Certainty - in uncertain times!

This morning, I received a 'phone-call from a dear friend and brother in the Lord. He has been sending out a daily devotional to a number of people of his acquaintance, and asked if I would prepare something that he could send out tomorrow. I agreed to do so, but have realised that it might be worth making available to others through my blog, and through Facebook. 

Along with countless others, I am a lover of the Book of Psalms – the “hymnbook” of the Children of Israel. One of my (many!) favourites is Psalm 46, the psalm that was the starting-point for Martin Luther’s great Reformation battle-hymn: “Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott” – “A mighty fortress is our God”.

The Psalm starts with these words:

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.” (vs.1-3)

These are words that remind us that our God – the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob; the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the Christ, is our refuge in times of chaos. And are not the times in which we currently live, chaotic? The Covid-19 virus may be invisible to the naked eye – but what an effect it is having on our contemporary world! No-one needs me to spell out the health issues; the changes in lifestyle; the uncertainty; that surround us – here in France; in the UK; and around the globe.

Yet the Sons of Korah, the composers of this psalm, could face any uncertainty with certainty because: “God is our refuge and strength; a very present (or well-proved, or easily found) help in time of trouble.  Therefore we will not fear ...”   Our true security, our true confidence, our true certainty, is in God – not in God plus anything, but in God alone.

Throughout history, Almighty God has been the refuge and defence of His people; sufficient for all of their needs; the unchanging One in Whom they have found their shelter.  And so, assert the Sons of Korah, even if the primeval chaos of Gen.1:2 should return, when “The earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep ...”; even if “... the earth should change” and “... the mountains shake in the heart of the sea.”; God’s people will not fear.

I have no more knowledge of the future than any of us. However, even in these uncertain times, I may have certainty – certainty that the God of Ages is in control; certainty that He still knows the end from the beginning; certainty that “… in everything [He] works for good with those who love Him, who are the called according to His purpose.” (Rom 8:28).

May all who read these words have that same certainty; and to Him, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, be all the honour, all the praise, all the thanksgiving, and all the glory.

“A mighty fortress is our God; a bulwark never failing.

Our Helper, He, amidst the flood of mortal ills prevailing.

For still, our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe.

His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate;

On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And ’though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us;
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly pow’rs, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth;
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.”

COVID-19 Freedom!

The following is a translation of an e-mail that I have received from Portes Ouvertes - the French 'branch' of Open Doors, supporting the persecuted church. It is another reminder that "every cloud has a silver lining", and that, however the situation may look, our God is still on the throne, and in control of His creation.

Uzbekistan: more freedom thanks to COVID-19

The pandemic COVID-19 virus now affects the whole planet, and the populations concerned. But there is a surprising 'upside' as evidenced by the disciples of Jesus in Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan, in Central Asia, is a country in which disciples of Jesus are severely persecuted. In the current World Index of Persecution of Christians, it take 18th place out of the fifty countries that are n the Index. Freedom of religion is enshrined in the Constitution, but does not exist in everyday life. The churches are strictly controlled by the authorities, and police raids are frequent. But things have changed since the Covid-19 epidemic entered the country! The first thing that the Uzbekistan government did was to close the borders, and impose strict containment. City streets are almost empty, with no public transport. Of course, all religious services are prohibited but are, when possible, held online. What has surprised everyone, however, is that the authorities have asked Christians to gather in homes and families - something that was prohibited before the onset of the epidemic! This is a real blessing for small churches, not officially registered, and usually repressed by the police. Only large supermarkets and open-air markets are operating, but no-one knows how to survive. Most of those confined to their homes are without work, or income - or support from the authorities. Some believers from a local church have, therefore, bought food, and visited the poor of the neighbourhood to offer them a food parcel. This local action has had an amazing effect. In one week, ten people came to faith in the Lord Jesus. One of the believers from that group says: "In a difficult period, we have to be wise and prudent, and follow all safety rules. At the same time, we will not be afraid and hide." He added: "we want to bring light and hope, support those in need, and express God's love to people." Since it is forbidden to go out without a mask, on penalty of a fine, other believers have bought 100 masks which they have distributed freely, taking the opportunity to share the Gospel message. The situation is almost the same in some neighbouring countries. Again, Christians are taking initiatives to support those confined to their homes, and frightened by the situation. In Kazakhstan, for example, people are watching, with interest, the films that Christians are sharing online, with many saying how much this improves their current situation. In Kyrgyzstan, believers are meeting is small groups to pray, either in homes, or online. They are also supporting the poor with packages of provisions. Christians in Russia, from most denominations, are united in prayer for the country, and for the world. Sadly, in Turkmenistan, Christians are saddened as the authorities hide information, and no-one knows how serious the situation is - leading to a measure of panic. So, the Covid-19 virus, the source of so much upheaval, is also a factor of unity among these persecuted believers, and an opportunity for them to enjoy some relative freedom. Let us unite in prayer for disciples of Jesus in Central Asia - and let us follow their example by being united with other believers in our own localities, and seizing every opportunity to express God's love to our neighbours. Let us pray that the church in these countries will be better thought of by both the authorities and the populations.

The Romans' Road, Part 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hallelujah! Thank You, Jesus.

The Romans' Road; Part 1

If you have read through the Biblical texts in the previous post (and, if you have not yet done so, I would encourage you to go there now!) you may have noticed that, out of a total of ten Biblical text, three (i.e. 30%) were from Paul's great letter to the believers in 1st century Rome.

Paul's Letter to the Roman believers is, of course, one of the greatest books in the written Word of God. My thoughts about what heaven will be like keep changing, as I get older. However, if I do have the opportunity to sit down with Paul, I shall ask him to go through Romans with me, and explain all the parts that I still have difficulty understanding to any degree of fulness!

One aspect of Romans that I do understand is what has been described as "The Romans' Road" - a well-engineered pathway to full salvation. None of the following is, therefore, original. I share it because, for many, it may be new. I share it, because there may be someone who reads this post, and who, in the providence of Almighty God, is ready to set out on that road. May it be a blessing to all who read - but especially to anyone who may find new life in the Lord Jesus, the Christ, as they travel along it.

The Romans' Road starts, appropriately, at the beginning. In what we know (although remember that none of the Bible books were written in chapters and verses!) as the first chapter of Paul's great letter, we read: "Ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature, namely, His eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse; for although they knew God they did not honour Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened." (Rom 1:20-21). We know, of course, that "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Gen 1:1), but if we wish to walk this road, then we must acknowledge Almighty God as the Creator of everything, humbly accepting our own position in His created order and purposes. The writer of the Letter to Hebrew disciples of Jesus wrote: "... without faith it is impossible to please Him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him." (Heb 11:6).

Is this where you need to be - just at the beginning of the road? Do you need to accept that you are but a mortal being, whose life may be snuffed out at any moment - even by something as small as a virus, as is happening to so many at this time of the COVID-19 pandemic? If you refuse to believe that He even exists, then you are not able to take even the first step on this road! Please look at the evidence - it's all around you. 

However, if you are able to take that first step, then you may move on to the second one. And that is simply that we must realise that we are sinners, and that we need forgiveness. Many believe that they will go to heaven because they have lived a "good" life, done some charity work, been baptised as an infant, attended church 'regularly'("I never miss the Christmas Eve Service"!), or treated others fairly. However, Paul writes in Romans 3:23 that "... all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,". In other words, none of us (and the word "none" is a contraction of "not one"), judged by God's standards, is worthy. Each of us is a sinner - and that is not the easiest thing to admit. It hits us where it hurts - in our pride! But it's true, and it is an essential step on this road.

Remember how that came about. Almighty God had created a perfect world, and two perfect beings - the man, Adam, and the woman, Eve. However, "... the serpent was more subtle than any other wild creature that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden'? And the woman said to the serpent, 'We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'' But the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.' So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons. 

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, 'Where are you?' And he said, 'I heard the sound of thee in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.' He said, 'Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?' The man said, "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.' Then the Lord God said to the woman, 'What is this that you have done?. The woman said, 'The serpent beguiled me, and I ate.'" (Gen 3:1-13). Sin had entered the world, and we are all born in sin. You are not a sinner because you sin; you sin because you are a sinner. That is your nature, and there is nothing that you can do about it!

Just one more step in this post (we'll share the remainder in the next one!). It's not really a step that we must take, but more of a truth that we must accept - and in which we may rejoice. That truth, Paul shares in Romans 5:8 - "... God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." You and I can do nothing about our sinful nature but, praise God, He can - and He has! He has given us the way by which our sins may be forgiven, and our sinful nature renewed. That way was to come into the realm of time, in the very human flesh that He had created, in the Persona (not a typo - see the chapter on the Trinity in my book "Great Words of the Faith"; link at the top of the page. ALL royalties sent directly to Release International in support of the persecuted church) of the Son, the Lord Jesus, the Christ.

It was on a cross, on a hill outside the ancient city of Jerusalem, that He became the One Who paid the penalty for your sins, and for mine. As someone has said, and I often quote: "He paid a debt that He did not owe, because I owed a debt that I could not pay".

Well there are still a few steps to take on this Romans' Road. But that is all for now. Be sure to check Part 2. Blessings, and shalom.

Encouraging words.

As the Covid-19 virus continues to have such a devastating effect on so many people, all around the world, another brother in the Lord sent me a video presentation with ten verses from the written Word of God, that may encourage and strengthen those who have placed their trust in the Lord for salvation. The original was in French, so I am simply copying the same verses from my favourite (RSV) translation of the Bible. Read, consider, and be blessed.

1.  Job 5:11 "[God] sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety."

2.  Psalm 27:13-14 "I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for the Lord!"

3.  Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand."

4.  John 16:33 "I [Jesus] have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

5.  Rom.8:28 "We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose."

6.  Rom.8:37-39 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

7.  Rom.15:13 "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."

8.  II Cor.1:3-4 "Blessed be 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."

9.   Phil.4:6 "Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."

10. Heb.13:5 "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have; for He has said, « I will never fail you nor forsake you »".

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is all-sufficient; the love of God the Father, which never fails; and the fellowship of God the Holy Spirit, Who never forsakes; be with you, and remain with you now, and until He calls, or takes, you home.