Make me a channel. [ 1 Corinthians 13 ]

Where I live there are two families and one family has what I describe as a hatred for the other family ,that manifests itself in very unkind ways.I have for many years observed this,and at this time ,the hatred has just raised its ugly head again.As I wrote this message ,I heard that lovely hymn on the radio,/Make me a channel of Your peace/,words based on the prayer by ST.Francis. the words, /Where there is hatred, let me bring Your love/, came as a challenge to me,as I thought on my neighbours,how can I bring His love to these two families?,let us consider the words of that hymn.
                           Make me channel of Your peace,
                           Where is hatred, let me bring Your love.
                            Where is injury,Your pardon,Lord,
                            where there's doubt,true faith in You.
                                In Jesus name we ask this Amen.

Eternal glories shine afar [John 14 v1-6 ]

I met my old barber recently, when he would cut my hair ,we would talk ,he
would tell me how he suffered form constant headaches,and so when I met him,I asked him about his headaches,he replied nothing had changed.He also would tell me of the lovely holidays he went on,but not now,his wife was poorly,and needed cared for,he jokingly said that old age was taking its toll on them,and they were wearing out.Well  I said as a Christian, the best is yet to be,yes the best is yet to be.The non Christians, hopes,and desires,even as to this life, can soon leave them,money may be a bit of consolation,but it may not be,and as someone once said there are no pockets in a shroud.The great apostle Paul wrote , if in this life only we have hope in Christ,we are of all men most miserable[1 Corinthians 15 v 19] For the Christian the best is yet to be,for when we die glory awaits us,I can only imagine ,how wonderful it will be.
A  prayer.
 Dear God we thank You that as Christians, the best,the very best is yet to be,because of Jesus.Amen /

More than I need [Genesis 22 v2 ]

Yesterday I stressed how God meets our need,now of course I have more than I need  at this time.David the king had times of difficulty,so had the apostle Paul,and so have many Christians.God supplied their need, but David as time went on was blessed with more than his need.Likewise myself I have more than I need,God has given me more than I need,now I do not want to go down that imbalanced road called the prosperity Gospel. God often blesses His children with more than they need,there are reasons,God is testing us to see if we will bless others,I am able to bless others,by my giving,but will I ?that is  the question.Our desire should be, that we  bless others, as God has blessed us,are we doing this,there are so many people in need in this world,may we not be found wanting in our giving.Don't hold on to tightly to those blessings God has blessed us with,remember Abraham and his son whom he loved. God said give him up [Genesis 22 v2],and Abraham passed the test with flying colours,will we?
A  prayer..../ Dear God thank You for granting me more than I need, help us not to make these blessing that are only lent to us,our security,or our god, in Jesus name Amen /

Our need [ 1 Timothy 6 v 8 ]

.We live in a very discontented world,and we as Christians must be careful not to be sucked into worldly discontentment. We have been thinking on Philippians 4 v19, which assures us that God will meet our need through His son Jesus. Consider that word need ,as I look back on my life, especially when one was living by faith,God met our needs,my children never went hungry,sometimes we came near to it,but God always met our need.People would pass on second hand clothes,we did not have a car,but God met our need.Someone said to me that I was poor,poor in his eyes but God still met out need.So often I claimed that promise Philippians 4 v19,and proved it to be true, I am very grateful for all Gods provision,in meeting my need.This morning as I went to meet make my breakfast,,I usually have porridge ,and as I looked in the container where we keep the porridge oats, there was just enough for my breakfast  ,and I again remembered that story of the widow woman and Elijah [1 Kings 17 ], All she had was a little meal and some oil,but she had more ,she had a promise from God that her need would be met,and it was.
A  prayer.... /Dear God save us from being ungrateful,because You have just supplied our need,let us be content and grateful for Your faithfulness,
in Jesus name. Amen /

Our needs [ Psalm 23 v1 ]

Yesterday we considered the words of Philippians 4 v19,/My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus,/We sought to apply this to mans greatest need ,forgiveness,that God will delight
to grant mercy,for he is a God who delights in shewing mercy[ Micah 7 v18 ] Now while that is true He will also meet our need materially.C H Spurgeon wrote,I have a great need for Christ,and I have a great Christ for my need./ So let us apply it now to our present need.One day many years ago when my then wife and I were living by faith,then we had three children,A  man called at our home with a large box of groceries,he had been asked to deliver them, he would not say who they were from , but it was the Lords provision.I love the words that the prophet spoke to a poor widow in relation to her need being met,/Fot thus saith the Lord God of Israel,the barrel of meal shall not waste,neither shall the cruise of oil fail,until the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth/  [Read about this in 1 Kings 17] A wonderful example of God meeting the need of three people.
A prayer.
Dear God thank You for Your faithfulness at all times in supplying all our
needs by Christ Jesus our Lord.Amen.

Our greates need. [Psalm 40 v 1- 3 ]

In Philippians 4 v19 ,we read,/But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus./The first and greatest need we all have is spiritual,and that need can only be met by Christ.Jesus of course met peoples physical,and material needs before He met their spiritual needs.Yet the fact remains that our greatest need is spiritual,we need our sins forgiven,our sin separates us from a holy God,and if unforgiven will separate us from Him eternally,death does not mean that our beign ceases,no the fact is we will always exist,for all eternity.If our sin remains unforgiven we will be eternally separated from God,sin is the great divider from a holy God. Sin cannot be forgiven in eternity it must be forgiven while we live here on planet earth.All things including us,are polluted,we need to be cleansed from the pollution caused by sin,Gods answer,is Christ ,His son Jesus,who died on the cross,by His death we can be forgiven and cleansed from the pollution, and that which causes the pollution sin.Today God invites you to come to him by accepting Jesus as your Saviour,and in accepting Him your greatest need will be met.
A  prayer...../Dear God we praise You that You can meet our deepest need through Jesus Your Son. Amen/

Translations. [ Psalm 119 v89-96]

There is one issue that can cause Christians to be upset with each other,the subject of Bible translations,some churches forbid the use of any translation other than the AV.The late Mr Paisley was a strong AV man,I personally love the AV,but not being an expert on translation, I cannot say it is the most accurate,I just do not know.I don't believe in a conspiracy theory,that modern translators are in any way trying to under mind the word of God.Having used different  translations,I have not observed any  real problems.It is D. Kidner who writes, that God saw to the preservation and
completion of His word.As much as you and are concerned about God word,so is God,let us have confidence in our sovereign God to
preserve His word.Now of course there are false translations,the JWs translation is inaccurate,translated in such a way as to booster their false beliefs.So in all things be discerning as to the written word of God, all true Christians love Gods word,so try to be tolerant when they use a different translation than you use.
 A  prayer...../Dear God we thank for Your word, we ask for those who translate Your word may truly be controlled and guided by Your Spirit in Jesus name Amen /