Paul Long's Ramblings

For the 26 May 2013 bulletin A pastor’s struggle with same sex attraction I recently came across this blog / article I found very helpful. It is by Sam Alberry, an associate pastor at St Mary's Church in Maidenhead, UK. The following is some excerpts from his article. You can read the full article at: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2013/01/10/how-can-the-gospel-be-good-news-to-gays/ ) Homosexuality is an issue I have grappled with my entire Christian life. It took a long time to admit to myself, longer to admit to others, and even longer to see something of God's good purposes through it all. There have been all sorts of ups and downs. But this battle is not devoid of blessings, as Paul discovered with his own unyielding thorn in the flesh. Struggling with sexuality has been an opportunity to experience more of God's grace, rather than less. Only in recent months have I felt compelled to be more open on this issue. For many years I had no intention of...

For the 19 May 2013 bulletin PASTOR’S  NOTES The following piece was submitted by Magdalene, which I found so timely as last week I was discussing  with a number of church members the stories  behind some of the great hymns of the church. Enjoy! Story behind the  hymn: Great  is Thy Faithfulness Thomas Obadiah  Chisolm  (1866-1960) had a difficult early adult life. His health was  so  fragile that there were periods of time when he was confined to bed, unable to  work . Between  bouts of illness he would have to push himself to put in extra hours  at  various jobs in order to make ends meet . After coming to Christ at age 27, Thomas found great comfort in the Scriptures, and  in  the fact that God was faithful to be his strength in time of illness and weakness,  and  to provide his needs. Lamentations  3:22-23 was one of his  favorite  scriptures:  “It  is...

For the 12 May 2013 bulletin PASTOR’S NOTES Happy mother's day! I got this in the mail earlier this week and thought it would be nice to have something light on mothers this Sunday ... Why God made Mums Brilliant answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions : Why did God make mothers? 1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is. 2 . Mostly to clean the house . How did God make mothers? 1 . He used dirt, just like for the rest of us. 2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring What ingredients are mothers made of? 1 . God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean. 2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think. Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom? 1 . We're related 2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me. What kind of little girl was your mom? ...

For the 5 May 2013 bulletin Time (a poem / prayer by Michael Quoist) All men complain that they haven't enough time. They look at their lives from too human a point of view. There is always time to do what God wants us to do, but we must put ourselves completely into each moment that he offers us now. I went out, Lord. Men were coming and going, walking and running. Everything was rushing; cars, trucks, the street, the whole town. Men were rushing not to waste time. To catch up with time, to gain time. Good bye, Sir, excuse me, I haven't time. I'll come back, I can't wait, I haven't time. I must end this letter - I haven't time. I'd love to help you, but I haven't time. I can't accept, having no time. I can't think, I can't read, I'm swamped, I haven't time. I'd like to pray, but I haven't time. You understand, Lord, they simply haven't the time. The child is playing, he hasn...

Pastor's notes for 28 April 2013 bulletin Quotes that caught my attention in my reading this week I thought I would share some of the quotes that caught my attention the last couple of weeks. Consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell. -             Quote attributed to William Booth (a Methodist minister who founded the Salvation Army(  made at the end of the 19th century.   I do not tire of telling everyone, especially young people who long for their people's liberation, that I admire their social and political sensitivity, but it saddens me when they waste it by going on ways that are false. Let us, too, all take notice that the great leader of our liberation is the Lord's Anointed One, who comes to announc...

Pastor's notes for the 21st April 2013 bulletin A note on Psalm 23:3a “He (God) restores my soul.” For those who follow the Revised Common Lectionary, this Sunday’s Psalm is Psalm 23. Psalm 23 is arguably the most well-known Psalm in the Bible and probably also the most beloved. For me personally, not only have I read it numerous times, I have also preached on it a number of times. So in reading it again this week, I wondered if it were possible for me to do so with fresh eyes. I am thankful that the answer was a resounding YES. God’s Word is indeed amazing. The phrase this time that caught my eye was verse 3a “He (God) restores my soul .” I suspect it was because at the moment of reading, my soul (nepes) was feeling tired. ( “Nepes” basically means “breath, the inner being with its thoughts and emotions”). The question that came to my mind was: “How Lord? How do you restore my soul?” I was reminded afresh via a word study that word translated “restore” ( sub ) ba...

For the 14 April 2013 bulletin The importance of prayer for a victorious spiritual life Jesus is recorded to have spent a lot of time in prayer.  In the NIV, the word “prayer” comes out 51 times in the Gospels, where the context is Jesus praying and / or teaching on prayer. Prayer for Jesus was an essential part of his life. He habitually took time off to pray and taught his disciples to do likewise. It was one of his “open secrets” to his victorious life. When Jesus taught on the challenges related to the end of the world, prayer was stated as crucial:  “ Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”   (Luke 21:36) Just before his arrest, Jesus went to the Mt. of Olives to pray because the temptation to walk away from the horror of crucifixion was so heavy. We read that:  “ He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Fa...