The gift of life. [ Acts 17 v26-31]

There used to be a popular song,many years ago,it went ,'You need hands',I
was struck with something,I read in a magazine,written by a lady called Melanie Reid.She is tetraplegic,after she broke her back in a riding accident.
She wrote about her ,physical condition,how gradually things have become a bit better,here is what she wrote,''Nothing pins down the New Normal
better than my hands. Ah how to describe them?.The things on the end of your arms''.She goes unto write how gradually she has regained the use of her hands,and the wonder of being able to do even simple things,like opening a tube of toothpaste,turning the pages of a book,it is a lovely positive article.She ends her article by saying.''However constrained my movement,I'm profoundly grateful that my body can still somehow express
exasperation,warmth,emphasis,a silly story-and I can say,I'm alive''.There are a number of things I could say about this lady,her gratitude that she is alive, even  it is a struggle,life is a precious gift from ,even though it may mean we struggle,so today let us thank God for the gift of life,
                                      A  prayer.
Dear God thank you for the gift of life,that in you we live and move and have our being,in Jesus name Amen.

Making decisions. [ Acts 16 v 30-31 ]

I received through the post a ballot card,on the 23rd, the country is going to vote,as to our membership of the EU.This is  very important ,our Prime Minister, has said it is more important than a  general election.The only thing is ,many people do not know which way to vote,I suppose ,the fact that it is so important,people are a bit concerned,that if they vote to leave, what will the result mean.In the light of this I am glad that God is sovereign,
and in the end He will have the final say.Life is full of decisions ,some unimportant ,marginally important,very important.I am reminded of a time in Israels history when things where so very bad spiritually,most of the people had forsaken God.But one man stood out, his name was Elijah, God choose him to challenge the nation,his life and ministry is very instructive 
but it brought with it dangerous consequences.In 1 Kings 18 we read of him standing alone,in front of  an ungodly king,false prophets,and the people of Israel.Here is what he said to them,''How long will you waver between to
opinions?. If the Lord is God,follow him;but if Baal is God follow him''.Things have not changed we are still faced with a choice,and it comes from Jesus,who says follow me.False gods there are in plenty,false ways there are in plenty,false people there are in plenty.Yet today, He who is the way the truth and the life,stands before us and says follow me,I know the
seriousness of making the wrong decision,do you?. Over 52 years ago I said yes to Jesus,that decision transformed my life,and saved me from wrath to come.

                          O happy day, that fixed my choice,
                          On Thee,my Saviour and my God,
                                      [P.Doddridge]

                                   

We can and should make a difference. [ 1 John 4 v8 ]

I am glad that I live in a stable country,so may countries are experiencing
so much turmoil,in dear old Canada, they have had an enormous Forrest fire.In the Middle East we  have awful violence,which has resulted in over 16 million refugees and internally displaced persons.Millions of people are on the move,seeking a place which is peaceful,free from the bullet and the bomb,and cruel religious fanatics,just recently there was a report of such a group going into a footballers supporters group and killing most of them, there reason being they believed that football was against their religion. There are also millions who are fleeing poverty,many of these dear people, are dying in their attempt to reach their goal.If we are Christians we cannot close our eyes to suffering,Jesus never did,and we are reminded that the law of God is fulfilled,in one word love.What can we as Christians do?,we can pray,our prayers can make a difference,it may not happen immediately ,but it will eventually, in Gods time ,we can befriend those who have come to live in our homelands.Let us remember that we who have experienced mercy,should show mercy,and we who have experienced love,should show love.
                                            A prayer.
 Dear God as you have loved us,so help us to embrace the lonely,and the unloved in Jesus name Amen.

Groaning [ 1 Corinthians 15 v 51-58]

A friend of mine has Parkinson disease,it is a progressive illness,which
gradually,effects the persons ability to cope.He needs 24/7 care,it is distressing for him,and his family,his wife and daughter are recovering from cancer.My friend and his wife are Christians,In  Romans 8 v23,we read,how ''the Christian groans inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons,the redemption of our bodies.''John Stott writing on the,incompleteness
of our salvation,as we share with the creation in the frustration,the bondage to decay and the pain. So one reason for our groaning is our physical fraility and mortality.The  apostle Paul expresses elsewhere;'Meanwhile we groan ,
longing to be clothed with our heavenly,dwelling.[meaning probably our resurrection body]....for while we are in this tent[our temporary, flimsy,
material body],we groan and are burdened.Stott also mentions how that our fallenness,causes us also to groan.'' He then goes on to say,'' Our groans express both present pain and future longing.Some Christians,however ,grin to much[ they seem to no place in their theology for pain]and groan to little.''
                                      A prayer.
Dear God grant us grace to bear with those difficult things we have to cope with,may our inward groaning not turn into complaining,in Jesus name we ask this Amen.

I feel weak [ Hebrews 12 v 1-2 ]

Sometimes I feel tired,like now,I suppose there are a number of reasons,the main one being my age.I am also get up early each day, and I do a bit of physical work.I am tired,of course there is a tiredness of spirit,when things
just pull you down.Often the answer is rest,so I may for a change go to bed early,I may.read a little before I do that. Samson was a man who manifested
great spiritual strength,yet experienced times of great weakness,Samson was raised up  by God to defeat the Philistines, when he was faced with them we read that the Spirit of the Lord came upon him[Judges 15 v19]When he sinned,he became  weak,sin weakens ,if there is sin in our lives it will effect us.  Here is the word of Lord to all of us,/  Let us throw of  everything that hinders, and the sin that easily entangles, and let us run with
perseverance the race marked out for us./That is the first thing we should do, and the next thing is,/Let us fix our eyes our eyes on Jesus,the author and perfecter of our faith.[Hebrews 12 v1 -2]
                                         A prayer.
                   
                          Search me, O God,and know my heart,
                          test me and know my anxious thoughts.
                          See if there is any offensive way in me,
                          and lead me in the way everlasting.
                                               Amen.
                                   [Words from Psalm 139]






























/

Rescue the perishing. [ Isaiah 61 v 1-3 ]

I attended a meeting recently,the speaker was telling us about the work of a mission in the Philippians.The work they are involved with is with children, who live on a massive city dump ,were thousands of people live.Many dear children have no one to look after them,so they survive as best they can.All this is very sad,but one thing in particular ,was a photo he showed of little girls under ten ,selling themselves for sex.When things are bad in this world
they are very bad,but thankfully the Christian mission is making a difference.The fact of the matter is,all who are Christians are meant to make a difference,in this needy world.Jesus said we are to be light [to shine in the darkness],and salt[to stop the corruption].It was William Booth who raised an army of people,who went into the slums,and made a difference,to thousands of people. We cannot solve all the worlds problems,but we can help to a degree by our giving,praying,going,remember Christ will reward even the smallest act of kindness[Matthew 10v42].Our deeds will speak
[Matthew 5v16],but not only our deeds,but also our words,for as awful as mans physical needs are,their spiritual needs are also great,they need to hear about Jesus,if we neglect to tell them ?,who will?

                                       Rescue the perishing,
                                       Care for the dying.
                                       Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
                                       Weep o'er the erring one,
                                        Lift up the fallen,
                                        Tell them of Jesus the Mighty to save.
                                           [Words by Fanny J. Crosby]
                                        

Being resonsible [1 Thessalonians 4 v11]

John Stott wrote the following,''God's sovereignty never diminishes our responsibility''.We are always challenged in the Bible to act in a responsible
manner,while God will provide,we are expected to work.While God will
protect we are not to be irresponsible,and put ourselves in danger. Success does not come without effort,the farmer ploughs the field,plants the seed.
There is little point in praying to God to lead us not into temptation,if we
put ourselves in a place where we are vulnerable.We are responsible to work at our marriage,a good marriage does not happen automatically.As regards money,we cannot borrow,barrow,borrow,spend,spend,spend,and not reap the consequences.We cannot flirt with that work colleague,and expect God to keep us from ,its consequences.We cannot continually ignor the speed limit,without being stopped for speeding.You may be a five point Calvinist,but you are still called to be responsible.Salvation is of Lord,but we are still told to go into all the world and preach the Gospel.I hope you have got the picture,I hope I have got the picture.
                                           A  prayer.
Dear God help us all to grasp this truth that we are called to act in a responsible manner,in Jesus name we ask this Amen.