What on earth is happening to the world?

Are you frightened about the state of the world at the moment? Many people find it very scary, as every day seems to bring another disaster. Murder seems to be so commonplace! On a daily basis we hear of someone else going on the rampage and killing people! Individual acts of terrorism are on the increase resulting in the tragedy of people being deprived of their loved ones by an act of violence. Events of yesterday seem so long ago as we wake up to hear of another tragic evil act being perpetrated.

I find it all very distressing and yet I, sadly, can see the inevitability of the way the world is going. The Bible teaches that conditions in society will get worse and worse as time progresses. Paul, an old man, wrote to Timothy, a young man – ‘but understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with deceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness but denying its power,’ 2 Timothy 3:1-5. I think what the Bible is saying in these verses is staring us in the face. Do you recognize a description of our society?

If we reject the moral compass of the Bible then ultimately there are consequences. In effect morality becomes subjective and personal. There is no absolute standard of right and wrong. Everyone does what is right in his or her own eyes. This is not a new problem. It happened in Bible times, and many times since but every time is happens the results are disastrous. The old book says ‘there is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way of death,’ Proverbs 14:12.

If we don’t get back to the Bible we can expect society to get worse and worse. We need to educate the next generation so that they don’t make the mistakes that we have made. The Bible says ‘train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it,’ Proverbs 22:6

I'm also glad to say that the Bible states that ‘where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,’ Romans 5:20. This means that the gospel of Jesus Christ can meet the needs of a wicked society. Forgiveness starts with the individual. The promise of scripture is still true – ‘If we confess our sins, he (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,’ 1 John 1:9. Society will never change by enforcement but by the transforming power of God working in the each individual’s life through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Are you fearful? Scripture says ‘perfect love casts out fear,’ ‘the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord’.

For more information text the word INFO to 07747 101352 

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.

All posts have the aim of pointing people to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour or to aid Christian growth and development.

How to deal with the fear the unknown!

The fear of the unknown!

Most of us are frightened of the unknown. Maybe you wouldn't used the word frightened but most of us prefer to be sure about what is going on, what is coming next or what to expect in any given situation. 

A friend of mine was asked to come to a clinic in a local hospital to have his eyes checked. His doctor was a bit unsure about his pheriferal vision and wanted it be to be checked out. This referral generated anxiety and stress. I understand exactly how my friend felt as my mother has macular degeneration and finds it very debilitating. 

Fear is a very real emotion. Sometimes our fears are imagined nevertheless the feeling of fear is very real. Other times our fears are justified and we take precautions or prepare ourselves mentally for the worst. There are also times when we are not aware of danger, we have no idea what is going on and so we are blissfully ignorant of what we are facing. It's this last type of fear I want to talk to you about. 

The danger we are unaware of!!

Most people in the 21st century live for the moment. They ignore the bigger issues of life after death, our responsibility for our life choices and day to day decisions and the existence of an almighty God to whom we are answerable. 

Are you aware that we are accountable for every action, every thought, every word, every motive, and every belief we hold? Our maker, God, is the ultimate judge. The Bible describes Him as the Judge of all the earth. Please be assured of this; He will be absolutely fair and just in all the assessments and decisions He makes. Genesis 18:25 states 'Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just'. 

The standard that God judges us against is written in black and white in the Bible. One day God called Moses up Mount Sinai. Over a period of forty days He wrote His law so that Moses could teach his people the standards by which God operates. Until then humanity only had their conscience to judge right and wrong. From that date it was written down! No excuses! When Moses came down from his meeting with the Almighty God he presented the people with a book, the Book of the Law. Since that day the human race has been aware of God's law.

The problem is that we all struggle to live by God's law. We know that it is good. I mean most of us would agree that the principles of loving your neighbour as yourself, not stealing, not lying, no swearing, no sexual sin are all very good for us as individuals and as a society. But if we are honest we all struggle to live up to these standards.

You see God didn't give us His law to make us feel good about ourselves but to prove us guilty. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. Compared to God's law the whole world stands guilty. This is what I mean when I say that we are in danger but we are unaware of it!

I am not writing this blog post just to make you aware that you are a sinner and come short of God's standard. My real purpose is to make you are aware of the danger and then to point you to the solution, the salvation that God has provided in His Son, Jesus Christ. 

As I close here a couple of verses from the Bible that should help. If you are really interested in avoiding the danger of God's judgment then please read and think about these verses (and have a read of some of my previous blog posts as well).

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish it have everlasting life - John 3:16

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - 1 Timothy 1:15

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved - Romans 10:9. 

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.

Radicalised Christians!

In recent times we have all become familiar with a rather sinister word - radicalisation. After an act of terrorism, investigations will begin to determine how the terrorists were radicalised. A person is considered radicalised when they take the words of their prophet and their holy book literally.

I was wondering what a radicalized Christian would look like, someone who takes the words of Christ literally.

Would people in shopping malls or concert halls or school classrooms have anything to fear from radicalized Christians?

Radicalised Christians will love their families, their neighbours, and their enemies.

They will seek to save life, not to destroy it.
They will forgive those who wrong them, and bless those who hate them.
They will pray for their government and pay their taxes.
They will give honour to whom honour is due.
They will live sacrificial lives for the blessing and relief of others.
They will comfort those who mourn.
They will hunger after righteousness, show mercy, seek to be pure, make peace, will not kill, will not commit adultery, will turn the other cheek to those who smite them.
They will live their lives for the glory of God and for the welfare of their fellow men.
They will be thankful, kind, honest, faithful, pure and forgiving.
They will travel enormous distances and make huge sacrifices to share the gospel with others.
Their great motivation in life will firstly be love for God, and secondly love for their neighbour.

Do you know any radicalized Christians?

Written for Seek the Truth Bible Media by John Parkinson of Ballymena

For more information text the word INFO to 07747 101352 

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.

All posts have the aim of pointing people to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour or to aid Christian growth and development.