Lent through Joel 1: First things first, Christian, its all about the heart, all of it.

Yesterday (yes, I know...typical tardiness) was Ash Wednesday. Rather surprisingly, I was asked to preach at the Ashing service.

Well actually, I was asked to offer a short reflection.

So I really shouldn't have rolled my sleeves up (metaphorically) to do some actual investigation of the text. I chose to preach on Joel 2:1-2, 12-17.

As I lay in bed this morning, contemplating the rest of Lent, I was struck that there really was so much I had wanted to say, but couldn't even hint at, let alone say.

So I've decided to try and extend my reflection on Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 across the forty days of Lent. Each day I will explore, briefly, another aspect of this reading and what it might say to us as we journey through Lent.

So here goes...ready?

God doesn't want part of your heart, he wants it all. You are to be wholehearted.

As I lay awake in bed on Tuesday evening, having drafted my sermon, in those few moments before I drift off to sleep, and that's genuinely about a minute normally, I felt a prompt deep within me that I had "missed the point."

Sure, I'd noticed that God speaks directly, in the first person, only in verse 12 of Joel 2.

"Even now, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning."

Now as it was Ash Wednesday two things had preoccupied me: the idea of a return, and the combination of prayer-aids (fasting/weeping/mourning). But it was as if God told me to re-read the sentence. I was planning on saying, "God wants your heart."

But that's not what it says - unfortunately.

That would have made the call very fitting for Valentine's Day. When so much money is spent by couples on gifts and meals, while constantly holding back some of their heart, awaiting a better option, another heart to pursue. (Not all I appreciate!)

It's easy to give some of your heart. To be part time, to offer some commitment.

But God is patiently asking for nothing less than all our hearts.

And that is why I need Lent.

There are parts of my heart I don't want to give God, sins I cherish and cling to, attitudes of self-righteousness that allow me to justify my moods and tempers. I even use some religious habits to protect me from really giving myself to God.

Lent then is the season of the year where we step into a wilderness, we try to wean ourselves off those things that seek to control or dominate. We acknowledge the things that have a piece of our heart.

I think Joel offers some insights into how we might do this. Perhaps you'll accompany me as we work through this call to return to God with all our hearts.

Me, Advent and Fasting

I've realised that it's no good trying to be profound: it stifles creativity and honesty.

So instead, I'm simply going to start writing about Advent and me. And I'm going to try and be brief. Try.

So it's Thursday 4th December and I've found an enormous freedom this week as I've decided to take more seriously the ancient approach to Advent of abstinence. I had already decided some time ago to do this as I've been growing more and more angry and the commercialisation of the three months leading up to Christmas. To be fair to the church we do try and resist the lure of putting all our eggs in the Christmas basket (despite Easter being the time for baskets and mythical lapine-speaking figures).

The church, however, has long forgotten the full liturgical meaning of Advent, and even those who try to reclaim some of the austere anticipatory character of the season tend to do so in terms of Christmas - it's all about learning why we needed Jesus to come in the first instance, which is a better intention than merely pretending we're Israelites awaiting our Messiah.

Advent is best understood in the urgent prayer: Thy Kingdom Come.

Now yes, this prayer is about the manifest need in our present situations to seek God's rule and reign: in our marriages, relationships, at work, in our churches, and yes in society at large.

But when we use the Paternoster phrase, 'Thy Kingdom Come', we are also joining in that great Advent cry: Come down O Lord! Rend the heavens! It is an excited, feverish cry that God would come and consummate this world and transform it. We are called to look eagerly for that day.

So...in an attempt to clear away some of the personal garbage, to fix my eyes on Jesus, I have sought to fast. And I would that other Christians would more readily use this ancient discipline.

So far I have committed to two fasts:
1. To refrain from Caffeine and Chocolate throughout Advent, and
2. To do a Benedictine Fast on a Wednesday and Friday - to only eat an evening meal.

I have also refrained from Music and background noise on the Wednesday and Friday.

I'm considering a series of other fasts; no media for instance (I wake every morning to depressing news).

Fasting is not a lever we pull to curry favour with God - ha! if only it were that simple. Never forget God already favours us!

No...for me, fasting is an attempt to find the real me, to pull back from unhealthy habits, to develop that oft-missing discipline of self-control, to still the turmoil, to find God. I'm partly grateful by dint of sheer circumstance that Jen (my wife) and I haven't yet done any 'Christmas Shopping', nor put up any decorations/listened to any Christmas music. There is definitely a sense of joy deferred at present, which isn't necessarily pleasant. Furthermore, Jen is 31 weeks pregnant, so perhaps it's not a season to be getting wrapped up in life's externals...

Alongside the lectionary readings, from Revelation and Isaiah this week, there is a need to intentionally look to developing a closer walk with God.

I should say that it's the fifth day of Advent and today's the first day the caffeine-headaches haven't been too bad...I've deliberately embraced herbal teas as an alternative - maybe I'll stick with them post Advent. Fasting costs something...it should.

On Monday I was excited to read an excellent piece in the London Evening Standard about Advent and the need for more delayed gratification. I applaud that piece.

Last Friday I was quite convicted concerning Black Friday, I had been reading Revelation 18 and 19 and there is the plaintive cry: "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins" (Rev 18:4).

Tonight we read in Matthew 13:1-23 the parable of the Sower (the Seed) and its interpretation.

I just can't help feeling, as I think about my walk with God, that I am all too frequently choked by "the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth" (Matt. 13:22 NIV).

We are so often beguiled by the mega-narratives of our age: what constitutes happiness, what constitutes beauty, what constitutes spirituality...and so often these are false gods.

It is my personal prayer that this Advent, accepting the need to prepare for the feast of Christmas, and the need to remember my need of Christ's first coming, through prayer, fasting and time in God's word I might be come back to my first love (Rev 2:4): that I might Come out and be with God, just as I reinvigorate my cry for God to Come into my life, and come to redeem the world.

Ascentiontide...God's kingdom: Our character

I am known for my peculiar affection for seasons; the weather seasons in the UK (or at least the seasons we should have), but also the liturgical seasons. Some seasons are widely observed: Lent, Advent and Easter (in that order I should add). But there are other, less formal, seasons that excite me.

So...allow me to speak up for the 'season' of Ascensiontide.

Ascension Day baffles many, mostly because there is that tension of seeking to commemorate an actual event (Jesus going to heaven, quite whatever that means), while also celebrating the paradox of Jesus at the right hand of the Father, while also being present everywhere as King of the universe with his people in every place and every age. There's also the fact it's always on a Thursday and never quite gets the press it deserves.

So, naturally, Ascensiontide, the period between Ascension Day and Pentecost, might be expected to focus on these themes. Ascension Day is 40 days after Easter, and Pentecost (note the Pent- part of the word, as in five) is 50 days. There are, therefore, nine days between the two Holy Days.

However, I think the fact there are nine days is "almost too good to be true."

There are nine fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

How perfect is that?

As we consider Christ in glory, as King of the universe, we also look for signs of His kingdom here on earth. We pray (daily some of us) 'your kingdom come', which is as much about the present day, as that long awaited triumphant return. But as I look for signs of Christ's rule I am simultaneously looking for Christ's character, for he will rule as He is. And the Spirit comes in order to transform us more into Christ's likeness. Do you see the beauty?

As we meditate on His Ascension we are forced to petition the Spirit for a fresh anointing, a renewal, a transformation of our character to more accurately resemble our Risen Lord. Pentecost is a perfect conclusion to a micro-season of celebrating Christ's attributes as seen in the fruit, while reflecting on ways in which we need more of the fruit.

I accept that there is no way we can seriously reduce Jesus' character to nine attributes; it is admittedly artificial. Yet, the nine fruits of the spirit are an excellent framework, not only of Christ's character, nor only of a Christian's character, but in fact these values will be the foundational principles of God's kingdom when he comes. When we seek to be more loving, joyful, good, faithful...etc...we aren't seeking self-improvement, or more Christ-likeness (though these things occur) we are becoming the very answers to our prayer: 'May Your kingdom come...'

Ta da!!!!

Sounds cool, eh?

I invite you to spend a portion of each day leading up to Pentecost to reflect on each of the fruits, praying that you might better understand a) where the fruit speaks of Christ's life and passion, b) where in our own life we need more of that fruit, and c) how God's kingdom will be seen around us as we all seek more of these values.

Practically...and I hope this isn't too obvious here's the list (with the dates for 2014 in brackets):

Day 1 LOVE (Friday 30 May)
Day 2 JOY (Saturday 31 May)
Day 3 PEACE (Sunday 1 June)
Day 4 PATIENCE (Monday 2 June)
Day 5 KINDNESS (Tuesday 3 June)
Day 6 GOODNESS (Wednesday 4 June)
Day 7 FAITHFULNESS (Thursday 5 June)
Day 8 GENTLENESS (Friday 6 June)
Day 9 SELF-CONTROL (Saturday 7 June)

I hope you enjoy this if you do it. I'll be blogging each day. When I've written the blog I'll also create a hyperlink from this list too - so you need only come back here to find a link to every day's reflections.


Finally, I need to formally acknowledge John Methuen who wrote, in 2001, a paper for the Ripon Cathedral Liturgy and Music group from which I discovered this approach to Ascensiontide.

Your Heart - Hard or Huggable? (Hebrews - Day 7)

¹² See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:12-13)

A big old block of stone...hard, cold and very VERY dead.

On Sunday I was sat in front of a beautiful old war memorial in church - man it was cold - it was an anti-radiator - it gave off this chilliness which made me and a friend move away. We wanted to be warm but were made cold.

The passage from Hebrews today - 3:7-13 - is very clear:

DO NOT LET YOUR HEARTS GO HARD!

Our hearts can go hard for all sorts of reasons...bad habits, time away from God, deliberately avoiding doing what we know deep down is right to do, allowing resentment and anger to fester in our hearts, and on it goes. Rarely do we intend to be hard-hearted, but so often we look back and realise what we thought was 'growing up' or toughening up, has actually been a deadening. Do you notice what happens to make us die? In the verses above it says we turn away from the "living God" (v.12).

Turning away from something living implies, I'm afraid, that we might well turn to something dead - to something that won't give life, but take it.

How might you have been turning from God?

So what are we to do??

1. Encourage one another to live for God
2. Do it daily!

We are instructed to stand together.

I love our cell (small midweek church fellowship group that meets to get to know one another more, worship God, challenge one another from His word, and think through how to live in service of others)

Cells are the opposite of stone - they are alive, living, breathing, active...

And this is how we have to be: alive, soft, fragile, vibrant...

But notice - cells work together - I need other people to help me, to encourage and to exhort.

Please - this day think about your Christian brothers and sisters - how are they doing? Are they struggling? Would they benefit from a supportive word, a hug, a text?

We do not do this alone.

The end of Advent

And so we reach the end of Advent...in a flurry, in a maelstrom of wrapping paper and tinsel. It's such a shame.

We start with the Advent cry...O Come...and maybe end with the whispered plea, 'Let it end!'.

Many of us can't honestly say when we switch into Christmas mode. For some, Advent is entirely about preparing for Christmas - after all we have Advent Calendars? For others it starts with decorations, or the first mince pie, or the office party, or the finish of school, or the first carol service...many differing views, but what seems clear is that it is virtually impossible to cling resolutely to Advent as distinct from Christmas throughout all four weeks - at some point we forget this season and focus on the next.

Now please don't think I'm trying to be some sort of liturgical Grinch...I think it is important to present opportunities for Christians and non-Christians to prepare for the celebration of Jesus' birth.

But when the season becomes increasingly focused on the past rather than the future, then I fear Advent loses its penitential flavour.

I have read, every year for the last decade, a book by Patrick Cowley, 'Advent - its liturgical significance'. I love Cowley's straightforward style and I will doubtless refer back to this often in coming years, but, for now, one quote:

"Because of the unpredictableness of the end, [we] must live under the impendingness of it, and be ready to encounter it. This means that, particularly in Advent, [one] must be alert to his true self, and examine his spiritual stature in order to know whether he is growing in grace or evil. It is for this reason that the Advent season is a penitential one."

The last day of Advent is Christmas Eve. The evening prayer readings for the day are still Advent readings, and I am struck by the choice of Revelation 1:1-8. This is the prologue to John's vision of the end. It deserves quoting:

"To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”" (Rev. 1:5-8)

Let me ask - at the end of this Advent are you more aware of your need of a Saviour? And are you more eagerly awaiting Jesus' return? Are you clearer than ever why Jesus came: first to save, and again to reign? Do we see the sin that clings to us, and to the world. Do we echo the Advent cry - Come, Lord Jesus!

I hope you have a brilliant Christmas - enjoy it - feast - be merry and celebrate - life needs moments of joy and sharing. But I do hope and pray that Advent has drawn you closer to God.

The following is an Advent hymn I've never sung before - but hope to in future. It perhaps more than any other carol has in both hands Advent and Christmas. I hope it stirs you to seek the indwelling presence of Christ.

When came in flesh the incarnate Word,

The heedless world slept on,

And only simple shepherds heard

That God had sent His Son.

When comes the Savior at the last,

From east to west shall shine

The awful pomp, and earth aghast

Shall tremble at the sign.

Then shall the pure of heart be blest;

As mild He comes to them,

As when upon the virgin’s breast

He lay at Bethlehem.

As mild to meek eyed love and faith,

Only more strong to save;

Strengthened by having bowed to death,

By having burst the grave.

Lord, who could dare see Thee descend

In state, unless he knew

Thou art the sorrowing sinner’s Friend,

The gracious and the true?

Dwell in our hearts, O Savior blest;

So shall Thine advent’s dawn

’Twixt us and Thee, our bosom Guest,

Be but the veil withdrawn.

Lord of your home?

O Antiphons - Day 2 (18th December) - O Adonai

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.

The antiphon for the day is:

O Adonai, and leader of the House of Israel,
who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush
and gave him the law on Sinai:
Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.

We had our carol service tonight. It was beautiful. The choir sang a beautiful lullaby written by John Rutter.

Also in the service, the vicar (Paul) asked a very painful question, "How would your home look if it was under the gentle rule of Jesus?"

Ouch!

Well, I confess that my home does not always confess that Jesus is Lord. Sorry. My life is all too often about creeds and liturgy, rather than a life lived with Jesus as my personal Lord.

Jesus' claim of Lordship over my life is not based on frippery and flaky philosophy, but as a consequence of his true nature. We see Jesus in the burning bush - see Jesus giving Moses the law on Sinai. Lordship based on holiness and righteousness. The Jesus we worship as a babe is also, and is eternally, the Lord of all.

Once again I am driven to admit that I do not trust Jesus enough. Yes - Jesus is my saviour.

But the challenge in Advent, as we look to his return - a return that might come tomorrow - is Jesus my Lord? Is he yours?

Tomorrow, I come...

"Heaven and earth shall flee away, when he comes to reign"
"We shall see him; but in heaven"
"Born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth"
"Cast out our sin, and enter in"
"Fit us for heaven"

We sing these words lots this time of year...

Seriously, we do!

Amidst the frankly romanticised and misty-eyed images of little towns, mangers, sheep and babies we sing, in our carols, some profoundly challenging words. Our Advent carols often carry dark images of Jesus return, but we can overlook the references in the traditional Christmas carols too.

And I think this is entirely appropriate...

Advent (for we are still in it) is a penitential season. But somehow if all I do at the end of the season is pretend that I'm an ancient Jew longing for a Messiah, or merely observing (in song) Jesus' nativity (like Harry Potter in Dumbledore's pensieve) then how, precisely, am I minded to penitence? We must remain fixed on the dual vision of Advent - both of Jesus' coming.

From 17th December, at evening prayer (vespers) before reciting the Magnificat (Mary's song of praise from Luke) the 'O Antiphons' are used. I blogged about this here. These antiphons focus on aspects of Jesus' nature, names he is given. The acrostic phrase, 'Ero Cras', means 'Tomorrow I come'...

Careful meditation on the theme of Christ's return drives us to consider themes of judgment, heaven, hell, resurrection...and naturally our own preparation.

We sing of being ready for heaven, for a life cleansed of sin. With Christmas but one week away, I will spend some time thinking (briefly) about each of the names of Jesus from this acrostic, and how we might be prepared for His return.

Life's Healing Choices

My cousin, Chris Drury (check his blog here), is the pastor at Lancaster Free Methodist Church. I get updates on Facebook from him/the church and am envious of the series they are going through at the moment on 'Life's Healing Choices'. Check out the blogs and websites for more information.

Today Chris said the following:

"Several people have commented on yesterday morning's message being really helpful, and so for those who wanted them here are the 7 Steps to Change to go with Romans 12:2 - "Don't copy the behaviour & pattern of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think."

I. Focus on changing one defect at a time: Proverbs 17:24 ...
II. Focus on victory one day at a time: Matthew 6:11
III. Focus on God’s power not my will-power: Phil 4:13
IV. Focus on what I want, not on what I don’t want: Phil 4:8
V. Focus on doing good, not feeling good: Gal 5:16
VI. Focus on people who can help me, not hinder me: 1 Cor 15:33
VII. Focus on progress, not perfection: Phil 3:13-14 "

Now I've not yet had chance to listen to the sermon - but these seven points are incredibly helpful on a day when I'm feeling flat! Thanks, Chris.

Obedience to God's will

I like it when God speaks very clearly to you in the Bible. Today feels like one of those days.

The three passages for morning prayer today were Psalm 77, Jeremiah 43, and Mark 3:19b-end.
The final passage ends with Jesus stating, "Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother" (Mark 3:35). Knowing God's will can sometimes prove tricky - we pray and seek guidance, hoping that He will make plain his path for us.

However, I think we get rather hung up on the unknowns for shame of our disobedience in the knowns. We are all guilty, me especially, of simply not doing what I know I should.

Jeremiah was faced with a similar situation. The remnant of the people of Judah had watched their puppet king/governor, Gedaliah, assassinated. (I want to write more about the brilliant drama from Jeremiah 35-45 in a later blog) In response to the assassination the ring-leaders of the insurrection come to Jeremiah and ask him to seek God's will. However, they had already decided what God's will should be for them. The Babylonians were bad, and posed an ongoing threat to those who remained in Judah. There was the chance they might come back and take more people away. Therefore, what was more obvious than the need to retreat to Egypt? It makes perfect sense.

"No!" - says Jeremiah. God asked the people to simply stay put, live in the land (Jer 42).

But this is not good enough - say the people. Indeed, they accuse Jeremiah of lying - of inventing the prophecy, which is rank lunacy when you consider how spot on Jeremiah had been up until then.

But isn't this so often the case. We hear the command - we fail to act. And the failure is so often because we don't like the command - it doesn't fit in with our agenda, or our understanding of the situation. It isn't, as we like to think, that we don't know God's will; we do know it, but fail to walk according to it.

I am so often amazed that I behave in this way. And as I read the Psalm this morning I saw a way out of this pitfall:

"I remembered you, God, and I groaned;
I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.
You kept my eyes from closing;
I was too troubled to speak.
I thought about the former days,
the years of long ago;
I remembered my songs in the night.
My heart meditated" (Psalm 77:3-6, TNIV)

Four simply words that we can use to help us discern, and (more importantly) obey God's will. And in the main it involves remembering how he has acted in the past. When I'm asked for evidence of God I can point to the historical reliability of Scripture, but I also point to my personal, real experience of God's activity in my life.

So we firstly remember (v.3). We take time to make a record of our memories. I, for instance, keep a journal, that is a permanent reminder of all that I have done. The sins especially remind me of my need of God, but his faithfulness and the settled pattern of increased holiness is a precious reminder that God is with me. Each day I commit to setting down on paper what has happened to me, the highs and lows. I think it is also important to 'count our blessings' to simply list and number the myriad ways God provides for us: homes, cars, clothes, food, sometimes good food, health, the NHS, education, free schooling, friends, family, husbands, wives, children, brothers and sisters, Doctor Who (LOL), cinema, music, ale, curries, etc, etc...on it goes. When we enter into worship we should always take with us the profound sense that God is for us; not against us.

Next we meditate. Both on God's word, but also our daily lives. I'm not very good at meditating on Scripture, and I think I need to work on it. However, just lately I've found myself writing my diary with greater purpose. I want to see past the facts and try to see what was going on in my heart and soul when I said this, or did that: meditating on life, if you will. And what I find is that God is constantly at work around me. I have found, for instance, that stopping to record what my wife said to me, and reading more closely into the feeling and emotion that surrounded what she said, can lead to some fairly straightforward insight into how my behaviour has affected her. As a result I can ask God, by His Spirit, to heal, to forgive, to guide, and especially strengthen me to remedy bad behaviours. I also see missed opportunities when I meditate - the person I should have simply chatted with to dispel feelings of sadness and loneliness; the new acquaintance who would have welcomed a discussion about God; the neighbour who needs me to be more supportive...on it goes...

Next we call to mind (the RSV uses this phrase in place of the second remember). This implies something more interogative, which for me means re-remembering. I forget LOADS from my recent past. So as well as writing a diary, I need to re-read it, going back years, months, and even days, as a reminder of how I need God and what I need prayer for. My wife is astonished I remember so little of my past, so I need to do this. Now I'm not advocating a navel-gazing introspection that immobilises us. Introspection of this sought drives us into prayer and praise. We also - I think - become more confident in accepting God's will when we see how our lives are shaped when we do or don't.

Finally, I ponder...which reminds me of the hymn lyric, "ponder anew, what the Almighty can do" (from Praise to the Lord, the Almighty). And I think this is about turning our mind to the challenges that face us now. What can we learn of God's previous faithfulness that might inspire greater trust and confidence in his future activity - even when the way seems dim, or dangerous. We also have to ask ourselves - are there any areas of my life where I am knowingly disobeying God - either his revealed will and purpose for my life, or His Word? If there are then we should apply to our resistence to His will our knowledge of all he has done, not least the work of Jesus on the cross, who presents to us, the perfect example of obedience.

Boredom, distraction and emotional eating.

When was the last time I was bored? Do I lead a boring life?

“Boring” is such a powerful criticism. We fear our lessons being labelled ‘boring’, or worse that we ourselves are seen as somehow boring.

But I wonder if I do get bored, perhaps bored too easily. I look at my little boy (who admittedly is only 21 weeks old) and I see a personality emerging, a personality that is fundamentally curious interested, but seemingly quickly bored. He needs to be on the go all the time. We have friends whose now very bright toddler, has always been quickly bored. Or was it a more easily distracted disposition?

I wonder whether this is a distraction thing (as opposed to boredom), because I think I have this problem.

Firstly, I think I am so worried about what people think, that I actively encourage a hectic lifestyle. This lifestyle means we couldn’t possibly be labelled boring, but at what cost?

But then secondly, I very quickly start new projects, but don’t finish them. Is it that I get bored of the many ideas, or that a newer/fresher idea pops up that piques my interest more?

This may seem a bit nit-picky, but I can’t help worrying that this is all realted to my weight battles and eating habits. I wonder whether I eat from boredom? Or maybe as a distraction? Or maybe it's about something deeper? Emotions.

Where do I derive my emotional pleasure? Where do my endorphin releases come from? I eat because I say "I'm hungry", when I know in truth I’m not hungry.

There are two real reasons: the feeling (it is a pleasure) and from boredom (it’s something to do)
But this is a scary idea. Am I bored at home? Have I forgotten how to enjoy the company of my wife – chatting to her about anything and everything, or am I bored of the same old conversations? Am I so paralysed by fear of boring-ness that I resist doing things that might eventually lead to balance and comfort and a settled lifestyle for fear that people will see this 'growing up' as getting boring?

Or am simply stressed?

Or maybe I’m wired to be distracted and bored easily?

I posit this idea because I do think I’m a certain type of person who needs to constantly look to new projects. I have taken, on many occasions, a typology test, the results of which can be researched further.

In personality terms I am an ENFP (Extroverted Intuitive Feeling Perceiving – the opposites being Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging) There are two sites that explain more of what this person is like: http://keirsey.com/4temps/champion.asp, and http://typelogic.com/enfp.html

It’s interesting to note how they suggest that Idealists (the broad category of four types I sit in) need to have alone time to recuperate when stressed. I’ve always battled with Jen (my wife) on this one.

This is a fascinating area for me...one that holds lots more questions than answers.

For certain, I need to review my life patterns and start to complete projects I start.

I also need to stop making excuses and get walking...

Truth cast to the ground

Daniel's visions/prophecies smack of a man who's eaten too much cheese before bed-time. They are peculiar and strangely at odds with the otherwise more straightforward nature of the Bible.

However, it seems important to accept the text as it is, and in that regard Daniel 8:12 seems clear: "Because of wickedness, the host was given over to it together with the regular burnt offering; it cast truth to the ground, and kept prospering in what it did".

The 'it' in the verse is one of Daniel's famous horns, who for the sake of brevity, can be accepted as a world leader, or movement.

In short, the host (the public, or some Christians) is given over to the horn, as a result of wickedness. This is a strange but compelling instance of God's word warning against falling away, or following after earthly leaders. In the context of Daniel 1-6, it suddenly makes perfect sense. We are to worship God alone, which is why the verse's reference to the 'regular burnt offering' also implies not only a going over of the people, but a ceasing of religious observance.

In an era which regards public worship with increased scepticism, we are to be bold in both our discipleship of Jesus, and the worship of him.

Yet, the burnt offering is more than worship - it is part of the ceremonial activity that meant Israel might be forgiven. Is there a worrying trend in society that seeks to remove the forgiveness of sins from God's remit to that of money, fame, wealth, or the Government. Perhaps when we follow the world, and its leaders, we also accept their view on sin - that we haven't actually committed any crimes. That we are not accountable to the maker and sustainer of the world?

Either way, the eventual outcome when we follow the world, and its leaders, is that scary place where truth appears to have been set aside. We need only think of X-factor, WMDs, the war in Iraq, cash for questions, political grandstanding in Oldham, etc, etc... When we really set ourselves to follow the world, we also commit to being shaped by its values. All too often that requires us to set aside the truth.

But yet...

But yet.

"It keeps prospering in all it does" (Dan 8:12)

We must hear God's word. Despite the ease with which people show allegiance to public figures, the pace with which religious observance is marginalised, and the shame of truths covered up, the world WILL prosper. And that is the greatest test - we do not measure things by results, or apparent results, but by God's word.

Do we today seek to follow Jesus, or the world?

Are we seeking to worship Him this day, thanking him for the gift of salvation?

And do we actively seek to cover up the truth - not only in the public sphere, but to our church brothers and sisters, to our work colleagues, to our family, to our spouse, perhaps to ourselves?

Journaling

I have been keeping a journal for many years, since I was about 14 years old. It has formed an invaluable place to record events in my life, record my feelings, and reflect on where I'm at. One thing I'm mindful of at present, is the general lack of spiritual content.

At the same time, I have received very little actual advice on how to journal.

To that end I've searched a little online and found a good rubric - SOAP - which has immediately helped me recognise how I should journal as a Christian. In part it is about recording what God has been saying to me, specifically in scripture, but I wonder also the degree to which I should be attentive to the changes in behaviour. Like observational scientists, sometimes it is true that a person who doesn't see themself and especially those 'sin triggers', they are more likely to repeat.

As I step forward with my journaling, I also recognise that there is an inevitable time commitment to recording more than just facts!

Prayer:
Father, I ask that you would help me learn to journal with more of an eye for what you are syaing, what you are doing, and what I am being called to do in service of you and others. I ask that as I journal you would stir me to action, walking each day with a deeper sense of my discipleship. Let me in all things attend to your voice, and may my childlike devotion be pleasing to You, my Lord, My Father, My God. Amen.

Advice for life?

I am so grateful that God has given us plain, home-spun, common-sense. Today I finally started to chat to a colleague on my teaching course about their relationship situation.

She's happily seeing three separate guys, enjoying their company and time, but nothing serious. However, she was clearly in a quandry worrying about the fact several of them were being 'needy'. As we chatted it became quite obvious, to me, that my friend was uncertain about whether to pursue these relationships.

I appreciate that for Christian girls the first criterion used when evaluating the potential of a possible suitor has to be, first and foremost, their love for Jesus. Do they submit to Him as Lord? If this is a negative then, sorry, it's a non-starter.

My friend is a Sikh though, so my advice was simple - use two questions to check a guy:
- How does he treat his family, specifically his mum? and
- What are his friends like?

These two questions when answered honestly, remembering that men engaged in the chase are prone to chamelion-esque changes to personality in order to impress a girl, will provide a pretty fair assessment of a man's character, which is, ultimately, more important than his bank balance, looks, ambition, car, or anything else.

As I asked these two questions I felt tremendously relieved. Firstly, I was not offering specific advice; no cliched pros or cons for one or another friend she was seeing, nor was I given a tale from my experience. Put simply I provided two questions that my friend could ask and come to her own conclusion. Secondly, God gives Christians the capacity to understand the human condition better than some. It is a responsibility of ours to dispense Godly wisdom that will ensure friends and family enter into peaceful lives.

I was greatly encouraged by God to have been used in this simple way. I welcomed the opportunity to serve.

Stewarding our time

This evening at cell (the healthy church type, not the bombing type) we have continued our churches theme of Stewardship, focusing on the use of our time, talents, and treasure/tithe. Our welcome question tonight asked us to roughly calculate the proportion of our time we spend on various activities: Sleep, Work, Leisure, God-stuff (praying, reading Bible, worshiping), Chores, and other.

The findings were NOT surprising. Here's a summary of our conclusions:

1. We do not get enough sleep - none of us.
There are, of course, several schools of thought about the merits/demerits of having long lay-ins at the weekend, versus the regular settled habit of sleeping the same amount/getting up at the same time every day. While we agreed lay-ins are nice, there was the clear sense that we should be trying to be more habitual. Whatever our position on the pattern of sleep - we all accepted that we would operate much better on more sleep.

2. We seem to be habit-averse.
There is the odd belief in the group that Habit = Boring. While we happily accept the need to take regular exercise, have regular habitual sleep, we are less inclined to think this way spiritually.

3. We spend little time on our own

4. What do I have to show for my spare time?

5. We spend a small fraction of our time with God, or in God-stuff.
I wonder if we should seek to tithe our time? 10% of our day would be 144 minutes - 2 hours and 24 minutes - imagine our days looking like that?

6. Not enough exercise

7. We don't actually watch that much TV.

8. Our lives are far more full of leisure than we let ourselves recognise.
We moan lots about work, but in truth our group of friends spend lots of its time relaxing, often together.

9. Time with family?
Not many of us could refer confidently to time spent at the dinner table

10. We find it hard to remember how we spend our time!

Some thoughts following on from this:
- We enjoy time spent in God's presence, but we don't do it as we're frail and broken
- Do I, by my choices, send a message to people that they're not loved?
- To some extent there is a place for the vow of service/simplicity when thinking about stewardship. We would use our time and talents more effectively if we undertook to serve people each and every day. A vow of simplicity would best enable us to approach money in a Godly manner.

CHALLENGE:
1. How is my use of time?
What changes are needed? Am I aware of where my time goes?
2. How could we corporately better use our time to sacrificially serve others?
In the community: are their clubs, needs, projects we could undertake? In church: needs to be met (balanced against our talents)
3. How could we corporately serve God more?
Speaking to others about the Good News.

Lament

Lent is not over until Easter day. There remains time to examine our lives and find God's guidance.

At our cell last night the astute point was made that, for some, Lent is a time of self-reflection and examination, which in turn leads to changes from Easter. Rather than give-up or take something up for Lent should, we not have the approach that Lent is a time to discover, through prayer and Bible study, those things that need permanent change.

The readings for evening prayer yesterday (Tuesday of Holy Week) included the following:

'Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.
Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say:
"We have sinned and rebelled and you have not forgiven"' (Lamentations 3:40-42)

'My eyes will flow unceasingly, without relief, until the LORD looks down from heaven and sees' (Lam. 3:49-50)

As Jesus draws closer to the cross, and we are confronted with the enormity of His sacrifice, we must consider afresh those sins committed which are placed on Jesus. An unexamined life is not a life at all.

In a world that is so emotion averse, or more specifically, where negative emotions are shunned we must be a people that live close to tears and joy. Jesus, reports Luke, comes to Jerusalem to joyful acclaim (Luke 19:28-40), but is immediately driven to tears when he looks upon the city (Luke 19:41ff). Do we have this attitude? Are our tears heard by God, and seen by demons? Do we weep for our sin, for the sin of our loved ones, and our nation?

Tomorrow is Maundy Thursday. Many of us will be propelled along until Easter is upon us - will we grasp the opportunity to come to the cross, stop, be quiet and resolve to submit our lives to God?