The Lord is patient ( 2 Peter 3 v9 ) 1

Nahum  1 v3  reads ,'The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished'.These words  emphasise three aspects of our great God,Let us consider, 'The Lord is slow to anger' Nahum was a prophet whom God raised up,to proclaim judgement against Nineveh the capital of  Assyria.One hundred years before Nahum spoke to Nineveh, God sent the prophet Jonah  to tell them that God's judgement was about to fall upon them in 40 days (Jonah 3v4),well they immediately  repented and this included the King,and God spared them,in mercy he withdrew his judgement.But now a hundred years later,they have returned to their old ways,it was a deja vu moment.This time God's mercy would not be held back this time,nor was it,for in 612 BC a combined army,made up of the Babylons, Medes,and Scythians overthrew them.I believe that God is patient with every generation,that they may repent and turn to Jesus. but in the end God's patience runs out,then Judgement will fall,if your not saved take heed to this message.

Great in power( 2 Chronicles 32 v20-22) 2

Last time we looked at,'The Lord is slow to anger',now we look at,'but great in power', it is important to look at the context. It is about a world power Nineveh the capital of Assyria ,they were cruel and very wicked,in their desire for power they had slain mulitudes,Nahum declares  that they had enslaved nations. What could anyone do,other than submit,in order to survive,if one lived in those days,one may have thought,no one can deliver us.When the Nazies were at the hight of their  power what could one do against them? Assyria had conqured the ten tribes of Israel let these words find a place in your heart,'God is great in power' .Assyria came against the small kingdon of Judah,he had conquered the cities in Judah,but then he turned his eyes towards Jerusalem,he and his army arrived at the city gates,making all sorts of threats, he said that the god's of the nations he had conqured could not save them,and threw scorn on Israels God. Hezekiak  did not surrrender and declared ,'there is a greater power with us than with him.With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles' (2 Chronicles 32 v 7-8)Let us all take encouragement no matter how great the  difficulties we are facing,no matter if the enemy of our souls is at the gate ,and we feel overwhelmed,have faith in God, for power belongeth unto Him.  

Disunity ( Psalm 133)

I served in two churches,one as a full time minister and the other as a joint leader,in both Chuches you had people who were very unkind.I said in a lightherted way to the pastor of the church I attend,that I was glad  that I was not in a pastoral role now,for it seems that you always seem to have people who stir things up,usually for the minister. It is not nice but it happens,I heard R T.Kendall who became the minister of Westminster Chapel London,and the problems he had with certain people in that church.It is sometimes hard to know what can one do with such people.In the end we have usually to leave them with God ,but they can cause a lot problems in the church. God is not pleased with those who seek to cause disunity in the church.One person wrote the following,'Disunity in the church is a harmful division among believers, that damages relationships,weakens spiritual strength,and hurts Christian witness' 

                                                                         Jesus said ,

A new commandment I give you, that you love one another; just as I  have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

                                                                         John 13 v34-35

Add on's ( Hebrews 9 v 12 ) 4

 Let us continue to look at what the RC church calls the mass and their very strange way they look at it,to say the least, it does not get any better,in fact it gets much worse.It clearly underminds the atonement,and when anyone does that it is very serious.We have pointed out their wrong interpetation of the bread and wine,the question is what do they believe the mass is,to them it is a literal sacrifice ,everytime they have a mass it becomes that self same sacrifice that happened on calvary .Every mass is a re-enacting of Calvary. Hebrews 9- 10  deals with Christ sacrifice ,the writer points out that the animal sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year was imperfect,they did not deal effectively with sin.They could never do that they were only a shadow, he points to the impossiblity of the blood of bulls and goats taking away sin.God had a bigger plan, Jesus the Lamb of God would take away the sin of the world (John 1 v29)Jesus one sacrifice would effectively  deal with sin ,Cp Hebrews 9 , read v23ff were it clearly tells us that He does not need to be offered again and again v25 reads,' Nor yet that He should offer himself often.' v28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many'. To say that Christ has to be sacrificed continully is really saying, it is not effective in dealing with sin. I have a friend who was ardent RC,as a RC he felt that his sins were not forgiven,that all changed when He trusted Jesus one time sacrifice on the cross.

Add on's ( Luke 22 v 17 -19)3

The last one of the add on's is the 'Mass', what is it? it is one of the core doctrines of the Catholic faith, the core of  this is the death of Christ .All Christian churches do what Christ told us to do ,when he eat bread and drink wine,the bread stands for his body,and the wine stands for His blood,these remind us, of his death on Calvary,He said do this in rememberance of me. (Luke 22 v14-20) The simplicity of it is wonderful,there is nothing complicated about it.But the mass turns it iinto more than that,based on John 6 v53 were Jesus says,'unless you eat the flesh of the Son of  Man and drink His blood,you have no life.'There were those who heard those words, took it literally,and they stopped following Jesus.No Jew would drink blood,and none of us would eat flesh,it was never to be taken literally.The simplest answer is this 'the taking of Christ within oneself  that is by the metaphor of eating and drinking'( Dr .Leon Morris) When Jesus said He was a door in John 10 v9 ,he was using a metaphor,when He said he said He was the good shepherd,he was using it to illustrate something people could identify with ,I suppose one could say that was a metaphor also,He never was a literal shepherd .Coming back to the mass,the RC church takes  what Jesus said literal,which to say the least is wrong,they believe the bread miraculously turns into the body of Christ so that  they believe they are literally eating the flesh of Christ,and the wine likewise when they drink the wine  they belive they are literally drinking the blood of Christ.

Add on's . (Colossians 2 v13) 2

 Now let us consider the next add on 'Purgatory', what is purgatory?It is seen as a tempory state or place after death where souls are cleansed and purified of remaining sins before entering heaven.This purifying is done by a spiritual fire which is agony.It did not become  official Roman Catholic doctrine until the 13th-15th centuries.I wonder what happened before then?The RC base it on a verse 2 Maccabees 12 v46,but the problem is that 2Maccabees was never accepted as being part of the cannon of scripture,by the Protestant church,and Jewish authorities. This teaching weakens the atoning death of Christ,which is the only thing that deals with sin 1John 1 v 7, make that clear,it reads ,'the blood of Jesus his Son,purifies us from all sin.' Hebrews 9v22 reads,'Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness'.There is no such thing as a spiritual purifying us from our sin after death.Nor is there any bases of going to a place called purgatory, we read of the dying thief in Luke 23 v43 'Jesus answered him,'Truly I tell you today you will be with me in paradise'2 Corinthians 5 v 8 reads,'We are confident,I say,and willing rather to be absent from the body,and to be present with the Lord' It is very clear that Enoch went straight to heaven.(Hebrews 11 v 5)The biggest argument against purgatory, there is no mention of it in the Bible it is just one of those add on's.

Add on's ( Romans 6 v23 )1

Beware of the add on's,for once  they start, who knows where they are going to end ,the result is they take people further and further from the truth.The greatest culpit who does this well, I won't mention them by name but we will consider the add on's they have brought in,well some of them. The first one is, we cannot be saved by faith alone,the next one is a place which they call purgatory,were one is purified by fire.and the next one is  the mass. Let us consider the first one,we can't be saved by faith alone,is that true?,no it's not,  they add on .'good works'. they base this on what James says in his epistle chap 2 v14ff in understanding what James says ,we must consider v18  which reads,'Show me your faith without deeds and I will show my you my faith by my deeds'. Our deeds are the evidence that our faith is true,as James says twice,'show me'.If we are showing no evidence of being a Christian then we not a Christian. We read throughout scripture,that we are saved by simple faith in Christ and his finished work.The thief  on the cross did no good works John 23 v43.Abraham did no good works to be saved Cp  Romans 4 v1-6. v3 reads 'What does scripture say? Abraham believed God,and it was counted unto as righteoudness' Rom 5 v1 'Therefore,since we have been justified by faith,we have peace with God through our Jesus Christ.I could go on but I leave  you with  Ephesians 2 v  8-9,'For it is by grace you are saved,through faith,and this is not from yourselves,it is a GIFT of God, not by WORKS,so that no one can boast.'

                                           'Martin Luther said 'We are saved by faith alone

                                            but the faith that saves is never alone'

Repentance ( 2 Peter 3 v 9)

 The Christian author Os Guinness said,'Confession is a source of strength not weakness,he also mentioned what  Margaret Thatcher said,'the womens not for turning',as being dangerous'.When we. sin it is is vital that we confess our sins and repent of them. 1John 1 v 9 reads ,'If we confess our sins,He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness'.King David committed a terrible sin, , adultery and murder ,he confessed this is to God  ,and God forgive him.No matter how terrible ones sins are ,God will forgive us.He forgave Paul,the persecuter of His Church he was shown mercy'.Paul never forgot that,he wrote,'Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man,'he was shown mercy (1 Timothy 1 v 13). Manasseh was one of the worse kings who ruled Judah,he sinned greatly ,read 2 Chronicles 33 ,but God forgave him. Remember in God's sight all sin is equally evil and needs to be confessed.Sin unconfessed will drive us away us away form God.Os Guinness pointed out that Jewish scholars spoken of repentance as coming home,the story of the prodigal illustrates that,the hymn writer wrote 

                                                          'I've wandered far away from God;

                                                           Now I'm coming home;

                                                            The paths of sin too long I've trod;

                                                             Lord, I'm coming home'.

Are you listening? ( Revelation 2 v 29)

I was out with fellow Christians ,having a meal,and I jokingly said husbands have a deaf ear,because so often the women says to their husbands,'your not listening' We may smile at those words,there may be a degree of truth in what is said. Often a parent says to their children,are you listening to what I say? of course they are,pull the other leg.But let us move on to a higher level,as regards God speaking and the importance of people listening and acting on what He says.In Psalm 95v 7-8/Hebrews 3 v 15,it reads 'Today, if you hear his voice not harden your hearts,as you did in the rebellion'.what does harden mean?it has different aspects to it,it can describe a person's feelings becoming tough and unfeeling,and unbelieving.During our Lords earthly ministery he spoke to many people,especially the religious leaders. In Matthew 13 v 15 He declares why 'Though seeing,they do not see; though hearing ,they do not hear or understand. ......For this people  have become calloused;the  word calloused means ,'cruel and not concerned with others fellings.It is a picture of people who do want to hear God's word.Such as the times we live in,we understand the non-Christian being like that ,but what about us who are Christians,are we listening? or do we have deaf ear?

Better He choose. ( Psalm 23 v 3)

 Sometimes in life you just have to accept things,I didn't get to be that missionary I wanted to be,but I have two son's in Chritian ministry,one who travels all over the world ministering.David wanted to build a temple but God said no, it didn't stop him from supplying the materials for the temple.Moses wanted to go into the promised land,but God said no,although he was allowed him to see it from afar. Paul wanted to be healed,but God said no,but God granted him the grace to bear it.Let us never forget God is in control in Psalm 47 v4 we read, 'He shall choose our inheritance for us'Jonah did not accept the task God had given him to do,but he soon learned,the folly of that,when he ended up in the belly of a great fish.You may have been let down in romance,consider that it was not God's choice for you.That promotion you wanted and it didn't happen,it was not God's choice for you.

                                                                 'Thy will be done'

Gangrene ( Romans 1 v16-17)

In Pauls letter to Timothy,who was  the leader of the church at Ephesus,and in chap 2 he warned him to deal with false teaching,and he describes the effects of  false teaching. If it was not dealt with it will spread like gangrene,or as John Stott puts it,'as dangerous as blood poisoning to the body and spreads like sepsis from a wound'.Thats how serious false teaching is,and yet sad to say some so called Christians  appear to be blind to that .There is a belief that that there are are different roads that lead to heaven,not so ,the historical Christ declared ,'That he was the way the truth and the life and that no man can come unto the Father but by Him.(John 14 v6 )I have just read how women are treated in Afghanistan ,being flogged ,and being kept as prisoners in their own home,and the terrible violence inflicted on so many dear people,because they are  Christians .But the problem is bigger than that ,false religions are built on falsehood,The Quran is built on falsehood,it denies that Christ did not die on the cross,and so millions of people are robbed of salvation,of having their sins forgiven,and that is very serious,and very sad.

Hope in God ( Psalm 42)

  Psalm 42 and 43,could be one Psalm, for they appear to have the same theme,of a man who is struggling ,yes there were reasons.He feels hemmed in and overwhelmed v7 he declares 'I hear the tumult of the raging sea as your waves and surging tides sweep over me'It could be he felt cut off from the house of God.(2/4)He was in such a state ,and there were those who kept asking him,'Where is your God?' Remember the enemy will always kick you when your down,in spite of this he had not lost his soul thirst for God v1-2 reads'As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you,my God. My soiul thirsts for God, for the living God.' May God help us from loosing our soul thirst for the living God.What can he do v 5/11 tells us the first things he did,he spoke to himself and here is what he said,'Why my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?'and then he answers the question,'Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Saviour and my God'V8 reads,'But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me',this caused him to rejoice,as it should cause us to rejoice.For we are told in Romans 8 v37-39 that nothing can seperate us the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It took a miracle. (Ephesians 2 v 1- 10)

 Do I believe that miracles still happen? yes I do,yet we must confess that miraculous healings don't happen often,but I'm sure they still happen. We often limit miracles to people being healed,but God's word dosen't.Right throughout the Bible we read  of healings,but also of people being delivered from slavery in a miraculous way. We read how God opened up the sea for His people to walk through on dry ground,so escaping from their enemies.Of a prophet being fed by birds,and that same prophet prayed and there was no rain for three and a half years.We read of Jesus walking on water,and turning water into wine, yes there are many miracles in the Bible.What is the greatest miracle that we can expereince?,what do you think it is?.It is Spurgeon who spoke of a 'Miracle of Grace',what did he mean by that? the answer is simple,it is the miracle of salvation,everytime a person gets saved it is a miracle.If you are a Christian then you have experienced a miracle,and of all miracles it is the greatest miracle of all.John W.Peterson wrote the following.

                                                    'It took a miracle to put the stars in place,

                                                     It took a miracle to hang the world in space;

                                           But when he saved my souls ,cleaned and made me whole,

                                                      It took a miracle of love and grace'

Escape ( Genesis 19 v17)

Like many countries we have experienced very sunny and dry weather, with the result fires have broken out in many places.Many people have had to flee from the flames,leaving their homes and possessions,and just escape for their lives.Unfortunately some people lost their live.which was very sad. This reminds me that when John Wesley was a young boy,the home he lived in caught fire,most of the family escaped. In the confusion John who was sleeping was overlooked. John was only just over 5, he did wake up,by that time fire had got a hold ,and the stairs were on fire,but John managed to drag a chest up to window climbed on it,and showed himself  to the people below.At that very moment his father,in agonies of despair, was commending the infant soul to God.Two brave fellows saw the boy at the window, and saved him just before the roof collapsed.It was in memory of this escape that Wesley oftened referred to himself as ''a brand plucked out of the burning''.These words are taken from Zechariah 3 v2 av It is our Saviour who spoke of hell fire (Matthew 5 v22) and in Matt 13 v42 that evildoers are thrown into the firey furnace.There are  other scriptures were Jesus speaks of hell,and judgement,and every Christian are indeed brands plucked out of the burning,no firey judgement awaits us,but not so for the non Christian.

No one is perfect (John 3 v36)

What are the ten safest countries in the world ,I went down the list,Ireland was one,Portugal another, I will just tell you the safest one ,'Japan'.I hope they all get comfort from being on that list,still as we say there are no perfect people in all these countries,God's law will be broken by everyone of them.Safety does not mean perfection, as regards the safest country,everyone in that country are sinners,and that goes for every country in the world,consider that, and it's implications.There are plenty of nice people in the world,but being nice does not  hide the fact that they sin.There are many people who do a lot of good,likewise this does not hide the fact they are sinners.Recently two young men killed a young ploiceman,he was  dragged 100yards caught up in their car,at their trial they could be seen laughing.Also there is man who killed and raped women,and I get angry  at the terrible things they have done.Lets go further back in history,to what the Nazies done,and the terrible cruel things they committed,they deserve to go to hell,Is that so?, ,yes they do, but going  to hell is not just  for extreme evil people,no it is for everyone,and I mean everyone. King David committed two dreadful sins,adultery and murder,and in his prayer of repentance ,he prayed  'Against you, you only,have I sinned.' Sin is an offence against against God (Psalm51 v 4),yes sin offends a holy God,sin seperates us from God,and brings us all under His wrath.Take this very serious,hell  awaits all  who have not repented of their sin.But here is the good news Jesus died so our sins can be forgiven,so why don't you not ask Him to be your Saviour now,before it is to late.

All Things ( Romans 8 v28 ) 2

We continue to look at one of Spurgeon's daily devotionals,''We know that all things work together for good to them that love God''. 'The Christian does not merely hold this as a theory,but he knows it as a matter of fact. Everything has worked for good as yet; the poisonous drugs mixed in fit proportions have worked the cure; the sharp cuts of the lancet have cleansed out the proud flesh and facilitated the healing. Every event as yet has worked out the most divinely blessed results; and so, believing that God rules all,  that He  governs  wisely, that He brings good out of  evil, the believer's heart is assured, and he is enabled calmly to meet each trial as it comes. The believer can in the spirit of true resignation pray . ''Send me what  thou wilt, my God, so long as it comes from Thee; never came there an ill portion from Thy table to any of Thy children''.

                                        ''Say not my soul,'From whence can God relieve my care?

                                         Remember that Omnipotence has servants everywhere.

                                         His method  is sublime,His heart profound kind,

                                         God never is before His time,can never be behind''.

                                        

All things ( Romans 8 v28) 1

Spurgeon was a wonderful man of God ,a man I believed raised up by God , and who served his generation well,one of the things he left was a daily devotional called ,'Morning and Evening'.I would like to share some thoughts from one of his readings.It starts with a verse of scripture,'We know that all things work together for good to them that love God'. 'Upon some points a believer is absolutely sure.He knows for instance that God sits in the stern of the vessel when it rocks most.He believes that an invisible hand is always on the world's tiller,and that whatever providence may drift,Jehovah steers it. That re-assuring knowledge prepares him for everything . He looks over the raging waters and sees the spirit of Jesus treading the billows, and he  hears a voice saying,''It is I, be not afraid''. He knows that God is always wise, and, knowing this he is confident that there can be no accidents, no mistakes;that nothing  can occur which ought not to arise.''If I should  loose all I have,it is better that I should loose than have,if God wills:the worst calamity is the wisest and the kindest thing that could befall me if God ordains it,''.We will continue this next time.

                                                                         ' God Reigns'

Trust Him. ( Habakkuk 3 v 16- 19)

Let us turn and look at those words  from Habakkuk ,'but the just shall live by faith'(  2 v 4),here was this awful event going to take place the invasion by Babylon.Consider what it would mean,thousands and thousands of people would be slaughtered,plus many other things,can you imagine oneself in that situation.It is Theo Laetsch points out that it was not God's plan to utterly  destroy His people but to correct them.The prophet may have had problems with what God  was going to do,but God is not accountable to the prophet or to any of us,God's way is perfect even in judgement.But God's answer was as Theo Laetch puts it,'Remain faithful,Trust Me,and you shall live'. In God's perfect will ,he will preserve his saints, think of how God preserved his people.I often  quote a verse of a hymn by John Ryland ,'Plagues  and death around me fly;Till He bids,I cannot die; Not a shaft can hit,Till the God of love sees fit'.Whatever situation we may find ourselves in, no matter how difficult it is,we are to trust our mighty God and be faithful to Him.

We all have an option ( Psalm 9 v17 av) 1

 Let us consider the word of the Lord in Habakkuk chap 2 v 4,'But the just shall live by faith',Haabkkuk lived in very difficult times. Many of the people in Judah were acting very wickedly,CP his opening words,wickedness appeared to be abounding everywhere.He was man of God and what are one of the things that godly  men do? they pray.Habakkuk did that ,but it seemed to him that God was not listening.Sometimes we may feel like that ,God does not appear to be listening to what we are asking. Habakkuk was going to get an answer to his prayers and it would not be what he was asking for .God was going to punish Judah for their sins,by sending the powerful war machine of Babylon against them,and Judah would be overthown and would be taken to Babylon.What lay ahead was going to be dreadful nothing can stop it happening Judah was not for turning ,and forsaken their wicked ways,so God who loved them had no other option,but to judge them,and this is what he revealed to His servant Habakkuk. We all have an option ,if we our His people we need to repent of our sins and seek forgivness  ,if not  you leave God no other option but for him to judge  His people.

Christ divine ( Philippians 2 v5-11)

Philippians 2 v 5-11 was an early hymn,I want to quote from William Barclay's writings he wrote many lovely things as regards this passage of scripture,we are told clearly that our Saviour  ,before He came into this world was equal to God,but he made Himself of no reputation,took upon himself the form of a servant. WB wrote . ' Paul  with meticulous care  shows two things-the reality of the manhood and the reality of the Godhead of  Jesus Christ.Commenting on v6 he says ,'Who being in the form of God,thought it not robbery to be equal of God. Paul  describes the of essence of Christ which never changes,and that was essentially,unalterably,and unchngeable God.'WB points out that the word 'form'in the Greek has two meanings,morphe and schema.Morphe is that which never changes, whereas schema is outward form will continually change.WB writes ,'Jesus being in the form of God is morphe His essence,His unchangeable being is divine.However outwardly schema might altar,but He remained in essence and in being divine'.So here we have some of what WB taught and its great, because it is true. But the sad thing is ,this man  in his  autobiography(P49)  clearly becomes very confused when he declares'It is not that Jesus is God' that God was in Jesus,but He was not God.WB changed in many things,but truth does not change,always be discerning,don't be blinded by personalties.

Pray ( Romans 11 v 28- 32)

 While I was out recently I noticed a family of Jews,I knew that they were Jews,as to their dress and their. wringlets.There are not  many of these Jews where I live,in Northern Ireland there are even fewer, although my Pastor in NI arranged for  a group of  us to visit a synagogue.Well there they  were this family of Jews so I felt led to go and speak to them,no I did not witness to them,just a short conversation,and left it at that.It got me thinking how me a gentile is saved and they are not,I believe the true  Israelites are those who have put faith in the Messiah (Romans 4 v3/16 Galatians 3 v29)That family are Old Covenant Israelites,the Church of Christ is the New Covenant Israelites. When Paul declares that all Israel shall be saved Romans 11 v 26 ,it means very simple that all the elect from the Gentiles and from the Jews will be saved as one people  (Romans 11 v25-26)

                                                       'Pray for the Jews,to be saved'

Our strength (Isaiah 40 v29)

 A quote from the Bible Speaks Today,' True contentment depends on something more than material possessions'. The apostle Paul wrote 'I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.whither well fed or hungry,whither living in plenty or in want' and then he adds. 'I can do all this through him who gives me strength'.(Philippians 4 v 12-13)Consider ,he was writing from a Roman dungeon,cp 2 Corinthians 11 v 23 - 28) Think about what Pauls experience was,to say the least it was grim,yet he speaks of being content.Here is what his secret was?,'I can do all this through him who give me strength'  Can you say what Paul says?,can I ? I would love to think I could,I'm sure if God brings us into situations that are awful,he will if we trust Him grant us the grace we need at that time.

                                                                          'Psalm 18 v1'

                                                             'I  love you,Lord, my strength'

What a terrible mess.( Luke 19 v10 )

I still get great pleasure watching  the old movies starring Laurel and Hardy,such innocent humour, always getting themselves into trouble,and what Oliver used to say to Stanley,'another fine mess you've got us into'. Like Oliver it is easy to blame others,Stanley was not alway to blame,and its easy to blame others for the mess we get ourselves into.Lets go back to the beginning of time to a garden,where two human beings did something awful,they diobeyed God they sinned against God,by their action sin entered into the world by one man,and death through sin,and in this way death came to all people,because all have sinned (Romans5 v12) When God confronted  Adam ,he blamed Eve.and she blamed the serpent (Gen 3 v11-14),they would not take the blame for what they had done,think of the consequences of their actions.As I read history what a mess we have created,and as I look at the world to day,the mess is getting worse and worse,what an awful mess we have made of this world,we can't blame it on God though many try to.No we are the guilty ones,God could have wiped humanity out,but He didn't,instead we read that He so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him,will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3 v16)

Birthdays ( John 3 v 1ff)

 One  of the tasks allotted is to me send birthday cards off to our Children and grandchildren,we have a lot of grandchildren and great grandchilren.Every Christian has two birthdays,a natural birthday and a spiritual birthday. Our dear Saviour said that we must be born again if we are to become citizens of God's kingdom.When we are born naturally we are spititually dead, everyone of us,when sin entered the world the spiritual umbilical cord binding us to God was cut,which means we are no longer connected to God. We cannot have a relationship with Him, it is not that He does not love us,it means that we do not love Him,we cannot commune with him.This means we are in great danger,we can so  easily be drawn into all sorts of wrong things ,wrong reilgions, and become slaves to sin,and there is only one place we are heading for ,that awful place called hell,for all eternity,there is no escape from that, a place of isolation,of utter lonliness and sorrow.But it need not be that way,God is merciful,loving and forgiving. Here is the way you can change all that ,by receiving Jesus as your Saviour (John 1 v 12),acknowledging you are a sinner,and when you do that ,you will be reconnected to God,and all the blessings that will bring.

The school of life ( Psalm 42 v 5)

 I have just read about a young lady  who was dyslexic,it was not until she was in  her teens was it diagnosed .So she had a rough time at school ,she was made to feel she was inadequate,with the result she felt low in esteem.But she did get a job and her boss encouraged her, and she began to look at her dyslexic in positive way,and it empowered in her life to be successful in her buisness which she had started.In the school of life we may find ourselves at the bottom of the heap,not much going for us,we may have been abused, have no friends,and so the list goes on,it's not cheerful reading. You may see yourself as one sitting on a dunghill,because of where your at,and what you have come through.You may be a Christian and feel very negative about yourself,let me remind you,there was time when you were a nobody,but when you trusted Christ you became a somebody,you became a child of God.There is a lovely verse in 1 Samuel 2 v 8 of what God does to those who are sitting on the dunghill,'He raiseth up the poor out of the dust,and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill to set them among princes,and to make them inherit the throne of glory'.One person commenting on this verse writes,  'He  puts poor people on their feet again; he rekindles burned out lives with fresh hope,restoring dignity and respect to their lives,a place in the sun'.

Trust Him. ( Romans 11 v33)

In Deuteonomy29 v29 we read,'The secret things belong to the Lord our God,but the things revealed belong to us and to our children for ever,that we may follow all the words of this law'.There are two things emphasised,or what we do and we don't know'.Someone says that the Hebrew  is more striking it contrasts the 'covered' and the 'uncovered'.As Christians we know a lot of  things,God has revealed many things to us ,there was a time we went on in our darkened ways,until He revealed Himself to us.Think of all the wonderful things we know, but what about the things we don't know?,all the why's in life, and what about the future.? Think upon these words 'the secret things belong to the Lord'1 Corinthians 13 v12 reads  'Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror,but  then we will see things with perfect clarity',and let us remember what our Saviour said to the disciples in Acts 1 v 7'It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority'.  In John 13  v 7 Jesus says this to Peter, ' You don't  understand now what I am doing,but someday you will'.I leave Proverbs 3v5  with you,'Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and lean not on your own understanding.

Sin ( Proverbs 14 v9 )

I would like to share somthing from a book I have of Puritan Devotionals,the one I choosed was written by a man  called  Thomas Case,a very godly man,the subject  is sin.'Sin is always sinful, but in our prosperity we are not aware of it. The dust of the world fills our eyes that we cannot see it clearly.God  frequently  uses affiction to teach his children the great evil that is in sin.It shows sin as an evil in itself. It not only brings evil, but is evil. It not only works bitterness,it is bitterness. It has a bitter  root as well as bitter fruit. God  leads the sinner by affliction to take notice not only of what sin does,but what it is. It is a pure, unmixed evil.It has the devil for its author,and death for its end. Not only is it evil in itself, it is evil against God' I will just add the following, we must never take sin lightly,God does'nt ,look to Calvary to that old rugged cost,visualise what you see a blooded battered person hanging on that cross ,Jesus.On that cross Jesus died that we could be forgiven,that we would not suffer the wrath of God,if only we trust him to be our Saviour

Jesus is divine ( Psalm 110 v1)

My doorbell rang so I went to answer  it,and there on my doorstep was a young man,and he was a JW ,he was a pleasant young man,and so started a conversation.I often become get very frustrated in talking to JW's ,for no matter what I say,it all seems pointless,of course that's me talking,God only knows the effectiveness of ones witness, we have just to be faithful,and leave it to God.I told the young man I believe in Jesus Christ, he said he also believed,but I replied not the Jesus of the Bible.What dId I mean by that? I mean that Jesus is truly man and  truly God. Of course the JW's have there own translation ,we should not be surprised at that,their founder Charles Taze Russel,rejected the trinity.But that created a big problem for his followers,all the translations  clearly show that Christ was divine,that includes the whole bible.So what did the JW's do? ,they brought out there own translation,that fitted in with what they believe,it is as simple as that,they have a mutilated translation,and they blindly accept it.In Psalm 110 v1 a Psalm by David we read,'In Matthew 22 v41ff Jesus asked the Pharisees ,'What do you think about the Messiah? whose son is he?,They said the son of David,Jesus replied,How is it then that David ,speaking by the Spirit calls him Lord? quoating Ps110 v1 which reads ,'The Lord said to my Lord; sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet',,then Jesus went on to say,'If then David calls  him ''Lord,'' how can he be his son?.Yes the scripture clearly teaches that Jesus is divine.

Fellowship ( John 15 v 34-35)

Hebrews 10 v25 reads,'Not giving up meeting together,as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching'.These words tell us that there were those who were in the habit of not meeting with other believers.Isolating one's self from believers is detrimental to oneself and to fellow believers. One of the reasons given  for meeting together is that we can encourage one another.People stop meeting with believers for different reasons,someone has hurt them in the church,so they  withdraw nursing that hurt,not forgiving those who hurt them.When Dietrich Bonhoeffer was arrested and imprisioned by the Nazies,he said what he missed most was the fellowship of fellow believers.As Christians we need each other,we need their prayers,their encouragement,their friendship,and likewise they need ours.

                                                             'Blest be the tie that binds 

                                                             Our hearts in Christian love;

                                                             The fellowship of kindred minds

                                                              Is like to that above.

                                                              We share our mutual woes,

                                                               Our mutual burdens bear

                                                               And often for each other flows

                                                               The sympathising tear'             ( Words John Fawcett)

                                                             

                                                              

                                                                 

Use me. ( Ephesian 2 v10)3

We have  considered the following prayers,'Help me', 'Guide me', not let us consider ,'Use me'.There is hymn writtenby Elsie D.Yale I will leave that with you.

                                      ( 1)      'There's a work for Jesus,ready at your hand ,

                                                  'Tis a task the Master just for you has planned

                                                  Haste to do His bidding,yield Him service true;

                                                  There's a work for Jesus,none but you can do.

                                      (2)       There's a work for Jesus,humble though it be,

                                                   'Tis the very service,He would ask of thee.

                                                    Go where fields  are whitened,and the labourers few;

                                                    Ther's a work for Jesus none but you can do.

                                               

                                              

Guide Me! ( 1 John 5 v 14-15) 2

 Let us consider the next short prayer ,'Lord lead me', a very simple prayer,prayers don't have to be long,God answers short praayers,he answers long prayers also.In Galatians 5 v18 we have these words, 'Led by the Spirit',we need  the Spirit of God in relation to our prayers and how much we need Him to guide and direct us according to the will of  God. A very important verse in Romans 8 v 26 - 27 we are told .'In the same way,the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for,but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And  He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God'. It is the great apostle who writes these words.He prayed for so much, but  there was a time he prayed to be healed of an affliction,and it didn't happen 2 Cor 12.William Hendriksen writes as regards the Holy Spirit interceding  for us,'The Holy Spirit's intrrcession reminds us rather of a mother kneeling at the bedside of her ailing child,and in her prayer presenting that child's needs to the heavenly Father'

Help me. (Psalm 121) 1

Here are three short prayers,'Help me! Guide me!Use me!let us consider these 3 things ,'Help.me'  The Beatles  sang a song  which started of  with the words Help me  ,yes it is a  prayer, Psalm 121is one of  seven  Psalms sung by pilgrims as they ascended up to Jerusalem to the temple. The opening verse reads,'I lift up my eyes to the mountains does my help  come from there?why does he mention the mountains?in Jeremiah 3 v 23 we read ,'Truly ,in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills,and from the mulitude of mountains'.Often the high hills and mountains where the place where false gods where worshipped to feel closer to their deities.And so verse two of Ps121 reads 'No,my strength comes from God ,who made heaven ,and earth, and the mountains'.The world is full of god's who are not god's,billions of people are looking to these god's.  William Plumer writes that .'He is alone is all sufficent.Men and angels,means  and instruments,the united powers of earth,and the wisdom of all creatures are as nothing compared with God. We are never safe till,ceasing from man, whose breath is in his nostrils,we look to God alone'.

A bad ending. ( Colossians 4 v 17)

 At the time Israel was a divided kingdom ,ten tribes were called Israel,and two tribes were called Judah,let us consider one of Judahs  kings Asa,read about him in 1 Kings 15v9ff and in 2Chronicles 14-16. Asa reigned for 40yrs,he did many good things removing  much of the  idolatrous symbols and worship of foreign gods.It is sad to say the people God's people had continually turned away from him,and that brought dire consequences upon them. In 2 Chron Judah is faced witth a mighty army with 300 chariots.Before the battle began Asa prayed v11 here is what he prayed,he acknowledges his peoples weakness but also God's greatness,and they won the battle.God sent a man to speak to Asa  15v 2 here is what he said,'The Lord is with you when you are with him.If you seek him,he will be found by you,but if you forsake him,he will forsake you' Asa continued to do much good removing the idols from the land,he even removed his grandmother because she worshipped false God's.Alas in his last years when he  was with faced with an Israels army ,he did not seek the Lord but sought help from a foreign power. (chap 16) When challenged by a prophet he became angry and put him in jail and brutally oppressed some of his people.He later became ill but never sought the Lord to be healed.So what lessons do we learn from this,well godly people can change and not for the better.He silenced the voice of God ,when you do that you are in big trouble,Last but not least he stopped relying on God,he did it his way, not God's, and that's being very foolish.

Is it I Lord?( Isaiah 6 v 8)

 Our Saviour said 'You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the  earth.(Acts 1 v 8)and on the bases of that the Christian Church became had a mission.From that moment on vast amount of people have taken the gospel to the unsaved.We honour them for many of them paid with their lives ,like Jim Elliot and four others.Here is a the names of some who sought to obey the call of God ,and were faithful to the gospel,'G .Paton ,David Livingstone,Hudson Taylor,William Carey C'T'Studd,Mary Slessar,Gladys Alward,Eric Liddell.They are gone and their works do follow them, we honour their memory.So that leaves us,in the Olympic's of old the torchbearers pass the torch on,so Christians are also called to pass the torch on from generation to generation.The challenge is this, are we willing to take up that torch?  

                                              I,the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry,

                                                All who dwell in dark and sin,my hand will save.

                                        1,who made the stars at night, I will make their darkness bright.

                                                 Who will bear my light to them? whom shall I stand?

                                                                     Here I am,Lord,is it I lord?

                                                                 I have heard your calling in the night,

                                                                        I will go Lord,if you lead me,

                                                                    I  will hold your people in my heart.

                                                                              Words  Dan Schutte

                               

She asked me a question. ( Acts 1 v 8)

I was visiting my dentist and recieving treatment by the hygienus,  she asked me a question,are you a  Catholic or are you a Christian?.I suppose the bracelet I was wearing,which has a little cross on it,caused her to ask that question.We had a good conversation and I said I was a Christian,and I asked her was she a .Christian? I believe she is,but she is not very knowledgeable about spiritual matters ,and the moral boundries there are in being a Christian,In the brief time I had I pointed out somethings ,and before I left I asked could I pray for her ?,and she agreed ,so I prayed for her.Maybe you could pray for that dear girl.In 1Peter3 v15 we read, 'Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.But do this with gentleness and respect'.Let us remember that we are to be witnesses that is one of our callings, don't neglect your calling,more than ever people need to hear about Jesus..

Why? ( 2Timothy 3 v 1-6)

 Why? it is the cry of the human heart,it was John Lennon who wrote the song 'Imagine' it is song with a longing for things to be better.It ends with the following words,'You may say I'm a dreamer,but I'm not the only one,I hope someday you'll join us,And the world will live as one'.It is only a dream this present world will not  change for the better, things will not get better I believe it will get worse.Now we come to that why,why is it that we are intent in destroying one another. Well we must go back to a beautiful  garden, with two lovely people ,they were sinless,harmony reigned.But all changed they disobeyed God and from being sinless they became sinners.For them and for humanity it was catastrophic,their fallen nature would be passed unto all mankind.Adam and Eve had two sons Cain and Abel,Cain killed Abel and from that moment on the world became a slaughter house .(T Brooke) If you ask the question why all the awful  things are happening in this world,you are failing to grasp the terrible fallen nature that humanity has.So thats why we need a Saviour, God's answer is Jesus,

A song to God ( Psalm 30 v 5 )

Psalm 30, a Psalm by King David,like many of Davids Psalms,it is full of up's and downs,ill health and good health,weeping and rejoicing.In the midst of it all David,inspite of his failures God has mercy upon him.He declares what God has done for him.In v 2 he write,'Lord my God,I called to you for help',When God is our God,we can call upon Him for help',we have that great assurance when we know Him personally. Psalm 23 v1 ,David prays with confidence,'The Lord is my shepherd,I shall not want',in v4  he declares ,Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil,for you are with me' But  he takes his eyes of the Lord,Ps30v6 reads 'In my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved',One writer puts it this way,'When things were going great I crowed,''I've got it made.I'm God's favorite'. Self confidence will get us into trouble,be on your gaurd in times of prosperity.He writes of God  hiding His face from him v 7,in other words he lost the sense of God's presence.v8ff has  David crying and  pleading  to God for mercy,he feels that death is near,but God had mercy and answered him. In v11-12 the mourning garment is  cast off and he sings the praises of God out of a thankful heart.

C.T.Studd ( Acts 20 v 22-24)

I remember reading the life of C.T.Studd many years ago,and just recently I read a short account of his life  from the Trail Blazers series,which I would recommend to you.He was an English man from an  upper class family,he and his brother were famous sports people.Their  father became a Christian when he heard Moody preaching ,he was an American evangilist.God moved through the whole family so started a life  for Christ ,he and his brother became missionaries ,first in China then in  Africa(Do read the little book) I move unto his time in what was known as the Belgian Congo where God used him  greatly, people got saved, Cannibals,Drunkards,Thieves,Murderers,Adulterers,and Swearers.C.T,Studd was a man on fire for God ,he had a soul thrist for the lost,and he gave his life over in Christian service.He, said,'If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then there can be no sacrifice too great to make for Him'.

                                                    'What sacrifice are we prepared to

                                                      make for Jesus?.'

A balanced prayer ( Psalm 62 v 10)

Last but not least we finish on the prayer by a man called Agur,he has asked God not to give him riches nor poverty,he was concerned that if he was poor with no money,he would become a thief.No one wants to be so poor tthat they may be driven to yield to temptation and steal,the  law tells us to steal is a sin.(Exodus 20 v 15) Bridges comments he is not asking for the bare necessities but for enough in accordence with where God has placed him. He refers to the manna that God supplied in the wilderness,they had it every day,in Exodus 16 v 18 we read, 'the one who gathered much, did not have too much,and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.In Philippians 4 v19 the apostle Pual writing to believers encouraged them with this wonderful promise ,'And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus'.A Bishop Hall wrote,''I am both thankful and indifferent; so as,while I am rich in estate,I may be poor in spirit; and while I am poor in estate,I may be rich in grace'.

Money (1 Timothy 6 v 10) 2

Let us continue to consider Agur and his prayer for God to help him and keep him from his evil weaknesses, he highlights falsehood and lies,but he doesn't stop there,he goes on to mention the following.'give me neither poverty nor riches,but give me only my daily bread (NLT . Give me just enough to satisfy my needs) Bridges comments on 'give me not riches',is scarce the prayer of one in ten thousand'.I have a friend who worked in a major bank in London,he was asked to go and speak to someone who was higher up in the bank.he made his way up in the lift to the floor the person was on,when he arrive he noticed how luxurious everything was.so he went into the persons office.The man dealing with him was offering him promotion to a far better paid job,in fact it would make his present salary look like pittance.My friend asked him what it would involve,well one of the things he was told was he would have to be pepared to work till ten in the evening.My friend mention about his family,and he was told that was part of the job,in the end he did not accept the job.Later on he was told a higher up person said he was a fool.'Agur could see the pitfalls of riches, my friend could,people sell their souls for money,people become a slave for money,and pay a cost as regards their family and their relationship with God.

Be honest ( Romans 7 v14ff)1

 There are three very important verse's that we should all read Proverbs 30 v7-9 the writer highlights two things in his prayer to God ,the first one reads,'keep falsehood and lies far from me'This chapter of the book of Proverbs was not written by Solomon but by  a man called Agur,he is very honest about himself ,v2 -3 he acknowledges his fallen condition,he is a man of God but he is still in a body flesh which we all are,so when  we come before a holy God there must be honesty. Next he recognises his need for God to help him to overcome his weaknesses,so he prays to God and he asks two things of God,first that God would keep him from 'falsehood and lies,keep them far from me he cries. He is so conscious that he could yield to such things,we all without acceptions if we are honest have things in our lives in which we could easely yield to,sinful things.Our Saviour knows that,and so he taught us to pray,'And lead us not into tempation,but deliver from evil,'(some translations have the evil one.)We are not meant to face evil or the evil one on our own,so let us pray continually for God to help us.

Love is a battlefield. (John 3 v16)

 Someone said ,'Love is a battlefield', people for love of country have died on the battlefield,many who answered the call of  God,in love laid down their lives  for the souls of sinners.Bringing up Children is a big challenge especially when the children are difficult and the relationship becomes like a battlefield, why do they they stick with that child ? the reason, they love him.Some marriages  can be difficult,but the couple battle on why? because of the love they have for each other. Christian G. Rossette wrote,'Love came down at Christmas',yes the Son God came into a world contaminated sin by and it was a battlefield of love from the word go,one long battlefield. The final battle took place on a cross ,where Satan and all his forces fought to keep captive hell bound sinners under their control,but love won the battle through Jesus, yes love won the battle.

                                                         'Such love,pure as the whitest snow;

                                                          Such love, weeps for the shame I  know;

                                                           Such love,paying the debt I owe;

                                                            O Jesus,such love.

                                                                   Words G Kendrick

When God says no ( Exodus25 v 9)

He was one the greatest prophets,the one who challenged Pharaoh,Moses,and yet he had his failings,we read about it in Numbers 20 ,Israel had fallen on hard time and were complaiming as they usally did. They  were in the wilderness and there was no water,So they went and quarrelled with Moses,so Moses took the problem to the Lord,the lord  told him to speak to the rock,and water would come out. This was the second time this had happened  Cp Ex 17 v1-7.there Moses was told to strike the rock with his staff.But the second time he was told to speak to the rock, they got the water but God was not pleased with Moses for instead of speaking to the rock he struck it with his staff. When God tells us what we must do,we must do it exactly as He said.Moses left God out of it,one writer says,'he acted out of bitterness and failed to see things God way'Israel got their water ,but Moses was told that he would not lead the people into the promised land.This pained him greatly and later on he tried to get God to change his mind, after all he was Moses,but God is no respecter of persons, if God says no He means it.

Keep on knocking (Luke 18 v1ff)

In Matthew 7 v 7 our dear Saviour speaking as regards praying said the following,'Ask and it will be given to you;seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you'.A Jewish Rabbi said the loveliest things about prayer,'God is as near to his creatures as the ear to the mouth''Human beings can hardly hear two people talking at once,but God,if all the world calls to him at the one time, hears their cry' We need to hear that, God cannot be crowded out,he hears your faintest cry, and he deligths to hear his children come to him in prayer.Now let us think about this verse,were there are three things stressed.'Ask,Seek,knock'.in relation to your prayers, it is stressing that we should not give up,in Luke 18 v1 Jesus tells a parable to show that we should always pray and not give up.A widow came to a judge for justice,he neither feared God nor cared  what people thought.He kept putting her off,but in the end she would not give up,and in the end he saw to it that she got justice .God is not like that judge he gladly hears our prayers,and will answer them according to his will,but  we need to be persistent,we should keep knocking on heavens door,could be he wants to test our faith,so don't give up.

Meaning ( Mark 8 v34-37)

 Charles W.Colson  a 'Attorney and former White House Counsel,became known as President Nixon's hatchet man,was sent to prison for his involvement in the Watergate scandel.But the good news he came to know Jesus as his Saviour,he later became the founder of ''Prison Fellowship'' ministeries.He had a very successful law firm,at the peak of his power he said,'I found the good life empty and meaningless.He goes unto say,'What do you do when the party is all over? In our heart of hearts,all of us understand that there has to be something more to life than money and fame.We have to see these counterfeits for what they are- fool's gold'.

Love (1 Corinthians 13)

1 Corinthians 13 is one of  the most beautiful yet challenging passages in the Bible,the first three verse stresses that no matter what gifts we gifts we have be it in speech ,gift of being able to prophecy,or faith that can move mountains.Or are very generous in giving, or give my body to be burnt at the stake,it is all pointless if we do not have love.v4-6 It goes on to describe the qualities in love,'Love  is patient William Barclay describes it as being patient with people not patient with circumstances. Recently I visited a Christian whose wife has dementia ,and noticed how patient he was with her.it should be for all of us,that we manifest patence as  W B writes 'we must exercise the same patience as God exercises with us'.The last one we will  look at is kindness , Christians above all people should be kind,Philip the second of Spain was very religious yet he founded the Spanish Inquisition,again  WB writes 'So much of Christianity is good but unkind'This world needs more than ever kind people,we should as Christians be at the head of the queue.

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.

Wrong thoughts ( Genesis 39 v 11)

I'm sure that everyone has wrongs thoughts,so what does one do when one has wrong thoughts?.I believe the first thing we should do is to pray.Acknowledge them to God be honest,one cannot hide them from Him. Often we put ourselves in danger by what we look at, for Eve it was the forbidden fruit Genesis 3 v 6, Achan it was the forbidden plunder, Joshua 7 v 21,David it was the forbidden women 2 Samuel 11 v 2.Each of these people had a choice ,they all knew that it was wrong, the wrong thoughts took over, and instead of praying for victory,they ran full pelt into  sinful actions and yielded to temptation.We must run away from our sinful impulses, don't linger over them,don't try and rationalise the wrong actions we may take.Horatio R. Palmer wrote a well known hymn,the first line goes , 'Yield not to temptation,for yielding is sin',take those words to heart.

                                                         'Ask the Saviour to help you,

                                                          Comfort ,strengthen,and keep you;

                                                           He is willing to aid you,

                                                            He will carry you through.'

Keep focused ( Acts 15 v 36-41)

In sport one of the most important things you must do is keep focused,don'take your eye of the ball.This is also one of the most important things you must do when you become a Christian ,keep focused on Jesus.I remember a number of years ago going to a show in London,it was a musical.During the performance a lady near me,made all sorts of  distracting noises,but I just kept focused on the show.I know a number of people who don't attend a Christian fellowship anymore,The reason usually is someone has hurt them ,and it makes me very sad,I do pray for them,nor do I judge them.Meeting with fellow believers is very important in Hebrews 10 v 25 we read,'Not giving up meeting together, as some are in habit of doing,but encouraging one another'. I know from my own experience one can be hurt by fellow Christians,I have been hurt ,very hurt, but I have to have a forgiving spirit,but to add to that I must keep my eyes on Jesus. Look at the many people who hurt Jesus even before the cross,even his own disciples,but He kept focused on doing the Fathers will. 

                                                          

                                                    'Remember we are not following people

                                                     we are following Jesus'

False God's (Matthew 5)

It is said that someone gave Stalin a copy of Machiavellions book 'The Prince' it was written for people who rule as to how to rule. One of main things it highlights,that they must rule 'for the greater good '.Stalin was one of the most evil people one could find.He appeared to take pleasure in  inflicting terrible suffering on millions of people.His sole aim was to establish communism his followers had the same aim.One man has called communisn a false God.There have been many false God's in this world,Naziism, false religions in which there are many. Where such false gods are followed  their followers committ terrible evils.What about Christianity,the evil's that have been perpetrated by so called followers of Christ,the fact is that many so called followers of Christ have misrepresented Christianity,to torture people,slaughter people is totally wrong.The challenge for those who claim to know Jesus as their Saviour,should be a true reflection of whom Christ is.

Saved . (Jude 24)

 Someone has said as regards salvationt there are three aspects of  it,' We were saved; we re being saved;and we will be saved'. We look back an remember there was a moment in time,when we trusted Jesus to be our Saviour. Adgar M.Pace,wrote a song,here is one of the verses,'I can tell you the time,I can take you to the place,When the Lord saved me by His wonderful grace,'Paul the apostle could point you to the place were Christ saved him,read about it in Acts 9,it was so dramatic,he would never forget .We are all saved in the different places,the place is not imporant,what is  important that you have trusted Jesus to forgive your  sins and to be your Saviour. Next we are being saved,what does that mean?  well on our journey to glory the Christian life brings may challenges,we will face many temptations and difficulties our responsability is to press on,not to gave up,sometimes we feel like that,don't despair we are told ,we are kept by the of God unto salvation ( 1 Peter v5 NKJV) Jesus said,' I gave them eternal life,and they shall never perish;nbut rememo on will snatch them out of my hand  (John10 v28). Last but not least,we will be saved, yes we will be saved by God's grace.

Mother's Heart. ( Ephesians 2 v 10)

In many countries Christians hospitals, schools,orphanages and a mulitude of other organisations are doing so much good in this world.Let me tell you about one other called'Mother's heart',it is in Cambodian it was founded by an Australian aid worker called Katrina Gliddon.Young women find themselves pregnant and have no support whatsoever,some have been abused.Many of those dear girls are very young and poor.Mother's Heart is led by a team of Cambodians.This is what they say'We exsist to be the hands and feet of Jesus; to love without condition,stand without judgement,and walk alongside women and girls facing one of the most  vulnerable moments of their lives'Im sure we all need to take to heart this ministry and the challenge it brings to all of us'

                                                    'If I can help somebody as I pass along,

                                                     If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,

                                                     If  I can show somebody that he's travelling wrong,

                                                     Them my living shall not be in  vain'

                                                                 Words by Alma Hazel Androzzo.

                                           .

The sainthood of every believer ( Jude 3/14)

Deuteronomy 7v 6  reads ' For you are a people holy to the Lord your God', these words were spoken to  Israel by Moses.Raymond Brown points out,'They are not urged to become holy,they are already holy....Israel's holiness is an act of God,not an act of man (They must be what they are)Likewise  Christian sanctification begins not with what we do but with what God has done'.In the New Testament the name for Christians is saints,theAV uses the word saint a lot  'Romans 1 v7,the NIV uses the words God's holy people,'Philippians 1 v 1.'this means that every Christian has been set apart,utterly dedicated to Christ. Raymond Brown writes,'Believers are not to became saints;they are saints,and then he adds,'They too must be what they are' Unfortunaately like so many Biblical truths the Roman Catholic Church has brought so much confusion into the meaning of saints.

                                                                 

Heed the warning (2 Thessalonians 1 v7-9)

 Throughout history,affluence has often led to spiritual indifference and moral carelessness'.I look around me and I see affluence everywhere. Street lined with cars,household filled with so many things.The majority people have more than enough to eat ,our health service may be struggleing,but a vast number of people are served well by it.I could go on.There is nothing wrong with prosperity,but how many raise a voice of thanks- giving to almighty God? ,not many.Even if people may acknowledge there may be a God they are spiritually indifferent and morally careless,The doors of their hearts are firmly shut,with a notice on in it which reads ,'don't disturb'. Im Matthew 24v 36ff  our Saviour said,'As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of man. for in the days before the flood,people were eating and drinking, marrying and given in marriage, up to the day of Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about about would happen until the flood came and took them away. This is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man'.The apostle Paul tells in 2 Thessalonians 1 v 7ff ,This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed  from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our  Lord Jesus'.

                                                           '

Not a change for the better ( Ephesians 5 v3-7)

 The times they are a changeing,I buy the times newspaper every Saturday,and I have read articles on peoples sexual behaviour,the latest one is about a cruise ship that caters for sexual deviants.I found it very sad how distubed these people are,anything goes, it was the Rolling Stones who sang a song with the words,'I can't get no satisfaction,Gonna Try,and I try ,and I try'.The pleasure one gets  from sex is not lasting but for many it's all consuming.Joy Davidman wrote, nobody  can reaonably expect  happiness from an insatiable appetite.God granted us the gift of sex so there is nothing wrong with that. The problem is the gift has taken over peoples lives,in an unhealthy way.Marriage for many is an after thought.We must remember God is a moral being who expects his people to abide by his morality,to go against His morallity is a sin that does not just mean sex,read the 10 commandments 

How could He love me.? ( Ephesians 2 v1 -10)

 We speak of  the Old Covenant Israel being God's special people,and they were,so why did He choose them? In Deuteronomy 7 V 7-8 we read,'The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples,but it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors'It ws not their choice it ws God's choice,Raymond Brown writes,'It was not that God lacked compassion for other nations or cared nothing for them......He deliberately chose Israel...to be a special instrument of his purposes in the world'His purposes was and is redemptive.Once that redemptive  purpose was fulfilled in Jesus the call for the new covenant went beyond that of a nation but to evangelise the world (John 3 v16/Acts1 v 8)We Gentiles who are now part of  the new covenant Israel but there was nothing good in us,Christ died for the ungodly He loved us while we were still sinners,not because we loved Him, but that He loved us.(1John 4 v 10)

                                                           'I stand amazed in the presence

                                                            Of Jesus the Nazarene.

                                                            And wonder how He could love me,

                                                            A sinner,condemmed, unclean.'

                                                                    Words  C H.Gabriel.

Dangerous divergence (Matthew 6 v 19 - 24)

 In Deuteronomy 5 v32 reads,'So be careful to do what the Lord your God  has commanded you;do not turn aside to the right or to the left',how people need to hear these words.Let me illustrate something from 'Pilgrims Progress',Christian is on his journey to the celestual land,he had a companion with him called Hopeful. As they journeyed they met a person called Demas who shouted out to them;'Turn aside!There's a silver mine here!With very little trouble,you'll be rich.' When gold was discovered in 1896 in Canada in Klondike gold fever took over and 100,000 people joined the gold rush,some succeeded,but many didn't.Back to Christian and Hopeful,Hopeful when he heard said ,'Let's go and see he said hopefully,but Christian  said he wasn't going ,for he had heard of that place,and it was dangerous' thankfully Hopeful listened to Christian ,and on they wemt on their journey .Let us listen to godly friends instead of rushing on into trouble and bringing our soul into mortal danger ,don't turn aside for anything.

Our Faher (Matthew 6 v 9)

When Egerton first preaced to the native Americans in Saskatchewan,the idea of the fatherhood of God  fascinated people who had hitherto seen God only in the thunder and lightning and the storm blast. An old chief  said to Egerton Young,'Did I hear you say to God''Our Father''?' I did',said Egerton Young.'God is your Father? asked the chief.'Yes',  said Egerton .'And', continued the chief,he is also my Father? 'He certainly is,'said Egerton. Suddenly the chiefs face lit up with a radiance. His hand went out,'Then', he said with the tone of someone making a dazzling discovery,'you and I  are brothers'.

                                                                'Behold, what manner of love

                                                                the Father hath bestowed upon us,

                                                                that we should be called the sons

                                                                of God' ( 1 John 3 v1)

Lest I forget ( Psalm 62 v10)

Are you forgetful I am,its not deliberate,there is nothing I can do about it,but it does concern me,in Deuteronomy 6 v10 ff,Moses was instructing God's people.He reminded them thatGod had promised the land to His people,in fact he swore an oath to Abraham,Isaac,and Jacob that the land would be theirs,it took a long time to bring it into being.God always keeps His word,and although it tarry it will happen,has God promised you something, He has not forgotten his promise to you.You can imagine how excited the people were,their own land, no more being slave in a foreign land.Yet although that is true the Land ultimately beglongs to God,they were but the tenants.Everthing we have from God is just loaned to us,and we will beheld accountable as to our stewardship.Moses tells how they will prosper in this land,in light of that warns them,to not forget that the Lord brought them out of Egypt,out the land of slavery,what he has said  needs to repeated to us all,when you prosper don't forget Calvary.

Your prayers (Colossians4 v2-6)

Often when I visit people,and they share things with me, difficult things,I don't have the answer,the problems are beyond me to solve. Before I leave them I usually pray with them but I assure them of my ongoing prayers for them.I read this recently,'We must spend time with people in order to to understand their problems,and to spend time with God in order to solve them'.So often we fail to do that and we spesk unadvisable to people.Most of us need more wisdom in dealing with people,and also praying for them,we must take prayer very serious,never underestimate the importance of your prayers,let us realize more and more that our prayers can make a difference whatever it may be for.When we say to a person that we will pray for them,let us mean it.I read something recently in one of my daily devotional,it was about Fanny Crosby,'She told of a time when she had run out of money ,and needed five dollars,there was no time to call upon her pubishers,so she simple prayed for the money.Later on that day a friend called,they had a nice time together,but as she was leaving,her friend pressed something into her hands,it was a five-dollar bill.When her friend left,she got on her knees and thanked God'.Out of that experience she wrote that lovely hymn.

                                                        'All the way my Saviour leads me;

                                                        What have I to ask beside?

                                                         Can I doubt His tender mercy,

                                                         Who through life has been my guide?

Nothing hidden (2 Samuel 11 v 27)

 There was an entertainer called Dan Leon he was considered the funnst man in all the earth,yet Marie Lloyd a well known entertainer  said this about him,'Ever seen His eyes?the saddiest eyes in the whole world'.I think about Judas Iscariot it appears that none of the disciples had an inkling that he was going to betray Jesus,they knew that he was a thief (John 12 v 6) .Those three and a half years he followed Jesus, the seriousness what he attended to do was hidden from them, but not from Jesus ( John 13 v18ff) He knows all about us the hidden man,and our hidden motives. We read that Adam and Eve hid from the Lord,you cannnot hide from Him . Think how many murders have not been solved,we dont who did them,but God does,and all will be revealed in a coming day.Our Saviour said ,'For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed,and nothing concealed that will not be brought out into the open.(Luke 8 v17)You may have thought that you got away with whatever,not so.the great judgement day is coming, there is no escape from it,but we can escape the consequenes,by confessing our sin and asking Jesus to forgive us,and to be our Saviour