How Loudly Must We Sing?

Germany - World War II

In at least one German  town the railroad tracks ran behind the church.


An eyewitness stated:


We heard the stories of what was happening to the Jews, but we tried to distance ourselves from it, because, we felt, what could anyone do to stop it?


Each Sunday morning, we would hear the train whistle bowing in the distance, then the wheels coming over the tracks. We became disturbed when we heard cries coming from the train as it passed by. We realized that it was carrying Jews like cattle in the cars!


Week after week the whistle would blow. We dreaded to hear the sounds of those wheels because we knew that we would hear the cries of the Jews en route to a death camp. Their screams tormented us.


We knew the time the train was coming and when we heard the whistle blow we began singing hymns. By the time the train came past our church, we were singing at the top of our voices.  If we heard the screams, we sang more loudly and soon we heard them no more.

Years have passed and no one talks about it now. But  I still  hear that train whistle in my sleep. 

    
        -- From How Do You Kill 11 Million People? by Andy Andrews

Are we doing the same thing now?

Mud Pies or Sand Castles?

Ephesians 3:20 -- "Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly {immeasurably} more than we can even ask or think {or imagine}..to Him be glory...

    Thoughts from C S Lewis --

"If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and to earnestly hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion is no part of the Christian faith.

   Instead, if we consider the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desire, not too strong, but too weak.

   We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition, when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday by the sea.

   We are far too easily pleased."

How Do I Get Through This?

The great preacher and writer, Andrew Murray, was once approached by a woman who said she was in dire trouble and needed advice. He handed his assistant a piece of paper, saying, "Just give her this. I have been writing it for myself. Maybe she will find it helpful." 

This is what he had written:

"First, He brought me here. It Is by His will that I am in this difficult place right now. In that I will rest.

Next, He will keep me here in His love and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child.

Then, He will make this trial a blessing, teaching me the  lessons He intends me to learn. 

Last, In His good time He can bring me out again -- how and when He knows.

Say - I am here --

1. By God's appointment.

2. In His keeping.

3. Under His training.

4. For His time."

[This story came from Alistair Begg, and I am grateful. It has helped me. It might not alleviate our circumstances, but I think it enables us to keep the right perspective and glorify God!]

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Pre-tuned Radios

I remember when....


When I was a child, missionaries often visited our church. I remember one couple who worked in Bible translation ministry in South America. They had translated a  tribal language and had small schools set up in the area to teach the residents how to read and write, in their own language,  and to be able to read for themselves  what the Bible said about Jesus.

Some of the tribal people could not come to the schools, however, and were out of contact most of the time.

And so these missionaries were raising money for pre-tuned portable radios to give out to them.

These radios were pre-tuned to the Christian radio station broadcasting the gospel in the native language - available 24 hours a day!

What a great way to reach these people with the gospel message.

Today we would call this an example of intentional evangelism.

Maybe we should ourselves be examples of intentional evangelism-- be pre-tuned to give out the gospel - always ready to broadcast the good news of Jesus - every time we leave the house and every time someone "tunes us in" -- it's the only message we have to share of any real importance!

Someone "turns us on" and we speak about Jesus!

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you...1 Peter 3:15

Can you explain "the hope that is in you" to someone else?

Why now? - Why not now?

 Why now? Having some rough times now?

Sometimes things go nice and smoothly and you soar long with the wind beneath your wings! Then troubles come -- often in multiples! Illnesses,  family conflicts, tragedies, money problems...and you ask "Why me? Why now" and "What am I doing wrong?"

Wrong questions!

When we go through these times, C S Lewis reminds us that God is at work inside us -- forcing us up to a higher level, putting us in situations where we will have to be very much braver, or more patient, or more loving, forgiving, obedient, more trusting than we have ever dreamed of being before.

'It seems to us all unnecessary. But that is because we have not yet had the slightest notion of the tremendous thing He means to make of us!'

We thought He wanted to change some of our habits and make us more pleasant and easier for people to be around.

No! He wants to make us images of His Son! Like a pony who wants to be able to jump a small fence or pull a cart...But God wants him to be a Pegasus -- a flying horse! A winged creature that can fly  over the rainbows and throughout the universe!

God has a bigger plan for us. He wants to make us like Jesus!