Tuesday, December 21, 2010

The Greatest Deluge the world has ever seen.

What a deluge of snow the UK has seen over this past month. In Northern Ireland I don't think we have seen such a fall of snow and the drop in temperatures since 1963 (I was only a wee lad then).
I was thinking about Noah recently and how the rain promised by God started to materialise on the earth. It was a deluge that the peoples of the world thought was never going to stop. It didn’t and the people who were looking for its end decidedly perished in it. Many today wonder how so much rain could fall and cover the earth so comprehensibly yet the answer is in God’s Word, ‘The Bible’ as we know it. In Genesis 1:6-7 we see God dividing waters. One below on the earth and what appears to be a canopy of water above the earth. This canopy above the earth created a humid environment allowing many species of His creation to exist. It would be logical to assume that God used this canopy of water to flood the earth in Noah’s day. What significance would this have had on the environment that was left? Most certainly the humid greenhouse effect would have disappeared because the canopy of water that the sun was shining through had now gone. This would have caused some types of certain kinds of life to be reduced in numbers due to the change in their living conditions. I believe that life changed for the dinosaur (dinosaur being a relatively new word to describe a certain batch of life that remains have been found in different parts of the world). Many would not have been able to survive the new living conditions.
It is interesting that Sir David Attenborough, an eminent scientist of some repute, has stated recently in an interview with Sky News the following:
"Every now and then there's a blip (extinction), like what happened with the dinosaurs and pterosaurs."
Yet men of Sir David’s calibre fail to even contemplate the possibly that God’s hand of creation and ultimate handling of His creation is the result of what we have on earth today. There are of course many other less publicised yet equally eminent scientists who hold to the belief that there must be a Divine originator without whom this world with its life-forms and the surrounding galaxies would fail to exist.
God even told of the fact that the earth was round in the writings of Isaiah:
Isaiah 40:22 -It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
God even allows us to see what can only be described as creatures that fit into the ‘Dinosaur’ ‘kind’ in Job 40:15 (Behemoth) and Job 41: (Leviathan).
I am not an scientist but sometimes the obvious is overlooked because it is so simple in the first place. The old saying comes to mind:
‘When plain sense makes good sense seek no other sense lest it result in nonsense’ 
Psalm 24:1 - The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Quickie professions of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

 For many years I have been troubled as to the method of some preachers of the Gospel who appear to concern themselves with numbers that are saved rather than whether the person or persons that they are speaking to are convicted of the Holy Spirit in that they have sin in their lives and this sin needs to be confessed before God in repentance. I have experience of preachers that for what ever reason find it necessary to produce numbers of persons saved for their reports that they send to supporting churches. Young people coerced into saying a 'little prayer' and then because of their lack of understanding are left saying things like 'I have tried being a Christian but it doesn't work' or 'I don't feel any different'.
Again I believe that David Cloud says it probably more eloquently and more informative that I would. So I recommend that you read his article (link below) on his website entitled 'Whats wrong with most soul winning courses?'

http://www.wayoflife.org/files/883fd3a63df3008abd03eebd1399fc93-694.html

Our so called celebrities need Salvation too

Much is made today of the glitz filled lives of our stars from the silver screen, TV, sports arenas etc. In fact they are held by many as to be great role models for our lives in general and that of our children. Many of these so called stars show themselves as upright decent people with whom 'butter wouldn't melt in their mouths' as the old saying goes. Yet frequently these stars are targeted by the reporting hounds of the media as having slipped into the abyss of sin and debauchery. Perhaps that sin and debauchery was always there in their lives  however it suited the powers that be not mention it. Over these passed few weeks we have seen the glamour of the x-factor where young and old hopefuls have been given a chance of this star studded life only to find that stardom really only lasts for a short time and that keeping up in that life declares that reinvention becomes a frequent necessity if they are to maintain a public profile. I feel sorry for our celebrities who appear to be caught up in false world which only gives them a bit part in the great production of life. God is nothing to many of them. Their whole lives are driven by the lusts of the flesh. These lusts are not necessarily of a sexual nature although much is but can be lust for money, adoration, worship or even notoriety. Of course this stardom is not just in the entertainment area. Politicians have now dipped into the celebrity status and guess what? they have been found out as well. Then of course there are those who believe that followers of this biblical God are delusional and declare the earth and creation as nothing more that just an accident or an evolving of a piece of slim into a human being.
Psalm 14 comes to mind ' The fool hath said in his heart There is no God. Many live their lives as if God does not exist and has no claim on them yet David declares through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in Psalm 24 'The Earth is the LORD'S and the fulness thereof the world and they that dwell therein'. Like it or not we are all - superstars and celebrities as well - under the hand of a loving God.
Is that not why He sent His Son the Lord Jesuis Christ as a human being, born of a virgin, experiencing all that we experience yet He was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). We all need to be saved from the curse of sin - celebrities and all. Think about them when you think of their star spangled lives and consider how lost many of them are because of the influence of the flesh has on their lives. Before you say that I am being judgemental about them and perhaps many others that do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour look at what God's Word states:
Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
John 14:6 - Jesus said 'I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me'.

You see I am a sinner just like everyone in this world however because I have accepted and trusted the gift of God's Son my sins no longer keep me separated from God.
Accept the gift of Christ this Christmas - not the baby in the manger but the one who died and shed His blood rising again that you might be reconciled to God.
What a gift this is.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Is Separation only a side issue for the believer?

I received today an article from http://www.wayoflife.org/ in which David Cloud presents the argument for the believer to live a life separated from those who would seek to liberalise the teaching of scripture and also those who completely rewrite the teachings that cause men and women to lose sight of God's plan for them and 'the Church'.
I would encourage you look at this article and see if you are being coerced into the 'muddy waters of compromise' as regards your faith in the whole council of God.
Click on the link below.
http://www.wayoflife.org/files/f612d71124c95d3a0b119a654a8031b8-689.html

Monday, December 6, 2010

The only constant in life.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17
What ever trouble that seems to come on us we have a God who never changes His love for us. If truth be known there is nothing that we can do that would cause Him to stop loving us. The man that came to Jesus proud of the fact that he had kept all the Law from his youth but when Christ told him to sell all his wealth and follow Him then that was a decision too hard. He made the choice to reject the Son of God and walk away from the only one who could help him. Did Jesus hate him or dislike him for this? No. We are told that when this man was challenged by Jesus (who knew exactly what his answer would be) He still loved him. (Mark 10:21).
There are many times when the believer fails God miserably because of his or her changeableness yet we see in this verse in James and others that God never changes. He is the constant in our lives with His eyes ever over us and His ears inclined unto us'. We take comfort in the fact that we have God and that words cannot really describe how much He loves you and me.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Choosing one way or the other

I was considering my faith in many things this morning and how my faith in the natural things of life can let me down. When God sees mankind in general He sees a failure on their part because of sin. We as His creation have many choices in life which either can lead us down a path that steers us away from God or a path that leads us to the Throne of God. In Hebrews 11:24-26 we see an account of Moses and his choice in life. He could easily have stayed in the 'lap of luxury' in Pharaohs palace being disobedient to God and just run his life as the pleasures of sin dictated. This was not his choice and he went on to be a great leader empowered by God to do the will of God. He still made mistakes but because of God's mercy he still was blessed as he kept his faith in the one who had given him a great work to do. He renounced his way of going for God's way. This is a great picture for believers today. Its easy to stay in the comfort zone and not make hard decisions in our lives for God. Renouncing the old way and embracing  wholeheartedly the new person that we have become through the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way forward for the believer. A total faith in what God has for each one us in this temporal life is paramount in which a total surrendering to Him is the key to a blessed life. Many will let us down whether knowingly or unknowingly but the Lord Jesus Christ is the one who is 'the same yesterday and today and forever'. No one else can top that.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

The Bat's special radar design.

As I read this item from www.wayoflife.org I couldn't help thinking of Genesis 1:31 - 'And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day'.
God did not create in half measures as the Bat clearly indicates (among all the rest of creation course).

THE BAT’S SPECIAL RADAR DESIGN (Friday Church News Notes, November 12, 2010, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) – The following is from CreationMoments.net, October 13, 2010: “Basically, radar is made up of two parts. The transmitter sends out a powerful beam of radar waves. But the other part of the radar system is a very sensitive receiver that cannot stand the powerful outgoing signal. One of the major technical problems to be overcome in developing modern radar involved sending out this powerful signal without overwhelming the sensitive receiver. What scientists finally developed was a fast switch that turns the sensitive receiver off every time a radar pulse is sent out. Bats, who have their own sonic radar, had this problem solved from the beginning. They have muscles in their ears that are the receivers for the echoes. These muscles close the ears for split seconds when the bats are sending out their high pitched signals. Without this feature, the bat's navigational system would be useless. How could a bat figure out that it needed this ability and then decide to grow the muscles and related tissue to do the job? When one decides to say that creatures, instead of the Creator, have made themselves, one can end up with some very silly conclusions!”

For to me to live is Christ to die is gain - Apostle Paul

While reading about some of the great preachers and commentators of the Word of God we can see some amazing characters who never flinched at the work in front of them. H A Ironside was one such man. In a biography by E. Schuyler English it was revealed that at the age of 72 in 1948 in spite of failing eyesight Ironside gave 569 messages as well as participating in many things to do with God's work on earth. Ironside went to be with the Lord on January 15th 1951.
The Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit recognised that the only way the believer can live on this earth is for Christ and when that's finished then the only thing left is the surety of being in the presence of God for eternity.
May we as believers live for the Lord Jesus Christ making Him Pre-eminent in our lives and not just prominent.
We thank God for men such as H A Ironside who have left us a legacy to follow in their faithfulness to God.
John 5:24 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Old dog! New Tricks! Possible?

Hi all
As I was contemplating trying to publish a blog for Braehill Baptist Church I got to thinking that this is way too technical for me. It would mean that I would have to be very accurate in what I was doing as regards spelling and grammer and all the other niceties of publication. So as you can probably already see I am not going to worry about it too much and I hope you don't either.
I was reading a report on a web site yesterday about how many of our young people are being coerced into making false professions of faith in Jesus Christ because its the right thing to do at that time. Many are being drawn into saying 'the little prayer' which they think makes them right with God and then they start to lead that double life with church activities closely associating it with what the world has to offer as well. Many fall by the wayside because they did not have a clue about the sin in their lives that separates them from God in the first place. I have heard the comment from a teenager saying ' I have tried Christainity and it doesn't work.
 Herews 6:4-6 speaks of this type of person - 4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,  5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,  6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance;.........
 The Bible speaks of those who have only tasted but have not received in full the indwelt Holy Spirit at the time of trusting the Lord Jesus Christ. There are many who would associate themselves with the Christian life yet they have missed the reason why the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross. It was not to deal with the the little problems that they come across in life but it was to deal with the curse of sin that separated them from God. (Romans 3:23). Of course if we look around us today we see not only many of our young people playing church but many of the older age groups as well. It would be great to get back to the day of pentecost to hear the Apostle Peter preach ' Repent and be baptized every one of you'..... Repentance is the key to a secure life in the Lord Jesus Christ believing that He has paid the debt of sin on the Cross that we might be 'sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise' Ephesians 1:13