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

Deliverance

Deliverance. The boy bullied at school needs it;

the girl facing abuse at home needs it; the young man constantly criticised by friends needs it; the addict struggling to stay clean needs it; the business in the downturn needs it; the community threatened by loss needs it; the family on the brink of eviction need it; the frail elderly person suffering with aches and pains needs it. Though we look for it in many things and different places, there is only One who has died for us to get it and lives again for us to embrace it.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (Matthew 6:13)

Safe Journey

Shalom

Too Busy Not To Rest

There is much to be said about work. No work means no outcome. Often, however, there can be a great stress on keeping busy. Even holidays are spent busy working hard to forget about work, only to see it popping up again. A balanced healthy life and one that ensures progress is made is as much about stopping and resting – physically and mentally – as being on the go. So when it gets all too much – get away and take a break.

Jesus said, "Come off by yourselves; let's take a break and get a little rest." For there was constant coming and going. They didn't even have time to eat. (Mark 6:31)

Safe Journey
Shalom

Heart-Warming Journey Companions

Sometimes you can be reading the instructions wrong. So it was actually the second left onto the A412 and now you have to find the route back all over again. There’s something about someone coming alongside you and gently but firmly giving guidance not just in an informational way but something that stirs the entire being. Sometimes we don’t know where we’re going. Sometimes we get the instructions wrong. Sometimes we just need heart-warming companions to put us right.

Back and forth they talked. "Didn't we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?" (Luke 24:32)

Safe Journey
Shalom

Are We There Yet?

The family are on their way, as they get stuck in traffic Charlie asks again ‘are we there yet?’ Again the response is that they will be there soon. Sometimes we are impatient – are we loved yet, do we have enough money yet, is the spouse sorted yet, can I get over this annoying habit yet? Often the answer is ‘no’, but having a destination should not bring frustration. That destination is the light drawing and encouraging us to hold onto that faith that says that we will get there – even if we are not there yet!

We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. (Hebrews 12:2a)

Safe Journey
Shalom (for more on today's note read this)

Where Peaceful Waters Flow

You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water, and you refresh my life. (Psalm 23:2, 3a)

There is something about leading people to where peaceful waters flow. Where no one is harassed and pressured. Where time ebbs and flows with the gentle rhythm of the flow of the river to replenish and refresh. Though your life maybe full of activity and action, let your mind and being be centred on the place where peaceful waters flow for you. As you rest there whenever you can, see if you can take a harassed traveller with you too. From there let the waters bring life from you to refresh others.

When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot thou hast taught me to say it is well, it is well, with my soul. That was one of the inspirations behind today’s daily thought. As well as that the whole concept of the shepherd leading us by still waters and restoring our soul in preparation for the paths of righteousness that may go through the valley of the shadow of death. These kind of images are soothing and therapeutic without just being about having felt needs met. We are talking about being led by the Shepherd and the Shepherd knowing our need for rest and recuperation and abundantly providing them so that we may spend all of our days in God's house.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

For Peace Sake: Rest in Peace

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)

You can see it in people’s faces. Even their smile is weighted down with the cares of life, so many things to do just to keep up with things. Making peace is as much about getting people to rest as it is about actively engaging in reconnecting. Frantic rushing, stressed our fussing doesn’t improve situations. We don’t have to be dead to be able to rest in peace. Time out for a break, a few moments catching some fresh air, (maybe climbing Mount Snowdon) can do as much good as hours slaving over a hot desk.

This post was sent out on Friday 26th September.

The real scriptural basis for this thought is found in Matthew 11:28-30. It is an amazing invitation that Jesus offers here and a radical one. This invitation is also implicit in what it is to be a peacemaker – inviting stressed out, anxious, fearful, panicky, people to come to rest. We are motivated to work with no sense of rest as we’re driven to go on and on to get the next wage and the next job and the next Christmas shopping and the next children’s clothes for school and the next major life purchase and the next … and the next … with no rest, no final peace, no final consolation in life. By the time retirement comes around there’s a helplessness and hopelessness and fraught wondering what to do with time that was spent going from the next … to the next. Oh but the wonder of discipleship is not go from the next to the next, but to rest and be unburdened from that which moves us on to something that never satisfies, never brings that sense of wholeness that is summed up in the Hebrew concept of Shalom.

When we engage with others on the peacemaking process it is to invite them to rest. Not to ongoing exertions beyond our abilities. Only in Jesus do we find this rest. Truly this is the peace that passes understanding as its not just chilling the mind and the body, it’s completely resting in Christ.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

For Peace Sake: Reaching To Heal

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)

Why is there chaos and violence? Why is there pain and division? Could the real key for peace be beyond us? Being made whole involves healing the hurt without and within. Share the journey towards healing! It is one that we do not take alone and the hope in us leads us to One who created order out of chaos.

This post was sent out on Thursday 25th September.

External and inner peace begins by seeking peace from the same Source. Often the order in which we search for peace determines our success in achieving it. Some choose to look for inner peace in themselves first, then peace outside themselves and perhaps peace with God afterwards. Others desperately look for solutions to external peace possibilities and get deep and personal. Ultimate peace comes however through reconciling with the Creator and then His creation and that price, thankfully, has been paid by the Prince of Peace.

Often when reading Isaiah 53:5, I hear people refer to this as a guarantee of physical healing, yet nothing hits home as to what peace is all about than this. It undersells what the peace is all about – it underestimates what’s at stake here. The healing that has cost so much is not from sickness and disease, it is from the very curse of sin that has brought death to every son of Adam. It is the restoration of health by returning to our Creator and having the right relationship that ensures real health and real peace.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

For Peace Sake: Building Bridges

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)

No man is an island, but sometimes we are isolated through ignorance, misunderstanding, fear, pain, pride and prejudice. One way of making sure that each person stay’s in touch with the mainland of the community of humanity is to build bridges with those who are adrift. It may cost in terms of time, vulnerability and rejection. The benefits, however, far outweigh the cost – the joy of seeing people build deeper sacrificial relationships; the shared pursuit of justice and fairness for all and the hope in seeing what’s right done through all the earth.

This post was sent out on Wednesday 24th September.

Among the whole armour of God are these – shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15). Peacemakers imply that there’s some activity that we are engaged with that constructs something. In this case it is not peace itself that we’re constructing – that has already been done in Christ. What we are constructing however, or highlight, is the path to peace. That’s why the peacemakers in this sense is more than just people who are able to stop arguments. Blessed as that is, when the resolution leads to building bridges from which people can cross from darkness to light, ignorance to understanding, hostility to hospitality and death to life then not only have we stopped something, but we have initiated something wonderful. We may have gained a brother/sister in the community of grace. We may have seen a life headed for mindless ruin transformed by the love of Christ into something so much greater.

As I understand only too painfully that means we have to be prepared to engage with others and reach out to those who are in the darkness – those who have been ravaged by the issues of life and would want to remain in the gutter. This is not just those who fall easily into that category, this is the whole of humanity unconnected to Christ and unaware of the gospel that He has made peace and indeed because of that He is our peace (see Ephesians 2:14-21 for more). This has glorious implications for building true multi-cultural community and for people to belong to something greater than themselves that enriches all of its constituents as recipients and channels of sacrificial love following the example of the greatest peacemaker and bridge-maker of them all.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

For Peace Sake: Conflict Resolution

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)

There can be no peace as long as there is conflict. Whether it is wars and military skirmishes or family feuds and personal malice held towards another person these spell disaster for any hope of peace within and without. Whatever it takes, whether its negotiations around a table or one simply humbling themselves and giving up all rights to break the ice, today you can contribute to resolving conflicts for peace sake.

This post, emailed on Tuesday 23 September, is the first ‘catch-up’ post from the week just gone. On Thursday 25th September the North Staffs YMCA put on a day specially focussed on the concept of peace called For Peace Sake. As a result most of my energies were directed in this cause and one of the things that suffered with posting the entries from the emails. Now with some time available I’ll endeavour to put up the thoughts sent out over the week.

It remains a challenge to stimulate Christian Spiritual reflection from to an audience of people who have mixed views on the area. It’s a good challenge, because Jesus was effortlessly able to stimulate this during His time on earth. The issue of peace is one of those where connections can be made easier. Everyone wants peace. Their experience has little connection with experiencing peace for any length of time, but it is an ideal worth aspiring to. What is evident is not only do they lack peace, but they live in a world that lacks peace and this seen in no greater a place than in the conflicts of life. Family relatives don’t get on. Different communities don’t get on. Rivalry lies at the heart of most competition which spills out into aggressive and antagonistic behaviour. Pride and superiority builds up barriers and creates more conflicts on a relational and political level. Indeed a commonly held criticism to religion is how wars have been started by religious rivalry.

What these arguments fail to reach is the heart to what causes these conflicts in the first place. In preparing for the event on Thursday, I was moved to read James 3:13-4:10. Verse 1 of chapter four especially gets to the real root for conflict.

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

Religion is just another tool used by the various passions that drives men that causes conflict. If possible, you could remove religion and there would still be war and conflict on a personal and global level. At the heart of all conflict is the inner conflict of what we desire inside. This is also a reflection of what takes place once our focus is taken from God, or what happened when we sin. Rebellion against God has seen conflicts erupt from Cain and Abel to the present day. The highest end of this tragedy remains the millions of people who remain disconnected from their Creator through idolatry of a plethora of manifestations. That’s why Jesus’ death on the cross and the mission was to bring an end to the conflict between man and God. Once that conflict is resolved it makes sense that all other conflicts would soon cease – especially the conflict within. For now we have the Word that says that He gives peace that the world doesn’t give and it passes understanding and guards our hearts and minds in Jesus Christ.

Reflecting on the narrative of the Beatitudes it is appropriate that the penultimate beatitude deals with peace and we have peace because the war is over. The conflict is resolved. We now, by God’s grace, work out how to live out the conflict resolution and seek to share it with others however we can. The vital ingredient remains however a peace with God before peace among men.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Shining Light to the Way of Peace

On us who live in the dark shadow of death this light will shine to guide us into a life of peace. (Luke 1:79)

A Prayer For You: If it is gloomy, perhaps a problem without solution. There maybe an ongoing concern that bothers you. In any case, whatever your situation, I hope that a glimmer of light will break through the darkness – knowing that the darkness can never overwhelm the light. With that I pray that the light will guide you from despair to delight in knowing the way to peace.

If it was easy then we would have done it by now. If it was simple then someone would be able to teach us how to do it and we would be there now. That we are not at peace appears to suggest that maybe we haven’t quite got there yet. There is a Light, though, that shines and makes a way clear for us to be able to make our way to peace. God open the eyes of those lost and wandering in darkness that they may see that the Light of the world is Jesus. Let us rejoice once more in another who was lost being found. Let us rejoice in one who was dead being made alive. Use us as carriers of the glorious message of peace being made with God through Christ and peace across all barriers between Gentile and Jew. Let this marvellous light make peace in your world today.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Working Towards Peace – Every Little Helps

A little yeast can change a whole batch of dough, (Galatians 5:9)

Your contribution to life may not appear significant today but it only takes a seed today to create a tree later on.  Every small gesture, a smile and a frown, a word can be a drop of soothing medicine or bitter poison.  In the same way that one rotten apple can spoil the whole barrel your word of encouragement, time taken to listen and shared company can make a huge difference in someone’s life.  As in working towards peace every little helps. 

Other scriptures to consider are Luke 13:21, Mark 12:42-44 and Luke 21:1-4

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

da man cd

 

Peace

Praise God in heaven! Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God. (Luke 2:14)

What is peace? Does it sound of birds chirping sweetly or of a wail of electric guitars or something else? Does is smell of sweet perfume or raw onions or something else? Does it taste hard and crunchy or soft and chewy or something else? Does it feel rough and jagged or smooth and silky or something else? Does it look like a baby sleeping or a young girl struggling with self-esteem issues talking with you or something else? Whatever it is for you today search for it, enjoy it and share it with someone else!

The questions are facetious really. The answer to the questions is yes. Peace is birds chirping, a wail of electric guitars, sweet perfume, raw onions, hard and crunchy, soft and chewy, rough and jagged, smooth and silky, a baby sleeping a young girl struggling with self-esteem issues and talking with you AND something else. Something more, something fundamentally foundational to these experiences and underpins and connects them with the definition of peace.

The month of September is dedicated to the issue of peace. The arrival of Jesus Christ as celebrated in this verse is the celebration of peace on earth. It’s interesting to note how many versions add the fact that this peace is to those who please God. The typical version and one wheeled out every Christmas time suggests that it’s merely peace on earth goodwill to all men. This disclaimer, however, noted in most other versions put a different spin on things. This is not the only spin on the direction of peace in Jesus’ journey. Whether it’s coming with sword to split families or whether it’s offering a peace that is markedly different to that offered to the world Jesus as ever offers something radically different and counter-cultural. I hope to be able to explore some of these distinctions during the month and also ground this truth in applications wherever possible.

Starting today, though, you can rejoice as a follower of Jesus Christ I the peace that comes with that. It’s something worth rejoicing about for there is no greater news given to humanity since its fall. Thank God for His peace.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Finishing Well

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)

You don’t have to wait until you’re facing death to say these words. Has it been a hard day? You’ve made it to the end haven’t you? You may have slipped up here or there, but even the writer made slips. The word of encouragement is that for every major obstacle there is One who remains ever faithful who is there to support you in your journey to take these challenges on and come out, like this writer, the winner.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Amazing Words of Forgiveness

He knelt down and shouted, "Lord, don't blame them for what they have done." Then he died. (Acts 7:60)

A prayer for you: Dear Lord, let us have the love to be able to forgive those who cause us harm. Let us see them in as much need of love as we are and share a compassion and mercy for them as we need ourselves.

I am not the only person who struggles with this episode. It’s all well and good our Saviour able to utter those words of mercy on those crucifying Him on a tree. It’s alright for Him, He’s the Messiah. For Stephen to utter these as his final words on earth whilst being battered to death by his accusers really points out that what the Teacher can do his students are capable of doing it as well. When I’m bombarded from left, right and centre from forces and people I know my natural reaction is to retaliate or hibernate. To have the Spirit-filled character of Stephen and even graciously look to God to forgive the tormentors is a step of maturity that I would love to attain. To be so focussed on God that the reality of spiritual warfare having nothing to do with personality and everything to do with spiritual forces at work points me to a desire to share this ability and overcome evil with good.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Words of Assurance and Triumph

Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph! Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread upon their backs. (Deuteronomy 33:29)

Have you ever felt as though the world is on your shoulders and you’re getting grief from every side? If it’s not one thing it’s another and no rest can be found. The last words recorded of a man called Moses offer are a blessing of assurance and promise of protection. Whatever opposes you today whether external or internal you likewise can experience this triumph and peace today.

I wonder what would happen if we took these words seriously? I think about Israel and how much Moses had endured to get them to the brink of the Promised Land. When you consider Deuteronomy to be the longest farewell address in scripture you have to feel for Moses. Here’s a guy who agonised over his distinct call as a man of God. Here’s a pensioner in the wilderness making excuses as to why he couldn’t lead the Lord’s people out of Egypt. Here’s a bloke who every step of the way is the source of complaints, criticism, rejection, rebellion and mistreatment. Here’s a hombre who through one fatal moment of misplaced anger (you would have thought he’d have learnt the lesson from 40 years previously then again you would have thought I’d have learnt from the mistake(s) I made years ago) missed out on entering the goal of his ambition. Here is this critical and crucial leader in Israel history. Here he is entreating and blessing his people and for all that he speaks within three generations they’ve already forgotten or more accurately forsaken all this.

Still all this is written that I would learn from the lessons of these men and nations. So when I think about being a people saved by the Lord I don’t have to think very far. I don’t have to refer to a physical nation and its cultural distinctions. I can go straight to the cross and how Christ’s sacrifice saved me from the power of sin and is now my shield and sword. I can go straight to the fact that His sacrifice now makes me part of a wonderful community of fellow sojourners who are making that ultimate pilgrimage to the promised land to come whose architect according to the writer of Hebrews is God. Oh how I wish I could just live in the light of this fact and overcome and tread on the backs on the enemies within and without.

Yet, you know, victory by victory and with every moment that I am reminded that God’s grace is ever near me I feel that assurance and rejoice in the triumph achieved at Calvary to be celebrated for eternity starting now.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

What Final Words

After he took the wine, Jesus said, "It's done . . . complete." Bowing his head, he offered up his spirit. (John 19:30)

There are times when things come to an end. It is worth celebrating what has been done and completed even if it maybe painful at the time. Jesus’ words here are not words of defeat or failure, but are those of victory and we can also celebrate.

As we enter the last week of the series on the power of the Word I thought it would be interesting to review some of the famous last words spoken in the Word and where better to start than with the last recorded words of the Master on the cross.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Waiting For The Bridegroom

The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. (Luke 5:35)

What’s going on? Why just this verse? As ever with Jesus, people are complaining that Jesus isn’t doing it the old-fashioned way especially when it comes to fasting. Considering fasting is an intriguing topic but not one that is often talked about in Christendom. This verse though gives a good idea of why we fast.

We fast because the bridegroom has been taken away from us. Now obviously by the power of the Spirit and by being true followers of His Word we can proclaim that Christ is with us. However as it is written the Spirit could only come when Jesus Himself left us. So our fasting is an act of desperately waiting for the bridegroom to return – like lovers apart yearning desperately for each other we’re expressing our desire for the loved one to come. Indeed in the meantime that’s why we are referred to as the bride, because we long for the bridegroom to return.

A lot more could be said about what fasting is and it’s various references, but in this verse the focus of the fast is the issue. This highlights again that the act that we do in life whether fast or feast is because of the Bridegroom.

Today’s daily thought has been inspired by my friend Craig Grand. Hey Craig, focus on Jesus!

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Tell The World

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! Psalm 96:3

Well what does that mean? Let people from everywhere know about what a heavily great deal God is. Tell them just what great things He has done.

So what does this mean? The verse encourages us to let people know the good news of what God does. That means we want people to know about how good God is. It could be easy to keep our faith to ourselves and the good news of what God has done just to church meetings, but as He’s done something so wonderful the news should be shared with everyone in the world. Even if we cannot tell people in Asia, Africa, America, Australia and Europe we can still tell our whole world – the people we engage with on an every day basis. It makes sense. If it’s such good news why would you want to keep it to yourself? It’s contagious, it’s infectious, it’s all the more reason why we are told in this verse to go and tell.

Today’s daily thought has been inspired by my friend Craig Grand. Thanks Craig, keep up the good work!

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Say Grace

Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out. (Colossians 4:6)

What’s gracious speech like? Ever had those conversations where you could get more sense from a brick wall? Patiently you let the other know that you have heard them and you understand what they are saying … yet it has no effect at all. This is not the message that it’s alright because they’ll understand … maybe they never will. This is a thought to suggest that even in these trying circumstances, look to bring the best out of the other and at least you’ll end the conversation in peace. Then you can go get that much needed drink!

So the wonder of words. With the above statement you might get the impression that I’m referring to a stiff shot of something alcoholic and in a very real way I am referring to strong Spirit. That for me is the wonder of words and where it can lead to and where we can take it. The verse in question says different things in different versions, which on the one hand is useful and on the other can be left open to all sorts of interpretations. What I do get from this verse though is the need to make the most of our time and use every conversation to express the love of God to others. It’s to be expected with people who have yet to acknowledge God’s grace that their approach may not be positive to Christ and issues to do with Him, but out ability to still respond from grace and show them what He looks like through our conversation and lifestyle can leave an impact.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd