Waiting, waiting and more waiting...

Sat in the Juror's lounge today waiting to be called. Told we would be called at 10:30, then 12 noon, then 2pm and finally 3pm. Never called and let home at 3:40pm with instructions to come back tomorrow.

Used the time wisely and wrote a dedication song (based on Romans 12) for a new soldier who is being enrolled this Sunday – if you want to sing along the tune is Denmark HillJ

Eyes wide open, held by mercy,
Focussed on the love of Christ
In my heart the Spirit asks me
What have you to sacrifice?

Knowing now the worth of worship
Knowing now praise has a price
Freely I present my body
As a living sacrifice.

Though the devil tries to tease me
From the loving hold of Christ,
In his worldly mould would squeeze me,
All I have stays sacrificed.

Now I fear no separation
From the love that’s mine in Christ,
For this living consecration
Keeps the life I’ve sacrificed.

Grace and peace, A

Goals, gongs and scriptural paradoxes.

Yesterday I was listening to a news report about the 2012 Olympics in London. The reporter was explaining how the athletes, as part of their training, set personal targets and log their performance on a daily basis. If they fail to meet a target one day then they try and compensate the next. These targets don't just relate to physical activity but include things like diet, meditation, rest and sleep. Every evening they analyse and record their physical, emotional and mental state and any weak areas identified are targeted with new aims and objectives. In addition they use this intense introspection to identify areas of compromise where potential distractions might be taking their focus away from that illusive gold medal.

The report brought to mind two passages of scripture:

1 Corinthians 9:25-27

"Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."

And:

Hebrews 12:1-2

"...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."

What do I want out of life? I want to be holy. I want to be a successful soul winner. I want to live in the love of God. I want to abide in Christ. I want my life to be nothing other than a perfect reflection of Christ. I want to be a champion of social justice. I want to be a prophetic voice to The Salvation Army. I want to be a mighty warrior... and so I could go on.

All of these objectives are far more worthy than that of becoming an Olympic champion. Yet how does my regime compare to that of an athlete? Is my diet, sleep pattern, training schedule etc as focussed as theirs?

If I ever met an Olympic athlete I would undoubtedly recognise them by their visible commitment to their goal. That commitment would affect their whole life, the time they went to bed and got up, the food they ate and the amount of leisure time they had – all of these things would be impacted by their Olympic dream.

What about my dream, what about the Kingdom of God? Isn't that worth as much as a Gold medal?

Today's Scripture Readings:

1 Chronicles 9:1-10:13

David's mighty men – imagine being listed in the bible as a 'mighty man'! I don't know who these men were or what they did – but here are their names, preserved for all time in the eternal word of God.

Lord, may I, through your grace, find my name so listed when I stand before you in your kingdom. Amen!

Proverbs 18:17-19:2

"It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way." (19:2)

This September I am starting an MA in theology – those who know me may well be surprised as I have always been something of an anti-academic! I'd much rather be surrounded by ignorant practitioners than knowledgeable theoreticians. However, people seem more likely to listen to you when you have a few letters after your name and so at the Army's behest I've agreed to undertake this study. This will be in addition to my role as a Corps Officer - if I'm honest, (and where can I be honest if not in my journal?) I'm quite looking forward to it J

Romans 14

"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (v17)

"Everything that does not come from faith is sin" (v23)

To me these two verses present something of an internal contradiction. This is something I will have to continue to battle with. I will either have to find 'righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit' in some parts of my life or I will have to surrender them. There is no room in my life for doubtful things. I think the key is found at the end of verse 17 "in the Holy Spirit" – our standards of behaviour and chosen lifestyle have to be determined here – in the centre of God's love. Holiness is the outcome of my relationship with God as well as the basis for it.

Grace and peace

A

Finney and Holiness on holiday!

It's 7:55am and all the family are asleep. I've just posted today's entry for The Salvation Soldiers Guide and have just concluded a short time of personal prayer and reflection.

I've almost finished Finney's 'Lectures to Professing Christians' and it has been well worth the wrestle.

I like reading Finney because (although he wrote 150 years ago) he has a fresh approach to the bible - nobody else quite sees Christianity like he does.

Take for example his attitude to 'Christian Perfection'. Finney says things about holiness that out of context would sound like heresy - for example - Finney declares that everyone (whether regenerated or not) has within them the natural ability to obey God. At first this sounds unbiblical but then Finney unwraps the statement. What is it that really hold us back? Is it inability or a lack of desire? Is the problem that we can't obey God or more properly the fact that we choose not to? Finney then goes on to say that a change in our attitude depends upon two things working together in harmony - the power of grace through regeneration and the submission of our will to God.

Finney is very big on the importance of the will.

I am, according to Finney, what I choose to be and I do what I choose to do. Christian Perfection is nothing more than a man or woman simply obeying God - moment by moment. Such a thought of course calls to mind Paul's 'living sacrifice'.

I have always though that these verses in Romans 12 are key verses in the understanding of holinesss and I further think that the way they are rendered in the message is excellent.

"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."

It is this 'living sacrifice' - the complete and utter consecration of my 'everyday, ordinary life' my 'sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life' that will become the focus of my prayers between now and Friday.

Love and prayers

A