Peter. [Mark 14 v 41 ff ]

Peter was very privlleged,as was James and John,cp Matthew 17, Jesus was giving them particular training, for future service. Peter was an obvious leader,he was a confident person, there is much to admire in him, but he had a weakness, in some ways he was a coward, and this is shown in a number of places,/ cp Galatians 2 v11-21, the apostle Paul calls him a hypocrite, because he was afraid of criticism from people who insisted on the necessity of being circumcised to be saved. The other place He showed his cowardice was when Jesus, was betrayed , and arrested,[ Mark 14v 41 ff ] as they were taking Jesus away we read that Peter followed at a distance, there are many Christians who are following Jesus at a distance, just like Peter. From walking at a distance , we next read, of Peter denying Jesus, not once but three times, and thats serious. Like Peter we all have weaknesses, and failings, let us not gloss over them, help us to learn from Peter, but let us not be like him. [ Dear Lord Jesus help us not to follow You at a distance, like Peter Your servant, we have our weaknesses just like him, keep us this day by Your grace, that we may not betray or deney You ,in word , deed ,or thought, Amen ]

It is only a game. [ Matthew 6 v 33 ]

My favourite football side were defeated yesterday, I am a sad man this morning , but it will pass,anyway it is only a game, I dont agree with the late and great Bill Shankley, that football is more important than life. As I reflect on life I watched a mother with a lovely young boy, in a cafe, he was unable to feed himself, he was in a wheel chair, my heart went out to them. These things makes one realize whats important in life, sport is important but its not that important, love is important, and all that love means. Holiness is important, consider the damage sin inflicts upon life, upon the sinner and the sinned against, and most of all against God. Let us all ask the question today what is really important, what would God have us focus on?.Let us all spend a few moments , each day, asking God to show us what is what is most important for us to prioritize in our lives. [God and Father help us today to focus on what is most important in our lives, what You want us to focus on, in Jesus name we ask this Amen ]







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Sometimes. [ Matthew 9 v 37 - 38 ]

Sometimes I have feelings of nostalgia for my home land, this happened yesterday as I listened to that lovely song about the mountians of Mourne that sweep down to the sea, it brought back memories of times spent there on holidays. We can never leave our past , it is part of us, and will remain with us as long as we live. I thank God that I was born in Ulster, for it is a land of churches,and grants great opportunity to hear the gospel, which I did hear from an early age, and accepted the Saviour. As I consider England I am sad ,for so many people have never heard the gospel, and with the decline of Christianty , spiritual darkness is increasing in our young peoples lives, so many people are going to a lost eternity.[ Dear God we cry unto You that in Your mercy You may move in this dear land of England, and bring the lost to Your son Jesus, grant this prayer , please, in Jesus name we ask this Amen ]

God is working His purpose out.[ Ephesians 1 v 19 - 23 ]

To say that God is working His purpose out is a statement of faith,for as we look out on this world, it is so easy, to feel that evil is on the throne, and things are a mess.Islam appears so strong and inpenetrable, people appear to have no desire to seek God, the money markets show how morally bankrupt things are, the rich build fortresses around themselves. We also see goverments that are cruel , many people are suffering, at their hands, history is littered with such goverments, and then there is global warming. It is in the book of Revelation, a book that is full of suffering, of plagues, and of severe persecution of Christians, John who wrote this book was suffering, yet we read in, chapter 19 v 6 [av], / The LORD GOD omnipotent reigneth/. Child of God look up to your Sovereign God , your God reigns, God is working His Sovereign purposes out ,in this world , and in the lives of His children, all will be well. [God and Father, help us by faith to lay hold of the truth, that You reign over this world, and are working Your purposes out , in Jesus name we ask this Amen ]

Need [ Matthew 28 v 18 - 20 ]

It appears to me that people always have needs, material, physical, and spiritual,I love that wonderful promise in Philippians 4 v 19, which reads,/My God shall supply all your needs in Christ Jesus according to His riches in glory/. This promise was given to reassure Christians that God would supply their material needs,God will do this,yet whatever our need may be, God will supply,He is interested in all things that concern His children. In the book of Exodus 33 v 14- 15,God says to Moses,/ I will personally go with you, and I will give you rest- everything will be fine for you. Then Moses replied, /If You dont personally go with us, dont make us leave this place/.Our greatest need is God Himself,if you are not saved, then your greatest need is Jesus, if you are saved, you have Jesus, and in Him you have all you need.[ Father in heaven thank You for promising to meet all our needs, and thank You for meeting our deepest need in the person of Jesus who is with us always Amen ]

Under attack [ Ephesians 6 10 - 18 ]

I wonder do you ever feel under attack ?, we should not be surprised by this, in fact our Saviour said as much in John 15 v 18 - 25, and in 2 Timothy 3 v 12, we are told that ,/ everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. As Christians we have what I call an evil trinity to continually contend with ,/ The world/ The flesh/ The devil, we will have to contend with them until the day we die. So like a sentry on duty we must ever be alert, 1 Peter 5 v 8- 9,tells us to,/ Stay alert, watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.So if you are under attack today dont be surprised, relying on your Lord, continue on, dont give up, dont despair,the Lord is with you and will not fail you. [ Dear Lord Jesus help us this day to be overcomers, fill us with thy Spirit, and grant us the victory over,the world , the flesh ,and the devil. Amen ]

We are allowed to ask why.[ Habakkuk 1 v 12- 17 ]

It is said that the reformation opened up the way for us to be able to ask why, the church that then was ,would have put you to death for daring to ask, why, they even had their thought police. Last night I watched a movie,/ The boy in the striped pyjamas/, and after I had watched it I found myself asking God, why?, and I found myself going down into a dark abyss,as I sought answers.I opened my bible seeking for an answer, but not finding it, I then went to my bookshelf and got one of my favourite books, by A .W. Pink, called, The Sovereignty of God, I found a peace not so much in what I read, but simply in this vital truth, Gods sovereignty,the fact of the matter there will always be the whys in life, we can let them drive us into despair,unbelief,and so on, or we can simply look up to our sovereign God in faith, knowing that as for God His way is perfect, that His thoughts ,are not our thoughts, nor are His ways, our ways.[ Sovereiegn God we struggle at times as we look at so many things, we just cannot understand the whys in life, so by faith we look beyond our whys and just simple trust in Your perfect way and will , in Jesus name we pray this Amen ]