Three strikes and counting...

One week, three strikes. London’s tube network, firefighters and the BBC. This frequency of strikes jars with the claim that striking is the last resort in industrial disputes. It makes me wonder about the range of tools we have available to resolve conflict and question the way we have structured society. It makes me ponder the influence of the class culture in the seemingly rapid polarisation that occurs in conflict. And it inspires me to imagine the possible role of the Christian community. 

The Dutch are known for a strong consensus culture, pragmatically recognising diversity and aiming for cooperation despite differences. The origin of the Dutch term ‘polder model’ gives us an illustrative metaphor. A significant part of the country consists of polders, land below sea level. Historically, competing or warring cities in the polder had to cooperate. For without unanimous agreement on shared responsibility for the dikes and pumping stations, the polders would have flooded. Sink or swim.

The election result has forced UK politicians to adopt a consensus model of democracy. Government by coalition is common in several European countries. It will be fascinating to see this migration away from the traditional adversarial style. Yet a national character anchored in strong historic roots doesn’t change overnight. It needs a guiding transforming philosophy, which, I propose, lies in the Christian worldview.
The Dutch theologian and politician Abraham Kuyper articulated in the 19^th century the implications of a Christian worldview for all spheres of life, “In the total expanse of human life there is not a single square inch of which the Christ, who alone is sovereign, does not declare, 'That is mine!'.”

So what could that look like in 21^st century industrial disputes? Could Christian values and skills generate an epoch-defining transition in the way industrial disputes are conducted, gradually transforming the way employers and employees perceive one another, relate and organise themselves? 
The consensus model of decision-making has strong Christian roots. Historically, the Quakers, Mennonites and Anabaptists aimed for a process that came to a "common mind". It is strongly egalitarian and inclusive in nature and ensures that all parties have an equal input into the process. Conflict resolution is continuously built into the discussion that aims for the common good.

In his book To Change the World, James Davison Hunter challenges us to think through in an institutional way in every sphere of life what constructive subversion could look like. We are to challenge structures and procedures that dehumanise people. We are meant to shape patterns of work and relationship towards a shalom that seeks the welfare of all.

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone”, writes Paul in Romans 12:18. His double plea – if possible, as far as it depends on you – emphasises the importance of pursuing good, peaceful community relations. Peace building that shapes the attitude, tools and atmosphere of our workplace and its conflicts.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus characterises the sons of God by their ability to make for peace (Matthew 5:9). Blessed are the peacemakers in our family rifts and neighbourly rows, in international relations and in our industrial disputes.

Shalom

Marijke Hoek - Coordinator Forum for Change

Bias

Tis fair my heart


No whispering doubt

There my bias lay

My fancy my need

Is all I could portray



A blackening face

Grim and gross display

Behind the smile

Selfishness reigns



I see in you

The things I need

But not so with you

My bias lay

With self conceit

Applauding my bias ways



Evil! Evil! Even Death proclaims
That which knows no bias way

Will condemn my sway



This poem was written from the contemplation of how bias sometimes we are in which we favour certain people because of our prejudice. We sit and eat with certain people and reject to sit with others because of maybe their status, whether they are pretty enough, smart enough and many other vain things. We judge others and reject to sit with the less socially accepted at the cost of our own status and even more disturbing, pleasure. I see sometimes these things in my own heart and I marvel but quickly disregard my own bias and pray for a pure heart of love because what will displace vain bias is love, unconditional love. If you do read this, does the poem above make sense or is it just to me, feedback would be useful. thanks

K.Oni

Christians: The need for sexual purity

Well, you’ve done it again. For what you want to do (sexual purity) you do not do, but what you hate you do. And if you do what you do not want to do, you agree that it is good to keep sexually pure. But you’ve done it again. You found yourself covered with lustful desires and as a lion to its prey, you chase, never resting until you have devoured your prey. Then the weight of guilt fall heavy upon your shoulder and like Augustine you take refuge in a garden, where no one could interrupt that fierce struggle in which you was your own contestant and you are beside yourself with madness, you are frantic overcome by violent anger with yourself for not accepting God’s will and entering fully into His covenant. You tore your hair and hammered your forehead with your fist. You are held back by mere trifles, held captive as a slave to sexual impurity. You have the desire to do what is good, but the sexual impurity you do not want to do-this you keep on doing.  Now if you do what you do not want to do, it is no longer you who do it but it is sin (sexual impurity), living in you that does it. Therefore, you find yourself a wretched man and ask who will rescue you from this body of death.  Like David, your soul is in deep anguish and your bones are in agony. All night long you flood your bed with weeping and drench your couch with tears. Your eyes grow weak with sorrow, they fail because of all your sexual sins. 


Many Christian students in coming to university may find themselves in the centre of a ‘hissing cauldron of lust’. They see with fleshly eyes the wantonness of sexual gratification and availed by their own already sexual desires, it becomes almost impossible to steer away from the ‘hissing cauldron of lust’. Thus, many give way to the reign of lust and if these Christians are born again, they find no peace or lasting enjoyment in these sexual activities but a relentless guilt and sorrow and powerlessness which dominates their Christian existence. Jesus said that one cannot serve two masters, you will love one and hate the other. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, ‘for this is the will of God, that you abstain from sexual immorality’. Also, Peter solemnly warned the church that ‘as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires which war against your soul’, 1 Peter 2:11. Sexual immorality is a sinful desire and it should not surprise believers that it wars against their soul, against their enjoyment of God because sexual purity as to do with enjoying God. Sexual immorality is not just limited to sleeping together or committing adultery but also ‘sexual desires that dominates your life in ways they should not.  For our day I think we could include here desires that lead to the use of pornography, and desires that lead to a fantasy life and the masturbation that is so often embedded in it - for men and women’, John Piper. If the need for sexual purity as to do with enjoying God, for sexual immorality has to do with gratification and pleasure, then how can you a Christian student cultivate a life of enjoying God amidst the ‘hissing cauldron of lust’ which will naturally diminish your wants and needs for sexual immorality?


Abstaining from sexual immorality is ultimately a fight to please and enjoy God. It shows that above all you Love God and your desires and affections are for him. The path to cultivating a life of enjoying God is by knowing God. If you are sold to pornography, fornication, sexual fantasies and all other sexual sins, knowing God is the path to your freedom because for the Christian it is crucial to note that  Jesus Christ delivers you by his blood from the bondage of sin to the freedom of the Spirit. Sexual immorality is not the mark of a son or daughter of God but of gentiles, those yet not knowing God because ‘as obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance’ and ‘put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires’, 1 peter 1:14 and Ephesians 4:22. God has given us our bodies, our Spirit filled bodies that he might be glorified in them, so keeping sexually pure glorifies God and our enjoyment of him increases. 


If you struggle violently with lust, pornography and deep sexual immorality, knowing God and enjoying God will lead to your sexual purity. Your free-will as Augustine puts it, avails for nothing except to sin and also that every man wants to be happy whatsoever his condition.  For the Christian student you want to be happy in God but your sexual failures wages war against your soul. Your real need is for God who is the food for your soul but you may not be aware of this hunger, therefore you should pray to God for more of his saving grace, for God to put His sovereign Joy into your heart that triumphs over all other joys and thus quenches your desires for sexual immorality. 


Do not remain silent on this issue, but seek healing from this paralyses from the church community. Be affirmed that it is not only you with this struggle but many more may be in the same red shoes as you. Confess your sins, seek breakthrough and know yourself, know the things which causes you to sin and above all treasure Jesus in your heart. You do not have to stay in guilt but know that God justifies the ungodly, yea, He has justified you by the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.


The need for sexual purity is the battle to enjoy God. And God has poured his love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. So, take fresh courage in your battle with sin and seek to enjoy and delight in God. 


K.Oni


Sources:
Romans 7, Romans 5
The legacy of Soverign Joy by John Piper

This Pornographic Life by Chris Donato- http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/pornographic-life/

http://desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/this-is-the-will-of-god-for-you-that-you-abstain-from-sexual-immorality

Prayer boredom and Prayer walks

Sometimes, I find it difficult to pray and that could be for different reasons but one reason may be because I’ve spent too long praying in the same place that is in my room and perhaps a change of location may give me that zeal and motivation to actually pray. Prayer I believe should be an everyday thing where one communicates with God because it is their delight to do so. If you find yourself not praying at all, you should ask yourself, why am I not praying? And then followed by what you think prayer is and whether you see it as being important. Our Lord Jesus loves to pray and so did his disciples and we ought also to follow their example, not in a legalistic way but with an enraptured heart at the sovereignty of God and the beauty of God that He is able to do all things and that he gladly hears us. It should be to our shame as Christians that often we neglect the duty of prayer in which our Lord shed his blood for so that we can boldly approach the throne of grace with confidence. So I plea wit you as I plea with myself that we should take to prayer and not to find it boring. One way of tackling prayer boredom is by doing prayer walks. Prayer walks is simply walking and praying although others may defer but it is simply walking and praying. It is intentional and it is meant to hopefully stimulate the activity of praying especially for the area in which you are walking. On Saturday I and my good friend went down to Easton (one of the ethno distinguished area in Bristol), to evangelise. We spoke to a few people but whilst walking, I prayed for the area and for the people and for those we had just spoken to. In my private prayers, I almost always forget to pray for Easton but walking through the area stimulated me to pray for the area. Also, today as I was walking to Uni, I prayed. I had found it difficult to pray earlier in my room but I found it easier to pray as I began to walk. I am not suggesting this is the only way to tackle prayer boredom and of course a meeting with the Lord is never boring but if you do find yourself bored of prayer then perhaps you could do different things to stimulate you and prayer walk is one of those options.

K.Oni

Will the Piety of Sunday Produce a Passion for Justice on Monday?

This is part of a sermon preached by John Piper on Isaiah 58 and you can listen to the whole sermon at the link provided at the end of this except of his talk.

There is a well-known sermon that many of you have heard about the pain of Good Friday turning into the joy of Easter, called "Sunday’s comin’!" The refrain occurs over and over, "It’s Friday, but Sunday’s comin’!" Well, we need another sermon to become well-known, namely, "It’s Sunday, but Monday’s comin’!" We’re here with our voices lifted and our heads bowed and our prayers rising! What does God think of it? You’ll find out tomorrow: "It’s Sunday, but Monday’s comin’!" Will the piety of Sunday produce a passion for justice on Monday? That’s the question of Isaiah 58.

Then in verses 6-7 and 9b-10a Isaiah tells us what the social justice and practical mercy look like that please God. "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?" Then look in the middle of verse 9: "If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted."

Five Kinds of Human Need for Passionate Concern

In addition to the all-important need for faith and forgiveness and personal holiness, there are five kinds of human need that Isaiah – and Jesus – are passionately concerned about. 1) The need for freedom from bondage and oppression. Four times in verse 6 and once in verse 9 he hits on this. Verse 6: "Loose the bonds of wickedness, undo the straps of the yoke, let the oppressed go free, break every yoke." Verse 9b: "Take away the yoke from your midst." 2) The need for food. Verse 7a: "Is it not to share your bread with the hungry?" 3) The need for housing. Verse 7b: "[Is it not] to bring the homeless poor into your house?" 4) The need for clothing. Verse 7c: "[Is not this the fast I choose:] When you see the naked, to cover him?" 5) The need for respect. Verse 9b: "Take away . . . the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness." In other words, stop accusing unjustly and belittling and exploiting.

Isaiah preaches justice to the people of God, and Jesus displays justice to the people of God and suffers to cleanse and empower the people of God, so our piety will produce a passion for social justice and practical mercy. If it doesn’t, our piety is empty. And if it does – if our faith and love and devotion to Christ do produce a passion freeing the oppressed, and feeding the hungry, and housing the homeless, and clothing the naked, and putting away belittling talk and demeaning gestures – then, O Bethlehem, you will break forth like the dawn.

All the rest of this text is promise for what good things happen in our lives when we give ourselves away to others in the cause of justice and mercy. And we know from the fulfillment of this prophecy in Jesus that this does not mean we earn God’s blessings. God himself, through Christ, purchases them for us at the cross and empowers us to fulfill the conditions for them. Verse 8: If you give yourself away to bring justice and mercy in the world, instead of just living for your own comforts,

"Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.'." [He continues in the middle of verse 10:] "then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. 11 And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. 12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in."

Descriptions and Dreams of Who We Want to Be

Is this not a beautiful description of what we would like to experience as a people in Roseville and downtown Minneapolis:

• light in darkness,
• healing for wounds,
• righteousness in front and the glory of God behind,
• a God who hears when we cry to him,
• guidance from the Lord,
• satisfaction for our souls in scorched places,
• our very bones made strong for battle,
• being so watered by the Lord that we become a spring of water for others to drink and find refreshment,
• being used by God to rebuild what has been destroyed and make a place of life and hope.

To me it is amazing that all this and more is promised to people whose piety produces a passion for God-exalting justice and practical mercy. So, Bethlehem (Roseville attenders and downtown attenders) dream a dream for you and your family and your friends for how you can

• free the oppressed
• feed the hungry
• house the homeless
• clothe the naked,
• and put an end to belittling gestures and words.

This is the will of God, this is the work of Christ, and this is the way to break forth like the dawn. Amen

John Piper. http://desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/bethlehem-break-forth-like-the-dawn

Changing

The seasons changed
And she changed too

The morning came
And she came too

The laughter ran
And she ran too

I waited
And she waited too

Psalm 4 - An exposition

Absalom’s rebellion against his father could still be the background of this Psalm because the main theme of the psalm is inward peace. This could be a midnight prayer for any troubled soul who feels the temptation of bitterness and anger towards their enemies and instead of sleeping in rage, one could like David trust in the LORD to avenge their cause.

David makes it a habit of pleading to the LORD in his troubles, seeking relief and comfort from his creator. Late at night he bends his knees and like a dependant child he lifts his voice to his heavenly Father and eagerly begs of God vs. 1 answer me when I call to you. Here David pleads directly to God begging of him for an answer. One can imagine the longing of David’s heart waiting with tears for an answer from his God and will not relent until God grants him an answer. Oh how we should persevere in prayer and be bold to ask our heavenly father to answer us. Then David declares that God was altogether his for he says my righteous God. Everyone who knows God personally knows that God is righteous, he is an upholder of justice and he vindicates the oppressed.  David, understanding the righteousness of God brings forth his case to God and not man. His case could only be settled in the courts of heaven and where the judges of earth fail, God succeeds and triumph. Here is the triumphant of God in which David has experienced, you have given me relief when I was in distress. The word distress in Hebrew suggest of being in a tight corner, wherein all of your enemies gather against you and hard-pressed you felt. But God gave you relief amidst the conflict and grief and put you in a place of peace where you had no care for your troubles but a soothing melody he played to you.  David then request of God to be gracious to him and hear his prayer. David remembered the past mercies of God and ask of him now to be gracious to him in his present troubles and to please hear his prayer. David recognizes his need of divine grace and hence he lifts up his voice trusting in the righteousness of his God to deliver him. We should always pray to God to be gracious to us in every season for even the best of men need the grace of God.

In the second verse of the Psalm, David declares, ‘O men, how long shall my honour be turned into shame’? David’s conflict is with the sons of men and he ask them a question. His enemies have turned his honour, that is his right to be king of Israel into shame, for he is now running for his life and thus have shamed him. He ask of them how long will they continue in such wickedness, for such is their actions against him because they love vain words and seek after lies. Does this not remind you of the devil and his sons? How Satan is the father of all lies and master of flattery and his sons do the same. They are but fools and they will not relent in their ways, they yet show contempt for David’s authority and slander him in every single way. Our Lord Jesus, was he not also slandered, men did not recognize his authority and was he not shamed by the cross? But fools they were because there very actions was to their destruction. They were fools and will you remain a fool? Will you continue to flatter and speak lies about God by not believing in the One he has sent? Be wise and believe on the Lord Jesus. David then inserts a pause,  Selah. Will you also not pause a while and bring your sorrows to the court of heaven in which God may provide relief for you, or will you continue in the court of the devil and follow after evil? David in vs. 3 affirms the foolish men who has turned his honour into shame and spoken lies and vain words about him that they should know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself. Here we see that the wicked men, God has not set apart for himself but the godly. God has chosen the elect in Christ Jesus who are endowed with his righteousness and set them for himself. God’s elect, yea, his chosen ones will not be condemned but the wicked will have their portion in the lake of fire. And because his elect are set apart for Himself, the LORD hears when they call to him. If today you are found to be in the Lord Jesus, with full assurance your heart should rest that God hears you when you call to him. Let no more doubt arise in your mind but ease your pain in the comfort that your God hears you.

Vs. 4 Be angry and do not sin. Be angry could be translated ‘Tremble’, but Paul in Ephesians 4:26 rightly translate this for us, ‘in your anger do not sin: do not let the sun go down while your still angry’, because if you don’t you are giving the devil a foothold. Godly men may be angry about the wickedness of evil men and should take very wisely the words of David here not to sin. For God hates wickedness and the godly man too must stay away from sin although he is angry and vexed but must commit vengeance to God and God alone. But David here is not addressing godly men but his enemies, those sons of men who have profane his name and disregarded his honour. He upholds their anger and pleads with them not to sin and that they should ponder in their own hearts on their beds, and be silent. But we know that fools have no time to sit and ponder, they happily let the sun go down without dispatching of their anger and they wake with a more fervent hate than the night before. They submit their foothold to the devil and thus they sin and sin, adding fuel to the day of their destruction. But the godly will sit and ponder and will remain silent in their bed. They will turn to the LORD and like their Lord they will say ‘forgive them, for they no not what they do’, and happily they would lie down and sleep. The godly man ponders while the wicked man sleeps on his anger. Will you ponder on your anger or will you sleep on it? Selah.

Vs. 5. Here he makes a further plea to his enemies to offer right sacrifices and to put their trust in the LORD.  This is the natural reaction of the man who has put away his anger and now ask of the Lord what must I do before my sleeping and in my waking. It is to offer right sacrifices and to put their trust in the LORD. A fool, recognizing the folly of his sins would happily fly to Calvary and behold the lamb, the sacrifices which was slain for him and happily put his trust in the saviour but it is known of fools to continue in their folly. Will you continue in your sin or will you not kneel at the cross and accept that solemn sacrifice and trust in the redeemer. Oh that you may flee your ways and accept gladly the sacrifice of Jehovah.  David, now stops his plea to his enemies to turn to perhaps some in his camp who are weary of the difficulties and the never ending pursuit of their enemies and are saying, vs. 6 ‘who will show us some good’. Their hearts have grown weary and sweetness they see no more either in heaven or on earth. This may be true of believers who have gone far too long in darkness and their trust in the Lord begins to fade, but David is of a firmer character than those in his camp and with great excitements he remembers the goodness of his God and ask of Him to lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD. His camp may have forgotten about God but David does not and while his camp may seek goodness from men in which all their hopes fade, David seeks it from God and God never fails. David will not yield to despair and notice that he seeks the face of God, he seeks the person of God not his blessings but the light of his countenance. True believers in their distress and suffering if giving a choice whether to be delivered or to be blessed with the countenance and presence of God in their sufferings would choose the latter. God’s presence to them is better than all the gold in the world or the finest comfort. They would rather suffer than enjoy the comforts of Egypt, for God vs. 7 has put more joy in their hearts than they have when their grain and wine abound. The saints have a joy in which all the luxuries of this world could never afford. The presentness of  Christ in their hearts is much more treasured than food on the table. They rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. Have you not yet tasted of this joy which cannot be purchased, if not then I beseech you to forsake this world’s joys and sell them all and come and have heaven’s joy which is free.

David finishes the psalm with a reward that comes to all who put their trust in God. Vs. 8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep. Has your day proved difficult? Has the day brought you nothing but storms? Now is the time to ponder and sit still on your bed, now is the time to put your trust in God and in peace you will lie down and sleep. Did not our precious Lord sleep in the storm and rebuked his disciples for their lack of faith. You may also sleep like our Lord, for God alone makes you dwell in safety.


K.Oni