We really are family: The power of Christian connectedness

Sister Sledge clearly knew they were on to a good thing. Connecting with family – past and present is a big and booming business all over the world. In the USA, genealogy is the second most popular hobby after gardening. Here in the UK, connecting with family, past and present generates multiple internet sites, books, TV shows and sell out national events in the NEC and Alexandra Palace, such as 'Family Tree Live – an amazing family history experience'. Clearly our culture cares about connecting.

We are family: not just biologically but spiritually.

AJ Jacob, author of It's all relative, attempted to pull together the world's largest family reunion and world's largest family photo recently – ambitiously hoping to reunite 4,500 family members past and present. The idea of the world family tree, he says, gives him a profound sense of belonging to something larger than himself. 'It's the ultimate social network and it has to be worth making these connections – it may even hasten world peace.'

Why are people across the globe so into connecting with family, past and present?

Anne-Marie Kramer, a sociologist from Warwick University and author of Genealogy and Kinship says genealogy allows people to 'personalise the past' while connecting with the wider family in the present is important to most people's sense of self. 'The crux of it is a need to feel rooted and connected.'

The hugely popular BBC1 show Who do you think you are? allows celebrities to delve into their family history to uncover secrets and surprises from their past. The show has provided some golden moments, such as Jeremy Paxman dissolving into tears as he learnt of the Salvation Army providing shelter and a lifeline for his destitute grandmother; Boris Johnson clocking he is related to the royal families of Europe; Sunetra Sarker discovering she is related to Ghandi, and probably the most surprising of all – Danny Dyer realising he was a direct descendant of Edward the Third. His was one of my favourite responses by a mile. He shook his head in stunned disbelief and repeated the words 'I can't be...I can't be...me, a boy from Canning Town, Custom House, and THIS is my blood line. I think I need a moment.'

It made me think. I've heard it said that 'Church is not somewhere you go to, it's a family you belong to.' Have you or I ever experienced that WOW moment as we realise the mind-blowing, world changing spiritual family we are part of?

We know family terminology runs throughout the Bible. We are familiar with the idea that God calls us his children and every follower of Jesus is part of one big globe-embracing, history-spanning spiritual family, with Jesus himself saying, 'Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother' (Mark 3:35).

But if we are honest, do we really feel, and more importantly, act like we are one big family? And how strong is our sense of 'belonging' to it, in all its global breadth and historic depth?

My brother bought my kids the brilliant book 'Everyone a child should know.' It shares the life-stories of 52 inspiring Christians – one for every week of the year. There are the usual suspects – Charles Wesley, Spurgeon, Martin Luther and Billy Graham. But there are also social activists Rosa Parks, William Wilberforce and George Muller. Artists and creatives Rembrandt, CS Lewis and Bach. Argula von Grumbach, an advocate for struggling Christians, and George Washington Carver, a genius inventor who used peanuts to help the poor.

With the passing of Billy Graham it struck me that not one of the 52 are still living. I looked for the follow up book 'Everyone a child should know – who are still alive and kicking', but couldn't find it.

I thought of the incredible Christians, some on our doorstep, some further afield, who are alive and well and still in the world-changing family business right now. I started to feel a real sense of urgency to share their stories with my own children, and kind of accidentally started an blog which was a Living Advent Calendar, where each day of Advent you could open a door to uncover an inspiring life of a person opening doors of love, hope and transformation for others. It amazed me how easy it was to fill every day of Advent with ordinary people who, fuelled by their faith, are doing extraordinary things. I loved that my children were excited as they discovered the new life story each day.

Today in Cambodia, our brother Chom No and his inspiring family are helping vulnerable families escape trafficking and exploitation. Today in Tegucigalpa our sister Jesse is helping to break the cycle of poverty for families living and working in the toxic squalor city of the city rubbish dump. Today in Kampala, our sister Immy is caring for vulnerable children in the pre-school she set up and runs with her brilliant team. Today in Belfast, Joanne is running the Lagan Dragons Boat Club for Breast Cancer Survivors. Ordinary people just like us, but living extraordinary lives.

Our global family is amazing. What a spiritual family tree we have. Wouldn't it be amazing if we and our children could have that Danny Dyer WOW moment on a regular basis as we explore and engage with the incredible, world-changing, light-into-darkness, hope-into-despair family we belong to.?

Ann Voskampf's brilliant resource The Jesse Tree illuminates the significance and wonder of the family tree of Jesus in a totally fresh way. My kids' realisation that the prostitute Rahab, the adulterer and murderer David, the disobedient Solomon and the liar Jacob are part of the family line of Jesus, and that they too are part of his spiritual family was an incredible epiphany for them. God chooses and uses real people with real flaws, real needs, real quirks to carry out his amazing purposes. Let's share their stories, their struggles and sacrifice, their faith and their flaws, to create a deeper sense of belonging to an amazing global family which spans the generations. So that we, and our children could know that we follow in the footsteps not only of the biblical heroes of faith, but of ordinary men, women and children who were poets, painters, musicians, carpenters, entrepreneurs, creative writers, dancers, artists, hymn writers, evangelists, reformers, politicians, and preachers.

Could we shift the next generation's aspirational horizons by creating a strong sense of belonging to a global family tree connecting us with Wilberforce, with Bonhoffer, with Carver, with Aylward, with Liddell, but also with the hidden heroes of our world today like Chom No, Immy, Jesse and Joanne?

Knowing who we are connected to reminds us that no matter how insignificant we feel, we have an important place in the world, giving us the 'roots and wings' we long for.

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Ecclesiastes 9: 4 (Four) biblical rules for enjoying life (and glorifying God)

'Enjoy all the days of this meaningless life'

 

Rule 1: Enjoy what God has approved

Solomon counsels that we should be content with our situation, take our opportunities, work hard and be grateful to God for what he has given us in life. The believer in God gives herself to a contented and joyful life. The basis of this is that God has already approved what you do. We are not struggling for acceptance. We receive contentment as God's gift. Go eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.

He mentions white garments and anointing oil (verse 8) because they were things that made life a lot more comfortable in such a hot climate. Food, clothing and ointment were seen as the essentials of life. What is being spoken of here is organic life – or real food. It's the difference between real food and junk food. People want real life. In today's society we have food, full schedules, easy get-in get-out relationships, etc. This is not how we should live in the light of eternity.

Rule 2: Enjoy your meals (verse 7). The average Jewish family began the day with an early snack and then had a light meal ('brunch') sometime between 10 am and noon. They didn't eat together again until after sunset. When their work was done they gathered for the main meal of the day. It consisted largely of bread and wine, perhaps milk and cheese, with a few vegetables and fruit in season, and sometimes fish. Meat was expensive and was served only on special occasions. It was a simple meal that was designed to nourish both the body and the soul. Eating together ('breaking bread') was a communal act of friendship and commitment. Rosario Butterfield was a lesbian feminist professor at Syracuse University before she became a Christian. It was the hospitality of a Reformed Presbyterian pastor and his wife, that made the radical difference to her. Her latest book (The Gospel Comes With a House Key), understandably lauds what is called the ordinary gift of hospitality. One of the simplest things we could do to improve family life is to learn to eat together. Eating together is a great way of strengthening the family, creating friendships, establishing fellowship and bearing witness to the love of Christ. Maybe in our hectic world we need to slow down and enjoy our meals, so that we can enjoy one another and enjoy Christ.

Perhaps Solomon was reflecting on his own experience: 'Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred' (Proverbs 15:17); 'Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife' (Proverbs 17:1).

Perhaps the oil and the white robes refer to special occasions. Then Solomon is saying, enjoy every occasion – or make every occasion a special enjoyable one.

Rule 3: Enjoy your partner

'Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life at God has given you under the sun' (verse 9) is hardly the verse you expect to see on an anniversary card. The demands of marriage include the giving of affection – 'whom you love'. 'Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her' (Ephesians 5:25). Marriage is God's gift, a gift that we are to enjoy, not endure. 'Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral' (Hebrews 13:4) . The marriage that is spoken of is affectionate, lifelong and monogamous. I think a key here is commitment. It is not a cheap throwaway thing. It is incredible the number of men (and women) who just walk away. Did Solomon live up to this? No. But perhaps he was writing this in later life and repenting?

Rule 4: Enjoy your work

Life is to be active and energetic, practical and skilful. Because of our contentment, comfort and companionship we throw ourselves into life. The pessimist cannot enjoy life and his emptiness cannot be filled up in retrospect. In Sheol, earthly things such as activity, plans and wisdom, all cease. 'As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no-one can work' (John 9:4).

So we work with all our might. Whatever your hand finds to do means what is available and within one's ability. Today is the day of opportunity. There is no opportunity in the grave. That is one of the reasons we live life to the full. We work with all our might – we do it with all our strength and our very best.
At one level all the above reads as though Solomon really was the forerunner of Jordan Peterson 3,000 years ago – offering wise principles of living! But he is doing much more than that, because the theme of the whole book that 'under the sun' (ie without God), this is all meaningless. Rules for life and exhortations to contentment, comfort and companionship are all very well – but how do we get them?

The Westminster Shorter Catechism famously asks, 'What is man's chief end?' and answers, 'Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever'. It is when we get our relationship with God sorted that we can then get on with enjoying life. How do we prepare for death? Jesus provides the answer. 'Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"' (John 11:25-26). Being secure in Christ means we can face death without fear and so live our lifes with joy, to the glory of God our creator.

Warren Wiersbe neatly sums it all up: 'If we fear God and walk by faith we will not try to escape or merely endure life. We will enjoy life and receive it happily as a gift from the Lord.'

 

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Why giving is good: 3 ways to find joy in financial sacrifice

The collection. A time of offering. Your tithe. The contemporary church has euphemisms aplenty for the awkward necessity otherwise known as financial giving. And perhaps they betray just that: an odd ambivalence about our money and what we're meant to do with it. No minister wants to be seen as a manipulator, and no believer (hopefully) wishes to be a tight-fisted scrooge. But our wallets are close to our hearts, and a heart that truly loves to give does not always come easy. Nonetheless, despite all our fears, giving is good for us.

But bad news is easy to find; churches can also talk about giving in a way that graceful, inspiring and ultimately a source of joy. Here are three ways it can do just that.

1. Integrity

Dishonesty in finance can come easily, greed being an obvious motive in any situation. Obviously then, integrity and a commitment to the truth should be central to any church inviting financial support. Not only does the truth come out eventually, but you betray the entire cause of faith if honesty evades you: the truth by contrast, sets people free. So ministries shouldn't pretend they're on the desperate brink of collapse if they don't receive your inheritance by tomorrow, when they're really quite fine. It should also be clear to those giving how their money is spent, and thankfully in many churches this kind of public transparency is the norm.

But honesty can also mean being truthful about difficult needs, about the lack of stability, and the serious reliance on charitable support. Some parishioners may not know, or assume their church has a wealth of resources when the opposite is true. People can forget that institutions rely, in part, on their participation to exist. When they know there's a serious need that they can serve, they might just wish you told them sooner.

2. Challenge

The idea of 'challenging' anyone on their money-spending probably seems galling to most, knowing how prone we are to hypocrisy. But a challenge can be good, and Jesus made numerous dramatic claims about discipleship and money. He said, 'Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.' A pastor preaching at my church recently drew on these words in a provocative talk on giving; he summarised Christ's teaching as 'follow the money': your bank balance will, for better or worse, reveal what you value.

Most know, though don't often confront the fact that storing up financial treasure never brings one contentment. Psychological 'happiness' studies confirm it. Rather, in Jesus' words 'it is better to give than to receive' (Acts 20:35), and again as my pastor said: 'your spiritual need to give to the church is far greater than the church's need to receive'.

3. Trust

Ultimately the problem of giving comes down to trust: leaders and congregations trusting each other, yes, but really both being able to trust God. To trust that he really does provide what humanity needs, though not always what it may want. It is in such situations when the things we really rely on – like our financial security – are at risk that we see what the 'trust' in faith requires. It is far more than some distant intellectual assent to an idea that we'll find out about for sure when we die. It's an earthy, costly, tough call to risk and let go, but therein to find what true provision means.

Talk is cheap on a matter such as this, and the spectre of preachy hypocrisy looms large. The real way to learn about giving, is of course, to do it. Lent, as many have learned, is a profound opportunity for this practical service. Unlike Christmas, we may not get physical presents in return for our sacrifice, but can receive something deeper, more transformative: the chance to become the 'cheerful giver' of whom Paul spoke, one who meets with joy the needs of those without, and so meets their deepest needs within.

God bless you.

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Birds of the Bible: How they teach spiritual truth

On National Bird Day, it's lovely to think of our feathered friends and perhaps put some extra peanuts in the garden feeder. We aren't inclined to read very much into their habits, though the sight of two swans making that heart shape with their necks always gets photographers snapping.

In the Bible, though, birds are often mentioned because of some spiritual or poetical significance. In Psalm 102:6 they are symbols of loneliness: 'I resemble a pelican of the wilderness; I have become like an owl of the waste places.' In Job 39:26 it's part of the poet's defence of God's wisdom: 'Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom, and spread its wings towards the south?'

In Psalm 84:3 a bird is an emblem of God's hospitality: 'The bird also has found a house, And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even your altars, O Lordof hosts, my King and my God.'

Sometimes a bird is a metaphor for God's power: 'You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to myself' (Exodus 19:4); or it might symbolise God's care: 'Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling' (Matthew 23:37). Sometimes the image of a bird is used to poke fun at pretentiousness: 'The strutting rooster, the male goat also, and a king when his army is with him' (Proverbs 30:31).

On the other hand, sometimes a bird is just a bird – a useful source of food, like the quails in the wilderness, or a dove that might be sacrificed in the Temple.

Of all the birds in the Bible, the safest were probably the ones regarded as ritually unclean and not to be eaten. It's not clear why all these birds were included, though as some were carrion-eaters they might have ingested unclean food themselves, but in Leviticus 11:13-19 there is a long list: 'These are the birds you are to regard as unclean and not eat because they are unclean: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, any kind of black kite, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat.' There's a similar list in Deuteronomy 14: 12-17.

It's said there are sermons in stones; there are sermons in birds, too. John Stott, the great Bible teacher and pastor, was fond of birds and wrote The Birds Our Teachers: Biblical lessons from a life-long bird-watcher. The title is from Martin Luther's exhortation from the Sermon on the Mount: 'Let the little birds be your theologians'.

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Why do bad things happen to me when all I do is follow Christ?

Christ suffered persecution, and so will who follow Him.

 

Many Christians today are discouraged by what's happening around them. I've heard stories of believers young and old about how they faced different kinds of hardship when all they did was to love God.

All they ever did was go to church, attend prayer gatherings, and be of service to their fellow believers and those who didn't know God. But still they faced hardship.

Perhaps, you might be one of them, a people who've had bad things happen to them when all they ever did was follow Christ. If you're one of them, I want to encourage you:

God knows what you are going through.

Don't be surprised

Friends, it's a fact that when we follow Christ, we will do nothing but what is good and pleasing to God. We will love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. We will love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

That sounds great, but the truth is that not everyone loves God. And because not everyone loves God, everyone won't love their neighbors as themselves.

So, don't be surprised when you are persecuted, ridiculed, mocked, and even rejected for following the Lord Jesus Christ. Actually, it's an honor to go through all of it if it's for the sake of the Lord:

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:10-12 NKJV)

Why will they persecute me?

To help you understand why we shouldn't be surprised that persecution or all sorts of bad things happen to us even when all we do is follow Christ, here are some things to consider.

1) We have an enemy

As Christ-followers, we must realize that we are at war. We have an enemy, and even if he was already defeated and disarmed by the Lord Jesus Christ (see Colossians 2:15), he will still try to harass us. Ephesians 6:12 tells us,

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

2) Our Lord Jesus Himself was persecuted

In John 15, the Lord Jesus Himself warns us that persecution is coming to us. Why? Read what He said:

"Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also."

3) To refine us and prepare us

You might not want to hear this, but hardship is very important to our walk with Christ. Everyone who chooses to follow Jesus must count the cost of following Him, and that cost includes being willing to suffer and go through difficult times for His sake.

Consider these passages:

"And when [Paul and Barnabas] had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."" (Acts 14:21-22)

"So [the apostles] departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name." (Acts 5:40-41)

Be prepared

Friends, I am not scaring you. I want to encourage you to be steadfast and prepare yourself for whatever comes. God loves us, and wants us ready for anything. Remember what 2 Timothy 3:12 tells us and be honored if you face hardship while following Christ.

"Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."

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Four bad reasons to be kind to other people

Why are you kind? Why do you serve and demonstrate love to other people? Of course, the 'right' answer – certainly if you're a Christian – is that as follower of Christ you simply want to replicate his example. And even if you're not, there are definitely times when you decide to act kindly just because you want to be kind – because you're a nice person.

If we're really honest though, that's not always the case. Sometimes, our motives for being kind to other people are a little more mixed than that. It seems to me that there are a number of other possible reasons behind our desire to serve others. And while none of these reasons prevent good works from being accomplished, or people from benefiting from kind acts, they're not actually the type of kindness that Jesus calls us to in the gospels.

In Mark 9 v 35, Jesus invites us to become 'the very last... and the servant to all'. The kindness that he models (through washing the feet of his disciples and more) is one of submission and service to everyone around us - from our closest friends to the people we find most difficult. Jesus asks that we love one another for no other reason except that he is calling us to do it. So here are four other reasons why we might choose to be kind which – while they still might result in good being done – aren't directly following that example.

Kindness... because of how it makes me feel

Sometimes we decide to do a good thing for someone else because of how it makes us feel inside. We enjoy the warm fuzzy feelings of helping another person who is less fortunate than ourselves, whether that's by donating something we no longer need, giving a bit of money away, or helping an old lady to cross the road. There's nothing wrong with those things per se, or even the feelings of warmth and pleasure we get from serving another person. Sometimes though what we're really doing here is assuaging our own guilt about the privileges we enjoy. If you're wealthy, giving a bit of money away doesn't really involve any sacrifice; if you've finished with your old baby clothes, then handing them to a new mum comes at no cost to you. Again, none of these things are bad things to do – but if we're using them as a way of feeling better about ourselves, then that's not pure, Christ-like kindness.

Kindness... because other people are watching

I was once walking along with a well-known worship leader near to where I worked at the time. Ahead of us, slumped in the doorway of a cafe, I saw the figure of a homeless man who I had passed hundreds of times before. In all those occasions, I may have stopped to buy him a coffee twice. This time however, I knew the well-known worship leader was watching. I stopped us in front of the man, engaged him in warm conversation, and bought him a sandwich from the cafe. I hoped the well-known worship leader would be impressed, and tell other famous worship leaders of this extraordinary Christ-like kindness that he had witnessed. Perhaps on some level I hoped he would write a song about me, or at the very least add me to the sleeve notes of his next album. Neither of these things happened.

In Matthew 6 v 1, Jesus says, 'Be careful not to practise your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them.' He knew what he was talking about, and I had totally failed that test. We all have an innate desire to impress others, to be thought of as good and moral people. Yet if this becomes the motivation for our kind acts, then we're not truly kind, but a bit manipulative.

Kindness... because of what we might get in return

Then sometimes, we actually have quite selfish motives for being kind. There are situations and occasions where we know that if we do something, we'll get something in return. We basically put ourselves in someone else's debt, so that at some point they'll pay us back. As a child, I learned that it was much more profitable for me to be helpful around the house, or to offer to wash the car or mow the lawn in the week directly after my father had been paid. A week earlier, and all I'd get was a word of thanks and a ruffle of the hair. If I was 'kind' when my dad was flush with cash, I might get a couple of pounds for my trouble.

Yes, I was an abhorrent child, and was subsequently washed in the redeeming blood of Christ in order that I might slowly become transformed into the bastion of virtue you now see before you. But my hunch is that lots of us still do this sort of thing, if in slightly less machiavellian ways. Offering to babysit for someone so that they'll feel obliged to return the favour, or even – and let's be honest, we've all done this – buying a round early so that it won't be your turn when more people arrive. This isn't kindness for its own sake, but for ours.

Kindness... for strategic reasons

Then as Christians, known as we are for our fabulous do-gooding (a double-edged insult if ever there was one), we even theologise our mixed motives. Sometimes we behave kindly for strategic reasons, serving others in order that they might realise there is something different about us, and begin to ask questions. In fact, there have been a number of huge social action missions in the UK over the last 15 years which all had this central idea at their heart. Young Christians descend on a town or city, and begin clearing gardens, painting walls and putting on 'fun days' for the local community. None of these things are bad, and all offer an opportunity to love and serve others. The problem is when our kindness is only offered because we're hoping for a particular response from those who receive it. Strategic kindness is still loving others on our terms.

I also realise that quite often, we just do kind things because we're kind people. But I use these examples to illustrate what Christian service ISN'T.

It's not about feeling good about ourselves

It's not about looking good in front of other people

It's not about what you might get in return

It's not even about being strategically kind so that people might respond.

Christian service is simply enacting the Big Idea of the Kingdom of God – where everyone looks out for and cares for everyone else – and an act of worship and obedience to Jesus. In fact, in some way it's also an act of service to Jesus himself. In Matthew 25, he famously says, 'truly I tell you whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine you did for me.' As Graham Kendrick once wrote in his song The Servant King: 'Let us learn how to serve... each other's needs to prefer, for it is Christ we're serving.'

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How to pray in your darkest times

On one of the worst days of my life I strode out of the house and over the hills.

It was summer. The sun was warm and pleasant, the sky was a pleasingly deep shade of blue and there was a gentle breeze.

But although it was such a beautiful day, I felt shrouded in darkness as I walked. The relentless pressure from seemingly impossible circumstances was taking its toll. I felt like the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins who once wrote: 'O the mind, mind has mountains; cliffs of fall – frightful, sheer, no-man-fathomed.'

The agony of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as he faced the imminent prospect of his own crucifixion must have been far worse of course. And yet – somehow – in that valley of the shadow of death, Jesus managed to pray.

As we continue our fortnightly pilgrimage through Mark's gospel we stand upon holy ground as we see Jesus throwing himself on the earth (Mark 14:35) and praying in agony. What can we ourselves learn from how he prayed?

1. He asked his friends to support him. Mark notes that Jesus takes with him Peter, James and John (v33) – no doubt because he wished for their company and their help. But he quickly found out – when his friends fell asleep – that they could not be relied upon. And we, too, may rightly seek help from others. But we also may do well to remember that even the best-intentioned human friends may let us down in our greatest time of need.

2. He spoke intimately with God. 'Abba, Father,' Jesus begins his prayer (v36), using the Aramaic word which always denotes intimate affection and devotion. Jesus remembered that however painful his situation was, he could speak to God not as some distant impersonal force and still less as a hostile, uncaring deity – but rather as his heavenly father. And so can we.

3. He remembered God's sovereignty. The first thing he says to God is, 'For you all things are possible'. We can only pray because God is sovereign – God is the King who reigns. Ultimately God is in control – even when evil seems to have the upper hand, we don't understand what he is doing and it is incredibly painful. It is the recognition that with God all things are possible that drives us to prayer in the first place.

4. He said what he wanted. 'Remove this cup from me' is what Jesus boldly asks. That's quite a request. On one level it is perfectly understandable: no-one would want to go through the excruciating pain of crucifixion. On another level, it is the salvation of the world about which we are talking here and yet – extraordinarily – Jesus is able to say clearly that he would like the cup to be removed. I can see no reason why we cannot be completely open and honest with God about exactly what we would like too.

5. He submitted himself to God's will. Having stated what he wants, Jesus then adds: 'Yet not what I want, but what you want,' (v36). True prayer always seeks to align itself with the will of God, recognising that, 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are God's ways higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts,' (Isaiah 55:9).

It's sobering to realise that the answer to Jesus' prayer was 'no'. The cup was not removed from him. Our agonies will never approach his, for none of us will have to bear the sins of the world. And yet as Tom Wright comments: 'If even Jesus received that answer – no – to one of his most heartfelt prayers, we should not be surprised if sometimes it's that way for us too.'

My prayers on the hills on that bleakest, darkest sunlit day were not answered with a 'yes' at once either. And yet, looking back, I can see God was doing things I could never have imagined at the time. Moreover there have been times since when I have seen God answer prayer with breath-taking specificity in wildly improbable ways. Prayer is not about putting money in a slot machine and getting chocolate out of the bottom. It's about a relationship with a God who may well take us through pain to accomplish things well beyond our mental horizon.

As Robert Velarde has written: 'When Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, "Yet not as I will, but as You will," He offered a tremendous but seemingly simple insight into prayer: God is in charge.' And so as I go through my day today I pray simply: 'Lord, keep me in the centre of your will – even when I don't know what it is.' Amen.

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Why does God allow some people to be born handicapped? Billy Graham has a great answer

Most people would say life is hard, but there are some things that can make life feel harder and one person born with a physical handicap couldn't help but feel that way.

They got in touch with Billy Graham to ask why God allows some people to be born with a physical handicap and others with none at all.

The person, who wrote anonymously, admitted they felt 'angry at God' for allowing them to be born with the handicap that had 'held me back all my life.'

'I blame Him for keeping me from leading a normal life,' the person wrote.  'I know some people are worse off, but I'm still bitter.  Why shouldn't I be?'

Graham, 98, has spent his whole life studying Scriptures and preaching God's Word but he had to admit in his reply that there are some things even he cannot fully understand.

But he started with what he does understand and that is: God definitely understands when people feel angry and bitter about their circumstances. But He loves them all the same and knowing that love makes all the difference to our happiness.

'The most important thing I can tell you is that God understands your feelings—and yet He doesn't reject you or get angry at you. In fact, God loves you—and once you discover this truth, your life will never be the same,' he explained.

Graham then pleaded with the person to turn away from their bitterness.  He also assured them that this was something God actually wants to help them with.

'Admittedly I don't fully understand why some people go through life without serious physical problems, while others (such as yourself) struggle with limitations all your life. But I do know this: God knows what you're going through, and He wants to help you move beyond your bitterness and anger,' he said.

In fact, Graham encouraged them to remember the Apostle Paul who suffered greatly with persistent physical problems and yet was still used greatly by God to touch many people and bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

He recommended reflecting on the teaching in Hebrews 12:15 not to allow any bitter root to grow inside as nothing good can come from it and it will only be like 'poison to the soul,' he said.

Next, he said every person needs to remember the suffering of Jesus Christ who suffered far more than any of us and finally he suggested remembering the words of Job in Job 29:15 in which he says he describes himself as 'eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.'

'Ask God to show you ways you can help others who are handicapped,' said Graham. 'Turn your bitterness over to Christ.'

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'We didn't start the fire': How Nero used Rome's tragic inferno to persecute Christians

On this day in AD 64 began a fire of almost apocalyptic proportions in the city of Rome. The inferno was tragic and decisive, not just for the ancient metropolis, but for the Christians who were blamed for it.

'Now started the most terrible and destructive fire which Rome had ever experienced', wrote the historian Tacitus in around the year 116. Fuelled by high winds and chaos amongst the people, the fire would burn for six days, seven nights, and consumed most of the city.

'The Fire of Rome', by Hubert Robert.

Tacitus wrote: 'Terrified, shrieking women, helpless old and young, people intent on their own safety, people unselfishly supporting invalids or waiting for them, fugitives and lingerers alike - all heightened the confusion. When people looked back, menacing flames sprang up before them or outflanked them.

'When they escaped to a neighbouring quarter, the fire followed - even districts believed remote proved to be involved. Finally, with no idea where or what to flee, they crowded on to the country roads, or lay in the fields. Some who had lost everything - even their food for the day - could have escaped, but preferred to die.'

But who started it? Various popular stories attribute it to the Roman Emperor Nero, who allegedly not only started the fire, but played the fiddle while he watched the city burn.

It's almost certainly untrue however: Nero was miles away in Antium when the fire began, and the fiddle wouldn't be invented for another 1500 years. But Nero was an opportunist, and used the scorching of Rome as an opportunity to rebuild, constructing for himself a lavish new palace – this naturally made some suspicious.

The fire needed a scapegoat, and Nero targeted Christians – he blamed Rome's destruction on the new religious sect, torturing and executing hundreds of believers on account of the fire.

Tacitus wrote: 'First those were arrested who confessed they were Christians; next on their information, a vast multitude were convicted, not so much on the charge of burning the city, as of "hating the human race."'

The faith community was killed for sport, eaten by animals, some stories – perhaps apocryphal – said that they were even lit up and burned alive as torches.

Here began a period of sporadic persecution against the faith, but more direct oppression would not come till about the mid-third century. As a subversive, obscure minority, the Christians were an easy target.

The fire of the summer of '64 may have been an accident, but Nero's use of it was certainly intentional. The tragedy showed Christians to be, as Tacitus wrote, the 'victims of the ferocity of one man'.

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3 pieces of advice for receiving rebuke from a fellow Christian

"Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed." – Proverbs 27:5 (MEV)

Receiving a Godly rebuke from a concerned brother or sister in the Lord is a good thing. We Christians ought to be our brother's or sister's keepers, genuinely concerned and able to correct those who are on the erring side of things. But while it's always easy to point out someone else's faults, it's not easy to be on the receiving end of it.

Have you been rebuked or corrected by a fellow Christian and not known how to receive it? I hope to help you extract the good fruits that come from a loving and righteous rebuke from a fellow Christ-follower. James tells us that it is a very good thing:

"Brothers, if any one of you strays from the truth and someone corrects him, let him know that he who converts the sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." (James 5:19-20)

No one is perfect, and I'm sure all of us have been rebuked at some point in our lives. Do you want to make the most of it? Here are some tips to help you accept a loving rebuke and benefit from it.
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1) See the rebuke as a message of concern

Many of us become bitter after being rebuked, even by a person we know to be genuinely concerned about us. Why is that? It's because we see the rebuke as an attack on our person, and not as a message of concern.

Consider what the Lord Jesus said with regards to the response of His peope to what He had done for them:

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you, how often I would have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not!" (Matthew 23:37)

2) Check the facts

Think about the rebuke you received and compare it with what you really did, said, or even think. Was it true? Was it precise in pointing out what was wrong and what it sought to address in you? If it was, then you should not reject it.

Rather, you should work with it. And that's important even if the way they delivered the rebuke wasn't as loving as you would have liked it to be.

Proverbs 27:6 tells us, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." No matter how painful the rebuke is, the fact that a good friend pointed out what was wrong means that he or she is concerned with us and wants that wrong made right. It will really save us from the error of our ways.

3) Thank God for loving rebukes

When a Godly friend rebukes our wrong, we should think of that person as a blessing. It's God's desire to make us holy and Christ-like, and He will use all means possible to make that happen (see Romans 8:28-30). Always remember what Hebrews 12:5-6 tells us,

"My son, do not despise the discipline from the Lord, nor grow weary when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and scourges every son whom He receives." (see also Proverbs 3:11-12)

Always keep in mind that the rose's fragrance is released all the more when it is crushed. God bless you!

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What Does The Laying On Of Hands Say About Human Freedom?

In a world where the choices of the individual are paramount and personal freedom is becoming an absolute value, there's a poem that perfectly sums up the idea that we're accountable to no one but ourselves for our happiness and freedom – and it's quite an old one.

Invictus was written by WE Henley in 1875. Its famous first verse is:


Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

It says the "menace of the years/ Finds, and shall find, me unafraid". It concludes: 'I am the master of my fate/ I am the captain of my soul.'

The poem was used in a film about the South African rugby team after the transition to majority rule under Nelson Mandela and provided the title for the Invictus Games run by Prince Harry for disabled ex-service personnel.

It's a brilliant poem and it's impossible not to warm to such an expression of courage in the face of adversity: 'Under the bludgeonings of chance/ My head is bloody but unbowed' is another great line.

On the other hand, if we tried to live up to that ideal, most of us would fail miserably. We are afraid all too often. We sense that we are not as in control as we would like to be; indeed, all too often we feel inadequate to what we have to face.

When Peter and John were in Samaria, we're told, 'they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John place their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit' (Acts 8: 15-17).

It's a significant moment because of what it tells us about the Church and about the Spirit. It's a recognition that we are not the captains of our own souls – or at least, if we are, we need help and guidance through the storms of life we will experience. And we are not the masters of our own fate, autonomous individuals who can shape our own destiny. We are in relationship, with God and with other believers.

The Samaritans had been baptised into the new community – a horizontal relationship – but they had not entered into a new relationship with God. Without God's Spirit, Christianity is just another philosophy. In praying the Spirit into their lives, Peter and John were offering them something different from anything they had known before: a profound connection with each other and with God. And it happened when people touched each other.

There's much that's good about personal freedom and the ability to make our own choices. But Christians also want to say that we're accountable to God and to others for those choices – and that we can draw on the resources they provide to help us in our times of need.

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What We Can Learn From David's Life Before He Became King

There are so many things to learn from David, the man after God's own heart. Many of us know him to be the young boy who slew the giant Goliath. Some of us know that he is the famous Psalmist of Israel. Some also know that he used to play the harp whenever Saul would feel depressed, and Saul would get healed as a result. Yes, David is one remarkable young man.

Aside from these descriptions, there are still some more things that we can learn from David – even before he became the king Israel loved. Here are some of them.

1. God Saw David As The Man After His Heart Long Before He Officially Became King

In 1 Samuel 13:14, we read that, "The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over His people..." Samuel said this to Saul while the latter was still king over Israel.

The "man" Samuel was referring to was David. In fact, Samuel didn't know David at that time yet. Only God knew him like that, a "man after His own heart."

This should encourage us, brothers. God knows us even before we set out to do something of service to Him and His Kingdom. David was a simple shepherd at that time, but God knew what he would become. He knows you, too.

2. David Also Saw A Season Of Running Away

In 1 Samuel 19-21, we read of David running away from Saul and the throne of Israel. Of course he had no intention to kill the current king to sit as king even if it was already prophesied to him. He did, however, had to run away because it wasn't time for him to sit on the throne. He could be killed by Saul if he stayed.

This should encourage all of us. Some of us know that God has a great plan for us, but there are times when we have to go through a season where it appears like nothing is happening in our favour. In fact, something negative could happen to us as we wait upon the Lord.

Still, don't be discouraged. What God said will happen when the time is ripe. Just like David: eventually he became king.

3. David Was Compassionate Towards The Broken

1 Samuel 22:1-2 is a passage that speaks strongly about David's compassionate leadership:

    "David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down to him there. There gathered to him every one that was in distress, and every one in debt, and every one that was discontented. So he became captain over them. Now there were with him about four hundred men."

Before he became king, David was already captain over the distressed, those in debt, and the discontented. He exhibited concern over the people.

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6 Signs You've Been A 'Spiritual Baby' For Far Too Long — And How To Grow Up

I don't think I have ever met anyone who found the attitude of spoiled brats enjoyable. Dealing with people who seemingly cannot grow up is difficult. They can drag you down and often act like leeches that suck the life and joy out of you.

Just as people can be spoiled in the natural, there are also those who are spoiled in the spirit. These are the people who have remained spiritual babies for far too long. 1 Peter 2:2 reminds us that we all start out as babies: "Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation."

But even as we start as spiritual infants, the goal is for us to "grow up in salvation."

Spiritual immaturity can bring about problems not just to the person but to the people around that person.

Here are six signs of spiritual stagnation that should convince us that it's time to grow up spiritually.

1.You Don't Read The Word Of God

The primary way to grow is to be fed. When we are not fed physically, we do not grow physically. The same is true for our spirits. When was the last time you "fed" on God's Word? If it doesn't happen regularly (ideally once a day), it's not happening enough.

2.You're Not Getting Involved In Ministry

Spiritual maturity is marked by a capacity to be on the serving end instead of being the one always served. Spiritual consumerism is dangerous because it gets us lazy and immature. As Proverbs 11:25 tells us, "Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered."

3.There Is Little Generosity On Your Part
Aside from being generous with our service, we can also be generous with our time and resources. When we refuse to be generous, this just shows the level of stagnation we are in. When we truly grow in Christ, we will experience an outflow of grace that we will want to be channels of it to others.

4. You Don't Like Correction

Rebuke and correction may not be nice, but it's our way of becoming disciplined in the spirit. When we refuse discipline, just as children who are deprived of it, we tend to stop growing or to grow a lot slower than we should be.

5. Your Talk Rarely Turns Into Action

Being all talk and no action is also a sign of spiritual immaturity. God calls us to live a life of faith, and faith when genuine will always result in good works. James 2:17 tells us, "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."

6. You Can't Find It In Yourself To Share Your Faith

Do you share your faith with others? Spoiled children are in no position to share because they don't feel like they have anything to share. Spiritually spoiled people act the same way as well. When we truly grow in Christ, we will be compelled to preach and live the gospel for others to see.

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7 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About The Longest Psalm In The Bible

                 The Bible contains 150 psalms. But which is the longest one? And why is it so special?

What's the longest psalm in the Bible? Remember this for your next Bible quiz: it's Psalm 119. It's a fascinating part of the Bible, which stands out dramatically from the psalms that surround it. What's it all about? Here are seven things you (probably) didn't know about Psalm 119.

1. Yes, it is really long.

It is the longest psalm, composed of 22 stanzas, 176 verses, and is also the longest chapter in the Bible.

2. It's a Hebrew acrostic

In the first stanza of the psalm, the first word of each of the eight verses begins with the Hebrew letter aleph, the first letter of the alphabet. In the second stanza, the first words all begin with the second letter of the alphabet, beth. So on it goes, with one stanza for every letter of the alphabet. Its inherent emphasis on order and design has been interpreted as a symbol of how God and his law promote order, and not chaos. You could say Psalm 119 is a Hebrew A-Z, in poetic form.

3. It has a legend attached

There is an ancient tradition that says that the acrostic, alphabetic pattern of the psalm was utilised by King David, who used it to teach his son, Solomon, the Hebrew alphabet. In doing this Solomon would not only learn letters, but could learn the 'alphabet' of the spiritual, ethical life. It's not something the Bible tells us anything about, and we don't know who wrote the psalm, but it is a nice idea. If you want to practise your Hebrew alphabet, now you know what to do.

4. Its all about the law

"Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord" reads the first verse of the psalm. This beatitude sets the theme of the rest of the psalm: the Law (Hebrew: Torah, with various other synonyms for 'law' used throughout the psalm). The psalmist doesn't just talk about doing the law, he talks about loving the law:

"I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word" (verses 14-16).

5. ...and the law is a good thing

Protestants can sometimes get nervous about loving 'the law', eager to celebrate the grace given by Christ, and wary of falling into pharisaic 'works-righteousness'. But this psalm stands as something of a challenge to that view. Without 'The Law'/Torah, the Bible would have quite a few holes in it. This psalm teaches us that what God commands is good, and reminds us that being a Christian isn't just about believing in abstract ideas about 'grace', but actually becoming holy, good people, sanctified by God, who love like Jesus does. The law is concerned with justice, how we live and ultimately reflects the good character of God. Christians shouldn't find their identity in the law, but they should love it; the psalmist certainly did.

6. It's crafted poetry, not spontaneous praise

CS Lewis wrote of the psalm that it "is not, and does not pretend to be, a sudden outpouring of the heart...It is a pattern, a thing done like embroidery, stitch by stitch, through long, quiet hours, for love of the subject and for the delight in leisurely, disciplined craftsmanship."

The psalmist, Lewis wrote, "felt about the Law somewhat as he felt about his poetry; both involved exact and loving conformity to an intricate pattern...The Order of the Divine mind, embodied in the Divine Law, is beautiful. What should a man do but try to reproduce it, so far as possible, in his daily life?"

7. It's a post-Passover prayer

One biblical scholar, Michael Goulder, theorised that Psalm 119 came at the end of a passover liturgy: it would be read out at the end of the celebration of Passover festival. Passover celebrated freedom from slavery in Egypt, while the next festival, the feast of Weeks, is traditionally a celebration of Israel's arrival at Sinai and her receiving of the law. Psalm 119 then looks forward to that law that is to come, and so says "I shall delight in your commands and meditate on your decrees"(verses 47-48). The Jewish people lived out their own history in their prayer and praise.

It continued to be a singificant part of Christian tradition. In the monasteries of the Eastern Orthodox Church, Psalm 119 is read daily at the midnight office. As the psalm says in verse 62: "At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws."

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