Unconditional?

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. Psalm 103:10 NKJV

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 NKJV

The question I have today is simple. Is it possible for us as well meaning Christians, to love unconditionally? The verses show that God loves us even when we don’t deserve it, and even continues to love us while we sin! If you have been in church circles for a while, you will know this already, but can I ask you to pause over it for a few seconds? God didn’t think any less of us while we had no thought for Him. His love is, and always is without precondition. Amazing love, as the old hymn puts it, and He even died for us whether we ever accept His love or not. No ifs, no buts, no conditions, just complete and free love. That’s unconditional indeed.

I would suggest that our own ‘unconditional love’ might be different than God’s. Behind our confession of love, there is usually a reason for our action. It possibly is not love for love’s sake alone, but has something to do with us. In fact are we capable of loving unconditionally while here on this sin sick, God starved planet?

When we say we are loving in this most supreme way, are some of these reasons going on within our proud human hearts?
I hope someone will notice?
Makes me feel or look better?
The person I am loving will ‘owe me’ something?
Shows what a good Christian I am?
I need to be shown love too?
I will be loved back, but on my terms?

I believe we will try our level best to love someone in a difficult situation, but can we really love unconditionally while in this human sin tainted shell? I hope you have some ideas, because I would like to know how. I want to be Christlike, but fall short of the mark. What about you? Have you had success in giving this kind of no preconditions love? Can I love like this while accepting in advance that there will be NO reward and NO love returned? Maybe it would be best to go the well worn worldly route of loving and not knowing why we bother, or how we manage it, or because we might get something out of it for ourselves? So, unconditional love: is it possible? As usual, just asking.

Friendship+

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. John 15:13,14 NKJV

This is a follow on to the previous Blog on ‘comfort’, so as you read you may see a continuing thread of thought. Christ’s love is supreme in that His friendship toward us, led directly to His death and resurrection. It seems that our friendship was part of His divine plan, but based on the verse we shouldn’t be surprised by that fact. Bearing in mind the standard set for us, how do we choose and rate our earthly friendships? Make a mental note of your friends and ask yourself, ‘would I die for any of them’? Probably not, although you would lay down your life for your life’s partner or children I am sure, without a second thought.

I found myself asking, how do I know who my real friends are? You can answer for yourself, but for me, one of the main characteristics is that true friends can pray for each other, but more importantly for me at least, is that we can tell each other in love, as we support one other. But what is the difference between the love of our friends and our family? In a word it is blood. In our case, family blood that runs in the veins of our children. So it is with God. We are not just ‘friends’, but friends+, in fact we are family! Therefore Christ died for us as His family, and not just as His friends.

At a human level, our earthly friends may come and go. Some real friends will leave our groups, churches, but not our lives. Not if they are true friends. This week has seen me aware of a friendship with a Godly couple which was special and supportive, but in God’s direction are now being put into another and better place, closer to family and to new (as yet unknown) friends. I wish them well, as they follow God’s Will and direction for their lives. It cannot be wrong.

We talk about God opening a door as if it is only there for us to go through into an unknown, away from the place we are comfortable. But a door has two sides, and can also be used by God to allow an (as yet) unknown friend to walk through and become visible to us, emerging from that same unknown darkness on the other side of the door. In the same way as God is in the movement of my present friends, He is also in control of those new friends He will provide. I wonder if we will recognise His moving for what it is?

So, the link between ‘comfort’ and ‘friendship’? Simply this: As we give to each one, we will benefit, and our God will not disappoint. Not those special departing friends, nor the emerging new friends either. Who knows, maybe there is also room for us to achieve that special place of ‘friendship+’, with those new God given friends, in Jesus Name! 

Comfort

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Cor 1:3-5 NKJV

I was reminded of the words of this verse recently by a very good friend. There are times we all want some kind of comfort, and in Christ we have that comfort and as much as we need. In truth, human comfort will help, but it doesn’t usually fill our needs, however the comfort which comes from a firm faith in Jesus Christ, always does. We can entertain the tendency to have a pity party, which can go on for a long time, but these kinds of parties are usually lonely things, and our normal friends don’t want to join our party.

So what makes the difference in the life of a Christian? Undoubtedly it is in the selfless act of being there when needed, yes to comfort, but even more importantly is the true friend’s reminder that because we have experienced God’s comfort, so now we can tell others that we care about that the best way to receive comfort is to give that comfort away to others who also need the reminder of God’s unfailing love. It’s a circle of love. God’s love.

It’s a lesson that we don’t want to hear when we are having that pity party, is it, but essential advice nonetheless? Comfort is a bit like love. We enjoy more of it only when we give it away to others in Jesus name. What kind of person would come up with that kind of advice? Probably someone who has been where you are themselves, knows how you feel, but is a friend. A good friend, maybe a best friend, who knows they can speak the truth in love, and these kinds of friends are in short supply and special.  

I will finish with part of a famous prayer by St Francis of Assisi:

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

Princes

Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans perish. Psalm 146:3-4 NKJV

Prince Harry, third in line to the British throne, is in the news for all the wrong reasons. He has become an embarrassment, a laughing stock in the world, and the subject of many debates on how and why he got himself into such a compromising situation in Las Vegas, the sex and prostitution capital of the world. (Not my words, but from a royal commentator.)

The discussions have included serious topics like, press freedom, freedom of speech, the Judge Leverson Enquiry into press freedom, Harry’s protection team, Harry’s choice of ‘friends’ for the night, front page pictures being available to the youngest of curious minds, and what is ‘in the public interest’, to name but a few. I think it is worth remembering he was there by choice, and that the UK taxpayer paid the bills.

Nowhere in the news, and no one in particular has raised the issue of morality. No one. I am not even talking about that old fashioned word ‘sin’, I am talking about good old fashioned decency and morality. The morality of a not so young man, who is third in line to be the future King of Great Britain, and the bad example he shows to a generation of people. Can we ever look the same on the ‘good works’ he does for charity again? And if that isn’t bad enough, Prince Harry has at a stroke become the best and biggest argument for dismantling the British Monarchy, and replacing it with a democratically elected Republic. At least, someone who behaves like this can be voted out. Make no mistake, in a democratic Republic his public image counts for something, and he would have been replaced by now. As it is in the UK, Harry can lie low for a while and hope the problem will blow over. Is this the role model we need in our nation?

I wonder what the Psalmist had in mind when he penned the words above? Maybe he knew of abuses by the Princes of his day, and we know the truth of God’s Word is timeless. Trust in Princes has been shown again to be foolish, so the rest of the verse must be true too. His life and days are numbered and his actions will die with him, but since we believe in the King of all Kings, our future in Him is sure, timeless, and eternal. In today’s news story, I don’t see that reported, but it is still true. I for one am glad of that simple truth.

Expressive or Gutter?

Language is necessary for communication, and our understanding is based on the words we use to express ourselves. It goes without saying that those with good word skills have no problem in being understood by anyone, at any level. True for children and true for adults, and besides, your words can help define the kind of person you are, not just your education but also your character. Most importantly character!

I have noticed the use of loose or ‘bad language’ creeping into daily use, more and more, surprisingly (to me at least) even in the Christian community, and especially by Christians in the social networking media. There is an element of respect in play here, or perhaps the lack of it, because swearing can come from an unexpected source. Someone who has been brought up in the church can be the person who wants to break free of their constraint and feels that being loose with their language is a sign of that freedom. But it comes at a price, even if it gets them closer to their unsaved peers. Respect is lost by the swearer within themselves and betrays their salvation, but also by others who hear the words from those lips which were previously ‘sanctified’ and clean. It’s strange but my experience shows that those who do not have a church background and no claim to salvation, will show more respect around those who maintain a Christian witness, and do not swear in their company.

There is another part to this problem of mine. Yes I admit it may just be my problem, and one I have to deal with. Today’s world allows us to Facebook, tweet and email, and now we can hide behind a keyboard or smart phone and say what we think, or repost what another thinks. We have accepted the lie that if we repeat what another person says, tweets or posts, it’s not our ‘sin’. After all, we didn’t really say it, we just passed it on. For my part, if I do that, I see it as my responsibility, and therefore my sin. I then have to balance the responsibility and apply the same rules for those others that I see swearing in print. Am I alone in my thinking? Am I out of touch and remote from modern day thinking and the use of social media language?

I have seen many changes in the lives of the community of believers who call themselves by the name of Christ, and not all for good. My concern is that loose language and swearing will be the next standard to fall, and become commonplace, starting in our youth, Monday to Saturday, but will not be heard on a Sunday (at first). Please tell me I am wrong. I desperately need to be wrong on this!

In Defence of Legalism

It’s a strange title, and a subject I never thought I would return to, especially in a defensive way. I was brought up in a church where there were rules. Not all of them made sense, and at times, well oftentimes, I questioned them. It became the in thing to talk about doing the Christian Life out of love, and not out of a set of rules. The word ‘legalism’ was born, and the result has been a gradual downhill slide of standards.

I think we mistook the difference between rules and legalism, and branded them as equal. The result is a life devoid of structure, balance, purpose and dare I say it... direction. We have now come to the stage of thinking everything we do is ok as long as it is done in the right manner, or spirit (small ‘s’) and in some kind of love. What are the commandments, if not a set of rules? What are Jesus’ commandments (all of them) if not a set of rules? We can’t afford to trash them all as ‘legalism’, can we? Our church, like our society is bound by sets of rules and legislation. Legalism by another term if you like.

What is the fastest growing religion in the world? It is not Christianity, especially in the western cultures. It is Islam. What religion has the greatest number of rules and regulations? Again, Islam. You will find many examples of the ordinary Muslim adhering to a set of rules, from head covering to taking out prayer mats in the middle of a car park to kneel and pray at their set, regulated times. Undeterred by public opinion, and with conviction, they have a structure to their lives, and the religion is growing. If this kind of obedience is followed for a false religion, what does it tell us about ours? I hope your first thought is not, “well we don’t want to be like that do we”? Let’s go back to the start of the piece and ask what we have done to our belief that rules = legalism, and that it is all bad. Is it? Isn’t it time we took another look at the God given rules we have been commanded to follow, and yes then, only then, follow those commands in love? Just asking.

Bible? What Bible?

The Christian faith is centred around Jesus Christ, and the record left for us by the moving of the Holy Spirit who inspired the writing of the collection of books we know as the Bible. The Scriptures are like no other record of any other faith or religion, and contain the way to eternal life, not to mention how to live a good and balanced life while here on this earth. The Bible is essential reading for the Christian, whether ‘old’ or ‘new’ to the faith. I see that as undeniable and indisputable.

Therefore, since the Word of God is an essential part of our faith, and the best and only flawless guide to heaven, why is it not taken seriously? To be more accurate, why is it not taken to church? In our hands, under our arms, in our pockets, or bags? Every Christian owns one, so why leave it in our own house when we go to the House of God?

The Bible has moved on in the way we can access it, and has never been easier to buy or carry. Modern eBook readers have the Bible as a free download, and you can also get it free on your smart phone. I for one, would not frown on the use of modern technology being used in the Sanctuary to read the Bible, would you?

Question time: Why do I not see many Bibles being used in church, of any kind and in any medium (paper or electronic)? Maybe we can’t be bothered. Maybe it doesn’t matter because it will be projected onto the screen so that we can all see it. Maybe that part of technological advance has stopped the need for us to carry our Bible, but is that a good reason for us to stop bearing a witness to our faith, and using it ourselves? Shouldn’t the Christians set the example by carrying the Scriptures, and the big screen be used for those who visit, or who have really forgotten theirs? Just asking.

Olympic Run

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh”, but Jonah arose to flee ... from the presence of the Lord. Jonah 1:1-3 NKJV

Olympic athletes strain to get to the prize. Nothing seems to get in their way as they chase their dream of a medal. They are fixed, focussed and trained, and then it is all expressed in one final push to make their dream come true.

The story of Jonah can be quite funny at one level, if it wasn’t such a serious story. Jonah was in a race right enough, but a race away from God, and he put everything into it. If there was an Olympic medal for running away and hiding from God, it would go to Jonah. No question. He used every means he could find to avoid God, or ignore His commands, and Jonah thought he had won that race, but thankfully God is sovereign and had other ideas!

That’s a bit like us isn’t it? Actually it’s a LOT like us I think. If we think God might be asking us to do something, or go somewhere, or see someone, we second guess the feeling as being well just that... a feeling. Or if the conviction persists, we will go in the other direction and do something else which may be good and nice, Godly even, but not what was asked. We start off walking away from the Spirit’s direction, and very soon we are sprinting, head down and determined, like an athlete with one goal. Like Jonah, we run away from God’s will, but again God is sovereign, and His will prevails. Just as well, isn’t it?

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. Psalm 139:7,8 NKJV

I Thought

“You know what thought did? It planted a feather, and thought a hen would grow”. My Dad used to say these words from time to time to make a point when my thinking was going wrong, and I didn’t really understand the wisdom of the old saying until recently. We can be victims to our own thoughts, and allow ourselves to be deceived by believing untruths, or more dangerously, part truths. I think these are the worst kinds of personal deceits, and probably what my Dad was warning me against.

We are also guilty (me included) of thinking for our own convenience and benefit. When we haven’t been in touch with an old friend for too long, and we meet them unexpectedly, as an excuse for our lack of contact, we will usually start our conversation with the words “I thought.....” and add the rest to suit our not being in touch. It’s easy. Too easy, and there is no way our friends will question our words. After all, how can it be proved one way or the other? Our thoughts are our own. It also reminds me of the old well worn phrase used in similar circumstances, “Ahwisgonnie”, which correctly translated from the Scottish slang means, “I was going to”. Once again impossible to know for sure if they were actually going to follow through with their intentions. Just another thought.

The common thread to both examples given is that nothing was done. It was either covered with an “I thought”, or “I was going to”, but in each case it was a poor cover for doing nothing. Are we guilty? I know I am, not always, but sometimes. What’s more, I know when I am doing it, and it is no accidental use. What about you? Do you know what it does to someone who is missing from your church fellowship, and you respond in a similar way, as a reason for doing nothing, or not being in touch? Let me help: You are planting a feather, and thinking a hen would grow. Yes, Dad was right. And what’s more, in doing so we are in danger of distancing ourselves even further from those who need that help. What a thought. What a responsibility, but only if we choose it.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 1 Cor 13:11-12 NKJV

What's In a Name?

As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood ...they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:37-39 NIV

When God literally rained judgement on Sodom in the Old Testament, the sin which brought them down became known as sodomy. We as a society decided to soften the sin a little, and for a while called it homosexuality, before managing to change the word to gay, and it has stayed that way until now. I say until now, because if you are watching the news, the ‘support sodomy’ community are doing it again. Keep an eye on the interviews as same sex marriage supporters refer to themselves and their support as LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender). Now at a stroke, any offending name is reduced to a four letter abbreviation. That is a far cry from sodomy, and sounds so much nicer now, doesn’t it? The supporters of the intolerant group, Stonewall, have scored a winner here, and we have started to accept it. That’s you and me, and that’s our children and our grandchildren too.

You would be silly to think it will stop there. Already in some of the United States, there are court cases to decide on the need to legalise multiple marriage, between mixed partners. So let’s see, the reference could become LGBT+MM (Multiple Mixed), and on top of that there is talk of lowering the age of consent to 14 (Minor), so that would make it LGBT+MM+M. LGBTMMM is quite a mouthful, but not offensive sounding. Our world is slowly dancing its way to a blind oblivion, and if our society doesn’t change soon, God will have to apologise to Sodom. The sins of that city are clear and well documented, as is its destruction by fire. Go back to Genesis and read the account for yourself.

We are reminded in Scripture that at the end times, society will be “as it was in the days of Noah”, and you can hide from it all you like, but I think we are there already. You may even think today’s sins are worse, and I would tend to agree. For the Child of God, the return of Jesus must be soon, and this is good news, but not for the unsaved, or those who don’t care. I hope we are in neither of those last two groups! Now tell me this cannot or will not happen! I will leave with a thought. Maybe best described as a warning:

The Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man. Genesis 6:3 KJV

Worth It!

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written:
“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 2 Cor 9:8-14 NIV

I have come to love and appreciate this short passage, which up until now, I had glossed over. Maybe you are wondering why the sudden interest, or maybe not, but I will tell you anyway. The church at Corinth was close to Paul’s heart, but when you read the first epistle, you wonder why. The new church was riddled with ungodliness on a massive scale. Immorality was rife, and Paul had to deal severely with the leaders and congregation. Surely it would have been easier to take a step back from this church which used pagan and sexually deviant practices, and did not show the true Gospel of the love of a risen Jesus Christ? But he didn’t. Now fast forward to Paul’s second epistle.

What a change of tone, and it is impossible to miss the pure joy and love which Paul now heaps on his young charge. Paul stayed with his heart and conscience and was able to see the harvest of his efforts. This was a new and different church, and it seemed that all the work was worth it after all. Paul didn’t step back from this church in trouble, even though others would have been whispering in his ear that his efforts would be better served in another church plant elsewhere.

The thing that hit me afresh was not that God had kept faith with Paul, but that this immoral and seemingly ‘hope’less situation at Corinth was within God’s redemption plan too. I don’t think Paul knew the end from the beginning, only God does, but God was faithful to Paul AND the church he had planted. My lesson is that God will work things through in His own time with His own people, and not at our pace. Paul must have known and appreciated this, and so must we! So, who do you think ‘the church’ would be today? I think it’s down to you and me, and God’s love for us is never changing. Great, isn’t it?

Forgetting

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on. Philippians 3:13,14 NIV

Easier said than done, isn’t it? Forgetting a bad turn, or something bad which has happened to you at the hands of a one time friend, is almost impossible, if not actually impossible. Paul’s advice is that when we really want to get ahead and win the heavenly prize, there are things we need to forget.

We know that God forgets our sins when we come to Him in repentance, and not only does He forgive us, He actually forgets that we had ever sinned in the first place. That is grace indeed, and from a merciful but yet our eternal judge. But this verse is for us, not to rely on our past achievements, or let our past sins get in the way of our target. The past is where it belongs, and now we have our present time to mould into our new God given future.

When the Olympic athletes of any discipline want to do their best to get that elusive gold medal, they must put the last result behind them because they can be a distraction. Even a good result can give a false sense of security, and a bad result is a negative influence, and can put them on a downward spiral. We are no different as we strive for our heavenly goal. It’s not enough to have done well in the past. We are urged to ‘forget’ it and work for our future in the only time we have, the here and now!

There are many things in our lives we wish we could forget, and cannot, but we must let God deal with them as only He can, and we must be free to focus on the really important things. Like getting to heaven. I well remember an old saint telling Margaret and me, “..don’t let anything, or anyone stop you from getting to heaven”. Thanks Andy P Snr, I haven’t forgotten your words, or the lesson from Paul. See you someday! Meantime, let us all do some serious ‘forgetting’!