Choose the right [ 1 Kings 18 v 21]

In a movie I was watching ,the actor spoke the following words, /Soon there is coming a time when we will have to choose between what is right and what is easy/..Lets face it ,most of us choose the easy way,we use our car to go to the local shops,instead of walking ,missing out on some needed exercise. When our country was faced with a blinded bitter Germany,ruled by a mad man, we sought to take the easy way,but there came a moment when we had to choose what was right,and we did. It is east to rationalise the easy, I deserve the easy, let others choose the right,the right will cost me, my family will not approve,why should I stick my head up above the parapet?.When Dr M .L.King took a stand against racial injustice,there where many even among his fellow black ministers,who cautioned him to wait.His reply was,/This wait has almost meant never,we must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurist,that justice ,too long delayed is justice denied/ There is an old hymn which says ,trust in God and do the right,our Saviour,made it clear by his life, and death,that the right took precedence,over the easy. When Polycarp was asked to swear that Caesar was lord,or be put to death,he choose death by burning,  all he had to do was take the oath,easy ,but not right.
A  prayer...../ Dear God we so like the easy way,help us to always choose the right, in Jesus name Amen/

Rudolph was bullied. [ Genesis 45 v 1-5]

Poor Rudolph he had a very shiny nose,the result was he was bullied,the other reindeer's ,they laughed at him and called him names,and they excluded him from the in group,he was not invited to play in any of their games. I wonder if you have ever been bullied?,my youngest boy was  bullied, he managed to get through school,but it was not easy. Being bullied can seriously effect young people,and it is continual,for when the children go home and get on their computer ,they are still bullied. Coming back to poor old Rudolph why did the all kind Santa not challenge those other reindeer's.Well that's only a song,it's not real ,but unfortunately  for many children it is real, and indeed, for a lot of people it is real,women are bullied by husbands . The banks have come under fire in this country again,because of the methods they use on their staff,wherever it is found bullying is wrong,big countries bully small countries.So today let us speak out against bullying,and let us act against it, and let us pray for those inadequate people who bully others. Let us also support the bullied in every way possible,let us remember poor Rudolph who was derided, and excluded.
A  prayer....../ Dear God help those whoever they ,that are been bullied,deal with those who are bullying, in Jesus name Amen./

Hidden burdens [1 Peter 5 v7 ]

Many of us carrying in our hearts hidden burdens,the other evening I let my guard down and showed my emotions,after this ,I found myself wishing I had not  opened up,the way I did..It reminds me of the saying men don't cry,it may be there is a degree of truth in that saying,only a degree of truth. Jesus was called a man of sorrows,and He was not ashamed to weep openly,the prophet Jeremiah was called the weeping prophet. The hidden burdens we carry involve many things, bereavement, health,material things,caring for a loved one with dementia, singleness,divorce,being cut of from your children,a hurt from someone who you considered your friend,loneliness. Hidden burdens ,yes there are many who are carrying heavy ,hidden burdens,and carrying them all alone,I was watching a movie recently,an old man was angry, Christmas  had highlighted,and  increased his pain. In this movie he was going on angerly at a young woman,when all of a sudden it all stopped when she went over to him and gave him a hug,it didn't take away all the hurt he was feeling,but it did make a difference.People need others to care,and we should not underestimate this,which brings me to the season of Christmas,poor Christmas so much is loaded unto it,but the season does not love you,but the core meaning of Christmas is love,in the person of Jesus.This Jesus manifests Gods Love in its fullness,and longs for all of us to let Him come and gave us the biggest and greatest hug,we have ever had or experienced.
A  prayer..../ Dear God ,You sent Your dear son into this world,that we may experience Your love,thank You Amen/

Cool eyes.[ Ephesians 5v 21-26]

I must confess I love old cowboy movies,where the goody always gets the girl,and always deals with the baddy.I was watching recently a cowboy and Indian movie,when the hero fell for an Indian girl,well he had gone a way to deal with business, when he came back she expressed her concern that his eyes had cooled toward her, in other words his love for her,was not what it once was. It is said that   the eyes are the windows of the soul,in her case they were the windows of the heart,of the one she loved. I wonder what does your eyes reveal,as regards your love for the one you are married to,have your eyes cooled?. Have your eyes started to wonder,as you look at the one you married years ago ,no longer are they prince ,or princess charming,their snoring has worn you down.Well the list could go on,but in the end,the saying is true,no one is perfect, that means you and that means me.Here is a word for us,first the wives,love your husband,even though he might be a right Charlie instead of a prince charming. Husbands,love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church,and gave himself for it.
A  prayer..../ Dear God grant us to be faithful to the one You have given us,to love them as You love us in Jesus name Amen./

Jesus Christ Superstar.[ 1 John 3 v1]

I help run a club once a week,it is related to my job,I see it as very important as a number of those who attend have very little social contact,they all suffer,from some degree of mental illness.So the club gives them the needed opportunity to meet others,it gives me great joy,to stop and listen to the sound of talking,and laughing.My colleague and I make them a nice meal,I jokingly say she makes them a meal that is good for them,plenty of veg,I make them a meal that they like,chicken burgers ,baked beans. We will all be going to a local pub soon,where they will enjoy a nice Christmas dinner,and they will all receive a box of sweets.It all sounds very nice,and it is,I have been very privileged  to have such a job,or maybe such a vocation.many ,many times,I thank God for the position He granted me.A funny thing happened recently at the group,one of the group said to me,how long have you been following Jesus Christ Superstar?. He was not meaning to be funny,or offensive,but it made me think, he is right Jesus is a superstar,He is the brightest star in all the universe,and I love Him to bits,and here is the most wonderful thing He loves me to bits,and He also loves you to bits
A  prayer...../ Dear God we thank you for Jesus Your Son,truly a superstar, but much more a Saviour, Amen /.

Open our eye.[ Romans 1v16 ff]

I was driving back to my office,it was just beginning to get dark,the sun was setting,and I found myself admiring this sunset,in Ibiza many flock to the beach to admire the sunset.Sometimes one wonders how people can look at a beautiful sunset,and yet deny the God who created that sunset,but they do.Millions and millions of people go through the motions each day,and their vision is totally earthbound. Such is the fallen nature of mankind,a nature that distorts our mind,and our desires, that sees only the creation,but fails to see the creators handy work.,everyone is born with spiritual cataracts,and until the great surgeon operates and removes these cataracts, their spiritual blindness  will continue on, as stumble into hell,forever lost.It is not enough to admire a sunset,or whatever,no, there is a greater reality.There is a point in that lovely story, Wind and the willows,when Ratty and Mole have an experience,of a presence as they walked up the banks of a stream,in the moonlight,and the sky was cloudless.Everything took on a different meaning,it was as if there was a music in the air,and it touched their innermost being,it was the greatness of the creator,and the flowers and the grass where viewed in a new way.Mole asks his friend Rat in a whisper,are you afraid? .Afraid,murmured the Rat,his eyes shining with unutterable love. , afraid of Him? O, never,And yet- and yet-O, Mole, I am afraid.Then the two animals, crouching to the earth,bowed their heads and did worship.
A prayer...../ Dear God,we worship You as creator of all things,but you are more,so much more,You are the God of salvation in Jesus by whom all things where created. Amen/

Be thou faithful [Revelation 2 v 10]

How importance do you rate faithfulness?in Revelation 2v8ff we have our Lord speaking to a church,Smyrna,a church under great pressure,the Lord knew what they where going through.He speaks of their tribulation and poverty,this church was near Ephesus,my study Bible says,that they faced persecution from a hostile Jewish population,and a non-Jewish population,who were loyal to Rome and supported emperor worship. So what does our Lord say to this church?and what does He say to us as we suffer,?move,leave,no,He does not even give them an assurance that they will be rescued,although He speaks of ten days,indicating that although the persecution would be intense it would came to an end. Until this happens ,our Saviour tells them,to be faithful even unto death[v10],reminding them and us of the vital importance of faithfulness.Are you suffering ?,are you in a trial,are you wishing that you could escape ?,the word to you and to me is this ,be faithful come what may.even until the day we die. Jesus reminds them of their heavenly reward,remember it will be worth it all when we see Jesus,it really will.
A  prayer..../Dear Lord Jesus help us all to be faithful even to the day we die. Amen/