
 
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High  Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress;
   My God, in Him I will trust." Ps 91:1-2 (NKJV)

Corrie ten Boom spent terrible years in a Nazi concentration camp in WW2. She was released before the end of the war due to a clerical error. This apparently ordinary middle-aged single Dutch woman became one of the greatest preachers of the 20th century.

Her message to the world was simple but profound. There is no dark hole so deep, but that God is deeper still. She wrote a famous book about how God brought her through her terrible experiences. The title of the English edition is “The Hiding Place”.

You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble;
   You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Ps 32:7 (NKJV)  

To the Chief Musician. Set to 'Do Not Destroy.' A Michtam of David when he fled from Saul into the cave.
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!  For my soul trusts in You;    
   And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,            
   Until these calamities have passed by.
 I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me.
He shall send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches the one who would swallow me up.

  God shall send forth His mercy and His truth. Ps 57:1-3 (NKJV)  

When my first marriage broke up, I was a part-time single father. I was deeply distressed and intensely concerned for my baby daughter, who was 18 months old when her parents separated. I received powerful reassurance from this Bible text.        
 
He will feed His flock like a shepherd;
He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom,
And gently lead those who are with young.
Isa 40:11 (NKJV)

Staying Positive in Troubled Times

 As a little boy I loved listening to my father’s classical music recordings. One of my favourite recordings was of a German Jewish men’s choir who sang lovely German folk songs even during the Nazi period.

One of the all-time favourite movies is “The Sound of Music”. It tells of the Austrian von Trapp family, who were strongly anti-Nazi. They had to escape over the mountains to Switzerland to avoid persecution. What is striking in this movie is their love of God and positive human values. They were more for God and people than against the Nazis. It was their faith and love that drove them, rather than hatred of the Nazis.

They were determined to stay positive.

Baron von Trapp sang about his love of beautiful flowers and his love for his homeland.
Maria von Trapp sang about her favourite things. When she was upset, she would think about her favourite things.

When I read the news, I am shocked by what national leaders are doing. I have been crying out for Ukraine since the Russian invasion in 2022. I have seen God work miracles to protect Ukrainians. It is amazing that the Russians have not been able to conquer these people. God must be with Ukraine.
But hating Putin will solve nothing. He is what he is.

Valentin Silvestrov is a Ukrainian musician who fled to Berlin in 2022. In Berlin, he composed music, but not angry nationalistic music. He set the Lord’s Prayer to music. 

In very troubled times, it is so easy to become obsessed with fear and anger, but God is still God.

We can pray:
“Your will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven.”

The Apostle Paul’s life was full of persecution and suffering. He was a brutal persecutor of the Christians and then as a Christian he suffered equally brutal persecution himself.
He wrote:

We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Cor 4:8–9 NIV

And in another letter he wrote:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Php 4:6–8 NIV

Positive thinking was not invented by American writers of self-help books. It comes from the Bible, because God is positive and he loves you.

Humility and Mutual Respect

 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Php 2:3 NKJV

How can we apply this in practice?

• Should Billy Graham have considered other preachers better than himself?

• Should every husband consider his wife better than himself?

• Should every father consider his children better than himself?

• Should every pastor consider the church members better than himself?

This would seem very strange, counterintuitive. So how can I apply this in practice?

If I am a world champion athlete, should I consider every opponent or rival better than myself? Of course not, but if I am the best in the world, I must not admire myself, but rather admire other champions, champions of the past, champions in other sports or events. I should look for things to admire in my rivals, integrity, courage, fair play.

If I am greatly blessed and admired as a preacher, I must not claim the credit, but thank God for the people who pray for my ministry. I must not admire myself but honour other anointed preachers and also faith heroes of the past. I can preach about the heroism of persecuted Christians and esteem them better than myself.

If I am a father, I can look at my children as potentially better than myself and hope and pray that they might be better than myself as they grow up.

If I am a husband, I should be keenly aware of the talents, gifts and virtues of my wife in ways that are better than my own. If I am superior to her in some ways, she will certainly be superior to me in other ways.

What ever your virtues, achievements, gifts and talents might be, you will find talents and achievements to admire in others. God gives different gifts to different people.

Just as stronger Christians or leaders must not consider themselves superior, so also should less prominent people consider themselves inferior.

Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
 
Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.

And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.

If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 1 Co 12:14–17 NIV

It is important to look for things to admire in others, but it is also important to thank God for the unique gifts He has given you.