How Can I Handle Discouragement?

Are you into ‘motivational posters’? I am in a big way. Here are some of my favourites.

Ambition: The journey of a thousand miles sometimes ends very, very badly.
Pain: Pain is just weakness leaving the body. Sometimes your spirit tags along with it.
Distinction: Looking sharp is easy when you haven’t done any work.
Mistakes: It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others.
Achievement: You can do anything you set your mind to when you have vision, determination, and an endless supply of expendable labour.
Idiocy: Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.
Teamwork: A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of destruction.
Acquisition: The discovery that you’re no longer a big fish in a small pond, or even a small fish in a big pond, but a small fish in a big fish.
Madness: Madness does not always howl. Sometimes, it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “Hey, is there room in your head for one more?”

You know what the world’s most deadly but preventable disease is? No, its not cancer. Its not malaria or even AIDS. There is something much more debilitating. It is discouragement. And if you want a quick fix visit www.despair.com

There are three things which make discouragement a deadly disease:

It’s universal. One in four of us will suffer from depression this year. But everyone of us gets discouraged sooner or later. I know I do. I am sure you do. We all do. Its universal.

It’s recurring. You get multiple opportunities to become discouraged every day. It’s universal. It’s recurring. Thirdly,

It’s contagious. In fact it is highly contagious. My discouragement will infect you and vice versa. It rubs off.

But there is good news. Discouragement is curable. The story of Nehemiah illustrates the causes and cures for discouragement. We are going to see that together, when we join hands, when we work together, when we watch one another’s back, when we encourage one another, we can banish discouragement. We can make a difference.

I invite you to turn to Nehemiah 4 with me. Nehemiah was a leader of the Jewish people. They had returned to Israel from exile in Babylon. They needed to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem to be secure from their enemies. When they first started on the wall, they had fervour, excitement, and zeal. But after working for a while they got discouraged. Notice the change of heart from verse 6 to 12.

^“So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart…. Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” (Nehemiah 4:6,12)

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Welcome Home: Nabil Shehadi

“Welcome Home” by Revd Nabil Shehadi from Stephen Sizer on Vimeo.

How to win over depression

Ten questions to get you started this morning[1]. Give yourself a:

1 for none of the time;
2 for a little of the time,
3 for some of the time;
4 for most of the time;
5 for all of the time.

In the last 4 weeks,

How often did you feel tired out for no good reason?
How often did you feel nervous?
How often did you feel so nervous that nothing could calm you down?
How often did you feel hopeless?
How often did you feel restless or fidgety?
How often did you feel so restless you could not sit still?
How often did you feel depressed?
How often did you feel that everything was an effort?
How often did you feel so sad that nothing could cheer you up?
How often did you feel worthless?

Score 2 or above for each question and you have a medium risk of depression. Score 3 or above and you have a high risk. Depression has been called the common cold of emotional illnesses. Everyone gets depressed at times, but some people are depressed nearly all the time. For most it is mild, for some it becomes clinical. This morning I want us to consider some of the spiritual causes for depression and discover from the Scriptures how to overcome it. This is not, however, a substitute for seeking medical. If you scored high on those questions, make an appointment to see your GP this week. Even godly people get depressed sometimes.

How to Win over Depression from Stephen Sizer on Vimeo.

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Bahrain: When Civil Disobedience is Morally Justified

Thomas Jefferson once asked:

“Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with his wrath?”

In the 18th Century, on both sides of the Atlantic, there would likely have been a consensus that the answer was self-evident – civic responsibility was but the outworking of a higher responsibility to God.

Not so today. In a largely secularized West, while we value our democratic heritage which balances the role and responsibilities of politicians and citizens, many fail to appreciate these values are rooted in eternal truths and immutable laws.

Unless there are moral absolutes by which we judge society, society becomes absolute.

Every person is created equal in the image of God and therefore worthy or dignity and respect. The Christian scriptures insist we have clear responsibilities to both God and the state.

This was taught by Jesus: ‘Give … to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.’ (Matthew 22:21). The religious leaders of his day had tried to expose Jesus as either a collaborator with, or rebel against, the hated Roman Empire. Jesus insisted he was neither.

Our responsibility is to obey God for those who rule do so only under His authority.

We must first, obey our political leaders as God’s servants. Second pray for our leaders that God will give them wisdom and selfless impartiality in their role. Third, hold them accountable when they depart from their divinely appointed role.

The Christian scriptures teach: “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities” (Romans 13:1a). The state’s authority is derived from God. So whether we enjoy good or bad government, the state is a divine institution with God’s authority.

But this also means we can say to rulers what Jesus said to Pilate at his trial, ‘You would have no power [authority] over me if it were not given to you from above.’ (John 19:11).

This is because the role of government is to commend those who do right and punish those who do wrong. (Romans 13:3). This means we should submit up to the point where obedience to the state would result in participation in evil, or disobedience to God. If the State ever commands what God forbids, or forbids what God commands, then our moral duty is to resist the government.

We must disobey the State in order to obey God. In this way we can contribute, with our lives if necessary, to the return of good government and secure a better future for our children than the one we inherited.

In the early Church, the Apostles were forbidden by the Jewish authorities to speak in the name of Jesus. They replied, “We must obey God rather than human beings.” (Acts 5:29).

This is the Christian justification for civil disobedience. Whenever human laws contradict God’s law, civil disobedience becomes a sacred, religious duty.

There are notable examples in British history of those who opposed slavery, who campaigned for trade union rights, who lobbied for an end to the use of child labour, and called for the emancipation of women. But this civil disobedience must be peaceful and non-violent.

Martin Luther King once said, “Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. It is a weapon unique in history, which cuts without wounding. It is a sword that heals.”

So, while we are to submit to the state’s God-given authority, we must remain opposed to both tyranny and anarchy. Our responsibility as citizens, whether here or in Bahrain, is to cooperate with, but hold governments accountable to fulfill their God-appointed role. That will lead not only to better government but also a more peaceful and stable society.

That is why I support the pro-democracy movement in Bahrain. The arc of history bends toward justice. May God give the people of Bahrain, justice, liberty and security before we meet to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of Bahrain’s Pearl Revolution.

Presentation delivered at the conference organized by the Bahrain Pro-Democracy Group ‘Understanding the Roots and Prospects of Bahrain’s Revolution’ held at King’s College, London, 6th February 2013.

A few photos of the early part of the event can be seen here

How Can I Overcome Failure?

I wonder what you consider to have been the biggest business failure of all time? Blockbuster? HMV? Jessops? Those are just from this month. Last year there was SeaFrance, JJB Sport and Comet. In 2011 there was Borders Books, Habitat and Oddbins. In 2010 there was Pontins. In 2009 there was Allied Carpets and Readers Digest. In 2008 there was Circuit City, MFI, Woolworths and Silverjet. In 2005 there was MG Rover. In 2002 there was Swissair. In 2001 there was Enron, Homebase and Poloroid. In 1995 there was Barings Bank and Bugatti. In 1991 there was the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, Pan Am and Polly Peck. But the biggest failure? Or perhaps rather the company with the greatest number of failures?

How about Dyson? If Hoover became synonymous with the vacuum cleaner, Dyson has become synonymous with… the dual cyclone bagless vacuum cleaner, the bladeless fans, the uniball wheelbarrow, the quickest, most efficient hand driers in the world and… probably the greatest number of failures in the world as well. Check their website out and they admit they are failures – indeed they are proud of it:

“Most people think testing is all about durability and reliability. Of course that’s a big part of it. But before that happens – before you even have something to beat the hell out of – you need an idea that works. Dyson engineers get those ideas often by trying the ridiculous. Most of the time it ends in failure. That’s good. Failure sparks thinking and the extraordinary.”

How Can I Overcome Failure? from Stephen Sizer on Vimeo.

There’s a misconception that invention is about having a great idea, tinkering with it in the garden shed for a few days, then appearing with the finished design. Know how many times James Dyson ‘failed’ before he cracked the Dual Cyclone bagless vacuum cleaner. Dyson — supported by his wife’s job as an art teacher — took five years and 5127 failed prototype to develop one that worked. If failure sucks but instructs, that is a lot of learning. Certainly, say 4000 prototypes and 4 years into the adventure, any reasonable person would have assumed that this was a failure, an extreme case of escalating commitment to a failed course of action. But not Dyson. I am a raving fan of Dyson products. They work and when one goes wrong they like to know about it so they can improve them.

You could say the same about Apple and a small number of other leading edge companies that consistently hit the market with tried and tested products that gain an instant cult following and build a lasting market share. But they all begin with failures and like Dyson, often thousands of failures. So what is the difference? When failure stares them in the face for the 5126^th time, they never give up. So do we overcome failure? Why do marriages fail? Why do families fall apart? Why do businesses fail? Why do teams disintegrate? Because people give up.

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How Can I Ever Change?

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? My problem is choosing just one thing… At least by next Sunday I should be wearing different glasses. I had an eye test on Friday and need a new prescription. But I felt like changing my image too. So I hope you like the new frames. It’s the new me. Some things we long to change. Others we don’t want to change. This Summer I turn 60. Apparently my children want to celebrate. I don’t particularly. This hit home a few months ago. I was on a London tube train during the rush hour, carrying a rucksack. An Asian gentleman got up and offered me his seat. I didn’t know what he meant to begin with. Then it dawned on me. That was the first time anyone has ever offered me their seat. I felt acutely self-conscious. Ageing is an irreversible change. We can deny it, resist it, botox it, liposuction it, hide it, disguise it, colour it, ignore it or, we can accept it.

Rick Warren says, “A life that is never willing to change is a great tragedy – a wasted life.” That’s because God actually wants us to change. Because change is a necessary.

Change is an inevitable part of a growing spiritual life. We need to change continuously to become like Jesus.

How Can I Ever Change? from Stephen Sizer on Vimeo.

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Chinese Translation of Seven Biblical Answers

A Chinese version of Seven Biblical Answers to Popular Zionist Assumptions, based on my book Zion’s Christian Soldiers is now available.

The Chinese version was kindly translated by Lo Yuk Fai. Presentations in Chinese were delivered recently for Macau Bible Institute, Sawtow Christian Church Hong Kong and All Saints Cathedral, Kowloon.

See more photos of recent visits to China here

How Can I Cope with Stress?

Unless you benefit from annual winter breaks in the sun, January is not necessarily a month we look forward to here in the UK. The long-range Met Office forecast invariably predicts cold and usually wet weather. It is still dark when you get up, the days are short and summer seems light-years away.

Add the usual pressures and stresses of a post-Christmas hangover, especially when the credit card bills drop arrive, and it’s easy at this time of year to run out of emotional energy.

For most of us, the weather and time of year just makes us feel low, vulnerable to colds or just plain irritable. For some it may become clinical. Whatever you call it … depression, “burnout”, or “the blahs”… it is an inescapable warning light that something is out of balance in our lives. The cumulative effect helps explains why three our of four of us visiting our GP tomorrow will do so for stress-related reasons. Whether you are an unborn child, a teenager, a mother, a city slicker, or well and truly retired, stress is the number one issue we face.

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How to spend Christmas Day with Jesus

What are you planning to do tomorrow? Beyond the predictable. You get extra Brownie points if you make it to the 8:00am service tomorrow at the Methodist Church in Cabrera Avenue. Imagine what it would be like to spend Christmas Day with Jesus. To have a one-to-one with Jesus for the whole day. Imagine. What would it be like? Special? Memorable? Life changing?

If it were possible to spend an ordinary day with Jesus, then there could be no more appropriate day than Christmas Day – the day we celebrate his birthday.
Is it possible? When the angel visited Joseph he said of Jesus, “And they will call him Immanuel – which means ‘God with us.’” (Matthew 1:23). God with us. Think about that.

And one of the last things Jesus promised his friends was this: “I will be with you always.” (Matthew 28:20) “I – will – be – with – you – always. Always. God with us – always. If God is with us, always, then perhaps we need to give more thought to how we can consciously spend the day with him – in his presence. What would a day with Jesus look like? How would it be different? I suggest it would be filled with the things Jesus would do. What would happen if you were to spend the whole of tomorrow doing everything the way Jesus would? In Jesus name? In Jesus presence?

In what way would it be different? In order to live every moment of an ordinary Christmas day with Jesus, we have to begin the day with him. Right?

Here’s a multi-choice quiz to get us started. When does Christmas Day begin?

At midnight
When the kids wake up
When lunch is ready
After the Queen’s speech
At dusk the night before

The correct answer is: At dusk the night before. The bible tells us in Genesis 1:5, “There was evening, and there was morning – the first day.”

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How to Enjoy a Stress Free Christmas

How to Enjoy a Stress Free Christmas from Stephen Sizer on Vimeo.

The Good news is, the world did not end on Friday. According to the BBC “Scientists have done their best over the past week to reassure us that the end is far from nigh, but on Friday survivalists and doomsday cultists prepared to take their final stands in forests and on mountain tops around the world.

The latest outpouring of apocalyptic angst mixed with fatalism has been fuelled by the belief that the 5,125-year-old Mayan Long Count calendar predicted that 21 December 2012 would be the earth’s last. In truly British stiff upper lip style, Druids said they expected larger crowds than normal at the annual winter solstice event at Stonehenge.

NASA scientists have said for years that there was no need for alarm. Because of Hollywood films like 2012, NASA has been inundated with calls as the doomsday rumour took grip and the final day approached. To reassure the fearful, NASA produced a four-minute video entitled ‘Why The World Didn’t End Yesterday’ and published it online ahead of time. By Friday it had already been viewed more than five million times.

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