Hurry can kill. ( Psalm 46 v 10 )

                       A joke,'' Why do the French eat snails?. They can't
                       stand fast foods.'' People are in so much of a hurry,
                       you notice this ,especially if you are a driver. So
                       many accidents are caused by people in a hurry.
                       Recently while driving home, on the motorway,
                       torrential rain fell. and when I arrived home ,I realised
                       that I had encountered no difficulties, why?. everyone
                       had slowed down, in fact I had not even got stressed.
                      
                                                  A  prayer.
                       Dear Lord in a world that is in such a hurry and stressed
                       out, grant that we may know your calmness and peace
                       as you lead us gently along in Jesus name Amen.
                                

But cancer ( Ezekiel 36 v 26 - 28 )

                             There are two songs that I know which starts
                             with the words,'' Soften my heart''. Jesus spoke
                             of the hardness of the heart .  (Matthew 19 v 8)
                             There are  many reasons why our hearts become
                             hard, consumed by hatred , unforgiveness, lack
                             of  love, etc. whatever the reason, the result is
                             hardness of  heart. A lady who was successfully
                             treated for cancer ,said this,'' Cancer has chipped 
                             away at my armour, and softened me''. What will
                             it take to soften  us?, cancer?, one thing for sure
                             God wants to  deal with us, hard hearted people.

                                                    Ezekiel 36 v 26.
                             I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in
                             you; I will remove from you a heart of stone and
                             give you a heart of flesh.

Delaying the inevitable ( Psalm 90 )

                         Stay in school to keep your ageing brain agile, so
                         read a short article in  a news paper. We are told if
                         we eat properly, exercise by walking then we stand a
                         chance of living longer, and have a better quality of life.
                         Now we should look after our bodies ,as best we can,
                         I myself go for a brisk walk each day, Now I do want
                         to throw cold water on these things, but the article did
                         not end on a high note, ''Ultimately though, whatever you
                         do you are merely  delaying the inevitable. The level of
                         decline when it comes seems to be the same whatever
                         educational level you reach,  Professor Bunge said,
                         '' The grim reaper comes for all of us ''.

                                                     1 Timothy 4 v 8.
                        For physical training is of some value , but godliness
                        has value for all things, holding  promise for both the
                        present life  and the life to come.

                                                     
                      

Be strong (1 Kings 2 v 2 ]

                              David said to Solomon his son ''Be
                              strong, show yourself a man''. David had to face
                              many difficulties, we all know about  Goliath,the
                              giant, and how David a young man defeated him, (1 Sam
                              16 ). What was the secret of his success ?, the Lord
                              [Psalm 27 v 1 ], it was the Lord who continually
                               helped him to defeat all his enemies. Solomon
                               in all his advantages, needed to be strong in the
                               Lord. David reminds his son this truth borne out
                               of  his life time experience.

                                                       Ephesians 6 v 10
                              Finally  , be strong in the Lord and in his mighty
                              power.

It is still going on. ( Matthew 24 v 4 - 13 )

                      As one reads or hears  the news ,in the 21st century
                      why do we still have, wars and rumours of wars?. At
                      this time we have North Korea is developing weapons
                      of mass destruction. Now of course the leader of that
                      country is an educated man, he has travelled abroad,
                      and yet he has carried on where is wicked father left
                      off. I highlight him, but he is one of many ,Hitler,
                      Stalin, they where educated people, Stalin consumed
                      books, in many ways  he was a very intelligent person.
                      Look at the world of religion , the awful crimes that
                      have been and are being committed. The history of 
                      Christianity shows how wicked even professing Christians
                      can act. And so it goes on ,people seem determined
                      to destroy and hurt their fellow man. Why ?,because
                      we live in a sinful world. The cross on which Jesus died
                      tells us just how wicked we as humans can act, but it
                     but it has a greater message, that of  forgiveness,
                     and love. We all have choice, we can stay in a kingdom
                     of darkness , or we can trust Jesus and enter the kingdom  
                     God ,which is one of hope and light.
                                         Jesus said, follow Me.

                    
                      
                  
                   
                     
                    

The gospel of anger. ( Mark 3 v 1 - 6 )

                          Let us consider the gospel of anger, we read in
                          Mark 3 v5,our Lord being angry at the hardness
                          of the religious leaders, also it caused Him great 
                          I get angry when I hear of child abuse, and injustice
                          Alistair Campbell ,writing on the Gospel of anger, also
                          writes of the gospel love, and how we look again at
                          the kinds of situations in which anger is most readily
                          aroused, and then consider what a  loving  anger might
                          achieve in overcoming both enmity and apathy.

                                                     A  prayer
                          Dear God move us with a loving anger to confront the
                          evils that abound ,by the gospel of love, in Jesus name
                          Amen.
                   

Its a fact. ( Psalm 1 )

                                           A young Solomon.

              When godly ministers where near  death ,it was the practise
               to  record their last words. In 1 Kings 2,David the King was
               about to die, and so a record was made of what he had to say 
               The words he spoke were spoken to his son Solomon, who   
               was going to become king in David's  place. Let us consider
               what he said. The first thing he said was important ,''I am about
               to go the way of all the earth''. David was reminding his son
               that   he great king ,great warrior was about to die. Death does
               not discriminate ,the greatest, yes and the godliest of people
               will die. Let us never forget this ,let us remind others of this
               and let us all live in the light of eternity.
                                
                                               Hebrews 9 v 27 [The Message ]
                               
                                  Everyone has to die once, then
                                           face the consequences