Reading a hunger for God by John Piper, so challenging for me personally but heres a paragraph from it that made me think.

'And of all the hundreds of things Jesus might have done to fight off this tremondous threat to salvation, he is led, in the spirit to fast.

If Satan had succeeded in deterring Jesus from the path of humble, sacrificial obedience, there would be no salvation. We would still be in our sins and without hope. Therefore, we owe our salvation in some measure (not to over-state it), to the fasting of Jesus. This is a remarkable tribute to fasting. Don't pass over this quickly. Think on it. Jesus began his ministry with fasting. And he triumphed over his enemy through fasting. And our salvation was accomplished through perseverance of fasting.'

JB

Sorry haven't been on here in a while, I've been engulfed with numerous nominal things..

In response to the Persecuted Church:
And yes I agree, it's so hard for us comfortable folk to even grasp at an understanding of persecution/suffering..I believe that Satan uses the media to show what is happening abroad (wars, famine, torture, executions, prison) and gives us the opportunity to just give money and then we feel comfortable and good..

Now of course it is great giving money to these reputable organisations, because they do a lot more than we could, but it's the fact that when we feel good after giving the money, we are still no closer to experiencing what they go through..
The web has helped dramatically us to gain more of an insight, and even when people come to do talks at church and bible studies, we get stirred but do we do anything about it.. Are we too scared to get out of our comfort zone? and are instead happy to just brass the organisations palms with silver for them to do work, fair enough..

But if we want to truly understand! the verses quoted in both josh and james' posts, then we have to go out there. Speak to them, befriend them, and learn from them. What can we bring for them? Nothing I would imagine, they in a sense have it all..

Over the past few weeks I have been thinking a lot about things and how this year when I get a chance I would love to go out with my camera and just find these people and just hear their stories first hand, I think then and only then would I even begin to attempt at understanding the verses..

.....

With regards to Josh's post on parties
As I read through the post, I was initially thinking, 'Well I guess you can go and be the light in the darkness, you don't have to drink, have sex, swear, etc..' and to some degree if you are strong enough then who am I to say that you can't go, that would be a great witness to those there. But from another point of view, imagine that you come out of the party, it's a party that is renowned for sexual impurity, drugs, drink, etc... And you leave to come home having not drunk, slept with anyone, taken drugs, but someone is driving past in the car perhaps someone who is searching for God and you are the bible to them! They try and read you everyday and see that you're different but they see you coming out of this party which they know is a den of impurity, even though you have been fine, they will be like 'oh right, bit odd that they choose to go to that sort of thing'...

So there is two aspects of the same thing if you see where I'm coming from.. Also for example I would say it is a much greater witness to say no from the outset. Now I find it hard with lots of things but it is much easier to say no from the beginning and people are like 'why?' and I can say 'well, I don't believe in halloween' or 'Not the kind of atmosphere I think I should be in'..

Now it is inevitable that there will be parties like this that you are invited to, and it is up to you to discern what to do...

Josh

We talked about this the other night, wether we should go to parties etc.. found this commentary on it, i agree with it but open to debate!

Question: "Should Christians go to parties? What does the Bible say about partying?"Answer:

The short answer to this question is ‘it depends on the party.’ Parties are popular because they are fun opportunities to get together with friends, meet new people, and to relax and enjoy one another’s company. As human beings, we are designed to be social creatures. We live in groups, work in groups, and socialize in groups. So when we desire to party, we are responding to the need for human interaction, fun, and relaxation. This is normal and natural.For Christians, the desire for human interaction has the added dimension of wanting and needing fellowship. The Greek word translated ‘fellowship’ in the New Testament is koinonia, which means “partnership, participation, social interaction, and communication.” The important concept for Christian fellowship is “partnership.” The Bible tells us we have been called into fellowship (partnership) with Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9), with the Father (1 John 1:3), and with the Holy Spirit (Philippians 2:1). John tells us that, as believers, we have fellowship with one another by virtue of the blood Jesus shed for us on the cross (1 John 1:7). Paul adds the idea that fellowship with Christ is to be partakers of His suffering (Philippians 3:10). We are also warned that we are not to have fellowship with evil (1 Corinthians 10:20). Just as light and darkness are incompatible, so there should be no fellowship between Christians and sin. The problem with the question “should Christians go to parties?” is that the “parties” being asked about are almost always not a “fellowship party” as mentioned above. There is no reason to even ask the question regarding parties that are focused on Christian fellowship. No, this question is almost always in regards to parties that involve alcohol, drugs, and/or sex. Certainly there are non-Christians who can party innocently, but a party that involves things that are immoral and/or illegal must be avoided. As believers, we are to guard ourselves against temptation, remembering that “bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Further, attending parties where sinful activities occur—even if we don’t participate in them—weakens our witness and brings reproach on the name of Christ (Romans 2:24)."Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness" (2 Timothy 2:19). There are those who might see going to parties as an opportunity to share Christ with unbelievers, and while we are to be ready with an answer for the hope within us at all times, that presupposes unbelievers at a party are interested in the Gospel. Rarely does such an opportunity arise at a party where drinking, drug use, and sexual activity are occurring. Therefore, while Christians should take every opportunity to fellowship with other believers, we must be discerning about opening ourselves up to temptation or anything that would compromise our life in Christ and our witness to a watching world.

Jb

I have all sorts to write about, so here goes...
I have made little progress on my issues with western greed. I haven't gone about it in the right way, the Bible condemns neither rich or poor and I really hope I have not done this. I apologise if I have upset anyone in the wrong way, I don't mean to criticise giving, I only want to criticise greed and the love of money. I hate greed! I could argue it for an age and I will come back to it at a later date with more thoughts. I have had some great feedback from this and thank you for your views, apologies for not responding sooner.
Regarding the 'thing'. Not much progress here either, or rather I don't have an answer. (If you don't understand any of this so far, please read earlier posts). However, I found a deeper understanding to Tozer's view on this subject and it's helped my perspective a little bit. Again, I will take up this subject further at a later date.

I was about to write 'I've just arrived at Capernwray Bible School' and then realise that I have been here for a week already! It's amazing how fast it's gone and how settled I feel. I have made friends for life here, only after a week we all feel as though we've known one another for a lifetime. The rumours are true... I do live in a castle. It's enormous and the rest of the estate is pretty big too. I've had a few walks around the area and enjoyed a different landscape, albeit with a few encounters with sheep and cows. The food, in my opinion, is good, contrary to what many Americans think having been starved of pizza, chips and burgers for a week. I would love to hear the complaints flow when I show them some pictures of genuinely starved people. Praise the Lord we have food here, Praise the Lord we go to bed at night with food in our stomachs. And may God break us to serve those people with less than us.

In the new testament we see verses such as:
"Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12
"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified." 1 Peter 4:12-14
"I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:8-11
"So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name." Acts 5:41
... and many many more.
I have started to get a little concerned that I don't see and experience any suffering. During my idealic and comfortable life I have seen barely any suffering first hand. I don't understand what suffering actually is. If I don't understand what suffering is, how can I understand these verses? How can I understand what it is to partake in Christ's suffering? When I read many of the verses in the Bible regarding suffering, how am I supposed to see Christ in it and understand Him better?
Many of the verses I have read have been within to the persecuted church. People at the time were turning to Christ and being beaten, mocked, raped, exiled and executed for this.
It must have taken something special for them to stand up for this, something really special, something Jesus-like.
I have a heart growing for injustice, for example greed and starvation, prisons and homelessness and now the persecuted church. Please don't think I'm boasting, I'm trying not to, the glory must go to God because it's the Holy Spirit who teaches us and highlights/reveals what He wants to us. God puts desire on our willing heart.

Persecution is at the worst it has ever been. More and more people are affected by it. The apostle Paul spent a lot of time writing to the persecuted church. I am not going to literally put myself into the persecuted church or try and find persecution for myself, I have to exercise wisdom as well as faith. But what I really really want is to understand this suffering that Paul so passionately talks about over and over again. I want to see what it is that makes these people stand in the face of such horror and tribulation. I realise that it's God's strength and a love for Jesus that gets them through but I want to see more. I want to meet people who endure this and come through closer to God. I'm getting fed up with being blind to these things, not caring and not acting. What makes them stand? What is it? When faced with a prison sentence or execution OR simply signing a piece of paper to renounce Christ.. many people chose not to turn on Jesus. How?
I want to understand it better. When I open up the new testament and read Paul's letter I want really get to grips with what he's saying and be enlightened to his words. How much more rich will it be having experienced a persecuted life first hand?

In the past I've tried to explain my experiences to friends, family and the church. But I have not been happy with their understanding of it. I have explained it over and over again and often people don't completely understand it, though no fault of thier own. Of course they wont understand it having never been there. I could write a 1,000 page book about my first week of Capernwray and people who have never been would still not completely understand it. In the same way, I see read about the persecuted church and see photos but I will never completely understand it until I go there and meet the people.
Every time I have left local service for service overseas I have gone with the attitude of 'I want to impact as many lives as possible' but come back thinking 'I have not impacted these anywhere near as much as they have impacted me'. I don't believe there is much I can offer the church other than limited encouragement. I want them to teach me what it's all about. Surely these people understand God much more than someone as comfortable as me does. I want to be torn apart and sent home with a new thinking and understanding on what it means to partake in Christ's suffering.
I want to sit down with someone who has suffered for Christ and bares the scars. I want them to teach me. I want them to send me home broken. I want them to send me home a little more like Jesus.


As Always... there is one answer here... GO.