Lyrics: Margaret Clarkson (c) 1987 Hope publishing
Tune: English melody: "Kingsfold"
Our cities cry to you, O God, from out their pain and strife; you made us for yourself alone, but we choose empty life.
Our goals are pleasure, gold, and power; injustice stalks the earth; in vain we seek for rest, for joy, for sense of human worth.
Yet still you walk our streets, O Christ, we know your presence here, where humble Christians love and serve, in godly grace and fear. O word made flesh, be seen in us, may all we say and do, affirm you God Incarnate still and turn sad hearts to you.
Your people are your hands and feet to serve your world today, our lives the book our cities read to help them find your way. O pour your sovereign spirit out on heart and will and brain: inspire your church with love and power to ease our cities pain.
O healing savior, Prince of Peace, salvation's source and sum, for you our broken cities cry: O come Lord Jesus, come! With truth your royal diadem, with righteousness your rod, O come, Lord Jesus, bring to earth the city of our God.
This was a new hymn we sang in church today. I loved the lyrics so much, I wanted to share them with you. It's like a prayer!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Getting To Know God
This post is an added thought that came out of the teaching of the last post. I have been thinking about this allot. There is a passage of scripture in the bible found in Matthew 7:21, that has always puzzled me and disturbed me at the same time. I finally think I understand it as a result of the teaching " Sex And The City Of God".
The scripture says: " Not everyone who says to me " Lord,Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, " Lord, Lord," did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, " I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!"
When the bible uses the word "know", God is using that sexual language to describe the type of intimacy we need to have with him in order to "know" him and to do his will. In the passage above he was speaking to people who thought they were Christians because of what they did, yet the Lord said, " I never knew you". It is a bit scary to think we can go through our whole Christian life thinking we are serving God and doing his will when in fact we could be rejected by him on judgement day because we just didn't get it. Just saying the words " Lord, Lord" in other words " I believe in you" obviously is not enough. The bible says even the demons believe, yet are they going to heaven? NO! Even Satan believes God exists, yet he hates God. Is he going to heaven? NO!
So, what does it take to get to heaven? We must "know" God in an intimate way so we are able to "know" what his will is and do that!
If that is not the focus of your ministry, then I would suggest you re-evaluate your motives. I believe everything else will come out of that relationship with the Lord. Follow Jesus, and all the other things will follow you.
I have mine and that is now going to be my focus; getting to "know" God.
I want to hear those words from Jesus: " Well done good and faithful servant!".
The scripture says: " Not everyone who says to me " Lord,Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, " Lord, Lord," did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, " I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!"
When the bible uses the word "know", God is using that sexual language to describe the type of intimacy we need to have with him in order to "know" him and to do his will. In the passage above he was speaking to people who thought they were Christians because of what they did, yet the Lord said, " I never knew you". It is a bit scary to think we can go through our whole Christian life thinking we are serving God and doing his will when in fact we could be rejected by him on judgement day because we just didn't get it. Just saying the words " Lord, Lord" in other words " I believe in you" obviously is not enough. The bible says even the demons believe, yet are they going to heaven? NO! Even Satan believes God exists, yet he hates God. Is he going to heaven? NO!
So, what does it take to get to heaven? We must "know" God in an intimate way so we are able to "know" what his will is and do that!
If that is not the focus of your ministry, then I would suggest you re-evaluate your motives. I believe everything else will come out of that relationship with the Lord. Follow Jesus, and all the other things will follow you.
I have mine and that is now going to be my focus; getting to "know" God.
I want to hear those words from Jesus: " Well done good and faithful servant!".
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Sex And The City of God - Week 1
If you would like to hear the full teaching you can download it from the website. It may take a few days to there though. There is a Linc at the top right hand side of this blog entitled West Highland . You can actually see it live each week on line.
The first part of this teaching is about " Orienting All Of Life To The Glory Of God".
The title of this series came from a combination of the title of the TV sitcom " Sex In The City" and a book written by some dude ( St. Augustine?) called " The City Of God". Hence " Sex And The City Of God."
What Pastor John is attempting to reveal is the clear biblical distinction between the worlds view of sex and sexuality verses God's view of sex and sexuality as explained in scripture.
As you probably know the TV show " Sex In The City" is about four divorced women living together who are attempting to find true love and the ultimate relationship through experiencing the ultimate orgasm. All they ever really find is heartache and problems. The writers of this show and other TV shows of the same type are creating propaganda that will affect us, the viewing public and try to influence our thinking to theirs as being a societal norm, when in fact it is not. Their world view of sexuality is "people oriented".
Conversely, Christians, believers in Jesus Christ, are part of " The City Of God" and our view of sexuality as described in scripture is "God oriented". God created sex in order to demonstrate and have a language that would allow us to understand the kind of intimacy we can have with him. Our purpose in expressing our sexuality then becomes, as 1 Corinthians10:31 says, " So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do (including sex), do it ALL for the GLORY of God."
If you want to see an example of the kind of language God uses to describe his relationship with Israel, just take a look at Ezekiel chapter 16 and tell me if this does not sound like sexual language? Sexuality then, is designed by God as a way of knowing him through Jesus Christ more fully. Going back to the book of Genesis God outlines the parameters as to what this relationship looks like, between a man and a women, two very distinctly biologically different genders, in a loving covenant relationship called marriage. Any other variation or deviation from this model causes us to sin by creating an idolatrous relationship as described in Ezekiel 16 and keeps us from knowing God! As Hosea said in chapter 6:3 ( he was the prophet that married the prostitute) " Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises. he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." In other words Gods favour will restore us.
Tune in next week for a continuation along the same theme.
Apparently week three gets really juicy!..... as we get into the Song of Songs which is all about sexual love.
I can't wait!
The first part of this teaching is about " Orienting All Of Life To The Glory Of God".
The title of this series came from a combination of the title of the TV sitcom " Sex In The City" and a book written by some dude ( St. Augustine?) called " The City Of God". Hence " Sex And The City Of God."
What Pastor John is attempting to reveal is the clear biblical distinction between the worlds view of sex and sexuality verses God's view of sex and sexuality as explained in scripture.
As you probably know the TV show " Sex In The City" is about four divorced women living together who are attempting to find true love and the ultimate relationship through experiencing the ultimate orgasm. All they ever really find is heartache and problems. The writers of this show and other TV shows of the same type are creating propaganda that will affect us, the viewing public and try to influence our thinking to theirs as being a societal norm, when in fact it is not. Their world view of sexuality is "people oriented".
Conversely, Christians, believers in Jesus Christ, are part of " The City Of God" and our view of sexuality as described in scripture is "God oriented". God created sex in order to demonstrate and have a language that would allow us to understand the kind of intimacy we can have with him. Our purpose in expressing our sexuality then becomes, as 1 Corinthians10:31 says, " So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do (including sex), do it ALL for the GLORY of God."
If you want to see an example of the kind of language God uses to describe his relationship with Israel, just take a look at Ezekiel chapter 16 and tell me if this does not sound like sexual language? Sexuality then, is designed by God as a way of knowing him through Jesus Christ more fully. Going back to the book of Genesis God outlines the parameters as to what this relationship looks like, between a man and a women, two very distinctly biologically different genders, in a loving covenant relationship called marriage. Any other variation or deviation from this model causes us to sin by creating an idolatrous relationship as described in Ezekiel 16 and keeps us from knowing God! As Hosea said in chapter 6:3 ( he was the prophet that married the prostitute) " Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises. he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." In other words Gods favour will restore us.
Tune in next week for a continuation along the same theme.
Apparently week three gets really juicy!..... as we get into the Song of Songs which is all about sexual love.
I can't wait!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY PROTESTANTS!
This year is the 500Th anniversary of the protestant reformation of the church. There seemed to be a few people that were not in agreement with the beliefs of the Roman Catholic church. Imagine that? Rebels in the church. Trouble makers. Satanically induced backsliders upsetting the status quot. The likes of Calvin and Martin Luther. Amazing what people think when their authority is threatened. It must be the devil! Yeah right!
As I recall, isn't that what they thought about Jesus too? His teaching appeared to be a threat to their power and authority. They called him the devil and did end up killing him. I guess he was seen as a bit of a rebel too against the church of his day, and he was God! The Word made flesh! I think we need to be really really careful before we start throwing out accusations like that shouldn't we?
There seemed to be a dispute over the doctrine of Justification By Faith Alone ( Sola Fide), and over Biblical Authority ( Sola Scriptura). It seems the Church of the day believed that the apostles ( The Pope being the successor of Paul) had the ultimate authority over the written word (bible), because it was the apostles that created the scriptures. The reformers(rebels) on the other hand believed the bible was "the" inspired word of God delivered through the apostles and was the ultimate authority over anything or anybody else. The Pope had a contract out on the life of Martin Luther. Do you think he felt his authority was threatened? Here's a quote:
" Unless I am convinced by Sacred Scripture or by evident reason, I will not recant. My conscience is held captive by the word of God and to act against conscience is neither right or safe."
Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms
He apparently was delivered through a set of strange miraculous circumstances, from death. Maybe God was on his side?
I think some Protestant Christians and churches today have come full circle and believe they have more authority than the inspired word of God. Some have strayed so far away from the bible, I don't even know why they call themselves Christian. Others have so misinterpreted the scriptures they have become cults. Being involved in such a church would not be right or safe.
Maybe it's time for a protest against the Protestants? or at least some kind of new awakening? Maybe a Revival? A Resurrection? Something has to happen to get the strayed churches back on track!
Let's get back to our Reformation roots and make the bible, "the" inspired word of God the Ultimate Authority. Let the word of God be fully known.
As I recall, isn't that what they thought about Jesus too? His teaching appeared to be a threat to their power and authority. They called him the devil and did end up killing him. I guess he was seen as a bit of a rebel too against the church of his day, and he was God! The Word made flesh! I think we need to be really really careful before we start throwing out accusations like that shouldn't we?
There seemed to be a dispute over the doctrine of Justification By Faith Alone ( Sola Fide), and over Biblical Authority ( Sola Scriptura). It seems the Church of the day believed that the apostles ( The Pope being the successor of Paul) had the ultimate authority over the written word (bible), because it was the apostles that created the scriptures. The reformers(rebels) on the other hand believed the bible was "the" inspired word of God delivered through the apostles and was the ultimate authority over anything or anybody else. The Pope had a contract out on the life of Martin Luther. Do you think he felt his authority was threatened? Here's a quote:
" Unless I am convinced by Sacred Scripture or by evident reason, I will not recant. My conscience is held captive by the word of God and to act against conscience is neither right or safe."
Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms
He apparently was delivered through a set of strange miraculous circumstances, from death. Maybe God was on his side?
I think some Protestant Christians and churches today have come full circle and believe they have more authority than the inspired word of God. Some have strayed so far away from the bible, I don't even know why they call themselves Christian. Others have so misinterpreted the scriptures they have become cults. Being involved in such a church would not be right or safe.
Maybe it's time for a protest against the Protestants? or at least some kind of new awakening? Maybe a Revival? A Resurrection? Something has to happen to get the strayed churches back on track!
Let's get back to our Reformation roots and make the bible, "the" inspired word of God the Ultimate Authority. Let the word of God be fully known.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! HOPE YOUR 2009 IS FULL OF ALL GOD'S RICHEST BLESSINGS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES!
Monday, December 22, 2008
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
My blog is going to be prorogued until after Christmas. Like Kim, I don't have enough time, and I don't have a little baby to look after! Enjoy your family celebrations and don't forget the reason for the season, the Birth of our saviour, Jesus Christ!
M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S
M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S
Monday, December 15, 2008
Decisions
I've had to make a few big ones lately. Knowing this, my wise father gave me a book to read written by Haddon W. Robinson called " Decision Making By The Book". Don't you love it when a bible scholar puts in print exactly what you have been thinking. Confirmation is a very comforting phenomenon. Here's his thoughts on "Avoiding Disagreement" amongst decision makers:
" One decision danger zone we sometimes fall into is surrounding ourselves with "yes men" and "yes women". In other words our decisions sometimes fail because when we are sure we are right, we refuse to listen to someone who thinks we are wrong.
Dissent keeps you from believing you are infallible. Pastors who feel comfortable with only church board members who admire them and are overly concerned with pleasing them may not be well served when it comes to decision making.
People who are free to disagree put alternatives before the group that minimise the risks inherent in every important decision. Dissenters help us see the unforeseen negative consequences that may be invisible to us because of our happy unanimity.
Loyalty to a group does not mean that we go along to get along. It means that we state our viewpoint openly and clearly. The responsibility falls on leaders to create the environment for this kind of freewheeling honesty. Disagreement forces us to check our facts and state the basis for our decision.
But then, when a decision is made, loyalty requires all members of the group to do everything possible to make the decision succeed.
Disagreement does not mean that God is not working. Unanimity is not unity. Dissent can stir the imagination and force us to consider uncertainties in the decision-making process."
AMEN TO THAT!!
" One decision danger zone we sometimes fall into is surrounding ourselves with "yes men" and "yes women". In other words our decisions sometimes fail because when we are sure we are right, we refuse to listen to someone who thinks we are wrong.
Dissent keeps you from believing you are infallible. Pastors who feel comfortable with only church board members who admire them and are overly concerned with pleasing them may not be well served when it comes to decision making.
People who are free to disagree put alternatives before the group that minimise the risks inherent in every important decision. Dissenters help us see the unforeseen negative consequences that may be invisible to us because of our happy unanimity.
Loyalty to a group does not mean that we go along to get along. It means that we state our viewpoint openly and clearly. The responsibility falls on leaders to create the environment for this kind of freewheeling honesty. Disagreement forces us to check our facts and state the basis for our decision.
But then, when a decision is made, loyalty requires all members of the group to do everything possible to make the decision succeed.
Disagreement does not mean that God is not working. Unanimity is not unity. Dissent can stir the imagination and force us to consider uncertainties in the decision-making process."
AMEN TO THAT!!
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