Igor has been on holiday and he has had a really good time! To get us into the spirit of things for tonight’s family service, looking at the topic of holidays under the theme ‘Home and Away’, Igor has been exploring ‘away’ places on the Isle of Man!

Igor in his holiday cottage (Amagary) in Glen Roy, near Laxey:

Igor at church in Onchan:

Where’s Igor? Murraugh Park in Ramsey!

Looking out at the boats:

Trying the boating life:

Igor exploring Groudle Glen:

Travelling on the Groudle Glen railway:

Reaching the summit:

At the northern most point of the Isle of Man:

In the pit of pebbles:

Surfing in the Irish sea, iguana style!

At the southern most point of the Isle of Man, looking out to Kitterland and the Calf of Man:

It’s always interesting to me to find out what has been preached at home while I’ve been on holiday and to think about what has been preached at the church I visited. There is a remarkable similarity of content which I find reassuring!

Last Sunday we were at the Elim Family Centre in Onchan on the Isle of Man. The preacher was from the Elim church in Ramsey. To Garry’s delight, he was a fellow biker!

Pastor Des spoke from Matthew 25:14-30 TNIV, the familiar Parable of the Talents. He spoke about the mission God has given us and how we should keep on mission through our life choices. He urged us:

1) not to live our lives by our own perceptions and beliefs. In this parable, the unwise servant had a wrong view of the master which coloured his outlook and influenced his actions. With wrong perspectives, we can miss out on what God wants us to do and what He can do in our lives, often ending up unhappy and unfulfilled.

2) not to make excuses by accusing other people. The unfaithful servant blamed the master because of his wrong perceptions. We need to stop making excuses at times and be prepared to humble ourselves and repent (2 Chron 7:14 TNIV.) We have to decide to do what is right, regardless of what anyone else may do. The servant did not fully understand the amster, but pre-judged him without getting to know him. This leads us into all kinds of prejudice.

3) not to look for an easy way out. The unfaithful servant accused the master of reaping what he had not sown. We often compare ourselves to other people and feel dissatisfied, but God wants us simply to do what we can with what we have got. We all have been given gifts by God and it doesn’t matter what anyone else can do. God asks us only to use what we have, ‘each according to his ability’. Noah was a one-talent-man! God asked him to build a boat and by that one act, he saved the world. Faithfulness and perseverance are highly valued by God.

4) not to be guided by our fears. Too often we hold back and don’t do things because we’re afraid; this leads to regrets. Faith involves risk. We live by faith and not by sight. We are part of God’s army and there is no such thing as a ‘comfortable army.’ Fear distorts our views and keeps us limited; it robs us of the joy and destiny that God has for us.

If we keep on mission, we will use the talents God has given us and will be rewarded by Him, for He is not at all like the unfaithful servant perceived the master to be. He is good and His love endures for ever; His plans for us are good and are to give us hope and a future.

Last Sunday evening, Dave spoke from Romans 8:26-39 TNIV. At the end of a month where we have focussed on God’s ability to heal, it is always good to remind ourselves of the source of our healing. God is the source of life itself to us and it is He who leads, guides, and protects us throughout our whole lives. He alone is our provider and our comforter in whatever situation we find ourselves.

Like Linus with his security blanket, we all need something to help us feel safe and secure. Many of us seek security in our families, through our friends, through our health, through financial stability and other things… but all these things can be taken away from us swiftly (as in the case of Job). We need to understand that God is our ultimate source of security and help.

In this passage, Paul reminds us that if God is for us, who can be against us? He reminds us that nothing can separate us from God’s love. He reassures us that God works for our good in every single circumstance of our lives.As Christians, we believe that our destiny, and the destiny of this world, is not ultimately in our own hands, nor is it in the hands of world leaders, advanced technology, pension plans, or health foods. No, as Christians we believe that our ultimate destiny, and therefore our ultimate security, is in the hands of God. We believe in the providence of God. We believe that God, in His divine wisdom and goodness and love, holds the future in His hands. We believe that God’s will in human history, as well as in our own lives, will ultimately be done.

This is not to say that bad things don’t happen to God’s people. They definitely do. Paul himself experienced many bad things (see 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 TNIV and Phil 1:18-21 TNIV). But even in the face of all this suffering, this world and our lives are in the loving hands of God, and God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us. Even though we may face terrible things, the ultimate will of God will be good; it will be life and salvation, not evil and death.We may not always see, or recognise, or know, the good that comes from the bad in our lives. Nor do we simply sit back in passive stoicism, waiting for good to come. We try to do everything in our power and wisdom to live in line with the will of God and be one of God’s agents in bringing about, in this world, the good that God promises. We pray for people in need. We ask that God will heal them. We come in faith and trust to the One who has promised to listen to our prayers. We pray in the absolute confidence that our God can, and often does, heal in response to the prayers of His people. And we continue to walk by faith and not by sight because we trust in the goodness of God’s character.

“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.”

That promise is our anchor in this troubling and confusing world.

On the last Sunday in July, John spoke on the subject ‘How clean is your crib?’, using Proverbs 14:4 TNIV as a launch: “Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests.”

The work of the oxen is synonymous with increase and opportunity, but there is a contrast because if the crib is clean, there is presumably no increase. It might look tidy and clean, but if there is no fruit and multiplication in the church, there will be no growth. We have to accept, though, that increase comes with disruption and (at times) dirt! John 15 speaks of our fruitfulness (as a result of our connection to Chris) bringing glory to God and oxen give us insight into how we can live well for God.

The ox played an important part in Jewish life. The ox was used for drawing wagons, for carrying burdens (1 Chron 12:40 TNIV), for ploughing, for treading the corn, for sacrifice and for food. Numbers 7:3-5 TNIV and 1 Sam 6:7 TNIV give examples of the ox in Old Testament narratives. Ploughing was perhaps the most important task carried out by oxen. Without ploughing, there could be no sowing and without sowing, there could be no harvest, but ploughing is hard, physical work which requires commitment and endurance (the sluggard doesn’t plough, Proverbs reminds us, and therefore has to go begging at harvest time!) Jesus reminded His disciples “No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62 TNIV) We have to be committed to God and plough a straight furrow (a phrase taken nowadays to indicate honesty and integrity and reliability of character, all characteristics of God’s chosen people).

Jer 4:3 TNIV and Hosea 10:11-14 TNIV give further spiritual parallels about ploughing. We are required to break up the unploughed land and do what is right. Prov 14:12 TNIV reminds us “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” If we plough wickedness and sow iniquity, we will reap destruction. Righteousness exalts a nation (Prov 14:34 TNIV) and we need to persevere in breaking up the unploughed land in our own hearts and in our area if we are to live well for God.

Oxen were also used in sacrifices as burnt offerings and peace offerings. Paul exhorts us to present our bodies to God as living sacrifices (Rom 12:1-2 TNIV) and 2 Sam 4:18-25 TNIV reminds us that sacrifices cost us something. We need to understand that God requires us to give Him total control of our whole lives. Sacrifice is a necessary part of our Christian experience – not something we always enjoy, but something which reaps great rewards! (and the oxen had its own reward for its work in ploughing, since it was not to be muzzled – see Deut 25:4 TNIV, 1 Cor 9:9 TNIV).

If we want to see increase in the church, there is a lot we can learn from the ox. Its characteristics – tenacity, perseverance and service – need to be ours too. Then we can bear burdens and be fit for God’s service.

A number of people will be on holiday throughout August, but church services on Sunday will be as usual. A Communion service is held every Sunday morning, starting at 10.30 a.m. and an evening service is held at 6 p.m. The family service on Sunday 4th August will be on the theme of ‘Home and Away’, and an evening Communion service is held on the second Sunday of each month (11th August).

There are, however, no midweek meetings during August and no youth club or Parent & Toddler group throughout the rest of the school holidays.

Coffee mornings continue to be held on Saturday mornings from 10 a.m. until 12 noon.

If you want any further information, Dave is the man to contact!

Having a balanced and Biblical view of God is something we should all aspire to. Last night’s Bible study continued looking at the subject of anger, but this time, instead of looking at our anger, we looked at God’s anger – something we would often rather not think about!

God is often described as being angry. Words such as ‘wrath’, ‘furious’ and ‘jealous’ are common in the Bible, but it’s important not to imbue these words with an understanding of our imperfect anger which we then transfer to God. God is holy and incapable of our petty, capricious, fickle temper tantrums. His anger is measured and just, never pique or selfish indignation.

Proverbs 6:16-19 TNIV looks at things God hates, such as a proud heart, lying lips, wicked behaviour and (more unusually as far as we are concerned) behaviour which stirs up dissension among brothers. God is angry when we refuse to believe and refuse to obey Him. Think about how His anger burned against Moses (Exodus 4:10-14 TNIV) only when Moses refused to obey and asked ‘send someone else.’ A lack of faith and a stubborn refusal to obey are things God hates.

Deut 29:14-20 TNIV shows us how easily Israel turned away from God and persisted in going their own way. The wilderness wanderings (described vividly in Psalm 78 TNIV) show us a people who were lacking in gratitude, quickly forgetful of all that God had done for them and both stubborn and stiff-necked. They fell at the same hurdles time and time again (often complaining about the lack of food and water and imagining they would perish in the wildernenss instead of possessing the land as God had promised.) Hebrews 3:7-19 TNIV offers a commentary on this behaviour, talking about how they hardened their hearts and were led astray by their sinful, unbelieving hearts and by sin’s deceitfulness. It is this inner attitude, manifested in outer actions, which angered God and caused many to die in the wilderness.

Some people often think of the God of the Old Testament as wrathful but claim that Jesus reveals a new, loving face of God. It’s not wise to believe there are two separate Gods: the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament. There is one God who does not change! In the New Testament, we see that Jesus got angry too. Mark 3:1-6 TNIV is one such example, when He was angry and deeply distressed at the Pharisees’ stubborn hearts and their unwillingness to see a man healed on the Sabbath. They preferred the rules of religion rather than the benefit of God’s love. He was furious at shallow rules which did not reflect God’s heart; as G. K. Chesterton wryly remarked about Puritans, ‘a Puritan is a person who pours righteous indignation into the wrong things.’ When Jesus cleared the temple of money-changers (John 2:13-16 TNIV), His anger was measured and controlled (He spent time making a cord of whips before He drove out the money-lenders), but was nonetheless a declaration that God does not want us to cheat the poor and wants to be accessible and available to all. (A modern-day parallel has been in the news lately with the Archbishop of Canterbury speaking out against the high interest rates of companies like Wonga.com which entrap and cripple poor people – see here for more details.)

God’s anger is holy, moral and an expression of His righteousness. It is a measured response to the sinfulness and stubbornness of men’s hearts. Psalm 7:11 TNIV tells us God expresses His wrath every day, but Psalm 30:4-5 TNIV, Micah 7:18 TNIV and Psalm 103:8-9 TNIV also remind us that God is slow to anger and rich in compassion. He doesn’t bear grudges and doesn’t stay angry for ever, but is merciful and forgiving and pardoning (1 John 1:9 TNIV). We need to be aware that it is indeed a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God and thus live before God with reverence and humility, but we can also be confident that we find love and mercy in God’s Father heart.