The Truth is out there

We didn't really get time last Sunday morning to explore Philippians 4:8-9 as most of our time was looking at verses 4-7. But I wonder how you understand the instruction Paul gives in 8? 'Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things'.

Is this a challenge to separate from the world around so that we try to eliminate contact with anything that is not true, noble, right etc? Is it a call to only read Christian books, and only listen to Christian music, to attend Christian school, college, university...?

Or is it rather a recognition that the world is God's world. It was created by God, and initially it was good. Since then it has been spoiled, but surely there is still much that is good in the world. There is plenty that is good, and lovely and beautiful in the world. And one of the ways in which we develop this thankful attitude that Paul has been speaking about, is to allow ourselves to become more aware of what God is doing in the world around us - The Lord is near (4:5). And so whatever is true - whether it is a truth that you hear in a sermon, or someone standing up for truth and challenging injustice - whatever we encounter that is true, we can be thankful as we think about these things. Yes - I believe in absolute truth - Jesus claims to be the truth (John 14:6), but that doesn't mean that truth is confined to the four walls of the church. If we really believe that God is everywhere then we may well find things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy in some unusual places.

Don't worry, be happy

'Don't worry, be happy' - great - but based on what? On what grounds shouldn't I worry? Putting on a 'happy face' in public, even though my world is crumbling around me is one thing - but what about in the middle of the night, when I lay awake at night? Is it so easy not to worry then?

The grounds for not worrying, according to Paul in Philippians 4:6-7, is that when we present our requests to God, God will give us peace. There is no promise here that the situation or crisis will go away - but there is the promise of peace. But these requests come out of a thankful attitude - an awareness of what God has already done - not in the sense of providing me with so much stuff - but in the sense that He has begun a work and will carry it on, that I am loved, that my sin is forgiven, that I have a hope for the future......

There have been times in my life when I have experienced this peace that makes no sense - total peace in the middle of the raging storm. If you're looking for peace - ask God.

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Making Cakes for Children In Need

This year our toddler group had a cake sale to raise money for Children in Need.

First you mix the ingredients.
Put it into the cake cases.
Add decorations.
Then set out the tables and get the bags ready.Make sure you have your collection tin handy.And then the best bit! Well done to the toddler group who raised £32.30.

A shoe box full of joy

This morning (Wednesday) representatives from Operation Christmas Child came and collected 120 shoe boxes from church. These boxes will eventually find their way into the hands of needy children in South America, Africa, Asia or Europe. Many different people in the church have been involved in packing boxes. Some of the boxes came from the children in our local primary school. Some boxes came from other churches and some from members of the public. We pray that God will touch lives through these boxes. [On Sunday morning when the above photo was taken there were only about 60 boxes.]

Dealing with Differences

In Philippians 4:2 we read of two Christians, who, once upon a time, had worked alongside the apostle Paul in his church planting ministry, but who now have had a very public falling out with each other - and everyone knows about it. In fact, we still know about it today, 2000 years later! Just imagine how they'd feel, just imagine how you'd feel, if you knew that the only thing you'd be known for in 2000 years was the fact that you had a falling out with someone else in your church.

But these things happen, even in churches - because churches are not made up of super-spiritual people - they are made up of ordinary people like you and me, who are loved by God and who are trying to follow Jesus. But as we mature in our faith we should learn how to better handle our differences.

The cross is central to our faith, and as Christians we must keep coming back to the cross - that's why we have communion/breaking of bread/Eucharist. It is at the cross that we are reminded that Jesus gave up everything, even his life, because of his love for us. It is because of the cross that I can know the forgiveness of God. And therefore if I am claiming to follow Jesus - who gave up everything even though he was God - how can I demand my rights? If I accept God's love and forgiveness how can I refuse to forgive others for what they have done to me?

This attitude will help to put our differences in perspective. And these points may also help.

• Pray
• Talk to a mature, trusted, Christian friend who will be able to help us work through our side of the issue.
• Consider your motives - why do you think this - is it your pride speaking?
• Talk to the person involved, but

1. Give them the benefit of the doubt, and assume the best rather than the worst of them.
2. Be gracious and compassionate and forgiving and loving.
3. Keep your mind open and your mouth closed!
4. If necessary involve a trusted, mature Christian friend in your discussions.

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It's not what you know but who you know

On Sunday it was a real privilege to be able to invite one of my tutors from college, to speak at our morning service. Richard Harvey teaches Hebrew Bible, Hebrew language and Jewish Studies at All Nations Christian College. Richard tackled the next passage in our series through Philippians - 3:1-14, allowing his own experiences as a Messianic Jew to bring the passage to life.

This is such a rich passage that a life time of sermons will not unpack it all, certainly not a short blog! But there is this central theme of knowing Jesus. In comparison with knowing Jesus everything else is rubbish, worthless, and will count for nothing. No matter what our heritage, history and hopes unless we know Jesus they all count for nothing.

Someone said to me yesterday in passing - "it's not what you know but who you know that matters". That was in the context of getting hold of empty shoe boxes - and how much more true that is of Jesus. Unless we know Jesus what we know, who we are, what we've done...it all counts for nothing.

And so as disciples of Jesus our desire, our ambition, the thing that gets us out of bed in the morning should be this passion to know Jesus better, and so to become more like him (which involves suffering too!). For the glory of God.

Thank you Richard - I've had people asking when you're coming back again! I'll be in touch.

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Map, Route Finder or Sat-Nav?

I wonder what preachers did in the days before Sat-Nav illustrations? Those of you who follow this blog will know that I have written about Sat-Nav systems on more than one occasion, and yesterday I was on holiday in a church listening to a children's talk using a Sat-Nav as the illustration. Which got me thinking off on a tangent...

Many Christians have questions, at some point or another, about guidance. We believe that God has a plan for us - the question is whether I know what that is. Am I doing what I should be doing? What should I be doing? What happens if I get it wrong?

One of the good things about Sat-Nav is that if you take a wrong turning you either get told to turn around, or a new route is calculated. Also you are not stuck to a fixed route. Coming back from holiday yesterday afternoon and being stuck on the M5 in traffic around Bristol, we had a brief stop in a service station and then drove off into the country, away from the motorway and towards Bristol using a mixture of A and B roads, before meeting up with the M4 at Junction 19. It may have taken a bit longer but it was a much more interesting drive.

So where is all this going?

I have heard illustrations that describe the Bible as a map - it shows us the way to live. But a map gives the big picture. You can see the whole country - every road. Life is not always like that. Rarely, if ever, do we see the big picture. God certainly sees the big picture but we rarely do.

Before Sat-Nav I used to use the AA website to print off directions from one postcode to another. The trouble with this system is that if you take a wrong turn you are totally lost without hope unless you can get back to the point at which you went wrong. I think some people see guidance this way - there is only route and if I ever take a wrong turn there is no hope, I've messed up, and if I can't get back to where I was then things are never going to work out as they should. And such a fear of making a wrong turn can paralyse people into making no decisions at all.

But I think the Sat-Nav is more like the way things are with us and God. I know where I am, and I know what I need to do next (turn left in 2.35 miles). God knows the rest. And as long as I follow the instructions I should get to where I am going. But if I make a mistake it is not the end of the world. Sometimes I will have to turn around, but at other times an alternative route will get me to where I am going - as long as I follow the new instructions. And sometimes I believe that God gives us the choice to make up our own mind. "You know where you are, you know where you want to be. Any of these three roads will take you there. One is quicker than the others. One is shorter. One is more scenic." All I have to do is start driving down one of those roads, follow the instructions, and enjoy the ride.