Are you born again?. [ John 3 v 16 ]

Becoming a Christians and being a Christian involves the Holy Spirit,when we trust Jesus as our Saviour,we are born again by the Spirit of God.The words of our Saviour make it clear in John 3,that we must be born again,this is not an experience ,that we attribute to religious fanatics,for those non conformist,Pentecostals, no it applies to all men everywhere,for high church,or low church,and those of no church.It is for all ,red ,yellow,black and white,it is for royalty, rich, poor, children.When Jesus said that we must be born again,he meant everyone,he meant you and me.Gods children are those who have been born again,by the Spirit of God,we are not connected to God ,other than by, a special relationship.That which is born of the flesh is flesh,but God is Spirit,and it means that there must be  a spiritual birth if we are to have a relationship with Him. Jesus said we cannot enter Gods kingdom,unless we are born again by Gods Spirit.In John 3,we have the key
to being born again, faith in Jesus,and in John 1v12-13we read,/But as many as received Him[Jesus] to them gave he power[authority,privilege,right] to
become the sons[children] of God,even to them that believe in his name.
Which were born,not of blood,nor of the will of the flesh,nor of the will of man,but of God./
                                       A  prayer.
Dear God open our eyes to what Jesus said,that we must be born again,
Amen.

Our God reigns [ Psalm 46 ]

It is very disturbing as one hears and reads of the Zika virus that is spreading,across the Americas,caused by people bitten by a certain mosquito.The consequences for pregnant women's unborn children,that they are born with brain defects is a very is very frightening prospect for many people.Recently we had the disease in Africa,which thankfully has been brought control ,then the spread of Aids,which has killed many people. Yes
there are so many dangers in life,disease,violence,accidents,earthquakes,and
so many other things.These things remind us that we live in a fallen world,
,nature is not a tamed beast,the scientific world promise much but death
will always stalk this world.In spite of the advances mankind  will never get back to paradise which we lost[Genesis 2-3].Proud scientist and their disciples want to burn at the stake those who dare to mention that God created this world,and the false religions rail against the Son of God.
Child of God ,fear not,why?, because, the Lord our God Almighty reigns
,yes He the sovereign God reigns,Hallelujah, [Revelation 19 v6].
                                        A  prayer.
Dear God whatever awful things we are hearing about,help us not to fear,whatever trials we are experiencing ,help us to trust in you,we  know
that whatever comes into our lives,our times are in your hands ,in Jesus name we ask this Amen.

It will be worth it all . [ 2 Corinthians 4 v17]

We come to last of the last of Beatitudes,/Blessed are you when people insult you,persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you/ This is
happening in so many places,it is not happening to me and maybe  not to
you.Who knows it may begin to happen,things can change,we may not be imprisoned,but we can be picked on at work,or by neighbours,or even our families.Remember Jesus said,/Think not that I am come to send peace on earth:I came not to send peace,but a sword[Matthew 10 v34].So why should
we put up with it, well, said Jesus,/because of  Me/.Our natural reaction to being picked on would be to respond in kind,the challenge is to respond in Christ like manner,CP, Matthew 5 v38ff]The Beatitude continues,/Rejoice and be glad,because great is your reward in heaven,for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who before you/.Persecution is not a new thing,but
it is important to hold unto the words,that it is not the end of the story,for our Saviour tells us that great will be our reward in heaven.Yes the cross now,but one day it will be a crown,and in the words of an old Hymn.
                             It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,
                             Lifes trials will seem so small,when we see Christ,
                             One  glimse of His dear face,
                             All sorrow will erase,so bravely run the race,
                             Till we see Christ.
                            

We can overcome [ John 16 v32-33 ]

Blessed are those who are persecuted,because of righteousness,for theirs is
the Kingdom of Heaven.[Matthew 5v10]Dr.M.L.Jones writes,/This is what is going to happen,because you are a Christian,says Christ/ Being righteous
is going to make you different,and of course we are different,in a world
obsessed with so many things,be it sex,money,pleasure,violence and idolatry,the Christian marches to the beat of another drum.Marching to that
drum beat means as far as the world see's ,you are out of step,you are the odd fellow.Daniel got into serious trouble for praying,Shadrach,Meshach and Abednego,got into serious trouble because they would not bow to a false god.Things have not changed,nor will they,in fact we are told,that everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
[2 Timothy 3 v12] ,Remember what our Saviour said,/In the world you will
have tribulation[John 16 v33]/,but then He goes onto say,/But take heart,I
have overcome the world/.It is W. Barclay who comments on these words,/
They were going to see that the world could do its worst to Jesus and still not defeat Him.They were going to see the world doing its worst when it crucified Him; they were going to see His invincibility when he rose again.
And He says;'' The victory which I will win can be your victory too.The world did its worst to Me,and I emerged victorious.Life can do its worst to you,and you too can emerge victorious.You too can possess the courage and the conquest of the cross./
                                 Jude 24-25
To Him who is able to keep  you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy.To the only God our Saviour be glory,majesty,power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord,before all ages,now and forevermore . Amen.
                                      
 

Are you hungry and thirsty?.[ Matthew 5 v6 ]

I saw on the net,a short article on the riches woman in the world,I wonder is she really satisfied?.I think of another women whom Jesus spoke to,the 
conversation took place at a well,Jesus asked her for a drink,and so the
conversation developed,she was surprised,at the fact that a Jew would talk to her.Jews were fussy whom they would speak to,but then Jesus was not
concerned with bigoted view points.Well Jesus said that if she asked him,
he would give her living water,this she did not understand,because she was
thinking of natural water.Then he said to her,everyone who drinks of the natural water,will never thirst again,but the water he would give would her would meet her deepest need,it would be like a spring of water,welling up to eternal life.[John 4 ]Which leads us on to another of the Beatitudes,/
/Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,for they shall be filled[Matthew 5 v6].Could it just be that Jesus is speaking to you who don't Him,and reminding us who do know him ,that only he can meet the deepest need of the human heart.
                                 I heard the voice of Jesus say,
                                 'Behold, I freely give
                                 the living water;thirsty one,
                                 stoop down and drink,and live,
                                 I came to Jesus, and I drank
                                 of that life-giving stream;
                                my thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
                                 and now I live in Him.
                                     [Words by Horatius  Bonar ]

Peacemaker. [ Romans 5 v1/ 14 v19]

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of  God[Matthew 5v9].I know a Christian who lived near noisy neighbours,one of the neighbours effected most by the noise,was becoming very annoyed,and was
threatening to do all sorts of things, to the noise maker,things were becoming very difficult.So the Christian phoned the police,told them what was happening the police came and spoke to the noisy person,and from that time on the noise level went down.The Christian who reported the noisy neighbour,told me he saw the situation was getting out of hand,so he sought to bring peace into the situation,which he did. The Christian should be a peace maker,in the community,and dare I say so, in the church also. In a world full of so much conflict,we need more peacemakers,and in a world that is at war with God, Dr. M.L.Jones, writes,/The peacemaker is ultimately concerned about the fact, that all men should be at peace with God. That may come to know Christ, for it is only then will they be at peace with God,and it is only then will they be called the children of God./
                                             A  prayer.
Dear God we would ask for two things,that you would help us who are your children,be peacemakers,and that we may see people coming to be at peace
with you,through Jesus. Amen.

Pure in heart. [ Galations v5 v16ff ]

Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God [Matthew 5 v 8]
It is Dr. M.L.Jones ,writes that this is undoubtedly one of the greatest,
utterances to be found where in the whole realm of scripture.The gospel of
Christ is concerned about the heart,what is the state of our hearts,that's what
God is asking. Vine writes,/The heart is used figuratively for the hidden springs of our personal life.The Bible describes human depravity as in the heart,because sin is a principle which has its seat in the centre of man's
inward life,and then defiles the whole circuit of his action[Matthew 15 v19-20]/When we surrender to Christ our sins are forgiven and we receive Gods Holy Spirit who enables us to break the sinful tendencies in our heart.So it is we exhorted to live by the Spirit,and if we do,we will not gratify the desires of our sinful nature[ Galations5 v16]. It was David who prayed ,
/Create in me a pure heart,O God,and renew a steadfast spirit within me[Psalm 51 v10].Like David I pray those words regularly,for I know how
easy it is for our sinful hearts ,to become dirty and defiled,captivated by
sinful passions.One day these sinful hearts ,will be changed,completely,
and we will see God.
                                      A  prayer.
Dear God create in us clean hearts,like unto yours  in Jesus name Amen .