The tree and the curse. ( Isaiah 53 )

          It is that time of  the year again when the Christmas tree goes up, it was Prince Albert
          Queen Victoria's  husband who introduced the Christmas tree into this country. Has it
          anything to do with the actual Christmas event ?.It is a tree, and we read in Galations
          3v13 and 1 Peter 2 v24  how the cross is referred to as a tree, the NT writer see's in the
          OT  in Deuteronomy 21 v23, where we read that anyone hung on a tree comes
          under a curse.It is also in Deut 27 v26, we are informed that those who do not keep the
           law come under a curse,that means we are all under God curse.So it is we are told that
           on that tree [Cross),Christ became  accursed,

                                                      William Barclay.
            ''Even at his most involved, and here he is invoved, one simple yet tremendous fact is
            never far from the mind and the heart of Paul- the cost of the Christian Gospel..He
            could never forget that the peace,the liberty,  of Jesus Christ the right relationship with God
            that we possess  cost the life and death of Jesus Christ, for how could men have known
            what God was like unless Jesus Christ had died to tell them that He loves them like that''

Mercy ( Matthew 9 v 10 - 13 )

      Philip Yancey tells of  a prostitute who was in dire straits, confessing to a very, very ,wrong,
      she had committed in connection with her two year old daughter ,to someone.They  asked
      if she ever thought of going to a church for help.She gave a look of astonishment,and  cried, ' ''            ''Church ''why would I ever go there? They'd just make me feel worse than I already do.''
      It is dear old Shakespeare ,who wrote.

                                                The quality of mercy is not strained.
                                                 It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven...
                                                 And earthly power doth then show likest God's
                                                 When mercy seasons justice.

                                                  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall
                                                                obtain mercy.
                                                       ( Matthew  5 v 7 )

If you believed [ John 11 )

                  I read this by Michael Wilcock , ''It is at Wits' End Corner that  you meet the miracles,''
                  so many times we read in Gods word how God delivered His people,when all seemed
                  lost.my mind turns to different accounts in the Bible of how God stepped in and helped
                  His people.In Exodus 14, Israel were in dire straights,The people were terrified  the
                  Egyptian army was about to attack them had no where to run, they were at 'Wits'
                  End Corner'.But the man of God had  the answer,God,and so he spoke to Gods people,
                  ''Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you
                  today., and they did,  God performed a miracle.God is never at Wit Ends Corner, never.                       In  John 11, a man had died, the sister's of the man went to Jesus, one said ,''if you had
                 been here, my brother would not have died ( John 11v 21 )But they soon discovered
                 that  ,Jesus was able to bring back their brother from the very dead. The words in
                in v 40 challenge us all to have faith,''Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would
                see the glory of  God'',and they did.

                                          Remember if we believe we will  see the Glory of God
                                                  [ John 11)

             


         
               
                 

Discernment ( Genesis 13 v 10 - 13 )

               I am studying Chronicles ,and just finished looking at the life King Jehoshaphat
               king of  the southern kingdom, also known as Judah,Benjamin  was also part of
              it. Israel  was split in two.the other part was known as the northern kingdom, they
              were ruled by King Ahab. From the time the Northern broke away politically,
              they broke away spiritually,forsaking God. Ahab had married the infamous
              Jezebel ,and followed her ,into her pagan worship.Now Jehoshaphat did a foolish
              thing he allied himself to Ahab, (  2 Chron  18 v 1 ) . It is M. Wilcock who writes
              ''The  frequent comings and goings between the two capitals no doubt originated
               in  Jehoshaphat's desire to thing the best of his neighbour,to foster the unity of
               the two nations, and to overlook differences. Subsequent events showed the perils
               of goodwill without discernment''.This nearly cost Jehoshaphat his life,and would
               open the door for a down turn spiritually,that would eventually be disastrous,for
               the southern kingdom.We cannot fraternise with those who do not stand for truth,that is
               revealed in Gods word, if we do ,we will be pulled down. Nations are introducing
               laws ,that are bound to to have serious consequences,more than ever we as Cthistians
               need discernment.
             

Unjust treatment. ( Isaiah 53 )

                If we turn to the book of Job we see a very godly man who had had suffered awful
                loss,his ten children,had died, when a house had collapsed on them.He was  a very
                wealthy person,but he lost his wealth,then he lost his health. His wife thought the
                best thing for him ,was to die,then his three friends came,and they began to accuse him,
                of causing all the evil that had happened, on him,in other words ,he had sinned,and
                God was punishing him.The debate wages to and fro,they accused him , he defending ,
                himself ,in the end God sorted it out.During  all of this Jobs,friend Eliphaz
                 said this to Job,'' As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit
                my cause. ( Job 5 v 8 )That's  good advice ,there are so many situations that we find
                ourselves in which we are accused falsely of whatever,and all we can do is ,seek God,
                and commit it all to Him. You see that's what our Saviour did,we read ,''When He was
                reviled, he did not revile in return, when he suffered,he did not threaten, but continued
               entrusting himself  to him who judges justly.

                                                        Leave it to Him.

He can be trusted. ( Titus 1 v 2 )

                    I read recently something by a man called John Sherrill  ,he said that there where
                    two types of promises in the Bible ,one for feeding on which we receive strength
                    from, then there are those premises ,that help us  fight our enemy, when we are
                    being attacked..I have just read 2 Chronicles 20,King Jehoshaphat and his country
                    are faced with a combined force of three nations.Defeat was stirring them in the
                    face,Jehoshaphat called the people together to fast and pray.He led the people in
                    prayer,one of the things he prayed was this.
                                                               
                                                    ( v12) O our God,will you not judge them?
                                                    For we have no power to face this vast army
                                                    that is attacking us. We do not know what to
                                                    do,but our eyes are upon you.
                  What a prayer that this king offered in front of all his people ,humility is a great thing
                  especially for a king, what an example to his subjects,and to us,Jesus said without me
                  you can do nothing ( John 15 v 5 ) .Then a Spirit filled man spoke a message from God
               
                                                     Do not be afraid  or discouraged , because of this
                                                     vast army, for the battle is not yours, but Gods. ( v  15 )
                 What  a wonderful promise from God ,and so it  came to pass,God Himself defeated the
                 enemy.,the God who promised ,fulfilled His word, and was victorious over them.

                                                     Trust those exceeding great and precious promises
                                                     REMEMBER GOD CAN BE TRUSTED.

The truth ,and nothing, but the truth. ( John 14 v 6 )

            Freedom is the cry of so many in this world, people die for it, in recent years South
            Sudan ,got their freedom,you would think every body would be happy. But not so
            at this moment there is a severe conflict there,with the result many are perishing.The
            term killing fields has been mentioned,we all know that comes from, Cambodia.
            It appears ,as so often happens freedom politically does not free from  such conflicts
            .Refugee's,starvation,rape,murder ,ans so ,and so .The French revolution ushered
             in the great terror,the agreement in Ireland,freedom from British rule, ushered
            in a civil war, and so one could on.Prisoners are freed, only to re offend. In the West we have
            material prosperity, like no other time in History ,but people still bemoan their lot
          . Prosperity ,has not stopped people  falling into debt . In the 1960 free love was promoted
            yet sexual perversion is on increasing, millions are controlled by lust, and feast on it,on the
            inter-net.Millions are addicted to so many things, over eating,gambling, alcohol,children
            receive wonderful education ,yet bullying goes on everyday.We watch the Proms on the TV
            and hear them sing land of free,if only that was true. Let me unashamedly tell you what my
            Saviour said,''I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin, that means, all of us,
            but He went on to say ,if the Son sets you free,you will be free indeed.  ( John 8 v 34 v 36 )

                                                   Jesus said the truth shall set  you free.
                                                   Well do you want to be free?
                                                    trust Jesus.