Going Where You Don’t Know

Directions in the journey of life are especially crucial when you don’t know where you’re going. So many distractions and ‘helpful’ pointers can leave things confusing. Faith acts as a steer and a guide to the direction you should go. So in those times when you don’t always know how to get to where you’re going, faith fundamentally gives reassurance not of reaching the destination, but relationship on the way.

The LORD said to Abram: Leave your country, your family, and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you. (Genesis 12:1)

Safe Journey

Shalom

What Hope of Deliverance?

When the clouds are grey and the nights are long and lonely it’s difficult to hope in deliverance. Visiting that loved one as they undergo chemo therapy, unsure as to whether they will pull through it’s difficult to hope in deliverance. When there’s another relapse after so long it’s difficult to hope in deliverance. Yet every time we get out of some tricky situations we may think it is our ingenuity. In actuality there is an Unseen Mover delivering you. This is the start to have that assurance of the presence of One who delivers with His loving right hand.

And David said, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!" (1 Samuel 17:37)

Safe Journey

Shalom

For Crying Out Loud

Apparently when you laugh the world laughs with you, but when you cry, you cry alone. So much pain and pent up frustration, so much injustice and cruelty, so much inner turmoil and outer grief that we are not meant to keep it bottled in but we have an opportunity to cry out. Our cries do not go unheard. It is good to cry out from time to time, because through these cries answers can come forward – hearts can be troubled, consciences made alive, actions can follow, relief and release can come even from the most unexpected sources.

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. (Psalm 34:6)

Safe Journey
Shalom

Words and Lives That Produce Tasty Fruit

God's Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways. (Galatians 5:22, 23)

Here are headlines you’re not likely to read: Simon Bailey arrested in kindness shocker! John Flynn sentenced after being gentle! Sue Mears imprisoned following speaking words of faithfulness and goodness! Fran Cooke behind bars for life for exercising compassion! So whilst the law is on our side in those areas, let us enjoy these liberties and share these qualities with each other.

The thinking behind this was a conversation I had with the men on Monday night and the old chestnut about free will came up again. It basically exulted in the fact that we have a choice and free will and isn’t that a great thing? Well I’ve yet to see someone give me a compelling argument for free will biblically as that which is to be deified as much as it is in this culture.

When I do think about freedom and liberty, though, I do consider the freedom with which Christ has made me free to actually behave, think and speak in a manner that reflects the fruit of the Spirit. I haven’t been set free to do whatever I want, I’ve been set free to do whatever has been placed in the very core of my being to do. I was created to be disciplined. I was created to be joyful, loving, gentle, peaceful, faithful, kind and good.

When I don’t behave that way; when my thoughts don’t tally with that; when the words I speak go against that, although I may have been conditioned to be like that I actually feel a bit less human, a bit less that I get the impression I ought to be. Being obedient is the most natural thing about me. My arms are meant to do what I tell them to do and more often than not I’ll tell them to do something that supports me in a fitting and beneficial way. The same goes for every part of my body and although my brain may get it messed up with activities that hasten my inevitable physical departure from planet earth, more often than not the aim and desire is to stay on here as long and as comfortably as possible.

For that to happen certain orders have to be obeyed so that outcomes can be enjoyed. It sounds mechanical, but when the outcome is joy, peace and love and indeed when the process actually includes within it these qualities then the whole thing is makes a lot more sense. So if that’s me, personally I don’t see the big deal in actually admitting that perhaps rather than emphasising free will we should actually look at God’s original plan for us as to who we ought to be and then, by graciously receiving His Spirit on repentance, we live that out for His glory and the benefit of those around us.

I love the line that there’s no law against that – fittingly in a book that’s been dealing with law and grace. It also reminds me of the tragedy of the garden where God gave us an instruction to enjoy all the trees in the garden with the exception of one. The tragedy is that God’s Word is for us to enjoy all with one exception and now blighted by sin we miss out on enjoying the all in search of the exception. I wouldn’t mind our fascination with the one if we’d truly made the best out of everything else, but I know for a fact that enjoying all the beautiful things in life will take a lifetime in and of itself as there is so much of God’s goodness to enjoy. It’s a shame that my sin-natural inclination is to look at other women when I haven’t even made the most out of enjoying my wife who day after day grows and blossoms further in the beauty with which God makes her and so shows yet something more for me to enjoy. It’s a shame that my sin-natural inclination is to wander from the good and get into the bad.

Thank God for His Spirit that reverts me closer to the Jesus-nature that is the walking design of what man was always meant to be like. Thank God for His Spirit that teaches me of these things and empowers me to live this out. Thank God for His Word that illuminates my every decision to make the most of life in all its fullest. Thank God for new life in Him where I begin to recognise just what I was missing out on in my former life and acknowledge that life is a lot better producing love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. In fact life doesn’t get any better than this and rejoicing in the God of my salvation allows me to smile in the face of this greater reality.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Speak Peace

For the sake of my family and friends, I say it again: live in peace! (Psalm 122:8)

It is easy to get bogged down with the various pressures in life and let it get on top of you and lash out in one way or another at those around you. There is never a guarantee that we will live a stress-free life, but we can make an effort to speak words to soothe and bring unity and as we consider each other as friends and family today, the encouragement to speak peace!

What I love about this blog is that it’s a bit like the unedited backstage of what is delivered in people’s emails from day to day. I don’t get the chance to express what the process is that’s going on when I put together each daily thought and hopefully I’ll be able to give more insight into what’s going on.

So with regard to this thought and the power of words I know there’s some scepticism over phrases like positive confession and ‘name it and claim it’ religion. I share some of those concerns of a faith that’s nothing more than a shopping experience feeding into our consumer desires to have nice things whenever we want it. Also the kind of delusional living that is not faith based but is some of that excitable over-erratic zeal for what we think is God’s will for every situation side-stepping parts of the contract that includes suffering, persecution, misunderstanding, etc.

For all of that there is something about training our mouths to follow the example of the Prince of Peace and actually speak peace into our situation. What does that look like? Well first of all I think that looks like an honest ongoing dialogue with God that seeks to see things as He sees them so that you can say what He says about them. So rather than getting mired in another unfruitful argument with the wife over something trivial, I can see her again as God gave her to me not only for what she is now, but for the full package that I know she is to be in God. When I consider all that, how dare my lips dare spoil that pleasant picture of God’s fullness with a little blemish of a present that is soon past.

I reckon such thinking and second thinking on any given situation which desperately looks to please God in what we do has to look to speak the wholeness of God on the situation. Again this is not fairytale faux aspiring ‘aren’t things pretty and nice’ talk. This speaking peace maybe talking for things to get back in line – rebuking, correcting and even chiding self, others, stuff in the desperate desire that they are in line with God’s harmony for our living. In whatever way it’s expressed and with whatever words the goal remains the same in each situation and that is to see peace – that peace that passes understanding, that peace that the world cannot give to us, that peace that comes from godly wisdom, that peace that takes God Himself to give and that points back to the God who gives. Now in that situation surely everyone’s a winner – friends, families, hey even my enemies.

The gist of this is not to give something that’s as easy as pie, but is something worth aiming for in daily life. Again through taking a moment out to think through appropriate responses until the process becomes second nature to us (in fact preferably first nature if you get me) and as a result regardless of being bombarded with countless distractions (questions from within, unhelpful alternatives from ‘friends’, etc.), we can experience and rejoice in moment by moment victory in being able to speak peace even as Jesus was able to in those situations where tempestuous storms threatened the boat on which he and his homies were travelling.

For all my frailties, failings and flaws I work off the premise that I don’t have to work to gain anything from God. Rather, in the light of his mercies and grace to me as seen in Christ, it makes sense to show my gratitude by looking to be pleasing to Him by doing His perfect will for me life.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

God’s Statement of Intent

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. (Jer 29:11-12)

I am going to do that if it’s the last thing I do. I will move heaven and earth to get this thing done. Likewise God has a statement of intent – He is for you and not against you – to do you good and not to do you evil. In the light of this statement of intent you can experience peace in whatever you’re going through and perhaps have a go at sharing similar sentiments for your day and the people around you.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Power of Words - Intro

And God said … (Genesis 1:3a)

Over the month of August I want to look at the power of words. It’s got to be clear by now that the individual who thought that sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me obviously belonged on another planet. Words have started and ended wars. Words have broken and made families. Words have created genius and devastation. This is no surprise as the Creator Himself brought things into being by the power of the Word and restored lost humanity through the Word and by the power of Word will bring all things to completion and fruition. So that’s the basis for a season of thoughts on the power of the word, I hope it’s a blessing to you.

For His Name's Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Introduction

Welcome to Daily Thoughts (DT) – this blog is the natural progression from an email service of the same name that has been released through my work at the North Staffs YMCA. To find out more about what DT is all about click here and to find out a little more about me click here.

This blog offers a place for extended thought based on whatever has been posted that day. As well as that, the DT from the YMCA is usually released five days a week – the hope is that this blog will go for all seven days a week.

Also whereas the YMCA DT is targeted primarily at people who are new to faith and hopefully beneficial to those who have a relationship with God, this DT will be more open to those who have a greater interest in the things of God and how that impacts life.

The prayer for this site is that the words will be acceptable in the sight of the Lord who is my strength and redeemer and will bring another godly perspective on life. Hopefully in the days to come you’ll find out a lot more about the motivations for DT and the desired impact on our lives. In the meantime all comments and thoughts are more than welcome (that doesn’t mean I have to take it on board, especially if it’s unhelpful, but send them in all the same!) and I hope you will be truly blessed in a closer walk with and growing knowledge of Jesus through this service.

For His Name's Sake
Shalom
da man cd