Disappearance

The news media frequently reports stories of people and things that have disappeared or gone missing. Often these stories run for a while as explanations are sought or the lost is found. We can think of children who have inexplicably disappeared; in Northern Ireland some, who seemingly have been abducted by terrorists, are termed ‘the disappeared’; recently an aircraft left Malaysia to go to China and it mysteriously disappeared. Some of these stories, while unexplainable, hold a certain fascination as we try to understand the whys and wherefores.

For a Christian believer the greatest disappearance of all is that of sins. The Word of God, the Holy Bible, states, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” John 1.29. Undoubtedly, the greatest problem the world ever faced was that of sin. All other problems, whether family, financial, physical, may affect some people, but sin affects us all. Every other difficulty is the result of sin and none can escape its consequences. This is what the Bible declares, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” Romans 5.12. Notice the word ‘all’ is mentioned twice. We cannot escape this truth.

It may be reasoned that if we are all in the same situation, why worry? That kind of reasoning would hardly have been a comfort to those who were on the aircraft that disappeared! It would not have helped those who were drowned when the famous ship ‘Titanic’ went below the icy waters!

The reason why you need to worry is this: “Because He [God] hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead” Acts 17.31. If we are to escape the judgment of God against our sins, then our sins have to disappear. This can only happen on one basis: “… the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” 1John 1.7. It was wonderful of God to send His own Son into this world to die on the cross of Calvary for sinners: “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5.8. When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour, God has promised, “… their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” Hebrews 10.17.

For all whose sins have been banished, there is another disappearance that to them is delightful. The Saviour has promised, “… I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” John 14.3. The apostle Paul records in his letter to the young church in Thessalonica, “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” 1Thessalonians 4.16,17.

National and international events, natural and physical calamities, increasing immorality and vice, cruelty and violence all point to the fact that Jesus Christ is coming again. We do not know when, but we believe it will be soon and then all those whose sins have been cleansed, will be snatched away to heaven to be forever with the Lord. What a glorious prospect! Unfortunately, it is not shared by all. Those whose sins are not forgiven will be left for the judicial dealings of God. Little wonder we are instructed, “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” Matthew 24.44.

This blog was written by a Guest Blogger. For more blogs, podcasts or videos explaining "Truth u Can Trust" or to get in touch visit Seek the Truth Bible Media at www.seekthetruth.org.uk

Where can you hear about the bible? Here are some links for you to access this information.

I met a number of people today and had the privilege of chatting to them about Christianity and the need to consider what the bible has to say.

I believe that the biggest issues in life need to be addressed immediately for a number of reasons -

• life is uncertain;
• death is a guaranteed event in all of our lives;
• everything we achieve in this life is only for this life;
• our sin and wrong will catch up with us one day and the final one (there are many more);
• the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ cannot be ignored. 

H G Wells, that famous English writer,  once said "I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history." Quite a statement and one that demands that we consider who Jesus was/is, what his claims are and the effect that ignoring what he said will have on our lives.

This is a reminder of where to find the bible podcasts, videos and blogs that I write and post on a regular basis.

Bible Podcasts (audio talks) - type www.seekthetruth.org.uk into the address bar on your internet search and listen to or download some of the audio messages.

Blogs (written articles) - you are reading one and can come back to read more at any time. Other blogs can found at http://liverpoolphotoblog.blogspot.co.uk/ or http://goodnews4liverpool.wordpress.com.

Radio Programmes - I record a 10 minute slot for internet radio every week. You can also listen to this on Mondays and Saturdays at 9 am and every three hours thereafter on www.vintageradio.org.uk. The program host is Ernie Hardwick and he kindly gives me a weekly slot on his program. Unfortunately I cannot tell where in the hour I will be slotted in so if you are interested you would need to stay tuned in for the hour.

YouTube (Video Bible Teaching and explanations of Christianity) - If you are interested in Bible Teaching you should look at the videos I have recorded on YouTube. You can access by going to www.seekthetruth.org.uk and then clicking on the YouTube icon on the left hand side of the page (the picture above is for illustrative purposes only).

Have a great day,

Stephen

A House Divided

The Lough Erne Resort in County Fermanagh Northern Ireland is the beautiful location where the recent G8 meetings were held. The world press and TV carried aerial photographs of the house and the world leaders walking abreast along a road to a photo-shoot place where they lined up to present a picture to the world of political unity. The actual meetings in the house revealed that all was not sweetness and light when they discussed supplying military hardware to the fighting factions in Syria. It was a house divided by political dogma, Putin said Russia would continue to supply arms to the Assad regime, whereas Obama and Cameron were uncertain about selling military firepower to the rebels, consisting of a mish-mash of Arab groups with their own agenda, of who and how Syria should be governed.

Syria itself is a divided house comprised of Shias and Sunnis Muslims, fighting each other, with a total so far, approaching 100,000 fatalities. When order is restored it will take years to rebuild the infrastructure and houses in the towns and villages throughout the land. Sometimes such divisions can never be healed; hatred and distrust lay just under the surface ready to erupt again when provoked.

Yahoo News carried this report by Omar Fahmy on Thursday 13^th.June. CAIRO (Reuters) – “A congress of leading Sunni Muslim clerics issued a call to holy war on Thursday against the Damascus government and its Shi'ite allies, hardening sectarian confrontation across the Middle East over the Syrian conflict. Alarmed by reverses by the mainly Sunni rebels since the Iranian-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah threw its full weight behind President Bashar al-Assad last month, Sunni religious authorities have stepped up rhetoric that could fuel a wider regional conflict and communal bloodshed in Syria and elsewhere. Concluding a conference in Cairo at which more than 70 Sunni scholarly organizations were represented, a leading Egyptian preacher made a televised statement accusing the rebels' enemies of waging "war on Islam". He urged the faithful to send money and arms to Syria and pursue "all forms of jihad". A house divided!

It is a sad state of affairs when a house is divided, where wife and husband do not love each other and they choose to live selfish lives. Where children are brought up under a roof where bitterness produces a daily diet of arguments, often they are just waiting to leave home and go their own way. Does this ring a bell? If so don’t despair, homes can be healed as well as broken hearts, Jesus Christ is the great healer.

I remember preaching in the prison in St. John’s Antigua, on the text in Galatians ch.1:4, “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.” It is the first of five texts in the New Testament where it is stated that Jesus “gave himself”, in this text it was for our sins. There were about sixty men in the upstairs chapel listening to the message. I said to them “You don’t need me as a preacher to come here and tell you that you are sinners, the law of society will tell you that. What you need me as preacher to tell you is how you can be delivered from sin’s power and the pull of this present evil world. Many of you are fathers, how can you return home and stand in front of your family and say – “Follow me”? ” Any form of leadership, whether in a home, a school, a nation, demands moral character. When the service ended a prisoner came to me, told me his name and asked me to pray for him. That was about a decade ago, I remember his name, and I have just prayed for him that the Word of God has changed his life!

Twice in Luke’s gospel the Saviour referred to a divided house, in ch.11:17 He said, “But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.” This verse gives us the principle that a divided kingdom or house cannot stand. A principle is unchanging; if it could change then it would not be a principle. What Christ said then still applies today. That verse in its context relates to Satan’s kingdom, which is a house divided against itself, therefore it cannot stand.

In the next chapter, we read in v.51 to 53, “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.  The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.” These verses relate to the coming of the Lord to the earth when He sets up His Kingdom. The same truth applies to when He comes again to the air to take His Church to Heaven. Family members will be divided, those who believe and are saved will go to meet Him in the air and go to Heaven. Those that are left behind will experience the terrors of the Great Tribulation. Which will it be for you?

Charitie Lees Smith was a Christian lady from County Fermanagh, she wrote in 1863 the hymn ‘Before the throne of God above’, the last verse reads, ‘Behold Him there the risen Lamb, My perfect spotless righteousness, The great unchangeable I AM, The King of glory and of grace, One in Himself I cannot die. My soul is purchased by His blood, My life is hid with Christ on high, With Christ my Saviour and my God!’ I believe her words rather than those of the G8 world leaders. Do you?  God bless.

Written for “Finding the Missing Peace” by a Guest Blogger