Coming up at CitC

Here's two great opportunities for our friends and family to hear about Jesus at Crossroads this month. 

Dave McDonald will be doing the talks. 

The Briefing - are you subscribed?

When the current edition of The Briefing arrived in my mail box the other day I was inspired to urge more people to take advantage of this great monthly, Australian, Christian, provocative publication. 

Issue #367 (as pictured) gives new readers a great idea about what the magazine seeks to achieve....and hey, it came with a free CD with the tope 21 articles over the last 21 years. So if you want to be encouraged and challenged in your Christians understanding, if you'd like to deepen your theological awareness, if you'd appreciate how to think through the key issues facing Christianity and our world more generally....subscribe right here! 

The concession price is just $35 per year and the online subscription is even cheaper. That's less than one decent coffee per month....and would probably have a better effect anyway. 

Seven tips for approaching Spiritual GIfts

Just as gifts were controversial and led to much confusion (and destruction) in the Corinthian church, so to our attitudes and approach to this area can be just as damaging. I know of one person who left Christianity altogether because he was angry at God and other Christians for not allowing his perceived ‘gift’ to be honoured and appreciated. Our susceptibility to allow the world’s categories of thinking to shape our approach to this whole issue is very real. 

Also I think there is a tendency amongst many Christians to sit back and not participate in such a way as to discover what areas of giftedness they may have for the benefit of the church. This is a great problem and means too many of us to expend our energies and talents for the benefit of ourselves and other causes…to the detriment of the great gospel cause. 

So here are a few extra thoughts I had on how to approach this whole area. Feel free to add more into the discussion. 

1) Be blown away by the most spiritual person ever.

Jesus built the church and changed the course of eternity through humble self-sacrifice towards the undeserving. If we are not grounded in Him, thrilled and amazed by his grace, shaken to our core by his radical example of servant leadership…we will muck up this whole area of spiritual gifts. If we grow in our appreciation of the gift of Christ, then we will be a great gift to the body of Christ. I will be protected from spiritual self-centeredness, spiritual pride and spiritual jealousy…all of which are terrible oxymorons, but I know they fester in my heart and the Gospel needs to shake it out of my system. 

2) Don’t wait for a sign from God about your spiritual gift….just get serving

Just about every person I know of who we might say are really gifted in ministry have been filled with a passion and desire to serve…anywhere. I spoke to someone from another church last night who said they have realized they are not highly ‘gifted’ to work with teenagers. However because there is a need, she is going to keep serving. Now isn’t that a great attitude? Of course if she was absolutely hopeless and was causing damage to that area of ministry, then it would be good for her and others to be put out of the misery. After all, if you can’t play piano, sheer desire is not going to work for the common good in the music team.

3) Remember that gifts are identified in the body of Christ.

I know this sounds simple but you and others will never know how you can serve the body unless you are serving the body. I don’t think you can ascertain your gifts in isolation or through filling in questionnaires. Because serving has so much to do with your gospel attitude it is possible to be really good at doing something, but for you to forget it’s for the common good. This is again the Corinthian problem. 

4) Ask God to gift you in whatever way for the common good

I wonder how many of us have actually done this with sincerity and passion before our great God in prayer. It’s a scary thing to do yes…and a wonderful thing. Asking to be gifted for the benefit of others drives you once again to the heart of the gospel. My suggestion is that we all pray this and then grab a hold of the next opportunity to benefit the church that comes along.

5) Don’t be too precious about ‘your’ gift.

I don’t think people should be ultimately identified by their gifts, rather our identification rests with the fact that we have the giver. Also, over the years God will use us in all manner of different ways to benefit others. Don’t typecast yourself, this will not be for the common good. 

6) Don’t think it should all come naturally

It seems to me that people who are gifted at various things in church have spent a lot of deliberate time working out how they can do what they do for the common good. Patience, practice, training, frustration…will accompany any gospel service. A gifted ability in some area doesn’t mean exercising that gift is easy. Because of this, often we need others to tell us what we might be gifted at. This is because they are the ones who actually benefit from our service, while we are the ones exhausted from it.

7) Pray for and revel in the spiritual giftedness of others

Maybe this is the hardest one for many of us. Church should be a place where we benefit from and rejoice in what others contribute and bless us with. Pray earnestly for your friends at church that God will gift them for his glory, not just you.

One final note: 1 Corinthians 13 is deliberately placed and really sits behind a lot of what I'm suggesting here. We'll see why next Sunday.

New book on journeying out of homosexuality

I've really appreciated reading this biography over the last couple of days. Christopher Keane shares his story about how he got into and then out of a homosexual lifestyle. He is very candid and open about his struggles and 'choices' in life and I think everyone would benefit from reading a book like this. Chris also deals with some of the controversial issues regarding same sex attraction and has much to say about how the church can be helpful in loving and encouraging those who struggle in this area. 

The book is a testimony to God's kindness and grace and the unexpected things that can happen when we dare to trust Christ first. 

One of the worst things we can do as a church is never to talk about the issues books like this address. If we never talk about it, those in our midst who struggle and grieve will never share how they are doing, and sadly, may well continue to struggle in isolation. This should not be.

Anyway, I thoroughly recommend it. Check out the above link and order a copy or give Christian Bookworld a call and they'll order it in.

Answers to your questions: 'One flesh' and marriage

If I have had sex with someone and therefore 'one flesh' with them,  does that mean I am obliged to get married to them? Has something permanent formed between two people in this situation that cannot be undone?

     There seems to have been a few question and some confusion over this one. I offer a few thoughts.

     1. Having sex with someone and therefore becoming 'one flesh' does not mean that you have entered into marriage with them. What Paul is arguing for in 1 Corinthians 6 is the inappropriateness of engaging in sex which is meant for marriage, when you're not married. He's not arguing that it is marriage, or that you need to get married if you have had sex with someone....wow, I can sense some more questions coming back at me on that one...

     2. Some of us feel the pain and grief of the mistakes of our past and need to be embraced by the full and transforming power of Christ's forgiveness. Does it mean that you can call yourself a virgin again? No it doesn't, but in God's eyes if you have received Christ as Lord you cannot be any cleaner or purer or distanced from those events in your past. Though some regret and shame may remain, it becomes all the more a testimony to God's grace and kindness to you.

    3. If you have been the victim of some abuse and have been sexually violated by someone else there is great pain and hurt which only Christ can ultimately deal with. He heals the broken hearted and comforts the abused. The gospel shows you how powerful and significant is the acceptance and plans of Christ who not only removes our own personal sin, but also deals with sin done to us. The gospel will protect us from feeling worthless and ashamed and will help us not to feed our bitterness and hatred of the perpetrator, and even of God himself. 

     I know these are very hard areas for some of us. But I know that God is the master of dealing with our sin ravaged world and making all things new. Please trust his Word and perhaps aim to talk to someone you can trust so as to further experience the newness of life he has called you to.

Answering your questions: Books and resources to recommend on sex and Christian living

A good number of people ordered the books that were recommended on Sunday night. For those of you who weren't there (or were too afraid to order them) I suggested the following.

Pure Sex by Philip Jenson and Tony Payne.

Short, easy to read and to the point. A great corrective to various myths about Christians and sex and will inform you how to deal with the different views of sex that our championed in our secular world.

What Some of You Were edited by  Christopher Keen

A sensitive and honest series of stories about Christians and homosexuality. Also has a helpful appendix dealing with biological questions and the issue of change. Again, it is short and won't cover everything, but what it does cover is done with great care and hope in God.

Porn-again Christian by Mark Driscoll (read it online)

The sub title says this is a frank discussion on pornography and masturbation...and yeah, it is.

Especially for guys it will probably bring up most of the questions you are too afraid to ask....and give great Biblical counsel and grace filled advice on these topics. I have been asked this week about the appropriateness and possibility of masturbation if you are not married, well that issue amongst a heap of others is discussed.

Other books I have not read, but which seek to address some of these issues especially for women are:

Restoring Sexual Identity, Hope for Women who struggle with Same Sex Attraction  by Anne Paulk.

Every Young woman's Battle - by Etheridge & Arterburn

Every Woman's battle - Etheridge

You can order these through Christian Bookworld in Belconnen.

Feel free to add other resources in your comments if you've found other stuff helpful and Biblical. 

Answers to your questions: How do I deal with my lust?

How do I deal with my lust?

Disclaimer: This is a really big area and I've tried to keep this one short and helpful. I hope it is both.

     1 Corinthians 6:18 urges is to flee sexual immorality. That is, get yourself away from the source or pattern of temptation that is leading you to long for and express such sin. Flee to prayer, flee to the support of your Christian brothers and sisters, flee from situations where you know you’ll be tempted and where you know you’ve failed before.
     However the Bible also suggests that we don’t just run away from our problems, but that we have our thinking and motives changed so we pursue the things of the kingdom. I can think of three key motivating truths that help us overcome and put to death sin in our lives. The New Testament rarely urges us to a change in behaviour and thinking without being powerfully grounded in at least one of these…
    1. Our thankfulness is view of the Cross. Growing in our understanding and appreciation of what Christ has done to sin in his death has a profound affect upon our behaviour. In view of his mercy, I actually begin to want to live in honour and service of him. This is such a watershed moment for anyone and at times even those whose life was engrossed in sin can’t wait to be rid of it…out of joyful thanks to the Lord. 

     In our struggles with sin, to a certain degree at least we have not comprehended enough the wonder of the Cross. The cross helps me to hate sin and long to be ruthless with it, but at the same time the cross protects me from self-hatred…because Christ loved me so much. Being overwhelmed with thanks is about the ultimate remedy for new life and freedom, even from habitual and resilient sin in your life.

     2. Our identity in Christ. This argument was employed by Paul in 1 Cor.5:6-8 where Paul reminds the Corinthians that Christ's sacrificial work changes completely our status and identity before God. To be ‘in Christ’ is to have a new heavenly destiny already secured. Even though Paul is seeking to correct terrible sin in Corinth, he appeals to who Christ has made them to be in order to motivate them to change. He does not appeal to the 10 Commandments to correct and rebuke them some new Christian morality list, he actually appeals to their unity with Christ who was sacrificed for them. 

     So he primarily inspires at this crucial point. He gives them a higher view of their value and significance and destiny. Our identity in Christ reminds us that in God’s eyes we are not locked in sin but belonging to Jesus for his service. When we realise more and more that our old identity was changed by one so awesome as Christ, our desire to ‘celebrate’ the reality of who we are in God begins to change and recalibrate our motives and desires.

     3. The hope of the future. The hope of heaven is perhaps the least appreciated of these three. The fact that heaven is our home and that joy and wonder everlasting is on offer; the fact that our Lord and saviour will celebrate his reign with us; the fact that sin and its effects will not be seen or experienced anymore is another powerful motivator for change. If God is moving history to a certain outcome, then there should be an excitement and longing for that outcome. Knowing my future and destiny inspires and motivates especially through trial and suffering and even great temptation. If you read passages like Romans 8 (especially after reading chapters 6-7) you see how glorious the future is and how God's Spirit draws us with great expectation to the time when God's plans are fully realised. 

     I should say also that to struggle and fight with sin is actually the normal Christian experience. None of us will reach perfection this side of heaven, but God has given us his Holy Spirit to keep fighting on (see Galatians 5:16-26). 

     Further as we read in 1 Cor.10:13 God remains faithful and does not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear. He provides a way of escape for us, even as we are seriously considering sinning against him. How kind he is?! 

Answers to your questions: What is lust?

What is lust? Is it lustful only if you express it sexually?
The word lust is only used in the ESV translation 10 times (Psa. 68:30 ; Prov. 11:6 ; Is. 57:5 ; Jer. 2:24 ; Ezek. 16:36 ; Ezek. 23:8 ; Ezek. 23:11; Ezek. 23:17 ; 1Th. 4:5 ; 2Pet. 2:10) and is normally associated with the strong desire for sexual immorality. Indeed wayward desire is so often at the heart of our problems. 

Appropriate desire and the fulfilment of that desire is actually a wonderful thing. Desiring what benefits others and what promotes the cause of the gospel is actually a powerful work of the gospel in our lives. All of us naturally crave for and seek after the things we believe will bring us happiness, security and blessing. The strength of desire to secure these can lead us to terrible sin and violence against our neighbour. 

Lust is fundamentally self serving and ultimately idolatrous. The gospel reorientates our desires so we wish to please God and others. Indeed we actually want to be with God and be more like God the more we are shown how supreme Jesus is. So in changing what we live for, so will a change occur in what we long for and desire.

Finding someone very attractive is not lust. Nor even is finding yourself ‘aroused’. This is natural and if you never find yourself aroused (I speak especially, though not exclusively to the guys here), then maybe you need to go and see a doctor! 

Lust is desire which seeks to fantasise and act upon such attraction. It is to covet a person who is not yours in order to gratify yourself. Lust is always disappointing. It is desire seeking to find fulfilment in the wrong place and the instant gratification only adds to further frustration and ironically fuels more lust to compensate.

Rick Warren's prayer at the Inauguration

Check this out. ....very encouraging

Obama's Inauguration Speech

President Obama’s inaugural speech was really quite stunning as far as presidential speeches go. Not only written and delivered well it hit on exactly the issues that fill people’s fears and joys and offered people hope at the same time. It was the kind of speech people love to hear from a leader who (for the time being) they want and will follow.

There was humbleness: The crisis America finds herself was the result of “…greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure…’

There was optimism: “We cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.”

There was generosity: “America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.”

There was activism: “What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.”

And there was God!: 

Obama concluded his speech saying, “…with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.”
He also quoted 1 Corinthians early on in his speech saying that, “…the time has come to set aside childish things.”.
He spoke also of the “…God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.”, and the fact that “God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.” …whatever that is??

But mostly there was America:
The President in human terms nailed it!
The President in American terms nailed it as well. Invoking the glories and principles of the past to change and inspire and renew the American future.
And although it was kind of encouraging (and expected) that God is brought into this great occasion, one kind of get the feeling that God is somehow our great distant helper. Human and national dreams will somehow be secured if we try hard enough and stick to the right principles. Which means God watches over but is not called upon to be trusted…well not directly at least.

God over Obama

We must pray for the new President, he has a very difficult task and his popularity is such that he is destined to disappoint. He may well be the best ‘man’ for the job but the goals of prosperity, unity, peace, generosity, happiness and hope can only be truly met through the ultimate governing work of Jesus…who’s name and work wasn’t invoked today. 

We must pray for the new President, that he will work hard and serve with integrity, (oh to have leaders like this).
And we must remember that God is more than just our ‘helper’. He doesn’t help us succeed in our plans, rather he captures us for his…and so we want to and will follow him.