Jesus. [ Hebrew 4 v14-16 ]

I saw a young lad yesteday as I drew up in my car and I noticed that he was smoking ,and my heart went out to him, I got out of my car and called after him, I spoke to him of the dangers of smoking, I was not judging that boy, no I was concerned for him. You see I remember when I was a youngster and I smoked, I had walked where he had walked,but I remember how the Lord had delivered me, the path that one has trod,should change us for the better,and not make us bitter. It should cause us to have compassion on those ensnared in habits,sins,difficulties, our Lord manifested this continually, and was angry with those who lacked compassion,and lacked mercy,our Saviour was perfect in holiness, but also perfect in mercy, and love. That is why we can come to Him, for forgiveness, for understanding, and comfort, it is true, no one understands like Jesus.[ Dear Saviour our hearts go out to in praise to You for your compassion,love ,mercy, and forgiveness, Amen ]

But ,Jesus said.[ Luke 6 v27-49 ]

I must confess I am inclined to help deserving cases, in the church where I was an elder on a couple of occasions we have helped strangers,they have spun us yarns,and yet one feels thats all they were doing ,spinning a yarn,and you know the punch line will be,they want money. What does one do?what would you do? ,what would Jesus do ?,on both occassions we have given them what they asked,money. It is obvious that everyone Jesus helped was not deserving,or even thankful cp Luke 17v11-19. Everyday God helps heals ,protects,provides , and blesses untold millions of underserving people. Consider what our Lord taught in Luke 6,/Love your enemies,yes even do good to them,bless them that curse you, pray for those who despitefully use you,give to them that ask of you,and in v36 He declares, Be ye therefore merciful , as your Father also is merciful. How can I possible live up to such teaching?, and I must, well in ourselves we cant, but the one who taught us is the one who will enable us.[ John 15 v 5] [ Dear Saviour we hear what You say, and we struggle with it in our hearts and minds,helps us Lord ,Amen ]

The royal law [ Galations 5 v14 ]

Our Saviour lived in a society that was ruled by religious people,in some Islamic groups they have the beard police,in the society that Jesus lived they had those who watched what you did,especially in relation to the Sabbath. But the problem was ,what they considered keeping the Sabbath,and what Jesus considered keeping the Sabbath was worlds apart. The religious groups had devised so many rules and regulations, life became very oppressive, and fear driven, this is what happens when you try to please God by rules and regulations.The result of all this was a cold hard indifference when it came to others,and when Jesus cut across all that they hated Him , in Luke 6 v11, we read that they were filled with madness. What had He done?,well He had healed someone,rules and regulations have their place ,but when they get in the way of love, we are duty bound to break them, even if people become mad at us.[ Dear God help us to keep Your law, the law of love, in Jesus name Amen ]

Children. [ Mark 10 v13-16 ]

Last night I was watching an old film, when one the actors said to the child actor have you said your prayers?. As I heard those words I thought ,how many children are going to bed and never say their prayers. So many dear children have no spiritual imput into their lives,their parents have rejected God, and live only on a material secular level. Today let us pray for the children, our own children, our neighbours children ,children in our streets,in our schools,children everywhere. Childrens lives are filled with so much, but empty of any spiritual imput, is it any wonder that they turn to sex and drugs ,and so may other things. I thank God I was sent to Sunday school, I thank God for childrens meetings, it was at such a meeting I got saved. Children need to be saved, they need to hear about Jesus, so today let us offer up a prayer for children.[ Dear God have mercy upon the children in our famlies,our streets, our schools,our towns ,our cities, our countries, bring them to Jesus Your son Amen ]

One God,one mediator. [ 1 Timothy 2 v 5 ]

Let us consider 1 Timothy 2 v5,/For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus./ First consider the statement,/There is one God/, how vital these words are in a world of many gods,many people would say ,does it really matter,the answer is yes, it does matter. It matters because God says it matters and that should be enough for us, to believe in so called other gods has very serious consequences, as to our salvation, and indeed bars us from a relationship with God. Next we are told,that there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus,this rules out so many fanciful and wrong ideas, such as Mary, priests,and the dead. As a Christian I come to God through Jesus and no one else, those who seek to go another way ,are classed as a thieves and a robbers.[John 10v1 ],as the old chorus says ,you must go in at the door, and that door is Jesus.[John 10v9]. [ Dear God open the eyes of men and women to see and accept the truth ,that there is only one God and one way to come to You, in Jesus name we ask this Amen ]

How serious?[ Numbers 15v12-36]

When certain things happen we often ask, how serious is it?,for example when we hear of someome who is ill , or of someone bieng in an accident. I wonder have you ever asked the question in relation to sin ?,how serious is sin?, let us consider this question. First of all , all sin is serious and has serious consequences, I stress the all,we have a mentality that makes light of certain things, people yes even Christians take the name of the Lord in vain,and every tme they do this they are sinning, and thats serious. We must begin to realize that all sin has serious consequences, and must be taken serious. Next ,all sin is taken serious by God who is holy, and must be judged,I stress must be judged,this judgement by God can be now ,but most diffently in eternity, when Jesus will judge sinners, those who have rejected Him as saviour. Next we see how serious God takes sin when we look at the cross,why is Jesus on the cross?,because of your sin and mine,God desires all to be saved, but sin is serious, so God made a choice, a most painful choice, His Son would have to die on a cross , now thats how serious sin is to a holy God. [Dear God help me to take all sin as serious, help me to take the consequences of sin serious,so serious that I will trust Jesus as my savioiur. Amen ]

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 ]