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Cross thoughts: Christian ideas seen in Sudanese every day life. I was at a small, midweek church service recently, when the minister asked if anyone could remember what he had preached on, exactly one year before! He gave us a clue. It was the same day every year in the Church’s calendar, set aside to remember our Lord Jesus and his relationship to Old Testament Law. One elderly lady, sitting near the front, called out, “Yes, I remember. It was all about the dots”. She was right. Check it out in Matthew 5:17-18. The minister then went on to note how few people could remember by Friday, what the sermon was about five days earlier, on Sunday. However, he stressed this was no reason to stop preaching! He illustrated why. From the pulpit he asked us, “How many of you can remember what you ate for dinner two weeks ago last Thursday?” There was embarrassed muttering as people discussed, but nobody could be sure. The minister continued, “You don’t know what you ate, yet you are what you are today, because you ate it”! He was clearly emphasising that preaching had an on going value in spiritually building up God’s people. Preaching is God’s chosen way to develop strong Christians. We must give proper attention to the Bible, God’s word, as it is explained and applied through Holy Spirit inspired preaching in our churches. Those who preach must prepare prayerfully, studying diligently, listening to God so they can put Scripture alongside daily life for people to apply it to themselves. We who listen must listen carefully, hearing what God is saying as well as the human preacher. We must respond to His challenges, accept His correction and be confident in His promises. You will not remember every sermon you hear, (as I don't remember all I have preached!), but by developing the good habit of regularly listening to God’s word being preached, soon believers around you will recognise that God is making you into the person He wants you to be. Meditate on these passages: 1 Timothy 4:12-16; 2 Timothy 4:1-2; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25. July 2013.

Cross thoughts: Christian ideas seen in Sudanese every day life. Home is the place where you live or the place where your parents live and where you grew up. Your homeland is the country you have come from. If you are a citizen of a country, then you have the right to permanently live there. Citizenship is the legal right to be a citizen of a particular country. I am aware that since the separation of Sudan and South Sudan in July 2011 some people have wrongly had their rights removed. They have been made stateless. They are not officially recognised as a citizen of any country. Yet all Christians can have a different view, a positive perspective, when we look upwards and ahead. Do not be continually disappointed, grumbling at your status in this world. That is too easy! “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body”,Philippians 3:20-21. What does this mean for us in our daily lives? No government can take away our heavenly citizenship, because Jesus Christ has secured it for us. Hardships and hurts in this present life must encourage us to look forward to the much, much better life that is still to come. We share in Christ’s sufferings now. We will share in His glory then, Philippians 3:10-11. Like Paul, we are to “press on”, to keep going. Our calling as Christians is to go “heavenward”, always making progress on the journey towards the region of our spiritual citizenship, Philippians 3:12, 14. We must direct our hearts and our lives to heaven, where God lives in all His fullness. Successful Christian life in the present keeps at the top of the mind the tremendous prospects of our future home. Our Lord Jesus Christ is coming again, Philippians 3:20. To think God’s way about this we must see the second coming of Jesus Christ as God’s planned way to bring to fruition His own saving work. “We belong to a far-off homeland and wait for the King of that land to come and fetch us. Our names are on the citizenship rolls there and our place is secure, but ... while we wait here we must live as if we were there”.[1] [1] Alec Motyer The Message of Philippians BST (Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press) 1984. August 2013.

Cross thoughts: Christian ideas seen in Sudanese every day life. In society’s problems closed wounds may become infected, like injuries to our human bodies. Like an injury can fester and become a lot worse than it originally began, so can problems or unpleasant feelings multiply inside us if they are not properly dealt with. The late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, said: “I hope that the work of the Commission, by opening wounds to cleanse them, will thereby stop them festering . . . True reconciliation is never cheap, for it is based on forgiveness, which is costly. Forgiveness in turn depends on repentance, which has to be based on acknowledgement of what was done wrong, and therefore on disclosure of the truth. You cannot forgive what you do not know”.[1] Every one of us must play our part in making sure that the wrongs of the past in Sudan and South Sudan do not become an unbearable burden on our future. For Christians this is especially true because God’s word says: “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you”. Colossians 3:13. When we say, “we cannot forgive someone”, we limit what God can do! He never tells us to do something without giving us the power to do it. Our Lord Jesus Christ said, “If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins”. Matthew 6:14-15. If Tutu was right then we need to admit, to own up to, our own sins before God and before other people. Our sin may be refusing to forgive those who have wronged us. Yes it is hard. It is tough to be a follower of the Lord Jesus. But when we: Bring sin into the open Repent – be very sorry for that wrong doing, or wrong thinking Pay, with God’s help, the huge internal cost of forgiveness Resolve, with God’s help, to leave the past behind then God will bring about His will. This does not mean the crime against you doesn’t matter. It does not mean that the offender is excused. It means we choose to let God deal with those who have done these awful things. Beware all infection. [1] Why? Sharon Dirckx (Inter-Varsity Press: Nottingham) 2013, p. 81. September 2013.

Cross thoughts: Christian ideas seen in Sudanese every day life. All believers struggle with the tension of being the Lord’s disciple and influencing those around without compromising our Christian testimony by conforming to the worldly culture. This tension faces us with choices every single day. In His prayer to the Father, Jesus described His followers in two interesting ways: “they are still in the world” (Jn. 17:11 NIV) and “they are not of the world any more” (Jn. 17:14). This seeming contradiction is the puzzling but simple secret of Christian living – “in” but not “of” the world. “In the world” means that every person shares the same challenges and choices over how to live based on the commonly known facts and available resources. To be “not of the world” implies that one was born outside the norm, that there are essential differences between himself and others, and that the individual has given accountability to God the first place in their lives. So, believing men or women, boys or girls that are living apart from the world should have a different lifestyle than the unbelievers around them. In Practice 
This Christ-honouring way of living influences us in each aspect of our lives. Regarding marriage a Christian must ask oneself: • What does the Lord Jesus Christ teach about choosing a spouse? (Mt. 5:32; 19:4-12). • How will we set up our home? (Mt. 7:24-27; 10:34-39; 12:25; Mk. 10:29-31; Jn. 12:1-3; 14:23-24). • What are the Christian ways to treat one another and to be good examples to our children? (Mt. 7:11-12; 18:2-6; 19:13-15; 21:15-16; Mk. 13:12-13). God’s instruction must take precedence over the wishes of parents, tribal elders and the community. We are “in” the world because we have no choice, but we must not be “of” it. We can and should choose to be Christianly different! A Christian whose calling is to be working in the business world must ask himself or herself: • What does our Lord Jesus Christ teach about working hard? (Mt. 9:37-38; 20:1-16; 25:14-30; Lk. 5:1-11; 10:7,38-42; Jn. 7:17-18; 9:4). • What is God’s instruction about honesty? (Lk. 16:1-15). • Am I following after money alone? (Mt. 6:19-21,24,25-34). • What are my responsibilities as to providing for my family? (Mk. 5:18-20,40-43; 7:10-13; 10:19; Lk. 7:12-15; Jn. 19:25-27). There is a real danger of conforming to the world’s way of thinking and working when we spend 40 to 50 hours each week in the business world. We must not do what others do just “because everybody does it.” Believers should be different! Our Testimony 
Although we share with those around us the same choices as to how to live, we are to show one essential difference: We are accountable to God first and foremost. We must get the tension correct between influence and compromise. Some things do not affect our testimony but others do. If we do the latter we may have no Christian testimony left! And, I have often found that non-Christians have higher standards for believers than we do for ourselves. As Christian disciples our relationships with everybody we meet must commend our Savior, Jesus Christ. We may be the only windows through which others catch a passing glimpse of Him. Ask yourself this question: Would everyone I am in contact with want to meet the God-Man I claim to serve? Am I reflecting Jesus as clearly and precisely as I should be? I can never be totally synchronised with this world as long as I “keep in step with the [Holy] Spirit” (Gal. 5:25). The holiness of God in me provides a solid way of testing what I can and cannot do. Balance Or Tension 
I have often heard people talk of the “balance” between living “in” or “out of” the world. I used these terms myself at one time but now I prefer the word “tension.” Why? “Balance” means things are equal. But “tension” suggests that things are being stretched – there is stress and uneasiness. In the same way that strong guy wires hold tall towers and poles upright we need guy wires of truth for life – each one pulling in tension and giving the proper force in every way to keep our witness boldly flying in the windy conditions of this world day after day. Rather than being dulled by our daily contact with the world, living close to the heart of the Lord Jesus will make our testimony always a beacon of light, shining bright and untarnished whatever happens to our circumstances. In Jesus’ prayer of John 17 we notice in verse 11 that His followers are to be “protected by the name” (of God the Son, the Lord Jesus) and in verse 17 that they are to be “sanctified by the truth” (God’s Word, the Bible). Perhaps these are two guy wires. Verses 18-19 give another tense paradox: “As you sent Me into the world I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify Myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.” Sent but sanctified! Put another way this means Christians are to be separated from unbelievers while being sent right into the middle of them to be signposts pointing to our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Personal Application 
To apply this to yourself look in the mirror of these two scenarios. First, in every area of life only do what you can do in the name of Jesus. Stop everything that would damage His name if it were to become public knowledge. Second, test all you are doing in family, work and social relationships by the Word of God. The airplanes we see flying high up in our skies are held on course by their agreed flight plans and timetables, together with the pilots, the air traffic controllers and navigational aids. The trains which noisily rumble past our cities on journeys from here to there are also kept in place by a variety of things including timetables, signalling, the engineers and, most importantly, two heavy duty steel rails. Just imagine what would happen if airplanes or trains were free of these restraints! There would soon be multiple crashes and chaos. Their restraints, held in tension with one another, actually give them the freedom to do what they do! As Christians we are born outside the norm, being born again into a spiritual life in the kingdom of God. We travel through this world’s life on a different pathway than those still unsaved. Our eternal life means we live by the truth – living life in the light of God’s Word (Jn. 3:16-21). We live on our planet among our fellow people yet apart from them. Given the same choices as everybody else we choose differently. We simply want to be like our Lord Jesus Christ whose life and death were, still are and forever will be outstanding from all others. There is no better way to be a witness for Him (Jn. 20:21-23,31; Acts 1:8). By Colin Salter - October 2013 – Grace & Truth Magazine.

Cross thoughts: Christian ideas seen in Sudanese every day life. When a baby is born, parents, and other family members, may have a lot of hope for its future. Will she get a good education? Will he be happily married with a good family? Will there be peace in the area he lives? Must she go and live overseas to be safe? In Romans Paul writes that every Christian has a hope for the future. The presence of this hope shows if a person is truly Christian or not: 1. “For in this hope we are saved. 2. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. 3. Who hopes for what he already has? 4. But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently”, Romans 8:24-25. 1. The verses immediately before these open a window into the meaning of “this hope”. Christians have been born again by God the Holy Spirit. They have responded to His inner calling. They live their normal human lives, but are now alive to God, His words of direction, advice, warning and encouragement. Living like this, prompted always by God’s Word and Spirit, they know they are saved. 2. Yet even Christians do not get everything they want straightaway! Our world demands that we get things quickly. Some Christians have believed this lie for themselves, over things like physical healings, monetary riches, even sinless living. The Christian’s true hope is for the future world, not this one. 3. This phrase says the same as the second one, but in reverse. There is no need to hope for a fourth baby when you already have four! Why hope for a good-paying job when you have one now? 4. So, what is in our future? Verse 23 says we wait eagerly (keenly) to be adopted by God into His wonderful presence in heaven. We are now prepared to be there thanks to our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ, but for now we wait on and in this world. Our circumstances may be bad: People treat one another badly, bombing from the air, invaders setting fire to homes, showing how badly human beings can behave to one another. We must look into our own hearts as well as condemn others. We may sometimes trick another person to gain unfair advantage. God doesn’t like this either! True Christians live Christianly (patiently) while awaiting the Lord Jesus Christ to command a loud trumpet blast. He will call us to be with Him, marking the end of this life and the true start of the next. This is our hope, the promised coming of God’s heaven. It will never disappoint us. November 2013.

Cross thoughts: Christian ideas seen in Sudanese every day life. God sent His angels with the message of Christmas. In the past we may have used drums to beat the rhythm so communicating what we wanted to say. Today we are more likely to use mobile phones! The medium is not half as important as the message. So what does God say? Miraculously, the virgin Mary was “with child”. An angel of the Lord urged Joseph, “take Mary home as your wife …. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus (Joshua/the Lord saves), because He will save his people from their sins”. Matthew 1:20-21. From these words please notice with me: The purpose of the Lord Jesus – to safely deliver His people from the catastrophic results of rebellion against God. Surely this is what every person wants? We need Someone else to help. We cannot do this ourselves, however good we try to be. There is no way we can balance the books. This is the “why?” of the Christmas message. The promise of God through the angel – salvation is definite, it will happen, there is no doubting it. The pre-existent God the Son became a human being, so He had a flesh and blood body with which to ransom believing humanity from God’s wrath. Jesus’ birth led to His death. This is the “how?” of the Christmas message. The “people” mentioned in the message – only the people of the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved. The Christian message is an exclusive message. Yet, at the same time, it is also inclusive. You can be included, as soon as you do three things: own up to being a sinner before the holy, Creator, God ask for mercy from God who planned all of this for you trust yourself completely to the Saviour, who loves you with an everlasting, deep and true love. This is the “who?” of the Christmas message. The Advent or Christmas season is a great time for anyone to take this decisive step. May I ask you to do it now? It may lead you into hard times. It did for Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus, Matthew 2:13-23. But remember, eternal salvation in the life beyond this one, is far too good to throw away. When God offers you something, (and He does) you should take it. Receive from God now the believing faith that only He can give. And you will be saved. December 2013.

Cross thoughts: Christian ideas seen in Sudanese every day life. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”. Genesis 1:1 At the start of a New Year, stop a minute and think about your own understanding of God. When you come to worship God, what is in your mind? Do you have a mental picture? Or a word description? From my “Christian Theology in a Sudanese Context” let the following thoughts help you. Find it on this site - it is here both in print to read and on video to watch and listen -Click on my definitions of God's attributes one by one, and think seriously about your God. 1. God is Spirit. 2. The Unity of God. 3. God the Holy Trinity. 4. The Eternity of God. 5. The Omnipresence of God. 6. The Personality of God. 7. The Omnipotence of God. 8. The Omniscience of God. 9. The Holiness of God. 10. The Love of God. 11. The Justice of God. 12. The Mercy of God. 13. The Faithfulness of God. 14. The True God. “O God, You are my God, I seriously seek You”, in 2014. Psalm 63:1. January 2014.

Cross thoughts: Christian ideas seen in Sudanese every day life. “ Walwal-tung” I learned this Nuer greeting so I could use it at the start of one sermon I preached in Khartoum Evangelical Church. I also remember the tasty “porridge” they shared with me for breakfast. The great pastor I knew from there is now in glory! All people are created in the image of God. This is clearly taught in Scripture, Genesis 1:26-27. We are all in the shape, form or pattern of God. “…(man) is the image and glory of God”, 1 Corinthians 11:7. (1) Since every individual is an “image” of God, each person matters. If you looked into the clean shiny porridge spoon pictured above you would see an upsidedown reflection of yourself. However, it would not be crystal clear, like in a good mirror. It would be blurred, scratched, deformed in small or big ways. Similarly, the people around us have become poor reflections of the God whose model they were made from. We are no different. Sin stains us all. Humanity’s fall into sin has meant that none of us are perfectly what God made us to be. We must remember this when we are tempted to hate other tribal groups or despise different ethnicities of people. (2) We must see things the way He does. Always. As Christians we must “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator”, Colossians 3:10. Even when our human brothers, sisters, cousins, or even our children are screaming for vengeance following the awful events of war, as Christians we must choose God’s view of “our enemies”. If God took an attitude of revenge out on us, we would all be on the road to an everlasting hell. Our Lord Jesus said: (3) “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven”, Matthew 5:44-45. When we die and arrive in eternity, our heaven or hell destination will not depend on our earthly tribe. Dinka, Moro, Nuba, Arab, English, will not matter at all. The only thing that will matter is have we become more and more like our Father in heaven? (4) “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins”, Matthew 6:14-15. The choices are yours. God is watching your responses. February 2014.

Cross thoughts: Christian ideas seen in Sudanese every day life. “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many”. Hebrews 12:15 Bitterness is being very angry when things upset you. The Bible warns bitterness is a root that grows into big trouble if it is not dealt with. The fighting of December ‘13 to February ’14 has left many South Sudanese with hugely bitter feelings. These photos are from the Kenana sugar company’s website. The production area is nearly 280km south from Khartoum, amid the clay plains between the Blue and White Niles. Sugar is very sweet! I suggest both South Sudan and Sudan need what I will call: “Kenana Christians” – believing women and men who will choose to reject all forms of bitterness and cultivate loving, kind, gentle, attractively fragrant and pleasant lives. Would others describe you and your life as bitter or sweet? See also: “All are under sin …. their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness”. Romans 3:(9)14. “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice”. Ephesians 4:31. “But if you harbour bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it and deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is “earthly” unspiritual and of the devil”. James 3:14-15. Keep thinking about this every time you stir some sugar into your tea! March 2014.

Cross thoughts: Christian ideas seen in Sudanese every day life. Mark lists ten things that were to happen to our Saviour, the Lord Jesus. He will “suffer, be rejected, be killed, rise again, be betrayed, be condemned, be handed over to the Gentiles, be mocked, be spit upon, and be flogged”, Mark 8:31-33, 9:30-32, 10:32-34. Above is the view from my study window to the Atlantic Ocean. These sufferings were all in our Lord’s teaching to his disciples about what it will mean to be a follower of Jesus. It was tough, straight talking. The rejection of Jesus began immediately, when Peter said to him, “Never, Lord”, Matthew 16:22. Sadly, we disciples often think we know better than Jesus. It is Satan's deceptive idea that there will be no suffering by or for the Messiah, Mark 8:33. “After his first prediction of his impending suffering, Jesus laid down the requirements for those who wanted to be members of the Kingdom, as true followers of the Messiah. He may have needed to do this because many were beginning to follow him hoping for material gain. He told a crowd and his disciples that it is necessary to … surrender one’s will and life to God’s purposes and to do what God wants. One must also take up one’s own cross, that is, be prepared to suffer for the cause of the Messiah”.[1] Mark 8:34 speaks with clarity. To truly call Jesus our Lord, we “must deny self, … take up our cross … and follow him”. Self is always a dangerous stumbling block to genuine Christian discipleship. We get in our own way. This is why our Lord Jesus himself prayed, what C.H. Spurgeon called, “the real Lord’s Prayer”, Matthew 26:39. “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will”. His positive relationship brought commitment. A north African was the first man to carry the cross for (possibly with) Jesus, Mark 15:21. He only carried the wood, not the load. The load was the sin of the world, which only the Lord Jesus could carry. In his own fully human body, completely drinking the cup of the wrath of God the Father, God the Son there became “an atoning sacrifice for our sins”, 1 John 4:10, when “they crucified him” on Golgotha, Mark 15:24. Jesus was alienated from (“forsaken” by Mark 15:34) the Father when he accepted the world’s sin onto himself. God was divided from God through a pre-planned and fully agreed act of substitution. This isolation allowed his mediation. “God has raised this Jesus to life and we are all witness of the fact”, Acts 2:32. Jesus’ crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection were steps into “his glory”, Luke 24:27. Jesus is accepted by the one and triune God as THE sacrifice for all sin. Anyone and everyone who trusts Jesus now as their personal Saviour will be forgiven sin, and given an entry to heaven which is guaranteed, because of what our Lord Jesus has accomplished. Praise God! [1] Victor Babajide Africa Bible Commentary (Word Alive Press: Nairobi) 2006, p.1185. April 2014.

Cross thoughts: Christian ideas seen in Sudanese every day life. Purity, power and a plan are found in partnership with our Lord Jesus! Everything around us needs power to live by. The plough needs the oxen. The leather-sewing machine needs the operator’s foot on the pedal. The mechanical donkey needs the diesel and pump to suck up the river water for the farm. The plane needs aero-fuel before it can soar into the sky. Our risen Lord Jesus Christ said to His first disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses … to the ends of the earth”, Acts 1:8. Immediately, Jesus was received up into the glory of heaven. The angels told His disciples that He would one day return. As we think about Ascension Day and Pentecost we must remember God Himself is the life of His true disciples. As Christians, power comes into our lives and our ministries the closer we live to the person of God. Every day try to: Live in the conscious presence of your Lord Jesus Christ. Live in the holy purity of God the Holy Spirit, in thoughts, motives and actions. Live in partnership with God through every part of your life. Live following the pattern of God’s will, witnessing to His salvation freely given to you at such a great cost to Himself. We do not know when our Lord Jesus will return. We do know how He has told us to live until He does. And He has given us the pattern for His power. May 2014.

Cross thoughts: Christian ideas seen in Sudanese every day life. Just before the rainy season roads can look in a very good condition. However, after heavy rains have fallen, they can become so churned up that even the strongest and heaviest vehicles cannot pass. In the ‘Christian’ world some preachers promise an easy and clear life for everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ alone. People who are attracted to this message may quickly become discouraged when they meet difficulty after difficulty. I have even heard some say: “God has let me down”. I want to explain where the wrong is in this example. Note: it is with the preachers, not with the ‘common’ people. Ezekiel 13 warns us against “false prophets”. Every generation and every place has its fair share of these destructive people, both men and women. It is essential for every Christian to learn to discern the “true” from “false”. This means seeing prophets discerningly, not going merely by outward appearance. Basically the false prophet will offer you what you want. Knowing what suits you he or she will bring something from his own thoughts and speak it out. He may put, “Thus says the Lord” in front of it or behind it, in order to give it some appearance of Christianity and Bible authority. Biblically, the “greatest challenge from false prophets came to Jeremiah and Ezekiel, possibly because they spoke at particularly crucial times in the history of God’s people”. Tewoldemedhin Habtu (Eritrea) Africa Bible Commentary (Word Alive: Nairobi) p. 948. Ezekiel 13:1-10 reveal prophets who use their own imaginations. They foolishly follow their own wants and wishes, not God’s revealed word and will. They do not work hard as Christians on needful practical issues. Their so-called visions are untrue, but made to look real. They all too easily lead God’s people astray. They appeal to our “self” life, our personal and societal desires. Vs 17-19 show prophetesses who also use their own imaginations and join this with amulets, magic, types of dress and witchcraft. God describes them as “lying to my people” vs 19. It may be a mix of bad and good. He warns He is totally against all such people and their so-called “ministries” 13:8,9,15-16,21-23. Four times in Ezekiel 13 God says He will do things that the discerning heart will recognise as coming directly from His hand. “Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord” vs9, 14, 21, 23. The discerning heart learns to understand and choose what to accept. God helps us through our lives with clear, unmistakable guidance to follow. Yes, it is hard to take a stand against false prophets. But nobody said taking up your cross and following Jesus would be easy. June 2014.