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

Working Together

Ephesians 4

Nothing breaks my heart more than seeing believers who can't get on, who cannot be reconciled to one another and cannot find it in their hearts to forgive.

Sometimes I think that the only Army that likes to kick their comrades when they fall is the Christian one.

This is what Paul says (Message):

To Be Mature
In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, .......

I Like that bit "pouring yourselves out for each other in Acts of Love. It goes on .....

.... alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.
You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.


Are you getting this we are all one in Christ. But we do have different gifts

But that doesn’t mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift. ................... He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christians in skilled servant work, working within Christ’s body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.


Don't you love that ".... all moving rhythmically and easily with each other. It isn't as hard as we make it. When we see Christ in one another and so seek to serve one another.

Why don't we get it

I am always amazed that whenever you start to talk about the fact the Christians are supposed to make a difference in the World to reach out to people in need and care for those who are unable to care for themselves, some start screaming he is preaching Salvation by works again.
So let me say right up front, I believe these Verses in Ephesians 2 with all my heart, and praise God that it is true:

8. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9. not by works, so that no one can boast.

Then we need to read the next verse which says:

10. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

We so often stop at the first 2 verses, because Grace all sufficient. But once we know him we can't just go on living the way we did. We can't just ignore the need around us. How can we see so many around the world living in poverty and just do nothing, while we waste resources as if they do not matter. Farmers in the West are paid to plough food into the ground while the billions struggle to get a bowl of rice in a day and the protest from believers to their Governments is muted.
We cannot keep living as if the poor don't exist. It is time for the Church to live as we are called. To listen to the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles. Paul said if we say we have not love, we are as a clanging gong,... all outward show. In 1 John it says if we see need and feel no compassion, then how can God's love be in us?

FROM JAMES 2 IN THE MESSAGE

Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?
I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, “Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I’ll handle the works department.”
Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove.
Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That’s just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do them? Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands?
Wasn’t our ancestor Abraham “made right with God by works” when he placed his son Isaac on the sacrificial altar? Isn’t it obvious that faith and works are yoked partners, that faith expresses itself in works? That the works are “works of faith”? The full meaning of “believe” in the Scripture sentence, “Abraham believed God and was set right with God,” includes his action. It’s that mesh of believing and acting that got Abraham named “God’s friend.” Is it not evident that a person is made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works?
The same with Rahab, the Jericho harlot. Wasn’t her action in hiding God’s spies and helping them escape—that seamless unity of believing and doing—what counted with God? The very moment you separate body and spirit, you end up with a corpse. Separate faith and works and you get the same thing: a corpse.

The Wonder of it All

Not long ago I was in the car with a Pastor friend of mine and we drove past a Theological College, with a proud history. This College is very wealthy, owns a great deal of property and has the most magnificent buildings you can imagine all built out beautifully crafted carved stone.
But they have almost no Students!
In recent times this college has taken a very liberal view of theology. My Pastor friend told me that he had heard one of their lecturers speak, a well known theologian, author of many books, but one who does not believe in God. At least not the in way we Evangelicals do.
What he said seemed plausible, very plausible. Especially to a mind that wanted to doubt.
In response, I said I feel so very sad for people who have never looked up at the stars on a clear country night with awe and wonder. It usually brings me to worship through praise, singing 'How Great Thou Art" at the top of my lungs. I cannot fathom creation without a Creator. It simple makes no sense to this simple mind.
I also feel sad for anyone who has not been brought to tears when considering the absolute wonder of God's Grace. That I should know God, that I am forgiven, that the burden of guilt and fear is lifted. How can anyone think that it is worth bothering with a God who doesn't care, who lives 'way up there'. Frankly if that's all there was, I would join those who say we are better off not believing.
But there is more ..... Praise God!

Then sings my soul my Saviour God to thee. HOW GREAT THOU ART

Amazing Grace

For it is by Grace your are saved, through Faith ......

Someone doesn't like my blog. I have looked at it to try to work out what I might have said to offend someone. But I don't get it. Perhaps it was some atheist who wants to get all believers off the web (don't they know that you can't stop people praising God, they Bible says if you try, then the stones will cry out, Luke 19.40). Perhaps some liberal who doesn't like my Evangelical approach. Maybe I have upset someone by suggesting that Christians are supposed to live their faith as well as speak it. That we must care for people in need for instance. Or maybe it is my mistake and no one tried, and I touched the wrong button. Still reviewing your words is not a bad thing.

The Truth will set you free .....

Who will deliver me?

Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression Psalm 19:13

I find my self so often doing that which I do not want to do. Is it just me or does evey one have this problem? I do the wrong thing. I know I am doing the wrong thing. But I do not seem to be able to stop myself from doing it.
Recently I have spent time reading Larry J. Crabb's "Papa prayer" A good book and a great read. The thing that I find most appealing is the idea of rethinking my attitude toward prayer instead of seeing prayer as presenting a shopping list to God, wanting to spend time with him. To get to know him, to have his heart not my own heart.

When we spend time with him, we change, our heart changes and we gain a servant heart that sees things from a God perspective and not one based around world values and self interest.

I so want to live for Him, and I am changing because he is changing me. A work in progress and a grateful recipient of Amazing Grace.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19.14

For the sake of unity ......

“I’m praying not only for them
But also for those who will believe in me
Because of them and their witness about me.
The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind—
Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
So they might be one heart and mind with us.
Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me.
The same glory you gave me, I gave them,
So they’ll be as unified and together as we are—
I in them and you in me.
Then they’ll be mature in this oneness,
And give the godless world evidence
That you’ve sent me and loved them
In the same way you’ve loved me. JOHN 17:20-23 Msg

Of all things that cause non-believers to stumble, I can think of no greater thing than disunity. "When they learn to live like Christians then maybe I will give it a go"
Now don't get me wrong here, I am not one to say that we should accept anything for the sake of unity ...... but arguments about little things. Is it really true that churches have split because of the colour of the furniture or whether we stand or sit down at the benediction? Even issues like style of Worship through music, should not hold us apart. Do you think God really cares whether we use an organ or a band? It is our heart he looks at!
When we major on minors, the world watches shakes it head.
When C.S. Lewis was critised for spending time with Christians not part of the Evangelical "club" he replied, along the lines, that there is far more that unites us than holds us apart, and we will be spending eternity together so isn't it a good idea to start now?
Yes let us stand for the truth of Scripture. Yes let us speak the truth in love when our brothers and sisters need correction, but let us do so in a way that promotes unity, being of one heart and mind with the Father.