The Father’s Love Letter

This weekend in New Zealand we celebrate Father’s Day. It is a special day to recognise and celebrate the role that fathers play in our lives. Whether it’s your Dad, step-Dad, foster Dad or just a special father figure who has helped you along the way, Father’s Day NZ is your chance to say ‘Thank You’.

The history of Father’s Day dates back to the early 1900s, and was partly inspired by the unofficial Mother’s Day services and events that began in 1908.

These services and events prompted many people to arrange similar celebrations to recognise fathers, the most widely noted was organised in Washington, (United States of America) by Mrs Sonora Dodd.

Mrs Dodd wanted to pay tribute to her late father, William Smart, who became a single parent when her mother died in childbirth, he raised 6 children on his own, which was an unusual feat at that time.

Originally she wanted to hold a memorial service on the anniversary of her father’s death, June 5th 1910. However, this did not leave organisers enough time to prepare, instead the service was arranged to be held on the June 19th and became known as the first Father’s Day.

While services continued every year, it wasn’t until 1924 that American President Coolidge recommended that Father’s Day be recognised as a national holiday. It took a further 48 years for Father’s Day to become officially recognised by American President Nixon in 1972.

Most countries follow the American tradition and celebrate Father’s Day on the 3rd Sunday in June. However, New Zealand and Australia celebrate Father’s Day on the 1st Sunday in September.

This year, I’d like to take the opportunity to remind us each of the love that our Father in Heaven has for every one of us. The Apostle John asks that we;

“Think how much the Father loves us. [As] He loves us so much that he lets us be called his children, as we truly are…” 1 John 3:1a (Contemporary English Version)

In The Voice Bible it says to; “Consider the kind of extravagant love the Father has lavished on us – He calls us children of God! … … we have been adopted into God’s family” 1 John 3:1-2 (The Voice)

The Voice Bible also notes that “when we feel like we are not good enough to be loved by God, we should remember that God’s love is greater than our doubts. We must silence the sounds of condemnation so we can hear the voice of God’s loving assurance and remember that He has selected us to be part of His family.“

What an awesome privilege and inheritance!

Through His Word, God has an intimate message for each and every one of us.

The Father’s Love Letter is an intimate message from God to You!

It is a compilation of Bible verses from both the Old & New Testaments that are presented in the form of a love letter from God to you.

​Each line in the Father’s Love Letter message is paraphrased, which means that the author, Barry Adams, has taken each Scripture’s overall message and summarized it as a single phrase to best express it’s meaning.

 

You can read about Barry’s story on how he came to develop the love letter from God, and what his vision to share God’s love around the world both now and into the future is.

At Fathers Love Letter they have many free resources in over 100 languages that may help people you know grow in their relationship with God. Including a FREE e-book Devotional Book!

You’re welcome to download this book and share it with others. Along with any of the other resources available, which include: videos, audio files, various texts, and devotional thoughts that were originally sent out via email to thousands of people who were interested in growing in their relationship with their Heavenly Father.

Barry hopes that they will be a blessing to you and to those that you pass them on to, as you each journey home to God’s ultimate love!

In closing I’d like to share the words of “How Deep The Father’s Love For Us” (SASB #32), which is a modern Christian hymn written by Stuart Townend.

The hymn’s lyrics praise and admire the love of God, the Father and the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ:

How deep the Father’s love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory

 

Behold the man upon a cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers

 

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

 

 

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

The below rendition is from the Messiah College Brass Quintet in 2010, performing Joel Brandon’s arrangement of “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us.”

Blessings ’til next time 🙂

 

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Progressive Rock

A couple of months ago Annette succumbed to subscribing to Spotify which is something that we’ve been putting off for quite a while.

It’s not as if I haven’t got enough cassette tapes, vinyl’s, cd’s and dvd’s – some may even argue that I’ve got too many, especially when it comes to packing them up every few years or so to shift appointments 🙂

Having Spotify has given me an opportunity to expand my eclectic range ever so slightly and I’ve been listening to a fair bit of progressive rock, which is a style of rock music popular especially in the 1970s & 1980s.

It is characterized by classical influences, the use of keyboard instruments, and lengthy compositions. Examples include; 10cc, The Alan Parsons Project, Barclay James Harvest, Electric Light Orchestra, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Genesis, Hawkwind, Jethro Tull, Magnum, Marillion, Pink Floyd, Queen, Supertramp, Uriah Heep, Yes, amongst others.

The thing that has struck me as I’ve been listening to many of these artists is how at some point in their musical progression they appear to often draw inspiration from the scriptures, many questioning biblical statements or even faith completely, and recounting stories from the bible. Almost as if at some point in there musical career there are having a faith reckoning. 

Now admittedly I may be clutching at straws, but when we look at the example of many artists over the years it is as if, they are searching for some higher power and their journey becomes a bit of a pilgrimage.

Some turn to far flung experiential stuff, occasionally drug induced – while others follow a supposed well-trodden path to some form of doctrinal religion.

Maybe they are just looking for something different, a different sound, song structure or approach to music in general, or maybe they are truly searching after recognising that everything that they have attained thus far (fame and fortune) doesn’t amount to much in the grand scheme of things.

I guess someone like me will never know for sure unless they purposely and publicly explain the journey that they have taken, or if I was to get the opportunity to ask – like that will ever happen 🙂

Regardless though, for many of them either which way they go there may be repercussions; they may lose sales, market share, credence, whatever – or possibly even the reverse. And we’ve all heard or read about artists that have been brought up in some kind of faith losing it chasing after the golden egg, or record in this case.

Anyhow, many go through some kind of transitioning process, be that a journey of discovery, a kind of quest, or a pilgrimage.

Which is much the same for each and everyone of us as we journey through this thing called life – we go through some times, or seasons of exploration, understanding, settling and enjoying.

It is almost as if this is something that God intended all along.

Another thing that I reckon in this space is that God continues to utilise the arts; music, painting, sculpture etc. to impart History into our stories. Using those times, people and places to impact our lives in one way or another to draw people closer to Him in some way. 

When we look at nature we are drawn to the awesomeness of the creator or acknowledgement of a creator. When we look at a stunning piece of art we are drawn in some way towards wanting to gain an understanding of the artist. When we hear a certain song we want to know and understand the lyrics and or the songwriters motivation. When we see an amazing piece of architecture we are drawn to understanding more about the builders – you get the picture I’m sure.

When I replay the following song from Barclay James Harvest it is pretty obvious where the motivation came from – God,
and who they are moving people to seek more of an understanding of – Jesus!

The lyrics include:

There once was a man
Who was born to be king
He’ll change all your lives
If you’ll just let him in

1 John 4:9-10 says that “God showed his love for us by sending his only Son into the world, so that we might have life through him. This is what love is: it is not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven.” (Good News Translation)

In an interview by Keith Domone and Kevin Goodman for the official Barclay James Harvest fan club magazine, Nova Lepidoptera, in 1989 John Lees replies to a question about the song He Said Love by saying that “I think I’m very lucky, I have a very simple faith and that’s great. I’ve read The Bible, but I wouldn’t really count myself as born again – I suppose people are, but I couldn’t really own up to that because I’ve always used prayer from being a kid.” 

The thing is, our childhood faith can influence our lives and the lives of many people, for years to come. Why not have a listen to the song for yourselves.

As Christians we each have a responsibility to share the “Good News” with others and in today’s world this is made so much easier by the variety of ways in which the Gospel Message can be shared, through music of different genres.

I hope and pray that through listening to this song that you may want to find out more about Him also. Why not check out The Gospel Message page for some links to resources that might be helpful on your journey, mission, quest, thing!

Blessings ’til next time 🙂 

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Front page of this month’s newsletter

On the front page of this month’s Wellington City Corps newsletter I feature an article which I’ve adapted slightly from the Grace Seattle Blog written by John Haralson back in December 2015.

He says; A very wise person once summarized the Bible’s entire story using love as the major thread that holds everything together. The idea wasn’t original to him, as he was doing his best to channel the theology of Augustine. Here is a paraphrase of the biblical story;

In the beginning, there was love. God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit existed as a loving community of mutual delight and self-giving. God made the heavens and the earth as an act of love. All of God’s creation participates in God’s love.

Human beings have been made by God to consciously, willingly, and worshipfully participate in the love of God. Yet, human beings have sinned. We have chosen other loves instead of the love of God and love of neighbour.

Because of this, our loves have become disordered – we have an inability to love the right things and are instead consumed by inordinate love of lesser things. Yet, God, who is love, has intervened.

In love, he sent his Son into the world to rescue us. This rescue involves the forgiveness of our sins; but it goes significantly beyond that. 

God also has lovingly given his people his Spirit so that we might be re-made into his image. The over-arching goal of God re-creating us in his image through Jesus Christ is so that we might, once again, become lovers – lovers of God and lovers of our neighbour. In this way, God’s salvation is best understood as the triumph of love over sin and death.

I think this is a faithful and fruitful way to understand the story God speaks to us in Scripture. The implication of this story is that God now stands before us and is inviting us into this story of love.

He is inviting us to be known and lovingly embraced by him. He is also inviting us to begin to move towards others in our lives in love.

In other words, love is now possible.

So as we interact in the coming days weeks, and months may we keep this front and centre in our lives.

As people will judge us as Christians by how we interact with one another, with others and our community, not only through what we say but also through what we do.

 

May we each be an example of what it means to truly love one another in these testing and uncertain times – for by our acts of love people will know that we are His disciples (refer to John 13:35)

Check out the full newsletter here.

‘Til next time, blessings 🙂

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Sunday 23 August – Recap

Last Sunday (23 August) Cadet Ben Willis concluded the Self Denial Appeal, looking at the overarching theme of ‘Loving Beyond’.

Ben preached from 1 John 4:19-21 exploring the key idea that ‘from our overflowing love for God, we are called to love each other‘

Loving God and loving others has been a recurring theme throughout the year for us here in Wellington.

Throughout a variety of scriptures we have been investigating what it means to live out our Christian lives in community. Loving one another, caring for one another, helping one another, supporting, encouraging and building each other up etc. As this forms the backbone of Jesus’ command to us in John 13:34-35 where it says;

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

(New Living Translation)

Sometimes this is easier said than done!

But it is something that as Christians we all need to strive to achieve in our lives.

As people in our spheres of influence will be watching and judging us by our words and our actions. 

 

If you were unable to join us in-house on Sunday morning for our service, or missed our hosted ‘Church Online’ service on facebook on Sunday evening, you can view it by clicking on the link below.

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Sunday 9 August – Recap

Last Sunday (9 August) Captain Annette preached from 1 John 4:7-21 (English Standard Version) focussing on verses 11&12, utilising the Passion Translation as a point of reference;

“Delightfully loved ones, if he loved us with such tremendous love, then “loving one another” should be our way of life! 

 

No one has ever gazed upon the fullness of God’s splendor. But if we love one another, God makes his permanent home in us, and we make our permanent home in him, and his love is brought to its full expression in us.“

This forms a part of the overall ‘Love Beyond’ theme from this years Self Denial Appeal – For more information about this years appeal click here.

As we have seen throughout this year in our Corps preaching plan we have had an ongoing theme looking at Love as it relates to John 13:34-35; “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (New International Version)

The ‘one another’ commands in the New Testament, “love one another”, “bear one another’s burdens”, “forgive one another” etc. outline how we should as a community of believers interact with others both within the church and out in the community.

As Loving one another should be our way of life!

If you were unable to join us in-house on Sunday morning for our service, or missed our hosted ‘Church Online’ service on facebook on Sunday evening, you can view it by clicking on the link below.

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A Word of Encouragement

Today’s Word of Encouragement has been adapted from G. John White’s book ‘Sold Out for Jesus’. He unpacks the verse “Whoever claims to live in HIm must walk as Jesus did” from 1 John 2:6 (New International Version).

Isn’t it interesting that one of the biggest struggles we have as Christians, is with our God-given freedom and victory.

The enemy seems to take great delight in, and determines to try to confuse and frustrate us regarding these two innately God given values and privileges (freedom and victory). He even goes so far as trying to emulate them in other things so that it adds to our confusion.

We have freedom to spend our hard earnt money the way that we choose – and yet so often we end up in bondagae to it! We are given victory over embarrassing habits and sins, and yet we end up so often with a feeling of failure and despair because of the warped sense of worth that we attribute to the wrong things.

Why? I think some of it, is because we’ve gone away from what it truly means to “live our lives as Jesus did!” (New Living Translation)

I’m OK with the first bit – I claim to live in Him, but I stop there – go my own way and end up in frustration and defeat. Let’s rather “take on board” the whole! The key to the Christian Life is NOT “claiming to live in Him” but walking as Jesus did!

For Jesus, “the Anointed One, suffered for us and left us His example so that we could follow in His steps.” 1 Peter 2:21 (The Voice)

You see, we can claim the world – but if its unreal, or untrue it is just plain hypocrisy!

I agree with having faith and proclaiming that I am going to be reaching my city, town or community for Christ.

But how will it happen?

When I walk as Jesus did! When we, as Christians, walk as Jesus did! When the church truly steps outside its four walls and starts loving its neighbours as we love ourselves. Then we will see transformation really taking place and God’s kingdom coming to earth. We will see Christianity impacting our communities.

We need to live by faith – but walk as Jesus did – in simplicity – in reality – in intimate relationship with The Father, with the Son and with the Holy Spirit, and in relationship with those around me! For God has placed us just where He needs us!

The world wants to see TRUTH not a sham! It is crying out to SEE JESUS!

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The following song ‘To Be Like Jesus‘ was performed by Rebecca Howan and Joel Millington at the New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa 2016 Congress. The simple chorus, written by General John Gowans for the musical, Spirit , continues to inspire followers of Jesus to try to emulate Him. We all have different personalities, yet we can allow our thoughts and actions to be influenced by what we know of Jesus Christ. We can surrender to Him and follow His leadings in our individual, twenty-first century, earthly lives.

I hope that you enjoy it and that it inspires you to step out in faith and make a difference in your setting.

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