Death could not hold its prey. [ John 11 v25 ]

I read recently that a dentist who purchased a tooth that was John Lennon's for about 15,000 pounds, was going to use it's DNA to bring back a clone of John Lennon.Let us be very clear ,he will not succeed in creating another  John Lennon,for when you are gone ,you are gone.There are people who will have their bodies frozen when they die,in the vain hope that they can be brought back to life ,it will not work for when you are gone ,you are gone.As to this life we have only one shot at it,we may wring our hands in despair,we may hope that scientist can change things but they wont,oh yes people in the West are living longer,but it is only delaying the inevitable,we are not going to live for ever on planet earth,every living creature on planet earth will die.Why? because of sin,what God told Adam is true ,read about it in Genesis2 v17,we where not made to die,but die we will, the only people who will not die,are those who are alive when Jesus comes back again[1 Thessalonians 4v13ff],whenever that will be.In my work I call on people,and I find they are not there,and this reminds me of that morn when some women went to a tomb wherein lay the body of Jesus,and to there surprise they found ,He was not there,read about it in John chapter 20.They discovered that he who was dead was alive,he had conquered death,and now lives in the power of an endless life.This Jesus said a wonderful thing,He said that if we believe in Him,even though we die we shall live eternally.[John 11 v25 ]
A  prayer.../Dear God we praise you that death could not hold its prey,for Jesus tore the bars away,and through His victory,we also can beat death, when we trust in Him as Saviour. Amen /

You are a soldier. [ 2 Timothy 2 v3-4 ]

Often the apostle Paul wrote of the Christian life in military terms,in Ephesians 6 ,he writes of the armour of God,in2 Timothy 2 v3-4,he uses the term soldier,and in 2 Corinthians 10v3-4 ,he writes of war and weapons. I was a boy soldier for nine months,so I know a little bit about being a soldier,it meant discipline ,each day we had inspections,and could easily have found ourselves on a charge for something or other.When discipline breaks down,anarchy reigns,discipline is vital in any army,and especially in the Lords army. We need to pray,read the word of God,we need to meet with Gods people,we must take these things very serious,and not make excuses.Many children don't like discipline,don't like being told what to do,yet it is for their own good,likewise in the army of Christ,there are those who don't like coming under the discipline,of Gods word,of the Spirits directing,and so build up resentment in their hearts. Discipline is for our good but it is also for the greater good ,those who loose sight of the greater good loose sight of the fact we are part of an army,was it Lord Nelson who spoke of those happy band of brothers.Nelson for all his greatness did not win battles on his own,being a Christians it is an individual thing with individual battles,but we need also to remember that it is a collective endeavour.
A  prayer..../ Dear God  as part of Your army, help us to show a measure of discipline in our lives in Jesus name, Amen/

He has made a difference. [ Hebrews 13 v5-6]

An old man who was a Christian was ill and  coming near to the point of death,was visited by a friend,who was an unbeliever.The friend asked him how did he know there was God?,the old man looked at him,and shared with him the following.When I was a young man I felt so lost,but one day Jesus came to me and found me.As I went on I got married and had children,there where times when I did not know where our next meal would come from,but some how our needs were met. There where time when I had no money to pay the rent,and then I heard Jesus speak to me from His word,saying I will supply your need,and He did. There where times when I did not know what to do,and I heard Jesus say to me, fear not I will guide you,and He did.When I lost my dear wife,Jesus came to me and comforted me,assuring me she was in heaven,and that all would be well. Now as I face death Jesus told me,that I need not fear going through the valley of the shadow of death,because He will be with me.
A prayer..../Dear Lord Jesus thank You for coming into our lives ,blessing us in so many ways. Amen/

Are you clean? [1 Corinthians 6 v 9-11]

Sin no matter how it is dressed up is something that makes us unclean,so it was with David when he sinned,he had committed adultery,he prayed,/Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow[Psalm 51 v7]. There is an advert on the telly of a young child walking through a field and as she is walking she is being hit by paint and then the words come up,dirt is good. But of course dirty hands when one is serving food,or contaminated hands when a surgeon is about to perform an operation is not good. So it is that when it comes to Gods estimation of sin it  is classed as unclean, one of the articles in the tabernacle was a laver  a large container of water,it was for the priests to wash themselves, before they went into the tabernacle before the Lord,the penalty for not doing this was death[Exodus 30 v17-21]. There are a number of lessons in this,God requires us to recognise the importance of His holiness,that if we are to be accepted by Him,sin must be cleansed,must be removed.Consider how many people gave little thought as regards their sin in relation to God, they think that it is all about the good they do. I cannot stress this enough, we cannot enter Gods presence,unless we have been cleansed form our sin,not only can we not enter Gods presence,we will be excluded from His presence eternally.Now the washing in the tabernacle was only a type pointing us to a greater reality,and it is John in his epistle who tells us, that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin[1 v7],the penalty for neglecting this cleansing is spiritual death.
A prayer...../ Holy  God we praise You for Jesus Your son who shed His precious blood to cleanse us from our sin,help us to see that it is not optional. Amen/

A little act of kindness.[ Matthew 10 v42]

I was in a large supermarket when a senior citizen came up to and asked me to help her ,she had a bottle in her hand,it is one of those bottles,in which to open ,one has to press the cap.This lady asked me would I open it as she would no be able to do it when she got home,and this I did.Later while on a visit to one of my clients, I read these word from a framed plaque,/No little act of kindness is ever wasted/, and I thought on the words of Jesus, about giving a cup of cold water in His name[Matthew 10 v42] We admire those people who have done  great deeds,but heavens values,are not earths,the woman a poor widow,who give but two small coins of little monetary value, was commended greatly by our Saviour,because in giving in giving her little offering,she was giving her all.[Mark 12 v42-44]. So today show a little kindness,speak a little word,smile a little smile,show a little tenderness,remember Jesus is watching,and it is approval,and well done that is most important..
A  prayer..../Dear Heavenly Father,You who feed and care for the tiny sparrow,grant us grace to follow Your example in Jesus name Amen/

A trip to Mars. [John 14 v1-6 ]

Applications for a one way trip to Mars top 100,000 mark,so this article read on the inter-net,my goodness why would anybody want to go to Mars,has anybody told  them they can buy Mars bars here,seemingly not.Anyone over 18 can apply,for a fee of 38 dollars, and for those who live in Madagascar or Afghanistan it cost 5 dollars. Maybe it is a plot to get rid of all the people in Afghanistan, for obvious reasons,I better stop going down this road.The person who gave me the print out said if we go to Mars we will be nearer God,he may have been joking.I have nothing against space travel ,but this all appears a pointless exercise.I suppose for some it would be a great adventure.When I look back on my Christian life ,it has been a great adventure,living by faith is not for the faint hearted,but my it is rewarding and it ends with the greatest adventure of all dying.When we pass through that door what wonders we will see,what joys we will experience,it will surely beat a one way trip to Mars. Why don't you come along and join the multitudes who will be there,oh yes whats the price?,oh don't worry about that it has all been paid for by Jesus.
A  prayer..../Dear Father God, we thank you that Jesus paid the price for us to go to heaven,we are guaranteed a place when we simply trust Him to be our Saviour Amen/

Drawing back.[John 21]

In Galatians 5 v7,we read,/Ye did run well,who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth./,these are very telling words. So many people start well,then they are gone, no longer do they meet with Gods people,no longer identify with their Lord.The Galatians where drawing back into their past religion,Judaism,drawing back to their old ways,there were people who seeking to unsettle them,bringing them under the law.Many things can cause us to give up and go back,wordly enticements like material success,wrong relationships,discouragements,feelings of injustice.Now you may have suffered whatever,and feel that Christians have let you down,and the sad thing is they do at times. So what can we say about these things?, well we must keep to the fore,this one solitary fact,Jesus said follow me. If we loose sight of this,if we fill our hearts with the shortcomings of life and people,we have started on the slippery slope of going back. The scriptures continually stress the importance of keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus,not people, the apostle Paul points these Galations back to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ[6 v14]. There is a gospel song by Ira F.Stanphill ,which reads/I  traveled down a lonely road ,and no one seemed to care,the burden on my weary back,had bowed me to despair. I oft complained to Jesus how folk were treating me,and then I heard Him say so tenderly. My feet were also weary upon the Calvary road,the cross became so heavy I fell beneath the load. Be faithful weary pilgrim,the morning I can see, just lift your cross and follow close to me.
A  prayer......./Dear Lord Jesus help us to take our eyes of others,and even of self,and to keep our  eyes fixed firmly on You /Amen./