Abraham not a paper saint.[ Ephesians 2 v 8-9]

It is R.C.Sproul who wrote,, that Abraham was not a paper saint,he had feelings common to humanity/,it is important to remember, that although ,God,chooses the Abraham's,Davids,Peters,and Paul's,He is choosing imperfect human beings.The world gets carried away with their heroes,I remember going to visit a person in their home, and there in their living room was a life size cut  out of a famous film star.He was he one of my favourite actors,but  he had more than his share of adulteress relationships,which inevitable led to him being divorced. Now as to those people like Abraham,we are dealing with human beings,this goes for saints of note ,outside the Bible.I have read many books as regards  missionaries,and great preachers,and sometime the writers, write a very romanticised account of their lives.Now it is important to say that for all their faults like Jonah,David or Peter they where men of God,and we should honour their memory,and as much as they followed Jesus,we follow their godly example. These great saints were all without exception accepted by a Holy God,on the same bases that you and I are accepted by grace through faith alone in Jesus.God honoured them, but He has recorded their failings,so to remind us that relationship with Him is not on the bases of achievements.This reminds us that, that which saves and brings us into a place of acceptance is grace,so if you are not saved,you can be, by simply coming to God in all your need, and to be forgiven,through grace,and faith in Jesus.
A  prayer......./Dear God we thankYou  that we can all without exception be accepted by You.by grace through faith in Jesus  ,Amen /

Make the right choice.[ John 18 v 39-40]

Life is full of choices,from the moment we get up in the morning,till we go to bed at night,just think about that for a moment.Try and count how many choices you  made yesterday,or even today,no I will not bore you by going over a list.Now of course many of our choices are not really important,red tie blue tie,this aftershave or that aftershave,wash the car,don't wash the car.But then there are those choices that a bit more important,like should I change my dentist,doctor,or whatever,and so it goes on.We read in the Bible of people who made very serious choices,think of the people at the time of  Jesus,and one of His disciples Judas,he choose financial gain,30 pieces of silver he got for betraying Jesus,a decision he soon regretted, and is still regretting it now in Hell, then there was Pilate the Roman governor he choose to let Jesus be crucified because of fear[John 19 12-13].Then there was the fickle crowd led by the religious leaders,they made a foolhardy and evil decision they were given a  choice,there was custom that a prisoner of their choice would be released[John 18 v39-40] ,so they were  asked, did they want Jesus to be released or a notorious criminal called Barabbas, they choose ,guess who?, Barabbas. That was the most important decision in all of their lives,when we are faced with Jesus,the choice we make is the most important decision in our lives,dont be like Judas,or Pilate, or the crowd,your eternal destiny rest on that choice,and that is very, very serious.
A  prayer...../ Dear God help us to see the importance of making the right choice as regards Jesus Your Son Amen/

Doctors and dentists [.Matthew 9 v12 ]

I had a bad experience recently with a new dentist, so many of us have a fear of dental treatment, Queen Elisabeth the 1st was really afraid,one of her ministers,tried to encourage her,by pulling out one his loose teeth,to show how easy it was.If only.I had to laugh at the what the dentist said ,about me pulling my offending tooth out myself,it didn't happen,he had to do it. Now I do not want to put any of you of in going to the dentist,most of the treatment I have had has been stressful but not to painful,most of our fears are ungrounded.  In our country we are very fortunate that we have dentists,doctors,hospitals,consider those countries were so many suffer,because they do not have the medical care they need,or cannot afford it.Our Saviour during his earthly ministry healed many,and it blesses me as I read of many who have followed in His footsteps,doctors and nurses who have brought medical care,to many poor suffering people.So today give thanks that you have a doctor,and dentist,and pray and support those who go and minister to the poor and needy in this world.
A  prayer..../ Dear God thank you for our doctors and dentists,and we pray for those who  suffer because of a lack of medical care,and we thank You for those dear people who are serving  such needy people, in Jesus name Amen

Whosoever that means you.[John 3v 16 ]

In Isaiah 59v3 ,we read,/And the Gentiles shall come to Thy light/,and so it has come to pass,they who were not a people have become a people, no longer strangers,and foreigners,but fellow citizens with the saints,and of the household of God[Ephesians 2 v19].Gods redemptive purposes where brought into being through the nation, of Israel,at times it appeared that Israel the nation,would be wiped out[ CP the book of Esther], but God preserved when they where invaded by powerful nations,and only a remnant where left.In their blindness the chosen people sought to destroy Gods chosen one Jesus,they rejected Him ,and crucified,because they failed to see the bigger picture, that God would have all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth in Christ Jesus. Although Israel was chosen for that special purpose,and yes He loved them,but His love has no limits. That there is a wideness in Gods mercy like the wideness of the sea,a wideness that embraces this world,and embraces all . No one is excluded,no one,that is the wonderful message of the Gospel,there is invitation to all,whosoever may come,Gentiles and Jews,red and yellow black and white all are precious in His sight
A  prayer..../ Dear God we praise You that Your door has a welcome sign on it ,and that door is Jesus. Amen /.

Ann Maguire.[ Luke 23v 34]

The death has occurred of teacher in one of our schools,her name was Ann Maguire,she was genuinely loved and respected,she appears to have been a person with a big ,big heart.When her sister died, aged 35, Ann took her two children in and brought them up as her own,she had two children of her own. It appears she was a mother figure to many of those children she taught,the day she died,was her day off,but she had come in to help out, she was going to retire in September,she had been teaching for 40 years. It goes without saying that it makes one so sad that she died ,in such an awful way.What about her murderer?we do not know his name,like so many who do such awful deeds,he is described as a loner,his behaviour was described as one who would sit and stare,and rock back and forward. Ann will be remembered for her loveliness he will be remembered as a murderer, and by many as a weired boy.In these two people we see the two extremes of mankind,one person who rises to great heights, the other as  one who sank to great depths.It would be so easy to hate that young man,but what is required is prayer,love and forgiveness,I am sure that would be the best way to honour the person who was  Ann Maguire.
A  prayer...../ Dear God we thank You for those lovely people who touch our lives,but we also pray for those who blight our lives,and do awful things,like that young man,reach into his life and heart and save him ,we ask this in the name of  Him ,who died that we may be forgiven, even Jesus. Amen /

A debtor [ Romans 1 v14 ]

The movie,Saving private Ryan,tells the story of a mother and father,whose sons were serving in the 2nd world war,all of them got killed,bur one, Ryan.The authorities decided that to spare his parents further grief,Ryan should be brought home. A  group of soldiers are given the this task,and in the process,most of them are killed,but Ryan survives.The officer who lead this mission before he dies whispers to Ryan earn it,after the war Ryan returns to the grave of that officer,with his family,and as he looks at the grave,he askshis wife  ,/Tell me I have lead a good life,tell me I am a good man/ What he was saying was,did I attempt,to fulfil my debt to those who laid down their lives for me,it is the apostle Paul who declared himself a debtor[Romans 1 v14 ]. Just like Ryan he felt that he was under an obligation to the one who gave His life for him,he is not writing about earning his salvation,no one can do that,but of showing his gratitude to Christ,by loving and telling others of  Christ.It was Isaac Watts who wrote that wonderful hymn,When I survey the wondrous cross,the final words of this hymn sums up what I am trying to say,/Love so amazing so divine,demands my soul ,my life , my all./
A  prayer.../ Dear God in gratitude for the great love shown to us on Calvary,we offer our all to You ,we ask this in the name of Jesus,who loved us and gave Himself for us on Calvary. Amen /

Experience Peace. [Philippians 4 v6-7 ]

Just recently I found myself becoming anxious,and the Holy Spirit reminded me, that I was to be anxious for nothing,but in everything by prayer and supplication,with thanksgiving,let my requests be made known to God,and the peace of God ,which surpasses all understanding will guard my heart and mind through  Christ Jesus[ Philippians 4 v6-7].I could have given in to my anxiety ,but instead I claimed these words,and experienced peace, so many times God has spoke to me, at times of difficulty.Of course if I had not read and memorised scripture, when the time of trial or temptation came, I would have been left floundering. Hiding the scriptures in our hearts is like planting a seed , that we are able to as it were harvest in, when it is needed.It is in someways like saving up for a rainy day,like and umbrella,that will keep the rain of us,those scriptures will encourage us ,and guide us. His word reminds us, that the Lord is our helper, and that He will always keeps His word,we will see the impossible becoming possible,and we will experience that most precious of gifts,the peace of God . We will stand in the storm and declare,I believe God,that it shall be even as it was told me[Acts 27v25]
A prayer....../ Dear God we thank You for Your word,on Thy word we will stand and not be afraid,in Jesus name Amen /