An open marriage. [Romans 6 v23]

The young and very attractive young lady,looked out at me from the pages of a glossy magazine,this young and foolish young lady was giving an account of her open marriage.She and her husband had agreed that they could have sexual relationships with other people.Her husband was away from home a great deal ,so they thought that this was good idea.They had their ground rules,he had sex with prostitutes,and others,she told of her sexual encounters.She did not express any concern as to what she was doing
it was to her and her husband,a logical thing to do.When I had finished reading the article,I found myself saying but they are sinning,they are
breaking Gods law,which tells us clearly,that we are not to commit adultery.
[Exodus 20 v14]Sin is not just  the wrong things we do to each other, our wrong actions  are against a holy God.[ Psalm 51 v4]It can never be seen as
acceptable,no matter how we dress it up,no matter how sophisticated it appears no matter how we rationalise it.Adultery is a sin,you do not have be a genius to see the awful consequences of adultery,in our society.God tells us clearly that adultery is a sin,and sin always has consequences,always.
                                           A  prayer
Dear God help us, to not lean upon our own understanding,your word tells us adultery is a sin,help us not to yield to temptation,help us to seek forgiveness,through your son Jesus,Amen

Hands [ Psalm 139 v 13-18]

Returning to what I was writing about yesterday,on Melanie Reid,and the place where she wrote about her hands,she wrote,''Ah,how to describe them?.The things on the end of your arms.Who ever realises how astonishing,vital, supple,expressive and superbly designed our hands are?
she writes how most of us take them for granted,''apparently a quarter of the brain's motor cortex is dedicated to controlling muscles in your hands''Now the thing that struck me in this article was,Melaine's words,that our hands our superbly designed .Now I don't know if Melanie is a Christian,but in those words ,as regards our hands ,being superbly designed,she was intentionally or unintentionally,challenging the belief that all things happened by chance.You see ,where we have  design, we must have in essence a designer it follows,as sure as night follows day.What
Melaine stated is so obvious,yet so profound,and is a challenge,to the belief that everything just happened.
                                            A prayer.
Dear God we praise You,as the one who designed,and made all things,we acknowledge you as our creator,in Jesus name Amen.

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]






























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