Take your pick!

 

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

Typically we associate the words ‘Take your pick’ with shopping: we might see it written on a confectionery counter, or hear it spoken by a shopkeeper as he or she encourages us to select items from a pile of fresh fruit. This short three-word statement reminds us that we are continually making choices: in the supermarket, in the clothes shop, deciding which holiday destination to go to, which make and model of car to purchase. On many levels, we make selections throughout our lives. Sometimes we make the wrong decision or are advised incorrectly to take a certain course of action but often we can change our mind and in many cases, the consequences are not serious anyway. There are, however, occasions when the wrong choice can be fatal or at least life-changing and irreversible and so great caution is essential and detailed knowledge of what is at stake.

A diamond rush

 

Photos courtesy of Unsplash

South Africa is famous for its diamonds. Not many ‘world records’ stand for more than a century, but a diamond discovered in that country in 1905 remains the largest ever found. So when, a few months ago, a cattle herder unearthed a promising-looking stone near a village in the east of the country, he hoped that it was that precious mineral. Word spread, and by mid-June this year many people had arrived, from different parts, to dig in the earth. Most were poor and longed to discover gems that would lift them out of poverty.

The Bible describes poverty that is not material, but spiritual, and affects not just a high proportion of the population, but all of it: the condition of sin, which afflicts all of mankind. The wealthiest are not exempt: the Lord Jesus spoke of “a certain rich man” who was “not rich toward God” Luke 12.21. In Scriptures such as Luke 7.40-50, sin is likened to a huge debt, which we cannot pay. Hence, if left to ourselves, we would remain unforgiven, to suffer the consequences, in the Lake of Fire: a state of unending spiritual poverty, with no hope of escape.

Don't be late - be on time!

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

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

Does the weather affect your mood?

What was the first thing you noticed this morning when you got up? Maybe I should reword that. I am not thinking about your beautiful spouse or children. My question really is – did you notice if it was sunny or rainy? Did the weather annoy you or concern you?

Some summers are really a bit of a non-event. I’ll not go into the precise statistics, but it seems that often summers come and go with little evidence that we actually had one.

Life is like that for a lot of us. Some people feel that it has passed them by. The dreams of yesterday never quite became the reality of today. The wish list remained just that – a wish list. If only.  Life need not be like that. I believe that God’s desire for humanity is to lift our gaze from the mundane things of life and to give us hope, but more of that in a moment.