Bless others. [ Luke 6 v 38]

In Deuteronomy 2 v7 Moses speaks to Israel,/For the Lord God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand,He knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness,these forty years,the Lord thy God,hath been with thee,thou hast lacked nothing/.We can easily apply these words to Gods children,consider the opening words ,/for the Lord God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand/.I know there are many dear Christians who are suffering in the will of God, but here is the point God .has blessed you and me,in our employment,and business. So let us bless others,let us seek to fulfil all those good works which He has planned for us to do[Ephesians2v 10] ,remember He blesses us that we may bless others.
A prayer....../ Dear God thank You for all your blessing,help us to bless others as You have blessed us,in Jesus name Amen/

Unbelief. [ Deuteronomy 1 v32]

Deuteronomy is Moses farewell speech to Israel,the name Deuteronomy means second law which indicates that the law is repeated.Israel had wandered the wilderness for 40years ,now they about to enter the promise land.The first chapter reminds Israel of their past failure,that 40 years ago they had failed to miserable to enter the promised land,not because  of the difficulties,but because they,give  into unbelief, [1v3]The result was that generation where not allowed to enter the promise land,the writer of the book of Hebrews ,warns us about the sin of unbelief,he calls it an evil heart of unbelief[Hebrews 3v12].Unbelief is not a trivial thing, it is a deplorable sin,and has consequences,both for time and eternity.Unbelief shuts us out of heaven,and all that that means,the writer of Hebrews speaks of a hardening through the deceitfulness of sin. Millions and millions of people are deceived by sin,be it money,fame,lust,I was listening to a program dealing with prostitution,and there was lady on it,who spoke of her life of prostitution as if it was just another means of getting money,she is deceived,but so are those who just live for the things of time.Religious people are deceived in many things,by error,by their law keeping,non religious people are deceived by a misguided belief that God will show mercy apart from Christ,He is sidelined and rejected,but not by God.So the writer of Hebrews tells his readers,/Today, if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts[3v7-8]/
A  prayer...../ Dear God save us from ourselves,from hearts of unbelief in Jesus name. Amen/

Let go . [ James 4 v 1-3]

I read an amusing story recently,it is about a man who was climbing a mountain,and he slipped ,so he grabbed hold of  a plant growing out of crevice in the rock,as he hung there, he look up and he prayed,if there is anybody up there, help me. Well a voice replied,yes there is,and I want to help you, so simply let go of that plant. Well the man looked down to the rocks below,and thought,and then cried out,is there anybody else up there,that can help me?There is a saying which goes,be careful what you pray for,you may get it. I wonder,when we pray,are we prepared to accept Gods answer?God may say something that appears to be painful,to be risky,or to be challenging,and so we end up not only not responding.,but seeking an answer somewhere else.Balak king of Moab,sought out a prophet called Balaam,he wanted this prophet to call down a curse on Israel,but God refused to do it,but time after time he would not accept Gods answer. You see it is not what he wanted to hear,when we come to God with our requests,in all likelihood God may say something we do not want to hear,but if we accept what He says,bow to his will,we will discover Gods will is always best.
A  prayer....../ Dear God,help us when we pray,to pray according to Thy will,and help us to accept the answer You give, in Jesus name Amen/

Like father like son. [Matthew 5 v 43-48 ].

When I get impatient with someone,or have been hurt,and feel tempted to complain,I am reminded by the Holy Spirit how much God,has to deal with.How much pain he observers,how much rejection He experiences,and so on.I know we are speaking about God,one can so easily think ,it is all right for Him,why do we think it comes easy for God,as He observes the rebelliousness of humanity.God is not unfeeling, Jesus wept over Jerusalem [ Luke 19 v41],we are told we can grieve the Holy Spirit [ Ephesians 4 v30].The point I am trying to make is this,inspite of all humanity does that's wrong,God is not finished with us,He keeps on loving,the word of God speaks of His longsuffering.It also challenges me to be more patient with my fellow human beings,if God in love puts up with so much,so must I,when people dont  thank God, He still blesses them,and so it is, we are to follow the principals of Gods kingdom,that is to love our enemies,to bless them that curse us,to do good to those who  hate us,and to pray for those who despitefully use us,and persecute us.Why?The answer is,that we may act as our Father in heaven acts,for He maketh the sun to rise on the evil and on the good,and sendeth rain,on the just and the unjust.[Matthew 5 v44-45]
A  prayer..../Dear God help us show at all times  ,that we are Your children in Jesus name Amen /

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 /