Pain. [ Hebrews 4 v 15-16 ]

While visiting my son and his wife I was stung by a wasp, this is the second time in my life I have experienced being stung, and let me tell you ,it was not a nice experience. When I hear of someone being stung, I will appreciate what it means, that little creature can trully inflict a lot of pain. Now we all try to avoid pain we take precutions, who likes going to the dentist? I go regularly, but I dont enjoy it, but I know that it is neccessary. Is pain neccessary? did I have to be stung by a wasp,is it necessary for our loved ones to suffer pain?,lets face it, it is painful to watch those we love suffer pain, our chidren, our aged parents. Their are many lessons we can learn from pain, and one of them is, we suddenly understand, how others feel, and our hearts go out to them in a more understanding manner. Not only do we understand ,we are more willing to help them ,to pray at a deeper level for them, to weep with them . You see that is what makes Jesus the perfect high priest, we read in Hebrews 4 v15,/ This high priest of our understands our weaknesses,for He faced all the same testings we do , yet He did not sin./ So today go to Jesus in your pain to the one who trully and fully understands, and recieve mercy and grace to help . [Dear Lord Jesus help us in our pain, we thank you for totally understanding how we feel, grant us the necessary grace we need. Amen ]

I am away this weekend, I will return Monday. every blessing

The freedom of the press. [ Romans 14 v 7 ]

The News of the World newspaper is closing, one of the most popular newspapers in the country, why has this all come about?. In answering this we need to think about something that we as country believe is important,the freedom of the press, newspapers we believe should be allowed to report freely. Yet this raises a problem how can a free press be regulated?,in such a way as to not inhibit their freedom to report freely. What newspapers ,politicians,and indeed everyone of us need to remember is, that freedom brings responsibility . The News of the Word and those in the phone hacking affair, forgot this, and it has caught up with them. As a Christian I have been set free by Christ, and yet it is a freedom of responsibility,we read these words in Galations 5 v13, /It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you dont use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom/ [Message]. [ Dear God thank You for Jesus who died to set us free, help us, to not abuse that freedom, help us not to be ensnared by anything that would destroy our freedom,help us to see that the freedom You have brought us into ,carries with it great responsibility, and accountability, in Jesus name we ask this . Amen ]

Self blindness. [ Matthew 23 v37 ]

I was reminded of an old saying which goes,/ convince a man against his will, and he remaineth of that opinion still, when I saw the following , a group of motor cyclist where protesting in New york,about a law that was being passed, to enforce the wearing of crash helmets. During the protests one of the protesters, had an accident on his bike,and was killed, the authorities said ,if he had been wearing a helmet ,it would have saved his life. This did not deter the other protesters ,from continuing their protests,what happened to their fellow protestor did not change their minds. As I read the gospels, I am amazed that inspite of the Jews ,having the revealed word of God, inspite of the fact that they believed in a coming Messiah,inspite of the fact that He came, showed by many infallible proffs that he was the long awaited Messiah, they rejected Him. It appears no matter what, people will refuse to change,especcially in relation to accepting Jesus as their saviour, for the Jews it meant cutting themselves off, from God, and condemning themselves to eternal damnation,this applies to all who refuse to believe the truth ,and accept Jesus as saviour. [ Dear God have mercy on the Jewish people , and all people ,open their hearts, that they will accept Your son as saviour. Amen ]

Be discerning [ Matthew 22 v 23-33 ]

In 1Corinthians 10v15 we read, / I appeal to your reason and your discernment in these things [Amp. Version ]/these are important words and principles. We must have discernment, some things are black and white, but other things are not, a JW ,or a Mormon, comes to your door, and it appears what they represent, and present are Christian, but it is not so, they use religious language, but when we examine it ,we find that what they mean is not what the word of God teaches. I have two favourite authors,[Christian] but I do not accept willy nilly what they say, there are things which they say I disagree with. When it comes to preachers we must also be discerning, we often can get carried away by their personalities,so we must be careful. Judge everything by Gods word, even yourself, your actions, motives, your beliefs,we are not speaking of being cynical, but discerning. [ Dear God help me to be discerning, in all things, help me not to be fooled,or taken in by others and especially by myself, in Jesus name .Amen]

The cross today, the crown of life tomorrow. [Job 19 v25-26 ]

Thomas Lye an old Puritan wrote, / Dont doubt Gods love under suffering. Gods heart cannot be understood infallibly from His action/.This is very important for us to grasp this, the words by William Cowper come to mind, when he wrote ,/ behind a frowning providence ,He hides a smiling face/. In other words God is always working for our good ,even when bad things are happening to us, God loved Job,even though Job lost his children,possessions, and health. In our difficulties the enemy of our souls comes and whispers in our ear, curse God and die.It was Job who said, / Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him[ 13v15 ]/, yes at time He felt confused[10v 15],he felt forsaken , but in the end, he declared by faith,/ But He knoweth the way I take, when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. [23 v10 ]/.Let us finish with words by Thomas Lye/Faith looks for the hand of heaven in the events of life. It looks beyond ,to the heart of God..... Faith,s heart is upon future glory, Christ went from a cross to paradise, so do Christians. The cross today, the crown of life tomorrow [James 1v12]/. [Dear God and Father, help us to trust You in all of lifes difficulties,when doubt and despair would threaten us, grant us the gift of faith, in Jesus name we ask this . Amen ]

The gospel. [ Romans 1 v 16 ]

I go to speak occasionally at a fellowship run by two dear elderly ladies ,they still use old hymn books, and old chorus books, in some ways it is like being back in the past. This is not a criticism, I really enjoy going there although the music is played at to high a key and I find it hard to sing. When they invite me to speak they say,we want you to preach the gospel,which I gladly do.It was a tradition in Ulster that every Sunday evening, the gospel would be preached, as a backslider 47yrs ago I heard that old ,old story, and was restored to my Saviour . Many things are preached in the church these days, but we really do need to preach the gospel, when we neglect to do this, we are failing to be faithful to our calling. We live in a world of change, but mankinds need have not changed, sin is still sin ,Hell is still Hell, Heaven is still Heaven, and if people are going to be saved from Hell , and go to Heaven, they need to hear that old, old gospel, of a Saviour called Jesus, who alone can forgive their sins.[ Dear God help us to be faithful to Your Gospel, in our churches,or wherever we may be, in Jesus name Amen ]