Is God allowed to disagree with you?

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.(Jonah 1:1-3 ESV)

God tells Jonah to do something and he doesn't want to do it. This shouldn't be surprising but often is - God can say something that we don't like! God's word doesn't always agree with ours and, when that happens, we're the ones in the wrong. In fact, if we never find ourselves in 'conflict' with God's word, then something would be wrong in the relationship

'Only if your God can say things that outrage you and make you struggle will you know that you have got hold of a real God and not a figment of your imagination. So an authoritative Bible is not the enemy of a personal relationship with God. It is the precondition for it.'

Tim Keller, The Reason for God

being a real man

"Men, let me plead with you: The greatest fight of your life is not lust. You may think it is, but it isn’t. The greatest fight of your life will be rejecting the passivity that has infected your heart since the fall... being a man according to God’s Word is hard. Being a boy who shaves is pretty easy. But being a real man requires self-sacrifice. Your life is laid down for the good of your wife, for the good of your children."

Matt Chandler, The Mingling of Souls

video - what is the one thing a church needs from its pastor?

What is the one thing a church needs from its pastor? from Midwestern Seminary on Vimeo.

10 key quotes from Gospel Centred Leadership by Steve Timmis

The gospel isn't only a message that leaders communicate to others, it's something they desperately need themselves. Steve Timmis explores these implications in Gospel Centred Leadership. Check out some quotes below:

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1 - Gospel Culture

[A] gospel culture not only needs to be created but also sustained. A culture needs to be created where it is normal to know what the gospel has accomplished (the indicatives), and consequently how we are to live (the imperatives); a culture where  people are constantly reminded of who they are in Christ. We need to remind one another of the essential truths of the gospel: that we are more sinful than we dare admit and more loved than we would ever dare believe. All the imperatives of the gospel (what we are to do) will flow out of these indicatives. (what the gospel has accomplished). 

2 - Shaping that Culture

We will therefore forgive one another because we are forgiven much. We will want to be holy because we have been made in the image of God to be holy. These truths about who we are in Christ are going to be the main means by which leaders can shape a culture. This is an important issue because our surrounding culture fights to shape and define us. If the gospel is the defining feature of a group then people are pastored more easily and pointed to Jesus more effectively. Problems become more acute when anything other than the gospel is the defining feature.

3 - Taking the Initiative

If leaders are going to set the direction and create a culture, they need to be the people who take the initiative. They have to take the initiative by getting involved in people's lives, by teaching them, and speaking to them gently about the gospel in order that the gospel imperatives are obeyed instinctively and faithfully.

4 - The enemy of Idealism

Idealism is the enemy of relationships of all kinds, and something that Christians seem especially prone to. Idealism is the enemy of the gospel, because it doesn't take into account the truth that churches and Christians live in two worlds - the perfect world to come, and the failing, sin-ridden world that is passing away.

5 - You are not the Saviour

Through inexperience or pride, leaders can overstretch themselves thinking that they themselves are to be a "saviour" of God's people. They believe that it is up to them to make people godly, to sort out their problems, to rescue them from disaster. They get caught in a cycle of crippling workloads, a stressful sense of responsibility for others, and guilt and despair when they fail. Time and time again I have seen people who have become overwhelmed by the false task they have set themselves. Instead, leaders need a quiet confidence in Jesus to rule through his word, by His Spirit. 

6 - Being an Example

Being an example is the primary way we lead.

Leadership is always about encouraging people to do what I do, and not simply to hear and do what I say. This is why godly character is essential: it demonstrates where the real authority lies. The task of a leader is to teach the word of God. That word is to be applied in the first instance to my own life, and I am to live under it and be shaped by it. That way, people will see that it is Christ, not me, who rules His church!

7 - Fear of Man

To fear people does not mean that we are afraid of them in the way that we now use that term; we're not necessarily afraid that they might hit us or shout at us. Rather, fearing people means that they dominate our vision - they are disproportionately large in our thoughts and estimation. As a result, their opinion matters to us more than it should. Fearing people shapes our actions, and so we fail to live wisely and well. This is the theological explanation for what is commonly know as "peer pressure".

8 - Fear of the Lord

"Fear the Lord" with all your heart, and telling others about him in all the glory of his death and resurrection is inevitable and irresistible. This applies in every area of life. If we "fear the Lord", our words will be to build up, encourage and help others to grow more like Jesus. If we "fear the Lord" we will resist temptation because his glory and delight will be the most significant thing to us, rather than a moment of passing pleasure. If we "fear the Lord" we will use our resources to bless others, knowing that they are made in the image of God and that he is a just God. In every way, not least leadership, the wisdom of fearing the Lord results in living well.

9 - Delegation

Refusing to delegate tasks can deny others the opportunity to serve. Pride can be at the root of this, too.

10 - Creating culture

Culture will be created through prayer, Bible teaching, example and influence.

video - the biggest story

The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden from Crossway on Vimeo.

why did you write that?

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.(John 20:30-31 ESV)

John wrote these things (his book) for a reason and he gives us that reason here at the end of chapter 20.

This is not a book about a vague God but a particular person, Jesus. It's a book that shows that Jesus is the Christ, the messiah, He is the culmination of God’s plan throughout history. It's book that tells us that Jesus is the Son of God, not just someone who tells us about God. God exists in a glorious loving community that pours love outwards towards us, the rebels who have rejected him.

This book was written so that we can have life - real life. Separation from the author of life is death, there is no life outside of him. This life is not an ethereal event in the future, but fulness of life now into eternity. It's a book that makes it clear that the way we can have this life is by believing in Jesus - not doing something, not following his example - simply believing that He is who He says He is. When we believe in Him, our life is in Him. We are in Jesus, we are as accepted and loved as he is, we are empowered by the same spirit he is, we are united in him, he is with us.

Good news!

terrible advice for marriage

"sometimes when [people] say marriage is a partnership, they make it sound like a business arrangement. “You need to give fifty-fifty,” they might say. But this is terrible advice. It is worldly advice. It does not reflect the reality of marriage, which is a reflection of the unique reality of the gospel. After all, Jesus Christ did not say to sinners in need of redemption, “Meet me halfway. Let’s go fifty-fifty on this deal.”... It’s not fifty-fifty; it’s one hundred–one hundred. At any given time either spouse won’t have 100 percent to give, but this does not diminish the other’s commitment because they are not in a contract but a covenant."

Matt Chandler, The Mingling of Souls

video - Acts 29 Stories: Camden USA

Acts 29 Stories | Philadelphia & Camden USA - Part 2 from Acts 29 Network on Vimeo.

14 vital quotes from Gospel Centred Work by Tim Chester

What has the Bible got to say about your job? Tim Chester explains how the gospel transforms our view of work in this highly recommended book - Gospel Centred Work. Check out some quotes below:

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1 - God is at work

In your workplace, the Father watches over you, the Son stands beside you and the Spirit lives within you. God is at work - at work.

2 - Too busy

Don't tell people how busy you are, because what they'll hear is "I don't have time for you"

3 - Needn't vs Shouldn't

Think in terms of saying "needn't" instead of "shouldn't". "Shouldn't" is the language of legalism and legalism is never good news. But the gosple not only tells us what we should and shouldn't do, it also gives us the motives and resources to live the good life. It offers us a bigger and better life than the false promises of sin. So we can say more than "I shouldn't lie at work". We can say "I needn't lie at work, because I have a Father in heaven who cares for me" or "I don't need to prove myself, because I have God's approval in Christ".

4 - Prospering at work

Joseph prospered at work because the Lord was with him. that didn't mean everything was straightforward for him - after all, he did end up in prison. But the knowledge of God's presence and blessing enables him to keep his integrity and to fulfil his work well. God continued to be with Joseph and prospered his work. eventually Joseph became "prime minister" in Egypt, which enables him to save many people from famine. More than that, God used Joseph's work to preserve His people and the promise they carried of a Redeemer.

5 - Celebrating the world of work

It's important for churches to celebrate the world of work and to look for opportunities to support people in the pressures that work brings. This commitment to work shuld be reflected in our mission strategies, our expectations for workers, our application of the Bible, our prayers, the people we interview in meetings, what we celebrate and how we illustrate our sermons.

6 - Attitude to authority

Our attitude to authority, the way we treat colleagues and clients, our punctuality, our kindness (especially to those below us in the hierarchy), our conscientiousness and our integrity - all will commend our Saviour. Often we don't see much change and we can think we're not making much difference. But our impact on people can be profound.

7 - Frustration

Sometimes we find great delight in work - that's work as God intended. But often we find work frustrating - that's what work has become as a result of human rebellion against God.

8 - Not saved by work

If activity leads to identity, then I can be saved only if and when I do good works. But it's not my works that make me who I am, but God's work. We are God's handiwork.

9 - Work and rest

In the Bible's vision of life, work is just one way in which you can serve God. Rest is another way. We both work and rest to the glory of God.

10 - Fulfilment

Many people reach the top of their profession only to discover it doesn't bring the fulfilment they expected; because although we are made to work, we are also made for more than work. We are made for God Himself, and work can never be a satisfying substitute for God.

11 - No right to job satisfaction

People today often seem to think they have a right to a job that is pleasant and fulfilling all the time. They become indignant when life isn't like that. They're like Christians who expect God to make them healthy all the time. We live in a fallen world that is not yet redeemed. So we should not be surprised if work is often boring or frustrating. We will face the temptation to be idle, to opress others or to treat work as an idol. And even if we are able to resist those pressures, we will undoubtedly experience all those things among our work colleagues. The answer is to have a gospel-centred understanding of work, as a good thing ruined by the fall. And to set your sights on the new creation, when work will be a genuine delight.

12 - Failure at work

If we see work as salvation, as the means by which we will find identity or fulfilment, then failure at work will be a devastating experience.

13 - Work is a good thing

So work is commended in the Bible as a good thing. Work is not a necessary evil we have to endure. It is both a privilege and a blessing. This is why we find satisfaction and fulfilment in work. To work is to be part of what it means to be human.

14 - Work to rest or rest to work?

Some people rest to work - the only value they see in rest is making work more productive. Some people work to rest - the only value in work is earning an income to enjoy leisure. But according to the Bible, work is good and rest is good. Scripture commends hard work (Proverbs 6v6-11; 2 Thessalonians 3v6-13). But it also commends rest (Exodus 20v8-11)

video - Acts 29 Stories: Philadelphia USA

Acts 29 Stories | Philadelphia & Camden USA - Part 1 from Acts 29 Network on Vimeo.

how to have your life transformed

Encountering the risen Jesus transforms lives. John 20 shows us this repeatedly.

Mary has been devastated by Jesus' death and is distraught that his body is missing. Her tears are transformed into joy when he says her name.

The disciples have been on a rollercoaster over the last 3 years and are now meeting in a locked room, more confused and terrified than ever. Ther fear is transformed into peace as they receive his spirit.

Thomas wasn't present when Jesus appeared to the rest of the disicples and can't believe what he is hearing. His doubt is turned into worship as he considers Jesus' wounds

These encounters continue in the next chapter and in the other gospels - Peter at the beach, the disciples on the road to Emmaus. No one who encounters the risen Jesus is left unchanged.

This is still true today.

• Tears are turned to joy as Jesus says your name
• Fear is turned to peace as you receive his spirit
• Doubt is turned to worship as you consider his wounds

 

The solution to shame

"if you’re in a place of having been made to feel shameful, you should know there is good news. You don’t have to surrender to shame. You don’t have to be owned by regret. You don’t have to live forever under a dark cloud of guilt. The holy God of the universe who has condemned your sin and promised wrath for the unrepentant workers of disobedience offers you—freely, abundantly, mightily—total and absolute forgiveness, forever. To all who trust in Jesus Christ for salvation, his righteousness becomes theirs, his holiness becomes theirs, his security in the Father becomes theirs. And if you are repentant and believe in him, his grace is yours."

Matt Chandler, The Mingling of Souls

video: Andrew Wilson - Old Testament summary

12 classic quotes from John Stott - The Cross of Christ

The Cross of Christ by John Stott is a classic exploration of the centrality of the cross to Christianity. Check out 12 of the best quotes below.

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1 - Substitution

The concept of substitution may be said, then, to lie at the heart of both sin and salvation. For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for man. Man asserts himself against God and puts himself where only God deserves to be; God sacrifices himself for man and puts himself where only man deserves to be. Man claims prerogatives which belong to God alone; God accepts penalties which belong to man alone.

2 - Trust

The reasonableness of trust lies in the known trustworthiness of its object. And no-one is more trustworthy than the God of the cross. The cross assures us that there is no possibility of a miscarriage of justice or of the defeat of love either now or on the last day.

3 - suffering and mission

The place of suffering in service and of passion in mission is hardly ever taught today. But the greatest single secret of evangelistic or missionary effectiveness is the willingness to suffer and die. It may be a death to popularity (by faithfully preaching the unpopular biblical gospel), or to pride (by the use of modest methods in reliance on the Holy Spirit), or to racial and national prejudice (by identification with another culture), or to material comfort (by adopting a simple lifestyle). But the servant must suffer if he is to bring light to the nations, and the seed must die if it is to multiply.

4 - making peace

If our peace-making is to be modelled on our heavenly Father’s, however, we shall conclude at once that It is quite different from appeasement. For the peace which God secures is never cheap peace, but always costly. He is indeed the world’s pre-eminent peacemaker, but when he determined on reconciliation with us, his ‘enemies’, who had rebelled against him, he ‘made peace’ through the blood of Christ’s cross (Col. 1:20). To reconcile himself to us, and us to himself, and Jews, Gentiles and other hostile groups to each other, cost him nothing less than the painful shame of the cross. We have no right to expect, therefore,‘that we shall be able to engage in conciliation work at no cost to ourselves, whether our involvement in the dispute is as the offending or offended party, or as a third party anxious to help enemies to become friends again.

5 - self denial

Self-denial is not denying to ourselves luxuries such as chocolates, cakes, cigarettes and cocktails (though it may include this); it is actually denying or disowning ourselves, renouncing our supposed right to go our own way. To deny oneself is... to turn away from the idolatry of self cent redness

6 - a new community

Thus the very purpose of his self-giving on the cross was not just to save isolated individuals, and so perpetuate their loneliness, but to create a new community whose members would belong to him, love one another and eagerly serve the world.

7 - more than a demonstration

True love is purposive in its self-giving; it does not make random or reckless gestures. If you were to jump off the end of a pier and drown, or dash into a burning building and be burnt to death, and if your self-sacrifice had no saving purpose, you would convince me of your folly, not your love. But if I were myself drowning in the sea, or trapped in the burning building, and it was in attempting to rescue me that you lost your life, then I would indeed see love not folly in your action. Just so the death of Jesus on the cross cannot be seen as a demonstration of love in itself, but only if he gave his life in order to rescue ours.

8 - faith

Faith has absolutely no value in itself; its value lies solely in its object.

9 - repentance and pride

The proud human heart is there revealed. We insist on paying for what we have done. We cannot stand the humiliation of acknowledging our bankruptcy and allowing someone else to pay for us. The notion that his somebody else should be God himself is just too much to take. We would rather perish than repent, rather lose ourselves than humble ourselves.

10 - humbled by the cross

It is impossible for us to face Christ’s cross with integrity and not to feel ashamed of ourselves. Apathy, selfishness and complacency blossom everywhere in the world except at the cross. There these noxious weeds shrivel and die.

11 - what would we have done?

If we were in their place, we would have done what they did. Indeed, we have done it. For whenever we turn away from Christ, we ‘are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace

12 - pride and envy

Nobody is ever envious of others who is not first proud of himself

video: Vaughan Roberts - contentment through suffering

where is the God of Elijah? Still here

2 Kings 2 tells the story of Elijah being taken up into heaven. Elijah's life and work as a prophet has been extraordinary, God has done amazing things through him. As Elisha returns from the scene of Elijah's departure, he cries out, "where is the God of Elijah?"

It's a big question. Elijah is a big loss to God's people. What are they going to do now.

Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.
(2 Kings 2:14 ESV)

Exactly the same miracle occurs as in verse 8 when Elijah had struck the water with his cloak. The answer to Elisha's question is clear. Where is the God of Elijah? He is still here. Elijah has gone. God hasn't gone anywhere.

God is not confined to a particular time or place or ministry of a particular person.

Paul Mallard