Glory here and glory there. [John 17 ]

I travelled to Belfast to attend the funeral of my oldest brother Davey,I don't  go home to much, now this was a sad time, but it was also a joyous time when one met with my family and friends. My  nephew and his wife had their little child there,and it reminded of the ongoing cycle of life,for the  writer of Ecclesiastes it was pretty meaningless,and for some it may appear that way,but as a Christian, I see life as  a gift from God,a gift that is precious.Of course for many life is hard,life is difficult,because of poverty,illness,and death,but as a Christian, I believe  that my life is not  defined by my circumstances, as a child of God ,my life has a greater purpose,to glorify my God and Saviour.I must never loose that focus,if I do then life will loose its meaning,so today let us all see our glorious purpose in life,that in our difficulties,trials,of whatever nature,we are called to glorify  God. Our dear Saviour prayed to His father,I have glorified Thee on the earth, I have finished the work which Thou give st me do do[ John 17 v4 ] ,consider what that meant for Him,a cross.and all its suffering,none of us want to suffer, but its inevitable that we will, to some degree,the challenge for all Gods children is,to glorify our Saviour,and when we  do ,then life will  have  meaning,and in the end eternal glory.
A prayer...../ Dear Father in heaven help us to glorify You in Jesus name and for His sake Amen /

Where to focus.[ Psalm 121v1 ]

I hope God willing to work until next year and then retire, I will then be seventy, but I found myself asking the question can I make it?, can I cope with the demands of my job. Then one thinks what will I do if I retire?,I am filled with all sorts of questions,then  there is the ongoing challenge of  life,I often feel vunerable.Which raises the question will I do something stupid,and fall to some temptation,will I be able to say like Paul, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith[ 2 Timothy 4 v7 ]These are the uncertainties,consider what I have said, the many times I have used the letter I a lot of times in what I have said ,the most important thing we should remember is,there is one who is with us,and declares ./Fear Thou not, for I am with You, be not dismayed, for I am thy God, I will strenthen thee,yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.....For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand. Fear not, I will help thee/.[Isaiah 41 v10/13 ].
A  prayer..../Dear God help us not to focus on the I but on You we ask this in Jesus name Amen/

We have Hope . [Romans 8 v28-39 ]

Jim Braddock was an Irish American,he was a failed boxer,but he got the chance to get into the fight game,he was very poor,married with three children,it was the depression.I suppose he was driven by the desire to succeed, to be able to look after his family,well he succeeded,he went on to win the heavy weight championship of the world.In doing this he did something very important,he gave the many poor struggling people hope.I suppose when I think of Winston Churchill I think of a man a very imperfect man, who gave our nation hope, and the people enslaved by the Nazi es.People need hope,my heart goes out to those people who are struggling with difficulties, whatever they may be,for often they must despair. If you are a Christian it does not mean that you will not have difficulties, the things that are common to all men,will happen to you.  Do not despair God can turn every difficult you are faced with ,into a blessing, did not the apostle Paul write, That he gloried in his infirmities,how can that be?because then he experienced the very power of God working in him.He even took pleasure in his infirmities,in reproaches,in necessities,in persecutions, in distresses,because it was  for Christs sake,and in all that he experienced in his weakness strength[ 2 Corinthians 12 ]Faith in God  sees that no situation is out of Gods control,God can give us a hope,that is unexplainable to the natural eyes ,consider the words of one of Gods dear suffering children,nay in all these things we are more than conquerors  though Him that loved us.[Romans 8 v37 ]
A prayer    / Dear God we thank You that as Your dear child we can experience hope ,a hope that will never disappoint,because of Jesus. Amen /

Psalm 46

Psalm 46 is a lovely Psalm,it is song of confidence,v2-3 speaks of the natural elements being in turmoil,and in v6 the natural man as the message puts it, ranting and raving,and threatening. There are so many things that can threaten us, even threaten to destroy us,but the writer of the Psalm, starts where we all need to start with ,God. The things that threaten were real,but so is God,what are you threatened with today?yes they are real,but God also is real,are they powerful?, God is more powerful Do you feel helpless?,then God will be your helper,is there no way out ?,God can make a way out.In v8-9 the writer points to what God has done, and what He can do,look back on past deliverance's ,be in encouraged, He changeth not,He who was faithful in the past will be faithful in the present. Consider v10/Be still and know that I am God, it is hard to be still,when we feel threatened,but here is the word of God for us all ,be still,and see how your God will undertake.Consider the last verse ,the Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge, Selah,the word selah means pause and consider,yes pause and consider this wonderful truth that God is with us,He has not ,nor will He ever desert us.
A  prayer..../Dear God we praise You that You are with us,and that You will care for us,we thank You in Jesus name. Amen /

Telling others [ Acts 1 v8 ]

 I recently went to speak at a fellowship,there were just six ladies there,this little fellowship is run by the two Margarets ,elderly ladies,who have served the Lord faithfully.When I go to preach there ,they always request that I preach the Gospel,for these dear ladies have a heart for the lost.They have witnessed to eastern Europeans recently,and mentioned how these people had attended their meeting. One wonders why so many different nationalities are in our country,could it be that God whose world it is,has brought them ,that they may hear the Gospel?. In spite of all the advances mankind has made,this fact remains,people need  Christ, they need to hear the good news of the Gospel,this will never change.nor will the command by our Saviour change,to go to tell,for how shall they hear without a preacher,the fact is they wont. Now I am not saying this to make you panic or feel guilty,but simply that you and I may remember are great responsibility to tell people about Jesus.
A  prayer.../Dear God help us to tell others about Your son Jesus,grant us wisdom in how best we can do this,in Jesus name Amen /

Who knows. [ 1 Samuel 1-2 ]

In 1 Samuel 2 we have Hannah praying ,it is a most wonderful prayer,it came as a response to a prayer  that been being answered,Hannah was a woman of faith ,her faith must have been tested as faith will be.She was despised by her husbands other wife,and she was misunderstood by Gods high priest,but  she heard Gods voice, and believed.She named her son Samuel in honour of Gods faithfulness in answering her prayer,Samuel's name means asked of God.When she prayed for a child she had made a vow ,that if God would answer her prayer for child a son she would give him back to the Lord.Consider the challenge in that vow,so many people make vows or promises to God and don't keep them, ,but Hannah meant what she prayed,and kept her word.But she did not loose out, we often hold back in obeying God,feeling we will loose out, but God is no mans, or woman's debtor,they that honour Him ,He will honour them[ 1 Samuel 2 v30 ], God granted her five more children [1 Samuel 2 v21],God we are told will do exceedingly more abundantly than we can ask or think[Ephesians 3 v21].He did not only deliver Joseph from prison,but he made Prime minister,with power and authority.and when God answered Hannahs prayer for a son,He not only gave her a Son,but a son who would be a prophet.Who knows will happen when we pray,who knows what will happen when we obey,but we can be assured God will respond.
A  prayer....../Dear God help us to pray,in our difficulties,help us when we make You a promise to keep it,let us not be ruled by fear, but by  faith in Jesus name we ask this Amen /

Only one class. [ Romans 3 v23 ]

In   1 John2 v16 we read of the pride of life,it can be a pride in our possessions,power,position or status.Just recently a report has come out on our status.What class are we? the report says that there are seven classes in our country,there used to be,upper,middle, and working class.I wondered when I heard this what class do I belong to?,I come from a working class background, I wonder am I now middle class?. In Hinduism they have a cast system,at the bottom of the heap is the dear Dalit people or as they are better known untouchables. All these things can be seen as the pride of life, I am better than you,at least that is what we think,but it is not what God thinks.At its most ghastly this pride of life manifests itself in racism,mankind is continually inventing areas of life that cause them to feel superior. The Bible tells us that God made us from one blood,we are all by creation, Gods offspring[Acts 17v26-28],when God looks on this world is not with a look of disdain ,but with a look of love.God does class us as sinners we all stand equal before Him,and everyone of us has the same need,to be saved,by trusting in Jesus,the question I would like you answer are you a saved sinner or a lost sinner?
A prayer..../ Dear God  we thank You that You love this world of sinners so much, that You have provided  salvation,through Your Son Jesus. Amen /