Are you a liberal? [ Romans 1 v18 ]

Words are important,this is especially true when it comes to the Bible,it is very important that when translators come to translate the word of God.
D.A.Carson writes of a man called C.H.Dodd,a Welsh professor,he had made a profession of faith,during the Welsh revival,but he gradually became what is known as a liberal theologian,that is someone who will take liberties in relation to Christian beliefs.He found it hard to except the biblical word propitiation,which refers to satisfying or setting aside Gods wrath.He helped translate the NEB,and changed that word to expiation,
which refers to cancelling sin. The problem with C.H.Dodd he had a problem accepting the biblical doctrine of the wrath of God,I say biblical
for it is clearly taught throughout the Bible.D.A.Carson points out,''We
cannot ever lose sight of the fact that God is personally offended by our anarchic rebellion and is judicially angry with us''.The wrath of God is a biblical fact,that is why Christ died,in His death He bore Gods wrath,that we need not bear it.John 3 v16,tells us ,''That God so loved the world that He give His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life''.The word perish means eternal punishment
,imagine the awfulness of that,awful it may be, but it is true,and if you are not saved then you need to take it very serious,don't be become a liberal.
[Most of what I have written is from D.A.Carsons book, Scandalous]
 In that lovely hymn,''Beneath the cross of Jesus'',we read.
                             
                      There lies beneath its shadow,
                      But on the farther side,
                      The darkness of an awful grave
                      That gapes both deep and wide;
                      And there between us stands the cross,
                      Two arms outstretched to save,;
                      Like a watchman set to guard the way,
                       From that eternal grave.
                          [Words by Miss E.C.Clephane]

The glory.[ Romans 8 v 17-28 ]

Writing about the book of Revelation,William Barclay writes,''That it contains the blazing faith of the Christian Church in the days when life was
an agony,when men expected the end of the heavens and the earth as they knew them,and the earth as they knew them,and when they still believed that beyond the terror there was the glory,and that above the raging of man was the power of Almighty God''. Above the terror there was the glory,lift up your eyes dear child of God,lift up your eyes,beyond this world,and all the trials you may be facing to the glory,To the glory of the love of God,that
nothing can separate us from,many dear Christians have lost so much,but they can never loose their Saviour.Beyond the terrors of life,beyond the deaths of a dear Christian,there is the eternal weight of glory.Beyond the
sorrows and tribulations that children of God suffer there is the Glory.
                                 A  prayer.
Dear God help those of your dear children who are suffering the terrors perpetrated by wicked men ,help them to see the glory,also for all us who
face the loss of health,and loss of loved ones,help us as to whatever we are going through,to look to the glory that awaits us,in Jesus name Amen.

At what levl are you at ? [ Daniel 4 ]

Sultan Bin Salman al-Saud,DIscovery 5  astronaut,said as they journeyed
into space,''The first day or so we all pointed to our countries,the third or
fourth day we were pointing to our continents. By the fifth day we were aware of only the earth''.I wonder at what level you and I are at, today as we look at life?.There is the personal level,our families,friends,ourselves,then there is our country,then the world.As I was leaving our fellowship I spoke to the pastor,he voiced concern as regards our country,and the fact that we
voted to leave the EU.He was concerned as to the repercussions of this,I 
tried to mention the sovereignty of God,but he unintentionally pushed that to the side,his concerns as to the possible repercussions took over.The one thing I try to keep in mind,is the truth that God rules over all the affairs of mankind.There are so many things are beyond our control,which the greatest minds cannot resolve,at all levels of life,in spite of all our advances.
A great and mighty King had to have a severe lesson,in order for him to
acknowledge that God ruled [Daniel 4 ]The lesson was this that God does as He pleases,with the powers of heaven,and the peoples of the earth.No one
can hold back his hand or say to Him,''What have you done?''.At what level are you at?.
                                   A  prayer.
Sovereign Lord from time and uncertainties we lift or minds to you,as to
our personal circumstances,our countries situation,or the world situation,
we ask for grace to trust in you,in Jesus name Amen.

He is on the throne. [ John 14 v1 ]

We have moved into a period of uncertainty in our country,we as nation have voted to come out of the EU.Many are worried as to what this will mean,we are going to go it alone,as to the right or wrong of it I am not sure,but  it has happened,the decision to withdraw has taken place.What should we as Christians do?,well I will do what I have always done,I will
lift up my eyes to my sovereign God,as I read the Word of God,and the history of Israel,the changes and challenges they faced,the prophets spoke
not for any political party,but Thus saith the Lord.They reminded Israel were their true strength,and security lay,in their God.Things have not changed for us his children,our strength and security lies in God,and the one who has been given all power and authority,even Jesus[ Matthew 28 v18].
He declares to those who are His,I am with you always[Mat, 28 v20].
                                       
                              Peace perfect peace,our future all unknown?
                              Jesus we know,and He is on the throne.
                                               [Words by E.H.Bickersteth]

Praise Him [ Revelation 5 ]

As I started to pray,I wanted to praise my Saviour,so I got out a hymn book,
and read a hymn of praise, here is one verse of that hymn.
                    
                 Praise Him, praise Him,Jesus our blessed Redeemer,
                 For our sins, He suffered and bled and died;
                 He, our rock,our hope of eternal salvation,
                 Hail Him,hail Him.Jesus the Crucified.
                 Loving Saviour,meekly enduring sorrow,
                 Crowned with thorns that cruelly pierced His brow,
                 Once for us rejected,despised and forsaken,
                 Prince of Glory,ever triumphant now.
                          [Words by Fanny J. Crosby ]

                   Worthy is the Lamb,who was slain,
                   to receive power and wealth and
                   wisdom and strength and honour
                    and praise.
                           [Revelation 5v 12 ]
                

To cry or not to cry that is the question?. [1 Thessalonians

Recently MP Jo Cox was murdered,I personally have never heard of her,but it appears she was[ believe it or not], a much loved MP,I must  confess I have shed a few tears as I have listened of people speaking about this lovely
young lady.She was married and had two children,it is all very distressing,
and terribly sad.It has started a question as to how we should react to such
an event,should we hold back the tears and signs of emotion,or should we try and maintain a stiff upper lip. What do you think?,well I suppose both can be acceptable,should we not let people do what is best  for them.What we do know is Christ is known as a man of sorrows,and familiar with suffering[ Isaiah 53 v3 ]We read of Him weeping at the  death of His friend,
and we are told ,'Blessed are they that mourn'  [Matthew 5 v 4 ],and in Romans 12 v15, we read,weep with them that weep.Yes it is alright to sorrow and weep when a friend or loved one is taken in death.It is the apostle who writes that we should  not sorrow,as those which have no hope[1 Thessalonians 4 v 13]

                                       A  prayer .
Dear God have mercy upon the family of Jo Cox,and upon those we know who have experienced bereavement,in Jesus name Amen

Free at last. [ Revelation 21 ]

Bruce Milne writing in his book 'Heaven and Hell',points out that evil was in existence before man sinned.He points  to Jude 6,how that the angels
did not keep their positions of authority,but abandoned their home'.[cf2 Peter 2 v 4].He then goes on to write,''Here is a valuable biblical precursor
of  the life of heaven.Humanity can exist in its fullest terms without sin.
And since the devil and his angels will be banished eternally from  that
heavenly order of the fulfilled kingdom of God[cf Jude 6b; Rev20 v7-10],
that future will be secure from any threat in a way the first perfected creation obviously was not''.When we are in heaven we will not be looking over our shoulders ,in case evil in any shape or form ,overtakes us. No ,sins power within us will no longer exist,and satans power to tempt us will also no longer exist.Evil will be banished, for ever,and ever,and ever,Miltons
'paradise lost',will be no more,and it will truly be, 'paradise regained'.
                                    A  prayer.
Dear God,we look forward to that glorious day when we at last arrive in heaven,free from evil,be it the world,the flesh,or the devil,in Jesus name we thank You ,Amen.



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