A present help [Psalm 46 v1 ]

Psalm 119v83 reads,/Though I am  like a wineskin in the smoke,I do not forget your decrees/. Here the writer is describing his state ,how he felt,this has come about because he is under attack,as M . Wilcock writes,/he is still being molested by the arrogant,and still there are no grounds for their attack.He is saying,literally,Lord,I'm finished,he is at the end of his tether. A dried, cracked wineskin,past the end of its useful life/-that is what he
feels like.I found myself singing words I sort of remember,/I'm the weakest of your Children,how I need Thee,...Lord keep a hold,a hold on me/I can identify with the Psalmist ,at times,as I am sure you can.Consider a lady I
know ,her husband has Parkinson disease,her daughter has cancer,and she has now been diagnosed with cancer.It is often in the Psalms the writers bear their hearts,express their pain,are honest. While we are encouraged to
bear one an others burdens,we are also told to cast our burden upon the Lord and He will sustain us[ Psalm 55 v22]The wonderful thing is we can be honest with God,tell Him how we feel,and be assured that He fully understands,and will undertake .I leave the following words with you,/God
is our refuge and strength,an ever present help in trouble[Psalm 46 v1]
                                         A prayer.
Dear God we acknowledge our weakness,our fears,our difficulties, and ask that You would come to our aid in Jesus name Amen /

Helps [ Ephesians 4 v 7 - 16]

I continue to read through the Psalms, I have reached the longest  Psalm. 119,the writer is under attack.I have been using Michael Wilcocks book on the Psalms as a help in understanding the Psalms.I have found help it is
relativity brief but informative,don't fall into the trap that one should only read the bible,with out any aids,such  as godly men's writings. Of course we must rely on the Holy Spirit that goes without saying ,but Godly men have
been gifted by the Holy Spirit whither in their preaching,or writings to build
Gods people up spiritually.[ Ephesians 4 v7 -16 ]. I have been helped so much by the writings of men of God, I do not know a minster who has not used the writings of godly men,the great C.H.Spurgeon had a vast library. If you are not sure what books to purchase ask your ministers advice,or some godly preacher.If you are an aspiring preacher then over time build up a
a library,good commentaries,but also books that give an overall quick  view
,I have found my recent purchase of the series of the Bible speaks today
reasonably helpful,and are not expensive.Be discerning in what you read,ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth,we are told He will. [John 14 v26]
                                         A  prayer.
Dear God help us in our desire to know and understand Your word in Jesus name Amen.

Beware. [2 Samuel 11 v27 ]

I am a child of God,I am forgiven,have eternal  life,because Christ is my Saviour,and I rejoice in my personal relationship with God my Father.My
thoughts turn to a wonderful man of God, who also had a wonderful relationship with God. This man was called David,the Bible tells us that he was a man after Gods own heart.He wrote that wonderful 23rd Psalm, with its wonderful opening words,the Lord is my shepherd.The Lord wonderfully
protected him,provided for him,and promoted him to be king,from being a
nobody to being a somebody.The Lord blessed Him with wealth and power
he truly was blessed of God,now I did say,he was a man,and lust took over
and deceit took over,and murder took over,and spiritual blindness took over.
Did this man think that God would overlook what he had done,did he think that God was an indulgent father?.Did he think at all ,about a God who is
holy, that his relationship with God made him immune from Gods judgement?. He was soon jerked into reality,by a faithful prophet,and  the
word from God,/Thou art the man /,yes the man who committed those heinous sins,and God was not pleased. David paid a price for his sin,
because God is not an indulgent father ,let us learn from this,that even though we may like David,have been blessed,we cannot presume on Gods mercy.
                                       A  prayer.
Dear God help every day,and every moment of every day to walk worthy of our calling in Christ Jesus ,help us not to presume on Your mercy. Amen

The water feature. [ Hebrews 12 v1-2]

We have a water feature in our garden,it is a large silver ball sitting on a
container ,which has a pump,which pumps water up the centre of that silver ball.I noticed that there was not much water coming out of the opening at the top of the feature.I turned off the electric which powers the pump, I  then emptied  the water out which was full of sediment,cleared the pipe,put
together,filled the container with fresh water,turned the electric on,and it
functioned perfectly. The scriptures exhort us to be filled with the Holy
Spirit,[Ephesians 5 v18], this is to be a daily experience. The Christian
life can only be lived  by the power of Gods Spirit,we need to be reminded
of this truth.The challenges that face us,of being Holy,of witnessing of serving,of loving,cannot be achieved,other than by the Spirit of God. Like that little water feature in my garden our Christian walk can deteriorate,we
find that we are struggling because of the clutter we have accumulated.That little water feature needs the power of electric to work,but because of the clutter it could not.What is hindering our Christian life ,read the book of
Ephesians,take up the challenge ,confess your sins,and forsake them, and ask the Holy Spirit to fill you afresh.
                                             A  prayer.
Dear God forgive us for our carelessness,when let so many things in,and keep You out,help us,fill us with Your Spirit afresh in Jesus name Amen.

Gods word. [ Hebrews 4 v 12-13 ]

As I went to the bank recently, I noticed that the JW'S were  very active, I do not hate those people,but I do hate what they stand for,falsehood
, lies and distortion, as regards Gods word.  Am I just being being
stupid, surely is it not enough that they believe in a god?, and that  their teaching is at odds with what the Bible teaches.John 1 v 1-2,/ 20v28/
Hebrews 1 v2-12. now what do these and many other scriptures,teach
as to the person  Jesus .That Jesus is God the Son and that he is the creator of the universe .Now the JW's do not believe these scriptures,they also take
take exception to many other biblical truths. The reformation was based on Gods word,if we are to be saved then,we cannot ignore this,nor can we pick and choose what we find acceptable.A belief in a god is not enough,God has revealed Himself clearly in His word,who are we to ignore this,if we do ,it will be to our cost.Whats the point of a so called bible that has been tailored
to suit our likes,A bible like that, is a dangerous bible,and cannot help us
in finding or knowing God. Gods word is truth,when we tamper with it ,it becomes error.
                                   A  prayer.
Dear God we thank You for Your word,that makes us wise unto salvation
through Faith in Your Son Jesus. Amen.

At their wits end. [Psalm 107 ]

Psalm 107 deals with the Lords unfailing love,it commences by saying,Give thanks to the Lord,for He is good.It deals with the difficulties the children of Israel experienced,here are some things mentioned. The were hungry,
thirsty,experienced times of darkness,and deepest gloom,subject to bitter labour,afflicted.This blessed people experienced these things because they
walked contrary to Gods will,v27in NIV tells us,/They reeled and staggered like drunken men,they were at their wits end/.Of course we may be experiencing difficulties as many of Gods people do,not because we have done things wrong.But if we are suffering and at our wits end,we can do what the Israelites did,they cried to the Lord in their trouble,if we are walking in rebellion,then it must be a cry of repentance,if we like Job are experiencing trials not because of any wrong we have done,then we can also cry unto the Lord,who in His mercy will deliver,and save us in our distress.If you are at your wits end,here is a wonderful promise for you,/ Call upon Me in the day of trouble,I will deliver thee,and thou shalt glorify me[Psalm 50 v15]/
                                          A prayer
Dear God , You know why we experience troubles,,sometimes because of our rebelliousness or whatever,have mercy upon us and deliver us in Jesus name Amen

Mistakes [ Paslm 103 v 13-14 ]

My son John said he made a mistake at his  work,the fact is we all make mistakes, now of course that is obvious,and possible it does not help to hear this. It is important we do not punish ourselves ,as it were, to death, when
we make mistakes, we are also not to be hard on others who make mistakes there are different aspects in relation to making mistakes. We may be tired
we may be rash,hurried,we may forget,we may be careless,we may be ill informed.Not so long ago I was going to buy a car,I  did my best,in finding out all I could about the particular make I was going to purchase.I bought
the car,but I made a mistake of not having a drive in it before I bought it. When my son told me of the mistake he had made ,I said to him,lets pray
about it,so we prayed,we cant change the fact that he made a mistake,but we can look to God to overrule,as He has promised in Romans 8 v28,it may be
no good crying over spilt milk,but it is good to cry to God when we do.
                                            A   prayer. 
Dear God You know how fallible we are,we make mistakes,so we leave them with You,to overrule for our good,and all that means,in Jesus name Amen/
[I will return to my devotional Saturday the 18th,everyblessing ]