Merry Christmas

Time has beaten me as I would like to have posted a few more posts leading up to Christmas. For those of you who follow this blog and are interested please visit my YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/stephengbaker) or my podcast page (www.seekthetruth.org.uk). You will find various items of interest there.

I trust that you will have a very happy time at Christmas and come to know the one who 'sent His Son to be the Saviour of the world".

Kind regards,

Stephen

Mayan Calendar

According to the Mayan Calendar, December 21^st. 2012 is when there will be some dramatic signs in the Stella heavens. Wikipedia says of this phenomenon, The 2012 phenomenon comprises a range of eschatological beliefs according to which cataclysmic or transformative events will occur on 21 December 2012. This date is regarded as the end-date of a 5,125-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar. Various astronomical alignments and numerological formulae have been proposed as pertaining to this date, though none have been accepted by mainstream scholarship.

A New Age interpretation of this transition is that this date marks the start of time in which Earth and its inhabitants may undergo a positive physical or spiritual transformation, and that 2012 may mark the beginning of a new era. Others suggest that the 2012 date marks the end of the world or a similar catastrophe. Scenarios suggested for the end of the world include the arrival of the next solar maximum, an interaction between Earth and the black hole at the center of the galaxy, or Earth's collision with a planet called "Nibiru".

Scholars from various disciplines have dismissed the idea of such cataclysmic events occurring in 2012. Professional Mayanist scholars state that predictions of impending doom are not found in any of the extant classic Maya accounts, and that the idea that the Long Count calendar "ends" in 2012 misrepresents Maya history and culture. Astronomers and other scientists have rejected the proposals as pseudoscience, stating that they conflict with simple astronomical observations. In a following paragraph called ‘Apocalypse’ we read, In 1966, Michael D. Coe wrote in The Maya that "there is a suggestion ….that Armageddon would overtake the degenerate peoples of the world and all creation on the final day of the 13th [b'ak'tun]. Thus ... our present universe [would] be annihilated [in December 2012] when the Great Cycle of the Long Count reaches completion."

In a recent programme on the Discovery Chanell, Prof. Stephen Hawking of Cambridge University stated that the universe would ultimately (several billion years?) be pulled back into the black-hole that it emerged from billions of years ago! He gave an analogy of that event saying it was like rows of marbles lined up and that was where luck came in, five or so broke loose and by so doing caused the other marbles to gravitate towards each other. Anyone that believes that, I would think that they have lost their marbles!

When Jesus was born at Bethlehem there were signs in the heavens. Matthew ch.2 commences, “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,  Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”  These men were not astrologers, people who study the movement of the stars and then predict your future according to the position of the stars. These men were astronomers, men that observed the heavens, charting the courses of the stars. They had observed activity in the heavens that caused them to follow the direction of a particular star; they said to Herod that the star that directed them was “his star”. Some have suggested that the star was a merging together of two stars to give the appearance of one star. These men were not fools; they were wise men that associated the stars presence with the coming into the world of Messiah. The star guided them and the scriptures directed them to Bethlehem. Micah 5:2 reads “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”

The gifts they brought signified their understanding of the baby born in Bethlehem. The gold spoke of His deity, the frankincense His purity, the myrrh His suffering. The title ‘King of the Jews’ was nailed to His cross.

There will be signs in the heavens when Christ returns to earth to establish His thousand-year reign on earth. That return is not imminent, but His coming to the air to take His Church to Heaven is, this could happen any moment now. When the Church has gone from the earth, the Day of the Lord will begin on earth ushering in traumatic and cataclysmic happenings throughout the world but particularly in the land of Israel. Current skirmishes by Hamas (Foreign Terrorist Organization violently opposed to the state of Israel. Hamas, an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawana al-Islamiya (Islamic Resistance Movement), Syria, Iran, Iraq and other neighbouring Arab nations are only a precursor  of things to come. The Tribulation period will last seven years, the Great Tribulation is the second half of those seven years. Jesus said, “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh……And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” (Luke 21:20).

This activity in the heavens is all connected with the opening of the seals, the sounding of the trumpets and the vials of God’s wrath recorded from ch.6 to 19 in the Revelation of Jesus Christ. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war…. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. The heavens will glow with splendor on that day when Christ returns to earth.  God bless.

Written by Stan Burdit for Stephen Baker

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Women Bishops - a Biblical Concept?

I wonder if you have taken any notice of the major issue in the Church of England this past week? There has been a vote to create 'women bishops' in the Church and it just failed to achieve the necessary number of votes to become law. The fact that the vote occurred was no surprise to me because since 1992 when the CofE allowed 'women priests', with the promise that they would seek no further advancement in the system, I knew that 'given an inch, they'd take a yard'. Sometimes people have asked me if I agree with women priests? I answer in the affirmative, which shocks a lot of people until they think about what the scripture teaches. As any reference to the Bible at all seems to be totally absent from anybody's comments, from the ArchBishop downwards, it might be helpful to consider again the matter of Bishops and Priests from the Word of God in

It is a human trait that demands an order of superiority. Luk 22:24  And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. It is interesting to note that a woman sought the position for her sons which enabled the relevant message of humility to be written on the page of scripture. Mat 20:20-28  Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. 

And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 

But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. 

The Lord Himself demonstrated that the path of lowly service was the acknowledged way before the face of God. As usual, man doesn't think like God and devises tiers of governance and superiority, then creates qualifications and titles to define what he has constructed and then seeks to exclude others from a self-created organisation. The simple mustard seed of Matt 13 grows into an abnormal growth which becomes a haven for wickedness as depicted by the birds, the very ones which snatch away the seed sown by the sower in the first parable. The established Church is not at all ashamed to deny, corrupt and disavow the Word of God because it is a religion of man's making yet purporting to be the mechanism to bring God to the people. The idea of a distinction between laity (the man in the pew) and clergy (the man in the pulpit) seems to be spoken of in Rev 2 in the messages to the seven churches. Rev 2:6  But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Rev 2:15  So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner. The name Νικόλαος Nikolaos means victorious over the people and has been linked to the OT character Balaam whose name means failure of the people. The two are linked in Rev 2:14,15  But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Balaam was an apostate prophet 2Pe 2:15,16 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. 

The modern apostate speaks clever words as, supposedly, the mouthpiece of God but always in order to deceive the people. Note that the works come first then the actions are legitimised by doctrine. Clerisy and clergy, layers of qualified, licensed, ordained people who are superior to the man in the pew, came about through men dominating others, like Diotrephes. 3 Jn 1:9,10 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.  Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. 

This wrong action later became legitimised through doctrine which is now 'mainstream church' policy. A pre-eminent individual who has attained a position of status in the church order rules what can and can't be done, who should be received and who should be excommunicated. They can decide the interpretation of the Bible and direct the activities which are then further endorsed by more doctrine. This is what has happened in the CofE so that a synod, which is defined as "an ecclesiastical governing or advisory council" can vote on anything the individual wants without any recourse to Scripture and the majority wins! It is ironic that the ones who claim to represent the people , vicars [from the Latin vicarius, a substitute for the people] who receive a stipend [a fixed sum of money paid periodically for services] are no different from Balaam and, in the pursuit of the next rung up the clerical ladder, put gross error in the way of the people.

Priesthood is not an academic qualification, it is a spiritual privilege for all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, both male and female. 

1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 

This joint aspect is confirmed by John in Rev 1:6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 

This collective ability to be a kingdom of priests was God's design and intent for the people Exo 19:5,6a Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. 

It was the idolatrous practice and the breaking of the word of God which spoiled that intent. The golden calf was set up while Moses received the Commandments. When Moses witnessed the idolatry he appealed to the whole nation Exo 32:26  Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. 

This was the defining moment as to who would be priests for God, those who gathered out to be identified as on the Lord's side. When the Tabernacle was set up for the worship of God in the wilderness God appointed the order of the priests Num 3:5-10  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle. And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

Thus, instead of being a nation of priests, the priesthood was fiercely guarded on God's command. Men soon set up an alternative to challenge the authority of God's order and we read of Korah and his fellow accusers in Num 16:3  And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD? 

Verses 24 and 27 show that Korah had set up a rival tabernacle and God dealt with them in a terrible and public demonstration of His appointment of the priestly order. Try to imagine that scene where the people of God stood separated from the rebellious multitude waiting for God to act. Num 16:27  So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children. 

These defiant men were the heads of their families; the wives holding the hands of the little children looking back at the congregation which stood on the solid ground of the Word of God. And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. 

Num 16:31-33. There should be no doubt at all about the importance of God-appointed priesthood. Equally, when through the obedience of faith in Christ in the Church Age every believer has been appointed a priest among the kingdom of priests, God hates the practice of clerisy and any suppression of an individual to worship God. We should be like the Ephesian church in Rev 2 that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate [μισέω miseō to detest]

So what about our practice of having elders in a local assembly? It is scripturally right and proper that there should be a plurality of elders in a local gathering, although it is acknowledged that this is the ideal and some assemblies are not able to achieve this - the Lord knows. As identified recently we know that the translators of the KJV used ecclesiastical titles of their day to support the offices and the man-made titles that they had constructed. 

1Ti 3:1-5  This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 

Should a bishop be a male or female? The second qualification is the husband of one wife [literally 'man one woman, specifically wife']. End of argument! So what must this man do? The Greek word for 'the office of a bishop' is ἐπισκοπή episkopē and means to superintend so he has a watching brief to rule [to stand before, to preside] for the purpose of taking care of the Lord's people, physically, spiritually and in every respect in the manner which he has proven in his own home. The responsibility is to Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 1Pe 5:2,3  So the 'bishop's' role is not for money nor to control but it is to tend and care for the Lord's people and to set the example for the people to follow. In response those who are led are exhorted  And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour [lit. to the point of exhaustion]  among you, and are over you [to preside] in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. 1Th 5:12,13

The practice of establishing men to preside over gatherings of believers is stated to Titus. Tit 1:5-9  For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders[πρεσβύτερος presbuteros, from whence the ecclesiastical term presbyter - older,senior ] in every city, as I had appointed thee: If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. Herein lies the key role of the older men who are looking out for the welfare of the gathered saints. They must hold fast, be glued to the Word of God, so that by adhering to healthy teaching they can knock for six the ἀντίλεγω

antilegō literally against the word - disputer. I have not heard one single CofE 'bishop' speak out, let alone confute the disputers! Shame on them, they are no better than Balaam and are in the ranks of the Nicolaitans! Jude vv11-13. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.  

We've already thought of Core (Korah) and Balaam but Cain is mentioned too. He was the first man of a new time period [conscience] who decided not to be obedient to the direction of the word of God and set up his own religion of works and sought acceptance before God. God's word to him was   If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. Gen 4:7. There is only one way that is right and that is God's way. Pro 14:12  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. 

The role of a Bishop therefore is for a godly, mature man who is absorbed in the word of God and has a heart for the people of God. There is often grumbling about elders as it was in the days of Moses. But if things aren't as good as they should be locally, isn't it a joy to think of our Lord Jesus Christ Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 1Pe 2:22-25 Praise God for the One Who is the Pastor and Superintendent of our vital breath, physical and spiritual. 

Let us use our God-given priestly position to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. And, if the matter of women bishops comes up in the new week, you may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

Prepared by Danny Coulson, Denmark

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Gaza and Israel

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come

Matthew 24.3-14

The words of the Lord Jesus Christ are unsurpassed and very revealing. Read them and remember that today is the day of salvation. The son of Man (Jesus) had power on earth to forgive sins. One day it will be too late. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.

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(the picture is for illustrative purposes only)

The secret of getting rich

Thesaurus states that riches are ‘An abundance of material possessions and resources’ which covers many aspects of riches, but not all!

Recently my wife and I with two friends did a fifteen-day tour of the cities of the seven churches named by John in Revelation ch.s 2 and 3. This took the first four days, and then we had a few days in Kusadasi where we visited Miletus. From Kusadasi we went to the Greek island of Samos from where the Apostle Paul sailed to Miletus to meet with the Ephesian elders. One night on that island and then a ferry down to Patmos, where John wrote the Book of the Revelation. This is a lovely island; we spent three nights there. Our last port of call was Kos Town on the island of Kos. It was there that we saw Roma Abramovich’s yacht ‘Eclipse’ in the harbour. It is the largest privately owned yacht in the world at 533feet long. It has a helicopter on board, two swimming pools, seventy staff, and if you want to rent it for a week it will cost you a reported £1.25million. It also has a sea to air missile defence system and a James Bond type submarine to vacate the yacht if under attack, apart from the normal bodyguards that attend his person. This highlights the dangers that come with being wealthy. Mr.Abramovich is a mega-rich man but according to Forbes Magazine he only makes No. 69 of he world’s top 400 billionaires.

The 8^th October issue of the magazine has an interesting article about David Green who is a born again billionaire (No. 79 on Forbes list of top 400). He is CEO of Hobby Lobby an arts and crafts store-chain (520) in America. The company is solely family owned and sponsors worldwide evangelical outreach. One venture he sponsors is the YouVersion Bible app for mobile phones. It is equipped to offer 300 different versions of Scripture in 114 languages. To date there have been 50 million downloads throughout the world. Have you got one?

Conversely, former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been disgraced by being sentenced to four years in prison for tax fraud. He is No. 169 on Forbes list at around $6 Billion. Whether he will spend one day in prison is another question, he has bounced back more times than a tennis ball from Roger Federer’s racket!  Some Billionaires have known the embarrassment of losing large amounts of their wealth by shrinking stocks, but others have recovered along the path of affluence by shrewd business dealings.

Proverbs 23:4 reads, “Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.”

The evangelist Luke tells us about four men that were rich and are worthy of consideration. The first one was a farmer; the second of the ruling class, the third a socialite and the fourth was a tax collector.

The farmer had a good harvest and had thoughts of expansion, he said in Luke 12:18, “This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” He planned for a life of ease and prosperity but had not planned for an early exit. God said to him, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” The farmer had a good eye for business but was blind concerning eternity; he had no plans for the future. Have you?

The young man from the ruling class did think about eternity, Luke said, in Luke 18:18, And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!” This young man had plenty of material things but did not have eternal life and he wanted it, the problem was he loved his riches more than his soul.

The rich man in Luke 16 died and went to Hell, the beggar Lazarus died too and went to Heaven. Anyone, rich or poor that dies without Christ as their Saviour, dies without hope. Jesus said, “ I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.”  Jesus died and rose again and went to Heaven, anyone that believes in Him will also go to Heaven, but unbelievers will go to Hell.

The taxman in Luke 19:2  “Was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich” Whether it was curiosity or concern we do not know but we do know that Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus. He climbed a tree to see the Saviour and when Jesus was at the tree He summoned him to come down. Riches may elevate one in society, being prepared to be humbled by the Lord, to be brought down to earth, meant salvation came to Zacchaeus. Christ came to his home. His outlook changed from that point, he said that half of his wealth he would give to the poor and if he had robbed anyone that he would repay fourfold. A change of heart and a change of destination, he was Heaven born and Heaven bound.  He was rich in faith. Amen and God bless.

Written for Stephen Baker by Stan Burdit

Tears

Tears are an expression of sadness and sometimes of joy. I noted some verses from the bible about tears as God promises one day to wipe away all tears from the eyes of those who have come to trust him (Revelation 21.4).

Psalm 126.5,6

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed,

shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

John 11.35

Jesus wept

Luke 19.41-48

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, 42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. 43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. 45 And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; 46 Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves. 47 And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him, 48 And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him

Weep now for sin and wrong, repents and call upon the name of the Lord and come into the joy of forgiveness through faith in Christ.

No one can be certain that there is life after death!

I hear a lot of people saying that you are welcome to your beliefs about God, the afterlife, judgement for sin etc but you can't be sure. The main logic behind this is that we only get one chance at life and that no one comes back to tell us what is on the other side.

All of this of course is true if you only have access to personal experience but of course we have far more than that. We have a vast history of people who have not just anecdotal evidence but personal history and experience with God.

As a Christian I have become convinced that the bible is the word of God. You would need to read it for yourself and do some research to check this out. Most people say that they don't have time to do this. BUT if your future destination in the next life hangs on the truthfulness of this book then it would be wise to look into it seriously.

History has proven the bible to be trustworthy and to date no freshly discovered fact has proven it wrong. The bible speaks about matters of ordinary life as well as about spiritual issues. Archeology, geography, medical science to name a few have eventually proven that the bible was accurate. Let me give you one example. In Leviticus 17.11 the bible states that 'the life of the flesh is in the blood".  This was stated thousands of years before medical science discovered the vast plethora of things that blood contains to maintain human life. I could on... about the planetary system. the water cycle, oceanic currents and much more.

My point is that if the bible can be trusted in things that we can verify it gives us the confidence to trust it in areas where we have no expertise i.e. the spiritual.

As I close may I state some of the things the bible does say about the unknown.

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 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 (Hebrews.9.27)

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation (John 5.28,29)

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved Acts 16.31

It is all true. I trust that you will be richly blessed as you consider this blog.

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Jimmy Savile

If you read the news you will be aware of the furore that is going on in the British media over the allegations of child abuse and sexual impropriety in the life of the late Jimmy Savile.

It all makes for sick reading and while continuing claims arise and the full picture is still not complete it does make one aware that things that we have done in life are not 'done and dusted' upon our death. Some might say what's the point; the man's dead and buried! The point of course is that we still believe that wrong is wrong and that justice is important. 

May I make the simple point that we cannot escape the fact of and the effect of the things we do in our lives. Sin is sin, wrong is wrong and we will all stand in the highest court of justice i.e. God's. The Bible says that God "has appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained; whereof he has given assurance unto all, in that he has raised him from the dead". The judge will be Jesus, the day is set but unrevealed and all will stand before God (Revelation 20:11-15). The advice of the bible is "prepare to meet your God". The offer through the death and resurrection  of Jesus is 'through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins'.

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The problem with iOS 6 and apple maps

Now here's a question. If a map does not show you a location does it exist or because the map says that it's not there does it not exist? Anyone who is into gadgets, phones, apps etc will be aware of the difficulties that apple have been facing over their new software up date for iPhones.

We all know that because apple maps do not show Jerusalem or the Brooklyn Bridge that they still exist. The fact that the map does not show them does remove them from the face of the earth.

My Point - it's simple, I'll get to the point. Just because Richard Dawkins, or the late Christopher Hitchens or intelligent (but not necessarily wise) men of their ilk say that God does not exist or that Jesus did not die on the cross or that Jesus did not rise from the dead cannot eradicate the fact that:

1. God does exist!
2. Jesus did live a sinless life, die on a cross to atone for sin and;
3. Jesus did rise from the dead on the third day and offer to those who are prepared to hear him, turn from sin and turn in believing faith to him, the forgiveness of sins.

Check your history about points 2 and 3 and search your soul, look at the precision of your anatomy, scientific discovery and the wonder of the world and universe for point 1.

God bless you. Seek the Lord, while he may be found.

Stephen

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Needless deaths - could it be different?

We are all affected when we hear of someone being murdered in the course of their work life. This is especially pertinent when the victims are people involved in public duties i.e. police, nurses, teachers, firemen etc. We feel that our freedom has been violated and we are more vulnerable as a result. The murders of PC Nicola Hughes and PC Fiona Bone are just the most recent examples of the violent and sick society that we live in. Sadly this is not a lone incident, as it is not long since we mourned the death of PC David Rathband who found life impossible to go on living after losing his sight  as a result of violent crime in July 2010.

Can we do anything to change the course that society is on or is it just something that we have to live with?

I know that what I believe is not popular but I believe that it is the truth. The Bible teaches that 'righteousness exalts a nation and sin is a reproach to any people". Our society is now so far removed from the word of God (the Bible) that the basic principles that govern behaviour and cultivate a good society have been lost. The reason we need laws, police etc is because we all have a bias to do what is self centred and wrong. Thankfully this does not manifest itself in the grosser forms of evil in every individual but we all do things that are wrong and have the capacity to do all sorts of evil.  The Bible states the case plainly when it says 'for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God'. God's standard is majestic and not just at the level of rule keeping and ticking boxes.  The bible teaches that the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked. This is the potential that we saw unleashed in these acts of violence.

What can we say then about good citizens like PC Hughes and PC Bone? They, like us, had a sense of justice, they wanted to improve society and they gave their lives to see that happen. As one of their senior officers promised when he was being interviewed his aim is to make sure they did not die in vain. My prayer is that they will succeed in this.

As I close can I give you some hope. Things can be different! This is precisely what the message of Jesus, his death and resurrection is all about. Christ died for our sins, he knew that we could not save ourselves or improve our society without his redeeming grace and forgiveness. He is willing to forgive those who confess their sin and accept his forgiveness. When this happens in the experience of the individual they become a whole new person, old things pass away, all things become new. Believe me, I have seen it in the lives of the most unlikely individuals.

Yes we do need great police officers on the beat, we need laws and law enforcement to prevent tragedies like we have witnessed reoccuring but we need to preach the life changing and soul saving gospel of Jesus Christ to reform the people of our country from the inside out.

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Busy Summer

It is over a month since I wrote a blog. Apart from going on a guilt trip I can't believe how the time has flown. The summer while not good for weather was excellent and exciting for me in so many other ways. I visited Cornwall to work with a Christian Youth Camp for a week, my wife and I went to Scotland for a week while I conducted Bible Studies at Family Holiday week. 

Locally where we live we ran a weeks Holiday Bible Club and enjoyed once again telling children about the love of God and the great Saviour that we have.

After all that I wonder how many people this summer took advantage of the opportunity to turn from their wrongdoing (we all do wrong) and to confess Jesus Christ as Lord. We as Christians pray constantly that people will do this.

There is an ancient saying in the Bible - "the harvest is past, the summer is ended and we are not saved". I trust that saying doesn't apply to you.

Have a good week.

Stephen

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Olympic Issues

Few and Many​The London 2012 Olympic Games will no doubt produce some eye catching headlines of outstanding performances by athletes at their peak, but there has been one headline that the security company G4S would rather not have seen on BBC News UK. A copy of their 17th. July headline reads, ‘G4S's Nick Buckles regrets taking contract .’ The news item then leads with, ‘The head of security company G4S has said he regrets it ever took on the Olympic security contract, as he agreed it had become a "humiliating shambles”. The company may lose £50m from the £284m contract because it cannot supply enough security guards. Chief executive Nick Buckles told MPs that the military and the police would be reimbursed for providing personnel to plug the shortfall. But he said G4S planned to keep its £57m The shortfall of trained security officers present, as the ten thousand athletes arrived in their village, meant that the management were called to account before a government select committee. As a result of the fewness of trained security personnel the company was found wanting. They had contracted to have 10,000 people at the games and their venues. They have supplied 4,200 thus far. The Government stepped in and have placed 12,000 armed soldiers and 12,000-armed police to ensure that safety is maintained throughout.

Numbers are associated with the words few and many, few would indicate a small number and many, a large number, but these terms can be relative, for example, there are over six billion people on planet earth and few of them are born again Christians, but that ‘few’ could amount to tens of thousands.

A few statistics from the games giving large numbers, (1) The weight of the roof of the aquatic centre is 2,500 tonnes. (2) 2,247 tonnes of sand have been brought to Horse Guards Parade to provide a Beach Volley Ball court. How many grains of sand is that? (3) The BBC announced that there were 27.69 million viewers in the UK (what would the worldwide figure be?) for the opening spectacular at the Olympic Park on Friday 27th. July. There are other large numbers of people who volunteered to take part in the opening ceremony in the stadium, some of them children who enjoyed every minute of this once in a lifetime experience.

The previous Olympic Games held in London were in 1948. There would be few athletes that took part in those games still alive to witness the present ones. Only the elite few will win a gold medal and fewer still win more than one gold.  

Queen Elizabeth 2nd. has opened two Olympic Games, one in Canada and the present one in London, few people have had that privilege and responsibility.

The first mention of the word ‘few’ in the Bible illustrate what I have said previously. When Abraham’s servant was seeking a bride for Isaac, he was sure that Rebekah was the one that the Lord led him to. He convinced her parents and family that she should marry Isaac, they said, “Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.” Ten days against six months or a year were reckoned to be few. The first mention of many in the Bible is in Gen.17:3, “And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of manynations.”  The nation of Israel came through Isaac and a number of Arab nations have come through Ishmael, another of Abraham’s sons.

When Jacob was in Egypt he said to Pharaoh “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been.” Jacob lived many years and upon reflection of those years he said that the bad days were few and far between. It was a bad day for him near Bethlehem when his beloved wife Rachel died. Also when his errant sons deceived him, inferring that Joseph was dead, when he was still alive. Yet Jacob said the evil days were few.

Peter said in 1Peter3:20, “The longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.”  Many animals were saved in the ark but only eight people, in anyone’s reckoning that was a small number.

Jesus said concerning salvation, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”  Are you among the few who are saved? Or are you among the many who are lost?

John said in his gospel, ch.1:12, “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” As far as God is concerned He has made provision for many to be saved, there is no restriction as to who can be saved, the death of Christ has made it possible for anyone and everyone to be saved. He gave His life a ransom for many.

Hebrews 9:28 reads, “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.” Again we see from this scripture that the death of Christ is sufficient for any and many to be saved, and those who are saved have a wonderful prospect of being with Him in Heaven and also.when He returns to earth with His Church.

Some people have many opportunities to be saved and are not because they will not repent of their sin and believe that Jesus died for them. Others on few occasions hear the Word and believe and are saved. It is important to be saved, otherwise you will be lost.

God bless