Preparing Gods people for service. ( Ephesians 4 v 11- 16 )

I know a minister who complained  about having to preach every Sunday,and yet he had able ministers in his church,and he rarely uses them.It was Moses father-in law Jethro, who noticed how he was doing to much, and gave him wise advice (you can read about in Exodus 18).He advised that he should appoint people to help, and the good news is, he took his father-in - laws advice. It is a sad fact of course that often the few carry to much of the burden within churches,and the majority let them.I suppose what I am high lightening that if ministers have capable people in their churches, they should use them, and be grateful for them. Likewise the church should be a place of helpers ,there is a saying which every service man knows, it is , never volunteer .But in the church of Christ we are all in it together, we have to pull our weight,and not leave it to the few.And as for the minister, it is up to him ,to use those who can minister,and develop the gifts of all Gods children.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    A  prayer                                                                                                                         Dear Lord  prepare all your people for service within                                                                               your kingdom,help those in leadership to feel secure                                                                               in you,that may use those gifted people in your church.                                                                                                      Amen                                                                                                   

Under His wings ( Psalm 17 v 8 )

The vastness of the universe, and a God who is so awesome, can make us feel insignificance, do we matter?, is God who is so great,really concerned about humanity?.Taking it further,is he really interested in me, as an individual?,the answer is yes, I mentioned to someone ( it was to a young man who was cutting my hair in my local barbers) how the very hairs of or our head are known to God.. Oswald Chambers wrote,'' Things that make God to us are not so much His great blessings, as the tiny things, because they show His amazing intimacy with us as the tiny things, because they show His intimacy with us; He  knows every detail of our individual lives''.All humanity is important to God the creator,as we are told in Matthew 5 v 4 5, ''He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous''.This is His general care to all ,but it is only as we enter  the new birth by trusting Jesus do we enter that special relationship , then we can call God our heavenly Father,then we fully realise that we have a God who is always watching over us,He is no absentee land lord, or absent father.                                                                                                                                                              Under His wings I am safely abiding;                                                                                                       Though the night deepens and tempests                                                                                                     are wild,                                                                                                                                                     Still I can trust Him,I know He will keep                                                                                                  me                                                                                                                                                              He has redeemed me, and I am His child.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Under His wings,Under His wings,                                                                                                             Who from His love can sever?                                                                                                                   Under His wings my soul shall abide,                                                                                                        Safely abide for ever.                                                                                                                                    (William Orcutt Cushing )                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Mind blowing John 10 v 1 - 21 )

When voyager one, was billions of miles away from earth, it took a picture of earth ,it was so very tiny,one could hardly see it. The vastness of the universe is hard to take in,and yet in the midst of those billion's of planets and stars,we are the jewel in Gods crown. While the the size of the universe is mind blowing,we read in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth .( Genesis 1 v 1 ),and  that by Jesus, who is the word ,all things where created by Him and for Him,and all things are held together by Him . We are told that  in Jesus all the fullness of God dwells ( Read Colossians 1 v 15 - 20) This is the greatness of Jesus , all this is truly wonderful, mind blowing, but it does not stop there, for we are told that being in the very nature of God,He entered into earth as a human being (Truly human and truly  Divine ) That is amazing, but it did not stop there , He became obedient unto death even the death on a cross.it all takes ones breath away,but it does not stop there,He did all that  in order that we could have  our sins forgiven,for although we are a very very ,small planet,and we who live on this very, very small planet,we are the crown of His creation, to precious, to important ,to be lost for all eternity.                                                                                                                                                                                       Jesus came to seek and  to save                                                                                                                  that which is lost,that means you.

Faith and death . ( Psalm 90 )

''Im  holding on by one finger to my faith'', these are the words spoken by Simon Thomas, a young man who suddenly lost his wife,very quickly from cancer.He has lost his darling wife,but he has not lost his faith. One of the last things his wife wanted him to promise was, that he would not give up on his faith. He spoke of that peace that passeth all understanding, he never understood what those words meant until he lost his wife. Who knows how any of us would react to the death of someone we love, It could be that is what you are experiencing ,and you are wondering ,how you are going to cope , you will even if it appears you are holding on by one finger. God has not ,nor will He ever forsake you at this time.He will be with and all his  children in the darkest of valleys. Not only is He with you, He will comfort you, He will strengthen you even though you feel so very weak and helpless.He will pour into you His grace, that amazing grace which we sing about .yes He will give unto you a song in the night.

Symbols ( Isaiah 53 )

I read this recently, 'To the ancient Chinese,peonies and cranes signified wealth and good fortune.The Japanese used cherry blossom to symbolise kindness.Persians and Hindus used the lotus to represent peace and transcendence.' In the Song of Solomon chap 2 v 1 ,we read,''I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valley''.It is dear old Matthew Henry who writes,''Christ is the rose of Sharon'', I do remember George Bev singing ,about the rose of Sharon sweetest flower that grows,in that song it is about Christ. The rose of course is a lovely flower, to the world there is no beauty in Jesus that they should desire Him,in fact they despise and reject Him.But when a persons eyes are opened in Salvation they see Him as altogether lovely,lovely in His life, and lovely in His speech,lovely in His suffering,lovely in His death, lovely in His resurrection ,lovely in every way.For in Him there is no defects,he truly is altogether lovely, the rose of Sharon.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Jesus the very thought of Thee                                                                                                                  With sweetness fills my breast;                                                                                                                  But sweeter far Thy face to see                                                                                                                  And in Thy presence rest.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame                                                                                                   Nor can the memory find                                                                                                                           A sweeter sound than Thy blest name,                                                                                                      O, Saviour of mankind.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   O hope of  every contrite heart,                                                                                                                 O joy of all the meek;                                                                                                                                 To those who fall , how kind Thou art,                                                                                                     How good to those who seek.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       But what to those who find? Ah this,                                                                                                        Nor tongue nor pen can show;                                                                                                                  The love of Jesus ,what it is                                                                                                                      None but His loved ones know.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Jesus, our only joy be thou,                                                                                                                        As  Thou our prize will be;                                                                                                                        Jesus be Thou  are glory now,                                                                                                                    And through eternity.                                                                                                                                ( Bernard of Clairvaux                                                                                                                                Edward Caswall )                                       

Remind me ,dear Lord. ( Luke 12 v 15 - 21 )

Leon Morris writes,''The values of God are not the values of men'', the fact is God is not like us,we value the things of time, while God is eternal ,His ways are not our ways,we are told there is a way that seems right unto a man,but its end leads to death.(Proverbs 14 v 12 ).Mankind lives for the here and now,the Christian is told to set their minds on things above,not on earthly things .( Colossians  3 v 2 ), we are if we are to progress, we must fix our sights on heaven.All the glories of this earth will fade and pass away, but the eternal glories will never fade or pass away (  i  Corinthians 9 v 25 ) We must not put to much emphasises on those things we possess,they are only loaned to us, the fact is we will leave all that we have one day.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              The things that I love and hold dear to my heart                                                                                        Are just borrowed, they're not mine at all;                                                                                                 Jesus only let me use them to brighten  my life ,                                                                                       So remind me, remind me dear Lord.                                                                                                                  ( Dottie Rambo)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Seeking but never finding. ( Revelation 21 v 1 - 7 )

Tom  Gledhill writes of ''mans futile attempt to recapture the bliss of Eden'',this statement rings a chord with me, for it appears that mankind has a want, that they never seem to find. No matter how much money, possessions, or power,it fail to satisfy. Alexander the Great, sums it up when he said when he said,no more worlds to conqueror. People even look beyond this world to space the final frontier ,emphasising the cravenness that lies deep in the heart of every individual, to satisfy that want,everything is related to earthly concepts, the doing of the lottery,drugs, polygamy,the paradise of Islam promises 72 virgins,so earthbound their paradise.But then most of mankind even though they do not realise it, are seeking an earthly paradise. Mankind as Tom Gledhill, pointed out ,they are involved in a futile attempt ,to recapture the bliss of Eden.The Bible speaks of a new heaven and a new earth,to continually seek an earthly paradise, a paradise that no longer exists, is truly futile. Jesus said I make all things new.Revelation 21 v 5, and  that new heaven and earth, will be peopled with a new humanity,We are told that those who trust Jesus as their Saviour,become new creations,who will forever live in that new heaven and earth,why don't you  stop looking back to Edens bliss, and trust Jesus,and have a wonderful hope,in  glorious eternal bliss.