I shall not want. [Psalm 23]

John .G. Paton, who served God among south sea cannibals,was born in Scotland,tells of his early childhood,his mum and dad had 11 children. He tells how a time of difficulties arose in the country,the failure of the potato,the badness of the crops,and the high price of food,and there came a time when there was little in the home to feed the children.So one evening before the children went to bed, the mother assured them,that she had told God everything,and that He would send plenty in the morning. Next day a present came from her father,which met the need,her father did not know of their difficulties. The  mother seeing the children's surprise at such an answer to prayer,gathered her children around her,thanked God his goodness,and said,/O my children,love your Heavenly Father,tell Him in faith and prayer all your needs,and He will supply your wants so far as it shall be for your good and His glory./
A  prayer..../  Dear Lord we praise You that You are our Shepherd and we Your children shall not want, Amen /

Spiritually blind. [ 1 Corinthians 1 v18- 31]

 1 Corinthians 2 v 14,reads ,/ The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God,for they are folly to him,and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned/  Recently while speaking I used an illustration to help the people present to understand ,one of the benefit that come out of suffering.I have used in a recent blog,it was about a butterfly,that had to struggle to emerge from its cocoon,in order for its wings to develop, and how a lady tried to help it,but in fact ruined the butterflies life. After the meeting I conversed with a person,who appeared not to understand the point I was making,that was the spiritual application ,it appeared to be lost to him.Our Saviour was faced with this continually, He told a person that one needed to experience a new birth, and the very religious person had not a clue, My study bible tells me that the non-Christian cannot understand spiritual truths, it really needs the holy Spirit to open that persons mind and understanding.In John 3 v3,we read,/Jesus.....said....Verily, verily I say unto thee,except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God./Some people are born colour blind but all people are born spiritually blind,until they experience the new birth. We see this in writings of the philosophers,  all their writings, bears out mankinds spiritual blindness,and their total inability to understand spiritual truths.
A  prayer...../ Dear God help us to see the reality of mankinds condition,and grant as Your truth goes forth,that the Spirit of God may work in the hearts of the unsaved, that they may be brought to a saving knowledge of Jesus Amen /

Dont give up.[Luke 18 v1]

I wonder if you do not see much point in praying,God has much more to than to listen to you,He is to busy,dealing with everything,so when you pray you make it short and sweet.Then there is the other extreme ,you are afraid to pray,in case you get what you don't want,you don't want the answer God may give  you. You feel that God may challenge you to step out of your comfort soul,there are people who will not leave there homes,to them they feel safe,but in reality they are prisoners of fear.Getting time to pray can be a problem, taking time to pray,is difficult,so many things to do.Does it really matter if I don't pray?after  all, multitude don't pray, yes but we are not to follow the multitudes, we are to follow Him,who said,men ought always to pray[Luke 18 v1] . He also added and not to give up,we give up for different reasons,and though there may be reasons for that,the reason to pray is far more compelling.We cut ourselves of from fellowship with God,which is the most important aspect of prayer,the hymn writer,speaks of the joys we share.Let us remember that Jesus is our Lord and Saviour ,but he is also our friend,friendship is important,and His friendship is most important,dont neglect that friendship.Share with Him your frustrations,your failures,your joys,your desires,He knows that we are far from perfect,but He will still remain our friend,so talk to Him,and do not forget to let Him talk to you.
A  prayer....../ Dear God help us to pray,and teach us what to pray,in Jesus name Amen/

The miracle of Salvation. [ Acts 9 v 1ff]

I often go out into my garden to look up at the stars but because of the lighting from street lamps ,or the clouds ,I see very little of Gods handiwork. One wonders how one could not believe in God if one was astronomer. There are so many things in this world and universe that should cause people to even acknowledge  their creator,but it is not so.In the movie Frankenstein the monster calls Dr Frankenstein his father,but in real life the vast majority of people,deny God as their father. Consider what John wrote in his gospel ,/All things were made by Him[Jesus] 1v3] and then he goes on to write,/He was in the world, and the world was made by Him[Jesus], and the world knew Him not.[v10] Even those who should have known Him ,did not[The Jews],for we read,/He came unto his own, and His own received Him not[v11].Why this blindness?is it not incredible that not only did they not receive Him, they murdered Him. When they had a choice of Jesus and a murderer ,they choose a murderer, things have not changed,Paul the apostle lost his natural sight, but he was given spiritual sight,that enabled him, to see Christ .The word of God makes it clear,that the natural man  receives not the things of God,for they are foolishness unto him,neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned/1 Corinthians 2 v14] All is not lost,the fact that I know God,reminds me continually that with God all things are possible,God can open our hearts, can cause the miracle of the new birth to happen,when by His grace we trust Jesus as our Saviour, when we hear the word of God,and the Spirit of God does His own special work [John 16 v8-11 ]
A  prayer..../Dear God  we ask that You would open the dark  hearts of people,to receive Him who is the light of the world Amen /

Light and darkness.[Colossians 1 v12-21 ]

 And God said let there be light,and there was light [Genesis 1 v 3],this was independent of the sun or the stars,how could it be?, I don't know, but I believe it to be so. Oh yes I believe in creation, God created light,we were not meant to dwell in perpetual darkness ,and yet we are told,that men love darkness rather than light, why?,because their deeds are evil [John 3 v19]Tell me how many people have you met today that are seeking after God,many church buildings are empty,the darkness seems ever to be increasing. As men live in darkness so they will end up in darkness eternally,in spite of mankinds advancements,darkness  continues to cover the face of the earth.Yet into this darkness stepped one man the God man,, Jesus,who said the most wonderful thing in the world,/I am the light of the world,he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life [John 8 v 12]He came to save those who sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, to deliver all who trust Him, from the power of darkness,and translate them into His kingdom [Colossians 1 v14 ] . Let me ask you do want to be delivered from your darkness?,well in and through Christ it is possible. 
A prayer..../ Dear God thank You for sending Jesus to bring humanity out of darkness and into the light,Amen /

The reason not to fear. [ Hebrews 13 v 6 ]

I was told something that could easily instill fear in my heart,and others as well,but as a child of God I am called to trust in Him ,who continually tells His children to fear not.Yes there are dangers about,people who could harm us,there are dangers,from violence,illness, and so on.These dangers are real,but they are not in control of the child of Gods life,God is. Grant it,  Gods children do suffer,  I was reading about the Christians who are suffering in the Central Africa Republic at this time, I read these words ,/the Christians are dying like flies/, do pray for them,if we read Hebrews 11 we read of those who were delivered from dangers and death,but we also read of those who suffered greatly.Most of us are not in that situation,but the enemy of our souls is still active,likewise the world we live in is a fallen world. In the midst of life with all its dangers,pain ,and difficulties,Gods word for all of His dear children is, fear not. Here is a scripture for all of us as we face whatever,/Fear thou not,for I am with thee,be not dismayed,for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee,yea I will help thee. I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness[Isaiah 41 v10 ].
A  prayer......./Dear God free us from the bondage of fear,help us when fear arises to trust in You ,the living God ,in Jesus name Amen/

Not just to be admired. [ Matthew 7 v24-27 ]

I am reading a helpful book called./The soul winner. by C .H.Spurgeon/,in it we are instructed by a man who was used mightily used by God in soul winning.Likewise I have just finished a book by George Mullier on prayer,these books were written by men whom God raised up,to serve their generation.We can learn much from these men,and how we can serve our generation,their example is something we can benefit from,they are not just portraits to be admired,but examples to follow .We can admire everything about Christ and rightly so,but He says to us follow me,we are to be both an admirer of Christ and a follower.As we follow ,He will lead ,He will teach,and He will use us,according to His will,which is good and perfect.This means we are to live out the principals of His kingdom,and they are very challenging,very,it means not only being generous,but sacrificial,it means forgiven those who hurt us,it means loving ,showing Calvary love,no greater love than that.It means being reliant on God in all things,to be teachable,I  said to a person who was critical of the church he attended,could it be that God was seeking to teach him some valuable  lessons, but he was dismissive of what I said.It will mean being faithful,to our wedding vows,and faithful to all our vows,so that when at last we stand before our Saviour we will hear Him say ,well done good and faithful servant.
A  prayer..../ Dear Saviour whom we love,worship,and admire,help us to follow You in all things. Amen/