Just add water

There's nothing quite like playing football in the rain.

Some time ago I lived in sunnier climes.  It was very hot for ten months of the year, very very hot for one month and then in the remaining month, if God was pleased to let it happen it would rain.

Being the milky-skinned foreigner I always felt at a bit of a disadvantage when trying to play football under the intense Kenyan sun but I (and my other equally milky colleagues) battled on.  However when if rained - and it didn't have to be more than a light drizzle, our tough-guy African friends all ran for cover, pathetic.

What a pleasure to back in this country and to run out in the rain, mocking anyone in a snood and relishing the wetness.  The water dripping of your nose, the loud slapping sound of synthetic imitation leather against slightly flabby thigh.  The sheer joy of being soaked through and not caring a bit because this is a battle against the other team, against the weather and against your very will, truly awesome.

This is how a Christian, a person belonging to Jesus, can face the stinking weather of life.  As the rain of pain drips from our emotional, physical or spiritual lives we can take heart in the knowledge that we are in a battle, that this is what we are here for.  We, none of us, where created to look pretty in a pew or smile widely as the minister tells another corny joke, we are here to bring glory to Jesus and we do that best when we know we're in a fight.

God's people are not wimps, or fair-weather worshippers; God's people are warriors with victory in their sights.  With Jesus as our commander-in-chief, the bible as our weapon and the Holy Spirit as our guide we will never, never, never be defeated!

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Ephesians 6:13

All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.

1 Samuel 17:47

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And now for something completely different. 

Hero by Skillet. Rock on.

Moving day

Roger is still in the process of moving house.

You may recall that his new abode has already been decorated (read about it here).  He has since moved in and is enjoying life in the metropolis of Ballymena.  However he still has a house to clear and so enlisted the help of the best people he could find (which included me) to help.

It went a little like this:

'Bin, bin, bin, charity shop, bin, do you want this?'

'No thanks.'

'Bin, charity shop, charity shop, bin, do you want this?

'OK'

'Bin...'

On and on it went until the sum total of Rogers possessions could fit into the gym bag of a first-year boy.  It was both very practical and very cathartic for Roger.  He is not a hoarder, he is not materialistic compared to a lot of folks but even he had acquired a lot of surplus pruck over the last few years.

We do that. We gather stuff around us that we use for a time and when we are finished with it we don't want to let it go so we store it.  The problem is that all this stored uselessness makes it difficult to move.

When God gives a new life to someone a lot of the things once thought of as vitally important very quickly becomes surplus to requirements.  These things aren't just material, they can be old habits, dangerous practices, childishness, irresponsibility, drunkenness etc etc.  We know they're not good for us, that they are now unnecessary but we hold on to them anyway - for sentimental reasons if you like.

They are no good, they are slowing you down, they are unnecessary cargo, ditch them!  Sentimentalism for the old life left behind (in my experience) reduces growth, restricts development and slows you down.

Roger is now able to move house with just a car and a trailer, he is slimmed down and ready to go where-ever, whenever.  Are you the same?  Can you do what ever God asks, when He asks or are you burdened by the accumulation of junk that you are clinging on to?

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness

Ephesians 4:22-24

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The vinyl countdown

The wait is almost over

I'm nothing if not slow to get things done. You may remember that on Monday 15th November I put a screw into a pipe and made a bit of a mess. (Read about it here). Well last weekend after almost three months of waiting, procrastinating and generally twiddling our thumbs we have finally got our act together, got down to our local flooring shop and ordered some vinyl.

A lot has happened between the need of vinyl arose and the ordering of said floor covering.  Christmas has been and gone, we've had the worst snowfall in 20 years, Australia has flooded, the government of Tunisia has been overthrown and the DFS sale has finally ended.  So what on earth has taken us so long?

Well nothing really, just life.  We've been busy, or lazy, or strapped for cash, or unsatisfied with the available options, there has always been some distraction, some excuse.

When we are far from God and need to re-affirm our relationship with him we procrastinate too, don't we?  We know that the horrible discontent feeling we get when we separate ourselves from communion with God is easily fixed.  A short trip from our feet to our knees, a confession of the foolishness of trying to hide from God and the experience of the warm embrace of a Father who loves us is all that is needed to take away the pain. Simple.

So now the time is almost upon us, we are on the home stretch, the last furlong, the vinyl countdown. Our new vinyl is going to make our little toilet all tickety-boo again, we're looking forward to it coming.Getting it was so simple we're wondering why on earth we didn't do it sooner.  The loo will be revived, renewed, revitalised and in such a simple way.  You too can be revived, redeemed, reborn if only you'd stop putting it off, get down on your knees and let your Father restore you.

As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says,

   “In the time of my favor I heard you,
   and in the day of salvation I helped you.”

   I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

2 Corinthians 6:1-2

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Little by little

Two little boys, different in size, age and nature always seem to gravitate towards each other at Anchor Boys.

Why this happens I just don't know but it does.  Last night was no exception. Little and Big where playing together in the usual ways.  Big was playing in his big way and Little in his little way.

It led to lots of this;

Big: The Startroopers are going to steal all the Rockets
Little: Philip, he took my Rocket.
Me: Come on now you have to share, give him back his rocket.
Little: Yes, I've got my rocket back, you'll never catch me again..... Phil, he took my rocket, again!

They are an unusual pairing but they seem to be stuck with each other.

After one particularly epic intergalactic tussle Little headed my way clutching his arm. I had been watching them closely and I could not work out when any harm could've come to him so I was a little nervous about what was about to transpire.

"Philip?"
"yes?"
"You see him, he could've broken my powers"
"Sorry, what?"
"He could've broken my powers but it's ok, look..."

He then adjusted the imaginary Power Dial on his arm and flew off around the room with one arm outsretched. Fantastic.

We are Little.  For some reason we seem to want to play with an inapropriate playmate, temptation.  It seems like fun but it is only going to led to us getting hurt.

Maybe you are flirting with temptation at the moment.  An office worker, some easily accessible money, gambling, laziness...  it seems like it might be fun to indulge just this once.  Trust me, the fun of anything like that is very shortlived, in the end only hurt happens. Hurt to you, hurt to your relationships and distance between you and God, that hurts the most.

Temptation though, never has to win, there is no temptation greater than what we can withstand - God ensures that.  So shake yourself, see that temptation as the harmful thing it is and walk away.  When you do you'll be able to say,

"That temptation could've broken me but it's ok, look!"
(Flying round the room at this point is optional... but recommended.)

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

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Somebody shoot JR

They gave us JR, they gave us stetsons, they gave us that theme tune.  We loved it (well my mother loved it) folks gathered round the TV when it was on, it was the ultimate water-cooler talking point and it finished in 1991.

Now Dallas is being reborn complete with Larry Hagman playing JR Ewing. (I'm serious, they even said so on the BBC so it must be true. Read all about it here.)

As good as it was, and it was very good. Surely it is time to lay the thing to rest once and for all. Yes many people have many happy memories of the 80's but we all know that this new version will not be as good as the original - it never is.

And to you folks out there in churches across the land.  You good folks who have run successful ministries down the ages.  You remember the good times, the times of plenty, the times of packed houses, when what you were doing was exactly right for the time; if that time has past you have got to let it go.  We can not run clubs or organisations or programmes in our churches just because they used to work, we should only do them if they are working (present tense).

God is not a one-trick pony and He won't have made you that way either.  If we are stuck in a rut doing something simply because we have always done it then we are not making best use of our talents and God's resources.  Let's concentrate on building God's kingdom and not our own.

There is a time for everything,
   and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,
   a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
   a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
   a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
   a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
   a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
   a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
   a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

 

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Dive in

Here's a little mid-week music for y'all.  This song is Dive by Steven Curtis Chapman.  It's not a new song but it's one I like.  It says that a relationship with God is not something to just dip your toe into but to dive in and immerse yourself fully.

Giving ourselves completely over to God is the only way to claim the full life Jesus promised.

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 

John 10:10

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Homoerectus Influenza

I'm sick.

Sore head, sore throat, bunged up. Yes, that's right, it's another tragic case of man-flu.

My long-suffering wife has been very kind to me in my distress, she has met my every demand - feed me, nurse me, medicate me - while I have lay about like a beached whale enjoying the attention and sympathy.

I think churches are prone to a variant of man-flu,  let's call it church-flu. The symptoms of church-flu can appear very serious, lack of leaders, lack of money, a congregation that's growing older, a building that's crumbling.  But let's get to the heart of these problems.

The church-flu sufferer that complains of these things, decides that the only thing they can do when faced with these ills is to lie about complaining.  'Woe is me', it cries, 'woe is me'.  What they is actually saying is that God has not properly equipped them to do the work he has given them, He is unreasonable, unfair and unfaithful.  God is working His people like a slave-driver in ancient Egypt - what a cruel God we have.

God has not (according to church-flu sufferers) lived up to His promises of making their burden light, He is not a refuge for them but rather they are having to carry Him.  'Woe, Woe, Woe'.  NO!

If God has given us enough to do what he asks us to do (which He definitely has) then the problem must lie at our end.  Are church-flu sufferers simply doing the wrong things, those things which God has not asked them to do.  Or are they perhaps not accessing, through prayer, the resources God has set aside for them, or are they trusting more in the power of people and money and stuff than the unstoppable power of God?

Man-flu is annoying, church-flu can be a killer, if you or your church is suffering from it then don't allow yourselves to wallow any more.  Stop laying around feeling sorry for yourselves, come before God and get it sorted out.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13-14

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