Posts Tagged With: Devotion

John Bunyan – A Messenger for Our Time

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Pieter Stok

There is a great little museum in the Bedford, UK celebrating and commemorating the life of John Bunyan, the C17th writer of Pilgrim’s Progress and numerous other books. Bunyan started his working life as a tinker repairing pots and pans but was later gaoled for many years for the heinous crime of preaching without permission. He was a non-conformist and only official Anglican clerics were allowed to conduct services. John Bunyan thought that being obedient to God was more important than obeying the State’s rules. He was prepared to pay the price. Which he did. He used his time in gaol to do much of his writing. In the Bedford museum there are many aspects of Bunyan’s life recreated and presented. It is well worth a visit. Also the story of his life and his writings are well worth reading.

Bunyan’s life confronts us with a question: What price are we prepared to pay for being obedient? Those of us who are Christians in western countries, we are not used to paying the physical, financial, social and emotional price for being a Christian. We prefer a theology of financial blessing rather than a theology of sacrifice and commitment. But as we descend into a post Christian era in the West, we may find that to be genuine in our faith we will need to find the inner “John Bunyan” who is prepared to stand up and be counted – no matter what the cost.

If there was ever a time, in recent history, when our neighbours needed to know that there is an alternative lifestyle and worldview to  the current obsessions – it is now. People need to see lives of hope,direction and purpose. That is what Bunyan was doing. In the conformity of his age he was showing that there was a greater King and a greater Kingdom than that of Charles 2nd. Our challenge is to do the same for our era, our leaders and our neighbours.

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Snails: They Creep Up On You!

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Pieter Stok

Snails: They Creep Up On You!

Snails! This morning I was planting some flowers. I had a tray of them sitting on the ground and while I was taking one plant out of its pot and putting it into the soil I noticed a snail slowly slithering up the side of the tray. I made a mental note to deal with it when I had an opportunity. However, I forgot about my house toting friend. A long while later I came back to the tray and noticed that he had made his way up the side of the tray to one of the flower pots and was having brunch -being about 10:30 am. I won’t mention what I did next in case I am reported to the RSPCS.

I continued planting (like the snail I am doing it slowly as my back is complaining) and I started reflecting. My lack of initial action is often the way we deal with problems and other issues in our lives. We think to ourselves the issue isn’t big and as I have other things to deal with I will leave it on the back burner until later, only to find that before we know it, it has become a large issue and impacts our lives in a considerable way. Depending on where our weaknesses are, it could be anything from white lies, to pornography or petty theft at work to gambling, procrastination(oops) to gossip. At this point you can insert what trips you up …

Experience tells us that dealing with our foibles early is the wisest path. It saves us from greater pain, embarrassment or struggles further on. Seeking forgiveness, actively putting behaviours or actions behind us, is the healthiest action. If we are not careful, initial foolishness can become an addiction or a pattern of behaviour that is hard to shift. What “snails” are creeping up in your life? Excuse me now I’m off to get some more snail bait.

Categories: Devotional, Faith, Life, Reflections, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment

Saying Good Bye to the Class of 2011

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Pieter Stok

I didn’t think it would be so hard. I have been a teacher for a long time and I’ve seen many students leave over the years. But this time it has been more difficult. I have been their home room teacher for over two and half years. When we first met we didn’t like each other but a year later I was asked/volunteered to be their Homeroom teacher and so the journey together started.

Now they are leaving. Secondary school has finished and the rest of life is beckoning. They are keen and yet nervous about exploring more of life. But there is still so much to learn, there are still so many warnings to give, issues to alert them about and skills to learn. Nevertheless they are going.

My wish for them is fulfilled lives. Happiness is transient and fleeting but fulfillment is an on going objective – something to strive for – a means of making life more than just mediocre.

The class has the personality and the ability to leave mediocrity in its wake. There are so many skills, abilities, qualities and traits that none of them need to be ordinary.

Most of all, and best of all, there is a strong understanding of the reality of a relationship with Christ and a place and purpose in the Kingdom of God. My most ardent prayer is that this won’t be squashed by the cynicism of the world. It is my prayer that this relationship and this sense of place and purpose that will sustain them in all the hopes, aspirations, trials and traumas of the years to come.

Lord bless them and keep them. Amen.

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Learning to Ride a Bike

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Pieter Stok

Do you remember the first time you successfully rode a two wheeled bike? The exhilaration and sense of achievement was amazing. There was also a sense of mystery. How was this possible? What stopped you from falling over? I can still remember the first time I rode a bike. The time and place is etched in my mind. After falling one way and then the other and scratching knees and shins, I finally succeeded in navigating myself around the tree rather than going into it. From then on bike riding was a breeze.

Faith is like that. Not understanding who God is and wondering what it means to depend on Him seems so hard. The idea of trusting in the unseen and overcoming the doubts seems almost impossible. And yet, once you trust in Him and open yourself up to His love and guidance, you realise that He carries you and that no spiritual gymnastics are required.

Too often we treat “faith” like a mountain to climb rather than a lifestyle and relationship to trust in. We make it more difficult than it needs to be. Like many new bike riders trying to balance – we try too hard.

Paul says to the Ephesians: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God… Eph 2:8.  A gift is to be received. Take it and pull it close to yourself – and don’t try too hard because God does all the work. It is His gift. If you do take hold of it, it is like riding a bike. You’ll wonder why you ever thought it was so difficult.

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Separated From the Love of God

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Pieter Stok

Early Medieval Stone Cross in Norway

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Romans 8:35

Have you ever contemplated the concept of being separated from the love of God? Now I know the true child of God cannot be separated from that love, but just think if it were possible. What would go though your mind? Horror? Fear? Despair? Probably all three and much more. Well, that would be true for me. The idea of being separated from God’s love defies my imagination. It horrifies me. It is too terrible to contemplate.

Why do I ask this awful question? Because when I look at the members of the body of Christ, including, sadly, my own heart at times, I don’t see the thankfulness, relief, joy and gratitude of people who truly understand what the love of God means. Maybe as an antidote we should reflect on what it means to be outside it; to imagine what being outside that sphere really means.

I believe such a genuine reflection would have at least two (possibly more) results. One result would be, our sometimes casual, complacent and neglectful relationship with God would be dealt a severe blow. Greater thankfulness, obedience, joy and probably, relief would be visible in our lives. We would live the Spirit filled life that redeemed people should be living – can be living. The second consequence would be a greater passion to see others saved. Understanding what it means to live outside God’s love, I believe, is a great motivator for our lifestyle, words and attitudes towards those who haven’t grasped the love of God through faith.

I know we can’t force people to believe, but living like people who know what they have been saved from should be obvious from every atom of our being. May our prayer be to live lives that comprehend the amazing and eternal love of God.

Categories: Bible, christian, Christianity, Church, Devotional, Faith, Jesus, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment

A Journey Continued

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Pieter Stok

Quite a while ago I wrote about the spiritual journey my wife and I are taking through the

Sheep Grazing over the Catacombs in Rome near an Olive Tree

book “A Journey with Jesus” by Larry Warner. He uses the spiritual exercises of St Ignatius as the foundation of the book.

Over the last few weeks the devotions have concentrated on sin, not in a self deprecating manner, but sin as the component of our lives that separates us from God and His grace. Sin is not a popular word today. Society, including many Christians, has sanctified many behaviours that have previously been regarded as sin. This just doesn’t extend to homosexuality and abortion but also to greed and materialism. The reasons I mention this is that we are good at judging people on the basis of the sins we don’t commit and close our eyes to the ones we do.

What I have found refreshing in Warner’s exercises is that I have been given an opportunity to lay open all aspects of my life. What this has done is that it has reminded me of how comprehensive the salvation that Christ offers had to be. It needed to cover every aspect of my life – not just the ones I select. It also halts complacency and reminds me that there is still so far to go in my sanctification.

With that reminder comes the wonderful assurance that in Christ all my needs have been met and I can say with the psalmist, “Keep my safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.” Psalm 16:1

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The Already and Not Yet – The Beauty and the Pain

Posted on October 23, 2011 by Pieter Stok

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Ps 32:7

On this Sunday morning my reflection is simple. Every time I am gardening I am reminded of the “Already” and not yet”. Beautiful flowers bursting forth, and vegetables sprouting and growing remind me the Christian is already seated in heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6 – Already seat with Christ). This is an important reminder because in the garden you are also surrounded by weeds and bugs – the opportunists who take any and every opportunity to destroy that which is good. That is the “Not Yet”. There is still a struggle, in this life, against sin and its pervasive results. Objectively we may be seated with Christ, but subjectively we struggle with the present.

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

The World As We Knew It

Posted on October 22, 2011 by Pieter Stok

My Father’s Class in the 1920s

When I reflect on this photo of my father’s class in the 1920s I marvel and tremble at how much our world has changed; culturally, technologically and especially, spiritually. Little did my dad know when this photo was taken that he would he forced to spend many years working in Germany and that later he would immigrate to Australia. One thing that remained strong throughout all this time was the faith of the family. A faith that is still carried forward in our family today.

Ocean Grove PS 1957

When I grew up in the 50s and 60s the forces of the world, cold wars and the like, continued their machinations but the faith of the family continued. The first hints of the technological revolution could be seen. I replaced my crystal set with a Japanese made “trannie” (transistor radio). However, at school, the teachers even if they weren’t active Christians still carried a Christian ethic. Some things remained the same – for the moment.

Then came the social upheavals of the 60s and 70s; from the pill to Vietnam moratoriums. The social structures of family, relationships, morals underwent enormous change. That is the foundation of the world today’s young people and children came into but they had the added influence of the IT revolution which has changed the way we interact, communicate, exchange ideas, portray self, acquire, educate and so on.

My point is this: Change has always occurred. None of us is immune, but the nature of change in the last 30 years has been one that very few us were prepared for ( prepared in an educational sense) and even today, very few of us know how to prepare our children for.

For me, the security in the midst of all this has been the certainty of God and His Word. With all this change, one thing is concrete and certain and that is the gospel of Jesus Christ. His claims on me and my children and His vision of a community and kingdom continue on, regardless of any cultural, technological or moral changes that humanity may decide upon.

I suppose the one caveat I have is this: Because the changes in recent times have been so enormous (beyond the wars and rumours of wars), our teaching, revealing and living the gospel to our children needs to be more intentional than ever. More than ever, sound teaching and training, and especially sound example is required for our children to thrive in whatever the future may bring.

How we do that in our schools is a story for another time. As someone once said, “We have a brilliant education system to prepare our children well, for the 1950s. That is for another time.

Categories: christian, Christianity, Faith, Family, my dad | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments

Narcissism

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Pieter Stok

Narcissus was so obsessed with his reflection in a pool of water that he was unable to leave -and died.

If you are one in a million, that means there are over 6000 people just like you!

The mirror,
The reflective shop front windows:
… adjust the hair, pout the lips.
The models, the clothes:
… it’s all about me.
The reality TV show,
Those 15 minutes of fame:
“My! I am attractive.”
“Oh, I deserve it.”
“Gorgeous/Spunky!” (you choose)
“I AM the most important person in the world.”
“I AM special”.
“I AM Unique.”
…
Giving,
Sharing,
Co-operating,
Putting the other first,
Team,
Body life,
Fellowship.
…
 Life sucking. Life giving.
Your choice.
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Are Our Lives a Condemnation?

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Pieter Stok

Hebrews 11: 7 By his faith he (Noah) condemned the world.

2 Cor 2:15 -16 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life.

A blog by Kevin Nunez (http://kevinnunez.org/2011/10/18/christ-like-fragrance/) resonated with some thoughts I was challenged with last night while reading Hebrews 11. Is the life of the church an affront to the world and its values? Noah’s faith was an obvious contrast to the times in which he lived. His faith highlighted the lack of faith, and rebellion amongst his neighbours.

Living in an era of appeasement and conciliation this attitude seems alien. Yet, unless the world in which we live is confronted by its rebellion against God there is nothing for it to repent from, and believe in.

I don’t believe this requires fire and brimstone preaching. In fact, I believe the onus is on us to become that pleasing aroma. Rather than concentrating on the world we should be concentrating on our faithful obedience. Why, for example, is it that rate of marriage break down is as high in the body of Christ as outside it? How can we be a pleasing aroma when many of our marriages stink! There are a host of other areas where the church (read Christians) reflects the world rather than Christ: lack of love for our neighbour, gossip, environment, consumerism, selfishness … add the myriad of other areas that come to your mind.

A friend once said, when speaking of the Salvation Army,”The reason that they are respected is because they are tough on themselves and easy on everyone else.” He added, “Most churches and Christians, are easy on themselves and tough on everyone else.” Unless we become tough on ourselves, our lifestyle, wordstyle and lovestyle then we wont be that condemnation of the values of the world or that pleasing aroma that attracts people to repentance and faith.

Paul asks, “Who is equal to such a task?” Then he reminds his readers that we are in Christ. “In Christ” our words and actions should confront the world, but as Christ also did for us, we should offer life, hope, a kingdom and eternity.

Categories: christian, Christianity, Church, Devotional, Faith, Reflections, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

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