My Journey

As winter comes upon us.

2005-10-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

Maybe you are like me, a summer person. I love summer, warm weather, long days. Give me a season to choose and it will always be summer. Winter to me is, cold mornings, flu epidemics, high heating costs! I'm also a member of the snow haters club, as it produces slush and bad road conditions! There are some good things, warm evenings with the family, knowing on days off I can, if I wish, snuggle further down into my bed!
But if we didnt have the seasons, if we didnt have winter, we wouldent appreciate summer so much. Its interesting that in "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrope" by C S Lewis that the reign of evil is seen as having the affect of winter, and that as Aslam approaches, and good comes over the land of Narnia, spring comes ushering in summer.
This leads me to think of my own spiritual journey, that the difficult times are needed for me to fully appreciate the good times. I often need hardship to make me yearn for (Aslan) for Jesus!
In dayly life tiredness is rewarded by sleep, hunger by food, cold by warmth. So in my spiritual journey I may not like "winter", but if it makes me yearn for the comming of Aslan (Jesus) then this in itself is a blessing! Scripture tells us, "That all things work together for those who love God, who are called according to His purposes". Maybe you are like me, you yearn for blessing so much you dont appreciate the times of trials! If this life was all blessings and joy I wouldent yearn for Heaven. Yes I still prefer summer to winter, joy rather that harships, but we need the season in nature, and in our spiritual journey!

When it all falls apart!

2005-10-03T03:02:00.000-07:00

Katrina made life fall apart for many, loss of home's, earnings, community, etc. "Life" , as somone said, "Can sure turn round and kick you hard!"
In my own small way I have known life to turn round and kick me hard! So I have a little understanding of this emotion!
Whether its through disastor, family pain, financial trouble, etc, when it happens we feel, probably to some extent are, victims of circumstances outwith our control!
We are left feeling vulnarable, at the mercy of others, and we can loss our sense of self value!
Being valued by others, having respect, in famalies, church, community, work place, etc is vital to our sense of well being, its importance cant be emphasised enough! We receive any self of value from those we come into touch with from day to day. Many folks commit suicide when all sense of self value has been removed.
First we must seek to understand, as fully as possible, what a person is actualy experiancing, going through. We must understand that accumulative stressers will result, at some point, in health being affected in that person. No person is a rock, and no-one can be an island. I have talked to many who have suffered hard events, or accumulation of stressers in their lives, and all replied, "I wanted a hand on my shoulder, to feel worthy of others concern!" So first thing people desire is that touch, word, smile, of encouragment. The first murderer in history Cain, when challenged by God as to whereabouts of his brother answered, "Am I my brothers keeper?" The answer of the Bible rings out, yes we are our brothers keeper!
People who have endured disator, stressers, troubles, need folks to be their keepers, to take responsibility for building them up again in themselfs. Maybe we cant give them back their home, if its been destroyed in a storm, or take away events that have led to their situations, but we can be their brother/sister, their friend, and possible the shoulder they can cry upon. The Bible also tells us, "The rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep". In other words it says to the individual, especialy to those of us who would profess to be christians, that we do have a responsibility.
Now,as in all my bloggs, I am thinking no no specific cases, i talk here generaly of how we, christians or none christians react to folks going through crises, of various kinds. We need to first, comfort, second, help to restore their feelings of self worth. Now I would add thirdly, that we need to offer practical help solutions. Is their a package that can be put together? Is there practical assistance that might help? and so on. I'm convinced that when things start to fall apart for people, in any senario, through no fault of their own, we have a God given duty to aid them. People might feel a person is seeking for sympathy, is that so wrong? Off course people desire sympathy, but my experiance is that they want sympathy that is structured. I'm convinced no-one wants to be seen as a cry baby, but that they only seek dignity. So in giving people emotional and practical dignity through assistance I/we might offer, we begin to repair the cracks and stop the falling apart process!

Our Spiritual Humanity!

2005-10-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

Jesus came to earth, God in flesh, and wore our humanity, suffering terribly on the cross!
The world we live in looks for humanity, acts of kindness, humane sacrifice, etc! This is because world knows there is something better than our humanistic material society!
I have talked about love, being accepted, etc in previous entries, these are all part of humanity crying out, for love, help, acceptance!
As christians we must never be soo spiritual that we forget, lost touch, with our humanity! I am a christian, a spiritual being, but also a humane who broke the mold..in other words, each of us is unique!
Our humanity is formed of many events, experiances, imputs, not all of them good!
But what was good for me was becomming a christian, this humane taking in spiritual relity through Christ!
Since that day I have had to live with the new man, spiritualy I am, and also with me, the person, the man, I am!
I often get so disgusted with myself as a christian, because of the humane man I am!
I still can, mistrust, fear, doubt, yearn for love, for acceptance, for dignity...as we all do!
I even manage, though it hurts, to admit when I'm wrong!
Spiritualy I cling to Jesus, He is my all in all!
Humanly, I experice the things all others experiance!
What I am saying dear friends is...dont despair about your humanity....but rejoice in your spirituality....which can only be gained through Jesus and the cross!

2005-09-30T11:55:00.000-07:00

Is proffesionalism relpacing compassion in christian ministry?

2005-09-21T08:12:00.000-07:00

Is it posible that we folks in ministry can become soo proffesional that we lack compassion?
I'm not thinking here of a super spiritual compassion, but a simple humane one!
Maybe we see all answers to problems in a theoligical setting? Maybe we cant move beyond our dogmas into a world of copassionate reality?
Our colleges/seminaries, teach us to be good theologians, teachers, organisers...but compassion isnt something that can be taught!
Jesus compassion comes to us in humane form, as a man He walked amoung us, wept with us, suffered our sufferings, and ultimatly edured agony for us on the cross!
Also, are we soo concerned about our own selfs appearing kinda perfect, instead of letting our own imperfections, humanity, be seen?
The only perfection I communicate to people is the Lords! I have no humane perfection, I have trials, moods, tears, stresses, and physical suffering, and yes share the fears that humanity has!
I am well taught in theology, missions, as are my many ministry friends throughout this world.
Although Jesus does speak theology, He is more noted for His compassion and love in the gospels. Is it the case, that we in ministry are more noted for our theology, teaching, ministry, abilaties, than possibly for our compassion?
I think when I was more theologicaly minded this question didnt enter my thinking, after all, all was right with my world, and theology had all the answers! But personal sorrow, pain, hardship, and my own awarness that I need the compassion of others, has shown to me, my past, and many at present in ministries failure!
Today I sit more besides people as a fellow humane being than some evangelical guru with all the answers in some book somewhere! I share their humanity, their suffering, as I am as they are!
Dont get me wrong, in no way have I deserted the gospels neccesity for salvation of souls, and I have not for a moment stopped teaching it! Its just I'm finding I share more than preach! Isnt this what Jesus did? Jesus off course preached, and taught, but Its His compassion that touches people, and quite frankly annoyed others!
Maybe we can only learn compassion through suffering? Personaly I would hope that this isnt always neccesary, but its seems that way! Those who suffer seem more compassionate and understanding, than those who dont!
My book shelfs are lined with many books on theology and missions. But my heart thats full of pain seems more valuable than all my books!
Minsitry friends, tommorrow when folks come to you, as you are preparing that sensational sermone, will compassion direct you or theology? No, I dont want you to cast aside theology, but all our teachings without compassion I beleive are as nothing!

As we seek reason...Do we loose it?

2005-09-20T03:52:00.000-07:00

We all seek "Reason", a reason for our lifes, for our very existance on this plannet. We are creatures who need a reason for our existance, for our continuing to exist!
People seek this through a career, through marriege, etc! Others trace their linage, their family tree, most often looking for a noble past. We all, if we are truthfull need a reason to live, to explain our existance!
I, we all, need to feel valued. In my ministry I need to feel worthwhile, wanted, needed, childish as this may sound. I need to feel my employer values me, that I am of some worth, some good. Its a horrible experiance to find oneself not valued, it strikes at the very core of our existance.
We need to feel needed in personal relationships, this is why single folks often hurt so much, they can feel, not wanted by another, therefore of no value!
Children need nurcherd in that feeling of belonging, of being wanted, of having values, to be congratulated in even the smallest acheivment. If this is missing in a childs upbringing we will be left with a person who see's no value in themselfs!
As a christian I was taught about how God values me...that "If I had been the only sinner Christ would still have died for me". But does the church pass on this truth in an emotional way to me, too you?
We are receiving messages every day from society...If you have that good car you are a success, a person of value! If You have that position of power, you are a person of value! If you have the perfect family, you are a person of value, and so I could go on.
In touching the Leper, sitting with the tax-collector, being loving to the prostitute, Jesus not only healed, and saved, but He communicated to them their value in God's eyes! We often miss this out in our evangelism, we tell folks they need "To be saved", but do we give them a sense of their value?
We are all different, we all broke the mold. But one thing that we all share is a desire for reason, for our existance, for our coninuing existance.
When we are betrayed, rejected, ignored, are though badly off, whether justified or not, our sense of self value plumits, and our reason for existanse is brought into question!
If I cry out for help, for assistance, for understanding, yes for love, and I'm ignored, then this will, does affect, my fragile humanity! My humanity is part of the whole person I am spiritualy!
Who am I? There is the question? I'm a child, I'm an adolescent, I'm a young man, I am a theoligical student with dreams, a young husband, a husband, a father, a muture man, a man who has been in ministry for 27 years, I am all these at one time, as all the experiances, hopes, dreams, joys, and pain, make me the person I am today.
I suppose, I'm a "Nuclear Child" as Henry Nouwen would put it, still seeking for reason!
Oh dont get me wrong, I am totaly committed to God and His Kingdom. But, its that feeling of personaly value, "Reason" I seek for. This value this reason is communicated to me by those I know, worship with, work with, am employed by! If they dont find value in me, see a "Reason" for my existance, see me as a valued person, then how can I?
I phoned someone this morning, in an attempt to let them know, they are valued, that in my concern, they have "reason" their existanse is noted and valued!
I find most of the phone calls I get are worked related, or someone wanting something from me...nothing wrong with this. But very very seldom, does anyone phone me to celebrate my existance on this earth, to make me feel valued for myself!
We all seek this reason to value ourselfs, to be noted, worthwhile, wanted, needed, cared about! Often we can be left with only a feeling of being used! This leads us to feel, when we are past usefullness, we can be discarded!
Surely I/you are more than our work, our position, our possesions? I'm a person passing through this world but once, I am a vapour that vanishes in the rising sun. But I am also an etternal soul...a soul with feelings, yearnings, wanting reason for my existanse on this earth.
I hope and pray, that today, someone will reach out to you and me, and give us a feeling of "Reason" or worth, or tragicaly we may loose it!
Someone might shout out, "Hold on, God is your reason!" Yes I agree, but God communicated worth to the Leper , through Jesus, bye Jesus touching him. God works through us, through His people, if His people feel I am off no worth, the message isnt comming through, if they do, and communicate it to me, then there is hope in even my darkest night!

The Christian and Depression.

2005-09-18T08:13:00.000-07:00

Many in this world suffer from what is loosely termed "Depression".
Many commit suicide each day because of it.
I would always advise against suicide obviously, but do think of the terrible suffering that causes a person to do such a thing!
Medicine has good resources, often the correct anti-depresant will help enourmously. To a lesser degree, counselling can help, but again counselling is just that, "Counselling"!
Depression can be hormonal, though I feel over emphases is given to the hormonal angle, as depression seems in most cases, to be caused by events, stress, etc! Or simply by how people are treated!
Various careers cause fepressions of various kinds. Law Enforcment does now recognise that the experiances of that career can lead to forms of isolationism and depression. Simply, folks in that proffesion can become isolated in their experiances from others in society, and yes the church!
The ministry itself is a fairly high depression incidents proffesion. Many factors may come into this...salery....lifestyle...always being the giver and never the receiver...not be supported properly...being unapreciated...etc etc.
But I want to take my thoughts even further. Why is there so much depression amoung christians? We have so many Bible passages promising wholeness, healing, peace,...and yet seem to have churches full of people who dont experiance these things. Tragic thing is, to my thinking, christians seem to accept this failure in their midst, to make excuses, or even simply blame the person suffering!
Also, as christians do undoubtedly commit suicide, we are burying our heads in the sand regards a major problem in our midst!
I beleive truthfully, that many start out in the christian life with high hopes of great things to come, of wonderfull experiances of God, that they slowly but surely become depressed as they realisticly see little, experiance little! Sadly many christians flirt from church to church, teaching to teaching, looking for that fix they yearn for...and yes, I dare to say it..NEED!
My simple observation is..that the emotional spiritual needs of people are not been met in our churches! This my friends is a disastor we are not facing up too. We may just simply not wish to accept that our churches are failing..are missing out...or dont have God in reality in our midst!
In fact, some christians feel we shouldent even discuss suicide as it may cause people to feel suicide as an alternative to their continual suffering. While totaly agreeing that suicide is never the answer...we miss the point...christians are already suicidal, or deeply depressed at least..and our not wishing to talk about the subject does nothing to help the issue!
Many long years ago at a ministers conferance, I heard a talk on "Ministerial Depression". I still remember it today because I have not heard such a talk since!
My feeling is...and its my person Blogg...my personal Journey...is that God dosent wish for soo many christians to be suffering depression. I feel there is an answer, but one I see very few christians looking for!
I would love to see more realistic care of christians suffering from this curse! I would love to see a more realistic scritural/spiritual reasearch being made into , Why christians continue to suffer so much from it?
What do you think? Have you any comments? suggestions? answers?

The Sinical Christian.

2005-09-17T16:36:00.000-07:00

I prefer to look for positive things in my Journey through life and my spiritual experiance. I gave my life to God many long years ago and have no regrets. I gave my family to God also, and although I have suffered pain in this area, I still have no regrets.
But being sinical is often a temptation that is with me, sadly often well founded when I look at the church!
I have truely often found more love, careing, assistance from the world than I ever have from fellow christians.
But it was God Who saved me through Jesus, not His church! It is God Who loves me, even when His church fails. It is God Who I bare my heart too in the depth of the night, when I feel no christian cares!
Yes, I'm sinical regards much claimed by the church, and the attitudes of many in it. But I have no sinical feelings in regards to God, Who so loved me that He sent His "Only boggoten Son", that in my darkest night I have hope!

The fellowship of lonely tears.

2005-09-17T15:45:00.000-07:00

Was travelling through some nice neighborhoods tonight looking at what appeared to be happy, pleasant homes, but remembered that behind those doors there would be people who suffer emotional pain, who bear scars, who feel alone!
Sometimes I feel if we listening intently enough we will hear the groan of suffering humanity. Lifes once so full of dreams, brocken, and brocken hearted!
I guess most folks dream of happiness in some way or other, probably most imagine a loving partner, children, posibly the family together cumfy and cozy on a winters night. But dreams shatter, loved ones die, families are torn apart, hearts are brocken, etc etc.
Why are people left so lonely in their grief and suffering? It could be the society we live in? It could be they arent the most sociable of people? It could be they withdraw from a world they feel never cared? I dont know all the answers I just know that folks are lonely and broken all around us.
But, folks are this way also in our church/christian communities! People who yearn for humane warmth and love in our midst dont find it! People go to church, smile, then go back to their lonely painfull existance! Maybe we expect, demand, too much from people! Someone said that sometimes evangelicals majored on praise and not on careing! As an evangelical I must say I agree with this statment. I have found people more interested in my theology than in me as a person! In many ways evangelical circles taught me to hide my feelings, fears, and pain. I learn that many folks werent really interested in who I am. I learnt to be accepted for certain theological points of view, not because I'm me! Who is me? I doubt that many know, or have wished to really know. They made up their own oppinions of me, for good, and many for bad, without every really finding out anything about me! Thus I, and others, are forced into, even in christian circles, lonely lives, as no-one has cared to find out who we really are, what tares us apart, etc!
I experiance times of lonely desolation, and if I do, then many others do as well. But maybe people will continue in the fellowship of their lonely tears because no-one cares to every know them?

The death of love in the christian church!

2005-09-16T16:12:00.000-07:00

We christians talk a lot about LOVE...the Love of God...the LOVE for the lost...and the LOVE for one another.
I wonder sometimes how much we really LOVE God? Surely to LOVE God means we keep His commands? One of these it, "To LOVE one another".
I wonder how much we really LOVE the lost? Jesus wept over Jerusalem, do we weep for the lost anymore?
I wonder sometimes, do we really LOVE one another? How can there be a christian church if we dont?
Maybe we are too strategy orientated today, the work becomming everything? Maybe we are too proffesional? Maybe we are just kidding ourselfs often, that God is pleased with us?
I want to be LOVED, I need LOVE, but not just in words! I need it, as you do, in a practical way!
Jesus told us to go the other mile, but if we request help from our brethern we are often ignored!
If I ignore my wifes requests, my childrens needs, do I LOVE them? No! is the simple answer to this question.
If we ignore our fellow christians plight, sufferings, appeals for help, then is the LOVE of God in us?. This again brings forth a simple clear answer...NOOOO!

Helping the war worn christian worker.

2005-09-10T06:02:00.000-07:00

Having been in ministry for 27 years I feel I have the experiance to talk on this subject.
Ministry, the christian life, has many twists and turns, many ups and downs.
There can come times for the individual christian in ministry, and their famalies, when they have had such a beating by the spiritual warfare they are in, that they need assistance and healing. If we were soldiers on a battle field and got wounded, or were police officers injured in the line of duty, all help and aid would be available for our recovery! But if we christian workers are injured in ourselfs, in our lives, in our spiritual ministry, it would seem that often we are left to lick our own wounds, while nearbye resources are withheld!
As in all my posts I point out, these are general statments and not directed at any specific persons or groups.
Christian ministry, through no fault of organisations, has to be a poorly paid proffesion, this means that the christian in ministry has not, usualy, the finacial resources, to aid themselfs and their famalies in times of need.
Also, the war worn christian, does feel the affects of their enviroment, spiritual situation in which they live and work, as does any other person.
The war weary christian often just needs a loving arm around them, practical support that often costs nothing, to be appreciated for all they have done, are doing! Sadly christians arent very good at recognising work of others!
So, kind words, an arm around ones shoulders, practical help, appreciation, are often all thats needed! But yet, many good christian workers lie on the battle field licking their own wounds, while help is nearbye but never released!

Is the church all movement and no life?

2005-09-10T05:30:00.000-07:00

This again is a general question and aimed at no specific bodies.
We are well organised today as christians, we have missions, outreaches, various schemes going, but very little to show for it. Church numbers are either stagnated or going down! This at time church has more resources than it has ever had!
Christians look here and there for the answers to this dilema but seemingly without any results! In fact, we seem to repeat the same things over and over and over again.
May I suggest its not what we do thats failing, but we christians ourselfs!
We hear much talked about the Holy Spirit today, but truely see little evidence of Him at work!
In previous bloggs I have talked about christians seeking help and not getting it within their fellowship. About christian love being often absent, etc etc. These are all symptoms of a church going on in its own strenth, but not on the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is interested in people, where as the church often seems more interested in projects, just using people to fullfill these schemes!
When was the last Holy Spirit revival in the west? Some would say the last real one was on the Island of Lewis in north west Scotland 1949-1953!
Billy Graham certainly reached many, and many were saved, but can we call his campaigns revivals?
I will beleive I'm seeing the Holy Spirit moving again in our churches when I see real love being shown for other christians, when I see sacrificial christianity reach out to christians in need, and the lost!
I will beleive the Holy Spirit is again moving in our midst when people are looked on, not as means to be used to an end, but as vital individuals with needs of their own.
Remember always, revival begins within the church, amongst its people, not in is programmes!

Has true christian love deserted the church?

2005-09-09T12:25:00.000-07:00

When I became a christian, as a young man, I beleived I was enterying the most wonderfull movement on this earth, The Church of the Living God! I still totaly beleive it is, because of its potential under God's authority and power!
I also felt in entering the church as a young man, I was enterying a fellowship full of LOVE! I loved reading I Corinthians chapter 13, which christian hasnt? In fact scriptures stress LOVE so strongly, that without it you really havent a christian church!
But I find, that we christians really find it hard to love, especialy each other..why is this? What is wrong with us, when we function without love...can this ever be christian?
Some times faces, class, ideas, charracters, dont fit, so folks are excluded to the side lines..this does happen!
Sometimes folks in real need are excluded from any real help...because a humane decides so!
What is going wrong when this happens?
Simply my friends, we are ignoring clear scriptural teaching, the commands of Jesus!
I love the church, I yearn pray for its being blessed! But if we allow love to desert us..yes love for even the unlovely..all out outreach, missions, seminars, praise, wont help us one bit, because we have left out the most vital ellement of true christian life, LOVE!
If you are reading this, THINK! Have I/we, excluded, refused help too, passed over, someone who is a christian because of some personal, institutional, predudiced? LOVE dosent allow us to make such decisions! Go and make it right, and be reconcilled to that brother/sister!!!

Has truth left the church at price of survival?

2005-09-09T12:14:00.000-07:00

OK, lets be clear here, I'm not thinking of any one particular church, denomination, instituation!
But is it possible for some, to love their own good name, their financial needs, etc, that they will hurt, exclude, folks they feel are a threat?
Will some lie, blackwall, folks who might protest?
Or even ignore the needs of some who they feel havent given enough, or what they require, to them?
In this "My Journey" I am asking hard questions, questions others have brought to me, and I have fallen over personaly, in my 27 years of ministry.
To be clear for all readers, as a worker with London City Mission, I'm in no way talking about my mission between the lines!
This is a general question, do christion instituation seek survival more than , what pleases God?
Do individual christians seek their own welfare, benefit, before what pleases God?
I feel many do, and this should hurt us all. It should hurt us, because it hurts God, and other christians.

When christians cry for help!

2005-09-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

Its a real fact that christians need help as well as anyone else in this world. Christians face the same financial issues, social issues, health related issues, crime issues, that other folks do!

Christians like others communicate their need of help just like other humanes do, and christians usualy do it within fellowship circles that they belong too. Scripture clearly states we are to "Bear one anothers burdens", to me this dosent just mean a sympathetic ear! But sadly many dont even get a sympathetic ear! We are told, "You will know they are christians by their love!" Is loving really showing itself in many christian circles today?

So, if I, or any other christian askes for help, what should be the reaction from other christians? Its simple really, isnt it, our brothers and sisters in Christ should rally synpatheticaly and practicaly to our aid, and that of our families, if families needs are included! Yet my own experiances, and the shared experiances of many other christians, show this dosent always happen!

Maybe we all have become so functional that we have forgot the main function of the church is LOVE!

Love for God .
Love for each other.
Love for the lost.

Its three poles that support each other to make the christian whole!

We cant love each other and the lost, and not love God...that can never be christianity!
We cant love God and each other, and not love the lost...that can never be christianity!
And dear friends, We cant love God, and love the lost, but not love each other...this also can never be christianity!

Has a christian cried out for help today, have they been heard, or are they being ignored!?
You who read this blogg will know the answer in your own situation!

Let us love one another...to do otherwise denies the whole christian principal!

What is fellowsip? What should it be?

2005-09-04T05:46:00.000-07:00

I guess we all have a desire to be loved, to be worthy of others liking us, wanting to be around us, to be willing to help us in our times of trouble and heartach.
Society seems to say, "Do something worthy of respect!" In a real sense we are what we make of ourselfs. I guess most choose a career path for some self gratification, to be respected. After all life has taught us we must earn respect.
How does this develope into christian fellowship? I guess, this is my observation, christians have favourites, and will help those they approve of, whom they like! Some folks faces fit, others dont! I guess a sense of self worth, of self importance, helps folks feel worthy enough to fit in!
What if lifes experiances has led someone to have little sense of self worth? We are all different, does fellowship really concider this? I'm not sure it does!
There is meant to be christian love in fellowship, and christian love is meant to be something deeper than worldly love. Yet, christians seem often ignored, left alone, in their trials and troubles. I know christians who have just given up shareing their pain, problems, simply because folks stopped listening to them, they were reaching out, but got nothing back.
Maybe if I have to become worthy of christian love and fellowship I'm best without it, as that isnt christian fellowship!
Christian fellowship therefore is a spiritual ideal, not a man decided process. Who are we to decide who is worthy of our love, respect, help?
How many times does a person need to ask for help, to cry out with lifes burdens? Is it one or a hundred times? Surely sypathetic noises arent the best we can offer folks?
Maybe we just have that inbuilt yearning for to be loved, and love that is just words, well its false! God's love was words put into action. This is what He told us to do for others in fellowship, show sacraficial love. My simple observation is, I dont see much of it about in many fellowships!

Natural and unnatural disastors.

2005-08-31T13:39:00.000-07:00

We are seeing the devastation of latest hurricane to hit the southern states of the USA, and at same time seeing the horror from Iraq where people panicked and bridge rail collapsed. Its all very moving, very horrible!
But I do wonder, if it werent for modern media, would we feel these events as we do?
I think we have a limit to horror we can take in, and at times like these our senses are on overload!
Since time began there has been horrors...think of destruction of Sodam and Gomorah! Of the world wide flood! Of destructon of Jerusalem! and we could go on and on!
Do I care?...yes emphaticaly so!
But in end, do we christians, while doing everything we can practicaly to aid releif efforts, need to step back? I think we do! No I'm not saying we become uncareing, that we dont do everything we can, practicaly, to help. But psycholigicaly and spiritualy, we need to step back.
I'm only a man, a person, with a limitation on the horror I can take. We as christians, and others, need to remind ourselfs of the existance of a Sovreign God. We need to meditate on scriptures, relax in God's love, to be whole, if we are to be any use to our world in its sufferings!
Yes, we need to do our utmost to help...but we also need to preach what scriptures tell us of the times we are living in!
My heart goes out to all those suffering, and the dead! But my heart must also be directed to God and His word in regards to these tregedies we are witnessing!
May God helps us all, to help others at these times, and to look to Him, our sovreign God!

What is The London City Mission?

2005-08-30T10:30:00.000-07:00

We are an interdeniminationl mission started in 1835 with a definate evangelical vision, this vision remains with us today. We have people working in Christian Centres, in churches, in industry, in emergemcy services..in fact in all areas of Londons life!
We do remarkably well, but could do soo soo much more. We always need new personal...could God be calling you?.....and yes finance....but most of all we covet your prayer support. If you want any more information on my mission contact me on jwgentles@aol.com

Christians and Integrity!

2005-08-30T05:36:00.000-07:00

When challenged by his friend, that his trials and sufferings must have something to do with sin, Job replied, "I will keep my integrity till I die". In Revelation 22:15 it mentions amoung those excluded fro Heaven, "Whosover loveth and maketh a lie".
It seems to me that scriptures lay a lot of emphases on honesty, on integrity. But, do modern day christians hold integrity and honesty as highly as God does?
Christians can say, "Does God really love me?", because they live in a world where lies and dishonesty are commen. But God doesent lie, when He says He loves us, He means it!
Now most christians I know hold to honesty and integrity in living their christian lifes, I trust them because of this, and I expect trust from them! If they wish to challenge my honesty I simply state, "My integrity is not for negotiation".
Honesty in life, as well as in what we say, is important. Sometimes truely saying how we feel...for instance, "I'm really down today", should be accepted. Yet many of us when asked, "How are you?" will reply "Fine!", even if we are not. Was the question or the answer dishonest? Some say "Fine" because they detect a lack of honest inquiery in the person asking!
But whether I like to admit it or not, I witness an increasing amount of dishonesty in christian circles, even in ministry circles! It can be mere rumour mongering, to downright lies, giving a false impression, manipulating truth of situations to suit themselfs, etc etc!
World is full of dishonesty...who really trusts poloticians? But surely then, christians must show a purer honesty in a society darkened by lies! Its tragic when even christians dont fully trust other christians!
I have a small inner cirlce of christian friends who I trust implicitly, but have to admit that I dont trust all christians. This saddens me, it should sadden us all!
How many sermons do we hear in church on the subject of honesty and christian integrity? Are we christians preaching, and practicing honesty? My experiance of many christians is, that they are not!
Lets grasp hold of this subject dear friends, a christianity that hasnt integrity, is not Biblical christianity! A christianity that "Loveth and maketh a lie", is excluded from God's kingdom!

The Power of prayer.

2005-08-30T04:08:00.000-07:00

I'm no expert in New Testament greek, but understand that word for prayer...when Jesus prayes in Gethsemani....When christians pray for Peter in prison, and angel sets him free...and in James where it mentions the "Fervent effectual prayer of a righteos man", is only used in these three incidents. It would seem therefore that this prayer is a very deep thing compared to other prayer?
Prayer may confuse many of us...what it is...how it works...what to expect! Many may feel prayer is not answered in a direct way. When we look at Jesus and the Acts of the Apostles we seem to be looking at another world of prayer entierly from our own.
Maybe your experiance has been praying hard, for a person, for a need, and seeing nothing happen. Maybe you feel that you have been praying very hard for an ill person, just to see, soo many times, them not recovering. Maybe you beleive that...well God healed them in taking them home, which is a fact! But you wonder why your prayers dont see physical healing!
Personaly my christian life is one of faith and trust in God, that He decides, allowes all things to come our way, so I rest in His Sovreign authority and will. But like you possibly, there is a desire to see more prayer answered in what I think off as a more positive way! By this I mean, actualy seeing things happen here on earth!
I am not saying I dont have prayer answered, I do!....but I do wonder about many prayers seeming not being heard, answered! Therefore I want to find out what prayer mentioned at beggining of this post is like, do we still have it today, or has prayer changed?
Your comments will be very welcome.

Brazilan shooting!

2005-08-19T17:35:00.000-07:00

OK, we all admit is was a tredgety.
He was an illegal, since 2003
He was genuinly suspect, at time.
He acted suspiciously!
He didnt obey police commands to stop!
He was shot!
We are all very into legal situation...and I for one...though admitting a tradgety...supporting cops...see something different...are you willing to follow me?

Did anyone tell him about a saviour, about Jesus? Did anyone witness to him about his soul? Did anyome tell him God loved him?

Dear friends, we all might die tommorrow, we will all die sometimes, if Jesus dosent return first! I feel in this matter, as in many, we are all loosing the issue, did anyone witness to him about God's love?

His death is regretable, reasons behind it...well cops dindnt do wrong!

What I can say is, London City Mission, do try, with everything we have, to reach out to lost souls in London. Will you join us, support us? We represent all churches in London....in all our imperfection....we represent God, not ourselfs ,not a particular theology, but Gods love! We could have reached him for Jesus before he died, but we, are limited, though doing much, by support provided!!

If you wish to more about my mission...The London City Mission...contact me at...jwgentles@aol.com

Is prayer answered for the sick?

2005-08-18T15:07:00.000-07:00

In my experince I have prayed for many ill people, but havent seen any real results. I'm asking people to be honest about this, have you? I think especialy of folks with serious illnesses I have honestly wrestled in prayer for. I know God isnt always going to heal, I accept in His will people do, will die! But, hasnt He told us to pray for folks healing? Surely, I should have witnessed at least some folks recovering? Seems to me we claim healings for mainly minor, or treatable ailments, but never get a chance to rejoice over healing of people with serious illnesses!
Is this because, we pray wrong? we dont pray hard enough? we lack faith? Personaly I dont think any of these three are correct. Have we understood scripture regards prayer for the sick?

Another area I would want to look at is praying for healing for folks with psychological/psychiatric illnesses. I find it hard to beleive the Lord means christians people He has set free, to continue to suffer from such ailments, yet if there ever was an area where limited healing due to prayer exists, this is it!

Having been a christian for 32 years, and in ministry for 27, I find my hopes for healings in result of prayer is less than when I bagan the christian life. Maybe then I had a simplistic view that God hears us, now I'm confuessed as to why He call us to pray for the sick, as I, and many many others, lets be truthfull, see nothing, or hardly anything, happen as a result of such prayer!
Dont get me wrong, I still fervently pray for the sick, and always will, but must admit to discouragment and confussion in this area of prayer.

What do you think, feel?

Love a Muslim!

2005-08-17T13:23:00.000-07:00

OK, I got Muslim freinds, cops, I would trust my life too. But question is more general, how can we trust them. Well, how can we trust anyone?
Maybe answer is, we can only trust God!? I beleive many western Muslims have same priorites as we do...family....work...security..............well they are humanes!
Here in Londom, whenever I see Muslims, I smile at them, and their children! Gosh those kids returned smiles are something!
How can I love them...well, just as same as I love any humane!
In this sick, violent world, love is the only answer!

Would a cop really fit in to your church?

2005-08-16T14:45:00.000-07:00

They are authority people, thats their job, so would you try to dominate them? If you do, it wont work!

They often like proper ceremony, is your worship babyish and silly?

They spy a fraud a mile away. Would thy spy it in your church?

They dont like being hastled. Would you church hastle them?

They spy sincerity a mile away. Would they see it in your church?

They arent bleeding hearts kinda people. Would your church turn them off?

They beleive in justice. Does your church preach it?

They dont experiance nice things. Does your church only wish people who talk of nice things?

They demand respect. Do your people offer it, and deserve it themselfs?

Their hours/shifts, are not very sociable. Would your churches programme fit them in?

They dont stick their head in the sand, regards the worlds dangers. Does your church encourage folks to stick their heads in the sand?

They are patriotic. Are their folks attacking goverment in your church?

Thay have to use force. Does your church preach none-violence?

They keep the law. Do your folks?

They beleive in honour and integrity. Is this seen and practiced amoung your folks?

Hope these questions will at least stir your thinking regards cops fitting in to your church.

A Good Quote!

2005-08-16T03:28:00.000-07:00

"The cowards never started and the fainthearted fell by the way"

Kit Carson

Maybe this can be applied in two ways;

1) In regards to war on terrorism.
2) In regards to the christian life.

Fear Of Terrorism.

2005-08-15T14:35:00.000-07:00

Fear is something we dont always like admiting too but all experiance. It comes in many forms, fear of illness, death, poverty, being spiritual lost, etc etc etc. Through the ages people have tried to conquer fear, todays macho man pretends he dosent have any. When something that causes us fear arrises we immediatly look for hope, or as some would say," Look on the bright side of life".
Fear affects us in different ways, fear is always the cause of stress. Fear I cant cope, do a certain job, of enviroment I live in, of consequences of certain actions, etc etc etc. We even fear not being accepted, of not being loved.
We today fear terrorism and where it will end, or how it will develope. Naturaly we want to live in a safe enviroment, where people dont jump from World Trade Centres or get blown to shreds on underground trains etc. But tragicaly for us all this is the world we now live in, have to deal with.
We are told that the best thing we can do is face, or confront our fear. So, what do we fear, what causes us stress as we think of terrorism? We fear its here to stay, that it will grow nastier, that it will affect us personaly, our famalies, our incomes, etc etc etc. We fear bigger weapons, biological, chemical, and even nuclear! We fear because we feel vulnarable.
In London since 7/7 we all feel different, more cautious, more aware of our vulnarability. Some of us have seen that sudden death, its aftermath, its horror! We live expecting more attacks to come, not a very nice feeling. People say we go on living as normal, but do we really? How can we be normal with always possibility of more bomb attacks at back of our minds?
A baby is a very vulnarable little bundle, but babies usualy feel secure in their mother, their parents love! When I was young I felt secure as long as mom was around, cause in my childhood thinking, mom would always make things all right. I as an adult cant change this world, I personaly cant stop terrorism, cant stop evil. I cant guarentee myself or my family security, freedom from all danger.
This vulnaribilty has its good side, as it makes me look to God, as I looked as a child look towards my mum. I realise God dosent guarentee my security, but I also beleive nothing will touch me that He dosent allow! I have to live in this world, in this city, in this time in history. Difference for me is, not the absence of fear, but that I face it with God. I would truely quack in my boots if there was no God, as there would be no hope, just pointlessness in life. God, my knowledge of Him, dosent take away the fearfull things in my life, but it does help me face them with purpose, hope, and reason for living. Americans say "In God we Trust". For me this is not just a slogan, but a reality. No, I dont have deep spiritual experiances, no, I am not free of fear, no, I'm not some christian superman. I'm just a mortal, who in fear, in stress, in lifes unknown future, turns to God Who knows all things including the second I will die! In God I trust!

A thought for you!

2005-08-15T05:38:00.000-07:00

I often say, "My integrit is not negotiable". Some see this as pride, but I dont! Integrity is a missing factor in much of todays society, and sadly in christian circles. Is your integrity negotiable?

Free will ot God's intervention?

2005-08-15T03:40:00.000-07:00

Here I'm not so much thinking of salvation so much as the actual chritian life in its spiritual dimension. I find, most, christians wish for a more realistic spiritual experiance, all would give it different names. Also I find christians reading books of others wonderfull experiances wishing it was theirs. Some would teach that certain experiances are for all, but in my thinking this is quite wrong, or we would see all having them.
Like all christians I struggle at times, wishing to be better, nicer, more loving, more holy, etc....but always seem to fail! That I do anything right is down to God's grace and God's grace alone! I continualy seek better experinces, standareds, holiness for myself, through prayer etc, but nothing so far. Now I ask myself, is this because God wants me as I am? In my ministry I work amoung people, who though being the salt of the earth, are rather worldly in thoughts and language. Could I work among them if my soul were seared with all they said and did? Does the good Lord allow some of us a climatation to worldly thinking etc so that we can live and minister amongs it? Is it possible to be soo Heavenly minded that we become no earthly good?
I find chaplains are a breed apart from others in ministry, especialy those who cover police. Chaplains seem to have a more realistic view of life and all that is going on around them. They become tough, while at same time being gentle. They cannot do their job if they are shrinking violets, as most often they are in a fairly macho eviroment that is dealing with horror, evil, and the dregs of society! Also, their thinking can be completely different from other christians, as eviroment they work in see's negative side of humanity all the time!
As God gives different gifts for the ministry of His church, cant it also be that He gives different spiritual experiances etc for the same reason? Someone ministering in a hospice needs a different charracter than those ministrying with military and law enforcment.
So friends, should we be searching for greater spiritual experiances,or just be accepting what God makes us spiritualy? If God is content to leave me as I am, shouldent I be content? After all, it is God's grace that works in us according to His will and purposes!

Crime and Terrorism Today.

2005-08-14T12:57:00.000-07:00

Today I was in a Halfords store when about seven young men in hoods came in and robbed it as customers and staff stood watching. People were wise, dont do anything unless someone is being threatened. One never does know what weapons they have concealed.
Here in London we waited almost four years after 9/11 for promised terrorist attack, as world knows now it came on 7/7
I felt anger that robbers today got clean away that no-one was able to stop them. I'm British and therefore gun shy, I dont want guns on our streets, but since 7/7 we have seen lots in hands of police. It seems the only way foreward is more arms, more willingness to use them, more force being allowed in law and order and defence! At time of robbery I felt, why is a store this large not defended, why is security guard not armed, why is there no protection for all the people in here? If those guys had guns, and many criminals round here do have them, then they could have shot anyone without any problem! I find this frightening, and as a citizen I feel naked and defensless in face of determined armed crime!
I travel daily on Londons transport system aware that another terrorist attack could come any day. I feel that only stiff resistance, armed response to terrorism, is only way ahead. I also feel we have to hurt them bad, to, yes be cruel, be tough, make them wish they had never started out to attack us.
But I'm also a christian, and genuinly abhore violence, yet I do beleive state has that right, the right to kill to defend its citizens, the right to be cruel to protect the inocent. I dont wish this, but I see it as the only way ahead!
Someone has said to me, "Could be this be God's judgment on two countries, USA and UK, that He has blessed so much, and who have turned away from him?" I dont know the answer, but its certainly possible. I know Britian has turned from its christian roots in a massive way, the church is often mocked and Bible standards are brushed aside, this does sadden me. Yet the people I work amoungs, The Transport Police, the Railway folks, are the salt of the earth, the best you could get to know! So I still beleive there is a lot of respect for God in this nation, even if respect is lacking for the church, which gets sillier and more wimpish each day, as the world gets more evil and dangerous. Today people are looking to the state for answers as church has failed miserably to have any kind of sane voice!

Signs and Wonders?

2005-08-14T12:40:00.000-07:00

Tonight heard a guy speak on Jesus calming the storm and casting out the demonds in the man called legion. In all it was a good sermone! But he emphasised Signs and Wonders are for today! This is something I'm not entirely sure about!
First do I want them today? Yes would be my immediate reply, after all which christion dosent want to see God's power at work? But I have a problem here, in my many years in christian ministry I have heard a lot about Signs and Wonders but seen very little. So is this wishfull thinking, a sort of evangelical desperation, or is their more, a more that we have not tapped into?
I dont know about you but my Bible seems to promise far more that we ever get. On other hand charrismatic type churches just leave me empty, and teaching woefully lacking in them. I must confess that I have found Evangelical Calvanistic churches better with teaching to a degree than many other groups, but teaching/doctrine seems to be the all in all there. We speak about the sanctified life, but few seem to find it, to live it, or even to understand fully what it is!
Signs and wonders, Baptism in the Holy Spirit, Entire Sanctification, I still want them all...but where are they, are they still with us today? My feeling is, that evangelical christianity has lost it bearings, its way, the powere scriptures seem to promise. I'm fed up making excuses, are you?

Mt thinking today 14th August 2005

2005-08-14T04:39:00.000-07:00

Where does one start?
Today my thoughts are on evengelical traditionalism, and how we often cant see the wood for the trees. We need to look afresh at scriptures, the good old Bible, and try to see where we are going wrong. We arent affective as we should be, materialism controls our lives, and sacraficial living is sure out!
In christian evangelical circles we say a lot of things in almost a defensive mode. We talk of Spirit filled lives when evidence of such lives is sadly lacking! So, we need to look again at what a spirit filled life is in scriptures!
We say the labourer is worth of their higher, that God provides their every need. Yet many in ministry do see their needs not being met, or do they see themselfs getting a decent living standared. Church is only employer that demands high accademic standareds for its leaders, and yet offers the lowest salaries! Would any other corporation on this planet succed in this way?
We talk of sanctity of life, yet cant stop abortion massacre in western cultures. How is this? Arent we still a fairly large constituancy in society? Why cant we make our voice to be heard?
Numercialy we are larger that gay movemnet, yet they run the show on forcing their agendas! I dont hate gay folks, far from it, but they do rule and are a minority in society!
How does prayer work? Does it really get answered? Maybe what we call prayer isnt really what scriptures mean? Another area for deeper examination.
When I started out on my evangelical life it all seemed so simple, now many years on in ministry, I dont find myself questioning God as such, but do find myself questioning my evangelical beleifs, or should I call them "traditions"? In doing so I invite the wrath of many to fall on my poor head, when all I am seeking to do is, look at evengelicalism afresh, is this asking too much?