19th March 2024
Pray (ACts) Read (Ecclesiastes 8v6-9) Message (Scott Woodburn) There is a time for everything under the sun (v6). We will enjoy both good and bad days but when time is tough we will feel the weight of our troubles upon our shoulders (v6b). We’ve all been there. Situations appear in our lives and they fill our minds with worry and they rob us of sleep at night. Well meaning loved ones tell us not to worry or to take it to the Lord and although we try, peace seems to always escape our grasp. What causes such restlessness in our hearts? Solomon answers by reminding us of our limitations. Trouble lies heavy upon us because we don’t know what the future will bring (v7) and we have no real power in the face of life’s storms (v8). We worry endlessly about tomorrow because we don’t yet know what tomorrow will bring. All might be good but equally all might be bad and this tension often drives us to fret and worry. What makes this situation worse is we know that we are powerless in the face of death. I have no ability to retain my spirit or decide the day of my death (v8a). I will die one day and although I hope it will be many years from now, it might be sooner than I wish. Additionally, if war rages around us we have no power to bring it to an end. Do you remember the man who stood in front of the tanks in Tiananmen Square? Today we are not sure of his name or what happened to him but the tanks didn’t stop. This sense of powerlessness isn’t unique to the righteous. Although it can appear that the wicked are flourishing, their wickedness cannot save them or help (v8b). The wise and the fool, the righteous and the wicked, all are finite and all are powerless. It is this reality that troubles us. I’d love to have all the answers and be able to fix every single problem but the true picture is that I am incredibly limited in knowledge and ability. So am I a slave to the universe? Am I a subject to fate? Is life just a collection of random moments, some good and some bad? By no means. We are not immune to that sense of helplessness and frustration but we are certain that every single moment has been written by a good and gracious God. Do you remember what Psalm 139 says? “My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” (Psalm 139v15-16) We can’t change tomorrow and we have no power over the day of our death. Regardless, even when we are aware of our limits we still trust a limitless God. He has written all the days of our lives and He is good. Brothers and sisters, hear me. He is good. The storms make no sense and life often hurts, but God is good and He is for His people. May your restlessness be met by rest in Christ, may your powerlessness come to know His abundant power. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q97 What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord’s Supper? It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord’s Supper, that they examine themselves, of their knowledge to discern the Lord’s body, of their faith to feed upon him, of their repentance, love, and new obedience; lest, coming unworthily, they eat and drink judgment to themselves.
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18th March 2024
Pray (ACts) Read (1 John 5:18-21 focus v18) Message (Alan Burke) Will ye have a cup of tea. ah, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on. Many of you will know you I’m referring to. I remember watching Father Ted when it first aired and there were many lines taken from the show that made it into every day speech in our family. go on, go on, go on, go on, go on and you will, you will, you will especially when someone wasn’t convinced by the offer of a cuppa tea or a wee biscuit or one of granny’s scones or cakes those words of Mrs Doyle “go on” or “you will” somehow got pulled out and most people gave in. When it comes to sin today we take it as seriously as giving into taking a wee cuppa tea and wee biscuit or scone or cake when we are trying to be good, sure it would have been better not to but it’s not really that serious. Look though to what John says here, “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin”. This isn’t that we are when we believe in the Lord Jesus we are to have some kind of sinless perfection, we know that is not true and John has already said back in chapter 1 that 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us (8). It is not that we have a sinless perfection but that we who are born of God do not allow sin to define us. Think of Paul in Romans 7 who talks about that daily battle with sin in our lives, we battle with the old sinful self until we get to glory. But that sin should not control us, it should not be who we are. What this means for the believer, if we are in Christ Jesus, if we have been saved from our sin is that we are to live according. It doesn’t mean that you will not sin or never fall into sin but that as we are born of God there will be a transformation within us. When we are born of God we should be those who are changed, transformed, we are not like what we once were. It is not that we have a sinless perfection, no it is that we are those who are desiring to not be like what we once were, we do not want to sin. And when we do sin then we confess it, we desire to repent of it and when we bring it before the Lord we are forgiven. What we desire is to sin less, we desire to be transformed more into the likeness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we want the Spirit to work within us we know that we are his children. We will bear a familial likeness, we will resemble each other in how we love, how we obey and how we testify to the truth that Jesus is Lord to the Glory of God the Father. For the believer we do not continue to sin and we are kept safe by God so that the evil one cannot harm us. What this means is that our God will keep us safe in him, Satan is not the Lord’s equal, far from it, Satan is a created being and a defeated foe. For the believer this knowledge that God keeps us safe is a wonderful assurance, our God will keep us safe. But does that mean for the christian you’re never going to get sick, does it mean that you car will never be hit by some numpty who was on their phone, does it mean that you’ll avoid loosing your job? No, of course not, for we live in a fallen world, sins curse is clear in every one of our relationships in every part of our lives. This isn’t a promise that we will be spared from the effects of the fall or spared from trial and temptation, that we will be free from pain and hurt but that our eternal destiny is secure, that we are the Lord’s. Satan will never overpower us, we are secure as a child of God, whatever Satan throws in our way we will overcome and spend eternity with our heavenly Father. Today you are being kept safe by the Lord God himself. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q96 What is the Lord’ s supper? The Lord’ s supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ’ s appointment, his death is showed forth; and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment, and growth in grace. (1 Cor. 11:23–26) 16th March 2024
Pray (ACts) Read (Ecclesiastes 8v1-5) Message (Scott Woodburn) You can’t read Ecclesiastes without realising how highly Solomon valued wisdom. He could have asked anything from the Lord but knew that he was going to need wisdom to survive as Israel’s king. This isn’t to say that Solomon always made the right choice. It wasn’t a wise decision to marry seven hundred women who did not worship the Lord, but even so, Solomon did know the great value of wisdom. As far as he was concerned there was no one like the wise man (v1). It was only the wise who could accurately interpret various issues in life (v1b). Indeed, wisdom even makes the face shine (v1c). How so? The wise individual trusts in the unchanging wisdom of God and this in turn changes their view of life’s difficulties and the hardness of their face (v1c). Wisdom is good and of much value to the Christian in their day to day walk. Imagine for example that you are employed by a harsh boss. He is brash, loud, angry and happy to cut corners. Solomon painted a similar picture of a tyrant King (v2-5). He did whatever he pleased (v3) and was often found in “an evil cause”. How does a Christian honour God in such circumstances? The Christian is blessed by God’s wisdom which guides us in a world that does not share our standards. If we find ourselves in a job we hate serving a boss we do not respect we are still to honour Christ. Just as the Lord has sovereignly raised up and torn down kings, so too the Lord places individuals over us. In some walks of life we are the superior and in others we are the inferior, sometimes we lead and other times we follow. Wisdom teaches us in all circumstances and certainly when our job is to follow (v2). So what does life look like when our boss pushes us to the limit? Wisdom teaches us when we should walk away, just as wisdom teaches us when we should stay (v3a). Furthermore, wisdom reminds us that such an individual does what he wants. It’s rare that we’ll change anyone’s character but we should certainly have no part in the schemes of man (v3b). It’s not always easy or prudent to question a superior by asking “what are you doing?” (v4). Instead the wise are to do what we are told, without sinning, seeking to honour Christ as we honour even the worst superiors imaginable. Ultimately the Lord gives us the wisdom to know when it is time to act and time to speak. As Solomon would say “the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way.” (v5). This is such a comfort because we know that this world is not a perfect place. The child of God is required to live in the kingdom of man and at many times the Christian will require abundant wisdom to walk life’s highway. What if our boss wants to involve us in a disreputable scheme? What if we believe it’s time to look for another job? What if we’re not sure we can keep quiet? How do we navigate such challenges with Christ honouring integrity? By buying wisdom and refusing to sell it (Proverbs 23v23), by bathing regularly in the living Word of God and by looking to Jesus constantly as our shepherd and guide. This world will push you to your limit but you don’t stand alone trying to figure everything out with crossed fingers. You bear the glorious name of Jesus who is both the power and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1v24). May you meet him in those awkward staff room conversations, in the midst of office politics and with that difficult boss in the milking parlour. Surely Christ will guide us to springs of living water (Revelation 7v17). Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q95 To whom is Baptism to be administered? Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible Church, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him; but the infants of such as are members of the visible Church are to be baptized. 15th March 2024
Pray (ACts) Read (1 John 5:14-17 focus v16-17) Message (Alan Burke) If you fancy a wee day out you could check out the Patterson’s Spade Mill up at Templepatrick. It is the last working water-driven spade mill in daily use in the British Isles. If you go you will have a multi sensory experience, the sound of the hammers, the smell of the grit and at the end you will see a traditionally made spade that you can even purchase. If you ever thought a spade was just a spade you need to go to Patterson’s Spade Mill although if I showed you one of those spades that had been made there you would call it a spade. Imagine if I didn’t show you a photo of a spade and didn’t tell you about Patterson’s spade mill and described a spade as a “hand worked and crafted tool that will last a life time with the proper care, made by skilled craftsmen who have years of knowledge and experience, a think of beauty that you can own”. Would you know what I was talking about? I doubt it. Sadly when it comes to sin we don’t call a spade a spade, we package it up, call it by all manner of words and try to deflect from the reality that it is sin and the sinfulness of sin. John continues and although the emphasis remains on prayer but it moves to the sin of brothers and sisters in the fellowship. Notice what though were are told to do if we see someone who commits a sin that does not lead to death, well we are to pray that God would lead them to life. We are to bring before our Heavenly Father those around us, we are to intercede for one another. This is a call to pray for one another, asking that God would help those who are struggling with sin. Yes there is a time to pray for our needs but there is a greater focus on praying for others, we should be praying for our brothers and sisters who have got caught up in sin and that they would come to repentance. What we desire is restoration in the church, even in church discipline the desire is for restoration, that sinners would come to repentance. While there is a sin that leads to death John leaves us in no doubt of the seriousness of all sin, he calls it for what it is, all sin is wrongdoing, and we all sin, John has already made that clear, If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us (1 Jn 1:8). We all sin, and there is sin in our life that does not lead to death for we have trusted in Jesus Christ. In regard to the sin that leads to death what I will say is that if you are repentant for your sin then you have not committed the sin that leads to death, the unforgivable sin, this is not speaking of you if you are saved, if you are born again of the Spirit then you are not guilty, because you live in the Spirit and God is not divided against himself (1 Jn 3:9). We should be those, each one of us who come to the Lord with confidence in prayer. In what lies ahead pray that God would bring sinners to himself here in this place, pray for each other, pray for our own walk with the Lord, pray the walk of those around you, pray that God would be brought Glory in the church that we are part of, in this land and world. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q 94 What is baptism? Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, (Matt. 28:19) doth signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord’ s. (Rom. 6:4, Gal. 3:27) 14th March 2024
Pray (ACts) Read (Ecclesiastes 7v25-29) Message (Scott Woodburn) Solomon knew that many of life’s big questions would go unanswered, but he was still filled with a desire to know, search and seek out wisdom and the scheme of things (v25). Furthermore, the King wanted to understand both the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness (v25b). Was his quest futile? By no means. The Preacher wasn’t able to come up with all the answers but he did discover rich truth. Firstly, Solomon understood that there were many traps and snares spread throughout life. He described a woman whose heart was like snares and nets and whose hands were fetters (v26). This wasn’t a real woman but a description of the many pitfalls that one can fall into as we make life’s journey. In Revelation, John would describe this world as the harlot Babylon filled with blasphemy and temptation (Revelation 17). In other words, Solomon realised that the Christian must be as wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove (Matthew 10v16) as they navigate this world. This world cannot last but its temptations are abundant and the sinner is taken in by them (v26b). The wise follower of Christ is aware of this reality and will seek to endure just as they will be preserved by the grace of God (v26). Secondly, although Solomon looked for answers hoping to understand “the scheme of things”, he was forced to conclude that he still hadn’t found what he was looking for (v28a). Similarly, we are like little children in Granda’s car constantly asking “why?” Sometimes, we need to be content with unanswered questions. It isn’t that the Lord doesn’t care, it’s just that we humans tend to want to be God. We like every box ticked but the answers of the universe do not belong to us. Thirdly, as Solomon continued on his path of knowing, searching and seeking, he came to the conclusion that the number of those who fear God is small indeed. Out of one thousand men he found only one who was upright and he didn’t find a single upright woman. Wow. What a statement. Did Solomon believe women were evil and couldn’t be saved? By no means but perhaps in this verse we see a little bit of regret from the King whose heart was turned away from God by his seven hundred wives who taught Solomon to love other “gods”. As Solomon considered humanity he saw very few who followed the Lord. Indeed, years later Jesus would agree with this very point saying “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7v13-14) Finally, Solomon’s thirst for knowledge led hm to the conclusion that none of the world’s failings could be blamed on the Lord. God made humanity upright but those made in God’s image preferred the lie rather than the truth. People have been seeking wicked schemes since the very beginning (v29) and although we sometimes prefer to blame the Lord, G.K. Chesterton was right when he answered the question “What is wrong with the world today?” with the pithy response “I am” Solomon’s quest for truth was not fruitless and his discoveries are still of great benefit to the child of God. Brothers and sisters, in summary, this world will seek to chew you up and spit you out - resist it. Your questions will not always be answered but you can always be sure that the Christian is in the minority. None of this is surprising. The world is not neutral and humanity continues to rebel against the Lord’s righteous rule. We can be sure of Solomon’s discoveries just as we can be sure that Christ has overcome the world. By faith in Him, we’ll overcome too. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q93 Which are the Sacraments of the New Testament? The Sacraments of the New Testament are Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. 13th March 2024
Pray (ACts) Read (1 John 5:14-17 focus v14-15) Message (Alan Burke) We at one point were children, that may for some of us be or seem like a long time since we were in nappies but if we can remember back to our childhood and when we were children there were things that we would have only asked of our parent or guardian because of the relationship we had with them. There were thing that we would have talked to them about, came to them with that we wouldn’t have dared talk to anyone else about, well at least that should have been the way although sadly it’s not the kind of relationship that everyone has with their parent or guardian. But you went to your parent and you asked them for something, ok there were times that you knew you were chancing your arm but other times that you knew you weren’t and you went with confidence before them to ask, parents in the main want to do the best for their children. For the believer we can come with confidence before the Lord our God, our heavenly Father. And we should be those come with confidence and those who pray with confidence, the word confidence there in v14 literally means boldness. If a child is being bold normally it’s seen as a bad thing but for the believer before our heavenly father we are to be bold, show boldness in what we ask for. For the believer our boldness rests on the Lord Jesus Christ and what he has done for us. When we pray, and whatever we ask we receive from him but the confidence depends on whether what we are asking is within the will of God and that is hard. The truth is I do not know the reason why God has answered some of my prayers and not others, when I’ve prayed for someone to come to saving faith and they have not, when I’ve prayed for someone to be healed and there has been nothing, I’ve prayed for disobedient sinners to come to repentance and it hasn’t happened but I know that I do not understand the mysteries of God’s will or his ways and as a result I do not pray as I should. But I know that he is working all things according to the counsel of his will for his own glory and for the good of those who love him, and that we, as his people, are submitting to and trusting in the working of his providence. We come not as strangers before the Lord God but as his children through faith The more time we spend in the word of God and the more we come before him in prayer the more we will be able to pray effectively, according to the council of his will, the more time we spend reading and hearing his word the less self centred we will become and the more we will desire to see God move, his kingdom built. For that is what we are reminded here, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us, his will is crucial in understanding how God answers our payers, just as our parents or guardians said no, wait, why at times our prayers seem that they are falling on deaf ears is that God knows best and our heavenly Father hears us. God hears us, what a wonderful comfort to us, that through faith the Lord hears the prayers of his people, it means that we can come with boldness and asks, and if it is in accordance with the will of God, He will answer. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q 92 What is a sacrament? A sacrament is an holy ordinance instituted by Christ, wherein, by sensible signs, Christ, and the benefits of the new covenant, are represented, sealed, and applied to believers. (Gen. 17:7,10, Exod. 12, 1 Cor. 11:23,26) 12th March 2024
Pray (ACts) Read (Ecclesiastes 7v15-24) Message (Scott Woodburn) In Solomon’s life he was confident that he had seen everything including the death of the righteous and the long life of the wicked (v15). This strikes us as deeply unfair. Why should the righteous man be struck down in his prime whilst the wicked man lives until he is old and grey? After the end of the Second World War there was an active hunt for Adolf Hitler. There was a rumour that he had escaped Berlin and was now living happily in South America. I don’t believe this rumour was actually true, but I fully understand why so many sought to bring Hitler to justice. In an ideal world the wicked would get their comeuppance whilst the righteous would receive a letter from the King on their one hundredth birthday. Nevertheless, life is not perfect and the one who follows Jesus is not guaranteed sunshine and rainbows. How should we respond this harsh reality? Solomon’s counsel is quite surprising. We should not seek to be overly righteous, too wise, overly wicked or a fool (v16-17). Did Solomon lose his mind? Did the supposedly wise King urge God’s people to avoid a life of righteousness? No. Let me paraphrase Solomon’s wisdom in this way…the most righteous man in the world is still a sinner saved by grace (v20), he should never believe that his righteousness will spare him from life’s difficulties and so he should realise that striving for an imaginary unobtainable perfect righteousness and wisdom is no protection from life’s troubles. In the same manner a life of wickedness is the life of a fool and is not a valid response to life’s harsh realities. Therefore Solomon urges us to avoid the extreme position of believing we can manipulate God with our hard worked super-righteousness. The one who thinks “I’m so righteous no bad thing will ever strike me.” will be proved misguided. In the same manner there can be no room for the one who says “God is blind to the wicked. I’ll live however I want because the wicked are never punished.” This too is vanity for God will certainly judge the wicked both in this life and the next. If life seems unfair we are to take hold of Solomon’s God given wisdom by replacing extreme positions with the fear of God (v18). The one who seeks to honour the Lord will be rescued from a life of “fingers-crossed works” or a life of “who-cares wickedness”. God’s wisdom is of more use to us than the might of ten kings in a city (v19) and it is this wisdom which cultivates the fear of God and helps us to have a sober opinion of ourselves. The one who has trusted Christ is at the same time justified and sinful (simul justus et peculator). The Christian will fall into sin on this side of heaven (v20). Therefore the wise believer doesn’t take to heart what people whisper about them (v21). It isn’t pleasant when someone speaks behind our back but we would be hypocritical if we tried to say that we have never done the same (v22). Brothers and sisters, who you are the last day will show, so do not concern yourself with the whispers of others. We cannot fathom why the righteous struggle while the wicked seem to go unpunished but it is good to wrestle with these issues. Nevertheless, although we can seek wisdom and say “I will be wise” (v23) we must realise that answers may never come. Brothers and sisters, learn to become comfortable with mystery and remind yourself that God alone is God. The answers you seek are “deep, very deep” (v24) but take heart for the deep things belong to the Lord (Deuteronomy 29v29) and He is very, very good. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q91 How do the Sacraments become effectual means of salvation? The Sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth administer them; but only by the blessing of Christ, and the working of his Spirit in them that by faith receive them. 11th March 2024
Pray (ACts) Read (1 John 5:14-17) Message (Alan Burke) Many of you know that I am a father. My children can do something that no other children in this world can do. It’s not that they can do something weird and wonderful rather it is they can come with confidence before me because I am their father. When they act sinfully as we all do I don’t take the opportunity to renounce them, no, often I have to put my arm around them and tell them I still love them. I want my children to know that I love them, that they are loved. It doesn’t mean that I will like what they have done, it doesn’t mean there wont be consequences but as my children, they can come to me because of the unique relationship they have that sets them apart. While I normally avoid the personal illustrations it is one that is true of many who have children, we want our children to know that they are loved, it doesn’t mean we will like what they have done, it doesn’t mean there wont be consequences but they can come because of the unique relationship they have that sets them apart. For those who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, we can come to our God as his children all through what he has done for us, we can cry out “Abba, Father. John has repeatedly told us, time and again of the wonderful truth that we can indeed know that we are the children of God, that we can know that we are God’s through what Jesus has done for us. We were focusing on v13 last week, " I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life”, that we may know. In scripture we are reminded again and again that it’s all about Jesus the Son of God, what he achieved for us on carvery’s tree. The problem is it is so counter intuitive, opposite to how the world works and every other relationship that we have we still make it about what we’ve done, or not done. We know that we’ve made a mess of things on more than one occasion and that confidence that should be ours all because of Jesus Christ has been undermined by our actions. Often we’re acting as the child who doesn’t want to come to their parent when we have made a mess of things. Then what often happens is that we are wary to go back, hesitant, we are filled with doubts, why would God hear my prayer, why would he listen to me, because if we were God we wouldn’t listen. Well we can come not because some how that we deserve it because the exact opposite is true, none of us deserve it, none of us are worthy of the love of God that has been lavished on us. Rather he wants us to understand that we come with boldness all because what God has done for us, we can approach him as his children. This week in the devotions we will look at the outworking of that, that knowledge of how if If we believe we have eternal life, all because of what Jesus has done we can have confidence before God and ask anything we want v14-15 and then the warning that comes about the seriousness of sin in v16-17. To help us we’re going to look at v14-15 and then 16-17. But for now I want you to remind you of the confidence that you have before your heavenly Father and it is because of what your elder bother Jesus Christ had done so that you can boldly approach him, knowing that you are his child, what a wonderful gospel it is. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q 90 How is the Word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation? That the Word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence, (Prov. 8:34) preparation, (1 Pet. 2:1–2) and prayer; (Ps. 119:18) receive it with faith and love, (Heb. 4:2, 2 Thess. 2:10) lay it up in our hearts, (Ps. 119:11) and practice it in our lives. (Luke 8:15, James 1:25) 9th March 2024
Pray (ACts) Read (Ecclesiastes 7v9-14) Message (Scott Woodburn) The road that you walk each day is beset on all sides with snares which can so easily trap you. Solomon knew this all too well and despite his great wisdom, often fell head first into a pit of his own making. Even so, the king warned us about the traps of anger and melancholy telling us that we are to guard our spirit from becoming angry because all too often anger sticks around like an unwanted guest after Christmas (v9). Anger so easily flares up and for some it leaves as quickly as it comes but for others it takes root and it festers. It might be hidden for a while but many years later it sparks into life in a display of unbridled rage. Brothers and sisters, if anger has captured your heart then you must repent and bathe in the cleansing water of the Gospel. We have no Biblical remit to hold grudges and store up anger. It is sinful, foolish and dangerous. In the same way we are not to be constantly looking back and asking “why were the former days better than these?” (v10). Such a question doesn’t come from a place of wisdom (v10b) but a place of sinful discontentment. The melancholic heart dwells constantly in the past and refuses to realise the multitude of God’s present providential blessings. The antidote to both snares is the wisdom of Almighty God. Wisdom guides as we receive an inheritance from our earthly father (v11a). Will we sell the farm and drink the proceeds or will we act wisely with what we have received? Wisdom is an advantage to anyone who sees the sun (v11b). This is a phrase which describes all who live, they see the sun every day and will always benefit by an abundance of God’s wisdom. Wisdom protects us like having money in the bank to fall back on in times of difficulty but wisdom does much more than give peace of mind. Wisdom preserves the life of the one who has it (v12b). This isn’t to say that the wise man will live longer but when the bitterness of life threatens to overwhelm us, wisdom keeps our head above the water and enables us to continue on for the glory of God. Instead of being filled with anger or a constant yearning for the past, we are to consider the work of God (v13). The Lord alone is King, the Lord alone is sovereign and the Lord alone does what He pleases. Your anger won’t be able to make straight what God has made crooked and no amount of melancholy will make crooked what the Lord has made straight (v13b). Wisdom teaches us that the Lord providentially orders this world and our lives to His glory. When the days are sweet we are to be joyful (v14a) and when the days are sore we are to consider that the Lord sends them both. We cannot predict what the future holds (v14b) and so our wise response is to trust the Lord. Will He not always do what is right (Genesis 18v25)? Christ once taught us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5v44). This doesn’t seem very wise in a world that prefers revenge and likes to say yesterday was much better than today but nevertheless, let God be found true and everyone else a liar (Romans 3v4). The Lord sends the sun and the rain on both the just and the unjust (Matthew 5v45). The wise one knows this to be true and responds accordingly. In response may we pray for our fellowships as Paul once prayed for the Philippians saying “it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1v9-11) Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q89 How is the Word made effectual to salvation? The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching, of the Word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort through faith unto salvation. 8th March 2024
Pray (ACts) Read - (1 John 5:13) Message (Alan Burke) The wonder of the gospel is that as we believe in the name of the Son of God that we live in the knowledge that death is not the end that we will have eternal life. This is the hope to which we look, the hope that we have in the gospel. For when Christ returns those who have died, which the scriptures call, falling asleep in the Lord, will rise and for those who have not then they will be changed in a flash, in the in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (1 Co 15:51–52.) We struggle to get our heads around the concept of eternal, the Greek word that is used here which is translated as eternal is the opposite of that which is temporary, it is used to speak of God as he is without beginning and without end, he is eternal, he is everlasting. We are used to the temporal nature of this life, from our clothes to our hair styles or even lack of hair styles in some cases. Yet what is being conveyed in what lies ahead is the opposite of the temporal, the opposite of what we have been used to. The eternal life is for all who believe in the name of the Son of God. There is a sense in which that eternal life has already begun for the believer. Yes we are not yet in glory, we are not in our new resurrected bodies, but it has begun. We have eternal life now for through faith as we have believed in Jesus, we have already been granted that eternal life, it is now because it has been granted to us in the Son and it cannot be lost. It means that because we have trusted in Jesus Christ that we will be more more than conquerors (Ro 8:28–29), we already experience the love of God in Christ Jesus and although we will not experience it fully to the age to come it enables us to live with hope in the midst of this sin cursed world. What does this eternal life look like, the book of Revelation gives us a wonderful glimpse of what lies ahead in the life everlasting. Like that of the streets, paved with goal, along with gates of pearl (Rev 21:21). Analogies, images, word pictures that convey to us a thousand words but still fall short because of our own limited and finite understanding of that eternal reality. It will be where God dwells with his people, Rev 21:3. Our future, what awaits us in the eternal life is not some disembodied existence. In that embodied existence, there will be no more tears v4, no more death mourning, crying, pain because the old order of things has passed away. And it will be for all eternity. For ever, I don’t know about you but I struggle to get my head round that concept, when I was a child eternity to me seemed like having to wait for more than a minute, and after a few days of rain on my summer holidays I was bored because I wanted to be outside. Eternal life will not be like my six year old self would have thought eternity as some kind of punishment, having to wait, it will not be boring instead it will be one of infinite joy. It will be an existence in which this world will be fully restored, cleansed from all sin and misery, and purified in Christ (2 Pet. 3:9-14), we will be fully healed of all sins and transgressions and able to live in perfect bliss in the enjoyment of God! And with hope we say together: “...and so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17b). While this world may be far from how we would want it or desire it to be, we may have had our hopes dashed, disappointed, we may have experienced trial, suffering, strife but this world, this life and the worst that we experience now will one day be but a distant memory, it in a sense is the only hell that we will ever experience. And for the unbeliever this life is the only heaven they will enjoy. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q88 What are the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to usthe benefits of redemption? The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption, are his ordinances, especially the Word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation. (Matt. 28:19–20, Acts 2:42,46–47) |
Alan
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