Be faithful. ( Isaiah 55 v 9 - 12 )

 My son Brian and his wife Tracey had a ministry in Ibiza a number of years ago,they led a team ,and worked under a Christian ministry called 24/7.  During that time  they and the team would go out and talk with the many young tourist,offering to pray with them,and also offering them Bibles. They started giving out Bibles in 2009,so we move on 10 years,when Brian was attending a Big Day Out festival,where well known groups performed. Brian found himself beside a young man, and they got talking. He said he was a recovering addict who had found Jesus.Brian asked him how that came about,so he told him,he was in Ibiza in 2009 and a girl give him a Bible, that started him on the road to salvation.When Brian heard this he started crying,the lad asked him why?,Brian explained  , they both hugged and prayed  together.I have witnessed to many people ,I don't know who came to Christ, but one day I will,in the meanwhile let us be faithful, trusting God to bless our witness.

Empty words. ( James 2 v 14 - 17 )

A particular thing happened that caused me concern, I have not told anybody about it,but of course I prayed about it.I am 77 yrs of age , and with old age there are things that can happen that are scary. Now they may not happen , but they may ,it can cause one to be afraid, to loose sleep. So I prayed, but I also asked God to give me a word,that which I can hold on to ,and so as I read the Bible ,the words that Jesus spoke to the disciples,when they were on the mount of transfiguration,and they were afraid, in fact they were terrified ,(Matthew 17 v 6).This is what He spoke to them,''Don't be afraid'',are you afraid?, you may be terrified,hear the words of Jesus, he does not speak those words in a flippant way,no he fully understands the depths of our feelings,unlike people who do speak in a flippant manner to those in need, to those are afraid.If there is a way to help that person we should help if we can,let us remember that faith without works is dead.Empty words help no one, Jesus never spoke empty words,he saw the hungry , he fed them, he saw the sick he healed them,he saw the fearful, he reassured them, he saw the downcast he lifted them up.When our Saviour speaks a word to us ,he will give us the help we need, the grace we need, the peace we need, his is not empty words.

Nevers of the gospel. (Proverbs 3 v 5 - 6)

 In a book called ,'The valley of vision', a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions', we have a devotion called,'The never's of the gospel'. Here are some of the things it says.

                                    'Never to rely on my own convictions and resolutions

                                     but be strong in Thee and in Thy might'.

                                     'Never forget to go to Thee in all my  spiritual

                                      distresses and outward troubles'.

                                     'Never confine my religion to extraordinary

                                      occasions, but acknowledge Thee in all my ways'.

                                      'Never limit my devotions to particular seasons

                                      but be in Thy fear all the day long'.

God. ( Isaiah 40/ John 3 v16 )

In Isaiah 40 v 18, we read ,' With whom will you compare God?',although I cannot see many stars where I live, because of light pollution.I have at times in my life observed the awesomeness of a star filled sky. The vastness of the universe  is hard to take in,it is to much space,to many planets, to many stars,it   is truly awesome.But here is something that is more awesome , God, created all things,all things,they didn't all spring out of nothingness, that would be impossible,in the beginning God spoke the word  and it happened . In answer to the question, with whom will we compare God with?,the answer is no one, think of the absurdity that mankind have conceived what God is like ,a wood or stone carving,or a God of thunder,God is the God of everything.God  is beyond anything we can imagine, or conceive.He is absolutely mind blowing in his being, this great mysterious being, I stumble to express in speech his being, and  like Job of old, ''I'm speechless,in awe, words fail me''. Yet it does not stop there for this great , great God loves you and loves me, my goodness what a thought.who would ever think,we can know such a God, we are so puny, weak insignificant, frail,sinful, need I go on?, you get the picture.Here is a wonderful truth, God entered into this bit of nothingness, in the person of His Son Jesus,and He died on a cross to save us.to save you,because He loves you ,will you trust Him to be your Saviour, today?.

Following Jesus. 1 (Luke 14 v27 )

When I was young I used to play with my friends  a game called follow the leader ,it was  a innocent children's game, but let me say this very lovingly, that following Jesus is not a game.Jesus did not promise wealth ,health ,and prosperity.. In Luke 14 v 26 ff our Saviour said something very startling.,'' If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters- yes even their own life, such a person cannot be my disciple''. These words would bring you to a full stop, Jesus said  I am to hate my loved ones ,good grief, I won't do that.Does not the word of God say that love is one of one of the greatest things we can do .We are called to love God and to love others, we are even  told to love our enemies Matthew 5 v 44,  so why are we being told to hate are nearest and dearest?. Many things that Jesus  teaches taught are not not to be taken  literally,for example, the bread and wine which we have at communion is not the literal body and blood of Christ, they are but symbols.So when Jesus spoke of hating,it was never meant to be taken literally,as one writer puts it ,'Eastern language is always as vivid as the human mind can make it. When Jesus tells us to hate our nearest and dearest,he does not mean literally'He means that we should love Him more that anyone and anything else.Our love for Jesus must take first place in our lives,as Jesus said to Peter,''Do you love Me  more than these?, well ,do we?.

Once for all ( Hebrews 9)

 When Christ offered himself as a sacrifice ,he was doing what no one else could,it was a act of total obedience, he came to do the will of God  in his life and death on the cross,this he did, .His life was sinless, his death was the final piece in the jigsaw,all this he did voluntary CP John 10 v 17 - 18. Next, it  was the total  remedy  for our salvation,his death and that alone saves,his work ,not ours saves,we do not add anything unto it,if we try to do this,we will never be saved.Next it was a once and for all sacrifice,this is very important, for there are millions of people who believe that Christ sacrifice needs to be repeated again and again,I speak of the Mass,practiced by the Roman Catholic Church. They define it in these words,'it is that self same sacrifice that was made on Calvary,yet without blood.'It is obvious that the Roman Catholic Church, have never accepted what God's word clearly teaches. I commend you to read Hebrews 9 v 23 - 28/10 . v28 reads,' Christ was sacrificed once to take away the  sins of many'. Chap 9 v25 in AV  reads,'Nor yet that He should offer Himself often', if he did offer himself often ,it would really be telling us that his sacrifice would only be akin to the animal sacrifice ,and of no value.His sacrifice  rules out purgatory, because only the blood of Christ can cleanse us from our sin.1 John 1 v 7.

                                                           'Jesus paid it all'

Thy will be done 5. ( Hebrews 10 v 5 -7 )

 Finally let us consider Christ Sacrifice, the book was written to Jewish believers,things have changed,they are struggling spiritually,even possible turning back to Judaism.So right throughout the book they are given severe warnings, CP 2 v 1-3/ 6 v 4 -12 /10 16ff. 12 v 14 -17.The temple worship,priesthood, animal sacrifice,were only shadows of the real thing that was to come through Christ. Let us consider the animal sacrifices,R Brown says this,'Those sacrifices were limited and local. Christ sacrifice was extensive and eternal'. The writer in 10 v 5-7 , declares.'Sacrifice and offering, you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said,''Here I am- it is written about me in the scroll- I have come to do your will, my God''. CP Psalm 40 v 6-8'. The animal sacrifice was continuous,and ineffective,and as FF Bruce writes , 'the  involuntary sacrifice of dumb animals did not satisfy God,it would take a person to willingly lay down his life, that person was Jesus,he declared in garden of Gethsemane,'Thy will be done'.So his sacrifice  was effective in dealing with sin and also very important, never to be repeated. We will continue this next time.

Only one.( 4 ) ( John 14 v 6 )

 As we said Hebrews it is all about Jesus, our relationship with God depends on Jesus,our salvation depends on Him totally,it is not Christ place plus, or Christ and another, no it is just Jesus .Raymond Brown writes the following,'Jesus is our  guarantor, our eternal priest,and our effective sacrifice'.As a sinner we come to Jesus for salvation, but as RB writes,'He now supports and sustains us through his intercessory  ministry. Day by day and hour by hour Christ prays for us'.The word of God is very clear on this and yet it is sad to say that there are those who put Mary, and the so called saints,as  mediators it is a tragedy. No church whatever  has the authority to introduce teaching contrary to Gods word. truth must be adhered to. More and more has been added to the person of Mary,her role and  power,the fact is she can hear no one,intercede for no one, and help no one.We do not need Mary,priests,or dead people in our relation with  God, we have Jesus, and he is more than enough.There is no one more loving and understanding than Him,no one. I leave two verse of a hymn by Michael Bruce with you.

                                                 In every pang that rends the heart,

                                                 The man of sorrows has a part ;

                                                 He sympathises with our grief;

                                                 And to the sufferer sends relief.

                                                 With boldness, therefore, at the throne,

                                                 Let us make all our sorrows known;

                                                 And ask the aid of heavenly power,

                                                 To help us in the evil hour.

Priesthood (3)

Someone said if you love Jesus you love Hebrews, because it is all about Jesus,that He is divine,He is greater than angels, than prophets, and is by far a better intermediary , and it's that last one we want to consider,Jesus our great high priest.We have touched on the the old priesthood it was not meant to be permanent,,God would  replace the old with another priesthood, symbolised in the person of someone called Melchizedek,he is mention twice in the OT. Genesis 14 v 18/ Psalm 110 v4. David Pawson refers to him as a mysterious priest-king, he was a symbol of him who would come,and be a great high priest, Jesus.and it is in Hebrews that we are taught about Him. His priesthood is permanent  Heb 7 v17/21, He  also continues as Saviour 7 v 25. He intercedes for the saints of God 7 v25.He completely understands our weaknesses, temptations,for He himself was tempted ae we are (yet He did not sin),but He understands fully the human situation.4 v 15 -16. As Christians we are encourage to approach Gods throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need. 4 v16.We will continue this next time.

                                                          What a friend we have in Jesus,

                                                           All our sins and griefs to bear!

                                                           What a privilege to carry 

                                                           Everything to God in prayer!

                                                           O what peace we often forfeit!

                                                           O what needless pain we bear!

                                                           All because we do not carry

                                                           Everything to God in prayer.

                                                              Words Joseph  M. Scriven.

Priesthood (3)

Now before we consider the priesthood of Christ in the book of Hebrews ,we want to consider the question  is there any need for a particular priesthood?, like they have in the Roman Catholic Church,and in the Russian and Greek Orthodox Churches. The answer is no, particular priesthood finished when the new covenant was established through Christ death ,His death caused sacrifice of  animals to cease. We will consider  sacrifice later. but that does mean that there is no priesthood, for the Bible teaches what is known as ,the priesthood of every believer. In 1 Peter 2 v  9 we read,'But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may  declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light'. This priesthood is not called  to offer animal sacrifices,but  sacrifices of praise to God, and acts of doing good, and helping those in need'. Hebrews 13 v 15. CP also Romans 12 v 1.If  we are a believers we are called to exercise our God given role as a priest of the living God?,  that means the whole of our lives ,should be a sacrifice to God.

                                                   Fill Thou my life, O Lord my God,

                                                   In every part with praise,

                                                   That my whole being may proclaim

                                                   Thy being and Thy ways.   

                                                   Not for the lip of praise alone,

                                                   Nor e'en the praising heart,

                                                   I ask, but for a life made up

                                                   Of praise in every part;

                                                       Words Horatius Bonar.

                                                   

Who is greater? ( 2 ) (Hebrews 3.)

Although we are highlighting Jesus in the book of Hebrews ,I would like to remind you, that Christ is in all the scriptures.Now I am just highlighting certain aspect of  Christ in Hebrews,so we move on to chap 3 ,and in this chap Moses the law giver is mentioned. He was a very significant person and in no way should undermine his important,but the writer needs to make clear that Christ is greater than Moses.it is important because the Jewish Christians were in danger of  forsaking Christ .Moses was a servant, 3 v5, but it was temporary,for it was within the old covenant,but Christ is the eternal Son of God  3 v6 .Not many people mention this ,Moses sinned, Numbers 20 v 12, Jesus was sinless. Heb 4 v 15. One writer says this ,' to forsake the way of Christ for the way of Moses is to go from the greater to the lesser. It is to abandon the permanent ,in favour of the temporary'. Christ is and was unique, He pre existed in eternity as God the Son, no one can compare with Him, greater than Moses and all the prophets,greater that the apostles, beware of any who teach otherwise.

Christ in the book of Hebrews. ( Hebrews 1 )

I am sure many of you have read the book of Hebrews,for those who don't  know  anything about it,it  is about Christ and what he has accomplished in relation to salvation ,.As the name suggests it was written mainly to Jewish Christians,but it has meaning for all Christians. There are many fine commentaries by Christian writers these will help you get to grips with this wonderful book, I feel that one of the sad things that is lacking in the Christian Church today is teaching  on what the actual books of the Bible are about.I believe the apostle Paul was the author of this book,others differ on this,in this case it should not give one to much concern as to whom the author was.It is God's word for God's people, it stresses that all things came into being by Christ,and that He is superior to angels, 1 v8 tells us that they are commanded to worship Him,why worship Jesus? 1 v 8 ,God speaking of the Son declares,'Your throne ,O God, will last for ever and ever'.v 9 follows on,'Therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions.' These scripture readings are from Psalm 45 v 6-7 .The Jewish readers would have to come to terms with this truth,I have mentioned before about William Barclay,who did not believe Christ was God. A visiting speaker at the church I attend used a prayer composed by William Barclay,it was fine what he wrote.As I was leaving  to go home, I mentioned how I appreciated his message, but I also mentioned the prayer by WB , and his denial of deity of Christ, and that was heretical,he didn't appear pleased with what I said, but sadly it was true,and that is very serious.We will continue on next time looking at the book of Hebrews.

Abide with me. ( Romans 8 v 28 - 39 )

Every year at the final of the FA cup , before the game, a hymn is sung, it is called Abide with me, it was written by a Victorian  clergyman called Henry F. Lyte, he died a few months after completing it. It was set to music by William Monk, he had recently experienced the death of  his child. It goes without saying that it is a very meaningful hymn,it is a hymn that expresses the wonderful abiding presence of God,that makes all the difference in life and in death.Let us just go through this hymn,making a few comments.

                                                 Abide with me fast falls the eventide,

                                                 The darkness deepens, Lord, with me abide,

                                                 When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

                                                 Help  of the helpless, O abide with me.

           No matter how dark things are, the Lord who is the light the world can lighten our darkness . 

                                                 Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day 

                                                 Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away;

                                                 Change and decay in all around I see;

                                                 O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

            Life is very brief, in Christ , we have the promise of eternal glories ,that will never pass away

                                                 I need Thy presence every passing hour

                                                What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power?

                                                 Who like Thyself my guide and stay can be?

                                                 Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.

           Christs abiding presence, makes all the difference, He will guide us and strengthen us.

                                                 I fear no foe with Thee at hand to bless;

                                                 I'll have no weight and tears no bitterness;

                                                 Where is death's sting?where , grave, thy victory?

                                                 I triumph still, if thou abide with me.

          With Christ fear can be vanquished,the sorrowing can be comforted, and death is conquered.

                                                  Reveal Thyself before my closing eyes

                                                  Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies;

                                                   Heaven's morning breaks and earth's vain shadows flee;

                                                    In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

           With Christ our Saviour ,nothing can separate us,from God's love, and God's heaven.

                                                 

What matters ? ( 2 Timothy 4 v 18 )

 I do not know who wrote the following,' What matters to God is not so much how we act , but  why we act,not  so much what we actually do, but what we wish in our hearts of hearts to do,Aquinas put it like this,' Man sees the deed, but God sees the intention'.  It is said that man's chief  end is to glorify God, as the scripture tells us, in 1 Corinthians 10 v31,that whatever we do,we should do it , to the glory of God.  

                                                  Do you think I make a pretty good soldier?

                                                  Do you think I make a pretty good soldier?

                                                  Do you think I make a pretty good soldier?

                                                  Rise shine give God the glory,

                                                  Rise shine give God the glory,

                                                  Rise shine give God the glory,

                                                  We're soldiers of the cross.

                                                      Words Dionne Warwick

The greatest sacrifice ever made was on a cross,it brought the greatest glory to God,  and the greatest blessing to mankind.                                                                                                                                               

I learnt something. ( Proverbs 4 v 1 - 4 )

I needed to fix something and it meant drilling  into metal,which I have never done before, I have drilled into wood and brick, but never metal.Fortunately I have a friend who told me what to do, you start  by drilling with a small drill bit,then use a larger drill bit, I did that, and it worked.I had a problem ,and thanks be to God,I learned something new,and the problem was solved.There is an important lesson in this and its this,learning does not stop when you leave school. The very nature of life involves learning,many people fail their driving test, so they give up , no they should go back to the drawing board,and learn how they can pass next time. Failure is not a reason to give up, its an opportunity to learn, and improve. and move forward. As we look at our failure we need to pray to God to help us , when David brought the ark of covenant to Jerusalem 2 Samuel 6, he failed to act in accordance,with Gods instruction as how it should be moved  CP Numbers 4 v 5-15. He didn't make the same mistake twice, unfortunately many of us do not learn from our mistakes.with dire consequences. I remember years ago,a fellow worker advised me as to how to do a certain thing, but when he went away I just continued to do it my way. God wants us to be teachable, in relation to so many things, that we may be more useable by him. Not keep making the same mistakes in our walk with Him, and that we may stop doing things our way ,but His way

                                                 Lord help me to be teachable

                                                                  Amen

Don't give up. ( Hebrews 12 v 1 - 2 )

 I remember when I was at Bible college,we had three children, we had no income,but we trusted God to meet our needs, things were difficult, difficult for my lovely wife. Most people might have known how difficult it was, and one day the principal, spoke to me,he said he understood if we had to give up.Most people would have understood if we did give up,but we didn't ,we pressed on,and I finished the course.Not only that, my wife then attended a Baptist college for further year,we didn't give up. I knew a missionary called Freddy Orr, when he and his wife went to Brazil for the first time,on their way to their destination,she died, he also contacted the illness and  was advised to go home, for he might not survive. The fact is he didn't give up,and for the rest of his life he served God in Brazil. What caused us not to give up?,for ourselves, and I am sure for Freddy, there was belief that God had called us, and he would look after us, which he did.I will say this ,I cannot  answer for what others should do, nor will I judge them.I  am 77 now, and as I look back,I praise God for His faithfulness, I suppose it fits in, with the truth of the perseverance of  the saints,that of not giving up.As a Christian things may  be difficult for you, don't give up,press on,like our dear Saviour, who in spite of  everything he had to face,and all he would have to suffer,he didn't give up.

I can't believe. ( Psalm 40 v 4 )

 ' I can't believe that people would do such a thing', these are the words uttered by an elderly lady,who had been conned out of money ,by a fraudster. I understand why she said this,because we have to trust people.We have to trust the driver of a train, teachers, police,our family, etc,and yet humanity being what they are, there  will always be  those who break our trust. that can be a very painful experience, especially if it is someone we love.It was Shakespeare who wrote in one of his plays,'Love all,trust a few', in Psalm 41 v 9, David wrote,'Even my close friend someone I trusted,one who shared my bread, has turned against me'.Sad  words, but it happens, even among Christians. Those words had a more profound meaning,when our Saviour quoted them in John 13 v18,of the one who would betray Him, Judas Iscariot. He was chosen and trusted, but he was untrustworthy,the question we  may ask ourselves, can the Lord trust us?, well can He?.One thing for sure ,rest assured, we can unreservedly trust our Lord,He will never betray that trust , break that trust, for He is totally trustworthy. If you are facing difficulties,hardship,whatever, 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart , and lean not unto your own understanding'. (Proverbs 3 v 5 ).

Hidden Treasure. ( Mark 8 v 36 -37 )

 One of my favourite books when I was younger was ,'Treasure Island', by R L. Stevenson, the two main character's in it are,the young lad Jim Hawkins,and Long John Silver.It is a wonderful book, what's  it about?, the answer, buried treasure ,it is still worth a read.There are many  buried treasures still to be found, and many people are still seeking them. In Matthew 13 v 44-45, our Saviour says ,'The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field',people in ancient had no were safe to put their riches, so they would bury then in a field. Sometimes the person would die,and so their treasure would lie hidden,until someone would find it, like the person Jesus spoke about. Seemingly the man did not own the field,so  he went and sold everything he had,and bought the field,and got the treasure. So Jesus puts a spiritual application on this story,he likens the treasure to the kingdom of heaven, God's kingdom. In this materialistic age where we value money , and possessions more than anything else, what Jesus says ,comes to us as a great challenge.The question is this ,what do we value the most?,God or earthly treasures, it is a choice we all have to make, to choose Gods kingdom can involve a great cost, it may cost you everything you hold dear. It means accepting Jesus as your Saviour, and following Him?, consider the words of this hymn written by  R F. Miller.

                                             I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold,

                                             I'd rather be His  than have riches untold;

                                             I'd  rather have Jesus than houses or lands,

                                             I'd rather be led by His nail- pierced had.

                                             Than to be a king of a vast domain

                                             and be held in sin's dread sway;

                                             I'd rather have Jesus than anything

                                             this world affords today.

What's in a name?. ( Psalm 121 )

 What's in a name,well I am known as Bill or even Billy, they are a shortened version for William, what is known as a variant.Now William in origin is German. Now what does William mean?,for most names have a meaning, William simply means ,'determined protector'. In Proverbs  18 v 10 we read,'The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe',what is it saying?, how can you run to a name?.One writer says the following,' in the Bible, the name here stands  for the persons, character and qualities,' in  Prov 18 v10 ,the name of the Lord is likened unto a strong tower, in ancient times ,within a city  a fortified tower would be built,it would be somewhere to hide in from invaders. Judges 9 v 50 - 51. So what we are being told to do, is go to God, who is almighty,and powerful,in Him we can be safe, God is not only a tower, but a strong tower,no power on earth will be  able to hurt us, or harm us. Whatever may be threatening you ,run to the Lord, He will be to you, a strong tower, you will be safe and protected.

                                                   A sovereign protector I have,

                                                   Unseen , yet for ever at hand,

                                                   Unchangeably faithful to save,

                                                   Almighty to rule and command,

                                                   He smiles and comforts abound;

                                                   His grace as the dew shall descend

                                                   And walls of salvation surround

                                                   The soul He delights to defend.

                                                     Words Augustus M. Toplady

A Must ( Matthew 6 v 25 - 34 )

Martyn Loyd Jones wrote the following,'I once heard a man use a phrase which affected me very deeply at the time. I am not sure it is not one of the most searching I have ever heard. He said that the trouble with many of us Christians is that we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, but that we do not believe on Him. He meant that we believe on Him for the salvation of our souls, but we do not believe Him  when He says a thing like this to us,that God is going to look after our food and drink, and even our clothing. He makes  such statements as, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour are heavy laden, and I will give you rest',and yet we are borne down by them and defeated by them, and get anxious about many things.' I am sure many of us can identify with these comments,the question is why?  and the answer is lack of  faith; Here is what the scripture says in Hebrews 11 v 6,'And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him MUST believe that He exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.'

                                                    ' Got any rivers you think are un-cross-able?

                                                     Got any mountains you can't tunnel through?

                                                     God specialises in things tho't impossible,

                                                     He does the things others cannot do'   ( Words Oscar C Eliason)

                                                                   HAVE FAITH IN GOD

Murder. ( 1 John 1 v 8 - 10 )

Endeavour, Morse, Vera, they are TV dramas about the police catching murderers,they are very entertaining,I  must have watched them all. Having just watched one , I found myself  saying ,'who would ever have thought that murder would be entertaining',I suppose it may be ,because it is not real,we know that they are only acting , so we enjoy it.But we know in reality, murder is not entertaining, it is absolutely awful,and the friends and relatives of the person murdered, suffer unimaginable emotional pain. Real murder as opposed to pretend murder ,is not entertaining, for from it.Oscar Wilde was a famous author,and playwright, he was sent to prison, for engaging in homosexual activity, yet during his time in prison , he wrote a wonderful poem.,it is called the 'Ballad of Reading Gaol'. He  observed a man who was going to be hung for killing the one he loved.Here are some words from that poem.

                                               The man had killed the thing he loved,

                                               And so he had to die.

Then he goes unto write=     Yet  each man kills the thing he loves,

                                               By each let this be heard,

                                              Some do it with a bitter look,

                                              Some with a flattering word,

                                              The coward does it with kiss,

                                              The brave man with a sword.

Do you know that you can be guilty of murder by just thinking? Learn what Jesus taught,' You're familiar  with the command to the ancients. Do not murder. 'I'm telling you that anyone  who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder'.( you are subject to judgment)  Matthew 5 v 17.  Jesus goes beyond the letter of the law, to the spirit of the law,In light of these words, if we are honest, we are all murders, and will face judgment, unless we confess our sins,and seek forgiveness through Jesus the Saviour of sinners.

Integrity ( John 1 v 47. NLT)

I was listening to Chuck Swindoll on You Tube, speaking on integrity, to me it is a must for all Christians especially for those in Christian ministry, to hear what this godly man had to say on this subject.Integrity can be understood as someone who is honest, one who has principals, who is not corrupt, a person of soundness.In the last church were I was a joint leader we had  someone sent to us  from the domination we where part of.We were a small church ,not much growth ,this person we thought he was going to help us, but instead he wanted to take over the church,assuring us that the Lord had blessed his ministry.So we decided to let him take over the church, and we would step down and leave,which we did. It was only a number of years I learned that he was teaching things contrary to God's word . I know of another church were congregation money set aside for a new building,the Pastor on his own initiative used that money for something else. It goes without saying that none of us are perfect,but we are called to aim at that , at all times,we are called to be people of integrity. People who can be trusted to keep their word,to be faithful to ones spouse,faithful in all things. 

A thing of beauty. ( James 1 v 12 - 15 )

 I was viewing BBC home page and it showed a picture of a mosquito, and had this heading ,'Is not this the worlds most beautiful mosquito?',the fact is it was.There are 3,000 species of mosquito in the world, and they are the cause of about 1 million deaths a year.There are many beautiful creatures in this world,we can admire them from afar,otherwise they will kill us.We can admire beauty but beware , because that beautiful thing  whatever it may be, can bring us grief. Remember the devil knows how to press the right button, knows our weakness'es and he can dangle them before our eyes. A  married man see's a beautiful woman ,and the devil  works on his lustful desires,entices him to sin in thought, and in deed.In Lord of the Rings there is a character called Gollum, he fell in love with a ring,even killing his friend for it,he called it 'My Precious'. He turned from being  a Hobbit,into a deformed and twisted being,that love for that thing of beauty, finally destroyed him. In the garden of Eden, Eve was tempted by Satan to eat the forbidden fruit,she listened,and then she looked,and she saw that the tree was beautiful, and its fruit delicious,and the rest is history. May God enable us not to yield to temptation,to not be blinded as to were it may lead us, and what it may do to us, and what it may cost us.

                                                   

We will see. ( 1 Corinthians 13 )

 In 1 Corinthians 3 v 10 - 17, the apostle Paul  writes about judgement day ,and how it affects the believer,  he reminds them , as one writer says,that the foundation that believer stands on is Jesus Christ,His work saves and that alone.Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe.The scriptures clearly teaches,that we are not saved by our works,no matter how wonderful they are, CP  Ephesians 2 v 8 - 9. The passage in 1 Corinthians 3 deals with the rewards for the service we have rendered Christ, our works will entered be burnt up as rubbish or they will remain, and God will honour and reward us.As we move into 1 Cor, 4, we are told ,that we are not to make judgements before the time, on people or their service,only Christ is qualified to do that, one writer puts it like this.'When he comes, he will bring out in the open and place in evidence all kinds of things we never dreamed of- inner motives,and purposes and prayers. Only then will anyone of us will get to hear the''Well done! ''of God'

                                                        'Teach me, my God and King,

                                                         In all things Thee to see;

                                                        And what I do in anything,

                                                        To do it as for Thee.

                                                              Words . G. Herbert.

War and Peace. ( Revelation 21 v 1 - 4 )

Arthur Wellesley otherwise known as the Duke of Wellington, was one of England's greatest generals,said, 'War is a terrible evil'. As one writer wrote of him,'Military genus though he was, he had no illusions about the human cost of a battle,even when it was won.' After his most famous victory ,the battle of Waterloo, as he surveyed the awful carnage,he declared,' Next to a battle lost, the greatest misery is a battle gained'.Again one has said, 'that after Cain slew his brother Abel the world has been a slaughter house ', such is the sad history of humanity.There has never been a time in history when this world has been at peace,one of the most delusional statements ever made was after the first world war  someone said,'It was the war to end all wars'. As a Christian I believe Jesus is coming again,I look forward to this great event,for it mean the end of wars,of killing ,of violence. Murder is not a mystery,it comes out of our sinful human nature,the driven necessity of humanity to kill continues unabated, and will do , until the Prince of peace comes back.The question is, will you be ready for that great day?, I hope so.

Are you burdened ?.( Matthew 11 v 28 )

At times problems come into our lives,it may be to with family, friends,illness ,and the burdens lay heavy on our hearts.One of my sons is having difficulties, and its lying heavy on my heart. This morning I took my wife's breakfast up to her,and  as I entered the bread room , I was met with a Christian song  playing on TV,an old song I am familiar with it, the title is ,'Burdens are lifted at Calvary', it ministered to my heart,it was a God sent reassuring message for me, I will share it with you, and pray it will be a blessing to you, words are by, John.M. Moore.

                                                Days are filled with sorrow and care,

                                                Hearts are lonely and drear;

                                                Burdens are lifted at Calvary,

                                               Jesus is very near.

                                               Cast your care on Jesus today,

                                               Leave your worry and fear;

                                               Burdens are lifted at Calvary, 

                                               Jesus is very near.

                                               Troubled soul,the Saviour can see,

                                               Every heartache and tear;

                                               Burdens are lifted at Calvary,

                                              Jesus is very near.

Basic things. ( Psalm 100 )

 Dale Ralph Davis  writes about small mercies,this is what he wrote,' I like Luther's 'Small  ' because it keeps me from  escaping this 'basic level' of thanksgiving. When he deals with the (' I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of  heaven and earth'), he asks, 'What does this mean?' His answer is couched in terms of a male householder in Reformation times;.....So here is what the creed means;

I believe that God has created me and all that exists, that he has given and still preserves to me body and soul,eyes, ears, and all my limbs, my reason and all my senses; and also clothing and shoes, food and drink,house and home,wife and child, land,cattle, and all my property; that he provides me richly and daily with all  the necessaries of life, protects me from all danger, and preserves and guards me against all evil; and all  this out of pure paternal divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness of mine; for all which  I am bound to thank, praise,serve, and obey him. This is most certainly true.' 

Let us not forget the basic things, like like a glass of water,a cup tea or coffee,a bar of soap, toothpaste, and so on, and lets give thanks for them.

The Messiah. ( John 18 v 36/ 20 v 28)

 Our Saviour had many confrontations with the leaders of his day,one of the most significant took place when our Saviour  asked the Pharisees ,'What do you think about the Messiah?Whose son is he?. 'The son of David ',they replied.He said to them,' How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ''Lord''? For he says,'' The Lord says to my Lord; 'Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet''. If  then David calls him ''Lord'', how can he be his son?' Matthew 22 v 41- 45.William  Hendriksen points out a number of important things about this passage of scripture, Jesus made no objections to being called ,''Son of David'' C P Matthew 9 v27 /15 v 22/ 20v 30/ Mark 10 v 47- 48/ Luke 18 v 38-39. Son of David was acknowledged to be the title used for the Messiah, of course the Jews understanding of Messiah related to this  world, he would destroy their enemies,and set up a Millennial Kingdom,and they with him, would rule over the kingdoms of this world. WH writes,' The earthly ideas attached to the concept'' Son of David'' or ''Messiah'' must be removed, CP, John 18 v36. The time has arrived to prepare the audience for the idea that the title''Son of David'' means more than was generally realized.The Pharisees  must learn that David's Son is also David's Lord. Not only is he a man; he is also God!'.One writer says this,'Those who listened had the awed and uncomfortable feeling that they had heard the voice of God, and for a moment, in this man Jesus, they glimpsed the very face of God'

The have nots.( Proverbs 28 v 27 )

I was watching a movie about a rich couple befriended a very poor person, they let him live with them, and there is a moment in the movie when he is shown his bedroom. The lad looks a bit overwhelmed, and the wife of the couple says to him,'I  suppose you never a bedroom before?'.he replied,'no I have never had a bed of my own'. For many the real world is made up of children ,who have never had a bed of their own,never had a pair of shoes,never had clean water to drink, never had new clothes to wear,never had a home to live in,never tasted chocolate. Never had someone who told them that they loved them,and have never heard about the love of Jesus. Such is the world that we lived in,we glibly speak of the haves and the have nots, and that's that. We who have, neglect the poor to our cost, we will be the poor ones, remember we are not saved by our good works , but the evidence that we are saved,is our good works,as James says we are to show our faith by our good works. ( James 2 v 18 )

/,he replied

Request Denied. ( 1 John 5 v 14 - 15 )

 He wrote many of the Psalms, he was king of Israel,a man after God's own heart, his name was David, but God refused hie request ,to be allowed to build a temple (1 Chronicles 17). In 2 Chron 28 v 3 David tells us why,he was a warrior, and had shed much blood.David never showed any resentment as regards his request being rejected.God said his son Solomon would build it, so instead of feeling hurt or getting angry he provided all that was necessary for his son to build the temple.The fact is God will not always give us what we request,it is important for us to see this. I wanted to be a missionary,God did not grant me my request,in hindsight I understand  that His will must prevail, not mine. I know so very little ,I do not always know why God says no,but it is important,to accept it as I have said ,His will must prevails. Even though Davids request was a noble admirable request it was not in God's will to grant his request.It did not mean that He did not love David, for it is obvious that He did, He was not rejecting David ,he was rejecting His request. Let us turn to one dark night in a garden were a lonely figure lay prostrate on the ground,and He was praying with such an intensity that he sweated as it were great drops of blood.He was facing suffering greater than what any other human would ever face.Here is what He prayed,' My Father , if it is not  possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done'.Someone has said every true prayer has at its heart, those words,'your will be done', his name was Jesus.