All will be revealed. ( Revelation 2 2 v 12 )

I recently attended a thanksgiving service for a dear brother who over 30 years ago started a work up working with children,since then the work has grown. The result is that many very poor ,and vulnerable children have been wonderfully blessed.One person can make difference. I remember a dear brother in Ulster telling how God wonderfully saved him.He had been living a pretty bad life,went to series of Gospel meeting,and he was the only one saved.He went on to become a wonderful evangelist.God may only use us to win one person to Christ, and that person, can become a wonderful source for good.I have told many people about Christ,I cannot say I have any great success,but eternity will reveal all,so let us not judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He  will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.'' ( 1 Corinthians 4 v 5 )There is coming a time when all will be revealed, and I am sure that there will be a great surprise for us all.

I choose life. (2 Corinthians 2 v 14 - 16 )

Recently a lady got lost in a jungle for two weeks,she was thankfully rescued,speaking about her ordeal,she said ,that she had a choice between life and death,she choose life.Life is about making choice's  ,consider how many choice's we make every day,it would be interesting to count them.They are endless,let me point something out to you, when I preach the gospel I want people to make a choice.If you are not a Christian I pray that you will make a choice and trust Jesus as your Saviour.    Deuteronomy 30 v 19.  'This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses .Now choose life'                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Counterfeit ( Matthew 7 v 24 - 29 )

I was talking to a lady and I complimented  her lovely hair, yet it turned out that she was wearing a wig. It was not the real thing, not the genuine article.Are we the genuine article as regards our Christianity?,we might do all the right things, and have never been born again. In the Gospel of John a very religious person was told that he needed to be born again  ,if not then heaven would not  be his   destiny. People have delusional thoughts,I know a person who believed he was Jesus Christ , of course He was not,  but no amount of talking changed his delusion.  In Matthew 7 v 21 - 23 Jesus said, ''Not everyone who says to me Lord,Lord, will enter the Kingdom of heaven  , but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord.did we not  prophesy in your name, and in  your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?. Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Depart from me, you evil doers'.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Praying .( Philippians 4 v 6 )

One of my favourite birds is a robin ,I don't have any visits from a robin in my garden,well until recently when one came twice. Why did it visit my garden?,well I remember that I did pray that I may have a robin come to my garden, and so it came to pass. Never underestimate the power of prayer even for simple things. Ask and you shall receive,is that to simple?.,the answer is no,the fact is we can pray about anything,if it is His will He will answer.and we can pray  anywhere,just have a reverent attitude, and faith

Faithful ( Lamentations 3 v 22 - 24 )

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 God is Faithful                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father                                                                                              There is no shadow of turning with Thee,                                                                                                  Thou changest  not, Thy compassion's , they fail                                                                                       not.                                                                                                                                                            As Thou hast been , Thou forever wilt be.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Summer and winter,and springtime and harvest,                                                                                      Sun, moon and stars , in their courses above,                                                                                            Join with all nature in manifold witness,                                                                                                  To thy great faithfulness , mercy and love.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,                                                                                                 Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide                                                                                         Strength for today and bright hope tomorrow                                                                                           Blessings all mine,with ten thousand beside.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Great is Thy faithfulness,                                                                                                                          Great is Thy faithfulness,                                                                                                                          Morning by morning new mercies                                                                                                            Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Gods moral law. ( Galatians 3 v 19 - 25 )

A very important thing to remember that we live in a moral universe,and it is the one who made this  universe who says what those moral values should be. While we may keep the laws of ones government,don't break the speed limit, don't drink and drive,don't steal.etc. . Yet as regards laws in our countries they can change, and often do, being a homosexual was a criminal offence, not now. Adultery was grounds for a divorce at one time, not now, when it comes to divorce,there will be no fault finding actions taken into consideration. Slowly but surely things are changing,but when it comes to Gods moral values,they will never, never change. Gods law still stands,not as a means of salvation, (Galatians 3 v 11) but as a very important reminder that no one can keep God's law perfectly. Make no mistake ,we all have broken Gods law,in thought and deed,this means we re sinners,all of us without exception. It means that we can never enter Heaven,unless that sin is forgiven by trusting Jesus,when we do all can be forgiven.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    The soul that sinneth,it must die, in response                                                                                             to this an old Puritan wrote,'' Glorious God,                                                                                             I saw thy Son  dying that I might live, and                                                                                               in that death I found my all''

Normal ( 1 Corinthians 1 v 20 - 25 )

We want people to think we are normal,as  Christians, but the fact is we are not normal, we do not live for this life alone.What we believe is contrary to those who are not Christians,we believe that all mankind are sinners,and if a person  dies  with their sins  unforgiven they go to hell,there are no exceptions ,none. We believe there is only one way to God, Jesus,that all other religions are in error and cannot save. We believe that we are called to be holy, we cannot go along with the changing moral standards of the world.Of course all this and many other things sets us apart from what the world considers normal,we live in the light of eternity,not just for the here and now.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Two roads                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Enter trough the narrow gate, for wide is the gate                                                                                    and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and                                                                                  many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow,                                                                                                                                             

Saved. ( Romans 10 v 13 )

A young prostitute was bundled into a car,by a man, he forced her to lie down,as he drove the car ,the young girl fearing for her life,prayed. Her prayer went something like this, 'Jesus save me,and I will give my life to you'. Well the next thing she knew the car crashed,and the man was slumped over the   wheel,unconscious,this enabled her to escape. She later attended a church,where the gospel was preached,and a appeal was given to trust  Jesus as one's Saviour, she thought well He kept his  bargain ,I am going to keep mine,so she went forward and trusted Him.And from that moment on she followed and served the Lord. Christ is still in the business of saving people, why don't you trust  Him                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Psalm 34 v 6                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     This poor man called,and the Lord heard                                                                                                   heard him; He saved him out of all his                                                                                                     troubles.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Home . ( John 14 v 1 ff )

I have been on many holidays,some I liked more than others,I have enjoyed my holidays in Malta,here in UK Felixstowe ,the latter has not to much traffic,so it makes it easy,to drive in.Where I live driving is challenging ,Malta has very good and cheap transport system.I have to confess no matter were I go on holiday it is always nice to come home.Of course for the Christian their earthly home is temporal, if we turn to the book of Hebrews 11 v 13 ff  we read of those of those who seen themselves as strangers and exiles on the earth.The Message goes on to say,''People who live this way make it plain that they are looking for their true home.......a heavenly country''I wonder do you ever get homesick for that heavenly home?, I do,what a glorious place it must be,I often imagine as I close my eyes in death and open them in heaven, I can hear my loving heavenly Father, saying to me,'welcome home Billy'.

Opposition ( 1 Corinthians 15 v 58 )

Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, Shemaiah, the nobles of Judah prophets,prophetess,and others, why do I mention these people,well the answer is simple,they were the people who opposed Nehemiah in the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.Yet in spite of this opposition Nehemiah stuck to the task, and encouraged those others, who were involved to stick to to their God given task.Any God given task will more than likely involve difficulties ,I can think of a dear couple who went to Brazil to serve as missionaries ,the wife died, and he was told to go back home,he didn't, Dr Hudson Taylor founder of the China Inland Mission,was preparing himself to go China ,was involved in an operation,became infected and was told to go home and put his house in order,he was going to die.But they and many others like them faced so many other things, did not give up,like Nehemiah,they stuck to their God given task.                                                                                                                                                                                                            William Barclay                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   The Christian life may be difficult, but the goal is                                                                                     infinitely worth the struggle.

The walls are broken down. ( Luke 15 v 11 ff )

 I am just beginning to study the book of Nehemiah whom God used to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, this took place when the Jews had returned from Babylon.Nehemiah served king Artaxerxes as his cup bearer, when news was brought to him of the state of those in Jerusalem,and that the walls of Jerusalem was broken down. This disturbed him greatly,he wept,prayed and fasted,in reading this it reminded me how far the moral walls in our society are in ruins.This came home to me recently while on holiday`, I noticed many young people in our hotel and how most of those young were more than likely were sleeping together.Of course the spiritual walls have fallen down also,eroded by the steady drip of so many things,that are contrary to humanities well being . When this happens things can only become worse, sex becomes the all. I heard of a single young girl who was expecting, she was devastated,the father did not want to know,she said,'he told me he loved me'.Consider how many children are being aborted, conceived not out of love ,but out of lust. It is all part of a situation, when things will not become better, only worse, when God is forsaken,and Christ is rejected,we move more and more into the darkness.                                                                                                                                             Jesus said,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will                                                                              never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.

Growing .( 1 Peter 2 v 21 )

 Someone writing on the persecution of Christian said ,'More persecution, more growing', in China many Christians suffered tremendously under Communism,but the church has grown  When Israel was in Egypt oppressed  by Pharaoh, they were made to do hard labor, treated ruthlessly. But we read these remarkable words ,' The more they were oppressed the more they multiplied, and spread.' There are applications I see in this,one in relation to individual Christians, .God has a loving purpose for every individual Christians,and often that means a degree of suffering. Believe it or not we can grow through suffering,for it is then we seek the Lord,for grace,that enables us to endure, and to trust.There are things in my own life which have not gone away,God permits the suffering we experience ,so that we can rely on Him more.We will not permit us to suffer longer than God sees fit,there will be a time when  God says enough,consider God's choice servants , Joseph, and Job, men who suffered much,in Gods refining fire, and who in their suffering grew.

Spiritual deafness. ( Matthew 10 v 14 - 15 )

 I was walking in a shopping centre when I heard a lady,speaking to one of her children or it may  have been her husband,she said,'you don't listen'. I am sure it must have been her husband she was speaking to, I am sure you dear women can identify with that lady. Well it may surprise you to know that God knows exactly  how you feel. Speaking about those who were His own,He declares,''they have not listened''. As we read the Bible we read that God continually speaks to individuals,and to nations,and they refuse to listen. I can assure you that God is speaking, if we have ears to hear,what He is saying.In Psalm 19 the writer declares how Gods voice is heard by creation.Every Christmas,  every Easter God is speaking,there are many ways God is speaking,but we are not listening. We can laugh at what that lady said, but it ceases to be funny as regards God speaking and us not listening.We don't listen to God for many reasons,we don't want to listen,for we do not like what He says ,He  challenges us, as to sin, warns us, even tells us that He loves us,and points us to his Son hanging on a cross, that's how much I love you.,yet we still will not listen.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Psalm 95 v 7 - 8                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Today, if you hear his voice, do not                                                                                                           harden your hearts.

Growing ( Matthew 16 v 18 )

Let us consider the thought,'  More persecution, more growth',a minister friend of mine used to visit a Christian church in Poland when the communist ruled.The church was alive and earnest in spite of the difficulties,but when the communist lost power, the church appeared to lose power.No one wants to suffer but often suffering is the instrument  by which God will drive it to its knees.Consider how few churches have prayer meetings, or even Bible studies,in our church we have home groups,they are badly attended. Persecution will not destroy Christs church,but it will purify it and I believe enabling it to grow..At a time of great persecution and the Christians were scattered,we read that wherever they went they preached the word. (Acts 8 v 1 / 4 )John Stott writes.'' What is plain is that the devil ( who lurks behind all persecution of the church) over reaches himself. His attacks have the opposite effect to what he intends . Instead of smothering the church, persecution succeeds only in spreading it. As Bengel  comments,'the wind increases the fire'.

He knows ( Romans 8 v 32 )

In  April 1989 there was a horrendous disaster at the Hillsborough football ground in Sheffield, in which many spectators were killed and injured. The story is told of a Christian doctor who, after he had finished the medical work he had been asked to do, was invited  to have a word with some of the bereaved,many had lost a son a father. The doctor approached a man who was deeply distressed,and sought without words to draw alongside him to comfort him. After some time he thought it appropriate to offer to say a prayer for the man. So he asked the man whether he might pray to God for him.  The bereaved man reacted bitterly,and said,'What does God know about losing a son?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  John 3 v 16.                                                                                                          For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son,                                                             that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal                                                                 life.                                        '

One way. ( Acts 4 v 12 )

From the very beginning, the New Testament church has known persecution, the first martyr was  Stephen,who was stoned to death( Acts 7 v 14 - 19 ).This persecution increased under Saul,who later  became known as the apostle Paul.We are familiar with the persecution of the Christians by the Romans,which started, under Nero..There are different reasons why this happens and even happens today.Recently I read recently how police entered a church in China ,and ordered the leader of the church ,to tear out the ,the first commandment from his Bible.which reads,'You shall have no other gods before Me'. (Exodus 20 v 3 ).Someone has said that our multi- cultural Britain often feels ill at ease with this first commandment, and that its even more embarrassed by the words of Jesus,'I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes unto the Father except through Me'.To challenge peoples gods, be it individually, or collectively,can be dangerous , as many Christians have found out.                                                                                                                                                                                                                            There are many roads to hell, but there is only                                                                                          road that leads us to heaven.

Follow Me. ( Matthew 8 v 18 - 22 )

There was a time that I believed we were going to be missionaries, we very serious about it,but mission after mission turned us down. We did what we could to prepare ourselves for the task,I attended Bible college for 3 years,my wife Eileen attended a different college for one year.But in the end no mission would accept us, we were willing to go anywhere God wanted us to . But God said no,instead He brought us to England,were I have lived for about 40 years.Of  course we did not understand,but we trusted Him,to still lead and guide us,which I believe He did,and can I say He is still doing this.I believe if we place our trust in Him He will honour that, and guide . God brings us through many experiences,there are no second causes,for the Christian, God the sovereign God will continue  to lead us through life's maze,and it will be perfect,and as the old chorus goes,'All we have to do is follow.'                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Follow,follow, I will follow Jesus,                                                                                                             Anywhere,everywhere, I would follow on,                                                                                               Follow, follow, I would follow Jesus.                                                                                                       Everywhere He leads me, I would follow on.

What is important.?. ( 1 Samuel 16 v 7 )

There is an old saying,' that clothes maketh the man', but it is not true,oh there is nothing wrong with wearing nice clothes,but it does not make one a nice person.The greatest of all the prophets dressed very poorly,(  Matthew 3 v 4 ) he did not dress in Marks and Spenser's best,or wear Savile Row's. finery.No, he did not wear a shirt and tie,but he was dressed in humility,obedience,faithfulness,and so as I  have already said, he was the greatest of the prophets..More important in what we put on ,is the beauty of our character,yet our wardrobes are at bursting point. Most of us take great care how we look, I do,especially when I meet on Sunday with other believers ,now that's me that is my personal choice,but I like to think, that what is important is my Christian character, am I humble, holy, loving, Christlike?.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     A Prayer  .                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Dear God, give an increasing conviction of my                                                                                        tendency to err, and of my exposure to sin.                                                                                              Help me to feel more of the purifying,softening                                                                                        influence of religion,in compassion,love, pity,                                                                                          courtesy, and employ me as thy instrument in                                                                                          blessing others. Give me to distinguish between                                                                                      the mere form of godliness and its power, between                                                                                  life and a name to live,  between guile and truth,                                                                                      between hypocrisy and a religion that will bear the                                                                                  eye. If I am not right,set me right, keep me right;                                                                                      And may I at last come to thy house in peace.                                                                                                           In Jesus name we ask this,                                                                                                                                     Amen.                                                                                                                                ( Words from , 'The valley of vision   )                                                           

Mocking God. ( Romans 1 v 18 )

My home town was Belfast,and near the centre of the city is a very popular tourist attraction ,a building devoted to the history of the  Titanic.One of the passengers who survived the sinking of the Titanic was a Christian missionary, Sylvia  Caldwell,,who heard one of deck hands saying,'Yes lady, God Himself could not sink this ship'.Now of course we know what happened to the Titanic, it struck a iceberg and sank with the loss of many lives. The Bible tells us, 'Do not be deceived, God is not mocked ,( Galatians 6 v 7).What a foolish thing to say,what a terrible price they paid, we should remind ourselves that God is listening,He dose not switch off. Stalin is reported to have said, mockingly,'how many battalions  has the Pope got?. Goliath mocked God when he looked at the boy David, but he paid a terrible price, he forfeited his life. When it comes to God we should let our words be few,but many people have no fear of a Holy God,again to their cost.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Psalm 2 v  1- 5.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Why do the nations rage,and the peoples plot                                                                                             in vain?. The kings of the earth set themselves                                                                                         and the rulers take counsel together, against                                                                                             the Lord and against His Anointed, saying ,                                                                                             'Let us burst their bonds apart and cast their                                                                                             cords from us.He who sits in the heavens                                                                                                 laughs, the Lord holds them in derision. Then                                                                                           He will speak to them in His wrath and                                                                                                     testify them in His fury.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Life can be a mess ( Romans 11 v 33 )

I had finished using my electric cable,I was rolling it back unto the cable reel,when it all got tangle up,it was a mess ,I felt like throwing it away,but I didn't , I persevered  and managed to sort it out. It reminded me that often life is like that,like a plate of spaghetti,or a ball of tangled wool.And sometimes no matter how much we try ,we cannot sort it out. It appears that way in the political sphere,the financial  sphere,and in so many aspects of life.The prophet Habakkuk saw life as a mess which he could not understand.,chap 1 v  2 - 3,He cries out to God,'' How long ,O Lord, must I  call for help but you do not listen,?. Or cry out to you,''Violence'', but you do not save?.  This is followed by two whys,  to him the situation was a mess and God was not sorting it out.The wicked appeared to be triumphing, God's ways are not our ways, (  Isaiah 55 v 9 ),He often sorts the mess out, in ways that may puzzle us as it did the  prophet of old., one day soon God is going to change everything    at the return of Jesus, and He will make all things new. ( Revelation 21 v 5 ). So don't despair He is quite capable of sorting out the mess in your life and mine,and the messed up,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   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 you so much dread,                                                                                                                  Are  big with mercy and shall break                                                                                                          in blessing 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 works in vain;                                                                                                                       God is His own interpreter,                                                                                                                       And He will make it plain.                                                                                                                         ( Words...William Cowper )

The immutability of God.. ( Malachi 3 v 6 // Hebrew 13 v 8 )

The immutability of God  is not something that we hear from any pulpit,at least I have never heard it mentioned,what does it mean?.It means that God will never change,He cannot change,He has no need to Change for He is perfect. I will be quoting from A.W. Tozer's  book ,'The knowledge of the Holy'',so here are a few things he says,                                           (1 )                                                                                             To say that God is immutable is to say. The concept of a growing                                                             or developing God is not found in scripture.                                                                                                                                           ( 2 )                                                                                                              God cannot change for the better or the worse                                                                                                                                         ( 3 )                                                                                                              In God no change is possible; in men change is                                                                                        impossible to escape.                                                                                                                                                                                (  4 )                                                                                                              The law of mutation belongs to a fallen world,                                                                                        but God is immutable, and in Him men of faith                                                                                        find at last permanence.                                                                                                                                                                           ( 5 )                                                                                                                In this world where men forget us,change their                                                                                        attitude toward us as their private interests dictate.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ( 6 )                                                                                                                God never changes moods or cools off  in His                                                                                          affection or loses enthusiasm.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             'Change and decay in all around I see;                                                                                                        O Thou who changest  not abide with                                                                                                         me'                                                                                                                                                                           ( Words...H.F.Lyte )                                                                                                                                                                     

The mind. ( Philippians 4 v 8 - 9 )

                                                              A  Prayer                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Deliver me from the natural darkness of my mind                                                                                                        In Jesus name Amen.                                                                              Romans 12 v 2 ,reads, 'Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed , , '' by the renewing of your mind'.What does it mean the renewing of our minds.?. Vine says this ''The adjustment of the moral and spiritual vision and thinking to the mind of God, which is designed to have a transforming effect upon the life'' The word adjustment can mean change,lets us all face it we have all accumulated so much rubbish in our minds,worldly  attitudes,corrupt thought patterns,so far removed from a godly thought pattern .If we are to be transformed from one degree of glory to another,it must be by a dependence on God's Holy Spirit,and a life  that conforms to  Gods's word, and will.Let us remember God looks on the heart ,our Saviour spoke of the religious leaders as being whitewashed tombs,which looked beautiful on the outside , but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean''( Matthew 23 v 27 ).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       A  Prayer.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Dear God grant unto us the mind of Christ in  all things.                                                                                                             Amen