Northern Ireland v The Lord's Day

On 29th March the Northern Ireland football team will play their first ever home international on a Sunday with a European Championship qualifier against Finland. Whilst there have been several occasions in the past where Northern Ireland have played games abroad on the Lord's Day (including the 1982 World Cup where Glentoran winger Johnny Jameson would not play in the Sunday game against France), this will be the first occasion that international football has taken place at Windsor Park on a Sunday. Although this is a sad development it is hardly a surprising one as respect for the Lord's Day has been in rapid decline for many years, not only among the unsaved, but also among professed believers.

The Irish Football Association have stated that the scheduling of this game is beyond their control as the fixture dates are dictated by UEFA, and this may well be the case, however the lifting of the IFA's ban on Sunday football in 2007 cannot be ignored. Either way it is a matter about which Christians in Ulster should be grieved as it is further evidence of declining biblical standards in our land. The event does however also call us to consider our own attitude to the Lord's Day and contemplate how we have sought to keep it holy. It is clear that Northern Ireland as a whole is more and more rejecting the setting apart of one day in seven as holy to the Lord, the question is whether Christians have actually contributed to this decline.

Matt Redman to headline Catholic youth event

On 7th March the largest event in the United Kingdom for young Roman Catholics will be held at Wembley Arena in London. 'Flame 2' is organised by the Catholic Youth Ministry Federation and is anticipated to attract up to 10, 000 young Roman Catholics. Throughout the day Roman Catholics speakers will bring messages to the young people gathered there, and at the conclusion of the day Cardinal Vincent Nichols will lead everyone in a time of Adoration i.e. the Mass. None of this is unusual, or worthy of special comment for it what we would expect at a Roman Catholic event. This issue which attracts our attention on this occasion is the presence of a leading Contemporary Christian Music artist, Matt Redman.

The Lord's Supper: This neglect?

In the late 1630's the religious liberty of Presbyterians in Ireland was so restricted that it was often necessary for them to travel to Scotland in order to receive communion. Rev John Livingstone, then minister at Stranraer, recorded that on one occasion 'over five hundred persons from County Down crossed the sea to receive the sacrament at Stranraer'. What an example that is of the spiritual desire of God's people, that they were prepared to take a boat trip across the Irish Sea for the sole purpose of a communion service. There is no doubt that today the situation has changed dramatically. Whilst there is freedom to worship according to conscience and to remember the Lord's death in a scriptural manner, the Lord's table is neglected by many believers. The attendance at most communion services is but a fraction of the attendence at the preceeding or subsequent Sunday service.

When the church becomes rich

The generation in which we live enjoys luxury and wealth on a scale only dreamt of by those before us. Whilst we are certainly not all rich, most of the western world lives in previously unknown comfort, with an abundance of possessions far beyond our basic needs. Most of us are not living on the breadline but can afford to eat well and dine out when we desire. A foreign holiday is no longer an extravagance but a routine occurrence for most people, sometimes more than once a year. Clothes are no longer bought out of necessity, but rather putting on our 'Sunday best' has been replaced by choosing which 'Sunday best' we will wear this week. Technology has provided for all our needs, we have gadgets for everything, and the increase in disposable income means that we have more opportunity for leisure than ever before.

This age of plenty is also evident in the church. Most congregations now enjoy the comfort of large, well equipped, multi-purpose buildings. Impressive advertising campaigns can be conducted, with glossy literature just as impressive as anything produced by the world. Multimedia technology assists with every aspect of the church's ministry, via PowerPoint presentations, online streaming of services, social media and more. Bank balances are healthy and ministers are well paid. Just as society has become more affluent, so too has the church. Whilst none of these developments are wrong in themselves, indeed we thank God for the material blessings he has given us, there can be the danger that just as the church becomes richer, so it also becomes poorer.

The Glory of the Lord

'And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid' (Luke 2:8)

The story of our Lord's incarnation is so familiar to us that it can be very easy to lose the wonder of it all. In the run up to Christmas we are surrounded by nativity scenes, cards, carols and many other reminders of Christ's birth. Shepherds, wise men, angels, a star in the east, a manger and the town of Bethlehem are so well known that we can quickly forget the miraculous nature of what happened 2000 years ago. One such element of the story of our Lord's birth which we can take for granted is that instance where the angel of the Lord appeared unto the shepherds. It is something which does not surprise us for we are so familiar with it, yet for the shepherds in the hills outside Bethlehem that night it would have been the most unexpected and awe inspiring moment of their lives. Never would they forget the night that the heavens were filled with a heavenly host of angels praising the name of God. It is in Luke 2, where we read of this event, that we find a little phrase which sums up all that is concerned with the birth of our Saviour; 'the glory of the Lord'. There are three things to consider about his phrase:

The Heresy of Hillsong

There is probably no better known name within contemporary Christian music than that of Hillsong. Since 1992 they had released more than forty albums with many of them reaching top positions in both the Christian and mainstream music charts. In twenty years they have sold more than twelve million records around the world and have signed marketing deals with Warner and Sony, bringing Hillsong worldwide popularity and recognition. However Hillsong is not simply a music ministry, but principally a network of large churches, commencing in Sydney Australia were it is pastored by Brian and Bobbie Houston, now with congregations in major cities around the world including London, New York, Kiev and Cape Town. The popularity of Hillsong's music means that many Christians are also attracted to their churches and to the personalities and teachings associated with them, and this is a matter of grave concern. Behind their popular music packed concerts we find such serious issues that we are led to say that Hillsong is not so much a promoter of scriptural truth, but rather of unscriptural heresy.

The danger of sinful imitation

In Deuteronomy chapter 18, as the law of God is presented to a new generation of Israelites prior to their entrance into Canaan, various instructions are given on how they were to conduct themselves once they came in to that promised land. In verses 9 to 15 they are told that 'when thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations'. Various pagan practices such as divination, witchcraft and necromancy as practiced by the Canaanites are then prohibited. These sinful practices were forbidden to the children of Israel and are described as being an abomination to God, showing them to be loathsome and offensive to his holy name. Indeed it was for the practice of these things that the Lord would drive the Canaanites out of the land (verse 12).

Among these sins here listed there are many practices and which are linked with and familiar to the celebration of Halloween. The satanic practices of sorcery and witchcraft, of human sacrifice and communicating with the dead, condemned by God as being among the vilest of sins, are found at the very root and origin of Halloween. Behind every Halloween custom, when it is traced back far enough, the hand of Satan can be found. Halloween customs such as trick or treat, jack-o-lanterns and bobbing for apples, things which on the surface are fun and harmless, all have their beginnings in ancient pagan druid practices, rituals which can themselves be traced back to Babylonish idolatry and the very things which we find condemned in Deuteronomy 18.

Is your pastor just a life coach?

Listen to any message by Joel Osteen or Joyce Meyer and there will be plenty to make you feel good about yourself. Guidance on how you can live your best life now, how you can have a balanced life, how to build relationships and have a more healthy lifestyle. An ultra positive message designed to help you fulfil your potential and empower the inner you. If you are to look to any of the other proponents of the prosperity gospel you will find that the message will be the same; positive confession and the promise of financial and personal success. Yet although their words are dressed up in Christian terminology in truth they differ little from the message that is provided by a secular life coach or motivational speaker. Their message is simply a Christianised psychology. They talk of what God can do for you in your life, yet not what Christ has done to give you new life.