Spoilt for choice.

Unlike former generations, we are spoilt for choice, I remember asking a missionary from Brazil, he worked in the interior ,what was his diet, his reply was beans and rice. Many in this world have few options in life to choose from, but in the west we have , we are spoilt for choice, so lets be grateful for the abundance of Gods provision, and let us remember those who have so little to choose from, by praying, and by our giving, now thats a good choice.

Our lives .

Speaking to a fellow Christian recently , forced into retirement by ill health, he expressed a degree of frustration,which I understand. Frustration is experienced by many of Gods children , it was the Psalmist David , who himself experienced so many frustrations,who wrote in Psalm 31v15, My times are in thy hands[a.v] , my study Bible states, David was expressing his belief ,that all of lifes circumstances are under Gods control, these are very important words, for all of us to hold on to, our times are in Gods hands.

Be like.

Words of a little song comes to mind, it goes like this, Be like Jesus this my song, in the home and in the throng, be like Jesus all day long, I would be like Jesus. Think about what that means for you , what does it mean to be like Jesus ? ,a little child asked a missionary, are you Jesus?, we can be today,how?, by being forgiving, kind,helpful, by our words, and so the list goes on, and yet its not just a list of does and donts. just offer a simple prayer to God today, and ask Him to help you to be like Jesus.

Faithfulness

One of the qualities God desires in our lives is faithfulness, faithful in our giving, praying,faithful in our relationship with Him ,I have put God first, He must always be first, as we read the bible we see time after time people putting others , and things before G0d,so let us rise to the challenge of putting God first. This does not mean that others do not matter, they do., but God must matter most of all. be faithful to Him today.

Remember my chains.

These are the words of a great man of God, [Colossians 4v18] ,suffering takes many forms, today there are many who for the sake of Christ are suffering, remember them . There are those are suffering sickness , remember them, difficult marriages, remember them, mental illness,remember them ,as you listen to the news , of people suffering, remember them,your prayers can make a difference.

Pressure

It seems to me so many of us experience pressures, how are we to cope ? consider the apostle Paul ,2Cor4v8 ff, pressed on every side by troubles, but he says we are not crushed,we are perplexed but not in despair, he was not into denial,he did not put on a show,but he sees troubles like this, v17 For our present troubles are small and wont last very long.Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever. The challenge for us today is to think aright, and we do this by focusing on Gods word and looking to Jesus.

How are you?

Often we ask people , how they are? , out of courtesy, with no real interest in the person , when our Saviour met people, He was always interested in them. in 1 Peter 5v7 we read , Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares for you.People may act in a trival uncaring manner, God does not, we have a loving Heavenly Father , who really cares for us in total,two lines of a poem read, With every pang that rends the heart, the man of sorrows has a part., He would say to you , I know how you are , tell me , and rest assured that I care.