No. Instead we’re challenging ourselves… we’re reaching for our better self and fighting off the part of us that is chasing a selfish life. Effectively, we’re racing ourselves!

The person crossing the finish line needs to be the best person we can be. Jesus did this by putting aside all thought for himself and instead did exactly what his Father wanted.

It wasn’t easy

This didn’t come as easy for Jesus as you might expect… he was human after all.

Not only did he understand what needed to happen for him to overcome sin and death, he feared it. He prayed to his Father before he was crucified:

“Father, if you will, please don’t make me suffer by having me drink from this cup.

To “drink from this cup” means to “complete this task”.

And this was no ordinary task – Jesus was to crucified.

Inspite of this, in the same breath as “don’t make me suffer” Jesus adds,

But do what you want, and not what I want.”

Luke 22 v 42

This attitude of mind is what enabled Jesus’ victory over sin and death (see Signs For Our Times, part 3 for more on that).

The Bible challenges us to have the same mind as Jesus:

…think the same way that Christ Jesus thought:

..he gave up everything and became a slave.

Phillipians 2 v 5

Regulations

All sports and sporting events have governing bodies and regulations to be followed.
They may also have conditions of entry and the occasional disqualification if the rules are not followed or players demonstrate bad behaviour.

The runner in the race to God’s Kingdom is also met with requirements. An example is “baptism”.

The Bible gives us a great example of the purpose and nature of baptism – it starts with an Ethiopian official on the road.

An important Ethiopian official happened to be going along that road in his chariot. He was the chief treasurer for Candace, the Queen of Ethiopia. The official had gone to Jerusalem to worship and was now on his way home. He was sitting in his chariot, reading the book of the prophet Isaiah.

Acts 8 v 27

The Apostle Philip meets the official and asks if he understands what he’s reading. The official responds:

“How can I understand unless someone helps me?” He then invited Philip to come up and sit beside him.

So Philip began at this place in the Scriptures and explained the good news about Jesus.

Acts 8 v 31 & 35

The Ethiopian had learned, understood (with Philip’s help) and now he was ready to take action – he asks for baptism.

Baptism is an outward token of his commitment to God. The Greek meaning behind “Baptism” is typically used in relation to dyeing a garment and suggests complete immersion. If a sprinkling was all that was required then the traveller would no doubt have had water enough in a flask.

However, he only suggests baptism when when they arrive at a body of water.

The official said, “Look! Here is some water. Why can’t I be baptised?” He ordered the chariot to stop. Then they both went down into the water, and Philip baptised him.

Acts 8 v 37

From this record, and others, it becomes clear that the commitment of baptism is a decision to be arrived at by consenting adults making informed choices.

Jesus himself set the same example.
His cousin, John the Baptist, thought Jesus was too good for baptism. However, Jesus said:

“For now this is how it should be, because we must do all that God wants us to do.” Then John agreed. So Jesus was baptised.

Matthew 3 v 15-16

What pleases God?

Serving God means putting aside our own interests and the things that are right and important in our minds. Instead we first consider what pleases God.

And as soon as [Jesus] came out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove. Then a voice from heaven said, “This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with him.”

Matthew 3 v 16-17

To summarise:

• Jesus – he learned, understood and took action
• Us – we should take his example as our guide and really listen to God
• The Kingdom of God – this is our goal, let’s run with patience and endurance the race of our lives!

Finally – this is a tough race, but remember how we learned that Paul had been someone who persecuted Christians? He struggled with his past life, as I’m sure we all do from time to time. However, this is how Paul felt about his life in Christ and it can be a great source of encouragement for us:

I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize.

…I forget what is behind, and I struggle for what is ahead. I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done.

Philippians 3 v 12-14

The post The Race of Our Life, part 3: The Finish Line appeared first on Search for Hope.

Completing an endurance race requires commitment, patience and perseverance. It is no easy feat, taking huge effort and often enduring great pain.

Similarly we shouldn’t expect the “Race of Your Life” to be a simple undertaking. In part one we saw how being a Christian is like being an athlete. We also learned that Jesus was the example to follow…

..but he was the son of God – surely that’s an advantage?

Well, perhaps, to some degree, but he was human like us and was challenged in the same ways we are. We’ll explore some of those points in part 3.

The other thing to remember is that we’re not expected to be perfect, but we are to set our sights high and therefore we need to find ways of living that will help rather than hinder our journey.

The parable of the sower

Jesus told a story, the parable of the sower, who scattered seed over his land hoping to grow crops. There were three types of ground and when it came to growing the seed each area of land had varying results.

There was Rocky ground, thorny ground and good ground. Jesus explained that each patch of ground represents a different kind of person with a different outlook. Like the athlete, our potential for success in the race of our life will be determined by the condition of our mind. Specifically, our ability to accept God’s Word as a way of life.

In the parable, the crops that sprang up out of rocky ground and just as quickly withered away.

Jesus said,

… [these] are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it. But they don’t have deep roots, and they believe only for a little while. As soon as life gets hard, they give up.

Luke 8 v 13

If we enter any kind of race without the necessary commitment we too will find ourselves giving up at the first sight of a challenge.

What about the thorny ground?

The seeds that fell among the thornbushes are also people who hear the message. But they are so eager for riches and pleasures that they never produce anything.

Luke 8 v 14

The riches and pleasures of life, are always a distraction!

Even King David – one of the most faithful men who ever lived – saw faithless people doing well and felt angry about it.

However, he accepts that the ”pleasures of life” are short lived…

Don’t be annoyed by anyone who does wrong, and don’t envy them.

They will soon disappear like grass without rain.

…but if you trust the Lord, the land [the Kingdom] will be yours.

Psalm 37 v 7

How do we make sure that we’re equipped?

To be patient and endure a long, tough race and stay the course, no matter how challenging it gets…how do we do this?

Well, having trained to the peak of fitness athletes have to maintain it. Regular exercise, healthy eating and streamlined or lightweight clothing minimise any hinderance or drag as they compete.

The equivalent for a Christian is:

Those seeds that fell on good ground are the people who listen to the message and keep it in good and honest hearts. They last and produce a harvest.

Luke 8 v 15

The “good ground” represents people who recognise God’s truth and they keep it in their hearts… not hidden away but active in their life. Daily ‘reading’ is essential to keeping that truth active in our lives… feeling the benefit of its guidance daily. It’s vital if we are to develop patience, endurance and run this race effectively…

This is what the Apostle Paul said:

…the Scriptures were written to teach and encourage us by giving us hope. God is the one who makes us patient and cheerful. I pray that he will help you live at peace with each other, as you follow Christ.

Romans 15 v 4

Jesus was faithful to the end. He kept on track because he listened to his Father. Reading the Bible is OUR opportunity to listen to the Father. “…the Scriptures were written to teach and encourage us”.

Reading God’s Word is our way of keeping our eye on the prize… and we can take comfort knowing that Jesus has already run this race, has demonstrated the reward in resurrection and now we wait patiently for his return.

After all, it was Jesus who taught:

But if you keep on being faithful right to the end, you will be saved.

Matthew 24 v 13

So we’re mentally prepared but what else do we need to do – and who are we racing against anyway? Join us for the final part in this series – “The Finish Line”

(All quotes taken from the Contemporary English Version unless otherwise stated)

The post The Race of Your Life, part 2: Patience and Endurance appeared first on Search for Hope.

The life of an athlete is a combination of commitment, routine and diet – sacrifices must be made.

A great athlete needs to focus upon a goal – the finish line, the victory, the prize! In the mind of any athlete the prize justifies the sacrifices.

In this three part series we continue the search for meaning in a modern world through the lens of a very old book – the Bible.

The life of a Christian is similar, in principle, to the life of an athlete. And this is not a new idea – it was a theme of God’s Word through the Apostle Paul 2000 years ago.

The apostle Paul was originally a Jewish religious leader who persecuted Christians until his famous conversion on “the road to Emmaus”. He said:

You know that many runners enter a race, and only one of them wins the prize. So run to win!

1 Corinthians 9 v 24

In the lifetime of Paul, the victorious athlete would be presented with a crown – not of gold or silver – but a wreath of bay or olive leaves. Not only was it the ultimate prize, it was the only prize. There was nothing for second or third place.

While the wreath would have looked fantastic on the day of the race, and for many days after, in time it would wither and perish. By contrast Paul explains:

Athletes work hard to win a crown that cannot last, but we do it for a crown that will last forever.

1 Corinthians 9 v 25

What is the crown that will last for ever?

The Kingdom of God.

Literally, the Greek word for “athlete” means “one who competes for a prize”.

That means hard work, preparation and self control.

Paul continues:

I keep my body under control and make it my slave, so I won’t lose out after telling the good news to others.

1 Corinthians 9 v 25

In the race for God’s Kingdom it is the mind which must be controlled and strengthened – conditioned by God’s Word and focussed on the greatest of prizes.

The apostle James makes a similar point using the same analogy:

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

James 1 v 12

Another contemporary of Paul, the apostle Peter put it like this:

..goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, devotion to God, concern for others, and love. My friends, you must do all you can… If you keep on doing this, you won’t stumble and fall. Then our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will give you a glorious welcome into his kingdom that will last forever.

2 Peter 1 v 5-11

Athletes free themselves of unnecessary weight. Their physical condition, even their clothing, is designed to be as efficient and competitive as possible.

The weight Jesus removed was selfishness

He put aside all thought for himself and only did the will of his Father in Heaven. The Bible encourages us to do the same:

So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won’t let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us.

Hebrews 12 v 1

Before Jesus received the crown of glory (and life) he first endure a crown of thorns.

They made a crown out of thorn branches and placed it on his head, and… They made fun of him and shouted, “Hey, you king of the Jews!”.

Matthew 27 v 29

It is a powerful, visual demonstration of His commitment to God’s purpose. He ran perfectly, without falling (sin) and endured to the end.

It also demonstrates how Jesus was prepared to lead by example and bring hope to a dark world.

…we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete.

..keep your mind on Jesus, who put up with many insults from sinners.

Then you won’t get discouraged and give up.

Hebrews 12 v 1-3

So we’re all called to be athletes in a race that leads to the ultimate prize – God’s Kingdom.

But Jesus was the son of God… how can we be expected to endure in the way that he did?

Continue reading part two – “The Endurance”

(All quotes taken from the Contemporary English Version unless otherwise stated)

The post The Race of Your Life, part 1: The Athlete appeared first on Search for Hope.

So far we’ve discovered that there’s a tricky road ahead but that God – creator of all things – has provided the Bible – His Word!

It’s a spiritual combination of highway code, road map and destination guide to His Kingdom.

With most journeys we have a sense of how long it will take or how far we are into the journey. So how close are we to the Kingdom?

In this final part of the series we address the age old question of travellers with young children…

“Are we nearly there yet?”

Let’s be clear from the start – no one knows exactly when Jesus will return to establish God’s Kingdom on earth… there’s not specific date or time.

Understandably, this gives a lot of people cause for concern and doubt. Surely anyone could make up a future kingdom and not be specific about when it will happen. It’s a point we could argue until kingdom come..! (if you’ll pardon the expression.)

Instead, let’s go ahead and look at what the Bible DOES tell us about the return of Jesus Christ and the start of God’s Kingdom.

Israel

To this day, Israel remains a staple of (almost) daily news. The capital city “Jerusalem” means “possession of peace” and yet it’s a constant source of trouble.

Prophecies in God’s Word foretold his:

This is a message from the Lord about Israel:

I am the Lord! ..I put the earth on its foundations and gave breath to humans. I have decided that Jerusalem will become a bowl of wine that makes the neighbouring nations drunk.

..I will turn Jerusalem into a heavy stone that crushes anyone who tries to lift it.

Zechariah 12 v 1-3

I’m sure the phrase “heavy stone” will ring very true to every world leader of the last 100+ years. There is a long history of failed attempts to bring peace to the Middle East, and Israel in particular.

In the same Bible passage there’s also mention of war:

..all nations on earth surround Jerusalem, ..I will watch over Judah.

Zechariah 12 v 4

This has actually happened. Google the wars that have involved Israel since 1948. They are pretty miraculous by any definition. In living memory there are countries who have wanted, and continue to want, Israel driven into the sea.

Yet despite being a tiny country the size of Wales (or New Jersey if you’re in the US), this nation won’t go away.

Could it be that it’s not in God’s plan for Israel to be destroyed?

…the Lord your God keeps his eye on this land and takes care of it all year long.

Deuteronomy 11 v 12

Again, this is taken from the Old Testament. So what about the New Testament?

Jesus said:

Jerusalem will be overrun by foreign nations until [those nation’s] time comes to an end.

Luke 21 v 24

The end of foreign rule in Israel was an indication that the Kingdom was near – this happened in 1948 when Israel became a recognised state

What else should we look out for?

Well, in Jerusalem the conflicts continue because of its religious significance to so many faiths and there’s no reason to believe these conflicts will cease until Jesus return. When talking about his second coming Jesus said:

Strange things will happen to the sun, moon, and stars. The nations on earth will be afraid of the roaring sea and tides, and they won’t know what to do.

Luke 21 v 25

“Roaring sea” and other similar phrases seem to be a metaphorical reference to unrest and conflict within nations… is that something the earth is familiar with today?

People will be so frightened that they will faint because of what is happening to the world. Every power in the sky will be shaken.

Luke 21 v 26

Anxiety is something we hear more about for a number of reasons… people are worried, frightened because of what they see happening across the world: nations suffering famine; nations at war; nations in financial instability… not to mention the climate crisis and a world wide pandemic.

And so, justifiably, people are concerned to say the least.

But Jesus doesn’t leave us “shaken”

This message – his message – is a message of hope!

Then the Son of Man will be seen, coming in a cloud with great power and glory. When all of this starts happening, stand up straight and be brave. You will soon be set free.

Luke 21 v 27-28

I hate to say it – it must be nearly worn out – however, it’s fair to say that some of the current problems in the world are genuinely “unprecedented”.

And so whatever you’ve felt about the Bible previously I hope we’ve given you a glimpse into its purpose and significance for YOU in 2021, in 2022 and beyond.

Jesus knew how bad things were going to happen before his return and so we have this message of hope that he will return to us and bring with him the “possession of peace” to Jerusalem and God’s Kingdom.

If we so choose, the teachings of Jesus are like road signs we looked at in part one.

Are there “warnings”? Yes!

But there’s also clear “direction”, “positive instruction” and assurance of peace and great joy, when the problems of the world will be addressed with true justice – once and for all.

But, are we nearly there yet?

The indications are that Jesus return is very soon. We can’t say how many days, weeks, perhaps even a few more years, but very soon. How quickly did the Covid pandemic happen and take people by surprise? The time to act is now, to understand what God wants from us.

With such a great promise ahead we hope you are encouraged to find new meaning in life in preparation for God’s Kingdom.

Encapsulated in a single verse the prophet Isaiah paints a picture of this wonderful time for Zion (an old name for Israel):

The people the Lord has rescued will come back singing as they enter Zion. Happiness will be a crown they will always wear.

They will celebrate and shout because all sorrows and worries will be gone far away.

Isaiah 35 v 10

The post Signs For Our Times, part 4: Are we nearly there yet? appeared first on Search for Hope.

…it is just as the Scriptures say, “What God has planned for people who love him is more than eyes have seen or ears have heard. It has never even entered our minds!”

God’s Spirit has shown you everything. His Spirit finds out everything, even what is deep in the mind of God.

1 Corinthians 2 v 9-10

God knows us very well

After all, He created us, and as far as He is concerned:

Even the hairs on your head are counted. So don’t be afraid!

Luke 12 v 7

And so God hasn’t left us in the dark when it comes to His plans for the future. The destination is clear and so are the directions of travel. And while we’ve already learned the journey is not without its challenges, the Kingdom of God will be entirely worthwhile.

While talking about the Kingdom Jesus encouraged his followers:

“…put God’s work first and do what he wants.”

Matthew 6 v 33

He also taught that the Kingdom is one of the most important things we can pray for:

Come and set up your kingdom, so that everyone on earth will obey you, as you are obeyed in heaven.

Matthew 6 v 10 (“The Lord’s Prayer”)

Where IS the Kingdom?

Very nearby as it turns out.

While some explain the Kingdom as being a state of mind or something we feel in our heart, read for yourself… the Bible says no such thing. The Bible actually talks about the Kingdom on earth as a place of peace and security:

For example:

In the future, the mountain with the Lord’s temple will be the highest of all…every nation will rush to it.

..The Lord will teach us his Law from Jerusalem, and we will obey him. He will settle arguments between nations. They will pound their swords and their spears into rakes and shovels; they will never make war or attack one another.

Isaiah 2 v 2-4

This passage was from the Old Testament but the New Testament is consistent with this message:

When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all of his angels, he will sit on his royal throne. The people of all nations will be brought before him…

Then the king will say to those on his right, “My father has blessed you! Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world was created.

Matthew 25 v 31-34

“..before the world was created”!

This has been the plan all along

The earth will be completely changed – and not only humans – even the animals will behave differently. The earth will be a safe place for all.

Wolves and lambs will graze together; lions and oxen will feed on straw. Snakes will eat only dirt! They won’t bite or harm anyone on my holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken!

Isaiah 65.25-26

Not only that, but disease, suffering and sadness will also be removed.

He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever.

Revelation 21 v 4

Sin sounds very old fashioned these days. So lets say “wrong doing”, “offence”, “trespass” – these are all common words and could easily be replaced with the “s” word.

The point is, Jesus overcame “wrong doing” (as God defined it) and made it possible for us, through association with him, to be considered “worthy” of a place in God’s Kingdom.

There’s no denying the effort required on our part (hence the “hard, narrow” path we read about in part 1) but when we reflect on the world of peace and safety described in the passages above, it’ll surely be worthwhile.

By overcoming the sinful nature of mankind Jesus has started a chain of events that will lead to a world without pain, without suffering and without death:

Christ will rule until he puts all his enemies under his power, and the last enemy he destroys will be death.

1 Corinthians 15 v 25-26

God’s purpose and direction for the earth and mankind are clear.

Jesus lived a perfect life (the example for us to follow) and consequently, the Kingdom IS coming.

So we better be ready.

But when will it happen?

In part four we’ll explore the age old question of travellers with young children: “Are we nearly there yet?”

The post Signs For Our Times, part 3: Destination Guide appeared first on Search for Hope.

Your word is a lamp that gives light wherever I walk.

Psalm 119 v 105

No one sets out on a journey without a purpose – somewhere to go

Neither would you expect the journey to be smooth without directions on how to get there.

The same is true for the journey to God’s Kingdom – planning ahead and following the signs will help us get there efficiently and safely.

For guidance, God has given us His Word (the Bible), a spiritual road map to help us on our journey through this life, preparing us for life in His Kingdom.

And so it makes sense to read the Bible on a daily basis – to keep us on track – because no matter what obstacles we meet on the way, the route never changes.

…God has given you new birth by his message that lives on forever. The Scriptures say, “Humans wither like grass, and their glory fades like wild flowers. Grass dries up, and flowers fall to the ground. But what the Lord has said will stand forever.”

1 Peter 1 v 23-25

And while reading the Bible regularly is a good start, we also need act on it and for it to have an effect on our behaviour. Jesus literally carried his own cross, knowing he would be crucified, even though he had done nothing wrong.

You cannot be my disciple unless you carry your own cross and come with me.

Luke 14 v 27

For us, “carrying our cross” means following his example, putting our trust in God even when that feels extremely difficult or painful.

This is a challenging journey

There will be times when we struggle to stay on the right path. We may even feel lost. But God is with us:

If you honour the Lord, his angel will protect you. Discover for yourself that the Lord is kind. Come to him for protection, and you will be glad.

Psalm 34 v 7-8

It might seem strange to put our trust in a God we can’t see… but evidence of His existence is all around us. The wonders of His creation. The miracle of His chosen people Israel. The prophecies that point towards the world we’re living in now.

On a road trip, we trust that the signs are pointing us in the right direction. We’ve followed similar signs on other trips and have no reason to doubt these ones. So it is with God’s Word. We have to live it and put it to the test to have trust in it. The bigger the journeys and the further we travel the more we trust in God’s and His guidance.

You do what is right, and I ask you to guide me. Make your teaching clear because of my enemies.

Psalm 5 v 8

In life we can feel very lost! We chose the wrong road, make a wrong turn and be heading completely in the wrong direction. That’s when we need the map most of all.

Spiritually, this is where we need the Bible to get us back on track… back to that “narrow” and “hard” path that few people find. The “enemies” (mentioned in that previous quote) are anyone (or anything) that draws us off God’s path. We sometimes do this to ourselves, through weakness and lack of determination and we find ourselves at a dead end.

Why would we chose the hard route?

Well, can you think of anything in your life that was truly rewarding AND easy? Like an athlete, dedicated to the ultimate prize, the path to God’s Kingdom is a marathon (with occasional sprints)… but the prize is like no other.

We’ll get more into the prize in the next chapter, but be sure that God is there to help you get there:

How great is God’s love for all who worship him?
Greater than the distance between heaven and earth!
How far has the Lord taken our sins from us?
Farther than the distance from east to west!

Psalm 103 v 11-12

Therefore, our journey with God is one with purpose and direction – using the Bible as our map – arriving at His Kingdom and eternal life.

“But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants”

Matthew 6 v 33

Continue to part 3…

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In this short series – Signs for our Times – we’re looking for signs, or indications that the Bible still has something to offer in 2021.

It’s easy to write the Bible off as ‘old’ and ‘irrelevant’, but stay with me for a minute or so…

In the UK the highway code has a variety of signs under a number of categories:

• Signs with red circles are mostly prohibitive.
• Red triangular signs give warning.
• Blue and white circular signs are mostly positive instruction and there are blue rectangular signs that give direction.

The Bible is very similar

There are warnings and things that are prohibited and there is also positive instruction and direction.

Everything in the Scriptures is God’s Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live. The Scriptures train God’s servants to do all kinds of good deeds.

2 Timothy 3 v 16-17

That’s not to say that living according to its guidance is easy. Like following the Highway Code we’ll have challenges – we may not even agree with it all of the time. But if everything in “the scriptures” (the Bible) is “God’s Word” we can trust that rules are there for good reason.

Like every journey there are twists and turns, ups and downs and Jesus explained that following his way of life would not be “wide” and “easy”, but “narrow” and “hard”.

Go in through the narrow gate. The gate to destruction is wide, and the road that leads there is easy to follow. A lot of people go through that gate. But the gate to life is very narrow. The road that leads there is so hard to follow that only a few people find it.

Matthew 7 v 13-14

However, we are not without help

Faithful King David described God’s Word as being:

“..a lamp that gives light wherever I walk.”

Psalm 119 v 105

And the Bible can be the same for us, helping us to see clearly in a world that can often feel very dark.

Most road signs are quite brief: “STOP”; “GO”; “GIVE WAY”.

One of my favourite road signs is a little more involved. It’s the orange box junction grid. You rarely see the instruction in full on a sign but in the Highway Code it says, “You MUST NOT enter the box until your exit road or lane is clear.”

Jesus has a similar message

And a different kind of box that we’d all like to avoid…

Baptism is symbolic of dying and being raised to life (as Jesus literally was) and is an essential part of demonstrating our commitment to following him.

When we were baptised, we died and were buried with Christ. We were baptised, so that we would live a new life, as Christ was raised to life by the glory of God the Father.

Romans 6 v 4

For God (the creator of all things) death is no obstacle. He raised Jesus to life and He promises to do the same for us.

However, making that choice remains our responsibility – using the life we have now to learn and understand what God wants from us, with Jesus as an example and guide.

Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 14 v 6

So let’s not enter the box (death) before we are sure our exit is clear.

Surrender to God! …Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Clean up your lives, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you people who can’t make up your mind.

James 4 v 7-8

The word “surrender” (“submit in some versions”) means ‘giving ourselves into the hands of another’. We only put ourselves fully into someone’s care when we trust them. And one blog post won’t convince you to do that. So I encourage you to study God’s Word the way you might study the Highway Code for a test.

Giving ourselves to God

We’ve shared a few examples of scripture here but there are so many more that, when put together, help us develop a genuine trust in this being we’ve never met, but can feel the presence of in our lives.

By giving ourselves to God we waive all power of our own and instead are guided by Him and learn to first consider God, then others, then ourselves.

The Highway Code can be difficult to obey at times.

Does that make it unnecessary?

The Highway Code was first published over 80 years ago.

Does that make it irrelevant?

The Highway Code helps keep you safe on the road.

The Bible could save your life.

Signs For Our Times, part 2: Road Map To The Kingdom

No one sets out on a journey without a purpose – somewhere to go. Neither would you expect the journey to be smooth without directions on how to get there. In part two we consider how the Bible can be a guides to us, no matter how lost we might feel…continue reading…

The post Signs For Our Times, part 1: On The Right Track appeared first on Search for Hope.

This has added more carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere, which in turn has caused global average temperatures to have risen to around 1C above the 19th Century average, and they are projected to rise at least a further 1-2C by the end of this century unless worldwide action is taken.

The purpose of this blog post isn’t to go into great detail on the science of climate change (some general details can be found here) or indeed on the tricky political situation of trying to get hundreds of nations to all agree to measures which may well not be popular in the short term.

Let’s just say for now that without a coordinated and concerted global effort to dramatically cut CO2 output, there is a real threat of catastrophic changes happening to our established way of life.

We’ve already seen in the past decade an increase in extreme weather events across the world such as extreme temperatures, droughts and wildfires on one hand, and then severe storms, flooding and crop destruction as a result of that on the other hand.

Whilst to a certain extent, these sorts of events have been happening throughout history, the evidence points to this happening a lot more regularly in the past 20 years, threatening the eventual loss of some low-lying places to rising sea levels, as well as the loss of entire ecosystems.

Christian principles about the home we all share

The most important thing to say is that Christadelphians are all agreed in our belief that the future of mankind is on this planet. God’s plan and purpose is fixed on what happens here, and we all have a part to play, however small, in filling the earth with God’s glory. Clearly, this is primarily a spiritual act, but the physical acts we do also have a bearing on how much the world in its current state glorifies the creator.

Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory!

Isaiah 72 v 18-19

Right from the origin story of both humanity and the planet itself in Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we read that God intended mankind to look after their home. We also get a warning in Revelation, the last book of the Bible, that God doesn’t look kindly on those who cause destruction to the world.

The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

Genesis 2 v 15

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was…for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”

Revelation 11 v 17-18

Many Christians believe that God’s ultimate plan for mankind is centred in heaven rather than on earth. Some actually expect God to destroy the earth at some future time!

It could therefore be easy to lessen just how much our world actually matters.

It’s important to state that I’m sure most Christians wouldn’t want to deliberately mistreat the world purely as a result of that belief, but there is an inherent danger of perhaps taking less care of something if we don’t think it necessarily has much of a long term future in God’s eyes anyway.

Christadelphians believe that Jesus will one day return to earth from heaven, and that the resurrection of humans will be on earth, not in heaven. Planet Earth, therefore, is the focus of God’s plan.

“…why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Acts 1 v 11

Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Daniel 12 v 2

Furthermore, the promise at this time is that eventually the hardships of mortal life will be done away with.

“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Revelation 21 v 3-4

Essentially, whilst we may expect many difficulties to come on earth both now and in the future, we don’t believe that God will allow Earth to become uninhabitable, he will intervene when the time is right to bring about a restoration likened to the Garden of Eden, and this is a sure hope for those who look forward to return of Jesus.

That’s all well and good, but what about now?

This promised future time promised to those who respond to God’s call for salvation is both exciting and reassuring, it gives us hope as we see so much destruction, suffering and hopelessness all around us. That is especially the case as so often we see worldwide political efforts to make the world a better place fall very far short of being a success.

Yet, as much as it feels like the time for Jesus to return is getting close, we cannot just abandon all efforts to be good custodians of the world we live in. As individuals, we might feel like what we do in the here and now can’t make any noticeable difference, and yet those of us who have a faith in God to restore the world in the future, also have a responsibility to at least try to treat our home now with the respect deserved.

Small things we can do include reducing the amount we throw away and ensuring we make an effort to recycle more.

• Can we buy more local goods to avoid so much shipping around the world?
• Can we travel less, especially by plane?
• Can we do more of our local travel using less polluting forms of transport such as cycling, walking and public transport?
• Can we change our car to a smaller and less polluting model?
• Can we get more energy efficient devices at home, or install solar panels to generate more of our own clean energy?
• Can we consider eating less meat? Even if we all pledged to eat 1 less meat meal per week, then this would collectively have a big impact on the climate.
• Can we plant more trees in our gardens?

We will all have things we can do well, as well as things we will struggle with, for all sorts of reasons.

And the purpose of this blog isn’t to make anyone feel guilty.

But if we can all make a few small changes then collectively this makes a significant difference.

Finally, just as Christians encourage each other to be better people through prayer and setting an example for others to follow, we likewise should aim to live our lives in a way that shows that we do care for this planet and want to ensure that it will still be a good home for future generations yet to be born.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13 v 34-35

The post A Christian reaction to climate change appeared first on Search for Hope.

I remember a friend, whose marriage had broken up, saying that although they could forgive their ex, they could no longer trust them. 

It got me thinking about trust and how it depends on truth.

We learn to trust those who tell us the truth.

Lies, or betrayal in their actions, break trust and we struggle to regain it in the future.  The problem is that humans find it almost impossible to tell the truth 100% of the time! So is there anyone we can trust completely?

The Bible says:

“…It is impossible for God to lie”

Hebrews 6v18

So can we trust God? 

The psalmist certainly thought so – he said:

 “His truth endures to all generations”

Psalm 100v5

Another man, Paul, wrote in a letter to Titus, 

“…in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began”

Titus 1v2

But how do we know for sure that the Bible is telling the truth, and God can be trusted?

Is the Bible true?

Well, we can look for evidence that the Bible tells the truth. There’s plenty of historical evidence to be found. For example, there’s a prophecy in the book of Daniel, chapter 8, which was written around 600BC during the time of the Babylonian Empire.

• It tells of a ram with two horns coming from the east and identifies that ram as the two kings of the Medo-Persian Empire (Daniel 8v20).
• It also describes a male goat with one horn, coming very fast from the west and conquering the ram. That goat is identified as the Greek Empire (Daniel 8v21). 

We know from history books that this is exactly what happened! The Babylonian Empire was overthrown around 540BC by the Medo-Persian Empire, with two kings, Cyrus and Darius.  That lasted about 200 years until Alexander the Greek led his troops in a rapid attack on the Medo-Persian Empire.  He conquered it, making the area part of his Greek Empire.

There’s even more to this prophecy – detail about the horn of the ram being broken and four smaller horns growing to take its place. History tells us that when Alexander died in 323BC at the age of 32, his four generals took control of the empire.

Remember that this prophecy was written many years before the events that it predicted, and the level of detail it includes is amazing! It’s way beyond what guesswork and coincidence could do.

What about Jesus Christ?

The New Testament gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John tell us all about the life and teaching of a man called Jesus, who lived in the land of Israel. He was crucified by the Romans after a mob of Jews demanded his death because they didn’t like his teaching.

The Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, admitted that Jesus was an innocent man who didn’t deserve the death penalty. The gospels tell us that he rose from the dead, and belief in his resurrection is the cornerstone of Christian faith. But is this true?

Did Jesus actually exist?

Evidence that Jesus Christ really did exist isn’t only found in the Bible record, or by early Christian writers. He’s also mentioned by a number of non-Christian historians of that time:

• Flavius Josephus,  Jewish historian around 93CE
• Pliny the younger, Roman governor of Bithynia, around 112CE
• Cornelius Tacitus, Roman senator & historian around 116CE

…to name a few

Jesus really did exist, and once again we find that the historical record shows the Bible account to be true.

So can we trust the God of the Bible? 

Yes! 

The more we find out about the Bible, God’s word, the more we can see how truthful He has always been.  We can have complete trust in Him.

“We trust in the living God, who is the saviour of all men, specially of those that believe” 

1 Timothy 4v10

The post Who can I trust? appeared first on Search for Hope.

How often are you given a task you really don’t want to do?

How do you deal with it?

Wrong Way!

Jonah dealt with it in a way I can understand. He was supposed to be going to the huge city of Nineveh (in modern Iraq) to deliver a message from God. What did he do instead? He boarded a ship at Joppa (on the Mediterranean coast of Israel), sailing west to Tarshish – quite the wrong direction!

While Jonah was on the ship from Joppa, he told the crew what he was doing and soon they were in the heart of the worst storm they had ever experienced.

When the men realised he was running away from God, they were terrified. They knew there was no escape from the storm while Jonah was in the ship. “Throw me overboard”, he told them. (In the Bible, you can read the full story of Jonah being swallowed by a huge fish and after 3 days being vomited to dry land)

Not what he expected

Jonah finally delivered the message and was very surprised when the people listened and immediately turned from their ways, avoiding destruction from God.

Can you imagine how Jonah felt? He had thought he knew better than God, he felt a complete fool and wanted to die. He sat huddled in a makeshift shelter outside the city to watch what would happen.

Another reason I like Jonah, is the way God helped him to learn.

He caused a shady plant to grow up over Jonah’s head, so that he was protected from the strong sunlight. It was exactly what he needed and he was glad of it. Imagine how he felt when, in the morning, it had shriveled up! Now the sun was beating down mercilessly and he wanted to die again.

How was this going to teach him anything?

God knows best

“You had compassion on the plant, although you didn’t make it grow in the first place”, said God. “Shouldn’t I have compassion on more than 120,000 people?” The fact was, God had created those people, and what happened wasn’t up to Jonah.

God is able to see the ‘bigger picture’, but we don’t have that perspective. If ever I need reminding that God knows more than I do, all I need to do is think about the book of Jonah.

Follow this link to read the Bible account of Jonah

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