Gods timetable. ( Habakkuk 2 v 3 )

I often reflect on Gods timing in my life,how things happened at just the right time.Even so I must remember that there is my timetable and Gods timetable. This is seen in the early church as regards the second coming of our Lord Jesus. They had hoped that He would come soon and when it did not happen, Peter had to remind them of mans timetable and Gods,'' But do not forget this one thing ,dear friends; With the Lord a day is like a thousand years ,and a thousand years are like a day''(2 Peter 3 v 8 ).There are people who say that Paul expected Christ to come, in his life time, I believe he hoped that would be ,every generation of Christians hope Christ will come, in their lifetime,that is why it is called the blessed hope. Many of the promises given to Old  Testament saints,did not get fulfilled in their lifetime,but they did get fulfilled at the time of Gods choosing.         Every promise is set to Gods timetable,some happen immediately, but the vital thing to remember is, it will happen,no power on earth can stop it from happening.If it is a promise concerning a need, a job, God will undertake, in His time,coinciding with the promise God desires that we believe, faith in Gods word,will be rewarded,and is pleasing to God ( Hebrews 11 v 6 )

A man possessed . ( John 8 v 34 )

I was speaking recently on Judas Iscariot,people speculate as to why he betrayed Jesus ,well we do not have to speculate. If we stick to what is revealed in Scripture, well the first thing we are told about him he was a thief John 12 v 6, this was said about him,when he he complained about the woman who poured expensive perfume over Jesus. The woman did this as a lovely act of  devotion to Jesus ,in relation to His death.The  next thing we see about Judas he did not care for the poor ( John 12 v 5 ), he would not have agreed that the poor where blessed (Luke 6 v 20 ).Unlike Jesus who was caring and loving he was uncaring ,he was given a position of trust,and he turned out untrustworthy ,for he was the in charge of the finances, but he cooked the books, helping himself,to what we wanted.When Jesus rebuked him for  his reproaching the woman who poured the perfume over Jesus  feet, he must have felt hard done by,for the money would have gone into the common purse,which he had control of. He immediately went to the chief priests,to betray Jesus for money.This was a man who was controlled by a lust for money,and did not care how he got it.And of course the devil took every advantage of  this man,as he will with any of us if we open ourselves to him. Our lusts can so easily control us,so much so we do not care as to others,not care as regards to the consequences. Like Judas the devil can then take advantage and use us for his own filthy ends and even for our destruction,for make no mistake about Judas,there was only one place Judas would end up,and it was not Heaven.

Gods strange...... ( 2 Corinthians 5 v 7 )

So many people ,yes even Christians,bring God down to their level,they judge God, even condemn Him,they point the finger and say that's not right,He should not act like that,why does He not do something ,why did He let that happen. You may be thinking like that ,even the prophet Habakkuk voiced a why?, then there where people who would doubt that the Lord was coming,because they where judging Him from a purely human level,limiting the eternal God to being a creature of time. It was the people at the at the time of Isaiah who could not grasp the God who is merciful,Islam cannot grasp this as many of their followers slaughter  dear people,they see God purely as a fearsome judge.The people of our Lords day thought like this , they could not understand,when he reached out to those they considered sinners,forgetting that  all our sinners.Gods strange ways,His strange love,His strange mercy,His strange forgiveness. Yes strange but its a beautiful strangeness,let us   stop judging God ,from our limited human, position ,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        For my thoughts are not your thoughts,                                                                                                    nor are your ways My ways,says the                                                                                                        Lord.''For as the heavens are higher than                                                                                                  the earth,so are my ways higher than your                                                                                                ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Oh, the depth of the riches both of the                                                                                                       wisdom and knowledge of God. How                                                                                                       unsearchable are His judgements and                                                                                                         and His ways past finding out.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ( Isaiah 55 v 8 - 9 /  Romans 11 v 33)

Distinctness. ( Matthew 7 v 16 )

When I was a young Christian, Christians were distinct from non-Christian,in that we did not go to places of entertainment,we did not smoke ,or drink, gambling  was considered wrong. I remember playing darts with my workmates ,and a person who I considered a friend snubbed me. TV was considered by many out of bounds, and for a long time I did not have one, Women were frowned on if they  put on make up,or if they  wore trousers,,(slacks or jeans).  The term worldliness was often mentioned  and if you  went against the fore mentioned things ,you were considered worldly. .We were seeking to be separate from the world, I personally am glad that I gave up smoking, and drinking,and stopped gambling ,I do not think I was deprived of anything and am the better for it.. Alec Motyer writes,'' This sort of isolationist difference is not what  the Bible looks for. We are called,rather,  to ransack Scriptures to discover the distinctive features of a godly lifestyle and to follow through with a discipline of obedience to the word of God. ''                                                                                                         ''The Lord desires His people to be distinct,                                                                                               He wants us to live in the courts of earth                                                                                                   according to the rules of the courts of heaven''                                                                                                    (  A. Motyer  )

Fear (1 John 5 v 13 )

I am not sure what causes one to have a fear of heights, I confess I have, I often think about,it is not extreme,I have travelled on the London eye,and walked across a rope bridge in Ulster,and received a certificate for doing it. I have no fear of travelling by air,but I still have a fear of heights,it appears to me that it is more to do with looking up into the vast heavens. I cannot account for this fear,it is irrational ,but it is real as is a fear of spiders, and so many other fears. As a Christian should I not be ashamed of having such a fear?,no  , I am a Christian by Gods grace,fears and all,because it does not inhibit me to much I do not worry about it.it does not put in a place of condemnation,except by some very religious people, but not before God. But there are fears we should not live with,though many people do, I remember a lady kept phoning me,as regards her salvation,or should I say,that she wasn't saved, no matter how much I tried to assure her as regards her salvation, it was to no avail. If we trusted  Jesus as Saviour,then God has saved you, of course we must show the evidence of  salvation   good works,perseverance,love .They are evidence ,that we are saved,but they do not save us, it is Christ and His finished work on the cross that saves, nothing else.If we are trusting in Him ,He declares that we have eternal life. ( John 10 v 27 - 30 )                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Now have I found the ground wherein                                                                                                      My anchor,hope shall firm remain,                                                                                                            The wounds of Jesus,for my sin                                                                                                                Before the world's foundation slain;                                                                                                          Whose mercy shall unshaken stay,                                                                                                            When heaven and earth are fled away.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Jesus, I know, has died,has died for me;                                                                                                    Here is my hope,my joy,my rest;                                                                                                              Hither ,when Hell assails,I flee,                                                                                                                I look into my Saviour's breast,                                                                                                                  Away, sad doubt and anxious fear;                                                                                                            Mercy and love are written there.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Though  waves and storms go o'er my head,                                                                                            Though strength and health and friends be gone,                                                                                      Though joys be withered all and dead                                                                                                        And every comfort be withdrawn,                                                                                                            Steadfast on this my soul relies,                                                                                                                Redeeming love never dies.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Fixed on this ground I will remain                                                                                                            Though my heart fail and flesh decay;                                                                                                      This anchor shall my soul sustain,                                                                                                            When earth's foundations melt away ;                                                                                                      Mercy's full power I then shall prove,                                                                                                        Loved with an everlasting love.                                                                                                                   (  Words......J.A.Rothe  )

It is Easter every day. ( 1 Corinthians 15 v 57 - 58 )

A certain person said recently,''We are the Easter People, we will not give into despair,'' yes we are,I believe Easter should live in our hearts every day.No matter what comes our way , no matter how dark the valley we have to pass through, the sweet voice of our glorious resurrected Lord, whisper's to our innermost being ,fear not I am with you,fear not if they destroy your body ,you will have a new body. Fear not if  you loose everything ,you can never loose Christ.nor will He ever loose you..
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              We are hard pressed on every side,                                                                                                            but not crushed,perplexed , but not                                                                                                            in despair,persecuted ,but not                                                                                                                    abandoned, struck down, but not                                                                                                                destroyed.....................................                                                                                                               Because we know that the one who                                                                                                           raised the Lord Jesus from the dead                                                                                                           will also raise us with Jesus ,and                                                                                                               present us with you in His presence.                                                                                                         For our light and momentary troubles                                                                                                       are achieving for us an eternal glory                                                                                                         that far outweighs them all.                                                                                                                        ( 2 Corinthians 4 v 8 - 9. v 14 / v 17 )                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Paul was an Easter person, and so                                                                                                              are we.

Come home. 9 Luke 15 v 11 - 32 )

Fifty four years ago I attended a local church in Belfast ,it was Easter Sunday, I was just turning twenty, that evening my life was changed, for ever. Earlier in my life I had various experiences within the  Christian church,all where positive. As a little lad I asked Jesus into my heart,but I did not follow him as I ought , as I grew older I began following Him again ,in a more meaningful way,for a while, even being baptised. But that lasted for a little while and then as before I stopped following, I went on like that until that fateful night in Belfast, fifty four years ago..Could be, you identify with my experience  I am not sure why, I acted like I did,  but the main thing is ,God did not give up on me,He could have but He didn't. I can somewhat identify with Israel,read the book of Judges, and you see a people who where continually backsliding,to use a old fashion term  ,which we read about in OT .Are you a backslider?,have you like me an Israel of old wondered away from God?. wandered away from your  Saviour,is it not time that you came back to Christ.When you wander away from Jesus ,you gather so  much rubbish in ones life ,things that can cause you so much pain,and damage ,God still loves you , hear Him, ''yes I still love you,come home. ''                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         I've wandered far away from God;                                                                                                            Now I'm coming home;                                                                                                                              The paths of sin too long I've trod;                                                                                                             Lord ,I'm coming home.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 I've wasted many precious years;                                                                                                               Now I'm coming home;                                                                                                                             I now repent with bitter tears;                                                                                                                   Lord, I'm coming home.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 I'm tired of sin and straying Lord;                                                                                                             Now I'm coming home;                                                                                                                             I'll trust Thy love,believe Thy word;                                                                                                         Lord I'm coming home.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 My soul is sick, my heart is sore;                                                                                                               Now I'm coming home;                                                                                                                             My strength renew, my hope restore;                                                                                                         Lord, I'm coming home.                                                                                                                             (  Words .....W.J.Kirkpatrick )