Mockery

People, Christians specifically, are often too easily offended by mockery.

But it is not necessarily a bad thing. It shows people are not indifferent: People only mock if they care. Something about you is bothering them. If they mock you as Christians, most likely something about our Christ is bothering them. Isn't it better that people are affected by Christ rather than indifferent to him? In my (although limited) experience, mocking is often the atheists way of asking questions, and we should follow the guidance of 1 Peter 3:15-16

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

Philip Yancey - What's so amazing about grace?

" I know that my self image at the end of the day depends largely on what kind of messages I have received from other people. Am I liked? Am I loved? I await the answers from my friends, my neighbours, my family - like a starving man, I await the answers.

Occasionally, all too occasionally, I sense the truth of grace. There are times when I study the parables, and grasp that they are all about me. I am the sheep the shepherd has left the flock to find, the prodigal son for whom the father scans the horizon, the servant whose debt has been forgiven

I am the beloved one of God. "

Pg68

Laughter and Joy

Yesterday evening Andrew Smith came and spoke on laughter and joy - I am simply typing up some of the notes that I took from his message - which was nothing but inspiring.

Psalm 126:3 'The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy'

Laughter embraces humility and grace. In laughter we trust, we suspend our worries and concerns, laughter is the medicine of the soul.

We as Christians can be serious, but shouldn't be sombre, Enjoy the journey, don't just endure it.

Look at Jesus, he knew how to enjoy life - at the start of his ministry he took 7 days off to be at the wedding - people were and still are important to Jesus

Church should be the happiest, most joyful place on earth. Despite circumstances, we can always be joyful, as joy is independent from circumstances - The joy of the Lord is our strength.

My notes are obviously not as explanatory as Andrew's message - but not only did he show us that we ought to be joyful, he demonstrated it too.

Indescribable!!!!

Why do we as Christians ever moan?
God is amazing- He offers us such freedom!!!

We are children of the almighty
We are chosen by him
He chose us before we chose him

This might be for grammar geeks only but we are the 'you' of God's 'I'
eg I love you - We are the objects of God's affection

You who were not a people, are now the people of God

Praise God for his grace and mercy, for his unconditional love which truly is indescribable

Grace

God is teaching me about Grace at the moment.

We all know the song 'Amazing Grace' but so often we just sing, without paying attention to the words, but Grace seriously is Amazing.

Rom 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us

I am starting to read 'What's so amazing about Grace' By Philip Yancey, and on the back there is a simple truth that arises from Grace.

"There is nothing we can do to make God love us more.
There is nothing we can do to make God love us less."

I am really looking forward to learning more about God through understanding what Grace is.
(and I will keep you posted on what I learn).

Who am I that you are mindful of me?

Who am I that You are mindful of me?
That You hear me when I call
Is it true that You are thinking of me?
How you Love me It's Amazing

I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
He calls me friend

What amazing lyrics!
And what is more amazing is that it is true -

John 15:15
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

Go out a different way!

This morning part of my reading was Ezekiel 46:9

"When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed feasts, whoever enters by the north gate to worship is to go out by the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate is to go out by the north gate. No one is to return through the gate by which he entered, but each is to go out the opposite gate. "

It reminded me of something our Pastor, Iain Duthie often says or prays,

'That we would not leave this place (church) the same way that we came in'

Iain means that we would come to church, we would truly worship and meet with God, and we would be changed as we become more like him, so that when we leave we would not be the same. Ezekiel on the other hand, is talking about physically not using the same door.

Why did God want the people to use a different door? What did that mean for them?

It amazes me how seemingly mundane things in the Old Testament, were actually planned by God to make New Testament events understandable and familiar:

(Joh 1:29) The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

To us, this is sometimes just a familiar name, but when John the Baptist cried this out, surrounded by Jews they would have been astounded - Lambs were sacrificed to take away sin, frequently as each sin post sacrifice was unaccounted for. Not only was John declaring that this man was to make atonement for their sin, but 'for the sin of the world'. The thoughts running through their minds would have been numerous, How can he save the gentiles? How can a man take away any sins - as only God has such a right? Is this man from God?

The familiarity of the lamb as a sacrifice, caused the Jews both to question Jesus' identity, and helped them to understand it.

The seemingly mundane sacrifice that was done everyday was now of huge importance.
God wants us to be familiar with his word, even the parts that seem repetitive, because it's all there for a reason. Which leads me to my question again.

Why did the people have to go out through a different door? Is there something we can learn here? Was it preparing us to see church as a place where we should come out differently to how we went in spiritually?

I would love to hear your thoughts.