Views, Visions and Values.

Wednesday, 18 September 2013

Some thoughts for Today, The day of the Lord

1 Thessalonians 5

New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

The day of the Lord

5 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety’, destruction will come on them suddenly, as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Final instructions

12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.

23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us. 26 Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

The Bible Panorama

1 Thessalonians 5

V 1–3: SUDDEN SURPRISE When the world least expects Christ, and when it is said that peace and safety has come, Jesus will return ‘as a thief in the night’. This is as sure to happen as the labour of a pregnant woman will bring forth birth.

V 4–11: WAKEFUL WATCH The world is not prepared for that. Christians should be ready and waiting for the coming of the Lord. Preparation for this event involves living a sober life characterised by faith, love, assurance of salvation, comforting one another, and building one another up in the faith. Christians, whether sleeping the sleep of death or awake at Christ’s coming, rejoice that He died for them and that they will be together with Him. Salvation, not wrath, awaits them. This knowledge comforts those worried about the salvation of Christians who have died.

V 12–22: WISE WORDS Paul then exhorts the Thessalonians in different practical matters. We see in these that true spirituality is always translated into practical living, working on good relationships with others, turning from evil, rejoicing, prayer, honouring God’s Spirit, Christian discernment, and submitting to God with thankfulness for who He is and what He has done.

V 23–24: COMPLETE CONSECRATION Paul prays that God will sanctify the Christians completely in spirit, soul and body, so that they are ready for the coming of the Lord Jesus who is faithful to them.

V 25–28: GRACIOUS GREETINGS Paul’s greetings include a request for prayer, a holy kiss for them all, an instruction to read the letter to everyone, and the desire that they will know the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ with them.

Heaven's Song // Jeremy Riddle & Bethel Music // Tides Official Lyrics

Tuesday, 17 September 2013

Union announces firefighters strike next Wednesday in pay and pensions row

UK’s first atheist ‘church’ expands worldwide

Phases of single parenting: From surving to thriving Written by Jacqui Wright

Christian single parents are people living in a broken world who have to face the consequences of the brokenness, for themselves and their children. The majority are unwilling divorcees having to deal with a Christian spouse’s wrong choices and actions. Others are widowed or were unmarried. But the reality of Christian single parenting is the same for all – it is a hard task. We are not ‘Super dad’ or ‘Super mum’, but weak and frail human beings with unique needs and desires, like everyone else.

The single parent family is still able to be a fully functioning unit yet certain phases have to moved through to get to recovery and restoration:

Survival: As the parent starts to cope with life one day at a time, so the children cope better with their daily routines including school. Coping extends from a daily to weekly basis, then longer term plans can be made. The parent and children may need certain types of counselling to come through any traumatic experience. Healing for all takes time and needs prayer as the Holy Spirit works with healing power. It is better not to start dating too early looking for someone to fix your situation, rather look to the Lord to be your Someone to meet your daily needs by his grace. Continued loving support from family, friends and the church community is required in this phase.

Setbacks: However, all along the way there will be ‘setbacks’. The single parent is initially vulnerable and fragile. Coping with only ‘one significant adult’ means a juggling act, and sometimes all the ‘balls come crashing down’. This may be due to sheer exhaustion, physical illness, an emotional upset i.e. if dating, a break-up; teenage misbehaviour; work stress; and any unforeseen problems of life. The parent has to look to the Lord, stand up again and keep going forward in His strength. A ‘listening’ ear of a counsellor or trusted friend can help the parent move forward positively again.

Stability: Once the stability of the family is established over time i.e. the parent is stable and the children are stable, the setbacks are more easily recovered. It is wise to try to change as little as possible in the children’s lives such as routines, home, school etc, unless absolutely necessary. Make your relationship to the Lord through the Word and prayer part of the fabric of family life; we pray in the car on the way to school daily. Foster a team spirit where everyone in the family is a part of the success of the whole. Encourage each child to do their part with specific chores. Most importantly, keep an open dialogue with your children and discuss any changes such as introducing a person you are starting to date. Make sure your children are comfortable with this process and the person.

Thriving: A stable, loving Christian single parent family, who serve others, is a wonderful testimony to the Lord. People, especially non-Christians, ask ‘How do you do it? You work full time, have five children, are so strong and calm.’ And I can say, ‘It’s not me alone. I’m a Christian and God helps me. He gives me the strength and peace. And we have our bad days!’.

I made a conscious decision to put my children first, and realised that someone had to sacrifice for others to be blessed. I knew I may be single again for a season but that I could trust God to bless me with remarriage in the future if his will.

What has been your experience as a single parent? What has helped bring you through difficult times? And what advice would you give Christian single parents who are looking to start dating again?

Read more articles on: Happiness, Singleness

About Jacqui Wright

Jacqui Wright has been a Christian single parent of 5 children for the past 15 years (2 are now graduates). She works as an Independent Speech and Language therapist www.childhoodcommunication.co.uk, is the founder and Chair of the Bedford Christian Singles group www.bedfordchristiansingles.co.uk and writes on singles’ issues for Evangelicals Now newspaper www.e-n.org.uk.

Some more thoughts for Today, Christian Ministry

2 Corinthians 6

New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

6 As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. ²For he says,

‘In the time of my favour I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.’^[a]

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.

Paul’s hardships

³We put no stumbling-block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. ⁴Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; ⁵in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; ⁶in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; ⁷in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; ⁸through glory and dishonour, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; ⁹known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; ¹⁰sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

¹¹We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. ¹²We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. ¹³As a fair exchange – I speak as to my children – open wide your hearts also.

Warning against idolatry

¹⁴Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? ¹⁵What harmony is there between Christ and Belial^[b]? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.

As God has said:

‘I will live with them
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.’^[c]

¹⁷Therefore,

‘Come out from them
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.’^[d]

¹⁸And,

‘I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.’^[e]

Footnotes:

a. 2 Corinthians 6:2 Isaiah 49:8

b. 2 Corinthians 6:15 Greek Beliar, a variant of Belial

c. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Lev. 26:12; Jer. 32:38; Ezek. 37:27

d. 2 Corinthians 6:17 Isaiah 52:11; Ezek. 20:34,41

e. 2 Corinthians 6:18 2 Samuel 7:14; 7:8

f. The Bible Panorama

2 Corinthians 6

V 1–2: PLEADING PREACHERS Christian workers plead with people to accept God’s grace immediately and be saved.

V 3–10: TRANSPARENT TESTIMONY The lifestyle of those serving God is to be transparent and spiritually minded. Their testimony, in the face of much hardship and opposition, should reflect God-enabled blamelessness, patience, perseverance, purity, knowledge, longsuffering, sacrifice, kindness, love, truthfulness, power, consistency, rejoicing, self-giving, generosity and contentment.

V 11–16: SCRIPTURAL SEPARATION Paul appeals for open hearts and states it is illogical, inconsistent and unscriptural to compromise with worldliness and ungodliness. Christians are to walk with God, who indwells them, and this calls for clear separation from unbelievers in things that are doubtful or inconsistent. In this way they will have a clean walk with God.

V 17–18: FATHER’S FAMILY As His children come out from uncleanness to separation, their Father calls them all to experience the blessings of being sons and daughters of ‘the Lord Almighty’. Their separation is in two parts—from sin and to God. Only in that way can the family likeness be noticed!