Here we go again!

Do you ever get frustrated about jobs that never seem to go away. Whether it's cleaning the house, washing the car, shaving or submitting your tax return it just seems like yesterday since you last did them. The unending cycle of repetitive jobs. Wouldn't it be good if some jobs could be done once, never need repeated and the effect of the initial work never went away. There are very few things in this world that are like that, in fact I can't think of any at the moment.

Please read on....

The Bible teaches that there is something that was done so well, that it never needs to be repeated and its effect is for ever. What is it you might say? Let me quote the Bible to you again. It says about Jesus that 'once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself' (Hebrews.9.26). The Bible says that 'this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God' (Hebrews.10.12).

You can know the everlasting effect of the work that the Lord Jesus did when he died on the cross. He came that we might have life. He promises that if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us.

Will you trust him and experience the everlasting effect of salvation?

Listen to seekthetruth for more information.

Thanks, Stephen

Old shoes are the best

Some things in life are so normal that we don’t think about them and then when they happen we seem surprised. Take for instance things wearing out and needing to be replaced. Shoes for instance. We feel comfortable in them, they seem to grow with us and we are quite happy to wear them for a while longer but sometimes they just need to be replaced. They grow used, worn and old and we don’t even notice it.

Lots of things are like this in life in fact nothing really is permanent. But we all like constancy to some extent and even people who are constantly up for new things have habits and routines in the way that they do certain things. To some extent you could say that we yearn for things that are lasting and eternal.

My blog today is written to remind you that the God I trust is an eternal God. Even Jesus, the Son of God, when described by a prophet hundreds of years before his coming is described as the one ‘whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting’ (Micah.5.2). He is also described as ‘the everlasting Father’ or the ‘Father of eternity’ (Isaiah.9.6). God is an eternal being, the great un-begun beginner and the ultimate originator of everything.

Life is not eternal on this planet everything is degenerating. However humans were created in the image of God and are in eternal in the essence of our being i.e. as the old preachers used to say “we have a never dying soul”. Quaint but true!

The question is where will be in the great eternal existence that lies beyond this world? How do we know it exists? Why are Christians so convinced? All the questions are answered in one person, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Son of God who came into the world from heaven. He has all the hallmarks of being God - supernatural power, knowledge that is beyond the mind of humans, fulfillment of prophecy, the virgin birth, flawless humanity – which is why Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God but that discussion is not for just now.

What can the Lord Jesus offer to us creatures of time who have a longing for eternal life and all its values? Jesus said that He came that we might ‘have life’; He gives to those who realize that they are spiritually dead in sin, ‘eternal life’. He can offer this because he by his death ‘offered one sacrifice for sins for ever’ (Hebrews.10.12). The question is have you got eternal life? If not your soul will be lost forever. This is not annihilation but an eternal existence separated from God and all that he is i.e. love, justice, peace, safety, strength and so on. The solution is ‘believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved’. Salvation is freely available through faith in Jesus, the Son of God.

Listen on seekthetruth.org.uk

Twenty five life changing words

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

To most Christians these are familiar words. When I was young old preachers described this verse as 'the gospel in a nutshell'. They meant that this one verse sums up the good news of what Christianity is all about in 25 words.

If you count 12 words from the start of the verse the next word is SON

If you could 12 words from the end the next word is SON

Do you think it is significant that the central word of the verse is SON, I do? Jesus Christ, the SON of God is central to the Christian message.

He was born of a virgin girl as predicted in the Bible.

He is the perfect Son of God but he lived for 33 years in an imperfect world and contrary to all the norms of life he was perfect and faultless - the Bible calls it, sinless.

He lived a life to display what God is like. The Bible describes Him as God revealed in flesh.

He died for our sins. The Bible says this in numerous places i.e. 'Christ died for the ungodly' (Romans.5.6), 'while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us' (Romans.5.8).

He is the only way of salvation. The Bible says 'neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved'

Finally one of the ways of reading the verse that was explained to me was to insert your name into the text. It makes the verse keenly personal to you. Why not try it but best of all believe it.

For God so loved Stephen Baker that he gave his only begotten Son that if Stephen Baker believes in him Stephen Baker should not perish but have everlasting life.

By the way the verse is written to apply to all. If it had my name in it it would exclude you. If your name was there it would exclude me but it says WHOSOEVER which means it includes everyone.

Inevitable

The late Harold Wilson, former Prime Minister and leader of the U.K. Labour Party said, “A week is a long time in politics”. The last week of October must have been so for the Eurozone leaders when they met in Brussels to find a solution to the Euro crisis. Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor said, “If the Euro fails, Europe fails.”  There is an inevitability about her words and possibly caused her fellow national leaders to pull back from the brink of total collapse. They agreed a bailout plan initially for Greece but also for other countries that are tottering such as Spain, Portugal, Italy and Ireland, who also have major debt problems. Many newspaper financial commentators are sceptical about how this plan is going to be implemented in time, they have heard euphemisms before but they want to hear words that will work. One lady said that they were just kicking the can down the road. We understand her words to mean that at some point in time someone has got to pick the can up, though battered and damaged, it has got to be addressed, there is no point in kicking it further down Debt Avenue.

When I worked with our Gospel Van in Cornwall, it was said of the weather, that if it rained for two weeks there would be floods and if it didn’t rain for two weeks there would be a drought! It was inevitable! It always puzzled me as to why an area that has so much rainfall, could not conserve it in reservoirs for the influx of tourists that can treble the population of the county when the sun shines. Management of the earth’s resources is vital as the world’s population tops seven billion people and over one half of them live in poverty and with no clean water supply. Every human being is dependant on water, our bodies are seventy percent water and we cannot survive many days without it. In many places in Africa they don’t kick their cans down the road, they carry them to a point where clean water is available, fill them up, put the vessel on their head and carry it home, sometimes at a great distance. Share Africa is a Christian Charity that is helping village communities in different ways, paying for books and the education of children. They also have a well sunk in the village and pump the water up into a storage tank for families to draw their water from and save them a long walk to the river. Other charities do similar things and are commendable for their involvement.

If you jump off a cliff with nothing to control your rate of descent, you will according to gravity go downwards, accelerating at 32 feet per second, per second, it is inevitable that you will hit the ground, damaged or dead.

 If you hold a live power line in your hand with bare ends and if you touch those ends together, either a fuse will blow or you will suffer a shock that could kill you. 

If you hold a gun to your head with a chamber full of bullets and squeeze the trigger, it is inevitable that you will die. You do not need me to illustrate incidents that are life threatening, it is common sense to avoid such situations.

Allow me to ask you a question and in so doing I am not insulting your intelligence. If you can reason that things that are fatal must be avoided, why are you choosing to ignore the warnings in the Bible about your agnostic/atheistic position and where you will spend eternity?

It is inevitable that a person who believes that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Saviour will spend their eternity in Heaven, whereas an unbeliever will be in Hell. I can almost hear the shouts of disapproving readers, so I will tell you what the Apostle John said in ch.3:36, “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.” That is conclusive isn’t it? These are not my words they are God’s words and we should sit up and take notice. It is futile to play the ‘good-works-card’ to deceive oneself into thinking, I’m all right, I’ve never done any one any harm, I always pay my way and never steel anything from anybody. I’m all right, I can carry on living as I do and when it comes to the end, if there is a Heaven, then I will go there because God would never send me to Hell.

Is the direction your life is taking leading to an inevitable outcome?

Jesus said “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” If a person builds their life on the shifting sands of the philosophies of men, that life will catastrophically fall, it is inevitable. The life that is standing on the Rock Christ Jesus will never flounder but will stand for all eternity.

I have heard Anguillians call their island, ‘The Rock’. People from other places may not have heard that but to folk that live there it means something to them. The Lord Jesus Christ is also called the Rock and to those who believe, He is the most precious person alive. Augustus Toplady wrote, ‘Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee; let the water and the blood, from thy wounded side which flowed, be of sinthe double cure; save from wrath and make me pure.’ 

In the wilderness the children of Israel drank of water from the smitten rock, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:4  “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”

The soul that stands on the Rock Christ Jesus is saved and satisfied, both are inevitable. Why? Because He said so!

God bless.

Written by Stan Burditt Nov 2011  

I was reading today in the book of Deuteronomy in the Bible. This book title means the second law. It is the second account of how God spoke to Moses and how Moses received the Law of God and the Ten Commandments. It makes an interesting read and it is not as hard going as you might imagine. The reason it had to be rewritten was in effect because before the law had been written down the first time the nation of Israel had already broken it. As Moses came down Mount Sinai he and Joshua thought that they heard the shouts of people at war. In fact they were hearing the noise of a wild party where their people were dancing and worshipping a golden calf.





What did God do then? Before Moses left the presence of God he had been warned what was going on at base camp. God had threatened to destroy the nation and start a new one through Moses. Moses in a characteristic act of humility and bravery reminded God of the shame and criticism that God would bring on His name if he destroyed his own people and in an amazing turnaround God agreed not to judge them. Now I don't really know how all this works but it seems to me on a simple reading of scripture that there have been a few men who had real power of persuasion in the presence of God (Moses, Abraham and Jacob to name a few) and God responded to their prayers - that should give us all hope.


As I close I want to summarise by pointing you to a couple of verses in Deuteronomy:


Deut.4.24 - "The Lord thy God is a consuming fire even a jealous God". This is so true and reflects the power and holiness of God. He is jealous (this is not an evil sense of the word jealous) of His holy character and will not allow it to be violated. So where does that leave flawed and sinful people like you and I - look at the next verse and also bear in mind Moses prayer.


Deut.4.31 - "For the Lord thy God is a merciful God". Is this a contradiction in terms? I personally don't think so. God preserves His character and will not allow it to be defiled but in grace he makes provision for sinful people to be forgiven. In the Old Testament it was sacrifices that had the temporary effect of covering sin. These sacrifices pictured the death of the Lord Jesus on the cross. His ultimate sacrifice makes it possible for us to be forgiven and experience the mercy of God. Scripture says "if we confess our sins, he faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1.John.1.9).

May the Lord bless you in this manner today.


Stephen


PS please watch my latest video on Moses and the Passover

Bible Exhibition

I am in Wallingford this week working with a Gospel Hall. The Christians who meet in the Gospel Hall have erected a Bible Exhibition so that people will be made aware of the history and message of the Bible. From tomorrow we will have schools in visiting every day. This evening we had an invite only event for adults. It was great to share with people the history and truth of this wonderful book that God has given to us and preserved for us.

If you are not familiar with the Bible it is worthy of your attention. Even extreme atheists such as Professor Richard Dawkins agree that the Bible should be read by everyone, of course I know he means from a literary point of view as he does not enjoy the blessing of faith in Christ for salvation but nevertheless you should read it.

Maybe you have an unread Bible at home. Go and get it. Read the word of God, it is able to make you wise unto salvation. Believing and resting on what God has done through Christ for your eternal blessing is what it is all about. Having said that you will not appreciate your need of God's salvation until you admit that like the rest of us you are a sinner. When you do get to that point remember 'Christ receives sinners' and that He came 'into the world to save sinners'. Repentance toward God (or turning away from sin and turning to God) and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ are the key ingredients in recipe that God has provided for our forgiveness and salvation. May God bless you.

Stephen

(listen to www.seekthetruth.org.uk or visit me on http://www.facebook.com/StephenBakerGoodNews4U)  

Busy Busy

I don't know about you but I am having a hectic time at the moment. It seems hard to fit everything in and yet I must admit that I really enjoy all the biz! I would be bored if I was not busy.

However we can be too busy! If any of my friends and family are reading this they will probably laugh at me admitting this but it is true. If we are too busy to spend time with our spouse or children then it will damage our relationship with them. If we are too busy to pay our bills or eat properly other consequences will arise. Many things can and do suffer if we do not allocate time to them and give them appropriate attention.

If you read my blog regularly then you will know that I spend a lot of time preaching about the bible and interesting people (or trying to) in their relationship with God, or the lack of it. It is essential to spend time on this part of our lives as this is the only bit that survives.

I was saddened to hear of the death of Steve Jobs of Apple Inc. I know it was inevitable due to his illness but it is always sad when it happens. You feel for his family, friends and colleagues of many years. He will no doubt be remembered for quite a long time by our techie generation but all the success of his life was only for this life. The Bible says we come into the world naked and we leave it in the same way.

Please take time today to consider your soul and your need to eternal life. If you want to know more read my other blogs to listen to some of my podcasts on www.seekthetruth.org.uk. Alternatively follow me on Facebook - www.facebook.com/StephenBakerGoodNews4U.

Appearances can be deceiving!

It would appear that pilfering money internally from a Bank is easier than an external attempt by seasoned bank-robbers with their elaborate plans involving explosives and getaway vehicles. In the early to mid 1990’s Nick Leeson worked in Singapore for Baring’s Bank as general manager of their Futures Markets. By the title of his book he became a ‘Rogue Trader’, meaning that he fraudulently ran up debts against the Bank of US$1.4Billion. Eventually, in 1995 he was charged with fraud and sent to prison for six and a half years but was released in 1999 having been diagnosed with colon cancer. It was alleged in the New York Times that the British Press had uncovered accounts linked to him for the value of US$35million.

Springtime 2008 at Societe Generale Bank was not a happy place to be. In January another trader, Jerome Kerviel caused the Bank losses of US$7.2Billion by fraudulent trading. Then in March the Bank sued a Turkish Jeweller for the non payment of 15 Tonnes of Gold, the Jeweller accepted responsibility of payment for only 3,250 kg of the precious metal valued at US$94Million. This now you see it, now you don’t, has all the appearance of a massive scam.

German International Broadcaster Deutsche Welle, reported on 24^th. September, ‘The chief executive of Swiss banking giant UBS, Oswald Gruebel, resigned on Saturday in the wake of a rogue trading scandal that cost the bank some $2.3 billion (1.7 billion euros).’ A London based trader for UBS, 31 year old, Kweku Adoboli has been charged with fraud and if found guilty could face a long custodial sentence. Barings, Societe Generale and UBS all appeared to be sound financial houses but each were found wanting in relation to security, no proper checks and balances were in place to avert such happenings.

About 25 years ago, my wife and I took our Motorhome/Gospel Van to the ‘Elephant Fayre’ in Cornwall. A word about the title, it had nothing to do with elephants other than if you look at a map of S/W England you will see that the County of Cornwall is shaped like an elephant’s head. The three day Rock/Arts Festival was staged at Lord Elliot’s estate at St. Germans, styled on the Gladstonbury Festival. Drugs and alcohol being an indulgence of many of the 30,000 people attending. We attached a market type stand to the side of our van, displaying free literature and presented a Gospel Witness to those that passed by, promoting some good spiritual conversations. Two young ‘Punk Rockers’ presented themselves to my wife with the question. “Does your religion give a cup of tea away?” She replied, not only so but if they wanted to join her in the van she would prepare them some cheese and tomato sandwiches. Their faces brightened, then they told her that they had been living out of the bins the past few days. I joined them at the table in the van and got talking to them and my heart went out to them as I told them the gospel. We had two sons of similar age to them! Their appearance was typical to their following, both had mohican hair cuts, one was dyed pale green, the other orange. From a distance you might have thought that they had got a parrot on their head. During the conversation one boy said to me, “Don’t judge us by our appearance”. I replied that I never judge a book by its cover! Their brashness seemed to disolve as we got under their radar and targetted their souls with the life giving message of the gospel.

Some appearances can be pretence, but the three appearances of the Son of God in Hebrews ch.9 have nothing false about them. “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

The first reference tells us where Christ is presently; He is in the presence of God in Heaven. This statement confirms the fact that He is a living Saviour and that He is there FOR US! People that believe on Him and have committed their life to Him have the assurance that their Saviour is presently in Heaven for them, interceding on their behalf. It is good to know that one’s life is in the hands of the highest person in the highest place.

All this has been secured because in time passed He appeared on earth to deal with the offensiveness and guilt of man’s sin. He did this by giving His life at Calvary, where He died on our account that He might bring us undeserving sinners back to God. I love the gospel because it tells me of the grace of God (GRACE = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense). He loved me and gave Himself for me. Paul said that and so can all those that are saved by faith in His death and resurrection.

Soon that third reference will take place, He is going to appear the second time, apart from the sin question, because He is coming to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

It is not popular in today’s secular atheistic world to believe in any of those three appearances of Christ found in Hebrews ch.9, but I do and would encourage you to start with the middle one relating to the past, He appeared to put away your sin. Believe that and your present life will take on a different meaning and your future will be no pretence but you will appear with Him in glory. How about that?  God bless.

Written for Stephen Baker by Stan Burditt of Northampton       


For further information visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk

No one is perfect!

Every Tuesday and Friday I am part of a small team of people who run a street meeting in Liverpool City Centre telling people about the message that God is still communicating to the people of the world in the Bible.


Yesterday I had quite a chat with a really nice guy, he was interested to find out more about God and life after death, why I believed it, how you can be sure etc..


One of the things we agreed on was that no one is perfect. I thing you would agree with this statement as well. It has almost become a strap line and possibly an excuse on occasions when we know we have done wrong but don't feel that we could have behaved any better. I know that it is not a popular way of putting it but the Bible simply calls it sin. That is not making the grade, not reaching the target or not being perfect.


Who sets the standard? Why do we feel imperfect? Are we just conditioned by our parents? I don't think so and the Bible definitely doesn't teach it that way. The Bible says that God is the law giver and he sets the standard. Interestingly enough the Bible actually states that God has imprinted His law (standards of right and wrong) in our hearts (Romans.2.15). That is whatever the culture or the time period human beings are aware of right and wrong and have strong views about it. What is different is the fact that from time to time people harden their hearts and sear their conscience so that their sensitivity to right and wrong is reduced. But amazingly enough when are a person is confronted with their wrongdoing their conscience is reignited and they feel guilty.


All degrees of sin are wrong but the punishment is scaled according to the severity of the disobedience - Revelation.20.12. Sin first raised its ugly head in our world through a simple act of rebellion by the first man, Adam. God tested him and he failed (Romans.5.12).


The reason for my blog is share with you the good news that God is not finished with us. He is not currently in the business of condemning us (John.3.17) but he wants to rescue us and save us. The Bible states that, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1.Timothy.1.15). Essentially the wrong that we have done by disobeying our creator and the punishment attached to it is greater than we can deal with. So God sent His Son, Jesus to this world. He alone (as everyone else had sinned and were personally guilty) was qualified to take our punishment and satisfy the legal demands of heaven. Jesus did this when he died on the cross. The Bible teaches 'Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures' (1.Corinthians.15.3,4) and as a believer I know this to be true. One day I turned from my sins, admitted to God I was guilty, confessed that he was right and I was wrong and accepted the gift of God which is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans.6.23).


You could do that today and I am praying that you will. If I can help further please e-mail at stepcar61@gmail.com or listen to my podcast at www.seekthetruth.org.uk.


May you allow God to bless you today, Stephen   

Fire from heaven!

It is reported that Hurricane Irene spawned as a tropical storm in the Caribbean, developed into a full blown hurricane as it travelled north through the Bahamas to the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, causing billions of dollars of damage.

In the early hours of Monday 22^nd August as the storm passed over Necker, lightening allegedly struck Richard Branson’s luxury home and the palm-roofed Grand House was burnt to the ground. Fire from Heaven completely destroyed the building but fortunately none of the twenty people in the house were hurt. It is said that ‘Lightening does not strike twice’ but I guess that the re-build house will have a non-flammable roof, and maybe a lightening conductor? One newspaper said that the only thing that survived the fire was a statue of Buddha. Interesting!

According to Wikipedia there are 16 million lightening storms in the world every year, each strike can travel around 140,000 mph.

My wife and I saw an amazing sight one night in Anguilla. Fork Lightening was playing across the sea as we looked out towards St.Bartholomew, producing a fantastic display of illuminating power. At times like that one realises one’s own frail humanity and wonders at the majesty of our great creator God.

The Bible records occasions when fire fell from Heaven. The first is in Genesis ch.19 when God poured out His wrath against the wicked people of Sodom and Gomorrah, verse 22 says, “Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven.” God saw the wickedness of man in those cities the same as He did in the days of Noah when it was a flood and not fire that brought judgement to the ungodly.

The flood was universal, the fire from Heaven was local but then it was upon the nation of Egypt. Exodus 9:23 reads, “And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.” Pharaoh’s bitter opposition against Israel and defiance against God brought retribution upon him and his nation. It says in scripture “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” The corruption and perversion of National leaders can be the downfall of that nation.

King Ahab of Israel was a corrupt leader he had been corrupted by his wife Jezebel who was a Zidonian and worshipped the god Baal. God raised up a prophet named Elijah to speak and act against the prophets of Baal. There was a contest on Mount Carmel. Four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal agreed with Elijah that the deity that answered by fire to consume their sacrifice, that he would be God. The false prophets prepared their altar and sacrifice and called upon Baal, but there was no fire. 1Kings 18:36 says, And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

After Ahab’s death, his son Ahaziah reigned over Israel but he was just as evil as his Father. He had an accident and was sick. God told Elijah to send a message and tell Ahaziah that he would not recover. Ahaziah was angry with Elijah and sent fifty soldiers with their captain to capture Elijah. “And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.” He sent another fifty and fire fell from Heaven and consumed them. He sent another fifty but their captain fell on his knees and pleaded with Elijah that their lives might be spared. If the King did not believe the captain certainly did!

There are some people today who do not believe in God, and they would ridicule and mock anyone that does believe and have committed their trust to Him for salvation. Who is right?

The word ‘Fire’ appears twenty five times in the Book of Revelation, over half of them are in the section from ch. 8 to 19 that deals with the period called ‘The Great Tribulation’. Ch.8:5 to 8 says, “And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood.”

Chapter 19 tells us of Christ returning to earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to reign for a thousand years, but even after a Millennia of righteousness reigning, a final rebellion will take place led by the armies of Gog and Magog. Ch.20:9 reads, “And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” You have got to believe it, this is the truth. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ now and be saved. God bless.

Written by Stan Burditt

Rioting - should we be surprised

I watched an interview on Sky news yesterday where four young men described what they had done, when out rioting and looting. Their body language seemed to show some sense of guilt but their attitude and conversation indicated no remorse or regret.   I was wondering if the current lack of teaching of morals in society has played a big part in this way of thinking. Should we be surprised that that the rioters do not think that they did anything wrong? I believe that everyone is responsible for their own actions but there is a sense in which we have set people up for this crazy way of thinking. We spend years teaching amoral principles in our schools, colleges and universities. Things such as - there is no absolute moral code, we are free agents to believe what we want and right and wrong depends on circumstances! Most people would defend our right to believe whatever we want i.e. we create our own framework which is flexible depending on our persuasions in life. But this approach does not work in business, on the street or in money matters to name just a few examples. We all know in our hearts that we need structures, rules and parameters to maintain a civilised society.  The outcome of the current philosophy is that everyone does what is right in their own eyes. This ends in anarchy, social disorder and chaos!  I know that a high percentage of society are decent people trying their best and they are disgusted at what they have seen recently. The truth is that most of the rioters are either young people or from a sector of society where behavioural boundaries are non existent or very weak.    We need to get back to recognising that at the very least the principles of the biblical moral code are good for our society. No other structure has been discovered that works. 

 I believe that at an individual level the only hope we can give society is the change that comes through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The change to better our lives and improve society starts within individuals. Look at the effect of christianity on societies over the centuries; the results are seen in hospitals, healthcare provision, schools, social care and many more benefits to any given society. As stated already nothing else effectively and permanently changes people for their good and the good of society. Biblical christianity recognises the flawed nature of humanity and offers the death of Jesus Christ as the power of God for salvation (the Bible - Romans 1.16). The change is firstly internal but if it is real (and there have been many false claims in the name of Christianity) it must manifest itself in behaviours and activity in society.   I appeal with our civic leaders and the general public to consider this message as it is the only hope that we have to offer. External reforming of society, improved conditions and better economic conditions all have a part to play but these will never reform the moral state of society. If individuals do not come to know the reforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ then there is no hope. In periods of economic depression and social upheaval (which we all know are unavoidable due to the cyclical nature of world affairs and the greed of the human heart) we will always end up with social disorder but things can be different. The choice lies in the hands of the individual. We have been warned once again by these recent events!

The Sky's the limit

Wikipedia’s opening paragraph on ‘Sky’ says, ‘The sky is the part of the atmosphere or outer space visible from the surface of any astronomical object. It is difficult to define precisely for several reasons. During daylight, the sky of Earth has the appearance of a pale blue surface because the air scatters the sunlight.^[1][2][3][4] The sky is sometimes defined as the denser gaseous zone of a planet's atmosphere. At night the sky has the appearance of a black surface or region scattered with stars.’

Putting the word ‘Sky’ into Google’s search engine shows the first dozen or so sites belonging to the Sky media group that has been into the news recently. Rupert Murdoch’s News International wanted to take over BskyB corporation but with the alledged phone hacking by the News of the World and subsequent arrests brought about a Parliamentary inquiry. Murdoch with others were summoned to appear before a committee of M.P.’s and questioned about their involvement with that unlawful practice.

Channel 4 Television had a program called ‘Murdoch’ on the 27^th. July. It was a documentary investigating the involvement of News International and police officers in the London Metropolitan Police. One N.I. ex-journalist said he had handed £30,000 in two Sainsbury’s Supermarket bags, to a policeman for leads to a story. He inferred that although this was the largest sum that he had given, it was the practice to pay bribes to police officers for information.

The questions that the appointed judge Lord Justice Brian Leveson will present to all that appear before him over the next 12 months will reveal how and who are implicated in these accusations of unlawful conduct. C.E.O.’s from media companies, Police chiefs, and Government Officers will take the stand, we are told that no one will be excluded, and no one will be able to withhold evidence. As the old adage says, ‘The skies the limit’!

I am always interested when a word or a phrase appears seven times in the Bible, Yes, you have guessed, the word ‘Sky’ is one of those words, and there are many such sevens in scripture.

Sky is first mentioned in Deut.33:26, “There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.” Jeshurun is an alternative name for Israel but the attention in the verse is on God, it is He that rides upon the Heavens and his excellency is seen in the sky. The majesty and glory of God is there for all to see. Psalm 19:1 concurs, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” The second mention is Job 37:18 and reads, “Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass?” The other five are in the New Testament, Matthew 16:2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.

Matthew 16:3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

Luke 12:56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that you do not discern this time?

Hebrews 11:12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. This final one describes the seed of Abraham as prolific, like the stars of the sky for number.

The other four recorded by Matthew and Luke gives us the teaching of Christ in relation to discerning the weather by the redness of the sky.

In 1965 Geoffrey Bull wrote a book called, ‘The Sky is Red’. Earlier he was a Missionary to China and Tibet and was imprisoned for three years in Tibet. At that time the Western World were cautiously watching the Russian brand of Communism whereas brother Bull was experiencing the Chinese brand first-hand. Was he before his time in reading the sign of the times?

The first mention of ‘sky’ in Matt.16:3 Jesus caused people of that day and us today to recognize a red sunset or a red sunrise. From our front room we often have seen some beautiful sunsets. A couple of evenings ago as the sun was setting it shone up to the clouds causing the sky to have a fluffy candy-floss pink appearance, we commented that the next day would be fine and sunny, and so it was. People all over the world can identify with those situations. The second mention is a challenge by the Son of God to his hearers that they had witnessed on two occasions His feeding five thousand and four thousand with a few loaves and fishes, yet they failed to recognize Him as their Saviour. Albeit on the first occasion they came to Him and wanted to take Him by force and make Him their king. Could they not read the sign of the times? The King and the kingdom was among them but they would receive neither but later hounded Him to the cross.

The scripture says in John 1:11, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

They did not read the signs of the times then and generally speaking people are not reading the signs of the times today. The Lord is coming soon to set up His Millennial Kingdom on earth. ‘Our Lord is now rejected, and by the world disowned; By the many still neglected, And by the few enthroned. But soon He'll come in glory; The hour is drawing nigh For the crowning-day that's coming by-and-by……The heavens shall glow with splendor; But brighter far than they The saints shall shine in glory, As Christ shall them array: The beauty of the Saviour Shall dazzle every eye, In the crowning-day that's coming by-and-by!!’

BskyB will not have the monopoly on that event, “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him,” God bless.

Written by Stan Burditt of Northampton