Shocked & Sad

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Some time ago I happened to watch part of the television programme, “Who Do You Think You Are?”.  It is a programme that looks into a person’s family history and often there are surprises concerning an ancestor.  Sometimes there are smiles of delight and at other times tears of sadness of what an ancestor may have experienced.  On this particular programme the actor Ralf Little, who has appeared on television programmes such as ‘Death in Paradise’, was finding out about his forefathers.

He had grown up with a rumour that a part-time footballer on his mother’s side had been an international player.  He was delighted to find out that his mother’s grandfather, Albert Lockley, had played for Wales. It was a match against Ireland in 1898.  Ralf was really pleased to find out that the rumour or family legend was actually true.  He went to the club where his great grandfather had played and sat in the stand as he spoke with a local historian. Then he heard some new information about the footballer that seemed to devastate him.  He made it clear how shocked and sad he was to hear that information. 

The pain of death

 

Over the past few weeks, two of my good friends have died, writes Bert Cargill of St Monans Gospel Hall, men in the same age group as myself, so it was sad to see them go. I’m sure that you will have had this experience too at some point. Many years of friendship and common interests had given us great opportunities to share and care in church-based events and everyday ones. That is finished now, but we have the great prospect of a reunion in heaven one day, a place where there is no death, no sorrow, no pain, no loss. As it says in Revelation 21:4, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

What is the world's best selling book?

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When I wrote this piece, I was about to go to the airport to board a flight from Wellington, New Zealand, to the UK via Sydney, Australia. We were travelling home to Liverpool in the North West of England. Home is a wonderful place to be with your own ‘kith and kin’. It is never more appreciated than when you are away from them. Though we were not looking forward to the 30 hours of travelling, the anticipation of seeing our family and grandchildren again makes up for any minor discomfort.

Carole (my wife) and I had been away for about five weeks. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in the southern hemisphere. The plan was to visit some churches in Australia and New Zealand to speak at conferences and seminars on the world’s best-selling book, the Bible.

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It never fails to amaze me how timeless and cross-cultural the Bible is. It addresses the most profound issues that we as humans grapple with, such as:

Where do we come from - our origin?

Why do evil and suffering exist?

Why are we all mortal beings who eventually die?

Where do our consciousness, identity, creativity, and intelligence come from?

Why is there order and design?

Why are we all morally aware of right and wrong?

Why do we need help to do what is right?

Where did the universal concepts of love, hope and peace come from?

What if you could discover the true meaning of life?

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I want to ask you today the same question that the James (one of the writers of the New Testament in the Bible) asked nearly 2000 years ago - "What is your life?". What's it all about? Songs have been written about it; films have been produced about it.  For many, there is no greater question to be answered and yet most people believe that they probably will never ever find the true answer.

How to handle fear

 

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In the last month, we have witnessed the coronation of King Charles the 3rd and the ongoing devastation taking place in Ukraine. In addition, the aggressive acts of violence between Israeli and Palestinian forces continue. Shootings and violent crime are a regular part of life in the UK, and in the USA, mass shootings have become the norm, with over 200 in 2023 to date. These events, plus so many more, have a devastating effect on people's lives. People's hearts are failing them for fear, as the 'old book' says, Luke 21. 26.

I often speak to older people. They tell me that they are frightened after they've watched the news. They're anxious. They're worried about what's happening in the world. How do the events that you watch on the news or hear about in your town or neighbourhood affect you? Life can be traumatising and frightening, and many people don't know how to handle or deal with fear and the problems they face.

Some fear is generated because of uncertainty; sometimes, it's because we're out of control, and often it's the pace at which things happen. The other reaction is to be blasé, stick your head in the sand and pretend that nothing is going on. These reactions are not confined to world events - this is how we often respond to events in our lives. It might be in respect of your health, your finances or a relationship. Sometimes we convince ourselves that things will never happen or nothing will ever get worse, but then the reality hits us, and what we dreaded is happening.

5 things you really need in your life.

 

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How we live our lives is vitally important. There are principles that guide each one of us. These could be positive or negative guidelines by which we live our lives. If we will live by God’s principles, we can expect to see His favour and blessing.  If we live by what ‘seems good to us’ it can often take us down a path we would later regret. Have you ever considered what are the principles by which you live your life?   The earlier we discover and apply these, the better, but it is never too late to begin!

6 things we cannot do without

 

Somehow this coronavirus has changed nearly everything for us - working life, family contacts, church activities, shopping patterns and much more. We are really missing some of these, but we are learning to cope and are adapting remarkably well. When things get back to (more) normal, will we still benefit from the lessons we are learning just now?

 

We are learning that there are many things we can do without, and that many other things are more important than we thought, things that perhaps we have been taking for granted. For example:

Following Instructions

I don’t know about you, but one of the most maddening things I find about people is that they don’t listen or follow instructions. We all know that happens so often in everyday life. We know that people are told things and don’t listen. It could be to do with our health or money, but we often ignore the advice we are given. Sometimes, people are given guidelines but ignore them and just do it their way.

I am writing to point people to what God says in the Bible. But God wants them to listen and to follow His instructions for life. For instance, Jesus said one day, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by Me” (John 14.6 – the Bible). If you follow that instruction, you will become a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ.

Here today - where tomorrow?

HERE TODAY - WHERE TOMORROW?

With the speed and facility of modern travel it is possible to have breakfast in the UK and tea in the USA. In travel terms the world has shrunk and this has opened up a whole new vista on holiday destinations with many companies specialising in long haul flights to exotic and distant locations. Travellers are less restricted in their choice and even the most remote places have become accessible, so you can be here today and almost anywhere on earth tomorrow. Maybe, even now as you read this article, you have read the brochures and planned your summer holiday.

However the apostle James in his epistle warns against presuming that we can do this or that tomorrow. In Chapter 4.14,15 we read; " Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." Solomon in his wisdom, wrote in Proverbs 27.1;"Boast not thyself of tomorrow; For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."

Life is uncertain, I can call only the present moment mine and I cannot state definitely what I shall do or where I will be tomorrow. You may expect to be in the office, or work on the farm as usual, or attend school as you have so often done but can you be sure? Perhaps life has become rather monotonous and drab and every day seems to be the same but tomorrow could be different. You may feel that you are in a secure routine and there appears to be nothing on the horizon to threaten that but things can change suddenly and unexpectedly. You may on the other hand have planned something out of the ordinary for tomorrow, but will your ambitions ever be realised?

So, where will you be tomorrow? At home, at work, in hospital, in heaven, in hell? What will you be doing tomorrow? Working, travelling, weeping, rejoicing, resting? How will you be tomorrow? Healthy, happy, excited, disappointed, tired, sick, dead? You say, "I have no idea, no one can be sure."

But there are those of us who know that if things don't work out as planned, if calamities should suddenly overtake us, if life should unexpectedly be brought to an end, that all is well for eternity.

There is not the slightest doubt in our minds because the Word of God has assured us. Note the confidence of the Apostle Paul in Romans 8.38,39; "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." John writes in his first epistle, chapter 5.13; "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." Paul's last letter was 2 Timothy and in chapter 1.12 he wrote;"...for I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day."

Dear reader, do you have such confidence or do you have nagging doubts and apprehension regarding the future? Are you persuaded or perplexed? Before the end of today you could be able to sing, "It is well, it is well with my soul."

The facts regarding Christ's death on your behalf are absolutely beyond dispute. In 1Corinthians 15.3 we read; "...Christ died for our sins..." In 1Peter 2.24 it is stated; " Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree" In Romans 5.8 we read; " Christ died for us."

All has been done that you might be in heaven - are you prepared to trust Christ and depend exclusively on Him and what He has done at Calvary to save you from hell and take you to heaven? If so, then tomorrow will hold no dread for you and peace will be yours amid all the uncertainties of life.

Used by kind permission of Assembly Testimony

Are you satisfied?

 

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Within the heart of every human being is a strong desire for something that seems elusive—true and lasting satisfaction. Satisfaction is rarely found because anything we enjoy only lasts for a limited time. This applies to almost everything we enjoy, whether a delicious meal, a holiday away, or good times with friends and family. There is a degree of truth in the saying, “All good things must come to an end.” 

 

The Bible seems to back this up, it tells of a man called Moses, a godly man who initially lived in Ancient Egypt who ultimately led the Children of Israel out of slavery. The New Testament records in Hebrews 11:25 that he “choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.” The Bible says that the things that we enjoy on earth, whether they are good things or sinful things, they only last for a season. King Solomon, probably the richest man of his time, understood this too; he said in Ecclesiastes 1:8: “The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear has its fill of hearing”. That is to say, we never have enough stimulus to keep our natural senses interested. The Lord Jesus said that it was foolish to find satisfaction in the material things around us. Luke 12:15 says, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of things the things which he possesses.”