Christianity

George Whitefield – the Great Evangelist

Posted on October 28, 2012 by Pieter Stok

George Whitefield an Anglican Minister, lived from 1714 to 1770 and preached in Britain and the American colonies. He was a prolific preacher and spoke to thousands and affected

Source: pbs.org

many lives with the Gospel.

Some quotes:

 
Nothing is more generally known than our duties which belong to Christianity; and yet, how amazing is it, nothing
is less practiced?
 
If your souls were not immortal, and you in danger of losing them, I would not thus speak unto you; but the love of your souls constrains me to speak: methinks this would constrain me to speak unto you forever.
 
Although believers by nature, are far from God, and children of wrath, even as others, yet it is amazing to think how nigh they are brought to him again by the blood of Jesus Christ.
 
Among the many reasons assignable for the sad decay of true Christianity, perhaps the neglecting to assemble ourselves together, in religious societies, may not be one of the least.

More qu0tes can be found at such sites as “Brainy Quotes”.

Categories: christian, Christianity, Devotional, Faith, George Whitefield | Tags: , | 3 Comments

Psalms – A Doorway To Worship

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Pieter Stok
Answer me when I call to you,
my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer. Psalm 4:1
 
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs. Psalm 100: 1&2

One of the amazing characteristics of the Psalms is the passion that leaps from the words and phrases. The Psalms are not cold, calculated and remote. They are heartfelt. Filled with joyous, desperate, angry, exhausted, amazed and yearning cries , pleas and exaltations.

To put it differently, the writers have a living and engaged relationship with God. There is nothing distant or clinical. We see similar expressions in slaves yearning for freedom “I wants to go where Moses trod,/O de dying Lamb !/For Moses gone to de promised land,/ O de dying Lamb !) These songs are personal and immediate. During WW2 no one under the boot of the oppressors sang or read Psalm 91 (“Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.”) without the words coming from the very depths of their being. Years later in the safety of a new country, I know from my own family, those words in Psalm 91 still brought up the tremors of dark memories as well as the overwhelming realisation that God had been with the family through those dark times.

The Psalms are a clue to the relationship that God wants with us – a living, ongoing and thirsting connection between Him and the very core of our beings. We also see in the Psalms honesty and vulnerability. Pretence and self-aggrandisement are put aside. The Psalmist is completely open with God with all his feelings.

I fell in love with the Psalms during one of the tougher times of my life and in the process I came to realise how close God was all the time. His comfort, challenge and direction were never far away. The Psalms became, for me,  a gateway to worship – a worship that is founded upon an utter and helpless dependence on a living God.

Immerse yourself in the Psalms and be amazed how near God is!

Categories: christian, Christianity, Devotional, Faith, Psalms, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | 3 Comments

People Boxes

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Pieter Stok

In our staff devotions the other morning one of my colleagues spoke about the “boxes” we place people in. Stereotyping and pre-judging can be an easier, but shallow way, of dealing with people rather than getting to know and relate with them properly.

This made me reflect as a father of six daughters. People often assume that two parents having six children of the same sex must mean they are like peas in a pod. First of all, from an appearance point of view, that is way off the mark and from a personality perspective even more so. Yes, you can see similarities between one and an another but ultimately they are all very different and individual people. You can see parental influences but, once again, they reveal themselves in a variety of wonderful ( and sometimes not so wonderful) combinations.

The oldest is a chemistry researcher at a university with a passion for art. (Shameless plug: her blog on art can be found at – http://netistok.wordpress.com/). Another is a bio-medical engineer who likes history. And still another is a very creative Maths/Science teacher. (No, this is not an oxymoron!) I’ll leave the second three for another, future, post.

Each is unique and individual. If that is true within a family how much more so in our general society. We are unique. Gen 1:27, Psalm 139:14, Mat 6:26 all remind us that God has shaped each one of us into a special person as part of His human mosaic. It is then our responsibility to treat each other in the same way – as special creations of God. The highpoint of that expression is, of course, Jesus Christ. For a person to grow in and know their uniqueness, a relationship with Christ is essential. After all, that is whom the Holy Spirit is growing within us.

Categories: christian, Christianity, Devotional, Faith | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Throw The Minister Off The Plane

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Pieter Stok

Many years ago when I was a minister in a small country town one of our daughters was nominated as a contestant in a Lion’s Club Young Public Speakers’ event. On the big night they had to give a speech and also make impromptu speeches on topics given by the judges. There were quite a few people present on the evening of the finals.

For one of the impromptu topics our daughter was asked the question (something like): If You are the pilot on a plane carrying a doctor, lawyer, survival expert, a pregnant mother and a pastor, and the pilot must stay with the plane, because with one engine it can carry one person back to the airport, but there are only 4 parachutes for the other 5 people, who would have to miss out when they jumped off the plane and why? My daughter, without any hesitation, said,”The pastor.” There was an audible gasp among the people in the room as everyone knew I was a pastor. Some may have wondered if there were family issues that needed resolving in the Stok household.

My daughter added quickly, “The pastor knows where he is going when he dies. His salvation is assured, but I don’t know if the others have that relationship with God. They still have an opportunity to come to the Lord” It was a wonderful witness of the power of the gospel to the people present. But I also remember thinking at the time that there is a challenge for each one of us – me included. We all need to be ready when the Lord calls because we don’t don’t know the day or the hour of our passing.

Categories: christian, Christianity, Devotional, Faith, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | 5 Comments

Where Have the Servant Leaders Gone?

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Pieter Stok

What ever happened to servant leadership – that amazing leadership modelled by Christ? Where are the leaders that give of themselves altruistically for the good of the people they lead? If we reflect on history, some of the most incredible leaders were those with a humble sense of servanthood. Gandhi, Mandela … you fill in the gaps with people who come to mind.

I see Servant leadership in some church leaders, business and school leaders but it seems a quality that modern politics has squeezed out of its participants. In recent years there has been a scandal in the UK in which more than a few MPs used the system to feather their own nests. Australia has seen its fair share of arrogant and obnoxious behaviour where the good of the people being served has hardly been considered. The current election fervor in the US is anchored in hubris, arrogance and self aggrandisement.

No one event (outside of the cross) highlights the opposite of this attitude more than Jesus washing his disciples feet in John 13. Jesus challenges his disciples, and us, by saying,” I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” This humble act is a metaphor for Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice but also for the attitude he calls us to take. To be Christ like has no room for arrogance, self service, pretension and conceit

The question that I am left with, is, how do we encourage servant leadership in our narcissistic age? The people Jesus left behind, the church – that is the body of Christians (I am not speaking of denominations etc.) – are called to be Christ modellers. The world around us needs to see what it looks like. So where does it start? With us.

PS If there is a servant leader who has inspired you (local, national or international – past or present), I would love to hear about them.

Categories: christian, Christianity, Devotional, Faith, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | 4 Comments

For Whom Would Calvin Vote in the US Election?

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Pieter Stok

The other day I reflected how it must be difficult for committed Christians to vote in the US election (and in most other countries) as neither candidate has a well developed biblical worldview. ( See “Rulers Beware”). So I thought, who would John Calvin vote for if he could?

While living in the city of Geneva (now in Switzerland), Calvin made sure the poor didn’t starve or get turned away from hospitals. He promoted job growth and interest-free charitable loans, and taught the wealthy to lead humble lifestyles and avoid expensive jewellery so they could use their money to give generously to poor refugees fleeing religious persecution.
Calvin’s system worked so well that there were no beggars on the streets, and in 1554 one observer called Geneva “the most perfect school of Christ that ever was in the earth since the days of the apostles.’

From: Crossfield.com Charity and the Protestant Reformation

From a social justice perspective Calvin may have been attracted to the Democrat point of view. “Obamacare” may have been a positive measure in his eyes and even investing in jobs growth would have received a warm response. (I’m sorry, American brothers and sisters, Calvin had a definite socialist slant!)

However I am also sure that “gay marriage” and the right to abortion would have horrified him.

This highlights the dilemma for the conservative evangelical Christian. The polarisation of policies in which there is good and bad on both sides makes voting such a treacherous issue. Each way I turn there is a nasty compromise. My vote may save a child from abortion but if the social policies are absent he may be left to a life of unemployed crime with minimal healthcare. I know that that is facetious but I am trying to make a point: to vote in a God honouring way is nigh on impossible if there is not a God honouring candidate for whom to vote. That means men and women need to stand up as candidates for the whole counsel of God – not just the ear tickling policies. This would give Christians someone to vote for – even if they weren’t elected.

Categories: Calvin, christian, Christianity, Devotional, Faith, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Inspiration from Psalm 3

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Pieter Stok

Lord, how many are my foes!
    How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
    “God will not deliver him.”

But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
    my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
I call out to the Lord,
    and he answers me from his holy mountain.

People sometimes say, derisively, “religion is a crutch.” I have no hesitation in saying they are right. My faith is a crutch. It is something for me to lean on because I know that in myself I do not have the resources or strength, because of my brokenness, to be renewed.

I, with David, acknowledge that God (in Christ), is my shield and defender.  Without that crutch I would have been flat on my face a long, long time ago!

Categories: christian, Christianity, Devotional, Faith | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Two More Teresa Quotes

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Pieter Stok

I have two more quotes from the amazing Counter Reformation reformer, Teresa of Avila – a most unusual source for a Calvinist!

If I were to give advice, I would say to parents that they ought to be very careful whom they allow to mix with their children when young; for much mischief thence ensues, and our natural inclinations are unto evil rather than unto good.

She understood sin. The other quote which really puts our brokenness into perspective:

I am quite certain that great evils would be avoided if we clearly understood that what we have to do is, not to be on our guard against men, but on our guard against displeasing Thee.

Teresa of Avila The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus . Kindle Edition.
Categories: christian, Christianity, Devotional, Faith, Teresa of Avila, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Worship or Entertainment?

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Pieter Stok

Music and Worship Picture: Wikipedia

I was listening to some secular music that came from my daughter’s collection. Some of the music had the feel and sound of contemporary worship songs. This led me to thinking how many modern Christian songs have a main stream sound. (Don’t even get me started on the “Jesus is my boy friend” style lyrics!) Now don’t get me wrong. I believe music is a God’s gift to man and has a wide range of functions from worship, education , to entertainment. The question that crossed my mind however was, “Is it appropriate to use worship songs as entertainment or background music (musak) when essentially our minds are engaged elsewhere?” Does this use of Christian music honour God?

To be honest I am very uncomfortable when we use worship songs as part of the background noise of our lives without taking notice of what the words are declaring. Worship is giving God the honour that is His due. We do that with our hearts and lives and with our work and quiet moments. Is it right then to treat music and words so glibly?

Sometimes when I am in my car by myself and there is worship music playing it can be a special moment. God draws me close and my heart is lifted towards Him. That is because I am having time alone with God – nothing is distracting the attention that God deserves. But am I wrong in thinking that there are moments in the hurley-burley of our lives when using worship songs as fill in noise, is not appropriate?

Categories: christian, Christianity, Devotional, Faith, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | 9 Comments

A Prayer: Dust and Life.

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Pieter Stok
My soul is so easily entertained,
by everyday things:
Amusing titbits,
diverting trivia and
inane time wasters .
My heart can be so shallow
and fickle,
that where treasure
should  live
there is dross and detritus –
the dust of life.
 
Fill me
Oh God with
You.
Your Spirit,
Your Word,
Your Life.
 
Enliven me
with what is real
and eternal.
Empower me to leave
the dust behind.
Categories: christian, Christianity, Devotional, Faith, Poem, poetry, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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