Christ Church Felling

Prime Minister Cameron has confirmed that this once but no longer GreatBritain has undergone a ‘Moral collapse’. He says he is determined to mend this broken nation. Can this Government do it? Can any Government do it?

As I watched the rioting and looting Matthew 24:4-14 came to mind, particularly v 12 Jesus says…”And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” NKJV

When I was 16 years old a 14year old school friend of mine was accidentally shot in the chest and killed.

It was the first time death had come close to me and after going to the funeral I began to ask questions like, “Why am I here?”…”What’s after death?”…”What’s life all about?”…”Why should I bother?”…”What’s out there?”

No answers I heard gave me any hope.

I had been taught at school that life was an accident of evolution – even though at home and church I was told that there was a God who was angry at what I was doing.

He had a right to be because very soon I was making bombs out of weed killer and sugar. (it wont work now as the manufacturers have put a suppressant in with the chemicals.) I and my friend blew park benches apart, goal posts out of the ground as well as set fire to round-abouts after ‘phoning the fire brigade and sat watching them put it out.

I stole from shops, just to see what I could get away with. Never got caught fortunately. I couldn’t care less about any one but myself…Why? I wanted a bit of excitement!!!

When I look at what the rioters did recently I remembered why I did what I did all those years ago. I do not condone in any way what they have done— nor what I did long ago,

I wonder if it may be that they couldn’t care less for a society that values very little itself in any way. Who are politicians to say the rioters are so terrible when so many of them have been caught out, in the expenses scandal and the many peccadilloes that have reached the media? Even the media has been caught out in the phone hacking scandal. The church is no better with many child abuse cases coming to the surface. Where are the moral standards? How long will God allow all this and is it any wonder that ‘Lawlessness has surfaced’?

What changed me, I am convinced is the only Way for this generation both young and old, to have hope- it is for all to come to a realisation that God is, God has always been and always will be our loving creator, Father and Saviour. How many governments have said –”We don’t do God” No wonder we are in the state that we are in and will get worse unless we change. Many of us need to stand up and say there are standards that God has called us to. There is Truth. We will face the consequences of anarchy and lawlessness.

Jesus has dealt with our sin, when He died there on the cross. He said “It is finished. (The debt is paid in full) God the Father loves all of us, the rioters, politicians, media moguls, nice people, ALL of us, and He wants us to come to Him. He does not judge us. (Every time I was in a thunderstorm I used to think God was going to get me because I knew I was a bad lad.) Now I know that He loves me and wants the best for me. It is Jesus who will judge us! Not because of our sin but by our relationship with Him. The hardest verse in the Bible for me is Matthew 7:21-23 speaking to church people probably, v 23 “… I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.” I got to know Jesus as the one who has dealt with all my sins, has given me new life, a reason for life and the promise of eternity. Evolution says there is nothing, so why bother. God says I am everything so come to me. I suspect there are hundreds of thousands of people who do not know what life is all about, they do not understand suffering, do not have a purpose and have no expectation of life after death. Are you one of them?

If you have been baptised (christened) even as a baby, someone will have said these words for you, whether they meant them or not, “I turn to Christ” While you have breath in your body there is time. Why not now?

Prayer— ” Lord Jesus I thank you that you love me so much that you died in my place on that cross so long ago now. I am sorry for all the bad things I did and the good things I did not do and even the wrong thoughts that I still have. Please forgive me and come into my life and help me to live the rest of my life with you walking by my side until that day when I will be with you for ever where there is no more pain nor suffering but joy ever lasting. Amen.”