THE LOVE OF GOD

THE LOVE OF THE FATHER 'Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don’t see many of “the brightest and the best” among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God' Let us look at Love and in particular God’s love for us , our love for God and  how we can experience it , how we can lose it, and how we keep it!

But let us pray this prayer of Paul.taken from Ephesians 3 'For this reason we bow before you Father, whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that out of the riches of your glory you may strengthen us with might through your Spirit in our inner person, that Christ would dwell in our hearts through faith, and being rooted and grounded in love, we would have power to comprehend with all the saints, the length and the breadth and the depth and the height, and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, to be filled with the fullness of God. And onto you who is able to do far more abundantly even more than all we ask or think, glory be to you in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.'

By nature we have no love for God and it is only by the Spirit  we can truly love God, in fact it is in response to his love for us that we love him. As John tells us ‘We Love God because he first loved us’ In the famous love chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 Paul writes these unsurpassed words

'If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

The greatest of these is love. Even if we have great faith to remove mountains or have all knowledge or even give our bodies up to be burnt in the flames as a martyr- without love it is nothing.' 'We love God because He first loved us.' But are we fully convinced that God actually loves us? Hopefully through what I share here each of us will become at least a little more convinced, not only in our minds but also in our souls and in our spirits that God really does love us and with that power of love we will want to show it to others.

Let us look at the Old Testament which has a picture of God being like a Father. In the wonderful Psalm 103  David declares:
‘As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear him. 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.’
But in the New Testament and with the coming of Jesus we have a fuller revelation of what God is like. Jesus tells us that when we pray we should start by addressing God as ‘Our Father who is in heaven’. And 'when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And it gets better 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.' “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matt 7.8) Luke says how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" which is obviously the greatest of the gifts. Then in Romans Paul writes 'For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.' (Romans 8) The implications of this are amazing: God has made us children of God . The apostle John when he was an old man and writing anywhere between Ad -60-90 in Ephesus got so excited with the theme of being a child of God that he declared 'See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!' So our approach to God the Father should not be one of fear but rather one of love, of a child going to his Father who loves him. Our heavenly Father who showed his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. God is not angry with us as he tells us that he wants to make his home in us. In fact we as little ones, are the apple of his eye and Jesus warned that if anyone should become a stumbling block to any of his little ones it would worse for them than to have a millstone tied round their necks and thrown into the sea! THE LOVE OF THE SON Looking now at the love of God’s Son. Perhaps the greatest theologian of the twentieth century was Karl Barth who wrote 14 massive volumes called Church Dogmatics. He was once asked what was the most important truth he had learnt from the Bible. He replied; 'Jesus loved me this I know for the Bible tells me so'! If the Father loved the world so much that he sent his son to be our saviour. If when we were sinners Christ came to die for us, what does that tell us about the love of Christ towards us and what our response should be to Him. Did he do it unwillingly? Of course not!  Paul in Galatians writes about his union with Christ ‘I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.’ John Wesley gets emotional when he thinks of the wideness and breadth of the love of Christ to him. He declares'

Jesus, Thy boundless love to me
No thought can reach no tongue declare;
O knit my thankful heart to Thee, And reign with-out a rival there!
Thine wholly, Thine alone, I am;
Be Thou alone my constant flame.

 And Faber the hymn writer writes:' Wherever we turn in the church of God, there is Jesus. He is the beginning, middle and end of everything to us.... There is nothing good, nothing holy, nothing beautiful, nothing joyous which He is not to His servants. No one need be poor, because, if he chooses, he can have Jesus for his own property and possession. No one need be downcast, for Jesus is the joy of heaven, and it is His joy to enter into sorrowful hearts. We can exaggerate about many things; but we can never exaggerate our obligation to Jesus, or the compassionate abundance of the love of Jesus to us. All our lives long we might talk of Jesus, and yet we should never come to an end of the sweet things that might be said of Him. Eternity will not be long enough to learn all He is, or to praise Him for all He has done, but then, that matters not; for we shall be always with Him, and we desire nothing more.”
Like Faber, Paul confessed ‘But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ

THE LOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

We have looked briefly at the Father’s love towards us and the Son’s love in giving Himself to us, thirdly I would like us to look at the love of God shown in the Holy Spirit. It is in fact the third person of the trinity that makes the love of the Father and Son real to our experience. As in the prayer at the start taken from Ephesians 3 we pray to the Father that out of the riches of his glory he would strengthen us with might through the Spirit in our inner person, that Christ would dwell in our hearts through faith, and being rooted and grounded in love, we would have power to comprehend with all the saints, the length and the breadth and the depth and the height, and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, to be filled with the fullness of God.

God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5.5

It is the Holy Spirit who witnesses with our own spirits that we are children of God when we cry 'Abba Father', even praying in groans and sighs when we are in such trouble or distress when we don’t know what to pray. The Holy Spirit not only makes God’s love real for us but produces the fruits in our lives of love, joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness and self control and can also be a gift when we can almost supernaturally love our enemies when our natural reaction would be to seek revenge. The question is can we experience this love all the time? I’ll come back to that shortly. Does anyone know who this character is? Well of course it is Linis from Charlie Brown and his friends. He always needs his comfort blanket. Be honest now: did anyone here ever have a comfort blanket when they were a child or know of anyone who had one? They get dirty and can become an embarrassment for the parents. True? I heard of one couple whose child had one and they couldn’t get the child to get rid of it or swap it for a new one. You see, they get attached to their wee blanket. Well, they were heading for a church weekend in Portrush and thought it would be a good time to set the child free from the blanket- that was getting ever grubbier! Can you guess what happened? They headed up to Portrush without the blanket, but the child was having none of it – they screamed the place down and woke everyone up. So daddy had to come back to Belfast to get the blanket.

 But for those who have babies now or hope to have some in the future I ‘m going to tell you a secret of how to free your toddler from his comfort blanket or as my wee lad used to call it his 'blanky' As I’ve already shown, you can not suddenly pull the blanket off the child and hope the child is going to be reasonable about it. No, they will cry the house down. What you do is when they are not looking or sleeping you cut it in half! When they discover it is half the size they will be puzzled for a few moments, but then they still have their blanket and they can still hold it up to their face and stick their thumb in their mouth. Then after a few more days when they are sleeping you cut it in half again and continue the process over a few weeks. Finally the child ends up with a tiny bit of blanket before finally losing it altogether. Then the child wonders what all the fuss was all about in the first place.

 Now I will come back to that story. We were looking at God’s love for us. The question is, can we experience this love all the time? In my own experience after I became a Christian when I was fifteen I didn’t immediately experience any real sense of God’s great love towards me personally until I read the biography of Watchman Nee, the famous Chinese Christian whose example of surrendering his all to God affected me greatly. I remember going to meetings each week and experiencing God’s presence, and when I came home from school each day I would find it easy to talk in a very personal way to my heavenly Father As brother Lawrence would call it I was ‘Practising the presence of God’’ As Eric Clapton sang in his song I could then join in with him ‘ I have finally found a place to live in the presence of the Lord’ , They were beautiful days. There was an intimacy and a joy which surpassed anything this world could offer. At meetings we would maybe sing twelve verses of ‘Soldiers of Christ Arise’ or ‘The God of Abraham praise’ or 'My High Tower' by Paul Gerharte’ and not know whether we were in heaven or earth.

Jumping ahead ten years later I picked up a book I’d read many years before by A.W.Tozer called ‘The pursuit of God’. I started to read the preface and before I’d even finished reading it, it brought back to my memory to when I was in my teens and how I used to seek God’s presence and how God had meant everything to me back then and  how He had been my best friend. I had to put the book down and get on my knees and ask for forgiveness for the fact that I had lost my first love. Now people would have looked at me and perhaps said I was a keen Christian, I had many Christian books, I was involved in evangelism and went to all the meetings, did all the Christian things- but I had lost the most important thing I had lost the intimacy I had at first . Christ was no longer my best friend . Like the Galatians I was going through the motions, doing all the things a Christian does - but I was running on empty and relying on my own strength and will power. The book was a wake up call to get on track. It made me aware of the danger of letting things get in my heart that would take the place of God. I wasn’t like the prodigal son who went into a far off country but like the older brother who stayed . Not that I wouldn’t rejoice at a brother coming back to my family. Of course I would, but I was doing things for the Father without having the intimacy . I didn’t love to hang out and do things with him- enjoy a walk , or a chat or a meal, or look forward each day to spend time with him. I didn’t take the opportunity of taking a fatted calf to party with my friends of rejoicing that I was a child of God . Life was too serious, Christianity was becoming too hard , a drag-the joy and sparkle had gone out of it. It was painful in many ways to have to admit that I had dropped the ball. Like Jesus’ rebuke to the Pharisees ‘You worship God with your lips but your heart is far from me’ - my heart didn’t match up with my profession. Christ’s rebuke to the church in Revelation was to me 2-3 “I see what you’ve done, your hard, hard work, your refusal to quit. I know your persistence, your courage in my cause, that you never wear out. 4-5 “But you walked away from your first love—why? What’s going on with you, anyway? Do you have any idea how far you’ve fallen? A Lucifer fall! “Turn back! Recover your dear early love. No time to waste. It is interesting that this is to the very church that Paul had prayed for in Ephesus, years before . Yet they too had lost their first love. Thankfully in my sorrow – I’d actually gone round many people telling them that I had had realised I’d lost my first love, but graciously as in the story of the prodigal son, God forgave me and restored me to himself. I felt elated and wonderful –like a new born Christian!

So how can we lose this love? Thinking of the verse in John’s letter ' If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him'. 1 John 2. 15. And then thinking of how we can free a child from its dependence on the blanket we can see how Satan can draw us from our first love and our dependence on God. When Satan comes to a new Christian he sometimes goes in with all guns blazing and tries to scare them or sometimes tries to lure them away with a big temptation that the world can offer. More often than not the new Christian will say ‘no way’,  Get behind me Satan. I have decided to follow Jesus I’m no turning back’ , Because their heart is full of love for God and they’re not easily going to give it up for anything in the world. So the devil retreats for a while. He doesn’t come in with ‘all guns blazing’ again,  rather he decides to become more subtle. Remember the verse 'If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him'. He will, rather than give them a lot of the world at one time –he’ll do it in small doses , every month a wee bit more, then another bit ,then another bit, then another bit. And like the child who would refuse to give up the blanket at one fell swoop. By stealth, by piecemeal the love of the Father is replaced over time, with love for the world. And the saddest thing is that the believer does not even realise it is happening . No wonder Jesus says to the Church at Ephesus- 'see the height from which you have fallen- turn back recover your dear early love'-your first love. Thank God it is only our love that can wax cold. And like the Father in the story of the prodigal son  He is first of all a waiting Father,waiting for us to return home, then a running Father who runs to meet his son returning, then a giving Father saying to his servants ‘‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’

 So how do we prevent losing our first love. We must first be aware of Satan’s strategies and realise that he is out to bring us down Jesus warns us that he is out ‘to steal, kill and destroy’ . We must also keep short accounts with God and abide in his love, practise his presence and enjoy spending time with him, read and meditate on his word and his love towards us and also cultivate fellowship with the Father ,Son and Holy Spirit who love us.
 Let me finish with a passage from Romans 8 again showing his love even in the most deperate situations we can find ourselves in. 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because[g] the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[h] for those who are called according to his purpose. God's Everlasting Love 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be[i] against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.[j] 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

''I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord."—Philippians 3:8. C.H.Spurgeon

SPIRITUAL knowledge of Christ will be a personal knowledge. I cannot know Jesus through another person's acquaintance with Him. No, I must know Him myself; I must know Him on my own account. It will be an intelligent knowledge—I must know Him, not as the visionary dreams of Him, but as the Word reveals Him. I must know His natures, divine and human. I must know His offices—His attributes—His works—His shame—His glory. I must meditate upon Him until I "comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." It will be an affectionate knowledge of Him; indeed, if I know Him at all, I must love Him. An ounce of heart knowledge is worth a ton of head learning. Our knowledge of Him will be a satisfying knowledge. When I know my Saviour, my mind will be full to the brim—I shall feel that I have that which my spirit panted after. "This is that bread where if a man eat he shall never hunger." At the same time it will be an exciting knowledge; the more I know of my Beloved, the more I shall want to know. The higher I climb the loftier will be the summits which invite my eager footsteps. I shall want the more as I get the more. Like the miser's treasure, my gold will make me covet more. To conclude; this knowledge of Christ Jesus will be a most happy one; in fact, so elevating, that sometimes it will completely bear me up above all trials, and doubts, and sorrows; and it will, while I enjoy it, make me something more than "Man that is born of woman, who is of few days, and full of trouble"; for it will fling about me the immortality of the everliving Saviour, and gird me with the golden girdle of His eternal joy. Come, my soul, sit at Jesus's feet and learn of Him all this day.

Romans 12

Place Your Life Before God

This is a wonderful passage written by the apostle Paul. If only we as Christians lived like this! If it were the casec we would not have enough room for the people who wanted to join. This IS real Christianity-this IS the read deal.In reading this passage what are the things that impresses you? For instance 'If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don’t take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get bossy; if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate; if you’re called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face'. Isn't that just wonderful. I was reading this with my wife not long ago and within five minutes we had a phone call from a couple who were in deep emotional turmoil! How should I have responded to their need-'if you’re called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond':Well that was my answer.Another one:'If you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate', how often do we see people who are put in charge try to control and manipulate. No,it isn't right ( especially in a church setting , whether they are a pastor or not), by doing it you won't impress the Master at all!AK


1So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

³ I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.
^4-6 In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.
^6-8 If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don’t take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get bossy; if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate; if you’re called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.

^9-10 Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

^11-13 Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.
^14-16 Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down. Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody.
^17-19 Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.”
^20-21 Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good. Romans 12

Broken and Smoking : A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench. (Isaiah 42:3) C.H. Spurgeon

Then I may reckon upon tender treatment from my Lord. Indeed, I feel myself to be at best as weak, as pliant, as worthless as a reed. Someone said, "I don't care a rush for you"; and the speech, though unkind, was not untrue. Alas! I am worse than a reed when it grows by the river, for that at least can hold up its head. I am bruised—sorely, sadly bruised. There is no music in me now; there is a rift which lets out all the melody. Ah, me! Yet Jesus will not break me; and if He will not, then I mind little what others try to do. O sweet and compassionate Lord, I nestle down beneath Thy protection and forget my bruises! Truly I am also fit to be likened to "the smoking flax," whose light is gone, and only its smoke remains. I fear I am rather a nuisance than a benefit. My fears tell me that the devil has blown out my light and left me an obnoxious smoke, and that my Lord will soon put an extinguisher upon one. Yet I perceive that though there were snuffers under the law, there were no extinguishers, and Jesus will not quench me; therefore, I am hopeful. Lord, kindle me anew and cause me to shine forth to Thy glory and to the extolling of Thy tenderness.

Medieval Sourcebook: Rule of St. Columba 6th Century

'Even if it did not quite "save civilization", Ireland was one of the monastic centres of Europe in the early middle ages. In fact the Church in Ireland was dominated by monasteries and by monastic leaders. Other Irish monks became missionaries and converted much of Northern Europe St. Columba (521 -597) and his followers converted Scotland and much of northern England. Columba did not leave a written rule. But the following rule, attributed to him, was set down much later. I does reflects the spirit of early Irish Monasticism'.
Columba is a great hero and inspiration of mine. Some of these may be authentic others may not. Which of these rules do you think may be of benefit to modern Christians who want to make a difference in the world.AK


•Be alone in a separate place near a chief city, if thy conscience is not prepared to be in common with the crowd.

•Be always naked in imitation of Christ and the Evangelists.

•Whatsoever little or much thou possessest of anything, whether clothing, or food, or drink, let it be at the command of the senior and at his disposal, for it is not befitting a religious to have any distinction of property with his own free brother.

•Let a fast place, with one door, enclose thee.

•A few religious men to converse with thee of God and his Testament; to visit thee on days of solemnity; to strengthen thee in the Testaments of God, and the narratives of the Scriptures.

•A person too who would talk with thee in idle words, or of the world; or who murmurs at what he cannot remedy or prevent, but who would distress thee more should he be a tattler between friends and foes, thou shalt not admit him to thee, but at once give him thy benediction should he deserve it.

•Let thy servant be a discreet, religious, not tale-telling man, who is to attend continually on thee, with moderate labour of course, but always ready.

•Yield submission to every rule that is of devotion.

•A mind prepared for red martyrdom [that is death for the faith].

•A mind fortified and steadfast for white martyrdom. [that is ascetic practices] Forgiveness from the heart of every one.

•Constant prayers for those who trouble thee.

•Fervour in singing the office for the dead, as if every faithful dead was a particular friend of thine.

•Hymns for souls to be sung standing.

•Let thy vigils be constant from eve to eve, under the direction of another person.

•Three labours in the day, viz., prayers, work, and reading.

•The work to be divided into three parts, viz., thine own work, and the work of thy place, as regards its real wants; secondly, thy share of the brethen's [work]; lastly, to help the neighbours, viz., by instruction or writing, or sewing garments, or whatever labour they may be in want of, ut Dominus ait, "Non apparebis ante Me vacuus [as the Lord says, "You shall not appear before me empty."].

•Everything in its proper order; Nemo enim coronabitur nisi qui legitime certaverit. [For no one is crowned except he who has striven lawfully.]

•Follow alms-giving before all things.

•Take not of food till thou art hungry.

•Sleep not till thou feelest desire.

•Speak not except on business.

•Every increase which comes to thee in lawful meals, or in wearing apparel, give it for pity to the brethren that want it, or to the poor in like manner.

•The love of God with all thy heart and all thy strength;

•The love of thy neighbour as thyself

•Abide in the Testament of God throughout all times.

•Thy measure of prayer shall be until thy tears come;

•Or thy measure of work of labour till thy tears come;

•Or thy measure of thy work of labour, or of thy genuflexions, until thy perspiration often comes, if thy tears are not free.





From A. W. Haddan and W. Stubbs, Councils and Ecclesiastical Documents Relating to Great Britain and Ireland II, i (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1873), pp. 119-121.





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St Columba ( Colmcille): The Wolf and Dove of the Celtic Church.

http://archive.org/stream/adamnanivitasco00fowlgoog#page/n14/mode/2up

Apostle of Scotland

    Iona is a tiny island of the Inner Hebrides, lying off the west coast of Scotland. Every year it is visited by thousands of pilgrims, many of whom are captivated by its unique atmosphere of peace and sanctity. Not a few return home with a green marble pebble in their pocket and the conviction that they have walked on holy ground. Indeed, small though it be in size--only 3 1/2 miles long and 13 miles wide, in centuries past Iona was a renown monastic center which had a surpassing influence on the Christianization of the British Isles. Home to many saints, its glory rested primarily on the superior merits of its founder, an Irish prince who became a monk and abbot, a counsellor of kings and converser with angels.

    Born at Gotten, in the wilds of Donegal in northern Ireland, Columba was 42 years old and already a man of national reputation as an ecclesiastical leader and a founder of monasteries when in 563 he sailed from his native land to begin his life work in Argyll ('land of Gael'), the area which his kinsmen, the Scots or Gaels, had begun to settle a generation or more before. The native inhabitants of the territory stretching east to the North Sea were the heathen Picts. To the south many had been converted a century earlier by the apostolic labors of St. Ninian. But a desolate mountain range separated them from their neighboring kinsmen to the north, and the latter were stirred up by their druid priests against the Christian religion cf the Scot immigrants, and were moving to force them back to Ireland when Columba arrived as a peacemaker.

    He was web suited for such a task, for according to his biographer Adamnan, writing only 60 years after Columba's repose, he was a man of uncommon talents which manifested themselves even in his youth.

 

Dove of the Church

    He received two names at baptism: Crimthann, meaning 'wolf', and Colum, Irish for 'dove.' The names proved to be well chosen for he became vicious towards sin and injustice, while at the same time, like a dove, he was a messenger of the Gospel of peace and was filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit Who is symbolically depicted as a dove, As a child he was so often in church that he was nicknamed Columcille, meaning 'dove of the church'. He is popularly known, however, by the Latin form of his name, Columba,

    Of royal blood on both his father's and his mother's side, Columba might well have become High King of Ireland like his ancestor who ruled when St. Patrick was brought there from Britain as a slave. But his parents gave him into God's service, placing him as a child to be fostered by the priest Cruithnechan who taught him the rare Skills of reading and writing. From a bard he learned the art of speaking well and gained a life-long love for Irish poetry. His own gift of poetic expression adorns several original compositions.

    By nature Columba was very industrious, and he advanced quickly in his studies. These he completed under two celebrated tutors, both called Fingan, at the monasteries of Moville and Clonard which were among the most advanced learning centers in all of Europe at that time. One of his mentors was trained by the disciples of St. Nihgan at Whithorn in Galloway, and the other by St. David of Wales and his coadjutor at Menevia. Columba thereby represented in his own person the two streams by which Ireland had been spiritually fertilized. 

     He was made a deacon by St. Fingan of Cionard, and ordained a priest at the age of 24 by Bishop Echtam, As a monk he began his life in the monastery at Glasnevin, but an epidemic forced the community to disband, and Columba returned home. Over the next fifteen years he traveled all over Ireland establishing churches and monasteries, Durrow (553) and Kells (554) being the most well-known.

     A man of commanding personality, esteemed by the fathers of the Irish Church, Columba seemed to have an assured future there in his native land. But he forsook it for one in which some few thousand of his kinsmen were holding on precariously to a tiny strip of land on its wave-washed western shores. Several reasons have been given for his decision.

    First, it was an act of reparation, if not indeed of expiation. Just a year before he left Ireland, Columba had been implicated in a bloody battle in which thousands of young men had lost their lives--a tragedy for which he may have bad prime responsibility. According to some sources Columba was angered by the king's demand that he hand over a copy he had surreptitiously made of a precious Gospel manuscript belonging to Finian of Moville. However, even after taking into consideration the Celts' warring tradition, it seems incongruous that a man of Columba' s stature should have stirred up his powerful family clan of Neill against the king over such a trifle. A more likely explanation is that he sought to avenge the death of his young kinsman, Prince Cuman, whom the king had slain while the youth was under Columba's protection. Whatever the origin of the conflict, it is said that Columba was filled with remorse and turned to his confessor or 'soul-friend' (anmcara), St. Molaise, who advised exile in the land of the heathen Picts, from which he was not to return to Ireland until he had won for Christ as many as had fallen on the blood-soaked field of Cooldrevny.

    The second reason was genuine missionary zeal. In crossing the narrow sea which separated Ireland from Britain, Columba was but following in the foot-steps of many saints of God who had gone before. St. Fillan, St. Kieran, St. Kessog, St. Brendan--these among others had crossed the Irish Sea to plant their preaching-crosses (and eventual churches) among the hills and glens of northern Britain, long before Columba bade his native land farewell.

    The third reason, mentioned above, was patriotic and political. Three years before, in 560, the Pictish king Brude had moved south with his troops to attack the Scots settlers in Dalriada, had slain their king Gabran and driven them back toward the sea, confining them to the Kintyre and Knapdale peninsulas of Argyll. Their plight, Columba saw only too clearly, was now desperate. Strengthened by the authority of his priestly and his princely rank, he went in hopes of subduing the Picts' hostility through preaching the Gospel. In fact, his success led ultimately to the union of the five separate realms into which northern Britain was then divided, into that Kingdom of Scotland which during the Middle Ages had so decisive an influence on the affairs of Western Europe.

    Setting sail with twelve kinsmen in a frail leather boat, a curaich, Columba crossed the sea to Kintyre where he met with his cousin Connail. The band of monks then proceeded north, and on May 12, 563, on the eve of Pentecost, they landed at Port-na-Curaich (the Bay of the Coracle) on an island which became known as I-Colum-kill, the 'island of Columba's church,' or, more popularly, Iona. Given the Celts' delight in linguistic puzzles, it is not surprising to learn that Iona means 'dove' in Hebrew. Thus, it was named after its first abbot and founder.

    The island was barren and the monks had to ferry branches and twigs from the neighboring island of Mull to build their beehive shaped mud-and-wattle cells. Columba rewarded the peasant from whose fields they gathered these materials, scarce even on Mull, with several bushels of barley which yielded a miraculously abundant crop in record time, The oak logs used in building the first church had to be brought from the mainland. In time the monks also built a refectory, a barn, stable, grainery and a mill. Peat was burned for fuel.

    Through St. Columba and his followers the art of writing came to Scotland. As in most monasteries of that time, an important occupation of the Iona monks was the transcribing of Scriptures for which there was great need among the new colonies of converts born of the Celts' missionary labors. St. Columba himself is said to have written or copied out some 300 books, including a volume containing hymns for the various services of the week. The Book of Durrow, an extant 6th century illumined Gospel, is said to be the work of St. Columba. Among his original works is the 'Altus Prosatus,' "a poetic history," writes Marion Lochhead, "of the Creation and man's Fall and Redemption. Each stanza begins with a letter of the alphabet, from the A of 'Altus'--High or Enthroned on High, to the Z or 'Zelus'--zealous for God."

 

Instructor of Monks

Columba's Rule, which governed life on Iona, was not identical with any other Eastern or Western cede. Liturgy was celebrated on Sundays, Feast days and on special saints' days as appointed by the abbot. On Iona St. Columba established that St. Brendan and St. Columbanus always be honored with a Liturgy on the days of their repose. Among other instructions regarding the order of services, the Rule enjoined that the monks were to display 'fervor in singing the office for the dead as if every dead person was a particular friend of theirs.'

Adamnan notes that the monks were encouraged to make frequent use of the sign of the Cross--over the pail before milking, over tools before using them, over a lantern...

As a true exponent of the Celtic tradition, Columba practiced a rigorous asceticism: his bed and pillow were of stone, and often he spent the night in prayer in some solitary corner of the island.

The monks fasted strictly, preserving the ancient tradition of abstinence until 3 o'clock on fast days. The fasting was relaxed at the abbot's discretion if a pilgrim arrived, for hospitality was seen as a missionary tool and, in spite of the austere life of the monks, visitors were encouraged and always received a warm welcome. (There is preserved

on Iona today a stone trough where pilgrims washed their feet.)

 

Monastic With a Mission

    One of Columba' s immediate concerns was to secure the goodwill of King Brude. Taking with him two interpreters, for Columba did not speak the language, he traveled northeast to the king's castle at Invernes s. King Brude, influenced by his foster-father and close advisor, the Arch Druid Broichan, gave Columba a courteous but cool reception. Upon meeting him, however, the King could not help being impressed with Columba's manliness, for, as Adamnan writes, he was tall of stature with a voice powerful enough to carry over half a mile. Once the Saint and his monks approached the castle to find the gate locked. St. Columba made the sign of the Cross over the gate and it swung open of its own accord. Braithan, sensing in Columba a rival, conjured up a great wind to frustrate Columba's setting sail. But the Saint, loudly entreating the aid of his Great Druid, Christ, sped straight into the contrary wind which shifted abruptly to help the boat on its course.

    If Columba was unable to convert King Brude, he did manage to obtain his permission to carryon missionary work among the Picts. In the years that followed he established more than 100 churches there in Alba, as Scotland was then called. Columba was most successful among the Western Isles, where today there exist the ruins of many churches dedicated to him. To the northeast, farther removed from Iona, it was more difficult to make inroads among the heathen. But in later years Columba's followers reaped the fruit of the seeds he had sown with his preaching.

    In allaying the animosity of the Picts, Columba gained favor with his Scots kinsmen, and when the king of Dalriada died, Columba exerted his authority to secure the succession of Aidan (not St. Aidan) whom he rightly discerned to be more capable of ruling than the assumed heir. Taking this Aidan to Iona, Columba consecrated him as king, the first Christian coronation in Britain's history.

    In his biography of St. Columba, Adamnan tells of the life of the early Iona monk s--their hardships, their labors in cultivating those parts of the island which would produce a crop, their hospitality and their missionary travels. But above all he testifies to Columba's holiness: he was granted gifts of healing, of prophecy; he turned water into wine; water blessed by him had curative powers; on several occasions a stream of uncreated light was seen to shine down upon  him as he celebrated the Eucharist. The greatest wonder, how ever, was his burning charity to all.

 

Converser With Angels 

      One could hardly begin to enumerate all that the Saint accomplished for the glory of God during his earthly pilgrimage. He was 77 years old when it drew to an end. One day in June, as he served the Holy Mysteries, he saw an angel who told him of his imminent departure. On the following Saturday he went with his servant Diarmid to bless the winnowed corn in the barn. This Sabbath, he told Diarmid, would be his Sabbath of eternal rest, for that night, as the Lord's Day was coming, he would be with the Lord. Indeed, as the weary Abbot-father stopped along the path to rest, the old white horse of the community came to him and laid its head on his breast, weeping at the parting that it, too, foresaw. Then, climbing the hill above the monastery, the Saint looked down upon the island and blessed it, prophesying that, small though it were, it would forever be held in honor by kings and people, by Scots and by those of other churches far beyond the sea.

     Back in his cell, he resumed his work of copying the Psalter, stopping at the verse of the 34th Psalm: "Fear the Lord, all you His saints; for there is no want tot hem that fear Him." At midnight he rose from his bed and went in haste to the church, straight up to the altar. The brethren arrived to see their father lying on the ground before the holy table and the whole place filled with a heavenly light. Diarmid knelt to take the beloved head on his breast, and lifted the fatherly hand to bless his children. The monks wept, but Columba's look was of ineffable joy; those present could only believe that he saw angels coming to take him home. "And having given them his holy benediction in this way, he immediately breathed his last"--on the very dawn of the Lord's Day. It was the 9th of June, 597.

     Iona continued to flourish as a missionary and monastic center for more than a century after the repose of its founder. It was to Iona that King Oswald of Northumbria sent for missionaries tc preach the Gospel to his people, and it was monks from Iona, led by St. Aidan, who established a sister community on the east coast island of Lindesfarne. Even after the Council of Whitby in 664, at which the authority of Rome gained ascendancy, Iona remained a stronghold of the Celtic tradition. But it was eclipsed in the 9th century when Viking raiders attacked the island, killing the abbot and several monks, and forcing the survivors to seek refuge in Ireland. A Benedictine monastery, established on the island in the 13th century, was despoiled during the Reformation, and Iona was once again abandoned to the elements. Lovers of godliness, however, take hope in the ancient prophecy attributed to St. Columba: 

In Iona of my heart, Iona of my love,
Instead of monks' voices shall be lowing of cows;
But ere the world shall come to an end, Iona shall be as it was.

(by Rev. Gavin Fargus, Argyll; with incorporated materials from The Liturgy and Ritual of the Celtic Church by F.E. Warren, 1881)

http://www.roca.org/OA/74/74f.htm

What Is Spiritual Abuse?

The following article is taken from the popular blog 'The Wartberg Watch' which specialises in exposing church groups, fellowships and ministries which tend towards being spiritually abusive. In their quest to expose such abuse they have nothing less than a 'pit bull' demeanour when they get hold of an issue that they believe is unjust, bullying or downright abusive, especially when done under the name of 'Christian'. I like their spirit because it seeks to defend those that are the weak and those whom the Lord would describe as His 'little ones'. AK

http://thewartburgwatch.com/2013/07/18/spiritual-abuse-and-common-characteristics/

  Spiritual abuse occurs when someone in a position of spiritual authority, the purpose of which is to 'come underneath' and serve, build, equip and make God's people MORE free, misuses that authority placing themselves over God's people to control, coerce or manipulate them for seemingly Godly purposes which are really their own."      

Jeff VanVonderen
 

When Dee and I launched The Wartburg Watch, our goal was to discuss "faith issues".  As we began to investigate trends within Christendom, two problems came to the fore — spiritual abuse and hyper-authoritarianism.  We have discussed these problems before; however, since our readership has grown quite a bit, we feel obligated to cover these issues again, this time in greater depth.  PATRIARCHS BEWARE!  You will be learning from women.  Read at your own risk . . 
According to the Wikipedia article on Spiritual abuse, the term was not coined until the latter part of the twentieth century.  It certainly appears that this form of abuse in on the rise and is causing great harm to the body of Christ.      
Ronald Enroth in Churches That Abuse identifies five categories of characteristics that describe Spiritual Abuse (listed in the Wiki article):
1. Authority and Power – abusive groups misuse and distort the concept of spiritual authority. Abuse arises when leaders of a group arrogate to themselves power and authority that lacks the dynamics of open accountability and the capacity to question or challenge decisions made by leaders. The shift entails moving from general respect for an office bearer to one where members loyally submit without any right to dissent.
2. Manipulation and Control – abusive groups are characterized by social dynamics where fear, guilt, and threats are routinely used to produce unquestioning obedience, group conformity, and stringent tests of loyalty to the leaders are demonstrated before the group. Biblical concepts of the leader-disciple relationship tend to develop into a hierarchy where the leader's decisions control and usurp the disciple's right or capacity to make choices on spiritual matters or even in daily routines of what form of employment, form of diet and clothing are permitted.
3. Elitism and Persecution – abusive groups depict themselves as unique and have a strong organizational tendency to be separate from other bodies and institutions. The social dynamism of the group involves being independent or separate, with diminishing possibilities for internal correction and reflection. Outside criticism and evaluation is dismissed as the disruptive efforts of evil people seeking to hinder or thwart.
4. Lifestyle and Experience – abusive groups foster rigidity in behavior and in belief that requires unswerving conformity to the group's ideals and social mores.
5. Dissent and Discipline – abusive groups tend to suppress any kind of internal challenges and dissent concerning decisions made by leaders. Acts of discipline may involve emotional and physical humiliation, physical violence or deprivation, acute and intense acts of punishment for dissent and disobedience.
In the Wiki article on Spiritual Abuse, Agnes and John Lawless argue in The Drift into Deception that there are EIGHT characteristics of spiritual abuse, and some of these clearly overlap with Enroth's criteria listed above.
They list the eight marks of spiritual abuse as comprising:

1. charisma and pride,
2. anger and intimidation,
3. greed and fraud,
4. immorality,
5. Enslaving authoritarian structure,
6. Exclusivity,
7. Demanding loyalty and honor,
8. New revelation.

According to the above article, "The basis of spiritual abuse is when these characteristics are overstretched to achieve a desired goal that is neither supported by spiritual reality nor by the human conscience."
One of the signs of spiritual abuse is FEAR, and intimidation is often the tactic used by spiritual leaders who try to control, manipulate, or dominate their followers.
There is so much more information to share on Spiritual Abuse, and we will pick up with this topic tomorrow.

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Spiritual Abuse – Common Characteristics (link)

"Spiritual abuse is as old as false religion itself.  While the practice is old, the term "spiritual abuse" may have been coined first by Jeff VanVonderen."   David Henke 

My heart breaks for those who have been spiritually abused.  I praise God that there are excellent resources on the internet that can help victims of spiritual abuse become survivors. 
One such resource is provided by Watchman Fellowship, which we highly recommend.  David Henke has written an excellent article that will help Christians identify spiritually abusive organizations.  Henke makes an extremely important point regarding their organizational structure.  He explains that often spiritually abusive ministries will have "top down" hierarchical structures.   This cannot be over-emphasized!  It's the primary reason why spiritual abuse persists.
Henke has compiled a list of common characteristics of spiritual abusive ministries, which we believe are excellent!  Although we shared similar characteristics in yesterday's post, we believe they bear repeating.  
#1) Authoritarian
The most distinctive characteristic of a spiritually abusive religious system, or leader, is the over-emphasis on authority. Because a group claims to have been established by God Himself the leaders in this system claim the right to command their followers.
This authority supposedly comes from the position they occupy. In Matthew 23:1-2 Jesus said the Scribes and Pharisees "sit in Moses' seat," a position of spiritual authority. Many names are used but in the abusive system this is a position of power, not moral authority. The assumption is that God operates among His people through a hierarchy, or "chain of command." In this abusive system unconditional submission is often called a "covering," or "umbrella of protection" which will provide some spiritual blessing to those who fully submit. Followers may be told that God will bless their submission even if the leadship is wrong. It is not their place to judge or correct the leadership – God will see to that.
#2) Image Conscious
The abusive religious system is scrupulous to maintain an image of righteousness. The organization's history is often misrepresented in the effort to demonstrate the organization's special relationship to God. The mistaken judgements and character flaws of its leaders are denied or covered up in order to validate their authority. Impossibly high legalistic standards of thought and behavior may be imposed on the members. Their failure to live up to these standards is a constant reminder of the follower's inferiority to his leaders, and the necessity of submission to them. Abusive religion is, at heart, legalism.
Abusive religion is also paranoid. Because the truth about the abusive religious system would be quickly rejected if recognized, outsiders are shown only a positive image of the group. This is rationalized by assuming that the religion would not be understood by "worldly" people; therefore they have no right to know. This attitude leads to members being secretive about some doctrines and the inner policies and proceedures of the group. Leaders, especially, will keep secrets from their members. This secrecy is rooted in a basic distrust of others because the belief system is false and can not stand scrutiny.
#3) Suppresses Criticism
Because the religious system is not based on the truth it cannot allow questions, dissent, or open discussions about issues. The person who dissents becomes the problem rather than the issue he raised. The truth about any issue is settled and handed down from the top of the hierarchy. Questioning anything is considered a challenge to authority. Thinking for oneself is suppressed by pointing out that it leads to doubts. This is portrayed as unbelief in God and His anointed leaders. Thus the follower controls his own thoughts by fear of doubting God.
#4) Perfectionistic
A most natural assumption is that a person does not get something for nothing. Apart from the express declarations of salvation by grace through faith God has given in the scriptures, it would be natural to think that one must earn salvation, or at least work to keep it. Thus, in abusive religions all blessings come through performance of spiritual requirements. Failure is strongly condemned so there is only one alternative, perfection. So long as he thinks he is succeeding in his observation of the rules, the follower typically exhibits pride, elitism, and arrogance. However, when reality and failure eventually set in, the result is the person experiences spiritual burnout, or even shipwreck of his faith. Those who fail in their efforts are labeled as apostates, weak, or some other such term so that they can be discarded by the system.
#5) Unbalanced
Abusive religions must distinguish themselves from all other religions so they can claim to be distinctive and therefore special to God. This is usually done by majoring on minor issues such as prophecy, carrying biblical law to extremes, or using strange methods of biblical interpretation. The imbalanced spiritual hobby-horse thus produced represents unique knowledge or practices which seem to validate the group's claim to special status with God.
Thank you, David Henke, for explaining these characteristics in such an understandable way!  
Our purpose in focusing on spiritual abuse is first to help those who have been hurt to recognize that they have been abused and second to help them heal from these devastating experiences.  

Peter the Apostle: The evangelist who learned to listen before he spoke,

The martyrdom of St Peter took place in Rome under the emperor Nero around A.D.62-64. As far as we know from tradition, he showed no fear at his execution, in fact it is recorded that he told the guards that he wanted to be crucified upside down as he was not worthy to be killed the same way as his Master.He was originally brought to Jesus by his brother Andrew (John 1.41-43)and later Jesus then called both Andrew and Peter at the Sea of Galilee saying to them :‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’(Mk1.14).

At another time when the two brothers were out in their boat and had failed to catch any fish Jesus told them to cast their nets into the deeper waters to which Peter replied: ‘we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets."(Lk. 5.5) As a result of their action they caught so many that Peter fell down at Jesus’ knee and cried out:”Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord". Jesus then responded to him and said; "Don't be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." Peter therefore knew at an early stage the ministry that he would one day have.

It should be noted that in any list of the disciples recorded in the gospels Peter is always mentioned first and among the inner three along with John and James. Peter was truly devoted to his Master, however sometimes he was too quick to show it,which resulted in failure.It would seem that when he had first of all listened to Jesus then obeyed him, things went well; however when he took the initiative in order to help Jesus out, he ended up letting himself down.

For instance in Matthew 16.13-23 we see these both happening. First of all Jesus asked the question: ‘but who do you say that I am?’to which Peter repliesd: ‘you are the Christ the Son of the living God’. This was good and Peter was commended by Jesus, who then told him that it was the Father who had revealed this to him...
However shortly after when Jesus was describing what would happen to him in Jerusalem with regard to his suffering, death and resurrection, Peter starts to rebuke Him. This Jesus did not commend, rather strongly rebuking with the words: ‘get thee behind me Satan you are a hindrance to me, you are not setting your mind on the things of God but of man.’ Poor Peter!

In the story of Jesus walking on the water, again Peter wants to get involved. This time he asks Jesus: ‘Lord if it is you will command me to come to you on the water.’ This Jesus did and Peter succeeded in walking on the water, at least until he started to doubt.

Some time afterwards, Peter, despite Jesus stating the opposite, boasted that though all would leave Jesus during his time of trial, he would not. Jesus then predicted that he would deny him three times! After Peter denied his Master he was probably very much a broken man,but it is recorded that the Lord had prayed for him and prepared the way for him to be fully restored.

In John 21 which records the events after the death and resurrection of Jesus we read the story of the disciples being unable to catch any fish, even though they had been fishing all night. The next morning on discovering that they hadn’t caught any, Jesus teld them to cast out on the right side and immediately they caught a full load. John then realised it was the Lord and told the rest. At this, Peter, fully clothed jumped in the sea and made for the shore. Remember that the last time a similar event took place Jesus had promised Peter that he would from then on catch men. Perhaps he thought, despite his failure, that Jesus still had a work for him to do!

When the rest of the disciples arrived on the shore Jesus had already prepared a fire to cook the fish. Remember again that when Peter denied the Lord it was beside a fire. I’m sure when Peter saw any type of fire it brought him pangs of guilt and shame as it remind him how he denied his Master. But here we see how the Lord in his mercy brought him back to the fire, but instead of denial Peter was able to affirm three times his love, and three times the Lord commissioned him to feed his sheep and tend his lambs.

Gone was Peter’s boasting, instead a great sense of humility when he stated in his third reply: ‘Lord you know all things you know that I love you.’
Peter was no longer the self confident apostle but one who had been chastened by the Lord and had learned to listen before he spoke out of turn.

In Acts 2 it is recorded that on the day of Pentecost when the disciples started to speak in tongues Peter responded to the people’s comments : ‘they have had too much wine’ with an explanation, then a sermon which ultimately saw three thousand come to the Lord.

Peter’s next opportunity came after he healed the cripple at the gate called Beautiful (Acts3). After the healing had caused such a stir Peter again gave the people an first an explanation, then a sermon, and even though he and John were both arrested, five thousand believed through their message!

Note that these were not evangelistic crusades as such with lots of organization with lots of money spent on publicity. On the morning of these events Peter did not even intend to preach a sermon, though I'm sure he was always open to the Spirit's leading. He just responded to the commotion of the speaking in tongues and the healing in a dignified way, through explanation, then a sermon.

The gospel reaching the Gentiles was in the first place due to a God given vision, and obedience to the Spirit (Acts 10). It was not Peter’s own idea for sure- in fact he was, if anything a little hesitant. Peter’s letters also do not portray the brash evangelist. He seems concerned with Christians being a good witness in the world and staying steadfast in the midst of suffering and trial. He does however have a few things to say about speaking the words of Christ or words for Christ.

In 1 Peter 3 he tells wives not to preach at their non-Christian husbands, rather that they might be won without a word if their behaviour is right.In verse 15 of the same chapter Peter also writes: ‘But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect’.

Always be prepared like the scouts. Like Jesus with the woman at the well he was prepared for what the Father opened up for him. If we do not expect to see doors open we more than likely will miss them. We must learn to see and seize them! We must still be gentle and respectful as Jesus was with the woman at the well, and as Paul was with the woman who were praying along with Lydia by the river.

We don’t need to be brash , we don’t need to bully people. We just need to be willing and prepared to speak when He does open up the door. We must also be willing to persevere and not give up at the first sign of inconvenience or trouble.

I used to think that Jesus and the apostles just preached and always got great results in terms of people becoming followers of Christ. Then one day I read again one of my favourite verses: ‘Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me’. It made me think of Him knocking and waiting at the doors of the hearts of men and women.How long did he have to wait for us. Think of how many times we ignored his knocking before we responded. Are we sometimes too ready to give up on people too soon?He waited for us can we not wait in his name for others.We like instant coffee but we will never get instant saints.

Peter learned to listen to the Spirit within as well as listening to the people. Despite that he still needed boldness to take the opportunities when God had opened them up to him.

It did not have to be an organised evangelistic event (was there any in the New Testament or were they all spontaneous?, but it could be just going about doing everyday things: that is what makes the Christian life exciting.

Peter was no longer self reliant but God reliant and seeking always to please the Master, practising the presence of God.

Paul the Evangelist : The apostle who being constrained by love became all things to all men that he might win some for Christ.

If Peter saw more people come to faith in Christ (8000 after two sermons) than any other evangelist, Paul had probably the most dynamic and certainly the most far reaching,apart from Christ. He was truly the evangelist to the Gentiles, but not only so. He also preached to the Jews in the Synagogues until he was kicked out. The one time arch-enemy of the Christian Church was to become the fearless apostle.

After his dramatic conversion when he met the risen Christ on the Damascus road, God told Ananias a disciple in the city that Paul was ‘a chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles, and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he will suffer for my name sake’ Acts 9.15.This proved to be true -and suffer Paul did!

Paul was the product of three backgrounds, Jewish, Greek and Roman, which proved to be of great importance in his proclamation of the gospel. He was a Hebrew of Hebrews ( Phil 3.5), not merely a Greek speaking Jew but one who could speak Hebrew as well as being a Pharisee- who were the purest of the pure. He was also brought up in Tarsus and educated in a Greek environment,hence when the situation required it, he could quote Greek poets and philosophers when preaching to win a hearing with the Greeks he was seeking to reach for Christ ( Athens). Paul was also a Roman citizen and was (several times)to use this to his advantage, such as getting a fair trial( though this didn’t always happen).

We also have a unique background, the value of which we should not underestimate( or overestimate) that may provide a key for us to go through doors to reach people that other Christians may not be able to go through ( can you think of any examples?).

Paul’s own conversion also had a great impact upon the rest of his life and ministry. On the Damascus when he was literally confronted by Christ he was told he had been persecuting Christ himself. This was because he had been involved in the deaths and persecution of many Christians including Stephen. What astounds me is that Stephen actually prayed,while he was being stoned, in imitation of Jesus, that God would not hold their sin against them. If this did not shake up Paul at the time,after his conversion when he had time to reflect upon it, it must surely have had an impact on his life and teaching.

To study the lessons that we could learn from Paul with regard to evangelism would take many weeks so I will only look at a few of them very briefly.What for instance made him such a great troubadour of Christ? I believe this was obviously to do with his close relationship with God.In his letters he often writes of this intimacy when he speaks of the believer not only being 'in Christ' but of Christ also being in the believer. In Galations he also made the amazing confession 'I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me'.Paul didn't however make out that he alone could have this close relationship, rather he invited all believers to imitate him as he had imitated Christ (1 Cor. 11:1).

Another important aspect to Paul's life and ministry was that he was empowered by the Holy Spirit and in turn encouraged those who believed to be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph 5.18).Also Like Christ he knew 'his calling' in life, in his case, as an apostle to the Gentiles, as well as that of a teacher and prophet.If we are lacking in spiritual power we are encouraged in scripture to ask the Father to fill us with the good gift of His Spirit and also ask Him what his will for our life is.

Most people when they think of Paul, rarely think of him as a great lover of humankind. I have heard him being called a misogynist or a dictator or single minded, but never as compassionate or winsome or loving. But those who don’t believe he had compassion like his Master, in my view don’t know him or fully understand him.

Paul the evangelist motivated by love

For instance, who was it that wrote these words? : ‘If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails’.

Paul also stated in Romans 9:’ I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel’. That was love, following the example of Moses and Jesus who were both prepared to give their life for the sake of others. Was he a lover of men? It was the love of Christ that compelled him to serve in his ministry ( 2Cor 5). He knew the judgement would fall on those who were not Christ’s and it was a mixture of the Fear of God, love of God as well as the honour and glory of God that were his primary motivations in evangelism.

It was because of this that he would do anything to make the gospel accessible to those he sought to reach, declaring to the Corinthians: ‘Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews…To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings’.

Though he ‘worked harder than all the other apostles’ he said it was not him but the grace of God within him (1 Cor.15.10). He also recognised his own sinfulness even to declaring that Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom he was the chief.1Tim.1. 15.

Paul the suffering servant

He was also prepared to suffer for Christ, and for the benefit of those he had won for Christ. He writes:’ I am talking like a madman—with far greater labours, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? (2.Cor 11)

Paul the caring parent

His called his converts at Corinth ‘my beloved children’(1 Cor.4.14) and of Timothy he wrote : ‘Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord’(1 Cor.4.17).

How did he tend his converts in Thessalonica? He writes:‘But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us’. 1. Thess2 6-8 See the tenderness he speaks of them. Surely this is not the harsh evangelist that people often think of him!

Paul the Spirit filled man

We often think of Paul as a great preacher like Billy Graham or Tony Compolo but he once wrote of his time before the Corinthians when he stated: ‘I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God’. (1Cor 2.3-5)

Paul the man of prayer

Paul was also a great man of prayer. Consider for instance one of his prayers for the Ephesians :’For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God’. Eph.3.14.19

He also spoke of ‘praying without ceasing’, of praying for those in the government in order that the gospel could be preached freely. Paul writes of wrestling against principalities and powers, and of praying in the Spirit as the Spirit would aid him in praying God inspired prayers.

In his letters to the churches he does not often speak of evangelism as such. But he does speak of living a life that is worthy of God much in the same way that Jesus told the disciples to be light and salt in the world.

Romans 12:9-21

9 'Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

13 Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. "21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good'.

Look at the first verse ‘Love must be sincere’. Can love be insincere? Not real love: but something that which appears to be love can be, and many people have experienced insincere love. When someone see the genuine article they will be impressed and it could well convict them of their own insincerity and draw them to Christ. Who wouldn’t want to be a Christian if they saw people living a lives like that described above?

Francis Schaeffer described the mark of a Christian was first and foremost a life of love. William Still always taught that primary evangelism was essentially living the ‘Christ like life’ not the show and razzmatazz of a big ‘revival meeting.

How does Paul challenge our own life style as regards evangelism. ‘How deep is our love’? How authentic is our walk with Christ. We are all hypocrites to a degree ,but Christ, who knows well our failings, still calls us to himself to learn from himself. The teacher, mentor and Master, the one who is gentle and lowly of heart promises to give us rest for our souls and his Spirit to help us to live the Christ life.

MEDITATION

‘If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails’. Paul

“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:4 C.H. Spurgeon

What a blessing and gift it is to be filled by the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells us that our heavenly Father is only too willing to fill us. Let us ask him to be filled to the uttermost today. AK


Rich were the blessings of this day if all of us were filled with the Holy Ghost. The consequences of this sacred filling of the soul it would be impossible to overestimate. Life, comfort, light, purity, power, peace; and many other precious blessings are inseparable from the Spirit’s benign presence.

As sacred oil, he anoints the head of the believer, sets him apart to the priesthood of saints, and gives him grace to execute his office aright.

As the only truly purifying water he cleanses us from the power of sin and sanctifies us unto holiness, working in us to will and to do of the Lord’s good pleasure.

As the light, he manifested to us at first our lost estate, and now he reveals the Lord Jesus to us and in us, and guides us in the way of righteousness. Enlightened by his pure celestial ray, we are no more darkness but light in the Lord.

As fire, he both purges us from dross, and sets our consecrated nature on a blaze. He is the sacrificial flame by which we are enabled to offer our whole souls as a living sacrifice unto God.

As heavenly dew, he removes our barrenness and fertilizes our lives. O that he would drop from above upon us at this early hour! Such morning dew would be a sweet commencement for the day.

As the dove, with wings of peaceful love he broods over his Church and over the souls of believers, and

As a Comforter he dispels the cares and doubts which mar the peace of his beloved. He descends upon the chosen as upon the Lord in Jordan, and bears witness to their sonship by working in them a filial spirit by which they cry Abba, Father.

As the wind, he brings the breath of life to men; blowing where he listeth he performs the quickening operations by which the spiritual creation is animated and sustained. Would to God, that we might feel his presence this day and every day.

'WE LIVE TO THE LORD' ROMANS 14.8. C.H.Spurgeon

"We live to the Lord."—Romans 14:8.

F God had willed it, each of us might have entered heaven at the moment of conversion. It was not absolutely necessary for our preparation for immortality that we should tarry here. It is possible for a man to be taken to heaven, and to be found meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light, though he has but just believed in Jesus. It is true that our sanctification is a long and continued process, and we shall not be perfected till we lay aside our bodies and enter within the veil; but nevertheless, had the Lord so willed it, He might have changed us from imperfection to perfection, and have taken us to heaven at once.


 Why then are we here? Would God keep His children out of paradise a single moment longer than was necessary? Why is the army of the living God still on the battle-field when one charge might give them the victory? Why are His children still wandering hither and thither through a maze, when a solitary word from His lips would bring them into the centre of their hopes in heaven? The answer is—they are here that they may "live unto the Lord," and may bring others to know His love.

  We remain on earth as sowers to scatter good seed; as ploughmen to break up the fallow ground; as heralds publishing salvation. We are here as the "salt of the earth," to be a blessing to the world. We are here to glorify Christ in our daily life. We are here as workers for Him, and as "workers together with Him." Let us see that our life answereth its end. Let us live earnest, useful, holy lives, to "the praise of the glory of His grace." Meanwhile we long to be with Him, and daily sing—

"My heart is with Him on His throne,
And ill can brook delay;
Each moment listening for the voice,
'Rise up, and come away.'"   CHS    

Persuasive Evangelism

Presence and proclamation evangelism are often regarded as valid no matter what the response from it.

Nevertheless a negative response may result from:

A poor communication of the message

The unbelief of those who listen

Disobedience to the message

The demands of the message too high.

Some Christians, especially those of a post-modern disposition believe there isn’t a place for a third approach to evangelism namely that of 'persuasion' in witnessing or evangelism. They believe that instead, our example will draw them to Christ that is all we need to do.. But as in Fly Fishing, it sometimes requires a particular fly to catch a certain fish and we need to have several flies in our fishing box. Having only will not catch every type of fish! It is however true that persuasion alone or aggressive evangelism that encourages antagonism from those the evangelist tries to reach is counterproductive. Some Christians may have also been put off by aggressive or pushy evangelists who force themselves onto unsuspecting unbelievers. This is understandable: we don't want to be pushy when people don't want to know the message. But if those we seek to reach are prepared to debate or discuss and many do, there is certainly a biblical basis for it.


I would not recommend it for young Christians to have regular Biblical discussions with members of the sects such as the Mormons or Jehovah Witnesses, but if our Biblical knowledge is strong and we have a good working knowledge of their teaching AND have a strong sense we are being led by the Holy Spirit a Christian should have no fear in examining the scriptures with them in order to persuade them of the Truth.


As we will see from the following biblical accounts, in the right situation, persuasion, reasoning and even using good arguments can be used in evangelism.


Acts 9:22
Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ
29 He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him

Acts 17:2-4 As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ," he said. Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.

17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.

Acts 18:4
Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

Acts 19:9
But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

Acts 26:28
Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"

Acts 28:23-24
They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. From morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.


You could make a list of the words and phrases that refer to forms of persuasion.
Persuasion evangelism tries to get the person to respond to the message by way of proving , debating, reasoning, explaining, discussing or convincing the hearer that the message is true and must be acted on.

This type of evangelism as practised today has been criticised because of the dangers of manipulation and pressure tactics to achieve results. One has only to think how we dislike the ‘hard sell’ salesman who tries to sell us something we don’t want to buy or would want more time to consider the purchase, but are not allowed. Compare this with Jesus letting some disciples leave when they could not receive the word or the advice he gave his would be followers to consider the cost before they would follow him.


Results of pressurised results are often seeds sown without much depth of roots and will often vanish with the morning dew. I have been to see certain Ultra-Charismatic preachers who have almost persuaded me of their message by the end of the meeting, but after a good nights sleep and a calm reflection on the subject I have dismissed their claims. Nevertheless Jesus and Paul often would bring the hearer to a point of decision.


Look at 2.Cor.4.2-6
'Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God'

Paul has renounced underhanded methods

Does not deceive or distort the truth of God’s word.

Lets people make their own minds up.

Recognises the spiritual barriers and leaves the result to God.

Persuasion evangelism might be presented through


1)a Testimony which would describe the change in a person’s lifee.g a converted drug addict who has been given power by God to overcome his addiction. Remember the man who had a legion of demons ? He wanted to follow Christ but was told to tell everyone what God had done for him.


2) Apologetics :reasoned presentation of the gospel attempting to remove some of the barriers to faith e.g. C.S.Lewis etc.


3) Warning :Pointing out the dangers of not becoming a Christian and urging them to respond. Have you ever read or sung this verse in church?

Sinners, turn: why will you die?
God, your Saviour, asks you why.
God, Who did your souls retrieve,
Died Himself, that you might live.
Will you let Him die in vain?
Crucify your Lord again?
Why, you ransomed sinners, why,
Will you slight His grace and die?
Charles Wesley



Evangelism need neither be just Presence evangelism or Proclamation Evangelism or Persuasion Evangelism: each one should build upon the other.

In Presence evangelism those the Church seeks to reach are unaware and ignorant of the gospel and our job is therefore to show them love ( See post on Presence Evangelism) in order to prepare them for the proclamation of the gospel. Having thus prepared them and being now aware of the gospel, in the proclamation of it we explain then what is at stake. It is at this point that we are obliged to persuade them to heed the word in order to make a life changing decision, to turn from their old way of life and follow Christ.

It is also true that we must be sensitive to both those we seek to reach and the Holy Spirit within us.Presence must of course must never be as calculated as described above. People sometimes can come to Christ without 'presence' at all. Nevertheless the Church should not expect results from what I would call 'cheap' evangelism, that is evangelism with just words.

Evangelism is also the most wonderful adventure that any Christian can be involved in. We must be open to the Holy Spirit each day,listening for his voice and direction. The result will beat any excitment on any drama found on T.V.

Proclamation Evangelism

This is the most common form of evangelism and a response to the Great Commission 'Here the focus is declaring, announcing and explaining the gospel in a way people can UNDERSTAND’.

The focus is on the verbal communication of the gospel- God is God who speaks- revealed in Jesus the WORD of God.

The good news declared interprets the 'presence' lived. Some view this mode as the only way for evangelism to be done. This is principally a contribution of the reformed tradition based strongly on Scripture.

Jesus had first of all declared "The time has come, The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"
In the Lukan form of the Great Commission Jesus sent his disciples out to preach repentance and forgiveness to all nations (Luke 24.47)
It is clear that Christian Presence is not enough as Paul strongly stated to the Roman Church. (See Rom. 10:14,17) And what is that message. Again we can look at the definition of Lausanne that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures, and that as the reigning Lord he now offers the forgiveness of sins and the liberating gift of the Spirit to all who repent and believe.

There are at least three distinguishing marks of effective proclamation
1. Credibility
2. Authenticity
3. Sensitivity

I remember hearing of a certain Christian lived in a small Cul-de- sac who never really had any social intercourse with his neighbours. But being 'a good Bible believing Christian' he brought in an evangelist to preach the gospel for him. He did this by setting up outdoor P.A. equipment in his garden and then letting the preacher loose to preach a ‘Hell fire ‘ sermon. When he had finished preaching he packed up his P.A. equipment and left. The Christian who brought in the evangelist felt that his work had been done as he still never felt constrained to build up any sort of relationship with his neighbours.

It would seem that this sort of proclamation evangelism was neither credible, authentic or sensitive. It more than likely think that he was from some other planet, he did not genuinely care for them as he had never spoken to them before and the way he did it was most insensitive.

In proclaiming the gospel there is also a fine balance between faithfully preaching the unchanging message of the New Testament and interpreting it afresh in the different contexts that it finds itself.