Another Chance

We stand at the door of another new year, and 2014 beckons encouragingly. Remember last year, when we did the same, and we decided to make resolutions to be a better person? Treat others patiently and with respect, go to church, read the bible and pray more, eat less or maybe more wisely, be an encourager, and give to good causes? These are all good resolutions, but I wonder how many we kept?

I am glad we have a God of the second chance, and how we need it. We mess up so easily and so often, it seems we never can get it right from one year to the next. So does it do any good to try? Of course it does, and we should never stop, as long as we realise that there are some things we cannot do on our own. Many of the things we resolve to do, come from the heart, and there is only one place we can make progress. That’s when we trust it with God, and don’t go back to do it by ourselves. Remember the failures from last year? Well how about trying a new approach this year by including Jesus in our plans for the coming year?

My guess is that if we are spared to stand at the gateway of 2015, we will be able to look back with a sense that we did the right thing by involving the great Creator in our plans. I think he would approve, so starting now, determine to have a Happy New Year 2015!!

Comin' or Goin'

There are times when our head spins and we don’t know if we are coming or going. That happens a lot, and to many people, so if you experience this birling sensation, you are not alone. Don’t worry, there is no cure, so don’t stress yourself by looking for one. The disease of ‘coming or going’ is incurable, at least for now.

We are in this state during the year, but never so much as at New Year time, and it’s the same every year. You know exactly what I mean, right? It seems that everything we decide to do has two sides. the good or bad, the better or best, the ‘what ifs’ of life hit us when we don’t go looking for them. It’s that time again. It’s getting closer to Hogmanay, and here we are doing it again, as if we didn’t learn from last year.

All those chances we had to do something better, or right, or just different than we muddled through last year, are here to haunt us again it seems. We go into another year with the same questions. Will we make a better fist of it this time? Can we succeed where we failed, or achieve that reconciliation that has eluded for so long, or maybe find that special prince(ss) among the low life that seem to live in the pond we inhabit? These are no small things, and we are right to want them put right, but are we willing to put in the time and effort to get the healing process started?

So, as we stand on the threshold of 2014, not knowing if we are comin’ or goin’, don’t just make a resolution in your head to make things better, have a change of heart instead, and without looking over your shoulder at what has happened last year, determine to make that wrong right, make the call of reconciliation, and find that Godly friend who might also be looking for you. Who knows where that might lead? Then we will know where we are going in 2014! Happy New Year!!

It's Over

That’s it! All over for another year. The wrapping paper torn from the gifts is in the bin. The turkey is half eaten, and all the time you took to arrange and buy those special gifts for the important people in your life, is in the past. So long to get here, and over in a day. I suppose the real question becomes, is it all worth the effort?

Christmas, with all its rush and bustle is not for the faint hearted, but it is good to see the look on a child’s face when they get their gifts. Today’s special present that caused so much happiness will soon become tomorrow’s old dated game or toy. Christmas is great, and I love it, but it seems to be gone so quickly, and all you are left with, is the fond memory, and the still to be finished turkey which will become a curry, or  sandwiches.

So, it’s over. Or is it? Take a step back and think what Christmas really is all about. It’s not the gifts or the food, good as they are, the clue is in the word Christmas, and the verse which says Jesus came into the world as “Immanuel, God WITH us”, so it’s not just for a day. It’s a lifetime thing, and beyond that into eternity. As Christians we do our Lord, and our faith a disservice by thinking Christmas is a day on the calendar. It’s more than that. It’s a lifestyle choice. It’s a mindset, and a change of heart. Yes, our Christmas should last all year, until the next time we celebrate His birthday again. You don’t ignore your children between birthdays, so why should we do that with Jesus?

It just leaves me to say, Happy All Year Christmas my friends.

A Tale Of Two Christmases

I love Christmas, with the glitter, tinsel, artificial trees all lit up, santa in the mall, the smell of cinnamon candles, and the laughter of children, wide eyed at the wonder and magic of gifts received for no other reason than the love of parents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters and loved ones. Then there is the best part for me. The gathering around the family table to enjoy the traditional dinner of turkey and all the trimmings. That’s my Christmas, but sadly, it is not the Christmas of many. But above and before all of this festive fun, is the realisation that the reason for the season is the virgin birth of the Saviour of the World into a lowly stable manger in Bethlehem, as prophesied.

Then there is the other side of Christmas, mainly peddled by businesses who want your money, and for those 30 pieces of silver, promise a good time, in fact the best time you ever had by maxing out your credit card. Christmas has become something else. The media in the UK, and in our other ‘civilised’ western cultures, warn against hedonism. Of course they don’t call it that, so they give out other more PC warnings which are for your own benefit.

Police having to increase their patrols, on the lookout for drivers who take a chance and drink to excess before getting behind the wheel, putting their own lives at risk but also those younger innocents. The medical profession warning about the risks of spiked drinks, especially putting young party women, out for a good time ‘at risk’, and all that entails. Domestic violence hits a high, due to increased alcohol intake. Young drunken men and girls, out for a ‘good time’ at all and any cost, without a thought for the consequences to them or any others.

What have we, the civilised societies, done to the season of Christmas? It goes deeper than just being an expensive time of year. It goes to the heart of our humanity, by trading the baby in the manger for a lifestyle which is as far away from the meaning of Christmas as you can get. We have changed the definition of the word ‘party’ to a drunken orgy, instead of a celebration of goodness, based on the life and example of the Son of God. I ask again, what have we done with Christmas, and is it for our good?  

Taking Part

It would be a very strange football stadium that was very quiet during a game. It would be odd for a party to be silent. What would we think of a karaoke club where no one joined in the singing? Can the church learn from this simple lesson? In each of these cases, the people attending are expressing themselves appropriate to their event.

Expressions give us away, whether we know it or not. It is hard to ignore an infectious laugh or grin, in fact these make us want to laugh or smile too. Our faces tell a story which we cannot hide or deny, and so it is with the places we go to. If we enjoy being at the football game, party, or karaoke it will show somewhere on us. Maybe on our faces, or by cheering or singing.

There are churches where you will hear ‘Amen’ or ‘Hallelujah’ or ‘Praise God’. You may even see hands raised in worship. These are expressions of joy at being in the presence of God. There are singing churches, where the singing is rousing, loud and praiseworthy to the King of Kings. Some singing churches have volume, some melody, and on occasion some have both! But one thing is sure, growing and thriving churches are not silent and expressionless. Sure, not everyone has a singing voice, but those would be in the minority and even these can sing when among those who can carry a tune, so what does a silent congregation mean? Maybe I should let you answer that one.

The first half of the average church service is usually given to praise and worship, and that is where we get to express ourselves. The music and songs can be old and traditional, or modern and contemporary, but the common goal is that we get to express our worship in an appropriate way. Music and song are universal. We all relate, and enjoy taking part when we can. So let me go back and ask the question again. What would you think of a silent church that didn’t express itself? Just asking.

Belief

Christmas is that time when old and young are faced with the question, do we believe in Santa Claus? This is an important question, especially when adults are in the company of small children. There is a magic to the season, mainly brought about by the commercial side that sees this as the best time of the year to make a profit. In fact, some small businesses rely on their takings in December to stay solvent! Christmas is important!

I wonder what Christmas means to you this year, and in years ahead what will stick in your mind? We have seen the death and burial of a great human of recent years, Nelson Mandela. There has been another shooting at a school in the USA with death and injury. Syria dominates the daily headlines with images of displaced citizens who need basics like warm clothing and food. These things are attention grabbing, and you may look back in years to come, and associate 2013 with some of these stories. But is that all there is to it?

The clue is in the name. CHRISTmas was, and still is the celebration of the simple birth of a baby in an animal feeding trough, who came from heaven to bridge the gap between God and man. Jesus was not just a ‘good man’ or a prophet as some think, but the embodiment of God in our own human form. He laughed, cried, was tempted, betrayed, hurt, bled, and felt just like us. How good was God’s plan to give us Jesus as a baby to grow up in a small town, as part of a poor family who would know the troubles of life? Some of His own brothers didn’t accept His claims and teachings as He went about doing good. He was not accepted in His own town, or with the church leaders. But knowing this, God still sent Him at Christmas time. On the face of it, it doesn’t seem like a good plan, but we know the end of the story and it didn’t end at Christmas, or when He was tempted, beaten and crucified for doing good. The story continued to His resurrection and ascension back to heaven, His earthly work completed.

So the question remains. Do you believe? Not in Santa, but in the reason for the season being Jesus Christ, who is the whole of CHRISTmas, wrapped up in a cold manger, in a draughty stable, surrounded by poverty, but announced and serenaded by angels? I mean believe it enough to see beyond the commercialised side of the month with its trappings of temporary happiness? If you can do that, you will have a very Happy and Blessed Christmas, with all the joy that the Christchild brings.  

Packing

It’s a job I really don’t like, and my heart isn’t in it, but my head (you know that reasonable and logical part if you) knows the dreaded suitcase packing has to be done. So, it becomes a chore, and especially when you find that the suitcase isn’t big enough, plus the weight limit is too small for all the stuff you NEED to take with you. The airlines are all too eager to let you take extra weight, as long as you pay heavily for the privilege. Being a canny Scot, I don’t like paying for these so called ‘extras’, and I don’t think you do either!

Why is it easier to pack when you are going on holiday, but not so much when you leave? Don’t say anything. I already know the answer, even if I don’t want to admit it. Here’s a thought to throw out there. My suitcase is weighed down to the ounce by the airline, but I am not. In fact I will go a stage further and ask, why are really BIG people (who always seem to be sat next to me on those little airline seats) not weighed at check in? Or even sat altogether, so that they can experience the challenges of eating those in flight meals while your elbows are tucked uncomfortably in your pockets? Am I being mean? Maybe, but it’s one of those realities of economy flight travel. That was a diversion, but back to packing.

I am thinking this is a bit like life and day to day living. We come into this world with only the essentials. Life, love and freedom, but during our time here, we gather all kinds of stuff. The older we get, the more we gather, but the truth is, at best we leave this life the way we came in, with no worldly goods. As a person of faith, the end of the journey is not one to be feared. We don’t have to pack for it, but we do get to take love right into the courts of heaven, and the freedom granted us in Jesus to walk those celestial streets. So, the message is clear. Don’t go through life thinking that the material things in life are important when your chariot is about to leave for Glory. In the meantime, be glad for the life, love and freedom!

Cabin Fever?

Days like this come infrequently in Texas. It’s not just cold, with a gentle snowfall, but freezing ice covering everything. Tree branches bent to the ground under the weight, streets treacherous underfoot, and mobile phone and power towers that collapse under the sheer pressure of ice. As if that isn’t enough, houses are without power for many hours and horror of all horrors, the internet connections are overloaded as all those occasional users want to find out what is going on.

For those who have power, and therefore heat, ‘homes’ can appear from mere ‘houses’ where children stay in their jammies, food is a constant snack through the day, and fun is made from hand crafts and board games. Mums, usually governed by housework routines, join in the hilarity forgetting their chores, and Dads who didn’t make it to work, are having a great day with family, just kicking back and enjoying the homemade ‘cabin fever’.

Life will get back to some kind of normality in a day or so. Children will get back to school, mums to their usual routines, and dads to work. The board games will be back in their boxes, and meals will return to the non snack healthy and nutritious variety. Some would look back and see this as a wasted day, but what price can you put on family time, even if it is unhealthy, and not nutritious? How can you not benefit from the memories you make with the kids during times wrapped up, drinking cocoa, playing silly games around the Christmas tree, while carols are playing in the background?

There is plenty of time to do ‘routine’, so take these happy days gladly. In a few years time, these will be the little things that make big and happy memories. Guaranteed.

Hello My Name Is..

Hello my name is David and I have a problem, which I confess in front of my peers and betters. I am a blogaholic and liable to say things that offend. Obviously Abraham Lincoln was wrong when he said that we “can never please all of the people all of the time”. See, there I go again because even that great man recognised that you can’t please everybody, so why should I? Well that’s why I am in this therapy help group for hopeless cases.

How did I get here? Well, I will get to my feet, kick back my chair, step into the circle, and tell you my story. I have this sense of standing up for the underdog. I know it is wrong, and I am trying to correct myself and get into line with the majority who think it is best to ‘go with the flow’ and accept what is given as right and proper, but I still get spasms of sympathy for those who have no voice of their own, or worse still, whose voice has been diminished by political correctness.

Then there’s my dual personality. There are things I wouldn’t dare say about injustice in a real face to face conversation, but put me in front of a keyboard, linked to the blogosphere, and I will say things that are bugging me about society’s ills as I see them. I am working on this personality flaw too, and soon I hope to join the majority of silent people who don’t ever express their opinion, just in case it is seen as wrong in some over-sensitive hearts.

But my biggie, is opening my mouth and speaking or blogging without due care and attention. If I was a driver, I would be up before the judge, and thrown in with all those other criminal offenders who deserve to be there. So I throw myself on the collective mercy and wisdom of the group. You, society in general, can help me by letting me learn to be quiet about expressing my feelings for the underdog, the injustices of society, and my inability to keep everybody happy. Then I can pretend everything in the world is rosy. I am sorry this group was not available to Abraham Lincoln, because he would have benefitted greatly from your group therapy help. It is too late for Abe, but maybe there is hope for me after all.

Faith, Family and Friends

Sometimes something old hits you again, but with more force, as if to impress within you ever deeper than before, of its truth and significance. The month of December, as it leads up to Christmas, is full of reminders of gifts and giving, but what do you think are some of the most important Blessings we can enjoy, not only in December but year after year?

These three ‘F’s go together in my mind, and they are linked unlike any others which might run round my brain at any given time. Sometimes I need a reminder of their importance amidst the hustle and bustle of December when we get busy, and can temporarily leave some other good thoughts behind. I am blessed among many to have such a good trust and Faith in God, my Family, Friends in general, and a ‘Friend of Friends’, all of whom make me feel loved, needed and special.

This is a simple thought, and I know I am not alone in having these three ‘F’s in my life, but I am thankful for them not only in December, but always. They say all good things come to an end, but that is only partly true. As I come to the end of another great holiday in Texas, I can’t believe how fast the time has gone, but I feel thankful that I can travel to be with them. On top of that are my old and new friends at Arlington First Nazarene, where worship is felt and the Word is preached with power. Everyone has played a part in making my stay memorable. But the cement that binds us all together is the common Faith in the saving grace of God. In the words of the Bill Gaither song: “I’m so glad I’m a part of the Family of God”.

Understanding

It’s another word that trips off the tongue, and I accept for the most part used with good intention. If you want to know how to sympathise with, or understand another you have to ‘walk a mile in his moccasins’ as the old American Indian saying goes, and how simple and true.

I believe we all want to receive kind words of understanding and empathy from our friends, but true understanding comes at a cost. If you really want to know how someone feels, or what they are going through, it is best that you have walked that road yourself. Sometimes, happily, those tough times have not been ours to endure. We can thank God for preserving us from certain trials that have been placed on others. We may sympathise in good heart, but we cannot truly understand.

I was privileged to meet a Godly lady who had suffered a life threatening stroke some 13 years ago, and her road back to some kind of life has been slow, deliberate and hard beyond my understanding. Her face shone with the love of God, but she still does not have control of most of her body. I was humbled to be in her company. I would have loved to be able to say to her and her loving husband, ‘I understand what you are going through’, but I couldn’t. With God’s grace I may be able to sympathise, but I cannot fully understand. To pretend otherwise is an affront to the Spirit of God that lives in her, and would also be an embarrassment on a human level.

Let us use our words carefully, and take extra care as we meet others who have problems to carry, which we do not. I have found that the strongest witness comes from the one who suffers, and there is nothing I can say that helps. My last thought is this: If you have been through a difficult time, or have suffered a serious health issue, you are in a unique and special place to use those experiences to help others who are going through that same valley. Maybe, God has placed you there for a reason, perhaps as a witness and help to a vulnerable body and Spirit. Then, and only then, can you truly say, ‘I understand’, and may God Bless you as you use the experience of your own trouble with those who desperately need to hear it!      

Unity and Division

Like all places where similar people choose to meet, be it a club or a church, unity of mind and purpose is essential for its survival. There are few better places to be than with people who share your thoughts and views, where you can feel relaxed in the company as a whole. Since we are all human, differences can and do occur, which if big enough, can eventually cause disunity and then lead to division. When a club or church is divided, people get disenchanted, leave, and eventually it has to change, or it falls.

A church is not a club, it is a gathering place for all ages who want to learn about God’s Word, and those who claim the personal saving grace of Jesus Christ. So, the church is different, right? Oh I wish that was true, but unfortunately a church and a club have a common denominator. Their members are both fallible and imperfect beings. We may be human, but we are also supposed to be different because we are not our own, ‘we are bought with a price’ (1 Cor 6:20). Are we so human that we cannot see the price Jesus paid for our unity?

Why do we always have to be ‘right’ and get ‘our own way’? This applies to every age and ministry group, without exception. There can be a very fine line between unity and division, and sometimes we ignore the cracks that appear, and then before we know it, the house has fallen, with no winners! It’s one thing for a secular club, but born again Christians should know better, right? Sorry, ‘fraid not! From the dusty rubble, I can picture two opposing ‘my way’ groups facing each other saying, ‘now why did they have to force the issue like they did’? Am I right in questioning their salvation, or is that a step too far, and should that ‘crack’ also be ignored? Just asking.  

Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. Luke 11:17 NIV

Christmas Cheer?

It’s December, and the Christmas selling frenzy season is already in full swing! I confess to being a lover of the season. I love the trees, the tinsel, the presents, the family meals, and the list could go on. It is too easy to see that the season revolves around a tubby, red suited man who magically drops through chimneys, and wriggles through letterboxes and keyholes with ease.

In those far off days when I worked for a living, a few guys had a conversation about the meaning of Christmas, and one piped up that we shouldn’t spoil it with all that religious stuff! That was years ago, and it is worse today. We are even encouraged to say ‘Happy Holidays’, and write ‘Merry Xmas’. Some local councils are even lobbied to stop displaying the manger scene. We have effectively presided over a devaluation of the real meaning of Christmas. In those well used words, the clue is in the name my friends, it is CHRISTmas!!

We can choose how we celebrate this time, either with or without the true reason for the season in our heart. We don’t have to acknowledge it, but it is still a celebration of HIS day, not Santa’s, no matter how Godless we are, or how much we love the red suited guy as he guides his reindeer drawn sleigh across the sky. Come to think of it, that concept really does require a lot of faith, and more than the truth of the virgin birth.

So however you choose to celebrate, believer or not, please keep in mind that there are many poor, ordinary folks who will not be able to afford the turkey dinner, or eat with family, and who may only possess the clothes on their back. Many of us are blessed by this same Christ of Christmas, and we should remember, and if possible help those who are less fortunate. Sure, there are seasonal food kitchens and shelters for the homeless, but we cannot leave it all to the social services, or indeed to Santa who is totally powerless to help. We all have a responsibility to give to others in measure of the blessings we have received. That works at national charity, church, and personal levels too, so this year, help spread some real Christmas Cheer. Just a thought.

It Is What It Is

These words usually fall from our lips when something goes very wrong, and we feel powerless to make it different. They are usually thought or spoken with a frown in our heart, and on our face, because we love being in control, and nobody likes losing that feeling of being in charge.

In the journey of faith, the Christian soon starts to learn that control is not ours, because we are bought with a price, and the longer we are on this faith walk we find ourselves willingly giving over more and more of our wants, needs, desires, and letting God take control in His infinite wisdom. This process is not an easy one, and goes against the natural feelings of the human heart.

However, the words ‘it is what it is’ can also be followed by ‘so deal with it’! This can become a very positive thing, and I have found this to be the case recently. Life is never neat and tidy, with little safe compartments for all our activities, feelings and emotions. Life is messy, and we all know that. So when we are faced with these words, they could become a tool for dealing with those things we don’t understand. We ask God questions like, Why? How? Where? Who? and When? while all the time trusting the one who really is in control of our life, and it’s not me, or you for that matter.

If we really mean what we say about following Jesus, we have already settled the question of who is leading, and therefore in control. So, when you hear the words from me, ‘It is what it is’, keep in mind I am following closely behind the master leader, who also helps me to ‘deal with it’. It’s not a negative thing by any stretch, and is a very positive and liberating place to be. I am not in control, and I recognise and gladly accept that relationship with a wise God. Oh, by the way, the same principle applies to our relationships on a human level, and takes the form of putting others before ourselves in love and humility. Oh yes, it is what it is, and I am happy to be dealing with it. Happy Thanksgiving, and thank you Lord!

Legacy

As time passes and life happens, we make acquaintances and friends who form a big part of our life, and then they move on, or we move on and the inevitable happens; we lose contact. The impact on our life however does not change or move on when we do. There is a saying that real friends can pick up where they left off, even if the last contact was years ago.

I was reminded of this recently in two ways. In the first way, social media has been a good way to roll back the years, and find ‘old’ friends, and when you start to talk, it is easy to remember why the friendship initially formed and grew, even all those many years ago. The second way is a sad reminder of our mortality, because it comes at a  time of loss. A previous pastor who ministered at our small local church some years ago , passed away this last week, and it made me think of the almost 5 years he, his wife and small growing family shared and spent their lives with us.

Have you ever stopped to think of the best thing we can give to others? For me, it has to be time. Not so much what was done, but simply that time was shared to forge a friendship and leave an imprint which in the fulness of its time becomes a legacy. Pastor Ray was a Yorkshireman, and anyone who knows the county structure of the UK, will also know that the Scots and the ‘Yorkies’ are almost neighbours, and very alike in so many good ways. That also means, in among all the good stuff, lies the same obstinate and stubborn nature (at times). But put us together, and we are united and unstoppable. A great team. Such was the relationship which formed between us personally, and as a church, so when I heard of his passing to Glory, I stopped to remember the good times spent together, the Godly example, strong preaching, wise teaching, and the ordinary, humble family man. Simply put, a Christlike ‘Legacy’.

So, while you are working up a sweat on the treadmill of life, just going round in circles, pause awhile to step off and spend time with those friends and family you love. It will be worth it later on. You may never know in this life how much good you did, but eventually when you go ‘home’ as a Christian, you will. Guaranteed.  

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV

ThanksMas

It would be true to say that this year, I am unusually and thankfully twice blessed. Thanksgiving is a great US tradition, steeped in history, but now stands for family get togethers and meals, where college students make the long journey home to be with Mum, Dad, Brothers, Sisters, and as many of the wider family circle as possible. It works a treat for close knit families, and will stand the teens in good stead for the winter months of study that lie ahead!

Within a month, (one of) the greatest celebrations in the Christian’s year comes round. Next to Resurrection Sunday, Christmas calls us to remember and enjoy the birth of the Baby Jesus who grew up to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins some 33 years later. I am unashamedly a Christmas guy. I can take or leave the commercial trappings in the shops, and the piped seasonal music, and even the exchange of gifts, but for me it becomes a time of thanks once again with family meals around the same big food covered table, but mostly keeping in mind the reason for the season. Not so much food or gifts or even family, great as they all are, but to give God our praise for the gift of His Son into a poor and humble family unit, who by today’s standards had nothing. Mary and Joseph did however, in their worldly poverty, get to hold and raise the baby who is always God’s Son, and the King of Kings.

This year, I get to spend a special ‘ThanksMas’ combination with some of those I love. Those ones I don’t always get the chance to be with, or sit across a table from. Those whom I can dine with and exchange gifts with, in thankfulness and humility. So from my heart to yours, Happy Thanksgiving, and when it comes round for you, may you have a Happy and Blessed Christmas.

Prosperity Gospel and the American Dream

The ‘prosperity gospel’ of receiving more by giving more, is accepted with open arms for the most part by the poor. After all, the rich have no need of it, because they are already prosperous. There is a great industry, especially in the United States, of this kind of message. It is much less in evidence in the UK, and I got to wondering why?

At first glance, the message is completely scriptural. You cannot outgive God, because He is greater than our every need. There are lots of verses which show the willingness of God to bless His people, so is this type of preaching, the whole gospel of good news and truth? I think it is incomplete.

It is undeniable that God is God, but not a genie in a bottle, which when we rub or say the right prayer, or use the right formula, He becomes our slave. God is sovereign, and He is the One we worship. His will is done, not ours, so He is not at our command, therefore the ‘name it and claim it’ gospel is very misleading, and the people most at risk, are those most in need. The very people who take the claim literally, seriously, and in faith trusting the well heeled televangelist who already have their private jet, mansion, and financial security are perhaps deluded? Are the poor their personal gold seam?

We have many poor people in the UK, and as a percentage more than in the USA, so why has this ‘get rich’ gospel not taken off in the same way? Good question, and with respect to my many American cousins, I will hazard an educated guess. The mindset of the ‘American Dream’ is embedded in the culture and mind of just about everyone who goes through life in the US. Starting at Grade School, through College, many good people believe if they study and work hard, they will achieve their dream of a nice home, savings, and a happy and secure family. That is a good and valid dream, and to be pursued. The US nation and economy is testimony to its value. I applaud its worth in society, which simply put says, work hard, believe in yourself, and achieve your dream.

Could there be a link between the ‘Prosperity Gospel’ and the ‘American Dream’ which has been misunderstood by the poor, and abused and misused by the televangelists to line their own pockets? I know this may be off target, so I am open to correction, but I cannot rid myself of the thought. I confess the concept is not my own, but from a book by a well known and respected US author. I suppose my basic question is this: Are these ‘Prosperity Gospel’ preachers and teachers just charlatans, or do they add Spiritual value to the lives of their followers, especially the poor?

Like Minds

The more time I spend with family and friends in Texas, the more I realise that the Scots and the Texans have a lot in common. We think alike in matters of faith, and of national pride and identity. Each was born in independence, but are now integrated into a greater national identity, with those who hanker for a greater level of autonomy once again. Texas as the cradle of the US Bible Belt, and Bible loving Scotland. What a combination. Some of these things can be treated as good, but some with caution. Let me explain.

It is a blessing to be able to worship with like minded people of faith, and to be able to express that same faith without fear or favour of man. God has blessed us greatly, because we are all part of the family of God. The Scots have a saying that is sometimes misused. “We are all Jock Tamson’s bairns” meaning that we are all children of God, and that is true, but we must be cautious that we don’t start to believe that we are ‘special’ and all bound for heaven, no matter what!

There is another Scottish saying about themselves, which goes something like this (I have used slightly different language): “Wha’s like us? Very few, an’ they’re a’ deid”. Now there is a similarity which has nothing to do with matters of faith, but both the Texans and the Scots have the notion that they are a cut above the rest of the USA and the UK respectively. Why? Simply because we believe it, so it must be true. The US Declaration of Independence uses these words in part…”We hold these truths to be self evident….” There are some things that are just true, and need no proof!

DANGER DANGER!! Texans and Scots are on dangerous ground and we both have to be careful. Yes, we are both children of God, and we are special in His sight, but that does not mean whatever we think, is truth! That includes our churches. We are one, but different, and not the only ones who proclaim Christ crucified in the world. Our governments are not the best, or the only bastions of freedom and democracy in the world. There are others. Our militaries are not the best or the only ones fighting to protect freedom and democracy, or serving as peacekeepers in the world, no matter how patriotic we feel. There are others.

We are right to enjoy the freedoms and protection of our nation states, but these are God given, and I feel this status can easily to taken away. The State of Texas and the nation of Scotland have cultures founded on, and steeped in, Christian heritage and value, but we should not take these gifts for granted. We are alike in so many ways, but we are also prone to the same spread of secular humanism and the atheism they profess as their own ‘religion’. We are in danger of losing our ‘first love’ as Christians, and the witness of the church suffers as a result. Sometimes breakage happens from within. Let us be mindful of those internal changes within the heart, the church, or the nation, which can cause us to fragment and break. Our greatest dangers do not lie from the enemy outside, but within. I am concerned for the moral integrity of my own Scottish nation, but I cannot comment on the moral health of Texas, but as I have said, we already have a lot in common. All the more reason to continue to stand together for the truth of the Good News of the Gospel, and pray for revival. It comes down to this: God will do His Sovereign Will, and we can be a part of it, or apart from it. We get to choose.      

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Philippians 2:1,2 NIV and... Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11 NIV

Grr-Attitude

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Col 3:16,17 NIV

Coming from Scotland, I don’t get the chance to celebrate the US Thanksgiving Day too often. Being true to the history of the day, my nation’s past behaviour is part of the reason for our American cousins to be thankful! The day is steeped in history, but it has now become a day of thanks for all, and can now include those nations that caused the division in the first place. I feel blessed and happy to join in the celebration of thanks!

However, I have also come across those of both nations, who do not have an obvious spirit of gratitude. More a feeling of grr-attitude, where just about everything is met with suspicion and distrust. These are the people who are noticeable by the lack of friends around them. We would call them ‘nae mates’ back home. So I have to ask myself why? Why, when folks have health and security of a safe nation, would there be grumpy faced ‘nae mates’ at Thanksgiving or indeed any time of year?

For my part, I have good reason to be thankful, whether I am spending the day in the USA or in Scotland. I am blessed beyond measure with good health, loving family, and a very special and caring friend. God has been gracious, even when I doubted His goodness, but He has always come through for me. This year is no different, and like many others, I want to express my thanks for the life I have, because God is good, and I am thankful. Thanksgiving. It’s really quite simple, and not solely confined to one nation. It’s just an attitude of gratitude.

Choosy

One of the best things about our free and fair democracy, is that we get the chance to be choosy at all sorts of levels. We choose people from the President or Prime Minister, right down to who our friends are on Facebook. We choose our life’s partner, our family home, and our car. We choose where to go to church, and where to spend our holidays (and with whom!). The list is endless. There is one significant common factor in all of this, but we will come back to that.

Because we can choose people and things at one level, doesn’t mean we get to choose everything. Our children are a gift from God. We might choose our house, but not the burst pipes in winter, or the flat tyre of our chosen car. Again, the list of consequences from our initial choices could go on. There is another, but separate common factor going on here.

The bottom line is that we have one level of choice, and the common thread is that we are in control of those choices, but we are not in control of the consequences from those choices. In some ways that is a good thing, after all we may live in a democracy, but not everything is fair. There are many who are less fortunate than us. Some families become fractured, and some people get sick. There is something really sad about a young family trying to ‘make it’ in life, but who do not have a well paid job, and when serious sickness comes along, they struggle badly. Are their choices and dreams any less important? I don’t think so.

I have become very aware of two of God’s children who got very ill, and with the same disease, but in different countries. Each is treated the same as others in their own situation, as their disease worsens and spreads. One racks up a massive medical bill which can never be paid, and the other receives all necessary and top rate home and hospital care, but the family do not get a bill. Both of these good folks did not have their illness by choice, and neither was the necessary cost of treatment a choice. Each person’s care was the consequence of choices made on their behalf by their respective governments. This is not a political argument, but pointing to a higher story where God does not treat any of His children differently, or as they deserve. Nor does God pay out dependent on what we have put in. His boundless grace takes care of that, and I love the truth of God’s free, undeserved, unmerited gift of grace. As Christians, we don’t have to help the poor, it is our choice to help, or not. Here’s a thought: What if our nations grafted God’s Word right into society? Now that would be a community both of good choices, and good consequences! Just a thought.

The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. Mark 14:7 NIV and..Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. Proverbs 31:8,9 NIV

Adult

‘Adult Content’. I don’t like that phrase. In fact I detest it. Cards on the table and hands open, I hate it. I suppose it is the hypocrisy that gets to me. You know, it’s as if an 18 movie or game is ok as long as you are over 18. have you ever thought about why the rating is there in the first place?

An 18 video will certainly have more than a smattering of sex and violence. Lots of body, lots of blood, and gratuitous violence. All for it’s own sake, or to be more accurate, because the rating can help sell the movie. Now for the hypocrisy part. Why do most Christians have no trouble with an 18? After all the label says they are ok. Take it a bit further, and I wonder why we sometimes make a distinction between the sex and the violence as if that made a difference? We sometimes make a decision that sex is not ok to watch, but we will sit through a lot of inhuman violence and blood, because we convince ourselves that it is ‘essential for the storyline’. How many times have you heard that phrase in defence of vile, debased movie content? As they say in Scotland, ‘mince’!

Where is our conscience in all of this? Have we watched so many now that we no longer get shocked or angry? Perhaps we feel we are a part of that ‘arty’ group who can see the artistic portrayal instead of the sinful movie that lesser mortals see? Maybe we don’t want to be out of step with our pals when they talk about the latest blockbuster? Or maybe, just maybe, we actually like these movies? I wonder what that says to the watching world? After all, they do watch and we know it! Just saying.

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 1 Timothy 4:1,2 NIV

Opinions

We all have opinions, probably based and formed over many years in the furnace of life, and so they can become hardened, like any metal in the blacksmith’s hands as he forms red hot material and plunges the finished item into the cooling water. The metal is hardened, and I feel that is a good place to start with our opinions. They can become hardened.

I quite like open discussions, whether in person or online. Done properly, and with others who are open minded, it can be an informative and learning experience. The trouble is, we soon find that we are not all as open minded as we think we are. I know this will come as a surprise, but that includes me. Don’t you love it when the ‘open minded’ one suddenly shows clearly some of the ‘hardened’ characteristics which have been formed over the years? Then the line between ‘opinion’ and ‘fact’ becomes hazy and blurred.

Opinions are expressed everywhere, by everyone, and often. It will be in family circumstances, age, politics, and yes, even in faith circles. We all seem to get the lines blurry between where our opinion ends and truth starts, because we are passionate. Passion does not mean truth. Passion can be an opinion. I think this is where we get into trouble when we discuss our own firm beliefs with other people’s firm beliefs, and within the church family where ‘our’ opinion must be true because we have always done it this way. It worked in the past, so it must be truth! NO!! Truth is not an opinion, it is a person in the form of Jesus Christ, and His Word. So next time you and I have a strong, and possibly differing opinion, let’s measure them up against the only yardstick we can trust, and only then can we have some certainty that it can be trusted as dependable fact! I hope we can agree on that.

Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’. John 14:6 and ‘Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.’ John 17:17

Which Bible?

At the start of each Sunday morning service, the congregation stands, hold their Bible in their hands, and say together “This is God’s Word to me. I am who it says I am, and I will do what it tells me to do”. I have a couple of thoughts about this. First of all, when I look around, I see many people of all ages holding their Bibles, and secondly there is a clear identification with the need for it’s truth in our lives.

We live in a modern age, where most of our children, youth and senior adults, own and use a smartphone or tablet of some kind. Many, if not all, of these same folks when at this church, use a paper Bible, and not any kind of electronic device they will most certainly own. So why bring a Bible in traditional book form to church? I know most will use their tablet to read and study Scripture during the week, so there is no aversion to the use of modern media itself. More thoughts.

It is a witness when you carry your Bible to Church, and speaks volumes that an iPad will not, and cannot show. Your iPad is not a witness that you are headed for church, just that you have an iPad.

A Bible can be leafed through, underlined, margined etc much faster than any tablet. Oh I know it can be done, but my own opinion is that a well used, dog eared, personally marked Bible is a testimony to the person who owns it. On that same theme, without being morbid, I have my Dad’s Bible, and count it a privilege and treasure of his Christian life. It was handed down. You can’t do that with an electronic device of any kind (if it lasts that long, that is!).

It is personal. It is solely used for the purpose of reading God’s Word, unlike the tablet etc, where the Bible is nestled between games and facebook. And anyway, when you are in church, you know 100% when someone is reading the real Bible, but it is too easy to ‘zone out’ for a while and check your status on Facebook on your phone. Don’t tell me the temptation is not there.

So, the electronic media generation is great, but for me, first place must come to my real, personal, unique Bible in church. I don’t know what the future holds, but right now, give me paper over electronics. Having said all that, let me finish with this thought. If you have to make a choice, and you will only (it is an act of will, not finance) use a tablet or iPad, then please don’t feel bad. It is not wrong. In the final analysis, it is better to read the Bible in any form, than not at all. All that is different is the act of open witness and testimony. But then if you don’t carry a Bible in any form, you don’t have that question to answer. It becomes another simple question, ‘why not’?

Valuable Community

I am a slow learner sometimes, so I have no right to second guess other people’s thoughts, preferences, or experiences. But I do like a sense of community, which some would call fellowship. My upbringing put church ‘fellowship’ into the Sunday Services, and maybe the occasional special service where tea and biscuits were provided, and a light evening of music was arranged. I liked it, and admit to this being part of my past. A personal observation: Sometimes we bring our past experiences into the present day, and think that’s how it should remain. No, no, a thousand times, NO!!

Now, when I think of fellowship, I think of minds which are alike, who enjoy the same things, and agree in matters of faith and God’s Spirit. More than that, these feelings of unity (because that is what fellowship is) mean we don’t even have to be in the same room. When we give something of ourselves in say, prayer, we are in fellowship with one another. When we give to others in need, we are in fellowship with that person in need. I have stopped thinking that my fellowship with God’s people ends when I am outside the church doors.

I am going to state the obvious. The ‘world’ starts outside the church doors too, and the ‘world’ has even provided the means for us to stay in fellowship with each other, and share our needs and burdens, to allow us to pray. The greatest form of fellowship we have with the Father is prayer, and I would suggest, the greatest thing we can do in fellowship for each other is pray. We also have the means at our disposal to aid fellowship. There are phones, cards, visits, and hey, there’s always Facebook!

I started off by saying I am a slow learner. There are times when we are absent from our own fellowship, for business, illness, or holiday reasons, and it is not possible to send a card, phone, or visit, but we can stay in touch. Sorry, but I am back to Facebook again. As I write this, I am away from my own church family, but I don’t feel the distance so much, because I am able to stay in touch with some family and church folks. I get to know about prayer requests, fun things, heartfelt encouragements, and all through the wonder of Social Media. Let me make a statement, and you can feel free to take it as you wish. Through the social media of Facebook, I hear from, and can participate in other Christian’s needs and lives, but unfortunately not so much from my own church family. I know there are reasons for this, but I would suggest we are missing out on something which is a continuation of the old style of fellowship I once knew in my church, but has been made alive again in a new and different form, and keeping the spirit of togetherness breathing in many churches.

Learning can be slow and even painful, but what about setting aside some of those prejudices we have about Facebook, and using it to God’s glory, and the fellowship of the saints? Just another thought!

I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 1 Cor 9:22 NIV