2023/2024

 

As  the year 2023 comes to a close, we do well to reflect on the past and think about the future.

The questions worth considering:

1        What special blessings have we enjoyed from the Lord in the last year?

2        Did we leave a good example for others to follow?

3        Was there a lesson to be learned?

4        How much storing up treasure in heaven happened?

5        Did we spend enough time worshiping the Lord in private?

6        Were we in control or was the Lord Jesus in control?

7        What was the ratio of prayer time/screen time/pleasure

8        Was any one impacted by the evangelism we did?

9        Who was the most important person in our life in 2023?

And how about 2024?

Planning? Budgeting?  Well, yes I am writing up my diary with birthdays  and phone numbers. But a certain poem is most helpful:

 

God 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.

 

The very dimness of my sight makes me secure

For groping in my misty way

I feel HIS hand, I hear HIM say

‘My help is sure, My help is sure’

 

I cannot read His future plans but this I know

I have the smiling of HIS face

And all the refuge of HIS grace

While here below.

May all my readers be blessed with a deeper knowledge of Jesus Christ as Lord.

Bible rejected

 

Why then is the Bible so hated ?

If this book promotes freedom to choose, encourages education and so much of social progress – why is it neglected, despised and rejected in so many hearts and places around the world?

   For one most significant reason. It presents the extreme claims of Jesus Christ as Lord of all.  His short solitary life has conquered so many. His claims to deity put every ither religion on notice – God has appeared and we all should worship  Him alone.

His exposure of hypocrisy and greed has put politicians and warmongers on notice – instead of war and plunder should be humility and generosity.

His claims to kingship leaves no room for rivals, only subjects. Human pride refuses to give Him such honour.

His exposure of sin and the need for forgiveness by sacrifice runs counter to the tales of the devil. So people choose lies rather than repent .  They prefer to go their own way.

So it almost seems like a mistake that God gave humans the freedom to choose!  Under the tutoring of the devil so many choose to reject Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God.

But God is not defeated. The Bible continues as a hammer, as a mirror, as light divine, as the seed of life, as  the voice of God! The ‘YouVersion’  Bible app has been downloaded 700 million times in the last 15 years! And millions more are hungry for God’s word.

And millions have been and are being blessed to know Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord through the Bible.

But I missed something – many people dissent from the Bible  because they don’t like the concept of final accountability.  Jesus claimed that He would be the judge on judgement day. I am so glad – He can be trusted to judge with justice, and make grace triumph for all those who truly love HIM.

In conclusion – The Bible is a book about a person. Through Him, Jesus Christ our Lord,  so much  good has come to  mankind. How ungrateful to take for granted the good and reject the giver!

Peter put it so well for me :- “whom having not seen ye love……..”1Peter 1.

Let the words of Christ dwell in you richly, and you will discover more than essential principles for our society,  you will find a friend who  will be closer than a brother.

Why the bible

 

The Bible

What makes the Bible so different to other religious books?

There are many differences – I would like to highlight one.

In contrast to the many religious books that are revered and recited, the Bible is a collection of 66 books written over a period of 1500 years by many different people. Instantly that means a variety of contexts, variety of languages, variety of meanings, variety of circumstances which need to be investigated to achieve clarity. For example the writing of Daniel is different to the story of Abraham. A casual reading of the Bible will clarify the historical narrative covering many years.

    More than textual investigation, the Bible invites meditation. Not meditation that empties the mind of reason, but rather taking time to understand the meaning of it’s teaching. Some is moral teaching about how to live, some spiritual teaching about connecting with God. Other sections encourage people to investigate the natural world around us – to look up into the starry sky, to study the animals and learn from their ways. Thus science pursues the wonder of what God has made.

Again the Bible encourages education – reading , writing, mathematics, science, music, agriculture. More than just repetitive existence (doing what forebears did) , the Bible inspires people to rise to a deeper understanding of what life is all about.

Jesus described the Old Testament and His teaching as the Word of God. He described the best response to hearing it, like seed that falls into the good soil and with sunshine and moisture, springs up into a multiplying plant. He explained it Himself  - “this represents good hearted people who hear God’s message and understand it”. (Matthew 13). Why did I emphasize ‘understand’ – because I have met so many people reciting, reciting, reciting without understanding.

In fact the whole period of  Jesus teaching was filled with questions to HIM and from HIM. He wanted the faith of the people to be rooted in understanding – not just memorising, reciting or revering.

And so the directive was given to young Timothy – “ Study”.

I become very stressed by the cultures I interact with, where questions are our of order, investigation is forbidden and education is denied . 

I encourage all to use the opportunity to search the Holy Scripture and discover the Lord God revealed in the unique person of Jesus Christ the Lord.

Bible are available free from  johnmckee@internode.on.net

Gospel

 

I have been asked to give a message on  1 Peter4:12-19.  Two words seem significant. 1.  Suffer 2. Gospel.

In this article I would like to mention the Gospel. For many this word seems beyond its use by date. Churches seldom mention it. How few go into all the world and preach the Gospel.(Good News). May the LORD bless those who do.

Looking around our world we need Good News. I was reading the newspaper today, and oh how little of it is good news! More than ever we need a Gospel that brings deliverance from ruined lives and hope for the future. In my few years, I have seen so many things promised to “fix the world”. For example :- United nations, psychology. liberation from religion, communism, education, technology etc  - all are a dismal failure, in fact most have intensified the problem of the human condition.

So where does the good news come in?  The Gospel of God is not designed to fix the world, although that will happen. The Gospel is God reaching out to individuals to be reconciled to Himself. Although  the Lord God is almighty, He by His Holy Spirit  seeks to interact with all people of all nations. As the people are transformed, then the nations will change for the better.

His voice is heard in our conscience unearthing those things that have created our distance from God – sin. But that same voice of conviction declares God’s remedy – good news  (Gospel) through Jesus Christ. Many turn away from HIM, because they prefer their own selfish and sinful ways. Yet the message of mercy remains – Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures, He was buried and the third day rose again. By virtue of that sacrifice, God can forgive, God can become our Father, God can accept us and transform our lives to be filled with light, life and love. Now that is real Gospel – good news.

But 1 Peter 4.verse 17 asks an awful question – “what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God?”  I would like you to pause and answer that question. It has an answer in the present and an answer in the future.

Why did the question use the word ‘obey’? – because the call of God’s Gospel calls for action – “Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ “ (Acts 20:21)

However, to be a Christian, does not mean life will be easy. This part of Peter’s writing makes it clear that suffering is an expected part of life. The world we live, in dances to the tunes of the devil, so as followers of Jesus Christ as Lord we become the object of satan’s attacks. Peter gives encouragement.

“It is no shame to suffer for being a Christian” (V16) 

But our God is a faithful creator who loves and cares for His own.

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you “ 1 Peter 5:7

JRM  8.12.2023