God's blank cheque

John Wilbur Chapman is not a name known to many, today. He was a Christian pastor, and evangelist in the late 19th century, and commenced his evangelistic ministry alongside the better-know D.L. Moody. From 1907, Chapman's partner in the Gospel was the well-known singer, Charles Alexander. However, he also spent the his first twenty years of specific Christian service, in pastoral ministry.

At a time of great personal sorrow, Dr Chapman was preparing to go on a trip to the far West of the United States of America. One of his elders, who was a banker, came to speak with him. As he was leaving, he slipped a piece of paper into the minister's hand. When Dr Chapman looked at it, he saw a cheque, made out to him, and signed by the banker. However, there was no sum of money mentioned! The minister looked at his elder. "Are you giving me a signed blank cheque, to be filled in as I please?", he asked. "Yes!", replied the banker. "I don't know how much you might need, and I want you to draw any amount that will meet those needs."

As events transpired, Dr Chapman did not need to cash that cheque for any amount - but he confessed that it gave him a comfortable feeling to know that he had, quite literally, millions of dollars at his disposal.

As he ended his letter to the early disciples of Jesus, in the Roman colonial city of Philippi, the apostle Paul wrote these words: "And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory, in Christ (Messiah) Jesus." (4:19). That is a promise that goes beyond even millions of USA dollars! This is the God Who is described, in a pastoral society and culture, as owning "the cattle on a thousand hills"(Ps.50:10). 

But, of course, not all needs are material, and able to be met with sufficient financial resources. How may one buy true love? How much does it cost in financial terms? What is the price of a genuine friendship? Where may I purchase real peace? What will I have to pay for a big load of happiness? Does a billionaire have any stronger a claim on life than a pauper? 

That is why, as this Covid-19 pandemic - however it was caused, and for whatever (possibly nefarious!) purpose - continues to affect so many of us, we need resources that have no relationship to the size of our bank balance. Such resources are found only in the Living God, the Creator of all that exists, the Father of the Lord Jesus, the Christ, through the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit.

He, and He alone, is our Certainty in uncertain times.

Pandemic Lockdown Result of Bad Software

The following is an article published by The Institute for Creation Research, under the name of William West, M.C.Ed. (reviewed by Dr. Randy J. Guliuzza.).

As I am currently banned from Facebook, please feel free to copy the article there - with the full acknowledgement, above!

"One of the most frustrating things a person can go through is for their normally stable computer system, tablet, or phone, to suddenly stop working—a bad patch, a bad virus, or just old age. Whatever the case, the level of stress rises considerably when your tool for information stops.

One of the main reasons that software fails is that the software is designed for a specific set of hardware, and usually that software is developed on systems that are higher end so that it can be tested in an optimal situation. The problem is that sometimes software gets put into old systems. Sometimes the software gets used in a completely wrong way.

An interesting example of this is the software used to help predict the fallout of our current coronavirus pandemic. At the Imperial College in London, Neil Ferguson and his team used software that they had used previously to predict other high-risk outbreaks.1 The problem is that the software is flawed—very flawed. When developing software, it is imperative that you run that software through so many iterations that, when you finish, you would be certain that it is going to come up with the same thing over and over. Except that this software, when ran more than once with the same input, would come up with different numbers every time. If you can’t duplicate the results of the original number, then there must be something wrong with the software’s code.

This is basic science 101. In order to have a successful experiment, you must be able to repeat what you did over and over. You would also need other people to be able to duplicate the experiment and get the same results. This did not happen. Not only were they not able to duplicate the results on their own systems, they did not share the code to the rest of the community so that other people could scrutinize their work.

This software is 13 years old and was originally used to predict an influenza outbreak. Neil and his team used this software to predict other outbreaks, and all of his predictions from this software were way over-estimated. In 2002, he predicted that there would be 150,000 deaths from mad cow disease by the year 2080. But the death count was well short of that at 177 in Britain. In 2005, Ferguson predicted that 150 million people would die from the bird flu. Once again, we see that the numbers did not come even close. Over a 6-year period, only 282 people died from contracting it. In 2009, a government prediction based on Neil’s input predicted that 65,000 British people would die from the swine flu, and yet only 457 died.2

One has to wonder why anyone would even listen to a person who consistently gets the number wrong. Yet, Britain and the United States went into full lockdown, costing trillions of dollars—partly based on old code that never worked in the first place.

Now, when you are sitting at your desk, or looking at your tablet or phone, and it starts to slow down and maybe even freeze up a bit, you can feel a little better knowing that at least your gadget isn’t going to cost the world trillions of dollars if it doesn’t finish loading fast enough.

At the Institute for Creation Research, science is important to us. It is equally important to us that people know when bad science is being done. So many people have fallen for the information that Ferguson and his team provided, and so many people fall for science that talks of an old Earth and evolution. A lot of this is because many people fall for the idea of “consensus” science—if certain “elite” scientists say something, then it must be true.3 They will also believe scientists because of data that is cherry picked.4

If nothing else comes of COVID-19, maybe a few more people will stop trusting every scientist they hear and start questioning the “science” that has kept them away from God.

References
1. Fund, J. ‘Professor Lockdown’ Modeler Resigns in Disgrace. National Review. Posted on nationalreview.com May 6, 2020, accessed May 20, 2020.
2. Williams, T. Telegraph: UK Lockdown a Result of the “Most Devastating Software Mistake of all time.” Breitbart. Posted on breitbart.com May 18, 2020, accessed May 20, 2020.
3. Guliuzza, R. Consensus Science: The Rise of a Scientific Elite. Acts & Facts. 38 (5): 4.
4. Johnson, J. J. S. Cherry Picking Data Is the Pits. Acts & Facts. 42 (2): 9. "

Where is God in all of this?

It was on Tuesday, March 17th, that France went into the "lockdown" from which we have only recently begun to emerge. My wife and I were still in Scotland on that day! However, while others we know were turned away from entering France, we were permitted to do so. From a human perspective it would appear that this was because we had both a permanent residence, and official proof that it was so, in the form of my French Driving Licence!

So many weeks later, many are still asking the question "Why?". There have been so many deaths - some of them particularly tragic. So many have suffered, even although they have recovered. Many have lost jobs or, at the very least, a significant part of their income for this year. And the list goes on.

Of course, Covid-19 has not been the only problem for mankind! Even in the midst of the pandemic, the enemies of the Chosen People of Almighty God, the Children of Israel, have been attacking Jews - maiming and killing at every opportunity. Elsewhere in the Middle East, and in dozens of countries around the world, disciples of Jesus are suffering - many in ways that are certainly beyond my imagination - simply because of their faithfulness to Him. There are continuing reports of 'natural calamities' such as earthquakes, tsunamis, plagues of locusts. That list, too, can be lengthened.

How do we make sense of such senseless tragedies?  If God is sovereign, why does He allow suffering?  Why do bad things happen to good people?  These are questions that are often asked - and to which the answers are not easy! The Conservative Jewish Rabbi, Harold Kushner, had to grapple with this question when he learned that his son had progeria, a progressive genetic disorder that causes children to age rapidly.  His son would not live past his teens.

 

In response to suffering, he wrote the book When Bad Things Happen to Good People.  Kushner concludes that God is not the immediate cause of tragedy and that asking questions such as “Why did this happen to me?  What did I do to deserve this?” is pointless.  Such questions, he believes, are unanswerable. Instead, he believes that the only meaning suffering has is the meaning that the sufferer gives to it.  And we need to give it meaning, he says, to find our way through it. He writes:

 

“Let me suggest that the bad things that happen to us in our lives do not have a meaning when they happen to us.  They do not happen for any good reason which would cause us to accept them willingly.  But we can give them a meaning.  We can redeem these tragedies from senselessness by imposing meaning on them,” he writes. “The painful things that happen to us are not punishments for our misbehavior, nor are they in any way part of some grand design on God’s part.  Because the tragedy is not God’s will, we need not feel hurt or betrayed by God when tragedy strikes.  We can turn to Him for help in overcoming it, precisely because we can tell ourselves that God is as outraged by it as we are.”

We read, in Dr Luke's account of the Gospel record, these words: "There were some present at that very time who told Him [Jesus] of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And He answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus? I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Silo′am fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." (13:1-5).

The bottom line is that we do not always have a nice. pat, answer to the question of suffering. What we do know is that Father God is in the situation with us, if we have a personal relationship with Him, through the Lord Jesus. He, and He alone, is our Certainty in these continuing uncertain times.

On eagle's wings.

It is with some regret that I have to confess that I am no ornithologist. If I was, I would have been able to identify the bird that has been soaring over our home these past few days. I suspect that it is a kestrel, or a hawk, but cannot be certain! I am sure, however, that it is not a Golden Eagle. It simply isn't big enough - and I don't think that this area would be a suitable habitat for that most majestic of birds!

The eagle is, of course, mentioned quite often in the written Word of God. From what I can learn, it is an amazing bird. It is, I believe, the only bird that can fly directly towards the sun. It can see a small animal in a field from an amazing height. However, the characteristic that I thought about as I watched that other bird, is the way in which it deals with its young. I am given to understand that, when the parents believe that the young birds are ready to fly, they will push them out of the nest! However, they will also fly under the young birds and, if one is having difficulty, a parent will 'catch' it on its own wing! In teaching its young to fly, it protects them from injury with watchful affection, 

This characteristic of the eagle is referred to in Deuteronomy 32: 11, where we read these words: "Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that flutters over its young, spreading out its wings, catching them, bearing them on its pinions,"  The context of those words is the final song of the great leader of the Children of Israel, Moses. He is showing, here, how YHWH "... gave to the nations their inheritance," (v.8) and that "... Jacob (i.e.Israel) is His allotted heritage." (v.9). 

Under the new, or second, covenant disciples of the Lord Jesus, the Christ (i.e. Messiah), have been grafted on the to root which is Israel (there is no hint of so-called "replacement theology" in the pages of the new covenant!). Read Romans 11 and allow Paul to explain the relationship between Israel and the Church. "... if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the richness of the olive tree, do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember it is not you that support the root, but the root that supports you. You will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast only through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you." (Rom 11:17-21).

"He (the Lord Jesus) was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world knew Him not. He came to His own home, and His own people received Him not. But to all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:10-13).

As a disciple of Jesus, I am a child of God. As a child of God, I may know His special care. To claim another couple of promises from the pages of the First Testament: "Underneath are the everlasting arms." (Deut.33:27). "He alone is my Rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken" (Ps.62:6).

Carried; cared for; protected; saved. He is my Certainty in these uncertain times.

Full surrender.

Some time ago, I heard a story about some friends who went swimming in a nearby river. There had been a lot of heavy rain over the previous days, and the river was flowing particularly quickly. However, with what one might refer to as "the bravado of youth", one of the group jumped in. He discovered, too late, how strong the current was and, getting caught in it, he was swept towards a dangerous set of rapids. 

One of his friends, still on the riverbank, was a trained lifeguard, and the others looked to him to do something. However, he just stood there, impassive, merely staring at the young man who was in danger of drowning. The others began to panic, and shout at him to do something to save their friend. Still nothing! They looked out at the river, and saw their friend struggling desperately. 

Suddenly, the struggling stopped. He could no longer fight the water, and he began to drown. When that happened, the lifeguard jumped in and, swimming strongly, reached his friend and brought him safely to the riverbank. With the adrenaline wearing off, the others asked: "Why didn't you jump in earlier? He could have died!"

The lifeguard looked at them and replied: "I had to wait until he had fully given up. Unless he stopped fighting, he would have dragged me under, and we would both have drowned. But the minute he gave up, I knew that I could save him."

That's a bit like us and the Lord Jesus. He just wants us to surrender and, when we do, He comes and gets us! The waves might be crashing over us; the current might be sweeping us away from our usual life; the Covid-19 virus might be all around; but in that moment when it looks as if all is lost, His grace scoops us up, and brings us life. This is not, of course, simply physical life. The big danger from which He is willing to save us is sin. He died that we might be at one with the Father. In Him, and in Him alone, is full salvation. And because we finally give up; because we finally accept that we are incapable of saving ourselves; because we acknowledge His full sufficiency; we know that it was He Who did the saving.

He is our Certainty in uncertain times.

The tolling bell!

In 17th-century England, church bells tolled out the news of what was happening in a parish. They announced, not only the times of the various worship services, but also important events such as weddings, and funerals. Indeed, I believe that, in many places, the custom continues to this day.

When John Donne, the Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral and also an author, lay desperately ill with the plague that was killing Londoners by the thousand, he could hear the bells ringing constantly, announcing death after death. he kept a "devotional diary" that was to become a classic of the English language and, writing down his thoughts, he urged his readers: "Never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."!

How true those words and, if nothing else good comes out of the current Covid-19 pandemic, it appears to have reminded people of their own mortality! Certainly, the author of the great Letter to the Hebrew disciples of Jesus made the point that: "... it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment," (9:27).

That is not news that many wish to hear! However, if we are truly disciples of the Lord Jesus; if our salvation rests solely, and wholly, on His atoning sacrifice at Calvary; if we acknowledge that ".. there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12), then the thought of death does not need to arouse dread. We know, as Paul joyfully assures us, that by His resurrection from the dead, the Lord Jesus has broken, for ever, the power of death. He has "... abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." (II Tim. 1:10). Death has been "... swallowed up in victory ..." (I Cor. 15:54) and we may ask, triumphantly: "O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?" (v.55).

Another occasion on which, traditionally, church bells have been rung, is to announce a great victory, or the end of hostilities. So, when the bell tolls for the true disciple of Jesus, it announces the good news of Jesus' victory over death, and hell, and the grave.

He is our Certainty, in uncertain times.

The ultimate Friend

One of the better-known verses in the Book of Proverbs reads: "There are friends who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." (Prov 18:24). 

We all need a friend - someone to whom we may turn; with whom we may talk; and to whom, at  times, we may even physically cling.  This is something that many are realising, more than usual, as we are unable to meet with friends who are, normally, a very important part of our lives. Sometimes friends are family members. Sometimes they are co-workers. Sometimes they are near neighbours. Sometimes they are former school-mates. Sometimes, they are "Facebook Friends"!

But not everyone has a friend - not even a "Facebook Friend"! Many people go through life with the sinking feeling that there is no-one who really cares for, or about, them in a special way. That can be a lonely, even haunting, feeling.

To anyone in that situation - and, indeed, to anyone at all! - permit me to suggest the Ultimate Friend! He is, of course, the Lord Jesus, the Christ. He is the One Who, far more than any human acquaintance, can meet our deepest companionship needs. He is the One Who has promised His friends: "... I am with you always ..." (Matt 28:20). He is One Who will never "unfriend" you. 

And there is so much more! When we consider all that God does for us - and the Lord Jesus is, of course, God! - it's actually quite obvious that He is our greatest Friend! In Psalm 145, David assures us that: "The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down." (v.14). He goes on to state that: "The eyes of all look to Thee, and Thou givest them their food in due season." (v.15).

My late paternal grandmother was a woman of very little formal education - but she was endowed with loads of homespun philosophy, and common sense! One of her frequent comments was: "Show me your friends,and I'll tell you your character"! With Almighty God as your Friend, you have nothing to fear on that score! David goes on to say: "The Lord is just in all His ways, and kind in all His doings." (v.17).  He is "... near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth." (v.18). "He fulfils the desire of all who fear Him, He also hears their cry, and saves them. The Lord preserves all who love Him;" (vs.19-20).

Ever-present; upholding; providing; just and kind; responsive; preserver.

What a Friend! He is, indeed, the Ultimate Friend. He is our Certainty in uncertain times. Depend on Him.

The living Word

In Hebrews 4:12, the anonymous writer describes the Word of God as "... living and active, ..." Those few words are, themselves, the theme for a 30-minute sermon, but one aspect of their truth is the simple fact that one may read the same passage 100 times and then, on the 101st reading, see something new - or, better, have something new revealed!

In my personal devotions, I am currently reading through the Book of Proverbs. A few days ago, I read these words in 25:28 - "A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls." Although I had read those words many times before, they spoke to me in a new way as I considered the restrictions that we have endured over the past weeks, and that are due to be only partially lifted in a few days' time. 

What Solomon is saying here is that, like city walls self-control may limit what we are free to do; but it also provides protection. Being confined to our homes has certainly been restrictive to most of us - a quick visit to Leclerc being a brief, but welcome, diversion. But it has also protected us from the potentially fatal effects of Covid-19! Self-control, likewise, restricts us in what we do; where we go; what we watch; what we listen to. However, the lack of self-control leaves us like a city with broken walls which the enemy - for you and me, the satan himself - may more easily enter and conquer.

Of course, we are not left to deal with this in our own strength. If we are truly disciples of the Lord Jesus - born again; washed in the blood of the Lamb - then we have the power of God the Holy Spirit available to us. When temptation raises its head, look to Him; seek His strength; obey His prompting. It will be for your good, and will bring glory to the Saviour's Name.

He is our Certainty in uncertain times.

"When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey. Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey." 

Joy - even in difficult times!

It was probably about thirty years ago. For my private devotions, I was reading in the book of the First (aka 'Old') Testament prophet, Habakkuk. Unusually, I was actually on my knees at the side of my bed. I was reading the third chapter. In the particular copy of the Bible that I was using, the first 16 verses of that chapter brought me to the end of a right-hand page, before continuing on the next page. It was not pleasant reading! Here is a flavour (but you might wish to read the whole section for yourself!) :

"O YHWH, I have heard the report of Thee, and Thy work, O YHWH, do I fear. ... God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. ... His brightness was like the light, rays flashed from His hand; and there He veiled His power. Before Him went pestilence, and plague followed close behind. He stood and measured the earth; He looked and shook the nations; then the eternal mountains were scattered, the everlasting hills sank low. His ways were as of old. ... Thou didst bestride the earth in fury, Thou didst trample the nations in anger. ... Thou didst crush the head of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. Thou didst pierce with Thy shafts the head of his warriors, who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret. Thou didst trample the sea with Thy horses, the surging of mighty waters. I hear, and my body trembles, my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones, my steps totter beneath me. I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us." End of page!! You may understand that I was wondering what on earth Father God was saying to me!

Then I turned the page! What a difference! Here is what I read:

"Though the fig tree do not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in YHWH, I will joy in the God of my salvation. YHWH Adonai, is my strength; He makes my feet like hinds' feet, He makes me tread upon my high places." (Hab 3:17-19; emphasis added).

As we continue to deal with the Covid-19 virus - and its ramifications, from confinement to conspiracy theories - many are increasingly concerned at what the immediate future may hold. They are, one might say, living in the first sixteen verses of Habakkuk 3 (although, even there, there are little glimpses of hope that I omitted above!). All is doom and gloom! 

May I encourage you to "turn the page" and get into vs.17-19? Regardless of what is happening around me; regardless of what the future may, or may not, hold; regardless of any conspiracy that may, or may not, exist; "... yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation."

That is where there is real hope. That is how we may face tomorrow with strength that is not our own. That is why, for the true disciple of Jesus, the future is secure. Rejoice in the Lord!

He is our Certainty in uncertain times.

Digging for treasure.

When my grandson was much younger, and we happened to be at the beach, he loved to collect odd-shaped stones; pieces of wood; and other bits and pieces. They were, he would inform me, "treasure". Well, at about three years of age, that was understandable. However, if we want real treasure, with a real financial value, we usually have to dig for it. As the old proverb puts it: "There's no gain without pain."!

The same is true if we want to gain from the written Word of God. Profitable Bible reading, and study, involves more than just randomly opening a chapter and reading what's there. Many years ago, I was given these seven guidelines to help us make the most of our reading, and study, of the Bible:

1. Set aside a regular time. If you fail to schedule it, you'll neglect it. If, for whatever reason, you are obliged to miss that time, then be sure to read at some other point in the same day!

2. Before you commence reading, prayerfully ask Father God to guide you in your reading, through God the Holy Spirit.

3. Think carefully about what it is you are reading. Not all of the Bible's treasures are lying, like those beach pebbles, on the surface. To get at gold, and diamonds, we have to dig!

4. Try to understand what the human author was saying to his contemporary readers, before deciding how to apply the words to your own situation. (This is where a good commentary may be particularly useful!).

5. Write down at least one truth, or principle, that you can out into practice. You may do this in a separate notebook, or in the margin of your Bible (especially if you have a "wide-margin" Bible).

6. Use different translations of the Bible. If you find that you are just 'skimming' over a well-known passage, read it in a different version. This may help to focus your mind on the passage in a new way.

7. Don't get discouraged! Some parts of the Bible are more immediately interesting than others - e.g. the history and narrative sections are more easily read than the genealogies, and the sacrificial laws. Some parts you may not immediately understand. However, there is enough that you will be able to understand - and it will revolutionise your life as you apply it.

Just one final thought of my own! During my time as a Chaplain to the former Strathclyde Police Force, I picked up a lot about police procedures! In any police investigation, the evidence is seldom going to be sitting there, screaming to be picked up! Officers expect to have to dig, and delve; to ask questions; to sift through evidence - and on more than one occasion! Those are good principles to add to the above!

In my own personal devotions, I am currently reading in the Book of Proverbs. May I suggest that you read Proverbs 2:1-9, keeping the above principles in mind? Then, to morrow, start at the beginning of Mark's account of the Gospel. You will begin to discover the treasures of the Bible!

Facing death.

Many people are sharing amusing video clips during these difficult days, and I have enjoyed watching some of them. However, this clip is not intended to amuse, but to cause us to think!

Earlier this week, I learned of the death, from cancer, of Dominic Smart. I didn't know him well, having only met him once when he was the minister at Gilcomston South Church, in Aberdeen. However, in even that brief encounter, I was impressed by, not only his preaching, but his whole demeanour.

This clip - under 20 mins - is of an interview he gave just a couple of months ago. As so many are concerned, because of the Covid-19 situation, about death, it is good to hear how a true disciple of Jesus faces that inevitable event. On my bookshelves is a short book by another minister whom I met only once. It's titled "Death with a steady eye", and deals with how some face death without flinching. Dominic Smart shows that he was able to do exactly that. I highly recommend this clip to you.