tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46778774277087978282024-03-13T15:36:14.822+00:00Notes from the land of UzOK I'm not from the land of Uz,(see Job 1:1) but my name is Job, and I fear God. I'm a pastor in North Wales and these are some of my thoughts.Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-61321596103511915112010-04-07T10:34:00.002+01:002010-04-07T10:50:40.125+01:00The Words of Christ on the Cross 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0aIOcc1KrHqbQ_14JWwOatqNKW1HibpQqTZyEdXCwYehTUtpnWS9vn8Tjdnp-gYqmuvXTUckfRE2ckG8CP0GxF04lAQki9yPWcdcyDGW-FOoUvwp8PckOXzvCBiHm8NnDh4C10WIxanI/s1600/crown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0aIOcc1KrHqbQ_14JWwOatqNKW1HibpQqTZyEdXCwYehTUtpnWS9vn8Tjdnp-gYqmuvXTUckfRE2ckG8CP0GxF04lAQki9yPWcdcyDGW-FOoUvwp8PckOXzvCBiHm8NnDh4C10WIxanI/s200/crown.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: red;"><em>And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"</em></span> (Matthew 27:46 ESV) <br />
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If ever there was a cry of desolation, here it is. We are all familiar with the experience of God seeming to be distant, or unavailable. Our hardened hearts make it easy for us to exist without knowing His presence. But for Jesus this was different. Here was the Word who was with God in the beginning. He had always known fellowship with his Father. He could pray: <em>"Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me”</em> (John 11:41-42 ESV). Nothing could break this fellowship, because Jesus is the Beloved, in whom the Father is well pleased. <br />
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Yet here our Lord is quoting the 22nd Psalm, not as a quotation but as his own experience. Before now he always referred to God as Father, but here this awareness has gone – the relationship broken. He can only refer to him as God. Here is mystery indeed! How is it that the Beloved is abandoned? <br />
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He has taken upon himself with our evil and sins, and when he is thus clothed the Father can do nothing but turn his back in wrath and judgment. In considering this beforehand our Lord had sweat drops of blood (Luke 22:44), such was the terror in his heart. <br />
<em>But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.</em> (Isaiah 53:5-6 ESV) <br />
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And his desolation and abandonment means that in Christ we will never be abandoned. God has every reason to be angry with us because of our constant rebellion and evil, but His righteous wrath against our sin has been shown on the cross. He will not judge us twice. As we have been judged once in Christ, we are now accepted in Christ. As he was clothed with our unrighteousness on the cross, so we are clothed with his righteousness. <br />
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What hope there is in this one phrase of wretched anguish! <br />
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<span style="color: red;"><em>After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst."</em></span> (John 19:28 ESV) <br />
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Who was in control? Was it the High Priest and the Sanhedrin? Was it Pontius Pilate? Was it the Devil? Although they and the entire world thought that they were having their own way, we are reminded in Jesus’ words that this was God’s own plan. The Apostles understood this later when they prayed : <em>for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, <strong>to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.</strong></em><strong> </strong>(Acts 4:27-28 ESV) As Jesus was nearing his last breath he still had his mind on the Father’s plan. <br />
Centuries earlier the words of David in Psalm 22 foreshadowed this: <em>my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws;</em> (Psalm 22:15 ESV) <br />
And the one who before had told the Scribes and Pharisees that the Scriptures bore witness to him (John 5:39), now makes sure that not one word falls unfulfilled. That which David was offered in metaphor, (Psalm 69:19 – 21) Jesus is offered in fact. Not one detail of the Father’s plan was forgotten. Here was One who became obedient to the point of death (Philippians 2:6 – 8).<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><em>“It is finished”</em> </span><span style="color: black;">(John 19:30)</span><br />
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What comforts lie in this one word of Jesus! He came to the world to do his Father’s will and accomplish the work God gave him to do. (John 4:34) He <em>“came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."</em> (Mathew20:28) He came <em>“to seek and to save the lost.”</em> (Luke 19:10) This was now accomplished. The price of the ransom paid, the debt of sin cancelled, the wrath of God spent, the love of God fulfilled. <br />
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It is said that when the carpenter finished his day’s work, he took his apron, folded it neatly and laid it on one side. When Peter and the beloved disciple went to the empty grave a few days later and saw the linen cloths in which the Lord’s body had been wrapped lying there, <em>they saw the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.</em> (John 20:7) Is it fanciful to surmise that here was another sign of the finished, the completed work of the Saviour? <br />
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We sometimes doubt that our sins are too great to be forgiven. We fear that the debt is too great to be cancelled. But Jesus Christ did not fear. He knew that the work he came to do had been accomplished, and accomplished well. He didn’t say “I am finished” but “It is finished”. The security which this affords the fearful sinner is unending. It is time for the darkness to lift, for the grave to give up its dead, the curtain of the temple to be torn. All that was required to open the way for sinners to be reconciled to God has been accomplished. “It is finished!”<br />
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<span style="color: red;">"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!"</span> Luke 23:46 <br />
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Genesis tells us that for six days God worked at creation, and on the seventh he rested. So for six of our Lord’s sayings on the cross he has been at work, fulfilling all that the Father asked of him. Here in the seventh and last saying, he enters into his rest. Where is rest found? In the arms of the Father – the same Father who had recently poured out his wrath and displeasure on him. <br />
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This is not the sigh of a defeated broken man who is giving in. Luke tells us that Jesus called out these words with a loud voice. It is the victory cry of a conquering hero coming home. And the heavens rang out with the reply of Psalm 110 - The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool." <br />
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Confidently Jesus committed his spirit into his Father’s hands, as the relationship between them was restored. He again knew the smile of God which he had enjoyed from all eternity. Is it right to say that there was greater joy now? We take care in not confining God to the limitations of time. But Scripture tells us that Jesus “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2 ESV) We leave the cross looking forward to the resurrection on the third day.<br />
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Because Jesus could commit himself into his Father’s hand, Stephen as he was being stoned some months later could commit his own spirit with the same confidence into Jesus’ hands. (Acts 7:59) It is said that my great grandmother's last words on her deathbed were "Draw me and I will run after Thee." We have nothing to fear. In our Lord’s rest we will find rest. In the words of Henry Malan: <br />
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1. It is not death to die,<br />
To leave this weary road,<br />
And midst the brotherhood on high<br />
To be at home with God. <br />
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2. It is not death to close<br />
The eye long dimmed by tears<br />
And wake in glorious repose<br />
To spend eternal years. <br />
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3. It is not death to bear<br />
The wrench that sets us free<br />
From dungeon chain, to breathe the air<br />
To spend eternal years. <br />
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4. It is not death to fling<br />
Aside this sinful dust<br />
And rise, on strong, exulting wing,<br />
To live among the just. <br />
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5. Jesus, Thou Prince of Iife,<br />
Thy chosen cannot die;<br />
Like Thee, they conquer in the strife<br />
To reign with Thee on high.Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-58428022419801273322010-04-06T21:32:00.004+01:002010-04-07T10:42:30.426+01:00The Words of Christ on the Cross<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUACBilL_sGaRFNwu-GlFPXIGXZUNaA5nx45185yRmtZnzPxEH0RAeRJmzj8meM3TxlQ2gTwOaCwOpbu59v5MYJwYERzzJJjVCfXRNExdlGf2PjfohqHQkK9nGn_-s1qT6EBUsfu7f-o/s1600/calvary_golgotha_calvario_1059207_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUACBilL_sGaRFNwu-GlFPXIGXZUNaA5nx45185yRmtZnzPxEH0RAeRJmzj8meM3TxlQ2gTwOaCwOpbu59v5MYJwYERzzJJjVCfXRNExdlGf2PjfohqHQkK9nGn_-s1qT6EBUsfu7f-o/s200/calvary_golgotha_calvario_1059207_l.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>One of the many things on which Christians have been meditating over Easter are the words which Christ spoke when he was dying. The last words of anyone are considered to be important, especially when they are coherent. and not suppressed by the palliative drugs which are administered these days. Therefore the words of one whose life and death have affected this world more than any other living being are surely worth considering.<br />
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The Bible records seven sayings, and they are all pointers to what Jesus intended to be and do here in this world. Volumes could be written about each saying, but here are some openings to get people thinking.<br />
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<em><span style="color: red;">Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."</span></em> <br />
(Luke 23:34 ESV)<br />
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Forgiveness is not always easy. Sometimes the offence against us is so small that we are able to forgive and forget without trouble. However there are other times when we find it impossible to forget, and our best efforts not to count the offence against us seems an insurmountable mountain to climb. This can be helped when the offender shows repentance. But to wish good on those who do evil to us is not a natural reaction in us.<br />
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Here we see our perfect sinless Lord, who did nothing to harm anyone, in the process of being nailed to the cross. The soldiers at this moment are hammering the nails through the flesh into the wood. The cross is raised and as it sinks into its place with a flesh wrenching thud, the soldiers are playing a game of dice to decide who will get the cloak that Jesus wore. Yet what does he do? He prays that the God who holds their very breath in his hands will do them good – that he will not count this most heinous of crimes against the divine Son against them. This is the heart of the good news about Jesus. We all deserve to be eternally rejected by the One who we have rejected. “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 ESV) <br />
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Jo Brand seems to think it is clever and humorous to poke fun at Jesus by saying that she didn’t ask him to die for her. This is precisely the point. None of us would have asked him to do this, but even then he gives himself, the just for the unjust that we might be forgiven. What treachery would throw this sacrifice back in the face of such a Saviour? <br />
Guilt is one of the great burdens of modern western society – the guilt which is hidden, suppressed, or denied. Divine forgiveness is one of the greatest gifts we could be given. This is what is on Jesus’ heart as he is nailed to the cross.<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><em>When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" 27 Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!"</em></span> <br />
(John 19:26-27ESV) <br />
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The second of our Lord’s recorded sayings brings to mind his humanity. He was truly God, but he was also truly human. He had been nurtured on Mary’s knees. He knew personal affection, and knew that she had personal affection for him. She may have told him of the words which Simeon said to her when she, with Joseph, took him to the temple as a baby: a sword will pierce through your own soul also. (Luke 2:35 ESV) He could see the pain in her face. Although the sting of death would be taken away within a few days, after the resurrection, the pain of separation would remain with her. And in that hour of need he thinks of her, and provides for her. <br />
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In this he was also fulfilling the commandment "Honor your father and your mother, (Exodus 20:12 ESV) so that even now there was not an inkling of accusation against him. His life was truly blameless. So his fulfilling of the law for us is seen even now as he dies in agony. His righteousness as the Lamb without spot or blemish (1 Peter 1:19) who would be our perfect sacrifice was complete. <br />
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<span style="color: red;"><em>“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."</em></span> Luke 23:43 <br />
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Crucifixion was designed to break the heart and spirit both of those who were executed, and those who witnessed the executions. Yet in these words we see no such broken spirit. Those who were prominent in the scene mocked Jesus – the soldiers, the high priests who were there to gloat, and even those who were being crucified with him. Mathew tells us that both began by mocking cynically. But one of the two had a change of heart. There was something about the innocent victim from Galilee which opened his eyes to see him not as a fool but as a king. The sorry plea comes from his lips: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." (Luke 23:42 ESV)<br />
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The reply he gets is a threefold promise: (a) Paradise is the first element that grabs our attention. Could anything be further from the scene that is depicted here? The rubbish dump outside the walls of the city, the derision of the Roman soldiers, the cruel suffering of three men hanging on crosses, fighting for air, the flies gathering on the wounds under the hot sun, the mocking crowds, the unnatural darkness – these all provide a scene as far removed from Paradise as can be imagined. Yet this is the confident promise of the man with the broken body on the cross.<br />
Death is not to be the final answer for those who trust in Him. There will be an end to pain and suffering. There will be an end to doubt and uncertainty. No more struggle, no more tears, nothing but eternal joy.<br />
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(b) Today is the second element. There was to be a direct and instant path from the cross to Paradise. There was not going to be a long sleep. Neither was there to be an intermediate state of limbo. There was to be no purgatory or long period of suffering. Christ will have taken all suffering away, and those who are in Christ will find themselves taken from their deathbed into glorious light.<br />
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(c) You will be with me. This is the crowning glory. This is what paradise is all about. Any paradise envisaged without the Lamb on the throne is not heaven. He who is King of Kings is also the light of the heavenly city (Revelation 21:23) <br />
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O Christ, He is the fountain, the deep, sweet well of love!<br />
The streams of earth I’ve tasted more deep I’ll drink above:<br />
There to an ocean fullness His mercy doth expand,<br />
And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.<br />
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The King there in His beauty, without a veil is seen:<br />
It were a well spent journey, though seven deaths lay between:<br />
The Lamb with His fair army, doth on Mount Zion stand,<br />
And glory—glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.<br />
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The Bride eyes not her garment, but her dear Bridegroom’s face;<br />
I will not gaze at glory but on my King of grace.<br />
Not at the crown He giveth but on His pierced hand;<br />
The Lamb is all the glory of Immanuel’s land.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Anne Cousin)</div><br />
Is Christ our greatest treasure? If not then we will not be happy in heaven – it will not be our destination. But if we have seen something of his beauty here as our glorious Saviour and Redeemer, then our joy will surpass anything we can imagine. When we die the next face we see will be the face of Jesus. This is the promise of the Son of God as he dies on the cross.Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-42769194909772353922010-03-24T12:02:00.005+00:002010-03-26T12:17:12.065+00:00Free Grace - Costly Grace 3<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMicYX33sZEY1M8JmSBYMq7o9LM1OAFdKbKqZ2zShCQksxJATEf9N4RRlu9KrGzMf25IzjcBOa_KzRnppZiniVGfaYNhZBosxPXc37cOfDID3HeC-UDjryT41YpGlyQIK8gtiPTySV-Y0/s1600/giving-to-charity.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452177248779982242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMicYX33sZEY1M8JmSBYMq7o9LM1OAFdKbKqZ2zShCQksxJATEf9N4RRlu9KrGzMf25IzjcBOa_KzRnppZiniVGfaYNhZBosxPXc37cOfDID3HeC-UDjryT41YpGlyQIK8gtiPTySV-Y0/s200/giving-to-charity.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 146px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
When we talk about a Christianity which calls us to sacrifice, we are always in danger of falling into the legalistic trap. We begin to believe that “If I don’t do certain things then I can’t possibly have received grace.” So our faith descends into a set of rules. The only antidote to this is to make our whole lives a matter of making Christ our treasure. <br />
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We don’t pursue holiness in order that we may gain God’s approval. We already have it when we believed, because we are “in Christ”. This is one of the most difficult things for us to grasp, because when we get closer to the light of Christ we see more and more of our own darkness. We sense more of our own unworthiness, and we often feel that there must be something we must do. Otherwise God will change his mind and reject us after all. <br />
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But grace really is grace. The God who knew us before we were, and who knew in eternity every single sin that we would commit during our lives, is the One who chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4).<br />
We cannot be loved more than we are now, and we cannot be more acceptable than we are at this present moment. He did not choose us because of our worthiness, but because of Christ’s worthiness. Because Christ is the Beloved (Matthew 3:17), then in him we are beloved. We are certainly more evil than we ever thought possible, but we are more loved than we can ever imagine. <br />
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When we talk of free grace we really do mean free. We did not have to do anything to catch God’s eye so that he would choose us. And having been chosen, we did not have to do anything to make ourselves acceptable. He did everything in sending his Son to save us. <em>“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” </em>(2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV) Christ did everything – <em>“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”</em> (2 Corinthians 8:9 ESV) So trying to make ourselves acceptable is a vain pursuit. <br />
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We do however pursue Christ, and when we do that something happens. Because we find that the Holy Spirit is at work in us so that we, <em>“beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” </em>(2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV)<br />
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In other words God makes a difference in our lives. He begins to bring us to the place where we reflect the glory of Christ. That means he will change the desires of our hearts so that we desire the things which Jesus desires:<br />
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<em>Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work”. </em>(John 4:34) Is this legalism? No, because we are told what his motivation was: <em>“I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.” </em>(John 14:31) This was not duty but love, not legalism, but glorious self-abandonment to his Father’s perfect will.<br />
So when we receive grace, we also find that we must abandon all our self-preservation to follow Him. He has captured our hearts and grace becomes costly in the effect it has upon us. <br />
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So, for example, under the law Israel were to give a tithe (one tenth) of their income to God. Under Grace we are not our own – we are bought with a price and so God owns everything. He is gracious and we use what He gives us for our needs, but the likelihood is that we will “give” much more than one tenth because we want His work to prosper. It’s not “Take one tenth” but “Take my life, and let it be consecrated Lord to Thee.” And we do this joyfully because of His free grace.Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-726133350266406542010-03-23T10:14:00.005+00:002010-03-26T12:16:45.965+00:00Free Grace - Costly Grace (2)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNKtqdvNeUVAnKGEqjqexE5YS6Un_JupT4Lv9d6n3yY1ctcSYza8gUZY_zhaaoWIED3cWbMdUaWDgkv3Zo_ineIV_ITRoUOILUk637sKluUQIIAuxtlSvyHvtqoCwD8O0ETheez6ZX1Q/s1600-h/imagesCAJ6PY8D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451774028882390082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNKtqdvNeUVAnKGEqjqexE5YS6Un_JupT4Lv9d6n3yY1ctcSYza8gUZY_zhaaoWIED3cWbMdUaWDgkv3Zo_ineIV_ITRoUOILUk637sKluUQIIAuxtlSvyHvtqoCwD8O0ETheez6ZX1Q/s320/imagesCAJ6PY8D.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 116px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 116px;" /></a><br />
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Did I say that true grace is costly? It is only relatively so. <br />
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When the world looks upon the followers of Jesus it says that He asks too much. He asked the wealthy young man to sell all his possessions, give them to the poor and follow him. (Mathew 19:16 – 21) He called his disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow him. (Mathew 16:24) Peter, the apostle who was to lead the first church according to tradition was crucified; James was beheaded; John was exiled to the island of Patmos for years; Paul was spurned by his own nation, underwent numerous beatings and floggings, imprisonments and trials before being executed. <br />
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Down the centuries even to our own days there have been martyrs, those who gave up possessions, careers, homes, good reputations and made innumerable other sacrifices for the sake of Christ and the Christian gospel. <br />
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But they are only sacrifices in the sight of the world. For even the world knows that trading one thing for another of greater value is no sacrifice. And for the Christian anything he/she gives up is nothing compared to what he receives from God in Christ. In choosing to follow Christ we value His fellowship more than the riches of this world – even if it is the fellowship of suffering. Because suffering is not pleasant, but suffering with Him is joy.<em> “This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” </em>(John 17:3 ESV) So to be with him, whether it is in prison or on a throne is heaven itself.<br />
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For most of us this does not mean facing death. For most of us life is, relatively speaking, normal. But in that normality we live for Jesus Christ. Whatever we do, we do it as to the Lord. We wish in all ways to live in a way which will be pleasing to Christ – and that is not so that he will accept us, but because he already has accepted us. We know that nothing can separate us from his love, and he will not take back the life which he has given us, or renege on the promises which he has made. But the thought of doing something which grieves him will grieve us. In short, Romans 12: 1 becomes a life verse for us: <strong><em>I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. </em></strong>(ESV)<br />
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Living for Christ will affect the way we talk, the things that we do, the way we use our time and energy, the way we spend our money. We will be able to accept good things from God and enjoy them, just as a lover accepts flowers from her beloved and enjoys them all the more because she knows who has given them. But any good gifts we do receive will be held, as Amy Carmichael once said, in an open hand, so that if He decides to take them from us we will still be happy in Him.<br />
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The world may say that this is costly for us, but we will reply that:<br />
<em>In Him there lies a treasure all divine, <br />
And matchless grace has made that treasure mine.</em>Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-40681919560978722702010-03-22T10:15:00.004+00:002010-03-26T12:16:17.148+00:00Free Grace - Costly Grace<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkAaOcBshBJxq4c1vJ5j7mneH-AIUBz8hPApkIAVKMarfoBJyGttBFgl3_I3Gp3bWu5lHT3P5PgSaBVL1kHJWvEQ8tHh3vX0IbyOkZJdvf5wnDPKUMZA12D1d72S63bndacK-G_3pH85g/s1600-h/crown.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451400806709154306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkAaOcBshBJxq4c1vJ5j7mneH-AIUBz8hPApkIAVKMarfoBJyGttBFgl3_I3Gp3bWu5lHT3P5PgSaBVL1kHJWvEQ8tHh3vX0IbyOkZJdvf5wnDPKUMZA12D1d72S63bndacK-G_3pH85g/s320/crown.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 220px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
Grace is one of my favourite words. It is a word which gives me hope, and tells me of a loving Father in heaven who, despite my horrible rebellion against Him, has taken me to be his own.<br />
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It is God’s favour towards me. It is God doing me good and pouring his blessing upon me. It is God’s Son taking the evil which I have committed, the guilt of my actions, the evil desires and tendencies which lie in my nature, and dying on the cross as an offering to take them all away. Yes, there are evil desires within me. My desire should be to love God with all my heart and mind and soul and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5), and likewise to love others as I love myself (Leviticus 19:18). But I find that my natural desire is to love myself with all that I am, more than both God and my neighbour. I am a natural born idolater. But God has been gracious. He truly forgives without diminishing the seriousness of my wickedness.<br />
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And his forgiveness is free. I cannot deserve it. There is nothing I can do to earn it. He sent his Son to redeem those who were otherwise unredeemable. It was Christ’s joy to come to save us, although this meant unimaginable suffering as he took our place on the cross. His grace was so costly. It was not cheap grace. God didn’t say “I’m not bothered that you’ve rebelled – let’s forget it.” He remembered all my wrongdoing, my wrong-thinking, my wrong-desiring and dealt fully with it on Calvary. <br />
All eternity will be taken up by the redeemed in praise and wonder when we will understand more of what it meant for the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world. Free grace is also costly grace.<br />
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However, there is another sense in which grace is costly. It is costly for us because it is a call to give up all to follow Christ. Please do not misunderstand me. We do not in any sense deserve and we cannot earn God’s grace. It would not be grace otherwise. But grace is given to us so that we do put Him first. He must be King and Lord of our lives. So when we receive it, Christ says to us: “Take me to be your greatest treasure, even if it means losing everything else.”<br />
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Of course, this Christ who calls us to forsake all to follow Him is not a tyrant. His yoke (in other words the burden he places on our shoulders) is easy. But it is costly to us. We must give up all our idols, and if this means doing without then that is a small price to pay for the joy of knowing Him.<br />
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Free grace is not an unlimited license to sin without considering the consequences because they’ve all been taken on the cross. Rather it is being released from sin so that we can live for the One who gave His life for us. It may cost us dearly in terms of the world, because we hold lightly to the things which this world considers precious. Our grip is tight upon Him. <br />
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So free grace is never cheap for us – there is a cost to discipleship, as Bonhoeffer said so clearly. It is never easy grace. It is the call to consider Jesus precious above all other things, and it is the grace to hold onto Him whilst letting go of all others.<br />
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Such grace will at the same time attract and repel the world. On the one hand people will see that this sort of grace counts for something. It produces a life which is different. It is grace worth dying for, worth living for. There is reality to be seen here. It is not just words.<br />
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But it will also repel the world, making it feel uncomfortable because it shows up the defectiveness and shallowness of a life without grace. It will be frightening in the claims it makes on those who accept it. The world will know that to receive this grace will mean a burning of their boats, and anchoring themselves to Christ whatever it costs. That is why in Acts we read that: <em>None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.</em> (Acts 5:13-14 ESV)<br />
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The world is not bothered by a faith which costs nothing to its followers. It needs to understand and be challenged by that grace which is totally free, and at the same time uncompromisingly costly.Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-50761740036918723172010-03-21T14:54:00.004+00:002010-03-26T12:15:37.180+00:000 - 60 Eventually<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5YXd_ql1GkMRvpwTZHEhjSz0dEsjxQcbKYB6lttuxj5pr_wn5zZogBMzDWTWZHH8iFQ_96ZriEENXFjAPVpLKfYgKBvN5YHaLmGgt88KFm6pej7zkMmK4VG7-eD1H9pP65CvAugIZnk/s1600-h/images.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451102931874207698" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5YXd_ql1GkMRvpwTZHEhjSz0dEsjxQcbKYB6lttuxj5pr_wn5zZogBMzDWTWZHH8iFQ_96ZriEENXFjAPVpLKfYgKBvN5YHaLmGgt88KFm6pej7zkMmK4VG7-eD1H9pP65CvAugIZnk/s320/images.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 90px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 135px;" /></a><br />
I don’t know whether you take any notice of car stickers – they can be amusing enough at times – “Midwives help people out” was one which made me smile; “Mother-in-law in boot” was another.<br />
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One which I haven’t seen for a while, but which used to be seen fairly regularly on old bangers was “0 to 60 eventually!” Of course, no self-respecting young driver would have such a sticker on his car. But it seems to me that this may be something of a motto which I would take for my own desires now – not with reference to my VW golf which I drive, but to my Christian life.<br />
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Let me explain. When I first became a Christian I came accross the assumption that young believers should be willing to give all, and really commit themselves. They should be willing to sacrifice in the full flush of their first love. Then as you got older, you would cool down, and maybe not be quite as extreme, not quite as willing to sacrifice. You could be a bit more sober and let others do the sacrificing.<br />
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Now I don’t deny that when you are young you have opportunities and energy which some older people don’t have. But when I look at Scripture I don’t see any justification for cooling down. As a matter of fact it seems that the reverse should be true. <br />
<em>But the one who endures to the end will be saved.</em> (Mathew 10:22)<br />
<em>He will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.</em> (1 Corinthians 1:8)<br />
<em>For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. </em>(Hebrews 3:14)<br />
<em>The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, </em>(Revelation 2:26)<br />
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It is not starting well that counts, but finishing well. There seems to be nowhere in Scripture where old age is an excuse for cooling down our commitment to the gospel. There is a danger indeed in youth of rash decisions, and of taking leaps of faith without considering whether the leap is justified. But there is another danger as we grow older, to think that it is now time for others to leap while we gently slip into retirement.<br />
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I have been convinced that I should love my Lord more deeply now, with greater understanding than ever before. He has never let me down, and his grace has become more precious to me as I receive it daily. Therefore I now consider that He has more right to call me out of my comfort zone, into his will whatever that might be. <br />
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This year I will reach 55 God willing. There is a deep desire to give myself more to Him than ever before. Whatever I have done up to now has been so little. When I gave up my desired career to serve Him, it was no real sacrifice. I will not talk of what things I have done – they are not worthy of mention. But when He calls me to follow, I wish to go – more than ever before – nought to sixty eventually; always speeding up; always allowing Him to be master.<br />
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<em>“So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.”</em> (Psalm 71:18)<br />
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There is a verse in Scripture which says “And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning.” (Job 42:12) I pray that this may be true of this Job as well.Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-42374623554938481472010-02-09T10:22:00.005+00:002010-03-26T12:11:49.846+00:00Journey to Riga 5Sunday in Riga was an opportunity for me to preach in the Riga Baptist Mission Church where the conference had been for the past three days. The Pastor, Petr Samoylich,(seen in the picture below)was born in the Ukraine, but had been in the US, where he had built up a successful property development business before coming to Latvia to help the church. This is an old church, dating back to pre communist days. During the communist era the building had been commandeered by the authorities, but after independence came in 1991 it was returned to the church.<br />
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There are two services each Sunday. The morning service is more traditional, and is in the Russian language. The congregation tends to be a little older, although there were younger people here. The afternoon service is in Latvian, and tends to be freer. Petr told me that many of the older folk are not able to come to the afternoon service because they are not able to afford the transport to come in twice. <br />
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I was preaching in the morning service, as our plane was flying out in the early afternoon. Getting to the church was fun. The phone in the flat where we were staying rang, and we were told that someone would be waiting for us on the street downstairs. Lindsay was to preach in one church, and I would be in the Salvation Temple. When we left the flat and got down to the street, all we saw was the taxi which had taken us each morning to the conference, so we got into that. The driver obviously spoke about three words of English, and we spoke no Latvian. We said Baptist Church, and he went on is way, phoning someone as he did so. We assumed that he was phoning the pastor to get the directions. He drove all over the place, eventually getting to the church where Lindsay was preaching. He took me to the Salvation Temple quite quickly, and after being paid, left. In the meantime the pastor was frantically phoning everybody to find out where we were. He had been unable to park outside the flat, and was driving round the block when we took the taxi!<br />
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The church service was about two hours in length. There was a choir, which is normal in this tradition, who led the hymn singing as well as performing a couple of religious songs to aid the worship. Those who had birthdays during January were called up to the front where they were given a verse, and prayed for. The children were also greeted, and encouraged to take note in the Sunday school. One man gave a summary of the five chapters from the Old Testament that would make up the readings for the church that week. So well over an hour had gone by before I got up to preach.<br />
I was graciously given the freedom to preach (It is not always easy for a pastor to give up his pulpit to someone about whom he knows virtually nothing). A young woman translated for me. She is Armenian, and had come to Latvia to study, and remained in the country, firstly to work for the government, and now is in a fairly high position in one a French bank which is working in Riga. She speaks about seven languages fluently – but Welsh isn’t one of them, so she couldn’t translate Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch for me!<br />
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I greeted the church in the name of Christians in Wales, saying what a joy it was for me. Over thirty five years ago when I first became a Christian I had been encouraged to pray for Christians and the church in the Soviet Union, and it was a privilege to see how God was now answering those prayers. After the service an old woman came up to me with joy in her face. Thanking me in Russian for praying, and asking me to take greetings back to Christians in Wales.<br />
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My message to them was based on Matthew 6:19-21 19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust1 destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”<br />
There is treasure on earth, but it will pass away (as has been so obvious during the recession which has affected Latvia so heavily). <br />
What is treasure in heaven? Some think it is religion, others that it is good works. But can these things really impress God? They are all stained with sin and imperfection.<br />
The true treasure of heaven is Jesus Christ - the One in whom the Father is well pleased. And he has given himself to us, dying for us on the cross so that we might be forgiven. Will we treasure Him as our Saviour and Lord?<br />
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After I preached the pastor got up and gave his testimony, that although he could be materially rich in the USA, yet here he had God in his heart. He encouraged all there to trust in Christ, some maybe for the first time. Two came forward at the end of the service to ask for help to give their lives to Christ – one man maybe in his thirties, and the other in his sixties.<br />
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After the service people gathered to have a meal together prepared for them in the church. This church is doing much good work, overseeing the printing of Bibles, visiting schools, organizing three conferences a year for teachers. The Pastor has great responsibilities. But God is encouraging them as they work. And He encouraged me as I saw what He is doing there.<br />
I left Riga with a prayer in my heart for the people there. They face great economic and social problems, but the church has many faithful people who are giving themselves to proclaim Christ crucified. God seems to be at work there, and His kingdom shall prevail.Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-59143387019938970622010-02-08T15:45:00.005+00:002010-03-26T12:13:05.476+00:00Journey to Riga 4God is to be worshipped. Our great privilege is to be the worshippers that the Father seeks, and Romans 12:1 tells us that all of the Christian’s life is to be lived as telling forth the glory of God. Worship is not confined to the time we gather together as God’s people in church. However there is such a thing as corporate worship, when we focus our attention together on the One in whom we live, move and have our being.<br />
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Over the centuries, to our great shame, this corporate worship has been the scene of much strife and discord. In my own experience of over thirty five years as a Christian I have seen the whole idea of how we should come before our God stretched into all sorts of weird and not so wonderful forms. Theologically I come from a conservative background, with the conviction that God has given us clear guidelines in Scripture as to how He wishes to be worshipped by us. (For an interesting book about this subject see <em>Worship By The Book</em>,edited by Don Carson and published by Zondervan). I have found myself at times cringing with embarrassment as I’ve witnessed things offered up in various events – things which seemed to do little to raise Christ up, and much more to raise man. (I say this without reference to the motives of those who participated.) So when I come to new situations, I sometimes feel a nagging doubt that what is done may not necessarily be helpful in building each other up and glorifying Christ.<br />
In Riga, I was told that an artist would be using her gifts as part of the worship. As you will understand, I was cautious in my approach to this. However I must admit that I found what she did helpful, challenging and inspiring. It was not “gimmicky” or showy, and done in a way which seemed to me to be Word centred. I will try to explain what happened.<br />
I must begin with the artist herself. Her name is Kristine Peterson, married to a pastor/missionary in Latvia. She was trained as an artist, but went through a difficult time when she did not pick up her brushes at all. However when she turned again to paint, she asked herself how she could use this gift to the glory of God. She found one answer was to use her work as a visual way of connecting the message of the Bible with the congregation at worship.<br />
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Before the conference she had been meditating much on Scripture, and praying that God would lay something appropriate on her heart. She painted three times, and this happened during the meetings. She set up her easel at the side of the stage, so that it was not obtrusive, but everyone would be able to see. Then, as the congregation sang and prayed she painted. It was always finished before the preaching was done. What I found was that I would be singing, and occasionally looking over, seeing what she was doing, and as the picture developed, so a message was being given to us.<br />
I will take the third picture, to explain more. The conference had been a challenge to get involved in Mission. Kristine began painting some words on the blank canvas: I’m afraid; I am not gifted; The cost is too much. She then drew an outline of a head around these words. Gradually this was filled in, whilst at the same time a hand was painted stretching from the other side of the canvas, pointing towards the lips. Eventually the whole of the head was filled in with all the excuses covered, and the words from Jeremiah 1:6 and 9 appeared – “Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” …. Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me, "Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.”<br />
The whole process was done in such an unobtrusive manner that it did not interfere with what else was happening. In my case at least it added a new dimension, and spoke clearly to serve the rest of the meeting. The preached word which followed was in no way diminished by what Kristine had done. Seeing the painting develop brought much more to the work, as in the finished picture you don’t see the excuses that have been covered. She herself is a humble person, with the simple desire to serve God and his people. These pictures are born out of prayer and meditating in God’s Word. So she succeeded in helping me to enter into the worship of the Christian community at the conference.Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-58752187416126433352010-02-06T22:29:00.005+00:002010-03-26T12:13:46.025+00:00Journey to Riga 3<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUHJMhCLs-UsjWxgHYJOaMk1N114OCd2IE_9VoBx55-zqEjeP8jmkpKooU_Ft14yeDHHUx8pvQ4EWGeVThR7-lFdN9Ci4cX_vhEoT2YKqiOoCW0-u6J6DkuSJgbiiRG4ol06ItNFgNqU/s1600-h/Latvia+2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435263843922946130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUHJMhCLs-UsjWxgHYJOaMk1N114OCd2IE_9VoBx55-zqEjeP8jmkpKooU_Ft14yeDHHUx8pvQ4EWGeVThR7-lFdN9Ci4cX_vhEoT2YKqiOoCW0-u6J6DkuSJgbiiRG4ol06ItNFgNqU/s200/Latvia+2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 150px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
There were many things which moved me in Latvia, making me think, pray and worship. <br />
The country itself is amongst the most seriously affected by the world financial crisis. Many of the banks had allowed borrowers to take huge loans with no security, and when the crunch came with unemployment soaring, many have found themselves unable to repay their debts. Some therefore travel abroad to seek work (The population is decreasing dramatically). Others sink under the pressure. The suicide rate is the second highest in the world (with a large number of these among those from 50 years old upwards). Alcoholism is an enormous problem, as is corruption in both Government and Business circles. This combined with the long history of a country ruled by others makes for a people with a great lack of self-esteem. <br />
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This contrasts itself starkly with the hope I saw among the young people at the Missions Conference. Their spirit reminded me very much of the days in the mid-seventies when God seemed to bless the work of the Christian Unions among the Welsh speakers at the Welsh Universities. There is an innocence, combined with an eagerness.During the conference a collection equivalent to almost $2,000 was taken up for relief aid to Haiti.There is a belief that God is good, and desires good things for his people. I know that in the rarefied atmosphere of a conference, and when visiting a different country, it is easy to get a false impression. But Lindsay, who travels often, got the same impression.<br />
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The commitment of some of the missionaries there is certainly a good role model for them. A number have given up lucrative positions and careers in the US and other places to come to serve here. The pastor in the church where the conference was held had been born in the Ukraine, had moved to the US and built up a career there as a property developer, but had given it all up to come to help the church in Riga. The servant spirit of many of these, not coming to tell these poor Latvians to do things in the American way, was a joy to watch.<br />
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Joy was another attribute that was very apparent. Maybe because the winters can be so harsh, the Latvians love to have an excuse to celebrate. This year the Missions conference was being held for the fifth time, so on the Friday evening they had a fifth birthday party for the conference. We had a meal, we had the young people providing entertainment, and they honoured Chuck for his work in setting it all up. (The photo above is of Chuck Kelley with Kristina translating) One of the entertainment highlights was a performance on the violin by one of the students. Paula Sumane is studying in the conservatoire in Paris, but here she was an ordinary young girl of 22 rejoicing in her Lord at the conference. However when she picked up the violin the whole room was hushed, quite amazed at this tremendous young talent.(The performance can be seen on Facebook) I pray that her faith will survive intact in the world she is entering.<br />
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Worship can be a cheap word in our day, but the worshipful atmosphere of the whole conference was so encouraging. The singing could be loud at times (Valdis, who led the singing, is a rock musician). But everybody seemed to be looking to God for his guidance and good will, whether it was in the formal parts of the meetings, or in the fellowship and discussions. One of the burning issues for them, as mentioned in a previous blog, is how God speaks to us. However the seriousness of the discussion did not hamper the good will between those of differing views, with people prepared to listen to each other in humility. If only this spirit could prevail in more of our discussions and debates as Christians.<br />
In my next blog I want to share about one issue regarding public worship that challenged me in the conferenceDafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-71087266924911969192010-02-05T21:19:00.004+00:002010-03-26T12:14:39.234+00:00Journey to Riga 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Ax5JOonEFXpW4kXw7JEm9iwjz50E0YVN-sunBc0S1sHbNi9Zme47uqsMyr0mB12bbQXANVFro5hJCvatTWYON0kIJYxBVa24lmqxGe3mhu6sjMiWauGHO6kT-H5ypkn-f1a1YGeHY9M/s1600-h/Latvia+3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434872508567847682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Ax5JOonEFXpW4kXw7JEm9iwjz50E0YVN-sunBc0S1sHbNi9Zme47uqsMyr0mB12bbQXANVFro5hJCvatTWYON0kIJYxBVa24lmqxGe3mhu6sjMiWauGHO6kT-H5ypkn-f1a1YGeHY9M/s200/Latvia+3.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 150px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
The conference which we were attending in Riga was called Mission Days and was organised by Bridge Builders International. This is an organisation begun by a Latvian American, Charles David Kelley. Chuck, as he is called by all who know him here, was brought up in the USA. His grandfather was a Latvian who had fled the country with his family towards the end of the second World War, eventually reaching America. Chuck himself was born in the US, and pastored baptist churches in Corvallis for twenty years before giving himself to the vision of building bridges for the gospel to and from Latvia. <br />
(A fuller account can be found in “Surprised By The Father’s Plan” by Charles David Kelley with Kristen Zetzsche)<br />
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Whilst I can be suspicious of well meaning Americans forcing their ideas and vision on some of the former Communist countries, it is apparent that Chuck’s heart is to serve, and his work is well respected by those who lead the churches in Latvia. The conference brought in 250 people, mainly from the Lutheran, the Baptist and the Pentecostal churches in the land. The IFES student movement was also involved, as were YWAM and some other societies. <br />
Our plane was delayed somewhat, so when we arrived the conference had already begun. The conference took place in one of the largest church buildings, The Salvation Temple of the Riga Mission Baptist Church. This is an imposing building with a large main hall, a refectory, and many other rooms. Chuck’s grandfather had been married in this church before he was forced to flee the country. During Communist times the building had been taken over by the government, but it was returned to the church after the fall of the Soviet Union. In the first meeting, which we missed, the Lutheran archbishop, an evangelical pastor, had welcomed everyone. We arrived in time for food and an introduction to some of those involved in the conference.<br />
The conference was held in the Baptist building, was chaired by a Pentecostal pastor, and involved people from a cariety of church denominations. Lindsay Brown (Seen in the photo in full flow) was asked to give five talks on the Challenge of Mission. Another brother, Wally Schoon, who had run a Capernwray Centre in Switzerland for many years, led the morning devotions. Both speakers were competently translated by Kristina Ecis one of the leaders of YWAM in Latvia. The singing was led by Valdis Indrisonoks, one of Latvia’s rock stars who is a Christian. <br />
There were seminars on various subjects, and Lindsay and I were asked to contribute to one for leaders. The subject discussed here was recognising God’s voice and call. It became apparent that this is a bone of contention among Christians with people taking their lead from dreams and “words from the Lord”. Our words of caution were to use the Bible as the only true authority, alongside using our wisdom and the advice of respected Christians within the church. <br />
Lindsay’s talks were:<br />
1) Why Bother with Mission – based on Psalm 96:1-10<br />
2) Applying the Teachings of Scripture to Every part of Society – from Mathew 5:13 – 16<br />
3) An Example of how they preached the Gospel in the New Testament – Acts 17:16 – 34<br />
4) The Christian Witness of the Early Church – 1 Peter 1:1-8<br />
5) How can we serve joyfully for 50 years – 2 Timothy 2<br />
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Lindsay’s expositions were faithful to Scripture, rich in principles which could be practically applied, and full of illustrations from the mission fields around the world. It was encouraging to see these young people responding to the solid Bible teaching, and considering how to work it out in their own witness.Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-84283234340912541662010-02-02T22:45:00.003+00:002010-02-02T22:50:43.278+00:00Journey to RigaThis blog has been silent for some months. There are many reasons, but I’m not going to try to justify this silence. I’ve wanted to write more, but wanting is not the same as doing. I just didn’t get round to it!But following this last weekend, here is an attempt at writing again.<br /><br />Anyone who knows me realises that I have an interest in the church in former Communist countries. Whilst Communism was the ruling power in Eastern Europe I visited Christians in Prague to encourage and learn. Following the collapse of communism I have always been glad of the opportunity to visit churches in Eastern Europe, again to encourage and learn, but also to be encouraged as I see how God has answered those prayers of over thirty five years ago. So when I was invited to accompany Lindsay Brown to a conference in Latvia I was happy to accept, and to see what was happening there.<br /><br />The conference we were attending was called MISSION DAYS, and brought Christians from both the student world and churches in the country together to consider the call to mission. Lindsay (former General Secretary of IFES) was asked to give five talks on Mission, and there were opportunities for seminars, Bible studies and much fellowship. <br /><br />There are a number of things which I hope will be helpful for me to share, and I trust will both encourage us, inform our prayers, and will compel us forward in obedience to the great commission. <br /><br />Firstly, some general points.<br />We are all encouraged when God answers prayer. However we in the West tend to be a bit impatient. Our prayers are often general and vague, and we often miss what God is doing. When I think back to the mid-seventies when I became a Christian, we were challenged often to pray for Christians in Eastern Europe who suffered under communist regimes. Open Doors, Friedenstimme, and other societies encouraged us with exciting stories, but there was much suffering at that time. I don’t know whether over the years we have forgotten those prayers. But God has not forgotten, and He is still answering them. Seeing this is a sure aid, both in our own faith and worship, and in our commitment to the Gospel. Having an old woman with a wizened face come and embrace me, thanking me for our prayers was both a humbling and motivating experience.<br /><br />Secondly, Latvia is a country which has suffered much over the years, and since the year 1300 has known almost constant domination by other nations. There is something in the Latvian psyche which corresponds very much with the Welsh inferiority complex, built over years of domination by another culture. There is an affinity which makes it particularly easy to minister to them.<br /><br />Thirdly, it is a very needy country. Economically it is one of the worst hit in the recent economic crisis. The hopelessness, especially among the middle aged, has led to the country having the second highest suicide rate in the world. The young are leaving the country in droves, and the population is decreasing. There is much corruption in government and business. <br /><br />Fourthly, the churches there are encouraged in many ways, but the workers are few. Many are missionaries who have come from other countries. The dominant church would be the Lutheran church. But liberalism has left its’ mark on much of the church. However there are good things happening in many Lutheran churches. There are also Baptist and Pentecostal churches which are growing. There are gifted young men and women who can be trained, and it was a joy to meet some 250 of these people in the Mission Days Conference. <br />I will try to give a taste of the conference in the next couple of blogsDafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-8975025639170230252009-07-28T20:58:00.003+01:002009-07-28T21:06:33.766+01:00Christ on the road to Calvary - 3(continued from previous two blogs)<br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993300;">As we approach the next verses in this chapter (Luke 23:35 -43) it is hard to imagine the depth of darkness in the situation. Yet in this darkness something happens which should encourage every follower of Christ to be confident in the gospel.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993300;">As Jesus was nailed to the cross, everyone seemed to be against him. The guards were mocking; the priests and religious leaders were calling out in derision; Mathew tells us that even both men who were crucified began to mock him. But then something happens to one of the dying thieves. Maybe seeing the way Jesus was reacting to everything challenged his heart. He knew why he was there – he had set himself up against the authorities and knew that if he was caught this would be his fate. He realised that he was going to meet his Maker, and would answer for what he had done. But what had Jesus done? He had surely heard of him. He might even have listened to Jesus among the crowds sometime. Maybe he knew someone whose life had been changed by the healing touch of the one who was hanging there beside him. And he was given eyes to see that all this evil poured out upon the carpenter’s son from Nazareth could not destroy the better kingdom that was His.<br />And in that dark hour, he took hold of his only hope – “I do not understand how this is going to happen, but when you have moved on from this cross, and come into your kingdom, remember me.”<br /><br />The answer Jesus gives him is astounding. He was here in weakness, deserted by his followers and to all intents and purposes his enemies had won – they were getting rid of him. But in his weakness he can turn to this dying, repentant sinner and confidently proclaim: “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993300;">a) <strong>Paradise</strong> – what a contrast to the rubbish dump outside Jerusalem where they crucified wrongdoers. People have all sorts of strange ideas about paradise – and it is mostly guesswork or wishful thinking. But the Bible gives us some true idea of what it will be like – No sickness, no death, no evil without to tempt us, and no evil within to cause us to fall, no tears as they are all wiped from our face. (Revelation 21:4) There will be a new heaven and a new earth where there will be no sickness. The effects of the fall in Eden will be overturned in glory.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993300;">b) <strong>Today</strong> – there was no time for the thief to atone for his sins, but Jesus does not tell him that he’ll have to wait in purgatory to suffer for what he had done. The transfer to glory would be immediate, and all of grace. There would be no delay as the Son washed away his sins through the perfect blood that was being poured out even as they spoke to each other. What a difference between the blood of the sinner, calling out for judgement, and the blood of the spotless Lamb, washing away all condemnation. The thief would suffer a few hours, but in trusting Jesus he would spend eternity in glory.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993300;">c) <strong>You will be with me</strong> – That is the greatest part of this promise. To be with Jesus is heaven itself. Those who reject Jesus would not find themselves happy in heaven because the essence of heaven is being with Him. The Bible talks of heaven as a wedding, where the church – all those who have been purchased by the blood of Christ – appears glorious in perfection, prepared for the Bridegroom – Christ himself. And as one hymn expresses it so well:<br />The Bride eyes not her garment, but her dear Bridegroom’s face;I will not gaze at glory but on my King of grace.Not at the crown He giveth but on His pierced hand;The Lamb is all the glory of Immanuel’s land.<br /><br />Now if Christ in his weakness can boldly proclaim that his sacrifice will accomplish this, how much more confident should we be. We have heard him cry “It is finished!” We have heard the testimony of the witnesses that he was raised from the dead the third day. We have all the promises of the gospel. And countless numbers have been persuaded that this gospel is the power of God unto salvation to all those who believe. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993300;">How can we be silent when others today give everything for the privilege of telling others the good news? As you read this Christians in some countries are being persecuted, imprisoned and killed for the faith. And their testimony bears fruit which causes heaven to rejoice. If the gospel in Western Europe seems to be under a cloud, in other parts of the world it is thriving, especially where it suffers persecution. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993300;">What a wonderful promise Jesus gave to the dying thief, and what a privilege we have to proclaim this same promise to the dying world around us. Yet we are often fearful, and our fear causes us to be silent! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993300;">As we consider Christ on the way to Calvary, let us learn to take up our cross and tell others about Him. Let it not be a burden but a joy and not a duty but a privilege. And may we be filled with His compassion, driven to our knees to intercede for those who do wrong to us, proclaiming boldly His promise of life.</span>Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-65494042069873583272009-07-27T20:03:00.004+01:002009-07-27T22:48:56.969+01:00Christ on the road to Calvary - 2<span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993300;">Again we turn to Luke 23, concentrating his time on verses 32 - 38</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993300;">If we are amazed at the compassion of Christ as he is led to Calvary, we cannot be unmoved either by his attitude towards those who were carrying out the outrageous deed of nailing him to the cross.<br /><br />These were hard men. They had done this so many times before as Roman soldiers. They were there to execute the judgement passed by Roman law. They had become oblivious to the cries of the prisoners as the nails crunched through the flesh and bones of their victims. This was their job, and they could even stand calmly, dividing the clothes of the victims as their pay for doing the work – one of the perks of the job. When they found one quality cloak among the clothes, they had some fun drawing lots to see who could have it. </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993300;">They were there to obey orders, and to ensure that the Jews were kept in their place. The Romans were the law here – not the Jews. This man had a sign to place above him – the King of the Jews – and any one who tried to set himself up against Caesar would know what would follow. As the people mocked Christ they probably thought: the poor deluded fool – even his own people have turned against him.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993300;">How do we feel when we are wronged? What do we want to do when we are blamed for something we did not do, or suffer an injustice? Our natural reaction is to strike back. We want to protest our innocence and right the wrong, even if it means that others will suffer. </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993300;">Yet never did any one suffer such injustice as Jesus on the cross. He did no evil ever. He once challenged his enemies to point out any sin which he had committed (John 8:46) but they couldn’t. He did not deserve to suffer here, and what these men were doing was unfair, unjust and evil. Yet what words appear on his lips?<br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#993300;"><em>Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34<br /></em>He intercedes for them, even as they are casting lots for his clothes, asking that his Father would bless them.<br /><em>“They know not what they do”</em> –<br />(a) They do not realise what sin is. For so many people sin is just a mistake, or failing to hit the mark – after all no one is perfect. But sin is telling the eternal God that we do not want him to be God. We don’t want to live his way. Our way is better. Sin is rejecting the One who gives us our very existence and spitting in the face of the all powerful.<br />(b) If they realised who I am – that I am the eternal Word, and that one day they will have to give an account for their lives before the eternal judgement seat. They do not realise that on that day they will look up at the throne, and the judge will be the One they are now nailing to a piece of wood to hang and die. If they realised this they would not do this – they would bow down in awe and terror. Paul said something similar when he wrote to the Corinthians about the wisdom of the world: None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:8<br /><br />And Christ, having compassion on these miserable sinners, intercedes for them.<br /><br />How do we, as Christians, react to those who reject the gospel? It is easy to find fault with them. It is so much easier to condemn than to be concerned. How many, I wonder, have prayed for the conversion of leaders of the Al Qaeda movement? How many have wept and prayed for those who persecute and kill Christians in some countries of the world today? And what about opponents in our own country? There are those who attack Christianity, mocking it as a delusion or a retrograde fantasy. And it is easy to condemn militant atheists in our reaction to this. But Jesus prayed for those who were doing him the most awful injustice and wrong.<br />These people today do not know that the One that they reject will one day judge them. They do not realise that as they follow their own way, they are spurning the Almighty and calling down judgement on their own heads. </span></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993300;">Where is the agony in our praying for the lost? Where is the cry that God would forgive them, and open their eyes and hearts to see what the eternal love of the Holy One can do?</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993300;">Facing a task unfinished<br />That drives us to our knees;<br />A need that, undiminished,<br />Rebukes our slothful ease </span>Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-45426806213883907912009-07-23T15:11:00.006+01:002009-07-27T22:49:28.933+01:00Christ on the road to Calvary<span style="color:#990000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I've been quiet for a while. There have been a number of reasons for this, which I won't go into but here is a new train of thought which hopefully will help some.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /></span><span style="color:#990000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">The cross of Christ is central to every Christian. There we see the great act of salvation accomplished as Jesus takes upon himself our curse and dies for the sins of the world. For us therefore the fulcrum of history is the cross and resurrection of Jesus. We boast in it, and we never move far from it. And there are so many aspects of the cross which speak to us. As Evangelical or rather as Biblical Christians we believe it tells us about the wickedness of sin, the fulness of the atonement, the justice of God, the greatness of salvation, and supremely about the love of God the Father and God the Son towards us in accomplishing such a gracious redemption.<br />One other aspect which I have been thinking about recently is the example of the cross. Peter tells us that “Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21) Or to put it another way, the cross is a path for us to tread, as Jesus himself taught us that to follow Him means to take up our cross and follow Him. (Mathew 16:24.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The danger here is that we can think of following Christ and telling others about Him as a duty rather than a delight. How many times have preachers felt that they are whipping their people into action, rather than encouraging them. Here is where meditating on Christ as he proceeds to Calvary can help – or at least it has helped me. So over the next few blogs I’ll be looking at Luke 23:26 – 43, especially thinking about the attitude of us Christians towards those who do not know Christ as their Saviour.</span><br /><br /></span><span style="color:#990000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">And we begin with the compassion of Christ.<br />We can all have some idea of the horror of the situation. Jesus had been in public ministry for three years. He’d been in the public eye, working and giving out to people day after day, often ministering late into the night. There were times when he often spent the whole night in prayer. At other times when he was tired, people came to him seeking help and he never turned them away. He must have been emotionally and physically tired. Then had come the betrayal, and although he knew it was coming, it could not have lessened the hurt. He’d given so much to the disciples, and then Judas betrayed him, the disciples fled and Peter denied that he knew the Lord. What emotional grief this must have been. Then he was taken and tried before a kangaroo court , lied about and condemned. He’d been humiliated by Pilate, Herod and the soldiers. He’d been cruellyu scourged, and often these whipping would be enough to kill the sufferer as the metal pieces tied into the leather thongs ripped the flesh apart.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Then there was the shame. How did this young man from Nazareth, with such godly parents, end up like this – “for a hanged man is cursed by God.” (Deuteronomy 21:23)? And as he is dragged naked through the streets of Jerusalem, women there weep as they take pity on him.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">But Jesus’ response is truly amazing: <em>But turning to them Jesus said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.</em> (Luke 23:28) He tells them that their perspective is all wrong. “You look at me and think that I am worthy of pity, but this is a path that I have chosen. There is purpose to my suffering. But what about the path that you, and Jerusalem have chosen?” He compares the green with the dead dried wood. We have all seen what happened in Australia earlier this year when a spark from a carelessly dropped cigarette would set a forest on fire, enough to burn whole towns and communities. So he says that if God, who is merciful and loves his Son with an eternal love, yet pours out his wrath in such a way when Jesus clothes himself in our sin, what will happen to those who reject Him. Jesus wept over Jerusalem when he entered the city (Luke 19:41) knowing what would happen when Rome finally lost patience with the Jews in about 40 years from that time. The story of the destruction of Jerusalem is terrible. But that was only a shadow of the destruction that would come in the judgement at the end of time. “do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” He had compassion for them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">What is our concern most often. We are so full of our own problems. We don’t see things as Jesus saw them. We think of the difficulties we face, rather than the eternal judgement which awaits those who would reject Christ. Often we secretly even envy those who are rich in the things which this world offers. We do not see them as Jesus sees them. No one is as blessed as those who know Christ as a Saviour and Redeemer. And no one is to be more pities than those who are without Christ. I recently heard of a converted Muslim, a week after his conversion to Christianity undertook his first missionary journey. He went to tell his friends about his new found Saviour and Friend. They hung him up by his hair until his hair fell out, and he now has great bald patches on his head. But he knew that he had no choice but to try to save his lost friends.</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#990000;"><em>O teach me, Saviour, teach me<br />The value of a soul</em>.</span></span>Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-61403519475800201262009-05-29T20:38:00.002+01:002009-05-29T21:01:47.950+01:00European Leadership Forum 9A twelve hour journey back from Eger to Bangor gives much time to reflect and to try to consider how to sum up the Forum.<br /><br />The one thing which makes such a conference stand out is the variety of those who attend. Over 42 nations were represented, and a variety of occupations (that is not all pastors, professional theologians or even church workers.) The quality of the teaching was excellent, and the opportunity to question, challenge and engage was plentiful. But it was the participants that make this event unique.<br /><br />The fact that we were not all from the same theological stable was interesting. We were all agreed on the gospel (The Bible was held up as the infallible Word of God; the atoning work of Christ was rejoiced in; the truth that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone was upheld throughout etc.). However differences were there, but they did not seem to cause the conflict which often comes in such situations. We were all prayerfully concerned about the effective spread of the Gospel throughout Europe, and were there to further that aim. And for my part, although I am sure that I would disagree deeply with John Lennox about some issues, I learnt much from him as he expounded the Word of God, and rejoiced in the fellowship and personal discussion we had.<br /><br />Whilst the steering committee is essentially European, much of the arranging and administrating, including the running of the whole event in Hungary, is done by friends from the USA. Their commitment, hard work and generosity are major factors also in the atmosphere of the whole event. When we arrived this year each participant was given an ESV study Bible as a gift. This was paid for by the adult Sunday school class of Wayne Grudem (who was the general editor of the study Bible, and a frequent contributor to the ELF). This gift was especially valuable to many of those who come from Eastern Europe. This was the spirit of the whole Forum, and on the final evening a long standing ovation was given to all those volunteers who had given of their time and out of their own pocket had paid to come to help us. Any who would doubt the American way of patronisingly try to sort out the rest of the world can see here a very different spirit.<br /><br />The challenge for me (as is often the case when we have been away) is to bring back home some things which can be applied to our own situation. Certainly I have been refreshed, and my vision for the lost has been sharpened. I have a deeper understanding of certain portions of the Scriptures, and have greater knowledge to use in the proclamation of the Gospel. I also have new brothers and sisters in Christ for whom I can thank God, and for whom I must pray. I received numerous invitations to other countries to help them as they seek to serve God.<br /><br />There are some things which I would want to see change. Firstly it seemed very difficult to find a cup of coffee after 11.00 a.m. – a major complaint!! Maybe a little more seriously, a pastoral track might be useful. Whilst some pastors were used, most of the speakers seemed to be those who were not so directly involved in the full time ministry of the church, and at times the apologetic emphasis overshadowed all else. I am aware that much personal mentoring was done there, but there could be a place for something else.<br /><br />One serious issue for me was that I was the only Welsh speaker there, and on one night when we sat according to our nations for food, I had only one companion from Wales – Lindsay Brown. I would dearly wish to have others from my country there, so that we could continue the work here between Forums. Maybe next year I can persuade someone to come with me.<br /><br />In the meantime, I pray that God will make me faithful in putting into practice the things I have learnt and been convicted of. I am grateful to have been there this year, and look forward to other blessings God may have in store for Europe.Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-49205674674169474772009-05-28T23:32:00.003+01:002009-05-29T21:01:47.951+01:00European Leadership Forum 8The final evening meeting was a summing up of our desire to see the Gospel explode across Europe, and a sending out of the conference participants to proclaim the gospel. It was good to see a fellow Welshman giving the word, as Lindsay Brown, former General Secretary of IFES was the one chosen to speak to us. He gave a clear, powerful challenge as we face not only the pluralism of our age, but also probably increased opposition and even persecution. (One of those at the conference had nearly been imprisoned in Greece six months earlier accused of trying to proselytise someone from an Orthodox background.) He took us to the first letter of Peter and gave us a general overview in the light of our calling to be witnesses. His five point sermon was enriched as usual with stories of Christians from around the world, but this was not just a catalogue of inspiring stories. It was a direct challenge to take the gospel to others.<br /><br />1) Our witness issues from our identity in Christ:<br />(a) We have a trans-cultural identity (1 Peter 1:1, 2:9,10) shown clearly in the make up of this conference.<br />(b) Our identity is tied up in our being a chosen people (1 Peter 1:2,12; 2:9)<br />(c) Our identity is inextricably bound in our common experience of God’s grace and wonder (1 Peter 1:10,13; 5:10)<br />(d) Our identity is found in knowing the living hope of the Gospel (1 Peter 1:3 – 5)<br />2) Our witness is sharpened by our response to adversity (1 Peter 1:7; 4:12 – 16). We do not suffer from the hopelessness of unbelief or the resignation of Stoicism when we face pain and loss.<br />3) Our witness is sharpened by a godly lifestyle (1 Peter 1:13 – 17; 2:11) When the Roman world suffered epidemics in the second and third century, the Christians cared for and loved those who fell ill, and many of them died, but the impact was a great influx of people to the church as they witnessed such love. In Albania, when there was a shortage of blood in the hospitals, it was the evangelical Christians who queued up to answer the need, so much so that one of the government ministers publicly thanked them for it.<br />4) Our witness is galvanised by conviction of the truth claim of the Gospel (1 Peter 3:15) In Algeria last year one pastor had baptised 1,500 believers. When the police took hold him to tell him that they were going to imprison all the Christians, he challenged them – You do not have enough prisons to hold us all – the Gospel is true, and we will see many people turn to Christ.<br />5) The heart of our witness is Christ. 1 Peter 1:8,19; 2:24; 3:18)<br /><br />The meeting was both a blessing and a real challenge. It was not overly charged with emotion as the last night of a conference can often become. However the sound of people from over 42 nations raising up their voices in unison to praise the eternal God was an uplifting and encouraging experience.<br /><br />I will leave the final summing up of the conference until tomorrow, when I will have had a good night's sleep in my own bed.Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-7252091888053931432009-05-27T14:25:00.004+01:002009-05-29T21:01:47.951+01:00European Leadership Forum 7<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1OAcJgN4h0EsXQ9E_4u4qCUyW4SVlfGtcxFZVRxTiDQ4mVU13_vZyUSi_afePxFjqlYgdk7jbicReXHe3WL4WVNstEmj0IU3SxITjuxvl_zAWL3kXQISQBaLb3CDfVVVJWTSCovuiko/s1600-h/ELF+002.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340497139202626130" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 170px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1OAcJgN4h0EsXQ9E_4u4qCUyW4SVlfGtcxFZVRxTiDQ4mVU13_vZyUSi_afePxFjqlYgdk7jbicReXHe3WL4WVNstEmj0IU3SxITjuxvl_zAWL3kXQISQBaLb3CDfVVVJWTSCovuiko/s200/ELF+002.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Wednesday opened with John Lennox again preaching from Genesis. This time he opened with a plea that we need to let the Bible speak. We often begin with our problems, and see what the Bible has to say about it. But he contended that the Bible is true, and we believe it not because we can win all the intelectual arguments, but because God has spoken life to us through it. Turning to the story of Joseph he looked at The story of the brothers going to seek food in Egypt and the way Joseph deals with them. The insights were deep, and we saw the two sides of repentance and forgiveness being shown in Joseph’s actions and the brothers’ (in particular Judah’s) response. We ended up seeing Judah being turned from a man who sold his brother, to a man who repented and evetually was willing to give himself for his brother (Benjamin) and thus being a faint shadow of the Lion of the tribe of Judah – the Lord Jesus Christ. I was conscious of the presence of Christ, and was greatly humbled.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-IwwefT4yvM4Fo_n7-GSP6ZuAphiqy115Ohsg0SV9qhZ7OmY6F1GnY2EP0k_qoNKsrH4qI9JNHhyphenhyphenxAzQJ17LV7-Qryez525Lap_rvgevtwSOYN1uma_EhWTkWkZlSFrSUdW01Lob6oU/s1600-h/ELF+010.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340497537970209922" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-IwwefT4yvM4Fo_n7-GSP6ZuAphiqy115Ohsg0SV9qhZ7OmY6F1GnY2EP0k_qoNKsrH4qI9JNHhyphenhyphenxAzQJ17LV7-Qryez525Lap_rvgevtwSOYN1uma_EhWTkWkZlSFrSUdW01Lob6oU/s200/ELF+010.JPG" border="0" /></a>The Evangelism seminar then continued, firstly with Michael Ramsden leading us to consider the way Ideas mold the thinking. We considered the influence of such men as A.J.Ayre, who contended that Moral and Theological statements had no meaning; and H.L.A.Hart who with his views on jurisprudence pushed all moral and consideration of God out of the window in legal matters. </div><br /><div>The second half of the session was a challenge, firstly by Michael Ramsden, looking at Luke 14:12 – 24. He set the parable in the context of his own Middle Eastern background, and challenged us as to the compelling them to come in. Then Michael Green encouraged us from John 16 about the Paraclete – the Friend sent alongside us and advocate who comes with us to prosecute those who challenge us. We then prayed for each other for 30 minutes in groups of two or three, and in this praying looked at our own situations in a very direct way, praying about what we had learned at the conference, what were our weaknesses where God’s grace could abound, and what we needed to do when we get home. My group of three was Michael Ramsden, Klara – a health worker from Novi Sad in Serbia, and myself. To sit in a room of men and women bowing our heads, and putting ourselves and each other in the hands of an all-powerful God to do as He wills with us is something special.</div><br /><div>A blog cannot convey the sense of the presence of God in these things, but I know that once again I have been faced with the fact that God in his rich mercy has called me to work with him, for him in the power of his strength. Weak though I am, He must increase. </div>Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-36934729901469661452009-05-27T07:08:00.003+01:002009-05-29T21:01:47.952+01:00European Leadership Forum 6Tuesday<br />This has to be one of the most encouraging days of the Forum for me. The sun was again shining as I took my breakfast in the open air with brothers from Northern Ireland, USA, and Denmark.<br /><br /><br />We then proceeded to listen to a scintillating exposition of Genesis as John Lennox tokk us mopre into the story of Joseph. The first part of his Bible reading looked at Judah (Chapter 38) which was shown not to be an irrelevant sideline, but at the heart of the plan of Genesis to prepare the way for the seed of Adam to come as the Messiah. His insights were both pastoral and theological. Then he went on to consider the suffering and rejection of Joseph. We all left the main conference room inspired, humbled, wanting to know more and wanting to come home to share the pearls of insight with others.<br /><br />The three hours of morning seminars on evangelism which followed were divided into two parts. In the first part we looked at the way to deal with questions which people ask us. We honed in on one question which we might be asked by an unbeliever – Are you saying that I’m going to Hell? We split into groups to discuss (a) What could be the motive behind such a question? (b) What would be the questions that we would ask? (c) How would we answer the question? The insights different people had on this was very helpful in thinking about dealing with such a question. In the second session Michael Ramsden took us through a number of logical fallacies which we might come accross when we talk to people. It was a practical and enjoyable session.<br /><br /><strong>The Book Stall <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjId2gogtftyi_bj45TRGTUIc74iDoxdZ9PVCxf7Hn8PQPPfY4xJWF0sT0eTt7PnMbAAsWfuKBPxtbIT88-TL67aSTuAZZJjB_JMAFigXn87OfEYIz4OCr58Xpp8lO9PS6q_kADvklwd_s/s1600-h/ELF+009.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340382027242104242" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjId2gogtftyi_bj45TRGTUIc74iDoxdZ9PVCxf7Hn8PQPPfY4xJWF0sT0eTt7PnMbAAsWfuKBPxtbIT88-TL67aSTuAZZJjB_JMAFigXn87OfEYIz4OCr58Xpp8lO9PS6q_kADvklwd_s/s200/ELF+009.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></strong>One of the benefits of this Forum is the extensive bookstall that is here. A great number of books are available, and they are all at a 60% discount. We might think this is marvellous, and indeed I felt like a child in a sweetshop looking at the tables. But there is another aspect which sobers those of us who come from the west. Some of the participants from the poorer countries of Eastern Europe could hardly afford even these. So a scholarship fund is set up to help them. One couple from Serbia were speechless when they were given a small gift of 20 euros. They had not been able to spare any money to buy books, but a little gift meant that, together with the scholarship they could have some quality literature to take home with them. How humbled I felt, yet how rewarded when I saw the light and joy in their faces.Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-62363963409055621562009-05-27T06:59:00.002+01:002009-05-29T21:01:47.952+01:00European Leadership Forum 5<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGT8Q7BPAtZIFBxdRq-g7RWTtrIqTzIM4PtAgItxsyRG57eqK89e4NSzCgS4eQOZHJ6QL2Mals_PQeHegMthO8Hsv1FkOdODolnt7LYlnTagvg76cwKfcu4nfp9zQ6oP5tYY3Y5Z2kxA/s1600-h/ELF+004.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340380491421518690" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGT8Q7BPAtZIFBxdRq-g7RWTtrIqTzIM4PtAgItxsyRG57eqK89e4NSzCgS4eQOZHJ6QL2Mals_PQeHegMthO8Hsv1FkOdODolnt7LYlnTagvg76cwKfcu4nfp9zQ6oP5tYY3Y5Z2kxA/s200/ELF+004.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Monday</div><br /><div><br />John Lennox took us to Genesis again today, concentrating on the disintegration of the family life of Joseph. The insights are fascinating as he pointed us to simple things which together make for a deep reading of the text. In the story of Genesis we get God setting up a natiopn, but it is not simply a multiplication of offspring. Abraham, to whom the promise of being the father of nations and with whom God made a covenant passed the blessing of the covenant to Isaac, not Ismael, and Isaac in turn passed the covenant promise on to Jacob and not Esau, but now we come to a different passing on – the twelve sons were included in the covenant. But the passing on was not just a physical birth. There is also the story which will eventually lead to Christ and there is a spiritual story here. As we looked at the factors which led to the disintegration of the family we were faced with questions which were so relevant to today’s issues – issues of gossip, loving our neighbour, favouritism, cutting corners as we do God’s work, God at work and the deceit of the human heart. We left feeling that there was so much depth that we yet had to see in the familiar story.</div><br /><div><br />In the seminar tracks on Evangelism we had two sessions. In the first Michael Green faced the challenge of the Da Vinci Code and the accusation that the church distorted the true Gospel in a paper entitled <strong>The Books The Church Suppressed</strong>. And he readily admitted that as Dan Brown has claimed, the church did suppress some books – books which appeared long after the original Gospels and other documents included in the New Testament appeared – because they were a distortion of the true gospel. We should not be intimidated by the false claims of Dan Brown. There is no evidence to support his claims, whilst the Scriptures as handed down to us by the church in the New Testament have all the marks of authenticity.</div><br /><div><br />In the second session Michael Ramsden then took us into the <strong>Ontological Root of the Gospel</strong> which sounds complicated. But really it simply means that Christianity is not rooted in ideas (epistemological root), feeling (existential root) or doing (pragmatism), but in being. It is an encounter with the living Christ which changes what I am.<br />Its method of revelation is that Jesus did not come to tell us about God. He came as God, and in seeing Him we have seen the Father.<br />It is rooted in being in Salvation. Through Christ’s physical death and ressurrection that we are saved. He took on our desperate need in his being and we are saved.<br />It leads to our transformation. Our very beings are restored and thus we can truly begin to learn how to think, how to relate to the world around us and how to live.<br />So Christianity is ultimately different to all other religions.<br /><br />The afternoon seminar by Michael Green was entitled <strong>Don’t Just Sit There, Plant,</strong> and led us to consider the work of Church Planting. The people in the seminar included those who had planted churches in the UK, France, Belarus, and other places. We had valuable discussion with much insight into the need, challenge, and encouragements to be involved in this work.<br /><br />The evening was given to a culture night with many choices as some participants in the Forum performed. I went to listen to Ellis Potter argue that as Christians we must redeem the arts, in our Christian faith utilising our creative nature.<br /><br />Once again the fellowship with people from all sorts of cultures seemed to me to be the great blessing of the day. </div>Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-53061586408604740512009-05-26T06:56:00.002+01:002009-05-29T21:01:47.953+01:00European Leadership Forum 4Sunday afternoon I did not go to the optional workshop. It was better for me to digest what I’d already heard, and to try to think about some of the conversations I’ve had.<br /><br />Then at 4.00 the next workshop was with Wayne Grudem. His discussion was <strong>A Call to Personal Holiness.</strong> His point was that we seem to have neglected the fear of God as a factor in our living, and replaced it with a softer reverence. God is holy and calls us to holiness, and scripture tells us that not living holy lives brings inevitable consequences. The example of Ananias and Saphira is an extreme one, but we were reminded that there is a judgement which is not eternal judgement – and God deals with us according to what we do (1 Peter 1:14 – 16) There is a passive judgement, where God removes his presence, giving us up to our own desires. But there can also be an active judgement where something happens which seems to be God calling us to repent and turn by allowing something bad to happen. Of course this is not the only reason bad things happen to Christians (take the example of Job). But there seems to be in the USA an emphasis on grace which belittles sin. I found his emphasis needing to be qualified, but I understand where he is coming from.<br /><br />The evening session with Pablo Martinez brought out the caring and careful nature of the man. He is a Psychiatrist in Spain who has done much for the church and especially the student movement there during his life. He spoke on <strong>Love, Faith and Faithfullness in Family Life</strong>. He began by illustrating how things have changed in European attitudes, citing a spanish tv reality programme, where the premise is that to preserve faithfulness to one’s self, one needs sometimes to be unfaithful to our partners. Faithfulness is threatened by a triumvirate of rights surrounding the self – My right to be happy, my right to change, and my right to be myself. These selfish rights supercede the duties or responsibilities towards others – they justify unfaithfulness. The result of these rights being insisted on is the death of self.<br />However to combat this we have a triangle with God at its’ centre. This triangle consists of love (not eros, the passion which scientific research has shown lasts about three years, but agape.) faith, which leads to faithfulness. this means that instead of insisting on “my rights”, when I fulfill my duties, this leads to life abundant. This was so reasonably and carefully presented that they could form the basis of a course of preparation for marriage.Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-1683691037010675162009-05-24T14:10:00.002+01:002009-05-29T21:01:47.953+01:00European Leadership Forum 2This is a full on conference, with not much time to spare, and most of that is spent with men and women from a variety of countries and churches. There is so much to say, and so much to digest that this will only be a very brief outline of some of the things that are happening.<br /><br />The seminar yesterday on <em><strong>Developing Elders</strong></em> was a fruitful time. We began by considering some secular views of Leadership before turning to the scriptural view. One of the basic Biblical models of leadership is the Shepherd. Here we need to do more than consider the superficial idea – we need to understand the ancient middle eastern concept of shepherd, before tying it in with the scriptural references about God being the Shepherd of Israel, and the patterns given to us in various passages of the Bible. We then considered 1 Timothy 3:1 – 7, and set this in the context of how to develop the leadership qualities listed here.<br />Tom Streeter shared some of his own experience as he expounded the idea of a plurality of Elders, equal in authority, leading the local congregation. The whole process of developing such men began with discipling men. This is in small groups of men who meet weekly for a time of study together. The curriculum involves three elements – church history, theology and developing a world view. These sessions develop friendships and give opportunities for the pastor to learn what sort of people they are. In these groups some would come to the fore as candidates for leadership.<br />We listed the qualities expected of the leaders, and considered how to test these within the context of our own situations.<br /><br /><strong>Mealtimes</strong> are interesting. We are placed on tables of six, and I am responsible for caring for those on my table. They are one American who is a missionary in Torrino in Italy, another who is based in Slovakia, and helps to arrange for and support both long term missionaries in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary. Then we have a sister who is a medical health worker in Serbia. The church is facing all sorts of difficulties at present there, but she has access to many people, and is here to learn more about evangelism. She works with two friends whi I already know in Serbia. Finally we have two brothers from Norway.<br /><br />The <strong>evening session</strong> brought everyone together to worship and part of that worship was listening to the ministry of Nick Nedelchev, a senior Bulgarian leader. His humour and spiritual insught combined to show us how fear can paralyse, but also can be our friend as we replace our own unscriptural fears with the fear of God, and challenge the Europe which is full of fears at present.<br /><br />Following this session a group of us went down to the town of Eger to sit in one of the number of restaurant/bars on the streets. I ended up in a discussion with an Irishman, a Dane, and three Americans on the financial crisis and the opportunities it affords to us for proclaiming better riches than the world offers.<br /><br />Sunday began with breakfast in the open air under the sun with Steve, a UCCF staff worker from England, Teuta who is a girl from Albania, and conversations also with Lindsay Brown, a brother from Zagreb who knows my daughter, and others.<br /><br />John Lennox then led a <strong>Bible study</strong>. John is a Proffessor of Mathematics at Oxford University, one who has publicly debated with Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, and is an accomplished speaker on the Bible. He is looking at Joseph this week, but today was an overview of Genesis as a backdrop for what is to come. It was a different look at Genesis, helping us to see the worldview of the book – God as Creator/upholder and as object of faith. This is in open opposition to the secular atheism we encounter today, and the question all have to face is – Do we believe this God.<br /><br />Then came a three hour session in our <strong><em>workshop tracks</em></strong> – mine being <em><strong>evangelism</strong></em>. We began by introducing ourselves which was in itself interesting. Among those who are there was one who did not seem sure of his name. He was a Muslim, converted six months ago, and his name used to be Iman, but he has changed it now to Immanuel. Michael Ramsden who leads the workshop then led us into an introduction as to why we should be concerned with apologetics and what is that apologetic which is scriptural. It was a chalenging introduction, with a call to sepond to 1 Peter 3:15&16. Some people give their lives to give the reason for the hope that is in them. How will we respond when we meet them in eternity! What excuses will we try to give for our silence. The church in Europe seems to have lost its voice and we need to rediscover it.<br />Following a much needed coffee, we then asked each other what was the question we would least want a non-believer to ask us. Then we tried to look at these questions and ask Why would someone ask these questions; What could we ask them, and How would we answer them. We split into groups of three to look at these, before coming back to share with each other.<br /><br />What a morning, and I have only just started the conference! More to come before long.Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-8304650104357398172009-05-23T16:17:00.001+01:002009-05-29T21:01:47.953+01:00European Leadership ForumI have arrived in Eger – a town in Hungary about two and a half hours’ drive from Budapest. I’m here for The European Leadership Forum, which is a conference for Christian Leaders from all over Europe, run by a coalition of a number of Evangelical movements throughout Europe and much support from the USA. This is my second year at the conference, and arriving was very much like the tribes of Israel coming up to Jerusalem. At Heathrow I met others on their way, and eventually there were 22 coming here on the same plane. In Budapest we were put on a bus with a similar number from a previous flight, and after the long drive to Eger, we entered the hotel to find other familiar faces from last year’s conference, and many new ones. I’m sharing a room with a brother who spent many years in Vienna, and then in Slovakia, serving the church in Eastern Europe. I caught up with an Irish Presbyterian, who I shared a room with last year. I went to look for food last night with a student from Cambridge who is doing a phd in Chemistry, and a young man who works for Navigators in Edinburgh. I breakfasted this morning with one of the main people from Friends International – a society which works to reach foreign students in the uk with the gospel, and with one of the leaders of the church in Bulgaria, before having time with John, the brother from Northern Ireland, Michael Ramsden who works for the Zacharias Trust, and another brother from the USA who work with the Charles Colson Foundation. So we’re a pretty diverse group of people.<br /><br />This afternoon I attended a workshop on Developing Elders, led by Tom Streeter, a brother from the USA who had planted a number of churches, and has over forty years’ experience in the ministry. I will try to set out some of the helpful points in my next blog. This evening we will be listening to Nick Nedelchev, with whom I had breakfast. He used to lead the European Evangelical Alliance and ministered in Bulgaria for many years. He is now retired, but busy as ever. He will be speaking on Fear and its Power to Paralyse People. He lived through years under communism, and has seen many changes. I’m confident that he will inspire us.<br /><br />I'm off to take care of a number for a meal, and will try to get back to this later this evening.Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-80870121989743421262009-05-12T23:05:00.015+01:002009-05-29T21:03:00.130+01:00Evangelism and some helpful booksNext week I’m off to the European Leadership Forum – an annual conference where about 400 Christians from all over Europe come together in Hungary for a week of teaching, sharing and fellowship. This will be the second time that I attend, and last year I found it to be a most encouraging experience. I hope to blog about it during the conference.<br />There are a number of tracks to follow – last year I chose the apologetics network. This year I’ve chosen to join the evangelism track, where the main speakers will be Michael Ramsden and Michael Green. As preparation for this I have been looking at some books and have found the following helpful:<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMQeZrghUAlKTNSFcZKXTfX0WLeuKsCN-3TyOK3MUjaMSAvMhirtagrLd1TKkheMtZbqtjZ_F7M2cOxf1leZRQjqYH_VEY-8UrbZb-nsFf-Ob5Lg48B_xtI1_SqqODTrgPeRe42Rn91sc/s1600-h/qe.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335069685861599538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 87px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 138px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMQeZrghUAlKTNSFcZKXTfX0WLeuKsCN-3TyOK3MUjaMSAvMhirtagrLd1TKkheMtZbqtjZ_F7M2cOxf1leZRQjqYH_VEY-8UrbZb-nsFf-Ob5Lg48B_xtI1_SqqODTrgPeRe42Rn91sc/s200/qe.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><u>Questioning Evangelism</u> – Randy Newman (Kregel Publications). </div><br /><div>This is a book which challenges the way so many of us think we should evangelise. We wait for the opportunity to pour out our well practised presentation, often preaching at people, rather than speaking to them. Often the way into people’s confidence is to question them and to listen until we understand where they are. At other times we need to challenge people’s ideas using questions to push their own beliefs further. When they get to admit the shortcomings of their own viewpoint, then they are ready to listen to others.</div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx96xUHfHIMfpqMPOk8kKL_6mxYFPEhCzM9CtH2y2w-CBJjhaAPuAx44Gbk6sixE9s1TVanr7lTT0DGC1S5nsnfSGWmH3aQeKsHFz4DRPUclooZpQfPE7KL4j4SyJyHxrDPgjBcrqPioE/s1600-h/Gospel+%26+p+e.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335066009592388738" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 96px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 159px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx96xUHfHIMfpqMPOk8kKL_6mxYFPEhCzM9CtH2y2w-CBJjhaAPuAx44Gbk6sixE9s1TVanr7lTT0DGC1S5nsnfSGWmH3aQeKsHFz4DRPUclooZpQfPE7KL4j4SyJyHxrDPgjBcrqPioE/s200/Gospel+%26+p+e.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><u>The Gospel and Personal Evangelism</u> – Mark Dever (Crossway)</div><br /><div>Mark Dever is obviously a man who is gifted in Personal Evangelism. However this is not an excuse for those of us who do not feel we have the same gift not to engage in speaking to others about Christ and his gospel. If this book is not particularly long, it is certainly challenging. The author takes us through all the excuses which we have for not speaking the gospel personally, and encourages us in very practical terms to get to work.</div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNhi1kTXeI512Fm4yG02joMvmLplK6fwsufFVbDP1tFaXHqOzisrXeKnsM4Y1osr-VHvZMLOJPLDcQe-Qr94xRVUOIG7HS0nWB1Q7SP_fm9jhWnsgW9zWYFSUsSykyfzIPpBHLx9aGkE/s1600-h/Whatkindofgod.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335066518494383298" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 148px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNhi1kTXeI512Fm4yG02joMvmLplK6fwsufFVbDP1tFaXHqOzisrXeKnsM4Y1osr-VHvZMLOJPLDcQe-Qr94xRVUOIG7HS0nWB1Q7SP_fm9jhWnsgW9zWYFSUsSykyfzIPpBHLx9aGkE/s200/Whatkindofgod.jpg" border="0" /></a> <u>What Kind of God</u> – Michael Ots (IVP)</div><br /><div>The author looks at ten questions which are often used as objections to the Christian Faith. As a result of years of dealing with these questions he gives clear, useful answers which can be used in disarming those who object to the Christian Faith.</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCBpZTlUn4S-50aLci0PB_2yuU4L7iHJI7BKoSZwJwlEVg3O4vsQygh1UUhhyY0bSq_vPOK8T9OWu_No7r8Hsy-g91rfNb9pCsnxKJHrzQEPPZ-5ZSL5y8Hsmqc4dPSILLYv7bMoUXRAE/s1600-h/Godwantsustoknow.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335068347478828242" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 101px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 145px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCBpZTlUn4S-50aLci0PB_2yuU4L7iHJI7BKoSZwJwlEVg3O4vsQygh1UUhhyY0bSq_vPOK8T9OWu_No7r8Hsy-g91rfNb9pCsnxKJHrzQEPPZ-5ZSL5y8Hsmqc4dPSILLYv7bMoUXRAE/s200/Godwantsustoknow.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><u>Things God Wants us to Know</u> – Roger Carswell (Christian Focus)</div><br /><div>A simple, clear presentation of the gospel by one of the UK’s more effective evangelists. Following an initial chapter which challenges the reader to come with an open mind to listen to the Christian message he goes on to say that God wants us to know who He is; who we are; what He has done; what we must do. This is a book to put into the hands of those who are prepared to think and want to know what the heart of the Christian message is.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1n9WPH6xpOOPs-xHf22AV3sy8yL5wpVb3urVa1JK7K30b-ldDoZgK1rcgd20mhsQwWUfOKCh5sjuIy1IlpqEGhJ5926QvdvEMwgfmdPFk148ZZVWx61MR5f98wRxJOP-6V7Mxv0Rc-s4/s1600-h/Heartofevang.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335067028300660914" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 107px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 167px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1n9WPH6xpOOPs-xHf22AV3sy8yL5wpVb3urVa1JK7K30b-ldDoZgK1rcgd20mhsQwWUfOKCh5sjuIy1IlpqEGhJ5926QvdvEMwgfmdPFk148ZZVWx61MR5f98wRxJOP-6V7Mxv0Rc-s4/s200/Heartofevang.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><u>The Heart of Evangelism</u> – Jerram Barrs (Crossway)</div><br /><div>I am reading this at the moment. It is the fruit of more than thirty years of reflection on what the New Testament teaches about evangelism. It is a thorough treatment of the subject, and, although the chapters are short and easy to read in one sense, they are full of the Bible and challenging. It is split into four sections – Section One is Mission to the World, and challenges us to think of what we are called to do. The next section – The Kindness and Perseverance of God – faces us with the fact that our mission proceeds from God’s heart himself. The third section – Barriers in the Way of Communicating the Gospel – looks at those barriers within ourselves, the church and the hearers. The final section helps us with the principles we need to bear in mind as we fulfil our calling to evangelise – Making the Gospel Known.<br />This is a book born from the heart of one who yearns for Christ to see the fruit of His labours, and for the lost to be found. It’s almost 300 pages, so not a book to consume in an afternoon! But as I read I am challenged, my heart is both convicted and warmed. I am encouraged to engage in the work. I look forward to reading the book through to the end. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Incidentally, for those of us involved in the Welsh language work, Christianity Explored is now available in Welsh. Contact the Evangelical Movement of Wales for more information.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-10378473804586150722009-04-15T20:24:00.008+01:002009-04-15T21:19:26.287+01:00Remembering Twenty Years AgoTwenty years ago to today was an unforgettable day to many because of the disaster at Hillsborough. The trauma and tragedy of the event shook the whole of the United Kingdom. Nobody could be unaware of the event which took away so many lives.<br /><br />I was totally unaware of what was happening. However the day was unforgettable for me also, but for very different reasons. This is not said to diminish the significance of what the Liverpool football supporters went through. But different events hold different significance for all of us.<br />I was that day in Prague. I had arrived the previous day, having flown in to Rusyne Airport, and was on my way to try to visit friends who I had met once before. They were Christians, and their lives were under constant threat from the communist authorities who believed the church to be a major threat to the wellbeing of the country. My purpose in going was to encourage them in their witness, as well as trying to take in some things which could be of use to them – some bible commentaries and books, as well as some medical drugs which were difficult for them to get hold of.<br /><br />When I arrived, I was glad to get past the security at the airport, and look for a hotel to stay for the few days that I would be there. I could not stay with the Christians, as they would have to report to the authorities, and so would be under suspicion for harbouring a western foreigner. I turned up at a hotel not normally used by westerners – they were much more expensive. After some bartering I got a room for a reasonable cost (about a tenth of the original fee they asked of me) by paying in “English money”. I went to my room, and rested on the bed. Within five minutes the receptionist knocked on my door, and informed me that there had been a mistake with my visa. They had failed to stamp it at the airport. Upon asking if I needed to go back there, she replied quietly that they would call in the police. If they wanted me they would come for me in the morning.<br />I immediately took the material that I had brought with me to take it all to my friends. I reached their flat in the centre of the city, but there was no answer. I turned to leave, and saw that their flat was being watched. I went for a walk for an hour – not difficult in such a beautiful city. When I returned, I saw that he light was on in the flat, but it was still being watched. If I went there now, I could be putting my friends in danger. They could find themselves in prison, and their ability to work for the church removed. So I had no choice but to return to my hotel room, to wait for the authorities.<br />Needless to say I had a sleepless night, waiting for the knock on the door. All I heard was some drunk East Germans attempting to get into my room by mistake, as they had forgotten which was theirs. In the morning my visa was returned without any trouble and I met my friends and gave them the books and medical drugs. The pastor was grateful for the books – such a rare opportunity under Communist rule to get some resources. But when his wife saw the medicine which I had brought she was overjoyed. The previous day a lady had begged her to try to get hold of some, as it was only available on the black market and at an exorbitant price for all except the Communist Party members.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325004284695066082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJjv1i-5cD0ZuA-tO3JPBvEZK9B7ZQ4F9MBqfls8cPlyQSfIl3XzBUoazRPYHwsS7NOO-IPCKW3WO3S_iFTf4ES6s-LFceCE30kkgVii0W4pqI592fEaAxGhWIMFBzNYjrNfplrDTQeA/s320/DSC01706.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Wenseslas Square in Central Prague</span></div><br />However two things stood out for me especially about this time. Firstly, I had known pressure for one night, and it was not comfortable. I had felt alone, and feared the consequences of maybe facing prison in a foreign country. These brave Christians lived continually under much more intense pressures, and did it joyfully. How we should remember persecuted Christians these days.<br />Secondly, when they saw me they were surprised. I had visited them three years previously, and had told them that I would return. They had smiled respectfully at me. They had so often heard the same thing from others, but they never returned. It seemed that the church in the west was good at making promises, but not so good at keeping them. So when I returned they opened their arms in surprise and gratitude. “So you did remember us! You did pray for us!” They had felt forgotten, or at best they had felt they were curiosities to us – to be visited behind the Iron Curtain just as people went to the Zoo to see the animals. What does this say about our Christian faith and love?<br /><br />Within eight months of my visit the Communists had lost power in the country, and the Velvet Revolution had overturned the government. The next time I visited I could stay with my friends without fear and rejoice in the freedom they now knew. But that weekend twenty years ago changed my view of what it means to love the brethren for ever.<br /><br />I knew nothing of the disaster at Hillborough until I got on the plane to come home. I sympathise deeply with those who gathered at Anfield and other places today. But I hope that they will forgive me if I spent some time today thinking of my friends who endured much for their Lord and Saviour.Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4677877427708797828.post-78252351533512970742009-04-13T20:34:00.003+01:002009-04-13T20:44:42.754+01:00Why look at the Psalms<span style="color:#990000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993300;">I am at present preaching a series of sermons on some of the Psalms on Sunday evenings. Here are some of the reasons why I consider it especially worth our while spending time with them.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993300;"><br />1) They are there to instruct us. Thirteen of them are specifically entitled <em>Maskil</em>, and although the meaning of the word is not clear, it’s root seems to be the Hebrew word for instruction. When Jesus wanted to instruct people as to whom he was, he often quoted the psalms. Some of them are in the genre of Wisdom Literature (such as psalm 1) guiding us into that knowledge which makes us live in God’s plan.<br />2) They are experiential. Often when we read them we find ourselves saying “I’ve been there,” or “I’ve felt that way.” They are not merely cold instruction, but instruction built on experience. This is why maybe older Christians seem to find the psalms more precious than younger ones. They help us understand our own experiences – experiences of not understanding what God is doing, of feeling that life is unfair, of being tempted to think as the world thinks, of joy in success, of wonder at the works of the Lord.<br />3) They are poetry. They convey more than bare truth. They convey all the range of emotions that we feel. There is joy and sadness, hope and despair, glory and shame, light and darkness, grieving and rejoicing, anger and repentance. They help us feel, and not fear our emotions, with a Christian perspective.<br />4) They are worship. Anyone who wants to know how we can come before God to worship Him must look at the way the Bible worshippers greeted the Almighty. As we see others coming before Him, we can learn and benefit much.<br />5) They are divinely inspired. As part of the Word of God we know that they are God breathed (2 Timothy 3:16) and invaluable for our persevering walk with God (Romans 15:4). But specifically we are told by Jesus that it was the Holy Spirit who was speaking through David in Psalm 110 (Mark 12:36). So also Peter tells us in Acts 1:16 speaks of the Holy Spirit speaking through David when he alludes to Psalm 41.<br />6) They point to Jesus. There are two ways in which the psalms especially help us to see and understand our Saviour in clearer light. There is a foreshadowing of our Lord, in that a number of the psalms set us a pattern, which when repeated becomes a type – for example the innocent suffering at the hands of the guilty. There is also prophecy, where the Spirit gives an insight into what the Saviour would be (such as Psalm 110, the most often quoted Old Testament chapter in the New Testament).<br /><br />Time spent here is well spent, rewarding us much and deepening our knowledge of ourselves, of life and especially of God our Saviour.<br />Some books which I am finding helpful are:<br />Derek Kidner in the <em>Tyndale Old Testament Commentary</em> series. He seems to me to be excellent at giving the basic meaning of the psalms in context.<br />Alec Motyer has recently published a couple of books: <em>Treasures of the King</em> looking at some of the psalms which David wrote in specific situations. Also <em>Journey, Psalms for Pilgrim People</em> looking at the psalms of Ascent (120 – 136). Both are devotional books with valuable insights and are published by IVP.<br />Of course, Mathew Henry’s commentary is always warm, and Spurgeon’s <em>Treasury of David</em> is worth a look, although his exegesis is not always to be trusted.</span>Dafydd M Jobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07809637896791547919noreply@blogger.com0