Reading British newspapers over here makes the homeland sound like a really sin-sick place. Even the broadsheet newspapers describe crime after crime making the UK appear worse than the impression most of have of America. First century Palestine had more than its fair share of crimes: mass infanticide (Herod’s massacre of the innocents), racial muggings (the good Samaritan) not to mention the poverty, disease and Roman oppression. But we can thank God that someone chose to preserve the good news. Two thousand years of bad news has not been sufficient to drown the gospel call.

“Whatever”
John 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:

“How do you like your eggs? Sunny-side up or over-easy? And what bread would you like? Wheat, Rye, Sourdough or English Muffin?”. These are the questions you'll get asked when you ask for egg on toast in America. The right to choice is a basic American civil liberty. Parents ask their children “would you like to finish your greens, or have your candy now?”! And on election day in Oregon you're given a 52 page booklet of propositions to vote on - is it any wonder that bizarre laws get passed with no-one noticing? A radical reaction from the disillusioned youth is evident in the dismissive retort “whatever”! This kind of talk is certainly reactionary since it surrenders a fundamental freedom. But the Christian should be familiar with this surrendering of “rights”. for us, we surrender to Gods Will, but unlike the disaffectioned youth this does not leave us without responsibilities. For we have exchanged one right for another: John 1:12 “to those who received him...he gave the right to become children of God”, which carries greater responsibilities to a greater master.

Curtains
Matthew 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Many Americans take the view that curtains are only for the purpose of providing privacy in the bedroom, and certainly aren't appropriate for downstairs. So as you stroll though the neighbourhood on a wintry evening you can see families gathered around the television, or sitting dining at a candle-lit table. To the British eye this looks flamboyant and exhibitionist. But why are we so secretive - closing the curtains as we switch on the lights. Have we something to hide, or is it just that an “Englishman's home is his castle”? Like it or not the Christian life is always on display and we should really have nothing to hide - a city on a hill can not be hid. And so we should shine forth our light that they may see our good works and praise our Father in heaven.

Amber
Luke 1:17  And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Red-Amber-Green, that's how I remember it. But what does amber mean when you can just take your foot off the break and put it straight on to the accelerator? There is no “get ready” signal in the American traffic light sequence. You don't need to get ready if there's no preparation to be done. “Are you ready to meet your maker” is the old gospel call. And if you haven't trusted Christ Jesus for salvation then there's much preparation to be done. On our own we could never be ready, we're like a car without gas. But the prepared life should always be ready for the masters call.

Cookies, Owies and Pinkies
1 John 2:12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.

Cookies, Owies and Pinkies*. American English has developed some cute diminutives. In other things they remain more formal, with words like automobile and faucet. Thankfully language is wide enough for both. There are times when my young daughters love to be cuddled and read “Wibbly Pig” stories. There are other times when they need to be challenged and stretched in order to grow. It's a delight to find both approaches in scripture - John speaks to us as dear “little children” while Peter exhorts us as “men and brethren”. But let us be careful not to over balance one with the other as we nurture and encourage each other.
*Cookies = biscuits, owies = scratches and bruises, pinkies = little fingers, faucet = tap

Sunday School
1John 2:12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.

Mention Sunday School in England and people think of keen young people teaching simplified Bible stories to groups of restless children. In America Sunday School equally well means a respected Bible teacher discussing biblical subjects with a class of adults. So when we read recently that Jimmy Carter's new book was a collection of lectures to his Sunday School class it was clear to us that this wasn't a book for kids! Our church in Silicon valley has taken this one step further. Bible students are invited to enrol in the “University of Acts”, and attendance at the Wednesday night teaching meetings, which are more like 90 minute lectures, can be counted as credits toward a diploma. In the full three years of the course you can expect to have covered the whole Bible and all major doctrines. It's refreshing to see people taking teaching seriously. For as Solomon said of wisdom, “she is a tree of life to all who lay hold of her”.
 

Training Children
Hebrews 12:7-9, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord".

Chinese wisdom teaches that discipline and corporal punishment are good for children. California schools believe only in "accentuating the positive".  Without discipline, a form of chaos exists even in a Sunday school classroom, yet teachers have a control I have yet to comprehend.  Is there one correct answer to discipline?  Just how much is cultural I wonder?  The Bible has many things to say on the subject: "spare the rod and spoil the child" Proverbs 13:24, "For what son is there whom a father does not chasten... Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect" Hebrews 12:7-9, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord".  Yet we are exhorted to build each other up, and encourage one another.  To my mind God is too prescriptive here for it to be left to our "cultural norms". God has laid the standards we must conform to Him, not to society.

The parched ground
 Isa 35:7 And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, [shall be] grass with reeds and rushes.

To the East of the San Francisco bay area lie the foothills to the Sierras. All year round they stand in there baked brown nakedness under the glaring Californian sun. But just weeks before we celebrate the Lord's first advent those shapeless hills take on a pale green tint as little shoots burst forth from the December rains. I'm reminded of Isaiah’s streams in the desert. A hint of a day yet future when Christ shall rule upon the earth. A reminder too that Jesus can bring life to the driest, deadest soul by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

In the hour of need
 Ezr 9:5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,

Today, as I drove home on the freeway I listened to the news report on National Public Radio (similar to the BBC) which some Christians refuse to listen to because of its “liberal” approach to many moral issues. In the sports report the main story was of how an American football match was halted as a collision had left a star player lying cold on the ground with his life ebbing away. As his lips turned blue the whole team fell on their knees in prayer! How little we hear of the efficacy of prayer on the national news. And how few ever sink to their knees. Just hours later in hospital the player regained consciousness after a serious spinal injury. One day we'll learn what battles have been fought and won when contrite men and women are driven to prayer.

“you had to be there”
 Ac 9:6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

When recounting an overwhelming experience it can often fall flat even on seemingly interested listeners. Americans excuse this by finishing “you had to be there”. What an apt phrase to explain that saving encounter with Christ. Saul's dramatic transformation on the Damascus Road makes exciting reading - but if you'd have asked the converted Saul he'd say that was nothing compared to the experience of it. Nothing can replace feeling it for yourself. Don't just read it, do it.

“Americans are easily taken in”
 Heb 1:5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

“Americans are easily taken in” was the assertion. “After all”, the reporter said, “this is the only country where 75% believe they have a guardian angel!”. This, I'm sure, is at the heart of the current resurgence of angelology. Not that people have become more spiritual, but that marketeers have finally realized the size of the market. Heavenly messengers figure not only in Christianity, but Judaism, Islam, Mormonism, and many Christian sects, and so seem an ideal common ground for a shared spirituality. But the truth is it's another attempt to find any other mediator than Jesus! For only Jesus makes the sinner confront his sin. But to those who will face the truth of the crucifixion, Jesus alone can grant restoration and meet their deepest needs.

Prayer by zip code
1Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

It amuses me to think that our small fellowship group at work is the first Christian meeting I've been to where it's more important to take a telephone directory than a Bible! But if praying through lists helps me be disciplined about it, I'm happy to do it. But it reminds me of an ad I saw in a Christian magazine asking for volunteers to pray by zip code (or post code)! Although the advertiser was looking to divide a list of names into local areas I had this image of individuals bowing the knee in prayer for a series of numbers! But it does serve to illustrate that overburdening ourselves with petition lists can be a problem. But we are exhorted to do it. If a list helps then use it. But make sure you're praying for people, not numbers.
 

Sharing a mint

Ac 9:29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

I'm always interested to hear what light different cultures can shed on the problem of sharing the gospel. When we first arrived in California we visited a Taiwanese church. My neighbour in the pew was amazed when I told him that English speaking churches don't normally have a chicken-and-rice dinner for the whole church every Sunday. But Americans prefer convenience, even in sharing the gospel. So I wasn't too surprised to discover “testamints” – “share a mint and share your faith” the packet said. If only sharing the gospel was that simple. But when Jesus asked for water at Sycar’s well He offered more than temporal refreshment, and without the aid of a Christian brand name. Are we really offering that which will meet a persons greatest need?

A class for everything, and everything in it's class

Pr 1:7 ¶ The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge: [but] fools despise wisdom and instruction.

If you can't do it, in Silicon Valley, you can always take a class in it. Even teaching doctrine at church is done as a series of modules. But I was late with the homeworks and couldn't write out the memory verses in the exam - so I flunked Personal Holiness! It's a good job I wasn't taking it for credit!
But it is true to say that there is one big final exam (for those who already know the Lord) when our works will be tried by fire. None who sit this final assizes will fail, rather it will measure how much glory we've brought to God. But those who haven't trusted Christ Jesus don't even get to sit the paper, they're condemned already. To be willing to submit to God's schooling - to trust Jesus to save - is all that is required to credit us with Christ's righteousness. But to really honour God we need to practice what he teaches.

Don't Waste It!

Ps 30:12 To the end that [my] glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

One morning I turned the radio to hear some raucous male voices singing a Broadway hit. Jessica, my four-year-old daughter immediately covered her ears and protested "what a waste of music"!

Most earthly resources are finite, and if song were to end she would have been right. But melody is as timeless as it's maker. Psalm and praise dwell in eternity. Charles Wesley longed for a thousand voices to sing God's praise, but he needn't worry, the worship of God goes beyond time.

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by Andy Abel - andyabel@yahoo.com