He makes all the difference. [ 2 Corinthians 5 v17 ]

There used to be a TV program called ,/All our yesterdays/,it reminds me that many people love nostalgia related to the past.The Irish are full of it,one of my favourite  movies is the Quiet man,it is enjoyable,but in many ways false.The fact of the matter millions upon millions of Irish, north and south had to leave Ireland, because of the terrible poverty.So when I look back on my country history I do not look at it through rose tinted glasses.Of
course  ,I remember the terrible violence,which even now can erupt.But as I look on my life when I lived there,there is much I am grateful for,it is there I heard the gospel,from my childhood,and I am thankful that God in His sovereignty ,choose  the place of my birth.I am grateful that as child I
attended an evangelical church,where they had godly Sunday school teachers, and children's workers . Also as I grew up I heard many dear godly men preach Gods word,and God used their ministry to touch my heart.The past history of my country is far from perfect,likewise my own personal history,but God in His great mercy saved me,when Jesus became my Saviour,and its that reality that has made all the difference,in my life.
                              A  prayer.
Dear God thank you ,that when we come to know Jesus as our Saviour then in spite of our past,that makes all the difference,thank you ,in Jesus name Amen.

You may be confused.[ Isaiah 55 v 8-9 ]

In this week ,a lady I know who was suffering from cancer ,has been told that the treatment has been successful,I will share the background to this at a later date. Another lady I know who had cancer ,has died,both these ladies knew the Lord,one was spared the other was not.Sometimes when things happen we struggle,to cope ,both these ladies were godly ladies,but one was spared the other taken.As I prayed about these things,I admitted to being confused,and the Lord said to me,you may be confused,life is full of so many confusing things.When we read Gods word we see people who experienced tragedy's as well as triumphs.People of God who suffered injustices,betrayal,consider Job,the awful loss's he experienced,and then being told by his friends that he was to blame,which of course he wasn't. I could go on giving examples,but let me return to what the Lord said to me,about being confused,because we have to appreciate that we are not God
we are very limited human beings,unlike us God is not confused,He knows what He is doing.I love a good mystery ,Agatha Christie is one my favourite authors,but that's fiction,entertainment,but real life mysteries,can throw me,
like the ones I have mentioned.It is then I have to remind myself of the wonderful Biblical truth,that God is sovereign,that means He is in control,
that He has a plan for all our lives,even though it may involve severe loss, a dark valley experience.
                                           A prayer.
Dear God help us by your grace to cope with loss,or whatever trials we have to face,replace confusion with trust,pain with healing,and hope where there is despair,in Jesus name Amen.

Peace be still. [ Mark 4 v35-41]

The disciples where in a storm,the boat was filled with water,our Saviour
was so tired,that inspite of the storm,He was asleep.But the disciples ,they were wide awake,scared out of there lives,and puzzeled as to why the Master slept,when they where in so much danger.So they went to Him,and woke Him up ,and said,Master carest thou not that we perish?. Jesus arose and spoke to the storm,He said,/Peace, be still/,and the wind ceased,and there was a great calm.
                              Be still my soul,the Lord is on thy side;
                              Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
                              Leave to thy God to order and provide;
                              In every change He faithful will remain.
                              Be still,my soul,thy best,thy heavenly,Friend.
                              Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

                              Be still,my soul , Thou God doth undertake
                              To guide the future as He has the past.
                              Thy hope,thy confidence let nothing shake;
                              All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
                              Be still, my soul, the waves and winds still know
                              His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

                             Be still, my soul, the hour is hastening on,
                             When we shall be for ever with the Lord,
                             When disappointment,grief and fear are gone,
                             Sorrow forgot,loves purest joys restored.
                              Be still,my soul,when change and tears are past,
                              All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
                          [Words by:   K.A.D. Von Schlegel./b.1697/
                                                J.L. Borthwick /1813-97]

                             

It will be worth it. [ Matthew 25 v 34 ]

I wrote the following down recently,I do not remember who said it,,/I never said it would be easy,but I said it would be worth it/.Christ never pulled the wool over anybodies eyes,people who came to him stating that they wanted to follow him, where told ,that there was a cost. He himself in doing His Fathers will  paid a heavy price,after all just coming into this planet as a child meant, becoming poor,and it meant living always in the shadow of the cross.No it was not easy for him ,but he knew the importance of what he was doing,and he knew that it would be worth it[Hebrews 12v2]Every great sportsperson knows that there is a cost of involved in greatness,anyone who wants to accomplish whatever in life knows that there is a cost.Any successful marriage is accomplish at a cost,bringing up a child involves a
cost.Life by its very nature can be  difficult,so why should we think that being a follower of Christ will be any different.I continually read of dear Christians who are in prison,who have had their loved ones murdered,who have lost all earthly possessions.What does 2016 hold for us,who profess to
be followers of that man of Calvary,there are no guarantees,that it will be easy,but let me say this from the bottom of my heart,it will be worth it.
                        He who would valiant be,gainst all disaster,
                        Let him in constancy,follow the master.
                       There's no discouragement, shall make him once relent,
                       His first avowed intent ,to be a Pilgrim.
                             
                        Who so beset him round,with dismal stories,
                        Do but themselves confound,his strength the more is.
                        No foes shall stay his might,though he with giants fight.
                        He will make good his right,to be a pilgrim.

                        Since Lord,thou dost defend us with thy Spirit.
                        We know we at the end shall life inherit.
                        Let fancies flee away,I'll fear not what men say.
                       I'll labour night and day,to be a pilgrim.
                [Written by John Bunyan,who suffered imprisonment for
                  preaching the gospel]




                

The will of God [Romans 12 v1 -2 ]

As we go forward the challenge is the same for us as it was for our Saviour
to do the will of God.[ John 5v30].How do we see the will of God?,it involves what we do know ,it is not a mystery ,we are to be holy.In 1 Peter
1 v16,we read,/But just as he who called you is holy,so be holy in all that
you do,for it is written:Be holy, because I am holy/.Yes in all we do,in all we think,there are to be no dark corners in our lives,our actions,our words and out thoughts.This is our continual aim,for it is the will of God,for every believer,we need not scratch our heads as regards what is the will of God,it
is to be holy. Yet it also involved for our Saviour something He had do, leaving heaven,to die on a cross,in order that we may be saved.He let nothing stand in His way,nor must we,the immensity of what He was called to do was beyond anything we can imagine,but in words by John Stott,He
accepted it,not in feeble resignation,but with a glorious positive prayer.
when He prayed to His Father,/Your will be done/.[ Matthew 26 v42]On an individual level the will of God, can involve suffering,unexpected things, God given tasks that are difficult,being sacrificial,and so on.What is the will
of God, for you and me ,today?,are we going to reject it?,or are we going to embrace it,with a glorious positive prayer ?.
                                           A  prayer.
Dear God and Father help to walk in your will today,help us to embrace
your will,no matter what suit of clothes it comes in,in Jesus name Amen.

Take my hand, [ John 10 v28-29 ]

A little boy was with his father walking home,it was getting dark,and he was feeling a bit anxious.His father could sense how he was feeling,so he said, take my hand,and the moment he did that, he felt calm,and secure.There is an old song which goes,/Take my hand precious Lord lead on ,let me stand,I am tired ,I am weak,I am worn.Through the night ,through the day,lead me on, this I pray,precious Lord, take my hand lead me on./ So often we are like that little boy,anxious ,insecure,like the words of that song
we feel tired,weak and worn. Like that father ,but even more so, our loving heavenly Father knows fully how we feel,and so he speaks to us words of comfort,and says to us,as it where, take my hand,remember the words I spoke of old,that no one can pluck you,my dear child, out of my  hand[John
10 v28-29 ].Your hand is in mine,but it is my hand that is strong,it is my hand that protects,it is my hand that provides.My hand will never let you go,
though all the forces of hell come against you,they will not prevail.I know
how you feel ,your fears,your weakness's,your limitations ,none of these things are hidden from me,they are hidden from others,but not from me,I
see and know all things,none of these things,will cause me to love you less.
                                         A  prayer.
Dear loving heavenly Father,take my hand lead on,let me stand,in Jesus name I ask this Amen.

No time machine [ Matthew 6 v34 / Philippians 3 v13 ]

I have a friend who suffers from Parkinson disease,I usually call and take him out once a week.Coming out oh his home there are four steps,so I have to remind him to take one step at a time,he still tries to walk as he did ,
before he had Parkinson,and so he could easily fall.Well here we all are at the beginning of a new year,the days stretch out before us.and I believe we can be so easily discouraged.We may ask how are we going to make it through, this incoming year, and the answer is very simply,one day at a time or one step at a time.How much pain we cause ourselves by the possible  dire difficulties of tomorrow.None of us are time travellers, we cannot go back to yesterday,or go forward to tomorrow,there is no time machine,we will always be stuck in the present.As the gospel sung puts it,yesterdays gone and tomorrow may never be mine,so for my sake,help me to take, one day at a time.That means we should not live in the past,or in our
imagination live in the future.Let the failures, hurts,and wrongs,of the past be put in their proper place,which is not in the present.this also applies to
the future.Jim Reeves sings a song ,asking the question,/Where do I go from here?,it ends with the following,give me strength that I may find abiding faith and peace of mind,and I wont ask where do I go from here./
                                              A prayer.
Dear God and Father ,grant us by your grace,faith and peace of mind,that will enable us all to live one day at time,and to take one step at a time.We ask this in the name of Jesus Amen.