The dark side. [ Isaiah 50 v 10 ]

It is David Atkinson who writes of the dark side of Gods providence-that some of our pains seem unbearable,some of the circumstances so unjust,
some of our questions stay without answers./ A local couple I know lost there sixteen year boy,a lovely Christian lad,another couple I know lost their only boy doing a paper round.Many Christians are been wiped out by
Islamic groups,and so we could gone on,these are the dark sides of Gods providence.
   I  feel that these things are not dealt with by many ministers,and in some ways these things are Gods mysterious ways,which we may this side of
eternity never fully understand.This little verse touches on this......
                               Not till the loom is silent
                                And the shuttles cease to fly,
                               Shall explain the reason why
                              The dark threads are so needful
                               In the weavers skillful hand-
                                  As the threads of gold and silver
                                In the pattern He has planned.
  D Atkinson writes of Naomi[ in the book of Ruth],who suffered s great deal, he writes , / Faith,we are to learn from Naomi,sometimes means a willingness to leave such questions in the mystery of God,in the confidence that in the brighter days he has shown Himself  trustworthy/.
                                       A  prayer.
Dear God grant us grace to trust You in the dark times in Jesus name Amen.
                  

Providence [ Romans 8 v28 ]

 I am thinking these days on the providence of God,and how important it is never to loose sight of it..David  Atkinson in his commentary on Ruth,says a number of helpful things,as to Gods providence. He contrasts the worlds view of things,whose eyes see only the flow and counter-flow of events and experience's,their minds can discern no pattern or meaning ,they have lost hold of,or never reached out to grasp,the hand of an unseen God who rules all,plans all, and whose purposes give meaning to history both on world and individual level.
    He continues,/Christians  have believed that God not only created the world so that we His creatures are dependent on Him for our exsistence,He also sustains and rules  His world, so that we are continuously dependent on Him for life and breath and everything.
    Now it is a wonderful truth,that as Christians we need to hold unto to,if we do we never feel that Jesus fails,but that He never, never fails.If we truly believe in Gods providence as revealed in scriptures,then we as  David
Atkinson says,we will believe that God cares, rules,and provides.
                                         A  prayer
Dear God we worship You,we rejoice in sovereign power ,in working all things according to Your will,and for the good of Your people, in Jesus name Amen

Blinded by the storm [1Peter 5 v7 ]

   At our home group we were discussing Mark 4 v35-41,it tells how Jesus and the disciples were in a storm.First consider ,that fact Jesus was with them in the storm.Let us remember that Jesus is with us in all the storms of life,we may feel that we are alone as things crowd  in upon us,but we are not,Jesus is with us,and that makes all the difference.
     Now this was not just a storm,it was a great storm,the boat was swamped
these men were seasoned fishermen,they had been in many a storm. We never get used to  storms,especially if they are great ones,no matter how experienced we are.
    Next we see that they were afraid,all the disciples,they thought they were going to perish, Fear is a common trait,we have imagined fears,there are irrational fears,there are real fears. If you are faced with a lion ,now one would be a afraid,if one was in a storm such as the disciples were in,that would be a real fear.
     Now we have said that Jesus was with them,but He was fast asleep,He
must have been very, very tired,in becoming a man,Jesus was tempted in all things just like us[but He never sinned],but having experienced life,He
 understands how we feel,so come to Him,He truly understands,what we are going through.
      Well they go to Jesus, wake Him up, and accuse Him of not caring,do
You not care that we are perishing?.Nothing could be further from the truth.
                                           A  prayer
Dear Lord have mercy upon us Your children,  help us not to blinded by the storms of life,to the fact that You are with us,and that You care for us Amen

The dream lives on.[1 John 3 v 1-3]

I read this in a book on the civil rights movement in America,
                  The dream lives on.
                  There's so many things,
                   That have changed.
                   And so many things,
                    That's still the same.
I am assured in Gods word that Jesus loves me unconditionally,but it has been said,that He loves us to much to leave us as we are.We often sing /Jesus You are changing me,by Your Spirit You're making me like You./ In some ways it takes ones breath away,that God has that aim for all of His children,which includes you and I.[ 2 Corinthians 3 v18/ 1 John 3 v2/
     Does that dream live on in our hearts?do we not long to be like Him?,or have we lost the vision, lost the desire?
   Consider the first part  of that saying,/There are so many things that have changed/,as a Christian of many years,I praise God, for the change God has made me in my life,I no longer habitually use bad language,my mind is no longer habitually thinking dirty thoughts,my temper is not as severe as it once was,for this I praise God.
      Consider the second part of that saying,/And so many things,that's still the same/,Yes there is still much that needs to change,I truly am a work in progress.Yes at times I despair at my imperfections,but I have not lost the dream,that He will perfect that which concerneth me.
                                            A  prayer.
Dear God we all are but sinners,but by Your grace we are forgiven,and
accepted through Jesus. We ask that by Your grace You will perfect that which concerneth us,in Jesus name Amen .
    

A walk of faith. [ Hebrews 11 v 8]

I use a sat-nav in my car,recently when I was driving and using it,the picture
disappeared and all I could hear was the voice giving directions.This reminded me of the Christian, that on our journey to Glory,we are guided,by  Gods word, Psalm 119 v105 reads,/Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,and a light unto my path/.We so often want to see,the whole picture,the reason for things happen,but instead of seeing we are instructed to listen, to what God has to say ,take comfort,from what we hear,to be guided in what we do.The scripture declares if today you hear his voice [Psalm 95v 7-8],
harden not your heart.
  The Bible is full of people who were not prepared to listen,hardened their hearts,and  suffered as a consequence.Likewise we have people who neglect
 to listen as to what God has to say,they are to busy,or they just don't do it,so they rush on. I am sure we have all said, I wish I had listened,yes there
are many ,who seeing the mess they have got into,are saying those words.
    We are not going to see the whole picture ,but as we listen for the voice of God,we will be guided a step at a time,it is called a walk of faith.
                                               A  prayer.
Dear God and Father help us to listen to Your voice,granted unto us discernment,and obedience,in Jesus name  Amen.

Remember.[ Hebrews 11v 36-38]

I attend a little  group once a month where we pray for persecuted Christians,at Christmas and Easter we send cards to such.I had in my car 8 such cards,and was going to post them,in the car I was carrying a passenger,and I told them what the cards were for,and he was surprised,he
did not realise that each of these cards were going to 8 people in prison in
  Iran. Our group sent of 84 such cards,they are but a drop in the bucket,and represent a vast number of Christians through out the world who are suffering for following Christ.
   We must not be surprised at this,Jesus told us no less, in the world you shall have tribulation John 16 v33,He told us to take up our cross,and follow Him.The cross,was an instrument of suffering,for those dear Christians who
are experiencing imprisonment, beatings,rape,death,they are walking the way,of that cross.
     I leave the words of Hebrews 13 v 3 with you,/Remember those in prison
,as if you were there yourself. Remember also those ,being mistreated,as if you felt their pain in your body./
                                                 A  prayer
Dear God have mercy upon the many of Your dear  children,who are suffering,for their Saviour Your Son, Amen.

The bigger biblical picture [ Job 2 v 10]

Sometimes when one is driving the road signs are obscured by whatever,when Toad mole where lost in the dark wood,and heavy snow was falling,they as it were by accident discovered the home of Badger,which had been obscured by the snow.[From Wind and the Willows]. I thought of this as I looked at a framed  plaque I have,which reads ,/ Jesus never fails /,sitting in front of it was an object, which obscured the words never,so it read ,Jesus fails. When my first wife died,her father was sitting in my living room,and he pointed to that plaque,as if to say,Jesus fails.The loss of his daughter was an obstacle,it blotted out the true meaning of those words,
to him Jesus had failed
   Consider, that if we have a mind set ,that being a Christian,will mean,we will never have poverty,pain,bereavement,then it will be easy to say Jesus
fails.The  Bible is a very honest book,it tell us ,how godly people lost all they had[ Job 1-2],it tells of a man who was imprisoned ,for something he did not do,that same man was hated by his brothers[Genesis39].The great apostle Paul,suffered the most terrible of things,from others,plus an incurable affliction.[1 Corinthians 11v23-12v7-9]
     In spite of all that they suffered they did not think that Jesus had failed,
so it is what ever you and I suffer,it does not mean that Jesus has failed.We
must hold unto the truth that God will never cause His children needless pain,even though it may be severe.
     There are many reason why we suffer, it is then we  must trust in a
God and Saviour who loves us.
                                  A prayer
Dear God many ,many times we have failed You, but we know that You have never failed us,nor ever will,help us to see the bigger  biblical picture,
in Jesus name Amen.
   [ I will return to my Blog in a couple of days,every blessing ]