3 situations, various emotions:
Laughing - Elliot (Singaporean), from AUT, had a conversation with two of his friends after a lecture on Islam. Julian (white Kiwi - 'pakeha') and Justin (South African) seemed confused about God's Word; both are from church going backgrounds and grilled Elliot on how Christians can be sure that Jesus is the only way to God, how the Bible is not just one more text book of just another approach to God and how God could be just if Jesus is the only way. Afterwards Elliot asked me to meet with them all - he arranged the details.
I was nervous: I know Julian, who comes to AUT CF, but not Justin; I'm always nervous when 'called in' to comment on or 'sort out' a situation. I prayed hard.
As we sat down over coffee another of their classmates (all do communication) came and joined us (she is called Johanna and from Sweden). Our conversation took off, we talked about the Bible as a book which is both fully human and fully Divinely Inspired: wholly trustworthy and true, though mediated though sinful people in sinful times. We talked of the uniqueness of Jesus and the scandal of God's self revelation. We argued about the Justice of God in saving some and were then into election and the challenge of individual responsibility under God's Sovereignty.
We were there for nearly 3 hours - the time passed quickly in the passions of the friendly and good tempered argument. At one point I spoke about Romans 9-11: explaining that God's justice is demonstrated (at least in part) in that He elected Abraham and has always dealt with the 'line of promise'; now made clear in the promise of Salvation through the substitutionary death and vindicating resurrection of Jesus. Then it really took off - Julian argued hard and then fell quiet, I thought he was really offended; Justin was appalled that I believed that God was like that and Johanna told us that having once belonged to a Swedish Sect which believed it alone had the truth she was suspicious of what I was saying.
At that point Julian leaned forward: 'that makes it all clear,' he said. 'the line of promise argument explains it and I think, I know, that that's right'.
It was a dramatic and amazing turn around: I've rarely seen such conviction, repentance and transformation so immediately. I walked away, light in spirit, excited by God's power and thankful for the privilege of being here. Praise God. Praise God!
PRAISE GOD!Raging - I've now spoken at the majority of TSCF group's in Auckland; last week speaking at the largest group in the country (70 people there - in case you were wondering). I have rarely seen so few people with Bible's at a gathering of Christians. Last Sunday I took the time to look around church, I saw no one else with a Bible. Don't get me wrong - this is not a Pharisee looking at Tax Collectors (if that is the case may God root out that attitude within me!) - but I am furious that the Church and Christians in general here do not esteem the Word of God.
Lots of talks are 'Bible based' - where Scripture is a springboard rather than a pattern to follow, the jumping off is more often than not a departure from God's self revelation and a leaping into self-help thoughts from the speaker. Some talks are 'Bible centered' - teaching thematically, putting together pieces of the Bible for make a point; sharing thoughts gained from experience and backing them up from the Scripture's truth. Few are Biblical exposition - the making plain the plain reading of Scripture and applying it incisively, lovingly and appropriately.
What has shown this in sharp relief is that Ines and I are listening to a series of
excellent talks by
Mark Dever (from Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington DC) which have lifted our hearts, opened them to correction and raised our awareness of the lack of passion for Scripture in the NZ church.
A caveat here - there are good things happening here, there are people teaching the Bible, there are people coming to faith.
What I'm talking about is not specific instances of encouragement but a cultural orientation within the church in New Zealand as a whole - I've seen it's impact across the whole country and have felt angry, raged even, when I've witnessed it at an acute level. We abandon God's Word at our peril
Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.Crying - You'd think that, reading the above, I'm on a spiritual high: holier and godlier than ever. The other fruit of Mark Dever's talks is a depth of conviction about my own sinfulness. To name but two...
I am passionless for the lost - my attitudes stink, this nation of 4 million is lost and adrift in a secularised and relativistic malaise. They do not care about spiritual things; and where there is concern it is most often self centered and short sighted (how can God help me now?). I find myself hard hearted in the face of their lostness. Like
Jonah, my heart is apathetic toward the lost and passionate about my own comfort. Ironically, my heart too closely reflects the hearts of those to whom God has commanded me to serve in teaching.
God be merciful to me!AND
I am not in love with holiness - Isaiah saw the LORD (
Is 6) and then proclaimed it; despite God's promise that people would not hear, understand or obey. The Holy God dealt with unholy Isaiah symbolically through the cleansing heat of the coal from the altar of sacrifice. My sin is done with, Jesus finished it off at the cross. But I am not in love with holiness - it requires the death of me in a hundred small choices each day; too often I love the convenience and immediacy of selfishness, of sin.
God be merciful to me!PRAISE GOD - for the power of His Word to do His work in the lives of His people
PRAY WITH ME - for the turning of the hearts of God's people to the love of God's Word
PRAY FOR ME - for the gospel to continue to do it's work in me, that I would be humbled under Sovereignty and exalted in my Saviour.
Rev 2.12, 16-17 '
And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: "The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword... repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it." '
If you want to make the latest prayer cube:
Posts
