A new heart. [ 1 Samuel 10 v9 ]

Abraham Lincoln said, /In order to win a man to your cause, you must first reach his heart/,as a preacher,I want God to touch my heart,that I when I stand to minister,that I may touch the hearts of  the people,I am ministering to. I think we have to qualify this,because I am dealing in spiritual things as opposed to natural things.Hitler won the hearts of many of the German people,by his oratory,lies and deceit,satan entered into Judus,,on the natural level the heart is our most vulnerable place, What is controlling your heart,anger,unforgiveness,Jesus said ,out of the heart proceeds, evil thoughts,murders,adulteries,fornications,thefts,false witness,blasphemies[Matthew 15 v10]. So the question is who or what has got our hearts?, in Proverbs23 v26, we read, /My son give me thine heart./ The non Christian holds unto their treasures,what ever those treasures are, the rich young ruler, held fast to his riches,and so forfeited eternal life,the very thing he wanted [Matthew 19 ] We do not like Gods description of our natural hearts cp Jeremiah17 v9[The heart is deceitful above all things,and desperately wicked],but it is the truth that sets us free,better to face the truth,as to our condition.If we are not saved then we need a new heart ,God has promised this when we trust Christ[Ezekiel 11v19],a heart where He reigns and rules,a heart that when daily yielded to Him,will transform our lives.
A  prayer..../ Dear God grant us a new heart,and when You do, help us to yield it daily to Your perfect will, in Jesus name Amen /

The word of God.[ Psalm 119 v 89-96 ]

I don't suffer from hay fever ,but when I get up in the morning,my nose runs,eyes water,and I have a fit of sneezing,which reminds me of the saying,its nothing to be sneezed at,whatever that may mean.There are many sayings for different situations,like to many cooks spoil the broth,or a stitch in time saves nine,better out than in,the early bird catches the worm,or early to bed,early to rise makes a man, healthy,wealthy, and wise.I am not sure what category these sayings come under,but they register with us,and have a certain truth to them. As to myself I don't build my life on these sayings,I build my life on Gods word,because it applies not just to this life,but my eternal destiny.It challenges us to always keep God in mind,in all our actions,and thought life.The word of God is the word of life,and it is the word for life,it is also the word to build our lives upon.It is true the saying, that this word will keep us from sin,sin will keep us from the word,the greatest example of that is Solomon,he neglected to keep Gods word,appeared to have ignored it,and brought disaster upon himself and the nation of Israel.So today let us all hold fast to Gods word,memorise it,and above all else obey it,for it is Gods word,more precious than our bank accounts,more important than earthly success.
A prayer...../Dear God help us to value Your word,help us not to neglect it,help us to obey it, in Jesus name Amen /

Victory. [ Isaiah 59 v 16]

I have just finished watching a football match,and the odds on favourites got beat,we love it when that happens as long as its not your team getting beat.As I read the scripture so often Gods people were the underdogs, be it Gideon's three hundred, or David facing the giant Goliath,or Samson slaying a thousand Philistines.Or a man hanging on a cross, now that was the greatest victory ever,many looking on, believed they had won,that they had put an end to this upstart,but this so called upstart, won the victory that day.Hell did not succeed,godless religion did not succeed,the cruelty of man did not succeed,the fact that his closest and dearest friends ,forsook Him and left Him on His own,made no difference, He won the victory.Yes He won the victory against all the odds,a victory that will never be forgotten,not in time ,nor in eternity.Here is the most wonderful thing ,He won the victory for you and for me,we could not defeat the enemies of our soul, in fact the strange thing was,we were in league with those enemies[ Romans 5 v10]. Strange victory,in that His victory was not only over His enemies, but also for His enemies.We His enemies were blinded by sin and Satan, held captive by his will,walking according to the course of this world,children of disobedience,fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind.But God , who is rich in mercy,through His Sons victory ,forgave us our sins,and saved us by His amazing Grace.
A  prayer....../When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died, my riches gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride. Amen /

Fully restored. [ 1 John 3 v2 ]

While driving in my car I was listening to my radio,a lady requested to hear part of Handels Messiah, the part was from Job 19 v 25-27.It did sound lovely,it not only sounded lovely,but the words blessed me greatly,for the words express a wonderful truth,that there is hope inspite of death.,here are the words,/For I know that my redeemer liveth,and that He shall stand upon the earth. And  though after my skin worms destroy this body,yet in my flesh shall I see God.Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another,though my reins be consumed within me./This was a divine statement of faith,Peter wrote ,/Whom having not seen,ye love, though now ye see him not,yet believing,ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory [1 Peter 1 v7 ] Yes but one day the words of Job shall ring true for every saint, one day we shall look on our glorious king, our redeemer ,Jesus. Not only will I see Him ,but I shall be like Him. [ 1 John 3 v2 ]. To me this is a great mystery,but a wonderful possibility,the world is full of copy cats,people trying to be like others,as a Christian my deepest desire is to be like Jesus.This is a process[Romans 8 v29] and will be complete when Christ comes back,in the beginning God made us in His image, but as Calvin points out,/Although some obscure lineaments of that image are found remaining in us,yet are they so vitiated and mained, that they may truly be said to be destroyed........no part of us is free from the infection of sin./ I believe Romans 3 shows this to be true,but John declares the wonderful truth,the image will be restored in all its fullness when Christ comes back.
A   prayer ...../Dear God continue to perfect that which concerneth us, till that glorious day when we shall like our wonderful Saviour. Amen /

Are you blest? [ .1 John 3 v17]

Then they said one to another. We do not well, this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace,so said four men who were lepers[ 2 Kings 7 v9].It was time of severe difficulties for the people of Israel,the king and his people  where in the city under siege,people were starving,to the point that children were eating their children.The lepers were outside the city ,these four men made a discovery, the enemy had fled in fear ,the Lord caused them to hear a sound which caused  them to think they were being attacked,by superior forces. They left everything behind, fleeing for their lives,so when the lepers came into the camp,they had food,and riches. In the midst of this  they felt the needs of others.They were blessed,so they wanted to share the blessing with others, they even felt guilty,whatever they felt, they had the right attitude.Let none of us think that God approves self -centredness,of not thinking of others in need,the story of the rich man in Luke 16, makes it very clear the consequences of living a self absorbed life,when we have it in our power to help others in need. God takes this very serious as many will find out in a coming day,remember faith without works is dead,as indeed works without faith is likewise dead.
A  prayer..../ Dear God ,help us to bless others as you have blessed us,not as just a duty,but as an act of love,we ask this in Jesus name Amen /

Simply believing. [ Acts 16 v31 ]

In the book of Kings we read of a mighty man a soldier a leader of an army[2 Kings 5],a man who was honourable,a man who was held in high esteem by his master the king. He had it made ,but for one thing,he was a leper,leprosy was a type of sin,it caused separation ,and would bring death.[Numbers 5v2]. This man was called Naaman ,and for all his greatness,he had a big problem,only a miracle could save him,and this is what happened,and God would use a little girl to point him in the right direction,there was a prophet in Israel who would cause him to be healed.God can use anyone He chooses,even a little girl,even you,and I,are we willing to be used?. Naaman finally arrives at the prophets door,this great man expected, to be treated in a certain way,and he expected  the prophet to act in a certain way, and he became very angry,when a servant brought a message,telling him to do something simple.It is amazing how complicated we make things, not so God. Take salvation if we are to be saved then it is simply believing,[Acts 16 v31],people have devised so many ways to be saved,and they will not work. Naaman would be healed if  he  believed and obeyed,all his anger, and human reasoning would not change his condition.When he obeyed he was healed ,when a person simply believes the gospel,they will be saved.he later in gratitude sought to give Elisha a reward ,but the prophet declined to take it,salvation is a gift,freely given,we are not redeemed with corruptible things such as silver or gold,but through the precious blood of Christ.
A prayer....../ Dear God thank You for the fact that we can be saved ,simply by believing in Jesus . Amen/

A hard thing. [ James 4 v3 ]

When the prophet Elijah was going to be translated to heaven, Elisha asked that a double portion of Elijahs spirit to be upon him,Elijah replied, that what he asked was a hard thing.My commentary sees this double portion as Elisha wanting to be recognised as his heir,it is likened unto receiving the firstborn portion[ Deuteronomy21v17], which was a double portion. Now why was this a hard thing to receive?again the answer is very simple,again help from a commentary,it was not his to give. Who are you looking for to undertake for you,oh yes God will use people,but He will also use birds,but they are not the source,God is the giver. He is sovereign,Elijah knew this,and most of us have to learn this important truth. Elisha asked a hard thing,a hard thing for Elijah to grant but not for God, for there is nothing to hard for Him.It is not whither a thing is too hard,but is it Gods will?,this is the main thing,we are limited as to prayer [Romans 8 v26],we can ask with wrong motives and wrong purposes. So today let us keep our sights fixed firmly on God ,our help comes from the Lord,who made heaven and earth[Psalm 121v1].
A prayer...../ Dear God, we know that there is nothing to hard for You, yet gave us discernment, as to Your will, in Jesus name Amen/