Change. ( Malachi 3 v 6 )

                               I  am looking at a photo of a young man in a magazine ,he is dressed in
                               casual clothes,I think I will send him a few pound to buy a pair of  trousers
                              for the poor lad's trousers are torn in both knees. Yes ,although I am 73 ,I
                              know that this is the fashion,when I was young it was a sign of poverty.
                              How things change ,the newspapers are no longer large, and unmanageable,
                              I know some still are, I wonder why.?. The thing is,things change,somethings
                              don't, we change physically, my hair has turned blond,although my wife keeps
                              telling me its grey, what does she know.?. I used to be a sweet lovely young
                              man but now I  am a member of the old men's grumpy club.The fact is we are
                             finite beings, that means we will change,it is inevitable, but here is an important
                             thing ,God does not change, in His being,and in his attributes.people do try to
                             change him, even Christians,they find it hard to accept aspects of  God ,like
                             the fact that He judges people,and will judge all mankind,oh no they say, we
                             do not want that sort of God.Then  others who think it is wrong to say there
                             is only one God, and only one way to God,so they try to change it.Then there
                             are other people like the Jews who refuse their Messiah,because of what it
                             would mean, change.
                                                         We cannot change God,but He can
                                                                           change us.
                           

Pray . ( Luke 18 v 1 )

                             In East Africa many are suffering,this is caused by a lack of rain
                             do pray.
                             In Yemen thousands of people are suffering from the worst cholera
                             outbreak in history.
                            Spain is experiencing political turmoil, which could easily break out
                            serious violence.
                            I could go on, this world is full of so much pain, many millions of people
                            have been affected by violence,
                           Millions of people have become refugees,living in camps, that are poorly
                           equipped.
                             
                                                   PRAY, PRAY, PRAY, PRAY.

The story is not over. ( John 3 v 16 )

                    One of the most godly kings of Israel was  Josiah ( 2 Kings 22- 23 ), he sought
                    to turn the people back to God, but it was all in vain ,for after his death, the nation
                    went back to their old ways. Israel the nation had its times of  spiritual life,but so
                    often they kept running away from God.. God loved them, but oh so often they
                   rejected His love,in spite of all He had done for them. Even when they became very
                   religious in our Lords time, their religion was hard and unloving. They had the plain
                   teaching of scripture,but failed to understand, the true character and purpose of the
                   promised Messiah.Instead of seeing the importance of a spiritual rebirth, they leaned
                   heavenly on their privileged  position of being children of Abraham. To them the
                   physical  ,the outward religious acts,overshadowed everything, Instead of welcoming
                   their Messiah with open arms,and embracing Him as their saviour, they saw Him as
                   a threat to their position. In the end they came to the conclusion he would have to die.
                   and so they schemed and planned to destroy him.  It is a very dark and tragic picture
                   I paint ,but it is a true picture,but of course the story is not over,in time God will bring
                   into His kingdom,a people from Israel ,which will be made up of all mankind,of Jews
                   and non-Jews, for Gods purposes are greater than a nation state. One day all those
                  who have come to know Christ, a people from every tribe and language ,,and
                  nation will gathered unto God and will sing the praises of  Him who loved them,
                  Jesus the Lamb of God who took  away their sins

                                                      'For the earth will be full
                                                      of the knowledge of the
                                                      Lord, as the waters cover
                                                      the sea.'
                                                               ( Isaiah 11 v 9 )

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