All hail the power of Jesus name

And Jesus said "...

 

An Hour at the Cross

 

As normal on Good Friday we spent 'An Hour at the Cross' at St Paul's at 2 pm, this afternoon.  With an 'altogether 'service this morning, and a (short) walk of witness to the town centre for a short praise gathering in the sunshine, many of our lot did not appear this afternoon.  The bright sunshine took those with kids away, tiredness removed others, while I avoided the morning meeting so as to be at the 2 pm one, which is more important.

The last couple of occasions different people took turns to read a portion of scripture, the next read a 'reflecion,' then a 'response,' then a 'prayer.'  This year it was simplified and three persons only took these parts while we responded.

I have always liked such services as they require time for positive reflection, something normal church services do not allow.  It is as if we must get through it all quickly, no time to stop and consider.  Indeed, one man told me how he often stops during prayer but many in the congregation dislike this.  Possibly thinking is bad for them?  Today those who came clearly cogitated as we went through the booklet printed for this purpose.  Scanners and copiers are so useful in churches!  After an hour considering Jesus' betrayal, arrest, beatings, trial, opposition, and yet not one word justifying himself uttered.  Then there was his condemnation by the cheif priests, with finally Pilates 'passing the buck' by 'washing his hands,' and finally the crucifixion, not for his wrongdoing, but for mine and yours.

This is the Love of God.  

His love for people like ourselves who recognise how our natures are corrupt, just like everybody else's.  How God longs to love us, how he cried out to his people throughout the Old Testament, and how he cries out to each of us again today, no matter how bad.  Indeed even the Putin's off this world can be forgiven, if they turn to God.  Recognising our nature we recognise also that this death of Jesus was on our behalf, not his.  Death, and that on a cross, not something he wanted to undergo, instead it was something he went through out of love for us and his Father that he was willing to endure, and by this opened a way for forgiveness, new life with the Living God, and the hope of eternal life to come, beginning now!

Yes, in spite of the cooker dying while I made use of it, in spite of a possible new neighbour this week, in spite of gas and electric charges, in spite of my many failures, in spite of all this Jesus, God in human flesh, went to the cross for me and you.  So, not everything is as bad as it appears.

 

 

Palm Sunday 2022

 

Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem as Messiah, the Saviour!

However, the people saw a saviour that would rise up and remove the Romans from the land, return might and power to Israel and lead them into a new era of peace.

This was not the Messiah that rode in on a donkey.

Jesus had come to ensure peace indeed, but peace with God for each individual.

He did this by giving himself up to death on a cross, as a sacrifice for you and me and all others. 

He is a Messiah indeed, not with force, but with a gift of life indeed for all who would accept this.

 

F.F.Bruce, New Testament History

 

What a great book this is.  The late F.F. Bruce published this book first in 1971, a year well before most of you were born.  This edition came later and arrived at my door later still via 'World of Books,' as a second hand bargain.

The book says what it means on the cover, New Testament history, and that is what you get.  While Bruce is an academic this book is very readable for the average person.  It has notes and references on every page enhancing, not detracting from the subject.

Bruce refers to the years previous to our time, the gap between Malachi and Matthew, covering the Persians who ended the Old Testament, the Greeks after Alexander, and the Romans who dominate our period.  We pass through the Herodians, the Roman governors, the various 'philisophical schools,' at the time.  The religious outlook was varied and we explore the High Priests, Pharisees & Sadducees, and the Essenes are also covered.  Bruce seeks to gve us an understanding from a wide range of contemporary available documents. 

When Jesus arrives the land was filled with a Messianic hope, and a variety of messiah's were around throughout that century.  We then touch on John the Baptist and his unfortunate demise, then much time is spent understanding Jesus, what did he mean and what does he represent.  The cross, what was it for?

Bruce then covers the church immediately after the crucifixion, and the worldwide spread as believers moved willingly or unwillingly from Jerusalem.  Time is given to cover Paul and Peter and the problems inside and outside of the young church, continuing into the following century.

I found this book helpful for understanding the world of the time as it is important to see Jesus in context or we fail to understand how he was seen by the people.  If you wish to know God you must see him in action as he walked the earth.  However, you must understand the world in which he moved before his death.  

The book offers knowledge, it also indicates that following Jesus could end in crucifiction for you and I, he meant it when he said 'Take up your cross daily.'  

I recommend this old, but worthy book.

 

Ukraine Thoughts

Amidst all the debate re the Ukraine debacle there are numerous individuals who have put themselves forward as experts on a nation they had not considered at any time before.  I am one of those!  However, amongst the noise we often see real experts, such as Justin Bronk, who's article I have linked to, explaining the mystery of the disappearing Russian Airforce.  This is well worth  read, and I notice others now saying simiar things.

The first thing the 'allies,' (for 'allies' read 'USA') did when entering Iraq was to send in the aircraft to bomb radio masts, radar and other technical weaponry, thus 'blinding the foe' and curbing his anti-air and other defences.  This has not succeeded in Ukraine.  Indeed, for the most part the Russian air force has had limited operation here, and has suffered many losses of attacking aircraft and Helicopters when it has been in action.  Now they are tending to operate at night to avoid incoming Sam missiles thus lessening the pilots awareness of the ground situation, a ground they have little knowledge off and training for.  On the borders however a great many 'powerful' aircraft sit doing nothing.

Russian pilots are not as well trained, have limited opportunities to fly, less than half the flying time of Nato forces, and it is possible that the maintainance is not what it ought to be.  Using all the aircraft in determined 'push' might bring results by overwhelming the enemy, but this does not appear to be on the agenda.  Do they have enough missiles, bombs, trained pilots?  Are the pilots reluctant to fly on death missions?  Could it be the organisation, linked to corruption, has ruined the effectiveness of the air force?    

Russian tanks and other equipment are also finding problems.  We have seen many burnt out, hit by 'Stinger' and other missiles, 'Molotov Cocktails,' and other weapons.  Quite a few have been stolen by tractor drivers, others recovered, in good condition, from young Russian soldiers who have run away or surrendered.  Such tanks, the Ukraining Tax Office has declared, are not liable for tax purposes, have as many as you like!  Many captured Russians have not eaten for several days, food is scarce, and information and fuel unavailable.  Logistics is not known for much glory, but without proper logistics, providing ammunition, weapons, food, water, fuel, and whatever else is required, the army will come to a halt.  The Ukrainians have taken the euqipment, fed the soldiers, and allowed them to call home to mother.    

What all this shows is an army based on numerical, not quality strength.  One year conscripts, often untrained, put into action on 'exercises,' and finding themselves under fire from determined defenders.  The corruption that has seen much equipment sold off, quality control failing, and aged, or inept equipment failing those that seek to make use of it.  

The real army experts, who I am unable to link to, are beginning to hope that if the Ukrainians can continue the fight another few days the Russian attack will be stopped.  This would have repercussions back home.  The defeat, for that is what it would be, of the Russian forces could lead to an uprising in the many varied and unhappy states, especially Chechenya.  People at home will still complain as the economy has collapsed, shops and banks will fail, and TV and media merely spout Putins words.  This may mean his end.  

However, Putin is a calculating, cold man.  Image is important and this image is not a good one.  He may turn to nuclear weapons, hopefully the Generals will not allow this, or even end himself.  All rather hopefull ideas.  Putin has been around a long time, knows Russia, knows his options and will be calculating them now.  Like Adolf Hitler he is not a man to surrender.  Whether his army or airforce fall apart or not, he may be banking on a Naval success at Odessa now.  That may continue the struggle for another day.

 

 

Where is Jesus in all this?

He is where he always is, wherever his people are, Jesus is there.   Many Christians, of various denominations, are tending wounded, sorting the donations that have flooded into the country, and aiding the population around the country.  Churches are centres of aid distribution. shelter and welfare. 

Jesus himself, by his Holy Spirit will be calling people on both sides to know and understand their sinful nature, revealed surely in such wars?  He wishes them to recognise his death and resurrection on their behalf, taking the power of sin and setting them free from its hold on them.  Afterwards, we will hear many tales of how Jesus has been seen with his people in the midst of this conflict.  These stories may not make the daily press, but as in all wars will be found in lives changed by his love.

On a slightly different topic, some see this as a 'religious war.'  This may not make sense to some but this article makes an interesting case for understanding a major strand in the thinking that motivates Putin and many others in this area.   

 

Points to Ponder

 

 

Isaiah:6:1.  In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: with two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:

‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.’

4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 ‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.’6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for. 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’

*****

Luke:5:1.  One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding round him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’

5 Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’ 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’ 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.’ 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

************

I had a short, sort of polite, debate on twitter with a chap who claimed to be an atheist. However, in the usual manner of most atheists he did not declare this at first. On Twitter people often jump on Christian type posts and make a few points, often not worth commenting on. This one however, appears to be a genuine and in some ways a thoughtful individual, though how genuine is his claim to have ‘studied’ Christianity we have to take as read.

A quick look at his own timeline indicated the type of atheist posts that younger, often gay, men offer. Usually with Boris Johnson like short phrases to catch attention and defeat all arguments. Well, that’s what they intend.

The brief debate brought to mind Isaiah and Simon. Their experience reveals what many miss, the supernatural revelation of God. The study of scripture ought to bring the reader into the presence of the Living God, however, for many this is a wearisome affair, and the less sincere reader will happily accept interpretations that ease his life and end further study. For others such study may be seen as Historically worthy but God himself appears difficult to accept, many parts are confusing to a modern reader and therefore thrown out rather than an understanding sought.

Isaiah appears to have been a man of learning, well versed in scripture of the day, and he may well have been in the Temple when God met him. Peter likewise was brought up on Jewish beliefs and appears to have followed the Law as he knew it all his life. Though both had an understanding of God and his works in the nation it was when both men were brought up by the revelation of their sinful nature that they truly ‘Knew God.’ No more was he a distant figure, no more words on a page, he was God, the supernatural one outside of our experience and control, he was Lord indeed! Both men now knew this.

All believers have an experience similar to this. The circumstances may vary, it may arrive in one revelation or it may occur over time, but the personal meeting with the Living God changes everything.

Most people appear to live only in the here and now, no allowance is made for the supernatural. This is a fault we all made. We all once saw religion as unimportant, thus the church attendances fail, until Jesus turned up at our door and pointed out the difference between, what we once called the ‘righteous and the wicked.’ It was that moment when we realised for the first time that we are never going to be free of ‘wickedness,’ for want of a better word. Our nature is corrupt and we will stand before Jesus in judgement and can do nothing about this.

It is also at that moment when we can appreciate Jesus finished work on the cross. We can now understand that he took our nature when he gave himself on the cross for us. That he died to cover our sin, that he died in a personal manner for me! That sacrifice can be made available to us and our response has to be to give ourselves to him, or we have failed to comprehend our situation.

“We love, because he first loved us.”

The cold world of the atheist cannot compete with the warm loving but difficult life that Jesus has to offer. He is the centre of his world, we cannot control much yet the Christian knows that whatever the situation that Jesus is Lord and we see all too often that he is in control. This person Jesus is always with us by his holy Spirit.

This is not a religion, this is not fancy, often boring ceremonies, this is a relationship with a friend who is always with us, both now and forever.

Individuals might have a few friends during their life, but life’s events take them away, circumstances change and our control over them is feeble. The atheist, highly intelligent and hard working, often a caring person has only himself. The one who is brought by the Holy Spirit to see his need, understand his situation, and brought to the cross can face the world knowing he is forgiven and his friend Jesus will always be beside him and never leave him.

This only fails when we choose to go our own way or return to the empty world around us.

Jesus however, always satisfies.

 

 

Boxing Day 2021

 

The problem with having Christmas Day on Saturday is that many folk think Sunday is a Monday.  I am convinced some folks were half way to work this morning before remembering what the day was.  For many others the presence of family or friends, and maybe the weight of over indulgence proved too much for them as few indeed arrived at the Kirk this morning.  The teeming rain did not help either. 

However, we gathered, sung several songs badly, and without the technicians being available we had to read the words out off a book rather than view them on screen.  This has not happened for so long some among us had forgotten how to read!  It was clear we had all forgotten how to sing.

 

 

Soon enough I was back home, the shepherds and angels remaining behind while I indulged myself in roast potatoes, not black like yesterday, and a chicken concoction far too big for me.  However, with some effort I managed, and washed this down with Plum Vodka.  A bit strong with the cloves dear! 

Then Joy!  The Heart of Midlothian game against Ross County was available and I was able to shout abuse at the TV director for failing to do his job properly once again.  Why does he spend so much time looking at the back of players heads?  Just watch the game mate!  Surely this is the easiest job in TV, why make it hard?  Anyway, we won of course, so that provided more cheer.  Now, lying ahead of me are two more games on Now TV via SKY.  It is so hard deciding whether to watch here or go and watch from my bed...

 

Two days holiday now follow.  This is time for the wrapping paper, empty boxes, the ones without cats sitting in them, and other assorted rubbish, including that strange uncle that comes only at Christmas to be discarded, recycled or dumped.  Peace and quiet, unless the kids are still around, and a time for sleeping off excess now arrives.

I hope your Christmas has been a good one, Jesus is still here, no longer a baby but a King, talk to him, he will listen.  He even arranges a driver when the rain is falling, or at least he did for me today anyway.  

You do realise that this time next year will be a new year?  Jings!

 

 

The City of Abraham by Edward Platt

                                               Waterstones

 

At last, I have finished a book!  

Through no fault of my own books are piling up on the 'To Read' shelf.  I do not know where they have come from!  Some of them have been lying about for years it appears.  Others have bookmarks in them from long ago so they will have to be restatred, from the beginning I suspect, at some time in the future.  

However, I have finished this one.

Hebron is a very contested city in Israel held territory, taken during one of the wars.  To Jews it is the city in which David first ruled as King over the southern part of the land, then called Judah.  David reigned there after the fall of Saul and seven years later he became king over all of Israel both the northern kingdom, later called 'Israel,' and Judah.  The united kingdom settled and happy under King David, a time of joy and certainty under his rule.  This became divided after his sone Solomon died, the wealthy kingdom soon split into two once again.  

Hebron is important to Jews and Muslims as Abraham himself was buried in the cave nearby where a huge building now stands over the place considered to be the cave in which he was buried. Abraham as you know not only had Issac as a son, his grandson Jacob became the name from which Israel is known throughout the Old Testament, he also had Ishmael via Hagar and he is seen as the father of the Arabs. No Muslims in those far off days as you know.   

Today many Jewish settlers have moved in and built their Settlements over many parts of the city, including the highest point considered to be the centre of old Hebron, a city dating back eons into the past.

The writer, the typical English middle class trendy, goes to Hebron with the intention to avoid taking sides, as if!  Folk like him already have a leaning towards the Arabs however little they know or understand the middle east.  There again, reading the book it becomes very easy to take sides with the Arabs, the Settlers, protected by Border Guards, Soldiers and Police, do not make themselves attractive, and as I found myself in Israel eons ago, Israeli Jews are not that welcoming to tourists even though they depend on their money.  

The land some say is divided between Jews and Arabs, it is however divided much more than that.  The Israeli population are themselves divided into many factions, many on the right, many on the left, also there are religious Jews divided into similar factions. Add to that the division between those that came from Spain with those arriving from Russia, and then there are holocaust survivors, or indeed those who feel shame at avoiding capture.  

Likewise the Arabs have divisions, Fatah and Hamas, tribal divisions, those in Hebron from those in the North, all making the simple choice of who to support difficult.  All however, are trapped in a war zone featuring occasional outbursts of serious violence and constant daily stone throwing from one side or another, and always the others fault!  

Simple people claim there is a simple answer to the division in the land, reading this book I found a constant depression returning as there is no obvious answer to the mix.  Everybody has a claim, everybody is right, and everybody goes back deep into History for their claim.

Palestinians claim to have been there since time began, I am sure some DNA tests would reveal many indeed have history going back thousands of years.  However, so many have moved through this very small space, many remaining when the invaders moved on, it would reveal also a mixture of middle east heritage from many sides.  I wonder if such a test has been conducted?  Maybe the results were to inflamable to reveal?

The Hebrews certainly possessed the land from the time of Joshua, around 1200 BC possibly, until driven out by the Romansd after the war of 70 AD and the revolt of 135 AD?  Some Jews might well have remained though most were exiled.  

For well over a hundred years possession has belonged to the Jews, they clearly are in control, and yet it is possible for Jew and Arab to live together quite happily, there is a desire for this amongst many in Hebron and elsewhere.  However, on both sides others disagree, and all are armed.

The settlers are another thing altogether.  I had the idea settlers were mostly American Jews who considered themselves John Wayne fighting the Indians, and in Hebron this can be seen amomg many there.  The settlers do not come across as open-minded, considerate or lovable.  Indeed, their violent and aggressive behaviour would easily temp us to join with the Palestinians locals in throwing stones.  When one video was revealed though Israel TV indicating settlers behaviour in Hebron many Israeli's turned against them.  It also shocked the settlers to realise they did not represent all Jewish people.  

I naturally wanted to know more about the ancient Historical sites, however, the settlers have erected their homes above the main 'dig,' the part of Hebron David walked and many have ruled from.  There will be no 'digs' for many years.  

The Tomb of Abraham also turns out to be somewhat disappointing.  Although illegal to dig down underneath some have in the past gone down through tunnels and found ancient caves with bones and fragments, but sadly no proper modern archaeology can be conducted.  It will be obvious that with all the passing armies since Abraham was buried some 4000 years ago these caves, if indeed these are the correct places, will have been ransacked many times by the curious seeking riches.  So, another Historical site turns out to be not what it might be after all.  

I am just glad Hebron is Hebron, and this may well be the place David ruled but no work to prove this can occur these days.

The author attempts to talk to all people in the city, Arabs, Jews, even an occasional settler, and we see the human cost of what they call the 'occupation.'  We find soldiers, young, badly trained conscripts, bored, frightened by both sides, confused and angry, all hoping to go somewhere better than this.  The Police limited by the army, the army limited by settlers, the courts decisions often ignored, and the rule of law changing according to someones whim.

And yet we see people on both sides happy to trade with one another, to use the markets, even to meet and discuss on occasions.  As always the majority just wish to get on with their lives and ignore the troubles around them.  It must be remembered that many Jews and Christians lived reasonably happy lives for generations amongst the Arabs, rare was the conflict.  So we must question why, since the end of the 19th century, has such a situation arisen?  Jews were found across the middle east, now none are found in Iraq, and others flee to Israel or the US!  

I think it would help if the author, Edward Platt, knew and understood the biblical  background better.  Another ignorant of Christianity, he quotes from the Authorised Version of the Bible (he calls it the KJV) even though venacular bibles have been around for 70 years, indicating his desire to put the bible down rather than learn from it, and his knowledge of Islam is similarly short.  Clearly he has made an effort to read what a Sunday School could have taught him but this however, has not opened his understanding of the people, the background nor the future of this land, which is a serious failing in this book.  

The book being published in 2012 is slightly out of date, nevertheless it gives an insight into the people of the land today, some idea of the Historical background, and, for me, a depressing knowledge that no easy answer can be found.  The book however, is worth a read, just to get one man's insight into the people living in this mix.  

God remains in control of this land, however, it is clear the people living there have not sought, or if they have sought, have not found his answer, to the situation.  If the Good Lord has indeed put the Hebrews back in his land we cannot remove them.  But are these his Hebrews?  Are they living his way?  Jesus is their Messiah and until they know him they will not find his answer for the land.  Until his Spirit moves there life will continue like this.  However, God is there, and when we see Hebrews turn to his Messiah Jesus en masse we will know that soon his Son will return.

 

Psalm 24

 

 

Psalm 24

My reading this morning led me to wonder about this God who created all things yet seeks wretched sinners like us.  The King of Glory in particular struck a cord for me.

v1-2. ‘The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof.’ 

A reminder that God is creator, we are created, we and this earth belong to him alone. 

 

v3-6. Those who worship God can only do so when they reflect Gods holiness. 

So many churches today do not do this. I fail miserably.

 

v7-10. The King of Glory, Yahweh, the Lord almighty, he is the King of Glory. 

His Glory is his Holiness and his Love.  You cannot get one without the other.

 

This 'King of Glory,' one perfect in every way. His Holiness is not the empty holiness of humans who bear this title, his Holiness is real and powerful.  

Nothing that is unacceptable can approach him.  

Yet he reaches down to the sinful people on earth, the ones he has created, the ones who ignore him and fail to even consider his existence.  This God, this loving God is so desperate to gather people to himself to share an eternal existence with him.  

This God is so keen to have us with him he takes human form, spends some 30 or so years amongst us, unrecognised by the majority, and lays down his life on a cross just so we could be with him.  

And the majority still are unmoved.

God basically asks and requests, people to receive him.  

How low can a God go? 

This is Almighty God coming to his people and offering life abundant! What love is this that takes our place on the cross? He took our sin nature, and again calls us to turn around, offer ourselves to him and walk his way.

He himself will be always with us, why do we linger? 

Why do we hinder or doubt his love for us?  Why?

 

 

Parkside

A week late, being five hours behind in the USA today's service begins after 2:30 pm here.  So I make use of last weeks.  Still good.

Good Friday Meditation

Easter 2019

The Easter eggs have for the most part gone the way of all chocolate.  The unbelieving public have eaten themselves sick, travelled to family elsewhere, visited the zoo, museums, old houses, parks and gardens, or sat by the sea while turning lobster red.  
The faithful gathered en masse (but not en masse in evangelical circles) to give thanks and worship and distribute eggs.... at least I gave away a few Cadbury's cream eggs to the little hooligans, none of whom refused.  Neither did the women when offered bar one who is banned from eating them by the doctor.  I will have that one later.
Easter was not observed after Jesus died, it does appear to have been around in some places by the end of the first century as I read somewhere John mentions this as to be observed at the Jewish passover.  It was certainly around by the mid second century.
Christians ought to celebrate this daily, not annually.
I note the government has taken time of from Brexit to support Jeremy Hunt's attempt at being Prime minister to protect Christians worldwide.  Jeremy, who as health secretary attempted to privatise the NHS by the back door, has been touring the world recently talking to the main world leaders and has mentioned such problems as Christians suffering persecution with many of them, not the Chinese or Indians as far as I can see however.  I wonder why?  
With the news of over 200 people Christians and tourists being killed in Sri Lanka by suicide bombers Theresa May has spoken of her feelings on the issue.  It is clear the Conservatives are attempting to get back the church vote they have lost over the years.  Quite how they will do this while Brexit is trundling along and they have given us austerity leading to an ever increasing use of Food banks throughout the land is not clear.  It would be terrible if some preacher was to read the Book of Amos to Theresa while she is in church being photographed by the media.  She might get a shock.
Easter is over, although it is not over, Christ is risen and is moving in his world, speak to him tonight, he might surprise you...

My BT Problem, Rugby Problems

This contained my BT problem.  This little box and the wire connected to it prevented me from receiving calls from people offering me tax refunds, changing bank accounts and allowing me to buy anti-virus supported by Microsoft.  All this, plus one or two nuisance calls - the family - because one wire was frayed and required replacing.
The new building next door has been awaiting connection to the mainline for some time but nothing could happen until the new telegraph pole (telegraph, what's that?) was installed.  That occurred Sunday and today the BT Outreach man arrived to plug them in.  Last night my great nephew contacted me via facebook, he is now an outreach engineer and he checked the line confirming a fault.  How he did this from near Edinburgh I did not ask as technology is beyond me.
Today I mentioned the fault to the engineer, made an online fault report, and almost immediately everything went dead!
You canny say they are not fast!
Within a short while all returned including the dead phone.
The men had installed the new line next door, found the corrupted wire, replaced this with new wire and all is well.  All in a mornings work.  Well done Outreach.
The internet and the football it contains, sorry I mean contact with friends and family it contains is important.  My life is lived through the web these days.  For instance when it went dead I had just found on Twitter a new relevant to the museum site concerning this area, the web is great for that.
So many good things but while it was down I was so lost I almost cleaned the fridge!
How sad can one get?
Of course now all is well I am not using the phone until tomorrow, when it is free for an hour...

Discrimination is rife in the world of Rugby Union Football.  One Australian player made a, somewhat rough, statement regarding the end for gays, atheists, liars, drunks and others when they die and meet Christ Jesus, reject the offer of life in Christ Jesus and Hell awaits.  This was a simple biblical statement certainly made in a 'straightforward' manner and has naturally brought upon his head the opposition of the gay lobby and the politically correct fear of the rugby authorities who do not wish anyone to attack them.  Israel Folau an Australian  rugby union international may well lose his position as the nations most important player because of his opinion.  In the rush to be seen as innocent of all charges his own team bosses are 'making enquiries' as to the matter.  I short washing their hands Pilate like.  Rugby is a man's game, especially in Australia, what a shame so few men lead the organisation running it and appear to be in charge of his own club.  
Folau has made it clear he will oppose any attempt to fire him from his rugby international contract, quite rightly, and we must now wait and see if the brave men running the game there will stand up for him and his right to free speech or run from the gay lobby and dump him.  
In England, Billy Vunipola, another rugby playing Christian, has defended Folau's right to speak.  He too now finds himself up before the authorities for offering biblical truth to the world led by the gay lobby that would reject truth.
We now live in a world in which biblical truth is pushed aside for 'political correctness,' that is the social pressure led by the gay lobby forcing the people to accept their demand to be accepted as they are, though no Christian has not done so, and bullying anyone, especially Christians who continue to point out God's views on the subject.  We are corralled into accepting their opinion and afraid to speak out against it.  Hitler's Germany had a similar approach to opposition.

What is the biblical view?
All men and women are born sinners, no-one will be saved on the day we face Christ Jesus, not one!
Therefore as we are totally lost God himself came down to earth in human form, lived some 30 years or so on earth facing the same problems we face, never sinned and gave up his own life after being hounded, arrested, beaten, ridiculed, scourged, and crucified, always offering forgiveness to his enemies, and dying on the cross as the price to pay for our, yours and mine, sin.  Our nature put him on the cross, only a perfect man can stand and none exist, Jesus, fully man and fully God took our punishment, was separated from his father, and the Father from him, so you and I could have an opportunity of salvation.
On the third day he rose again, he being sinless could not remain there, our sin could.
When he rose he offered 'repentance' the chance to change our ways and follow him and receive forgiveness and then by his grace the Holy Spirit who will lead us into a new life.  His life is hard but in the end glorious.  Even now it has its moments.  Nothing compares with knowing Christ Jesus, the living God!
Those who ignore or reject this offer then stand alone before God on that day that comes to us all, only their perfection will enable them to stand, and none are perfect.  One sin rejects us, how many have you?    
The chance of a new life is available, Folau and Vinipola have found this life and will suffer for it, all Christians do.  One day God will receive them through Jesus sacrifice, they wish all others, gays, drunks, liars, even politicians, to be save also, we have one life let us make the correct choice.

Friday Faffing

I note Chris Evans, paid £1.6 million for blethering on Radio 2, has had a couple of babies, or at least this weeks wife has.  He has named them 'Ping and Pong.'  Now my love for Chris is such that I suspect I have not actually heard a word from him for at least ten years and would continue this quite happily for another ten, however I make so bold as to interfere in his life by suggesting that anyone who names their child in a stupid manner be hung from the nearest lamppost upside down.
At the very least the social services ought to be involved as there is no doubt names such as this, plus the constant publicity that follows them will do them much harm.  'Zowie Bowie' you will recall became 'Anthony, known as Tony, as soon as he was able to change his name.  He may remain working in music but now nobody notices, what could he have achieved with a proper name?

Theresa May, rejected by most of her party, rejected by 27 EU leaders and indeed laughed at, following, she says, 'the will of the people' in spite of the people wanting a second referendum that will end this madness.  She and her associates, if she has any left, are out of ideas and desperate to succeed in pushing Brexit in spite of knowing it will devastate the nation for fifty years. Don't you feel sympathy for her?
No.

Today is the 'International Day of Peace.'
Who decides this?  Who organises this?  Why did I only find out by chance?
Does it work in Syria I wonder?
Does it run into Friday evening when the pubs come out? 
Hmmm it appears this arose from the United Nations and has been running annually since 1981.
I had not noticed.
How many wars since then?  How many conflicts great and small?
Peace with God is available but only through Jesus Christ and his finished work on the cross.
Will folks allow you to say this?  
Possibly not as that would disturb their 'peace...'

Apple, that company famed for making money and watching your every move, have introduced a new 'iphone.'  This one retails at around £1400 and people in various parts of the world have queued up overnight just to be the first to buy this product.
Are they stupid?
Yes!

  
At the UKIP party conference, yes they still have one, there are a variety of items on sale, as you may expect.  Chequers Fudge and a UKIP branded thong are available but the best seller appears to be the condoms with Nigel Farage's face upon the packet, for when you have a 'Hard Brexit.'  
This is being advertised as the best way to avoid pregnancy!

Mark is Listening

It comes as no surprise that facebook, like most other internet things into which we input our information, is being used to feed us even more information.  This knowledge has recently upset many of us as it interferes with our privacy to discover that supermarkets can sell our details to those interested in swaying our opinions on foodstuffs or politics, yes Mr Putin I mean you!  The fact that billionaires with a right wing outreach and no concern for their staff, yes Mr Amazon I mean you, make use of this information to lie to us though social media and newspaper comment columns in an effort to make us vote for Brexit can also be no surprise.  This after all is what the elite have always done as the attempt to get their own way, only the machinery is different.
Propaganda has for over a hundred years spewed out of the daily newspaper, almost all owned by some magnate of some kind, especially today, all they are allowed to print has always been what was demanded by the owner in spite of some editors considering they had they right to voice their opinions.  TV and radio are also a branch of the government, though not as directly as in Russia or Iran I venture, in the UK the programmes, almost none of which I watch, are offered by brainless middle class media folk on the up with no comprehension of what 'quality' means in TV, though radio can do well but you have to seek it out sometimes.  The news however, especially in the BBC has become very much a tool of the Brexit lobby, these 'loony lefties' as the Loony right wing 'Daily Mail' calls them spout the same nonsense re Brexit that the Mail does with no questioning allowed of government policy.  A farce and one we are lumbered with.
How worried ought we to be that such folks know that you 'Checked in' to Sainsburys on Monday or posted a photo of your breakfast yesterday?  Do you think that nice Mister Putin cares about that?  I doubt it myself.  It may well be these men have had an effect on the thinking of many  in various elections, mostly by stirring emotion rather than thought, just consider how many 'bots' you meet on forums that are negative but never argue the toss to see how effective they are at emotional threat, but on the whole the majority are already half way their if they are influenced by such propaganda.  People as we know read the paper of their choice because it tells them what they wish to read rather than anything that disturbs equilibrium.  
I do not worry to much at this however the information obtained would be a blessing to Heinrich Himmler and his Gestapo had he had the opportunity to possess such and the possibility of a police state in the UK is not as hard to obtain as some think.  Hitler took power in 1933 and by 1939 had complete control of everything, similar could happen here and much quicker.  
Who would be targets of such a state?  In my view Christians are the ones most likely to be targeted. Christians strongly, or ought to, strongly oppose the Politically Correct world in which we now live.  This upside down generation tat has flooded in during the last thirty years has not brought freedom to the masses it has merely allowed people to lose their freedom and indulge themselves in themselves.  That is not freedom.  Jesus came to offer Abundant life and today's cosmos opposes that abundance and offers slavery to self.  The control via the web offered to a right wing state, e.g. China, is great but in their mental outlook the Chinese view this as a form of security, as long as prosperity continues, in the west liberal values constructed since the Reformation give us a different outlook.  Freedom of thought has been fought for and is now being eroded, soon I think it will be taken from Christians altogether, who will stand then? 

Winter Solstice

At long last the winter solstice is upon us.  It seems like six months since the last solstice.  At last it has arrived and from now on we look forward to Spring!  Ah Spring, that favourite time of year when lambs go a-leaping, little flowers erupt throughout the countryside, blue skies and warm sun appear in the sky in between the rain storms and all around see the world in a better light.  Or is that see the world in day light?  
For now we suffer winter itself.  Indeed Winter begins today, in spite of what has gone on since late October, and we know that storms, all given stupid childish names for no good reason, will lash the coasts and send rain from the Atlantic on our heads.  Snow that awful substance will fall making the roads and pavements slippery, blinding travellers, freezing our hands and feet, causing accidents to man and beast, plus cars of course, and no doubt allow kids to throw snowballs at their betters, or folks like me.  Ban snow, I would vote 'Brexit' if they promised to keep it away and bring sunshine instead.
The darkness arrived as I returned from buying another new bell for the door.  The last one rang with such a resounding ring I could not hear it while standing next to it.  Resounding?  I hit it and it doesn't resound.  Bah!  This one might be better but I suspect it too will be quiet, possibly some PC lout has ensured bells must not ring loudly in case someone is offended?  We will see, eventually.  The darkness arrived but had not really gone away, cloud covering the land all day.  Dreich and yuck all day, a bit like me I suggest.

Just how dark can it get around here...?

I am spending much time listening to the Classical music resounding properly on Radio 3.  Even R3 lightens up at this time and the Christmas around Europe music is good.  I suspect if I was one of the millions travelling around in these Xmas days I expect I would be desperate to listen to such as this while on a crowded train, bus, platform.  The joys of train travel are a delight but not when crowded. One screaming child, two women nattering loudly about nothing, a drunk, a long wait for no reason in the middle of nowhere, all these make folks wonder why they travel at this time.
O course Christmas ought to be in March rather than December, and not just because the shops are crowded.  I am sure Jesus entered the world at the end of that month rather than December.  Of course life begins at conceptions so possibly July would be a better time?  It would be warmer then even if  some wished to go on holiday at that time.  
This would mean rewriting Carols of course, 'In the bleak midwinter' would become 'In the much to hot for us summer' and 'Silent Night' might become 'Turn the noise down!'  The landing in a manger, where hay was dumped as donkey feed, would not change.  Jesus taking the lowest place never ends, and for us too!

  

Eye Watch You

Been quiet here recently, I ignore the news mostly as it is the usual ongoing stuff, the weather and being a fat slob has kept me indoors for the most part and nothing has happened except the stormy rain.  This Collared Dove, or bloody nuisance as it is called when calling for his mate outside my window early in the day, posed happily for me until he actually saw me behind the filthy back window.  He is about the only bird I see these days all the others have scarpered including the noisy Starlings who no longer squawk around the hanging feeders.  Maybe it is something I said?

   
The wind and rain battering the window forced me to do those things left undone for so long, cupboard cleaning, rubbish dumping and long lost object finding.  It is amazing what lies in cardboard boxes at the bottom of cupboards and I have just uncovered some slides from years ago of happy times and a black cat not necessarily connected.  Now all I need is one of those devices to transfer the pics to digital so I can see them properly.  
Sadly I also have two heavy boxes of photos dumped aside long ago that now must be gone through.  Some will be quite good but I expect I will have to be 'Donald Trump tough' and dump the ones that need not be kept.  The dust I will return to where I found it and remove it next time...
The lentil soup was another requirement that will be needed to keep me alive as I continue my calorie controlled diet.  I lost 4 pounds since yesterday by not eating and humping things which no doubt will return today, however the soup, which is too salty, will keep me going for lunchtimes.

The 'season of mists and mellow fruitfulness' comes at a price.  The price is a darkening sky, shorter days, colder temperatures and golden leaves falling from trees.  That last one is a bugbear for some around here today.  The rain and wind have loosened the leaves from countless trees and garden paths, streets and back alleyways bust be chock a block with these things today.  
In days of yore one of our tasks was to clean up such leaves, daily we would sweep as far as possible knowing that tomorrow we would have to do this all over again, and again, and again until no leaves were left.  This was not a job we enjoyed as there were daily tasks to accomplish at the same time.  We never complained or grumbled, no we didn't, we just got on with it and looked forward to next year.  
Round here one man not far from me insists on burning all fallen leaves and this delightful aroma reminds me of my Uncle George who did similar many moons ago.  Uncle George had a small fire and the smoke did not come inside, my local man enables his smoke to travel a great distance from the far side of the park and to establish a home in my room.  This delightful reminiscence will not be looked on as favourably as Uncle Georges is.

Once the weather ended its downpours I made it to the late night shopping and obtained no bread that satisfies.  The best stuff had gone and I had to make do with 'heat it yourself' loaves.  Greedy locals had bought all the decent stuff and left me hungry, or as hungry as anyone 16 stone could be.
At least I got a night shot of others failing to get the bread they wished.  How much better it is to shop when the masses have gone home, how easy it is, how quiet, how bare the shelves!