Nothing to laugh at.( Luke 16 v 19 - 33)1

 Judgement was about to fall on those two infamous cities Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18) ,but Abraham's nephew, wife and family lived there,Abraham  prays a prayer indeed pleads for  the cities to be spared, if there were just ten  righteous people dwelling there,Alas there wasn't even ten,so judgement must fall,but there was one righteous man Lot (2 Peter 2v 2-8) plus his wife,two daughters,and their husbands (2 Peter 2 v 2-)only three of them would be saved.His sons-in-law did not take the warning seriousaly,in fact they laughed,(19 v 14) The Judgement of God is not something to laugh at ,we must take it very ,very  serious,for God means what He say's.Hell is not a made up thing,no it is something that God has prepared initially for the devil and his angels,now it includes unrepentive sinners.Consider what Jesus said in Matthew 10v 28,' Do not be afraid of those who kill the body,but cannot kill the  soul . Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell'.

                                        'Laughing will one day turn  to weeping and wailing'

Heavenly Wisdom ( 2 Corinthians 3 v2-5) 4

Let us briefly mention the other qualites of heavenly wisdom,first ,'considerate ',or as Matthew Arnold called it ''sweet reasonableness'.The religious people of Jesus day we're anything but considerate or  sweet and reasonable they were very hardhearted (Mark 3 v5 ),they would have pushed to the front of the queue.Next we look at,'Submissive' one writer says it can mean,' ever ready to obey', the greatest example of this ,is the Lord in all He did,and reached its fullness by His submission and obedience to God His Father.(Philippians 2 v 5-11).Next we have ,'Full of mercy and good fruit '. an over abundance to forgive, and a generous heart.Next 'Impartial and sincere', we are all inclined to listen to one side of the story often we take sides,when my neighbours wife's marriage broke up I tried not to take sides. As regards being  sincere in other words ,not two faced,one of the things our Saviour said about the Pharisees that they were hypocrites Matthew 22 v18,He said this many times.There used to be saying,the bigger the Bible the bigger the hypocritr, Our lives should manifest what ever the Bible says,as one person put it,'That our lives  may be like a letter that anyoe can read'.

The Heavenly Wisdon (James 3 v 17-18 ) 3

 We have mentioned the worldly or earthly wisdom, that many exersise,and can lead to so much evil.now we will consider the wisdom that comes down from heaven.One could liken heavenly  wisdom to the fruits of the Spirit,the first is described as being pure,perfect and holy,for as I said it comes from heaven, where everything is pure,perfect and holy.There is no deviousness in it,none whatsoever,it is not built on crooked thinking,or underhand dealings.Our Saviour manifested it in its fulness ,we His followers who have this ,will manifest Christ. Next we have peace -loving,William Barclay writes that it has a two fold meaning,a relationship of peace with man,and peace with God,how we need that,Christ the Prince of peace,made it possible we can have peace with God Romans 5 v1,Calvarys peace with God ,was purchased by Christs sacrificial death on the cross,By the Spirit's aid we can live at peace with man.There is so many things  that are stirring people up in conflict with others,the list is endless.let us bear in mind that to be a peace maker is to be blessed. ( Matthew 5 v9 )

                                                  Dear God and Father,fill us by Thy Spirit,

                                               that we will manifet purity and peacefulness,

                                                                in Jesus name . Amen

Wisdom ( Luke 20 v 20 -26) 2

 James encourages us to ask God for wisdom, 1v 5-6,then in chap 3 v 13 -18, he describes two kinds of wisdom.a worldly wisdom and a heavenly wisdom.Our lives and actions will manifest the wisdom we live by,we shall be known by our fruits. Wisdom should mean a lot to all of us,it should be a priorty in all our lives if we live by the heavenly wisdom we will manifest the life of Christ. Likewise the worldly wisdom does not come from heaven is unspiritual,demonic,very strong words,but if looks one at some leaders in 20th century,like Stalin ,Hitler,we can say they had wisdom,but it was surely demonic,they represent so many others like themselves. They where full of  selfish ambition,that crushed anyone who they felt stood in their way. They caused disorder  and practiced every kind of evil,and that's what they are remembered for.I have been mentioning,the wicked rulers of this world.In a lesser level people can manifest it, here is an example, my wife's car developed a fault,we found out it would need a new engine,it had not done that many miles,it is not obivious that it has a problem,two people advised trading it in without declaring the fault,of course we didn't, you see that's worldly wisdom.In so many ways wordly wisdom is at work,as one writer puts it,' People are ready  to intrigue and to plot and to use any means to gain their end'.

Singleness, ( James 1 v 7 -8 ) 1

We all need wisdom as Christians we have a choice ,it is James in his epistle who stresses the importance of wisdom,in chapter 1 v 5 he writes,'If any of you lack wisdom',often we are faced with situations ,and we don't know what we should do.If that is so you situation James say's ,'ask our generous God for wisdom , and He will give it to you,He will not rebuke you for asking'That's very simple,but he goes on to say,be sure your faith is in God alone.Do not waver,Motyer says ,'we should have a singleness of vision but, unfortionately most of us have double vision' ,that will get us nowhere ,and we will receive nothing from the Lord. God is the giving God who delights  in those who come to Him with a singleness of purpose.Consider  Solomon he had a singleness of vision ,when God said to  him, 'Ask for whatever you want me to give you,'  Solomon made a choice,here is what he asked for,\.Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong', (1v9)We may not be a king like Solomon, but we do need to know the difference right and wrong. God gave him a wise and understanding heart'. (1 v 12) God was so pleased with his choice  He give him more than he asked . May God grant  us  that singleness of  vision ,that godly wisdom, in our walk of holiness, and as we walk with Jesus.

Continue walking. ( Psalm 23 ) 3

 I want us to further consider Enoch,that godly man who walked with God,in Genesis 5 v 22  we read that he had a family, Leupold comments,'Celibacy is not a requisite for a holy life', So having a wife and a family did not stop him in his relationship with God.Marriage is God's way for humanity and yet it is coming more and more under attack,in Hebrews 13 v 4 reads 'Marriage should be honoured by all,'.and of course it should only be between a man and a woman'. Likewise in Hebrews 11 v 5 ,we read he was a man of faith, ,we are told the just shall live by faith, Paul wrote,'I live by faith in the son of God,{Galatians 2 v 20) John Stott comments on these words ,'Faith is not just an intellectual conviction , but a personal commitment to Christ....a daily running to Him  for refuge  and calling on Him for mercy',that's the walk that Enoch walked ,and we are called to walk.

                                                       'O  walk with Jesus! to thy view

                                                       He will make all things sweet and new;

                                                       Will bring new fragrance from each flower,

                                                         And hallow every passing hour.

                                                        Jesus a great desire have we

                                                        To walk life's troubled path with Thee;

                                                         Come to us now,in converse stay;

                                                          And walk with us day by day'

                                                                    'E.Paxton Hood.

Saving Faith ( Isaiah 53) Enoch 2

 In Hebrews 11 that great chapter on faith and the heroes of faith, in v5 we have Enoch mentioned ,it commences by saying ,'by faith'. Hughes says ,'Faith must have an object and God is the supreme and eternal object of all faith.' Without faith in the God of the Bible,God will not be pleased.An elderly lady who comes to our church ,said that she  believed that there was something out there.That is not faith in God ,if we are to  be accepted by God ,as I have said we must have faith in the  God of the Bible,and we must  take that further ,God is a triune being,'Father,Son,and Holy Spirit'.and it goes further still we must accept by faith the Son of God as our Saviour. To reject Him is to reject God , that is the faith  God is well pleased with. Enoch had that faith, Leupold writes,' Since  Enoch was of the Sethite line, where faith in the Saviour to come prevailed,he having  lived in such faith,after his removal  shares the glory that is theirs who believed on  the Saviour. He is glorified as believers in Christ are, and that of course ,at once.'The saints in the OT believed in a coming Messiah ,Abraham did ( John 8 v 56), the OT saints looked forward to Christ sacrificial  atoning sacrifice on the cross,yes  Enoch was one of them,Whither in the OT or the NT,faith in Jesus  is the only way to be saved.

Just keep on walking.( Genesis 19 v14/ 26) 1

In Genesis 5 Moses records a list of  people starting  from Adam to Noah,and in the midst of all those names we have one whom we are told  walked with God v22., his name was Enoch. John Calvin writes,'This holy man,whom the Holy Spirit excepted from the common order,was rare and almost singular'. JC  goes on to say ,' This one man , stood firmly in the season of most dreadful dissipation'yes this one,walking with God can be lonely experience,the narrow way restricts us and saves us,from much that is wrong in life.When I came back to the Lord 60yrs ago,my best friend  went his way,I went God's way. JC comments 'If we wish to live rightly and orderly, we may learn  to regard God more than men' Enoch lived a long time, he didn't become a drop out,like old father Thames he just kept rolling along. We do not read of what trials and difficulties he experienced I'm sure he had his share,but he didn't give up. nor should we ,we have to endure whatever comes at us, right to the end ,how? by God's grace.

                                                                ' No looking back and

                                                                  No turning back'

Be faithful ( Jonah 1 v 1- 3 )

 I read this recently.' The problem in politics is that operatives tell candidates what they want to hear rather than what they need to know'. Political parties do this, especially when it comes to an election,very few of them spell out the difficulties,one politician did it, Winston Churchill,'On May the 13th 1940 ,he told the House of Commons,' I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears,and sweat',he followed this by saying why,' We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind'. The OT prophets had to tell it as it was ,had to tell what people didn't want to hear, if they didn't proclaim God's word faithfully they would be held resonsible.(Ezekiel 33 v 8-9 )Things have not changed for the New Covenant Isreal,we are called  to proclaim the truth of  God,without fear or favour. In Romans 10 v 14, we read'And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?'the answer is they wont,likewise if the preacher only tells people what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear,there is a measure of guilt on them also.Romans 10 v15 declares, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news'.Yes it is a beautiful thing to proclaim the Gospel to people ,and that is what we are called to do, let us not fail in that task.

The Lord's table. ( 1 Corinthians 11 v 23 -26 )

 We had a lovely time on Sunday morning at our fellowship,it included what we call the Lords table,so we sang a song by Graham Kendrick,just let say I love many  of the modern songs.So as we sang the song,I wasn't happy with one of the verses which goes,'In this bread there is healing,In this cup there's life forever'.There are people who really believe that,I don't, they are symbols  ,that's all.and we must be careful not to transfer to them,what Christ can only do.the Catholic church have made the wafer a thing to worship.There are also those within the Protestant fold who likewise are what  one would call sacramentilist.Let us turn back to the Lord's table,what did Jesus say about it?, in Luke 22 v 19 -20 we read ,'This do in rememberance of Me',it is a rememberance feast,nothing else nothing more. The bread speaks of His body that was given for us,given to be a sacrifice for our sins,given to bear the wrath of God so that we don't have to bear it.The blood  we  are told it is a sign of the New Covenant which tells us that the Lord will forgive our wickedness, and will remember our sins no more.( Jeremiah 31 v 33 34 )The Lords table is symbolic nothing more nothing else,and yet very important ,in taking the bread and wine we are reminded afresh that it is all about Jesus and His work of salvation for us.

Out with the old in with the new, ( Hebrews 11 v 8 -16)

Father Abraham was called by God to leave his own country and go to the land God would give him,he was 75 and he was told by God ,that through him all the peoples on the earth would be blessed, indicating he would have children. (Genesis 15 v4) How did Abram react to this promise ? 'Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness '.This is a most wonderful verse, it answers the question of how those in the OT were saved,very simple the same way the saints in the NT were saved Romans 5 v1. Salvation is granted to us when by faith we trust in Jesus,the result is we become Children of God,and we are children of Abraham also Galatians 3 v29. Isreal's history  is our history,,we are no  longer foreigners and strangers,but fellow citizens with God's people and members of his household'. (Ephesians 2 v 19) All the promises in the OT are ours,everyone one of them,their future is our future,the old covenat is gone ,the new covenant has arrived,and we are new creations through our wonderful Jesus, our Messiah.,the moral laws remain,the legalist laws are finished,the temple is gone,a new temple has come into place ,not one built by human beings.Every Christian is a temple in which the Holy Spirit dwell's (/1 Corinthians  3 v15 / 2  Corinthians 6 v 16/).We God's new creation  have a wonderful future in that wonderful new heaven and new earth, in which we will sing a new song to Him who hath loved us and cleansed us from our sin.

                                                        ' Truly worthy is Lamb'

                                                  

There's none so blind ( Jeremiah 17 v 9 )

While out walking I stopped to talk to a fellow Irish man, he is  from the south,as we old ones  spoke of our different aliments, I will not tell you what they were,I don't want to depress you.He asked what age I was , I asked him what age he thought I was,and to my surprise he said 65,I lie not ,of course he was not wearing glasses.He told me his name was Mac Carry,the conversation came to spiritual things, I don't know if I made much headway,but I did try,one of things he said, that he did not sin,and he had no sinful thoughts.One is amazed that a person saying such a thing,it manifests just how  blind they are,blind to how vast is the gulf between sinful man and God the holy One.We have all  sinned and come short of the glory of God,he did not appear to think that applied to him.There is no one so blind  as those who cannot see,or who don't want to see.I pray that the Holy Spirit  would do His special work of convicting him of his sin , and of God's righteousness,and of coming judgement;(John 16 v 8.)

                                               ' Dear God you know the awful darkness

                                                of  peoples hearts,we cry unto you that

                                                by your Spirit,you will convict them

                                                of their sinfulness,and that they may flee 

                                                to Jesus the Saviour of sinners.Amen'

                                                 

                                                

The young man with green hair. ( 1 Samuel 16 v 7)

The question is does it matter how we dress when we go to our place of worship?, and the answer is ,well we will come to that.My pastor told a story about a young man who got his hair dyed green, to his parents surprise .He was a Christian so they didn't say much,so that Sunday they went to their place of worship and it was the young man with green hairs turn to welcome people at the door. Some of the regulars give him a funny looks,and thought, we must have a word with the pastor. Just as the service was about to begin ,a young lady came ,she had a ring in her nose and  a tattoo on her arm,after the service she came to the young lad, and told him that seeing him with his green hair,encouraged  her to stay ,and she would be coming back.She eventually trusted Christ and became a member of that church for many years. It may surprise us to know that God is not concerned as what one wears,unlike us God has always a bigger agender, and it goes beyond what we wear,or the colour of our hair.or our status in society.Our dear Saviour always looked at a persons greatest need,the salvation of their soul, and so should we.

Is This? ( Matthew 19 v16 )

Recently I got in to a conversation  with a young married man, he spoke of the wrong things that are happening ,and I ssked him,what did he think was the cause?.I don't think he understood the question,in the end I told him the answer,'sin'. Yes that is the answer ,well the conversation continued I mentioned hell,he didn't believe in a place called hell,this is were it got a bit confusing,for he went on to say that hell and heaven is now,if you are having a difficult life now that's hell,likewise if you are having a good life now ,you are in heaven. He also seemed to believe in reincarnation unknowingly buying into Hinduism,in that if one was having a it bad now , it was because you were bad in a former life,likewise if you are having a good life now,it is because you were good in a former life. So it waa a very mixed up conversation,His veiws were so far removed from the truth. he looks at the prosperous people ,and he thinks that they are in heaven,people like Howard Hughes,a very wealthy man ,but what a messed up life he had.Think of many of the rich and famous film stars,their infidelities ,their divorces, Hemingway committed sucicide.As to the poor and suffering they are not in hell,they are just poor and suffering,awful though it may be.

                                                      O what emptiness! without the Saviour.

                                                       Mid the sins and sorrows here below!

                                                       And eternity,how dark without Him!

                                                       Only night and tears,and endless woe!

I have done enough. ( Luke 17 v 10)

I recently ministered in a church,not a very large church,and they have a problem,they desperately need people to be deacons,they don't have a pastor,.After the  service was over and we met  to have a cup of tea,there was a married couple there and I said to the man would you not consider being a deacon?he sort of  said he may,but it wasn't a very positive reply..Then his wife started to speak as to their  past Christian ministry ,she mentioned the different things they had done in the church,and now she felt they had done enough,and they wanted more time to themselves. I didn't say to much more,I thought it was very sad that they thought like that,because it seemed to me that they,particularly the wife,thought she had served God enough .The next morning at home I was praying giving thanks to God for his mercies,and I said to God ,that words seem inadequate for all that he has done for me,and I said what can I give you?,my reply was,' I give my life back to you'.But I am eighty but I cannot retire from serving God,oh yes I may have to cut down  on certain things,through age or infirmity.That church has a needs if  they don't get people willing to serve in that little church it will close.We read these very challenging words from  what  I call the gospel of Romans verses 12 v 1 ,'I plead with you to give your bodies to God because all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice,the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to wordhip Him.'

                                             'Yes God does require sacrifice from us'

Thank you. (Lamentations 3 v 22-23 )

I was having a time of prayer and I found myself  saying to God ,'Thank you for always being there',as I said this I felt very emotional. I have been on a long journey,full of many twists and turns,and many up's and downs, some successes and many failures.Yet through it all God my loving heavenly Father has been there for me, words in some ways I feel are inadequate ,could be the emotions I felt were a more acceptable thank you. When I trusted my blessed Saviour things did change in my life and for the better for I had a big heavenly Father looking after me. So I look back with gratitude and thankfulness,there is a Christian song with these words in it,'Why me Lord', yes it is a mystery,as the song also says,'What have I ever done to deserve such love?' and the answer is nothing. God did not  set His upon me because I deserved it, I didn't,here is what the scripture has to say,'God demonstrate his love on us in this; while we were still sinners,Christ died for us',( Romans 5 v 8 ) He didn't say to me go and clean your act up first, no He said come to me,simply ask Me to forgive you your sins through my Son Jesus,and I will,and you know something ,He did.That's not the end of the story it was only the beginning,the best is yet to be.

                                       'Nothing good have I done, to deserve God's own Son,

                                        I'm not worthy of the scars in His hands;

                                        Yet He chose the road to Calvary to die in my stead,

                                         Why He loved me, I can't understand.'

                                                        Words by Dottie Rambo.

 

I found the answer. ( Luke 19 v 1 -10)

 I was shopping in a supermarket and something caught my eye,it was describing the benefits of a certain product it read,'It will warm your soul'.Most people think they don't have a soul, but they do ,so everything in life is geared to a being without meaning.I read this recently,a  description of two fictitious ladies,' The first is tall and impossibly slim (a Soul without a body), the second was short and squat ( a Body without a soul)'. I found  that amusing, but the fact is we all have souls,and they are the most precious thing we possess. A famous young footballer has 6 cars each one worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, Is that the answer for that young man?,our Saviour declared this ,'what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and looses his soul.?'.Is possessing things,money fame ,what life is all about?,sad to say that's what many think. None of these thing are the meaning of life,they just blind us to the deepest need of our souls,which is Christ,He and He alone can meet the deepest needs of our hearts, sixty years ago,my life was empty,it appeared to have no meaning,but then I found the answer ,Jesus Christ.

Please be ready.( Genesis 19 v 14 )

 The Regency period lasted from 1811-1820,it was when George Prince of Wales ruled as Regent, he was a bit of a scallywag, his eating ,drinking,and spending was always excessive.The nobility of that time followed in the princes footsteps,they cared little for the future,or even for tomorrow.They lived  unapologetically in the moment.Charles Wesley called these so gentlemen the great vulgar,they were described  as being stupid,and vain, Sometime  animals show more sense than us humans,the squirrels puts a supply of nuts away  for the winter.Yet there are those who do prepare for old age,but I wonder how many people prepare for eternity?.There used to be people who carried posters on a wooden frame,with the words ,'Prepare to meet your God', I wonder how many people took those words serious?.Do you take it serious?,is it just a joke,when God speaks it ceases to be a joke.There is coming a time when time will be no more (Revelation 10 v6)or as one person put .'their time will be up'.judgement shall begin,and I do pray that whoever is reading this blog ,will not leave it to late,and they will trust Jesus as their Saviour.

                                                    'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ

                                                    and you shall be saved.

                                                               Acts 16 v 31'

Would I pass with flying colours? ( Exodus 20 v 3 )

 When Abram  was  called to move and go to the place of God'd appointmen, what became known as the promise land,he in faith obeyed that call.  (Genesis 12 v1 / Hebrews 11 v 8) Leupold says,'Abram's faith  yielded obedience'.Luther said , 'Faith is a lively and powerful thing;it is not merely a  drowsy and idle thought; nor does it float somewhere upon the heart of a duck upon the water,but it is like water warmed through and through by a good warm fire'. Faith is an active experience,when God spoke to Abram he obeyed and so he set off with his wife Sarai and Lot his nephew,and all his possessions.Leupold points out,'It is becoming apparent ,that he was a very rich man'.It is not wrong for a child of God to be rich. It was John the Basptist who said, 'A person can receive only what is given them from heaven',(John 3v27 )Yes it covers money,but it covers so many things,There's a song that goes,'The things that I love have and hold dear my heart,are just borrowed,there not mine at all,Jesus only let me use them to brighten my life,so remind me,remind me dear Lord'.I dont think that money was a problem for Abram, but there was a moment in His life when God commanded him,to sacrifice his beloved son,now that was a test (Gen 22),and he passed the test  with flying colours.I wonder,I wonder if God put me to the test would I pass with flying colours?. PS just to say he didn't sacrifice his son,God was more concerned about his willingness to obey Him.

Old age.( 2 Corinthians 4 v 16 -18 )

 Just recently I turned eighty,and  I though jokingly I am as old as my granny was, and I wonder is  it all down hill from now on?. Couple of my friends are older than me and it shows, and if one thinks about it old age can appear a frighting time, and it could fill us with fear and concerns. The big ,'what if, 'comes to mind .So what can one do? first of all we can look back and remember that the God of our youth is the God  of our old age.This is what King David wrote,'I was young and now am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken' (Psalm 37 v 25) I have been following the Lord for 60 years and like David I have experienced God's faithfulness.In Ruth 4v 15 we read,' He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age', in other words God will help us to go on, for as our days so shall our strength be. We have a similar promise in Isaiah 46 v 4, which reads,'Even to your old  age and grey hairs  I am He,I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you'.When we get old we may have to make decisions, Psalm 48 v 14,reads ,'For this God is our God for ever and ever,'yes for ever and ever,He does not throw us off in old ages ,and that applies to our eternal future. Then the rest of v14  reads .'He will be our guide even unto death'.He will continue to guide us all our lives.Psalm 92 v14 tells us that 'They will still bear fruit in old age',what a lovely thought.Finally even though our bodies are wasting away,we can be renewed spiritually daily.(2Corinthians  4 v 16)

He missed his chance. ( Isaiah 55 v 8-7 )

 Michael Green  wrote the following,'If  you want to know what God is like,look to Jesus. If you want to get through to God,come to Jesus. If you want to discover the epicentre of God's self- disclosure,you will find it in Jesus'. He goes on to write,'This is the claim. That is what makes Christianity at once so attractive and so widely hated. The sheer exclusivity of the claims drives people in one direction or the other'. Mahatma Gandhi was a man to be admired,he thought much of our Saviour, but he never came to know Him as his Saviour. He would say that many Christians failed to be Christians,failed to be like Christ,and I'm sure that was true,India was ruled by those who professed to be Christian's and felt that they were superior  to the Indian population.One can understand Gandhi's point of view, when he was dying  one of his relatives came to him and asked,''Babaki ,you have been looking for God all your life. Have you found him yet?' No,' was his reply. 'I'm still looking'.It is unfortunate to say the least that he missed the chance that he had to trust Christ ,could it be that this so called holy man could not come to terms with the fact that he was a sinner who needed a Saviour, as we all do.

Ego ( Philippians 2 v 5 - 11)

It was said of a certian general in the second world war that he suffered from  egomania,which made him pretty unsufferable.He never laughed or told a joke,and possessed no small talk,but he did occasionally talk baseball to enlisted men to deceive them that  he was human.We all have an ego to some extent, one writer says this, it can be an inflated with  feelings of pride,or pridefulness. If  we run with such an ego we may begin to think that we are the center of the universe.That general I mentioned wanted to be top dog,would alway wanted to get the praise for accomplishing things he never done.So he is one example of how our fallen nature can distort our personalites, we see this in other examples, from history, of rulers who considered themselves to be god's.Also  many dictators while not claiming they are divine encourage their people to treat them in that way.In recent days some so called  Christians have said that they are small gods,our fallen human nature leads us to have inflated ideas as to ourselves,I suppose thats why we don't like the truth taught in the Bible that we all sinners, we are not the special ones,we are not the center of the universe ,we are not superior.Two nations who went to war against the world ,were driven by a belief that they were superior to others to ,and that they were invincipal ,alas  they found out to their cost that they were not.

                                               'Dear Lord, open our eyes ,let us see ourselves

                                               as you see us,sinners that need to be saved, by

                                               trusting Jesus,as our Saviour.And when we do 

                                               help us to walk humbly with you. Amen.'

                                                

                                               

God is not like us, ( Isaiah 55 v 6-7)

 In  Psalm 50 God speaks to those he calls the wicked, who recite His laws and pretend to obey His covenant(16),but were acting in evil ways.Spurgeon comments,'these people appeared religious but their religion was a  cover for their evil ways'.Most Germans at the time of Nazism professed to be Christians,it was that hypocrisy that our Saviour condemmed outright CP Matthew 23 ,God will welcome sinners who acknowledge their sin  and turn from their wicked ways,but He will not tolerate those whose,attitudes ,and actions are obviously contray to His holiness,here is how one writer puts it,' When God calls to them they do not ansewer,they treat His word like garbage.Their mouths  drools filth,that they were good at lying,and were good at back stabbing'.Here is what they thought of God,' You thought  that I was one like yourself 'v21. Many people conveniently forget that Gods thoughts are not our thoughts,neither are His ways our  ways (Isaiah 55 v8) God is not tolerant as regards sin,He burns with a righteous angry at man's sinful ways,He absolutely hates mankinds sinful ways,He will not excuse our sin or make light of it, How serious is sin to a holy God, well consider the consequences, it can be summed  up in one word,' Hell' that is the destiny of  humanity unless they forsake their sin,repent of their sin,and trust Jesus as their Saviour.

Temptation ( Hebrews 4 v 14 -16 )

 We will all be tempted to do wrong ,no one will escape that,it is W Barclay who writes on ,The Defence against temptation'.He tells how President Garfield was once urged  to take a profitable, but  dishonourable course of action. It was said,'' No one will ever know'', His answer was,''President Garfield will know- and I've got to sleep with him.''  How true , there are  some things in my life I've done ,and I still remember them with regret.That is one aspect of defending ourselves against temptation,another is to not put ourselves in the way of temptation,the Lord's prayer touches on that ,in the words.'Lead us not into tempatation,' but deliver us from all evil ', some translations have,' deliver us from the evil one'.(Matthew 6 v 13) Left to our own devices we can so easy put ourselves in the way of temptation,let us always be aware of our weaknesses  , in praying those words we are acknowledging our dependence on God to deliver us from all evil which includes the evil one.Yes there is evil within us,a fallen nature that we have to be always aware of.The other is the evil one  the devil, who will always be seeking to take advantage of us,to lure us into evil which comes to us in many different ways. We must remembe that we will always be in a spiritual battle,as  Michael Green writes,' Jesus well aware of this, bids us to daily seek the Fathers strength to be delivered from the seductions of the svil one,' that includes the evil of our own hearts. 

Only one way.( John 3 v 3ff)

One should never underestimate the fact that children can come to know Christ as their Saviour, R.T.Kendall,tells in a book that he wrote of how he became a Christian, he writes the following, ' I  was converted  at the age of six,on Easter Morning April 5,1942. As we were getting ready to go to church, I told my parents I  wanted to be a Christian,I knelt at my parents bedside,confessed my sins,and asked the Lord to save me'.Yes six years of age but it was real,and when he grew up he became a preacher,and was the minister of Westminster Chapel in London, when Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones left. In 1 Samuel 3 v 7,we read  that the boy Samuel ,'did not yet know the Lord', even though he served in the  Tabernacle ,one does not automatically become a  Christian, that only comes when we put our trust in Jesus ,Samuel  eventually did come to know the Lord .  Attending a church or having Christian parents does not make one a Christian,we must be born again John 3 v 7.

                                                   'Becoming a Christian only comes

                                                    through a second birth.'

Know all's. ( 1 Corinthians 13 v 12)

 Sometimes there are people who give the impression that they know it all, yes they are know all's,  if only,of course  there is no such person who knows it all,I must confess I don't know it all.I was visiting an elderly couple who live in a residentual place, they are Christians of long standing,the lady is in her 90s her husband s not far behind her,he suffers from Parkinsons.During my visit the lady raised the question,will we know each other in heaven?,it is a good question,do you know the answer? .I often think about heaven, the main thing I am concerned with,that those we love  will be in heaven. All the relationships we have now will be no longer,we will all be in one perfect relationship.There are so many things we don't know,and may never know this side of eternity. in Deueronomy 29 v29 (a), we read these very,very important words,' The secret things belong unto God.' Often we struggle with so many things,and we cry out to heaven,'why'?, and we don't get an answer,and we may never know this side of eternity.At this stage  only God knows,and we just have to trust Him, it is His secret,known only to Him.But there are things God has revealed to us CP Deut 29 v29 ( b),let us hold fast as to what we do know,and trust Him as regards the things we don't know',remember what Jesus said,'Blessedare those who have not seen and yet have believed' ( John 20 v 29 )

We don't need God.( Revelation 3 v14 - 22 )

 A  friend of mine said that in the 1970's people began to have more money to spend,they began to go on foreign holidays,and generally they were better off.One of the effects of this was felt when he and his collegues went door to door evangelisim he was told,'we don't need God anymore we have got everything ,more than we need'.There was time when people needed the church,especially children,things were different then, people could not afford much,for children  it was somewhere to go.Once a year the church would hire a bus and parents and children  would go away for the day to a holiday resort.When people die  many are not having a minister take a service,also some have the body taken away to the crematorian,and the ashes are brought back to the loved one's, simple as that.It is all very sad,and I believe  it won't get any better.In Proverbs 30 v 7-9  we have a very wise prayer.it reads.

                            ' Two things I ask of you Lord ;donot refuse me before I die;

                               keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty

                               nor riches,but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise ,I  may

                               have to much and disown you and say,''Who is the Lord?'' 

                               Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonour the name

                                of my God'.        

                                                                                         

Don't do it.( Psalm 121 )

 I don't know if you have ever heard of Roy Taylor,he was a fellow Irish man ,I never met him I wish I had,he was an entertainer ,a singer who represented Ireland in Eurovison 1988.He died of Moter Nrurone Disease.I heard him sing  with Finbar Furey ,while having that disease,i the song sounded lovely.I saw a picture of him holdng a plaque,with theses words on it,'Never,Never,Never,Give Up'.These words challenged me conaidering the person who was holding the plaque,that disease is dreadful ,there is no cure ,he died of it in 2023. Life on planet earth can throw a lot things at us,awful things,and it seems easy to give up, you loose a love one,you loose the job you need,you husband or wife may have been unfaithful,and walked out on you.The present is dark ,the future appears even darker ,the answer is not sucicide,or running away,or being engulfied with dark thoughts,I'm speaking to you if you are a Christian,I want you to look to Jesus ,listen to what He says to  you ,'look to Me', and I will bring you through,in your darkness I will be your light,in your weakness I will be your strength,in your sadness I will be your joy,in your lonliness I will be your friend.He knows how you feel,  It may seem beyond you to carry on, it would be, if it was just you,Here is what Jesus again would say to you.'So do not fear,for I am with you; I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand'. ( Isaiah 40 v10).

                                                            ' Never Give Up,

                                                             Never Give Up,

                                                             Never Give Up'

God is not a spectator. ( Romans 1 v18-32)

I used to play football a long time ago,I wasn't very good,now I am just a spectator ,no influence,I don't get involved I just criticise ,and  try to enjoy the game,yes I'm just an onlooker. The thought came to me as regards God,is He just a spectator?,does He just sit enthroned above the circle of the earth,just looking looking on?.The fact is a vast number of people look at God  as being a spectator not really involved in the affairs of this world. and is definitely  not involved in anyway in their affairs.They speak with no reference to God,other than using His name in vain,living only on a horizontal level.when Pharaoh was confronted by Moses and the words that he spoke,'The God of Israel says'; Pharaoh replied ,'Who is the Lord, that I should let Israel go? I do not know the Lord'. (Exodus 5  v 1-2 )Millions upon millions do not know God ,I spoke to a man today he said he was an atheist,so he is not accountable,most people are practical atheist in other words they act as if He does not exist .I said to that atheist,'so all this just happen,its impossible '. The apostle said,' in Him (God ) we live and move and have our being (Acts 17 v28).he then goes on to declare,'For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice  by the man He has appointed,He has given proof of this to everyone by raising  him from the dead'.(Acts 17 v 31)God is sovereign we are heading at brake neck speed to that day when we all will be ushered into the presence of God  and they shall bow the knee before Him in fear,as judgement falls upon them,and oh what a weeping and whaling will  be heard as they hear of their fate.

                                                     'There are no atheists in foxholds'

Boasting excluded. ( 1 Corinthians 15 v 9- 10)

A man was heard saying ,'I suppose those Christian think they are better than everybody else',no, that is not true.Some religions like Hinduism  can lead those in a higher cast,think that they better than those in a lower cast,and so they despise them,and have no sympathy for them. We read of the Pharisees in the gospels they called the common people sinners,yet our Saviour had said some very serious things about them that they  were children of hell (Matthew 23 v13) . Do Christians think they are better than the non-Christians?,I hope they don't ,for the fact is we are not.But we are better off than non-Christians, simply by the grace of God, the Christian is a sinner saved by grace, We are better  off than the non-Christian for Jesus is our Saviour, and  that changes everything,instead of going to hell we are going to heaven.(John 3 v 16) Upon every non -Christian  the wrath of God remains  ,but not upon those who trust in Jesus(John 3v 36). Yes the Christian is better off than the non-Christian, because when Christ becomes our Saviour, God becomes our Father (John 1 v12) Yes we not better that anyone else ,but because of Jesus we are better off than them .

                                                     'Naught have I gotten,but what I received;

                                                      Grace have bestowed it since I believed;

                                                       Boasting excluded,pride I abase;

                                                        I'm only a sinner,saved by grace.'

                                                                 Words J.M.Gray.