Transformed ( 2 Corinthians 5 v 17 )

                         For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal
                         but mighty through God to the pulling down of
                         strong holds. Casting down imaginations, and
                         every  high thing that exalteth itself against the
                         knowledge of  God, and bringing into captivity
                         every thought to the obedience  of Christ.
                                      ( 2  Corinthians 10 v 4- 5)

                                                R.V.G.Tasker
                        
                         ''One of the most astonishing and undeniable 
                         arguments for the truth of the Christian
                         religion , and for the omnipotence of God, is
                         the fact that, when faced with the gospel, which
                         is a scandal  to the human intellect and folly to
                         to the proud, unregenerate men, some of the most
                         subtle of human intellects have been led to render
                         submission to the Saviour. Many of the wisest
                         have been content to become as fools for Christ
                         sake, and not a few of the 'freest' of thinkers have
                         surrendered their ' freedom' to become slaves of
                         Him who took upon Himself the form of a servant''
                       
                        



                          

Casting down ( 2 Corinthians 10 v 5 )

                                         Imagination.

                    David Atkinson writing on the importance of
                    imagination, states  , 'Imagination is not the same
                    as fantasy.......we need the sure word of the word
                    of  God, so that the sanctified imagination keeps in
                    harmony with the sanctified intellect'. It was John
                    Lennon who wrote  and sung a very popular song
                    'imagine'. Much of the words one cannot go  along
                    with. John's mind was not a sanctified mind ,so there
                    is much that is not in keeping with Gods word.
                    In 2 Cor 10 v5-6 we read ,'' For the weapons of our
                    warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to
                    the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down
                    imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth
                    itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into
                    captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.''
                   
                                    
                     

Why me? ( Ephesians 2 )

                               As I was out for my usual walk, the thought
                               came to me was,' why me ? '.Why am I a
                               Christian, my sins have been forgiven I
                               not going to Hell, and I am going to Heaven.
                               The salvation of a soul is a great mystery
                               and I suppose we never will fully understand.
                               Salvation is unmerited and undeserved ,it is a
                               free gift from a merciful ,gracious and loving
                               God. Even though this is true and we are saved
                               by a sovereign God,  we are all responsible to
                               to trust Jesus, Even though people do not
                               attend church, the message of Christmas still
                               comes to us all ,most people miss the main
                               message, and so miss out by eating and  drinking,
                               The deep meaning is not allowed to intrude ,
                               lest it spoils, their make believe ,world.

Why not me? ( Job 19 v 25 - 27 )

                                        Why not me ?

                         We  hear  people say ,why me, I don't deserve
                         this, it is as if thy feel they have  been signalled
                         out from others to suffer. The fact is ,suffering
                         goes with the territory, this is a fallen world, a
                         world were there are no earthly paradises. But
                         there is hope, there is a God who loves us, and
                         He has not forsaken this world, although to a
                         great extent the world has forsaken Him. The
                         prophet Jeremiah spoke the following at a time
                         of  great suffering.
                                                Lamentations 3 v 22-24.
                          Because of the Lord's great love  we are not
                          consumed, for His compassions never fail.
                          They are new every morning; great is Thy
                           faithfulness. I say to myself ,the Lord is my
                           portion; therefore I will wait for Him.

                       

Why ? ( Psalm 42 )

                                                 Why ?

                      Many ask the question why?, whatever the answer,
                      it will not necessary, satisfy. As a Christian I am
                      called to trust in God, in every situation,  like Job,
                      who lost all his children, all his wealth, and then
                      his health. His wife felt he would be better of dead,
                      but Job did not take that option, nor should we, life
                      is a very precious gift, no matter how difficult it may
                      be.

                                               Psalm 42 v11

                                   Why are you downcast , O my soul?
                                    Why so disturbed within me?
                                    Put your hope in God,
                                    For I will yet praise Him,
                                    my Saviour and my God.


                    

A thing of beauty ( 1 Corinthians 6 v 9 - 11 ]

                                     A  thing of beauty

                     I was sitting in my garden enjoying the lovely
                     sunshine ,contrary to what people think we do
                     have sunny days in England, but in dear old Ulster
                     one sunny day is a summer.  As I sat there a lovely
                     little butterfly landed on my  shirt, the bright colours
                     must have attracted it. A butterfly is a beautiful
                     little creature, but in order to become a beautiful
                     creature, it had to be changed, from being a creepy
                     Caterpillar, to a thing of beauty.
                                       
                                               Paul the apostle,
                                               A demon possessed man.
                                               John Newton
                     These people had a Caterpillar  experience, when
                     Christ became their Saviour.

                                            2   Corinthians 5 v17

                      Therefore , if  anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.

Our greatest challenge. ( Romans 7 )

                               Elijah was a prophet but that did not mean he
                               never struggled. My son and I were talking
                               and he mention some great men of God,who
                               all mentioned the same thing, the greatest
                               challenge in their lives was themselves.That
                               did not mean that they where totally introvert,no
                               it means  they struggled like you and I.
                               When I preach the greatest critic I have is
                                myself, but whither its preaching, we will
                                all have to cope with the people we are,
                                and the people we should be, as Christians.

                                                    Romans 7 v 24
          
                                What a wretched man I am, Who will rescue
                                 me from this body of death? Thanks be to God
                                through  Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jim Elliot ,a prayer. ( 1 Timothy 4 v 12 ]

                                       Jim Elliot.

                  Jim Elliot was a young man who was killed
                  by the Auca  Indians in Ecuador, four  others
                  also died. They were trying to reach these people
                  with the Gospel. He said a number of challenging
                  things, here  is one.

                  ''Lord give me firmness without hardness,steadfastness
                   without dogmatism, love without weakness.''
                                            Amen.

Focus ( Job 1 v 20- 22 )

                                             Means.

                 The question that  came into my mind ,what am I
                 trusting in?. Yes  God blesses us with jobs, doctors,
                 possessions, money, and many things. We have map
                 books, sat-naves , but what are we trusting in?. There
                 is nothing wrong with having these things, as long as
                 we are not trusting in them. Whatever God has in His mercy
                 granted us, they are not meant to take our focus of God
                
                                            
                
    ,
                        
           

Not a chance. ( Paslm 53 )

                            Jacques Monod said the following , ''The
                            ancients covenant is in pieces; man at last
                            knows that he is alone in the unfeeling
                            immensity of the universe, out of which
                            he  emerged by chance. The fact is he and
                            others have turned chance into a god. chance
                            has emerged as being at the heart of all things.
                            As the old song goes, 'its impossible ' ,that
                            everything could have happened by chance.

                                                  Genesis 1 v 1.

                           In the beginning God created the heavens and
                           the earth.

                           

The .Bible ( 2 Timothy 3 v 15 - 17 )

                 
                                          The Bible
     
              This  Book contains the mind  of God, the state of  man,
              the way of salvation, the doom of sinners and the happiness
              of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding
              its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it
              to be wise, believe  it to be safe and practice it to be holy.
              It contains light to direct you, food to support you and comfort
              to cheer you. It  is the traveller's map, the pilgrim's staff, the
              pilot's compass, the soldier's sword and the Christian's
              character. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened and the
              gates of hell disclosed. Christ is it's grand object ,our good
              it's design and the glory of God  its end. It should fill the
              memory , rule the heart , and guide the feet. Read it slowly,
              frequently, and prayerfully. It is given you in life and will
              be  opened in the judgement and will be remembered forever
              It involves the  highest responsibility, will reward the great-
              est  labour, and will  condemn all who trifle with its sacred
              contents.
                                         ( Author Unknown )

Faith ( Psalm 37 )

                                My wife expressed concern ,she is self
                                employed ,I became a little bit annoyed
                                ,and yet I should not have, my walk has
                                been different than hers, I believe God
                                will care for His children, I am so very
                                grateful how God has blessed me in my
                                retirement, all my needs He has supplied.
                                Like the Psalmist I can say,' I have been
                                young, and now am old; yet have I not
                                seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed
                                begging bread. ( Psalm 37 v25 )

A great Theologian. ( John 3 ]

                                Someone once  said to a great Theologian
                                that he conceded that he had good faith.
                                he relied to this by saying the following.
                               '' So you allow me good faith , I have never
                                conceded myself good faith. And when
                                once the day comes when I have to appear  before
                                my Lord, then I will not come with my deeds
                                with the volumes of my Dogmatics  in the
                                basket upon my back. All the angels there
                                would have to laugh. But then I shall say,
                                ' I have always meant well; I had good faith
                                No , then I will only say one thing: Lord be
                                merciful to me a poor sinner.

Something better ( Romans 8 v 26- 27 )

                          A friend of mine shared with me about
                          his daughter and her husband were looking
                           to buy  a house. They saw one that really took
                          their fancy, had their hearts set on it, but  to
                           their great disappointment it didn't happen .they
                          had prayed about it, but the good news was
                          another house came on the market, that was
                          better in everyway. Now it is Selwyn Hughes
                          who said about prayer ,''No prayer goes unanswered
                          for the answer will come in one of four forms.(1 )
                          Yes ( 2 ) No ( 3 ) Hear is something better;  ( 4 )  
                           Wait to see what I will do.

                                                    Alec Motyer.
                         
                          Elijah was really down ,so much so he prayed to
                          God ,to take his life ,He was talking to God not to
                           himself. He does not contemplate suicide, but asks
                           God to act. His prayer is answered with a mag-
                           nificence which defeats the imagination, for the
                           man who prayed  to die.. never died  at all. ( 2 Ki. 2:11)
                          

Waiting for an answer ( Hebrews 6 v 15 ]

                              Selwyn Hughes writes a number of observations
                              on prayer, as our experience bears witness,waiting can be
                              the most difficult,'' The waiting times said a
                              philosopher , are the times that try men's souls.
                              They certainly are. Ask yourself now; How good
                              am I at waiting for God's answer to my prayer?.
                              The ability to wait says more about your spirituality
                              than almost any other thing''.

                                                      Psalm 40 v1

                               I waited patiently for the Lord ; He turned to me
                               and heard my cry.

Knowing God . ( John 20 v 28 )

                             David Atkinson, wrote,'' A god whom we
                               know through our own reasoning is not
                             the God of the Bible or of the  Christian
                             church.'' A friend of mine was talking to
                             Jewish lady, who expressed an interest in
                             Christianity . so he told her about Jesus, and he
                             told her that He was God , He showed her a
                             passage from the OT, which the Jew's still
                             use, as the word of God . It reads ,'The virgin
                             will be with child and will give birth to a son,
                             and will call him Immanuel. 'Immanuel means
                             'God with us', This scripture was fulfilled when
                             Jesus was born ,and it means what it says.

                                                A. W. Tozer.

                             ''God came to us in the incarnation, in incarnation;
                             in atonement He reconciled us to Himself, and by
                             faith and love we enter and lay hold on Him.''
                           
            

God is to be.... ( Proverbs 3 v 7 )

                          One day a group of boys were out not doing
                          anything special. One the lads suggested that they
                          do a bit of shoplifting, most of the group agreed ,
                          but one lad did not,  he  said he was not prepared  .
                          to , they asked him why ?,he was silent, then he spoke,
                        ''  he said if his father found out, he would not be
                          pleased. My father loves me, but he will still
                          punish me ,I am afraid of that'', with that he turned
                          from his friends and went home.

                                              Proverbs 1 v 7.

                               The fear of the Lord is the beginning
                               of  knowledge ,but fools despise wisdom
                               and  discipline.
                                

Join the club. ( Luke 15 v 11- 31 )

                          So it did not happen, the fastest man to run
                          the metres ,did not win the final at the World
                          championship in London. To many he is an idol
                          who appeared unbeatable, but it was not to be.
                          Of course if one follows sport ,we soon find out
                          that favourites do not always win. Simply, because
                          we are talking about human beings ,not machines.
                          The football team I follow on the TV will not
                          always win, because that's the way life  is. Failing
                          is not nice, no one likes to fail ,but we will, the
                          question is this we can grow in failures, or we can
                          shrivel up and die, that goes for a failed marriage,
                          a failed business , a failure , morally. As a Christian
                          I believe one can rise from failure, the fact is, we are
                          all failures, for we are all sinners. To not recognise
                          that fact ,is the greatest failure of all, to accept this
                          truth, is the first step in rising up from all our failures,
                          and it starts at the cross of Jesus.
                        
                        

Are you overweight ?. ( Hebrews 12 v 1 - 2 )

      I was watching the ,'World Athletic  Championships', and
      Mo Farah   was running, and of course he won the gold  .
      The thing that struck me about  him was, he is very thin,
      and yet he is world champion. The fact is  none of the other
      competitors carried  much  weight, fat people don't win
      races. It is the writer to the Hebrews who likens the Christian
      life, as a race, a spiritual race. He writes to all the competitors
      and says,'' Let us lay  aside every weight'', The question we all
      have to ask ourselves, what  is holding us back?, or who is
      holding us back?.

                                      A  prayer.
      Dear Lord and Saviour, grant us grace to rid ourselves of those
      things that are weights, that we know is holding us back, be it         
      so called friends, habits, past experiences, Amen.
               

The revealed will of God. ( Exodus 20 v 1 - 17 )

                             I believe God guides us , it would strange
                             for a Christian to say otherwise. We think
                             of knowing Gods will, to those who are going
                             into Christians ministry. While that is important
                             it involves all of Gods children. The Bible tells
                              us to acknowledge God in all our ways, and He
                             will direct our paths . ( Proverbs 3 v 6 ). That is
                              a general exhortation , and for a lot of things
                              there are clear answers , in Gods word. Look at
                              the ten commandments,  (Exodus 20 v1-17 ),
                              also in the  writings of the apostles, and the
                               words of our Saviour. We don't  need any special
                               revelation to know that committing a adultery,
                              or murder, to do so is sin.

                                                      A PRAYER.
                           
                               Dear God and Father help us to obey Your word
                               in Jesus  Amen.

                                                                                                           
                           

He giveth ( Ephesians 1 v 7 )

                         I was struck by the words from James 4 v 6
                         ''But He gives us more grace '' , Alec Motyer
                         writes ,'' His resources are never at an end,
                         His patience is never exhausted, His initiative
                         never stops, His generosity knows no limit;
                         He gives more grace.
                      
                                      Annie Johnson Flint
                          
                          He giveth more grace when the burdens grow
                          greater,
                          He sendeth more strength when the labors
                          increase.
                          To added affliction He addeth His mercy
                          To multiplied trials,His multiplied peace.

                           When we have exhausted our store of
                           endurance,
                           When our strength has failed ere the day
                           is half done,
                           When we reach the end of our hoarded
                            resources,
                            Our Father's full giving is only begun.

                           His love has no limits, His grace has no
                           measure,
                           His power has no boundary known unto
                           men.
                           For out of  His infinite riches in Jesus,
                           He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

Change ( Psalm 62 ]

                              I spoke to a man while out walking,he
                              had suffered a stroke. He mentioned how
                              it made him hard to live with. Then my
                              son  Paul  spoke to me about a married
                              couple he met. They both were suffering
                              from major health problems , yet they
                              showed such a positive attitude ,my son
                              came away feeling very challenged.

                                                A  prayer.

                              Dear God grant us all grace to face the changes
                              that you permit to come into our lives, with
                              peace ,even joy, trust in you ,and with a spirit
                              hope ,  in Jesus name Amen.

Take ( Romans 12 v 1 - 2 )

  
                            Take my life, and let it be,
                            Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
                            Take my moments and my days,
                             Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

                            Take my hands, and let them move
                             At the impulse of Thy love;
                             Take my feet, and let them be
                             Swift and beautiful for Thee.

                             Take my voice, and let me sing
                              Always only for my King;
                              Take my lips, and let them be
                              Filled with messages from Thee.

                              Take my silver and my gold,
                               Not a mite would I withhold;
                               Take my intellect, and use
                                Every power as Thou shalt choose.

                               Take my will, and make it Thine;
                                it shall be no longer mine;
                                Take my heart, it is Thine own;
                                 It  shall be Thy royal  throne.

                                Take my love; my Lord, I pour
                                 At Thy feet its treasure store;
                                 Take myself, and I will be
                                 Ever, only, all for Thee.

                                   ( Words...F.R.Havergal )
                                 



                                
                            

I am not religious. ( Matthew 6 v 23 )

                             There she was a beautiful young lady
                              a famous film star, the daughter of a
                              a famous film star. She was being
                              interviewed by a reporter, she voiced
                              her opinion on different subjects
                              Here is what she said as regards her beliefs,
                              ''I'm not religious, but I am spiritual, I
                              don't follow a particular religion but do
                              believe in a god, that there is something
                              out there- it could be aliens''. All I can say
                              if  one relies on one's own understanding,
                              you get further and further away from the
                              truth.
                               
                                    Jesus said I am the light of the
                                    world; he that followeth  me
                                    shall not walk in darkness,but
                                    shall have the light of  life.
                                             ( John 8 v12 )

Show me your faith . ( James 2 v 14 - 26 )

                                So let us look at what James means,when
                                he wrote those words, 'Show me your faith'
                                Now we had considered it cannot mean
                                salvation by works, but what does it mean.
                                As we read what James has written, one could be
                                confused ,when we read  2 v 24,'' You see that
                                a person is justified by what he does and not by
                                faith alone''.James is  writing to Jews , and the
                                 Jew believed that ,that all Israel has a
                                portion in the world to come ( Jew's daily prayer
                                book ) John the Baptist, and Jesus had to challenge
                                this hollow claim ,the words of John ,are in keeping
                                with what James is saying, ''Prove by the way you live
                                that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.
                                Don't just say to each other, We're safe '' (Matthew 3
                                v 8- 9). James uses two examples of those who showed
                                 their faith, Abraham and Rahab, As the heading in my
                                Bible declares ,Real faith shows itself by deeds.

                                                           Michael Green.
                               '' The message is not out of place in the contemporary
                                church, too prone to regard baptism and churchgoing
                                as sufficient pledges of eternal security whither or not
                                there is in the lives of the people any fruit in keeping
                                with repentance.''
                            

Jesus saves . ( Philippians 3 v 1 - 11 ]

                          James 1 v 18 ,reads,' Show me your faith''
                          the answer is, 'I will show you my faith by what
                          I do'. James is not speaking of being by saved
                          by works, for that goes against ,what we are
                          in so many other scriptures. ( Eph 2 v 8-9/
                          Titus 3 v 5./ Isa 64 v 6 ) The only work that can
                           us, is the finished work of  Christ. The salvation
                           of a person is by grace ,Gods unmerited favour,
                           and mercy, the person who fails to see this, shuts
                          themselves of from salvation. The only thing we
                           bring to be saved is our sins, in  order that they
                           be forgiven. Tomorrow we will look at ,what
                            James means ,when he writes ,on saving faith.

                                    Not what my hands have done
                                    Can save my guilty soul;
                                   
                                    Thy work alone O Christ,
                                    Can ease this weight of sin;
                                    Thy blood alone, O Lamb of  God,
                                     Can give me peace within.

                                             ( Words...H. Bonar )
                      

                                   

Never mind the fat lady. ( 2 Corinthians 1 v 8 - 10 )

                                I am sure that you have heard the saying
                                ''Its not over till the fat lady sings'', this
                                applies to so many aspects of life. It seems
                                the football match is over, your team is
                                being beaten with five minutes to go, so
                                you turn the TV off, then you discover
                                in that five minutes they made a comeback
                                and win the match. My thoughts turn to a
                                young lad who stood facing a giant, it appeared
                                like it was  all over, but it wasn't. I can think of a
                                lady who had cancer, it was terminal, for her
                                and others, it appeared like it was all over but
                                it wasn't. Never mind the fat lady, it is not over
                                 until God says so.