Broken relationships.[ Ephesians 5 v25-33]

Our next door neighbours are being married,they have been divorced,have
been living together,my wife and I are attending the reception.This is the way it is in our society,our other immediate neighbours,have been divorced,they have not remarried,but have lived together for many years.
Divorce and remarriage is not a new thing,our Saviour sought to stress the importance of marriage,because of those things that weakened it. In Islam
divorce is easy,but it is not without pain,but that's the way it is.In the West divorce likewise is easy,but it is not easy,for the children,and usually one of the people involved can suffer greatly.  Yet I believe Gods purpose for
humanity is marriage,even though it brings with it ,a great challenge,to be faithful,loving,and committed.As a Christian I am not there to judge people,even though they may have acted wrongly,adultery is a sin,that's what Gods word teaches [Exodus 20 v14 ].I am reminded in the words of William Shakespeare ,that the course of true love ,never runs smooth,but I would add,'with true love it will succeed'
                                        A prayer.
Dear God in a world where so many things are broken,have mercy ,and help
any one who is struggling in their marriage,and those who are trying again,
in Jesus name Amen.

Prayer counts. [ Psalm 27 v8 ]

I read these words recently penned by the late Selwyn Hughes,''Your prayers count more than you think''. I often people speak of prayer,like it may work,like  the proverbial rabbits foot.Then we look out into the world,
and think can my prayers really make any difference.Or we look at certain
situations and feel nothing can effect,or change it,even though we pray .Take hold of those words by Selwyn Hughes,our prayers count more than you think,this is the word for us all today,believe it,and keep praying.One of my grandsons ,who has no qualifications ,and has found it difficult to find employment,applied to a university,and was accepted,an answer to prayer,for I, and his parents have been praying a long time for him ,but then the university  said they where concerned that he had no qualifications.So I prayed and prayed,so did his parents,and I am sure he did,and God answered prayer,for it has been confirmed that he has a place.
Remember what I wrote in an earlier blog,''When we pray coincidences
happen,when we don't pray,they dont''.
                                         A  prayer.
Dear God help us to not limit the importance of prayer,and the power of prayer,in Jesus name we ask this Amen

Why pray? [James 5 v17- 18]

 Why pray? a good question,after all Gods knows,that's true,often we don't know what to pray,maybe you can add a lot more to the thought ,why pray?.Why pray?,because we are told to by our Lord,not only are we told to pray,but we are told not to give up praying[Luke 18v1].He also gave us a pattern as to how we should pray[Matthew 6v6-13],also we who follow
Jesus can and should follow His example,in that He prayed.We need to appreciate that prayer is not just about asking,it should be a time of talking as a man speaks with a friend[Exodus 33 v11],but of course we are speaking to God, who is to be reverenced,for He is God.We often sing that old hymn ,''What a friend we have in Jesus'',well He is our friend ,[John 15 v14],so talk to Him as a friend. Be honest with Him,tell Him how you feel,
always remember when it comes to prayer,honesty is the best policy.Yet prayer is about making our requests knowing unto God,some people feel they should not ask God for anything,wrong we should,because Jesus said we should [Matthew 7 v7].Will it make any difference if I don't pray?,
yes it will,''William Temple is reputed to have said, ''When,I pray,
coincidences happen,and when I don't they don't'',so pray.

                          What various hindrances we meet
                          in coming to the mercy seat,
                          Yet who,that knows the worth
                          of prayer,
                          But wishes to be often there.

                          Prayer makes the darkened cloud withdraw,
                          Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw;
                          Gives exercise to faith and love,
                          Brings every blessing from above.

                          Restraining prayer ,we cease to fight;
                          Prayer makes the Christian's armour bright:
                          And Satan trembles when he sees
                          The weakest Christian on his knees.
                              [Words by William Cowper]
                                              
                       
                                   

Not forgotten [Isaiah 49 v 14-16 ]

There I was about to preach,when I discovered I had the wrong sermon notes,with me.what was I to do?.Well it all worked out,my friend the pastor
nipped back to his home and brought me the right notes.Everything worked out fine.I envy those ministers who can preach without notes,when I used to sing I always had the words in front of me.A good memory is a wonderful thing ,Luther stressed the importance of a good memory if one was a preacher.When Joseph was in  prison[Genesis 39v19/40-41]he was in prison
for 13years,during that time he had interpreted two dreams,of  Pharaoh's
cup bearer, and his baker,these two men had offended Pharaoh,and so landed in prison.The cup bearer was told by Joseph he would be released and restored to his former position,the baker was told he would die.Joseph asked the cup bearer to mention to Pharaoh his plight,but he forgot.never giving him a thought.But God had not forgotten Joseph,and in His time He brought Joseph out,remember our times our in His hands.In fact God says as to His children ,''Can a woman forget her nursing child,that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb. Even these may forget ,yet I will not forget you''.[Isaiah 49v15].
                                            A  prayer
Dear God we praise You that none of your dear children are forgotten by You people may forget about us but you wont,we thank You in Jesus Name Amen.

Bitterness. [Ruth 1 v 19-21 ]

I have just finished studying the book of Ruth, David  Atkinson's book on this lovely story is very helpful.says,''If there is one theme more than any other which dominates the book of  Ruth ,it is that of the over-ruling providence of God,and our human dependence on Him.God is the source of
life,and its blessings ,are a gift from His hand''So we have two things that he mentions that are very important for us to bear in mind.As to the providence of God D A,writes of the certainty,delight,and the security of this wonderful
doctrine.Now in the book of Ruth,we have many sad things recorded, famine, upheaval,death, Naomi ,Ruths mother-in-law,experiences so much sadness,at one stage she delares call me not Naomi[meaning pleasant ],but
call me Mara[meaning bitter],but she does not stop there she declares,''For the Almighty has dealt  very bitterly with me''.She still believed in God
and His sovereign providence ,even though it was a bitter pill to swallow.
Do not be fooled by those who tell you a distorted view of what it means to be a follower of Jesus,it is the way of the cross that leads home.
                                            A prayer
Dear God help us keep believing and trusting in  our times when we experience that which is bitter in Jesus name Amen.

Purgatory [ Romans 10v 9-13 ]

Now back to William Tyndale, who lived for one purpose alone, that of translating the word of God into English.He succeeded in this,but at great cost,by being partial strangled,and then being burnt to death.Just before he died he prayed,that the king of England's eyes would be opened.He also had said,''that if God spared his life a boy behind a plough,would know more of
the scripture than the  Pope did''Europe was held fast in the tyranny of the Church of Rome,under the Pope scripture was hidden,and many ,many errors came into being.One of these errors was purgatory,which is not to be found in scripture,but was a twelfth century invention.It is a belief that we go to purgatory,when we die,to be refined in its flames,the church taught that this suffering could be reduced if a mass  was said,but of course a mass would cost money.In fact all it ever has been is a money making business.Henry V11,sought to avoid it by having ten thousand masses said for his soul at 6d a time. We owe so much to the likes of William ,and to all who translate  the scriptures,for as we are told ,faith cometh by hearing and
hearing by the word of God ,[Romans 10v 17]
                                           A prayer.
Dear God we thank for William Tyndale,and for all who translate the word of God,for a true knowledge of your word we will  be ensnared in error,
and never come to a true knowledge of salvation,by trusting in Jesus Amen.

Per Solam Fidem .[ Romans 4 v 3/5v1 ]

I have started to read again the life of Gods outlaw,William Tyndale the
great translated the word of God into English.At that time very few people had a Bible,most of the Bibles were in Latin,which very few could read.At
that time the papacy ruled,but not in truth,then God raised up Martin Luther,
a man who was a professor of theology.Brian Moynahan writes this ,''His life was earnest;he prayed,he fasted,he carried out penances and made lists
of his sins. 'And yet my conscience kept nagging,' he wrote.''It kept telling me;''You fell short there....You were not sorrybenough...You left that sin off your list,'' Redemption,he feared,was denied him. He sought to ease the pain in his soul with' human remedies,the traditions of men'.''All his religiosity
brought no relief until he read ,six words from the epistle to the Romans,
'' The righteous shall live by faith''Then he realised that nothing the then church prescribed ,or any thing he did could save him,The Christian was justified  per solam fidem,by faith alone,and so began what we now called the reformation.Now I started writing about William Tyndale,I will continue  with him next time.
                                       A  prayer.
Dear God we thank that You ,that through faith alone in Jesus we are saved
Amen