TEXT: ‘Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked’ – 1 Timothy 1:19 NLT. THOUGHT: Cornwall is notorious for shipwrecks. With a coastline of only 250 miles (400km), it is thought that there have been more than 6000 wrecks, more than any other comparable coastline in the British Isles. Reading the Book of Jonah, I was reminded of three people in the Bible who were involved with a shipwreck or potential one – King Jehoshaphat, Jonah and the Apostle Paul. It is illuminating to study the reasons behind each one, for there is much we can learn. Just as lighthouses warn of dangerous rocks, so these are recorded so that we do not make the same mistakes. Wrong Alliances ‘Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, went into partnership with Ahaziah, king of Israel, who was a very wicked man. They made ships in Ezion-geber to sail to Tarshish. Then Eliezer, son of Dodavahu from Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat, telling him, “Because you have allied yourself with King Ahaziah, the Lord has destroyed your work.” So the ships met disaster and never arrived at Tarshish’ – 2 Chronicles 20:35-37 TLB. Jehosphaphat had experienced a wonderful...
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TEXT: ‘When the Day of Pentecost had fully come’ – Acts 2:1 THOUGHT: In Acts chapter 2 NKJV, the word “Then” is used five times, each one emphasising a new event or reaction to what was happening. These form the basis for Today’s Teaching. As we celebrate Pentecost Sunday on June 9th may each “Then” become a daily reality! Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them v3 This was the experience Jesus had told them to wait for, the infilling of the Holy Spirit and a baptism of power. As tongues of fire came upon each of them, I am sure many were reminded of what John the Baptist had prophesied about Jesus, ‘He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire’ – Luke 3:16. What they had been waiting for had now come. Jesus’ promise had now been fulfilled, that once He ascended He would send another Comforter, the Holy Spirit,. Pentecost Sunday, sadly is a dead tradition for so many Christians and churches. It has become simply a reminder of the past rather than a present renewal. ‘Do not be drunk with wine …. but be (being) filled with the Spirit’ – Ephesians 5:18. The...
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