I meant to
comment on the final TV version of the Hercule Poirot books with David Suchet
in the lead role. As it happens we only looked at the opening moments, but I
know the basic story anyway. The intriguing thing is that the ‘murderer’ in
this case is actually not the person who commits any act leading to death. In
fact, the ‘murderer’ is a clever man who insinuates ideas into the minds of
others. How far that might be possible in the real world, and how you would
deal with such a person who only plays on the anger and desires of others
without actually mentioning murder to them, are moot points. But I think Agatha
Christie had real insight when she wrote this book. What especially intrigues
me is that this is surely one of the ways in which the devil works. I am not
thinking particularly of murder here, but of all the subtle temptations he
suggests and the way he plays on our own weak points. How this actually takes
place I cannot say, but I have no doubt that we have a wily enemy who is able
to stir up and play upon our own temperaments and weaknesses. In the name of
Christ we are to refuse his suggestions and put him behind us, looking in faith
to the Saviour.
Monday 25 November 2013
Saturday 23 November 2013
Book of the Year
As Christmas
approaches some newspapers are recommending various ‘books of the year’,
depending on what subject is one’s interest. My book of the year has to be
Garry Williams ‘Silent Witnesses’ (Banner of Truth). A selection of addresses
and essays on ‘theology, life, and the church from Christians of the past’ it
is diverse, instructive, encouraging and orthodox.
This year sees
the centenary of the Spanish Gospel Mission. It began with the labours of Percy
Buffard. My parents went to Spain
with the SGM in 1932 and returned after the Second World War to resume in 1947.
Centred on Valdepeňas about two thirds down the peninsula, more or less
equidistant from the Mediterranean and Portugal the work has always been
fairly small. Most of the workers have always been Spaniards, which is as it
should be. It is now really a partnership between Christians from Britain and Spain. The number of evangelicals
in Spain
is a very small proportion of the population. May it please the Lord to prosper
the work of the Gospel in that country. There is a day of thanksgiving a week
today in Valdepeňas.
What is the
greatest need of the churches in our country as we approach a new year? Revival.
Saturday 2 November 2013
Some random thoughts
There is much in
the news, and about the world that we live in, to cause the Christian to feel
despondent. Crimes and evils are constantly brought before us and the shift in
our society to an utterly godless outlook and the behaviours that spring from
this can easily seem to overwhelm us. Christian periodicals sometimes seem to
dwell overmuch on the gloom of the present day and even prayer meetings can be
burden rather than an inspiration when there is too much bemoaning of the state
of our country. For this reason I have it in mind, when I next preach, to take
as my text John 16:33: ‘These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may
have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I
have overcome the world’. Peace and good cheer through Christ and his work –
that’s more like it!
In November’s Grace magazine the – alas – contentious
subject of the Lord’s Day is dealt with from several different viewpoints. What
surprises me is that no-one seems to realise that the fourth commandment
arising from the divine creation pattern of Genesis 1 to 2:3 is the only basis
that there is for a seven-day week. Ancient societies had a variety of ‘weeks’
and the anti-Christian revolutionaries in France and Russia both attempted to
do away with the seven day week, though neither alternative lasted long. It is
baffling to me that some evangelical Christians – of all people – are now
effectively doing the same thing, though I don’t think they realise it. Surely
God’s creative pattern should apply to the whole created earth and not just to1400
years or so of Israel’s
history. With the spread of the Christian faith the seven-day week also spread
far and wide, with all the benefits it brings when it is appreciated and kept
appropriately.
I have been reading
‘Engaging with Keller’ (EP), as I have to review it. At first I found the last
chapter ‘Looking for communion in all the wrong places: Keller and the doctrine
of the church’ of little interest or significance to an Independent like me.
And then I began to think of developments in this country like the rise of
Gospel Partnerships, the promotion of ‘missional churches’, and all the
confusion which comes from churches of this, that and the other flavour being
planted here, there and everywhere without any thought of other churches that
might already exist. I suddenly realised that it is actually raises one of the
most urgent issues of our day.
Monday 14 October 2013
A Small Correction
As I suspected I
had got the words wrong of the song I referred to in my last post. I was
muddled up between I come to the garden
alone, sung, in this case, by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, and I walked into the garden, sung by The
Mellomen. I discovered (the right word!) this by getting out my box of
‘Fifties’ 78s. There is a reason why I have a fairly large number of gospel
songs of the period. When I was at RAF St Eval during National Service, the
first programme on Sundays on the Tannoy system that went to all the billets
began like this: ‘Good morning; it’s nine o’clock on Sunday morning. Time once
more for The Old Rugged Cross’ and an
orchestral version of the tune to that hymn gradually increased in volume
during the announcement. Throughout the time that I was there the SASRA group
continued with this half-hour programme. I have to confess it was mainly music,
gospel songs and hymns, but there was usually a reading from the Bible and a
tract would be read also at some point. Perhaps surprisingly the programme was
very popular, often no.2 in the week, and a few times hitting the top spot.
Obviously we had to rely on providing our own records and as I was often
involved I bought more than perhaps I would otherwise have done. I wonder if
some real good was done by the programme. Oh, and here is the first verse and
chorus:
I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear,
The Son of God discloses:
And he walks with me and he talks with me
And he tells me I am his own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known
Saturday 12 October 2013
A few thoughts
It has been a
beautiful day today. This afternoon the sun was shining brightly, and although
there was a brisk north-easterly wind it was not too cold for a steady walk.
The trees have not yet turned colour to any great extent, the grass still looks
fresh and green and there was a brightness and clarity about the landscape –
vivid green fields, newly trimmed hedges, the hills dark against a blue sky,
even the whirling turbines on the hillside didn’t look too out of place. God’s
creation is full of beauty and interest and is much more evocative, soothing or
stimulating than any TV set.
I have recently
been reading Garry Williams’ Silent
Witnesses and greatly enjoying it. One place struck me as rather odd. In
talking about styles of worship he refers to those who are apparently stuck in
the 1950’s. But the services of the early 1950’s were very generally
characterised by choirs, solos and testimonies, especially in evening gospel
services. That decade was then considerably enlivened by the influence of Youth
for Christ and the Billy Graham crusades. It was in the 1950’s that some of us,
myself included, reacted against what was perceived to be a rather superficial
and perhaps man-centred approach to worship, with often somewhat of a dash of
sentimentality: ‘I walked in the garden alone, while the dew was still on the
roses…’ or words to that effect. No, we shouldn’t try to ape the ‘50’s’, or any
other period of time. We must be guided by the precepts and principles of the
Word of God.
Last weekend Grace Baptist
Church, Lancaster, remembered with gratitude to God
twenty-five years of Pastor Phil Arthur’s ministry and thirty-one years of the
church’s existence. It was a day to be remembered and, as someone who
ministered in Lancaster
to a group of Christians prior to the founding of the church, I think I can say
that God has been glorified and his name honoured through the witness and work
of the church.
Saturday 5 October 2013
Bright Christian Students!
I also want to commend this new book for those starting university life. It is a little while now since I read it, and I have since given my copy away to a student, but I found this excellent. Let us hope and pray that this new academic year may see many bright Christian students who shine as lights for Jesus Christ!
Bleesed are those who keep his commandments
It is some
months since I last posted anything on this blog. There are various reasons for
this, I think. Perhaps laziness has something to do with it, but a measure of
ill-health for a while and other concerns have kept me away from making any
comments. I think, also, the considerable emotional impact of the parliamentary
vote to redefine marriage affected me deeply, as I know it did others of my
age. This morning, in reading through the Psalms, I came to Psalm 119 and read
the first two sections. I draw attention to two verses: ‘You have commanded
your precepts to be kept diligently’ (v.4) and, ‘I will meditate on your
precepts and fix my eyes on your ways’ (v.15). Righteousness involves keeping
God’s commandments diligently, but in the world as it is, and with our hearts
as they are, it is vital to fix our eyes on God’s ways. There is so much else
to see, so much else to catch our attention and to draw us away from our God,
but ‘I will not forget your word’ (v.16).
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