What is Journey really about?

I love the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Like Pilgrims Progress we begin to understand that it is as much about the journey as the destination.
But what if?.....
The easy ending? What do you think?

From Disgrace to Amazing Grace

Having come under some Justified criticism for failing to blog much lately, I resolve to mend my ways as part of my new year's resolution. Its not that I do not mean to, I have come up with a lot things to blog about, so I will stick with my travel demands as an excuse and ask your forgiveness.
So back on the path with a book review. If you have not read Jonathon Aitken's new book "From Grace to Amazing Grace" then put it at the top of your list.
My daughter sent it to me for Christmas and once started, could not put it down. Jonathon, writes from the heart. As man who has seen a fall from the heights as a cabinet minister in the UK to prison where he found the Lord, he writes as one who knows Grace.
I had heard various versions of John Newton's testimony but discovered they were mostly romanticised and designed to make a point. However I found the real story so much more challenging and encouraging.
Newton's mother was a believer and a member of the dissenting church and taught Newton to memorise scripture, she died while he was still a small but and the book takes you though his life going to sea while still only 11 years old. Then forced into the Royal Navy where he was a problem sailor. Eventually ending up a slaver then a slave. He was converted during a wild storm while returning to England, but he still continued to work in the slave trader as the captain of a slaver.
As he grew in the faith and came under the influence of people like Wesley he became a great teacher and preacher. Called to the Ministry (in itself a long and difficult process) he was for several decades a leading light in the Evangelical movement in England and the Church of England having a profound influence in the setting up of the Bible Society and CMS.
He was also a mentor and guide to William Wilberforce and worked with him in the abolitionist movement. It is important to say here that while I love the movie "Amazing Grace" Newton was nothing like the character in the movie.
Probably Newton is best remembered for the most sung hymn of all time "Amazing Grace"
It was first sung on New Years day in 1734, for his friend William Cowper (the poet) but did not become famous in his life time. In fact it was one of his lesser known Hymns (of which he wrote many). His hymns were distributed world wide through the Onley Hymn book which is a collection of Hymns by Newton and Cowper (you can download it from the Amazing Grace movie educational resource page )
It was in America that the Hymn became popular with the current tune added some 60 years after it was written. In fact the last verse (When we've been there 10,000 years.....) was first seen in print in Hariet Beecher Stowe's Anti slavery book "Uncle Tom's cabin" in 1852.
So needless to say this book in a must read.

The Father loves Justice

For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice: upright men will see his face. Psalm 12.7 NIV

After more than a month away in England (one reason I haven't blogged for a while), speaking to a lot of groups, I needed to be constantly reminded of why I do what I do. I read this verse right at the beginning of my journey and it inspired me. How many sermons could you preach on this one verse.
I understand the Hebrew words for justice and righteousness are pretty much the same. As Evangelicals we so often think of righteousness as good living. earnest prayer, bible study etc. Justice does not seem to get a look in. Yet the Bible is very clear on this. We are to be servants. People who reach out to the poor and downtrodden. Jesus speaking in Matthew 25 (sheep and goats) makes it clear how He feels about justice.
I do believe that when Gods love is in us, Justice is a natural outcome. (1 John 3:17). Compassion is part of us and unavoidable.

Forgive like we have been forgiven

Our Series on the Lord's prayer is continuing. And Sunday Pastor Bob was right on form. He tied in Daily Bread and forgiveness and it gave me new insight into this very idea. You see to in Eastern culture to share Bread with someone is to accept them, to be right with them. And it says "Give us this day OUR daily Bread. Not MY. That means all of us ... in this together. Including the hungry, including the brother with whom fellowship has been broken all of us.
I was also stuck by A quote Bob used from Dietrich Bonhoffer. from Life together "The pious fellowship permits no one to be a sinner. So everybody must conceal his sin from himself and from the fellowship. We dare not be sinners. Many Christians are unthinkably horrified when a real sinner is suddenly discovered among the righteous. So we remain alone with our sin, living in lies and hypocrisy. The fact is that we ARE sinners!
How right Bonhoffer gets it so often.
I think one thing that can really bog us down in our walk is when we harbour unforgiveness in our heart. We are so offended when others sin against us and become self righteous and judgmental, yet we are also sinners, who sin against God often. And against others. We should not be surprised at how others sin when we consider our own.
I feel very challenged about this especially when I consider how judgmental we become when some well know Christian person has sinned and it becomes public knowledge.

Our Father

Was really blessed by Pastor Bob's first sermon back as our full time Pastor on Sunday. He is doing 5 weeks on the Lord's Prayer and just did the first line "Our Father Who Art in Heaven"
When the disciples said to Jesus, "teach us to pray." He could have said My Father, but he choose to say "Our Father". He is my Father but he is also yours.
Wow isn't that awesome? I have been meditating on that these last few days. After 40+ years a believer I am still overwhelmed that I get to call him Father.
If you want to hear this sermon, it should appear on the ECC (HK) web site in the next few days, I will publish the link when it is put on.

Who is our God?

I am sorry its been so long so long since my last post. I have been traveling & speaking in Australia & New Zealand for about a month and have had plenty of things I wanted to post just not the time to sit at a computer and do it. So Panda I promise that I will try and post more often.

So if you want more information on the trip have a look at the adventure Blog.

During my trip I had plenty of opportunity to marvel at creation and His amazing handiwork. But I also had plenty of evidence of people choosing other gods.

It seems to me that in Western society at least, man's god has become more and more himself. The thirst for 'things', the desire for self gratification.

Even Christians. We so often think make our "christianess" our god. "Look at me, see how spiritual I am" our desire to play the part rather than live it can so often take the place of God in our lives and we become our own god, deciding for ourselves how we should live and what we should do. It sometimes hard to convince Christians that we are called to a life of serving him, which is the same as saying serving others. When Jesus said deny yourself and take up your cross, he basically said you no longer live for yourself. Please note that his does not mean "stop having a good time" or "stop enjoying life" But it does change our choices.

Then he (Jesus) told them what they could expect for themselves: "Anyone who comes with me has to let me lead. Your not in the drivers seat - I am" Luke 9:23 msg

Brother David has gone home

The man known as "God's Smuggler to China " has gone to home.

He was an amazing and visionary man, who like Brother Andrew, believed that we all have a responsibility toward the suffering church. He instigated 'Project Pearl", which saw one million Bibles delivered to China on a barge in a single night!

He had a profound influence on my life. Even before I met him, simply by reading his book. I got to travel with him to China and around Australia when he spoke.

I know this much that in heaven he will rejoice with many Chinese believers who came to faith because he was faithful in bringing them the word of God

For the whole story click here