We just don't know. ( 1 Corinthians 13 v12)

A person called Mikail Bakunin was touched by Beethoven's ninth symphony said in praise of that music,''Everything will pass, and the world will perish, but the ninth symphony will remain''.Part of that saying is true but not it all,for according to scripture this world and the things of this world will pass and indeed perish.It is James who spells it out very clearly when he writes ,'But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bear'.(2 Pet 3 v10) CP Matthew 24 v35.We are destroying this world by the things we do to it.but in God's time it will be totally destroyed by God himself. But that is not the end of the story for as Christians we look for a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3 v13),and most wonderful of all , it will be where righteousness dwells.It will be a holy existence and so it will be a happy existence,as regards Beethovens ninth symphony ,well even though its a lovely piece of music,I don't think it will follow us into eternity or into heaven ,some people might want Mozart,or whoever,and that may just disturb the harmony of heaven,so I think not.The word of God tells us ,'No eye has seen,no hear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.( 2 Corinthians 2 v 9)

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A beautiful thing. ( Mark 14 v3 -9)

 In Mark 14 v3ff we read how our Saviour was in the home of Simon the Leper,it obivious that Jesus must have healed him,for the law as regards leprosy required that they should be be seperated from  society because it is contagious  (Leviticus),it is not a problem now as it can be treated with antibiotics and other medicines. So here we have Jesus in this home and a woman we believe was Mary (John12 v 3),it was Mary's brother Jesus he had raised from the dead(John 11),she had a great devotion for Jesus, which is shown by what she was about to do.She had a flask full of very expensive perfume,and she went to were Jesus was,broke the flask and poured the perfume over Jesus head.Mark tells us that those present became angry at what she did,Judas was the one who led the angry mob. Judas said that it could have been sold and the money given to the poor (John 12) , but Jesus would have none of that,and this is what He said,'Why are you bothering her? she had done a beautiful thing, One writer said the following,'If love is true,there must always be a certain extravagance in it.It does not nicely calculate the less or more. It is not concerned to see how little it can decently give.If it gave all it had,the gift would still be too little. there is a recklessness in love which refuses to count the cost'.

This earth. ( Genesis 1 v 1/ 22)

Although this world has been affected by sin and sinful man, there is still much beauty in this old world,from the mountain of Mourne that sweep down to sea,to the beauty of a flower ,or a bumble bee.It is all around us if we had eyes to see,in a new born baby,or lambs in the fields jumping around.Or a beautiful cloud formation, a spiders web,a sunrise or a sunset,a rainbow,and so we could go on. It was Folliott S.Pierpont wrote the following.

                                                     'For the beauty of the earth.

                                                      For the beauty of the skies,

                                                      For the love which from our birth

                                                      Over and around us lies;

                                                       Father ,unto Thee we raise

                                                       This,our sacrifice of praise.'

                                                   

The truth (Ephesins 4 v25)

 How important is the truth? very,my mother used to say,'you can't trust a liar',people take an oath when they are called to be witnesses and so swear to tell the truth,the whole truth,and nothing but the truth.There is a novel wriien by kieth Waterhouse called 'Billy Liar'  he was an incurable liar,idle and dishonest,a character in the book called a Mister Fisher said of him,'Its just one of his stories,he can't say two wards without telling a lie'. Every day people are decieved  by liars,and are cheated out of their money.,every day people make false promises.God takes lying very seriously ,Proverbs 12 v22 reads ,' Lying lips are abomination to the Lord'.very strong words,it is as serious as that,one of the greatest Presidents of  America was known as Honest Abe,if only all politicans were honest.Our dear Saviour had to deal with people who were liars,'He said to them 'you are of your father the devil',(John 8 v 44).There is a saying which goes ,'Tell the the truth and shame the devil'.sadly there are those who shame  themselves by telling lies.So many dear people hold on to power and forsake their principals by their lying,it is all very sad,it need not be that way. 

Keep right on to the end. ( 2 Timothy 2 v12 )

 During the second world war Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited Edinburgh in Scotland,where he received of the freedom of the  city. Churchill spoke to the people gathered, in the audience there was the  music-hall entertainer Sir Harry Lauder,and this is what Churchill said,'Let me use the words of your famous minstrel-he is here today- words which have given comfort and renewed strength to many a burdened  heart;'Keep right on to the end of the road,Keep right on to the end'.That's what God wants you and I to do as Christians,to keep right on to the end, don't give up, no matter what the devil throws at us,no matter if the whole world is against us,don't give up.No matter how we feel like given up,replace those feelings with faith,and prayer.Think about what you would be going back to if you gave up,your old sins,your old ways,let us walk  in the footsteps of Jesus, in newness of life. In midst of lifes difficulties  remember there is a better day coming,for every child of God,so don't give up.

                                       

The road may be rough.( 1 Peter 5 v10)

Jesus says to everyone who trusts Him.'follow Me',you will be travelling on the road less travelled,it will be narrow,and at times challenging,but it will also be rewarding.There is no guarantee given to any of Christ followers that it won't be a bumpy ride,but there is one guarantee given, Christ will be with us,and that will make all the difference. The important thing is we must keep our eyes on Jesus,for if we don't do that,we will get into great difficulties,like Peter when walking on the sea (Matthew 14 v22-23), he ended up nearly drowning,because he took his eyes off Jesus.There are so many things that can distract us,the list is long ,how can we overcome them?,I will leave you with a poem by Mrs. Charles Cowman,

                                         ''The road is too rough,'' I said; ''It is uphill all the way;

                                           No flowers,but thorns instead; and the skies overhead are grey.''

                                           But one took my hand at the entrance dim,

                                           And sweet is the road that I walk with Him.

                                           ''The cross is to great'' I cried- More than the back can bear,

                                           So rough and heavy and wide, And nobody near to care.''

                                           And One stooped softly and touched my hand;

                                           ''I know. I care. And I understand''

                                            Then why do we fret and cry; Cross-bearers all we go;

                                             But the road ends by and by in the dearest place we know,

                                             And every step in the journey we may take in the Lord's

                                                                          own company.

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Finished ( Jonah 2 v 9)

 There are people who believe in Christ,His diety , incarnation,that He was sinless, that He died on the cross,His resurrection ,ascension,and His coming again.So what's the problem? ,one would  think there is no problem,and yet there is,then what is the problem?,the add on's.Lets consider Chist death on the cross, they think that His death on the cross is not enough to save,we must do our part,it means that Christ is almost a Saviour,it means that salvation is a partnership,a joint accomplishment, this is not what the Bible teaches. In Hebrews 7 v 25 we read,'Therefore He is able to save completely those who to come to God through Him'.John Owen points out that saving us to the uttermost (Completely)  means that Christ ''will not bring about part of our salvation,and leaves what remains to ourselves and to others.Christ does not leave us to ourselves,but brings about our whole salvation, from its beginning at regeneration to its  culmination in our glorification''

                                       'Not the labour of my hands, can fulfil Thy laws demands;

                                       Could my zeal no respite know,could my tears forever flow,

                                       All for tears could forever flow, all for sin could not atone;

                                       Thou must save , and Thou alone. (A M.Toplady)