Seasons

Solomon, regarded as the wisest of all people, put it so well when he wrote about seasons in Ecclesiastes 3:1 ‘For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.’

 

Then, in following verses, he lists many things that have a season in God’s timing. The word season indicates ‘a fixed time or an appointment’ and the Message Bible puts verse one this way: ‘There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time…’

Opportune times?
Feeling that God has been endeavouring to speak to your heart regarding an opportune time - about moving into something new that you’re not quite clear on? You’re not alone!

As we’ve ministered in different churches this year we’ve casually mentioned that something was in the air, that the Lord was seeking to do something new with those with open hearts and were willing to move on. That it was difficult to put a finger on it all, but that things would become clearer toward year-end. That it is all a matter of trusting God and being open to whatever he had destined for us

Some listeners agreed, saying ‘I’ve been feeling that in my heart.’ Others, over cautious, remained content with the status quo. But we’ve heard of many moving willingly into positions of responsibility as God has provided opportunity to serve him more deeply.

And recently we’ve heard of those in ministry who’ve been aware that God is opening new doors for them and have willingly accepted the challenge to move on, even resigning from secure positions, yet not knowing exactly how everything is going to work out.

It speaks of steps of faith, trust and an awareness of God’s timing. 

Trusting God in everything
There are indeed times when the Lord calls us to move on into new areas…career, locale and ministry. 

But we need to know that we’ve really heard from him. I’ve had unsure Christians say, ‘Dr Robert, you move in the prophetic…I think I’m meant to move on to (somewhere). Tell me that I’m right.’ I immediately ask if they have really sought the mind of God and the usual answer is ‘No.’ So I challenge them to seek the Lord, not me! 

We can’t afford to stab in the dark if we claim to have committed ourselves to him. ‘Season’ refers to an appointed occasion – not a willy-nilly, shot-in-the-dark, hope-it-works-out possibility.

Solomon, in Proverbs 3:5-7 wisely advises: ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.’ 

This means what it says… he will direct us in everything - if we commit all, everything, to him in faith and trust!  The Message Bible puts it this way: ‘Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all.’

 

Verse 23 gives comforting assurance: ‘You’ll walk safely, and your foot will not stumble.’ That’s good news indeed! If we are willing to acknowledge God in absolutely everything, he will clearly lead us. 

At times we won’t get immediate step-by-step directions … the dedicated Christian life is lived on a daily step-by-step basis. But virtually every day will present some opportunity to commit to God something simple or something involved and discover his leading.

Examples
Over many years we’ve proven God in respect of his fatherly concern to lead us aright in every aspect of life…career, health, finance, schooling and careers for the kids, counselling troubled people, encouraging pressured ministers, homes and cars, little things, huge matters, new ministry and more.

A simple practical example: Recently we went to our favourite restaurant for lunch and found the background music was unusually extremely loud. I went to find the manager to have it turned down. But even as I approached him, he was already doing this.

Returning to Maureen, she said that she had claimed the scripture above: ‘God is concerned with everything to do with us and I simply committed the noise to him, requesting that he move the manager act. Robert, you didn’t even have to move, oh ye of little faith!’

A more serious example: Some years ago, it became obvious that the Holy Spirit was speaking to our hearts to move on into new areas of ministry. This meant, what seemed to others, to be taking a chance, a huge step with no guarantees, no financial or specific local church support, no new church or ministry to go to. But late one Monday night before each other and before the Lord, we agreed to do so, committing to a resolute decision to trust God completely and to dare to take a faith step into the unknown. 

I typed up a resignation letter regarding our then current ministry. Admittedly for a few moments we wondered about our future. But we had sensed deep in our hearts that God had spoken to us and as we know his voice and leadings from decades of experience, we knew it was the right thing to do. We also knew that often we have to make a move to allow God to make his. So we relaxed and enjoyed a good nights’ sleep.

The very next morning the phone rang, not at the business hour of nine but much earlier, and a voice enquired: ’Dr Robert? Where have you been all these years? We’ve been searching for you…can you come next Sunday and minister for us?’ It was the beginning of our new season!

Move and see God confirm
An out-of-the-blue God-confirmation from  his fatherly heart! His way of letting us know we were on track as we committed our future to him and trusted him completely to direct our path. 

For us, it was the commencement of a broad itinerant ministry of moving around many churches of different denominations and blessing many with inspiring clear teaching from God’s word as well as moving encouragingly in the Holy Spirit’s supernatural.

Still sensing that something is stirring within? Search your heart in case it’s just some inner dissatisfaction that needs to be dealt with. If you really know that the Holy Spirit is leading, keep searching God, read his word, be open when visiting ministries speak at your church, talk with your pastor, if married talk with your spouse (a priority!) and - without seeking out ‘some prophet’ - be open to prophetic words that are spoken over you in your local church. 

Don’t miss whatever it is that God wants of you as we move toward and into a new year. Jesus warned in Luke 12:56-57 (Mge), ‘You know how to tell a change in the weather, so don’t tell me you can’t tell a change in the season of God, the God-season we’re in right now. You don’t have to be a genius to understand these things. Just use your common sense...’                  

                           

Stretching Forward - And Not Giving It Away!

One of the first Oz expressions we heard on originally coming to the great country of Australia was ‘He (or ‘She’) has given it away.’ We soon learned that the ‘somebody’ had given up on something, usually something important.

Sadly it’s still a common happening, even among Christians and also worldwide.

Conversely, another saying that has been going up recently is Winston Churchill’s famous short speech to a graduation class. Coming to the podium, the great old man solemnly looked over the student body. A long speech, full of wisdom and challenge was expected but instead Churchill simply said, ‘Never give in, never give in.’ And then, with emphasis, in his unique attention-grabbing tone, added: ‘Never, never, never, never, never… in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in. ’

And what profound wisdom and challenge there still is in those words after 70 years!

Giving up too soon
Once, an errand of mercy late one evening found us searching for a particular destination on a very dark and stormy night. After driving up a dusty, unlit country road for some time, we were convinced we were in an old Hammer-type 60s movie and on the wrong road and so turned back.

After wasting precious time trying other roads, we returned to that first road, kept going on it and …guess what!…the place we were looking for proved to be just round the next corner from where we had first turned back!

The question arises…How many times do most of us miss out in life because we give up all too soon?

How often do we miss a great opportunity to achieve, to do something new, to strike a bargain, to exercise our talents and giftedness, to help someone in need, to honour our faith, to accomplish a desire or goal, to fulfil a promise, to further our destiny, to…whatever. Probably more than we care to admit.

Pushing forward
The Olympics are ended but still news items are circulating worldwide, particularly about successful Christian athletes and of course the recent paraplegic Olympics.

Personally we delight to learn of Christians who have pushed themselves to reach their goal, their destiny of winning through. I’m particularly impressed when we read of those who haven’t given up, haven’t given it away but have overcome adversity and crossed whatever finishing line they were inspired to reach.

We particularly delight to use the achievements of runner Eric Liddell as a challenge when preaching. We’ve always admired that great missionary to China, who was known as ‘the Flying Scotsman’ after the record breaking locomotive, and was highlighted in Chariots of Fire.

When still a young boy, he became very ill one time. Only his mother’s nursing devotion brought him through and he recovered, only to be extremely stiff in his legs. A well-meaning lady commented that he’d never run again. Little did she know of what Eric Liddell would later in life refer to as ‘the power within.’

One scene in Chariots of Fire shows Liddell competing in a certain race but being knocked aside. In reality it was ‘A Triangular Contest’ between Scotland, England and Ireland in July 1923. The depiction of him falling to the ground several strides into the race is accurate though. After merely hesitating, he got up and pursued his opponents, already 20 yards ahead. Incredibly he caught the leaders shortly before the finish line, collapsing after crossing the tape.

To onlookers it had seemed absolutely impossible Eric could catch up, never mind win. But he did, against all odds. One of his teammates rushed to his side, suggesting brandy to refresh the semiconscious Liddell. With his wry humour, Eric murmured, ‘No thanks, Jimmy, just a strong cup of tea.’

Eric Liddell believed strongly in one important thing in following Christ. He termed this never-give-it- away principle ‘the complete surrender of his will to God.’ It was a pathway he refused to deviate from all his life, no matter what. Closing on finishing lines, he would stretch forward in his determination never to lose, only ever to win.

Jesus’ declaration
In Luke 11:9-10, Jesus spoke strongly about not giving up: ‘Ask and you’ll get; Seek and you’ll find; Knock and the door will open.’ The verb tense indicates to go on asking, seeking and knocking. Someone, years ago, blocked people from fulfilling this direction and achieving in life through wrongly teaching that it’s enough to ask God only once.

Sounds spiritual – after all, God isn’t deaf. But we‘re human and need to persevere, go on asking, seeking and knocking to see our prayers answered otherwise we can easily give up and miss out. Does a child only ask once for something, especially coming up to a birthday or Christmas? Not likely! Even the most patient child subtly drops reminders.

God has an incredible father-heart, loving us to climb up on his knee (as it were) in our prayer time and knock on his heart’s door and ask away. In his wisdom he may not always grant or immediately grant every request. We learn to ask according to his will. He loves to bless us. After all, we’re his kids, spiritually born into his family though Christ.

Jesus’ own example
Despite every hindrance thrown at him by Satan, jealous religious leaders, misunderstanding listeners and doubtful disciples, Jesus persevered and ran his race to fulfil his destiny. He overcame every obstacle including death to become our Saviour.

We continue to live in a very uncertain world…and there’s talk about things getting blacker. But security, peace and a purpose in life can be found in Jesus Christ!

Christianity is about not giving up. God didn’t (and doesn’t) give up on us. If we’re already into something that we shouldn’t give up – then let’s neither give it away nor give up! Let’s be like Paul and press – stretching forward – on (Phi.3: 12-14).

The Importance of Connecting

Taking a break recently, we were wandering along a nearby beach when unexpectedly we met an old friend. In the ensuing chitchat she expressed how difficult it was to connect with people in her church, that she had done her best in reaching out to various ones but, despite promising, they hadn’t got back to her.

The result is that no meaningful contact has been established and this friendly lady is thinking about finding a more amicable church.

Then, last week, when I was in our local library a lady from another church recognised me and shared something similar: ‘There are so many lonely women in church that can’t seem to make a close relationship. It is so hard.’

We’ve also come across men who haven’t been able to connect in church life and be able to share their feelings. Then there are ministers of busy churches who do not have real friends to confide with. Some wrongly feel they can’t even share with their denominational leaders in case the ‘upper echelon’ thinks they aren’t spiritual enough.

The biggest shock is when a precious child confides with you that he or she feels they cannot share their heart secrets with anyone, not even their dad or mum.

Uniting closely
The reality is that everyone needs a friend! We all need to connect meaningfully with someone or our lives, even as Christians, will indeed be very lonely.

Lonely…that’s a word meaning ‘sad because alone.’ Connect…that’s a word meaning ‘join together, unite.’

The words connect, connecting and connection are very scriptural. In particular the Message Bible uses connecting in the sense of closely uniting, especially in relation to Ezekiel’s vision of the temple (Eze. 40). 

For Christians, today’s temple is church with the understanding that we are the temple of Christ (1 Cor. 3:16). Therefore in church circles it’s so important that Christians relate by connecting with one another and building mutual and meaningful relationships.

Love is all-embracive
Jesus gave a clear direction on this important matter: ‘Let me give you a new (meaning fresh) command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another.’ He went on to explain why this is so important: ‘This is how everyone (the world, unsaved people) will recognise that you are my disciples – when they see the love you have for each other’ (John 13:34-35 [brackets mine])

He was talking about love that is open to everyone no matter what culture, nationality, colour, education, irritating habits, personal problems or faults! There are no excuses for not reaching out to Christian brethren even if we don’t fully understand them or even their language! We simply appreciate them as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Recently we had the delight of ministering in a church where the brethren are from the Middle East and speak Arabic. What a joy to find them so open to the word of God, the moving of the Holy Spirit and so desirous of receiving our messages and the touch of the Spirit through our ministry.

We have connected with them, even by my (Robert) willingness to be embraced in their custom of hugging and ‘sacred triple kissing males on the cheeks.’ And what an unexpected blessing as a young Iranian, who so desires to be a prophet of God as well as seeing people come to Jesus, boldly gave me an encouraging word.

Yes, even we need encouragements from those who will make it a point to be our friends!

Involves responsibility
Connect is a great word. Dictionaries will explain that as well as uniting and joining it also means binding, fastening together, linking, establishing communication between, associating with, attaching.

To achieve a meaningful linking such as Jesus inferred means going out of our way to befriend people. Yes, it’s true that some people are hard to get on with and as God directs us to make friendships there’ll be times when we really have to make the effort and go the second mile. We may even find we are led to people we normally wouldn’t mix with but a beautiful relationship develops. And as we care for such people, we discover just how much they care for us.

Today a lot of churches use the word ‘connect’ to name their weekly home groups, such as Connect Group South. Funnily enough when we first church planted 30 years ago (way before church planting was a regular tag and few were really into such ventures), we called our five home groups connect groups.

Those were great days when we ensured that everyone in our growing church was connected, that no one would ever feel unwanted or lonely, even on Christmas Day if they lived on their own. We were strong on relationships as connecting means accepting responsibility and, like real love, it’s an action word!

Meaningful connecting
Normally Pentecostal churches have a spot when the leader encourages everyone to greet one another. But, sadly, it’s so often a shameful case of the briefest of greeting, with flimsy handshakes and eyes staring around elsewhere. No real connecting and reaching out and, abruptly shortened by the leader, it’s almost a case of ‘Let’s get on with the service – quick.’

Recently while ministering in Baptist churches we were delighted to observe how the Baptos really took time to greet one another, and with strangers such as ourselves as well, during what they obviously considered an important time of their gathering together.

It was more than merely a rushed few moments – we thought they’d go on and on! But we saw real love demonstrated, caring and sharing together. And after the service and ministry time they were so anxious to fellowship further around the traditional cuppa.

These were more than catch-up times – people were meaningfully caring for one another and asking warm-hearted, concerned questions. Paul’s directions of greeting [ie. embracing in the arms] with a holy kiss fulfilled scripture (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 The. 5:26). 

God’s heart
Back in the very beginning God’s heart was expressed as he recognised that his creation was lonely: ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I’ll make him a helper’ (Gen. 2:18).

That’s a principle of caring that blesses each gender, both male and female, children, teenagers, adults and seniors. And what God intends for us, we must extend in connecting with one another. It’s so easy to go beyond church services and ‘do coffee or lunch’ with people, including the unsaved.

In 1 Peter 2:5, the apostle urges us ‘Don’t lose a minute in building on…’ and lists characteristics including ‘warm friendliness and generous love’ (v 7). He confirms in verse 8 that these qualities bring their own daily reward as well as maturity in Christ and desires us to have them ‘down in black and white’ (v15).

Whether emails, visits, phone calls and whatever our differences may be… let’s all connect!

The God Particle!

The first week in July was a celebratory one. America’s popular Fourth of July  celebrations with the associated Star Wars golden oldie pun: ‘May the Fourth be with you!’, our 51st wedding anniversary (No puns here, please!) and the announcement that UK physicist Peter Higgs’ 1964 predicted but elusive boson – ‘The God Particle’ – had been found at last.

A Boson is one of two elementary particles. Higgs’  God Particle is about a binding field, a mass that binds as it were – without which particles would zip though the cosmos at the speed of light, unable to bind together to form the subatomic particles that make up everything in the universe, from planets to people. He predicted the existence of a three-dimensional ‘field’ that permeates space and drags on everything that treks through it. A ‘field’ is about subatomic particles gaining mass and becoming heavier. ‘Bosons’ refer to mass-imparting carriers.

Intricate stuff for most of us, so let’s have a break for a moment with a couple of puns that started immediately ‘amassing.’ Such as the Jedi knights’ one: ‘The field is everywhere.’ Or a boson walking into a church only to be barred by a priest who exclaims, ‘We don't allow bosons in here!’ to which the particle responds: ‘But you need me, Father. Without me, how can you have mass?’

The origin of all matter
It was 48 years ago that Peter Higgs wrote his landmark paper hypothesising why elementary particles have mass. Then on July 4 just past it was announced that physicists at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world's largest atom smasher in Geneva, Switzerland, announced they had discovered a Higgs-like particle.

Newscasts and other media carried news along the lines of ‘Finding the Higgs boson will validate the Standard Model, a theory explaining how the universe is built, and could be a gateway to...’

All of this is over the top for most people until we do a Google search – and even then most of us will only understand a meagre portion of it all.

But I’m certain of one thing: Most Christians will be like me and just want to say, ’Gee, why don’t you whiz kids read the Bible? It has always, in the simplest terms, told us all about matter, where the universe came from, who created it, how it holds together, as well as revealing the greatest force of attraction ever – the Lord Jesus Christ.’


Scriptures amass (pun!) such as Gen. 1:1,31; Neh. 9:6; Job 12:10, 26:7-9,11-14, Psa. 104:10-14, 24-25; 65:9-11; Joh. 1:3; Col. 1:15-17; Heb. 1:3, 12 and other relative passages.

But of course one has to be willing to accept the Bible as a creator God’s revelation in the simplest of terms to we humans
who, although we can discover and create many things, will never have his mind or creative ability!

It’s interesting that Peter Higgs is not a believer and has never liked the God Particle tag as he considered it offensive to people. Evidently others in his field feel the same. The label came about because Leon Lederman, who wrote about this particle, thought it elusive and wanted to name his book The God D--- Particle. His editor refused and the title The God Particle has become a catchphrase. Christianity Today Gleanings has an interesting article on this –http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctliveblog/archives/2012/07/why-scientists-dont-like-the-term-god-particle-for-the-higgs-boson.html


Humans complicate things
Why do we, as Christians, so often complicate the things and mysteries of God? We like one article about this discovery that had a play on a famous Sherlockian observation to Watson: ‘Elementary, my dear God.’

What a great truth! God has always made what he wants us to know very simple. All the intricacies of the universe that we don’t need to know at this time, he’ll keep for our eternity with him. It’s enough to know who he is and that he loves us so much, even when we’ve offended him.



We’re in a time when God wants us to focus on his mission for us, for our churches, whatever it may be. Achievement is helped when we allow God’s love to flow from him to us and on to others. That’s the real amazing binding force that we just can’t get past as we seek to reach out to one another each day.

One other thought here: The noun particle means ‘a minute portion of matter, the least possible amount.’ But our God isn’t a tiny atom! He’s big! Christians believe in a big God who fills the universe, whom nothing can block, who seeks to bind his people together and make ‘his bosons’ – his carriers of the good news of the gospel and the powerful Holy Spirit.

An encouraging reminder: Psa. 138:3-6 (Mge), ‘The moment I
called out, you stepped in; you made my life large with strength.
When they hear what you have to say, God, all earth's kings will
say "Thank you." They'll sing of what you've done: "How great
the glory of God!" And here's why: God, high above, sees far
below; no matter the distance, he knows everything about us.’

God knows everything about everyone! That’s enough for us.

Sing o heavens                                                                                                                                                                                      
But we also feel to draw attention to the comments of the eminent Professor Michio Kaku (who once said, ‘We physicists are the only scientists who can say the word “God” and not blush’) about this God Particle matter.

He infers it is something that eluded the great Einstein and he
wrote about for the last 30 years of his life – Einstein’s theory of
the laws of harmony, that the universe is a symphony, that the
mind of God would be cosmic music resonating through
dimensional space. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl1ugxrgQ

Interesting how these learned ones are acknowledging that things in the universe wouldn’t hold together without some sort of force binding everything. And how Isaiah 44:23 and other
scriptures talk about the heavens being commanded to sing to
the glory of God who has done so much on the earth below!



Aren’t we glad that, to quote the old song, ‘He’s got the whole
world in his hands.’ And the cosmos!