God the Father

Today is the anniversary of the birth of my father, John Basil Alexander. Had he lived he would have been 99 years old. Sadly, he died in September 1958 at the age of 51. In a way I still miss him. Perhaps what makes it worse is that my mother died in 1972 also at the age of 51 years. I miss her too.

Those of you who still have one or both parents alive where you are around my age of 62 will not realise what is like not to have your parents around. I was 14 when my father died and 28 when mum died. There is a sense in which I feel cheated out of an ongoing relationship in both cases. Thankfully, mum was around when I was married to the daughter of her best friend in 1966. Even then I missed my best friend being present. By then my grandfather was dead. I had grown up with him at my side every Saturday of every week.

Most people will grow up loving to share with their father the achievements they have accomplished in life. It might be examination results, getting married, being a parent for the first time, buying your first car and taking them for a ride etc etc. We love to have people with whom we can share our joys. Obviously it goes without saying that we turn to them for support when we are passing through sad times. Fathers are always there for you.

It strikes me that we can have the same sort of relationship with God. I have always felt that the idea of God the father began because Jesus referred to God as his father. I think he used the term so that people would see the right sort of picture of God. Up to the time of Jesus they had concentrated on living precisely according to the law which God gave to Moses. With the coming of Jesus people saw a brand new perspective through the fatherhood of God. This new picture of God as a father was good. It helped the disciples and everyone else to understand God in closer terms than they had done to that point. It established for them a relationship which they could use to understand the God they worshipped.

Suddenly they could see that if God was a father to them it was a close relationship on which they could build. They could understand it because they too were fathers and mothers or had parents. So it was that they learned how to pray. Their first prayer began, "Our father....." So it was that Jesus could teach them about what God was like. He related their own relationship with a son or daughter to this closeness they were to nurture under God the father.

This means that we are loved very much because we can be assured that God loves us like a father loves his child. And to be wrapped up in such a close loving relationship we count ourselves very lucky indeed. I remember a story of how indian braves became qualified as such. One test was to go into the forest and spend the night there alone. One young lad walked into the forest clearing with his father and then he was left alone. As the darkness encircled him he knew he had to sit it out and prove his bravery and manhood. All the night sounds were around him and it was very scary. But eventually dawn came and as he looked around he noticed his father just a few yards away. He had been sitting there all night.

This is how we are with God, today. We may not be able to see him but he is there all the time keeping watch over us. Whatever we are doing and wherever we are we can be sure that God goes with us. This gives us a warm and comfortable feeling. It tells us we need never be afraid, for we never leave God's presence. Sitting so close to us, he knows our every need. Like every good father, he wants us to talk to him and share with him what we have been doing. Our deeds, of course, have to bear scrutiny, so we need to follow the code of Christianity.

As we live our daily lives he is there to share the good times and the bad. He will cry with us when we are sad and will laugh with us when we are happy. I think that makes us very lucky indeed!

Just reach out!

In Matthew's gospel chapter 9 you can read this very short story of a Jesus miracle:

"Just then a woman who had suffered from haemorrhages for twelve years came up from behind, and touched the edge of his cloak; for she said to herself 'If I can only touch his cloak, I shall be healed.' But Jesus turned and saw her, and said, 'Take heart, my daughter; your faith has healed you.' And from that moment she recovered."

There are not may words here but a lot is said. A lot is said about the faith possessed by this woman and a lot is said about the power and awareness of Jesus.

It was the law at that time that a woman is such a condition was not allowed in a synagogue and was ritually unclean whilst the blood flow continued. This meant that she was not even supposed to be among the crowd that day as she would render unclean any person she touched. We can therefore imagine that if such a woman was out in public she was not telling anyone of her condition. Otherwise the crowd would have turned on her. So she was taking a chance being out that day. All we know about her is that she had this illness and that she had heard about Jesus as a healer.

Let's get inside her head. She had heard about Jesus and his miraculous healing powers. People were flocking to see him and to get cures. After 12 years suffering from this debilitating illness she made up her mind to go out in the crowd and see if she could get near Jesus. It was all she could do to touch his garment, but she managed to do it as he passed her. She risked everything to get that cure. But she did it. It was a matter of faith. It was necessary to make every effort to get close to this healer, despite the crowd. She must have forced herself through the multitude to get that close to Jesus. Then she reached out and touched his cloak. That was all it took to put an end to this curse that had dogged her for so long, a curse that was getting worse as time went on.

What a woman! There are such people around us, aren't there? They just go for it! What had she to lose? When your life is that bad you have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. Some years aho I preached a sermon entitled, "Bartimeus had nothing to lose!" The same applied to this brave woman. For some people it is quite simply that life cannot get any worse so they just go for it. She summoned all her strength of mind and went out to get herself a cure. It worked.

As for Jesus, he knew that he had made a difference to someone. All these people were crowding round him, but still he knew there was someone claiming a cure by just touching his clothes. In all those people there was a vital need. He turned round and made eye contact with her. Isn't it fantastic to think that with hundreds of people milling around him, Jesus knew his healing power was needed. He had already accepted the call to help the daughter of another who had come to him seeking a cure. Just as he was setting off to see the child he knew he was needed right there. Despite the importance of his mission to the girl he stopped dead to find out who it was that was claiming her cure.

Not only was this about awareness but he knew that power had gone out of him. So now we have the wonder of his power. It was obviously no ordinary power that he just happened to have. He could cure anyone, anywhere, any time, but he knew his power had been switched on by another. As in so many cases he said, "Your faith has made you whole." The faith of these people who sought him out was incredible. He was always incredibly impressed by it. He was touched to feel that people just had that faith which told them to be there and all would be well.

His power was terribly important to him. Right at the beginning of his ministry he had been in the wilderness and refused to make a pact with the Devil whereby that power could be used for death defying deeds to impress people. He had refused to let that power turn stones into bread. He had refused to use his power for evil. This power that we observe in the bible story is not just incredibly strong but it is also precious and not to be misused.

But what the whole cameo story says to you and me is that the power to change us forever is available. All that you have to do is reach out for God's help. Your life is never so desparate that there is nothing you can do to help yourself. As has been said on many occasions, "Salvation is at hand." You may be a person who for one reason or another has not a single friend to hep you, but all that can stop right now if you reach out and claim your cure. You may feel suicidal with all that besets you but don't despair for God is with you at all times. You just need to reach out and the problem will be fixed.

Never feel that you are just one face in a crowd. You are far more important than that! God made you and God love's you. There is so much hope wrapped up in what I have just said. It means there is always a way out and God has the answer. Don't give up. Just have faith and get that cure

The Sheep and the Goats

In the autumn of 1991, Pauline and I had a holiday in Crete to celebrate our Silver Wedding anniversary. Whuilst we were there we hired a car and drove up into the mountains. It was a classic mountain road which cling to the slope and wound its way upwards. From time to time we would stop as we reached a plateau and wonder at this sudden flat and level area among the tall craggy mountains.

As we reached the point from which many tourists set off to walk the famous Samarian Gorge it was another plateau. We emerged from the steep climbing road and suddenly before us was a flock of sheep and a herd of goats being led across the road by a shepherd/goatherd. My mind immediately went back to the Gospel of Matthew and the story told by Jesus of the separation of the sheep from the goats. Here they were already grazing separately!

But the story told is a hard one for many. It distinguishes the Christians from the rest of life. It is saying very loudly, "Will the real Christian stand up, please!" What we learn from the story is that we are to be judged on the basis of what we do or do not do. So there are no points for the one who sits amiably on the fence and does nothing for safety's sake. Being a Christian is about doing something for your neighbour that is for his well being. It is also about not doing anything which will be to his detriment.

The aim of a Christian is to make a difference to the lives of others. We exist and work to make others find the same joy as we have found. Everyone needs a reason for living - a "raison d'etre" as it is in French. An early discovery in life that I made is that "Christianity is a practical way of life." It is simple, very uncomplicated, and leads a person to real happiness. More than that it leads us to peace itself. Not the peace which is the absence of war or violence but the presence of everything that is good for our well being. When Jesus said, "My peace I leave with you," He was leaving a fantastic legacy of huge value.

Let that peace find its way into the life of humanity and watch the difference it makes. It is an incredibly slow process because of its nature, but it is absolutely certain. For instance, I never thought I would live to see the end of communism in Eastern Europe and the demolition of the Berlin Wall. But it was the peace of God that worked through until it won. Look at how the churches in those former communist countries are growing. People thought they had been wiped out. But they were there all through, comforting the people, feeding their sheep until the day of deliverance.

Never underestimate the power of the love of God. It is capable of demolishing hatred itself. I watched a video film the other day called "Force 10 from Navarone". Two men carried bags of explosives to the very base of a huge reservoir dam. They were surprised to find the fuses lasted only 20 seconds. They assumed they would be killed in a just cause. But the explosion seemed to make no difference. The dam remained solid. After a few minutes, when the men had returned to their colleagues the cracks began to appear and the dam burst as planned by the explosives expert. It just took a little waiting before the results could be seen.

On a greater scale, our seemingly soft and stupid "way of peace" takes a long time to break down the resistance of the world, but eventually it works. When a farmer sows seed he does not expect to wake up the next day to a full crop, ready for harvest. So we have to keep working at it until we succeed.

A story is told of a meeting between the leaders of the Allies of World War two. Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt were discussing how they would win the war. Winston Churchill took a spoon and began scooping up water from the ornamental pond. He demonstrated that it would take a long time to empty the pond but eventually he would do the job. Thaty is how it works with the love of God. Thanks be to God that this is true.

The shape of things to come

Jesus and his three closest disciples, Peter, James and John, went up a mountain. While they were there Jesus appeared in glory. He shone, and his clothes shone. He was transfigured. The disciples fell asleep. How could they fall asleep when they were present on such an important occasion? I can tell you - it's very easy! I do it all the time!

When they awoke Jesus was speaking to two other figures - Moses and Elijah. Don't ask me how they knew who they were. Maybe they were introduced! But Jesus was discussing with these two historic figures his eventual end in Jerusalem. When he realised whose company he was in, Peter exc laimed, "Let's build three shelters to mark the place and the occasion!" This was how Peter alwats reacted to special occasions. He just blurted things out. There he was, in the presence of Israel's great lawgiver and greatest prophet at this special time.

Then into the frame came God in the form of a cloud that passed over them. They heard him affirming Jesus. "This is my beloved Son. Hear him." It was one thing to shine with all the glory he had, but to have God come and say His piece in affirmation, wow!! This was an incredibly crucial turning point. It was the point when Jesus knew for certain he would be taken and killed in Jerusalem. I am sure he really knew this all along but this day it was confirmed. So this was the moment when you and I had our lives taken over as Jesus accepted the way of the Cross.

The die was cast and there was a very real end in sight. Of course it was too much for the three friends to take in. But the seed had been sown, and they would piece it all together later as the Jerusalem events unfolded. A lot took place before the ride into Jerusalem that can be seen as a preparation for Jesus' followers. It was no good letting it all just fall upon them. There had to be a few clues laid in advance. Eventually they would say to themselves, "Of course! Now I realise!"

The resurrection of Lazarus was not a case of Jesus getting his friend back. It was a preparation for his own death and resurrection. It would help them understand later. So, you see, it was a teaching task too. Jesus had to approach the end in careful, specific stages in order not to lose his closest disciples through brain fatigue. These were the key evangelists of the future and he had to prepare them carefully for the task.

So, we can see that when Jesus gave up his life and then rose from the dead it was for us. Reading the preparation passages we can slowly get an understanding of what was happening and why. At that time there was a belief that because humankind were sinning, that is missing the mark, they would ultimately have to pay their debt to God. Jesus dying on the Cross was the ultimate and final payment which absolved humankind from ever having to pay for their sins. His resurrection was the supreme indication that we need have no worries. If he could rise from the dead then we could rest safe in the knowledge that our saviour was someone who could overcome any danger at all as we lived out our lives. If we had him on our side there were no worries because we had the very best "minder".

So, we have confidence that we can never be vanquished as we strive to follow Him and preach His word. Paul, in a message in Romans 8, says, "If God is on our side, who is against us? He did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all; how can he fail to lavish every other gift upon us?

Just listen to the obvious confidence in Paul as he writes this wonderful scripture. Paul knew, only too well, that, provided he stuck it out to the end, he would arrive eventually in paradise. Believe me, this is what is in store. Those who do not heed this will find out in the end that it would have been wiser to follow Jesus. It is obvious he is the one to follow. At the point when he died at Calvary the Temple curtain, closing the way into the holy of holies, was ripped in two. This was a symbol that showed that the way to God was now open.

Step through that archway in the company of Jesus and you will achieve your life's ambition - to see God face to face and dwell with him forever.

One Man's Meat.....

I went to an auction viewing today and was amazed to see how much junk there was! There were matching sets of cups and saucers I would have hated to own. I was told they were valuable. The furniture was generally the sort of product from an old house clearance. I saw nothing among the mass of furniture that I had EVER liked. There was a box of old cameras but they were not worth keeping even if you were a collector. The only collectibles I saw were postcards.

It makes me think when I see such crowds visiting an auction centre what one could say in their defence when it comes to taste. Ugggggh!!! Yet, it is true to say that what I call rubbish another person collects as a thing of beauty. Also, there is nothing like a bargain. But I saw nothing I thought might come under that heading in tomorrow's sale. There again, my wife spotted one or two interesting pieces in the jewellery section which I did not visit.

One of the problems we, as Christians, face is the fact that on paper our propogation of the Gospel means nothing to those outside our number. It is possibly due to an extent to our "church speak". We inside the church, like others with a specific interest, tend to use a language not understood by a secular person. Once again, I am haunted by the question in Psalm 137, "How shall we sing the Lord's Song in a foreign land?"

We, the church, live in the world, but are not of the world. What we have to say and what we promote on the outside walls of our churches means absolutely nothing to the secular person. In the United Kingdom we have green oval plaques on many churches. They say, "The Millenium is Christ's Birthday. Come and worship Him here." The problem is that Joe Public cannot think of any reason to enter that church unless he has a child to baptise, wishes to marry or dies and needs a funeral. Over the years we have slipped into this "church speak" to the extent that it is not the same language as is spoken outside our walls.

But this is not to say that we have nothing to say on behalf of Jesus that will mean something to Joe Public. I think that, as soon as churches make this discovery, we shall start to "talk the talk and walk the walk" with Joe. The situation outside the Christian community is one of great acquisitiveness. People must have the latest fashion clothes, the latest furniture, electronics, motor cars and so on. For as long as this pursuit is in progress we shall have great problems getting our targets to stop and talk to us about anything else.

You see, if a person has plenty of cash, it takes a long time before he or she meets the point where the realisation happens that there is no lasting value in anything they have bought. I remember being very pleased that the house we had bought in 1972 had a telephone installed. Later we bought a house with a Trimphone and I was rather pleased to have such a modern phone to use. Today we have personal phones which take photos, connect to the Internet and can interpret written messages. That first telephone and the Trimphone have passed into history and we would not be seen dead with such equipment! So, you see, these thing never last. We might aspire to their use but they cannot give us long lasting satisfaction. Nothing can do this.

But Jesus can. The ultimate satisfaction that each human being seeks is freely available in Jesus Christ. Some people related to Joe Public find themselves going through a very tough period and yearn for release. It is here and we Christians hold the key. If you are finding life pretty dreadful with walls coming in on you, find a Christian. There are still many of us about if you look. There are many people who can sit down with you and talk it through. The answer always lies in Jesus, but how to find it needs working out. If you know someone is a Christian, go and talk to them. If not, find out where you can talk to the minister of the church you know best.

The fact is that we are actually looking out for you. We are pleased to talk to you and help you because we have been commissioned by Jesus to do just this. You may think we are trying to fill our church seats but Jesus never asked us to do that. He said, "Feed my sheep." You are His sheep and we want to "walk the walk and talk the talk" till we help you solve your problems.

Smile because God loves you!

Missing Believed Blogged Out!

During the past few days I have been blighted with PC problems. On Wednesday last week I installed a virus checker and the whole PC started acting very strangely. It ended up with no access to the Internet. So, no blogs have been possible. I have just got back on line thanks to a friendly guy at Wanadoo who helped me through the process.

It has been very strange not being able to get on line for the last few days. Now I know how sportspeople feel when sent off the field by the referee. I shall return to blogging tomorrow, God willing.

How Great Thou Art

God’s Creation

The news today says an American space shot has ended with the capture of particles from the tail of a comet known as Comet Wild 2. The particles are believed to be part of what was left over after the birth of the Solar System 4.6 billion years ago. Just acquiring and returning the tiny particles for study here on earth is an amazing feat in itself. It reminds us how developed humankind has become.

Very soon we shall start to hear opinions as to what conclusions there might be from the study of the material. Doubtless the eventual conclusions that are offered will be that we are able to look even further back down the telescope of time. No doubt time will become even more difficult to understand when we start to discuss the beginnings of our Solar System. I was saying in an email to an American friend only today that it is difficult for we who live in the United Kingdom to comprehend the American idea of distance over land. We are such a small group of islands and the USA spreads for thousands of miles.

Today’s news means we shall have to change our appreciation of what large and great mean. To speak about the great workshops built by Boeing to construct the 747 will be as a minute speck when we speak of the Universe.

Yet one fact never changes. It is all God’s domain. As we have been given the intelligence to calculate a route for a spacecraft that travels 2.8 billion miles so too have we been given the task to care for the Earth, the Solar System and the Universe. As time moves on we are given more and more knowledge by using the brains the Lord gave us. So we need to remember it is thanks to him that we have achieved the goals we went out to achieve. There is an old adage that "there is nothing new under the Sun". What we are discovering was there all the time waiting to say "Boo!" as it was discovered.

I never cease to be amazed at the events that happen. Technology never stops moving forward. The discoveries we make often change our lives. Bit by bit we unfold the layers as we seek to master diseases like cancer. For a few months some years ago I worked from the Christie Hospital in Manchester where they specialise in treating cancer. Attached to the hospital are the Patterson Laboratories where the cutting edge work is happening. My wife and I toured the place on an open day and the Director told us about their work. The most reassuring words I heard were, "we’re getting there." This is another project which one day will succeed and cancer will become rare.

As God imparts knowledge the world changes. But little credit goes to the Almighty. We claim all the credit for ourselves. We need to remember that everything we are and everything we have is thanks to God, the great provider. It is often difficult for people to see through all the technical work and realise that God is there all the time. Instead of crediting Him with the gift of knowledge to humankind the claim is that men and women did this themselves.

It remains God’s world and His Universe. I am thankful to Him that I am living through this time of technological achievement for it is breathtaking at times. Not being a technical type I just gasp when I see what a 4 gigabyte hard drive looked like in 1995 and what a 40 gig drive looks like today! In a course I am doing presently I learn that the world wide web is only just into double figures in age. Yet, using it as often as I do it feels like it has always been here.

Being interested also in archaeology, I am aghast at the improvements in techniques in this sphere of activity. Is it not amazing that, despite what we do not know, we can discover what prehistoric people ate each day. Mind you, I am still not convinced that we have heard the last theory as to how the megaliths were transported to Stonehenge. Even more exciting are the discoveries in the Middle East that point to the earliest civilisations and a boat on the Sea of Galilee that was around at the time of Jesus. Even the bones of the High Priest, Caiaphas, have been unearthed in an ancient ossuary.

The world remains an amazing place where every time an answer crops up another question is raised. Never, never do we reach a point where we know everything. This will never occur and would be undesirable. There will always be a mystery. That mystery is God. This is why we worship Him. Whatever happens, whatever we discover there will always be that mysterious, inscrutable being who watches over those whom He has made. That great mystery points to why we should bow down before Him and say thank you endlessly.

Let's go Fishing

Just Ordinary Men

In Chapter 10 of Matthew's Gospel we read about the commissioning by Jesus of his twelve disciples. Simon Peter was a fisherman; Andrew, James and John were also fishermen; Matthew was a tax collector and Simon was a Zealot, an active group in the political scene. The rest had occupations unknown to us. But you can be absolutely certain that they were just ordinary working class men with the will to go wherever Jesus sent them.

They were given specific instructions. They must, on no account, visit any gentile places and not go to any Samaritan town. Jesus said, "Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go proclaim that the kingdom of Heaven is upon them. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. You received without cost; give without charge."

I find an interesting point here. Jesus said, "As you go proclaim that the kingdom of Heaven is upon them." This reminds me of a story about St Francis. He had a pupil and the pupil said to him, "Master shall we go down to the market place and preach?" "Good idea" said St Francis. So they set off to the market place. On the way there they met people they knew and stopped to speak to them. On arrival at the market place they mingled with the shoppers, checked out the goods that were on sale, chatted to the stall holders and also to the customers who mingled about.

Then St Francis said to his pupil, "Shall we go back now?" "But master, we have not yet preached to the people." St Francis then spoke quietly to the young man. "My son, we have spoken to people we know, we have been friendly with them and they have seen our demeanour. Remember that it is no good going to preach unless you preach as you go."

I was once in conversation with a nun and related this story to her. "Yes," she said, "St Francis also once said,'Preach, using words if necessary.'" So the disciples were give their tasks by Jesus and they went off to do the work. His parting words to them were, "I send you out like sheep among wolves; be wary as serpents, innocent as doves.

Christians accept that they too are sent out in the same way as the Twelve. We too are to be "wary as serpents, innocent as doves." Just as Jesus sent out ordinary, non scholarly men to do his work so he sends us. The Gospel we preach is a very simple affair and the Christian way of life equally simple to understand. So we are not involved in rocket science. The message is easy to understand and the preachers are just ordinary folk. Those who hear the message are equally ordinary types. If the message were complicated, requiring a great mind to understand it then the movement would have failed on the first day.

It is because it is simple and based on easily understood priciples that it is effective. We Christians enter the world of blogging to make contact with ordinary people like you. There is nothing complicated about what we have to say. It is simply about Jesus that we speak. We have come to know him as a personal friend who can and will sustain us through life's problems and challenges. He does this as an expression of His love. We seek to reflect that love and hand it on to you.

In the eyes of Jesus there are none who are less important. In other words, he does not see you as lower than someone who might head a great blue chip company. In your workplace the boss may be higher than you but he is is not higher to Jesus. Jesus died for all people everywhere. Therefore we bring you good news: "Jesus showed how effective and influential is the way of love. He showed how great His own love is by dying on the cross for us. Take his yoke upon you and you will not be disappointed."

War, waste of youth

Tears for the Past

It was in 1991 that my wife and I decided to celebrate our Silver Wedding anniversary by having an extra holiday. We decided to visit the Greek island of Crete. It is a truly magnificent island with its high mountains dividing north from south. One day, in a hired car, we set off to go over the mountains to the south coast. As we climbed up the mountains on the winding road we occasionally came across memorials to the allies who fought there in the 2nd World War. Then we took a look at the Preveli Monastery where a special monument honours the monks of the monastery for helping lost soldiers find their way to escape by submarine.

When the allies had to leave Crete there were many servicemen who were left behind in the evacuation. They wandered the island until they found their way to the south coast where they were taken off in groups as submarines hid just off the beaches. I purchased a book called "The Cretan Runner" by George Psychoundakis who used to run with messages all over the huge mountains for the allies who supported the resistance fighters. It was written in a very old fashioned style but told the story of resistance at that time.

But most touching of all was our visit to the Souda Bay Allied War Cemetery. The cemetery was in the most beautiful setting one could imagine, looking down Souda Bay Sound. We arrived quite early in the day and were the only visitors. At the gate was a memorial full of names of the fallen. Passing through we came to the individual graves in perfect straight rows. Each headstone was set in a tiny square of garden with beautiful plants growing there. The cemetery as a whole was green with the swish, swish of the sprinkler system. Nowhere else on Crete in September was there any green grass. It was all brown after a summer under the Sun. Here the cemetery was a huge luch lawn. In each tiny grave plot you could not find a single weed.

In that especially quiet place my thoughts were with the families of the hundreds of the young men who fought in the Battle of Crete and did not come home. Some of the gravestones touched adjacent stones to mark the graves of an entire crew of an aircraft which had been shot down. They fought and died together so they were buried together as a crew. In my mind there were pictures of aircraft tumbling from the sky with trails of flames behind them. There were families at home receiving those dreaded telegrams to say their loved ones had died. You could tell how young were some of these brave airmen. There were tears running down my face that day as I thought of the tragic loss of so many young men. Never will I forget that visit to Souda Bay.

Last year we were on holiday in Brittany, France and discovered a German War Cemetery. Here the grave stones were lying on the ground, but in straight military rows just like Sounda Bay. It was a reminder that there are alway two sides fighting and dying in a battle. Whichever side is represented the stories were the same. Young men, family men had died in conflict. Their families all suffered great loss, no matter which nationality they were.

It tells us that war is about great sacrifice of life and that it should be avoided at all costs. In a war there are never any winners - just losers. There is no glory involved at all. The constant struggle to maintain peace in this world is so worthwhile. It attempts to avoid that tragic loss for parents, brothers & sisters. All of us are needed to work for peace.

The sort of peace we work and pray for is a peace which holds everything that will enhance life. It is not simply the absence of violence. It is much more. Christians are called on to turn the other cheek. This not easy in some circumstances. The easiest but costliest way is to strike and hurt someone. It is easy because it is quick. But it solves nothing to hit out at another. It continues the painful conflict.

The way Jesus taught is much harder and seems to take forever, but it is the only way that works in the interests of all. Love can overcome the largest of obstacles. But it is never a quick fix. Although it is a long term commitment it is effective. A house can be demolished by tearing it down with huge machines designed for a quick job. It can also be demolished by the ingress of water, steadily destroying its foundations over a period of time. The Christian approach to life is reflected in the latter. Jesus calls us to disarm our enemies with love. It works!

Responsibility

Who is my Brother?

First they came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.

by Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945

Many, many people know the above statement by Martin Niemoller. As a very young teenager I heard him speak in Colne, Lancashire. He came over as a very sincere Christian who had suffered at the hands of the Nazis in war time Germany.

But the above statement is interesting because it reflects how things were at the time. It almost says to us that Niemoller felt he was imprisoned for being a Protestant and that perhaps the others did not matter as much as he did. But the fact is that, unless you happened to get involved, you had no idea what it was to be a Communist, Jew or Roman Catholic. Whilst I was born towards the end of the War I was aware of an inexplicable difference between Catholics and Protestants. It was inexplicable because I had no idea how Catholics worshipped or what they believed in differently to a Protestant.

Thankfully, today we are all much more ecumenical and there is a great deal of understanding between us. Last Easter I attended Mass at a Roman Catholic Church because my son had made a decision to join the Roman Catholic Church. As was the case with other services I could see the same general approach to worship. I knew full well, of course, that we parted company when it came to veneration of Mary. But when Father Mark came round the church and sprinkled us all with baptismal water as was the Easter custom I had a feeling of refreshment and renewal which I felt was good and right on Easter Day.

Having attended a special Lenten service for intending Catholics at Salford Cathedral and heard Bishop Terry speak to the new people I felt quite at home there. Afterwards when we were served with tea and coffee in the cloisters I had the chance to talk to the Bishop. Boy, did we get on!

It is thanks to the efforts of Pope John 23rd who convened the Second Vatican Council that the Roman Catholic church began to move in a friendly way to the Protestant churches. From that point ecumenism began to gather pace. How long it will take to get more churches together I do not know but I was pleased to be part of the debate when the Congregational Church in England & Wales finalised their talks with the English Presbyterian Church. We were the envy of many denominations in the UK at that time because we found it possible to unite together at a time when others had tried and failed. Later we absorbed the Churches of Christ and more recently the Scottish Congregational Church.

However, a year agoI was quite recently in the position of wondering how I would overcome the problem of where I could worship God in English. This was because the Isle of Anglesey, where I came to live recently, seemed exclusively to worship in Welsh. Then I found Amlwch English Methodist Church. Having been involved exclusively in the URC and its antecedents all my worshipping life I felt a little unsure. But I started worshipping there and now I am firmly established with the fellowship.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, we are told. Well, I can tell you that I do not regret the change and in September 2005 I transferred my church membership to the Methodist Church. Many of the members at Amlwch are former Anglicans and URC members like myself. We are simply the local branch of a large family called Christians who prefer to worship in the Reformed Church style.

All this is a reminder to us that we do have a very large family within the Christian Church. For the most part we believe the same things and share closely matched worship. If you are thinking what church you might find most comfortable in which to worship God then I can tell you that the choice is yours. In other words, whichever church you opt for, you will be a Christian with the same responsibility as everyone, to feed Jesus' sheep. What you have dicovered needs to be shared with others. In this way you are responding to the commission of Jesus which unites us all an sends us out to help others wherever they are. It is a wonderful feeling to be in the company of so many people who are keen to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

You are valued

No Man is Worthless

Throughout history there has existed a hatred of others because of race or religion. We know, for instance, that the Egyptians hated the Israelites who lived in their country. Later in the Old Testament we witness the differences between the worshippers of foreign gods and the followers of Yahweh (old word for God) and the Israelites and the Philistines. In fact the expression "You Philistine, meaning "you uncultured person" is still in use. In the New Testament the Jews had nothing to do with the Samaritans. Right up to present times there has been anti-Semitism in the world.

People continue to brand other groups as useless and worthless because of some difference between them. Adolf Hitler considered the Jews to be undesirable and set out plans to remove them forever. Over 6 million met their deaths under those plans. The experience of those men and women who survived the Nazi death camps is well published. Yet people still set themselves apart and fuel racism all over the world.

It is not that long ago that I was in conversation with a Church Secretary in the United Reformed Church. She was telling me about a minister who came to her church to preach with a view to becoming their new minister. He was African. "I don’t know why he was sent here, Keith," she said. "We don’t have any black people in our congregation!" So, you can see that even people who try hard not to be racist get it wrong despite their best efforts.

I recall the story of an elderly university professor who gave up his job and became a tramp. One day he was found very ill on the pavement and he was taken to hospital. A number of doctors stood round his bed discussing his case in Latin. "Let us allow this worthless person to die and then we can use his body for medical research." The tramp looked up at them and replied in Latin, "Count no man worthless for whom Christ died."

Deep in their hearts Christians know this to be true. Jesus died for everyone, so no one is counted less than any other. We are overjoyed that he died for everyone because we can assume ourselves in that number. We are highly valued if God saw fit to sacrifice his Son for us. It means he expresses towards us the greatest love imaginable. This being so we are prompted to respond by adopting his loving ways that seek peace rather than conflict.

My personal mission comes from these words of Jesus, "Simon Peter, do you love me?" "Yes, Lord, you know I love you!" said Peter. "Then feed my sheep." This is why Chistians make contact with you and want to talk about you and what makes you tick. They show interest in you just as Jesus shows interest in you. They come to you and eventually you see Jesus for yourself. But when you are out and about in life, never consider anyone else worthless, because Jesus sees them all as precious.

A changing experience

"I see!"

In Chapter 9 of John’s Gospel we have the story of the blind man made able to see. It is one of the many miracles performed by Jesus. The Jewish authorities could not have been more annoyed. It ws bad enough having to try and account for this person performing miracles, but here he was doing it on the Sabbath. The Pharisees were a group of Jews who insisted on keeping to the Law of Moses. They could not accept activities taking place on the Sabbath.

They had the formerly blind man hauled up in front of them to question him in the hope of finding evidence against Jesus. Even the parents of the blind man were interviewed. They side stepped the whole issue, saying "He’s an adult, ask him yourselves!" The fact was, though, that the only complaint they had was that he broke the Sabbath law.

The man who had been cured had declared himself a follower of Jesus. Suddenly he began to lecture the Pharisees. "How extraordinary! Here is a man who has opened my eyes, yet you do not know where he comes from! We know that God does not listen to sinners; he listens to anyone who is devout and obeys his will. To open the eyes of a man born blind – that is unheard of since time began. If this man was not from God he could do nothing." They did not like what he said and threw him out.

It is easy to see that the evidence the man gave the Pharisees established the credentials of Jesus. Yet there was nothing that would shake them from their slavish observance of the Law of Moses to the letter. The man himself had quickly worked out that Jesus came from God because he was able to overcome obstacles of life such as blindness. It did not take an Einstein to work out where Jesus came from. Yet, despite being given such compelling evidence they could not accept Jesus as being from God.

There are times in life when the evidence we see before us overturns what we thought was truth. For instance, in the 1920s the eminent archaeologist, Sir Leonard Woolley found evidence of a past civilisation which actually dumfounded him for a while. He was excavating in Iraq at a site which turned out to be the ancient Sumerian city of Ur, the birthplace of Abraham. In one particular place the diggers found that all the artifacts they had been unearthing suddenly ceased as they began digging through eight feet of fresh water clay. Having got through the clay new artifacts began appearing which had no connection with what they had found so far. The facts stared them in the face - suddenly there was a gap between totally different civilisations. The earlier one must have been wiped out! The inundation that caused the depositing of this massive layer of clay meant only one thing. They sent back to London an electrifying telegram, "We have found the Flood!"

Later the evidence told them that this was not about a global flood but simply a change in the direction of the river. Archaeologists had to think again and accept this new evidence. When the facts present themselves we have to change our ideas that we have held for a long time. In the case of this young man who was once blind and now was sighted the evidence said it was a miracle and miracles belonged to God, and only him. But the Pharisees refused to change their minds.

Today, there is so much that demonstrates the presence in the world of Jesus but so many people refuse to accept it. They will not accept the evidence of their own eyes. They ignore it much of the time because it means they will have to make changes if they accept the evidence. You see, they know that if they say "Yes, Jesus is here!" they are going to have to change what they think and do. It is this which stands in the way of accepting Jesus. The fact is that if you find Jesus you can never unfind him. When you meet your life partner the changes have to come. You cannot continue just the same as if you have not found him/her. You will never be the same again. So you are when you find Jesus who recognise in him your saviour. You are never the same again. Just as family life is totally different to living without children so it is with finding and accepting Jesus. You may turn your back on him, but he will always be there.

But to most people this is good news. They want to change. They want to discover happiness. They desire to live eternal life. The old life was never satisfactory, so the change is most welcome. The people who fear the change are those with positions of power. Don’t ever believe that the Pharisees rejected Jesus for performing miracles on the Sabbath. They rejected him because they knew full well that if they accepted him they had to step down from their elevated position. No one likes doing this.

This was why Herod had the children slain at the time of Jesus’ birth. This was the objection of the Chief Priests in the Temple of Jerusalem. The coming of the Messiah was the great hope of their religion but if Jesus was the Messiah they were out of a job! But to people whom he rescues from the chains of slavery, poverty, sickness, disability etc. Jesus is the greatest. Suddenly their lives are changed forever and they have much to be thankful for.

The next step is to bring others to the same point so they too can meet Jesus. Everyone needs to reach this point in their life. Everyone needs salvation and they find it in Jesus.

Lightning in the Sky

The Damascus Road

You will be aware of the story of Paul’s conversion as he journeyed to Damascus. He was travelling there with some servants in order to lay hands on anyone who was professing to be a follower of Jesus. He had the permission of the synagogue authorities in Damascus to arrest and bring before them any followers of the new way. He was an ardent Pharisee, who was outraged at the blatant way these Jesus followers were behaving. It was now his avowed mission to bring them before the synagogue leaders to answer for their actions.

It was while the travellers were on the road that they encountered a huge thunderstorm. Lightning flashed and Saul of Tarsus, as he was then known, fell to the ground in terror. Out of the storm came a voice, saying, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" Saul’s reaction is interesting. He responded by saying, "Tell me, Lord, who are you?" Whoever was the owner of this voice from the storm he knew was far greater than he. So he automatically called him, "Lord." To have the power to speak out of a thunderstorm was to wield great power. So he accepted the lesser position without demur.

Then came the answer that I think he was have been expecting. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do." In other words he was sent into Damascus to await further orders. He rose to his feet and found the storm had blinded him. His servants had to lead him into the city where he remained three days. He was so in shock that he wanted nothing to eat or drink. He had really been slapped down by this amazing experience.

God then spoke to Ananias, a disciple of Jesus. He told him to go and give Saul his sight back. Ananias knew of Saul by repute and could not understand why God was asking him to go to him. God then explained to him that Saul was the man he had chosen to preach the Gospel of Jesus to the Gentiles, the non Jewish people. Ananias went to Saul and restored his sight, saying, "Brother Saul, Jesus has sent me so that you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Suddenly, Saul could see again. Now he could eat and get his strength back. He was immediately baptised and stayed with the disciples in Damascus for a while.

Saul got straight to work and began preaching to the people in Damascus in their synagogues. He told the Jews there that Jesus was the Son of God and they were amazed. News got back to Saul’s former accomplices and his life was suddenly in danger. So he was smuggled out of the city at night. He was brought to meet the apostles in Jerusalem and convinced them of his conversion. Next he went among the Jews of Jerusalem to tell them about Jesus.

If this story tells us one thing it is that absolutely anyone can be called to speak out for Jesus. God has called me to do this and for over forty years I have preached in the Free Churches of Great Britain. Today, thanks to the Internet, I can make contact with people all over the world. This is a larger congregation than I have been accustomed to. Yet I believe God is using me to make disciples of all sorts of people. Is it you? Only you can answer that question. Have you been affected by this message or any other blogs I have posted?

If you feel you would like to learn more about Jesus then make contact with a church near you. You will find many different churches and among them is one where you will feel comfortable and close to Jesus. You will know if it is the right one. You will feel that it is there you should "await further orders". Just remember that when God calls you it is because he wants to use you to tell the world about His Son, Jesus Christ and what he can do for all who believe in him. There are millions of ways in which you can serve Jesus. You are a vital part of the world’s great mission and cause. Welcome home!

Flying for Life

Mission Aviation Fellowship

Since moving to Anglesey I have become the Area representative for North West Wales. It was a friend, who was an experienced area rep, who asked me to consider doing the job. There was no one covering North Wales and he was covering the area when requests came in asking for a presentation. I looked at the material he gave me and at some I got direct from MAF through the website. What I saw challenged me. I accepted the challenge and now I have three presentations under my belt.

MAF is the best kept charity secret today. It is a world wide orginisation with a fleet of over 150 light aircraft flying people and aid into inaccessible parts of the world. I represent MAF UK which covers one part of the world. We fly into areas such as Chad and Southern Sudan. A great deal of the work involves flying people from other aid charities into the most difficult areas from the point of view of access.

The following is a recent story from Southern Sudan where Pilot Chad Tilley flew a Christian Blind Mission to run eye clinics in Marial Bai. In Dinka its named the house of the black & white bull. Marial Bai has been ravaged by years of civil war. Dr Nyholm describes their location: "The dirty concrete floor has deep holes filled with dry leaves and litter. Through the large window, a hot wind blowing in fills the house with sand and dust. The tile walls are penetrated with holes from bullets. Here people have been held captive and shot. Every breath of wind causes the iron sheet roof to rattle. Our mission is to restore sight. It is truly a challenge under these conditions, but it is possible, with the help of God."

Blind people began to pour into the dusty rooms. Many arrived on foot after walking for several days, others came on donkeys. On average, the team performed 32 cataract operations a day. In total they examined 746 patients. As patients regained sight, they cheered and shouted for joy. Old women stood up and danced in front of the team, tall Dinka men hardly able to walk reached out their hands, eager to express their grateful thanks.

Four-year-old Achol was brought by her grandmother who looks after her as both her parents died in the war. Diagnosed with acute cataracts, with repetitive involuntary eye movements and with the risks of anaesthetising children in poor conditions, the team wasn’t hopeful of Achol regaining sight, but surgery was successful. Dr Nyholm rejoices, "Our stay in the house of the black and white bull has been strenuous and exhausting, but what does it matter since little Achol can approach the future with two seeing eyes?"

I feel incredibly fortunate to be an area rep for MAF. It gives me the privilege of telling wonderful stories about what God is doing in places like Sudan. I get the chance to share my own wonder and thrill at what can be achieved in present times in God’s name. It all tells me that the power of prayer is immense. MAF sets out to get as many people praying for its work as possible.

If you would like to receive up to date information on what MAF is doing (free of charge) hit this website address: http://www.maf-uk.org

Praise God that He calls men and women to work amongst the most disadvantaged of the world. Pray for the continued success of MAF in reaching the parts others cannot reach.

The Love of God

No Boundaries

A well known story about Jesus is the one where he was thirsty and went to a well to get a drink of water. As he sat by the well a Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus asked he for a drink. Two things are already strange about this story. In the first place Jews and Samaritans did not mix. This was why Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan, showing that even enemies were neighbours to each other in God’s sight. The second point is that it was thought correct for a man to speak to an unaccompanied woman.

So Jesus was crossing two separate boundaries in speaking to the woman. He gave her a clue as to his identity in his comments when asking for a drink. "If only you knew who you were talking to you would have asked for water, living water." said Jesus. He then proceeded to tell her about "living water" and how it was such that a drinker would never thirst again.

At the very end of the conversation Jesus told her that He was the Messiah. So she went off to bring her fiends to meet Jesus. I have deliberately missed out part of the narrative to concentrate on how Jesus crossed taboo boundaries to get over his message. The story tells us something very important. It tells us that though we might have prejudices against other people and faiths that Jesus did not.

So, no matter who you are, what your faith is, what your skin colour, is this story is for you. I tell it to emphasise that there is no-one for whom Christ did not die for on the cross. We all qualify for the living water that ensures we never spiritually thirst again.

It was Sunday and the clergyman, sailing to a new life in the United States after the death of his wife, chose to preach on the love of God at the ship’s service. His seven year old daughter was with him later, as he leaned on the deck rail and gazed out over the sea. "Does God love us as much as we loved Mummy?" asked the little girl. "Look out over that ocean," said her father. "God’s love stretches further than that. Look down and think how deep the water is. God’s love is deeper. It is higher than the sky above us." The child pondered for a while and then suddenly her face opened up into the most beautiful smile. "That wonderful, Daddy. We are right in the middle of it!"

One day I attended the funeral of a work colleague. His friend, a Welsh clergyman, spoke to the mourners. "I only have one sermon that I preach," he told us. "It is about the love of God!" As a preacher I know that this is true of all preachers. Whatever we say in our sermon, the subject is the Love of God. That love is for you and you can reach out for it, because, as I have just said, you stand in the very middle of it.

The Roller Coaster Ride

Bring Jesus On Board

Just after he had fed a multitude with five loaves and two small fish, the disciples crossed the lake in a boat. As they sailed they became afraid as a storm blew up and the boat rocked violently. Then they saw Jesus walking across the water towards them. "Do not be afraid," called Jesus. "It is I!" They helped Him into the boat and the storm subsided.

They had seen Jesus perform the miracle of feeding five thousand men. Think about it. There must have been many woman and children as well. All those people had enough to eat at no cost. What a miracle it was. Then the friends had taken to their boat to cross the lake. Suddenly their fortunes changed. They were no longer on terra firma and they did not have Jesus with them. Naturally they were afraid. Then they see him walking on the water – another miracle! Next he is in the boat with them – a third miracle within hours.

Thinking about it, we all have an experience like that in our lives. Some of us have the experience more than once. Life can be really chaotic at times, so we need the ability to get through. Just think of those poor families in West Virginia whose menfolk were involved in the accident in the coal mine. Their lives were rocky to begin with, judging by the company’s safety record. They must have been permanently afraid of hearing bad news every day the men went to work. Suddenly they are told their loved ones are in mortal danger and they are meeting together to pray for a positive outcome. Next they are told of a miracle. All the men are safe. Not long afterwards comes the grim news that all but one has perished. Now they are in shock until the grief process moves on and they begin to wonder how life will be without the men who shared it with them.

Life’s roller coaster can be wicked sometimes. But we can learn a small but important lesson from this. When they thought their men were safe they were praising God and singing, "How great Thou art." In other words, when they bounced back they praised God for being with them. For us we must note that God is with us at all times. He shares our joy and our sadness. He dances with us when we want to celebrate and he shares our grief and weeps with us when we are suffering. He is not a figure sitting in the balcony of life keeping score like a tennis umpire. He is down on the ground with us.

I knew a minister who answered the call to go out and work as a missionary in South Africa. Not long after he arrived he was taken to see the shanty towns. "Where is God in all this?" he asked his friend. "God is actually here," said his friend, "suffering with his people."

This helps us to understand that God is not here today and gone tomorrow but a constant presence with his people. All that we do he experiences with us. I once heard of a man declaring, "I believe in God, and if I woke up in Hell I would still believe in him!" No truer words have ever been spoken. Sometimes we do wake up in Hell and find God is there to rescue us. Being a Christian is not an existence that protects us from all life’s bad experiences. But we do have a faith that will see us through so that we reach safety in one piece.

One day I was going round a factory with one of the directors who was Jewish. I could not believe my eyes when I saw a swastika daubed on the side of the lift (elevator in the USA). "Don’t they know who pays them?" I asked. "They just don’t understand." said Mr Aisenburg, brushing it off A few weeks later I saw him on TV, part of a delegation of Holocaust survivors, speaking to a school’s sixth form. He was speaking about his experience and tears were rolling down his cheeks!

That man had gone through the most terrible experience modern times have known. He would never be able to forget. He lost his family and friends in that dreadful place. What sort of employee could daub a swastika on his premises? It demonstrates the sort of daily life some people have and still they bounce back. The bounce comes because God is here with us to see us through.

Whether we are Jewish, Moslem or Christian we worship the same God who cares enough to share our lives. Like the disciples on the lake, we are glad to get him on board because we feel safe with him. In other words we say that he makes all the difference. I know one thing: if ever I were in trouble I would want God on my side. Bring Him on board and He will be there for you.

The Pool of Bethesda

Friend of the Friendless

The Pool of Bethesda was a place, in the time of Jesus, where sick people were taken in hope of a miracle. It was said that occasionally an angel came down and disturbed the water. At that point, the first of the sick people to get into the pool was cured of their sickness or disability.

One day, Jesus went there and saw a man who had been crippled for 38 years. He asked the man if he wanted to get well. The man replied, "Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is disturbed; while I am getting there, someone else steps into the pool before me." Jesus told him to stand up, take up his bed and walk. He did so.

In our daily life we have to put up with many disappointments when we lose out to other people. From time to time we think we are doomed never to win anything as others beat us to it. We apply for jobs, we get interviews but someone else always gets the job.

I have a friend who put in for countless jobs for which he was well qualified. We were out of work at the same time. My friend could get on countless shortlists but never win the job. Yet not once did he ever complain. Always the optimist, he kept on scouring the job ads looking for the next place to mail his CV. He is an Asian and at that time he lived in a town with a high Asian population. When he eventually did get a job it was in Scotland in an area where there were hardly any Asians. When another job came up he put in for it and got it. For some reason, he could not get a job in an area with a large Asian population. This was after trying for several years. But he never gave up or suffered from low self-esteem.

The positive thing that came out of the long period without a job was that his undying belief in himself kept my spirits up. Eventually, I too found employment. Sadly, Peter, the leader of our Job Club died some years later. He had been the one who supported us both throughout our job search activities.

From this experience I have found that Jesus comes to you in many different ways. In my case he came as a Muslim who kept me going when the rejections were coming in. He also came in the guise of a job club leader who convinced us all that it was the job that was redundant, not us. But I also believe that when there is no one to help he just carries us through.

Many years ago I remember a student for the Christian ministry preaching at my church. He listed three ways in which God pulled us through. The first was the fact that we had personal gifts and attributes which would do the job. Secondly, when things were very difficult, he helped us get through. Thirdly, when the situation was just impossible he carried us through. It reminds us of the footsteps in the sand, doesn’t it? But it’s true.

We are not left to suffer alone. I tell this to mourners at funeral services. "God will not leave you alone to grieve." The great ancient philosopher once said, "What we need is a hand let down." We know whose hand it is we see let down. As the man at the Pool of Bethesda discovered, this is absolutely true. There is deliverance. St. Augustine once said, "God loves each one of us as if there was only one of us to love." He is the friend of the friendless and seeks recruits to go out and do his work in his world. Is he calling you?

How to be Born Again

Nicodemus meets Jesus

In St John’s Gospel, Chapter 3 we read a famous story about a meeting between an important man called Nicodemus and Jesus. Nicodemus had to come during hours of darkness because he was part of a high ranking council who did not like hearing about Jesus and his ministry. He knew Jesus was a special person but wanted to know more about him. He asked a question, "How can someone be born again?"

In other words, he was asking "what does being born again entail?" This expression perplexes people even today so it certainly had that effect 2,000 years ago. Quite simply it means starting all over again. In other words, when you accept Jesus you make a complete new start in life. Whatever you have done in the past which you might be unhappy about, perhaps ashamed of, is wiped out and you start from a clean sheet of paper.

This is good news because it emphasises the point that there is no one who has done something so terrible he or she cannot make a new start with Jesus. Now that can be a little unbelievable with many people because they expect to have pay the penalty for past misdemeanors. But it remains true that when you take Jesus on board you are free of the past. It’s only about your future. Remember what Jesus said to Nicodemus, "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that everyone who has faith in Him may not perish but have eternal life. It was not to judge the world that God sent His Son into the world, but that through Him the world might be saved."

In accepting Jesus you are not going to be judged on your past actions. As a novelist once wrote, "The past is another country. They do things differently there." As far as you are concerned the files go to the recycling bin and then off the record for good. Humans judge people differently, of course. They take into account a person’s past record and where he or she comes from. The people of Nazareth could not accept Jesus as Messiah. They could not believe that the local carpenter’s son could turn out to be the long awaited Messiah. They judged Jesus by human values.

This is, of course a spiritual affair and such matters are dealt with in a different way. So you need have no concerns about who you are, where you come from or what you have done or not done. You are just as important to God and to Jesus as anyone else. Therefore there is rejoicing in heaven on the occasion you state, "I am for Jesus."

Wedding at Cana-in-Galilee

Water into Wine

Just as in modern wedding celebrations, it was traditional to provide wine for the guests at a wedding at the time of Jesus. If you are going to provide food you would not forget to provide drink with it. The wedding at Cana-in-Galilee was just such an occasion. It was an important duty on the part of the bridegroom to provide the best quality wine he could afford. Naturally, the best wine was served first to impress the guests and then the everyday wine came out for the rest of the celebration.

On this day the unthinkable had happened. The wine ran out! Mary knew the importance of what had happened and asked Jesus to do something about it. Despite his protestation that now was not the time for a miracle Mary prevailed upon Jesus and he came to the rescue. Water was poured in the jars used for cleansing and what came out was hailed as better than the wine specially ordered for the big day.

At first it seems as if Jesus performed a miracle just to impress people. But when you think about it there were a number of messages in what he did. One message was that when you are absolutely stuck God is always there to help you. That could trigger off unlimited sermons for any preacher. Another meaning is that Jesus, if allowed, does not just help you – he enhances your life. Ask for water and you will be given wine. He always gives more than you are expecting. So, he is not just there for you, he is able come to your aid and give you far more than you expected, even in your wildest dreams.

Another meaning could be that when we find ourselves eventually at the heavenly banquet we shall find we have every lovely thing lavished upon us. It is difficult to be a humble follower of Jesus and still think of that wonderful welcome we shall get one day. We may be impressed by what God provides here and now but, in the words of a former USA President, "You aint seen nothin’ yet!"

What we shall receive and what we should be offering to others is of a fine quality which is beyond our imagination. When John Wesley stood at the pit heads in Derbyshire, United Kingdom, he preached the gospel of Jesus to the miners just after they had returned to the surface. He noticed that they had white lines running down their blackened faces. These hardbitten, hardworking men who put in endless hours getting coal from the bowels of the earth were standing there crying! These were tears of joy as they contemplated the gifts of heaven after they left this life on earth in which they would have nothing but hardship.

It is this ultimate promise that transcends anything that people can acquire or achieve in this present life. Think of any commodity you might like to possess. You know the sort of thing I mean – a top of the market motor car, a mansion style house, an ocean going yacht. None of these things can match what is in store for you in heaven. The master of ceremonies at the wedding said to the bridegroom, before all the guests, "Everyone else serves the best wine first, and the poorer only when the guests have drunk freely; but you have kept the best wine till now."

Jesus, himself, represents the best wine that comes later. There were many prophets preaching God’s message but now, here was Jesus, the very Son of God. What would happen in the following three years would be amazing and would show the value offered by Jesus in terms of quality of life. But later, at the very end the wine would be the best quality imaginable. That is what is on offer for you and me. Thanks be to God.

Face to Face

Poetry in the Book of Job

It is some years since I first read the whole Book of Job in the Old Testament. Up to that time I was aware of Job as a man who comforters. When I read the entire story I marvelled at this monumental piece of literature with the most colourful poetry I have read.

In fact, most scholars agree that the story of Job was a tradition long before the book was written. Ezekiel , who probably lived before the book of Job was written refers to Job along with Noah and Daniel, as a righteous man. There can be no doubt that it is traditional story and not literal truth. It begins with a depiction of the Heavenly Court with God and Satan present. Who could have reported that?

But the whole point of this Court was so that the reader would grasp that it was about whether or not a rich man was rich because of his righteousness. There was the belief in those days (and later in the time of Jesus) when people thought that wealth was a gift of God for living a god fearing life. This long story would deal with this eloquently.

Job’s friends (comforters) kept on saying that because he was suddenly suffering the loss of friends, cattle, sheep, goats etc and the hideous skin disease he had developed he must have done something terrible. Yet Job could put his hand on his heart and assure them that he had done nothing wrong. So, not only his friends but Job himself could not understand why he had afflicted to terribly.

After all the dialogue from the three friends and another person , Elihu, who joins the discussion, there is a sudden storm and out of the storm God answers Job in the most wonderful poetic way:

Who is this who darkens counsel with words devoid of knowledge?
Brace yourself and stand up like a man;
I shall put questions to you, and you must answer.
Were you there when I laid the earth’s foundations?
Tell me, if you know and understand.
Who fixed its dimensions? Surely you know.
Who stretched a measuring line over it?
On what do its supporting pillars rest?
Who set it’s corner stone in place,
While the morning stars sang in chorus
And the sons of God all shouted for joy?

Well, the poetry goes on and on and is nothing short of beautiful. Eventually, Job answers God:

I know that you can do all things and that no purpose is beyond you.
You ask, "Who is this obscuring counsel yet lacking knowledge?"
But I have spoken of things which I have not understood,
Things too wonderful for me to know.
Listen, and let me speak. You said: "I shall put questions to you, and you must answer.
I knew of you then only by report, but now I see you with my own eyes.
Therefore I yield, repenting in dust and ashes.

By this point, not only has the penny dropped but Job sees his Lord, face to face. So, suddenly everything falls into place. No matter whether there is a change back to wealth or not, Job now knows what he knew only by repute previously. He has been given the privilege of seeing God for himself. What a present that was!

This is what Christians are working towards all their lives. They have a certain type of knowledge of God which they have learned from reading the Gospels and the Epistles. At some point they have made up their minds to step forward in faith and follow Jesus, even though they cannot see him. Like Job, they would be so favoured if they could see him face to face. But they have to maintain faith until this wonderful moment arrives as they pass through death.

But we do speak figuratively when we say "I was blind but now I see." What we see is with our minds’ eye. It is our faith that tells us that what we see in our mind does actually exist. So in this unique sense we can see Jesus today. He leads us in all that we do in his name. So, when you meet a Christian you are getting close to God in this special, spiritual sense. You can trust them for they have experienced God and Jesus in a special way that calls them to be "area representatives" for him. They simply want to share with you the love they have found in Jesus.

Beyond the Pale?

Reaching Out.

Although people are staying away from church (at least in the UK) I firmly believe that they still have the same feelings about God and Jesus. It still makes them wonder a lot. All that has happened is that the Church has expected them to join and then ask their questions. Today the rules are reversed and the questions have to be answered first. Basically, we Christians are required to go where people are to find out what their questions might be. Once we are there we can answer them.

This is my reason for maintaining this blog. It is my particular version of touching people where they are so that they will feel comfortable asking questions before deciding in favour of God and Jesus. If I set up my church where I live I shall not be able to answer questions from empty pews. The gap these days between church and world is much greater than most people realise. Yet there are people out there who need help, advise, guidance etc. If I don’t get on the Internet and reach out to them they will not have the benefit of the touch of Jesus.

Jesus came to, amongst other things, save sinners. But what is a sin? Believe it or not the true meaning of sin is to simply miss the mark. So that finds common ground for everyone. All of us have missed the mark in one way or another. This makes us feel rather better than if to sin is commit a crime. Jesus is the only one who is "without sin" because he came to show exactly how we ought to live. He did it by example.

By being far from perfect we are sinners who have not quite made the grade. Therefore it makes sense to say there is hope for us. But where does that hope lie? It lies in Jesus. He is the incarnation of God and came to share human life in order to make a difference. He grew up in exactly the same way as any other Palestinian child. He played the same games and ate the same food as the other local kids. It was when he grew up and decided to start his ministry that things became different.

For one thing, he turned accepted values on their head. It was thought in those days that a rich man or woman had been richly blessed by God to have such wealth. But Jesus showed how this was the wrong way round. He told a rich man to go and sell everything and then follow him. Even the disciples were gobsmacked to hear this. They too thought it was the other way round. Everyone who Jesus met had to learn a new set of values before they could start to understand what Jesus was telling people.

But by seeing that they, poor as they were, could still reach the kingdom of Heaven gave them a new hope. They noticed that Jesus mixed with sinners who really had sinned. He became the friend of tax collectors, and they were the lowest of the low. Now that really was amazing. Naturally, it means to you today that you don’t have to be perfect to be a friend of Jesus (and, therefore, God). Jesus told people that he had come to seek and save those who were lost – not those who had found themselves and were called righteous.

Ultimately it does not matter who you are, or what you have done. You still qualify as a friend of Jesus. The Gospel (Good News) that Jesus brought was for you as much as for me. That is what he came to say. People had got it hopelessly wrong and thought that only certain people qualified for God’s love. Jesus came to say that we all qualify.

You are able to receive God’s love no matter what you have done or wherever you are. You cannot ever be beyond his grasp. He can reach out and touch absolutely anyone at all.

Let me tell you a story that says just that. There was once a cheeky monkey who told God that he could jump to the edge of the world. God told him to demonstrate this. The monkey crouched down and suddenly leapt forward. Over the fields he flew, passing rivers mountains and seas. Then he came down to land and declared he had proved it. "How do you know you have jumped to the edge of the world?" asked God. "Because I am standing at the foot of the four pillars that mark that place," declared the monkey. "No you have not," said God, "those pillars are simply the four fingers on my hand!"

My friends, it is quite impossible to sin so much that you pass beyond God’s grasp. He is always there for you, patiently waiting for you to "come home". So now is a good time to do something about it and start talking to him. He is just like the father of the Prodigal Son. He rejoices when you come back home.