April Fool’s Day

Have you ever fallen for an April Fool's joke or prank? I know that, as a child, some classmate was always pulling a prank on someone, with the rest of us in on it, watching that poor soul make a fool of themselves by believing the prank. There have been some rather dubious April Fool's Day pranks on a national scale. Maybe you even fell for one of these April Fool’s Day hoaxes yourself.

On 1 April 1957, the British news show Panorama broadcasted a three-minute segment about a bumper spaghetti harvest in southern Switzerland. The crop's success was attributed to an unusually mild winter and the "virtual disappearance of the spaghetti weevil." The audience heard Richard Dimbleby, the show's highly respected anchor, discussing the details of the spaghetti crop as they watched video footage of a Swiss family pulling pasta off spaghetti trees and placing it into baskets. The segment concluded with the assurance that "For those who love this dish, there's nothing like real, home-grown spaghetti."

Ramadan - Fast or Furious

A number of years ago, a Danish minister sparked outrage after claiming Muslims fasting for Ramadan could pose a danger in the workplace. 

Integration Minister Inger Stoejberg, an immigration hardliner in Denmark's centre-right government, questioned in a blog post published Monday how "commanding observance to a 1,400-year-old pillar of Islam" was compatible with modern labour markets. 1

Is it fair to critique Islam and its practices like this? I do not think that because someone's faith is based on tenants and beliefs that were established long ago, that automatically makes them invalid for today. Surely, the reason for accepting or rejecting a set of beliefs or morals has to be the basis upon which they were founded—in other words, the validity of their origin and the genuineness of the statements that claim to be true. 

In this blog, I'm not seeking to undermine other people's faith but to establish the genuineness of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. I believe that the word of God, the Bible, can be verified to be a supernaturally produced document. The 40 different writers were given God's word, and within the pages of the Bible, God has left evidence on record so that we might understand the validity and genuineness of this document. 

In summary, a book written over 1500 years by 40 different authors who lived in various countries, cultures, and centuries or even millennia is quite an outstanding feat. The majority of the writers had no contact with one another. Yet, they produced a document that, from beginning to end (Genesis to Revelation), has a standard of uniformity that is impossible purely by human management and organisation. 

I will leave you with a quotation from the Holy Scriptures that will demonstrate why Christians believe that salvation comes not from religious practices such as fasting, praying, or other religious rituals but by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ alone. 

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by (grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 

The Bible - Ephesians 2:4-10

1. Evening Standard 24/5/18

Surviving on the Lusitania

 

In 1915, the Lusitania was the largest and fastest passenger in the world. It belonged to the Cunard Steamship Company and regularly sailed between Liverpool and New York, taking about a week each way.  

Edward (known as Teddy) Bond, then aged 40, was a cabin steward on the Lusitania, having worked on Cunard ships since he was a boy, and by then, he had worked his way up (via being a waiter) to the 1^st class cabin section, as had his father (also Edward) before him. Teddy had married his wife Mary in 1909, and the Bonds had, a few years before 1915, moved with their family into 29 Donaldson Street, a nice street with a Welsh chapel (now Crete Gospel Hall) at one end.

What are the 3 most commonly told stories in the world?

All photos courtesy of Unsplash 

When the film 'Titanic' was first premiered, millions of filmgoers watched in awe as “Titanic” disappeared beneath the waves. The film had a huge global audience; many people attended six or seven times, according to newspaper reports. A cartoon strip had a mom saying to her family: “I am going, uh, shopping. I will be back in about four hours, maybe.” The family exchanges knowing glances: “Titanic—again.”

Historians and statisticians report that the three most commonly told stories in the world are:- 

1. The life and death of Jesus Christ 

2. The American Civil War and 

3. The sinking of the Titanic. 

Especially with the first and third stories, one element has captured the world: the possibility that a person who goes down with the ship into the icy Atlantic and drowns—can someday live again. People wanted to believe that the ill-fated lovers, Jack and Rose, could actually be united again on the grand staircase of Titanic. That heroic dads who put their wives and children into lifeboats and then perished might someday experience the Bible’s promise of a Resurrection Morning.

Is what the Bible says about resurrection true? Did a dead person named Jesus come out of the tomb on that first Easter ‪Sunday morning‬? Or did His disciples steal the body, hide it, dry their tears, and then concoct this tall tale to beat all tall tales?  It is not just the fate of “Jack and Rose” which rests on Bible truth. All of us are intimately affected by what we read in the Bible of the possibility of us ever living again, it rests entirely and completely on the doctrine of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.‬

The Bible tells us that:- “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised and if Christ has not been raised, your preaching is useless and so is your faith. . . . For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for THIS LIFE we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.”

If we reject the doctrine of Christ’s resurrection or begin to doubt that He really did come out of that tomb, then we immediately have to also embrace—or at least wince and acknowledge—the reality that when we sink into our own "Atlantic Ocean" and close our eyes in death, that it is all over for us  . . . forever!

Do we want chocolate eggs and bunnies or the plain Word of God? Do we want Jesus the wandering poet or Christ the Risen Lord? Do we want our end to be when a ship goes down or the lights go out . . . or do we look forward to a wonderful and everlasting life in God’s eternal kingdom made possible by Jesus Christ breaking through the walls of that garden tomb?

"I AM the Resurrection and the Life", Jesus promises. Do we believe Him today? "He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die."

There in the ground, his body lay

Light of the world, by darkness, slain

Then bursting forth in glorious day

Up from the grave, he rose again

And as he stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me

For I am his and he is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

Written by Peter Francis for Messages with Meaning (‪06/04/21‬)‬/Your542Day

Peace

Throughout the world, many people today yearn and hope for peace, writes Bert Cargill of St Monans Gospel Hall. Our attention and concern centre on Ukraine and the Middle East just now, but there are more wars in the world than we realise, some lasting for years. Much high-level diplomacy and complex negotiations continue, with repeated efforts to get opposing sides to agree even to a ceasefire. Still, in the meantime, we can pray while we wait to see the final outcomes. But it’s a just and lasting peace that’s needed, not just a patch-up without dealing with the root causes of the conflicts.

 

For too long now, we have looked with sadness and dismay at scenes of destruction, brutality and suffering. The causes lie deep and are as old as history. The Bible reminds us that it is all rooted in man’s selfishness, jealousy and pride. If we are honest enough to look within, that’s something each of us can be guilty of, a refusal to “love our neighbour as ourselves”, as Jesus said, even to love our enemies. That is how He loved us, and He still loves us despite our failures and sins: “God commends His love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5.8). There is no greater love than this! 

 

We can refuse this love or receive it with gladness. If we receive it, we will enter a real and lasting peace with God. Those who accept Jesus as their own Savior and Lord are “justified by faith, and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5.1). Peace between warring nations seems so challenging to achieve, but here and now, we can have peace with God for ourselves.

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

Did you miss St Patrick's Day?

All photos courtesy of Unsplash 

Around A.D. 390, Patrick was born into a Christian family in the Roman province of Britain. As a teenager, he was taken as a slave to Ireland. He later wrote that while living in Ireland, “the Lord opened the understanding of my unbelief… that I might turn to the Lord my God with all my heart.” From that time forward, Patrick began seeking God’s direction for his life. In his autobiographical Confessions, he wrote, “Tending flocks was my daily work, and I would pray constantly…. The love of God and the fear of Him surrounded me more and more.” 

After six years, Patrick escaped and returned to Britain. There, Patrick experienced his own Macedonian call: he heard the voice of a man in Ireland calling, “Come and walk among us again.” He became a minister and, around 432, returned as a missionary to the area where he had been enslaved. Patrick’s passion for evangelism brought the gospel to Ireland and beyond.

At that time, Ireland was considered the “end of the earth” because it lay beyond the borders of the Roman Empire. The vast majority of people were pagans, practising witchcraft, magic, and human sacrifice. Under Patrick’s preaching, some of the leading druids were converted. The king’s brother became a Christian, and a church was established in his home area. By 447, fifteen years after Patrick arrived, most of Ireland had heard the gospel. 

By the time of his death, Patrick had planted approximately 200 churches and baptized 100,000 converts. He promoted true discipleship, refusing to baptize new converts until they showed steadfastness in the faith. 

Perhaps most importantly for the spread of the gospel, Patrick established an indigenous Celtic church. He trained men to serve the churches he planted. Following Patrick’s death, missionaries from Ireland took the gospel through central Europe, as far north as Iceland and back to Britain, the land from which their first missionary had come. In the years after Patrick’s death, Christianity’s greatest evangelistic efforts were led by Irish missionaries, the fruit of Patrick’s ministry.

Patrick is far more than a mythical character celebrated by wearing green on March 17. He is a hero of early Christianity and, in many ways, a model for missions today.

Author unknown

All things bright and beautiful

Last weekend, I spent the weekend in the beautiful country of Northern Ireland. For me, it is a bit like coming home. I love it. My mother was born and raised (raised, they would say) in Belfast. Some of my ancestors were from County Monaghan and others from Fermanagh. My wife is from Ballymena, County Antrim, so there are lots of family roots in this wonderful land.

Weather-wise, it was a great weekend. A slight drizzle (that is obligatory), but 98% of the time, the sun shone, and with what brilliance! We all know what a difference a little bit of sunshine makes! The landscape literally shines and glows in the glory of sunlight. The townlands and coastal scenery come alive (as does everyone who is out and about enjoying the majesty and splendour of God’s incredible creation) as you try to take in the greens of the fields, trees and shrubs (this is Ireland, after all) the shades of sea blue and the whole pallet of restful colours that vie for your attention. Words cannot fully express beauty. Many talented artists have attempted to reflect what they see, songwriters have written lyrics to express what they feel, and poets have created soulful words describing how they feel, as have many writers. Still, there is something inexpressible about beauty and the glory of the created order. On a very simple level (as long as you attribute the source as God) the Bible calls it worship, Psalm 8. As a Christian believer, I know that there are other deeper aspects to worship. Still, at a very elementary level, a ‘wow response’ comes from our appreciation of beauty and the awesomeness of what we see, hear and feel that demands deep reflection and admission that there is more to this than meets the eye (literally). Who gave us this ability to enjoy, value, be satisfied and delight in good music, amazing food, and beautiful words. Who gave us the capacity to appreciate art and to revel in talent. This is unique to humans. There is no evidence that any other creature has this sense of awe, this deep appreciation, the ability to be stunned and to stand back and be wowed by glorious majesty.

20th July 1969 - Remember!!

Photos courtesy of Unsplash 

I was reminded recently of the events of July 20th, 1969. Those that owned a television or at least knew someone who did gathered around it to watch something that was a ‘giant leap for mankind’, Man stepped off this planet and on to the nearest piece of rock to the earth in this enormous universe. It was a huge scientific achievement; humans travelled 384,400 km to step foot on the moon and leave a footprint in the dust. That footprint is still there; it has not been removed, as on the moon, there is no wind or rain to disturb it.

Letter from America

All photos courtesy of Unsplash 

I remember listening as a teenager to my old transistor radio and being entranced by Alistair Cooke’s  “Letter from America “. It was a weekly 15-minute radio series broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and its predecessor, the Home Service and also to the whole world through the BBC World Service.  

Throughout its history, it was presented by Alistair Cooke, who would speak on a topical issue in the USA, tying together different strands of observation and anecdote and often ending on a poignant note. The series ran from 24 March 1946 to 20 February 2004, making it the longest-running speech radio programme hosted by one individual in history.

It got me thinking about the possible contents of a “Letter from Heaven”. Of course, we already have one written in the 66 books of the Bible, making it the longest-running letter put together by God from the beginning of time. It too, ties together different strands of observation and anecdote and often ends on a poignant note!    But what would an abridged letter contain?

Self Deception - an interesting tale!

 

All photos courtesy of Storyblocks

Have you heard the story of the bank robber named McArthur Wheeler in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who was told that if he rubbed lemon juice on his face, he wouldn’t need to use a mask to avoid detection because his face would be invisible to the cameras? This is not a joke; it’s true! He bought a Polaroid camera and a couple of lemons, squeezed them and applied the juice to his face. He then pointed the camera at his face and clicked, rotated the camera and clicked. He finished up with a photo of the ceiling but no image of his face, and he fully believed that the lemon juice did the trick.

The bad news and the good

 

We get a lot of bad news these days, writes Bert Cargill of St Monans Gospel Hall. Apart from international conflicts and worries, there is plenty to be concerned about here at home, with so many wicked things happening in what was meant to be a civilised society. We hear about disruptive behaviour and violence in schools, bullying in playgrounds and workplaces, neglect and cruelty to children in families, partners being murdered, physical and sexual abuse of children and vulnerable young people in care settings, knives and guns on the streets, overcrowding in prisons and more. Some public figures in sports, politics, and church organisations who should have set good examples do the opposite. Their behaviour is disgraceful and unlawful in financial, moral and sexual matters. Nowhere seems to be exempt. Promises to “clean it up” and “learn lessons for the future” are not convincing. It can be pretty depressing but be assured that God will ultimately deal righteously with crime and wickedness in His ways of perfect justice.

How many doors?

Have you ever thought about how many doors you use daily? asks Bert Cargill of St Monans Gospel Hall. Try counting the number of doors in your house, including cupboard doors you need to open and doors you go through, and the number will soon be doubled. And if you go out and travel anywhere, what about car doors, bus doors, train doors! Doors are almost too common to wonder about, but we would be in trouble without them.

Powerful Men

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

This blog post was written before Russia invaded Ukraine. It is, however, very pertinent as President Putin of Russia obviously feels that he has the power and right to invade a peaceful nation to expand his territory and create another iron curtain between him and 'the West'. 

History is replete with men who strived to be recognized as God. The ultimate power sought by many is to rule over other men and women and be worshipped by them. They may not use the term ‘God’ but it is self-evident that crave the power and glory that only rightly belongs to God.

Before Jesus had reached His second birthday, He had already become the target of an assassination plot by King Herod, the ruthless and paranoid ruler of Roman-controlled Judea. Joseph and Mary, prompted by a dream from God, took the baby and fled to Egypt.

Egypt's history was one proud and glorious procession of kings spanning thirty dynasties and nearly 3,000 years. Egyptian kings--the pharaohs--were powerful figures and rich beyond imagination. They wielded wealth like a weapon, built sprawling cities and commanded huge armies.