The Lord disciplines. [ Hebrews 12 v 5 - 11]

My wife woke me,she was unwell,so much so,I had to take her to hospital,
thankfully we are now home.Hopeful the diagnose was right,and the medication will do the trick. It was a bit strange,for it all happened on the
anniversary of my first wife's death.So I was reminded of the wife I lost and the wife I gained,and I thank God,for his goodness.On looking back I can trace the hand of God,the Lord taketh and Lord giveth,What other way can we look at things,as a Christian ,I trust one who loves me,and cares for me,
He would not harm a hair on my head,even though things do hurt me,people hurt me,and sometimes I even hurt myself. Don't get me wrong He is not an
indulgent father,oh no,he brings His children up,disciplining them,for
all  children need discipline.It is not nice to witness the behaviour of children,who are let do whatever,they want.I went to a school which used corporal punishment, I know things can go to far,but when it is carried out
in a fair balanced way,it does one no harm.So when our Loving heavenly
Father disciplines us,it is always fair,and for our good,what ever he
chooses ,as his instrument of punishment,it will always be for our good.Why do I say that?,because the Lord disciplines those He loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.[Hebrews 12 v 8]
                              
                                     Have thine own way Lord,
                                     have thine own way;
                                     Thou art the potter, I am the clay;
                                     mould me and make me after Thy will,
                                     while I am waiting,yielded and still.

                                      Have thine own way Lord,
                                      have thine own way.
                                      hold  o'er my being absolute sway;
                                      fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see,
                                      Christ only,always,living in me.
                                           [Words by  A. A. Pollard ]

What has God said.[ John 11 v 40]

We are all different,some see the glass half full while others see it as half empty.When the Israelites were at the the borders of the promised land,they listened to the report of the 12 people who had spied out the promised land.
Ten of them give a very negative report which effected the people,the other two spies spoke to the people,they had seen  what the ten had seen,but they had faith in God,that whatever the difficulties they would overcome them,for God had promised this land to them.If God has promised us something,then he will fulfil his word,no matter what the difficulties.Jesus
said to woman,who had lost a loved one,said I not unto thee,if thou wouldest believe,thou shouldest see the glory of God[John 11v40].We must
rise in faith above our natural feelings of negativity,and trust in the the living God.Here what Jesus is saying to your heart,and believe,don't be sucked in to unbelief and disobedience,by what others say.God gave me a
word recently to a woman who had months to live,she obeyed it,she is now recovering,if she had not she would now be dead.
                                           A  prayer.
Dear God have mercy,we confess that we are so easily influenced by others,and our own,weak hearts. Help us to believe the word you give us
and obey it,in Jesus name Amen.

We are not self sufficient. [Luke 12 v15-21]

In his book ,'Grace unknown,' R.C.Sproul,writes about Gods self sufficiency,he writes,' God alone is the ground of his own being,'whereas we are not self sufficient,in God we live,and move,and have our being[ Acts17v28].R.C.Sproul rightly points out that we depend on the power
of God's being for us to exist.Consider the life force within us,why should our hearts just keep on pumping blood,can anybody explain that life force?.
I can,in God we live and have our being,the moment He withdraws that life force we die,at least our bodies die,but there is that after death existence.
That's why we are foolish to ignore this truth,sad to say there are many such fools,we read about one in Luke 12,our Saviour told the story of  a man who
was blinded by prosperity.He was going to retire with his pocket of gold lie
down on the beach,enjoy the sun,eat drink and be merry.Thats what he said
to himself,but God said,you fool,this night your soul will be required of you,all the things you have accumulated will no longer be of any value to you.God goes on to point out that when a person leaves Him out of their life, then they end up in big trouble.I repeat ,in God we live and have our beings we are not self sufficient ones.In all this God has made provision
for us all,through Jesus his Son,when we trust him as our Saviour,then and then only,can we be secure ,and safe.
                                Jesus lover of my soul,
                                Let me to Thy bosom fly,
                                While the nearer waters roll,
                                While the tempest still is high:
                                Hide me,O my Saviour hide,
                                Till the storm of life is past,
                                Safe into the haven guide,
                                 O receive my soul at last.
                                      [Words by Charles Wesley]

lt does make a difference.[ Psalm 124 ]

Life can be filled with challenges,difficulties,things one would never choose
the young girl who has spoken about living with an alcoholic parent.I can think of many people who live with abusive others,for the want of a better term.Some are trapped,I remember a friend,who said in a note of despair,
of the  thought,of living the rest of her life with a husband who loved her but was very difficult to live with,plus there was no sexual relationship,
no intimacy. Yet many years later she is still with her husband,she is a
Christian,but because one is a Christian,does not make it any less easy.But it does make a difference,it may not seem so,if you are not a Christian,but in whatever situation ,being a Christian does make a difference. What  is the
difference?,well first of all there is faith in God, who we believe is in control,of all things that come into our lives,now of course that may raise
questions that one cannot understand,or explain. But it is the best and safest
answer,it is a declaration of faith in Jesus who loves us,so much that He died for us.If He loved us so much ,surely He is caring for us,and out the twisted wreckage of our life's experience,will work all things for our good.
                       
                             Since all that I meet,shall work for my good,
                             The bitter is sweet,the medicine is food.
                             Though painful at present,twill cease before long.
                             And then O how pleasant, the conquerors song.
                                             Amen

Whom shall I send?. [ Isaiah 6 ]

There is a saying in the army, never volunteer,there is also a saying,never say never.My mind turns to the book of Isaiah,chapter six,there we read of God asking a question,/Whom  shall I send?.And who will go for us/.God
wanted someone to volunteer,and of course Isaiah did,He replied,/Here am I,send me/.Why did God not just command Isaiah to go,like he did with Jonah,I suppose if God had asked ,whom shall I send?,who will go for us,there would have been a  stony silence from Jonah,and he would have been guided by those words never volunteer. But both prophets went ,one reluctantly,the  other willingly.Isaiah had the harder task,for he was sent to Gods people,one just has to read Israels history,to appreciate how difficult
was the task Isaiah faced. Whereas Jonah had a relatively easier task ,the gentile people of Nineveh for they  repented and turned to God.God is still asking the same question ,whom shall I send,and who will go for us?,how are we going to answer ?
                                              A  prayer.
Dear God send forth labourers,into a world that is perishing,in Jesus name Amen.

Addictions [Hebrews7 v25 ]

Ten surprising addictions ,read the headline,among them is shopping,to me there is nothing  surprising about that.Next we have sugar again I am not surprised ,next video games,again no surprise.Of course addictions like,tanning,lip balm,and a few others,[I have been found out]and so it goes on.Are you addicted to anything,am I ?, Im sure I must be,recently I have been drinking more coffee,but I put single cream in it,I wonder, am I becoming addicted to this drink?.One thing I do know that mankind are prone to a mulitude of addictions,the list is endless,some our harmless.But being addicted to violence,sex, and other such addictions,is not harmless.
they can destroy peoples lives. When you have an addiction then you are under its control,where it leads you must follow.The cry of your heart is
very simple,I want to be free,So let me say this, it is possible,more than
possible,for Jesus did not only forgive,but to set people free. There is an old hymn which goes,/Would you be free from your burden of sin?, there is power in the blood,power in the blood,Would you o'er evil a victory win?
There's wonderful power in the blood/.Whats is this, have to do with addiction?,everything,when we are cleansed from our sin,we also can be totally free,simply by confessing your addiction , asking Jesus to save you and to set you free,for He saves to the uttermost[Hebrews 7 v25]
                                           A prayer.
Dear God of people we ask for those who are addicted,set them free ,have mercy in Jesus name Amen.
.

Unbelief. [ Romans 1 v16- 20]

I wonder if you heard on the news of a man in Israel,who had raised people
from the dead,fed thousands of people with just a few  loaves and fishes,
healed the blind,deal,and many others of various illness's.Who had walked on water,turned water into wine,and so on,what would  we think?,would we dismiss it, as  something that was very dubious,and wonder how much money he was making from his activities.I read the following in a novel,/Its a great diplomatic achievement,Its a miracle,Frau Lorning corrected him,and like most miracles nobody believes in it/. Why did the religious leaders at the time of Christ not believe in Jesus,why didn't the miracles,appear as of no account.It amazes me that when Jesus healed a woman on the Sabbath,all the ruler of the synagogue,could say,/There are six days in which men ought to work ;in them therefore come and be healed,and not on the Sabbath day[Luke 13 v15]. Oh yes they had their reasons,but were they being reasonably,did they not see ,the power of God was at work?, one group the Pharisees,believed in resurrection,and yet they did not believe in Christs resurrection. It is right to not believe many things
but when it comes to Christ,all men are faced with someone,who will not go away,and one day we all stand before Him,to rejoice in Him as Saviour or
tremble before as our judge.
                                            A  prayer.
Dear God in mercy forgive us our sinful unbelief,help us to see that without
faith in Jesus ,who and rose again from the dead ,we will perish in our sins Amen