Toad the backslider. [Luke 15 v11-32 ]

One of my favourite books is Kenneth Grahams, Wind and the Willows,its a lovely story,with all its different characters.Mole,Ratty,Badger,and dear old Toad of Toad Hall.Now Toad was an creature of means,he was vain and was taken up with the latest craze,until he got tired of it,one thing after another.The thing that really got a hold of him was the motor car, the moment he saw one he fell in love with it.Unfortunately he kept crashing
his cars,so he just kept buying more.His  three friends,Mole ,Ratty ,and Badger,felt they should do something to help him,to break his reckless behaviour.But for all their efforts Toad refuses to change,and it is dear old
Badger who declares him a backslider.What is a backslider?,well it is best
seen in the history of Israel,they sinned,God would forgive them and restore then,only for them to go back to their old sinful ways.Early on in my Christian life as a child I was like that,a backslider.Well the good news is
that Toad did come to point when he ceased his backsliding ways.So it is
was with me I stopped my backsliding ways,God forgave me and restored me,no matter how far you have wandered away from God,He is merciful and can restore you,He still loves you.
                                      A  prayer.
Dear God forgive our backsliding ways,and restore us to yourself,in Jesus name Amen.

Here is love. [ 1 John 4 v 9-10]

I thank God for those dear gifted and spiritual people,who have written hymns and spiritual songs.The church has always had those who have blessed  us ,as in the OT,we have the Psalms.they are unique,as they are Gods word set to music.The modern hymns and songs have blessed us,they are not Gods word,but they point us to God,and help us to give expression to our longings ,desire after God,our love for our God and Saviour.I want to
leave a hymn with you today,its a modern one,written by William Rees,I hope it will bless you as it has me.
                               
                                  Here is love vast as the ocean,
                                  Loving kindness as the flood,
                                  When  the Prince of Life,our ransom
                                  Shed for us His precious blood.
                                  Who His will not remember?
                                  He can never be forgotten
                                  Throughout heaven's eternal days.

                                  On the Mount of Crucifixion
                                  Fountains opened deep and wide;
                                  Through the floodgates of Gods mercy
                                  Flowed a vast and gracious tide.
                                  Grace and love,like mighty rivers,
                                  Poured incessant from above,
                                  And heaven's peace and perfect justice
                                  Kissed a guilty world in love.

Leadership. [ 1 Timothy 3]

Joshua was called to be leader of Israel after Moses died,Moses had finished the task God had allotted hum to do,he had led the people out of Egypt.Now Joshua would lead the people into the promised land,it would not be easy,
leadership is never easy. When Moses was called by God to go into Egypt,
he made all sorts of excuses[Exodus 3-4],as why he should not go.Jesus called people and they made excuses [Matthew 8 v21],when Jonah was called to go to Nineveh,he ran away[Jonah 1 v3].Leadership in any area of life ,will bring its challenges,it will often bring sacrifice.Now lets return to Joshua,God had prepared him for this task of leadership,he had served an apprenticeship under Moses.Now he was being called from being an apprentice ,to be a trailblazer,under God he would lead,make decisions,
and be an example.Timothy who was called to a leadership role was told,
that he was to be example,for the believers in speech,in life,in love,in faith
and in purity[1 Timothy 4 v12].That is the greatest challenge in leadership
be it,the church,or the home,or in the work place,being an example.That  is  why it is a high calling,may none us disgrace our calling.
                                       A  prayer.
Dear God grant us grace to follow where you lead,and help us to be an example,that will glorify our Saviour. Amen.

A challenge. [2 Timothy 2 v15]

John Stott in summarising the book of Ephesians , wrote,''The whole letter letter is a magnificent combination of Christian doctrine and Christian duty,Christian faith and Christian life,what God has done through Christ and what we must be doing in consequences.''As you read this how does your Christian life compare to what you read?,are we weighed in the balance and are we found wanting?,what about doctrine,there are those who say leave to the theologins.Why  do we need to bother with doctrine?,we do ,and that's a fact. The Bible is Gods revealed word to us,as to His being,that He is one,and yet He is three, not three gods,but one.In the Bible and only in the Bible we are taught , that we need to be saved,because we are sinners.We are taught how we can be saved,through Jesus,whose death brings forgiveness and acceptance with God.As a Christian do we know why we believe certain things?,I believe to some extent we can all be theologians,we must not leave it to the so called professionals.Nor must we reject Godly men who are qualified to teach us and help us,that would be pride.We all have a helper when it comes to understanding Gods word,the Holy Spirit.In 2 Timothy 2 v15,we read,''Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God,approved[tested by trial] a workman who has no cause to be ashamed,correctly analysing and accurately deviding[rightly handling and teaching]the Word of God''[Ampllified Version]
                                         A  prayer.
Dear God we thank and praise you for your word,help us by your Spirit to
study it and get to understand it ,in Jesus name Amen.

We can make a difference. [ Ephesians 2 v 8-10]

There is much in this world that can depress one,I just read an article in Time magazine on South Sudan, it was awful.The violence ,especially against women,then you watch the news on the TV ,the refugees,looking for a safe haven.A road rage incedent where a man in his Range Rover crashed into a car,and two little girls cannot now walk.I will stop there,what can we do?most of us try not to think about things.I was talking to a friend recently,and we were talking about all these  sad things,when I mentioned to him, those people who are working to make a difference,he replied,but it is so little. Thats one way of looking at it,but I remember the story of a boy who was walking along the shore in which many starfish where washed unto the sand, so he picked some of them up, and put them back in the sea.A man walking near by,said to the boy that's not going make much of a difference.Well said the boy as he put one of the starfish back in the sea,it will make a difference to that one. Its true we cannot solve all the problems in the world ,but we can make a difference,by helping some or even one person.
                                          A  prayer.
Dear God in this world where so many people are suffering,help us to make a difference ,in even one persons life.in Jesus name Amen.

Teach us Lord. [Psalm 90 ]

I wonder what you think of the following,written by D.Martyn Lloyd-Jones,
''We cannot read the Bible without coming to the conclusion that the thing
that really differentiates Gods people from all others is that they have always been people who walk in the consciousness of their eternal destiny.
The natural man does not care about his eternal future;to him this is the only world.It is the only world he thinks about;he lives for it and it controls him.
But the Christian is a man who should walk through this life as conscious that it is but transient and passing,a kind of preparatory school.He should
always know that he is walking in the presence of God,and that he is going
on to meet God,and that thought should determine and control the whole of
his life.''
                                          A  prayer.
Dear God help us to set our hearts on things above,where Christ is,and also help us to set our minds on things above,not on earthly things. Amen.

No half finished work. [ Jude 34 ]

Often I despair at my failure to be the man I should be,but I do not despair
as regards my loving heavenly Father.Now I am not saying that I see Him as an indulgent father,no,but I do believe that by His grace I am a better man than I used to be.I do not necessary see the change,but His sanctifying grace has not been a total failure,nor will it ever be,and I know that He will never give up on me and cast me aside.I take great encouragement from Gods word,which tells us,that God who has began a good work in me,will
carry it on to completion.[Philippians 1 v6].The one who has saved me from judgement will by his grace save me from myself,He will perfect that which concerneth me.[Psalm 138v8.AV]as Spurgeon wrote,''God will not leave off
till he has finished''.
                          
                               The work which his goodness began,
                               The arm of His strength will complete;
                                His promise is yea and Amen,
                                And never was forfeited yet.