God is not a Tyrant ( Jonah 4 ]

                         The story of Jonah is interesting and instructive , a prophet running away
                         when told  by God to proclaim  Gods word to Nineveh capital of Assyria..
                         a major world power, who conquered nearly all before them.,they were religious
                        believing in many gods. When they conquered a nation they believed  they were
                        defeating that nations god., They were noted for their cruelty, when they defeated a
                        nation they would humiliate  that nations ruler,by pulling them with ropes attached
                        by lips and the jaw. They were wicked,cruel, and idolaters, So when Jonah was told
                        to proclaim Gods judgement, instead of being obedient, he was disobedient, why?
                        The answer may surprise many people who see God in the OT as a tyrant, In chap 4
                        we see a man who knew his God ,' He prayed to the Lord,''O Lord, is this not what I
                        said when I was still at home? That is why I was quick to flee  to Tarshish . I knew
                        that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love
                        a God who relents from sending calamity''. Is  he describing a tyrant ?.

                                                           There's a wideness in God's mercy
                                                            Like the wideness of the sea; 
                                                           There's a kindness in his justice
                                                            Which is more than liberty
                                                                (Words...F.W.Faber)
                                                         

                                                                                   



                                                   
                                                      .
                       
                       

Gods timetable ( Acts 1 v 7 - 8 )

                       Did you know that God has a timetable?,we need to be reminded of this,unlike
                       trains and planes ,He is never late ,nor ever early,no ,whatever God has planned
                       will happen when He says it will happen. In Galatians 4 v 4 ,the writer ,writing
                       of the coming of Christ, tells us,''But when the time arrived that was set by God
                       the Father, God sent his Son,born  among us of a woman ''. It is something we
                       need to be reminded of ,especially in relation to prayer. lets be honest we all
                       want answers to our prayers immediately, and while God does answer a degree
                       quickly,other times he does not, we have to wait,for God to answer according to
                       His timetable. Now one of  the major things that some Christians struggle with is
                       the Lords coming again,it is the apostle Peter in 2 Peter 3 v ,who  reminds his
                       readers and us, that God is outside of time, and that there is a reason why he has
                       not come. The disciples were wondering when the fullness of Gods kingdom would
                       come into being ,so they asked Jesus,and this is what He told them,'' It is not for
                       you to know times or seasons ,that the Father has fixed by  His own authority''.
                       He followed up this statement by telling them that their task was to go into all the
                       world and be a witness for Him.

                                           Stop wondering and worrying as to Gods timetable
                                         

Have Thine own way Lord. ( Isaiah 64 v 8 )

                      I did not choose the body I have , God did, (  Isaiah 44 v 2 ),I did not choose the
                      parents ,I had ,God  did, I did not choose the land I was born in, God did.You  may
                      look at what I am declaring,and  find it hard to accept. I do not have all the answers
                      as to Gods ways,I cannot answer all the whys in your life and mine. But what I am
                      called to do is to understand ,that we are not Gods plaything , He knows what
                      He is doing , I am 73 and as I look back  I know God  is silent about many things,
                      yet I can see by faith Gods providence. And the safest attitude is that of trust and
                      confidence , people are challenged  to believe in God ,what does that mean to you.
                      It is more than words or intellectual ascent. It implies wholehearted trust ,that steps
                      into the unknown , and follows Him who said follow Me. We used to play a little
                      game called follow the leader , our leader is Jesus that is whom I am following .He
                      brought into being with my own peculiar  personality ,  to fulfil His will through
                      me. we  may think that we are of no  consequence, but we are to Him, and that is
                      what counts.Whatever God has placed in your heart ,seek to fulfil it ,and do it.
                      Adelade  Pollard an American lady was feeling  very discouraged,and she attended
                      a prayer meeting,and heard a lady pray,''Lord , it really does not matter what you do
                      with us,just have your own way''.She went on to write the following.

                                                  Have Thine own way Lord,have Thine
                                                  Thou art the potter, I am the clay;
                                                   Thou art the potter, I am the clay;
                                                   mould me and make me after Thine will
                                                   while I am waiting yielded and still.
                                                 
                   

                                               

Reincarnation ( John 3 v16 ]

                             There are millions of people who  believe in reincarnation, in the west
                              it is not taken to serious, but as I said millions do,one of the bases of
                              Hinduism .Let us consider it, I heard someone say it trivialises   death,
                              in one sense death is not real ,an allusion. Why because it just simply
                              means one is just changing bodies ,like the fictitious Dr Who. Well as I
                              said millions believe it , but it is not true ,the word of God clearly teaches
                              that it is appointed unto men once to die. That each individual when born
                              is someone who never existed ,they are a brand new individuals,with no
                              past history.They do not come back into an earthly existence as another
                               human being or animal. Hinduism proclaims not only do you come back
                              as you once where ,but depending how you live, you will exist as in inferior
                              human, or a superior human being. Many millions are treated like dirt
                              because they are considered inferior, no kindness should be  shown them.
                              I once went for an interview for a job ,and was asked what would be important
                              to me in the service I would offer others the old, poor, mentally ill. My reply
                              was, I considered every human being was created in the image of God,and
                              so I would treat them as equally important .

                                                            God loves everyone
                                                                 John 3 v16


















                           
         

Idols ( Exodus 20 v 3 ]

                 T.Keller in his book ,'How to find your rival gods',,writes the following.
                 ''Many a person thinks he has God and everything he needs when he has
                 money  and property , in them he trusts and of them he boasts so stubbornly
                 and securely that he cares for no one. Surely such a man also has a god -
                 mammon by name, that is , money and possessions - on which he fixes his
                 hole heart. It  is the most common idol on earth. He who has money and
                 property feels secure , happy , fearless , as if were sitting in the midst of
                 paradise. On  the other hand,  he who has nothing doubts and despairs as if
                 had never heard of God. Very few there are who are cheerful , who do not
                fret and complain ,if they do not have mammon. This desire for wealth clings
                and cleaves to our nature all the way to the grave.''

                                       But God said to him, 'You fool, you will die
                                       this night. Then who will get everything
                                      you worked for?. Yes a person is a fool to
                                      store up earthly wealth, but not have a rich
                                      relationship with God.
                                               ( Luke 12 v 20 - 21 )

24/7 ( Genesis 5 v 24 )

                    John W. Olley  writes..''Faith cannot be separated from public life and decision
                    making''. Some people think you have to go church to pray ,some peoples
                   religion is only on a Sunday,some people think that because they were baptised as
                   a child, that's enough. There are others who only attend a church service at Christmas
                   or for wedding's,or for the funeral of a relative or a friend.Others who see religion
                   only for old people. There is an old gospel hymn which reads,

                                                   I go to church on Sunday,
                                                   The vows that I make I break
                                                   them on Monday
                                                   But come Sunday morning i'm
                                                   down on my knee's.

                                                 Enoch walked with God, 24/7
                 

                                                 
                                             
                                                 
                                                         
 

Fear affects....... ( Numbers 13 v 30 )

                          J.H.Olley writes , ''Fear affects what we see''.There comes to mind a
                          little child's chorus, about the 12 spies,who were sent to spy out  the land of
                         Canaan ,
                                                Twelve spies went to spy
                                                Ten were bad ,two were good.
                                                Some saw the giants tough and tall
                                                Some saw that God was in it all.
                         We can read about this in Numbers 13-14 .it was crucial point in the nations
                         history. God  was with them ,they had witnessed His power in Egypt, and when
                         they left  Egypt ,so what had they to fear ?. Yet in spite of what they witnessed
                         and experienced ,fear affected  them,the ten only saw the giants ,how strong and
                         powerful they were.Fear took over and faith was non existent. The result was that
                         generation did not enter  the promise land with the exception of the two who
                        who brought back a good report, there names were Caleb and Joshua..The ten
                        heard God 's   word but refused to believe ,so the forfeited a great blessing. Fear
                        affected what the ten spies saw, and fear  likewise affected the nation by what
                        they heard ,fear give way to unbelief.
                            Many missionaries were  in danger during the Boxer rebellion in China ,
                            Hudson Taylor  the head of the 'China inland mission', was receiving
                            reports about the dangerous situation, was heard to sing.

                                                    Jesus , I am resting, resting,
                                                    In the joy of what Thou art;
                                                    I am finding out the greatness,
                                                    Of  Thy loving heart.

                                                      ( Words by J.S.Piggit  )