Can I come in? . ( Revelation 3 v 20)

A friend told me the following story, '' A good many years ago a young lad got saved, now he lived in a country where racism was rife,even in Christian churches. Well  the young lad decided he would attend a particular church,but was turned away. He sat outside the church building very sad,and a person came and sat, and it was Jesus. He spoke to the lad asking him why he was sad,the young lad said they would not let in .well said Jesus ,''don't worry, I have been trying to get into that church for years''. In Revelations 3 v  20, we read ,''Here I am, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come and eat with him, and he  with me.'' These words where written to a church.but they can apply to anybody, who keeps Jesus outside their lives.

The lottery ( Luke 12 v 16 - 21 )

I received an invitation to enter the post code lottery,years ago people did the football pools,lotteries have become big business all over the world. The question is this if  a person won a lottery prize,would  all their troubles fade away?,would life hold nothing  but unrefined joy,now don't get me wrong, there is nothing nice about being really poor,where children go hungry, and when illness comes ,and you no money to buy medicine..There are many in this world who suffer so much because of poverty.  But most people in this country, have homes,food education,doctors,colour TVs,cars ,holidays etc, and yet they think if they  had a lot of money their lives would be perfect. Not so because we live in a fallen world, money does not solve everything, it never will.The castles we build for ourselves can so easily fall down, our hoarded nest eggs can suddenly vanish.We think they will last for ever and a day,but they wont,for the grim reaper will break into all our lives,and then what.?.So many ,many people live as if they do not need God,the reality is,He above all else is what we need most.Jesus says to all us follow me just like He said to the the disciples of old.Not to a life without problems, but a life with the problem solver.Not to a life fashioned to our dreams and desires  ,but a life that sees beyond every sorrow ,pain ,and disappointment ,to a greater glory. The journey may be difficult, but  there will be one with all those who trust  Jesus ,every  step of the way.

Walking with sorrow. ( Luke 24 v 13- 32 )

Robert Browning wrote a poem , called,'Along the Road'.

                                             I walked a mile with pleasure,                                                                                                                   She chattered all the way,                                                                                                                           But left me none the wiser                                                                                                                         For all she had to say.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     I walked a mile with sorrow,                                                                                                                     And ne'er a word said she,                                                                                                                         But, oh,the things I learned from her                                                                                                         When sorrow walked with me.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           In the book of Ecclesiastes 7 v 2 - 3, we read                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           It is better to go to the house of mourning                                                                                                 Than to go to a house of feasting,                                                                                                             for death is the destiny of every man;                                                                                                       the living  should take  this to heart.                                                                                                         Sorrow is better than laughter,                                                                                                                   because a sad face is good for the heart.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Dear Lord,                                                                                                                                   Teach us to number our days aright that                                                                                                   that we may gain a heart of wisdom.                                                                                                                         Amen.                                                                                                                                                                 

I did it my way ( Exodus 20 v 1 - 17 )

Someone once said,''The first of all human instincts, is the instinct to do what we like'',Rudyard Kipling wrote,'' Ship me some wheres east of  Suez, where the best is like the worst, Where there aren't no Ten Commandments,an' a man can raise a thirst''. It has always been,its part of our fallen nature,when Satan tempted Eve, knowing what God said, and the consequences of disobeying,she went ahead. Genesis 2 v 15 - 17.  Every day millions of people break the laws of whatever country they live in,there is never a day that the speed limit  is not broken.We like doing our own thing,irrespective of the laws of our country. and as for God telling us what to do,or not do,we fudge the issue by saying God is a loving God, and those who raise concerns about sexual behaviour,are told they are being intolerant,and unloving, and only stirring up hate. Sin has become the unmentionable, in fact God has become the unmentionable,for  if you move God out of the picture,then we need not fear a holy God, what we do in the bedroom and who we do it with ,is nobodies business. The cry of modern man is the same cry that the ancient Pharaoh made to Moses,  ''Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him'' (Exodus 5 v 2 ), and we know what happened to him.

Hallelujah. ( Ephesians 5 v 20 )

I sometimes become emotional when I consider how kind my Loving Heavenly Father is to me,I come from a one parent family,my mother was married ,but left my father, early in my life. The result being she had to bring us up herself,I had three brothers and ,two sisters,in those far of days, there was very little given to single parents.I did not enjoy school and left at the age fifteen ,I had no qualifications.So none of the jobs I worked paid much,when I got married we got along as best we could. The turning point in my life was when I came back to the Lord,and He looked after us,like Paul I can praise God He has taught me to be content,with little or much, When we went to Bible college we trusted God to meet our needs,and He did just that,I am an ordained minister, but it was not Gods will that I should be full time,so I had a a number of Jobs,the last one was a position in a mental health  team,which I  worked at for 23 years.Now I am retired and as I reflect on all the way God has blessed me,I have a wonderful Saviour, and the only thing I can say is,  Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, which means simply Praise the Lord..

Broad or narrow road? ( John 3 v 16 )

During the battle of El Alamein ,some of the Allied forces  were making their way along a narrow  pathway, the Germans had lade land mines on either side of it.Some soldiers did stray of the narrow path and where killed. It reminded me of what our Saviour taught in Matthew 7 v 13 - 14 ,about a broad road, and a narrow road. First the broad road it is easy to enter that road and many do , yes I look out on this world and the thing  that saddens me, the vast majority of people are on this broad road. Now this broad road is not a road to no where,no Jesus tells us ,that it leads to destruction.In other words it leads its travellers to utter ruin.I need to continually remind people that the bible teaches of an after life in either Hell or Heaven.The narrow road leads to life,not the place of the dead,but to the place of eternal joy,to all who have trusted Jesus as their Saviour (John 10 v 9 ) Jesus ends his teaching by saying only a few find that narrow road. Remember the majority are not always right , so many never give very serious thought to life's end. Everyone should be asking the question ,''Where am I going to spend eternity?'',will it be heaven or hell?'. As you read these words what is your reply?

Amazing Grace. ( Ephesians 2 v 10 )

A man was talking on the radio about the events in USA of  the protests during the civil rights movement. He spoke of how on one march they were attacked,it was very frightening,but the protesters were determined to not give up.So they marched the next evening, they were soon surrounded by a racist crowd ,many of them had table legs,in which to attack the protesters,the man telling the events of that evening,said he felt real fear.But just at that moment someone started singing , 'Amazing Grace', and as the protesters moved  forward , a pathway through  the racist mob opened up so letting them walk through.The racist were confused by the hymn being sung as it was one of the hymns they sung in their church . Amazing Grace, saved the day,Gods amazing Grace.That amazing  grace did not only save the day,it has saved multitudes ,it has sustained multitudes,it has strengthened multitudes.                                                                                                                                                                                      Amazing grace how sweet the sound                                                                                                        That saved a wretch like me,                                                                                                                       I once was lost, but now am found,                                                                                                            Was blind, but now I see.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,                                                                                                     And grace my fears relieved  ;                                                                                                                   How precious did that Grace appear,                                                                                                         The  hour I first believed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Through many dangers ,toils and snares,                                                                                                   I have already come;                                                                                                                                 Tis grace has brought me safe thus far                                                                                                       And grace will lead me home,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The Lord has promised good to me,                                                                                                          His word my hope secures;                                                                                                                        He will my Shield and Portion be,                                                                                                            As long as life endures.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Yes, when this flesh and heart  shall fail,                                                                                                   And mortal life shall cease,                                                                                                                       I shall possess  within the veil,                                                                                                                   A life of joy and peace                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   When we've been there a thousand years,                                                                                                  Bright shining as the sun,                                                                                                                           We've no less days to sing God's praise,                                                                                                  Than when we first begun.                                                                                                                             ( John Newton )