Month: March 2020

Broughty Ferry Baptist Church will no longer be holding public worship services and week day activities until further notice. All lets on church premises will also be cancelled for the time being. 

All activities will be online. Each day a Christian message will be sent to subscribers by email and published online at Church at Home.

If you would like to receive this message please send a request through this website with your name and email address. Anyone wanting further details of our online programme please send a message to the church through the website.

Thank you.

In what or whom do your find your security? This is, at such a time as this, a most important question. Anyone who tells you at the present time that they are completely calm and not at all worried or concerned about what might happen in the next few months is either living in secluded isolation or genuinely out of touch with what is going on. As a country we are facing the biggest challenge of recent generations and no-one, absolutely no-one, can tell you for definite how things will look in six months’ time.

Even those of us trying our best to stay calm and measured in our responses to what is going on will have our moments of panic. You may have gone into a supermarket this week with a list of items. Prior to entering that venue you may have been convinced that you only needed one of a particular item, but if others rushed past you taking substantially more of that product then it would take a determined act of will not to join in.

We are social creatures and the actions of others around us do deeply influence our attitudes and our actions. When the collective mood is anxiety and increasingly negative perceptions of something it can cause incredible stress to all concerned.

How can I be different? What resources do I have when completely exhausted for keeping standing firm? Psalm 121 was written for such a time as this. It states: I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? ² My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. ³ He will not let your foot slip – He who watches over you will not slumber; ⁴ indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. ⁵ The Lord watches over you – the Lord is your shade at your right hand; ⁶ the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. ⁷ The Lord will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life; ⁸ the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and for evermore.

What does the author do in his time of crisis? I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from?  There is a good start. His mind is not exclusively on the crisis events. He recognises he needs help –and quickly!

Our author possibly in the Jerusalem area has plenty of mountains to look at. But how might that help? Pagan religious shrines in that day, ‘High Places’, were literally on elevated sites.  They were believed to be closer to the home of the gods and prayers from such a place were more effective than from other locations. He does find it convincing. Or more likely the setting is explained in II Kings 18:17-37. The armies of the superpower of the day Assyria are visible on the skyline of the hills around Jerusalem.

This is a brutal sadistic force that just loved violence and killing. Nothing could create a greater sense of terror at that time than such a sight. In the world today our ‘enemy’ is an unseen virus that is creating chaos and great fear and in some locations taking many lives.

The question almost everyone is asking: where do I turn at such a time as this? The Psalmist gives us this answer: My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He got it in the right place, nowhere else to turn.

Are you trusting in Him today? What is the benefit of doing so in the midst of such a crisis?  The rest of this Psalm explains the benefits of doing so. You can lay your head on the pillow and sleep tonight because He is watching over you.

He concludes: The Lord will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life; ⁸ the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and for evermore. What words of assurance. He is totally reliable. May each one of us by faith entrust our lives and our futures to Him.

Brian Talbot

One of my favourite short worship songs is ‘Faithful One, so unchanging’, a beautiful reflective song extolling the faithfulness of God. Take a few moments to go through these inspirational words:

Faithful one, so unchanging
Ageless one, you’re my rock of peace
Lord of all I depend on you
I call out to you, again and again
I call out to you, again and again

You are my rock in times of trouble
You lift me up when I fall down
All through the storm, Your love is
The anchor, My hope is in You alone.

It reminds us of the wonderful testimony of Jeremiah in Lamentations 3:22-23: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. ²³ Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. ²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!”

What is the context here? Jerusalem the city he loved and lived in was in ruins. He would never see it as a functioning city again in his lifetime. The past was a closed chapter with the door slammed shut in his face. Many of the people he knew and loved were dead or taken to be sold as enslaved people. He would never see then again. What had he got left? The work he had done was finished, he thought. Now his perception of the future was wrong, but the dark clouds of trouble and future calamity had swept over him like a tsunami in his mind. Everything appeared to be hopeless.

Our situation is not the same as his, though many people are afraid they might lose their employment income in the coming months. There are others afraid that precious relatives might catch the virus and not survive because they have underlying health conditions. It appears that others fear the supermarkets will run out of food supplies and they will go hungry. I can see no other explanation for the extraordinary spike in sales of many basic items on the shelves.

As Christians we must first acknowledge that the fears are genuine concerns about real possibilities for the future. However, having said that, something causes the gloomy clouds in Jeremiah’s mind to disperse. What was it?  The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. ²³ Great is His faithfulness. God does not run out of love or have compassion fatigue on a busy day. His consistency is amazing day by day. Is that not worth a ‘Hallelujah’? Jeremiah continues: His mercies begin afresh each morning.

When you wake up each new day begin with thankfulness to God for something He has blessed you with – even if it is ‘only’ an excellent night’s sleep. Then the crucial last line we often overlook in Lamentations 3:24:  I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!” To inherit something requires a change of circumstances for us, or for another person or people. It requires a step of action to determine what our highest priorities in life are; the very hard time Jeremiah was passing through reordered his priorities – will it bring the same response from any of us?

Most important of all God was acknowledged as Lord of His life. It enabled him to have a fresh hope for the future. I hope each one of us, in our own words can say something similar as we express our commitment to God for all His kindness to us.

Brian Talbot 

It is with deep sadness and shock that we must acknowledge that until this health crisis eases that we can no longer gather together for Sunday worship services and weekday meetings and activities.

The premises will need also to close for lets as other groups will be under the same kind of restrictions. However, it is vitally important that we keep in regular contact with one another through this time.

The updated church directory has more contact details than previously and in future print runs can easily be updated further. It will allow us to maintain regular contacts. As soon as copies are printed they will be available to any person or household listed in it.

 We need to remember that a small number of members in residential homes will only be contactable by written communications. Others do not possess computers but can be contacted by telephone. The vast majority of members have email and other social media communication tools at their disposal.

Brian Talbot the pastor is now writing a daily devotional message sent out by email. It is being sent to all who have given their email address in the church, but it is also going to a growing number of others outside the church who are happy to receive it. 

On Wednesdays a longer message with points for prayer provides a resource for reflecting on God’s Word and praying for one another.

On Sundays a longer resource will also be produced as we prepare for home based worship for the time being.

Brian is also posting a very short message and Bible verse daily on his Facebook page and a Bible verse will be posted on the church Facebook page in consultation with Brian. In addition, on the Zoom platform a programme for our young adults will be launched this weekend. Parents of those attending Jam and Breakthrough will be contacted about what is being offered in the near future. 

We have a lot of further work to do to ensure we are providing resources for supporting all age groups in our church family and we are open to suggestions or ideas that can be considered in due course.

We cannot overestimate the difficulties countries around the world are facing at this time, but as Christians we trust in a God who will sustain us through these difficulties and who will bless us in some surprising ways going forward.

There are many precious Bible verses we will rightly be reflecting on at this time. I leave you with these familiar words from Lamentations 3:22-23: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed for His compassions never fail. ²³ They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 

The strains are already beginning to tell in our community. Conversations in the supermarket as people rush to get what they need and see others stockpiling unusually large quantities of goods have in some instances become unpleasant; and staff that have intervened to restrict the quantities purchased of certain goods have been on the receiving end of unpleasant exchanges from disgruntled would-be purchasers.

Another example comes from our schools this week, where in some cases staff shortages have placed a heavier burden of responsibility on the colleagues that remain and the hectic dash to adjust to providing on-line resources for pupils when the schools close has been extremely difficult for many of those involved due especially to the time pressures upon them.

However, it is not just a few people that may be concerned or struggling with adjusting to the current situation.  I suspect most if not all of us are finding it hard to keep up with all the changes we must of necessity make. Therefore, I am confident that if I asked each one of us personally: Do you feel weary already about how long corona virus has impacted our lives? Or are you exhausted at the efforts required to alter the patterns of routine in your workplace or family? The vast majority of us would say ‘yes’.

In this context Jesus has something to say to each person who says: ‘yes that is me”!’  In Matthew 11:28 He said: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.’

The imagery from Jesus’ day was an incredibly familiar one and possibly was even visible from where Jesus was teaching His open-air congregation that day.  Two oxen were pulling a heavy plough as they ploughed a field. An experienced older stronger animal taking the heavy end of the load that enabled the young and inexperienced one to complete the task assigned to them.  Jesus is promising in this imagery to be the one who takes the heavy end of the load to avoid us being crushed by it. 

If today you are feeling emotional or even overwhelmed at what lies before you remember these words of Jesus: Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Brian Talbot

I would like us as a church to consider setting aside an hour on Wednesday evenings -7:30-8:30pm for prayer and reflection on God’s Word each week. If this is not possible in your schedule maybe another time in the day would work for you. We are facing a new era of worship and witness that will present challenges as we cannot be together in the same physical space. All our services and meetings in public for the time being will need to cease. I will say more about that on Friday.

This blessing is something we will miss for a time as we value our fellowship together. However, obstacles are also opportunities for the church of Jesus Christ. We will be forced by this situation to be more creative in our communications which may in time enable us to reach many more people with the message of God’s amazing love for them. Obstacles and opportunities – let us pray about both as we reflect on where we are at the present time.

Each week I will offer a few short points on a Bible passage before mentioning some points for prayer. I want to highlight in this our first virtual midweek meeting – the power of prayer.

James 5:13-18 states: Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. ¹⁴ Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. ¹⁷ Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! ¹⁸ Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.

What do we see in this passage?

1.An important truth The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.  

Notice (a) The earnest prayer It matters!  It is not merely repeating familiar words but a cry to God from our hearts. That what we are doing really matters; remember Jacob’s cry to the Angel of the Lord (Jesus) in Genesis 32:26: I will not let you go unless you bless me. We want by faith an encounter with the living God.   

(b) The earnest prayer There are a number of different words in the Bible translated into English as prayer. There is a general word for praying but also other more specific terms. Here the Greek word means ‘specific requests’. It is focussed prayer. It is fine to ask God to bless the world. But here the point refers to prayers that have a much narrower focus.  We need ‘x’, whatever that is, for example someone with no food or money to pay for it, pleading for someone to provide for them. Yesterday a vulnerable older person told me how encouraged they were on a day recently when a person unknown took a food parcel and left it on their doorstep. The person has food in the house, but someone known only to God felt prompted to give that gift.    

2. The integrity of the one asking the prayer of a righteous person 

(a)How do I become ‘righteous’? After all the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 3:11 that because of our sinful thoughts, words and actions, There is no-one righteous no not one. It becomes a bigger issue when we read in Psalm 66:18: If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. However, I John 1:9 greatly encourages us with these words:  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

It is true when we start to follow Jesus when we admit to God we are sinners in need of forgiveness and by faith believe that Jesus died in our place on the cross, and are welcomed in to God’s family when we do that. But, Christians are imperfect people who need to come to God regularly and ask once more for His forgiveness for our sins. So when we come to God with our requests first remember God is a holy God and ask Him first to purify our hearts before we bring our requests to Him. This should be as natural as washing our hands before we prepare food for dinner.

(b) The importance of right living God notices! In I John 3:7 John writes: The one who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous. We seek to display right attitudes; we seek to speak to others graciously; we seek to act with integrity in our choices –because our heavenly Father takes delight in seeing His children living the right way.

3. The impact of our prayers The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. 

(a)An illustration of what can happen In James 5:17-18 there is the incredible example of the effectiveness of the prayers of the prophet Elijah.  Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. ¹⁸ Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. The key words here which we can easily miss are: even as we are… It could be you or me –ordinary people who pray and see God answer!

(b) What if I don’t know how to pray or what to pray? When we don’t know what to pray, or are so overwhelmed with the troubles we are going through or so weak with ill health we are unable to use words something amazing happens. The Holy Spirit prays on our behalf bring our concerns to our Father in heaven.  Paul explains it this way in Romans 8:26: In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.    

Personal Reflection:
What encourages me in this passage?
What challenges me to action in this passage?

General Prayer Points

1.Pray for the Governments in Edinburgh and Westminster seeking to lead us through this health crisis.

2. Pray for the health-workers in our country seeking to provide medical care for those in need, especially those under greatest pressure as the number of cases increases.

Claire our Children and Families worker has helpfully suggested some other prayer points for us in our prayer times:

Please pray for all of the families known to us from our different groups. Some are already self-isolating with possible symptoms and this will likely be a stressful time, with everyone stuck at home for 2 weeks. Pray for health, strength and peace amongst the chaos. Pray for families as they navigate through the challenges and implications brought about by social distancing and the need to protect grandparents etc.

Pray for those who are anxious about family members with underlying health conditions.

Pray for those who struggle with mental health issues as life could feel more difficult during these times of isolation and restricted movements.

Pray for those who have limited finances and are therefore being adversely affected by the panic bulk buying.

Pray for our church families and those who already follow Jesus in their lives, that despite the likely disruption to being able to meet together on a Sunday, we would all still grow in our faith during these challenging times.

Pray for me to find the best ways to offer support or help to families during this time and to know how I can best offer support to our church family in general.

You could finish your prayer time with our church Bible verse for the year 2020 from Ephesians 3:20-21:
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. 

The news at 5pm yesterday in our country was a profound shock. I had expected another week or two before we reached this stage. We all rehearse in our minds scenarios about the future –what if X happened? I would do…

Normally such things are mere speculation as many of these fears are never realised. Yesterday at 5pm the news from our Governments in the United Kingdom confirmed that we would now enter an unknown future where family life, work life, social life and church life, together with anything else not covered in those categories would be very different to anything we had experienced before. It has been barely possible in the last few days in most settings to draw up adequate contingency plans before the official guidance changes again. This will be our experience now for at least a significant chunk of 2020.   

However, nothing takes God by surprise. There are some words from the Bible from Isaiah 43:1-3 that came to mind as I thought about what lies ahead. They are words very precious to me and I am sure to some of you as well. Isaiah wrote: But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. ² When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. ³ For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.

The recipients of these words had endured some awful life changing circumstances and were in danger of giving up hope for the future. The words God gave through Isaiah to them were so encouraging.  They were honest words about the reality being faced. The problems would not magically disappear. They would have to live through those difficult times. But they would not do so alone. God would go with them. Together they trusted God and supported one another and came through in time to a better future.  With God’s help as we seek to support each other we too can come through the things that lies ahead for us in the coming days

I am deeply grateful to a number of people in our congregation who have offered to help others at this time if required. I think as we begin to adjust to this new situation it would be good to make contact with our older members that we know to check that they are okay; also as the numbers of people self-isolating grows across the age ranges, to make a point of contacting others by phone, email or through the range of other communication forms we use to help us keep in touch.   Remember, nothing takes God by surprise and He has declared?  When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.

Brian Talbot

Dear Christian brothers and sisters in the congregation of Broughty Ferry Baptist Church,

We are living in very difficult times just now in our country. It is hard to predict how the future will unfold with any certainty in the coming weeks. Therefore, it is not easy trying to anticipate what the future holds. I ask for your patience as the Deacons and I seek to make choices about what services, ministries or activities may be possible at this time. We ask for your forbearance if you think we may have moved too quick or too slowly in making some choices, but I want to assure you that we are seeking to do our very best acting upon the information we have at any given time.

Like many other churches and indeed other organisations in the country much time and thought is being given as to how we adapt our work and witness to enable us to keep in touch and encourage one another through this time. I have created a church email group to send out regular messages to you. Alongside this message I have attached a copy of the sermon notes I used on Sunday morning 15 March.

We are looking into how we can best keep in touch during this period of uncertainty. Alongside the Pastoral team we will endeavour to provide the best support we can to anyone who needs assistance at this time.  I know that many of you will already be keeping an eye on others in your family, circle of friends and in the church family to encourage each other through the coming weeks. If you are aware of particular needs within the church family please let us know and we will do what we can.          

Most of all, I would encourage you to pray for one another at this time. Pray too for our politicians in Westminster and Edinburgh, together with all who work in the health service who have a most difficult job to do in making some crucial choices about care provision for a large number of future patients.

We will hold our church monthly prayer meeting this coming Wednesday. However, it will not take place in our St Vincent Street premises at 7:30pm. Instead, I would encourage you in your home at that time or at a suitable time that day to set aside time for prayer.  I will be providing by email some guidance on things to pray for nearer the time.      

Lastly, in reflecting on Sunday evening 15 March about the day that had passed, my mind turned to this encouraging passage from the Bible.         Psalm 46:1-2a states: God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear…

The near future as this virus spreads is genuinely unknown to us, but God will uphold and sustain us through the coming days.         

with best wishes              
Brian Talbot