Brexit may mean Brexit for Theresa May, the UK Prime Minister, but her failure to move from her “no going back on the decision to leave” slogan has created misgivings among many people.
The British ambassador to the EU, Ivan Rogers, is one of them. He handed in his resignation this week. In demitting office a year before he was due to retire he was highlighting his concern about “ill-founded arguments and muddled thinking” in government quarters. His previous warnings that some of the treaties may take 10 years to re-negotiate have been largely ignored. Someone needs to wake-up!
Ireland appears to have taken on the role of a spectator, a luxury we cannot afford when our largest trading partner has voted to leave the current trading agreements behind. The Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, appears to be filling the role of ‘Minister Responsible’ himself. This would seem foolhardy in view of his own precarious position as head of an unstable coalition Government which is unlikely to outlast Brexit.
Of course there are the voices of common sense pointing out that the vote was only advisory. The legislation setting up the Referendum did not specify how a leave vote could be implemented. It does not have to take place. The Irish solution (acted upon twice) to have a second Referendum would require a good deal of humble pie to be eaten – something the Brits have little stomach for! If later this month the UK Supreme Court rules on the need for parliament’s approval the entire assembly will have an opportunity for mature reflection! But I fear the die is cast.
In addition to economic factors the inability to control the flow of immigrants was the trigger to leave the EU. The dangers of ISIS inspired people, both home-grown and immigrant, created genuine fears of attacks as seen in France and Germany. We are involved having the only border the UK has with the EU. The spectre of a return to the bad old days of border patrols, check-points, barriers and customs should deepen our interest in finding a better solution.
The rush to obtain Irish or UK passports underlines the uncertainty of the present situation. Freedom of travel, so much taken for granted, will get harder. Visas required to visit the UK perhaps? And what good is my UK passport in Ireland?
In this uncertain world, those who would believe in Jesus need to repent of their fears and realise that their citizenship is in heaven (Philippians Chapter 3 verse 20). It was procured at the Cross of Calvary by the death of Jesus on our behalf. The trouble with Brexit is that it can take our eyes of the Lord and onto our selves. The realisation that he has finished the work of salvation – our passport is secure (St John Chapter 19 verse 30)! All other passports have an expiry date. Turn and trust Jesus every day and all the days of your life on earth. Let’s hear it from Charles Wesley: –
Accepted in the Well-beloved, And clothed in righteousness divine,
I see the bar to heaven removed; And all Thy merits, Lord, are mine.

Going into a New Year is in some ways no different from any other Monday morning but it is a landmark. It may not be the most accurate way of numbering our days but there is no doubt it creates a new start, a blank page on which to write another chapter of your life story.
We don’t know what lies ahead any more that Abraham when he left home. “He went out not knowing where he was going” (Hebrews Chapter 11 verse 8). God said to go and he obeyed. No doubt he would have like a bit more information (as we would like to know in advance what is to happen in 2017) but it was enough for Abraham that God was in the driving seat.
As we move into another year of grace we need to check where God is sitting. Perhaps he is in the passenger seat of your car being listened to but not very often obeyed! Or, perish the thought, perhaps he is the spare tyre – only required in emergencies.
Abraham not only knew who was driving but he had faith in the driver. It is one thing to say that God is your driver but if the future scares you spitless then you don’t have much faith in his driving! What would faith in God look like for you as you motor through 2017 with all its frightening unknowns?
We go out into 2017 without knowing what it may hold for us. Some will have successes, others failures. There will be those in prefect health and others who have bodies that don’t do so well. There will be some who marry and have children and others who leave this scene of time. All will be older but will we be wiser?
St Peter says God has chosen us and enabled us to know him which has the effect of enabling us to escape much of the corruption of the world. He asks us to add to our faith goodness, and to goodness, knowledge and to knowledge, self-control, and to self-control, perseverance, and to perseverance, godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness, and brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter Chapter 1 verses 5/8).
A Happy and Faithful New Year to all.

“Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down” was the heart-cry of the Prophet Isaiah as he echoed the cry of David. But their desire was for the conquest of their enemies. The assumption was that their enemies were God’s enemies and that their destruction would be in line with His will.
When that prayer was answered and God came down the contrast could scarcely have been greater

The angel said to the shepherds, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.” The virgin had given birth. The family were homeless. The King wanted to kill him. A higher degree of vulnerability at his birth is hard to imagine.

And so it was in his ministry.

As Isaiah foretold: –
“I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory, and in his name the Gentiles will hope” (St Matthew Chapter 12 verses 18 – 21).

This contrast in our thinking championed by Isaiah and David (and most of us), with the will of God, is hard to imagine. And yet Isaiah should have remembered for he had taught: – “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord (Chapter 55 verse 8).

The different way of thinking showed itself when Peter cut off the High Priests’ servant’s ear, Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. All who take the sword will perish by the sword (St Matthew Chapter 26 verse 52).

In this world of many conflicts we need to see the vast difference in thinking between the “Military Solution” of the majority and the Christian way of the cross.
The promise “Behold I am coming soon” (Revelation Chapter 22 verse 12) is reinforced at the conclusion of the Book “He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

It is always sad when death robs you of a friend and more so at this time of year. With the passing of Tony Curtis Grace has lost one of its more colourful characters. He was our nearest member living in the Markievicz Flats a couple of hundred metres from the Hall.

Like many of us Tony was his own worst enemy and latterly gave himself a lot of hardship. His health deteriorated and he was no longer to be found in his seat on the back row of the old hall. From there he would greet the children as they arrived and usually had some sweets for them. In addition he got sponsors for the Dublin Christian Mission’s annual children camps.

It was relatively late in life when Tony became active in United Beach Missions working on both the South and West coasts of Ireland. This earned him many friends and he enjoyed the Easter Speak-outs at Grace. There he was able to renew his acquaintance with many who he has met on Mission.
When he was in good health he seldom missed being in Church and would join the lunchtime prayer group on Wednesdays. He got to know many in Christian circles where he will be missed.
He lived his whole life in Dublin 2. His father had manned the barricades during the rising in 1916 gave him an interest in the history of the place. Driving back from our Home Group through the old streets he would give a running commentary of all the events that took place there in his childhood.
He could have written a book on the place but someone else beat him to it and the book that was in his head never got written.
Instead he wrote a Christian Tract which was his testimony and penned this biographical sketch of what was essentially a lonely life. But his claim was that he had Jesus for a companion!
Lonely, But not on my own.
May, June, July and August gone again but not memorable;
Save that I saw them go past the empty quays the rivers flow.
Look at the old house, outmoded, dignified, dark and untended;
With grass growing instead of the footsteps of life, the friendliness, the strife
In its beds have lain youth, love, age and pain.
I am something like that – lonely?
But not on my own.
There was a deep sadness there but he did not dwell on it. He read a lot of Christian books, had a good library and was probably unique in the Flats in reading the Irish Times! But Tony was an alcoholic. It had robbed him of family life early on and, although through Christ he claimed to have conquered, and he had many years of sobriety, it overtook him coming back with a vengeance in the end. Tony’s favourite verse was “Cast all your anxieties on him because he cares for you 1 Peter Chapter 5 verse 7. May this now have come true for Tony.

Pens are being sharpened and word processors cranked up this week to alert the Citizens Assembly that there are people in Ireland who view the baby in the womb as a proper child. Sadly this has become necessary as there are journalists who refer to the child in the womb as a zygote – a collection of cells – in an effort to make more palatable the horrendous slaughter of the innocents should abortion be legalised.
The 8th amendment to our Constitution was passed in order to grant the unborn child equal rights to life as the mother. The removal or dilution of this right is being sought by those who see Ireland as a “modern State”.
Having recently introduces same-sex marriage legislation they are now trying to make abortion as available as contraception. The UK who have had legalised abortion for some time now have 1 in 5 babies aborted. In Sweden, often held up as an example of a modern State, the ratio is 1 in 4 babies aborted.
These statistics should send a shiver down our spines but the fact is that they don’t. We have been conditioned by the experience of abortion in places such as the USA or the Netherlands. In the latter there now is a culture of death established with euthanasia becoming an accepted way to go. This moves society away from the idea of caring to killing in a relatively short time.
The fruit of the womb has an honoured place in the Bible. From earliest times if a pregnant woman got caught up in a fight and as a result gave birth prematurely there was to be restitution. The child in the womb had rights (Exodus chapter 21 verse 22). In Isaiah God speaks of Israel as a child made by him and formed in the womb (Chapter 44 verses 2 & 24).
This theme punctuates Scripture but perhaps arises most plainly in the Psalms. “You created my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Chapter 139 verses 15 & 16).
In the New Testament prior to the birth of Jesus his earthly cousin, John the Baptist, was active in his mother’s womb! (St Luke chapter 1 verse 41).
“When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”
It is perhaps a reflection of how far we have strayed from Christian values when we use the terms of ‘foetus’ and ‘embryo’ in place of ‘fruit of the womb’.
And that fruit, like every other fruit, is a gift…but Mary’s is a gift par excellence – God’s love gift to a world that is chronically opposed to Him “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (St John Chapter 3 verse 16).
Let’s make sure that the view from the wombs of Irish mothers is one that reflects the love of God and not the selfishness of man.

Net shopping is becoming popular. It has not taken long for drug dealers to catch on to this method of trading. It provides vendors with a relatively safe distribution system with few of the usual problems of gang warfare.

In fact the dark-net, as it has been named, caters for other commodities. There is a whole inventory of items to be purchased. In addition to drugs and chemicals some of the headings are weapons, gold and digital products both in the software and malware categories. If you click on a heading the drop-down box reveals a wide choice and price range.
Traders have their own recommendations received from satisfied clients all of whom remain anonymous thanks to layers of protection and encryption. Of course the address for delivery must be known but it need not be the client’s home. The parcel can be delivered to a PO Box No. or to a locker in a “Parcel Hotel” which cater for this trade.

Payment is made in Bitcoin, the virtual on-line currency. Bitcoin can be bought on the web with a credit card. You can avoid having your purchase of Bitcoin linked to you by another procedure which is on offer.
With all these possibilities we can expect to see an uptake of computer courses specialising on the internet by those looking for a safer alternative than the street corner trader.
Laptops and tablets will be popular items for the junkie’s stockings this Christmas!

The Garda will have to up their level of computer literacy if they are to keep abreast of their felons. At present their best detection weapon is the sniffer dog! She will need to produce lots of sniffer puppies to keep up with the demand!!

There have always been secret societies operating out of sight and destabilising society. It was no different in Jesus day. There was a guerrilla band operating around Jerusalem one of whose number called Barabbas had been captured. He was sentenced to death at the same time as Jesus and Pilot, the Roman Governor, in a crowd pleasing tactic offered one of the two prisoners’ release. Only one could live. The other would die instead.

The crowd chose Barabbas’s release! (St Matthew chapter 27 verses 15 – 18.
Barabbas was the first man who could say Jesus died in my place!
His name is distinctive. It translates as “son of the father”. But we are all sons or daughters of our father. We might call him “Mr Everyman”. And Mr Everyman could say with the hymn-writer “In my place condemned He stood”.

But the hymn-writer had a deeper meaning which becomes true for every repentant sinner.
It comes out in the next line of the hymn “Sealed my pardon with his blood”. Jesus death purchased redemption by his death and resurrection (Romans chapter 4 verse 25).

You don’t need the dark-net. Salvation is preached openly and received freely by every believing junkie today as it was for me many years ago.

The recurring scandal of soaring motor premiums reached its head this week when a Representative of the Industry received a “roasting” on the Prime Time T V programme. He had no convincing answers in the face of a statistically well prepared mature PhD student who was turned loose on him!
This topic has been in the news as recurring price hikes have increase renewal premiums by considerable percentages over the previous annual premium causing an outcry in the media. There is word of a Government commission to look into the escalating personal injury awards that are a major contributor to these hikes and, in particular, cap whiplash awards at a level comparable with that of the U.K.
There have been allegations of price fixing as the market has moved in unison in the face of heavy losses. Companies’ statistics do not vary very much and their attempts at valuing the cost of future claims (a necessary function as most contracts run for 12 months) also tend to work out along similar lines. The public want to see the figures in the interests of ‘transparency’ but these must remain confidential in a competitive market.
The industry has also to cope with accident and injury claims from uninsured drivers. This it does through a Bureau financed by a levy on companies operating in the Irish market. Recently, on the failure of an Insurance company, the courts ruled that the Bureau should pay for its unpaid claims. This is particularly galling as the failed company had distorted the market by price-cutting bringing all premiums down through intense competition to an uneconomic level. This has produced the current premium increases in an effort to build up the reserves and produce a profit.
Because of the risk-taking nature of insurance the margin of solvency required by law is higher than that of other businesses. This requires the building of reserves to achieve the required margin and not to use these reserves to pay current claims. Failing to take this into account in the past has led to the bankruptcy of a number of Irish Insurance companies.
Greed lies at the heart of it all. From over inflated premium to the over stated or fraudulent claim. To combat these requires constant vigilance, both on the part of the Central Bank and the various insurance watchdogs.
Jesus said, “Be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions” (St Luke Chapter 12 verse 15). That begs the question, what does our lives consist of? The answer may be found in St Paul’s advice to the Colossian Church. “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (chapter 3 verse 5). This can only be done by turning to and trusting in the living reigning

When I came to Ireland many years ago I was told “people make a sport of their religion and a religion of their sport”! It is true that sport is taken very seriously. Indeed there may even be something of the religious fervour of bygone times to it.

There are annual pilgrimages to Croke Park in Dublin from all parts of the country to attend the finals of our national games of Gaelic Football and Hurling. These are splendid occasions with the flags of the competing counties colouring the stadium. The games are preceded by the junior finals to give the rising generation taste of playing in front of a crowd of 86,000.
The culture honours its traditions with due regard to the history of the games and the remembrance of past victories and players. It is part of the glue which holds Ireland together!
In addition there are “foreign” games which command a growing importance, especially now that soccer teams are playing at European level. But this day it is all about rugby!
Ireland’s team beat the mighty New Zealand side two weeks ago in Chicago. This momentous event had never happened before in 29 attempts over 111 years! In fact when it comes to rugby New Zealand were considered unbeatable. To even contemplate back to back victories is unthinkable.

The media and the bookies agree it is not going to happen. Sadly they were correct!

When it comes to religion it must be acknowledged that all religions are not the same. There are those which by diligent attention to various duties and obligations seek to attain their goal.
And there is Christianity which is dependent on the work of another.
It is faith in the sufficiency of His work (Jesus on the cross) and not on the individual’s performance or the collective performance of the church that St Peter says brings you across the line, “Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts chapter 4 verse 12).

Is it too daunting, too impossible to think about. Like getting the ball at the line and only have to fall over to win the game. In fact it’s better. You are carried over the line by God’s grace, “It is by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast (Ephesians Chapter 2 verses 8 – 9). Our contribution is the faith with which we have been gifted!

The Irish rugby team return to the training ground with sore limbs after a couple of days off. Believers have no days off!

Christians have been chosen to carry the life–changing message of the grace of the Saviour King with us wherever we go. Our training is ‘on the job’. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ,… “We implore you on behalf of Christ. Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians Chapter 5 verse 20).

He played his ace and won the game. There was no need to revert to plan B which would have contested the result had Hillary won. If you are a bridge player, he won the rubber or if tennis is your game the match was over with a straight ace.
The appeal direct to the marginalised and largely ignored masses was heard and understood. This man was outside the political elite. He was a one-off. The defence mounted by the status quo i.e. Hillary was carrying the baggage of her husband’s history plus her blunders in office and it proved too heavy a burden.
Much has been written as to whether Donald will be different in office to the Donald who proved to be so adroit at handling the electioneering. I don’t think so. Will he be wise enough to surround himself with good advisers? I think he will. But will he take their advice? I am not so sure!
Self-made men find it hard to hear what they see as lesser mortals say, especially when it contradict their gut reaction. It is that gut reaction which, according to Donald, has served him so well in business which he brings with him into the political sphere. The difference is that in politics decisions can change the lives of millions for good or ill. It’s no accident that the Emperor was worshipped in the Roman world. Although that power today is hedged about by laws there is only one finger on the nuclear button!
So what controlling influences could be attributed to Donald? We have learned he went to the same church as Norman Vincent Peale and embraced the ideas in his book, “The Power of Positive Thinking”. Some of the results may be scene in his successful business deals. There is no evidence that Scripture is the controlling influence in his life whereas that may be the case with Mike Pence, his Vice President elect.
When Jesus was confronted by Pilot, the all-powerful Roman Governor of Israel, who explained in simple language that he had the power to have him killed, Jesus replied “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above” (St John Chapter 19 verse 11). Authority on earth comes from God. We are to obey the government and pray for those in authority and if you find that hard just think what it must have seemed like to those in 1st century Rome! (Romans Chapter 13 verses 1 – 5).
The most sublime example of ultimate power under total control is that of Christ on the Cross. The ability to pray for the forgiveness of those who were crucifying him (St Luke Chapter 23 verse 34). Power which does not acknowledge that it comes from God will always be defective being centred on man. Let us pray the America will remember the founding fathers motto and put into practice “In God we Trust”.

The visit of Pope Francis to Sweden earlier this week started the year of commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation (usually reckoned to have commenced on 31st October 2017). Luther was the subject of his visit to the leaders of the Lutheran Church in the Swedish city of Lund.
So who was this Luther who faced down the might of the Catholic Church of his day? What drove him to attempt to right the corruption? But first he had to sort out his relationship, or lack of it, with God.
Luther’s personal problems came to a head when he read in the Bible that God requires righteousness. Luther saw no possibility of him ever pleasing this righteous God. It was at his first mass, as an Augustinian Monk, he felt utterly unworthy and realised that instead of loving this God he hated him. It seemed as if there was nothing he could do to span the gulf between this righteous God, who punished sin, and Luther, the sinner, who had tried all the Church had on offer to rid himself of his sin, including holy orders.
Luther had understood that this longed for righteousness was something which he had to achieve by his own efforts. The breakthrough came when he realised that the righteousness which St Paul refers to and which God requires is not something which you earn but comes from Jesus Christ whose righteousness it is. It is given as a gift to be received by faith. It is imputed to the repentant sinner who is then declared righteous in God’s sight (Philippians Chapter 3 verses 7-10).
Jesus accomplished all this on the cross. Not only is there forgiveness to cancel our guilt – this would leave us saved but naked. But the righteousness of our Saviour is imputed to us, it is our covering, so that we are robed appropriately as the redeemed people of God.
Thus our acceptance before a thrice holy God is totally dependent upon the work of the Saviour, Jesus Christ. St Paul puts it simply “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Romans Chapter 3 verse 22).
When it all came together for Luther he said, “Here I felt I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates”. His conscience was no longer troubled. As he later said “My conscience is captive to the Word of God”. And that word was the light to his path (Psalm 119 verse 105).