Woe is me [ Isaiah 6 ]

Sometimes one feels like Isaiah the prophet [ Isa 6 v5 ] , utterly unworthy, he felt this way just before God called him to be a messenger to his people. The more one goes on in the Christian life, the more conscious one is of ones shortcomings, yet God would use Isaiah, and grant unto him wonderful revelations, and he would speak into the lives of kings [ Isa 19 ]. God can and will use us inspite of our shortcomings, yes He can use you, and He can use me, but of course He will challenge us as regards our faults, not to condemn us but to change us. One of the most important things in our relationship with God, is a dependance on Him, an awareness that without Him we can do nothing,our shortcomings are helpful reminders. So today let us go forth with a continual dependance on our Saviuor ,for the strength we need,and the blessing we desire. [ Father in Heaven , we ask that You will have mercy upon us, and that You would bless us, and use us , for Your glory, we ask this in Jesus name Amen ]

Revival. [ John 16 v 8 -15 ]

I was in a store yesterday looking at shoes ,when a man pointed out that someone had left their old shoes on the shoe rack and put on new ones, and walked out without paying for them. I was reading in 2 Kings 22v7 of those who were honest and trustworthy, it seems so many people are far from that especially many of our M Ps . The challenge is for all of us to be honest, in our relationships,possessions, and whatever is intrusted to us, as I hear of the revelations as regards our M Ps, it bears down upon me the great spiritual need of our country. Many years ago, in Ulster there was a revival under the ministry of W P Nicolson , many were wonderfully saved. In Belfast there was a large shipbuilders, many who worked there got saved,and as a result , much that had been stolen ,was returned. What does our country need ?,a mighty Holy Ghost revival, we all need to pray , for revival in these days. Inspite of our prosperity the heart of man is sinful, and will never change,only Christ can save and change us, He is our only hope.[ O Holy Ghost, reival comes from Thee, send a revival - start the work in me. Thy word declares , Thou wilt supply our need, For blessing now ,O Lord, I humbly plead, in Jesus name we ask this, Amen ] [The prayer was fron a hymn by J Edwin Orr ]

Finger pointing .[ Matthew 7 v 1 - 5 ]

I read this recently in the , Readers Digest, of a young woman who was speaking at a church, she gave a very strong word against materialism, when she finished, she came down from the pulpit, and knelt at the altar, as she did, one could see a label on the back of her jeans, with the words on it, I love shopping. In John 8 v 1-11, we read of a woman who was caught in the very act of adultery, the religious leaders brought this woman to Jesus, they were trying to trap Him, and use it against Him .The law of Moses said that an adulteress should be stoned to death, so they said to Jesus, what do you say?, eventually Jesus said, he that is with out sin let him cast the first stone,these words hit home, so they all left. Like those religious leaders, and the young women ,it is so easy, to look at others and point the finger of judgement, to take the high moral ground, and forget that we all sinners without exception. [ Holy God have mercy upon those who have fallen into sin, grant that they may know your forgiveness, and grace, and help us all to remember, that we all our sinners saved by grace Amen ]
[I will be on holiday this week I will blog again next Saturday , the Lord bless you all ]

Calm [ Isaiah 26 v 3 ]

In Psalm 112 v 6 -7, we read, Those who are righteous, will long be remembered. They do not fear bad news, they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. The righteous are those who have put their trust in Jesus, it is His Righteousness that counts. They do not fear bad news, they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. Bad news will come, make no mistake about it, but because God is our loving heavenly Father, He will care for us, let us have confidence in our God, that whatever happens, whatever bad news we may hear, all will be well, all will be well inspite of the economy, inspite of the threat of unemployment. Horatius Bonar wrote,/Calm me, my God, and keep me calm...... Calm in the hour of buoyant health, Calm in my hour of pain, Calm in my poverty or wealth, calm in my loss or gain. [ Dear God help us by Your Grace to trust in Your care, inspite of difficulties, inspite of bad news, grant that we may know in our hearts calmness, we ask this in Jesus name Amen ]

Pass the salt [ James 1 v 26 ]

I remember reading a book by a lady called Corrie Ten Boom, that she was invited to minister to a group of girls , at a retreat, now you know what girls are like, they talk, and sometimes they can be a bit spiteful,[ we men our perfect ] so Corrie introduced a rule, that everytime, someone started to say something about another ,at the meal table ,they would say, / pass the salt/. Words hurt, it is so easy to run people down , to phone up and talk about what someone has done, to undermine a persons character, or a persons ministry. Today let us seek to resist the temptation to run another down, if we cannot say something good about a person, then let us refrain from saying anything bad. [ Dear God forgive us for talking about others,of saying hurtful and damaging things, grant us the grace to watch our words, help us to resist the temptation to undermine another in Jesus name we ask this Amen ]

Telling the truth [ Exodus 20 v16 ]

We have been making inquiries about getting a new tv deal, we thought we had it all sorted out then we discovered that what we had been told was not right,this applied to three companies. We feel we were not told the truth, fortunately we found out in time, and will be cancelling our agreement, it makes one wonder about the importance of telling the truth. I realise that it is so easy to fail to tell the truth, there will be many today who will placing their hand on the bible, and swear to tell the truth , the whole truth, so help them God, and have no intentions of telling the truth. May God help us to be truthful people, with those nearest to us,and with all we come into contact, today. [God of truth forgive us for not always telling the truth, help us to be truthful, grant us this grace, in Jesus name Amen ]

We are all different. [ Jeremiah 1 v 5 ]

A penguin walked into a bar and asked the barman , have you seen my brother, the barman replies, what does he look like?. I hope you get the joke, the point is penguins all look the same, but they are not, so with us ,to penguins we may all look the same but we are not, we are all different. We all have different abilities , personalities, gifts, we are like snowflakes,not two of us are alike,so today dont wish you are someone else, rejoice in who you are,oh yes there are things in all of us that need to change, and of course we all sinners, and we all without exception need Jesus.Today you may hate yourself because you feel you are to thin or to fat,listen God made you and me, He made the elephant man, read his life, he was a beautiful person. God made all of us , and when He made you and me He didnt make a mistake, and here is a wonderful thought ,He loves us, and longs that we love Him, by accepting His Son as our Saviour.[ Dear God , thank You for making us, and bringing us, into being,thank You for loving us, and giving Your Son to die on the cross for us, thank You that we all are different, but this is not a bar to being accepted by You, in Jesus name we pray this Amen ]