Musings on Mankind

Venturing into Deeper Water

When I was about 10, the same age as my daughter, I remember attending a swimming crash course. I couldn’t swim. On the first day I stood waist deep in the baby pool knowing I was too old to not be able to swim. I’m fairly sure the teacher knew this too. She was an older lady and on the second day after watching us struggle to swim she climbed into the pool, I remember vividly the sight of her circle skirt floating on the surface as she strode ahead of us shouting “Come, come, come! Come, come, come!” as we doggy-paddled after her having barely swum a stroke before that day.

I swam 10 metres that day and was informed that I would be doing 25m
the next day. I didn’t feel ready but she felt I was… And I knew that as long as I could see her and hear her I could do it! I went from never swimming a stroke to getting my 5, 10 & 25m badge in 2 days!

The other day I heard the Lord say you’ve been in the baby pool for too long! I knew immediately what he meant and I flashed back to 25 years ago when I first swam.

Where I am is not where I’m
meant to be… The things I’m struggling with are things I should be well over… And so, the Spirit of God has come to join me where I’m at so I can feel His presence and hear the voice of God urging me to Come and follow after Him!

I’m going places I’ve never been before and I’ll admit, it’s scary but I do know that though I may find myself out of my depth as I venture into deeper water that as long as I focus on Him and on His voice alone, I will overcome. “For greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world!”. Hallelujah!

What does God know? He doesn’t care!!!!

“At the end of time, billions of people were scattered on a great plain before God’s throne. Most shrank back from the brilliant light before them. But some groups near the front talked heatedly – not with cringing shame but with belligerence, saying, “Can God judge us? How can He know about suffering?” snapped a pert young brunette. She ripped open a sleeve to reveal a tattooed number from a Nazi concentration camp. “We endured terror, beating, torture, and death!” In another group a Negro boy lowered his collar. “What about this?” he demanded, showing an ugly rope burn. “Lynched for no crime but being black!” In another crowd, a pregnant school girl with sullen eyes said, “Why should I suffer? It wasn’t my fault.” Far out across the plain were hundreds of such groups. Each had a complaint against God for the evil and suffering He permitted in His world. How lucky God was to live in heaven where all was sweetness and light, where there was no weeping or fear, no hunger or hatred. What did God know of all that men had been forced to endure in this world? For God leads a pretty sheltered life, they said.
“So each of these groups sent forth their leader, chosen because he had suffered the most. A Jew, a Negro, a person from Hiroshima, a horribly deformed arthritic, a thalidomide child. In the centre of the plain they consulted with each other. At last they were ready to present their case. It was rather clever. Before God could be qualified to be their judge, He must endure what they had endured. Their verdict was that God should be sentenced to live on earth – as a man! Let him be born a Jew. Let the legitimacy of His birth be doubted. Give Him a work so difficult that even His family will think Him out of His mind when He tries to do it. Let Him be betrayed by His closest friends. Let Him face false charges, be tried by a prejudiced jury and convicted by a cowardly judge. Let Him be tortured. At last, let Him see what it means to be terribly alone. Then let Him die. Let Him die so that there can be no doubt He died. Let there be a whole host of witnesses to verify it. As each leader announced his portion of the sentence, loud murmurs of approval went up from the throng of people assembled. When the last had finished pronouncing sentence there was a long silence. No one uttered another word. No one moved. For suddenly all knew that God had already served His sentence.”

Grace in Les Miserables

I sat and watched Les Miserables on Sunday afternoon.  As a 34 year old man who is into musical theatre I have to say, to my shame, that this was the first time I had seen it.

This was not the musical but the film, as shown above.  Nevertheless, it was moving and gripping.

The one thing that struck me more strongly than anything else is that it is a story of forgiveness and of second chances.

Valjean, escaping parole, finds himself sleeping in the home of a priest.  Rather than be grateful for this hospitality he goes to steal the silver cutlery set.  Upon being discovered, he hits the priest and flees the house.  He is caught by soldiers who presume him to be a thief and bring him back to the priest.

Caught red-handed he fully expects to be sent back to the cruel labour camp where he has been working.  But the priest tells the soldiers that the silver was a gift and not only that, but that he had forgotten the candlesticks!

Speaking privately with Valjean, the priest tells him, “with this silver I have redeemed your soul, go and make a new start!”

Valjean goes on to become wealthy and as a kind businessman is thrust into the position of Mayor of a large town by popular demand.  All runs smoothly until the new Police Prefect, Javert arrives who just happens to be one of the guards who mistreated Valjean in the labour camp for some 20 years…

Try as he might he cannot escape the past, as this vindictive man seeks to expose him.  Things reach a head when he saves a young woman, Fantine from being mistreated.  She is the mother of an illegitimate child and has had to resort to prostitution to earn enough money to feed her daughter who is being looked after another family.  She is therefore ostracized by everyone apart from Valjean.

He nurses her as she falls sick, eventually dying, but not before she has secured Valjean’s promise of looking after her daughter, Cosette.

Valjean arrives at the house where Cosette is staying to find that her conditions are deplorable and she is being treated like a Cinderella.  He pays money as he stays in the house to allow the child to play, a concept she has difficulty understanding!  Finally, he liberates her from the cruel guardians with a signed letter from Fantine.

With the young girl in tow, he flees to Paris where he scales the city walls, necessary due to his lack of official papers, and leaps to safety in the convent.  Here Cosette is schooled until she is 18, whereupon she decides she wants to see the world.  At this point she meets Enjolras, a charming radical set on revolution to bring about change for the poorest people.

Valjean is initially averse to her love for the man but finally concedes as he realises he cannot cage her.  However, her late night rendezvous have brought her and Valjean to the attention of an informant who advises Javert, now Chief Police Prefect of Paris of his whereabouts.

A man hunt ensues amid an uprising in which Enjolras takes the helm.  This event, historically known as the June Rebellion causes him to suffer a musket wound.

Javert disguises himself as one of the rebels to infiltrate enemy lines and comes face-to-face with Valjean.  Valjean is sent out to dispose of him, but amazingly lets him go free.  Even though Javert tells him he will still pursue him if he is saved.

Knowing the area is surrounded Valjean and Enjolras flee through a sewer to the river.  Javert works out where he has gone and arrives as he crawls out the other end.  Immediately he does, Valjean is handcuffed whilst the younger man is taken off to be treated. 

Javert then removes Valjean’s handcuffs and places them on his own wrists!  He states “I cannot let you go free, so there is only one thing I can do…”  With this, he jumps into the river!

====================================================

Valjean was given a second chance, his life being redeemed by the silver.  His past pursued him but never overcame him.  Ultimately his kind attitude saved his life.

Every living person has been in the clutches of an enemy, imprisoned against our will, because of sin.  Jesus bought our souls, not with silver or gold, but with blood.  The most precious commodity in the world!

When he did so he gave us a new life and a new chance to live it.  Satan, is a real person.  He is the father of lies and what’s more he is legalist.  He will stick to the letter of the law because he knows every little loophole!

He will chase you, he will try to remind you of your past and to deceive you into thinking you can never get beyond where you are right now…  But he cannot move beyond the realms of the law.

Grace confounds him.  When you bless someone who curses you, you take away their power to control you. 

And when you are stood at the end of your life watching the rivers of time pass before your eyes Satan will have no option but to throw himself into the lake of fire knowing that your life has been paid with a price with which he cannot compete.

Grace - v - Law?  Grace wins!

How do I control the desire to sin?

You don’t! God gives you the strength, if you ask!

13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

First, you’re not alone, satan just wants you think that so he can heap on the condemnation.

Second, God is faithful and loves us not for what we do but for who we in spite of and despite of our failings.

Third, God will make a way! So look for the exit sign… I’m trained as a Fire Marshal at my work and since doing the training I find myself making a mental note of fire exits and layout of any new building I enter….

When you go into a new situation keep your wits about you and look for the exits!

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
1 Peter 5 : 8-9

Peter knows better than most not to underestimate the devil and his schemes. So like Neo in The Matrix, when the heat is on run like mad and find a telephone to beam you out of there! Share your issues with a Pastor and or a prayer partner and stay accountable to them at all costs…

Its a long slog but step by step just keep going and God will support you.

:)

Interview with Mark Robins

Hello there everyone! I have a real treat for you today! I have secured an interview with Mark Robins! Mark is a worship leader/recording artist who has worked with many great names, has recorded an album in the home of music, Nashville and most recently was Roy Fields first choice as worship leader for his outpouring meetings in the UK!!

Hi Mark, welcome to Musings on Mankind!

This is my first interview so I feel very privileged that you have agreed to take part!

I first became aware of your work through the Roy Fields meetings in Cardiff and Bristol but how did you first get into music?

How did I first get into music? Well, I think music actually got into me, in the womb! I can remember as a child having a musical ear – I could sing a tune, I played the recorder, then the violin (to Grade 5 but didn’t know any theory so stopped before Grade 6…), then started playing bass in my home church when I was 14. When I was in my early 20s someone gave me an acoustic guitar to strum. The guitar had a twisted neck and so was impossible to tune…but I loved to play it and sing. I know that I have always been very moved by music, it has the power to express things even when no words are involved, it’s one of those mysteries. It fascinates me, songwriting in particular. Only so much can be taught or explained. There is that extra element that we know when we hear, but struggle to describe. What makes a song “good”? Or “bad”?It’s hard to say but we know it when we hear it, there is something universally understood and yet we can’t define it. I call those moments the “Oooh!”moments. The bit that makes you go “Oooh!” – if a song doesn’t have a moment like that then it needs one. Music elicits powerful emotions in us that, sometimes, seem to be beyond our conscious control. It is amazing! So, I don’t remember having a choice, it’s simply something that grabs me. It’s in me.

I feel the same way! Some songs just make your spirit soar others make you weep, music should always elicit an emotional response I believe…

Your music style is strangely reminiscent of Morrissey… (I always wondered what one of his songs would sound like if he just happened to write a song on a “happy” day!) So, what are your musical influences?

Musical influences, now, that’s a good one. I don’t want to point to anyone specific but I can think of aspects within music I’ve heard that influence me. More the art than the artist. I see songwriting encompassing two main aspects: the scaffolding and the magic. The scaffolding is what holds the whole thing up, such as the structure (AAA, ABAB, AABABACB…), the fact that a verse needs to know it’s not the chorus, the chorus needs to fly as a chorus (“Always let them know when they get to the chorus…”), lyrical guidances etc. The magic is that part which is, largely, indefinable – that part of the melody over that inversion with those words conveying thatmeaning preceding that musical lift…or whatever it is. We just know it when we hear it (we also know when we don’t…). Songs that have become“classics” or “standards” possess not only the scaffolding but the magic also. We can teach the scaffolding but I don’t see that we can really teach the magic.

One of the greatest influences has been the early Vineyard approach – very simple chords, singable and memorable melodies, a brevity of expression in terms of number of words used… I know a well crafted song when I see the words, where there is not a word wasted, where the sculpture is complete. Some can seem unfinished but out there anyway, where, possibly, a bit more work would have honed the song to the point where it didn’t have that grammatical error, or that bit of shoehorned in phrasing that catches out the congregation, or that odd bit that does indeed rhyme but looks like a lyrical compromise. I guess I’m a lyrical purist! I’m after an aesthetic symmetry of form. We all know that simple and great is very difficult

Musically, I’m looking for strength. This doesn’t necessarily mean loud, but a surefootedness and definiteness in playing and singing that says,“I am sure about this!”. I say to musicians: “No quiet mistakes!!” By which I mean, if you’re going to mess it up make it really bad! Make it stink! Relax! It’s OK! We will laugh together! We have taught our “church” musicians to be so cautious, to play so within themselves that they’re not expressing fully that which God has put inside them. We need to break this ground up! We need musicians who are servant hearted and teachable, highly competent, who know this is a ministry to Him, but who feel the freedom to really express their hearts appropriately.

That is what I mean by “strength”. But strength need not deny beauty. Harmonies are very important to me – the effect of a backing singer on a chorus can be truly astoundingly beautiful – how did we ever end up with everyone singing the melody line together? Hello? It’s just one of my bug bears– if we have a harmony all the way through it loses its effect, if we have only the melody line sung we have no effect. Rhythm is very important to me – percussion and drums giving energy to the music, and a drum needs to behit. The kick drum is called that for a reason. It’s not called a tap drum. I’m back to that definiteness in playing again, not half hearted or unsure. I love to see musicians released into this, to see them receive“permission” to really play with their hearts. Again, this does not necessarily mean loudness, but sureness.

It’s obvious that you’re passionate about your music, Mark and that it has been a major factor in your life since you were quite young…

How was it that you first came to know Christ, personally and how are faith and music connected in your own walk?

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t feel that I knew Him and that I was His. I really can’t, it’s a bit odd! One of the (many) things that fascinate and confuse me is how God speaks to each of us uniquely and, hence, differently. It doesn’t seem “fair” that the above is true for me; I just know it to be true. Others seem to walk their entire lives without knowing about Him.

Although, Paul does say we have no excuse as God’s glory is displayed all around us (Rom 1:20) and elsewhere in the Bible we have the heavens declaring His glory (Ps 19:1), that would seem, to me, to be a tougher way into the knowledge of God than just “knowing”. I have an ever growing sense of wonder at the universe (or universes?).

You need as much faith to believe that anything exists at all as you do to follow Jesus. Sometimes when I walk to our local shop I glance up wards and see the moon, and I think to myself, “So what’s holding thatin place?”

Science seeks to explain all that God has created and is making a fairly good fist of it, but theories about the universe are changing all the time. My favourite recent quote is, “Dark energy is the energy of nothing. Which is not nothing.” – even made the physicist who said it laugh! Science seeks to answer the small questions like “What?” and “How?” Faith seeks to answer the big question which is, “Why?”

This Creator God creates creative people. This creativity within us springs out of our sense of wonder, from our unanswered questions, from our searching. An artist is attempting to express something – in a song, a painting, a dance, a sculpture, a mime, an installation…to create somethingbecause every person is created in the image of Creator God, even if they deny His very existence. I love this! God is expressing Himself even through those who say He doesn’t exist. The Holy Spirit is working through people and they don’t even know it. All is His.

Now for me, my easiest expression is with music, with song. Each time I work through an idea I am trying to express something inside me. I’m trying to translate a feeling into words and melody and harmony and rhythm – and keep that “heart” intact throughout the process so that it’s not lost in translation. And, fundamentally, music moves me profoundly, always has. God speaks. There can be revealed a beauty that cannot be described, something that reaches in and grabs you somewhere deep inside and leaves you no choice but to respond. It’s a sense of joy, I suppose, it’s the Spirit showing you something of this Creator God who wants you to know Him and His wonders. Music, for me, is one of His very greatest wonders.

You’re from Southampton on the South Coast of England, in the last decade there has been a major contribution to Christian music from artists hailing from the south coast such as Delirious and Phatfish… For such a small part of the world it has delivered a significant influence upon the world of Christian music… What would you put that down to?

Hmm… I don’t think I put it down to much, actually! I think these geographical thing just come up from time to time. I’m not of the view that the South Coast of England is God’s favourite place for music. I’ve been realising more and more recently that God is always “on the move”. He doesn’t stop, get tired, or bored or zone out. And he is on the move everywhere.

Much more important, it seems to me, is our response to His imminence, His being here, everywhere! If music seems to arise more in one place than another, I don’t think there’s much of relevance to be said.

The local church is our hope, wherever that “local” happens to be. It’s much more about our response to Him wherever we may find ourselves.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions today, may I wish you many blessings as you continue to support Roy Fields on the European leg of his tour and in your ministry as a whole. (Anyone wishing to check out his music should go to the link at the bottom of this page… his album the broken is available now (and is brilliant!))

“Thank you, Phil and God Bless!”

http://www.markrobinsmusic.com/

Come Up Higher

Rev 4:1

Then I heard a voice saying come up here and I will show what things must take place hereafter!

It is very easy to become engaged in the things of life, work, family even ministry and to lose focus on God as a result!

When we do this we become blind to the things of God and can easily lose perspective when circumstances and situations come our way.

2 Corinthians 4:4
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Romans 12:2
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

God is calling us to a higher place where we may see! When we took off from Delhi we were engulfed in smog… As we rose higher we eventually broke through the smog and immediately we were able to see more! A White band of clouds defining the Himalayan range.

When we realise that we are truly seated in heavenly places in Christ we can:

A) Rise above circumstances
Phil 4:13 “I can do all things through him who strengthens me!”

B) Rise to new heights in Him
Rev 4:1;
Isaiah 55:6-9
6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found,call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts:and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth,so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

C) Realise how blind we were before revelation.

Ephesians 1:17-19
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us- ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

To be able to take off we need to take account of four things… Thrust, Lift, Gravity and Drag…

Our thrust is the motivation we are driven by. This should be based upon pure motives! Not peddling the word of God for selfish gain but preaching the gospel out of love. “For the love of Christ compels us.

Lift is the encouragement we receive from others and from the Word of God.

Drag is a by-product of thrust. It acts to pull us back. The things of the world and of friends/relationships which do not have our best interests at heart will drag us down and cause us to act out of selfishness or tempt us to apathy instead of compassion.

Gravity is a force which cannot be denied. Like sin it’s work is constant in trying to always bring you down to it’s level but just as lift works against the force of gravity so grace works against the power of sin and this law works as a polar opposite in that just as gravity will always win against gravity, ie. Remove thrust and plane plummets, so grace will always win against sin:
“That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Why do you write?

What is your motivation for writing? Do you write to be heard or do you write because the message just has to be expressed?

I can honestly say that I am unsure as to what my own motivation for writing is… Yes, I’d like a full-time ministry as an Evangelist one day, I’d like a platform to speak from but I recognise that the timing of God is perfect and I do not wish to move prematurely into anything.

I write to express thoughts, inspirations, joys and trials in the hope that some may be blessed and encouraged by my frankness.

On the other hand, it is flattering to see new people following me on Twitter each week… I can honestly say though that I hope that ultimately my motivation is not one of self-promotion but one of selfless declaration of God’s mercy outworked in the everyday observations of my life!

I am truly saddened by the sheer number of bloggers who dedicate it seems much of their time encouraging other bloggers to do it this way, to follow that formula rather than doing what they set out to do which is to give voice to their thoughts and observations!

I am not a professional blogger, I just write when I can about what challenges and inspires me… The rest of the time I am out there living life! It strikes me that preachers, teachers, evangelists, writers and bloggers need to spend significantly more time out there joining in and significantly less time observing aloofly in order that our message is authentic. People don’t care what you know, until they know that you care! BE life to your neighbours, friends and family and write about what God does in and through you!

May I encourage each of you to take the time this week to prayerfully discover your song. Your song is the message which you have lived and learned through to share with others… For Mark Stibbe it is the message of the Father’s heart, a message which he had to experience through being orphaned and adopted to truly appreciate. For my own Dad it is the message of the grace of God outworked in the reconciliation of man and wife after 18 years of separation.

What is your song? What has life taught you? What has God taught you through life? Sing your song with all your might because you are the only one who knows how to sing it! And please, please disregard the numbers game, it only leads to pride and robs you of your inner joy.

What’s at your core?

This is true, but the legacy that Steve Jobs has left behind continues to inspire hundreds of thousands of people. As I type this blog into an app on my iPhone I am well aware of the genius that goes into creating an Apple product… Yet there is something deeper…

What is at the core of Apple? Steve Jobs! What is at his core? Supportive parents, a never-say-die attitude and the audacity to challenge the status quo.

Someone once said to do the same thing and expect different results is madness… To change something you have to change something! Steve Jobs approach was to do it different! His ingenuity, creativity, drive and determination will live on in the ethos of his company and the simplicity of his products long after his newest blueprints have been left behind.

So what is at your core? What is your legacy? 12 ordinary guys living in the volatile Middle East turned the world upside down 2000 years ago because they believed that their contribution was valuable, powerful, relevant and life changing. That message was one of love, acceptance and reconciliation though the cross of Jesus Christ!

It is that message which lies at my core and it is my pursuit of that cause which I believe will be my lasting legacy!