Honour HIS Temple

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;  you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies. 1 Cor 6:19,20 NIV

 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 1 Cor 3:16 ESV

These verses make it very clear that we have to look after our bodies, after all we are reminded that we are bought at a high price. Don’t thumb your nose at a Holy God!

This blog might annoy or even hurt some readers, but that presupposes that I actually get some folks who will not ignore, but read my musings. What are the things that we have to be careful about if we are serious about honouring God’s Holy Temple? In Paul’s day, it included food which had been offered to idols or not consecrated. It would also have included anything which had a bad influence on the health, eg gluttony which is also warned about in other passages and/or anything which would make them sluggish. Some liquids would hamper bodily functions and make them sluggish. Sound familiar?

But what about today? There are some obvious ones, and that is where I may lose some friends or readers. Some of the things we were warned about in Paul’s day can be directly related to our time, and to us individually. Take overeating. It was a real issue then, and it is a real problem today, especially with all the unhealthy fast foods we consume. The result can be obesity, and a health issue to go along with it. A shorter lifespan is not uncommon. Tell me, is that honouring our Holy God? Oh, I can already hear some overweight folks say, but it’s in my DNA and genes, so I can’t help my weight. I know some obese folks, but I have not come across any who have actually tried to change their eating regime. Why? Easy, because they like their eating lifestyle, and have accepted their weight issue. In fact, they do not see any health issues at all.

What about our national love, and consumption of alcohol? It makes the body woozy, sleepy, unable to drive, stagger etc etc. Is the sight of a drunk man or woman (yes sadly, this includes women too) wandering and staggering home from the pub a sight that glorifies a Holy God? I think not! Unsurprisingly, for me, I tend to think of drinking and smoking in the same breath, so what about tobacco, and the effects on health and example to others? I know in the Bible Paul says to Timothy (who had a stomach problem), a little wine for your stomach’s sake. That little phrase has opened the door to any and all Christians to feel that the consumption of alcohol is acceptable, and even encouraged. The result is a tendency to have wine with a meal for no other reason other than they want to, and not whether or not it honours a Holy God.

Smoking tobacco is addictive, and that includes most vapes. If a smoker is addicted to tobacco, does that not give a message to children and young people, especially when you can become a slave to a legal drug? Use your imagination, and visualise a Christian coming out of church, Bible in hand, and a fag drooping from lips, bouncing up and down while talking. It doesn’t make for a pretty sight, and I would suggest not a good example of a Holy God. Would you agree?

Many folks see no problem in buying a lottery ticket once a week. It’s only a pound so what’s wrong with that? In this case, nothing, but what if it opens the door to a gambling addiction? Don’t tell me you have never heard of a well meaning pound a week turning into an amount which cannot be controlled? There are many ‘super gamblers’ who started in a very small way and didn’t see how they could possibly become addicted. I know it doesn’t happen that way for everyone, but is it worth the risk? That’s another gamble altogether. More to the point, does it give a good outlook for a Holy God?

I know there are other areas which could be mentioned, and you may disagree with some of my own suggestions, but what is the goal? If it is truly to honour the Temple of the Holy Spirit, we should take no chances but take every opportunity to keep our Holy God first and foremost. Nothing is more important as we work to honour His Temple. May we be worthy!

Stone or Flesh?

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel36:26NIV

“Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it”. Then what? Allow me the liberty of taking my dad’s words and changing them a little to say, “Be careful what you pray for, you might just get it”. Our prayers can be shallow, and all about us, our needs, and wants. Much of the time we pray, and we know fine well it won’t be answered so we start to let doubt creep in.

It is out of our hands and control when we pray for the friend who has cancer. We kind of believe it, or more likely we hope for an answer that agrees with ours. The disease has to go. It must be healed or God isn’t listening to our petition prayed in tears. It’s out of our control and we don’t like that. But what about those prayers for our own spiritual well-being? Those prayers for an extra portion of kindness, patience,love, peace, joy that we need so much. An answer to those would mean a change in our own life. Are we ready for that?

I am on very close terms with a friend of many years who has been a Christian for as long as I can remember. He lost his wife to cancer at a relatively young age, and he changed. His heart became like stone. Lifeless and without feeling. You see he was angry with God, because He didn’t answer his many prayers through tears. Slowly, all too slowly, he started to recognise what was happening. His once soft heart had turned to stone, almost at the instant that God let him down (or so he thought). One day there was a turning point, because he prayed the prayer in this verse. He didn’t like carrying this heavy, stone heart around, so he simply prayed that it be replaced by a heart of flesh. Almost as fast as the words of the prayer had ended, he felt different. The stone was rolled away, and he felt lighter. The joy of his salvation had returned and that was the price. That’s the best way he could describe it.

So, be careful what you pray for. You may just be surprised by the answer.

Grace and Love

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV

There is a theme which occurs constantly through the New Testament, and it is one of Love and Grace. Our verse shows the trinity of the Godhead linked directly with Grace, Love, and Fellowship. In my book that makes this theme pretty important in the mind of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As if to emphasise their importance, the apostle Paul uses them often, so we should not shy away from them either.

I never tire of hearing sermons, or even talking with friends about these real, God driven, passionate thoughts, feelings and emotions. Since we are told directly in 1 John 4:8 that “God IS love”, then the more we love in His Spirit, the more Christlike we become. In fact the verse also says, if we don’t love, then we are not like God. It’s really quite simple. Well I think so anyway.

So, I am disheartened when I hear some folks outside the church play down any or all of these Godlike characteristics. I suppose in a way, I can understand the unchurched and unsaved wanting to play down or discredit the love of God, but not a fellow believer! How can that be possible I hear you ask, and you are echoing my own thinking. Mind you, I am very thankful that I have met very few who fall into that ‘love-less’ (less-loving, not unloving!) mindset and category. But they exist, and the truth is that saddens me.

If we ever needed more proof, John, the apostle of love says it this way: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love. 2 John 1:3 NIV

Threes

My mum used to say that everything comes in threes. She wasn’t superstitious. She was a Godly lady who took her faith seriously, but she noticed life. One of her observations was that things sometimes come in groups of three.

From the arrival of the local service bus, to the notice of announcements of death, and everything inbetween, she saw that things happen in threes. Even the pastor’s sermons invariably have three points. The Trinity is a three part image of God. Our lives are separated into time spans of past, present, and future. There are three physical dimensions, length, breadth, and height.

In the spiritual realm, we have three elements of salvation. Upward in repentance and thanks to God, inward as we start to change from the inside out as we become more like Jesus, and outward as we reach out in love to those around us. We don’t love others to drag them to church because that may never happen. A wise old pastor asked his younger congregation why nightingales sing? As an adult, I was stumped until he explained that nightingales sing because they are nightingales! He went on to say that we should love others, and pass on the comfort God has given us in our troubles, only because we are His children and we love Him. No other reason is needed. It becomes our nature, just like the singing nightingale.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3,4

Spirit Fruit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22,23 ESV

The fruit of the Spirit is singular, and yet it produces all these different effects in the believer. That tells me this fruit is all encompassing, covering all the positive characteristics of the Godhead that we require to have a completely fulfilled life which will make it obvious to the unbeliever that we spend time with Jesus and want to be more like Him.

First up is ‘love’. Can you think of a better place to start? Paul’s writings are inspired, and he made no mistake in putting ‘love’ at the front of the list. It has often been said that all the others depend on love to make them work best. Since we are told that God IS love, it follows that the other parts of the fruit will flow from a heart of Christlike love.

Can you imagine the kind of world we would occupy if everyone lived with a heart full of the fruit of the Spirit? Let me go one step further. What if all the Christians in the worldwide church lived to these standards? We are told by Jesus in Luke 10:27 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.” I suggest with that command in our hearts, we will be well equipped to make good headway with the fruit of the Spirit. The notes in my Bible say it this way: “A person who exhibits the fruit of the Spirit fulfils the law far better than a person who observes the rituals but has little love in his or her heart.”

Paul ends this verse with the reminder that there is no law which can stand against these characteristics. We are not law breakers, we are God’s law keepers, and heaven seekers. The bar may have been set high for us to reach as Christians, but it is worth it as we keep our heavenly goal in our sights.

Body, Heart and Mind

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 NLT

No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. Psalm 16:9

The Bible has a way of pulling things together as you read and meditate, and these inspired verses are doing what only Scripture can do! It is no secret that we are a mixture of body, heart and mind, and different things will affect one part of us directly, but the other parts are also hurt by association. We are reminded by Paul that all parts of our body work together in this passage: Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” 1 Corinthians 12:20,21 NLT So why do we get taken by surprise at times? I know I do.

It should come as no shock that when my mind is out of whack, my body and heart feel the consequences. If we have a bad dream, or a nightmare, our heart races and we sweat. When we wake up in the morning, we might not remember the dream in detail, but we will still be suffering the consequences in our body, of what was imagined in the brain. To state the obvious, it didn’t really happen! Try telling the result of fear in your body that! There is no cure for the body feeling what goes on in our imagination, but there is good news available for the believer.

We have the assurance that ​His peace will guard your hearts and minds! When satan comes with the bad dreams of our former life. He has no control over our body when he attacks our minds, as you live in Christ Jesus. Don’t you love the way the Psalmist puts it: No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.

So, there you have it. The believer’s mind, heart and body are under the control of our Saviour, or put another way, under the blood of the cross! How good is that? Sleep easy my believing friends!

No One Saw!

Tom had his 14th birthday the week before, so he was already a young and responsible teen, trusted by his mum and dad, and almost revered by his 12 year old sister Mary. It was only two years, but Mary thought they were massive. Her brother could do no wrong and was good at pretty much anything. Imagine their surprise and delight when mum and dad asked Tom to look after Mary for the evening because they had a special church meeting to go to, and anyway, Tom was responsible and a good boy who could be trusted with the care of Mary for the evening until mum and dad came home just a couple of hours later. Just one thing they asked of them both. Look after each other and stay out of trouble. It’s a nice night, so if you want to go out, stay close to home. Promise? Dutifully, they promised.

The adults had hardly left the house when Mary and Tom had an idea. The same idea. They even thought like each other, that is how close they were. Mary made those big wide eyes and said, “remember the cove that we always go on a picnic with mum and dad? How about we go there for an hour, and come home in plenty of time before mum and dad get back”, she gushed. It was out in one long breath, and Tom liked the plan too. But they had been told to stay close to home. The cove was only a 5 minute walk from their house on the cliff walkway. Mary continued, by assuring Tom that she would behave, and not leave his side, and do everything he said. That sealed it for Tom, so gathering a few treats to eat, they left and had a great time. They loved this cove because it was always quiet, and once again they had the sandy beach all to themselves. And they got home before mum and dad. Result!!

No one was any the wiser, and I mean no one. The days passed into weeks, and about a month later after dinner, while still sat at the table, dad asked Tom, if he remembered looking after his wee sister for the evening? Of course he remembered. How could he forget because it all went so well to plan. Dad continued…. “You stayed in the street, right? Not too far from the house, right? You made a promise, remember?” By this time both Tom and Mary were almost squirming in their seats, but no one was there. No one saw them. It was impossible to be caught out, so they both agreed that they had stayed close to home as they had said. Just about then, mum’s smile faded as she placed a glossy magazine on the table. It was one of those tourist monthly publications. That was all. Panic over. In complete silence mum flicked through some pages and stopped at a lovely full page image of one of the favourite places to visit that tourists liked. She slid the folded open glossy across the table where both of the kids could see it. Blue skies. Small shallow waves lapping on the sandy shore, and there enjoying the sunset were two figures sitting with a picnic. It was a really nice photo, and the photographer must have had one of those expensive, long, telephoto lenses because you could easily make out the faces of Tom and Mary. “Oh no” they gasped in unison. They had been well and truly caught! Right there and then the truth just came tumbling out. Confessions were made, forgiveness was given, and trust was restored. One thing was certain though, they would never try that trick again.

The old Sunday School verse that the kids thought was just a Bible exercise which had no use or meaning, had tripped them up badly and in such a way they could never have imagined. But God sees our every movement and we cannot hide from Him. The Psalmist David knew this truth to his cost when he tried to hide his sin from God. There is no hiding place for us either!

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. Psalm 139:7,8

Confirmation

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Romans 8:15-17

How do we know we are a child of God? In fact, how do we know this constantly, day by day, no matter how things are going, or how we are feeling? Resting and relying on our feelings is not the most reliable way to decide anything, because we can be up one day, and down the next.

If you received Christ as a child, I think you have an advantage. You see, as we get older we tend to over analyse things, but when we are younger it is natural to trust and believe without second guessing ourselves. So, how do we know for sure that we are saved and heaven-bound? It is too important to be left to chance.

But how exactly does the Holy Spirit confirm with our spirit that we are children of God? It can come in many ways, and always with an unmistakeable tug in your heart. Perhaps you get this assurance in something said from the pulpit. Or in the Creation that only God could have made for us. Or the words and melody of a hymn, chorus, or gospel song. If I am being honest, this is the way I feel the Spirit confirming His presence the most. I am often reduced to tears as we sing songs about God’s gift, and our promise of a heavenly home. Or as we read the Bible accounts of God moving in the lives of His people, in the Old and New Testaments. Or when a new Christian gives the story of their own encounter with the living Christ. The ways we are affected are many. John Wesley said it this way, “My heart was strangely warmed” and that about sums it up.

Don’t doubt it. If you have prayed, confessed your sin, and repented, the Spirit will not let you forget it. He will tug at your heart from time to time in unexpected ways, just to remind you that you are a child of God. Isn’t our God good? We are certainly blessed!

The SIV Bible

The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked make themselves a stench and bring shame on themselves. Righteousness guards the person of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner. Proverbs 13:5,6

Figs might not grow on the fig trees, and grapes might not grow on the vines. Olives might not grow on the olive trees, and food might not grow in the fields. There might not be any sheep in the pens or cattle in the barns. But I will still be glad in the Lord and rejoice in God my Saviour. Habakkuk 3:17,18

Do you like the ‘good’ verses in the Bible? You know the promises of heaven for the faithful, and the miracles of healing, and feeding the hungry? Yes, me too. In fact I admit to thinking sometimes that our salvation is ‘sweetness and light’, but sadly, it isn’t, because we go through some dark times when the way ahead is not clear. To make matters worse, we look at the bad things that happen to some of the good people we know, and find ourselves asking the age old question, “why Lord, why”?

There are many Bible translations, and we can misuse the SIV (Selective Information Version) at our own peril. As you read the whole Bible, and see what happened to the children of Israel during their time in the desert, you can’t help but see that everything did not always go well. In fact, more often than not, theirs was a troubled journey. As is ours!

When we are tempted to ask ‘why’, can I remind you of something I learned (again) this week? When the people of God are faced with deep and unfair trouble, they don’t lose sight of their faith, or Who their faith is rooted in. I have watched a Godly family go through the kind of trouble we would not wish on anyone, and did they become bitter, or hard, or shout ‘why’ at God? No, a thousand times no! They rested in the fact that above everything that had happened to them, none of which was their own doing, they thanked God for His faithfulness.

I become humbled when I talk to God’s faithful. Whether in good times or bad, they ooze the Holy Spirit in such a way that the witness is unmistakeable and certain. This was a very personal problem which dug deep into the very fibre of the family unit, and yet as the verse in Habakkuk says, and is worth repeating: “Figs might not grow on the fig trees, and grapes might not grow on the vines. Olives might not grow on the olive trees, and food might not grow in the fields. There might not be any sheep in the pens or cattle in the barns. But I will still be glad in the Lord and rejoice in God my Saviour.”

If you recognise yourself, thank you for your constant witness to the overall sovereignty and authority of our great God who will continue to use you for His glory, and the benefit of His Kingdom. It is my pleasure and blessing to have you in my journey of life.

Gentleness

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:14-16

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

I have used the words, “I am just speaking the truth in love” quite often, and you may have done the same. These words are almost always used in a way to tell someone some ‘truth’ they don’t know, or are uncomfortable with (you think!). It pretty much always comes in a condescending way, and the sad thing is, we know it. I think we have these verses in Ephesians incomplete in emphasis and meaning.

Having taught us that we are not to be tossed about by teachings which are cunning, crafty, deceitful, and scheming, the next words are “instead, speaking the truth in love we will become the mature body of Christ”. It follows that this is a call for believers NOT to be like, or copy the others, but to be more like Jesus. Paul takes the theme further in Galatians, and says gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit. We need to let that sink in! And long before Paul’s epistles, Solomon reminds us that “A gentle answer turns away wrath”. The theme throughout Scripture is clear and unambiguous.

This verse may be better rendered as “speaking the truth OF love” as this gives a clearer indication that our speech should be more like our Master, Jesus. We know that “God is Love”, and Jesus is “the Truth”, so in speaking truth OF love to others, it should always be God-loving, and Jesus-truthful. Even then sadly, for some Christians, that may be too difficult!

The Journey - Untidy Bothy

You and your small walking party have done well in getting this far, but right now you all need a rest, out of the howling cold wind and rain, where you can be refreshed in a warm, dry place. There should be a wee fire going if the last users had lit one, so the small croft like building could even be warm. The spot in the distance keeps getting bigger until you are within good visible distance. What a welcome awaits.

But wait. There is no smoke from the small chimney, and that can only mean one thing. The previous owners were long gone and there would be no embers in the hearth. Closer still and the door has been left ajar. That can only mean the room will be wet and cold and feeling damp. That’s not a welcome bothy at all. You would think that other walkers and hikers would think more about others than themselves. It’s enough to make you irritable as you shake the wet off your jacket, and your fist at the world.

Church is our bothy. A welcome place of shelter where we can relax in our Father’s presence and worship Him. But what about those times when the Spirit seems to have disappeared out of the ‘open door’? The warmth and heat has gone, and it appears there is no one of like mind inside? What then?

I suggest we have a choice. Either we take a deep breath, pull our zipper up to the chin and walk on by, hoping we will find another better bothy that’s just the way we want it, OR we go inside, set the fire in the hearth, close the door to build up the heat, and take some of those wet clothes off to dry. A cup of soup from the thermos is enough to warm the cockles of your heart and give you a song in your heart. Do you see where I am going with this? When our church feels cold and unwelcoming, do we look for another warmer, better church OR do we make the effort to stir the Spirit by our presence? But why would we do that? Maybe because somebody, unknown to you, had stirred the fire just for you, so that you could find your way. Would it not be a good thing for us to do the same for another, possibly unknown, traveller who needs a warm welcome? Quite a thought!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3,4

Gentleness

But the fruit that the Spirit produces in a person’s life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these kinds of things. Galatians 5:22,23

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Galatians 6:1

We don’t see a lot of this on TV or in the movies because gentleness does not make good drama, or newspaper headlines. It is boring. It seems to be much better watching friends fall out, fight and even kill to get their own selfish way. Take a look at any of the TV soaps which are filled with all of these things, and for good measure add shouting, adultery and infidelity. That’s what seems to sell to the masses. After all, that’s what we clamour to tune in to.

Real life, however is a very different thing. The poor, bereaved, depressed and lonely don’t want or need aggravation. They need and yearn for some Godly gentleness in their lives, and can you blame them? If it isn’t found on the media, then where would we find gentleness? Godly gentleness is a wonderful thing, and unmistakeable when you come across it. When seen at its best, I would suggest you would want it, even more than the ‘brutality’ mess that the media serves up every night.

Next time you are tempted to join in the all too easy media mess, spare a second thought of those who are watching you. Mum and dad? Son or daughter? Friend or neighbour? Whoever they might be, it would make a refreshing change to see in you and me, a ‘gentle-man’ or a ‘gentle-woman’ positively beaming with that God given fruit of the Spirit, gentleness.

Poor In Spirit

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

This small verse has pride of place in the list of beatitudes because Jesus thought it was important enough to put it first. A coincidence? I don’t think so.

What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase, “poor in spirit”? A few thoughts pop into my head, and maybe they match some of your own. I think of the folks who live and think simply and uncluttered by life’s troubles. I think of some who are diseased or afflicted of mind, and don’t think straight. They maybe couldn’t hold down a regular job. What about those who feel down and depressed? These folks don’t get a lot of sympathy in today’s world because they make a point of keeping their feelings hidden. In fact none of these fit nicely into our acceptable mould, yes even our pristine clean church leaders and members don’t know what to do with them.

Here’s the good news, and it’s worth remembering when you think of your family and friends who are not blessed with a clear, sound mind now. Perhaps they once did, and were the life of any get together, but now find it impossible to hold a conversation, and in extreme cases, may even need help in their everyday routines. Jesus has a word for your friends.

Jesus calls them “Blessed”. That’s the same word used when the angel visited Mary to tell her she would carry and bear the Saviour of the world. “Blessed”. Let it sink in. Then as if that wasn’t enough, Jesus gives the best announcement for these blessed “poor in spirit” folks. He tells them, and everyone else like them, that “theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. Jesus confers two of the greatest honours on these people of simple thought and mind. They are blessed, and have a promise of heaven. Brother and sister, it doesn’t get any better than this does it? And straight from the lips of the Saviour. Amen and Amen!!

The Grieved Spirit

A good friend has a saying: ‘I’d rather have a sore face than a red face’ and I know exactly how he feels and what he means. We hate being embarrassed, and try to avoid it at all costs but we don’t always succeed. In fact, we can also be the reason for some others’ embarrassment, and there are time we do it intentionally.

On a legal theme, we are told that it is more important to recognise and honour the spirit of the law, rather than just the letter of the law. Now take it a step further into our faith lives and ask yourself if you ever embarrass the Lord, either intentionally or not? I think we all have done that, and immediately regretted our actions, feeling that we have grieved God, and our own spirit reacts to the Holy Spirit in contrition. Taking the Holy Spirit for granted, and calculating our sin in advance of ‘assumed future forgiveness’ is a very dangerous thing. I suggest that is more of a conniving heart, than a contrite heart. The bible tells us in Jeremiah 17:9 that the ‘heart is deceitful above all things, and beyond cure’.

We are all very familiar with the forgiving nature of God, and we are right to be very thankful for it. We serve a God of the second chance! So what do we do with these verses: And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man. Genesis 6:3 or Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Matthew 12:32

Since Scripture is inspired and cannot contradict itself, we cannot afford to ignore these verses. You can rationalise the first one, and say it applies to the Genesis flood only, but you cannot do that with the words of Jesus, so we must take care when we already know the way and choose to take His Word for granted and abuse it. In that respect, could it be that the saved have a much greater responsibility to keep His commandments, than the unsaved to find salvation. According to these verses, the eternal result would be the same. Now that’s a staggering and sobering thought.

Belonging

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:4,5 NIV

I think it is safe to say that we all want to feel that we belong. Deep inside we want to be with other people, especially those that act and think like us. The feeling is expressed eloquently by Joan Baez in her 1960s song, which has the lyrics:

No man is an island,

No man stands alone,

Each man's joy is joy to me,

Each man's grief is my own.

We need one another,

So I will defend,

Each man as my brother,

Each man as my friend.

Paul reminds us that we belong to each other, so the theme of the song is not a new one. The truth is universal, so we join all kinds of clubs from our school days onwards. There are all sorts of clubs: Stamp, Chess, Fitness, Science, Swimming, Bowling, Walking, Camera, Sewing, and the list could go on. One of the benefits of these clubs is that members usually stay in touch between meetings, because they get along with each other. They feel they belong to each other in some way because of shared interests.

Hold on, isn’t church a bit like a club too? We have regular meetings with other people we like and who share our faith. We sing and pray together, and chat before and after our meetings, just like the other clubs. But is that where it ends? Does it only happen for one hour a week, and all the other days we don’t feel that we belong? Church is not a club, but next time you are there, take a look round. There are hurting and vulnerable people attending who may need a phone call or a card in between those weekly get togethers. In case you are wondering, I don’t want my weekly meetings to become a club. However, I would like it to be the kind of church Scripture says it should be. After all, there may be some good folks who might just be ‘longing to belong’.

Christmas Spirit

Christmas is not always what it seems. The TV and movie industries portray it as a happy, fun loving time of year, where we give and get more presents than we know what to do with, and everybody loves everybody else. Programs recorded for the season in July, show a lovely spirit of generosity and love. Right? Have you been out shopping, or driving around looking for a parking space recently. Whether you are in charge of a shopping trolley, or a car, the same thing applies. It’s every man or woman for themselves!

But what is the reason for the season? I can picture a lowly stable, where a loving Mum and Dad placed their new born son in a feeding trough and couldn’t see past just how lovely their baby looked. Like his Dad? Like his Mum? Whose eyes, or whose nose? They looked beyond their surroundings at their child, and wondered at his future. It may not have been the palace, but it didn’t matter, because this was their oasis, their haven of peace and quiet, away from the noise and bustle of the census crowds milling about outside, buying and selling, and jostling in the alleyways. Ok, so I am just an old romantic, and I don’t apologise for that, but I prefer my image of the first Christmas morning, to the commercial business it has become today.

While we are at it, spare a thought for those who find this time of year difficult because of mounting debt, family upheavals, and sad memories to keep at bay. These good folks are not helped at all by our modern attempt at artificial happiness, but they can be lifted up by the baby in the feeding trough. After all, that same baby grew up and became the Saviour of the world. Our baby, our redeemer! Now that really is something to get excited about, and to celebrate. So from an old romantic, as you find the reason for the season in your heart, have a Blessed and Happy Christmas!