Keep Fighting!

 

Grace, Anyone?

Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,

  That saved a wretch; like me!

I once was lost, but now am found,

  Was blind, but now I see.

Lyrics:John Newton (1725-1807)

Help Needed

"I don’t think there is anyone who needs God’s help and grace as much as I do. Sometimes I feel so helpless and weak. I think that is why God uses me. Because I cannot depend on my own strength, I rely on Him twenty-four hours a day." - Mother Teresa

H – Hear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
Psalm 86:1 (NIV)

E – Establish my steps in your word.
Psalm 119:133 (NASB)

L – Let your compassion quickly meet our needs because we are on the brink of despair.
Psalm 79:8 (NLT)

P – Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
Psalm 16:1 (KJV)

Amazing Grace

"My chains are gone, I've been set free
My God, my Saviour has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, amazing grace...."
(chorus from the Chris Tomlin version of the hymn)

"I started doing some research on Amazing Grace, and I was blown away that the last verse (When we've been there 10,000 years bright shining as the sun) was written about 100 years later. The original verse by John Newton was The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, this incredible verse that I'd never seen in a hymn book. I started thinking about where John Newton came from, the slave ships, and what God had done in his life. We're all made slaves to sin in our life, but God has set us free. He has ransomed us from our slavery. I just wanted to add this idea that I hope brings freshness to the heart of the song." — Chris Tomlin

That last verse:
"The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God, Who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.
Will be forever mine.
You are forever mine."

O is for Only By Grace

A terrific song, written by Gerrit Gustafson.

Lord, if you mark our transgressions
Who would stand?
Thanks to Your grace, we are cleansed
By the blood of the Lamb…

Fellowship: Defined

“Fellowship is a place of grace, where mistakes aren't rubbed in but rubbed out. Fellowship happens when mercy wins over justice.” ― Rick Warren

This is a quotation from 'The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?'; a book that members of my Corps fellowship are reading at the moment. Amazing, isn't it? This has really sparked something in me today...

The Greek word used in the New Testament is κοινωνία, usually translated as 'fellowship'. In Christianity it's a term used to describe the relationship of Christians to God and to other Christians. However, the Greek word could also apply to a business partnership, to the marriage relationship, to close bonding between friends, or between members of a community. Incidentally, the word in Latin is communio (from which we get the word 'communion', thus sharing in common).

All this made me took me back many decades; made me think about about the different gatherings of people I have encountered through the years. A huge range of different levels of acceptance and tolerance - some of these are definitely better at 'fellowship' than others! Some of these could do so much better. These are just a few I recalled today; these are in alphabetical order:

Bible Study/House Fellowships
Church/Corps meetings
Church/Corps social gatherings
Committees in the voluntary sector (a variety of these!)
Family get-togethers
Meeting old friends for coffee
SAFE Music and Drama School
Salvation Army Congresses and other large public meetings
Science Fiction club meetings
Science Fiction conventions
Scout camps and events
Social gatherings at work
Street Pastor duties
Theatre 'Friends' group

Much to ponder today.

Grace and Gracias

I heard someone on the radio make a point this morning which has really stuck with me today. And challenged me. Perhaps it was because of my ever-growing To Do list...

Anyway, the speaker drew a comparison between asking for God's grace to help in a difficult situation, whilst also having a thankful heart as we do so. He pointed to the fact that many words involving thanks are rooted in 'grace' : the Spanish word gracias, for example...

How thankful, am I, for some of the challenges that I face? Hmmm... it's back to that passage from Thessalonians for me...

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater, 
He sendeth more strength when the labours increase, 
To added affliction He addeth His mercy, 
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace. 

His love has no limit, His grace has no measure, 
His power no boundary known unto men, 
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus, 
He giveth and giveth and giveth again.
Annie Johnson Flint (1866-1932)

Fear, Grace, Hope and Love

"Jesus, what a beautiful name
Son of God, Son of Man
Lamb that was slain
Joy and peace, strength and hope
Grace that blows all fear away
Jesus, what a beautiful name"

These words were used in yesterday's meeting, for the first Sunday in Advent. One phrase stayed with me - "grace that blows all fear away"...

The phrase blew me away, too. Because for the rest of the day I kept reflecting on certain aspects in my life where I can't seem to react in any other way except with fear. Afraid to fight back. Afraid to challenge things. Afraid to face up to the real issue. Afraid of repercussions. Even, sometimes, afraid of words (which have been some of my closest friends).

It drove me to my knees in prayer. It drove me to extremes of emotion. I asked for the fear to be 'blown away'; for it to be replaced by hope, by love. I'm still praying.

1 John 4:18 (NIV)
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Let Me Help - part two

"Let me help. A hundred years or so from now, I believe, a famous novelist will write a classic using that theme. He'll recommend those three words over I love you."
quotation from Star Trek - The City on the Edge of Forever (1967)

I like to think that both of these phrases - 'I love you' and 'let me help' - are both expressions of love. However, just because one person may reject our offer of assistance does not mean we are of little or no use - just as one person's rejection of love does not mean we are unlovable.

The solution? Once again, it centres on our relationship with Christ. It's allowing Christ to walk with you, to walk through the disappointments in life with a day-to-day knowledge of His provision for us. Yes, as believers we can be rejected, however at least we are trying to help. There are many that you meet who don't try at all! As a Christian, I have a choice to allow that rejection - a pothole on the path of life - to upset your progress, even to wound you; or you can choose to pick yourself up and move forward in God's grace. And also to remember that forgiveness of others and of self is also a gift to us, given from Christ Himself.

Ephesians 4:32 (New International Version)
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

A Miracle of Grace

I’m going to make my life into a melody,
I’m going to praise my Saviour all day long,
I’m going to make my life into a symphony,
A glorious symphony of song.

Chorus
For God will fill me with his power,
My pathway trace;
He’s going to make my life into a miracle,
A mighty miracle of grace.

extract from SASB 858 (Flora Larsson)

How Bizarre!

Ooh baby,
(ooh baby)
It's making me crazy,
(it's making me crazy)
Every time I look around
(Look around)
Every time I look around
(Every time I look around)
Every time I look around
It's in my face
(from 'How Bizarre' by OMC, written by Alan Jansson and Pauly Fuemana)

I spend a great deal of my time at work dealing with bizarre issues - you know, those occasions where something suddenly goes wrong for unexplained reasons. You reboot the PC and it works fine, with no explanation as to what happened earlier. No-one seems to know why the computer did what it did; it just 'went wrong'.

So, when the boss asks you to explain and you try to get to the bottom of the issue, to diagnose the problem, no-one can give you any answers. There's no good solid reason - even the 'experts' often say are stumped, saying that the problem isn't reproducible! It often ends up as a totally unexplainable phenomenon. Something that really is beyond comprehension... How bizarre! How bizarre, how bizarre...

In this 21st Century world, we are taught to seek answers. There is an answer to all things, they say. After all, isn't that what our scientists do, to seek to comprehend our world? Well, there's a gap between what we know and what we don't - usually, that's where Christians live in faith. However, that doesn't always make things easier. One quotation I read recently says "Faith makes things possible, not easy."

As I continue to explore my personal faith, I find myself straying ever further from the shallow end of my experience, encouraged to wade a bit deeper... As I do so, some of the more crazy things that occur in my life begin to slowly make more sense. Every aspect of my life starts to become increasingly spiritually relevant. Things take on a whole new meaning - and thus I am beginning to get a few answers to some long-term issues in my life. I still can't comprehend it all - however I am getting there. How bizarre!

Passing understanding is his boundless love,
More than I can ever comprehend,
Jesus, in his mercy, left his throne above,
All to be my Saviour and my friend.

Higher than the stars that reach eternity,
Broader than the boundaries of endless space,
Is the boundless love of God that pardoned me;
O the wonder of his grace!
SASB 52, 3rd verse and chorus (Howard Davies)

Some Quotations On Grace

C.H. Spurgeon: "The higher a man is in grace. The lower he will be in his own esteem."
J.C. Ryle: "The man who has nothing more than a kind of Sunday religion -- whose Christianity is like his Sunday clothes put on once a week, and then laid aside -- such a man cannot, of course, be expected to care about growth in grace."
Anon - “Like any other gift, the gift of grace can be yours only if you'll reach out and take it. Maybe being able to reach out and take it is a gift too.”
Louis Cassels (1922-1974) - “If God wants you to do something, he'll make it possible for you to do it, but the grace he provides comes only with the task and cannot be stockpiled beforehand. We are dependent on him from hour to hour, and the greater our awareness of this fact, the less likely we are to faint or fail in a crisis.”

I end with the famous words of Annie Johnson Flint:

"He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater, He sendeth more strength as our labours increase;
to added afflictions He addeth His mercy, to multiplied trials He multiplies peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance, when our strength has failed ere the day is half done,

when we reach the end of our hoarded resources our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure, His power no boundary known unto men;

for out of His infinite riches in Jesus He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again."

Duty Calls ...

I've just spent a very full day in one of the best ways I know. 

Having spent the morning at the Army, participating in meetings where both my daughter and my son furthered their commitment to the Lord (becoming a Junior Solder and Junior Musician respectively), we all spent the afternoon in the park, working on the Churches Together stand, handing out leaflets about The Salvation Army as part of the local town show.

And, do you know what? Even in the middle of a crowd, and fulfilling what I feel is my duty to my Saviour, I had times this afternoon when I felt very lonely.

The words of SASB 462 spring to mind this evening as I write this down and try and review my thoughts from today. The chorus of that Song confirms that 'By The Pathway Of Duty Flows The River Of God's Grace'. Yes, the workers can be few, but there are indeed reinforcements coming along to help us... the way we tread can be very lonely, even for those who have been on it for a while, but God's grace is sufficient for us. In fact, the CO's sermon today was on the subject of Grace, which I think will be the topic I'll need to read up on this week.