The Lord will provide .[John 3 v16]

It was Abraham who declared to his son, God will provide,[Genesis22v8 ],
the context in which this was said involved Abraham ,and his son Isaac.One of the greatest challenges Abraham was to face was  being commanded to
 offer his son him as a literal sacrifice.As he travelled to the place where he would do this,his son who was ignorant as regards what was really going to happen,asked a question,where is the lamb,for the burnt offering?.It is
then that Abraham,spoke those words,God will provide himself a lamb for
a burnt offering.
    Isaac was not sacrificed, and at the altar ,a ram was provided.God indeed had provided a lamb.That animal died in place of Isaac ,and in this we are taught the great truth of substitution,which clearly points to Him,who was called the Lamb of God[John 1 v29/36]. His death on Calvary was a substitutionary death,in other words He was dying for others.Philipp Bliss wrote,/Bearing shame and scoffing rude,in my place condemned He stood/.
     All mankind no matter who we are,are sinners by nature and practise,
let me stress the importance of this,for we are all inclined to underestimate this truth,and its terrible consequences.Hell is not something I or any other person has made up,it is clearly taught in Gods word, that  sinners will suffer as regards their sin,eternally .
      Through His death on the cross Christ has paid the price for our sin,so that we need not be punished,This will take place the moment we trust Him
as our own and personal saviour.
                                     A prayer.
Dear God we praise and thank You for Jesus Your son who died that we may be forgiven,and that we at last can go to heaven Amen .

Send the fire. [ James 5 v16]

I try to attend a prayer meeting each month,to pray for persecuted Christians,I am sure many people do not realise the extent of whats going on.  Last meeting we were told of a young lad of 13 who had petrol pored over him,and set on fire,and of course he died.A great percentage of persecution,is from Islam,the Barnabas aid agency makes this comment,
              /Even moderate Muslin's seem to accept the need
                for violence against infidels,apostates ,those who
               criticise Muhammad and perceived enemies of Islam./
That statement gives me great concern if it is true,and I have no doubt,that it probably is. All I can say in all my time I have prayed for many persecuted
 Christians living under political oppression,that is still going on,but Islam
gives me great concern.What can one do?, yes we can approach  our own
governments,the United Nation,the European  union, but it does not appear
to be making any difference. It appears that many Christians are in Gods sovereignty having to suffer,even martyrdom.
          So what can we do ?,we can look back in history, to the early church were many Christian suffered ,Paul was beheaded.Well getting back to my question , what can we do?,we can pray.On our last prayer meeting I was particularly touched by a young women's prayer,as she prayed, she wept'ed.
I could not understand what she was praying,but I did understand the tears,
as indeed does God, such prayers I believe accomplish much.
                                          A prayer.
Dear God deliver us from cold indifferent praying,send the fire Lord ,send the fire,in Jesus name Amen.
                                   

Requests. [ Psalm 23 v1]

Well the drain problem has been sorted out, of course I did pray, and I believe God answered.If you are facing difficulties, think on the following.
/Be careful for nothing ,but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,shall keep your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus[ Philippians4 v6-7 ]/
      Think on these words, that is the word of God for us today,and may the
Lord help us to put it into practice.
                                                 A  prayer.
 Dear we place all our needs,worries and difficulties into your hands,
  confident that You will answer our requests,in Jesus name Amen.

Small difficulties.[ Psalm 41 v1 ]

Last night as I walked into our kitchen I found myself treading water,one of the drain pipes was blocked.So I set to work and dried up the water ,but the problem that has caused it has to be sorted out.It is a problem but my mind
turned to the problems that many dear children are suffering,my problem
appears so  small and insignificant,compared what they are having to cope with.
      I pray for seven dear young Christians in Iran who are in prison for being Christians,now that's big,I think of so many who are suffering
blindness,which a simple operation could solve. Of children left with no one to care for them because their parents died of whatever,of children who are
taken into the sex trade. Keep our small difficulties in proportion,it is not that God will not help us in those difficulties,for even the very hairs on our
counted by Him.
    The blocked drain will be dealt with,but let us remember the many today
who are faced with major problems,that are not being dealt with,and let us pray,and if we can,let us help,in some way.
                                   A  prayer.
Dear God help us to keep our small difficulties in proportion,help us to see them as small reminders by You to think,pray,and help the many who are
suffering  in this world,in Jesus name Amen

Life is complicated [Psalm 124 ]

Life can be so complicated,with the world,think of all the political turmoil,
the  religious turmoil,within industry,society,relationships,and individual
lives.
 I have 5 sons who are all married,I have 13 grandchildren,inevitably one observes,or hears of things,that our complicated and it can be one thing after another,it can be all so complicated.The words of Psalm 124 come to mind,there David,reminds his people to consider there past difficulties,the enemies who would have destroyed them.What is David answer to there past difficulties?what is yours?,well David says ,/If it had been the Lord who was on our side,let Israel now say,If it had been the Lord who was on our side,when people rose up against us/
    So let us all say those words if it had been for the Lord, what is your
testimony?,how has the Lord undertaken for you?.What difficulties has He brought you through,look at your life ,he spared you in the womb,he delivered you safely at birth, He has brought you through so much,as He has me.The difficulties He has delivered you from,think of those difficulties
,if it had been the Lord intervening,.
   If  you are saved,then you have experienced the mercy of God through His son Jesus,you are not going to hell ,you are going to heaven.
    And so David reminds us that God is still a very present help in time of need,and he boldly declares,/Our help is from the Lord who made heaven and earthv8.
                                          A  prayer.
                        O God our help in ages past,
                        Our hope for years to come,
                        Be Thou our guard while life shall last,
                         And our eternal home.
                                  Amen.

I am also important. [ 1 John 3 v 1 ]

I am reading about Abraham, God chose him,promised him great things,we can think of the many other great people in the Bible,Moses,Joshua,Samuel,
David,and many other great people. They were great people,called to do great things,but what about you and I,is God just concerned with these great
people?,and the answer is no.
   We are equally important to God,you may ask ,well how is that so?because Jesus died for you,that's how important all Gods children are to Him,that is how precious you are to Him
     God had a purpose for the lives of those great people,so He has a purpose for your life and mine. Like them we are to live by faith,in the situation we are in,and the circumstances we have to face,and the path,and purpose God has chosen for us.
     Consider how this applies to us,what are our circumstances?where has God placed us,how are we coping?I Where in His sovereignty has He placed us,Joseph found himself in prison,many of Gods dear children are in prison.
Now where has He placed you and me?,Paul also found himself in a prison
yet it is obvious that in his imprisonments he learnt many lessons,are we
teachable?.Joyce G.Baldwin writes,/Faith requires testing if is to grow/,
next she writes,/Even more fundamentally,faith can be exercised only
when its focus is unseen/.In other words we must kept our eyes of faith on Him who is invisible,and in what He has promised us.The God of Abraham
is with us and He will fulfil what He has promised us,for He is no respecter of persons.[Acts 10 v34]
                                         A prayer.
Dear God and Father,thank You that You love all Your children equally
that You have a purpose for all our lives, help me to have faith in You and
Your purpose,and plan for my life,in Jesus name I ask this Amen .

I hate people [John 3 v16 / Exodus 22v 21]

A musician called Tom Lehrer said/ I know there are people who do not love their fellow man,and I hate people like that/ I suppose a lot of people do not really love their fellow men,there are people who love animals,more than humans,there are people who love their money more than there fellow
human beings,and so we could go on.
  At this time Italy is being inundated with people from Africa,many are fleeing from oppressive regine's,many our poor and our seeking a better life. We may frown at immigration,but it has always been so,English people have immigrated all over the world,like the Irish,the Italians and so many more.
I come from Northern Ireland,I now live in England,I had two uncles who
did likewise.
    We have a political party whose main emphases is on emigration,so do I hate my fellow man ,because they are  doing what millions have done before?,and in a sense what I have done.?
     It may seem obvious but God loves everyone,yes everyone, I am sure his heart goes out to those trying to escape from poverty,persecution,and a multitude of other reasons.
     I  suppose a lot people do not really love their fellow man,and I hate people like that.
                                  A  prayer.
Oh God of love help me to love everyone,as You do in Jesus name Amen.