Successful. [Judges 7v1-8]

When I was born, Im told a neighbour cried when she saw me, I was so small, but I survived. The Bible has much to say about smallness , why? simply this ,God gets the glory . Yet if you are a preacher, you want success, you want to see the church full to overflowing, but it seems that it does not happen, this is the day of small things, when was the last time you heard of people being saved? it rarely seems to happen, we remain small, working in our weakness. So what can we learn from this?, for in all of the experiences of life, there are lessons to be learnt. God is working his purpose out, and it so often through the small, the weak, that He is doing this. [ Father often we struggle with our weaknesses, we feel, if only we were free from them , we would be more successful, even more fufilled, help us to see that all things are in your Sovereign hands, even our weaknesses, in Jesus name I ask this ,Amen.]

A special day [Luke 15v11-32 ]

For me Easter Sunday is a special day , as a youngster I had trusted the Saviour, in a childrens meeting, the speaker was known as the Hallelujah milkman, I remember the story he told about sin and I believed on Jesus to save me, and He did. My Christian life began, but as I grew up , my Christian life stopped and started, when I had reached my late teens, it had stopped,until that Easter Sunday, standing at the corner of a street, I asked two neighbours who were on their way to church, could I go with them, they agreed, and that evening God spoke to me, once again ,I felt my need of Christ, and I surrendered my life afresh to Him, that was Forty Three Years ago, I have never forgotten that special day. [ Dear Lord Jesus thank You for salvation that free gift, thank you for loving us even when are love for you is weak, even when we stray from you, Amen. ]

Are you feeling the squeeze?. [Mark 4 v1-20.]

More and more those reminders to all of us ,of Spiritual realities are being squeezed out of life, Christmas has become a consumer binge, Easter is for many just a reason to escape, and gradually consumerism is taking over. Now I like shopping ,we all are consumers, nor am I trying to dictate to anyone , but I am saying this , dont let whatever, squeeze out those Spiritual realities in our lives. Enjoy the things of life , but dont let them consume you, be they sport, habits, buying, selling, whatever, as a J.P.Phillips translation of Romans 12v2, reads ,[ Dont let the world squeeze you into its mould ] [Father I thank you for the many blessings of life I enjoy, for every good and perfect gift, please help me to see beyond the gifts ,to you the Giver, may nothing take Your place in my life. in Jesus name I ask this, Amen.]

Good Friday.[ Luke 23 v39-43 ]

For every one looking on , at Christ on the cross it,it appeared the end for Jesus, after all death has that meaning to it, the disciples felt it was the end for them also , no more Jesus to teach them , no more witnessing His miracles, no more listening to his words, no more anything just memories, they had hoped for so much more. Then there were those who must have felt relief at his death , glad even, that this trouble maker was at last out of the way, things could settle down, He would no longer be a pain in their side. But there was one exception, just one, we read of, a thief, a thief who in his darkest hour, had a sudden revelation, a saving revelation, for he saw not just another victim, but one who was dying for him, dying for his sins, he called on Jesus and was granted eternal life, amazing but true. [Father on this good friday I simple want to thank you, for Jesus, for His dying for me, on that cross, for my sins ,Amen.]

Bread. [ Mark 14 v26-38 ]

I like bread, my favourite is soda farls, a Northern Ireland speciality, best fried, I suppose thats one of the reasons why they have a very high rate of heart problems. Bread has been seen as the staff of life, a vital part of mans diet, somthing we feel we cannot live without, to me it is symbolic, of many things. Consider the many things you feel , that you cannot live with out?, now consider if those things were withdrawn from you. This is what happened to Israel they went hungry, God permitted this to happen, Why? here is the answer, that they would understand , that they should not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God [Matthew 4 v4 ] , so dont be surprised if God withdraws certain things from your life, in order to teach you valuable lessons. [ Father I know you love me so much, and I know you have a loving purpose for my life,as You teach me lessons, help me not to rebel,but to trust you in all things, I ask this in the name of Jesus, Amen ]

Sensitive. [Ephesians 6 v10-18 ]

I wonder am I sensitive?, I suppose I am a mixture , sensitive and insensitive, often I get the balance wrong, as indeed we all do. The word of God tells me that I have within me the Holy Spirit , we are told that our bodies are temples. We are told we can grieve Him, that we can even resist Him, yet He continues with us, convicting, guiding,and comforting us. Today let us yield ourselves afresh to Him , let us be sensitive to His presence in our lives, we need to be filled afresh ,daily, for it is only in His strength , will we be able, to live as we should, in obedience to the word of God, and so glorify our Saviour. [Father fill me afesh with your Spirit,and so accomplish in me today, some new work of loving grace, unreservedly have your way, I ask this in Jesus name, Amen.]

So many burdens. [Isaiah 41 v 10 ]

Burdens , so many people are carrying them, behind many a smile there is often a burdened person, mybe as you read this you are carrying a burden, a financial burden, the burden in your marriage, with your children, a burden of ill health. The world is a burdened place , what can one do , despair? turn to drink, or comfort eating, or shop till we drop,when Iwas a child, I loved going to the cinema , it was a little world I could loose myself in, but I am no longer a child , So what does one do ? Well I have found one who first of all took my burden of sin , He removed that awful burden , no one else could, His name is Jesus, then I found in Jesus one who undertakes in every situation, one who says cast your burden upon Me and I will sustain , and support you. [Father thank You that You see all our burdens, burdens that could so easily destroy us, burdens that can crush us , thank you , that you are not just a spectator but one who involves Himself in our situations, one who tells us not to despair, so in the name of Jesus, we cast all our burdens upon You, Amen.]