A blog featuring whatever I fancy, often on the Christian faith but not exclusively
Midweek meeting, September 7, 2016
Bit behind with this sorry. One or two missing but great that ten of us were able to gather on Wednesday and pray and here the Word preached from 2 Timothy 4:1, 2 - yes, now into the last chapter at last. I made some pretty simple points from the text, stuff we know but need to be reminded of. Everyone prayed including one of the new students at the London Seminary. It's one of my sons's last meetings before heading off to college afresh. Looking forward to the new term.
10 Animal dangers
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| Ruud Loeffen, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons |
Just one more list from George Orwell. He also reminisces on how dangerous various animals were. He again gives about six which we have supplemented.
1. Horses (and dogs) bite (and kick)
2. Bats get in your hair
3. Earwigs get in your ears (another myth I understand)
4. Swans break your legs or arms (highly unlikely)
5. Bulls toss you
6. Snakes poison you
7. Wasps and bees and spiders sting
8. Cats scratch
9. Seagulls peck
10. Crabs nip
10 Things said to be bad for you
Looking for inspiration to Orwell's Coming up for air once again, he has a list of six things his mother would always tell him were bad for him. It's the basis for this current list.
1. Raw potatoes are poisonous (apparently they are unlikely to kill you but it's not recommended)
2. Raw gooseberries give you colic and raw raspberries a skinrash
3. Swimming after meal causes stomach cramps (Orwell has having a bath)
4. A cut between the thumb and forefinger gives you lockjaw (my mother passed on this myth to me - untrue although that area is a likely one for tetanus if you do cut it)
5. Sweets are bad for your teeth (true if you don't clean them pretty soon)
6. Eating between meals is bad for you
7. Not drying properly will give you a yeast infection
8. Wearing unaired clothes or going out with wet hair will give you a cold (another favourite axiom with my mam)
9. Egg shells or water used to boil eggs will give you warts
10. If you swallow chewing gum it just stays there (apparently not)
Things seen (and heard)
So I'm taking a coffee, as I do, and in come a man and his son (about 12) and sit on one of the sofas. The father orders something but the main topic is getting a speech onto the laptop. The speech has been written but the father wants to do some tweeking, quite a lot of tweeking as it turns out. I assumed the father was Eastern European at first but I guess he was Israeli. The speech is for the boy's Barmitzvah and not only is there no secrecy or diffidence on the man's part, he is quite brazen not only about getting the son to completely rearrange the speech but to include whole sections he dictates, including one where the son has to say how blessed he is to have such brilliant great grandparents, grandparents and, you guessed it, parents too! What I liked best was the son's complete co-operation - not a murmur of complaint and yet no meek acceptance either, really - just a "this is a rite of passage I have to go through. This too will pass."
Fflur
I saw this in a car park in the summer. It reminded me of my sister-in-law.
Get Glyn to buy it next birthday.
London Seminary
Readers of this blog may well be interested to see the newly revamped website of the London Seminary. The relaunch has been made in the interests of clarity and connecting with the Christian public.
Lord's Day, September 4, 2016
Having been in Aber for the induction we stayed over for the morning service when Rhodri took his first meeting as pastor. He preached on Isaiah 55:1, 2 and spoke to the children from Romans 1:20. I thoroughly enjoyed it not only for Rhodri's sake and the congregation's but for the way it seemed to fill me with new energy as I start again here next week. What a wonderful (yet impossible) thing the Christian ministry is.
A large number of us had food downstairs afterwards. We then headed off back to London as the kids were back in chool today. We took a sermon with us. It was Olawale Akinrogunde preaching in Childs Hill on August 7 on Peace be still. See here to hear it. Great stuff too. That seminary is serving us well.
Rhodri's ordination and induction
It was a massive joy to be there in Aberystwyth last Saturday as my oldest son, Rhodri, was ordained and inducted to the pastorate. As he revealed in his side of the history of the call (more an apologia for the call than anything else - church elder Ian Jones spoke for the church) I have always said to the boys, hopefully you will be ministers but not if you aren't called.
About 200 must have been present, some having travelled a long way, and it was great to see everyone. Robert Strivens chaired and David Green preached (from Deuteronomy 6). I read, Geoff prayed and John Noble, one of the other elders at AP spoke too. Just great.
Lovely tea after too, of course.
Final EMW Article on 1 Thessalonians
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| Vector Portal, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons |
The final part of 1 Thessalonians can be divided into three. In verses 16-22 contains a series of exhortations. Before that, Paul is concerned that the Thessalonians should have right attitudes to each other. After that, Paul gives his final commands, blessings and requests.
Attitudes to fellow believers
Many churches today are small but if they are united that is something positive. Paul talks in verses 12-15 first of having the right attitude to leaders, then to all.
Leaders Paul refers to leaders as Those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. They are hard workers who have the right to be in authority over others and admonish or counsel people – literally, put sense into them!
Paul asks for two things with respect to leaders - respect or acknowledgement. Listen to them, appreciate them, try to please them. More than that, Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Do not criticise them behind their backs, ignore what they say or take it with a pinch of salt. Take it seriously. Believe it. Act on it. One writer says “We need wise leadership today, but still more wise following. An army of captains and colonels never won a battle.”
One and another Paul goes on to say that we must live in peace with each other. The New Testament often calls for peace. See for example Ephesians 4:3. He speaks of three different types of church member (the idle, the timid and the weak) and our duty to each. This is far from exhaustive but these are typical problems. We are not all the same. Each must be dealt with appropriately. The idle or unruly must be warned. The timid must be encouraged. This will not always be easy so we need to be patient with everyone. In verse 15 Paul warns against a spirit of revenge and urges kindness to all.
Spurgeon once sent a very brief letter to a man. “Bear. Bear. Bear. Forbear. Forbear. Forbear. In yielding is victory. Fight the devil and love the deacon - Love him till he is loveable.” That is the approach.
Do's and don'ts
Verses 16-22 are a little like when a preacher is short of time and says “I've no more time. I'll just give the heads.” Here are six brief exhortations vital to remember always.
Be joyful always Eleanor H Porter's Pollyanna says of her minister father that he would not have remained a minister “if 'twasn't for the rejoicing texts.” She elucidates “Of course the Bible didn't name 'em that. But it's all those that begin 'Be glad in the Lord,' or 'Rejoice greatly,' ... and all that, you know - such a lot of 'em. Once … he counted 'em. There were eight hundred of 'em.” There may not be eight hundred but that sounds about right. All are there to keep us rejoicing.
Pray continually In his Institutes Calvin calls prayer the chief exercise of faith. Certainly, if we are real Christians, we will pray. It is impossible live the Christian life without praying. Here Paul calls for continual prayer. Obviously this does not mean that we do nothing but pray but it does mean that we continually turn back to prayer.
Give thanks in all circumstances How easy it is to forget this. We must not.
Do not put out the Spirit's fire Scripture uses different symbols for the Holy Spirit. One is fire so by analogy when he is at work it is as if fire is burning. Burning fire can be put out by various means. That is the picture here. You are not to put out the Spirit's fire Paul warns. In those days that would have included fresh prophecy; today, prayer, preaching, evangelism and Spirit prompted acts of love. When people are stirred up regarding these things we are not to quench the flame.
Never treat preaching with contempt Verse 20 narrows down to a particular offence. There are no prophecies of a New Testament sort today but we have preaching and a believer may show contempt towards it or treat it as of no consequence. He may fail to see what a vital tool it is to bring sinners to faith and build up believers. Paul says to such not to treat preaching with contempt.
Test everything, holding on to the good and rejecting all evil What if it is not the Spirit setting things on fire? What if the prophecy is false, the preaching in error? Everything needs to be tested then dealt with appropriately. This attitude is commended everywhere in Scripture.
Final words
Paul closes with five sorts of words.
Prayers for sanctification - May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through and in a parallel prayer May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The story is told of a girl who came to faith and applied for church membership. "Were you a sinner before the Lord Jesus came into your life?" enquired an old deacon. "Yes, sir," she replied. "Well, are you still a sinner?" "To tell the truth, I feel I'm a greater sinner than ever." "Then what real change have you experienced?" "I don't quite know how to explain" she said, "except I used to be a sinner running after sin, but now I'm a sinner running from sin!" She was received into the church, and proved by her consistent life that she was truly converted.
A reassuring promise Verse 24 says The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. This follows on from Paul's prayers for their sanctification and preservation. Paul is confident his prayers will be answered because he knows that the one he is praying to is the one who called the Thessalonians to himself in the first place and he is not a God who begins things then leaves them incomplete.
A request for prayer With his prayers for them, Paul appropriately makes his own prayer request, Brothers, pray for us. Romans 15:30 is similar. If the Apostle felt in need of prayer so should every minister. If he wanted the Thessalonians to pray, it is right that every Christian should pray for ministers.
Two commands – to give greetings and about public reading A kiss was the normal way of greeting as it is in most countries today, except Germanised ones like the UK, where hands are shaken. Holy points to the need to avoid any sexual element. Paul also commands that his letter be read publicly and that there be an exchange of letters with the Laodiceans. Even at the time of writing Paul thought of his words as authoritative. It is right that we continue the tradition and read this letter and others like it in public so that all may hear its contents.
A benediction of grace Paul finishes the whole letter with a benediction (28) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Someone confronted Luther about justification, with the remark, "If this is true, a person could simply live as he pleased!" "Indeed!" answered Luther "Now, what pleases you?" Augustine, the great preacher of grace during the fourth and fifth centuries, lacked the fine-tuned precision of the Reformers, but his response on this point was similar to Luther's. He said that the doctrine of justification led to the maxim, "Love God and do as you please." That is grace.
Attitudes to fellow believers
Many churches today are small but if they are united that is something positive. Paul talks in verses 12-15 first of having the right attitude to leaders, then to all.
Leaders Paul refers to leaders as Those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. They are hard workers who have the right to be in authority over others and admonish or counsel people – literally, put sense into them!
Paul asks for two things with respect to leaders - respect or acknowledgement. Listen to them, appreciate them, try to please them. More than that, Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Do not criticise them behind their backs, ignore what they say or take it with a pinch of salt. Take it seriously. Believe it. Act on it. One writer says “We need wise leadership today, but still more wise following. An army of captains and colonels never won a battle.”
One and another Paul goes on to say that we must live in peace with each other. The New Testament often calls for peace. See for example Ephesians 4:3. He speaks of three different types of church member (the idle, the timid and the weak) and our duty to each. This is far from exhaustive but these are typical problems. We are not all the same. Each must be dealt with appropriately. The idle or unruly must be warned. The timid must be encouraged. This will not always be easy so we need to be patient with everyone. In verse 15 Paul warns against a spirit of revenge and urges kindness to all.
Spurgeon once sent a very brief letter to a man. “Bear. Bear. Bear. Forbear. Forbear. Forbear. In yielding is victory. Fight the devil and love the deacon - Love him till he is loveable.” That is the approach.
Do's and don'ts
Verses 16-22 are a little like when a preacher is short of time and says “I've no more time. I'll just give the heads.” Here are six brief exhortations vital to remember always.
Be joyful always Eleanor H Porter's Pollyanna says of her minister father that he would not have remained a minister “if 'twasn't for the rejoicing texts.” She elucidates “Of course the Bible didn't name 'em that. But it's all those that begin 'Be glad in the Lord,' or 'Rejoice greatly,' ... and all that, you know - such a lot of 'em. Once … he counted 'em. There were eight hundred of 'em.” There may not be eight hundred but that sounds about right. All are there to keep us rejoicing.
Pray continually In his Institutes Calvin calls prayer the chief exercise of faith. Certainly, if we are real Christians, we will pray. It is impossible live the Christian life without praying. Here Paul calls for continual prayer. Obviously this does not mean that we do nothing but pray but it does mean that we continually turn back to prayer.
Give thanks in all circumstances How easy it is to forget this. We must not.
Do not put out the Spirit's fire Scripture uses different symbols for the Holy Spirit. One is fire so by analogy when he is at work it is as if fire is burning. Burning fire can be put out by various means. That is the picture here. You are not to put out the Spirit's fire Paul warns. In those days that would have included fresh prophecy; today, prayer, preaching, evangelism and Spirit prompted acts of love. When people are stirred up regarding these things we are not to quench the flame.
Never treat preaching with contempt Verse 20 narrows down to a particular offence. There are no prophecies of a New Testament sort today but we have preaching and a believer may show contempt towards it or treat it as of no consequence. He may fail to see what a vital tool it is to bring sinners to faith and build up believers. Paul says to such not to treat preaching with contempt.
Test everything, holding on to the good and rejecting all evil What if it is not the Spirit setting things on fire? What if the prophecy is false, the preaching in error? Everything needs to be tested then dealt with appropriately. This attitude is commended everywhere in Scripture.
Final words
Paul closes with five sorts of words.
Prayers for sanctification - May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through and in a parallel prayer May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The story is told of a girl who came to faith and applied for church membership. "Were you a sinner before the Lord Jesus came into your life?" enquired an old deacon. "Yes, sir," she replied. "Well, are you still a sinner?" "To tell the truth, I feel I'm a greater sinner than ever." "Then what real change have you experienced?" "I don't quite know how to explain" she said, "except I used to be a sinner running after sin, but now I'm a sinner running from sin!" She was received into the church, and proved by her consistent life that she was truly converted.
A reassuring promise Verse 24 says The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. This follows on from Paul's prayers for their sanctification and preservation. Paul is confident his prayers will be answered because he knows that the one he is praying to is the one who called the Thessalonians to himself in the first place and he is not a God who begins things then leaves them incomplete.
A request for prayer With his prayers for them, Paul appropriately makes his own prayer request, Brothers, pray for us. Romans 15:30 is similar. If the Apostle felt in need of prayer so should every minister. If he wanted the Thessalonians to pray, it is right that every Christian should pray for ministers.
Two commands – to give greetings and about public reading A kiss was the normal way of greeting as it is in most countries today, except Germanised ones like the UK, where hands are shaken. Holy points to the need to avoid any sexual element. Paul also commands that his letter be read publicly and that there be an exchange of letters with the Laodiceans. Even at the time of writing Paul thought of his words as authoritative. It is right that we continue the tradition and read this letter and others like it in public so that all may hear its contents.
A benediction of grace Paul finishes the whole letter with a benediction (28) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Someone confronted Luther about justification, with the remark, "If this is true, a person could simply live as he pleased!" "Indeed!" answered Luther "Now, what pleases you?" Augustine, the great preacher of grace during the fourth and fifth centuries, lacked the fine-tuned precision of the Reformers, but his response on this point was similar to Luther's. He said that the doctrine of justification led to the maxim, "Love God and do as you please." That is grace.
Curious fact
I bought a republished book the other day, Mammon by John Harris. It tickled me to learn of its origin, as presented here in The Church of England Magazine for 1836.
Mammon; or, Covetousness the Sin of the Christian Church. By the Rev. John Harris. London, Ward and Co. 1836.
The review begins ...
About a year and a half ago, a notice was widely circulated, to the effect that Dr. Conquest, of Finsbury Square, proposed conferring a prize of one hundred guineas upon the author of the best essay on the sin of covetousness. The Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel and Dr. Pye Smith were appointed by the donor adjudicators of this prize; and after examining 143 essays —for so many were sent in—they pronounced the one before us the successful composition. Mr. Harris, therefore, appears before the public under most favourable auspices; so that we are not surprised to find that his work has already had an extensive circulation. ....
It's hard to imagine Dr Conquest didn't have his tongue in his cheek or something like that. Perhaps I'm just too cynical.
Listening sticks
I was on the streets of Skipton, on holiday, last week and I saw something I had never seen before. Men from the waterboard were putting rods down drains and listening in to the wooden diabolo shapes at the end. I asked what they were doing, having never seen such a thing, and they kindly explained that they were listening for leaks in the pipeline. People often use electronic ones these days but the old fashioned acoustic ones are obviously still being used by some.
10 items to collect on a fool's errand
Also in Orwell's Coming up for air is a list of items for a fool's errand (new apprentices, etc). He only gives four examples. I start with his and then add others.
1. Ha'porth worth of penny stamps
2. Rubber hammer (my dad was sent for one of these and actually got one as they do exist, a glass hammer is a better alternative)
3. Left-handed screwdriver (or hammer or spanner)
4. Striped paint (also available in tartan)
5. A new bubble for the spirit level
6. Sparks for the grinder
7. Bucket of steam
8. Straight hook
9. Long weight/wait
10. Skirting board ladder
(Bags for a Dyson is more modern; sky hooks is an old one)
10 names for coarse fish
I found this list in George Orwell's Coming up for air. Coarse fish are any freshwater fish apart from salmon or trout. (I know nothing about fishing but I tried this question on my wife's brother-in-law and he came up with the same names unprompted).
1. Roach
2. Rudd
3. Dace
4. Barbel
5. Bream
6. Gudgeon
7. Pike
8. Chub
9. Carp
10. Tench
(Orwell also has Bleak, the one my relative failed to get at first)
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