He must take the highest station. [ 1 Corinthians 3 v 1 - 9]

Johns gospel is different than the other gospels,the miracles are seen as signs,yes they where miracles,demonstrations of Gods power.According to
Bruce Milne while John used the word sign,the writers of the other gospels
use  a different word with one exception,one the word they used was dynameis,meaning an act of power.So let us consider the turning of water into wine,in John 2 v1-11.Jesus is at a wedding,yes He was sociable,while there, they ran out of wine,this did not happen by chance,for it would be an opportunity for His glory to be seen. For the Christian the unexpected is not by chance,and can be for us likewise an opportunity to glorify our Lord. Wedding celebrations could last up to a week,it must have cost a lot ,and for whatever reason they ran out of wine.It is then we have Mary intervening,by going to Jesus with the problem,am I wrong in thinking that we have no other recorded incidences,of Mary speaking[other than at the time of  Jesus birth] it is so sad when it seems in some circles Mary is elevated to be none other than a goddess.While we should honour her,we must see Mary as a lovely believer. As B.Milne,writes,/ Mary approached Jesus as his mother,
is reproached .....she responds as a believer,and her faith is honoured/.
                                     A   prayer.
Dear help us to see that all times your Son Jesus will take the highest station
Amen.

It is not a do it yourself job. [Philippians 3 v 1-10 ]

All Israel have a portion in the world to come,as it is said,Your  people are
all righteous,they shall inherit the land,they are the shoot that I planted. My own handiwork, in which I glory[Isaiah 60v2]. Such reads the Jewish
authorised daily prayer book, now contrast this with what we read in John 1 v13, which clarifies how one is classed as a child of God,/Children born not
of  natural descent,nor of human decision or a husband's will,but born of God./ We see how the latter flies in the face of what the Jewish prayer book says,it rules out natural descent.Recently  I spoke to a young man who I know how to pray,as the conversation went on ,it appears that's to him that this is what most important,but its not.Many people when they think of England as  a Christian country,but living here I know its not. When a person says that they are C of E,or RC, or whatever, it can be  meaningless . John in his statement is seeking to clear a way the dead wood,and  help us to see what is vital to our spiritual well being.That we are not resting on a false hope,that would be folly and disastrous,the new birth is the work God,
which comes about,when we seek forgiveness for our sins ,and believe in the Lord Jesus as our Saviour.
                                   A    prayer.
Dear God, open the eyes of men and women to what it really means to be a child of God, in Jesus name we ask this Amen.

Becoming His child. [John 1 v 12-14]

We have considered the worlds ,and Israels treatment of  Christ,that of indifference,to brutal antagonism,which culminated on His death on a cross.
Yet says John,to those who receive him,to those who believe in his name,
he gives the right to become children of God[ John 1 v12 ]The situation is
sad ,when we consider the millions who to this day,fail to recognise,or accept Christ, yet there are those who do by the grace of God,believe in Him. Bruce Milne writes that/ John's purpose in writing his gospel is evangelistic,he writes to produce decisive commitment to Christ./ Yes things have not changed ,the vast number of people in this world,remain indifferent to the claims of ,and often antagonistic,In spite of this we are to be faithful witnesses to Christ,note what John writes it is only those who accept Christ ,become children of God.If a person has not accepted Christ they are not a child of God,that may be hard to accept,but it is true. Yes God is our creator,but that does not mean that He is our Father that only comes about as John tells us, when one accepts Christ.
                                          A  prayer.
Dear God we thank you that we when we accept Christ,we can look up and call you Father. Amen.

Israel [John 1 v 10]

John has stated that the world did not recognise their creator ,Jesus,but then he goes on to say,/He came to that which was his own,but his own did not receive him[ John 1 v10]. In Luke 12 v48,we read,/From everyone who has
been given much,much will be demanded,and from the one who has been entrusted with much,much more  will be required/.In Romans 3 v2,we read
of the great advantage the Jews had,/that they had been entrusted with the very words of God./The witness of the prophets was part of their history,the Torah was a vital witness to them,every Sabbath it would be read and
expounded in their synagogues.To them Gods word was everything ,they
diligently searched the scriptures,this is to be commended,do we?,but Jesus
points out that the scriptures in themselves do not save,For the scriptures are a revelation about Jesus,they testify about Him[ John 5 v39] Bible reading,praying,church attendance does not save,only childlike faith in Jesus,saves .The result was the Jews did not accept the one the Bible spoke of,and refused to come to Him[John 5 v40],and so it continues to this day.
                                       A   prayer.
Dear God have mercy upon Christ rejecting Israel in Jesus the Messiahs name.Amen.

The great Creator. [Revelation 3 v20]

In John 1 v 10 we read,/He [Jesus] was in the world,and though the world was made through Him,the world did not recognise Him. The first thing to grasp is the clear statement of Jesus as creator,in Genesis 1 v1 we read ,/In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth/,how did He do it?,by speaking,v3 And God said. and so the word ,God the Son,went forth and made all things. Yet in spite of this,the world then and now fail to recognise and accept,their maker. Humanity fails to acknowledge Him,for many hundreds of years Rome persecuted His followers,likewise the nations in the 20th century,remember those who persecute Christians, persecute Christ
[Acts 9 v5 ].Studdert-Kennedy wrote a poem called indifference, stressing
the fact that if Christ came again today,would it be different?
    /When Jesus came to Birmingham they simply passed Him by,
     Then never hurt a hair of Him,they only let Him die,
     For men had grown more tender,and they would not give Him pain,
     They only just passed down the street,and left Him in the rain/
The claims of Jesus still go unheeded,so few never give Christ a first thought,never mind a second.Yet Christ still knocks at peoples hearts door,saying ,can I  come in?can I come in?.
                                             A  prayer.
 Dear God we thank you for sending Jesus,who continues to seek an entrance into peoples lives,Amen

What about the?. [ Matthew 25 v14- 30 ]

As I sat down for my breakfast,I heard a voice saying what about those who have no food?.As  I drank a class of clean water ,I heard a voice say what
about those who have only polluted water to drink?. As I looked at my wardrobe ,I heard a voice say,what about those who are nearly naked?.As I looked at my rows of shoes,I heard a voice saying what those who walk
barefoot?.As I looked at my nice home,I heard a voice say what about the homeless?.As I considered the freedom I enjoy I heard a voice saying,what about the oppressed?. As I thanked God for my salvation, I heard a voice say,what about the lost?.
                                           A prayer.
Dear God guide us by your Spirit as to how we can help those in need
by our giving and caring,in Jesus Name Amen.

A kingdom that will never end. [ Daniel 2 v 44 ]

It was written of Lenin, that it was by sheer force of will.that he drove his followers to the October  Revolution,sometimes one individual does change the course of history.[S.B. Montefiore].The result says the same writer was
the first Marxist government,a government initially led by Lenin,and then Stalin,it was especially Stalin and his followers,that sacrificed millions of
lives at the pitiless altar,of their Utopian ideology.He goes on to write,the
October revolution was more farce than glory. Tragically the real revolution
pitiless,and bloody,started the moment the comedy ended. These words
spell out a very chilling tale,that was all so true,and so very sad.Now let me tell you of another man who through the weakness,of His death, on a cross
changed this worlds history,and is still doing it.His name is Jesus,those who where and are his followers,experienced  a change that profoundly changed their lives,yes He pulled the idolatrous gods, idols down and set people free,over 2000 years has passed since He died that sacrificial death, the change He continues making is glorious,and will continue ,until the end of time. Yes there will be and end,when Jesus will return, to gather His own ,and to judge those who have rejected Him,and set up a kingdom that will never end.
                                      A  prayer.
Dear God may thy kingdom come,we pray that millions and millions of
people be gathered into that kingdom that will have no end in Jesus name Amen .