The advantages of getting older

Some people have good physical and mental health well into old age, but we are all different, and for many, these latter years can be a struggle. However, there are some advantages to growing older. I am writing to highlight these benefits to the individual and the wider society. 

Time to Think

In our busy lives, deep reflection often takes a backseat but taking time to think is crucial for effective decision-making, and certain jobs naturally provide more time for contemplation, such as those that involve long-distance travel. Unfortunately, some people choose to avoid deep thinking about life and continually focus on the day-to-day grind. The Bible encourages both the young and old to consider life’s deeper issues. The wise sage Solomon wrote, "Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth," and Paul the Apostle said, "Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel," Thinking is not wasted time if it leads to wise decisions and positive actions.

If you have not considered "the God question" or the afterlife, now may be the time to reflect on these matters before it's too late.

The latter years of life - time!

Some people have good physical and mental health well into old age, but we are all different, and for many, these latter years can be a struggle. However, there are some advantages to growing older. I am writing to highlight these benefits to the individual and the wider society. 

Time to Think

In our busy lives, deep reflection often takes a backseat but taking time to think is crucial for effective decision-making, and certain jobs naturally provide more time for contemplation, such as those that involve long-distance travel. Unfortunately, some people choose to avoid deep thinking about life and continually focus on the day-to-day grind. The Bible encourages both the young and old to consider life’s deeper issues. The wise sage Solomon wrote, "Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth," and Paul the Apostle said, "Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel," Thinking is not wasted time if it leads to wise decisions and positive actions.

If you have not considered "the God question" or the afterlife, now may be the time to reflect on these matters before it's too late.

Time for Others

Everyone has the same number of hours in a day, but when you're busy, time often seems to slip away. This can be beneficial, especially if you enjoy your work, but it can also mean that those we love most are sidelined and must make sacrifices for us. One of the benefits of aging and slowing down is the opportunity to spend more time with loved ones—or at least to make the time spent with them more meaningful. As you become more aware of life’s brevity, your focus shifts to what truly matters.

What do you do with your time

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It is nice to take time to relax, have a coffee and chat. It is important at times to sit down, catch up and do a bit of planning. We all do it from time to time but probably not often enough.

Relevant questions we should sit down and ask are: 

1. What have I been doing with my time? 
2. Could I have used it more effectively? 
3. What are my plans for the future? 
4. Am I achieving what I want to achieve?
5. If not what plans and actions do I need to take to change things effectively? 

Planning is so important in every area of life! 

As someone once said - if you don't know where you are going, you'll definitely arrive. Planning, organising, implementing and reviewing are all good organisational skills.

You might be very successful in work-life but I want to ask you how your personal life is? Sometimes we need to clean and tidy up certain parts of our lives. What about reviewing your life so far and planning for the future? Are you prepared to be as careful about the personal issues of your life and your soul as you are in work life? Some of you will be perfectionists when it comes to your business, your personal hygiene, your financial affairs but how is it with you soul and your spiritual state before God?

Be careful as you start this process. 

Remember that the Bible speaks the truth and warns of the following:

Jeremiah 17. 9 - 'the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it'.

Proverbs 16. 25 - 'there is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death'. 

These verses mean that you cannot trust your instincts, you must learn to trust, believe and obey what God says in His revelation of truth, i.e. the Bible.

The Bible often states the obvious because as humans we often choose to ignore the obvious:

Ecclesiastes 3. 1 & 2 - 'to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die'.

Hebrews 9. 27 & 28 - 'and as it is appointed unto men (humans) once to die, but after this the judgement: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many'. 

John 8.24 - (the Lord Jesus is speaking) 'I said therefore unto you, that you shall die in your sins: for if you believe not that I am he (the promised one/Son of God), you shall die in your sins'. 

My final quotation is simple yet direct advice from the Bible. 

It is based on the assumption that the hearer accepts that they are guilty of sin, in danger of God's judgment and aware of their inability to save themselves.

Acts 16. 31 - 'Believe on The Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved'. 

Plan for life and enjoy God's salvation now and the guarantee of a home in heaven on the other side of death

OR

Ignore the truth and face the eternal judgement of God in Hell and the Lake of Fire.

Please plan wisely.

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.

Don't be late - be on time!

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I don’t know about you but I hate being late for anything. I’m one of those people who is always 30 mins early for appointments and events.

As someone who works for the health service, I found it interesting to read that according to the NHS (nhs.co.uk 2/1/19) 15.4 million people were late or missed an appointment with the GP service. This equated to almost 5% of all appointments costing the NHS £216 billion.

There’s a story in the Bible regarding a man called Noah and how God told him to build an ark for refuge and safety. God had revealed to Noah that He was going to judge the world for their wicked behaviour. So Noah listened to God and built an ark (a humongous boat). For over 100 years Noah pleaded with people to come into the ark to be safe from the coming judgement. 

At the appointed time God shut the door and His judgment fell on the world.  Apart from Noah, and seven members of his family, the whole population of the world was wiped out in a worldwide flood.

Are there lessons that can be learnt from this story?

Firstly the Bible warns that God is angry with human wickedness and cannot ignore it. He must judge wrongdoing because He is just and righteous. The New Testament Bible says that ‘it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment,' Hebrews 9:27

When we die, as we all must, God will judge us for our sins because there are moral consequences to our behaviour. Sad consequences but fair and just. As the Bible says 'the wages of sins is death,' Rom. 6. 23.  But don’t stop reading now; there is hope and an offer of guaranteed forgiveness and salvation, the rest of the verse says ‘but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord’.

Just as in the days of Noah so God, today,  has provided an alternative to judgment. Between BC 06 and 04, God sent His son into the world. He was not born to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved, John 3. 17.

When Jesus Christ came into this world He lived a pure and spotless life and then died on a cross for our sins;  not for any sin of His won for the Bible makes it clear that He could not sin, Heb 4. 15. Prior to dying on the Cross He was extremely badly treated. He was whipped and spat upon. Nails were hammered into His hands and feet and then He was crucified. There were then three hours of darkness when God ‘laid on him the iniquity of us all,’ Isa 53. 6.  Jesus experienced the judgment we deserved for sin. But how do we know that it was enough? On the 3rd day, Jesus rose from the grave demonstrating that God was satisfied that death was conquered and salvation was now available to all.

How do we get saved?

So how do we get saved from the judgment of God – By believing in His Son. By believing that on the cross He bore our sins. He took the punishment so that we could ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and . . . be saved,’ Acts 16. 31. We need to confess our sins to God in repentance and follow Him ‘If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved,’ Rom 10. 9.

Saved from what? 

From the judgment of God for our sins. Without salvation, we will go to the place we deserve which is Hell, but if we are saved we will go to be with Him in heaven. It was Jesus’ desire that ‘Where I am you may be also,’ John 14. 3.

When do I need to be saved?

The Bible says ‘Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation,’ 2 Cor 6. 2. Once we die there is no further opportunity to get saved. You would be lost for all eternity. We don’t know when we are going to die which is why this is such an urgent matter. The Bible says ‘For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away,’ James 4. 14.

Don’t be late or miss the opportunity 

One hymn says:

 

Time is gliding swiftly by,

Death and judgment draweth nigh,

To the arms of Jesus fly,

Be in time.

Oh, I pray you count the cost,

Ere the fatal line be crossed,

And your soul in hell be lost,

Be in time.

Sinner, heed the warning voice,

Make the Lord your final choice,

Then all Heaven will rejoice,

Be in time.

Come from darkness into light, 

Come, let Jesus make you right,

Come, and start for Heav’n tonight,

Be in time.

 

Be in time, be in time,

While the voice of Jesus calls you, be in time.

If in sin you longer wait,

You may find no open gate,

And your cry be just too late, 

be in time.

Co-authored by Kerry Robinson

So much can change in a minute!

 

Photograph - Jon Tyson - Unsplash 

Photograph - Malvestida Magazine - Unsplash

Photograph - Maks Styazhkin - Unsplash 

A lot can change in a minute. We all know the cliches about a week being a long time (in politics) and a lot can happen in a day but the truth is that life can change completely in less than a minute. 

For instance, if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time something could happen that you never envisaged and it changes everything. I’ll never forget when eleven-year-old Rhys Jones from Liverpool was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He lived in a respectable home in a decent area of the city. His mum worked in our local Tesco Store and he was just an ordinary boy enjoying life, loving his football and playing out, as boys do. But on that sad day, he died in the crossfire between two rival gangs. But on the 22nd of August 2007, everything changed in a moment. His life was ended, his parents and family were devastated and his blood was on the hands of the young man who pulled the trigger and those who were involved in providing the weapon. 

How strong are you?

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At some point, all of us will have experienced weakness in some shape or form. Often, those that are younger, fit and healthy feel like they can take on the world, but something as simple as a stomach bug or a touch of flu can be enough to sap the strength altogether. Some who have passed through many struggles speak of an inner strength that has helped them through.

There is, however, a matter in which no amount of physical strength or willpower is of any help. The Bible says, ‘When we were yet without strength (that is, having none at all), in due time (just at the right time) Christ died for the ungodly’.

Lessons in managing your income!

Picture courtesy of Unsplash - Damir Spanic

Picture courtesy of Unsplash - Nathan Dumlao 

Picture courtesy of Unsplash - Aron Visuals 

Imagine that there is a bank which credits your account with £86,400 every morning, every day. It carries no credit over from day to day. At the end of the day anything you fail to use in the day is wiped out and the following day you receive another £86,400.

What would you do?

It goes without saying that you would draw out every penny and use it. Only a fool would throw away such a resource. Surprisingly, every one of us has such a bank. Its name is ‘time’.

Coping through Tough Times

We are living in interesting times. The world continues in a state of recession. The season of abundance seems to have come and gone and now the season of recession seems to be entrenching itself. People are finding that times are difficult and the effects of this difficulty seem to be affecting the whole world. Economies are shrinking and jobs are being lost. As I was contemplating these issues, I began to realize that there is a story in the Bible about a similar situation that took place.