Lucky charms. [ 2 Corinthians 10 v 4- 5]

Do you believe in lucky charms, many people do, recently a man told how he picked up a penny, this coincided with him doing the Lottery, and to his surprise, yes you've guessed, he won over a million pounds. So that penny
became his lucky penny,yet how a penny really had anything to do with it, does not make sense. Are you superstitious?, well the dictionary defines  superstition as having an irrational belief in supernatural events, that certain objects, actions,  or events bring good or bad luck. Some religious people have been noted as being superstitious, throughout history, some so called Christians, have believed in relics, that would bring them good fortune, it was thought the more relics one had the better. Most of it was absurd ,and utter nonsense in fact it all was. there will be those who will strongly disagree with what I am writing. There is nothing in Gods word to support a belief in relics or lucky charms, people who hold to such beliefs, are far removed from God. I remember making a wish, on a so called wishing chair.and I felt so convicted by the Holy Spirit that what I had done was wrong. I am not holding unto any trinkets, relics, or whatever, but in God and His word. I believe in the power of prayer to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that beats a so called lucky penny.

                                             A  prayer.
Dear God open the eyes of all who hold to those things that are contrary to
your word, in Jesus name Amen

His will or mine? [ Matthew 26 v 39]

It is lovely to see God moving in situation's, in things one is concerned with, our part is to pray. Yes I stress again the importance of continuing in
prayer, it is so easy to give up, that is a mistake.Jesus tells us to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking.  [Matthew 7v7] I am not talking about vain repetition, but a legitimate spiritual exercise, where in faith we seek God.
If what we seek is Gods will, we will have what we seek, if not , then we are better not to receive it. In Psalm 106v15 we read how God granted to Israel their request ,but sent leanness into their souls. 1 John 5 v14-15,tells us,
''And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that ,if we ask anything
according to His will, He heareth us; And if we know that He hear us,
whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of
Him''
Consider your parents, would they gave you anything, you ask for, if it was not good for you?. Our parents had rules, that they believed was  for our good, when we are little children, our parents, do not give into our pleading for they know what is best for us, in a very real sense their will is best. God knows what is best for us, His will, is always  best, and it is best for us to realise this, and to not rebel against it.

                      Let us learn this most important lesson,
                      Gods will is always best.
  
       [I will return to my blog Monday, every blessing Bill]

Immanuel Kant [ 1 Corinthians 1 v26 - 31]

My son showed me a quote by Immanuel Kant ,the question is who was Immanuel Kant?. Well I look looked at a web site , he was a Prussian, born 1724 died 1804,and had a religious background. He turned out to be one of the major Philosophers of all time,now philosophy is a study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence.I must confess I have a very limited knowledge of Kant, but he appears to not to be tied to any limitations in his thoughts. And so as to his concept of God and humanity, he will form his own opinions, he wrote many books one was called,'' The Christian religion is a natural religion''. well as  a Christian I do not accept that, was he a Christian?, what I do believe that a Christian is one who only accepts what God has revealed in his word, and it appears to me that Kant was not willing to do that. He said many interesting things one thing for sure, one would not find salvation in his writings, please bear that in mind.I come back to that quote my son showed me, it reads,''The existence of the Bible is a book for the people, it is the greatest benefit which the human race has ever experienced. Every attempt to belittle it, is a crime against humanity''. What Kant meant, I am not sure, as with much that he wrote. but I know what its meaning is to me. The Bible is Gods word to man, it reveals our origin, our condition, our need of God, and the only one that can meet that need ,Jesus, the Son of God, and Saviour of mankind.

                     For the message of the cross is foolishness
                     to those who are perishing, but for us who
                     us who are being saved it is the power of
                     God. For it is written,'' I will destroy the
                     wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of
                     the intelligent, I will frustrate. Where is
                     the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where
                     is the philosopher of this age? Has not God
                     made foolish the wisdom of the world?. for since
                     in the wisdom of God the world through its
                     wisdom did not know him,God was  pleased
                     through the foolishness of what was preached
                     to save those who believe. Jews demand
                     miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
                     but we preach Christ crucified; a stumbling
                     block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.
                   
                             [1 Corinthians 1 v18-23 ]

Does God answer prayer?. [ Hebrews 11 v 6 ]

Following on from yesterday as regards superstition, I read the following from a book by Leonard Merrick, two men, one called Conrad, the other called Mr.  Irquetson,''Do you think prayers are ever answered?,inquired
Conrad'', well do you believe that?, Mr Conrad was not sure  though he prayed often, Mr Irquetson went on to say,'' Once he said,'' I was passing with a friend through Grosvenor Street. ......we came to a ladder leaning against a house, my friend passed around it, and raised his hat to it. You may know the superstition. He was a university man....I said to him, is it possible you believe that nonsense? He said, N-no, I don't exactly believe in it, but I never throw away a chance.'' Suddenly the vicar's inflexion changed,his utterance was solemn, stirring, devout.'' I think, sir, that most people pray on my friends principle- they don't believe in it, but they never throw away a chance.'' William Barclay comments,'' For many people prayer is either a pious ritual or a forlorn hope. It should be a thing of burning expectation. Maybe our trouble is that what we want from God is our answer, and we do not recognize His answer when it comes.
  [Taken from W. Barclay's daily notes on Marks Gospel]

                           Lord teach us how to pray. Amen.

They made a difference [ 1 Corinthians 6 v 9-11 ]

Many years ago in Ulster W.P. Nicholson ministered effectively in my native Ulster, many gave their hearts to the Lord Jesus. People where wonderfully changed, I heard it said that many who had stolen from their workplace returned the things they had stolen. When Christ comes into a life there is a change, not only in the individuals life, but society itself can be changed for the better. William Barclay wrote of two American preachers ,Billy Sunday, and Billy Graham , how the societies were changed for the better. When they  had left ,they left a different atmosphere,
you see the gospel of our Lord  Jesus ,brings not only forgiveness ,but it can change lives for the better, Again W.B, wrote,'' Where Christ is allowed to come  the antiseptic of the Christian faith cleanses the moral poison of society and leaves it pure and clean''

                                         A  prayer.
Dear God we thank you for Jesus who saves and changes lives, that are in
bondage, and ensnared in sinful dirty practice's, Amen.

He will guide. [Proverbs 3 v5-6 .av]

It is hard sometimes to know what to do, which way to turn, people look to the stars, everyday they turn to their star guides. People used to read the tea left in the bottom of their cup, I suppose that's fell out of favour, since most people use tea bags now. But here is a more certain way, which encouraged
me, it is the word of God to us all today, to those who know the Lord.'' I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will guide you with My eye[Psalm 32v8].Jesus said ,follow me, in other words He wants us to keep our eyes on Him, yes we have but to follow. If we do, He will guide us, just as sure as He guided Israel through the wilderness. The old
gospel song goes,'' He guides the eagle through the pathless air'', and so He will guide us who are His children, all the days of our life, he does not just guide us when we are young but when we are old. This also means that he will guide all His children, not just missionaries, ministers, but all His children,irrespective of age yes even youngsters ,parents teach your children,that God will guide them, of course show them by your example. Don't panic when there appears no way forward, out of your difficulties, God will not forsake you, He can make a way out of them.

                                     A  prayer.
Dear Lord thank you that we have the assurance that you will guide your children all the days of their lives, Amen

One way. [ John 14 v6 ]

Yesterday we considered with the help of John Stott that there is one God,
now let us consider, that there is,'' one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men''. Often this verse, is seen and rightly so as refuting, that the virgin Mary, and the so called saints are mediators between God and man. But of course when these words were written, this wrong teaching had not come into being. The teaching of Christ being the one mediator, rules out that there is more than one way to come to the one God, as John Stott writes,'' Between  God and the human race, Jesus the only go- between'' This is very controversial teaching, but it is ,what the word of God teaches. Before Christ, humanity
crawled around in the darkness, without hope and without God, because of
sin. The only one who made it possible for us to be forgiven, was Christ, who died a sacrifice for sin. When we know Christ as Saviour then we have total freedom to come to God. because sin has been removed.

                                 There was no other good enough
                                 To pay the price of sin;
                                 He only could unlock the gate
                                 Of heaven, and let us in.
                               [Words by C.F. Alexander ]