He is unchanging. [Malachi 3 v6]

This Thursday I will be seventy,I was born in 1944,and it really amazes me how in my short life,so many changes have taken place.Materially things have change,for the better,I live in England not Ireland,when I was very young horses where still being used,to some extent.One could not have envisaged the changes that has taken place,people have changed in some ways,but our fallen nature will never change. Then there are changes that we experience,that unnerve us,and maybe frighten us,and even frustrate us,yes we live in a world of change.Here is the good news He who made this world, does not change,in the book of Malachi [3 v6],we read,/For I am the Lord, I change not/.,and then we read,/therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed/.The first thing is Gods unchangableness ,that is a great comfort,He will continue to be faithful,yes even to this world for He is a faithful creator[1 Peter 4 v19] To his children He will remain faithful,loving and caring,that will not change.Then we read,therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed,as children of God,the fact of the matter is ,we are far from being perfect children,but God being is unchanging in His mercy,that will never change,to an unfaithful, disobedient people He declared I have loved you with an everlasting love.[ Jeremiah 31 v3 ]
A  prayer..../Dear God we praise You for Your faithfulness,,for the fact that your love for us will never, never change, in Jesus name Amen /

Pure gold [ Job 23 v10]

I was reading from an old devotional called ,Steams in the desert, by L.B.E. Cowman,it was about a cocooned emperor moth,which a person kept for nearly one year.When the time comes for it to come out of its cocoon,it emerges through a narrow opening,so small one wonders how on earth,it can break free from its cocoon. Well as the person watched one day the moth started to exit from the cocoon,she felt compassion for the moth in its great struggle. She did not realise that the pressure that the moth experienced forced fluids into its wings ,so causing their perfect development. Well the person thought that they would help that moth so with a pair of scissors they enlarged the opening of the gap. Well the moth emerged from that cocoon, but not with those beautiful  wings which all admire,No as the author writes ,/the moth suffered an aborted life,crawling painfully through its brief existence instead of flying through the air on rainbow wings/. It was the patriarch Job who suffered so much who declared,/But He knoweth the way that I take ,when He hath tried me,I shall come forth as gold/[Job 23 v10] Let us remember that while the world try every means to improve and preserve their carcass of dust, God has a plan and purpose for all of our lives,that goes beyond the body beautiful,it is called perfect through suffering,this cannot be accomplished in the gym,or by plastic surgery,men  and women of God are developed ,into creations of beauty to the  glory of God, by the firey trials they go through.
A  prayer...../ Dear God help us to see the that You have a loving transforming purpose for all our lives, in Jesus name Amen /

24/7 [Proverbs 3 v5-6 ]

I have stared to read again a book by George Muller,called ,/Answers to  prayer,/,for you ,who don't know about George, in the 19th century he started an orphanage work up in Bristol,which continued to expand during his life.He did not receive any financial assistance,but simply trusted God to supply the needs of the children,himself and fellow workers.Money came in , in ,various ways,by prayer and faith he looked to God to supply the money that was needed. Yet he also stressed the importance of trusting God in everything,and seeking His will in everything.The scripture tells us,that in all our ways we are to acknowledge God [Proverbs 3v6],in other words to bring Him into everything,cooking a meal,driving ,friendships,buying ,giving,everything.When we do this God is honoured,when our plans our falling apart,He can guide us through,let us see that our relationship with God is just that,which means every moment of everyday ,can be filled with His presence.We need  to seek God continually,not just in moments of crisis,not just in the major things,but also in the minor things.In the Bible we have the major and minor prophets,they are all part of the whole,let not despise the day of small things,but let make our walk with God all inclusive.
A  prayer....../Dear God forgive our sinful independence,and grant that we may invite You into every aspect of our lives,in Jesus name Amen/

Strength [ Ephesians 6 v 10]

Before Moses was about to die, he blessed the tribes,to Asher he declares ,/Thy shoes shall be iron and brass,and as thy days, so shall thy strength be/[Deuteronomy 33 v25]Two things are implied ,first security,and safety. The tribes where  about to leave the wilderness,the wilderness sounded a pretty dangerous place,in the wilderness God had watched over them.,but now they were about to lave the wilderness and face enemies, they may face them,but they will not be overcome by them,they will not be removed from their inheritance,they shall be as a nail in a sure place.No enemy can rob us of those gifts that God has given us,but God may, if we forsake Him remove them./Next He tells them of a very wonderful truth,/ and as thy days, so shall thy strength be/.what new thing has God prepared for me to do?, will I have the strength to do it?,of course you will,here is the promise for you,As thy days , so shall thy strength be,we mayfeel like a flat battery,but the Holy Spirit will empower  us, for any appointed task, and we will declare like  Paul, I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me[Philippians 4 v13]
A  prayer....../ Dear God we thank,that You are ,our security and strength, through Jesus Thy Son Amen/

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 /