God and Poker...

I am often amazed at the things God does, the places He turns up and the situations He changes.

I was in Luton this bank holiday weekend. I decided it was high time I spent some time with my cousin and my childhood friends, so I set off on the coach, leaving Becky to look after the kids for a few days (I did have her blessing, so no need to worry!).

Anyhow, the plan was to go see the carnival on bank holiday monday, but, due to heavy rain and the fact that the main road the procession was meant to walk down was flooded, it was cancelled.

I spent some of the afternoon with my Uncle and Aunt instead and then set off to Jude Smith's house for a friendly game of poker. (There was no cash on the table, only plastic chips! Hmm, maybe next time we could play for real chips, of the potato variety... although they may get a bit cold...)

Anyhow, after a bit of a chat and a rerun of a classic Gladiators Final (Eunice won!) we set up the table for the game. Well, it was more of a wooden trunk thing in the middle of the room, but it was exactly the right size!

No game of poker is complete without whiskey (apparently) so we all had some proper whiskey, Glenfiddich I believe (none of this JD stuff, Jeff would not allow it!) and started playing.

Some time into the game, someone mentioned that the only other thing missing was cigars, so, there was a break in the game while cigars were bought and smoked.

During the break a guitar turned up. I can't remember who got the guitar out, but it ended up on my lap. Someone had an oldish Survivor Songbook out on the table too.

Someone asked me to play an old Matt Redman song. I can't remember which one now, but before I knew what was happening, we were all singing song after song. I was playing Acoustic Guitar, Jeff was playing drums on the guitar case, my new friend Hairy was playing classical guitar, Jude, Kate and Ali were all singing beautiful harmonies.

I could feel God there. He was sitting with us. Singing with us. We finished singing one of the songs. I still can't remember which song it was but when the song ended, no one spoke. There was a silence. A Godly silence and I fell in love with Him all over again.

I love it that He came and sat with us while we played poker, drank whiskey and smoked cigars. I love it that He sang with us as we found ourselves worshipping Him. I love it that He loves us.

What a night!

P.S. I lost the poker game!

3 year old questions...

Emily, my 3 year old daughter, just asked me a question.

She said: "Daddy, did God make Jesus?"

I wasn't quite sure how to answer that...

Starving Jesus - Part 1

I've been reading this very challenging book recently. It's called Starving Jesus and is written by Craig Gross and J.R. Mahon (both of xxxchurch.com fame).

The book addresses many issues that New Community Church has been focusing on addressing since January when all the recent changes were brought in, and I have found it very useful:

The two authors start by saying that there is a conversation that is heard, whispered by many christians, all around the world. The conversation generally starts with questions like:

"Where is the love?", "Why are we stuck in the pews?", "Why is Sunday the only time we see christians?" and "Why is everyone such a hypocrite?"

Every now and again someone stands up and says "Church sucks, let's get out of here and make a real difference." They are usually silenced or ostracised by the masses of comfortable christians surrounding them. I am trying not to be one of those comfortable Christians, happy to go to church on Sunday, and then forget about Him for the rest of the week. I have been getting better at this. I find that most weeks I manage to talk to God most days, and that makes such a big difference to the way I see others, but I am by no means perfect (as most of you are well aware!) and sometimes I find I have a week where I become my main focus. I can only promise I'm working on this...

Anyhow, The book goes on to say that, as a whole, christians run from sin. We are not at ease talking about sex, drugs, alcohol. We don't like to admit that there is cheating, lying and stealing going on all around us. And because we won't talk about it, most of us don't do anything about it.

I have had conversations with people about all the different people I deal with in my work as a police officer. I meet rapists, drug dealers, prostitutes and robbers. I meet drug addicts and alcoholics, and I'd like to think that, although I am seen by them as the enemy, I try to treat them like Jesus would (although still doing my job, which may well involve arresting them...), but tat is not the point. When I speak to people about them, so often I hear people say "All they need is Jesus." I've never seen them out on the streets...

Are we having too many Bible Studies? Are we having too many Worship Services? Are we too busy telling each other how much we love each other and not taking that love out the building?

1 John 3v18-19 says: "Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other, let us really show it by our actions. It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth..."

My actions show I am not always living in the truth. At home I am often selfish. I often watch television and let my wife run around clearing up, using the excuse "I go out to work, she doesn't" I know I'm wrong every time I say it. I often play guitar in the bathroom when the children are in the bath, just so I can say I helped bath them, when actually, Becky is the one who washes them, gets them in and out, dries them and then gets them ready for bed. I am trying to change my ways.

The authors of the book say that we, as christians, should do "anything short of sin" to take Jesus to the world. This means that maybe we should be leaving the building behind, leaving the Bible studies, leaving the music and stepping out where no one has been before. Jesus did everything but sin to show his Love.

He served Humanity by giving His life and all He asks is for us to do the same for Him. Are you honouring His actions? All He wants is for us to grab the people around us and serve them, in any way possible.

Are working for Him or for our own ends? We don't need to be super spiritual to serve Him. We don't need a theological degree or a leader's role to serve Him. We are all the same in His eyes. We ALL fall short of His glory. His glory. Not ours.

On that point, so often we work so hard to show everyone what good christians we are, how together we are, instead of admitting our brokenness and sin to one another and then getting on with salvation!

Paul always encourages me on this point. Paul, ie Saint Paul, admits openly to his fellow christians in Roman 7 vv14-20 that he is a sinful man. "I sold into slavery, with sin as my master" he says. "I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead I do the very thing I hate." He goes on to say "No matter which way I turn, I can't make myself do right"

Imagine that kind of honesty in church? Imagine the church leaders standing up in front of the church and openly admitting that they have a problem with greed, pornography, alcohol or lust. Think how much freer we would be to serve others if we didn't have to work so hard to keep up the veneer of the perfect christian.

We are here to serve. We are here to be His body. Let's not forget that.

It reminds me of a song by Casting Crowns. The chorus says:

"But if we are the body

why aren't his arms reaching?

why aren't his hands healing?

why aren't his words teaching?

and if we are the body

why aren't his feet going?

why is his love not showing them there is a way?"

I know it's been a bit rambly, but hopefully, I've managed to explain roughly what the book's first chapter has helped me think about.

You can download the whole of the first chapter of the book at www.starvingjesus.com if you would like to read more...

See you all soon.