From:-
TORCH TRUST FOR THE BLIND, Torch House, Torch Way, Northampton Road, Market
Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 9HL, U.K.
Telephone: (01858) 438260, Fax: (01858) 438275, email: info@torchtrust.org
Charity Number 1095904.
In this, the first issue of The Torch for 2007, it is good to be able to send you New Year greetings!
What does a new year mean for you? Hope? A new start? Expectation? Or maybe something a little less positive: Fear? Anxiety? Apprehension?
Well, however we feel, God’s Word has good news for us. Isaiah 41:13 says: “I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you.” A hand to guide us and hold us fast - what a promise!
It is good, at times, to reflect on God’s goodness to us at different stages of our life: his mercy, patience and help, and the trials, difficulties and dangers he has seen us through ... How he was there watching over us and holding us by the hand, even though we may not have realised it at the time.
So at the start of a new year, let’s make sure we are trusting the One who offers His hand to us. We cannot always trust people who hold their hand out to us, but we can absolutely confidently trust our heavenly Father, who loves us so much that He sent His Son to be our Saviour and Guide.
May God bless you all in this coming year.
Jill Ferraby and the editors
by Gordon Temple
In Britain, the 11th November is Remembrance Day, when we are all encouraged to remember those who have given their lives in two world-wars, and in more recent conflicts. It’s a Day that causes us to reflect on past events, to recall and honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice and to be reminded of the awful cost of war. But as I listened to what the preacher at our village church said at a Remembrance Day service, this little thought popped into my head: “remember the future”.
In his letter to Philippian Christians the apostle Paul wrote, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13-14)
It’s not that it is wrong to look back - Paul was doing just that in the earlier part of this chapter - but the driving force in our lives comes from what lies ahead, not what’s behind. And when Jesus takes hold of us we are released from the hold our past has on us. As Paul expressed it: “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Philippians 3:12)
Even as Jesus approached death his eye was on the future. Using familiar meal table items - bread and wine - he explained that his body given and blood shed would bring forgiveness and a new covenant for all who choose to follow him. He said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God” (Mark 14:24). The new deal that Jesus’ death secured brought with it the assurance of eternal life; that we would one day be with Jesus in heaven.
Christians are people with a future. However uncertain our lives may seem - even when the situation in which we find ourselves looks hopeless - through our faith in Jesus we still have a sure and certain hope. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1). We have a place reserved for us in heaven and Jesus has guaranteed it: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:1-3)
Security is said to be one of the most fundamental of human needs, and this is something that faith in Jesus gives us in a way that nothing else can. Paul puts it this way: “Your life is now hidden with Christ in God”. He explains that this should directly affect all our plans and ambitions: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2,3)
We can become so occupied with living our lives here and now that we pay scant attention to our eternal future - so earthly minded that we are no heavenly use! On the other hand, there is the danger that we dismiss this present life as of no importance and do nothing but wait for graduation to heaven. For those that make this mistake there is no point in worrying about the damage humankind is doing to the earth, no point in working to change the circumstances of the lives of others. Yet the Bible teaches that we share a responsibility to take care of the world, to stand against injustice, to influence society as “salt” and “light” and to pass on the truth about Jesus.
The fact that our future is assured in Christ should be fantastically liberating. We belong to the kingdom of heaven, even now. It’s the kingdom’s values that should affect our attitudes and actions. And our “mind” - our thinking - is to be influenced by that assurance.
It frees us to take risks, to live dangerously, to stick out our necks, to put our head above the parapet, to put ourselves in the firing line, all in the service of our Lord.
Whatever life throws at us - however tough it gets - we know that it cannot make any difference to the security we have in Christ. The words of Paul in Romans 8 assure us of this - they follow this article so that you can read them and ponder them for yourself. Since God even gave up his Son for us, there can be no wisp of doubt over his love for us. So let’s live with an eye on the future that Jesus holds for us.
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
[From the New International Version Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Published by Hodder & Stoughton.]
by Pauline Shaw
I had arrived in Singapore as a young wife in 1963, so that by the early 70’s, with my two children now in school, and having done the usual things an ex-pat wife did - Malay language lessons, Chinese cookery and flower arranging - I was looking for something a bit more challenging to occupy my mornings.
While seeing friends off at the airport on their retirement, I found myself in conversation with a mutual friend who told me she had been doing braille for the School for the Blind. This sounded interesting to me so a few days later I contacted the school and went to meet the head of the Braille department. Over the next few months I was lent a Perkins and slowly worked my way through the Primer, eventually reaching the point where I could be given some real transcription work to do. Among other things I transcribed a Malay textbook and also, what must have been an abridged version of, “Far From the Madding Crowd” by Thomas Hardy.
When my marriage failed in 1975 I returned to England and moved to the Market Harborough area where my mother lived. A few months later I was intrigued to read in the local paper that an organisation called the Torch Trust for the Blind was in Hallaton. I rang up to see if I could help and went to meet Eileen Cole who showed me round and explained the work of the Trust. As a committed Christian I thought this was wonderful and it was agreed that I would start one day a week by reading articles to Carol Barnes (now Carol Eddon) as she punched the braille onto zinc plates. In those days it was far from the modern premises we have now, and sometimes in winter we were terribly cold, but I really enjoyed my days spent there and felt the Lord had led me to Torch.
Before leaving Singapore I had been asked to contact an ex-student doing a physiotherapy course in London. I didn’t have an opportunity to get to London, but one day at coffee time I was amazed to find myself sitting next to a young Chinese man who told me he had come from Singapore. This was, of course, Lee, who spent some time at Torch before going to Bible College.
When Carol married and moved to Bristol, I worked with Colin Herricks (who transcribes this magazine into braille), before gradually the computer edged its way into Torch. Gemma was another person I read to before I started working with Sheila. We would proof-read articles together and I would help Sheila with any corrections. We also transcribed some of the more difficult projects. Gradually Sheila taught me how to use the computer so that eventually I was confident enough to do text corrections by myself.
By the time Torch moved to its wonderful building on Northampton Road I had become a Text Corrector, a job I thoroughly enjoy. I arrive every Friday morning to find a pile of books on my shelf, all needing corrections. When I leave at lunchtime I take Sheila’s guide dog home with me and along with my own dog, we have a good walk in the afternoon before I deliver her back to the office.
I have now been involved with Torch for just over 30 very happy years and I have felt privileged to be a small part of the production process.
Here are two people who would like to correspond with others. You may like to braille a letter to one of these people. Introduce yourself by giving your name, your correct postal address, your age, and some information about yourself, your family and your country.
Anybody reading this who would like us to include their name and information in our next bulletin, send in your full name, postal address, age, and tell us about the things you enjoy doing. The aim of having a penfriend is to develop a friendship and exchange information and ideas.
MOSES MTETHIWA, Bangwe Torch Fellowship, Box 51030, Limbe,
Malawi.
Moses enjoys music, gospel preaching and listening to the radio. He is
a braille reader.
MARTIN M BWABI, Namwela Vision Church, c/o Namwela Sec
School, PO Box 48, Chwele, Via Bungoma, Kenya, East Africa.
Martin is blind, 36
years old, an assistant pastor with Vision Church. He enjoys reading the Bible
and other Christian literature; also general knowledge books and magazines from
all countries. He composes and sings songs, and does a little piano playing.
His ambition is to be a writer, and he has several manuscripts already finished
and awaiting publication. He enjoys sharing God’s Word with unbelievers,
visiting and ministering and just seeing people transformed, and also praying.
(taken from UCB Word for Today December 31st 2006)
“... Walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4)
Some people stay up until midnight on New Year’s Eve to welcome the new year. Others stay up to make sure the old year leaves! But either way, as we enter a new year, we can’t afford to let our past poison our present or sabotage our future. Certain things that refuse to be healed must be forsaken and forgotten. There are people praising God in church every Sunday, but lie awake in the privacy of their homes digging up bones, picking at scars, and reliving old memories. We need to accept that some issues will never be resolved, because if we let them they’ll take up residence in our head.
Thank God St Paul was honest enough to admit that he still struggled. Unlike those with a pharisaical spirit who condemn others for doing the very things they do themselves, Paul says: “... I know the law but ... can’t keep it ... sin keeps sabotaging my best intentions; I need help ... I decide to do good, but my decisions don’t result in actions. Something gets the better of me every time” (Romans 7:14-20, The Message version of the Bible). Thank you, Paul, from the rest of us, who mistakenly thought that once we became Christians there’d be no more struggles! Then Paul goes on to say, “... Consider yourselves to be dead to sin ...” (Romans 6:11). “Just as Christ was raised from the dead ... we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).
In other words, we should stop pursuing dead issues, but rather admit them, quit them, and forget them! Instead of struggling to change what can’t be changed, we must let God’s transforming power sweep through our life and sever the ties between us and all those tormenting thoughts from our past. Let them go in Jesus’ Name!
“... Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24)
In New Testament times, capital punishment was sometimes carried out by tying a murder victim’s body directly onto the perpetrator’s back. That way wherever he went he was literally weighed down by his crime, with no way to escape the stench of decomposing flesh. Eventually the bacteria-filled corpse infected him too and he died an agonising death.
Some days St Paul felt the weight of his old nature pressing in, reminding him of things from his past that he couldn’t change or eradicate. And recognising how past events can colour the present, Paul describes himself as “a wretched man”, and asks, “Who will rescue me from this body of death?”
The fact is we can’t move ahead with “the old man” still clinging to us; we must bury him. Even death doesn’t have the finality that burial does; part of coming to closure involves disposing of the body. Funerals are for the living; they give people an opportunity to accept that their loved one has gone and that the relationship as they knew it is over. And as we embark on a new year, maybe it’s time we stopped carrying the past around on our back - and on our mind? Paul says, “... present yourselves to God as those alive from death ...” (Romans 6:13). In other words, we must refuse to let old memories negotiate a deal with us! We must bury them, and do it today. We can’t afford a secret love affair with a corpse! It’s time for an epitaph, not a revival! There are things in life worth reviving, but not past sins that Jesus paid for and forgave long ago.
(by Norman Hillyer)
Let not your heart be troubled (John 14:1)
The Greek verb for troubled (“storm-tossed”) is often used of political agitation, disorder, anarchy. Some countries always seem to be “troubled”, with presidents coming and going in quick-fire succession. The “trouble” of a divided state and unstable government would be avoided if there were one ruler and all were loyal to him.
So it is with the human heart. The “troubles” of indecision, of having divided allegiance, having one “ruler” after another, would end, once the heart gave itself unreservedly to Jesus Christ.
by Michael Stafford
Last time we considered the first “woe” in chapter two verses 6-8. Now we move on to:
Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain to set his nest on high, to escape the clutches of ruin! You have plotted the ruin of many peoples, shaming your own house and forfeiting your life. The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.
The great city of Babylon - one of the wonders of the ancient world - was mainly built from the wealth plundered from nations which she had conquered. No consideration was given to the welfare of the citizens of captured towns. All their property was taken to enrich Babylon. In this way Babylon was apparently made impregnable. No enemy could find a way in. It was like an eagle that builds its nest high up on a cliff so that no predator could reach it. Yet Babylon was eventually defeated by the Persians, who found a way of entering the city despite its defences.
Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by crime! Has not the Lord Almighty determined that the people’s labour is only fuel for the fire, that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing? For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
There was no regard for the life of others. Many of the captured peoples became slaves and were used as forced labour to build the Babylonian cities and great monuments. Yet it would all be a waste of resources because the Persians would come to burn and destroy it.
Amongst all the darkness and destruction of these verses we have another bright jewel: “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord ...” Kingdoms and empires like Babylon, Persia and Rome rose and fell, and today are consigned to the history books. But God’s kingdom will go on for ever and spread the knowledge of God’s glory everywhere. This is the Kingdom of Heaven to which every born again child of God belongs. It is not, as Jesus said, a kingdom of this world, and its present reality is in the hearts of the Lord’s people, where He reigns as King.
Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbours, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies. You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and be exposed! The cup from the Lord’s right hand is coming round to you, and disgrace will cover your glory. The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and your destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed man’s blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.
The Babylonians were noted for their lustful desires to look at nakedness, and to gloat over the helplessness and poverty of their captives. Yet it would all rebound on them in God’s time. They stole cedar wood from Lebanon to make roofs for their houses, and killed the animals, so taking away the livelihood of their victims. They cut down forests and made the land barren. Eventually enemies would do the same to them. “Whatever a man sows, that shall he reap” (Galatians 6:7)
Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it? Or an image that teaches lies? For he who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. Woe to him who says to wood, “come to life!” Or to a lifeless stone, “wake up!” Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it. But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.
The emphasis here is on the lack of communication implicit in idolatry. There is no response when prayer is made to an idol, since it is only wood or stone. The only reason we can communicate with God and with each other is that God in the beginning breathed life into the bodies he had created. An idol is a dead thing, with no breath in it. The prophets of Baal (a Canaanite god) could not get any response when they appealed to him to send fire upon their sacrifice, in the contest with Elijah. God, in contrast, responded to Elijah’s request with fire that burned up the sacrifice and the water with which it had been doused. (1 Kings 18).
An idol is anything which has an undue place in our affections. In the modern world it is often materialism which is the idol, though sex, football, music and even work are other things that sometimes get more attention than they deserve. The words of John at the end of his first epistle should be taken seriously: “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols”.
But the Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.
God is alive and well in His temple. Awesome and to be revered.
To the Jews of Habakkuk’s time, the Temple in Jerusalem was the place where God dwelt, and so holy was His presence, that only the High Priest once a year could enter within the veil that hung in front of the Most Holy Place at the heart of the building. When Jesus was crucified the veil was torn in two - in effect making God accessible to all who have been redeemed by Jesus’ blood. Today, God’s temple is the hearts of His own children. “... you yourselves are God’s temple and ... God’s Spirit lives in you” (1 Corinthians 3:16).
Though we may now communicate with Him, yet there are times when we need to be silent before Him, in reverence and worship. Psalm 46:10 says “Be still and know that I am God”.
Bridget Naylor
Have your dreams all vanished away,
With no vision for even today?
Is your hope at an all time low,
For a future you don’t want to know?
Let God quiet you with His love,
Heaven’s love songs from above.
Showers of blessings He longs to supply,
From a source that will never die.
Are you tired in this journey of life,
Encompassed by battles and strife?
Not knowing which way to turn,
You just never seem able to learn.
Let God quiet you with His love,
Heaven’s love songs from above,
As His peace flows into your mind,
And clarity you now can find.
Is uncertainty all around,
When each step seems to lose more ground?
Have you stumbled on your way,
Eyes blinkered from the light of day?
Let God quiet you with His love,
Heaven’s love songs from above,
As He opens the way right before you,
By His own light making everything new.
Do your days seem awfully long,
And your heart never sings a song?
Are you treading a weary road,
Underneath O so heavy a load?
Let God quiet you with His love,
Heaven’s love songs from above,
As a lightness comes into your walk,
And your joy is not just vain talk.
Have you a flickering flame inside,
And so much you would love to hide?
Are you ashamed of the way that you live,
And long to have something to give?
Let God quiet you with His love,
Heaven’s love songs from above.
His mercy is freely available,
And His grace so sure to enable.
Are you troubled within your mind,
Is God’s peace so hard to find?
Are your thoughts a whir of confusion,
And God’s presence just an illusion?
Let God quiet you with His love,
Heaven’s love songs from above,
As He whispers into your ear,
Let His presence draw you near.
Have you been wounded within your soul,
And feel as if you’re no longer whole?
Do you ache and hurt deep inside,
Is there a void that’s so deep and wide?
Let God quiet you with His love,
Heaven’s love songs from above.
He can heal, restore and renew,
So much that He longs to do.
God is mighty to save and deliver,
His nature is always a giver.
Let Him free you with His powerful love,
By His Spirit - the Heavenly dove.