Tales of Terror…from the Bible

DES MOINES (AP) — Don't expect to hear these Bible stories at church.

Cannibalism, rape, a bear that mauls children — this is the Bible?

They're among six stories from the Old Testament acted out in "Terror Texts," a musical at Northwestern College in Orange City.

Adding to the shocking nature of the stories are the theatrics, with actors decked out in Goth attire, a rock band and a mosh pit.

Theater professor Jeff Barker said the obscurity of the stories belies their value.

Read the rest of the story here…

4 Minute Devotions: Faithfulness

It's only through God's faithfulness to His Word, that we can ever be restored to His favor and love.

Podcast version here

1 Corinthians 1:9 God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

My faith is built upon the faithfulness of God. If God was ever unfaithful to His Word, my faith would instantly diminish and be destroyed. I depend upon His words being true, which is why I hold fast to the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This gets me into bother sometimes, especially with other Christians whose affinity to the faith does not depend upon how truthful God’s Word is, but on how much they believe that God’s Word is trumped by God’s Love. Acceptance and tolerance are the keys to their faith and sometimes I envy them. It would be so easy to give up on God’s Word and interpret things the way that I wanted. Life would be less cumbersome without divine rules, regulations, and readings. I could do as I please, instead of trying to do what would please God.

Now don’t get the impression that I am a sanctimonious, saintly, separationist who delights in being perfect and loves it when other people fail. I am a sinful person, whose mistakes often disappoint God, other people, and even me. Because I hold fast to the faithfulness of God’s Word, it hurts me to hurt Him. My failure to remain faithful, however, does not diminish the truth about God’s Word. He remains faithful, so that when I seek forgiveness, He pardons me through the precious blood of Christ.

That’s why my faith is built upon God’s faithfulness. Left to myself, I cannot always keep His words. At some point, during each day of my life, I am going to sin. My thoughts, my words, or my deeds are going to betray God. Whether it’s intentional or not, the result is still the same: through my selfishness, I have separated myself from God. It’s only through His faithfulness that I can ever be restored to God’s favor and love.

Perhaps you’ve separated yourself from God through something that you’ve done or said. Maybe like me, you find yourself spiritually alone because of selfish and sinful ways. It seems as though there’s no hope, no solution, and no one to turn to, but that is completely wrong. God is faithful and He will find us, no matter how lost, sinful, or unfaithful we have been.

Prayer: Lord God, we all make mistakes and allow our sinful ways to separate us from Your love. We feel alienated and isolated, spiritually crushed and totally abandoned at times. Despite what we do to what we do to ourselves, You remain faithful and offer us forgiveness through the holy sacrifice of Your Son Jesus Christ. Help us at this time, to turn to Him and receive Your mercy and grace. In Christ’s Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

4 Minute Devotions: Fringes

Calvin called them the ‘attestations of God’s wisdom.’ He was referring to the wonders of nature and creation all around us, which lead us to having faith in a benevolent Creator. Whether it’s the majesty of magnificent mountains, the crashing of waves against the shore, or even looking at a blade of grass under a microscope, all of them inspire a feeling of awe and wonder within us, which can only be explained as a oneness with the creator.

Podcast version here

Job 26:14 And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?"

I also like what Job has to say about these wonderful works of creation. To him, they were the outer fringes of God’s works; in other words, there are even greater things to experience about God. As I have written before, one of my hopes about being on the other side of death will be traveling throughout the whole universe and seeing everything that God has done. I want to watch stars being born and different planets. I want to feel the pleasure and delight that God has in His creativity. I want to be there when a new heaven and a new earth are created for the glorious purpose of a new beginning for humanity.

As I look out my study window, I see that the sky is overcast and that the trees have lost the brightness of their colors. But I know that very soon the sun will come out from behind the grey clouds and that these mere fringes of God’s creation will become bright and alive, beautiful and marvelous. All things attest to God’s wisdom and I feel both privileged and humbled to be a creature of His making, who experiences the wonders of His creating.

Prayer: Lord God, help us to take the time to feel the sense of wonder at the beauty which is all around us. No matter what we do or where we go today, remind us of the joy of creation and let us experience the awe of Your beauty. In the Name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org

Muslim Cleric Says Christian Women Should Wear Veils.

Outspoken Muslim cleric Taj al-Din al-Hilali has claimed that the Bible "mandates" the wearing of the veil by Christian women. Writing in a new book, Sheik Hilali, who lost his job as mufti of Australia after comparing scantily clad women to uncovered meat, argues that the Bible and the Koran make similar demands of a woman's modesty.

Hilali, who remains the head of Australia's largest mosque in the south western Sydney suburb of Lakemba, says the purpose of the book is to show the commonalities of Islam with the Jewish and Christian faiths when it comes to women's modesty and clothing.

In the soon to be published The Legitimacy of the Veil for Women of the Scripture - Evidence of the Veil in the Bible, he points to references in the Old and New Testaments to women wearing a veil. "

Through this, I hope to raise awareness and understanding and eliminate apprehensions and misunderstandings about the veil," news.com.au quotes him, as saying.

Read rest of the story here…

Bible Reading Mom Booted off Bus

Texas Mother ordered off bus for reading Bible to her children

Source : www.ReligionAndSpirituality.com

A passenger on a bus in Fort Worth, Texas, says she was ordered off the bus because she was reading her Bible aloud. Christine Lutz says she was reading her Bible to her children when the driver asked her to stop or get off the bus.

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The Statue - Interpreting Nebuchadnezzar's Dream

Daniel 2:31 "You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue-an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. (NIV)

When I was in fifth grade, or Primary 7 as we called it back in Scotland, a Bible exhibition came to Glasgow. I think it was run by the Philadelphian Bible Society in Britain. It was fascinating because many of the exhibits were models of buildings and places in the Old Testament. Our teacher used to read to us every morning from the Bible before our other lessons began, so I guess he thought that by taking us to the Bible exhibition, our class would be able to visualize the events recorded in the scriptures.

I can remember one large model of this statue from Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. It was made up of all the different parts – gold, silver, bronze, iron and clay. Beside the model was a hand-written interpretation of what it represented – the Persian Empire, the Greek Empire, the Roman Empire, and the British Empire – all of them were indicated on the model. It meant that the feet of clay represented the modern age and that the rock, which was thrown at the statue, symbolized Christ’s return. He is known as the Rock of Ages, so the person who interpreted the story historically at the Bible exhibition, was expressing to everyone that the end of Time would soon be fulfilled.

I couldn’t get to sleep that night because I was afraid that Jesus would come back whilst I was sleeping and that I would be condemned for all of my sins. It preyed on my mind and affected my whole being. During the day, I kept looking up at the sky and at night time, I shivered myself to sleep. It was hard to hold on to my faith in Jesus because I was afraid of Him. It was a very frightening time in my young life.

Almost forty years have passed since I was at that exhibition. Throughout that time, my faith has changed, so instead of fearing Christ’s return, I look forward to that moment. I know that I have committed a great many sins since being a child, but I also know that I have a Great Savior whose grace is amazing and mercy is limitless. I may have feet of clay at times, but Christ is my solid Rock, my sole Redeemer. His forgiveness sustains my faith; His love gives meaning to my life.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, one glorious day, just like today, You will return to reclaim the earth as Your own, and to restore God’s ways in this world. Help us to prepare our hearts for that beautiful moment and to build up our faith, so that we may lovingly and effectively tell other people about Your Gospel. As You give us opportunities to relate our beliefs, help us to do so in ways that are convincing and compassionate. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Would Christianity survive without the Bible?

Audio version here

Colossians 2:17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. (NIV)

Someone recently posed the question: could Christianity survive without the Bible? That’s a tough question to answer. For three thousand years, God’s people have looked to the sacred scriptures to build a foundation of faith and tradition in order to give their lives meaning and purpose. The stories of the Bible have become timeless examples of how ordinary people overcome their troubles in extraordinary ways. How solid would our faith be without the heroic exploits of Noah and his ark; of Joseph and his brothers; of Daniel in the lions’ den? These ancient tales of faith have inspired generations of God’s people in every country and culture throughout the earth.

But what if the Bible suddenly disappeared from our world? What would happen if we as Christians could no longer read the Gospels? What would our faith become? Could it survive?

If we look back to the faith of the first Christians, we come across an amazing fact: they didn’t have any scriptures to sustain their beliefs. The Gospels were written thirty years after the Church was established. The Old Testament wasn’t canonized in its present form until AD93. This must mean that the first Christians established their faith on maintaining their relationship with Christ. Their reality of faith depended upon their connection to His Spirit and not to words written on a scroll of papyrus.

I’m not advocating that we do away with the Bible. It is very important as a guide book for how we ought to live our lives, but in the end it will not be our knowledge of scripture that will get us into heaven. It will be our living, day-to-day relationship with Christ that will secure our salvation. He is the Eternal Word of God – the true Word that is alive, dynamic, and everlasting. Jesus is not someone who is confined to the pages of history, nor is He a mere character in a holy book. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, in whom our faith abides and through whom Christianity survives. The scriptures are a shadow of the things that were to come, and as Paul would say, “the reality, however, is found in Christ.”

Books will one day turn to dust, and even our computers will become redundant and decay, but the Living Word of God, Jesus Christ, will never pass away.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank You for the scriptures and for the many things with which they teach us about You, about Your messages, and about Your mighty deeds. These sacred words bring us closer to You, but they are not the source of our salvation. Only Your Spirit can connect us to God; only Your power can restore us to His favor. Enable us this day to grow closer to You in prayer, in devotion, and in service. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Contractual Agreement

Audio Version here

Psalm 25:10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant. (NIV)

I had to sign a contract this morning for our Scottish folk band, Glenfinnan. We’re due to make three appearances at an all-day Celtic music festival which is being held on Saturday September 22 in Dandridge, Tennessee. The contract states that we will play two sets in the afternoon at the hospitality tent and headline the evening concert next to the dam. The contract also stipulates that no matter what the weather is like, the performances will still take place. I guess it is standard procedure for organizers to have these contracts signed, but it is the first time our band has had to sign one.

Covenants in the Bible are a bit like contracts, except that God is usually the one to initiate and complete them. Part of my seminary education at Glasgow University was to read about the covenants in the Old Testament. Time and time again, God makes a covenant with His chosen people. Time after time, the Hebrew people break the covenant, so God has to get them to re-commit themselves to Him. Finally, God chooses to initiate one last covenant, one last witness to His faithfulness, which we call the New Testament. Jesus Christ seals this new covenant with His blood on the Cross at Calvary. There are no more options, no more testaments, no more covenants after His death – after all, how could God top the sacrifice of His Only Son?

The way in which we can keep this new covenant is to believe that Jesus died for our sins and that through Him alone we are reconciled and restored to God. All other covenants are futile. All other ways fail.

Prayer: Lord God, we thank You for the everlasting covenant that You made with humankind through Jesus Christ, Your Holy Son. In Him, we have forgiveness. Through Him, we are given salvation. To Him, we covenant our lives. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

The Look

Audio Version here

Acts 14:9-10 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. (NIV)

I once had a friend who worked as a detective in the Scottish police force. He was trained to observe people during interviews, in order to tell whether or not they were lying. Small movements of the eyes, mouth and hands were general indicators that something was wrong, deceptive or false. For instance, people usually smile when they are lying – not a broad smile, just a mere flicker of a smile. Whenever my friend saw this in the interview room, he recognized a lie. I found that fascinating and promised myself never to play him at poker.

What I also find amazing is Paul’s response to the crippled man in today’s passage. What does he see in the man’s face, eyes, or body that makes the apostle realize that the cripple has enough faith to be healed? Was it a look of desperation or devotion? Was it a glance of expectancy or exhilaration? And does this passage prove that if we don’t have the same kind of faith, we cannot ever be healed? This is a puzzling thing to me and very mysterious. It makes me wish that I had the same gift of discernment as Paul, so that whenever I see anyone with that kind of faith, I can help with their healing.

The look of faith is something that our world desperately needs right now. I mean a genuine look of faith, not some zealous, fanatical, and insanely religious grimace, but a look of hope, kindness, expectancy and compassion. It’s too easy to be religious and severe; it’s far more difficult to be faithful and patient, but that is what our crippled, broken and shattered world needs right now – a look of hope, a look of faith, a look of love.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to see the needs of other people before we focus on our own. Enable us to look for love amongst the lost and to find hope with those who are helpless. Give us compassionate hearts and faithful feelings, so that we may act as real Christians in the world. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Unyoked

Audio version here

2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? NIV



Sometimes Paul reminds me of Ezra and Nehemiah in the Old Testament. They were the messengers of God who ‘purified’ the Jewish people by casting out foreigners from their community. Men, women and children were all thrown out of Jerusalem if they did not have “pure” blood in them. Paul does the equivalent here by insisting that unbelievers and Christians should never be partnered or yoked together. Paul wants to keep the faith pure; he doesn’t want any ‘outsiders’ influencing the church.

Over the centuries, this scripture has been used to shun outsiders and isolate the church from the popular community. It’s been emphasized by spiritual elitists who have used it to promote racism, abuse, and intolerance all over the world. Whatever Paul originally intended, his words have been used to justify lynching blacks, destroying families, killing Jews, and even promoting White supremacy. I wonder if Paul realized what his words would one day represent, would he have retracted them from this letter?

It seems to me that Jesus had a different mission from Paul. Jesus was constantly surrounded by unbelievers, sinners, and outcasts. His ministry tended to reach out to those who were unholy and He sanctified them (made them holy) with His love, mercy, and grace. There was nothing elite about Jesus; there was nothing that suggested supremacy. In fact, we are constantly reminded by Paul of all people that Christ humbled Himself to come among us. The Sinless One came to save sinners. The Perfect One came to die for the imperfect. The Holy Son of God came to make unholy people sons, daughters, and heirs of God’s Kingdom.

Today, we are all going to meet other people. When we do, let’s try to reach out with grace and love, tolerance and mercy. It’s not going to be easy, especially when we come across folk who are radically different from us, but with practice we will learn the art of tolerance, love, unity and peace. And aren’t those goals worthy of our Savior? Aren’t those qualities why the Church exists?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to get out of our spiritual comfort zones and reach out to those who are on the ‘outside’ of Your church. Grant us the courage to get along beside them to offer them help in times of trouble, cheer in times of gladness, and love in times of fear and uncertainty. Remind us that we were all unbelievers at one point in our lives and that without someone reaching out to us, we would never have known of Your acceptance, forgiveness, grace, and love. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Forgive and Heal

Audio version here

Matthew 9:5 Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? (NIV)

Forgiveness is an easy thing to talk about, but a hard thing to do. I’ve known people, including myself, to be shackled to the chains of unforgiveness, which can paralyze emotions, diminish relationships, and destroy love. The bane of bitterness is fed by our inability to say or hear the word “sorry.” A sad fact about life is this: forgiveness can be the key as to whether or not we lead healthy, productive, and faithful lives. What we do with forgiveness sometimes molds who we are and what we will become.

Recently, I’ve known someone to be forgiven something very serious and shown a great deal of mercy. I thought that this would bring them back into church, praising and thanking God for the clemency this person was given. Several Sundays have passed and they haven’t come to worship God. This person has taken forgiveness for granted and that saddens me. I think if I was forgiven as much, I would be first in line to get into the sanctuary on Sunday morning. Heck, I wouldn’t even wait till Sunday – on the day I was forgiven I’d be back in church!

When Jesus deals with the paralytic man, He not only cures him of being a cripple, He also heals the paralytic’s broken soul. Sometimes the lack of forgiveness and the burden of guilt can seriously affect the body. Was this man’s paralysis brought on by a relentless guilty conscience? I guess we’ll never know, but from the scripture, it seems very important to Jesus that forgiveness be given first and restoration be experienced later.

Perhaps you’re experiencing something similar. Perhaps you need forgiveness for something you intensely regret, or maybe you’ve been waiting on forgiveness for such a long, long time. Whatever the case, know that Jesus has both the power to forgive and to heal. If you sincerely come to Him with what bothers you today, He will be merciful; He will show compassion to you.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know everything about our lives. You know the hurts we carry in our hearts and the mistakes that still burn in our minds. Forgive us and heal us. Be merciful and compassionate. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

Evan's Highway

Audio version here

Luke 1:76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, (NIV)

Our church began a movie study yesterday, based upon “Evan Almighty.” If you haven’t seen the movie, you should. It’s very funny and there’s a wholesome family message in the story. It kind of reminded me of two James Stewart movies, “Harvey” and “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

The premise of the movie is all about a newly-elected New York politician being called by God to build an ark in his subdivision. It sounds crazy, but then I guess when God called Noah to build his ark thousands of years ago, it seemed crazy at that time, too.

So, why are we studying this movie? Well, there’s a new church site called “ArkAlmighty.com” which ties in to the movie. Congregations can register to be a part of a good neighbors project where church members can use their gifts and skills to help others in their congregations and communities. It’s a well organized program, developed by Willow Creek ministries. Our church has signed up for it and so we began a four-week curriculum based upon good deeds and godly faith interacting. Kindness to others and the Kingdom of God are brought together in a special way that honors Christ and evangelizes at the same time.

I hope that by doing this, our church will feel more confident about reaching out to others in our community and that the people around us will feel reconnected to God through His people. It will also help us work out what our true calling is at Erin and to go in whatever direction the Lord leads us. I don’t see us building an ark anytime soon, but I do believe that we are meant to build upon the Kingdom God has already established here though the ministry and mission of Christ.

Prayer: Lord God, we all want to do Your will and to follow Your Son Jesus into the world around us. Help us to be open to the bidding of Your Spirit and to see the needs of the people in our community. Wherever we can, enable us to fulfill those needs though deeds of kindness, love , and faith. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

Promises, promises

Audio version here.

2 Corinthians 1: 20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. NIV

My Grandmother, Rachel Stuart, whom we all called “Grandma,” was a great wee person. She looked like Dorothy’s mother, Sophia, from the TV show “The Golden Girls.” She raised a large family of seven and had umpteen grandchildren and great-grandchildren. My grandparents were married when they were sixteen and seventeen years old, and they enjoyed almost seventy years of marriage together.

Grandma Stuart had a number of sayings, but one of her best was: “He’s a great promiser, but a bad fulfiller.” She usually applied that to national politicians, but she also wanted her grandchildren to learn this important lesson – sometimes what people say they will do is vastly different from what they end up doing.

When Paul writes to the Corinthians about the promises of God, he writes from a background of belonging to a people who longed for God to fulfill His promises. They had waited hundreds of years for a Messiah to come into the world to save Israel, but time after time, they were disappointed. For some, it must have seemed as though God was a great promiser, but a bad fulfiller.

Paul firmly believed that Jesus was the Messiah and that God fulfilled all of His promises through Him. The Christ that the people had been looking for, was the person they crucified. The Messiah that they had all been hoping for, was the Resurrected Son of God, Jesus Christ.

After two thousand years, we still wonder if God will fulfill His promises and when Christ will return. The world needs Christ the Peacemaker, Judge, and Savior to come back into history and put an end to all wickedness, war, and waste. Faith is required for those who wait expectantly for Christ to return - a faith that believes God is not just a great promiser, but a true fulfiller of all that He has said. Or as Paul so effectively wrote it: ‘no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.’

Prayer: Father God, Time to You is a mere twinkling of the eye, but to us who wait on earth, it can seem like ages. We know that You have Your own plans about when Christ will return to earth. Grant us patience and enable us to live each day as if it will be the moment of the final fulfillment of Your great and everlasting promises. In Christ’s Name, we expectantly pray. Amen.

A Good Book

Audio version here

Joshua 1:8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (NIV)

I don’t know where I would be without my Bible, or to be exact, Bibles. I’ve a whole collection of them in my study. Some I’ve had for years; others were given to me; and still others have been recently purchased. Without a Bible, I wouldn’t be me. Without God’s Word in my life, I wouldn’t be a Christian.

Now that’s not to say that I’m a sanctimonious, Bible thumping, self-righteous holy roller. I do have my moments, but the Bible is more of a spiritual guide book to me, rather than a sacred sword with which I smite my enemies. I believe in its contents. I believe it speaks more about truth than any other scripture in existence today. I know that it points out my character flaws, sinful ways, and bad decisions more than anything else in the world. It keeps my feet on solid ground, and not high up on some academic theological pedestal of my own making.

The Bible also comforts me, encourages me, and inspires me. There have been thousands of times in my life when a Bible verse, passage or story has deeply connected with my life. In times of sadness, the Bible has helped me weep. In moments of joy, the Bible has shown me how to rejoice.

When Joshua needed help to lead the Israelite people, God guided him to look to the Law of Moses. Times were changing and Joshua had to take over Moses’ leadership during a difficult period of transition. God counseled Joshua to look to the law. Why? Because in the midst of all the changes and commotion, Joshua and the people needed something that was timeless, changeless, and reassuring. The Law of Moses gave them a foundation of beliefs, ideas, and teachings to keep the people together. Without the Law, the people would have divided. Without the scriptures, the community would have diminished and scattered.

The Bible keeps me connected to God and His people through the best and worst of times. I write and send these daily devotions to build up the church and strengthen an internet faith community that exists across many states, a number of nations, and over several continents. Without the Bible, we could not do this. Without the scriptures, there would be nothing to keep us together.

Prayer: Lord God, in Your infinite wisdom, You bestowed upon us sacred writings that have become a solid base for our beliefs. Whilst we do not worship the Bible, we deeply respect its power to give us strength, encouragement, and counsel in times of need, crisis, and trouble. Let Your Holy Spirit enter into our minds today and touch our hearts with Your sacred words. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Weekend Screensaver - Plowing Ahead

Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." Luke 9:62

Do Not Lose Heart

Scottish audio version here

2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. NIV

At this time last year, our church underwent some serious trouble. One of our staff members had terrible personal problems, which in turn affected the whole congregation and created a small division. It took a great deal of focus, energy, and determination to endure and overcome the fall out. A lot of prayer was said and eventually the tide turned. We lost eight members, but by the end of the year, we still managed to have an overall gain of eighteen people. God’s mercy enabled us to carry on our ministry and mission at Erin Presbyterian. Through His grace, we did not lose heart.

Since then, we’ve undergone recovery. We’re still picking up the pieces and are only beginning to restart some projects that fell by the wayside. For the first time in a long time, we’ve let God carry us, as well as lead us. It’s been a humbling experience, but in the end it will prove to be a worthwhile one.

When Paul wrote to the Corinthians so long ago, he was addressing them as someone who had been through a lot of trouble, grief, and pain. He had been beaten up for his faith, cast out of different cities, shipwrecked, and almost lynched on several occasions. He had also been arrested, thrown into jail, and was now awaiting trial. If anyone had a right to lose heart, it was Paul, but he also relied upon God’s mercy to get him through the bad times, as well as the good ones.

He was also writing to a church that had its share of problems. The Christians at Corinth were going through a cultural war, where members of the congregation were struggling with adhering to Christ’s demands, as opposed to accepting the world’s ways. They wanted to be holy, but not different; they aspired to be faithful, but not unfashionable. Paul reminded them of their special calling in order to help them get back on the right track. And even though he was hundreds of miles away from them, Paul embraced them in his heart and loved them back to the Gospel.

Today, you may be doubting yourself, your faith, your church, your purpose, your personal ministry and mission. Remember that God is merciful and that through Christ, He will sustain you. Do not lose heart, for remember, He who called you to do His will is patient, gracious, faithful, and forgiving.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we feel so unworthy, so unprepared, and so faithless at times to fulfill the ministries that You ask us to undertake and accomplish. We get frustrated and impatient, bedeviled and beguiled by our fears, our doubts, and our problems. Grant us Your grace to sustain us through our worst experiences and most troublesome of times. Lead us by Your love, so that we will not lose heart, nor let go of our calling. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Unworthy

Scottish audio version here

Acts 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. (NIV)

Some of the congregations in the highlands and islands of Scotland are amongst the best attended churches in Britain. They are isolated from a lot of the cultural pressures that hamper faith on the mainland, so the people tend to turn out to church on Sundays. Except for Communion, which is very strange.

The reason that they don’t come to Communion services is because it requires full membership status. Many of the people who regularly attend church are adherents to the congregation, not members. They don’t believe that they are worthy enough to become members, which is a throwback to the times when the first Calvinist ministers came to the islands. Because they preached an uncompromising message of double predestination, the highlanders and islanders feared that they were damned and cast off from God forever.

Joining the church was deemed to be presumptive and taking salvation for granted, so the people didn’t become members. This understanding has passed down generation after generation until the present day. So, the churches are well attended throughout the year, except when it comes to Communion, which only occurs about two or three times annually.

When Paul and Barnabas took the gospel message to the Jews across the cities and towns of the Mediterranean, their preaching was rejected. It was too radical for many conservative Jews, so the two missionaries took their message to the Gentiles, where it was gladly accepted. Paul complains that the Jews did not consider themselves worthy of the promises of eternal life, but what he really meant was that they did not want to place themselves under the grace of Jesus Christ. The Gentiles on the other hand, knew that they were unworthy and they rejoiced in Christ’s grace.

Sometimes, especially when we need forgiveness for our sins, we may not feel worthy of God’s mercy. We may even not want to go to Him and ask for grace because it involves admitting our mistakes and submitting ourselves to Christ’s will. But if we don’t seek forgiveness, we shall never know of the joy, peace, and delight that Christ’s grace can bring into our lives. It’s a humbling experience, but it’s also a beautiful one.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we all have regrets in our lives and have made many mistakes. We carry the burden of guilt and shame in our hearts, minds, and souls. Grant us the strength to humbly come to You and help us to truly ask for forgiveness. Let the beauty of Your grace release us from the sadness of the past, bringing us to the joy of everlasting love and life. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

Making a Whistle

Scottish audio version here.

John 10:16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. (NIV)

My father-in-law, Bill Smith, was a remarkably talented man. He was a hydraulic engineer, so he could fix basically anything that was mechanical. He grew up in the countryside and worked on various farms as a young man. I guess he learned how to repair things when he worked with farming machinery.

Years later, I remember one occasion when he took an empty can and cut it apart with metal shears. I wondered what he was doing as he flattened out the piece of metal and folded it over several times. He then put it to his lips and blew. He had made a whistle! I don’t know how he did it, but I was really impressed. I think he learned this craft when he worked for a short time as a shepherd.

Scottish shepherds use whistles to guide their collie dogs as they herd the sheep over the hills. A talented shepherd can herd sheep half a mile away by blowing different signals to his dog. It’s a remarkable feat and requires a lot of concentration by the shepherd and his dog, as well as the willing cooperation of the sheep!

From the scriptures, we know that Christ is our Good Shepherd and that He calls us to His flock. Today’s Bible verse has been used by some people to falsely suggest that other religions are acceptable to Him. They state that the “other sheep” are adherents of other faiths. But those who interpret scripture in this fashion conveniently forget the next part: that they will listen to Christ’s voice and then become part of the one flock.

In other words, to be accepted by Christ, they have to listen to Him and follow Him.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You call all people to listen to Your voice and become Your followers. You want everyone to be a part of the One, True Flock. Help us to help You with this calling. Grant us the courage to ask others to come to church, to come and be a part of Your Kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Tabitha

Audio version here

Acts 9:36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor.


For those of us who grew up in the sixties, the name Tabitha will always be associated with the cute blonde haired daughter of Samantha Stephens, in the television series “Bewitched.” I can still see her smiling mischievously and touching her nose as she made her toys fly around the room. I now can’t believe that Tabitha is in her forties, has four sons, and is on her third marriage. Time moves on regardless.

As for the original Tabitha, I learned about her in the seventies, when I started to read the Bible again. I didn’t know she existed until I read the Book of Acts for the first time. In Scotland, ministers tended to call her “Dorcas,” and in the church where I worshipped, there was even a stained-glass window depicting this disciple of Christ busily hand-sewing a shirt. In the part of Glasgow where our church was situated, cotton merchants, weavers and tailors prospered, so the window was dedicated to Dorcas, patron saint of tailors & seamstresses.

Whoever Dorcas or Tabitha was, she must have been very important to the Christian community at Joppa. The fact that two men went to find Peter to raise her from the dead shows us just how dearly she was loved and appreciated. Her charitable works and words of encouragement must have strengthened the local church. Her making and giving of clothes to the poor probably saved the lives, especially amongst the destitute widows in the city. She used her gifts to help the helpless; she inspired faith in others through her kindness and compassion.

Today, or perhaps this weekend, we will each be given an opportunity to be a Tabitha in our communities. We will hear or read about others whose needs are desperate and whose plight is serious. Hopefully, when we are informed of these things, we will act accordingly by using our gifts, resources and skills to help others through tough times and painful circumstances.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the witness of true saints like Tabitha. The story of her kindness to the people in Joppa has been read, told and preached for almost two thousand years. She was just an ordinary person like us, but she did much to glorify You and to serve her people. Enable us to do the same. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Hostages

Audio Version here

Psalm 143:9 Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD, for I hide myself in you. (NIV)

There are early reports coming in this morning that fifteen British sailors have been captured by the Iranian Navy in Iraqi waters. Perhaps by the end of the day, these sailors will be released. I hope so, for the event has the potential to escalate the war in the Gulf. I pray that the sailors will be treated well and quickly returned, otherwise the British Navy may retaliate.

It reminds me of the Iranian hostage crisis which took place during Jimmy Carter’s presidency. He lost the Whitehouse to Ronald Reagan because of it. Britain goes to the polls in about eight weeks time to elect a new Prime Minister. Perhaps I’m being cynical in my old age, but I wonder if the Iranian President has initiated this incident to influence British voters? Ahmadinejad was one of the revolutionary ring-leaders of the hostage situation in the American Embassy in Tehran. It could be that he’s trying to unnerve the Western alliance in the present Iraqi war. Personally, I wouldn’t put it past him.

However, as Christians, we need to keep praying for peace in the region and for the dogs of war to be silenced. No matter how justified each side feels about what is going on, this fact remains: innocent men, women, and children are dying in the streets of Baghdad and across the region. We have to find a lasting solution. We need to honestly look at ourselves and find the ways, words, and works that lead to peace. Otherwise, our children won’t just be facing global warming; they’ll be continually dealing with global warring.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace whereas we are the weavers of war. Help us to end the hostilities between different nations, races, and religions throughout the world. If we are truly Christian, then crucify our self-righteous sins and grandiose schemes of sovereignty. Teach us not to throw away our freedom by surrendering our security. Help us not to lose our faith by empowering our religion. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.