Pressing On

I am reposting some old posts as I migrate back to Blogger. One of the benefits of being in a missional fellowship with a long history is that there are people who have gone before and who have many stories of God's faithfulness and who have many insights to share. This week was no exception when I was listening to an older couple with nearly 100 years of service in Asia between them. Many lessons learnt, but still pursuing Jesus and enjoying their relationship with Him. Here is a summary of their thoughts on prayer and how to align ourselves to receive answers. If you abide in Jesus (dwelling with Him in heavenly places) If we pray in Jesus name (excercising His authority) If we pray according to His will (aligning to His plans and desires) If we stand with an unwavering faith (walking by faith and not by sight) If we are reconciled and walk in forgiveness (expressing our oneness in Christ) If we approach boldly (confident in the perfect work) Perhaps you have other things to add ...

Dylan Thomas did not live long, according to today's expectations. He wrote a poem for his dying father that, when I read it recently, triggered a thought process. It expresses a desperation to hold on to life, but I suggest it also echoes a sentiment that should challenge us to live life well, and to the full. His poem, same title as above, includes the lines ... Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. So, what is the thought it triggered? I don't want to get to the end of my life and look back to think 'what was the point of all that?' I want to get to the end, look back, and think 'That was a bit of a roller coaster ride - but I enjoyed the gift of life as fully as I could!' The challenge is that I have the capacity to make sure that I can say the latter by the degree to which I align my decisions and activities to the priorities that are important to me .....

A classic Agatha Christie title or, of more relevance to this post, why didn't we listen to Newbigin?? Hindsight is a wonderful thing though it can also be quite a frustrating thing, depending on what you are trying to do. For example, for the Church in the UK who are now seeking/needing to reach out into an increasingly multicultural society we find, on the whole, that we are not equipped to do so by and large. However, consider the following extract concerning Bishop James Edward Lesslie Newbigin (8 December 1909 – 30 January 1998) who was a British theologian,missiologist, missionary and author. He returned to England in the early 1970's from his long missionary service and travel in India. He tried to communicate the serious need for the church to once again take the Gospel to post-Christian Western culture, which he viewed not as a secular society without gods but as a pagan society with false gods. Now imagine this. Everyone listened, every Church geared itself up and pre...

In recent years I have been in the habit of following a Bible reading programme that takes through the whole bible in a year. This has been a very profitable discipline which, if nothing else strikes you in this blog, I commend to the reader! This year I have been following a schedule that goes through the bible in chronological order and recently I arrived in the new testament after about nine months of following the rise and subsequent decline of the people of Israel. It is within that context that I am beginning to read through the new testament and, as a result, I have been struck afresh at the new life of Christ that comes bursting forth in the pages of the gospels in the same way as Jesus Himself came bursting forth into His creation about 2000 years ago! The stirrings of prophetic utterance after almost 400 years of silence, the word and the Spirit issuing forth the good news of the gospel and the coming of the Kingdom .... awesome! To marvel from this fresh perspective a...