After Aldersgate

John Wesley's heart-warming experience in Aldersgate (24 May 1738) is well documented. However, what is not well known is it that although John's encounter with God gave him deep assurance of his salvation, he was not exempt from further trials. This is important for all Christians to know and understanding. Any encounter with God will deepen our faith and our experience of Jesus, but we will continue to live in a broken world. It is how we are now equipped and prepared for the new challenges that makes all the difference. 

Listen to how John Wesley describes his new attitude to challenges: 

"After my return home, I was much buffeted with temptations; but cried out, and they fled away. They returned again and again. I as often lifted up my eyes, and he sent me help from his holy place. And herein I found the difference between this and my former state chiefly consisted. I was striving, yea, fighting with all my might under the law, as well as under grace; but then I was sometimes, if not often, conquered: now I am always a conqueror." - John Wesley

Before Aldersgate, Mr. Wesley felt that he was striving and fighting in his own strength. After his Aldersgate experience, he allowed God to do the fighting.

Romans 8:37 - No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Thoughts: What can John's story teach us about our own journey of faith?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

What will it take? - a brief reflection on our own Aldersgate experience.

Today is marked as Wesley Day - the day that John Wesley had his heart 'strangely warmed' at a church service in Aldersgate street. A lot has been written about his experience and I am sure that you have even heard a sermon on this topic before. However, today I want to make 3 brief observations on Wesley's Aldersgate experience and why I think it's important for us to chew on his watershed moment.

1. Apparently John Wesley went 'unwillingly' to the service that evening. In other words, he was not keen to go - he probably could have come up with many reasons why he couldn't attend, but he still went! It was his personal commitment to worship that put him into a place where God's spirit changed his life. How does this challenge us? What blessings could we be missing out on if we only go to worship when we feel like it?

2. John Wesley was already an Ordained priest by the time he went to the service on the 24 May 1738 - in fact, he had been a priest for 10 years already. This shows me that he was open to the work of the Spirit in his life - he didn't have an arrogance that assumed he knew everything. God is always willing to work in the lives of people who surrender to him.

3. Wesley's experienced energised him to serve God in new ways. He continued to serve within the Anglican Church, but he was passionate about preaching the Gospel in ways that hadn't been done before. When we encounter God, the Spirit moves us out of our comfort zone, for the sake of God's kingdom. We need to pray for the courage to be obedient.

May your heart be strangely warmed today.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

What does God look for in us?

What does God look for in us?

This is a very challenging question and will include a variety of different answers. Some of us will include thoughts such as 'devotion', 'surrender', 'moral purity', 'worship' etc. In Paul's letter to the Romans he says: 

"No, a real Jew is anyone whose heart is right with God. For God is not looking for those who cut their bodies in actual body circumcision, but he is looking for those with changed hearts and minds. Whoever has that kind of change in his life will get his praise from God, even if not from you." - Romans 2:29

This seems to indicate that God is looking for our hearts and minds to be changed through his Spirit. If God can see this kind of change, then God will be pleased. 

As we remember the anniversary of John Wesley's 'changed heart', let us be thankful for the way God encounters us and is always willing to bring about transformation in our lives. Here are some quotes from John Wesley:

The church changes the world not by making converts but by making disciples.

I have never known more than fifteen minutes of anxiety or fear. Whenever I feel fearful emotions overtaking me, I just close my eyes and thank God that He is still on the throne reigning over everything and I take comfort in His control over the affairs of my life.

Let your words be the genuine picture of your heart.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Kindess

 

 

Today's reading from Proverbs 19 reminds us that: "Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,    and he will reward them for what they have done." (Proverbs 19:17)

We are facing up to a time in our history where poverty is very close at hand. As South Africans we have been exposed to the poor in diverse ways, but Covid-19 is slowly creating more opportunities for us to be kind to those who are struggling economically. Jesus made it clear that we would always have poor amongst us and urged his followers to treat all people with compassion, love and kindness.

On this significant day in the life of the Evangelical Church, where we remember the difference that John and Charles Wesley made to England (and the world), it is fitting to note a very challenging word from them on poverty and our call to address it:

"Do you not know that God entrusted you with that money (all above what buys necessities for your families) to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to help the stranger, the widow, the fatherless; and, indeed, as far as it will go, to relieve the wants of all mankind? How can you, how dare you, defraud the Lord, by applying it to any other purpose?”- John Wesley

Perhaps his other quote which is well known is also appropiate at this point:

“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”
― John Wesley 

How can we show kindness to others? 

Living in Grace
D3LM3

We may need more!

Following Jesus is not a one moment miracle. In my opinion, our decision to respond to God's love is always the starting point, but we need an ongoing encounter with God, to help us change into true Disciples. This relies on the role of the Holy Spirit and He is always at work in us, seeking to shape us and mould us into true Christ-followers.

The 24th May is always a significant day in the life of the Methodist movement, as we remember that John Wesley had a fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit in a church in Aldersgate street. Wesley was already a Christian, but he needed a fresh experience of God's grace to enable him to fulfil the next task in his ministry.

Hosea 11:8 - "My heart is changed within me..."

Perhaps we are also in need of our own 'heart-warming' experience?
Why don't you pause for a minute and ask God's spirit to fill you afresh today?

"An ounce of LOVE is worth more than a pound of Knowledge." - John Wesley

Living in Grace
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Aldersgate & Pentecost

It is not often that Aldersgate Sunday and Pentecost fall on the same day, on the 24th May. Both of these events are deeply significant in the lives of Christians, and especially people aligned with the Methodist tradition. If for some reason you don't know what these 2 days represent have a look at the links provided: Aldersgate Sunday and Pentecost.

Pentecost is significant for me because it reminds me of the following key things for my faith:

1. God fulfils his promises.Joel 2:28 - "I will pour out my Spirit on all people."
2. The Spirit of God is with us all the time - Matthew 28:20.
3. God grants us the ability and strength to do things for His glory.
4. God's love is poured into our hearts - Romans 5:5
5. The Spirit brings revival and renews the Church.

May our hearts be "strangely warmed" on this day.
May the Spirit of God move our faith from being a "religious" knowledge into a dynamic relationship with the Living God.

"Because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." - Romans 5:5

Living in Grace
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When being "unwilling" changes your life

Have you ever done something unwillingly, but then been greatly surprised by what you experience? Like perhaps going to an event (...kicking and screaming) and then having your breath taken away by what happens? On the evening of the 24th May 1738, John Wesley was feeling down and disappointed - there we so many things happening in his life that were weighing down on his spirit.

The last thing he felt like was going to Church, but he went unwillingly to a service in Aldersgate street, London. And it was during this service that he encountered God in a powerful way - actually in a life changing way. It was while someone was reading Martin Luther's preface to the book Romans that the Holy Spirit spoke deeply into his heart. This is what he wrote afterwards:

"I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death." - John Wesley

These are my simply reflections on this story:
1. Worship is not about how I feel, but rather about putting myself in the presence of God and His people. If I only go to Church when I feel like it, then I may miss out on the blessing of an encounter with Jesus.
2. When we give Jesus a chance, he can surprise us.
3. Taking our pains and disappointments to God can never be a bad thing.
4. Our experience of God is not just a once off event, but Christ continues to reveal more of his glory to us.
5. Never underestimate the power of God's spirit to renew you and to inspire you for a future task.

What are your thoughts on this? Drop me a mail if you get a chance.

God bless you
D3LM3