What God see's (1 Corinthians 2 v1-5)

I am going on 82 but I still try and look my best, often people pay me compliments,which I appreciate but of course ,I know that clothes doth not make the man.Our suits do not give any indication of a persons character,it may impress people,and if one is chasing a boy friend or a girl friend we want to look our best. If one is going for an interveiw fo a job one should try to look one's best.I am talking on the horizontal level,what do I mean by that?  Well it is illustrated in the account of the prophet Samuel who was sent by God to annoint Israel's new king,We read about it in 1 Samuel 16,God had already chosen who it would be, so all Samuel had to do was annoint him.Samuel was directed to the house of Jesse,who had eight son's,but there was only seven present when he arrived.Samuel saw the first one  and thought he is the one,but no he wasn't,and God spoke to him and said to 'I have rejected him.The Lord does not look at things people look at, people look at the outward appearance,but the Lord looks at the heart'.And the one who was appointed  to be king ,was David,a man after God's own heart. (1 Samuel13 v14/Acts 13 v22).

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Why ( John 3 v36)

The suffering of Christ was absolutley awful,it is Isaiah who gives us a graphic picture in chap 53v13-15and the whole of Chap 53.  Here are some things we read'His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being,and his form married beyond any human likeness'' He was lead as a lamb to the slaughter.That was the phyisical suffering ,but of course his suffering went beyond that ,for we read,Yet it  was the Lord's will to crush him,why?right through chap53 we told ,'by his wounds we are healed,that's nothing to do with phyisical healing,sin is a sickness,by his death we are healed of that sickness.Jesus as a priest was offerring himself up as a sacrifice for sin ,and the fact that He would take the punishment for sin is clearly shown right  through this chap,'And the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all,for the transgression of my people he was punished,these words  should take our breath away,'Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him' .The poet puts it like this,'

                                                  'The wrath of God that was my due

                                                   Upon the Lamb was laid'.

When it's gone it's gone ( John 14 v 1-6)

 Mikhail Bakunin said ','Everything will pass, and the world will perish, but the Ninth Symphony will remain'',He is referring to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. The question is, will it be true?the answer is no,but this part is true,'Everything will pass,and this world will perish,for we are told that 'the dayof the Lord will come like a thief . The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elsments will be destroyed by fire,and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare'' (2 Peter 3 v10) Everything not just the earth but heavens ,and all the great works of art ,great songs ,the beauty of this earth will be no longer.Sin could be seen as a plague of momentous proportion,no human knows or grasps its effects on the whole of creation.The very heavens are going to disppear,and be relaced by a new heaven and a new earth, the difference being,sin will no longer exsist, that new earth will be filled God's righteousness. And who will live in this new creation ? the answer is all those who have trusted Jesus as their Saviour,they are called God's new creation (2 Cor 5v17)

                                                        The question is this ,were  

                                                         will you spend eternity? 

                                           

                                                

Am I willing? ( Revelation 3 v 8)

I watched part of an French and Ireland rugby match,and the French played really well and won the game. It  appears to me they will be hard to beat,unless the other teams adapt a system that will aid them in beating them.My son spoke recently at a large church ,they had three services on a Sunday,God be praised. But unfortunately many churches are closing ,and many people are perishing,many large denominations are no longer large, unfortunately many in their pulpits,are denying  Biblical truths ,and the moral boundaries,that God  has laid down in His word.Many people are rich in comparison to former generations, but they are spiritually bankrupt. There are millions who dream of becoming millionaires ,and never give a thought for their souls.The challenge is how can we reach the lost? or maybe I should say why are we not reaching them? I ask the question can we not be guided by the Holy Spirit in ways to reach the lost?. I believe he will but the next question is this,am I willing to be willing to adopt to God's ways?

Something fine for Christ. ( Matthew 25 v3 -46)

 There is a French tale which tells how a veteran French soldier came in a desperate situation upon  a young recruit trembling with fear. ''Come,son'' said the veteran,''and you and I will do something fine for France''.There are many Christians I know of who have done many fine things  for Christ ,the list is endless.There are many and I stress many who are laying down their lives for Christ.There are many who are ministering to the poor and sick.Let me example of a man called David  he was head of a school,his father told him about the suffering of many dear children in the world,and he challenged his son to do something.The son took it to heart,and took it to God,and He led him to start up a ministry with children. It was a challenging task,but with God's help,many thousands of children have been rescued out of poverty,out of abuse,and hopelessness.Today they work in eight countries,the work is called, ''Stand by Me'' many of those dear children have come to know Christ as their Saviour. Remember there is always some fine thing we all can do for Christ.

The will of God ( Matthew 26 v 39)

                                                    Jesus,all for Jesus                                       

                             (1)     All I am and have and ever  hope to be

                                                    Jesus, all for Jesus

                                       All I am and have and ever hope to be

                             (2)      All of my ambitions,hopes and plans

                                        I surrender these into your hands

                                        All of my ambitions,hopes and plans

                                        I surrender these into your hands.

                              (3)    For it's only in your will that I am free

                                       For it's only in your will that  I am free

                                                      Jesus,all for Jesus

                                       All I am and have and ever hope to be.

This is a lovely song,and it emphasises the importance of God's will in our lives, if we are living contray to his, then we are failing.Being in God's will is freedom indeed.God's will must be a priorty in every aspect of our lives,there must be no closed doors to God's will.

                      

                                                           

                                    

When I get home. (John 14 v1-6)

 I attended a funeral recently of a dear Christian brother,I've known for many years,he was 92 and had been a Christian  for 70 yrs,he worked till he was 86.He touched many peoples lives,He was very musical,he could play three musical instruments and yet he couldn't read music,plus he had a good singing voice,and he was also a preacher.We heard of his acts of generosity,and how people got saved through his prayers..A lady told how he had prayed for her daughter to be saved,the girl was living a life out of control,and the day the man died, the girl phoned her mum to tell her that she had trusted Jesus as her. Saviour.A godly life leaves its mark, were ever it is lived.As the service ended they played a recording of him singing ,it was a blessing hearing  him singing,here are some words from that song.

                                                ' I shall wear a golden crown, when I get home,

                                                  I shall lay my burden down, when I get home;

                                                  Glad in robes of glory, I shall sing the story,

                                                  Of the Lord who bought me,when I get home!

                                                   I shall see my Saviours face, when I get home,

                                                   Sing again of saving grace, when I get home;

                                                    I shall stand before Him,gladly I'll adore Him,

                                                    Ever to be near Him, when I get home.'( Words C A.Miles)