Distorting History. [ John 1 v1-5 ]

I recently purchased a book on the history of the Roman empire,and was
a bit confused,in the way the author dated events.Instead of the usual,BC
,before Christ,or AD,in the year of our Lord,we have the letters BCE,and CE.I had not a clue as to what they meant.I ask my son John about it,and he explained ,that BCE,means ,Before common era,and CE,means,Common era.It appears that this is the new political correct usage,I must confess I
was a bit annoyed,dropping the words BC, and Ad,but I suppose I should not be surprised,it is a sign of the times when Political correctness is
the in thing,BC/AD,are considered,terms that might offend ,even though they are the historical terms terms that that have always been in use,because in terms of world history,they are important.It appears to me that the historical reality of  Christianity is being expunged out,being  removed as something undesirable.As humanity continues to deny God as creator and replace Him with their god of evolution,the darkness appears to be gaining
control.I like the NLT translation of John 1 v5,which reads,'The light shines in the darkness,and the darkness can never extinguish it.'Irrespective of those who distort history,Christ came,and through His life,death and resurrection,will continue to ,to transform the lives of people on planet earth.
                                       A  prayer.
Dear God we thank that we have your truth,and that no matter if so called historians distort the truth,the darkness shall not extinguish the light,even
Jesus who is the light of the world Amen.

No never alone. [Matthew 28 v20]

The disciples were facing a crises ,Jesus was about  to die,He then would be
resurrected,and then He would ascend to Heaven.That means He would not be around,yes physically that would be so,but the Holy spirit would come,and His presence would make the presence of Christ,a living reality.I read of many dear Christians who are suffering persecution,in some countries were there are few Christians.they feel isolated.There are Christians who are the only Christians in their families,in there place of work,in their schools.The word of the Lord to them today,and to all of us we are not on our own,there is an unseen presence with us all.For He says  to us all,I am with you always,as one writer points out,'The Gospel that began with the assurance that this baby would be Immanuel [God with us. Matthew 1 v23],closes with the assurance that he is with them still,and will be with them to the end of time[Matthew 28 v 20]. Dear child of God,no matter how what you may be facing,no matter how isolated you are,you are not alone,He, your Saviour is with you.
                                 No never alone,no never alone,
                                 Though trials may press you
                                 And burdens distress you
                                 He'll never leave us alone.
                                 His promise is true,
                                  He will not forsake you,
                                  No never alone.

I do not understand. [Job 13 v 15]

In Charles Swindoll's book the ,'The mystery of Gods will.' he quotes a poem by John Oxenham,written in 1613,called,'' God's Handwriting''.
                              He writes in characters too grand
                              For our short sight to understand;
                              We catch but broken strokes,and try
                               To fathom all the mystery
                              Of withered hopes of death,of life,
                               The endless war,the useless strife-
                               But there,with larger,clearer sight,
                                             We shall see this-
                                              His way was right
                                              His way was right.
The fact is, as to Gods way's,so much is a mystery,that this side of eternity
we will never understand,but as the poet writes,when we enter the eternal realms,we shall see,that His way was right.
                                          A Prayer.
Dear God there are so many things we do not understand,grant us the grace
to trust in You,even through pain and tears,in Jesus name we ask this.Amen

Books. [ Isaiah 53]

I love reading,when people tell me they are not readers ,I find it hard to take it in,and would love them to enjoy the world of books.I always liked reading,I am not a fast reader,some books I gave up on,but I have read many books,not as many as some.Reading can enhance ones life.Reading
will not make you a better person,Stalin was obsessed with reading.but it can gave one much enjoyment.As a minister I believe reading is invaluable,of course the book that I have read the most is the Bible.It is important to read the Bible ,but it is important to  understand the Bible,and of course many people who read the scriptures,have never trusted the Christ of the scriptures.The Jews had the scriptures what we call the old testament,or old covenant,and though Christ pointed out those scriptures, that spoke of Him and His sacrificial death they refused to accept Him,and in doing so they fulfilled what was written by the prophet Isaiah 53,which speaks of the one who would be despised and rejected of men.The supreme message of the Bible is Christ,a Christ who was both God and man,and a Christ who died on a cross to save us.
                                              A prayer.
Dear God we thank you for your word,that is able to make us wise unto salvation,Amen

I love my garden.[ Revelation 21 v1-5 ]

My wife and I often visit old stately homes,most of them have beautiful
gardens,we like also visiting gardening centres,and of course we have a garden of our own.All these give us great pleasure,it is interesting that when God created  Adam and Eve,he placed them in a garden,where they looked after it,and of course we all know what happen then,they disobeyed God,
and where excluded from that earthly paradise.John Milton wrote of Paradise lost.Yes we lost so much that awful day,and I was thinking, about this love for gardens,[Joseph Stalin loved gardening]which many of us have ,could it be that our love of gardens,goes back to the Paradise we lost,is there within all us a desire for that world  we lost?.The fall of humanity effected everything, more than most of us realise,it effected the world the universe[Job 15v15],and worst still, it effected humanities relationship with God.We cannot return to that earthly Paradise,but there is hope,in the book of  Revelation we read of a new heaven and a new earth[21v1].All who trust Jesus are new creations,and only they will will be part of that wonderful future,it really does depend on knowing Jesus as your Saviour,the one who is making all things new.[Revelation 21v5 ]
                                                A  prayer.
Dear God we rejoice that there is a wonderful future ,for all who trust Jesus
as Saviour,Amen.

I don't want to be there. [Hebrews 9 v27]

John Stott, writes,'Death is the one event over which [in the end] we have no control,and from which we cannot escape.Woody Allen epitomizes for many modern people this inability to cope with the prospect of death.'It's not that I'm afraid to die,'he quips; 'I just don't want to be there when it happens.'Thats what many people would like,but unlike the dentist appointment ,we don't want to keep,we all ,will be  there, when it comes to dying.Death in one sense unnatural,but when we sinned in the garden of Eden ,we invited an unwelcome guest in,In our present state of deterioration,to prolong life indefinitely is not possible,nor would it be a blessing.In one sense death is a mercy,of course for many who die young,it does not appear so.And of course death is painful for the bereaved,yet it will happen,be we old ,or young,there is nothing we can do about it. Of course death is not the end of the story,for there is another appointment we will all have to keep, we read that after death the judgement[Hebrews 9 v27].On that day we all stand before Christ ,and the question is ,will He be our Saviour or our judge?. During our life time we have an opportunity to accept Christ,and receive forgiveness,or to reject Him and remain in our sins,the choice is ours.
                                            A  prayer.
Dear God help us to cope with the death of  those we love,but help us all
to be  prepared for our own deaths,by accepting Christ as our Saviour. Amen.

I wonder? [1 Corinthians 15 ]

As I grow older I think about heaven and what is like,and what will I be doing in eternity,there is a healthy curiosity,and there is an unhealthy one.One thing for sure it will be different ,in the nicest sort of way,we will have new bodies, a spiritual body,as flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. [1 Corinthians 15v50] David Prior writes,'because decay and corruption cannot be part of what is eternally incorruptible.We will bear the image of Christ[ 15 v49]again as D.P writes,'both in the sense of being made like him and in the sense of sharing his resurrection...in this whole
discussion Paul is struggling to describe the indiscrible' Ladd goes unto say,
'Who can imagine a body without weakness? or infection?or tiredness?or sickness ?or death? This a body utterly unknown to earthly historical
experience......it is an order of existence in which the laws of nature......no
longer obtain. In fact, when one puts his mind it,it is quite unimaginable'
as the song goes','I can only imagine'It is important what John MacArthur
says about those who claim afterlife experiences,it is called ''heaven tourism'',avoid them they are not helpful. But one thing for sure Heaven
is only for Gods people,[ John 14 v6 ],and will be utterly wonderful.
                                       A  prayer.
Dear God help us to live in the light of eternity,to keep the hope burning
of Christ coming again in our hearts. in Jesus name we ask this Amen.