Man Overboard

We all know good people who have switched church. Sometimes we can see the reason, and sometimes we can’t. It may appear to us a petty reason, or faith breaking. Whatever the reason, it cannot be taken lightly, and we must recognise and honour their decision while keeping their friendship.

When a man or woman on a ship goes overboard, if they are not rescued by the crew of the boat they fell or jumped from, sadly they drown and are lost. When it comes to the church, it is the same. Whether it was a fall, or a jump, there was a deeply held reason or conviction for their action. The rescuers may be thanked, they may not. When we see or know a friend who has gone over the side, do we try to rescue them, or let them be lost? After all, if we as friends don’t throw the lifebelt, who else will? How many have we let drown?

There is another side to this situation. The boat may be close to shore, or a sandy beach, or even near the rocks when the man or woman goes over. There is every reason to believe that the jumper will survive, even on an uncertain rocky outcrop. In that case, there is no life or death reason to attempt a rescue, so why bother (so the thinking goes).

Let’s imagine another possibility. You boarded the ship which was headed for a specific port, and while on the way, the captain and crew decided to change course to suit the majority of the passengers. It may have been democratic, but it wasn’t what you signed up for, and mile by mile you are getting more distant from the port where you longed to disembark. Now the rules have changed. Do you stay onboard ship, knowing it and you are off course, or do you take an opportunity, and jump off when you are near the safety of some dry land, and you can swim to shore? From there, you are clear to get another vessel which will take you to the destination you know in your heart is the one for you. Better still, if another ship headed to your chosen destination comes alongside, you can literally ‘jump ship’ to safety.

When you notice that a regular church attender is absent from their usual place, ask yourself where they might be and why. If they fell overboard, then please make every effort to rescue them. If they jumped, ask why, and then ask yourself if you are happy with the change of course made by the crew of the ship you are on. Maybe, just maybe, your ship is slowly changing course and you are not going where the compass originally pointed. Now THAT is a good time to jump! Jesus’ step-brother Jude penned these words to help us decide:

I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. Jude 1:3

Peace?

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

At one end of the scale, we have the Pakistani Religious Body (Council of Islamic Ideology) which says men should be allowed to 'Lightly Beat' their wives (yes, that’s plural). At the other end of the scale we have feuding Muslims who kill each other, usually Sunni instigated, and who also have a deep hatred of other Muslims, Christians and Jews. In fact hatred to death extends to the infidel, ie anyone who is NOT a Muslim. Have you watched the news bulletins? These deaths are counted in their thousands, not singly. On top of that, they do not accept that the nation of Israel has the right to exist. How much hatred does that show, and yet we, as a nation, and individually, make allowances and excuses for them. After all, we are told Islam is a religion of peace and our politicians line up to agree and sympathise. The words of an old saying come to mind, “There are none so blind as those who will not see.”

Let’s have a look at some of the other practices of this ‘peaceful’ religion. Let me be clear, these practices are not practiced by all Muslims all the time, but they ARE all Muslim beliefs practiced and authorised by their holy book, the Quran also known as the Koran which ALL Muslims believe in and accept fully.

• Sharia Law will authorise a thief's hand be cut off for stealing.

• Young girls beaten to the point of death for listening to the ‘wrong music’

• The kidnap of young girls to sell as slaves, or ‘wives’ to Islamic fighters

• A belief that the infidel can be beheaded

• Muslims will kill other Muslims who are of a different branch or sect

• Believe in the elimination of Israel and its people from the face of the earth

• Believe in setting up a caliphate where Islam rules completely in law and religion

• Enforce Sharia Law to supercede the laws of any/every land

• Deface and burn down churches and synagogues

• Destroy ancient religious relics if not Islamic

• Support so called honour killings

• Believe that girls should not be educated

• Martyrdom ‘guarantees’ paradise

Whenever a nation is abused by Muslims (sometimes called Islamic extremists, but they are one and the same) and many people are murdered and maimed in the name of Allah, our politicians say “We are at war”. Really? It doesn’t look like it, and the murdering Muslims know it! There are no mass demonstrations by ‘ordinary Muslims’ protesting about these barbaric practices. I suggest they don’t need to protest publicly because there are enough infidel apologists who will speak up on their behalf, and defend them. Is it possible that our leaders and politicians know the true face of Islam, and don’t know what to do or say out of fear?

We are getting that we don’t like to say anything about the ‘religion of peace’, after all we don’t want to offend anyone. Especially if they want to kill us. A definition is needed because meaning is lost. “Islamophobia” by definition is the fear of Islam. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are NOT afraid of Islam, or Muslim followers, and we should be free to speak the truth about this barbaric, abusive, warring, religion followed in fear by their own adherents. The politically correct politicians don’t want this openness, and the many thousands of people who don’t care about religion or faith, let it all wash over them as long as they are not affected.

The following poem was penned by Pastor Martin Niemoller about the Nazi ‘Final Solution’:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

I think it’s time to add the lines….

Then they came for the Christians, and I did not speak out—

And I was a Christian.

Preaching the Word

Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.

2 Timothy 4:2,3

As Christians we are all charged with spreading the Word of God, in many ways, whether by example or word, but some have a greater degree of responsibility. Timothy was a young leader in the early church, and the Apostle Paul was his mentor and example. Paul wanted to make sure Timothy was in no doubt about his responsibility as a pastor and leader. His first and prime goal was to ‘Preach the Word’. Everything else took a lesser place, and he was to do this whether he felt like doing it or not. He was called by God, as is the case today. Pastors and ministers do not follow a job or a career, but are called to a mission. That mission is to preach, so that others will hear, and be converted to Christ.

Church attendances are falling across the country, and across all denominations. I accept that belief in God is falling, and we are becoming a nation of atheists and agnostics, but is there another reason for God believing people deserting our places of worship? Over recent years some churches and leaders have hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Abuses of position involving parishioners do nothing to foster trust in God, church, or ministers and priests. I think the root may go deeper, and be closer to home.

What do we do when numbers fall? What or who suffers? If numbers decline, there is less money to do important things like keep the grounds neat, maintain the interior and all the various rooms, and perhaps most importantly, pay the minister or pastor. There is one reaction. We could become like the people we want to attract. That way, we can hopefully  improve income and at the same time minister to more people. There is one major problem with that approach. It doesn’t work, and it never has. Don’t you think Paul and Timothy came across this problem in their ministries? I’m sure they did, but look again at Paul’s advice to his young charge.

A heavy responsibility rests on our various church ministers and pastors. A responsibility like no other. So when numbers fall, it is a sure sign that the Gospel is no longer in first place and being preached faithfully from the lectern and pulpit. The aim of the church after all is to preach the Gospel, and by doing so, producing a change in the hearts and minds of men and women. Then and only then are homes changed, society improved, and communities made safer. All achieved by the faithful preaching of the Word, undiluted and true. While we dither around making our churches more like the world, we haemorrhage people. It has never been more important that we preach the full Gospel of the Word of God from the pulpit, and see growth.

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? Romans 10:14

(NB.. This post was written on 22 July 2016, awaiting publication)

A Choice or Chosen?

This debate and discussion has been going on for centuries. It has never been resolved and there is no sign that it will stop anytime soon. Talking about it is ok as long as the opposing parties are civil as they present their convictions and interpretation of Scripture. Unfortunately, that seldom happens and the heated arguments mostly come from one side who take an elitist approach. They usually ask, why can’t you see what is so obvious in the Bible? It is now my turn to enter the drama with (hopefully) some balance.

First and foremost, being a Calvinist, or an Arminian will not keep you out of heaven. It is not a matter of sin, more a matter of opinion and personal judgement. Sin can only enter into it when we become proud, hostile, unloving, critical, unforgiving, arrogant, and the list could go on. Let’s provide a very brief summary of the two belief systems, because I find that most people who attend church, do so because the gospel is preached, and those folks who become our friends, show love one to another which is a commandment from Jesus.

The Calvinist basic belief can be summed up that God chooses those who are saved, and once chosen, they cannot and will not ever be lost, no matter what happens to you, or what you do. You have no choice in the matter, and it is binding in this life and the next. John Calvin developed Luther's doctrine of justification by faith alone, into an emphasis on the sovereign grace of God and centres on the doctrine of predestination. Thousands have come to faith through the preaching and teaching of Godly Calvinist men and women.

The Arminian basic belief is that God gave the human race free will to accept or reject His gift of salvation, and that the gift is binding for as long as you continue to believe in Jesus as the author of your salvation, have confessed and repented of your sin and turned your life around to follow Him. Therefore it is possible to reject the gift, and later accept it while maintaining a firm belief in God’s grace and sovereignty. Arminianism is based on the beliefs of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius who lived at the same time as Calvin. They knew each other but Calvin forcibly dismissed all other theological views to the cost of Arminius’ health, who died a broken man. John Wesley notably advocated this theology and preached it across the country bringing many souls into the Kingdom as have many others since.

Both sides can and do present Scripture verses which support their own view which in essence are poles apart in theology. So, what to believe? In many ways it can come down to your own reading and understanding of Scripture. All of Scripture that is, and not selective verses. Of course, that means making your mind up, by reading and studying the whole Word of God. It is wrong to take a position based on the say so of someone else’s opinion of what the Bible means to them, no matter how sincerely they present their view. These are only opinions, and we are all allowed to have those, and still maintain our salvation.

So, Calvinist or Arminian, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, and bear His name. We should do so with care and grace because we are collectively under scrutiny by the world who already know what a Christian should look like. I pray we are all worthy of His name.

Therefore, my beloved, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Philippians 2:12

Missing, Presumed What?

It’s not very scientific or a mathematical equation, but it does carry some weight. Church is a body of caring believers who are real friends. Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”, so we know this is important.

The real question is, how should we show it? The church body is made up of family members, friends we know well, and some we are slowly getting to know better. We are all on a journey of learning and faith, and therefore not all the same. There are extroverts and introverts, talkative and quiet, and those on the way for a short or long time. We do not all react to the same things in the same way, but we are all affected by a hurt or missing member of the body. Or we should be!

The temperature can be measured by how many out of this different group of people will not only realise you are missing from church, but essentially those who will take the time to let you know you were missed. It doesn’t mean half as much to be told the following week when you enter the church again. That’s easy and takes no effort or forethought. When you love someone, I mean really love them like your wife or child, you leave no doubt that you care enough to see that they are doing ok. It doesn’t matter if they are ill, or away for the day, after all you don’t know until you make that call.

It means a lot to know you have been missed, and for that message to come to you before the week is over, and next Sunday morning comes around. Equally, and perhaps even more so, it sends an opposite message when silence reigns and you are left with the question, who loves enough as a disciple to care? Here’s another thought. A cold body is usually a dying or dead body. What a sobering thought!

Hope

Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about those who have died. We don’t want you to be sad like other people—those who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13

‘Hopeless’ is a sad and empty word, but we throw it around carelessly and sometimes in fun. This week I have attended the funeral of two friends, both of whom were good people, kind, gentle  and the sort of person you would easily warm to if you met them. All funeral services have similar characteristics, like sadness, grief, a eulogy that helps the deceased’s remaining family good, friends who gather to show their respect, and tears of grief.

On this earth, we are endowed and blessed with free will, and some use that freedom to reject the gift of salvation. A gift known about, and yet not believed or accepted. The tributes to my friends were fulsome and sincere, but these services were clearly conducted to honour the past of the one who died, and the respect of those left behind, but they were incomplete. Hope was missing.

There was no recognition of a beautiful heaven, final bodily healing, the love of a Saviour, redemption, or meeting loved ones again someday. In the true meaning of the word, these services were ‘hopeless’, and very cold. The apostle Paul recognises the sadness of death for those who remain, but he stresses that he doesn’t want us to be sad like those who have no hope. The only people who have this eternal hope, which means it isn’t a hopeless life or death, are the body of believers who call themselves Christians. No others. I am thankful for this assurance of hope we can have and profess.

The Main Thing?

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

It’s good to know context and background when a preacher explains a passage of Scripture, but these should not take over from the Gospel message. A bit of sociology, or psychology can be good in their place, but these should not overshadow the reason for the good news of the Gospel. In fact if pushed to make a choice, I would side every time with the Gospel message over any other background information or ‘-ology’ used.

Let’s keep the main thing the main thing. No second place, no doubts and nothing to please or ease the mind of any who may need, and be looking for truth and salvation. It is the Word of God that saves. Nothing else, and certainly no other philosophy of life.

The church in general is slowly becoming less relevant to society with declining attendance, and this could be because we have diluted the message to make it palatable and not so likely to offend or cause embarrassment. After all, we have redefined sin to the point that it is not the same thing we are warned to shun in the Bible. The in word is ‘unity’ and if we are not seen as uniform with other views we show ourselves as being out of step. The preaching of the cross is, and always has been, madness to the unchurched, disinterested, or unsaved, but to those of us who are constantly being saved, and enjoy our salvation, it is the power of God. That is power to change a life from the inside out. Power to make others see God at work. Power to heal physically, emotionally and spirituality. With all that power at our disposal, why should it matter that the rest of the world sees the cross as outdated? The Gospel of Jesus Christ is needed now, more than ever before, and it shouldn’t be diluted to taste!

Can't or Won't?

...not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another. Hebrews 10:25

For most of us, it’s only once a week, and only for an hour at that, but I don’t like missing that time in church. It’s my time to connect with God and those I respect and love in the Lord. It’s good to be among like minded gentle, God fearing people ”...addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.” Ephesians 5:19

I love singing the old hymns, and (most of) the newer praise band style of worship songs. At the root of it all is the lifting of our voices to heaven and the Author of our salvation. It sounds a bit tame until it gets to the business end of the hour when the leader, pastor, or minister preaches the Word of God from the Bible, which IS “The Word of God”. Then it can get less comfortable because the Scriptures are for everybody and for every situation. There’s conviction If you need salvation, encouragement for the believer to live a better life and example of holiness, and everything in between. Sometimes it’s not so easy to be there to listen, so we choose to skip the discomfort.

I believe there is only one choice for not being in the House of God, and it’s either we can’t or we won’t go. There is no middle ground like: I don’t like the speaker, singer, people, chairs, heating, music and the list could go on. Excuses don’t count when it comes to the preaching of the Word. It’s not for the weak, cowardly, or the wooly, after all the Bible says in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Is THAT the reason you won’t go? Afraid? Just asking!  

Justice, Kindness and Humility

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

Sometimes it’s good to get back to basics, especially when it comes to the Christian life of faith. The Bible says a lot about how we should live, but this verse distils it to a level we should all understand quite easily. In truth, our friends of other faiths, or none, even recognise these characteristics and expect to see them..

The justice of God is over all, but we are told that we should ‘do justice’ ourselves when it comes to all of our own dealings. I would suggest we know this, and for the most part, we do it. It can be very obvious if we are unjust in our dealings with others, and that is not a good reflection on us, so we try hard to be fair and just.

‘Loving kindness’ also comes quite easily, especially when we are talking about those folks we like and get along with. Since we choose our company carefully, we tend not to include those we don’t like, so for the most part there is no difficulty in loving and showing kindness to our circle of friends.

So far, so good, but what about ‘walking humbly’ with God? I don’t know about you, but this might be a difficult one. After all, we strive to find humility, and when we think we have it, we show some pride. Humility is a characteristic which is best achieved starting from the heart, and not by what we do on the outside. The best examples are those people I know who are humble by nature, but don’t know it. God shines through their faults and flaws, and His witness in their lives bears testimony to the work of salvation. The Apostle says it perfectly when he says in John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”. Only as we allow God to become increasingly important in our life, will our pride decrease, and that is the key. We may not have much direct control over our humility, but we can do something about our pride. When we do that, we may be on our way to humility that others will see in us. With God’s help of course!

Tepid

I like my tea and coffee warm enough to drink, so that it isn’t too hot, and certainly not cold! Have you ever laid your hot drink down for too long, and lifted the cup to your lips only to discover your instinct was to spit it out? I have. God feels that way too. I can easily understand when we are stone cold, but surely if there’s some warmth, even if it is tepid, God would be ok about that? Apparently not!

The trouble about any liquid in a kettle that’s lukewarm is you don’t know if it is on the way to getting hotter, or just drifting into coldness. We can be like that, and God knows it. Trouble is we can play pretend that we are getting hotter, when all the time we are letting ourselves get colder and colder until we are dead stone cold!

So, what are the signs that we are dropping in Spiritual temperature? How about these suggestions for a starter?

Lacking interest in reading the Bible regularly.

Not praying because we don’t feel like it, and thinking it makes no difference.

Skipping church when there is a speaker or program we don’t like.

Avoiding Christian company because it makes you uncomfortable.

Behaving as if you know better than your ‘other’ Christian friends.

Don’t feel good enough for church or God, and don’t want to try.

It’s likely we suffer from at least one of these, but the real trouble is that we don’t see it. On top of that our friends don’t want to tell us, so it goes unchecked. I might go as far as to suggest that if our Christian example reduces the witness for good in a seeking, unbeliever’s heart, we are lukewarm. We can be absolutely certain that it hasn’t missed God’s attention. He knows, and although He is a God of mercy, love and grace, He is also a God who keeps His Word which says clearly in Hebrews 10:13, It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Also in the words of Revelation 3:16, So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

Search, Study, Stand, Reason

Search the Scriptures John 5:39

Study to show thyself approved unto God... rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

Like most Christians I have little devotional books which I read on a daily basis. The kind that gives a short text, followed by a little lesson on how to apply that Word to our lives. These are good aids and should be used regularly, but is that what the apostle John and the young preacher Timothy are meaning in the verses above?

The answer lies in the words used. Searching and Studying are not passive. They show action in learning deeply, and not on a surface level. A few years ago I was asked by a friend if I had ever read the Bible like I would read any other book, from the front, all the way through to the back, skipping nothing? Sadly, having been on the way for a number of years, I had to say I hadn’t. I relied on other people’s devotionals which could easily be done in 5 minutes flat!

When you read a book, or a magazine, or a newspaper, you read for more than 5 minutes, and if you are interested in the subject you are reading, you read from the beginning to the end. Cover to cover is how it is usually described. So, why not with the Word of God? The Bible was printed and put into the hands of the common man many years ago, to take the power of the Word out of the hands of the clergy of the day, and placed into the life of ordinary people to read. And read it they did. Not in 5 minute convenient slots during the day, but read earnestly. Like a sponge soaks in water. They had been given the gift of life, and they read it as a book, from Genesis to Revelation.

This simple action of reading, searching and studying the Scripture caused a revolution in the lives of the readers, but also in the churches of their day. They searched, studied, then stood on the promises they found, and it changed the course of their lives and their country. Do we do that? Do I? Let’s take the Bible down from the shelf and start to read it like never before. Search it, study it, and then stand on the authority of God’s Word. You know it makes sense to use your head, so what better way to finish with than these wise words…..

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:18