Being an "influencer"!

Some months ago, my wife and I were spending an overnight with our dear friends in Melun, south of Paris. I honestly cannot recall the context of what I am about to share, but we ended up talking about this modern phenomenon named "influencers"! I asked Jonathan how one became an"influencer", and he replied (not quite verbatim!): "One chooses a catchy name like, for example 'CrazyRev'. Then one posts a blog that people read; and one is an influencer!"

Now, I don't know exactly how accurate my young friend's answer was/is, but I found it interesting - and not just because of the personal application! You see, I realised that I had discovered the 21st century way to spell "disciple of Jesus" (okay, it's only recently that my thinking has moved in this direction!). That new spelling is "influencer"!

Permit me to explain. In the book of the Acts of the apostles, Dr Luke records these words of the Lord Jesus, just before He ascended to return to the Father: "So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”  He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by His own authority.  But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.”  And when He had said this, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight." (Acts 1:6-9).

Now, for many years I have pointed out that to be an evangelist is to receive a specific gifting of the Lord Jesus, for the equipping of the believers, and the building up of the body of the Christ. (see Eph.4:11-12). However, being a witness is a command of the Lord Jesus - to all of His disciples; and that includes you and me (if, of course, you are one of His!). The only question is: "Am I a good witness, or am I a bad witness?" But make no mistake - if you and I are claiming to be His disciples, then we are His witnesses.

Some will be familiar with the poem written by Annie Johnston Flint:

"Christ has no hands but our hands, to do His work today; He has no feet but our feet, to lead men in His way.

He has no tongue but our tongues to tell men how He died; He has no help but our help to bring them to His side.

We are the only Bible the careless world will read; we are the sinner's gospel; we are the scoffer's creed.

We are the Lord's last message, written in word and deed. What if the type is crooked; what if the print is blurred?!

What if our hands are busy with other work than His? What if our feet are walking where sin’s allurement is?

What if our tongue is speaking of things His lips would spurn? How can we hope to help Him or welcome His return?"

"We are the only Bible the careless world will read; we are the sinner's gospel; we are the scoffer's creed." Do you realise what that is saying? I suggest that it is saying that, by our words and deeds, we are influencing others!

So, perhaps I am, indeed, an "influencer" - and so, if you claim to be a disciple of Jesus, are you! Actually, no matter who you are, if you interact with others, you are influencing them - and they are influencing you! As my late paternal grandmother - a woman with barely any formal education, but tons of common sense and homespun philosophy - was often heard to say:"Show me your company, and I'll tell you your character." 

May the influence of each one of us be positive - and especially if we claim to be Jesus' disciples!

The Captain of Our Salvation

"But 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. For it was fitting that He, for Whom and by Whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering." (Hebrews 2:9-10)

Jesus, the Christ, is referred to in this passage as the "archegon" of our salvation. The Greek word actually means "captain" (or "prince" or "author") of our salvation. Now, not just anyone can be the captain! When, as a young man, I sailed on the ss Oriana, I was not invited up to the bridge to take on the responsibilities of the captain. The captain had to be, and has to be, someone who had the authority, the knowledge, and the experience, to command. If I had been immediately promoted from a lowly chef in the galley, to captain on the bridge, I fear that the ship would have experienced many difficulties.

In any team sport, the captain is not the latest recruit; the least fit member; or the one who never turns up for training sessions! The captain of a team must be experienced, physically fit, a good example to the rest of the team, and one on whom the team may depend.

So it is in life. I do not have the authority, the knowledge, and the experience, to run my own life. I am a sinner, prone to failure and defeat. I make mistakes, in my words, in my thoughts (the most frequent!), and even in my deeds. I am unable to run my life as I believe it should be run. I need someone to whom I can look up; someone who is a good example; someone on whom I may depend. I need a Captain!

The word translated 'captain' also implies one who is first in line; the beginning; the originator. So the Lord Jesus is discovered to be the first in line of an endless procession of the saints of all ages resurrected from the grave and marching to the ultimate realisation of their salvation. He is truly "the first-born among many brethren" (Romans 8:29). 

In his first letter to the early disciples of Jesus in Corinth, Paul spends some time on the topic of  resurrection.  It would appear that there were some in the Corinthian fellowship who were denying the resurrection of believers (15:12), so Paul reminds them of the basis of the Gospel message that he had proclaimed to them - "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures," (15:3-5; emphasis added). He then follows a hypothetical line: "But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. ... ... If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. ... If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied." (15: 13-14, 17, 19).

Having followed the hypothesis, he then makes the glorious claim:  "But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep." (15:20; emphasis added). Hallelujah!

The word is used only three other times in the New Testament, each within a resurrection and glorification context. Peter, addressing the people of Israel, said that they had "... killed the Author of life, Whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses." (Acts 3:15). 

Later, we read that Peter and the other apostles, testifying before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish leadership) stated that "The God of our fathers raised Jesus Whom you killed by hanging Him on a tree. God exalted Him at His right hand as Prince and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." (Acts 5:30-31).

As a result of what our "Captain" has done, we should be "... looking to Jesus the Author and perfecter of our faith Who, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Heb. 12:2).

The only way we could ever share in His glory is for Him to suffer and die. "For He Who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin. That is why He is not ashamed to call them brethren," (Heb. 2:11).

If your life is confused, and confusing; if you are unsure as to which direction you should take; if the future seems to be dark, and uncertain; perhaps you need a new Captain. You know the One Whom I would recommend!

Some things never change!

Last week I celebrated yet another anniversary of the day of my physical birth (my spiritual rebirth was some 15 years later!). This week, my wife celebrates another anniversary of her physical birth. Tempus fugit (Time flies, for those who missed out on a Classical education!!). 

Last year, we celebrated our Golden Wedding Anniversary and, in our annual newsletter, I posted two photographs - one taken on Sept. 4th, 1970 (our wedding day!), and the other taken on Sept. 4th, 2020. I have to confess that each of has changed, quite considerably, during the intervening period! Every year; every month; every day; reminds us of the passing of time, and the changes it brings, be they major, or minor. We are changing; the world is changing (and, for many of us, the past ten months, or so, have seen some of the biggest changes that we have ever known); experiences are changing; our lifestyles are changing; the future is unknown! 

I can only speak for myself, but I can hardly believe that we are already more than half-way through the second month of 2021! Of course, like the New Year itself, it is only a mark in time; in the continuous journey of planet Earth around the Sun. Yet time is important to us. 

However, some things never change! Speaking through His prophet, Malachi, and using His Covenant Name, the Almighty Creator of all that is states: "... I, YHWH do not change;" ( 3:6). Writing to the early Jewish disciples of Jesus - Who, of course, is the incarnation of the Father - the anonymous author of the Letter to the Hebrews makes this astounding claim: "Jesus, the Christ - the same yesterday, today, and for ever." (13:8). Those words point us to:

The Unchanging Christ. What He was 2,000 years ago, when He walked this earth, He is today in the timelessness of Glory, and He will be throughout eternity. His atoning sacrifice remains effective for all who come to Him in repentance and faith. He opened the way into the presence of the Father, that even a sinner such as I may enter, and be received by Him - not because of anything that I might seek to claim, but purely because of His love, and grace, and mercy. I am forgiven as much as any of those who are "justified by faith" - in other words, because I have responded, positively, to the offer of salvation that was made at Calvary, the Father treats me "just as if I'd" never sinned at all. My sin is not only forgiven, but also forgotten! Hallelujah! Glory to God!

The Gospel message is the same. His covenant love never changes. His grace remains all-sufficient. His promises continue to be true. He is faithful in times of sorrow and distress, as well as in times of joy and laughter. His Word is the same. His presence, through the third Persona (not a typo! See the chapter on "The Trinity" in my first book - details above!) of the Trinity, God the Holy Spirit, is the same.

But there is also: 

An unchanging commitment. For the disciple of Jesus, that commitment is to worship God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is to proclaim the Gospel - the Good News that I have described, briefly above. It is a commitment to serve Him as He commands. It is a commitment to live my life in such a way that I am a good witness for Him. In His final words to His disciples, before He ascended to the Father, the Lord Jesus said: "... you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8). Please note, that this is not a call to every disciple to be an evangelist; but a command to every disciple to be a witness. There is a big difference but, if you are a disciple of Jesus, then you are (as I am!) a witness. The only question is "Am I a good witness, or a bad witness?" If, like me, you must confess to not being the best you might be, then you may turn to God the Holy Spirit, and seek His sanctifying work in your life.

Then, of course, there is:

An unchanging commission. That commission is recorded for us by Matthew, in his account of the Gospel record. "And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 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." (Matt 28:18-20).

Now, "... all the world ..." does not exclude your own family; your next-door-neighbour; your friends; your work colleagues; etc. This Great Commission ties in with the commitment to be His witnesses - everywhere, and anywhere.

There are many - myself included - who believe, firmly, that we are in the very last days prior to the Rapture of the true saints of God (there is also a chapter on that subject in the book referred to above. Remember, ALL royalties are sent, directly, to Release International, in support of the persecuted church). That being the case, there should be an urgency in the church. Those who are disciples of Jesus should be earnest in prayer; eager to serve; excited in their (our!) witnessing.

I would claim that, in order to do so, we must stay close to the Saviour, that He may be close to us. Henry Francis Lyte wrote the words of one of the best-known Christian songs: "Abide with me." In the second verse are these words - 
"Change and decay in all around I see:                                                                                                        O Thou Who changest not, abide with me."

May all who read these words know His unchanging presence at all times. It will be for your good, and will bring glory and honour to His Name.

Strengthening others.

For my personal devotions, I am still working through the account of the Gospel provided for us by Dr Luke. I am nearing the end and, on Friday morning, I read these words of the Lord Jesus to Simon Peter: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren." (Luke 22:31-32).

If you read the rest of the chapter, and the remainder of the Gospel record, you will discover that, in spite of Peter's immediate bravado, he did indeed deny his Master - but, as we read on into the book of the Acts of the Apostles (also written by Dr Luke) we discover that he has become the de facto leader of the apostolic band.

It is a simple fact of life, and experience, that it is those who have gone through an experience who are best fitted to help other who are going through it after them. This is certainly true in the life of disciples of Jesus. We fail the Lord - but, like Peter, we may be reconciled, and be used to help and strengthen others who face similar situations.

My mind wandered to a man named Barnabas. His name means "Son of encouragement" so, whatever else we know about him, we know that was a man who encouraged others. That would appear to have been his primary gift - and what an important gifting it is. I remember a lady in a fellowship in which I was a member. She was a widowed woman who lived alone near to the top of a block of high-rise flats in Motherwell. Her big complaint was, she informed me, that she had no spiritual gifts. Yet there was no-one in the fellowship who was more welcoming than she was. That was certainly one gift that she had, and that she regularly displayed. Perhaps she had been ignored in a previous congregation (sadly, that can happen!), and she wanted to ensure, to the best of her ability, that no-one in this fellowship experienced the same rejection.

When I was in full-time pastoral ministry I had, on a number of occasions, the sad responsibility of conducting the funeral service for a young child, or even an infant. One thing I was never able to say to the parents was that I understood what they were going through - my children were safely in the manse, growing healthily. Some years later, after I had been called out of full-time pastoral ministry, my wife and I were foster-parents for about ten years. One of our foster-children was only about six days old when we received her. She had been born to a young teen who decided, thankfully, that rather than have her unborn child murdered in her womb, she would give birth, and have the child adopted. 

We had that child for a full year. We experienced so many of those special "firsts". She spoke her first word ("da-da" - to me!). She took her first step. She cut her first tooth. Then she disappeared from our lives! Now, in my head, I knew that the couple who had adopted her would give her a good life - indeed, my only concern was that they might spoil her too much! - but, in my heart, she might as well have died. Both my wife and I were heart-broken. How I wished that I had gone through that experience many years earlier!

Are you going through a difficult time, just now? Do you sometimes wonder how you will ever get over your current set of circumstances? Is your complaint that you have no special 'gifting'? Then take heart! If you are truly open to the working of God the Holy Spirit in your life, then a day will come when you will be turned around and, like Peter, be able to help those who are going through the same kind of experience that is currently yours. Of course, it is essential that you are open to the working of God the Holy Spirit in your life!

May you know His power in your life - both for your own good, and that you may strengthen the faith of others; and, of course, that you may bring glory to the Lord. Be blessed, in Him.

The personal testimony of Charles Haddon Spurgeon

A couple of days ago, I came across the personal testimony of one of the greatest preachers of the Christian Gospel in the 19th century - Charles Haddon Spurgeon. As his situation may apply to others, I am going to share his testimony on this blog. May it be a blessing to someone. ("Editorial" inserts are in brackets, and in this Italic font).

"I thought the sun was blotted out of my sky - that I had so sinned against God that there was no hope for me. I prayed - the Lord knows how I prayed; but I never had a glimpse of an answer that I knew of. I searched the Word of God; the promises were more alarming than the threatenings. I read the privileges of the people of God, but with the fullest persuasion that they were not for me. The secret of my distress was this: I did not know the Gospel. I was in a Christian land; I had Christian parents; but I did not fully understand the freeness and simplicity of the Gospel."

(I wonder - is there someone reading this post who identifies with the young C.H.Spurgeon? Someone who is going through the same, or similar, thought processes? Do read on!)

"I attended all the places of worship in the town where I lived, but I honestly believe that I did not hear the Gospel fully preached. I do not blame the men, however. One man preached the divine sovereignty. I could hear him with pleasure; but what was that for a poor sinner who wished to know what he should do to be saved? There was another admirable man who always preached about the law; but what was the use of ploughing up the ground that wanted to be sown? Another was great practical teacher. I heard him - but it was very much like a commanding officer teaching the manoeuvres of war o a set of men without feet! What could I do? All his exhortations were lost to me. I knew that it was said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31), but I did not know what it was to believe in Christ.

I sometimes think that I might have been in darkness and despair now, had it not been for the goodness of god in sending a snow-storm one Sunday morning when I was going to a place of worship. When I could go no further, I turned down a court and came to a little hall. In the hall there were a dozen, or fifteen, people. The minister did not come that morning - snowed-up, I suppose. A poor man, a shoemaker, a tailor, or something of that sort, went up into the pulpit to preach.

He was obliged to stick to his text, for the simple reason that he had nothing else to say. The text was: "Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." (Isaiah 45:22). He did not even pronounce the words rightly, but that did not matter.

There was, I thought, a glimpse f hope for me in the text. He began thus: "My dear friends, this is a very simple text indeed. It says, "Look". Now that does not take a great deal of effort. It isn't lifting your foot or your finger. It is just "Look". Well, a man need not go to a college to learn to look. A man need not be worth a thousand pounds a year (a very large sum in 1850!) to look. Anyone can look. A child can look. This is what the text says: "Look unto Me."

"Aye," he said, many of you are looking to yourselves. No use looking there. You'll never find comfort in yourselves. Some look to God the Father. No: look to Him by and by. Jesus Christ says "Look unto Me." Some of you say, "I must wait for the Spirit's working." You have no business with that just now. Look to Christ. It runs, "Look unto Me."

Then he followed up his text in this way: "Look unto Me; I am sweating great drops of blood. Look unto Me; I am hanging on the cross. Look! I am dead and buried. Look unto Me; I rise again. Look unto Me; I ascend; I am sitting at the Father's right hand. Oh look unto Me! Look unto Me!"

When he had spoken about ten minutes, he looked at me under the gallery and, I dare say, with so few present, he knew me to be a stranger. He then said: "Young man, (he was fifteen years of age)  you look very miserable." Well, I did; but I had not been accustomed to have remarks made on my personal appearance, from the pulpit, before! However, it was a good blow struck. He continued: "And you will always be miserable - miserable in life, and miserable in death - if you do not obey my text. But if you obey now, this moment, you will be saved."

Then he shouted, "Young man, look to Jesus Christ!" I did 'look'.

There and then the cloud was gone, the darkness had rolled away, and that moment I saw the sun. I could have risen that moment and sung, with the most enthusiastic of them, of the precious blood of Christ, and the simple faith which looks to alone to Him. Oh, that somebody had told me that before: "Trust Christ, and you shall be saved."

It was, no doubt, wisely ordered, and I must ever say:
"E'er since by faith I saw the stream

Thy wounds supplied for me;

Redeeming love has been my theme,

And shall, for ever, be." "

Repentance - the missing message in the church today!

When we were back in Scotland for the Christmas and New Year celebrations, my wife and I decided to visit Edinburgh, to see the Christmas Market. We were not a little impressed! What a variety of products from so many different countries - and, of course "the shows"!

It was as we made our way up from the Princes Street Gardens to the street itself, that we spied a gentleman with a large (and I mean LARGE!) placard hung from his neck, and a Gospel message written on it. We decided to say "Hello", and perhaps encourage this dear brother in the Lord, and we were so glad that we did because he was, indeed, encouraged. We chatted for a few minutes and then, as we left, he handed us one of the high-quality publications (I hesitate to use the word "tract" as this was so much more!) that he was offering to passers-by.

We accepted it, but it wasn't until much later, when we were back in the home of the friends who were providing us with hospitality, that I sat down to read it. I was disappointed! The main text was good but, towards the end, I read these words: "All you need to do is simply believe that Jesus died in your place to make a way for you to be born into His family."

Sounds good! Many will have used such words on many occasions. I confess, sadly, that I have done the same! Regretfully, those words are, Biblically, untrue! Believing that Jesus died in your place, on the cross, in order that the way into Father God's presence might be made available to one and all is, of course, necessary. But that is not "all you need to do"! The leaflet leaves out a most important step - one that has been playing on my own mind for some months. 

The message of John the Baptiser is a good place to start. He preached: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt 3:2). What was the first message that the Lord |Jesus preached? "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt 4:17). Something similar about those messages, don't you think?! And the first word in each is the word "Repent"! 

That, I am sorry to have to say, is what is missing in most (if not all!) preaching of the Gospel in what we refer to as "the west". In my private devotions, I am currently reading through the book of the prophet Jeremiah. I have been reminded that one of the key themes in that great book is that of repentance! Commenting on one section of the book, Warren Wiersbe writes: "The false prophets flourished in a ministry that was shallow and popular because they promised peace, and never called for repentance." (Be Decisive; p.22). Does that sound, in any way, familiar? It certainly makes me think of many of those who are the 'big names' in evangelical Christian circles. They don't have to be part of the "name it and claim it", or "prosperity gospel", scenes. But they are in the business of making everyone feel nice and comfortable, and ready to "ask Jesus into your heart"! However, they appear to have "airbrushed" repentance out of the salvation experience - and without repentance, there can be no salvation! By the way, as I was reminded in an e-mail this morning, it is not strictly correct to say or sing that Jesus can come into our hearts, unless it is clearly understood that He is there symbolically in the presence of the indwelling Spirit of Christ. In this way, “God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts” (Gal.4:6) so that “Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith” (Eph.3:17).

In the margin of the copy of the Bible that I use in my private devotions, are written these words: "Surely the most dreadful words in all of the Scriptures." Those words are written next to Matt.7:21-23, where we read: "Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you evildoers.' " I have come to the conclusion that those to whom those terrible words will be uttered may well be those who have not repented! They have sought to live the Christian life, the life of a disciple of Jesus, without ever having truly been born again of God the Holy Spirit.

Many will be familiar with the little booklet, by A.W.Tozer, entitled "Worship, the missing jewel of the evangelical church." May I be so bold as to claim that repentance is the the missing message the church today? May I also recommend a series of brief (app. 35-40 mins each) messages by David Pawson, that are freely available on YouTube? There are six in all, including one on this subject of repentance. It is probably best to go through the full series, in the correct order! Click on the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFuJa5n3hAU&list=PL1uFkq_wpOTJhZeCud6eW84CP1OPsEQgv

May Father God grant us the grace to truly repent, that we might know the fullness of life that is available in the Lord Jesus, and live our lives truly in the power of God the Holy Spirit.  

Beginnings: Part 3

Here is the final part of our look at Genesis 1 from a more Hebrew perspective than is normal for Gentiles. Having realised that any passage will probably need more than one post (or a post that few would read to the end!), I have decided to take a default position of limiting myself to one passage per month. Keep a look-out for the next one - in July (DV).

If you haven't read the previous two parts, I would recommend doing so before reading this one!

Sadly, due to a crafty serpent’s trickery, Eve sinned and Adam sinned soon after her; humankind went from grace to disgrace in a single day! Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent, and men and women have been pointing the finger at others ever since. There, in the Garden, for the first time in human history, we see the emergence of shame.  With shame came forth a fear of God’s wrath.  In his utter humiliation, Adam hid among the trees, having become aware that he was naked. He attempted to cover his disobedience (of which his awareness of his nakedness was a result. The human body, per se, had already been declared "good" by YHWH!), by his own efforts, but "... without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins." (Heb 9:22), and so an animal had to die in order that YHWH could provide adequate covering for the sin of those first humans. How many, even today, are deeply conscious of their own shortcomings (sin!), but try to cover their sin by their own efforts and good works! But that never can be effective. Listen to Paul, again: “... 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; emphasis added). So, from their utopian, sheltered, and innocent existence in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were thrust into a cruel and unforgiving world of hardship and pain.

The good news, however, is that none of this came as a surprise to God.  Even before the foundations of the earth were laid, God had a plan for redemption.  God sent His one and only Son, Yeshua (Jesus), to pay the penalty for all of our sins. The Gospel (Good News) according to John echoes the Creation story.  The very first word of this book is the very same first word found in the Torah: 

“In the beginning [Bereisheet] was the Word (HaDavar), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made…  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”  (John 1:1–3, 14)

Yeshua was there at the beginning, and John describes Him as the agent of creative power, the power that made everything through the spoken word (davar). It is also through Yeshua, who is called HaDavar (the Word), that we enter into a relationship with God and our true conversation with Him begins.

When we submit to Yeshua, HaDavar has a home in our hearts.  This means we are born again and given a new beginning as a child of the Heavenly Father, the God of the Universe. Hallelujah!

Have you yet submitted your life to Him - Who willingly gave His life for you? 

Conversion.

The English-language word "conversion" is reasonably common in everyday conversation. We use it to refer to a positive change in many areas of life - from making a living-space out of a loft, to achieving more power from a vehicle engine.

However, for the disciple of Jesus, it is the way in which we refer to the change in our lives that comes from a personal encounter with Him, and entering into a living relationship with Him. It may be sudden, or gradual. I have often illustrated that by comparing someone jumping into the sea from the end of a pier with someone walking along the beach and discovering that the water is lapping around their ankles. Both are in the water - but while one may pinpoint the precise moment that they entered it, the other is unable to do so.

However, is it possible that a spiritual; conversion may be both sudden and gradual?! Whether, or not, we can specify the precise moment as, for example, could the apostle Paul (see Acts 26:13), in God's eyes, there is a particular moment of transition. Even Paul's dramatic encounter with the risen Jesus was the culmination of what we may refer to as God's "softening-up" process. It is clear that all of his experiences with these "Followers of the Way" (i.e. of the One Who said: "I am the Way, and the Truth , and the Life; no-one comes to the Father, but by Me." [Jn.14:6]), and especially with Stephen, the first Christian martyr, had roused his conscience - even although he appears to have endeavoured to stifle it (see Acts 26:14). Indeed, his increasing fury and activity against them may well have been an unconscious effort to still that accusing voice within!

Paradoxically, it is just when men's opposition to the Gospel message is multiplying - as it is at this present time - that we may take heart that God the Holy Spirit is at work. Paul's efforts to make disciples blaspheme the Lord Jesus (Acts 26:11) was the same policy described some fifty years later by Pliny, the Roman governor of Bithynia, in a letter to the emperor Trajan, as something which "... people who are really Christians cannot possibly be made to do." (see I Cor.12:3). This, by the way, is still the case to day - in spite of the attempts of evil men to make them do so. Check out this link:

http://madworldnews.com/muslims-behead-christian-word/

I am unable to totally verify that report - but nor do I have any grounds for doubting its veracity!

The people referred to in the report were seeking to serve others - and that is what any converted man, woman, or young person will seek to do. The old, now clichéd, phrase was: "Saved to Serve". Recognising the change that has taken place in him/herself, the new disciple of Jesus will wish to help others - particularly to have their own personal encounter with the risen Lord.

The activity of the devil must not be taken lightly. He is always blinding people, and enslaving them. (see I.Cor 26:18; cf II Cor.4:4, II Tim.2:26). This is why so many neither realise their dire situation, nor appreciate their need to repent, that they may know the full forgiveness of Father God, and the sanctifying work of God the Holy Spirit in their lives.

Conversion. It's a great word. It's an even greater experience!

A topical quiz!!

Work in both the house and the garden have, it is true, been taking up a great deal of my time recently - as well as preparation for various preaching, and singing, opportunities. Well, that's my excuse for the current neglect of the blog!

Anyway, with the annual, special celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus, taking place on Sunday, I thought that I would throw in a wee quiz - after all, I haven't published one for quite some time!

So, what do you know about the season of the Resurrection? This is a multiple choice quiz, so that should help.

1. Jesus is mentioned by name in
                             (a) very early Roman writings;
                             (b) the Gospel records and later writings, only;
                             (c) only the Gospel records.

2. Jesus was hanging on the cross for
                             (a) 3 hours;
                             (b) 6 hours;
                             (c) a whole day.

3. Jesus was taken from the cross
                             (a) conscious;
                             (b) in a coma;
                             (c) dead.

4. Jesus' body was left in the tomb
                            (a) uncovered;
                            (b) covered only with a single sheet;
                            (c) wound with a cloth and partially embalmed.

5. The tomb was
                            (a) closed carefully, sealed, and guarded;
                            (b) hurriedly closed;
                            (c) left open.

6. The tomb was later found
                            (a) in utter chaos;
                            (b) with the grave-cloths neatly re-folded;
                            (c) with the grave-cloths intact, and the cloth that had been wrapped around the head, folded and separated from the rest.

7. The resurrected Jesus appeared to a maximum of
                            (a) 12 people;
                            (b) 20 people;
                            (c) 500 people.

8. When Jesus appeared, after His resurrection, He was
                            (a) sometimes unrecognised;
                            (b) eventually recognised;
                            (c) immediately recognised.

9. The early disciples said that Jesus rose
                            (a) some weeks after His death;
                            (b) at some unidentified time;
                            (c) two days after He was laid in the tomb.

Okay, see how you get on (without cheating, of course!!). I'll provide the correct answers in the post that I plan to publish on Sunday.

A fragrance of life and death.

The market for perfume is a large one - at least in the so-called "western world".  What self-respecting woman would go anywhere without at least a dab of perfume behind her ears?!  There is also a large market for candles that, as they burn, provide a fragrance that can permeate a large room - and even, if appropriately positioned, a full house!  Add to those the various aerosols that 'freshen' your clothes, your curtains, your furniture, your pets - and, of course, not forgetting "the smallest room" - and it is easy to understand why fragrances are so all-pervasive (and I haven't even mentioned the various toiletries for both males and females!).

The apostle Paul made mention of fragrance, in one of his letters to the early disciples of Jesus in Corinth.  He wrote: "... thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life." (II Cor 2:14-16).

So what was Paul saying with those words?  Well, he was using a metaphor drawn from a Roman triumphal march.  This was a parade that took place when a general returned after having won a major victory.  The high political officials would lead the procession, followed by trumpeters blowing their instruments.  Then would come waggons displaying some of the spoils taken from the conquered territory and, just behind them, soldiers and officers who had been captured alive.  They, of course, were in chains!  The priests, carrying burning censers from which a fragrance pervaded the air, were next in line.  Bringing up the rear would be a group of cheering military men of various ranks, delighted in the victory of their commander.

The smell of the incense symbolised joy, and triumph, and life, to the victorious general and his troops; but, to the wretched captives who knew that they were on the way to their own deaths, it savoured of nothing but that death.

A disciple of Jesus is, Paul is telling us, already in the victory parade.  Such a one is, him/herself, a fragrance that others will notice.  There should be something about the believer that is "fragrantly attractive" to others.   However, to any who do not, themselves, respond positively to that aroma; anyone who rejects (or even neglects!) the Gospel; it is "a fragrance from death to death" as they continue on their way to a lost eternity.  It is to those who do respond positively; who become children of God; that it is "a fragrance from life to life" as they have the assurance of a place prepared for them. (see John 14:2-3).

If you are a disciple of Jesus, please be aware of the tremendous responsibility that we have to make our lives as savoury as possible, by staying close to Him Who is constantly using us to influence the lives of others, for eternity.

Are you a cackler?!

One of my friends is passionate about sharing the Gospel of Jesus the Christ with those who do not know Him.  He takes every possible opportunity to share that amazing message.  Would that there were more like him around!

I am reminded of the old saying: "If a man builds a better mouse-trap, the world will beat a path to his door"!  It's a saying that is no longer true (if it ever was!). You see, unless the man makes us aware of his superior product, no-one will buy it! In other words, it pays to advertise - just ask any of the companies who do so: almost ad nauseum!

One of my great-uncles - my paternal grandmother's brother - kept a farm.  Our town was relatively small, and I could walk from my home to the farm.  I didn't become a farmer - but I learned a wee bit about farms and farm livestock!  Did you know that, when a hen lays an egg, she cackles?!  She spreads the news, far and wide.  She wants everyone to know that she has laid a wonderful egg.  A duck, on the other hand, keeps quiet when she lays an egg.  She keeps it a secret; she doesn't make a sound.  Have you noticed that vastly more people buy hens' eggs than buy the eggs of ducks?!  It pays to advertise!

Disciples of Jesus have a 'product' that is needed by the world more than any egg. It's the message of the Gospel - the Good News that "... God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16).  Now, there is much more to the Gospel message - John continues: "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." (John 3:18-19; emphasis added).  However, it is the love of Almighty God that is at the heart of the message.

So, if we have such an amazing message, why do so many of us act like ducks, and keep it to ourselves?  Why are more of us not out there "cackling" this great news?   Even without the full knowledge that is available to us, the psalmist could say: "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from trouble ..." (Ps 107:2).  We who claim to be followers of Jesus need to start shouting the message to a needy world!

Did you commend Jesus to anyone yesterday.  Are you constantly sharing the joy of your salvation? Men, women, and young people are being lost all around us because we have failed to share with them about our Saviour!  It's time for us to emulate the hen - not the duck.  That, one might say, is simply 'ducking' the issue!  

Remember, there are times when silence is not golden - it's just plain yellow!

Why I post about the Christian Faith?

One of my Facebook friends - and, indeed, a full cousin - posted the following on that particular social medium.  I was unable to do a 'copy and paste', so I have merely typed it out again!

I know that not all of the posts that I publish on this blog are what may be termed "religious" - but the majority are!  I merely seek to share the truth, and message, of the Gospel with all who read.  Some appreciate, and come back for more; others have, in the past (when I could still receive comments!), disagreed with me.  As some know, one series even cost me my Police Force Chaplaincy, as a particular senior officer decided that my traditional views on marriage went against the Force's "Diversity and Equality" policy - more strength given to the "diversity" aspect than to the "equality"!

Anyway, I think that this explains my position rather well:

"Dear Facebook Friend

There will come a day when you’ll see that I posted all of my “annoying religious” posts because I have a deep concern for you.  I care about you so much, and you matter a great deal to God.  He created you!  As hard as this is to say, I would rather you hate me for telling you the truth in love, than to gain your approval while I lie to you.

Once a friend was gracious enough to share with me, and God removed the scales from my eyes so I could see.  It’s now my responsibility to do the same for you.  That’s what the cross of Christ is all about.

Sincerely"

As always, I would direct any interested person to a couple of the links at the bottom right of this page.  I am also ready to provide whatever pastoral assistance I can, on a personal basis, if you e-mail me at author@minister.com

Blessings, and shalom.

Facebook - and Christianity!

It's almost six months since I closed my Facebook account.  There are occasions on which I would like to re-open it, but it was taking up more time than my blog (!!), and I didn't like the way in which changes were forced upon me.

However, during the time that I used it, I did see it as an excellent means of sharing Gospel truths with many who would not, otherwise, be exposed to them.  Some very interesting on-line discussions resulted - and that kept me sharp!

Dr Ravi Zacharias is a well-known Christian apologist and he, too, sees good in social media.  However, he also recognises the danger - and deals with both in this short video clip.

The Name of God.

This morning, I was listening to a converted Muslim bring the message at the worship service.  Later, at the "cuppa and biscuits", he and I were talking.  I raised the subject of the name of God in Islam, as many people seem to think that it is "Allah".  He was able to confirm that "Allah" is, in fact, merely the Arabic word that is translated into the English language as "God".  It is not a name at all!

Islam does teach that there are "ninety-nine beautiful names" for Allah.  It is said that there are, in fact, one hundred names, but an old legend states that only the camel knows the one hundredth - and that that is why it walks around with its nose in the air!

My new friend smiled as I reminded him of that legend.  "There is a one hundredth name," he said.  "It's Love!"

That, of course is the message that is at the heart of the Gospel.  John, in his first letter to the early church at large, emphaises that fact by repeating it - "God is love" (I John 4:8,16) and, of course, in his account of the Gospel message, he was inspired to write one of the best-known texts in the whole of the Bible - often referred to as "the Gospel in a nutshell" - "For God loved the world so much that He gave His only-begotten Son; that whoever places their trust in Him should not perish, but have - here and now - eternal (i.e. God-like) life." (John 3:16).

That's the God Whom disciples of Jesus seek to share with others.  A God Who loves - and Who loves unconditionally!  You may think that you are not, and never could be, worthy of His love - and you would be absolutely correct!  But He loves you with an everlasting love, and shows that by His sacrificial death at Calvary - bearing the punishment that you (and I!) deserve, so that we may have His life within us.

Sadly, there are many who refuse to respond, positively, to that love but, as Albert Schweitzer (I believe!) once remarked, "God is a Gentleman, and will not force Himself on anyone."  But for those who do respond, in repentance, and faith, there is a life that is filled with His peace - regardless of situation or circumstances - and love.  Have you responded to Him in that way?  If not, why not?  It's the way to life - "life in all its fulness" (John 10:10).  I commend it to you.

"God is Love."  The heart of the Gospel - and a Name that, to the best of my knowledge, is given in no other belief-system in the world.

Beautiful? It depends on who is looking!!

On Friday, as I made my regular journey from the gym to ASDA, I noticed a couple walking towards me.  I freely confess to never having had any physical attraction to those of the same gender as myself, but I would have thought that the young man would have been found to be physically attractive to many females.  However, the young woman with whom he was walking, hand in hand, was what I could only describe as "very plain".

I found myself thinking that "it must be love"!  A handsome young man, with such a (to me!) plain-looking girl.  The old adage "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" also came to mind.

Then ( I suspect) God the Holy Spirit took over!  I realised that, in spiritual terms, I am so ugly.  Sin has so marred me, and corrupted me.  Even when I am at my very best (and that isn't all that often!), I am tainted by, and tarnished with, sin.  There is absolutely nothing that Someone as pure, and holy, and sinless, as Almighty God could possibly see as attractive.

Therein is the wonder of the Christian Gospel!  You see, Father God looks on me and, in His eyes, I am beautiful!  Indeed, I am more than just beautiful - I am precious!  So precious that, in the Persona (that's not a typo - listen to the audio message on The Trinity at www.revcbross.blogspot.com) of the Son - Jesus of Nazareth - He hung on a cross, and died in my place.  That's not natural - but it is supernatural!

I can certainly imagine being willing to die for one of my close family members, or even for a very close friend.  That could be seen as being natural.  But someone whom I found to be totally repulsive!?  That would take a supernatural love - of which, I suspect, I would not be capable.

Beauty is, indeed, in the eye of the beholder.  Praise God that, when He looks at me, He doesn't see me for what I am, but He sees what He wants me to be.  As I come before Him, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, He says "... you are precious in My eyes, and honoured, and I love you, ..." (Is.43:4). 

I may (will!!) never win any physical beauty contest.  But in spiritual terms, I am "... beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:" (Jude 1).  Hallelujah!

Communication is free!

According to an item in today's newspapers, the film star Brad Pitt - or, at least, the Canadian film distribution company, Alliance - is charging journalists at the Cannes Film Festival £2,000 for a twenty-minute interview about his latest film!  The same price is being asked for interviews with Kristen Stewart, about her latest film.  Interviews with other "stars" may be arranged for a bargain £1,200 - and I must confess that I would far rather pay that sum for twenty minutes with the delightful Nicole Kidman, than 66% more for the same time with Mr Pitt!  Of course, I am a man!!  By the way, if anyone wishes to interview me (!!), I'll be happy with a voluntary donation!

So why would anyone wish to pay for the privilege of providing these "stars" with the very publicity that they seem to crave, and without which most of their effort would go unrewarded?  I suppose that it's partly to do with the "celebrity culture" in which we, in the so-called 'developed' world live.  Yet I've just been viewing some photographs, posted on Facebook by a former pupil who is currently involved in voluntary work in Malawi - bringing contraceptive and other health advice to people who probably don't even know where Cannes is - and may never have heard of Brad Pitt!  I reckon that she is much more worthy of £2,000 for an interview about the work that she is doing!

Of course, as a disciple of Jesus, I speak with Him every day.  Now that's speaking with a Celebrity!  In spite of what some may think, and claim, He is much better known than even Brad Pitt (or Nicole Kidman!).  It was the late John Lennon, of The Beatles, who (in?)famously said, in 1966, "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue about that; I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first-rock 'n' roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me."  However, while even the name of John Lennon is barely known to those who are currently under 40 years of age, Jesus marches on!

My daily conversation with the Lord has another great benefit.  He doesn't charge me £2,000 (or even £1,200!).  In fact, the heart of the Christian Gospel, or Good News, is that He has already paid the price.  Before He came to this earth, there was a great veil, or curtain, separating the Most Holy Place in the Jewish Tabernacle and, later, Temple from the Holy Place.  This was the barrier that came between sinful mankind, and the Holy God.  But when Jesus, on the cross, gave that mighty shout "Tetelesthai" (Finished), that curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom.  It was as if Father God had reached down from the eternal heaven, and ripped it apart.  And the result?  The way was now clear for you, and for me, to enter His presence; "... to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way which He opened for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh, ..." (Heb 10:19-20; RSV).

A third benefit is that my conversation is not confined to any one subject.  I can bring everything, however important or trivial, to Him.  He is interested in every moment, and every matter, in my life.  He has a perfect plan for me, and longs to share it with me.  And He is always available to me.  He hears my every word.  He knows my every thought.

The great privilege of speaking with the Creator, and Redeemed, of mankind is totally free.  "Eat your heart out, Brad!"

Death - the final frontier

Okay, so I used to be a bit of a "Trekkie" - but only with relation to the original series of Star Trek!

Yesterday, in my capacity as a Force Chaplain, I attended the annual Strathclyde Police Force Service of Remembrance, held for the families of both serving and retired officers and staff members who have died during the previous twelve months.  It was interesting to note that, according to the various references made, each of them had not "died" but had, euphemistically, "passed away"!

On this morning's Sunday programme on BBC Radio 4, the subject of death was also raised.  There was criticism that, in schools, everything and anything about sex is taught, but that pupils are not prepared for death - although death is assured for everyone (at least prior to the Rapture of the saints), while sex is not necessarily so!  I don't know the current situation, but "death" was an integral topic in the "Rites of Passage" course that I taught!

However, it is often the taboo subject; the one about which we don't like to talk; the one that has a plethora of euphemisms.  Why should that be?  I usually suggested to my pupils that it is because it is considered to be "the unknown" and, as such, it is something that we fear!  What would help, of course, is if someone who had genuinely died, and been buried, were to rise from the dead.  Then we would know that it is not unconquerable; and that. alone, would make it less scary!

And that is the central message of the Christian Gospel!  That Jesus of Nazareth - the carpenter turned itinerant preacher - was, in fact, Almighty God in human flesh.  The familiar (to some!) words of the Apostles' Creed state, with beautiful simplicity, that "He was crucified, dead, and buried.  The third day, He rose from the dead."

Read that again, if you have any fear of death!  "The third day He rose from the dead"!  He showed that death is not the end, but the doorway to a fuller and better life - at least for those who have placed their trust in Him for salvation.  So the apostle, Paul, referring to the writings of two of the Old Testament prophets, could write: "Death is swallowed up in victory" "O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?" (I Cor.15:54(b)-55).

The process of dying may, for some, be painful, and even terrifying.  But death itself has no hold on, or terror for, the true child of the living God.  Hallelujah!

Freemasonry - is it compatible with the Gospel?

Many years ago, I gave a series of lectures on "Cults and Heresies".  The best-attended of those evenings was the one on which I dealt with Freemasonry!  I was reminded of that series, and that particular lecture, this morning as I listened to the BBC Radio 4 programme 'Sunday'.

It was reported that, having been elevated to position of  Bishop within the Church of England, the Rev. Jonathan Baker has resigned from "the Craft".  This, it would appear, is actually in line with the stated position of the Anglican Church, that Freemasonry and Christianity are incompatible.

However, it was the affirmation by a retired Anglican clergyman, the Rev. Dr. John Railton, who was interviewed on the programme, that caused my ears to prick up.  Freemasonry, he contended, is a secular organisation, akin to the Rotary Club, Round Table, Probus, etc.  I would wish to take the reverend doctor to task!  To the best of my knowledge, Rotarians and the others do not refer to their meeting place as a 'temple'; they do not 'pray' to any deity; they do not have a 'holy' book centrally displayed at their meetings; they do not appoint a chaplain; they do not claim to have been founded by a character - Hiram Abiff - alleged to have played a part in the building of Solomon's Temple; they do not have signs and rituals that are (very) loosely based on Biblical events and characters.  All of these have a clearly religious element - and all are part and parcel of Masonic ritual, structure, and history!

So is Freemasonry incompatible with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ?  The audio recording of my lecture is available below, and will provide those who are interested with a considerable amount of material (there was a set of handouts provided and, as soon as I find the master copy, I will publicise the fact, and make them available to anyone who requests them) but the simple answer is "Yes!"  Here are just three of many reasons to support that contention.

1. Freemasonry speaks of "the great Architect of the Universe".  To many, this may appear to be just an alternative name for the Triune God.  However, the teaching of the Bible is that Almighty God is not the architect of the universe, but its Creator!
 
2. Freemasonry expressly forbids the use of the Name of Jesus.  Yet it is only through the Name of Jesus that His disciples have "... boldness and access ..." (Eph.3:12) to approach the Creator.  It is through Him, and Him alone, that we my obtain salvation.  He, and He alone, is the All-sufficient One.

3. Freemasonry is, in essence, occultic and satanic.  One of the most highly-respected Masons of recent times is the late Albert Pike.  He has written: "The Masonic Religion (sic) should be by all of us initiates of the higher degrees, maintained in the purity of the Luciferian doctrine ... yes, Lucifer is God." (Maconnerie Universalle, p.588); while another Masonic author writes: "When later he (the Mason) is given Light, it means really that he is taught the principles of Occultism." (Arthur H. Ward; Masonic Symbolism and the Mystic Way; p.149-150)

The Church of Scotland is not, nowadays, renowned for its theological conservative evangelicanism.  However, even that 'broad' church, in a booklet produced by the Panel on Doctrine states, for example, concerning the use of 'prayer' in Freemasonry: "... our complaint is not just that the name of Jesus is suppressed in them, our complaint is that He doesn't seem to be required." (The Church and Freemasonry, p.4).  The main section concludes with the statement: "In the light of the foregoing we invite you to reconsider your involvement in Freemasonry." (p.9).

It is an invitation that is worthy of the most serious consideration.


Lecture

Finding the Way!

Well, I've finally joined the club!  After many years of total dependence, when travelling, on my "wife-nav" (i.e. my wife with a good old-fashioned road map on her lap), I have purchased a proper SatNav!  It was the experience of driving home last year, without aforementioned wife, from the eastern side of France, that finally convinced me that I should "take the plunge".  Having said that, we have already decided that we will have the old-fashioned back-up with us as well.  We've heard too many tales of people ending up in narrow country roads, unable to make a turn - not the sort of situation in which we want to find ourselves, in the middle of France, with twenty-seven feet of caravan hitched to the tow-bar!

So far, however, I am quite pleased with "Charmaine" (it's a female voice, and the make is Garmin, which rhymes with "charmin'", leading to the now designated name!!!).  We do, we have discovered, have to keep an eye on her.  She seems to be programmed to avoid motorways - and in the UK we use them a lot!  We are assuming that, when we download the manual, and read it through, we will be able to make the necessary changes!

The first thing that I am asked, when I have switched the power on is my destination. That seems, to me, to be an eminently sensible request.  A SatNav, or a map, is useless unless you first know where you are, and then, where you're going.  Okay, so the SatNav is a wee bit cleverer, and quickly informs me as to my current location!  

Life is often likened to a journey.  Sadly, it would appear, many people don't know where they are, or where they're going!  They're just drifting through life on the river of routine; wasting their lives on that which is, ultimately, worthless; existing, rather than enjoying a life that is positively full.  However, there is one thing that is certain, and that is  that we are, each o us, going to go somewhere in the end - even if we just casually canter along life's pathway.  It begs the questions: "Where are you going; and how will you get there?"

The message of the Christian Gospel (the Good News) is, of course, that Almighty God, the Creator and Sustainer of all that is, has a plan for each one of us.  His desire is that every individual spend eternity (and that is not endless time, but timelessness!) in His presence in that dimension that we usually refer to as 'heaven'.  However, He loves us so much that He has given us the freedom to choose our own destiny - to be with Him, or to be without Him.  That's a choice that we must make in this life - it's too late to make it after that experience that we call physical death.

Wherever you are on life's journey, I would encourage you to consider Jesus (God the Son) and the life He offers you - life "... in all its fulness" (John 10:10; NEB).  If you come to Him, confessing your own sinfulness, He has promised that He will forgive you, and take loving control of your life - giving you a brand new start along life's road.

You will then be on a journey that has a purpose, and that will last for eternity.  Now that's Good News!

Heaven - or Hell?

I had an interesting conversation at Liberty Community Church this morning, prior to the Communion Service.  One of the members had been asked to conduct a funeral service during the week, and I had inquired as to how he had coped.  He explained that, with the exception of one lady in the group of mourners who had gathered at the local crematorium, he was unaware of anyone who has a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.  However, he was able to use the opportunity to present the Gospel message - not just that Christ died for our sins in order that we might have the opportunity to gain eternal life; but that to reject the salvation that was won for us at Calvary, is to assure us of an eternity separated from God, aware of our mistake, and unable to do anything about it!

It is true that the church, at least in the so-called developed world (in which we have developed increasingly sophisticated methods of destroying our fellow-man; in which rights are considered to be of more importance than responsibilities; in which materialism and consumerism appear to be the religions of the majority; etc) seems, in the main, to have forgotten about that particular side of the coin.  It is also true that Jesus spoke more about hell than He did about heaven!

The Gospel message is not being presented in all of its fullness if we fail to warn people of the consequences of their rejection, or even neglect, of the salvation that was purchased at the cost of the very blood of the Lord Jesus.  Some weeks ago, I was preaching before one particular fellowship on the question that even the Omniscient (all-knowing) God is unable to answer.  It's found in Hebrews 2:3 and it asks, simply, "... how shall we escape, if we neglect such a great salvation?"  The answer is that there is, in fact, no escape!  By the way, a recording of that whole message may be found at www.revcbross.blogspot.com under the heading The Unanswerable Question.

Many years ago, there was an open-air preacher who kept telling people to "Turn, or burn" - a reference to the choice of turning one's life over to the control of Jesus; or burning in hell.  It's a message that, today, would probably be considered not to be 'politically correct'.  However, it's the Gospel message that we ignore at our peril!