Held captive. ( Psalm 119 v14 - 24)

Martin Luther was tried before the emperor and religious dignitaries to recant of his 95 Theses,he asked for 24 Hrs to consider what he should do,this was granted to him.When he returned he was asked the same question he replied, 'My conscience is held captive by God's word'.  It would be wonderful if every minister would say that, but alas it is not so. unfortunately they are offended by the the truths that are there.Those who are called to minister God's word must not betray that trust,if they do they will be held accountable before God the result is many of God's children are confused .The word of God must be accepted for what it is,the word of God.There are things we don't understand but we are told not to lean upon our own understanding.We must see the scriptures as being unique,no other book compares to it.In that wonderful book we have a wonderful revelation of creation,and salvation,no other book has that.We also have God's moral boundries to break them  is a sin. Like Martin Luther ,'may our conscience be held captive by God's word'.

My times are in God's hands. (Psalm 31)

In Psalm 31 v 15 ,reads 'My times are in your hands',  these words are uttered by David  at a time of great danger and distress.He is crying ,saying ,my life is in God's hand,it is a submissive statement,yes he was crying for deliverance,but he is acknownledging that whatever may happen, it is in God's hands,be it life or be it death.

                                                       1       'My times are in Thy hand:

                                                               My God,I wish them there;

                                                               My life,my friends,my soul I leave

                                                               Entirely to Thy care

                                                       2      My times are in Thy hand,

                                                                Whatever they may be;

                                                               Pleasing or painful,dark or bright,

                                                               As best may seem to Thee.

                                                       3      My times are in Thy hand,

                                                               A father's hand will never cause

                                                                His child a needless tear.

                                                        4      My times are in Thy hand,

                                                                Jesus the crucifed;

                                                                 The hand my cruel sins have pierced

                                                                 Is now my guard and guide.

    

So pray. (Luke 18 v1)

 Prayer is very important ,our Saviour was an examble to all of us,he taught us that we should always pray and not give up Luke 18 v 1. Elijah was a man of prayer,he prayed and there was no rain for three and a half years,and then he prayed again,and the rain fell.That's one example,there are others we could mention.Moving from the Bible we know of people who were mighty prayer warriors,people like George Mullier who strarted up a work among children, which grew and grew,it was a work of faith,he never made any appeal for money he prayed and God supplied the need,There are so many great indivduals who prayed and God answered in wonderful ways.I remember a missionary who served God in Brazil,who prayed for a young mans wife who died, and she came back to life.Marvellous things can happen in response to prayer. We may think that our prayer life does not  compare,to those people we have mentioned.But hear this your prayers will make a difference to your family,to the neighbourhood you live in,to the people you witness to,and so we could go on,so pray.

Are you sitting comfortably? ( Acts 1 v 8)

 C.T.Studd was a 19Th century  cricketer and a pioneer  missioary in China,India,and Africa,he said, 'Some wish to live within the sound of church or chapel bell,I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of  Hell''. No comfort cosy life for him,I wonder how you feel about what he said?,there is a challenge in it,how seriously do we take up the challenge of witnessing for Jesus?Another question ,do you believe that people are going to hell?,if so what are we doing about it?.They need to be reached, are you willing to say here am I ,send me ,use me. I asked a lady was she a Christian she said yes,and then she added I'm a Catholic,it is time we stop hiding behind our lables.People are lost,how much are we willing to sacrifice in reaching them with tbe gospel?.

                                                         'Get out of our comfort zone'. 

That hidden monster. (Romans 3 v 10 -18/23)

 I often watch Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook and their historical programes they put on  Utube ,recently I heard Dominic say this ,'we fail to appreciate human nature',he mentioned the monster within.I agree with this,the Bible tells us of people like Job, calling him a man who was blameless and upright,who feared God and shunned evil.(Job 1 v1). But note this ,it does not say he was sinless,it is very important that we grasp this,and what it means.The Bible speaks as regards human nature,it is not complimentary,far from it,but it is honest,and it is true,Jeremiah that great prophet of God,wrote the following,'The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure'.( Jer 17 v 9)Here is an example,many of the Nazis party came from good families,likewise many who run the death camps,were educated people.We may look at them and say,I would never be like that,but you may,who would ever have thought that Judas would betray Jesus,or that Peter would deny him. There is a Jekyll and Hyde in all of us,I'm sure that is what .Robert Louis Stevenson had in mind,I knew a very nice person but he raped two women, so much is hidden from us,but not hidden from God, That is why our greatest need is a Saviour and his name is Jesus.

William Tyndale (Revelation 14 v 13)

 There was a time when there was no English translatiions of the Bible until William Tyndale translated the the NT into English.I mentioned this because it is the 500th anniversary of his translation, now there are many English translations. William was a very scholary man ,he was fluent in at least seven languages, French ,Greek, Hebrew, German,Italian,Latin,and Spanish.He had a great passion for translating the Bible and was continually under threat of death,for what he was doing,in the end he fled to Antwerp,it was there he completed his translation of the NT ,and part of the OT. But alas his persecutors caught up with him,He was arrested ,and finally was executed by stragulation,and then his body was burnt at the stake,he was aged about 42', He vowed to a Catholic Cleric,'If God spared my life,ere many years pass,I will cause a boy at the plough shall know more of scriptures than thou dost'. We honour the memory of William Tyndale,and of the great work that God enabled him to do.

Barriers ( Mark 10 v17-27)

 A wealthy person came to Jesus and he asked him a question,'Teacher,what good thing must I do to get eternal life'.Matthew19 v 16ff. Jesus took him as it were on a journey,stripping away, challenging him,that there was no one good only God ,the young man confessed that he was very religious,but then religion  will not save us,as he would soon find out.This is what Jesus said to him ,'sell your possessions and give to the poor,and you will have treasure in heaven.Then come,follow me' sad to say he wasn't prepared to do that,for he was very rich.Jesus loved this young man (Mk 10 v21)Jesus went on tell how hard it was for a rich person to enter the kingdon of God.The disciples were amazed a't what Jesus said,and asked him who then can be saved? Jesus looked at them and said ,'With man this is impossible,but not with God;all things are possible with God'. The young man asked Jesus 'what good thing must I do to get eternal life',it is not what we do that saves us,only God can save us,we must remove the barriers first ,then God will save us.

                                                            'Nothing in my hands I bring.

                                                             Simply to Thy cross cling: