Modern People                Word on the Week                     6^th November 2021.

It was back in 1983 that Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn said, “Men have forgotten God”.   Some of the out-working of this prophetic statement were evident at COP 26 Conference in Glasgow this week.   They were seen in how the many ways of currently doing things, which harmed others, were being ignored.

However, if you look beyond the Conference you soon realise that Modern People are not blind to what is happening but rather intentional in dismantling the work of God.   The downward progression has been well chartered in the fragmenting of family life and the ignoring of ethical standards in business.   These have largely become detached from their biblical moorings.

What is now mainstream permits selfishness to flourish.   Moral responsibility for one’s actions has left the stage.   Glasgow, the city hosting world leaders, has herself seen the dilution of her motto from, “Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of the Word and the praising of His name” to “Let Glasgow flourish”. And this only in the last few decades.

According to Paul David Tripp the DNA of sin is selfishness and he may well be correct.   In his second letter to the Corinthians the Apostle Paul describes the converting love of Christ by stating that those who are alive in Christ should “no longer live for themselves” but for Jesus (Chapter 5 verse 15).

This implies that before they were converted believers once lived for themselves as others do and did not give God first place in their life.   When this happens other things take over such as “my comfort, my pleasure and my success”.   When I get these I am happy!    We fail to see the needs of others less fortunate. We kick the aid can down the road as will happen in Glasgow.         John Newton in his hymn ‘Glorious things of you are spoken’ has the following (often omitted) verse: –         

Blest inhabitants of Zion,
Washed in the Redeemer’s blood!
Jesus, whom their souls rely on,
Makes them kings and priests to God:
‘Tis his love his people raises
Over self to reign as kings,
And as priests, his solemn praises
Each for a thank-offering brings.

It is this mastery over self that enables His people to rightly function.  It comes from the Lord’s work in every heart that is open to him.    (Revelation Chapter 1 verse 6)

Frontline Choir                 Word on the Week                     30^th October 2021.

The Frontline Choir under the baton of Conductor David Brophy have delighted audiences with their singing over the last few weeks.   From a mixed bag of singers, they were wielded into a very presentable group of around 40 strong who put their heart into the task.

But it was their sharing of stories rather than their singing that really bonded them together.   All had come through the experience of hospital working during the pandemic.   All had a story to tell.   Each one represented numerous other hospital staff some of whom caught Covid and a number had lost their lives.

In the main however they simply went to work, entered the building full of Covid patients, put on protective clothing and got on with the job.   Some had to make arrangements to stay apart from their children to prevent the highly infectious virus from infecting them.   All made many sacrifices.

In the early days of the virus the frontline staff were warmly applauded in the street by their friends and neighbours for a period in the evening.   Later when the virus spread in waves over the next 18 months’ hospital staffs were the one constant factor in a confused world of regulations.

In addition to providing an outlet for the emotions of the singers the choir expressed something of the love that sustained them all these months.   It also created a wonderful unity where every occupation and nationality were caught up in the relationship forged by mutual struggles and expressed beautifully in song.

David Brophy’s boundless enthusiasm influenced the selection of Artists who fitted in well on the public performance.   The love that supported the choir on the front line, when it was seen in mutual assistance, was very evident in the songs.    Encouraging lines such as; – You don’t have to go it alone…sometimes you can’t make it on your own. And How can I protect you in this crazy world – It’s all right.

Amelda May read one of her poems entitled, ‘What is Love You Ask?  I asked love “What are you?”   When you open your heart and let me in alone…love is very much at home.   This gives a flavour of the poem which was very much in tune with the evening.

The Apostle John managed both to define and illustrate love in one text: – “This is love: not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1John Chapter 4 verse 10).   He would have recognised the sacrificial element in the love of the frontline workers and encouraged them (and us) to open our hearts to be permanently filled with the love of Jesus.

COP 26 Primer                Word on the Week                     21^st October 2021.

Why do we need a primer and what is COP26 anyway?   It’s all about Global Warming.   COP stands for Conference of the Parties and is the 26^th annual event (excluding last year when Covid prevented it meeting).   Glasgow is the location for the UK’s turn at hosting the event which is planned to begin a week tomorrow and end on the 12^th November.

An agreement was made by 195 countries at the Paris gathering 5 years ago to reduce the amount of harmful greenhouse gasses produced by fossil fuels and increase renewable types of energy like wind, solar and wave power.   Various measurable criteria were agreed and are to be reviewed every 5 years.   The review takes place this year which perhaps explains why certain world leaders will be absent!

The star attraction in recent years has been the Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg.  She is now age 18 and has been a schoolgirl icon for environmental change.   There has been a battle going on between world leaders who are mainly content to do as little as possible and Greta who understands their attitude and characterises their comments as Blah, Blah, Blah!   She is now targeting the voters to put pressure on their representatives.

The scientific research claims that we need to halve our greenhouse gasses by 2030.   The trouble is that even with many cars off the road last year due to Covid we still were over target!    However, there are some encouraging developments.  An example is the ongoing progress in the development of solar panels. These provide low cost power in regions of the world where it was unaffordable.  

What should be the Christian’s attitude.   Being made in God’s image we will have a love for the poor who are most vulnerable to global warming.   We will support schemes such as Water for Cameroon which provides clean water to needy villagers in the North-West of the country.

Corruption is another factor in keeping poor people poor.   Here we need to pray for clean hearts.   Take God up on his promise to Ezekiel, “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God (Chapter 36 verses 25 to 28).

Once a Male…                 Word on the Week              16^th October 2021.

Once a male (or female) always a male!   God has not granted us the ability of choice in the matter.    This was a shortened version of the message spelled out by Lord Robert Winston on the Thursday night’s BBC Question Time.

It’s not as if Robert Winston is a novice in the gender business.   He is known for his pioneering work in the study of fertility and has become a leading voice for science through presenting TV shows, including The Human Body and Child of Our Time.   He is based at Genesis Research Trust, which is part of Imperial College London, and is the largest collaboration of reproductive health researchers in the UK.

Robert has argued that the sex of the person is part of them in a variety of manners.  For instance, it is represented in every single cell of your body.   He has also argued that there is a need to have an open discussion on biological science, something that appears to be difficult in todays’ climate.  In fact, Robert anticipated receiving hate mail for the brief comments he made.

As one commentator put it, “When stating biological facts on TV is an act of bravery, you know something is going horribly wrong”.

In fact, he was defending the views of Kathleen Stock a professor of philosophy at the University of Sussex. She has published academic work on aesthetics, fiction, imagination, sexual objectification, and sexual orientation. Her public opposition to gender self-identification has become a contentious issue.  

She comes from Scotland where gender fluidity has reached a crisis point where the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, advocates changing your birth certificate in line with your new self-identification.    A ‘DIY’ job!

What is going on?   When ideologies are mistaken for truth people act out a lie.   They ignore the science when it suits them and becoming intoxicated with the new freedoms that try to remove any trace of God.

Conscience may confirm we are made in God’s image and the Psalmist was right when he said he was “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Chapter 139 verse 14).   We have seen the rebellion against God’s ways raised to new levels in recent times as laws enact liberal ways with few, if any, challenging them. Only conversion to Christ of the whole person, however named, can create a new life.   It requires a coming to Jesus, as you are, and in prayer ask Him to bring you into his family (St John Chapter 1 verse 12).   Leave your pride behind and let the Holy Spirit renew you day by day till you meet Jesus in heaven

Clash of the Ash        Word on the Week                 2^nd October 2021.

The familiar sound of the clash of the Ash as the hurley’s come into contact with each other may be under threat.    The preferred timber from which they are made is our native species of European Ash.   It is under attack from a disease called Ash dieback, now rampant in Ireland.

Some may remember the devastating effect the Dutch Elm disease had on the Elm tree population.    A fungus causes the disease, it spreads thanks to the action of bark beetles, which carry fungal spores allowing the fungus to infect new trees.   Wych elm is the only native elm species in Ireland and is susceptible to Dutch elm disease. Once a very abundant tree in the Irish landscape, it is difficult to find living elm trees today.

We have one healthy elm tree on the farm.   It had gone unnoticed for years! Teagasc is interested in collecting samples to establish a collection of Irish Elm genotypes resistant to the Dutch Elm disease.   Our tree will be part of the collection.

Returning to Ash there may be hope for the tree in the long term.   At present the scene is quite dismal.   Ash dieback was first detected in Ireland in 2012 on plants imported from continental Europe. The disease is now prevalent throughout most of the island and is likely to cause the death of 90% of the Ash trees over the next two decades.

The symptoms are all too plain.   The older trees show stress in the crown usually accompanied by gaps in the foliage.    Where the trees border roads they present a hazard for which the landowner must accept liability.   The likelihood is that there will be large scale felling in the next few years.  

Fortunately, the wood, when dried, makes excellent firewood which will stoke many fireplaces this coming winter!    The other major use will be the making of hurley’s which will required to be stockpiled against future shortages!

The Bible speaks about trees at important places. Here are three of them. In Genesis Chapter 2 verses 16/17 we read of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil the fruit of which they were forbidden to eat.   When the enemy of God appeared in the form of a serpent, misquoting what God had commanded, the scene was set for the rebellion of our first parents.

In Galatians the curse of our having broken the law was seen to have been laid on Christ when he was nailed to the tree in His redeeming work (Chapter 3 verses 13/14).   In Revelation we read of the River of the Water of Life with the Tree of Life on its banks with its leaves for the healing of the nations (Chapter 22 verses 1/3).   A wonderful climax to our completed salvation.

The Sermon                     Word on the Week                     25^th September 2021.

Most, if not all, religious groups which take the Bible as one of their guides produce a homily, sermon or prophetic word which becomes the main vehicle through which the people are spiritually fed.   You might say it is a true “Word for the Week” as it is delivered faithfully weekly, usually on a Sunday.

In my own background I must have heard, at a conservative estimate, 3,500 sermons!    Of these approximately 800 were preached before the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to understand that Christ crucified was central.    Trusting in the risen Christ followed, made it personal and, however faltering, life changing.   

From his earliest writings St Paul emphasised the theme of Christ crucified.   In his first letter to the new Corinthian Church he wrote “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.   I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.   My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (Chapter 2 verses 2-5).  

Many preachers have tried to follow the Apostles advice but without the Spirit’s power.   The sermon then becomes like the Grand old Duke of York who marched his soldiers up to the top of the hill only to march them down again!   The benefits of a hilltop experience were somehow lost in the homeward rush as the Sunday lunch beckoned!

At the hilltop Donald McLeod’s question must be asked, “What’s He doing on a cross”?   Or as the song puts it “The darling of heaven crucified”.   The most bewildering event in history.   The greatest paradox ever deserves an answer and it falls to the preacher with the aid of the Spirit to provide it.

The Apostle Peter writing about authority has this to say of the submission of Jesus; “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wound you have been healed” (1 Peter Chapter 2 verse 24).   

The healing referred to here is the fruit of God’s love – the forgiveness of sins and is for anyone who now severs their ties to them and literally dies to sin so as to be freed up to the Spirits leading into a life of righteousness.   The rescue from the past, the new life for the present, and the presence of Christ’s Spirit for the future in this world and the next.

It is all there on the hilltop for the preacher to reveal (1 Peter 1 verses 3 to 6).

Women Today                       Word on the Week                   18^th September 2021.

When the Lord God created male and female he made them equal in his sight.   They differed by design and in the role designed for them (Genesis Chapter 1 verses 27 and 28).    They were made to complement each other in a monogamous marital relationship and were designed to be fruitful and populate the earth.

The way we were made was disrupted by man’s rebellion against God as he became involved with an alternative source of ‘wisdom’ which was satanic (Genesis Chapter 3 verses 1 to 6).   Separation from fellowship with God resulted in the introduction of sin and death with the resultant breakdown in human relationships (Romans Chapter 5 verse 12).   Denial of God today has been followed by destruction of his order in society.

In the place of divine order has come a state of fluidity.   This was shown in a government questionnaire we received this week where we were asked “With which gender do you identify?”   There were four choices!   Male, Female, Other, Prefer not to say.   It seems that the immature notion of youth, that we may be in the wrong body, has encouraged people to experiment.

The 1^st Minister of Scotland has suggested that people trans gendering should be allowed to alter the name and sex on their birth certificate to reflect their current preference.    She has forgotten the Scripture “Male and Female created he them” Genesis Chapter 1 verse 27).    There are no DIY options.

The Women’s Liberation Movement of the 1960’ies was necessary to recognise women’s place in a society where they had little influence.   Many of the ‘glass ceilings’ have been broken and women have few, if any, occupation they cannot aspire to.    Throughout the Bible women are treated with respect which would have been counter to the culture of the day.   St Paul listed some of these women, with gratitude, in Romans Chapter 16 verses 1 to 16. 

Today the scale of abuse of women by men is around 1 in 8.   This form of male domination was encouraged by the cavalier lifestyle of people like Trump.   If you have experienced abuse you know all about it.   If you are an abuser, you need to repent and seek forgiveness.   Many cases of abuse occurred in homes during Covid lockdown where the parties were isolated together.

Calamitous situations need not end in tragedy.    When the Lord heard the prayers of Paul and Silas, or perhaps it was their singing in prison, he let them out.   The Jailor, seeing the prison open, reached for his sword to kill himself.    Paul restrained him and explained what God had done, not only that evening but in the death and resurrection of Christ.

We are told that the jailor’s family were also present, received the message with faith, were baptised and had a communal meal to celebrate (Acts Chapter 16 verses 25 to 34).    One instance of a family united from near tragedy to being received into the Kingdom of God.    Pray for many more to join them.     

Anniversary of 9/11                    Word on the Week          11^th September 2021.

Church bells are sounding in various parts of the world but nowhere more poignantly than New York.   On this the 20^th anniversary of the most dreadful attack on America many accounts are being shared not only of the loss of life but the terrible mental and respiratory problems suffered by the survivors.

The facts scarcely need repeating.   Four large passenger planes were involved.   Two were hi-jacked shortly after take-off from Logan International Airport in Boston – destined for Los Angeles with a full complement of passengers and enough fuel to cross the US, were flown by Jihadists into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York causing their collapse.

The third plane took off from Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia and was bound for Los Angeles.   The hi-jackers redirected it into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, near Washington, D.C., killing all 64 aboard (including six crew and themselves) and another 125 in the building.

The fourth and final plane took off from Newark International Airport in New Jersey bound for San Francisco International Airport.   It was hijacked and headed towards Washington DC, but brave passengers managed to overcome the attackers and crash land in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Among the explanations for 9/11 Osama bin Laden gave the US in a letter addressed to them in November 2002 were “The expansion of Israel is one of the greatest crimes, and you are the leaders of its criminals. And of course there is no need to explain and prove the degree of American support for Israel. The creation of Israel is a crime which must be erased. Each and every person whose hands have become polluted in the contribution towards this crime must pay its price, and pay for it heavily.”

“The second thing we call you to, is to stop your oppression, lies, immorality and debauchery that has spread among you.  We call you to be a people of manners, principles, honour, and purity; to reject the immoral acts of fornication, homosexuality, intoxicants, gambling, and trading with interest.”

On his second point we might have a large measure of agreement! 

But it is the hatred of Israel that is the consuming passion behind it all (Psalm 2).   St Paul’s prayer for Israel’s conversion to Christ is as yet unanswered (Romans Chapter 10 verses 1 to 4).   The Apostle goes on to say that they will rely on the works of the law until, by God’s grace, the veil will be taken away and Jesus recognised as Messiah (2 Corinthians Chapter 3 verses 14 to 16).

Both Israel and Arab, in fact the redeemed from every nation are included in that great multitude before the throne in heaven (Revelation Chapter 7 verses 9 and 10).  

Swallows and Martins         Word on the Week       4th September 2021.

The annual gathering of these birds is in full swing.   They start the day with a magnificent display of flying as they catch insects on the wing.  This food frenzy continues with the birds flying very low in damp rainy weather or higher if the day is dry.  This matches the flight of the insects which they catch in their wide open mouths as they build up their strength for immigration to Africa.

Feeding continues till around 8.30 am when they settle on the electricity wires, and their melodious voices fill the air.   Where they fly to for the remainder of the day remains a mystery but the majority return for their night-time feed in the evening.   From the large number gathered it appears they have had a successful nesting season.   This can amount to two (or even three) families if the weather favours a steady supply of insects.  

Swallows and Martins are difficult to distinguish in flight.    Their speed and twisting and turning patterns are similar.  Most of their life is spent on the wing.  Their legs are short making it hard for them to take off from level ground.    When they are collecting nesting material i.e. mud, they require a clear flightpath to get the beak-full of mud back to the nest site.

This year the bulk of the swallows roosted on some new electricity wires which cross a paddock where a small herd of highland cattle live.   Perhaps they were attracted to the tan hair which could be used to line a nest!   The cattle have an unusual double coat of hair. On the outside is the oily outer hair—the longest of any cattle breed—covering a downy undercoat.

It is because of this hair covering that the meat of Highland cattle tends to be leaner than most beef because Highlands are largely insulated from the cold by their thick, shaggy hair rather than by fat.   The meat is also low in cholesterol.

It is thanks to the wonders of nature that we have such diversity in one small area.   On the other hand, the highland cattle’s horns are not ornaments and, as fallen animals, they could quite easily demonstrate their use!

“In Adam’s fall, we sinned all” the famous line in Benjamin Harris’s New England Primer expresses the basic Christian belief that Adam’s sin had dreadful consequences for the rest of us.   And not only for mankind but also creation which was made subject to futility – horns as weapons would not have been part of the original plan (Romans Chapter 8 verses 20 to 23). The Apostle Paul writes, as a result of our inherited sin comes condemnation, as a result of Christ’s one act of obedience on the cross those who believe in Him will be made righteous (Romans Chapter 5 verses 18 to 19). Choose to follow Christ.

Paralympic Games               Word on the Week               28^th August 2021.

The Paralympic Games commenced this week following the Olympics as is their custom.   Tokyo, the venue, is suffering from the effects of Covid so crowds are sparse.  This has not affected the enthusiasm of the contestants!

The Games owe their origin to Sir Ludwig Guttmann, a Polish Israelite who came to Britain to escape the Nazis.   He was a neurosurgeon who founded the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury. His patients were British World War II veterans with spinal cord injuries. 

As part of the rehabilitation Ludwig made the playing of sports compulsory.   The competitions started in1948.    The next took place in 1952, with athletes from the Netherlands joining the British competitors.   The first Paralympic Games was in Rome, Italy, in 1960 featuring 400 athletes from 23 countries.

Since the early beginnings the games have settled down to the same four-year pattern of the Olympics with a winter event in the second year.   The current Paralympic Games have produced a gold for Ireland in swimming. Ellen Keane broke her personal best in the 100m breaststroke by 2 seconds.

In winning the medal she had to swim with her goggles full of water from the initial dive into the pool.   This disabled her vision so she could not see how her competitors were doing.   She said it helped her not to worry about the opposition!

One of the more mature things to come out of the Games is the athletes lack of any embarrassment over their disabilities.   The picture of Ellen holding high the stump of her left arm in victory says it all.

The ability to triumph over disability requires great determination to master their sport.   This courage is exhibited by all the athletes.   Their efforts are an inspiration to others to banish any inferiority feelings and not permit disability to hinder their social and sporting actions.

In the Bible Mephibosheth had been accidently dropped by his nurse in his youth and permanently damaged both feet.   After his father Jonathan’s death King David brought him into his palace and gave him a place at the Kings table.    David when he became King would have killed any successor to the throne but Mephibosheth, for Jonathan’s sake, was shown great grace in that he was elevated to the status of the Kings sons and dined at the King’s table for the rest of his life (2 Samuel Chapters 4,9,16 &19).

Mephibosheth had an inferiority complex because of his disabilities calling himself a ‘dead dog’.   Some see a similarity with our standing before King Jesus where believers are gathered with all their baggage to be welcomed out of sheer grace to join Him (St Matthew Chapter 11 verses 28 to 30).