Standing Strong

A very good morning to you, I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Sunday morning, 4th September, 2022, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

We start off with Psalm 69:7:

“Because for Your sake I have borne reproach;
Shame has covered my face.”

And then that beautiful scripture found in Romans, in the New Testament: 

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” 

Romans 1:16

I looked up, in the old Oxford Dictionary, to find out the literal meaning of the word, reproach: “Reproach is an expression of disapproval or disappointment.” Parents, I want to say to you today - you need to pray for your children and those of us who are older need to pray for our grandchildren because they are going through a lot of scorn at the moment, for being followers of Jesus Christ. You know, just because everyone else is doing something, that does not make it right and the young people today are under tremendous pressure, by society, to conform to the ways of this toxic world. If they live according to godly principles, they are going to be scorned and mocked - that is a given. That is why we need to stand by them, pray with them and allow them to speak to us. 

You know, for a young lady to remain a virgin until her marriage night is something that is almost unheard of, abstaining from getting drunk or participating in drug-taking and pornography - these are real things that they are faced with every day. It’s very important for a young person to be part of the group because peer pressure is very, very tough at the teenage age. When we get older, like me, it doesn’t really matter anymore what people think of us, does it? They have already made up their minds anyway but I want to tell you for a young person, it is extremely hard.

Many years ago, one of my sons, a very keen little fisherman, he was probably about twelve years old and wanted to participate in a fishing competition. I took him up to the lake on a Saturday afternoon and I left him there with his kit and his fishing rod. His mom had made him some food to eat and he was very happy fishing off the edge of the lake... I don’t like fishing. I picked him up again at about 5 o’clock in the afternoon and he said, “Dad, I caught a huge fish”. I said, “Well done son.” He said to all his friends, “I will see you all tomorrow at the prize giving", the guys were there with their ski-boats, etc. and they said, “Aren’t you coming to fish tomorrow?” “No Sir, I am going to church.” They mocked him. They said, “Oh, you are going to fight the devil, are you?” And they all laughed at him and off they went.

Next day, he went to collect his little trophy and when he arrived, all the boys were there with long faces. They had been fishing all Sunday, they caught nothing! That little boy caught the biggest fish, the only fish and the most fish. He got a beautiful prize and some money. I kept the money (laughs jokingly) but folks, I want to tell you, God will never allow you to be mocked... Eventually, you will have the victory. 

Stand strong, He will see you through.
Jesus bless you and goodbye.