Sixty billion dollars.[ 1 Samuel 16 v 7 ]

Billy Graham mentions in his book,Nearing home,life,faith , and finishing that Americans spend about 60 billion dollars a year on antiaging products.I checked this out on the inter-net,I felt he may have made a mistake,or it was a misprint, but sure enough it appears to be so. Now of course there is nothing wrong with looking after ourselves, but it does seem that there is an imbalance,a big imbalance ,and one would ask the question, what about our souls? what about a relationship with God?.C S Lewis writes of guarding the temporal, while not neglecting our bodies,should we not give more consideration to the eternal?,if you are not a Christian I beseech you to ask Christ to be your own and personal saviour. If we are Chistians let us not be sucked into the worlds imbalance,let us always give priority to our spiritual condition, our relationship with Christ.
A prayer ..../ Dear God ,help us to see that we have a soul that needs You, that needs Christ, help us to get our priorities right in Jesus name Amen /

Sarah [Hebrews 11v11 ]

In Hebrews 11 v11 we read,/Through faith Sarah herself recieved strength to concieve seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. A Pink lists 5 things in relation to Sarah and her having this child. [1] The impediment of her faith, she was old and barren,she had gone way past the age of childbearing. [2]The effect of her faith, she recieved strength [ CP Isaiah 4 v 29-31]. [3] The constancy of her faith, she never gave up believing. [4] The foundation of her faith, the divine promise [ Genesis 18 v10 ] [5] The fruit of her faith ,Isaac. The hymn writer, wrote/By faith directed and sustained. The saints of old their conquest gained. Fought, and endured by faith. O Lord, this gift on me bestow, That I may serve Thee here below,and triumph over death./
A prayer....../ Dear God help us to follow in the footsteps of men and women of faith , in Jesus name. Amen /

The unexpected [James 4 v 13-15 ]

Years ago I used to watch a program called tales of the unexpected, the title reminds me of the nature of life, the unexpected is happening all the time. Most of us dont think much about this aspect of life, but we are suddenly reminded of it when a major disaster happens, yet it is happening all the time.The scriptures declare in Proverbs 27 v1, /Boast not thyself of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth/.Now this has two applications, [i] if you are not saved ,then it is vital that you consider that because of the uncertainty of life,if you die where will you spend eternity?. Your greatest need is Christ, [2] If you are a Christian ,live as a Christian,depend upon your God,in all your ways acknowledge Him,dont live in fear of the uncertainty of life,live in the fear of God,and trust Him.
A prayer..../Dear God Thou who changest not, we look to You to help us in a changing world in Jesus name Amen. /

Stealing. [Exodus 20 v15 ]

I was driving behind a van that delivered doughnuts, and I noticed a sign on it, that read / there are no doughnuts kept in this van overnight/. I am not sure why they had this sign , would people actually break into the van for doughnuts?, you can see the headlines, great doughnut robbery.I must confess I saw the funny side of this, and yet I know stealing is wrong, the commandments tell us ,that we are not to steal[Exodus 20 v15 ].I remember stealing when I was a youngster, raiding someones orchard,stealing cigarettes from a vending machine. It may seem obvious, but stealing is a sin ,and is no laughing matter, be it a doughnut,an apple, cigarettes,the commandment makes no distinction,and we are told in Ephesians 4 v28,/Let him that stole steal no more/.
A prayer...... / Dear God help us be honest in all things in Jesus name Amen/.

Dont look back. [ Luke 17 v 30 - 33 ]

Genesis 19..../ We saw yesterday how judgement is no joking matter, it must be taken seriously, this chapter is a tragedy , but an even greater tragedy is what happened to Lots wife. The family were rescued by the two angels, in fact it appears they were reluctant to leave Sodom ,they were practicaly dragged out v16. If you ever had any fire training you are told to leave everything and get to a place of safety, if the alarm goes. there must be no lingering back,but Lot his wife and daughters , lingered. Yes they lingered, but God is merciful ,consider the extent He goes to save people,the patience He shows. As they are dragged out ,they are told,escape for your life, look not behind thee v17,this was not a suggestion , it was a command to be obeyed, for whatever reason , if only Lots wife had taken it seriously, she didnt, and suffered the consequences, she looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt. Consider if we are going to be saved there must be no looking back, those Israelites who were brought out of Egypt were continually looking back, the result ,they never entered the promised land , they perished in the wilderness. William Hendriksen is helpful in his Lukes commentary chap 17 v32, he wrote,/that in her scale of values Lots wife placed earth above heaven, material things above spiritual/
A prayer..../ Dear God thank You for salvation, we thank You that You desire all to be saved, and yet we are told that that men love darkness ,oh Father have mercy and save in Jesus name . Amen /

Judgement no joke [ 1 Thessalonians 1 v 10 ]

Genesis 19..../ The two heavenly beings enter Sodom to observe and to warn, what they observed was a people given over to gross wickedness, which would bring the judgement of God . They warn Lot to leave that place, but first to warn any of his his family to leave as soon as possible,this Lot did warning his sons in law, but it seems they thought he was joking.The result was they would perish , if only they had listened, and taken serious the warning that been given. The judgement of God is no joke it must be taken serious ,hell is full of people who wish they had taken it serious, I write this with great sadness, as I look back in my life , I have offended people by witnessing to them, mybe I was not always been as wise as I should have been,but you see I take judgement seriously. Let us learn how vital it is for us as to warn people, ministers in their pulpits must not neglect to remind their congregations of coming judgement, yet it is not only ministers responsiblity but every Christians responsiblity just like dear Lot.They did not listen, and as Robert Candlish wrote,/Their blood was on their own heads, they died in their iniquities/.
A prayer...../ Dear God help us to tell others that You so loved them that if they but believe in Jesus they will not perish bur have everlasting life Amen /

He will always do that which is right. [Genesis 18v25 ]

Genesis 18 v25.../Now we come to consider the last part of this verse,/ shall not the judge of all the earth do right?/,this a question, God does not mind us asking questions, but we must be prepared to accept His answer.Habakkuk asked God questions, as he felt God was acting out of character, but of course He wasnt,God will not act contrary to His holiness,but He will act in ways that we do not appreciate or understand [ cp Isaiah 55 v 8 -9 ], and that is when we must trust Him/ Habakkuk 3 v 17- 19./. Abraham reasons with God ,we can do this [cp,Isaiah 1 v18 ]God is willing to listen to our reasoning with Him. Abraham reasons ,shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ?, do you believe this, I believe Abraham did, God responed ,by agreeing with Him, because God will always will do whats right, the ungodly accuse God of many things .A man called Jeremiah stood in midst of a devastating situation, when all appeared lost, and all that was left was ruins , and He cried out, great is Thy faithfulness [ Lamentations 3 v23], because inspite of everything, he believed that the Judge of all the earth always did that which was right.
A prayer..../ Dear Father in heaven ,help us to trust You in all the ways You lead us,that You will always, always do that which is right, and that You will cause all things to work for our good, in Jesus name Amen/