That unmentionable place. [John 3 v16 ]

We all have likes and dislikes,I must confess I do not like it when it snows,
snow is alright in Christmas cards,or for those who like skying.  Yet I
cannot do anything about it,the weather is not subject to my likes and dislikes. This goes for a lot of things ,serious things,like death,I am attending a funeral this morning,death does not ask our permission,it matters not who it is,young ,old or middle age. It is the great leveller,the most powerful man in the world has no power over death.The word of God
tells us clearly,it is appointed unto men once to die,no there is no reincarnation,you just die once,and indeed once is enough.My wife has just
taken out a life policy,it is good to be prepared financially,but it does not stop there,for we are told that there is after death existence.Oh yes death in some ways is the beginning of an existence that will never end,it opens the door to two possible destinies,one is called heaven,the other is that unmentionable place,can you guess what it is?,I do sincerely pray that no
one reading this blog will end up in that unmentionable place,I do not like to talk about it,but I must,as a Christian minister I must warn people about the awful consequences of dying with out Christ.Believe me when I tell you
better to have not been born,than to go that place,I don't want anybody go to such a place,God does not want you to go to that place,that is why He sent Jesus,that no one need go to such a place,and suffer such a fate.
                                      A prayer.
Dear God You so loved the world that You gave Your only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him will not perish but have everlasting life,for
this we thank You.Amen.

He is in control.[ Daniel 4 v 34-35]

 The whole subject of healing is to say the least difficult,a friend told me,
that her husband had cancer,in the prostate, and also in the lungs.The cancer in the lungs gave most concern,so the elders of the church met with him ,
anointed him with oil in the name of the Lord, and prayed for him,as we are instructed in James 5 v14-15. The result of it was,when more tests were made,there was no sign of cancer in his lungs,I just wonder should I stop here?.
    Healing does not happen for many people,a local pastor I know son died
in his teens,much prayer went up,but he still died.How do we reconcile healing and not being healed,my friend is in his seventies. Why was that young man with all his potential allowed to die,leaving his family devastated?,this to our natural way of thinking does not make sense. The
term natural way of looking at it,may hold a clue and even and answer to
our question.
    A friend of mine said to me, the last time I saw him he was reading again
 a book on the sovereignty of God.I am sure we could all benefit from reading a book on Gods sovereignty .It is a doctrine we should not neglect,
for it brings to us the mysterious truth that God is in control,that He is working out all things after the council of His will.
    He will do as He will,even though we may struggle with this,for His children,His purpose will always be best,even though it causes us pain.
                                           A  prayer.
Dear sovereign God we bow before You,and ask for grace,to trust Your perfect will,in Jesus name Amen .

God gives light [Psalm23 ]

Lastly  ....../God gives light for the guidance of His people./
  Jesus said that He was the light of the world,he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness. [John b v12]As sure as Israel was guided in the wilderness,by a pillar of fire by night,and a pillar of cloud by day [Exodus 40v38],so God will guide His children now.
     Many years ago I received a call to pastor a church in England,on the 11th November we set off on our journey,and I read these words in my daily light, He lead them on safely[Psalm78v53],Behold, I send an angel before thee,to keep thee in the way,and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared[Exodus23 v20]
     What a word to receive at that time,and so it came to pass,Jesus said we shall not walk in darkness,/For this  God is our God forever and ever, He will be our guide even unto death[Psalm 48v14].We are told in all our ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct our paths[Proverbs 3 v6]. Yes God gives light for the guidance of His people,as I look back I can most certainty trace ,Gods providential leading,He shut many doors,but He most defiantly
guided me.
                            All the way my Saviour leads me ,
                            what have I to ask beside ?,
                             Can I doubt His tender mercy,
                              who through life has been my guide ?
                                    [Fanny J.Crosby]
                                 A  prayer.
Dear Lord Jesus we thank You that as we follow You we shall not walk in darkness. Amen.

God never gives up.[ Lamentations 3 v22-23 ]

Next let us consider that....../God never gives up on His people/.
    I have just finished reading Jonah the prophet of God,I have no difficulty
about the fact that he was swallowed by a great fish.The thing I find  amazing about this book,is Gods patience with this grumpy man,If he had been a guest on that famous radio program,desert island disc,where the guest is asked to imagine being marooned on a desert Island,and they are given the choice of having a number of their favourite pieces of music,
Jonahs first piece would have been,/I did it my way/.When called  to go
to Nineveh to proclaim a message of judgement,he rebelled,and went the opposite way.But God did not give up on Him,and even after the fish experience,he was still Mr Grumpy,one commentator,writes that where the fish vomited him up ,he had to walk 900miles,to Nineveh,and I imagine that
during his walk,he would have been stewing on the fact that he doing  that
which he really did not want to do it,yet he did it ,but not with a good heart.
       An so to Nineveh,,he did his job,which resulted in every preachers dream,the people repented,and God responsed by showing mercy.Jonah of course was not happy with this,he wants to die,he just could not come to terms with God and His ways ,in showing mercy,to that wicked city.Yet God never gave up on him,I would have,but God loved this prophet,as He loves you and me,and it is truly amazing that, he never gives up on us.
                                             A prayer.
Dear God we confess that there is a Jonah in all of us,we thank You that in spite of this You never gave up on us ,thank you in Jesus name Amen.

Three things about God.[ Isaiah 40 v 13-17]

Robert Fyall in his book on ,/ The message of Ezra and Haggai/,wrote the following three things about God.
                             God never abandons His purpose.
                              God never gives up on His people
                             God gives light for the guidance of His people.
Let us consider the first point,God never abandons His purpose,as we read the history of Gods people,a people that continually fail to Follow God.In some way God is amazed at this.[CP.  Jeremiah2 v 9-13].Yet God never abandoned His purpose for them,to the Israelites in captivity,he declared,/I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you....For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,saith the Lord,thoughts of peace,and not of evil,to give you an expected end.  [Jeremiah 29 v10-11]
                                                  A  prayer.
  Dear God whatever difficulties I am facing,I know Your purpose for me will be fulfilled in Jesus name we pray this. Amen.

Trouble. [ Psalm 121]

A friend in reference to something I told him,replied, How soon we are brought into trouble. Now I do not want to instill fear into anyone,but it is true ,sometimes the trouble is of our own making,sometime its not. The reality is this ,trouble of various kind can upon us when we least expect it,and often we  are unprepared for it.Think upon poor old Job,everything was wonderful,when in a very short time,he had lost all,children all 10 of them.His wealth and health also was taken from him,this was followed by his wife telling to curse God and die.Then his friends turned up,and they didn't help,for they sought to load him with guilt,his sin had brought it about.Thankfully what ever trouble we may experience , hopefully will not
be a Job experience.
     Listen, if at this time trouble has come upon you suddenly,please don't panic,ask others to pray for you.Then you pray,and  read Gods word ,seek to discern his will for you in this situation.For nothing comes into our lives
by chance.Your loving Heavenly Father is watching over you,He can if He chooses  deliver you,trust Him,be still and know that He is God.
                                    A prayer.
Dear Lord we are in Your hands,be merciful to us,in our time of trouble,and grant deliverance In Jesus name Amen .

Come. [Matthew 14v23-33]

O man of little faith,why did you doubt?[Matthew 14v26-31] ,these words where spoken to Peter sometimes known as the big  fisherman.Now as to how big physically he was, I do not know,but no doubt he had a big personality.He was a very spontaneous person ,not always the most spiritual
He See's Jesus walking on the water,he and the disciples were not sure who it was.Lets face it, it is not a thing anyone can do,so they  cried out in fear,
thinking all sorts of things.It was then they hear the words,be of good cheer
it is I ,be not afraid,it was their Saviour. Are you afraid at the moment?
listen to what Jesus is saying,be not afraid,now the circumstances  was, the
disciples were in a storm.Again I ask the question,are you in a storm?,Jesus had not forsaken them,He was there with them,and He spoke to them,it is I be not afraid.Are you listening or are you letting your fear of the storm,
take over?,we have a choice,listen to the storm or listen to Jesus.
   Now returning to Peter,he responses, Lord if it is You,bid me come to you on the water,and Jesus simply said, come.and Peter did just that.Everything
was going so well,and then he started listening to the storm,and his faith shrunk,to a man of little faith,and he began to sink.The good news ,Jesus did not let him drown,no He saved him ,come to Jesus with much faith come to Jesus with little faith,in Grace He will not let you as it where drown,in your sin  or your sea of troubles.
                                             A prayer.
Dear Lord we simple come to You in all our weakness ,in all our need,have mercy upon us, Amen.