He giveth ( Ephesians 1 v 7 )

                         I was struck by the words from James 4 v 6
                         ''But He gives us more grace '' , Alec Motyer
                         writes ,'' His resources are never at an end,
                         His patience is never exhausted, His initiative
                         never stops, His generosity knows no limit;
                         He gives more grace.
                      
                                      Annie Johnson Flint
                          
                          He giveth more grace when the burdens grow
                          greater,
                          He sendeth more strength when the labors
                          increase.
                          To added affliction He addeth His mercy
                          To multiplied trials,His multiplied peace.

                           When we have exhausted our store of
                           endurance,
                           When our strength has failed ere the day
                           is half done,
                           When we reach the end of our hoarded
                            resources,
                            Our Father's full giving is only begun.

                           His love has no limits, His grace has no
                           measure,
                           His power has no boundary known unto
                           men.
                           For out of  His infinite riches in Jesus,
                           He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

Change ( Psalm 62 ]

                              I spoke to a man while out walking,he
                              had suffered a stroke. He mentioned how
                              it made him hard to live with. Then my
                              son  Paul  spoke to me about a married
                              couple he met. They both were suffering
                              from major health problems , yet they
                              showed such a positive attitude ,my son
                              came away feeling very challenged.

                                                A  prayer.

                              Dear God grant us all grace to face the changes
                              that you permit to come into our lives, with
                              peace ,even joy, trust in you ,and with a spirit
                              hope ,  in Jesus name Amen.

Take ( Romans 12 v 1 - 2 )

  
                            Take my life, and let it be,
                            Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
                            Take my moments and my days,
                             Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

                            Take my hands, and let them move
                             At the impulse of Thy love;
                             Take my feet, and let them be
                             Swift and beautiful for Thee.

                             Take my voice, and let me sing
                              Always only for my King;
                              Take my lips, and let them be
                              Filled with messages from Thee.

                              Take my silver and my gold,
                               Not a mite would I withhold;
                               Take my intellect, and use
                                Every power as Thou shalt choose.

                               Take my will, and make it Thine;
                                it shall be no longer mine;
                                Take my heart, it is Thine own;
                                 It  shall be Thy royal  throne.

                                Take my love; my Lord, I pour
                                 At Thy feet its treasure store;
                                 Take myself, and I will be
                                 Ever, only, all for Thee.

                                   ( Words...F.R.Havergal )
                                 



                                
                            

I am not religious. ( Matthew 6 v 23 )

                             There she was a beautiful young lady
                              a famous film star, the daughter of a
                              a famous film star. She was being
                              interviewed by a reporter, she voiced
                              her opinion on different subjects
                              Here is what she said as regards her beliefs,
                              ''I'm not religious, but I am spiritual, I
                              don't follow a particular religion but do
                              believe in a god, that there is something
                              out there- it could be aliens''. All I can say
                              if  one relies on one's own understanding,
                              you get further and further away from the
                              truth.
                               
                                    Jesus said I am the light of the
                                    world; he that followeth  me
                                    shall not walk in darkness,but
                                    shall have the light of  life.
                                             ( John 8 v12 )

Show me your faith . ( James 2 v 14 - 26 )

                                So let us look at what James means,when
                                he wrote those words, 'Show me your faith'
                                Now we had considered it cannot mean
                                salvation by works, but what does it mean.
                                As we read what James has written, one could be
                                confused ,when we read  2 v 24,'' You see that
                                a person is justified by what he does and not by
                                faith alone''.James is  writing to Jews , and the
                                 Jew believed that ,that all Israel has a
                                portion in the world to come ( Jew's daily prayer
                                book ) John the Baptist, and Jesus had to challenge
                                this hollow claim ,the words of John ,are in keeping
                                with what James is saying, ''Prove by the way you live
                                that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.
                                Don't just say to each other, We're safe '' (Matthew 3
                                v 8- 9). James uses two examples of those who showed
                                 their faith, Abraham and Rahab, As the heading in my
                                Bible declares ,Real faith shows itself by deeds.

                                                           Michael Green.
                               '' The message is not out of place in the contemporary
                                church, too prone to regard baptism and churchgoing
                                as sufficient pledges of eternal security whither or not
                                there is in the lives of the people any fruit in keeping
                                with repentance.''
                            

Jesus saves . ( Philippians 3 v 1 - 11 ]

                          James 1 v 18 ,reads,' Show me your faith''
                          the answer is, 'I will show you my faith by what
                          I do'. James is not speaking of being by saved
                          by works, for that goes against ,what we are
                          in so many other scriptures. ( Eph 2 v 8-9/
                          Titus 3 v 5./ Isa 64 v 6 ) The only work that can
                           us, is the finished work of  Christ. The salvation
                           of a person is by grace ,Gods unmerited favour,
                           and mercy, the person who fails to see this, shuts
                          themselves of from salvation. The only thing we
                           bring to be saved is our sins, in  order that they
                           be forgiven. Tomorrow we will look at ,what
                            James means ,when he writes ,on saving faith.

                                    Not what my hands have done
                                    Can save my guilty soul;
                                   
                                    Thy work alone O Christ,
                                    Can ease this weight of sin;
                                    Thy blood alone, O Lamb of  God,
                                     Can give me peace within.

                                             ( Words...H. Bonar )
                      

                                   

Never mind the fat lady. ( 2 Corinthians 1 v 8 - 10 )

                                I am sure that you have heard the saying
                                ''Its not over till the fat lady sings'', this
                                applies to so many aspects of life. It seems
                                the football match is over, your team is
                                being beaten with five minutes to go, so
                                you turn the TV off, then you discover
                                in that five minutes they made a comeback
                                and win the match. My thoughts turn to a
                                young lad who stood facing a giant, it appeared
                                like it was  all over, but it wasn't. I can think of a
                                lady who had cancer, it was terminal, for her
                                and others, it appeared like it was all over but
                                it wasn't. Never mind the fat lady, it is not over
                                 until God says so.