Easter in uncertain times

Easter in Uncertain Times

This wasn’t how they thought their Sunday evening would be! They’d had plans for today, and for the future for that matter. Plans that were now dashed with no hope of being achieved. Instead, they were stuck inside, fearful of the hidden danger that sought their lives if they were to venture onto the streets. Not only that, they were grieving. The one who’d brought so much joy to their lives had died on Friday. They hadn’t been there then; they couldn’t be with Him now. What was the future going to hold for them when their whole world was crumbling around them?

The Hand of God

In 1986 during a football match between Argentina and England Diego Maradona claimed to have scored a goal but television replays revealed that he had not headed the ball but had used his hand to hit the ball passed Peter Shilton, the goalkeeper, and into the net.  He celebrated scoring the goal which the referee and linesman allowed.  This caused much controversy and Maradona said that it was 'the hand of God' that scored the goal.  Did Maradona foolishly suggest that he was God or did he state that God allowed him to score the goal with his hand?  It blatantly was an act of deception and even four years later when he sought to apologise to Peter Shilton he would not accept his apology. 

Some people today are asking the question 'Is the Coronavirus a direct judgment from the hand of God'?  Or what is it?  This poses the question whether the virus is the direct will of God or the permissive will of God.  Maradona mistakenly thought that God would use deception in his direct or permissive will.  When Gods hand is seen in judgment it is directed against people who have violated his laws and behaved in gross wickedness.  The fatal effect of COVID19 is global affecting people from every race and creed and born again believers among them so we conclude that it is not Gods direct will.  In Daniel chapter 5 we read of King Belshazzar  in Babylon, celebrating a great feast and using the holy vessels from the temple in Jerusalem to drink wine and exalt his false gods.  He was startled when the fingers of a mans hand was seen writing upon the plaster of the wall .  The translated words were 'you are weighed in the balances and found wanting'.  He died that night.  Jesus said that the finger of God is the Holy Spirit, Luke 11:20, therefore it was Gods hand that pronounced the judgment upon Belshazzar.  

One feels that COVID19 is not the direct judgment of God but rather in his permissive will he is allowing it as a wake up call to all the nations of the world to be aware that he is about to intervene in the world with global judgments, ie the great tribulation.  What we are experiencing today is totally unprecedented.  Throughout the whole world, streets in the main towns and cities are empty of people.  Nations finances have plummeted and borrowing will exceed levels ever seen before.  

Lockdown has restricted travel and the aircraft are grounded leaving hundreds of aeroplanes parked on the tarmac.  People are asking the question 'when will we get back to normal' and 'what will the new normal be'?  

Presently there are two ex British Prime Ministers who are proposing organisations that will bring all governments in the world under one administration.  Gordon Brown called for a global government to deal with the current crisis.  Brown said the proposed global taskfroce should oversee and support the medical and economic elements of the crisis.  He proposed that the G20 should be expanded to include all countries.  He said 'I would need the executive powers to coordinate the response'.  Similarly Tony Blair (Executive Officer of Institute for Global Change) has also suggested that his organisation which has 250 employees in 25 countries is already advising governments to work together to combat these mammoth issues.  

The call for global government reminds me of the two beasts of Revelation ch 13.  It says of the beast out of the sea in v 7 & 8 '…and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him'  and of the second beast, out of the land it says v16-18 'And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.  Here is wisdom.  Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six' (666).

Peter makes two references to the hand of God.  The first in 1Peter 3 v 21 & 22 '…by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:  Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.'  The right hand of God reveals absolute authority globally and universally.  Christ will ultimately take control of the governance of the world when he returns to earth after the judgments of God have fallen during the Great Tribulation.  Soon he will appear in the air to take the church from earth to heaven and after that the seven year period of Tribulation will begin.  The seven seals, seven trumpets and seven vials are each judgments from the hand of God upon a world that has rejected him.  Peters second reference to the hand of God is in 1 Peter 5 v 5 & 6 '…for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.' 

Singing is good for you!

All pictures are courtesy of Unsplash

The summer has gone, we were just getting out and about and then things changed again. One of the COVID-19 rules is the recommendation not to sing in public gatherings. Singing is good for the soul. It lifts your spirits and creates a sense of community and kinship. I, for one, have missed community singing. Music and songs create passion in our hearts and evoke vivid memories. 

A very effective method of learning is linked to the rhythm of repeating words that somehow glue the words or the facts to our minds. Most of us didn’t necessarily enjoy it but we often learned facts or figures by musical rhythm. If you went to Sunday School you may remember learning Bible verses by rote, for example, ‘For God so loved the world …’ or ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ …’ or maybe ‘Honour your Father and your Mother’. All of this was to get some important facts from the Bible into your young mind for the purpose of living life and one-day meeting God.   

If I was asked to quote from some piece of great literature, I might struggle but if you whistled a tune of a popular song, I might amaze myself by my ability to recall the words. Maybe you can do this as well. Music has a powerful effect on our memories!  

Try stopping someone in the street and ask what song from church they remember. It could be ‘Amazing Grace’, ‘All things bright and beautiful’ or ‘The old rugged cross’.  Others might say Psalm 23 as this is one hymn that is repeatedly sung at weddings and funerals. You might be thinking ‘I’ve never heard of it’. That’s a shame as it has very inspiring words. 

Verse four of the psalm says, 'though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for you are with me'. It reminds me that we will all face the 'valley of the shadow of death' one day. Our path through life is tough at times and it is certain that we will all face death at the end of life. The reason we all die is explained in the Bible by the statement 'the wages of sin is death'. The Bible makes it clear that death is the means of moving from this life to the next. 

At the end of the psalm the writer states 'I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever'. The writer is sure that there is life after death. Other writers in the Bible make it clear that God has revealed that there are two destinations in the afterlife. One called Heaven and the other called Hell. You may wonder why the writer of Psalm 23 is so sure that he will be in heaven. I think the answer lies in the fact that he can say 'the Lord is my shepherd'.

The Bible records that the Lord Jesus Christ 'came into the world to save sinners'. He said one day 'I am the good shepherd the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep'. The Bible describes human beings as wandering sheep when it states that 'all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way'. But it also explains that 'the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all’. This means that Jesus took the punishment for our guilt so that we can be forgiven. He rose from the dead on the third day and returned to heaven forty days later; where he is now.

If you don’t know the words of Psalm 23, get someone who does to hum the tune to you. Maybe it will come back to you. If you can't find a willing soul to sing for you grab a Bible, look in the index for the Psalms and read it for yourself. You could be amazed to discover how the words come alive as they describe the safety of being loved and cared for by the Shepherd. Maybe you would like to know how this could become real for you. If so, get in touch with me I would love to help you.

Two instructions you had better obey?

Photos courtesy of Storyblocks

Fulfilling the two great commandments (Matthew 22.36-40)

(this is truth for Christians) 

Love for God? 

We express this by our devotion to Him and His interests. We can do that as individuals and in local churches as is our norm. But now is not normal, so our individual devotion matters even more. When not able to meet together, our commitment to God must not waver!

 

Love for our neighbour? 

The best expression these days may be in selflessly protecting others from infection, isolating ourselves and saving our country’s resources from being stretched to breaking point.
 
Affirm your faith in Christ and your love for others by praying and continuing to serve your brothers and sisters in every way that you can. Firmly grasp His 'full assurance of hope,' Hebrews 6.11, as the storm rages around you. Hope is the spiritual anchor of every believer, and God will brighten our hope and comfort us the more as our burdens grow heavier. Remember that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind, 2 Timothy 1. 7.
 
In this time of distress, reach out to your heavenly Father in prayer. It is especially important that we make intercession for countries, governments, church leaders, communities, healthcare and other key workers, our families and neighbours, and our Christian brothers and sisters near us and in every land.
 
May we keep faithful and helpful, loving the Lord and loving each other.
 
“This is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us
and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  (1 John 4.10)

Used by kind permission of Bert Cargill, Scotland

What has COVID-19 made you?

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

It has now been over a year since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sadly, it has claimed millions of lives and changed how each of us relates to and navigates the world. All of us have been affected, but how has the pandemic impacted our lives these past 14 months? Here is a story that may explain how we have coped and reacted during these difficult times.

A young woman went to her grandmother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her.  She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling.  It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose. 

Her grandmother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water.  In the first, she placed carrots, in the second, she placed eggs, and in the last, she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil on the gas stove without saying a word. In about twenty minutes, she turned off the burners.  She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl.  She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Changes this weekend

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

Quite a few changes are expected this weekend! There are routine ones like the clocks going an hour forward to British Summer Time, bringing the prospect of more daylight hours in the evening, and warmer ones too.

 

Then there’s the one most of us have been looking forward to, when we can meet again for our church services. We’ll be starting again in the Gospel Hall here this Sunday in a limited way, but then hope to be able to open up more freely again soon for more people. But that will depend on the Covid situation throughout our countries, as people mixing more with each other can push up infections. I think it’s still ‘go slowly and cautiously, a step at a time’.

 

We would like to hope and believe that lockdowns will soon be a thing of the past. The first lockdown a year ago brought the biggest change any of us had ever seen in every aspect of our lives, and all over the world. We could hardly believe it at first, hardly knew how we would cope with those awkward restrictions so that we could stay safe, but we have got through what has been a very difficult year. It may be, however, that some changes will be permanent, or at least long lasting. Some changes for the better will maybe come with us into the future, for I think during the year we have learned to value even more some of the really important things in life.

Faith, Hope and Love

 

All photos used courtesy of Unsplash

In the Bible, we read a lot about faith, hope and love. In fact, at the end of a well-known chapter about love (1 Corinthians 13), we read, “Now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”Perhaps these three have helped us to keep going all these difficult months, or maybe we feel we need them more.

 

Just now, for the move out of lockdown and the control of the pandemic, our faith is in the widespread vaccination programme's success. So far, it seems to be working well. The amazing work which has led to the design and availability of these vaccines has to be admired. It was all very costly, but to us, it’s free - to all who are willing to come and get their “jab” – just like how we can receive God’s gift of salvation!

 

And this gives us hope! As we used to know it, many aspects of life have been missing for such a long time. We have missed the simple pleasures of meeting friends and families, going where we wanted, of social gatherings, church meetings, holiday trips etc. We have been concerned about our young people with their education interrupted, and our business colleagues with their livelihoods threatened. All complicated – but we have reason to hope that it’s not for much longer.

Where did it all Begin? How will it all end?

All photographs courtesy of Unsplash

 

Even after all these months, there is no clear information about exactly where Coronavirus came from and how it spread so fast. Did it spread from some animal to man, and what might that animal have been in this case? The World Health Organisation has recently been to Wuhan in China to find some answers, while China does not want them to find answers that would embarrass them!

 

But how does such a virus originate in the first place? It is a microscopic parasite which can only live and multiply by invading the cells of another organism. There it produces copies of itself which then spread rapidly, usually damaging the organism.

COVID-19 Learning to live by the rules

I have been considering the effects of COVID-19 on our society and on us as individuals. It has become the one issue that affects and influences everything else we do. Sometimes I would just like to get on with my life, but then often things are not that simple. Life is what it is, and we need to make the necessary adjustments and get on with it. All the regular warnings and directions that bombard us can desensitise us and make us feel numb. My wife continually has to remind me to keep my distance when in the shops or on the street. She is a lot more aware of the two-meter rule than I seem to be. All these reminders are a bit like the safety procedures we are given every time we board a flight. We think we could do the routine for the airline staff, but we’d probably struggle as most of us don’t listen as intently as we should. It feels like we are being told the same things repeatedly. Still, at the end of the day, we need to be consistently warned, as we can become complacent very quickly and need to know what to do in case of an emergency.

Are you being shielded?

Several weeks ago a few of my neighbours received a letter that they had been dreading. It said you "need to be shielded from Covid-19 for a minimum of 12 weeks." Most of them had already been isolating, and in many ways life would continue much the same but, as is often the case, fear, anxiety and worry took over. 

Looking to the news for reassurance did little to help so I turned to Scripture, which overflows with words of comfort. After all said and done the expression "shielding" is no new concept to God because He's being doing it since time began. The Psalmist encourages us when he says: ‘The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.’ God will shield us in every situation. What a promise!

COVID-19 - Who can you trust in this crisis?

There’s only one way to survive in this world today - trust in God! And, surrounded as they were by aggressive and powerful nations, there was only one way for God’s people, Israel, to survive in the promised land God had given them. The history of the children of Israel is pretty much a dismal record of how they didn’t trust their Lord. In fact their history includes a period in which they were kicked out of their land for persistently refusing to go God‘s way, but the flip side is that it is also an amazing record of God’s patient plans with people who fail big time and of God’s amazing willingness to use weak people who do trust their God. 

The end of the world?

Sometimes people ask me ‘are we in the last days of this world’s history’. The truthful answer is, I don’t know. The Bible does predict that the world will end one day; but it makes clear that it will not be man who destroys it. I know that many of you will be unconvinced that God, designed and created the world. I believe that it is the only logical explanation. The Bible says that God created and that He will bring this world’s history to a grand finale. 

 

It states: ‘[1]In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.’ This statement teaches us a number of things: