Last week we thought about the God who chooses - this week we're looking at the fact that God gives us freewill and every day we have choices and decisions to make. Once we're a Christian we acknowledge that 'Jesus is Lord'. This means that we will want to do what God wants rather than what we want.
In the story of Jacob and Esau (we're looking at Genesis 27 this Sunday) some bad choices were made. We have already seen how Esau sold his birthright for a pot of stew - giving up the things that God had for him in favour of instant gratification. In this passage Isaac made some bad choices. Whereas Esau was careless, Isaac was senseless (sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste as well as common sense!). All his senses made him suspicious that something was not right but he went ahead with the blessing regardless - why not just call in one of the servants who could see properly and ask him or her how this was before him?
Making decisions and choices can be difficult, especially when we want to do what God wants. An older, more mature Christian once gave me the following advice. According, Advice, Able, Available, Activate. Is the thing you're thinking about in accordance with the Bible? Have you sought the advice of older more experienced Christians - who can not only talk with you but also pray with you and for you? Are you able to do it? (It is unlikely God is calling me to apply be a brain surgeon (even if I can dress the part)!) Are you available to do? (If you work 9-5 it is unlikely that God wants you to respond to the request for a helper for the toddler group which starts at 1pm - unless He is also asking you to change working hours or job). Finally does it activate you? (Sometimes when I am talking with people and they start to talk about what they think God might be wanting them to do they 'come alive'. Their face, body language, voice etc become so much more expressive and excited. It's like someone has turned on a switch.
God has promised to forgive us for our mistakes (1 John 1:9), but that is not the same thing as taking away the consequences. In the story of Jacob and Esau we might think that Rebekah and Jacob got away with their scheme. But the consequences of Rebekah's plan was that the son that she loved was sent away to stay with her brother and find a wife - she thought this would only be a short time until Esau calmed down. But it was to be for years and Rebekah was never to she her son Jacob again. That was quite a price to pay. God does forgive us but sometimes we have to deal with the consequences of our mistakes.
One of the amazing things about this story is how through all the human scheming, deception and lies God is still able to work out His promises and purposes. These characters made unwise and ungodly choices and yet still the ultimate plan of God is worked out. God is at work behind the scenes. When we look at our lives and wonder with everything that is going on 'where is God in all this?' we can take encouragement that God is working out His purposes (Romans 8:28) - it's just we don't have a clue what He's up to or why He's allowing it to happen this way!
Listen to this message from Pastor Keith from 28 October 2008.
Sunday 28 October 2007
Sunday 21 October 2007
The God who Chooses
In our Sunday morning series so far we have seen that God called Abraham from Ur and promised him both land and descendants. Abraham is content that the promise for land may be in the future, but obviously the promise of descendants needs to start being realised in his life time! This brought crisis number one. Both he and his wife were too old to have children - but God over-ruled and Isaac was born. Then Isaac needed a suitable wife - and God led Abraham's servant to Rebekah. Now, today, in Genesis 25 we find that Isaac and Rebekah are unable to have children - could this be it for God's promise to Abraham?
So Isaac prays and God answers (v21). I wonder how many times Isaac prayed before God answered. Just once? Every day? Isaac married at 40 (v20) but by the time Esau and Jacob were born he was 60 (v26). That's plenty of time for all kinds of doubts about the promises of God to creep in. That's a long time to hold on to your faith whilst living among nations who worship other gods.
In response to Rebekah's question (22) God reveals that He has chosen the younger twin ahead of the older twin (23). This is theme that we have already encountered in Genesis (e.g. Abel ahead of Cain, Isaac ahead of Ishmael) and a theme that will run throughout the rest of the Bible. David, the youngest of eight brothers will be king (1 Samuel 16). On into the NT we find that if we want to be first we need to be last (Mark 9:35). If we want to gain life we need to lose it (Luke 9:23-24). And that God chooses the foolish, weak and lowly things of this world to overcome the wise, the strong, the powerful and influential (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).
When God chooses He does not choose as the world would choose. It is not like being picked for a team in the school playground - where those who are no good are left to the end, and even then no one wants to pick them. But God chooses those whom the world rejects because these are the kind of people who will allow God to work in and through them - the kind of people who will rely on the power of the Holy Spirit in them rather than on their own abilities and talents.
Listen to this message by Pastor Keith at Willesden Green on 21 October 2007
So Isaac prays and God answers (v21). I wonder how many times Isaac prayed before God answered. Just once? Every day? Isaac married at 40 (v20) but by the time Esau and Jacob were born he was 60 (v26). That's plenty of time for all kinds of doubts about the promises of God to creep in. That's a long time to hold on to your faith whilst living among nations who worship other gods.
In response to Rebekah's question (22) God reveals that He has chosen the younger twin ahead of the older twin (23). This is theme that we have already encountered in Genesis (e.g. Abel ahead of Cain, Isaac ahead of Ishmael) and a theme that will run throughout the rest of the Bible. David, the youngest of eight brothers will be king (1 Samuel 16). On into the NT we find that if we want to be first we need to be last (Mark 9:35). If we want to gain life we need to lose it (Luke 9:23-24). And that God chooses the foolish, weak and lowly things of this world to overcome the wise, the strong, the powerful and influential (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).
When God chooses He does not choose as the world would choose. It is not like being picked for a team in the school playground - where those who are no good are left to the end, and even then no one wants to pick them. But God chooses those whom the world rejects because these are the kind of people who will allow God to work in and through them - the kind of people who will rely on the power of the Holy Spirit in them rather than on their own abilities and talents.
Listen to this message by Pastor Keith at Willesden Green on 21 October 2007
Friday 12 October 2007
The God who Guides
I'm sure that most Christians would agree that part of what it means to be a Christian is that now you try and do what God wants rather than what you want. But how do we know what it is that God wants? In some things the Bible helps. For example, Matthew 5:44 tells us that we are to love our enemies...Mark 8:34 tells us that the life of the disciple is the life of self denial...Leviticus 19:15 tells us that we are not to show favouritism but treat everyone fairly...Leviticus 19:19 tells us that we shouldn't wear clothes made with two different kinds of material! Okay - so maybe that isn't as straight forward as some people would want us to believe. But what about those questions of guidance that the Bible has nothing specific to say - which university should I go to...should I get married...who to...which job should I take...where should I live...?
This Sunday morning we're looking at Genesis 24. I'm sure some of us read this kind of story and wish that God would guide us as clearly. I'm also sure that when some of us ask about guidance what we really want is a quick and easy fix - the guide to instant guidance.
In Abraham's story so far we've found him to be obedient to God, someone who believed God, someone who feared God and someone who would not keep anything back from God. I think that this is the backdrop in front of which God guides Abraham and his servant. Romans 12:1-2 reveals that discovering God's will follows self sacrifice, resistance to the ways of the world and having a renewed mind that thinks God's way (e.g. the first will be last ... death=life ... )
Then we find Abraham and the servant planning and praying, and the servant got on the road and started walking and praying. Sometimes we're paralysed by the fear of doing the wrong thing and so we end up doing nothing. But we should be proactive. In order to steer a vehicle that vehicle needs to first of all be moving somewhere. But as we push doors to see what will happen we must remember that God will never ask us to do anything that is against His word. Then we should remember that we were created for community and God invented the church - we're not here on our own - and there are other, wiser, older, more mature Christians that we can talk to about what wethink God might be calling us to. If they all think it is a bad idea then listen to them.
But the context in which we push doors, write letters, go to interviews, go on a date must be that Romans 12:1-2 attitude. If that is our heart attitude then as we push doors I believe that God will guide us and keep us from those paths that He wants us to avoid. Some people will say that it was a coincidence that Abraham's servant found Rebekah but there is no such thing as a coincidence with God.
Click here to listen to this message from Pastor Keith, 14 October 2007.
This Sunday morning we're looking at Genesis 24. I'm sure some of us read this kind of story and wish that God would guide us as clearly. I'm also sure that when some of us ask about guidance what we really want is a quick and easy fix - the guide to instant guidance.
In Abraham's story so far we've found him to be obedient to God, someone who believed God, someone who feared God and someone who would not keep anything back from God. I think that this is the backdrop in front of which God guides Abraham and his servant. Romans 12:1-2 reveals that discovering God's will follows self sacrifice, resistance to the ways of the world and having a renewed mind that thinks God's way (e.g. the first will be last ... death=life ... )
Then we find Abraham and the servant planning and praying, and the servant got on the road and started walking and praying. Sometimes we're paralysed by the fear of doing the wrong thing and so we end up doing nothing. But we should be proactive. In order to steer a vehicle that vehicle needs to first of all be moving somewhere. But as we push doors to see what will happen we must remember that God will never ask us to do anything that is against His word. Then we should remember that we were created for community and God invented the church - we're not here on our own - and there are other, wiser, older, more mature Christians that we can talk to about what wethink God might be calling us to. If they all think it is a bad idea then listen to them.
But the context in which we push doors, write letters, go to interviews, go on a date must be that Romans 12:1-2 attitude. If that is our heart attitude then as we push doors I believe that God will guide us and keep us from those paths that He wants us to avoid. Some people will say that it was a coincidence that Abraham's servant found Rebekah but there is no such thing as a coincidence with God.
Click here to listen to this message from Pastor Keith, 14 October 2007.
Saturday 6 October 2007
Tough Questions
This year our harvest appeal is once again going to support the work of BMS World Mission. BMS World Mission is the overseas mission branch of the Baptist church. To find out more about BMS click here. This year's appeal is called 'Higher Ground' and is going to support the work that BMS and local Christian organisations are doing in Indonesia following the tsunami of 2004 and the earthquakes of 2005. These groups are involved in reconstructing lives and communities as well as buildings and villages. To read more about the 'Higher Ground' appeal click here.
Natural disasters on such a massive scale always raise theological questions. 'Where was God?' 'Why did God allow it to happen?' I'm not sure that there are any really simple satisfactory theoretical answers to such huge questions that can be offered by those on the outside. Even to begin to find an answer requires a whole worldview - an understanding of the beginning and the end of all things, and then all that goes on in between.
I think that the most satisfactory answers come from those on the inside, who have experienced the turmoil first hand, who have struggled with the loss and the pain, and who have found that even in the darkness God was there. And whilst they may not have answers to their questions, their experience remains - God was there.
There is a sense in which each of us can only speak from our own experience. All I can offer is my experience. I know at the points in my life where things have been in turmoil, those points where life has hung in the balance, those times when I have asked 'why', there has been an overwhelming awareness of the presence of God and the peace that He promises.
But our experiences can encourage others for God is the same today, as He was yesterday, as He will be tomorrow. The Bible was written by ordinary people who God used. It relates their experiences and how they made sense of them. The Psalms provide responses to the highs and lows that life has to offer. Psalm 46 was written by someone who knew what it was like to experience turmoil and yet know that God is our refuge and help. How in the storms of life it is possible to 'Be still, and know that I am God'.
Share your experiences as an encouragement to others.
Natural disasters on such a massive scale always raise theological questions. 'Where was God?' 'Why did God allow it to happen?' I'm not sure that there are any really simple satisfactory theoretical answers to such huge questions that can be offered by those on the outside. Even to begin to find an answer requires a whole worldview - an understanding of the beginning and the end of all things, and then all that goes on in between.
I think that the most satisfactory answers come from those on the inside, who have experienced the turmoil first hand, who have struggled with the loss and the pain, and who have found that even in the darkness God was there. And whilst they may not have answers to their questions, their experience remains - God was there.
There is a sense in which each of us can only speak from our own experience. All I can offer is my experience. I know at the points in my life where things have been in turmoil, those points where life has hung in the balance, those times when I have asked 'why', there has been an overwhelming awareness of the presence of God and the peace that He promises.
But our experiences can encourage others for God is the same today, as He was yesterday, as He will be tomorrow. The Bible was written by ordinary people who God used. It relates their experiences and how they made sense of them. The Psalms provide responses to the highs and lows that life has to offer. Psalm 46 was written by someone who knew what it was like to experience turmoil and yet know that God is our refuge and help. How in the storms of life it is possible to 'Be still, and know that I am God'.
Share your experiences as an encouragement to others.
Friday 5 October 2007
Can you have too much of a good thing?
This Sunday evening we come to Nehemiah 10. In the previous chapter the people recognised their constant rebellion against God, even though God remained faithful. Then in chapter 10 they come up with a list of things they should do in order to make sure that something like the exile never happened again. In summary this list is: not to intermarry (30), keep the Sabbath (31), provide for the temple (32-34), bring the first-fruits (35-37), and bring their tithes (37-39). Many of these commitments were to ensure that the house of God was not neglected (39).
On a first read through, even a second, this seems like a good move on behalf of the people - certainly a step in the right direction. There certainly appear to be plenty of application points for the preacher to include for the people of God today. For example: a Christian should not marry a non-Christian; it is important to keep one day a week, preferably Sunday, special; it is important that a percentage of our income is given back to God, particularly to the local church, and that we give out of the 'first' things rather than what's left over at the end of the month...
So, why might this not be such a good list after all? It seems to me that it would be very easy to make a check list from this chapter. They are all things we can do and then tick off the list. They are things that we can quite easily make up further rules for - what we should and shouldn't do on a Sunday. Making sure that we give 10% (the tithe) of all our income to the local church. It is at this point that this starts to sound like the Pharisees of Jesus' day. One of the criticisms against them was that they gave 10% of even the smallest things - even their spices - but they neglected the more important issues of justice, mercy and faithfulness (Matthew 23:23).
It is not that we shouldn't do these things listed here, because in and of themselves they are good. The caution is not to allow ourselves to fall into the trap of thinking that our faith is about following a set of rules. So whilst giving 10% of our income to the local church is a good biblical minimum starting point, God is really interested in what we do with the 90% we keep for ourselves. It is good to keep Sunday special but if the rest of the week I am so busy that I don't have the time for the friend in need - haven't I missed the point somewhere?
Have your say - join in the conversation.
Listen to this message by Pastor Keith, from 7 October 2007.
On a first read through, even a second, this seems like a good move on behalf of the people - certainly a step in the right direction. There certainly appear to be plenty of application points for the preacher to include for the people of God today. For example: a Christian should not marry a non-Christian; it is important to keep one day a week, preferably Sunday, special; it is important that a percentage of our income is given back to God, particularly to the local church, and that we give out of the 'first' things rather than what's left over at the end of the month...
So, why might this not be such a good list after all? It seems to me that it would be very easy to make a check list from this chapter. They are all things we can do and then tick off the list. They are things that we can quite easily make up further rules for - what we should and shouldn't do on a Sunday. Making sure that we give 10% (the tithe) of all our income to the local church. It is at this point that this starts to sound like the Pharisees of Jesus' day. One of the criticisms against them was that they gave 10% of even the smallest things - even their spices - but they neglected the more important issues of justice, mercy and faithfulness (Matthew 23:23).
It is not that we shouldn't do these things listed here, because in and of themselves they are good. The caution is not to allow ourselves to fall into the trap of thinking that our faith is about following a set of rules. So whilst giving 10% of our income to the local church is a good biblical minimum starting point, God is really interested in what we do with the 90% we keep for ourselves. It is good to keep Sunday special but if the rest of the week I am so busy that I don't have the time for the friend in need - haven't I missed the point somewhere?
Have your say - join in the conversation.
Listen to this message by Pastor Keith, from 7 October 2007.
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