Heavenly Parenting

Had a lovely conversation with my Mum yesterday. She just decided, (as you do on your daughter's 22nd birthday in the year when she's getting married, leaving home and starting a new life), to tell me that she loved me more than I would ever know. She said that her love for me was completely unconditional, completely unchanging and completely unearnable. She also said that she looked forward to the day when I had children, because then I would fully grasp just what it meant for her to love me so much.

It got me thinking about God and His love for me. My mum isn't a Christian and completely believes her love is the most anyone could have for anyone - she wasn't claiming some level above anyone else, she explained that any parent loves their child in this way, and not to is to go against nature. I see lots of evidence in the world that some parents dont have this love for their children, but I expect the majority do. Obviously my Mum's love for me isn't entirely unconditional, even if she claims it is. Obviously her love isn't unchanging - it can't be, she isn't perfect. And in humanly terms, I suppose as far as daughters go I've given her a fairly easy ride - she probably doesn't have to battle to love me on a daily basis!

But with God - well in spiritual terms, I'm a complete mess. I screw up more than you realise, more than I realise... I reject God, I go other ways, I decide to satisfy myself with worldly things rather than Heavenly, I put barriers between myself and my Saviour, and I treat His people so horribly sometimes that it shocks me, never mind God. God has absolutely every reason not to love me! He has every reason to say I haven't earned the right to be His child and therefore can't be. But He doesn't do this!

God went to immeasurable ends so that I could be His child. His love IS unconditional. His love IS unchanging! The love and the emotion He feels towards me vast outweighs my mum's - she sobs when I sob, she laughs when I laugh, she claims she feels my joy and my pain - if that's true, if this mother-daughter bond she speaks of IS so real and so strong, then how much more is my Heavenly Creator, my redeemer, my everlasting Father in Heaven's love for me, His child? How much more does He know me, feel what I feel, love me, cherish me, treasure me?

It's a blessing to have such a loving family, fiance, friends who love me more than I ever deserve to. But nothing outweighs the blessing of knowing that my Heavenly Father loves me, because He IS love. His love never, ever fails.

Penny Dropping Moment

So this week I'm being a CU Guest at Lancaster University's CU Mission. It's been great, hard work and very tiring but really encouraging. It's now Thursday night and although I've felt entirely out of my depth all week, I am looking back over the week and just seeing what God has taught me about myself and about Himself.

You (I say that assuming someone reads my blog, I don't actually think anyone does...) may be a long term "I've done 25 mission weeks this last year" type but for newbees like me, who have just stumbled through 3 mission weeks while at Uni (one of which I hid away for out of fear that someone might hand me some flyers, one of which I was on placement for so not even around during the day, and one of which I was so stressed out sorting out CUGs and money and logisitics that I didn't do any evangelism...) this week was a very different story and a whole new thing for me.

Of course, I understand the Gospel and I understand evangelism and I have a really massive passion for student evangelism and I love the work of the CU and even of UCCF (oh, how people change...) and I love mission weeks and I know how effective they can be! Of course, I tick all the boxes. But there's always more to it than that. Nothing annoys me more than people who act as if they will never learn anything new. I hope I never get like that! So I got to Lancaster expecting to be pushed out of my comfort zone and expecting to learn new things about my glorious Saviour and about HIS mission strategy. And of course I have.

At the beginning of the week one of the other CUGs talked about loving seeing when CU students who previously haven't understood evangelism suddenly get it - "a penny dropping moment"... well, like I say, we can tick all the boxes and still have penny dropping moments, and I had one last night.

To skip all the boring parts, me and one of the CU members were talking to a Muslim guy about Christianity, he invited us over to his room in order that he could understand more about what we believed, in the hope this would help him to understand Judaism, which from what we can gather we think was related to trying to understand the situation in Gaza. So he basically said... tell me what you believe. I love that question! As we encouraged him to realise how sinful the world is and how we are all so in desperate need for a Saviour, we had the joy of being able to explain how Jesus can rescue us from that sin and make us acceptable in God's sight! It was clear he understood, whether he got passed the "I just want to know what you believe" to it challenging his heart, we don't know; but God's message is powerful and glorious and we can only pray.

But the amazing thing I went away from this conversation with, as well as an encouragement for both me and the guy I was with that we could explain the Gospel (which when you aren't constantly coming into contact with people who ask such blatent questions, doubt can creep in...) was this overwhelming thankfulness and joy that what I said was true and it applied for me! I am such a classic rule setter, and the type that beats myself up every time I fall into the same sinful things I struggle with time and time again... and yet just as I told the guy we spoke to, I am saved from that! I was practically dancing as I walked back, both out of excitement that God could use someone as unwilling and uncooperative and broken and bumbly as me, and also that this amazing message, that seems too good to be true sometimes when you say it out loud, IS true and IS applied to me!

I am a big fan of reminding myself how broken and dirty I am, and using the knowledge and joy of my salvation through Jesus as my encouragement and motivation for evanglism. You can keep your "you should do this and this...." guilt, and your deceptive methods and your "how many missions/gospels/conversations have you been on/handed out/had recently" competitiveness as a motivation. Joy is the only thing that is really going to make people want to tell people about their faith. it's probably the only thing that will make the penny drop!

As requested...

Here's the talk I did for the NWP course, it's on 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11...

Let me know what you think!

A few weeks ago, I was watching Neighbours when there was a knock at the door. Now if you knew me, you’d know that Neighbours is a big deal to me! As everyone else in my house was out, I had the internal battle of whether to answer the door, or do what I wanted to - and just ignore them to carrying on watching. My conscience got the better of me, and I answered the door to see 2 young women standing there, and was greeted with the following question:

“Are you aware that Jesus is going to return very soon?”

I was slightly taken aback, and despite being one who enjoys discussing with Jehovah’s Witnesses from time to time, I was deeply regretting the decision to leave Karl and Susan and answer the door. It wasn’t long before the 2 ladies had taken me to 5 or 6 Bible references which they claimed backed up their theory that Jesus would return over the next 12 months.

Everything they said concentrated on when Jesus would return, not at all mentioning how I should be living in anticipation. The passage we just read does exactly the opposite.

As Christians, it is important that we’re aware of what the Bible teaches about the second coming of Christ. Obviously, in this talk, I don’t have the time - nor the knowledge - to discuss every theory or the doctrine of the second coming, but neither do I think that’s what this passage is teaching.

In this section of Paul’s letter to the believers in Thessalonica, he moves on from simply encouraging the believers, to dealing with the specific questions or concerns that they have. Previously answered questions include those about purity, love and work, along with the first half of issues surrounding the return of the Lord Jesus, in which Paul reassures the believers of the eternal destiny of those believers who have died.

Chapter 5 verses 1-11, which we are looking at today, are underpinned by Paul’s prayer at the end of chapter 3. In this prayer, Paul longs for their love to increase and overflow for each other; and for their hearts to be strengthened so that they will be blameless and holy on the last day. Throughout the whole letter, his instruction and teaching has an overwhelming feeling of encouragement and longing for the believers.

In this section, we find Paul teaching the Thessalonians three things: first, to be aware, second, be awake and finally be assured.

Be aware, that although you don’t know when the day is coming, it is coming!

Be awake, and ready for when it comes.

And be assured, that when it arrives, you will be saved.

So firstly – Be Aware, looking at verses 1 to 4.

Paul encourages the Thessalonians by confirming what they know, stating he has no need to tell them when Jesus is returning, because they’re aware that they can’t know! In fact, no one knows, even in Matthew 24, Jesus says only the Father knows when the Lord Jesus will return again. And it sounds as if the Thessalonians are well aware of this. Paul goes on to tell them some of the things we can know about the second coming; That it will be unexpected, like a thief if the night – verse 2, and that it will be sudden and inescapable, like labour pains – verse 3.

My Grandma’s waters broke while having her photo’s taken sitting on Santa’s knee at a Christmas fair! – I’m sure she would be able to relate to the analogy used by Paul.

But note Paul’s use of the word ‘they’ – ‘they will not escape’, ‘destruction will come upon them’. Verse four reiterates his point; he tells the believers that they will not be surprised on that day, for they are not in darkness. Their lack of surprise isn’t because they will know when it will be, but rather that they are constantly anticipating it happening. No one expects a thief to come into their house on a particular night. But anyone who locks their door before they go to sleep is anticipating it may happen. And this is what Paul is trying to explain to the believers, don’t worry about when it is, just be ready when it does.

So what does it mean to be ready?

How should we living in anticipation of the return of Jesus at any possible moment?

Well this brings us onto Point Two – Be Awake, verses 5 to 8.

Here we find another powerful illustration separating those who believe from those who don’t. Following on from v4, Paul tells the believers that they are children of the day, and of the light. We know that when Jesus said in John chapter 8 that he was the light of the world, he also said that those who followed Him no longer walked in darkness but instead have the light of life.

Being in Jesus means being in the light, and that makes us aware of things, we see things that those in darkness can’t. On the other hand, he describes those who are unbelievers to be of the night and of the darkness. And what do people do at night? Verse 7 says, they get drunk and they sleep. Here Paul is warning the Thessalonians to be awake and to be sober, or as the NIV translates it, be alert and self controlled. Paul says it in a way that implies it’s not of us, as believers, to be asleep or drunk, as we are not of the night.

We belong to the day, we should be alert, awake, active, self controlled! This is of our very nature.

I remember one night as a 15 year old, waking up to find my little brother, 11 at the time, sat on my bedroom floor reading a book. As it was 3 in the morning, I was slightly taken aback. I had a full but bizarre conversation with him, his eyes were open, he looked like he was awake. Of course, he wasn’t, he was sleepwalking, or sleep reading, I suppose! And in a sense, that’s what Paul is warning against. Don’t walk around looking awake when actually you’re sleeping – be alert! Be self controlled! Jesus could return at any moment, and we need to ensure that when He does, our lives reflect our relationship with God. Verse 8 goes on to tell us how to do this, and here we see 3 words which Paul has spoken about and implied throughout this letter: faith, hope and love.

Paul lovingly instructs the believers to put on the breastplate of faith and love. Faith in God, faith in His return, faith in His promises and in His word. Love – love for the brothers, overflowing, as he prays in chapter 3, for each other, encouraging each other and building each other up. When we think of the return of Jesus, what do we think is important? That we’ve kept each of the 10 commandments perfectly, that we’ve attended enough Bible studies that week? Or do we think of keeping strong in our faith and loving others? Because this is what Paul says is important.

Along with one more thing: hope. Hope of salvation. For the Christian, hope is certain, not just a pipe dream! The return of Jesus isn’t something that happens around us, it’s something that intrinsically involves us. It involves the salvation of those who are in Christ Jesus. Which brings us to our third point and final three verses.

Be Assured verses 9 to 11.

Why should the believers have hope in the day of the Lord? Because they are not destined for wrath, but to receive salvation through Jesus Christ. What a hope that is! Here Paul is reminding the Thessalonians what they already know about what Jesus has done for them – again, using the contrast of those who are destined for wrath, against what it means to be in Jesus.To be spared the deserved wrath of God because Jesus has died for the sins of those who believe in Him – so that they may have eternal life with him.

Paul reiterates in verse 10 what he has said in the previous chapter of his letter, that those who are alive or dead at the return of Jesus will live with him. And it’s important that we know this too.

Not only should we be aware that we won’t know when Jesus comes, or be awake and self controlled in anticipation, but we should also be assured that we have nothing to worry about when it happens! If we, like the receivers of this letter, are believers in the Gospel we can look forward to Christ’s return with full confidence! And so, we come to the application of Paul’s letter, verse 11.

‘In the light of all I’ve told you about the return of Jesus’, says Paul, ‘encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing’.

Remind each other that Jesus will return: when times are hard, when it feels like there is no end to the persecution you’re experiencing.

Remind each other to be self controlled and awake: don’t live your life as if Christ has just left us to it, constantly behave like Christ could return any minute.

And most important of all, remind each other that there is nothing to fear at Jesus’ return – that we are destined for salvation and eternity with God.

The application of this letter is exactly the same for us as believers today.

We still don’t know when Jesus will return, but we do know that we are to expect him at any time, and we know that we are to ensure we aren’t caught unaware, like those who are asleep. Let’s make sure we’re living lives which are self controlled, and lets encourage each other to be alert and ready for the return of our Lord. But most of all, let us encourage each other about what Jesus has done for us on the cross, and what that will mean for us on the day when Jesus returns.

having never written a talk in my life...

... i have 4 to write in the next 3 weeks.

first, a talk on 2 Kings 5 for Mini Kids (4-7 year olds) next Friday (21st)... i don't even know the story, must get on with this. I guess this one is slightly easier as it's just a case of getting the story and the point across, it's not like Justin Mote is watching over me to critique my theology and application. Praise God for that! (hehe) that said, I need to do it right.

second, my North West Partnership talk (Thurs 27th), which is on 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11. I'm systematically trying to work my way through the "tools" we've been given for working out what it's saying and also how to write the talk. I'm so glad we got all this teaching before we had to write the talks! I'd have completely had no idea. Anyway my current position is that I get what it's saying, but I'm not sure of the application and I can't think of any relavant illustrations. They'll come, we assume. On the same theme as before, I'm glad I'm not a boy and therefore Justin Mote isn't critiquing me. I'm not scared of him or anything, it's just his brain is BIG. I'm sure the lady who leads our group's brain is also big, but she's very smiley and says criticising in a very kind way. I can deal with that.

third, i'm doing a seminar at Liverpool City CU's houseparty (Sat 29th) on living with non-Christians. I'm a little happier about this, or at least the content. I just need to get that bizarre combination of Bible study and talk that a seminar requires. I've done some work on this, it just needs padding out. It's weird being asked to lead a seminar. I only "left" CU like 5 months ago.

and fourthly, i'm speaking briefly (10 mins or so) at the Widowers group at Bridge (3rd Dec). Haven't decided what to speak on yet, it's more of a thought for the day than a full on talk, but needs to be relevant and sensative. Considering something about God never leaving us... Dunno yet.

So... nothing like everything coming at once!

the start of a big adventure

so much recently i've felt like i'm at the start of something really big... like God is going to do something i'm not expecting.

it's scary, but i'm okay with being scared. i feel secure despite feeling scared.

i recently qualified as an occupational therapist, i have a career and everything - more than most at 21, esp those who decide to take a gap year. i'm doing a year in ministry training because... well i dont have a specific career plan with it, i just wanted to know more about God and feel more equipped to serve Him and reach others - it's certainly going to help me with that.

but that all so popular question, what next?

well, like i say, i have a career. guess i should go with that. i somedays find myself with absolutely no enthusiasm for being an OT... i cant be faffed with the NHS. other days, working in a hospital really excites me, and helping people drives me. most days i still feel God lead me to do that degree and i know that was for a reason, but know also that God is sometimes less straightforward than me doing that degree in order to do that job. if only God was so straight forward - i dont really wish that. boring or what?!

today i really want to be a doctor.... but i think i only want the mental stimulation, power, excitement, responsibility, respect, and my ever increasing lust for financial stability (something i find myself repenting of so much at the moment and yet constantly falling into the temptation of thinking my decisions should revolve around security in money)

i dont really want to be a doctor, and i certainly dont want to be a medical student. or at least i dont think i do.

when i really search my soul, i want to be a vicar. i want to teach people about Jesus and I want to spend all my time visiting people and being nice to people and praying for people. But then all these people around me think i shouldn't be a vicar, Biblically... and somedays i dont think i should be either. then other days i think it'd be okay.

so... what? NHS? some kind of non-dog collor, Biblically justified (tsh!) church job? married-children-no career-housewife forever? meh.

i'm so glad God has my life sorted. I'm so glad it's a case of seeking His will and not deciding what I think is best. I am so excited to be at the start of an adventure. I want to keep up the excitment of the big unknown adventure.... and not shrink back into security in being fearful of the unknown.

and you know, any prayers you have for a bit of guidance.... always welcomed!

evangelism of the elderly

this is something i've been thinking a lot about recently... its somewhat my soap box infact.

i've always loved elderly people, and i've always felt like we dont treat our elderly people very well. yeah, we care for them. but we dont give them the respect they're due - most of the christian elderly people in our churches have 40, 50, 60 even years of Christian experience behind them - they've been thru wars, losing their long loved spouse - these people know what it means to trust God through tough times. I find there is a wealth of experience and a massive enthusiasm to share it with us, and yet often we don't bother seeking them out to listen.

but my biggest issue is that of evangelism of the elderly. i went to a seminar at the Northern Evangelists Conference last week called "grey grace" (sounds amazing in a Yorkshire accent) - and i sat there with my heart racing all the way thru! i love it when God puts a burden on my heart for a set of people or a cause, and i really feel this is the area i feel called to, and now i'm in the classic position where i have no idea where to go with it now.

the seminar discussed some of the issues encountered when trying to reach elderly people with the Gospel, by that I mean reaching those elderly people outside of our churches... some being:

• elderly people are massively set in their ways; if you think students have preconcieved ideas, elderly people do too, and with 60 years experience of consolodating them
• many elderly people believe in "God", but have no relationship with Jesus - making them see the importance of Jesus means changing years of what they have considered their religion
• elderly people feel its too late for them to turn to Jesus for forgiveness, as they feel guilty that they can't serve God with their failing bodies and often, failing minds
• many people are housebound, or in residential homes, and have no contact with Christians or way of accessing a church, or any events. this means the classic 'evangelistic luncheon club' idea doesn't reach everyone. door to door knocking is unfair on frail elderly people, in my opinion, it puts them in a position that i never would have wanted my grandma to be in, inviting a total stranger into their home...
• elderly people think church is something they had to do when they were younger, therefore have no regard for choosing to do it now
• elderly people expect the 'vicar' to do everything - if a vicar with a dog collor came to see them, they'd stop and talk. if a random younger person from the church came, they aren't interested

on the final point, this is where the seminar pointed was the biggest problem with evangelism of the elderly. elderly people in our church don't know the importance or effectiveness of relational evangelism. they think the vicar, pastor, elder, whoever... does that kind of thing, they invite their friends to luncheon club, are glad they listen to a Gospel talk, but don't see it as their place to do the follow up. of course i'm vastly generalising here, and know that actually, people in my church here in Liverpool often don't have this attitude. but generally, especially my experience in my church at home, and other churches with a large population of elderly people, older people don't know how to talk to their friends about Jesus.

having spent 3 years very involved in the university Christian Union, i'm slowly realising that its just the same issues as with students. Christian cliques, lack of boldness, not knowing how to share the Gospel with their friends on a one to one level, hoping that bringing friends to events and letting someone else do the work is enough to win people for Christ (obviously sometimes it is, but often it isn't - follow up is always the key)... Maybe the first step to reaching elderly people is training Christian elderly people to see the importance of evangelism and have the tools in which to do it. The seminar leaders called their outreach to elderly people "each one, reach one"... I like. It seems that, as with the CU, training people is the key. You can put on as many events as you like, but unless people are willing to get alongside their peers, evangelism often doesn't work.

so i dont know what this all means practically, but there's my ideas and my thoughts. i guess it's about praying and seeing where God leads me....

here we go again

i used to write a blog, but i couldn't resist it being like some kind of teenagers diary about my day's events, my homesickness, or ranting about people in a not so subtle way... hardly edifying.

so i got rid of it.

i'm going to try again, and this time not fel any pressure to update it every day, but rather just jot down some thoughts and see what people think. or see what people don't think... or realise again that no one thinks as much as me and i need to chill out a little?!

life is somewhat hectic at the moment. i'm doing a church apprenticeship in Liverpool, its busy, but it's good busy. it's not theres-a-deadline-looming-and-a-scary-lecturer-will-get-you-if-you-dont-hand-the-essay-in busy, its more, 'i want to do everything but the day doesn't hold enough hours' busy. that's okay, i reckon God will let me sleep in Heaven for a bit if i tire myself out. that said, tired means grumpy, and grumpy isnt fair on other people, so i need to learn the art of prioritising and having some time out. i'll get there.

well, there's my first post... i shall consider updating when i'm next thinking something shareable...