The past few weeks have been cold. -18 degrees is pretty cold by most standards. And the cold weather has caused havoc with water pipes and has had most people talking about insulation, whether it's roofspace insulation or pipe lagging. But as we strive to insulate our homes we also strive to insulate our lives. Insulate our lives from the reality of God and Christ. Insulate them with gadgets and work and things and tv and...stuff.
And we're pretty good at it. Ironically we can do this spectacularly well at Christmas with the presents we give and receive.
But it will not always be this way. There is a time coming when all will be stripped away. When Jesus will come and judge. A time when the veil that separates the spiritual realm from the physical will be taken away and we will see...truly see.
I think it's time to prepare for the reality. Time to put the important things first. Time to prepare, time to be ready. Revolution is coming.
Thursday, 30 December 2010
Wednesday, 8 December 2010
It will not always be like it is today.
"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Rev 21:4
Monday, 6 December 2010
What are you getting for Christmas?
Over the years I've wanted lots of things from Santa. It has ranged from toys to gadgets to books. But two of the presents on my wish-list were brought back to mind by something John Piper spoke about, namely a telescope and a microscope. I've in the past wanted to be both an astronomer and a scientist. Thankfully I'm neither... But these two particular things can give some insight into what we were made for.
"...everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory , whom I formed and made." Isaiah 43:7
Glorifying God is a lot like magnifying God, and my two Christmas wish-list presents both magnify really well... but really differently. A microscope takes something really tiny, almost invisible to the human eye, and makes it a lot bigger than it really is. A telescope takes something impossibly huge, but to the naked eye seems small, and makes it more like the size it really is. The problem is that we can glorify, or magnify God in those two different ways. We can say, "Here is my God, He's tiny but I want to make him seem bigger to you", or we can say, " Here is my God, he's amazingly huge, but you can't see that, let me show you how big he really is.".
One is blasphemy, one is God-exalting.
I want a telescope for Christmas...
"...everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory , whom I formed and made." Isaiah 43:7
Glorifying God is a lot like magnifying God, and my two Christmas wish-list presents both magnify really well... but really differently. A microscope takes something really tiny, almost invisible to the human eye, and makes it a lot bigger than it really is. A telescope takes something impossibly huge, but to the naked eye seems small, and makes it more like the size it really is. The problem is that we can glorify, or magnify God in those two different ways. We can say, "Here is my God, He's tiny but I want to make him seem bigger to you", or we can say, " Here is my God, he's amazingly huge, but you can't see that, let me show you how big he really is.".
One is blasphemy, one is God-exalting.
I want a telescope for Christmas...
Sunday, 5 December 2010
Jesus was never Plan B
Jesus wasn't plan B. Why do I say that? Well I've been thinking about that statement for a while. Chewing on it, mulling it over, spitting it out, and eventually picking it up and running with it. This statement if true, has profound consequences. If Jesus earthly life and death wasn't a hastily thought up idea after Adam and Eve sinned, then it means that God knew we would sin, and allowed sin to enter this world...and that thought, when you first think it, is like taking a whisk to your brain...at least it was for me. But enough theory, let's put Bible under that.
...and all who dwell on earth will worship [the beast], everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. Rev 13:8
This verse splits humanity in two. Those who worship the beast, and those who don't. And those who don't had (past tense) their names written before the foundation of the world. So before the world was founded there was a book that had the names of believers written in it. And the name of the book was "the book of life of the lamb that was slain". So before the world was created there was a book belonging to the slain lamb. Before the world began, BEFORE sin came into this world, there was a plan that involved the lamb being slain for the redemption of sinners.
This is so integral to the plan of God that in heaven, of all the bazillion things they could sing about, they sing about slaughter....take that in. They sing of slaughter. (Rev 5:9 ish)
Jesus wasn't plan B. And that might mess with your head. But it also means that God is in control. So when this world seems out of control, it's not.
King Jesus reigns.
...and all who dwell on earth will worship [the beast], everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. Rev 13:8
This verse splits humanity in two. Those who worship the beast, and those who don't. And those who don't had (past tense) their names written before the foundation of the world. So before the world was founded there was a book that had the names of believers written in it. And the name of the book was "the book of life of the lamb that was slain". So before the world was created there was a book belonging to the slain lamb. Before the world began, BEFORE sin came into this world, there was a plan that involved the lamb being slain for the redemption of sinners.
This is so integral to the plan of God that in heaven, of all the bazillion things they could sing about, they sing about slaughter....take that in. They sing of slaughter. (Rev 5:9 ish)
Jesus wasn't plan B. And that might mess with your head. But it also means that God is in control. So when this world seems out of control, it's not.
King Jesus reigns.
Tuesday, 23 November 2010
Finishing Strong...
If I want to finish strong, I need to be honest with myself (and with others) about where I am – so, how am I doing?
As a man of God, how am I doing;
At work
At home
With my wife, my friends
In prayer
With patience, self-control (or the other 7 segments of the fruit of the Spirit)
With priorities, serving others
If I want to finish strong then I've got to evaluate how I'm doing at this stage of the journey
List of 24 characteristics of a godly man – this list appeared in a book written in 1666! So some of the language/phrases reflect that fact
A man of knowledge
A man moved by faith
A man fired by love
A man like God
A man careful about the worship of God
A man who serves God, not men
A man who prizes Christ
A man who weeps
A man who loves the Word
A man who has the Spirit of God residing in him
A man of humility
A man of prayer
A man of sincerity
A heavenly man
A zealous man
A patient man
A thankful man
A man who loves the saints
A man who does not indulge himself in any sin
A man who is good in his relationships
A man who does spiritual things in a spiritual manner
A man thoroughly trained in religion
A man who walks with God
A man who strives to be an instrument for making others godly
How am I doing? I'll think through these. How are YOU doing?
As a man of God, how am I doing;
At work
At home
With my wife, my friends
In prayer
With patience, self-control (or the other 7 segments of the fruit of the Spirit)
With priorities, serving others
If I want to finish strong then I've got to evaluate how I'm doing at this stage of the journey
List of 24 characteristics of a godly man – this list appeared in a book written in 1666! So some of the language/phrases reflect that fact
A man of knowledge
A man moved by faith
A man fired by love
A man like God
A man careful about the worship of God
A man who serves God, not men
A man who prizes Christ
A man who weeps
A man who loves the Word
A man who has the Spirit of God residing in him
A man of humility
A man of prayer
A man of sincerity
A heavenly man
A zealous man
A patient man
A thankful man
A man who loves the saints
A man who does not indulge himself in any sin
A man who is good in his relationships
A man who does spiritual things in a spiritual manner
A man thoroughly trained in religion
A man who walks with God
A man who strives to be an instrument for making others godly
How am I doing? I'll think through these. How are YOU doing?
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
The time for waiting is over...
Time to stop playing
Clash of Kingdoms
A real man leaves this world with more in his wake than he took. It is time to stop playing and shirking responsibility and start living out the call. What does that mean? It means seeking, really seeking God's call. Confirming that call with the church and then throwing all behind pursuing that call, living it out, exploring it, making it happen.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. (1 Corinthians 15)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2)
God has poured his grace upon me. His grace is not in vain. I will work harder than any through that grace to do the works God has prepared in advance.
I believe my call is to teach and preach the Bible. I know no more than that. I do not know the context, but I do know that much, so I need to develop that.
If that is my call, which it is: I must spend my money to that purpose, use my time to that purpose, choose my words to that purpose, set my heart to that purpose, live and give my life to that purpose.
I must remain accountable to the call. I must stop playing and define my life so that God's glory is revealed most fully. I do not want to come before the throne of God, bow the knee before King Jesus and know that I wasted my life.
It is time. Time to move beyond mediocre into the passionate God-exalting life that has always been planned for me. It's time. Time to put childish things behind me. It's time.
"... Be strong, and show yourself a man" (1 Kings 2)
Man up.
J McGuinness
November
Clash of Kingdoms
A real man leaves this world with more in his wake than he took. It is time to stop playing and shirking responsibility and start living out the call. What does that mean? It means seeking, really seeking God's call. Confirming that call with the church and then throwing all behind pursuing that call, living it out, exploring it, making it happen.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. (1 Corinthians 15)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2)
God has poured his grace upon me. His grace is not in vain. I will work harder than any through that grace to do the works God has prepared in advance.
I believe my call is to teach and preach the Bible. I know no more than that. I do not know the context, but I do know that much, so I need to develop that.
If that is my call, which it is: I must spend my money to that purpose, use my time to that purpose, choose my words to that purpose, set my heart to that purpose, live and give my life to that purpose.
I must remain accountable to the call. I must stop playing and define my life so that God's glory is revealed most fully. I do not want to come before the throne of God, bow the knee before King Jesus and know that I wasted my life.
It is time. Time to move beyond mediocre into the passionate God-exalting life that has always been planned for me. It's time. Time to put childish things behind me. It's time.
"... Be strong, and show yourself a man" (1 Kings 2)
Man up.
J McGuinness
November
Saturday, 20 February 2010
Who told you to quit...
Its been a while but I am back to my journal. Why did I fall away? I could say one thing or another but it boils down to sin. Putting others things in the place of God.
LENT - I have started to give up tv for Lent. Not as a definitive legalistic thing but rather to say that God is more important than tv in my life. My ratinoale is this - giving up tv will give me more time to read and to build my relationship with Jesus. It also gives me more time to be relational - purposeful about contacting my friends and family. David Walker put a great verse on my Facebook - Philippians 4 v13 - I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Saturday, 23 January 2010
What really matters?
Giving up stagehands and 9 hours a week means nothing if I don't use that time to glorify God. That means making use of that time to think missionally. Without vision the people perish.
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
Why Should I Blog?
1 ... To write.
Writing has enormous value for thinking. Through writing you delve into new ideas and insights. Writing forces you to develop half-thoughts into clear sentences. It makes you structure thoughts that can seem straightforward until you go to speak them. It teaches you the process of thinking. If you strive to write well you will at the same time be striving to think well. This process will help in sharing new ideas and insights. People can follow your good thinking and writing.
2 ...
To develop an eye for what is meaningful.
I should look at what I write and think is this worth writing about. This will nurture a habit of looking for insight and wisdom and value in every situation, no matter how mundane. This seeking will allow me to see more of what God has to teach me. The gathering of these ideas will spill over and enrich more of my life than the part of it that blogs.
3 ... To teach.
Where does the outlet for teaching take place? A blog is a perfect place to develop and share the 30 second God-moments that so often come to us daily.
Thoughts developed from John Piper's blog at www.desiringgod.org
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
There is a redeemer.
There is a redeemer - Jesus, God's own son. Special lamb of God...messiah. Holy one. The fact that there is indeed a redeemer has caught me today from the lyrics of the song. There is one. God has provided one. And he has done so for his glory.
Saturday, 2 January 2010
What can your roofspace teach you?
The roofspace of our house is causing me worry. Its got condensation issues. But its been good at reminding me of a few things: Firstly - I shouldn't worry. Jesus told us in Matthew 6 v32 that God knows about all these things. And I should seek first God's kingdom and righteousness and all the rest will be added. Secondly - I long for the day when I have a place in the Kingdom of heaven and there will be no more worrying or weeping or pain. And finally I need to give God more credit for being in control. This is meant to be - and the response I have to it will glorify God.
Friday, 1 January 2010
2010 - The year of vision
New year - "behold I am making all things new." - Revelation 21 v 5. 2010 is the year of vision. I have been captivated over the last while by the phrase - "God is passionate about who you are and about what you do." - My phrase I think. This year I want to unpack that phrase and ask the question if this is the phrase that will become my life's vision.
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