Guidance - Pt. 3

Already, in this little series, we have recognised the need for guidance in our lives, and we have looked at some of the promises of guidance found in the Word of God, the Bible. I have sought to make clear that such guidance is, primarily, for those who seek to follow the will of God in their lives - but that even those who are "unbelievers" are often guided by Him, to bring about His will, even if they are not aware of the fact!

In this post, I want to look at some of the means by which this guidance is received. In what form does it come to me? The simple answer to that question is that it comes in many and various forms. It may be, for example, that guidance comes through circumstances.

I recall reading of a man who, as a boy, had wanted to be a soldier, following in the footsteps of his father, his grandfather, and his three older brothers. Nothing unusual in that, we might think! However, when the time came for him to receive a commission, "circumstances" led him to decline it. He died when only 37 years of age and, among his papers, was found this jotting: "If I had not met a certain person, I should not have changed my profession; if I had not known a certain lady, I should probably not have met this person; if that lady had not had a delicate daughter who was disturbed by the barking of my dog; if my dog had not barked that night; I should now have been in the dragoons, or fertilising the soil in India. Who can say that these things were not ordered?" And for those who would claim that it was just a series of "coincidences", may I add that, to the true follower of the Lord, that word is better spelled "God-incidents"?! Guidance through circumstances. 

But guidance may also come through reason - or, a better description might be "common sense" (although as my afternoon Sunday-school teacher used to say: "The problem with 'common sense' is that it isn't very common!").  When I was a young student at Bible College in Glasgow, there were one or two dear souls who took "guidance" to an extreme. They would seek God's guidance as to which pair of socks they should wear; as to whether they should have porridge or cornflakes for breakfast; as to whether they should go swimming, or play football, on our recreation afternoon!

Now it may well be that the majority of were wrong - but I honestly couldn't see that such decisions required divine guidance! Not that I thought, or think, that my heavenly Father isn't interested in such matters, but because I believe that if He had intended for me to go to Him over such comparative trivia, he wouldn't have given me a thinking, reasoning mind in the first place! Nine times out of ten, my decision on socks was dependant on which pair were clean, and didn't require darning; my choice of sport depended on my personal ability - or lack thereof!; my menu was dictated by personal taste and enjoyment.

Of course, reason may also be employed in another sense. I may weigh up the pros and cons of a certain course of action, and find that God is guiding me simply by making one proposition more "reasonable" than another.  

Circumstances; reason, or common-sense; and, tied in with the latter there is conscience - that still. small voice that speaks to my innermost being; that pricking of the mind that leads me to have, and know, an inner conviction that such and such a course of action is right - or wrong! Conscience, which is, I believe, for the true disciple of Jesus, the very prompting of God the Holy Spirit. As one friend of many years ago used to advise: "Follow your peace." If I have an inner peace about something, then there is a strong likelihood that it is right - and the opposite is equally true.

These three means of guidance may, of course, be experienced by the unbeliever just as much as by the follower of the Lord Jesus. However, there are three other means of guidance that are available only to His disciples. That is what, God willing, we shall look at next time.

Until then! 😄

Death.

Some weeks ago, I conducted the funeral service for an English friend who had lived in the neighbouring department of Lot & Garonne, and who had died after a battle with cancer. He was a disciple of Jesus, and that simple fact made it so much easier to deal with the situation, as I was able to easily bring the Gospel message into the service - to the great pleasure of his widow! 

However, I do wish that I had received the following before that funeral. I would have quoted it, verbatim, as I now share it in print. 

« Blessed are the dead. 

"And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord henceforth.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labours, for their deeds follow them!" (Rev.14:13).

This promise applies specifically to those recent believers who will suffer martyrdom during the last half of the awful tribulation period (“henceforth,” in context). But dealing as it does with the state of the believing dead, in principle, it surely likewise applies to all who die “in the Lord.”

How are they blessed? In numerous ways, according to this verse.

First, they are blessed in that they “rest from their labours.” In this life we earn our physical sustenance by “the sweat of [our] face” (Genesis 3:19). Here we must work hard to train our minds (Ecclesiastes 12:12). Now we constantly battle our inward, fallen nature: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24). Even as we attempt to serve our fellow man, our efforts are spurned and rejected. Not so for the dead! There all these labours will cease, and joyous, eternal service to the Lamb will commence (Revelation 22:3).

Secondly, they are blessed in that their labours continue to bear fruit even after they have gone. Perhaps even a previous word, or act of testimony, will be the eventual tool God uses to bring someone to Himself, and the reward will be properly distributed. No act done to the glory of God will pass unnoticed.

 

Thirdly, what a blessing to know that this state is promised by the very Spirit of God Himself. One’s worth at death is not measured by the content and sincerity of the opinions of friends at his funeral.

This doctrine should produce both great courage for the Christian and great comfort for the bereaved. »

Having prepared the above earlier in the week, I also received, today, notification of the death, in Scotland, of the father of David Robertson – whom I often quote, and who currently lives in Australia, so was unable to visit his dying father, and will be unable to attend the funeral service. I had known my English friend for about 8 years; Mr Robertson, Sen. I never met. However, I would like to think that my children could speak/write of me as David described his dad: “He was a humble, hardworking, faithful man who struggled with assurance, self-doubt and yet never let that get in the way of serving the Lord he loved, looking after his family, and earning the respect of all through hard graft, generosity, and dutiful service.  He was a good dad to me.”

Another comment by David reminded me of a man who had a profound influence on my young Christian life – Billy Grant. He died from cancer of the bowel many years ago, while still a relatively young man. I was able to visit him at home shortly before he died. Before leaving, I prayed with him, and his wife Sally (whose funeral service takes place tomorrow – is all of this “coincidence?!). I was thanked by them both for not having prayed that Billy would be necessarily healed, but that he would know the deep peace of Father God whatever happened in the following weeks. David writes, concerning his wife: “Annabel (who is such a strength to me in these times), prayed last Lord’s Day asking that my dad would know peace as he passed through death into the New Life.” I think, too, of a brother in the Lord who was a member of a Baptist Fellowship to which I belonged at the time. He, too, had terminal cancer. One day, while praying for him during my personal devotions, I sensed that I should visit him, and anoint him with oil, in the name of the Lord Jesus. I did so and, although he died shortly afterwards, his widow assured me that his final days were unexpectedly peaceful.

This morning, I was preaching on the topic of being “in Christ”. Those who are need not fear physical death. They will know His peace, and will be welcomed into His presence, to dwell with Him throughout eternity. The world can offer nothing like that!

Kindness - it's a characteristic of love.

In the home of the Roman centurion, Cornelius, Peter shared about the Lord Jesus. One of the things that he said about Him was that "... He went about doing good ..." (Acts 10:38). Jesus was, in fact, kindness and goodness personified, for He was full of God the Holy Spirit. When the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, we too will want "... to walk in the same way in which He walked." (1 John 2:6), and spend our lives ministering to others.

Let's face it - everyone can perform some deed of kindness each day. A pleasant greeting; an expression of sympathy; a visit to a shut-in person (perhaps with a couple of cakes to go with a cup of  coffee!); even a good book passed on to gladden another's heart. A lunch shared; an errand done; a word of affection, or encouragement. These are the kinds of things that are within the power of almost everyone. Larger opportunities may not come our way, but those smaller ones are almost always to hand.

I read, recently, of an Arab who was chauffeur for a lady travelling in the Holy Land. Noticing an obviously Jewish driver experiencing difficulties with his car, and having received permission from his employer, he stopped to offer assistance. It didn't take him too many minutes to realise that he didn't have the parts necessary to get the other car moving again, so, having once more sought permission, he invited the Jewish man to ride in the front with him so that he could take him into the city where he could get further help. 

After he left the Jew at a garage, the lady expressed her surprise at the kind treatment the driver had given one who, she had supposed, was his enemy! "I didn't know that Arabs were so friendly with Jews!", she remarked. The chauffeur's reply was accompanied with a joyous smile. "Things like that don't make any difference to me since I've been converted! The Lord Jesus wants us to treat everyone as we would wish to be treated."

Now I appreciate that one does not require to be a disciple of Jesus in order to be kind. However, those of us who have become identified with Him should be so filled with His grace that we constantly overflow with compassion and consideration for others. Writing to his fellow-believers in the Galatian churches, the apostle Paul declared that: "... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;" (Gal 5:22-23). I have long contended that, if the apostle had been writing using modern punctuation marks (which he did not!), there would be a colon (:) after the word "love". You see, the word "fruit"is singular, meaning that there is only one "fruit of the Spirit". The other characteristics, I suggest, are ways by which that love is expressed! You may have noticed that one of them is "kindness"!

Will you seek to express love by acts of kindness, today? Will you? 

Such a little way to go!

The knowledge that circumstances are only temporary can be very helpful. This is illustrated by the story of a girl - we'll call her Mary - who told of the exasperating time she had experienced on a bus. "A big lady came and sat next to me," she said, "taking up so much room that she forced me right against the side of the bus. To make things worse, the parcels she was carrying kept bumping me in the face, and I had to keep dodging them!" Her young brother asked a not unreasonable question: "Why didn't you tell her to move over? After all, you were there first!" Mary replied, with a wisdom beyond her years: "I didn't think that it was worthwhile. After all, we had such a little way to go together!"

The psalmist-king of Israel, David, was very conscious of that same truth when he offered the prayer recorded in I Chronicles 29.  By this time, he was about 70 years of age - something to which I can all-too-readily relate! - and had many memories of successes - and of failures; of joys - and of sorrows. But, as he prayed, he expressed his deep impression of the very brevity of life: "We are only strangers traveling through this world like our ancestors. Our time on earth is like a passing shadow, and we cannot stop it." (v.15; ERV). I am sure that, if that famous figure of old; that man described by God, in spite of all of his failures, as "... a man after My own heart;" (Acts 13:22), could have lived some segments of his life over again, he would have made different decisions, and conducted himself differently! He would have been more pure; more forgiving; more godly; less concerned with worldly achievements; with sensual pleasures; with the petty trivialities over which people quarrel. 

It was reported, today, in a newspapers, that "SCIENTISTS believe man is on the brink of having an average lifespan of 120 years after major medical breakthroughs." (Daily Express). However, even that is but a moment in comparison with eternity! We should, therefore, place the highest value on spiritual realities. My current "computer wallpaper" reminds me of "... the fruit of the Spirit ..." - "... love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;" (Gal.5:22). These are the attributes that we should seek to cultivate in our relationships with others. Remember, we have such a little way to go together!

I also received the following in a regular e-mail, today: "“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried.” (Luke 16:22)

Many scholars believe that the episode reported in Luke 16:19-31 actually happened, that it is a true story. If it is a parable, it is not identified as such, and it is the only one in which the name of a participant is given. Christ related the story as if it were true. But whether history or parable, we can learn much from the contrast between these two dramatically different men, their deaths and destinies.

The rich man, of course, surrounded himself with luxury (v. 19) while Lazarus struggled each day just to survive until the next poverty-filled and pain-wracked day (vv. 20-21).

No one can escape the grave, however, and in the passage of time, both died. But, rather than reducing those two different individuals to the commonality of death, their differences actually are heightened. The rich man, “being in torment” (v. 23), was aware of the comfort of Lazarus in “Abraham’s bosom” (v. 22). The interchange between the rich man and Abraham, and the timeless instruction Christ gave, are well known.

Note also the contrast between “carried” and “buried” in our text. The beggar’s body was no doubt unceremoniously dumped into a pauper’s grave, while the rich man’s corpse was placed in a costly sepulchre and his funeral attended by many friends and mourners. But look beyond the earthly spectrum. While the rich man begs for mercy and relief from torment, the poor man’s eternal spirit is “carried” (literally “carried off” or “borne away”) by a convoy of angelic beings into the presence of God, where “now he is comforted” (v. 25). For Lazarus, and indeed for all who die in the Lord, “death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54)."

Time, someone has said, is too precious to be spent; it must be well invested! How are you investing your time - today?!

A near miss is as bad as a mile!

I was reading, the other day, about a game that, apparently, used to be played by children in England - in the days before iPads, and X-boxes, and multi-channel television!  The game, I read, was named "Saints and Sinners" - a name that, understandably, caught my attention!

The way in which the game was played was that a metal hoop was erected at a measured distance, and the children were given a bow, and ten arrows each.  The objective was to shoot all ten of your arrows through the hoop.  If anyone achieved that goal, and shot all ten arrows through, then that child was proclaimed a saint.  However, if a child missed just one arrow, that child was named as a sinner.  Of course, if a child missed with all ten arrows, (s)he was still designated a sinner!  That child was no greater a 'sinner' than the one who missed with just one arrow!  That was the rule of the game.

One of several words that is translated "sin" in the New Testament, is the Greek word "hamartia" (for others, see chap.4 in my book "Great Words of the Faith").  This word speaks of a 'falling short'; 'missing the mark'; 'going off the straight'; or 'going too far'.  It’s a word that comes from the world of sport.  In archery, the sport in which it was first used, there is a bull's-eye for which the archer aims.  Now, if my arrow hits the bull, or the mark, I gain the prize; but, if it misses the mark, whether by only a fraction of an inch, or by a couple of feet, then I don’t get anything!  And if it falls short of the target, or overshoots it, whether by six inches, or six yards, I am still not awarded the prize.

Sin is not only a breaking of God's Law; it is also a failure to attain the standard of perfection that the Law demands.  It may also be likened to a chain.   Even if only one link is broken, the effectiveness of the chain is ruined.  The Law demands continuous, uninterrupted, obedience.  If we fail to live up to that standard for only one minute, we become guilty sinners before God!   We do not need to commit murder, or adultery, or theft, or deceit to be unfit for heaven.  If we break even one of God's laws, then we are sinners in His sight.  That's why Paul could say, without hesitation, that "... all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ..." (Rom 3:23).  To deviate from the way of perfection by one nanometre is to 'miss the target', and come short of God's standard.

In just a couple of weeks, people all over the world will be celebrating the birth of a very special Baby in the Judaean town of Bethlehem.  That baby grew to be the man, Christ Jesus.  He never "missed the mark", but kept God's Law perfectly.  He is the "... One Who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." (Heb 4:15).  All others have sinned, and 'come short'; so all of us need Him as our Saviour.

One of my favourite Christian songs is now a 'Golden Oldie'!  Its the hymn "When peace, like a river,...".  My favourite verse reads: 

"My sin - O the bliss of this glorious thought - 

my sin, not in part, but the whole 

is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more: 

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul." (Horatio G Spafford; 1828-88)

Whoever you are, you are a sinner because of your failure; but you can become a saint by His victory! 

The Ten Words (6)

The sixth of the Ten Words/Commandments is one of the shortest.  It reads, quite simply: "You shall not kill." (Ex 20:13).  However, it might be, more accurately, translated - as is the case in some of the more modern versions - "You shall not commit murder."  In other words, this commandment has to do with the deliberate, and malicious, taking of the life of another human being.

Life, of course, is a gift from God.  This is why we speak of the process of conceiving children as "procreation" - from the Latin pro =  "in place of, on behalf of" (proconsul, pronoun) + creare  = "to make, bring forth, produce, beget".   In the act of sexual intercourse, a man and a woman are working with Almighty God in the bringing into being of a new human life.  Because life is a gift from God, only He may legitimately take it away.

Of course, this does not include a situation of self-defence; defence of the realm; or the judicial execution of the death penalty.  Indeed, Ex.21:12ff expressly states that there are occasions on which a man must die!   Even before the giving of the Decalogue, we read that God said to Noah that "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed ; for God made man in His own image." (Gen 9:6).

This is also one of the commandments specifically referred to by the Lord Jesus.  In that collection of His teaching that we know as The Sermon on the Mount, He says: "You have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire." (Matt 5:21-22).  In other words, although I may be able to say that I have never been responsible for the deliberate taking of the life of a fellow human being, that is not enough.   I would need to be able to claim, with absolute honesty, that I have never (as in 'not ever'!) been angry with anyone!   From a personal point of view, having spent a total of 25 years teaching Secondary School pupils (aged 11-18) I have to confess that, in Jesus' terms, I was a serial killer!

So, where does that leave us?   Well, we are also exhorted, in the New Testament: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Rom 12:21).  Writing to the Galatian believers, Paul says: "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." (Gal 6:2).     Jesus, again in the Sermon on the Mount, says: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." (Matt 5:9); and "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ..." (Matt 5:43-44).

What that would seem to suggest is that Father God wants us to go far beyond not committing murder.  He wants us to actively treat even those who choose to hate us as respectfully as possible, and do all within our power to live in peace and harmony with them.  "Strive for peace with all men , and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." (Heb 12:14).

To accomplish this we must respect this wonderful gift of the precious possession of human life.

Shalom.

This evening, at Café Church (now known as Café Christian Fellowship), Bergerac, I had the privilege of bringing the message.  It was based on John 20:19-31, and was titled Being a Peacemaker.  We looked at the wonderful Hebrew word, 'shalom', which is translated 'peace' in English-language translations.  The Greek word in the passage that we read is 'eirene' - but that word is translated by 'shalom' in the Greek-language version of the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament).

Okay, so that's the linguistic introduction!  'Shalom' is, however, much more than 'peace' in the sense of 'absence of hostility.  It is, in fact, the peace of Almighty God - an absolute, and total, contentment - and it's available to you, and to me!  It's a personal peace.

However, it is also a relational peace.  I quoted Charlie Brown (from the Snoopy cartoon strips) this evening.  In one particular strip, he said: "I love this beautiful world that God has made.  It's just the people I can't stand!"  I also quoted the older 'jingle': "To be above with saints we love, will be the purest glory.  To be below with saints we know - well, that's a different story"!   Most of us live in some sort of community or other, and it's important that we develop a strategy to cope with this togetherness.  At least part of that strategy is given by the Lord Jesus in the passage.  It's to do with forgiveness!  Is it easy?  Absolutely not!  But if we are partakers of the 'shalom' of God, that will make it easier!   If we are at peace with ourselves, we can be at peace with others, and we can gladly forgive.

The third aspect of 'shalom' is the eternal one, as we find ourselves at peace with God.  That, after all, is the most crucial objective of the coming of the Lord Jesus into the time-space continuum in which we live out our mortal lives.  Paul wrote: "... if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  All this is from God, Who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them..  And He has committed to us, the message of reconciliation." (II Cor.5:17-19).  Indeed, it is out of His forgiveness of us, that we are called to forgive those around us!

Jesus said: "Blessed (and the word means 'Happy'!) are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the sons of God."(Matt.5:9).  But I can't be a peacemaker if I don't know peace with God myself!

Shalom!  It's a great word: speaking of peace within, as I experience forgiveness of my personal sins; peace with others, as I am enabled, by the grace of God, to forgive them in turn; peace with God, as I am reconciled to my Father in heaven, through the precious blood of Jesus, shed for me at Calvary.

Do you know that 'shalom' in your own life?  If not, do you long to experience it?  I would be delighted to be of some assistance to you.  Please feel free to contact me using the e-mail address at the top of the page.  Alternatively, if you go to 'My favourite links', you will find a coupls of links that may be of help.

Blessings, and shalom.

Who is your master?

Juxtaposition is a lovely word!  It means the act of positioning close together (or side by side), usually in order to make an emphasis.  Yesterday, I experienced an unusual juxtaposition.  Well, an 'almost one'!

At the morning worship service in Wishaw Baptist Church the pastor is leading us through that passage in the Gospel according to Matthew that is generally referred to as The Sermon on the Mount.  Yesterday, we reached 6:24 - "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."  In the version that was being read, that Aramaic word 'mammon' is usually translated as 'money'.

I don't wish to rehearse the full message, but one of the key points that was made is that what is being referred to here is mastery.  The original hearers would have known that, in their culture (and we must always be careful to consider the original culture!), in which a slave was the absolute property of his master, serving two would have been impossible!  So, Jesus is saying, if we allow money to be our master - and in our materialistic, consumer-orientated, society, that is not difficult - then we cannot be whole-heartedly following Him!

Then, last evening, my wife and I were at the Sunday Fellowship Meeting of Preshal.  The speaker was someone whose name, at least, is known to many people.  It was a certain Brian Souter, a man who is, financially, much wealthier than I am ever likely to be!  However, no-one who didn't know about him would ever have guessed it!  He is, as I already knew, as 'common', and down-to-earth as it is possible to be.  He is, to me, the living proof that it is possible to have a great deal of money in one's bank account - and still be a slave of Jesus.

So, the importance of money is not how we gain it; how much of it we give away; or how we garner it (sorry - that's the best I can do for alliteration!!).  It's the place it holds in our lives.   I am currently working on vol.2 of my book series (this one is on Foundations of the Faith).  This evening, I have started looking at the Ten Commandments.  The first of those reads: "I am YHWH your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  You shall have no other gods before Me." (Ex.20:2-3).  It is when money - or anything else - takes His place, that we find ourselves losing touch with Him!

Paul wrote "... I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content." (Phil 4:11).  As we commence the inevitable count-down to Christmas, may our eyes be fixed, not on the commercial advertisements that would happily see all of us drown in a sea of financial debt, but on "... Jesus, the pioneer 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).

That is how we will find true peace, true contentment, and true joy. 

Follow Me!

In John 21:22, we read these words of Jesus to His disciple, Peter: "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow Me!" This was a response to Peter's question about his fellow-disciple, John: "Lord, what about this man?" (v.21).

In effect, Jesus is saying to Peter, "Never mind about My plans for your fellow disciples.  I'll take care of them.  You just tend to your own business."!

Peter's problem was that he was looking backwards at John, instead of straight ahead at Jesus.  The Lord had just predicted Peter's death by crucifixion, and then had instructed - or was it , invited? - him to "Follow Me!" (v.19).  The very next words, however, tell us that Peter turned around, saw John walking behind, and wanted to know about him!  How quickly the big fisherman had forgotten the meaning of those words: "Follow Me!"  Instead of keeping his eyes on Jesus, he was watching John!

Sometimes you, or I, may be disturbed, or discouraged, by something that is done, or said, by others - even fellow-believers! - and we may give expression to our feelings.  At such times, we do well to remember those words: "What is that to you? Follow Me!"   Instead of being upset at the behaviour of others, we should ask "How does my speech and conduct affect them?"!

There is an important lesson that we need to learn if we are to live the victorious Christian life - what Chinese disciple of Jesus, Watchman Nee (who died in a Communist prison because of his faith in, and faithfulness to, the Lord Jesus) called "The Normal Christian Life"! - and that is that we must get our eyes off men, and keep them on the Lord.  The very best of God's saints on earth are still imperfect and, sooner or later, may be a disappointment.  There is only One Who never lets us down - Follow Him!

Today, and every day, keep your eyes upon Jesus.  Your faithfulness to Him is the important thing, and that's your responsibility! 

And a thought:
A man at peace with the Lord, is a man at peace with himself;
and a man at peace with himself, is a man at peace with the world.
So, to be at peace with the world, just be at peace with the Lord!

Truth will out!

There are few days in which some reference is not made, in the British media, to the situation in the Middle East.  This does not simply mean reports from the ongoing civil war in Syria; or to the continuing unrest in Egypt; or to the latest visit to one of the Middle eastern countries by some 'high-flying' diplomat/politician.  It invariably means that those nasty Israelis are, yet again, bullying the poor Palestinians.  At least that is what much of the media would have us believe! 

At the centre of the situation is the city of Jerusalem.  It is claimed to be holy (i.e. separated from, and different to, anything else) by both Judaism and Islam.  However, the way in which it is treated by both gives the lie to one of those claims!  Here's a clue - the "Holy City" of Islam is Makkah (Mecca) in Saudi Arabia!

This video gives some interesting information - as does the "Show More" button, just under the screen if you go to the YouTube page to view.   The sound doesn't commence until about 1m20s into the video - so don't adjust your volume!



sh’alu shalom yerushalayim.   (Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.)  Ps.122:6

What's in a flag?

Flags are very powerful symbols.  The evidence is overwhelming.  Look at the pride with which an Army Regiment regards its Colours; look at today's television pictures of the flag waving in Gaza at the rally for Khaled Mashaal, leader of the terrorist group, Hamas; look at the pictures that are regularly shown of Islamist extremists burning the flag of the USoA; think of the flags that are flown at international sporting events.

It is then, little wonder that the Loyalist/Unionist population of Northern Ireland are "up in arms" at the decision by Belfast City Council to end the long-standing tradition  of daily flying the Union Flag over Belfast City Hall, and doing so only on a number of specified dates.

It does seem strange that any public building within the UK should be, in any way, prohibited from flying the Union Flag at any time!  However, this is just another result of Blair's so-called "Peace Plan".  Of course, he is now well out of that, and concentrating on his efforts to become the first President of the "new" EU!

Flags are also used to communicate a message.  It may be the use of a variety of flags on a naval vessel, that spell out a clear message to the initiated; it may be the use of semaphore flags achieving the same result; it may be the white flag that communicates the willingness to surrender.

The disciple of Jesus has some important flags to fly!  I can't recall the name of the minister who first used the words as a brief comment.  However, they were taken up and became the chorus that many would have sung forty or fifty years ago:

Love is the flag flying high
on the castle of my heart,
on the castle of my heart,
on the castle of my heart.
Love is the flag flying high
on the castle of my heart,
For the King is in residence there.

Joy is the flag flying high
on the castle of my heart,
on the castle of my heart,
on the castle of my heart.
Joy is the flag flying high
on the castle of my heart,
For the King is in residence there.

Peace is the flag flying high
on the castle of my heart,
on the castle of my heart,
on the castle of my heart.
Peace is the flag flying high
on the castle of my heart,
For the King is in residence there.

If every disciple of Jesus was to have those three flags flying, what a potent symbol that would be - and what a message it would communicate to a strife-torn world!

10 Reasons to Come to Jesus

Jesus said, "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I AM." (John 8:58; Ampd.)

 Luke 2:11 - Jesus is the Saviour, come to Him, and be forgiven and saved.

John 10:9 - Jesus is the Door, come to Him, and enter His provision.

John 6:51 - Jesus is the Bread of Life; come to Him, and feast at His table. 

John 8:12 - Jesus is the Light of the World; come to Him, and see clearly.

John 10:14 - Jesus is the Good Shepherd; come to Him, and be led in right paths.

John 15:5 - Jesus is the Vine; come to Him, and abide in fruitfulness.

John 4:10 - Jesus gives living water; come to Him, and drink to the full.

John 11:25 - Jesus is the Resurrection; come to Him, and have blessed hope.

John 14:27 - Jesus gives peace; come to Him, and don't be troubled.

John 1:33 - Jesus baptises with the Holy Spirit; come to Him, and be empowered to witness.

Want to know more about this amazing Jesus?   Please feel free ot contact me at 

cbross@tiscali.co.uk

What is a Christian?

This afternoon, I watched most of the BBC programme Songs of Praise - sub-titled "The Big Sing"!  I say 'most' because there were times when I switched over for few minutes, just to get away from the programme!

The first time was when a young lady informed us, in the space of a minute, that winning "The X Factor" was the most important thing that had happened to her in her whole life; and then that she never went on to the stage without praying .  The latter statement, in the context of that particular programme, suggested to me that she would consider herself to be a "Christian".  However, if that is the case, then surely the moment when she committed her life to the Lord Jesus would be the most important thing that had ever happened to her!

It made me think, as we commence a new 'year of grace', on the essentials for being a Biblical Christian, rather than a 'nominal' one (i.e., someone who uses the term to describe him/herself, but who does not display the required characteristics to show that they have been reborn).  I came up with three simple things, found in Paul's letter to the young church in Philippi, 4:4-7. 

First of all, I would suggest, a Biblical Christian is someone who enjoys a Presence - and that Presence is the Presence of the Lord Jesus Himself.  He is, Paul tells us, "at hand" and, while this may refer to the Second Advent (which, for the true disciple of Jesus, is always imminent), one commentator suggests that it may be translated "the Lord is at your elbow"!  If I am not conscious of the Presence of Jesus in my life, then it is unlikely that I am truly His.  If I am not aware of the prompting of God the Holy Spirit in my life, that may indicate that He is not indwelling me.  Writing to the church in Rome, Paul shares the inner struggle that he constanty experienced between his desire to do that which pleases God, and his failure to live it out, fully, in practice (ch.4).  Such discernment is the fruit of a regenerate mind!  It is only those who have been born again who are so conscious of the sin that consistently seeks (and, so often, succeeds) to pull them down.

But a true Christian also forms a practice.  "Rejoice in the Lord, always; and again, I say, 'Rejoice!'"  Now, Paul was writing from a prison cell - but more like one in China than one in the UK!  No time to describe fully, here, but certainly not the sort of place in which most of us would wish to spend our summer holiday!  Yet it's almost as if Paul tells his amanuensis (scribe) to write "Rejoice" - then stops.  He recalls the many hardships that he had experienced as a disciple of Jesus; he thinks of what lay ahead - his own, almost certain, beheading; he thinks of the dangers and difficulties that these Philippian believers would experience.  And he says, in effect, "I know what I'm talking about; I've considered every possible eventuality; I've counted the cost; and still I say it - 'Rejoice!'"   Part of the evidence of that rejoicing (which is not, necessarily, synonymous with 'happiness'!), is a life of praise.  On an earlier occasion, Paul and his friend and co-worker, Silas, were thrown into jail - in the very city of Philippi!  It was an unjust charge; it was totally undeserved; they should not have been incarcerated in that way.  But what do we find?  "But about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying, and singing hymns to God." (Acts 16:25).  Prayer, and praise, in any and every set of circumstances, are the practice of the true child of God.

But, underneath all of this, is the fact that a Biblical Christian trusts a promise.  It's the promise that is found in v.7.  "And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Those words remind us of the adequacy Christ brings - in the spiritual realm.  And that, I would contend, is every bit as important as having an adequacy in material terms.  "I can do all things", Paul shouts out a few sentences later (v.13), "through Christ Who strengthens me" or, we might put it, "through Christ Who gives me adequate resources."  There's also an anxiety that He stills.  As we pray; as we share everything with Him; as we realise that He is able; our anxious hearts are stilled and quietened, and we truly know that "peace that is beyond human understanding."; peace that is only of God's giving.

May 2012 find you enjoying that Presence - even the Presence of the Lord Jesus - in your daily living.  May it find you forming that practice - of taking everything to God in prayer, and praising Him in every situation.   And may you trust that promise - experiencing the adequacy that Jesus brings, and allowing Him to still every anxious and troubling thought.

A happy, peaceful, and God-honouring, New Year to all.

A Fair Umpire

I receive a number of devotional items on a regular basis.  The following arrived in my Inbox today, and I believe that it is worth sharing.

“And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful” (Col.3:15)

The Greek word translated rule in this verse means "to umpire." The apostle Paul says that we should let the peace of Christ be the umpire in our lives. An umpire keeps the peace. He makes sure the game is played in a smooth and orderly fashion. God wants to give us an internal umpire who will keep us at peace even when everything seems chaotic.

Only as we submit to Christ's control and authority can we experience spiritual peace. We may think all we need to do is to get away, but that is not true. We can't run away to get peace. It won't come from divorcing our spouse, giving our children up for adoption, changing jobs, or living as a hermit on the backside of nowhere. Only when we submit our internal world to the Lordship of Christ will we experience peace.

If we really want God's peace, we should ask for it. A psychiatrist was quoted in a newspaper as saying that he could not improve upon the apostle Paul's prescription for human worry. Paul wrote, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6-7). Notice the order: first prayer and then peace. A cause-and-effect relationship exists in this prescription. Prayer is the cause; peace is the effect.

If you and I are not praying, we're likely to be worrying. And worry is such a useless emotion and activity. Worry is the opposite of peace; they cannot coexist. Worry, like a pressure cooker, builds up our internal pressure with negative emotions and concerns. Prayer, on the other hand, functions like a safety valve. When life's stresses become too great and we feel like we are about to explode, prayer releases the stress and frustration. Everyone needs an unconditional listener to unload on, and a fair umpire to call the game. In God we have the perfect embodiment of both roles. We can dump on Him and know that He will not get stressed out by what we tell Him. We can be confident that He will bring order and calm to our daily lives.

Tyndale House Publishers © 2011  (slightly amended).

The importance of persepective!

It was Saturday morning - after very heavy rainfall through the night. I looked out of the caravan window on a now dry, but very dull, day. The clouds were dark, and menacing; the prospects were not good.

Sitting after breakfast (while my wee wife made up our packed lunches - we were on holiday, and rain wasn't going to keep us in!) I looked out ot the opposite window. I saw breaks in the clouds, revealing patches of blue sky and even some sunshine forcing its way through! The situation had changed, and I was much more confident about the day ahead. And all because I had looked in a different direction!

Life can be like that! We may look to the popular media - newspapers; radio; television. And, when we do, all seems to be gloom and doom - an environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico; ongoing conflict, and death, in Afghanistan; the continuing economic depression; political confusion, and the possibility of a hung parliament, in the U.K.

But then I turn my gaze to Jesus and, suddenly, everything is seen from a different perspective. I see, in Him, the Sovereign God Who loves, and cares; Who understands every pain I suffer; Who comes into every situation, and says, "Peace; be still."

Some of the hymnwriters knew about this difference:

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus; look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."

"Heaven above is softer blue; earth around is sweeter green. Something lives in every hue, Christless eyes have never seen."

Finding life dull, difficult, depressing? Look in a different direction!

Look to Jesus!