Help is available. [ James 4 v1-3]

Sometimes we read the words,help is available,though that may be true,people don't always seek help,for different reasons.Old people want to maintain their independence,they also don't always claim the benefits they are entitled to.Others will be reluctant to accept help,because of pride,I remember thinking ,how hard it is to help some people.When it comes to prayer,some people do not feel they can ask God for help,and yet we can,we are told by Jesus to ask ,and it shall be given you,seek,and ye shall find, knock,and it shall be opened unto you.[Matthew 7 v7 ]The people whom the apostle James wrote to  ,when it came to asking God,fell into extremes,
wrote attitudes,wrong desires,as Mayor points out they prayed without the
spirit of prayer.Yes help is available,but will not be given if we hold
unforgiveness in our hearts[Matthew 6 v14-15/ Psalm 66 v18] Wrong desires ,as W. Barclay points out,/The craving for pleasure in the end shuts
the door of prayer......when are prayers are essentially ....it is not possible for God to answer our prayers./ Yes help is available ,only we can block that help.
A prayer....../Dear God we thank You for the many,many prayers You have answered,we thank You that help is available from You,help us not to block Your willingness to help us by wrong attitudes and wrong desires,in Jesus name Amen /

Cold efficiency [1 Corinthians 13 ]

Some one I know took a needy person to see the doctor,the person was examined by the doctor,and was told that they would need what would be
considered major surgery.The doctor acted in a somewhat inpatient manner
ushering his patient out quickly. The person who had accompanied the person,felt angry as to how this doctor had dealt with his patient.No
reassurance was given,he was coldly efficient, lacking in empathy.It reminds me of what we read in 1 Corinthians 13,that we can speak wonderfully,give sacrificially,and so on,but if love is missing,in Gods eyes,
it counts for nothing.God is not pleased with cold efficiency. Remember God always acts out of a heart of love,He is patient,and caring,not indulgent
but always acting out of a heart of love,for our highest good.
A  prayer....../Dear God forgive us for speaking or acting in an unloving manner,help us to be more like You our loving heavenly Father ,in Jesus
name Amen/






 

With Gods help .[ 2 Corinthians 3 v5 ]

Recently God resolved a problem for me,for which I am glad,and thankful,I was struggling to get something sorted out,and God did it.It reassures me that especially in relation to my Job he is helping me to cope,remember I am seventy and still working.Unlike Moses who although he was 120 years,he appeared in the best of health,of course then he died,but it was Gods time to take him home.It was not his choice,it was Gods,have you heard the story of the man who was given the choice of how he was going to die,and he replied,in my sleep. Now where was I? oh yes contrasting my physical condition with Moses,well I do struggle,a sore back,feeling tired,loose teeth,poor me,sometimes just for a moment a wave of inadequacy flows over me,but then I remember what God says,that His strength is made perfect in our weakness[ 2 Corinthians 12 v9],and that as our days so shall be our strength [Deuteronomy 33 v25],and the very important thing to remember,it is one day at a time,borrow not from tomorrows troubles.[Matthew 6 v34] The poet wrote ,/I'll bear the sorrow that comes tomorrow,but i'll borrow none today/ A prayer....../Dear God of the weak,the inadequate ,we praise You for Your continual help,day by day, in Jesus name Amen /

Tears. [John 11 v 35 ]

My son was preaching a sermon recently, and found himself nearly crying,he did manage to finish his sermon.I think he felt a bit embarrassed of showing so much emotion in his sermon.At times I can become very emotional when I preach,when I touch on what God has done for me through Christ.Preaching is not acting,performing,no it is ministering ,and when one touches on wonderful biblical truths. I wonder why it is thought strange that someone becomes emotional when they preach.After all our Saviour was called a man of sorrows,when he stood outside Lazuras tomb He wept,When our Saviour looked over Jerusalem we read, He wept,[Luke 19v41],because they had totally exhausted mercy,and the fact that things could have been so different.So when my son weeps when preaching,or myself,I know that we are in good company.Was it not William Booth the founder of the salvation army,said ,when you preach  about hell,preach it with a tear in your eye.
A prayer..../Dear God,we ask You to not just to minister from our heads,but
                   also from our hearts,for the lost, and needy,in Jesus name.
                    Amen./

Where I am now. [ Matthew 28 v 20 ]

I listen to a man on TV,who had suffered for most of his life,who was wrongly diagnosed,when he was diagnoed right,he had to have a ,new hip,shoulder,replacents.Now he is free from pain no longer on medication.He was asked how he felt about the years that he suffered unneccessary,his reply was,he did not dwell on that,what was most important was ,where I am now. I felt it was very refreshing to hear the man say that,he was not going to sue,nor dwell on the past.We all have a lot to learn from that man.For many of us the past can hurt so much if we let it,it can cripple us emotionally.Now one is not underestimating, ones past history.I think of my childhood, mum seperated,never had any contact with my father,my mum struggling to provide for us.The financial struggles one has had for a great deal of my life,my wife dying,you may have your list,but if God has brought you through,consider where you are now.Refuse to be a prisoner of the past, open your heart, and praise God,for where you are now.If you are having difficulties at this present time,consider that you are not on your own anymore,the Saviour is with you,in the pass you may have been on your own but no longer is that true,so thats where you are now. A prayer...../ Dear God thanks for bringing us through so much, for blessing us,and thank You that no matter what the difficulties are now, You are with us,in Jesus name Amen /

The wheels of God grind slowly [Habakkuk 2 v 1-3]

I have just purchased another computor ,the one I was using was old and was very slow,and of course as with many things we do not like slow,all the world appears to be in a hurry. How did we manage when things where literally one horse power?,many an old horse must have been flogged to death.The car trade caters to our desire to go faster,they usually tell you that that the car can go or accelerate,in so many seconds,if one has a BMW,the drivers do not hang about. We want things instant,the supermarkets are aware of this,so we have food cooked for us already ,that just needs heated up in the micro wave oven.Now Gods ways are not our ways ,the ways of God are often far from fast,the term waiting upon the Lord sums it up,those who follow God must follow at His pace.We must learn to give God time,in so many areas of life.Mankind had to wait a long time before Christ came,and we are having to wait a long time for Him coming again.Chrit did not die till His hour had come [John 12 v23,] ,Israel had to wait 400 years before they were delivered from Egypt.It was Habakkuk who was told,that the vision was for an appointed time[2 v3],though it tarry,wait for it it will surely happen.There is that word again,wait,when all the time we are crying out, I want it now,not so says God,be patient,your prayer will be answered,your need will be met, your deliverance will come.Let us remember that old saying,/the wheels of God grind slowly. A prayer...../Dear God in a world that is always in a hurry,help us to trust You,and patiently wait for You to undertake,in Jesus name Amen /

Presumption [ Genesis 6 v3 ]

As I read the history of the Nation of Israel,the thing that stands out is that they always expected God to help and deliver them,which He did,continually. This He did inspite of the fact that they continually forsook God, for other so called gods,continually disobeyed Him,killed and persecuted Gods prophets,committed unjust things against the vunerable,Even today they look to God inspite of the fact they have rejected Gods Son Jesus,now I use Israel as an example of a people who have presumed on the mercy of God,they are not on their own in thinking like that.The world is full of people who assume or presume to expect God to be merciful,inspite of the fact that they refuse Christ an entrance into their lives.I stress this ,for mercy comes through Jesus,those who live for self,and only come to God in their hour of need,expecting Gods mercy when they stand before Him,will find out that one cannot presume on the mercy of God..I quoate D.kidner/An old comment on the penitent and the impenitent at Calvary is apposite,'One was saved,that none may despair,yet only one, that none might presume/ A prayer....../ Dear God help none of us to presume on Your mercy in Jesus Name Amen /