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.

Peter at the Pearly Gates - a different version

I have a slightly different version of Peter at the Pearly Gates.........Yes I know that the verse about Peter and the keys has been misunderstood.

Well one day the man comes to the Pearly Gates and St Peter says to him welcome. "Now you have to sit for a quiz before you can enter. The score you have to achieve is 500. The idea is I ask you to tell me about your life and you tell me how you have done and we give you a score."

The Man replies, "I am not sure about this but I will give it a go"

" Ok, tell us about the things you have done?" "Well" he said " I have loved and remained loyal to my wife for 50 years." "Well done" said St Peter, "now we are on the way, 1 point."

"Hmm, I have brought up 3 beautiful children, prayed with them every day and read the Bible to them, and I have had a quiet time almost every morning".... "Doing well, that's another half point for each of those"

"I was an elder at my church, lead a Bible study group, drove Mrs Brown to church every Sunday and took her meals when she wasn't well. I sponsored a child, I worked with prison ministries and visited the sick. I sat through some very long and boring Pastor Brown sermons!"

"Well sir, you have led an impressive life" said St Peter, "taking into account all the things you have done, even the things you haven't mentioned, there is a lot of things to count. Let me total them up and see what we get. That is amazing 15 points! One of the hightest scores ever registered!"

Then the man looked dejected. "I am still 485 points short, the only way I can get in is by an act of complete Grace."

"Grace did you say", said St Peter, "THE Act of Grace scores 500 points, come right on in!"

Only be Grace can we enter
Only by Grace can we stand
Not by our human endeavour
But by the Blood of the Lamb

Sheep & Goats

Matthew 25:41-46 (The Message)

“When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’
“Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’
“Then he will turn to the ‘goats,’ the ones on his left, and say, ‘Get out, worthless goats! You’re good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because—
I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited.’
“Then those ‘goats’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn’t help?’
“He will answer them, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.’
“Then those ‘goats’ will be herded to their eternal doom, but the ‘sheep’ to their eternal reward.”

I have been most challenged by this passage of late. Pastor Bob has shared on it twice in recent times and it has made me think about what it means to make this work. There is no shortage of people needing to fed, given shelter etc. The fact is that 10% of the World greedly consume 90% of the World's resources (That's where I live). We sit down to a $100 steak while most of the world are glad for a piece of bread or a bowl of rice in a day.

We can start simply by ensuring our unwanted food and resources do not end up on the scrap heap. We can follow that up by ending crippling debt in the developing world. Perhaps we can start to think about micro enterprise solutions that will could end the poverty cycle for those involved.

The saying "Live simply so others can simply live" is not just a glib saying. Surely it is time to consider how the resources that God has given us can be shared more equitably. Not by impoverishing ourselves, but rather by using our wealth to care for others rather than caring for ourselves.

Jesus is talking about the outworking of our faith. By loving others we show our love for him.

I John 3: 17"Whoever has earthly possessions and notices a brother in need and yet withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him? 18Little children, we must stop loving in word and in tongue, but instead love in action and in truth."

Let's make poverty history.