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God In My Image

4/6/2016

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When I'm reading a good novel, and I mean a really well-written, engaging, novel (á la Jane Eyre), I get lost in the fictional world: the terrain, climate, plot. I can imagine myself in the world of the protagonist, immersed in his or her plight - suffering as they are suffering, victorious when they are victorious, loving whomever they are loving, turning my back on those who betray them - I have an awareness of their being as I turn each page.

I am very hesitant when a novel is made into a feature film, as I'm sure is similar to many other bibliophiles. I'm hesitant because these are characters that have already come to life in my mind. Will I even recognise the characters in the movie? Will I recognise another person's incarnation of my favourite character? I know what they look like, sound like, and act like. I have created their lives in moving pictures in my head, and, with my most beloved novels, will allow my mind to drift through my favourite scenes on a slow day.

I cannot help but be wary of someone else's visualisations of my most treasured novels. I find myself anxious as I begin to watch, often growing annoyed or angry as the movie progresses. Did you even read this book? If you find yourself agreeing with me as you read, I want to reassure you. It's alright. What I've just described is an excellent author. It's exciting when you open a book and within the first few chapters you just know that this is one that is going to line your bookshelves for years to come. 

I can't help but feel that there are times when God says about me, "Did you even read the Book? Do you know what you're supposed to look like, sound like, and act like?" The Author has created me in His image, an engaging, complex person who is responsible for sharing His story with the people in my life.

Recently, I was given this quote: The test of faith is whether I can make space for difference. Can I recognise God's image in someone who is not in my image, whose language, faith, ideal, are different from mine? If I cannot, then I have made God in my image instead of allowing him to remake me in his. - Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

We cannot separate the story from the author. We must recognise the Author in everyone we encounter. If I am constantly worrying that others are not living up to the image of "Christianity" that I've created in my mind, then I will continually miss the purpose of the story. Our purpose is to authentically fulfill the role that God has given us, to have no gods before Him, and to love our neighbours as ourselves. If we can see that God has made our neighbour in His image just as He created you and I, perhaps we will be able to set aside our notions of how others should act and instead focus on the story the Author is trying to tell through us.
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Stale Prayers

1/12/2016

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If you're anything like me, you've experienced stages in your life where either wonder if your prayers go anywhere or you give up on praying altogether. These stages are discouraging at best and fulfilling at worst...yeah, you read that right. Fulfilling at worst. Why is that a worst case scenario? Because it means you're finding fulfilment in earthly matters rather than in your relationship with God. To many people, Christians included, this may not sound so bad. What's wrong with being fulfilled by your family, friends, hobbies, or job? 

While it's not bad or sinful to find these things fulfilling, it becomes dangerous when you remove God from the list of priorities. I love what Philip Yancey says about prayer: "The main purpose of prayer is not to make life easier, nor to gain magical powers, but to know God."

I found that I needed to change my perspectives on prayer. Although it took me a while to catch on, my prayers were stale and (often) useless because my purpose for praying was to convince God that He needed to change something in my life. I didn't pray just to get to know God; I prayed when I needed something accomplished. Does that sound familiar to you? Take a moment to really consider some of your prayers.

After I considered this, I put in the work to change my prayer life. It wasn't easy. I hadn't realised the depth of the rut I had prayed myself into. Now, it wasn't that my prayers were selfish; I wasn't praying that my life would have no problems or that I would win the lottery or something. But I realised that almost all of my prayers revolved around the physical well-being of people in my life and success in my job. Well-intended prayers, to be sure, but fairly empty.

I finally realised that God cared more about the spiritual condition of souls (aka His relationship with His people) than the physical condition of bodies. Yancey was able to succinctly state this: To know God. That should be my main purpose in prayer - not necessarily the only purpose, but the highest priority.

So basically what I'm trying to say is consider your prayer life - or lack of prayer life. Are you really trying to know God through prayer - to align yourself (your desires and goals) with Him? Where is your fulfilment?

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5.16-18 
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Is the world wasting away?

11/15/2015

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In light of recent events in Paris...and Syria...and Japan, and many other places around the world, you've got to wonder, is our world disintegrating? It gets difficult to hold out hope when there's so much tragedy in our face everyday. The highest trending hashtag right now is PrayforParis and PrayfortheWorld. And we should. We should pray for the world and the victims and families of tragedy. But we are also called to take physical action. To stand up for the victims - the orphans and widows. And so we remember 2 Corinthians 4.16-18:

​Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Remember that the One we serve sees us, and hears our prayers.  In these difficult times, resist the urge to hide your head in the sand, to forget the troubles of others, or to focus solely on your own troubles. You are called to something greater - to fix your eyes on the eternal. Let that be the window that you look through to be a part of the solution. 
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God's Discipline - Prayer?

10/8/2015

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I'm so used to saying prayer is a spiritual discipline. It sounds so, well, spiritual. It's the perfect christianese catch phrase - spiritual discipline. However, the more I learn about prayer and consider my own prayer life, the more that Philip Yancey quote resonates with me. I have often prayed out of a sense of duty, especially as a pastor. And yes, it's true that I sometimes have to force myself to make time to pray - and I don't think that's a bad thing, because I always come away from that time encouraged and refreshed. It's true!

My challenge to you (and also to myself) is to consider that prayer doesn't score points with the Almighty. Prayer is a way of deepening your relationship with your Saviour; to express yourself to your Creator. When I read through the Psalms, I don't see: Dear Jesus, thank you for this day. Please keep my family safe today.

I see: Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint; heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long?

I see: 
I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.

And that's just in one chapter! (chapter 6)

You're allowed to be emotional in your prayers. You're allowed to express frustration and grief and repentance and misery. Think of a relationship you've had (because we've all had one like this) where you never state your true feelings. Everything is "fine" all the time. You keep everything very shallow and near the surface. That's not a lasting relationship. That's not a genuine relationship.

Talk to God. Hear from God.

In so doing, you will begin to see it less as a "discipline" and more as a necessity.


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Breaking the Sixth Commandment

9/22/2015

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One of the most difficult things for a pastor is the old adage "Practice what you preach". I struggle with temptation just like the next guy. The difference is that, on a weekly basis, I have to get up in front of the congregation and lead them through various passages from scripture. 


At first, I avoided the texts that I struggled with. I would deliberately choose light passages about the victory of the cross or the blessing of salvation or something equally encouraging. Since I have become a lead pastor, I feel compelled to teach the difficult passages as well as the easy ones. This has been a very challenging task. Not only that, but I am finding that as I study the weekly (or series) passage, I am being challenged in the previously-believed-to-be "easy" scriptures.


This has never been more true than the past month. I've been leading the congregation through the Ten Commandments. There are certain commandments that I get to and think, "No problem. I have never struggled with this. Easy to preach on." Last week was the sixth commandment...do not murder. No problem right? I don't think anyone in my congregation is in danger of being charged with murder.


So then the challenge becomes, what is the message for us today? Through study and prayer I (unsurprisingly) realised that what God intended was the spirit of the Law be obeyed, as well as the letter of the law. How many times do I get angry with someone and let it fester? 


We're told today that we can't control our feelings, only what we do with them. However, God is saying differently, and in the New Testament Jesus goes one step further. You see, in Genesis we are told that God created us in His image. That doesn't necessarily mean His physical image, but His spiritual image. We have a spirit, emotions, and a will, just like God does. Think of the love that is lavished upon us by God. His love never waxes or wanes, it is steady. There is no room for anything but unconditional love for His people. 


While we've been talking about the Ten Commandments, we've been imagining what they would look like if you took the positive point of view instead of the negative - if they were considered the "Thou shalts" instead of the "Thou shalt nots". What would this one say, instead of 'Thou shalt not kill." 


1 John 3.15 says, "Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in them."


"Thou shalt love."


So, how do we do this? How do we train our spirits to abandon anger and hate?


"...God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." - Romans 5.5


We can't do it on our own. Only through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we can love those who annoy us.

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The Battle for Your Soul

9/2/2015

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The Second Commandment

8/19/2015

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You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. - Exodus 20.4

This commandment follows up the command to have no other gods before the Creator. He then follows this up with a command that He alone should be worshiped and then goes on to define what worship is. Our worship must be directed by the power of faith, not the power of images or imaginations. Therefore, we are not to bow down to or worship images or statues of even God himself. Since God is spiritual, no material representation can possibly resemble Him. A.W. Tozer said, "Do not try to imagine God or you will have an imaginary God."
Part of this commandment is to prevent Israel from identifying the true God with any created thing. To identify God with any created thing is just one step from thinking of God in terms of that image. It would be creating God in the image of His creation. As one preacher put it: To create your own image of God is to make a small God.
So what is an idol? An idol is anything that takes the focus off God and puts it on something else. With that in mind, what do you worship? To what do you bow down? What is God's competition with your life? Affections? Resources? Always be on guard against anything that pulls you away from God. Tear away (painfully if necessary) the idols from your heart, and devote yourself to God.
Jesus made it very clear what God expects from us in worship. In John 4.23-24 He said, "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks."
We must worship the Father truthfully. That means we must worship Him as He is and not how we want Him to be. Now, God is different to different people at different times in their lives. But that doesn't mean that's all He is. What is your image of God?
Is He harsh, cold, and distant? Then you don't understand the love and mercy of God.
Or maybe he's a blonde, blue-eyed Jesus, who carries little lambs in his arms. Well, the Romans didn't crucify people for carrying lambs around.
Is he easy-going; doesn't really care too much about sin, because he'll just forgive you no matter what? Then you've missed out on the holiness of God.
I can't define who God is. He is above and beyond anything I can imagine or put into words. I don't worship a small God.
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The Boomerang Effect

6/11/2015

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Matthew 7.1-5 (The Message):  Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.

This particular piece of scripture stings every time I read it. It shouldn't. I shouldn't have to continually learn to be less critical; to work on self-correction before pointing out the speck in another's eye. You can probably relate. I don't say this because I am a defeatist. Not at all. I say this because this is a trap we all fall into. We don't like to look at our own shortcomings.

The bright side of this is that we don't have to rely on our own character to correct this. When we invest in a relationship with our Creator, we gain the benefits He offers; the authority, the characteristics, the love for others, and the list goes on.

This passage in Matthew wraps up in verse 12:  Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God’s Law and Prophets and this is what you get.


This is the boomerang effect: Do unto others. I have learned a lot about judging others and I can confidently say that I often feel God's nudge when I'm in danger of falling into that trap. In the past, I was too arrogant to recognise or pay attention when God tapped me on the shoulder. Reading scripture and strengthening my relationship with Him has been the ultimate course-corrector. There is no other way.
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Claiming the Promise

5/25/2015

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Yesterday was Pentecost Sunday, a day that is so often overlooked in many Protestant churches. I heard a preacher once say, "Bethlehem is God with us. Easter is God for us. Pentecost is God in us.

This event is described in Acts 2, when about 120 believers were gathered. They prayed and asked for the Holy Spirit, and God complied. The Holy Spirit showed up and filled the believers in an amazing way, and not just to a select few. The Spirit doesn't discriminate. There were men and women, servants...all have access to this power.

They asked for the Holy Spirit. This does not happen spontaneously. The people gathered were mature in their faith. They understood what was required of them as Christians, and they carried out their responsibilities (preaching, teaching, praying, living in an honourable way, etc.). When we first become believers the Holy Spirit does come upon us and brings us into the body of believers. However, after we mature in our faith and learn what we've really signed up for, there is a second, powerful infilling of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Nazarenes call this entire sanctification. Other denominations have other names for it. 

This is a very distinct experience. You know when it happens to you! It's not some warm, fuzzy feeling in your soul. It is power and authority and confidence! I remember my sanctification experience. It stays with me. It carries me through the tough times. The Holy Spirit encourages me and calms me. The Holy Spirit creates a fire in my soul. 

So seek the Spirit. Learn about it. Ask God for the Holy Spirit and when you're ready, God will give you what you desire.

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Scheming Swindler or Fervent Disciple?

5/12/2015

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"The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly." - Soren Kierkegaard

I, like many, have experienced this in my life. Feigning ignorance at a job so I would be able to pawn the work off on someone else. Pretending I don't know what cycle to set on the washing machine so my sister or mom or dad would do laundry and I could do something more fun.  Most of the time, as you mature, you get past those phases. I now have a desire to prove myself at work so I jump in when there's a job to get done. I am now fully able and willing to do my own laundry (although I still don't sort my clothes).


However, people often get stuck in this "phase" when it comes to their relationship with God. I have experienced this and even now I am still guilty of it every once in a while. Oh, we are excellent at justifying our own ignorance. The Bible is full of mysteries. God never meant for us to understand everything. We walk by faith not sight, right? 


It's time to grow up. Stop making excuses for your spiritual laziness. Put in the work, because the reward will be way better than the raise you get at your job for your hard work. It will feel better than putting on freshly laundered clothes. You will get to feel the power of the Holy Spirit! You will experience sanctification and you will never be the same. Graduating from "scheming swindler" to disciple was one of the most liberating, important, and gratifying decisions I ever made.


Kierkegaard, one of my favourite philosophers had much to say to God's people. Please read this article in Relevant Magazine for more of his most challenging remarks. 
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    Pastor Megan

    Pastor. Teacher. Book lover.

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