Where Is God?

I confess to being a bit of a 'news freak'.  Recently I heard someone say that they don't watch the news because it is so depressing.  Unfortunately not watching the news does not make the bad stuff go away, it just keeps us in happy ignorance of the true state of things on planet earth.  It leaves us feeling comfortable, and unaware of the great need there is for us to pray.

Why pray?,  you might say.  Where is God?  How can he let this stuff happen?  Why do people have to suffer, be oppressed, be enslaved, die in senseless ways?  It's just a hopeless situation, God doesn't seem to be answering anyway.

If you read the book of Psalms in the Bible you will see these same questions were being asked thousands of years ago.  However, the writers of the psalms were men of faith and they often answered their own questions.  In Psalm 115:3 the psalmist answers the question "So where is their God" with the confident response, "Our God is in heaven."  Job 34:21 says "God watches how people live, he sees everything they do."  

Yes, he is there watching and grieving, just as he did before the great flood.  He sees it all; the depths of depravity, the pain of oppression, man's inhumanity to man - all because man has ignored God's guidelines for living in this world.  We have set God aside to our own great detriment.  But it's not like we haven't been warned.  Can you imagine how the world would be if we heeded Jesus' words "Treat others the same way you want them to treat you." Mark 6:31.  

This world was given over to Satan's rulership from the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve decided to disobey God.  Sin wasn't taken care of in the flood.  Noah was found to be the most righteous man around so he and his family were entrusted with starting over but the sin streak was still alive and well.  Jesus called Satan 'the prince of this world'.  It's his handiwork we see in the chaos of our world..... and it will get worse before Jesus finally comes to rule and reign with his people....those who have chosen to believe and follow him.

When Jesus spoke of the things that would come upon this world in Luke 21 he said, "But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."  The only way to do this is to actively believe and confess faith in Jesus Christ and live in his righteousness. There is no other way.  Then you will know where God is? 

Prayer: Thank you Father God that you have not left us without hope.  Help me to be one who prays for your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Amen

What Are You Hearing?

I am very thankful for my hearing and, when I take time to think about it, I am amazed at the mystery of sound and how we receive it.  Just a few little delicate bones in our ear receive and interpret sound. We certainly are wonderfully made.

Although I confess to being a lover of quiet, I cannot imagine a world without sound.  This morning, as I sit writing, the sound of a garden trimmer in the distance breaks my peace, then there's the occasional passing car, the sound of voices in the street, the doorbell, and a chirping bird. Every sound different, yet recognisable......amazing!

There are so many sounds that fill our world, some strident, some soothing.  Sound is an essential part of life but lack of attention to the right sound can also bring death.  I am thinking particularly about a death that occurred on a railway crossing last year because the person had earphones and was so caught up with his music that he didn't hear the warning sounds of the coming train.

Sound can be our friend and our foe.

In the same way that we need to listen to warning sounds, we need to be careful about the words we hear and take on board.  Words can be bring a positive sound to our ears of affirmation, love, assurance of our worth, or they can bring the negative sound of criticism, rejection and judgement. Listen to your own words and make sure they speak life and love to the people around you.  If they don't, take a look at what might be the reason for your own negativity.  Perhaps you have grown up with parents who didn't affirm you and so you feel worthless about yourself.

The good thing is that we can know the total acceptance of our loving God who wants to speak words of life, comfort, encouragement and healing into our lives.  If we become a student of the Word of God and receive His truth about ourselves, we can replace the negative sounds we have listened to and become one who also knows how to encourage and bless others with our words.

Finally, find positive people to hang out with and learn from them.  Jesus said, "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.".  He also said, "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."  Those rivers of living water will bring forth positive life giving words that are needed to counteract the tidal wave of evil and corruption that prevails in our world today.  Will you be a fountain of life-giving words to those who need to hear them?  Connect with Jesus the source of life and be a world-changer in your corner of the world.

Prayer:  Jesus, forgive me for the times I have beat myself up because of the lies I have believed about myself.  You are the life-giver.  Thank you for the love you continue to show to those who will hear your sound.  Help me to allow your life-giving words to heal me and then flow from me.  Amen

Can You Be Duped?

In today's world it has become increasingly difficult to discern between truth and lies.  This was brought into sharp focus for me by a TED talk posted on Facebook recently.  (I will post the link to it at the end of this blog.) It shows how easy it is to be fooled, (read deceived), by the technology that is now available.  This technology can generate lifelike images of real people and put words on their lips that they have never said.  The creator of this technology is so concerned about its possible misuse that he is in process of developing a platform that will discern between real and fake that he hopes will be made available to the public in the future.

This should raise huge red flags for us.  We tend to believe whatever the media puts before us with whatever slant they want to put on it.  It can depend upon which news we watch and the political leanings of that particular channel.  We are probably aware of propaganda which is used in countries such as China and North Korea to mention just two, but are we aware that we can too easily be influenced by subtle twists in our so-called 'free' countries?  'Fake news' has become a new buzz word since Donald Trump coined it.  We tend to laugh that off, but I am becoming increasingly cautious about just 'writing off' such claims as ridiculous.  The media can slant things by only telling the part of a story that fits their purposes.

If we are to be serious about knowing truth we need to dig deeper and listen to people who bring another perspective. Unfortunately some of those who desire to seek out the truth and publish it are being shut down on some platforms in the USA - YouTube and other media outlets.  Interesting!  

I am not saying that we should believe everything that is said 'behind the news' either.  But we need to hear both sides in order to make a truly informed opinion.  Sometimes we need to just hold both loosely and wait and see.  

How can we guard against being deceived?  Two thousand years ago the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, his young protege, in 2 Timothy 3 about what would be happening in the last days and one of the things he said is  'But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.'  That infers that the deceivers will believe that they are speaking the truth.  Because they are convinced they are speaking truth people will believe them.  In 2 Timothy 3:13 Paul goes on to instruct Timothy on how to avoid being deceived......'But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.'

I believe that we are most certainly living in the last days; there are too many things converging which the Biblical prophets have spoken of for me to think otherwise.  If you want to know and understand truth you need to know the One who is the way, the truth and the life, Jesus Christ.  It was lies from seemingly righteous religious leaders that plagued his ministry and finally put him to death on a cross.  We live in far more subtly deceptive times than Timothy did.  How will you guard yourself?  If you choose to trust your own wisdom it will fail you.  Only the wisdom and truth found through in the Word of God and faith in Jesus Christ will keep you from being deceived.  It takes humility to admit the need for wisdom outside of ourself.  Are you up to it?

Prayer:  Holy and wise God, help me to seek your wisdom when faced with decisions to make,  and plant in me the desire to seek truth through relationship with Jesus Christ and through the understanding of your Word.  Amen

https://www.ted.com/talks/supasorn_suwajanakorn_fake_videos_of_real_people_and_how_to_spot_them?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

The Great Gift Exchange

Christmas is over!  One of the news items on Boxing Day (apart from the sales), is how many unwanted gifts are put up for exchange on various internet sites!  An incredible number of gifts given yet unwanted and now up for grabs for the bargain hunters, and people hardly blink an eye at this.  Many of the gifts are expensive electronics pieces.  I'm sure the customer service counters at shops have also been busy handling exchanges.

It makes me think about why these gifts are unwanted.  We have all been in the position, I'm sure, of not knowing what to give.  Some people in our family are incredibly good gift buyers but I am not one of them.  I love to give but I am not observant enough to know what people need and like. Charity gifts have become a very practical and easy way out of that bind, while blessing the needy.  

Many people put a lot of thought into gift buying and others just 'throw money at it'.  The latter is probably where a lot of the unwanted gift syndrome occurs.  Also it's very difficult to buy a gift for someone who has everything.

This great gift exchange got me thinking about a different kind of exchange that God offers to those who will receive the greatest gift of all.....the Lord Jesus Christ.  It was a very costly gift but did not involve money.  It was a life laid down to bring reconciliation between sinful man and a perfect God.  Followers of Jesus are offered these things:

He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted

and to proclaim that captives will be released

and prisoners will be freed. 

He has sent me to tell those who mourn

that the time of the LORD’s favor has come, 

and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.

To all who mourn in Israel, 

he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,

a joyous blessing instead of mourning,

festive praise instead of despair.....

                                                                        Isaiah 61:1-3

That looks like a great exchange to me....

if  you have a broken heart you can find comfort in Jesus

if you feel you are caught in some kind of prison he 

offers you freedom

if grief has overtaken you he brings hope for a great future

for the ashes of disappointment he will give you beauty and peace

he can turn your mourning into praise.

Receiving the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ is the best gift you could ever receive, and if you have already done that make sure you walk in all the benefits that go with that gift. Leave behind all that is negative and destructive in your life as we say goodbye to 2018. Enter fully into the abundant (full to overflowing) life that he has promised you. 

Prayer:  Father God, thank you for the good things I have learnt this year, help me to remember them but please help me to let go of the things that hold me back from fully receiving the blessing of the abundant life you offer.  As I enter 2019 may I more truly receive all that you offer me.  I ask in the name of Jesus Christ who died to give me life. Amen

Chosen for A Great Event .....God's Way

Mary– a young girl, not noteworthy, except to God.....for her faith 

            and humility….

            Chosen to be the bearer of the Son of God.

Joseph–  neither learned nor a prince…a humble carpenter 

               Chosen to be the earthly father of the Son of God.

Elizabeth– a woman pregnant for the first time in old age.....
                   with the one who was to announce the Christ to 
                   the world...

                  Chosen to be the first to announce the unborn Child’s

                  destiny to His mother.

Bethlehem – a small, insignificant town in Judah…….  

                      Chosen to host the arrival of the Son of God.

A baby - helpless and dependant……

               Chosen to embody the God of the universe and 

               experience every facet of life as we do.

A stable -  not a palace, not even a simple room in an inn……

                  Chosen to be the birthplace of the Saviour of the 

                  world.

A manger – the feeding trough for animals……

                     Chosen to be the bed for the One who would feed 

                     thousands with his words and his miracles.

                   

Shepherds – simple men minding their flocks – not religious 

                      leaders…..

                      Chosen to be the first of mankind to see the 

                      Messiah.

Wise Men –from Gentile lands afar and of different faith– 

                    not priests  from the Holy Land.  

                     Chosen to bring prophetic gifts to this holy Child.

Prophets -  Simeon, an ordinary but devout and faithful man; 

                    Anna – an old praying widow.

                    Chosen to be the first to welcome the Saviour 
                    and Redeemer of the world to His holy temple.

Nazareth – an obscure town, we are told, out of which 

                    nothing great was expected.

                    Chosen as the hometown for Jesus Christ, 

                                            Son of God

                                                   King of Kings

                                                          Lord of Lords.

God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise.  And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful.  God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important; so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God.  

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (NLT)

Christmas Light

The city lights burn brightly

Bring a sparkle to the night

That, as I look around me

Cause pleasure and delight.

A starry night with moonlight

Is such beauty to behold

Creation speaks God’s glory

His wonders to unfold.

Yet one light so much brighter

Then these must now shine forth

As we prepare for Christmas

Thinking back to Jesus’ birth.

God sent His Son among us

Bringing light and life to man,

Breaking sin’s strong hold upon us

Was the Father’s loving plan.

Let Jesus be your light today

Shine deeply, search your heart.

May He find there a welcome place

Where darkness has no part.

May He help you be transparent 

A lamp to shine so bright,

Then Jesus will be glorified

As on that Christmas night.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.  Matthew 5:16

Be Still and Find Hope

Be still......now that is some challenge in our busy world, but it seems like a particularly impractical challenge in this season of the year that is often known as the 'silly season' because of the incredible frenzy of activity that people engage in leading up to Christmas.

I have been challenged about being still lately and I have to admit that when I take time to attempt to actually be still I am acutely away of the difficulty of doing it, even though my life is not frantic. When I am deliberately still I become aware of the lack of stillness in me, the jangling of the fibres of my being tell me that I need a whole lot more practice.  Why is it important?  You could take a few minutes to answer that question for yourself.  

Some call this 'being still' the practice of 'mindfulness' and it is being brought into schools to help children cope with life's challenges, of which there are many these days.  Mindfulness though, lacks a helpful focus. It is an attempt, I believe, to replace what Christian education used to give, and that is hope.

Our mental health statistics in this country are 'through the roof' and it is of great concern to our government.  So many people without hope of a future.  There is no hope when they listen to the news, and the scientists who tell us that time is running out for our world as we know it.  So where do we look?

My own challenge to be still has a focus, 'Be still and know that I am God.....' Psalm 46:10.  The mindfulness of meditating on God is powerful and brings great hope.  Children have been denied the knowledge of Jesus Christ, the One who can give them real hope and stability.  Most don't learn about God in their homes because their parents don't have a personal faith.  Now the schools deny entry to Christian instruction and we are seeing the results.  We just have to take a look at America, which calls itself a Christian country, to see what taking God out of schools does.  They did that many years ago and the results are tragic.  Kids have nothing to live for so they take the lives of others and kill themselves.....nothing to lose, or so they think.

To know the God who sent Jesus Christ to rescue us from hopelessness is to know the God of hope, the God of love, the God of peace, the God of all comfort, the God of mercy and the God of grace.  To deny that we need any or all of those things is foolishness.  Likewise, to deny that we need the God who created us in His image is also foolishness.  To do life your own way without God is sin.  Sin separates you from God, even if you are a most noble and good-living person.

God's word is full of hope which is sure and true.  My challenge to you today is "be still and know that He is God"; my prayer for you today is from Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:  God of all hope, help me to be still and really know you.  Amen