_._._._._._.mas? What do you think is missing?

Image taken from: http://the3inone.wordpress.com

I wonder if you’ve already guessed what’s missing from the title of this blog. I know it’s not really that difficult. At this time of year when everyone is celebrating and looking forward to time off work and spending that time with family and friends, I doubt it would take anyone long to work out what the words is and the letters that are missing. However, there is a fundamental problem that we want to highlight. Amongst the tinsel, the frantic shopping, the presents, the parties, and the stress, have we forgotten what this season is really all about? I realize that December was not the time when Christ was born in Bethlehem, but it is the time when we are supposed to think about that tremendous event. Do we? What thought have you given to the Christian message of “a Saviour which is Christ the Lord”?

As that short quote from Luke’s Gospel reminds us, the person who was born in Bethlehem was important, even unique. Even the sceptic or atheist has to accept that “Jesus came into the world”. There is historical evidence to confirm it. For them, the difficulty arises with the Biblical record that the baby Jesus was none other than “Christ the Lord” – the Son of God. If Christmas was about the birth of just another baby, it would be nothing special or significant. However, it is not about just another birth, but about the birth of the Son of God by the virgin Mary – a miraculous event! That’s something worth remembering and celebrating. The Son of God has become man!

But that begs the question “why?” The Bible provides the answer: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”. God sent His Son, and Jesus Christ came, that we, you and I, might be forgiven, cleansed, and brought back to God. Each of us has a problem called sin – simple disobedience, a rejection of God’s Law and standards. That problem of sin keeps us at a distance from God and could separate us from Him eternally. The Lord Jesus came, born in Bethlehem, lived amongst men, and died upon a Roman cross at Calvary, a place outside of the city of Jerusalem, to save us from the penalty of our sin.

Our prayer is that this Christmas you might pause and think about the real significance of this time of year. Amidst all the family, friends, and food, we hope that you might spare a thought for the Son of God who came to save you and I, to give His life that we might be forgiven. That was God’s gift to men and women like us. Are you prepared to accept it?

Storms

Picture taken from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25253080

Sitting in my office I could hear the strong winds buffeting the building and making things rattle outside. It was not a pleasant experience but it was nothing compared with what some people have suffered in recent days. Storms have pounded Scotland and parts of northern England and surge tides are about to bring flooding to parts of the east coast. These are not happy days for some who will be worried as they survey the damage to their properties and wonder how it will be paid for, or whether there is the likelihood of more.

 

Of one thing I am sure. I am grateful that I was not out upon the sea in any part of that storm that hit our coast. The news programmes indicated the number of people who had been rescued from inland properties as the floods hit, but what of those at sea?

 

I thought of an occasion that the Bible records. Some experienced fishermen were working on the sea when, without warning, a ferocious storm arose. With every sinew of their bodies they fought to stay afloat as the wind blew and the waves pounded into the boat. They were in real fear for their lives. Fortunately for them there was one person in the boat who could provide a solution to their panic and fear. That person was Jesus Christ. As one said on another occasion, “Lord, save me”, he found in Jesus Christ One who was willing and able to save.

 

One of the benefits that we have living in the 21^st Century is adequate warning of dangers. The Environment Agency issues colour coded alerts to warn us of the dangers – storms, snow, flooding. We can make preparation, just in case the worst happens. The Bible issues a warning as to the dire consequences that await those who reject Jesus Christ and His message of salvation. What should we do to escape God’s judgement upon our sin and disobedience? We need to cry, like Peter the apostle, “Lord, save me”. I imagine some people smiled when the latest warning were issued. “Storms? We’ve heard that before, and it never happened!”

"I'll ring you back . . ."

Image from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/

Dictum meum pactum – My word is my bond.

Since 1801 this has been the motto of the London Stock Exchange where bargains are made with no exchange of documents and no written pledges being given. I think they have it in Latin as dictum meum pactum but it means the same thing. If you’re wondering what relevance that has for you, let me explain.

 

It was a trying experience. I thought it was just a simple insurance claim for a new windscreen but apparently it wasn’t. After getting nowhere with a call centre worker, I asked to speak to a supervisor. It seemed that the supervisor was unavailable at that moment but they promised he would ring me back. He didn’t. I rang again. The manager was “in a meeting”, but he would definitely ring back. He didn’t. Sound familiar? People make promises and don’t keep them. The saga dragged on for 24 hours before, finally, the matter was resolved.

To be fair it might not have been the manager’s fault. Something might have happened that meant he just couldn’t return my call. We’re not always able to honour our promises – we’re not in command of every circumstance.

The beauty of God’s message to you and I today is that if God promises it will come to pass. That’s really great. When I came to realize that I was a guilty sinner in need of God’s salvation, I trusted Christ. I wonder if you’ve ever come to that point. Have you ever realized that you have failed to live as God wants you to live? You have never given to God the place in your life that He deserves. You stand guilty and condemned before a holy God – that is the verdict of the Bible. Not just for you, but for me as well! What can we do? The answer is simple. We come to God and confess our failure – it’s time to say sorry and change the direction of our life forever. We must believe that Jesus Christ died in our place, bore the punishment for our sin, to provide salvation for us. God says, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life”. The Lord Jesus said, “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life . . . is passed from death unto life”. That’s a promise!

I’m confident that I am on my way to heaven. That would be a foolish thing to say if it wasn’t for the fact that God promised – I have “everlasting life”, a home in heaven, and peace with God. I’m not relying upon a human promise. When the Lord Jesus said, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself” nothing can stop Him from doing exactly that. That’s a promise and a hope worth having!

Poppies

The 10^th November 2013 was Remembrance Sunday. It was the time set aside to remember those who have given their lives in various conflicts across the globe – British soldiers who have fought and died to preserve the freedom that we take for granted. It was on a visit to Crich and the memorial there that I began to appreciate the significance. There was the record of 11000 men killed in the First World War and over 2000 killed in the Second World War. This is a just a snapshot of how many were killed across the many regiments of soldiers in the country. We think of those that died in vast numbers. We think of the families affected. It is right and fitting that those who have benefitted should show their respect for the dead.

 

I wonder. How many people give any thought to One who gave His life some 2000 years ago? It was outside the city of Jerusalem that He was crucified by the Romans. Rejected by His own people, despised by the leaders of the nation, He was taken by the Roman soldiers, brutally treated and crucified by nails driven through His hands and feet. He too was a victim of conflict – the conflict between good and evil. Peter described the events when he said to the Jews, ‘ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain’. The crucifixion was an expression of human self-will, sin, a testimony to man’s wickedness. Does that mean that evil triumphed? No!

 

Those that we remember each year on the second Sunday in November gave their life to maintain many of the freedoms we take for granted. Jesus Christ laid down His life to give us a freedom far greater. Jesus died to free us from sin – its penalty, its power, and, one day, its presence. When He died, He died as a sacrifice for sin. He died to pay the penalty of our sin and guilt and to restore us to fellowship with God.

 

We observe a few minutes silence once a year by way of remembrance of the dead of numerous conflicts. It’s not much in minutes when compared with the minutes that make up a year. Just two minutes! To think that the Son of God loved me and gave His life to ransom mine, what time do I spend in remembrance of Him? Have you given any thought to the death of Jesus Christ? Have you ever considered why? Have you ever considered that your sin and mine cost God His own Son to provide us with the possibility of salvation from sin – freedom?

Strike

Picture taken from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

Whether it is teachers or fire fighters, that word that seems to have slipped from the headlines is back with us. Strike! Large numbers of workers have walked out of their employment for a day to register their discontent. More are about to do the same. Why? Perhaps they wish to express their views about Government plans – working hours, pay, pensions, etc. Perhaps it is an expression of their growing frustration at never being listened to or consulted. Perhaps they feel that their employer, or the Government, have gone too far on this occasion and “enough is enough”. However, without being critical, the real reason is that the strike is all about “me” – my wages, my conditions of employment, my pension, my frustration, my isolation . . .

Human nature being what it is, we would all have to say that, to varying degrees, we are “out for number 1”. We have to look after ourselves. As adults, no one else will! I want what’s best for me. Most people are the same. Those prepared to go on strike are looking to work together through strike action to better their conditions, or, perhaps, just maintain the status quo when it is under attack.

The word “sin” is also a word that has slipped from our vocabulary. We used to talk about people “living in sin”. That meant they were “living together” as man and wife without being married. Today that term has been lost. However, put simply, sin is all about the letter at the centre of the word itself – “I”. It’s all about me! When I go my own way rather than God’s way and do what I want to do, often but not always at the expense of others, I am sinning – acting in a way that brings me into conflict with God. I am a sinner. As indicated above, I am by nature and practice in conflict with God.

The alarming thing is that I will have to answer for my sin. I will be held accountable by God. So will you! However, for those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour there is a way of escape from the penalty that will follow our judgement for sin. In the death of Jesus Christ at Calvary 2000 years ago, a penalty was paid for sin. As a believer in Christ, I can say that the penalty for my sin was borne by Christ. He took my place. He bore the condemnation of God for my sin. I am relying upon him for salvation. What about you? Have you turned your back upon a life lived for “me” and trusted Christ?

‘Only one life – live it’



Photo taken from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24301379

So goes the slogan. Some suggest that it was originally written by someone suffering with a serious life-threatening cancer to remind us all of the preciousness of life. However, like so many words and phrases it seems to have been hijacked by those who want to use it as an excuse for every form of indulgence. The idea being that as this life is all we have got then we need to get the most out of it. Let’s pursue every pleasure. Let’s indulge every whim. Let’s exploit every opportunity to get what we want.

The following story is taken from the BBC News website for 30/09/2013: “Nearly 300 children aged 11 or under were admitted to A&E units across the UK last year after drinking too much, a BBC Radio 5 live investigation shows. Over the last five years A&E departments across the UK have dealt with nearly 48,000 incidents where under-18s have been admitted for drink or drug related illnesses. During 2012/13 there were 293 cases of children aged 11 or under attending A&E with alcohol-related conditions - a third more than in 2011/12 when there were 216 cases”.

In the pursuit of so-called pleasure people are teaching their children a life-style that can ultimately destroy them, both physically and mentally. How incredibly sad! It is particularly sad because it flies in the face of the clear Biblical message that this life is not all that we’ve got. The Bible states, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”. Many people think that there is nothing after death – the grave is the end. The Bible says, “after this”. The reality is that this life is but the place where we need to make preparation for eternity – the life beyond physical death.

Are you prepared to meet God, or are you busy living for the moment? This relatively short life can be spent in short-term pleasure but what then? The Bible tells us of man called Moses. He made a decision, a choice that was to transform his life. Was he to “enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season”? As occupying a significant place in the palace of Egypt (seen as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter) he had it all, humanly speaking. However, he chose Christ seeing Him as “greater riches than the treasures in Egypt”. Only Christ can forgive our sins. Only the death of Christ can remove the stain of sin and guilt from us and prepare us to meet God. Are you living for the moment or are you living in the light and prospect of eternity?

 

‘There is a point where it is too big - you can't hide them’

This is a quote from Steve Cluff, a local councillor in Burton Joyce, near Nottingham. In an interview, quoted on the BBC News website, he speaks out against the decision taken by Gedling Borough Council. That decision is to allow Severn Trent Water to build a wind turbine at Stoke Bardolph. You would have to admit that something that is over 350ft in height is a bit difficult to hide. Equally, something next to the River Trent in an area of lowland will be visible for some distance. Some might say, ‘a blot on the landscape’.

Opinion on wind turbines does seem divided. Using renewable energy sources, such as wind power, is applauded by those who want us to reduce our carbon emissions. Those who live in an area where there are wind turbines are not quite as enthusiastic. Steve Cluff is right. You can’t really hide a 350ft mast.

Those of us old enough may remember a similar debate about mobile phone masts. There were ingenious plans to build masts that looked like trees, or to hide such masts in woods. A glance across the landscape in some areas would prove that the idea didn’t really work.

The debate made me think about our lives before God. Some of us seem to think that we can hide our failure in amongst the failure of others – like hiding a radio mast in a wood. Our first line of defence when confronted with something we’ve done wrong is, ‘well, what about everyone else?’ The naughty school child is always quick to point to others and say, ‘what about them? Why are you picking on me?’ This is the age-old problem. Are we prepared to admit before God that we have failed – sinned? We have failed to reach God’s standards. We have failed to keep God’s law. That failure brings guilt, as we stand before God as condemned sinners. In reality, we can’t hide! We may try. We may invent all sorts of excuses. The reality remains – guilty sinners deserving of God’s judgement.

The good news of the gospel is that God has provided a way of escape. God isn’t going to hide our sin. He has provided His Son to be our Saviour. Through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on a Roman cross, God has provided a way in which we can find cleansing and forgiveness. If we are prepared to place faith in Christ, His death can be our death, He can become our substitute, bearing our sin and guilt. Without Christ we will have to bear the punishment for our own sin. In Christ, He has borne God’s punishment for us. To quote Steve Cluff, ‘you can’t hide’. What will do with your sin and guilt?

Who do you think you are?

Picture taken from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007t575

This is the name given to a television series that helps celebrities trace something of their family history. To make each programme someone has quite a bit of research to do. There is the compilation of the family tree, usually taken back into the early part of the 19^th Century. Some of the history of certain individuals within that ancestry map is also researched to provide material of interest for the celebrity as well as the programme. Whilst it can make fascinating viewing and give an insight to the background of different celebrities it also raises the question for each one of us – who do we think we are?

What might be lurking in the dark recesses of our family history? Is there someone, perhaps a “black sheep” of the family, who might be discovered and their criminal activities exposed? Perhaps there are traces of immoral activity that might provide a link between us and some famous person of Victorian England! Clearly, for the programme to be made there is the assumption that we all have some interest in where we are from and who our ancestors were.

It may surprise many to know that the Bible has something to say about the whole matter of ancestry. A verse in Romans chapter 5 tells us, ‘as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned’. As we are all aware of the aging process and that this process underlines our mortality, it confirms our link with our first parents, Adam and Eve. In Adam’s disobedience (sin), we were made sinners. As sinners, we are all destined to die. The Bible says, ‘the wages of sin is death’. As a consequence of the so-called theory of evolution many would mock at the Biblical account of Adam and Eve, we all still face death. Why?

While the Bible explains the reason – sin – it also gives humanity hope. It tells of God’s provision of a Saviour to save us from death – particularly spiritual death, or separation from God forever. God’s Son, Jesus Christ, bore God’s penalty upon sin that you and I might go free, be forgiven, cleansed, and made fit for God’s presence in heaven. In the death of Jesus Christ and His subsequent resurrection there is hope for every man and woman! We might be in the family of Adam by natural birth. We can become part of the family of God through faith in Jesus Christ. What about you?

An innocent snap?

Picture taken from http://www.firsttabletpc.com/category/computer-tablet

“A stolen tablet computer has taken a picture of a man police wish to speak to in connection with its theft. The Samsung device was taken from a house in Winterbourne Close in Lewes, East Sussex, last month, police said. It was linked to the owner's Google account and when he checked it, a picture of a man reclining in bed popped up”. This partly amusing story appeared on the BBC News website. Although the idea that a house has been broken into and property stolen is far from amusing, the fact that the new “owner” has been photographed in his own home is funny. He clearly didn’t realize the power of modern communications gadgets!

If the new owner was the person who stole the tablet computer he could be in for a nasty surprise. If the new owner was someone who unwisely bought the tablet computer then he is going to lose the money he paid. But there is a more important aspect to this story. How much of what we do is being recorded? That innocent snap on the tablet computer has now been displayed to millions through a news web site. Perhaps there are things that we thought that no one had seen which are actually recorded somewhere on CCTV records.

The story reminded me of a very important but often neglected verse in the Bible: “be sure your sin will find you out”. Many of us do things wrong. In the so-called “big picture” they may not be that serious but, overall, we carry on, thinking that no one has noticed. Ever driven at more than 70 mph on the motorway? Ever broken God’s law by knowingly telling a lie? There is a commonly held view that if no one is hurt then it doesn’t really matter. The Bible tells us that it does matter and that God is keeping an account. Everything that others may not hear and see is recorded by God. One day we could be held to account by God. The verdict is obvious: guilty!

The good news is that God has provided a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. In His Son, God provided someone who was willing to take my place and die in my stead. He was willing to bear the punishment for my sin that I might go free. What about you? Is Jesus Christ your Saviour, or, in the day of judgement, will your sin find you out?

 

The Heir to the Throne

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/

The birth of the Queen’s first great-grandchild has certainly caused widespread interest. Apart from the press camped outside the hospital awaiting the news of the birth, there has certainly been numerous messages circulated around social media. We might not know the name of the new Prince of Cambridge but he is already a high profile figure – third in line to the throne!

 

I suppose that it is befitting for a Prince to be born in a private hospital, to live in a royal palace, and to be a high profile public figure from birth. Christians will certainly pray for the new Prince, as they have prayed for his father and mother, grandfather, and great-grandmother.

 

In thinking about these events I was drawn to another birth around 2000 years ago. The wise men came to enquire, ‘Where is he that is born king of the Jews?’ This was not a royal Prince but the God-promised Messiah and King of the nation. It would seem rather strange in 2013. We would just follow the media frenzy to find where any royal baby was born. If not, go to the royal palace. Where was Jesus to be found when he was born? In a manger, probably in the corner of a field rather than the ‘cosy’ stable of the Christmas story! Where did the wise men find Him? Was it in the palace? He spent his early life in a simple house in the care of a carpenter. Was He welcomed? Matthew, in his gospel, tells us that Herod killed all the young children in Bethlehem in his rage as he tried to hunt down and kill the baby Jesus. Did this child grow into a man and ascend the throne of the nation? We are told that Pilate, the Roman Governor, wrote the superscription that was fastened over the cross where the man died, ‘This is Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews’.

 

This was not the result of an uprising of the people. No one overthrew this king. This was not the consequence of a Roman crackdown either. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died at Calvary because He was hated and despised. What is surprising is that He was hated even though He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and raised the dead! The Lord Jesus Christ’s death shows us human sin and guilt – we crucified a sinless man. But that same death demonstrates God’s love for you and me – the Bible says, ‘Christ died for our sins’. That was something that only Christ could do.

 

What is crucial here is whether you have made that death apply to you. Can you say, ‘Christ died for me’? Will you bear the punishment for your sin and guilt or has Christ borne it for you? Is He your Saviour, or merely a figure in history?

What price do we put on a life?

Picture taken from the BBC News website

In Bury, Lancashire, the funeral has taken place of Fusilier Lee Rigby. This was not the funeral of another soldier killed in a foreign land whilst serving his country. This was the result of a horrific attack upon the streets of London, as the soldier returned to the barracks in Woolwich. The large crowd around the church where the service took place is an indication of the sympathy felt for the family, and the outrage at the people who could commit such an atrocity.

 

For some there may be the genuine question about “religion” that motivates people to kill. Whether it is so-called Muslims who murder Christians, or so-called Christians who murder Muslims, there is nothing that can be used to justify such actions. The Bible says, “Thou shalt not kill”. This was one of God’s direct commandments.  Many Christians refused to take up arms in the Second World War because of their faith.  But shouldn’t we rather be concerned that 551 homicides (including murder, manslaughter, and infanticide) were reported in the year ending December 2012? Is this particular case a reminder that we are beginning to think that life is cheap?

 

The Bible reminds us of God’s valuation on life. The words of Jesus Christ are clear: “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” You cannot put a price on a life! Your life and your eternal destiny are of the utmost importance. God gave His own Son to die on a Roman cross to provide your salvation from sin. He was prepared to sacrifice all that He had for you – that is the price he puts on your life and your soul! You are infinitely precious to God. What is your response? Will you trust Him with your life, or will you reject Him?

‘I spy with my little eye . . .’

Who is watching and listening? Whether it be GCHQ or other organizations intent on maintaining national security, it has been interesting to watch and read the stories of covert surveillance. It seems our emails, our text messages, our tweets, and other modes of electronic communication are all a lot more open than perhaps we have thought. Perhaps that is a frightening thought. How much of what we say and do is private anymore? How much of our daily life is being observed by CCTV?

Some might argue that in the interests of the safety of us all that is a small price to pay. If we are law-abiding citizens, what have we to fear? Others, concerned about civil liberties, might argue that this observation is obtrusive and unnecessary.

All this made me think of a verse from the Bible: ‘Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do’. There is a surveillance system far more sophisticated than anything that man has invented. God is watching and recording our lives. He is taking stock of what we say and what we do. What might escape the observation of men and women will not escape the eye of God. One day we will be held to account! That is frightening!

However, there is an opportunity to remove that burden of guilt. What we have done can be forgiven and its stain removed. God is able and willing to forgive us our sin and guilt. Sit down and count up what a mass of things we each need to be forgiven for. Yet, through the death of God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, we can find forgiveness. If we are prepared to accept that He died for our sin, my sin to make it personal, then we can be forgiven. Either we bear the consequences of our own deeds, or we accept Christ as our sin-bearer. What is your choice?

Guilty



http://www.itv.com/news/wales/topic/mold-crown-court/

The jury in Mold Crown Court has arrived at a unanimous verdict in the case of the abduction and murder of a five-year-old girl April Jones. They have found the defendant guilty, and all now await the sentencing of the man responsible.

 

As we were on holiday in South Wales at the time, we can remember the prolonged searches that were features on the news at the time. As the hours and days passed, so hope began to fade that the little girl would be found alive. Indeed, her body has never been found and the precise manner of her death remains unknown.

The untimely death of a child, particularly in this manner, is something that challenges us all. We can’t imagine the heartache of a parent whose child is taken. We can’t really appreciate what it means to maintain hope and yet find it dashed when someone is charged with that child’s murder. Neither can we begin to understand what motivates a person to take a life, especially the life of such a young child. How do we explain it?

Atheists may question the existence of God when, as they see it, He fails to intervene and prevent such senseless killing. However, this avoids the really searching question – what is it in the human character that causes us to be capable of such dreadful acts? God says of man’s heart – your heart and mine – that it is “deceitful . . . and desperately wicked”. What is alarming is that the potential is in us all! We are sinners. History demonstrates that sad conclusion.

But what of this God of love? The real display of God’s love was seen in the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. As the Father watched the cruel treatment meted out by humans upon His Son when He was crucified some 200 years ago, He did not intervene. Indeed, the Bible tells us that God made to meet “upon him the iniquity of us all”. In order that we might be forgiven the Lord Jesus Christ died at Calvary. Could we forgive the person who murdered our child? Yet God is prepared to forgive us in spite of our sin and guilt provided we acknowledge our guilt and turn to Him in faith.

A “humbling and sobering experience”

Image taken from http://www.independent.co.uk/

These were the words of the former Liberal Democrat MP, Chris Huhne. As he was released from prison today, he repeated his apology. Although he has only served a quarter of his sentence, it would seem that the former MP has learnt quite a lot during his time away. Humility may be a part of the lesson.

A dictionary definition of humility is: “having or showing a sense of lowliness or inferiority, modest”. We are all aware of those who fit the opposite definition. It is easy to tell people of your good points. Everybody likes praise, and some people like to sing their own praises! There are plenty of people who have a high opinion of themselves. The really hard thing is to admit you were wrong. As the song lyrics say, “sorry seems to be the hardest word”.

The Bible says quite a lot about humility. James wrote, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up”. What does this mean? One of the things that we need to do is to admit that God is right and we are wrong. When God’s word, the Bible, says that we are sinners – those that have done wrong – how do we react? Do we protest? Do we try and argue our case as “good people”? Remember, God can look past the outer show that we put on for others! God looks right into our heart. He knows us better than anyone. He knows us for what we are! Plenty of people may look at me and think that I’m a healthy individual without knowing what’s going on inside.

Am I prepared to be humble? Will I admit that I’m a sinner before God? This is the first step to blessing. But, having admitted that I’m a sinner, am I sorry for what I’ve done? Will I turn my back upon my old life and place faith in Christ to forgive me my sin? These are the key questions in life. It would be good if we didn’t need to go to prison to learn humility in the presence of a holy God!

King’s Mill Dukeries Centre demolished

Photo taken from http://www.chad.co.uk/news/local/demolition-of-kings-mill-buildings-just-weeks-away-1-5176219

Memories! Over 25 years ago I went to the Dukeries Centre with my wife. The initial tour and a stop for information was the forerunner to a visit that lasted some hours and, eventually, resulted in the birth of our first child. Apart from various traumas that are etched in my memory, I would have to remember the centre with a degree of affection. The staff were superb, and to leave the hospital with our first child was memorable – life changing!

As I watched the short video on the CHAD web site I was conscious of how things have changed and how time has flown by. My son is now a working man. That helpless babe that we carried from the Centre could easily carry me now. But where have those 25 odd years gone? What was once “state of the art” is now a pile of rubble! You look at the area surrounding and you find a thoroughly modern hospital, a completely different traffic junction, a B&Q Superstore, and many other changes besides. Perhaps the greater challenge is to look in the mirror and see what the passage of those 25 years has done to me!

If we are honest the signs are there in all of us. It may be the hair that’s turning grey. Perhaps the figure is not what it used to be. The face shows signs of aging – the spectacles, the signs of dental work, the lines, and the wrinkles. We are all getting older! But there is a challenge here too. Are we prepared for “the wrecker ball” that will bring our life to its conclusion, as the machine has done for the Dukeries Centre? It was striking listening to a woman visiting her dying mother in hospital. She confessed that she was frightened of death. For her it was an unknown, an uncertainty.

For the Christian we take the Bible’s promises seriously – as truth! The Lord Jesus Christ said, ‘He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life’. To accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour is to remove the fear of death, and the uncertainty in relation to our spiritual life beyond death. It assures us of the forgiveness of sin, peace with God, and a home in heaven. Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour? For the true Christian the passage of time takes us nearer to the glory of heaven!

The Thatcher Legacy

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/margaret-thatcher-dead-newspaper-frontpages-1820371

The news of the death of the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher brought diverse responses. Some spoke of her with affection and respect as a former political leader, political ally, friend, or colleague. For others the announcement of her death was an occasion for celebration, and a pop song describing her as a witch rising up the charts. To some she was a heroine. To others she was hated. Many of those from wealthy backgrounds, in positions of privilege or in business would see her as the person who helped to make Britain great. Those who once worked in Britain’s primary industries such as coal, steel, and manufacturing, may well see her as the person who destroyed British industry. There can be little doubt, or discussion. Margaret Thatcher divides opinion in death as much as she divided opinion during her life.

My mind went to someone who has divided opinion for far longer, and far more substantially. He asked the question of the leaders of the day, “What think ye of Christ?” The question is every bit as relevant today as it was then. Society is divided in its opinion of Jesus Christ. All would have to admit that He was a real person who lived, and who died. But is that all? The question that Jesus asked of the Pharisees had more: “What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?” Here is the crux of the issue!

Are you among those who think that Jesus Christ was merely the son of Joseph and Mary? Perhaps you think He was a good man. Perhaps you would go further and speak with a degree of respect for His words and works while He was alive. For the true Christian Jesus Christ is far more, and far greater. He was a man but He was also God. It was Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus, that made the tremendous confession, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God”. This is the key.

Why is this important? For Jesus Christ to be anything less than God would be to undermine the salvation that He offers to you and me. He was virgin-born, sinless, and holy. He died on Calvary, a hill outside of Jerusalem, to pay the penalty that was ours. My sin, and yours, deserves God’s punishment. If we accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour and confess Him as our Lord and God, we can know forgiveness and peace.

What’s your opinion of Jesus Christ? This is something that needs a decision!

What does Easter mean to you?

In an increasingly secular society this is an important question. For many children they will think of it in terms of Easter eggs and a holiday from school. For some adults, the long weekend will provide a welcome break from work and an opportunity to relax. Alternatively, it might be an occasion to get some of the jobs done around the house that have remained undone, or unfinished. Perhaps, for some, it may be a time for the family. But is that all?

Although Easter bears no relationship to the real time of the death of Jesus Christ, it is a time when some Christians reflect upon that event that took place some 2000 years ago. Whether we like it or not, that event changed our way of life. 2013 is measured from the time of the birth of Jesus Christ and our annual cycle of bank holidays revolves around Christmas and Easter as the two major events. What is so significant to Christians across the world of the death of a man some 2000 years ago?

The simple answer is that the death of the Lord Jesus Christ was unique. In that horrific act of crucifixion, we might expect a victim to die as a result of his injuries and the torture of the execution method. However, the soldiers that came to hasten the death of those they regarded as criminals were amazed that the Lord Jesus Christ was dead already. Why? The answer is that He had ‘given up the ghost’, that is, He had given up His life willingly because He had control over that event in a way that we haven’t.

Good Friday is meant to remind us that the Lord Jesus Christ died willingly and voluntarily as a sacrifice to God on account of my sin and yours. At Calvary, in His crucifixion, He paid the penalty for our sin. The Bible says, ‘Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree’. But there is more. For Easter Sunday reminds us of His resurrection from the dead. On the third day after His death, Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and is alive forever. That is why Easter is so important. Our sin and guilt can be dealt with – cleansed and forgiven. By faith in Christ we can know sins forgiven and have peace with God. Is that what Easter means to you?

New MRI Scanner for King’s Mill Hospital

image courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net

Over £440,000 has been raised through the local newspaper appeal to raise money for a new MRI scanner for King’s Mill Hospital. Even a generous estimate of the population of the area would indicate that this is more than £2 per person, including children. In those terms it is an enormous amount of money. CHAD, the local newspaper concerned, said, ‘The new scanner features a range of hi-tech software allowing doctors to carry out more in-depth scans as well as facilities to care for cardiac and breast scans’. What a tremendous achievement! What a significant development this will be for local medical provision.

I suppose this is an indication of what technology enables us to do in medicine in 2013. The facilities that we have, and the expertise that we have, contribute to an improved quality of life for all of us. But this story made my mind turn to a verse in the Bible. God says, ‘I the Lord search the heart’. Another Bible verse describes God as ‘a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart’. However good an MRI scanner may be, it cannot discern our thoughts and intents. Even the greatest technological minds could not devise and build a device to accomplish that level of scan! I am not seeking to detract from the tremendous achievement of fund-raising but to put the devices of men’s creation into perspective.

The more demanding question would be, ‘when God scans our thoughts and intents, what does He see?’ The real benefit of the high-power scanners is that they might enable a doctor to see something that would be otherwise hidden – they reveal what the human eye can’t detect, what remains a mystery to standard forms of medical diagnosis. What might God see when He scans our minds and motives? The Bible tells us that He sees us as sinners – those who have, and will continue to, fail to live up to His standards. No one likes to see a dark mass that could be a cancer on the results of an X-ray or scan. It could be something life threatening. In a spiritual sense, sin is every bit as life threatening. It can deprive us of spiritual life – a hope of heaven and fellowship with God. It could consign us to a lost eternity. There is no medical solution to sin. There is no ‘quick fix’. Our only hope as sinners is Jesus Christ. He died to save us from the consequences of sin, to offer us new life in Him. What will you do with Jesus Christ? Now you have the results of God’s scan, how will you respond? Will you believe?

Not another scandal!



Pictures taken from the BBC News web site

It has been an interesting few weeks. The news seems to have been full of one sort of revelation or another. There were the horrific revelations about the late Jimmy Savile’s activities. There was the “confession” of Lance Armstrong that he was a cheat who had won so many cycling awards by using performance enhancing drugs. There was the confession of Chris Huhne, a senior Liberal Democrat politician, that he had “perverted the course of justice”, and, then, as we’ve noted before, the horsemeat scandal. It has been a period of one scandal after another.

One thing that struck me in this seemingly never-ending saga of corruption was the scope of it all. I picked up the local paper recently to see the headline detailing the suspension of a local head teacher whilst investigations took place into his interests in pornography. Scandals seemed to have affected nearly every branch of life. Whether it is education, politics, business, sport, or entertainment, no area seemed exempt from the defilement. I wonder what our thoughts are upon such matters. Do we merely shrug our shoulders and say, “well, that’s life”? Whilst we may be shocked and saddened, do we merely think that this is all about somebody else and something else that has no bearing upon us?

 

God says through the Bible, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked”. Recent events, as detailed above, have proved just how right God is. But wait a minute. Do we really understand that this verse is speaking to me? It is always easy to point at certain situations, and the people caught up in criminal activities, and single them out as sinners. It is far more challenging to realize that the Bible is speaking to me! My heart is not really different from theirs. While I haven’t committed some of the crimes that others have, my heart is every bit as capable! It is for this reason that King David wrote, “Create in me a clean heart, O God”. Only God can do that. We can’t transform ourselves. Only God can remove the sin and guilt from our heart and life. He can do that and will do that if we are prepared to confess our sin before God and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour. What about you?

Horsemeat anyone?

Image taken by Trapper49 on www.kozzi.com

The following extract is from the BBC News website: ‘Tesco have used full-page adverts in national newspapers to apologise for selling burgers in the UK that were found to contain 29% horsemeat. Traces of horse DNA were also detected by the Food Standards Agency of Ireland in products sold by Iceland, Lidl, Aldi and Dunnes. But a beefburger rarely contains 100% beef. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has two classifications for burger products - standard and economy. A standard beefburger can only be classified as such if it comprises a minimum of 62% beef. The percentages take a tumble when it comes to economy or "value" burger products’.

What does this mean? One thing would seem to be the need to find cheap food. Cash-strapped families, and individuals, are always trying to find the elusive ‘bargain’ to try and make their limited resources go that little bit further. So, why the furore? Why has the government insisted on food testing and regular reports in the news about their latest finding? I suspect one of the main reasons is that feeling that we have all been deceived. We have been told something when the reality is radically different. What we thought we were buying and eating is not all beef but contains some horse!

Being deceived is not just a matter of horsemeat. Many people will speak with emotion about the partner that deceived them. Others will tell you of ‘scams’ perpetrated by unscrupulous criminals who prey upon the vulnerable. It seems true to say that ‘you can fool some of the people all the time’. Humanists would say, ‘There is probably no god so enjoy life’. Christians would indicate that this is a deception, one that could have disastrous consequences for the life beyond this one.

What about you? The story is told of the atheist heckler who shouted at a preacher on Hyde Park Corner. The preacher simply said, ‘If you are right and there is no God and no life beyond this one, what have I lost? However, if I am right and there is a God, whom you have rejected and despised in the person of His Son Jesus Christ, what have you lost?’ This is an important question. Jesus Christ died upon a Roman cross, was buried, and rose again the third day to provide a full and free salvation for sinners like me (and you!). Are you one of the deceived who follow the common theory that there is no God, no one to whom we must answer? Have you been deceived?

An Estimate

It was in the relatively early hours of the morning quite recently that I was awoken by an accident right outside our house. In fact, the driver had lost control of his vehicle, knocked down part of our wall and then ploughed into the drive posts and knocked them down. It was quite a mess and the car looked a wreck. Fortunately, the driver wasn't badly hurt but was taken by ambulance to hospital just to make sure. Now we have the task of getting someone to rebuild the damaged wall and replace the posts at the ends of the wall. 'Get an estimate from a builder, and submit it to the insurers', we have been told.

This got me thinking. What is an estimate? It's not exact but it is intended to give us a rough idea of what it will cost to get things repaired and restored. An expert eye will be able to give us a figure from which we can get the go-ahead for things to be fixed.

If we were asked to put an estimate on human life, what might we say? What is a life worth? Reading in the news of a bungled murder by two people who had been paid to kill someone, I wondered what value they had put upon the life of their potential victim. What is our life worth? The value will change, depending on who you ask. I would expect my family to put a higher price on my life than my employers! However, the gospel (the message of the Bible) tells us that the highest price placed upon a human life is that which God has placed. God's love for each one of us caused Him to give His only Son to die upon a Roman cross outside Jerusalem. The reason? It was because God loved us, valued us so highly, that He was prepared to punish His Son for our sin and guilt that we might go free.

We cannot measure the value of that tremendous gift of God's love. We cannot measure the price that the Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son, had to pay to remove the penalty that we would have to pay on account of our sin. But the question that has to be asked is this, 'Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour?' Are you prepared to acknowledge and accept the estimate of value God has put upon your life? Sadly, for some, life is cheap. Many live life for the present and ignore the price that God was willing to pay to secure your future with Him. What about you?

Snow!

Don’t know whether you like snow but we’re in the midst of a cold period and the snow has been falling heavily. For the children, snow has a degree of “fun” about it – making snow figures, having snow ball fights, or sledging down the nearest slope. It also means that school might be closed, and there’s the opportunity of an extra day off. For some adults it is a reminder of a far off childhood. For others it contributes to a dreadful journey, and the added dangers of ice and slippery surfaces.

The worst snow showers we might experience do not really compare with what some people experience every year. Snow falls in large quantities, to the extent that the fall of snow causes what is called a “white out”. Such an event is quite rare in this country.

This made me think of a verse from the Bible. God was speaking to the His people through the prophet Isaiah. He said, ‘Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow’. That was quite an invitation. God was willing to forgive the sins of His people. God was willing to cleanse – to change what was scarlet into something as white as snow.

God is still inviting people to come to Him today. We have to come to see things as God sees them – to see that we are sinners in his sight. We can try and paint a picture of respectability about our life. We can try and excuse or explain why the things we have done wrong are not quite as bad as people ought to think. We can even live in denial, saying that we are not sinners and have never done anything wrong. Are we prepared to see things in our life as the scarlet stain of sin?

If we accept God’s invitation, and confess that we are sinners, then our sin can be washed away – our life made white like snow. We don’t have to do anything. All we have to do is accept the work of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. He died upon the cross outside of Jerusalem that He might bear the guilt and punishment of God upon our sin. If we accept His sacrifice, and believe in Him as our Saviour, then perhaps we can look at snow in a completely different way. Snow, and the sheer whiteness of snow, if how our life will look before God. What a transformation is possible!