Are we up to the challenge? [ Acts 10 ]

I heard something recently that goes like this, a couple were seeking to take bibles into a strict Muslim country, and their car broke down.As they were figuring out what to do, nomads came along,and the nomads approached them and said, are you the ones who are bringing us the book of life. Here is a similar story,a Christian lady was in an Muslin  country,she pulled into a petrol station,and standing near by was a man carrying a gun,and the Lord spoke to her ,go give that man a bible.She thought that it was to dangerous,so she drove of, but the words she had heard persisted,so she went back and prayerfully went to the man,,and offered him  a bible, he told her that he was told to wait there, and someone would bring him the book of life.It is more and more difficult to reach people with the gospel,in Muslin countries,it has become like it was under Communism, this presents a tremendous challenge. But God is up to the challenge, the question is are we?
A  prayer...../ Dear God in a world that is becoming more and more intolerant to Your Gospel,help us to arise to the challenge of telling others about Christ,use us in what ever way it takes to rescue the perishing,in Jesus name Amen./

Being confident. [ Psalm 138 v8 ]

The apostle wrote,/Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ[Philippians 1 v6 ]. I thought on on this ,this morning, and was encouraged,  because often one looks at others,and mostly ones self,and one can despair. As to others well we can pray ,sometimes that is all we can, but as I said to someone who told me that he prayed and fasted for a particular person he was concerned about, your prayers have not been wasted. You see it appeared that his prayers were not bringing the desired effect,I am sure we have all that experience,but I believe they will, our prayer requests are like uncashed cheques,they are lodged in the bank of heaven,God has not forgotten them, or  like a bill that people refuse to pay.God will in his way and in His own time cash in that cheque. The apostle Paul did all he could to build up the church at Philippi,as indeed we should do with our churches, our families , and ourselves,but Paul's confidence was not in Paul. His confidence was in God, in the Lord Jesus Christ,and that is were our confidence should be,we can change no one, but He can, He will not leave the job half finished,nothing is to hard for Him.
A  prayer...../Dear God Grant us the grace to not despair as regards the imperfections we see in others, and ourselves, help us to have faith to trust You to perfect that which concerns Your children , in Jesus name Amen /

I speak at small gatherings of believers, they are but the remnants of former days,the folk who attend are lovely Christians. The thing is, unless God chooses to intervene,the gatherings will cease to be, and all  that be will  left is the building. Those folk have prayed as indeed I have that God would intervene,I often passed one particular church and would pray for it,but now it lies redundant. So what can one do?well let me tell you,and in telling I hope we will be guided by God the Holy Spirit.Recently I could not find one of my favourite books,I have a lot of books,but yesterday I found it,it is called the Sovereignty of God by A.W. Pink, and in finding that book I was reminded again of that great truth, the sovereignty of God.Jesus our dear Saviour said He would build His church.[ Matthew 16v18]. Yes He will build His church ,and we must bow always to that reality,He is building His church,in the most difficult of places,in places one would never imagine,we need not fear as regards His church, in the end, it is His church,not ours, we are but part of that church.He can if He chooses revive even small gatherings. So let us not despair ,but by faith look unto Jesus the one who is our Sovereign Lord,who will build His church.
A  prayer....../Dear God let us to hold unto the fact that You are sovereign,over the world, over us,over Your church ,in Jesus name Amen /

Freedom not licence. [ Galatians 5 ]

One of the big concerns in our country is maintaining a free press, and finding some way to regulate them,a free press is very important and I would be very unhappy if that was changed. The first thing totalitarian government's do to is control the press,for they don't want people to know what they are really doing,don't want, their dark deeds reported. Yet much an all, as I want a free press ,I, and many people feel they have abused their freedom, causing a lot of pain ,hurting and acting in ways that are criminal.Sometimes it appears to me that people are being tried by the press, instead of by the legitimate legal procedures.In Galatians 5v1, the apostle Paul reminds the Christians ,that,/It was for freedom that Christ has set us free/,they were in grave danger of going back into the bondage of the law.So Paul writes to seek to encourage them to stand firm in the truth of the Gospel,and in v13ff he reminds them that freedom is not licence to act in an unloving or unholy manner.The road we are on is a narrow way,and we must not stray unto the broad way,that would only lead to bondage. We can be so easy deceived into walking in paths of unrighteousness, because we have not listened to Gods word ,likewise we have failed to be led by Gods Spirit,and when that happens, we are no longer free.
A  prayer....../Dear God in a world were so many people are not free ,spiritually,intellectually,and morally,we ask that they may know the liberating power of Jesus, in His name we ask this name, and we also pray that we who have been set free in Christ may not use our freedom as a licence for wrong practises Amen/

Works without faith. [ Ephesians 2 v8-9 ]

 James in his epistle stresses the importance of works, not for salvation but as an evidence of salvation,he writes that  faith without works is dead[2v17], but what about works without faith?. There are many ,many people who do good works ,every year millions are collected for children in need.. Muslims at Rama dam are taught to do good works now all this is commendable,also the Christmas season is a time when people manifest a spirit of generosity. The answer is ,while good works are commendable they have no bearing on our being accepted by God, good works are just that good works,they do not  commend us to God, or  in any shape or form,  grant us a standing before God. Neither the works of the law[Galatians 2v16] or the good works that we may do[Ephesians 2 v8-9] can give us standing before a holy God. I use the term holy so that we may begin to understand that like oil and water,holiness and sinfulness don't mix. In saying this I am emphasising the biblical truth that sins separate us from a holy God [Isaiah 59 v2 ]Not until sin is dealt with can we have any hope of being accepted by God,our works count for nothing,the only thing that counts in Gods sight is when He sent His only begotten Son, to do a work that no one else could do,to die on a cross. On that cross justice and mercy kissed each other,and the way was opened for sin to be forgiven. Here is what our Saviour said, in John 6 v29. /The work of God is this, to believe in the one He has sent/
A  prayer...../ Dear God help not to be fooled into thinking that we are saved.by  our good works , and make us acceptable in Your sight, for You have made it clear in Your word ,that only the work of Jesus on the cross is the  ground on which we are saved Amen /

Dont be fooled.[2 John v 10-11 ]

One of the aspects of 2 Corinthians that Paul is having to deal with ,where false teachers, who were seeking to undermined his authority, and the gospel. He calls them false apostles, deceitful workers,[2 Corinthians 11v13],this was not just name calling ,rather it was Paul pointing out ,the danger and the damage these people could cause to these young believers at Corinth. In verse 4 ,he writes of those who preach another Jesus,another spirit, and another gospel.The J Ws are very active where I live,we also have a Mormon gathering,  what Paul wrote of those false teacher in Corinth applies to them.They all preach another Jesus,another spirit, and another gospel,this is not a trivial thing,no it is deadly serious ,peoples eternal destinies are at stake.They may be nice enough people but they are not Gods people.Islam is the same they have another Jesus,another spirit, and an other gospel.There are many religions,who appear Christian,but when you look at what they believe, your discover many weired and strange things that run contrary to Gods word. Be careful that you are not fooled by them,and led a way from the truth, to the damage of your eternal soul.
A  prayer....../Dear God deliver us from being deceived by false religions,give us discerning minds,and steadfast spirits, to stand and having done all to stand, in Jesus name, Amen /

Love not just an abstract thing.[ John 3 v16 ]

In 2 Corinthians 8 v 24 ,we read /The proof of your love/,the apostle Paul is encouraging the saints at Corinth to contribute to the needy saints in Jerusalem. So he encourages them to show the proof of their love by giving help to them financially.Let us remember that love is not just an abstract thing,it is and should be manifested in real deeds. God loves this world so much, everyday we receive food ,drink and a multitude of things,and the greatest manifestation of His love was in the person of Jesus,and His death on the cross,Where is the proof of Gods love? look to Calvary, herein is love,here is a love that is not just in words and ideas,but in real flesh and blood body.We are to be like our loving heavenly Father,to show our love, in a practical manner.There is a brother who attends our church,while walking around his neighbourhood ,he got into conversation with a person,her husband was tinkering with his car, he was having trouble with it,and although he didn't really know that person he offered him the loan of his car,the people were not Christians, surely that brother was showing the proof of his love.Again let me stress that love is not just an abstract thing,it should be evidenced by love in action. 
A  prayer....../Dear God we thank for your love to us shown us in so many ways,especially in Jesus Your dear Son,grant us to be more like You in expressing our love for You and for others, in Jesus name Amen /