Asking the right questions

'Everything is permissible for me'—but not everything is beneficial.
'Everything is permissible for me'—but I will not be mastered by anything.
'Everything is permissible'—but not everything is beneficial.
'Everything is permissible'—but not everything is constructive.

Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do,
do it all for the glory of God.
Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews,
Greeks or the church of God

(1 Corinthians 6:12; 10:23-24, 31-32)

We sinful human beings so often approach sin by asking 'what can I get away with?' instead of thinking about what will benefit our souls. We perennially try to get away with the minimum the rules demand.

I've been thinking about this a lot recently in the context of my media consumption. Nowhere in the Bible does it say, do not watch mindless TV - "everything is permissible". But instead this passage suggests we should be asking -

• Will this benefit my spiritual growth?
• What are my motives in spending my time in this way?
• Can I watch this show to the glory of God?
• Am I being mastered by the desire to watch a particular programme? Or TV in general?
• Is this a constructive use of my time?

'Everything is permissible for me'—but not everything is beneficial.

The Almighty, my all

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to
gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

I'm currently reading 'Shadow of the Almighty: The life and testimony of Jim Elliot' by Elisabeth Elliot. It has really been at work on my soul. The following are quoted in the book, and really challenged me.

"HAVE I an object, Lord, below,
Which would divide my heart from Thee;
Which would divert its even flow
In answer to Thy constancy?
Oh, teach me quickly to return,
And cause my heart afresh to burn!

Have I a hope, however dear,
Which would defer Thy coming, Lord,
Which would detain my spirit here,
Where nought can lasting joy afford?
From it, my Saviour, set me free
To look and long and wait for Thee.

Be Thou the object bright and fair
To fill and satisfy the heart;
My hope to meet Thee in the air,
And nevermore from Thee to part;
That I may undistracted be
To follow, serve, and wait for Thee."

(G W Frazer)

"If Thou shouldst call me to resign.
What most I prize, it ne'er was mine;
I only yield Thee what was Thine;
Thy will be done!"

(Charlotte Elliot)

Withstanding the evil day

http://www.covlife.org/resources/1398159-Gods_Armor_for_the_Battle

"We must stand in God's preserving power as we seek to advance the gospel" (My notes from the above sermon)

1) FULL ARMOUR OF GOD - God gives us armour, so we must assume we will be attacked.

2) BELT OF TRUTH - We must strengthen ourselves with the truth of who our God is - read, study, memorise, meditate, live God's word.

3) BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS - Consider the preserving power of purity of heart. Righteous living is not just the call of the Christian, but the protection of the Christian.

4) SHIELD OF FAITH - Choose to exercise trust in God - his sovereignty, his love, his forgiveness...

5) HELMET OF SALVATION - Our salvation does not fluctuate - you are saved, you are being saved, and you will be saved. Live in the light of your new status in Christ.

6) GOSPEL SHOES - We go on the offensive primarily by proclaiming the terms of peace to Satan's captives.

7) SWORD OF THE SPIRIT - The word of God is not to be used as a mystical power source, but we are to proclaim the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit.








So, is your mind a well-spring of truth about God? Or a vaccum ready to absorb the devil's lies?

Are you proclaiming the truths of the gospel to the captives of Satan?

Are you fighting this battle alone? Or with our commanding officer?

Forever I'll proclaim the cross

Forever I’ll proclaim the cross
Where Christ retrieved what once was lost.
To sin and death I was a slave,
Till He redeemed me from the grave.
The Lord laid my iniquities
On Him to bring me life and peace.
His blood was shed to set me free;
He purchased me,
And paid the price at Calvary.

I cannot help but humbled be
To see His righteous majesty,
In humility depart His throne
To claim a cross I should have owned.
The King of all eternity
Was pierced and hung upon a tree,
And the curse that held Him there my sin,
I cannot bear.
I cast my burden all on Him.

His mercy like a crimson tide
Came flowing from His pierced side,
To cleanse me from my every sin,
Who selfishly abandoned Him.
I surely have no place for pride,
Like Peter, I could Him deny,
And in my hands I hold the nails,
Yet mercy sure,
Still bids me come within the veil.

Oh, glory be to Jesus Christ
Who gave Himself to bring me life.
No longer dead He is alive;
Ascended Christ is glorified.
In heaven shall I behold the scars
On hands that orchestrate the stars,
And I will humbly bow the knee
Before His throne,
And worship Him eternally.

Matt Giles
© 2006 Honeycomb Music Publishing Ltd

Prayer Letter

Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,
extol him who rides on the clouds;
rejoice before him — his name is the LORD.

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.

God sets the lonely in families,
he leads out the prisoners with singing.

Psalm 68:4-6

As you all know, the start of this academic year I moved to a city I'd only visited once before having only just lost my Dad. Praise God, that he is most truly the God of Psalm 68.

Praise points -

1) I have wonderful housemates and awesome friends [God sets the lonely in families]

2) My Mum is truly flourishing in her faith and has been provided for in so many ways financially and practically [God is a defender of widows]

3) God has blessed me with a brilliant boss and department to work in, and a fantastic Biblical church...and everything else I need when I'm still emotionally wobbly [God is a father to the fatherless]

Update

...so what have I actually been doing? Well, I've been working in Southampton Eye Unit as a project manager, which is all part of the NHS Management training scheme. It's been terrifying and wonderful at the same time. The people have been fantastic which makes SUCH a difference. As a department though, we are going through some tough times, and I know that the (many!) Christians who work in it would really appreciate your prayers.

Outside of work I have been really involved in the international student work in Southampton, you won't be surprised to know! I have helped out with the International Cafe the CU run, and two Christianity Explored courses for Internationals that my church has run. It has been REALLY exciting to see God work! Please, please pray for all the students, especially as many of them will be going home forever in a few weeks time. (If you're interested in praying more I have a prayer letter our Friends International Reach Worker put together).

Future

Next year remains an unknown. My plan is to spend my flexi-placement, which is two months from September, in Telford. I then plan to come back to Southampton for the second year. But neither placement is sorted. Please really pray that these would be sorted quickly and that I would be able to glorify God in them.



Prayer points

1) Please pray for Southampton Eye Unit, that God would bless the staff as they seek to offer their patients an excellent service under very difficult pressures (Jeremiah 29v7)

2) Please pray for the international students who have come along to our Bible studies at Cafe and Christianity Explored - that they would continue to be hungry for the Bible. And that they would ultimately become our brothers and sisters in Christ!

3) Please pray for the summer Bible studies some of us will be putting on over the break for internationals who will still be around. We currently don't have a location, and no solid plans for the content of the studies. So please really pray for practical issues, as well as for the students themselves.

4) Please pray that God would bring about the right placements for next year, where I would be able to learn the skills he wants me to learn and where I'll be able to build good relationships and be a good witness for him.

5) Please continue to pray for my brother (and my mother). As many of you know David is autistic and hasn't been well for quite a while. He is currently on Prozac, a tranquiliser, a medication they give to ADHD kids and a "mood stabiliser" and is still not well. Please pray that he won't be on the waiting list much longer to be admitted into the hospital he was in last summer.

6) I published this post, and then suddenly realised I'd forgotten the most important prayer request of all... Please pray that I would grow in both joy in Christ and in holiness, becoming more like my saviour. I've found the last few months really tough spiritually and I've felt under attack, so please also pray for daily protection from the devil's lies.

Thank you so much everyone, for being fantastic! I really do appreciate your prayers

A sinner cleansed...

Praise God for these truths -

1 John 1:8-2:2
"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."

Luke 18:10-14
“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed to himself thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Let's be the signposts God wants us to be!

Signs are only of any use if they point in the right direction.
Where is your life pointing?