Compensation [Joel 2 v25]

In that little book of Joel we have a wonderful promise,/And I will restore to you the years that the locust have eaten.[2v25].The land had been devastated by an invasion of locust,we do not know much about this ,
but in those countries that experience such an event,it truly is devastating,
a swarm of locust can contain up to 10 billion insects,they can literally
strip a land bear.This is what happened to Israel,and it is the prophet who speaks into that situation,the word of God. We must not close our ears when devastation happens,rather we should be listening to what God has to say,if today we hear His voice let us not harden our hears.Well the word of God came instructing the people ,that they should get real with God,cast of all pretence, seek Him and He will be found,and He will restore to then the years that the locust had eaten. One commentator says the word for restore can be taken to mean God will compensate ,now of course this compensation is not because we have been treated unfairly, no it is the response by the God of grace. Let us avoid judging God even though He slay us,and let us rejoice in His undeserved faithfulness,to all who seek Him.
                                     A  prayer
Dear God we acknowledge Your great faithfulness at all times,we ask that
You would restore unto us the years that the locust have eaten,in Jesus name Amen

Whats it to be ? [ Hebrews 11 ]

Matthew Henry said,/we can depend on God to fulfil His promise,even when all the roads to it are closed/. In 2 Peter1 v4 we read,/Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious  promises/The paper currency in our country comes with a promise to pay the bearer the sum of...,it would be serious  if the bank of England failed to keep that promise.Thankfully it has never happened,but it could, but when it comes to Gods promises ,He will always keep His promised word.God unlike many modern bankers is trustworthy,He cannot tell a lie. Often we fail as it where to receive what God has promised,because of a lack of faith,and like Israel of old we miss what He has promised.Instead of grasping by faith the promises,we give into to despair,and  ,and so they miss the promised blessing.We are warned in Hebrews 11v 12,/Take heed brethren, lest there be an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God/ Make no mistake unbelief is a deplorable sin,we need to appreciate that there are consequences.The sinner goes to hell the child of God looses out on what God has promised there is never any lack in Gods promises it is our lack of faith that is the problem.
                                                    A  prayer.
 Dear God search our hearts,and clear out any unbelief in out hearts,and grant us by Your grace faith in You and Your word, in Jesus name Amen

Brute beasts [ Genesis 2 v27 ]

Like brute beasts they live,like brute beasts they die,you and I are more than brute beasts,it is important to stress this.The teaching of evolution,and the emphasise on mankinds material and physical needs,to the exclusion of a spiritual reality,leaves mankind as just mere extensions of the animal kingdom. We are not saying that the animal kingdom is not important ,of course they are important,but they are  what they are brute beasts,they will never rule the world,contrary to planet of the apes. Humanities needs are all consuming ,but it is Jesus who said that man shall not live by bread alone,but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God [Matthew 4v4].Mankinds reply is as D. Kidner writes,/,Never mind Thy kingdom come, where's our daily bread? /. Mankind is totally focused on bread alone,everything to do with their physical well being. And yet it is blatantly obvious that living just at a material level,leaves much to be desired.Consider the rich and the famous,who give the impression that they have it all,while there lives,tell us otherwise.The Bible continually stresses the folly of living without God,warning us ,that even  if we gained the whole world,we could end up loosers.That the well we draw our water from,will only satisfy our thirst temporary,and in the midst of it all Jesus
declares, that whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give ,shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him ,shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting water.[John 4 v14]
                                            A  prayer
Dear God,we thank You that we are not brute beasts,and we pray that we may not live and die like brute beasts, in Jesus name Amen.

Use us.[ Proverbs 11 v30]

Often it seems we hear of very few people being saved,and then we hear of a church in my homeland,where they have witnessed over 2000 being saved.God is always in the business of saving souls,I have just read of a lady in Uzebek a radical Muslin  trusting the Saviour,as a result of the witness of a Christian who had died.Yes God is still in the business of saving precious souls. Some Church's have lost this reality,and have gone out of the business of seeing men and women's need of salvation. In Proverbs 11 v30, we read ,he that winneth souls is wise/, when Jesus called the disciples He said I will make you fishers of men [Matthew 4 v19].What a challenge  to be a fisher of men,women and children,I praise God for the memory of those who witnessed to me,and led me to the Lord. My first wife is in heaven because a dear lady, witnessed to her ,about Jesus.I have witnessed to many people and some have trusted the Lord.How that will rejoice my heart when I see then in heaven,those precious jewels.Yes people in there most vilest state are still precious to God,for we are told Christ died for the ungodly.As I start this day my prayer would be, oh Lord  make me a fisher of men,help us never to loose sight of mans greatest need ,Jesus.
                                        A  prayer.
Dear Lord help us to see the true value of a soul, use us to be fishers of men,in your name, and for Your glory we ask this Amen.

The ultimate rejection [Isaiah 53 ]

I am reading the book of Hosea ,with the help of a commentary, in it  the prophet is told to do something that would bring him pain,he was to marry a
prostitute. A marriage that would bring him much pain,yet his marriage would be part of his message,for his wife Gomer would be unfaithful,and would have children by other men.This strange relationship would mirror Israels relation with God,they are declared as whores in their unfaithful godless behaviour.For like Gomer they would as it were lust after other lovers,Assyria,Egypt,paying them for their favours,indulging in their idolatress religions,which involved cult prostitution,and child sacrifice,of worshipping many gods,instead of the one true God, Jehovah.The book of Hosea is a love story,as is seen in a marriage relationship, but it is a one sided love story. A story of God pleading continually,yet it seems to no avail,and so it would continue, when the ultimate rejection by Israel the nation of Gods love would take place ,when they would sacrifice Gods dear son Jesus.
                                     A prayer
Dear God have mercy upon Israel ,and this world,in wrath remember mercy,in Jesus name Amen .
                                               

God holds the key of all unknown. [Psalm 75 v6 ]

Recently I was asked by a person in the church I attend if I would put my name forward to be a deacon. I said that I would think and pray about it,I spoke to him later,saying I did not feel I was a deacon ,I was a pastor,a minister of Gods word,he replied that he felt the leadership needed that
pastoral gifting. So I agreed but not totally convinced that this was for me
I prayed about it,asking God to choose what was right for me.When the church met to vote ,I did not get elected,I must confess that I felt a  bit embarrassed,and yet I know there are no second causes ,God is sovereign,He opens doors ,He closes doors,I did not have any conviction about being a deacon,so I praise God for making the decision for me.As I look back on life I can appreciate this more and more,the fact that ,God holds the key of all unknown,and I am glad.
                                               A  prayer
Dear God we praise You that Your way, and your will is always best,help us to see that are disappointment are so often for our good, in Jesus name Amen .

Slavery [ 1 Corinthians 6 v9-11]

Recently on the news we were informed that there are thousands of people who are slaves, in this country. It is of course illegal to have slaves in this country,these people are trapped and hidden,and seriously abused.They include foreign workers,and others all exploited one way or another.The government is trying to discover those who are in fact slave owners,and  stop this practise.Slavery is a practise of abuse,those who are slaves have
no rights,they have to obey their masters. When our Saviour was on earth slavery was a common practise,the Romans had a vast slave population,
slaves had no rights,they were owned by those who could kill them abuse them,misuse them at will.Recently there was picture in our local news paper of a baby faced boy,aged 19 who lured a young lad to his flat and killed him in a sexual activity.What possessed that young man to do such a thing? what possesses millions of people committing sexual perversion,what possessed a gifted doctor taking thousands of photo's of people going to the toilet.Here is the answer,spoken by Jesus ,/everyone who sins is a slave to sin/[John 8v34] Those involved in perverted sexual activity are in fact slaves to their lusts,but I cannot leave it there, for Jesus also said,if the Son sets you free you are free indeed[John 8v36]
                                             A  prayer.
Dear God we praise you, that through Your son Jesus slaves of sinful practises can be forgiven and set free. Amen