The only One.

The story is told of a particular officer in the army of Napoleon Bonaparte, who was completely devoted to the emperor. One day, the officer was mortally wounded in battle. As he lay, dying, he called for Napoleon and, to his credit, the emperor quickly came to where the man was lying. 

The officer thought that someone as great as the emperor, and one to whom he had been so devoted, could somehow save his life. However, all that the emperor could do was shake his head, and leave. The story describes the tragic scene. As the dying man felt the cold, merciless, hand of death drawing him irresistibly to his eternal destiny behind the curtain of the unseen world, he was still heard to cry out: "Save me Napoleon! Save me!" In the hour of his death, the officer discovered that not even Napoleon could rescue him.

The story - which I am unable to confirm, but about which I have no particular doubt - is an analogy of the spiritual. When we seek deliverance from spiritual death, we find that no human being has the power to save - no minister of the Gospel, however faithful; no pastor or priest; not even one of those who may be classed as the great prayer warriors. Only in, and through, Jesus is there salvation for sinful mankind.

Preaching that first great sermon of the Christian era, on the day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter spoke these words: "... 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). Jesus, Himself, said: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me." (Jn.14:6; emphasis added).

Not even the officer's devotion to his emperor was enough - and our best works are, likewise, insufficient. Paul wrote: "... 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; emphasis added).

Have you asked the Lord Jesus to save you? If not, do it now! He always answers those who come to Him, in repentance and faith*, and put their trust in Him. Call on Him. He is the only One Who saves.

*These are two of the words dealt with in my first book; "Great Words of the Faith". Details for ordering it, and the others, in paperback or Kindle e-book formats, at the top of the page. Remember, I receive no financial benefit from the sale of my books. All royalties are sent, directly, to the bank account of Release International, in support of the persecuted church.

Your King needs you!

Among my Facebook contacts are more than 300 of my former pupils - always at their request! I have requests from about another hundred, but either do not recall them at all - or recall them only too well!! A few days ago, one of them posted this picture on his Facebook page:

I freely confess that I have absolutely no idea as to what the picture refers. However, the wording caught my eye,as did the lion's head. I thought of Aslan - C.S.Lewis' feline figure that represents the Lord Jesus, the Lion of Judah, in "The Narnia Chronicles". 

I recall, many years ago, what I think about as "the sticker period". Self-adhesive stickers were very popular, and advertised all kinds of products, pop stars, and belief systems. One popular one among disciples of Jesus stated clearly "You need Christ"! That is still true today. Each one of us, whether or not we are aware of the fact; whether, or not, we accept the fact; whether, or not, we have the slightest interest in Jesus of Nazareth, or even believe in the existence of a Supreme and Supernatural Being to Whom, in the English language, we ascribe the nomenclature "God" - each one of us is a sinner, who needs a Saviour!

However, the obverse is also true - that the Lord Jesus needs us! The old poem sums it up beautifully:

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 tongue 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 sinners' gospel, we are the scoffers' creed.
We are the Lord's last message, given in deed and word,
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 tongues are speaking, of things His lips would  spurn,
How can we hope to help Him, and hasten His return?   (Annie Flint (1862-1932)

It's an amazing thought, is it not? The One "... for Whom and by Whom all things exist, ..." (Heb.2:10), needs you and me, to do His work in the world today! Your King needs you!

One other thing I noticed about the picture. The figure at the front appears to be some form of robot/android - but with a face resembling that of the lion. If you are a disciple of Jesus, you are no robot. He desires that you serve Him freely, and willingly, in love - not by coercion! However, you should be displaying Him before others - they should see His likeness in you!

Have you entered, freely, into His service? Are you truly one of His soldiers? Can He depend on you to be His hands; His feet; His tongue; His help? The precise manner in which you serve will be different from the manner in which I serve - for "... there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one." (I Cor.12:5-6). But all who are willing will be given a task - and the means by which to fulfil it - and, on that day when you stand before His Judgement Seat, you will hear those wonderful words: "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.Come and share your master’s happiness!" (Matt.25:21).

A better place!

It's interesting, is it not, that in our "western" culture and society, with its apparent emphasis on secular humanism and so-called atheism, that there is still a desire to believe that physical death is not the end?   I was looking for something on YouTube last evening and, as usual, had loads of "recommendations" offered to me.  One that caught my eye was a clip of a news bulletin on the day of the death of the much-loved comedian, Ronnie Barker.  I watched most of the clip.  I also read a lot of the comments.  So many were along the lines of "RIP" ("requiescat in pace"; "rest in peace"); "You're in a better place"; "You'll be making the angels laugh"!

I have also seen so many intimations of the death of, e.g. a beloved grandparent whose spouse is already dead.  So many express the thought: "At least you're together again", and similar sentiments.  It would appear that the Preacher knew exactly what he was talking about when he wrote: "... also He has put eternity into man's mind, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." (Eccl 3:11; emphasis added).

What I find interesting is that, first of all, the folk who make these comments are assuming that physical death is not the end - as the Richard Dawkins followers would have us believe. Secondly, it is assumed, it would appear, that the abode of these departed spirits is a "good and pleasant" place in which one may rest peacefully; be with one's previously-departed loved ones; and have generally happy existence!   Of course, on the other hand, there are those of whom it may be said, with considerable conviction, "May (s)he rot in hell"!

So where is this "better place", and may we assume that all of the 'nice' people we know will go there when they "shuffle off this mortal coil"?  Speculation about heaven and hell has been rife for millennia.  But, without going into any specific detail, the Bible makes it quite clear that the former is the eternal abode only of those who have been accounted righteous by Almighty God, Himself - the Creator and Sustainer, of all that has ever existed, currently exists, and ever will exist.   For you and me, in the post-Calvary world, in which we have the opportunity to read the Gospel narratives; to hear the message faithfully preached (but be sure that you listen to those who are true to all of God's Word, and not just the little bits that suit their own message!); to discuss, and share, that message; then the only way in which we may be righteous in God's sight is through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus at Calvary.

Paul, writing to the believers in Rome, said: "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by His blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins; it was to prove at the present time that He Himself is righteous and that He justifies him who has faith in Jesus." (Rom 3:21-26).

So that's the answer - "... faith in Jesus".  It's accepting that I am a sinner (and no human being knows that better than I!); that I am unable to either make appropriate amends for my past sins, or to stop myself from sinning; that Father God has done what was required by coming, in the Persona (not a typo!) of the Son and, on the cross of Calvary, taking upon Himself the punishment that I deserve.  Then, having accepted all of that, I respond with the genuine love of my own heart, to this amazing Saviour.  I place my trust in Him for the future, whatever it may hold.  I seek to live the rest of my life as pleases Him.  I claim His sacrifice for myself; I claim the promise/assurance that "... the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7; emphasis added).  The result is that I am justified in His sight - that just means that He treats me "just as if I'd" never sinned!

Do you want to go to a better place when you shuffle off this mortal coil?  There is only one way - Jesus.  I commend Him to you.

The Ten Words (2.2)

In the post before the last one,I made some comments on the 2nd Commandment: "You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love Me and keep My commandments." (Ex 20:4-6).

The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed that I actually commented only on the first part of that Commandment.  So what has the second part got to say to us, today?  It reads: "for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love Me and keep My commandments."

The first thing that we must notice is the word 'jealous'.  This does not mean that Almighty God is envious of anything, and certainly not of man-made images.  It's a word that expresses, in context, God's deep love for His chosen people.  It doesn't refer as much to an emotion, as to an activity - in this case a zealous activity that "springs from he rupture of a personal bond as exclusive as that of the marriage bond." (Alan Cole).  This phrase is a reminder that God desires, and expects, the exclusive love of His people.

The other phrase that causes difficulty for some people is the one about "... visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate Me, ..."  However, this is merely the usual Semitic manner of expressing continuity.  It is not saying that God punishes my children, grandchildren, etc for my sins.  It is making the point that sin has long-term consequences.  It is a reminder that children suffer because of what their parents, and even earlier generations, have done.  To take a simple example, if a young woman is addicted to hard drugs, and becomes pregnant, then her unborn child may be born with the same addiction.  If that child is a girl, she too may become pregnant, and her child may be born with the same addiction.  

However, we must also note that this is applied only to "... those who hate Me ..." - in other words, those who refuse to live their lives in accordance with His will; those who 'bow down', and 'serve', idols. 

The other side of all of that is the assurance that, while God will punish those who fail to conform to His will; and while such failure will have long-lasting consequences; those who seek to keep His commandments will know His 'steadfast love'. 

So, this commandment reminds us, also, that we have responsibilities - and that God is the Judge of all the earth.   That judgement, of course, is already over for all who have placed their trust in the Lord Jesus, the Christ - recognising, and confessing, their own sinfulness, and depending solely upon His perfect sacrifice for their salvation.  I trust that all who read this blog are in that company!

Of dogs and men.

Let me make it perfectly clear - I am a dog-lover.  Let me also make it perfectly clear that I abhor the, apparently deliberate, fire that caused the deaths of so many of our canine friends in the Manchester Dogs' Home.

However (you were expecting that, weren't you?!), along with many others, I am at  a loss to understand how it is that such an event should spawn so many fund-raising ventures - from a sponsored dog walk, to simple appeals for cash - and raise more than £1million in a matter of days. That, of course, excludes the value of the tons of dog food that have been donated.

So what is the problem?  Let me mention only two, of many, causes that are not as well supported. The first concerns soldiers.  "Help for Heroes" has done a tremendous job in providing assistance for members of the military who have received serious injuries (some, extremely serious!) in the line of duty.  I am, of course, open to correction, but I don't believe that donations have ever flooded in at the sort of rate we have seen in Manchester!  The other cause I will mention is the "Pro-life" one.  If you read the series that I posted, last month, on abortion, you must surely realise that that procedure is nothing other than murder.  What has been conceived, and is growing (the ultimate sign of life!), is a human being, albeit at an early stage in its development.  The deliberate extinguishing of that life, for whatever reason, and at whatever stage, is murder - plainly and simply.

It would appear that many people consider the life of a dog to be of more importance than the life and well-being of a human being!  Yet it was only man that the Creator made in His own image.  It was only into man that He breathed His own spirit.  It was for sinful men, and women, and children, that the Lord Jesus, the second Persona (see my book: details at top) of the Godhead hung on a Roman cross, and shed His precious blood.  It is only man who is aware of sin, and to whom salvation is offered - fully, and freely.

By all means, let us care for our animal friends.  But let us also remember that, in spite of the lies spun by secular humanists, we are not animals.  We are a distinct and special creation.  Let us show even more support for human life, than we do for dogs.  "A dog is not just for Christmas", the car sticker proclaims.  Human life, we might add, is not just for time.  We have an eternity awaiting us - and only those who have accepted the sacrifice that Jesus made, on their behalf, and who are trusting in Him for this life and all that it may hold, are assured that they will spend that eternal day in His presence.  Please be sure that you are among that number.

If I may be of any assistance, please use the e-mail address at the top to contact me - or go to the link "Do you need God" near to the bottom of the page.  The one above it may also be useful.

So who was there?!

This afternoon, my dear wife and I participated in the first of a series of English-language worship services, planned for this summer, in the France Mission Fellowship in Loches.  Posters had been placed around the town, and leaflets placed under the windscreen wipers of cars with UK number plates (and Dutch and German ones, as well!).  There were six of us, altogether!

What a great disappointment, some might conclude.  All of that effort in preparation, and all of that travel, for four other people.  Not at all!  

I recall, when in the British Merchant Navy, that I always attended the "Divine Service" that was held in the First Class ballroom every Sunday when we were at sea.  It was never an uplifting experience, but was a witness to my shipmates.  However, if we were in port on a Sunday, this service was cancelled, and I made a point of attending a worship service ashore.

On one occasion, we were in the Australian port-city of Melbourne (there's a lot more to it than Ramsay Street!).  The nearest place of worship was the local Anglican church but, although I wasn't yet aware of the idea of ecumenism, I knew that I could worship with others who shared my faith in the sole sufficiency of the blood of the Christ for salvation, and in His resurrection life.  I went along - and increased the number of folk at the service by 50% (and that included the vicar!).

I hadn't been to an Anglican worship service before, so was paying particular attention as we went through the prescribed order of service.  It was as the vicar led up to communion, that I received a wonderful insight.  He spoke the words: "With angels, and archangels, and all the host of heaven, we laud and magnify Thy holy Name."

I looked around, and suddenly realised that the building was packed out!  Oh, I could still see only two other human beings.  But I realised that, all around us, were angels, and archangels, and all the host of heaven!  What a congregation!

We may have been twice as many at that service this afternoon, in Loches.  But what was exciting was that that much smaller building was likewise packed - packed with angels, and archangels, and all the host of heaven!

Sometimes, preachers - and other church-goers - are a bit downcast if the numbers in attendance at any worship service don't match up to expectations.  Don't be down-heartened! Like Elisha's servant (II Kings 6), you only need your eyes to be opened to the supernatural, to realise that, if you are truly there to worship father God, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, through the power of God the Holy Spirit, then you are joined by angels, and archangels, and all the host of heaven.  If that doesn't inspire you, I don't know what will!