Message from the Pastor
Rev Edward Evans:
Bi-Monthly Newsletter

1 March 2019

I am sure that most of us are pretty fed up with hearing the word Brexit.
Almost daily another round of delays and alternative draught plans or no plans are paraded before us and discussed and debated as to what the potential implications of a no deal might be.
Just this last weekend I stepped into a shop in Tenby to buy one item, to emerge over half an hour later, the reason?
A long discussion with the proprietor over Brexit.
It seems that this topic is dominating so much of the news and so many peoples thoughts at this time.

And the anxiety that some people feel is very real, not just over reactive. My own parents in law who have lived in Spain for the last 32 years are waiting to see what the implications may be for them with freedom of travel and more pressingly with the free health care they have enjoyed which is now under discussion.
Which ever side of the argument you may find yourself, whether on for or against, whether you are thoroughly engaged or thoroughly weary of anything remotely connected to Brexit, I think that we can recognise an air of uncertainty, political turmoil and all too often fear which the media loves to feed.

In Isaiah we find a wonderful couple of verses of scripture (and I like the NIV translation) Isa 33,vs 5-6

5- The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He Has filled Zion with His justice and righteousness.
6- He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;The fear of the Lord will be your treasure.

In Isaiah's time they were facing far greater insecurity than we currently will ever know, an imminent threat of invasion from an Assyrian army of 100,000 ruthless murderous warriors. And Isaiah is saying to those who know the Lord, keep your eyes upon him because he is the only stability for your times. And not only for their times for every generation the only sure foundation is the gospel and knowing the salvation that Jesus Christ came to bring.

Ultimately Isaiah is pointing us to, Christ in this scripture, who alone is the source of our salvation, our wisdom and the true knowledge of the living God.
The bible tells us that ‘righteousness exalts a nation’ but ‘sin is a reproach to its people’.
When our country was a nation that loved righteousness and that was filled with the sound of the preaching of the gospel, we were exalted, but to the degree that we have turned away from the moral laws of God, we are being humbled.
Ultimately our future as a nation is never going to rest in the hands of politicians, thank God.
Rather this nation rests in the hands of the living God who has shown to us such great and undeserved mercy in times past.
I believe that there have been thousands upon thousands of yet unanswered prayers from godly mothers and godly grandmothers over the generations who have pleaded with God for their children and their grandchildren and for this nation to be touched by an outpouring of the Spirit of God once again and the sound of the songs of salvation to ring out throughout this land.
Will these prayers be answered? I believe that they will. But we too must "Pick up the torch "of prayer and cry out also for a mighty move of the Spirit of God upon this land.
And it has been the prayers of Gods people thus far, that has been a bulwark against greater judgement befalling us.
But what we need to be reminded of afresh is what Isaiah spoke nearly 3000 years ago, It is the Lord Jesus Christ and the saving knowledge of Him that is the sure foundation and only permanent stability for our times. It is only as we put our trust in Him, acknowledge our need of salvation and confess our sins to Him, that we can find a peace and inward tranquility that none can take from us.
Brexit may come and Brexit may go, but whatever the outcome, the saving message of the gospel remains the same, just as relevant, just as urgent and just as much the greatest priority for our lives, and the surest security we can find not just for this life but for eternity.