Thought for the Month - February 2006

New Year - no fear! - By Pastor Ian Wilson

On the 2nd January 2006 an explosion at the Sago coalmine in West Virginia left 13 miners trapped for more than 42 hours. A desperate rescue mission followed. While the rescue workers did their best family and friends gathered in the Sago Baptist Church to pray and comfort each other.

How devastated the families were to discover that twelve of the men had perished in the mine. International Coal Group, the company that owns the mine, expressed its deep regret at the tragedy.

How heart wrenching to read one of the notes left by a loved one in the mine. Martin Toler, 51, a section foreman, wrote: "It wasn't bad. I just went to sleep. I love you".

This incident will not be remembered for the tragedy alone but for the announcement the families received that their love ones had been rescued and were alive. Bells rang out from the little church. It was a miracle some proclaimed.

Only minutes beforehand some of them had been holding a prayer vigil for the men trapped underground. But now grown men were hugging each other in disbelief after an initially whispered phrase - "They're alive", rippled through the crowd. It grew into a tidal wave of celebration.

"Can you imagine how you would feel if someone told you your father was alive and then came back an hour later and told you he had died?" said Ann Meredith

The families were given hope but it was a false hope. I wonder are you a victim of a false hope? Paul said of any who die without Christ as their saviour that they have “No hope.”

1 Thes. 4:13 "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope"

He also described those without Christ as having no hope.

Ephes. 2:12 "having no hope, and without God in the world"

If you think that God will ignore your sin or that you can have the matter sorted after your death, the scriptures clearly say you have no hope.

Praise God you can reject the false hope and claim, by faith, real hope.

Col. 1:27 "which is Christ in you, the hope of glory"

You don’t have to be a victim of a false hope. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour and you can sing:

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

Are you SURE that you have your place booked in Heaven? Read this if you're not!