Monday, January 16, 2012

OOOPS!



The news this week interrupts our Athletes series.
The 'Costa Concordia' foundered a mere two hours after setting out on an eight day Mediterranean cruise.

We gape in amazement at the picture of this $700 million ocean beauty, beached a matter of 100 meters from shore and ask "How could it happen?"

A calm sea, a clear night, all modern navigational aids in working order and a route that both ship and captain had travelled fifty times before.
The captain says that the rock he hit had not been there on previous cruises, but the G.P.S. and ship's log do not lie.

The ship had veered off course and a reef that had been there since time immemorial claimed its most celebrated victim.

The lesson is there for us all to heed. Lurking perils, human complacency and hubris, an unguarded moment and ...... the unthinkable takes place.

When Jesus told his disciples to " Be alert and pray." He meant it.



The hidden reefs of temptation and the snares of the devil are forever set to catch the unwary and when men fail, like this unfortunate skipper, they always take others with them.

A sobering thought for the day.

Ian

Sunday, January 15, 2012

The Athletes. The oldies and goldies




One of the greats of the ages was C.T Studd. He played cricket for England and was the Super-Star of his day.

 His family fortune was in the order of a billion dollars in today's money.

After hearing the evangelist D.L Moody preach at Cambridge University, Studd committed his life to Christ and pledged himself to the cause of world evangelism.

Before he left for China, Studd gave away his fortune to various Christian charities. He felt he could live by faith if he had no money in the bank and only had the resources of Heaven to rely on.

And rely on God he did.

For the next fifty years, true to his pledge, Studd served Christ in China and later in Africa. Here he founded a missionary movement called "World Evangelization Crusade."

When you were around C.T you knew you were around a man of God.

Above his tent door in Africa was a sign:

 "Unbelief strictly prohibited"

Found on a post-card in his tent when he died were these words:

"If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him." 

He lived his faith like he played his game of cricket, TO WIN.

Now isn't that how we should all live our Christian Life?

We may not be athletes in sport but we must all live our lives on earth as we wish we would have lived them when we stand before the judgement seat of Christ.

C.T. Studd was a man who showed us how it was to be done.

Jubilate.

Ian