January 2011
With hindsight it is often possible to see how God has been with us even in our darkest moments of despair and how He has worked seemingly desperate situations out for our good. Then it is easy to rejoice and praise Him when we can see how His plans have worked out. Evidently Paul learned this early on after His conversion and was able to rejoice and praise and worship God even in the midst pain, injustice and persecution. Read the whole of Acts chapter 16 and you will be struck by this. Let’s put that into action in our lives in 2011 and praise Him loudly no matter what our circumstances may be.
Be blessed and be a blessing.
Bruce
March 2011
Over the years I have met many people who say they are practicing Christians but are not members of a congregation. Becoming isolated from the body of Christ deprives a Christian of fellowship, prayer support and opportunities to share in corporate worship, study and ministry. The problem is, I suspect, that many Christians feel isolated or marginalized within a congregation. This is sad. It should not be like that. Jesus likened the church to a warm loving family. Unfortunately many human families are not warm and loving. Legalism, judgementalism are natural to humans, but should have no place in the family of Christ. We must show love and warmth, acceptance and offer a helping hand to those who are in need of spiritual, emotional or physical health. Each of us is called to be a brother or sister to others.
Be a blessing to others.
Bruce
April 2011
Jesus warned His disciples, and through them He also warns us, to beware of false prophets who will deceive and lead people astray; Matt 24.4 .
Many people understand prophecy to mean foretelling the future. In fact to prophecy means to forth tell the word of God, in other words to preach and teach the Gospel. If someone preaches or teaches a false interpretation of God’s word, they are giving a false prophecy and are therefore deceiving their listeners. Unfortunately it is all too easy to read into the scriptures what we would like them to mean, rather than spend the time and effort to seek out what God actually means by His Word in the Bible. Let us all therefore make the effort and spend the time to ask God to reveal the true meaning of His Word through the Holy Spirit.
Be a blessing
Bruce
May 2011
Greetings from West Wales.
While staying with my brother he asked me to help out which I was more than ready to do. On his terrace there were some old chairs on which the paint was peeling and they looked fit only for burning. Charles asked me to sand them down so they could be refinished. As I worked something amazing emerged from these ugly looking chairs.
When I had finished the first one, what we could see was a beautifully crafted solid oak chair in excellent condition.
God is also interested in bringing out the beauty of us who are His creation. Instead of sandpaper, He uses other abrasives to clean and polish us. These can be events in our lives, other people and other things. However, the final polishing and finishing is always in His hands alone.
Be blessed
Bruce
June 2011
In Matthew 17: 1-6 Jesus takes Peter, James and John to the top of a mountain. There, Jesus was transfigured before their eyes. His face shone and His clothes became blindingly white and Elijah and Moses accompanied him. While Peter was suggesting that they build three tabernacles the sky was covered with a bright (not a dark cloud) God identified Jesus as His Son with the words “ This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him”
With this affirmation by God Himself, can there be any room for doubt that Jesus is indeed the Son of God and is therefore worthy of our obedience and worship.
Be blessed
Bruce
July 2011
July is a holiday month in Finland and people take time to have a change from working day to day routine. Some people go so far as to take a holiday from normal behaviour. Throwing off the constraints of society and doing things they would not do at home.
Two things are not mentioned in the Bible as being God’s will for His servants. One is retirement, and the other having a holiday from being a child or servant of God. As Christians we are not expected to take a holiday from seeking God and His righteousness. There are, however, times of rest and recuperation. Times of renewal and times when God takes us back to His school to learn something new or that we had forgotten. These times happen according to His grace and not according to human timetables.
In these troubled times we need to seek His face and will in our lives even more than we have done before.
Be blessed,
Bruce
September 2011
Recently I heard that an international monitoring body had warned the Norwegian security police about the activities of Anders Breivik, but that the warning was ignored. Old testament prophets who were anointed by God were often ignored or even stoned to death when their utterances began with a warning. One king only wanted to hear the pleasant sounding “prophecies” from his yes men. Following the pronouncements of his sycophants the King went into battle and was killed.
Jesus gave His followers warnings about the coming of troubled times. Some of what He said was very hard for those who had been following Him and many ceased to follow Him and listen to His teachings.
The same is still true today, we prefer to hear that everything is going well in the country, church or our individual lives rather than take heed of our Lord Jesus’ warnings and teachings. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep My commandments.” Shouldn’t we also listen to His warnings and advice for our spiritual health and future.
Be blessed.
Bruce
October 2011
Autumn is a time when the leaves on the birches and the maples, among others, turn colour. Providing us with a glorious display of reds and yellows in the autumn sun. This is because the shortening of daylight hours and falling temperature are signs to the trees to prepare for winter by closing up for the winter. In spring it will once more burst into life with green leaves and flowers of many colours. God sends rain and storms to help the leaves fall from the trees. If the old leaves stay on the tree it is more difficult for the tree to make new ones in the spring.
Col. 3:8-10 tells us we must put off the old way of thinking and behaving and take up the new produced in us by the Holy Spirit. If we cling to our old ways of Thinking, reacting and relating to others it is not surprising if God allows storms to occur in our lives, in order to help us conform to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Be a blessing.
Bruce
November 2011
In Matthew 16 vv 13-16 Jesus asks two questions.
The first of these questions was not so important as the second. The fact that the people were not wholly aware of the reality of who Jesus was and is would not have been a surprise to Him.
The second question was of enormous importance. Addressed directly to His disciples it was necessary for them to know who Jesus was. That He was both the Messiah and the Son of God. Without that knowledge in their hearts they would not be able to carry on the work after Jesus returned to the Father.
We too need to be able to answer the same question in our own hearts and minds and in the same way as Peter did, if we are to be able to be effective in the work of spreading the Gospel.
Be blessed,
Bruce