Three helpful meditations for new Christians and more mature Christians looking for a refresh.
The period just after becoming a believer can be a little disconcerting. Yes, you are now a believer, however, you may not feel very different. Before I became a Christian, I imagined my salvation experience might be dramatic; something like what Jesus experienced when he was baptised by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13-17). In this account, the writer details ‘heaven was opened, and he [Jesus] saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him’ (16). Instead, my decision to follow Jesus took place in a small church in Woolwich, southeast London next to a ‘chicken and chips’ shop. Still, something miraculous happened. I was snatched out of the kingdom of darkness, adopted and placed into the kingdom of light. This is what you may be experiencing yourself.
Becoming a believer means you are justified.
Justification: an act of God whereby He pronounces a sinner to be righteous because of that sinner’s faith in Christ.” We are justified, or declared righteous, at the moment of our salvation.
Your sanctification journey has just begun and will continue till Jesus returns. Here are some meditations for you as that journey begins.
Find a church Hebrews 10:25, “do not forsake assembling,
The importance of finding a local assembly to join cannot be overstated.
This means being part of a local group of people where you are known and you know other people.
When trying to find a good local church, it’s good to remember that, just like the people in them, no church is perfect. However, there are many important issues that should be considered when choosing a church. Some people live close to only a few churches, and their choices will be limited, but for others, there are many more options. Be sure to pray about the churches you’re considering, to be sure you’re following the Lord’s leading as you search. Begin your search online, or in a local phone book, to see all of your options. Be especially sure to read a church’s doctrinal statement or statement of belief to find out about their stance on important issues. If from this initial research, a church seems to be good and solid, visit the church (including small groups or Sunday school classes) for several weeks while prayerfully considering whether to join as a member. Listed below are some important things you should consider in your search to find a church.
Commit to prayer 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “pray without ceasing”
Prayer is essential to our spiritual growth, because it develops Christ-likeness, builds our connection with God, and expands our confidence in God. So if we want to be mature believers who bring God glory, then we must be women of prayer. Not to get our way, or to change God’s mind, but to line up our hearts, mind, and will with His.
Prayer is more than merely talking to God; it is a relationship with God. In fact, praying to God is the most intimate thing you can do in your faith. As we pray, all is laid bare before our heavenly Father. There is nothing you can hide from God when you pray.
But prayer is also educational. When we pray, God reveals Himself to us. As we pray, the Holy Spirit brings long-forgotten Bible verses to our minds that strengthen and encourage us. No wonder our Lord said this:
Men ought always to pray, and not to faint. (Luke 18:1 KJV)
Get serious about the word 2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to show yourself approved unto God”
We are right in the middle of the information age where all kinds of strange doctrines can be found online. In a sense, they are an indication of the end times we are passing through. In 2 Timothy 4:3 we are warned about the end times ‘For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but having itching ears, they shall heap to themselves teachers in accordance with their own lusts.’
In such a time, it’s imperative that whatever you believe is anchored by the word of God. It’s important that you develop a critical and discerning eye. Test everything you hear and be vigilant. Be a Berean.
The Bereans lived in the Greek city of Berea, also called Beroea, in the time of the Apostle Paul, about AD 50. These people, mentioned in Acts 17, are best known for searching and studying the Bible for themselves and not merely accepting what they were taught.
It’s a marathon, not a sprint
All in all, remember that being a Christian is a marathon and not a sprint. You have an amazing life ahead of you which you get to live whilst being in community with the Holy Spirit. Be patient with yourself and always know that you are working from God’s approval and not for his approval. This is why the Gospel is good news!
A new year begins and there is no doubt many people will be writing new years resolutions. Is prayer on your list?
As believers, prayer is often neglected. Even though we are encouraged to ‘pray without ceasing’ in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, many of us still find it hard to pick up this spiritual discipline. Here is the reality, the only way to make 2023 truly an amazing year is to walk closely with God and the only way to do that is to pray.
The best prayer comes from a strong inward necessity. We have all proved this to be true. When our lives are serene and placid, our prayers are apt to be dull and listless. When we reach a crisis, a moment of danger, a serious illness, or a heavy bereavement, then our prayers are fervent and vital.
I remember once hearing “the arrow that is to enter heaven must be launched from a bow fully bent”
What is Prayer?
The most basic definition of prayer is “talking to God.” Prayer is not meditation or passive reflection; it is a direct address to God. It is the communication of the human soul with the Lord who created the soul. Prayer is the primary way for the believer in Jesus Christ to communicate his emotions and desires with God and to fellowship with God.
Prayer can be audible or silent, private or public, formal or informal.
All prayer must be offered in faith (James 1:6), in the name of the Lord Jesus (John 16:23), and in the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26). As the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia puts it, “Christian prayer in its full New Testament meaning is a prayer addressed to God as Father, in the name of Christ as Mediator, and through the enabling grace of the indwelling Spirit” (“Prayer” by J. C. Lambert).
The wicked have no desire to pray (Psalm 10:4), but the children of God have a natural desire to pray (Luke 11:1).
Prayer is described in the Bible as seeking God’s favour (Exodus 32:11), pouring out one’s soul to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:15), crying out to heaven (2 Chronicles 32:20), drawing near to God (Psalm 73:28, KJV), and kneeling before the Father (Ephesians 3:14).
Pray about everything
Paul wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7). Worry about nothing; pray about everything.
Everything? Yes, God wants us to talk with Him about everything. The seemingly mundane things and the things you deem very important. All of it aids communion and so is worth talking to God about. One of the crucial ways to reframe prayer is to see it less as making requests and more s drawing near to a God that ways to know you intimately.
How often should we pray?
The biblical answer is “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We should keep a running conversation going with God all day long. Some find the ACTS formula of prayer helpful, but there is really no special formula for how to pray in the Bible.
(Adoration, Contrition, Thankfulness, Supplication) This simple acronym guides us in speaking with God in prayer.
We should just do it. We can pray under any and all circumstances. Prayer develops our relationship with God and demonstrates our trust and utter dependence upon Him.
Drawing near to Him
One of the conditions of successful prayer is that we must draw near to him with a true heart (Hebrews 10:22). This means a genuine and heartfelt desire to commune with him and to share with him the deep desires and worries of our hearts. Prayer is the growth of a soul as we come in contact with God. As the soul grows, the prayer life deepens.
It doesn’t have to be perfect
Some time ago, a school teacher in New York taught the Lord’s Prayer to her class, and they all learned it. Then one time she called up her pupils one by one and asked each one to repeat the Lord’s Prayer. One of the boys said, “Harold be Thy name” instead of “Hallowed be Thy name.” Another said, “Give us this day our jelly bread.” Another said, “Lead us not into Penn Station.” Another said, “Deliver us from eagles.”
Now, this is understandable because little children do not know these words. And I’m quite sure that God is able, if the heart is right, to give us this day our jelly bread. It is possible to say things that are theologically wrong, and yet if the heart is right toward God, He can sort out the difficulties.
But this is a baby prayer. When you’re asking for something, you are praying the lowest form of prayer. As your prayer life develops, it should go beyond this.
Now secondly, as a child develops a little, he’s taught to say “thank you,” and he’s taught not only to say it to his parents but he’s taught to say to God, “Father, we thank Thee for this food.”
The child then learns about Thanksgiving Day in school. It’s associated with the image of a pumpkin with a cut-out face, the picture of the Puritans hunting turkeys in the fields, or the Puritans bowing their heads on thanksgiving.
Third comes intercession. Intercession is where we stop asking for something just for ourselves and our little circle and begin to plead with God for blessings for others.
We need to shift gears
Many people have been taught that prayer is a cheap way to get anything. When they find themselves in desperate need they pray, and they do not get an answer. A boy prays, “Oh God, I want to pass that exam,” or a girl prays, “Oh God, don’t let me be the only girl who doesn’t get asked by a boy to Winter Wonderland this year.” And if she happens to be the only one who doesn’t get the invitation, she may say in despair, “Oh, I don’t believe in prayer; it just doesn’t work.” As a result, her whole spiritual life may become a mess because she has not been taught the true nature of prayer. Prayer is not saying to a distant God, “Do this and that,” but prayer is basically getting to know God.
Much of the difficulty of spiritually growing up is the shifting of gears that takes a child out of spiritual childhood into spiritual maturity. When we are children, we live largely on our parents’ faith. We say what they say; we have what they have, and we do what they do. But then comes the time when we have to shift gears, and we have to know God alone. For it is only when we know God that we begin to develop into the higher brackets, the higher attitudes of prayer.
If 2023 is to be your best year yet, it must be lived in close communion with God. This comes through a daily and intentional prayer life. Start small and keep it simple. Communicate with God, he is speaking to you.
The longer you have a gift the less you tend to appreciate it.
Today’s Christmas meditation comes from my 3 and 5-year-old niece and nephew. Those children have a way of teaching me things even when they aren’t trying. It has become a little bit of a Christmas tradition for me to spend the holidays with them over in Texas. When I arrived there this time around for the holidays, we played, caught up and of course, I gave them piggyback rides. Later that evening, I cleaned up and went into their rooms. It was until long till I saw last year’s Christmas presents on the floor. In what could only be described as a pile of forgotten toys, I saw gifts from Christmases past overflowing a cupboard. Toys, trucks, princess dolls and the like, they had it.
It dawned on me that the presents they were able to open afresh on Christmas day would soon end up in this very pile I was looking at. I chuckled and walked away with the idea for this short article in mind. I’m sure we can all relate to this if we have younger children or nieces and nephews. When they open their Christmas presents, their eyes immediately light up with wonder and excitement. Within a year, this glee subsides, and the gifts look stale and are largely abandoned.
Now, as adults, we may not receive toys this Christmas but it’s interesting to consider and assess our approach to the Christmas message and to the Gospel that underpins it all. To consider whether we receive it with glee and excitement or whether it has become a stale and mundane part of a thoughtless tradition. Or perhaps our love for the true Christmas message has been overcome by rampant consumerism and festivities.
In revelations 2;4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.
Having commended the church at Ephesus for its doctrinal integrity and perseverance in the face of adversity, Jesus reveals in verse 4 what He found lacking in the Ephesian church. It had abandoned the love that characterized its early history. What remained was devotion to the truth, but not devotion to the Lord. A previous gleeful reception of the truth had grown cold.
Context Summary
Revelation 2:1–7 is the first letter Jesus dictated to John, intended for the church at Ephesus. This congregation is praised for patient endurance and for rightly rejecting false apostles. Despite such an excellent beginning, however, Ephesus had abandoned its first love. They were drifting into coldness and rote religiosity. Jesus instructs the church to remember its early days, repent, and conduct itself as it had done initially. He promises a reward to the victor.
What would a marriage be like if a wife performed all the duties of a wife but without genuine love for her husband? What would a marriage be like if a husband continued to work to provide an income for His family and kept on performing the usual household duties that fall to a husband, but no longer loved his wife? Wouldn’t the marriage be a cold, sterile relationship? On the other hand, duties performed out of love for one’s spouse give meaning and warmth to one’s marriage.
The decline of the church at Ephesus from a deep love for Jesus to a dead orthodoxy prefigures the history of the early Church from Pentecost to the mid-second century. The Ephesian church’s love for Jesus had grown cold, leaving only slavish obedience to rules and doctrines. Jesus’ rebuke needs to be taken seriously today by every church. Sound doctrine and service are important, but they should be grounded in a deep love for Jesus.
Perhaps this Christmas is the time to prayerful ask God to rekindle your love and passion for the truth. To pray and Ezekiel’s prayer
“I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.”
Ezekiel 11:14-21
The prayer is that God would make this heart of flesh and embodied experience for you. This does not necessarily mean you should get into the ‘Christmas Spirit but it does mean you should take to consider how you continue to be excited by the greatest gift you ever received.
The truth is so obscure nowadays and lies so well established that unless we love the truth we shall never recognize it
Blaise Pascal
It is imperative for believers to understand what constitutes truth in our current culture which claims that truth is relative. If truthfulness is a character trait and truth is relative, then we can expect our character to be inconsistent. The bible says something completely different about the nature of truth. In this article we will be observing the: origin, character, and impact of lies and in like manner, of truth. I pray that this article will help you to shun lies, embody truth, and cause you to be more truthful as a result, In Jesus’ name.
The Origin, character, and impact of lies
You can understand a thing by understanding its origin, character, and impact; lies are no different. Jesus sums up these features of lies in saying:
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me" John 8:42-45 NKJV
Adam and Eve were spiritually murdered by the lie of the devil in the beginning. The lie ‘you will surely not die’, (Gen 3:4) assured their death. By stating that the devil is the father of lies, Jesus helps us to understand where it originates from. Lies and murder are one in nature because they hail from the same place. Jesus asserts that truth is not a platform for the foot of the devil because he is a murderer. He then rebuked the people that opposed his word, characterizing them as liars mirroring the one it originates from. This teaches us that a Godless system that rejects the truth of Jesus Christ, embraces the lie of the enemy, becomes murderous in nature because it opposes the one who gives life.
The Apostle John states: ‘We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one’ (1 John 5:19). Paul infers the same thing: ‘the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.’ (2 Corinthians 4:4)
The enemy keeps the world under his sway, and blinds unbelievers through lies. Nothing is out of bounds when it comes to indoctrinating through lies: Entertainment, politics, media, education and even relationships can serve as means of indoctrination. The purpose of his lies is to stop our sight of Christ, which is attempted murder of the life we were created for, the image and glory of God. When we accept the lies of the enemy, we mirror him instead of God.
The origin, character, and impact of truth
The reason Jesus could essentially say that to reject his word is to embrace a lie is because: “… grace and truth came through Jesus Christ,” (John 1:17) He ‘proceeded and came forth from God with grace and truth.’ For the believer, Christ is the very embodiment of truth, His teachings, and His examples. This is true because Christ is the reality of what God has in mind for creation. His character and the impact His life accomplished is the truest potential of God’s image and glory in human form. It is no wonder that the enemy endeavour’s to lie to man who was created in God’s image and blind us from seeing the glory of Christ.
According to Paul, it’s in beholding the glory of God that we conform to the same image (2 Corinthians 3:18). In beholding the Son of God, we embody His image, which is truth and we become truthful in the process. We become embodiment of truth and live the spiritual lives we were created for. Lives that display the image and glory of God.
Marks of a truthful person, embodying truth
•Worshiping in spirit and truth (John 4:24)
We worship God with sincerity of heart and transparency like Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane
•The inside of the cup matches the outside (Matthew 23:26)
We give up on trying to appear godly when it doesn’t reflect the truth of our heart condition. Rather we ask God to transform our hearts so our lives can reflect the truth of our heart as Jesus’ did.
•We are one like our God ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!’ (Deuteronomy 6:4)
To be ‘one’ means to be a person of integrity. God’s character isn’t circumstantial and being honest and a person of integrity means you are the same. We can be chameleons for the sake of acceptance and that is the equivalence of living a lie.
•Knowing and being set free by the truth (John 8:32)
Knowledge of the truth means intimacy with Jesus Christ and the fruit of this knowledge is freedom. The freedom to live a life that expresses the truth of God’s image. This knowledge helps us to reject anything that opposes Jesus, knowing it originates from the devil and keeps us free from his lies.
Being truthful is rooted in rejecting the father of lies and embracing Truth Himself. Understanding as the enemy is the father of lies, God is the Father of Truth and Truth is Jesus Christ. In accepting Jesus for who He says He is, we accept truth. In beholding Jesus, we embody truth. We become people who worship God in spirit and in truth, whose external mirrors our internal and who’s character isn’t circumstantial but one like our God’s. I pray that we will know the truth of Jesus Christ and we’ll be kept free from the lies of the enemy, In Jesus name; Amen.
It’s important that we go into ministry for the right reasons.
Paul, in his letter to the church at Ephesus alludes to the reality that all Christians are ministers. This is true because he asserts that Christ gave gifts to the church to ‘equip saints for the work of ministry’ (Ephesians 4:7-12). The relevance of this is that Jesus graces all believers with the responsibility of ministering, though we may minister in different capacities. Consequently, no believer is exempt from the question this article seeks to answer. In this article, we will be uncovering who owns the ministry; the minister or God and how to ensure that the owner isn’t mistaken. We will do this by exploring the temptation to seize what belongs to God due to the nature and consequence of the fall, which also plays out in ministry.
The nature of the fall and how it plays out in ministry
Let’s start with Paul’s admonition to the Colossians:
“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,” Colossians 3:23
Paul excludes nothing in what he urges us to do for God, so ministry is obviously included. With that being said, we also learn from Paul that there’s a sense of responsibility or ownership that believers should feel towards their ministry, he uttered ‘For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,’ (Romans 11:13). The problem comes when you forget that you were entrusted with stewardship over it, and it really belongs to God. In the Garden Adam had a sense of responsibility and ownership towards it, his work was to dress and keep the garden, but its source was God. When the serpent tempted Adam and Eve, he appealed to their selfish ambition, Eve saw that it was ‘good for food, a delight to the eyes and it was to be desired to make one wise,’ the temptation was to apprehend the benefits of the tree without regard for its source.
Our ministry is the same way, we have responsibility and a sense of ownership towards it, but its source is God. Paul urges us against this same selfish ambition saying, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” (Philippians 2:3). Our ministry can expose an array of selfish ambitions: a means for position, significance, wealth, and power. The wise king Solomon did say ‘A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before the great’ (Proverbs 18:16). The problem is when your ministry becomes more about the rooms you want to occupy and the dignitaries you want to rub shoulders with than honouring God. Ministry has become about you and not about God.
Learning from Jesus’ example
The gifts God gives to aid our ministering will inevitably provide opportunities. This is especially true in our celebrity culture. In Jesus’ case, the opportunity was not merely to be before kings but to be king of all the kingdoms of the world and their glories. A position he was tempted to rise to by bowing to the enemy. The temptation was strikingly similar to Adam and Eve’s because they were made in God’s likeness but were tempted to disregard God in order to be like him. The Father’s plan was always for the Son to not only be king but to be the King of kings. Thankfully he had his priorities straighter than Adam and Eve had theirs.
“Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Therefore, when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.” John 6:14-15 NKJV.
At different points of his ministry, Jesus slipped from the crowds before they could crown him because his ambition was for God. He was working heartily in all he was doing for God and not for men. Not to be applauded by men (which is what the crown represents) but to be applauded by God.
In another instance, he had the opportunity of renown, to amass an audience for himself but he responded the same way, again because he understood that his ministry was for God. “However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. So, He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.” Luke 5:15-16
He ran from the crowd to be with the source of his ministry, and we ought to do the same.
Jesus overcame the public temptation in his ministry because he overcame the garden of Eden-like temptation he faced in the wilderness (Matthew 4). Again, like Adam and Eve, his temptation was to gratify selfish ambitions outside of the will of God.
Questions we can ask ourselves to ensure the ministry we are at stewarding is God’s and not ours:
Are you content without the microphone or the stage?
Are you content without an audience seeing and applauding your gifts and good deeds; is the secret place enough for you? (Read Matthew 6:1-6 for more context)
Are you striving to be a Mary or a Martha? (Read Luke 10:38-42) for more context.
Who is fundamentally responsible for all your ministerial success?
If we are being honest with ourselves, the ‘right Christian answer’ isn’t always the truth in our ministerial journeys. You might need to take frequent breaks like Jesus did to ensure your contentment lies in God alone. You might need to take a break altogether. I know I’ve had to personally. Concluding that you won’t ever need to ask yourself these questions and examine your heart isn’t the wisest disposition. Scripture calls us to examine ourselves (2nd Corinthians 13:5). As Christians, we are ministers with a unique blend of gifts to aid our ministry. Our ministries will attract attention because of our gifts but we must have our priorities straight. We must choose the disposition of humility and not pride. We must take the type of ownership that mirrors responsibility for our ministry whilst acknowledging our source like Jesus did, seeing ministry as a means of service to people for the glory of God. We must examine and be honest with ourselves when we are being fuelled by selfish ambition. We must repent and take breaks if we need to, to find contentment in God alone. May God help us to use our ministries to serve people for God’s glory and not for ours in Jesus’ name, Amen.
After 7 years of wearing our God Given Mission with pride, we are changing the name of our organisation and moving into the next chapter of our work
I lay out some of the reasons for our new name in the video below. Have a watch and share it with someone too.
It would take far too long to go into all the details about our new strategy, however over the next few weeks, it will become more apparent what we are working on.
I want to thank all the people who pray for us, and who share our work and also a special thank you to our donors who make our work possible.
Here is to the next few years of an amazing impact
Apathy. A feeling where we lack interest and enthusiasm, a word that can be applied to various situations such as work, and studies but could we also feel this way towards our Christian faith, worshipping, reading the bible or praying? Yes, that is the simple answer. It is entirely possible for a Christian to go from being a vibrant and zealous spiritual experience to a day or week after, feeling numb and apathetic. It is no foreign or alien feeling but rather something we should expect and be vigilant about, considering that we can face hardships, go through busy seasons, and grow weary over time.
I just don’t feel like it…
In a period of spiritual drought, it is hard to do the things of God like fellowshipping with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ or even go onto the bible app. This can be triggered by so many things, a bereavement, stress at work or university, exhaustion from burn out, being made redundant and so many other things, the list goes on. Apathy can also be triggered by complacency (Amos 6:1-4), or where we can get too comfortable in our faith and start to lose our awe and wonder of God (Hosea 13:6). And if we identify this state of apathy but do nothing to leave it, this will distance us even further from God (James 4:17).
You see the devil prowls around looking for people isolated and vulnerable to devour, so it is important that we arm ourselves and stay sober and alert. If we liken apathy to dust or dirt that collects in our house, in a good season we will regularly clean/tidy up every 1-2 weeks but a time may come when your house is neglected for 1-2 months. In that situation, a deep spring clean will be required to restore and recalibrate your home to its original state. And following a period of apathy, we will need a deep and intentional spring clean to recalibrate and reignite the flame for God once more.
A compassionate God we serve
So, how do we fight apathy when it comes? Well below are a few suggestions: –
Bring your need to the cross, our God is compassionate and rich in mercy, we can come to Him as we are and lay at His feet. Time in His presence, delighting in Him once more will bring back the fervent joy of our salvation.
Bring your need to a healthy Christian community, in times of apathy and disconnect…talk about it. It is nothing to be ashamed of, but it is essential you try to reconnect with the body of Christ once more, allowing someone to walk alongside you and encourage you during this season.
Prayer and fasting, our prayers are powerful and effective. Regaining the habit of talking to God, remove any distractions whether it is food, social media or tv. And being intentional about re-opening the communication line with God, be it for 10mins, 30mins or 1hr a day.
Because of the LORD’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail
Lamentations 3:22
Friends, this is not a problem without a solution, the first step is to identify that something is not clicking spiritually. There has been a break in your connection with God. And then taking steps to re-establish that connection. Our God is gracious and patient towards us, so I urge you to fight to reignite the fire, and apply intense effort and ardent zeal against apathy (which may seem like an uphill climb).
With the help of the Holy Spirit inside of you, you CAN reclaim the joy, awe, and wonder that comes from knowing God once again! So, while spiritual apathy may make an appearance in our lives, let us be mindful it doesn’t dominate our lives and steer us away from our heavenly father. Spot it. Stop it. And live the superabundant life promised to you through Jesus!
Like many around the world, my first sexual encounter happened far sooner than it should have. I was maybe 4 years, in Nigeria, when a group of neighbours intervened during an encounter In the back garden. They stopped an older neighbour and me from ‘playing around.’ I didn’t know what this neighbour was doing to me but I remember being stopped, being told it was wrong and being punished for it. He was punished too but was giggling, he didn’t take it very seriously. Even though I was only 4 years old, I vividly remember being shocked and confused. I remember being ashamed, and that shame felt like I’d just been stung by a bee.
In a recent book, I read ‘What Happened To You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing‘ the authors raised a central point about how the earliest experiences we have can shape us in ways beyond our imagination. This article explores what the Gospel has to say about trauma and sexuality
A year or two after, my whole family would move to the UK to start a new life. My young mind buzzed with excitement at what might lay in London. That early incident lay dormant most of my early life, I just never visited that basement. I had an ordinary childhood, played sports, loved music and enjoyed making people laugh. I became a Christian at 13 years old at a church in southeast London. That was the first time I heard the Gospel presented to me. The pastor articulated it persuasively and I was hooked. I became aware that I was a sinner in need of saving.
I believed the claims he made about Jesus, his death, his burial and his resurrection; I remember walking forward to be prayed for, excited at the prospect of actually becoming a Christian. At that time, I was also very attracted to the idea that the Gospel might free me from lustful thoughts about women that were starting to develop in my mind as I was going through puberty and had recently discovered pornography.
Falling in Love
The next chapter of my life was about love, I fell in love with many things, sports, music and politics, these were pure loves that greatly enriched my life. I also fell into a toxic love with Pornography and built a very unhealthy habit of watching things no child really should see.
Later on, I would fall in love with my now ex-girlfriend, however, my addiction to pornography at the time meant there was always a sexual undertone to my thoughts about her. I struggled to see her as a full person and not just an object of desire and lust. However, she was kind to me. She taught me so much. How to open up, laugh and be empathetic. The truth is, I believed I would marry her and so when the relationship ended abruptly, it was very shocking to my system.
I remember feeling devastated and lonely but having no real way to express it. I told friends I didn’t care and that I had moved on but the truth was, I was hurting and in lots of pain. As a natural planner, I felt as though I had been building a pretty good life up until then and my break-up meant this was no longer the case. I had made an idol of planning and building a life that looked good to other people and the failure of this relationship was devastating to me. Even though I loved this girl, I struggled to connect emotionally, largely due to all sorts of images that would often rush through my mind.
At the same time, a parallel plot was developing, the earlier, played-down incident was growing in my mind as I became increasingly lustful becoming emotionally open and vulnerable with people of the same sex. It would spill over into indecent thoughts, desires and acts which after sobering up, I would be deeply ashamed of. This would lead to a shame cycle which made me more and more lonely even whilst being surrounded by amazing people.
What was odd about this was, even though I would speak to God about everything, I wouldn’t bring this up to him. I felt the same flavour of shame I knew all too well from when I was younger and had that earlier incident. This was one area of my life I refused to share with God or to expose to his light. I would often tell myself “well I like girls more than all of this other stuff so I guess it doesn’t matter.” This was a distortion of confession and an attempt to stay in denial and subsequently locked up in a cloud of shame, regret and very low self-worth. It was odd because as I grew up, I was building a strong reputation and achieving so much whilst feeling sad, empty and largely worthless. I believed that God was ashamed of me and prayer started to slowly cease. I didn’t feel like I could rely on people because of betrayal and naturally pushed away people who loved me. One of the first people I opened up to, secretly recorded the conversation and shared it with a few other people behind my back. I remember the taste of betrayal, driving me into more secrecy and distrust of the very people who loved me.
The Re-energised Gospel
That early chapter was one of shame.
As I grew older, my understanding of God’s grace also greatly evolved. God’s grace is not simply forgiveness but empowerment to see yourself the same ways he sees you. Part of doing the work as we reach adulthood is to revisit past trauma, connect the dots and allow God’s spirit to deeply minister to us.
As I’ve spent more time with God and in an authentic Christian community, I’ve begun to have a much clearer sense of what God may be doing in my life and what lies I may have traded for his truth. I know many people are where I was and part of my journey is the share my deep shortcomings so that others can and may find freedom.
I remember when I first prayed about all of this, I had so many questions for God. Why did I experience what I did at such a young age? Was I made this way? Why could he not just keep my life simple and clear? Why all these side roads and distractions? On some of these questions, there has been significant progress but I also don’t have the answers to all of them. However, there is one thing that can give us hope
All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28.
This means that God, in his divine providence, uses all things, even traumatic experiences, to achieve his unique goals on this earth and beyond
God uses everything to make something beautiful in our lives
I have made some grave mistakes in my life, offended some people, and committed acts that I wish I could rewind time to undo, however, none of us gets a chance to go back in time. Somehow God uses all of our shortcomings to mature us, grow us and make us more like him
He offers rest and peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7) but it requires we make an exchange (1 Peter 5:7). I always understood this theoretically but struggled to hand this area of my life over to him. My worries were about, being seen through a lens that made me look weak, what would happen to my future wife and kids and what would happen to me. In time, I have learnt that all these things had nothing to do with my relationship with God but everything else like public standing and perception. Things that don’t matter and were not the fruit of my salvation. God called me, saved me, and offered me peace that surpasses all understanding in exchange for casting my cares and burdens onto him. All the other things shouldn’t be my immediate concern.
In Christian life, shame is not something we negotiate with, instead, it’s something we set aside because truly if God is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31). When we negotiate with shame, it drives us away from the closeness and nearness Jesus’ death bought us.
1. We need to create more safe spaces
God wants all of us. As a church, I fear we haven’t done enough to open up our hearts, homes, and spaces to people that have unique stories. I am guilty of this. Sex and sexuality are so elevated and allowed to accrue unique dread and fatality in popular culture. Some people believe they are better off dead than experiencing same-sex attraction at some point in their lives. This is a tragedy
Many people have told themselves they will die with secrets when the reality is that a community with God’s people can and should be a balm for people making sense of their experiences. Just like everything else, when exposed to God’s light, it doesn’t change how God sees us. When God shines his light on us, it is warm, inviting and transformational and not burning, hard, scolding or humiliating. That’s the light that society shines.
The reality of Romans 10:3 is that God sees us as sons, as his chosen people. He doesn’t see us through the lens of what we are wrestling with or have wrestled with. We must give people the licence to be their full and authentic selves and not some acceptable shadow of who they are.
Your friend and Bible study partner who’s married with three kids might experience same-sex attraction. The single guy who serves faithfully on the hospitality team might have known since he was little that his desires were different from other boys. The elder’s wife who is every woman’s shoulder to cry on may weep privately about this struggle that just won’t go away. I’ve met all of these people and everyone needs space to tell their story.
2. What we suppress, comes out in other forms
I believe what we suppress, festers and comes out in unbefitting ways. One of the major reasons I believe scandals are commonplace in the church is because of a failure for us to be human and to confess freely. For us to tell the truth and make sense of what we think and feel in a healthy environment. I have lived experience of scoffing at therapy or making light of the importance of deep and radical confession. I have since repented from this because those are the very tools the church needs to use far more often to help people begin and continue a healing journey.
Confessing and sharing what we think and feel is crucial to healthy and holistic development. James 5:16 says ‘Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail’
3. A message to those making sense of their experiences
Now several people may be reading this article because they have experienced same-sex attraction and have no idea what to do about it. I am no fountain of wisdom, but my encouragement would be to start by bringing it into the light. Talking to God about how you feel and what you are going through. Next are people who love you and trust. This can start in your circle of friends or even in your church. It’s important to note that you are saved by grace, through faith and not because of your good works or right living. Christian living is a fruit of salvation and not the root. It is what flows out of a life yielded and lived in submission to God. The Gospel is about your salvation and the fruit that comes thereafter, not only about your sexuality. In the church, we have a habit of elevating sex and sexuality so much that we forget there is a whole Christian ethic we have been called to observe.
Christians, we serve a God who casts out fear with love; we worship a Saviour who came that we may have life to the full; we are filled with the Spirit who makes all things new. In his power, let’s be quick to listen and slow to speak as we embark on the long road of discipleship.
The Bible describes the community of Christians as the body of Christ. Like the body is made up of different parts, the body of Christ is made up of different individuals. The intention of God clarified throughout the New Testament is that every Christian forms a significant part of the community or body. In this article, I will be uncovering why as Christians we need community, fundamentally and practically. I pray that you will embrace your need for community and that it bears good fruit in your life in Jesus’ name.
Embodying the God of community
The Christian cannot honour God without living in community. I propose the notion that community aids us in being image bearers, which ultimately allows us to honour God, a fundamental reason we need community.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Genesis 1:26
Being God’s image or his representation is more connected to living in community than we realise. This is because God exists in community. In Genesis 1:26, when ‘us’ is used, it refers to the Godhead, the three persons that form the community where God exists and works all things, namely, The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. Fundamentally, if we neglect community then we are neglecting to be God’s image, which in turn leads to a plethora of other issues. Without knowing it, living in isolation can be a claim that one is more capable than the God who lives in community.
Man with the Bible
The person within the Godhead we are called to embody specifically is Jesus, who lived as a human being in community. He had a community of twelve men he shared life with and within the twelve, he had an inner circle of three. I remember exploring the idea of community amongst a group of men I share life with meaning we walk through the scriptures together and hold each other accountable.
We were speaking about the need for community and one of them made a point about Jesus, who took the three within his inner circle: Peter, James and John with him to the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus was about to face the temptation of choosing his will over the Father’s so he told them to watch and pray (Mark 14:32-42). Granted they weren’t the best accountability partners at that point because they fell asleep, nevertheless, he saw the importance of having people who were watching and praying whilst he faced his test.
If Jesus sought community, who then are we to think we can do this Christian walk alone?
Obeying scripture’s mandate for community
It can be more difficult to be obedient to the scriptures if we live outside of community. The New Testament authors, inspired by the Holy Spirit encourage us towards community with verses like:
‘Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ’ (Galatians 6:2)
‘Exhort one another daily so that you are not hardened by the deceitfulness of sin’ (James 3:13)
‘Confess your sins to one another and pray for each other that you may be healed, for the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective’ (James 5:16)
These are amongst many admonitions towards community in the New Testament. These verses can only be adhered to by those who are actively living in community and the consequence of isolation often means that Christians are discouraged and struggling alone.
A brother or sister can remind you that there is no condemnation in Christ when there is a temptation to yield to condemnation. A brother or sister in Christ can stir you up into faith and good works and a brother or sister can sharpen you as iron sharpens iron. Community allows us to practically apply Paul’s admonition to Timothy to ‘flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart’ (2 Timothy 2:22). A phone call to a trusted brother or sister when youthful lusts seem more appealing than righteousness could be what aids you to ‘flee and pursue’. Having communities that help me to apply this and the above verses has proven to be a major source of strength and it should be for every member of the body of Christ. If it isn’t then we are being disobedient to the scriptures.
It’s clear to see biblically that the call to community is non-negotiable if we truly want to honour God and glorify Him. At its root, community allows us to be image bearers and practically, it allows us to mirror Jesus, our God who lived in community. It also allows us to be obedient to the admonishments that scripture calls to. It can make a significant difference in us thriving and being victorious or being discouraged, living in defeat, in our walks with God. I pray again that God allows you to see your need for community and for it bear good fruit in your life.
Jehovah Jireh – the Lord who sees beforehand and provides
With two thirds (66%) of adults in Britain reporting their cost of living increased in the past month, rising energy prices are a growing factor in the squeeze on household budgets. With a rise in living cost, the current financial climate can breed uncertainties about the financial future. Many of us are able to work for most of our lives because God has provided wonderful opportunities to earn a living. We may not always work in a job that we particularly love (some do!), but out of our obligation to provide for our family and to be a contributing member of society, we endure each day, doing whatever God has given us the opportunity to do. As Christians, we know we are to do all things unto Lord and not for man (Colossians 3:23) and should have an attitude of gratefulness as we work. Why, then, do so many of us fear about the money we earn each week? There is the fear of losing it, or the fear of not having enough—perhaps the fear of whether we are investing it properly or fear of not being able to pay our debts. What is driving this fear, and how do we silence it? This article is for the person going through financial stress or hardship.
Financial peace is yours
One thing I learnt around 5 years ago is that the money I make is not my own, but the Lord’s and He has given me stewardship of His money. Therefore, if I am only a “keeper” of said money, I can rest assured that God will take care of what is His! However, it is up to me, to be responsible with what I have personally been given stewardship over. What is also important as Christians, is to eradicate the “poverty mindset” that we should live in lack and also the “materialistic mindset” that we are entitled to everything, but rather through Christ we are fully equipped to live a dynamic financial life (Philippians 4:12-13). More importantly, amid our financial challenges, do we try to still give generously? Be it your tithes, church offering, a £1 donation to a foodbank, buying a sandwich for a homeless person or volunteering your time to support an elderly person with their garden, let us continue (where possible) to be cheerful givers.
Financial freedom is yours
I assure you that this present suffering is only temporary, our finances do not have to steal our peace or joy. What the world did not give, it cannot take away. Where possible find a safe space to be transparent about your financial journey be it in lifegroup, a spiritual mentor, family and/or friends or even Christian financial charities such as CAP. Talking about finances is the beginning of surrender and a step towards freedom, as you hand over your cares to the Lord to carry the weight you were never meant to alone.
Useful financial tips
Speak life over your finances and change your financial language
Start and Maintain an Emergency Fund
Stay Disciplined > accountability partners can help keep you in check
Don’t Spend More Than You Make
Small Savings Add Up – Don’t Underestimate the Small Changes
Plan for Large Purchases > avoid impulse buying
Create a Budget Plan and Track Expenses using Excel sheet/book (Monzo or Revolut card are useful for monitoring spending)
Monitor Subscription Services > do you need everything you subscribe to?
If you drive, compare petrol price using petrolprices app also consider car sharing to split petrol prices and combining with public transport use
Subscribe to “Lookaftermybills” to receive regular updates on how to save money
I hope by reading this that you understand our financial wellbeing is influenced by the spiritual and physical actions we take. Though there be “financial crisis” and anxiety/fear may be thick in the air, trust that you serve a God who will provide your daily bread (Matthew 6:11). Whilst we strive to earn more money, get a promotion, pay our bills let us remember to store our treasures in heaven and not on earth (Matthew 6:19) and continue to walk in the will of God. Friend, remember it is God’s will to provide for you, so continue to be specific in your requests whilst giving thanks (Philippians 4:6-7). And finally, in your prayers remember the needs of others when praying for financial breakthrough/increase.
