We can Stand. [Matthew 7 v 24-27]

It is very stormy today , I hear the wind and rain as I print this, our Saviour illustrated a wonderful truth, by referring to storms that come into our lives. There are different things that we class as storms, lonlineliness, bereavement, the list is endless, but the storms are real, the question is this how do we cope with the storms that may even threaten to destroy us, here is what Jesus said, Anyone who listens to my teaching, and follows it, will survive the storms of life. I personally have survived bereavement , financial difficulties,unemployment, and numerous other things, and have proved the truth of what Jesus taught. [ Father thank you for sending Jesus, He trully is an anchor in the storms of life, help me today ,in whatever storm I am facing, to trust and not be afraid, Amen.]

A Prisoner. [Psalm 27.]

I was reading Psalm 27, what a wonderful word we have from God, it opens with these words, The Lord is my light and my salvation-so why should I be afraid?.Speak those words over to yourself continually, let them take root in your heart, when fear comes in,, chase it out with those words, I know from experience how easily fear can take root, how you wake up in the middle of the night,and dwell on a problem , and fear overcomes us.I pass on these words which I read in my study Bible, [Fear is a dark shadow that envelops us and ultimately imprisons us within ourselves ] let us remind ourselves ,that because the Lord is our light and salvation we need not to be a prisoner of fear.[ Father I am so often attacked by situations and circumstances that can cause me to become a prisoner of fear, forgive me and grant me the grace of faith that will enable me to live free from fear, I ask this in Jesus name, Amen]

Home. [John 14 v1-6.]

What do you think of when you think of home?your childhood home, your present home,like me my homeland, all these conjure up different feelings. The important thing is nome of these,homes, are permanent, two of the homes I lived in , in Belfast, have been demolised, no going back, let us remember if we are Christians , our permanent home is heaven, there we will know true security, harmony, love, and the abiding presence of Him who said to his followers ,I go to prepare a place for you. [John 14v2] . [ Father I thank you for providing me with a home, have mercy upon the homeless, I thank you that I have a home in glory land that outshines the sun, an eternal home, were I will live eternally with You, thank you in Jesus name, Amen.]

Hurdles [2 Timothy 4 v 7-8 ]

Often when writing about the Christian life the apostle Paul likens it unto an athletic event,like me, you may never have participated in athletics. The hurdles always appears to be difficult to me , running and stretching, and if you get it wrong you knock over the hurdle, and in the process fall , and you are out of the race. There are Christians , who stumble and fall at particular hurdles, and it appears they are out of the race, no longer going on with Christ, when I was young,this happened to me, mybe it has happened to you also, the good news is, we can as I did come back into the race, and even finish it, Peter the apostle fell flat on his face, when he denied his Lord, but the Lord forgive him and restored him by His outrageous grace. [Father help us all, to not despair, when we fall at particular hurdles in life, in thy mercy forgive , and restore us , in Jesus name.]

But it is cold [Revelation 3v14-22]

I am often reminded that swimming is good for me, I can swim, just about , but the fact is I rarely swim , because no matter how much people lie to me , come on in ,it is lovely, I know from experience that the water is cold. I do not like the cold , either cold people, or cold weather, I suppose many people feel this way as to the weather,and that is why of course many go to live in sunny Spain. As I write this I am reminded of a Chritian I knew many years ago, in Belfast, he was on fire for God, but then something happened, he lost the fire, he became cold towards God, I did not judge him but it made me cry. [Father it is so easy to slip away from You , so easy to let slip the things that matter, our relationship with You, in Your mercy keep us, dont let us become spiritually cold, for the sake of Your dear son I ask this, Amen.]

Its the Others. [Matthew 7 v1-5]

It has become a popular way of replying to the the question, how are you, it is the others, a somewhat funny reply, or so it seems. These words, it is the others, puts the onus on others , , if we read the gospels , our Saviour so often reminded those who put the onus on others, that they needed to deal with the their failings to love,and to stop judging others. Take a modern day example , why am I the only perfect driver on the road ?, sounds a bit silly, of course it is ,the fact of the matter is, there are no perfect drivers, we are all part of the problem, so the challenge to all of us is, let love be the ruling principal in our lives, [ Father forgive me for not being honest, for not facing up to my own faults, and failings, help me as I come into contact with imperfect people , to remember that I am imperfect, I ask this in Jesus name,Amen. ]

Dont Give Up. [1 kings18v 41-46]

One of the great truths I dicovered early in my Christian life,is that truth called the ,Pereverance of the Saints, it brings a balance to the doctrine of the sovereignty of God. This great truth lays an empahasis on personal responsibilty, you really cant be saved and live any old way, also this truth encourages us to press on, it times of trouble, it encourages us to keep on keeping on. There are so many aspects of life that this truth applies to, take prayer , while we are to avoid vain repetition, prayer involves perseverance, not giving up, I believe in that perevering, God is creating Christlikeness in us, consider how He perseveres with us, so I would encourage us all to persevere. [Father thank that you never give up on us, you keep on loving us, help us to be like you, and not give up in the task you have given us, and with those you have intrusted to us, in Jesus name I pray this, Amen]