Be in time ( 2 Peter 3 v 9 - 12 )

Recently I heard the following,and it made me  smile,' A young man was speaking to the Lord ,and he asked Him,what is a million years like to you? the Lord replied like a second. Then he asked him whats a million pound like to you,the Lord replied, a penny. Lord said the young man would you give me one of your pennies,yes replied the Lord, wait a second.'  It is Peter who writes as regards those who where doubting the coming of the Lord, they failed to appreciate,that God is outside of time, and where judging events from a purely human point of view. No says Peter ,the Lord Jesus will come according to heavens eternal time table,the time of waiting is an opportunity for people to be saved.His coming again will bring an end to any chance of experiencing salvation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          ''Behold now is accepted time;                                                                                                                    behold , now is the day of                                                                                                                          salvation.                                                                                                                                                      ( 2 Corinthians 6 v 2 )

The roses. ( John 11 25 - 26 )

The roses in my living room are dead, they look a sorry sight,now they are only fit to be thrown out, everything is growing older. Age  takes its told on roses and humans.  so that's it,like the roses ,are we to be just thrown away?, is that all we can look forward to?.The people in Corinth were confused about death,and so in chapter 15 of 1st Corinthians Paul writes to them explaining the resurrection. He starts of by reminding them of Christs resurrection, he reminds them that hundreds of people witnessed the resurrected Lord.Paul himself had an encounter with the risen Lord Acts 9. our faith is based on historical facts.Without the resurrection our faith is absolutely pointless,we might as well ,just live for  today,for tomorrow we die.Then from v 35 ff Paul writes of the glory of our resurrected body,it will a spiritual body,bearing the likeness of Jesus. The body we have now is not permeate ,that is obvious, but our new bodies will be imperishable ,and immortal,it will not be subject to death.for death will cease.                                                                                                                                                                                               But thanks be to God, who gives us                                                                                                           the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.                                                                                                              ( 1 Corinthians 15 v 57 )

I am afraid ( Mark 4 v 35 - 41 )

One day a little boy was out with his dad,and as they where walking they came to dark foreboding ,something like you read about in the Wind and the Willows, it was called the Wild Wood.Well the nearer they got to the wood the more fearful the little boy became.Suddenly he stopped and would not go any further,his father looked down at his little son and he asked him what was wrong,the lad began crying and through his tears, the father could just about make out what he was saying,which was ,''I am afraid and do not want to go into that awful wood''. So his father bent down, looked him straight in the face, and said, ''I understand ,you know that I love you ,so here is what I want you to do,trust me,next put your hand in mine,and let us both walk through this wood.The little boy said he would, and then put his hand in his fathers hand,and together they walked through the wood till the other side. There are times like that little lad,we are afraid, afraid of so many things, of the challenges of life, whatever,  are fears are real to us.So it is our loving father says to us ,trust Me  and put  your hand in mine, and let me lead you through your difficulties ,the choice is ours,remember if we do then every thing will be alright.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Even though I walk through the                                                                                                                valley of the shadow of  death,                                                                                                                  I will fear no evil, for you are                                                                                                                    with me.                                                                                                                                                                  Psalm 23 v 4.                                                                                                                                                                                                    .                                                                                                                           

Hold my hand precious Lord.. ( Isaiah 41 v 10 )

Again turning to what Elihu has to say,and its in Job  36 v 7, we read ,'''He ( God ) does not take his eyes of the righteous''. What comforting words these are ,in other words God is always watching over all of His children.There is never a moment when He is not watching over us, He is not just watching as an idle bystander oh no, what comfort would that be,David Atkinson writing on the suffering Job,and let us not forget the extent of this sufferer,writes the following.''There are times when we come into touch with those who are going through it.May God give us grace to hold out these two positive strands; hope in place of despair,based on communion in the place of alienation. For though Job  does not yet know this,God himself is present with Job in his despair, and in his alienation, God has never  let go of his hand'.                                                                                                                                                                                Hold Thou my hand,the way is                                                                                                                  dark before me.                                                                                                                                           Without the sunlight of Thy face                                                                                                                divine;                                                                                                                                                        But when by faith I catch its                                                                                                                      radiant glory,                                                                                                                                              What heights of joy,what rapturous                                                                                                           songs are mine.                                                                                                                                               ( Words , Grace. J. Frances )

We can sing in the dark. ( Job 35 v10 )

The book of Job is about a man who suffered greatly,during his time of suffering ,four people spoke to him ,the last one was a young man who like many young people thinks he knows more than others, his name was Elihu,like the other three characters ,his assessment as to why Job suffered  is somewhat lacking,David Atkinson speaks of his cold rationalism, when one is suffering we do not need cold rationalism,yet he does say something,that goes further than cold rationalism, and it is found in Chapter 35 v 10,speaking of God,'who gives songs in the night'.consider how true those words are,for many hymns  and Christians songs, have been written by people who were suffering. Joseph Scriven who wrote ,'What a friend we have in Jesus',suffered two severe blows in his life. he was engaged to two ladies,( not at the same time )and just before he was about to marry them they both died. . John Bunyan who penned the words,'He who would valiant be' suffered the loss of his first wife, he also had a little blind daughter,he was imprisoned for many years, for preaching the gospel A study of many hymns would show that those who wrote them received from God , songs in the night.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     A prayer.                                                                                                                           Dear Lord grant us a song in the night ,in                                                                                                 our dark night experiences  , in your name                                                                                                  we ask this ,                                                                                                                                                                        Amen.                                                                                                                             

I know. ( 1 Corinthians 15 v 50 - 58 )

'I know where I'm going, and I know who's going with me',these are the words from an old Scottish or Irish folk song. A thought came to me recently, it was I don't know how I will leave this existence   but I do know where I am going,and I know who will be with me.Now, as to how I will leave this existence ,it may be through a violent death,a terminal illness,or I may just die in my sleep,it is in Gods hands,how I die and indeed when I die.But irrespective of these things I do know where I am going,what I mean is this, God  has given me eternal,the moment I trusted Jesus as my Saviour,I am not going to Hell, oh yes there is a place called  hell,we believe it is clearly taught in scripture,in Matthew 25 v 46, Jesus said,''These will go away into eternal punishment,but the righteous into eternal life.''I know who's going with me,what do I mean by that?,I mean Christ will be with me, no Christian goes into eternity alone Christ is with them, Psalm  23 v 4 ,reads ,''Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me'' It is all because of Him that we can have this wonderful assurance ,in relation to death, and eternity, do you have that assurance?, you can when you accept Jesus as your Saviour.

Praise ( 150 )

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Bless the Lord O my soul                                                                                                                          Worship His holy name,                                                                                                                            Sing like never before ,O my soul,                                                                                                             I'll worship your holy name.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         The sun comes up,                                                                                                                                     It's a new day dawning.                                                                                                                             It's time to sing , your song again,                                                                                                             Whatever may pass,and whatever                                                                                                              lies before me,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Let me be singing, when the evening comes.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Bless the Lord O my soul                                                                                                                          Worship His holy name                                                                                                                              Sing like never before, O my soul   ,                                                                                                          I'll worship your holy name.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Your rich in love,                                                                                                                                         And you're slow to anger,                                                                                                                           Your name is Great,                                                                                                                                   And your heart is kind                                                                                                                               For all your goodness                                                                                                                                 I will keep on singing                                                                                                                                 For ten thousand reasons                                                                                                                           For my heart to find.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Bless the Lord O my soul                                                                                                                           Worship His   holy name                                                                                                                           Sing like never before,O my souls,                                                                                                           I'll worship your holy name.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         And on that day,                                                                                                                                         When my strength is failing,                                                                                                                     The end draws near,                                                                                                                                   And my time has come.                                                                                                                             Still my soul will sing,                                                                                                                               Your praise  unending,                                                                                                                               Ten thousand  years                                                                                                                                   And then for ever more.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 I'll worship your holy name,                                                                                                                     I'll worship your holy name.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         (Words by Matt Redman  )