Love the Sinner

Love the Sinner

“Jesus has not come to make the prison cell of sin more comfortable for the prisoners – He has come to set them free. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a Gospel of renovation or decoration, but of liberation!” - Reinhard Bonnke

A terrible problem the Church has had over the centuries is a pharisaic spirit about sin. The “holier than thee” attitude, which so hall-marked parts of the church for so many years, was perhaps the greatest sin of the church for centuries, and has only recently been replaced by the rebellion of un-belief.

Loving the sinner is one thing, but not at the expense of condoning his sin. Sin has to be confronted and repented. Jesus confronted sin; He exposed it and always led or pointed the sinner in the way he or she should go. Most times, He did so with great love and compassion, but occasionally, as when driving traders from the temple, He got righteously angry. Jesus risked the wrath of sinners too, because most people don’t like having their faults pointed out to them at all, let alone publicly as Jesus so often did. Yet having done so, he never judged or rebuked as such. He simply forgave them and told them to “sin no more”.

If I may quote a friend of mine, Geoff Taylor from Sydney Australia, “Sure, keep loving sinners but also risk the offence and call out the sin; for if a hundred sinners hear your plea and ninety-nine are offended, there will still be one hugging you ever-so tightly for a mighty long time.”

Paul wrote this - “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1-2) – so much for the so-called “hyper-grace” movement. So much for an easy, non-repentant gospel that requires less or even no repentance at all. Both sins in themselves by the way. Both hyper grace and easy gospel are simply watered down, self indulgent versions of Jesus teachings. Yet don’t judge nor condemn the sinners. Point out their sin and call them to repentance, then leave Holy Spirit to do His job. What happens next is between them and God – maybe they will tell you about it, and maybe they won’t.

One word of warning about casting the mote out of your brothers eye when there is a plank in yours. Just make sure you are not being even slightly hypocritical in pointing out another’s sin if you too are in any small degree guilty of that same sin. Rather, go together to the altar and repent so you’ll both be clean. In any case make sure you clean yourself whatever your brother or sister may decide to do.

No Hiding Place

Hiding from God

Jeremiah 23:24 "Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord."

When I was much younger, I had a fledgling faith. I knew the Lord but I really didn’t know Him. I knew of Him but I knew nothing of the person of God. I certainly had heard of the Holy Spirit but I had no concept of Him as one who I could know. I was raw and green, and my faith wouldn’t stand up to any bumps and even less to any bruises.

So when I ran into the storm, although I felt His presence with me very strongly, I thought He was only there because my praying friend had “brought Him along” !! Yes, I was that naive. The storm was of such severity that I ended up running away from God for the next 20 years. Now I can look back and know the truth of Jeremiah 23:24. Then I didn’t want to face God at all and I thought I could hide away from Him.

He spoke to me during this time and I knew it full well too. I always read my Bible and I always sensed His presence when I sought after Him. He even gave me my first truly memorable verse then – Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Yes, He even told me, through His Word, that I could never be separated from Him.

The realisation of the truth of Psalm 139:7-10 came later “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?  If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,  Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.”

Thank God I am now in the position that I have no wish ever to be trying to get away from God again. Running away from God just doesn’t work as He always knows where you are, and He can always communicate with you, and you with Him. Part of our ministry now is to reconcile folk to God. To repair their faith, to rebuild their trust, to declare ‘no hiding place’ with God. We can do this now from experience.

You see, God even uses the dark days to shed light into dark corners. He uses our dark spots to shine light into others dark places so as to help us lead them back into His marvellous light.

Isn’t that the sort of God you want to serve?

Church Family

Church Families

I think that my wife and I have been so blessed, are being so very blessed, and will continue to be incredibly blessed by our church family here in rural Middle England. There is just something about our church; something so tangible you can almost touch it. It starts at the very top and, from everything we’ve seen, flows right down through to our very roots. We are a family, and a loving family too. The love flows from our pastor, through senior leaders and wider leadership, and through our members right through to our newest incomers. The love flows from the oldest through the middle years, young families, and the young ones – yes even through that most feared of groups, the teenagers.

Last week we introduced 12 new members to our congregation, from a very spritely octogenarian through to an entire family including teenagers who were baptised only last week. In fact our recent baptismal service was solely for the under 25’s – well one 25 year old plus several 13-16 year olds. For that service we had our biggest crowd of the year turn up including all the families of those baptised. And four more expressed interest in hearing more about Jesus on the day !!!

Sounds idyllic but it’s not like this everywhere. We are very blessed to have a wonderful church family, but for every church like this, I think there are probably 99 where no such close family exists. It amazes me to visit churches with congregations of up to 150-200 where people come and go without a soul saying a single word to them. There is nowhere so lonely as a crowd. You can see the cliques where friends gather around each other. You can also see the splits where one clique virtually shuns another clique. No words of greeting are exchanged; no love extended or received; only false smiles that say more about the smilers than about Jesus love.

No wonder God moves in so few churches. He is not allowed in to so many and in others He is simply a sad spectator – like so many of the people there. In many more, He is welcomed in provided He behaves Himself – I was shocked once to hear a pastor apologise for a very small move of Holy Spirit because “that is not a usual event here”. As if God should ever be allowed in a church – sorry, it won’t happen again !!!

Oh how we must grieve Him. I saw a church shocked to its roots once. When the guest speaker stood to speak, he couldn’t. He simply stood and wept before the congregation. Nobody moved. When the speaker recovered sufficiently, he said simply this, “These are not my tears – they are God’s tears for this church and for these people.” There was a shocked silence, then one by one, people moved to the front to repent – led by the pastor.

Love – it’s the only thing any church really needs. Love for God’s people – inside and outside the church. Only the church family can love like that.

Been there, seen it, Done it

Bin there, Seen it, Dun it Ministry

I had a common enough experience in church today. During ministry time, a lady who has just lost her husband to cancer came somewhat tearfully to the front for prayer. I was a “catcher”, so I was able to hear a little of what was prayed for her, and I just wanted to give her a great big hug and tell her it would turn out all right in the end.

You see, I have had that very same life experience. I lost my wife to cancer. I grieved and went through the same process she is now embarked upon. I got angry with God as well as with Satan. I felt the depths of loneliness and had many “Why, God?” moments. I was resentful of those still with their spouses. This was when God birthed a “Bin there Seen it Dun it Ministry” in me.

Why are we so slow or even reticent about stepping up when someone, particularly a fellow Christian, is hurting? Life can be bad enough when bad things happen, but our inclination is to shy away and “leave them alone”, preferring to say nothing. Yet an understanding and sympathetic ear and voice can be so very comforting to those who are hurting. OK, it has to be done properly, and ministry rules about one on one, or different sex ministry apply even more than usual.

There is just something about talking to one who has walked the path you are now walking; one who has been through the anger, the grief, the fear of the future and all that goes with experiences like this. The idea of setting a ‘thief to catch a thief’ can apply to ministry just as well as it can apply to a security consultancy. There is no situation in life comes to Christians that either hasn’t come to everyone, or that another Christian hasn’t been through. There is always someone who has indeed been there, seen that, done that, and worn the T-shirt.

Jesus said about doing for others as you would have them do for you. There is nowhere quite so lonely as being in a crowd and no-one speaking to you because they don’t know what to say or even how to start the conversation. The Bible tells us to “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15. It also tells us that “Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

I think it is time for the “Bin there, Seen it, Dun it Ministry” in every church. It’s for everyone and not just Christians. It’s a gift of love to the hurting.

Somethings Bubbling

Something’s Bubbling

You know the feeling. You feel a strange sort of ‘bubbling’ in your stomach. It’s an anticipatory feeling. Something’s about to happen – you don’t know what – but something is brewing, somewhere, somehow. Can’t put your finger on it, but you know in your knower that it’s about to happen.

This is how I have felt for the past few months !!

I know it is to do with end time events and it is tied in with prophecies and visions we’ve had for our church. I am sure you’ve had similar. Something is about to break – well, isn’t it?

I heard somewhere recently that the Lord is going to do something very different in this coming  move. The reason revival almost never returns to a place it has visited before is usually because self-appointed ‘guardians’ are looking for a repeat of the last time. So, I am trying to get a feel for whatever He is bringing us this time around. I am asking God for visions or dreams or even words from Him about this coming move.

All I see is the Glory Cloud. “All” in this context is pretty good methinks. I have been seeing it for months now; coming into our sanctuary or auditorium. I have seen it several times. I have seen people crowded around the entrance because they can’t get in and loudspeakers are carrying the meeting outside. I have seen prayer and ministry  teams moving among the crowds, inside and outside, carrying the power of His presence with them and allowing Holy Spirit to work completely unhindered. Moving as He wants to move. Doing what He wants to do. Touching people just like Jesus did, regardless of colour, race, creed, education, abilities, importance, social standing, or faith. Moving based on need alone. I see people raised out of wheelchairs; throwing crutches and sticks away; binning hearing aids or glasses. I see broken limbs repaired and missing limbs replaced. I see eyes where there were none and ear-drums where the old ones were non-existent.

Yet there is still something very different about this. Something that has not been seen before – not in the West anyway. I see the young and the old simply speaking the Word – speaking that which is not as though it wwere – just as God did at creation. Perhaps that is it? The Lord using young or old, unknown, unsung, untrained people in literally creative ways. Who knows – apart from God?

Yet it is more than this; more and greater than “just” miracles and healings. Just as Jesus did, I see these catching the attention then Holy Spirit sweeping over thousands in order to bring them to the Mercy Seat and salvation. I cannot see the “how” but I am pretty convinced this will come through the young, say 12-20 year olds. I am pretty certain the my age group, the silver tops, will be in there helping. I am very certain it will come through the unknown warriors, the vast majority of whom have not even been “called” yet. Training? Theology? Doctrine? Forget it. This will happen so fast that there will be no time for formal training. It will be Holy Spirit led using the ready and the willing. We are all far more able than we realise with Holy Spirit guiding us.

I think I know what all the tummy rumbling is all about too. I remember being close to Concorde and the SR22 when their engines were on full shout. The sheer power shook everything anywhere near to close by. The rumbling I can feel is just that – the Holy Spirit power build up.

Makes it all exciting doesn’t it?