The book of Hebrews is a wonderful book that exalts our Saviour over all things in heaven and upon earth,reminding us that the servant is the Saviour
and Divine.The people to whom the book is written were struggling spiritually.And so throughout this epistle we have encouragements but
also warnings as regards turning back,they are reminded what happened to the Israelites when they turned back, so the writer declares,/Today if you hear His voice do not harden your hearts.[3v8] ,the key word is today,God may have been speaking,way back then,but as M Wilcock writes ,/God is is speaking to you now,today,as really as He was then. You are as likely as your forefathers were to harden your hearts and to refuse to listen.It is entirely possible for God to be as disgusted with you as He was with them/
So today if we hear His voice let us not harden our hearts
A prayer.
Dear God forgive us our backsliding,our spiritual deafness,and our hard hearts,in Jesus name Amen.
Wednesday, 8 July 2015
Tuesday, 7 July 2015
Greatness. [Philippians 2 v5-11]
We where handing out leaflets at a local supermarket,encouraging people to
help those who are in need. One of the folk involved in this had brought a little child along,and she participated in the giving out of the leaflets.I noticed how people gladly took them of this little child,readily,more so that us grown ups.I am not sure why,but it was an interesting observation.A little
child says Isaiah [11 v 6]shall lead them.It was Jesus who called a little child, stood him in the midst and said, unless you change and become like little children,you will never enter the kingdom of heaven[ Matthew 18 v1-4].it is interesting that many people become Christians when they are children.the context in which Jesus said these words,came as a response to
a question by his disciples,/Who is the greatest in the kingdom heaven/,This was a question the disciples were concerned a number of times cp Mark 9 v34 /Luke 9v46./ The mother of James and John came to Jesus to ask that her sons should sit in the place of honour in heaven.I am not to concerned as
to where I sit or stand when I get to heaven,I will be so glad that I have got there. Jesus stresses the importance of humility, and serving others,even as a slave.Those who truly do this will be greatest in Gods Kingdom.
A prayer.
Dear God fill our lives with true humility,and grant unto us that we may all have a willingness to serve other in Jesus name Amen.
help those who are in need. One of the folk involved in this had brought a little child along,and she participated in the giving out of the leaflets.I noticed how people gladly took them of this little child,readily,more so that us grown ups.I am not sure why,but it was an interesting observation.A little
child says Isaiah [11 v 6]shall lead them.It was Jesus who called a little child, stood him in the midst and said, unless you change and become like little children,you will never enter the kingdom of heaven[ Matthew 18 v1-4].it is interesting that many people become Christians when they are children.the context in which Jesus said these words,came as a response to
a question by his disciples,/Who is the greatest in the kingdom heaven/,This was a question the disciples were concerned a number of times cp Mark 9 v34 /Luke 9v46./ The mother of James and John came to Jesus to ask that her sons should sit in the place of honour in heaven.I am not to concerned as
to where I sit or stand when I get to heaven,I will be so glad that I have got there. Jesus stresses the importance of humility, and serving others,even as a slave.Those who truly do this will be greatest in Gods Kingdom.
A prayer.
Dear God fill our lives with true humility,and grant unto us that we may all have a willingness to serve other in Jesus name Amen.
Monday, 6 July 2015
Change. [ Isaiah 41 v10]
Things can change so quickly in life,just recently the residential home that my wife works in ,is closing. She has worked in it for 13 years so suddenly, change has been thrust upon her,and of course on the both of us as
we consider the financial consequences. The first thing I did was to seek
a word from God which I received,reassuring us that God has not changed,
I was reminded again of the importance of trusting God,to not panic,that God is faithful,the word Ebenezer ,was given,which means,/hitherto hath the Lord helped us..I was also told to pray and to let my requests be made
known unto God. The result would be peace,and so it goes on,this walk
of faith,trusting our loving heavenly Father.As I was praying this morning
the words of a song I knew came to me,it goes like this.
All your anxiety's ,all your cares ,
Bring to the mercy seat ,leave them there,
Never a burden that He cant bear,
Never a friend like Jesus.
A prayer.
Dear loving heavenly Father,we bring all our cares to you,knowing that you care for us,all the time,so we leave with you all our needs,and ask that you will meet our needs in the name of Jesus Amen.
we consider the financial consequences. The first thing I did was to seek
a word from God which I received,reassuring us that God has not changed,
I was reminded again of the importance of trusting God,to not panic,that God is faithful,the word Ebenezer ,was given,which means,/hitherto hath the Lord helped us..I was also told to pray and to let my requests be made
known unto God. The result would be peace,and so it goes on,this walk
of faith,trusting our loving heavenly Father.As I was praying this morning
the words of a song I knew came to me,it goes like this.
All your anxiety's ,all your cares ,
Bring to the mercy seat ,leave them there,
Never a burden that He cant bear,
Never a friend like Jesus.
A prayer.
Dear loving heavenly Father,we bring all our cares to you,knowing that you care for us,all the time,so we leave with you all our needs,and ask that you will meet our needs in the name of Jesus Amen.
Sunday, 5 July 2015
All I have to do is follow. [ Psalm 23 ]
In Deuteronomy 32 v 12 we read ,/The Lord alone led them/,the old hymn
reads,/All the way my Saviour leads me,/it is important to grasp this reality.
As I consider my life I can see so clearly God leading me,not always at the time,but in retrospect,we can say an amen to those words,that God alone led them. Again the words of a hymn come to mind,My Lord knows the way through the wilderness,all I have to do is follow.All I have to do is follow
they are challenging words,for so often like Israel through out their entire history, we find it so difficult to follow. There are different reasons we
think we know best,but we don't,we lack faith ,forgetting that the Christian
life is a life of faith.We are just downright disobedient at times,and so God
has to discipline us,to bring us back into line. We learn many things when the Lord leads ,the importance of trust,in God our Father, who will always
lead us aright.Yes all I have to do is follow,consider the alternative,it bears not thinking about,consider the difficulties Israel got into ,by rejecting Gods.It will be the same for all of us,but it does not have to be,grant that it wont be.
A prayer.
Dear God we thank You, that You have promised to lead us all our lives
grant that we will rejoice in the knowledge that all we have to do is follow
grant us grace to do just that,in Jesus name Amen .
reads,/All the way my Saviour leads me,/it is important to grasp this reality.
As I consider my life I can see so clearly God leading me,not always at the time,but in retrospect,we can say an amen to those words,that God alone led them. Again the words of a hymn come to mind,My Lord knows the way through the wilderness,all I have to do is follow.All I have to do is follow
they are challenging words,for so often like Israel through out their entire history, we find it so difficult to follow. There are different reasons we
think we know best,but we don't,we lack faith ,forgetting that the Christian
life is a life of faith.We are just downright disobedient at times,and so God
has to discipline us,to bring us back into line. We learn many things when the Lord leads ,the importance of trust,in God our Father, who will always
lead us aright.Yes all I have to do is follow,consider the alternative,it bears not thinking about,consider the difficulties Israel got into ,by rejecting Gods.It will be the same for all of us,but it does not have to be,grant that it wont be.
A prayer.
Dear God we thank You, that You have promised to lead us all our lives
grant that we will rejoice in the knowledge that all we have to do is follow
grant us grace to do just that,in Jesus name Amen .
Saturday, 4 July 2015
Restore. [Romans 9 v 15- 16 ]
I have a photo in my home, of me and two of my brothers,one is deceased,
we are all very young in it.It reminds me of so much,of junior school,of the friends I had,of my two older brothers.One early in life joined the merchant navy,the other joined the army,I myself was a boy soldier.We all had part
time jobs before we left school,none of us did all that well at school,we left school without any qualifications.We all married and had children,we all made decisions for Christ,but we all turned away,yes I turned away. Yet God in His mercy restored me to himself ,that was just over 50 years ago.He forgave me and the more I think about it, the more I think about my brothers
and pray that God in His mercy would restore that remaining brother to Him
self, I have another brother who is not in that photo,he likewise had a salvation experience when he was young,but unfortunately he turned away
I pray also for him that he would return to Christ. Is there hope? only God knows,He declares I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy [ Romans 9 v 15]
A prayer
Dear God in Your mercy restore those who once walked with You,grant them another chance in Jesus name Amen.
we are all very young in it.It reminds me of so much,of junior school,of the friends I had,of my two older brothers.One early in life joined the merchant navy,the other joined the army,I myself was a boy soldier.We all had part
time jobs before we left school,none of us did all that well at school,we left school without any qualifications.We all married and had children,we all made decisions for Christ,but we all turned away,yes I turned away. Yet God in His mercy restored me to himself ,that was just over 50 years ago.He forgave me and the more I think about it, the more I think about my brothers
and pray that God in His mercy would restore that remaining brother to Him
self, I have another brother who is not in that photo,he likewise had a salvation experience when he was young,but unfortunately he turned away
I pray also for him that he would return to Christ. Is there hope? only God knows,He declares I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy [ Romans 9 v 15]
A prayer
Dear God in Your mercy restore those who once walked with You,grant them another chance in Jesus name Amen.
Friday, 3 July 2015
Be on your guard. [ Ephesians 6 v13- 18]
Shakespeare's Merchant says,' the Devil can cite scriptures for his purpose'.It is important to realise that there is a being called the Devil,who
will do all he can to undermine ,and pervert the scriptures.When he tempted Jesus [ Matthew 4],he quoted scripture [v6],but Jesus withstood him quoting scriptures ,correctly and effectively.The cults also can quote scripture,also
many people can, aided by the Devil ,Muslims believe in a prophet Jesus they do not accept that He died on the cross,for our sins. So they are enemies of the cross, enemies of Christ,and enemies of His Church.These
false teachers says W Barclay/,bear upon their consciences the very brand of Satan,they are marked as his property,as belonging to him./It is vital
that we do not give way to seducing spirits, [1 Timothy 4v1]we need more than ever to hold fast to the word of God,in a world that is captivated by Satan at his will[ 2 Timothy 2 v26]. Satan is called a liar by our Lord,and spoke of those who apposed Him as being children of the devil [ John 8 v44] Strong words but they are true the situation is serious,for the unsaved,
but also for us who are Christians, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood,but against principalities,against powers,against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wickedness in high places [Ephesians 6 v12]
A prayer.
Dear God help us to not be seduced ,by Satan,and his willing followers,
in Jesus name Amen.
will do all he can to undermine ,and pervert the scriptures.When he tempted Jesus [ Matthew 4],he quoted scripture [v6],but Jesus withstood him quoting scriptures ,correctly and effectively.The cults also can quote scripture,also
many people can, aided by the Devil ,Muslims believe in a prophet Jesus they do not accept that He died on the cross,for our sins. So they are enemies of the cross, enemies of Christ,and enemies of His Church.These
false teachers says W Barclay/,bear upon their consciences the very brand of Satan,they are marked as his property,as belonging to him./It is vital
that we do not give way to seducing spirits, [1 Timothy 4v1]we need more than ever to hold fast to the word of God,in a world that is captivated by Satan at his will[ 2 Timothy 2 v26]. Satan is called a liar by our Lord,and spoke of those who apposed Him as being children of the devil [ John 8 v44] Strong words but they are true the situation is serious,for the unsaved,
but also for us who are Christians, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood,but against principalities,against powers,against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wickedness in high places [Ephesians 6 v12]
A prayer.
Dear God help us to not be seduced ,by Satan,and his willing followers,
in Jesus name Amen.
Wednesday, 1 July 2015
Give . [Psalm 87 v11 ]
I am continually asking God for so many things,legitimate things,but as I read Psalm 87v 11, I read,/Give me an undivided heart/.Now that is something I have never asked God for,this is a request from King David.
Surely this man after Gods own heart would not need to pray that prayer,
but seemingly He did.There is a saying which goes,divide and conquer,it was Elijah the prophet who said to Israel, /How long will you waver between two opinions [1 Kings 18 v 21],If the Lord is God ,follow Him, but if Bale is God,follow him/. [ 1 Kings 18 v 21].James writes of a double minded Man, who is unstable in all he does . [James 1 v 8.] In Matthew 6 v42, our Lord speaks of a singleness of vision. Two folk I know,who
are employed to care for their employers home and property, live in a
home provided by their employer.They felt they should buy a property of their own,for when they retire,they spoke to their employer about it,he told
that it would be best if they did not buy that property,as it would distract them,from giving their full attention to what he is employing them to do. In other words he wants them to serve him with and undivided heart, they had to make that decision.
A prayer.
Dear Lord Jesus we acknowledge that often we do not love You,or serve
You with that singleness of vision or of heart,forgive us,and help us change
Amen
Surely this man after Gods own heart would not need to pray that prayer,
but seemingly He did.There is a saying which goes,divide and conquer,it was Elijah the prophet who said to Israel, /How long will you waver between two opinions [1 Kings 18 v 21],If the Lord is God ,follow Him, but if Bale is God,follow him/. [ 1 Kings 18 v 21].James writes of a double minded Man, who is unstable in all he does . [James 1 v 8.] In Matthew 6 v42, our Lord speaks of a singleness of vision. Two folk I know,who
are employed to care for their employers home and property, live in a
home provided by their employer.They felt they should buy a property of their own,for when they retire,they spoke to their employer about it,he told
that it would be best if they did not buy that property,as it would distract them,from giving their full attention to what he is employing them to do. In other words he wants them to serve him with and undivided heart, they had to make that decision.
A prayer.
Dear Lord Jesus we acknowledge that often we do not love You,or serve
You with that singleness of vision or of heart,forgive us,and help us change
Amen
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