Fortress security. [ 2 Samuel 22]

I  heard these words on the radio,/Fortress security/,as we read history even Bible history,we read of nations who felt they were secure  because of their wealth,their military power,and I suppose their gods. Even Israel felt they were secure because of the temple of the Lord, the ark of the covenant,and their religious activities,But they were to discover that these things were but empty shells,because they had forsaken the Lord himself,they made the mistake that many make,religion without a true relationship is of no value,either in time,or eternity.Mankind will substitute so many things in place of God, the America dollar has the words /In God we trust/, printed on it,but how few  Americans believe that?. One of the peanut characters in the Charlie Brown cartoon always carried about with him ,his security blanket. Let us ask ourselves what is our,fortress security?,king David when the Lord had delivered him from all his enemies , declared,  /The Lord is my rock,and my fortress,and my deliverer[2 Samuel 22 v2]/ As you start out on this day,yea everyday, why not repeat those words,for what God was to David ,He will be to every dear child of God.
A  prayer..../Dear God help us to see that our security is not ,in money,power,or people, but in you our fortress, in Jesus name Amen /

He that winneth souls is wise. [Proverbs 11v 30 ]

My son John shared with me something that was interesting,he was going to work and was feeling low in spirit,and so he prayed that God would grant him an opportunity to speak clearly  about the Lord to someone. When he got to work one of his fellow workers said how he wanted to have faith but,well this led on to my son speaking to him and others about Christ. When he had finished work,and about to drive home,he reached for candy scriptures,and before he popped it into his mouth ,he read,/Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men[Matthew 4v 19 ]. A  coincidence? no ,he prayed and it happened, plus a word of confirmation,and encouragement ,an encouragement in a tremendous ministry,of seeing people come to Christ.To tell others about Christ ,and to see them come to Christ is such a great blessing,the work of salvation is of God, from start to finish,yet is it not humbling,that He will use even us,in the ministry of soul winning. The gospel is the most wonderful message in all the world,it is great to study what it involves,and try to fathom its depths,but its so important that we dont forget,that it is a message to be proclaimed. As the great apostle wrote how shall they hear without a preacher[ Romans 10v 14],now the following verse,and how shall they preach,except they be sent,is not a get out clause,of not telling others about Christ. You may not be a so called missionary,pastor,evangelist, but you are called to tell others about Christ,pray about it ,and take those God given opportunities that come your way.
A   prayer..../Dear God help us to be faithful in telling others about You, and be pleased to bless our weak efforts,in Jesus name, and for His sake we ask this Amen /

Pray without ceasing. [1 Theealonians 5 v17]

I pray about many things and people,people who need to be saved ,personal problems and it appears that nothing is happening,but I just keep praying,because prayer matters. It matters to all of us to keep praying ,it does us good to pray,we need to pray,we need a continual humble dependance upon our God.I mention about nothing happening when we pray ,that is we do not see anything happening,but God is taking note of our prayers.Will He answer?is it pointless fruitless exercise by us to keep on praying,no it is not,for it is a ministry of faith,that Gods will , be done,and His will involves so much we do not see,so lets us not fall into an attitude of blind unbelief,as William Cowper puts it. All  we are called to do is to pray without ceasing [1 Thessalonians 5 v17 ],pray as if everything depends on it, and it does so often.Last weekend my wife and I were faced with a decision, and I challenged my wife to pray about it,she sort of leaves it to me to pray ,but I said if she didnt pray about it then we will just forget about it. To me prayer is not optional,it is absolutely vital,it is saying to God, I dare not take one step without  Thine aid,it is a depending on God a trusting in God,a hoping in God,who knows the best answer,which we dont.So today and every day pray, pray ,and pray,yes pray without ceasing.
A  prayer ..../Dear God grant us the spirit of perseverance in prayer in Jesus name Amen/

Humility and grace. [James 4 v6 ]

The book of Daniel is about many things,but one of the things that challenges me is  the courage shown by the four Hebrew men,Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.It does not indicate that they showed any fear,but it does mention that they took thier life in their hands,in taking a stand for what they believed.Of course we may ask the question what would we do if we were in their position?,we dont know, we  would like to think that we would be like them. I know this I could not do what they did in my own strength,no I may just chicken out,after all who wants to be burnt to death,or chewed to death by lions.I like those words in James 4v6 /But He giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud,but giveth grace unto the humble/. I can only take from these words that those Hebrew men were humble,pride is the greatest block to to blessing, and seemingly a block in recieving the grace of God. These men were not religious fanatics but humble God fearing men,men who walked with God come what may,even if God choose not deliver them [Daniel 3 v17-18] Yes even if they were consumed in the flames,they would not bow down to a golden image.Often trials reveal our inner self,and we turn away from God because He did not heal that one we love,we prayed and we prayed we felt sure God would do a miracle, and He didnt. Or our marriage breaks up even though we have prayed and prayed and He didnt stop it happening. Such an attitude is one of pride ,and such God will oppose,but if we keep a humble spirit within us, He will not only give us grace, but more grace,that will enable us to come through the darkest of trials
A  prayer....../Dear God help us not to justify our proud spirits,help us to maintain a trully humble spirit,and grant unto us the grace we need for every trial, in Jesus name Amen /.

Luke warm. [Revelation 3 v14-22 ]

I have before me a little card with a famous painting on it ,Holman Hunts ,/The light of the world/, I have actually seen this painting it is in ST Pauls cathedral in London.It portrays Jesus holding a light in one hand, and with the other knocking on on a door. It is based on the words of Revealation 3 v20`and it reads,/Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him and he with Me/ These words were spoken to the church at Laodicea a church that was luke warm,neither  cold or hot, a church that was just going through the motions,materialism had taken over. They failed to see themselves as their Lord saw them,naked and blind,now Jesus threatens to chastize them, no He had not given up on them,why?, because He loved them.It was W Cowper who wrote the following words,/Where is the blessedness I knew,when I first saw the Lord. Where is the soul refreshing veiew of Jesus and His Love/. It is so easy to slip away from a close relationship with our Lord,and the fire goes out, and we just go through the motions,but like the the church of Laodicea, the Lord still love us,still pleads for His rigthful place in our hearts.
A  prayer...../ Dear Lord help us not to grow luke warm, Amen/

The offence of the cross. [Galations 6 v 14-15]

I am very sad as I read continually of Christians being persecuted, I wonder why?,now we do not face persecution in this country,but there is concern when Christians are told that they are not allowed to wear a small cross. One asks the question were is it all leading,after all why should anyone take offence at someone wearing a tiny cross? ,why indeed, but seemingly they do. Mybe we should not be surprised at people taking offence at the cross, because of what it stands for, and what it challenges .It challenges a wrong concept of mankinds condition ,simply put we are all sinners, not just that we are imperfect but we are sinful in nature and in practice. It means we are lost away from God,we are Gods enemy[ Romans 5 v10] and although we are Gods creation,we are related to the devil [John 8 v44 / Ephesians 2 v 2].The cross tells us that no amount of religious laws can save  us,be they circumcision,abstaining from certain food,or meat with blood in it,or of keeping a sabbath,or visiting so called holy places. The cross rules out every other religion ,Islam,Hinduism,Mormonism, let me stress this again, the cross rules out every other religion. Need I go on?no I am sure you are getting the point,that the cross on which our Lord Jesus Christ died,is Gods only way, again let me repeat this ,the cross on which our Lord Jesus Christ died, is Gods only way.What we mean is the cross on which Christ died, totally fulfills Gods plan of salvation, even though it gives,and will continually give offence,to the vast majority of people in this world. But in the words of scripture, God forbid that I should glory ,save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.[Galation 6 v14]
A  prayer .../ Dear God we thank You for all You have accomplished through Your sons death on the cross ,forgiveness,pardon, victory over the devil,over death,over despair,and bringing all who trust in Jesus the free gift of eternal life,and freeing us from the bondage of law keeping, in Jesus name we thank You Amen /

It is impossible. [ Romans 4- 5v1 ]

I was driving home when I noticed these words on the back of a bus,/ save yourselves/ I dont know what it was telling those who would read it, but I know what it spoke to me of . It spoke to me of many of the religions in this world,my son Brian said a good question to ask a J W is, who are you trying to save?.I get very suspect of people who are always saying how they are praying and fasting, and giving,and they have a spirit that is judging others. In the end of the day are they trying to save themselves?, ask yourself why are  you religious?,remember works are a proff that we are trully saved,they show that we have true saving faith.But we are not talking about the evidence of salvation, but the means of salvation , which is not what I have done but what Christ has done that saves. You see it is only what Christ has done, His death on the cross, the shedding of His precious blood , that can deal with sin. Islam appears to be a saving yourself, but they are not on their own,many people feel that the good that they do will get them into God good books, but the fact is ,they will not, cannot , save anyone, let me stress this again.good works while being an evidence of salvation cannot save, for the clear teaching of scripture is this,/ God saved  you by His grace when you believed, and you cannot take credit for this, this is a gift of God. Salvation is not a reward, for the good things we have done so none of us can boast about it[Ephesians 2 v8-9]
A  prayer..../ Dear God we thank for saving us through Jesus Your Son,we ask that you will open the eyes of those people to the folly of trying to save themselves in Jesus name Amen/