Dont stop at the word work. [ Isaiah 41 v10]

Again let us consider the book of Haggai,and  words spoken to those wo had returned from  exile in the land of Babylon,as you read the books of Ezra and Nehemiah you see the difficulties they had to face.Their were so many things against them, better for them just to keep their head down, and not upset their enemies, why invite trouble?, and yet, here is this prophet,telling them to build a temple.Now God gives a word to the leader Zerubbabel and it is also a word to all the people,/ work for I am with you,saith the Lord of hosts[2 v4]/.It is also a word to us, we are told not to grow weary[Galations6v9],but we do grow weary,we are told so often in Gods word, to fear not,but we do fear,we are told to walk by faith,but we dont and like Peter we begin to be overwhelmed with so many things[Matthew 14v30].  So often we just stop at the word work,we see just the challenge,and we despair,many people are going to their work today feeling burdened, because thats all they see,but the word of the Lord does not stop at the word work, no it goes on to say,/for I am with you/ Consider what that means,in your particular situation,He , almighty God is with you, yes you, yes me, I am not on my own, He is with me, He will help me,I will find the words of Philippians 4 v13 true,I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,true because He is with me.
A  prayer...../Dear God help us to see that You are with us,and all that this means,inspire us with a confidence in You as we face any task that You want us to do,in Jesus name Amen/
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God is able to provide. [Philippians 4 v19 ]

In Haggai 2v8 we read,/The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts/,the people had returned from exile,the temple needed to be built.The people had a wrong emphasise in their lives,so what they did was not blessed by God cp 1v 5-6,they kept putting of what God wanted them to do[1 v2 ]. So many unsaved people are like this ,they have so many wrong emphasise in their lives,and they keep putting of trusting Jesus as their Saviour,and they wonder why they are not prospering. Our Saviour said,/Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness,and all these things shall be added unto you[Matthew 6 v33] If we put God first,if, then we will be blessed, and we will have true riches.
But these words by Haggai were spoken to Gods people,they again had taken their eye of their goal and of their God,but God is not pepared to leave it at that,no they are His people, and his will, is for them to obey Him,in this case to build the temple.The question they must have been asking was, were was the money going to come from?,so God speaks ,/The silver is mine, and the gold is mine/,what God is saying I will supply your needs,as one commentator writes,/Mine is the silver,all the silver,and all the gold there is in the world/. Whatever God calls us to, He will not only guide,but He will provide for us,remember these words that God spoke,/The silver is mine,and the gold is mine/.
A  prayer....../Dear God grant us that trust in You to provide for us,and as You call us to accomplish Your will, grant us faith to rest in You, to guide and provide, in Jesus name Amen/

God and the use of means. [ Philippians 4 v10-19 ]

One of the conflicting questions that a Christian is faced with ,myself included, does faith exclude using means?,when my dear first wife was diagnosed with cancer,I asked myself, should we just trust God and not use the medicine?.You see my wife and I had lived by faith for about four years,we found it hard ,but God was faithful,we sought not to make our needs known.Yet it appears to me that God, often used means, when Hezekiah became ill , figs were laid on the boil ,and he recovered.When Jesus healed a blind man he annointed his eyes with clay[John 9v6],of course he could have healed him without the clay annointing, but He didnt. Our Saviour said, they that our sick need a  physician[Matthew 9 v 12],we must be careful to have a balanced veiw on the scriptures,or we  will be allowed to suffer the consequence of our imbalanced veiws. Let us not restrict God to our mind sets, God if He chooses can work apart from means,and at times He raises people up,who manifest exceptional faith,but it appears they are the exception.The fact of the matter is when I am unwell I go to the doctors,if I need a haircut I go to the barbers,if I need money I get a job. Now nothing is set in stone God , He can if He chooses heal apart from medicine,He can do what He chooses,while on the whole I have not made my needs known there have been times I have.Make your needs known unto God, and ask for wisdom as to how He will meet your needs.
A prayer....../Dear God we long to honour and glorify Your name as we walk by faith,grant us wisdom by Your Spirit,to know at all times what that means, in Jesus name Amen /

Stratford -upon -Avon. [ Revelation 3 v8 ]

I have just returned from Stratford-upon -Avon, the birth place of William Shakespeare,although one guide said he may have been born away from there in a country residence, because Stratford was experencing plague. But he did return to Stratford when he was about 3 months,it was all very interesting, I did visit the church where he was buried, a curse is put upon anyone who moves his bones. Well we enjoyed our visit,we visited Warwick castle,and saw the death mask of another great English man Oliver  Cromwell But one of the things I remember most was a man called Henry, there he was giving out the War cry,a salvation army publication. I spoke to him,inquired how the army were getting on in Stratford, he told me his group had closed.He spoke of the great need in Stratford,a place where million pound homes are common,one got the distinct impression that God had withdrawn from that place.Well I  prayed for him and he prayed for me, but we both prayed for Stratford the birth place of the great  William Shakespeare, yes I will always remember my visit to Stratford,but most of all I will remember Henry a faithful brother in the Lord.
A  prayer......./ Dear God have mercy upon Stratford visit it with Thy salvation, and bless Henry and his witness for Your dear son Jesus Amen /

Gods love is the greatest thing.[ Jeremiah 31v3 ]

Im in love again, so read the words in a magazine,I am reminded of a song which says,/when I fall in love it must be forever ,and /so many moonlight kisses seem to cool in the with warmth of the sun/. Love is trully a many splendour thing, but us humans,appear to fall out of love so easily. Consider David,,,, why did he have so many wives?, likewise Solomon,the word of God does not comment on the right or wrongs of what they did.In Solomons case it caused him to forsake God ,yes this very wise man acted very foolishly. So many songs are written about love,and the Song of Solomon, is a book about love,love is very important .  Of course there are different types of love we love our parents,our children,our jobs,our girlfriends/boyfriends,our friends,our neighbours,so many things we love.The thing is we can love all those things and not love God,might even find it strange when we talk of God and love. Yet this is what is so vital if we are to have a relationship with God,and continue on that relationship ,if there is no love there will be no relationship. I was driving in my car recently and I spoke to God , I said I love You Lord,and even as I said that I had an uneasy conscience,of my imperfect love,in contrast to Gods perfect love my love is imperfect and indeed as long as I live,it will be imperfect,but the wonder of wonders is that a perfect God,loves me inspite of my shortcomings,and He always will, for He declares ,I have loved thee with an everlasting love [Jeremiah 31v3 ].
A  prayer..../Dear God we are lost in wonder of Your love for us, that even while we yet sinners Christ in love died for us,and that You will always love us,inperfect though we are,thank You in Jesus name Amen /
/I will return to my blogg Sunday 30th SEPT,  every blessing /

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 /