Sex...../ Isaiah 1 v18 /

Continuing on the theme of brokenness,and its causes,look at all the people around you,look at your self,and you will see so much brokenness.I believe there is one that can heal and help us with our brokenness and it is Jesus.If we read the gospels we see Him touching the lives of mulitudes of people,the questionis are you prepared to seek Him?. Our greatest need is to receive forgiveness of our sin,I am continually reading of people who are involved in sinful sexual activities,seemingly respectful people.I also hear of  those who sell there bodies for money saying they are working in the sex trade,and speak of it as if it is a nine to five job ,it is not. Let us not try and rationalize these things,if you are involved in an adulteries relationship ,brokenness will follow,or whatever wrong sexual activities you are involved in, you are a broken person, and need to see the wrongness of what you are doing,you need to seek forgivness,by coming to Christ,He can set you free,what I am going to do is write a prayer you can pray.
 A prayer....../Dear Lord Jesus forgive me ,for I have sinned,I am filled with shame at what I have done,and what I am involved in,please ,please forgive me and set me free,be my Saviour.Amen /

Brokenness. [Genesis 6v 5-6 ]

My son John said this to me,/We live in a broken world,of broken people,who are breaking things/,
for all our advancements we continually see all around us brokenness. This brokenness  manifests itself in a multitude of ways,the list is endless,likewise the pain,every suicide,every addiction,be it sex,dope,alcoholism,food,wars and conflict of all sorts,lying,cheating,and as I say the list is endless.What is the cause of all this brokenness?,the Bible calls it sin,many don't like this term,but like all problems,for instance illness,we want to know why we have these symptons,for is it only if the cause is dealt with, will there be any chance of healing.Likewise if there is a plane crash the investigaters look for the black box,to find out the cause of the crash.Sin is all those things that God considers wrong ,all those wrong actions,wrong thoughts,that offends a holy God, the middle letter in the word sin is I,so appropriate ,for sin is what I am  guilty of. The I in us by our wrongful desires,wrongful emphases,and so on,brings us under Gods wrath,we may not even take God into account when we sin,we should,for one day we shall stand before Him and be judged, to a just judgement. So our sinful actions are a cause,or result of sin,and so as my son said we live in a broken world,of broken people,who are breaking things,tomorrow we will consider Gods remedy for our brokenness.
A  prayer....../Dear God we live in a broken world,that we cannot fix,nor can we escape the consequences, of our part in this brokenness,have mercy in Jesus name Amen /

Underminding grace. [ Luke 18 v9-14/Ephesians 2v8-9]

I recently asked a JW  who he was trying to save,you see there is a tendency within all of us to, as D. Kidner writes, to undermine  grace.Now as a Christian of many years it is vital that I hold on to the truth that it is grace from start to finish in my relationship with God. For all my praying,Bible reading,church going ,giving,it is by grace I am saved through  Jesus,as I have said,grace ,grace ,
grace,even  in heaven it still will be grace.The JW,Mormons,RC ,Muslin's,all walk in a path of deception,for they seek to undermine the truth that we are saved only by the unmerited favour of  God.
I witnessed to man recently,he said he tried to live by Christian principals, I have heard this many times,and all they are saying is underminding ,the truth that we can do nothing to save ourselves.
That mans statement underminds the truth that salvation is of the Lord,every time I sin,I am
reminded that I can do nothing to save myself. This hits at our pride we all think salvation is a do it yourself job,it is not , from start to finish it is the grace of God that saves us.
A  prayer.....// Dear God thak You for reminding us that we are saved by Grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ Amen ./

The wind [John 16 v8-11 ]

   There it was sitting up on my gate and fence the large trampoline which belonged to my neighbour,
the tail end of a hurricane has hit our country ,and so the wind had lifted the trampoline unto my fence. One lady was reported killed when the wind blew a tree down on her, it is while Jesus is speaking to a man about the new birth,that He says,/The wind blows  where it wishes, and you hear its sound,but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of  the Spirit ,it was the hymn writer who wrote I know not how the Spirit moves. We are being taught a lesson from our Lord in which He uses the wind to illustrate the Holy Spirits workings. There is a mystery to the Spirits workings, in relation to the new birth,He cannot be tied down He being God the Spirit is sovereign,working when He will,and how he will ,as D.A.Carson puts it,we can neither control Him, nor understand Him. I am somewhat surprised when I hear of someone getting saved,I never thought of that person coming to know the Lord,but God did,So the Spirit moves in saving  power,it is He who convicts the world of its sin,and of Gods righteousness of the coming judgement[ John 16 v8].
A  prayer...../ Dear God we pray that Your Spirit will move in the hearts and lives of unsaved people,in Jesus name Amen/.

Holy objects. [ Matthew 5 v16 ]

I read this recently by Derek Kidner,/ People have always focused more passionately on holy objects, than appeals for holy living/ This is so true,the Muslim's who are murdering poor people,not just IS ,but those who are murdering their Christian neighbours,have their holy places. Of course the history of Christianity is full of  Christians valuing holy relics,and so called holy places,these same Christians burnt people alive ,or tortured those they believed to be heretics.I wear a little cross but there is nothing holy about it,it is merely a symbol,a statement to those around me that I am a Christian,and yet I know that it is by  my life that I show that I am a Christian. Our Saviour said ,let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify Your Father which is in heaven [Matthew 5 v16 ]
A  prayer...../ Dear God help me to see that so called holy objects are of no value or importance,they have no bearing on our salvation,and can never be a substitute for a holy life,in Jesus name Amen/

Neglect. [Hebrews 10 v25]

For the last two Sundays I have not been able to attend my local fellowship,and I have missed it, I need that fellowship,if I neglect it I will suffer.I know some of us are solitary beings,modern times have brought us many good things,but there is a lot of peoples living in isolation,that is not good.One of my sons has a ministry of visiting people,it is not his full time job,he is a fireman,he just visits them for a cup of tea and a chat,and they really appreciate it.The Christian is not called to a life of isolation from their fellow Christians,we are not called generally speaking to be hermits.Now I have been a Christian a long time,and I know that like myself, my fellow Christians are far from perfect,
we are inclined to forget, that we are all a work in the making. I stress all, I look back and I feel so bad  at those I have hurt,likewise I have been hurt,but this no cause to stop fellowship with other believers. That fellowship means being able to forgive others,to pray for those who have hurt us,to rise to the challenge of loving one another.
A  prayer..../ Dear Lord You have commanded us to love one another,and that involves fellowhip,give us grace to obey You. in Your name we ask this Amen/

Have faith in God. [ Mark 11 v22]

In v1 of Hebrews we are told,/Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,the evidence of things not seen/.When we come to consider this verse we have two things highlighted,Faith,/Hope, all that follows in the lives of those mentioned,have these to heavenly qualities.Continually throughout the Word of God we have hope as a vital aspect of our walk with God.Those who are not Christians have no hope,they hope they may win the lottery,but to the things that really matter,the things of God,no hope.John  Calvin stated,/The Spirit of God shows us hidden things as that eternal life is promised to us[ John 10v28-29],but it is promised to the dead.We are declared to be just,but sin dwells within us/It is faith that takes hold of the promises of hope,when we are surrounded by enemies,humanly speaking a place of no hope,but a promise is given of deliverance,it is then we exercise faith.A faith that comes from God, a faith that is in God, to fulfil that promise ,which He will ,for He cannot lie.Today, hope in God,have faith in Him ,He giveth not the promise in vain,He cannot fail you, He will not fail you.
A  prayer...../ Dear God by faith we come to You,by faith we will walk with You,by faith we believe in all things that You have spoken in Your word, that with You all things are possible,through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen /