The fikle crowd.[ Matthew 21 v9 / 27v23]

I like football,but I am glad I do not manage a team,some clubs change their managers, more than what you and I change our socks.Here today gone tomorrow.The children of Israel , during the reign of David,appear to be so fickle,they follow Absalom,then they followed Sheba,Absalom was the kings son,yet he wanted to kill his father,Sheba was a Benjamite who wanted to restore the kingship to Sauls tribe. Beware of the fickle crowd,the greatest example of that relates to our Saviour,one moment they were singing His praise, the next they were crying out for Him to be crucified.Winston Churchill was our greatest prime minister,but was voted out,in the election that followed victory in Europe.Beware of the fickle crowd,don't be swayed by  people,but be true,to Gods word and Gods will,for your life. So many people get caught up with the fickle crowd,history is full of examples of this,to their regret.I am not saying one should not take advice from others, but  one has to careful we are swayed by fear of being looking foolish,of going against the crowd,our Saviour had to face the scorn of many[Mark5 v40]. Jesus said follow Me, even though it means ,going against the fickle crowd,if our Lord had taken on board what the crowd said He would have avoided Calvary.
A prayer...../ Dear Lord help us to take up our cross and to follow You. Amen /

Are you struggling? [ Psalm 103 ]

I must confess I am struggling,I think I am beginning to feel my age, I attended a prayer meeting and  although I did enter in somewhat I felt I may as well not have been there.The day had been very busy,I arose very early in the morning .to read Gods word and to pray,get breakfast,get ready,do my blog.Then I had to do shopping for the group I help run,went to dentist. I then collected one of my clients took him for breakfast,collected two more people and brought them to the group,help run the group,which meant getting tables and chairs out,helping with the dinner,washing up dishes,talking and engaging with the clients.I then transported three clients home,and then back to the office,and  work on the computer,then I  went home, made the dinner for two of us, a very full day,and of course then to the prayer meeting. I think God understands when I say I am struggling,he does not judge me,condemn me,shout at me,no He really understands.Let me also say He does not want us to carry guilt around with us,if you are tired ,mybe it is just because you are busy,which can bring on mental and physical weariness,don't add guilt to it. I leave the following words with you from Psalm 103 v 13-14,/Like as a father pitieth his children ,so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him. For He knoweth our frame,He remembereth that we are dust/
A  prayer....../ Dear God thank You for all You help us do,we thank You that You understand when we are tired,understand that we are but dust.and you love us even when we are struggling,we thank You in Jesus name Amen /

The hard times. [2 Corinthians 4 v17]

The winter has been long,where I live ,we did escape the worst of the snow,but nevertheless the winter has been long, and we experienced a lot of rain. So what did it accomplish?, a good question,what good has come out of such season?,well today has been a nice day, sun was shining,and I believe it really made me appreciate such days even more,and particularly being able to sit out in my garden,and to read my Bible.If you have hard times, you really do appreciate the good times,I love my job,I  have a reasonable good wage, and I get to help people, but I remember the many not so nice jobs ,I worked at.I am grateful that I can drive and  I own a car,for I remember not been able to drive.I also remember my childhood when we had so little, although I am not wealthy God has blessed me.The difficulties  we experiences should help us to appreciate the good times,and the blessings that God grants unto us now.I would like to broaden this out more, consider how we will feel when we stand on that heavenly shore, when we see all that Christ has prepared for us.surly we will truly appreciate Heaven and Heavens glories, from the difficulties of earth to the delights of Heaven. Paul wrote,/For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us [Romans 8 v18 ]/.As Matthew Henry writes,/There is something,to come,something behind the curtain that will outshine all/ ,all the pain ,loneliness, sickness,and death itself.Our sufferings will help us to fully appreciate, the glorious blessing that we will enter into there..
A  prayer ...../Dear God help us to see that we live in a fallen world,and in this fallen world we will experience  suffering, but help us all to see that we will be compensated ,more fully than we can ever appreciate ,in Jesus name we thank you Amen /

Perfect peace. [ John 16 v 33]

Yesterday  we thought on having a choice to run with our worries or to trust in God, today let us consider a scripture that can be a  you.to us,yes us,it will help me and it most certainty help
   Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace ,whose mind is stayed upon Thee, because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever,for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength  [Isaiah 26 v 3-4 ] Here we have one of those exceedingly great  promises from God,a God who cannot lie,in other words,if you and I , obey what we are being told ,we will have the desired result,which is perfect peace. Do we want perfect peace?,of course we do,everyone wants that.It is a rare thing for a big movie star to have not been divorced,so many disturbed people,driven to distraction,is it possible to know perfect peace?yes it is possible.,but it depends on us focusing on God.One of the most important things a sportsperson must learn,is the importance of not letting their thoughts  wonder,not to be distracted by the spectators,recently while watch a football on the TV,as a player was about to take a corner,spectators where throwing things at him,he just carried on, he stayed focused. Today amid all the distraction that we face we must stay focused on God, that means having an abiding trust in Him.I leave the words of that lovely old hymn ,by Frances R. Havergal with you.
       Like a river ,glorious,is Gods perfect peace, over all victorious,in it's bright increase.
       Perfect yet floweth fuller every  day,perfect  yet it groweth,deeper all the way.
       Stayed upon Jehovah,hearts are fully blest, Finding as He promised,perfect peace and rest.
A prayer....../Dear God help us to stay focused on You today, in Jesus name we ask this Amen /

I have a choice.[ Proverbs 3 v 5-6 /av]

As I woke from sleep this morning, worries started to crowd in as to the future,I hope to retire next year,and I was beset with anxiety,as regard my financial state.I who can say from experience ,that I have young,am now old,and I have never seen the righteous forsaken,nor his seed begging bread. Yet here I am worrying,of all people I should not worry,I who preached to many as regards God providing,I who have experienced God providing for all my needs,why am I worrying?. I suppose retiring is the big unknown for me I have sought to work all my life,I have worked over the retirement age,I hope to retire when I am 70.So what can I learn from all this?,well I have to do what I have always done pray,trust,and hold unto those exceeding and great promises from Gods word.It is said of Abraham that he moved from the known to the unknown,so it is for all of us,for life is full of changes,some we can see coming others we cannot,but change will come,death of a loved one,sudden unemployment,sickness,divorce,or our homes being destroyed by storms. If we are a child of God,we are called to trust God,that He will not fail us,He will test us,but for our betterment not for our detriment.Today am I going to run with my worries or am I going to trust God?  I have observed many people who run with their worries,it is not a pretty sight, it can destroy your very life.
A  prayer ..../ Dear loving Heavenly Father,as the devil attacks us with thoughts that can cause us to worry and fear,help us to resist him, and his lies.Help us to trust in your faithfulness in Jesus name Amen/

Blessed are the few. [Matthew 18 v20 ]

As I was praying this morning,I found myself praying ,bless the few,I suppose I think of my own ministry,usually to the few, blessed are the few,and those few are very important,to my Saviour.We often quote the words of our Saviour when we pray from Matthew 18 v20 that where two or three are gathered together in our Saviours name,He is present ,He the Lord of glory,does not find it a problem to meet with the few. Recently I received an invitation to minister at a fellowship, they later contacted me to say that ,they wanted to cancel that invitation because there would be so few there,and offered me an alternative appointment. I know they meant well but I have never had a problem in ministering to the few,because I know my Saviour will be there.Our Saviour ministered to vast numbers,but He also at times ministered to the few,to the two sisters, Mary and Martha,and often to individuals.I became a minister to a small church,and I know what that means,they called me in the  hope that the church would grow,we had our moments ,when people did come in,for a while some success with young people, but in the end we were left with the few. Those few were precious to me,and I loved them and prayed for them each  day,and as I ministered to them I knew that my Saviours unseen presence would be there.
A  prayer...../ Dear God help all those who are meeting together in small groups,help them to realise, that you love them just as much as the many,and may they be conscious of your promised presence ..Amen/

Dont give up.[ Philippians 3 v14 ]

Yesterday morning as I travelled to speak I noticed as I crossed over the bridge to get unto the road I had to get on,that there was a very big traffic jam.I managed to escape it by going a different way,and to my surprise I arrived in time to take the meeting.There were about 9 of us,and I felt the Lord helping me as I spoke,and as we sang the last hymn,the pianist played so well, and I believe we all received a blessing.Now what if I had given up when I saw the traffic jam?,I would have missed a lovely time ministering Gods word,and  we all would have missed a blessing.but we didn't.Sometimes we give up to soon,think of the people in the Bible who could have given up but didn't. .Jacob is famous for those words, I will not let Thee go,except thou bless me[Genesis 32v26], and he received what he desired. Consider the lady in Luke 8, who had suffered for 12 long years,she had spent everything she had on doctors,but to no avail .In spite of that she did not give up,instead she came to Jesus, and used the one thing that cannot be bought, faith , and she received a wonderful blessing. Be it for earthly blessing or heavenly blessings let us not give up
               .  I've Wrestled on towards heaven, Gainst storm, and wind, and tide.
                   Now like a weary trav'ller,that leaneth on his guide.
                   Amid the shades of evening,while sinks life's lingering sand.
                  I hail the glory dawning, in Immanuel's land.
                    [A. R.Cousin]
A  prayer ...../ Dear God  grant us grace to press on,to not give up, in Jesus name. Amen/