Nov 8
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charlescameron added a text contribution Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).Before we can understand what it means to be a peacemaker, we must understand what peace is and what it is not. There is a ‘peace’ that is ‘no peace. We speak of keeping the peace and not disturbing the peace. there is, however, a ‘peace’ which needs to be disturbed if we are to find true peace. There is a ‘peace’ which is based on shallow superficiality. This ‘peace’, that is ‘no peace’, needs to be challenged by Jesus Christ. He is the Prince of peace. He calls us to enjoy true peace, His pea… Read more »
Nov 6
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charlescameron added a text contribution We must not keep God’s blessing to ourselves. Let's share it with joy.‘Be still, and know that I am God…Shout to God with loud songs of joy’(Psalm 46:10; Psalm 47:2). In our worship, there is to be both quiet trust and loud praise. We read the great words: ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble’(Psalm 46:1). God’s Word brings peace – ‘in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength’. We must not keep God’s blessing to ourselves. We must share it with joy – ‘Sing to the Lord…let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give… Read more »
Nov 4
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charlescameron added a text contribution Thank the Lord for what He has done for you. Thank Him for what He will do for you.We look back to what Christ has done for us. We look forward to what He will do for us. Looking back and looking forward: These are both found in Hebrews 9:28 – ‘Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him’. We remember our Saviour. We remember what He has done for us: ‘the Son of God loved us and gave Himself for us’ (Galatians 2:20). We eat bread and drink wine, giving thanks that o… Read more »
Nov 2
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charlescameron added a text contribution “Who Is This Great King?” (Psalm 24:8, 10) – Jesus Christ: Everything Is Centred Upon Him (Ephesians 1).“Who is this great King?” (Psalm 24:8, 10). The Psalmist tells us – “He is the Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, victorious in battle … The triumphant Lord – He is the great King!” (vs. 8, 10). When we turn to the New Testament, we learn that Jesus is the great King. Jesus is the Lord. Jesus is strong and mighty. Jesus is victorious in battle. Jesus is the triumphant Lord. Jesus Christ is the Name which jumps out at us from the first chapter of Ephesians. Everything is centred upon Christ.… Read more »
Oct 28
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charlescameron added a text contribution Philippians 1:1-11Joy - This is the great theme of Paul’s letter to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always, and, again, I say, rejoice” (4:4).This joy is not a superficial emotion. It’s a confidence which is deeply rooted in God. When we see that true joy is joy in the Lord, we understand why the Word of God can speak of both the joy of the Lord and the fear of the Lord – “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10). Scripture tells us that “perfect love casts our fear” (1 John 4:18). Th… Read more »
Oct 27
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charlescameron added a text contribution Exodus 35-40The work of God requires the work of a large number of people who pool their resources together to see that God’s work is done. When there is this willing spirit among God’s people, God’s work moves forward. This willing spirit comes from the Lord Himself – ‘The Lord has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God.’ Through the Spirit of God, we receive gifts which are put to good use in the service of God (35:31). We are to use these gifts in the service of the Lord (35:34). When God’s work is done… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution Exodus 31-34The history of Israel is like a rollercoaster ride. It’s full of highs and lows. We read of the Lord giving His Word to Moses (31:18). This is followed by the people rebelling against God (32:1). Though the sin of the people is very great, the mercy of God is even greater. To those who had rebelled against Him, God continues to speak His Word of grace – ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you peace’ (33:14). Often, we feel like God won’t want to have anything more to do with us. God… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution Exodus 21-3021:1-23:33 Our obedience to God is to take shape within the varied circumstances of everyday life. At the heart of our obedience, there is to be compassion. Our compassion is to be an expression of God’s compassion (22:21, 28; 23:9). At the heart of our obedience, there is to be worship (23:14). Taking compassion and worship together, we come to the very heart of our obedience to God. It is not compassion without worship. It is not worship without compassion. The spiritual and the social belong… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution Exodus 21-3021:1-23:33 Our obedience to God is to take shape within the varied circumstances of everyday life. At the heart of our obedience, there is to be compassion. Our compassion is to be an expression of God’s compassion (22:21, 28; 23:9). At the heart of our obedience, there is to be worship (23:14). Taking compassion and worship together, we come to the very heart of our obedience to God. It is not compassion without worship. It is not worship without compassion. The spiritual and the social belong… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution Exodus 20The vital connection between salvation and obedience is brought out clearly in the giving of the Ten Commandments. Before speaking to His people about what they must do if they are to live as an obedient people, God reminds them of what He has done for them: ‘I am the Lord your God who brought you out of slavery in Egypt’ (v. 2). We must never forget how much the Lord has done for us. If we lose sight of His love, grace and mercy, so wonderfully revealed to us in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Chris… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution Exodus 16-19The Lord provides. Through the provision of manna and water, the Lord sustains His people. Strong in Him, they press on to victory. This is a picture of the Christian life. Before we can be soldiers of Christ, we must receive our strength from the Lord. We come to Him, looking for strength – His strength. Jesus is the Bread of Life. He is the Living Water (John 6:51; 4:14). Strengthened by Him, we will not be defeated. We will be victorious – ‘more than conquerors through Him who loved us’. His… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution Exodus 13-15The purpose of the Passover was to build a bridge between the past, the present and the future: ‘Remember this day – the day when you left Egypt, the land of slavery. The Lord used His mighty hand to bring us out of slavery in Egypt’ (13:14). The Lord was in control. This is what we must remember when we think about these events. Once the people of Israel came out of Egypt, the Lord continued to be in control of their journey. In 13:17-18, we read that God closed one door – ‘the shortest route’… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution Exodus 5-12It gets worse before it gets better. Things seemed to be going from bad to worse for God’s people. They became ‘discouraged’ (6:9). They were unable to look beyond their present difficulties. They needed the Lord’s Word of encouragement – ‘The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I use My power against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of there’ (7:5). Before there was salvation for Israel, there was judgment for Egypt. The judgments upon Egypt (‘the plagues’) were a call to repentance.… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution Exodus 1-41:1-2:25 Circumstances change. God does not change. Joseph was no longer there. God was still there. Joseph had become part of the past. God was making plans for the future. Joseph had been a highly significant man within the history of Israel. Now, the scene was set for the emergence of a new spiritual leader, a man of even greater importance within the history of God’s people. That man was Moses. It was a new situation. There was to be a new spiritual leader. Joseph’s time had ended. Moses’ t… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution Looking Back, Looking ForwardWe look back, and we ‘give thanks to the Lord’, remembering ‘the wonderful works that He has done’ (1 Chronicles 16:8,12). We look forward, committing our future to the Lord in prayer, looking to Him to fulfil the promise He gives to those who call upon Him in heartfelt prayer: ‘If My people who are called by My Name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land’ (2 Chronicles 7:14). Wha… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution Learning From The First Missionaries – Paul: Acts 20:17-38 (a sermon)What’s so different about the 21st century? In so many ways, the 21st century is completely different from the 1st century. With our computers, we can listen to a sermon from the other side of the world. We can listen to it and we can watch it being preached – as it happens, live! This is so different from life in the time of Christ and His Apostles. Very different – Yes! – but is it completely different? Can we, in the 21st century, afford to ignore the voices which speak to us from the 1s… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution Mixed Messages?Ireland has long been known as the ‘Land of Saints and Scholars’ with a reputation for sending God’s messengers around the world to proclaim the ‘Good News’. In recent times it has become known for the ‘Bad News’ of violence, sectarianism and bigotry. Dr. Charles Cameron wonders what messages Ireland will send in the next millenium. In 563, St. Columba travelled from Ireland. His journey was a missionary journey. It has been beautifully and vividly described by T. Radcliffe Barnett (1868-1946)… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution Revelation 4-5‘In heaven’, there’s ‘an open door’ – This is the great declaration with which Revelation 4 begins. This ‘open door in heaven’ speaks to us of the great love God has for us. We sing about the opening of heaven’s door when we sing the well-known hymns, There is a green hill and Jesus loves me. In the hymn, There is a green hill, we sing of Jesus Christ our Saviour: ‘There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin; He only could unlock the gate of heaven, and let us in.’ In the hymn, J… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution The Uniqueness of ChristPeople did not know what to make of Jesus. They tried to understand Him by comparing Him with famous figures from the recent and more distant past – ‘ John the Baptist … Elijah … Jeremiah or one of the prophets’. Into this situation of confusion came something new, something different – ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’. Where did this come from? It came from God – ‘flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven’ (Matthew 16:14,16-17). What we have her… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution The Infiniity of God – ’so infinite His grace’!Where do we begin? Where do we end? There is no beginning. There is no end. This is infinity. It seems like infinity beckons us like a deep, dark hole. We are out of our depth. We grope about in the darkness. We wonder where we have come from. We wonder where we are going. When we speak of God, we speak of depth, but we do not speak of darkness. When we speak of ‘the deep things of God’ (1 Corinthians 2:10), we are not being lured by a faceless, nameless infinity, into a deep, dark hole. We are… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution Numbers 28-36In the Old Testament, there are extremely elaborate and detailed descriptions of the sacrifices the people were to bring to God. We no longer require to bring such sacrifices to God. God has provided the perfect Sacrifice. The Son of God has given Himself for us. He has put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. We must focus our exclusive attention on Him. In the various areas of life – personal faithfulness (chapter 30), our relationship with the world (chapter 31) and our relationship with… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution Numbers 25-27God’s people are called on to maturity. This is the significance of the phrase, “at least twenty years old” (26:2, 4). There are, however, many dangers. We can be easily sidetracked, putting other “gods” before the Lord our God (25:3). This turning away from the Lord is a serious matter. It leads to the withdrawal of God’s blessing. We can, however, continue to enjoy God’s blessing if, like Caleb and Joshua, we are men and women of faith (26:64-65). Joshua was to lead the people beyond the po… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution Numbers 25-27God’s people are called on to maturity. This is the significance of the phrase, “at least twenty years old” (26:2, 4). There are, however, many dangers. We can be easily sidetracked, putting other “gods” before the Lord our God (25:3). This turning away from the Lord is a serious matter. It leads to the withdrawal of God’s blessing. We can, however, continue to enjoy God’s blessing if, like Caleb and Joshua, we are men and women of faith (26:64-65). Joshua was to lead the people beyond the po… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution Numbers 21-24The Israelites are journeying with the Lord. He is leading them from victory to victory. Salvation for Israel, salvation from the God of Israel, the true and living God, meant “destruction” (21:3) for those who opposed God and His people – “How horrible it is for you, Moab! You are destroyed, you people of the god Chemosh” (21:29). If there is to be real blessing among God’s people, we must face conflict and overcome opposition from God’s enemies. The story of Balaam concerns the challenge of… Read more »
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charlescameron added a text contribution Numbers 19-20When we read about being made clean, we must look beyond what we read in the Old Testament – “the sprinkling of the blood of a red cow that is perfect with no defects” (19:2-4). We must look on to the New Testament where we read of “the blood of Jesus who cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Jesus Christ is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Neither Moses nor Aaron were to enter the land, promised by God to His people (20:12, 24). This is a reminder to us tha… Read more »