Blog Posts - Bible Stories For Big Kids

STRANGE THINGS DO HAPPEN

7/4/2021

Why did Jesus allow John the Baptist to die in prison? I can't answer that question.

Jesus and John were cousins; they would have played together as children; John was the last prophet, preparing the way for the Messiah, Jesus; John baptised Jesus, acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah, yet Jesus made no attempt to save John from being imprisoned, let alone save him from being executed. Why? I find that hard to fathom, especially when Jesus healed so many people, fed thousands, even raised people from the dead. Why not save John the Baptist?

John was a rather rough character - the new Elijah as foretold by the prophets much earlier - and his role was to prepare the people for the long awaited Messiah, Jesus. Despite his forthright nature - he called the Pharisees and Sadducees 'you brood of vipers' and condemned Herod for his illicit marriage, landing him in prison, - he was very humble, publicly stating that he, John was not worthy to untie Jesus' sandals, let alone baptise him.

While John was in prison, he started to question what was really going on with Jesus and while some commentators suggest John was starting to doubt if Jesus really was the Messiah, I wonder if John was questioning why Jesus did nothing to save him let alone visit him in prison ( we don't have a record of that happening). John managed to send a message to Jesus' disciples asking if Jesus really was the Messiah, and Jesus' reply was to reassure John that Jesus was fulfilling all the prophecies of the promised Messiah - not even a direct 'yes'.

The next thing we know is that Herod's wife conspired to have John's head on a platter, and as Herod had made a promise he could not cancel, John was duly executed. Why did Jesus save so many people yet not save John the Baptist?

That really puzzles me. I realise most of Jesus' disciples became martyrs for their faith, but John was not martyred. All I can deduce from this is that despite so many promises of God's care and protection, unjustified bad things will still happen, and we must concentrate on our ultimate goal of heaven - being with Jesus.

Strange things do happen!

TIMELESS

6/27/2021

'What is the world coming to?' - a common expression in the more mature age group as yet another disastrous headline grabs media attention. But IS our world any worse than in days gone by?

I recently watched a documentary on the private life of King Henry 8th and what a gruesome moment in history that was. How many world leaders past and present, have started out with such promise, only to become tyrants, unfriendly dictators or weak and useless. One perception of God of the Old Testament is a God who is judgmental, vengeful and ready to punish, whereas Jesus in the New Testament is perceived as a loving God. How can this be when Hebrews 13:8 states that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever"?

If there was anyone who seemed most unlikely to be a patriarch of what would become the Israelites/Hebrews/ Jews, it was Jacob. He was a cheat and a liar and destined to become a loser, yet years later he was feted by the Pharaoh of Egypt. How did this come about?

While Jacob was at his lowest, having had to flee his home and country as a result of his cheating and lying, God met with him and reassured Jacob that he, God was with him now and always, and would bring him safely back to Canaan. Jacob was a changed man after that encounter, and through the ups and downs of 20 years living and working at his Uncle Laban's property, Jacob knew that God was his friend and he could now say with certainty that God was his God - 'a loving God, slow to become angry and abounding in steadfast love.'

As we observe the changes in people and society, some good and some not so good, we can always rely on the promise that our God has not become out of date nor out of touch.

He is the same 'yesterday, today and forever.'

VICTIM OR VICTOR?

5/18/2021

I wonder if Isaac were alive today, whether he would be making public, the trauma of his childhood and how it had affected his mental health. I think Price Harry has nothing on what Isaac endured.

Isaac's father Abraham, took Isaac ( an only child) and some friends on a long walk as God wanted Abraham to offer a sacrifice in a certain place. Unfortunately, there was no animal to sacrifice but that didn't deter Abraham. "When we return" was his comment to his friends as he and Isaac set off to the place of sacrifice. God had told Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, and although Abraham obeyed God, Abraham knew that (a) Isaac was to be the recipient of God's promise of a great nation so therefore could not die prematurely, but (b) if Abraham did in fact sacrifice Isaac - child sacrifice was abhorrent to God - Isaac must come alive again.

Back to Isaac. Imagine a young boy lying on a pile of rocks ( altar) with his father holding a knife above him, ready to kill him. Just at the last moment, a lamb could be heard, caught in a bush, so Isaac was freed and the lamb was used as the sacrifice. Abraham's faith in God is another story!!!!!! but how traumatised was Isaac? We are not told but just imagine if Isaac were alive today to tell his story! Isaac could either be the victim of an horrendous situation ( it must have been frightening), or use the ordeal to demonstrate how strong Abraham's faith was in God and how God could be trusted.

I don't know how Isaac reacted to this episode in his childhood, but I am disappointed in his lack of trust in God as he matured. He and Rebekah had been married for 20 years before they had any children and when they did, God had made it quite clear that Jacob, the younger twin, would be the recipient of God's special blessing, yet Isaac did not appear to take this seriously. Isaac favoured Esau, the eldest son, while Rebekah favoured Jacob, and what a mixed up family situation that ended up to be. Complicated is an understatement, yet through the entire story, God was in control, fulfilling his promises.

"Life wasn't meant to be easy" is a quote from a previous Australian Prime Minister, but taken in the context of our story today, it is true. However, God has promised us that "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God......"
( Romans 8:28) so if our trust is in God, then we are not the victims of difficult situations, but the victors, even when life does not turn out the way we would have preferred.

The choice is ours - victim or victor!

HOW'S THIS FOR FAITH!

3/14/2021

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1)

Around 4000 years ago, God gave Abraham four very important promises.

God said he would bless Abraham and he sure did. Abraham became a very wealthy and influential person, wealth not only in flocks and herds but in silver and gold as well.

God said he would give Abraham his own land, the land of Canaan, and this God did. Abraham travelled from Ur to eventually settle in Canaan where his family remained till the famine in the time of Joseph in Egypt.

Now here it gets a bit tricky. God promised Abraham he would be the father of a great nation, yet Sarah was now too old to have children. How would God solve this problem? Well, no problem. Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy baby boy whom they named Isaac. With one child, Abraham would now have to depend on God to fulfill that promise, because, although Abraham had more children, God told him that through Isaac, God would continue the promise. Abraham would not see the great nation - the Hebrews, the Israelites, then the Jews.

The final promise was that through Abraham, God would bless everyone. This seemed even more difficult to pull off, but 'with God nothing is impossible' as back in the beginning of time, God set in motion a plan of redemption, and Abraham became a vital part of that plan. It took 2000 years for God to keep that promise, and like the plagues of Egypt there were two very different parts to this plan - what you saw and what God was doing.

Jesus was the promised Messiah and being perfect - God's son - he showed up the hypocrisy of the religious leaders who were very anxious to be rid of him. This they thought they did on Good Friday when they nailed him to a cross and watched him die, but what they did not realise was that God allowed them to do this as this was the climax of God's plan of redemption, a plan set in motion thousands of years before and promised to Abraham.

When Jesus died, God punished Jesus for all the wrongs of people like you and me, instead of punishing us and cutting us off from God. Jesus opened the way for us to be reconciled with God, as the Bible so clearly explains in John 3:16. "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him will not die but have everlasting life". God brought Jesus back to life to show that death and sin had been conquered once and for all. (Unfortunately it did not relieve this world of the God haters who still make life so very difficult for millions of Christians even today.)

Abraham never saw this promise brought to fruition yet by being obedient to God, he showed that he trusted God to fulfill yet another promise for the distant future. He was listed with the people in Hebrews 11 being commended for their faith in God to carry out his promises.

God still has many promises to fulfill and it is easy for us to wonder 'what the world is coming to'. Do we despair and give up, or like Abraham, trust God to keep those promises, many of which we may not see in our lifetime.

Jesus will return completing God's plan of redemption - we can trust him by faith.

WHAT'S YOUR PERSPECTIVE?

2/18/2021

There is a lot involved in writing and publishing a book and in my case, much help was needed, especially in the editing department.

The wonderful lady who put my book together started with a completed manuscript which she wisely suggested having one copy published and checked for final editing. Just as well. We had God playing golf in one story, but the punctuation errors were so obvious which meant re-editing the whole book, page by page. There were lots of corrections to be done, and where I saw 'Bible Stories For Big Kids' as a story of God's love and care for his people, this lady saw all the battles, blood and guts. She wasn't terrible impressed! I agree, a lot of the stories involve fighting but the battles show how God looked after his people or how he abandoned them to their own devices when they turned away from him. I guess it depends on your perspective.

It is easy, when listening to the news, to wonder where the world is heading and despair at the behaviour of dictators to footballers, but that does not mean that God doesn't know what is going on. History has some pretty gruesome stories to tell and I am so glad I am not living in the medieval days before hot showers and flushing toilets! Political intrigue such as the story of Esther, is still alive and well today, causing tensions in many parts of the world.

However, one aspect of life today I have found so positive and absolutely intriguing. I am not a 'greenie' as such but I am fascinated by the small groups of conservationists working around the globe, doing their part to preserve flora and fauna. One group in outback Australia was on the news recently, so excited about achieving their goal of breeding these small fish which they thought were extinct. After 13 years, the conservationists were so excited to be putting these fish back in the natural water where they form an important part of that area's eco system.

Similar good news stories have been part of Simon Reeve's BBC documentaries as well as stories from other travellers to remote areas. These people really are making a difference each in their own small way and often in very trying circumstances.

So what does all this have to do with writing a book?

Many people see the Old Testament as depicting a judgmental God, bent on revenge and punishment, whereas I love the Old Testament for its continual theme of a God who loves forgives and cares for his people.

It depends on your perspective I guess.

WHO'S TELLING THE TRUTH?

12/1/2020

I am always fascinated to read about who is being upset by whom in the world of intolerance and supposed diversity. This time it is some staff at Penguin book publishers, condemning management for publishing a book about which these employees do not agree. Talk about free speech - for these woke people, free speech appears to be free as long as the ideas agree with theirs. This example is only one of many which have been published over the past year.

Balancing new ideas with established ideas can be a minefield, but instant dismissal of a different point of view is certainly not a good idea. I was brought up in a very conservative household, and was quite shocked to learn there were other ways a Christian can live, while still maintaining Christian values. This started me questioning my own little world resulting in me being thrown out of a Christian home for my new thoughts and values. Imagine what the great inventors, thinkers and those wanting social change for the genuinely disadvantaged went through!

Reading Psalm 119:142ff was such a welcome change from all this woke culture. "Your law is the truth"; " You are near Lord and all your commandments are true";
"Long ago I learned from your decrees that you have established them forever" - (the joys of being in the more mature age group); "The sum of your word is true". The words true and truth are such a welcome change from reading between the lines of suspect journalism or political statements. When I was involved in small town politics, I would always sigh with relief when I read the Bible as I knew I did not have to look for hidden nasties compared to reading the political agenda for the next meeting.

Jesus said "I am the truth...." We can always trust him.

What's YOUR Problem?

11/2/2020

I have a problem.

I am tired of trying to stay positive with all the negativity, sad or bad news around me.

People I know have become seriously ill, politics is so nasty, people who should know better, display incompetence, corruption in whatever form seems to abound, and to top it off, I can't see my grandchildren because of closed borders. Someone telling me I can't travel to see family, really tugs at my sense of freedom. I am sure there are many more negatives if I choose to look for them, but that is enough for the time being.

I can count my blessings which far outweigh all that negativity but there are times when even that does not erase the negative thoughts. It is times like this that I keep coming back to the promise in the Old Testament "You are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love". There are so many references to this throughout the Old Testament covering hundreds of years and that in itself is encouraging!

At the end of the story of Moses in 'Bible Stories For Big Kids', I included many of the messages from God, which Moses related to the people, and on reading these recently, what struck me was how positive God is in his promises so I shall include that chapter of the book below. Reading this must be the most positive read for the day! Enjoy!

“I have taught you all the laws as the Lord my God told me to do. Obey them in the land you are about to occupy. Obey them faithfully and this will show the people of other nations how wise you are. When you hear of all these laws, they will say ‘What wisdom and understanding this great nation has.’”

“No other nation, no matter how great, has a God who is so near when they need him as the Lord our God is to us. He answers us whenever we call for help. No other nation, no matter how great, has laws so just as those that I have taught you today. Be on your guard! Make certain that you do not forget, as long as you live, what you have seen with your own eyes. Tell your children and your grandchildren about the day you stood in the presence of the Lord your God at Mt. Sinai.”

“You will look for the Lord your God, and if you search for him with all your heart, you will find him. When you are in trouble and all those things happen to you, then you will finally turn to the Lord and obey him. He is a merciful God. He will not abandon you or destroy you and he will not forget the covenant that he himself made with your ancestors.”

“The Lord has worked miracles to prove to you that he alone is God and that there is no other. He let you hear his voice from heaven so that he could instruct you.”

“So remember today and never forget: the Lord is God in heaven and on earth. There is no other God. Obey all his laws that I have given you today, and all will go well with you and your descendants. You will continue to live in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to be yours forever.”

“Never forget the Lord your God or turn to other gods to worship and serve them. If you do, then I warn you today that you will certainly be destroyed. If you do not obey the Lord, then you will be destroyed just like those nations that he is going to destroy as you advance.”

“The Lord your God is supreme over all gods and over all powers. He is great and mighty and he is to be obeyed.”

FACING DISAPPOINTMENT

10/3/2020

Moses didn't want the job which God insisted on him doing, but in the end, Moses agreed to lead the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, and bring them to the Promised Land of Canaan. No wonder God spoke face to face with Moses as he would have needed that assurance of God's help as he faced one disappointment after another.

Although the Israelites had seen the miracles which God had performed in decimating Egypt, still they failed to get the message that God was taking care of them along their journey. Each day God's cloud was in the sky and each night the pillar of fire was there, and yet they still grumbled when the Egyptians were coming after them, and when they wanted food, water and later, meat. I feel so sorry for Moses, having heard the people say that they would agree to God's 10 Commandments, then in a matter of weeks, here they were worshipping a golden calf. Where was the good news in all of this, for Moses?

Maybe when the people saw their destination, things would change for the better, but no, the people were afraid to enter Canaan and would not listen to Joshua and Caleb's version of God's ability to help them conquer the land. Imagine being so close but now having to wander in the desert for 40 years, and through no fault of your own.

It is usually people who do the right thing who are disadvantaged by those who don't, so what do we learn from Moses?

Moses grew up in privilege at Pharaoh's palace, then spent 40 years living rough as a shepherd, possibly being reminded each day that he was now of no use in helping his people in slavery, then at the age of 80, God gave him this mammoth task, a task which he did not want nor receive much thanks from the people he was helping.

But the book of Hebrews tells us that by faith Moses carried out God's instructions, as Moses knew that God had promised his people the land of Canaan - a promise first given to Abraham, but Moses also had a promise of eternity with God. Moses faced disappointment after disappointment while doing the job which God had given him, yet he remained faithful to God's calling.

God does not always call us to a life which may be our choice, but whatever the circumstances, he calls us to have faith in him. Whether that brings joy or disappointment, Jesus' words " I am with you always" will always be there. What more could we want?

LIFE IS LIKE AN ICEBERG

8/31/2020

Life is like an iceberg.

When we meet people, we only see what they want us to see, and much can be hidden from our 'view'. Unfortunately, many people present well and say they are 'okay' but underneath that smile, much can be going on. The statistics of mental health in whatever form, are starting to emerge with extended lock downs due to Covid 19 and while many people are coping well or seeking assistance, many others are like the iceberg - hiding much from friends and family.

I have had the privilege and joy of teaching my two grandchildren Bible stories via Zoom, and I used the iceberg to illustrate these stories - Old Testament stories ( of course). As young children, only so much of the story can be relevant to the age group, but I point out that as they become older, they should take a deeper look at these stories and start asking the 'why and how' questions. There is so much depth and theology to these stories and searching for answers from the bottom of the iceberg helps us understand so much more, the greatness and love of God.

One Bible verse I taught them was 'God created people to be like himself' - rephrasing 'in his image' but explaining this was once again difficult. As my daughter is a doctor, I asked her to simplify the meaning of DNA for the children, so I could now tell them that God gave us some of his DNA so we can be part of his family, in the same way they are part of their own family. This may not pass a theological test but it seemed the easiest way for them to understand why God loves us and cares about us so much.

We may only see what people want us to see about them but of course, true friends start to ask the harder questions when they suspect things may not be as they seem.

In the same way, we need to keep asking the harder questions about God and his character, delving into the bible stories so that our relationship with God is not superficial, but goes much deeper, just like that iceberg.

And just like that part of the iceberg which cannot be seen but which supports the visible part, so a deeper relationship with God helps or supports us in life's journey of ups and downs. Praise God for his faithfulness!

ASTONISHING

7/31/2020

I am absolutely astonished at the number of people in Australia who are refusing to be tested, or remain in quarantine for Covid 19, when the statistics on cases and deaths are all over the news. How can people be so stupid, mindless or plain selfish when all the information is there to support the need for these preventative measures?

However, one only needs to read the exodus of the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt to realise nothing has changed in thousands of years. With all the miracles which God had performed through Moses, then the escape on dry land across the Red ( or Reed) Sea, still the majority of people, including Moses' brother Aaron, chose to worship a golden calf which Aaron had made and to equate their escape to this calf, instead of God. And that was not the beginning nor the end of the people's apostasy. Only those under the age of twenty, excluding Joshua and Caleb would ever enter the promised land of Canaan.

Jesus gave us the story of the Sower, where only some of the seed sown, would mature to become a plant, teaching us that not everyone who heard Jesus' message and experienced his miracles, would remain faithful to Jesus' teaching.

Jesus calls us to be his witnesses wherever we are but does not guarantee spectacular results. Some do see many people believe in Jesus, while others do not have that privilege, but Jesus' message is the same - we need to be faithful to him, and leave the results to him.

Like all the preventative measures the government has put in place to stop the spread of Covid 19, God has given people the opportunity to know him and his love for everyone, but many do not wish to take advantage of his generous offer of love, forgiveness and his faithful care.

Our responsibility is to remain faithful to God, just as our Covid 19 responsibility at the moment is to social distance and respect the rules which are put in place for our benefit.

Why should I be astonished when history is just repeating itself.

'IT MAKES FOR INTERESTING READING'

6/18/2020

I wonder how God is viewing the effects of Covid 19. I would love to know this from his perspective.

It would be like reading Psalm 105. This Psalm talks about the covenant God made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and how God kept his side of the agreement as the people left then re-entered the Promised Land of Canaan but written from God's perspective. What reminded me of Covid 19 was the plagues in Egypt. We read the story from the people's point of view in Exodus, but in this Psalm, God tells what he allowed to happen and why. It makes for interesting reading.

I have previously written about how God has been so faithful to me over the years, guiding my path in life even when I did not know this was happening, - till I realised the implications of what he was doing and all for the best! From my perspective, this all happened to encourage and grow my relationship with God, so that now I can rely on God to help me in situations which I can or cannot control.

This was the same for the Hebrews as God gave them their own land as part of the old covenant or testament - verse 45 "that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws". This was the people's responsibility in this covenant, yet down through the ages, they forgot their part of the agreement, turned away from God and were forced out of their own land. This was the visible sign of a broken agreement, the spiritual or theological aspect being more significant.

Yet despite all this, God made a new agreement or testament in the coming of the Messiah, Jesus, and now the agreement is open to all people.

So, how does God view Covid 19? I don't know, but in a round-a-bout way, it can be a reminder to us, that God is still in control; he loves us just as he loved the Hebrew people in their time of slavery in Egypt, and he wants to continue and grow our relationship with him.

It is up to us how we respond to this - be aware that God has some interesting things to say in Psalm 95.

SAY THAT AGAIN!

5/6/2020

WORSHIP

Now that I have rediscovered the Psalms, I thought this commentary ( Scripture Union Encounter With God notes) worth sharing. It relates to Psalm 98.

"God's creation is indeed to be appreciated but not to be worshipped. God is not in the trees, the wind, the mountains, the seas or the universe. ( Reminds me of Elijah's encounter with God after Mt Carmel). God is the Creator of them all.

"Worship is not merely a state of mind or the singing of songs; neither should worship be a reflexive response before God for what he has done for you. Worship should be an act of will that is intentional, intelligently directed to the living God simply for who he is."

Needless to say, that reminded me of who God is and with the help of Google, I was easily able to find the description of what I was looking for. God is :-

OMNIPOTENT - all powerful

OMNISCIENT - all knowing

OMNIPRESENT - everywhere at all times

OMNIBENEV0LENT - all loving/good

This is the God of the Bible and the One to be worshipped.

CRITICAL THINKING

4/20/2020

A recent documentary on North Korea gave me an interesting insight on the thinking of the people towards the leaders of that country. It was like looking at a sculpture of someone from various angles, as three people interviewed gave quite different descriptions of their attitude to the leadership, but all remained true to their commitment to their leaders. In a private conversation, one young lady spoke very intelligently about her 'philosophy' of the leadership but was very reluctant to hear another point of view, and that started me thinking.

Is my style of thinking any different to hers? I could see the confines of her thinking because of what she had been taught but was my thinking about God and his values also limiting my ability to see other points of view? Do people who don't live by Christian values, have more freedom? Am I missing out on some/many things because they don't fit my values or taste?

I realise a lot of my thinking and evaluating situations is governed by my Christian ethics and that can lead to insecurity in a secular world. I have mentioned many times before about the need for Christians to get out of their comfort zone of Christian activities and be relevant to and feel comfortable in secular society but this does not mean changing Christian values or attitudes. Jesus certainly lived his life amongst ordinary people and related so well to them - he loved them for who they were.

In one respect, my style of thinking is no different to that of the young lady mentioned above, as I have chosen to see things from a Christian perspective. She may not have had the opportunity to question her values, but I certainly have and am very happy to accept the values as presented in the Bible. I have not wanted to stray from these and am now at an age where I can look back at my life and can say that these values have stood the test of time.

Critical thinking is very important, especially Christian teaching where there can be so many 'add-ons' to what the Bible is really saying. By discarding various people's 'add-ons' I have learned new and wonderful truths about God and his unconditional love.

Keep thinking!

HOME ALONE

4/6/2020

'Stay home. Isolate. Keep your distance from people. Don't visit others or have visitors....' These types of instructions from the Government are being brought to our attention every hour of every day if we listen to the media. To survive Covid 19 it really means we should be 'Home Alone'. Not a good long term prospect for many people.

Covid 19 reminds me of one of the less pleasant aspects of Easter - aloneness. If ever someone knew what it was to be alone, it was Jesus in those last 24 hours. His closest friends fell asleep when Jesus needed them most, then deserted him in the garden, although Peter to his credit, followed Jesus to the High Priest's house, yet three times, denied ever knowing Jesus, something of which Jesus was well aware. The atmosphere of bitter hatred at Jesus' 'trial' must have been horrendous let alone the prospect of a cruel physical and 'spiritual' death. Fortunately we know the 'happy ending'.

'No-one Understands Like Jesus' was a popular gospel song in my teenage years and those words have been a great comfort to me at dark times over the years. As well, Jesus has come to me it a very real way in my aloneness and I have found his love overwhelming when I needed it most.

Mental health is a very real issue and comes in all shapes and sizes but in our darkest hour, we can always talk to Jesus as he understands what it means to be and feel alone. We never need to think that no-one knows or cares how we feel because Jesus is always there for each of us.

As each of us celebrate Easter in an entirely different way this year, the message is the same - we are not alone for 'He Is Risen'! Hallelujah!

MY CONUNDRUM

3/27/2020

I am feeling guilty, well sort of. I keep thinking of my favourite Bible verses, the first one being Psalm 23 :1 "The Lord is my Shepherd, I have EVERYTHING I need" and Philippians 4: 6-7 "Don't worry about anything, but in your prayers ask God for what you need, with a thankful heart. And God's peace which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds SAFE in Christ Jesus".

With all the sad news about Covid 19, I feel 'guilty' because I have a freezer full of good food, a large pantry with dry/tin food and a cupboard with ample toilet paper, and with a phone and computer, I can keep in touch with friends and family. So why am I feeling 'guilty'?

When Cyclone Debbie hit this region 3 years ago, the next day the birds came here for food as they were really hungry, whereas we had a generator to run the electricity for fridges, freezers and cooking. The birds made me realise how different life is for those who don't have all those facilities and rely on getting food each day. And this is why I am feeling guilty.

I think about all those people in other countries who rely on paid work for that day, to buy food for themselves and their families and now with no tourists and customers, they have no work. Australia has emergency relief for those out of work or food, but many countries do not have those facilities, so how can I say to a Christian in a disadvantaged situation/country 'Don't worry' when I am well taken care of?

In my last blog, I wrote about my new outlook on the Psalms, after a friend related a visual story told to her, so now I would like to be able to reconcile the many 'don't worry' Bible verses with the very disadvantaged people of this world.

I realise there are many organisations - Christian and secular - which assist in these situations and I can pray and donate and although that will help, it still does not answer my question - can I truly tell these people 'don't worry'?

ARE YOU A VISUAL LEARNER?

2/14/2020

A friend shared with me the other day, an illustration which a counsellor gave her when she was not in a good space. The counsellor told her to visualise a green grassy area in the distance, but getting there required a walk through some mud and rocky areas. To me, a very good illustration of persevering through life's bad patches, but something/Someone was missing.

This immediately made me think of Psalm 23 - ".even thought I walk through the deepest darkness I will not be afraid Lord, for you are with me - your shepherd's rod and staff protect me." What a wonderful promise! We are not alone in those darkest hours.

However, not only did this illustration remind me of Psalm 23, but it gave me insight into the reading of the Psalms, and so I have just checked out some of them again, this time visualising the situation referred to in the Psalm and what a difference that has made to my understanding of the Psalm.

Take Psalm 2 for example. "Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and his anointed....." I immediately see a modern day setting of the political leaders sitting around a huge table, discussing their plans. Now that may be far from the correct setting when the Psalm was written but is sure gives me a greater understanding of the meaning of the Psalm.

Another aspect I have adopted in reading the Psalms is looking at the text from God's point of view. I imagine God looking down at that table of people plotting together and laughing at their stupidity and the futility of their plans. Once again, that is not in the text but for a visual learner like me, it gives me a better insight into the sovereignty of God and that he really is still in control even though it may not always seem that way.

According to Google 65% of people are visual learners ( Google is always correct??????) so if this includes you, try visualising the Psalms and see what wonderful illustrations come to your mind.

REAL ESTATE ADVERTISEMENT FOR HEAVEN

1/24/2020

HEAVEN

I am interested in that land, because I have held a clear title to a bit of property there for ........years. I did not buy it. It was given to me without money and without price. The donor purchased it for me at tremendous sacrifice.

I am not holding it for speculation since the title is not transferable. It is not a vacant lot. For more than half a century I have been sending materials out of which the greatest Architect and Builder of the universe has been building a home for me, which will never need to be remodelled or repaired because it will suit me perfectly and will never grow old.

Termites cannot undermine its foundations for they rest upon the Rock of Ages. Floods cannot wash it away. No locks or bolts will ever be needed for no vicious persons can even enter that land where my dwelling stands, now almost completed and almost ready for me to enter in and abide in peace eternally without fear of being evicted.

Attributed to Dr Harry Rimmer (1890 - 1952)

LIFE CAN BE MESSY

12/3/2019

Some time ago a friend of mine said that when her husband retired the following year, they were going to do this and that, then other things, and I thought at the time, that I would not be so pedantic about planning that far ahead, and that is coming from a person who likes to know ahead of time, what is likely to be happening. I always preface my plans with " I hope to be doing....." because we do not know what the future brings - just as well sometimes! Unfortunately, the husband of this couple, was killed in a car accident a few weeks later.

Christmas is such a wonderful time of the year especially for Christians, yet the trials and tribulations for Mary and Joseph were enormous and are easily overlooked. They were getting ready to be married and setting up house, which is a big enough event in itself, but overnight everything changed. Mary was to be the mother of the Messiah - that was 'wow' in itself - then when all was settled and the baby was due any day, they had to travel to Bethlehem, about 3 days journey.

After Jesus was born, they set up home in Bethlehem, then had to flee to Egypt, leaving in the middle of the night, a journey of nearly 700 klm, then a few years later, God told them it was safe to return home, but now it was Nazareth in Galilee. No air conditioned cars in those days. And that was just the physical challenges.

What about the emotional aspect?

Joseph must have been so disappointed when Mary told him she was pregnant and not surprisingly, God had to tell him in a dream that Mary had not been unfaithful, but was to be the mother of the long promised Messiah. Imagine having a perfectly behaved child when, later, there were other children.

Then there was the disappointment of no suitable accommodation in Bethlehem at the end of a 3 day journey, with a baby due to be born. It can be frustrating enough looking for a motel at the end of a day's drive, but that is nothing compared to how Mary would have felt.

But the amusing part of this story for me, is the visit by the shepherds during the night. I imagine Mary and Joseph just getting settled after a harrowing journey, makeshift accommodation and the birth of a baby, when there is a loud knock at the stable door. Who could that be? The shepherds knew about the baby and wanted to see for themselves - hadn't the angel told them to do this? Who needed a mobile phone when there were angels to announce the birth of the Messiah? How that story must have surprised Mary and Joseph - what else was God up to?

A year or so later, along the narrow lanes of Bethlehem came the Wise Men with their camels. How people must have come out to stare at these magnificently adorned animals and their passengers. Once again Mary must have been amazed at their story of the star and the men's assumption that a special king had been born. The fact that these non Jewish men were overjoyed at meeting this very special king must also have had a profound effect on Mary and Joseph.

But let's look a little behind the story of the Wise Men. At King Herod's palace, despite his charm to the Wise Men, Herod planned to kill this child whom he perceived as a threat to his dynasty; the religious leaders who checked out the prophecy of a Messiah being born in Bethlehem showed no interest in the Messiah, yet it was the foreigners or Gentiles who recognised the significance of this child, even bringing gifts which represented the life which this child Messiah would live.

Christmas is a wonderful time of celebration, but the real meaning of God coming to earth - the incarnation- requires a response:

Reject - King Herod's response

Neglect - the religious leaders' response

Accept - the Wise Men's response.

A LIGHTBULB MOMENT

11/19/2019

I always find it exciting (in my senior years) to resolve a long standing question and yesterday that happened. There was a very good article on Facebook about God's judgement on Canaan ( in particular) and whether it was genocide. The Old Testament stories seem to depict one war after another, with God often telling the Israelites to wipe out all the people when they took over a city, a horrific idea by today's standards. But was it genocide? That has always puzzled me.

I decided to reply to the article which accentuated the wickedness of the Canaanite people and God's judgement on them and as I did, it was like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle suddenly fitting together to show the big picture. This is my reasoning:-

God loves everyone and wants everyone to be saved - that was made quite clear from the beginning of time.

Noah spent 120 years building the ark and this must have caused a sensation during that time, with many people wanting an explanation of what he was doing, yet despite the many warnings Noah must have given the people, no-one believed and wanted to be saved. God gave the people plenty of opportunities to repent of their wickedness, but no-one took up his offer, hence the judgement of the flood.

When God devastated Egypt at the time of Moses, Pharaoh's bloodymindedness was not lost on all of the Egyptian people, for when the Israelites fled Egypt, many Egyptians accompanied them. God had given them ample opportunity to recognise that he was the true God and some believed, while others chose to reject him, despite the display of God's warnings in the form of the 10 plagues.

As the Israelites progressed towards the Promised Land - the land of Canaan- word had gone before them of God's devastation of Egypt and the miracle of the Red Sea crossing on dry land, ( to name but a few miracles) so these people had the opportunity to think about the God of the Israelites and whether they wanted to believe in him. The first city to be conquered was Jericho and the story of Rahab and the spies shows that she at least believed in this God. For seven days, the Israelite army marched around the city before an earthquake destroyed it (just at the appointed time) so once again, God was giving the people an opportunity to change their attitude towards him, but they chose not to believe. This was not genocide.

But why was God's punishment on these people so severe? Taking a closer look at the lifestyle of the Canaanite people, although they had a conscience like everyone else, their moral standards really were shocking, probably the worst being child sacrifice. I cannot believe that no-one in Canaan had explored the beliefs and ethics of the Israelite God yet like the people in the time of Noah, they chose to continue living the way they wanted.

In the time of Abraham, he pleaded with God not to destroy the city of Sodom if even 10 innocent people could be found, but only Lot, his wife and 2 daughters were saved. On the other hand, Jonah gave the the people on Nineveh the opportunity to turn from their wicked ways, and they did, much to his annoyance!

As I took a closer look at the 'massacres' of the Old Testament, I realised that the people whom God judged, really were given an opportunity to turn from their wickedness but many chose not to.

The other fact was and still is, that God's standards are for real, and he does and will judge evil. Even if we do not see it in our lifetime, God will be the ultimate judge. He makes this quite clear all through the Old and New Testaments.

So, was God being unfair or unreasonable when whole cities were wiped out? At long last I can say 'no'.

WISE WORDS FOR TODAY

11/18/2019

With all the recent and current activism in so many countries, and the extremists shouting their views and silencing those who disagree, I nearly burst out laughing when reading 2 Peter 1:5-7
"....you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love." How counter cultural in today's society and yet how necessary as a Christian value in respecting others and showing Christ's love.

Another saying resonated with me "Evangelism by Attraction". It reminded me of the phrase " In preaching the Gospel, sometimes we have to use words."

Did you know that "the tongue is the only blunt instrument which grows sharper with constant use?"

Charles Kettering ( 1876-1958) said "Every father should remember that one day his son will follow his example instead of his advice."

Teresa of Avila ( 1515-1582) " Christ has no body now but yours; no hands no feet on earth but yours; yours are the eyes through which Christ looks with compassion into the world; yours are the feet with which Christ walks to do good; yours are the hands with which Christ blesses the world."

Wisdom truly is timeless.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

10/28/2019

SELF AWARENESS: Luke 12:6 "Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet none of them are forgotten in God's sight".
I think of this each day now as the sparrows come for bird seed which I put out for the doves, but of course the greedy cockatoos make sure they get their fair share.

GRATEFULNESS: John 3:8 "The wind blows where it chooses......so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit".
My desk is close to the balcony door and the cool breeze which is so refreshing is a constant reminder that God is with me, even though I cannot see him.

CONFIDENCE: LAMENTATIONS 3:22-23. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning great is your faithfulness".
Need I say any more except that the hymn 'Great is Your Faithfulness' is one of my favourites.

PRIORITIES: Matthew 6:33 " Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well".
When we first moved to the Whitsundays, we looked at buying a block of land on this estate where we now live, but what we thought was a good block of land, was not available. Fortunately, God had a better block for us, the one where we now live and each day, I thank God for the view, sometimes even saying to God 'have you looked at the view today?' as some days are magnificent - just check my Facebook page for photos!

SERENITY: 1 Peter 5:7 " Cast all your cares on Him for He cares for you".
In 1978 I believed it was the right time for us to move from Sydney to the Whitsundays, yet the lease of the building in which we were to start a Chinese restaurant, did not work out. Once again, God had other ideas, and the building became available for us to purchase the freehold, a much better financial proposition. I am certainly not into prosperity gospel, but this is just one of the examples where God has looked after our financial interests.

These are just a few examples of how I relate to God, or how he relates to me, which ever way you look at it, and it was with these convictions that I could write the last sentence on the first page of 'Bible Stories For Big Kids'....
" At the same time God was preparing his plan of reconciliation, as he still loved the people he had created".

A THOROUGH GRIPE

9/12/2019

If you are feeling particularly negative or even slightly depressed, read no further, for, although I have not written the end of this blog, it may not have a happy ending.

In a recent commentary on Nehemiah, the author referred to 'religious nominalism', meaning, people who believe in God, but never attend church except for maybe Easter and Christmas, thus creating problems for Christian leaders. The emphasis was on the people not being committed to attending church, but I would reverse the argument and say the problem was on the church not being committed to the people.

Let me explain my position ( this is where the gripe comes in!). As a child, I really loved Sunday School and going to church afterwards, but looking back, it really was rather boring compared to today's standards. The bishop rarely prepared a sermon - you could tell when he did for he was a good teacher - and the Sunday School lessons were dull, but God loved me there and then and has kept loving me since. Later, the youth group was really good, with great activities and Bible studies, but there was a lot of conforming to be done. Just don't behave outside the accepted guidelines. When I moved to another part of Sydney, I was quite shocked at the lifestyle of the people on my Beach Mission team - so very liberal to what I had known, but they were great Christians. I had a lot of learning to do.

When we moved to the Whitsundays 40 years ago, our region was thinly populated, so all the Christian churches worked together. I ran the Lutheran Sunday School, played the organ at the Uniting Church and later Lutheran service, then the Anglican service and helped out at the Baptist church when needed. I even gave a children's talk at the Catholic Christmas service. However, over time things changed and as more churches became Pentecostal, they withdrew into their own groups. As ministers became younger, so they became more arrogant - no idea why - and the congregations, more conservative and withdrawn as well. Unfortunately, as for new ideas....... One denomination did a lot of very good fundraising, so I suggested this be used as outreach as the community loved those functions. How about a short prayer by the minister or a one sentence invitation to learn more about Christianity - I heard that done in the most loving and inviting way at St Paul's Cathedral London- but no! not appropriate for a function like this. And so went the way of new ideas.

I started 'Carols By Candlelight' soon after coming here, and it was later taken over and expanded by the churches, but now it is organised by Rotary and is a secular event. The church in the Whitsundays is now invisible to the community. Last Christmas, the combined churches had an ecumenical Christmas service, but did not invite the community - so much for outreach and mission. The last church meeting I attended, ( a number of years ago) I commented that I was concerned that the government was taking over so many roles which the church had traditionally undertaken, so should we not make a renewed commitment to ministry in our community? Shock horror. Again, so much for new ideas.

I could recount many more negative examples and not just about churches from this area, but even I am becoming melancholy dredging up things best forgotten. What I am observing in the churches in which I have been 'involved' is that they become Christian clubs where new members should conform to the attitudes of the group, and please don't dare suggest anything new. Now, for a committed Christian, God is always teaching us new ways of relating to him and to others, so why would the church not do the same? I could make some suggestions but they would not be pretty.

Churches, like all organisations/businesses, must relate to the people to whom they are trying to reach and that takes a lot of energy and can even make some people feel quite uncomfortable. Just look at how Jesus interacted with the religious leaders of his day. But if the church is to grow, it must fulfill Jesus' commission to 'go.....' even if that world is not a comfortable place to be.

But the most depressing thought of all, I now realise, is, if I did find the perfect church, I would be the first to contaminate it, for I am a sinner, just like all the other people who go to church.

But wouldn't it be great to be wanted for what I can contribute, and not be limited to what I am told to contribute. At least I have many happy and satisfying memories!!!!! Praise God for that!

A SIGN OF THE TIMES

9/3/2019

I am appalled at what is happening in Britain at this very time, as regards Brexit. The majority of British people voted to leave the European Union but those who do not want this to happen have tried every which way to stop this happening. And with Boris Johnson's latest move, those opposed to the exit are now accusing him of being undemocratic, yet these same people are denying the majority of their democratic right to exit the EU. So what's new!

Check out Nehemiah when he visited the returning exiled Jews in Jerusalem. After three days in Jerusalem, ( he had been travelling 1450 klm over 14 weeks) Nehemiah decided to check out the walls of the city for himself but at night, telling no-one of his plans till he had seen the devastation for himself. He told the people of God's hand in the planning of this visit, and how God wanted the people to rebuild the walls of the city. The people's response? "Let us start building"!

No sooner had they started than Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem commenced their opposition to the project, for if the building of the walls succeeded, their positions of authority would be reduced. They did not want the walls to be built and they tried every which way to stop the project. Sound familiar? Because Nehemiah's relationship with God was so cemented in prayer, Nehemiah was able to respond to the opposition and criticism from these officials with confidence, stating,"The God of heaven is the one who will give us success..." They did succeed but it wasn't easy, working with a sword in one hand and tools in the other.

As I read the story of Nehemiah yet again, I am reminded of his total dependence on God, a result of his time spent in God's presence. His confident and common sense approach to this daunting task is so refreshing after all the political correctness of today's society and the effort to offend no-one, resulting in many words but little action. Nehemiah knew that God wanted the walls to be rebuilt and nothing was going to stop that happening.

" The joy of the Lord is your strength" and " You are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love" (from Nehemiah chapters 8 and 9) are just two of the wonderful verses found in this book which is such a great reflection of Nehemiah's deep and trusting relationship with God.

This was how Nehemiah succeeded in the face of fierce opposition.

FREEDOM!!!!!!!

7/27/2019

The story of Martin Luther, that great initiator of the Reformation, makes for interesting and refreshing reading. Although the book I am reading by Thomas Lindsay was first published in 1900, the style of writing is easy to understand ( even for me who now has a problem understanding the Kings James version of the Bible, even after having been brought up with it) but the topic which has had the most impact on me is Luther's simple explanation of the Gospel, or the theology of Christianity.

Martin Luther rebelled against the corruption of the then Roman Catholic Church after having read the scriptures for himself. Having discovered the good news of forgiveness through the Cross, instead of trying to find forgiveness through the rules and regulation of the Catholic teachings, he then set about writing his sermons and thoughts so the people of Germany, his home country, could understand this for themselves.

In contrast to the superiority of the priests and the Pope, Luther defines himself " A Christian is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a Christian is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to everyone, or as St Paul puts it 'Though I be free from all, yet have I made myself servant of all".

I particularly liked one of the small booklets he wrote, where he included the contrasting lives of Christ and the then Pope. "The contrasts were: Christ washing the disciples' feet and the Pope holding out his toe to be kissed; Christ bending under His cross and the Pope carried in state on men's shoulders; Christ driving out the money-changers out of the temple and the Pope and his servants turning a church into an Indulgence mart, and sitting, surrounded with piles of money and strong boxes; and so on. 'It was a good book for the laity' Luther said."

I am finding Luther's teachings so refreshing bearing in mind that his life was in constant danger. He wrote for the ordinary person and peasant so they could understand for themselves the wonderful news and the freedom of the Gospel - I am not sure I would really appreciate his theological discourses as much!

This all happened over 500 years ago, yet in last week's national newspaper ( The Australian) there was an article about a contemporary issue, and the article contained a paragraph "This repugnant statement summed up what is the first and last commandment of the ideology of political correctness: 'We love and accept everyone. Except any we disagree with. We hate those people and we will destroy them".

That was just the thinking of the Roman Catholic Church towards Martin Luther and indeed many of the Christians of his time - destroy those with whom you disagree, instead of opening your mind and analysing what they have to say to see if maybe they might be correct.

Much has been said lately about the perils of political correctness in our universities and work places, and indeed a number of prominent Christians have been brought before the authorities for quoting/teaching certain 'touchy' subjects from the Bible. The religious authorities of Luther's time did not like was he was saying, but he maintained his stance against them and look what eventuated - the Reformation and freedom of Christians from the ( usually corrupt) rules and regulations of the then Church authorities.

When Josiah of Old Testament times became King, he read the writings of the Law then set about to implement them. "He did not turn aside to the right or to the left", and this would have not been easy as the people of Judah had not bothered about God for some time.

When the teachings of the Bible are neglected, especially in Christian circles, it is so easy for rules and regulations to replace the freedom of the Christian and the work of the Holy Spirit in a person's life. The life of Martin Luther is such a glaring example of this. The scriptures were available to only the most educated so gradually the Christian life became corrupted with rules and regulations. Martin Luther preached freedom through the Cross of Christ, the true Gospel message, and suddenly all those rules and regulations became redundent.

As King Josiah refused to turn aside from what the Law said for his time, so it is important for Christians to keep learning from the Bible - the freedom we have in Christ.

Rules, as well intentioned as they may be, will never replace the freedom we have in Christ.

FOR WHAT PURPOSE?

6/14/2019

King Hezekiah was in a pickle. How to respond to Sennacherib, that mighty warrior from Assyria? Sennacherib had conquered many of the small fortified cities of Judah and now surrounded Jerusalem. The might of the Assyrians was well known, and now Sennacherib set about to woo King Hezekiah and the people of Judah.

"Why bother taking any notice of King Hezekiah? You know he won't be able to deliver you from the might of Assyria. Make peace with Assyria and come and live in prosperity, in a land which is just waiting for you. You really don't know what you are missing out on by remaining here". At a time of such uncertainty, one could not be blamed for considering the options and taking the easy way out, but King Hezekiah held his nerve. And the basis for this? "So now O Lord our God, save us, I pray you, from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone"
( 2 Kings 19:19).

From the time of Abraham, this was God's purpose for what would become the Hebrew nation, the people whom God had chosen. Their mission was to worship him and only him, and God's part of this agreement was to bless them so that other nations would see that the Hebrew God was the true God.

The New Testament version of this is not so very different in that Jesus told his disciples to 'go and make disciples of all nations'. Christianity is not a self indulgent religion, but one to be shared with the whole world and in today's world, that can be just a difficult for many people as it was for King Hezekiah.

But with Jesus command to 'go', he provided that wonderful promise " and remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age". ( Matthew 28:20)