Dunkirk. ( Ephesians 3 v 20 - 21 )

A writer asks this question about what role prayer played in the miracle of Dunkirk ?.we will touch on this,I have read a good deal on the 2nd world war ,and how powerful the German army was,Hitler had been preparing for that event.We see this when we consider how easily he conquered most of Europe  ,so lets consider Dunkirk in 1940  the German forces had trapped the British ,and French armies,there was no way out.Yet the German forces failed to take advantage ,they held back, well Hitler felt that the British would come to the negotiating table like the French.What ever the reason he held his army back,so enabling 350,000 , troops to be rescued . Now coinciding with all this the then King ,George V1, called for a week of prayer, so up and down the country churches joined in prayer, I believed strongly that it resulted in what one could call the miracle of Dunkirk.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Alfred Tennyson.                                                                                                            ''More things are wrought by prayer than this world                                                                                  dreams of.''

From victory to defeat. ( Joshua 6 - 7 )

I just read something very interesting ,and it it is based on a man called Achan, we read about him in the book of Joshua. Israel had just entered the promised land, they were promised it by God ( Gen 13 v15) So it came to pass but they had as a nation to go defeat those who occupied the land,and live there.The first place they came to was Jericho,of course  it was Gods victory,there part was to obey God completely, they where told not to take any of the plunder,it would be dedicated it to God.It appeared that everything had gone to plan,until the next battle, a little town called  Ai,and it was there they experienced defeat, which really discouraged them, but God spoke and told them someone had ,no he did say that ,He said Israel had acted unfaithfully ,and took  to itself  that which was Gods.The person who did this was Achan,Thirty six people had died ,and defeat was the result of his sin.but the blame was put on everyone. That's the way God saw it, I will continue this the next time, I will leave you with this thought,never underestimate your sins and its effect on yourself and others.

The wonder of it all. ( Galatians 2 v 20 )

With the death of dear Billy Graham my mind went to my early Christian day,when I bought records of lovely George Bev Shea singing. Just recently I heard a recording of him singing a song he wrote,I first heard this song sung in the church I attended,by a man called Ken Maxwell ,I was truly blessed when I heard it, I never forgot it,the name of that song is, ''The wonder of it all'',it was Bev Shea who also wrote the words, so I will leave it with you, may God bless these words to you..                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   There's the wonder of sunset at evening,                                                                                                   The wonder as sunrise I see,                                                                                                                       But the wonder of wonders,that thrills my soul,                                                                                       Is the wonder that God loves me.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Oh the wonder of it all,                                                                                                                             The wonder of it all,                                                                                                                                   Just to think that God loves me /you,                                                                                                         O, the wonder of it all,                                                                                                                               Just to think that God loves me/ you.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             There's the wonder of springtime and harvest,                                                                                           The sky,the stars the sun,                                                                                                                            But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul,                                                                                       Is the wonder that's only begun.                                                                                                             (Bev Shea sung at B.G  gospel events )                                                                                                                 

Is it time to cry? ( Luke 15 v 11 ff )

The story Jesus told of the prodigal, or the lost son, ( Luke 15 v 11 )has much to teach us in relation of people coming to Christ. A young man leaves home with money in his pocket,whose  one purpose was to throw of the restraints at home. This he did in a full measure,wine women and song, with the help of a lot of hanger on's,but in the end he ended up destitute. In his joys he give little thought for his loving father, it is interesting we do not have a mention of his mother.It does appear that when people are doing well they do not consider their need of a Saviour.I think of the people where I live, most of them have cars ,nice homes, nice clothes,nice food, so why do they need God,they rarely give Him a thought ,the word of God sums it up, ''in all his thoughts, there is no need for God ( Psalm 10 v 4 ).The young man never gave a thought  for God, or family, UNTIL  the water in the well dried up,his money ,nearly naked and starving,he comes to his senses, and he begins to think differently,and he then started home into the arms of a loving father. I know a couple of lads like that prodigal, who ended up in prison,and it was there that they cried out in desperation  to our Lord Jesus,                                                                                                                                                                                                        This poor man cried , and the Lord                                                                                                             heard him, and saved him out of all                                                                                                           his troubles.                                                                                                                                               He brought me up also out of an                                                                                                               horrible pit, out of the miry clay,                                                                                                               and set my feet upon a rock,and                                                                                                                 established my goings.                                                                                                                               And He hath put a new song in my                                                                                                           mouth,even praise unto our God.                                                                                                                 ( Psalm 34 v 6 / 40 v 2 - 3   )                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

We would see Jesus. ( John 12 v 21 )

.John Bunyan's last words from the pulpit were,'Live like the children of God, that you may look your Father in the face with comfort another day''.We often hear the term ,''like father like son',I suppose that we should be trying to aim at every day, that is the challenge,for all of us.A little boy asked a missionary,''are you Jesus'', of course none of us are ,Jesus,but we called to be like Him,in every aspect of our lives,in our home,or wherever we find ourselves. Like so many things ,we know this,but knowing and doing are two different things,it may surprise you to know that ,every Christian struggles in being what they should be, a little children's chorus comes to mind, it reads.                                                                            Be like Jesus , this my song ,                                                                                                                    In the home and in the throng  ,                                                                                                                Be like Jesus all day long,                                                                                                                          I would be like Jesus.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Come over to the light. ( John 8 v 12 )

My wife was given ,the gift of a large bulb,from which a long stem grew, as the stem grew it began to lean towards the light,so you  are advised to turn it around,so it straitens up,as it goes towards the light,it has now flowered,its name is an Amaryllis. I found it fascinating, and am puzzled ,at a plant doing this. I also had some flowers in my garden ,that opened up when the sun shone, and closed up when the sun went down, again I found this fascinating. The apostle John has a number of things to say about light and darkness ,in the first chapter of  his gospel ,he mentions five  times the word light ,( he is referring to Jesus), as it where shining in the darkness ,in spite  of who He was,what He did, and what He said ,they did not understand, and not only did they not understand they did their best to extinguish the light, but they could not.The darkness of humanity is awesome, the Jews did not recognise their creator, nor did they recognise their Messiah.That Messiah they believed would liberate their nation,and they would rule the world with Him,they appeared to not see that He would  deal with their sin. Yet this goes further than the Jews,Jesus is the light of the world,who came to all in order to bring us out of darkness.The  light has come ,He is still shining, but the sad thing is, in our natural sinful state we actually love darkness rather than light.There is way out of the darkness that is to see it for what it is, darkness,and to respond to Him, who said, I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,but will have the light that leads to life ( John 8 v 12).

Without Him ( Ephesians 2 v 11 - 13 )

When out walking I was praying and the dread thought came,' With You', and then I remember dear old Jack Halcomb singing a song titled, 'Without Him'. While the non Christian can live their lives without Jesus, the Christian shudders at such a thought,so here are the words of that old song,written by, 'Mylon Rae Lefevie .                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Without Him I could do nothing                                                                                                              Without Him I'd surely  fail,                                                                                                                       Without Him I would drifting                                                                                                                    Like a ship without a sail.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Without Him I would be dying                                                                                                                   Without Him I'd be enslaved                                                                                                                     Without Him life would be worthless                                                                                                       But with Jesus thank God I'm saved                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Oh Jesus, oh  Jesus,                                                                                                                                  Do you know Him today?                                                                                                                          Please don't turn Him away,                                                                                                                      O Jesus, my Jesus,                                                                                                                                      Without Him, how lost I would be.                                                                                                            Without Him how lost I would be.