Inspirational [ Mark 16 v 6]

I wonder did you see on the net a video of a young elephant ,being attacked by 14 lions,and how it managed to escape,very inspirational,I must confess
I do love inspirational stories,of people who battle against the odds,Susan Boyle,David who defeated the big giant,may be, I like happy endings,well I do. As I thought on this I considered how inspirational the life,death, and resurrection,of  Christ.Born into poverty,looked down upon because of His background ,by the establishment,is this not the carpenters son ?[Mark 6v3].The more good He did,the more He got criticised,the more He spoke the truth,the  more they began to hate Him.Yet none of these things fazed Him,he just kept going on,to His destiny,and when it came , everybody forsook  Him and fled,would I have been any different?,possible not. To many His death was just another death, a horrible death,and when he was laid in a tomb, a big stone was rolled over the entrance,and that appeared to be that. It seemed that He who had promised much had failed in such an awful way[ Luke24 v21].It is then rumours began to be spread about Jesus that He was alive, [ Luke 24v 22-23 ].Then Jesus showed Himself and the sunrise of the wonderful truth broke into the darkness.His death ,instead of being a failure was understood in its true light, Satan, death and sin was conquered. Now that's truly a inspirational story,because it is true.
                                     A   prayer.
Dear God in a world where the most inspirational story is soon eclipsed.
by the darkness of Satans activities,sins power,and deaths darkness.We praise You,for Your Son,and what He accomplished ,by His life,death and resurrection. Amen

it is true.

Keep me sweet. [ Ephesians 4 v 30-32 ]

God spoke to me about the dangers of bitterness,and its negative consequences on ones life.I don't like bitter things,sometimes one buys grapes and you looking forward to there lovely sweetness,only to discover that they are bitter. Instead of blessing me with their sweetness,all they are fit  for is to be thrown out. There is nothing more contradictory than a bitter Christian,what are  they are good for ?,there lives don't bless anyone,and never will.We can seek to justify our bitterness, frustrated plans,hurts we didn't deserve,being overlooked. You may be thinking and living with the bitter thoughts,life is not fair,but then who said it would be fair,visit a children's hospice,look at the news,how much suffering is going on.It was not fair what Jesus suffered,a cross,for what?,leaving heaven,doing good,no, life is not fair.Jesus says follow Me surrender your brokenness,and bitterness to Him,Deny yourself bitterness,and you will be the better for it.Continually we must come back to the cross,and let our hearts be cleansed by Calvary love.
                                     A  prayer.
Dear God heal my wounded broken spirit,cleanse me from bitterness,and fill me with Calvary love in Jesus name Amen.

They could have had it all.[ Deuteronomy 11 v26]

It appears to me that most of the OT,is taken up with God continually speaking to a people who failed to obey Him,continually forsaken Him.There is a modern song which say's we could have had it all,Israel could have had it all,but in the end they lost it all.They were placed in the midst of pagan nations to be a light,they had the holy scriptures,but somehow that never appeared to be enough.They had Gods promise to bless and prosper them,yet they choose the road of a curse,cpDeuteronomy 11 v26.Victory could been assured against the strongest of enemies,shown in so many ways
David a man after Gods own heart, has victory a giant of  a man,because he trusted in God. Hezekiah saw the mighty army of Assyria defeated,because he trusted in His God,but when he took his eyes of God and upon foreign powers,he brought disaster upon his people[2 Kings20v14ff.]They experienced continual defeat ,when they could have known victory.If only the church of Christ would learn from Israel's experience,instead of,
straying  from their Lord,Likewise we as individuals need to learn  the lesson that we need to stay close to our Lord.Remember Israel could have had it all,but instead they lost it all,don't hold unto pointless traditions,like I witnessed on TV, people in a certain church feel that they have the the cup that Christ drank from, all they are doing is holding on to the shadows not the reality. I do not want to live in the shadows, I want to walk in the light,
                                   A  prayer
 Dear  Lord  help us to always keep You first in our lives, and to hold unto the truth that as been revealed in Your son Jesus,Amen]

Man know thyself [ Romans 5 v 20]

An elderly Christian  said to their pastor,why are you always telling us about sin?,now I know  that pastor,he is a good faithful servant of Christ,but such is the foolishness of that person,to say that to him. As I look back in my life I can see so many things,that reveal my sinfulness,I know how easy it is to be drawn into sexual sin,of all sorts,I know how easily it would be to become addicted to perversion. I know how easily it would be in a fit of temper to murder someone,we can so easily move into the dark side of our
sinful nature,and yet I know it only in part,as scripture tells us,/the heart is deceitful above all things,and desperately wicked,who can know it ?/[Jeremiah 17 v9 ].None of us know the depths we can sink to, only God
.There is an African saying which goes,the Christian stands on two legs,the  grace of  God, and the mercy of God.Yes I am a sinner ,to think otherwise is foolish and dangerous, man know thyself,and know that we should never underestimate our sinful nature,and underestimate the mercy and grace of  God to forgive our sins,to deliver us from sin, and to keep us from sin,through His Son Jesus.
                                      A  prayer
Dear God we praise You for Your grace and mercy,that saves,delivers,and
 keeps us,in Jesus name Amen/

The unknown tomorrow. [Exodus 23 v30]

On the 11th of November I had special anniversary,36 years ago ,my then wife and our four lads came to live in England.As we started that day and set of on our long journey in our little car that someone bought us ,from Northern Ireland,God spoke to me from my daily light. I read the following words,/He led them on safely/[Psalm78v53] and,/Behold I send an angel before thee,to keep thee in the way,ans bring thee into the place I have prepared/[Exodus23 v30] I have never forgotten those words and praise God for His faithfulness,that was 36years ago,but God is still faithful,and will continue to watch over us and lead us in the way He wants us to go.
As we ,you and I,face the unknown tomorrow,we can rest in our God ,who knows the unknown tomorrows,nothing takes Him by surprise,He controls all things,and will not fail us.
                              I do not know what lies ahead
                               the way I cannot see,
                              yet one stands near to be my guide,
                              He'll show the way to me.
                               I know who holds the future,
                               and He'll guide me with His hand,
                               with God things don't just happen,
                               everything by Him is planned,
                               so as I face tomorrow,
                               with it's problem large and small ,
                               I'll trust the God of miracles,
                                 give to Him my all
                            [Words by A.B. Smith/ E .Clark]

Looking beyond sorrow. [1 Thessalonians 4 v 13-18]

A dear friend who lost her husband recently,and is at the stage of having his clothes cleared out,and she is finding it difficult.I spoke to her on the phone to reassure her of my prayers,what she is doing is important for there is a sense when someone dies,that one needs to move on,we need to let go.Oh I am very awhere that this is hard,and yet it is necessary,we will grieve ,and rightly so,but we must eventually move on. We always have the memories
of  the one we love,that is a great comfort,but we must not let our loss destroy us,for it can. It is the apostle Paul who seeks to comfort and assure
Christians as regards their loved ones.He reminds them that one day ,when
our Lord will returns,with our loved ones ,we will be reunited with them,and so shall we ever be with the Lord. We need not sorrow as those without hope,for we have Christ in us the hope of glory.
                                          A  prayer
 Dear God we praise that as Christians we have hope when faced with death,because of Jesus,help those who our sorrowing in Jesus name  Amen.

Identify[Hebrews 13 v3 ]

It is interesting as we read the Bible,how some of  Gods children are preserved from sufferings, not from testings ,all of Gods children will be tested.Yet not all of Gods children have to experience what we read of in Hebrews 11v36ff./ cruel mockings and scourgings,and imprisonments, and so the list goes on.The apostle Paul was destined to suffer [Acts 9 v16],for Christ's sake,consider the suffer of Joseph,also James the brother of John was put to death by the sword[Acts 12v2]. During my lifetime I have prayed for many Christians who were suffering under communisim, and at this present time many dear Christians are suffering at the hands of Moslem's,
and other Christ haters.First of all we who are not suffering such things 
are not to feel guilty,but they are,our family,and in Hebrews13v3, we are told,to remember those in prison,as if you were there yourself,remember those who are being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.
Next let us pray for those who are suffering for Christs sake,let us not underestimate the power of prayer,and as God leads ,support those agencies that are involved with those who are suffering.
                                      A  prayer.
 Dear Lord we bring to you all those who are suffering for Your sake,have mercy upon them,in Your name we ask this Amen.