Take Heart my Soul

  Psalm 27 is a wonderful Psalm…but then, I suppose they all are.

  I recently was given a book entitled Wordsmithy. Its a series of biblical tips and hints for people who, in one form or another, write. One of its more controversial ideas is diversity. Simply put, the author suggests that a writer of fiction should attempt to write short essays listing facts. Sonnet writers should attempt to pen logical treatise on science. Biographers must write love songs. You get the idea.

  Basically: try your hand at something new.

  With that in mind, I have scrawled down a few verses which, one way or t’other, resemble something akin to a hymn.

Realising that all good hymns are based on either a single verse, a whole chapter, or a reoccurring theme of scripture, I have based mine on Psalm 27- my favourite psalm. The main thrust of the psalm is this: God is supreme and caring therefore I want to be with him.

  N.B. Unfortunately I have had to squeeze an extra syllable into verse 4. If anyone has any thoughts on a remedy, please let me know!

Take heart my soul and strengthened be,
The Lord thy fortress is.
My light and my salvation he,
I need not be afraid.

Intent on evil, some will wage
a war against my soul.
But under God’s most righteous sight,
they stumble and shall fall.

Though warriors encamp around my walls,
my heart shall never fear.
Though battles fought throughout this land,
My cry the Lord shall hear.

Gifts and status, power and wealth
small wonders deemed to be.
One thing I ask of God; tis this
with him to dwell eternally.

Upon his beauty I shall gaze,
More of his person know.
Filled thus with heaven’s deepest joy,
sweet melodies shall flow.

My parents may forsake me yet,
but thou wilt take me in.
Your goodness will I see and know,
While in this land of sin.

Hear, now O Lord, our prayer to you,
Your face, Lord, do we crave.
Take heart my soul and strengthened be
The Lord will come for thee.

Ornamental Essentials

  The Valley of Vision is a collection of prayers penned by various Puritan writers. The prayer which I have shared below is fantastic. It really shows the dependant spirit we need when attempting to share the great gospel of Jesus. The puritans knew that no-one can truly preach salvation unless they are being sanctified themselves by the Holy Spirit.

   I was particularly struck by the writer’s request that God make him ‘attend to what is ornamental as well as essential in religion.’ Its a good desire, isn’t it?

   Have a read. I hope it will be a blessing to your mind, if not then don’t worry. (Sorry for some of the confusing words and grammar; the puritans didn’t know how to speak English as well as we do.)

 

O God,

May I never be a blot or a blank in life,
cause the way of truth to be evil spoken of,
or make my liberty an occasion to the flesh.

May I love serve others, and please my neighbour
for his good to edification.

May I attend to what is ornamental as well as
essential in religion, pursuing things that are lovely and of good report.

May I render my profession of the gospel
not only as impressive, but amiable and inviting.

May I hold forth the way of Jesus
with my temper as well as my tongue,
with my life as well as my lips.

May I say to all I meet,
I am journeying towards the Lord’s given place,
come with me for your good.

May I be prepared for all the allotments,
of this short, changing, uncertain life, with
a useful residence in it,
a comfortable journey through it.
a safe passage out of it.

May I be in character and conduct like
the dew of heaven,
the salt of the earth,
the light of the world,
the fullness of the fountain.

May I never
be ashamed of Jesus or his words,
be deterred from fulfilling a known duty
through fear,
be discouraged from attempting it
through weakness.

May I see all things in a divine light so that they might
inform my judgment
and sanctify my heart.

And by all the disciplines of thy providence,
and all the ordinances of religion,
may I be increasingly prepared for
life’s remaining duties,
the solemnities of a dying hour,
and the joys and services
that lie beyond the grave.

Nuts and Bolts

The Mechanics of Evangelism- Part 2

So, hopefully we have established the requirement for evangelism- the desperate need and urge every Christian should have to spread forth the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

What message should we be telling?

I was doing some serious thinking (swishing about a metaphorical tea bag in the mug of my mind)- trying to establish the fundamental points of the gospel which we need to be sharing/sowing/spreading etc. I thought about schemes and explanations like ‘2 ways to live’, the Olympic bracelets, ‘the Romans route’ and the Gospel of John. Then, in a short-lived moment, a light bulb appeared, lit up and showered my scalp with a soft glow.

Scan through a reasonable assignment again, looking out for the fundamentals of the gospel. Funny isn’t it! The very reasons that we should be sharing the gospel are also the crucial points that we should be sharing! Namely, we should be witnessing to these things:

• Sin is a serious thing. We are all sinners and are unworthy of God’s love. (2) Romans 3 v 23

• Sin will be punished. It has a sentence which none of us can comprehend: an eternity without God’s mercy. (2) Exodus 32 v34

• God is serious about salvation. He actually sent his only begotten son to die in our stead. (1) John 3 v 16

• God commands us to respond to Jesus’ death and resurrection. There will be no middle ground. God will not be mocked. It brings God great glory when we receive him as our Lord and Saviour! (3,4) Romans 10 v 9

   

What form should Evangelism take?

I believe it was Francis of Assisi who famously said,

“Preach the gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.”

I think he had a valid point: our lives should shout out that we are different from the world. As Christians, Christ has transformed our whole lives- we are a whole new creation (picture caterpillars and butterflies). It is certainly true that the radically ulterior lifestyle and worldview of a Christian can be a powerful preacher for the truth and vitality of the Gospel here and now in the 21st Century. It had an amazing impact on my life.

I think Francis of Assisi would have liked twitter.

Why on earth would a person use a lengthy properly-structured, grammatical sentence- complete with commas, hyphens (similar to a dash), brackets and rhetorical questions- when a few simple, hastily chosen words of wisdom, tumbling forth from the laundry chute of a person’s mind, would do?

Unfortunately poor old Francis missed the point somewhat. Does the bible not teach us that Jesus is ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’ God created language, just like he created trees, mustard, hummingbirds and the Antarctic.

It isn’t enough to simply act the gospel (vital though that is). We need to teach the gospel using our voices too (scarier though that is!).

If we pause and take a look at Matthew chapter 28 verses 18 onwards, I think we will be helped by Jesus’ instructions to his apostles. Have a read below:

   And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
   
(Matthew 28:16-20 ESV)

Lets break it down a bit.

Verse 18:

    And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me…”

Any truly biblical outreach is done through Jesus Christ who possesses all authority. We cannot win souls; God can. Think back to your pre-Christian days. I heard the gospel time and time again, and ignored it. It wasn’t until the Holy Spirit convicted me of my sinfulness and acute need of a saviour that I repented and turned to Christ. In Acts chapter 14, Paul explains that although he preached, it was God who ‘opened the door’ for them; it was God who provided the ready hearts and opportunities for outreach. We shouldn’t be discouraged or put off though: God uses weak and powerless folks like us to achieve his will. The Bible is packed with examples, Peter not being the least! Our God has all authority therefore we can confidently ‘Go’ knowing that he will go with us and, as verse 20 reminds us, he is with us ‘to the end of the age.’

Verse 19a:

    “…Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…”

Outreach is long-term. We aren’t simply adding stats to our evangelism scoreboards. Quite the opposite! If you really grasped the earlier (non-exhaustive) reasons listed for sharing the gospel, then you will have a compassion for the folks who you are speaking to. You know, Jesus invested 3+ years in shaping his disciples. And he didn’t leave them alone when he ascended either! Paul was passionate about ‘his’ converts. He revisited the churches he had helped found again and again; he wrote long letters full of love and passion to them. He had a real and prayerful interest in their spiritual health. Paul made it a #1 priority to visit believers whenever he was in town. Interestingly it was Paul’s concern for the welfare of people that led to some important conversions during his journeys (see Acts 16).

Outreach is indiscriminate. Christ’s lordship is over the whole of creation. Evangelism must be global in its ambition and execution. Of course you and I cannot share the gospel with 7 billion people on a personal and individual basis. However we can be prayerfully and practically supporting missionaries, gospel-organisations and church outreach both here and overseas. Closer to home, we shouldn’t be discriminate about with whom we share the gospel. Its easy to focus on people we like- its easy to get into the Don’t-want-to-be-in-heaven-with-him-mentality: Thank God that he didn’t have that same mentality about us!

Paul was very indiscriminate in his ministry. When speaking to Jews, he used the OT scriptures. When speaking to Greeks/Romans he found some common ground and spoke in a way they understood. He hated clichés. He even went so far as to say, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.”

Verse 19b:

    “…baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”

Although it isn’t my aim to major in on baptism, I mustn’t ignore what the verse says. Baptism is part of the commission, it is a public witness of Jesus’ salvation plan for lost mankind. The water symbolises the washing power Christ has over the stains of sin. As we enter the water, we are saying that we have died to our sin. As we are under the water, we are saying that we were dead. Rising from the water shows that through Christ Jesus we have been born again and have left death and sin behind us. That’s a great witness to the glory and salvation of God!

Notice that all of the Trinity are active in salvation. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit each take part in saving the lost. We mustn’t forget that when praying for God to work in the hearts of our friends, family and contacts. (Here is something to ponder: at the cross, God the Father was in heaven turning away from Jesus, God the Son was on the cross dying for our sins. Where was God the Holy Spirit?)

Verse 20:

“…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

Outreach/Disciple making is achieved through ‘go’-ing and ‘teaching’.

Start at the beginning. Share what Jesus has done for you to your friends and family. We have the best message that the world has ever heard. Think about this for a moment: The ultimate news, the ultimate answer to that question we all have, is good news! 64 doesn’t fill me with much hope. Christ dying for my sins fills me with hope everlasting!

Praise the Lord!

…and get going!

A Reasonable Assignment

The Great Commission Defended- Part 1

    And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
   
(Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)

   Jesus’s instructions to his followers, shortly before his ascension, changed the face of this planet.

   The apostles spread far and wide, preaching the forgiveness of sins through repentance and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit blessed their work and the Church grew, and grew, and grew. Persecution couldn’t restrain the divine saving power of God. One apostle- Paul- was beaten, stoned, lashed (5 times), shipwrecked (3 times) and mercilessly attacked by robbers, soldiers, gentiles and Jews; and yet he continued spreading the Gospel.

   How do you feel about evangelism, Christian?

   Does it fill your heart with dread and cause your limbs to ache like punch bags? Are you too tired to tell others of Jesus? Are you too weary- too ill?

   I can sympathise. Similar reactions tend to strike my heart when I read Matthew chapter 28. More often than not, when an opportunity arises to share my faith, I try to avoid it  or convince myself that no real opportunity actually had existed.

   Our saviour, however, when tired and weary, went to the well in Samaria and spoke words of ‘living water’ to the despised lady who was there. Through his tired evangelism, a whole town came out to hear his message!

 

Why should we be concerned about the salvation of souls?

Here are 5 good reasons why we should be concerned about the salvation of real people, right here, right now.

 

1. Because the Lord certainly is:

“The Lord… not wishing that any person should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3v9
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1v15
“He saw a great crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.” Mark 6v34
“God our saviour who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2v4

 

2. Because of the severity of sin and the seriousness of the punishment:

“I will visit their sins upon them.” Exodus 32v34
“The haughty looks of man shall be bought low, and the lofty pride of man shall be humbled” Isaiah 2v11
“Truly I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.” Matthew 5v26
“I tell you, on the day of judgment, people will give account for every careless word they speak.” Matthew 12v36
“Every plant that my heavenly father has not planted will be rooted up.” Matthew 15v13
“He will render to each one according to his works…there will be wrath and fury.” Romans 2v6/8
“For the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.” Romans 1v18

In the light of the serious results of sin, the compassion Jesus shows towards the “sheep without a shepherd” becomes even more poignant (even to our fallen and sin-clouded minds).

 

3.  God commands us to:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” Matthew 28v 19
“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” Romans 10v14
“The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.” Luke 10v2

 

4. Evangelism brings glory to God’s name. This is the highest calling of mankind:

“our God may make you worthy of his calling…so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you…”    
1 Thessalonians 1v11
“In him we have obtained an inheritance… so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1v12
“In love he predestined us… to the praise of his glorious grace…”  Ephesians 1v4-5

What can possibly bring more praise to God’s name than publicising what he has done to save his people from eternal condemnation?! Right at the beginning of Jesus’ time on earth, at his birth, angels sang praises to Jesus:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.”  

Biblical examples of people rejoicing in God’s redemption include:

• Moses and Miriam (singing)
• Stephen (telling the account of Israel leaving Egypt)
• David (the entire book of Psalms!)

 

5. Anyone who was a committed Christian in the Bible was serious about evangelism:

• Peter and the disciples at Pentecost and also in front of the authorities (Acts 2/4)
• The early church prayed for boldness to continue public preaching despite persecution (Acts 4)
• Philip preached to the Samaritans and also the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8)
• Saul, when converted, jumps straight into Jewish-aimed evangelism (Acts 9)
• The early Hellenistic believers (Acts 11)
• The Roman Christians, having seen Paul arrested, became bold in their preaching of the gospel (Phil 1v14)
• Paul- previously Saul- moves on and speaks to many gentiles (Most of the NT)

 

Next time:

Nuts and Bolts-

What form should evangelism really take? 

the Colours of Grace

 
  After 15 days away from home- away from the television, the computer, the radio and the daily broadsheets- I have returned to the constant bombardment of a nation engulfed in Olympic fever. Frankly, I feel under-experienced and naive to add my particular views into the already overflowing mix of opinion.

  You will have observed that in the evangelical sphere of influence Olympic sermon illustrations, children’s talks and other miscellaneous ‘messages’ are abounding! It makes me nostalgic for the good old days of Christians ‘putting on their armour’, as appose to ‘running the race’ or ‘going for gold’!

  Having said all of that, I would like to highlight a handy Gospel tool which I have learnt this last week.

  Can you explain the good news of the Jesus Christ using the 5 colours of the Olympic rings (plus the white background)?

  I can!

 

Gold: The colour of Kingship, Wealth and Power; reminding us of the splendour and power of the Lord God. He created all things and is ruler of the whole world.

 

 

 

Black: The colour of sin. Our hearts are black and lifeless, due to our rebellion and wilful rejection of God the King.

 

 

 

Red: The colour of blood. Jesus Christ died on a Roman cross, spilling his blood for our sins. He died so that our black hearts may be forgiven.

 

 

 

White: Pure. Undefiled. Righteous. The colour of our hearts after Jesus has forgiven us our sins. We are whiter than snow.

 

 

 

Green: The colour of trees, plants, fruit, vegetation. The colour of nature and growth. This reminds us that as Christians we are to grow. Jesus loves us as we are, but wants us to grow into holier people- more like himself.

 

 

 

Blue: The Sky. A reminder that, if we are forgiven our sins, we will one day spend eternity with God in Heaven. [N.B. Heaven actually isn’t in the sky!]

Name them

   You may have observed that nothing of any merit has been posted here at Wonders and Wigwams for almost 3 whole weeks*. I have a simple philosophy regarding the blogosphere:

If you have nothing to say, then say nothing!

  Perhaps today I can, however, offer some valuable advice by sharing a hymn with you. Having begun to learn to play the harmonica, this is one of my favourite tunes to play. But the tune isn’t the greatest blessing- not by far. It is my belief that every household needs this hymn written on their walls in letters over a foot high!

  Have a read of this wonderful hymn, reminding us to look upwards and not downwards!

 

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

 

 

*Some might say- ever!

3 wishes

 

   It has long been said that  if one should come across a bottle or lamp in which a Genie has been imprisoned, then by simply rubbing the side of the aforementioned article the powerful spirit can be freed and- in view of services rendered- the Genie will be obliged to grant three wishes to the liberator.

   This, of course, is utter nonsense.

   One must ask oneself- why was the Genie imprisoned in the first place? And then- Having been freed, what possibly would convince this powerful creature to submit itself to the  foolish wishes of the human? Before asking either of these questions, it would be prudent to ask- Do Genies even exist; and if so why on earth should a glass bottle or brass lamp be able to contain them?!

   Putting these wise questions to one side, many children have asked themselves what 3 wishes they would have asked for in that situation. Doubtless many adults also have asked that same question.

   If you had 3 wishes, what would you wish for? *

*Please note: Genie’s do not allow “I’ll have a thousand more wishes, please.” as a wish.

   Its telling, isn’t it.

   Between 5-10 years  ago, without a shadow of a doubt, my first wish would have been along the lines of “Please let me not have to attend another Games or PE lesson ever ever again.” Now that I am freed from the shackles of formal education and no longer can be forced to run around the football pitch and neighbouring famer’s field until my legs feel like lead and my heart is 10000 degrees centigrade, I see that wishing for no more PE lessons would have been foolish. After all, given time my wish came to pass without the requirement of freeing a powerful and probably deceitful Genie from its lawful confinement inside a coca-cola bottle.

   As a Christian, my priorities have changed since those earlier days. Money, independence, a car, a house, a job, possessions: they don’t have quite the same sparkling lustre as they once did. Sure- they have their place. But can I live without them in such wild abundance as I have dreamed? Yes, I can. Paul wrote:

“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.”_{Philippians 4:12}

   Having been given eternal life in replacement for God’s eternal wrath at his sins, Paul realised that having riches or mansions or food, actually paled into relative insignificance in comparison!

   Its curious to note that Paul says “I have learned the secret of facing plenty….[and] abundance.”  Most folks would say that there is no secret to be learned! We can all face having lots of cash- no problems! However Paul is suggesting here that, if they are our primary concern, then riches and wealth are a serious problem!

   Why?

   Because they distract us from our future requirements.

   Do you remember my wish for no more PE? If I had been given 1 wish and had used it up asking for no more exercise then I would be feeling pretty stupid now that I have finished school (and I would be feeling pretty unhealthy too!). In a similar way, asking for more cash is really short-sighted. We have an entire eternity to spend either with God in Heaven, or without God in Hell. Surely that should be our main priority? And if, as Christians, we have already received the gift of eternal life then shouldn’t we want to be living lives that please our Saviour and that lead others to the wonderful truth about Jesus Christ? Surely that should be our main priority?

   So does the Bible give Christians any hints? What should we actually wish for? After all, the Bible does say:

“You do not have, because you do not ask.”_{James 4:2}

   Interestingly the Bible does offer us some clues.

   King Solomon, at the start of his reign, saw God in a dream:

    “At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.””_{1 Kings 3:5}

   Solomon didn’t ask for a long life, a big Kingdom or lots of cash. He asked that God would give him wisdom. He asked that God would make him discerning so that he could understand what was good and what was bad. And the Bible records that God was pleased with Solomon’s request: instead of asking for longevity or possessions, the King had asked for something seriously beneficial.

   It isn’t only the book of 1 Kings which encourages us to ask for wisdom. The whole book of Proverbs is basically falling over itself to tell us the same thing: Above all…get wisdom!

   Imagine if every Christian was wise.

   Imagine if every single believer was discerning between good and bad, discerning between useful and wasteful.

   Its takes some doing, doesn’t it?! If I had wisdom; if I fully understood how much Christ sacrificed for me; if I fully understood how beneficial Bible reading and prayer is for my soul; if I fully grasped the wickedness and folly of my sin…. if I had wisdom then my life would be radically different.

   You know, God is no genie. He doesn’t give grudgingly or because he ‘owes us one’. In fact…

““Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened…

…Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”_{Matthew 7:7-11}
  

   It is fairly unlikely that I will ever encounter a Genie. It is doubtful that if I ever met a Genie I would free it from it’s bottle or lamp. It is astronomically unlikely that any Genie I freed would be willing or capable of giving me wisdom.

   It is certain- without any shadow of doubt- that the Lord God loves to give wisdom to those who ask:

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”_{James 1:5}