The wisdom of Ghandi

"You Christians look after a document containing enough dynamite to blow all civilisation to pieces, turn the world upside down, and bring peace to a battle-torn planet. But you treat it as though it is nothing more than a piece of good literature."

- Mohandas Ghandi

God is everywhere

God is omnipresent.

As God was with us from our conceptions, knitting us together in the safe place of our mothers wombs, God was also with the woman in our workplace who scolds you to keep your religious comments to yourself, and advocates a womans 'right' to abortion.

As we feel God call in our deep, "here I am", causing wonder and amazement, causing doubts about worldly values and ambitions, God is also with our company CEO's, calling in their deep, "here I am", prodding them to question their worldy values and ambitions.

As God says to His children, the seed of Abraham, those under the covenant, bound to Him by Christ, "I know the plans that I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.", God is also with each Aboriginal, standing homeless in an inner-city park, drinking casks of wine, yelling profanities at eachother, and harrassing passers-by for a dollar, He is desiring for them to hear "I know the plans that I have for you". Desiring each one of them to be bound to Him by Christ.

As God is with you, as you cry and plead for His forgiveness for your sin, your sin of lust, your sin of hatred, your sin of lying, and God says "the day of Grace is here", and He looks at His son, nailed to a cross, gasping for air, unrecogniseable due to the punishment inflicted on him, the hatred directed at him, the sin covering him, shame weighing heavily on him, and we receive that forgiveness with humility and joy, knowing that our Father, our Daddy, has not thrown us onto the streets, out of His family, so does God look at the Jihadi, the one who burns the church and rapes the kaffir, the one who kills the infidel, and seeks to destroy us and our way, and says "the day of Grace is here", as He looks at His son, nailed spread eagle and naked to a cross, with their sin covering him.

As God walks in front of you, calling you forward, but doesn't run off and leave you when you cannot catch up. And as He walks along side you, to comfort you and pick you up when you fall. And as Christ is ready and willing to sit with you, to talk it over with you, and to lovingly discipline you when you do wrong, because you are His child, and all children need discipline. And to remind you that you are deeply loved, and there is a better way of life if you look beyond yourself, so God is also walking in front of your wife to guide, along side your spouse to comfort and pick them up, sitting with your spouse to talk and to discipline, they are His child, they are deeply loved, and there is a blessed life as your spouse looks beyond themself.

God is ominpresent.

He is fully with you, with the totality of His love on you, and He is fully with your neighbour, with the totality of His love on them. He loves us individually, as one who is with us individually, and He loves us collectively, as one who is with us collectively and transends all. He is with each of us, in each of us, alongside each of us, and He transends each of us, so we know that Him, our hope, and their hope, is able to do more - much more - than one who is only man.

When the ones we love...

What do we do when the ones we love are making bad choices and we fear that the results will be painful for them? When we can see the mistakes that they are making, but they won't except correction. When we fear that their habits will cause them much grief in the end, but they won't admit them. They shut us out. They refuse our advice. It seems that all we can do is sit back and watch them fall.

I propose two things...

1. Ask ourselves why we have been shut out and why our advice or helpful gestures are refused. Do we need to make ammends in our own life? Are we treating the ones we love as a 'project' or arrogantly thinking that we have all the answers (i.e., if they only listen and do what we say then it will all be good), or we don't take the time to put ourselves in their shoes and see life through their eyes, from their perspective? If this is the case, let's examine our conscience and earn the right to talk into the lives of our loved ones. We may be in a good spot now, but we are human. We are susceptible to failure.
   
   
2. We are never without hope. If we have examined ourselves and are speaking into their lives out of a pure heart for their benefit, and they still don't listen, we have a Redeemer. That's the great thing about the Christian life. Our God bears our burdens with us. When we are tired, God lifts us up. We pray, God responds. Pray humbly to God. God loves our loved ones more than we do and He knows what they need more than we do. Pray for God's will to be done. God knows what is best. Because of His great love, we are not forsaken. We have healing for today and hope for tomorrow.
   

Let's spend more time examining ourselves and praying for our loved ones. God knows best.

There's so much grace

Another year has come to an end. I struggled deeply with faith this year. Sitting here now, I believe one thing - there's so much GRACE.

I genuinely believe that Christs sacrifice was sufficient and if we live in HIM we have all the benefits of that grace. That means freedom. May 2008 be a year where we all know that grace. May we be the church, worshipping God and living like we should - ambassadors of a better Kingdom - bringing the light and joy of Christ into our neighbourhoods.

I quote Brian McLaren's final sentence from his new book, "Everything must change - Jesus, Global Crisis, and a Revolution of Hope":

"Mountains can be moved and everything can change, beginning with our stories, beginning with faith, beginning now, beginning with us."

I pray for God's blessing on Australia, the world, and the Church in 2008.

God, may Your kingdom come.

In Christ,

Daniel.

Prayer for Peace

In light of what is happening around the world currently and especially in our own country, it is timely as we lead up to the season of Advent where we prepare for the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, we should remember that we are all one family united by virtue of our intrinsic value - we are all made in the image of God Almighty.

I have come upon some beautiful prayers that we can use when asking our God to grant us, and the whole human family peace.

Prayer for Peace by Pope John Paul II

Lord Jesus Christ, who are called the Prince of Peace,
who are yourself our peace and reconcilliation,
who so often said, "Peace to you", grant us peace.
Make all men and women witnesses of truth, justice, and brotherly love.
Banish from their hearts whatever might endanger peace.
Enlighten our rulers that they may guarantee and defend the great gift of peace.
May all peoples on earth become as brothers and sisters.
May longed-for peace blossom forth and reign always over us all.

Mulsim Prayer for Peace

O God you are peace
From you is peace and unto you is peace
Lord, let us live in peace
Receive us into your peace
To you be praise and honor
We hear and obey
Grant us your forgiveness Lord
And unto you be our becoming

Jewish Prayer for Peace

Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
that we may walk in the paths of the Most High.
And we shall beat our swords into ploughshares,
and our spears into pruning hooks.
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation
Neither shall they learn way anymore.
And none shall be afraid,
for the mouth of the Lord of Hosts has spoken.

I envisage a world where no human shall live in fear. No person shall cry from the pains of hunger. Those who have plenty will share with those who have little. All men and women will see in their neighbour the image of the Everlasting God, and treat their neighbour with the utmost respect and honor.

Lord, grant us peace.

St Francis of Assisi

I read today for the first time the story of St Francis of Assisi. Most people who aren't from the Catholic tradition will know him through his quote "go out and preach the gospel to all the world, and if all else fails, use words". Most Catholics know him as the founder of the order of friars - or the franciscan monks.

I would like to make a dedication to St Francis of Assisi – the man who dared to live according to the Gospel – according to the way of Christ. St Francis turned his back on a life of affluence to embrace the mission of God through voluntary poverty. St Francis continues to inspire many people in their journey of Christ through the living of monastic lifestyles – living in the most poverty stricken places in this world, forsaking all that the world has to offer, to show love to the marginalised, and themselves be transformed.

When a Bishop showed horror at the Friars hard life, Francis said, "If we had any possessions we should need weapons and laws to defend them." As Terry Matz comments, "Possessing something was the death of love for Francis. Also, Francis reasoned, what could you do to a man who owns nothing? You can't starve a fasting man, you can't steal from someone who has no money, you can't ruin someone who hates prestige. They were truly free."

This is the famous prayer attributed to St Francis –

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

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.

My prayer -

Father, thank you that St Francis continues to inspire many today to take up there cross and follow you. Help us to remember who he followed so that we may always have the right perspective - keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus. Lord, help all of your children to be honest in acknowledging the things that we have pledged alliegance to. May we let go of everything that hinders us from living a Godly life in Christ. May we take seriously your call to take up our cross daily and follow you. May your will be done.

Daniel.

Broken and precious

The title of this blog, 'Broken and precious', refers to you and me. I just come from doing my Thursday night grocery shopping in Vic Park and it seemed as though the Holy Spirit was yearning inside of me for the people I saw. I became sad for the people I saw.

I saw a young man, very handsome, about 25 years old, with his mother or his wife (they were Asian and so I couldn't tell her age too well to assume). He seemed to suffer from turrets syndrome and made yelping noises constantly throughout the shopping centre.

I saw an old man smoking a cigarette. His entire body jerked with every step he took.

I saw a young woman who was troubled in her mind. She walked with no shoes and shouted abuse at people for no apparent reason.

I wanted to be their friend. I wanted to reach out and hug them all. I want to be the person they can call a friend.

I spent last night unable to sleep. I was burdened with the guilt of sin and the sickness that one feels in their belly when they know they have grieved the Holy Spirit with their actions. Once again, I was ashamed and unable to confess for I thought of how I'd abused His grace once again. In my own eyes I was a hypocrite. this sickness continued throughout today.

I realised this night that the sickness I felt was bearing witness to me that I am still loved by God. One who does not have the Holy Spirit does not feel this grief. I realised that the sadness I felt for people bared witness to me that I am still in the vine. God hasn't forsaken me.

I thought of David. One moment writing beautiful psalms, and the next moment seducing a married woman. I thought of the people in Jesus family tree - Rahab (a prostitute), David (a murderer and adulterer), Jacob (hmm... what shall I say about Jacob) (I am labelling them by human terms - not Gods). I thought of the people at the table with Jesus - sinners and lepers. The outcasts of society. The people who didn't have it all together. Not the perfect. Not those who were consistently faithful. People who sinned. People who turned away and returned often.

Then I saw myself at the table with Jesus. I saw that I am part of the biblical story that is ongoing. I am a sinner whose heart has been invaded by Christ. The Holy Spirit has made His home in me. The gift of God is irrevocable. I will serve God all of my days. I will always remember my place at the table of God, in the presence of sinners accepted by grace. Loved. Being renewed daily. Living with mission. A minister of reconciliation.

Know who you are dear child. God has not forsaken you. Jesus has removed the barrier that separated us from God. Know you're loved and accepted.

Reading Romans

Today as I was reading the Apostle Paul's letter to the Romans I was blessed by this -

As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to
shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is
Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:11-13)

After reading this again, I found that I could only respond in one way - "Thank you God. Thank you God. Thank you God".

Great quote from a good book

I've jus finished reading a great book called Velvet Elvis - Repainting the Christian Faith (Rob Bell, 2006). I plan to re-read it and take notes on each chapter, but for now I want to leave you with one quote from the final chapter.

It is when the church gives itself away in radical acts of service and
compassion, expecting nothing in return, that the way of Jesus is most vividly
put on display. To do this, the church must stop thinking about everybody
primarily in categories of in or out, saved or not, believer or
nonbeliever. Besides the fact that these terms are offensive to those who
are the "un" and "non", they work against Jesus' teachings about how we are to
treat eachother. Jesus commanded us to love our neighbour, and our
neighbour can be anybody. We are all created in the image of God, and we
are all sacred, valuable creations of God. Everybody matters. To
treat people differently based on who believes what is to fail to respect the
image of God in everyone. As the book of James says, "God shows no
favortism." So we don't either.

I am not a universalist, and I do believe that following Christ is the way to God, but I want you to know one thing "I love you. You are precious to God. You were created in the image of our Loving Creator, and I respect that. I respect you. My prayer for you - seek God in humility with a hungry heart. We are all on a journey."

What world is real?

What world is real? The more I read the bible, the more it becomes obvious to me that there is two worlds. A physical world, and a spiritual world. It's not that I ever denied or doubted that, but sometimes, I become oblivious to that.

We're spending this month on the topic of prayer at church. One thing that I know is that Prayer is natural. It is something in every human being that always tries to cry out beyond ourselves. Even in communist regimes, where the government has tried to stamp our religion by force, they still cannot stamp out the internal yearning for more beyond ourself.

For instance, in communist Russia under Stalin, and communist China under Mao, the people were taught to "think" of their dear leaders when their work was difficult, or when they were dissuaded by the communist ideologies. In China, people were often forced to confess their sins to Mao in a prayerful form. They can try to wipe out religion, but they can never wipe out what is natural to every human - an internal desire for a spiritual Father. These regimes simply put man in the place of God.

I was encouraged tonight by a story of Elisha. It is found in 2 Kings 6:8-22. Here Elisha and his servant, surrounded by an enemy army. The servant was distressed but Elisha was calm. Elisha prays a simple prayer "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha". (2 Kings 6:17).

In the physical world, there was every reason to fear. But Elisha realised that the spiritual world was much more real. He could see into this spiritual world. What is stopping us from seeing into this spiritual world? I believe that we have become numbed and too attached to the natural (too much tv, too many sensory experiences, too much visual entertainment). It's time to examine ourselves and ask, what world is more real to us?