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. 

How to join the winning side

 

When I was in grammar school many years ago, I can always remember counting how many boys were in my class on the days when football took place.  Inevitably there were some who would have been off ill with some malady or other, but I was always delighted if the absentees were an odd number.

Why?  Well, let me explain.

We were an even number of boys in the class – 32 to be exact – so if an odd number of boys were not in school, it meant there would be an odd number reporting for football that afternoon.

And that was important to me.

Have I captured your curiosity?  Let me explain further.

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.' 

#LFC Anthem - You'll Never Walk Alone

Ask the average Liverpool fan what the club’s most famous song is 

and I have no doubt the answer would be 'You'll never walk alone'. 

Many supporters find that singing the song creates a feeling of 

passion in their hearts and memories of many great games.

Songs are very emotive and help us store memories. Try stopping someone in the street and asking what song from church they remember. It could be ‘Amazing Grace’, ‘All things bright and beautiful’ or ‘the old rugged cross’. Lots of people will say Psalm 23. That’s because it’s one song that is repeatedly sung at weddings and funerals. It could be the best-known hymn in the United Kingdom, but you are probably thinking, ‘I’ve never heard of it’. That’s a shame, as it has very inspiring words. Actually, the sentiment of 'You'll never walk alone' is not so different.

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 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 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 physical 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 places of destiny. One is called Heaven, and the other is called Hell. You may wonder why the writer of Psalm 23 is so sure that he will be in heaven. 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.

Sadly there are times in life when we do walk alone. But it doesn’t need to be like that. You could know the God of peace in your life today. It is an amazing thing to know God personally and to have His peace in your heart and soul.

How is it possible? There are two parts to this – ‘Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ’. A change of attitude is required. The way you think about yourself, and God will change when you realize that he is right and we are wrong. When you get to that point, you will be ready to trust Jesus Christ as the only one who can forgive sins and eternally bless you.

For more information and further explanations of the message of the bible via videos, blogs and podcasts, please visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk

England v Slovakia - saved by the Bellingham!

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Winning a match at the last minute can be viewed in two ways. You could say what a pathetic team; they only won by the 'skin of their teeth' and were just lucky. Or, you might say - 'they kept pushing', 'they got there in the end', 'they shone when they needed it most' - 'they showed their colours' when they needed to or 'when push came to shove' they won! 'Saved by the Bellingham' is the latest idiom used to describe the last-minute success of the England Football team based on the well-known phrase - 'saved by the bell'.  

The phrase 'saved by the bell' is used when someone has been saved by the timely intervention of something or someone or when one has been rescued from difficulty at the last second (source - www.gingersoftware.com). 

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So, where did the phrase come from?

The widely accepted belief is that 'saved by the bell' originated as an expression about people being buried alive. The concept was that if someone was unconscious and mistakenly pronounced dead and buried, they could, if they were later revived, ring a bell attached to the coffin and be saved. This theory, while plausible, is not without its uncertainties. There's no concrete evidence that anyone was ever saved by these coffins or that they were ever used, and there's a similar lack of evidence that the phrase 'saved by the bell' was ever used in that sense before it had been used in other contexts.

Football

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It seems that sport and in particular football, namely soccer, has taken on the form of religion.  Someone once remarked that his local football club was his church and the manager was his god.  It is remarkable that chasing a ball around a pitch should bring about such great excitement but when all sport is analysed in its basic form it all seems absurd.  Years ago things were not taken quite so seriously and sometimes whole teams were reluctant to even turn up to play. 

In 1891 Blackburn Rovers were due to play Burnley but the pitch was covered with snow as it had snowed heavily for three hours before kick off.  Very few spectators had turned up and the Blackburn Rovers’ team did not really want to continue with the match.  In the first half they did not put in much effort and by half-time were down three nil.  The interval seemed to go on for much longer than usual but eventually the Blackburn Rovers’ team turned out but as they straggled onto the pitch there were only seven of them.  The others had decided not to bother.  Ten minutes later the Rovers’ captain created a violent incident and was sent off.  This led to the other Rovers’ players deciding to do the same and walked off the pitch. This just left their goalkeeper someone by the name of Mr Arthur who rather heroically stayed at his post.

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The referee who was named Mr Clegg waited to see if any Rovers’ players might return but after some minutes there was no sign of them and so play resumed.  The Burnley team bore down on the Rovers’ goal and it would come as no surprise that in no time at all the ball was in the back of the net.  The goalkeeper insisted that they were off side and that the goal should not have counted.  This seemed to be accepted by the referee but then he decided to abandon the game. The match that had started with selfish reluctance had ended in chaotic shambles.  

We might think this is an isolated example and restricted to the sports arena, but so often in life similar things occur.  We can too easily act selfishly wanting the best for ourselves and an easier life and using any method to obtain it.  We too often think of ourselves first, then we may have concern for our family or friends but more than that very few would bother and as for God so often He does not feature in our thoughts at all nor influence our behaviour.  Selfish reluctance to do anything that does not profit us can lead to a life which is unfulfilled and declines into oblivion.  

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This is so different from the attitude of the Scottish athlete, Eric Liddell, a great sportsman who played rugby for Scotland and ran in the 1924 Olympic Games.  He was willing to sacrifice the opportunity to have a gold medal because principle was more important than status.  He wanted to honour God by obeying His commandments and so refused to run on a Sunday.  This caused consternation amongst the British team and organisers but he was insistent.  He would not compromise his Christian principles by running on a Sunday in his usual race.  Eventually a place was found for him to run in the 400 yards, which was run on a different day, and so he won his gold medal.  It was remarkable.  Later he went to China as a missionary and was interred by the Japanese where he died of a brain tumour in one of their camps.  The end was not sadness but glory.  He believed and every Christian also believes that in Christ death is not the end but the gateway to Heaven.  It is to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.  Liddell’s refusal to compromise principle revealed his true Christian faith.  He has been rewarded in the presence of God. May that be our blessing.

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DAILY MESSAGES WITH MEANING (17/06/24)

Written by PAUL YOUNG 

Lifetime Guarantees!

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In my teens, I bought a stylish pair of sunglasses that sadly became damaged after I headed a football during a break between college lessons. It was a good header, but not for the glasses. You can guess where they were! The shop was out of these frames, but as I liked them, I bought another, cheaper pair and attempted a repair job using the arms from the new ones. However, the screws did not fit properly, and since I had modified the arms to fix the old ones, I ended up throwing both pairs away. Two down!

The next time we played football, I ensured the third pair of sunglasses went safely into the front of my bag before the game. Unfortunately, I only realised that my bag had been taken to be used as a goal marker when one of the ‘posts’ were hit by a particularly hard shot. On inspection, it was immediately obvious that they were beyond repair. Three down.

The World Cup - Playing by the Rules

The World Cup - Playing by the Rules

I wonder how many teams will be pushing the referees and pushing against the rules in this world cup tournament in Russia. We often say that rules are made to be broken! Rules actually exist for a purpose and when we live within them it is good for everyone.

Allow me to expand on a few of the rules of soccer and make a comparison with the message of the gospel.

Football and the rules of life!

Football and the Rules of life!

GOAL?

Football is all about goals! The referee has seconds to decide to allow or dis-allow a goal. His decision is not always the right one. Your life should have a goal too. God has a purpose for your life. You are in this world for a reason. In order to live your life as God intended, you need to become part of His family. ‘For I know the plans I have for you…plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.’ Jeremiah 29 v 11

FOUL!
The problem is you have a past. God warns us in His word, the Bible. ‘All the world is guilty before God.’ Romans 3 v 19. Our fore-parents Adam and Eve sinned and everyone born since has fallen foul of their disobedience. God however, wants you as part of His family. He offers a free transfer. He does not ignore your wrong beliefs or behaviour but he will and can forgive if you come to him and ask in prayer.

SUB!
Gods love for you is so great He gave His Son, the Lord Jesus to die on a cross. He took the penalty of your sin. He became the perfect substitute. God punished His Son instead of you,
‘The Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.’ Galatians 2 v 20

RESULTS?
You now have a decision to make ‘now is the day of salvation’ 2 Corinthians 6 v 2. God asks you to put your trust in His Son and what He has done for you. Don’t leave Him on the bench. You will have the ultimate goal in life if you put Him first. To get saved you need to turn from your sin. Acknowledge and renounce your sin and agree with God's assessment of your life). Then accept His Son as Saviour and Lord who has paid the price in His death so that you can be forgiven and right with God.

To access podcasts and videos explaining the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk

This site will give you access to Bible Teaching Audio's and Video's as well

You'll never walk alone - LFC Anthem

Liverpool Football Club Anthem

The words 'You'll never walk alone' are well known to every Liverpool fan. Those of us who live in the city see the symbol of Liverpool Football Club so often that we probably often forget that this is the motto.

‘You’ll never walk alone - when you walk through a storm hold your head up high’

We all face storms in life. No one said that life would be smooth and easy. But why is it like this? The Bible states that it is because of evil and sin. ‘By one man sin entered into the world and death by sin so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned’.(1)

No hiding place - do you like privacy?

Do you like a bit of privacy? I felt sorry for a famous footballer last year when I saw him, his wife and little one (no clues as to who it was for the sake of privacy) trying to fish for crabs on the Wirral. They did well to remain unobserved for so long. Their backs were to the people who were strolling along the promenade, the buggy was facing the sea, a packet of chips was on the back of the buggy and the only clue of any wealth was the pack of Tesco's Finest pancetta. They were quietly fishing for crabs when someone spotted them. You can imagine what happened next; people were queuing up for a photograph or an autograph and the peace was shattered. It wasn't long until 'the Mrs' decided that it was time to go and they moved on.

Advice from Jürgen Klopp

So Liverpool Football Club was in a European Cup Final! Do you know what I liked about the pre-match interviews with Jürgen Klopp  It was his mindset and attitude. He understood that success on the pitch and in big matches didn't define who you are! You are who you are and you seek to do your best but who you are remains unchanged by the end result of any one match or event. 

I know that all seems so convenient now but I feel that he understands this issue well. 

Let me leave you with the words of the Lord Jesus.

Mark 8:31-38

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things andbe rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, andafter three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

³⁴ And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.³⁵ For whoever would save his life^[d] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. ³⁶ For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? ³⁷ For what can a man give in return for his soul?³⁸ For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

For further explanations and information visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk

#Football Crazy - Tuesday - The Daily Diary of a Bible Blogger

When I was a kid people used to sing a song called "Football Crazy". I cannot remember who sang it or who made it famous but the words have stuck in my mind. 

On a Tuesday night in Liverpool a group of us usually meet with boys and young men who are literally football crazy. They love the sport and they look forward to playing with energy and enthusiasm with the basic aim of winning the game. Before we start we have a time of bible study with the boys who are Christians and then speak to the boys on the pitch, about the gospel, before they start. 

Winning is a great incentive in life. This has always been the case. It seems to be a natural part of the human psyche. It's what gives some people the reason to get out of bed in the morning. For some people it drives them to do things to a very high standard. For others it seems to be just the reason for living - to get ahead, to be better than others, to be successful.

In the bible being successful is not condemned but a health warning is attached to make us aware of the potential dangers. In the book of James we warned about the rich and what they do to others. When Paul writes to a young man called Timothy he warns about people who make it their live's ambition to be rich. He comments that they often are "pierced through with many sorrows," 1 Timothy 6:10. The same verse teaches that the "love of money is the root of all evil". 

In light of these verses we would all need to be very careful about how we approach success and the accumulation of wealth. 

I close with the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Luke chapter 12 verse 15 it is recorded that he said "take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth". Again Matthew records the Lord Jesus as saying, in Matthew 16 verse is 25 and 26, "for whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. So what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give any exchange for his soul".

If you can't bring it upon yourself to listen to what I say please at least listen to the words of the Lord Jesus and respond accordingly.

For more information or to get in touch please go to www.seek the truth.org.uk.