Consumerism .[ Luke 12 v 15]

I have been thinking about consumerism, the preoccupation of society with acquiring goods[ dictionary meaning], how should we view it, if we are Christians?.We are all part of it ,to some extent,should we feel guilty?,should we buy when we don't need to buy?.I like shopping ,I am always looking for that reasonable priced article that takes my fancy,my wife tells me often that I do not need another  shirt,I answer back,I am not buying it because I need it, but because I like it and want it. Is it wrong to want something,even though one does not need it.?I suppose the test for me as a Christian is would I be willing to give up,my life style,with all my earthly goods,do the goods have me,or do I have the goods?. Jesus said to Peter,do you love me more than these ? [John 21v15], it is a very important question,it goes back to the commandments,/ Thou shalt have no other gods before me/[ Exodus 20v3].Jesus said that love for him must even come before our  family,[Matthew 10 v37],and that the greatest commandment,was to love  the Lord thy God,with all our hearts,and with all our souls,and with all our mind,and to love our neighbour[others] as ourselves.[Matthew 22v 37-38]  Enjoy what God has blessed you with ,don't live with guilt[ 1 Timothy 6 v 17], but don't hold unto them ,to the damage of your relationship with God.
A  prayer....../ Dear God help us as consumers, not to lose sight of You in Jesus name Amen /

Someone to watch over me. [ Isaiah 46 v 4]

There is an old song by George Gershwin called ,/ Someone to watch over me/, which I like, the songs theme expresses a desire for someone to watch over them. As I listened to those words I thought ,I have someone watching over me,my loving heavenly Father,  He has watched over me, He has preserved me when I was drowning,He has assured me from an early age ,that He was my Father,when I did not have a father,[my mother left my father when I was very young].As I look back  I  can clearly see that God was watching over me, early in my Christan life I read the lives of people like Hudson Taylor,George Mullier,  these Christians proved Gods faithfullness,in providing, protecting,and leading, likewise Gods servants in the Bible .A Christian who had experienced a lot of trouble in his life was asked what he treasured most in those times,he thought for a moment and he replied,He was there for me. As I look back in my life when times were hard,times when I felt misunderstood,times when there was no else, He was there for me, He was that someone who was watching over me.
A  prayer......./ Dear God we praise You for watching over us Your children, in Jesus name Amen /

The cross. [ Galations 6 v14]

Let us consider the Cross of Christ,the cross must never be by passed,there are many who profess to be Christians who have never been to the cross..The Christ and the cross can never be separated,the cross was the altar on which Christ became a sacrifice for sin.A cross less Christ is of no value to sinners who need their sins forgiven,and our greatest need is the forgiveness of our sins. In Galations 6v14, the apostle points us to the cross of our Lord Jesus,and tells us that is only thing he will glory in,not his religion,not his standing in the community,not his birth nor family[ Philippians 3 v1ff]. To modern man ,as to ancient man the cross may appear meaningless and foolish,we must not be intimidated by this,we must never compromise, we must proclaim a Christ crucified. One of the things Stalin and Hitler had in common was that their armies  should never retreat,they should hold their ground,this strategy was criticised, but in relation to the cross we can never retreat, it is the only strategy. I have a cross in my home and I took hold of it and started to sing that old hymn by F.J. Crosby,/ Jesus keep me keep me the cross,there a precious fountain,free to all a healing stream,flows from Calvary's mountain.In the cross,  In the cross,be my glory ever.Till my raptured soul shall find rest beyond the river./
A  prayer...../ Dear God we praise You for Jesus who died on a cross,so that our sins could be forgiven ,Amen /

Is it possible? [Genesis 16v 13]

Consider  the words spoken by Hagar in Genesis16v13, /Thou God seest me/, I wonder  do you doubt this?,as one consider the vastness of the universe,how is it possible God see's you and me. Even as one considers the population of earth, billions of people ,and getting bigger every day,can we with  say,Thou God seest me.Then consider all God has to do, keeping things going,the universe is vast,the population of this world is great,yes that is true.Let us consider not the vastness of the universe,the population of this world and consider the Greatness of God.He is greater than His creation,they do not dwarf Him,or are to much for Him to cope with,no He is God. He is not a man,with all man's limitation,our thoughts as regards God are so often narrow so limited.In that great chapter in Isaiah 40,we have the greatness of God declared,we see the ,smallness of humanity,and the smallness of the nations. There is no one equal to God,and yet this chapter ends with,words of encouragement, God seeks to, help his people to  get their eye's of  the universe,and the nations. The fact of the matter is our vision is to earthbound,God is great,but He is very personal, it was Augustine who said,/God loves each of us, as if there were only one of us,yes in spite of the vastness of the universe,God  see's us, and loves us.
A  prayer..../ Dear God we thank You that You not only see us,but You also love us through Jesus Amen

Christian. [ Revelation 3 v1]

Jacob is an interesting person,according to D. Kidner his name meant,/May God be your rearguard/,but says Kidner,through his behaviour he devalued his name,and it became a synonym for treachery.It was Alexander the Great who told someone who was called Alexander, but had a bad reputation,to change his name or his behaviour. When one trusts Christ, one receives a new name Christian,I am known as a Christian,but Iike Jacob my behaviour, may not live up to my name.As the nations of Islam look on what they believe to be Christian nations they thank their god that they are Muslins. It used to be said that we are a Christian nation,but how little we live up to our name,I was talking to a friend who has boy friend,who lives at a distance from her,and she spoke that hopefully they might begin to live with each other,she would believe that she is a Christian. Yet as I write this I am conscious that I myself like Jacob, could act in a way that would devalue that name that I  rejoice in . When we call ourselves Christian we are not just taking on a label , but a life,a life that should glorify Christ in all that we do.
A prayer..../ Dear God help us to live up to the name we bear as Christians,for Jesus sake Amen./

There is hope. [ Ephesians 2 ]

Is it wrong to doubt?,the brain has a skull to protect it,we also use other things to protect our head, but what about the mind?,for it seems to me ,that our mind is continually coming under attack That attack comes from the world,the flesh and the devil,we should never be surprised ,yet we are  surprised.What chance does the unsaved have ?,the answer is very little,they are in love with darkness[ John 3v19], ,Jesus who is both light and holy ,was not only rejected,but crucified,that is how dark the human mind is,and John adds, because there deeds are evil.  Yet there is hope,as long as it is the day of grace there will always be hope,I love that old Wesley hymn,where he writes,/ Long my imprisoned spirit lay,fast bound in nature's night. Thine eye diffused a quickening ray, I woke, the dungeon flamed with light. My chains fell off,my heart was free,I rose, went forth, and followed Thee/. Where sin abounds,let us remember grace can much more abound,one of the most telling passages in the NT is Ephesians 2 ,the apostle Paul paints a dark picture of his readers former condition,they were dead in trespasses in sin,they were wordly,following Satans dark ways,they were children of disobedience,they were caught up and involved in the lusts of the flesh,there nature is described as that of a child of wrath.But a wonderful thing happened,a merciful,gracious, and loving God intervened.The result was they put their trust in Jesus who can save to the uttermost, from the gutter most.
A prayer..../ We rejoice God that with You there is always hope,because of Jesus Amen /

The cross the gatsway to glory. [ Hebrew 12 v2 ]

In Scotland there are clans,and one is called the Ferguson clan ,each clan has there own particular kilt design,and there own particular motto. The Ferguson motto is,Dulcius ex asperis,or sweeter after difficulties, sweeter after difficulties,it is a very meaning motto.We live in time when many want instant success especially in the entertainment industry,Susan Boyle became an instant success,but she had her difficulties to cope with, to achieve certain goals,often means overcoming difficulties.The dreams we have,do not come about  without effort,often sacrifice,often we covet others success,or are envious of their success,and we fail to appreciate the difficulties they have had to contend with.Instead we just want their success,we want the glory,but we are not willing to pay the pay cheque.This motto sweeter after difficulties reminds me of Hebrews 12 v1,/Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith,who for the joy that was set before Him,endured the cross,despising the shame,and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God/.As Stephen was about to be martyred ,he had a vision of heaven [Acts 7 v56],our Saviour and Stephen both experienced drinking from a bitter cup,but now they are enjoying the sweetness of glory, /for them the cross was the gateway to glory./ [Hughes]
A  prayer.... /Dear God grant unto Your children the grace to persevere under difficulties,help them s to see that the cross is the gateway to glory, in Jesus name Amen /