Well do you?. [ Philippians 3 v 8 ]

Jesus asked Peter, these challenging words, ' do you truly love me more than these?'.We like Peter have many things that we love,today Jesus asks us all the question,'do you love me more than these?',what will our answer be?.I cannot go ,I cannot give,why should I?,I am to old,what about my wife and children?,my marriage is to difficult,I have no time,why me?why not
,that other person?.It will only mean heartache and pain,who wants that,my
plans have already been made,I would be a fool,or seen as fool.I did not work and sacrifice to give it all up,for that which I cannot see.So it goes on,and on,our protesting,our reasoning,our resentment,but still the words of
Jesus come,words we would rather not hear,'do you truly love me more than
these?.'
                                When I survey the wondrous cross
                                On which the Prince of glory died,
                                 My richest gain I count but loss,
                                And pour contempt on all my pride.
                     
                                 Forbid it, Lord,that I should boast
                                 Save in the cross of Christ my God;
                                 All the vain things that charm me most,
                                 I sacrifice them to His blood.

                                 See from His head, His hands,His feet,
                                 Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
                                 Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
                                 Or thorns compose so rich a crown?.

                                 Were the whole realm of nature mine,
                                 That were an offering far to small;
                                 Love so amazing, so divine,
                                 Demands my soul, my life ,my all.
                                    [ Words by Isaac Watts]
                                     

                               
                   

Not just the God of history. [ Psalm 46 ]

I read today that the Christian life is like a marathon,I agree with that,but I also see it as an obstacle race.Reflecting on my past I see the many obstacles I have had to face,but I also reflect on how God has sustained me,
and helped me.Consider the following words by John Flavel,''How is it that
you have survived so many dangers,sicknesses,accidents,designs of enemies to ruin you?.It is,I presume,beyond question with you that the very finger of
God has been in these things,and that by His care alone you have been preserved''.As I look back on my whole life ,I would say an Amen to that, how many scrapes and difficulties God has brought me through,I highlight one,as a child when I was  saved from drowning,and I declare with the hymn writer to God be the glory great things He has done.Are you experiencing difficulties now dear child of God,are you tempted to despair?
look back on past deliverance's,and take encouragement  from them in your present situation,His mercy has not been withdrawn from you.As in the past so in the present,He can bring deliverance,meet that need,heal that sickness,open up a door of service,a door of opportunity,He is not only the
God of  history,but the God of the present,take encouragement from the
following words.
                                Begone,unbelief,
                                My Saviour is near
                                And for my relief
                                Will surely appear;
                                By prayer let me wrestle
                                And He will perform;
                                With Christ in the vessel
                                 I smile at the storm.

                                His love in times past
                                Forbids me to think
                                He'll leave me at last
                                In trouble to sink;
                                Each sweet Ebenezer
                                I have in review
                                Confirms His good pleasure
                                To help me quite through.
                                   [ Words by John Newton]

Be discerning. [ John 16 v 13 ]

If you read my thought for the day,you will observe,that I quote from different writers,but a note of caution,I do not agree necessary with all their views.No more that the apostle Paul agreed with those poets he mentioned in [Acts17 v28],the point I am making is,be a prayerful discerning person,as
to what you read, or for that matter what you hear preached. In Acts 16 we read of the apostle Paul ministering at a place called Berea,he had a difficult
time in Thessalonica,the Jews as usual had,rejected the message,blinded by
envy,they never really took time to look into what Paul was saying.So he
moved on to Berea,where we read,'These were more noble than those in
Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind,and searched the scriptures daily,whether these things were so.'Two things that are important,be willing to receive what is according to scripture,and reject  what is not in accordance with scripture.
                                                 A  prayer.
Dear God grant unto us willing hearts to receive your truth,but also to be discerning ,so that we are not lead astray,in Jesus name we ask this Amen.

Evidence.. [ Matthew 5 v16 ]

I found myself singing an old gospel song this morning,I cannot remember
who wrote it,it goes .
                                   ''Each day I'll do a golden deed .
                                   By helping those who are in need,
                                   My life on earth is but a span,
                                   And  so I'll do the best I can''
The story is told of soldiers who broke into a monastery,demanding of the Abbott to give up their money and jewels,the Abbott took them to a room wherein lay the sick.The Abbott pointed to them and said these are our riches,these are our jewels.We rejoice that we are not saved by our good works,but the evidence that we are saved is shown by those good works we do,[James 2 v18].We often pray for the Lord to guide us as to what we should do,well we read in Ephesians 2 v10. ''For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them''.
                                           A prayer.
Dear God we thank and praise you that we are not saved by what we do,but
what you did through Jesus your son.We ask that you will help us to show by good works,the reality of our relationship with you,in Jesus name we ask this Amen

Want of trust. [ Proverbs 3 v5-6]

We sang a song at our fellowship recently which had the following words,
'We will put our trust in the Lord' this was repeated.these words our so easily sung,or spoken.But it is one the greatest challenges we have to rise
to,continually.I remember reading the life story of Hudson Taylor,a man who founded the China Inland Mission.Before he went to China he trained to be a doctor,one day as he was assisting in examining a dead body,he got infected ,and he was advised to go home,put his affairs in order,for he was going to die.Hudson believed God had called him to go to China,so he trusted God to live,which of course he did,and he went on to serve God in the land of China.Here is something he said,'Want of trust,is at the root of almost all our sins and all our weaknesses'.Why is it when a problem arises
I hear God saying to me,'Trust me'?,because our relationship is built on trust.Life is a challenge,it throws many things at us,the list is endless,but whatever you are facing today,the way through it,is to simply trust in the Lord with all your heart,and to lean not upon your own understanding[Proverbs 3 v 5].
                                      A  prayer.
Dear Lord grant unto us the grace of simple trusting you,no matter what comes into our lives. Amen.

Run as if your very life depended on it. [1 Corinthians 3 v10-15]

I love sport and one thing sport throws up is what we call an underdog,who surprises everyone by winning,now I do advocate gambling,but the bookies
were giving odds of  five thousand to one,of a certain team winning the
Premier league. To everyone's surprise they did just that,of course I am writing of a football team, Leicester City.Now on the run up to winning, I read these words being attribute to their achievement,'eternal glory. I thought of what the apostle Paul wrote of those who won  events,'they  do it to win a prize that will fade away'[1Corinthians 9 v25]Now I do not want to take away from what that team did,but I can assure you it is nothing to do with eternal glory.The apostle compared the Christian life as to a race ,and reminds us that we will receive an eternal prize',now the Christian cannot merit salvation,but the apostle stresses,that as Christian we should see what is absolutely important,eternal values,eternal rewards[1 Corinthians 3 v10- 15 ]
                                      A  prayer.
Dear God ......O let me feel Thee near me,
                       The world is ever near;
                       I see the sights that dazzle,
                       The tempting sounds I hear;
                        My foes are ever near me,
                        Around me and within;
                        But Jesus,draw thou nearer,
                        And shield my soul from sin.
                                        Amen.
                              [Words by John. E. Bode ]

              

We can make a difference.[ 1 Samuel 17 v 12ff]

William Barclay wrote the following,''The pagan world was an unclean world.The pagan world did not know the meaning of  chastity....in Rome
unwanted children,especially girls,were literally thrown away.Every night
numbers of them were left lying in the forum.They were collected by dreadful characters,who ran brothels,and nurtured up to be prostitutes.''In the 19th century,God raised up a man called William Booth,who was the founder of the Salvation Army,and although England was a supposedly Christian country,such was the state of the country among a great deal of the population,he wrote a book called .'Darkest England'.It took a long time but thankfully things changed,much of it due to Christian influence.God used the Salvation Army,and many other Christian to bring changes for the better.Yet in so many places in this world the sex trade is active,drug barons
ply their trade,much evil is being perpetrated by Godless religions,and so many other dark powers.As I look back on history it seems as soon as one evil is put down,another stands in to take its place.The word of God tells us
that the days are evil[Ephesians 5 v16],that this a spiritual evil,on earth,and in the heavenly realms[Ephesians 6v12]The need of the hour is great and will become even worse,only as we are surrendered to God,will we be able to stand,and make a difference,and we can ,remember David the giant killer.
                                             A  prayer.
Dear God there is so much darkness in this world,help us your children,to make a difference,use us to bring the message of our Saviour,to those who sit in darkness,in His name we ask this Amen.