News Bulletin.

I have made no secret of the fact that, with regard to Covid-19, I am something of a "conspiracy theorist"! I am also what has become known as an "anti-vaxxer". Okay, I reckon that I may have lost a number of friends just by posting those two sentences!

However, I have not made those decisions lightly, and unthinkingly. I have made them because I have gone to the trouble to do some basic research of my own, and not simply swallow all that the politicians, and the mainstream media, have churned out - in the UK; in France; and, it seems, in the rest of the world!

When one checks, for example, the actual number of deaths that are attributable to only Covid-19, then one discovers that they may be less than what is experienced with influenza! I use the word "may" simply because it is difficult to obtain totally accurate figures from any source! Of course, I don't expect anyone to take my word for it! Do your own research. It could be a real eye-opener!

However, in the book of Deuteronomy, in the Tanakh (the Old Testament of the Christian Bible), and in chapter 7 is a far more serious warning that any given out about Covid-19 - and this one is genuine! I would encourage you to read vs 6-16. Overall, that passage is a positive expression of the blessing of YHWH. It expresses His willingness to help those who trust Him. But that's not the whole picture! In v.10 we read: He "requites to their face those who hate Him, by destroying them; He will not be slack with him who hates Him, He will requite him to his face." 

Did you catch that "News Bulletin"? YHWH alerted His chosen people to be 'on the lookout' - not for bad men roaming the streets, but for a good God Who will destroy all those who hate Him!

It's true. A virus, however harmful it may be, is far from the only thing to be feared. Much more fearful is Almighty God! Even although He is merciful, and full of compassion, His awesome holiness makes all other kinds of fear look mild by comparison. 

In Matt. 10:28, we have these recorded words of the Lord Jesus: "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear Him Who can destroy both soul and body in hell." "It is not hell-fire we are to fear, but it is God; without the stroke of Whose justice hell itself would be no punishment, and Whose frown would render heaven itself insupportable." (Adam Clarke's Commentary). This is the God who is described, by the writer of the Letter to Hebrew disciples of Jesus, as "... a consuming fire." (Heb 12:29).

Just before I was about to publish this post, I received an e-mail that included these words:

"The God Who can speak the billions of galaxies into existence with the “breath of His mouth” (Psalm 33:6) is a God Who can cast ungodly men into eternal hell for their defiance and rebellion against “the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:4)."

We may not like to face this sobering truth, but Almighty God will not always be patient with those people who have no love or respect for Him. That, I would suggest, is a "News Bulletin" that we cannot afford to miss - or to ignore!

It's February 13th!

Today has been a special day for me. It's that one that comes around, with unfailing regularity, every year on this date! Yes, today I have been celebrating my birthday. I have been blessed by good wishes from the UK (mostly Scotland!); from France; from Germany; from Canada; from New Zealand; and even from the United Arab Emirates.  Many of the greetings have been from former pupils at Lesmahagow High School - and many of them remembered that this is not my "birthday", but the anniversary thereof! It's always good to know that they remember something of what I taught them - even if it doesn't have anything, directly, to do with the regular lessons!

However, this is the second birthday anniversary that I have celebrated this year - the first one being just a few days ago. Today, I celebrate the anniversary of my physical birth; on February 9th, I celebrated the anniversary of my spiritual birth, when I was "born again" in the terms of the words of the Lord Jesus to a man named Nicodemus, as recorded in the New Testament Scriptures: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." (Jn.3:3).

My physical birth set me off on this journey that we call 'life'. It's a journey - as my former pupils may recall - that has lasted twenty-seven years ... ... ... and a few months (okay, it is now quite a few months!). It's been a varied life in which I have been wonderfully blessed in so many different ways. I was born to parents who loved me, cared for me, and often sacrificed their own comfort for mine. I received an excellent education so that I could read, write, count and, perhaps most importantly, think for myself! I was raised in a God-fearing environment; I was encouraged in all that I tried to do.

Then, I eventually "flew the nest" - but I saw a great deal of the world during my time in the British Merchant Navy. I moved on to tertiary education. I found the most wonderful girl in the world, and she agreed to become my wife. She gave me two beautiful daughters. She has been my faithful companion and friend for decades - encouraging me, caring for me, loving me; and she is still the most important human being in my life.

I have had three full-time careers - and dabbled in so much else from radio broadcasting to legal representation (and I never lost a case!!!).  Yes, my physical life has been varied, interesting, exciting - and has had its mixture of joy and sadness.

So what about my spiritual birth? Well, when I accepted that I am a sinner and unable, in my own strength, to do anything about it; when I accepted that the sacrificial death of Jesus, the Christ, cancelled all of my sin; when I came to Him, in repentance and faith; I became an adopted child of the Creator and Sustainer of all that is. I received that forgiveness that so many seek.

As an adopted child of the living God, I also have eternal life - that is, His own life in me, here and now! I have had a great life as a disciple of Jesus. Oh, I have often let Him down - but He has never let me down! However, the best is yet to come. When I "shuffle off this mortal coil" - either by my physical death, or by my being "... caught up in the clouds ... ... to meet the Lord in the air; ..." (I Thessalonians 4:17), I shall then spend eternity - which is not "endless time", but "timelessness" - in the presence of Almighty God, praising and glorifying "... the Lamb Who was slain from the foundation of the world." (Rev.13:8). And there shall be no "... mourning, nor crying, nor pain ..." (Rev.21:4).

I wonder how many birthday celebrations you have, each year? Each of us has one - but it's the second one that decides our eternal destiny. May you come to Him, "... the author and finisher 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).