Money. [ Psalm 23 ]

Whither we like it or not ,money is an important part of our lives, we need it to live on, The challenge for the Christian, is to not love money, we need it,
without it ,we would be in difficulties. It is no joke to find yourself with no money, there are times when I had none, when I was young ,money was very scarce, I don't know how my mother managed to feed us and cloth us,
but somehow we got through. I remember a friend of mine, telling me of a time when he had no money, he was Christian, was hungry, so he did something unusual, he went into a cafe and ordered something to eat. When the food came he bowed his head and give thanks to God. He discovered someone had paid for his food, a customer in the cafe, had said to himself
that if he saw someone saying grace,he would pay for that persons meal.
From experience I have proved that God is faithful,our faith can be tried
but God has promised to meet our needs.[ Philippians 4 v19],so trust Him.
                                        
                                             A prayer.
Dear Father God we thank you that you will look after all your Children,
and meet their needs, through Jesus your Son Amen.

My Grace is sufficent for thee. [ 2 Corinthians 12 v 1-10 ]

I was listening to a radio program and it set me of thinking about an aspect of my life, that I have struggled with, Some difficulties do not necessary go away, and one has to rely on God to enable one to cope, by praying and submitting to Gods will, and not run away from the difficulty. There are things that we cannot share with others, and just seek the grace of God, to  help one to cope. Paul had his thorn in the flesh, and  he was told that Gods grace would be sufficient, and it was , so much so, that he was glad of his weakness, because of what God put in its place, His power. As I consider my difficulty I can appreciate what Paul wrote out of his own experience.  God has kept me, and enabled me ,by His power to cope, and so like Paul I can say, when I am weak ,them am I strong.
                                   
                            They that trust in the Lord are secure,
                            Though the storm rages dark o'er the sea;
                            For this anchor of promise is sure-
                            My grace is sufficient for thee.

                            Neither trial nor doubt brings dismay,
                            Nor from danger that comes will I flee,
                            For I stand on this promise to-day,
                            My grace is sufficient for thee.

The day of trouble. [ Psalm 50 v15 ]

A fellow Christian was telling me of an occasion when God answered prayer, he loves sailing, a number of years ago, on a stormy day, he took his boat out, feeling he would be able to cope. But it was not long before he realised that he was in serious trouble, he was being swept out to sea. So he prayed ,he confessed to the Lord how foolish he had been and asked Him to save him. And no sooner had he prayed this ,and he found himself, blown back to the shore and safety. In Psalm 50v15,we read, ''Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you , and you will honour me''.

                                            A  prayer.
Dear God we believe you hear and answer prayer, and so we lift a voice to You, in the name of Jesus Amen.

                                              

Holiness. [ 1 Timothy 1 v8-9 ]

I have just started studying the book of Leviticus using a book written by
Derek Tidball,I have read this Leviticus many times,but I have never studied it.It is not a book that one hears preached ,I have preached from it many years ago.I am sure it is one of the most neglected books in the Bible, why is that?,maybe you have never read this book,D.T,points out,that the key message of Leviticus is that the children of Israel should be holy,as God is holy [ 19v2].DT,goes on to point out, ''that the key to holiness,involves,
separation and purity and that Israels lifestyle was to be different from those around them,in how they they worshipped,what they ate,how they
loved,and in their dealings with each other.''Now of course as children of the new covenant we are not under any restrictions as to what we should eat.But you get the picture ,holiness was to be comprehensive,again as D.T
points out ,''no area of life is untouched by it.''I end again by quoting D.T,
''Like Israel ,we to have been set free by Christ, but not so that we might continue to live in sin or with indifference to God;rather ,we have been set free to be holy''.
                                         A prayer.
Dear God we worship you ,we acknowledge that You alone are holy, and your will for our lives,is that we should seek to be holy,help us Lord by your Holy Spirit,in Jesus name Amen .

I loved to choose. [Mark 5 v 18 ]

William Barclay wrote,''Christ still needs His witnesses;He needs those who are not so much to die for Him,as to live for Him. The Christian struggle and the Christian glory still exsist''.That applies to most of us,but of course in certain places in the world many are witnessing for Christ by their deaths.What does it mean to live for Christ?,to be missionary?it may mean that,the world needs missionaries.When Jesus healed a demon possessed man,we read that the begged to go with Him.But Jesus did not let him.Rather He said to him,''Go home to your family,and tell them how much the Lord has done for you,and how He has had mercy on you''.[Mark 5 v 18] Someone I know is not happy in their job,would like to move,and I suggested to her that God had her there for a purpose.Dr Bernardo was on his way to China, when He found that God had a work for him to do in London.I sought to serve God on the mission field in Brazil,and various other places,but God brought me to England.Consider how the man begged,to go with Jesus,he was very earnest and sincere,but he was humble and obedient enough to accept what his master said,and serve Him where he was sent.

                        Lead kindly Light,amid the encircling gloom
                        lead Thou me on;
                        The night is dark, and I am far from home;
                        The night is dark,and I am far from home,
                        lead Thou me on.
                        Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
                        the distant scene ;one step enough for me.

                        I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
                        should lead me on;
                        I loved to choose and see my path; but now,
                        lead Thou me on.
                        I loved the garish day,and spite of fears,
                        pride ruled my will; remember not past years.
                               [ Words J.H.Newman ]

Saved [ Matthew 1 v 18-25 ]

Arabella. C. Hankey wrote the hymn I love to tell the story,of unseen things
above.Of Jesus and His glory,of Jesus and His love.That's the good news, which the gospel is,but is everyone wanting to hear that good news?.As a
minister I know it is vital to tell people about Jesus,the question is,why do they need Jesus,why does anyone need Jesus.It is only as they  realise the why they turn to Him and be saved.The challenge for us Christians is
to be faithful,in telling people why they need Jesus, we dare not fudge the truth, as to why they need Jesus.When Joseph was told that his virgin wife was expecting,he sought to divorce her quietly,but the angel of the Lord came and spoke ,telling him to marry Mary.He was told to call Him Jesus
the Greek name for Joshua,meaning,the Lord saves.it  gives us a clear clue as to why He had come.The angel declared that He would be known as Immanuel,meaning God with us.[CP Isaiah 7 v14]He was truly man and truly God. This does not tell us why He came,well we are told that He shall save His people from their sins.This is the reason why He came to save us from our sins,you see, sin dams us to Hell,sin destroys,it cuts us of from a relationship with God.People do not want to here this,because they do not grasp  the seriousness,of sin, the consequences of sin.To die in your sin  is to find yourself being judged by a holy God.That's why we have to warn people,to tell them clearly as to the consequence of sin,yes that's our task, We must not fail in it,no we must be faithful.
                                  
                                Man of sorrows what a name
                                For the Son of God who came
                                Ruined sinners to reclaim,
                                Hallelujah what a Saviour.
                                  [Words by Philip.P.Bless ]

I'm coming home. [Luke 15 v 11ff ]

I read this recently,''Sin will take you further than you want to go,keep you
longer than you want to stay,and cost you more than you want to pay''. I do
not know who wrote these words but the are very thoughtful and full of meaning .Lets consider these words, sin will take you further than you want to go,David looked on a married woman,lusted after her,slept with her,and thought that was that.That is as far as he wanted it to go,but sin took him further ,he discovered she was pregnant,and he ended up, having her husband killed,sin had taken him further than he wanted to go.What we see as a one night stand,can lead on a road that that we do not want to be on.There are people in prison who thought they could sin and that was it,but now they are in prison.There are people who clicked unto a sex site on the inter-net,now they are hooked. Yes it is very true ,sin will take you further than you want to go,many people never thought it would, but it has. Jesus told of a young man,who wanted to be free from parental control,and went down a road that practically destroyed him.[Luke 15v 11ff]

                                  I've wandered far away from God;
                                  Now I'm coming home;
                                  The paths of sin too long I've trod;
                                  Lord ,I'm coming home

                                  I've wasted many precious years;
                                  Now I'm coming home;
                                  I now repent with bitter tears;
                                  Lord, I'm coming home.

                                  I'm tired of sin and straying Lord;
                                  Now I'm coming home;
                                  I'll trust Thy love,believe Thy word;
                                  Lord I'm coming home.
                                    
                                  My soul is sick,my heart is sore;
                                  Now I'm coming home;
                                  My strength renew, my hope restore;
                                  Lord , I'm coming home.
                                    [Words by W,J.Kirkpatrick]
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