Patient in tribulation. [ John 18v 36 ]

 Romans 12v12  /Rejoicing in hope,patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer/ Let us now consider, being patient in tribulation,it is Morris who points out that Paul is not writing about a minor pinprick,but deep and serious trouble.I receive news of what many dear Christians are suffering,particularly in North Korea,but  also in many places, and it is not a pinprick, it is very severe. But we do not want to underestimate the difficulties many people are having to cope with,be it severe sickness, or poverty,or injustice. Whatever trials we are going through ,we are as W Barclay puts it,are to meet tribulation with triumphant fortitude. We can if like Christ we keep our vision clear,first of all to remember what He said, in the world ye shall have tribulation,[ John 16 v33],but He goes on to say,but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. In saying that He had overcome the world, he is inferring that we like Him can be victorious over whatever we have to face.  How? by Christ who is with us ,consider the words of an old hymn by Mary Peters,/  Though we pass through tribulation, all will be well. Ours is such a full salvation ,all, all is well, happy  still in God confiding,fruitful if in Christ abiding. Holy through the Spirits guiding, all must be well. We expect a bright tomorrow,all will be well. Faith can sing through days of sorrow,all,all is well. On our Fathers love relying, Jesus every need supplying. Or in living or in dying, all must be well/.
A  prayer..../ Dear  God and Father  have mercy upon Your dear children who are suffering tribulation,grant them to know Your joy,and help us all in whatever trials we are facing,to know that  all will be well, in our Saviours name we ask this Amen/

Rejoicing in hope [Psalm 42 v 5 ]

Romans 12 v12 reads/Rejoicing in hope,patient in tribulation,continuing instant in prayer/, Godet in his commentary,quotes  a Hofmann ,who paraphrases these words as follows,/In so far as we have cause to hope, let us be joyful, in so far as we have cause of pain, let us hold out, in so far as the door of  prayer is open to us, let us continue to use it/
Rejoicing in hope, is this possible,when everything is taken from you?, yes it is possible, consider Job and what he suffered, consider Paul and what he suffered,yet they never lost hope.What about rejoicing in hope?, yes it is,consider Habakkuk ,he saw the devastation that was coming on his people.What Habakkuk never lost was hope, and so he was able to rejoice,he declares ,/Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation [3 v18] William Barclay wrote ,/There can never be any such thing as a hopeless Christian/, I don't know about that,but I do believe that if our hope is in God and His word, then we can truly hope and truly rejoice.When our hope is in others or even self,that hope can so easily leave us,but when our hope is in the one who cannot lie,in one who will always be faithful,in one who loves us with an everlasting love, and who manifested that love ,on an old rugged cross.
A  prayer...../Dear God, help us to rise above our fears,to trust in You,to not give into despair, and even the grace to rejoice in every situation in Jesus name Amen /

Is God on Israels side.?. [ Romane10v1 ]

This Sunday evening in our fellowship we are going to discuss the following topic ,/Is God on Israels side?/,what do think?. Well let us ask the question, what is Gods purpose for Israel and the gentiles?the answer is very simple, salvation [ 2 Peter 3 v9 / John 3 v16] At this time those Jews who have not accepted Christ as Saviour are just as lost as the gentiles who have not accepted Christ. It is in the epistle to the Romans we have set out Israels condition and their future, chapter 3 makes it clear that there is no difference between Jew or Gentile,for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God [3v22-23]. In chapter 4 he makes it clear that neither circumcision or keeping the law can save the Jew,and he illustrates this by pointing to Abraham who was  justified by faith [ 4 v3 ]. It is in chapters 9-11,he deals again with the question of Israel,again the underlying theme is redemptive ,that they may be saved [11v1]. God is not finished with them, he still has a plan for them,he cautions against us gentiles becoming proud,and dismissing the Jews as of no importance,God has still got a purpose for them.[11v28-29] salvation.At this time God is calling His elect mainly form the gentiles, but there will came a time when ,He will gather his elect from Israel,and so all the elect will be saved ,both Jew and gentile[11v26]
A   prayer...../Dear God we pray for the Jewish people,that You would save them in Jesus name. Amen /

What sustains us [ Isaiah 40 v 28-31 ].

Desmond Tutu was asked what had sustained him in his Christian life?, he replied,/ The absolute centrality of prayer/. I would say amen to that .There are things we may give up,things we do now and again,but we must not give up prayer . What saddens me is the decline in the prayer meeting in many churches,may be it needed changed,but it did not need to cease. There are so many things we can write about prayer,here is one, the need is great,not just ours, but with the world at large.People need salvation we may not  be able to tell them, but we can pray for them. Our family may be over sensitive, likewise our neighbours,,  those we have daily contact with, it would not be wise to be always to be speaking to them, although we should do this as God enables us, and if we do witness to them water your witness by your prayers [ Psalm 126 v5 ].The list is endless as regards who we can pray for ,and remember that often our prayers are not answered right a way.D  Tutu said it was prayer that sustained him,he spoke of the absolute centrality of prayer,we are told that they  that wait upon the Lord shall.renew their strength[  Isaiah 40 v31],as a Christian of many years,I have been sustained by prayer,so dear saint of God pray without ceasing.

Freedom [ Luke 4 v18-19 ]

President Obama is visiting Burma at this time, seeking to encourage the powers that be to continue to move forward to a democratic government,and in the process become a more free country.On this  I was very impressed, as he sought to define freedom,that true freedom is not just about casting ones vote.He then mentioned what a former President said, President Roosevelt who  said there were four things that are important as regards freedom [1] Freedom from want. [2]Freedom of expression [3]Freedom to work . [ 4]Freedom from fear.I hope I got them right I am quoting from memory.The Bible has a lot to say regards freedom ,it tells us that we are all enslaved ,by the devil and by our sinful nature[ 2 Timothy 2v26/ John 8 v34 /.The situation was and is so desperate that God had to take desperate measures, in order to truly set people free, He sent Jesus.His purpose was to set people free. Jesus declared that He had come to set the captives free [ Luke 4v 18],He declared that He had come to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.The good news of the gospel is that Jesus can set you free, for whom the son sets free is free indeed.
A  prayer....../ Dear God  we thank You for Jesus who can set us truly free Amen /

Judging others [ John 8 v1-11]

Our Lord tells us clearly not to judge others [Matthew 7 v1-5 ],  He gives a warning as the consequence of judging others, that you will put yourself in a place where judgement will fall on you. How many times we see this in life, especially if one is a driver. Let me say this there are no perfect drivers,yet it is one place were people sit in judgement on others,they curse and become angry at other drivers, they judge to imperfect in their driving. This is  why our Lord tells us not to judge others,we all are imperfect human beings,when a fellow Christian falls into sin,we are inclined to judge, or they have characteristics that need changing.Let us be honest we have characteristics that need changing. May be our judging others helps us feel superior,but it doesn't it only causes us to put ourselves in jeopardy. If we look into the word of God ,read 1 Corinthians 13,and consider how short  we come as to love, consider the challenge of holiness, outward,but most important inward,we all have beams/ planks in our eyes, that need to be removed. The words of 1 Corinthians 11v31 , read, / For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged/
A  prayer..... /Dear God forgive us for our judgemental spirit grant that we will take seriously what our Saviour taught us about judgeing others Amen/

Witnessing. [ Acts 1 v8 ]

One of my sons told me of someone who said that witnessing is only the task of the evangelist,of  course this is utterly wrong ,when our saviour spoke the words go [Matthew 27v19],He did not say for just Evangelist to go. In Acts 8 we read of a time of persecution,men and women were suffering ,this caused them to be scattered everywhere, and in v4, we read that they went everywhere preaching the word.I don't thing I am an evangelist but I do know I am called to evangelise. It causes me great frustration that I don't tell more people about Jesus,there are no exemptions in the task of witnessing, it is all hands to the task. The gospel is not only a wonderful gift we have received, but it is a gift we are called to share with others. Yes we are not called to leave it to the professionals, yet  maybe in witness we will discover that we are an evangelist. I appreciate that we may find it hard to witness ,we may not feel like doing it, because of our natural reserve,or the fear of becoming unpopular,but God can help us, we have the Holy Spirit, who can empower us ,grants us the words to say,and can use us in ways we never expected.
A  prayer...../Dear Lord help us to be witnesses for You, with our words and our lives . Amen/