Ah, not Sin again.....

Opening Prayer: Father God, Creator and Sustainer of all, open our hearts and minds to be receptive to Your Truth, a willingness to submit all of our Being to You will, and a desire to live in the Light of Your Truth.

Readings from the Christian Lexicon Feb 25th, 2013

Reading 1: Daniel 9:4b-10

“Lord, great and awesome God,

you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you

and observe your commandments!

We have sinned, been wicked and done evil;

we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws.

We have not obeyed your servants the prophets,

who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes,

our fathers, and all the people of the land.

Justice, O Lord, is on your side;

we are shamefaced even to this day:

we, the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem,

and all Israel, near and far,

in all the countries to which you have scattered them

because of their treachery toward you.

O LORD, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers,

for having sinned against you.

But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness!

Yet we rebelled against you

and paid no heed to your command, O LORD, our God,

to live by the law you gave us through your servants the prophets.”

Reading 2: Psalm 79:11-13

Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;

may your compassion quickly come to us,

for we are brought very low.

Help us, O God our savior,

because of the glory of your name;

Deliver us and pardon our sins

for your name’s sake.

Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you;

with your great power free those doomed to death.

Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,

will give thanks to you forever;

through all generations we will declare your praise.

Reading 3: Luke6:36-38

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

“Stop judging and you will not be judged.

Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.

Forgive and you will be forgiven.

Give and gifts will be given to you;

a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,

will be poured into your lap.

For the measure with which you measure

will in return be measured out to you.”

Our Reflection: "Sin is not a popular topic"

Many don’t like to talk about the existence of sin, or that certain things or thoughts are sinful. We live in a culture and time when to have such conversations are considered foolish, archaic, judgmental and dangerous. To consider certain things sin is to be consider religious, narrow minded, un-enlightened.

However, we are surrounded by sin – constantly. I haven’t read this morning’s paper yet, and I’m sure they will be a feel good story or two, but that isn’t what makes up much of the first two sections of the paper. It will be about what terrible things one person has done to another – or one nation to another. It will contain how leaders, governments, and companies have been caught in lies, behaviours of dishonestly and self interest. It will also identify the stark contrast and differences between the worlds of the haves and the have nots.

The struggle we primarily have is with those things, that we as creatures consider sin – and those things that God identifies as sin. Too often they are not the same thing. We don’t have to read the New Testament long to discover that the way the religious leaders and lawyers saw reality was much different than how Jesus and therefore God knew that same reality to be. We read in a number of places where Jesus says such things as “you say, do not commit murder, I tell you, if you hate your brother and you have committed murder. You say, don’t commit adultery, I tell you if you view another person with lustful thoughts you’ve committed adultery already”. Our task is to be so acquainted with God and His Word that we seek His heart and vision of reality and we are willing ‘put to death’ our own.

One of the things that messes us up when thinking about this unpopular topic is how God Himself seems to view the nature of sin. It seems He doesn’t have a measuring scale where He determines, ‘well, this one isn’t has bad as that one or this one is a little one, so I can over look – but that one, that is way bad that really is on my naughty list. It appears God view the world in pretty black and white terms. The wages of any and all sin is death – and the crucifixion of Christ is the only sufficient payment. That’s a good news, bad news story for us. The good news is that all our sin is confessable and repentable – we can all receive the gift of God – the bad news is, we must see the world as God knows it to be, not as we wish it was and subsequently confess and repent our sin of not seeing the world as He does. We must acknowledge His Lordship and authority to identify what is and isn’t considered ‘against Him and his purpose’ – or sin.

I had a conversation not too long ago with someone who stated their view of sin was when a person wasn’t being truthful to themselves. There wasn’t much sense in trying to convince this person otherwise because they were not interested in a conversation – but in justification – he had already determined what was the nature and standard of sin. I think however, that too many Christian could be accused of the same – they’re not so interested in conversation either, as they are in the condemning – they equally have already determined that nature and standard.

I think that is part of the warning that comes with Jesus statement “be careful how you judge, for when you try to take a speck out of your neighbours eye you may have log in your own”. God is not saying here that there isn’t any way to determine right or wrong – he just saying we have to be very humble, and gentle and prayerful that we are seeking His heart and not responding out of our heart.

I thought about what my friend said, about sin not being true to oneself – and perhaps he’s not completely wrong - the primary difference is how he and I define ‘being true to oneself’. It goes to the very Origin of the Species. If I am a creature of chance and purposeless beyond what I can manufacture, he’s mostly correct – mostly I say because the conversation of the nature of sin becomes a moot one – there’s nothing absolute to judge sin against in his case – good, bad are completely subjective. At best ‘sin’ is social constructs and at worse it is defined by the survival of the fittest.

However, if I’m a creature of design, the whole universe shifts. And, in essence my friend is still correct in that sin is ‘not being true to one self’. But, the nature of that oneself Being is completely different. We are a Being created in the image of God by design and for a particular purpose. It is that realization that causes David to declare when he finds himself drowning in his sin – “O Lord, against You and You alone have I sinned”. If then God is our Good and Holy Designer, although sin has consequences for us – and certainly it impacts others, sin is first and foremost a violation of God's purpose and vision of ourselves. God doesn’t just arbitrary determine what he doesn’t like it and therefore calls it sin – it is the cost and impact of that sin, of the terrible cost of not being true to how and why God has created those creatures whom he loves and has created by design and for a purpose. All sin has a cost that someone ends up paying for it – or in the case of the one who comes to Christ – Someone.

As I read these passages for this morning, something else about the nature and declaration of Sin is revealed that I think we even as follower of Christ we have lost.Not only do these passages speak of individual ‘sin’, but of the corporate reality of Sin – that WE have sinned, we have rebelled, we have not done what is right in the eyes of God. WE, as children of God just as the people of Israel and Judah where, have a corporate responsibility to God that transcends just the individual. I know we love to accuse the Church of this that and the other thing – the Church as failed, the Church as gotten it wrong, the Church is obsolete - but here’s the rub “WE” are the church. God doesn’t see the separation of denominations in His kingdom – He only sees “His Church”

“I can’t control and change what the church has done” you say. I have in mind all the things the Church has been accused of, not all, but way too much has credence, - the crusades, how it has dealt with gender issues, residential schools, colonialism – failures in its communities to address poverty and racism issues etc etc. – (the Church has done many right things as well, but that’s a conversation for another time) but here’s the truth of it, you can control and change what the Church does --for Christ himself calls us ‘his church, his royal priest hood a people belonging to God” his bride. In reality bashing the church makes about as much sense as hitting yourself in the head with a brick. You are bring pain and destruction to yourself. 

Are there things that we are to repent of?  To declare as sin as injustice against God and his children? Yes. WE have rebelled, we have not done what it is that God would have had us do. It comes back to all of us, as we make up the church and do not define sin in a way that suits us or makes sense to us, or protects us – but in a way that God truly revealed it to be.

We also come to discover God does not identify sin to destroy us, or condemn us, or so he can punish us – But he identifies it so that He can free us, that we can find an abundant and grace-filled life – he identifies it so we may know that he has fully and completely paid the wages and debt of our sin, not only ours, but the whole worlds.

We all know John 3:16, but not so much the following verse,

 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

We also discover, Sin and death do not have the final victory – God’s compassion and forgiveness does.

“Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 

 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sin is only a problem when we refuse to acknowledge and deal with it as God defines it – it is when we refuse to confess and orient our lives under the presence and Being of God that we need to be concerned.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:9-10

Closing Prayer: A Prayer of the Early Christian Church

Look upon us, O Lord,

and let all the darkness of our souls

vanish before the beams of thy brightness.

Fill us with holy love,

and open to us the treasures of thy wisdom.

All our desire is known unto thee,

therefore perfect what thou hast begun,

and what thy Spirit has awakened us to ask in prayer.

We seek thy face,

turn thy face unto us and show us thy glory.

Then shall our longing be satisfied,

and our peace shall be perfect.

(Augustine, 354 - 430)


Anyway, I was just thinking,

Neil

A God who hears

    Is 55:10-11

Thus says the LORD:
Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.

Ps 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.

The LORD has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.

When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.

Gospel Mt 6:7-15
Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This is how you are to pray:

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

“If you forgive men their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”


Talking to God:

One of the most difficult and yet most wonderful and amazing things about the Christian faith is the belief that we can talk to God and He hears us.  Throughout scripture we told over and over that God hears the prayers of his people and that he responds.

Now there are times in scripture when he seems not to respond.  Particularly we see this non-answering God when Israel and Judah became a “stiff necked people”.  When there is obvious and un-confronted sin in their, in our,  lives, it created a separation between God and his people and he says “I cannot hear you,”  “I turn my eyes away” or worse he ‘sees’ and he takes action but not in a way that seems at the moment to be good at the moment, but in the end, draws the people back to repentance.
Other times, we see like in Daniel life when he prayed fervently and the prayer was slow in being answered because of the opposition from the enemy.

God and his Word are inseparably linked and that Word is more than a construction of letters that make sense to us.  The opening chapter of John is a most incredible revelation, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God”.  In the following verses of that 1 chapter of John we see that, that Word was the very source of the Creation in Genesis 1.

If I am honest, many times when I pray – or have times when I don’t – I have forgotten too whom it is that I speak.  Prayer has become common place – at meals, at the openings of events, in pre-ordained spots and times in our services that it comes mundane – and more ritual and habit than it is encounter.
We’ve been going through the ‘Story’ at church – it’s a sermon series that covers the main stories of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation and highlights the upper story of God and the lower story of humankinds journey.  This past week was focusing on Daniel and his friends being taken from Israel as young men and growing to be old men in captivity in Babylon.  One verse stands out that explains their ability to stand in the face of all the oppositions of fiery furnaces and lions dens and other life and faith threatening events.  “Daniel resolved in his heart not to defile him with the Kings table”.  We know that this was more than just an issue of food and drink for Daniel and his friends – it is repeated in Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

We see in today’s readings that God’s Word is neither void nor empty – His Word is full of purpose and reason.   He hears the cries and the words of His people when they come humble and broken-hearted and not filled with pride and sin.
Psa 24:3-5
Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

If you’re like me when you hear the words of the Psalmist, I wonder, how can I ascend that hill or stand in His holy place?  Then I remember the wonderful words of Hebrews 4:15-17

 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

I am not the one without sin, He is.  My boldness and my ability to come and speak directly to God through no mediation are because of righteousness and holiness are not mine, but of His.

We constantly need to keep the promise God makes to us squarely in our hearts and minds “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness”  - I need that daily remembrance, moment by moment, not as a get out of jail free card – it is a get our out of jail card, but it certainly isn’t free.  My, our, ability to speak boldly and free to God and know that He hears us comes at a great and terrible cost – the crucifixion.
This week is the beginning of lent in the Christian calendar – the of Body of Christ remembers together the events of our Lord and Saviour as he turned his face toward Jerusalem and began to make that journey toward the Cross with full knowledge of the pain and anguish that awaited him there.  Yet, so that we may be able to pray and that God our Father would hear and respond to us – he did not turn away.

1.    When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
2.    Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
3.    See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
4.    Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
 
Closing Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. A-men

Anyway, I was just thinking.
Neil

Imitate me?

I’ve recently been challenged with Paul’s bold and dangerous statement in 1 Corinthians 11:1“And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ” - if we backup just a bit into chapter 10:33 , “I too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved”.

Sounds a lot like Mark 10:45, where Jesus states “The Son of Man did not come to be serve, but to serve”. I am additionally challenged by Heb 1:3 that remind us that Christ is the perfect reflection of the Father. The very nature of God is to serve and do what is best for others.

Firstly, I’m not sure that I feel as bold as Paul to be able to say to others “you should imitate me…” Yet, that’s not what Paul is saying, he IS saying only imitate me as I imitate Christ. The focus is not Paul, but Christ.

Many may not consciously state “do as I say, not as I do…” however; we tend to behave in that manner. We hold or expect something different than what he in fact hold ourselves too. The problem is I think that really I expect people to behave better than I am will to do myself.

Paul says “I try to please everyone in everything I do; I don’t just do what is best for me”. But we need to dig a little deeper into his motivation – “I do what is best for others, so that they may be saved.”

What I need to understand is that the Kingdom of God isn’t ‘over there’ or ‘just for Sunday’ – the Kingdom of God overarches our entire being – the physical, spiritual, emotionally, the mental. When we come to work – we don’t leave the Kingdom of God behind, it’s here – we’re in it. We’ve talked about this before, and we know this. For the Christian, they are in and are representatives of the Kingdom of God where ever they may be. The only thing that makes Christian Horizons different than any other work place is that we have the rare opportunity to be working alongside Kingdom minded people.

Living in this Kingdom mind set ticks me off sometimes. My wife does a much better job – I was reminded of this recently while at a restaurant. I have an expectation that when I go to a restaurant, I will be treated and served well – and I tip accordingly. If the service is lousy, it definitely affects the tip I leave. It affects the tip my wife leaves as well, but in the opposite direction. This drives me crazy. I know that when we have received lousy service, its’ going to cost me – because, she will tip more rather than less. Her belief is, in spite of bad service, her witness of goodness and grace to another is more important and vital than ever.

I however have pointed out the incongruently of her argument, because when I do less around the house, I don’t get reward more.

All that aside, I am deeply challenge by how I bring the imitation of Christ into existence in all aspects of my life that doesn’t’ depend on the actions or expected reward of another, but solely on the desire to be a living witness of gospel. I certainly believe that is essential when living before people that don’t know Christ. But, we are to do so no less for those that do know him.

Back to my restaurant rant, I don’t know if this is true or not, but I have heard people from the service industry say, that Christians groups can be some of the worst groups to serve because of their attitudes and expectations, and they can the worst tippers.

My point is not to advocate for better tipping – What I am convicted by is the experience others have me and whether they could conclude “I am seeking to imitate Christ” and whether I make things easier – or more difficult for them.

I certainly don’t think Paul’s promoting a spineless, wish washy approach. In fact we can point else in Paul’s writings where he is anything but a dish rag. What he is saying how we interact with one another matters – how we honour, respect – how we follow authority. Every action I undertake either represents the kingdom well – or it does so poorly. I hear in this passage, that I have to take responsibility for my actions, opinion and attitudes – for how I respond – and the frustrating thing for me is, that how I am to respond in my imitation of Christ, has little if nothing to do with the actions, behaviours and decisions of another.

Psalm 1 comes to mind.

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers.

The psalmist identifies three specific actions here, walking, standing, sitting. I think it is a conscious progression, one that I have seen in myself too often. I can easily get caught up in the ‘walking of grumbling and complaining – I react, I pull another in, we walk along together initially in the problem, if I don’t get a handle on it, it isn’t just a chance meeting of other walkers, I’m standing, I’m looking to draw people, to drag them into my compliant – by standing I’m becoming an obstacle that others might bump into an now I’m trying to get others to stand with me. If I don’t stop standing, I sit. Not only am I obstacle, now I become a stumbling block for others to trip over. I become entrenched and get others to entrench – to dig in with me.

When this happens I’m a long way from Paul’s call to imitate, to do what is best for others so that they might be saved – or having them experience the Kingdom of God through me.

I would contend that Paul’s idea of ‘saved’ is broader than simply ‘converted’ – certainly that is part of Paul’s hope and agenda, but I believe he has the idea of ‘redeemed’ more in mind – redeemed to be Kingdom livers.

I think Paul would be urging us to wrestle with how can Live, work, be with one another that brings God’s Kingdom into reality – that when we encounter each other, we’re bringing the Kingdom into a fuller existence in this place, in one another’s lives.

As a group of Kingdom people gathering in this place, we return to our Psalm passage, it is necessary and appropriate for us together to mediate on His law – day and night. But that mediation translates into a changed life – one that more fully reflects Christ and the Kingdom of God.

It is the delight of God I think to see us as his people imitate his Son with one so that we become a tree firmly planted by streams of water – his sustaining and life giving power. A gathering which yields nourishing fruit to one another here, and outward to those whom we will be in contact with.

I guess this can sound kinda corny – and ‘feel goody’ or pietistic but I think it really depends on how we understand the Kingdom to God. Is it something we move in and out of – or is it the very existence of our collective beings.

Anyway, I was just thinking,

Neil

Give each other a 'lift'

Prayer of Jerome (342)

Lord, thou hast given us thy Word for a light to shine upon our path;
grant us so to meditate on that Word, and to follow its teaching,
that we may find in it the light that shines more and more until the perfect day;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalms
Chapter 113

1

Hallelujah! ¹ Praise, you servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.

2

Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forever.

3

From the rising of the sun to its setting let the name of the LORD be praised.

4

High above all nations is the LORD; above the heavens God's glory.

5

Who is like the LORD, our God enthroned on high,

6

looking down on heaven and earth?

7

The LORD raises the needy from the dust, lifts the poor from the ash heap,

8

Seats them with princes, the princes of the people,

Acts
Chapter 1

15

During those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers (there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons in the one place). He said,

16

"My brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled which the holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus.

17

He was numbered among us and was allotted a share in this ministry.

20

For it is written in the Book of Psalms: 'Let his encampment become desolate, and may no one dwell in it.' And: 'May another take his office.'

21

Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us,

22

beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us, become with us a witness to his resurrection."

23

So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias.

24

Then they prayed, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen

25

to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place."

26

¹ Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.

John
Chapter 15

9

As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love.

10

If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love.

11

"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

12

This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.

13

¹ No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.

14

You are my friends if you do what I command you.

15

I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, ² because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.

16

It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.

17

This I command you: love one another.

 Reflection:

All our being is in the hands of God.  “From the rising of the sun, till its setting” and the whole night as well.  Whether He is acknowledged or not, he is at the forefront of all we do.   We often think of those that are called in a special service (pastor, missionary, theologian) in the kingdom of God as being the set apart ones, but the truth is, each one of us has been called by God.  Consider how much the Father loves the Son – Jesus says that as deeply as God loves Him, so He (Christ) loves us. It fully demonstrated in that Christ laid down His own life for us.  His call to us is that we would love one another in the same way.  “You are my friends if you do what I command” – and this is the command: “Love one another”.  This is a love that is founded in the Glory of God.  Our Psalm reading stated:

 “The LORD raises the needy from the dust, lifts the poor from the ash heap, Seats them with princes, the princes of the people”.

Now when we look at each other, we might not see each other as the “needy from the dust, or the poor from the ash heap” – But the Psalmist is pointing out, that God who is all powerful and the Lord of Creation itself enters into the lives of His people in grace, mercy and compassion.  When he enters that relationship the rest of that encounter with him is that he ‘raises’ the person up – takes them from a low place and leaves them in a high place.

Likewise, our encounters with each other - when I engage you do I raise you up to a higher place – do you feel lifted, stronger, encouraged? Or, do I knock you down so that you feel like you’re in the dust and just been dumped into a burning ash heap?  This is part of the command of Love that Jesus gives us “As the Father loves me, so I you…”

By which ever manner we have come to be in this place working together … you have been “allocated to share in this ministry”.   It may not have fallen to you by the casting of lots, as with Mattias, but never the less, you have been chosen – how do you know? Well, for starters, you are here. We don’t know a lot about Mattias, other than he was one of the people that had been following the disciples from the time of the baptism of Christ. He “had accompanied Christ the whole time”.   We know nothing about him from before – or after, other than he was faithful person who was trusted enough to have his name forwarded as a replacement apostle, - his primary claim to fame is “the guy who replaced Judas” – that’s some shoes to follow.  Christian tradition reports that he faithfully and consistently preaches and advanced the gospel to his death. 

Our call is in the task that we have before us, whatever it might be, is to do our ministry  in a way that “accompanies Christ the whole time”.   Let us too seek to remain in Christ’s love in all we do.  In our conversations together, in the work that he has called to be in our hands let us be part of raising one another up.  

May those we encounter, whether by phone or in meetings, or support, or work with,  be lifted to a higher place because of their encounter with us- because Christ himself loves us with an unfailing love.

This command I give to you “That you love one another”.

  A Prayer of St. Clements

You, Lord, through your works have revealed the everlasting structure of the world. You, Lord, created the earth. You are faithful throughout all generations, righteous in your judgments, marvelous in strength and majesty, wise in creating and prudent in establishing what exists, good in all that is observed and faithful to those who trust in you, merciful and compassionate; forgive us our sins and our injustices, our transgressions and our shortcomings.

Do not take into account every sin of your servants, but cleanse us with the cleansing of your truth, and "direct our steps to walk in holiness and righteousness and purity of heart," and "to do what is good and pleasing in your sight" and in the sight of our rulers. Yes, Lord, "let your face shine upon us" in peace "for our good," that we may be sheltered "by your mighty hand" and delivered from every sin "by your uplifted arm"; deliver us as well from those who hate us unjustly.

Give harmony and peace to us and to all who dwell on the earth, just as you did to our fathers when they reverently "called upon you in faith and trust," that we may be saved, while we render obedience to your almighty and most excellent name, and give harmony and peace to our rulers and governors on earth.  Amen. 

Anyway, I was just thinking

Neil  

Philippians 1:18-30 with a quick look ahead to Phil 4:4

Phil 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice”

There are events and situations in our lives that we are happy about. A birthday – although less for lately as the number keeps growing, a marriage, a birth of child, that child getting married, graduation- lots of things that we can get excited and be happy about.

There is a continuum of sorts in most of our lives with happiness at one extreme, and sadness at the other.

Sadness is the expression of loss – that loss can take various forms – certainly it can be through a death – but it can also come to us in any loss or unrealized expectation. These losses can be triggered by a relationship that has not evolved in an expected way, a health crisis, an awareness that more of life lies behind me than in front, a realization that I am in very different place in my life than I’d hoped. All of these can bring sadness – and when left unrecognized and unresolved end up in depression, anxiety and stress.

When we look at all these unrealized expectations in our lives – perhaps we question if there is any possibility of happiness at all.

Where on the continuum do you prefer to be? Well, I dare say that the majority of us – if not all, would much rather be at the happiness end of the continuum. Although, many of us would settle for somewhere in middle. Where none of us want to live – but all of us sometime are forced to visit – is the sadness end.

Sadness is not, and should not, be avoided by any means. We are sad and grieve because we love, we hope, we dream. The only way not to experience grief is to have no love, no hope no dreams. We struggle with feelings of depression because we want to believe things could have been different. It is in these times and experiences that these words can feel so far off – like a distant foreign land “Rejoice in the Lord Always, and again I say rejoice”.

Rather than seeing our lives as a linear line with happiness at one end and sadness at the other, we need to see our lives as more of a swinging pendulum. The ends are the same, happiness and sadness. What is different, however, is that neither happiness nor sadness is a solitary event on their own. They are held in place by a fixed point. For Paul, that fixed point was Christ. That is where he found the strength, hope and ability to ‘continue to rejoice’. Phil 1:18.

We recall from earlier posts that Paul had been in prison for sometime at the writing of this letter. 24/7 he had guards watching over him.



I do want to be careful of the parallel that we draw. We do need to understand that Paul is in prison precisely because he has boldly declared the gospel. His own release could probably be easily secured if he simply re-canted his faith. However, that said, what is common is loss and the imminent danger of grief and depression that threatens to darken his mind and soul. The physical loss of freedom, of opportunity, of dreams and hope



The accounts of these persecutions are heart breaking – as people lived under the constant threat of exposure, which meant the loss of everything – which could include physical torture. Again, all this could end simply enough with the rejection of Christianity and swearing of allegiance to Rome and Nero.

We know that this is a significant decision of the ‘Will’ that Paul has made that is not based on his earthly condition, but on his heavenly position. Paul has much not to be happy about. He’s imprisoned; he is hearing what is happening to believers throughout the Roman Empire. There are those that are seeing Paul as a rival and seeking to destroy his life’s work. Yet, Paul has chosen to rejoice. What brings him his confidence and ability to rejoice? Is there something we can take from him – which we can hear from him?

19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

What I find significant here is the two pronged source of Paul’s rejoicing. Neither of those sources of rejoicing is a) within his own mind and strength, or b) in the condition in which he finds himself.

a) He knows that there is a community of God, in which he belongs, that is with him. People are petitioning on his behalf in prayer.

b) and the direction work of the Spirit of Christ with him.

We must make a decision of the Will to rejoice – It means that we must override mental, emotional and psychological states. That is possible! In fact, if we don’t it means that we are at the whim of these fickle states. It’s certainly not a denial or avoidance of our present realities – it is a re-assessment of those realities in light of reality of Christ. By no means is this easy. It means, however, that I must reach the point of being able to put ‘self’ to death in His death, and ‘live’ in His resurrection and life. Here’s the tough part – in a real way, there does need to be a death of my dreams, of my hope, of my expectations, of my way. It’s not that we are not to have dreams, hopes or vision for the future. We need to believe the Truth about a number of things.

“I am not my situation” (say it with me)

“I am not my condition” (say it with me)

“I am not my job” “I am not my position – or gender, or age, or economics, my relationship status, condition or heath” (say it with me)

When God sees you, these are not the things that He sees.

You are more – beyond – greater.

20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

It is a place that each of us must come to in our journey with Christ . Jesus says it this way “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me”.

It doesn’t mean we stop being a husband, wife, father, mother, brother, sister, or IT guy, or HR person, or a finance worker, support worker or a pastoral type. We still fill our role as manager, coordinator, director, VP, CEO – it means that we are to fulfill Christ’s purpose in whatever we do.

21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

We must consider in each of our roles how ‘Christ is gained through me’ to another. It means my first choice of life is Christ. My first consideration is to consider the purpose of Christ in my life. To live and breathe His mercy, His gentleness, compassion, generosity, His grace and His peace.

22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Can you boast in Christ on account of me? Can the person sitting beside you, in front, behind – boast in Christ because of you? Can those whom we are called to support, whether other staff or persons supported, boast in Christ because of us. I wonder for my self, can my children boast in Christ because of me as their father, can my wife boast because of how I am in Christ to her? What about my co-workers? I find these thoughts troubling and deeply convicting.

Life Worthy of the Gospel

27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.



Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Whatever happens, whatever happens! We have choice, we have daily and momentary decisions of how it is that we will conduct ourselves – we make these those choices – we create impact – our words our behaviour. Our conduct is external revealing of what we think lies hidden within.

When people see us, or hear about us, is it because of our ‘standing firm in one spirit, striving together for the faith of the gospel’. Or do they see and hear something quite different.

Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

 

Neil Cudney

In Acts 1:8 we have the last earthly words of Jesus. Although all the words of Jesus are important and powerful – there needs to be special consideration given here. Jesus knows that these are the last words that he is to speak in the flesh before his return to heaven. He is about to leave the 11 that he has walked so closely with and he is looking back on the last 33 years and forward to his crucifixion. He knows the difficult road ahead for the 11, as well as his church until his return. The self limiting earthly restraints are no longer binding on him. He will be returning to his place at the right hand of God – yet, he takes with him the human body, still bearing the scars of our sin - not because he couldn’t remove them – but because he won't. Not because he needs them – but because we do. Not because he needs to remember – or remind God – but because we need to remember, to be reminded – and to recognize him as our Lord and Saviour. These last words are words that Jesus knows he is not just speaking to that small group standing on that hill top – but to all of history – to us.

“but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth”

This is THE Call of all those who would say they are followers of Christ. Through the power of the Holy Spirit – we exist for one purpose, and one purpose only – to live as a witness of the story of Christ – from Genesis to Revelation.

We need to look at this word ‘witness’ not firstly as a verb – as we generally do, (witnessing), but as a noun. The difference is significant –“witness” as a verb is something that we do – whereas, as it is found here in this verse, it is a noun – someone we are. Too often the problem with our witnessing is not with the words necessarily, but with the witness of our own lives, to those words – our ‘being’. That is the amazing revelation of Christ himself. He is not witnessing about the Word – he IS the Word.

Have you ever been asked to be a witness to something? If you have then you were asked – “What did you see…What did you hear… What experience makes you a credible witness?” I’ve been part of a few situations where because of what I saw, heard or directly experienced changed the outcome of a decision. I was a witness of an accident. Initially the person protested and was saying something different, but when they saw there was a witness – they didn’t contest it. Fortunately, it meant I didn’t have to go to court. Just the power of knowing that there was a witness in this case was enough.

It’s what makes the words of 1 John 1:1 so powerful: “what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled concerning the word of Life”.  1 Jn 1:1

When John, the disciple of Jesus, writes these words so many years later – after being a witness to Christ’s life, being present with him that day when he ascended to heaven, being in the room when the tongues of fire descended – he was a witness.   How he lived, along with the rest of the disciples was a result of what he had witnessed in his encounter with Christ. His witnessing was born out of his being a witness of the events.

A slight change of gears for a minute, but – it ties in.

Paul writes in Phil 3:20 – For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform the body of our humble state in to conformity with the body of his glory by the exertion of the power He has even to subject all things to Himself.

We typically view this verse as a verse that reminds us that we are to forget the things of earth – and transcend the material things of this world. The earth is something we leave behind and look to the future – which while it has truth, is not what Paul meant here.

The people of Philippi would have heard this verse much differently. Paul takes a very familiar, yet powerful phrase and turns it upside and co opts its meaning and power. Philippi was a Roman colony and the Roman’s had a very successful strategy in taking over the surrounding territories and making them loyal to Rome. Rome had their own Gospel – their own good news. The word or idea of gospel is not unique to the Bible. What they would do is capture the citizenry of a town and take them back to Rome while at the same time they would take ‘witnesses’ of Rome – it’s splendor, benefits and opportunities and transplant them into the city they had just captured.. Then these transplanted citizens of Rome would at every opportunity demonstrate and talk about the power of Rome, the magnificence and justice of the Roman system – of the benevolence of Cesar. All that was required (in theory) was that at least once a year, the citizens of that town would come and pay homage to Cesar, give a sacrifice and declare – “Cesar is Lord” They could keep all their gods, business, homes, their beliefs and practices – they just had to make Cesar the supreme god – and they would receive all the benefits of membership. The Roman’s would seek to influence and change the very culture of that city from being what it was, to one that was Roman like. They knew if they changed the minds and hearts of the people - and you don’t need an army – belief in the end holds more power than sword.

However, to reject this ‘kind and gracious’ offer meant that you might join the citizenry of the crucified. There are witness reports that at times on a common hi-way leading into Rome there could be hundreds of those who rejected the graces of Rome roped to wooden cross leading into the city. And these were not quick deaths, as most would die of dehydration and exhaustion. People traveling the roads would be ‘witnesses’ of the futility of rejecting Roman.

The phrase, “I am a citizen of Rome” carried great weight – as Paul himself had invoked it when the Jews where going to put him to death.

Rome would use these witnesses, as they moved them into the captured towns and villages to be ‘the presence of Rome’ – as people asked, “What’s it like? What happens if…? What did you see? What did you hear? What did you witness?” These Roman citizens where expected to be a faithful presence to Rome in the city to which they had been assigned. As a result, the people of Philippi would see the wonderful evidences of these ‘witnesses’ of Rome.

So, when Paul says “we are citizens of heaven” to the Philippians, they knew exactly what was being asked of them. They were to live, work and play in Philippi – or wherever, as citizens of heaven – as a witness of God’s Good News in their own lives. They were not to remove themselves and become separate, but live with and amongst the people so that when people encountered them – whatever they were doing – they were encountering people whose citizenry was in heaven. As those from Rome sought to be a faithful and attracting presence for the good news of Cesar – those who were disciples of Christ were called to live as faithful and attracting witnesses of the power of God and the work of Christ in their lives.

We are not called to withdraw from the world and be a separate people, but to live as salt and light in the world. We are called to be a light on a hill at night that can bring hope, direction and salvation.

We citizens of heaven are to live and work with each other, in the city of Kitchener, before a watching government – with our staff, in serving those with exceptional needs as a faith witness (the noun – who we are). It’s not that we are not to be witnessing – but how we go about that witnessing is firstly and foremost rooted in ourselves being a witness of – and too our encounter with God. The power and invitation to engage in witnessing comes from being a witness to others. As they inquire, “Who, why, how?” they observe and experience an evidence of the faith that lies within.

Paul reminds us in I Timothy :12 “ I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service; even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. And yet I was shown mercy, because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ.

I know more than I want to about who I am or can be as part of the power and presence of Christ in my life. I know what I’m capable of because it still occasionally leaks out. As a citizen of heaven, a witness of God’s mercy, grace, forgiveness and hope in my own life, I am called to be a living witness of the power of God that has come upon me. May we live faithful witnesses so that we too are asked “What did you see, what did you hear, what did you touch, what has touched you?”.

Anyway, I was just thinking….

Neil

Have you ever truly felt powerless???

Over 37 years ago, I had a serious accident when I was 11 years old that resulted in my hip being broken in 2 places as well as a crushed pelvis. The prognosis was not good. One of my memories, as I flowed in and out of consciousness, were the doctor’s words to my father: “He’s one hell of a mess. If he survives the next two weeks, he will certainly be paralyzed!”. This meant that for the next four months I was essentially tied to a bed on an inverted traction board with wires, pulleys and weights at various angles - a torture device of the most ingenious design. For those four months I was almost totally dependent upon the nursing staff for the basic functions and necessitates of life. For almost two months, until sufficient healing had occurred, an enema was routine, and all toileting happened while confined in traction. I still break out in a cold sweat when I see a bed pan. Privacy was nonexistent and the embarrassment of the experience is still a strong memory. Keep in mind that all my nurses were female, ranging in age from grandmotherly to just graduating from nursing school – and I was a young shy boy.

Initially, visits from relatives where frequent, but after a month, decreased substantially. Both of my parents worked jobs which made it difficult for them to get time off work so loneliness set in. However, I did have one instrument of limited power – the call button. Think about it, tie an ADHD kid in a bed, shoot him full of pain control narcotics and give him a push button and you’ve got … yup you guessed it – TROUBLE! As a result, at some point a very agitated nurse would march in, grab the button and wrap the cord around the rail above my head out of reach. So, although I could see it, it dangled just out of my reach. At first I cried in frustration – and then eventually out of need – all to no avail. Until someone would come into the room and place power once again within my reach – occasionally accompanied with the chastisement and the warning of “I’ll take it away again if I have to.”

That experience became a foundational experience in my life. I think it’s probably one of the reasons why I fight for inclusion and friendship so hard. I remember the feelings of powerlessness, exclusion, loneliness, the shame and embarrassment that comes with complete total care, and of total reliance on the attention and responses of caregivers. Additionally, I remember the uncertainty of what the future held. It was two months before I would begin to hear from doctors that the prognosis was changing for the better and it appeared that I would regain the ability of limited, device assisted walking.

Then my main concern at that time became which nurses were scheduled to oversee me. Some were rough and brisk. They were basically there to do a job and I was basically a task. So, when it came time to adjust weights and pulleys I remember being afraid of which nurses would be doing that job. Some nurses would talk me through it, try to make me laugh, apologize, and/or encourage me that the adjustments would soon be over. While for others, it was merely a quick turn of the cranks, traction angles or the addition/removal of weights often done while talking to another nurse and barely acknowledging my existence let alone my pain.

By God’s Grace, that experience did come to an end. It was followed by another six months on crutches. At that stage, there were the barriers of stairs, doors, winter ice and the watching of everyone else run, play and forget about you as you sat on the sidelines to cope with. Never have I felt that level of total and complete physical powerlessness since. As I look back, I realize, that in a limited way, I had a front row seat to what it means to be physically disabled. Although I would never wish to experience that again, or have someone experience, that type of event, I would not exchange it because it has shaped me significantly.

I recently heard a different spin on the old proverb, “you need to walk a mile in another person’s shoes”. It was the revelation that in order to actually walk in the other person’s shoes, you need to remove yours first. That is tougher than it sounds. It means that I must get out of my own skin, feelings, judgments and assumptions and ‘wear’ the experience of another as best I can. We must constantly remember when giving supports that we are ‘experienced’ by the person receiving those supports. However, there is so much more to that person’s life than the task of giving that service. We all look for that instrument of power, no matter how small. Don’t remove it. It may annoy you, but it’s a life line to them.

Remember, Jesus never saw or treated people as a task. His whole ministry was about the restoration of true humanity.

Anyway, I was just thinking.

Neil

Joy

One of the Christmas candles we light is Joy. We have or will sing the familiar Christmas song “Joy to the Word”. Many of us have grown up with Sunday School songs, complete with actions, “I’ve got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart, where, down in my heart – where?” and “I’ve got joy like a fountain, I’ve got joy like a fountain, I’ve got joy like my fountain in my soul”

When you hear the word joy – what comes to mind?

One of the primary things people lament in their lives is the lack of joy. It is a common complaint of people, and is often connected to “I’m not happy”. I am deeply concerned at the number of teens and young adults that have shared with me as a Pastoral type person, significant lack of joy in their lives. The subsequent impact on their lives is profound in the feelings of purposelessness, meaninglessness and general malaise of life in general. More times that I care to remember I have received calls from people despairing of life itself.

A 2000 MIT report stated,

Major depression is recognized as the most prevalent type of mood disorder today. It is estimated that 17 percent of the U.S. population will suffer from a major depressive episode… (http://tech.mit.edu/V120/N3/dep1.3n.html)

I’m sure that these trends are no different for Canadians. And the numbers are growing. People are desperate, and are literally dying for the lack of Joy. Ironically, when they crunch the numbers for Christians – the numbers are about the same.

In the most basic terms, depression is primarily trigger by a sense of significant loss. It would seem that for all our affluence, material possessions, careers opportunities, education, and abundance of food, entertainment and leisure, access to whatever pleases the eye… we are a miserable and joyless bunch. In fact, it’s likely this blog isn’t bringing us much joy either.

I just find it amazing that as Christian we sing about joy, preach sermons – and yet, many still feel they to manufacture a façade of joy. Cause’ that’s what were supposed to be.

So Joy is a problem – just because we light the candle and sing the songs doesn’t mean we have it – for some it even causes more damage because it creates a disharmony between what they feel inside and what they project – which just furthers the sense of depression, because everyone else looks happy – but me. And the reality of it is what you’re going through is real, it’s tough and hard – and creates a war within our soul.

So now what? Where do we go? Is there any good news? Well, perhaps.

Please let me take a rabbit trail for a moment. One of the areas of study is the effects of vibration and disharmony on bridges and buildings. These studies are related to the structures themselves, and to impact that these vibration and the subsequent harmonics that they create. Vibration and disharmony causes stress, fatigue, frustration, irritation, and eventual structural breakdown. The impact of vibrations and disharmony noises such as competing frequencies of fans that create have emotionally effect people over time – increasing stress, fatigue, frustration, irritation and depression. It grates on us.

Here’s where we join the paths. When we become spiritually out of harmony with God, vibration is created in our lives. We can try to ignore it, mask it, or deny it, but it is ever in the background. It causes a great deal more stress, frustration and breakdown than we admit. We try to medicate, mediate and meditate it, but no matter how hard we try – that disharmonious tone vibrates through our existence.

As far as I can tell there’s only one solution. Give up. Before you give up on me here, just hang in a bit longer.

The reason we feel such great loss is that often we are trying to hang onto that which we can’t keep. It’s want caused Jesus to say the words “ What good will it be for a person if they gain the whole world, but lose their soul, Or can a man give in exchange for their soul?” We are looking to the wrong things to bring joy into our lives.

Maybe the problem isn’t joy, but in what we find, or think we find our joy in? It may be that we have confounded the difference between joy – and what we believe is an inalienable right “happiness” after all its written right into the American Constitution. “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness” ironically many have lost both their life and their liberty in that pursuit and are exhausted from chasing it – and it’s always just outside the reach of my fingers.
Eastern mystics do not have it all wrong. They speak of finding that inner harmony and peace with the universal ‘Om’, and encourage the participants to verbally chant ‘Om’ to find empty yourself of noise and disharmony and reach a universal harmony. We believe in something similar. However, we believe that it isn’t nothingness that we are seeking – the answer is not in the emptying, but in the filling, and the Holy Spirit within that we seek.

Change gears.

Deuteronomy 28
1-6 If you listen obediently to the Voice of God, your God, and heartily obey all his commandments that I command you today, God, your God, will place you on high, high above all the nations of the world. All these blessings will come down on you and spread out beyond you because you have responded to the Voice of God, your God:

God's blessing inside the city,

God's blessing in the country;

God's blessing on your children,

the crops of your land,

the young of your livestock,

the calves of your herds,

the lambs of your flocks.

God's blessing on your basket and bread bowl;

God's blessing in your coming in,

God's blessing in your going out.
7 God will defeat your enemies who attack you. They'll come at you on one road and run away on seven roads.
8 God will order a blessing on your barns and workplaces; he'll bless you in the land that God, your God, is giving you.
9 God will form you as a people holy to him, just as he promised you, if you keep the commandments of God, your God, and live the way he has shown you.
10 All the peoples on Earth will see you living under the Name of God and hold you in respectful awe.
11-14 God will lavish you with good things: children from your womb, offspring from your animals, and crops from your land, the land that God promised your ancestors that he would give you. God will throw open the doors of his sky vaults and pour rain on your land on schedule and bless the work you take in hand. You will lend too many nations but you yourself won't have to take out a loan. God will make you the head, not the tail; you'll always be the top dog, never the bottom dog, as you obediently listen to and diligently keep the commands of God, your God, that I am commanding you today. Don't swerve an inch to the right or left from the words that I command you today by going off following and worshiping other gods.

Now, that was the good news… here is where it gets kinda hard. Now, I add this, if you are not interested in being harmony with God than stop reading

15-19 Here's what will happen if you don't obediently listen to the Voice of God, your God, and diligently keep all the commandments and guidelines that I'm commanding you today. All these curses will come down hard on you:

God's curse in the city,

God's curse in the country;

God's curse on your basket and bread bowl;

God's curse on your children,

the crops of your land,

the young of your livestock,

the calves of your herds,

the lambs of your flocks.

God's curse in your coming in,

God's curse in your going out.

20 God will send The Curse, The Confusion, The Contrariness down on everything you try to do until you've been destroyed and there's nothing left of you—all because of your evil pursuits that led you to abandon me.
21 God will infect you with The Disease, wiping you right off the land that you're going in to possess.
22 God will set consumption and fever and rash and seizures and dehydration and blight and jaundice on you. They'll hunt you down until they kill you.
23-24 The sky over your head will become an iron roof, the ground under your feet, a slab of concrete. From out of the skies God will rain ash and dust down on you until you suffocate.
43-44 The foreigner who lives among you will climb the ladder, higher and higher, while you go deeper and deeper into the hole. He'll lend to you; you won't lend to him. He'll be the head; you'll be the tail.
45-46 All these curses are going to come on you. They're going to hunt you down and get you until there's nothing left of you because you didn't obediently listen to the Voice of God, your God, and diligently keep his commandments and guidelines that I commanded you. The curses will serve as signposts, warnings to your children ever after.
47-48 Because you didn't serve God, your God, out of the joy and goodness of your heart in the great abundance, you'll have to serve your enemies whom God will send against you. Life will be famine and drought, rags and wretchedness; then he'll put an iron yoke on your neck until he's destroyed you.

It would seem, for the follower of God there is a direct correlation between obeying and listening to God’s voice and – Joy.

We have replaced relentless pursuit of God for the relentless pursuit of happiness.

God isn’t a means to Joy – He is Joy. I think perhaps we’ve come to the belief that if we believe in God, He will give us the stuff that will make us happy. However, God Himself – His being is the source of that happiness – and we will only find true joy as we take our refuge in Him.

Deuteronomy 28 is a very hard read. We just may straight out not like it. But there it is. God doesn’t offer apologize. You see, it isn’t that God needs to be in harmony with us – but we with Him. I know we’d like it the other way around but it’s not.

Psalm 5:11 (New American Standard Bible)
11But let all who take refuge in You be glad,

Let them ever sing for joy;

And may You shelter them,

That those who love Your name may exult in You.

Psalm 16:11You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever

The restoration of our joy can only be discovered in the wild abandoned and fully giving of ourselves ourselves and get ‘in tune’ with God.

Here’s what my theory is – Depression out of a sense of loss is so significant because we are looking to other things, pursuits and relationships to fill a void, meaning and purpose that only God himself can give.

The profound sense of loss is a result of my life being out of step with God. My lack of joy is that I’ve put my hope, trust and desire for happiness in the wrong things – temporal things, things effected marred themselves by sin.

Psalm 51:

6Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,

And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.

7Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8Make me to hear joy and gladness,

Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.

9 )Hide Your face from my sins

And blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit

True lasting and healing Joy can only come when we stop ignoring the vibrations that our disharmony with God has created. We must honestly examine those areas of our lives that are ‘out of tune’ with Him.

God is, and can be the only source of true Joy – We find total and complete joy in His existence and that ‘God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:7–8).

Anyway, I was just thinking,

Neil Cudney