Foolish dog. [ John 3 v16]

I was driving home from church when I noticed a little dog standing in the road, as I drew near to it,it did not budge,,so I slowed down, and stopped to see why this little dog was standing there oblivious to all around it,especially the danger of getting knocked down. The answer was a cat , that stood not far from it,I shouted at it,clapped my hands, that woke it up , and it soon ran away from danger.I thought of that little dog,how it could have been killed or seriously injured,because it ignored the oblivious danger it was in,well what do you expect from a dog. This incident made me think how millions of people are so careless to the danger they are facing ,like that little dog,their minds ,often there whole beings are taken up with the things of time,and all the time they are but a breath away from a lost eternity.Christmas  and Easter come and goes ,occasions that tell forth  the the fact that a Saviour has come,to seek and save the lost.The verse of an old Gospel puts it like this, /I once was a stranger to grace and to God,I knew not my danger, and felt not my load/.If you know not Christ you are in great danger,for it is appointed unto men once to die and after that the judgement,I hope and pray that this little word may cause you to think,and to flee from the wrath to come, by trusting Jesus as your Saviour.
A  prayer..../ Dear God have mercy,for you are merciful,on the many who appear oblivious to their eternal danger, in Jesus name Amen /

Maturity. [2 Peter 3 v18]

I read a hymn by F.Pratt Green and it deals with the important aspect of maturing,when we become a Christian we are called babes in Christ.We are at the beginning of a process that should mean growth,the Bible speaks of growing in grace ,and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ[2 Peter 3v18].I was thinking this morning, how many years ago as a young Christian,I acted in an immature manner, and hurt a dear friend,and how I wish she could have made allowances for my immaturity.
Growing in our faith, is linked with our relationship with our Lord,and applying His truth into our lives. When we are hurt we are called on to forgive,how many dear Christians have stopped growing,because they have not learnt to forgive. This is one aspect of growing,but there are many other aspects of our lives, that need the transforming power of the Holy Spirit,there is so much dross, that needs dwelt with. Now the Christian life is a life of faith,and that is continually under attack,we must not be surprised at this,consider our Lords life,which ended on a cross. Again think how this affected the disciples,F.P. Green ,wrote,/When our confidence is shaken,in beliefs we thought secure/,for them it was a devastating experience,but it would be part of faith maturing.
Let me finish with the last verse of F.P.Greens hymn,.
                                God is love,and He redeems us,in the Christ we crucify.
                                 This is God's eternal answer ,to the worlds eternal why,
                                  May we in this faith maturing,be content to live and die....Amen/

Who is guilty? [John 8 v1- 11]

In John 8 v 1-11 we have the account of the woman who was caught in the very act of adultery,but the question many ask,  where was the man?. This missing man appears to have had his cake and ate it,with no consequences,yet they where both guilty.There is no disputing this woman's guilt,even Jesus recognised that v11,but a point of the law stipulated  that both parties  were  to be put to death[Leviticus 20v 10]. The religious leaders who had brought this woman to Jesus did not need His opinion as to what they should do,they were just using this situation in order  to trap Him.It appears that Jesus was reluctant to join in their little ,but serious game,but it also appears to me that Jesus was slowly considering,how to reply to their question,and what a wonderful reply He gave,/He that is without sin among you,let him first cast a stone at her/. I remember watching a movie ,I think it was called the kite fliers,I am not sure,it was about the time the Taliban where in power,in Afghanistan,it showed a lorry pulling up,where a crowd of men had been watching a football match,on the lorry was a young woman judged guilty of some sexual offence. She was taken from the Lorry and stoned to death,the religious leader was not only there,to see that she was punished,but he also cast the first stone. Later on in the movie it turned out that he was involved in abusing a child,it is so easy to hide behind a religious veneer,and at the same time,commit all sorts of evil,as the clergy in the RC community,have been doing. We need to broaden this out to include all of us,we may not be child abusers,but we are all, yes all, without exception, sinners. Evil needs to be exposed,and one of the greatest of evils is hypocrisy,would you not agree.?.
A  prayer..../ Dear God let us leave judgement to You the righteous Judge in Jesus name Amen /

No looking back [ Luke 9 v51]

Let us now consider the last of the three men,[Luke 9 v61-62],He declares  boldly to  Jesus, I will follow thee,now that sounds good,you remember what James and Peter did in  [Matthew 4 v22],they immediately left the ship,and their father,and followed Him.this man in Luke 9v61-62,did not do this,he added let me first go,bid them farewell,which are at home at my house.Instead of looking forward he was looking back,the very thing we must not do,it would appear that to linger over the past,could disqualify us from Gods kingdom.I wonder do you think that what Jesus said was a bit extreme?.many people live in the past,are stuck in the past,and unwilling to move forward.W  Barclay, writes,/The Christian marches on, not to the sunset,but to the dawn. The watchword of the kingdom is not backward,but forward/.When God called me to England I did not spend my days moping about Ireland,no I am here,and here I will stay,if God wants me to move on I will move on. Lots wife looked back and lost all,Paul the apostle looked forward, and gained all.We read how our Saviour,steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem[Luke 9 v 51],and what awaited Him there?, suffering,and what awaited Him beyond the suffering?, Glory.[Hebrews 12 v2]
A   prayer / Dear Saviour help us not to waste our lives looking back, but to be like You,to steadfastly look forward, to  the joy of an eternal kingdom. Amen /

Lovest thou Me more than these[John 21v 1-16]

Let us consider the next person whom our Lord speaks to in Luke 9 v57-62, we read that Jesus speaks to the man ,and simple says ,follow Me. The man answers with what appears to be a very genuine answer,Lord yes he calls him Lord,but that's as far as he was prepared to go.Then he says ,permit me to first go and bury my father.As I said this appears to be a genuine request,but Jesus cut across it,with the following words,Let the dead bury their dead,but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.it is W .Barclay who points out that in all probability the mans father was not dead,he may have been saying when my father dies I will follow you. Remember Jesus in challenging the man was not advocating an uncaring attitude towards his father,but rather to simply obey Him.In many places when one becomes a Christian,it means being cut off from ones family,there will be those today who will hear those challenging words from Jesus ,follow Me. We have to make a choice,we cannot continue to sit on the fence,no matter how seemingly legitimate are reasons appear to be.It is a matter of obedience and trust,and indeed it is a challenge as to  our love for Jesus,remember what Jesus said to Peter ,do you love me more than these?[John21 v15]
A  prayer....../ Dear God help us to love You ,with all our heart,soul, and mind in Jesus name Amen/

A reality check. [Luke 9 v 57-58]

In  Luke 9v57-62 ,we read of three people ,who are challenged as regards following Jesus, the first says to Jesus./I will follow Thee,whithersoever Thou goest/. We applaud his enthusiasm,but it is obvious that he did not appreciate what  that would mean.Enthusiasm can blind us to the reality,of what a commitment means,when a young couple stand before God on their wedding day,a wedding day that can be divorced from reality,they look at each other,all  made up in glorious technicolour,they do not think of the future realities,that he or she may snore,that the wedding has to be paid for,that she may have children,but she will have to keep working,look after the kids,and run a home. Shakespeare,wrote,/The course of true love,never did run smooth/.they take their vows,but when it comes to the reality to fulfil those vows,that's another story. The man said Lord ,I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest,then Jesus cuts in and says ,listen to what it means to follow Me,Jesus tells him how it is for Him,it is sacrificial,not many if any home comforts,and as it is for Him so it will be   for those who choose to follow Him. This challenges the so called prosperity gospel,and rightly so,it is the  way of the cross that leads the saint home,was this man willing to accept this ,and to follow Jesus,the question is, are we?.
A  prayer...../ Dear God help us to be willing,  to be willing,in our commitment to Thy son Jesus Amen /

It is agressive.[Hebrews 4 v 13-15 ]

One of the consequences of our Lord becoming a human being was ,we are given the assurance that He knows and understands how we feel when we suffer.We are told that He was tempted in all points like we are ,yet without sin[Hebrews 4v15],because of his personal knowledge of suffer,He knows how we feel when we go to him in all our need,and pain.Last night I phoned a friend who has endured a great deal of suffering,to be told by his wife,that he has a cancer that is aggressive,the dear lady was crying. It took me back to the time when my first wife was diagnosed as having cancer and being told those self same words,it was aggressive.Because of this I understand what that meant and understood the pain she was feeling,that is one the consequences of the suffering  we experience ,we no longer are spectators,but we become fellow companions of those who suffer.We who have walked the path of suffering and experienced Gods comfort,can help others who are suffering. Going beyond the comfort we can give, we can point people to Jesus who is touched with the feelings of our infirmities,in the words of a hymn no one understands like Jesus,again as the poet puts it , with every pang that rends the heart the man of sorrows has a part/
A  prayer..../ Dear Lord Jesus you who were no stranger to suffering, we bring our pain to You,and ask for mercy and grace. Amen /