Sell all. [ Mark 10 v17-31 ]

Commenting on John the Baptist, William Barclay, mentioned two things, about the clothes he wore, and his relationship with God[Matthew 3].He did
not wear,'' The soft and comfortable luxuries which kills the soul''. Next he says,'' He gave himself a chance to hear the voice of God''. As I read these word I must confess they challenged me, as regards the first I have plenty soft and comfortable luxuries. The question I ask are they killing my soul?, I do not know but I do know that so many things can destroy our souls. Judas is not the only one who killed his soul for money, we read of a rich person who came to Jesus desiring to know how he could inherit eternal life, he was a religious person. He was told to sell all and gave all to the poor, but alas instead of saving his soul, he killed it. It could be money, it could be anything that is more important than Christ, I suppose the question is ,how much do we value our souls?.
                                      
                                              A prayer.
Dear Lord grant us grace to see what or who is more important, and help us to make the right choice, for our souls sake. Amen.

My dearset friend. [ Luke 15 v11-31 ]

I remember a man call Alec, who was a very bright Christian, and I remember how he appeared to be walking away from the Lord .I spoke to him and became emotional, as I sought to reason with him. I also remember with sadness as a young person walking away from the Lord, I yielded to
temptation. My dear brother walked away because of wrong things he saw in his church, and so the list goes on. The nation of Israel were a people who continually walked away from God, following other Gods there are reasons of course why people walk away from the Lord, but the fact is this ,there are no advantages, in this, none what so ever. First of all I
want you to know that God still loves us, He will always love us,though
we may not feel He does, we feel hurt, and maybe even bitter, because, there is always a because, but it does help being bitter, nor giving up on the best friend and Father there is. The thing I have found out that Jesus is the one person who is always there ,in all my hurts, loneliness, always, I could not live without His friendship. Many years when   I was away from my dearest Friend ,I went to a Christian service, I do not remember what was preached, but I do remember, having an overwhelming feeling of my need,
and that night I came back to my dearest friend. There is an old hymn that comes to mind, I will prayerfully leave it with you.

                           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.

                          My soul is sick, my heart is sore;
                          Now I'm coming home;
                          My strength renew, my hope restore;
                          Lord, I'm coming home.

Wait for it.[Habakkuk 2 v 3 ]

One of the common traits of mankind is impatience, we see this in so many aspect of life. Recently my wife were nearly involved in an accident because  a driver was impatient, many accidents are caused by people being impatient. I follow a particular football team, a very successful team, led by a very successful manager, He retired, and on the day of his retirement he asked the supporters to be patient with his successor, but the were not. It is not in the nature of the beast, we want it now, that is why talent TV shows are very popular because it promises instant success. One of the most important lessons in life is patience, Romans 15v 5, [AV]reminds us that God is patient, and He reminds us that we are called to be patient [Hebrews 10 v36 ].I was reminded of this recently when I was reading a daily devotional,the writer was touching on a subject near to my heart, and mentioned a promise, that God gave me ,which has not yet been fulfilled, But of course I believe it will be ,in the meanwhile, I am to exercise patience ,as the Lord said to the prophet Habakkuk,'' Though it linger, wait for it, it will certainly come and will not delay.[2v3 ]
                                           Psalm 40 v1.

                               I waited patiently for the Lord;
                               He turned to me, and heard my
                               cry.

Leaning [ Hebrews 11 v1 ]

It was John .G. Paton the missionary, was struggling to find a word for faith in the local language, he was interrupted by someone in great trouble and needing help, who said to him,'' Please may I come and lean heavily upon you?'', Alec Motyer,writes the following,'' Faith is leaning heavily upon Christ: not labour but cessation of labour, not doing but ceasing to do; simply leaning the whole weight of our needs upon Him, and finding in Him acceptance before the presence of God, and a righteousness which
could never be ours by ours by our own good works''.

                             What a fellowship ,what a joy divine,
                             Leaning on the everlasting arms;
                             What a blessedness ,what a peace is mine,
                              Leaning on the everlasting arms.

                             What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
                             Leaning on the everlasting arms;
                             I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
                             Leaning on the everlasting arms.
                                 [Words by E.A. Hoffman ]

He is in control. [Romans 8 v28 ]

Alec Motyer,writing about the apostle Paul comments,'' His doctrine taught him that a sovereign God rules all things; freedom, imprisonment, comfort,
discomfort, sickness or health''. This did not rule out mans responsibility,it
never does, but it is very reassuring, to realise that our times our in His hands. Otherwise we may despair, if we take our eyes of our Lord, and see the wind and the waves we will only drown, in a sea of worry. Think of what many of Gods choicest saints went through, Jacob, who lost sight of Gods sovereignty ,and could only cry out ,all these thing are against me [Genesis 42 v 36]. Contrast him with Joseph his sons attitude, when speaking to his brothers who had hurt him so much,''God intended it for good'' [Genesis 50 v20],which one are you, today?,Consider Job and his wife,[Job  1-2],Jobs wife told Job to curse God and die,but Job declared,''The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away,may the name of the Lord be praised''[1 v21]

                                        A  prayer.
Dear God help us in all things to trust in your sovereign purposes, and in someway you are working all things together for our good, in Jesus name we ask this Amen.
                                       
                                        

Tis mystery all. [Philippians 2 v5-11 ]

I read these words by, Dante. Gabriel.Rossetti, ''The Ocean hath no King but God alone''. When I read these words my mind turned to the our Lord
Jesus how He actually walked on the water[John 6 v19],then the occasion
 when He and His disciples were in a storm[Matthew 8 v23-27].His disciples were afraid that they were going to die, so Jesus stood up and rebuked the wind and the waves, and it was completely calm. The disciples
were amazed and asked the question,''What kind of a man is this?. Even the wind and the waves obey'' . I will answer that question , He was God manifest in the flesh, truly God and truly man. All things were created by Him,[Colossians 1 v 16 ],and all things are sustained by Him[Hebrews 1 v3 ]When Jesus said to a very sick man, ''Son, your sins are forgiven'', the religious leaders said that He was blaspheming, and said who can forgive
sins, but God alone''. They did not recognise that the one who forgave the man his sins ,was God, in spite of the fact that Jesus manifested power beyond any human being. The ocean recognised this, yes if only, humanity would recognise that Jesus was truly God, and yet the one who became obedient to death , even death on the cross, that our sins could be forgiven.

                              And can it be, that I should gain,
                              An interest in the Saviour's blood?
                              Died He for me, who caused His pain?
                              For me, who Him to death pursued?
                              Amazing love, how can it be
                              That Thou my God, shouldst die for me.

                              Tis mystery all, the immortal dies,
                              Who can explain His strange design?
                              In vain the first -born seraph tries,
                              To sound the depths of love divine,
                              Tis mercy all, let earth adore,
                               Let angel minds inquire no more.
                                 [Words by Charles Wesley ]

               

He was more than. [ John 3 v16/ 20 v28]

I was at a coffee morning, we watched a CD on the gospel of John, the part we watched  was about the miracle at the wedding at Cana in Galilee [John 2 v1-11]. The celebration could last up to five days, it must have cost a great deal to those getting married, nothing has changed. Well the unthinkable happened, they run out of wine, yes real wine,it  is W. Barclay who points out that drunkenness, was frowned upon, he says usually the wine was diluted by water. It was a serious thing to run out of wine, not to mention,an embarrassment, to the bride and groom. Mary the mother of Jesus was there she came to Jesus, and told him they had run out of wine. Jesus replied, ''Dear woman, why do you involve me, My time has not come''. Now Mary knew that Jesus was special, but she now had to realise that she had to see Him,not merely as her son but her Lord. Like Mary we must see Jesus not just as a man, yes He was, but He was more than that, He is the Lord Jesus Christ, truly God and truly man,[John 1 v1],He is also more than a prophet and teacher, yes He was all that, but He was more, He was and is the Saviour of the world. I was talking to a person and she said she believed Jesus was Lord and prayed to Him, but I said have you prayed to Him to save you?.
                                       A  prayer.
Dear God help us to see Jesus for who He was,and to accept Him as our Saviour. Amen.