Grace offers pardon. Religion only parole

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7v12 The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Matthew 18v21-22 "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?" Matthew 5v46

Grace is different from religion. So very different. Grace gives us what we don't deserve. Religion doles out what we do deserve and continues to hold judgement over us. Its easy to point out one anothers faults and even to make a profession of counting them up into a grand summary of another person's worth or value. Jesus and the new life He purchased for sinners is so very different, He loved and sacrificed for us inspite of our unworthiness. Whats more by full Justification for sin in the High court room of heaven for all those redeemed, He continues to count not sins against those who have received His salvation gift, but instead forever declares over us the verdict of 'Not guilty!' Grace doesn't just leave us on parole, with a black cloud of ongoing suspicion or coldness hanging over us. No, Grace is what God is. Grace offers pardon, uncompromised love. The parable of the unmerciful servant is a stark reminder that religion and mean spiritedness can happily accept pardon and enjoy the benefits and relief of getting off 'Scott free', but leave us short of the same attitude and love in response to others failures and debts. This should not be. JS

Good News

Thought for today: The Gospel is such Good News for those who know they are powerless to achieve right standing with God and the life that God gives, without His saving and enabling Grace. The Gospel does not sound like Good News to the self-made and self-absorbed man who is busy building his own right standing and the life that he himself builds, and sees no need for this talk of saving or enabling Grace. The reason the Gospel is such Good News is because of the cross and resurrection. Christ accomplished a perfect sacrifice for sin that leads to the life that only God can give in His Kingdom. This is such Good news for the poor, the powerless, the disenfranchised but especially for those who are humbled to understand their plight outside of Christ. Thank God for the Good News! JS

When feelings fail

"In the current lazy-busy church age, we don't have the will or energy to search Jesus out: we much rather want Him to fall on us and squash our angst, ambush us with darts of good feeling, and cocoon us with a bubble of grace. The perennial problem of feelings is they are as fickle as our fragile personalities. In contrast, the Word of God is forever-and-always trustworthy. Feelings are nice when they come, but when they fail we can still seek God and do good." Quote by Nick Davis

Two rich men

Two rich men........ .....one young ruler turns away from Jesus sad, another short fraudster climbs out of a tree at his request and puts things right......both were rich, both met Jesus, the 'good' guy turned his back on Him, the 'bad' guy opened his heart to Him and love followed. We will be 'known by our fruits'...... Which part of the DIFFERENCE do YOU and I actually lie on today?

These tears

Just want to testify today to the healing and liberating power of our God. He came to set the captives free and to release those imprisoned in dark dungeons of despair. He is able people. The following is a poem that flowed today from a time of great love and emotion, "I have longed for these tears these uncontrived, true and timely tears. Welling love, dripping, drowning grief. Flowing freely, a great release. Expression of true liberty and a voice that speaks louder, Sorrow fleeing with each paradoxical sob, I knew this day would come. But could I make it come? No, love sometimes waits, crouching, but cannot be denied, Only His roaring call can awaken the dawn, With rivers deep, and temple curtain torn. I have longed for these tears" JS.

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7v13-14 On Sun 27th May, at South City Church's main meeting, we were part of a baton change in leadership where we were 'commissioned' for a new pioneering work in Mid-Ulster (from Sept 2012)for the Kingdom of God, and the new leadership of scc was affirmed and commissioned. As such I passed the 'baton of captaincy' on to David Williamson. It was a wonderful time of impartation and recognition of new things God is doing! As part of the morning I left a final charge in leadership of the church. I preached on the 'Narrow path' Christ taught on. More than that I believe Christ died and rose again to bring us onto this path! The other path is broad, seductive but in the end Christ taught - leads to destruction. I link you here to the website if you would like to either listen to or download this message: 'Walking the Narrow path' The principle characters in this story are....you and I, a guy who read tea leaves (or something similar), a donkey, an angel, an accuser, and God Himself! Enjoy and do contact me if you would like to get to know Jesus Christ personally, beyond 'religion' and to walk His narrow path.... JS

The Kingdom belongs to such as these

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly John 10v10 ESV Children have so much to teach us adults. Jesus taught us that we must learn from them every bit as much as they must learn from us. They have audacity and easily believe. They are joyful, playful and are not burdened down by worry. They are loving and spontaneous.

The Kingdom of God belongs to such as these (picture above is of my audacious and oh so fun 7 year old son Jayden) JS

A Kingdom not of this world

Jesus said that His Kingdom was not of this world...yet has shown us that we need to pray for and invite His Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven...

The following is a message I preached at South City Church, Dublin on Easter Sunday.

We had just witnessed a most moving and impactful audio visual prepared by Michael Keegan (scc) so I am a bit emotional as I stand to speak...

DO listen, the Good News will do you good, both today and for eternity

"a KINGDOM NOT OF THIS WORLD"

Control and manipulation - part 2

Control and manipulation is so much a part of certain cultures that it is seen as just part and parcel of everyday life. Ireland is no different.

While living in India we were often confronted with people in positions of authority who loved to use their position to garner reward through illicit and manipulative ways. It was a very obvious part of culture. Just because it may be less obvious in Ireland though does not mean that it is absent, just dressed up in different 'clothes'.

Manipulation comes in lots of shapes, packages and guises. From a parent who threatens to withdraw love or support if their will is not performed, to a wife that withholds sexual intimacy from her husband repeatedly to prove how displeased she is with him...to a friend in a school classroom who tries to make another feel bad or guilty in order to garner their undevoted attention...to a work-colleague who belittles another or sows seeds of disapproval and slander in a perverted attempt at self-agrandizement and ladder climbing....the list of possibilities is endless and so are the day to day realities.

Jesus Himself never manipulated anyone

. He spoke the truth in love and told us that the truth (that we know) will set us free! He came to bind up the needy and broken, and His Gospel is one that brings us into radical heart transformed but willing freedom not compulsion through guilt.

Some steps in getting free of the effects of relational control and manipulation,

1) Identify - What we are not aware of can continue to harm us. People who live near a railway line often become completely unaware of the noise as each train passes by. This is a process of time and becoming conditioned to the enviromental factors around oneself. The Spirit of God gives us discernment though and helps us to 'test the spirit' of a person and their words and attitudes.

2) Contextualize - Please remember that, for the Christian, we 'wrestle not against flesh and blood' (Ephesians 6) Manipulation is never acceptable in my opinion but it is important to remember that people who manipulate or try to control others may have never learned another way of operating from their own upbringing. This does not excuse their behaviour but it can help to give us patience. The other thing is that when we realise that demon powers are often at work, through oft' unsuspecting personalities, even Christians (I am not infering here 'possession' of Christians but rather that they are 'aligned' incorrectly) it gives us perspective that many of these battles (spiritual in nature) need to be won by regaining our 'legitimate authority' in Christ, being surrendered to the subtle but dark and 'spiritually illegitimate' methods of coersion. This authority we have as sons of the Lord is our inheritance but we have to learn how to live in this.

3) Submit - Aha says you, this is where Shiels has got it wrong. No not to manipulation! Read on. James 4v7 'Submit to GOD, resist the devil, and he will flee from you'
We must submit to God before we can effectively resist the devil and his devices. Let me give you an example of how this operates.

If someone is hosting an attitude laden with manipulation, then tied into this is often a spirit of intimidation. This aims to bring fear

. The Bible tells us that fear 'has to do with punishment' - or 'consequences' As such, intimidation works at its most destructive when 'fear of consequences' dominate and control the intended 'victim'. This was Jezebel's aura and continues to operate through unsuspecting or sometimes co-operative hosts who have sold out to the perceived rewards beyond any sense of propriety. Our God, however, is not a God who intimidates in order to control...

The Bible's and therefore God's remedy to intimidation, and the control this brings, is quite simple - PERFECT LOVE. 'Perfect love casts out fear' we are taught! How does this work though? Is it a warm fuzzy feeling or something like that? Well, I don't think thats the context. Jesus is always our greatest example - perfect theology if you like! Jesus never surrendered to the will of satan, even when He was nailed to the cross!

No! In his sacrificial death Jesus was surrendering to the will of His Father whom He was One with through the Holy Spirit! As we submit to the Father, and His faithfulness and Lordship, we learn to lay down our rights for the will of the Father! Remember the Garden of psychological torment for Jesus...'Not my will but yours be done' was the outcome of One who had learned perfect obedience through what He suffered, and exemplified in the most vivid and loving way what perfect love looks like!

Perfect love is surrendering our will to God's will. Its about dying to self, more than a warm fuzzy feeling, so that God can live through us more and more! Its not an easy track but its a track where fear has less and less of a 'landing strip' to alight on us and tie us down through control, manipualtion and intimidation.

When we are in a given situation or relationship where manipulation is prevalent we need to have the following posture: 'I am going to go God's way, will not be forced to do something against my will, will operate in God's peace in this situation no matter what the other person thinks or says and no matter what the consequence is' At this point the 'hook' the enemy uses to put fear (with control) on us has nowhere to attach itself...and freedom reigns!

Perfect love dear friends, casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. Indeed, in suffering for Jesus, there is a difference between this and punishment. God does not punish His children (Jesus took this) but He will discipline us as sons and allow our faith to grow towards perfection through suffering and learning to walk in perfect agape love.

A love that is bigger than consequences or fear of outcomes. A love founded on a greater love, bestowed by the One who first loved us.

JS