Wonderful Wednesday

Another crazy day has run it's course. I'll not bore you with all the details save to say that it was busy. My first task was talking to children in school - this is great fun especially when they let me sing songs with them and tell stories. I find children are really easy to engage especially when music and games are involved. In the two schools I was in today I was talking to them about the poem called "Footprints". If you don't know the poem and the story behind it, google it, and might you find it interesting. I was asked to talk about it and to relate the poem to the idea of compassion. It was interesting to see that the Bible does actually talk about God being with us through the tough times of life. 

Listen to this:

God says in Isaiah 43 that he would be with his people though the flood and through the fire. This is an amazing promise of the presence and power of God to sustain those who trust him through the greatest trauma's and crisises of life. 

In the famous Psalm, Psalm 23, the psalmist states 'yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me'. God promises His presence even when we are facing death or in sorrows that are associated with death. 

The last reference I discovered was in Hebrews 13:5. It is said that God will never leave or forsake those who trust Him. I guarantee that you couldn't get a better deal than that. 

No wonder I like talking to children about the bible. The world we live in is increasingly evil but I am glad to tell them of the hope that they can have in Jesus Christ.  He came into the world to save sinners. All you need to do to qualify for his blessing in salvation is to confess your sin (to him in prayer) and he will do what he says (he is faithful) and he will do it properly (he is just). That means he will forgive us and clean us from the charges that have been levelled against us. 

For more information, videos, podcast and contact details visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk. 

Troublesome Tuesday

Tuesday's for me are usually very busy; and so I shouldn't have been surprised that today was manic. I started off in a School in Rainhill where I was talking about 'Respect' and David's (the King in waiting) care for those who were discontented, distressed and in debt. David is a wonderful picture of the Lord Jesus Christ who said 'come unto me' to those who are weary and burdened with sin. He alone can give rest and peace to troubled hearts as he made peace available as a result of shedding his blood when he died on the cross. 

After that I came back to my office and prepared a radio program for Vintage Radio (www.vintageradio.org.uk). This (the program is called 'The Living Hope Show) goes out on a Saturday morning at 0830 and then again at 1530. If you would like to listen please do, we would love to have your company. 

At 12.30 I left the office and visited a family who I try to keep in touch with on my way to Liverpool City  Centre where were running one of our twice weekly Street Meetings. We got quite a lot of response today. One man shouted at us as he thought that we should not be preaching in public. It's a great opportunity to share the truth of the gospel of God's grace. Sin and death are awful but in Jesus Christ we have the answer. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

After that I spent an hour with a friend who enjoys studying the bible with me. We continued to look at 2 Corinthians 8 in the New Testament. 

Home beckoned after that as my wife, Carole, is visiting her parents in Ballymena, NI and I am the chief cook and bottle washer at the moment. I excelled with my culinary skills tonight - I made a chicken and chilli stir fry. What a tasty meal!

I spent an hour with my son and then we both headed out to a weekly bible study we attend. There were seven of us, apart from me they are young men. We are studying in Romans 12; it's really challenging stuff. By 9 pm they were on the football pitch ready to play football but before that started, Simon, one of the leaders spoke for about five minutes about the gospel of Jesus Christ. I then headed home as I had some invoices to arrange payment for (for the renovations that are taking place in the church building we meet in) and I had still had to do some preparation to do for my first school assembly tomorrow morning. 

And so to bed zzzzzzzzzz

Sleep well. 

Magical Monday

Today is the start of a working week for most people. For me, it is meant to be a day of rest after a busy weekend. Well it wasn't!

Carole left for Ballymena at 7.35 am, I did the food shopping in Tesco's at 8.30 am after dropping her at the Airport. How dizzy can you get burling (I think that is a good Scottish word) around a supermarket looking for eggs, then pancakes, chicken - I'll stop or you'll know what I'm making for tea each night this week. Supermarket shopping is stressful - ladies your skills are amazing. 

The rest of the day was spent completing church accounts, writing letters, visiting the bank, the Post Office, dealing with a painter, visiting a sick friend and answering the phone time and time again. Relaxing, no!!!

At the end of the day it was probably what you all do on Mondays but for me - I had hoped for a relaxing day. Och well, maybe next week. Oh no, I'm off to Lossiemouth next Monday so that's another one gone. 

It's just as well I love this work. I serve the best of bosses - the Lord Jesus Christ, so I really mustn't complain. I had one great phone conversation today. My friend, Tom, phoned to ask what it meant to be yoked to Jesus. Do you know the answer? Jesus said, as recorded in Matthew 11:29 'take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls'. Now that got me thinking. To be yoked to or harnessed together with the Lord Jesus means you serve with him, you are linked to him as you work and He taught that working with Him means rest for your soul and that He is gentle to work with. 

That makes a days work so much easier but it only applies to people who are saved through faith in Jesus Christ. I hope it makes you think, it did in my case!

Sunday - The Lord's Day

Today is the day of the week when early followers of Jesus met together. People know this day as Sunday but in the New Testament is became known as the Lord's Day, Revelation 1:10. 

This special day is observed by most Christians as the weekly memorial of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is said in the Gospels to have been witnessed alive from the dead early on the first day of the week.

According to some sources, Christians held corporate worship on Sunday in the 1st century.^[1] The earliest Biblical example of Christians meeting together on a Sunday for the purpose of "breaking bread" and preaching is cited in the New Testament book The Acts of the Apostles chapter 20 and verse 7 (Acts 20:7). 2nd-century writers such as Justin Martyr attest to the widespread practice of Sunday worship (First Apology, chapter 67), and by 361 AD it had become a mandated weekly occurrence. 

I have enjoyed today. It has been my privilege to remember and worship the Lord Jesus Christ. We had friends for a lovely lunch of salmon and other friends who popped in to see us on their way home to Northern Ireland. 

Later in the day I had the joy of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with friends in Bromborough. 

All in all an excellent day. How was your day?

1. ^ Roger T. Beckwith (2001). Calendar and Chronology, Jewish and Christian: Biblical, Intertestamental and Patristic Studies. BRILL. pp. 47–. ISBN 0-391-04123-1.