Scotland For Marriage

I am fully aware that there are those who are in favour of the redefinition of "marriage".  This post is NOT for them!  Please do not start adding comments disagreeing with the aim of this petition.

However, if you are one of those who support the traditional concept of marriage as the union of a man and a woman, for life, to the exclusion of all others, and you have not yet signed the petition - either online, or in paper form - I would encourage you to do so without delay.  Please click on the link below.

Thank you.

Scotland For Marriage

Spiritual Warfare!

Today is the National Day of Prayer for the Police Services and this morning, along with a few others, I participated in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper (Communion/Eucharist) in the High Kirk of Glasgow - commonly referred to as Glasgow Cathedral.  After the celebration of the Sacrament, some of us went downstairs to one of the small chapels where, as a group with a particular interest in the Police, we spent some time in prayer for our colleagues both within Strathclyde Police, and in other Forces throughout the United Kingdom.

As we chatted together, afterwards, I noticed that the particular chapel in which we had met, was dedicated to Bishop Robert Wishart.   This particular clergyman was a supporter of Robert the Bruce and, indeed, it is said that he supplied the robes - from his own wardrobe - in which the Bruce was crowned King of Scots, at Scone, in 1306.  His active participation in the Wars of Independence (from the English! - nothing changes!!!) by, for example, taking personal charge of the assault on Cupar Castle, in Fife, 'like a man of war', gave rise to the nickname that is displayed in the chapel: "The Battling Bishop"!

How appropriate, I thought to myself, for a place of prayer.  To so many, prayer is little more than a series of vocalised platitudes, and requests, made to a God with Whom they have no vital relationship.  Yet this is not the picture that we find in the pages of God's written Word!  Prayer can be exhausting.  Jesus, we read, when in the Garden of Gethsemane, prayed with such passion "... that His sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood." (Luke 22:44; NLT).  Read the prayer of Daniel, in Daniel 9:4-19 - and imagine (if you can!) that godly man speaking those words to his God in calm, impassionate, tones!  James assures us that the great prophet, Elijah, "... prayed earnestly/fervently/passionately ..." (5:17).

Someone had said that much of our prayer has no power in it because there is no heart in it. If we put so little heart into prayer, then the legitimate question arises: "How can we expect God to put much heart into answering?"

We don't need to go into a physical battle, like Robert Wishart.  We can all be "Battling Bishops" (or, at least, battling disciples!) in prayer - Prayer Warriors, as used to be said.  Rather than offering up some casual, "God save everybody, and bless all the missionaries; Amen" kind of prayer, we need to pray specifically. We need to pray fervently. We need to pray continually (I Thess.5:17).  Pray with energy. Put your heart into it. That is what really matters.

Spiritual warfare, whatever else it involves, certainly involves passionate praying!

Commitment (2)

Back to the gym, today, after almost three weeks without a proper workout!  Enjoyed the shower afterwards!!

While in the changing room, getting dressed, I was speaking with one of my officers whom I have got to know particularly well.  He informed me that, having cycled to work yesterday (a distance of almost 10 miles) he had gone on, after his shift, to play in the Divisional Football Championship Final.  He then realised that his bicycle was still at the Police Station so, getting home some other way (that he didn't mention, or that I have forgotten!), he walked in this morning, and was about to cycle home for his tea, before going out to play football (soccer) again!

I was impressed.  His actions displayed a level of commitment to fitness that I found to be highly commendable.  And it made me think!  If I, and many others who dare to call ourselves disciples of Jesus, were to show the same level of commitment to our Saviour as my officer friend does to his fitness, cycling, and football, what a difference it would make in the world!

The early disciples of Jesus gained the reputation of being "... men who have turned the world upside down ..." (Acts 17:6).  They took seriously the last words of Jesus before He ascended to the Father: "...  you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8).

As I receive information from many different parts of the world, I am aware that there are places where the same level of commitment is shown today - and where, as a direct result, the church of Jesus is growing, often in circumstances that are more difficult that most of those who might read this post could even begin to imagine.  The number of Muslims in North Africa and the Middle East, who are coming to realise that the prophet Isa (Jesus) is, indeed, God incarnate, and who are turning to Him for salvation, is growing at an exponential rate.  Many are able to meet, only in secret; some are so isolated that they have no-one but God the Holy Spirit to teach and encourage them.

Of course, that is no bad thing!  Paul, writing to the Galatian Churches, tells them that after his conversion, "... I did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia;" (Gal.1:16-17) where, he clearly implies, he was taught by God the Holy Spirit.

Now I know that it isn't easy to share with workmates, or neighbours, or (especially!!) family members, what God has done for us, in Christ.  But let us never forget that, before telling those first disciples - and, by extension, His disciples in every age - that they would be witnesses, Jesus also said "... you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;" Acts 1:8).  That power (Greek: dunamis > dynamite!) is available to all who ask for it - even today!

Commitment

This morning, my wife and I visited a local Christian Fellowship for the first time.  It's always interesting to meet up with folk, whom one has known for many years but with whom one has lost touch, when one visits in such a way.  We were not disappointed!

I have to confess that, for me, the drummer in the band should have had his sticks removed, and certainly not have been "miked up"!  To say that his contributions were deafening would be an understatement!

However, the really unusual thing was when, half-way through the preaching of the message, a number of folk left their seats, and walked out.  I might have thought that they had taken offence at something the preacher had just said (although the only, to me, inappropriate illustration, was shared after they had gone!), but what was noticeable was the wearing of the colours of our local Motherwell Football Club by those who left.

That was the problem!  It would appear that Motherwell were playing, at home, in what I suspect may have been the final match of the season (not really a 'soccer' fan!).  Just checked - they lost!  There was an early kick-off, so these dear folk had made the decision to leave the worship service, and the message, and head for the terraces!

It is not for me, or any other human being, to make final judgements.  That is the Lord's prerogative.  However, I found myself questioning the commitment of those who had made that decision!  It seems to me that they were, in effect, proclaiming that a game of soccer was more important than worshipping the Lord, and learning how to live their Christian lives better; that the fortunes of MFC take priority over the service of the King of kings.

Jesus said: "If any one comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.  Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me, cannot be my disciple. ... ... So therefore, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:26-27, 33; RSV).

I wonder where He would have placed a soccer match?!

Death - the final frontier

Okay, so I used to be a bit of a "Trekkie" - but only with relation to the original series of Star Trek!

Yesterday, in my capacity as a Force Chaplain, I attended the annual Strathclyde Police Force Service of Remembrance, held for the families of both serving and retired officers and staff members who have died during the previous twelve months.  It was interesting to note that, according to the various references made, each of them had not "died" but had, euphemistically, "passed away"!

On this morning's Sunday programme on BBC Radio 4, the subject of death was also raised.  There was criticism that, in schools, everything and anything about sex is taught, but that pupils are not prepared for death - although death is assured for everyone (at least prior to the Rapture of the saints), while sex is not necessarily so!  I don't know the current situation, but "death" was an integral topic in the "Rites of Passage" course that I taught!

However, it is often the taboo subject; the one about which we don't like to talk; the one that has a plethora of euphemisms.  Why should that be?  I usually suggested to my pupils that it is because it is considered to be "the unknown" and, as such, it is something that we fear!  What would help, of course, is if someone who had genuinely died, and been buried, were to rise from the dead.  Then we would know that it is not unconquerable; and that. alone, would make it less scary!

And that is the central message of the Christian Gospel!  That Jesus of Nazareth - the carpenter turned itinerant preacher - was, in fact, Almighty God in human flesh.  The familiar (to some!) words of the Apostles' Creed state, with beautiful simplicity, that "He was crucified, dead, and buried.  The third day, He rose from the dead."

Read that again, if you have any fear of death!  "The third day He rose from the dead"!  He showed that death is not the end, but the doorway to a fuller and better life - at least for those who have placed their trust in Him for salvation.  So the apostle, Paul, referring to the writings of two of the Old Testament prophets, could write: "Death is swallowed up in victory" "O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?" (I Cor.15:54(b)-55).

The process of dying may, for some, be painful, and even terrifying.  But death itself has no hold on, or terror for, the true child of the living God.  Hallelujah!