I Heard The Bells

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to god in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:13- 14

One of America’s best known poets, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) contributed to the wealth of carols sung each Christmas.  One such carol is “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”.

This carol was originally a poem based on Luke 2:14 which written during the American Civil War. When it was originally written it contained seven stanzas, containing reference to that conflict.

Christmas Bells

 

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet

The words repeat

Of peace on earth, good will to men!

 

And thought how, as the day had come

The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along

The unbroken song

Of Peace on earth good-will to men!

 

Then from each black accursed mouth

The cannon thundered in the South

And with the sound

The carols drowned

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

 

 

It was as if an earthquake rent

The hearth-stones of a continent

And made forlorn

The households born

Of peace on earth, good – will to men!

 

And in despair I bowed my head;

“There is no peace on earth,” I said;

For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of Peace on earth, good-will to men!:

 

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep

“God is not dead, nor does he sleep!

The wrong shall fail,

The right prevail,

With peace on earth, good – will to men!”

 

When Longfellow composed the words of the poem in 1862, he was not enjoying much peace in his own life and the nation that he loved was torn apart by war. The year prior, in April, 1861, the Civil war broke out. In July of that year, he lost his wife through a fire in his home.  A year later, he received word that his oldest son Charles, a lieutenant in the Army, had been severely wounded with a bullet passing under his shoulder blade, taking off one of the spinal processes. His son was crippled severely for life.

A couple of years ago Casting Crowns, one of my favourite musical groups, made this song very popular in their Christmas Album, “Peace On Earth”. When I first heard it, it immediately caught my attention and I listened to it over and over again.  As history reveals, this song was written during a period of great instability and despair, both in the author’s personal life and in the life of his beloved country.

On December 25, 1862, Longfellow wrote this in his journal:

Perhaps someday God will give me peace. A “Merry Christmas”, say the children, but that is not for me. Why are thou cast down, O my soul? And why are thou disquieted in me? Hope in God: for I shall yet praise Him for the help of his countenance.

And when he received the word of his son that April he wrote:

Mine eye is consumed because of grief, it waxeth old because of all mine enemies. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble, mine eye is consumed.

Bells were a large part of the Christmas season in days past.  All the churches throughout the land would ring their bells marking the arrival of Christmas. Children would have bells to make noise during the Christmas Season. Bells were inexpensive musical instruments that people would take with them caroling and almost every family had one or more. Bells also provided a bright and cheery sound and were acceptable to parents as proper tools to celebrate and make noise at Christmas.

So bells were symbolic of joy and celebration.

This author heard the Christmas Bells all around him, proclaiming the joy of Christmas, the day we have marked to celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus.

I don’t know about you but I am struck by the irony of this song. But I can fully understand it because the verse of scripture we just read in Luke 2:14 has not been completely fulfilled.

Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men.

Notice what it says - “On earth peace, good will toward men.”

Let me ask the following questions:

Has there been peace on earth since Jesus was born, and is there peace on earth now?

Absolutely not! Even Jesus said there would be wars and rumors of wars.

Is there good will towards men?

Absolutely yes! The goodwill that was offered towards men was the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, born a baby in a manger.

Then why is there no peace?

It’s simple! The good will was offered in the person of Jesus Christ, but the peace only comes when the Prince of Peace is accepted as the Lord and master of a person’s life.

Here’s the last stanza:

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep!

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good will-to men!”

 

Despite what Longfellow went through: a war raging is his country, his wife burnt to death in a house fire and his son severely crippled in the war, the last 5 lines sum up the hope  deep within his heart.

I don’t know what you are going through this Christmas Season.

Like this man you could be facing an inner war or struggle. You could be facing family problems, loss of a loved one or financial problems.

Maybe your war is not as intense as the war that was raging on the inside of Longfellow, but a war just the same.

As we look out over the horizon of this world, and especially the Middle East, there is a real possibility that we could face a global conflict or something close to it in 2013. Just a few days ago we witnessed a terrible event that shook a nation and shocked the whole world. Many families in Newtown , Conn are enduring grief and pain beyond their capacity to endure and only God can sustain and keep their darkest hour.

The question we have to ask ourselves is this: with all that is happening around us, or in our own personal life, can we join with Longfellow in the chorus  of this song with conviction, courage and confidence.

God is not dead, nor does he sleep

The wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men.

Why could this man write this? The answer is clear. He had already accepted the Prince of Peace into his heart.  When the good will was in short supply because of the war and his own personal circumstances, he still had confidence that wrong and injustice would fail and the right would prevail

The word of God says that “the just shall live by Faith.”

It doesn’t say we live by sight. It doesn’t say we live by feelings or emotions when circumstances are good or health is good and there’s money in the bank. It says “by faith”.

I’d like to quote Rod Parsley (pastor of World Harvest Church in Columbus, Ohio)- “Faith is not some mystical substance that is whirled around in cauldrons in the realm of the spirit and dumped out by angels. Faith is just good old- fashioned, hard working knowledge.”

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1 John5:4

 

Written By: Ed Andrews (brother)

 

Awed At Jesus' Birth!

Written by: Pastor Ed Andrews (my brother)

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you. Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob, forever; his kingdom will never end. Luke 1:26-33

When most people think of the greatest sacrifice ever made for mankind, they think of the cross and everything it entails. They think of Good Friday and Easter, they think of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Throughout the month of December, Christians and non- Christians all around the world are celebrating a Holiday Season that has been labeled "Christmas". They are attending churches, saying prayers, singing carols and exchanging gifts. This will be done in remembrance of the birth of Jesus.

Most people don’t think of Christmas as a time of sacrifice, they think of it as a time of celebration, gift giving, and family. I don’t want to burst your "Christmas Bubble", but the birth of Jesus Christ was an extraordinary sacrifice.

Most clergy will be reading from the familiar passages in the gospel of Luke that describe the circumstances of the virgin birth - an event like no other in the history of the world.

Many books have been written and movies made to depict this wonderful event in the history of mankind. Most of those books and movies have focused, understandably, on the obedience and sacrifices of Mary and Joseph in bringing baby Jesus into the world.

But have you ever thought about what that experience was like for Jesus?

We all know how Jesus sacrificed Himself for us at the end of His earthly life, when He died on the cross. It was then that He endured and suffered excruciating tortures, humiliation and rejection.

But for a moment let’s focus on the sacrifice of Heaven.

Jesus was the Co-creator of the universe. He was omnipotent (all-powerful). He was omnipresent (everywhere present). He was omniscient (all-knowing).

The Bible says He was seated at the right hand of God and had almighty power. He lived in the Glory, Majesty and Splendor of Heaven.

Mighty angels were His servants. Heaven was a perfect place and not tainted by sin. There he was surrounded by angels worshipping day and night saying "Holy, Holy Holy".

John 1:6 says In the beginning was the Word, (Jesus) and the Word (Jesus) was with God and the Word (Jesus) was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness but the darkness has not understood it. (parenthesis mine)

But on that first Christmas, He laid it all aside and humbled Himself to live in the womb of a young Jewish girl named Mary and submitted Himself to the protection of an obscure Jewish carpenter named Joseph. He literally stepped down from heaven into a fallen world of danger and deception.

This is difficult to understand but He had to disengage Himself from His own divine consciousness to become a helpless embryo. He had to be born under trying circumstances following a rough 70-mile walk by his parents from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

He gave up all the unimaginable riches and untold wisdom of the universe to be born in a barn and laid in an animal trough. But most of all, try to imagine what it was like sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven, contemplating this idea of becoming utterly helpless and, for at least a period of time, without even the intelligence of an adult.

Like any other child, Jesus was born not knowing how to walk or talk. How many of us would be willing to trade our own lives and consciousness, even as adult mortal beings, to re-enter the world that way again?

That’s what Christmas represents to me.

This is what the Bible calls the Condescension.

The Word Become Flesh and Dwelt Among Us.

Now the question is: How do we as humans respond to this reality? Obliviously we have to make a decision. We either accept this sacrifice or we reject it. There is no middle ground.

The word of God says, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever would believe on him would not perish but have everlasting life For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is

Mary, A Woman Of Noble Character

Everyone loves to see the Nativity set. Each year, like many people, you may pull yours out of storage, dust it off and set it somewhere in your home. The decorative Nativity Scene has become one of the staples of Christmas. No scene would be complete without the three figures at the center. Obviously, Jesus Christ is front and center, in a manger. But two other indispensable figures are those of Mary and Joseph. As we look at a Nativity scene, it’s hard to ignore that the Christmas story is wrapped around people – around real life men and women we think we know, but who have never taken on much of a life of their own.


How well do we really know Joseph and Mary? Our aim today is to get to know Mary and Joseph more personally so that we can see Christmas from their point of view.

When Mary was born, the golden age of Israel’s proud history was past. No king of David’s family had ruled in Jerusalem for over 500 years. But the Jews were still waiting for the Messiah, the ruler promised throughout the pages of the Scriptures, promised through the prophets. The one from David’s family who would sit on David’s throne and rule forever.

The evidence about Mary points to a humble, godly Jewish upbringing. Mary’s father, apparently, was a descendant of the great King David through David’s son, Nathan.

Matthew 1: 18-25

 “This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph...”

I got to thinking to thinking about her and asked myself a few questions: What sort of woman was she? I got thinking about her personality, her mannerisms, her social life, her spiritual life. She must have been a pretty amazing woman to be chosen the Mother of Jesus. Then the Holy Spirit directed my attention to Proverbs 31:10-31 which describes “The Wife of Noble Character.” It occurred to me that Mary, the mother of Jesus, had to be a woman of noble character.

Here’s a paraphrased reading of Proverbs 31:10-31

Mary: a woman of noble character; her worth far more than rubies. Her fiancée had full confidence in her because she lacked nothing of value. She brought him good and not harm, diligent, working with eager hands, providing, creative in her imagination, intelligent, organized, business minded in her dealings and sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks, wise and alert, skillful in her trade, generous to the poor and extends her hand to the needy, exquisite, a person who is affectedly concerned with things delicate - fine – dainty. She is clothed with strength and dignity. She can laugh with a good sense of humor, she speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tonque and never guilty of wasting time with idleness. Many women do noble things but Mary surpassed them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Mary’s Reward is Jesus.

Verse 18 

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1: 26-28

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man name Joseph, a descended of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greeting, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

The word “favor” is meant to be descriptive of her character. Her character is revealed in the salutation of the angel and if I were to paraphrase this verse it would go something like this:

“Grace unto you, you are filled with grace/righteousness; and the Lord is with you.”

Mary was from the town of Nazareth. First century Nazareth was famous for only one thing – its sin. It was located just four miles from the Roman garrison at Sepphoris. When the men in the army got a few days leave and some bonus pay, they went to Nazareth where they could find cheap wine and a red-light district where women would be waiting for them.

Galilee had been overrun with Romans in which pagan temples were raised; and in which the games of the pagan peoples were demoralizing its people. In that environment we have a portrait of Mary. Living in Nazareth, with the dark and sinister background of its conditions, in the midst of impurity and iniquity; Mary is unaffected by it all, she is filled with grace/ righteousness, the Lord was with her. The pagan norms of her day did not swallow her up; she remained separated from it. There’s always that danger that of getting swept away by the world’s norms; its culture; its liberal morals; getting swept into the current of peer pressure.

Purity of heart is rare commodity these days.

Proverb 20:9, “Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from sin?

Proverb 30:12, “There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.”  Matthew 5:8 says, Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God”

This first epistle of Thessalonians was written to the people of antiquity and yet it describes our modern times! 4:3 says, It’s God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God...For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

We tend to think it was different for the people of antiquity. Really, I don’t think so. The whole pagan world had descended up the Holy Land. Pagan Rome had no regard for things holy and pure. The Holy Land was polluted with its filthy idolatry and sexual immorality.

This was Joseph and Mary world and yet, they were not suck into the vortex of it all. They remained a righteous couple through it all.

 There’s not much of a difference between then and now. Israel contended with the import of the pagan Greek and Roman culture. Now, in our modern times, Christians contend with multicultural diversity of our times. The pagan Roman influence has left its mark. The vain philosophy of the Greeks remains prevalent in the academic world. Atheistic humanism, secularism and a good dose of liberalism mixed with a variety of false religions. When you package it with political correctness what you have is “multiculturalism. This is touted by academic elites and the media that this is our “Canadian Values.” Canadian values are diametrically opposed to Kingdom values. With that said, Christians are commanded to “keep their garments unspotted from the world”.

In John 17 Jesus, prayed for His disciples, “I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name...they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not it. Sanctify them by the truth, your word is truth...”

Mary Kept herself pure!

In Jewish law betrothal (engagement) was a binding legal contract between a couple which conferred the status of marriage: the marriage proper took place when the bridegroom took the bride to his home and consummated the union. During the period of betrothal the fiancé was legally called husband (verse 19) and the bond could be cancelled only by formal repudiation or divorce.

The scripture says “before they came together...and before the consummation of the marriage, Mary was found to with child of the Holy Spirit.

It’s loudly implied by this statement that Joseph and Mary kept themselves pure...they didn’t live a common law relationship. It is said of Joseph that he was a” righteous man.”

He did not have sexual relations with Mary...the consummation of their relationship was yet to take place. The Apostle Paul wrote to the gentile church in regards to inappropriate sexual behavior: 1 Corinthians 7:36, “if anyone thinks he is acting improperly towards the virgin he is engaged to, and if she is getting along in years and he feels he ought to marry...they should get married.”

But this is not the case with Joseph. It is said of him in Matthew 1:19 “Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. If there had been any hanky-panky going on between Mary and Joseph he would not have wanted to dissolve his relationship with her. Without further due there is no doubt their relationship was completely puritanical. This is the sort of vessel God works through.

The whole story involving these two people is a story of chastity; Keeping Ones heart pure before God. Doing what is right and pleasing in the sight of God. 1 Peter says, “As obedient children, do not conform to evil desires...But just as he who is holy called you, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “be holy, because I am holy”

Mary, with no doubt, was a fruitful branch of the vine of Israel. She gave birth to the true Vine, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Now that’s what you call fruit baring. The question is, are you?

The Fig Tree

Matthew 21

Jesus came upon a fig tree that produced beautiful leaves. At a distance the fig tree looked appealing but upon a closer examination its foliage proved deceiving; it was fruitless. Of course Jesus was addressing the issue of fruitless religious pity of His time.

It was not the season for figs; but the fig tree has this peculiarity, that the fruit comes before the leaves; if leaves are fully developed, you naturally look for fig fit to be eaten. This tree had put forth leaves out of season, when other figs trees were bare, and had not produced their early figs. It, so to speak, overleaped the needful first stage of putting forth green figs. 

In this it sadly resembles many Christians today, who are destitute of repentance, faith, and holiness; who have rushed forward into Christian service or ministry before bearing fruit?  Jesus quoted Isaiah 29:13 when he referred to their spiritual condition, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teaching are but rules taught by men.” (Matthew 15:8 & 9)

The moral of this story is that in the presence of a powerful and living faith; barren and fruitless systems of religion will wither away and the mountains that obstruct a great spiritual awakening shall be removed and cast into the sea. If we have faith and doubt not, we shall know the truth of this promise: it shall be done. (Charles H. Spurgeon, The King Has Come)

Today we are going to look at another similar tree metaphor. The difference is that one tree is fruitless and the other is fruit bearing. Jesus’ reference to the fruit trees underscores a deep spiritual concern. One is a concern of “fruitlessness” and the later is a concern for “fruitfulness”.

Luke 6: 43-45

A Tree and Its Fruit

⁴³ “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. ⁴⁴ Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers. ⁴⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

In this case the tree does bear fruit and it’s an overflow but sad to say it’s bad fruit. Fruit bearing isn’t enough; it must be good fruit. The test of goodness is fruit, and the purpose of goodness is fruit.

Only he who himself is reformed is able to reform others. It is impossible for one who himself is still bad to attempt to improve others. First his own life should be reshaped to real righteousness and holiness.

Jesus gave His disciples a solemn warning, why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

He is speaking to everyone who hears his voice. To us he declares the condition of relationship with Himself. “Every one that comes to me and hears my words must live by them.”

There was plenty of religious outward pomp and glory in Jesus day but speech and action gave it all away.

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him unclean, (Kosher: clean and unclean foods) but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him unclean... ¹²

Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”

¹³ He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. ¹⁴ Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

¹⁵ Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”

¹⁶ “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. ¹⁷ “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? ¹⁸ But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. ¹⁹ For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. ²⁰ These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”

 But wait a minute isn’t this encouraging believers to have a judgmental spirit and doesn’t this contradict what Jesus taught in a previous teaching when he said, “Do not judge, or you will be judged. For in the same way you judge others you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1 & 2)

The passages of scripture we are dealing with have nothing to do with judgement or judgemental attitude; it has everything to do with knowing. It’s about knowing what good and acceptable Christian behaviour is. The Bible is clear about this. But many have broadened the scope of making what the Bible considers to be “unacceptable behavior” acceptable behavior and its happening at rate that Christians overflow with bad fruit. Many Christians have lost their moral compass and is morally adrift.

Adultery and fornication is at an all-time high among Christians. The rate of divorce and remarriage in the church is the same as it is among unbelievers.

A recent poll revealed an alarming trend: Fifty percent of Christian men and twenty percent of Christian women report being “addicted” to pornography.

What are we to make of these staggering numbers?

Christiannet.com reported that people who struggle with the repeated pursuit of sexual gratification include church members, deacons, staff, and yes, even clergy. And, to the surprise of many, a large number of women in the church have become victim to this widespread problem. Recently, the world's most visited Christian website, ChristiaNet.com, conducted a survey asking site visitors eleven questions about their personal sexual conduct.

Amazingly, there were one thousand responses to the poll conducted by ChristiaNet.com. ChristiaNet.com partnered with Second Glance Ministries in evaluating the poll responses and it seems the Christian community is struggling with many of the same "temptations" that the secular society is faced with.

"The poll results indicate that 50% of all Christian men and 20% of all Christian women are addicted to pornography," said Clay Jones, founder and President of Second Glance Ministries whose ministry objectives include providing people with information which will enable them to fully understand the impact of today's societal issues. 60% of the women who answered the survey admitted to having significant struggles with lust; 40% admitted to being involved in sexual sin in the past year; and 20% of the church-going female participants struggle with looking at pornography on an ongoing basis.

"There have been dynamic paradigm shifts in the behavior of Christians over the last four years," explained Jones. "Technology [the Internet] has allowed pornography to flood the market place beyond a controllable level. (http://www.christianet.com)

Galatians 5:16-21  (NIV)

¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. ¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

A Little Wine for the Soul?

The Bible says drunkenness is a sin (Galatians 5:21). But is occasional social drinking OK for Christians? By J. Lawrence Burkholde

 The Bible clearly says drunkenness is sin. But is occasional social drinking OK for Christians?

It is fair to say that both total abstinence and moderate use were acceptable to Jesus. Following the parable of the children at play (Matthew 11:16-19, NRS ), Jesus added these words: "For John [the Baptist] came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon'; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' "

Clearly, Jesus intended the parable to show what he thought of debates about eating and drinking. They were petty and distracting. They drew attention from the real issues facing the nation.

The apostle Paul warns repeatedly against drunkenness. A candidate for the office of deacon must not be addicted to much wine. (1 Timothy 3:8)

 He admonished members of the church at Corinth not to keep fellowship with a member who is a drunkard (1 Corinthians 5:11). But Paul was prepared to accept as brothers and sisters those who drink and those who do not drink. He also spoke favorably of using wine for medicinal purposes (1 Timothy 5:23).

For one thing, a significant difference between alcoholic drinks of the first century and of today has come with the advent of distilled liquors. In New Testament times the main alcoholic substance was wine (sometimes watered as a substitute for plain drinking water). Today, alcoholic drinks can be much more potent. Very often, such substances are not drunk as a beverage for the sake of taste and refreshment but as a highly concentrated drug taken for "the effect."

Alcohol consumption in North America clearly has reached disastrous proportions. Millions of Americans use alcohol as a drug. It is used by many not to "gladden the heart" (Psalm 104), but to escape reality.

Alcohol is the depressant of choice for millions who find it difficult to cope with life. Increasingly, youth use alcohol as an alternative to illicit drugs. Yet its total effect is possibly more disastrous than that of hard drugs.

Our society has failed to institutionalize drinking in a way that would place it within a healthful setting and define its limits. Many who drink at bars, parties, and even in the home are separated from the positive elements of life. Alcohol has become both a symbol of tragic loneliness and a factor contributing to it.

One's attitudes toward alcohol are seldom objective, even if one tries to be tolerant. One can be sure that a refined, cultured, gentleman from Burgundy is not likely to be an abstainer. And a wife of an alcoholic is not likely to be convinced that any policy of moderation is wise. Christians who do not commit to a principle of total abstinence should follow a guideline that would represent both discernment and Christian freedom by allowing limited use, now and then, within the context of family, friendship, religious celebration, and diplomatic protocol.

These limits need not imply the strictness of an absolute principle. Still, they should be taken seriously. Such a policy offers the practical advantages of sobriety, the personal advantages of responsible maturity, and the theological advantages of biblical wisdom.

J. Lawrence Burkholder is president emeritus of Goshen College in Indiana.

Luke 6:46-49

Build your house on the rock
Jesus said, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words...” Hearing the Jesus’ words isn’t everything; an appropriate response is of paramount importance. A profession of faith is meaningless unless our lives are governed by kingdom values and principles.

An authentic Christian is one who does not ignore the doctrines and teachings of Christ. Pleading ignorance is totally unacceptable. It’s plain; you can’t do it your way. It’s His way not your own.  You can’t build a strong house without the foundation of repentance, faith and holiness.

The Land Of Beginning Again

Now that you have come to this blog page let me introduce myself.  I’m Lorne and my native home is Baie Verte located on the northeast of the island of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. I was raised by Christian parents who took me to church every Sunday. When I reached the age of sixteen I made a personal commitment to live for Jesus and serve Him the rest of my life.  I married Sharon from my native home and together we raised three boys and a girl. I’ve been a pastor for more than thirty years and currently the pastor of a church in Renfrew, Ontario.

Considering that I’ll been a follower of Jesus all of my life I think it’s safe to say that I’m a reliable and credible witness. I can say with the Apostle Paul “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)

My purpose and calling in life is simply to introduce others to Jesus. You’re probably thinking, “Who is Jesus and why should I follow Him?” That’s a very good question. Let me answer the first part of your question as to “who is Jesus?”

If you do not own a Bible I urge you to go to a library to borrow one or you can simply buy one online or pick one up at a book store. It’s important to get yourself a Bible. Why? Well, the Bible is all about the person and life of Jesus. The reason I’m encouraging you to make a special effort is because the more you know Jesus the more you’ll appreciate who He is.  I am confident that the moment you meet Him and hear His voice will be the moment you’ll follow Him just as I did many years ago.  It’s that simply! Jesus is that amazing!

In the Bible, the gospel of John chapter one and verse twenty nine says “The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

This verse is the answer to the question, “Who is Jesus?” He is the person who takes away sin. He took away my sin and He will take away your sin. What is sin? Sin is basically wrong. He will take away all the wrong you have done. We all have done wrong and we all have been wronged.

Have you lied? Have you stolen anything? Have you cheated? Have you offended someone? Have you gotten angry at someone and insulted that person with hurtful words? Have you committed adultery or some other unspeakable immoral act? All of these things are sin and the good news is Jesus the Lamb of God came into to the world to take them all away.

Sins are heavy burdens that people carry around day in and day out. Sin is the root cause of strife, depression, unhappiness, sickness, discontentment, sorrow, etc. The list of symptoms is endless but life itself isn’t hopeless; Jesus is present to take the sin from your life and give you a fresh start as though you have never done wrong. He will purge everything the moment you hear His voice and respond to His call to follow Him as your Lord and Saviour.

Louisa Tarkington wrote, “I wish that there were some wonderful place called the Land of Beginning Again, where all our mistakes and all our heartaches and all of our poor, selfish grief could be dropped, like a shabby old coat, at the door, and never put on again.” Maybe Louisa had a very bad day when she penned those famous words but the truth Jesus is that “Land of Beginning Again.”

The Bible says in the book of John, chapter one and verse thirty five that John saw Jesus the next day and he exuberantly said, “Look, the Lamb of God,” immediately, others started following Him. Why did they follow Him? They followed because they recognised Him as messiah, the saviour, the One promised to come who would take away the sin of the world.

Perhaps, you have come to this blog page needing a new start in life. Perhaps, you’re tired of your old way of life; you’re tired from dragging the load of sin around everywhere you go. The truth is, Jesus will and can change all that for you. In the Bible it says that Jesus changed water into wine and if He can do that He can also change your life and turn things around.  

Has the wine you’ve been drinking run out and you need a new source? Jesus is the new source. He will give you new wine which is superior to anything you have experienced. He will take away your sin and fill your life with His new wine. His wine brings real joy, peace and happiness into your heart. (John 2:1-11)

There’s a story in the John chapter four which talks about a woman from Samaria. Jesus sat next to her at a well and told her about a new source of water but not a source from an old cistern. This was Jesus words: “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asked you for a drink, you would have asked him for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

Old cisterns represent sinful lifestyles. The places people go and the things they do in search for enjoyment, contentment, and satisfaction in life. The sinful pleasures of this world last only for a season then they leave us empty and dry. The book of Ephesians chapter 4 and verses twenty-two through to twenty four says “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, to be made new in the attitude of your minds, and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

The new source of water is really an invigorating source that comes when we receive Holy Spirit into our lives. The new water source is no one other then Holy Spirit. When Jesus takes the sin out of our jars of clay (that is our lives) He then pours into those same jars new wine. To put it another way, it can be said that He opens up a new water source for our dry and thirsty souls. Of course, this is metaphorical language. Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:38) When we receive rivers of living water we receive rivers of supernatural joy, peace and happiness. It comes as a result of Holy Spirit living in our lives.

You’ve now received the call to follow Jesus and be a disciple. Will you follow? Will you be His disciple? Will you pray a prayer of acceptance receiving Jesus into your heart? He will take away you sin and give you living water which is the Holy Spirit. It’s a promise of a new and fresh start! It’s a new and exciting way of life. Now that you have accepted the call to follow Jesus write a note indicating your decision. Our ministry is available to support you in every way as you start your new journey following in the footsteps of Jesus. Bless you!