Things aren't always as they appear to be!

For many years I have started my morning by drinking a tumblerful of warm water, with some added lemon-juice. This, I have been assured, is very good for the condition of my liver - an important organ in the human body. Yesterday, I followed my usual routine, but decided to put the lemon juice into the water prior to warming it. When I started to drink, I was instantly aware that there was a strange taste. However, I persevered, and drunk the lot - about 250mls!

This was followed by my customary bowl of porridge, with added prunes (!), and a tumblerful of fresh orange juice. Five minutes later, the porridge, prunes, and orange juice were being ejected into the toilet bowl!

It wasn't until our return from the worship service that my wife discovered what had happened. The bottle from which I had taken my tumblerful of water actually contained distilled vinegar!!! All that I can say is that it looked like water! All is not as it appears to be!

Israel has been in the news - again - over the past few days as the Muslim terrorist organisation, Hamas, fired almost 700 explosive rockets from the Gaza Strip, resulting in death, injury, and destruction. Understandably, the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) retaliated, carrying out air strikes on arms and ammunition warehouses located in the homes of Hamas terrorists in Rafah and Khan Yunis and a warehouse in Gaza City in the home of a member involved with Hamas’ rocket infrastructure. Yesterday, the IDF said that it was starting to attack arms and ammunition depots deliberately placed by the terrorists in areas populated by civilians, and that it was targeting terrorists themselves.

It was also widely publicised that a woman and child, in Gaza, had been killed in an IDF attack. There was little, or no, mention of the Israeli deaths as a result of the rocket barrage - nor of the later established, and now confirmed by the Islamic Jihad terror group, fact that the woman and child were not the victims of IDF action, but were killed by a misfired Islamic jihad rocket! This, of course, is typical of  the propaganda distributed by these men of violence. All is not as it appears to be! (This paragraph has been updated: May 7th)

Sadly, the same principle applies to the church. My current personal devotions are based on the letters from Peter. He, like other of the New (2nd) Testament writers warns about false teachers who "... will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction." (II Peter 2:1). Not only do these false teachers bring destruction upon themselves, but "... many will follow their licentiousness, and because of them the way of truth will be reviled." ( II Peter 2:2). Indeed, "... they entice with licentious passions of the flesh men who have barely escaped from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption; for whatever overcomes a man, to that he is enslaved." (II Peter 2:18-19).

All is not as it appears to be!

How we need the Holy Spirit gifting of spiritual discernment in the church today - especially in what is often referred to as "the West"! Warren Wiersbe, who died on Thursday - just two weeks short of reaching 90 years of age - comments: "The false teachers use our vocabulary, but they do not use our dictionary." In other words, the false teachers use all of the right words - but what they actually mean by some of those words is questionable! All is not as it appears to be!

It was Charles Spurgeon who said that discernment is not knowing the difference between what is right and what is wrong; but knowing the difference between what is right - and what is almost right!

May all of God's people have a measure of spiritual discernment in these last days. Drinking distilled vinegar instead of water may make one physically sick; fake news may confuse; but false teaching in the church can mean, quite literally, the difference between eternal life, and eternity cut off from the Father Who loves us enough to let us do our own thing!

I'm a chef, as well!

Not everyone who accesses this blog would be expected to know that I commenced my adult working life in the catering trade.  I am, in fact, a fully time-served, experienced, chef having risen "through the ranks", from Commis Chef to Head Chef, and even Chef-Manager!

Perhaps that is why I was particularly interested in the furore caused by the comment made by Baroness Anne Jenkin that poor people are going hungry because they “do not know how cook”.  She gave the interesting illustration that: “I had a large bowl of porridge today. It cost 4p. A large bowl of sugary cereal will cost 25p.”

Of course, the loonie lefties were falling over themselves with indignation.  What did this toff know about poverty?  When did she have to go to a Food Bank for supplies?  Alright for her with her daily allowance for attending the House of Lords.  So, as seems to happen all too readily these days, the Noble Lady apologised.  

Why?  Her statement was only slightly inaccurate.  She ought to have said that, in many cases, they are just too bone-idle lazy to do so.  After all, cooking a bowl of porridge isn't exactly Cordon Bleu catering!  Yet it is one of the healthiest breakfasts that is available and, as Baroness Jenkin pointed out, is amazingly inexpensive.  The trouble, for too many (but not, by any means, all) of our Welfare State dependents, is that it requires a wee bit more effort than does opening a packet of breakfast cereal with its high sugar and salt content (of course, one ought never to cook porridge without a pinch of salt!).

It certainly seems to me, from my observations, that a considerable number of those on state benefits are among the more obese in our society.  Perhaps some basic exercise (even walking a couple of bus stops, instead of using a bus pass), and some freshly-cooked food (mince steak, potatoes, and fresh veg) instead of processed, and 'carry-out', meals would make a difference.  Of course, that would require taking responsibility for themselves, and not expecting others to pander to their wants!

Thar's a referendum a-comin'!

Apologies for the headline!  Oh, and I know that, before the Referendum on Scottish Independence (or, better, Separation) there are elections to the somewhat impotent European Parliament.  However, it was the Referendum on which the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and N.Ireland was pontificating today.

I watched the report of his speech on the early-evening television news bulletin.  If Scotland's residents vote 'No', we were informed, the LibDems would guarantee greater devolution.  I was glad that it wasn't breakfast-time - I would have been in danger of choking on my porridge!

The current likelihood of the LibDums (no, that wasn't a typo!) having any say about anything after next year's General Election are slightly less than the likelihood of me succeeding Barack Obama (yes, I know that I might do a better job - but I wasn't born in the USoA, and that is a major requirement for candidates!).  However, even if they were leading in all of the polls, for Mr Clegg to make such a promise is about as helpful, and meaningful, as him guaranteeing that there will be two blue moons in the sky on every Wednesday night between now and the end of the century.  In other words, his guarantees aren't worth the paper on which his speech-writer had written the words.

However, if Mr Clegg's words were pointless, those of the Deputy First Minister were no better.  She, if I recall accurately, accused Mr Clegg of making promises he can't fulfil!  Sorry, Nicola, but what is the 'Yes' campaign doing?  "We will have the pound sterling, because Alex Salmond says it will be better for everyone if we do."  He may even be correct in that assessment.  The problem is that it's a UK ball, and the rest of the UK don't want us to share it!  "We will have an automatic entry to the EU."  Not according to most of the EU pundits, who insist that a separated Scotland will have to make a formal application - and, if successful, would be anything but independent! 

The only concrete thing that came out of the report was further confirmation, if any is needed, that one can tell that a politician is lying simply by noting that the lips are moving.

Of course, it is pre-election time!

The Pleasure Book.

Recently, the oldest woman in Sctland (or, perhaps that was the UK!) was interviewed by a television reporter. At 108 years of age, she is a sprightly character, who is probably great fun to be with!  As is almost obligatory in such situations, she was asked for the secret of her long life.  Her answer was that she loves porridge, and has done all of her life.  As a fellow porridge-lover, I took great encouragement from that, especially as, if the Lord permits, I am happy to live to be 120!  Well, as I often say, it was good enough for Moses, so it would be good enough for me!

Of course, there is much more to life than simple longevity!  The quality of one's life is also important.  I read, recently, of an elderly lady who, in spite of having experienced (and continuing to experience) many troubles, was always cheerful and serene.  She, too, was asked about her secret.  Her answer had nothing to do with her regular diet.  Instead, she informed her questioner that, for many years, she had kept what she called a "Pleasure Book".  Every evening, she wrote in it something pleasant that had happened to her that day!  Sometimes, she had an enjoyable walk; perhaps someone has come to visit her; new flowers might have opened up in her little garden; or it may simply have been the fresh smell of the earth that comes after a shower of rain.  Every day, there had been some new happiness to record.

Many of us could do with following that particular lady's example.  If we actually look for something to cheer us, and make us glad, we never have to search for long, or travel far.  If we were to keep a "Pleasure Book", its pages would, undoubtedly, quickly be filled with a record of many delightful, and satisfying, experiences - whatever our situation, and circumstances.  How much better, too, to review good and positive things, than to dwell on that which only discourages, and depresses, us!

Of course, for the disciple of Jesus, who knows "... that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose." (Rom. 8:28), even the difficulties may be counted as blessings, as "... we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,  and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us." (Rom. 5:3-5).

The hymnwriter gave us those words, familiar to many:

"Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done."  ( John­son Oat­man, Jr.)

Look at the brighter side of life.  Keep a "Pleasure Book".  I suspect that you will soon agree that there is always something for which to be thankful - and you may even thank "... the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (II Cor. 1:3-4).