nobrokenreed

Faith

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I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.– Romans 10

Give me the faith that can remove; and sink the mountain to a plain – Charles Wesley, Hymn

I went to see a doctor today, a Jewish lady with a slightly new age understanding of Jesus though she did mention faith; I was able to share with her some passages in Romans that hopefully clarified who Jesus was (she was delighted he was Jewish) why he is still important (Grace rests on atonement) and how she might respond (repentance and have faith in who he is and what he did). I pray, in faith, that God will draw her towards the truth of his Son and wait expectantly.

The book of Romans, indeed most of Pauls entire writings are filled with this single concept, we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ, and nothing else. This blog exists solely to point people to that truth. Why is it then, we struggle to grasp that, and our faith is so weak? I am in the midst of listening to what the Almighty has to say on the matter and it could be a long conversation.

In Romans 1, Paul speaks of ‘obedience unto faith,’ in itself challenging. Faith as the objective belief (the faith) or subjective (I trust); obedience as a result of faith or included in faith? We could go on.

Surely though, it is the subjective nature of our ‘faith’ in God, that has most running to add some formula or other to sure up the foundations. My faith in God is incomplete, slightly restless, growing (at times) and even tenuous. Where I am today, may be different to where I am tomorrow. Worse still, the incorrigible nature of God seems to rest easily with that. What shall we do with all this?

What we most often do, is to put a framework around the subjective nature of faith. We allow others to define it through their set of rules, that put it on more of a concrete footing. Dogma, tradition, interpretation – all that defines our faith. Regrettably, in fact horribly so, our ‘faith’ in God is weak because it is based on our “doing stuff” to get his nod of approval. It totally misses all that faith is.

My faith in God, is the foundation of a relationship with the living God of the universe; it says, because of my belief, however tenuous or fallible, I still have the right to call God ‘papa.’ That his Son has committed the ultimate act that enables that to happen, and my faith must encompass that as part of the relationship. God accepts that my faith may waver at times, in fact he will test me to see if it does. All of that though, is part of the deal of faith. It must be alive.

For his part, God reserves the right to do a little shaping himself, stretching my faith in him, such that our relationship can become even more intense, more alive.  He says, if I can just get you to trust me with all the details of your life, if instead of praying to me without the slightest notion that I might answer, you would walk through each day looking for my answer. If you would just trust me, test me even, in this area. Do you not believe that you are an heir to my Kingdom, my child, and that all that is said in the Bible of my fatherly nature towards you is really true?

Instead, let’s be honest here, our preference is to put our faith in more tangible assets than God; what test on our faith is there when we have a house with no mortgage, a decent car, constant food, water, money…really, is our faith ever tested, yours or mine?

When a woman of small means, offered her entire inheritance of 500 pounds to George Mueller (at a time when he really needed it) he advised her to go away and pray about it again for a few weeks just to be sure. He prayed about it for 134 days straight, confident that whatever the Lord’s (and her) decision would be it would be the right one. On the very day the money finally arrived, a suitable building came up that would allow them to expand the orphanage work, as Mueller knew the Lord had been directing him to pray for over several months.

You, me – we long to see this, to experience it in our lives. If we have any relationship with God, this is what we want. We long to see the shackles of tradition and dogma fall off, and to experience faith in a huge God such that when we pray, unworthy as we are, we would see God move mightily. To have such a relationship that we believed in unwaveringly, that when we prayed about something or better still someone, we would see him move. Oh, that you and I had that relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Do you know Mueller didn’t believe for one moment, that his gift of Faith was extraordinary or unique? Indeed, he wrote that it was every child of God’s birthright to expect God to answer and provide for their every need, and he warned everyone about the deception of Satan that tells us otherwise, makes us believe we are unworthy.

Let us keep going – and sharing. We need more faith in a faithful God. He will not let us down. Do you live like that?

Glorious George

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Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours – Mark 11:24

This is what the Lord says:

“Stand at the crossroads and look;

ask for the ancient paths,

ask where the good way is, and walk in it,

and you will find rest for your souls.

But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’. – Jeremiah 6:16

 

Some of you may have read the story recently, of a little aboriginal boy who drowned. Laid out on the floor, it was another group of young children who suggested they ask Jesus to heal him, and sure enough, Jesus did. The young boy, to all intents dead, rose spluttering from the ground completely healed. Childlike faith.

So much for those who insist, ‘God doesn’t do anything like that anymore, that was only for the New Testament times.’ Surely a bigger question is, why don’t we see more of it today in our little community (wherever that may be)? Why don’t we see dozens of converts, or people pulled up from wheel chairs in the middle of busy shopping malls? I am determined to find the answer, because I believe that God truly does want to display his power to the world, in my corner.

I’m reading George Mueller’s autobiography at the moment, and Glorious George provides some big clues. He of course, lived with the supernatural every day of his life; he saw God as his rich, benevolent Father only too willing to lavish his goodness and riches on anyone who took him at his word. Mueller was frequently given things to pray for by the Spirit, and spent the next few weeks, months or even years praying them into being. He lived by the verse in Mark above and never doubted God would answer his prayers. Here’s an example.

George came down the stairs of his orphanage, where 300 5-6 year olds were seated for breakfast. The only problem was, there was no food in the house at all. So George gathered all of his beloved orphans around him and told them, ‘how wonderful it is that we get to see what God our Father is going to do for us today, how he is going to provide for our every need.’ He then prayed a simple prayer to his heavenly Father in front of the children. No sooner had he finished than a knock at the door announced the baker, who told everyone the Lord had awoken him at 3am that morning and told him to bake enough bread to feed 300 orphans. A moment later, the milkman arrived, announcing his cart had broken down outside and the only way he could lift up back up, was to remove all the milk from it – would they help him unload it, and they could have it?

I could go on, in fact I might. At the end of his life, George was asked if there was anybody he had prayed for, who hadn’t yet come to Christ. His response was nobody, and then he hesitated and replied there was one young man he was still praying for, but he fully expected to see him repent. At Mueller’s funeral, the young man in question knelt at his graveside and gave his life to Christ. As you can imagine, the stories are endless.

Which of course, all begs the question, if then, why not now? Why don’t we experience God’s favour each and every day of our lives like George Mueller did – was he just a one-off?

The short answer is, as Jesus points out, we don’t believe in God as he did. Of this I am convinced; my faith in my God is not the same as George’s faith. That is correct, in spite of the theological remonstrations you will have, it is based on me. Not that I will ever do one miracle alone, but will I believe that God will? Do I believe he wants to? Of that there is no doubt in my mind.

We could of course, talk of prayer, but that is obvious and an outworking of his faith. He prayed for hours even days, because of his faith in Christ.

So then, let me leave us all with something. On p74 of his autobiography, Glorious George tells us that his main reason – that’s right, his main reason for founding his orphanages that eventually looked after over 10,000 children was to show everyone that God is faithful and answers our prayer. He can be trusted.

Like the boy’s father on his knees before the Christ, we say, “yes Lord, I believe. Help me in my unbelief.”

Pearl!

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 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” – Matt 13:45-6

Like many others, we have had severe criticism for placing such great emphasis on going out into the marketplace and opening our mouths about the person of Jesus Christ. What a waste of time it is.

Many who have sought out our small gathering, looking for an alternative to more conventional church, have been sorely disappointed when they hear the great emphasis we put on ‘going out.’ It has cost us many potential friends and adherents who may otherwise have been keen to join us (just think of how big a “church” we could have built, had our focus been on great praise and worship, or lively preaching).

We have at terms felt great hurt and despair. Lord, is this really what you want – if so, where are all the others? Just a few of us against a flood of unbelievers. What chance do we have? We know that almost everyone involved in a disciple making process feels the same way, overwhelmed with the task, and the lack of support.

But, for those of you who have persevered with Sally and I over the years – those who endured our scepticism, and doubts, who continued to challenge and cajole and pray, even when we reacted badly this story is just for you. Ian and Joan, Steve, Dave, pa and others, a pearl of great price makes it all so worthwhile.

Lord, send more workers!

Some months ago, Sally and another lady met with Pearl on the streets of our village here in Sydney. Pearl was reading a book on Buddhism and didn’t seem particularly interested in a conversation about Jesus, yet they persevered. One thing led to another, and soon a Bible came out, and Scriptures were read. There was a reaction. Could there be more? Buddha was put to one side, and soon, a discovery Bible study was setup in Pearl’s little flat and she began to ask questions. Who is this Jesus who died for me?

The prompting of the Spirit meant that they were asked back and soon Wednesday’s became a regular event. Pearl, her of such great price in the Kingdom, was being drawn into the great heavenly family of God. More questions, and then the realisation that faith in Christ would mean salvation and the forgiveness of sins. Repentance occurred, even with incomplete understanding. A faith was born.

Soon, a baptism occurred, confirmation of a decision to follow Jesus. There are still questions, lots of them, but she is making steps. As a new believer in Christ, Pearl already recognises, along with so much more, that her faith must be shared. Christ is not to be contained within four walls. We can see a Discovery Group forming, perhaps with Pearl’s own oikos. We shall see what the Lord brings. We pray, we fast, we plead, intercede.

It has been an exciting weekend all round. For those who persevered with us, just think of the fruit. For those who deliberate and wrestle, is this the right way to go – keep wrestling. For those involved in the work, the workers will always be tiny, it’s just the way it is. God is with us all of the way, he wants us all to be involved. For those on the periphery, praying, supporting or just sending us their thanks, be assured, this is what God wants, because it is what Jesus came for.

Meantime, praise God for Pearl. We hope there will be more to uncover as a result.

Head and shoulders above

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His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel, head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.

So Saul demanded, bring me the burnt offering and the peace offering. And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself…how foolish, Samuel explained. You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, He would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. – 1 Samuel, 14

In our last few days in England, we spent the time with our nephew’s little children, playing in the park, buying ice creams and going to the swings. Have you ever been aware how reliant on us little children are? They need to be fed, taught, paid attention to, clothed; even crossing the road is an exercise in their reliance on adults. It is lovely, because they are so simply unaware, they naturally take your hand to be led.

We spent much of the time away, in a more relaxed state listening to what the Lord might say to us, and this issue came up time and again. As a church, a society and most certainly as believers, we have become self-reliant. He addressed us specifically in what we were trying to do for Him, and I feel challenged.

This reliance on ourselves spreads into every aspect of our Christian lives. In our church, we come with our pre-packaged service, we will sing these songs, which will last for this long, and then this will happen, followed by that. One person – the same person, will tell us each week what the Lord is trying to say to us. Heaven forbid if the Lord decided that week to speak instead through the divorcee Mrs Jones, sitting in seat 13D, and told her a message He wanted everyone to hear, through her. When would the opportunity ever come for that message to be heard? Nope, we will run the show, and the show must be run how we determine.

Think I’m just church bashing? Not at all, the Lord really spoke to me about what we were doing in our corner of the world. We were chastised. How often did I decide that someone wasn’t worth approaching to speak to, even though the Spirit prompted me clearly to talk to them? Was our success decided by Him, or us? If Him, then was that same success dependent on Him or us? Were there really Saul times in my life, when what I had done in sin, just by simply ignoring God, meant that the opportunity the Lord had planned for me or others, had passed by forever? What a travesty if that is the case, which I am sure it is.

For those of who know us and our circumstance, you know how miraculous it is that he has started to restore our fortunes through our business. Many times he has spoken to both of us, and confirmed that he will bless us through this, and that he can be relied upon to be faithful to his word? Why then, did I wake up at 2:30am, stressed because I thought everything would fall apart if I wasn’t there. In fact, our business continues to go from strength to strength in spite of myself, and we are acutely aware of who is behind it. Self-reliance.

The amazing story of Jesus Christ, is that he lived absolutely inside of the will of God, never deviating. He trusted his Father moment by moment, and never wavered from that; he trusted that when he thrust his hands onto someone to be healed, the power required would be there. That when a response to the overzealous Pharisees was necessary, the Holy Spirit would provide the suitable answer. Even when faced with death, when the world felt finally that evil had won, he moved with intent onto the cross to fulfil the will of the Father, confident of the outcome. In Christ there was absolutely, not a shred of self-reliance.

So why are we so opposite to that? Why do we do ministry in our own strength, when the resources of heaven are at our disposal; why do we ignore the moment by moment leading of the Spirit, to instead decide how we will run things; why do we not trust that His ways, however seemingly absurd at times, are the best and sometimes only way this will work?

We must repent, every one of us. Let us not just pay lip service to this, but really turn away from running the show, all of the time. Amongst all, I am perhaps most guilty. But I believe that my self-reliance is perhaps the greatest blockage to success in what we try to do for the Lord. If I would just get out of the way, and follow his leading, then God – this extraordinary God, who can do so much more than I can ever imagine, might just be allowed to work.

Will I, will you, trust him enough to allow this to happen? Imagine what the result might be if we did.

 

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