Light in the Darkness

in Thoughts  by Shane 0 comments

During my current visit to Thailand with brother Tshepo, we’ve had the chance to have brief devotionals together each morning. The topic of Naaman, commander of the Syrian king’s army, found in 2 Kings 5 came up one morning. We were discussing how he had to really humble himself and dip into the not-so-appealing Jordan River seven times to receive healing. We reflected on how hard it would have been for a person with such high position to tame their pride and go through with the instructions he received.

I then remembered a sermon I had heard previously which focused on how a lowly Jewish servant girl played quite a role in directing Naaman to the prophet of God, Elisha. Not much was said about this young girl apart from the fact that she was a captive and served Naaman’s wife. When she made her suggestion, her words were not taken lightly; her master took her seriously. It shows what sort of character and integrity the girl was known for in that household.

Throughout the Bible, it is evident that the way God’s people lived their lives and interacted with others really ministered to those who had limited knowledge of the living God. From Joseph in Egypt to Daniel in Babylon, their lifestyle and integrity made it possible to reach those who would have been very hard to get through to.

Christ also showed us through His life how to reach out to others in whichever sphere of influence we are placed. “Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, “Follow Me.”” (Ministry of Healing, p 143).

May we, like the young Israelite girl, fulfil our purpose even when we are placed in unfavorable situations in our life and bring glory to God above.

Book review: Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero

in Thoughts  by Bronwyn 0 comments

I had finished reading a particularly riveting book and was looking for my next literary escape. Darrell was keen to visit Koorong which suited my son well as there is a play area there. While browsing the shelves for a Mark Sayers book, my eyes happened on this book: Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero. The cover was not so eye-catching with a picture of an iceberg, but I had bought the book before when it was recommended to me and never got around to reading it properly. I had been looking for it a few weeks before and did not find it at home. Here it was!

So here are my thoughts on this insightful tome.

This has answered in part, some of my questions about Christianity and the church. These questions that I have raised are not original but probably asked by many people at almost every point in church history.

  • Why are Christians just as annoying as non-Christians? Sometimes worse?
  • Why are Christian marriages just as likely to fail as non-Christian marriages?
  • How come I read the Bible, pray, evangelise and attend church weekly but still have problems beating those bad habits and overcoming addictions?
  • Why are so many God-fearing, passionate Christians who read the Bible and pray so frequently and know the Bible so well, still such awful people to be around?
  • Why do some people just push my buttons and I just hate them so much?

Indeed this book even gives more food for thought:

  • Church members beat their wives as often as their neighbors
  • Church members’ giving patterns indicate they are almost as materialistic as non-Christians
  • White evangelicals are the most likely people to object to neighbors of another race

(taken directly from p. 30)

And it quotes Ron Sider’s The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience:

“Christians are as likely to embrace lifestyles every bit as hedonistic, materialistic, self-centred and sexually immoral as the world in general.”

Pretty hard-hitting facts which shows there must be something wrong when Jesus says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35 emphasis supplied)

But rather than a call to a stricter Christian life and a berating of oneself for all the misdemeanours committed this week, this book calls us to look deeper into our feelings, our past, our hurt, our grievances, our unspoken beliefs. So much of our lives are pretend, a mask we wear. We are not used to showing our true feelings or even seeing others’ true feelings. Often we are not even aware of our feelings or unspoken beliefs.

Sometimes we reject our past thinking, “What good will it do to bring that up?” not realising that it has already done damage to our psyche and relationships.

But the exploration is not to leave us in the despair of our deepest thoughts but to invite us to enjoy the gift of God’s all-encompassing love that is given to us and that He wants us to simply be with Him. Not to do anything for Him. Not to give Him anything. (but what could we give God anyway?)

He knows all that stuff about us but we don’t need to deal with it before coming to Him. We are enough for Him. And God is all that we could ever need, want, dream.

So when we learn about our true selves, we are not overwhelmed by how inadequate we are (although it can be rather overwhelming), but are empowered by God’s greatness to heal those hurts, fill those inadequacies and replace those false beliefs with truth. 

Apologies if this is sounding airy-fairy and like spiritual, psychological mumbo-jumbo but seriously, we all have crazy ideas that we don’t even realise. But for a period of my life, I was bullied at church. I didn’t realise it at the time. I thought I deserved it because I wasn’t good enough. I thought that if I were better, I wouldn’t get treated that way. And then I thought that the bullying was a good thing and it made me a better person. So then when others went through a rough time, I thought the best thing to do was to make them push through it because it made them stronger in the end. Isn’t this how the bullying cycle works? What kind of crazy “sanctification by works” was this doctrine I was teaching? Not that I ever said it like that. But that was how I lived and it was the unspoken belief I held.

And unfortunately I don’t think that my experience of crazy theology is unusual.

I don’t have all the answers and neither does this book, but it has definitely helped me with my internal discovery and inner peace.

8 things to do when feeling spiritually disconnected (but you want to get that feeling again)

in Thoughts  by Bronwyn 0 comments

We aren’t always going to feel like God is right there with is. There will be times when it seems God is far away. But the Bible reminds us how God is constantly wanting to reach out to us. He also promises that even when we are poor in spirit, we still have a part in His kingdom (Matt 5:3).

 

1/ Go to church – Although it may feel counter-intuitive, it is where your faith family is. It’s where people are worshipping God and allowing God to speak through them. It’s a place that is tuned in to hear God. God could have a message waiting for you in this week’s sermon!

  • Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Psalm 133:1
  • Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Heb 10:25

 

2/ Read the Bible – If you like poetry, try a Psalm. If you need some invigorating instructions, try James. Or if the Bible itself is not speaking to you easily, try something short and focussed like a  devotional. My go-to daily spiritual snack is the Our Daily Bread devotional app. There is a Bible passage, a spiritual thought and a reflection. It will even read it out for you so you can hear the message in the car!

  • “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Heb 4:12
  • “His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law he meditates day and night… and in whatever he does he prospers.” Ps 1:2-3

 

3/ Pray with a trusted friend – Praying is one of the hardest things to do when you are feeling spiritually disinterested. But that is why we don’t have to do it alone but with a good friend. Of course when you catch up with a friend it will be chat and prayer but that is an absolutely integral part of it. Be open and honest about where you are spiritually. Be committed to really praying honestly for help even though you feel distant. Tell God exactly what you feel. Ask your friend to pray for you right there and regularly afterwards as well.

  • “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst.” Matt 18:20
  • “Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” James 5:16

 

4/ Listen to spiritual songs – This is not just limited to listening but also playing, singing, dancing, meditating… Make a playlist of inspirational songs that uplift your mind to God now. It can help you get out of that spiritual funk at a later time.

  • “…but be filled with the spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord.” Eph 5:18-19

 

5/ Switch off to recharge – Switch off all your devices for an hour or two so you can recharge with God. Get out into the wilderness and away from worldly distractions. Go camping or hiking. Really take the time to be quiet, focus inwardly and listen to what God is putting in your heart. It takes time to calibrate and tune in to God’s wavelength when we have been swept up on social media and wired into the daily rat race.

  • ‘Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body… Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…’ Matt 6:21,22,33

 

6/ Read inspirational spiritual books – Sometimes gaining the insights of other Christians can help our situation and alter our perceptions. Biographies are also a great read. These days you don’t even have to go to the shop to buy a book. You can find readings online. For some good reads, I like Ty Gibson and lightbearers.org. I also like some books by Chuck Swindoll, Philip Yancey, Elisabeth Elliot and Max Lucado. Post some other suggestions below!

  • “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee.’ Is 26:3

 

7/ Mind, body, spirit health – Look after your physical and mental health as well as your spirit. These parts of you are all connected and can affect each other. Getting physically active can improve your mental health. This can improve the receptiveness of your mind which God is trying to reach.

  • “Love the Lord your God with all your soul, with all your strength and spirit.” Mark 12:30

 

8/ Do something nice for someone – Extend mercy to others. Give without expecting something back. By being God’s hands and feet we can experience God’s character for ourselves. We have God’s blessings and when we pass a bit on, it comes back in more ways more than we can imagine.

  • “Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy.” Matthew 5:7

I Vegan Eating Healthy

in Thoughts  by Shane 0 comments

I began to learn about NEWSTART since I was much younger. NEWSTART is an acronym well recognised in the Adventist circle. Each letter represents the basics to obtaining or maintaining a wholesome lifestyle and good health.

In this post, I’ll just be talking about the first letter, N, which stands for Nutrition. We are admonished in 1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” I’m not going to lie; for the majority of my life I was eating for myself and what I felt like eating. Even this current vegan stint that I am on had selfish motives as well. But I would like to share the journey so far.

My workmate, James, joined my gym about a year ago after he consistently walked with me on my lunch time strolls. He mentioned during one of our workouts that we should go vegan for three months. I was very surprised that this came from an Islander who is a big fan of chicken, goat curry and eggs! I was also humbled; the plant-based diet should be what I consume on a regular basis considering all the health benefits, sustainability and the health principles that I already know as an Adventist. It wasn’t a hard decision; I agreed to give it a go.

This is my 8th week on this diet and these are some things I have noticed:  I haven’t lost any strength at the gym. In fact, James and I have hit quite a few personal bests during this diet. We have both lost body fat while maintaining muscle mass. Mentally, I have experienced clarity of thought and calmness in my daily interactions.

So overall, it has been a very positive two months. Being in harmony with God’s health principles has been a real blessing, similar to the experience Daniel and co had in Babylon. Both James and I plan to continue the plant-based diet after these three months are over (travels and festive seasons will be the most challenging but that’s another struggle for another time).

I hope you can also take advantage of the benefits of a plant-based diet. This experience is much more enjoyable because we did some prior research on having a variety of delicious dishes and getting all the necessary nutrients. Meal preparation is crucial to succeed here and having an accountable friend/group really helps. Let me know if you’re keen to give it a go, I will be happy to share any knowledge I may have or direct you to a good source.

Under His Wings

in Thoughts  by Jinha Kim 0 comments

This past weekend we went to Philip Island for our church camp.  Saturday afternoon we strolled along the Nobbies boardwalks and saw spectacular views of the coast.  We also saw several fairy penguins in their little burrows as well as under the boardwalk.

These little penguins are not only adorable, but they’re unique.  This particular specie of penguins is not only the smallest, but also the only penguin with blue and white feathers.  They can spend over 4 weeks out at sea fishing for anchovies, squid, and even sea jellies.  Once they’ve found enough food, they wait in groups for dusk, when they can hide from predators, and then they waddle across the shore to find their way home.

Using unique calls, the parents call for their chicks, who cheep back until they are reunited.  The parent then regurgitates the food and feeds the hungry baby who has been patiently waiting all day (or several days) for a feed.  Then they nest together in their burrows for a rest.

Through nature we can see the devotion of parents towards their young and the total dependence of the young in their parents.  It is a lovely picture of the kind of love and trust that can develop between God and His people.

Psalm 36:5-9

Your love is faithful, Lord,

and even the clouds in the sky

can depend on you.

Your decisions are always fair.

They are firm like mountains,

deep like the sea,

and all people and animals

are under your care.

Your love is a treasure,

and everyone finds shelter

in the shadow of your wings.

You give your guests a feast

in your house,

and you serve a tasty drink

that flows like a river.

The life-giving fountain

belongs to you,

and your light gives light

to each of us.

Psalm 63:7,8

You have helped me,

and I sing happy songs

in the shadow of your wings.

I stay close to you,

and your powerful arm

supports me.

Waiting can be hard.  While we wait for our needs and desires to be met, it can be lonely in our burrow.  But God is not inactive nor ignorant.  He is working hard to give us the desires of our hearts – and He will come to us in the dusk, calling for us to answer His voice and rest in the shadow of His wing.

Festival

in Thoughts  by Ben 0 comments

As the Lunar New Year festivities draw to a close my mind is led back to the book of John, which I mentioned some time ago on this very blog.

I still cannot claim to fully understand the Jewish lunisolar calendar with its shorter lunar year, compensatory 19 year Metonic cycle and extra month thrown in every two or three years. But I do know that John referenced many festivals in his gospel.

One mentioned is the ‘Feast of Tabernacles’. And, as John so often does, there is a direct parallel drawn between this feast and the words in John 1:14(a) which are “And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us”. This festival originated in Moses’ time and was commanded by God as a commemoration of liberation from Egypt (Leviticus 23:40-43). So it is fitting that John would introduce us to Jesus as he comes to dwell among us.

Another festival highlighted in the Book of John is that of Passover. This commemoration too originates in Moses’ time. This festival reminds the Israelites of the tenth, and worst, plague of Egypt in which all of the first born died unless a sacrificial lamb had been slaughtered and its blood put upon the doorpost to ensure God’s protection.

It becomes clear through reading John that Jesus himself becomes the sacrificial lamb to save us from death.

Again you can read into this so deeply and draw parallels between the bread associated with the passover and Jesus being the bread from heaven.

Nowadays we don’t always follow these old festivals but as Easter draws near (if you don’t believe me just check out the seasonal section of the supermarket!) it is a good to remember the real significance of festivals that roll around year on year.

“Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” (1 Cor 5:7 NKJV)