In 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 Paul writes his prayer for the Thessalonian church.  If many Christians today were writing this prayer, it would read something like this:

“I pray that you would be able to fulfil every good purpose of God’s as he gives you the faith to do so”

But what does Paul actually pray?

“…that God would fulfil every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.”

Not that you would fulfil every good purpose of God’s, but that he would fulfil every good purpose of yours!  God doesn’t tell you everything you should be doing with your life.  Rather, he has made you who you are and then wants you to use that for good purposes.  It’s like he has given you your unique mix of abilities, passions, experience etc. and then gone, “surprise me!” (disclaimer: God will not actually be surprised – he knows everything…but the idea is still the same!!)

And Paul shows in what follows (v.12) that the result of God supporting your good purposes that have been prompted by faith is that he will be glorified.  And why wouldn’t he be?  Living this way will surely make you more and more alive – and the glory of God is humans fully alive! 

I was left wondering if the version of Christianity I live could be called dangerous…food for thought! ]]> http://www.edgekingsland.co.nz/blog/2012/05/dangerous-christianity/feed/ 0 http://www.edgekingsland.co.nz/blog/2012/04/lest-we-forget/ http://www.edgekingsland.co.nz/blog/2012/04/lest-we-forget/#comments Tue, 24 Apr 2012 03:23:02 +0000 Edge http://www.edgekingsland.co.nz/blog/?p=3679 Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives… you are lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side, here in this country of ours.

You the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries… wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land, they have become our sons as well.

These are amazing words from Atatürk, a man you fought long and hard with the Anzacs for the nine-month Gallipoli campaign. 70,000 young Turks lost their lives, 8,000 Australians, and 2,700 New Zealanders. It takes grace and courage to fight someone, only to turn around a few years later and offer words of peace – words of redemption – that form brotherhood bonds that run deep.

In April 2009 the President of Turkey, remembering Anzac Day, said, “Those battles are the first examples of friendship created on a battlefield. This understanding owes its existence mostly to the peace-building words of Atatürk.” From foe to friendship the legacy of the ANZAC and the Turk is truly remarkable.

Lest we forget.

Follow this link to find your local Anzac Day Service:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10640443

It’s been a week since Easter.

Just like the disciples who returned to their ‘ordinary’ lives after their great adventure with God who walked among them, so we, after any major exciting, challenging, inspiring or life changing event easily drift back into ‘normality’.

“The dust settles”, to coin a phrase, and life goes on.

But Jesus’ commitment to his friends and determination that their lives would never be the same ensured that their paradigm of what normal was would shift.

His surprising and amazing encounters with them in the days after his resurrection would allow lasting impact.

A woman in a garden, staring into an empty tomb, two men walking on a country road pondering the whirl-wind of events in the past days, a group of friends sharing a meal, waiting, and fishermen going about their usual tasks; each of these once deeply moved by the presence of Jesus, but now left alone to figure it out.

And then He appears!

And their hearts are stirred again.

They eat together, just like old times.

The beautiful Eucharist!

His presence dispels their fears and restores their peace.

He reminds them, then instructs them of their new life..”Go into the World…”

Things will never be the same.

Resurrection demands a response.

There is nothing more constant than change.   This is a well worn phrase but only because it’s true.  During my time at Air New Zealand, half of my time was spent  planning for change, implementing change, and helping people cope with change.  We love change when we initiate it, are in control of it or if it is simply agreeable to us but often struggle to embrace changes that are unexpected, out of our control or we primarily don’t understand the reason for it.  I often think that’s why we are preoccupied by the weather so much; because we have no control over it’s changing face day by day and it unsettles us at how little we actually have control over.

These were some of the thoughts rolling around in my head while I was listening to Mike speak on transition last Sunday from Exodus 16.  I did some further reading in Exodus and a few things became clear.

It seemed that the Israelites were unsettled but the unpredictably and vulnerability of their new found freedom.  Back in Egypt, slavery provided security for their lives.  They knew where their food was coming from, they understood their purpose in life (and could even have had a level of pride in what there built and achieved for the Egyptians?).  Everything was orderly and predicable – food and shelter in exchange for work.  Out in the harsh environment of the desert however, they had found themselves at the mercy of a God they were still getting to know.  They felt vulnerable and missed the security of routine and predictability.

Also, I am not sure the Israelites knew exactly what they were doing out there in the desert.  We know the full intent of Gods plan for the Israelites but at this point in their journey God didn’t seem to have revealed that in full yet.  So God had delivered them from slavery in Egypt, but for what purpose?  To die of starvation in the desert?

I can easily find myself in this story!  I like being in control and the predictability of the consumer supply chain.  Don’t you?

The heart of the situation seems to be knowing who our God is and remembering that during those times when our fundamental securities (or what we would perhaps consider entitlements) in life have collapsed.  Even when we may understand why we find ourselves in certain circumstances we need to hold on to the character of God; not what he will do, but who he is and what we are to him.  That is our stability in the ever-shifting sands.  That can be a strong anchor in the choppy seas of change.

So here we are in the weeks following Easter.  For many of us it simply means the dreary trudge back to work following a weekend of celebration, friends and family.  Easter has happened.  Jesus has forgiven me of my sins.  Hooray!…now back to work.  But Easter means so much more than that for our everyday lives.  Jesus’ resurrection in particular is part of a much, much bigger chain of events that we are living in the middle of.

When first-century Jews talked about resurrection, there was something bigger behind what they were saying.  They believed that there would be a day when God’s anointed one (Messiah/Christ) would come and set the world right, beginning the ‘new age’ (or ‘age to come’) of God’s rule.  On this day God’s people would be vindicated, including those who had died – for they would be resurrected!

Resurrection was a sign that God’s reign (or kingdom) had begun. 

For Jesus’ disciples to claim that he had been resurrected was to claim that God’s reign was underway.  The exciting thing about that for us is twofold.  First, we can live now within God’s reign.  By accepting God’s life, we can live the life of the ‘age to come’ in this age.  Secondly, we can look with hope to a day when resurrection will indeed happen to all of God’s people.  Paul tells us (1 Corinthians 15) that just as the first fruits of the season are a sign of the season’s coming harvest, so Jesus’ resurrection is sign of what is yet to come – or as Paul puts it, Jesus’ resurrection is ‘the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep’ (1 Cor 15:20).

I don’t know about you, but that excites me!  The Easter story means that I can have God’s life now, and then one day I will receive a renewed body – one that is immune to decay and death – so I can keep living God’s life forever with him, and with all of God’s people from throughout the ages!  We get a taste of it now, but one day we will receive it in its totality.  And I can’t think of anything better than life with God, now and forever!

Creation gives God a face and personality.

I love Dragon Flies.  They have such mystery and magic about them.  One particular moment in the episode showed dragon flies mating, the female held to the bottom of the males abdomen and together they fly across the surface of the water laying eggs.  It was such a beautiful and harmonious sight, thousands of Dragon Fly couples skimming across the flooded plains.

In parallel to this I was driving back from Rotorua on Monday during dusk (my favourite part of the day).  Have you ever noticed the colours of the sky on a cloudless day at that time?  The air was golden with the setting sun and stretching up from horizon the blend of colour is simply beautiful; from a dusty orange, to peach, canary yellow, mint green, an almost white and clear space merging into baby blue.

So a refreshing interlude to my urban, concrete clutter world this week.

Check out TV on demand or perhaps look up next time there is a clear sunny day.  God speaks.

*I realize these programmes are designed for maximum impact

Matthew 7 Part 1: Holy

Jesus tells a strange story of people at the end of the day, who think they’re in with Him, based upon the awesome God-work they do: “

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

Just in case you think you’ve got your right-relationships sorted (chapter 5); you’re practicing your acts of prayer, fasting and generosity that fuel righteousness (chapter 6); then, do not presume you’ve arrived, in some upper-echelon of the Kingdom, just because you move in phenomenal power.

“Just because God uses you, does not mean he approves of you”, a dear friend once told me.

God’s power mightily working through us makes us look remarkably spectacular. And to a degree that’s a point – mankind fully alive right? But what is scary is, we broken humans tend to build identities and empires on the good and free gifts of the Spirit. Whether it be ourselves or others, we can think that to be anointed means to be of good character, or in God’s good books. But the regularity of the anointed preacher or worship leader who falls clearly begs to differ.

We know the third person of the Trinity – by name – as the Holy Spirit; not the Power Spirit. This name of the Spirit is only used three times in the Old Testament, yet when we come to the New, it is prolific. What enthralled the early church, and what makes the New Covenant drastically different from the Old, was the reality that because of Jesus, his Spirit was now inside them, making them holy.

Like Saint Paul says, “eagerly desire the gifts” of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12), but the goal is the “most excellent way” (1 Corinthians 13). God is Love; God is Holy: these are synonymous, not opposites.

In response to this view, here are a few thoughts of my own:

1. Learning Scripture is not ‘the point’ in itself

2. But this is absolutely necessary

3. Do it as quickly as you can!

4. Immerse yourself in the Bible – read, study and memorise

And this is the point at which things start to get interesting.

5. Once some of the foundations, this working knowledge, are in place you will then find that your Biblical imagination (the ability to enter deeply into the story, and see its echoes and outworking in your ‘world’) has fuel for the fire, and the ability to kick in and stay alight

6. From here I think you just cannot anticipate what will come of this as you are attentive to life, people and culture around you – with the voices (and wisdom) of your spiritual ancestors speaking over your shoulder

7. This is all actually very exciting stuff – and makes me more convinced about the priority of Scripture

Immersion is the door to imagination.

Feed on Scripture like a madman/madwoman.

Read, meditate on, listen to, and pray it.

This is key to Paul’s imperative:

Romans 12:2 (NRSV)

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Perhaps we can compare this process to learning to appreciate a painting. In the first instance we take note of its borders and dimensions, to separate the piece from its surroundings. Then we become aware of its general visual form, before engaging with its subject matter, or particular aspects of this. It is at this point that this composition from the past (chronologically speaking) can begin to affect us in concrete ways in the present.

Have a listen to Eugene Peterson as he shares from his journey, thoughts on becoming Immersed in Scripture; the words of a master.

Flicking through it last night I came across this old classic:

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Selah and amen

An old classic.

I woke up in the wee small hours of the morning reflecting on the weekend ahead and what it meant for me.  I have an old Anglican prayer book that sits on my bedside table.  I love the history that this little black book represents; of the saints, worshipers and pilgrims that have gone before, who have celebrated Easter and passed on it’s sacred truth to us.   Sometimes it’s simply the power of our spiritual ancestry that lights the way ahead.

Flicking through it last night I came across this old classic:

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Selah and amen