George and that hymn. [ Luke 15 v 11- 32]

George Matherson by all accounts must have been a wonderful preacher,
many people flocked to hear him.He lived in Scotland,died in 1906,the thing that made him different was he was blind. He had a very good memory,which was a great help,in  his preaching,he wrote a number of books which are still in publication,and a number of hymns,  one particular hymn is still very popular.It appears he may have had a disappointment in love,but he had a sister who helped him a great deal,and she got married.
On the day she got married, he had that evening when alone a tremendous
mental struggle,and it was then he wrote that well known and loved hymn,he said it only took him five minutes to write.
                              
                                O love that wilt not let me go,
                                I rest my weary soul in Thee;
                                I gave thee back the life I owe,
                                that in Thine ocean depths its flow
                                may richer, fuller be.
         
                                O light that followest all my way,
                                I yield my flickering torch to Thee,
                                my heart restores its borrowed ray,
                                that in thy sunshine's blaze its day
                                may brighter be.

                               O joy that seekest me through pain,
                               I cannot close my heart to Thee;
                               I trace the rainbow through the rain,
                               and feel the promise is not vain,
                               that morn shall tearless be.

                               O cross that liftest up my head,
                               I dare not ask to fly from Thee;
                               I lay in dust life's glory dead,
                               and from the ground there blossoms red,
                               life that shall endless be.
                               
                                

Mothers. [ Exodus 20 v 12 ]

Today is mothers day in our country,people send cards with words of appreciation to  their dear old mum's.Well Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem in
honour of his mother.
                          If I were hanged on the highest hill,
                          Mother O'mine,O'mother O'mine.
                          I know whose love would follow me still,
                          Mother O'mine, O'mother O'mine.
               
                          If  I were drowned in the deepest sea,
                          Mother O'mine, O'mother O'mine.
                          I  know whose tears would come,
                          down to me,
                          Mother O'mine, O'mother O'mine.

                          If I were dammed of body and soul,
                          Mother O'mine,O'mother O'mine,
                          I know whose prayers would make me whole,
                          Mother O'mine, O'mother O'mine.
                               
                                       A  prayer.
Dear loving heavenly Father,we thank you for mothers,for the love they
they poured out upon us,and the sacrifices they made for us,in Jesus name Amen.

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.