A world view. ( Romans 1 v 16 )

 David Suchet  a well known British actor ,who is one of my favourite actors, and who  played the part of one of my favourite characters ,Agatha  Christie's , Hercule  Poirot the Belgium detective, told how he came to faith in Christ. He recounts how his father was a Jew, and his mother wasn't, and that he himself was not particularly religious. As he grew older he had a desire for something bigger than he had, so he was drawn to look in the bible, and he began reading the epistle to the Romans, and he came  to faith in Christ .He said it gave him a world view, which he embraced, like David Suchet, many people have been brought to faith by reading this wonderful book  , Augstine Bishop of Hippo in N. Africa, John Wesley, founder of Methodism.  A world view ,yes it does have a world view, for it takes in the state of all of humanity, which clearly teaches that all humanity are sinners. No matter what race you are, colour ,high born, low born, no exceptions, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Romans 3 v 23 .Which means all humanity is alienated from a holy God, and are accountable to God. Romans 1 v 18,  This included the Jewish people, for God does not show favouritism . Romans 2 v11. That is mankinds  dilemma, and its this where we find the answer to this dilemma, and it is summed up in v 16 of chap 1,which reads,' For I am not ashamed of the gospel of  Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.' We will continue this next time.

Only one answer. ( John 14 v 6 )

Recently I have been thinking as regards evolution, and I have come to the conclusion that it is irrational ,but alas we are only hearing the atheistic side of things. It seems that  because they are scientist, they must be right ,I am not very educated , but it appears to me that to say everything just happened is irrational, and not honest. It comes back to mankind's sinful condition, which really is antagonistic to God and truth. Their attitude can be summed up in words  of Lenin who said, ''Every religious idea, every idea of God, every flirtation with the idea of God is unutterable vileness'' Consider what he and his fellow communist unleashed on Russia , when uncle Joe took over, he and his associates, committed monstrous evil, on an enormous scale. It is only in God and his word do we find what  mankind's greatest  problem is ,sin. I want to leave you with some  thoughts as regards sin,( 1 )Sin will  take  where you do not want to go.  ( 2 ) Sin will  take you where you do not want to stay ( 3 ) Sin will take you where you do not want to be. ( 4 ) Sin will cost you, what you do not want to pay. And there is only one answer, Jesus.

I owe Him everything. ( Psalm 100 )

Looking back on my life I realise I owe a lot of people thanks  , like the man who saved me from drowning, or my mother who did her best under difficult circumstances. For my primary school teachers, who did their best with a very difficult lad. For my friend Raymond who has passed on, to his parents, who were kind to me, I spent a lot of time in their home, they had  a TV. And so we could on , and on ,of people I feel indebted to. As a Christian one realises that God is sovereign, that not only has he  had a say in those things , but  has been  actively involved, in all the affairs of my life. As the hymn John Ryland wrote,

                                                    His decree who formed the earth

                                                    Fixed my first and second birth;

                                                    Parents, native place , and  time,

                                                    All appointed were by Him.

                                                    He that formed me in the womb,

                                                    He shall guide me to the tomb

                                                    All my times shall ever be

                                                    Ordered by His wise decree.

The fact is I owe Him  everything,  He owes me nothing,' nothing good have I done to deserve such love, When I think of all He's done ,and for me the guilty one, can you wonder why it is  I love Him so,' yes I owe Him everything, as do you.

The seasons. ( John 4 v 35 - 38 )

 So it did  finally happen, we  had snow, I say this because its been a  while since it snowed , one should not be surprised, after all it is winter.  The seasons come and the seasons go, soon it will be spring ,then summer ,then  autumn ,and back again to winter. Each season is different, I wonder what you think of as regards the seasons?. Well winter reminds me of  trees without leaves , spring reminds me of  daffodils, and this also reminds me of William Wordsworth's poem ,' Daffodils', the opening verse goes,' I wandered lonely as a cloud, That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at at once I saw a crowd, A host ,of golden daffodils'. .Well that's spring, then we move unto summer, it reminds me of summer holidays, and years ago getting sunburned. Then last but not least, autumn, this reminds me that it is  harvest time, and also  that old hymn, 'We plough the fields and scatter, the good seed on the ground'. The word of God, has a lot to say about the harvest, in John 4 v 35 , our Saviour said,'' open you eyes and look at the fields !  They are ripe  for harvest''. Jesus saw more that a harvest of wheat, but  a harvest of precious souls. and he is challenging his disciples to get involved  , and us ,to be harvesters ,of precious souls. Let us remember that the most valuable think in all the world, in Gods eyes ,is the souls of men and women, and children, just look to Calvary, that says it all, so again I ask the question, will you be a harvester?.

                                                He that winneth  souls is wise,

                                                In the home beyond the skies,

                                                There's a crown of  glory, 

                                                 O the wondrous prize,

                                                 He that winneth souls is wise  ( Words  E.E. Hewitt ) 

Adoption ( 1 John 3 v 1 - 3 )

Romans 8 v 15  - 16,reads, '' The Spirit you received  does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, 'Abba , Father''. The Spirit himself  testifies with our  spirit that we are God's children'.  F. F. Bruce writes,' The  term '' adoption'' may have a somewhat artificial sound in our ears; but  in the Roman world of the first century AD an adopted son was a son deliberately chosen by his adoptive father to perpetuate his name  and inherit his estate; he was in no sense inferior in status to a son born in the ordinary  course of nature , and might well enjoy the fathers affection more fully an reproduce  the father's character more worthily'. Commenting on this  John Stott writes, 'It is evident then  that the popular  notion of 'the universal fatherhood of God' is not true'. Every person born is God's offspring by creation, but it is only when one is born again by God's Spirit ,  are we adopted into God's family . John 1 v 12. reads,' Yet to all who receive Him ( Jesus)  , to those who believe in His name, he gave the right  to become children of God'.

A challenging question ( John 21 v 15 -33 )

 I am going to try something different, I want to tell you about an old rich man , who  married a very beautiful young girl. After a while the old man began to wonder, did she marry for my money ?, or did she marry me ,because she loved me?. So one day he spoke to her, and asked her a question. He said, ''darling if  I lost all my money, and you had to get rid of all your jewels, your Mercedes- Benz, our home in the south of France,  would you still love me''?. She took his hand in hers ,look into his eyes and said, ''of  course I would still love you'', he breathed a sigh of relief, but then she added,'' but I'd miss you''. I hope that makes you laugh, but lets hit on the serious aspect of this, I want to take you to a beach beside the sea of Galilee,  some fisher men were standing around a fire were a  man was preparing them something to eat,  The man was none other than Jesus, and he asked Peter one of the fishermen, a very challenging question, he said ,'' do you truly love me more than these?''.  Now let us put ourselves in Peters place, and Jesus asks us the same question,'' do you truly love me more than these?''.  In other words if  you lost everything , if I lost everything ,would we still love Him ,and follow Him?.

                                                     Will you come and follow Me

                                                     If I but call your name?

                                                     Will you go where you don't know

                                                     And never be the same?

                                                     Will you let My love be shown,

                                                     Will you let My name be known, 

                                                     Will you let My life be grown in you,

                                                      And you in Me?.  ( Words . G. Maule/ J.L .Bell)

He didn't die. ( Genesis 5 v 24 )

 I like going out for a walk each day, and of course I  don't go out on my own, no, the Lord is with me, imagine that, the God of all the universe, the one  who holds the whole world in His hands goes with me. Yes little old me, he walks with me, and I walk with Him. Did He not say, that He is with us always, yes He did, is that not a wonderful thing, I remember an old song, the first line went, 'my God and I go in the fields together', and so we do. Of course I am reminded of a man who walked with God, his name was Enoch, he did not die ,the N LT. puts it like this,' It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying.' ( Hebrews 11 v 5.) Now all who put their faith in the Lord  Jesus, will go to heaven, one day, for most of us it will mean ,going through the valley of shadow of death, but let us not be afraid ,for the Lord will be with us, as in life, so in death.( Psalm 23 v 4 ) But here is a wonderful truth, one day it may be soon, many like Enoch will go to heaven without dying. ( 1 Thessalonians 4 v 13 - 18 )For we have a blessed hope that Jesus is coming back again, to call from the world His own.

                                                 'Come Lord Jesus ,come'

Only a phone call. ( 3 ) ( John 3 v16 )

 We started by saying how trusting Christ changes ones life, but also ones eternal destiny, let us not fudge the issues, there is heaven and there is hell. Yes it is as serious as that, Christ coming was God's rescue mission, to save people from going to Hell and to take them eventually to heaven. Consider the words of John 3 v 16, For God so loved the world that He gave his only  begotten Son ,that whoever believes in Him should not perish  but have eternal life'. This verse stresses the awesomeness of Gods love, as the answer to the awful plight of humanity .God can do no more, to save humanity, from perishing, it is William Hendriksen who points out that the word perish does not mean, ceasing to exist or  annihilation, it means an existence of total banishment from the presence of God to dwell forever under  His wrath. As I have said it is as serious as that, we can escape such a dreadful existence ,if we respond to God's invitation and believe in Jesus, there is no other way you can be saved,' BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST ,AND BE  SAVED.

Only a phone call . ( 2 ) ( Luke 14 v 25 - 33 )

 Following on from yesterday let us consider the cost of following Jesus, now salvation is free, absolutely . The Bible clearly states that no actions on our behalf can save us, no works  can save,  ( Ephesians 2 v 8 - 9 ). False religious often stress that their followers, must do certain things to merit salvation, ( Galatians 3 v 10 - 11 ), Jesus paid it all. So we come by faith and trust in Jesus finished work, for salvation, that is how we become a Christian. But there is a cost in being  a  follower of Christ, there are moral standards we are expected to live by, sinful habits must be forsaken, the society we live in may see no harm in certain practices, but if  they are contrary to Gods moral standard we must not accept them. When President Trump was leaving office they played  the music to that popular song,' I done it my way', as a Christian it can no longer be my way but God's way. Everyday I pray for Christians who live with the threat of death hanging over them, there are Christians in prison on trumped up charges, simple because they are Christians. Remember what Jesus said, '' If  anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross  and follow me'' ( Matthew 16 v 24 )  Yes it is a big challenge  but God in the person of the Holy Spirit  will be in  us, and will help us, all the way .  We will continue on this next time.

Am I cursed? ( Romans 8 v 31 - 35 )

 In a recent movie released on Netflix called, 'The news of the world', which is  set in the period after the civil war. The main  character played by Tom Hanks is a Capt. Jefferson who fought in the civil war, when he returns home,, he meets up with an old friend, and they speak of Jefferson's wife who died while he  was away at the war. His friend says to him, 'it was just one of those things', but Jefferson disagreed and said it was a curse from God , for the things he had done during the war. Was he under a curse ? ,it is true that  in God's word we have God cursing, the earth, nations, even his own people, our Saviour did curse a fig tree, which had a symbolic meaning in relation to Israel. But as to the hear and now, there is no clear teaching on this ,of  course God does deal with evil hear and now, that  is different than saying what Jefferson said. He may have felt he was under a curse, but he wasn't. So we can all relax, or can we?, in Deuteronomy 27 v 26, we read ,'Cursed is  anyone who does not affirm  the words  of this law, by doing them'. In Galatians 3 v 10,we read,' Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God's book of the law'. No one be it Jew or Gentiles can keep the law perfectly ,we have  all broken Gods law, that makes us sinners. Roman 3 v 23.So we are all under a curse, and unless that curse is removed no one will be saved, we will all go to a lost eternity. So that's very bad ,but the gospel is good news, let me just say the law was not given to save us, it is to teach us that we need to be saved, but how?. In Galatians 3 v 10 - 12, Christ died to rescue us from that curse, by becoming a curse ,when he hung on the cross, it means simple, that when we trust Christ as our Saviour ,the curse upon us is removed.

                                                     Therefore , there is now no condemnation  

                                                      for those who are in Christ  Jesus.  

                                                                         Romans 8 v1 .                                                                                                                                        

Only a phone call. ( 1 ) ( 1 Timothy 1 v 15 )

 A  Christian minister had a phone call, nothing unusual about that , but that phone call would change a persons life, and change their eternal destiny. The person said , they wanted to become a Christian, so the minister spent over an hour on the phone, listening ,answering questions, and explaining  why a person needs to come to Christ. The reason being to have ones sin forgiven ,and the cost of being a Christian, in the end the lady trusted Jesus to be her Saviour.  It is important to realise that we are all sinners ( Romans 3 v 23 ),no one is excluded from the condition of being a sinner. Let me stress this, no one ,no matter how nice they are, is sinless, nothing can change that fact, we are born with a nature ,that is sinful. So our lives reflect that, in one  way or another, and to a greater or lesser extent. All people are not murders, but they could be, who knows the evil any of us could commit . In Jeremiah 19  v 9, we read, 'The human heart is  the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked , who knows had bad it is'. How many people never imagined ,they could have done such and such  a thing, but they did. Only God could provide an  answer, yes only God, and His answer was Christ death on the cross, His death satisfied a just God, so making a way for our salvation, do you want to make that phone call?. We will continue this next time.

Overwhelmed? ( Psalm 55 )

 Psalm 55 was written by King David, now it was David who killed a lion and a bear, also a  giant, and defeated the enemies of Israel. He was very brave and courageous, but even brave and courageous people can feel fear.  In this Psalm he writes of being troubled and distraught, filled with anguish, terror, horror, thank goodness for honest people. He also mentions of being betrayed by a close friend, were all these feelings sinful?. The old hymn goes with Christ in the vessel we can smile at the storm, we may, or we may be like the disciples of old who were very , very afraid in a storm , and thought they were   going to perish ( Mark 4 v 35 -41 ) David felt like running away, but instead we read  ,'But I call to God and the Lord saves me, evening ,morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me'.( v 16 - 18 ) Out of this experience he gives us this instruction,' Cast your cares upon the Lord and He will sustain you, he will never let the  righteous fall'.( v 22) His closing words  are , 'But as for me, I will trust in you''.

The good shepherd. ( John 10 v 10 - 18 )

 A  group of people were dining together, after dinner it was agreed that each should recite something. A well known actor rose and,  with all the  resources  of elocution and  dramatic art, he declaimed the twenty  third psalm and sat down to tremendous applause. A quite man followed him. He to, began to recite the  twenty third psalm , and at first there was rather a titter. But before he had ended there was a stillness that was more eloquent than any applause. When he had spoken the last words there was silence, and then the actor leant across and said,'' Sir, I know the psalm, but you know the shepherd''. Who is shepherd the the psalm is speaking of ?.it is Jesus, who declared in John 10 v 11, ''I am the good shepherd''.  Often the shepherd would have to defend his sheep from wild animals, or even from thieves and robbers, at the cost of his own life. So Jesus said I lay down my life for the sheep, He done that on the cross ,his death on the cross, was the cost He had pay, to save us. To know him personally we must trust Him, then it can be said of us ,that we know the shepherd.

Something beyond. ( 2 Corinthians 5 v 1 )

 Robert Louis Stevenson tells of  an old byreman.( A man who worked with cows ) Someone was sympathizing with him about his daily work amidst the muck of the byre and asking him how he could go on doing it day in and day out, and the old man answered, ''He that has  something beyond need never worry''. The black slaves in America  often had a hard time, work was hard, their masters could be cruel, they had no rights. Yet strangely enough many of them became Christians, and they often sung songs about heaven. The word of God continually  encourage us to look beyond this world with it sorrows ,trials and difficulties ,to a greater reality. Consider the following,' Therefore  we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory, that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen , since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  (2 Corinthians 4 v 16 - 18 ) Paul wrote ,' For me to live is Christ and to die is gain'....... I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better'. ( Philippians 1 v 21/ 23.)

                                 I have a hope that will surely endure

                                 after the passing of time

Horrible ( Galatians 5 v 13 - 16 )

 My favourite football team ,beat a weakened team 9 nil , it was what was said by a commentator after the football match, that I took exception to ,he said sometimes you have to be horrible. To be beaten 9 nil is a very humiliating experience  for any team, and yet we know that professional sport is about winning.  As a supporter I want my team to win every match, when they get beat , I am not happy, but I do not thing any team, or any sports person should be horrible to their opponents. I do not think my team were seeking to be horrible to their opponents, they were just trying to win a match, and of course goal difference can be important. I am reminded of a friend  when  he was young ,was playing football, there came a moment when he had the ball at his feet, with just the goal keeper to beat, instead of  scoring he picked up the ball and give it to the keeper. My friend is a very kind person, I suppose he felt that he was being kind, I am not sure what his team mates thought of him, I am sure their thoughts were far from being kind. Sad to say that sometime as Christians, we can say things and do things to  people that can be described as horrible.. It seems at times we forget that we are called to love our enemies (Luke 6 v 27) and to love our fellow Christians ( John 13 v 34 ). Let us pick up the ball and give it to the goal keeper.

A world of chance? ( 2 ) ( Romans 11 v 33 - 36 )

I  have touched on the sovereignty of  God, which is a vital truth, for the non Christian they do not have an answer as to the question of  how things came into blame. Darwen  wrote,' I  cannot look at the universe as a result of blind chance'. The fact is chance can do nothing ,as R. C. Sproul  wrote,' chance is  deaf, dumb,  and impotent'.   A doctor who was an atheist ,started questioning life and its meaning, when it struck him that he was delivering a miracle everyday in the shape of a baby. No this not a world of chance ,there must be a cause, and that cause is a sovereign  God, one who created  all things. But not only  did He create all things ,he sustains, and upholds all things, sees all things, knows all things, directs all things, He rules over all things. God is directly involved in all of life. If all these things were not true He would not be God. His providence flows from his  sovereignty , one writer speaks of the providence of  God, as the invisible hand of God. If one reads the book of Esther we see the providence of God in action, but  God is not mentioned. As I view my life I can see the invisible  hand of God has been very evident in so many ways. God in His providential workings has brought me through sad times and bad   times, the main thing in that statement, is the fact ,He has brought me through ,and assures me that everything is working together for my good.  Romans 8 v28 . So many coincidences have happened in my life , which I put down to the providence of God, He has made a way were there was no way.

                                              Have confidence in your sovereign God

                                              in all things, to lead, protect ,provide,

                                              and comfort.

Going through the motions. ( Jude v 20 - 21 )

There is a modern song that has this line in it ,it reads,' I'm sorry when I just go through the motions '. Driving is a bit like that, so easy in a comfortable car, to not concentrate, just go through the motions, or when we read something  and we realise that we cannot remember what we have read. Many sing hymns with out really thinking about what they are singing ,likewise  prayer, there is an old saying which goes, 'I often say my  prayers, but do I pray?. Going through the motions, we are all guilty  of it, The preacher saw a man sleeping ,so he said to the man next to him,  '' Wake him up'', and the man replied,'' You put him asleep ,you wake him up''.  It could be that the preacher was  going through the motions. Lets consider Jude v 20 -21,two things we read in these verses ( 1) 'praying in the Holy Spirit', John Calvin wrote, 'Such is the coldness of our make-up that none can succeed in praying without the prompting of the Holy Spirit'. We need the Holy Spirit, so pray to that end. ( 2 ) 'Keep yourselves in God's love'.  Moffatt  writes ,'God's love has its own terms of  communion' One writer explains it like this, 'If we desire to remain in close communion with God , we must give to God the perfect love and the perfect obedience, which goes hand in hand'.

                                                   Come, Holy Spirit, come,

                                                   Let  Thy bright beams arise;

                                                   Dispel the sorrow from our minds, 

                                                   The darkness from our eyes.

                                                   Revive our drooping faith,

                                                   Our doubts and fears remove,

                                                   And kindle in our breasts the flame

                                                   Of never dying love.

                                                     

God is Sovereign ( 1 ). ( Isaiah 40 v 10 - 31 )

 I just want to say, that God is Sovereign, He is in control, now I know that this subject is immense ,so much has been written about it, I can only touch on it here. What I would say? , if He is not sovereign  He is not God. It is important to say we are not sovereign, it was reputed that Napoleon told his generals, ''to take care of the battle and he would take care of the weather''. The great King of Babylon appeared to claim sovereignty, but God taught him a lesson, by humiliating him, and to make him confess that God ruled and did what He pleases CP ,Daniel 4 .Have we a free will ?, I do not believe we have ,our fallen sinful nature ,has robbed us of that. Our Saviour said,'' everyone who sins is a slave to sin'' ( John 8 v 34 ) . Romans 3 v 11 tells us , 'There is no one who  understands God; there is no one who seeks after God'. We are God's enemies Romans (5 v 10), yet God has granted us the freedom to choose, and yet our Saviour said to His disciples ,''you did not choose me, but I chose you''. ( John 15 v 16). I am thankful for the sovereignty of God ,for in my bondage and blindness , I would never have chosen Him, and nor would you. You may ask how do I know that I am chosen if I am not a Christian ? ,you don't, no one does. What we do know  is this, when Christ is presented to us ,as the one who forgives, sets free ,through His death on the cross, we have a decision to make.

                                                                   Jesus said.

                                            ''Come to me, all of you who are weary

                                             and carry heavy burdens, and I will give

                                             you rest''.  Matthew 11 v 28. 

Hope instead of. ( Romans 8 v 28 - 36 )

 Hopeful  instead of  fearful, is it possible?, now of course there are those who are naturally  optimistic , to them the glass appears to be always half full. But  I am sure even the optimistic, has moments when despair creeps in. We read how the prophet Jeremiah, wrote a letter to his fellow Israelites who were being held captive in the Babylon. If we turn to Psalm 137 we  see  what they were experiencing  and how they felt, their captors tormented them, mocked them  ,and they lamented over their situation, they said how can we sing the Lords song in a strange land?. So here is the word of the Lord through his servant Jeremiah,( chap 29 v 11). ''For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope''. Dear child of God , the times are dark, your situation may seem hopeless, lift your eyes up to the  God who says ,that you have a future and a hope.

                                        May the God of hope, fill you with all joy

                                        and peace, as you trust in Him, so that you

                                        may overflow with hope by the power of

                                        of the Holy Spirit.

                                                     ( Romans 15 v 13 )

Laughing at impossibilities. ( 3 ) (Jeremiah 32 v 17 )

 So Abraham was promised a son but he had to wait, and wait, and wait, for it to happen, about 25 years, most of us would have given up, but not Abraham. Abraham was a man of  faith, his wife Sarah was also a person of faith, she was 90,he was a 100.  Romans 4 v 18, reads, 'Even when  there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept  hoping....... v 20 'Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise.'....  v21,'  He was fully  convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises'. Abraham did not ignore the facts , he faced them, how? with faith in God's word, that is all he had to go on ,for Abraham that was enough.           J. Stott  writes,' Abraham reflected on the promise, and on the character of the God who had made them. And as his mind played on the promises, the problems shrank accordingly,  for he was fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised''

                                                 In hope against all human hope,

                                                 Self - desperate, I believe....

                                                 Faith , mighty faith, the promise sees,

                                                 And  looks to that alone;

                                                 Laughs at impossibilities 

                                                 And cries; it shall be done.    ( Words  C. Wesley )

A reason for trials. ( 2 ) ( Psalm 40 )

 So Abraham was promised a son, a special son, the promise was given, but nothing happening, so Abraham and Sarah decided that they could have a child through there slave girl Hagar. And so a child was born , but this child was not the promised child , no they would have to wait ,their faith would be tried. In 1 Peter 1 v 7, we read ,'That the trial of your faith, being much more precious  than of gold that perisheth , though  it be tried by fire, might be  found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ'. Edmund Glowney writes ,' Our faith ,like gold must pass through the furnace , trials should not surprise us, or cause us to doubt God's faithfulness. Rather, we should actually be glad for them. God sends trials to strengthen  our trust  in Him so that our faith will not fail. Our trials keep us trusting they burn away our self - confidence, and drive us to our Saviour'. 

                                        'But let patience have its perfect work,

                                         that you may be perfect and complete

                                         lacking nothing.'

                                                      James 1 v 4

So simple ( 1 ) ( John 3 v 16 )

 God promised Abraham that he would have a son (Genesis 15 v 4,) and that through his offspring all the earth would be blessed. (Gen 22 v 18). Abraham believed ,and God credited  to him as righteousness, This great statement, is the  foundation of how we get right with God, 'Faith', but not just  faith, but faith in Jesus. He is the object of our faith . faith in Him and his finished work on Calvary. That is were it starts and finishes, for only the work of Christ, and that alone saves. This rules out good works, religious activities, or any thing else you can name.  The scripture tells of a man who cried out, ''what must I do to be saved ?'', the reply came back, ''Believe in the Lord Jesus , and you will be saved'', and he did just that, ( Acts 16 v 30 - 31 ). It is not complicated , a child can do it, you can do it ,anyone can do it, just simply trust Jesus as your Saviour. Then you may never fear  death, for Jesus said, ''I give unto my sheep eternal life and they shall never perish'' ( John 10 v 28 ).

                                                    Jesus, I will trust Thee,

                                                    Trust Thee with my soul,

                                                    Guilty, lost, and helpless,

                                                    Thou canst  make me whole;

                                                    There is none in heaven

                                                     Or on earth like Thee;

                                                     Thou hast died for sinners,

                                                     Therefore , Lord, for me.  ( Words M. J. Walker )

                                                  

Humility ( Luke 22 v 26 )

 It was coming close to when Christ would be arrested, he knew his hour had come, knew Judas was going to betray him,  knew the terrible suffering that awaited him. C. Swindoll writes,' He knew He would face agony on a cosmic scale, far more than the physical pain of  crucifixion'. Before that would happen he had many things to teach them, He was in an upper room , with his 12 disciples. Suddenly he arose ,took of one of His garment, got a towel, filled a basin with water, and then began to wash the disciples feet. No one said anything except Peter, who objected  to Christ washing his feet. When He finished he explained to them the reason he had washed their feet. We read this in John 13 v  1- 17, so what was he teaching them?, the answer  was simple but profound ,and challenging for them and for us who are his present day disciples, 'Humility'. Basically it boiled down to this, as He had washed their feet, so they must be willing to  wash each others feet. The  act of washing a persons feet was the action of a servant, Jesus their Master had become their servant.so they must become servants to each other. Their idea of a conquering  Messiah, were they ruled over their enemies, was not to be, instead they were being called to serve. W .Barclay writes,' When we  are tempted to think of our dignity, our prestige, our rights, let us see again the picture of the Son of God, girding a towel, and kneeling at His disciples feet'.

Have you got troubles? ( 2 ) ( 14 v 8 )

 What do people need when they have troubles? they need a friend, it is sad that the nature of society isolates people, some people have no one to turn to. They desperately need a friend ,one of my sons befriends old people, he tells how he just listens to them, and he helps them ,where help is needed. It is John Donne who wrote, 'No man is an Island', that stresses the fact, that human beings do badly when isolated from others, and that they need to be part of a community in order to thrive. The Covid- 19 has highlighted the harm to people who are living on their own, it is very serious, today its them ,tomorrow it could be us.   As one reads the account of our Saviours life ,we see a person who was friendly,  He called his disciples his friends ,John 15 v  15,He declared that the greatest love one can have for a friend , was to give their lives for them. John 15 v 13 .But  Jesus did more than that, he give his life for those who were his enemies, Romans 5 v 10 , in order to make them his friend.  Of all the friends I have ever had He is my closest friend, He knows the worst about me ,yet he still  loves me. He has been there for me, in the worst, as well as the best of times. Recently a person I thought was a friend stopped bothering with me, sad , not  so Jesus, he is a friend who never forsakes those who are his,

                                               What a friend we have in Jesus. 

                                                 He can be your friend.

Have you got troubles?. ( Psalm 34 - v 6 )

 It was Billy Graham who said , '' that he had never a man without troubles'', it is true ,trouble comes in many shapes and sizes. Thirty odd years ago a person Joni Earkeskon  had a diving accident, and ended up paralysed , She can move her head and partial move her arms ,she is a Christian, it was after  her accident she found God ,she said this ,'' I had no where else to go, but God''. Many things bring us to God and a saving faith in Christ, when we find ourselves in a prison cell, or at the point of suicide, or a marriage break up, Yes so many things can happen in our lives ,where we have no where else to go, but to God. Jonah was in the belly of a great fish, no where else to go so he called on God, here is what he said,'' In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me''. ( Jonah 2 v 1 -2 ) So many people are in debt, no where to go, unemployed, no where to go, turn to God. Here is the important thing about Jonah, he did know God, you may not know God, you may never have trusted Christ as your Saviour. Trust Him today for salvation, and God will become your loving heavenly Father, a Father who will help you in the way that is best for you, his child.

9 Jonan 

Are you afraid of ? ( Hebrews 2 v 10 - 15 )

 A famous football manager speaking about his mother, said, how she  had no fear  of  death, but unlike her , he was very afraid. In Hebrews 2 v 15 we read of those, 'who lived their lives as slaves  to the fear of dying'. A  very elderly ladies son died, and she went to view his body in the funeral parlour said ''that was the first time she had ever viewed a dead body''. There are many people like that ,who do not want to be reminded of  death. Is it possible to be like Psalmist David, who wrote in Psalm 23 v 4 , 'Even though I  walk through the valley  of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil' ?.Can we face death without fear?, let me share with you the following, Charles Wesley was travelling to America, on board was a group of Christians, called the Moravians, during the voyage, they daily gathered for worship. One day the ship encountered a severe storm, Wesley felt  concerned, but this not stop Moravians meeting for  worship,  in spite of the obvious danger ,of the ship sinking, they manifested  a calmness, unlike most of the other passengers ,who were terrified. After the storm had abated, Wesley asked the leader of that group, ''Was you not afraid ?''  he replied no. ''But were not your women and children afraid ? '', ''No ;our women and children are not afraid to die''.  Let me finish those words of the Psalmist of why he was not  afraid of death, 'I will fear no evil for you are with me', the you , being the Lord. Someone has said,' Death may be inescapable , ruthless, unrelenting, indiscriminating , and a harsh reality of life, but when we know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour we need fear no evil.

Truth ( John 14 v 6 )

 There is a saying  which goes,' It is the gospel truth', someone uses this ,when they are stressing that what they  are saying is absolutely true. Truth is so important ,we do not appreciate when our children lie to us ,or when  anyone lies to us. The government  of  Turkmenistan in central Asia have declared that there is no  Covid-19  in their country, and that there is no poverty also. Both these statements are not true they are lies, put out by a repressive state, all repressive states survive by lying. and there are many. be they religious or political. Most of them are ruled by fear, and most  of  them  are afraid of  truth, especially the truth of the gospel. The truth of the gospel challenges their darkness, they cannot stand that, and so injustice reigns. The gospel truth is very good news, it is important to stress that it is based on historical fact, fact one ,Christ came, fact two ,Christ died, fact three, Christ rose from the dead.  Yes Christ came as was foretold in the Old Testament. what God's word promised, came to pass. Next Christ died that's a fact, those who lived with Christ saw it happening ,and so they recorded what happened. To them it appeared a disaster, the end of their dream, some even give up believing. Which leads us unto Christs resurrection,  his resurrection changed everything ,everything fell into place. From that moment on they went out into all the world to proclaim the truth of the gospel, to a world that was lost'

                                              Out of my bondage, sorrow and night,

                                              Jesus ,I come! Jesus, I come!

                                               Into Thy freedom, gladness and light,

                                               Jesus, I come to Thee.  ( Words . William. T. Sleeper)