Friday, October 21, 2016

The Travesty of all Things Sacred.

Ask any newcomer to planet Earth what was his interpretation of the Holy Days of Christmas, St Valentines, Easter and Hallowed Evening and he would give you an unprejudiced answer.
Why! Christmas is a glorification of someone called Santa; St Valentine's is an extravaganza of chocolates, flowers, red hearts and human romance; Easter is a Spring ritual where the Easter bunny pops out of his burrow and showers people with chocolate eggs, and Halloween is a bizarre night where  humans run around dressed in ghastly suits, toting severed heads under their arms and try to scare the wits out of each other.
In other words they would not have a clue that these four occasions were events on the CHRISTIAN calendar. Days set apart to celebrate God at work in the world of men. Times to contemplate the greatness, grace and love of God in sending His Son into the world through the Virgin Mary: Christmas. The death, burial and resurrection of Christ for the salvation of the human race: Easter.
The resurrection of saintly men and women whose lives have influenced millions through the ages. All Saints Day.
The martyrdom of a Roman soldier for the sake of his faith. St Valentine Day.
Thus the hijacking by the devil, of the purity, truth and loving acts of God is complete.  
O, let me apologize. The devil is only a fairy tale figure who we let out from his fiery den on one day of the year, October 31st.
Well folks, there is another day on God's calendar, shortly to come, when the God will send His Son Jesus back to the earth to judge both the living and the dead. Judgement Day, we can guarantee, will be no laughing matter.

Jubilate.

Ian 

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

A Profile in Heroism

My wife Pauline read me an article today that had brought tears to her eyes.
I think it deserves to be brought to a wider audience.
It is of the recent trial of Brian Stewart convicted of attempted murder of his son "Badger" Stewart.
In itself that would be a hideous crime but what made this far more horrific was that he injected this four year boy with HIV tainted blood.
Stewart, a veteran from the Iraq war, was working in a laboratory where he had access to virus infected blood. After an argument with his common law wife over the paternity of his child, he took a phial of the deadly toxin and injected his son, thinking it would end his life.
It very nearly did. With his immune system almost trashed little badger fought for his life. For several years he was on 24 different medications a day. He endured the slights of his school friends and the taunts of bullies.
Yet some how he lived on. 
Then at the age of fourteen he read in the Bible of the love of God and the salvation of Jesus Christ. It was a turning point in his life. With his new faith he found forgiveness in his heart for his father who was serving time in a Missouri prison for attempted murder. Miraculously he also gained strength and vigour. His medications were reduced to a single daily pill and he is now, by definition, free from AIDS.
Further more this young man, at the age of twenty four, is sought after as a motivational speaker, is engaged to be married and runs a charity called "He Is Valiant."
Not bad for some one who was given up for dead at the age of four years old.
I hope you find encouragement through this short post.
Jubilate.
Ian