What if God hit pause?

This is just a thought. I can’t point to any particular Bible verse, or say with any certainty what the mind of God might be, but here are a few simple ideas about the current situation.

1. We live in such selfish and self centred times. Our natural human tendencies are currently being seen in the panic shopping, hoarding of goods, financial worry and feelings of loneliness and isolation. Am I trusting God is still in control of His creation?

2. The church in many places has become detached and irrelevant to the outside world. They don’t know us, trust us or care what we believe. If the outside world doesn’t come to us, do I go to them?

3. Christians, if anything like me, have become comfortable, dependant on ourselves and happy with the status quo. “We’re doing our best but people just don’t care”. Dutifully doing what we think is best, but how much is done out of genuine love of the Lord?

4. There is always somewhere to go, something to watch or listen to, something to occupy our minds every second of the day and night. Entertainment is 24/7. When do I give God any time? 

So what if God allowed, using His permissive will, an illness to spread to see what humanity would do? To see how His people would react? We know that to God, all life is precious, from the unborn child to the elderly adult. Each person passing away through Covid-19 has either accepted or rejected God’s wonderful offer of salvation, the chance to have their sins forgiven through faith in His son. The bible clearly shows “The Father sent the Son (Jesus) to be the saviour of the world”. 

But to a world (and maybe a church) so preoccupied with themselves, with lives so full of entertainment and sport, how does God reveal Himself? If you’d told me last year every cinema, club and bar, restaurant, cafe and sporting event were to be closed, not just in the UK but in many of the countries around the world, I’d never have believed you. But they have. Perhaps now, God can be heard.

But how? 

The Lord Jesus told His followers that “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."

‭‭Luke‬ ‭10:27‬

It’s really encouraging to see churches and Christians reaching out to their communities. They aren’t the only ones of course, but they’re showing the love of God to others. They’re also reaching out to other members of their church, behaving like a family would. Thinking “What are their practical needs? Would they like a phone call? Can I pray for them?”

They’re looking to meet the needs of others with what they have, sharing and not keeping it to themselves.

They’re looking to God with greater trust, because in the uncertainty of it all, what else can we do? It’s unprecedented. It’s unheard of. But in the uncertainty of it all, God remains the same, faithful and present. So many of us Christians are finally able to put into practice the advice of God to “Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10. Self isolating and social distancing were unknown concepts (to me at least) until recently, but they’ve allowed us all a chance to slow down and appreciate the important things in life. To give God some quality time. 

Also, now that the churches can’t meet in person, they’re having to come up with ways to “meet”, to keep in touch. It reminds me of Peter’s letter to the “Strangers and pilgrims” who were scattered due to persecution. Peter’s advice was “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:12‬ ‭

The one lesson I’m hoping to learn and put into practice is that the world is watching. What if they saw the measure and practicality our love? What if they saw the genuine nature of our faith? Whay if they saw that our hope was truly like an anchor for our souls? What if they saw that the church listened to the wisdom of God-gifted doctors and nurses? What if they saw that when difficulties came, the Church was the tangable body of God in this world. 

Wouldn’t that make all this worthwhile? 

Thank you for reading a few scattered thoughts, I’d love to know yours too. Please leave a comment below, particularly if you’ve a verse that you’re finding helpful. And as with all of these things, any sharing of the post to Christian friends is appreciated. 

For Him and His glory. 

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

Evangelism

I didn't plan to do another post for a few weeks, but this subject captured my imagination. This is the first blog post which I've written that is born out of a simple questionnaire. Sometimes I get curious, and on one particular day this week I was thinking about when people are saved and what influences it? Does evangelism work, and who does it work on and when? I asked the following two questions:

1) How old were you when you became a Christian?

2) Where were you when you got saved?

Before I look at the responses, and what they indicate to us, let me leave a little disclaimer. This is not a 100%, definitive questionnaire. It doesn't allow for the person's upbringing, background, location or in some case what type of church group/ camp etc they attended. There were 105 people who took part, and it was quite a diverse group of people, but It doesn't account for everyone.

The answers fell into 4 groups, people became Christian's when they were:

• Children (Aged 4 - 10) - 55%
• Teens (Aged 11 -18) - 29%
• Young Adults (Aged 19 - 30) - 8%
• Adults (Aged 31 - 99) - 9%

But I just want to look at the first two, Children and Teens.

The "children" section (which includes me) is by far the largest, with most children becoming Christians between 5 - 8 years old. Of the 58 people saved as children, 76% of them said they were saved at home. (19% of them said they were saved at a church event; either Sunday school or childrens meetings). What we can assume from these numbers is that hearing the gospel as a child is a great thing! Children as young as 4 became Christians, children I would suggest come from Christian homes who have seen, heard and believed Godly example of Christian parents.

I hope that encourages any current parents, future parents and Sunday school leaders! Parents, do you take your children to church? Do you allow them to go to Sunday school, youth groups and gospel meetings? Do you read and pray with them? I urge you to keep going, It really works! I myself was saved at a Childrens meeting at the age of 7. Most of the children heard the gospel at organised meetings, but it was interesting how many mentioned parents and grandparents who had influenced them towards salvation. Its vital that Christian parents (Which I'm not, but hope to God willing be one day) not only encourage children to attend gospel efforts, but provide a good example at home and create an environment that encourages a love for and understanding of the Saviour. Keep on going!

Paul wrote to Timothy and said "as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures,which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." (2 Tim 3:14-15 NIV)

Children who are raised with bible stories, praying parents, childrens meetings and hearing the gospel are more likely to be saved.

Teens

Then, there are the teens. There were 30 people who became Christians in their teenage years. Again, 40% trusted the Lord while they were at home, but I'm fairly sure that the influence of church events (Which accounted for 20%), and camps (33%) lead to many of them being saved later on at home. 

Again, I encourage any parents to keep allowing/ urging your children to attend gospel work at church and go to gospel camps. Even teenagers who had heard the gospel since childhood came to trust the Lord in their teens. Hearing the gospel many times isn't a bad thing, and on any such occasion a person can be convicted to be saved. Keep on going!

KEEP ON GOING!

What about the rest? Here is a quick break down of the older people.

19-30 Year olds 8%

31-99 Year olds 9% (17 people in total)

Interestingly 59% of them were saved at church organised events. Do you have a bible course, coffee morning, gospel meeting, mother and toddlers? Adults, some even in their 30's (and one in his 60's!) are being saved. Keep on going!

While this post isn't particularly well written or presented, I hope it shows simply that God still saves. There is no formula, and no guarantees. We don't know when or if a person will be saved, but we do know that it's still possible! Have you a young child? Keep going! Are they teenagers now? Its not too late, keep going! Are they adults? Until the moment they die, they can still be saved.....Keep on going! Keep praying that God blesses our families, churches and countries with salvation.

What If you're reading this and you aren't a Christian? If you couldn't fill this questionnaire? Please take the time to read My Testimony (Why and how I became a Christian) and see the explaination there. If you weren't one of the people who sent me their answers, why not answer them in the comment box below? I'd love to hear your story! 

I hope this is an encouragement. - Dan Bilton

Commendation

This blog post has been the most difficult to write. Firstly because it is based on the commendation of my good friends Jamie and Marilyn Mcilree into service for God as missionaries, and I want to make sure that I do their story justice. Secondly, there are so many events and parts to their story and call, that I have to be selective to avoid the post becoming a biography. On Saturday 13th April, I was privileged to hear the call that the Lord gave to them both separately, and to witness the concern and love that they have for the work they are about to embark on. This post is given entirely over to their call, and the work that they have been commended to do. (If you would like to read them for yourself, Jamie read the following verses before he told us his call: Philippians 3: 7-14, Romans 12:1, John 2:5) 

“Is what you’re living for worth Christ dying for?” – Leonard Ravenhill (Just one of the quotes that convicted Jamie)


Jamie and Marilyn are both Scottish and were raised in Christian homes. While Marilyn became a Christian at a young age, Jamie only came to know Jesus Christ as his Saviour in April 2007. I think it’s fair to say that they, like so many young people, had periods in their lives when they weren’t living in a way that pleased their parents. Whether as a Christian straying from the footsteps of the Lord, or as a sinner living out their life in unbelief and rebellion, it wasn’t quite as their parents expected.


Jamie for several years had an important role in banking, but felt very burdened to give up his career and to seek employment elsewhere. What followed was 18 months of unemployment. But during that time, one week of meetings would change the course of his life; He was shown his own lack of any self worth and felt the voice of God calling him through the verse “I charge you...... preach the word”. (2 Tim 4: 1-2 KJV). Jamie recalled that "The 27th nov 2008 was the night God called me. He gave me a deeper appreciated of The cross, eternity and the gospel. He just broke me and took me deeper." After several months, and various times of conviction and believing that he was hearing the call of God, Jamie sought advice from his elder at Bridge of Weir, Stephen Grant. Stephen advised him to keep it to himself, and to keep looking to the Lord for further guidance. Eventually, the Lord opened the door for him to find employment in a local prison. He wasn’t qualified for such a position, and humanly speaking wasn’t even the best candidate, but God wanted him there. He was given the role of rehabilitating prisoners back into society, a position which was more than a day job; it was a real opportunity to show and live out the love of Christ before the inmates. 


“Whatsoever He says to you, Do it” – Mary, the mother of Jesus, speaking to the servants about Him


Marilyn had always had an interest in mission work. From her childhood she had a particular place in her heart for those who serve the Lord abroad. After finishing uni, she took several trips abroad to Spain and Zambia on short mission trips, and decided to return to Zambia long term to help in the Amano (Which is Bemba for 'wisdom') Christian School for a year with her sister Rachel. They would be spending their time with the children as dorm parents.


All good stories, especially true life ones, need a romantic element to them, and their story is no different. Jamie asked Marilyn to become his girlfriend and was greeted with the response “I'm happy to, but I’m off to Zambia for a year, and I’m not changing that”. Quite early on in that year Jamie first visited Zambia, and instantly fell in love with the country. While there, he was offered the chance to visit the local prison; an invitation which he flatly refused. When returning for his second visit however, he accepted the invitation to go and was introduced to the guard on the main gate as “The man who will take over this work from me”; Words which were spoken by the current missionary to the prison, Ian Campbell. Upon his return, Jamie felt the burning conviction of the Lord for him to be involved in the prison work in Chingola. Hearing a man give ministry, Jamie was asked “What has God got you doing now?” King David was presented as a great example, as he was a humble shepherd during his early years of life, but God was training him up with the qualities and attributes he’d need for leading the people of God. Just like David, God had been using Jamie’s employment to fit him for a future work.


On 17th July 2011, Jamie called Marilyn at Amano, and she told him “I believe that God is calling me to serve him”. She had 3 different examples that had spoken to her.

1) Isaiah 6 – Living the life of service.
2) The Disciples – Unqualified, and yet living their lives for the Lord
3) Giving all and not half of her life to God. She believed that if God called her to serve Him, He would always provide the help that they’d need. Jamie continued to receive many confirmations (far too many to list) that he himself was being called, and with added confidence and guidance, proposed to Marilyn. 


After their engagement, they started to look for suitable areas in which to live. The same day that Jamie prayed for a clear sign as to where the Lord wanted them, Marilyn received a text from Ian in Chingola saying “We’d like you to come to Zambia and we have a house here for you”. Could you have gotten a clearer sign than that? 

They were married in September 2012, and having spent the past few months learning the Bemba language, being advised on some of the important things missionaries encounter and sharing their story with several churches and groups, they are now set to go. They have seen God bless them and make many miraculous provisions for them as they have waited for the door to finally open for their departure. On 1st may 2013, they leave their families and friends, the comforts of home and their paid employment to serve the Lord in the prison at Chingola, Zambia. 


“But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” – Phil 3: 13-14


They would value prayer for their health, adapting quickly to the culture and swift learning of the Bemba language. The families they leave behind and the assemblies in which they served in Glasgow need prayer and support as they continue without them. Jamie and Marilyn haven't asked for any financial support, but perhaps I could take the liberty upon myself to say that if you would like to send them a gift to aid them in their service, please contact me at restorationdan@gmail.com and I’ll happily help to arrange that. Their contact details are seen below, and I’m sure they would love to hear from anyone who wished to encourage them in the work. Also, any comments left below will be forwarded to them. A video of Jamie speaking at Auckinleck can be viewed here - Jamie at Auckinleck


Let me say in closing what an encouragement they have both been to me personally, and I find it challenging that such a young couple would choose to give up all the things that this world places value on, to seek to be obedient to the call of the Lord, and be involved in His work. May they know the hand of the Lord upon them, and be conscience of the prayer of the Saints of God for them as they go.

Yours in Him

Dan

Moving Forward

Hi. I'm Dan Bilton, a born again Christian from Newcastle, England. Having seen several encouraging blogs, and thinking it might be something which would help me, and in turn encourage others, I thought I'd give it a go. This is my first ever blog, and as I'm new to it, what better subject to have than the New Year? I'm sure it's not going to be great, but you've got to start somewhere!

2012 saw some changes in my life. Many ups and downs. Happy times, and times of much sadness. There were some wonderful new people that came into my life, and several who left for different reasons. Some people pushed me towards God, and others took me away from Him. One thing I learnt though, was that God is faithful. Through it all, He was faithful. He challenged me, encouraged me, listened to me, and when I listened to Him.......He spoke to me. He actually spoke....to Me! 

How humbling to think the God of Heaven would give me the time of day!

The Christian life is so often one of peaks and troughs, spiritual highs, and worldly lows. Our gaze is flickering between the glory of Heaven, and the depths of sin. One verse which helped me so much through last year was "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Heb 12:1-2). 
How apt that in the year in which London hosted such an excellent Olympic games, that a verse about running and removing unnecessary weights was important. As a Christian, I carry too much baggage. So much sin. Often its in the form of anxiety, worry, doubt and disbelief. However it may be addictions, worldly lusts and pleasure, or the bad influences that we allow to speak into our lives. 

This year, with your help and accountability, I'd love to remove some of those negative things. I want my walk with the Lord to be freer, more Spirit led and less self absorbed. I want to be an encouraging Christian, an example for other believers to see Jesus Christ in me. I know this isn't natural, easy or humanly possible. Thankfully though, we are able to live in the power of God, a life lived in and with Jesus Christ. 

Will I succeed? Will I be able to last the whole of 2013? That's my hope. It's what I'm praying for. Please let me know your thoughts, whether good or bad. Encourage me, challenge me, follow me and guide me. The Christian life is much more fun when we all walk it together!! So leave a comment, share a post, tell your friends.....but whatever you do, don't walk alone!

May God bless you in 2013. As for me I'm MOVING FORWARD!