Lists. [Luke 12 v13 -21 ]

Lets write out two lists, of what we want, and what we have, they dont have to be full lists, so the I want list, /I want a new camera, a certain dvd,and every week I want to be able to buy my favourite bread,you, I am sure have a list of your own. Next the ,I have list,/on second thoughts, it would be to long, just to say I have a very long list,I have a lot of things, as I am sure many of us have. Now let us consider a story our dear Saviour told ,about a rich man,who had a full list,he had everything he wanted and he felt so satisfied,then we have that but again ,but God said, /You fool , You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for. Yes a person is a fool to store earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God/ How do we have rich relationship, first of all by knowing Christ as saviour,and by fulfilling the law,which means not so much rules and regulations, but to love God with all our being, and loving others as we love ourselves.[ Dear Father help me to see my greatest need is Christ, not my want list or have list,help me to see that in knowing Jesus, I must always seek Your will first and foremost, that is to love and love and love . Amen ]

Disruptions. [ John 14 v27 ]

We have four of our grandchildren staying, and let me say that they are grand children, it goes with out saying that we love then,and all our grandchildren. But, ah there is always that but in life, when they stay they bring a bit of disruption, no matter how early I get up, they beat me to it. Let us consider the aspect of disruption in our lives,they can be major things ,and minor things, but usually we dont like them. Sometimes they bring confusion and pain ,they throw us,and we feel confused,and upset,so how do we cope?, can we cope?, the answer is yes,the poet wrote, if you can keep your head when all around are loosing theirs,again let me ask the question,can we cope?,yes we can. / How is this possible?well here is how,/Thou wilt keep in perfect peace ,whose mind is stayed on Thee ,because he trusted in Thee.[ Isaiah 26 v3 ]/[ Dear God when disruptions come into my life help me to focus on You in Jesus name Amen ]

How is your appetite? [Matthew 4 v 4]

Usually as I do my blog I am eating my breakfast, whats your faviourite food?, I have things I like,some I cant have because I am diabetic,like apple pie,or doughnuts,I dont like spicy food,and usually I find it difficut to choose what to eat ,when I go to a restaurant. Many people comfort eat,as a result they put on weight, then we have those who want to loose weight, it is called the battle of the bulge. When it comes to eating Jesus said ,man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God [Matthew 4 v4/ Deut 8 v3 ]. Yes we need food ,our Lord knows this,and assures us that our loving Heavenly Father will provide [Matthew 6 v24-34 ], But men and women are not just physical beings,we have a soul, we have a spiritual side to our being,if we are not Christians ,we need to realize that we need Christ more than we need bread. If we are Christians we need to feed our spirits ,by reading the word of God everyday, to memorize it it,to meditate on it. There is a little childrens chorus that comes to mind ,/ Read your Bible ,pray everyday , If you want to grow, not only is this good advice but vital advice, for our spiritual well being. [Dear Lord help me not to neglect my soul, grant unto me a healthy appetite for Your word, Amen ]

We must pray. [ Hebrews 11 v6 ]

I heard something yesterday that has upset me , someone I know is ill, what can I do?,well I can pray .In the act of praying we are doing the most important thing,most people pray,mybe even some atheist, we may be surprised. There is so much to pray about ,countries like Japan, Libya,our own country,persecuted Christians,neighbours, family,the list goes on,and yet it is not just a list, it is about real people, real situations,thats why we must be real in our prayers ,no hypocrisy, no falseness,no pretending, yes we must be real. Faith is important in prayer,faith in a God who honours faith,and will answer those prayers , offered in faith. As regards faith read Hebrews chapter 11, in that chapter we read of people acting in faith,but rest assured ,our acts of faith, should be preceded by prayers of faith, to God who hears and answers .John Newton wrote this on prayer,/ My soul, ask what thou wilt. Thou canst not be to bold,Since His own blood for thee He spilt,What else can He withhold?. Beyond thine utmost wants,His love and power can bless. To praying souls He always grants, More than they can express./ [Dear God who hears and answers prayer,we bring to you those things,that are burdening us, and ask that in Thy great mercy ,You would undertake ,we ask this in Jesus name Amen ]

The backslider. [Joel 2 v25 ]

One of my favourite stories is ,Wind in the willows, that wonderful story,by Kenneth Graham,of different animals,Ratty,Mole, Badger, and Toad of Toad Hall. These four are all friends, Ratty,mole, and badger are sensible animals, but Toad who is rich is an irresponsible animal. Toad flits from one thing to another,boating, caravaning, and finally to cars,and the latter takes over his life,to the point of bringing him to possible ruin ,financially, he is like so many people, mybe like you .But I move on, his friends love him, and with Badgers leadership,they seek to help,Badger takes Toad into a room on his own and lectures him,Toad listens agrees with Badger,they come out, no sooner are they out ,Toad declares he is not sorry, he only pretended to be ,in order to get Badger of his back, in utter frustration Badger calls him a backsliding animal. What is a backslider?well its one who goes back to what they once were,I know of many backsliders ,people who became Christians, and have gone back to what they once were, I wonder is that you?, as a youngster I trusted the Saviour, but I backslid, I went back, I remember a preacher saying that were no advantages in forsaking Christ, I found it to be so,and I deeply regret what I did,but God in His mercy forgive me, and restored me. [ Dear God I thank You for restoring me back to Yourself,we pray for those who are backsliden ,that You would restore them to Yourself ,in Jesus name Amen ]

Breaking point. [ 1 Corinthians 10 v13 ]

Many years ago I remember, us having a record player or what was known as a gramophone, it didnt work by electricity,it had a spring mechanism,which one had to wind up. I dont remember the music we played on it but I do remember that the spring kept snapping,and had to be replaced. Life for many is a bit like that ,we feel like a spring that is about to snap,we come under pressure, we feel stretched, and we cant take much more. Consider the following, and see if you idenitify with them,/troubled,distressed,perplexed,despair,persecuted.Now it is the apostle Paul who wrote those words [1 Corinthians 4 v8-9 ],so how did he respond to those things?. Well he declares that in all those things he was not forsaken, nor was he destroyed, in 2 Timothy 4v17 ,he declares in the midst of His trials, that the Lord stood with him, and strengthened him.Let us remember that in all our difficulties in life that the Lord is with us to strengthen us, so that we will not snap, and that He will not let those difficulties destroy us.[ Dear God we thank You ,that You are with us, and will not permit our difficulties to destroy us, but rather You will use our difficulties to transform us. in Jesus name .Amen ]

A worry pit . [ Psalm 40 v1- 3 ]

I wonder do you have a feeling in your tummy everytime you think of a certain situation ,I do ,and it will not go a way. I will call it my worry pit , a place where I have my worse thoughts. It involves situations that are arising, it involves change, it involves people,the result is ,a worry pit, and I cant seem to get out of it. You would think an old stager like me,would not have a worry pit, after all I am a Christian many ,many years, a minister , a preacher,this may be so, but I still have a worry pit.Well my mind turns to a man called Elijah, the great prophet,who had a powerful ministry, but he also had his worry pit cp 1 Kings 19. Is there a magic cure to help us out of our worry pits?, no ,but there is an answer,Elijah burrowed deeper into his worry pit,yes we can do that, or we can face those things that are worrying us,and trust in our Saviour to undertake.I read a verse this morning that will help all of us ,and its this. Isaiah 41 v10. Fear thou not ,for I am with thee, be not dismayed, for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. [Dear God we thank You that no matter how deep our worry pit may be , you are with us, and can deliver us ,in Jesus name Amen ]