Shepherd

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

This is Psalm 23. A Psalm which I am sure everyone who reads this will be relatively familiar with. Well I have been pretty taken by it recently. I think it is just incredible! I have been studying it and enjoying it. Drinking it in and let the truths settle. There is just so much in it that makes my chest feel like it is about the explode and my bring feel like it might be made out of macaroni cheese.

I want to talk about shepherds though. Shepherds and sheep.

Christians are happy with being called the sheep. Jesus the good shepherd. Us the sheep. He is bigger than us and we believe he leads and that is fine. Pretty cozy actually. I think it is pretty difficult to be called a sheep. I don't really like it. They are stupid. I was talking to a friend and got lost in the hilarity of it all. Have you ever driven through the country and just spotted a sheep in the most ridiculous place. Like they will be standing on a ledge with nothing else around them. It almost seems impossible that they could get there. They went on some meandering walk and ended up in this totally ridiculous and totally dangerous place. This is what happens when sheep look after themselves. When they have control. We are the sheep and we are stupid. Humble yourself to that truth. We go on these meandering walks and end up in totally ridiculous and dangerous places. We then cry out and the shepherd comes running and leads us back to those green pastures that are meant for us. We need him from the start. Following from the get go and realising that we are silly sheep.

I just want to say one thing about the shepherd. He is a wild man. Rough and ready and ruthlessly defensive. I used to see shepherds as these guys who just lay about in fields. I had read the parable of the lost sheep but i don't think I had fully understood it or imagined it properly. I still just saw Jesus wandering through these fields, with only the risk of loosing other sheep. Then I read 1 Samuel 17 and realised that shepherds are badass. King Saul wouldn't let David go and fight Goliath. Then David let Saul know that he used to be a shepherd. Fighting and killing lions and bears in order to protect is flock. This convinced Saul that David had what it took and off he went and kicked Goliath's ass. Shepherds are not passive, caring for the sheep like hippies care for trees. They go out and fight for their flock, risking injury to themselves because the flock is their everything.

Do we then take this same attitude? I don't want to be misunderstood here. I do not believe that we are Jesus. So I cannot make the statement, 'are you caring for your flock?'. The flock is always Jesus'. We know that. However I do believe that we are to be Jesus to people before they come to know him. To mirror him and live as close to him as we can, offering a true representation. After all Jesus said that his disciples would do greater things than even him (John 14:12). So are you caring for the people that have been entrusted to you? Am I caring for the people that have been entrusted to me? To a degree, yes. Not with this ruthless and wild regard though. I want that and I seek it. Theres a prayer point for you. Pray I can be more like that.

'Even though I walk through the valley in the shadow of death, i will fear no evil; For you are with me.' This is just incredible. That is just love isn't it. That is what what fellowship should look like. That is what I want my ministry to be defined by. Just being there. I don't have the knowledge or the ability to sort every problem. I would probably just make them worse. Let me get alongside people though. Let me just be there as people walk through the dark valleys, and let them realise that although I may be close; Jesus is closer.

Praise God, the Good Shepherd.

My New Coat

Have you ever been given a piece of clothing that you just love?

That one thing that you would wear absolutely everywhere and only take it off when your Mum told you to, or when it just got too smelly?

I have. When I was eight I wanted a bomber jacket so badly. I begged and begged until I got one. My Mum gave me it as a gift for doing well in a test. I remember taking it up to my room, putting on my favourite shirt (only shirt) and then I pulled on the jacket. I was such a badass in that jacket. It was so padded out and jet black, I probably looked ridiculous with my tiny eight year old frame; in my head I was Danny from Greece. Zach from Saved By The Bell. Proper cool (Don't judge my childhood heroes) .

I got up the next morning and casually glided down the stairs. Coat on, head shaved and shoulders swinging. 'Josh, take that coat off'. Mum knew what would happen. I would wear it into school, get it dirty and then make her wash it. 'Pleaaaassseee Mum. I will be so careful and I will hang it up on my hanger all day and I won't even wear it at break time. Pleeeaasssseee' Of course my Mum let me. All responsibility for the coat was on my shoulders. Could i handle it? Yes I could. I was the coolest kid in Bangor.

I strutted through those hall ways like I had just got the high score on guitar hero. Puffing my chest out as teachers passed, trying to wink at the girls in my class (Which was actually more like a blink- I was only wee), and assuming that the boys were now scared of me. I got to my class room, ready to make my grand entrance. The trumpets would sound and I would sit on my golden throne. Then it happened. With a heart cutting and stomach turning noise my coat got caught in the hinge of the door and ripped. Right down the sleeve. Bubble burst. This wasn't the end of if either. For some reason the 60 year old class room assistant thought that i needed a substitute for my bomber jacket. She decided that a suitable replacement would be her light red (pink) body warmer. She made me wear this all day, to the amusement of my whole class. I went from hero to zero and all it took was a torn sleeve.

Pretty funny story I think. I look back and laugh at how much i cared about that bomber jacket.

Maybe you understand why I am telling you about the bomber jacket, if you do; great. If not, I will explain.

I believe that as Christians, God has given us an incredible gift and an incredible task. The gift? He has revealed himself somehow through is word, history and in our lives. We have understood that we are forgiven. We have received the gift of grace. The task? Take what you know, what has been revealed and go. Be ambassadors for  God. Be part of the incredible history. In Acts 1:8 the disciples were told that they would be 'witnesses' and so are we. To witness for something is to give an account. If you imagine a witness in a court, they stand up and are asked what they know. I think it is the same in our lives, we live life and all the time people should be looking and asking 'what do they know that I don't'. The question is, what are you doing with the gift? Are you wearing it like i wore my bomber jacket? Proud and confident, knowing that you have got the best thing that you could ever imagine. Or are you taking second best? Are you wearing a pink body warmer when you could be wearing the bomber jacket? We see this all the time don't we? Brothers and Sisters just throwing their faith into the cupboard pulling on what they think the world wants of them. Forget what the world wants. God created the world. He started all of this, why wouldn't we surrender to him? This would be like asking me for a singing lesson when somebody like Beyonce was offering to help you out. She knows how to sing, I don't. God knows what is best for us, We don't. Cant you see the massive risk God has taken in trusting such an incredible thing to us. He has done his bit, and will keep doing his bit. We need to do ours too.

Today we see in the press all the time headlines like 'Christianity in decline' or 'Secular Britain'. It doesn't phase me really because i know that there is something prickling in the hearts of many. People are starting to see what this is about and I can feel something building. It will take sacrifice to be part of it. You will have to give up on yourself and what the the world wants of you. You won't be seen as cool, or successful.   Mother Teresa said so wisely about her life that 'I am not called to be successful, I am called to be faithful.' How refreshing. In the worlds eyes you will be wearing the pink body warmer. In God's eyes you will be wearing the big bomber jacket. What matters most?

Bring it!

Man up, again

I wrote a blog a while ago called man up. I said I was not done writing about it, and turns out I was not!

If you look down at this older post you will see that I was really just griping about the fact that guys get on like they are five and think that girls are there to be laughed at. It was all very general and I know that. This really is a problem though, so I am glad God is revealing it to me.

I put across a simple solution to the problem, treat girls like they were your own sister. It sounded right and probably isn't a bad thing to say. However I think it is time, as brothers, we stop putting paper over the cracks.

The thing we need to do, is not to sit back and assess the way we treat girls, or to think of ways for us to do this better. We need to get to the root of the problem. I believe the problem is; we as a whole are not focused on Christ. The fact is, if we were truly seeking Christ and trying to gain his glorious perspective, this behaviour would simply be laughed off.

We are called to lead the way, and I truly believe that. We cannot lead by example though, if we are not trying to live in a way that will bring glory to God. When we hang out/socialise would we be happy for our saviour to be physically sitting in the room watching us? I doubt it.

The guy/girl issue is just one problem of many.

Lets see the end of guys saying how difficult is. Lets see the end of guys saying that they don't know how to do it, because people have failed before. Jesus set the prefect example. Let's stop Standing by and watching brothers fall, thinking the solution is to talk to someone else about it because you are 'concerned'. Look them in the eye, love them and show them you are concerned. It is time that we stopped rolling through life sailing on the wave of grace, let's turn around and dig into the tide of sin which we all live in, let us claw and fight and with our lords power and might we will get there. Let's be ruthless in out pursuit of righteousness, set high standards. The thing I learn more and more is that the most difficult thing for me to do, is often the right thing. I guess this comes with being fallen.

Don't stop taking advantage of girls because its wrong. Don't stop anything because it's wrong. Stop these things because you love Christ. This way you will not be just stopping them, you will be beating them. You will be free from it.

Let's go forward together, with Christ leading us. It will be better that way.

Wow

I went for a walk this morning and God really opened my eyes to the mundane, he told me they were beautiful. 

I walked down my street and a man stopped his car and smiled as he waved me across the road. 

I looked out to the sea and saw a toddler splashing water on her face, excited and amazed by the sensation of the chill on her face. 

I laughed as creation said hello, when the wind battered my face.

I answered my phone to my Mum, who just wanted to know where I was.

I listened to my favorite songs, my heart leaped with joy.

I saw a church, and wondered why it seems so dead. Jesus told me that he was dead once too. 

I am in awe.

All of creation cries out for his love.

:)

What I have complained about today;

My mum waking me up at 10am to tell me she was going out...how dare she wake me at such an hour!

My dog peeing in my room (again)

My bank Card not working in the machine at Maxol.

Carl beating me in FIFA.

My Dad downloading an app I didn't want onto my IPad.


I could go on, and add more ridiculous things that bothered me today. Looking at this I hope you don't think I am a total brat. I am sure similar minuscule things have caused your gears to grind as well though.

So let's just stop and think about how blessed me are.

A lot of people would give everything to be able to complain about the things we do I reckon.

If we focus on God we will soon realise... Nothing can fulfill us but him.

So who cares if I have a stinky damp carpet, or a Gaelic translation app on my iPad, the weather isn't great, or maybe there is a guy/girl giving you as mixed signals as the traffic lights. Who cares? I think if Paul were here he would probably laugh at us, I also think that brothers and sisters in the persecuted church would weep for us. We have such a big view of the unimportant and a tiny view of the crucial.

2 Corinthians 4:18 -" So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV)

God bless

What do I deserve?

I think when I ask that question, I know what answer I am supposed to give. We do not deserve anything we have got. God should have just cut his loses with his broken creation and let us wallow in our filth, let us live our lives our way and see where we ended up. He didn't though, he loves us so much that he reached out a hand and invited us to be set free from our worldly shackles. To live with him forever because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.

If I argue with my family I get annoyed....because it's not meant to be like that. My grandad isn't very well and it bothers me....because it's not meant to be like that. My friends gossip and bitch.....because its not meant to be like that.

These are just some of the things in my life, that when they are not going my way I get really wound up. As though I deserve a life that is free from these issues. My life is meant to be free from these things- I genuinely believe this sometimes, and I think others do too. We have this weird sense of entitlement in our lives- that things are meant to be better than they are.

I guess what I am trying to say is that in every situation in our lives, we need to step back and realize- We don't deserve anything. Nothing at all. We should still be rolling around in the mud, but Jesus would prefer to have us in his throne room.

I am trying to live a life that reflects this. Everything and I mean everything in my life is a gift from God.

I don't always get on with my family... Thank you God that you gave them to me, and that they were created in your image.

My Grandad isn't well... Thank you God that he has been in my life, that I have known him.

My friends are dickheads sometimes....Thank you that they are not dickheads all the time.

Lets look at everything in life as a blessing. When times get hard, it is just another opportunity to show others the amazing presence God has in your life. That you can cope where others cannot.

Do you remember when you realized that Jesus actually did want to know you? That feeling of realization, when it all fell into place- 'Jesus I give me life to you.'

Never let go of that feeling, that humble realization that the God who hold all of creation in his hands wants to hold you in them as well.

What do we deserve? It doesn't bare thinking about.

What do we get? Eternally blessed.

We don't deserve anything. Everything is a blessing. Let's live like that.


'T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.'

If you have ever played in a rugby match you will know exactly what I am talking about. If you haven't, maybe you will be able to relate this to another sport? I've been thinking a bit about how rugby and my faith cross over and thought i would share. Again, this blog is probably going to be easiest read by my brothers.

I played rugby for Bangor Grammar School and it was incredible.

My old coach really pushed us hard in training. When we were doing drills and training he would encourage each other to push ourselves as hard as we would in a match. Tackle each other like you were tackling the other team. High aggression and high standards were required. If you can't do it in training to your own team, what makes you think you will be able to do it against the other team on a Saturday morning? That's what he used to ask. 

As Christians we need to have this same attitude. When we are around other Christians we should be pushing each other hardest, keeping out standards high and learning off each other. If when you gather with  your Christian friends and it seems the least likely thing to happen is to have a conversation about Christ- why do we assume we will be able to stand when our faith is tested against the enemy (The other team).

Rugby can be played by so many different types of people. You can be a 5 foot tall weed, but in rugby- You are a Scrum Half. So big man you are 18 stone and as round as a Pizza? You are Prop. 100 meters in 11 seconds? Away you out on the wing! Different people, different sizes, different weaknesses, different strengths- One team. Everyone has a role to play, and if they know their role and stick to it the team will succeed.

Lets not get up each others noses because of what we don't do or can't do. Thank God for what we can do. I can stand up and talk, you can organize the event. If you asked me to organize the event i wouldn't get it done. If I asked you to speak you wouldn't do it. We need each other to function. God created us to live in community and to use each others strengths for his glory. None more important than another, like bricks in a wall. Different people, different sizes, different weaknesses, different strengths- One kingdom. Everyone has a role to play.

As I'm sure you all know- Rugby is a contact sport. There is something incredible about playing a sport of it's nature. When playing you literally have to put your own well being on the line and get into a proper scrap with the other team. I loved my old school so much, and loved the guys I played with. This meant on a Saturday morning i would do absolutely anything to make sure we had the best opportunity to win. My school and my team mates meant too much to me to do otherwise. I risked injury and picked up some pretty bad ones. The great thing was there was fourteen other guys willing to do the same thing. It was proper comradeship. 

The really sad thing is that i don't see the same sort of intense passion in my Christian friends, and a lot of the time myself. As Christians we have entered into a war much bigger than you will ever find on a Rugby pitch. Every day you get up you will be faced with challenges and tempted by things that you need to be able to get into a scrap with, and prevail over. How incredible would it be to know that all your mates were going into the same scrap with you? That they were willing to stick their neck out and actually get along side you. So that when things to go wrong and you do take a hit  there is a true man of God standing next you, picking you up and getting ready to get stuck in again. There is no choice but to fight for it- because you know how what Jesus died for and it just means too much. We need to raise each other up in prayer and actually get into each others lives, be honest and know that with God we cannot be limited.

The final thing I needed to get used to at the Grammar was loosing.

We did it a lot, we were actually pretty good at it. Even when we looked in great form, we would probably blow it. This is fine to. It is okay to fail as long as you have put all you have into preventing it.

As Christians we were falter and stumble- and that is okay. Jesus has already died. Your sins are already forgiven. Just don't use this as an excuse. Fight with all you have, I believe God deserves that from us- but doesn't need it.

I hope you enjoyed this, I enjoyed writing it. I am a boy and the thought of Rugby has got the testosterone flowing, so I am pumped and ready to score a try for Jesus.

Very late so not going to re read for punctuation and spelling errors, sorry.

2 Timothy 4:7

'' I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith ''