Risk or die

We had a very good meeting of the EA Scotland executive. I always enjoy being at these meetings and sharing in what God is doing in Scotland. I find it refreshing having been at too many other meetings where the gospel doesn't get a look in.

Fred Drummond was talking about a movement of prayer sweeping our nation, about church and individuals steping out from the safety of the usual and well known in the risky place of the new and uncertain. God has shown himself faithful and the God who goes ahead of the risk takers for the gospel. Fred spoke of a kairos moment, a significant time in God's purposes when the Spirit is moving.

Churches, congregations who refuse to take risks for the gospel are congregations and chruches that are choosing to die. Risk is setting your sail to catch the wind of the Spirit, is losing everything to gain Christ. I'm weary of living in the 'safety' of no-risk which is the tied up in the harbour way of not following Christ.
There's an Ian White song I like, 'A ship that's in the harbour, is still and safe from strom, but it was not made to be there, it was made for wind and storm.'

Father, where you are at work show us and give us courage to risk all for you.

Greig on Lewis on Prayer

I'm reading Pete Greig's God on Mute (see, I'm sticking to those on my list!) and it really is a great book. I'll be finished by the end of the week and post something on Pete's book then.

Today I came across a quote which Pete uses from CS Lewis, Screwtape is giving this advice to his nephew the junior demon:
Sooner or later [God] withdraws, if not in fact, at least from their conscious experience ... He leaves the [human] to stand up on its own legs - to carry out from the will alone duties which have lost all relish ... Our cause is never in more danger than when a human - no longer desiring but still intending to do [God's] will - looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys. (God on Mute p. 234, CS Lewis The Screwtape Letters p. 47 in my copy)


I hope this helps someone today. God's absence is in experience, not in fact and when we stand, and continue to stand, when we obey in the apparent absence of God, hell trembles. Mustard seed faith expressed in faithful perseverance may be for many the victory we will see today.

Steve Brady at Keswick

Introducing the evening series on Faith At Work for the evening celebrations this year Steve Brady spoke on these three headings:

Faith leans upon a person

Faith lasts under pressure

Faith lives by the promise

It was a good talk and I'm sure you'll be able to catch it on clayton.tv

Steve shared a quote from Churchill, "The secret of success is going from failure to failure with no noticeable loss of enthusiasm."

When going from 'aparant' failure to 'aparant' failure it is good for those of us involved in Christian service to remember, we already know the end of the story - our God wins!

The theme for the Keswick Convention this year was 'Faith That Works', during week 3 when we were there this theme was opened up by Vaughan Roberts in morning bible readings from Proverbs and in the evening celeberations by studies in Hebrews 11.

Stephen Gaukroger, who is the founder-director of the Clarion Trust International, spoke very helpfully on three evenings.
On the Tuesday evening Stephen opened with a definition of faith that I want to share here. Faith is difficult to define, we can end up piling words upon words to try to explain what we mean by this small word. However, faith is seen by its effect, by its fruit. An action is needed to demonstrate, or give validity to, a statement of faith.
This is not the same as saying faith is a verb rather than a noun, faith can be both, and at times needs to be both. However, every time we profess our faith, or seek to describe our faith, we should give thought to the action or deed of faith that will demonstrate, give life to that profession.

Although coming in the middle of the week this definition of faith was well illustrated in Hebrews 11. Let us pray that it will be similarly displayed in our living by faith, the faith that works.

Facts or/and ideology

It is reported today, see The Herald, that President Obama has overturned a ban on stem cell research. I'm not posting about stem cell research, but about what the President has said in making this decision.

'In lifting the ban, the president stated yesterday that he would make scientific decisions "based on facts, not ideology" from now on.' Facts, not ideology. But later in this article the President is further quoted:
"As a person of faith, I believe we are called to care for each other and work to ease human suffering. I believe we have been given the capacity and will to pursue this research - and the humanity and conscience to do so responsibly."

To believe that we are called to care for each other is not a fact, it is a belief position, an ideology if you like. As humans we function as believing creatures, we act upon points, articles of faith. This is how we have been made. Even to deny that ideology, or faith, has any place in government decision making is a faith, or ideological position.

But more importantly, we cannot deny that many if not all of the decisions made by our governments involve moral choices. There is a choice to be made between moral values and scientific enquiry. This is why we should have our scientists governed by those with moral authority, or at least a moral responsibility to protect the vulnerable and weak.

President Obama has fallen into the false position of claiming to be a person of faith, yet acting independently of his faith. I for one don't want the leaders of our nations to divorce their faith from their decision making.