Honesty the only policy.[ Luke 17v 17-18]

In Romans 12v 2 we read/,And be not conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewing of your mind./ I believe in these words we have the key to understand how we can change, and be transformed in our Christian life. Vine puts it like this, / The adjustment of the moral and spiritual vision and thinking to the mind of God, which is designed to have a transforming effect upon the life/If a transformation is to take place, the way we think must be changed,into thinking a different way,if this is to happen we must be honest with ourselves,and we must yield ourselves to the the controlling influence of the Holy Spirit.We must stop hiding behind excuses,stop decieving ourselves, stop feeling sorry for ourselves,stop trying to justify wrong behavior that comes from a natural way of thinking based on worldly ideas. Let me stress again that honesty is not only the best policy ,but the only policy if we are going to change, and be transformed,change can happen only when we are honest with ourselves, and honest to God. The change came in the prodigal sons life when he was honest with himself [cp Luke 17 v 17-18], he then started to act different, like the prodigal we can cause so much pain to ourselves and others, but it is possible that things can change when like him ,we our honest with ourselves.
A prayer...../ Search me O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting, in Jesus name we ask this Amen /

The renewing of our mind [ 2 Corinthians 10 v 5 ]

I found myself arguing in my mind with someone,for what they had said to me, I give them a good tongue lashing, the only thing is it happened over 35 years ago. Why I should still remember this and have an argument in my head after so long a time,beats me, but the fact is we do remember . We remember being put down, being humiliated, hurt ,especially by words, we retain so much in our minds,that cling to us. Mybe it will always be so, or does it, much of lifes battles are battles of the mind, it is in Romans 12 v2 ,we read ,/be ye transformed by yhe renewing of your mind,/ I believe these words are very significant,how we think is vital, when we become a Christian,our minds are full of wrong ways,and wrong things, wrong thought patterns.These things need to be dealt with, so that we move on, and be transformed,it will not happen immediately, but it must happen, Gods will for us all is that it should happen.We will think tomorrow how this can happen.

Healed /forgiven [Isaiah 53]

I sometimes tell jokes , this morning while I was cooking my breakfast I thought of one,so here it is / A man goes into a shop picks up a carton of 6 eggs and then proceeds to walk out of the shop, he is stopped by the owner, who asks him to pay,he looks at the owner , and then points to the writing on the carton , free range eggs. Now I told this to my wife and all I got in response was a blank look, I wonder why?, I better keep my day job. Some say our Saviour used humour to illustrate his teaching , I not sure of this, I am sure He must have laughed and smiled, for that is part of being human, for Christ was trully human. What kind of human?, well a sinless human,now that is hard for us to take in, but He was,and had to be, for on the cross He died for sin. The question whose sin?it is in Isaiah 53 v5 we recieve the answer,/But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed./Now these words not only tell us whose sin Christ dealt with ,ours, yours and mine, but it also tells, that the results of this was, we are healed. We often use the term ,sin sick soul , yes the greatest sickness humanity suffers from is their sinful condition, and the only cure is to have our sins forgiven, by Christ.
When I survey the wondrous Cross.
On which the prince of glory died.
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride
A prayer .../ Dear Lord Jesus we praise You for Your death on Calvary , Amen/.

Carried on eagles wings. [Exodus 19 v 4 ]

The account of the Exodus is a wonderul story that has so many lessons to teach us, from start to finish it was a work of God. From the start Moses was reluctant ,and continually the Israelites dragged thier feet,their believing [Exodus 14v31] was soon followed by unbelief [16v3 ], they continued to be inconsistant. The important thing was Gods faithfulness,He literally carried them,put up with them, but above all else ,He kept loving them. To some extent we are like Israel ,often inconsistant, often reluctant to follow were our Saviour leads,now I am not writing this to discourage but to impress upon all our hearts that salvation is of the Lord. Salvation has three tenses to it, past,present and future, salvation from start to finished is a work of God. It is a sovereign work, we have come this far by the grace of God. Our God who brought Israel through ,will bring us through ,He will complete what He stared, and He wii continue to love us.
A prayer ....../ Dear God we praise You for Your faithfulness and love in Jesus name Amen ./

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. /