London Cabs

 

London is a wonderful city full of monuments, museums, parks and places of interest.  It is well served by the Underground system, generally known as the Tube, and also by taxis.  Taxis are in plentiful supply in the city and each taxi driver knows his way around just about every street in the capital.  The licensed taxi trade in London is said to be the oldest regulated public transport system in the world due to Oliver Cromwell. In 1654, he set up the Fellowship of Master Hackney Carriages by Act of Parliament. Obviously, the first Hackney Carriages were horse-drawn and the name ‘Hackney’ comes from the French word for a working horse. It is also interesting that the other name for taxis is ‘cab’ and is a shortened French word, ‘cabriolet’ which was a lighter, two-wheeled vehicle.

The size of taxis was laid down by the Public Carriages Office in 1906 and they had to be roomy enough to accommodate a man in a top hat and for two people to sit opposite each other without their knees touching. Taxi drivers must be well trained and have a responsibility to pick up a fare if they ‘standing in the street’ and cannot refuse a journey of up to six miles or that will take less than an hour.  This was designed, of course, to prevent the now non-existent horse from becoming fatigued or thirsty.  How times have changed, but the rules remain the same and seem to speak of a more leisurely age, slower, simpler, and less damaging to the environment.

20th July 1969 - Remember!!

Photos courtesy of Unsplash 

I was reminded recently of the events of July 20th, 1969. Those that owned a television or at least knew someone who did gathered around it to watch something that was a ‘giant leap for mankind’, Man stepped off this planet and on to the nearest piece of rock to the earth in this enormous universe. It was a huge scientific achievement; humans travelled 384,400 km to step foot on the moon and leave a footprint in the dust. That footprint is still there; it has not been removed, as on the moon, there is no wind or rain to disturb it.

The beauty of Courtesy

When I wrote this, I had just boarded a flight from Entebbe, Uganda, to Doha on my way home to Liverpool via Manchester. As some of you know, I have worked with a group of Christian churches in Eastern Uganda for the last four years. I try to visit them once a year, have weekly online Bible studies with them, and help co-host a weekly radio program. Every time I leave Uganda, some impressions are reinforced, and fresh impressions are made. For instance, I am always impressed by how gentle and courteous the average Ugandan is (apart from when they are driving, which is another story). Courtesy is a remarkable trait that doesn't cost you anything. In Uganda, it is normal for a child or a young person to shake hands (often using two hands) and lower themselves to the ground when greeting an older person. This is not an act of subservience but an expression of respect. 

In the UK, we must reteach our children to honour their parents and respect older people, their fellow humans and authority. I am not suggesting that every child in this country is disrespectful. Still, it is becoming a trend that erodes the structures of family, community and society. I don't see myself as that old. Still, many years ago, when I was going to school on a bus, if an older person boarded the bus (or a lady or a pregnant mum), we would be expected to stand up and offer them a seat. Even then, people began to resist that expression of respect and courtesy and would often say, 'Son, sit down; you are causing a fuss'. Recently, on the Underground in London, I noted the courtesy of a couple of young Asian men who gave up their seats for ladies - I was impressed.

The Lord Jesus Christ must have been one of the most courteous men ever. His kindness and respect for widows is well recorded, and his care for the vulnerable, the broken, and the hurting was seen regularly. Matthew records that He was 'meek and lowly in heart', and I find no note of disagreement from any who were around at the time. The picture of the Lord Jesus as a lamb points our thoughts to His suffering on the cross. It reminds us of His innocence (he was more than innocent - he was positively holy and righteous) and his gentle and flawless character.

Incredible suffering and pain is a test that often brings out the worst in most of us, especially if the way we are being treated is undeserved, unjust and unfair. But, it is in these times of suffering that the perfect character of Jesus shone the brightest. Think about how He treated those who executed him. He did not threaten them and did not use abusive language. There is no record of him swearing; in fact, it is recorded that He was more concerned about His mother's welfare than His own, John 19. 26, 27. It was a case of unbelievable suffering poured out on a man of unique and amazing character. I can't put it in the same way as the gospel writers. Reading their accounts in Matthew 27, Luke 23, Mark 15 and John 19 would be beneficial.

So, why did I start with the gentleness and courtesy of Ugandan people and end up talking about the character of Jesus? For this reason. We have lost sight of who we are - people created in the image of God. We should respect each other for that reason alone. I think we also are ignoring the pain and problems that come from ignoring God. Sin has damaged us, but the Lord Jesus came to save, heal and restore. The solution is found in the person I have just described - the Lord Jesus. Reformation in society starts with individuals. It's a problem of the heart and soul. The words of the Lord Jesus have been preserved for us so that we might have abundant life. As John the Disciple wrote - 'But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name,' John 20. 31.

All my own photos

The last train from Limerick!

All photos courtesy of Unsplash 

The green land of Ireland was once described as one huge golf course criss crossed by railway lines. A bit of an exaggeration but it did once have a more extensive network of lines than it has now. Some of them served quite rural sparsely populated areas, often on lonely branch lines that saw, in a number of cases, only one train each way per day.

Stations could be some distance from the area they were meant to serve and their names quite unusual. There was Horse & Jockey in Co Tipperary, Meeting House Halt in Co Antrim, Narrow Water in Co Down, Oola in Co Limerick and Tubbercurry in Co Sligo to name a few.

By the late 1960’s nearly all the rural stations with their unusual names and their few or only one train a day had gone but there remained one route that still had its daily train in the timetable. Each weekday morning at 9.50 am an engine, two coaches and a guards van set out from Ballina in Co Mayo for Limerick, returning in the afternoon at 3.50 pm. I was able to make two journeys on the Limerick afternoon departure. The first being as one of a handful of passengers from Limerick who upon arriving at the Co Galway station of Gort found themselves invaded by secondary school children. They were polite, well behaved and in talking to them had a knowledge of Bible stories. Among the passengers were also two friendly ladies in their sixties who had disembarked from a transatlantic liner. at Cobh near Cork that morning. I was able to obtain an official pass to ride in the cab on my next journey on this daily train. A cab ride is a unique experience and gives one a completely different view of  travelling by rail as you know what lies ahead along the line. 

Finding direction in life

Photos courtesy of Unsplash 

The River Severn rises in the mountains of Wales, passing by the Powys towns of Newtown, Welshpool and over the border into England. Meandering through Shrewsbury and on to Stourport, Worcester and Gloucester. Here there are inland docks with the commencement of the canal to Sharpness, with its access to the Severn Estuary and the Bristol Channel. The river itself flows on to open out into its famous estuary. It has seen times of substantial waterborne cargoes.

Before the days of steam tugs, hundreds of vessels called trows, either propelled by sail or pulled by horses and men, carried cargoes up to Pool Quay near Welshpool. It was not easy as the river is notorious for being shallow. Crews had to rely upon spring tides  and flood water to keep going. 

Do you know where you are going?

All photos courtesy of Unsplash 

Do you know where you are going?

I’m not asking you do you know where you’re going in terms of what bus you getting on or what is your travel destination? My question is - do you know where you will end up when your life on earth is over?

Your reply could be - I didn’t realise that there were any options, or, I thought that death was the end of the line (I am back to my travel analogies again).

Jesus Christ was known for talking a lot about where He had come from and where He was going when he had finished life on earth. That is a really strange way of talking for the average person. Birth was our starting point and to many, death is the final destination. 

But is it?

I am not talking about reincarnation. The Bible teaches that for all of us (except the Lord Jesus) birth was our starting point. However, the Lord Jesus claimed to have ‘come down out of heaven’ and that he had come from His Father, God. I, for one, believe His claims for a number of reasons. This post is not the place to go into detail to prove this. I created a series of videos one Christmas on this topic. If you want to watch them then click here - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL83f44mqnfq45Vo-nZSr6qzgxM3Hl0lFP.

The Lord Jesus also spoke often about going back to heaven where He had come from.There are a number of references in the Gospel of John where this is recorded. I’ll leave you to read John’s Gospel to see if you can spot the verses where He claims to be going back to heaven after life on earth. To read the gospel online click here https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%201&version=CSB

The Bible teaches that there is life after death. Our life on earth is the place that we prepare for the next life and God is concerned that we discover the truth and get to know Him.

If you want more information please text me (07747 101352) or email me (stepcar61@gmail.com) and I will get back to you

Crossing the Channel

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

On the 14th of December 2022, we heard yet again the tragic news of migrants drowning in the icy waters of the English Channel as they were making the perilous crossing from France to the United Kingdom. On the 27th of November 2021, twenty-seven migrants perished in one of the worst maritime disasters ever in the Channel.

What is the attraction that lures many to pay extortionate prices to criminal gangs, to climb on board an over-crowded, unseaworthy dinghy and attempt to reach the other side of arguably the busiest and most dangerous stretch of water in the world? Some, admittedly, are merely economic migrants, but others are eager to escape war, genocide, persecution and famine to enjoy an easier life in what they perceive to be a better land. Illegal migration has become a problem of major proportions, and attempts to satisfactorily solve the problem have failed and floundered, with around forty thousand arriving illegally in the UK in 2022. Some gain asylum in the UK and live comfortably, but others discover that their dream was just an illusion, and it quickly became a nightmare.

Visit to the USA

I’ve just arrived in the USA for a few weeks. It seems like we’ve been travelling for ever. We left Liverpool at 7:30 am yesterday morning and have just touched down in Chicago and it’s now 2:02 GMT. For some reason I’m not tired but I’m sure I will be tomorrow. We’ve one more leg of the journey to do by plane (1 hour 30 minutes) and then a drive by car to our destination. 

I’m in the US to tell people about how God is working in the UK, Pakistan and Uganda. Despite the flooding in Pakistan many people are becoming true believers in Jesus Christ. 

Over the coming days I’ll update you when I have more details of the conditions in Pakistan. In the meantime keep well. 

Kind regards,

Stephen

Uganda - Part 1

Hi everyone, 

I have been in Uganda for nearly two days now and I’m getting on well. I arrived in Entebbe on Monday evening (22nd March) and have been in Kampala for two nights. We are staying in a place called Hotel Nexus which is very good. I have attached photographs of the trip so far as I thought you might be interested. You need to keep all your personal belongings on you and be careful. We leave today to go to Mbale which is 5/6 hours away. We will be there for four nights. I’ll send you more pictures which I get there.

Stephen 

Saving Lives - Describing a Hero

A plaque was unveiled in the waiting room near platform 6 at Carlisle Railway Station on 17th December 2009, in memory of a former signalman, Bill Taylor. While on duty on 1 May 1984 Bill realised that something had happened to prevent the brakes automatically stopping the rear section of a freight train from running away. Recognising that in the darkness the driver was probably unaware that the rear section of the train had become uncoupled, Bill knew he had only moments to act. The locomotive and the front part of the heavy freight train that was still coupled to it were allowed to run forward into Carlisle Citadel station. Still under the control of the driver, this part of the train was brought safely to a standstill.

Where are you going?

Where are you going?

You may be riding in a car, train, or aeroplane right now, or you may be sitting still. But did you know that even sitting still you are travelling thousands of miles per hour? Due to the earth’s rotation and its movement around the sun, we are all hurtling through space at unimaginable speeds.

Just as we can be moving at such a high rate of speed and not be the least bit aware of it, there are many today who are speeding through their life unaware of (or at least unaffected by) how quickly they are approaching eternity. Though we are all travelling through space together, there are different destinies in eternity. Where are you going?

Where will you be in eternity? The joy of the saved and the woe of the lost are equally eternal. An everlasting heaven! A never-ending hell! You will be in one of these forever. Just think of being in a heaven of perfect happiness, or in a hell of pure woe.

To the redeemed in glory, in the presence of God and His Son, Jesus Christ, there shall come no night, no ending of their holy bliss and pleasure. To the damned in the pit of woe, there will never rise a star of hope on the dark vista of their eternal night. Their destiny is fixed; they have entered the blackness of darkness forever, Luke 16.19-31.

Reader, in which of these destinies will you be forever? You must be in one of them; you cannot remain on earth forever. No matter what happens to your body, your never-dying soul will remain forever in heaven or hell, 1Thessalonians 4.16,17; Revelation 20.15. The God Who brought you into being, in Whom you live and move, has decreed that you must exist forever. Yes, "forever" is the word. You yourself must decide … where are you going?

The open door of an eternal heaven, and the open door of an endless hell are both before you. God has left you to choose which you will enter at the end of life’s journey. Remember, the choice must be made now, not then. To be prepared for that eternal heaven, you must acknowledge that you are a lost, hell-deserving sinner before God, and trust His Son, Jesus Christ Who died as a sacrifice for sinners and rose again, Romans 5.8, as your Saviour. To reject, despise, or neglect the Son of God and His offer of salvation, or to try to save yourself, is to doom yourself to hell. You do not have to be an atheist in order to perish. You do not have to be one of the "worst" sinners to be lost forever. You only have to continue as you are, neglecting God’s great salvation, Hebrews 2.3, and God has declared that you will perish eternally. Stop and think! Where are you going?

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" John 3.36. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" John 5.24. "Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!" Deuteronomy 32.29.

Written by a guest blogger (Assembly Testimony) for Seek the Truth Bible Media

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.