Thursday, March 24, 2011

Windows on God's World: The return of Christ.



My mother read the Bible to my sister and me when the bombs were falling round our house in the Second World War. John 14:1-6 was a favourite passage and a phrase sticks in my mind.

"If I go I will come again and receive you unto Myself."

That's a promise and, as the years have gone by, it has gained new meaning for me.

All sorts of notions abound as to the end of the world. Will it be caused by a rogue asteroid, or by Malthusian population growth or by global warming or by a nuclear explosion?

None of these things.

Jesus said "RELAX" (let not your heart be troubled) I will come again."

Put that promise before all the drivel that you are hearing through Hollywood and the media.

Today we have a window on the future, Christ's promise to come and take His people home.

Is there a better way for Earth's story to end. If there is, please let me know.

Ian

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Windows on God's World: The Throne of God


Yesterday we looked through the portal of the Cross of Christ which speaks so eloquently of the Love of God.
Today we are given a glimpse of His Throne.
As Revelation chapter three closes, we see the Apostle John feeling depressed. Small wonder. The seven churches are in a mess and he is imprisoned for his faith on the Isle of Patmos.

Suddenly he sees a door opened to heaven and hears a voice calling him upwards.
Beyond the door he is greeted by a full view of the Throne of God.

Immediately his depression vanishes for he understands that nothing is by chance and that God is in charge.

For the next five chapters he describes scenes and vistas of heaven and treats us to a story line that Hollywood could not remotely approach.

Feeling downcast today?

LOOK UP!

There is an H.Q. to the universe, the nations are under His control and you are part of His master plan.
Ian

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

windows on God's world. The cross.




Yesterday we were considering history and God's Hand on the Helm of human affairs. Today we look through the window of the cross of Christ.

The cross stands central in the narrative of mankind.
The early church had a saying: "Stat crux dum orbis volvitur."

Translation?     "Everything changes but the cross remains constant"

Count on it. Whether you pass three crosses on your way to work today, or you have a cross tattooed on your biceps or dangling from your rear view mirror or tagged to your rosary beads its symbol stands supreme in human history

The question is, have you truly given the cross your serious attention?

The early pigrims did. From Gethsemane along the Via Dolorosa to Calvary's hill they kneeled and prayed at the 14 stations of the cross. They had imperilled their lives to get to Jerusalem and they were not going home without an encounter with God in their hearts.
Today, as your point of meditation, consider John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son"
Ask the Lord to reveal the "SO" in "LOVED"

 You will find it hidden in the Cross of Christ.
  1. Ian

Monday, March 21, 2011

Windows on God's world: history



It is true that we can only understand the future if we rightly interpret it's preceding history.

History is indeed HIS STORY and is a chronicle of God's Hand on the helm of the human race.

In the Book of Daniel we are given an astonishing insight into how true this is.

In Chapter 2 King Nebuchadnezzar has a vision of a metallic man. From the golden head to the iron and clay feet there is given a pictorial unfolding of coming events. The Babylonian, Median, Greek and Roman empires succeed one another, until we see the whole edifice collapse, destroyed by a stone "not cut out with hands".

Notice that point. The final act of the human drama will not be brought about by the power or volition of man, but by divine intervention in human affairs. Something that is "out of our hands".

That thought should give us great consolation. In the midst of uproar in the Middle East, tsunamis in Japan, nuclear threat from Iran and militant Islam, God's Hand is still on the helm of history and the Grand Finale will belong to Him.

Ian

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Windows: The Creation





My friend, Ken Skinner, loaded the latest Windows programme on my computer. Now I'm good to go.

But it also set my mind roaming on a theme for the week:
"Windows into God's world." Five of them come to mind.

Today: the Window of Creation.

This window is made all the clearer because, through the eye of Hubble, a cosmos of unimaginable power, scale and beauty comes into view. Worlds beyond worlds, galaxies beyond galaxies and more beyond them.

Not only Hubble telescope but also the electron microscope unveils its own universe of the sub-atomic realm. Things of infinite size in all directions all speaking one message:

"The Glory of God."

These two worlds, the infinite and the infinitesimal, are intended to inspire the heart of men to awe and the lips of men to praise. This morning open your heart to your Creator and cross "coincidence' from your dictionary.

Somewhere in all that infinity there is a bright place called heaven to make our home. Yes, and there is a black hole called hell. Avoid it at all cost.

Ian