God

Charlie Kirk – One Week On.

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

Our brother Charlie Kirk was assassinated because his love for Christ, for his country, and for others drove him to speak.  He spoke openly and gave the microphone to whoever wanted to disagree with him.  He was imperfect, of course, but he was gracious, kind, informed and increasingly influential. 

I’ve watched him for years, and have watched his testimony become clearer during that time. Last Wednesday morning, I watched a couple of clips as I often do.  In one of them, Charlie spoke so clearly of his love for Jesus.  I thanked God that my brother was reaching so many with such a clear testimony.  On Wednesday evening, Jesus welcomed him home. 

Here are my thoughts about some of the things people are saying, in no particular order:

“It hurts“.  I’ve seen many people expressing on social media, or to me personally, how much this hurts.  People are saying they have never felt grief over the death of a public figure like they have this past week.  Me too.  God doesn’t expect us to respond to something like this with stoic resolve.  If I saw a family member shot and brutally killed, it would stir all sorts of emotions.  I did see that last week.  I can’t unsee it.  And it hurts.  Let’s not hide our emotions; I’m sure that is not going to help.  Obviously, we need to be wise with the swirling anger and rage that can be mixed in with the sorrow and grief, but pretending it doesn’t affect us would be a weird response under any circumstance. Let yourself grieve.

“Did I agree with everything he said?”  Can I politely ask, what if I did?  Why do we have to caveat anything and everything we say that might seem remotely political?  Why do we often hesitate to speak up when others hold different opinions and might be upset?  Self-censorship is becoming a crippling feature of society. I loved how joyfully confident Charlie was in the truth and, therefore, how little he needed to be defensive if someone disagreed with him or criticised him.  I want to be more like that. 

(Just for clarity, I do not agree with things taken out of context and attributed to him to smear him.  Also, I have not checked his view on every issue, so I do not know if I agree with him on everything or not.  My point is, what if I did?  Are we allowed to have opinions? Or is it only permitted if we share those opinions deemed acceptable by the media?)

“The killer was just one mentally unstable person.”  Thankfully, the murder of public figures is not an everyday occurrence in our society.  It is in some places.  It could become more common in the West.  However, the problem may not be restricted to one lone gunman. This killer seems to have been radicalised by the same education system and cultural media that have obviously influenced countless thousands, judging by the disgusting reactions to Charlie’s death from so many.  Why are we shocked when so many celebrate such a heinous act, or call for more of the same?  Are our memories so short?  It wasn’t long ago that significant numbers of people on social media, on mainstream media, and for some, in person, were wishing death on those people who chose not to take a certain medical intervention.  Condoning or celebrating death based on opinions is a disgusting development of our time, but it didn’t start in the last week.

“Words are violence.”  Actually, no, violence is violence.  The prevailing ideology which says that words are violence directly feeds into this kind of atrocity.  If words are violence, then physical violence can be justified as an act of self-defence.  Feed that “words are violence” mindset with a constant stream of terrible slurs and lies, and there will be someone ready to perpetrate an evil act of violence.  After all, the public are being repeatedly told of the danger to democracy posed by people like Charlie because they are __________ (you can guess the labels.)  I think Charlie said something like, “The most important thing is to tell people about Jesus, and the second most important thing is to fight for the freedom to do the first most important thing.”  We live in a society that is hurtling towards the loss of free speech, and I am perplexed that so many people seem so unconcerned about that, or think it is just a political matter that can be left for others to defend.

“This is all just about politics.”  True, Charlie was an outspoken supporter of values that meant broad alignment with one side of the political divide, and he actively worked to campaign for one presidential candidate.  Sadly, I don’t think people in Britain understand the American political scene, and many only see the twisted impression promoted by the British media.  Nevertheless, we cannot keep acting as if politics and faith are totally distinct.  Politics is not just made up of parties.  It is also made up of issues: issues that impact the lives of people, issues that relate to morality, issues that matter to us as Jesus followers.  I am not suggesting politics is the answer.  No, Jesus is the answer.  But many of the issues really matter, and we cannot, we must not, keep abdicating our responsibility to speak out about those issues appropriately. 

Too many Christians act as if they are “above politics”, and they simply want to focus on the gospel. But for some, the driving motivation seems to be fear of ruffling the feathers of those who may disagree.  I see that fear impulse in myself, too.  Yes, let’s preach the gospel; it is the only hope for our world.  But self-censoring out of fear is not the faith-filled approach to the life that we are called to as followers of Jesus.  You don’t have to become a party-affiliated influencer, but let’s have the courage to speak about what is true, what is right, and what is good.  Politics matters because people matter.  We, of all people, should be ready to speak, precisely because we believe that people matter.

So we have a choice.  Either we continue to shy away from anything that could be considered political, or we face the fact that there is an existential battle raging in our society that is much bigger than traditional left vs right policy squabbles.  It is a spiritually charged battle of ideologies.  It is about unaccountable control versus freedom.  It is about death versus life. It is a clash of worldviews.  We need to speak about issues that matter, even if we get labelled with a political slur (either way).  No party will ever represent key biblical values perfectly, but can we stop hiding our heads in the sand and acting like we are somehow “above all that stuff?”  We cannot be “above” freedom of speech, or morality and the redefinition of crime, or sexual ethics, or the protection of children, or assisted suicide, or abortion, or war, or terrorism, or compassion, or any number of other issues.  Values drive agendas, which in turn drive policies, legislation, and ultimately, change, affecting people’s lives for better or worse.  Some political issues are directly related to our Christian values, and so we must speak up. 

“Charlie shouldn’t have been so outspoken.”  Why?  First, a lot of people are taking the British media slurs of “hateful”, “racist”, etc. as if they are accurate.  Watch Charlie for yourself, don’t trust the BBC, Sky News, ITV, etc.  Second, realise that if you or I were significant enough for the media to go after us, they would probably use some of the same derogatory labels for you and me.  Unfair?  That’s precisely my point.  Third, many people, especially young people, admired Charlie for his courage in speaking out.  Was it the silence of many church leaders on “controversial” issues that made so many young people flock to Charlie as a mentor from a distance?  We would do well to consider that possibility and examine ourselves.  I am doing that myself.  Let’s not fall into the trap of fear.  Speaking truth and the gospel may cost any of us our lives, but we should speak it anyway.  With grace, of course.  With kindness, absolutely.  Christlike?  Without a doubt.  But silence, fear, and trying to be acceptable to a fallen world is not the Jesus way. 

“If you live by the sword…”  Can we be clear, please?  Charlie lived “with two microphones” – he let people disagree, he listened to people, he encouraged dialogue, and he believed in open debate.  He put people who disagreed with him at the front of the line. He spoke as a Christian, and he was killed for it.  He didn’t live by the sword.

“There is hate speech and violence on both sides.”  Can we find bad examples of individuals on all sides of political divides? Of course.  Are there good-willed people on all sides of political issues? Absolutely. But this “both sides” line is a misleading and disingenuous summary.  Compare and contrast the response to Charlie’s murder and other high-profile deaths.  Where is the looting, the rioting, the destruction, etc.?  Do we see Christians or political conservatives celebrating the deaths of others, or even worse, calling for the killing of more people they disagree with? No, we don’t. The way of Jesus is profoundly different. We are called to love our enemies and not to return evil for evil. Ideologies differ, and it shows.  Let’s stop pretending every ideology is the same. 

“He has been silenced.”  No, he hasn’t.  He has been amplified and multiplied.  Charlie’s death is only going to raise up thousands of others like him who are ready to be courageous and speak for Christ and for the truth. God is going to build his church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

“What will the impact be?”  We cannot know yet.  I’ve seen people posting videos saying that they’ve been fearful in the past, but now they want to start speaking the truth, sharing their faith, and so on.  I’ve seen people writing about buying their first Bible and beginning to read it. I’ve seen people asking where to go to church. When the five missionaries were martyred in Ecuador in 1956, nobody could have known the multiplication in missionary sending that would follow that atrocity.  Perhaps Charlie Kirk’s death will turn out to be a turning point in history, too.  Actually, not perhaps, but definitely.  God knows what He is doing, even when evil seems to get the upper hand.  He is building his church, and we know the end of the story.  Somehow, in the midst of grief, indifference, and even evil celebration, God is working out His purposes, and we will eventually see that God does all things well.

“Things feel different.”  My brother was assassinated, and I know many are feeling it deeply.  However we’ve been impacted, may it make us all different.  Perhaps more courageous, gracious, informed, and deeply committed to Jesus, to truth, to communication and to conversation.  If speaking costs you your life on earth, is it worth it?  I’m sure Charlie would say absolutely, Jesus is worth it.

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We sang these words on Sunday, words I am sure Charlie would have sung wholeheartedly:

If you curse me, then I will bless you

If you hurt me, I will forgive

And if you hate me, then I will love you

I choose the Jesus way

If you’re helpless, I will defend you  

If you’re burdened, I’ll share the weight

And if you’re hopeless, then let me show you

There’s hope in the Jesus way

[Chorus]

I follow Jesus, I follow Jesus

He wore my sin, I’ll gladly wear His name

He is the treasure, He is the answer

Oh, I choose the Jesus way

If you strike me, I will embrace you

And if you chain me, I’ll sing His praise

And if you kill me, my home is Heaven

For I choose the Jesus way

[Chorus]

I follow Jesus, I follow Jesus

He wore my sin, I’ll gladly wear His name

He is the treasure, He is the answer

Oh, I choose the Jesus way

[Bridge]

And I choose surrender, I choose to love

Oh God, my Savior, You’ll always be enough

I choose forgiveness, I choose grace

I choose to worship, no matter what I face

I choose the Jesus way, I choose the Jesus way

I choose the Jesus way, I choose the Jesus way

[Chorus]

I follow Jesus, I follow Jesus

He wore my sin, I’ll gladly wear His name

He is the treasure, He is the answer

Oh, I choose the Jesus way

James and the Greatest Gap

/ Peter Mead / Leave a comment

The book of James is a fascinatingly practical epistle. Some have called it the Sermon on the Mount in letter form. On the one hand, we shouldn’t expect anything less than practical from the son of a carpenter. On the other hand, we don’t want to miss the profound theological thrust of the letter.

After addressing issues of suffering, true religion, favouritism, the use of the tongue, and the right kind of wisdom, we arrive at James chapter 4. Now, James drills below the practical matters of the letter. Yes, there is a gap between conduct and confession, which seems to bother James. We could frame this as a gap between past habits and new identity, but James presents a more significant gap that we must face.

In James 4:1-3, he goes below the surface to explain what is going on and what is going wrong with his readers. Why do they have conflict? Very simply, it is because of the passions that bubble away inside them. Their conflict comes from their wants, like shoppers fighting to get bargains at the opening of a sale, like children fighting over the happy meals in McDonald’s, or even like chicks pushing to be in prime position to receive the worm from the mother that is bringing food into the nest . . . we clash, because we want.

It is encouraging to see James give a glimpse of the heart of our Father. We only need to ask since he is willing to feed us. So, the problem is inside each one of us – our selfish desires cause havoc in our lives.

What is the solution? Our world and Western tradition tend to tell us that self-control is the solution to our passions. Yes, we have an engine that moves us along, but we need to get a grip on the steering wheel and take control of ourselves. Interestingly, James does not instruct his readers to get a grip. Instead, he gives them a glimpse of what is happening inside God.

In James 4:4-6, we see inside God’s heart. What do we find? We see his jealousy over his people; he calls them “adulteresses.” James is not focusing on the women of the church; he is focusing on the people of the church, who are the bride of Christ. As the bride of Christ, we are flirting with the world. And God’s heart is grieved. It is jealously yearning for us to come back to him.

Here is the real gap that we need to face. Not just the gap between our conduct and our confession, nor even the gap between our past habits and our new identity. It is the growing gap between our hearts and his. Where there is unfaithfulness, God yearns for us to return. Where there is drift, God yearns for us to come close.

James 4 is like God has sat us down in a chair and confronted us with our drift. “What is going on?” We seem to be far from him. We seem to be motivated by other things. It may be overt unfaithfulness, or it may be signs of drift. It may be something that is not bad in itself, but it has become more important than him. Our career, bank balance, hobbies, favourite sports team. Just as we see in Hebrews 12:1-2, there is sin that entangles and everything that hinders—bad things, “good things,” but alternatives to him.

So, how do we respond when God lovingly confronts us for the drift in our spiritual marriage? If we stick out our chests and get defensive, claiming the right to define our spiritual health on our terms, then we reek of pride. God opposes the proud (James 4:6), but will we humbly admit the drift?

In James 4:7-10, we have the wonderful invitation. If we humble ourselves, submit to God, and resist the devil, we can draw near to God. We deserve his rejection, but that was also true before the cross. God loves us and gave Jesus to win our hearts to him. And as we drift, he continues to love us and waits with arms open to welcome us back to him. There may need to be mourning and grief over our unfaithfulness. Turning to our heavenly bridegroom should break our hearts as we see our waywardness and drift. But as we resist the devil and repent, turning back to our bridegroom, we will find that he also draws near to us.

The most critical gap in Christianity is the gap that can develop between our hearts and his. He may take James 4, sit us down in a chair, and confront us with our adulterous drift. But he does so lovingly, longingly yearning for our hearts to draw near to him. And as we do, he will draw near to us.

Hallelujah! What a saviour we have. 

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Please check out the new Biblical Preaching Podcast – in this episode, Peter Mead and Mike Chalmers discuss the four most important questions for all in ministry:

Jonathan Thomas on Revival (Podcast Post – Episode 5)

/ Peter Mead / Leave a comment

“A reawakening of religious fervour” – that is a dictionary definition of revival. But in our latest podcast episode, Jonathan Thomas says we shouldn’t want revival. Jonathan has studied revival and produced documentaries on the subject. It was so good to interview him recently.

I remember reading Walter Kaiser’s book on the sixteen biblical revivals. Psalm 85:6 says, “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” It is thrilling to read of seasons of God’s work being so tangible and imminent. Think of the revival under Josiah and Jeremiah or in the book of Acts. Kaiser finishes his book with these words, “I conclude that there can be no revival without the Lord initiating it and carrying it out. But I also conclude that no one can hide behind the doctrine of God as the explanation for why we have not had a revival in our day.”

So, how should we, as preachers, think about revival? After all, while we might assume we are unlikely to experience a revival, we cannot ignore the fact that revivals tend to involve preachers. I encourage you to watch these two podcast episodes, be encouraged by Jonathan’s thoughts, and join the conversation via the comments under the episode. (As always, please subscribe to the Cor Deo YouTube channel to easily find more content like this as it is released!)

And to find out why we shouldn’t want revival, here is part 2:

New Book Released in the USA

/ Peter Mead / Leave a comment

I am very pleased to announce that my new book, The New Birth, has now also been released in the USA.

If you would like a copy of the book and will see me in person during January/February, please ask. (I will be in Oregon, St Louis and Chicago.) To order the book from my affiliate link in the USA – click here. (To order the book from my affiliate link in the UK/Europe – click here.)

Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy the book! (Please comment on this post if you’ve read the book already, but I would also greatly appreciate any positive reviews on 10ofthose, Amazon, GoodReads, etc.)

Endorsements

“Peter Mead presents this essential doctrine in a way that warm, clear, rich, and readable. The book is accessible and engaging, and the addition of stories and reflection questions at the end of each chapter enables us to consider and imagine the way that the truth of the gospel can and should shape our lives. This is a lovely and helpful book—a great introduction to those new to or exploring faith, and a refreshing encouragement to those who have been Christians for a while.”

Ellidh Cook, Student Worker at All Souls Langham Place, London

“This tiny book conveys a huge reality: that Jesus came to raise spiritually dead people into abundant life! Peter Mead’s insights into the new birth that Jesus offers are both pastorally wise and profoundly helpful.”

Philip Miller, Senior Pastor, The Moody Church, Chicago

“When I became a Christian, I didn’t really grasp what had happened. It was an infinitely bigger deal than I realised-it was (and is) beyond my wildest dreams. Peter has given us an excellent primer into this huge adventure. This lovely, heart-warming book opens up the foundational truth of the new birth. As with the rest of the Essentials series, it is short and simple, yet full of deep and delightful teaching.”

Jonathan Thomas, pastor, author & broadcaster

“I found Peter Mead’s The New Birth contribution to the Essentials’ series most helpful, because it weaves together our story with the big story of Scripture through the lens of the work of the Holy Spirit. Taking as its anchor point Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus, it wonderfully explains the theology and the felt experience of Christian conversion, and all along there are thrilling stories of how the Spirit transformed the likes of Spurgeon, Whitefield, C.S. Lewis, and modern men and women.”

Rico Tice, Co-Founder of Christianity Explored

Is Our View of Satan Too Small?

/ Peter Mead / 6 Comments

I have noticed something strange.  Many Christians will acknowledge the existence and the general agenda of Satan.  They will affirm that he is alive and active on planet Earth.  Yes, they recognize that he hates God and God’s people.  Yes, he hates truth and wants to steal, kill and destroy.  Yes, he wants to tempt us into rebellion, crush us under guilt, and destroy all that is good, beautiful and anything that has even the faintest reflection of God’s character. 

And yet, oddly, as quickly as those affirmations are made, that awareness seems to evaporate just as quickly.  For many Christians, the devil appears to be a very limited antagonist.  He might get some vague credit (for want of a better term) for any temptation we consciously notice. Still, he gets specific credit for very little activity. 

For example, suppose the subject of the occult is raised with the related concepts of devil worship, seances, fortune telling, etc. Many will shudder and point to the enemy’s works in that case.  But is that the whole story?  Is Satan just tempting us as individuals and running a relatively obscure dark religious operation? 

Let’s take a few moments to review some essential biblical background. 

Origins of Satan – The name Satan means adversary and came to be applied to the greatest adversary of all – the devil.  It is a well-earned label!

What we know of his origins is described primarily in Ezekiel 28:11-19, where it is clear that prideful arrogance was the key driver of his original fall from perfection.  Since his fall, his primary domain has been Earth and Sheol.  We see him cursed by God in Genesis 3 – the one whose goal was to be the most high became the most low, eating dirt close to the underworld.

Influence in the world – The big question in this post essentially relates to his influence.  According to 1 John 5:19, the whole world is under the control of the evil one.  He is called the ‘prince of this world’ on several occasions (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11).  He influences through lies, especially the original lie that we humans can be like God, and he masquerades as an angel of light, deceiving people (John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 11:14).  There are plenty of people whose spiritual father is the devil, and it is possible to identify them by their actions and their lack of love (John 8:44; Matthew 13:36-40; Acts 13:10; Ephesians 2:2; 1 John 3:10)

Influence over nations – He rules the nations and tried to strike a deal with Jesus in exchange for Jesus bowing down to him. Still, Jesus did not affirm his ultimate ownership of the nations and did not bow down.  Jesus knew and trusted that, at the right time, the Father would give the nations to him.  (See Matthew 4:10.)  Jesus confronted the power of evil by casting out demons from people. It is evident that Satan commands the realms of darkness (see 1 John 3:8).  What Jesus began in his ministry, he is continuing – building his church and the “gates of hell” continue to be unable to resist the onslaught.  Satan is on the defensive. 

Influence in the Church – Paul wrote to the Romans, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (Romans 16:20). Yet, it would be naïve to assume that Satan does not influence the church.  While our minds might go to Judas Iscariot, whom Satan influenced (John 13:2) and then entered (John 13:27), we do not need to live in fear of being taken over by the evil one.  We belong to God, who is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4).  However, we should recognize that discord, anger, unforgiveness and resentment can provide an opportunity to the devil, and we should actively resist him (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9).

Our hope as the spiritual war rages – Because of Jesus’ victory over the rulers and authorities on the cross (see Colossians 2:13-15), Satan’s power of death is now broken (see Hebrews 2:14-15).  We now know that death is swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54).  And yet, the one who comes only to steal and kill and destroy does not give up easily (John 10:10).  His ultimate downfall is already determined; he will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10).  In the meantime, he fights on.  Indeed, as his time gets short, we might expect him to offer a big final push, but we know the end of the story.

The hole in our spiritual warfare – So, what is missing in our understanding of the spiritual battle that we are in?  Satan exists and is active on earth.  Yes, he does tempt us and would delight to see us derailed by sin and defiled by discord.  And yes, the occult does exist, and some people are drawn into religious acts of pure evil.  But at the start of this post, I suggested our view of Satan may be too small.  Is Satan just tempting us as individuals and running a relatively obscure dark religious operation? 

To be candid, I have been struck by how much we are inclined to bury our heads in the sand regarding evil in this world. “Oh yes,” people will affirm, “Satan is real, and we are in a spiritual battle.” But mention some specific aspects of society and watch the response change:

Could there be evil at work in news reporting designed to shape our thinking? “No way, we can trust the news media.” 

Might the enemy be shaping education to harm children?

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

What about medical professionals who seem driven by something other than ‘first do no harm?’

“Of course not! The doctors I know are good people.”  

What about government decisions that seem to benefit them but harm people and cost lives?

“Absolutely not!  They have our best interests at heart.” 

What about unelected and unaccountable groups of the hyper-rich and influential seeking to gain control over ordinary people?

“If such groups exist, then I’m sure they mean well.”

What about influential people who have publicly declared the global population needs to be reduced by whatever means?

“Of course not; they only want to help the poor!”

What about the entertainment industry that so fills our consciousness?

“Oh, but I like him, she’s my favourite, etc.”

It does not mean much to acknowledge that Satan is real and active if we then immediately deny that he could be at work in almost every layer of human authority and influence.  And I would suggest we are utterly naïve if we don’t believe that the prevailing paradigm of our day, with its “lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God”, is influenced by Satan.  (See 2 Corinthians 10:3-6) 

In the past, Christians seemed ready to recognize the malevolence of hedonism or materialism as it confronted our worldview in the so-called “Christian West” or the evils of totalitarian regimes in the East.  But today, too many Christians seem happy to play along with and believe the best about media-driven narratives concerning identity politics, critical theories, social justice, weather worship, globalist agendas, neo-communist ideologies, uncontrolled immigration and encroaching violent religion.  Are we sure that we should ‘believe the best’ and ‘affirm the good’ in all the ideas swirling around and in all the layers of authority setting themselves up over us?

Perhaps it is time for us to fix our eyes on Jesus and recognize that we are genuine outsiders in this world and that we will be hated by it. And yet we are here as ambassadors to represent God’s truth, to share the hope of Jesus, to stand for what is right and to not love our lives even unto death. Let’s stop smiling at the devil as if he is an insignificant foe.  Let us instead armour up, stand firm, be ready to speak, be prayerful as if we are in a war (for we are), and when we have done everything we can, to stand.

(HT – https://www.logos.com/grow/satan-in-the-bible/ )

5 Post-Lockdown Regrets

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

The initial novelty of lockdown has worn off.  Now people are settling into this new normal and understandably longing for it to end.  Pastorally we are probably being drawn to people suffering with grief, loneliness, marital difficulties, financial hardship or mental health struggles.  But even those who seem to be doing well need to be shepherded.

What regrets can we all anticipate already and pre-empt with changes now?

Lockdown initially stirred feelings of concern and uncertainty at levels that are rare for most of us.  Some commented about how helpful this time could be, and how they don’t want to come out of lockdown without being changed in the process.  Now as we settle into the rhythm of it, that internal sense of having our world shaken may start to fade.

As I spoke with a good friend yesterday, we were pondering how lockdown does not create new spiritual or emotional issues for us.  It is the kind of pressure that merely reveals issues more blatantly.  So now is a good time to anticipate how we will feel coming out of lockdown.  Why?  Because now we still have time to make adjustments.

Some will emerge grieving.  The very nature of the pandemic means that many will lose loved ones during these weeks.  If you have not lost anyone yet, don’t just cross your fingers and hope you won’t.  As Christians we can do more than just avoid spreading the virus.  Be sure to get close to the One you will need when death does strike closer to home.

Some will miss the simplicity of lockdown.  I don’t think this is as simple as extroverts craving interaction while introverts love pottering around at home, although there may be some truth to be found there.  So much of life is stripped away right now that some people are discovering joy in time with family, or in time spent in the garden/yard, etc.  For some who emerge untouched by personal grief, the lockdown may well be remembered fondly.

But many will emerge saddened by missed opportunity.  I don’t mean the missed opportunities in “normal life” that we are missing by being at home.  I mean the unique opportunity this time is presenting to us, but that we may miss.  How much time are we not spending travelling, commuting, running errands, watching sport, participating in activities outside of work, church ministries, etc.?  And for those furloughed from work – how many hours a week does that add?  When does life ever present us with extra tens of hours in a week, for week after week?  How easily those cumulative hours have already filled with other things!

Here are five post-lockdown regrets to anticipate and act on now:

1. Bible time.  In the busy swirl of “normal” how often do we say, “I was just too busy to read my Bible”…?  Don’t emerge from lockdown saying “Actually, I regret to announce that I have discovered I just don’t have any real appetite for what God has to say.”

2. Prayer time. Again, normal life can so easily squeeze out times of extended prayer, or even any prayer at all.  But with hours added to our weeks, are we finding ourselves to be Daniels normally thwarted by the modern world, or actually just not very prayerful?  That too can be changed now.

3. Fears Revealed But Unaddressed. So much of “normal” life and busy activity insulates us against deeper feelings like fear – we are often simply too distracted.  Don’t emerge from lockdown simply having discovered a fear of death, or of change, or of financial lack, or whatever, but without having gone to God for help to process that fear.

4. Being a Taker More Than a Giver.  “Normal life” may have filled your week so full that one volunteer role at church felt like you were giving a lot.  Don’t emerge from lockdown and realize that you did even less during these weeks.  Inhaling multiple series of a show on Netflix is no achievement.  If you only consume, it will feel empty.  What can you do for others, now?  Practical help?  Prayerful support?  Personal encouragement?  Pastoral concern? (That also applies on social media – don’t just moan personally or politically, don’t simply purvey time-wasting opportunities, instead look for ways to build others up.)

5. Idols Still Standing.  God has stripped away so many things that may have stood as idols in our lives, even without us realising it.  Are you craving clothes shopping, or live sport, or travel, or hobbies, or socialising?  Maybe this lockdown is letting us see the flashing lights of warning on our personal dashboard.  When lockdown ends, will we hold these privileges with a looser grip and more gratitude toward God for every blessing?  Or will we rush to bow at the feet of our dear missed idols that could and should have been smashed during this unique time?

Feel free to add more to this list of anticipated regrets we can adjust now.  The bottom line is really this: Some will look back on lockdown with a deep sense of regret at having missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to grow closer to God.

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Here is the latest video playlist … Bible highlights from 2 Corinthians:

And a short sermon highlight that may be encouraging (originally preached several weeks before lockdown began, but increasingly relevant)…

Preaching Holiness

/ Peter Mead / 2 Comments

Holiness2Holiness is a huge theme in the Bible.  It should be a huge theme in our preaching.  Sadly, what is often preached about holiness seems to fall woefully short of the richness of the biblical reality.

I remember hearing one preacher say confidently that what our nation needs is to be moralized.  I suspect he didn’t understand what he was saying.  Moralizing is a danger in preaching, not because we don’t want to see society transformed, but precisely because moralizing won’t do the job.  Pressuring people to conform to certain standards won’t generate holiness in our churches or our land any more than pressuring a tone deaf choir to sing in tune will lead to sweet music.

Here are a few key thoughts to ponder on holiness and preaching:

1. People don’t make themselves holy, God’s Holy Spirit makes people holy.  It is so tempting to pressure people to conform to some standard, but we must preach out of a conviction that God changes lives.  The clue is in His title, the Holy Spirit.  This reality should influence our pre-preaching prayer, our content and our manner in the pulpit.

2. When we only present holiness as being “set apart from” something, it can sound so sour and empty.  What passes for holiness in many churches is so sour and strange that it seems a million miles from the wholeness of life and love we see in Jesus as we read the Gospels.  True holiness is not pinched, it is fully alive.  True holiness is not a barrel of vinegar, it is a feast of true and abundant life.

3. God’s holiness is not sour, it is infinitely beautiful and attractive.  When we present God as a celestial killjoy, we misrepresent the God whose abundant heart created and infinite generosity created unfettered joy and vibrant life.  God’s holiness is not the sterile hygiene of an operating theatre, it is the fullness of the rich loyal love He enjoys within the Godhead…

4. God’s holiness is not balanced against His love – it is the reality of His loving Tri–unity.  Too often we offer strange balancing acts that seem somewhat foreign to the presentation of Scripture.  God is not infinitely loving, but only 50% that way.  It is not true that He is love (but also something else, with the “but” being an adversative).  God is love.  And that love is perfectly faithful, loyal, pure, just, righteous and holy.

The list continues tomorrow…