Building Work

“God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again.”

As a church we’ve just started a course called “Discipleship Explored”. So far (Just had the second week out of eight) it has been extremely challenging. Reading the words of Paul to the Christians in Philippi who were suffering persecution, we noted how it’d be easy for him to be wallowing in self pity and self lothing. Yet he isn’t. He is more concerned about their welfare, their spiritual condition. Despite his chains, Paul is an enthusiastic, determined man, grounded in his own appreciation of God’s love and plans for his life. He was at peace that where he was, he was meant to be. Being able to pray with Joy from a prison cell while chained to a couple of Roman  soldiers isn’t the norm!

His great prayer for them was that their love would grow, and in turn their knowledge. This would ultimately allow them to be able to know right from wrong and make the decision that would glorify God. The verse above has been on my mind ever since, and I’m hoping it’s as encouraging for you as I’ve found it to be. The reminder that “God began doing a good work”. Not my own efforts, lest I should slacken off or give up if it got difficult. Also, God is doing a work in me which is unlike anyone else, and likewise the work he’s doing in you if you’re a Christian (Are you prepared?) is unique to you. God isn’t making robots which are all the same shape, size and with identical gifts and abilities. He’s making a family, a “Body” or a “Building”, with lots of unique parts that make up one harmonious object, all coming together to bring glory to God.

I’m guessing you’ve failed God since you were saved? Yeah, surprisingly me too! Not just a few times either, many occasions when sin prevailed and holiness lost. Did you notice that God “will continue it until it is finished”, or “perfect” as some bibles phrase it. God keeps building and building, allowing for the leaks, problems, stalling and back tracking that sin brings to our growth, knowing that ultimately one day the project will finally be finished, and at that moment, at God’s perfect time, we will be made complete in the image of Christ.

We’re all at different stages of the developments too, some are just at the foundation stage, newly saved and freely relying on our Rock. Some perhaps are further on down the line,  with many years of Christian living behind them meaning the building is nearing completion. Paul had reached that stage. Week two’s verse was “To me the only important thing about living is Christ, and dying would be profit for me.”(Phil 1:21) He was ready to go, with nothing earthly to tie him, and his love for Christ to drive him.

Spiritually I feel that the building work has been delayed in my life recently, maybe even stopped. Hopefully this course will be a big help in once again creating the right conditions for work, and soon God can again continue building. How is the building work going for you? What’s stopping the work of God in your life? I’d love to know your thoughts or any comments you have, especially other verses perhaps which come to mind? Also, if you find this blog helpful, please feel free to Like, Share, and Retweet it. But especially to share your thoughts.

In Him

Dan

Matty Vasey

"To God be the Glory great things he has done"


Hi Everyone, so sorry that I haven't been posting regularly of late, life has been busy, and my writing waned somewhat, but I hope to try and post a bit more frequently in the new year.

Some of you may have seen on my facebook page that on 29th November, "Uncle Matty", a dear brother in the meeting where I go (Bethesda Gospel Hall) was called home to be with the Lord Jesus. The photo above was taken at his 100th birthday party last year. While clearing his flat, his daughter found a copy of his life story and also his Christian testimony. She very kindly asked that it be shared, so a few hundred printed copies were made and handed out at his funeral. Below is a copy of his testimony and his life growing up in Newcastle, England. This whole post is dedicated to him, one of the most gentle, kind and loving people you could wish to meet, and his packed out funeral was testament to the high regard in which he was held. Over to Matty for his life story......

"This is my Testimony of how I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ

Little Matty Vasey was born on 13 Nov 1913 at a place called Byker in Newcastle. I was born of working class parents. Sadly my mother died when I was 5 years old. She died of the deadly Spanish flu which was raging through Europe at the time. In 1918 more folk died of the epidemic than the number of soldiers killed in the First World War. My brother and I were then under the care of granny, my fathers mother.

After a short while father married again and a stepmother was installed in our home, causing much hostility between gran, father and stepmother. My father was very bad tempered and the name of Christ was only used as a swear word, vows and bad language were flavour of the month. However, one ray of sunshine came out of the mist, as she insisted we should go to Sunday School and as she was of Presbyterian stock I started to attend Byker Presbyterian Church on Gordon Road off Raby Street, which was the backbone of Byker. Talking of Byker, I watched the scene of Parishes being burned down from Byker village about 2 miles away. The fireman wore brass helmets. I attended Sunday School and Church for some years but was never challenged to the lostness of my soul, I was just going through the motions. It was more of a sociability exercise than a spiritual one. They held concerts on Saturday nights and you could also play billiards, one young lady said; Matty there’s plenty of young girls here you know.

Our home life began to deteriorate with no parental control and without any love or care. My stepmother received 3 shillings per week for her and 4 boys, she had twin boys by my father. The front room was let out for 6 shillings a week. Incidentally father died with heart failure when I was 13 and after a while my stepmother married again, and he died after about 9 months of marriage so the future was bleak and uncertain.

The years rolled by and I started to work in a furniture factory. At the commencement of one job, my work mates suggested I should accompany them on a Saturday night to Gosforth Dog Track, which I found very exciting. There’s an old saying it only takes one step to take a journey of 1000 miles so I made my debut on a downward spiral. I started to bet on horses as well. I saw the Epsom Derby and the Greyhound Derby at the White City in London. I travelled a lot to racecourses all over the country, and yet at times I used to ask myself whist attending the dogs “what on earth am I doing here wasting my life and my money.” I was in fact ‘Going to the Dogs’.

The Second Great War came and I couldn’t enlist as I was only classed C3. My stepmother died and the twins both joined up and I found myself in digs with a work mate and his wife and daughter. I lived with Jock and Mrs. Mac for about 13 years.

Leaving this sordid background behind let us go on to Higher things.

In 1955 I was feeling the urge for something I couldn’t put into words, I took my first step in my search for something to lift me up, by going to the local library to look for something relating to the cross of Christ, as it was Easter time. Also, I felt the urge to go to some Church or Mission hall, and at odd times I would go to the Big Market where men preached the Gospel to a very large open air audience. Sometimes a young church group would take turns in reciting Bible verses and I used to gaze intently into their faces wondering what made them tick. I thought they were quite strange folk.

I started to go to Prudhoe Street Mission when it was situated in the town, and the Bainbridge Memorial Church on Heaton Road, 20 minutes from where I lived in Warwick Street. Whilst attending there I heard Joe Blinko, an associate preacher with Billy Graham, and I also heard Pastor Nic Moller, a German who was the only man to challenge Adolf Hitler about his evil ways, and how wrong he was.

I was beginning to show interest in the things of God, but I was still throwing good money after bad at the dogs. Observantly whist waiting at the bus stop one day, my eyes fell upon a short poster stuck on the lamp standard which was at the bus stop and it read. ‘We believe in Christ crucified, risen, and coming again’ I thought that was amazing. I found later that the poster belonged to Bethel Christian Fellowship, which was right opposite the lamp post in Barras Bridge.

From the preaching that I had listened to I had learned I was a sinner and that I had need of a Saviour.

I had listened to many preachers, but this particular Sunday morning I heard the Truth concerning Eternal Salvation, that morning I gratefully received the Lord Jesus Christ into my heart and I had a profound peace, knowing that my sins were forgiven, to be remembered no more. For the scripture says in the first chapter of the gospel of John ‘For as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to them who believe in his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God’  I believe that no one else had a hand in this wonderful transaction, but it was between the almighty and myself. Shortly afterwards, I found fellowship with a lovely group of people called Bethel Christian Fellowship, (remember the poster) that met in an upper room at the top of some stairs in Barras Bridge for about ten years. There was a brother in their meeting called Jack Roy who preached in the open air. One day someone shouted out to Jack ‘Hi you’ve cracked man’ and Jack responded with ‘Well you’ve got to be cracked to let the light in’. About ten years later I became a member of Somervyl Chapel on Benton Estate.

I always thought of myself as a confirmed bachelor, but in 1958 when I was 44 years old, I met a Christian girl called Lily (34) and we were married at the Central Hall in the West End of Newcastle. We started off our married life with a home up Stanhope Street, and we had a son and a daughter, Kathleen and John. Sadly my wife passed away in 1997 with Alzheimer’s disease.

I am now worshipping at Bethesda Gospel Hall in Forest Hall and I love the Lord and I Love the Lords people. ‘To God be the Glory great things he has done.’"

Let me take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Dan x

Things to remember

Yesterday I received an unexpected phone call. 

I had made a big mistake. 

My new saxophone teacher (Who I’d only met once) called to say he was sat in his lounge expecting me, and I was late. I had completely forgotten I’d booked the lesson, and as a result had made alternate plans. It can be very easy, when life gets busy, to forget plans and arrangements we've made. No matter how hard I try to be organised, and how often I write it down, make lists and set reminders I usually end up failing to remember what I need to do. Here’s a look at the idea of Remembering in the bible. 



“I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.” Gen 9:15

The first thing to point out is that God never forgets. Being forgetful is a weakness and a fault, but God is absolutely perfect, and without any flaws. He never forgets. So when God promises to remember His covenant, we know it will always be kept. God will never judge this world by a flood again. He will one day judge all sin, but it won’t be by flooding the earth. In the Old Testament it's recorded that "God remembered...." certain people. Sometimes, they were in the middle of very difficult circumstances. God remembered Noah in the ark, Rachel when she was barren, Abraham (and Isaac and Jacob) when he was wondering without a permanent home, Joseph when he was in prison and so on. We are always in the sight of God, and no matter what the trial or difficulty, God will not forget us.



“Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place.” Ex 13:3

This is a challenging verse. Moses told the Children of Israel to remember the day when they left Egypt, when they were delivered out of the bondage that they’d been under. What about me? Or you? Can you look back to a day in your life when you left the world behind, and came out of the slavery of sin? A day when God saved us out of our life of ruin, rebellion and rejection of Jesus Christ? I'm very thankful that I can. It’s a good thing to be able to think back to that day (even though I don’t know the time or date), and remember I trusted the Lord Jesus as my saviour, and from that very minute I was free! It’s also important to remember that God alone did the saving. The moving from darkness to light. Remember.....“Salvation is of the Lord”.



“You shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.” Deut 8:2

Another good thing to remember is that just like the Children of Israel in the wilderness, we have God (in particular His Holy Spirit) to guide us through life. This, according to the bible should be a humbling thing. If God is leading, we shouldn't be seeking our own way, but faithfully following. The period of trials and testing along the way is to see how much we trust God, and how much of our lives we're prepared to submit to Him. Have you ever driven through thick fog? The car headlights against the fog mean that you usually can only see just a few feet ahead of you. God doesn't show us the whole of our life, but little by little reveals the turn in the road of life. We've got to faithfully follow His leading to travel the safest way, and use His word to lighten our pathway. (Psalm 119:



“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;” Ecc 12:1

Each week (during term time), our church has a wonderful privilege of preaching the gospel to children from the local area. I find this one of the most rewarding and beneficial works we can be involved in. Children aren't as skeptical as adults, they find it easier to have faith, and are more willing to listen to the truth of God and His creation. It’s important then that children know about God, and if He chooses, that they come to trust in Him and His Son. Sadly many children, who don’t trust in the Lord in their youth grow up ignoring all of the things they've heard. Choosing to forget God, rather than to remember their Creator. Its also good for us to remember Him when we are young, and to establish good practices for living for Him before careers, relationships and interests get too firm a grip.



“For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jer 31:34

When a person becomes a Christian, God forgives them of all of their sin. He removes the condemnation and wrath that was upon them. He could still remember all of their sin though, all of their times of failure and disobedience. However, God doesn't forget our sin (a negative), he chooses to remember our sins no more (positive)! So often when people wrong us, we forgive but choose not to forget. I for one am pleased that God has decided to forgive, and to not remember.



“And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.” Matt 26:75

There are times when I've sinned, and afterwards a verse comes to mind and reminds me that I've just broken God’s law. While we can’t change it, and it will occur many times in our lives, we like Peter should instantly repent of it. To acknowledge sin when we remember it is a starting point to dealing with it.



“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” 1 Cor 11: 23-26

Finally, one of the greatest things we can do for our Saviour is to remember Him as He has asked. He told us that by breaking the bread, and drinking the wine from the cup, we show to the world what the Lord Jesus has done. He gave Himself to die for sin, His own precious blood was shed, and His body wasn’t only punished physically, but was made sin in order to be punished for sin. 

There are lots of memorials, gravestones and statues to remember those who have died, but none for the Lord Jesus. That's because He rose again the 3rd day, and is now in Heaven. It’s a Christian’s great privilege to meet with the Lord present each week (or however often it is your church chooses to meet), and then to constantly be reminded of the vast cost that He paid to save us out of the bondage of sin. That truly is something worth REMEMBERING!



Once again, this subject has only been glanced at, and I'm sure you can add to it. Such verses like “Remember Lot’s wife” (as she looked back to Sodom), and of how God will “remember their iniquities” (people who reject the Lord Jesus) etc. There are over 200 mentions of remembering, remember and remembrance in the bible, and you wouldn't want to read a blog that mentioned them all. Ha ha. I hope this post helps you to remember some of the blessings we have, the things to give thanks for, and the God who has done it all!



Yours in Him

Dan

P.S. the photo below is a memorial to the thousands of people who lost their lives at the destruction of the twin towers in New York on 11th September 2001. 

SinLESS

How uncomfortable does guilt make us feel? Imagine being the very first person to feel it?

"Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" (Gen 3:13 ESV)

If you've started the year following a daily reading plan of some sort, I'm sure you've already come across the creation account in genesis, and the fall of Mankind into sin. Imagine what was going through Eve's mind as God said these words - "What have you done?" (paraphrased). She was experiencing guilt for the first time. Feelings of shame that were unusual to her. She stood with her husband, both newly aware they were naked, before God. Adam and Eve had broken the one command God had given them. Eve had allowed the devil to deceive her and both of them had allowed the forbidden fruit to become something worth having over obeying God.

That happens in my life all too often. Things that my mind tells me aren't too bad, or won't have any long term repercussions. Things I can do, or think that no one will know. That's not to say I haven't heard and read about God's omnipresence; but in that moment, I live as though He doesn't exist! That he can't see.

Once it's too late and the moments past forever, never to be changed, the feelings of guilt suddenly come. The conscience is pricked, and we feel naked before the Almighty God. Imagine if every time we sinned, we heard the voice of God say "what is this you have done"? Would it make us stop to think the next time? To consider where I go, what I do, or what I allow my mind to dwell on?

In 2014, I know I will never achieve "sinlessness" or perfection. Only Jesus Christ was and could be Sinless, but I should certainly aim to "Sin LESS". We should hate sin when we do it and always try to stop. Eve's actions would have a destructive effect on humanity forever, but "where sin abounds, Grace does much more abound" (Romans 5:20 KJV). God has been far more gracious toward us than we could have ever deserved. He has chosen to see us as having the "Righteousness of Christ", instead of the sins of ourselves.

When we do sin, it's encouraging to know that "If anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." (1 John 2:2 KJV)

Let's try to be "Sin-LESS" today!

Just a few simple questions to ask ourselves:
1. Do I allow other people to have a negative effect on my life, even to the point of breaking God's commands?
2. Do I keep short accounts with God when I sin?
3. Since I've become a Christian, do I recognise sin in my life more easily?