Tornado Tragedy.

Lets both pray for the families who have lost homes, livelihoods, and loved ones in the recent tornado tragedy and celebrate that the death toll isn’t as high as it was first thought.

Father, we lift the families and communities which were hit by the tornado in Oklahoma for comfort, strength, and resilience as they go about rebuilding their lives. We celebrate that the death toll wasn’t as high as first reported… and despite this good news, we cry alongside those who did lose loved ones and whose loved ones are injured.

Father God we ask that you will bring hope to those who face hopelessness. That you will bring peace to those in the midst of confusion. That you will bring comfort to those in the midst of grief. And that you will impart wisdom to those who need guidance. And that you will continually draw all to yourself, revealing your goodness and mercy to them.

In Jesus name I pray.

Sacred ground.

There are times when you just know you are standing on sacred ground. Today I experienced one of those times. Every Tuesday I take a year 5 and 6 Scripture class and in a few short minutes, which can range from 15 – 20 I have the opportunity to share Christ with the class. I have to say upfront that I have never considered myself to be a teacher – especially within a classroom environment. And yet, teaching is part of the pastoral gifting / calling of which I believe I am called.

I try and do something different with the kids in class to make a difference. I have observed that far to often it seems to me those in authority speak at the kids. The teachers speak at them. The principal speaks at them. But, under God, my own prayer is Lord, help me to engage with the kids in a way that you are truly shared. We live and minister in a broken area. There is a lot of violence. There is a lot of abuse. A lot of brokenness, crime and broken families.  There is a lot of hurt and there is a lot of anger. And yet, within this, time to time we find faith. We find hope. And we find love.

Most of the kids I minister too have to grow up quick. Many of them loose the very innocence that they should not. The area I speak about is often derided in the media. It’s hard for people to find jobs when they tell their prospective employer where they are from. (I recently spoke to someone who was well qualified, and had applied for 60 odd jobs and each time was told no. They lied about where they lived, and put down a previous address which was in a more so called “acceptable’ suburb and they got that job)And so the theme of my message to them is a constant “God is for you and not against you!” Anyway I digress.

Today I felt inspired to talk about how God has given us the spirit of love, power and sound mind which is the opposite of fear. I opened up in talking about fear and we had a discussion about what fear does. Then I spoke about how God doesn’t want us to fear him as in being scared.. rather he wants to empower us, love us and wipe away all confusion from us. I shared how God isn’t out to get us and because of his love for us – he will empower us to walk through any circumstances of life which comes our way.

I only shared for about 9 minutes. But during this time, the kids just sat quietly, eyes wide open. I prayed for them and then the bell rang.

*Warning! Tear Jerking Story Following!*

As everyone else left the class under the teachers orders, a young boy came up and asked if he could talk to us and if we would pray for him and his family. He shared how his dad had walked out on them, saying he had fallen out of love with his mum. While he was saying that – this young boy stood tall and said, “That is bull, he has walked out on me and my brother also!” And we listened to this young boy (who is quickly growing up beyond his tender years) pour out his pain and heartache of loosing his dad. I asked him if I could place my hand on his shoulder, which he said yes.. and I prayed for him, asking the Lord to comfort him, bless him, bring reconciliation in his family and heal their hurts.

This young boy made a comment that made me truly aware of the fact that we were standing on sacred ground. For he said to me “Thank you for telling me that God will never leave me on my own – I so needed to hear that today!”

As that young man walked back to class,  Jon Owen (other scripture teacher) and myself looked at each other, tears freely pouring down our cheeks, and gave each other a huge hug as we acknowledged that something mighty and powerful just took place.

Platitudes don’t work.

Build a bridge and get over it!  … don’t you love those platitudes.

Noah built a boat and suffered post traumatic stress after the flood. (He was a carpenter – why was the first thing he planted a vineyard and was living in a tent)

Elijah had a nervous break down after performing many miracles.. a word from a woman sent him running in the grip of despair.

Hmmmm forgot about Job there.

Poor Jeremiah was kept in the sewerage pit and God blessed him by reminding him he knew his plans for him, to prosper and not harm him.

1/3 of the Bible is about grief and lamenting. We got to get real folks.

Platitudes don’t work.

Build a bridge and get over it!  … don’t you love those platitudes.

Noah built a boat and suffered post traumatic stress after the flood. (He was a carpenter – why was the first thing he planted a vineyard and was living in a tent)

Elijah had a nervous break down after performing many miracles.. a word from a woman sent him running in the grip of despair.

Hmmmm forgot about Job there.

Poor Jeremiah was kept in the sewerage pit and God blessed him by reminding him he knew his plans for him, to prosper and not harm him.

1/3 of the Bible is about grief and lamenting. We got to get real folks.

Walking back in time.

Last Sunday we had to park our car a couple of blocks from church and as we were walking down the road we heard some vibrant worship music and singing coming from another church that meets in the school hall across the road from the one we have been going to. The singing had a distinctive Pacific Islander accent to it which made us stop a bit and listen in.

Half jokingly Joanne says “Lets go in.” And as we continued to walk down the road, we both felt this conviction that indeed the Lord wanted us to go and join in. We were a little worried that we were running late and said ‘Maybe next week’, when another car drove into the car park and a family got out to go into the service and we instantaneously said to each other, “Lets go!”There was around 80 – 90 people inside. A mixture of young and old the majority being Islanders (Samoan)

We were made very welcome and it was like stepping back in time to what I have read about the old revival meetings. I heard more “Praise the Lord” and “Halleluiahs” in that one meeting then what I have over the last 16 years. And wow, can these guys sing and worship to the Lord. People were getting up and testifying of the goodness of the Lord. There were testimonies of answered prayer, the previous weeks ministry by the youth at a conference they were invited to as well as a couple of encouragements / prophecies that people thought the Lord was inspiring them to share. There was a drama unfolding in front of us as a lady started to fit. The worship leader stopped the proceedings, asked someone to ring the ambulance and then directed us to all pray for this lady. We continued to pray for her as the ambulance personal ministered to her and took her to hospital. I was very impressed with how this was all handled. There was a equal balance of faith and medical responsibility given for this lady’s care. As the lady was taken out the door, we commended her to the Lord and continued our praise and worship. Did I mention, Wow, these guys know how to sing and praise the Lord. Afterwards we were invited to lunch and we went and had lunch with the pastor and the congregation. Not only did these guys know how to sing and praise the Lord, they also know how to put on a great feast.

Yesterday I went back. I was running late as they start at 10am and I arrived at 10:30am and they were going full swing with their praising the Lord. They had a mixture of old songs, new songs, in-between songs. The interesting thing about their worship is that they sung praise to the Lord from 10am to 11:45am non stop, and the lead singers were standing at front row of seating, facing towards the stage. They had more testimonies including the lady who fitted the week before, who thanked us for our prayers, as she could hear everything that was going on, she just couldn’t move or speak at the time. Another young lady stood up and shared how the Lord protected her in a serious car accident, and while she was being interviewed by the police, someone rang her up and told her she had got the job from the job interview she was on the way home from.

Another guy stood up and said who his whole faith and walk with the Lord was dramatically changed for the better when he encountered the Baptism of the Holy Spirit…and then asked us, quoting Paul’s question from Acts to the disciples outside Ephesus…Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Then we had more singing, and the word was given by a lady who preached about Nehemiah rebuilding the walls with the theme, “Are we going to believe God’s word or instead do we believe what others taunt us about what God says to us?” This was followed by more praise and worship, with someone leading us from the front, and then the whole congregation broke out in singing in tongues. I haven’t experienced this for many years, perhaps 8 years or longer. We all broke out in this melody, which seemed to be directed by a heavenly conductor – myself included – and for this period of time it was as if all time was suspended, and we were on Holy Ground and in the direct presence of the God almighty. Another lady stood up and gave her testimony and they sung a song in their language and once again, it was like standing on Holy Ground, I had goose bumps all over me.

I have to say, I was all worshipped out by the end of the service. I just couldn’t stand up any more and sat down. They basically sung from 10am to 1 pm. The pastor greeted me and apologised for the lateness of the service ending, saying that at times when they get going, they just keep going. 

I have to say I haven’t seen such a bunch of joyful Christians for a long time. And in many aspects, walking into this church was like coming home. They are unashamedly Pentecostal and yet they are not caught up in the trappings of the modern Pentecostal movement. There is no message on tithing given – only an encouragement to give the offering you feel led to give. There was some mention of some large bills coming up and so they would hold a special offering next week to cover them, and again asked that we would seek the Lord as to how much he would have us contribute towards them. They absolutely believe God heals today and yet absolutely believe in good medical care. Last week when I shared with the pastor my story, “He gave me a hug, and said “Craig, Thank God we serve a God whose mercies are new every day.”

For some strange reason or other, I think I will go back again next week. But till then have a listen to this, pretty catchy hey!

When you get to the end of your tether… then what?

I have often said about my own journey of faith that its like God has me on a dog lead and I can run and play about; but sooner or later I will hit the end of that lead and its like God pulls me back to him.  There is a theme throughout the Scriptures both in the Old and the New of being tethered. And sooner or later those God calls will reach the end of their own tether. And the tethering I am speaking of is the tether of our own strength.

It was through the experience of reaching the bottom of my own strength that I accepted Christ’s strength. Now, you would think that experience would have taught me a lesson or two. But, hey, call me slow! Call me stubborn! Call me stupid! But simply put as a new Christian, I was still doing things in my own strength and thinking I could do great things for God in my own strength and in the process found God allowed me to reach the end of my tether.

Now, I am glad to report, that in this, I am not alone. For I have a great band of witnesses who went before me and did exactly the same thing. Adam and Eve tried to do things in their own strength and stuffed it up for us all. Even the great patriarch Noah, after all the great things he did through the Lord’s strength reached the end of his tether, had a brain snap (I’d say post traumatic stress), became a drunkard to cope and lived in a tent…( Think about it, why was this great carpenter living in a tent and not a house.) Skip forward to Abraham, Moses, Gideon. What about Isaiah who was prophesying judgement left right and centre about everyone around him.. till God gave him a vision of his own sinfulness and for the first time cried out…Woe is me, who will take away my own sin? And then it was after this encounter, Isaiah prophesied about Christ.

Skip forward to the NT. We don’t have to look hard to find God taking people to the extremes end of their own tether, before they bow the knee and cry out Lord, we need you. But even then Peter, James, John and the others still thought they had to do things in their own strength. Carrying swords around when they were told not to. Even Saul who became Paul, he reached the end of his tether, of doing things in his own strength. He was whipped 3 or 4 times, with 39 strokes of the lash. Shipwrecked 3 times, even spending a night and day on a leaky life raft. Was imprisoned, he went hungry and become cold and wet… till finally he said.. I have learnt the true spiritual lesson of life and that is, I can’t do a thing in my own strength, I need Christ and therefore despite what comes my way, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I want to encourage you, that through Christ, God is for you and not against you. And if you are going through a time of reaching the end of your tether, perhaps its time for you too to say God, I can’t do this any more, I need Jesus and the promise of your Holy Spirit in me, so I too can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Blessings and cursing’s.

This morning I woke up with the theme of “Blessing” on my heart. One of the greatest and perhaps hardest commandments for all Christians is that of blessing and not cursing. We are called to bless our enemies, bless those who revile us and bless those who use us and treat us badly. We are called to bless and be a bless and not to curse nor to be a curse to others.

I wonder what would Christianity look like if indeed we become people who truly took this mandate seriously and allowed it to permeate into every area of our lives. One doesn’t have to look hard in the blogosphere to find examples of speech about those we consider to be enemies of the Christian faith that while perhaps not exactly cursing and condemning – certainly doesn’t fall into the blessing category.

What would it look like if we rose up and spoke a blessing over the abortion clinics and the staff who work in them. If we spoke a blessing over our governments and all who work in there. If we spoke a blessing over the homosexual and other communities whom we consider suspect. What may happen if we speak a blessing over our prisons, and ex prisoners….I was wonder just what may happen?

Then I got to thinking about curses and cursing. I have been asked many times if I believe in curses. I have been asked before if I have ever broken or if I can break curses of people..and the answer to that is a qualified yes to both of those questions. I say qualified because breaking curses is has nothing to do with magic, spells or incantations – rather it comes out of having a relationship with the Father through the Son in the fullness of the Spirit, and a natural result of that is that we are called to bless, and through blessing others we cause the curse to fall away.

This morning I want to speak a blessing over my community and the world in which I live.

In the name of Jesus. I speak a blessing over your comings and your goings. I speak a blessing over your finances and your health. I speak a blessing over your relationships and family. I speak a blessing over your thought life and self talk. I speak a blessing over your work place and your travels. I speak a blessing over your grief, turmoil’s and trials of life. May you be blessed in continual increased knowledge of the Lord in whom all blessings flow. May you be blessed in receiving his forgiveness and be blessed in forgiving all who have harmed you. May you be blessed in receiving the fullness of the Holy Spirit and walking in the ways of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Have a blessed day!