Father’s Day

Sunday is Father’s Day.  In preparing my message for Sunday I have been overwhelmed with two things.

First is the wonder, the need, yes even the beauty of masculinity.  It is so much of God.  After all, the ultimate revelation of God is “Father.”  The love of a mother is wonderful but it is not all that is needed.  It is not enough.  The love of a dad, brings strength, security, value, importance, self-worth.  How beautiful a family can be when both Mom and Dad are fulfilling their roles with gusto.

The second is the fatherlessness of the nation.  The nation is bedeviled by broken families and hurting people.  The statistics are almost overwhelming.  When you look at the statistics of the men in prison, the young people in trouble, the societal breakdown one cannot escape from the fact that we are a nation without strong men and fathers.  We can all speculate as to why but the consequences are there for all to see. There is a huge wound in the heart of our country, an empty hole that can be filled with the love of God as seen visibly through the love of fathers.

If only men would be men.  If only there would be a restoration of manliness.  If only men would be proactive in their families, love, lead, be involved we could bring a major transformation to our nation, our families, our churches.

May God move on us men.  Our hope lies in Malachi 4:6 “And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

Happy Father’s Day!

Gaza Flotilla & Proverbs 18:17

Suddenly, but not surprisingly, Israel is being vilified in the media and by virtually every nation for stopping the flotilla of ships from Turkey.  I won’t restate all the details as anyone watching the news has heard all the accusations against Israel.

But have the reports been the truth, the whole truth?  Proverbs 18:17 is instructive:  “The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him.”

This is especially true when it comes to Israel and the world.  Be careful what you believe.  A statement by the PM of Israel  said “Israel is guilty until proven guilty.”  And so it is.  Use discernment.  Know the issues.  Know the agenda of Israel’s enemies.

Israel’s legitimacy rests not in the opinion of the world but in the Word of God.

You can read the interview with the commander of the Israeli team here:  http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2527573/posts

Seek the truth.  Know the Word of God, especially regarding the subject of Israel and the Jewish people.

2012 Olympics

I became a Christian during my university days.  Being on the university golf team afforded me an opportunity that changed my life.  I was invited to a Christian meeting by two friends — one on the university basketball team and the other a varsity diver.  They both belonged to an organisation called Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  This is a wonderful organisation in the US whose mission is to reach university campus athletes with the gospel. Sports and the gospel make a great combination.

I have always loved sports, especially the Olympics.  With London hosting the 2012 Olympics I am already sensing the excitement many will feel in a couple years.

London will be the centre of world attention during the Olympics.  This will become an amazing opportunity for the Christian community to touch the lives of thousands.  In many ways the sports world is a world unto its own.  Especially in the US there have always been strong Christians standing up and witnessing to their fellow athletes. May that happen more here in the UK.

For all these reasons I was excited when my daughter was employeed to lead a project called “Time for God 2012.”  (www.timeforgod.org)  This project is to bring churches together to reach out in community projects leading up to the Olympics.  There is also a national organisation called “More Than Gold” (www.morethangold.org.uk) that is mobilising the Body of Christ nationwide to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by the Olympics.

I am wondering if those in our church (or other churches) want to get involved?  I will be coordinating a meeting in a couple weeks of area leaders to discuss the opportunities.  Would you like to host an Olympic family in your home?  Perhaps there are other sports related events we could get involved in.

Stay tuned for more information.

The Fifth Gospel

We have just returned from a wonderful tour of Israel.  This was my fifth trip to Israel.  All five trips have been special and each different but this may have been my most satisfying.

This is the first time we (my wife and I) have stepped out to lead a tour group.  Accepting this responsibility changes a tour from being a holiday to being work but the rewards were worth it.  We loved being able to facilitate others in all the benefits of their first tour of Israel.  It was great to see their excitement as the bible comes  alive.   We walked in the footsteps of Jesus, visited with believers in the Galilee, and saw modern Israel up close.

As others have said, the geography of the land of the bible is like a fifth gospel.  As Bargil Pixmer says in the introduction of his book With Jesus through Galilee according to the Fifth Gospel “… Five gospels record the life of Jesus.  Four you will find in books and one you will find in the land they call holy.  Read the fifth gospel and the world of the four will open to you.”

Thousands of pictures were taken, many sights were seen, but best of all was to see how hearts were touched and lives changed.  One said to me “my life will never be the same.”

Here’s hoping the Lord will allow us to take a group again next year.

Noah’s Ark

We have been planning for months to host a meeting this Friday evening at our church here in Sunningdale where an eminent geologist will speak on the scientific evidence that supports a worldwide flood, as seen in Genesis.  If you don’t know about it please join us Friday evening 8:00 – 10:00 pm and hear Dr. Emil Silvestru.  There will also be a time set aside for questions and answers.  The venue is the National School of Government at Sunningdale Park, Larch Avenue, Sunningdale.

Leading up to this I have been noticing more and more that replica’s of the Ark are being built around the world.  You may know of the half-size ark built a couple years ago in Holland.  The builder is now working on a full-size ark that he hopes will be finished in time to sail to the London Olympics in 2012!  I learned of one being built in Canada.  Additionally a full-size ark was just completed in Hong Kong.

Are these coincidences?  I began to see that this might be a move of God to raise up a significant “sign” in these days to warn the nations and give a picture of Christ as saviour.  It is just like God to speak loud and clear to the nations about the judgment to come and His rescue plan.

Then suddenly, this week, there has been an announcement of a discovery on Mt. Ararat of what may be Noah’s Ark.   There have been discoveries and claims in the past that turned out not to be the Ark, so one must wait and see.  But evidently this discovery has many of the hallmarks of the real thing.  Suddenly, this subject of Noah’s Ark is in the media.  This gives us an opportunity to talk about it and share our faith.  Imagine the implications of finding the real Noah’s Ark — the truth of the scriptures, the truth about God and His plan of salvation, the implication on the interpretation of geologic evidence and even the ripple effect in the evolutionary community.  GO GOD!

One newspaper quotes a British archaeologist saying there is no evidence of this flood around the world!  Really?  If you want to hear the case for the flood from an eminent geologist, come tomorrow night.  This sudden interest in Noah’s Ark is an amazing opportunity I believe God is giving us in this hour.

Talent or Anointing?

You, like me, are probably inundated with emails of nice saying, pictures, and the latest things “from God.”  They ask you to circulate it to everyone you know.  I seldom do.  But once in a while something comes across that is really worth reading and taking on-board.  I just received one — don’t know the original author — that I want to share with you.  It is for all of us as we are all called to be ministers of the Lord to others as He gives opportunity.  It is called Talent or Anointing? Let us all pray and seek God for His anointing.

When someone sings and you are caught up with the beauty of the singer’s voice, that is talent; when someone sings and you are caught up with the beauty of the Lord, that is anointing.

When someone teaches and challenges your mind, that is talent; when someone teaches and challenges your spirit, that is anointing.

When someone writes and stirs your imagination, that is talent; when someone writes and stirs your heart, that is anointing.

When someone speaks and gets you to follow him, that is talent; when someone speaks and gets you to follow Jesus, that is anointing.

When someone counsels you and builds your confidence, that is talent; when someone counsels you and builds your faith, that is anointing.

When someone motivates you to take up a noble cause, that is talent; when someone motivates you to take up your cross, that is anointing.

When you are filled with self-confidence and achieve your goals, that is talent; when you are filled with the Holy Spirit and do the will of God, that is anointing.

When you work hard and receive the applause of men, that is talent; when you remain faithful and receive the approval of God, that is anointing.

How Do We Look At Failures?

Failure is something we all have to face from time to time.  How do we see ourselves when we fail?  How do others look at us?  How does God look at us?

As I have shared many times, the scriptures tell us to be “overcomers.”  Overcome what?  Problems, challenges, Satan, yes, but how about our own failures? Our kids face this in school.  We all face it.

I just read something to encourage all of us — from a great British inventor of today — James Dyson, inventor of the bagless vacuum cleaner.  He shares his thoughts on the importance of perseverance.

“I made 5127 prototypes of my vacuum before I got it right.  There were 5126 failures.  But I learned from each one.  That’s how I came up with a solution.  So I don’t mind failure.  I’ve always thought that school children should be marked by the number of failures they’ve had.  The child who tries strange things and experiences lots of failures to get there is probably more creative.  We’re taught to do things the right way.  But if you want to discover something that other people haven’t, you need to do things the wrong way.  Our society admires instant brilliance.  I think quite the reverse.  You should admire the prerson who perseveres and slogs through and gets there in the end.”

This sounds a lot like Hebrews 12:1:  “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance (perseverance) the race that is set before us …”  Let us not be stopped by problems, challenges, Satan, or our own failures.  Let’s get up and keep going.

God’s Kingdom Strategy – The Nations

Yesterday I began a series about the four great things God is doing in the earth today.  This is a “mountain top” view of events and God-Strategies in the earth.  This is something I believe the Body of Christ in the UK needs to know.  Too much of the church in the UK is set-up to be deceived in the hour (in my opinion.) Part 1 was about how God is dealing with nations.

A couple PS’s to yesterdays Part 1 in this series — in talking about worldwide problems needing worldwide solutions, I briefly referred to the economic crisis encompassing the nations of the world.  I read an article today that puts this in stark terms for the UK.  Did you know our government is borrowing nearly £0.5 BILLION each DAY just to pay the bills?!!!!  This nation and all nations are currently standing on a mountain of debt, and that mountain is shaking.

Secondly, I showed a slide comparing Biblical eschatology to Islamic eschatology.  I read a very good book about Islamic eschatology from which I took this information and forgot to give credit.  The book, and I highly recommend it, is “The Islamic Anit-Christ” by Joel Richardson.

Lastly, I would welcome feedback on this sermon about God dealing with nations.  This is a bit new for most of us in the west.  It is challenge for us to understand this view of God and then how we are to live in light of this truth.  Let me have your thoughts.

 

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BMW Joy Campaign

Have you noticed that BMW has launched a major advertising campaign using the theme of “JOY?”  Instead of “The Ultimate Driving Machine” they are now saying to buy a BMW to experience JOY.

Of course we know that “the JOY of the Lord is our strength” and the fruit of the Holy Spirit is JOY.  We know the ultimate source of JOY is God Himself.  Everything else if fleeting, even a new BMW.

But here is the significant thing in this new ad campaign.  Major corporations spend millions on market research and they target their ads armed with this research.  I think they must have found that the populace is looking for JOY.  Doesn’t this make sense?  The world is searching for something more meaningful in life.  There is a hunger out there for something significant.  We hear from many sources about “broken Britain.”  People’s hearts are empty and fearful of the future right now.  There is a hunger for JOY and BMW has discovered that.

This should encourage us to let our light shine.  People should be asking us why we are so JOYFUL.  Our source is very costly but not as expensive as a new BMW, if you know what I mean.

Sermons

Easter Message: Last week in the Easter message I tried to summarize the entire gospel in five slides.  Have a listen and see if you think I succeeded.  The resurrection is supposed to give us HOPE that is to be the anchor of our soul.  Don’t let this Easter season pass by without grabbing hold of this truth.  You can also hear two wonderful testimonies of changed lives by John and Tracy.

Upcoming Sermons Series: This Sunday I will begin a four part series describing the four great things God is doing on the earth today.  I call this series “God’s Kingdom Strategy.”  I have been working on this for over a year and believe it is one of the most important series I have every taught.  This week will be Part 1 – The Shaking of the Nations.