Open their hearts. [Acts 16 v 11-15 ]

All of my Christian life, I have sought to witness to people,I am awhere that
one must be faithful,it is not an easy task,and one must have much wisdom.
I wish I could say I have seen many people  trust the Lord,but I have not,
some have,all I can say I  have in my broken way,sought to be,as I have said
faithful.When the apostle Paul was called to Macedonia,[ Acts 16 ] ,he encountered a group of ladies,whom he witnessed to.One of these ladies was called Lydia ,she had her own business,and we read how the Lord opened her heart in response to the message.The result was she and her family became Christians,we read how the Lord opened her heart.Recently
I have been praying that God would lead me to those whose heart the Lord will open.The Message puts it  like this,''The Master gave her a trusting heart-and she believed''.after all we are but the messengers, salvation is of the Lord.We desire that all may be saved,but they will not hear without us telling them,and as we do,our prayer should be that God in mercy will open their hearts.
                                            A  prayer.
                                  Lord, lead me to some soul today
                                   teach me just what to say,
                                   Friends of mine are lost in sin,
                                   and cannot find their way
                                                Amen.

Danger . [ Psalm 34 ]

I was working in someones garden when I noticed it,curled up in a little ball
it was a young hedgehog.It had sensed danger,we all act in different ways
when we sense danger.Some feel fear,and run to a place of safety,a child to the arms of a parent,a wife to her husband.In former days they ran into the walled castle,when the bombs were falling during the second world war people went to the air-raid shelter.Many years ago I heard a missionary relating to us,how that he felt in great danger,and he could not sleep, then the Lord spoke to him,and told him,''The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,and he delivers them [Psalm 34 v7].Now the danger was real , part of the  country were in rebellion,but he believed what God  said, and laid down on his bed and slept.
                                 How oft in the conflict,when
                                 pressed by the foe,
                                 I have fled to my Refuge and
                                 breathed out my woe;
                                 How often when trials,like sea
                                 billows roll,
                                 Have I hidden in Thee,O Thou
                                 Rock of my soul.
                                     [Words W.O.Cushing]

Its a gift. [ Romans 6 v23 /Ephesians 2 v8-10]

Michael Wilcock,commenting on the religious leaders rejection of Christ and salvation ,writes ''When they found that salvation was a gift and not a
right,they were offended,and refused it''.To a people who lived by rules and regulations,it did not make sense,there are many people like those religious leaders,who feel that they must observe certain practices,in order to merit salvation.Even though the Bible clearly tells us that the gift of God is eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ[Romans 6 v23]It is illustrated
throughout the gospels,we hear Jesus saying ,blessed are you who are poor,for yours is the Kingdom of God[Luke 6v20]It is not that God did not
declare that Salvation is a free Gift in  OT,in Isaiah 55v1, God declares that the people can be blessed ,freely.I remember trying to help a couple who were in need financially,I wanted to give them a gift,but the wife would not accept it, in the end the wife agreed to accept the money as a loan.People are proud ,and such a pride can cause us to miss out on that glorious gift of
salvation,that God offers us, when we accept Jesus as our Saviour.
                                            A  prayer.
Dear God it is truly amazing that salvation is a gift,that they can receive by simply trusting  Jesus .Amen.

Perfect. [Romans 3 v 10-23 ]

I admire many people,but no matter how much I admire them ,I know that they are not perfect.A  well known couple in the film industry,were considered the perfect couple,then the reality broke in and we are told they are going to get divorced.A famous athlete,admired by many is reported in the papers,for his infidelities,yet while pointing out these things we are conscious of our own imperfections.Lets be very clear the people that we set up as idols,are not ,nor ever will be perfect.Be they politicians,royalty,
entertainers,popes,priests,and so on,and so on,the fact is ,we are all imperfect.Let us carry that a bit further,we are all sinners,that does not mean
that we never do anything that is right,no many people do a lot of good.
Entertainers bless us,be it on the stage,movies,hospitals are filled with kind nurses,doctors,many people raise money for charity,people write books that we all enjoy.So we could go on but no one can escape the truth that we are all sinners,whatever good we may do,commendable though it be,we come short in a big way of Gods glory.Let us not be blind to this reality,and turn
to God for mercy and forgiveness,and trust Jesus the only person who ever lived who was perfect,and the only one that can save us.
                                             A  prayer.
Dear God open all our eyes to the reality that we are sinners,and need to be saved,by trusting Jesus Amen

For the Glory. [John 21 v15-22]

'For the Glory',is the title of a recent publication,on the life of Eric Liddle,
a lovely man of God.He was a strict sabbatarian.When he went to partake
in the 1924 Olympics,he found himself faced with a dilemma,for he was to run in the 200meters,but refused to,as it was being held on the Sabbath.
So instead he ran in the 400 meters,and against  all expectations he not only won but also set a new world record.Eric was not only a great runner,but also a very good rugby player,he played for Scotland.He  gave up playing Rugby,because athletics was more important,but there came a moment when he gave up athletics ,for something more important,a call to serve God in China.Now there is nothing wrong with participating in sport,the question is what is of first importance?. We read of a rich man who came to Jesus,who was faced with the challenge ,by Jesus,as what was most important in his life,it turned out his riches took first place  [Matthew 19 v16ff].Now it is not wrong to have riches,but it is wrong for your riches to be first in ones life.The Jews rejected Christ because their religion was first in there lives,yes even religion can be a sin if it takes first place in our lives,Jesus says to all of us ,as He said to Peter,lovest thou me more than these?[John 21v15],what would you reply to that question?.
                                          A  prayer.
Dear Lord help us to see that You must be of first importance in our lives
Amen

We can make it ,if.[ John 15 v 5 ]

Fifty two years following the Lord ,so it easy for me,I have it all made,no ,
Dick Lucas writes,''Not until death shall we be free from evil desires''.It was
George Muller who prayed that he might not become a wicked old man,and that is why we must all stay close to our Saviour.It was when Solomon was an old man he committed his greatest folly,we read his pagan wives turned his heart after other gods[ 1 Kings 11 v 4].We are warned,'' let him who thinketh he standeth  take heed lest he fall.''[1 Corinthians 10 v12 ].Who is sufficient for this ongoing life,none of us,but by Gods grace we can,be more than conquerors through Him[Christ] who loved us.[Romans 8 v37]. How did those great saints ,Spurgeon,Calvin,Moody,and many others ,manage
to live and finish victorious?,their great abilities,personalities,no,they had no more advantages ,than you or I.They had to seek daily unto their God,for the power ,and protection,to live and finish their Christian journey.
Today you may be saying I cannot go on,God says you can,He says to us all.''Do not fear,for I am with you,be not dismayed,for I am your God.I will
strengthen you and help you,I will uphold you with my righteous right hand''.[Isaiah 41 v10]
                                           A  prayer.
Dear God forgive us for our self reliance,grant us the grace to persevere,the
humility to recognise ,that without you we can do nothing,in Jesus name we pray this Amen.

There is. [ Isaiah 1 v18 ]

I recently took someone to see the film,'' Big friendly Giant'',the two main characters in this film,is a young girl called Sophie and ,BFG.BFG, collects dreams,and puts them in glass containers,there is a point in the film where he lifts one the containers up and Sophie, asks him about it,he tells her,that it is bad,for it reminds us of  all the bad things we have done,and there is no forgiveness.As I heard these words I felt those words are among the saddest I have ever heard.Let me say emphatically  Gods word tells us,clearly that no matter what we have done in the past,no matter what it was, there is forgiveness for we read that,Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,and the worst of sinners.  [ 1 Timothy 1 v15 ]
                                    A prayer for forgiveness.
Dear God I come unto you and ask Jesus into my heart,I acknowledge all
my sins,turning from them,please forgive me all my sins. Amen.