We need time out

 Some years ago I went to church twice every Sunday, but I felt guilty. I went to church three times a week, but I only visited my elderly father once a month.

For many Christians, holidays and meetings have become a tiring occupation. You can keep the Sabbath strictly, but never relax.

For some Christians, relaxation is a sin. They must always make an effort to do something good and necessary, always make an effort. Doing nothing would be idleness. Sleeping late means being lazy.

But if you are overwhelmed, traumatised, even exhausted, you need real time out. 

Otherwise, you could end up in hospital. For some, that seems like a great shame, but this shame is not helpful.

If you need help and rest, you need help and rest.
But shouldn't we only expect God to help us?

Sure, but if our wrong Christian attitude has only continually involved us in duty and effort, and if we find little support or understanding in the church, then God provides us with other resources.

There are Christians who are misguided by non-believing therapists, but there are also Christians who find more understanding and help in psychiatry than in the church.

Thank God for good churches, good counsellors and for miraculous healings! 

But I also thank God for good clinics, good doctors and good treatment.  

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: Ec 3:1 NKJV

Work, prayer, study, practical charity: there is a right time for everything, but there is also a time when doing nothing and thinking are vital.

I find rest in God; only he can save me. Ps 62:1 NCV

Despising the Poor

 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done. Pr 19:17 NIV

Some years ago I was visiting another city. A man asked me for some money. When I asked him about his situation, he said he was unemployed and homeless. He had been in a poorly paid job and living from paycheck to paycheck, unable to save. 

The conservative government made him wait six weeks before he could receive unemployment benefits. He couldn’t pay his rent and was homeless.

Some people are able to save money from their wages but spend everything, but others are genuinely unable to save, and are punished by heartless governments.

If we look upon all welfare clients as lazy dole bludgers or freeloaders, we are guilty of arrogance. The Bible tells us God is not pleased.

It is a sin to despise one’s neighbour, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy. Pr 14:21 NIV

We can despise the poor by looking upon everyone on welfare as lazy and irresponsible. Some are, but many are not. Many are suffering from mental or physical ill health.

We can be cruel to the poor by trying to pay the least possible tax and supporting policies to keep wages and welfare payments as low as possible.

Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land. Is 5:8 NIV

Socialist dictatorship is evil, but market economics without humane regulation has resulted in unrestrained profiteering from real estate speculation, resulting in an epidemic of homelessness in some rich countries.

Think for Yourself

 If you have good parents, you are blessed. A child before puberty with good parents will often agree with his or her parents on most things if not everything. God wants us to be respectful and teachable.

But God also wants us to learn to think for ourselves. If you are old enough to vote and you still agree with your parents, your church leader or your preferred political leaders on absolutely everything, I would question whether you have ever learned to think for yourself at all.

Paul tells Timothy to carefully study the Bible, to make sure his teaching is correct. Timothy had been well taught by Paul, but Paul did not want Timothy merely to repeat what he had been taught, but to study for himself.

Make every effort to present yourself before God as a proven worker who does not need to be ashamed, teaching the message of truth accurately. 2 Ti 2:15 NET

Think about what I am saying and the Lord will give you understanding of all this. 2 Ti 2:7 NET

Paul did not want Timothy to be passively dependent on Paul’s own words, but to think about his teaching and seek understanding from God Himself.

So many Christians allow themselves to be passively programmed by the ideas they receive from their parents, teachers or preachers. This makes the church weak and immature.

Paul wrote to the converts in Ephesus, praying that they would receive wisdom and revelation directly from God, and not just be passively content with what Paul had taught them.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Eph 1:17 NIV

Justin Giboney ... @JustinEGiboney (from X, ie Twitter)
The idea that we must be entirely progressive or conservative on every issue is a ploy to control our cultural and political opinions.

Once we buy into it and wear the label proudly, critical thinking is no longer necessary. The influencers do all the thinking for us.

A New Heaven and a New Earth

 A couple of days ago, a willy wagtail came so close to me, one pace away. Then my wife held out some food and the dear little wild bird ate out of her hand. 

I love online videos showing pet budgies playing with the family cat, or the family cat and dog showing playful affection for each other.

There is a story on social media about a pet dog discovering a baby magpie that fell out of the nest. The female dog adopted the magpie and cared for it like a mother, with the help of the dog’s owner. The magpie grew up loving its dog mother and human family. 

The magpie was free to fly away, and it came and went, playing with its human family and its beloved dogs. It learned to bark like a dog.

You will find the story if you google Molly and Peggy.

In the Bible God created all the animals, and he gave the first man and woman responsibility to rule over the natural world, to love and care for the animals, not to exploit them.

When Adam and Eve listened to the Prince of Darkness, they became mortal and death also entered into the animal world. Cats killed birds, foxes killed chickens and lions killed antelopes.

In the Old Testament, we see prophecies where God promises to restore the peace and friendship between animals.

The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD. Is 65:25 NIV

We do not know exactly when and how this will happen, but God’s promises are trustworthy. Even now, we see foretastes of this. I see videos on YouTube of animals which rescue humans and other animals from death, even animals of different species.

This world is full of violence and killing. Chickens and ducks bully their own kind, picking on the weak ones, but this world is temporary. God is planning something far better, a new creation. It will surely come.

Then 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.

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 

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.” Re 21:1–5 NIV

Christian Fellowshp and Networking

 I just listened to a discussion between American women who are in ministry as pastors and leaders. They have to put up with a lot of criticism and unfair judgement from people who believe only men should be leaders and teachers. 

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Ga 3:28 NKJV 

 It is essential for them to network and encourage each other to keep going.

I reflected that most pastors and church leaders are men. They also have problems and often suffer criticism and discouragement. They also experience many personal weaknesses and failures, but these are often not exposed until they suffer severe burnout, fall into serious sin or are involved in church splits and various scandals. Sadly, this happens all too often.

Women in leadership endure opposition from people with patriarchal doctrines, and they need support, but men are theoretically supposed to be strong leaders on some kind of pedestal. If women suffer from discrimination, men suffer from absurd expectations of superior strength and wisdom.

Gender based hierarchy damages both men and women. Women who are treated as subordinates can become legalistic, critical and gossipy. Men have to keep up the appearance of superiority, which is a crippling burden to bear.

Jesus understood the importance of partnership and teamwork. He sent out his disciples two by two.

Paul planted churches everywhere he went, except for one important city, Athens. What happened in Athens? Paul was there alone, without a missionary partner or assistant. Everywhere else he travelled with Silas, Barnabas, Timothy or Luke.

If a man has to sit alone on a throne as family priest or senior pastor, he finds it difficult to confess faults or weaknesses, difficult to ask for help. 

Of course a patriarchal leader can ask or tell people to do things, like a manager assigning tasks in a business, but this is not the same as asking a partner for help to deal with his personal weaknesses or problems.

James tells Christians to confess their faults to one another. This is not the same as subordinates confessing sins to a pastor.

Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Jas 5:16 NIV

Every pastor, whether man or woman, needs good trustworthy Christian friends, people to go to for personal help and encouragement.

Every Christian needs the same kind of help. I have never been an ordained pastor. On occasions, a Christian man or woman has confided personal weaknesses or failures to me. They could not go to their pastor for fear of exposure or being suspended from their ministry.

I was able to give priestly encouragement, and I trust that helped them to deal with their problem.

We are called to be a community of priests and give priestly help to each other in a way which often does not work well in a strictly hierarchical system.

I would encourage every Christian to have trusted Christian friends who are not necessarily members of the same church.

I also believe marriages work better when husband and wife love and respect each other as equal partners with equal status and authority. This is the best way for deep trusting friendship to flourish.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Eph 5:21 NIV

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

Christians Need Friends

 I just listened to a discussion between American women who are in ministry as pastors and leaders. They have to put up with a lot of criticism and unfair judgement from people who believe only men should be leaders and teachers. 

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Ga 3:28 NKJV 

 It is essential for them to network and encourage each other to keep going.

I reflected that most pastors and church leaders are men. They also have problems and often suffer criticism and discouragement. They also experience many personal weaknesses and failures, but these are often not exposed until they suffer severe burnout, fall into serious sin or are involved in church splits and various scandals. Sadly, this happens all too often.

Women in leadership endure opposition from people with patriarchal doctrines, and they need support, but men are theoretically supposed to be strong leaders on some kind of pedestal. If women suffer from discrimination, men suffer from absurd expectations of superior strength and wisdom.

Gender based hierarchy damages both men and women. Women who are treated as subordinates can become legalistic, critical and gossipy. Men have to keep up the appearance of superiority, which is a crippling burden to bear.

Jesus understood the importance of partnership and teamwork. He sent out his disciples two by two.

Paul planted churches everywhere he went, except for one important city, Athens. What happened in Athens? Paul was there alone, without a missionary partner or assistant. Everywhere else he travelled with Silas, Barnabas, Timothy or Luke.

If a man has to sit alone on a throne as family priest or senior pastor, he finds it difficult to confess faults or weaknesses, difficult to ask for help. 

Of course a patriarchal leader can ask or tell people to do things, like a manager assigning tasks in a business, but this is not the same as asking a partner for help to deal with his personal weaknesses or problems.

James tells Christians to confess their faults to one another. This is not the same as subordinates confessing sins to a pastor.

Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Jas 5:16 NIV

Every pastor, whether man or woman, needs good trustworthy Christian friends, people to go to for personal help and encouragement.

Every Christian needs the same kind of help. I have never been an ordained pastor. On occasions, a Christian man or woman has confided personal weaknesses or failures to me. They could not go to their pastor for fear of exposure or being suspended from their ministry.

I was able to give priestly encouragement, and I trust that helped them to deal with their problem.

We are called to be a community of priests and give priestly help to each other in a way which often does not work well in a strictly hierarchical system.

I would encourage every Christian to have trusted Christian friends who are not necessarily members of the same church.

I also believe marriages work better when husband and wife love and respect each other as equal partners with equal status and authority. This is the best way for deep trusting friendship to flourish.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Eph 5:21 NIV

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