Thursday 24 May 2012

QUIETNESS AT COMMUNION


One of the truly lovely things about the Lord’s Supper is that Christians can meet in the quietness of God’s house with His people to remember what He has done to take away the sin of the world, (Jn.1:29).  To sit quietly and pray as we take the elements of bread and wine is what makes it very special.  To recall what the Saviour did for us individually communicates grace to our hearts.  “How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds in a believer’s ear!”  How sweet indeed.  

What spoils it for me is when the musician starts up and plays music, thus disrupting the quietness of those moments.  It distracts when meditating on the Cross, because it forces us to think in terms of the words that are associated with the tunes.  We cannot think our own thoughts at such a time.  That spoils it for me, I must say.

And this practice is becoming prevalent in many evangelical churches today.  There seems to be an intolerance of silence, quietness.  Perhaps Christians today are unaccustomed to being in the quiet place with God.  They cannot cope with stillness.  They have used themselves to having music on in the home, the office and the car.  Go to the supermarket mall, and piped music is a common feature.  When out for a walk or a jog, we must not have quietness, stillness.

So when we come into God’s awesomely holy presence, we do not want to think the thoughts He plants in our hearts by His Spirit, for they may be much too disturbing.  What do we do?  We drown out God’s thoughts with music.

And if we don’t want God in all our thoughts, that makes us very like the ungodly man who is described in the Psalms.  Even that is not a comfortable thought, is it?  If we don’t want God, might He just be saying the same about us?

Tuesday 22 May 2012

Dr Jacques Abbadie, Huguenot Theologian

The Huguenots by any reckoning are very special people.  Some of the church's best thinkers came from these people.  One of them is Dr Jacques Abbadie, the theologian and thinker.

You can read about Abbadie's vindication of the truth in my book.  To get your copy click here

I think it is in our best interests to know as much as possible about these descendants of Calvin, the prototypical Huguenot.  Abbadie is an exceptional thinker and his ideas are evocative.  When you read this book, you will find that as I was writing it, I has to stop and worship the Lord.  If you want to be raptured in worship, read this short book.  You will be "lost in love, wonder and in praise," to use Isaac Watts' immortal words.  Your heart will be 'strangely warmed' as you contemplate these sublime theological ideas.

This unique book may be purchased at this website.

Church Members Bullied by Church Officials

Bullying in adult life is not as rare a reality as one might expect.  We hear about it in the workplaces of our country but much more seldom do we hear about it in church circles.  For further information on this phenomenon please click here.  

However, there are cases where ministers have been bullied by their congregations and also by their fellow-elders, and a growing number of ministers have been forced out of their calling to seek employment elsewhere. 

But yet another twist to this anti-social behaviour is emerging where church members are being harassed and bullied by the church's elders.  Professional men are being reduced to pathetic weaklings and are at a loss to know who to handle this situation.

Because they are not employed by the church, one could imagine that they are thereby spared the worst effects of such behaviour.  That is not the case, however.  For victims or targets of bullying, so much damage is done to them emotionally and psychologically that their career is adversely affected by this treatment. 

What compounds this is that they cannot feel free to go to their minister for spiritual support, for then, the minister would be seen to be siding with the victims of his elders' treatment.  So he has no one to whom he can turn to talk this matter over.

So while there are dangerous workplaces, there are also dangerous social and religious places where the same ill-treatment can be meted out to the unsuspecting.

If you are interested in understanding a bit more about this evil issue, then click here.

Jaques de la Fontaine - Huguenot Pastor

Read the fascinating story of Jaques de la Fontaine, the Huguenot preacher who had to flee France because of the persecution of Protestants by Catholic King Louis XIV.

de la Fontaine was one of the greatest contributors to Irish life in every aspect.  As an employer, an industrialist, civic leader, inventer but especially as a Gospel preacher, he was unmatched.

Read his story and see the kind of inspirational man he was.  Be challenged and encouraged by him.  Learn what it is to live above your circumstances.  See what it means to live by principle. 

Get your own copy here.

Lloyd-Jones Appreciation

May I draw your attention to my book on Dr D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?  This is a personal appreciation of the Doctor's spoken and written ministry from which I have beneffited during the past four decades. 

This book will show you areas of Lloyd-Jones' theology that might surprise you and also encourage you in your work as an evangelist. 

It is always good to learn of the 'heroes of the faith' especially those who ministered within living the memory of many of us.

Click here to get your copy now.

Monday 21 May 2012

WHAT DO WE BELIEVE ABOUT GOD?


A stupid question if ever there was one.  We are Christians, are we not?  Therefore we believe what the Bible says about God.

But do we?  Someone very rightly said, and I paraphrase, “What we believe about God determines how we live.”  If we believe that God won’t hurt a fly, meaning that He does not take sin seriously, then we will live lax lives, and we’ll enjoy ourselves, temporarily at least. 

If we believe that God wants us to be in cliques, then we will make sure we form cliques within the church and protect their membership by not welcoming outsiders into our circle. 

If we believe that God is more interested in and committed to the 'upper-crust,' then we will want to behave as if we too are 'upper-crust.'

If our god is a snob, then we will want to be snobs, too.

If our god is worldly in outlook, fashion-conscious, driven by current trends, we too will become like him.

Do you see the pattern?  What we believe about God determines how we live and behave.   

Remember Jesus said, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”  He told us that if we love the world and the things of the world, then the love of the Father is not in us.  Paul told us not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, (Rom.12:1,2).  He also told us that Christ came to deliver us from this present age (Gal.1:1-5).

Now is it really the case that we do not believe in the God of the Bible but in a god of our own making?  But that’s too hard a saying.  Why?  Because that makes us idolaters, and no idolater has any place in the Kingdom of God.

How does that strike you?

Sunday 20 May 2012

JESUS RULES – OK?


Not a very comfortable idea for many church people today, is it?  A condemned and crucified carpenter from miserable Nazareth in control of the church?  NEVER.  NEVER.  NEVER.  NEVER.

That is the cry of the church today, despite her giving lip-service to this biblical truth.   

Have you noticed that when Jesus arrives in a situation, He always takes charge?   

Remember the wedding in Cana of Galilee when there was no wine and He took complete control of the situation and gave them more than heart could desire.  Remember when He entered the Temple and discovered those who were making merchandise of religion, and how He drove them out with a whip of cords, overturning the tables of the money-changers?  He took complete control.

Now, have you noticed when He appears, He controls.  No, He’s not a ‘control freak’ as we would call such people today.  He was the eternal Son of God coming into His own purchased possession, the rightful Owner of all things.  He takes charge – as it should be.

But here’s a very difficult point: when He comes to your heart, He wants to take charge of it.  That’s not pleasant, is it?  “We are the Temple of the Holy Spirit,” Paul tells us.  When Christ comes to the Temple of your heart, what does He see?  Does He see the money-changers’ tables sitting where He should be?  Are activities going on in your life that ought not to be?  Are things present in your heart that offend Him?

And are you seeking the Lord to “purify my heart,” and to make you holy?  If so, then you must expect Christ to work in those areas of your life that are not under His control.  And that will be uncomfortable and disturbing and painful. 

You are not your won; you were bought with a price – the precious blood of Christ.  So you have no rights to your own life, but He has - exclusively.