22nd March 2024
Pray (ACts) Read (1 John 5:18-21 focus v21) Message (Alan Burke) Where on earth did idolatry come from, like if you’ve been following along with these devotions you will know that there is not one reference to idolatry in this entire epistle and then all of a sudden at the every end John says “21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.”. What a way to end the epistle, if it had have been me I’d have written something like; “I hope to see you again soon, until then my you know the love of Christ more and more”, but John just drops this in at the very end, “keep yourself from idols”. This wasn’t that John had just ran out of paper it is his pastoral heart warning those whom he wrote to, dear children keep yourselves from idols. Most of us though don’t have a shrine to an idol or idols hidden in our homes, we don’t give offerings to idols, nor do we bow down to them so we might imagine that we are safe from John’s final exhortation. But this exhortation of John to keep ourselves from idols comes because as the reformer John Calvin put it “man’s nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols” (Institutes, 1.11.8). In the book of Romans where the Lord God speaking through Paul speaking about his wrath that is revealed from heaven. We are told verse 19, what may be known about God is plan to them, speaking of all people, since the creation of the world, God’s invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen since the creation of the world. But what happened verse 23 is that they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and reptiles. People engage in all kinds of false religion and idolatry (v22-25). But our idolatry is not only that which is make to look like moral man and birds and reptiles, it is also what we are devoted to. In the Sermon on the mount Jesus explains to his disciples the reality of discipleship that is lived in the everyday world. The teaching within this section gives practical and ethical teaching for the believer. Within that we read the words; “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Mt 6:24). These words of Jesus help us to better understand the idea of idolatry. I’ll start by saying the issue Jesus makes with money isn’t money per se, it’s the devotion of the one who has money. As Jesus uses the word service, it is the service that is denoted by the work of a slave, being bound to something, and Jesus explains we cannot have divided loyalties, we are either a slave to God our money. What I want you to see from this is that we can be bound by something, we can give our service, our devotion to something that is not God, something that is not a false religion or the making of images, it’s not one or the other. Whenever we exchange the glory of the immortal God for anything else in the created order and are devoted to it then that becomes our idol. Our hearts are idol factories, it may not be with wood or stone, it may not be with images made to look like mortal man and birds and reptiles, but it may be our stomach or anything so subtle the temptation is to replace the glory of the immortal God. Nothing should rule our lives or become the centre of our attention other than our Creator, our marriages, work life, home life, our shopping, our free time, our money, that romantic interest, the list goes on and on. Idolatry is putting anything in our lives in the rightful place of God. If there are things in our lives that mean we are unable to worship the Lord with his people have we put that thing in his place in our lives, has it become an idol? What about how much time we spend fixating on things that are of no value. Instead of putting things in the place of God we should be those who cling to the hope we have in Jesus Christ, the kingdom that we belong to. Clinging to Christ is the cure for our idolatry, when we put him in the rightful place in our lives. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q100 What doth the preface of the Lord’ s prayer teach us? The preface of the Lord’ s prayer, (which is, Our Father which art in heaven, (Matt. 6:9)) teacheth us to draw near to God with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us; (Rom. 8:15, Luke 11:13) and that we should pray with and for others. (Acts 12:5, 1 Tim. 2:1–2)
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21st March 2024
Pray (ACts) Read (Ecclesiastes 8v10-15) Message (Scott Woodburn) It’s accepted wisdom that there isn’t any justice in the world. I’m old enough to remember the trial of OJ Simpson back in the mid nineties. It seemed absolutely clear that OJ murdered his wife and her friend but after weeks of high drama, OJ Simpson was pronounced innocent. Mr Simpson would eventually end up in prison but not for the murder of his wife. To this day no one has been held accountable for the murders of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman. Justice has not been done. Solomon was all too aware of this tragedy. He had seen wicked men going in and out of the temple and receiving the praise of their peers (v10). Wickedness seemed to abound because the sentence against wicked deeds was not executed quickly and humans continued to do evil things (v11). Furthermore, although the wicked would die and be buried (v10a), it often appeared that they had much longer lives than the righteous (v12). Even so, Solomon was convinced that justice would eventually be done. The wicked person does not fear God and therefore all will not go well for such an individual (v13). When will justice be done? At the final day. It may seem like the righteous are punished in life while the wicked go free (v14) but this will certainly not be the case when Jesus comes. When Jesus appears all will stand before Him to give an account and those who did not fear God in life will be sent away to everlasting punishment (Matthew 25v41). We can be sure Christ will return as judge because Christ was raised from the dead (Acts 17v31). If we are confident of the resurrection, then we can be confident of the day of judgment. The Christian fears God and therefore doesn’t need to fear the final day. This isn’t to say that the Christian ignores the last judgement. The Westminster Confession of Faith tells us that the reality of the judgement should cause us to shake off any security or confidence we have in this fading world. More than that, we are to be always watchful and always prepared for the arrival of Jesus. These things would be a positive response when we believe that justice has not been done and additionally I think Solomon would also commend joy. As we wait for Jesus we are to know joy in our food, drink and work (v15). This isn’t the first time Solomon has pointed us in this direction and so perhaps we should start to listen. Brothers and sisters, find joy in your life and rest assured that Christ is coming soon when every evil deed will receive its due reward. Even so, come Lord Jesus (Revelation 22v20). Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q99 What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer? The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer, but the special rule of direction is that form of prayer which Christ taught his disciples, commonly called, The Lord’s Prayer. 20th March 2024
Pray (ACts) Read (1 John 5:18-21 focus v19-20) Message (Alan Burke) I’m standing here looking out the window as I write this, standing because I’ve wrecked my back and looking out just marvelling at the beauty at what is before me, it is raining and now there is nothing out of the ordinary about that, but I can see the ran droplets falling, there are birds in the air and some resting on the electricity lines, the fairway and the greens of the golf course look lush but there is no one braving the conditions and everything seems to be once more springing to life once more with the buds on the trees, such a variety of greens displayed with the grey rain filled clouds above. All of it is declaring the glory of God, all of it is his creation. Yet as we continue we are told we know that we are the children of God, and the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We are the children of God through faith in Jesus Christ and this world ever since the fall the world we live in changed its alliance, or rather because of the fall it was that this world was given over to Satan! Satan became the ruler of the world in its present fallen sinful state and established a reign of sin on this earth. We were handed over to Satan, this world was handed over because we by our nature, that sinful nature belong not to God but to Satan for we are God’s enemies. God gave to Satan what had become his by the fall. This world is Satans kingdom, Ulster is Satans, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Russia, the United States, Ukraine all Satans, yet Satan is on a leash, God will only allow him so far. Likewise in respect to the acts of sinful men God will only allow so much before the sinner meets the judgement of God. While this world is ruled by Satan, while it is his kingdom, while he is a formidable enemy who prowls like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour (1 Pet 5:8) God rules sovereignly rules over all and only lets him go so far, and God uses that which Satan meant for evil for His glory and His purposes. As Jesus proclaimed the time has come the Kingdom of God is near (Mk 1:15), he was announcing how the time had come, their long awaited king was among them although it was not how they expected which can be seen in the expectations of even his disciples. This proclamation was that God was decisively acting on behalf of his people bringing about the Kingdom in the person and work of Jesus Christ in this age. And this kingdom is both now and not yet, it is present and future. The coming of Jesus marked the inauguration of the promised kingdom, for the king dwelt among his people, God was with his people, it is a present reality, for God’s kingdom consists of God’s rule over his people, as the Spirit works within us, when we are freed from our slavery to sin and the flesh. Through faith we are moved from the kingdom of Satan to the Kingdom of God as we are born again of the Spirit and are the children of God. And the son of God has given us understanding, not because we had it by our nature for we were blind to the things of God but with the work of God within us we have understanding. When we were redeemed by Christ Jesus then we are set free from that slavery bought with a price, we have been purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ that was spilled for us, he bore the wrath that we deserve and we now belong to him, we are the possession of Christ Jesus, we are born of God the children of God. All of this was so that we might be given understanding, that we may know him who is true. For those who have this understanding then they are in him, he is true God and eternal life. Those who are born of God are kept safe by Him from the evil one and have eternal life. Our God keeps us safe and will bring us to dwell with himself eternally, that is our confidence even though all of what I look out on today has been handed over to Satan. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q98 What is prayer? Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, (Ps. 62:8) for things agreeable to his will, (1 John 5:14) in the name of Christ, (John 16:23) with confession of our sins, (Ps. 32:5–6, Dan. 9:4) and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies. (Phil. 4:6) 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. 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. |
Alan
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