I would trust you with my life. [ Acts 4 v12 ]

My wife works in a residential home as a support clinical worker,it is  a very  responsible position,peoples lives depend on her,and of course on other  worker.Recently a senior worker said to my wife, I would trust you
with my life. What a challenging thing to be told, yet consider how many
people we trust with our lives,surgeons,train drivers,air plane pilots.When one thinks about it there are a lot of people we trust with our lives,a bit scary isn't it.
  Here is something you may never have thought of,there is only one person
you can trust to save you,only one,His name is Jesus. Now consider how many people are trusting others to save them and take them to heaven,and indeed how many people are trusting in themselves to save themselves.
    Consider how serious all this is,when your life's gone its gone,but gone where,it is not the end,indeed it is just the beginning.there we meet two extremes,heaven ,hell.Recently a person asked me a question regards heaven whats it like?,people never ask you about hell,whats it like?.Well what can one say about heaven,well we believe it will be indescribably
wonderful. The other is real ,and is indescribably awful, no one in their right mind would want to go there.
    The consequences of whom we are trusting to save us ,is is not negotiable,because Jesus is Gods answer,we can with confidence,say to Him, I can trust You with my souls salvation.
                                   A prayer.
 Dear God we thank You for Jesus Your son the one we can trust to save our souls. Amen

Conformed to the image. [ Romans 8 v29 ]

In the book of Revelation 3v8, the risen Lord Jesus speaks to the church at Philadelphia the following,I know thy works.J B. Ramsey these words as referring to their character,their motives, and the lives.When we thing of people we often speak as to Character,we say he is a shady character,Judas who betrayed Jesus was a thief,we may say ,so and so is a weak character.
  If Jesus was to speak about you or I what would He say, as to our character ?.What is He looking for?,and what should we be aiming at?,a holiness of life,a life that is different,and separate, what do you think that means for you?,seperated from ungodliness,and unto righteousness,that's a challenge,for all of us. To reflect to some degree a likeness of Christ ,a life of love,kindness,a life of hope,not despair,a life of service.
    One day a little lad spoke to a missionary and said, are you Jesus?,now of course he made it clear that he wasn't. We read in Romans 8 v29,/for whom he did foreknow,he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image  of his Son./ The little chorus goes,/Be like Jesus this my song in the home and in the throng,be like Jesus all day long I would be like Jesus/
                                            A  prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father,help us to be conformed to the image of Your dear son Jesus Amen.

I love those words. [ Isaiah 40 29-31]

Pray ,pray,pray,this is vital,for our well being,there are so many things we need to pray about,let prayer be our first port of call. See prayer not as prison sentence, but as a privilege,not just for the few,but for all of us.My son Brian is in prayer ministry,we all can be in a prayer ministry,you do not
need any qualifications,just a willingness to pray to God ,who delights to meet with His children.Problems will be resolved,needs will be met,plus the fact as you wait upon God ,He will renew your strength ,I love those words in Isaiah 40v 29-31 ,here they are,
                         He giveth power to the faint
                         and to them that hath no strength
                          He increaseth strength.
                         Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
                          And the young men shall utterly fail.
                          But they that wait upon the Lord
                           shall renew their strength;
                           they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
                           they shall run ,and not be weary;
                           and they shall walk,and not faint.
                                   A prayer.
Dear God let us not be overwhelmed by the thought of praying, grant us
,that we may grow in our relationship with You as we pray ,in Jesus name Amen.
                         

Misunderstood. [1 Peter 2 v 21-23 ]

It is so easy to be misunderstood you do some action with the best of motives,and people twist the things you say.Yet you know  what you did or said was not meant to harm or hurt. It is hard to cope with, but the fact is it does happen,consider the scriptures and the many who suffered at the hands of people who put the worst possible interpretation on others actions,and words.Think of dear Jeremiah how he suffered,Joseph who was hated by his brothers. Consider how much our Lord was misunderstood,his words,and actions brought upon him the wrath of so many,which ended by Him being nailed to a cross.We want everybody to think well of us,but people being what they are, this will not be always possible. Consider the
following,/ There's trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others,saying what flatters them,doing what indulges them.Popularity
contests are not truth contests look how many scoundrel preachers were
approved by your ancestors,your task is to be true,not popular./ [TM]
So let us commit all things to God who knows our motives,who will
always judge our actions and words in a right manner.
                                        A  prayer.
Dear God forgive us when our words and actions are not as they should be,
and help us to rise above all criticism ,when our actions and words are
misunderstood in Jesus name Amen

                                             

The door is open [Revelation 3 v [John 11v 40]

Something simple like opening and shutting a door reminded me of a spiritual truth,I  [ Jesus] have set before thee,an open door,and no man can shutteth[Revelation 3 v8]What challenges lie before you?,you believe God
wants you to move forward,then move forward and trust in His word.You cry out to God I cannot go forward and God replies,you can my child, I have set an open door before you,and no person can shut that door,even the Devil himself cannot shut it.Why do you hesitate?, fear, unbelief,remember I honour faith ,remember how a generation in the wilderness ,lost the blessing ,the promised land lay before them.God was saying go,but they were saying no.How often they must have looked back with regret ,and wished they had gone through that open door. But you say I am weak,I
 cannot venture forth,do you not think God knows this,He knows everything there is to know about you. Your weakness is not the problem,the problem is you,God has spoken,He says I know that you have not much strength.
It will always be so,you will always be weak,but  through His strength,
you will overcome gaints.And the biggest gaints you will need to face, are within you. Said I not unto you,that if thou wouldest believe,thou shouldest
see the glory of God.
                                          A  prayer.
 Dear God give us grace to follow where you lead in Jesus name Amen.

Spiritual matters,matter. [ 2 Peter 5 v 6 ]

Joyce Baldwin writes,/ Our twentieth-century generations are especially
prone to ask for quick results,whereas in spiritual matters long growth is
called for./ Beware of those who come with instant answers,in relation to the growth of a soul,and beware of those who promise a troubled free life.
  It takes often years to have a nice garden,and it takes a lifetime of care,
weeding ,cutting the grass,pruning,like so many things it is ongoing. Such is the Christian life,it is ongoing,and we who have been on the way,for a long time,know  the importance of persevering ,in our daily walk with Christ.
    I have two rose bushes ,they continually need watched over,the dreaded black spot needs eradicated, also they need pruning.God is like a gardener
He is continually working in our lives,watching over us,seeking to eradicate
the wrongful tendencies,the bad habits,the wrong attitudes.The question we
often ask is why?,why am I experiencing the difficulties in my marriage  with my children?.There are a lot of things that we would rather not have in our lives,yet in Gods sovereignty,he allows unpleasant,painful things in,they are Gods teacher's. I thought I had finished with school 56years ago,but not so, the great teacher God the Holy Spirit is using all sorts of things and
experiences to  educate us,not with an head knowledge, but a transforming knowledge.
                                             A  prayer.
Dear God have Your own perfect way and will in our lives,that we may be transformed into the image of Your dear Son Jesus. Amen

Medicine a monster [ Matthew 10 v28 ]

I read this recently, Medicine is a monster-it will take everything you have and still want more.  In this country we have a wonderful health service,
 the whole population can be served by it,irrespective of cost. As a senior
citizen I receive free medication,I thank God for it,it is paid for out of taxes.
It does appear a bit of a monster one can imagine the cost of running it,and the demands on the staff.
    I  read of places in the world were there is such a need,and the few who are trying to meet that need,with limited resources.meeting the need can
become all consuming,and it is the same all over the world. While I
appreciate the medical needs of people everywhere ,people have other needs
spiritual needs.As one person puts it,/ It is also possible for Christians to be consumed with the pressure of caring for sick and injured bodies and have little left for the spirit of the sick/
     Whatever ones physical requirements mans greatest need is Christ,that
will never change,our body will one day die,but that is not the end.A lady
I know, spoke how her neighbour came to her one day,and said she was afraid of death.The only sure hope of not fearing death is by knowing Jesus
as ones Saviour,that is one need no doctor can provide.
                                         A  prayer.
Dear God we thank for the help we receive for medical fraternity,but we
pray that people will look  beyond their physical needs to their spiritual needs,which can only be met in Jesus. Amen