More than enough [ Matthew 22 37-39]

There are always reasons to be annoyed at people,be it your wife ,husband,children neighbours,we have a neighbour who lives near us,and  he is noisy.I did think of having it recorded and played back to him. There used be little bracelets with the letters WWJD,which stands for what would Jesus do?,it is a good question,what would He do with a noisy neighbour?,or a violent neighbour.?.The challenge for all Christians,is to live out a Christlike life in the nitty gritty of life,not necessary to go and live a sacrificial life on the mission field . The life we are called to live starts where we are,in our home,with our spouses,our children,our work colleagues,and not forgetting those within our local church fellowships.Is this not enough to go on with?,I would think so,more than enough,
A  prayer....../Dear Lord help me where I am to do,what You would do, at all time Amen/

The author [ Hebrews 4 v12]

I  have a kindle in which I can download books ,it is a wonderful blessing,because it gives me access to a vast selection of books. I was looking through a book list ,under each book the authors name appears. My eyes fastened on one, the Bible ,and underneath I read ,by God,I smiled when I read this.Yes the author of the Bible is God, so when we pick it up to read, we are in actual fact reading the word of God.In Gods Sovereignty He has brought it into being, and in His sovereignty, He has preserved it,although it has been translated into many languages, it is still  Gods word,it contains history,but it is not a history book,it is a sacred history, It is not a science book ,but it tell us what science does not know,that God created this world,it tells why man  commits so much evil,sin.It tells us of the consequence of sin,spiritual death,which resulted in eternal separation from God. Here is the good news ,woven into this book, from Genesis to Revelation, we have Gods answer to sin and its consequence, His name is Jesus,we are told that God so loves this world that He  gave his only begotten Son,that whosoever believed in Him would not perish but have everlasting life[John 3v16]
A  prayer...../ Dear God we thank You for Your word,bless it everywhere today that it is read, and taught,in Jesus name Amen /

Not just a job. [1 Corinthians 13]

I have been working at the same job for about 22yrs,it has never just been a job,I believe God has given me a ministry among the mentally ill.Sometimes I feel like a father figure,I suppose it could be easy,to become cynical,and untouched by those suffering from this illness,but this has never been the case. Recently I  cried in relation to a dear clients condition,I am glad I did,for it reassures me that I care for those I work with, that as I said it is not just a job. It is in 1 Corinthians 13 that we are reminded that where is a lack of love,then we are a failure,no matter how noble we may act,no matter how much we sacrifice,if love is lacking,it counts for nothing in Gods sight. Everything God does is out of a heart of love,He loves ,and loves,and loves, and loves,we cannot out do Him, but we are  called  to be children of God to  love, and love and love.
A prayer...  /Dear God of  love,forgive us for our lack of love,in judging others,in not helping others,of  just doing our duty,forgive us in Jesus name Amen /

Nostalgia. [ Numbers.11v4-9]

One of my favourite movies is, /The quite man/,it is about an a man called John going back to his roots in Ireland,how I would describe this movie,well it is full of nostalgia. Ireland is a lovely country,of course you know that I am an Irish man,from the dark north. Our reminiscence of our past is often not based on reality,Ireland's history is a sad history,of poverty,of a religion that was oppressive,I speak of the south mainly. Although the north in my lifetime has known as most people know a terrible degree of violence.I love my country and of course there is much that is good in it,but I don't let that love blind me to the realities that are not nice. There was time in Israels history, that the people were complaining,about Gods provision,/We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing,the cucumbers,the melons,the leeks,the onions and the garlic./[ Numbers11]As R.C. Sproul wrote,/They forgot the whips,the torture,the sweat,and the impoverishment of their slavery/,nostalgia blinded them to reality.Their distorted thinking blinded them to Gods blessing in their lives,because they were dissatisfied,with their lot.There are no advantages in living in the past,or going back to try and capture our past,as Israel should have realised.
A prayer...../Dear God forgive us,for our distorted thinking,our foolish looking back,that causes us to murmur and complain,in Jesus name Amen /

There is an unseen enemy.[Ephesians 6 v 10-18]

It is said that behind every great man there is a woman,I am sure that there is a grain of truth in that,so behind every evil being perpetrated in this world there is a evil being and his evil forces.Consider what the apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 6 v12,/For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,against powers,against the rulers of the darkness of this world,against spiritual wickedness in high places./. When Gods children are attacked ,behind that attack,is the Devil,the one the world never mentions,because the god of this world has blinded them. [2 Corinthians 4 v4] Again in 2 Timothy 2 v26 we read of those who are held captive by him,and that those outside of Christ,walk as he dictates [Ephesians 2 v2],and when our Saviour challenged His attackers,He told them they were of there father the Devil[John 8 v 44].He so blinded then,that they saw Jesus as their enemy,and one who needed to be destroyed, and so the battle goes on,the children of light,are still under attack,from the Devil.The days are evil because we live in a world where most of its inhabitants are to different degrees controlled and led by Satan.As Christians we need to be on our guard ,we need to be prayerful,we need to walk in Gods truth,we need to walk in righteousness,in faith,confident in our salvation,and confront the enemy of our souls with Gods word.
A  prayer...../ Dear God we thank You for saving us from Satans power,as we face this day,give us the wisdom, and strength we need ,to resist him, in Jesus name Amen /

Secularism [2 Corinthians 10 v 3-5]

As I listened to a radio program on a very serious moral question,I was made aware that it was a secular discussion,with no reference to God.This was borne out when people e-mailed in to object to one of the people being involved in the discussion,because of her involvement with a Christian organisation. The lady declared she was an atheist,did not believe in God ,but found the Christian organisation helpful. It made me sad,even angry how this BBC programme, excluded any Christian point of view,such are the times we live in.What is the answer?well we must not overreact,and we must recognise ,that this sinful world is no friend of God or His word.We must pray for wisdom,as to how we can make the Christian voice be heard,and courage to stand and to speak. We are not persecuted although I am sure there are Christians who are having a hard time because of their faith. The problem is that in this so called tolerant society,there is a great deal of intolerance,and Christians are intimidated. Non Christians want to blame a God they don't believe in,for all the ills in the world,how often I have heard that all wars are caused by religion. Wars are caused by sin,by a humanity whose feet are swift to shed blood,now of course this is not what people want to hear,but it is true.
A  prayer.....Dear God,in this secular,sinful world,helps us to  not be afraid or be to intimidated, help us to speak for You,in Jesus name Amen /

Nothing can change this. [ Romans 8 v 38-39]

I found myself repeating a children chorus this morning as I prayed,it goes,/Wide wide as the ocean,high as the heavens above,deep,deep as the deepest sea is my Saviours Love,Though I am unworthy ,still I am a child of His care.For his word teaches me,that His love reaches me,everywhere./A simple little chorus which God brought to my mind. It is the apostle Paul who wrote ,that he was persuaded that neither,death,nor life,nor angels,nor principalities,nor powers,nor things present,nor things to come. Nor height,nor any other creature,shall be able to separate us from the love of God,which is in, Christ Jesus our Lord.[Romans 8 v38-39].Whatever our condition,whatever negative thoughts we may be thinking,whoever ,and whatever the Devil may be using to discourage us, God says He loves us,and nothing,and no one can change this.
A prayer...../ Dear God we praise that You Love us ,so fully,unconditionally,and eternally ,through Jesus Your son Amen /