Sunday 28th February 2010
A rather different message this week.  Many people have been asking “Where was God” in the Haiti earthquake.  I came across the following item by the well known evangelist J John and thought it worth reprinting here as it has some very useful insights.

Where is God? That question is an understandable reaction to the appalling earthquake in Haiti where on January 10, 2010 around 200,000 people died in under a minute. A second question follows upon it: how can anyone believe – or even want to believe – in a God who can crumble houses onto families, topple hospitals onto patients and collapse schools on children? Here we face the old challenge of the sceptic: if, as we Christians claim, God is both all-powerful and good then why did this happen? Surely, they say, only one of two conclusions is possible and neither leaves the idea of the Christian God intact. Either we must conclude that God couldn’t stop the earthquake happening, in which case he isn’t all-powerful or he wouldn’t stop it happening, in which case he isn’t good.

To fully try and answer such challenges would take a book. Here, I simply want to raise some issues that need to be considered in any response. Yet before we do this we must pause. The best and most honourable response to suffering has always been to act first and philosophise later. The people of Haiti do not need an explanation of why this event has happened; they have more pressing problems. This is the same principle that applies in our own personal relationships; when we go and visit a bereaved friend, we do not try and explain what has happened. We put our arms around them, weep with them and try and help. Indeed, we read in John’s Gospel that Jesus wept at the funeral of a friend (John 11:35). The Christian God is not a remote detached being who doesn’t care about suffering, but he suffers with us. Interestingly enough there are a number of places in the Bible where God says, in effect, to curious human beings ‘Don’t waste your breath asking questions; get on with the task of doing what you’re supposed to be doing.’ (Job 37-24, John 21:21-22; Acts 1:6-8.) In short, the priority is response first and reflection later.

With that in mind let us consider some points.

• It is worth considering the curious fact that every normal person, whether atheist or believer, has similar reactions when faced with such a disaster. All of us find them an outrage and all of us feel sympathy for the victims. Yet if we do hold to the atheist position that there is no God, this is rather puzzling. You see if human beings are quite simply no more than the product of natural selection over millions of years then there is absolutely no reason at all why we should be appalled by such events. If we are created by Nature then why do we find ourselves uncomfortable with any of Nature’s acts? Does not Darwinism teach that we are adapted to this world? So why should earthquakes (or volcanoes or tsunamis) provoke our outrage? Wouldn’t it be more logical to shrug our shoulders and say ‘It’s the way the Earth works’ and simply walk on without another thought? Yet no one but a monster would do this. The fact is that human beings do suffer when others suffer. The best explanation of this is surely the one the Bible gives: that human beings are made in God’s image (Gen. 1:27). This means lots of things but one is surely this: we are designed to be both indignant at things that are immoral and compassionate to those who suffer.
• It is also worth asking ourselves whether part of the problem is that we have reshaped the God of traditional Christianity (holy, righteous and loving) into a somewhat cosy celestial grandfather (closely related to Santa Claus) whose role extends no further than supplying our wants and solving our problems. We need to remind ourselves that Christianity will soon be 2000 years old and has been faced with the problem of suffering from the very first. After all, in the first few centuries AD, the average life expectancy was little more than half of what it is today in the West. Death, disease and disaster were pretty much ordinary events. Yet the church grew. Since then Christians have experienced both private and public disasters and yet kept their faith intact.  Ironically, Christianity as a religion does much better in cultures where suffering occurs than in those where prosperity prevails. In other words, what we bystanders consider to be the intellectual problem of suffering may be less of an issue to those who are actually suffering.
• We also need to be logical about the way the universe works. In the real world, things always have consequences. So although we find both gravity and water good, yet both can kill us. The same rule applies to the whole vast process of plate tectonics; volcanic activity and mountain building is good because it allows the release of gases and nutrients into the atmosphere and oceans. Without moving plates this world would eventually become flat, lifeless and dull. After all, the same tectonic motion that caused the Haiti earthquake has given rise to the awesome beauty of the Caribbean islands. It is probably not possible to have a habitable world without some kind of plate tectonics and all the perils that go with it.
• Christianity has never taught that the world we see about us is how God intended it to be. The result of sin – the rebellion of human beings against God – means that the created order is distorted so that disease and destruction occur. It is probably significant that in Genesis 3:17 we are specifically told that the ground is cursed because of sin. The point is while we do have an elegantly designed Earth, all is not as it should be. Yet, if Christianity teaches that the earth is not what it was, it also teaches that it is not what it will be either. The earth has already been redeemed by Christ’s death on the cross and one-day it will be remade in glory (Romans 8:19-22).
• It will not hurt to keep earthquakes in proportion. The occasional catastrophic earthquake should not disguise the fact that, statistically speaking, they are a relatively minor hazard of living on Earth. In 2009, earthquakes killed less than 2,000 people worldwide and in 2007 the figure was 600. In comparison, each year there are around 3,000 road deaths in the UK and roughly 10,000 murders by firearms in the USA . In the 20th century alone, wars and genocide killed at least 180 million people. Perhaps the most sobering statistic is the estimate that some 16,000 people die across the world each day due to malnutrition. In other words dreadful though it was, the death toll of the Haitian earthquake is equivalent to two weeks’ worth of ordinary human hunger. If we are to accuse God of causing unnecessary suffering, we must also find ourselves guilty of the same charge.
• While we may wish to blame God it is undeniable that human beings have made matters worse. Haiti suffered from overcrowding, badly-built buildings, an inadequate healthcare system and had made almost no preparations for a disaster despite warnings by reputable geologists that a major earthquake was overdue. The result was that there were far more casualties than there should have been. Earthquakes of similar magnitude have occurred in developed countries with only a fraction of the dead and wounded. For instance the 1989 Loma Prieta , California quake (also Magnitude 7) saw 63 deaths while the result of the Magnitude 7.2 quake at the densely crowded Japanese city of Kobe in 1995 was 6,434 deaths. So Haitian unpreparedness was in part responsible; notably the widespread corruption that had impoverished the country and cheated on building quality. Some who know the country argue that things were made much worse by the religion and culture of Voodoo which holds that life is so governed by unpredictable supernatural powers that planning is a waste of time. Yet the neglect was not just that of the Haitian leaders. For decades, Western countries were only too happy to see corrupt dictatorships persist in Haiti as long as they prevented the spread of Communism from neighbouring Cuba . There also were the usual inequalities of trade between rich and poor nations. True, the developed world gave Haiti financial assistance, but by paying insufficient attention to where the aid was going they poured petrol on the flames of corruption. The disaster in Haiti was magnified by human errors and we must share some of the blame.
• We must also ask whether it is possible that some of the unease about the Haitian earthquake comes from the way that it reminds us of two unpalatable facts: that we are neither immortal nor in control of our lives? We do not like to think of death and our culture places a very high value on human power and autonomy; are we not ‘the masters of our fate’? There is something almost traumatising about the way that the shaking of the solid earth undermines (sometimes literally) all that we are and have achieved. Without warning, in seconds, destruction and death are upon us. Earthquakes remind us that life is more than comfort and prosperity.

So how are we to see the earthquake in Haiti ? Jewish culture at the time of the New Testament of the Bible evidently held to a tight cause-and-effect link between sin and disaster. They believed in the simple creed ‘bad things happen to bad people’. Remarkably, Jesus rejected this view.  So in Luke 13:1-5 we read: ‘Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them — do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem ? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”’  A similar teaching occurs again in John 9:1-4.  Yet if earthquakes are not actually acts of judgement they are symbols of judgement. In Revelation 16:12 we read of an earthquake heralding the appearance of God as Judge of the world. However else we view the Haitian earthquake, it may be no bad thing to see it as a warning and a reminder of our own mortality. It may be no coincidence that at the crucifixion of Christ, there was an earthquake (Matthew 27:51). It is one of many pointers to the significance of that death. In Christ, God himself took upon the judgement that should have been ours, so that we might be spared it.  It is as if, amid the tumbling buildings of an earthquake, Christ allowed himself to be crushed under the weight of the falling masonry so that we might escape being crushed by judgement.

Where is the Christian God in such earthquakes? The answer is that he is in them so that we might be spared worse.

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Sunday 21st February 2010

TODAY, SIR, TODAY

We are studying ‘The End Times’ in our Bible Studies at Renovate.  It is exciting to discover how many of the Bible prophecies concerning Jesus’ second coming have been and are being fulfilled right now.  We need to be doing what Jesus said – “Look up for your redemption is drawing near”.

The story is told of a man who was travelling in Switzerland, but wanted to see the sights that normal tourists never see.

At one location, on the shore of a beautiful Swiss lake, he came across a wonderful villa that aroused his interest.  He knocked at the garden gate and the elderly caretaker came out to let him in.  The old man seemed very pleased to be able to show someone around the amazing gardens.

“How long have you been here?” the tourist asked. “Twenty four years”.  “And how often does the owner come here?”  “Oh, he has only been four times all the time I have been here”.  “I suppose he writes often?”  “He has never written.”   “Then how do you get paid?”   “His agent pays me”.

“So who comes to visit then?”

“Nobody ever comes”, replied the old man.  “I am nearly always alone, except when someone like yourself drops in”.

“But everything is in such perfect order; everything is just as if you expected the owner to come back tomorrow!”

“No.  As if he were coming back today sir, Today!”

We don’t know when Jesus is coming back to this earth.  We only know that He said that one day He would. The Apostle Paul wrote that we should be ‘looking for his appearing’.  Are you ready if He should return today?

If you are not, then contact us here at Renovate and we will gladly tell you how you can be ready!    God Bless You!

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Sunday 14th February 2010

Does God really care?

Today is Valentines Day when we think about love. Those we love and who love us.  God is a God of Love, yet so often people ask ‘If God is a God of Love, why has He allowed this to happen in my life?’   The following story may help you to understand.

Malachi 3:3 says: ‘He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.’

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.  One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.   As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says:  ‘ He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.’ She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, ‘How do you know when the silver is fully refined?’  He smiled at her and answered, ’ Oh, that’s easy – when I see my image in it.’

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire , remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.  Yes, He does love you!

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Sunday 7th February 2010
A lesson from Frogs!

A group of frogs was traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the unfortunate frogs they would never get out. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead.

Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and simply gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and suffering and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out.

When he got out, the other frogs asked him, “Why did you continue jumping? Didn’t you hear us?” The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

This story teaches two lessons:

1. There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

2. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them. Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path.

The power of words… it is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times.

Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another. May your words be a blessing to someone today.

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Sunday 31st Jan 2010

Sincere is not enough!

Many years ago when I was a young man I was in the Royal Air Force and based at Hereford.  I had a motor bike and when we had a 48 hour pass, I would set off for my home in Manchester.  One day, I came to a junction where there was no signpost.  I had to choose which way I went.  I decided to turn left and drove for about an hour without seeing any signs as to where I was.  Suddenly I came to a village with a very welsh name and realised that instead of heading towards Manchester, I was actually going in the opposite direction and had finished up in mid Wales.

Now when I chose that particular road I thought I was right.  I was convinced I was going home.  I was very sincere in my choice, but unfortunately I was sincerely wrong!

Many people seem to think these days that all that is necessary in religion is that you are sincere. As long as you are sincere in what you believe, that’s ok.  But you know, it isn’t.  Like me, you can be sincerely wrong! The cook who sincerely believes that he is cooking a delicious meal when the meat is actually bad, will still end up making his customers ill.  Sincerity is not enough.  We need to know that we are trusting in the right way.

Jesus once said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No man comes to the Father except by me”.  Now that is pretty definite.  There is no other way to God except through Jesus.   You may be sincere in believing there is some other way, but Jesus said, it will not work.  Just as I was sincere in believing I was on my way home, when in fact I was going further away.

If you are putting your trust in anyone or anything other than Jesus Christ to get you to Heaven, then I have to tell you that you are wrong.  No matter how sincere, you will never get to Heaven that way.

Put your trust in Jesus Christ today.  Invite Him into your life.  Ask Him to forgive your sin and lead you to Everlasting Life.  Then notice the difference He makes.  When I turned round all those years ago, I was relieved that I was now on the right road.  You too will feel the joy and release that trusting in Jesus brings.

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Sunday 17th January 2010

Setting Sail in the Night

The fishermen were excited.  The fish were biting and before long they had a good haul in their boat.  Neither of them noticed the sun going down and night beginning to draw in.  “It’s later than I realized. We’d better head for shore,” said one.

They hauled up the anchor and setout for the shore.   The younger of the two, who was not an experienced sailer expressed his fears that they might hit a rock or other danger in the darkness.

The older man said, “See that light?” pointing to the only green light in a cluster almost too far away to be seen. Now look behind us.” Two lighthouses, one high on a distant rock, the other closer and near water level, rotated their red beams.

“The green light is the marina” he explained. “It and the lighthouses form a straight line. If I align the boat with the lights, we’ll cruise right into shore.”

It didn’t matter that they couldn’t see the bridge or rocks jutting from the surface. Their boat followed a course set by experts, and they sped through the night and into the marina with ease.

When troubles come, they tend to be like darkness falling on the water. We try to make sense of circumstances that only make sense to God, and become confused and discouraged. We then tend to stop, look down and try to plot our own way.

God’s Word shines like the lighthouse beacon: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5,6, NIV).

The fishermen stayed on course and made it safely to the dock. They trusted their lives to complete strangers who set up the lights in the bay. You can trust Jesus to guide you through whatever circumstances you face today.

Why not invite Him into your life as Saviour and Friend today?

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Sunday 10th January 2010

You can’t earn your way to Heaven.

Some time ago I was struggling with a couple of heavy suitcases when a stranger came up and offered to help.   I was very grateful and as we walked down the road towards my home, we talked of this and that, as one does.

He asked me if I had been anywhere interesting and I replied I had just come back from a Christian Conference.  His eyebrows went up – “are you a minister?” He asked. “Yes”, I replied, “That’s my church over there”.  I went on, “Can I ask you something?”  “Sure” was the answer. “Can you tell me if you know you are going to Heaven?”

There was a pause, then he said, “Well, I guess I’m as good as the next person, so I don’t see why not”.  I explained that that isn’t enough to get you into Heaven.  His reply was, “Well, I guess I’ll just tell God what I’ve done – like helping you, and with a bit of  luck the good things will cancel out the bad, and He’ll let me in”.

This man personifies the view that believes salvation can be earned — that people can cancel out their sinful ways and qualify for Heaven through an occasional good deed. The truth is, eternal life is a gift for those who receive Christ as Saviour and follow Him as Lord; it is not a payoff for being “good enough.”

Jesus told Nicodemus “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes on Him should not perish but have eternal life”. There is no other way.

If you haven’t received the gift of eternal life, make a decision today to follow Jesus and live by His teachings. Then you can be assured that one day you will pass through the Pearly Gates and experience the splendour of Heaven

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Sunday 3rd January 2010

Victory or Defeat – Which Will You Choose?

The way we see things is so important. We can look for reasons to anticipate things going wrong in our lives, or we can expect to see things are working together for our good. We can come up with  excuses to fail, or we can read the many promises God has given us in His Word pointing us to success. Our attitude decides whether we have a winning or losing spirit,  and that will often determine the outcome.

After a tremendous victory at Jericho, the Israelites lost the battle at Ai. Joshua tore his clothes, fell on his face and began to blame God for the problem. He said, ‘Alas, Lord God, why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!’ (Joshua 7:7, NKJV).

Joshua was a mighty man of God. He was a great leader and a powerful warrior. But here at Ai he actually had a pity party and questioned God’s leading and protection. He declared it would have been better had they never left Egypt for the Promised Land.

God’s response was straightforward. Joshua 7:10 says, ‘So the Lord said to Joshua: Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face?” When you read the rest of the story, God told Joshua to get up off the ground of defeat, clear out the sin that was causing the problem in the camp of Israel, and get on with the task at hand. God isn’t interested in defeat and doom. God directs us to get back in the battle and anticipate victory.

Don’t let fear dictate to you the outcome of your day. Instead, look for God’s provision and anticipate His victory!

Sunday 27th December 2009

“A Happy New Year!”

This week, we begin a new year. 2010.  On Dec 31^st most will be looking back over the year that has passed. Some with fond memories and gratitude for all that has taken place.  Others with sadness as they remember events that a year ago they never dreamed would happen.

Many will be making New Year Resolutions. This year is going to be different!  Those habits are definitely going to go.  Those arguments with your partner are finished – from now on it’s sweetness and light all the way.   Yet in just a few days time….  How many of us manage to keep those New Year Resolutions for a week – never mind a whole year! Some have even given up trying and just don’t bother making resolutions.

Of course the whole point is that in order to have a new life, you have to have a new you!  Someone once said that to keep on doing the same things whilst expecting a different outcome is a mark of madness.  Jesus knew this. He said, “I have come so that you can have Life, and Life more abundant”.   He knew that there is only one way for things to change in our lives and that is for us to change.   He told a man called Nicodemus, one of the top priests of His day, “You must be born again”.  Paul the apostle took it a stage further when he said, “if any one is in Christ, he is a new creature, old things have passed away, all things have become new”.

Maybe this year, you resolved never to make any more resolutions, because you are fed up of trying and failing to keep them. Why not try something different?   Go to Jesus Christ, admit you are a sinner and a failure, and ask Him to make you into a New Person. He will do it. You will see such a change in your life as you are literally ‘Born Again’ of the Spirit of God. 2010 will be a momentous year for you.

Go on – try it – and a Happy New Year to you!