It’s very easy to doubt God, especially when life is not going the way we think it should! Often, we identify with the psalmist who envied the arrogant when he saw the prosperity of the wicked (see Ps 73) or with Habakkuk, who was frankly baffled when God told him that he was going to use a wicked nation to discipline Israel (see Hab 1-2). We feel like John McEnroe when he would rant at umpires, ‘You cannot be serious!’ We wonder if God really knows what He’s doing and easily flounder when we can’t see the end from the beginning.

Doubt is not the same as unbelief, since it usually implies uncertainty rather than a steadfast refusal to believe. Often, it’s linked with apprehension and fear: a sense of ‘what if God doesn’t come through?’ or ‘where is God in all of this?’ Nonetheless, Jesus’s words to Thomas remain a challenge for us all: ‘Stop doubting and believe!’ (Jn 20:27)

I think doubt is up there with worry regarding things I ought to give up permanently, not just for Lent! Giving up doubt is not as easy as it sounds, but there are definite principles we can follow when giving up any wrong learned pattern of thinking and behaving. The first thing is to fix our mind, thoughts and will on God’s word. As we soak ourselves in what God says, over and above what our anxious hearts tell us and over and above what other people may urge us to think, we will have an anchor point that is not easily moved. We have to replace the anxious, doubting thoughts (all those ‘what ifs?’!) with ‘God says’. We focus on God’s promises which are ‘Yes and amen’ in Christ Jesus (see 2 Cor 1:20), so that we have a solid launching point for faith. We ask God for his help, like the father who cried out, ‘I do believe! Help me overcome my unbelief!’ (Mk 9:24) We choose ultimately to believe God over and above our feelings and our natural sight. (‘It doesn’t matter what I see’, ‘Deliver Me’, Aaron Shust)

One of our favourite TV shows is ‘Outnumbered’, a series which looks at family life through the eyes of two parents and three children. Karen, the youngest daughter, is ruthlessly honest in her appraisal of situations and can spot double talk and hypocrisy a mile off. She is intensely logical in her understanding of cold callers and her scene with the nurse is immensely practical! We laugh at such scenes because we recognise the double standards adults so often use in talking to children, but we need to understand that God doesn’t want us to be people of double standards. He wants us to be people of character, people who will live well and right and who will pass on to the next generation God’s standards by living these out in plain view, day by day. We won’t get it right all the time, but that’s where honesty and humility come into play, because we have to be big enough to admit our faults and failings and ask for forgiveness from each other as well as from God.

Proverbs 1:7 says ‘Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God.’ We need to pass on an awareness that God is the central reality of life and that He matters.

1 John 3:11 summarises the message we’ve heard from the beginning, that we should ‘love one another’. We need to pass on an awareness that people matter. No matter what our IQ, our ability to work hard and earn money, where we live, what we do for a living, we need to let the next generation know that people matter because they are made in God’s image and are loved by God, and that life isn’t about what we own or possess but about how well we love.

The parable of the Sower talks about the different kinds of soil there are and how these represent different responses to God’s Word. The shallow soil, where there is no soil of character, means that God’s life can’t grow well. (Matt 13:1-25) We need to pass on the fact that character matters. Character, reputation, who we really are is ultimately all we have to pass on to the next generation. Prov 22:1 says ‘a good name is more desirable than great riches.’ If we can teach what Christian character really looks like by living this out in our own lives, people will see and believe and have a good grasp on reality.

In all these things, however, we acknowledge our inability to do any of this in our own strength and our reliance on God. We can’t live God’s life in our own strength. The good news is that we don’t have to. Instead, God binds Himself to us in a never-failing covenant and pours out His life, His goodness, His breath, His power into our lives. We live under grace, not the law. We have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. (Rom 6:18) We have hope because of all that God is and all He has done and continues to do. The legacy we pass on to the next generation can, as a result of this, be positive, powerful and permanent.

Our prayers are with Stephen and Stacey as they seek to pass on these truths to Esther.

We also had a birthday to celebrate:

When my son was small, he adored Star Trek: The Next Generation, a new take on a much beloved old series.

At a dedication service, we inevitably think about the next generation, and tonight we looked at the idea of ‘a living legacy’ – what are we actually passing on to the next generation? How are we keeping our faith alive and giving our young people a grasp on reality? (see Prov 1:1-6, The Message)

Moses made it clear that we have a duty to pass on what we have seen and experienced of God to our children and their children (see Deut 4:9, Deut 11:18-21). That must include truth (not a popular concept these days, but Jesus made it clear He is the way, the truth and the life), passion (for our faith must have the fire and wind of the Holy Spirit if we are to see others won to Christ) and experience (sharing our testimony of what God has done for us.)

Three key things we must pass on as our legacy include:

1. God Matters. God is at the centre of the universe, not man. Each child comes into the world convinced the world should revolve around them, but we have to teach our children that God is the most important One of all. The most important commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. (Mk 12:30)We need to have God at the centre of our lives. Only when He is at the centre, in the driving seat, will we really understand what life means and where it’s going, because He is in charge of life and where it’s going. If we try to understand life without God, as atheists and humanists do, we will end up confused, bewildered, depressed and without hope. If life is as meaningless and pointless and random as they say, we will be people without meaning, purpose and hope, and that is a recipe for disaster.
2. People Matter. Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions. (Luke 12:15) and we have to teach our children that people matter more than things. We can’t serve both God and money (Matt 6:24) and have to understand the dangers of fixing our hearts on wealth and possessions (see 1 Tim 6:6-10). Being a good parent is about more than providing ‘the best’ for our children; it’s about teaching them to love well and live well amongst other people
3. Character Matters. We all have aspirations and ambitions for our children, but we have to understand that who we are is more important than what we do. Children very easily see through pretence and hypocrisy, so the challenge is for us to live authentic, whole lives of integrity, where we understand that God’s primary goal is for us to be conformed to the image of His Son. (Rom 8:28-29) We have to live out our faith consistently, practising what we preach if we are to convince others of the truths of the gospel. We are ‘living letters’ that others read. (2 Cor 3:3)

Today’s evening service was a dedication service for Esther. Friends came from all over the UK to help with preparations for this event, making the community room look very different:

Other friends worked hard to make a unique dedication cake:

A practical momento was a rabbit jigsaw signed by people who attended:

As usual, we all enjoyed the excellent buffet provided by church members:

Our thanks to all who made this such an enjoyable evening.

Mark left us with various quotes to ponder:

I’m reminded also of the song ‘Just Be Held’ by Casting Crowns with its line ‘Your world’s not falling apart, it’s falling into place‘, and Jeremy Camp’s song ‘Walk By Faith’ (written when his young wife died of cancer) which says ‘this broken road prepares Your will for me’. Even in tragedy, God’s plans for us are good.

Mark continued his series on Joseph this morning, speaking about the blessings Jacob gave him before he died (Gen 49:22-26). These were abundant blessings indeed – hyperblessings, as Mark called them (reminiscent of hyperdrives and hyperactivity, indicating something above and beyond the norm!)

Joseph is an object lesson to us of the truth of Jer 29:11. God’s plans for us are good; He thinks about us, giving personal attention to our lives (not just writing a list of plans and having no further involvement in them.)  From being a 17 year old shepherd on minimum wage, at this stage in his life, he was the second-in-command of Egypt, the most powerful nation in the world at that time. Tragedy and heartache ultimately gave way to prosperity and blessing. 1 Cor 2:9 reminds us that God has prepared things in advance for us to do, and His plans are above and beyond anything we may imagine.

Jacob’s blessing indicates expanding fruitfulness and a reminder that even when there is opposition, God’s plans will prevail. Our arms may not be strong enough to cope, but His hands are: He is our Shepherd and Rock. A triple blessing was prophesied over him – all the blessings of heaven and earth as well as the blessings of relationships (friends and family.) We are similarly blessed!