Pierce my ear' ( Exodus 21 v 5)

In Deuteronomy 15 v12-18 we read that if a person had fallen on hard times,he  could sell himself  as a slave for six years to someone.It was God who laid out the terms,he said on the seventh year they had to be released.It was not an oppressive thing it was a means of helping people through hard times. When they were released the master of the slave had to give the slave a generous farewell present. Raymond Brown writes,'The servant must be allowed to leave his masters house in style''.It was a very fair system,there was no abuse involved,but say the person did not want to leave,because he loved his master, he had to submit himself to a simple ceremony of being taken to a door and having his ear pierced a sign of willing submission. Steve Croft wrote a song applying it to our relationship with God,it was called ,' Pierce my ear.'

                                                           'Pierce my ear,oh, Lord, my God

                                                           Take me to your door this day

                                                            I will serve no other God

                                                            Lord ,I'm here to stay.

                                                            For you have paid the price for me

                                                            With your blood  You ransomed me

                                                             A free man I'll never be.'

                                                         

How ( Isaiah 46 v 4)

 In Deuteronomy 29 v 5 - 6Think  reads 'During the forty years that I led you through the wilderness,your clothes did not wear out,nor did the sandals on your feet. You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink.I did this so that you might know that I am the Lord your God'.Israel was rescued out of slavery,the journey to to the promised land would take 40 yrs,it should have taken much less than that, but because of their unbelief they were punished  . Yet in the end, God brought them through  into the promised land,God carried them as it were on eagles wings.I am 82 for 62 yrs God has carried me through,yes it is God who brought me through. and he is the one who has brought you through.The hymn writer wrote, Through many dangers,toils,and snares I have already come,'How? by Gods grace,He has brought us through, He will not change ,He will bring us through all out tomorrows He will continue to bring us through ,for He has said  ,'Never will I leave you;never will I forsake you',( Hebews13v 5)

Imagine ( Matthew 7 v 7-8)

A team of people were involved in personal evangelism ,and one of the spoke to a young man we will call him John.Later the evangelist returned to the team and he told them about John,and he said I would love to talk to John again,and at that moment there was a knock on the door and it was John,He said he wanted to talk to the evangelist about Jesus.There is verse in Isaiah 65 v24 which reads,'Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear'.God  knows all things he knew what the evangelist said,and what he desired, Psalm 37 v 4, reads,'Take delight  in the Lord; and he will give you the desires of your heart'.What are the desires of your heart?,are they in keeping with the will of God,the evangelist desire was,for we read that God wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth' (1 Timothy 2 v 4).But let me just say God knows the best time to answer our prayers,sometimes it is instant ,sometimes it is wait.But rest assured His ear is opened as regards our prayers to Him, and if it is his will He will grant our request.

Love ( Matthew 10 v 37)

We often hear the words ,'I love',it can apply to many things,in fact the list is endless,take smoking there are people who love smoking inspite of the fact that smoking can kill.People love gambling but it can lead to disaterous consequences,yes there are so many things  we love that can harm us.Eve fell in love with the forbidden fruit, think of the awful problems that caused.People love sex to a point that they can become enslaved to so many depraved things.Love of one 's country is fine yet many people have done awful things for the country they  love.Think of the awful things people do out of love for their religions .Are you a slave to that kind of love,the God we worship ,that is the God of the Bible is a God of love,his is true love. It is also a holy love,it means that He does not ignor evil,he will judge the wicked,for he is a righteous God.We read in Exodus 34 v7 that He is compassionate and forgiving,but He will not by any means clear the guilty'.He has out of a heart love provided a way for us to be saved through his son Jesus.

Life. ( Acts 16 v 30-31)

 Shakespear wrote of the,'The seven ages of man',it compares the world to a theater and life to a play.that every human acts out seven roles,a crying infant,a reluctant schoolboy, a romantic lover,a wise judge,a frail old man,and finally,an infantilized elder facing oblivion'Then we have another way of looking at life ,'The seasons of our lives',someone describes it as beautiful metaphor comparing human experience to the changing year,'Spring  brings freah starts and youth,Summer a timeof passion and growth,Autumn represents maturity and reflection,Winter rest or navigating struggles'.What one do you like? Moses who lived to a 120,wrote the follow as regards  our exsistence,'Our days may come to seventy years,or eighty,if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow;for they quickly pass,and we fly away.'All of us will experience some degree of trouble and sorrow,some more than others,some longer than others,so that's it?,no.Moses speaks about flying away.our soul  leaves our body but where does it go to? the question is this where will we spend eternity?,for your soul does not die,will it be heaven or will it be hell?were will spend etenity?You most cetaintly will go to hell if your sin is not forgiven,it is as simple as that.But you can go heaven if you seek forgivness by trusting Jesus,  its as simple as that.

A promise box ( 2 Peter 1 v 4)

I was going through a drawer and I found a promise box,I must have it about 50 years, some people are critical of them.There was a time when finances were low or non exsistented ,and we were looking for guidance as to what we should do.I would  go to that little box and pull out a promise praying that God would speak into our situation.I can't remember any particular promise I got. But I had a daily devotional which I still read called ,'Daily Light', it is just full of scripture,and I found it very helpful,God  often did  speak to me from it. I  looked through the promise box,and read one,and it took me back years ago when I heard a missionary who had just come home from Nigeria.He told that during the civil war he was  very concerned for his safety,he had a headace and he felt that he should take some tablets,but then God spoke ,it was that  promise I got from my promise box,it read,' The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him and delivereth them'  (Psalm 34 v7) He felt a peace, he didn't take the tablets ,he lay down and slept'

No compromise. ( Luke 4 v18 -20)

 In Matthew 12 v30 and Luke 11 v23,Our dear Saviour said,' Whoever is not with me is against me',Jesus is telling us that there is no middle ground one cannot have a foot in one camp,and a foot in another camp.Jesus demands total allegiance there is no common ground,no grey areas.We must make  that very clear to  everyone,consider what said Jesus ,'I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through  me'.John 14 v6. It is not a matter of intolerance,we have to show a degree of tolerance toward others,of other cultures,and religions, but we will never compromise on the  truth that Jesus is the only one that can save sinners.We will see all other religions  as false,for they worship other god's who are not god's.We must learn to live with each other help people were they need help,and love them.We cannot march under the same banner as non Christians,and we should always try to win them to Christ,in a loving way, no one should be forced to become a Christian.We must be sold out to Christ alone ,not Christ plus.