Finishing school. [ Psalm 138v8 ]

For great deal of my life I have lived with an aggressive nature,it goes back to my childhood,like many things,it has dogged my life,but God who saves sanctifies,and generally speaking I am an amiable person.I can remember getting into scraps as a youngster,this was nothing out of the ordinary, as a child one sought to cope as best as one could. Among those I remember where those who appeared to want to fight others,I supposed to some extent I copied them,it was not easy growing up.Even as a Christian I still  feel aggression,and sadly show it, old habits die hard, old characteristics still cling to me. Maybe it even came across in my preaching,all I can say it is there,but God has his means of changing me, the dear Holy Spirit lives within me.He through different means ,has and is changing me,I am not the person I used to be,but I not yet the person I want to be,and indeed long to be. I know that until I die I will be imperfect, but the scriptures assures me that God will perfect that which concerneth me,for He is merciful.[Psalm 138 v8].God finishes what he commences,yes it may be hard to take in,but He will,He is faithful,I am confident of this very thing,that He which hath begun a good work in me, will continue it,until it is finally finished ,on the day when  Jesus returns[Philippians 1 v 6]
A  prayer../Dear God burn up the dross in our lives, help us not to loose confidence in your promise to perfect that which concerneth us, through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen/

Man of steel? [Isaiah 9 v6 ]

I watched the movie man of steel ,the latest superman blockbuster,it appears to me be it superman,or spider man,or some other man,there is underlying feeling for a saviour,someone who can save the world from destruction. I wonder why?could it be that there is an underlying feeling of doom,that we will be overtaken by our own greed and destructiveness,where is our fairy godmother?,who will come and put everything right. And so we center our eyes on certain individuals,or nations,as our saviours,only to find out like Superman,they have their weaknesses,the man of steel has feet of clay.Consider the following words, from an old testament prophet, Isaiah /For unto us a child is born,unto us a son is given,and the government shall be upon His shoulder,and His name shall be called,Wonderful,Counselor,the mighty God,the everlasting Father,the Prince of peace.[9v6].Yes I am speaking about Jesus the Saviour of the world,are you looking for a saviour?look no further,look to Jesus,the one who came to seek and save all who are lost.
A prayer..../Dear God the world does need a saviour, and we thank You that in love sent Jesus Amen /

Blessings. [ Romans 8 v 35ff]

It is Christmas eve,and it brings back many memories of when our children where young,of decorating the living room,of putting the Christmas tree up,of cooking the large turkey overnight.Of going to bed and hoping the children did not waken to early, to see what presents they would get,they were good memories,which I treasure. Thank God for those good memories ,but my mind turns to Syria ,and to Gods dear children there,and the Christians in North Korea,the threat hanging over them,of those in prison cells in Iran,Pakistan,and in many other places. Many of these dear people will only have bad memories,the only present many of them will receive ,will be a beating,or even worse. Christ did not come into a nice world, there was no welcome mat for Him,in fact there was  only a poor manger,out of the ivory palaces into a world of woe,that sums it up.Yet in that strange poverty for Him,God was bringing into place ,an event that would bless all mankind, that blessing would transform the lives of millions and millions,hope,peace,love,joy.Nothing can change or remove those blessings ,not beatings,imprisonments,poverty,yes and even death,for nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
A  prayer..../ Dear God we praise You for Jesus, and the blessings that You grant to those who trust in Him. Amen /

He has walked the walk, [ Luke 10 v 30-35]

As a number of Christians and I sang a carol ,I was struck by the following,words ,/From the poor manger to the bitter cross/. Those words reminded me very clearly of Christs humiliation ,of His purpose in coming to planet earth,to become one of us,no more can people point the finger at God and say, You do not understand.For He who is truly God experienced ,what we experienced,He was born ,lived and died, He knows what life is about,and so He understands the human situation.While many do care for those who suffer,because of poverty,injustice,and different types of sickness,many do not care,in many poor countries,there are millionaire's,who don't help those they could easily help.Christ truly understands the suffering of mankind.I was watching TV recently,and a reporter was speaking was speaking to a homeless drunk person,and by all accounts will die of an alcohol related death. I got emotional  ,and shed a tear. If I felt that way how much more must our Saviour feel, as he observes all the suffering in the world,and how much He must long to embrace every lonely,sick,and suffering human,you see He is the Christ of the human road.From that poor manger to that  bitter cross,Christ attended to so much suffering,and now He truly understands,so when we come to Him,He feels our pain,and longs to take us into His arms,to tell us how much He cares and understands, what we have to endure ,in our every day life.
A  prayer....../Dear God have mercy upon this world of suffering,we thank You for Jesus who truly understands just how we feel Amen/

Come let us worship Christ. [ Isaiah 9 v 6]

Idols is a favourite word that people used to describe those who entertain us,I have heard people say about their idol. Now they  were not talking about  a little stone statue,but a fallible human being,often very ordinary people have greatness thrust upon them. Like so many people who are famous,their every move is observed,and just like us they do not handle their fame,and the wealth that comes with it. So why worship such flawed human beings, why indeed?,but people do,you see they have what so many want,riches ,fame, and even a degree of influence. I noted one of things Nelson Mandela said,/I am not a saint ,but a sinner,great though he was, he maintained a humility ,and  self effacement.Those who are puffed up with pride,are  like a balloon that will soon be deflated with a bang.So many idols are truly fallen idols,and must be seen for what they are sinners,the best of men or women are but fallen creatures,not even to be admired. The commandments of God forbids the making of idols [  Exodus 20v 4-5], that includes people,and forbidding the worship of such. [CP Acts10v 25-26],this also includes the worship of angels[ CP Hebrews 1 v1-14/ Revelation 19 v 9-10] One of the first things the wise men did when they came to Jesus was to worship Him,but you may say, Jesus was human yes He was, but He was also God with us [CP Isaiah 7 v14/ Matthew 1 v23]. So take your eyes of sinful humanity,and fix them firmly on the only true object of worship, Jesus.
A prayer ...../Holy Father turn us from the worship of sinful men and their sinful ways,and give unto Jesus the worship that is His due Amen /

Mankinds limitation. [ Job 19v 25]

It  was Archimedes who cried out , eurek'a, which means I have found it, he discovered something that no one else had found.Science is an incomplete activity,there will always be more to discover,and yet scientist often speak as if they have all the answers. The fact is they don't,no  one knows everything,there are so many questions and so few answers,I was speaking to a lady whose daughter is suffering from a severe illness ,and the medical profession cannot diagnose the cause.We are all being fooled into thinking that science will discover all the answers,,but they wont,the seriously ill person will be told there is nothing more we can do. Now of course there is much they can do for people ,there have been wonderful discoveries made,but it will always have limits. The mind is a wonderful thing,mankind has discovered so much that is truly astounding, but it is limited,so where does that leave mankind,if science has not got all the answers?, or the medical profession cannot cure mankind?.It appears to me that if we put our hope in science,or the medical profession,and exclude God the creator,we are on a road that is leading us nowhere.
A  Prayer..../Dear God we thank You that even though we are limited in knowledge,we can know You and know where we are going, through Jesus Your dear Son Amen/

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/