Time of renewal

"The key to continual and deeper spiritual renewal and revival is the continual re-discovery of the gospel." - Timothy Keller

We are accustomed to noticing the change in seasons and sometimes it is not too hard to recognize what is happening in nature. Green leaves beginning stretching out on the end of naked trees; shoots of new life suddenly appear on barren fields; warm weather or spring rain washes away the memories of cold winters. Our world is filled with reminders of change.

But, what about our Spiritual renewal? 

Do we need to wait for something drastic to happen before we change our lives, or can we faithfully tune into the work of the Spirit and allow God to bring refreshing into our weary bones? It is my prayer that I would be more open to the work of God's spirit as He moves in our midst. 

Titus 3:5 - "...he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit."

May the change in seasons bring you the joy of the Spirit, the Hope of Christ and the peace of God.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Don't believe them!

Anne Bronte was a prolific writer of poems, books and hymns. She was the daughter of an Irish clergyman, and also the sister of Charlotte and Emily. Sadly, Anne died at the very young age of 29, but even in her short life, she left a huge legacy. 

We sang one of her songs on Sunday, as it fitted in well with our theme on the book of Job. For a young person, Anne had incredible insight and understood the complexities of life and faith. This song reminds us that the Christian path is not a smooth way, and if people tell us that it is, then we shouldn't believe them. This song originally appeared as a poem in Wuthering Heights. 

Believe not those who say
The upward path is smooth;
Lest thou should stumble in the way,
And faint before the truth.

Arm, arm thee for the fight:
Cast useless loads away;
Watch through the darkest hours of night;
Toil through the hottest day.

To labor and to love,
To pardon and endure,
To lift thy heart to God above,
And keep thy conscience pure,

Be this thy constant aim,
Thy hope, thy chief delight;
What matter who should whisper blame
Or who should scorn or slight,

If but thy God approve,
And if, within thy breast,
Thou feel the comfort of His love,
The earnest of His rest?

May we all know the comfort of his love, no matter what we are experiencing at the moment.

Nahum 1:7 - The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Walking with a friend in the dark

Helen Keller observed that “walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.”

Being a friend to someone who is experiencing suffering is a hard thing to do, but very necessary. I am grateful that we are able to turn to Christ as he walks with us in our times of testing and pain.

Daniel 3:24-25 - "Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

Thought: Do you need to walk alongside someone at the moment? 

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Sure-footed as the deer

Have you ever wondered how you will face your next obstacle without stumbling and falling flat on your face? Well, if you answered YES, then these words from Habakkuk will give you some hope and guidance.

"Elohim Adonai is my strength!
He makes me swift and sure-footed as a deer
and enables me to stride over my high places." - Habakkuk 3:19 (Complete Jewish Bible)

The NIV puts it slightly differently, but it makes the same point. God is our strength and God gives us the ability to be sure-footed.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Yet, I will trust in God

It is hard to offer praise to God when we can't see a positive outcome from a bad situation. However, as we walk closely with the Lord we slowly learn to trust in God's providence and in his grand design. This trust is transformed into a deeper faith, where we are able to say: "Even though I don't see it now, I will trust in your goodness, O God!"

This is also what Habakkuk also came to understand. 

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior." - Habakkuk 3:17-18

Thought: Am I able to trust in Christ even when there seems to be no sign of life?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Suffering does not discriminate.

The first verse of the book of Job tells us much about the character of the man: “He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.” (Job 1:1). 

This is important for us to understand as we read the rest of the book, as it addresses a common misunderstanding amongst modern Christians, especially regarding suffering. We are sometimes led to believe that if we are holy and super-spiritual (close to God), that we can bypass suffering. 

However, this is not what the Bible actually teaches at all. Suffering is part of the experience for all believers and in fact, suffering doesn't discriminate at all. Every person can and will experience some degree of suffering: rich or poor, black or white, Christian or non-believer, young or old. 

The challenge for me will always lie in how we handle the suffering we encounter and how we view God in the midst of our trials. That is the hard part.

Matthew 16:24-26 (Eugene Peterson) - 

Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Suffering is not optional

“Dear Child of God, I am sorry to say that suffering is not optional.” - Desmond Tutu

We started our preaching series on the book of Job this weekend and the quote from Desmond Tutu (above) has lived with me throughout this week. For a long time, I believed that when I experienced some kind of suffering, that it was because of something I had done wrong, and that God was punishing me. 

Thankfully, I see God in a different light now, but there are still many people who think (mistakenly) that their suffering is caused by some defect in their spiritual lives. I feel this is not what God wants from us - this is dangerous theology. Suffering is universal and it is God who helps us get through these moments of pain and trial. 

Paul says something interesting in Philippians. He states: "I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead." (3:10-11)

What would this mean for us? Let me know what you are thinking, please. 

As we continue through this preaching series, I am sure I will share a few more thoughts on Job and suffering. Remember, that if you would like to listen to the sermon, you can click on this link.

Living in Grace

D3LM3