Love one another. [ Genesis 50 v 15-21 ]

Our Saviour prayed that as Christians ,and that we love one another, I have always tried to take this seriously,but sometimes it is hard. Last week I felt convicted that I had offended a Christian couple it was not intentional,but it unsettled me,so as I drove by their home I stopped my car and went and spoke to them,saying I was sorry if I had offended them, and so peace was restored in my heart. It is amazing how unforgiving some Christians are,the divisions that develop in churches, and go on for years,and years. There are Christians who hold ill feelings in there hearts for years,and they simply ignore what our Saviour commanded,the love that we are meant to show and feel,is a Christlike love,that forgives,and forgives, and forgives.It is a love that is bigger and better than how we feel naturally,it is in fact going beyond our natural feelings. Christ like love is on a higher level than even our natural family love, our natural families  can  be so unforgiving, as in the case of Joseph, and his 11 brothers.They hated him with a murderous hate, they wanted to destroy him.But this Old Testament saint showed New Testament love, he not onl  forgive them but he also blessed them. Is this not what Jesus did ,and continues to do, and commands us to do. John the apostle of love wrote,/ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God,and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He goes onto say,/He that loveth not,knoweth not God, for God is love [ 1 John 4 v 7-8 ]
A  prayer..../Dear  God grant unto us a forgiving spirit in Jesus name Amen /

Lessons we can learn. [ Philippians 3 v 4 -7 ]

There are lessons to be learnt from everyday happens,take yesterday when my son John with his dinner in one hand, decided to move a pot on the cooker which he thought was in danger of falling over. As he reached out to the pot  ,his dinner fell to the floor, how should one reacted, shout, huff,?, well what can we learn from this simple happening?. Well we need to keep things in proportion,I used to watch a TV program called one foot in the grave,the main character always appeared to get things out of proportion, if only he could have laughed at so many things, it would have made life so much easier. Let us not make a mountain out of a molehill. Next ,  it is no good crying over spilt milk ,there are things that happen a car crash,a wrong investment, or whatever it is not helpful to keep going on, and on, and on,about it, let it go,stop punishing yourself..Next I often say to myself when things happen, look for the mercies,in this case,we have plenty of food in our home, my son did not go without a dinner,and we have a nice tiled floor,so making it very easy to clear up the mess.
A  prayer....../ Dear God  help us to know how to cope with the unexpected difficult things that You allow to come into our lives, in Jesus name Amen /

Not optional. [ Psalm 46 ]

Romans 12 v12. /Rejoicing in hope,patient in tribulation,continuing instant in prayer/ Let us consider the last part of this verse,/continuing instant in prayer/,the point is this, how are we going to rejoice in hope,and be patient in tribulation?,the place of prayer is the answer.The qualities that we need,cannot be manifested in our lives naturally, these are spiritual qualities. We need continually to learn that we do not have the resources ,in ourselves to rise to the high calling of being a Christian.Jesus said that our righteousness must rise higher than mere religion[Matthew 5 v 20].Read the sermon on the mount,the challenge that it brings us,is awesome,and yet we are challenged to live according to what our Saviour taught there. The reality is, in ourselves we cant,and so we must, continue instant in prayer,for it is only in prayer do we receive the grace to face the challenge of being victorious.Prayer is not just an extra something that is optional, no it is vital,and the vital key to not only surviving but of overcoming and being victorious.Jesus said we were to pray and not faint,if we don't pray we will faint. So what difficulty are you facing today?well what is the answer?,pray ,pray and pray,yes the answer is as simple as that,it is not complicated,but it is vital for all of us, we neglect it to our own hurt.
A  prayer....../Dear God help to pray without ceasing,help us to pray as if our very lives depend on it in Jesus name Amen/

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.