We are all tarred with the same brush. [Romans 3v23 ]

In Luke 7 v36-50, we read of an incident, where Jesus had been invited for a meal by a man called Simon, he was a Pharisee, a member of a very strict group, the Pharisees had a them and us mentality. The Pharisees judged people,and would stay away from anyone considered in their eyes sinful, they sought to impose their ideas on Jesus. Now of course our Saviour was not a Pharisee,He declared ,that He had not come into the world to condemn the world[ John 3 v17 ], this is demonstrated in so many places within the Gosples.The purpose of Jesus coming is to save, not to condemn, He will judge one day all those who have refused to accept Him [ Acts17 v31]. It is so easy for us to be like the Pharisees, to judge others as being sinners, and forgetting the truth that we are all without exception sinners,we must not exclude anyone from the grace of God.[ Dear God help us to not raise a wall of partition between us and others, help us to faithfully seek to reach everyone with the Gospel, in Jesus name Amen ]

The day of small things.[ John 6 v 9 ]

Recently I attended an evening of listening to a choir, as the choir leader stood up to begin ,she said, pity there are so few here. I appreciate her disappointment, yet I felt that it was inappropiate, what she said, for a number of reasons,most of all it limited the power of God. Yesterday I was preaching and there was only six people present, so what, they all need as I do to hear Gods word, to be encouraged, and among the six was a little boy,who knows he might have heard something what I said, applied by the Holy Spirit, and he may have trusted the Saviour. This is the day of small things, let us not be discouraged, let us be faithful, let us keep on praying, let us trust in our God to work in the lives of needy souls.[ Dear God help us to not be discouraged in these days of small things, keep us faithful, in Jesus name Amen ]

Easter [ John 3 v16 ]

What does Easter mean to you? it means that we are remembering the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, I read this poem by, Joanna Fuchs,/ If not for Easter the Chaos of this world would be all there is, and all there ever would be. If not for Easter the unfairness of life would drive us to despair./Easter makes a difference , I remember forty six years ago as a young man attending a service on Easter Sunday, hearing the message and being restored, if it was not for Easter that would never have happened. Easter is a historical fact, but it is more than that, it is about a Saviour who died for sinners, a Saviour who is alive now , and who saves to the uttermost ,all who call upon Him, as J Fuchs also writes, Jesus death and reurrection means we can be reborn to live better, to do better, to shine light into darkness. Hallelujah. Happy , Happy Easter.[ Dear God we thank You for Easter, we pray that many will personally embrace Him who died and rose again, even Jesus Your Son , Amen ]

Sweet hour of prayer. [ Hebrews 4 v 12-13 ]

Lastly let us consider, William Walford,a blind preacher,and shop owner,the hymn he is remembered for ,was initially a poem that was turned into a hymn.It is called ,Sweet hour of prayer, it lays a stress,on a number of things about prayer,that prayer can be a sweet refuge from the cares of life, a place of unloading our burdens, a place where we recieve grace to help in all our times of need, and above all else a place of sweet communion with our Saviour. We may need many things today, but the thing we most of all need ,is to spend time in prayer ,with our Lord, we forfeit so much , when we neglect the place of prayer. Here is a verse from this lovely hymn,/ Sweet hour of prayer,sweet hour of prayer,That calls me from a world of care, And bids me at my Fathers throne, Make all my wants and wishes known, In seasons of distress and grief, My soul has often found relief, And oft escaped the tempters snare, By thy return, sweet hour of prayer./[ Dear God we thank You for prayer, help us to make it a priority in our lives in Jesus name Amen ]

Blessed assurance. [ 1 John 3 v 1-2 ]

Fanny Crosby she lived till the age of 95, she was blinded at birth, but she was never bitter by this so called accident, she was prolific in her hymn writing. Her best remembered hymn is , Blessed Assurance, which is still sung regularly by Christians, The theme of the hymn is ,assurance, praise ,and submission, each of these themes, bring a challenge. The first one assurance, that of knowing Jesus as ones Saviour, the second ,is praise ,flowing from that relationship ,and all it has brought one into . The third ,perfect submission,is in relationship to the Lordship of Christ in the Christians life, so many of us only know imperfect submission, we are unfortunately ever resisting that perfect submission, as a result we do loose out in so many ways. [ Dear God we thank You ,that we can have that assurance that Jesus is ours,and be trully blessed,we praise You for all that means,and we pray that You will help us to perfectly submit our lives and wills to You, in Jesus name Amen ]

Loved. [ Romans 8 v 35- 39 ]

Yesterday we mentioned three people who were blind, yet wrote hymns that blessed others,let us consider their Hymns, for the next three mornings. George Matheson,s most remembered Hymn is,/ O love that wilt not let me go/. It is said he wrote this out of a painful experience, whan he was rejected by someone he loved. Like George we may be experiencing rejection, many people have ,even by those nearest and dearest to them, and it is very painful, so today let us not be bitter, or despair, and let us remember the one who will always love us, even God. George wrote, O Love that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee. I give Thee back the life I owe, that in Thine ocean depths its flow may richer , fuller be. [ Dear God we thank You that we will always be loved by You, for Jesus sake Amen ]

Handicaps. [ 2 Corinthians 12 v 1- 12 ]

George Matheson, Fanny Crosby, and William Walford were all blind, and yet they left their mark within the church of God, they wrote hymns, that continue to bless others.Having a handicap does not mean that one cannot achieve things in life, now none of us wish for handicaps, but the fact of the matter is ,often we dont have a choice. These three blind people through their hymn writing ,have blessed millions of people, they did this in spite of their handicaps.The point is this they didnt let their handicaps, handicap them, we all have choices as regards those handicaps that we have,we can let our handicaps , handicap us, or like those people,who were blind, we can be a blessing to others, the choice is ours. [ Dear God help us to face life, even a life with handicaps, and enable us to accomplish our goals, to glorify You ,and be a blessing to others in Jesus name Amen ]