Steven Colborne's Blog, page 97

Happy New Year

I will probably remember 2015 as the year I was baptised. I had been praying on and off for many years about getting baptised, asking God to show me the right time and place to take this step forward in the Christian faith. A few days before the event I wrote a blog post explaining why I was getting baptised, and I really appreciated the encouragement and support of those of you who responded to this article. The day of my baptism was truly special and I will never forget it.

This blog evolved a lot in 2015. At the start of the year I was going through a period of being critical about Christianity. I responded to various news items dealing with Christian issues, including Stephen Fry on God, Pope Francis on having children, and Richard Dawkins on the absurdity of the crucifixion. All of these posts provoked lively discussion, which was great to see.

As the year went on and I found myself returning to the Christian faith (through Bible study, watching TBN, and attending the church where I was baptised), I posted some articles about writing that has inspired me. A couple of touching poems by Marianne Farningham, and the lyrics to a song called The Lighthouse were my favourite posts in September.

Towards the end of the year I was feeling rather evangelical, and posted several articles which demonstrated my newly revived faith in Jesus. My favourites were By His Stripes We Are Healed (a poem I wrote inspired by the Psalms) and The Importance of Prayer, an article encouraging those readers who were perhaps new to prayer or were struggling in their prayer lives.

Perhaps my most controversial article of the year was on a topic that has caused me much confusion and headaches in recent years. For many people a belief in the devil is at the heart of the way they understand the Christian faith and so my article entitled The Devil Doesn’t Exist provided a real challenge to myself as well as my readers.

In 2015 I continued to review books that I found inspiring and thought-provoking and there are now more than 10 book reviews on the blog. If you’re looking for some reading material for 2016, you can view a full list of my reviews here. Also, if you’re looking for prayers to use there are now more than a dozen articles which feature prayers that I’ve written.

I’d like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to everyone who visited this blog in 2015. It has continued to be a source of great enjoyment discussing theology, philosophy, and mental health with you and I hope we will have some lively debates in 2016.

Happy New Year and may God’s blessing and favour rest over your lives in the coming months.

Deep Fellowship

Sometimes church is uplifting, sometimes inspiring, and sometimes challenging. Today brought a mixture of all three. We sang some of my favourite songs, including kicking off the service with ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ to mark the start of advent. We also sang that classic hymn ‘How Great Thou Art’, and I couldn’t help but sing my lungs out until my voice started croaking.

The more challenging part of the service came in the message delivered today by pastor Michael Traynor. Michael was speaking about fellowship in the church, and the focus of the message was ‘deep fellowship’, an idea which took a bit of explaining. The scripture that was the focus of the message was Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, which says this:

Two are better than one,

Because they have a good reward for their labor.

For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.

But woe to him who is alone when he falls,

For he has no one to help him up.

Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm;

But how can one be warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.

And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

These verses from Ecclesiastes talk of warmth, help, and reward, as examples of some of the benefits we find in having a ‘partner in crime’ (a true friend) to help us in life.

In the context of church life, we need people who we can share with on a deep level. We need people who we can connect with in a meaningful way and not just talk about the superficial stuff. Part of church life should be forging relationships that allow us to share not only the easy parts of our testimonies, but those parts which we keep hidden for fear of the judgment or perhaps disdain of others.

I think that so many of us have secrets that we feel we can’t talk about because we feel embarrassed or ashamed. And I count myself among that number. There are some things that I feel I want to share, but they are deeply personal, and to be perfectly honest, I’m afraid of how others would react if they heard what I had to say.

James 5:16 reads as follows: “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” There is an indication here that confession is a powerful tool that enables God to heal us, and I suppose this is a major function of the deep fellowship that our pastor was talking about today.

It takes time to build this kind of fellowship. I have only been attending my church for three months, and although I’ve met many wonderful people and made some great friends, there’s no one that I feel I can share my deepest secrets with at this time. But it is partly about commitment and effort, and I will be praying that in time God will enable me to forge those bonds, even if it’s just with one person, that will allow me to pour my heart out to a receptive and loving ear.

Of course, God knows us with a deep intimacy (“And even the very hairs on your head are numbered” Matthew 10:30) and it is perhaps easier to share things with Him, because we know that He is already aware of our deepest secrets. But in the realm of interpersonal dialogue, we need to nurture a deep level of fellowship and love our neighbour (Mark 12:31) enough for a profound trust to develop.

I was grateful for the challenge that pastor Michael blessed us with today. It has focused my prayers around the matter of deep fellowship, and in the coming months I will endeavour to grow closer to people in church so that we can share secrets and confess our sins together. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Perhaps, if we can share in this way, we might experience the love of God in a way that we hadn’t previously thought possible.

‘Abraham’ by Bruce Feiler (book review)

Abraham is a hugely important figure in the three major monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). Indeed, these three religions are often referred to as the ‘Abrahamic’ religions, which shows the great importance attributed to this figure who lived around the year 2000 BCE.

In Bruce Feiler’s enthralling book, we are taken into the heart of the Holy Land where the author talks to many learned figures from these three religions and explores shrines, tombs, and important places of worship, many of which are linked to Abraham and have been fought over for centuries in religious conflicts.

The central themes of the book are Feller’s attempt to uncover why Abraham is such as important figure and also to see whether there is any common ground between the monotheistic religions that might make Abraham a unifying figure. The book is divided into separate sections which each focus on a different religion and it’s understanding of Abraham.

This book would have taken a lot of time, and courage, to write. Conflict in the Middle East at the time of writing (conflict which is of course ongoing) means that as the author explored the Holy Land he was never far away from conflict and danger. For instance, he describes having to go through six different check points on a visit to Abraham’s tomb in Hebron, encountering armed guards along the way.

Feiler discusses the great deal of confusion that exists about Abraham’s life, and the life of his children. Perhaps the most famous story related to Abraham is where he is instructed by God to go up a mountain and offer up his son as a sacrifice. However, it is a point of contestation amongst the Abrahamic religions which son was with Abraham, and also the reasons why and the manner in which the imminent sacrifice was halted by an angel from God. The event is generally regarded as being a test of Abraham’s faith in God, but there are differing interpretations among the religions which are discussed in the book.

The book is relatively short (224 pages) and not heavily academic, although there is a lot of detail and a lot of depth. For me, it’s one of those books where you feel you want to read it at least twice to absorb all the information contained within its pages. And I mean that in a positive way – I found it to be an excellent read.

Despite major differences in the theology of the world’s three major monotheistic religions, the author’s contention is that Abraham offers a glimmer of hope for interfaith understanding, unity, and most importantly of course, peace. In a world where peace seems so unlikely, I found it refreshing to read about a figure who could perhaps be at the centre of a coffee table discussion between Jews, Muslims, and Christians. I would recommend this book to people of all faiths and no faith for it’s detailed exposition, insight, and readable style.

Faith Through Suffering

It’s difficult to see loved ones from church suffering with serious health conditions. But it’s such a relief to know that despite all they are going through, God loves them, and has a place for them with Jesus in heaven.

In the meantime, during this earthly existence, we have to have faith. We must be prayerful and find encouragement in God’s Word. His ways are so far above our understanding, but the Bible gives us some wonderful truths to hang on to in our hour of need.

Here are a few scriptures that give me encouragement when I am suffering, or when I see others suffering:

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

As the saying goes, “If you’re going through hell, keep going”. And as the song goes, “Keep on keeping on”. This lifetime is but a moment in eternity; let’s not forget the spiritual riches that await us if we hold fast to our faith and live for the gospel of Christ, despite our adversity.

The Bible and Patience

I have encountered a variety of situations in my life recently which have really tested my patience. Sometimes it is little things that frustrate me, such as people throwing litter onto the street or when people stand at a crossing for ages and don’t press the button, seemingly not realising that the lights won’t change to green unless they do…

These are petty frustrations, but I have also been experiencing more serious frustrations. People driving recklessly, for instance. On several occasions recently I’ve seen cars drive straight through a red light in a busy area. And in a similar way, it frustrates me when cars stop right in the middle of a crossing, ignoring their duty to ‘Keep Clear’ of certain areas. Where is the common decency?

I have also been frustrated by people acting unprofessionally when they have a duty to be caring. I was in A&E recently and a security guard was flirting with with two nurses for around 15 minutes when they all should have been working (they were definitely not on a break!). In another scenario, there’s a parking attendant at one of my local supermarkets who is constantly on the phone and smoking cigarettes during work time. It’s just very thoughtless and unprofessional.

Even the actions of close friends have been testing my patience. Sometimes people just talk about themselves endlessly without any care for how others are feeling. This can be really hurtful. Sometimes people make little digs against others which are nasty and unkind, and it’s a real test to try to react kindly.

I should point out that I’m aware of how blessed I am in my life and I know there are countless people living with a much deeper level of frustration than I experience. I’m aware that we all have grumbles like those I have mentioned in our lives. We all have to associate with people who we don’t get along with all the time. And perhaps there are things that I do, even unconsciously, that frustrate others. I know I’m not perfect.

~~~~~

So what are we to do when we’re feeling angry about life’s frustrations? We should surely turn to the Holy Bible for guidance, for this is the Word of God, and as we read in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”.

And what does the Bible say about patience? Here are some scriptures that I hope are relevant:

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

“Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7:9)

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant” (1 Corinthians 13:4)

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (James 1:19)

And here’s a scripture that I find particularly helpful:

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.” (Psalm 37:7-9)

I think one of the secrets to being patient is to keep our minds our focused on our Heavenly Father and on spiritual things and not earthly things. We should always act in a way that makes us feel as though we are behaving righteously in the sight of God. We should live to please God and not to please others. Even if others frustrate us by their actions, we should lead by example. As Jesus famously said – “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Mark 12:31). And Jesus also taught us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44).

So the next time you’re feeling angry and as though your patience has run out, remember that God, through His Word, has taught us a great deal about how to handle these difficult emotions. My prayer is that as I continue to follow Jesus, God will shape me and teach me to be a more perfect and patient servant.

By His Stripes We Are Healed

O Lord of power and glory,

Have mercy on my soul!

You are the God of covenants,

Who promises salvation for your people.

In days of old, Lord,

You gave the law to your servant Moses,

You carved your commandments

On tablets of stone.

Your chosen people Israel

Were richly blessed by your mercy,

And your favour was upon them

As you saved them from their oppressors.

But your servants disgraced you, Lord,

By bowing down to idols

And worshiping foreign gods.

There were many times, Lord,

When your anger burned against your people

And you would not forgive them

For their transgressions.

But Lord, God of mercy,

You are kind and patient,

You are jealous, Lord,

But also forgiving!

You gave your people a second chance,

And a third chance,

You did not hold their sins against them.

For the world has been full of sin,

Since your servant Adam,

Disobeyed you in the Garden of Eden,

And ate the forbidden fruit.

You created us in your image, Lord,

But we are weak and sinful, unlike you.

We turn away from you, Lord,

Out of pride and selfishness.

We do not obey your commandments, Lord,

And we forget your truths,

We stray from the righteous path,

And many troubles befall us.

How would you deal with us, Lord,

Frail wretches that we are?

Will you ever find a way to forgive us?

Behold! The Lamb of God

Who takes away the sins of the world!

Jesus Christ is His name!

While we were still slaves to sin,

You sent your one and only Son,

To be born of a virgin,

And to live a blameless life,

To teach us about the truth,

And to help us find salvation.

Rejoice! For Jesus brings Good News,

A new and eternal covenant

For the forgiveness of sins;

A way that we can be right with God.

Your Son suffered agony on my behalf, Lord;

“He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities:

The chastisement of our peace was upon him;

And by his stripes, we are healed.”

Hallelujah! Lord, you have made a way,

You have brought hope to sinners,

And healing to the broken,

You have brought salvation to all who believe!

In my own life, Lord, I have greatly sinned,

And am worthy of your wrath.

But your Son is my redemption,

And I believe in Him!

Surely, Lord, I am forgiven,

And am blameless in your sight,

Because of the atoning sacrifice of your Son.

Lord, all things are possible with you.

You lift up who you will,

And you bring down who you will.

But as for me, Lord,

I will trust in the Gospel you have revealed to me,

And I will hope in you all day long!

Though my body is broken, Lord,

Yet will I trust in you.

Though death knocks at my door, Lord,

I will fear no evil;

“For thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.”

I will anoint myself with oil, Lord,

Trusting in your healing power.

I will read your Word each day, Lord,

And find comfort in your promises.

I will sing to you spiritual songs, Lord,

To thank you for your mercies.

Glory to you forever, Almighty Father!

Praise to the Lamb of God!

Make me whole again, Lord!

In the precious name of Jesus.

Amen.

Evidence for Jesus’ Divinity

In the New Testament there are many instances which reveal that Jesus had the supernatural ability to know others completely even when meeting them for the first time. I believe this is a really important aspect of Jesus’ divine nature because only God has that kind of knowledge. If Jesus were merely a prophet, and not the messiah, he would not have this ability.

Here are a few of the scriptures that reveal this quality in Jesus:

John 1:42: “And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.”

John 1:47: “Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!”

John 4:29 (The Woman at the Well): “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?”

John 6:61: “When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?”

John 6:64: “But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.”

It is fascinating to explore what exactly it is about Jesus that makes Him unique. In a previous blog post, which I wrote several years ago, I suggested that Jesus was very human but not divine in any unique way. I wrote that aspects of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection were miraculous, but that there are many other figures in scripture through whom God worked similar miracles.

But this supernatural attribute of knowing everything about a person is unique to the Son of God, Jesus Christ. I believe this sets Jesus apart from the other prophets, and demonstrates His divinity; Jesus is fully God and fully human.

What makes Jesus unique? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below…

The Importance of Prayer

One of my favourite scriptures is Philippians 4:6-7, which reads, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”.

The above scripture, written by Saint Paul in his letter to the Philippians in the New Testament, tells us a lot about how and why to pray. The word ‘supplication’ means “the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly”. So when we pray, Paul says we should be honest and humble. We should acknowledge the greatness of God, and recognise that as we pray He already knows everything that is going on in our hearts and in our lives; we don’t need to disguise the truth.

I heard an interesting message from the Holy Trinity Brompton vicar Nicky Gumbel recently in which he suggested there are three important components to prayer. He said we should be childlike in our prayers by remembering to say ‘please, sorry, and thank you’. If you’re not used to praying, this is an excellent way to start. You might say please in relation to your needs, sorry in relation to your sins, and thank you in relation to your gifts and blessings.

Today I was doing outreach with my church, which is where we go out onto the streets to chat to people about the gospel and about God. I met a lovely man who spoke to me about how certain events in his life had caused him to distance himself from God. He was carrying a certain amount of regret and even guilt about a situation in his life which took place many years ago. I felt prompted to pray for him, and I explained that it was precisely for situations such as his that Jesus came and died; allowing us all to be in right relationship with God if only we would have faith and ask God for forgiveness.

When I prayed for this man, I asked for God’s blessing and favour to be upon his life, and I know that God heard my prayer. I felt a real sense of God’s presence while I prayed, and I trust that God will begin to untie the knots in this man’s heart, and bring him back into right relationship with Jesus.

Jesus teaches us about how to pray. You will no doubt be familiar with The Lord’s Prayer, which can be found in the Bible in Matthew 6:9-13. This prayer varies slightly according to different translations but the version I pray (which I remember for my school days) goes like this:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done,

On earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,

Forever and ever. Amen.

God doesn’t always answer prayer in the way we expect. But the very act of praying is an act of humility. And when we humble ourselves before God, acknowledging Him in all His greatness, power, and glory, He never fails to respond and to speak into our hearts and into our lives. He is working all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Perhaps you have never said a prayer. Or perhaps you haven’t prayed for a long time. Perhaps you are not even sure whether there is a God, and so the idea of praying seems strange and foreign. I would urge you to humble yourself today, and take a leap of faith, and reach out to God in prayer. The treasure – and I mean spiritual treasure, not earthly treasure – of our Lord Jesus Christ is waiting.

A few words about Jesus

The Bible says He’s the King of the Jews, He’s the King of Israel, He’s the King of righteousness, He’s the King of the ages, He’s the King of heaven, He’s the King of glory, He’s the King of Kings and He is the Lord of Lords.

David says the Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows us His handiwork; no means of measure can define His limitless love. No far-seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of his shoreless supply. No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing. He’s enduringly strong, He’s entirely sincere, He’s eternally steadfast, He’s immortally graceful, He’s imperially powerful, He’s impartially merciful.

He’s God’s Son, He’s the sinners’ Saviour, He’s the centrepiece of civilisation, He stands alone in Himself, He’s august, He’s unique, He’s unparalleled, He’s unprecedented, He’s supreme, He’s pre-eminent, He’s the loftiest idea in literature, He’s the highest personality in philosophy, He’s the supreme problem in higher criticism, He’s the fundamental doctrine of true theology, He’s the cardinal necessity of spiritual religion.

He’s the miracle of the age, He’s the only one able to supply all of our needs simultaneously, He gives strength to the weak, He’s available for the tempted and the tired, He sympathises and He saves, He guards and He guides, He heals the sick, He cleansed the lepers, He forgives sinners, He discharges debtors, He delivers the captives, He defends the feeble, He blesses the young, He serves the unfortunate, He regards the aged, He rewards the diligent, and He beautifies the meek.

He’s the key of knowledge, He’s the wellspring of wisdom, He’s the doorway of deliverance, He’s the pathway of peace, He’s the roadway of righteousness, He’s the highway of holiness, He’s the gateway of glory, He’s the master of the mighty, He’s the captain of the conquerors, He’s the head of the heroes, He’s the leader of the legislators, He’s the overseer of the overcomers, He’s the governor of governors, He’s the prince of princes, He’s the King of Kings and He’s the Lord of Lords.

His office is manifold, His promise is sure, His life is matchless, His goodness is limitless, His mercy is everlasting, His love never changes, His word is enough, His grace is sufficient, His reign is righteous, His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.

I wish I could describe Him to you!

He’s indescribable, He’s incomprehensible, He’s invincible, He’s irresistible, the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him, let alone a man explain Him, you can’t get Him out of your mind,  you can’t outlive Him and you can’t live without Him, the pharisees couldn’t stand Him, when they found out they couldn’t stop Him, Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him, Herod couldn’t kill Him, Death couldn’t handle Him, and the grave couldn’t hold Him.

He always has been, and He always will be, He had no predecessor, and He’ll have no successor, there was nobody before Him and there’ll be nobody after Him, you can’t impeach Him and He’s not going to resign, He’s the alpha, and the omega, He’s the beginning, and the end.

The glory is all His!

“For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever, Amen.”

Poetry by Marianne Farningham

I’m currently reading a book that my father bought me as a baptism gift. The book is divided into 40 short chapters, each by a different author but all related to Jesus. I’m reading one chapter each day, and it has been interesting to discover Christian writers who I previously knew little or nothing about.

Today’s chapter features two poems by the British writer Marianne Farningham. I was interested to learn (from her Wikipedia page) that she was a Baptist, which is a coincidence as I was recently baptised in a Baptist church. She is from Kent and was born in 1834.

I hope you enjoy these two poems by Marianne. If you know of any other Christian poems that you really like feel free to leave a comment below.

 

LET THERE BE LIGHT

Now, as in thy voice of thunder

Thou didst cleave the chaos asunder,

Yet once more perform the wonder –

Mightiest, give us light.

Now as comforts are declining,

In the darkness we are pining

For the radiance of thy shining –

Father, give us light.

We our weary way are pressing

Over hills and steeps distressing;

Pray we for one precious blessing –

Master, give us light.

We are thy displeasure winning,

We are ignorant and sinning,

For a better life’s beginning –

Holiest, give us light.

Grasping in the darkness, yearning

For a high and quick discerning

Of the truths we should be learning –

Spirit, give us light.

In our thirst and hunger, needing

Pastures where thy lambs are feeding,

Listen to our earnest pleading –

Jesus, give us light.

Near to thee we would be hiding,

In the night of love’s providing,

To thy cross our worn feet guiding –

Saviour, give us light.

 

LEARN OF ME

We would be children, Saviour, ever sitting at thy feet,

And learning of thy gracious lips the lessons that are meet,

And we would hush our trivial words, to hear what thou wilt say,

For, oh, we need thy holy love to help us every day.

Thou wert the ever patient one. We frown and fume and fret,

Beneath the ire and scorn of men we’re ne’er contented yet.

We know not how to trust and wait, dear Saviour teach us how,

Breathe on us patience for our life, as near to thee we bow.

Thou wert the never-sinning one. We sin in word and thought,

Our every act is tainted, every deed with darkness fraught.

O Jesus, teach us how to live, that in the midst of sin

We may yet grow akin to thee, thy smile of love may win.

Thou wert the ever loving one. We only love in part,

For anger and impatience dwell in our divided heart;

And we are full of thoughts for self. A Saviour wilt thou be,

And Teacher till we shall have gained resemblance unto thee.

‘Learn of me,’ So we would, O Christ, but weak and tired we grow;

O teach us day by day to live within this world of woe;

And bring us in thine own good time to the better school above,

That we may sing the glad new song of all thy patient love.