You will fall into error if. [ 2 Timothy 3 v 14-17 ]

When the religious Sadducees asked Jesus a question as regards the custom that required a near  relative to marry a widowed sister-in -law, the so called
Levirite law[ Deuteronomy 25v5],so that that family line would not cease.
The Sadducees made something up that the widow woman's husband kept dying ,each time , in fact she married seven near relatives, and then she died. They then asked a question to Jesus, whose wife should she be?. The
point is the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, they were trying to cause Jesus to slip up. It was a tricky question, so here is what he said first, they were in error, because they did not know the scriptures, nor the power of God, consider how many people are in error in the world because they do not know the scriptures, and let me remind you there is only book that can be called the scriptures. These Sadducees only believed the first five books of  the scriptures, that was their choice, the fact is we cannot pick and choose, what scriptures to believe, and what not to believe. If we do then we will fall into error, we are told that the holy Scriptures can make us wise unto salvation, through faith in Jesus Christ. Also that all Scripture is God breathed or inspired by God, showing us truth, exposing our rebellion,
correcting our mistakes, training us to live in Gods way. [2 Timothy 3v15-16].
                                           A  prayer.
Dear God help to treasure all of your word, and not to be selective, so that do not fall into error, in Jesus name we ask this Amen.

Mercy triumphs over justice [ 1 Peter 3 v 18]

In John 8 v 1-12,we read how a woman is brought before Jesus by the religious leaders, she had been caught in the very act of adultery. Now adultery is a sin[ Exodus20 v14]and the penalty for such a sin was death,[Lev 20v10],but it is stipulated that both the adulterer and the adulteress, die.so this question is, where was the adulterer?. This is ignored by our Saviour, unlike the authorities who were as, D.A. Carson, points out, they
were less interested in ensuring that evenhanded justice be meted out, than
in hoisting Jesus unto the horns of a dilemma.[v8]When it came to justice
it appears that the means justified the end, after all the trial of Jesus was a sham, and it is to Pilates shame that he allowed Jesus to be crucified, believing him to be Innocent.[ Luke 23 v13 ].One can picture the scene, this was taking place in a very public, the crowds were looking on, wondering
what is going to happen, The accusers were hoping that they had Jesus at last, the woman was waiting for the dread sentence to fall. Then Jesus
straight en's up and speaks,'' He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her''. The result was the woman's accusers ,slipped away one by one, after all, even they knew that only  God is without sin.The
lady escapes justice because of Jesus, we are all sinners, and the only way
any of us will escape the judgement of God is by trusting Jesus.

                                          A  prayer.
Dear God we are utterly amazed at your mercy to sinners,through Jesus your Son Amen.

Limatations [ Mark 11 v22 ]

I read the following,'' Do what you can with what you have and leave the results to God''. I think these words are very important. Consider the words,
'do what you can', we may think there is nothing we can,as regards so many things. That is not true, there is something we can all do, and should do, pray. Prayer is the most vital thing we can do, we must never underestimate its importance. Consider what our Saviour had to say about prayer, and how He prayed, prayer is never a waste of time. Next do what you can, with what you have. Five thousand plus, hungry people needed to be fed, but all they had  was a little boys lunch, five small barley loaves,and two small fish[John 6v9].That is were Andrew stopped, how can that feed five thousand, plus?well he handed the lunch to Jesus, and in Jesus hands, the multitude was fed. You may be looking at your limitations, your limited resources,
the lesson we learn from this account is, God can bless the little we have ,if
we place it in Jesus hands, and trust Him ,remember He is not limited.

                                          A prayer.
Dear God help us to do what we can, to give what we can, to place every-
thing in your hands, and to trust you to bless, in Jesus name we ask this Amen.

All things new. [Revelation 21 v1-5 ]

Pray for Paul, now I am not referring to the apostle Paul, but to someone I met out walking, he was using a walker , a three wheeled one. As I drew up to I drew up to him, I wished him good morning, and asked how he was keeping, he told me he had suffered a stroke. One way it had effected him was his taste buds, in other words everything was just food, no taste to it. He lives on his own, he did not look very happy. The good think was I managed to speak a word of witness to him, so  that's why I want you to pray for Paul, pray that the Lord will save him. We are all without exception going to experience a deterioration, if its not our body, it could be our mind
But I told Paul that as Christian there is coming a time when we will receive
a new body, that will never deteriorate, yes the future is bright for the child of God ,on that day there will be no negatives.no walking frames, no hearing aids, no pace makers, no lonliness ,Jesus declares,'' I am making everything new''[Revelation 21 v5 ],

                                                A  prayer.
Dear Saviour thank You for the blessed hope, that awaits all who believe in
You, Amen.

Gifts [ Romans 12 v 1-8 ]

There are just some things one is not good at, and that's a fact, when I was younger I used to play different sports, but I was never great at them. Still it
is important to get involved, for a number of reasons, social ,keeping fit, or just for fun. Well what about our spiritual gifts, we are not all gifted,in the same way,I used to sing ,and sometimes a person  would say I wish I could sing like you, I thought it a bit amusing when a woman would say that to me. The thing is, we all have gifts, in Romans 12 we have the following gifts, J . Stott, divides them into two categories, speaking gifts, and serving gifts. Now I know there are other gifts mentioned in  1Corithians12,these can be controversial, but they are there. Also we have gifts mentioned in Ephesians 4,now whatever you think of the gifts ,they have been given for the good of Gods people. I believe God has granted to all of His children's ,
gifts, which we are meant to exercise, so let us do that. let us not get carried away, or puffed up as regards whatever gift God has given us, as John Stott puts it ,to think soberly about our gifts, according to the grace given us.

                                           A prayer.
Dear God we thank You for the gift of eternal life through Jesus, and we thank You for the gifts granted unto your people, by the Holy Spirit,  in
Jesus name Amen.

Signs and wonders [ Mark 8 v21 ]

Donald English writing of the disciples and the occasion when Jesus told them to watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod[Mark 8 v15].Yeast is usually seen as an image for that which is evil  [Lev 2v11;1 Cor 5 v6-8;Gal5v 9]Donald English writes that Jesus is warning them against falling into the Pharisees' mistake of needing incontrovertible proof about who he was[Mk8v1],or of Herod in refusing to follow the light he had
and authorizing the death of John the Baptist [Mk 6 v14-29 ].I remember a
person who I worked with saying that she had asked Jesus to be her Saviour, but nothing happened, no tingling feeling down her back, so that was that, nothing had happening. The disciples only thought Jesus was talking about bread for their next meal. D E, writes,'' the disciples have not yet got their eyes off ground level. The one group is demanding far too  much; the other expecting too little''. A life or faith based on signs and wonders will surely be disappointed, I am not ruling these out, but, I know our call to follow Jesus is one of faith in Him,  not in signs and wonders,

                                          A  prayer.
Dear Saviour help us to look to you alone ,not in signs and wonder ,or even feelings Amen.

Kindness[ Galatians 5 v 22 ]

Many years ago I was told someone said something about me that was unkind, and it stuck with me, and hurt me deeply. But the person lives in
Ireland so it made it difficult to resolve it, I have prayed about, but it keeps rearing its ugly head. Then I read something written by Selwyn  Hughes
on kindness, a quality within the fruit of Spirit. He wrote'' The interesting thing about kindness is that we remember an act of kindness when all other
events have been forgotten''. Which takes me back to the person who
supposedly said something hurtful about me. I have mentioned before that there was a time when my wife and I lived by faith. It was a testing experience, we just about got through but it was not easy, we had three
children. One evening the person called at my home and gave me a gift,
which helped us. Remembering that kindness lessened the hurt I was feeling, yes we do remember the kindness shown to us, when all other events have been forgotten. So today let us show a little kindness to someone, they may remember that more than any sermon we have ever
preached, or they just might remember.

                                      A prayer.
Dear God help us to be kind ,after all ,you are the most kind person one could think off, in Jesus name Amen