Apr-27-The Clang of Symbols

Dream Word – LOOK

Revelation 17:3-6
So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marvelled with great amazement. NKJV

The Clang of Symbols

No, today’s title is not a spelling mistake! Rather, let it be known that symbols communicate. Yes, symbols make a sound, they inculcate a message, they congregate peoples, they educate the masses, they articulate core values, they rally the disorderly, and once they are most fully embraced, symbols define directions and ultimately rule over those people they fly over. Why do you think that after WWII and the defeat of the Nazis, every effort was made to completely remove any symbolic representation of the black jack boot which was placed over most of old Europe then? Because it had residual and unifying power. Indeed, it is still an illegal and punishable act for the swastika to be displayed in present day Germany or Austria. Yes symbols are powerful. I think we can say these three things then concerning symbols:

First that the creation of symbols have declarative power.

Second that the emplacement of symbols have immense practical power.

Thirdly that the application of symbols give rule.

As I write this Whisper, Schiller’s ‘Ode To Joy,’ it’s sentiment of unity and brotherly love so marvellously illuminated by Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, has now become the official anthem of the European union. The blue skied background twelve golden starred banner has become its official flag, and the Euro, its official currency. Latin is being moved to become its official language of ‘unification, ’ its symbolic motto and tag line being ‘In Varietate Concordia – ‘United in Diversity.’ The Revived Roman Empire is now festooned with symbols of declarative power. The systems that now form under these flapping symbols arm the union with practical power and move the whole to a ruling stance. Yes Europa, robed in priestly colours, sits now ever stronger, astride her scarlet beast. These symbols speak loudly to those with uncorked ears. Are you listening?

Undoubtedly you have symbols in your life, which of those then, at least to some extent, maybe dictate, direct and rule over you? The British Pound and the American Dollar despite their maybe current frailty, still rule over many of you tonight. Pierre Cardin and Givenchy still rule over many more maybe. Mercedes and Jaguar, PhD’s and 6 Golden Rings together with a multitude of other symbols, which might include even the Stars and Stripes and the Union Jack, rule over many millions more.

Examine the ruling symbols of your life. If they are contrary to the symbols of God, then I tell you, you need to get yourself out from under them and raise some new and Godly symbols of your own. Yes, symbols are powerful. I think we can say these three things then concerning symbols: First that the creation of symbols have declarative power. Second that the emplacement of symbols have immense practical power. Thirdly, that the application of symbols give rule. What symbols rule in your life tonight?

Listen: - I have also spoken by the prophets, and have multiplied visions; I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets." (Hosea 12:10 NKJV)

Pray:- Lord, brand me with the symbols of Your love, yes, come fly them over my life and also place Your white streaked bark before my almond peering eyes and anoint them with the symbols of the stripped poplar of your unstoppable blessing, in Jesus name I ask it, amen.

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Apr-26- God The Grave Digger

Dream Word – JUDGEMENT


Nahum 1:14
The Lord has given a command concerning you: "Your name shall be perpetuated no longer. Out of the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the molded image. I will dig your grave, For you are vile." NKJV.

God The Grave Digger

The prophet Jonah had previously been mightily, if not reluctantly, used by God to preach repentance and grace to that great city of Ninevah. The Ninevite’s response to Jonah’s reluctant proclamations then had been to repent and to accept God’s goodness and thus, God’s falling feet of judgement pounding their way toward them, had then happily been turned away. Now however, the prophet Nahum in effect says that, “Now Ninevah shall fall!” God is returning to Ninevah once more and this time, He has a shovel in His hand and the word on His very angry lips is “I’m gonna bury you!” What on earth had happened here?

Do remember that a peoples past repentance does not guarantee a present grace. Repentance must be continually lived in for mercy to ever flow. There is a lesson here for individuals and for nations, for the lions of the earth and their blood-lines, can always be finally done away with. For good! For when God brings His shovel and digs for the much warned yet unrepentant a pit, then the earth He heaps upon them shall cover them forever and the wind will blow away every remnant of their once proud existence. For example, I remember when all my maps of the world at school were mostly covered with pink, indicating the breadth, depth and spread of the once great British Empire. Selah.

There are two marked contrasts about God presented to us in this book of Nahum and the fact that God is the God of the whole earth and that all nations are therefore accountable to both Him and His laws is the basis of this reactive contrast.

First if we as nations obey God and seek to follow Him and honour Him then this attitude and action will assure for the obedient nation concerned, both peace and prosperity; on the other hand, disobedience to His purpose and disregard of His rule and laws, will bring catastrophe to that nation and on its heals a most terrible judgement. Do you see the reactive contrast? To the nation seeking to obey Him, God is a rock and a refuge, a God of goodness carrying a basket of goodies. However, to the nation that disobeys Him and in the so doing “does the dirty” on those seeking to follow Him, then He a jealous avenger, clothed from top to tail in the black suit of the undertaker, striding angrily across the mountains of doom, carrying a shovel across His judgemental shoulders. This is a terrible but simple picture and calls forth the choice of both individual and national obedience or disobedience, of life or death, even from every generation that sees it!

I look at our falling nations of the West, least not this isle of mine, and believe we are in the time of the prophet Nahum, but Oh my God! I long for the time of Jonah the prophet to come again once more and even now I still sniff the air in prayerful hope, to try and smell the vomit of the whale upon our darkened streets once more and see a stomach acid stained white prophet rise from the puked up mess and preach repentance to us once again. Though all our fishing grounds are empty, maybe God has a few of His own great fish still hidden in His deeps? Maybe these will carry some reluctant prophets to come to these beleaguered shores once more and preach righteousness, sin, coming judgement and repentance in Jesus to us again. I hope so. I pray so. Maybe some of you should do so.

Listen:- Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. Acts 16:6-10 NKJV

Pray:- Lord help us all by sending Jonah's to our shores once more. Amen!


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April-17-Mi-nute Men or Minute Men!

Key Word:- FIGHT

Title:- Mi-nute Men or Minute Men!

Isaiah 40:9
"O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”

Some people have said it was Longfellow’s poem that made Paul Revere and his ride an important event in American History.

Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.
The contents of the poem, the facts of the ride, the man himself, and even the supposed cry of “The British are Coming,” have all been subjects of historical dispute. Even so, these facts remain true:

• People were aware of the times.
• People were watching and waiting.
• People were ready at a minutes notice to bear arms and fight for what they thought was right!

Friends, where are the watchers and the minute men of the church today? Where are the prophets and the proclaimers, the true disciples and disdainers of all that glitters and is not gold. Where are the spiritual fighters and the holy men of old?

Our enemies are not primarily flesh and blood but our warfare is mostly and primarily spiritual. So, where are the spiritual fighting men of this our day, where are the warrior women? When looking back at our time to put a stamp of victory on the pages of His story, who will call these days and years famous? Who will seek to remember them, or maybe rather seek not to remember them for fear of shame and embarrassement as the stamp of victory has had to be replaced with the smudge of defeat.

The Words of another American, William P Merril, maybe should be sung at the multitude of leadership, family and marriage conferences that teach men how to be ‘nice’ and to ‘get along’, maybe this should be the old new song that shakes the salt cellar of the church so much, that the damp and lumpy masculine mess which it now is, begins to come apart a little?

Rise up, O men of God!
The church for you doth wait,
Her strength unequal to her task;
Rise up and make her great!

Lift high the cross of Christ!
Tread where His feet have trod.
As brothers of the Son of Man,
Rise up, O men of God

Listen: - Another popular lyric poem from long ago reads like this: - “Then the horses hooves pounded, The galloping, galloping of his steeds.’Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the LORD, ‘Curse its inhabitants bitterly, Because they did not come to the help of the LORD, To the help of the LORD against the mighty.’” Judges 5:22,23

Pray: - Lord, awaken me, heal me, help me, arm me, that I may be mentioned in eternal dispatches and known on the field of battle. O my God do not let my carelessness become my curse. In me, I ask it O Lord, in me I say, “Rise up O Lord, O Lord our God may Your enemies all be scattered!” Lord, come shake my damp old saltcellar, shake it Lord, shake it hard over the pages of my history!

From April 24th 2011
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Apr-12-Of Preaching & Pulpit Monkeys

Dream Word – FOOD

1 Corinthians 1:21-24
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. KJV

Of Preaching & Pulpit Monkeys

I am what was once referred to as a ‘Literate.’ That is, I am an ordained person not bearing a University degree. I would like a degree, a couple maybe but ah no matter, I must confess, I do love being a “literate”. T’is enough.

I regard myself as someone rooted in literacy, in all kinds of words and in The Word in particular and I am daft enough to believe, that even in this Post modern age, even in what some have referred to as a visualized Post Evangelical age, that the proclamation of the Word of God still stands tallest as the primary means of communicating the gospel. I believe in the verbal proclamation of the gospel, one voice to another’s ears; one soul speaking through the connected eyes of another, from his heart to their heart. I believe this is God’s chosen way of communicating the Gospel and though it might be foolishness, it works. The only reason it has not seemingly been working and the main reason we have replaced it most thoroughly with anaemic video clips, cosseted in the pale blanket of wet worship, is that we have hired ourselves a multitude of pulpit monkeys, who, void of any anointing, never the less bear a reputable degree, manage well and communicate inoffensively better. For sure, such monkeys are cute to have around at first, performing great tricks even, but in the end, who wants to listen to a pulpit monkey chattering on about nothing. The soul turns sour and dies under the pathetic ministry of such chattering monkeys. Yes, I wish with all my heart that we had men in our pulpits instead of monkeys, for what we have is just not enough.

In his book, ‘Lectures to My Students’, when talking about ‘God’s Acres,’ those open air arenas of proclamation and the great men of the past who made them their pulpits, Spurgeon makes mention of the Scots divine, Holy George Wishart. It is Wishart’s disciple, John Knox, who tells us that being denied access to most churches, that Wishart preached the length and breadth of Scotland in the open air. Indeed, on one occasion he went to the plague city of Dundee, choosing his platform of proclamation to be the entrance of the east gate, where taking Psalm 107:20 as his text, he preached to the infected outside the city gate and the black death free within. Spurgeon says “Seldom has a preacher had such an audience and seldom an audience had such a preacher......Old time stood at the preachers side with a scythe, saying with a hoarse voice, ‘work while it is today for at night I will mow thee down.’ There, too, stood grim death hard by the pulpit, with his sharp arrows saying, ‘Do thou shoot God’s arrows and I will shoot mine.’ This is indeed,” says Spurgeon, “a notable instance of preaching out of doors.” You’d better believe it!

Wishart escaped an assassination attempt at Dundee, but his old enemy Cardinal Beaton had him handed over to him by the Earl of Bothwell. Wishart was tried as an heretic, convicted and burned at the stake outside the walls of Edinburgh castle. On the morning of his execution the Captain of the castle invited Wishart to breakfast and gave him both food and gunpowder bags to put under his clothing. At the burning, his executioner knelt and begged for Wishart’s forgiveness, which he most readily gave. The fire did indeed eventually explode the gunpowder bags but they didn’t kill him straight away. From his window, Cardinal Beaton watched Wishart’s dying agonies.

Yes, you can buy yourself a pulpit monkey anytime you like. Ah, but men who carry the gunpowder of the Holy Spirit, underneath their anointed and holy garments, men that pack power in their words, and shoot arrows from their mouth, men who stand with time and death by their sides, men who truly believe and practice the foolishness of preaching, my God, men like that are worth their weight in gold! However, they cannot be bought. Think about that.

Some of you tonight are called to set your pulpits in the open air once more. Make sure your a literate in the Word, make sure your packed with the gunpowder of the Holy Spirit.

Some of you tonight need to stop monkeying around and repent. Yes, some of you, for goodness sake, need to start being men in your pulpits and not a monkeys.

Some of you Church goers tonight need to check your larders and I tell you, if all you have accumulated over the years are bunches of bright yellow bananas, then some of you need to simply stop going to the local zoo, because I tell you, that’s what your local church has turned into.

Listen: - He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. Psalms 107:20 NKJV

Pray:- Oh God that we would have some mighty men to worry us once more! Take us back to Your word, put Your bow in our mouth and Your fire in our hearts. Pack us O God with the explosive and resurrection power of Jesus Christ the King. Please God give us words and voices once more, instead of this endless chatter of the pulpit monkeys, in Jesus name we ask it, amen and amen.



From April 24th 2011
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