I friend of mine wrote this article I have added some additional comments on at the end, Stephen.
"Forgive my naivety, but I am perplexed! I was always under the impression that something toxic is poisonous and can prove fatal, whereas an asset is a possession of some value, great or small, for one’s personal or corporate benefit. So what have we got here with this financial media description called Toxic assets?
Regarding the politicians intervention of tweaking the economy by injecting millions, or is it billions, or even trillions of dollars? They are not convinced that this will remedy the problem by removing the toxic parts of their damaged assets. I heard a BBC interview with Kenneth Clark a former Conservative Chancellor of the Exchequer being asked about dealing with the present economic troubles. Although he personally was intrigued with the challenge of addressing the toxic asset problem, he acknowledged that no politician had in their lifetime’s experience faced such issues before, also this is new territory for everyone.
Meanwhile, the furor continues about excessive pay-offs, bonuses and pensions to people responsible for the failure of Banks and other financial institutions. Shareholders and investors see this as reward for failure and perhaps would like to see these people put into prison for causing such economic mayhem. How many homes will be lost because of redundancies? How many businesses will go under in shrinking economies all over the world? Families face misery through the fault of capitalistic greed of others"
Life in the twenty-first century is full of problems – global terrorism, credit crunch, family breakups, environmental disasters…the list seems endless. The root cause of hate, greed, hurt and selfishness is sin, our rebellion against the God who created us.
The answer is to be found in a death in the first century. ‘Christ died for our sins’ (The Bible: 1 Corinthians 15 v 3). We can personally experience God’s forgiveness and love when we realise our wrong and accept what God has done for us through His Son. The Bible says 'while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us' (The Bible: Romans 5 v 8).
Easter is about more than simply remembering His death. We also celebrate His resurrection. 'Now is Christ risen from the dead' (The Bible: 1 Corinthians 15:20). The living Saviour wants us to have new life, new hope and new freedom. He can give us everlasting life today....when we turn from our sins and trust in Him. 'Now is the day of salvation' (The Bible: 2 Corinthians 6 v 2).
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
A Sad Day
And Jesus Called A Little Child Unto Him
Someone has rightly said that if you take a text out of its context it becomes a pretext. My heading is taken from Matthew ch.18:1 to 3 which reads, “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” I will come back to that passage later on.
Around 6.30am on Wednesday 25th. February, six year-old Ivan Cameron, eldest son of David and Samantha Cameron died in Hospital in London. This little boy whom his father described as “My beautiful boy” had suffered from birth with Ohtahara syndrome, a form of cerebral palsy that has epileptic consequences. To see the grief expressed on the faces of his parents as they left the Hospital shortly after his death said it all; this little boy with all his disabilities was loved intensely by his family.
Between 9am and 10am a phone-in program on BBC Five Live was interrupted with an announcement from the Conservative Head Office telling of the death of the Conservative Leader’s son. The subject for the phone-in was immediately dropped and the remainder of that program and others that followed were taken up with this breaking news.
A Press release reported in the Daily Telegraph read, 'Mr Brown's offer to cancel Prime Ministers Questions had been accepted with "gratitude" by Mr Cameron's office despite William Hague, his deputy, being ready to stand in for the Tory leader'. The last time it was dropped was after the sudden death of the Labour leader John Smith in 1994. Mr Cameron's office later announced he would take two weeks compassionate leave to spend time with his wife and two children Nancy, aged five, and Arthur, aged three, who have been told that Ivan has "gone to heaven".
Once again the conscience of the nation was awakened to the value of life, the value of medical care at the point of need, the value of family where true love is right at the centre for everyone in the home.
It struck me quite heavily that this little boy, Ivan, his life and the cessation of it, has accomplished more in speaking to the nation (and possibly the world) than the majority of us will ever do, either politician in Paliament or preacher in pulpit. This defenceless, helpless little fellow has jolted us to realise that there is quality of life even in suffering, and there is a better life in Heaven for those capable of trusting the Lord Jesus Christ, and also those like Ivan that are too young, or incapable of doing so.
I believe David Cameron has every right to tell Nancy and Arthur that their elder brother has gone to Heaven. This is not an empty hope based upon sentiment but upon the unerring Word of God.
In the Bible we read of another father named David who sorrowed the loss of two sons, one a baby, the other a man. The loss of each son was equally grievous for David, he mourned for both, though he knew that one went to Heaven and the other did not.
Bathsheba’s baby lived a short life and died, David said “While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” (2Sam.12:18) The man who wrote Psalm 23 knew where he was going and he knew where his child had gone.
The other son that died was Absalom; he was an adult and tried to usurp the throne from his father. His rebellious life was ended by Joab and one of David’s men reported to the King, “The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is. And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!” (2Sam.18:32)
The difference between King David’s two sons was that the baby had not reached an age of responsibility; Absalom had and had turned against God. What a salutary lesson that is for all of us!
Coming back to the text in Matt.ch.18, the corresponding text in Mark ch.9:36 says, “And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them.”
Three other things that Jesus ‘took’ are these. In John ch.6 He took loaves from a lad and fed a multitude of people, He used a lad to be the means of blessing to thousands. May Ivan’s death do the same! In John 13 He took a towel and washed their feet, teaching us a lesson of humility in service. In Mark ch.8:22 He took a blind man by the hand and led him to a better life.
Our text in Matt.18 and Mark 9 tells us that Jesus called a little child unto Him and He took a child and set him in the midst.
What did the Saviour teach us from this? He was showing us that unless we are converted, and we come to Him in childlike faith, trusting Him emphatically for our souls eternal salvation and being with Him in His everlasting Kingdom, unless we do that we shall never get to Heaven, to be received into the loving arms of the one who gave His life on a cross for us. God bless.
Stan Burditt (View from the Pulpit March 09)
Someone has rightly said that if you take a text out of its context it becomes a pretext. My heading is taken from Matthew ch.18:1 to 3 which reads, “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” I will come back to that passage later on.
Around 6.30am on Wednesday 25th. February, six year-old Ivan Cameron, eldest son of David and Samantha Cameron died in Hospital in London. This little boy whom his father described as “My beautiful boy” had suffered from birth with Ohtahara syndrome, a form of cerebral palsy that has epileptic consequences. To see the grief expressed on the faces of his parents as they left the Hospital shortly after his death said it all; this little boy with all his disabilities was loved intensely by his family.
Between 9am and 10am a phone-in program on BBC Five Live was interrupted with an announcement from the Conservative Head Office telling of the death of the Conservative Leader’s son. The subject for the phone-in was immediately dropped and the remainder of that program and others that followed were taken up with this breaking news.
A Press release reported in the Daily Telegraph read, 'Mr Brown's offer to cancel Prime Ministers Questions had been accepted with "gratitude" by Mr Cameron's office despite William Hague, his deputy, being ready to stand in for the Tory leader'. The last time it was dropped was after the sudden death of the Labour leader John Smith in 1994. Mr Cameron's office later announced he would take two weeks compassionate leave to spend time with his wife and two children Nancy, aged five, and Arthur, aged three, who have been told that Ivan has "gone to heaven".
Once again the conscience of the nation was awakened to the value of life, the value of medical care at the point of need, the value of family where true love is right at the centre for everyone in the home.
It struck me quite heavily that this little boy, Ivan, his life and the cessation of it, has accomplished more in speaking to the nation (and possibly the world) than the majority of us will ever do, either politician in Paliament or preacher in pulpit. This defenceless, helpless little fellow has jolted us to realise that there is quality of life even in suffering, and there is a better life in Heaven for those capable of trusting the Lord Jesus Christ, and also those like Ivan that are too young, or incapable of doing so.
I believe David Cameron has every right to tell Nancy and Arthur that their elder brother has gone to Heaven. This is not an empty hope based upon sentiment but upon the unerring Word of God.
In the Bible we read of another father named David who sorrowed the loss of two sons, one a baby, the other a man. The loss of each son was equally grievous for David, he mourned for both, though he knew that one went to Heaven and the other did not.
Bathsheba’s baby lived a short life and died, David said “While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” (2Sam.12:18) The man who wrote Psalm 23 knew where he was going and he knew where his child had gone.
The other son that died was Absalom; he was an adult and tried to usurp the throne from his father. His rebellious life was ended by Joab and one of David’s men reported to the King, “The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is. And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!” (2Sam.18:32)
The difference between King David’s two sons was that the baby had not reached an age of responsibility; Absalom had and had turned against God. What a salutary lesson that is for all of us!
Coming back to the text in Matt.ch.18, the corresponding text in Mark ch.9:36 says, “And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them.”
Three other things that Jesus ‘took’ are these. In John ch.6 He took loaves from a lad and fed a multitude of people, He used a lad to be the means of blessing to thousands. May Ivan’s death do the same! In John 13 He took a towel and washed their feet, teaching us a lesson of humility in service. In Mark ch.8:22 He took a blind man by the hand and led him to a better life.
Our text in Matt.18 and Mark 9 tells us that Jesus called a little child unto Him and He took a child and set him in the midst.
What did the Saviour teach us from this? He was showing us that unless we are converted, and we come to Him in childlike faith, trusting Him emphatically for our souls eternal salvation and being with Him in His everlasting Kingdom, unless we do that we shall never get to Heaven, to be received into the loving arms of the one who gave His life on a cross for us. God bless.
Stan Burditt (View from the Pulpit March 09)
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Snowy days
We all enjoy the snow apart from when sadly it brings hardship and problems. Quite right too! It is great to have fun and to enjoy the excitement of sledging and snowball fights.
One of the oldest books in the Bible also talks about snow. It teaches lessons from nature so that we will learn that God made our planet to educate us and point our minds and souls to Him.
Lesson 1.
Job 6:16 - Snow melts - How obvious! The lesson is - life is brief.
Lesson 2.
Job 9:30 - Snow was used as an agent of cleansing in the ancient world - We all need cleansing as sin and wrong has defiled us in the sight of a holy God.
Lesson 3.
Job 24:19 - Snow evaporates in the heat - it becomes seemingly insignificant as it disappears. We might feel like that but the word of God tells us that if God counts the birds that die and the hairs on our head we are very important to Him.
Lesson 4.
Job 37:6 - Heavy snowfall is dangerous - we know this too well but nature reminds us that we are unable to control our circumstances so we had better learn that we are mortal and turn to God who is over all, blessed for ever.
Lesson 5.
Job 38:22 - There is an inexplicable dimension in nature. God says "have you been to see the stockpile of snow or hail in the sky". No you say it doesn't exist. You are right but the designed earth produces snow and hail from clouds. Now how is that for a spectacle! God is great in creation and great in salvation.
"The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World"
One of the oldest books in the Bible also talks about snow. It teaches lessons from nature so that we will learn that God made our planet to educate us and point our minds and souls to Him.
Lesson 1.
Job 6:16 - Snow melts - How obvious! The lesson is - life is brief.
Lesson 2.
Job 9:30 - Snow was used as an agent of cleansing in the ancient world - We all need cleansing as sin and wrong has defiled us in the sight of a holy God.
Lesson 3.
Job 24:19 - Snow evaporates in the heat - it becomes seemingly insignificant as it disappears. We might feel like that but the word of God tells us that if God counts the birds that die and the hairs on our head we are very important to Him.
Lesson 4.
Job 37:6 - Heavy snowfall is dangerous - we know this too well but nature reminds us that we are unable to control our circumstances so we had better learn that we are mortal and turn to God who is over all, blessed for ever.
Lesson 5.
Job 38:22 - There is an inexplicable dimension in nature. God says "have you been to see the stockpile of snow or hail in the sky". No you say it doesn't exist. You are right but the designed earth produces snow and hail from clouds. Now how is that for a spectacle! God is great in creation and great in salvation.
"The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World"
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Facing Death
Today was an unusual one. I went to the funeral of a Christian gentleman. He was old and had been married. He lived a simple life, not much money but he had always seemed to be happy and content. We were told by the preacher that he had been an angry man once, it sounded like he had almost verged on abusing his wife. He had found it impossible to control his temper.
One day he met a family who seemed to be different. They were kind and considerate and had a happy lifestyle even though they were not very wealthy. They explained to him that the source of their contentment was not based on what they had nor an extra-ordinary strength of character but because they had been introduced to God and that they knew His presence and power in their lives.
That day my friend decided that he wanted what they had. They explained that God was offering to everyone the same deal. Simply put - admit your guilt and need before God, confess your inability to live to perfection on your own and accept the offer of forgiveness from God and he will keep his promise to 'save' you. They explained that the offer was genuine because God is the creator and we are answerable to Him but more than that God sent His Son, Jesus, to earth 2008 years ago. All the details of His life point a thinking mind to this fact - God appeared on earth and in person (the person of His Son) paid the price for sin by His death. The factual historical record of the resurrection of Jesus confirms the claims that He is the Son of God and dealt with sin and transgression by His death. God raised Him from the dead by the Spirit of holiness.
Our friend responded when he heard about the offer of forgiveness and the power of a saved and changed life. Will you? Please let us know if we can help you.
Stephen
One day he met a family who seemed to be different. They were kind and considerate and had a happy lifestyle even though they were not very wealthy. They explained to him that the source of their contentment was not based on what they had nor an extra-ordinary strength of character but because they had been introduced to God and that they knew His presence and power in their lives.
That day my friend decided that he wanted what they had. They explained that God was offering to everyone the same deal. Simply put - admit your guilt and need before God, confess your inability to live to perfection on your own and accept the offer of forgiveness from God and he will keep his promise to 'save' you. They explained that the offer was genuine because God is the creator and we are answerable to Him but more than that God sent His Son, Jesus, to earth 2008 years ago. All the details of His life point a thinking mind to this fact - God appeared on earth and in person (the person of His Son) paid the price for sin by His death. The factual historical record of the resurrection of Jesus confirms the claims that He is the Son of God and dealt with sin and transgression by His death. God raised Him from the dead by the Spirit of holiness.
Our friend responded when he heard about the offer of forgiveness and the power of a saved and changed life. Will you? Please let us know if we can help you.
Stephen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)