Category: Monthly Message

 

“ …if the Son sets you free, you will be

free indeed”.   John 8:36

 

Dear friends,

Over the past few years and especially in recent months, we have been almost overwhelmed by varying and conflicting predictions and pronouncements.  We were told Brexit would be the best thing for Britain, but also that it would spell disaster.  We are told that Joe Biden has won the US Presidential election although Donald Trump and many of his supporters appear to disagree!  Then comes the exciting news of a coronavirus vaccine breakthrough. But then, on the other hand, there are those who assert it’s far too early to be sure of its efficacy or safety.  All this is to say nothing of the differing opinions as to whether the coronavirus is a reality or not and whether those reported to have died from it actually died from something else.  The bottom-line seems to be that it is becoming increasingly difficult to know who and what to believe.  We fallen human beings have a tendency to believe what we want to believe, what suits our own agenda.   Where is truth to be found?

Writing to the church in Ephesus, Paul says “Surely you heard of (Christ) and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus”  (Eph 4:21).  Jesus himself made this great promise to some Jews “who had believed in him”: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31,32).  A few verses later he says: “…if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”! (v36).  The truth will set you free…the Son sets you free; because Jesus is the way and the truth and the life.

When we cannot clearly discern the truth of what is going on around us we may be tempted to despair or to be gullible.  But rather, let us lean ever closer to Jesus.  When we know Jesus we know not only the One who knows the truth but who is the truth.  One day, he will fully redeem his own and finally defeat his enemies; he will expose every lie and reveal the glorious truth.  So, in these days of uncertainty about so much wherein does our confidence lie? Does it lie in the One of whom Revelation 21 says: “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away”.

“He holds the key of all unknown, and I am glad;

If other hands should hold the key, or if he trusted it to me, I might be sad.”

Yours in Christ,

 

 

“ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever”.  

Psalm 107:1

 

 

Dear friends,

Last month saw the fourth occasion of Saffron Walden Bible Focus and, once again, we were able to prove the truth that the Lord is good and that His love endures forever.  Of course, it was very different this year in format and we missed the opportunity for fellowship, not least within the context of a good tea and a bookstall to browse.  But even though we couldn’t see or speak to each other, we were there – sharing in the event and lifting up the name of Jesus in prayer, Scripture and song.

The number of YouTube views recorded exceeded our average attendance of past years. We give thanks to God for that and trust His promise that his word will not return to Him empty but will accomplish what He desires and achieve the purpose for which he sent it (Isaiah 55:11).

The opening verses of Psalm 107 describe the people of God as “those he redeemed from the hand of the foe” and also as “those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south”.  God’s people are ‘redeemed’ and ‘gathered’.  No doubt the original reference to ‘redeemed’ looked back to Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, whilst ‘gathered’ referred to the scattered exiles now being gathered back together in their own land.  Bible Focus is a gathered people from many and varied backgrounds, denominations, localities, and even nationalities and ethnicities.  But we are, also and supremely, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, a redeemed people – praise the Lord!  The current pandemic has changed a lot of things but these two things about the people of God cannot be changed: we are a redeemed people and we are a gathered people, one in Christ Jesus, unaffected by any amount of social distancing!  By God’s providential grace and his provision of technology we were still able to ‘gather’.  One day we shall gather around the throne (Rev 7:9,10), but until then let us never lose sight of the fact that our God is sovereign over all things and the redeemer and gatherer of his people.

If, as seems likely, the coronavirus is going to be with us for a while yet, keep looking to Jesus ‘the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:2) – and remember he is still on the throne!

In Christ,

 

“ Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”.  

Proverbs 3:5

 

Dear friends,

Here we are after four months of ‘lockdown’.  How has it been for you? Whilst we welcome the lifting of some restrictions giving a glimpse of normality, there is still the need for caution. We are not yet ‘out of the wood’ and a resurgence of the virus is still possible. What are we to do? May we, or may we not, do this or that? In II Chronicles 20 we read of King Jehoshaphat faced with a threat from the Moabites, Ammonites and some of the Meunites. He prayed, and concluded his prayer with words that I sometimes find myself using: “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you” (v12).  That is how it must be with us.

The chapter tells us three ways in which Jehoshaphat exercised his leadership of Judah, ways in which we can see that his eyes were indeed upon the Lord.

Firstly, his trust in God (v20): “Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, ‘Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.’”

“Have faith in the Lord your God” – now, as Christians, we know that – do we really? Are we ready to trust God with absolutely everything – even if it means surrendering to him our own wisdom and preferences?

Secondly, his diligence (v20): “Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa”.

I never used to procrastinate, that is until I retired.  There is always tomorrow. Moreover, nowadays I am less familiar with ‘early in the morning’.  But Jesus was!

As Christians we need to be diligent in serving the Master, eager to be available, eager to be blessed and to be a blessing.  The Israelites took 40 years to make a journey that could have been accomplished in a matter of weeks.  How many opportunities might the Church have missed through a lack of diligence?

Thirdly, we notice his weakness (v12): “we have no power to face this vast army”.  The world despises weakness; we must be successful, popular, macho; we must accomplish and achieve.  The apostle, Paul, had many fine attributes and abilities but he had to come to the point of learning that God’s grace was sufficient for him, for God’s power is made perfect (complete) in weakness (II Corinthians 12:9).  So, let us not despise or be ashamed of our weakness, but rather surrender it to the Lord so that he may accomplish in us so much more than we ever could on our own.

We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon the Lord.  So let us move forward in trust, with diligence and, yes, even in weakness – and to God be all the glory!

In Christ,