Lebanon - missional reality

4 million population in Lebanon

1 million refugees

This huge challenge inevitably effects how mission is enacted. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament emphasise the importance of caring for the marginalised, the stranger in the midst.

We need to support the church in the Lebanon, and learn from it.

Clarity in Prague

Good academic theology always points to reality and truthful engagement with it. We have been listening to doctoral students present reports today. Good projects. As we closed a session, Nancy Murphy - a faculty member at IBTS and also a Fuller Philosophy professor - commented, that if churches want to 'keep their kids and young people', they shouldn't ask how we might retain the kids, but instead look to engaging in mission ourselves and allowing our young people to be engaged in it.

This is why mission and ministry have to be held together. What we are - how we seek to reach out in serving - and the explaining and proclaiming of why we are the way we are and why we do the things we do - this is what draws in young people, who are looking for meaning, purpose and real engagement in life.

The congregation that asks, 'how can we continue as we are?' has lost the plot! Didn't Jesus say something about that? Such a congregation ceases to be Christian church. But the congregation that looks to expend itself and all that it has in meaningful mission? That sort of congregation is always growing into a glorious future.

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 
(Luke 9:24 NIV)

Reality

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? (1 Corinthians 3:16 NIV)

Given that God wants to enter into the life of every man or woman in the world, we need to understand that what God wants to 'indwell' us. He wants to fill us with His uncreated, powerful light. To infill us with the living waters of His Holy Spirit.

Belief is an important door to entering into this experienced reality. Belief in Jesus, who declares Himself to be the door. But for vital Christianity, there must be our coming to the door and receiving from what Jesus gives. The power, presence and purposeful enabling of the Holy Spirit.

Understand that Jesus wants you to have far more than a 'belief' in Him. He wants you to long to be a temple, a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. We are saved by grace. We are justified by faith. We are sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 

Be clear. To enjoy eternal salvation, you need to know and experienced this power and presence of the Holy Spirit. There has to be a light within you. The light of the reality of God's presence.

This is what God wants. Make sure that you want it too.

TUNING IN

Recently, a new Christian wrote to me, asking about discerning the voice of God. Here is part of what I replied,

"Hearing from the Lord is like a TV channel 'tuning in': the signal strength can vary so much at times. This is due to us, not the Lord. Even as Christians, there is a lot of 'interference' that can come in and effect our lives. This is part of the challenge to holiness and consecration, in obedience and humility. which is part of the ongoing walk of discipleship.

This is a reality for us all. So I know that at times, where there is a hunger for the Lord in my life, combined with humility, holiness and obedience, the signal strength is likely to be strong. Sometimes I hear the Lord speaking so clearly to my heart! But I also know that I am still liable to sin, where rebellion, pride and sin can come into me: a struggle that continues throughout the Christian life. Certainly, the Spirit will and does liberate us from this; but we all, at times, are resistant to the Spirit and can slip back into at least partial bondage - whether we admit it or not!

This insight is especially important for us as born again Christians, where we take 'hearing from the Lord' seriously. The Holy Spirit is in our lives. We expect Christians to listen to God, and encourage all members of the church to share what they are hearing. So it is that we emphasise the importance of accountability to one another, and also the importance of discerning together, all part of the process of  'checking out' what the Lord is actually saying. My own experience over 37 years as a born again Christian is that we all tend to hear clearly in a 'percentage' way. So if I am hearing 70% right, then other Christians can help me see the bit I am getting right and also the bit I am getting wrong. And those appointed by the church to lead, such as pastors, are there to help us work out how much of the message we are hearing is really 'tuned in' with the Truth of Scripture and the way of Jesus Christ.

I am greatly encouraged by your humility and readiness to learn. May the Lord use you mightily. The process of discerning in a collaborative way is and should be exciting. Be prepared to be told, at times, that others think you have got it 100% right; 70% right; or even 100% wrong! But such a process gives us both freedom to share what we genuinely feel and also safeguards from misrepresenting the Lord. Embrace this approach, and you will be mightily blessed and used of God"

I will follow this with some more comments soon, for it it is a topic close to my heart right now. God really does speak to us! And the devil also really seeks to deceive us. There is a wisdom to be held on to here, that our forefathers were also well aware of and taught on.

As usual, there is nothing new under the sun .......

May you follow His path

May this be a blessing to you, as the New Year begins. That the road of Christ be found and walked upon. That you seek His presence and find it. For He is always closer than you realise. All it takes is sincere and genuine longing. And the light of his presence will come upon you, to lead you forward. May it be so, for you.