An Unusual Means of Grace

Louise and I went into our respective days yesterday feeling extremely under appreciated in an area of our work.  It was an unusual feeling and the circumstances for us being in that place were quite different but the way we felt was strikingy similar.  Although we both ended up joking about "what a pair we are" and the fact that  "no one understands do they" we felt pretty flat. 

So, later in the day when I was visiting a young professional couple in their 30's (relevant details I think for the story....generally these kinds of people don't do what they did, sorry if that's typecasting) Mrs "X" says "I've baked you and Louise a cake just to say we really appreciate all you do........"

That never happens.   Not like that.

If ever there was one, this was a means of grace to us.

He sees....He notices....He responds.....

It was only a cake (albeit an incredible one that my kids didn't let touch the sides) but the Lord used it to minister to us deeply.

Our Conversation with other Christians

What do we talk about when we meet other Christ followers....anything other than our walk with God it would seem.   Rarely do we discuss our scripture reading, times of prayer and other aspects of our life with God.   But it hasnt always been this way.   J I Packer writes of the Puritans and of how they spoke about their walk with God. I think it's challenging:

Communion with God was a great thing; to evangelicals today it is a comparatively small thing. The Puritans were concerned about communion with God in a way that we are not. The measure of our unconcern is the little that we say about it. When Christians meet, they talk to each other about their Christian work and Christian interests, their Christian acquaintances, the state of the churches, and the problems of theology—but rarely of their daily experience of God.

I Get This!!!

Travelling

Apropos of nothing.....

I have been in many places, but I've never been in Cahoots. Apparently, you can't go alone. You have to be in Cahoots with someone.

I've also never been in Cognito, but I hear no one recognizes you there so it must be a good place to go if you want some privacy.

I have, however, been in Sane. They don't have an airport. You have to bedriven there. I have made several trips there, thanks to my friends, familyand work.

I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump, and I'm not toomuch on physical activity anymore.

I have also been in Doubt. Some people visit often, I think. I'm not sure.

I've been in Flexible, and I have to say, it felt as if I hadn't gotten very far.

Sometimes, I find myself in Capable. I don't know how I got there, and I go there more often as I'm getting older.

One of my favorite places to be is in Suspense! It really gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps up the old heart!

Jesus Also Had Unbelieving Family Members

When we've got family members who don't share our faith it's really painful.   It's not like one person likes gardening and someone else likes golf.  It's  a whole different worldview that has implication for eternity.  I thought this article by Jon Bloom gives a really encouraging perspective that I certainly hadn't come across before.
Do you, like me, have family members who do not believe in Jesus? If so, we are in good company. So did Jesus. And I think this is meant to give us hope.
According to the Apostle John, “not even his brothers believed in him” (John 7:5). That’s incredible. Those who had lived with Jesus for 30 years really did not know him. Not one of Jesus’ brothers is mentioned as a disciple during his pre-crucifixion ministry. But after his resurrection and ascension, there they are in the upper room worshipping him as God (Acts 1:14).
Why didn’t they believe? And what made them change?
The Bible doesn’t answer the first question. But I’ll bet it was difficult to have Jesus for a brother.
First, Jesus would have been without peer in intellect and wisdom. He was astounding temple rabbis by age 12 (Luke 2:42, 47). A sinful, fallen, gifted sibling can be a hard act to follow. Imagine a perfect, gifted sibling.

Second, Jesus’ consistent and extraordinary moral character must have made him odd and unnerving to be around. His siblings would have grown increasingly self-conscious around him, aware of their own sinful, self-obsessed motives and behaviour, while noting that Jesus didn’t seem to exhibit any himself. For sinners, that could be hard to live with.
Third, Jesus was deeply and uniquely loved by Mary and Joseph. How could they not have treated him differently? They knew he was the Lord. Imagine their extraordinary trust in and deference to Jesus as he grew older. No doubt the siblings would have perceived a dimension to the relationship between the oldest child and their parents that was different from what they experienced.
And when swapping family stories it would have been hard to match a star appearing at your brother’s birth.

Jesus out-classed his siblings in every category. How could anyone with an active sin nature not resent being eclipsed by such a phenom-brother? Familiarity breeds contempt when pride rules the heart.
More pain than we know must have been behind Jesus’ words, “a prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household” (Matthew 13:57).
So as we assess the role our weak, stumbling witness plays in our family members’ unbelief, let’s remember Jesus — not even a perfect witness guarantees that loved ones will see and embrace the gospel. We must humble ourselves and repent when we sin. But let’s remember that the god of this world and indwelling sin is what blinds the minds of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:4).
The story of Jesus’ brothers can actually give us hope for our loved ones. At the time his brothers claimed that Jesus was “out of his mind” (Mark 3:21), it must have appeared very unlikely that they would ever become his disciples. But eventually they did! And not only followers, but leaders and martyrs in the early church.
The God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” shone in their hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of their brother, Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:6).


So take heart! Don’t give up praying for unbelieving family members. Don’t take their resistance as the final word. They may yet believe, and be used significantly in the kingdom!
And while they resist, or if they have died apparently unbelieving, we can trust them to the Judge of all the earth who will be perfectly just (Genesis 18:25). Jesus does not promise that every parent, sibling, or child of a Christian will believe, but does painfully promise that some families will divide over him (Matthew 10:34-39). We can trust him when it happens.
It is moving to hear James refer to his brother as “our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory” (James 2:1). Can you imagine what this phrase meant for James? The Lord of glory had once slept beside him, ate at his dinner table, played with his friends, spoke to him like a brother, endured his unbelief, paid the debt of his sin, and then brought him to faith.


It may have taken 20-30 years of faithful, prayerful witness by the Son of God, but the miracle occurred: his brothers believed. May the Lord of glory grant the same grace to our beloved unbelievers.

The Best Trips Last a Lifetime

Am so loving the new Halfords advert: The Best Trips Last a Lifetime
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtjDai7H2-E   

Free Martyn Lloyd-Jones Sermons

Martyn Lloyd-Jones is widely regarded as the greatest English speaking preacher of the last century and one of the greatest preachers of all time.  His decision to quit a promising career in medicine in his mid 20's in order to pastor a small chapel in South Wales was so extraordinary that it made the front page of the national press.  This decision, unbelievably foolish in the eyes of the world, proved to demonstrate the wisdom and greatness of God as Lloyd-Jones went on to have an incredible impact on literally millions of people all over the world.

In celebration of 30 years of the Martyn Lloyd Jones Recording Trust, set up to restore, promote and distribute the audio sermons of "The Doctor" the Trust have decided to release every single sermon they have, on line and for free.   This is an incredible move and will be a huge blessing to many.  

Visit http://bit.ly/eqxMYF to find out more.