A special day!

For my dear wife, today is a very special anniversary of the day of her physical birth. As is our custom, with our birth dates (day and month, only!) being only one week apart, we went out for a meal on Tuesday, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Then today, a dear French friend invited us to her home for another celebratory meal - again, delicious! There have been, of course other good wishes and cards etc, from family and friends both in France and in Scotland. This evening, we were at the mid-week meeting of the fellowship where we currently worship, and where we had been asked to lead the time of praise. They also marked my wife's special day with a fulsome rendering of "Bonne Anniversaire"!

I am so grateful for the wife that God gave me, so many years ago. Before I had even met her I was, of course, familiar with these words in the Book of Proverbs:

"A good wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her,and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm,all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax,and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant,she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and tasks for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it;with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She girds her loins with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff,and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor,and reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household,for all her household are clothed in scarlet. She makes herself coverings;her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates,when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them;she delivers girdles to the merchant. Strength and dignity are her clothing,and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom,and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household,and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all." Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands,and let her works praise her in the gates." (Prov 31:10-31).

Okay, in a different time, and a different culture, not every word is fully applicable but, when I read those words today, I know that more than 50 years ago, I found "a good wife" - and, if we are both spared until September 4th, she will have been my wife for a full 50 years! She has, undoubtedly, been a much better wife to me than I have been husband to her, but we love each other more today than we did on the day on which we were married.

Is there a secret for a long marriage? I'm not sure. I have known, and know, couples whose marriages have not lasted because one of the individuals died at an early stage of the marriage. This may have been because of a fatal accident, or an equally fatal illness. Sadly, however, I also know many more where the couple have "drifted apart", and ended up in divorce. Many of these have been couples who profess the same faith in the Lord Jesus that my wife and I do. So what goes wrong in such marriages?

I can only suggest that being content with one another's company; sharing both joys and sorrows; and serving the Lord together; are major components. There is also a matter of commitment. Our marriage has not been without difficulties - both family and personal. There have been times when it would have been easier to just walk away. But when we make a commitment to one another, and hold to it, then we can go on, and on, and on!

When I started this post, I wasn't sure what I would say. I'm not at all sure that it is the most helpful post that I have ever published. But if it is the means by which just one marriage is saved, then it will have been worthwhile. Blessings to all.

A birthday anniversary!

In my previous post, I made the point about "birthday anniversaries" and mentioned that I have two. There was, of course, the day of my physical birth day - and Facebook will be reminding all of my Facebook friends about that, during this coming week; but there was also my "second birth day" - and I celebrated that today!

Like most of the truly significant points in our lives, I recall it as if it had happened last night! In those far-off days, reaching into the mists of time (okay, that's a slight exaggeration!), it was not uncommon for young teens to still attend Sunday School (we didn't even have fancy 'hip' names for it!), and I was no exception. I attended the Boys' Brigade Bible Class in the morning, and Sunday School in the afternoon (as well, of course, as both morning and evening worship services!). My teacher, in the afternoon Sunday School was a Mr McCloy. One day, perhaps having discerned that the time was right, he gave me a small book. It was entitled "The King of kings", and was based on the silent film of the same name. That film was the second in a Biblical Trilogy, produced and directed by the famous Cecil B DeMille. As the title indicates, it was based on the life, death, and resurrection, of Jesus of Nazareth but, unlike the Biblical record, it went into much more detail in certain areas.

Remember, that with my personal upbringing, for which I am forever grateful, I already knew the Biblical record. However, those who recorded it, were writing for a contemporary audience and that may be the reason that details of, for example, the crucifixion, were not included. People in the 1st century AD did not need to be informed about it! It was, after all, a popular spectacle!

This book was different and, as I read the account of the crucifixion I realised, for the first time, some of the horror that lay behind the simple Gospel record: "And they crucified Him." I learned about the prior flogging - that the whip was like a "cat o' nine tails" and had pieces of bone, and lumps of lead, tied into each of the thongs, so that the very flesh of the victim's back was ripped up. I learned that when Calvary was reached, the heavy cross was laid flat on the ground; the victim flung on top of it (Roman crucifixion squads were not noted for sharing the "milk of human kindness"!), and long, blunt nails were hammered, viciously, into the wrists, and the overlapping feet, of the victim. His arms were then securely tied to the cross-beam of the cross, as they actually took the body's weight (the nails were to hinder any movement); and the cross was then raised so that the foot of the vertical beam dropped into a prepared hole. Can you imagine the pain that just that one stage caused to the victim?

As the victim hung there, shamefully exposed (the loincloth in a crucifix is added for the sake of decency), his body sagged. This led to him being unable to breathe properly. The solution was to push against his feet (securely fixed to the cross) - but this caused excruciating pain. Gradually, he found it impossible to push, and died from suffocation and choking on his own blood. Of course, this could take many hours, and as night fell, the temperature dropped rapidly, and so exposure hastened the death.

That is, in itself, a very abridged explanation. For those who wish to learn more, and have the stomach for it, there is a useful site at 

https://mudpreacher.org/2012/04/03/the-crucifixion-of-jesus-in-excruciating-detail/

Please note, also, that when the soldier pierced the side of the Lord Jesus with a spear, eye-witness John records: "But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water." (John 19:34). When I was younger, I read those words with a picture of two streams - one 'water' and the other of blood - coming from Jesus' body much as two flavours of ice-cream from a "Mr Softee" machine! However, what the apostle actually saw was a clear serum (which looked exactly like water) with clots of blood in it. This, pathologists confirm, signifies the rupture of the heart and is, alone, confirmation that Jesus had suffered physical death.

So what happened 61 years ago, in my own bedroom? Simply this - I realised, for the first time, something of what the Lord Jesus had suffered physically, and I knew that He had done so for me. Some understanding of the spiritual cost came much later!  That was when I prayed the simple words:

"Come into my heart, Lord Jesus; come into my heart today. Come into my heart Lord Jesus; forever with me to stay."

He came - and He has stayed. I have not always been a great disciple; a good witness; a fine example. Yet He continues to love me, and guide me, and walk with me. And He will do the same for you. Acknowledge, even now, that you are a sinner. Admit that you are unable to do anything about your own sin. Accept that, at Calvary, He did all that was required. Believe that He died on the cross, and rose from the tomb. Confess your new faith to someone else. Find a Christian fellowship in which the Gospel is faithfully preached, and God's written Word accepted in its entirety, and obeyed in every area. Fellowship with other disciples of Jesus. Be prepared to see changes in your life, and in your relationships. But be assured, you will never regret such a decision.

There is a link, if you scroll down, that you may find to be helpful in your new life. And remember that you, too, will now have two birth days to celebrate!

Rewards!

One of my very dear brothers in the Lord Jesus, the Christ, has been vocally adamant, in the past, that in Glory, we will all be exactly the same. I have begged to differ! The Word of God certainly does so. 

What, I suspect, confuses him - and many others - is the difference between salvation and reward. Salvation is a free gift, that may be received only through our personal faith in the Lord Jesus, and His sacrificial death, on the cross at Calvary, for our sins. Neither you, nor I, can ever earn our salvation; purchase our salvation; or even deserve our salvation! Paul makes this abundantly clear when he writes to the Ephesian believers: "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; emphasis added). Again, writing to the young pastor, Titus, he reminds him that "... when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared, He saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in [God] the Holy Spirit, which He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that we might be justified by His grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7; emphasis added). By the way, note that Paul here fully equates the Father and the Son!

So that is salvation - freely offered to all who will confess their sins, accept their own inability to do anything about their sinful nature, and accept "... the free gift of God ... eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 6:23). Rewards are different! They are earned by what we actually do in the Name of,  and for the sake of, the Lord Jesus. They are what we receive for our faithful witness and work for Him. 

In his second letter to the believers in Corinth, and writing in the context of the physical death of the disciple of Jesus, Paul states; "So whether we are at home [i.e. physically alive] or away [i.e. out of our mortal body], we make it our aim to please Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body." (II Cor 5:9-10; emphasis added).  He had, of course, already referred to this in his first letter: "... no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw - each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire." (I Cor 3:11-15; emphasis added).

Note those words that I have not emphasised: "... the fire will test what sort of work each one has done." In other words, it is not the quantity of my "works" that will be measured, but my faithfulness to the written Word of God, and the quality of my "works". I am not saved by my works, however good they may be; but I am saved in order to serve, and that means action, or works. Immediately after those well-known words to the Ephesians, quoted above, Paul states that "... we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Eph 2:10; emphasis added).

Allow me to emphasise that this does not affect my salvation. However, although we will still be the recipients of eternal life, there will be those of us who will learn, to our deep dismay that we shall receive very little reward. Let me also point out that this is the Judgement Seat of the Christ, before which only believers will stand. This is not the Great White Throne where the Lord will separate the sheep from the goats, and where many, according to the Lord Jesus, "... will say to Me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your Name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in Your Name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.'" (Matt 7:22-23; Rev. 20:11ff.). At the Great White Throne, true disciples of Jesus are covered by His blood and righteousness. However, unbelievers, and those who are "wolves in sheep's clothing" (see Matt. 7:15), will receive their own 'reward' - eternity, separated from the Lord.

The final promise recorded for us in the Word of God is from the lips of the Lord Jesus: "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense, to repay every one for what he has done." (Rev 22:12; emphasis added). Let us be like the Lord Jesus, Who said: "We must work the works of Him Who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work." (John 9:4).

Mountains!

Today, my wife and I were in the Pyrenees - that mountain range between France and the Iberian Peninsula. We went, specifically, to visit some ruins about which my wife had been reading -  the Château de Montségur. When we arrived at the car-park, we were already more than 1,000 metres (heading towards 3,500 feet!) above sea-level – and we had to climb a vertical height of more than 200 metres (the length of the necessarily zig-zag path was closer to 600 metres! See the additional pictures, below.) to the ruins themselves. Climbing Tinto is an afternoon stroll, by comparison!

I have to admit that, especially after the physical effort involved (neither of us comes into the “young” category!) the ruins were a bit of a disappointment. However, the view of the surrounding valleys was awesome. The journey to the car-park was also magnificent, as we drove through that mountainous region, with its snow-capped mountains and vast forests. It was when we had reached about 700 metres above sea-level, and with the thought of a number of recent tsunami warnings in my head, that I found myself thinking: “At least, up here, and so far inland, one wouldn’t have to worry about tsunamis!”

Certainly, although the power of the sea, in a tsunami, is frightening, those mighty mountains will not be moved by any body of water, however large, and at whatever velocity! Then my mind started to wander, and I realised that a day is coming – and many believe that it will be very soon – when even the mountains, the symbol of strength and solidity, will perish!

In that fascinating – but so open to misinterpretation – book, The Revelation of Jesus, the Christ, given to the agèd apostle John, we read these words:

 "The seventh angel poured his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, "It is done!" And there were flashes of lightning, voices, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as had never been since men were on the earth, so great was that earthquake. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered great Babylon, to make her drain the cup of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found; and great hailstones, heavy as a hundred-weight, dropped on men from heaven, till men cursed God for the plague of the hail, so fearful was that plague." (Rev 16:17-21; emphasis added).

The Greek word translated "It is done" is the word "Gegonen". This not the same as the single word uttered by the Lord Jesus, on the cross: "Tetelestai" (my apology to purists, but Blogger doesn't support Greek script!), usually translated into the English language as "It is finished" (John 19:30). That particular word "Finished", was Jesus' mighty cry of triumph. He was proclaiming that the work that the Father had given to Him had been completed. Full atonement was now possible through His shed blood - the blood of the perfect Lamb of God that, alone, cleanses us from all sin.

"Gegonen" is somewhat different. It means that the series of judgments, already referred to, is about to be completed, and that the dominion of the beast is about to come to an end forever. The meaning here is, that that destruction was so certain, that it might be spoken of as now actually accomplished.

The two stages of the end of all that currently is, are the Rapture of the true Saints of God (nothing to do with any formal declaration by any specific organisation), and the Second Advent/Coming of the Lord Jesus, the Christ. The first will happen without any warning; the second will be prefaced by certain signs. Many see these signs being fulfilled in these days.

Of course, there are those who scoff. This is only to be expected. Peter wrote: "First of all you must understand this, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own passions and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming ? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of creation.' They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago, and an earth formed out of water and by means of water, through which the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist have been stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 

But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up." (II Peter 3:3-10).

The question is - "If He were to call His own this very night, would you be ready?" I recall someone saying, many years ago, that we should live as if He is returning today; and work as if He will not return for another hundred years! I am considering, over the coming weeks, and as the Lord permits, a series of posts on this very important subject. I shall not be providing a 'time line', but will seek to show, from the written Word of God, what current events may be saying to us. I hope that you will follow the series - and learn from it.

The New Birth.

Many of my former pupils expect it; other friends like it; some don't really understand it; only one has ever criticised it (to me!)! It's my normal greeting when one celebrates the number of years that they have been on planet Earth! For those who, to the best of my knowledge, are not disciples of Jesus, the greeting is simple: "Congratulations on reaching another anniversary of the day of your birth."  For those whom I believe to be disciples of Jesus, there is a slight change: "Congratulations on reaching another anniversary of the day of your physical birth."

Why should this be so? Well, it's really quite simple! My biological mother gave physical birth to me on a specific date, at a specific time. That day was my 'birth day'. Every year since, on that same date, I have celebrated my birth day. What I have not done is climb back into my mother's womb, to be re-birthed! When I was one year old, I (or at least, my parents!) celebrated not my "1st birth day" - that had already taken place a year earlier - but the first anniversary of my birth day. When I reached 21 years of age, I wasn't physically birthed for the 21st time! To give an analogy, I was also married on a specific day, at a specific time. One year later, my wife and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary. We did not celebrate our first wedding! That, too, had taken place a year earlier. On the following year, we celebrated our second wedding anniversary - not our second wedding! If we are both spared until September of this current year, we will not be celebrating our fiftieth wedding - that would make the average bigamist seem like an amateur by comparison - but the fiftieth anniversary of the day on which we were married to one another!

So, I celebrate, annually, both the anniversary of my wedding day, and the anniversary of my birth day!

However, I do happen to have a "second birth day"! Just a few days before I reached 15 years of age, I committed my young life to the Lord Jesus, the Christ. I recognised that I was a sinner in the sight of Almighty God; that nothing I could ever do could deal with my sins, or wipe away my sinful nature. However, I also recognised that, in the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, God the Son, my sin had already been dealt with! John, the "beloved disciple" writes that "... if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." (I John 1:7; emphasis added). What wonder; what relief. What I could never do, He has already done! 

It has been beautifully put like this: "He paid a debt He did not owe; because I owed a debt I could not pay."!

Here is a (confessedly, long!) quotation from my first book: "Great Words of the Faith" -

"... the life of the disciple of Jesus is exciting and exhilarating.  It’s not some boring routine of church attendance, prayer, and Bible reading – although many could do with a lot more of all of those!  But there’s a new dynamic; a new power; in life.  There is the

“... fruit of the Spirit – love: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Gal.5:22-23),

the means by which life may be enjoyed!  True disciples of Jesus are joyful people; and anyone who calls him/herself a Christian and doesn’t have this deep, unquenchable, joy – regardless of situation or circumstances – is only a caricature of the real thing.  The true believer is irrepressibly happy, because his joy isn’t dependent on external conditions, but is the result of a cataclysmic change within.

Have you been converted?  Are you changed?  Have you turned from self to the Saviour?  You may not be able to put a date on when it happened; on when you received new life in Christ; but that doesn’t matter.  The important thing is that you have it.

If I stand at the edge of the deep end of my local swimming pool and dive, or jump, in then the precise moment at which I enter the water may be easily determined.  If I go to the seaside and walk bare-footed along the beach, perhaps in conversation with a companion, I may suddenly become aware that the water is lapping around my ankles – but I will have no idea of the precise moment at which I entered it!  However, what is important is that I be found in the water – however I may have arrived at that state.  It’s the same with conversion.  Some are able to pinpoint the precise moment and place; others are unable to do that, but are no less certain of their standing before God.   They have “entered the water”.  And if you have – you’ll know!  Emotion does sometimes have a part to play – but it’s not essential.  All you have to do is to ask Him to take over, and start living your life for Him.  It’s the greatest, the only worthwhile, way to live.  And conversion, according to Jesus, is an absolute necessity. 

“Except ye be converted … ye shall not enter.” (Matt.18:3).

Those aren’t my words – they’re His!

The experience may differ; but the essence is always divine; and the effect? – dynamite!" (pps 30-31).

I hope that that brief (in terms of the book!) extract may encourage someone to take that step, and yield themselves to Almighty God, in the Lord Jesus, and have God the Holy Spirit take up residence within them. Those who do are "born again" (Jn.3:3) - and do, genuinely, have two birth days!

It would also be my hope that some may be encouraged to purchase the book (and its companions!). Links are at the top of the blog and remember, I receive not one penny on sales. ALL royalties are sent directly, from Amazon, to the bank account of Release International, in support of the persecuted church. The e-book costs less than a fish supper - and may do you more good!!