His Silent Coming for His Own 

In mulling over the "Lord's descent from heaven" to "snatch" away His waiting people, those "fallen asleep in Jesus," together with those who "are alive and remain," the silent character of His descent to "the air" brought to mind some precious thoughts as to this apparent enigma. While the Holy Spirit has beautifully unfolded the various "mysteries" in Scripture to the saints of this dispensation, the world at large remains spiritually and morally deaf and blind. RefusIng to hearken to the Word of God, both written and Personal, "God having spoken to us" (literally) "in Son;" whilst their "minds (continue to be) "blinded by the god of this world." 

1 Thessalonians 4:16,17; Hebrews 1:2.

With those profound truths divinely exercising our hearts, we understand how that the "assembling shout" of "the Lord Himself;"the accompanying "voice of archangel," and the rallying "trump of God," cannot be heard or discerned by a world overshadowed by the Cross of Christ, and plunged into a morass of spiritual defilement, and the impenetrable darkness fo the Lord's absence from this scene.  

Engaged in thought as to these things, I realised another apparent conundrum. The graves the "dead in Christ" vacate, will remain undisturbed! The resurrected saints will "pass through" (if you will allow the phrase), the physical matter that has entombed their bodies; exactly as the Lord Jesus vacated His sepulchre, Himself "the Firstborn of all creation," become "the First begotten out from among the dead," "the Firstfruits of them that slept." "This is the first resurrection."

Colossians 1:15,18; 1 Corinthians 15:20,23; Revelation 20:5.

U.K. Whither Bound? 

In 1965 Britain suspended Capital Punishment for murder, for five years. In 1969 it was suspended permanently, and it was finally abolished for all crimes in 1998. This course of action was taken in flagrant rejection of the Divine Principle of retribution for capital crimes. With that ultimate deterrent being removed murder has become commonplace in this Country. I doubt that a day passes without at least one murder! Indeed, in 2022/23 in England and Wales alone, there were 602 homicides recorded; and 697 the previous year! Thus my estimation falls far short of the actual figures,

Just this week there has been an outcry for corporal punishment to be abolished in England and N. Ireland. It is based on cases of domestic abuse, (which can never be tolerated), and upon reports by so-called "experts" telling us of the dire consequences arising from discipline used in the home. Experts who appear to be able to read minds, assess situations of which they do not have the full details, and dwell on cases of child cruelty to the entire disregard of any other form of evidence.

I totally abhor cruelty to children, adults, and even animals. I endured cruelty for many years as a child and so I feel entitled to question this alarming view that will further diminish any kind of obedience, politeness, and respect in the home, at school, on the streets, and in the workplace. 

But this is yet another example of the flagrant rejection of the clear teaching of the Holy Scriptures and of that is which is an immutable command from God.

Anyone who has no hidden agenda, and has an open mind, cannot gainsay the indisputable evidence of the dreadful lack of discipline in all walks of life in this Land, and indeed throughout the world.

Thus saith the Lord: "Whoso sheddethy man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made He man." Genesis 9:6. This verse carries us back to the Creation, and obviously pre-dates the Law. It remains a divine command, it has never been abrogated.