An Irishman's eye ...
What a busy few weeks the media have had what with the Lisbon Treaty Vote, the Leinster verse Munster game and then the running saga of the Ceann Comhairle John O Donoghue. There was much ink spilt over the days when his expenses were plastered across the papers and then his resignation.
I do wonder a little about the way the media seemed set on this man and I wonder who will be the next target for exposure.
Having said that I am not arguing that that what was going on was right. There do seem questions that need to be answered fully and I wonder will we get the answers to them now that he has resigned.
I have never met Mr O Donoghue personally but when I watched him on TV in the Dial I was struck but the serious and even handed way that he did his job. I think it was during his time in the Chair that the public were brought into the Dial in a more meaningful way. The open days and the radio programme with Turbidy helped to connect us more with our house of Parliament.
Well, having said all that I wonder how any of us would feel to have our lives detailed in the papers and on the radio and TV? I am sure that many of us are grateful not to be in the public eye and to have them rake over the files of our lives. Many if not all of us would be hanging our head and running for cover if our private life were to be exposed.
Yet there is a day coming when every detail of our lives will be exposed and revealed, every idle word, every selfish act, every act of betrayal, every wicked deed, and every dark secret will be writ large and assessed by the all knowing Eye of God.
Listen to how it is stated in the last book of the Bible, Revelation 20:11-15:
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Did you notice that there is a great white throne with a just and perfectly knowledgeable judge sitting on that throne?
Did you notice - that all people men of all ranks and degrees, rulers and the ruled, parents and children, brothers and sisters, from all places, stand before God!
John O Donoghue has resigned and maybe the hunger of the media may die away - but for all of us including the reporters of people’s lives we will stand before God. How will any of us bear that exposure? The evidence will be there dates, times, places, people, whether alone or with another the deeds you thought no one knew about not even your spouse or parents. It is truly our worst nightmare come to pass. How can we face this judgment day and survive?
No one will survive it ... unless their name is found in the Book of Life. Did you call to mind what verse 15 says? "And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Jesus on one occasion said to his disciples, "Rejoice that your names are written in the Lamb’s book of life." The way you get your name placed in that book is by repenting from all your sins and asking God to be merciful to you.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
EXPOSURE
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
MORE FREEBIES!
Jim Elliff says: "We occasionally like to give away resources to seminary students and first time pastors. Students or first time pastors may currently ask for one of the following: Divorce and Remarriage: A Permanence View, OR Wasted Faith, OR Dangers of the Invitation System. We only ask that you commit to read the book. Please write Steve Burchett at ccwblog@gmail.com for ordering details."
Saturday, August 29, 2009
FREE BOOK GIVEAWAY
The annual Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies conference has just finished at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, KY. You can read an excellent summary of the event here. Audios of the lectures should be available soon here. To celebrate, we're giving away a free copy of a book edited by conference organiser Michael Haykin - The Advent of Evangelicalism: Exploring Historical Continuities. To enter the competition, just leave a comment on this thread. Closing date for entries is midnight (Irish time) on Friday 4 September.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
IS SOUND DOCTRINE ENOUGH?
Sound doctrine must be accompanied by sound behaviour and sound speech "that cannot be condemned": watch Phil Johnson at last spring's Shepherd's Conference expound Titus 2 here.
