Happy 21st Birthday to this Blog

 

Handy advice when you read the Bible

My very short thought was created by someone else, but wanted to share anyway.

As Christians we are encouraged to read the Bible.

I concur. It is great advice.

But my thought today relates to understanding what could be the best way to approach it when you do?

In my current Bible Reading Plan each day normally starts with the same encouragement, which I want to pass on you today:

Do you notice a promise to trust, a truth to embrace, a warning to heed, 

or an encouragement to rest in?

What do you learn about God, about yourself, or about the world?

Is there one verse or thought that stands out to you today?

Talk to God about it...

I honestly this is such a great approach, kind of like a filter to help you process and apply what you read.

Something to think about...

*Courtesy Life.Church Whole Bible in Under 2 Years Plan

Does expressing love need to be perfect?

Maybe you have been in love like me?

I am pretty sure you have and can relate.

You want to say something loving, romantic to someone, and without rehearsal or too much forethought at all, you say something from the heart.

It is genuine.

It is expressing your true feelings.

But does it need to be perfect, shakespearean, even 100% theologically correct?

Over the years I have said plenty of things to my wife which are:

Genuine.

My true feelings.

Not perfect.

But I believe she knew what I meant, and that was the point.

When we see talk about worship lately in the online space, there are some pretty passionate critiques related to this topic!

But I am just going to put this out there. I am growing a little weary of the “Christian” online media world where the narratives are based on critiquing worship. 

Hunting for fault. 

Where a particular channel has the sole focus on criticism.

For the record, I am 100% for doing all we can to make sure our lyrics are theologically correct. Doing the best we can in this matter, because worship song lyrics tend to influence theology for the people singing these particular songs.

It is just that I have an internal niggle about popular social media posts where their main brand and message is all why this Church or this worship leader is wrong, and why they should be avoided at all costs.

Yes we are to make judgements about important matters like these, but also have an awareness that we will be judged accordingly.

Scripture talks about “with the measure you use”. That is sobering to me and I think it should be to all involved in “heresy hunting ministries” as well as general life.

I also have noticed that many have a bias they seem blissfully willing to ignore for the sake of their argument.

The crowd who believe that the Holy Spirit finished his work and after the Apostle Paul’s time, hate songs mentioning the Holy Spirit, songs asking for His help or desire for connection, ministry or more.

Some come for a declared denominational stream which makes some critique look very one sided, and tainted by position and personal preference.

It does seem to me that the “worship wars” from the past decade have never stopped, just maybe just that we changed or expanded the battle lines.

As I have thought about this over the last few months, something keeps coming back to my thoughts.

What is God looking for?

Here is are my simple thoughts around this today…

It is about Spirit and Truth

Jesus words one day resonate quite strongly for me:

“God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” John 4:24.

Let me be clear, context matters I think here.

This came from a discussion He was having about worship with someone who was focusing on location and tradition. Jesus never says they don’t matter and points to something better, something that God wants to see going forward.

My belief is that Spirit here relates to the Holy Spirit, worship that is influenced and directed by the Holy Spirit in some way. Maybe via a prompting or creativity or a task or a response. 

It doesn’t mean it is not true worship if we aren’t mentioning the Spirit, but that it is Spirit influenced.

The second part is always important.

It must be true!

True in the sense it is coming from your own personal conviction, that it is best from your heart, what you believe, from your genuine motivation to express worship, beyond religious convention and expectation. And that God’s truth is reflected in the expression.

It is about the Heart

The first point I think leads nicely to the second.

God clearly states in his Word that he looks at the heart over the appearance. 1 Samuel 16:7

Yes this scriptural statement relates to David, but again relates to worship, as David is said to have been a worshipper with many songs written and skill on instruments. His obvious skill is mentioned many times and also his anointing for worship (reflect on his ministry to Saul).

But God says “heart” trumps it all!

I believe God wants to see and hear your heart in worship.

I wonder if He looks at our heart over looking our clumsy theology many times?

Again I am not saying to ignore theology.

Just that our hearts and mouths in a moment, may not work perfectly in sync.

Theology shifts and pivots can happen over a lifetime, but your heart is a true reflection of you and God in any moment.

It can be Messy

David wrote many many Psalms. 

Were they all what we call these days “worship bangers”? 

Should all of Davids heartfelt musings in the Pslams be considered perfect for personal and corporate worship today? Of course not.

They reflected heart in that moment. Many times reflecting the pain of David’s heart, the brokenness, the longing, full of raw heartfelt emotion.

And God includes them in His Word. 

That says a lot I think!

It is beyond the Music and the “Churchy” Moment

Worship is not restricted to Sunday or a Meeting or another corporate Church moment.

Worship in the New Testament is how we live all of life. 

Our relationship privately with God. 

How we treat others. 

What we do to serve the Kingdom and what we do navigating the challenges of life.

To wrap this up, I am not trying to make a case of turning our brains off and having a Pentecostal stupor event, blinbdly thinking that is always correct.

I am not arguing for theology to be ignored.

I am genuinely wondering where the balance is, the right place to sit in this argument and journey. 

And ultimately us all discovering what is worship that God likes looks like.

I wonder what you think?

Relationship Experts, especially in the Church…

Something I have noticed or maybe I have just become more aware of, is just how many feel they are relationship experts.

We sit at a distance unaware of the circumstances and nuances of someone’s else relationships and potential challenges around them. And even though we can’t see everything, we still feel comfortable many times to passionately say what we think about a relationship. 

Declaring what they are doing right or wrong. 

Analysing with so little data that I now think it is laughable and sad.

The most classic and common in our culture now is to analyse those relationships of leaders or the famous. Think Hollywood and Royalty.

I am so tired of hearing about the relationship of Harry & Megan!

Here is my theory I am thinking through these days…

I wonder if we have become self proclaimed experts of relationships because we study them. And when I say study, that is even a loaded term, subject to different levels of what many consider valid study.

I see this in general in the Church world as well.

Study is encouraged (something I am not against at all) with the hope that it will create, improve, mature and other outcomes in our relationships.

We study how to relate to others.

We study how marriage could work better.

We study how to raise our kids.

And we study hoping it will help us get to know God.

But here is the kicker.

Study can build knowledge.

But it doesn’t always translate into relational growth.

Have you ever wondered like me why some people can study a relationship style endlessly and yet still fail at it?

Have you ever seen someone who is on the outside be an expert on something like marriage and yet fail many times in their own marriages. And yes I specifically noted plural.

For my Christian friends I fully endorse and encourage study.

I am not arguing against it at all. 

We are encouraged strongly to study God’s Word.

Many like to cite a group of people called the Bereans because they famously studied things and sought to grow their understanding on purpose. Acts 17:11

Here is are a few questions for you…

If the goal is relationship, what is the best strategy to achieve this goal?

Can you build relationship through study?

I think relationship is built from study but also and more importantly proximity, time, conversation, journeying with that person.

Reflecting on some comments that Jesus made I get some different perspective...

Jesus was once at the home of sisters Mary & Martha. 

The story goes that Martha got upset because Mary was spending more time with Jesus than her, while she was busy with serving the needs of those around them.

Jesus famously says “You [Martha] are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10 :38-42

Jesus appears to be saying that service is good, but that relationship is better.

Then another time Jesus seems to take this all up a notch in intensity.

As part of his teaching one day it tells people “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven…Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.’ " Matthew 7:21-23

These people in Jesus example were doing kingdom things, they were busy, they would have looked like great Christians to those around them, but they didn’t have the one thing that means the most to Jesus - relationship.

Thinking on this I hope it causes you the same reflective triggers as they have for me lately. Where I ponder how I should develop relationships with others and God.

Study yes. But we can’t stop there.

Study alone can make us appear intelligent but it also has the ability to puff us up. 1 Corinthians 8:1

Scripture tells us to love one another, forgive one another. It is about relational doing / action over relational expertise through mere study. 

Lived out.

Real.

Sometimes raw.

Always relevant.

Jesus doesn’t offer to save you for knowledges sake…

It was for relationship!

Something to think about…

Foot in Mouth vs Mouth and Heart

Have you heard the phrase "foot in mouth"?

Maybe just the mention of it triggers you to remember how you have done just that?

The phrase "put your foot in your mouth" means to say something by accident that embarrasses, upsets, or offends someone else" - Cambridge Dictionary 

It has apparently morphed into the phrase "putting your foot in it", meaning essentially the same thing.

The upshot is that it is probably not good.

Sometimes we say things that hurt and are probably a bit dumb.

And I am just as guilty of it as anyone I know...

Another phrase that sounds similar maybe, but has a completely different meaning and outcome, is found at both ends of your Bible.

Moses in Deuteronomy 31 talked about the use of Mouth and Heart.

Then Paul teaches in Romans 10 about Mouth and Heart, seemingly referring back to what Moses taught, and then adding some powerful next steps.

It makes sense to me that if it appears so much in scripture and via two of arguably pretty influential leaders, then maybe I should take special note of it?

The idea they are trying to convey. The application it could bring for my life right now?

I honesty think that is not enough to know something when it comes to faith.

A whole new level opens up when we believe it in our hearts and talk about it openly.

Faith that apparently that God seems to take notice of is more aligned with belief, speech and action than just merely knowing about it.

I know making statements about faith lately makes some nervous.

I agree with you, but it shouldn't stop you from saying what you believe in your heart to God and to others (appropriately).

What you believe in your heart is probably the most true thing that you believe.

Therefore something you should pay attention to. 

And especially since what comes out of us scripture tells, comes from the heart.

So let's avoid Foot in Mouth as best we can.

And let's maybe embrace Mouth and Heart a bit more...

Something to think about...