Love [ 1 Corinthians 13 ]

I heard recently of a married couple , whose marriage is breaking up, the husband told his wife , /I dont love you anymore./ What a hurtful thing to say, what pain those words must have caused, and yet this is far from an isolated case. Having been married two times I really do know and appreciate the difficulties in a marriage relationship, yet I dont consider myself an expert. I have been married to my present wife 25 yrs, it has had real and difficult problems, but by Gods grace we are still married, oh yes that other thing which is vital ,I love her.It was Shakespeare who wrote love is not love, which alters when it alteration finds, he is right, love never gives up,never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstances. [ God of love we admit that we struggle so often to love others as we should, help us in our weakness to love, and love, and love, in Jesus name we ask this . Amen. ]

If only.[ Isaiah 55 v 8 - 9 ]

I wonder do you ever think like I do? I find myself saying if only, in relation to sickness. I recently heard of a pastors wife who is suffering from a disease that will eventually kill her,before that happens, her mind will be affected. Then there is Wally ,an old bible college colleague, who is suffering from ,M S, and so the list goes on, I work among the mentally ill and one feels so much for those who suffer. This is where the if only comes in, if only I could lay my hands on them and pray, and see them healed. I remember feeling I should pray for a local minister who had cancer, I went to his home,was invited in, I prayed for that dear brother, but he later died, if only. [ Father we know that you are a God of miracles, and we long to see your miraculous power at work, there are times we think if only, and then out of the darkness we hear your gentle whisper, Trust Me. Amen ]

Good luck.[ Psalm 121. Psalm 75 v 6 av]

She wouldnt pass me on the stairs, she said it was bad luck, but was it?, many people believe certain things bring them good luck. Consider a few of the things people consider lucky,lucky heather,being born Irish, [ the luck of the Irish ], reiligous trinkets, and acts like crossing ones self,[many footballers do this ], lucky numbers. Then we have the things that bring bad luck, a black cat,putting an umbrella up indoors, spilling salt, breaking a mirror,and many other things, I am sure every country have beliefs, about what will bring good luck, and what will bring them bad luck. The word of God makes it clear that our lives are in Gods hand, not influenced by superstitious ideas, that God watches over His own, and it is to Him alone we must look .[ Sovereign Lord help us to rid ourselves of all superstitious ideas, to look to you alone, for all things concerning our lives, we ask this in the name of Jesus, Amen ]

He is not finished yet. [ Philippians 1 v6 ]

No ones perfect, and that is true, but God has a vision for every one of His children, perfection, when He saves us, he sees us as we are, filled with hang ups, bad attitudes . When the prophet Isaiah had a vision of God [chap 6 ] he declared, /I am a sinful man , I have filthy lips, and I live among a people of filthy lips/. He saw his and others inperfections ,but God was not finished with him or Israel, He was the potter they were the clay, He would perfect that which concerneth them [Isaiah 64 v8 ]. So it is with all His children ,God is in the business of making us all like Jesus, for all of us this is a difficult process, but God will not listen to our complaints, He knows what needs to be done, He will perfect that which concerneth us, so dont give up on yourself or others remember He is not finished yet , with any of us.[ Father often we despair at our failures and faults, help us to trust You, to perfect that which concerneth us, in Jesus name we ask this . Amen ]

A hero [ Hebrews 11 ]

I watched a dvd last night about George Muller one of my heroes , he lived in the 19 th century, he is remembered for the work he did for orphans. During his lifetime 120,000 orphans where cared for, he never made any appeals for funds, instead he prayed, and God answered , in todays money he recieved a staggering one hundred million pounds. When he died thousands of people lined the streets of Bristol, one news paper said of him ,he robbed the cruel streets, of those dear children who where destitute. George Mullers example influenced me and I am sure many others to trust God to answer prayer, he was an educated man , could speak seven languages, but his strength was his faith, a faith that leaned hard upon his God. [Father help us to lean hard upon You, to pray believing, we realise that this will bring testing, but we also realise You will be glorified, we ask this in Jesus name , Amen ]

Always the same. [ Hebrews 13v 8 ]

I find it interesting to think that I have to use the word Yahoo to get into my e-mails, for the word Yahoo means , /a vicous coarse person, it was used in Gullivers Travels. Words and people change, the word gay, has a different meaning to what it used to have, I know many Christians find it hard to accept a new translation of the Bible, but I think it is important, simply because words of the 16th centuary, have changed there meaning. Yet there are words that will not change and in a sense must not change, words like ,sin, salvation, hell, and heaven. People even try to change the meaning of Jesus, which means Saviour, to mean other things.The Bible teaches us clearly, that He is a Saviour, He saves from sin, and Hell, and grants unto all who believe on Him eternal life. [ Dear God and Father in a world that is forever changing, we thank for Jesus who is the same yesterday ,today ,and forever, Amen ]

Be on your guard [ Matthew 6 v 13 ]

One of the saddest stories in the Bible is to be found 2 Samuel 11, there we read of a great man of God, a man after Gods own heart, a man who wrote many of the psalms, we think of the 23 Psalm, what wonderful ,comforting words. David had a wonderful relationship with God, and yet we read how he sinned in the most dastardly manner, he committed adultery, then murder. When I read this I am reminded of how vulnerable we all are, if David the man of God could sin in such a manner then any one of us could. In 1 Corinthians 10 v 12, [ a v ] we read these very instructive words,/ let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall/, so let us be continually on our guard, lest we commit some sin that could damage our relationship, with God, and those we love. [Father help us to be on our guard today , help us not be overcome with lust, jealousy, hate, in the name of your Son Jesus we ask this, Amen. ]