Monday 30 July 2007

2 Corinthians 1 v 3-7 - How are you?

Its Strange to think Of the doctors as a social meeting point. But Just a couple of Minutes or Sitting in a surgery waiting room and the notions of data protection goes out of the window. Suddenly you hear about people's medical problems and the cocktail Of drugs and their colourful Side affects! I must confess however. I find the waiting room chatter fascinating. Hearing about Mrs browns bunions and her daughter's problems with OCD.

It struck me as I sad there this morning that when we are within a certain environment we really open up to the subjects of that environment. Take for example the doctors surgery. People are going there for a specific purpose to get their illnesses assessed and to get their pills for the week. Because everyone there has something in common, that they are ill and in need of help, its easy for people to open up to each other. Whilst I sit here I think of the similarities between the waiting room and the church. When we go to church we know we share at least one common interest and that is we are there at church to learn or at least seek god.

But unlike the waiting room where older ladies who are a little hard of hearing shout about the latest illness to each other, Christians have a strange inability to talk about Christian issues. When was the last time you asked someone about their spiritual life? When was the last time you asked a fellow Christian about the Christian life they are leading. How often do the same conversations circle every Sunday? "how are you?" someone asks, "fine thank you, how are you" comes the response! And this goes on for about 3 conversations where you feel you have done your Christian duty and go home for your lunch. Does this sound familiar? It does to me. I am in no way saying that asking how people are is wrong, in fact its great, but... If we just ask it not expecting someone to say "not great, can you help me".

I suffered with depression a few times but the first time this really affected me I was confused by the responses I would get from some church goers. The usual Sunday conversation would start to kick in "hey mike how are you?" someone would ask, "not good I'm afraid" I would respond... Then silence. Sometimes a nervous laugh where the person would try and suss out if I'm joking or not 'you've broken the conversation cycle, what do I do now?' I could see them thinking.

Why do you think that this happened? Well there are of course many feasible reasons. Perhaps there is the notion that people simply don't mean to ask the question but mearly that they were being polite. Its possible but I think unlikely because I know that most Christians have a great deal of compassion towards each other. Ok then, so perhaps the question of "how are you" has become somewhat familiar, perhaps like saying "I love you" without thinking it to your brother at the end of a phone conversation because you are so used to saying it. You mean what you say, like you are genuinely interested in how someone is but are completely thrown when you don't get the usual responses. This is also very probable but I want to pose one other possible reason.

Could it be that we are scared? Scared of someone making us question our own walk with Christ? Scared that the response will be "not great" and we will have to pastoral give support when the roast potatoes are burning? Similarly are we scared that if we do not respond with "fine thank you" we will be putting someone into an awkward position and almost forcing then to talk to us about the problems we are facing. It is easier in the long run just to say "good thanks" and no one feels awkward.

The fact is this ladies and gentlemen. We are not always peachy. We are not always "fine thank you" and not always "good cheers" and as Christian brothers and sisters we should never be scared to say so. The bible says that we are supposed to be like priests to each other and to give pastoral support to one another.

2 Corinthians 1 v 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

You see what Paul is asking Christians in the church at corinth to do is to cast our trouble upon him so that we can help others to do the same thing.

The next time someone asks you how you are. Be honest, don't be scared to talk about it as god himself calls us to do. But also, the next time you ask "how are you" actually be prepared to help someone if they say that they are not fine.

In Christ

mikey

Friday 20 July 2007

Insurance vs Christianity


At last I hear some of you cry, a new sermon from Mikey Nash… or not as the case may be! Firstly thank you, thank you to all those who continue to support me and who continue to pray for me. Its overwhelming that its been over 2 weeks since my last blog and yet I am getting well over 20 hits per day from people and people giving me comments, its awesome and I thank and praise God for his provision.

So here we are, July 20th and the rain here in England just keeps on falling! Its incredible really how much rain we’ve had, partly the reason why I’ve had no chance to update the blog or even attempt to put a message on here explaining my absence! A lot of my client’s have lost a lot of money and a lot of time from the rain and it threw into sharp relief the real reason why insurance is there. The best definition of insurance was told to me by a wise man a long time ago (ok, it was my boss about 6 years ago), it is to make sure that when something goes wrong, it can be made right again.

Its strange to think about Christianity in the same way of Insurance but there are some similarities between what we believe and what we strive to do and the insurance industry. Bear with me, these links aren’t exactly concrete but they do link, I promise you!

Number 1 – The safety net. When you take out insurance you pay a small premium and you know that if something happeneds to your car, your house or your business it is (most of the time) covered and you will be put back into the same position as when the incident took place. As Christians, we take out our religion, pay a premium of our whole lives in dedication to God and to doing his will and in return, we KNOW that when we die our eternal salvation is safe! Ok so that’s a very “blasé” way of looking at it, but it still is true.

Number 2 – Piece of mind. When your insurance company issues you with your cover notes, you can read through it and see what is covered and when and also how much excess you need to pay for the privilege. As such, you can ‘see for definite’ the cover which you have and the piece of mind this brings. As Christians we also have the same principle with the bible. We can see word for word what God has to say about situations and what God has to say about our salvation and see the plan from start to finish. To me that is an awesome privilege and something which I hold very dear.

So there you have just two examples of where insurance, and my very boring job has in common with Christianity and my very exiting religion!

I’ll try and keep on top of these lunchtime sermons, I am preaching on the 12th August 2007 at widney evangelical church. All are welcome so if you want me to give you more detail, contact me on mikeynash@hotmail.com.

Thanks guys, in christ’s blood alone am I saved.

Mikey.

Wednesday 4 July 2007

God Says "No" - Remember!


I wonder how many of you have ever asked your mum or dad for something only to be told “no”. Probably 100% of you have had this experience, either being told No, or having to tell your child No. I can remember asking my mum and dad to go to the cinema with my friends once when I was about 11 or 12. We were going to see a 15 film without having any adults there. I can remember trying to justify it to them that it wasn’t that bad and we’d be in a big group. My dad very rightly said that I couldn’t go. At the time I resented him for saying it because I wanted to do it so bad, the film looked amazing and I would have been with all my mates.

It worked out however, that my mates went to the film (which I saw years later and it was terrible!) and they managed to get the police involved in the evening. In hindsight, it was the best thing for me when dad told me “no”. I wonder how many of you have ever realised that God does the same thing, and actually takes this in to account when we pray for something?

When we make plans and when we ask God for help with those plans sometimes he can say no because its not the right time, or even the right thing that works in God’s plan. We have to rememeber that God sees all, past, present, and future and as such we can have a sure and real sense of peace when approaching the future as long as we trust God in his providence.

A lot of you know my plans thus far and know what I’m thinking of doing. I’m ready for God to say no. There are some of you who would find that strange because of how far along I’ve come with the plans and with the preparation, however, God’s will must be done in my life. If its God’s plan that I complete my application and go through the stresses and strains but not to actually go, then that’s fine. I can already see what changes and things which have become more prominent through these things.

For example, had I not started the application process, there are one or two things that may not have been bought to light. One of these is Nell and my relationship with her. I didn’t realise how much she means to me until I was faced with 4 years of uncertainty with what is going on and being uprooted. Perhaps part of God’s plan here is to show me that these things are available and that I’m suited and gifted enough to do it, but not yet, he has other things to do.

I don’t know, but I’m praying that God’s will In my life is being done and that he will reveal to me the plan as I go along. Its strange because it is completely out of my hands at the moment in some respects, and I’m it feels like I’m waiting on God’s plan to made known to me. I’m having a meeting tomorrow with an Elder from the church, perhaps this could be God’s talking to me and saying “No”, but I’m prepared to answer “Ok Lord, your will be done”.

Please please please pray for me and Nell at this time, we’ve faced with some very big decisions that could shape our whole lives together. We need to have God’s peace about situations and trust in his plan.

Thanks Everyone for your support so far, I know that sometimes the blogs have been sporadic and a little bit wayward, but its now 6 months old, I for one cannot belive how quickly the time has flown by but God has been working with me throughout this whole site so far and would value your prayers for this to continue.

In God’s Will, and trusting in his path.

Mikey.

1 John 4v18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Tuesday 3 July 2007

Genesis 9 v 15 - There is light ...


Yet again I am reminded by people that another week has passed by and I haven’t written anything in the blog! This is because of how busy work has been with these floods and freak rain! It keeps me in a job of course but makes me very very busy! So here it is, the Teatime sermon!

Something that has been very shocking that has come out of these freak floods and storms has been certain sectors of the church who have said that this is God punishing us for being un Godly. Apart from being very freaky, it’s a little bit unbiblical also!

Take this passage for instance, which is very relevant to rains especially.

Genesis 9v15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."

I know that God is referring here to flooding the whole earth, however the fact remains that God said he would not bring his punishment upon the earth through flooding in this way again.

It seems to me that some sectors of the church have a really yo yo view of themselves and they change from one extreme to the other to try and attract people to them. They go from “Jesus loves everyone, and it doesn’t matter who you are” to “God is judging humanity and sending the flood waters to sort us out”. Don’t know about you but if I didn’t have a strong belief in what I know already and have a concrete basis of biblical principles I would think that church is a bunch of nut cases who don’t know if they are coming and going.

I’m not saying that some sectors of the church do fantastic work and are brilliant in their biblical doctrine and follow that implicitly, I find these “fickle” Christians who never call on God but in times of trouble and are so quick to blame God but so slow to acknowledge him when things are good. We’re all guilty of it. I’ve pointed the finger more times at God then I like to think about, however when he has answered my prayers, instead of praise, he gets silence from me.

Yes its raining and yes it should be summer (here in England at least) but praise God for the rains, praise God for the times of trouble so that we can reflect upon God and learn to trust him. Yes that’s right, THANK GOD FOR TRIBULATION. If we had it easy street for our whole lives, where would be the salvation and trust upon God’s provision and plan?

Little bit of a rant today, I apologies, its just meant to be a reflection that God loves us and looks out for us and wants the best things for us even when we are going through difficulties.

In Christ’s Name,

Mikey.