To prepare for our church leadership meeting tomorrow night (our Engine Room), we’re reading a book by David Platt called ‘Radical Together’. It’s an excellent book about “unleashing the people of God in the church to carry out the purposes of God in the world”.  As a pastor, one paragraph stood out to me this morning:

If you are a leader in the church, think about the individuals in your care. See their faces, hear their names, and picture their lives. Consider how God has written a different story in each of their lives, filled with varied circumstances and challenges, trials and temptations, experiences and encounters. He has sovereignly led them to the life stage and situation where they now find themselves, surrounded by people you will never meet and opportunities you will never have. And you have been called by God to serve them in the accomplishment of God’s purpose for their lives. If you’re like me, the last thing you want is to sideline them to sit during a performance while you do the work or to participate in a program you have created. Instead, you want to equip them, train them, support them, and set them free to use everything God has given them to make His glory known in ways you could never design or imagine. (page 67)

This is a good reminder of my role as your pastor. Please pray for me – to equip you, train you, support you, and set you free to love and serve the Lord Jesus at church and throughout your world. And in doing so, may we fulfill the purpose God gave us in Ephesians 4:11-16

¹¹ It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, ¹² to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

The end result being: ¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Last Saturday, Keiyeng and I headed down to the Brisbane Chinese Alliance Church at Rochedale to lead a few BC3 training sessions on ‘how to give a kids talk’ and ‘daily time with God’. Some 5:17ers were there, which was great.

In the session I lead, included were some helpful steps to go through when doing your personal Bible reading. They’re taken from the Ministry Papers, written by Steve Cree:

Step 1: Relax. Sit down and focus on what you’re doing.

Step 2: Pray. Ask God to help you to understand His Word and ask the Spirit to help you to respond in obedience and faith to what you learn.

Step 3: Read the Bible passage.

Step 4: Re-read it – make sure you don’t read too much at a time.

Step 5: Think about what it means: what’s the flow of thought? What’s the main idea, encouragement, challenge etc? What does it tell you about Jesus and living with Him as Lord?

Step 6: (if you are so inclined) Record. Write notes about what you learned and how it applies to you.

Step 7: Take one thought, verse or idea from the passage – and think about it for the rest of the day (or until the next Bible reading session occurs). Try to live out the implications of that thought / verse.

Step 8: Praise and prayer. Give thanks to God for what you learnt, confess your struggle in the issue learnt (if you struggle in this issue), and ask for help to trust in Jesus and follow Him as Lord in this area.

The above steps aren’t to put a straight-jacket on your Bible reading. They shouldn’t be seen as laws – because God hasn’t told us exactly how much we should read each day, when we should read it or rules for how one must do their daily time with God. But the above steps are there to help us get the most out of our reading.

(for why we read the Bible, click on our resources page, and read the top two articles.)

Happy reading!

This is a thought that came into my head a couple of Sundays ago just as Steve started preaching, and I prayed that God’s word would nourish and grow His people. It occurred to me that just like physical food, God’s word nourishes us incrementally.

What I mean by this is that just like our 3 meals a day, it’s barely possible to tell what good they’re doing for us. After all, skip one and most of us can survive pretty well. But of course skip many, and our bodies will certainly begin to suffer. We’ll start losing weight, getting sick, and eventually, dying of malnutrition (as sadly, so many people in the world do…).

Similarly, you may not be able to tell in yourself what effect one Sunday sermon has on your ‘spiritual growth’. You might walk out of church not thinking (or recognising) you’ve learned anything useful or been grown by what you’ve heard. Indeed, miss one sermon and in God’s providence you probably won’t fall away. But stop ‘eating’ God’s word altogether, and you’ll lose ‘spiritual’ weight, get ‘spiritually’ sick, and eventually ‘die spiritually’ of malnutrition.

The point is, just as physical food nourishes and grows us incrementally (I often can’t tell whether Jakey’s had enough milk in one sitting, but the fact is, day by day he’s growing chubbier and longer so it becomes obvious in hindsight that he is getting enough!), so does spiritual food. On both fronts you have to trust this is the case and keep eating, not skipping meals.

Just like a mum can’t see the growth of her kids like great-aunt Mavis clearly can on her half-yearly visit, so you can’t necessarily see your own growth day to day and week to week. But keep eating from God’s word, because His word says that by it you are growing, and He is doing His work of maturing and completing you (and me!) till the day of Christ Jesus. yum.

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”  Matthew 4:4

“…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 1:6

Most people think conflict is yuck; I don’t know m/any who thrive on it. But what Jono (Steve’s / our Christian psychologist) taught us about conflict is that the worst thing about it is not necessarily the conflict itself, but the power we can let it have over us, unnecessarily. We learned that some people (not us) deal with conflict much better than others (like us); without denying its ‘yuckness’ they’re able to respond to it like water off a duck’s back. We however, were stew-ers; conflict got to us with both depth (of intensity of effect on our thoughts and emotions) and length (of time it bothered us). Hard work, and not very livable.

So did Jono teach us to live in denial, or become emotionless and detached? Nope, but we did learn (from God, through him) how to respond to conflict in such a way that it no longer needs to eat away at us – and yes, this makes for a much healthier, easier existence, as well as makes us much more effective in navigating our way through the conflict with godly wisdom.

What Jono taught us was that conflict (or any emotionally / relationally traumatic experience) often gains or holds power over us because of other factors in our lives / in our past. So for me, I have over the years developed an overly strong need to see justice or equity enacted and if it’s not, I can get very worked up. In an inter-personal conflict situation then, if I or a loved one is not receiving justice, or is on the end of injustice, I get very worked up. Now it’s not wrong to desire justice per se. It’s a godly quality and God seeks it for His people. But the thing is my desire (or need) for justice is possibly fuelled by some negative rather than positive elements, such as a need to control my environment and relationships or have them completely under control, or a lack of trust in God’s ‘delayed’ timing or purposes, or a self-centred self-righteousness rather than a genuinely impartial humility. So when these negative desires fuel my desire to see justice enacted, you can see that if the conflict is unresolved and injustice perpetuates, I stay worked up. The conflict situation asssumes  a power over me that my unrenewed, ungodly thought patterns can’t or won’t release.

The Bomb and the Trigger:

Jono showed us that many of our thought patterns can be similarly unrenewed (by God’s word, a la Romans 12:1-2) and ungodly. Then, when a trigger (precipitating event) occurs in the present, ungodly thought patterns that have built up over the past go into play, and we react badly – and often this harks back to an original past event where our unrenewed thought patterns first developed. If we can identify this original event (the original ‘bomb’ event that events in the present can ‘trigger’), bring it before God and invite Him to heal and renew us and our thought patterns, and if He does, then the connection between this original bomb event and the ongoing triggers we experience, will be severed.

So in my example above, if I can identify the factors or bomb event/s in my past (not in a mysterious Freudian sense, but a real, practical way), that have led me to so strongly or wrongly need ‘justice’ and equity and to be or feel in control in my relationships, and bring this to God for transformation by His word and Spirit, I can truly be set free from these unhelpful needs and patterns. And this is happening. It’s a work in progress as God continues to show me the issues behind these patterns. I won’t share them here but suffice to say He has healed and renewed both me and Steve in deep and real ways with respect to our bombs and triggers, and the way we’re now able to healthily and appropriately respond to conflict or other’s ‘disapproval’ etc is remarkably different from 2 years ago! We’re able to see conflict with much clearer, more realistic, less ‘taken personally’ perspective, treat it for what it is and disregard it for what it isn’t, deal with it biblically and prayerfully, and ‘let it go’ to the extent that we can’t and shouldn’t seek to control the outcomes. We’re able to put our trust in God and His approval of us rather than needing the approval of others (especially where it’s not going to be forthcoming anyway). And thankfully, we’ve also been able to share our lessons and experiences with others. (Mind you it’s not easy to bare one’s soul in a public blog like this, so please deal gently with this post )

In sum, I’ll borrow from an incisive piece of advice that came to Steve from our Bible College Principal – you could say God has been teaching us how to have tough minds, and soft hearts. You don’t want the opposite – tough hearts (that are thoroughly insensitive to people or conflict or relationship dynamics), or soft minds (that cave in under the least of pressures, not able to withstand with wisdom and grace) – but tough-mindedness and soft-heartedness is Christlike, to be emulated. I hope this post helps you copy Jesus in this way too, as you submit your thought patterns to God’s Word and Spirit for His powerful healing, transformation, and renewal.

Physics was my least-liked senior subject; I only did it because being the compliant young lady I was (hmm, questionable), I thought I may as well follow in my big sister’s footsteps and pick the same subjects she did in grade 11-12. In hindsight I wish I’d chosen Modern History or something like that, but I didn’t really know what the Humanities were all about till later in life. :s

Anyway, enough junior and senior physics stuck with me that I’m now able to make some useful sense of it in an ‘all of life’ context, and that’s pretty cool. Take for example, Newton’s second law of motion, F=ma, and how I reckon it can help us understand our discipleship.

F=ma in words is Force = mass * acceleration. Simply (or simplistically) put for our purposes, if an object has a force applied to it in a certain direction at a certain rate of acceleration, it will move. But having said that, the force needs to be great enough to overcome the inertia possessed by the mass / object otherwise it will stay put (think of a little kid trying to push his big father off a chair). Also, the direction of application of F and a can be negative or positive (or come from any direction) – that is, you can make the object move backwards or forwards depending where you push or pull it from.

How does all this help us understand discipleship?! Well Steve and I were just praying through the orange bookmark with all 5:17ers’ names on it, and I was having a ponder about where we’re all at in terms of our following Jesus. In a sense, we’re all ‘masses’ that need a Force applied to us in a certain direction, and we’re all moving at different rates of acceleration. Some of us have greater inertia than others and thus need more Force applied, and some of us are moving backwards and need a good dose of Force applied in the opposite direction. Some of us are stuck, because equal and opposite Forces have been applied such that we’re not moving at all.

To change the physics equation a bit, discipleship (like an apple that falls out of a tree) needs intentional momentum and positive trajectory. God wants us to grow! He wants us to move forward in following Christ, and preferably not at a snail’s pace.

I guess the implications are: if we’re serious about growing, we need to recognise what Forces are being applied to our lives, and in what directions. Are we exposing ourselves to positive-direction ones, and are we growing proportionally? If not, is the Force too small (eg. not enough Bible input or prayer or submission to God’s Spirit or fellowship and accountability) or is the inertia of the mass too big (eg. am I too stubborn, proud, blind, hardened, or foolish to submit myself to the Force God wants to apply?)

Paul the Apostle had a great formula for Christian growth – Romans 12:1-2 -

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

The world applies a negative conforming Force to us and we need to resist it, and instead submit ourselves to the transforming, renewing Forces of God’s word and Spirit. How are you going at this?

Here’s another equation you might like to turn into prayer for yourself and our church family. You might have come across it elsewhere.

Growth in Christ = F * A * T = Faithful * Available * Teachable

May God make 5:17ers self-consciously, prayerfully, and humbly F*A*T – so that the Forces He applies to us will result in His glory, our good, and a huge, positive impact on our world.

Please comment with your findings, questions etc!

I haven’t read any Spurgeon up till now, but since we have 2-3 Spurgeon devotionals and since David Cook (our Bible College Principal) always said that with respect to personal Bible-reading, variety is the spice of life, I decided I’d start reading one of them this week.  It’s been great!  - so good I’m reading it morning and night.

Spurgeon (1834-1892) is known as the Prince of Preachers because in his lifetime he published over 1900 sermons. He started preaching at age 16 – the year he was converted – and went on to become a hugely popular preacher-evangelist, often preaching to hundreds and thousands at one time (with no amplification!).

Here’s what he had to say about youth and maturity and the Christian life.

If you wish to be “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” begin soon. [...] Youthful piety has the most profitable opportunity of becoming eminent piety.  If you begin soon to walk with Christ, you will improve your pace, and the habit will grow upon you.  He who is only made a Christian in the last few years of his life will scarcely reach to the first and highest degree, for lack of time, and from the hampering influence of old habits; but you who begin soon are planted in good soil, with a sunny aspect, and should come to maturity.

from ‘The disciple whom Jesus loved’, Jan 4, At the Master’s Feet, selections from the best of Charles Spurgeon, compiled by Audie G Lewis

What a colourful and appealing way to make a wonderful point!

Two Sundays ago at church, we watched the Mark Driscoll sermon video entitled ‘Stewardship: God gives‘. After the message, I said that I would blog last week (sorry!) and give some practical ways of stewarding God’s money. A writer I appreciate, Randy Alcorn, has written up ten Practical Ways to Wisely Manage God’s Money (click here for the full article). It’s a long list, but I think the rewards of reading and heeding his advice are worth it.

Stewardship

As an introduction to the article, Alcorn says: “The following guidelines are designed to help you exercise self-control in spending, become a better steward of God’s resources, and free funds to use for Kingdom purposes”:

1. Examine every purchase in light of its ministry potential. We must weigh the value of every item we buy against what the same money could have done if used another way—for instance, to feed the hungry or to evangelize the lost. I don’t say this to induce a guilt trip but to indicate the obvious—whenever money is used one way, it prevents it from being used another. For instance, I cannot justify spending thousands of dollars on jewelry when that same money could keep people alive or reach them with the gospel. I’m not saying it’s wrong for anyone else to have nice jewelry. I’m saying that jewelry, like everything else, must be subjected to the scrutiny of conscience, the Holy Spirit, and God’s Word. None of us should impose our personal standards on others, nor on the standards of God. We should ask God to direct us when it comes to handling His money.

2. Pray before you spend. When something’s a legitimate need, God will provide. How often do we take matters into our own hands and spend impulsively before asking God to furnish it for us? Several years ago my friend wanted a good exercise bicycle. He even picked out the exact model, a Tunturi with a retail price of $350. But instead of going out to buy it, he told me he was praying that God would provide him with that exact bike. By not spending the money, he would have more to give. A few days later, I was in a thrift store and was stunned to see a Tunturi bicycle, the exact model my friend wanted. It looked like it had never been used. I called my friend and he got the exact bicycle he had asked for, paying $25 instead of $350.

Often we either buy what we want or forgo what we want when there’s a third alternative: asking God to provide it for us. If He doesn’t provide it, fine—He knows best. But why don’t we just give Him a chance?

Waiting eliminates most impulsive buying. Many things that are attractive today hold no interest two months later. Look at garage sales and you get the picture. Setting a waiting period gives God the opportunity to provide what we want, to provide something better, or to show us that we don’t need it and how to use the money differently.

3. Realize that nothing is a good deal if you can’t afford it. Paying $190,000 for a house that is worth $220,000 sounds like an excellent deal. Paying $80 for a pair of barely used skis that cost $400 new seems like a great deal. But if we can’t afford them, it simply doesn’t matter. It’s always a bad choice to spend money on a “good deal” we can’t afford.

4. Recognize that God isn’t behind every good deal. Suppose we can afford it. Does that mean we should buy it? Self-control often means turning down good deals on things we really want because God may have better plans for His money.

5. Understand the difference between spending money and saving it. Saving is setting aside money for a future purpose; it stays in our wallet or in the bank. It can be used for other purposes, including our needs or the needs of others. Money that’s spent leaves our hands and is no longer at our disposal. If we buy an $80 sweater on sale for $30, we’ve spent $30. If we think we’ve just saved $50, we simply don’t understand the concept of saving. If we keep “saving” like that, we’ll soon be broke!

6. Look at the long-term cost, not just the short-term expense. If we buy a nice stereo, we’ll also end up buying a lot of CDs. If something breaks, we pay to get it repaired. If we buy a new car, we fret about dents and buy insurance to fix them. Count the cost in advance. Everything ends up being more expensive than it first appears.

7. Understand and resist the manipulative nature of advertising. People earn master’s degrees in persuading us to buy things we don’t need. Advertising enlarges our wants by telling us, “You need this car,” “You won’t be loved unless you wear these kinds of clothes,” and “You won’t have fun unless you use this product.” Advertising is seductive and manipulative. It programs us. We must consciously reject its claims and counter them with God’s Word, which tells us what we really do and don’t need. We should withdraw ourselves from advertising that fosters greed or discontent. That may mean less television, less flipping through sales catalogs and newspaper ads, and less aimless wandering through shopping malls.

8. Learn to walk away from things you want but don’t need. Once I received a large, unexpected check. After giving a portion to the Lord, I still had $2,000 left. Before long, I was out looking at something I’d wanted but had never been able to justify. The price tag read $1,995. But in my heart there wasn’t peace when I considered what that money could do for God’s Kingdom. Finally, I decided I shouldn’t make the purchase. When I turned and walked away, something unexpected happened. I was suddenly filled with a deep sense of relief and joy. To be free of it was the first blessing; to know the eternal difference that amount would make was the second blessing.

9. Realize that little things add up. One dollar here and ten dollars over there; a hamburger here and mocha there; movie rentals and rounds of golf. These things may seem inconsequential, but they can add up to hundreds of dollars per month and thousands per year that could be used for Kingdom purposes. If a swimming pool is full of leaks, you can pump in more water, but it will never be enough until the leaks are fixed. We can take in more income, but until we fix the little leaks in our spending habits, we’ll never be able to divert the flow of money for higher purposes.

10. Set up a budget and live by it. Imagine you entrust a large sum of money to a money manager, telling him to wisely invest it on your behalf. A few months later, you call him to see how the investments are doing. Embarrassed by your call, he admits, “There are no investments. None of your money is left.” Shocked you ask, “Where did it all go?” Sheepishly, your money manager responds, “Well, I can think of some expenses here and there, but for the most part I really can’t say. There was this and that, and next thing I knew, it was all gone.”

What would you think? How would you feel? How does God think and feel when at the end of the month nothing’s left from the money He entrusted to us, and we don’t even know where it went? If some of us ran a corporation and handled its money like we do God’s, we’d go to prison!

Two practical steps can greatly help us get a grip on our spending: recording expenditures and making a budget. These steps will help us detect problem areas by clarifying our spending habits. This will improve our mental and marital health because financial disorder is one of the leading causes of personal and familial stress.

Living on a budget will free up lots of money. When I was a pastor, I met with families who followed a budget and did fine on a very meager income. I met with others who made much more and were always in financial crisis.

Handling it is the Key

It’s not how much money we make, but how we handle it that matters. And it all begins by recognizing the money we’re handling is not our own. It belongs to another, before whom we will one day stand, and from whom the best words we could ever hear are these: “Well done my good and faithful servant. Enter into your Master’s joy.”

(by Randy Alcorn, Eternal Perspective Ministries, 39085 Pioneer Blvd., Suite 206, Sandy, OR 97055, 503-668-5200, www.epm.org, www.randyalcorn.blogspot.com)