2 Corinthians Chapter 8 v 7-15

This is the Epistle for Sunday next. I have never preached on this passage and in fact have always steered away for reasons which I will mention later. But first let us look at Paul’s teaching.

There was reluctance on the Corinthian Church to give money, yet they considered themselves to be wonderful Christians, so Paul sets about exposing their hypocrisy.

Some time before this Letter was written they had pledged their financial support. But for some reason had fallen back and were not giving. Paul wanted the money to help Christians in Jerusalem who were poor and were suffering because of their faith, and he wanted to collect money from the richer people to take to Jerusalem. He is trying to embarrass them and make them respond.

When the Macedonian Churches first saw the giving by the Corinthians, they wanted to join in the giving and pleaded to be allowed to do so. This motivated Paul to write and tell the Corinthians that the Macedonians had given joyfully from extreme poverty begging to do so, and urging the Corinthians to follow their example, and give as much as they could and not try to evade the giving.

Paul stated in verse 9, ‘for you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ that though He was rich yet for your sakes He also became poor so that by His poverty you may become rich’. He was saying the sacrifice of Christ should encourage them in being generous in gratitude.
He saw the need for Christians to support each other.

This passage is widely used by Ministers to seek funds and have congregations give money to the Church. I knew one Vicar who wasn’t very keen on preaching sermons but would often select this passage.

I was, and am, averse to preaching for money. If a Church is properly administered people will know the financial requirements of that Church and most members will respond. There will always be a few in every Church who will give as little as they can get away with, but the majority are kind and together with the Lord’s help will provide.

I do feel insulted on behalf of the Church when a baptism service is held and people attend with their expensive cameras, prior to holding a lavish reception, and give 20p or 50p if they feel generous, even copper. They want to use the Church for their own purposes but never think
to consider how it manages to exist.

But then we have to consider whether the Church uses the monies received wisely, and I think there is enormous and appalling waste of financial resources. It is because of this I could not bring myself to ask old ladies (and gentlemen to a lesser degree) to give of their small income to support some of the Church activities and inefficient practices.

In the Dioceses there are various ‘boards’ well staffed with salaries and expenses for travelling. Are they really necessary? Most of these could be pruned, if not dispensed with. Take for example the Board for Mission. I thought every parish Vicar was a missionary, why need a team of lay people. At one Chapter meeting we had a young woman come to tell the clergy how to deal with baptisms when some of us had over 25 years experience.

Each Diocese holds a Conference every three years for which there is a three line whip. This to me is just a chance for clergy to have a three day break.. It is supposed to stimulate and refresh the clergy, but on the rare occasions I attended I found it demoralising. But it has to be paid for by the Church, not individuals. There are plenty of resources via modern technology to allow clergy to be stimulated, but even a day Conference should suffice.

For me the greatest and unnecessary misuse of income is on General Synod. There are far too many members for a start, 467. The cost runs into millions when all members receive expenses to travel and stay at hotels, together with all the bundles of papers sent out, without showing many decisive conclusions. The Catholic Church appears to exist well without such an encumbrance.

Well run businesses have boards of directors to run and be responsible for, Bishops are regularly wanting to exert authority, this would the chance for doing something beneficial. We are on the Lord’s business and should do all we can to make it efficient and worthy of Him.

No business could function if it had many branches failing to provide growth or income. At one time there was need and justification for a Church in every village and for many suburban and town places. Now there is not, and some clergy have three Churches to care for, so failing to give any proper attention and oversight.

If you walk around the centre of Oxford for example, there are five Churches (at Least) within walking distance, and to a lesser degree in other cities and towns usually staffed. A more equitable situation would be to spread resources and indeed close those Churches where people were not attending. Some would inevitable be displaced, and the need to travel would arise; but few people find any difficulty in getting to Tesco or Sainsbury’s. Should getting to Church be any different or harder

Hope you will be at Church on Sunday God bless you.

Continuing to think of John the Baptist from my previous message, please turn with me to Matthew 11.

John was near the end of his life and kept in a dungeon at a place in the North East corner of the Dead Sea, an extremely hot and oppressive spot. He had criticised Herod for his immoral lifestyle and this was the punishment.

He was a sad and disillusioned man for his ministry was over, and he feels alienated as people appeared to have forgotten him, especially when Jesus was the focus of attention and he himself faces death.

John had always spoken strongly and faithfully about Jesus and he felt Jesus was doing nothing to help him, so he wonders if in fact Jesus was the promised Messiah. Doubt had entered his mind, which probably affects most people at times, for one senior cleric once stated that if you never had any doubts you had never done any serious thinking.

In order to clear his mind, John asked his disciples to see Jesus and ask Him if he really was the One they were expecting. Jesus told those disciples to go and tell John of what Jesus had actually done in answering prayer, and that things happen in God’s own time. He sought to reassure John and confirm his faith by telling that He (Jesus) was the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy.

Jesus knew people could fall away and give in when things appeared to be going wrong for them. It still happens and we can be very cruel within the Church sometimes by careless talk but on other occasions deliberately. I had a lady in my Church who worked very hard for the Church and demonstrated her faith in a very practical way. She trained to be a Reader, was PCC Secretary, and if anyone fell ill was the first to offer practical assistance to help them through their illness. What you might say ‘an ideal Christian’. Sadly a new Vicar had a wife who was intensely jealous that some other woman could be more popular than her that she made life intolerable for her, causing my friend to leave the Church and fall away for a time. I am delighted to hear she has now returned. There can be no justification for animosity within a Church,.

If you have felt disappointed, or feel no one cares for you remember this passage, knowing there will be judgment one day and all who do goodness will be welcomed into His Kingdom.

There comes times of suffering and weakness in all our lives. We may suffer loss, or have some seemingly impossible matter to deal with. It is so easy to give in, but if you do give in, it can be so hard to get back.

There are so many ill minded people who long to destroy our faith, some within positions of influence in society, and too many politicians who want to take Christianity our of the public domain. Their words may appear attractive when you are downcast. So if you have trusted God and for some reason nothing has happened, your faith will be under severe attack.

John acts as a warning to us, but he came out of his difficulty. You too can. Think of that great hymn by Ray Palmer, ‘my faith looks up to thee.’ Above all, never let doubt lead you to a spiritual desert. It is sad when someone loses their faith, and like many Ministers I have seen it too often. You may think it can’t happen to you, but it can.

Be sure to be at Church on Sunday(s). God bless you.

My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary, Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray, take all my guilt away,
O let me from this day be wholly Thine!

May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart, my zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me, O may my love to Thee,
Pure warm, and changeless be, a living fire!

While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread, be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day, wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray from Thee aside.

When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold sullen stream over me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love, fear and distrust remove;
O bear me safe above, a ransomed soul!

John the Baptist
If you study your Bible you will find there is a gap of four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, and the first book of the New Testament Matthew. There was no one outstanding figure, no one to prophesy to the people.

Then all of a sudden there comes on the scene a man called John the Baptist. He was referred to in the Scriptures as one chosen to prepare the way for the Lord and in Luke we read that he was chosen before his birth. He proved to be a very special person and on June 24th the Church remembers his ministry by setting that date to honour him. If you are in Spain, or perhaps some other European Catholic country, they treat the day in a special way with processions and pageantry.

Jesus made special mention of him describing him as a burning and shining light with no other man comparable to him. He lived out in the wilderness close to wild beasts alongside the river Jordan, wearing clothes of camel hair tied with a leather belt. He ate honey and locusts.

John was a fearless preacher who attacked the religious leaders of his day, calling them a brood of vipers, he even attacked the king for immoral living which caused him to be arrested and subsequently beheaded, yet crowds of people flocked to hear him preaching his call for them to repent of their sins.

Those who listened to him wondered who he was as he spoke so authoritatively. They thought he might be one of the great prophets returned. But he was a humble man who never sought public acclaim and was never willing to compromise or seek greatness. He referred to himself as one not even fit to untie the sandals of the One was to come.

In every Bible story there is inevitably a lesson for us today. John was a holy man who tried to live a worthy and good life and a Christians that should be our aim.

There is a lesson for preachers in that there was a man who was prepared to speak the truth and was not afraid to be criticised, and he didn’t seek to modify his message to please those around him. How many would be prepared to speak forthrightly in our Cathedrals, indeed how many would be allowed to.

John said what he believed God wanted him to say, what people needed to hear rather than consider what they wanted to hear. People went to hear him because whether they agreed with him or not there was substance in what he said, and that is a difference in many Churches to day.

I listen to sermons today and sometimes I pray that no stranger was in Church that day or they would be put off for life. The problem with many of today’s preachers they are afraid of upsetting people, but as long as a preacher is not offensive, for which there would be no justification, it should be remembered that a sermon should stimulate thinking and most reasonable people would welcome that however much they disagreed with content.

We know ultimately John offended the king's wife and when she got the opportunity took revenge. Her daughter danced erotically before the king and was promised anything she asked for, and at her mother's insistence asked for the head of John the Baptist. The king regretful but unwilling to be humiliated agreed

2 Peter 1 v 16

This morning I want to turn with you to words of, Peter,. For we have not followed cleverly invented myths when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As we gather here this morning we reflect on the numbers of people who have come through these doors over the years. There was a time when the church stood as a beacon of light in a dark world; a place where hope, inspiration and encouragement were given. Sadly to-day’s world thinks it can provide such things for themselves without any help from the Almighty.

These are dark days for the Church in this country. We live in a society which largely rejects God, and regards Church and Christianity as totally irrelevant to their lives.

Many of us here grew up when it was the natural thing as a child to be sent to Sunday school, sing in the church choir, and accompany parents to Church. People may not have known the Bible thoroughly, but they knew the main stories and understood what the major festivals meant.

The Church was held in general respect, and the Vicar was a prominent member of the community. Politicians were supportive of the Church and were Christian in belief.

Now that has all changed. Generations have grown up without having had any religious education and know nothing about the Church or the faith.

Politicians have enacted legislation which is offensive to Christian belief and teaching, and which is supported by all parties, .The judiciary seems intent on suppressing every expression of Christian faith by word or symbol.

What people fail to realise is that if Christianity is erased from public life it will create a vacuum which will be filled by something else less pleasant.

Our faith is mocked as being fairy tale stuff, fantasy, pie in the sky, and these are just the polite epithets.

But we do not follow myths of any kind. One day people will regret such attitudes. Jesus made it patently clear that there will come a day of judgement and in parable after parable warned that we face one of two destinies, one He called heaven and the other hell. People say God would never send anyone to hell, and that is right; but people may choose for themselves by their lives.

Jesus came into the world to save and we as His disciples must try to do His work for Him now.

The greatest revival of Christianity in this country came during the ministry of John/Charles Wesley If they were alive today they would have much to say at the way the Church has failed to proclaim the message they left, that salvation was through Christ alone, the value of a person’s life was measured by their faith, and the doctrine of heaven and hell.

For many preachers these are forbidden subjects fearing they may upset people, yet they are essential biblical doctrine and were not forbidden by our Lord. Today people are being drawn away from the doctrines of the Bible as judgement is becoming a censored word.

It is hard to quote the Bible without someone saying ‘Oh you shouldn’t say that.’ The Bible states, ‘salvation is found in no other name under heaven except Jesus Christ’.

The Bible states’ Jesus said no one can come to the Father except through me’, yet many preachers are dodging quoting this. If we avoid telling these verses how are people ever to come to know the gospel.
Our faith is not like other faiths which someone has made up, but rather comes from God.

I have taken services in so many villages over the last few years, and see the same small congregations, which is so sad. Residents have so much to be thankful for; beautiful homes in idyllic surroundings, without any of the social ills of the towns and cities. We seem to have lost Middle England.

Yet when I journey home I will pass a Church where they have to put on two services each Sunday because there is not enough room to accommodate at one. So things can happen if we are doing what is right by God.

We must all examine our witness and consider how we can get our message across.

Most of all we need to look at our services. I have been to services and rather than come out inspired I am demoralised, and say to myself what was all that about. Sometimes it seems as if services are done because something has to be done, rather than create an exciting experience.
Often we find the sermon is a homily to fill in up to ten minutes when it should be the focal point of the service to motivate and teach and inspire.

What however must be a major concern is false teaching within the Church. Unfortunately as society has turned its back on Biblical teaching, so an increasing number within the Church consider we should re-interpret the Bible to meet their modern ideas of morality. This suggests that God has got it wrong and He should be prepared to adjust to the age.

When I was ordained as a priest in the Church of England, I was asked by my Bishop to affirm that I believed the Bible contained all doctrine required for salvation and I would teach only that in Scripture and banish doctrines contrary to God’s Word. The Bishop then gave me authority ‘to preach the Word of God’. Why do so many preachers renege on their vow? I heard a Vicar state from the pulpit that she didn’t think the Bible should be taken literally. What happened to her ordination vows? Make no mistake she is not alone. Can you imagine a Muslim preacher challenging the authority of the Koran?

A church which rejects the teaching of the bible loses its authority. People have a right to expect men speaking as Ministers of the Church to do so, based on the word of God and not expressing personal opinions or preferences. The bible must be the supreme court of the church, the final authority in deciding all controversies. Alas in some Churches this is not so.

For years, first the Labour party and then the Conservatives, spent years in the political wilderness because they sent out mixed messages and no one knew for certain what they really stood for. The Church by not adhering to Scripture is doing the same, leaving people confused as to what we really believe and offer.

There is a reluctance by clergy to speak out for fear of being labelled as a bigot or being discriminatory. It is fair to say Christian preachers tend to modify teaching of traditional values to appeal to contemporary thinking, and for fear of offending one of the many discrimination laws promoted equally vigorously by vociferous minorities, so falling foul of the law, which is not enforced against other faiths with the same enthusiasm as against Christian preachers.

We have gone along with the incredulous acceptance that marriage, (that is m/w) is no longer the bedrock of society, but is no more acceptable than any other relationship. Now we are to have marriage defined to include same sex unions, and will no longer be able to state ‘man and wife’. And this enacted by a (alleged)Conservative government)

If ever the Word of God was needed it is never more so than now. It calls for people to turn back to God who is ready and able to meet the needs of everyone who turns to Him. The message we have for the world is centred upon the person of Jesus Christ and provides for a stable and well balanced society.

The world’s greatest need is to hear about Jesus Christ. All Christians, not simply all ministers, are commanded in Scripture to share their faith.

We put a lot of energy into fairs, fetes and garden parties, but treat them as just that without trying to reach out to the people who attend. We have parish magazines and newsletters, which mostly tell what HAS happened, and contains articles about gardening or other hobbies, pieces about where people have been, or of memories. There needs to be also a stimulating, provocative writing on a biblical theme. For 17 years I edited a parish magazine, which always included bible teaching, and I know it was read and appreciated, even when views differed.

The country is in spiritual death throes and in need of intensive care. This is why we must contend for the faith. How God must weep when He sees the Church singing His praise, pretending to be holy, whilst countenancing and failing to speak out on moral issues and totally ignoring His written Word.

My friends, it is the duty of the Church to teach the gospel and not to budge from it. We are not to be blown by every new spiritual wind so that we drift from our moorings. We are not to be superficial believers. Hold fast to the gospel once given by the Apostles who were taught by the Master Himself.
One of the biggest problems the Church faces is apathy, which is why Christianity has fallen to such low level. It is so easy in the times we live in to opt out, saying, ‘there is no point in fighting them.’ Can you imagine what would have happened if Winston Churchill had have said in 1940, ‘there is no use in us fighting, the enemy is too powerful.’ We must stand firm by the Cross.

Let us remember there are Christians being persecuted in non Christian lands with violence, arson, and yes even murder. Hundreds have been killed in the last few months in Iraq, Pakistan, Indonesia and Nigeria. Whole villages ransacked, yet they valiantly fight on for their Lord and Saviour. We must show the same spirit.

Today, no less than in any other age, it is intense biblical integrity that is needed. Fearless courage and conviction, to stand for the truth --that Jesus Christ is the only name that saves.

Be at Church on Sunday and God bless you.

Reading 2 Corinthians Chapter 4 v.1/6


These verses from Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthian Church help us to understand why so many people have difficulty in believing the message of the Bible; also, why those who have been regular Church members for years, suddenly decide to fall away.

We all know people, as well as ourselves, who get depressed at statements and actions from within the Church. This has caused quite a few from the Church of England to move across to the Baptist or Independent Evangelical Churches, or perhaps the other way to Rome. The underlying message in either case is that people want something spiritually positive.

Paul is trying to give encouragement to the Corinthians where there was division. Some members wanted a more charismatic approach to worship, whilst others were trying to follow a liberal line of thought and action. Paul dealt with that problem in his First Letter, and now he himself is under attack. Despite all that, he emphasises he is not going to lose heart. And we too will be under attack if we try to preach the Bible faithfully.

There was no dodging the issue with Paul. He told people what he believed they should hear rather than what they wanted to hear. He was a straight talker. He didn’t distort or try to melt down the force of God’s word. He never tried to lead people astray.

The tragedy of falling away is that it becomes very hard to get back. I knew a very Christian lady both in commitment and practice, who gave much of her time to her Church, but was driven from it by a jealous new Vicar’s wife who did not like to see anyone more popular than herself. (It would have been difficult to find anyone less popular than her.) My friend was so dispirited to find such rejection by unchristian action, that it has taken some years for her to return.

A significant point is made by Paul when he says he has turned his back on ways and practices which bring discouragement. There are alas those given the privilege of preaching the gospel, of whom backs should be turned. An ex bishop features in the press just now, who has stated he does not see Jesus as the Son of God; who thinks the Bible should be used ‘merely as a guide.’

I think Churches should only be supported if they preach an orthodox Christian message. Look for a Bible based Church. Paul would never have allowed the Bible to be tampered with in the way it is now. People are selecting verses and using in isolation, to justify immoral ways of living.

Those of you who follow this blog will know I recently wrote about Baptism, and shortly after I was listening to a discussion in which a prominent Baptist Minister was displaying how verses have been used totally out of context to justify baptising infants. It can be too easy to decide you want to prove some theory and then find verses to justify this, when reading on a few verses would expose fraudulent use.

Next month the Church of England will be voting on the proposal to allow women to be appointed as Bishops. Expect the Bible to be vandalised as they try to justify approval. The more honest supporters will concede there is no biblical authority, but rather they are concentrating on equality law. Then let us all be honest and state this instead of leading the uninitiated to a false conclusion.

The Bible states’ all Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness’. This being so, do not let men (or women) tell you otherwise. Above all, do not get discouraged

Be in Church on Sunday and may God bless you.

BAPTISM

I have been asked (1)if I believe in infant baptism
(2)have I baptised infants and if so why.
(3)what kind of baptism do I believe in.

I do not believe in infant baptism as I think it un-biblical.

Yes, I have because as an Anglican priest I was morally obliged to do so. Fortunately this was not in great numbers as my parish did not require it. But I tried to limit this to parents who were prepared to come to Church before the service.

I believe in the baptism for believers.

I do however respect the views of those who take a different attitude to me, and trust they will respect my understanding.

Following on from the events recorded in Acts, we find a confession of faith and the gift of the Holy Spirit happen together. Nowhere in the Bible is there a separation. I believe this means that within Churches we need to have a deeper understanding of baptism and confirmation. Whilst I have often preached on baptism, I have never been at a service when this has been preached upon by others.

I think this is very regrettable, especially when people come to a baptism service who do not normally attend Church. It seems to be so essential that they should know exactly what baptism was meant to be. I have been at a baptism service when the name of Jesus and the word ‘Cross’ have not been mentioned once in the sermon. On other occasions there has been a good sermon in the normal course of things, but totally beyond the understanding of the non Church attender.

Looking at the events recorded in Acts, the normal pattern to becoming a Christian is that someone ‘repents, believes, is baptized, and then receives the Holy Spirit’. This, however, is not a chronological order. These are the essential components to becoming a Christian, but God can change the order in which they happen as was the case with Cornelius and the Ephesian believers.

It is because Acts and the New Testament do not give a chronology that has lead the overwhelming majority of Christians over the Church’s history to feel that it is right to baptize the children of Christian parents. However, it is the fact that, in Acts, it is the normal order that has also led some equally sincere and committed Christians to refuse to baptize anyone not old enough to decide for themselves.

Whilst it may have been the intention that infants being brought for baptism should be of Christian parents, in practice it is now accepted that the infant of any parents irrespective of belief (or none) is accepted.

Baptism has always been a problem for me. I have read, listened and pondered hard, but cannot bring myself to accept the case for baptising infants indiscriminately. I find myself compelled to sympathise with those who believe baptism should be for those who can make a decision for themselves.

As an Anglican priest I was morally required to do so, but felt distinctly uncomfortable in doing so. It still distresses me when I see people coming to a Baptism service showing no respect for the place they are entering, and only being concerned to have their cameras and camcorders ready, without taking an interest in the whole service. Fortunately for me all that is now over, I can choose which services I take.

I believe when the Church first decided to baptise infants it was intended to be for the parents of worshipping members. This can be deduced by the fact that the Canon relating to the subject states, parents and godparents must fulfil their responsibility to bring up the child within the Church, and by their own example.

Whatever the practice was in past years, it is now the common practice to accept anyone who requests, without any requirement other than being told to attend on the relevant date.

The Church of England liturgy in Baptismal services asks the parents and godparents if they turn to Christ as Saviour and submit to Christ as Lord, and are allowed to affirm without question. Similarly they vow to bring up the child in the life and worship of the Church, but the falsity of this is shown by the fact that Church congregations do not reflect these promises. Further, to state ‘this child who has been born again’ is theological nonsense.

Even however in the case of parents who are Church members, I feel it is stretching Scripture’s teaching. I cannot trace any instance in the Bible where the baptising of infants can be proved, but at least it shows some respect for the service.

I cannot find any reference in Scripture to babies being baptised. They were welcomed and treasured, but not baptised. I accept it has become tradition to do so in our Churches, but there is the question do we put tradition before Scripture.?

Baptism is a most sacred act. There is a jojnt action between God and man. Man repents, God washes sins away and there is then forgiveness and a person can really say they are ‘born again’. Can a baby have sins to be washed away?

Within Scriptural terms a person is baptised when he/she realises their life can be different and better if Jesus Christ is part of it; they therefore repent of past failures; believe that by His death on the Cross, Jesus Christ became their Saviour, and they promise to follow His teaching for their future life. How such can be fulfilled by people who never have any intention to attend worship, never read a Bible, never contribute anything in effort or finance to the Church, or really seek to know the Lord, I have yet to understand.

I know it is often said to be a means of outreach, but apart from it being wishful thinking, it hardly justifies departing from the true purpose. If all who have made the promises of the Baptism service and adopted the words used, we would need to build more Churches as they all joined us on Sundays.

Where we can agree, I think, is that we ALL should have repented of our sins, believed in Jesus, been baptized AND received the Holy Spirit.

Most of us, I think, can agree on the first three components of the Acts formula, but how many of us feel comfortable in saying that we, personally, have received the Spirit? Received, that is, in a way that we know it to be true.

Isaiah 6
This passage is one of those selected for Trinity Sunday. The story refers to an event which occurred two thousand eight hundred years ago at a critical period in the history of the land of Judah.

King Uzziah had died after a reign of 52 years and the nation waited to see who would take his place. For most of his reign he had ruled wisely but towards the end had become proud and felt he could do what he liked and his pride led to his downfall. Pleasure and materialism, leading to immorality, so led to a spiritual and moral vacuum, and he contracted leprosy. He saw evil as good and good as evil, which the Bible warns against.

If we look at Western society we see evil everywhere. In both Britain and America newspapers are full of horrific deeds and cruelty. The older generations here in Britain will remember when we could allow our children to go to the local park without any concern, knowing they would be reasonably safe; when older folk did not fear being attacked in their own home; when it was safe to leave your front door open and windows at night; when girls and young women could walk the streets without fear of sexual assault. I think much of this would resonate with American friends.

We have too a spiritual and moral crisis When you listen or read the newspapers do you ever wonder if it is you or the world around you that is going mad. Political correctness is taken to extremes. It is no longer permissible to refer to husband or wife, or even in some cases man or woman. Emergency services personnel cannot go into a pond three feet deep to rescue a stranded person unless had full life saving training. One man died as a result of such policy. Policemen are given booklets on how to get on a bicycle, and so it goes on endlessly all to justify some bureaucrats having a job.

We have to remove the cross from crematoriums lest it offend a humanist and not refer to BC and AD to avoid offending non Christians. If you stand for biblical morality you are intolerant and to claim Jesus as the only Saviour is discriminatory.

The actions I hear about the American Civil Liberties Union are just as outrageous. As Christians we should not allow ourselves to be turned away from biblical teaching. When we accept and recognise God as the Bible portrays Him, mighty, majestic and sovereign, who rules the whole world and not as portrayed to suit any particular trend or fashion, we will feel compelled to strive for the gospel to be made known widely.

Isaiah said he saw the Lord, and recognising that no one has ever actually ‘seen’ visibly the Lord, he meant that God reveals Himself to us in a multiplicity of ways. We are to look up to God and realise His provision of forgiveness which He makes possible for us through the death of Jesus on the Cross. Try to see this amazing God of grace as contained in the words of one of my favourite hymns by John Newton’s ‘Amazing grace’.

Isaiah felt he had let down this holy God. Today holiness is mocked and replaced by happiness, for we are not to rebuke bad behaviour as it makes people feel guilty and hurts their feelings. Being holy means hating sin. Isaiah preached to the Jews, but they hardened their hearts and rejected God and so received God’s judgement.

There are many today who think they can live as debauched a life as they like, and when things go wrong they start crying why did God allow this, forgetting God is a righteous God. People need to be reminded that God is not a remote being having little or nothing to do with everyday affairs, He is involved in all our lives and we offend Him at our peril.

Another hymn that needs to be considered is Immortal Invisible God only wise, a God that sees all and is there when we call upon Him.

Be at Church on Sunday and God bless you.