A PLANET IN TURMOIL

“The floods across much of the world have reached epic proportions”. “Much of the blame can be pinned on La Nina, a vast upheaval in the Pacific … and because the Pacific covers a third of the Earth’s surface, that turmoil has stoked up violent weather across a large part of the globe”. An estimated 1,000,000 are affected. So reports “The Times” this week. It adds, “No one really knows why these events come and go when they do …the only sure thing is that signs can appear weeks or months ahead but without knowing where exactly they would strike”.

Put this report alongside Jesus’ prophetic utterance just days before he died: “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint with terror, apprehensive at what is coming on the world”. He was speaking of his return, and saying that devastating happenings on the earth would presage that return and that the sea would have a particular place in that sequel.

Be careful here! The atmosphere of liberal, scientific and secular Christianity in which we live unfortunately tends to make even Christians “turn off” when the prophetic is put alongside the scientific. It has rather a sniff of being “over the top”. Better to just retreat into the prevailing cynicism!
Be careful lest that sort of thought creep across your mind, for there could be no greater mistake.

Jesus was adamant about the fact that catastrophic happenings in the heavens and on the earth and the sea would constitute signs of his coming. Natural events and catastrophes are not things that “just happen”. God is the Creator God. He knows all about sunspots, the source of so many problems! They are still within his determining “fiat”; he is still in control.

Why should such catastrophic signs be associated with his return? Well, Jesus’ coming will, of course, be a time of human reckoning and judgement, so what more plain a way could there be to draw attention to so serious a moment than signs that make us aware of such a judgement, and challenge us as to our behaviour.

If scientists can pick up the “signs” of a coming La Nina, though not exactly quite when it would come, Christians should be able to pick up the signs of the coming Jesus even if they cannot say exactly when. Those signs have been laid out clearly enough for us by Jesus himself and they include natural catastrophe. Our generation of Christians has actually shrunk back from any real study and reflection on “end times”, when more than any other generation, perhaps, it should have them firmly in its outlook and thinking. Jesus was not indulging in interesting theological possibilities when he spoke on the last days and his return and the signs of those times; his words were serious, down the line Holy Spirit prophecy.

We don’t know precisely where what we are witnessing in these days fits into the scheme of things. One would not want to say that the things we are witnessing were the fulfillment of Jesus’ words, but they are certainly clear pointers and reminders of the nature of what is to come.


Bob


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WHO OWNS THIS PLACE? or THE TALE OF A POSTAGE STAMP

An extraordinary piece of legislation is currently being processed through Parliament, and with some urgency. It is designed to make sure that our postage stamps will always retain their “royal” character and the monarch’s identity. Why the panic? It is simply because the Royal Mail will shortly be up for sale, and of course a foreign bidder may well buy it out. Foreigners are not likely to pay too much attention to upholding some of our cherished traditions! I hope it gets through, or else there is no knowing what sort of nonsense might decorate our stamps.

This all sounds a bit facetious. But actually it is yet another straw indicating which way the national wind is blowing. The government has long made it a matter of policy that we are not really going to prevent national assets from going abroad; we don’t mind being bought up by the rest of the world. The postage stamp sale is saying that we don’t mind the substance being sold off as long as maybe we can just salvage a little pride.It's the image that matters not the substance (that's the bottom line of all policy now).

The big picture that all this illustrates is really very serious. I quote from a leading newspaper: “From water and power stations to roads, airports and rubbish dumps, more than a third of British infrastructure is now owned by foreigners. The Office of Fair Trading has done the first national stocktaking of critical infrastructure assets and concluded that more are owned by foreign investors than by the British Government”. We don’t own our biggest airports, or our ports. Imagine that! Rule Britannia not owning its ports. The majority of our power generation capacity is in the hands of French, German and Spanish ownership. “Not to worry”, says the OFT, “it keeps our prices down”. But in an economic or national crisis, what then? Such companies are not really there for the benefit of Britain, but for what profits they can make.

One could add to this take over of our infrastructure the extraordinary rate at which much of the best and most expensive property in the country is being bought up by foreigners, especially in London. Real estate is more and more foreign owned. “Britain never, never shall be slaves”, - but it looks as though we will be owned by others none the less!

On the other side of the coin it seems that Britain for a couple of decades has systematically put more and more eggs in the basket of the City and financial services. That is a very unstable bubble (nest?) indeed. It seems that everything of real substance is leaking away while the rich continue to gamble.

Is this too hard a comment? I don’t think so. It's a clear message of rapidly decining status and power.Contrast China. It’s a dire, dire waring of real danger, divine danger! It is a classic finger of judgement.

Bob


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2011 - AN UNKNOWN FUTURE

A recent cartoon depicted a man happily pushing away the last “0” of the date 2010. No sooner had he removed it than the figure “1” which was to replace it came down on him at great pace and completely flattened him! Welcome to the New Year! It could well be a difficult year.
One of the great mercies of God is to keep the future hidden from us. That means surprises really become surprises, and also that we are kept from fretting about the difficulties that lie ahead. How dull and threatening life would be if we knew exactly how it would pan out!


However, we can be aware of some very important things about the future, things that can give us a confidence and a hope. God very much wants us to be aware of those. They come in the form of promises and they are very positive.

For this seasonal New Year Column I thought I would list some of them (all of them would make a book!). We cannot do better than walk into the unknown future armed with God’s promises. They are certainly more assured than the promises we make to ourselves. They have certainly supported me in 2010 and are still there for 2011.

“No good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless” Ps 84:11 So make godliness the absolute prime aim of your life.

“He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” Ps91:11 Cling to this!

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree…like a cedar… They will still bear fruit in old age; they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright, he is my rock.’” Ps. 92:15 Old age is no barrier to the blessing of God nor to a useful, helpful life; quite the contrary! Stay godly.

“Though you make me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again” Ps 71:20 Don’t forget this – God can restore from the very depths.

“Light is shed on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart” Ps 97:12 Here it is again; if you remain upright, you’ll understand where you are and where you’re going.

“Blessed is he who has regard for the weak … the Lord will preserve him and protect his life” Ps 41:1 Never forget those who are less fortunate than yourself – and give!

“For this God is our God for ever and ever. He will be our guide even unto the end.” Ps 48:14 God is totally loving, totally faithful and totally strong – you are safe with Him.

These are covenant promises – wear them like a ring, constantly, in the days ahead.


Bob


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