Renovation of the heart

Today is proving a purple patch for me blog wise! I guess I have had a lot of stuff builidng up that just has to come out!!

I want to encourage any of you who are feeling that your quite times are getting stale to investigate the writings of Dallas Willard. Dr. Willard specialises in writing about the spiritual disciplines (prayer, meditation, fasting, solitude etc.) and his background is that he spent many years as a philosophy professor. I am currently looking at his book Renovation of The Heart In Daily Practice. Jan Johnson has taken Dr. Willard's book Renovation of the Heart and devised activities for every chapter to help you apply the ideas that the author wants to convey.

The first chapter is called Kingdom Possibilities and it talks about the tantalising promises of a life beyond our wildest dreams spoken about in the Bible, especially the New Testament. Willard's very vivid description in this chapter of what drinking the living waters that Jesus offers so that we will never thirst again means particularly struck me. He says it means that "He (the Holy Spirit)will keep [us] from...being driven and ruled by unsatisfied desires." How many of us as Christians can say that loneliness or envy or frustration in work never drives us? Yet it is Jesus' promise to us. This book does not offer quick fixes to such problems but does offer practical guidance of helpful practices and strategies for spiritual growth. The Protestant faith, as a reaction against Catholic acetisism I believe has thrown the baby out with the bathwater in terms of spiritual disciplines. The Puritans were ardent advocates of meditation and look at the books they produced. I believe any book such as this by Williard which offers the prospect of revitalising our spirituality and causing us to long for all that the Bible promises can only be commended and if we read it with an open mind and receptive heart it will be a great blessing.

Love in Christ.

Andy.

2009

Well I'm sure all you guys in Blogland have been thinking that the Tentmaker has shut down his workshop! Here I am to reassure you that this is not the case. One of my resolutions is to try to be more faithful with this because the Lord is teaching me so much these days both through Scripture, good books, life and good friends and I want to share it all for your edification. Also I love to write. I find it very therapeutic and the beauty of a blog is that I don't have to be totally coherent! I can get away with my clumsy mumblings!

Christmas was a very interesting time for me. There was much expectation and anticipation on my part about getting back to Northern Ireland but I found that on arriving there I experienced a bit of reverse culture shock and missed my friends from Algeciras. This does not mean I did not enjoy my time at home. It's just part of the natural process of adjustment to my new situation. I want to thank everyone for the warm welcome in Hill Street and for the opportunities to share what the Lord is doing here in Algeciras.

At home I bought a calendar from the Faith Mission with eagles on it. I have to say that I find birds of prey captivating and especially eagles. The verse for this month is Jeremiah 29v11.For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (N.I.V.) Please pray that I would see God fulfil this promise both in my teaching English, in my work with the church and in my friendships. I am thankful that I have already seen new relationships developing with folks in Cristo Viene and that he is deeping and reinforcing ones that I had already developed. Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer and please continue to place me in His hands.

God bless you real good in 2009.

Andy.

The shocking death of Shaun Dykes

The shocking death of a 17yr old who committed suicide in Derby a number of days ago has really unnerved me. (See http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7652000/7652268.stm for details.) How can people be so callous as to actually record someone jumping to their death and to actually shout taunts like"Get on with it"? This proves once more the words of Jeremiah that the human heart is "desperately wicked and deceitful above all things, who can know it [i.e. who can fully perceive its perversity or fathom the depth of its wickedness]? Having suffered from depression and felt on the brink of despair, I am so glad that God in His grace pulled me back from the measures taken by this young man and thank Him that He put people round me who loved me enough to set me on the road to recovery. We as Christians really need to be praying that God would give us discernment in regard to those we come across to know if they are feeling like this and this incident convinces me more that we need to be using the schoolmaster of the law with the unsaved to bring them to God. If they do not know the corruption of their hearts, they will not see the root cause for their need for Christ. It is frightening to see what a man given over to his sin can do as this incident shows and must make us thankful that He saved us and brought us back from reaching these levels.

Andy.

The work starts today!

This evening at 7pm we'll be giving out invites to our Prince Caspian themed children's outreach.

Then (28th-30th August 2008) tomorrow, Fri and Sat there will be the actual club. Pray that God will be please to use the proclamation of His word through bible verses choruses and bible stories to save children eternally.

Bless Him that He is my help and sustainer always. He is the author and finisher of my faith. Corrie Ten Boom said that when she had a faulty watch she used to send it back to the manufacturer and they always fixed the problem so that the watches always went better. We must do the same when our faith isn't working. We must send it back to God and He will mend it.

Mizpah!

Andy.

Here at last!

Well folks, I have finally arrived to the searing heat of Algeciras. Only my second day here. Still taking it slow, trying to get my bearings. Can still find my away about some places. My hosts are being very good and tolerant of me, which must take a lot of grace! (Just ask my folks!)

I'll write more soon when there's more to tell.

Praise His name for His daily power which keeps me from making shipwreck of my faith and for His gracious providences.

Andy.

My Farewell Service

Last night, Sunday 10th August 2008, I had my farewell service. What a blessed time of fellowship and being encouraged it was.

To all that took part and all who attended, words will never be able to express my gratitude for what it meant to me to have you all stand with me as I step out in faith with the Lord. The generosity that everyone showed with their words, cards and above all, lavish donations has truly blown me away.

Thank you for all the kind words you spoke about what I had to say in my response from the pulpit. I just bless God that He glorified Himself through such an old jar of clay as me! In me dwells no good thing. It is Him who works in me to will and to do of His good pleasure.

As you remember me, please pray for me that I will walk worthily with my God and that I will serve Him in a way that not only glorifies Him but is fitting of the faith and trust you all have put in me. I am so encouraged to know that as I go to Spain you are holding the ropes.

Primarily, I want to thank God for how He blessed the service and was very real in it all.

May God richly bless each of you who have supported me in any way and may you know the Holy Spirit shed His love abroad in your heart.

Andy.

Time keeps ticking into the future!

Well folks!

As of today I only have one week left with my current employer, nine days until my commissioning service and seventeen days until my move to Algeciras, Spain. I can scarcely believe it is true.

Since I found out that all the relevant bodies (Ballymena Baptist Church and Baptist Missions) were giving me their endorsement to take this step, God has been so good. People that I never imagined God would use have encouraged me both in word and deed. He has also provided me with accommodation, a potential "roomie" and the possibility of a job (subject to a successful interview in August i.e. this month). God's goodness should never surprise us but it almost always does because He is so creative in how He bestows it upon us! Praise Him from whom ALL blessings flow, our sovereign providential God!

Shalom!
Andy.