Familiarity breeds ( Psalm 94 )

 C.H.Spurgeon wrote,''By degrees we get familiar with sin'', when I was younger swear words were considered wrong,sex before marriage was seen as wrong,gay was a word for being happy ,marriage was for a man and a woman . In some places, prostitution  is seen as just another job , drunkenness,    gambling, was considered sinful practises.Yes things have changed God is forgotten, by the vast majority of people,as a nation we  have become by degrees familiar with sin.Gradually we have become more secular,we think at one level  , cars ,clothes,holidays,homes,forgetting what Jesus said that we need more than bread alone,sex alone .food alone,cars alone,money alone.WE have been fooled by the world of education, the proud scientist to accept that it all just happened,and they mock the person of faith,ignoring the God who lives and reigns .                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Luke 15 v 11 - 20                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               ( I will return in a weeks time)                                 

Don't worry ( John 14 v 27 )

Well, out of the mouths babes and sucklings ,we know the phrase ,and I was reminded of this recently,when my youngest grandson was helping me,he is nearly 3, well what did he say?. '' don't worry''. Of course worry is something ,  most of us are good at, if that is the right way to describe it. We all worry, I suppose that is why Jesus taught us those wonderful words in the sermon on the mount in  Matthew 6 v 25 - 34.There we are reminded of Gods care for creation,  Jesus stress'es our relationship to God, He is our Father,who cares for us, more than all creation, as our Father He cares for us,because He loves us. Worry He says is pointless, it accomplishes nothing,only causes us to deprive ourselves of sleep,and give us grey hairs,and makes our lives a misery.He wants us to replace worry with trust,to put God first ,and all will be well. Alas that is to simple for most of us, but not for my little grandson.                                                                                                                                                                                 Fear Him, ye saints,and you will then                                                                                                        Have nothing else to fear;                                                                                                                          Make but His service your delight;                                                                                                            Your want shall be His care.                                                                                                                          (Nahum Tate and Nicolas Brady's                                                                                                                paraphrase of Psalm 34 v 9  )                                                                                                                                                                 

Context not pretext. ( Hosea 14 v 4 )

John W. Olley writes ,''The mere quoting of scripture does not guarantee correct application''.It has been said you can use scripture to mean anything.The cults would do this, and the  so called prosperity gospel preachers. The cults do not want to accept truths such as the Trinity,or salvation as a gift,the Mormons must do certain things ,and be clean,that means fulfilling certain things, and then grace will be given.The so called prosperity gospel preachers, say that healing is in the atonement,taken from Isaiah 53 v 5 'by His wounds we are healed'',Most Pentecostals  would believe this,though   they are not  prosperity gospel preachers. What Isaiah is dealing with is sin ,not physical sickness.Sin in the scripture can be seen as a sickness,  compare Jeremiah 8 v 22 ,there the prophet cries out for a cure for a sinful nation.In Isaiah 1 v 4 ,he speaks of the sinful nation Israel,and then goes on to describe the awfulness of their condition  in v 5 a- 6,in graphic physical terms.It is in 1 v 18 he declares the cure for such sinfulness,''Come now let us reason together,'' says the Lord.' Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are  red like crimson, they shall be as wool''. I am not dealing with  physical healing,which can happen,  only if it is in keeping with Gods will. ( 1 John 5 v 14 - 15),every request we make to God has at its core the words  our Saviour prayed,''not my will, but yours be done''.

More than Justice. ( Romans 5 v 8 )

In his book  New Testament words, William Barclay writing on the Greek word ,'Epieikes  ,we have this word in Phil 4 v 5/ 1 Timothy 3 v 3./ and other places,comments ,that long before the NT  used this word it had a great record in Greek ethical writing. He quotes  Trench who says  ''that it expresses that ,moderation which recognizes  that there are occasions when a legal right can become a moral wrong.'' Consider what our Saviour faced when He healed someone on the Sabbath,or when he touched a leper,or even the woman caught in the act of adultery .The law would have  dealt with these people, on a purely legal base,but Jesus saw that as a moral wrong..W.B, points out the following, ''The basic and fundamental thing  about epieikeia is that it goes back to God.If  God stood on His rights, if God applied to us nothing but the rigid standards of the law, where would we be''. In  Christ  mercy triumphs over justice,because of that we are forgiven and eternally saved,as God in Christ has done this for us,let us remember to show Epieikeia to others.

Then shall we know ( Romans 8 v 28 ) ccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc Then shall we know ( Romans 8 v 28 ) cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

                                                                                                                                                                                                                               The loom.  (Anon)
                                                                                                                                                                                                               Mans life is laid in the loom of time                                                                                                          To a pattern he does not see,                                                                                                                      While the weavers and the shuttles fly                                                                                                      Till the dawn of eternity.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Some shuttles are filled with silver threads,                                                                                               And some with threads of gold.                                                                                                                 While often but the darker threads                                                                                                             Are all that they may hold.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             But the weaver watches with skilful  eye                                                                                                   Each shuttle fly to and fro,                                                                                                                         And sees the pattern so deftly wrought                                                                                                     As the looms moves sure and slow                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               God surely planned the pattern                                                                                                                 Each thread  the dark and fair                                                                                                                   Is chosen by the masters skill                                                                                                                     And placed in the web with care                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  God only knows  its  beauty                                                                                                                      And guide the shuttles which hold                                                                                                            The  threads  so unattractive                                                                                                                       As well as the threads of Gold.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Not till the loom is silent,                                                                                                                           And the shuttles cease to fly                                                                                                                       Shall God reveal the pattern ,                                                                                                                     and explain the reason                                                                                                                               The dark threads  were so needful,                                                                                                             In the weavers skilful hand.                                                                                                                       As the threads of God and silver,                                                                                                               To the pattern which he planned.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Faith in. ( Acts 4 v 12 )

When I preach Gods word it is by faith, and, that it will not return empty, but will accomplish what God requires.The word of God is unique ,it is a living word from the living God ,when Gods word is spoken things will happen   ( Isaiah  55 v 10- 11 ). We read in Romans 10 v9         'That if you confess with your mouth,''Jesus is Lord '', and believe in your heart that God raised Him  from the dead, you will be saved.''. The word of God is absolutely vital for the life of faith,everyone believes something,unfortunately that something ,be it another religion or whatever will not be of much use to them. False religions leads ,on a false trail,will not take one to heaven and most definitely will  take one to hell. ,now that is very serious, very.God tells us clearly in His word,the way of salvation ,Jesus. He instructs us who He was and why He came,and how by simple faith we can be eternally saved, no other religion can tell us ,the true way to heaven.but Gods word tells us that by trusting Jesus and following Him in godly living we shall be saved.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            There is a story sweet to hear,                                                                                                                     I love to tell it too;                                                                                                                                     It fills my heart with hope and cheer,                                                                                                         Tis old, yet ever new.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      It tells me God the Son came down                                                                                                          From glory's throne to die,                                                                                                                        That I might live and wear a crown,                                                                                                          And reign with Him on high.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         It says He bore the cross for me,                                                                                                               And suffered in my place,                                                                                                                         That I from sin a ransomed be                                                                                                                   And praise Him for His grace.                                                                                                                        (W.A.Williams )

Elijah ( James 5 v 17 - 18 )

In 1 Kings 17 Elijah the prophets bursts unto  the scene,with a word of judgement,,that there would be no rain, until he would say .At the end of the allotted time set for that judgement to cease God told Elijah to meet with Ahab and that rain was coming. So Elijah obeyed that took courage,but it required obedience,it is one thing to hear Gods word, and another to obey.I cannot stress the importance of obedience,to Gods word.So  God spoke Elijah obeyed. When his time with king Ahab was finishing, he said to Ahab, there was the sound of heavy rain.John  W. Olley,''Elijah is confident as he hears with the ears of faith''. Elijah went to a place of prayer, no it did not start raining automatically,prayer was required,persistent  prayer,when he started praying there was not a cloud in the sky,but when a small cloud appeared the size of a mans hand,he stopped praying ,and then the rain came.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         The ear of faith                                                                                                                                            Obedience,                                                                                                                                                  Prayer.

Be holy ( 1 Peter 1 v 16 )

Michael  Wilcock wrote. ''So long as we live in this present world,no evil can be final, whether it is oppression by great empires or personal pains and sins that we are combating''.Holiness is demanded of us  ( 1 Peter 1 v 16 ) Every day we must take up that challenge even though we will never be perfect,and no matter what good intentions people have they will never be perfect.The reason being we are part of the fallen world we live in.  Does this mean that we should give up?,most differently not,  we are not told to give up,but to be holy.It is worth mentioning what that godly minister  R.M. Mc Cheyne prayed, ''Oh God make me as holy as a pardoned sinner can be''.Here we have a person crying to God, to enable him to be holy,which would, morally pure,  upright,blameless in heart and life.Let me add very clearly, we should aspire to the things, and never give up,even though we fail to live them out perfectly.The imperfectness of our holiness reminds us  that we are only accepted  by a holy God because of Jesus,He is the Lord our righteousness. ( Jeremiah 23 v 6 / 1 Corinthians 1 v 30 - 31 )                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness,                                                                                                          My beauty are, my glorious dress,                                                                                                            Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,                                                                                                    With joy shall I lift up my head.                                                                                                                          ( John Wesley )

Gods way . ( Matthew 6 v 10 )

Michael Wilcock  writes in his book on Judges,  ''Remember the Lord is Judge, He directs in the ways He has laid down,not in the ways we set up, however legitimate they may sound''.I  know of a man who wanted to be leader of the church he attended, well it did not happen,and now, a bitter root has set in his heart. He has just resigned from the church,which is a good thing as he was causing all sorts of trouble in the,seeking continually to undermine the leaders of the church,and his attitude has affected his family,seeing him as the victim . Which is far from the truth,wanting to be a leader in any church, is a very legitimate desire,as was Davids  desire to build a temple,but God had other plans.. Let us all remember it is always Gods  will that is important,we forget this to our cost,no matter how noble and legitimate our desire is.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Let God lead,                                                                                                                                              Let God choose,                                                                                                                                        Let Gods will                                                                                                                                                 be done                                                                                                                                                           in                                                                                                                                                                 our                                                                                                                                                            lives.

Forward ( John 6 v 66 - 68 )

There is only one way the Christian can go,that is forward,no looking back. ( Luke 9 v 62 )  , and no matter what,no going back. Fifty four years ago when I came back to the Lord, I struggled but a dear brother stood by me, and my course was set I continued on, following Jesus,no regrets .It has not been easy at times, but as we often say,we were never promised a trouble free life.But consider ,having Christ with me made all the difference,without Him how more difficult things would have been .                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Without Him I could do nothing,                                                                                                                Without Him, Id surely fail                                                                                                                       Without  Him I would be drifting                                                                                                                Like a ship without a sail.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Without Him I would be dying                                                                                                                   Without Him I would be enslaved,                                                                                                             Without Him life would be hopeless                                                                                                         But with Jesus I am saved                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Jesus, oh Jesus, do you know Him today,                                                                                                 Do not turn Him Away,                                                                                                                             Oh Jesus, oh Jesus,                                                                                                                                     Without Him, how lost I would be.                                                                                             

Heaven. ( John 14 v 1- 6 )

I was sitting out in my garden, and I thought on heaven, I thought what will I do in heaven?,  I know it will be wonderful. Recently I was watching You Tube,of a man, I cannot remember his name, but he was disabled.He suffered from a very rare disease,his muscles turn to bone,just over 300 people in the world suffer from it.He gave a short word of testimony ,and then he was asked to sing,along with a Christian group, and here is what he sung.                                                                                                                                                         Surrounded by Your glory,                                                                                                                         What will my heart feel?                                                                                                                           Will I dance for you Jesus,                                                                                                                         Or in awe of you be still.?                                                                                                                         Will I stand in Your presence,                                                                                                                    Or to my knees will I fall?                                                                                                                          Will I sing Hallelujah?                                                                                                                              Will I be able to speak at all?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          I  CAN ONLY IMAGINE

A prayer. ( Psalm 23 )

Many years ago when I was at Bible college ,one of the lectures illustrated how one can pray using  scriptures, and he did this by using the Psalm 23..it really sounded lovely. I believe most of us could  do this ,if we are familiar with this Psalm. I  mention this because in one of my daily readings ,'Every day with Jesus',which I find tremendously helpful,the late Selwyn  Hughes mentions this very thing,and illustrated it by using Psalm 23 also,I hope I am not breaking copy write ,but I would like you to read it.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                A  prayer.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Father, thank You ,that You are my shepherd. Because of this I shall not want for any good thing. I am grateful, too, that You make me lie down in green pastures and lead me beside quite waters. The way  You restore my soul in times when I am assailed by troubles , and the way You guide me in paths of righteousness, showing me the difference between right and wrong,is something for which  I can never thank You enough. Death was my enemy,dear Lord, before I knew You, but now I am not afraid  of that dark shadow, for I sense Your protecting hand  over my life. I know I will die  but I know , too, that I will live again. What a comfort that is to me. How I bless You, also, for Your anointing that covers me from the crown of my head to the tip of my toe. Because You delight   in me and continually pour into my life Your endless love, my cup always runs over. You do not leave me with a half -full  experience; Your generosity causes me to overflow. Blessed it be Your name forever.   Amen.                                                                                                                                                                                               

Enoch ( Hebrews 11 v 5 )

One of the most fascinating people we read of in the Bible is a man called Enoch, we read about him in Genesis 5 v 18 - 24/Hebrews 11 v 5. He lived 365 years, we are told that he walked 300 years with God, so for 65 years it appears he did not walk with God,I wonder what caused the change?this change came after the birth of Methuselah his son.This is a clear statement that although he was 65 he entered into a relationship with the living God. How did this come about?, well in Hebrews 11 v 5 we are told he was a man of faith.Faith brings us into a relationship with God, no matter what age we are, Without faith there can be no relationship with God,and to broaden it out,without faith in Christ there can not be a relationship with God ( John 14 v 6 ). He walked with God,,denoting an intimate fellowship with God,his  life pleased God,we read that he had a family,Leupold comments on this,''Celibacy is not requisite for a holy life''.When he had reached 365 years of age something wonderful happened God took him to heaven,he did not experience death,now of course death is the common experience now,but there is coming a day when Jesus returns,all those who are his will not die ( 1 Thessalonians  4 v 13 -18 )

Sudden death. ( Luke 23 v 38 v 43 )

George Whitefield said,''sudden death is sudden glory'', what a wonderful thought, of course it speaks of an after life in a place called heaven.Look out on this earth a one time beautiful planet.Oh yes there is still much beauty there to see,but we see so much that is fading,polluted ravaged and destroyed. Many species of animals have  have been annihilated,wiped out by mans greed,the rhino for its horn,to be used as aphrodisiac, surely the last thing mankind is an aphrodisiac' The elephant for its tusk,the whale was near hunted to extinction, and the weapons that mankind have developed could if used to their full extent would destroy us all.I do not believe that things will get better, we live on a fallen planted,the very creation,and the jewel of that creation, man ,manifests the evidence of that fall,in one way or another. When sin entered this world it brought with it ,as God declared it would,''you will surely die'',and so death has passed upon all of us. That it seems is all we have to look forward to,if only that where true,but alas, we have to pay a price for our sins, when God by that man Jesus will judge us,and for all eternity we will exist in Hell . Is that it? praise God,He is merciful,for He sent Jesus to die on a cross,that through His death our sins can be forgiven,if,I stress if,we repent ,and believe on Jesus to be our Saviour,then like George Whitefield, we can say,''sudden death sudden glory''.

Stop wishing. ( Psalm 31 v 15 )

I love the movie ,'Lord of the rings', very entertaining,the hero is a little Hobbit called Frodo who has a ring that must be destroyed,but there is so many difficulties,and so there is a point where Frodo  says to Gandalf, ''I wish the ring had never come to me,I wish this had never happened'', Gandalf replies,''All men who live to see such times,it is not for them to decide times ,all you have to do is decide, what to do with the time given you''.Can you see what God is saying to us,as regards what we have to face,sickness,many are facing wars,facing so many things.Like Frodo you feel it is to much, and you wish. Wishing will not change anything,it is what we decide that is important. Joseph found himself  a slave in Egypt what did he do , he worked hard,served those over him.Let us remember our times are in Gods hands, wishing will not change anything,but with a humble reliance on God,we can change for the better.                                                                                                                                                                                     I do not ask my cross to understand,                                                                                                         My way to see;                                                                                                                                           Better in darkness just to feel Thy hand,                                                                                                   And follow Thee.                                                                                                                                            (Adelaide A. Procter )

Scott. ( Matthew 22 v 8 - 9 )

I was out in a particular town and I noticed him a young man sitting begging, I had prayed that morning that the Lord may lead me to someone to witness to. When I spoke to the lad ,he told me his name was Scott and he was homeless ,out of work,but he would be starting a job at the end of the month.He had no one he could turn too,so he was sleeping rough.He told me he was a Christian, I asked him did he attend a church?, he said he did not think it was right to go to church, because he had no suitable clothes, to wear..I explained that that was not important, and to go just as he was, God would not mind, and hopefully the people in the church would not mind either,and he may receive some help there.I gave him a gift and prayed with him,and as I walked away from Scott with tears I cried unto God for him.                                                                                                                                                                                              Pray for Scott.

The big ,big question. ( Mark 8 v 27 - 30 )

Islam, Jehovah witnesses, and Mormons,would say they believe in Jesus,but the sad thing is the Christ they speak of,  is not the Christ of the Bible. Islam have a Christ who is but a prophet .J W s have a Christ who is not God,the Mormons have a Christ who is a brother of Satan.. In 2 Corinthians 11,v 4, we read of those who believed in another  Jesus,and which leads on to a different    Gospel .  Let me say this about the Mormon religion it is the most bizzare religion I have ever come across. The question we have to answer is this, who is  this Jesus,?. The only true record we have of Jesus is the Bible,those three religious groups I mentioned, do not have the Christ of the Bible.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 What think you of Christ? is the test                                                                                                         To try both your state and your scheme,                                                                                                   You cannot be right in the rest                                                                                                                    Unless you think rightly of Him.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Some take Him a creature to be                                                                                                                A man or an angel at most                                                                                                                          Sure these have feelings like me                                                                                                                Nor know themselves wretched and lost                                                                                                    So guilty,so helpless am I,                                                                                                                          I durst not confide in His blood,                                                                                                                Nor on His protection rely                                                                                                                          Unless I am sure He is God.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          If asked what of  Jesus I think?                                                                                                                  Though still my bear thoughts are , but poor,                                                                                            I say, He's my meat and my drink,                                                                                                            My life  and my strength, and my store,                                                                                                    My shepherd, my husband,and  my friend                                                                                                My Saviour from sin and from thrall                                                                                                        My hope from beginning to end,                                                                                                                My portion, my Lord, and my all.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ( John Newton )                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Search me. ( John 8 v 1 - 11 )

W. Shedd wrote,'Man is accountable at the bar of God for his wicked heart as well as for his wicked actions'.There are people who would feel that all is well because they have never actually killed anyone,or committed adultery. But our Saviour brought it to another level for in Matthew 5 ,on murder, and adultery  Jesus teaching  stressed if we were angry with someone it was the equivalent of murdering them.  .Likewise as regards adultery ,Jesus taught,if we look on a woman in a lustful way we have committed adultery, J. Stott comments, ''we can commit murder with our words; we can commit adultery in our hearts.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Search me , O God, and know my heart,                                                                                                   test me and know my thoughts,                                                                                                                 See if there is any wicked way in me,                                                                                                       and lead me in the way everlasting.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Psalm 139 v 23 - 24.

Essentials ( Acts 1 v 11)

In his fine little book called,'What is an evangelical', D.M.LLoyd  Jones, writes, secondary truth not essential to unity.He goes on to say,'We call them non- essential because they are not essential to salvation'..What is essential to the Christian is the truth that Christ is coming again the different views as to the events leading up to it ,they are non- essential, I am not saying they are not important,they are,but they are non- essential,they should be held with a degree of humility ,and show a spirit of harmony ,and should not be be used in stirring up strife and division.Again let us remind ourselves that it is not for us to know the times or dates of the Lords coming.But it is for us to live in the light of Christs coming,and  continue to serve Him,until that moment when He either calls us up, to meet Him in the sky,or He calls in death, and takes us home to Glory.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Look I am coming soon.

We will not know ( Luke 12 v 40 )

 When the Lord restored me to himself ,54 years ago, it was in a good church, and I thank God for it,it was strong in Gospel  proclamation ,and one thing it was big on was prophecy,in relation to the Lords return. Now the three main view's concerning events leading up to our Lords second coming, I will mention what they are called, pre millennium ,  post millennial,a millennium.I have no problem with those who hold to any of these view's. Many fine Christians differ in their view's ,only time will tell which one is right. Unfortunately where Christ has broken down the wall that the Jews had erected, between Jew and Gentile,read Ephesians 2 v 14 - 22, Churches have erected prophetic walls,I had a dear Christian friends who was put out of the fellowship he attended, because He dared to differ with  their view's.Christ prayed that we may be one,the fact is, those things we hold dear as to the things surrounding the second coming of Christ should not  be something that we should fall out over.The wonderful thing is Christ is coming back again at a time of God's choosing, and it was not for us to know when. Jesus said in Acts 1 v 7 '' That it was not for you to know the times or dates, the Father has set by His own authority'' ) (so get on with  what I have you to do', my words.) Let us all see what is most important for us as Christians. I will continue on tomorrow on this subject.                                                             

Holy. ( John 3 v16 )

Let us consider the last but not least of the 3 quotations               ''God's love, discipline and purpose                                                                                                           are always holy''                                                                                                                                                                                                        Walter Riggans ,from whom these three quotes come says this.writing on the Laws given in the book of Numbers,'The Laws which it contains are not so much to be seen as automatic   formulae  for achieving man's holiness as safe-guards against taking  Gods holiness for granted,or letting  familiarity breed contempt''I am convinced that  humanity including Christians fail to appreciate   ,two things,(a ) Sin. ( b )   Holiness. I am convinced that one of the reasons I don get ministering in the church I attend is because I would mention Hell,the minister  alas, struggles to believe in Hell .Hell is God telling us something that is very important that God is Holy, in our sin we cannot enter His presence,and that our sins demands Him to punish our sin.All that have not had their sins forgiven, by trusting in Jesus.                                                                                                                                                                             God is Holy.                                                                                                                                               We are not.                                                                                                                                                  Big,Big problem                                                                                                                                        Jesus, the Big                                                                                                                                              Big answer.                                                                                   

Joshua 23 v 5 )

Now let us consider ,                     'God's purpose will always prevail.'                                                                                                                                                                                                                        First of all consider God has a purpose,for this Universe, world,and you and I,and nothing can stop or hinder His purpose being fulfilled ,or prevailing. Absolutely nothing, all will come to pass, the words he spoke to the prophets,have been fulfilled, and will be fulfilled.Take the life of David,God choose him to be king,many things stood in the way of that happening, but it did.Of course the greatest example of Gods promises, concerning the Messiah coming and dying for sinful mankind,prevailed ,against all  the odds,  The book of Isaiah is full of prophecies about the coming Messiah, and His sacrificial death.all came to pass.But what about us?,well if God has promised you something ,it will prevail,nothing can stop stop it,whatever God's purpose is it will prevail.