Life is constantly changing.

 

We know that life is constantly changing and that nothing lasts forever. In many ways, this is a harsh and sad reality. Most of us find it hard to accept that we will grow old, that loved ones will pass on, and that children will grow up and leave home. You know the types of things that I am talking about. Sad but true!

 

Please read on, as I have good news for you. The Bible teaches that God made us with an eternal soul. The soul is the real person, the real you. Although the body stops living upon our physical death, the soul lives on. Many people don't believe this anymore. The late Stephen Hawking, a British Physicist and author, dismissed the notion of an afterlife. He once said 'I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken-down computers. That is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark'. 

 

This argument sounds very feasible, especially when proposed by such an intelligent man. However, it ignores that we are not just biological computers. It ignores man's consciousness, which the best of brains have grappled with but have to admit is beyond their explanation. Consciousness cannot be defined in purely physiological terms. Add to this the evidence for the supernatural and the spiritual, and you have many questions that we will struggle to answer unaided.

Six honest men!

 

One of the methods that I use to communicate the message of the Bible is a podcast. You can access it through my webpage - seekthetruth.org.uk. One long-running series I have recorded is called 'Life Questions'. It started when I was asked by a Christian radio station in Canada (Hope Stream Radio) to produce some material for them. People have many questions, and the Bible is the creator's (God's) book of answers. It is a unique book in that the men who wrote claim that they did not write of their own volition 'instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit,' 2 Peter 1:21. This is why you will often read in the Bible, ' Thus says the Lord' or 'This is what the Lord says’ and it is why I suggest that this timeless volume is well worth a read.

 

Questions are the primary means of learning. Rudyard Kipling's famous poem, 'I Keep Six Honest Serving Men,' reminds us of the natural curiosity that is often most evident in children.

 

I KEEP six honest serving-men

(They taught me all I knew);

Their names are What and Why and When

And How and Where and Who.

I send them over land and sea,

I send them east and west;

But after they have worked for me,

I give them all a rest.

Sayings for Sanity - A word for the Wise

 

As anyone who reads this column knows, I love reading the Bible and believe it is the ultimate source of wisdom for every area of life. One section of the Bible comes under the heading of 'wisdom literature'. It starts with the book of Job, where the meaning and purpose of suffering are discussed. It's a thorny problem and one where glib answers are not appropriate. As Job struggles through circumstances that challenge every fibre of his faith, he asks many questions. This is normal and part of working through tough situations in life.

 

In Job chapter 28, he poses the question - Where can wisdom be found? This is still a relevant question. Look at all the intelligence in our nation. We live in a country with many universities, and over 45% of people in the United Kingdom have some form of post-secondary education, but wisdom often evades us. Ultimate wisdom is found in God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Daniel, one of the outstanding Bible characters, said, 'Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him^[1]'.

Three Word Phrases

 

You would not be surprised to learn that I am fascinated with words. It would be a poor job if someone who spends a lot of time writing and public speaking was not interested in the words they use. Our choice of words and vocabulary develops over time and reflects what we read, listen to, watch, etc. Developing a pool of words you can draw from is good, especially if you want to communicate clearly.

 

Interestingly, we love to express ourselves in short, snappy statements. However, I was intrigued at how often we use memorable three-word phrases that communicate our point clearly. Let me give you some examples:

 

Black and White

Haves and have-nots

Kiss and tell 

Pros and cons

Tried and tested 

Flesh and blood

Down and out

 

These expressive short statements convey an idea clearly and in a way that is easy to remember.

Everybody needs a friend

 

 

Maybe it is not so amazing, but usually, when everything is going well, and the world is your oyster, we have plenty of friends. Many are willing to help as long as you do not need too much! Others are willing to listen if you are not too depressed, but when the chips are down, such friends are often ‘posted missing’. 

 

Three things mark a true friend: a compassionate heart, a strong shoulder and a listening ear. Such friends are scarce, but if you have one, thank God for them; they are like gold dust. Yet even the best of friends have their limits. They can sympathise and are also available, but they have a life of their own, and sometimes, they need the help they so readily give others. Perhaps you are thinking, 'Is there any other kind of friend?' the answer is ‘Yes’. There is one who has a heart full of compassion, and you mean so much to Him. He will never turn you away, and He never tires of listening to your cry. His shoulder is strong; He can carry you when you cannot take another step. He can lift you up when you have fallen, or others have knocked you down. Furthermore, He can change your circumstances or outlook so that things do not seem as bad as they first appeared. Best of all, He will be with you whether you’re ‘on top of the world’ or you feel the ‘world is on top of you’.

Someone may say, 'Why would He be interested, for nobody cares about me?' If that is what you think, then you are wrong, for this friend cared so much that He gave His life for you, and no one loves you quite like Him. His name is Jesus, and He is God’s Son who came into this world to seek and save lost and lonely people.

The beauty of Courtesy

When I wrote this, I had just boarded a flight from Entebbe, Uganda, to Doha on my way home to Liverpool via Manchester. As some of you know, I have worked with a group of Christian churches in Eastern Uganda for the last four years. I try to visit them once a year, have weekly online Bible studies with them, and help co-host a weekly radio program. Every time I leave Uganda, some impressions are reinforced, and fresh impressions are made. For instance, I am always impressed by how gentle and courteous the average Ugandan is (apart from when they are driving, which is another story). Courtesy is a remarkable trait that doesn't cost you anything. In Uganda, it is normal for a child or a young person to shake hands (often using two hands) and lower themselves to the ground when greeting an older person. This is not an act of subservience but an expression of respect. 

In the UK, we must reteach our children to honour their parents and respect older people, their fellow humans and authority. I am not suggesting that every child in this country is disrespectful. Still, it is becoming a trend that erodes the structures of family, community and society. I don't see myself as that old. Still, many years ago, when I was going to school on a bus, if an older person boarded the bus (or a lady or a pregnant mum), we would be expected to stand up and offer them a seat. Even then, people began to resist that expression of respect and courtesy and would often say, 'Son, sit down; you are causing a fuss'. Recently, on the Underground in London, I noted the courtesy of a couple of young Asian men who gave up their seats for ladies - I was impressed.

The Lord Jesus Christ must have been one of the most courteous men ever. His kindness and respect for widows is well recorded, and his care for the vulnerable, the broken, and the hurting was seen regularly. Matthew records that He was 'meek and lowly in heart', and I find no note of disagreement from any who were around at the time. The picture of the Lord Jesus as a lamb points our thoughts to His suffering on the cross. It reminds us of His innocence (he was more than innocent - he was positively holy and righteous) and his gentle and flawless character.

Incredible suffering and pain is a test that often brings out the worst in most of us, especially if the way we are being treated is undeserved, unjust and unfair. But, it is in these times of suffering that the perfect character of Jesus shone the brightest. Think about how He treated those who executed him. He did not threaten them and did not use abusive language. There is no record of him swearing; in fact, it is recorded that He was more concerned about His mother's welfare than His own, John 19. 26, 27. It was a case of unbelievable suffering poured out on a man of unique and amazing character. I can't put it in the same way as the gospel writers. Reading their accounts in Matthew 27, Luke 23, Mark 15 and John 19 would be beneficial.

So, why did I start with the gentleness and courtesy of Ugandan people and end up talking about the character of Jesus? For this reason. We have lost sight of who we are - people created in the image of God. We should respect each other for that reason alone. I think we also are ignoring the pain and problems that come from ignoring God. Sin has damaged us, but the Lord Jesus came to save, heal and restore. The solution is found in the person I have just described - the Lord Jesus. Reformation in society starts with individuals. It's a problem of the heart and soul. The words of the Lord Jesus have been preserved for us so that we might have abundant life. As John the Disciple wrote - 'But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name,' John 20. 31.

All my own photos

Learning Lessons from the Four Seasons

 

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

The church where I am a member hosts an event for people with memory problems once a month. The aim is to support the carers and individuals increasingly struggling with cognitive-related issues. It’s a great morning and seems to benefit all who come.

At the start, someone does a brief session to ensure everyone is orientated - time, day, month, year, place, season, etc. Most of us need help identifying the season at certain times of the year (usually at the beginning and the end of each season). 

In the United Kingdom, we have four clearly defined seasons, as do ‘most countries at a similar latitude (the same distance away from the equator) to the UK. Other parts of the world may only have two seasons - a winter and a summer, or a wet and a dry season 1. I find it fascinating that despite all the climate change that is suggested, discussed and debated, in the main, seasons are still the same as defined in one of the oldest records of human history, the Bible. Genesis chapter 8 verse 22 records the promise of God to Noah (after the worldwide flood - another event that reoccurs in the history of many ancient civilisations) - ‘While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease’.

Do you find winter miserable?

All photos courtesy of Unsplash 

As the temperature drops we know that winter is fast approaching and for many people it is a time to snuggle up in front of the fire and cosy up in warm jumpers. However, for the sufferers of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) winter signifies a time of misery and gloom. Apparently this form of winter depression affects an estimated half a million people every year between September and April, but more particularly during November, December and January.

Your life will not end when you die!

Life is constantly changing; nothing lasts for ever! This is a sad reality but one that we all have to come to terms with. It is often hard to accept that we will grow old, that loved ones will pass on and that children grow up and leave home. It’s sad but true! 

Please read on as I have good news for you. Your life will not end when you die!  At first sight that sounds like a contradiction in terms but let me clarify what I mean.

Chile or Chilly?

If you were asked to spell ‘Chile’, what would you say? Chile, chilly or chilli? Please don’t panic as it really is Chile 3 ways. It was this third chilli that I prepared for an evening meal that got me thinking of the three chilly options I’m presenting to you today.

 

The first Chile is officially known as the Republic of Chile. This is a developing country and is one of the most economically and social stable nations in South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica. The Republic of Chile occupies a narrow strip of land between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean and has Peru to the north, the Drake Passage to the south and Bolivia to the east. Santiago is the capital city and Spanish is the national language.

 

My second chilly is when it’s not warm and is typical of a winter’s day when the temperatures drop and there is a definite need for the heating to be put on. Some synonyms for chilly include crisp, brisk, wintry, and snowy. It can also be used in the context of being unfriendly or cold.

 

Our third chilli is the infamous chilli con carne, chilli with meat. Chili con carne is a spicy stew of Mexican origin containing chili peppers, meat which is typically minced beef or steak, tomatoes as well as kidney beans or pinto beans. Other ingredients used can be garlic, onions, and cumin. In our home, a tin of baked beans is often used as well as some tomato passata and a splash of tomato puree or ketchup. 

Off Season Reflections

 

In March 2013, a company called What3Words was incorporated. In April of the same year, it lodged a patent application for technology for e-commerce, deliveries, navigation, emergency services, etc. The company stated that every three-metre square of the world had been given a unique combination of three words. Their purpose was to aid people in discovering where they are and where they are trying to get to. 

The Bible often combines three words to identify a location or a situation in our minds. For instance, if I said ‘Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh’, you would possibly be transported in your mind to a location in the ancient city of David, Bethlehem. It may remind you of the baby Jesus, or as the angel told Mary, ‘the Son of the Highest’ who was born to ‘save his people from their sins’. The three gifts the travellers from ‘the east’ brought were significant and of great value. I think these gifts would have been used by Mary & Joseph to pay for their exile to Egypt with the baby Jesus, but the three gifts are also a unique reminder of who Jesus was and the purpose of his birth. 

Gold has always spoken of wealth, of the best that earth can offer, but the gold in this story also reminds me that the Lord Jesus had a different kind of wealth. It was not the fragile wealth of humanity that could disappear in a moment but the wealth of the creator of the universe. God’s riches are not measured in human currency but are the timeless values of love, truth, justice, peace, kindness and holiness (incidentally, the whole Universe belongs to God as the creator [humans have been entrusted with its management]. So he is also incredibly rich in terms of physical assets). So Jesus, as the Son of God, was immeasurably rich but became poor (through becoming a man, suffering for sin and dying on a cross) so that we, through his poverty, might be rich, 2 Cor. 8:9.

Liverpool - Once in a lifetime!

I live in Liverpool in the United Kingdom, and I see a lot of slogans as I walk around the City Centre - From 'Merseyside to Manhattan', for one. It points people back to the days when great liners regularly left Liverpool heading for the New World. In May 2015, three great ocean-going liners visited the city of Liverpool. If you went to the right spot (The Waterfront, Everton Brow, New Brighton, to name a few locations), you got a great view of 'The Three Queens' as they visited our city to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the Cunard shipping line.

At that time, I was preparing to travel to Canada for a couple of weeks and had been contemplating the long journey, which was relatively short compared to the long days at sea when my grandad was a sailor. I left Liverpool at 0800 and reached Toronto at 1930 GMT (1430 local time) the same day. Travel by jet has vastly reduced travelling time and seduced us into thinking that we are just popping across the road when we are travelling across a vast ocean to another continent. I'm not complaining; I love the fact that travel has become so easy. When I was a boy, only a few people travelled these distances and often only 'once in a lifetime'. 

There are some experiences that are still only 'once in a lifetime' - birth, death - I know some people say they have clinically died and come back to life, but that's the exception, not the rule - and well, marriage should also be on the list unless you sadly lose a loved one and decide to remarry. I know that many will not agree with this principle, but from a Christian perspective, it is God's intention that marriage is a lifelong commitment. 

But back to our phrase - 'once in a lifetime'. The term still has some significance. It generally evokes thoughts of exciting things that we would love to do. We think that the chances of them happening are so unlikely that if they did, you would most likely only ever get a one-off chance to do it. We are all different, so for you going to a Garden Party to meet the King at Buckingham Palace might be on the list, or winning the lottery. There is no point in me drawing up a list - my bucket list would probably be vastly different to yours. 

The two main 'once in a lifetime' experiences I mentioned earlier are the two common book stops of human existence i.e. birth and death.  You have no control over the former, and the latter is out of your control unless you choose to forcefully end your life. We all know that this happens from time to time when life becomes unbearable for some individuals, but it's not normal. We need to consider whether our deaths are random events or if there is a higher power in control? 

This topic could get out of control if we explored whether we are just randomly responding to our circumstances, whether we have no real choice but act as our genetic makeup determines or whether there is a balance between our ability to reason, act and choose and God determining events at the same time and somehow allowing us the responsibility of making choices and decisions. I believe the latter is what the Bible teaches. If anyone is interested, I can show them the evidence from the bible.

So, your birthday was set by God, and your mum and dad had a part to play in bringing you into the world. Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verses 1 and 2 states, 'To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die'. In Genesis chapter 17, verse 21, God tells Abraham the exact time his son will be born - you might argue that God, knowing everything, was just informing Abraham that his son would be born, not that he was involved in ensuring that it would happen. However, in Genesis chapter 21, verses 1 and 2, it is recorded that the Lord visited Sarah and did for Sarah 'as he had promised,' NASB. She gave birth to a boy. In other words, God played a key role in ensuring that conception took place. In this story, we can see that God didn't just know the future but orchestrated the child's birth. Of course, Abraham had to play his part, but God is the author of life. Every child born into this world results from God giving life. There are other references that clearly indicate that God is in control of the birth of every living being if you care to look at them. 

When we consider our mortality, it is amazing that we exist at all. In all of its disciplines, science has concluded that human existence is incredible. The conditions for our survival on this planet are so finely tuned that it is mind-blowing that everything is just right for life to exist. Our physical anatomy is also a demonstration of excellent design and precision, and we all know that we are so fragile that life can be extinguished in an instant. Who of us has not marvelled that our life has been preserved in circumstances well outside of our control! Whether it be an illness, an accident or unexpected events, we would have to admit there is a hand controlling at times when we cannot. The Bible puts it like this: 'but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways,' Daniel 6. 23. God is in control, but we usually ignore him. Job, one of the oldest writers in the Bible, states, 'In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind,' Job 12. 10. When it comes to the end of life; your death will not just be a random event. Hebrews chapter 9 verse 27 makes it clear 'it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment'. That appointment has been set by God; by the way, it's not the end. It is just the transfer from this life to the next, for the verse states that each of us has an 'after this'. 

There is life after death!

You will stand before God on the day of judgment!

What you do and believe in this life will affect where you are and what your situation is in the next!

So God gave you life, and he has chosen to allow you to live up until now. 

He allows you to choose but has His plans for your life. 

What are you going to do with this information?

As described by the Lord Jesus, one man in the bible continued to make his plans, run his business and amass his wealth with total disregard for God. The Lord Jesus, being the Son of God, gives us an insight into what God was thinking about this man while he was carrying on with his life and ignoring God. God is recorded as saying, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?'  Luke 12. 20. 

A 'once in a lifetime' opportunity faces you now. You can ignore this message, carry on as you are and miss this great offer of salvation. OR 

You could get serious about your life and your future, sort out your priorities and come humbly to God. God loves you. He sent His Son, Jesus, to this world 2022 years ago to die for your sins. If you repent (change your thinking about God and stop disobeying Him) and come humbly to God confessing your sin, He (God) will forgive you, cleanse you and save you. 

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved" - Acts 16:31

For more information or to get in touch, please visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk

A mega mind!

David Butler, who died in 2022, was in many ways a remarkable man.  He was often on television, especially at times of elections, and was blessed with mathematical skills.  As a young boy he spent a lot of time looking at cricket scores and working out batting averages and relished the dates, events and results of cricket matches.  

He came from an intellectually bright family.  His cousin was the well known politician Rab Butler who held many government offices, his father was a Latin professor and his maternal grandfather was the historian, A.F. Pollard.  David did well at school and eventually got a university degree from New College, Oxford.  His time at university was interrupted by the war and he became a tank commander with the Staffordshire Yeomanry and was part of the allied forces that crossed the River Rhine.

He certainly lived an interesting life but is best known for inventing a new science known as psephology.  This derived from the Greek word for ‘pebble’ and came from the ancient practice of the Greeks where pebbles were used to cast their votes. His science was essentially to analyse voting trends and to predict election results. This he did initially on the very first televised election broadcast by the BBC and he did that sort of work until 1979.

Are names significant?

First of all let look at the name of Caesar Augustus

The Roman Emperor who was in power when Jesus was born had many titles some of which have a strange similarity to those given to Jesus. 

The Roman Caesars made claims to deity that the Bible teaches only God can make. 

For instance, Caesar Augustus was  known as:

The Blessed One, 
The Anointed One (the Messiah), 
The Pax Romana - The one who brings peace, 
The Pontifex (i.e. the Priest). 

He was regarded as a god and claimed that at the age of 17 he could bring men to God. He was also called the Divine Son of God in 42 BC at the age of 21. 

History shows that his claims to be divine were not supported by lifestyle, behaviour or power.

Do you have good friends?

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

Isn’t it great to have a good group of friends around you? Do you have school, college or Uni friends that you keep in touch with? What about work colleagues or even friendly neighbours? 

Jesus had a number of good friends too. There were the 12 disciples, as an obvious example. Jesus also had a good relationship with a group of three siblings: Lazarus and his two sisters Mary and Martha. 

In John’s Gospel, we learn of Lazarus’ death. The sisters sent Jesus a message: “Lord, your dear friend is sick.” 

When Jesus heard it, He said, “The final result of this sickness will not be the death of Lazarus; this has happened in order to bring glory to God.” 

Jesus added, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I will go and wake him up.” The disciples replied, “If he is asleep, Lord, he will get well.”Jesus meant that Lazarus had died, but they thought he meant natural sleep. So Jesus said, “Lazarus is dead, but for your sake I am glad that I was not with him, so that you will believe. Let us go to him.” 

Have you ever asked yourself this question - Who am I?

 

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

So many things are different about each of us, but we also have some common traits. 

We are all human - this covers a lot of ground. 

Have you ever stopped to think why we have so many things in common? The Bible explains the reason. God created us ‘in His image’1. This gives us the capacity to be creative, think, and make choices. The first man, Adam, disobeyed one of God's simple commands, and as a result, ‘sin came into the world’2. Let’s be honest; we all know that we do wrong to varying degrees. We all sin, and the effect of our sin on a day-to-day basis is the hurt, pain, ageing and mistakes mentioned earlier. The ultimate effect of sin in all of our lives is death. Death is an awful thing. It separates us from our loved ones, it causes pain and brings dark days into our lives. What we have believed in this life cannot be changed after death. Death is the gateway to the next world, which the Bible describes as being one of two places: Heaven or Hell. Heaven is a place of conscious enjoyment and bliss, Hell of conscious regret and suffering.