Preaching Helps With Counselling

Preaching is by far the most important of the minister's public duties. More will be done for more people in that concentrated preaching session that at any other moment. Patterson says, "If preaching is do one properly, it will alleviate the need for a large percent of counselling necessities."Lloyd-Jones, drawing on his vast medical and pastoral experience, argues that the task of the church is not to alleviate the symptoms of a man's spiritual condition until the cause of those symptoms has been isolated and dealt with properly. Counselling generally sees to help people who have problems of various kinds, and this is good so far as it goes; but sometimes the 'successful' counsellor is seen to be the one who can make people feel 'good' after a session. But this is nothing short of criminal, because it removes the only indicator that something is wrong.

But when the word is truly and pastorally preached, needy people will find their problems being sorted out as they attend to that word. Sometimes the charge can be levelled against preacher's, especially in the Reformed Church, that their preaching is too cerebral at times, and not experiential enough. I think there is truth in this charge. The result is that people are driven to look for someone, possibly even their minister, who will help them sort out their difficulties. This is very time consuming, and in itself is not guaranteed to be successful. Well prepared and faithfully proclaimed sermons will do more to counsel people than is often imagined. Preaching is still God's chief way of sharing His Word with His people.                                                                               

Re-Gaining Perspective on Life.

Trying to re-gain perspective on life amidst challenging circumstances is essential when you are trying at the same time to come to terms with serious illness.  It is all too easy to lose perspective altogether, even as a Christian, and start to think in purely worldly ways.  Being able, by God’s grace, to see that “all things work together for good to those who love God” (Rom.8:28) is a great consolation when realised, but at times it can be a struggle to come to that realisation.  So much passes through your mind, much of it negative, that getting your head around your situation presents a major test. 

However, the struggle is well worth it not least because it restores peace to your heart.  It enables you to see the Lord in all circumstances, good and not so good.  But above all else, it helps you, as a Christian, to see that in God’s gracious and sovereign hands, it will work for ultimate good.  This is what we must keep in mind always.  God is at work in us and through us, working for our good and for His greater glory.  In our cooler moments we can see that God’s glory is what we desire to see accomplished through our suffering; but in the heat of suffering, frustration, disappointments and low moods, seeing this ultimate plan is much more difficult.  

"Though ... Yet"

One of the distinctive things about the Christian faith is that in it (and in it alone), we have the God Whom we worship actually speaking to His children.   Now think on that for a moment!  Unlike every other God, our God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is the speaking God.  Do you hear Him?  What is He saying to you?  Have you heard Him speaking to your heart as you read the Scriptures?  When you sat in church listening to a sermon, have you heard God speak to you personally?  Our God is the speaking God. 

To sit and listen to the Lord talking right into our hearts is as strange as it is astonishing.  It’s not strange that God speaks, but it is somewhat strange that He should speak to the likes of us.  Yes, He speaks!  And every time He speaks to us, He accomplishes something significant in us – He either softens our hearts to love Him more – and that’s what we want; or, He hardens our hearts so that when we read His Word, we do not hear Him speaking to us – and that’s what we do not want!  It all depends upon our attitude when we approach Him in the Scriptures.

In His providence, He brought my mind to Habakkuk 3:17-18, and through these verses, He spoke to me.  ^”Though the fig tree shall not flourish, neither shall fruit be in the vines: the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat: the sheep shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no bullock in the stalls.  Yet I will rejoice in the Lord: I will joy in the God of my salvation.” 

The prophet had to learn the lesson that despite our circumstances, even if we lose everything, we can still rejoice in the Lord.  Even if all things go against us, we can still rejoice in Him. We also need to learn that same lesson.  Yet, it’s a lesson we do not want to learn.  We are so desirous of our possessions and the things (and people) we hold dear that we want them more than we want the LORD.  Totally understandable, of course.  We do not even want to dare the Lord to take everything from us, in case He might take us at our word and grant us just that!  Yet once we learn this valuable lesson, we will be truly liberated, and enabled to rise above our circumstances, for that’s where Jesus actually is.  And we will “joy in the God of [my] salvation.” 

The KJV brings this out beautifully when it translates the first word as “Although” and the beginning of v.18 with “Yet.”  This highlights the “although” and the “yet” of Christian faith.  “Although” for one reason or another, we are currently going through tough times, “yet” we will rejoice in the Lord...  We must refuse to allow the ‘although’ of adversities to quench our faith or extinguish our living hope in Christ.

How wonderful are these words. If nothing in life flourishes and no fruit comes of our labours; and although the animals fail to produce, this is not the end of the world for us.  If we lose all that’s precious to us, our relationship with our precious Saviour is not one whit diminished.  If the worst happens, “yet” will I “rejoice in the Lord; I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

Only the true Christian can say this from the heart.  Can you?

Christ's Gentleness With His People

One phrase stands out above all others in the email about a godly man’s passing into glory is “the Lord has been very gentle to us.”  How we need to see the Lord’s dealing with us in terms of His tenderness and gentleness towards us when we need that kind of ministry most.  When believers experience the tenderness of God in the midst of their personal suffering, what great confirmation that brings of their interest in Christ and His in them!  To feel his gentleness with us and towards us, like a nursing mother with her little baby (cf. 1Thes.2:7), is so comforting.  To see the Lord as the One Who cherishes His own children is mind-blowing.  To think of the Lord being our gentle Shepherd to lead and guide and nourish us is amazing.

And that is the kind of Lord Christians have! How He loves us and cherishes us and delights in us. What greater experience is there than to know that the Lord has that kind of interest in us as His children! To have His Spirit witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, is something altogether amazing. 

Do you know this? Is this your experience? Have you actually experienced the Lord's gentleness with you? Has this made you love Him more? 

Trusting in Christ Alone For All

Trusting is about rolling our all onto Christ, and leaving it there – easier said than done.  It’s about depending upon Him to do what’s right and best.  We have no one else really in whom we can trust always.  Trust in the sovereign Lord is not a vain thing.  I know how easy it is to become all theological and say all the right things, and I also know how hard it is at times to put all this trust into practice.  We fail so often; and it’s then that we have to cast ourselves unreservedly on our Lord for His mercy and grace.  Thankfully, it is we who fail, not our faith (Lk.22:32); because it is our faith that takes us straight back to our glorious Lord and Saviour, our only hope and refuge. 

The good thing is, this is true however we feel.  How futile a thing it is to trust in our         feelings!  We have feelings and feelings have their place; but they can be so deceitful if    allowed to rule us.  In dare not act on the basis of my feelings just now because these         could encourage me not to trust the Lord.  Wasn’t Edward Mote (1797-1874) quite correct when he penned those immortal words:

        My hope is built on nothing less

        Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;

        I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

        But wholly lean on Jesus' name.

        On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

        All other ground is sinking sand.

If I were to trust “the sweetest frame,” I’d be undone.  It’s a case of “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” (Mk 14:38).  Our Lord shows that there is a distinction between the lack of faith and the weakness of the flesh.  No matter how clearly we see and understand the teaching, yet when faced with situations we cannot control, we feel fearful.  God understands our human frailty and has made provision for it by reminding that His greatest servants of old were mere men like ourselves – Abraham, Jacob, Noah, Elijah, Elisha, David, Peter, Paul - I could go on.  So how wonderful it is to know that human fear combined with God’s unerring Word is then order of the day. 

Why am I writing these things?  To teach myself those precious truths that will minister to my weakness and fear, and overcome them.  It’s to get my mind and heart fixed afresh on Christ, and to “Wholly lean on [His] name.”  It’s about re-gaining spiritual perspective, and moving on from there.  It’s about standing on Christ the solid Rock Who will never let us down, whatever His plan is.  So we rest content in this.

Everlasting pre-occupation with God

One year ago yesterday, Margaret had her mastectomy and lymph node clearance in Antrim hospital. Today, one year on, she had her surgical review which involved examination by medical staff, another mammogram and an ultra-sound scan. She was told that it will be three weeks before the results would be sent out to her GP. But as it was, a doctor was there and when he read the negatives, he assured her that he could see nothing wrong.

You can hardly imagine the relief that this brought, particularly to Margaret, but also to me, and to our sons. This was no surprise for a number of reasons; first, there were no indicators to suggest that there was anything wrong; second, Margaret’s general state of health was good; but most importantly, thirdly, God’s people were praying for God’s blessings upon her as she had her surgical review, and He answered your prayers. 

Does prayer work (a clumsy question, I know, but a good one nonetheless)? Here again is the proof. When you pray, God answers. Let that encourage you to the highest heavens.

Dr A. W. Tozer wrote, “We can afford to suffer now; we’ll have a long eternity to enjoy ourselves.” How true this is. Whether the suffering is physical or emotional or mental or spiritual, God has laid up for us in heaven what has never entered the mind of man to conceive. Tozer: “We are called to an everlasting pre-occupation with God.” And isn’t it great that He honours us with the privilege of pre-occupation with Him here and now! 

What a joy it is to be taken up with Him in His goodness and grace and love and mercy. Only the Holy Spirit can enable a fallen and rebellious man to worship God in Spirit/spirit and in truth. This is a miracle of grace. To be lifted up into contemplation of His glorious Person is the next thing to heaven on earth. This is what He does to those who seek Him. Oh, seek Him, my dear friends, and go on seeking Him until you are, in Charles Wesley’s wonderful words, “Lost in love, wonder and in praise.” Let the Lamb have all the glory.

God really does astonish His children by the things He does. The Christian barrister, William Cowper, sings,

Sometimes a light surprises

The Christian while he sings,

It is the Lord who rises

With healing in His wings.

How true it is that the god of modern day evangelicalism rarely astonishes anybody. He never rouses, never comes down, just sits back and allows everything to go on as before. He is so well-behaved that you’d like such a god in your church every Sunday; He never causes a stir, is very denominational and always very much one of us, such a tame god. I’m not interested in a god like that and I find it hard to have much respect for such a being.

But our God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is so different. You just never know what He will do in any situation; and that’s what brings so much excitement into the Christian life. Today, He surprised us by His grace and lifted our hearts up to Him in grateful praise and thanksgiving. We could see His hand so clearly at work. He raised His Son, the Saviour of the world, from the tomb, so there’s nothing He cannot do, all praise to His Name. Oh, to get to know God better! To be taken up with Him 24/7! To see His glory and dominion and power in everything! Now, that’s a God worth having and worshipping; but the other god, no, thank you.

I think that twenty-first century evangelicals have succeeded in taming their god so much that we hardly ever notice Him when we are at church. There’s nothing striking about Him. We have lost any sense of His majesty and as a result we no longer stand in awe of Him. And we’re the losers.

But, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is so different. He’s alive and reigning and acting and moving all over this world. Seek to know Him move in your life, and you’ll know the difference.

Praise God for answering your prayers for Margaret. Our God is so good that He deserves our all, now and always.

Praise Him for stooping down and hearing your prayers;

Praise Him for His love and mercy that He shows to us daily;

Bless His Name for not forgetting His poor children;

Worship Him for stepping in to the situation today and giving Margaret the results today rather than in three weeks time;

Just spend time worshipping Him for Who He is – our great Saviour and Lord. Make this a time of worship for you and your family. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you, James 4:8. Do you really want to meet God? Then draw near to Him. But beware; you never know what He’ll say or do to you!

What have I to do....?

"My Lord, I have nothing to do in this World, but to seek and serve thee; I have nothing to do with a Heart and its affections, but to breathe after thee. I have nothing to do with my Tongue and Pen, but to speak to thee, and for thee, and to publish thy Glory and thy Will. What have I to do with all my Reputation, and Interest in my Friends, but to increase thy Church, and propagate thy holy Truth and Service? What have I to do with my remaining Time, even these last and languishing hours, but to look up unto thee, and wait for thy Grace, and thy Salvation?"

—Richard Baxter, Dying Thoughts on Philippians 1:23

God's Armour Is Safe!

I am told that Emperor Napoleon once went to a very skillful workman, and enquired of him if he could make a bullet-proof jacket or under garment, one that he himself would feel safe to wear as a protection against bullets. The workman assured him he could make just such a garment; one he would feel entirely safe to wear himself. The Emperor engaged him to make the article, requesting him to take time, and see that it was bullet-proof. The workman took much time and pains in its construction.

The jacket was finished, and the Emperor notified that it was ready for him. Napoleon, after carefully examining it, asked the maker if he still felt sure a bullet could not pierce it. The workman said he was sure no bullet could penetrate it; that he himself would feel entirely safe with it on in a shower of bullets. The Emperor asked him to put it on, that he might examine it more fully. The maker put the jacket on himself, that the Emperor might see how finely it fitted and protected the body.

After a careful examination of its make-up and apparent safety, Napoleon stepped back a few feet, and drew his pistol on the man, who cried out: Don't try it on me!

But the Emperor said: You told me it was perfectly safe, and fired. The armour proved itself bullet-proof.

So Christ has made an armour that renders its wearer perfectly safe against all the fiery darts that may be hurled against it. Christ has tried it on. He was led out into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. For forty days and nights Satan tried to pierce this armour, but broke all his arrows on it. It could not be penetrated. It was thoroughly tested on Christ, that all who put it on might feel safe.

Each soldier of Christ is told, at his start, to put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. This armour covers the Christians loins, his breast, his feet, and is a complete
shield to his whole being against any temptation or trial he may encounter. Christ was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin.

Let me say, then, to all who feel a little timid about the Christians armour, that it has been tested by our Captain and thousands of his soldiers, and has never yet been pierced by our enemies bullets.

Let us all learn a lesson from this incident of the Emperor, to put on and trust the Christian armour. It has been tested. Trust it in life. Trust it in death. Then you go up, and hear the Master say: Well done.

SODOMITE SOCIETY INVITES THE WRATH OF ALMIGHTY GOD

SODOMITE SOCIETY INVITES 

THE WRATH OF ALMIGHTY GOD

A solemn message from 

Dr Alan C. Clifford 

(Norwich Reformed Church)

In pursuing so-called ‘same-sex’ marriage, the UK - along with the USA and the decadent Western world in general - is only a short step from disaster...

If it becomes law, the wrath of Almighty God is unavoidable...

Since true marriage, family cohesion and the welfare of children are under attack as never before, our hitherto Christian-based civilization is on the path to extinction... 

ALARMING ANGLICAN APOSTASY

The Nation’s religious apostasy is reaching new depths.  The Archbishop of Canterbury and Her Majesty the Queen have capitulated before the sodomite tsunami. The former has failed to ‘drive away’ the ‘erroneous and strange doctrine’ of homosexual union ‘contrary to God’s Word’ (Book of Common Prayer). 

If the Archbishop was only ‘irritated’ by the Wonga fiasco, he should have been ‘furious’ over Government-promoted sodomy...

By giving the Royal Assent to the Same Sex Marriage Bill, the Queen has broken her Coronation Oath to defend and uphold the Nation’s Bible-based values. During the recent Coronation Thanksgiving Service at Westminster Abbey, the Archbishop failed to remind the Queen of Her Majesty’s religious obligations as Head of State and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

Clergy and people of the Church of England (especially the so-called Evangelicals) who fail to challenge the Archbishop and the Queen are complicit in this abominable wickedness if they simply continue passively to accept the appalling so-called ‘sexual revolution’. 

Christians of other denominations are no less guilty if they remain silent...

A greater threat than Islam is our own moral implosion...

We must repent or be ruined...

THE RISE OF GAY PERVERSION

How does 'gay' sexual perversion become popular? The Prophet Ezekiel told us long ago when he explained why God punished the Jews with exile in Babylon in 597 BC.  After centuries of growing religious and moral decline, they had become worse than the wicked Sodomites:

“As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “neither your sister Sodom nor her daughters have done as you and your daughters have done. Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fulness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination before me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit” (Ezekiel 16: 48-50).

The great Genevan Protestant Reformer John Calvin (1509-64) commented:

While Moses explains the most filthy crime which reigned in Sodom (see Genesis 19), we must nevertheless remember what Ezekiel teaches, that the men of Sodom did not fall at once into such terrible wickedness; but that, in the beginning, luxury from the fulness of bread prevailed, and that afterwards, pride and cruelty followed. At length, when they were given up to [immorality], they were also driven headlong into brutal lusts. Therefore, if we dread this extreme of inordinate passion, let us cultivate temperance and frugality; and let us always fear, lest [an over-abundance] of food should impel us to luxury; lest our minds should be infected with pride on account of our wealth, and lest delicacies should tempt us to give the reins to our lusts.

So how can we restore the proper norms of correctly-defined marriage and valid sexuality? Only by heeding this practical wisdom and rejecting today's ‘PC’ do-as-you-please pluralism. In short, we must return to ‘Bible basics’!

Ultimately, our only hope is the saving and sanctifying grace of God in Jesus Christ...

A brief sermon extract from a famous Welsh Methodist preacher sets out our only hope...

The truth he speaks is eternal...

TURN TO CHRIST OR BE TURNED INTO HELL

I come to you, a neighbour of yours, and a friend well known; for I have seen the deluge of the wrath of God coming upon the world, and I am here to warn you in time. A boy on the streets of Sodom ran wildly for his father’s house, saying, ‘The shower of fire is come, for a spark fell at my side, until my clothes nearly caught fire. Is there any way of escape?’ 

Though the warning came to Sodom, it was too late. But I have come here in behalf of my God to apprise you of it in time. I have seen the shower of brimstone, a live spark of it fell upon my guilty conscience, until I became almost all aflame. But I know to-day of a place of refuge, and there is time for you to flee there too. 

O Lord my God, may this people flee to Thee! Let us flee to Calvary—‘And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land’ [Isa. 32: 2].

John Jones, Talsarn (1796-1857)

Cowardly subjects of Her Majesty who continue to revel in excessive excitement over the birth of a prince, should reflect upon the pseudo-marital decadence now endorsed by the head of the House of Windsor...

After Her Majesty’s admirable Christmas broadcast of 2012, one might have expected her to refuse to give the Royal Assent to anti-Christian perversion. How sad that her convictions were too weak to withstand Her Government‘s evil policy...

WHAT KIND OF MONARCH IS WORTHY OF LOYALTY?

‘It is an abomination for [monarchs] to commit wickedness, for a throne is established by righteousness’ (Proverbs 16: 12).

To complicity in surrendering our National Sovereignty, the Queen has now added betrayal of the Christian foundation of our religious and moral identity.

The Welsh Methodist preacher quoted above was a ‘commoner’ who was truly worthy of the ‘royal’ adulation he received...

As my new biography makes clear, this amazing Christian minister was called “The preacher of the people.” As an example of his popularity, consider the welcome he received when visiting the populous mining districts of South Wales: 

As soon as they heard of his approach, the people would flock to the doors of their houses in hundreds; the workmen would for the time leave their work, and the women, with babies on their arms, and the little children, would stand on the sides of the streets to watch the great orator of Talysarn passing; just as they would have done if a king or a queen had gone that way...

‘King John’, you are needed in these perilous times...

Pastoral Preaching

Preaching is by far the most important of the minister's public duties. More will be done for more people in that concentrated preaching session that at any other moment. Patterson says, "If preaching is done properly, it will alleviate the need for a large percent of counselling necessities." Lloyd-Jones, drawing on his vast medical and pastoral experience, argues that the task of the church is not to alleviate the symptoms of a man's spiritual condition until the cause of those symptoms has been isolated and dealt with properly. Counselling generally seems to help people who have problems of various kinds, and this is good so far as it goes; but sometimes the 'successful' counsellor is seen to be the one who can make people feel 'good' after a session. But this is nothing short of criminal, because it removes the only indicator that something is wrong.

But when the Word is truly and pastorally preached, needy people will find their problems being sorted out as they attend to that Word. Sometimes the charge can be levelled against preacher's, especially in the Reformed Church, that their preaching is too cerebral at times, and not experiential enough. I think there is truth in this charge. The result is that people are driven to look for someone, possibly even their minister, who will help them sort out their difficulties. This is very time consuming, and in itself is not guaranteed to be successful. Well prepared and faithfully proclaimed sermons will do more to counsel people than is often imagined. Preaching is still God's chief way of sharing His Word with His people.                              

Steel in the Will

I trust this brief meditation will strengthen your hearts as you serve the Master.

"A Mighty Fortress is Our God"
by Dr. Martin Luther, 1483-1546. Composed 1829, Eng. translation 1853.

Based on Ps.46.  It is none other than the one living and true God Who is our Refuge and our Strength.  Our enemies, be they ever so many and mighty, are no match for our God. And whose refuge is He? Ours! This is as true today as when David penned these stirring words. He is always there to help and strengthen His afflicted servants and children, and will not be found wanting by any who abandon themselves to His care. His help is effectual, effective and comes at just the right time. So don't dismay. Only be sure you are on the Lord's side, serving the King, and not with the enemies of Christ and the Gospel.


A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.

So, rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for our God reigns.  HAVE FAITH IN GOD!

I trust this will strengthen you for the fight of faith which is unrelenting.

The LORD is my Shepherd

The great Baptist preacher of nineteenth century London, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, wrote the following words on Ps.23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd.” “What condescension is this, that the infinite Lord assumes towards his people the office and character of a Shepherd! It should be the subject of grateful admiration that the great God allows himself to be compared to anything which will set forth his great love and care for his own people.”

Isn’t that lovely? Does that not thrill your very soul? The Lord’s deep humility is seen in His becoming the One Who shepherds us, pastors us, and Who is “our Shield and Defender.” He places Himself between us and danger, and fends off the enemy. He leads us to where our souls are fed and nourished and restored. This is the Good Shepherd Who laid down His life for us (1 Jn.3:16). We sing with Philip P. Bliss, “Hallelujah! What a Saviour!”

Our hearts ought to know no reserve when we praise and worship such a Redeemer. And His Father, and ours, allows Himself to be compared to a lowly shepherd, one Who loves and cares for the sheep. He understands our needs, you know. The care He has for His own children, for you and for me, should be the subject of our never-dying praise and gratitude. Our hearts should be enlarged with the holiest worship of such a great Shepherd. As His sheep, we are owned by Him; if we were wolves or goats or wild animals, then we would have an altogether different owner, one not nearly so loving and kind. He owns us; we are not our own; we were bought with a price – the precious blood of Christ (1 Cor.6:20). Our Owner sets great store on us, views us as precious in His sight, and takes great delight in us.

Brothers and sisters, we belong to Christ. And the One Who is our shepherd is the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us cultivate this sense of total dependence on Him for everything, yea, for life itself. Spurgeon remarks that the sweetest monosyllable in this verse is the word My. “The LORD is my shepherd.”

Can you say that? Do you know Him as your shepherd? Has He become your shepherd? Have you trusted Him personally? Are you living for Him? Is He your everything, and is He your all? Have you come to Him and asked Him to make you one of His sheep?

If you have, then you will know that He loves you, cares for you, watches over you, leads and guides you, and has your best and eternal interest at heart. Whatever your present circumstances might be, the LORD is with you and by His Spirit lives in you. The words are in the present tense, which means that these things are true for you at every moment and in every circumstance. Did you realise that? At this very moment in your life’s experience, the LORD is with you. You are under His loving and constant care.

When living with cancer or any other kind of trauma, there are few truths that are more precious to the Christian believer. When everything seems to be blackness and gloom, to look up to this wonderful Shepherd is the greatest privilege of all. When you wonder what is going to happen to you, and whether or not you will live or die, this Psalm is the God-provided antidote. When you question what will become of your family and loved-ones, you turn your eyes to Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and cast yourself on Him. Why? Because He cares for you (1 Pet.5:7). Jesus Christ cares for you! He is more than able to supply all your needs both now and forever. He deals with our circumstances with great ease. There is nothing in life that you and I have met that He hasn’t met and dealt with triumphantly numerous times. That’s our hope and stay amidst life’s troubles.

Set Up a New Reformed Evangelical Church

In an earlier post, I suggested that those evangelicals who are more loyal to the church than they are to the Gospel are prepared to stand idly by and watch fellow-evangelicals being slaughtered by the church and not lift a hand to help them.  Shame on them all!

I read recently of how this exact thing goes on within the Scottish Presbyterian churches. The writer echoed my viewpoint when he said that he watched in horror as evangelicals were being hung out to dry by their evangelical colleagues. At times they were instrumental in betraying evangelicals, and stood there watching what was happening but doing nothing about it.

He referred to a divinity student in the Presbytery of Glasgow whose views on women's ordination were reported to Presbytery. Not one evangelical supported him and he was forced to leave. Another evangelical in another Presbytery was accused of being a 'troublemaker' in relation to the same issue, and rather than being given the support of his fellow evangelicals, found himself ostracised and he too had to leave. A third situation involved a young minister who confronted a ruling elder about an inappropriate (sinful and unbiblical) relationship he was having. This came to Presbytery and neither the Presbytery nor the evangelical ministers in it supported him, and he too was told to keep quiet about this, or to leave the ministry. He left.

It seems that evangelicals in today's churches are rather more like evan-jelly-cals than Bible believing Christians; the emphasis here is on the jelly. Ministers within the established denominations have no reason to believe that when hardy comes to hardy, they can be sure of the support of fellow-evangelicals at Presbytery or Assembly levels. These evangelicals are first and foremost churchmen rather than Gospel-men; that means that you just cannot trust them to support biblical standards either in morals or in doctrine.

Where are soundly evangelical ministers to go to who want to minister the Word of God and preach the everlasting Gospel of redeeming grace? Answer? It is impossible to say. Presbyterianism, in all its shades and varieties, is painted in the same colours. Every minister's pre-occupation is to protect himself and secure his job. Ministers within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, some of them, live in fear of getting on the wrong side of church authorities. This was the response I got when I asked why ministers will not support their brother evangelicals. They are living in fear of the church hierarchy, and they know that they have the power of life and death over their ministries. These men have taken real power into their own hands, and, my, they are prepared to use it - but only against evangelicals whose congregations do not want their preaching. They will not lift a hand to discipline or remove liberals and ecumenicals, and other time-servers, those who keep in with the authorities. 

Surely the time has now come for reformed evangelicals to come together and set up a new Christian church. The unfaithfulness of the current churches is depressing. When evangelical ministers are being abused by and within their congregations and then dismissed by their Presbyteries working in conjunction with the powerful Judicial Commission. This cannot go on indefinitely. "The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. (Dan.11:32). Now is the time for action. Think of Luther and Calvin, Cranmer and Latimer, men who knew their God and who did great things for Him. 

Good News At A Time Of Bad News

If you get word that you have a bad disease like cancer, ought you to be worried? Many get this ‘bad news’ on a daily basis. Just sit in a cancer clinic for a while and you’ll see patients going and coming constantly, young and old and middle-aged. They are anxious, fearful, worried. What the consultant will tell them will change their lives. 

We sat and waited in such a clinic, and saw two ladies as they were coming out from the consultant; one whispered to us, “Bad news,” and the other left in tears. They were clearly shaken. Our hearts went out to them.  Should they be worried?

Well it all depends upon their relationship with Christ. Nothing else matters. Does someone getting such unwelcome news know Christ personally as Saviour and Lord? If they do, then ultimately there is nothing to worry about. All must die, but we do not know when or how we will leave this world; but die we will. Therefore, the urgent need is to be right with God. 

What is death? Some think it’s the end. Well, it’s not the end, for one thing. It is the end of life in this world, but it is not the end. It is the end of suffering in this world, but it is not the end. People foolishly say, “It’s good for them; their suffering is over at last.” But people who talk like this do not believe that ‘this world is not our home, we’re just a-passing through.’ We are going somewhere because the soul is eternal, it lives forever, and it does not die. So the real ‘you’ does not cease to exist when you leave this world of time. You are going somewhere after death.

Some think (wrongly) that all go to heaven when they die. All Christians go to heaven when they die, but only Christians. What is a Christian, then? A Christian is someone, a sinner, who has realised his lostness, guilt, godlessness, rebellion against God, opposition to Christ and the Gospel, his lovelessness towards Christ, and repents of his sins. He sees sin, maybe for the first time, as the ugly thing it is, and flees from it to Christ the Saviour of the world. And this God-provided Saviour receives all who come to Him in faith (Jn.6:37).

Death is not ‘termination’; death is ‘separation.’ It is what separates us from this world and all that is in it. For those who are not Christians, death separates them from God in His redeeming, sin-bearing love, and separates them unto the judgement of hell forever. When we die we do not cease to exist. We ‘pass on’ to another existence.

Now the good news in this situation is that we can know before we die where it is we are going to. The Gospel of Christ tells us that we can be sure of our destiny after death. That we are going to die is a fact; it’s God’s appointment (Heb.9:27). The big thing is where we are going to when we die. It is the Gospel alone that gives us this knowledge.

The Gospel tells us some astounding things. It tells us God has provided a way for hell-deserving sinners (for that is what we truly are) to be with Christ forever. It tells us that the big thing that will keep us out of heaven is our sins, and that God has found a way whereby our sins can be removed. We can leave this life with all its pain and suffering and uncertainties and go to be with Him forever. The apostle John wrote, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” (1 John.1:9).

When Christ died on Calvary, God “laid on Him the iniquity of us all,” (Isa.53:6). That means that your sins were carried away by Christ in His death. The price of your forgiveness has been paid in full and God’s holiness has been fully satisfied. He can now look on the sin-bearing Christ and pardon you.

How is this pardon received? By putting your trust in Christ alone. Turn from your sins, and trust Christ to save you. Receive the mercy He freely offers in the Gospel, and rest upon Him alone for salvation.

He has promised “never to leave you nor forsake you.”  He will be your help in time of trouble. You have Someone on Whom you can cast all your burdens, and He will bear you up. And He’s waiting to be merciful to you when you call out to Him.

‘Bad news’ reminds us that we are going to die. It also paves the way for the ‘Good News’ to bring us light and hope and new life. It is there for the asking. Seek it now and go on seeking until you get it.

Care for the Family

How very important when a family member or spouse is suffering from cancer and undergoing the treatment for this disease that they are given every support they need. It is incumbent upon husbands, for example, to be there for their wives at all times. The sheer level of emotional support they require is incalculable, and they will depend greatly on their husband to provide that support.

Just as “it is not good for man to be alone” (Gen.2:18), so also it is not good for the wife to be alone, especially when she has been traumatised by news of serious illness, or whatever the specific situation might be. Similarly, children, regardless of their ages, need the support that only father can give; and they must not be deprived of that. What dereliction of responsibility that would be if the husband and father were to neglect this parental and matrimonial duty and responsibility. 

I sometimes wonder if husbands are aware of the deep emotional and spiritual needs of their wives and families at a time of trauma. Perhaps the husband is so caught up with his own situation that he gives precious little thought to how his wife and family are feeling, or even coping with the situation. Yet he can spend more time with others whose needs are not ass great. This is a Christian duty that has great potential for spiritual benefits for all concerned.

I heard of a Christian husband whose wife has cancer, and is not handling it very well, going off on his sporting activities when he would have been better to have stayed with her. I know that when the time is right, carers need a break from their responsibilities and to re-charge their emotional and spiritual batteries again. But in the early days of cancer or whatever caused the trauma, is essentially a traumatic situation, and his place is with his wife and family.

When a husband undertakes at his marriage to “love his wife” and to do so “in sickness and in health,” (that is, in good times and in bad) when she suffers (from cancer), it is his privilege as well as his duty to fulfil this vow in the most practical of ways. To demonstrate his love for her at such a time is a great witness to the love of Christ for His church (Eph.5:25). For her to be abandoned in such circumstances is nothing short of criminal. She needs him, and he must be there for her and for the children.

I remember reading about what Prof. E. M. Blaiklock did in order to make up for the time he hadn’t spent with his son who had become most wayward in his living; he took many months off just to spend quality time with him. He placed his parental responsibilities before even his academic career. 

When trauma strikes, it hits the whole family; no one escapes, regardless of who is the primary sufferer. Trauma can be a lonely and isolating experience. But God has set the solitary in families (Ps.68:6), for it is not good that men or women or children should be alone.

Cherish your family; value who and what they are; appreciate them because they hurt, too. And they also need your nearness. 

Wanted! Godly Sensitivity.

How much spiritual and emotional damage can be done by those who do not have pastoral hearts, whether ministers or not! When believers are undergoing the afflictions of this life, they need great tenderness from God’s professing people. Pious platitudes are worse than useless, even though they are true. Inexperience in pastoral matters can do great damage to souls. I am reminded of what Jesus said of Himself quoting Isa.42 that “a bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench” (Mt.12:20). Gentleness is needed when dealing with broken people.

Not all those who are called “pastor” are pastors at heart. They seem, rather, to use the pastoral office for self-promotion and self-gratification. Such ‘pastors’ become aloof from their people and when called in for help, are way out of their depth when it comes to providing it. Their approach is to squeeze this disruptive pastoral visit in as well as possible to fit their busy schedule because they have far more important matters to see to than caring for members who are in spiritual difficulties.

Sadly, the ministerial office is ready-made for self-gratification, etc.

But there are genuine pastors in churches and there are Christians who have a genuine pastoral heart, and they are gems. Thank God for them all, and pray for them.

But in the cancer scenario, ministers must exercise great care when it comes to implementing the American idea of testimony-giving in church services. This can also demonstrate the insensitivity of ministers in their zeal to promote the Gospel. These men seems to have a panel of testimony-givers they can call upon to tell their stories, and often no thought is given to those sitting in the congregation who are being torn to bits because of what they are going through in their own families. This is reckless, and ought not to be practised. Christians feel the need to get up and leave such services, and others made a conscious decision to turn off when such people were speaking.

All the end of the day, in cancer cases, and in testimonies, no two cases are exactly the same. Just because one Christian has experienced certain situations does not mean in the least that you will find the same. Testimonies are highly individual and subjective things, and as such can do extreme damage to tender hearts that might be present and listening. Also, many testimonies are more like life-stories rather than up-to-date witness statements about what the Lord has done and is doing in a person’s life.

Great care must be taken in church situations when dealing with broken hearts, and everything must be avoided that will further traumatise those who are seeking spiritual help.

Quenching the Spirit.

When you have experienced much of God’s goodness in the valley experiences of life, the big thing is that you do not want to do anything that would “quench the Spirit” (1 Thes.5:19) and drive Him away from us. We have enjoyed so much of God these past nine months in particular that we cannot bear to think that through our carelessness He would leave us. That is the burden of Margaret’s prayer in recent days. She knows just how easy it is to grow cold when the back is no longer up against the proverbial wall, and how easy it is to let spiritual disciplines slip back into ‘normal’ mode.

Thankfully we are aware of this possibility, and being fore-warned is to be fore-armed. Even in this matter, God has been very good to us. Her godly mother, now with Christ, used to warn about the “grey hairs” (Hos.7:9) appearing and “the little foxes” that come in to raid the crop, and all without us knowing it (Song of Solomon 2:15).

How subtle is Satan and how crafty his working. We remember, of course, that God is sovereign in his dealing with His children, and that in His approaches to them, He draws near when they need Him, and then, for His own reasons, withdraws a bit, and all without them having done anything. I am reminded of Rev David Morgan, one of the preachers in eighteenth and nineteenth century Wales, and who was a very ordinary preacher. He tells of how he went to bed one night as David Morgan and rose the next day like a lion, and had a spectacular preaching ministry for about two years. Then he went to bed as a lion one night and woke up as David Morgan, and resumed a most unspectacular ministry for the rest of his life. This demonstrates the sovereignty of the Spirit in these matters.

That said, it is very possible for us, as believers, to “quench the Spirit” in one way or another, which very thing, by God’s grace, we do not want to do. These times have been too precious and special for us to do that, at least, knowingly. We all need to be very careful about letting those little sins slip in and we find ourselves starting to walk at a distance from Christ, losing the desire for His presence, having a poor appetite for the Bible and prayer, and turning away from God-given opportunities for witness to others, whether Christian of not.

Being aware of this possibility can prove a great defence against it happening.

Tenderness and the Traumatised

How much spiritual and emotional damage can be done by those who do not have pastoral hearts, whether ministers or not! When believers are undergoing the afflictions of this life, they need great tenderness from God’s professing people. Pious platitudes are worse than useless, even though they are true. Inexperience in pastoral matters can do great damage to souls. I am reminded of what Jesus said of Himself quoting Isa.42 that “a bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench” (Mt.12:20). Gentleness is needed when dealing with broken people.

Not all those who are called “pastor” are pastors at heart. They seem, rather, to use the pastoral office for self-promotion and self-gratification. Such ‘pastors’ become aloof from their people and when called in for help, are way out of their depth when it comes to providing it. Their approach is to squeeze this disruptive pastoral visit in as well as possible to fit their busy schedule because they have far more important matters to see to than caring for members who are in spiritual difficulties.

Sadly, the ministerial office is ready made for self-gratification, etc.

But there are genuine pastors in churches and there are Christians who have a genuine pastoral heart, and they are gems. Thank God for them all, and pray for them.

But in the cancer scenario, ministers must exercise great care when it comes to implementing the American idea of testimony-giving in church services. This can also demonstrate the insensitivity of ministers in their zeal to promote the Gospel. These men seems to have a panel of testimony-givers they can call upon to tell their stories, and often no thought is given to those sitting in the congregation who are being torn to bits because of what they are going through in their own families. This is reckless, and ought not to be practiced  Christians feel the need to get up and leave such services, and others made a conscious decision to turn off when such people were speaking.

All the end of the day, in cancer cases, and in testimonies, no two cases are exactly the same. Just because one Christian has experienced certain situations does not mean in the least that you will find the same. Testimonies are highly individual and subjective things, and as such can do extreme damage to tender hearts that might be present and listening. Also, many testimonies are more like life-stories rather than up-to-date witness statements about what the Lord has done and is doing in a person’s life.

Great care must be taken in church situations when dealing with broken hearts, and everything must be avoided that will further traumatise those who are seeking spiritual help.

In The Presence of the Lord.

We had one of the most memorable times with the Lord this morning when we had our daily readings and prayer.  The reading was about body, soul and spirit, and the writer was drawing a parallel between these and a house.  The body he compared with the kitchen where we prepare our food to sustain life; it’s where we care for the body in this world.  Above this was the soul, the part of man that we give some attention to, but not really very much.  The top storey was the spirit, the place where we meet with the Lord in private.  This is the place that we know about, but only visit now and again.

This resonated with us because we knew that there was much truth in this parallel.  We spend too much necessary time caring for the body and its needs, but not nearly so much caring for the soul and its needs; certainly not as much as we ought to caring for the spirit and its need of communion with the Lord.  The embarrassment comes when we think about the real spiritual communion with the Lord; this is where conscience strikes and we feel guilt and unworthiness – not a bad thing in themselves. 

But we got down to prayer, and we found ourselves being lifted up into the most blessed place – the place of intimate communion with our Lord and Saviour.  This morning we met with the Lord.  We knew we were in His presence; we knew that He has come down again into our living room and had met with us.  We just knew it.  There was a “deafening silence,” a silence that could be felt.  God was near and we could almost touch Him.  Not physically, for God is a Spirit, but we did touch the living God.  It was wonderful.

And in that meeting with the living Lord, Margaret’s headache disappeared.  I don’t know for sure how long we spent in that blessed company, but we did know when we had finished our praying that we had met with Christ.  We did not want to flinch, or move a muscle.  Even the dog was utterly silent and at peace.  The very phone did not ring.  We were in the place of intimate personal communion with God.

When we finished praying, we spoke with low subdued voices.  We knew we were in the presence of His Majesty.  We both knew independently that we had experienced something unusual, something profoundly spiritual.  Margaret said that she would not have wanted to miss this for anything.  I agreed with her.  It took her illness and our family circumstances to open us up to what God could do.  She said that for years she had sung those lovely Gospel hymns, but they hadn’t meant that much to her.  Now they mean the world to her.  They are charged with meaning and power and life.  God had opened her eyes, and mine, to see the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ in the familiar words with which we had been brought up. 

We sat and meditated, and thought and prayed.  God was there with us by His Spirit and we were with Him.  I said to Margaret that so precious was this time with the Lord that I could envisage God sitting on His heavenly Throne smiling down on us.  We were enjoying Him – man’s chief end.  But even more amazing was the fact that He was enjoying us.  There was peace between us, a real and deep sense of reconciliation.  It was absolutely beautiful.  Margaret’s headache had gone, and we praised Him for that.  But her back pain was still there, and we praised Him for what He could do.  I can remember a time when I knew I was going to where I would be mauled by evil people, but I went there singing praises to the Lord most high, and came home singing praises to his great Name.  That’s what grace can do. 

Oh, what a wonderful morning this was.  You know, I pity those who have had a smooth run through life for they do not know what they are missing.  How mechanical their prayers are, how correct, how formal, how measured!  And I wonder just how far they reach!  But when you are cast upon the Lord only, my, what a difference that makes to us.

Church of Scotland faces exodus over gay clergy

Church of Scotland leaders are set to make a decision over the appointment of openly gay ministers. Picture: Getty

By CRAIG BROWN
Published on Sunday 21 April 2013 00:09

UP TO 50 congregations may leave the Church of Scotland if the General Assembly votes next month to allow the ordination of openly gay ministers.

Two congregations and a number of ministers have already left over the issue.
Now the Kirk is braced for a potential haemorrhage of evangelical members if the proposal is passed, in protest at what they consider is a breach with biblical teachings.
Sources within the more fundamentalist Free Kirk have revealed that representatives of 50 congregations around Scotland have held initial discussions about splitting from the Church of Scotland in advance of the debate and vote on gay ordination in May.
Although the Church of Scotland has more than 1,400 congregations, such an exodus would represent the biggest split in its ranks since the 19th-century schism which led to the Free Kirk’s formation.
If such an exodus were to go ahead, the Free Kirk would almost double in size. The source said: “Representatives from the Free Church have spoken to many different ministers, elders and members in the Church of Scotland who are mulling over their options – amounting to some 50 congregations.
“Obviously, a lot hinges on what happens at the General Assembly, and the current vibe is that it does not look good at all for the evangelical ­position.”
The debate was sparked by the Rev Scott Rennie, an openly gay minister who was appointed to Queen’s Cross Church in Aberdeen in 2009. Two years ago the General Assembly put off a formal decision on the issue by setting up a Theological Commission. Although the seven-strong commission, drawn from both traditionalist and revisionist sides of the debate, reported last week, it declined to put forward a recommended option in its 92-page report on Same-sex Relationships and the Ministry.
Instead it offered contrasting interpretations by both sides and guidelines depending on how the General ­Assembly might vote.
The report goes on to recognise that a new schism is possible if the ordination of gay ministers is allowed. “If the revisionist trajectory is upheld,” it warns, “many Christians will feel that the Church has called ‘good’ what the Bible calls ‘sin’ and will feel the need to leave the Church.”
The congregation of St George’s Tron in Glasgow elected to leave the Kirk in December, followed in February by Gilcomston South Church in Aberdeen.
The Rev Paul Gibson, min­ister of Perth Free Church, who joined the Free Kirk last October, said: “I think evan­gelicals will feel the report simply demonstrates what has been known for a long time – ­namely that within the Kirk are not two Christian ­perspectives but, in fact, two distinct religions, both of which are incompatible with the other. One is called Christianity and submits to the Bible as the word of God and the other is called ‘liberalism’ and does not.”
A Free Church of Scotland spokesman said “It is our hope and prayer that if there are those brothers and sisters who feel they cannot stay in the Church of Scotland, that, ­rather than form yet another Presbyterian church in Scotland, they will join with those of us who have every sympathy with them and support their stance. A working group from the Free Church has spoken to a range of parties and our aim is to work with fellow Christians wherever we find them.”
A Church of Scotland spokesman said: “We regret and are saddened that any ministers or individuals feel they are obliged to, or feel the need to, leave over this issue but no-one knows how the General Assembly will vote or what it will decide until the day of the debate.”
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I think the really important point here is that within the larger theologically mixed denominations there is not one religion but two (at least); one is biblical Christianity and the other is theological liberalism.  We must be clear that liberalism is a totally different religion from Christianity and these are incompatible within the same church structure, and liberalism ought never to be accorded any descriptor that aligns it in any way with the Christian faith.
The sister churches of the Church of Scotland are the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, the United Reformed Church  the Presbyterian Church of Wales, and many others within the ecumenical movement world-wide.  If these churches have not as yet proceeded down this road, because they tolerate liberalism as a valid expression of biblical faith, they are on the same road that will lead many to perdition.