A thing of beauty ( 1 Corinthians 6 v 9 - 11 ]

                                     A  thing of beauty

                     I was sitting in my garden enjoying the lovely
                     sunshine ,contrary to what people think we do
                     have sunny days in England, but in dear old Ulster
                     one sunny day is a summer.  As I sat there a lovely
                     little butterfly landed on my  shirt, the bright colours
                     must have attracted it. A butterfly is a beautiful
                     little creature, but in order to become a beautiful
                     creature, it had to be changed, from being a creepy
                     Caterpillar, to a thing of beauty.
                                       
                                               Paul the apostle,
                                               A demon possessed man.
                                               John Newton
                     These people had a Caterpillar  experience, when
                     Christ became their Saviour.

                                            2   Corinthians 5 v17

                      Therefore , if  anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.

Our greatest challenge. ( Romans 7 )

                               Elijah was a prophet but that did not mean he
                               never struggled. My son and I were talking
                               and he mention some great men of God,who
                               all mentioned the same thing, the greatest
                               challenge in their lives was themselves.That
                               did not mean that they where totally introvert,no
                               it means  they struggled like you and I.
                               When I preach the greatest critic I have is
                                myself, but whither its preaching, we will
                                all have to cope with the people we are,
                                and the people we should be, as Christians.

                                                    Romans 7 v 24
          
                                What a wretched man I am, Who will rescue
                                 me from this body of death? Thanks be to God
                                through  Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jim Elliot ,a prayer. ( 1 Timothy 4 v 12 ]

                                       Jim Elliot.

                  Jim Elliot was a young man who was killed
                  by the Auca  Indians in Ecuador, four  others
                  also died. They were trying to reach these people
                  with the Gospel. He said a number of challenging
                  things, here  is one.

                  ''Lord give me firmness without hardness,steadfastness
                   without dogmatism, love without weakness.''
                                            Amen.

Focus ( Job 1 v 20- 22 )

                                             Means.

                 The question that  came into my mind ,what am I
                 trusting in?. Yes  God blesses us with jobs, doctors,
                 possessions, money, and many things. We have map
                 books, sat-naves , but what are we trusting in?. There
                 is nothing wrong with having these things, as long as
                 we are not trusting in them. Whatever God has in His mercy
                 granted us, they are not meant to take our focus of God
                
                                            
                
    ,
                        
           

Not a chance. ( Paslm 53 )

                            Jacques Monod said the following , ''The
                            ancients covenant is in pieces; man at last
                            knows that he is alone in the unfeeling
                            immensity of the universe, out of which
                            he  emerged by chance. The fact is he and
                            others have turned chance into a god. chance
                            has emerged as being at the heart of all things.
                            As the old song goes, 'its impossible ' ,that
                            everything could have happened by chance.

                                                  Genesis 1 v 1.

                           In the beginning God created the heavens and
                           the earth.

                           

The .Bible ( 2 Timothy 3 v 15 - 17 )

                 
                                          The Bible
     
              This  Book contains the mind  of God, the state of  man,
              the way of salvation, the doom of sinners and the happiness
              of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding
              its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it
              to be wise, believe  it to be safe and practice it to be holy.
              It contains light to direct you, food to support you and comfort
              to cheer you. It  is the traveller's map, the pilgrim's staff, the
              pilot's compass, the soldier's sword and the Christian's
              character. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened and the
              gates of hell disclosed. Christ is it's grand object ,our good
              it's design and the glory of God  its end. It should fill the
              memory , rule the heart , and guide the feet. Read it slowly,
              frequently, and prayerfully. It is given you in life and will
              be  opened in the judgement and will be remembered forever
              It involves the  highest responsibility, will reward the great-
              est  labour, and will  condemn all who trifle with its sacred
              contents.
                                         ( Author Unknown )

Faith ( Psalm 37 )

                                My wife expressed concern ,she is self
                                employed ,I became a little bit annoyed
                                ,and yet I should not have, my walk has
                                been different than hers, I believe God
                                will care for His children, I am so very
                                grateful how God has blessed me in my
                                retirement, all my needs He has supplied.
                                Like the Psalmist I can say,' I have been
                                young, and now am old; yet have I not
                                seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed
                                begging bread. ( Psalm 37 v25 )