Friendship ( Proverbs 18 v 24 )

           I received a Christmas parcel  from the wife of a couple I have  known for years, her husband
           was a minister,he is a person I admired much.We had some good times together, we used to
           play table tennis,he usually won. His Christian background was that of ,'The Brethren', that
           gave him a great grounding in the scripture,and  also presented him with opportunities to
           develop a preaching ministry. We met at Bible college,although on reflection I don't think he
           needed Bible college training,not all people do,I did, and most people do.He always had a very
           good library of Christian books,now he has a very large library,in contrast mine is small,but it
           is growing.Now my friend is feeble,and hard of hearing,and suffers from diabetes,still I know
           if I met up with him today,we would start up where we left off. Most of us value friendship,
            but of course sin has distorted humanity,we are not as sociable as we will be in eternity.In                   heaven  everyone will be our friend,for there will be no class,or  racial, or social
           distinctions.and we will love everyone with a perfect love. As our Saviour walked among
           humanity,He loved the unlovely,the marginalised , yes He loved Judas who sold Him out,He
           even loved Peter who denied Him, He even loved a thief hanging on a cross,and as the old
           hymn says,''He spoke to him words of compassion and took him to Paradise,and wonder of ,
           wonders He loves you ,and yes He even loves me.

                                                                       Jesus
                                           He is my Lord,my Saviour, and my best Friend.
                               

Don't nod off . ( Genesis 2 v 2 )

       While travelling home recently,I was stuck in a lot of traffic,we where all moving very slowly,
       so there was a lot of breaking and starting,it is times like that,that I am glad I have an automatic.
       but  I was tired.Now you can guess what happened, I dozed off, and gently hit the car in front,
       the driver got out to see the damage,but thankfully there was none,he signalled that all was well,
       then got back into his car. You may asked why had I not taken a brake? ,I had , but it still
       happened.There was a\ reason why I was tired,not enough sleep, yes I will have to be more
       disciplined in going to bed at a more reasonable time.There is an old saying which goes,' You
       cant burn the candle at both ends',and that's true as I found out.We need sleep,it is important,
       that seems obvious,but unfortunately we do not practise it.there are many reasons for this,
       whatever the reason we need to put this into practise.There are many things of course we need
       to put into practise,but let us practise one thing at a time.

                                                                 A  prayer.
                             Dear Lord help to see the importance of rest and
                             sleep,and grant us the grace we need to put this
                             into practise, in Jesus name   Amen

Pure gold ( Hebrews 4 v 15 )

             It is Michael Wilcock who describes King Hezekiah as this golden boy,there is no doubt
             that he was a very good king, but it is obvious that he was not pure gold. I was listening
            to a program on the radio, and a lady was expressing her view's about Prince Harry's forth
             coming wedding to what would be known as a commoner,she said how it made the royal
            family ordinary just like us. As one looks at the history of  kings and queens it does appear
            that many did think they were more than ordinary.They saw themselves as Gods anointed
            separate from  those they ruled, The Japaneses Emperor was considered divine, how
            unlike Jesus,who was God manifest in the flesh ,we read He became poor,most monarchs
            are very wealthy.They don't live in common dwellings,but in palaces    ,often they enjoyed
            much while those they ruled went hungry,one queen is thought to have said as regards her
            hungry citizens,let them eat cake.Even king Solomon's son Rehoboam when ask to make it
            easier for those he ruled,said he was going to make it harder  ( 2 Chron  10) When Jesus
            came to earth ,he identified with the poor and lowly,he declared Himself to be a servant.
            He healed the sick,fed the hungry,sought out those on the margin's of society,and instead
            of ignoring humanities greatest need,their sinful condition ,He took it upon Himself,to deal
           it,when He died on Calvary,sin can be forgiven,sin can be overcome.

                                                Unlike Hezekiah who was not                     
                                                pure gold,Jesus was pure gold.
           
         
         

All good things. ( Matthew 6 v 24 )

      Well it is all over,as the saying goes, 'all good things came to an end', we will soon be taking down our Christmas tree,and putting away the decorations. But for many it is not quite over,the sales have begun,even though we have received so much we will want more,and so it goes on.Let us remember the words of Jesus ,''Watch out,be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life
does not consist in the abundance of his possessions'' (Luke 12 v 15 ).Oh yes I like things ,I like having nice clothes, I am grateful to God for the way He has blessed me, I could tell you about all
 my possessions.But I know that they are only borrowed,  we only have a loan of them,there comes a time when we all will leave them behind.And it's then if we know the Lord that we enter into true riches,yes enjoy what God has given you,but remember those who are less fortunate,the first thing the wise men did when they came to Jesus was they worshipped Him,and then they gave Him their
 gifts,for after all God wants us ,He wants our love, loyalty,faithfulness,our worship.     

                                                        Remember.
                          When you have Jesus ,you have more wealth,in
                           your soul,than acres of diamonds,and mountains
                          of  Gold.

   


                                     

Jesus. ( John 3 v 16 )

              I love reading I read fictional  and non fictional books,fictional are written out of the authors
              imagination,non fictional, like historical are usually based on historical fact.So it is like
              Christmas,so much that fictional ,at the expense of the non fictional,and unfortunately the
              the non fictional has taken over,and that is very serious.For it practically blots out the real
              meaning of Christmas,and that is very serious,instead of a Saviour we have Santa,instead
             of  of us focusing on the eternal Christ we focus on temporal things.So let me mention
             briefly the true meaning of Christmas  ,Christ,simple,yet true,Immanuel God with us,
             also called Jesus which means a Saviour,for we are all sinners and everyone of us needs a
             Saviour who is Christ the Lord.
                       
                                     Please do not miss the true meaning of the season

Pride . ( Proverb 8 v 13 )

                 Another aspect of Chronicles can be summed up,in the following statement ,in
                 relation to the kings.'' He who seeks the Lord will be blessed, while he who
                 abandons the Lord ,will be abandoned ''is is the reality as regards Israels leaders,
                 And so it appears,that as long as Uzziah sought the Lord,God gave him success,
                 (  2 Chronicles 26 v 5 )Uzziah was a great king,accomplished so much,but then
                 we read how that when he became powerful, and from them on things deteriorated,
                 pride took over. Here is what the word of God has to say about pride
                                                  Pride goes  before destruction,
                                                  a haughty spirit before a fall
                                                  Better to be lowly in spirit and
                                                  among the oppressed
                                                  than to share plunder with the
                                                  proud.
                                                         ( Proverbs 16 v 18-19 )
                Pride brought this godly king down, it can so easy bring all of us down, we  need
                to heed the destructiveness of sin. John Bunyan that godly man wrote.
                                                    He that is down needs fear no fall,
                                                    He that is low, no pride;
                                                    He that is humble ever shall
                                                    Have God to be his guide.
               
   

Weakness. ( 2 Corinthians 12 v 7 - 10 )

        I am studying the book of  Chronicles the writer Michael Wilcock, commenting on the kings
        who ruled the southern kingdom ,(Judah),  points out the following,when they were weak they
        were strong,and when they were strong they were weak. People say the most important thing
        is good health,the apostle Paul suffered from a serious health issue,that did not go away, yes
        he prayed much about it ,asking for Gods  healing touch,and it did not happen. No one likes
        an on going health problem,or any ongoing problems and yet you have prayed often
        about it, time after time, to no avail,the fact is God permits certain things to remain in our
        lives. the purpose in Paul's life was, to keep him humble.Whatever the reason for our weakness
        is that we rely on God, and rely on Him, and rely on Him,just as Paul had to. He also began to
        realise Gods purpose,and truly did discover that Gods grace was sufficient , to such  extent
        that as the Message puts it, ''he quit focusing on the hardships and began appreciating  the
        gift'',that they were serving a good purpose in his life.In spite of  his weakness ,he was
        experiencing the strength he needed.

                                                            A prayer.
                              Dear Lord  help us in our weaknesses,grant unto
                              us the grace, to not only cope, but to so experience
                              your grace,that we truly can say that your grace
                              is sufficient, Amen.