Sinful pleasures. [Hebrews 11 v 23-27]

I had a health check up recently,I was asked to stand on the scales to be weighed,and as I did I thought of the things in my pocket ,that may distort  my true weight so I took out  my mobile phone and stood on the scales,with the phone still in my hand.The nurse laughed and I felt a little bit foolish,but it showed me how conscious I am about my weight.So many of us are conscious as regards our weight,but don't do anything about it,we all comfort eat,indulging in eating a big cream cake from which we receive a lot of pleasure,and there is nothing so satisfying as a nice meal.  The result is we all are fighting the battle of the bulge,trying to cut down on something we love, it is hard,so hard that many of us don't try,the result is we suffer in so many ways.Food becomes our pleasure island,but often at a cost,the bible tells us of the pleasures of sin [Hebrews 11v25],yes sin can give us pleasure ,that is why so many people are involved in wrong sexual activity,that is why there is a  sex trade,but as with overeating there is a price to pay,in damage to ourselves, and to others, and it does not stop there.For there is coming a day when we will stand before a holy God,and we will give an account for those sinful pleasures.
A prayer...../ Dear God  help us to see the damage  our sinful pleasures cost us , and others,help us to forsake our sins,to turn to Christ for forgiveness, before it is to late,in our Saviours name I ask this Amen/

I need mercy. [Psalm 106 ]

 Psalm 106 commences with the Lords goodness and His mercy in relation to Israel,most of the Psalm is taken up with the nations very poor record,of their spiritual dullness,unbelief,rebellion,idolatry. Israel was a chosen people but the Bible tells it how it was,likewise their leaders,be it David or Solomon,the Bible is more than a history book,it is about relationship,with God and His people,His people manifested a continual tendency to to fail,God showed an continual manifestation of His mercy and love,and in their darkest hour He declares, I have loved thee with an everlasting love[Jeremiah 31v3].The history of the church is to some degree like Israels history,the hymn writer puts it well,/by schisms rent asunder,by heresies distressed.Often judgement must start with the church of God.Consider the 7 churches of Asia in the book of revelation,it is true what someone said ,what kind of people go to church,the answer ,sinners. As part of that church I am conscious that any church,I attend is full of imperfect people,and that includes myself.So what do we need ,the answer is mercy, yes mercy,there will never be a day in which I will never need mercy. I continually come boldly,yes boldly,for I am accepted in Christ,no one can lay anything to charge of Gods elect ,it is God that justifies [Romans 8 v33].But I still need His mercy,for I am not yet glorified,so as I come to God through Jesus,I need to obtain mercy from God who is merciful.
A  prayer...../Dear God have mercy upon us,forgive us our foolish ways,through Thy son Jesus. Amen /

Faith will be tested [ Ezra 8 v 23 ]

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After the 70 year exile the Jews were permitted to return home,it started under Cyrus ,who granted the Jews favour,likewise under king Artaxerxes.So Ezra with a band of his fellow Jews began the journey  to Jerusalem ,with a great deal of possessions,to be used in the temple. In chapter 8 v22ff we read that Ezra was faced with a dilemma,he boasted how great God was,and refused to accept an armed escort.Now as he was about to start of on the journey,concern filled his heart.What if they where attacked and all that possessions were taken,he had made his boast as regards his God, now he was going to be tested on what he had said.Had he spoken presumptuously? should he not have taken up the offer of the armed escort?.What would you do? I remember hearing of a brother who believed God had called him to go overseas to serve the Lord,so he sold up,and went down to the docks,believing that when he arrived at the docks all would be provided, it did not happen.What do we learn from this,well we should be tread carefully,we could be wrong. If we make a boast as regards our God ,we will be tested on it,Ezra I am sure was concerned with the honour of His God,not about him loosing face.I know of a number of people who believed God was going to heal them ,but it did not happen. Yet from my own experience,I did prove God when for 4 years my wife and I lived by faith,believing God would supply our needs , and He did,but rest assured our faith was tested severely at times,and the only way through was on our knee's.
A  prayer...../Dear God grant us grace to obey You,but also grace to humbly rely on You, in Jesus name Amen./

The way of the cross. [ Matthew 16 v 24-25 ]

In Ezekiel 24v15ffl the prophet is told by God something that was devastating,the wife he loved was going to die, and when she died he was not to mourn ,nor to shed tears. What was to take place was a message to his fellow Israelites ,the thing they loved,and desired was the temple in Jerusalem,would be destroyed.For many the temple of the Lord had taken on a wrong meaning [cp Jeremiah 7v4],religious things can easily take on a wrong meaning,so God has to remove them. Now dear Ezekiel was going loose his dear wife,and he was told not to show any degree of mourning,now it goes without saying this must to have been hard for this dear man.To not shed a tear,it was hard,it is E.L Allen who comments on this,/Men who are called by God often have to pay a heavy price for their concern with human needs, and their identification with Gods purpose.They are called again and again to surrender their private lives to the requirements of their public responsibility/.Billy Graham travelled all over the world preaching ,he was away from his wife and children. Many a dear saint has had to forgo marriage and having a family in the service of our Lord,but such is the way of the cross.
A  prayer..../Dear God help us to never loose sight that it is always the way of the cross that leads home, in Jesus name Amen /

We struggle. [Romans 4 v 18-22]

I am sure we have all received a promise from God,and as we look at our circumstances, and situations,and the apparent delay,faith wavers,doubt creeps in,as to the fulfilment of that promise. It is not unusual to feel that it will never happen,even Abraham, and Sarah ,struggled to accept what was promised, [CP  Genesis 17v17/ 18v12].We think it just cannot happen,I have made a mistake,look at my situation,no way can things change,no way can my needs be met,yet you believe God has spoken. Consider what was said to Sarah,/Is anything to hard for the Lord Genesis18 v14/,remember God will keep His word,His apparent slowness to fulfil it,is part of of the process,of developing trust,not to discourage,not to disappoint.Tozer writes of a minister A,B.Simpson,who was approaching middle age,broken in health,deeply despondent and ready to quit the ministry,when he chanced to hear the following words /Nothing is to hard for Jesus. No man can work like Him/These words struck a cord in his heart, so he got alone with God ,and from that time he experienced healing,and filled with a fullness of joy,he went on to found one the largest foreign missionary societies in the world.
A  prayer..../Dear God,have mercy upon us,for often we struggle to rise above our fears,and faith is non existent,renew within us a right spirit,in Jesus name Amen /

The blood of Christ. [1 John 1 v 7 ]

I remember many years ago, giving one pint of my blood,it took place on 24-1-66 at my place of employment,It was the first and last time that I would give blood. It  was not a painful experience but I remember giving it,,and I felt that it was the right thing to do.I wonder did my blood help somebody?.Although it may not appear meaningful to modern man ,the Bible stresses the importance of blood being shed as a sacrifice, we are told without the shedding of blood ,there is no forgiveness [Hebrews 9 v22]That was the purpose of Christs death on the cross,it was a sacrifice for sin,and if our sins are to be forgiven,we must trust in Jesus,or our sins will never be forgiven.I remember hearing a how I think it was Charles Wesley who was robbed,and he spoke the words of 1 John 1 v7,to the thief,which goes,/the blood of Jesus Christ,Gods son cleanses us from all sin/.Later Charles discovered that the thief had trusted Christ,the word spoken by Charles had convicted him. The verse from 1st John reminds us of the importance of the sacrifice of Christ, for salvation,by the shedding of His blood, all our sins can be completely,totally forgiven, when we trust Him.
A  prayer...../Dear Lord  thank You for shedding Your precious blood on Calvary,in order that my sins could all be forgiven Amen/

Providence [ Genesis 24 v 27]

While leaving my place of employment to go home I had to make two diversions,we don't like diversions,but they are usually necessary. Life itself is full of diversions ,we may not like it ,but then if we know Christ we are assured that God is leading us.I believe in the providence of God,I believe as one  writer puts it,/that everything in the world and in our own lives down to the minutest detail is ordered by the providence of God/.I commend to your reading,/The mystery of providence/ ,by John Flavel.If we can grasp by faith this wonderful truth then we begin to look at life in a different way.The diversions are Gods diversions,the joys and pains,deliverance's are in Gods hand.Flavel wrote,/by His hands are meant His providential administration and dispensation/ Why did I not get that job? why did I get that job?come under the providence of God.As we look  at life and seeing God in all things,we can know a peace,have we not all wondered why, why we made certain decisions,we prayed about it, but it did not turn out right.Why did I buy that particular car,which was nothing but trouble?,but I did,why did I not go to a Bible college which would have provided a better qualification?which would have opened doors for me.We are inclined to accept the providence of God as long as good things happen,but if all things work together for good for the child of God,[Romans 8v28],that includes the bad ,the good ,the ugly,then all will be well.
A prayer.../ Dear God we thank You for Your providential leading,the way You have led us may have been at times painful ,but necessary for are spiritual development.In your providence You open doors that no one can shut ,and shut doors no one can open,but in all things Your way is perfect,we pray this in Jesus name Amen