Thought of the Week
The first part of last week was amazing. I had the tremendous privilege of standing with some of the world’s most influential Christian songwriters, overlooking a stunning snowy panoramic view of Loch Tay with mountains of pure white in the background, the land of eagles and stags.
‘Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the works thy hand has made’. From the outset, tears rolled down the faces of people who have been leading millions in worship for years. The worship leaders worshipped.
As I stood there, I was reminded of a time 30 years ago soon after we started meeting as a small group in Rustington, we sensed God say that when we had learnt to worship without music or musicians, then he would begin to send them to us.
We set ourselves to sing and worship, sometimes melodically, sometimes not! Then God started sending us musicians. Contacts and wider friendships developed over the years, reaching far and wide, but never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that one day I would be standing at a songwriters retreat witnessing history being made as music and laughter, tears and prayers overflowed from every room.
Isaiah 58 says fasting whilst ignoring the poor is an offence to God. This week, rights and royalties were waived, and all proceeds from the planned 12 track CD are to be donated to the poorest in this world.
Music is a powerful, God-given medium. Paul encourages the Ephesian Christians to speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord. Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything.
Whatever our circumstances, and whatever our gifting, let us sing and make music in our hearts to the Lord. David Thatcher
January 17th, 2008
What are your dreams? What would you love to see happen? When we come into a relationship with Jesus Christ, when we give him our lives, our ambitions and our future, then our minds are renewed and God forms new desires in us. As we seek to please God and listen to him, then he says he will satisfy the desires of our hearts.
We often think of the will of God as something pre-determined, fatalistic, unchangeable, but throughout scripture, we see God responding to his people. He is looking for those with passion who will dream and ask. Somehow he builds our dreams into his will.
I have many dreams, which I record in a journal. Some of them are very personal. Many involve individuals. Many of my dreams have been fulfilled; some have not, at least not in the time scale I was dreaming for! I try not to let unfulfilled dreams and disappointments stop me from dreaming further.
Here are some of my current dreams:
I dream of more young radicals rising up in church, who are not simply Christians, but are passionate followers of Jesus.
I dream of more people who will do small things out of great love and who will live their lives for the people of this church and community.
I dream of a new sense of unity of purpose, inclusion and love and encouragement among us.
I dream of more individuals seeing needs and fulfilling them without being asked to or seeking recognition, but knowing they are contributing to the team effort.
I dream of individuals knowing the call of God to sacrificial leadership to serve this local church.
I dream of revival, of hundreds of people becoming followers of Jesus.
I dream of an outbreak of healings and miracles
I dream of worship attracting hundreds of people.
I dream of the influence of the Wickbourne Centre expanding, especially to benefit the deprived wards of Ham, River and Wick, as we work together with other agencies
I dream of working with LCS to see the Academy established, enhancing the lives of the next generation.
Let’s dream on! Write them down and then speak them out. The spoken word is creative. David Thatcher
January 8th, 2008
I understand that Michael Parkinson is to be awarded a knighthood in the New Year’s Honours List for his years in interviewing celebrities, 2000 guests over 36 years. Sales of Hello! and OK! Magazine soar as circulation of provincial newspapers fall.
In a world of celebrities, how do you handle obscurity? Even in a church of our size, it is easy to be overlooked, our gifts and talents not recognised or valued. Do we secretly resent those in the limelight? Do we withdraw, bury our talent, plough our own furrow?
I must confess that there are times when I wonder if I am really good at anything or have achieved anything worthwhile. I look around and compare myself with others.
And then I remember the parable of Jesus: ‘To one he gave five talents, to another two and to another one.’ The master praised those who used the talents they were given but was furious with the one-talent person who gave up and buried his talent, assuming that his contribution would not be missed.
Ananias shows up only once in the Bible when he leads Saul to become a Christian, and then nothing more is heard of him. But what an important part Ananias played.
God’s plan and intention for this church is that every single member should use whatever talents they have and contribute consistently like team players in the Premier League, giving their all each week to see God’s Kingdom amongst us; and that involves you too. Don’t let the manager find us sleeping when he returns. David Thatcher
January 2nd, 2008
When my dad retired, he wrote a family history. I was fascinated to read that in March 1911 my grandfather, then 18, took part in a Boxing Event at St Philip’s Club Arundel. The local paper reported a six round boxing contest for a silver cup. ‘There was little between Thatcher and Pearson; in the second round they both got in several good lefts. In round six, Thatcher had the best of matters, and at the conclusion of a splendid bout, he was awarded the match on points’.
I wonder what else my ancestors got up to!
Matthew starts his Gospel with a list of Jesus’ ancestors, going back to Abraham. Luke traces the generations back to Adam. They were keen to establish that Jesus Christ was the culmination of promises made centuries previously.
But how interesting to read that Jesus’ ancestors included Godly people and evil, men and women, even a non-Jew. For example, Manasseh was a totally evil King, who was succeeded by his son Amon. Amon became King at 22, followed the evil ways of his father but was assassinated two years later, leaving the throne to his 8-year-old son Josiah. However, at 16 ‘he began to seek the God of his father David’, and at 20 Josiah brought in sweeping changes, purging the land of idols.
Brought up in a godless family and then losing his father at an early age in traumatic circumstances, Josiah had every excuse for being a totally mixed up young man. But he didn’t blame his parentage. He made the right choices.
So whatever our parentage, good or bad, we are responsible for our own actions. Let us make the right choices. David Thatcher
December 19th, 2007
As I walked amongst the seaweed on Littlehampton beach this week I was reminded of the time when as a 19 year-old engineering student I sat for hours by myself on cold, damp, dark and lonely nights at the end of a pier jutting out into Southampton Water measuring the seaweed intake into the giant cooling system of Fawley Oil Refinery.
It would be untrue to say that I was completely hopeless, but I really did not know what I was doing or where I was going. It was tough.
Billy had sobering words last Sunday when he commented that we live in a world of growing hopelessness. Failed dreams, cruel events, piling pressures, no apparent light at the end of the tunnel and no expectancy of life after death are increasing experiences all around. Maybe you identify as you read this.
The central message of Christmas is one of hope. The Son of God arriving on planet earth is God’s love expressed tangibly. There is one who knows and cares. There is one who understands and has the power to change things. There is one who forgives and gives new starts. There is one who gives hope, beauty for ashes, oil of gladness instead of mourning and a coat of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
Billy brought out four action points to help us embrace hope:
1. Remember God’s past deeds
2. Reflect on God’s promises
3. Remain critically alert to confront sin
4. Keep singing in all circumstances
God says look to me and receive or renew hope today.
David Thatcher
December 11th, 2007
Willow Creek Community Church, Chicago, has been one of the most influential churches in America over the last 30 years. With its seeker-focus and an ethos that church should be a big box with programmes for people at every level of spiritual maturity, it has reached probably hundreds of thousands.
The leaders wanted to find out how their programmes were helping people to mature spiritually, and so they spent three years on a self-evaluation and included 30 other churches. They have recently published the results of their research in a book ‘Reveal: where are you?’ I have not actually read it but I have seen reports on it.
Leader Bill Hybels confesses: ‘Some of the stuff that we have put millions of dollars into, thinking it would really help our people grow and develop spiritually, wasn’t helping people that much. We made a mistake. What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and become Christians, we should have started telling and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become ‘self-feeders’. We should have taught people how to read their Bibles between meetings, and how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own.
Two points strike me: Firstly, how big of the Willow leaders to say they made a mistake. Secondly, it underlines the responsibility of leaders to help and encourage, healthy offspring to self-feed.
If we stop feeding ourselves, sadly we eventually die.
David Thatcher
November 28th, 2007
The Highway Code is a mixture of laws and advice for road users. The revised edition published a month ago contains 29 new rules. Every learner drive is supposed to read it, and has to pass a theory test on it before they can take a practical driving test.
Much of the Old Testament sets out the laws of God and advice for His people. When Jesus came, he explained that he had not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfil them – or fill them full. Matthew 5:17.
The sacrificial laws were literally completed in Him; for example, Jesus became the sacrifice, so that animal and grain sacrifices ceased. The ceremonial laws were literally completed; Jesus became the High Priest. God became accessible to all anywhere, so no more special priests, no more special clothes, and no more special buildings. All believers now become priests! This is the teaching of the Book of Hebrews. It should be noted that the New Testament makes it clear that God still anoints people with specific gifts, which includes the gift of leadership.
But the part of the Law we know as the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 Jesus emphasised, endorsed and expounded. His teaching is found largely in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 to 7. Jesus says in John 14:23 that if anyone loves Him, they will obey his teaching. So it seems to me that it is vitally important that we read and get to know God’s laws and obey them, and these may challenge previously held views. As a starting point, every new believer needs to read at least the New Testament.
Church leader Timothy was encouraged to work hard at correctly handling the word of truth. Some people are gifted at teaching and explaining what the Bible says, but this must not stop us reading it for ourselves.
There is a vitally important rider to all of this; we can never be ‘saved’ by trying to keep God’s Law. It is purely by God’s grace and favour that we can ever claim forgiveness and salvation. See Ephesians 2:8 and Romans 3:20.
I am so grateful for our heavenly Highway Code. DavidThatcher
November 20th, 2007
East Enders was voted most popular serial drama at the recent TV Awards. Personally I never watch any soaps, but I understand that casual sex is taken as the norm, and apparently Stacey’s affair with Max has just come to light.
Last Friday the Government announced that girls of 12 and 13 would get a jab against cervical cancer from next September. Britain has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe. 18,619 under-18s had terminations last year, and HIV is epidemic.
In all this, I don’t hear any one saying that sex outside of marriage at any age is wrong, but in God’s eyes it is. It is a sin. Sin is breaking God’s rules. God set rules for our benefit. Sin spoils us and separates us from God, and ultimately results in eternal separation called hell. And hell is a condition too dreadful to imagine.
There are over 200 sins listed in the New Testament, but there is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others. In sexual sin we violate the very sacredness of our own bodies. Sexual union is as much a spiritual mystery as a physical fact. Sexual sin has far reaching consequences, and God’s people are warned to run from it like the plague. See 1 Corinthians 6:18.
Too much drink and losing inhibitions is often a contributory factor in sexual sin.
The fabulous good news is that our sin can be forgiven, though we may have to live with the consequences for the rest of our lives. Jesus took all the guilt and punishment when he died on the cross. Realising the incredible sacrifice and love that this took, how dare we treat this lightly.
Let us strive to be a people of God where there is not even a hint of sexual immorality, and where we have a purity driven culture. David Thatcher
November 13th, 2007
Holiday viewing this week included the recently released movie Evan Almighty. The title in my opinion verges on the blasphemous, but there is a lot of wholesome entertainment and thought provoking content.
How would you go about changing the world if as a young influential politician you had just been appointed to a senior position, you had been able to house your bright young family in a brand new home in a new location? Evan Baxter is visited by God with the perplexing request to build an ark. Tools and timber arrive, as do animals two by two, and eventually a flood but I wont give away any more.
There are some great lines. ARK stands for acts of random kindness changing the world a step at a time. God says to Evan at one point: If you ask for patience, will I give it to you? No, but I will give you opportunities to be patient. If you ask for love, will I give it to you? No, but I will give you opportunities to love.
I have heard these lines before, but they still have a depth of meaning. Ever said ‘I want to be more like Jesus’? The likelihood is that God will give opportunities to think and act like him this week. And do watch the movie when it is released in the UK on DVD in November.
David Thatcher
October 16th, 2007
Last week I watched the last episode of the current series of Supernanny. Whether a single-handed or a shared responsibility, bringing up children is a joy and a privilege but also a challenge and a responsibility.
Each child is different. Some are compliant and some defiant by nature, yet they all need to be trained and disciplined. Sadly discipline is a dirty word these days, avoided because of the danger of abuse. Understood properly, it is the Godly way of training and instruction.
As I watched Supernanny, the essential words that came to mind were: clear boundaries, firmness, consistency, perseverance and expressed love.
Which parent amongst us hasn’t had to struggle with a defiant youngster or mouthy teenager at some point? Mums and dads, don’t let your children rule you. Don’t neglect to train your children, and persevere, day after day, week after week. Do it firmly and calmly; do it consistently and persevere. Don’t allow your children to play one parent off against the other; agree a common policy and stick to it. And remember discipline is a mark of love, and it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace.
Ever thought that God your heavenly Father disciplines you because he loves you and wants the best for you? He often uses difficulty and suffering to shape and train us, even punishing us – the Greek word used in Hebrews 12:6 is the verb to whip. We are often so defiant that we don’t allow ourselves to be changed.In this weeks episode unruly Rhys had to be returned 98 times over a 1 hour 45 minute period before he would stay in the naughty corner for 5 minutes on the first day of the training. The next few days were not quite so bad, but with perseverance, young Rhys learned to obey, and a lovely relationship developed between him and his mum.
The Lord disciplines those he loves to bring us into a great relationship. David Thatcher
October 11th, 2007
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