Have faith. ( 1 John 5 v 14 - 15/ Mark 5 v 24 - 34 )

My mind  was on a person who was desperate ,a lady who had  a problem which she suffered with for 12 long years,it made her ceremonial unclean. In that religious society it was serious ,and it  was serious for her, it was a physical complaint, no health service, those who did practise as doctors ,were very limited as to what they could treat.Whatever money she had ,she had spent it all trying to get a cure but to no avail,what was she to do?.Well she heard about Jesus the healer, but how could she dare approach him,she was considered ceremonial unclean, she would not anybody to know.She was utterly desperate ,so  she went and the only thing she had was faith,poor in all that she was,yet she had faith. . It not Jesus who said ,if you have faith one could move a mountain, even though ones faith was very small  ( Matthew 17 v 20 ). It is W.Barclay who titles this story,''A sufferer's last hope'', in spite of all her previous disappointments, she had hope that Jesus could help her. So here is what she did,she went to where Jesus was,He was not hard to find,because a large crowd of people followed Him wherever He went., but that made it difficult for her to actually get to Jesus. There are so many things that can stop us getting to Jesus, but the fact is, He was the only one who could meet this women's need.,let me ask the question to you, what is stopping you from coming to Jesus ?,Let us learn from this lady,she did not give up and go home, it was difficult,but she says to herself,if I can only touch His clothes, I will be healed,and so it happened. Immediately she was healed,now Jesus knew someone had touch Him and was healed,and when the  lady confessed it was her,He said, ''Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace, and be freed from your suffering''.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Prayer is the key to heaven                                                                                                                         But faith unlocks the door,                                                                                                                         Words are so easily spoken,                                                                                                                       Prayer without faith is like                                                                                                                         a boat without oars.                                                                                                                                    Have faith when you pray to                                                                                                                     the Master,                                                                                                                                                 that's  all He asks from you,                                                                                                                       Prayer is the key to heaven                                                                                                                         But faith unlocks the door.                                                                                                                         ( Words..R.L.Sande /S.T.Scott)                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Lex talionis ( Matthew 5 v 38 - 42 )

How many time have we heard people saying ,''an eye for eye, tooth for tooth'',and they take that literally,the words are taken from Exodus 21 v 24. I want to quote Alec Motyer on these words.           ''This is often misused ( as if ' an eye for an eye ' was an expression of ancient savagery ), but it is actually a poetic and dramatic demand that the punishment should match the crime,no more and no less. When English law hanged a person for stealing a sheep , it  was not because the principle of ' an eye for an eye' was being practised but because it had been forgotten . Nowadays,the great rule of equity is more  often breached by mistaken leniency. The Lex  talionis ( The law of retaliation ) is of course a law for the courts, not for private vengeance.The reference to the Lex talionis in the present context shows that its terms were illustrative not prescriptive. '' Our Saviour taught in Matthew 5 v 38 ff how we transcend  this law,by turning the other cheek, to not resist evil, I think this does not rule out the law courts, were a fair settlement should be reached.

He will come again. ( 2 Peter 3 v 1 - 14 )

Abraham Lincoln was having a hard time during the American civil war, Gen Grant was head of the Union army, but when reports came in of ghastly losses in his Virginia campaign,it put in doubt the outcome of the war,and Lincoln's election.So at time's he despaired ,and increasingly he came to feel that the outcome of the war, and of his administration was in the hands of a  Higher Power. As I read the history of this little Island when the German army was sweeping all before them, I reach the same conclusion as Lincoln though I would put it a different way, that the outcome of that conflict was not just in the hands of a higher power, but in the hands of Almighty God. Our Almighty God is not a spectator as regards what is going on in this world, no, He rules over all the affairs of mankind. He is working everything to His conclusion ,the Son of  God is at the helm, ruling and over ruling,in every situation right down to the teeny -weeny detail. Then when it has reach that point, He will come back again, to reclaim what is His,that is His church, the main thing for us who are His children,is  to live in the light of that great event, for it will happen, I will not speculate as to when, for our Lord forbid us to do that ,( Acts 1 v 7 ),but I am watching and working until that hour.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      It may be at morn,when the day                                                                                                                is awaking,                                                                                                                                                  When sunlight through darkness                                                                                                                and shadow is breaking,                                                                                                                            That Jesus will come in the fullness                                                                                                           of glory.                                                                                                                                                     To receive from the world His own.                                                                                                                 ( Words . H.L.Turner )                                                                                                         

O yes He cares. ( 1 5 v 7 )

Two of the loveliest  words in the Bible to me are the words recorded about Jesus ,as He stood outside the tomb of a friend who died,are these, ''Jesus wept''.   ( John 11 v 35 )                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Does Jesus care when my heart is pained                                                                                                  To deeply for mirth and song?                                                                                                                  As the burdens press,and the cares distress,                                                                                              And the way grows weary and long ?.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Does Jesus care when my way is dark,                                                                                                      With a nameless dread and fear?                                                                                                                 As the daylight fades into deep night shares,                                                                                            Does He care enough to be near?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Does Jesus care when I've said goodbye                                                                                                     To the dearest on earth to me.                                                                                                                    And my heart aches, till it nearly breaks,                                                                                                  Is it ought to Him?, Does He see?.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                O yes He cares, I know He cares,                                                                                                              His heart is touched with my grief.                                                                                                            When the days are weary,                                                                                                                          The long nights dreary,                                                                                                                              I know my Saviour cares.                                                                                                                             ( Words by Frank. E. Graeff )                           


.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

A holy day. ( Philippians 1 v 21 )

We  have booked another holiday ,now a holiday is an opportunity to rest ,but for all that I would not want to be a permeate tourist . The original meaning for holiday was' holy day,'my it truly has lost its original meaning, for many ,it is a time of self indulgence, measured by how much they eat and drink,and indulging in sex of one kind or another.I am not trying to spoil your holiday,for people are very busy in life and under pressure, they have to manage to work full time and also run a home, which in itself is a full time job,go and enjoy your holiday and have a well earned rest.But whither on holiday or at home,why not make everyday a holy day.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          O walk with Jesus, to thy veiw
                                                           He will make all things sweet and new,                                                                                                     Will bring new fragrance from each flower                                                                                               And hallow every passing hour.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Jesus ,a great desire have we,                                                                                                                     To walk life troubled path with Thee,                                                                                                       Come to us now,in converse stay;                                                                                                             And O walk with us day by day.                                                                                                                     ( Words by E.Paxton Hood )                                                                                                                 

It is coming. ( 2 Thessalonians 1 v 5 - 9 )

King Ahab was king of the breakaway state known as the northern state,which included Ten of the tribes of Israel, the other two were known,ah you know, the southern kingdom.Instead of the northern state holding unto God and His way, they parted very quickly, and never really returned spiritually, but God continued to speak to them by prophets like Elijah , and Elisha, at times it appeared they were winning the battle for the spiritual well being of the country,but it was not to be, they kept moving further and further away from God,until they were moved into oblivion  by God.Lets return to Ahab, he was privileged to have God speaking to him, through the prophet Elijah,and witnessed Gods power ( 1 Kings 17 -18 ),but it did not appear to make any difference.He had also an evil wife who killed many of Gods prophets, she was a Gentile,but they ran their course,and both Ahab and Jezebel, both died violent deaths,for God judged them.Many nations ,many leaders, many people have cast of God,will in the end be cast off by God. It is only a matter of time before God will judge the world,and people will cry for  the mountains and rocks to fall on them , to hide them from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb .For the great day of their wrath  has come,and who can stand.  (Revelation 6 v 16 - 17 )                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Will your cry be to late?

All we need. ( Jude 24 - 25 )

In Hebrews 12 v 1  we read,'let us strip off every weight  that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up'. I heard a Christian song I had not heard before ,the theme of it ,is summed up in the following words,''Anything apart from You,let it fall away''.that is what those words of Hebrews is telling us.Often we are so blinded by so many things that we keep doing things we really need to cast of. Often people do not really see that they have a weight problem,until someone tells them why they have problems coping.Someone I know was visiting a relative, who complained about not having enough money to feed her children,when she was told if she gave up drugs and cigarettes ,she would have enough money to feed her children.She reacted by slapping that person who had dared to challenge her behaviour. Now she is not a Christians ,she needs Christ. Yet what about us who have Christ?,should we not face up to things that we need to cast off. Unlike the non Christian we have Christ,who can grant us the help we need to change,His Spirit dwells in all His children,Here is the word of God for all of us,''His divine power has given us everything we need for life and  godliness ''  ( 2  Peter 1 v 3 ).                                                                                                                                                                                                 Ask the Saviour to help you.