The King's Speech

I have recently watched The King’s Speech again and am struck by the bravery of King George VI and his ability to overcome some horrible obstacles. If the film is to be believed, Bertie, the second son, was bullied by an unkind nanny, who preferred his older brother David (later King Edward VIII).  

At teatime, when nanny brought the children down from the nursery to be seen and to see their parents, nanny would pinch Bertie till he cried so he was removed from them. She didn’t feed him, and it took 3 years before their majesties noticed. In addition, he was naturally left-handed but forced to be right-handed. No surprise then that he stammered badly.  The story of The King’s Speech is how Lionel Logue, an Australian self-taught speech therapist, helped the Prince of York, later the King, overcome his stammer. 

However, the Duke of York was never meant to be king. He was the second son and although he was still required to give public speeches, it was nothing compared to the arduous schedule of his brother, the future king. It is well-known though that David, Edward VIII, abdicated in 1936 in order to marry the twice divorced Wallis Simpson.

The Duke of York was thrust into the limelight with his stammer and incredibly, with Queen Elizabeth (known to us as the Queen Mother), did an outstanding job of leading the nation through the Second World War. Unfortunately though, he was a heavy smoker and died of lung cancer in 1952, aged 56. His greatest legacy must surely be his daughter Queen Elizabeth II. Her death this year has merely highlighted what an amazing Godly woman she was and how fortunate the British people are to have enjoyed her long reign. The seeds for her reign and her ability to understand the role of monarchy in the 20th century were sown by her father.

This just goes to show that despite the most inauspicious start, despite crippling difficulties, despite being thrust into an unwanted limelight, if he could live life well and leave a legacy that will continue for many, many years, so can we. 

In Christmas 1939, as Europe entered the dark years of the Second World War, King George quoted a poem by Minnie Louise Haskins which reflects his heart.

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:

"Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown."

And he replied:

"Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.

That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way."

So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.

And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.

The King’s trust was in Almighty God to lead and guide and to overcome, no matter the difficulties and hardship. Over 80 years later, this nation is still reaping the fruit of King George’s heart and is a source of great encouragement to all of us. 

Each one if us is called to be an overcomer, and if we too put our hands in the hand of God, all things are possible. 

for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5: 4 - 5 

Overcoming fear in fearful times

When we were leading a youth missions and outreach group, one of the founding principles was to instil in the young people a faith that worked.  It was no good knowing that God was your provider if you could not trust him to provide to go on a mission trip. It was not enough to know that God was the healer if you could not pray with any level of confidence or faith that God heals. It was not sufficient to know that God has given us his gifts, if we secretly believe that He doesn’t use us. 

One of the most amazing things was seeing these young people move out in increasing faith to believe that God would use and provide for them and He did.  

I believe it is a similar scenario today concerning the virus.  Many churches and ministries are reaching out online, by phone, email, WhatsApp and all manner of social media to make sure we are connected and supported. It is all fantastic and I cannot recommend them enough. We must follow all the reputable advice from both world and spiritual sources. But what is our response as individual Christians to the days we find ourselves in? 

There seem to be some major fears surrounding the virus – fear of death, fear of sickness and fear of lack.  As Christians we do not live in fear but faith. These are days though when we have to put our faith into action. Let us never forget:

The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.

 Great is the Lord in Zion;  he is exalted over all the nations.
Let them praise your great and awesome name – he is holy. Psalm 91:1 – 3 

Despite what is happening, God is still enthroned and in control.

The first thing we can do is deal with our own fear. We can never help others when we are bound by fear. A great start is to declare Scriptures such as these out loud .

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1: 7

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26: 3

Then let’s deal with each of these fears one by one.

Fear of death. The world is terrified of death but as Christians we do not need to fear death. It is not a dreaded unknown, we know where we will be and with whom. It is not a door to fear but a doorway to a wonderful new life for eternity with Jesus. How amazing is that? We may not feel ready yet for death but Paul wrote For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1: 21). He couldn’t decide which was better; to stay with everyone and continue his ministry or to go to the Lord I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far (Philippians 1: 23). Paul knew being with the Lord was better by far. 

We will all die sometime. What is vital is that we know where we go when we die. This virus is a great opportunity to speak to fearful people about the Lord, the Prince of Peace.

Fear of sickness. God said ‘ I am the Lord who heals you.’   Jesus showed throughout his ministry that he was the healer, he healed everyone (Matthew 4: 24) and we see that throughout the New Testament the disciples continued the ministry of healing.  Can I state one thing here? God did not send this virus as a judgement to the earth or any particular nation. Jesus came to heal the sick, not bring sickness. There is no sickness in heaven. Sickness is a result of the Fall and the devil’s activity. God loves people. None of us would bring sickness to our beloved family to teach them a lesson. Why would God?  

We can pray confidently for God to protect us using Psalm 91 or by taking communion each day. Remember that by his wounds, we are healed (Isaiah 53: 5). As we take the bread let us approach God confidently for healing; his perfect body took our sicknesses and exchanged them for health and wellbeing. As we take the cup, let us pray the blood of Jesus over our families and loved ones, our leaders and our nation. The blood is a sign of the New Covenant that God will be our God and will protect and look after us.

Fear of lack. The Bible has so much to say that we never need to fear going short.. God is Jehovah Jireh – our provider. Just look at Luke 6: 38 or 2 Corinthians 9: 38 which in the context of giving says And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. God will provide for us.

God is for us. Let’s have a faith worth living for, faith that works. Let us bring our fears to him and let him stir faith in our hearts that we can trust God in these difficult days to not only be all we need, but to enable us to bring the hope of Jesus to those living in fear at this time. 

Unexpected complications

A recent extensive road trip around South Africa was plagued by things going wrong or not turning out as expected. Time after time, events were just not as planned or anticipated. This led to disappointment and a sense of uncertainty. It has also highlighted some interesting if rather uncomfortable ungodly beliefs.

We did a similar trip 4 years ago and everything went really well. It was a wonderful time with few hiccups. I expected the same this time but even when booking accommodation, nothing worked out as hoped. What we wanted was not available and we had to compromise and juggle all the arrangements. Finally we had a workable itinerary.

However as we travelled we faced all sorts of unexpected challenges often to do with food or weather or an unwelcome number of bugs trying to share our safari tent. Nothing was too bad but after three punctures, two of them out in the bush requiring a wheel change with dangerous animals around I really began to question what was going on.

My first thought was that maybe I had done something wrong or had I sinned? Maybe we shouldn’t have done this trip at all and God was showing his displeasure by not blessing our travels.  It was at this point that I pulled myself up short and realised my mind was on a journey of its own with a dangerous destination.

Does God really only bless us if we do as he wishes? Does God only bless good choices? Of course not! God is good and kind and blesses us all the time whether we deserve it or not. It is a lie to believe that when things are going well God is pleased with you and blesses you but when things are not going well God is displeased with you withholding his blessing. The truth is that you are pleasing to God all the time and God is blessing you in every way that is good for you and will bring forth fruit from your life.

There is no doubt that God uses the bad times, the difficulties, the unexpected, the pain to mould our character and help us trust him. If everything goes swimmingly all the time, we hardly need God but when difficulty upon difficulty piles up we have to lean into God and trust him. When we trust God is doing good even in the midst of problems, troubles, hitches and complications especially unexpected ones, faith and trust in God grows.

Every time something unexpected happens leading to disappointment, even over things as trivial as the weather we need God to set us on our feet again, assure us that nothing has gone wrong because of something we have done or not done. We haven’t sinned – this is just life.  By the way, the disciples had the same problem believing that difficulties came from someone’s sin (Luke 13: 1 -2 and John 9: 1 – 3).

I was reading that it is in the pressure of the cocoon that the caterpillar turns into a butterfly. It is a process that cannot and must not be bypassed or hurried. It is an essential process.

All our unexpected difficulties and experiences led me to realise some ungodly beliefs that I had hidden in my heart that would never have come out or been confronted if everything was going well.  I’ve had to let God soothe my disappointments and show me that things were not that bad. He was always with us in the good and bad days. I can trust him.

After all ‘all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose’ Romans 8:

 ’

Human beings or human doings?

I am sure we are all familiar with the concept that we are human beings not human doings, by which we mean that it is more important who we are and our character than what we do.

This idea came out of a desire to counterbalance the false thinking that we can earn our way into heaven or God’s favour by what we do. Salvation is by faith in Christ alone and is a gift of grace. There is nothing we can do to earn or deserve God’s love and salvation. 

There is another true but perhaps not so helpful saying that you can never do anything to increase or take away God’s love for you. This does not mean however that we do not need to do anything or that works of service are unimportant.

God’s love towards us is constant and never fails. Nothing we say or do changes this but times spent with Jesus increase our awareness of that love. This is never wasted time. It is in this place of intimacy that we both receive and give love. It is here that we can be honest with God and ourselves and let him bring healing and freedom from sin.  It is here that we hear from him, we learn and are inspired and it is from here that our works of love and service flow.

Some believers in the early Church were convinced they did not need to do anything as long as they had faith. James, the Lord’s brother, had something to say about that.

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

¹⁸ But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. James 2: 14 – 18

James firmly shows that out faith needs actions.

In everything Jesus is our example  - God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. Acts 10: 38

Jesus had the most intimate relationship with the Father but he showed his love for others by what he did and so must we. He loved them through teaching but also through signs, wonders and miracles. Jesus expressed his love to the tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners – so must we.

The amazing statement ‘For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost’ (Luke 19: 10) was spoken in the context of Jesus visiting Zacchaeus, the tax collector who was fond of stealing from people.  Jesus showed his love by coming to Zacchaeus’ home. Many criticised his actions but Jesus’ life was one long faith in action one.

We are indeed human beings and who we are is incredibly important. Character matters but so do our actions, as long as they flow out of a love relationship with Jesus and not out of some misguided desire to impress or win favour with either God or man. Doing God’s love is a powerful way of showing God’s love.

Faith in action

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven Matthew 5: 16

Recently my attention was drawn at a church prayer meeting to an unusual piece of equipment being used by a musician. It looked like a small industrial chimney, black and standing two metres tall and it was obviously something to do with sound.  Then I noticed the word Bose on it. Immediately I knew it must be a speaker but the word Bose means a lot more than just a sound system. It means a quality sound system.

We carry the name Jesus which means we are not just Christians, it should also mean we are people of quality. People who can be depended on, are reliable, honest, trustworthy, men and women of integrity. Christians should also be people of good works.  

We know that good works do not save us. Only Jesus’ work on the cross saves us and we receive it by grace. Nothing we can do can earn it. It is a gift from God.  However as James says:  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds James 2: 17 – 18

Jesus certainly showed his faith by his deeds. When the religious leaders of his day wanted to stone him he asked them which miracle they were stoning him for. They replied they wanted to stone him for claiming to be the Son of God. In response he told them that even if they did not believe his words, they should believe he was God’s Son because of the miracles or good works that he did.  He did the works of his Father which were works of great compassion and kindness.  (John 10: 37)

David Cameron in an Easter message in 2015 said, ‘The Church … is doing great works across the country. When people are homeless, the Church is there with hot meals and shelter. When people are addicted or in debt, suffering or grieving the Church is there. Across Britain Christians don’t just talk about loving thy neighbour, they live it out in faith schools and prisons and in community groups.’

This is a testimony we should be proud of.  We should be the leading philanthropists of our day but more than that; we should be miracle workers.  The days of miracles are not over, they should be increasing as each one of us reaches out in faith to God so blind eyes see, the lame walk, the sick are healed and the dead raised.   Jesus said we would do even greater works than he did. 

When Jesus preached the Gospel about the kingdom, he often preceded this with miracles.  In the same way as we reach out to our communities with love and practical works of kindness as well as supernatural miracles, we build a platform upon which the Gospel easily glides.  People believed in Jesus, not just because of what he said but what he did.  In the same way, people will come to faith, the greatest miracle of all, as we reach out to them with good deeds.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds Hebrews 10: 24

God of the miraculous

One of the advantages of taking a topic when reading the Bible rather than reading through a Gospel or another book is that incredible themes start to lift off the pages.

One thing I have been reminded of recently is that God is the God of truly outstanding, amazing miracles. Not just that but when God is about to do something significant, it is always accompanied by the miraculous.

 Noah built an ark in the desert for 120 years and God brought the water to float it. Abraham and Sarah were not just old but ‘as good as dead’ (Hebrews 11: 12) yet their one son (born to Sarah aged 90) birthed the whole of the Jewish race

. 

Moses, an 80 year old no-hoper, was so insecure that he argued with God 5 times about his inability to fulfil his calling. Yet he ended up leading a motley group of slaves out from one of the most powerful military nations in the world at that time. In the process he performed outstanding miracles including the parting of the Red Sea which led to the complete overthrow of the military might of Egypt. God miraculously provided water from a rock for approx 2 million people and fed these people morning and evening for 40 years.

They entered their Promised Land when God again parted the waters, this time of the swollen, flooded River Jordan. The Israelites then took the first fortified city they came across – not by military might – but by walking round the walls every day for 7 days and the walls collapsed.

And so it goes on; curses turned into blessings (Numbers 24: 10 - 11), shepherd boys becoming kings (Psalm 78: 70 - 71), mighty armies overthrown by the power of praise (II Chronicles 20: 22) and many more until we come to most incredible miracle of all; God himself giving up all his glory, majesty and power to become a tiny baby born of a virgin. This happened in an insignificant town, not in a palace and not even in a home but outside with the animals.

The Christmas story is full of miracles – miracle babies born to elderly parents like Zechariah and Elizabeth, a virgin birth, the glorious heavenly host revealed to humble shepherds and Gentile magi travelling miles to follow a star to worship a king that his own people did not even acknowledge.

He continually reveals himself today as a miracle working God.

Sometimes I think our God is just too small. We struggle to believe that the God who parted the Red Sea will come in and make a way for us where there appears to be no way. We battle to realise that the God who fed two million people every day for 40 years will provide for us and that the man who raised Jairus’ daughter and Dorcas (to name just two) will breathe life into our hopeless looking, dead situations.

Or that the same God who inspired 5000 people to be saved in one day can save our family and friends.  Or that the God who forgave Zacchaeus and the woman caught in adultery will forgive our sins. Or that the God who healed Naaman the leper will heal our eczema and so on.

Our faith is so small and yet our God is so big.

Let’s ask God to forgive us for our unbelief and help us stir up again the gift of faith that he has given each one of us so that we can come to our miracle working God and be amazed at the things he wants to do in and through our lives.  

Keeping our faith

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Hebrews 11: 39 – 40

Hebrews 11 is the wonderful chapter about the Old Testament men and women of faith from righteous Abel through to the prophets. Many of them triumphed in their faith yet others suffered terribly facing persecution, imprisonment and even martyrdom. Yet the chapter concludes by saying that none of these wonderful saints of old, though commended for their faith, received what was promised; the fulfillment of their faith found in Jesus Christ, the Messiah. 

I find this fact very inspiring that they never gave up but died still believing that what God had said was true. Their faith was not in vain because though they did not see it, God brought about what he had promised. Now, these men and women of faith will be joining with us who have come to faith through Jesus Christ and together we will be made perfect.

Like these saints of old, we too may not see those things we are believing for but we must not give in to disappointment, doubt and unbelief.  These will rob us of our faith.  The object of our faith may be personal; the salvation of a loved one or work colleague or for our healing or it may be that we are believing God for a mighty revival in our nation or anticipating the return of Jesus Christ.

We may see any of these events or we may not but we must maintain our faith, trusting that what God has said will be fulfilled whether we see it or not. Alan Vincent (one of my heroes of the faith) says that for years his grandmother prayed for him yet she never saw him saved. However she never lost faith and took her ‘faith cheque’ to heaven and cashed it there. Her grandson was not just saved but became ‘a faith-filled, devil destroying warrior for a grandson.’

I don’t know about you but I can become very disappointed when I do not see the things I am believing God for. However today I want to rise up in fresh faith, shake off  my disappointment and declare before God that whether or not I see my loved ones saved, revival in UK or whatever, I will not let go and slide into doubt and unbelief but I will trust that what God has said will be accomplished .

Lord Jesus, today I raise my eyes afresh to you and ask that you will forgive me for doubting you and letting disappointment and unbelief creep into my life. Please will you strengthen me afresh today so that whether I see the things I am praying and trusting you for, or whether I do not, I will still be found in faith in Christ Jesus? Amen.