Will they call us? [ Proverbs 10 v7 ]

I have finished reading my book on Judson of Burma, what a noble soul he was, one of his greatest legacy's is the Bible he translated,the only one ever to be translated. He was by all accounts a brilliant scholar,he was truly fitted for the task God give him,but he experienced so many difficulties,he witnessed the death of his wives.three in all,they were also godly,and he witnessed the death of many of his children. He experienced imprisonment,and sickness,and dangers at sea,but in it all, he remained faithful,he and his dear family, were the corn of wheat that fell into the ground and died,and produced much fruit. Our Saviour said that if we cling to our lives,we will lose them,but if we give our lives for Him we will find them[Matthew 10 v39].We read that the memory of the just is blessed[ Proverbs 10 v7 ],and truly that can be said of the Judsons,what memory will we leave, what legacy will we leave,will people rise up and call us blessed?.
A prayer.....Dear God we thank You for the Judsons who served You faithfully ,their memory is truly blest,give us grace to follow in their footsteps in Jesus name Amen./

My jewels. [ Malachi 3v17]

I am reading a book about Adoniram Judson and his wife who where missionaries to Burma ,one of things that stands out is the difficulties they and others had to face. I am up to the place were they have lost two young children,they also suffered  in their travels,it was the age of sail,and that brought with it dangers.There is a Christian church in Burma,as there is in China, and as there is in most countries ,for that to happen it took men and women to obey the go in the gospel. The church in ever country started because there were those who obeyed the call of God, and there was a cost,only God knows how severe that cost was.We could go back to yesterdays reading and ask the question, why this waste?,from a human standpoint ,yes it may have appear to be a waste,often it appears they failed to win others to Christ,often they died in the journey to their supposed destination. Why did Eric Liddel decide to give up the glory of being a famous sportsman, admired by thousands,and go to China, and to die in a Japanese internment camp?. Why ? because he saw a greater glory, and he obeyed a greater calling,the salvation of that most precious commodity ,lost souls, to God they are the  most important thing He created.I like what the book of Malachi says/They shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels[3v17]/.
A  prayer... ../Dear God open our minds and our hearts to respond to the great need of mankind ,to see that they are your Jewels, for whom Christ died Amen /

                                                                                                  

We have a soul. [ Matthew 10 v28 ]

I went to see the movie Les  Miserables if you go to see it take a hankie or tissues to wipe the tears away,it is full of deep realism,showing the harshness of life, and severe injustice of the times.The main character played by Hugh Jackson ,plays the part of a convict ,serving nineteen years for stealing bread to feed his starving family,is granted parole. But as an ex prisoner he receives no help from anybody until he comes in contact with a priest,who befriends him,feeding him,and giving him a bed for the night.During the night Valjean steals silver ,and flees only to be arrested and brought back to the priest.Who declares that he gave him the things and also gives him some more stuff to take with him.The actions by the priest has a profound effect upon Valjean,who later on declares,he taught me I had a soul. Yes he had a soul and so has every person, unlike animals we have a soul ,so many, many, people live as if they are just material being,but not so, we are made in Gods image,eternity is in our hearts,and we neglect this truth to our eternal hurt.No matter how wicked people in their animal behaviour become let us never loose sight that they have an never dying soul.
A prayer .../Almighty God have mercy upon humanity,that have forgotten that they have a soul,in Jesus name ,who came to save their never dying souls Amen /

A waste. [ Matthew 25 v40]

 In Matthew 26 v6-13 we have an account of a woman who was misunderstood,and she became the target  of criticism,sound familiar.She was told she should have used her resources in a more humane way,instead of wasting it on Jesus.She had poured very precious ointment over His head as act of devotion,it was act of worship on Him who alone is worthy of worship.It appears she had more insight than the apostles,they only saw the waste,she saw His sacrificial death,and she expressed her love and devotion to Him in this lovely way. Jesus revealed to those disciples the true meaning of her action,He reminded them there is a place for helping others,but there is a place for honouring Him. Many will help the poor which is commendable,but will not  have a thought for Jesus,they are like the disciples, just focused on the creature and not a thought for the creator.Jesus said that what that lady did would always be remembered,so it is what we do for Jesus ,be it ever so little,or ever so great will be remembered, even though others may think it was a waste
A  prayer..../ Dear God help us to honour You even though others may think it a waste in Jesus name Amen ./

Agents for peace [ Matthew 5 v9 ]

My son John has 4 children,and you know what children are like, they have there moments of conflict,well John works away in his job. Just recently he spoke to his oldest boy and said to him, Morgan, you be an agent for peace,and I thought how meaningful that was. So I felt I should share it with you, for how many situations would be so much better,if  people took up that challenge, to be an agent for peace. How  many families,how many churches, how many countries would be affected, for the better,if they adopted those words,So many people are squaring up to each other,there are those in Islam who want to fight the world. Our Saviour said ,have peace with one another[ Mark 9v 50],  and in Romans 12v18,we are told,/Do all you can to live in peace with everyone/.Let us take on board those words to be an agent for peace, after all we follow one who is the prince of peace.Consider how  important peace is,it is a central aspect to our relationship with God,in Christ we have by faith peace ,with God,and in our day by day walk with Him we can know the peace of God.Now as we face this day can we be agents of peace,instead of agents of conflict,if we are agents of peace,then we can make a big difference in all our different situations.
A  prayer..... Dear God in a world so full of conflict help us to be agents for peace in Jesus name Amen/

Present but gone. [ 1 Thessalonians 4 v 13]

I  was really angry with myself,I made a mistake, and it was the second time  I did it,I gave a big cry out, at my stupidity,but thankfully I was able ,to rectify my  mistake,so all is well with my world,until the next time. I wondered to myself was it  you know what creeping up on me?, I cant remember,I joke. It was only today that I was talking to someone, and he told me about someone he knew,who went all the way to Australia ,from England, to see his brother,only to find ,that his brother did not recognise him,he had dementia. Maybe some day they will find a cure,but in the meanwhile,how does one cope with a loved one suffering from this condition? ,of seeing that person they love,lost to them. The human condition can bring unto us so many things,things we have no control over,I heard a person on the radio, speaking of how he felt lost after having a stroke, of feeling his body had let him down.There so many things we cant control,but this I know my times are in Gods hands,indeed I wish them there,for they are safe hands,hands that will not let go of me,hands that will carry me through,till journeys end, hands I can trust even when I don't understand.
A  prayer...../ Dear Lord Jesus have mercy on those who watch those they love suffer,and those who no longer recognise those who are dear to them,help them not to despair Amen /

Because He lives. [John 11 v25]

I was thinking this morning about the resurrection, it would be easy to be like the Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection,when your dead ,your dead.After all ,death appears so final, and if you are cremated ,all that is left is an urn filled with ashes.so is that it?.If that is it ,then we may as well live just for time,and the things of time,let us eat, drink and be merry. When the writers of the Bible wrote,they lived with a greater awareness of death,in our modern times,death is hidden from us,we are occasionally reminded of it when the funeral cars pass us on their way to the graveyard,or crematorium. Yes there are those who live with a fear of death,children do,but on the whole it appears to be a closed subject. Maybe us, in the prosperous west  feel ,that eventually we will solve the intrusion of death,so it wont knock on our door. Maybe we are to afraid to think upon death,it is such a morbid thing,so let us just push it to the back of our minds,but that will not help for it will come back to hunt us.As a Christian minister I continually am reminding myself ,and others of death,but not as the final curtain,but as a door into eternity,that will lead to Heaven or Hell,depending whither one has trusted Jesus as ones Saviour. As to our bodies,without faith all we see is death,its  over,its over,its over,but then I hear Jesus, telling me ,God is not a God of the dead, but a God of the living.[ Matthew 22 v23].I hear Him declare that He is the resurrection and the life,that if I have faith in Him I will live even though I die.Now Jesus did not only speak words, He showed the reality of what He said,by rising from the dead, and so it is, that because He lives,we shall live also.
A  prayer..../ Dear God we thank You for Jesus who conquered death,and that through believing Him,death will not be the end Amen