Destructive Emotions http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new <![CDATA[A question of balance]]> http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=23052 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks.
John 4:23 (NIV)

Balance is such an important part of successful living. Whether it’s about eating a healthy diet; or juggling career and family commitments; or making sure we don’t overspend, we need to have balance. Without it, we run the risk of being physically unfit; spending too much time at our work; or getting into serious financial debt. Balance keeps everything in its proper place. Whenever we live imbalanced lives, something – or someone – always suffers.

Balance is also necessary in worship. Probably the most direct comment about the importance of balanced worship comes from Jesus when he talks about worshipping God in spirit and truth (John 4:23, 24). If we are committed to biblical truth only at an intellectual level, and don’t allow our spirits to be changed by that truth, then our worship will be out of balance. Similarly, if our spirits are touched by our worship experiences, but biblical truth is of secondary importance to us in the process, we are again out of balance. What we need is worship that is both true and touches our spirits. The Bible tells us that God is actually looking for people who will worship him like that. He is more concerned with who we worship than with where we worship. Do you want to be one of these people? If so, you might find the following suggestions helpful.

Worship in spirit: this includes responding to what we experience of God – not just with our intellects, but with our bodies and emotions as well. Several verses in Psalm 63 highlight various responses that might be included as we worship God in spirit. Here are some of the words the psalmist uses in his worship: “earnestly”; “thirsts”; “longs”; “praise”; “lifting up hands”; “clings”; “rejoice”. How many of these feature regularly in our worship? Do we worship God passionately or mechanically? Does our worship impact the way we live from day to day? Do we regularly take time out to worship privately as well as with other followers of Christ? Is our worship of God a Sunday thing or a full-time thing? How we answer these questions might reveal quite a lot about whether or not we are worshipping in spirit. 

Worship in truth: this includes responding to what we know about God and involves having a correct appreciation of who he is. There are many passages in the bible that tell us what God is like and we know that these descriptions of him are true. For example, he is almighty, compassionate, faithful, holy, merciful, and sovereign . Try focusing on these, and other, characteristics of God as you worship. Another way that might help you worship in truth is to familiarise yourself with some of the commands and promises given in the Bible and incorporate them into your worship. An example might be Deuteronomy 31:6, where we’re told that our God goes with us and will never leave nor forsake us. That is a very comforting truth to hold on to and, as a result, we can consciously worship God as the One whom we can rely on completely. Another example might be Matthew 11:28, where Jesus invites those who are weary and burdened to come to him for rest. When we think we’ve reached the end of our rope, this verse reminds us that we can approach him in worship as the God who restores our soul. Try identifying additional bible verses that will deepen your understanding of what God is like.

Worshipping in spirit and truth is a question of balance. Once we start worshipping in truth (responding to what we know about God) we mustn’t forget to also worship in spirit (responding to what we experience of God). I want my worship of God to be wholehearted and genuine – how about you?
]]> Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:34:12 PST http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=23052 <![CDATA[Who do you think you are?]]> http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=22653 Have you ever asked yourself the question, "Who am I?"  If so, you're not alone!  Many people are searching for their identity and are tired of the yo-yo life where changing circumstances sometimes mean they feel good about themselves one moment  and then feel pretty worthless the next.  They long to have something solid and enduring on which to base their identity.   

I've recently begun an audio series at my church called "Who Do You Think You Are?" which is about discovering our identity in Jesus Christ.  In part one, I lay the foundation for subsequent messages by looking at how the image of God originally became disfigured in human beings, was then revealed in Jesus Christ, and is now being restored in his followers. 

If you have half-an-hour to spare, you might want to check out the message here.  Part two will follow in a few weeks' time... 

Have a great weekend.  You are loved with an everlasting love by an everlasting God!  ]]> Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:43:41 PST http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=22653 <![CDATA[It's a sign!]]> http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=22156 Our church has a wonderful problem.   Our building is too small to accommodate all the various activities that take place there on Sundays and throughout the week.  The response has been to extend our existing building and the great news is that work has now started!  

I thought you might like to see a photo of a new sign that's just appeared outside the church.  The church is situated in a residential area, so the sign will be read by many passing by.  Union Grove is also on a bus route, so who knows how many people will see the sign and pay us a visit or log on to our website! 

As a congregation, we're all very excited about the building work in progress, reminding us that we too are works in progress, being conformed more and more to the image of our Lord Jesus Christ as we follow him day by day. 

Look out for the photo of the finished build in a few months' time! ]]> Tue, 2 Feb 2010 05:30:33 PST http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=22156 <![CDATA[Fix your eyes on Jesus]]> http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=21477 A couple of weeks before Christmas, my daughter and I treated ourselves to a weekend in Munich, Germany. We visited the various market stalls set up in the heart of the city and enjoyed warm, carmelized almonds from hand-held paper cones. Scrumptious! In addition to doing a little shopping, we took some photographs of various interesting buildings. One of the most magnificent is the Frauenkirche, Munich’s imposing cathedral. Its twin towers, with their round green spires or “bonnets”, are worth a second look. As we fixed our eyes – and our cameras – on this soaring duo, I was struck by three things… their height, their beauty, and the fact that they had been amazingly reconstructed following severe bomb damage during the Second World War. Although it might not be immediately obvious, I could see a connection with our Lord Jesus Christ on all three counts. Let’s go…

Height: We don’t know how tall (or short) Jesus was because the Bible doesn’t tell us. There’s no point, therefore, in speculating about this. However, there is a sense in which we can link Jesus and height. When he was predicting his death, one of the things he said was, “… when I am lifted up on the cross, I will draw everyone to myself” (John 12:32). When Jesus died, his cross wasn’t laid out flat on the ground. It was erected in an upright position and would have been clearly visible to all onlookers. As a result of being “lifted up on the cross”, Jesus became the sin-bearer for everyone who believes in him. Since that time, all kinds of people have been drawn to Jesus, the perfect Son of God, and have found complete forgiveness from every kind of wrongdoing.

Beauty: Ever wondered what Jesus looked like? His eyes, his mouth, his hair? Again, the Bible gives us no specific details about his appearance. At one point, though, we read that “there was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him” (Isaiah 53:2b, NLT). In other words, there was nothing physically outstanding about him. But the psalmist talks in Psalm 27:4 about gazing upon “the beauty of the LORD” (NIV). Some versions translate this as his “splendour” or “perfections”. This goes beyond mere physical appearance. In the completeness of his character, our God is indeed beautiful. How long has it been since you spent time just focusing on His beauty?

Reconstruction: The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were horrified when He said, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days” (John 2:19, NIV). Jesus was referring, not to the temple in Jerusalem, but to his own body. For three days following his crucifixion, Jesus’ body lay in the tomb. Then he was raised to life, never to die again. Physical resurrection had taken place and Jesus’ body was reconstructed! In some ways, it was the same body but, in other ways, it was different. And because Jesus’ body was reconstructed, we have the sure hope that, one day, ours will be too. Tired of your present body? Don’t despair – you’ll soon have a new one!

If you ever come across a picture of Munich’s Frauenkirche, let its height, beauty and reconstruction remind you to fix your eyes on Jesus… 
 ]]> Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:22:29 PST http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=21477 <![CDATA[Dazzled by the light]]> http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=20497 My calendar says that today is the Winter Solstice. The what? The shortest day. Actually, I think it should be called the longest night. Go to work in the dark. Come home in the dark. Lights on in the house or office for most of the day. Not my favourite time of year. One thing I do like, though, is going out in the dark for a walk with our dog, Rowan. Where we live there are no street lights and some nights it is REALLY dark. And in the dark even the slightest light is dazzling.

One night not so long ago James was out walking when a text message came in to his phone. He quickly read it and tried to reply. Next thing - WHAM! He felt something crashing into his face. At first he thought he had been struck in the face by a mugger and then he realized he was in a ditch with his head in a barbed wire fence! James thought he had been walking in a straight line but the light from the display on his phone had dazzled him and he’d gone off the road. If you think I’m making it up, James still has the scars on his face to prove that when flesh meets barbed wire, the wire wins!

The Christmas story is very much a story of dazzling light shining in darkness. Long before Jesus Christ was born, Isaiah prophesied that the people who walked in spiritual darkness would see a great light. My favourite Christmas bible reading is John 1. John gives an unconventional slant to the Christmas story, expressing it in cosmic terms with Christ as the Eternal Word making a gigantic step down to be born as a baby and live on earth among people. The theme of Christ as the light of the world is a prominent one in John’s Gospel and his letters. John 1:5 (NLT) says that “the light shines through the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it.” Dazzling light shining in the darkness. Dazzling light dispelling the darkness. Dazzling light conquering the darkness. The shepherds were literally dazzled as the glory of God shone around them. The wise men were drawn, fascinated, to the place where Jesus was, guided by the light of both a star and prophecy. The shining of the light of Christ’s coming dazzled and disorientated Herod the king and his advisers and they ended up in a ditch of hostility and apathy. This dazzling light of Christ’s presence cannot be extinguished, and as His followers, it is our privilege to let that light shine as we exalt him in our daily living.

Another possible translation of John 1:5 is “the darkness has not understood it” (NIV). Have you ever had the experience of someone just not getting it, no matter how clearly you explain it? Don’t be surprised if when you proclaim Christ this Christmas some people are like “so what?” or “duh?” A danger for us is to feel we have failed if some people don’t get what we’re saying. Sure, it’s up to us to communicate the truth of Christ’s coming to people as clearly and accurately as we possibly can, but only His Spirit can turn the lights on in the minds of our hearers. Let’s do what we can, but leave the Spirit to do what we cannot do – change people.

Happy Christmas! May the light of Christ dazzle you and draw you to Him in wonder, love and praise!

P.S. Remember not to text when you’re out in the dark!  ]]> Mon, 21 Dec 2009 05:54:59 PST http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=20497 <![CDATA[Living your life on purpose]]> http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=20294 One of today’s buzz-words is 'purpose'. We all want to know what our purpose in life is. Does God have a purpose for me? How can I find it? Where do I fit in the grand scheme of things?

As we celebrate Christmas 2009, we’re reminded again of the events surrounding the birth of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Here is purpose personified, 'the reason for the season'. But how much attention do we pay to the purpose that God had for Mary, Jesus’ mother? In many ways, Mary is a picture of purpose and this can be seen most clearly in the ways she responded to the message brought to her by the angel, Gabriel.

Some of us are so familiar with this story that we tend to gloss over the impact that hearing the angel’s words must have had on a girl in her early teens. Let’s think about it for a moment… Imagine what it might have been like for Mary – she probably had no indication that this was going to be anything other than another ordinary day. It’s very likely she was thinking about her fiancé, Joseph, and looking forward to her approaching wedding, imagining what life would be like married to him. Then, unannounced, an angel appears to her and starts talking to her. We don’t know what the angel looked like – did he carry some mark of an angelic being or did he look just like an ordinary man? Either way, he just appeared! How do you think you would respond? Look at the ways Mary responded:

She responded in fear. Luke 1:29 says she was “confused and disturbed” (NLT). Other Bible versions use the words “greatly troubled” or “thoroughly shaken”. In other words, she was terrified out of her wits. And that was before she heard the angel’s message! But she didn’t allow her fear to make her unresponsive to God’s purpose for her. Perhaps you’re afraid of what God might want from you. Maybe it’s fear of the unknown, fear of the unexpected, or fear of not being up to the task. Whatever it is, don’t allow this fear to divert you from your life’s purpose. As someone has said, “Feel the fear and do it anyway!”

She responded willingly (verse 38). But what might she have been thinking before she made her willing decision? Perhaps she wondered what her parents would say; how would they be able to understand? Then, what about Joseph? He would know he wasn’t the father of this baby – how would he react? Would she lose him? She didn’t know at this point that Joseph would support her wholeheartedly and even conform his life to hers. And what about her reputation? In a small town, there would no doubt be whisperings behind closed doors and she would be thoroughly misunderstood. Responding willingly to God doesn’t necessarily mean that life is going to be easy. Can you relate?

She responded where she was (verse 26). Mary didn’t say “When I’m out of this place, when I have a better postcode, when I get on in life – then I’ll do what God wants.” Many years ago, when we were university students, we regularly gave out bible literature in a deprived area near our home. We lived in this particular part of the city a fairly short time, moving away when we both graduated. It would have been tempting to convince ourselves that we were just “passing through” and that surely God didn’t expect us to have any commitment to our transient neighbours. Yet, who knows what seeds of truth were sown in someone’s life during these student years that might have had an eternally significant impact? Don’t wait until things are “better” before you respond to God’s call – you might lose the opportunity, as well as the desire to respond, if you don’t act where you are at the present time.

This Christmas, why not grab every opportunity to live your life on purpose?  ]]> Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:12:17 PST http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=20294 <![CDATA[PROVERBS TO GO - Day 31: Speaking up for others]]> http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=18341 Chapter for the day – Proverbs 31
Verse for the day – 31:8
Thought for the day – In what specific way(s) can I speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves?

As we’ve journeyed through the book of Proverbs for the last 30 days, we’ve come across a variety of teachings on all sorts of different topics, each one bang up-to-date and relevant to our lives in the 21st century. I hope you’ve enjoyed travelling with me and have taken the time to apply these truths to your own life and circumstances.   Today is our final day in this amazing book – although there’s nothing to stop you starting again at day one and continuing for another month, or two, or three…!

While I believe it’s important to allow the teachings of the Bible to impact us so we’re transformed in our own personal lives, we also need to remember that it’s not all about us. Other people are important too. And there are times when we are required to act on behalf of others. Today’s Proverbs to Go verse focuses our attention on those who cannot speak for themselves. Many of us are very good at speaking up for ourselves and we take every opportunity to make sure that we’re getting a good deal. But what of those who cannot speak for themselves? How do we go about speaking for them in a way that properly represents them? And who are they anyway? 

Perhaps various groups of people come to your mind: the unborn child; the severely mentally challenged; the abused. Proverbs 31:8 and 9 tell us to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

I’m not in a position to tell you whose rights you need to defend but look around you and see if you can identify a person or a group who would benefit from your voice being heard. Are you prepared to take up the challenge?

Now that we’ve come to the end of our 31 days of Proverbs, I’d love to hear about your experiences over the last month as you’ve taken the Proverbs to Go challenge. Looking forward to hearing from you! ]]> Sat, 31 Oct 2009 06:59:11 PST http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=18341 <![CDATA[PROVERBS TO GO - Day 30: Living today]]> http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=18292 Chapter for the day – Proverbs 30
Verse for the day – 30:5
Thought for the day – How will the belief that God’s word is flawless affect the way I live today?

Do you ever wonder what the relationship is between belief and behaviour? Perhaps you think that, if we know what someone believes, we can predict the way he or she will behave. Unfortunately, it’s not as straightforward as this. There are many times when there is a mismatch between people’s beliefs and their behaviour. This is more likely to occur when beliefs aren’t held very strongly or when the belief is about something general and the behaviour being measured is very specific. But belief isn’t just an intellectual matter – true belief involves our minds, wills and emotions. When all three are working in unison, we’re much more likely to see behaviour that is in line with our beliefs.

It’s not just the strength of your belief that’s important, though – what you believe is just as crucial. I might have a strong belief that the moon is made of green cheese, but if that belief is not true, then I’m just deluding myself and anyone else who buys into this way of thinking. Believing something that isn’t true might make us feel good in the short term, but do we really want our beliefs to be built on an illusion?

Today’s Proverbs to Go verse talks about every word of God being ‘flawless’ (NIV) or ‘true’ (NLT). The Bible is sometimes referred to as ‘God’s word’. Do you believe this word is flawless, that it is true? Can it really be trusted? If you want to look at this more deeply, I suggest you get hold of a copy of Erwin Lutzer’s book, “Seven Reasons Why You Can Trust the Bible”. In it he says this: “No matter how remarkable the Bible is, it will not have an appeal to those who refuse to give it an honest hearing. At the end of the day, whether we believe it or not depends on whether we are willing to fling the shutters open and see what is before us.”

Perhaps questions about whether or not the Bible is true don’t present an issue for you. Let’s say you have no problem accepting that every word of God is flawless. What then? How will this belief affect the way you live today? For some, it will have no tangible effect. Such people are like the man described in the New Testament book of James who looks into the mirror but does nothing to improve his appearance (1:23). He doesn’t act on what he sees. For others, believing that God’s word is flawless or true might mean making changes in the way they live. Perhaps they will be challenged to bring some area of their lives into line with the word they claim to believe and so bring about a positive match between their belief and their behaviour.

As always, the choice is yours, the choice is mine. How will we respond?

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow for the final day of Proverbs to Go! ]]> Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:03:04 PST http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=18292 <![CDATA[PROVERBS TO GO - Day 29: Fear or trust?]]> http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=18229 Chapter for the day – Proverbs 29
Verse for the day – 29:25
Thought for the day – Am I more likely to fear people or trust in the Lord?

Have you been in an “either/or” situation lately? I had one the other day. I was faced with either eating a large bar of chocolate and spoiling my diet, or refusing the chocolate and sticking to my diet. The choice was mine. And, you know, we’re all faced with numerous choices every day – if only they were all as straightforward as deciding whether or not to eat a bar of chocolate!

Do you think today’s Proverbs to Go question is an either/or one? I’m convinced there are lots of people who have placed their trust in the Lord but are being crushed by fear of people, or perhaps one person in particular. Maybe they fear another person’s disapproval or scorn; perhaps they fear for their job or even their physical well-being. 

There are those who fear ridicule or rejection from people because of their faith in Jesus Christ. If this describes you, I’d like to recommend a book that I’ve recently read. It’s called “How to Talk about Jesus without Freaking Out” by Jim & Karen Covell and Victorya Michaels Rogers. These guys are Christians who work in Hollywood and their book is packed with lots of useful material to help you overcome your fear. Here’s a synopsis of this book from the Barnes and Noble website:

Do you "freak out" when it comes to sharing Christ with others? God commands all believers to go and share the "Good News," but most believers don't do it because they're afraid-afraid of personal rejection, afraid of being ridiculed, afraid of not knowing how, or afraid of not having all the answers. How to Talk About Jesus Without Freaking Out offers easy solutions to those who freeze up, freak out, or "pass" on the thrill of talking to someone about Jesus-and that's almost all of us. It is built on the authors' nine years of experience teaching folks of all backgrounds and religions in Hollywood how to share their faith. This humorously written book will help Christians push their fears aside and start fulfilling the great commission.

Perhaps fear of people isn’t a big deal for you. Maybe you can identify more closely with the “trust in the Lord” part of today’s question. That’s great! But is your trust in the Lord moving you to action? Is it compelling you to share the good news of Jesus Christ with other people in a clear and compassionate way? “How to Talk about Jesus without Freaking Out” could be a great help to you, too!

Until tomorrow...  ]]> Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:43:41 PST http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=18229 <![CDATA[PROVERBS TO GO - Day 28: Something to confess?]]> http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=18187 Chapter for the day – Proverbs 28
Verse for the day – 28:13
Thought for the day – What specific sins do I need to confess and turn from?

How do you normally respond when you find you've blown it - yet again?  Could you use some help when it comes to admitting your wrongdoing to God? Here are some suggestions, based on the word CONFESSION.

Come into the presence of God: When we become aware of a particular sin in our lives, God’s presence is probably the last place we want to be! But this is the first step in acknowledging our wrongdoing to Him. Don’t let your guilt keep you away! Find a place where you can be alone, with as few distractions as possible, and meet Him there. Then, stay in God’s presence for as long as it takes.

Offer praise to the One who never changes: This gets our eyes off ourselves and onto the One who is worthy of our adoration and thanksgiving. We can praise God by focusing on what He is like. For example, He is compassionate (Psalm 145:8); good (Psalm 25:8); forgiving (Matthew 6:14); and merciful (Luke 6:36). He is always like this, no matter what we’ve done. This gives us confidence to confess our sin to Him.

Never think your sin is too big or too small to confess: Perhaps you think that you’ve done something so massively wrong that there’s no way God could ever forgive you. Maybe you’re aware of little sins in your life, but you think they don’t really matter so you can ignore them. Sin always damages us in some way, so whether our sin is big, small, or somewhere in between, it needs to be confessed before we can know God’s forgiveness.

Focus on Christ’s sacrifice on the cross: It’s always helpful to come back to the centre of our Christian faith, which is the cross of Calvary. Spend some time thinking about Christ dying there for each of your sins (including the one(s) you’re about to confess) and remind yourself that He offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice so that a holy God could pardon imperfect sinners like you and me.

Expect God to hear what you have to say: Have you ever tried speaking to someone, only to find they weren’t listening? Frustrating, huh? Thankfully, it’s not like that when we confess our wrongdoings to God. If we are genuine about sorting things out between ourselves and God, then we can be certain that our confession will be heard and that He will respond to us in mercy.

Seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance about what to confess: There are times when we feel guilty about something even when we haven’t actually done anything wrong! Then, there are other times when we have done something wrong, but don’t feel guilty about it! So, we can’t always trust our feelings when it comes to knowing what to confess. You might find it helpful to ask the Holy Spirit to show to you what is wrong in your life so that you can confess it and receive forgiveness.

Specifically name your sin to God: Once you know what needs to be confessed, don’t be afraid to name that sin before God. It might be a wrong attitude, or unkind speech, or some form of inappropriate behaviour. Perhaps it’s something you haven’t done which you ought to have done. Whatever it is, specifically naming your sin to God enables you to face up to it for what it is. Doing this means you are agreeing with God about your sin, which is at the very heart of confession, and you are less likely to ignore it or rationalize it.

Indicate a genuine desire to turn from that sin: Confession is the first necessary step in receiving God’s forgiveness for sin, but it doesn’t stand alone. We also need to repent of that sin. This means changing our mind about it so that we no longer view it as something attractive and enticing, but as something that is repulsive to God and grieves his heart. Don’t just admit your sin to God – ask Him to give you a genuine desire to turn your back on it, once and for all.

Open up to God on a regular basis: A great way to develop your spiritual life is to confess sin as soon as you identify it as such. Since we’ll never be perfect in this life, there will always be things we need to confess to God, so it’s a good idea to get into the habit of regularly confessing our sins to Him. We don’t need to confess those sins that He has already forgiven but, as we live from day to day, we commit new ones which need to be brought to Him to deal with.

Never doubt that God has the power and the willingness to forgive: When we confess our sins to God, it’s reassuring to know that we’re not wasting our time. Our God is a powerful God who is able to forgive sins. He is also a merciful God who loves to forgive us. With this combination, we just can’t lose!

Join me tomorrow for day 29 of Proverbs to Go! ]]> Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:51:54 PST http://florencemackenzie.authorweblog.com/default.asp?date=new&permid=18187