Two certainties.

In  “The Cobbler of Preston” (Christopher Bullock; 1716) appears the line, “Tis impossible to be sure of any thing but Death and Taxes.”, and the sentiment has been echoed on a number of occasions, by a number of well-known people.

However, I would suggest that there are two other certainties, referred to by the prophet Hosea, in the book that bears his name. He writes, concerning YHWH "... He has torn, that He may heal us; He has stricken, and He will bind us up." (Hos 6:1).

I know that Almighty God punishes those who deliberately break His laws - those who are sinners in His sight. And that, as I stated on Wednesday, included my friend; it includes me; and it includes every person who has ever lived - with the solitary exception of the Lord Jesus. "... all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ..." (Rom 3:23) writes Paul - and that "all" includes you and me.

However, I also know that Almighty God forgives those who repent, and turn to Him, through the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus at Calvary. These are two certainties that I have sought to preach, clearly and distinctly, throughout my pastoral ministry.

On Wednesday of the past week, I conducted the funeral service for an English friend who, with his wife, had been living in France for some seven years. A brother in the Lord; John had been suffering from cancer for many months but, on the previous Thursday, his mortal body had succumbed. His widow asked that I would conduct the service because, to use her own words: "We sing from the same hymn-sheet"! She knew that I would bring the Gospel message into whatever I said at the funeral. And I did!

I commenced the message by possibly shocking some of those present with the announcement that John was not dead! What was in that coffin was the mortal body that he had been given and that he used for almost 80 years. The man that we knew – some of us better, and for longer, than others – was not there.  He was, and is, with Jesus! How could I be certain? Simply because at 45 years of age, John recognised that he was a sinner! That's the first certainty.

John had a 'church background'; He believed in the existence of God. He knew about Jesus. But, as he shared when he gave his own testimony, he didn’t have a personal relationship with the Saviour. However, in middle age, he discovered that the very God against Whom he sinned, loved him so much that He had already done something about the situation! In the Persona of the Son, Almighty God took upon Himself human flesh – that very flesh that He had created – and came to live among mankind. He lived a quiet, unassuming, hard-working, life for about 30 years but then became a wandering Teacher and, eventually, as we shall shortly be recalling at Pâques (Resurrection Day), was crucified, and buried in a borrowed tomb.

John confessed his sins, and his sinfulness; he acknowledged that he could never do anything about them; he accepted that, at Calvary, the Son paid the penalty that he deserved to pay; he was born anew of God the Holy Spirit; he became a true son of Almighty God – joint-heir with the Lord Jesus, the Christ; he moved from death to life – a life that continues even although his mortal body has reached the end.

One of John's favourite Bible verses is found in John’s account of the Gospel, in 14:6. It reads « Jesus said …, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.” » There is only one way – and that is through the Lord Jesus. Anything else is counterfeit. I cannot earn my salvation; I cannot buy my salvation; I do not deserve my salvation. It is, as Paul wrote to the Ephesian believers “… the gift of God …” (2:8).

Two certainties: As surely as the sun rises in the morning, the judgement of Almighty God will come. But His mercy is just as certain for those who turn from their sin, to the new life in the Lord Jesus.

May all who read this post find that new life for themselves.

The Romans' Road, Part 2

In yesterday's post, I introduced the Romans' Road - a 'map' that uses Paul's great Letter to the early disciples of Jesus, in the city of Rome, to set out a path, or road, to full salvation.

In that post, we had looked at the need to believe that Almighty God exists; the need to realise that you and I are sinners who need forgiveness; and the need to accept that Father God, out of His great love for us, has demonstrated that love by providing the potential for a new life, in Him, through the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus, the Christ - Almighty God in the very human flesh that He had created.

However, as we move on to step 4, we need to realise that knowledge without action is of no use at all! If we remain sinners, we will die both physically (as is the lot of everyone until the rapture of the saints) and spiritually. However, if we repent of our sins, and accept the Lord Jesus as our Saviour and Lord, we shall have, here and now, eternal life - that is, the very life of Almighty God in us! 

So Paul writes: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 6:23). Centuries before, the Jewish prophet Isaiah had written these inspired words: "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or His ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you so that He does not hear." (Isa 59:1-2). This is an Old Testament call to repentance! 

Perhaps the best-know words from the New Testament - John 3:16 - go further than those specific words: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 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." (John 3:16-18). Please note the high-lighted words. That word "have" is in the present tense. That means, as I have indicated above, that the new life in Jesus is not just something for after our physical death. It's something that we experience, and enjoy, here and now! And notice the phrase that is highlighted. Again, the tense is the present. When I believe (and the Greek word could be translated "have faith in" or "put my trust in") the Lord Jesus, I am no longer under Gods' condemnation! What an offer! And it is free to all who come to Jesus, in simple faith; confessing, and repenting of, their sin; and asking for His salvation!  

Step 5 is simple to understand - but not always easy to do! Paul writes: "... if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved." (Rom 10:9-11). Oh, and ladies - "man" is used here generically, so you are fully included! Paul further writes, to the disciples of Jesus in Ephesus: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God - not because of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph 2:8-9). This is a reminder that we bring nothing to our salvation - except the sin, and sinfulness, from which we need to be saved. All is of Him - His love; His grace.

That leads us on to Step 6. There are no special rituals; there is no "magic formula"; "... there is no distinction ...; the same Lord is Lord of all and bestows His riches upon all who call upon Him. For, 'every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved'." (Rom 10:12-13). 

The final step encourages you to determine, in your own heart, to make Jesus, the Christ, Lord of your life - today! "I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Rom 12:1-2).

The "Romans' Road" shows you the pathway. Are you ready to set out on that path? If you have decided to receive Jesus as your personal Saviour, and Lord, then may I welcome you to the biggest, and most wonderful, family in the world?! May I also encourage you to follow up on your commitment, and grow closer to Him by:

• telling someone else about your new faith, and life, in Jesus;
• being baptised, on your own confession of faith, as commanded in the Scriptures;
• spending time with God, each day, by reading His Word, and praying to Him. This doesn't need to be a long time, at the beginning, although as you are drawn ever closer to Him, you will discover that you want to spend more time in His presence!;
• seeking fellowship with other genuine disciples of Jesus. This is often done, most easily by
• finding a local group of believers, who accept the Bible as God's Word, and who seek to live by its teaching, in the power of God the Holy Spirit. I would be happy to help you find such a group in your area. Sadly, just as not every person who claims to be a "Christian" is a genuine disciple of Jesus, so not every group that refers to itself as "church" is Christ-, and Bible-centred!

It's a wonderful life, That I have been travelling for, now, more than sixty years. I have not been Jesus' best disciple - but that's why I am so glad that my salvation depends, not on anything that I may have achieved, but solely, and completely, on His finished work on the cross of Calvary. 

Hallelujah! Thank You, Jesus.

Encounter with Jesus.

The next (third) volume in my "Getting to know you ..." series of books, is expected to be on great prayers that are recorded in the written Word of God, the Bible.   However, I also hope, at some stage, to publish a volume with the same title as the above - dealing with some of the people who met the Lord Jesus when He walked this Earth, and based on a lesson series that I used with S2 (c.13 years old) pupils in Lesmahagow High School when I taught there for about twenty years!

One of the themes that I would expect to develop in that book, is the necessity of having a life-giving encounter with Jesus.  It is the only encounter which, if treated as He would desire, brings assurance of real life in the here and now, and of even 'more real' life in the hereafter!

The story is told of a young man who worked on a farm.  This was in the days when he was expected to "live-in" during the week, but was allowed to go home on Saturday evening in order that he might spend Sunday with his family.

One Saturday, he had to attend to a lot of extra work, and it was quite late before he could set off for his parental home - some five miles away, along an unlighted, country, road.  At first, he was quite content, stepping it out, and whistling to himself.  However, as the lights of the farm faded behind him, and as no others took their place, he became less happy.  For a time, "Fear" became his companion as he looked this way, and that, imagining all sorts of shapes lurking in the shadows.

Suddenly, out of the inky darkness ahead came a loud , clear, voice: "Is that you, Johnny?"  It was his father, coming to meet him, and to guide him safely home.  No longer was he afraid, for his father was with him!

How wonderful it is to be in God's family - to be one of those who have been, in Jesus' own words, "born again"; who have received new life in Him.  Members of that family have the assurance that, no matter how dark the hour, the Father is waiting to see us through.  Each of us may say, with Jesus, "... I am not alone , for the Father is with me." (John 16:32).   Even when we come to the darkness of "... the valley of the shadow of death ...", we need "... fear no evil ..."(see Psalm 23), for He is with us to guide us safely home.

Another wonder is that even if we have not yet accepted His offer of salvation, in Jesus, we may still turn to Him and be assured that He will meet us on the road; that we may have an encounter with Jesus that will bring us into the family.  Have you done that?  Will you do that?!  You'll never regret it if you do!

Philip's egg.

At Café Church, Bergerac, today, my good friend Brian L mentioned that he had read the post that referred to the eggciting Resurrection Day worship service in Dalziel-St.Andrew's, Motherwell, in which the eggcellent minister used some plastic eggs, in an eggsuberantly eggspert fashion, to get the full story of the Day across to the children.

He had intended sharing the following true story at Café Church, but there was so much to be included that he decided that there was insufficient time.  He asked if I would like to share it on my blog, and I am more than happy to do so.  Have a tissue handy!

"He was 9 - in a Sunday-school class of 8-year-olds.  Eight-year-olds can be cruel.

These children did not welcome Philip into their group.  Not just because he was older.  He was 'different'.  He suffered from Downs Syndrome and its obvious manifestations: facial characteristics; slow responses; symptoms of retardation.

One Sunday, after Easter, the Sunday-school teacher led the children in an activity using plastic eggs - the kind that pull apart in the middle.  The Sunday-school teacher gave one of these eggs to each child.

On that beautiful Spring day, each child was to go outdoors and discover, for themselves, some symbol of 'new life', and place that symbolic seed, or leaf, or whatever, inside their egg.

The youngsters gathered round on the appointed day, and placed their eggs on the table, and the teacher began to open them.  One child had found a flower.  All of the children 'oohed' and 'aahed' at the lovely symbol of new life.  In another was a butterfly.  'Beautiful', the girls said - and it's not easy for an 8-year-old to say 'Beautiful'!

Another egg was opened to reveal a stone.  Some of the children laughed.  'That's crazy!', one said.  'How's a stone supposed to be like a new life?'  Immediately, a little boy spoke up.  'That's mine.  I knew that everybody would get flowers, and leaves, and butterflies, and all that stuff, so I got a stone to be different!' Everybody laughed.

The teacher opened the last egg, and there was nothing inside.  'That's not fair', someone said.  'That's stupid', said another.  The teacher felt a tug on his shirt.  It was Philip.  Looking up, he said, 'It's mine.  I did do it.  It's empty.  I have new life because the tomb is empty.'

The class fell silent.

From that day on, Philip became part of the group.  They welcomed him.  Whatever had made him 'different' was never mentioned again.

Philip's family had known that he would not live a long life; just too many things were wrong with his tiny body.  That summer, overcome with infection, Philip died.

On the day of his funeral service, nine 8-year-old boys and girls confronted the reality of death, and marched up to the front of the church building - but not with flowers.

Nine children, with their Sunday-school teacher, placed on the coffin of their friend their gift of love - an empty egg."

Jesus is risen; the stone is rolled away; the tomb is empty.  And because He lives, so do all who have placed their trust, unreservedly, in Him.  Hallelujah!

Life a guddle?

The etymology of the word 'guddle' is unknown to me.  However, I am all too aware of its meaning!  Frequently, I find myself in a guddle and, as my wife would readily confirm, my study is in a state of perpetual guddle.

The word means 'confusion', 'mess', 'chaotic'.  However, in my opinion, 'guddle' is a much more expressive word that nay of those (or any other synonym!).

Of course, the real guddle for many is life itself.  They find themselves in a state of permanent confusion - unsure of what they're doing; uncertain of where they're going; sometimes unclear as to what they've really achieved in life.  Some, sadly, turn to drugs (legal or illegal) in a vain attempt to get out of the mess they're in.  Others get caught up in gambling.  Some even take their own lives.

The saddest thing of all is that there is an answer.  It's a completely new start; a clean slate; a fresh beginning.  It's available to all who truly want it.   It costs nothing to receive, because the price has already been paid.  However, when one takes that step, and begins that new life, the cost is everything!

I refer, of course, to the salvation that is available to all of those who come to Father God, confessing their sins and their sinfulness, claiming the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus as the payment for those very sins, and yielding themselves to His Kingship in their lives.  It's seldom an easy life, but it's one in which He takes the guddle, and exchanges it for His peace and Presence. 

That's an offer that is well worth considering!