A new year.

It's been an unusually busy couple of weeks! I was aware that this blog was being neglected but - it's all a matter of priorities! Anyway, part of the busyness (that included a trip back to Scotland in order to spend Christmas Day with our family; and leaving early on Boxing Day!) was that I was preaching in one of the French-speaking fellowships with which we are involved, yesterday! Being the final Sunday of the year, I wanted to encourage the people and used the situation of the Children of Israel as, under the leadership of Joshua, they prepared to enter Canaan - the land of the promise of Almighty God. The Israelites had been wandering for forty years - the result of their listening to ten weak spies who were overwhelmed by the difficulties they perceived, rather than the two men (Joshua and Caleb) who had true faith in YHWH, the God of the covenant. The land across the River Jordan was as unknown to them as is the year 2020 to us. So how did they face their unknown, and what lessons can we draw from their experience?

The first thing we see is that the Children of Israel went forward with courage in the Lord. You may read the story in Joshua 2. Perhaps remembering that situation forty years earlier, Joshua sent just two men to spy out the land again. Their report was very encouraging! They assured Joshua that "Truly YHWH has given all the land into our hands;" Take a minute or two to compare that report with the one given by the ten fearful spies as you'll find it in Numbers 13. It's the difference between unbelief, and faith!

Unbelief says “Let’s go back to where it’s safe.”; but faith says “Let’s go forward to where God is working.” In his first letter, the apostle John writes: “… this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.” (5:4).

May I share a very important piece of information? Almighty God has not changed! He tells us so, Himself! “I the Lord do not change;” (Mal.3:6). 

These men of faith were willing to receive this great assurance; to take God at His word. Are you and I willing to do the same as we move forward into a new year? The assurance they were ready to receive, and the assessment they were able to make.  “moreover, all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of us.” was their report. This was a most encouraging report. Not only the inhabitants of Jericho, but of all of the land of Canaan, were afraid of the Children of Israel! The only possible reason for this is that the reputation of the Children of Israel and, of greater importance, of YHWH, their God, had lasted throughout a full generation - that forty years during which they had wandered in the wilderness! The Canaanites took it for granted that nothing could stand before the Children of Israel – and this information was necessary to Joshua to guide him in forming the plan of his campaign.

As we look forward to a new year, let us also recall what the Lord has already done for us – and let us then go into this year, confident that He is still with us, and has a plan for us. It's a plan, of course, that requires us to be led froward by the Lord. For the Children of Israel, that meant being led by priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant - where YHWH had met with Moses. The Ark was symbolic of the presence of YHWH among His chosen people. It was "God with them - Emmanuel"!

Most of us will have heard words like those over recent days. It is the Lord Jesus, Himself, Who is our Emmanuel. It is He Who has promised, “I will never fail you nor forsake you.” (Heb.13:5). It is He Who has said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me.” (Jn.14:6). It is He Who will lead us into a new year – if we will but follow! That involves action on our part! You see, Father God does not force us to do anything. He could do – but He chooses not to. That means that I have a responsibility to co-operate with God the Holy Spirit in the work of my sanctification. Writing, this time, to the brothers and sisters in Philippi, Paul encourages them: “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Phil 2:12-13). The Christian life is not one of sitting back and leaving everything to the Lord! It is service; it is warfare; it is walking. But we do not travel the road alone – “for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

However, action is not enough. We need also to display a proper attitude. Concerning the Ark, Joshua commanded: “there shall be a space between you and it, a distance of about two thousand cubits; do not come near it.” (v.4^(b)). Why was this? It was a mark of reverence. It was an acknowledgment that no-one may come even close to Almighty God in their own right. It was a recognition that the Creator is different from His creation.

It always concerns me when I hear some, who claim to be disciples of Jesus, saved by His precious blood, treating Him, the Father, the Holy Spirit, as if they are here just for their benefit. I cringe when I hear people refer to the Creator of all that exists in an overly-familiar manner. Of course, He is my heavenly Father; of course, He is my Friend; but He is also God, and I must display my reverence for Him at all times! “Fear (reverence) God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.” counsels the writer of Ecclesiastes (12:13); while Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus, in what we know as the Magnificat, says: “He Who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.” (Lk.1:49-50).

The Children of Israel as they stood on the threshold of Canaan, faced the unknown with courage in the Lord. They were led forward by the Lord. The result was that they saw the power of the Lord, immediately, in the miraculous crossing of the river Jordan. For many, even although they had been but children at the time, this would have been a reminder of the past when, with their parents, perhaps even their grandparents, their siblings, and their friends, they had crossed the Reed Sea – and seen the mighty Egyptian army perish. You see, even the mistakes of the past may provide good lessons for achievements in the future! Writing about these matters, Paul told the Corinthian church that “…  these things happened to them as a warning, but they were written down for our instruction, upon whom the end of the ages has come.” (I Cor 10:11).

I wonder if you have experienced the power of Almighty God in your life – individually, and as a fellowship of God’s people? There are those who condemn “experiential Christianity” and, of course, if we are seeking to build our lives as disciples of Jesus solely on spiritual experiences, then that condemnation is deserved. We need to be solidly grounded in the Word of God; we need to be obedient to the Word of God; we need to be fed by the Word of God. But often, the power of Almighty God touches us in such a way that the experience lives with us for a long time afterwards – and may even be with us for the rest of our earthly lives. The Children of Israel were provided with a reminder of the past, and with a reassurance for the present. 

Being reminded of past wonders is one thing – but we live in the present! And Father God knows! So we read: “Joshua said, “Hereby you shall know that the living God is among you," (Josh 3:10). Almighty God was still on the throne – and He still is! Do you remember those words of the Lord Jesus to His disciples as He prepared to leave them and return to the Glory that was, and is, His by right? They are recorded for us by Matthew: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” (28:19-20). “I am not just a figure from history,” says Jesus. “I am the living and eternal God, who never leaves, nor forsakes, my true people.”

The writer of the great letter to the Hebrew disciples of Jesus gave to them, and to us, the wonderful assurance: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.” (13:8). With such an assurance, we may step forward, bravely, and confidently, into the new year that beckons. Are you willing to go into the new year depending on His promises? Then go – and know that He goes before you; and with you; and in you. And know that He will accomplish His purposes through you, to bring glory to His most holy Name.

I wish you a truly blessèd 2020. 

True security

So, the General Election, 2019 is now a part of history - a part that a number of former members of Parliament will be only too eager to forget! I took the time to at least "skim" through the manifestos of the major players in the election. One area that was not given much, if any, space was that of national defence! (I apologise if I simply missed it!).

Yet defence of the realm is, surely, one of the major responsibilities of any government. Certainly, feeling secure is a high priority for many in this unsafe, volatile world. Ask those living in London; or in the southern parts of Israel; or in any of the "hot-spots" - national or urban. I read, earlier today that one private investigation agency (I suspect in the USA!) promises to "work diligently to restore the sense of security and safety that you and your family deserve."

As some may recall, I recently spent the first part of my personal devotions in the Book of Psalms (actually "BookS of Psalms - there are five of them in a single volume!). The composer of Ps. 91 found a place of safety and security. That is good - but what is better is that you and I may rest secure in that same place! The psalmist described it in a number of ways. 

First of all, he writes of abiding "... in the shadow of the Almighty," (v.1). Shadows, of course, provide protection from the direct heat of the sun - something that can be very severe in the Middle East! However, even if the heat is severe, being in the shade reduces what we actually feel. When you and I are under the shadow of Father God - being protected by Him - then we do not face the full heat of our difficulties. We may not be removed from them, but His presence enables us to persevere.

The psalmist then goes on to describe Almighty God as "My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust." (v.2).  The Creator of all that exists is the strongest protector we could ever have - and we may run to Him for help in any, and every situation. Nothing can get past Him, unless it is as part of His own loving plan for our ultimate good.

The third word-picture that the psalmist draws is in v.4. "... under His wings you will find refuge;" So many have a picture in their minds of God as some kind of celestial police officer, intent on punishing us for every wrongdoing. They have not read, or understood, what is often referred to as "the Gospel in a nutshell". "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." (John 3:16-17). The God of the Bible is not, of course, some "easy push-over". However, He is soft and tender, like a caring mother bird. Remember when the Lord Jesus wept over Jerusalem? "O Jerusalem , Jerusalem , killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!" (Matt 23:37). When troubles rage, He draws us close - if we are willing! We don't need to fear that He will cast us out, if we are His!

Just one more reference from a number of those available. "Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your habitation, no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent." (vs.9-10). If we are dwelling "in the Lord" He will be our home, our habitation, now and forever! 

True security can be found only in the God Who promises to save those who call upon Him; and to hold them close Himself. He is the One Who can be "... Emmanuel" (which means, God with us)." (Matt 1:23) in a personal sense. As the celebration of the birth of the only-begotten of the Father draws close, may all who read these words find, in Him, their refuge, their strength, their eternal hope.

Can I lose my salvation?

Yesterday, one of the members of a Facebook Group to which I belong, responded to someone else's posting of Hebrews 6:4-8 which reads "For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they then commit apostasy, since they crucify the Son of God on their own account and hold Him up to contempt. For land which has drunk the rain that often falls upon it, and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed; its end is to be burned." 

Now those are scary words! They appear to be saying that I could, conceivably, lose the salvation that is mine in the Lord Jesus. This brother was certainly concerned, and he voiced that concern. I have responded to him already, but then thought that it might be helpful to share my thoughts with a wider audience.

I responded in the form of a letter, but I shall just give the main text here - and maybe add a little (I didn't want a comment to be too long!).

1. Apostasy is a genuine problem. The author of Hebrews is not dealing with any hypothetical situation. He is addressing people who were experiencing personal problems. However, as the Lord Himself, He is not out to condemn, but to encourage. (see John 3:17).

2. You should note that this warning passage presents us with a particular situation. It is a rule of the interpretation of the Bible to discover, first, what a passage meant to the original readers. In this case, the main purpose was to urge Jewish disciples of Jesus (remember, Hebrews is so named because it was written to Hebrews!) – what, today, we might refer to as “Messianic Jews”. – not to allow themselves, under the pressure of persecution, to leave the distinctive aspects of their new faith, and slip back into the purely Jewish claim that Jesus was a blasphemer, a fraud, a charlatan, who deserved to die as He did. The writer was not dealing with the sincere believer who is depressed about his spiritual failure. Sanctification is a lifelong process, and John makes clear that anyone who claims to be sinless is far from the truth: "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." (I John 1:8-10|). I made up a little plaque for my study. It reads: "In this life I shall never be sinless but, by God's grace, I may sin less." My wife and I were recently counselling a young woman who had fallen into sexual sin. I pointed out to her that, by Jesus’ standards, I am a serial adulterer (and murderer!).

3. There is a warning, for us, in this passage. You should note that the words “crucify” and “put” (v.6) are, in the original Greek language, present participles. That means that we should really translate “while they are crucifying” and “while they are putting Him to an open shame”. It is, if you like, while we are acting in this way, that we cannot be brought to repentance. If we stop – then repentance is possible! We depend, for our salvation, not on our love for the Father, but on His great love for us!

4. Finally, we must remember to compare scripture with scripture. Our God does not contradict Himself! It is all too easy to take a passage, out of context, and build a doctrine on it! For example, I sometimes shock friends by informing them that I have become an atheist! I shock them further by telling them that I am doing so because the Bible confirms it! Three times, I read the clear, simple words: “There is no God”! So, if I believe the Bible, I have no option other than to be an atheist! Of course, if I read those particular words in context, I discover that it is “The fool [who] has said in his heart ‘There is no God’” (see Pss. 14:1; 53:1; and note 10:4). So, we must not let the enemy confuse us. The N.T. is full of assurances for the child of God. Even in Hebrews, the author is “sure of better things” (6:9) and, as one who served at every rank in the Boys’ Brigade apart from Sergeant and Captain, I cannot forget 6:19-20: "We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchiz'edek."!

If you are being attacked by the enemy, I trust that this will be of help to you.

General Election, 2019

Well with only a couple of days to go, I've decided that it is time for me to throw in my tuppence-worth on Thursday's General Election. At this stage of the campaign, I reckon that most people will already have made up their minds as to which Party/Candidate they are going to support (or even if they are going to vote at all!), so I doubt that I will change anyone's mind - but the 'blurb' at the top does state that "Some of my posts stray into politics ..."!!

In the constituency in which I am entitled to vote, there are five candidates, representing (in alphabetical order) the Conservative Party, the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrat Party, the Scottish National Party, and the United Kingdom Independence Party. I am not a political guru, and insist that only the poll that will be taken on Thursday is of any importance, but given the figures from the previous GE, it would be a major upset for the SNP if their candidate failed to secure the seat. However, she will not be receiving my support! Why not?

The reasons for my refusing to back the SNP are the same as those for refusing the Labour, and Liberal Democrat, Parties. The first of these is the support of these parties for abortion. If you have been reading my blog for any reasonable length of time, you will know that I am totally opposed to the murder of a human being, in its mother's womb, for whatever reason, and by whatever nomenclature. Labour are proposing the total decriminalisation of abortion. This would mean that babies in the womb could be legally killed, for any reason, right up to the day of birth. If ever enacted, it would be the most extreme abortion law in western Europe. The Lib Dems proposal on abortion is not quite as extreme. However, they propose to completely decriminalise abortion up to 24 weeks. This would mean that babies in the womb could be killed for any reason with no checks and balances. This, in turn, would legalise gender-selective abortion which must mean that Lib Dems approve of this discriminatory practice.

Where do the SNP stand on this emotive, but important, issue? Well, I read through all fifty pages of the Manifesto - but found no mention of a policy on abortion. However, the party's position was more than hinted at by the furore that followed John Mason's motion, to Holyrood, that access to abortion be restricted. He received no support from the Party!  

The Conservative manifesto does not contain extreme policy proposals on abortion as Labour and Lib Dem manifestos do. Regretfully, there are also no commitments not to further liberalise the abortion laws, and the party has shown, in the past, that it is willing to bring forward liberal policies that were not in the manifesto.

In matters concerning gender self-declaration, or no-fault divorce the Conservatives, again, have no specific policy proposals. However, as with abortion, this does not mean - recalling their 'track record' - that they would not legislate if they take power on Friday.  The other two main (UK) parties, have extreme proposals on gender self-declaration, and both propose to introduce the unilateral destruction of families through no-fault divorce. The SNP appear not to have any policy proposals on these issues, either.

You may have noticed that I have not made any reference to what has become known as "Brexit". However, I find it to be of interest that they state, in their manifesto, that "Unborn children are children. 218,581 abortions were performed in the UK in 2018. UKIP will seek to reduce the number of abortions carried out in the UK, and we will support alternative options such as adoption." This party also " rejects any moves for new laws to make gender a self-declared condition. Gender is not different to biological sex. There are two sexes – male and female – determined by anatomy and chromosomes."

So, for me, given the choice that I have, there is only one party to which I could give support. I hope that others, particularly those who claim to be disciples of Jesus, will have checked out issues such as those I have mentioned, and will prayerfully decide where they should place their X.

Of course, at the end of the day, I believe in the total sovereignty of Almighty God. The Psalmist asked: "Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain?" He went on to paint a word-picture: "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and His anointed, saying, 'Let us burst their bonds asunder, and cast their cords from us.' He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision. Then He will speak to them in His wrath, and terrify them in His fury, ..." (Ps 2:1-5).

May His will be done, on Thursday, and every day, to His glory.

I've done it again!

It is some time since I have had anything new to add to my C.V.!!! However, having been banned from commenting, reacting, posting good wishes to Facebook friends who were celebrating their birthdays, or even responding to personal messages for, this time, a seven day period, I feel that I may now include that particular accolade! At least, this time, I know that I am in good company! David Robertson has reported that no less a personage than Prof. Donald Macleod, former professor of Systematic Theology at the Free Church College, Edinburgh, and Principal for more than ten years, had also been banned! David also mentioned in last week's Quantum ("The Wee Flea podcast"), that Google and Apple had banned an 'app' because it cited John 3:16 and was "of no lasting value"! So much for the "free speech" for which most 'western' countries were, at one time, well-known.

As far as Facebook is concerned, Prof. Macleod had the temerity to voice some sympathy for Rev. Richard Cameron, minister of Scotstoun Parish Church, in Glasgow who, himself, has been suspended from his pastoral and parochial duties, by the Church of Scotland, for having publicly asked Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the UK Labour Party, "Who's going to be the first terrorist invited to the Commons when you're Prime Minister?" Given Mr Corbyn's well-publicised links with a number of terrorist movements, this does not seem, to me, to be an unreasonable question to ask. Thankfully, I do not believe that Mr Corbyn will ever enter 10 Downing Street as its tenant!

The Professor went on to state: "I am perfectly happy to let the LGBT community have their say. I am not happy that they should have a jealously-guarded right to monopolise the discourse, and I'm certainly not happy to concede the new dogma that the only wickedness is to question LGBT-ism. Christians, too, must have their say, and people should not lose their jobs because they are weak or off-message on such issues as homosexuality, bi-sexuality, trans-sexuality, or transgenderism." 

He continues: "Nor should we close our eyes and ears to where the gagging is actually leading. For example:

• If you are known to have reservations about the chosen lifestyle of LGBTs, you will not be allowed to be a teacher, a social worker, a parish minister, or a university professor.
• You will be barred from serving as a Member of Parliament, a Member of the Scottish Parliament, a local Councillor, or a member of the Judiciary.
• You will be ineligible for selection as an international sportsman (or, indeed, from participation in professional sport at any level).
• You will never secure employment with any charity.
• You'll never get a job with the BBC."

Please note that the Professor is not claiming that these conditions currently exist. Only that they are the almost inevitable outcome of the direction in which we are travelling. His complete article is well worth reading, and may be accessed at https://www.donaldmacleod.org.uk/dm/new-blog-post-4/  (copy and paste).

For myself, I again commented, critically, on a report regarding the 'marriage' of adult Muslim males - some very old indeed - to children as young as six years of age, and the particular reported comment by an imam that the hot weather made it more acceptable! The terms I used were terms that I have used many times before, without any comeback. However, this time ... ... !!!

Part of my reason for commenting was my (totally appropriate!) love for children, and my desire to protect them from any harm. This "child marriage" situation fills me with disgust, and I would cheerfully castrate any male (the word "man" does not seem, to me, to be appropriate) who wished to assault a child in this way. Just a few weeks ago there was a report of a girl of six, or eight, years of age who had died from internal bleeding caused by the penetrative sexual intercourse to which her adult "husband" had submitted her on their wedding night! I am, by both nature and belief, a non-violent person. However, give me 30 mins with that murderer ... ... !!!

It may be that Facebook will place a permanent ban on me, at some time. Not a problem - I shall then open a new account! However, it is sad that one cannot speak freely because these censors are checking every word we type. However, I'm back for the time being. Apologies, again, for having missed so much, and so many. I shall try to be a slightly better boy for the foreseeable future (but no promises!).

Where will death lead?

As the previous post indicates, I have a deep interest in what is referred to as "the persecuted church". These are disciples of Jesus, the Christ who suffer for His Name's sake in more than fifty countries in the world, today. Someone has estimated that more Christians died for their faith in the 20th century, than in the previous nineteen centuries combined! 

Even the former UK Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, MP, who ordered a report on the subject, accepted that persecution of Christians in parts of the world is at near "genocide" levels. The review, led by the Bishop of Truro, estimated that one in three people suffer from religious persecution, and that Christians were the most persecuted religious group. Mr Hunt said he felt that "political correctness" had played a part in the issue not being confronted - something with which I would agree!

In 410 AD, the Germanic barbarians known as the Goths (yes, that's the origin of that word!! I often wonder if those who dress, and use make-up, in a particular manner, and go by that name, actually know of those from whom they take their name!) sacked the city of Rome. During the invasion, many disciples of Jesus were put to death in hideous and cruel ways - just as happens in 2019! In the midst of this terrible, and tragic, situation, the great theologian Augustine (354 - 430) wrote his classic volume The City of God. His reflections, from nearly sixteen centuries ago, are still relevant today.

Augustine wrote: "The end of life puts the longest life on a par with the shortest ... ... Death becomes evil only by the retribution which follows it. They, then, who are destined to die, need not inquire about what death they are to die, but into what place death will usher them." 

During my tears in pastoral ministry, I dealt with many who were, themselves, dealing with death - either their own, or that of a loved one. What a difference there was between those who could look beyond death to an eternity with the One Whom they had loved for, in some cases, many decades; and those to whom death was something to be feared. And, by the way, what a difference it made to the funeral service that I was so often asked to conduct!

For the true disciple of Jesus, death is not a policeman hauling us off to court, but a servant ushering us into the presence of a loving Saviour. The apostle Paul understood this. He looked at life and death from the perspective of the Lord Jesus. Since he knew where death would take him, he could make the bold declaration: "Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.' 'O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Cor 15:51-57).

Every disciple of Jesus - whether we die quietly in our own bed, or are crucified, burnt, hanged, beheaded, or whatever - may have that same assurance. Because of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, we who have placed our trust in Him can look at death, not as a 'full stop', but as a 'comma' - that precedes  a glorious eternity with our Lord.

Perhaps you don't like to think of death - especially not your own!  But ignoring your death won’t stop it from happening—the mortality rate is still 100%! Medical advances can often extend lives, but no mortal lives forever. In the end, doctors lose every patient they treat. Your bank balance won't help; your social status won't help; your personal accomplishments won't help. George Soros will die; your favourite sporting celebrity will die; every film star will die. Eventually you, and everyone you love, will die. Until the rapture of the saints, every life on this earth ends in death.

So it is important that you know where you are going! You may believe that death is, indeed, a full stop; that when your mortal body breathes its last, there will be nothing. You may be in for a big surprise! I am saddened when I read, on social network sites, people wishing a deceased loved one "a happy heavenly birthday"; when I hear people say, with no evidence to support the claim, that someone who has, perhaps, been in a lot of pain, "is in a better place"; when I see comments about people being reunited with loved ones who died before them. 

That is why so many of these posts seek to point you to Jesus. Only in Him is there victory over death, and hell, and the grave. The anonymous writer of the great letter to Hebrew disciples of Jesus wrote: "... we see Jesus, Who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death , so that by the grace of God He might taste death for every one. ... ... ... Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same nature that, through death, He might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage." (Heb 2:9, 14-15).

May all who do read this post experience the salvation that is available in Jesus, and know eternal life - even now! "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have [note the present tense!] eternal life." (John 3:16).

Banned!

A very big apology to one and all. For the past three days, I have been banned, by Facebook, from making comments or even 'reacting'! It has been an interesting, and mildly frustrating, period as I read the posts of others; immediately wished to respond; forgot, momentarily, that I was "banned" and, when I pressed "Enter" received the message that I was unable to comment as I had been "banned" - with a count-down clock advising me how long I had to wait before I would be "free" once more! There was a link to question the "ban" but, although I tried to make my defence on a number of occasions, all that happened was a notice informing me that I was unable to do so at that time, and to try later! I did think that I could 'react', but quickly realised that, although the appropriate icon flashed, it immediately disappeared!

Et, pour mes amis français:

Une très grande excuse à tous et à toutes. Ces trois derniers jours, Facebook m'a interdit de faire des commentaires et même de "réagir"! Ce fut une période intéressante et légèrement frustrante lorsque j'ai lu les messages des autres; a immédiatement voulu répondre; momentanément, j'ai oublié que j'étais "banni" et, quand j'ai appuyé sur "Entrée", j'ai reçu un message que je ne pouvais pas commenter car j'avais été "banni" - avec un message rebours m'indiquant combien de temps je devais attendre avant Je serais "libre" une fois de plus! Il y avait un lien pour remettre en question le "ban" mais, bien que j'aie essayé de faire ma défense à plusieurs reprises, tout ce qui s'est passé était un avis m'informant que j'étais incapable de le faire à ce moment-là et pour essayer plus tard! Je pensais que je pouvais "réagir", mais je me suis vite rendu compte que, même si l’icône appropriée clignotait, elle disparaissait immédiatement!

So, what, you may be wondering, was my horrific crime? What had I posted that would lead to me being "Facebook criminalised"? I was only shown the offending comment once, so this is from memory. There had been an item posted in which we were informed that the Prime Minister of Hungary had announced that he would not accept any more Muslim refugees. This was, of course, public knowledge. I then expressed my point of view that many Muslim "refugees" were, in fact, those who wished to help fulfill the Islamic aim of the so-called "world-wide caliphate"! This is also, not a personal opinion, but an easily verifiable fact! 

The ban was not, apparently, the result of someone 'reporting' me, but Facebook, itself, deciding that my (in my opinion) perfectly innocuous statement infringed their own rules! What I find even more amazing is that on the many occasions when I have referred to Islam as the ideology founded by the paedophile false prophet, the comment has been left, and I have not been "banned"! Similar comments have been made by a number of organisations, who continue to post them!

Anyway, all of this made me think of my brothers and sisters in the persecuted church. In too many countries in the world, today, they are not allowed the freedom to publish anything that appears to be critical of the ruling authority. The penalty for doing so is not a few days ban from a social media platform, but arrest, imprisonment, torture and, for some, death. This is just one reason why I have arranged that all royalties paid out on my books - whether purchased in paperback or Kindle e-book format - are sent directly to Release International, to support the persecuted church in all manner of ways. That, in turn, is why I am now happy to promote the books, without any sense of embarrassment!

Please consider buying and, of great importance, leaving a personal review on the Amazon website. The review doesn't even have to be positive (although I would hope that it would be!) as it is, I am led to believe, the number of reviews that a book receives that leads to Amazon recognising it, and giving it greater prominence that, in turn, should lead to additional sales!

There are links to the books at the top of the blog, and you are able to read the first 10%, free of charge, before ordering!

Thank you, in advance, for your support of those who may say, with Paul, "... I bear on my body the marks of Jesus." (Gal.6:17).

Seeing God!

My favourite memory regarding "seeing" God is from my time in a certain Secondary School in Scotland. It was probably a pupil in S3 (14-15 years of age, for those unfamiliar with the Scottish education system) as I discovered that it was at about that stage in life that many young people realise that they know everything about everything, whilst the adult at the front of the classroom knows nothing about anything! (I don't, of course, tar all young people with the same brush!).  The conversation went something like this:

Pupil: "Sir, you believe in God, don't you?"

Me: "Yes."

Pupil: "Sir, have you ever seen God?"

Me: "In the sense in which you are asking, No!"

Pupil: "So Sir, how can you believe in something that you haven't even seen?"

This, of course, was the point at which the pupil had that look of "I've got him now. No way can he wriggle out of this one!"

Having learned from the Master, I answered the question with a question! Having ascertained that this pupil was studying Physics for his Standard Grade public examinations, I asked if he had ever seen a quark! Not only had he never seen one - he didn't even know the word! I suggested that he ask his Physics teacher of he believed in the existence of quarks. I went on: "He will tell you that he does. Then ask him if he has ever seen one. He will tell you that he hasn't. Then put the same question to him and, when you return with his answer, I will give you mine!"

Needless to say, the subject was never raised again - in that class!

The subject returned to my mind when I came across an article that dealt with some words from Russian cosmonaut Gherman Titoy who, in August 1961, became the second man to be fired out into space, and the first to spend a full day orbiting planet Earth. I was also reminded of some words that he spoke on his return: "Some people say that there is a God ... but in my travels around the earth all day long, I looked around and didn't see Him ... I saw no God nor angels. ... I don't believe in God. I believe in man, his strength, his possibilities, his reason." What the article failed to mention was the reported response of an American astronaut: "He should have stepped outside his capsule."!!

Now, of course Titoy didn't "see" God - any more than I have done so, or that anyone has visibly "seen" a quark! "God is Spirit" (John 4:24) and we do not "see" Him with our eyes in the way we see flesh-and-blood beings. However, just as my physicist friends believe in the existence of quarks because of the evidence for them, so I believe in the existence of the all-powerful, all-wise, eternal, Creator God because the evidences for His existence are so prevalent in nature that anyone with an open mind is hard-pressed to explain them without acknowledging His reality. It's little wonder that David, the psalmist-king of Israel, declared that "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God'!" (Ps.14:1; 53:1. see also 10:4).

All that we need to do is to gaze, through a telescope, into the infinity of space, or peer through a microscope at the minutest elements in creation (although we still won't 'see' a quark!), to appreciate the wisdom, design, power, beauty, order, and laws of Almighty God. Paul wrote: "... what can be known about God is plain ..., because God has shown it ... . Ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature, namely, His eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made." (Rom 1:19-20). Someone has said: "All creation is an outstretched finger pointing towards God." David wrote: "The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork." (Ps 19:1).

Please don't be like my former pupil, or like that foolish cosmonaut! Open your eyes to the revelation of God in nature. Give to Him the glory and honour that He deserves.

Resh

It was this morning that I read the final section of Ps.119. However, on Thursday, I read the section in which each line begins with the Hebrew letter "resh". It's a section that reminded me of three things.

The first of these is that He is my Kinsman-Redeemer. "Plead my cause and redeem me;" (v.154). We learn about the kinsman-redeemer most easily in the beautiful story of Ruth, the Moabitess who, along with her mother-in-law, Naomi (and Naomi's other daughter-in-law, Orpah) was widowed. This was in the land of Moab, whence Naomi, her husband Elimolech, and their two sons, had fled to escape a time of famine in Judah. Naomi decided to return to her homeland and, in spite of the older woman's entreaties, Ruth insisted on returning with her, uttering the well-known words: "Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God; where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May YHWH do so to me and more also if even death parts me from you." (Ruth 1:16-17).

You may read the full story in the book of the Tanakh (the 'Old Testament') that is named after Ruth. As you do so, you will be introduced to Boaz who, Naomi explains to Ruth is a near-kinsman (the kinsman-redeemer). The duty of the kinsman-redeemer was to rescue a family member in need (see Lev. 25:25 ff.).

You and I, and every other human being in the history of mankind, past, present, and future, has a great need - we are sinners and unable to save ourselves. Praise God, therefore, that He has provided, in the Persona* of the Son, a Kinsman-Redeemer for us. Paul writing to the believers in the province of Galatia says: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. (3:13; emphasis added).  The apostle also reminded the young pastor Titus: "For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for Himself a people of His own who are zealous for good deeds." (2:11-14; emphasis added). Yes, the Lord Jesus, Himself, is my Kinsman-Redeemer. Is He yours?

In v.156, the psalmist writes: "Great is Thy mercy, O YHWH;" How great is that mercy! But what is it? Well, the easiest way to describe it is in conjunction with the grace of God. In His grace, God gives to us what we do not deserve; in His mercy He does not give to us what we do deserve! To put it another way - when we experience His grace we are receiving good things to which we have no claim; when we are recipients of His mercy, He withholds less good things that we deserve only too well! Praise God for the greatness of His mercy to those who have trusted in Him.

The third point that I particularly noted was in v.159 where the psalmist prays: "Preserver my life according to Thy steadfast love."  When we come to Father God, in the Name of the unique Son, Jesus, we do not have to, as it were, squeeze anything out of Him. He deals with us in the light of His own love - He whose very nature is 'love'. That love is above and beyond anything that you or I can imagine. It is the love that took Jesus to the cross, there to die a cruel and ignominious death for us. 

On Monday, I shall be, D.V., at the Armistice Ceremony in the village in which I now live. There won't be the same 'pomp and circumstance' to which I was used in the UK - but we shall still remember those who died in two World wars, and many other conflicts, that we might have the measure of freedom that we enjoy today. In the more "religious" ceremonies of Remembrance Sunday in the UK, one often hears these words being read: "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13). Most will think of these words as applying to those who have died in conflict. However, I would submit that the vast majority of them did not, in fact, "lay down their lives". Many were, it is true, volunteers. Many were regular forces. Many, however, particularly in WW1, were conscripts. They had no choice. The Lord Jesus chose to give His life for you and for me. He voluntarily took your place, and mine, on the cross. He was willing to pay the penalty that your sin, and mine, deserved. "He paid a debt that  He did not owe; because I owed a debt that I could not pay."

That is not all! Those who died in the various conflicts gained, for their country, only a temporary peace. When Jesus died on the cross, He gained full, and eternal, salvation for all who come to Him in faith. The "Gospel in a nutshell" is found in the familiar words of John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." That's as much as many know - and those words are wonderfully true. Eternal life - which is not just life that goes on and on indefinitely, but is the life of God Himself, in us - is not just for the future. It is something that we receive, and start living, here and now. However, John continues: "For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the Name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God." (John 3:17-21). Please read those other words carefully. They further emphasise that the love of God is real; that He desires that none should perish; but that those who reject His offer of salvation are already condemned - by their unbelief.

Well, I move on to Ps.120 tomorrow, D.V., but if I am spared long enough, I shall probably be back at Ps.119 another time. I commend it, and all of God's written Word to you. Read; learn; apply; and obey. You'll never regret it!

*This is not a typo! It is explained in my first book: "Great Words of the Faith", in the chapter on the Trinity. Remember that I am promoting my books (all three!) because ALL royalties are paid directly into the bank account of Release International, in support of the persecuted church. Interestingly, tomorrow is the annual day to remember those who suffer for their faith in ways that you and I cannot even begin to fully imagine. Please purchase; read; leave a review; and encourage others to do the same. Links are available at the top - or just search in Amazon! Thank you.

Learning to love the Word.

It was a few days ago that I reached that part of Psalm 119 in which each line begins with the Hebrew letter "mem" - marked in my Bible as vs.97-104. The whole psalm, as previously mentioned, has to do with the Word of God - which, for the psalmist was, of course, predominantly the Torah as recorded by Moses: the first five books of our 'Old' Testament.

In the margin of the copy of the Bible that I use for my personal devotions, I have noted four particular steps that the psalmist followed, and that we would do well to follow today.

The first step is to love the Word. The psalmist writes: "Oh, how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day." (v.97). What a wonderful attitude to God's Word. To be able to say that we actually love it! Not just read it because we feel that it is expected of us. Not just to read it because it is a 'good habit'. Not just to read it so that we may boast about how clever we are. But to read it because we love it! And to have it at the forefront of my mind throughout the day! I think of other things, and people, that are the objects of my love - and then I  have to ask where God's Word fits into my life? Last month, my wife was back in Scotland for two weeks. I was still here in SW France. Because I love my wife, I missed her, and thought of her constantly - but would I have missed my Bible as much if it had been taken away from me for even just those two weeks; do I think of God's Word all day? These are questions that only I can answer for me - and that you may wish to answer for yourself, in your own situation.

Of course, if we love the Word, then we will wish to learn from it. That's what the psalmist did. "Thy commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers; for Thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged,for I keep Thy precepts" (vs.98-100). At first sight, this might appear to be a boast by the psalmist - but that is not the case. He is merely saying, in a different way, what the writer of Psalm 111 (possibly David) wrote: "The fear of YHWH is the beginning of wisdom;"(v.10). There is a great difference between knowledge and wisdom! I read an amusing explanation recently - "Knowledge is being aware that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not serving it with custard"! The psalmist may not have held as much knowledge as his elders and teachers, or even his enemies - but his love for the Word ensured that he had reverence for its Author, and that gave him true wisdom.

Loving the Word, and learning from it, leads to obedience. "I hold back my feet from every evil way,

in order to keep Thy word. I do not turn aside from Thine ordinances, for Thou hast taught me." (vs. 101-102). James reminds us that "... if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing." (1:23-25). How easy it is to rush through our 'set passage' for the day - and then go off and forget what we had read! That, by the way, is why this psalmist refers to meditation! That simply means giving some meaningful thought to what we have read; seeking to discover what the Lord is saying to us, personally!

All of this has an inevitable conclusion: "How sweet are Thy words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way." (vs. 103-104).  The word that I have written in the margin of my Bible here is "Enjoyment". It is when we love the Word; learn from the Word; and obey the Word; that we will enjoy the Word. The prophet Ezekiel had a similar experience. In his prophetic book he records that YHWH spoke to him and said "... eat what is offered to you; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel." So I opened my mouth, and He gave me the scroll to eat. And He said to me, "Son of man, eat this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it." Then I ate it; and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey." (3:1-3).  Honey, of course, is not just something that is beautifully sweet. It is the "instant energy" food. And our reading, and loving, and learning from, and obeying, the Word of God will not only be sweetness in our lives, but will also provide us with spiritual energy in our constant battle against the enemy. 

May all who read this post, be also found reading His Word - for your good, and for His glory.

A Reformation Day thought.

The following is from an e-mail that I received earlier this evening, from CBMW (The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood). I commend it to all.

"It is no coincidence that the constituent doctrine of the church — the union of Christ and his church — trades in marital imagery that is predicated upon God’s creation of man as male and female. And thus neither is it mere happenstance that we find ourselves defending this very confession against the powers and principalities of this age.

 

This being Reformation Day, I thought it would be appropriate to hand it over to the good doctor Martin Luther to unpack this glorious truth that is central to our identity as Christians: the mystery of the marriage between Christ and his church — a truth that Luther was willing to defend to the death. The following excerpt is from his treatise Concerning Christian Liberty:

 

The third incomparable grace of faith is this, that it unites the soul to Christ, as the wife to the husband; by which mystery, as the Apostle teaches, Christ and the soul are made one flesh. Now if they are one flesh, and if a true marriage — nay, by far the most perfect of all marriages — is accomplished between them (for human marriages are but feeble types of this one great marriage), then it follows that all they have becomes theirs in common, as well good things as evil things; so that whatsoever Christ possesses, that the believing soul may take to itself and boast of as its own, and whatever belongs to the soul, that Christ claims as his.

 

If we compare these possessions, we shall see how inestimable is the gain. Christ is full of grace, life, and salvation; the soul is full of sin, death, and condemnation. Let faith step in, and then sin, death, and hell will belong to Christ, and grace, life, and salvation to the soul. For, if he is a husband, he must needs take to himself that which is his wife's, and, at the same time, impart to his wife that which is his. For, in giving her his own body and himself, how can he but give her all that is his? And, in taking to himself the body of his wife, how can he but take to himself all that is hers?

 

In this is displayed the delightful sight, not only of communion, but of a prosperous warfare, of victory, salvation, and redemption. For since Christ is God and man, and is such a person as neither has sinned, nor dies, nor is condemned — nay, cannot sin, die, or be condemned; and since his righteousness, life, and salvation are invincible, eternal, and almighty; when, I say, such a person, by the wedding-ring of faith, takes a share in the sins, death, and hell of his wife, nay, makes them his own, and deals with them no otherwise than as if they were his, and as if he himself had sinned; and when he suffers, dies . . . that he may overcome all things, since sin, death, and hell cannot swallow him up, they must needs be swallowed up by him in stupendous conflict. For his righteousness rises above the sins of all men; his life is more powerful than all death; his salvation is more unconquerable than all hell.

Thus the believing soul, by the pledge of its faith in Christ, becomes free from all sin, fearless of death, safe from hell, and endowed with the eternal righteousness, life, and salvation of its husband Christ. Thus he presents to himself a glorious bride, without spot or wrinkle, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word; that is, by faith in the word of life, righteousness, and salvation. Thus he betrothes her unto himself “in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies.” (Hosea 2:19, 20)

 

Who then can value highly enough these royal nuptials? Who can comprehend the riches of the glory of this grace?

 

Christ, that rich and pious husband, takes as a wife a needy and impious harlot, redeeming her from all her evils, and supplying her with all his good things. It is impossible now that her sins should destroy her, since they have been laid upon Christ and swallowed up in him, and since she has in her husband Christ a righteousness which she may claim as her own, and which she can set up with confidence against all her sins, against death and hell, saying: "If I have sinned, my Christ, in whom I believe, has not sinned; all mine is his, and all his is mine;" as it is written, "My beloved is mine, and I am his.” (Song 2:16.) This is what Paul says: “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ;” victory over sin and death, as he says: “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.” (1 Cor. 15:56, 57.)"

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

It is not something that I readily admit - but I am getting old! To be fair, I reckon that I am still "young in spirit", but my physical body isn't as sprightly as it once was! Needless to say, the same is true for my dear wife. Going only by her physical appearance, she is not the girl to whom I was married heading towards fifty years ago! There is a little more of her; she has some wrinkles where wrinkles didn't exist before; she has some medical conditions of which we would never have thought on our wedding day. Yet, to me, even if to no-one else, she is still a beautiful woman whom I not only love deeply, but whom I still fancy!

How could that be? I have never fancied a woman of her age before - and I don't fancy any of the women of her age whom I know today! If I were to analyse that situation, I believe that I would quickly come to the conclusion that it is because I don't look at her objectively, but through "love-tinted spectacles". She is not just any woman heading towards seventy years of age; she is my wife - and the best wife I could ever have had.

When we read the letters of Paul in the New Testament, we discover that he uses marriage as an analogy, or illustration, of the Christian life. I believe that my relationship with my wife can certainly be used in such a way. You see, when Father God looks at me - and you, if you are a disciple of Jesus, born again by the work of God the Holy Spirit in your life - he doesn't see my failings; my weakness; my sin. He sees Jesus, and His shed blood and righteousness and, in Him, I am fully accepted - I am loved. Father God looks at me, we might say, through "love-tinted spectacles".

Of course, His love for me is infinitely greater than my deepest love for my wife. Love is the very essence of His Being. Twice, John tells us that "God is love" (I John 4:7, 16). And He has expressed that love in the most amazing way possible. "God loved the world (that included you and me!) so much that, in the Persona* of the Son, He gave Himself to die on a cross, paying the just penalty for your sins and mine that, if we are willing to place our trust, wholly and unreservedly, in Him for salvation, we may experience, here and now, His own life within us - a life that never ends." (John 3:16 - my somewhat expanded paraphrase!).

One of the wonderful aspects of the love that my wife and I share is that it is mutual. She responds to my love for her, and I respond to her love for me. The same thing is necessary of we are to appropriate the amazing love of God - we must respond, in confession, repentance, faith, and obedience.

Have you ever done that? Have you admitted that, like me, you are a sinner? Have you accepted that you are unable to do anything about your sin? Do you realise that He has done all - that, as Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus it is: "... by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God - not because of works, lest any man should boast."? The way is open for you - and if I may be of any assistance, please feel free to contact me using the e-mail address above. It is not my prime address, but I do check it from time to time, and will respond as soon as I see you message. May you respond to His great love with the love and devotion of your own heart - and to Him be all the praise and the glory.

* This is explained in the chapter on "The Trinity" in my book Great Words of the Faith. Please remember that I make no financial profit from any of my books (or from this blog!). All royalties on the books are sent directly to the bank account of Release International, supporting the persecuted Church.

It's good to be home!

This afternoon, I drove almost 100 kms (c.63 miles) to the airport at Bordeaux. It wasn't a simple drive for the pleasure of driving (that particular journey seldom is!), but because I was collecting my dear wife who was returning after two weeks in Scotland, visiting our family.

I was about twenty minutes away from the airport, and was thinking about how soon I would see my wife again. "I can barely wait", I thought to myself. "I am looking forward so much to her return".

That was when the further thought hit me! There is another, world-shattering event, when there will be another return. I refer, of course, to the return of the Lord Jesus, the Christ - not as a helpless infant, but as the King of kings and Lord of lords. 

I then had to look, honestly, at myself and wonder - am I as excited at the prospect of the Lord's return, after some 2,000 years, as I am about the prospect of my wife's return after a mere 2 weeks?

Of course, although I had spoken with her, by telephone, this morning as she waited at Glasgow airport, I had no absolute guarantee that I would see her at Bordeaux! So many things could have upset our plans. I could have been fatally injured in a road traffic accident; I might have had a heart attack; my wife might have suffered the same; the plane might have crashed. Thankfully, none of these did take place, and we are safely back in our own home. But nothing will be able to stop the return of the Lord Jesus when He comes back with His bride - the previously raptured church.

One final thought in this (unusually!) short post. As we arrived at the sign for our little village, my wife said "Ah! home at last!" When Jesus takes His bride - seven years before He returns - those who constitute that body will be able to say, as have the true saints of God down through the centuries, "Home at last!" We will share in the marriage supper of the Lamb and, when we return with Him, we will share in His millennial reign.

What a prospect for those who are the called, according to His purpose; those of whom it has been said that they "love His appearing" (see II Tim.4:8). Are you in that happy band? Are you looking forward, with great excitement and anticipation, to His return? I trust so but, if not; if you aren't assured that you will rise in the Rapture; please do something about it now! Tomorrow may be too late!

The Word.

As I continue, in my personal devotions, through the Book of Psalms, I arrived this morning at the longest one - Ps.119. When I was in full-time ministry, I sometimes considered preaching on this psalm - but realised that just reading it would take almost as long as the message!!!

Of course, one tends not to deal with this psalm in one go, and I shall take some three weeks to reach the end. However, it is a very interesting psalm, and I want to share some general thoughts in this post.

It's a psalm that "majors on the Word of God", and the ministry of that Word in the lives of those who seek to worship and honour Him. Many people are aware that it is one of the "acrostic" psalms. That means that each of the twenty-two sections begins with the consecutive letters of the, in this case, Hebrew alphabet. However, each of the eight statements in each section also begins with the relevant letter! This was not a psalm that was composed in a hurry!

It is a psalm that contains a number of well-known words, e.g., "How can a young man keep his way might not sin against pure? By guarding it according to Thy Word." (v.9); "I have laid up Thy Word in my heart that I not sin against Thee." (v.11); "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things in Thy Law." (v.18); "Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (v.105);The unfolding of Thy words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple." (v.130).

The name of the writer is not provided, but he is certainly one who had a passionate desire to understand God's Word in as deep a way as possible. The psalm is rooted in the Book of Deuteronomy ("second law" - the retelling of the covenant  between God and his people Israel, presented in three addresses by Moses.). However, in Deuteronomy, as opposed to the account of the giving of the Law in the book of Exodus, the emphasis is on love, and obedience from the heart, rather than mere "ritual" that can be cold and unloving! How many, who claim to be disciples of Jesus, need to seriously ponder that thought!

Some months ago, I was invited to share with a group of anglophones on the importance of the "Old Testament" for disciples of Jesus. The first point that I made was that the use of the word "Old" did not mean that it was "out-of-date", or "past its best". Indeed, I suggested that "First Testament" would be a more accurate name! However, one of my main points was that the First Testament (the Tanakh, in Hebrew) was the only Bible that was available to the early Church! Yet with just the Tanakh, they were those who were turning the world upside-down (Acts 17:6)! 

The Tanakh was used to great effect, in the power of God the Holy Spirit. Yet many, today, tend to ignore the 66% of the Bible that it constitutes! It is constantly referred to in the Second Testament writings. Of course it contains 'law', but it also contains grace. And the law was, and is, necessary. Read Romans 7 if you want to learn more about that! To those who truly have the Spirit of God in their lives, the law is a servant, helping them to see the character of Almighty God, and to increasingly appreciate the saving work of the Lord Jesus.

"... you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to Him who has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God. While we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit. ... ... Yet, if it had not been for the law, I should not have known sin." (Rom.7:4-7).

The dear man of God who penned Ps.119 was not satisfied with having the Law in his home, his hand, or even in his head. He wanted it to be in his heart. We who have received so much more than he, should surely be satisfied with nothing less!

It is highly likely that I shall return to this great psalm over the coming weeks, as the Lord permits. I hope that you will join with me!

We never know the moment!

The name of Robert Rafferty will not mean anything to the vast majority of people. He was, however, the Chief Steward on the ss Edmund Fitzgerald - a freighter that was, when launched in 1958 at 26,000 tons DWT, the largest ship sailing on the North American Great Lakes. On November 3rd, 1975, Chief Steward Rafferty wrote to his wife: "I may be home by November 8th, However, nothing is ever sure."

On November 10th, in a ferocious storm on Lake Superior, the Edmund Fitzgerald sank. With near hurricane-force winds, and waves up to 35' high, she may have been swamped but, to this day, no-one knows for certain what caused the tragedy. What is known is that all 29 crew members perished - including Chief Steward Rafferty. The prophetic irony of those last words to his wife should not be lost on anyone!

That, of course, is only one tragedy out of countless numbers. I have visited the Japanese city of Nagasaki, on which the second atomic bomb was dropped at the end of the Second World War. I have seen a section of wall - with a human being fused into it! It is estimated that some 40,000 people died instantly, with a similar number dying in the following months as a result of injuries, burns, and radiation exposure.

On December 22nd, 1999, in South Lanarkshire, a home in the town of Larkhall was totally destroyed by a gas explosion. Andrew Findlay, his wife Jeanette, and their two children - Stacy (13 years of age) and Daryll (11 years of age), died in the explosion.

Not a day passes without a reminder that our earthly lives can end at any moment - and often without any notice. All that we need to do is to read the obituary columns! One message comes across, loudly and clearly: "We're here today - but we may be gone tomorrow!"

I am currently working on the fourth book on my series on getting to know the Christian Faith. This is is to be entitled "Living the Faith", and is being based on the letter from the apostle James, the half-brother of the Lord Jesus, the Christ. It is a very practical letter - and it acknowledges this suddenness with which death may touch us. "What is your life?" asks James. The answer he provides is: "It is even a vapour that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away." (4:14).

Although Benjamin Franklin, one of the "founding fathers" of the USA, is often credited with the quotation, it was actually another writer - Christopher Bullock - who first penned the thought "It is impossible to be sure of anything but death and taxes". However, the claim is not quite true, as it it possible, in some cultures at least, to never have to pay taxes!

But is our only certainty, then, the sobering prospect that, at any moment we may be thrust into eternity - however we may conceive of it? Not for the disciple of Jesus! That same Jesus is the anchor of the soul. He paid the penalty for your sins, and mine, when He hung on a cross at Calvary. If we are willing, and humble enough, to confess our sins before Father God, and to accept that salvation that was won for us at such a great cost, then we will receive forgiveness, and eternal life, as we place our trust, solely and completely, in Him. He has promised to be with us, even in the hour of death, and we may depend on His promises.

Does your earthly life sometimes seem to be futile because nothing is ever sure? Then trust in Him, the perfect Lamb of God. He provides a joyous certainty about eternity that can be yours - right now! It's never too soon to accept the new life that Jesus offers; but, at any moment, it may be too late!

A spiritual lesson from Carousel!

I cried this afternoon! Yes, it's okay for a man to do so. The reason for my tears was, however, a wee bit unusual. I had watched a video of the musical "Carousel", in which my younger daughter was the female principal - Julie Jordan. This is not the place to provide the full story-line but, undoubtedly, if you don't know it, you will find it on the internet!

Julie falls in love with a fairground worker named Billy Bigelow, but the story of their relationship is tragic. Suffice to say that that relationship ends when Billy commits suicide rather than face a lengthy jail sentence, and leaves Julie with an unborn child. Some of the scenes are very moving - hence my tears!

It was the next part that started me thinking more theologically. Billy is taken to heaven to see the Starkeeper, a heavenly official and arrives at some gates. When he asks if these are the "pearly gates" he is informed that they are not. They are the "back gates". The Starkeeper tells Billy that the good he did in life was not enough to get into heaven, but so long as there is a person alive who remembers him, he can return for a day to try to do good to redeem himself. He informs Billy that fifteen years have passed on Earth since his suicide, and suggests that Billy can get himself into heaven if he helps Louise - the daughter that Julie bore after his death. He helps Billy look down from heaven to see her. Louise has grown up to be lonely and bitter. The local children ostracise her because her father was a thief and a wife-beater. Billy, who had earlier rejected the offer to return, is anxious to return to Earth and help his daughter. He steals a star to take with him, something the Starkeeper pretends not to notice and is taken back to earth by a guardian.

He invisibly attends Louise's graduation, hoping for one last chance to help his daughter and redeem himself. The town's elderly physician, Dr. Seldon (who resembles the Starkeeper!) advises the graduating class not to rely on their parents' success or be held back by their failure (words directed at Louise). He then prompts everyone to sing an old song, "You'll Never Walk Alone". Billy, still invisible, whispers to Louise, telling her to believe Seldon's words, and when she tentatively reaches out to another girl, she learns she does not have to be an outcast. Billy then goes to Julie, and speaks the words that he had never had the courage to speak in life - that he loved her. As his widow and daughter join in the singing, he is taken to his heavenly reward.

Of course, this is a mixture of the popular view that I gain eternal life by my own good deeds, and of reincarnation by which I am able to make up for past bad deeds by doing better in another life!

This is not the message of the Bible, the written Word of the Creator. It is much less complicated, more straightforward! I was born as a sinner. I may not have lived the life that the fictional Billy Bigelow lived, but I am every bit as much a sinner as he. My major problem is that my sin has made a great gulf between me and Father God - a gulf that I can never span by my own efforts. I can never "make up" for my sins by doing good deeds. Paul puts it like this: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God - not because of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph 2:8-9). It is only by the grace* of God that I can receive eternal life. I do not deserve it; I cannot earn it; I cannot purchase it.

Only the sinless unique Son of God was able to pay the price for my sins. And He did! Jesus of Nazareth was the incarnation of Almighty God. He entered the world that He had created, in human flesh that He had created. He died the cruel death by crucifixion, because "... without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins." (Heb 9:22). As someone has written: 'He paid a debt He did not owe; because I owed a debt I could not pay.'

There is, nevertheless, a cost to me - and to you if you take that step of faith, and receive the new life that Jesus. Immediately after writing those words already quoted, to the disciples of Jesus in Ephesus, Paul writes: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Eph 2:10; emphasis added). As I live my life in, and for, the Lord Jesus, I will seek to do the good works that He wants me to do. However, I am doing them, not to try to attain salvation, but out of gratitude for the salvation that I have so freely received!

Are you depending on your own 'good works' for salvation? Do you think that you might have 'another chance'? Do not let the enemy deceive you. This life is not a dress rehearsal - it is the only mortal life you will live. 

If you wish to know more, please feel free to contact me at the e-mail address given at the top of the page. I don't check it every day, but I shall get back to you before too long! Alternatively, you might wish to check out some of the relevant links in the right-hand-side of the blog (scroll down!). Whatever you do, don't do nothing. Your eternal destiny is at stake.

* This is one of the words dealt with in my first book "Great Words of the Faith".  There are three books in the series (vol 4 is 'in preparation'!) all of which will help you in understanding the Christian Faith and answering those who question you about it. Remember, ALL royalties are sent directly to Release International to support the persecuted church. I receive nothing!