Holiness. [ 1 Timothy 1 v8-9 ]

I have just started studying the book of Leviticus using a book written by
Derek Tidball,I have read this Leviticus many times,but I have never studied it.It is not a book that one hears preached ,I have preached from it many years ago.I am sure it is one of the most neglected books in the Bible, why is that?,maybe you have never read this book,D.T,points out,that the key message of Leviticus is that the children of Israel should be holy,as God is holy [ 19v2].DT,goes on to point out, ''that the key to holiness,involves,
separation and purity and that Israels lifestyle was to be different from those around them,in how they they worshipped,what they ate,how they
loved,and in their dealings with each other.''Now of course as children of the new covenant we are not under any restrictions as to what we should eat.But you get the picture ,holiness was to be comprehensive,again as D.T
points out ,''no area of life is untouched by it.''I end again by quoting D.T,
''Like Israel ,we to have been set free by Christ, but not so that we might continue to live in sin or with indifference to God;rather ,we have been set free to be holy''.
                                         A prayer.
Dear God we worship you ,we acknowledge that You alone are holy, and your will for our lives,is that we should seek to be holy,help us Lord by your Holy Spirit,in Jesus name Amen .

I loved to choose. [Mark 5 v 18 ]

William Barclay wrote,''Christ still needs His witnesses;He needs those who are not so much to die for Him,as to live for Him. The Christian struggle and the Christian glory still exsist''.That applies to most of us,but of course in certain places in the world many are witnessing for Christ by their deaths.What does it mean to live for Christ?,to be missionary?it may mean that,the world needs missionaries.When Jesus healed a demon possessed man,we read that the begged to go with Him.But Jesus did not let him.Rather He said to him,''Go home to your family,and tell them how much the Lord has done for you,and how He has had mercy on you''.[Mark 5 v 18] Someone I know is not happy in their job,would like to move,and I suggested to her that God had her there for a purpose.Dr Bernardo was on his way to China, when He found that God had a work for him to do in London.I sought to serve God on the mission field in Brazil,and various other places,but God brought me to England.Consider how the man begged,to go with Jesus,he was very earnest and sincere,but he was humble and obedient enough to accept what his master said,and serve Him where he was sent.

                        Lead kindly Light,amid the encircling gloom
                        lead Thou me on;
                        The night is dark, and I am far from home;
                        The night is dark,and I am far from home,
                        lead Thou me on.
                        Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
                        the distant scene ;one step enough for me.

                        I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
                        should lead me on;
                        I loved to choose and see my path; but now,
                        lead Thou me on.
                        I loved the garish day,and spite of fears,
                        pride ruled my will; remember not past years.
                               [ Words J.H.Newman ]

Saved [ Matthew 1 v 18-25 ]

Arabella. C. Hankey wrote the hymn I love to tell the story,of unseen things
above.Of Jesus and His glory,of Jesus and His love.That's the good news, which the gospel is,but is everyone wanting to hear that good news?.As a
minister I know it is vital to tell people about Jesus,the question is,why do they need Jesus,why does anyone need Jesus.It is only as they  realise the why they turn to Him and be saved.The challenge for us Christians is
to be faithful,in telling people why they need Jesus, we dare not fudge the truth, as to why they need Jesus.When Joseph was told that his virgin wife was expecting,he sought to divorce her quietly,but the angel of the Lord came and spoke ,telling him to marry Mary.He was told to call Him Jesus
the Greek name for Joshua,meaning,the Lord saves.it  gives us a clear clue as to why He had come.The angel declared that He would be known as Immanuel,meaning God with us.[CP Isaiah 7 v14]He was truly man and truly God. This does not tell us why He came,well we are told that He shall save His people from their sins.This is the reason why He came to save us from our sins,you see, sin dams us to Hell,sin destroys,it cuts us of from a relationship with God.People do not want to here this,because they do not grasp  the seriousness,of sin, the consequences of sin.To die in your sin  is to find yourself being judged by a holy God.That's why we have to warn people,to tell them clearly as to the consequence of sin,yes that's our task, We must not fail in it,no we must be faithful.
                                  
                                Man of sorrows what a name
                                For the Son of God who came
                                Ruined sinners to reclaim,
                                Hallelujah what a Saviour.
                                  [Words by Philip.P.Bless ]

I'm coming home. [Luke 15 v 11ff ]

I read this recently,''Sin will take you further than you want to go,keep you
longer than you want to stay,and cost you more than you want to pay''. I do
not know who wrote these words but the are very thoughtful and full of meaning .Lets consider these words, sin will take you further than you want to go,David looked on a married woman,lusted after her,slept with her,and thought that was that.That is as far as he wanted it to go,but sin took him further ,he discovered she was pregnant,and he ended up, having her husband killed,sin had taken him further than he wanted to go.What we see as a one night stand,can lead on a road that that we do not want to be on.There are people in prison who thought they could sin and that was it,but now they are in prison.There are people who clicked unto a sex site on the inter-net,now they are hooked. Yes it is very true ,sin will take you further than you want to go,many people never thought it would, but it has. Jesus told of a young man,who wanted to be free from parental control,and went down a road that practically destroyed him.[Luke 15v 11ff]

                                  I've wandered far away from God;
                                  Now I'm coming home;
                                  The paths of sin too long I've trod;
                                  Lord ,I'm coming home

                                  I've wasted many precious years;
                                  Now I'm coming home;
                                  I now repent with bitter tears;
                                  Lord, I'm coming home.

                                  I'm tired of sin and straying Lord;
                                  Now I'm coming home;
                                  I'll trust Thy love,believe Thy word;
                                  Lord I'm coming home.
                                    
                                  My soul is sick,my heart is sore;
                                  Now I'm coming home;
                                  My strength renew, my hope restore;
                                  Lord , I'm coming home.
                                    [Words by W,J.Kirkpatrick]
.
                                        

A certain hope . [ John 11 v 25 ]

Yesterday we looked at a young girls request,to be put into cold storage,in the hope that in a coming day she may be brought back to life.I believe it is a vain hope, that it will never be possible,and many think that to be brought back like that young girl wants,is unthinkable,once is enough. Many people of course think that when one dies,that's it,oblivion.Well I believe in a historical Christ,in other words He was a real person,I believe He existed as God the  Son,with God the Father,and God the Holy Spirit,not three Gods of course,but our triune God.In Gods word it was foretold that He would come,and so we have Christmas.He manifested power beyond what anyone ever did,His coming was to die on a cross,that if we believed in Him our sins would be forgiven.Yes He really died ,but on the third day He came back to life,He said He would,and He did.But He also said this,if we trust in Him,we can also be resurrected,and live with Him for all eternity.Yes death need not have the final say,because of Jesus ,we can have a certain hope.
                                           A  prayer.
Dear God we thank you for your dear son Jesus,who died that we might be forgiven,and go at last to heaven, Amen
                    
                       / I will return to my Blog Sunday,every blessing/

I want to live. [John 11 v25 ]

A young girl who died of cancer ,requested that her body would be preserved,she was only 14,she did not want to die,but she accepted that she
would,The mother went with her daughters request,but the father didn't.It was taken to court and it was agreed by the judge that the young girl should have her request.Of course this is not a new thing,it has been going on for a long time ,those who want this are hoping that in a coming day a cure will be found for the disease,they died from,and so they will be revived,cured, and live again. Why do we die?well when God made man,death did not exist,we were never meant to die,but alas we do,nothing can change that,it is an appointment we all have to keep.Genesis 2 v17/Hebrews 9v27 .Death is called an enemy [1 Corinthians15 v26],we cannot defeat it,at most we but prolong it,but it will happen.The prolonging brings with it problems the body and often the mind deteriorates,the result of this we all know about.Is their any hope as regards death,when we die is that it?,is it for many a happy release,is there life after death,more tomorrow.
                                             A  prayer.
Dear God help us to face up to the reality of death,help us to cope when
death comes,and help us to cope when we loose someone whom we love,
in Jesus name Amen.

Amazing Grace. [ Ephesians 2 v 1 -10 ]

                                      John Newton
                                      [1785-1807 ]
                         Once an infidel and libertine
                         A servant of slaves in Africa.
                         By the rich mercy of our Lord
                         and Saviour Jesus Christ.
                         Preserved,restored ,pardoned.
So reads the words on his gravestone,he lost his mother when he was six,his
father was a sea captain,and eventually he joined the Navy.For a great deal of his life he was involved in the slave trade,even after his first religious experience,but eventually the reality of his faith in Christ took hold,and he became an opponent of the slave trade.He even wrote a booklet on its evils,which became very popular.  He served as a Church of England priest,was a popular minister,friends of William Wilberforce,and William Cowper.He passed into the presence of his Saviour at the age of 82.

                       Amazing grace,how sweet the sound
                       That saved a wretched like me
                       I once was lost but now an found;
                       Was blind but now I see.

                       Twas grace that taught my heart
                       to fear,
                       And grace my fears relieved;
                       How precious did that grace appear
                       The hour I first believed.

                       Through many dangers,toils,and snares
                       I have already come;
                       Tis grace has brought me safe thus far.
                       And grace will lead me home.

                       The Lord has promised good to me,
                       His word my hope secures;
                       He will my shield and Portion be,
                       As long as life endures.

                       Yes when this flesh and heart
                       shall fail,
                       And mortal life shall cease,
                       I shall possess within the veil
                       A life of joy and peace.

                      When we've been there a thousand
                      years,
                      Bright shining as the sun,
                      We've  no less days to sing God's praise
                      Than when we first begun.
                             

Omission in preaching. [ John 3 v36 ]

A man I know said a visiting speaker mentioned something in his sermon,
that  he had  not heard from his own minister ,the word Hell.The visiting speaker wondered why some modern preachers do not mention Hell in their preaching. I wonder also, there are reasons,they cannot come to terms with it, and cannot equate it to their concept of God. Surely a God of Love would not  send people to such a place,so they do not mention it. Surely they can see people  come to faith in Christ without mentioning such a doctrine, they appeal to people from the bases of their human reasoning.These preachers have problems with the accounts of the violence ,perpetrated by Israel
, as they conquered the promised land.Now we cannot cover all these things in full,but the fact is we have accounts of God judging people,right
throughout the Bible.Not only judgements relating to time, but a promise of Judgement in eternity [Hebrews 9 v27 ].Consider how the message , most of the prophets proclaimed, had a strong threat of judgement,and this carried through into the NT,the term wrath is used continually. yes even by Jesus.
[ Matthew 10 v 28].The man in the street or those within the cults may pick
and choose what they should believe in,but the preacher in the pulpit cannot
if he does,he will be held accountable. Consider, who would want that on their conscience?,I would not,so even though it is doctrine that is not in vogue, I can speak no other.
                                         A  prayer.
Dear God of truth help those who stand between their fellowmen and a holy God,not to neglect, to warn them of the fearful judgement awaiting all who die without Christ , Amen

William Cowper. [Romans 8 v28 ]

Another of my favourite hymns is,''God moves in a mysterious way'',it was written by William Cowper,who lived in the, 18th century.He was poet as well as a hymn writer,and a great poet of his day,he wrote a poem against slavery,called,''The Negro's complaint'',which Dr M.L.King,quoted from.He suffered from mental illness,on one occasion attempted suicide,and spent 2 years in a institution for the insane,he was a devout Christian.

                                   God moves in a mysterious way
                                   His wonders to perform;
                                   He plants His footsteps in the sea,
                                   And rides upon the storm.

                                   Deep in unfathomable mines
                                   Of never-failing skill,
                                   He treasures up His bright designs,
                                   And works His sovereign will.

                                   Ye fearful saints,fresh courage take,
                                   The clouds ye so much dread
                                   Are big with mercy ,and shall break
                                   in blessings on your head.

                                   Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
                                   But trust Him for His grace;
                                   Behind a frowning providence
                                   He hides a smiling face.

                                   His purposes will ripen fast,
                                   Unfolding every hour;
                                   The bud may have a bitter taste,
                                   But sweet will be the flower.

                                   Blind unbelief is sure to err,
                                   And scan His work in vain;
                                   God is His own interpreter
                                   And He will make it plain.

Be still my soul [ Psalm 46 v 10 ]

There are certain hymns that are dear to us all,hymns that touch our hearts, ,such as, 'Be still my soul,' it was Eric Liddells favourite hymn.He died in a Japanese internment camp,in China.Just before he went to heaven,he asked the Salvation band to play the hymn.With chapped,frozen fingers and cracked lips,the wind  blowing around them,the band fulfilled it.

                   Be still my soul,the Lord is on thy side;
                   Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
                   Leave to thy God to order and provide;
                   In every change He faithful will remain.
                   Be still, my soul,thy best,thy heavenly Friend
                   Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

                   Be still, my soul,thy God doth undertake
                   To guide the future as He has the past.
                   Thy hope, confidence, let nothing shake;
                   All now mysterious shall be bright at last,
                   Be still,my soul,the waves and winds still know
                   His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

                   Be still, my soul,the hour is hastening on
                   When we shall for ever with the Lord,
                   When disappointment grief and fear are gone,
                   Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
                   Be still my soul,when change and tears are past,
                   All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
                       [ Words.  K.A.D.Von Schlegel  ]
                 

Wait [ John 13 v 7 ]

A lady who had lost her son in war, was asked by a friend,have you forgiven Him?,the woman replied,forgiven who? ,God, for taking your son,
the lady replied,''I never blamed Him'',Should I blame God,or should I trust God?,many people blame God,after all they say God has the power to cause it not to happen,so why does He not stop it?.Well there are many things we cannot answer,we can look up to heaven and in bitterness and unbelief, point the figure and say you are to blame.There are so many questions as
regards life we cannot answer,and may never answer .Everyday ,tragedies
are happening,injustice is taken place,listen to the news ,read a news paper.
Why ?,is the question on many peoples hearts,and the answer is, we do not know why,but blaming God is not the answer. How can God let such things happen?,I do not know,but some day I will know,in the mean while,I will not fall into despair,but  trust in God who is just and loving,and is working everything out ,to a perfect conclusion.Much of life is filled with the
question why,it is not wrong to ask why,but we should wait until God ,one
day will give us all the answer.

                                 Poem by Corrie ten Boom.

                                My life is but a weaving
                                Between my God and me.
                                I cannot choose the colours,
                                He weaveth steadily.
                                
                                Of''t times He weaveth sorrow;
                                And I in foolish pride,
                                Forget He sees the upper
                                And I the underside.

                               Not till the loom is silent,
                               And the shuttles cease to fly,
                               Will God unroll the canvas,
                               And explain the reason why,
                               The dark threads are as needful,
                                In the weaver's skilful hands,
                                As the threads of gold and silver,
                                In the pattern He has planned.
                              
                                He knows,He loves,He cares.
                                Nothing ,that truth can dim.
                                He gives the very best to those
                                Who leaves the choice to Him.

                               

















                                        

Temptation [ Luke 22 v40-46 ]

William Shakespeare said many wonderful things,here is one I read,''Tis one thing to be tempted,another thing to fall''.I have been tempted many times,as I am sure you have,but God helps us if we call upon Him,in our hour of temptation.Our dear Saviour makes it  clear , the importance of praying, in overcoming temptation and not fall to it.[Luke 22 v40], but alas the disciples failed to do this,then He told them the second time [v46] .The lesson we are taught is this,if we pray we will overcome temptation,if we don't, temptation will overcome us.
                                          A  prayer.
Dear God help us to call upon You in our hour of temptation, knowing you  are able to keep us from  falling through Jesus your dear Son,Amen.

Think good thoughts. [Psalm 23 ]

Another thought from Norman Vincent Peal,'' I conducted a religious service on a cruise ship ,in  my talk , I suggested that people who were carrying worries in their minds might go to the stern of the vessel and imaginatively take each anxious thought out of the mind,drop it over board,and watch it disappear in the wake of the ship.It seems an almost childlike suggestion, but a man came to me later that day and said,''I did as you suggested and am amazed at the relief it has given me''He goes on to say,that it is not just enough to empty our minds,that's true,read  Philippians 4 v 8-9.read them daily,make this a good habit.

      ''Whatever is true,whatever is noble,whatever is right,whatever is pure,whatever is lovely,whatever is admirable,if anything is excellent or praiseworthy,think about such things. Whatever you have have learned or received or heard from me,or seen in me,put it into practice,and the God of
peace will be with you''.
                                        

Be strong and courageous. [Joshua 1 v9 ]

Norman Vincent Peale wrote the following,''One of the most powerful concepts,one which is a sure cure for lack of confidence,is the thought that
God is actually with you and helping you.This is one of the simplest teaching in religion,namely, that Almighty God will be your companion,will stand by you,and see you through. No other idea is so powerful in developing self confidence as this simple belief when practiced. To practice
it simply affirm ''God is with me; God is helping me; God is guiding me''
Spend several minutes each day visualising His presence. Then practice believing that affirmation''.
                                       
                                And God said unto Joshua.
''Have I not commanded you?Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified
do not be discouraged,for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.[1 v 9 ]

















/

Blind unbelief. [ Psalm 73 ]

I read this recently,by the Late Selwyn Hughes,  ''It is not wrong to say I don't know what is happening.' But it is wrong to say,'God doesn't know what is happening'.In the book of  Ecclesiates, we read,''Do not be quick with your mouth,do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven and you are on earth so let your words be few''[  5 v2 ]Job who suffered so much,refused to curse God, it is so easy to loose a spiritual reality,to move from faith to scepticism ,from singing His praise,to doubting
his ways.We read of a man in Psalm 73,who let doubt take over,and ran with it,to the point of nearly making shipwreck of his faith. He did recover
when he sought the Lord,and faith returned. Continually I am drawn back to
the truth,that God is Sovereign,that somehow He is in control,and so I lift my eyes upward to God,who moves in mysterious ways,and whose ways are perfect.Many in America and the world are wondering what the new
President elect ,will do or why he is the President elect. There are so many things in the politics of this world , and in our personal lives,that we do not know what is going on,look up,God is in control.

                                 Blind unbelief is sure to err,
                                 And scan His works in vain;
                                 God is His own interpreter
                                 And He will make it plain.
                                     [Words W. Cowper]

Break the Cross. [ Galations 6 v14 ]

One of the early Christian Fathers,wrote the following,''Glory be to you[Jesus] who laid your cross as a bridge over death,that souls might pass over it from the dwelling of the dead to the dwelling of life''.In this country we are encouraged to be tolerant,and rightly so,but in many lands it is not so.IS
hate all who are not Muslins,and especially those who are Christians,as those lift high the cross,I myself wear a small cross.IS have recently published an article in their on line magazine entitled,''Break the Cross''.
Islam deny that Christ died on the cross,they see Him only as one of a line of prophets,and Mohammed being the prophet who is Gods final and last prophet.Basically Islam is really only an extension of those who believe that
one can only be accepted ,by obedience to His laws,as revealed in the Quran. My answer to that is simple, I do not need another prophet,mankind does not need another prophet,I  need a saviour,because no matter how much the best of men,or women try,they come short of Gods glory.So God did a wonderful thing,He sent Jesus into this sinful world,He was sinless,born without sin,and lived without committing any sin.His final act in life was to die,in the place of sinners,taking the punishment for all those who trust him as their Saviour, and give them freely, eternal life. That death took place on a cross,

                       On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
                       the emblem of suffering and shame;
                       and I love that old cross where the dearest and best,
                       for a world of lost sinner was slain.

                       In that old rugged cross,stained with blood so divine,
                       a wondrous beauty I see;
                       for 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died
                       to pardon and sanctify me.

                      So I'll cherish the old rugged cross
                      till my trophies at last I lay down;
                      I will cling to the old rugged cross
                      and exchange it some day for a crown.
                             [ Words.  George Bennard ]
                           

Lest we forget [ Luke 22 v 17 - 20]

I have just watched a movie called Passchendale one of many battles that took place in the 1st world war. The first world war was supposed to have been the war  to end all wars,but of course it did no such thing.Today our country will be holding remembrance services,as a nation we take it very serious.A drunken lady recently was sent to prison for urinating on a war memorial,most countries ,want to honour those who died,in wars.So we have a remembrance Sunday.Just considering the numbers of those  who died in the 20th century in wars,one would think that nations would never want to go to war. Yet even at this time wars are going on,surely not?, unfortunately it is true.We remember the fallen yet  we appear to forget the cost of war,the awful cost.Can any of us guarantee peace ,no,because part of mankind's fallen nature is evidence ,that it will never happen.Consider the History of Israel,a history of a people who continually  forgot what God had done for them,and continually paid a terrible price in suffering.The church of Christ were commanded to remember,what Christ did for them,it was the greatest battle ever fought,and cost the life of the Son of God,it ended in  complete victory.Satan was defeated,sin was defeated,death was defeated.Lest we forget let us continually remember the debt we owe to our loving God and Saviour.

                                   Lest I forget Gethsemane
                                   Lest I forget Thine agony,
                                   Lest I forget Thy love for me,
                                   Lead me to Calvary.
                                    [Words.  J.E.Mussey ]

A wonderful Hope. [ John 11 v25 - 26 ]

I have just listened to Phil Wickham singing a lovely song, called ,''Your
Beautiful''.The 4th verse,blessed me,it reads,

                         When we arrive at eternity's shore,
        Where death is just a memory and tears are no more.
                     We'll enter in as the wedding bells ring,
         Your Bride will come together,and we'll sing,Your
                                      Beautiful.

Lovely words,lovely song, it reminds me of the scripture  regarding death,
that as Christians,we do not grieve like the rest of men,who have no hope,
[ 1 Thessalonians 4 v13 ].Our hope is built firmly on Jesus ,who declared,
''I am the resurrection and the life,He who believes in me will live,even though he dies''[ John 11 v25 ].The words of that song tells us,that death in
heaven will be but a memory,and tears will be no more. The next thing it tells us that we will see Jesus,and that truly will be wonderful,and glorious.
                                      A  prayer.
Dear God we praise and thank You,that through you we have a wonderful hope that goes beyond the grave,we thank you for Jesus who made it all possible.
Amen.

Take Him serious. [Genesis 6 v3 ]

I have a good relationship with God,but I must never forget He is God,I must take him seriously at all times. I should take Him serious when He speaks to me,take His  promises serious,take his holiness serious,take His love serious. I must remember that He has no favourites,and that He is no respecter of people.He did not look the other way,when David sinned,that man after  Gods own heart,no God saw the evil he did and was not pleased,
and He dealt with him.Likewise the nation,that nation that He loved with an everlasting love   [ Jeremiah 31v 3] , refused to take Gods messenger the prophet serious and his word from God.one could highlight, so many times
they did not take God serious.The result was, God was not pleased, and poured out His displeasure upon them. Many of us ignore the speed limit and get away with it,but not so with God,He does not like being ignored,there where those in Sodom and Gomorrah who laughed when they were warned of Gods judgement,they did not take it serious,Lots wife did not take serious what Gods messengers said,the result she and those who laughed perished.If you have never trusted Jesus you will die in your sins and go to Hell,take this warning seriously.
                                           A  prayer.
Dear God we are told that the fear of the  Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
help us all saved and unsaved alike to take You serious,in Jesus name Amen.

Running on empty. [Galations 5 v 16- 26 ]

In writing to Christians at Ephesous,Paul prays ,that they may be strengthened with power through  Gods Spirit in their inner being. [ 3 v16 ]I was thinking this morning how we live two lives,the outward and the inner one.The one everyone can see,then the one no one can see except God,we rarely neglect our outward man,in good ways and bad ways,The good is when we eat the right things,exercise,get the right amount of sleep,etc.The bad  is when we continually over eat,we take drugs,etc,etc,I am sure you get the picture.Paul speaks of our inner being,that we may know that inner strength and power, that alone comes from Gods Spirit,we will not get this in a gym,or from a bowl of cornflacks.As H.Moule puts it,this is not surface work,this goes beyond the physical,this is a  spiritual reality.Many of us run on empty,as we face each day,but it need not be that way ,ask and you shall receive.
                                              A  prayer.
Dear God ,thank you that you dwell in our hearts,forgive us for neglecting you,so we pray in your mercy fill our lives ,with your  Spirits presence,and power, in Jesus name Amen.
                                     

We have a choice. [ Joshua 1 v 9 ]

I saw Moses yesterday,yes I did,he was playing football,but of course there are many people called Moses,but there was only one Moses,that was rescued from destruction,and cared for by the very people who were
oppressing his people.God preserved when he should have died,as many children did,at the command of the wicked Pharaoh.We read about him in the book of  Exodus,Moses was part of the nation of Israel who dwelt
in Egypt,the Egyptians started to oppress then ,and use them as slave labour.
They treated them cruelly,ordering that on one occasion that Pharaoh ordered that all male new born children should be destroyed,by throwing them into the river Nile.But we read in Hebrews 11, the following,''By Faith
Moses parents hid him for thee months,because he was no ordinary child,and were not afraid of the kings edict[11v23].They were faced as other parents are with a choice,many obeyed out of fear,they choose faith.I read of many Christians living in lands were persecution is taking place,Like the parents of Moses they are choosing the pathway of faith.The challenge for all of us who love Christ is to follow in the footsteps of the parents of Moses,by choosing faith rather than fear.
                                             A  prayer.
Dear God help us to chose faith ,and not give into fear in Jesus Amen.

Thy Kingdom come[ Daniel 4 v 28 - 37 ]

As a far of observer of the election for the President of good old USA,it is sad at the tone of the two candidates,each pointing out the others faults,the result the nation will become more divided.I was blessed as I read something about an ex-President,and his humility,it made me ask where is the humility in this present election?none existent.they are standing in their corner throwing bricks at each other.All I can do is pray for the USA,that God will overrule,the banners read,'Make America great again'.I wonder what they believe that to be?.In Russia many look back to when Stalin ruled the Soviet Union,they see that as time when in their opinion their nation was great.Oh yes they were great in military power,they exercised power over those they ruled,in murdering millions and millions of their own people. They sought to eradicate religion,by all means,imprisoning many.Oh yes they were great, a great evil. Our Saviour said his kingdom is not of this world,for it is a spiritual kingdom,greater than any seat of power .It is a kingdom where righteousness rules,not a religious righteousness  ,love rules ,not a worldly love,and the head of that Kingdom is Jesus.Who reigns not from any earthly seat of power,but in the hearts of  all the citizens, of that kingdom.Isaac Watts wrote,''Mere human power shall fast decay'',but not Gods Kingdom it is an everlasting Kingdom that will last for eternity, and whose power will never wane.
                                               A  prayer.
Dear God ,may Thy kingdom come,in Jesus name we ask this Amen.

A reduced Christ. [ Galations 1 v 6-9 ]

When people go before the court they take an oath,which says that they will
tell the truth the whole truth.They are declaring on oath to tell the whole truth,not to leave anything out,they take this oath ,with their hand on the Bible.The Bible is the word of God,it is the truth,the whole  that God in His mercy has given mankind,in this book many things are revealed to us.Woe and betide us if we fail to respond to God's word,likewise if we do not believe not the whole truth,and refuse to accept the whole truth.The JW's have a bible which is tailored to suit the things they want to believe,and this especially applies to our Saviour.But of course there are many people who do not accept the whole truth about the person , Raymond Brown writes of
those,who have a'' reduced Christ who cannot save;who is a projection of their imagination and not a Christ of the  scriptures.It may sound as if Christ is preached,but He is not. partial Christologies and therefore not only unsatisfying,but totally misleading. John Donne a seventeenth century preacher said this,'He that confesses not all Christ,confesses no Christ.''
                                            A  prayer.
Dear God we thank you that in your word we have the whole Christ,help us
not be deceived by those who hold to a reduced Christ,Amen.

Five [Romans 6 v23 ]

It is William Barclay who points out that the New Testament uses five different words for sin.
[ 1]Humartia  , meaning missing the target.
[2] Parabasis,meaning,stepping across ,the line which is drawn between
                                      right and wrong.
[3 ]Paraptoma,meaning ,slipping across ,like slipping on ice,a sudden
                                        impulse grabs us and we loose control.
[4 ]Anomia.     meaning,going against what we know is right.
[5 ] Opheilema,  meaning ,a debt, a failure to pay that which is due.


The New Testament tells that we all have sinned ,Romans 3 v 23,as WB
points out sin is a universal disease in which we are all involved .Consider the fifth meaning ,sin being a debt,again Romans 6 v23, tells us that the wages of sin is death,in other words when we sin,we are accumulating a debt that will result in eternal separation from God in Hell.We must take serious the consequences of our sin ,whatever one ,we commit.That's the bad news but the very good news is,our sins can all be forgiven,by trusting Jesus as our Saviour.
                                       A prayer.
Dear God we thank You that through Jesus your dear Son,all our sins can be forgiven,Amen

                                                                                                    

A Tug between two worlds. [ John 14 v6 ]

The American poet James Russell Lowell wrote the following.
                          Truth forever on the scaffold,
                          wrong forever on the throne.
Now if we stopped there it would not be very encouraging, but it goes unto
to say.                 Yet that scaffold sways the future
                            and behind the dim unknown,
                            Standeth God within the shadow,
                            Keeping watch above His own.
What do you think of these words?,looking at history it does appear there is an evil in the world,and that evil often appears to rule,the Hitlers,Stalin's, get into power.They seek to destroy the truth and cause their followers to follow there perverted reasoning.When error takes the place of truth in men's hearts wrong abounds ,in our modern day millions  are enslaved by falsehood.What is truth said Pilate,he asked Jesus,who died to forgive,and free all men .Yes it appears that evil reigns,but the poet mentions God, to the natural eye,and the suffering masses, God appears an absentee landlord.Many people ask, as Philip Yancey writes in his book,'Where is God when it hurts?, I can only answer it this way,it is a question of faith,without it there is no answer other than, evil reigns.Philip Yance writes that it is a ''Tug between two worlds'',the question is in which world are you .?
                                               A  prayer.
Dear God we come to you by faith ,trusting in Jesus,trusting in You our sovereign God Amen.

Encouragement . [Matthew 7 v 7-8 ]

John Calvin said, ''Certainly anyone who wants to be a good teacher ought
to treat his pupils in such a way as always to encourage rather than discourage them.There is nothing that has a greater effect in  alienation us
from listening to teaching them to see that we are thought of as hopeless''.
This is so true ,lets face it we all need encouragement,at times,the nature of life ,is uncertain,and filled with a multitude of situations that can throw us,
and what we desperately need is words of encouragement.Are you facing
difficulties,feeling isolated and alone?well here is the good news,you are not alone,there is one with,who is there to help you,his name is Jesus,He is with you right now.Next what is the difficulty you are facing? ,are you
overwhelmed?,let me remind you,that the one who is with you ,can help you.What about tomorrow?yes what about tomorrow,He will not run away from you,no he will stick by you come what may,and he gentle reminds you that ,it is one day at a time. Your part in all this ,is simple,trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not upon your own understanding,in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths.[Proverbs 3 v5-6 ]

                                   Be strong and of good courage
                                   ......For the Lord your God is
                                   with you wherever you go.
                                         [Joshua 1 v9 ]
                                                                                                                                                 

Rewarded [1 Corinthians 3 v10-15 ]

I read this recently by Raymond Brown,''If Gods righteous justice is such that man's spiritual rebellion must not be ignored,then it is equally true that in the light of that same justice man's devoted service will not be overlooked''.It is important to stress that he is not talking about salvation,but
service,only Christ and His finished work on Calvary saves[Ephesians 2 v8-9].No, this is about those who are already saved, as  Christians we are  called to serve,on a coming day God will reward our faithful service. In 1 Corinthians 3 v10-15,we are told how all we done for our Saviour will be tested as to its worth in Gods estimation,not ours.What is of no worth will
be burnt up,what remains,will be rewarded.As Leon Morris points out God is looking for quality not quantity,this illustrated in the account in Mark 12 v41-42,it tells how Jesus observed people putting money into what were known as the ,'The Trumpets',thirteen collecting boxes,each had a different
purpose one to buy oil,corn,or oil for the sacrifices.Many gave in considerable sums,but Jesus observed a poor widow ,putting in two small coins  of little value,it was this lady who was commended by Jesus,because
as William Barclay points out,her offering was sacrificial,and reckless.So the question is for all of us to consider,how much of our giving and service will stand the fiery judgement of God?
                                               A  prayer
Dear God we thank you that we are not saved by our works,yet help to see that each day we are called to be servants,and that service will be rewarded,
in Jesus name Amen

I am sending you. [Matthew 10 v16]

I was at the till in a popular store,,and a short conversation took place, between me and the young fellow on the till.Without thinking I asked him
did he know the Lord Jesus ,he mentioned something about being a Chritian but not attending a church.I said how important it was to know Christ,a short conversation,but I prayed about it,and left it with God.There are many people you may only meet once,and it is an opportunity to just say a word.
The thing is, they need to hear  about Christ,I planted a seed,someone else
may water it,but it will be God who will cause it, to bring forth life. We are
on a mission ,or we should be,to tell others about Christ,lets not shy back
from telling others.Our dear Saviour when He was sending his disciples ,
said''I am sending you out like sheep among wolves,Therefore be as shrewd as snakes,and as innocent as doves'',[Matthew 10 v16]There are many people who can be like wolves,we are forewarned as regards this,so don't be surprised when you encounter  such people.We do need Wisdom,and being
told to act wisely in seeking the lost,and our lives must manifest a godly
reality.
                                         A prayer.

Lord in my work for Thee,so teach me that I may display the wonderful blend of serpent and dove, which thou here commends...Never allow me to become to others like a wolf,but may I  conquer by the meekness of a lamb
Amen 
                                [Words by C.H.Spurgeon ]

He understands because.[Hebrews 4 v16 ]

We are truly blessed because as Raymond Brown writes ''There is a man in heaven ,who understands us and knows our trial''.He is none other than Jesus,who is called our great High Priest  [Hebrews 4 v14 ],the  old Jewish
priesthood is replaced by a one man priesthood which was foretold in the OT,[CP Psalm110v4].We are told that,' we do not a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses,but we have one who has been tempted in every way,just as we are-yet without sin'[ Hebrews 4 v15]Now RB points out,the writer of Hebrews is not implying that Christ encountered every possible different temptation.....Yet at the root of every different temptation encountered by men and women throughout the wide range of human experience there are a number of basic trials or tests,and Jesus knew what it was to meet these and emerge victoriously from the struggle''
T.H.Robinson writes,''Christs whole life was one of temptation.....no one on
earth,before or since,has ever been through  such spiritual desolation and human anguish[ Luke 22 v44/ Matthew 27 v46] For this reason He can help
us in our temptations,He is aware of our needs because He has experienced to the full the pressures and testings of life in this godless world''

                           ''He is the Christ who walked were we did,
                            so go to Him and lay your burden down,
                            and receive the help you need.''