Take God seriously

Recently I read of an unnerving experience which happened to a pastor and his wife who were flying back from a Christian conference. The conduct they witnessed teaches us a great deal about human behaviour and attitudes.

They were flying from Portland back to Los Angeles and all seemed to be going well. All of a sudden while food was being served, the plane banked sharply. Moments later, flight attendants took back all the trays of food and they could be seen quietly whispering among themselves. There was clearly something very wrong. The pilot then came on and said “We have a slight mechanical difficulty. We are going to fly back to Portland.”

When the plane touched down at Portland airport a flight attendant announced “Listen carefully everyone. As soon as we come to a stop, you’ll hear the emergency siren. At that moment, take the closest escape route you can. Some of you will need to use the slides.” Then she added “There is a bomb threat. Take nothing with you, just get out!”

To the sheer amazement of the pastor and his wife, instead of panic and people running for the doors, quite the opposite happened. Most people first started reaching for their belongings under their seats and one person actually insisted on getting his brief case from the overhead locker. It was clear that many people simply didn’t take the warning seriously.

In the Bible, there are many examples of people who treated Divine warnings about their conduct and life style with a similar casual attitude. Every one of them eventually discovered however, that those warnings to repent where absolutely true. All these examples have much to teach us, but the story of what happened to a certain King of Judah when he rejected the warnings of God’s Word is particularly worth relating.

Around 600BC, during the ministry of the Prophet Jeremiah, there was a King of Judah called Jehoiakim. This King rejected Almighty God and His Commandments so the result was moral and religious decay throughout the nation. Interest in God and obedience to His will declined to such a degree that the Lord gave Jeremiah a Divinely inspired warning which was to be read out to the leaders and people. The warning was stark. Unless the nation repented and turned back to the True God, they would be invaded by a foreign power and destroyed.

Courtiers read this to King Jehoiakim while he was staying at his winter palace. The account in Jeremiah Ch36 relates that a fire was burning on the hearth and as the King heard the Word of God being read out, he cut the scroll into pieces and burnt them on the fire. He utterly refused to take the warnings of God seriously and because he didn’t like the message, he destroyed it. His behaviour and contempt for the Word of God brought terrifying consequences. Shortly afterwards the entire nation was invaded and severe judgement fell upon him personally as well as his family.

As shocking as his behaviour was, it is sadly little different from the way many people treat the inspired Word of God today. They pick and choose the verses they like in Scripture and just like Jehoiakim reject the parts which they find personally and morally challenging. No wonder they don’t feel God close to them. Salvation, intimacy and closeness to the Lord is a blessing reserved only for those take all of His will seriously. It is not for pickers and choosers who behave like a modern day Jehoiakim.

The writer Francois Fenelon gives a moving description of what this intimacy and closeness means in practise. “You can tell God all that is in your heart, just as one would unload one’s heart, its pleasures and its pains to a dear friend. You can tell Him your troubles and He will comfort you, you can tell Him your longings and He will purify them, you can tell Him your dislikes and He will help you to conquer them. Talk to Him of your temptations and He will shield you from them, show Him the wounds of your heart and He will heal them. Honestly lay bare your indifference to good, your depraved tastes for evil and your instability. Tell Him how self-love makes you unjust to others, how vanity tempts you to be insincere and how pride disguises you to yourself and others.”

“When you pour out to Him all your weaknesses, needs and troubles there will be no lack of what to say. You will never exhaust the subject and you will have no secrets from Him. Blessed indeed are those who have such a familiar, unreserved and intimate relationship with God.”

And such people are easy to recognise. They have a genuine passion and thirst for the Lord, with an
unquenchable enthusiasm and drive to stay close to Him. It can be seen in their lives that the Spirit of God resides in their hearts. They display an inner joy and peace which radiates out for all to see. Eternal life has already begun for them and the joy of the Lord is upon their countenance.

Those who refuse to fully submit to the Word of God are denied all this joyful intimacy and owing to the deceitful nature of sin may not even be aware of their true spiritual condition. Like King Jehoiakim they may actually feel quite comfortable and confident with their pick and miss views. They might take some, or perhaps none, of God’s Commandments and warnings seriously and feel very positive about rejecting and ignoring the rest. Scripture often makes references to such people and states that they are deceiving themselves and deceiving those around them. All of God’s Commandment’s and all His warnings revealed in Scripture, are to be taken seriously and acted upon; none of them can be ignored.

The Bible further adds that some of these self-deceivers will even have a certain religious persona about them and perhaps even have the appearance of being spiritual. In 2nd Timothy Ch3v5 it describes people who “have a form of Godliness about them, but deny its power.” In Matthew Ch15v8 it says “These people draw near to Me with their mouth and honour Me with their lips but their heart is far from Me.” They feel quite comfortable about attending church services and singing God’s praises, but in their heart of hearts they do not have a relationship with Him because they refuse to fully submit to and accept His revealed will. As it warns in Matthew Ch7 vs22-23 “Many will come to Me on that Day and say ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your Name, cast out demons in Your Name and done many good works in Your Name?’ And I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from Me; you who practise lawlessness. ‘”

There is a certain plant in South America which starving people will chew, because it gives them the enjoyable sensation of having been fed. Through its influence all desire for real food departs and the starving person is spared from the painful gnawing of hunger. The leaf contains a drug but no nourishment. It satisfies a man’s craving but it does not provide for his needs. It is a plant of deception. He feels he has had food, but in reality he is dying for lack of it. So likewise are those who pick and mix from the Bible, choosing for themselves what moral teaching to take seriously and what to reject. They take enough of it to make them feel good, satisfying the inner craving of their religious nature, but reject the morally challenging parts which would have fed and saved their souls. They feel they are spiritually alive and in “good standing” with the Lord, but in reality they have deceived themselves. Unless they take seriously all of His moral teaching as revealed in Scripture, they will never belong to Him and never be one of His children.

Self-deception is so easy that St Paul urges every person to examine their heart, in order to check that they really do belong to the Lord. As he puts it in 2nd Corinthians Ch13v5 “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.” Let us learn the lesson of Jehoiakim and not be deceived and punished as he was. Provided we take all the teaching and warnings of Scripture seriously, and sincerely endeavour to submit our lives to His will, then when He comes or calls, He will say “Well done good and faithful servant,” rather than “Depart from Me because I never knew you.”

Remember what is really important

One of the hall marks of a true Christian is that they always try to keep things in a proper and Godly perspective rather than get carried away by trivial and worldly matters. In Matthew Ch16v26 Jesus set “life” in its proper context by posing these questions; “What does it profit a man if he should gain the whole world, yet lose his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Salvation and getting right with God is the only thing that really matters. As Jesus further warned in Luke Ch12v15 “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

Sadly I often come across individuals who either forget these warnings or who are ignorant of them. The life they led revolves around “trivial pursuits” and they get all worked up or bogged down about things and events, which at the end of the day, are profoundly unimportant. Failure to keep things in proper perspective means that spiritual and Godly matters are ignored and the end result is that they become selfish and completely absorbed in their own little world. Their selfishness is such that they live in a kind of “bubble” and provided nothing harms their “bubble” or way of life, they don’t really care too much about what happens to others.

I have witnessed this “focused triviality” numerous times. For instance, I may have just spent hours trying to comfort someone who has recently lost a spouse, only to have the next family I visit, spend most of their time bitterly complaining to me about some trivial and petty issue they have with their neighbour or work colleague. Perhaps the neighbour has failed to cut their part of the hedge or a work colleague has been rude. The reason this is the only thing they talk about, is because it’s the only thing that impacts on their personal world. A minor event is blown out of all proportion. The Victorians called such an attitude “a storm in a tea cup”, but the Bible calls it selfishness. I come away from such people thinking that they have absolutely no awareness about the real meaning of life and what is truly important.

Recently, I came across a fascinating account of an American “wannabe socialite” who learnt this Biblical lesson in a most dramatic way. It is a story that deserves a wide audience because it delivers a powerful message, sorely needed by those who make much of trivial things, in our generation of “celebrity culture”.

An ambitious woman by the name of Sadie Smithson grew up in Johnson Falls, West Virginia. Her father kept livery stables and the family was quite poor. Sadie’s greatest ambition was to achieve respectability. She wanted to be able to mingle with the rich and famous and be seen and acknowledged as someone important. As a step in this direction she tried to join an organisation which represented all that was socially prestigious in her town called The Laurel Literary Society. Her application for admission was declined.

Not being easily put off, she then came up with an ambitious plan which she felt certain would grant her admission. Few people in her town had ever been abroad so she decided to do a tour of Europe. She would then write about her experiences and give talks and lectures. The tour took several years to save for and plan, however eventually she set off travelling with a professor and his wife. To say that things didn’t go quite as she intended is an understatement.

They happened to be touring through Belgium when the opening shots of the First World War began. As they were heading in the direction of Paris, their driver lost his way and to their shock and horror they quite literally found themselves crossing a battlefield. Right beside the car lay a badly wounded young soldier. Sadie got out and went over to him. He looked up at her with frightened eyes and pleaded for water. She went over to a nearby spring and gave him a drink. As she did so, she suddenly became aware that the entire area was covered with the dead or wounded. Those touring with her, told her to get back into the car, but as she looked around at the scene of devastation, she sensed her duty was to stay and help. After a heated argument, the car drove off without her.

All night long Sadie ran back and forth to the spring, carrying water to the injured men. She tore her skirt into bandages, she scribbled notes and messages for loved ones at home and with each wounded man she offered the simple prayer “The Lord bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you.”

It was a night of sheer horror, of darkness and of moaning dying men. Finally dawn came and it was only then that a doctor and medics arrived. They were astounded to find a woman from West Virginia amid all the carnage of war. The doctor asked her what she was doing on a battlefield, to which she simply replied “I’ve been holding hell back all night.” He answered “I’m glad you held some of it back, for everyone else in the world was letting it loose last night.”

As she was returning to America, she told her story to a fellow passenger on the ship. She said “I’ve never been married and don’t know what it is like to have children, but that night all those men were my children, even the roughest of them and I believe I could have died for any one of them.” The fellow passenger then commented “The Laurel Literary Society will want you to belong to it now.”

Sadie looked thoughtful and then replied, “I am not going to apply to join. I’ve been face to face with war and death and God has opened my eyes to what is important in life. Little things like The Literary Society don’t matter to me anymore.” “What does matter?” asked the passenger. Sadie soberly replied “I have learnt that nothing really matters apart from being faithful to God and showing His love to others.”

Just as Sadie’s eyes were opened when she was confronted with reality, so likewise, people who make much of trivial things and who are content to dwell in their own selfish little bubble, will one day be confronted with the reality of God and His Judgement. In Proverbs Ch21v13 it warns “Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the afflicted, will one day cry himself and not be heard.” And in the parable of the Sheep and the Goats it warns that those who ignore the needs of others are actually ignoring Christ Himself. (Matthew Ch25v45).

When an individual fully submits every area of their life to the will of God, they will see things as they really are and put things in proper perspective. When they acknowledge the profound importance of being faithful to God,  trivial things will be seen in their true light and other peoples afflictions will become “as their own”. Selfishness will be replaced by a love for God and along with that, an earnest desire to share His love and compassion towards others.

Many people today are so caught up with their own personal interests, they lack any sense of urgency about getting right with God. They have no awareness of impending judgement and regard spiritual matters as unimportant. In reality, spiritual matters and getting right with God is the most important thing of all. Nothing else even comes close. As it states in Ecclesiastes Ch12 v13-14 “Fear God and keep His Commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgement including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil.”

Around the same time as Sadie’s experience, a cartoon was published in Punch which summarises this important teaching of Scripture in a simple yet profound way. During the summer, the King of the Belgium’s had refused Kaiser Wilhelm’s request to move German troops through his neutral country in order to attack France. Not to be out done, Germany simply responded to his refusal by invading his Nation. The cartoon depicts the Kaiser addressing the King of Belgium with these words; “So you see-you’ve now lost everything!” The King responds profoundly “Not my soul!”

Bear the cross of obedience

A fascinating story has survived from ancient times concerning an incident which involved Alexander the Great. The story goes that one day a soldier in the army of the conqueror was brought before Alexander to be punished because of his bad behaviour. Tradition relates that after the emperor had listened to the details of his conduct he turned to the man and asked him his name. “Alexander” the soldier replied. The emperor repeated the question and a second time the man replied “Alexander”. With a cry of rage the emperor roared “I asked what your name is?” When the man answered for a third time “Alexander” the emperor said “You say your name is Alexander. You must either change your conduct or change your name because no man may bear the name of Alexander, my name and do the things you do.”

There is a very powerful spiritual lesson in this story. Many individuals are quick to look upon themselves as being “Christian” and give themselves that title. Unfortunately, just like the badly behaved soldier they are not worthy of such a name or title because their conduct and attitude is anything but Christian.

And this is by no means a new phenomenon. In the days of the Early Church many people also thought themselves to be “Christian” but sadly as St Paul explained, they were no such thing and were but deceiving themselves. In Titus Ch1v16 he lamented “They claim to know God but in works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient.” And in Philippians Ch3v17-19 he further wrote “Follow my example of behaviour…because many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the Cross of Christ …who have set their hearts on earthly things.”

Jesus has given a very simple test to reveal who is worthy to bear the description of being a Christian. He said “He who has My commandments and obeys them; he is the one who loves Me.” (John Ch14v21). This test is expanded upon in 1st John Ch2vs3-5 where it states, “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says ‘I know Him’ but does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.”

The story is told that on one occasion, Stanley saw the silhouette of the great missionary David Livingstone on his knees with his head slumped over his bed. Stanley rushed into the tent to see if the old man had collapsed. David simply looked up at him and said “I am reading through my Bible one last time to check that there is nothing I need to change before I go to meet the Lord.”

Like Livingstone, all those who claim to follow Christ need to regularly, earnestly, anxiously, carefully and humbly, study God’s Word so as to make certain they are really obeying His will and following Him properly. Is there anything they need to change? Is there something they are omitting to do? It is our duty to constantly check that we are worthy to bear the title of Christian.

There is a very old story told of a devout monk who prayed time and again to be given the marks of Jesus upon his hands and feet known as “stigmata”. The monk earnestly wanted to be worthy of being a Christian and felt that having these marks would show that he really loved the Lord. The story relates that he prayed for these marks for many months but to no avail. Suddenly one day, he sensed the Lord saying to him that there was a far more important mark on the Lord’s Body which the world had forgotten. It was the mark on His shoulder from carrying the Cross. In Matthew Ch16v24 Jesus stated “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” It instantly dawned on the monk that to be a real follower of Jesus one had to bear the cross of obedience and loyalty, no matter what the cost. This is what it means to be a Christian. Many people think they are Christians but they do not bear the cross of obedience and so make themselves unworthy of the title.

So what does all this mean in practice? In Philippians Ch2v12 it exhorts “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” If we really want to belong to Christ and take up the cross of obedience then we need to do a regular “spiritual workout”. Many people do physical workouts at the gym but a spiritual workout is quite different, being far more profound and infinitely more beneficial.  The following spiritual workout was written by Brownlow North, the grandson of a former Bishop of Winchester. Written over one hundred years ago it was originally entitled “Six Rules for Young Christians” but today it could equally be called “Six Rules for Faithful Christians.”

1.    “Never neglect daily private prayer; and when you pray remember that God is present and that He hears your prayers. (Hebrews Ch11v6).”

2.    “Never neglect daily private Bible reading; and when you read, remember that God is speaking to you, and that you are to believe and act upon what He says. (John Ch5v39). I believe all backsliding begins with the neglect of these two rules.”

3.    “Never let a day pass without trying to do something for Jesus. Every night reflect on what Jesus has done for you and then ask yourself ‘What can I do for Him?’”

4.    “If ever you are in doubt as to a thing being right or wrong, go to your room, and kneel down and ask God’s blessing upon it. (Colossians Ch3v17). If you cannot do this, it is wrong. (Romans Ch6v23).”

5.    “Never take your Christianity from other Christians or assume that just because they behave in a certain way, therefore you may. (2nd Corinthians Ch10v12).”

6.    “Never believe what you feel if it contradicts the plain Word of God. Ask yourself ‘Can what I feel be true, if God’s Word is true?’ If both cannot be true, then believe God.”
                  
Many years ago a young lad was standing beside his father’s horse. A man came up to admire the animal and asked the lad, “Does your father’s horse run fast?” The lad replied “no he can’t, but he does stand fast.” To be worthy of the title “Christian” we must truly stand fast in the Lord and in His will, no matter what the cost. Regularly and obediently going through this spiritual workout will help us to stand fast in Him and ensure that we really are worthy to be called a Christian.

Are you really on the Lord's side?

On Monday 5th June 1944, almost every soldier aboard the British Troop ship “Princess Ingrid”, gathered to take part in a Church service conducted by their padre. The next day was D-Day; hopefully the beginning of the liberation of Europe and every soldier was lost in their own thoughts. They knew that for some this would be their last day alive and of greater importance they knew that if the D-Day landings were unsuccessful, millions of innocent people would be left under the domination of Nazism for perhaps decades. The entire fate of Europe and the free world hung in the balance. They earnestly wanted the blessing and help of Almighty God. As a focal point the padre constructed a makeshift altar and placed a silver cross in the centre. Just as he was about to begin the service and plead for God’s help and blessing upon their task, something sinister happened which terrified them beyond words. In front of them all, at that moment, a gust of wind suddenly came up, struck the cloth on the altar and threw the cross to the deck with such force that the cross was broken in two. The padre and the troops were distraught at this omen and a naval telegrapher Ronald Seaborne, who witnessed it, stated that for the first time in his life he understood what the “fear of God” really meant.

Those who know their Bible will not be surprised by this strange and frightening event. Scripture warns that the human race is actually in the midst of a spiritual war which often manifests itself in a variety of physical ways. In Ephesians Ch 6 v 12 it explains that “We do not wrestle against mere flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age and against spiritual hosts of wickedness in high places.” And in 1st John Ch5v19 it further adds that “The whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” Scripture clearly teaches that until the Second Coming of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ; this will neither be a peaceful nor a restful world because evil is trying to destroy that which is good.

Although this spiritual war often manifests itself in physical ways, the primary place of conflict is neither the battlefields of Europe past or present, nor in the Middle East. The sobering reality is that the primary place of conflict between good and evil actually takes place in our own hearts. Every time an individual has to decide between right and wrong they are involved in this conflict. Each time a person decides to be selfish or proud, jealous, envious, bitter or unforgiving; each time they neglect to obey the Ten Commandments, they side with the powers of darkness. On the other hand, each time an individual chooses to do that which is right, just and loving, they side with the Lord. In 1st John Ch 3 v7 it chillingly warns “Let no one deceive you. The person who practises righteousness is righteous…but he who sins is of the devil.” Is it any wonder the world is in such a mess? The greatest need for Mankind today is for the transformation of the human heart.

Scripture teaches that we should regularly take stock of our lives and ask ourselves where we personally stand in this spiritual conflict. Who are we really following? Who really has our heart? Are we part of the solution to the mess this world is in, or are we part of the problem? Have we been taken captive by the evils of selfishness and greed, indifference and spiritual neglect, or have we been set free from such vices by loyally following the Captain of our Salvation? If Christ were to return tomorrow would He say “well done good and faithful servant” or would He have to say “depart from Me for I never really knew you.”?

The Biblical test revealing which side a person is on is very simple. “Jesus said ‘You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind…and you are to love your neighbour as yourself’.” (Matthew Ch22vs37, 38). In God’s sight, those who have repented of their sins and are actively striving to obey Christ’s words is what distinguishes a Christian from a non Christian and is the deciding factor revealing which side of the conflict a person is on.

Scripture declares that it is simply not enough for an individual to believe in God and regard themselves as being a “good person” just because they haven’t “robbed a bank or murdered someone,” (a phrase I often hear). In stead what is required is active commitment to the Lord’s way, right down to the very deepest level of our being. In 1st Corinthians Ch6v20 St Paul reminds us; “we have been bought at a Price, therefore glorify God in your body and your spirit”. This “Price” was Jesus enduring the Cross on our behalf, for our sins. What has been done for us was most profound; it was “no small thing” and is deserving of nothing less than full and complete commitment and devotion.

In Luke Ch 14 vs15-24 Jesus told a parable about those who made excuses as to why they wouldn’t follow Him. It is sobering teaching which has relevance for our materialistic age. It is a reminder that in this conflict “a careless attitude costs souls”. He said “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many…but they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said ‘I have bought a piece of land; I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ Another said ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen and I am going to try them. I ask that you have me excused.’ Still another said, ‘I have just got married so I cannot come.’ …When the servants reported these excuses to their Master, He became angry… and said ‘none of those people who were invited shall taste of My supper.’ ”

I am often staggered by the kind of excuses people give as to why they don’t fully and actively follow the Lord. “Oh I am too tied up with my job to have time for spiritual matters.” (But they find time to go to the gym). “Oh I haven’t time to read the Lord’s Book.” (But they find time to read their daily newspaper). “Oh I have lots of family commitments.” (But they find time to go out for morning coffee and socialise with their friends). The teaching of this parable comes to mind when I hear these things and I often wonder how they will react on that Day when they are confronted with the true reality of the Cross and all that was done for them. In 2nd Corinthians Ch9v15 it is called “an Indescribable Gift”. They are treating God’s Gift of Himself as though it were nothing, whereas in reality it is absolutely everything and beyond compare as the following touching story shows.

Many years ago a young Christian lady became terminally ill. As her illness progressed she drew great comfort from the promise in Isaiah Ch 53v5 which says “He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.” One day a friend commented “You are suffering a lot of pain at the moment.” “Yes” she answered “but” pointing to her hand, “there is no nail there. He had the nails; I have the peace”. Laying her hand on her brow, “there are no thorns here. He had the thorns but I have the peace”, and touching her side she added, “there is no spear there. He had the spear; I have the peace”.

Scripture teaches that a titanic spiritual battle is raging between good and evil for the hearts and souls of men and women. Salvation and deliverance has been won at the Cross, which demands and challenges individuals to decide which side of this conflict they are on. The Price paid was so great that there is no middle ground. There are no excuses. In Matthew Ch12v30 Jesus stated “he who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” If people are not actively in the Lord’s camp, then in God’s sight they are placing themselves in the camp of the enemy.

In 1st Peter Ch5vs8, 9 it warns “Be sober and vigilant because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Resist him by being steadfast in the faith.” Some time ago a man who was giving a lecture about the Bible concluded his talk by affirming that he wasn’t afraid of the devil. A devout Christian in the audience responded by commenting, “That is hardly the point. The real question surely is this; ‘is the devil frightened of you and your faithfulness to the Saviour?’” What a challenging question! Are the powers of darkness frightened of our love and devotion to the Lord? Are they terrified by our gratitude to the Saviour, our prayer life and our faithfulness in reading the Word of God? Are they fearful of our loyal attendance at God’s House Sunday by Sunday whatever the weather? Can they see that we are firmly in the camp of the Redeemed? Or, on the other hand, do they see us as unmotivated, spiritually indifferent and full of excuses? Do they regard us as collaborators with evil and no threat at all to the darkness they are trying to bring upon the world?

In 2nd TimothyCh2vs3-4 it urges “You must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ…that you may please the One Who enlisted you as a soldier.” Let us regularly reaffirm our allegiance to the Saviour and firmly resolve to love and obey Him in all our ways. May we do this with heartfelt gratitude, so that whether He comes or calls, He will say “Well done good and faithful servant.”

Be strong and courageous!

“You must endure hardship as a faithful soldier of Jesus Christ.” (2nd Timothy Ch2v3)

The following are genuine responses from comment cards handed into staff at a Forest Park in America;
The trails need to be wider so that people can walk holding hands.
The trails need to be reconstructed.
Avoid building paths that go uphill.
Please spray the vegetation near the paths as there are too many insects.
Please put in chair lifts so we can get to the wonderful views without having to hike to them.  
Please get rid of the coyotes. They made too much noise last night and kept me awake.
A deer came into our camp last night and stole some food. Can I be reimbursed?    
Reflectors need to be placed on trees every fifty feet so people can walk at night by torch light. 
Escalators would help on steep uphill sections.
The places where paths do not exist are not well marked.

It is difficult to escape the conclusion that today many people have become real “softies”. Whether we are thinking of “the compensation culture” which is now so common or how often counselling is offered for the least hardship, it is difficult to believe that only 70 years ago a previous generation endured the horrors of the Second World War and went on to liberate Occupied Europe.

It seems that (with a few notable exceptions) many of today’s generation are unwilling to endure hardship or make any real sacrifice for the good of others. The result is that the whole of society has become increasingly selfish. There is very much “a me first attitude” with even the British Army complaining that it often has difficulty getting recruits who are willing to endure the rigors of basic training.

Sadly this lack of willingness to endure can also be seen amongst some Christians, especially in the West. They treat their faith and their obedience in a half hearted manner, failing to exert any real effort to keep the first Commandment; “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind.” (Luke Ch10v27). They are unwilling to devote an hour a week to worshipping God in Church and are unwilling to set aside even a few minutes a day to read their Bible and pray. They are reluctant to endure any hardship or sacrifice if called upon to do so by their conscience and often take the path of least resistance. Then they wonder why their spiritual life seems so dull and dead! They want to experience God, but on their terms, not His.

I often hear individual Christians saying that they want “a deeper experience of God” and that they want closer encounters with the Divine. They want God to reveal Himself more fully and question why He doesn’t do so. The answer to their question however, is given in Scripture; we are clearly told in Hebrews Ch11v6 that “God rewards those who diligently seek for Him” and in Jeremiah Ch29v13 it says “You will find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” It is clear that to experience Christ an individual must wholeheartedly search for Him and be prepared, if necessary, to endure real hardship in order to remain obedient to His Commandments. Having the Lord in our lives and keeping Him first in our hearts must be our number one priority because it is clear that God will only be close to those who really and sincerely want Him.

This explains why faithful Christians, who are willing to endure persecution from dictatorships, experience the Lord in dramatic ways. They experience Him because they are not half hearted about following Him but regard their faith as so precious and their Lord so wonderful that they are prepared to endure hardship in order to remain obedient.

In Matthew Ch13v45, Jesus is described as being “The Pearl of Great Price” for which the merchant sold everything he had in order to obtain. Nothing half-hearted about that! And in Matthew Ch10 vs37-39 Jesus explained that “Anyone who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take up his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me…..” The reason for this statement, is that the Suffering and Agony of the Cross was so great and the love expressed so profound and undeserved, He is worthy of nothing less than our whole hearts. Out of love He paid the penalty of our sins so that we could be forgiven and this gives us cause to “rejoice with joy inexpressible” (1st Peter Ch1v8). However, since He did all this for us, Scripture states that we must be prepared to follow Him no matter what the cost and no matter what must be endured to remain faithful. Some day every one of us will stand before the Saviour and hear Him ask “I did all this for you out of love, what were you willing to sacrifice and endure for Me?”

Christians must never forget that the forgiveness and spiritual joy they now experience is all as a direct result of what happened on that first Good Friday. They must remember that they are “living in the context of the Cross” and that the Cross was no small thing. It was no minor thing for God the Father to send His Son and it was no small thing for Jesus to be willing to endure crucifixion on our behalf. It was and is the central and defining event of all creation and the pivotal point around which all the Universe revolves. As St Paul was moved to write in 2nd Corinthians Ch9v15 “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.”

Some years ago a pastor came up with a clever way of reminding his youth group that all the blessings they were enjoying had come about as a direct the result of the Cross. They were going on a church trip to Florida and as they prepared to board the coach he got them to fashion a huge cross from two pieces of timber. He explained that in order to teach them that they were now living off the blessings and benefits won at Calvary, this cross would go with them wherever they went.

Members of the youth group looked at one another a little unsure of his plan but they agreed to go along with it. They dragged the huge cross on to the coach and there it banged back and forth in the aisle all the way to Florida. It went with them into restaurants, it stayed overnight where they stayed and it stood on the beach as they enjoyed the sand and surf.

At first lugging the cross around embarrassed them, but gradually it came to be a point of identification. That cross became a silent reminder of who they were and what had been done for them. Eventually they regarded carrying the cross as an honour and privilege.

The night before they returned home their pastor handed out two nails to each of them. He told them that if they wanted to commit themselves to what the cross stood for, they could hammer one nail into it and keep the other with them. One by one the group drove their nails into the cross.

About fifteen years later, one member of the youth group, who was now a successful stockbroker contacted this pastor and told him that he still kept his nail with him in his desk drawer. He stated that whenever he was in danger of forgetting what was really important in life he would look at the nail to remind him of what should be at the core of his life; his commitment to Jesus Christ, no matter what the cost.

Someone once dreamt that they had died and gone to heaven. He found himself in the midst of a great multitude. “Who are you?” he asked someone standing near to him. The man replied “I am a Roman Christian. I was put to death during Nero’s reign.” “How awful” said the dreamer. “No I was willing to give my life for Jesus because He gave His life for me,” was the reply. “And who are you?” the dreamer asked someone else. “I am from a South Sea Island. The missionary John Williams came there and told me about the love of Jesus. I became a follower and I was killed for my faith.” Just then the dreamer awoke. “How little I have been willing to endure for Jesus” he sobbed. “Forgive me Lord. I will now take up my cross and follow You no matter what hardship I must endure to remain faithful.”

To truly experience the Lord and walk with Him day by day we must remain faithful and obedient no matter what hardships we may have to endure. “I went to the Cross for you; what are you willing to do for Me?”

Don't stop praying

Sometime ago I came across an account written by Bishop Coxe, who was describing his stay at an old feudal castle in England. The castle itself was so old that one of its towers dated back to the days of King John. The Bishop wrote that on the first morning of his stay when he went down for breakfast, he found the owner of the castle, his family and all the servants, assembled for Morning Prayer which was being conducted by the head of the family.  As the Bishop lifted his eyes, he noticed high overhead a massive beam that spanned the grand old hall and in old English it bore the following inscription. That house shall be preserved and never shall decay, Where the Almighty is worshipped day by day AD 1558

For hundreds of years the people of that old castle had turned their faces towards God each day in prayer and what they were doing is something which God expects and commands us all to be doing day by day. Daniel the prophet set aside three times a day for prayer and when you examine the example set by Jesus, we discover that prayer was at the very centre of His life. He regularly prayed by Himself when He was alone, He regularly prayed with His friends, He prayed every week in the synagogue, He prayed for those in trouble, He prayed for Himself, and He prayed before making major decisions.

Jesus set an example that no matter how busy we are, we are expected to take time out with God in prayer. No day should pass without it, no hurry for business, no arrival of friends, no trouble or sorrow and no joy or excitement should prevent us from taking regular time to touch base  with the Giver of Life. Those who are addicted to smoking make sure that they have regular smoke breaks throughout their day no matter how rushed they maybe. Christians in the same way should see to it that they have regular prayer breaks.

This is what should happen and yet so often prayer is not seen as a priority in our lives. In a survey conducted by the Diocese of Oxford, it was revealed that the main reason why people do not worship and pray regularly is not because they don't believe in God, but purely because they think that they are too busy to fit it in.

This notion of being too busy is somewhat amusing when you compare it to the life of Jesus and how busy He was! From dawn until dusk and than after dusk, Jesus was working and ministering to crowds of needy people. He was constantly giving of Himself, constantly under pressure and consciously aware of the dreadful death that lay ahead of Him, which was closer with each passing day.  He would have been exhausted by the end of each day.  Although He had all this work to do; a busy and stressful life beyond our imagination, He always actively set aside time to pray. He set the perfect example of how even in the midst of busyness, prayer was made a top priority! Those who say they haven't time to pray, are in a sense saying they are busier than Jesus was during His earthly ministry which is clearly impossible.

It has been suggested that for some people the word busy might as well stand for Being Under Satans Yoke. Once they neglect their prayer life, they will begin to spiritually drift and sadly this drifting is never in the direction of God but always in the direction of Satan's sphere of influence and bondage.

An individual Christian may be compared to someone swimming in the sea whilst the tide is going out. If they stop swimming in the direction of the shore and merely tread water, they do not stay where they are. Chillingly, they will be pulled by the tide into the ocean and to their death. So likewise unless a Christian ACTIVELY maintains their spiritual life through prayer etc, they wont stay were they are but will gradually drift ever further away from God.

Scripture teaches that we are all Fallen creatures with numerous character faults and failings. Unless we actively resist the pull of our fallen nature with the help of the Holy Spirit, we will be drawn into it more and more- to our death.  As it warns in Hebrews Ch 2 vs1-3 Therefore we must give all the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we should drift away..for how shall we escape hell if we neglect so great a salvation?

Some years ago a minister said to his congregation I have a question to ask which no one here will be able to answer. If angels from heaven were here they could not answer it. If the devil himself were here, he couldn't answer it either. Every eye stared at the minister, curious as to what this question might be. He gave them a few moments to think and then broke the intense silence by saying The question is this; how shall we escape hell if we neglect so great a salvation?

An active prayer life with the Lord prevents spiritual drifting just as surely as an anchor holds a boat against tide and storm. That old inscription noticed by Bishop Coxe was quite correct when it spoke of preservation and a lack of decay. It could just as easily have stated that PERSON shall be preserved and never shall decay who worships Almighty God day by day.

The benefits of praying should make prayer the very foundation of our lives, not some sort of after thought slotted in now and then. The truth is we need all the help prayer provides; for our very survival.  We neglect it at our peril. We need it for guidance, we need it for strength, we need it for comfort, we need it to prevent drifting, we need it to grow and we need it for security.

In his moving hymn about prayer, Joseph Scriven summarised it like this, What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. Have we trials and temptations, is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged, take it to the Lord in prayer.  Can we find a Friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer. Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Saviour still our refuge: take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer. In His arms Hell take and shield thee; Thou wilt find a solace there.

How much easier life would be, if only individuals took everything to God in prayer!  Just think how many personal problems, relationship troubles and financial issues would be resolved, and how many fears would be laid to rest.

Are you finding it hard to stand up to the problems and pressures of life? Then get down on your knees! Cast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain you. Psalm 55v22.

Beware of distractions

Sometime ago I came across a rather fascinating fable called “The Dragon of the Abyss”. Once upon a time a man was travelling to Syria, leading his camel by the bridle. For some reason the camel suddenly turned nasty and in a fit of bad temper started to bite him. As he sought refuge in a nearby valley he became so panic stricken that he fell over a precipice and down a cliff. Falling down the cliff he managed to grab hold of a shrub and started to cling on to it for dear life. After a few moments, he began to assess the situation; above him was the snarling camel and below him, in the abyss, he noticed a dragon with wide-open jaws, just waiting for him to drop!

As he was wondering what to do next, to his astonishment, he then noticed beside him, two mice, one white and the other black gnawing at the roots of the shrub which was holding him. He froze with terror seeing no means of retreat and no means of safety. As the minutes passed however, the man began to look more closely at the shrub. On one branch he noticed the most beautiful fruit he has ever seen. He popped this fruit into his mouth and found the taste so lovely that he completely forgot all about the danger he was in. Meanwhile the mice continued to gnaw!

So who is this foolish individual who could so quickly forget all about the danger he was in? Well, the answer is, every one of us at various times of our lives. The meaning of this unusual story is as follows; the man represents any ordinary human being living out their ordinary life. The dragon is the ever open abyss of death, while the bad tempered camel stands for the various sorrows and troubles of life which afflict us all from time to time. The two mice gnawing at the roots of the shrub, one black, one white, stand for night and day or the passage of time. The beautiful fruit represents any particular pleasure which distracts an individual and makes them forget the reality of the situation they are in. It represents anything that hinders them from dealing with the most important thing of all; preparing to meet our Maker.

The fable was written in this memorable way so as to remind people that they must never let worldly things distract them from the reality that one day “we must all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ, so that each one may receive judgement for the things done in the body whether good or bad.” (2nd Corinthians Ch5v11).

Every person at some point in his or her life tries to distract themselves from the reality of our situation before God and some even try to do this all of their lives. Indeed, some individuals manage to distract themselves so successfully that the thought of needing a spiritual life remains buried in their subconscious right until the very end. But no amount of distraction, no matter how long it lasts, changes reality. The mice are still gnawing and the dragon is still there!

Sadly, some people treat Almighty God the way they treat the medical profession when they are ill. They will do anything they can to avoid having to go to see their doctor. They will allow themselves any excuse why they shouldn’t go and any distraction no matter how trivial. They will try and reason with themselves that it isn’t necessary. The fact remains unchanged however, that if they but swallowed their pride and went, the medical profession would help them, not harm them. The doctor exists for their benefit not their harm. The doctor is not there to be avoided at any cost and yet that’s what many do! It’s like “biting the hand that feeds you.”

So likewise, this is how many people treat “The Great Physician” Jesus Christ. Many individuals avoid going to God’s surgery “the Church” at all costs and make up any excuse why they shouldn’t see their Heavenly Consultant. They will allow themselves to be distracted from the reality of their situation by the most trivial of things and try to reason with themselves that God is not important! I sometimes wonder “what do they imagine is going to happen if they went to church?” Sick people go to “the doctor’s surgery” for help and the place sinners go to for help is “the Church”. If they but swallowed their pride and went they would find God is there to help them, not harm them! He is not some Being to be avoided at any cost; He is a Being so profoundly lovely and beautiful that He Died for us all on the Cross to save us from our sins.

In our material age there are many things that distract people’s minds from the reality of their situation before God. But distractions are just that; distractions. They actually hinder solving a situation rather than helping it and should be ignored. After all is there anything more important than a person’s soul? Is there anything more important than getting to know God so we’re ready to meet Him when the mice stop gnawing? Is there anything more important in this life than making sure we are worthy of eternal life? Let us make sure that we don’t ignore our spiritual welfare because of a few passing distractions. In Matthew Ch 16v26 Jesus warned “what does it profit a man if he should gain the whole world yet lose his soul, or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

We have a Heavenly Exam to pass and now is the time for earnest preparations.

Spiritual self-examination

Some time ago I read about a Sunday School teacher who gave his class a lesson on how individuals must personally confess their sins to God, in order to receive His forgiveness. When he closed the session he happened to causally ask “How many of you have sins you would like to confess to the Lord?” Everyone sat as quiet as a mouse. Finally one child raised her hand and said “Please sir, I don’t have any sins to confess for myself, but I know plenty of other people who do!”

This humorous story has quite a lesson for adults because often we think much the same way even though we should know better! We are all too quick to criticise others for their behaviour but how often do we really take a good look at ourselves and see ourselves as God sees us? Early in my ministry I heard about a woman of mature years who confidently told her Vicar that she hadn’t committed a sin for over ten years. The minister listened carefully to what she said and then with great spiritual insight replied, “That’s some achievement, you must be very proud of it.” The woman famously responded, “Yes I am very PROUD of it indeed.” This response of course enabled the minister to explain to her that a heart full of pride was a sinful heart and that in reality she was very far from perfect after all!

Scripture teaches that individuals who think they are without sin are dangerously deceiving themselves (1st John Ch1v8) and that everyone has things they need to repent of personally, so as to be forgiven by God. As it teaches in Romans Ch 3v23, “we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Jesus gave the parable of the Pharisee and the Sinner in Luke Ch 18vs9-14 as a direct warning to all those who think they are righteous and have nothing of which to repent. We are told in verse 11 that the so called “good man” who also happened to be a religious leader prayed to God saying “I thank you that I am not like other men: thieves or adulterers.” The Sinner on the other hand, acknowledged his faults and pleaded to the Lord for forgiveness and mercy. Having approached God in a spirit of humility and repentance, it was the Sinner who received forgiveness rather than the man of pride who boasted that he had never stolen or committed adultery.

This lesson in humility is one which many need to take to heart. All too often I encounter people who are quick to complain about the moral state of society, but who never actually look at their own personal moral standards. They are quick to point out the faults of others but they never acknowledge or lament how much they too have personally failed the Lord. They think they have committed but few actions needing repentance, so in their own eyes they are “good enough” for God. Just like the Pharisee they say to themselves “Since I haven’t murdered anyone, and I don’t rob banks I am therefore a good person!” But since when did murder and robbing banks become the only commandments one can break?! If only these people looked at their personal lives in the light of the rest of God’s commandments they would be truly humbled and begin to see themselves as God sees them.

Over the years Christian writers have produced numerous “devotional aids” and “check lists” to help people do this very thing. The aim of these writings is to enable individuals to better assess their spiritual condition so that pride would be replaced by humility and the end result would be true repentance, forgiveness and peace with God. These devotional aids encourage a real depth of spirituality because all too often a clear conscience is simply a sign of a bad memory rather than the result of living a genuinely Godly life.

Here are two devotional gems worth repeating from long ago. As we read them one can easily see why previous generations were so spiritually minded. Clear and concise, these devotional aids written to assist generations long gone still have the same power today to make us really think and see ourselves as God sees us. They strip away pride and give us the conviction that we are all in need of God’s most profound mercy not just murderers and bank robbers!

The following is an extract from the 1922 “Children’s Service Book” published for use at children’s services throughout the (Anglican) Church of Ireland. Immediately after the Creed the congregation repeated these words;

My duty towards God is;

to believe in Him, to fear Him,
And to love Him with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my soul
and with all my strength;
to worship Him, to give Him thanks,
to put my whole trust in Him, to call upon Him,

to honour His Holy Name and His Word,
and to serve Him truly all the days of my life.

My duty towards my neighbour is;

to love him as myself, and to do to all men as I would that they should do unto me;
to love, honour and support my father and mother;
to honour and obey the King, and all that are put in authority under him;
to submit myself to all my teachers and spiritual pastors;
to hurt no body by word or deed;
to be true and just in all my dealing;
to bear no malice or hatred in my heart;
to keep my hands from stealing, and my tongue from evil speaking, lying and slandering;
to keep my body in temperance, soberness and chastity;
and not to covet other men’s goods, but learn and labour truly to get mine own living.

The service then continued with prayer and hymns. If all this is thought provoking for children and teenagers, it is as nothing when compared with what has been written to help adults in their thinking."

What follows is a shortened extract from a book widely distributed to adults in the (Anglican) Church of England on the subject of “Self examination” before taking Holy Communion. It was printed in 1897.

Before you come to Holy Communion, very carefully examine your heart and your life. If you are strict with yourself you may be shocked at the number of sins these questions will bring back to your mind. But it is better to have the pain of them now and know God’s forgiveness and peace than to have them laid to your charge before the Judgment Seat.

Since my last Communion has my love for my Saviour increased? Do I wish I loved Him more? Have I been thankful when God has sent me special mercies? Do I trust Him wholly. Am I bearing fruit in my character?

Have I said my prayers each day? Have I said them meaningfully and sincerely? Have I been a coward; afraid of what people might say to me and so left my Godly duties undone rather than be laughed at or ill-used.

Have I used an oath or bad words of any kind? Have I used the Name of God in common idle talk? Have I read my Bible regularly, and asked the Lord to help me understand it? Have I broken any promises?

Have I said my prayers each day? Have I said them meaningfully and sincerely? Have I been a coward; afraid of what people might say to me and so left my Godly duties undone rather than be laughed at or ill-used.

Have I used an oath or bad words of any kind? Have I used the Name of God in common idle talk? Have I read my Bible regularly, and asked the Lord to help me understand it? Have I broken any promises?

Have I gone to Church, or have I been satisfied with any excuse to stay away? Have I tried to keep watch over my thoughts when at a service?

Have I behaved as I ought to my Father and Mother and prayed for them? Have I been kind to my brothers and sisters? If a husband and father; have I loved and been thoughtful for my wife and my children, bringing home my wages instead of spending them on myself? If a wife and mother; have I loved and been thoughtful for my husband and children and tried to make a loving home for them?

When provoked do I answer back? Have I tried to bring up my children in the ways of God and encouraged them in what is good and set them a good example? Have I been a kind neighbour?

Have I from my heart forgiven all who have done me wrong or have I repaid evil for evil? Do I acknowledge that two wrongs don’t make a right? Am I too proud to ask forgiveness of any one whom I have injured? Have I fought against my bad temper and tried hard to overcome it?

Have I bravely resisted bad thoughts and prayed for help against them or have I encouraged them? Have I mixed with bad companions more than necessary? Have I kept as much as possible out of the way of temptation? Have I led others into sin? Have I been vain regarding my personal appearance or my cleverness and ability?

Have I stolen money or anything belonging to another? Have I cheated in anyway, by tricks of the trade, neglecting work which I have been paid to do or paying those I employ too little for their work? Have I wilfully run into debt? Am I trying to repay all I owe?

Have I been a busybody and gossip in other people’s matters? Have I spoken ill of others either truly or falsely? Have I told any lies? Have I been jealous when any kindness has been shown to a neighbour and grumbled because it was not done to me instead?”

The devotional check list then concludes with the following moving prayer; “Oh Lord, deal not with me according to my sins neither punish me as my iniquities deserve. O Lord God, Who has graciously promised to forgive all sinners who turn to Thee in true sorrow for their sins, receive me I pray Thee, unworthy as I am. Pardon all my sins of thought and word and deed. Have mercy upon me most merciful Father, for Thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, forgive me all that is past and grant that I may ever hereafter serve and please Thee in the newness of life to the Honour and Glory of Thy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

There is a famous story told about Martin Luther, one of the leaders of the Church during the time of the Reformation. He had been taking stock of his life and had listed all the many sins he had committed. He was appalled at the length of this list and felt Satan say to him “how will you go to Heaven having done all these bad things?” Martin began to feel really worthless and downcast until he sensed the Holy Spirit give him the answer. At the bottom of his list of sins he wrote 1st John Ch1v7 “The Blood of Jesus Christ His Son, cleanses us from All sin”. In John Ch 19v30 we are told that immediately before Jesus died on the Cross He cried out “It is finished”. In the Greek, these words mean “paid in full”. The debt of Martin’s sins had been “paid in full” and so have ours, if we are truly repentant. Jesus bore the penalty of our sins on the Cross. Now there is complete forgiveness available for all those who are humble and penitent.

Rather than bringing despair, these devotional aids should assist us in our spiritual growth by making us all the more grateful for the Cross and showing that “we have much work still to do” in our personal lives. Life is a school and we all stumble in many ways. The correct response when we sin should be repentance and a commitment to try harder in the future because the only real failures in God’s eyes are those who stop trying and give up.

The dangers of neglecting prayer and Bible study

The story goes that during the years of the Great Depression in America there was a foolish old farmer who tried to save money by feeding his mule on sawdust. He felt his mule was costing him far too much in oats, so he decided to mix a little sawdust in with its feed. This went on for a week without any apparent ill effects on the animal. As time went on the farmer continued to reduce the amount of oats and increase the sawdust. The mule didn't seem to notice the gradual change, so the farmer thought things were fine that is until one morning he found his mule dead.

Every so often I come across Christians who thought that they could maintain their relationship with God without feeding themselves spiritually. With the pressures of life they had become time poor meaning something time wise had to give. They looked around at what they could cut back on and thought that their Christianity and their relationship with the One Who suffered for them was costing them too much time. They felt it took too much time to go to Communion regularly, to read their Bible and pray and far too costly time wise to be in a house group or Bible study group. Gradually, bit by bit they reduced the amount of time they spent on these Godly pursuits. At first there didn't seem to be any adverse effects and so they reduced their time with God even further. Still there appeared to be little change until suddenly without warning, the whole spiritual edifice of their life came tumbling down and they found themselves desolate, alone, empty and in spiritual peril.

Without warning, they found themselves besieged by all sorts of different problems. These problems manifested themselves in a variety of ways such as in relationship issues, temptations, worries, a lack of peace, an inability to cope with the pressures of life and so on. Even old problems they had sorted out long ago returned with a vengeance. They noticed a change to their personality at an emotional and psychological level and they had a profound sense of being remote and distant from God. Owing to their starvation diet they had left themselves spiritually defenceless and being emotionally, psychologically and spiritually exhausted they were left in no condition or state of mind to face these troubles.

In Ephesians Ch 6 vs 10-18 St Paul gave a chilling warning to every Christian. He warned that unless a Christian ACTIVELY works at his spiritual life, he will become spiritually defenceless against the powers of darkness. He warned  that in this life we do not wrestle against mere flesh and blood but against the evil spiritual powers of this age... The primary location of this battle is in a persons heart and mind.

Repeatedly, Scripture states that the human race is set in the midst of a spiritual war and warns that there are spiritual forces at work attempting to influence peoples hearts and minds towards darkness and despair. The only way to counteract these dark influences upon us and keep these foes at bay is to actively take up the whole armour of God so that we many be able to stand in the evil day. Taking up the whole armoury of God means using everything God has given us for our protection and growth such as Holy Communion, Bible reading, praying and having regular fellowship with other Christians.

When a person turns to Christ and sets their heart on fire with love for Him, they need to keep on feeding the fire or it will go out. Every prayer time, and every Bible reading time, every Church attendance and fellowship time is like a piece of coal or wood being put on this fire to stop it going out. A person doesn't just become a Christian as though it was some one off event, they have to ACTIVELY REMAIN ONE, constantly feeding the fire of love and faith with spiritual logs and coals.

The individual Christian is sometimes likened to a fortress in the desert. When that Christian spends regular quality time with God by having a daily prayer time etc, the defences are well maintained, the weapons are oiled and polished, the walls are high, the gate is up and all is well. The danger comes when an individual thinks oh this is too time consuming, the walls become neglected, gaps develop, the gate falls down and before they know it their spiritual fortress is all but destroyed. The frightening thing is that such neglect actually invites attack. As we are warned in 1st Peter Ch5 v8-9 "Be sober and vigilant, because your enemy the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Resist him steadfast in the faith."  Moreover, like the mule and his sawdust, this spiritual neglect may be so gradual it can go unnoticed until something major happens.

Scripture teaches that making time for God is not an added extra to our life, it is a profound necessity. People are not saving time by neglecting their spiritual life, quite the reverse; it is an invitation to all sorts of problems which may take months or years of effort to resolve if indeed they can be at all. The old phrase A stitch in time saves nine truly has a spiritual application. Making time for our relationship with God is the most important thing we do, it is the deciding factor as to who has God in their life and who hasn't.

Feed your faith or you will backslide

Some time ago I came across an interesting example of how one particular individual gave up praying.  When this individual was 26 years old, he went on a hunting expedition with his brother.  When night came they pitched a tent in the forest to eat and sleep.  Just before they lay down, he knelt to pray as he had done from infancy.  When he arose his brother said “so you are still doing those things are you?”  That was all that was said, but it was enough – from that night onwards he stopped praying.  Thirty years had  now  passed and  in all those thirty years he had never prayed or attended church.

It wasn’t the sneer of his brother that changed him.   No the reality was that his religious life had become so shallow and so hollow that the pressure “of a finger” was sufficient to overthrow it. If this young man had properly fed and nurtured his religious faith over the years, he would have been strong and the sneer would have had no effect, but because he had neglected his faith, one phrase was all it took to give it up!

This incident reminds us of the vital importance of “feeding our faith”.  Many people in this country are similar to this man. They used to go to Sunday School, they used to go to Church, they used to read their Bible and  they used to pray.  But all these things are now a distant memory to them.  If you ask them why they stopped these things they will give a wide variety of reasons – Church was too lively or too dull, or work colleagues or family laughed at their beliefs or perhaps they took offence at a sermon, or something a member of the congregation said – the list is endless.  However, although they could give a wide variety of reasons, sadly the underlying cause is almost always the same – they had neglected to feed and nurture their faith.  Because of this failure and neglect it only took one or two  small incidences to “put them off altogether”.  What form the actual incidences were is largely irrelevant; it was the failure to feed their faith that was the real issue.

Constantly Scripture exhorts us to take our salvation seriously and work at our relationship with God, “with trembling and fear”.  It is not something of little value which we don’t have to bother much about – it is a matter of the greatest urgency and greatest importance – something which needs to be given our top priority.  In Philippians Chapter 2 it states “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”, in 2nd Peter Chapter 1 it adds, “be diligent to make your calling and salvation sure”, and in Hebrews 2 it warns “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?”  Scripture is filled with such warnings with perhaps the most well known being from Matthew  Chapter 16, “What does a man profit if he gains even the whole world, but loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Every day we need to “feed our faith, and feed our relationship with God”, by praying and reading His message to us – the Bible.  It is not something we should be casual about – it is something that should be our top priority.  We need to remember that either Jesus is exactly who He said He was – the Very Son of God, in which case, we need to take His teaching profoundly seriously, or else He is the greatest deceiver the human race has ever experienced – its either one or the other.  And if He really is who He said He was, then feeding our faith and growing our relationship with Him is absolutely vital. There is nothing else as important.

“No time for Jesus?

What fools we are, to clutter up

Our lives with common things

And leave without hearts gate

The Lord of life and life itself –

Our God!

No time for Jesus?

As soon to say no time

To eat or sleep or love or die

Take time for God,

Or you shall dwarf your soul,

When the angel death

Comes knocking at your door,

A poor misshapen thing you’ll be

To step into eternity!

No time for Jesus?

That day when sickness comes

Or trouble finds you out

And you cry out for God;

Will He have time for you?

No time for Jesus?

Some day you’ll lay aside

This mortal self and make your way

To worlds unknown,

And when you meet Him face to face

Will He – should He,

Have time for you?

            Norman L. Trott