Music

Music is a universal language, and a tool which needs no translation of words sometimes. “If music be the food of love, play on”, is the first line of the play “Twelfth Night”, by William Shakespeare, and he was a man who knew a bit about drama and the human need to be calm.

We have music all around us 24 hours a day, every day. It’s playing in the supermarkets, shopping malls, radio stations dedicated to various genre, clubs, elevators, and you can’t have missed the masses of people walking around with headphones or earbuds in place listening to their favourite singers and bands. These people, whatever their taste in music, and whether you like their taste or not, are good at expressing their thoughts and inner feelings through the medium of music. Yes, it is universal.

Churches make the most of the gifts of music too, and the singing voices of the congregation, lifting their hearts and voices in praise to the Creator is a good example. We know that He is the creator of all things, and that includes music. The uniting fellowship of singing together is special and unique to the family of God. It can lift your spirits, or move you to tears, and we have to thank our musicians for using their talents in this way to foster a spirit of worship.

Good musicians don’t just happen. They didn’t decide one day to pick up an instrument and hey presto, they turned out a melody. A player of any musical instrument will tell you it is hard work, especially at the beginning, because they have to keep at it. Our faith is a bit like that. We don’t reach the fullness of our faith quickly, and in fact we have to practice it daily. There may be times when we don’t feel that God is close, or that he is listening to our prayers, but we have the assurance that He is near, and He knows our frame that we are frail. Don’t give up or lose hope. God is faithful and He will never let us down. I like the way the Good News Bible translates 1 Thessalonians 1:3 when it says…..

For we remember before our God and Father how you put your faith into practice, how your love made you work so hard, and how your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ is firm.

Too Late?

I think a confession is needed, and I must come clean. If I don’t do it now, I might never be able to muster the courage again. As an explanation, this ‘thing’ didn’t happen to me overnight. It took ages for me to be aware of my failing, and even then only slowly. I called it a failing, but is it? Really??

The human body grows quite slowly compared to other species on our planet. As each phase comes and is replaced by the next one, we accept the changes as necessary. We dare not go into our teen years looking and thinking like a toddler. And similarly, our ageing bodies are not as strong and cannot react the way we did in mid life. By the time we are in the ‘end of life’ phase, we do not even remotely resemble our baby self. This is progress. It’s life, and we embrace it.

Why do I not embrace the changing faith years in the same way? The baby and toddler years when proper teaching was made in simple forms, followed by the teen years when the meat of the word was essential, and outreach performed with ease. The mid life years brought a crisis of the questioning heart, not to doubt but to learn because we never want to stop growing. By the time we reach the ‘end of faith’ years, we try to grasp at the younger times when everything was simpler and easier. Salvation was contagious and churches were full with people being reborn into the Kingdom almost without effort. Simply put, I want to go back.

Here’s the problem with my analogy. Everyone born starts at the same place in growth and progress, right through to our end of life phase. Then the cycle always restarts without change and growth is guaranteed. However, the faith years are not treated in the same way. Our ‘progressive’ church leaders seem to want our successive years of growth to be constant and without repeat. Or to put it another way, each generation at their faith birth, should start where the previous generation’s end of faith years left off. Using this as a model of church growth is it any wonder that we fall short? That kind of growth cannot be sustained in either the human being, or the faith model.

My confession about being too late is this: Do I keep running on the treadmill of artificial church growth, or should I let my faith journey be what it is supposed to be at each stage? If I stay on the treadmill, the progressives will applaud, but will it grow my faith or that of my church? On the other hand if I get off the spinning wheel I will be branded as a dinosaur and no one wants that. What do you think? Is it too late to stop the treadmill and get off? At least that would be good for my blood pressure. Perhaps it might not be a bad thing to be a dinosaur after all! Another, and better question is: Can, or should we even try, to reinvent the gospel or is it fine the way it was originally given for all ages and for all time in the Bible?

One of the dictionary definitions of ‘dinosaur’ is “a person or thing that is outdated or has become obsolete because of failure to adapt to changing circumstances.”

Creation v Evolution?

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:15-17 ESV

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8 ESV

Dictionary definition of evolution is given as: the process by which different kinds of living organism are believed to have developed from earlier forms during the history of the earth.

If you want to see a group of perfectly balanced and quiet Christians turn into a noisy clamouring group, then open up a discussion on evolution and creation. There are as many opinions as there are people, both inside and outside the church. It’s a subject that will be sure to turn the mild mannered ‘Clark Kent’ into a ‘Superman’! But why should this be?

The way you interpret and read the Genesis story of Adam and Eve will automatically put you into a corner which will be at odds at least with some of your friends. In the red corner, we have a real Adam, Eve, a talking snake, literal 24 hour days for God to make the world and the universe. In the blue corner, you have the believers who understand that same story in Genesis as picture language or metaphor to aid understanding of a message which was beyond the thinking and understanding of early mankind. In truth it is still ‘way above some of our advanced scientific thinking today.

To make it worse, one of these groups of Christians will forcefully point the finger at the other group and say something like, “It’s in the Bible, and I believe the Bible to be the literal Word of God. It’s obvious that you don’t and would rather take sides with science.” This can get nasty. Trust me, it really can! So, what’s the answer?

First of all, note that we talk about “The THEORY of evolution” and that’s because it cannot be proven. The process would take millions of years to work through from a single cell to the human beings we are today. This cannot be recreated as science requires, so cannot be more than a theory. However, the other side should not be too hasty to cheer their success. Many well respected theologians from all corners of the church will differ on the Biblical interpretation of the creation story. Yes, they will believe wholeheartedly in creation, but they cannot agree on the full process of how God did what He did. It is above the human mind!

How important are we prepared to make this subject? If neither side can fully prove their point, except through faith in the God of the Bible, why not view creation as a part of the overall purpose of God and the Bible which leads directly to Jesus and our salvation? Is that something we should fight, or disagree about? No, thought not, because it’s not a salvation issue!

Why?

There is a reason behind everything we do. Nothing is random. For example, how do you deal with confused thoughts? Or decision making? Or worries and concerns? Or even issues you care about deeply like religion and faith? That’s a good place to stop for now. So, how do you deal with the doubts or questions that arise from your deep seated, long held, beliefs? It’s a big ask and no small task.

Some will involve a professional counsellor if the problem is deep enough. Some will talk to a trusted friend, and let’s face it, we all need trusted friends. It has also been known for some to call into TV or radio help shows. When you go shopping for your groceries, what do you do? I for one will make a list because I want to make sure I get everything I need. It also gives me some peace of mind because I have already given my outing to the shop, some significant thought. That makes the whole operation easier.

Similarly, my way of handling my thoughts about the things I care about is to write them down, a bit like the shopping list except on a bigger scale, and for a much more important purpose. The name for people who do this nowadays, is a ‘blogger’ and the things they write down is a ‘blog’. When the blog is complete, and is something you don’t mind sharing with others, it can be published online to one of the sites that are for that very purpose. If you are a thinker/blogger it can be a help if there are others out there who have come across the same things, or are going through it now. Those people who a add constructive comment will contribute to the level of help, support and growth needed.

I know what some are thinking. Why write it down like a journal at all? Why make it public? Are you feeling insecure? It has to be said that not everyone who reads these thoughts will think or comment positively. It’s a risk, so not done for a sense of vanity. Think about it this way, if you read a blogger’s thoughts, you are seeing into their heart. You may or may not agree or like what you read, but then again, you may read a thought you have already entertained. As I said, it’s a risk. However, for the most part the good and helpful comments will outweigh the negative and bad, so the judgement is that it is worth doing. Welcome to my world!

The No-No

It is said that when you are in a discussion with friends, you should never talk about politics or religion. Let’s just say I will try to heed that… but just a little, and hopefully not stray into deep waters. The reason for not speaking about these two subjects is that they can bring out the worst in us as we retreat to the safety of our little corner and shout from there. The underlying reason is quite simple really. If you don’t agree on something at the start, you will not agree at the end, no matter how eloquent the arguments are made on either side. In fact, a perfectly good friendship can be changed forever. In the hope that we will still be friends, let me take the safer of these two ‘no-nos’ and bring up the subject of politics.

The starting point is easy. In politics both sides whether left or right want to live in a better world, and so bring out their plans to make it happen. These manifestos will be identical in some points, similar in others, and diametrically opposed in a few. The trouble is that these last ones tend to be the things we want to talk about, because they are the most interesting and divisive! We are drawn like a moth to the flame. We try, but we can’t keep our mouth shut.

Now here’s the question I want to leave with you. How do you and I react when we differ greatly on a major part of the manifesto, even with our friends?? I guess for the most part, we humour them (and ourselves) and pass it over as just ‘one of those things’, and that is good. But then there are those other times when we differ (and we will) over something which separates us greatly. It’s not so easy to gloss over these ones, and so we enter dangerous ground. If we stay quiet, they will think we have come over to their way, but then if we disagree as strongly as they have made their case, we will probably say too much and jeopardise our relationship. And anyway we argue (to ourselves) we always said we should be open and honest with each other. That openness and honesty can, and will, come with a cost. And there will be more than a political price to pay.

Come to think of it, whether in politics or religion, the dangers and pitfalls are the same. There are times we must make an informed but calculated decision to speak out about those things that separate us within the Christian church, or stay silent in order to keep the peace. Either way, silent or not, there is still a high price to pay with important relationships. Maybe then the old adage is true after all. We don’t talk about religion or politics in ANY open company. The price is huge, and have you noticed that neither side is ever wrong. Bad enough when it’s politics, but unChristlike when it’s religion.

Faith or Works?

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6 ESV

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. James 2:18 ESV

Slowly but surely some once thriving churches are moving the faith goalposts, perhaps in an effort to reverse the slow haemorrhage of members and adherents. The outcome, at least in appearance, is that the once dearly held foundation of salvation by faith alone, is being replaced, at least in part, by a gospel of works. It is therefore quite easy to convince folks that they are not doing enough for the Kingdom, and put them on an unnecessary guilt trip to do more.

This comes across in many ways, and always sounds good. But listen for the buzzwords. Words like ‘community’ (that’s a favourite), and ‘social’ which come into almost every sermon and message from the pulpit. I am the first to accept that works are important, and a necessary part of our Christian character, but… should works not be secondary to our salvation based on faith, first and foremost?

The natural end result of a works based church is a ‘social community’ of good people who have not necessarily fully accepted or seen the light of the gospel, and therefore are no different or better than the outsiders who would never darken the church doors. There are a multitude of non believers and atheists who do a lot of good works. Do we aspire to that model? The apostle Paul sums it all up nicely in these words:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.                      Ephesians 2:8,9 ESV

The Journey - Fearful

Not all journeys are carefree. Take those who decide to cross a hot barren desert on foot? Or those who stretch themselves to their limits of endurance by swimming the channel? What about mountaineers who are always looking for the next challenge? Then there are the really crazy folks who go on an adventure headlong from bridge to valley by bungee jumping? In every one of these events there is an element of fear. Some greater than others, but the fear is there and that is what drives them on to greater risks.

Our faith journey is not always straightforward. There are times when we have to step out in a great act of faith the likes of which we have never thought possible before. A new job. Are we up to the challenge of our environment and will our testimony remain? Illness or disease takes hold, and the outlook is not good. Are we able for the unknowns which must lie ahead? Embarking on a marriage to someone you love dearly, but how can I measure up to the job spec of spouse, friend, homemaker, breadwinner, parent? I don’t know any newlywed who not only starts out excited, but also fearful because they have not walked this path before.

I am amazed at the number of times Jesus said to his disciples, “Fear not”. They needed it, and so we too need to hear it today. “Fear not” the illness, the new job, the role of husband or wife, I can hear Him say. Our heads know God is greater than our problems, but it needs to drop that all important and essential 10 inches into our heart.

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

Contend

Dear friends, I wanted very much to write to you about the salvation we all share together. But I felt the need to write to you about something else: I want to encourage you to fight hard (contend KJV) for the faith that God gave his holy people. God gave this faith once, and it is good for all time. Jude v3 ERV

Something made Jesus’ brother, the writer Jude, change his mind about what he wanted to emphasise to the churches of his day. He started out with the intention of talking about the salvation we share, but instead we read a warning about things that we need to fight for, because the Gospel in the early Church was being changed by some.

Jesus died for us, and as His church, we are entrusted to keep it as He left it when the ascension took place, leaving His followers behind. Jesus took a chance leaving such a precious gift in human hands, and we will be held accountable for the purity of this same Gospel. It’s all down to us, and what a sobering thought that is.

The verse says this faith was given once, and it is good for all time. That means we are not entitled to play around with it, to make it any ‘better’, or more ‘acceptable’ to the world than it already is. Jesus died and gave His life to provide this salvation, and we will be tried by the great Judge if we abuse, alter or misuse it. When the preacher gets too close for our comfort, we say he has stopped preaching and started meddling. We like a nice neat gospel that suits us, and not always the Gospel Jesus left in our care.

This small letter of Jude, containing only one chapter, holds a powerful lesson. We must have nothing to do with any program in the church that doesn’t help spread the one true Gospel. It’s not enough to educate, entertain, or suggest something that will get folks in to make them ‘familiar’ with being in the church building. If we are not teaching and preaching the full Gospel of Jesus Christ, we have fallen short of our calling. None of us would want to be guilty of that eternal crime. So, let’s be true to the Gospel and contend for the Faith that God gave His Holy people.

Impressions

First impressions are not always wrong. Over my long-ish life, I have discovered that first impressions are usually confirmed as correct as time passes. What starts as a feeling, or thought, almost always turns into a certainty. But we do not, and should not, act on any first impressions because on occasion they can be wrong, and we do not have confirmation either way, well at least not quite yet. More time is needed for that.




I’m not saying this requires the gift of discernment. Perhaps you have been gifted in this, but experiences over the years may also have resulted in us recognising characteristics which draw people together, or maybe make us think ‘caution’, or ‘beware’. Don’t misunderstand me, I am certainly not advocating making an enemy, after all, we are told that a mark of a true disciple is Godly love for all, including our faith brothers and sisters.




Perhaps I need to be corrected, but I have found that we can almost immediately and naturally be attracted to a person and really get along with them. However, there are other times when I will love my brothers and sisters, but wouldn’t usually choose to have a coffee together. On a personal level, I do not like confrontation, so the ability to ‘love but not necessarily like’ a very few of my friends may work for me, and all the while does not affect my Christian walk. Question: Am I on my own, or is this your experience too?

Blogger's Block

You have heard of writers who get writer’s block, well its distant cousin is Blogger’s Block. There is little known about what causes it, but apparently it can be a small thing. I don’t know how you deal with the things on your mind, for my part I tend to write it down. I suppose that makes me a blogger of sorts. Not so much to get a response, but as a kind of therapy to face the issues that mean something to me.

I usually end up writing about matters of faith, because that is the subject that means
the most to me, and in a normal week about 2 or 3 blogs will be written and possibly
published on a couple of systems. Responses are good for the most part, and even those
who would not claim to be of the same church or faith group will be positive in their
comments. So, what has happened during this month’s dry spell?

When something rocks the foundation of your belief system, it drags you down, and in
dragging you down you stop doing those normal routine things. The bottom line is that
you don’t see a way to work through your ‘problem’, and so the Blogger’s Block happens.
Fortunately this doesn’t happen often, and my solution is to give it enough time to
percolate through my subconscious and convince myself the thing I worried about
was never really a problem in the first place. Was it? Or is it still there?

Berean?

As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:10,11 NIV

I’m one of those annoying people who treats their faith as important. It is important on a surface level as I sit in a pew, sing the songs, pray, and soak in the sermon which has been prepared by a Godly pastor. But it’s more than that. If I am going to believe in the Gospel that my church teaches, and that it is truth, then for me it is important enough to know why I believe it. So, the theology behind the doctrine is important too because it must be in harmony with the Bible.

The result in my case is that I will look into the beliefs closely, and check them against Scripture and only then what other commentators say. The reason is simple. When we do anything else in this life, or buy into any secular scheme, we do it with much care. This is more important than choosing my next car, so it must be even more important that I get my theology right.

So far, so good, but there can be a problem that comes with the quest. While chasing up, and checking out the truth of doctrine, I find myself asking other pastors and leaders whom I respect, what they think, and more importantly, believe. This can come across as questioning their own faith, and that is far from the truth. I am not in college or university, so I don’t sit at the seat of learning to sharpen my faith. I have to do that part by bouncing my thoughts off other human beings, and I try to choose carefully. Unfortunately, I have found to my horror that I have unwittingly offended as I chase the importance of my church’s theology.

After all, each church has its own take on interpretation, so do I just stick a pin in a sheet of names and go there? Do I blindly accept the doctrine of the church I attend, or do I find out why? Eternity is real, so my thinking is that the articles of faith I accept are important. I trust I will be like the Bereans and examine the Scriptures first and foremost.

Question: How do you and I confirm the beliefs that are important to us and our church?

Legalism?

I didn’t realise it at the time, but apparently I am branded as a legalist (usually spoken with a hiss!) because I grew up in an apparently legalistic church. It was my church. The place where I found my faith and I saw obedience to the law of Scripture as a benefit to my Spiritual welfare, and a good thing for growth. I learned the importance of salvation, the reality of hell, and the assurance of heaven. I also learned the difference between good and evil, right and wrong. If it was seen by some as being legalistic, I didn’t, and was ok with it, and even appreciated and embraced it for what it was.

The Ten Commandments are a legalistic list and we are ok with that. The New Testament also has its share of things taught by Jesus and the apostles which are clearly right and wrong, good and evil. These can all be viewed as faith’s requirements, after all when we come to Jesus just as we are, our Saviour in His wisdom does not leave us in that same sinful condition. We are changed from the inside, and that affects our whole life. Some of those changes could be considered by some as legalistic, but I see them as good, to be desired, and perhaps even natural.

Nowadays, any form of legalism in church is frowned upon, and actively discouraged as being old fashioned and plain wrong. As a result, there is a generation of church folks, who rest on grace to the extent that it can give a green light to a behaviour which is less than Godly, and verging on immoral. We don’t like anyone telling us what to do I suppose. After all, we are not under law (the rules) but under grace (above the law) we argue. Perhaps we need to take a closer look at the verses which could be used to soften our attitude to sin or immorality even at some small level. To put it another way, if our nation didn’t have laws and rules, we would have anarchy and be out of control. We need rules, laws, and yes some legalism in our churches too, or we get out of control. Can I suggest one of the reasons the Church is in decline today is that we want to decide for ourselves the laws of God we want to actively obey? Then the laws of Scripture take a poor second place.

I suggest there are two camps in the legalism debate. Either you believe that in order to be saved you must FIRST obey the rules. Or in response to God’s saving grace you THEN become happy to obey and fall into step with God’s will, rules and laws. The answer to that question says a lot about the kind of Christian you are, and the opinions you form of others. Which camp do you fall into? Or to ask it another way, which camp do others think YOU fall into?? Paul saw this problem in the early church, and addressed it head on:

Sin will not be your master, because you are not under law. You now live under God’s grace. So what should we do? Should we sin because we are under grace and not under law? Certainly not! Romans 6:14,15

Peace

It has been more than 100 years since the outbreak of WW1 which was touted as “The war to end all wars”. The commemorations are sobering and a reminder of the futility of war. The first day of the war saw a death rate of 450,000 in slimy mud which bogged down the living and engulfed the dead. Here we are 100 years later and North Korea is launching long range Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles with the capability of reaching the whole USA. Their next step is the addition of a nuclear warhead. All this time has passed, and we have not progressed. A wise man once said, “The one thing we learn from history, is that we don’t learn from history”. How true.

Our little planet earth has never been free of fighting and war since Cain and Abel fought out their differences in Genesis, and it has been going on ever since. The Bible is right up to date on this, and many other subjects, when it records these words in Jeremiah 6:14:

They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace. Has anything changed?

Our peace is founded on the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Messiah who assures us in John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” As the nations of the world goad each other for supremacy, we have the assurance of that peace which can only come from God. Jesus also said in John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” I don’t know about you, but that gives me real peace and great comfort.

The Good Work

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6

In my youth, there was a badge that some wore on their lapel with the letters: “BPGIFWM” and I thought it was all wrong, and just an excuse for some wrongdoing in the name of being human. The letters stood for, “Be Patient God Isn’t Finished With Me”. The older I get, the more I see the truth of the badge.

Paul says it in different words in our text. Be sure of this. Once God has started the good work of salvation in us, He will complete it. It is certain, and it will be in His timing. Maybe at the time of Jesus return, or our passing into glory. Truthfully, it doesn’t matter to me, because either way I will be suited and fit for heaven.

This won’t happen because of anything I have done to deserve it, but as a direct result of God’s grace after confession of sins, and salvation. Aren’t you glad it’s all in God’s hands? So, it really is true. God isn’t finished with us quite yet. Amen to that thought!

Changes

I was fortunate to be born, and raised in a simple two bedroom flat, and in a good neighbourhood. We knew our neighbours. None were rich and at the beginning at least, all were rented. The streets were safe, and I was able to play outside with my pals without fear of any unwanted approach or abuse.

Fast forward some 50 years and the once ‘des-res’ area has turned out to be a slum. It is discouraging to drive past my once safe and happy neighbourhood. So what happened?

Slowly over the years, little things changed. Not that anyone took notice at the time, after all when things happen that slowly, you hardly notice each change. It is only when the years have passed that you can look back to see and compare the way it was, to the way it has become.

I was thinking about churches in general, but my own church in particular. Sure there have been changes over that same 50 years, and not all bad! Having said that, I believe some things have changed and not for the best. We move with the times in how we worship and the kind of music we like, but the biggest change is the size of the congregation. Having been a member of the same church for all those years, I can see the differences in the things we seem to accept. Let me get something straight. I am not saying my church is a slum, however I am noticing that the little changes which went unnoticed over the years have resulted in a big difference today. I also agree that church holds little appeal to the youth, and without young blood, we eventually die.

The last point, and the one which started me going down this rabbit hole is this. Why continue to accept and attend a church which says one thing officially and publicly, but in practice much of the the membership do not uphold these same principles? The convictions we once held so closely, have been sold for a ‘mess of lentils’ and we are left with a diluted gospel. Are lives being changed? Is holiness being preached and lived out? Do we make room for decisions in our services? Where is repentance? Who carries a Bible? Does the local community know who we are, and what we stand for? Are we so much like the outside world that we have lost the difference that made us who we once were? Could that be one reason for the drop in attendance over the past years? I’ll leave you with this final thought. How do you answer the friend who says to you, “I didn’t think your church did that?”

I want to encourage you to fight hard for the faith that God gave his holy people. God gave this faith once, and it is good for all time. Jude 1:3

How Bad ?

We live in a secular country, where the State has won out over the Church, and in fact almost anything to do with God. Our media pushes the ‘godless’ agenda in programming, so much so that you could be forgiven for thinking that ‘God people’ are deranged, misguided, and not in their right mind. When a minister or priest is shown on TV, it is usually with a theme of corruption or not to be a laughing stock.

London has seen a ‘Towering Inferno’ in real life, like no other in our country, and the death toll keeps rising. The seriously injured are spread between several hospitals, and the search for bodies continues. According to emergency services, no further survivors are expected to be found. As I watched the constantly repeated newscasts, I was left with a burning question.

How many of these good people cried out to God when they feared for their lives? How many self confessed humanists, secularists, and atheists found a voice for prayer? How bad does it have to get before we pray? To place the question closer to home, how many lapsed and backslidden Christians, faced with a horrible end, came face to face with the fact that God DID exist, and found themselves calling out for forgiveness, regretting their prodigal lifestyle? God knows that every one affected needs to know and feel comfort, and where better to get them than from God, who is love (1 John 4:8).

These questions troubled me, and still do. Those touched are no different from us, except that an impending disaster may have sharpened their minds, and focussed their thinking to the one thing in this life that’s important, and that is how we finish. Sadly, for most of us it takes a life changing circumstance to make us understand the very importance of life, how we live it, and the legacy we leave behind. The good news of the Gospel is that the story doesn’t end there because we believe in a forgiving God who gives eternal life to all who call on Him, no matter when. Remember the thief on the cross next to Jesus? He is spending his eternity in heaven because of his simple prayer. What about this great promise which is effective for all?.....

“everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13  

We Can Certainly Do It

We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it. Numbers 13:30

We are surrounded by good friends who would do anything to help in your time of need. When you look at them, they are in no fit state to help anyone, or so you think. But they step up where others step back, and put their shoulder to the wheel and set themselves against the job to be done. That, my friend, is selfless.

Have you ever noticed that they usually are the ones who seem weak, with enough of their own issues, and least able or likely to help, but are the true friends who, with a broad grin will lend that ungrudging helping hand? I have seen it first hand, and the images don’t go away.

I have taken a liberty with the text, and used bold and underline colour to highlight and make my point. As I become older and have seen more of life, it has occurred to me that people who have their own serious struggles have an outlook which is at odds with their condition. Or so we think. They don’t see it that way. When you are faced with the brevity of life, it all takes on new meaning. There is nothing to prove now. You don’t have to feel obliged. Faith is real and unquestioned. All the minor problems of faith don’t count, because you now know without any shadow of doubt, what is true. And more importantly, Who is true. Jesus Christ is the author of their faith, it is no longer theory, and they KNOW it. Be thankful for the Spirit of God you see plainly in the hearts and lives of those who battle any serious illness, and we all know some who will give their best for the sake of others, and their Saviour. It’s the least they can do. I know it and you do too! The Word of God has echoed their sentiment clearly.

I can do all this through Him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

I know that You can do all things; no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. Job 42:2

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

What Then?

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, …...but even if He does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.’  - Daniel 3:17,18

Every now and again, the Scripture surprises us. We are taught to pray believing, and this is true, but then we come across these verses which suggest that our prayers may not be answered because they don’t fall into God’s will for our lives. Our prayers usually end with words like “Thy will be done” and they roll off the tongue easily. But what if God doesn’t agree with our prayers?

Daniel and his friends knew the dangers full well, and they must have prayed earnestly that they would be spared the furnace. Who wouldn’t? I think it takes real inner strength, courage, and faith to say “but even if He does not”... and put yourself completely at the literal mercy of a loving God. To Daniel, God would be no less loving if they had been tossed to the lions. Could we say that?

How difficult is your life? Are you faced with financial problems, wayward children, personal or a loved one’s serious illness? When you pray, it is important, above all else, that God in love will step in and change things for the better, but what if He doesn’t? We know that some prayers don’t get answered and we are faced with silence. That’s not too bad, but what if the answer is the polar opposite of your prayer? Your money worries get worse, your family faces breakdown, and your loved one doesn’t get well, but dies? What then? Do we still think God is loving and in control?

Daniel faced life or death when he prayed. He was sincere, and the Bible records that he and his friends were thrown into the furnace. They should have died, but these Saints were prepared for that possibility. They didn’t die, a miracle was performed and a witness like no other was seen when another man was noticed beside them, and the onlookers just knew it looked like the Son of God. They didn’t need to be told. They knew. In fact the prayer was answered in a way that no one expected. The lesson for me is, obey the command, pray believing, and let God be God. After all, He really IS in control.

Depression

Mention the word depression in any social setting, even with close friends, and the tone of the conversation drops like a stone. We know it happens, and we may even know some folks who have suffered from it, or sadly still do, but we want to keep a healthy distance. After all, it spoils an otherwise good evening, and if you are the one who brings the subject up, friends will distance themselves one by one until you are left on your own. Is that where any depressed person belongs?

Make no mistake, there is a short distance between anxiety and depression if not recognised and tackled both by the sufferer and his or her circle of friends. Like other internal issues, the signs can be well hidden, or perhaps seen but ignored and the last thing anyone wants is the stigma associated with the condition. After all, so the thought goes, you are only one step away from a straightjacket and a padded cell.

Anyone with a deep faith should never be depressed, I hear you say. You have salvation and so many things to live for, and maybe you are right, but there are examples in the Bible of men of God who succumbed to depression in different circumstances. So is it really so strange to think that someone you know will be close to their emotional limit?

If you want to help, here are some things to look for, but are rarely seen. A convincing and ready smile. An encouraging manner. The hard swallow lump in the throat. An unguarded emotional tear. You are looking for a master of facial and emotional disguise, so don’t be surprised when you see a friend ‘go under’ and find yourself saying, “I would never have guessed”. It just shows how good a job they did at hiding, and how poor a job we do as friends in not getting close enough to see, but be assured that you are not alone in missing the signs. The really sad and telling truth is that you probably won’t recognise the condition in your friend until they tip over the visible edge. Such is life!