About prayer. ( Romans 8 v 26 )

Raymond Brown writes the following on prayer,'' It is better to seek for qualities  rather than things. We long for material things but God has gifts money cannot buy. We yearn for improved health but, though God can heal, greater reliance on Him would be better for us by far. Without our weakness,how could we be sure of our strength? We wish for a different job but in our present work there may be people alongside us only we can reach. We desire repeated success but occasional failure might prove a better teacher. Most ambitions need the refining fire. The ecclesiastical authorities in eighteenth - century England were bewildered when the  saintly  John Fletcher of Madeley, Wesley's successor, refused the bishopric of Rochester. Thinking he had sets his sights on even greater preferment , they asked him whether there was anything more he wanted. Within  seconds his priorities clear; ' I want more grace', he said '.

He hates us. ( 1 John 3 v 1 )

In Hosea 14 v 9,we read,' The ways of the Lord are right', but Israel failed to appreciate the way He was leading them.Again considering Deuteronomy 1 ,when they were about to enter the promise land,they had heard the report by 10 of the spies who went to view the land ,while agreeing it was a good land,they said,''We are not able to go up against this people, for they are stronger than we are''( Numbers 13 v 33)The people said Gods intention was to destroy them, and that He hated them ,( Deut 1 v 27 - 28) Fear had taken over ,they appeared  to have forgotten all Gods mighty works, that they had witnessed.They did not listen to the words of Moses, ''Have no fear of them. The Lord your God, who goes before you,is the one who will fight for you, just as He did for you in Egypt before your very eyes''. ( Deut 1 v  29 - 30 ).But  they did fear, they did drawback, contrary to what they felt, God did not hate them ,they were His children,His plan was not to destroy them, He loved them.As Raymond Brown points out, ''The Lord had chosen them not on the bases of their superior numbers,( 7 v 7 ),power ( 8 v 17), or morality ( 9 v 4 ), but simply  because He loved them  and wanted to use them''. Let us all remember this truth that God loves us .,He does not want to destroy us ,He does not Hate us.                                                                                                                                                                                                             I am thine ,O Lord,I have heard Thy voice,                                                                                               And it told Thy love to me;                                                                                                                       But I long to rise in the arms of faith                                                                                                         And be closer drawn to Thee.                                                                                                                           (Fanny J Crosby )                                                         

But. ( Matthew 10 v 22 - 25 )

The moment had come, the promise land lay before them, Moses speaks, reminding them of what God had given them, it was now time to enter and take possession of the land ,this is what God had  promised,they were not to be afraid or dismayed. (Deuteronomy 1 v 21).Instead of going ahead the people asked that they send spies into the land,and report back their findings.It appeared a good idea at the time,so 12 men were chosen,and when they came back,they said ,'It is a good land that the Lord our God is giving us,'' so far so good,then there is that ,but..There are always reason not to obey God,if you are a Muslin in a Muslin land,there would be a but,if I trust Jesus my family will hate me, and even want to kill me, my friends will forsake me,society will reject me.This is what our Saviour said will happen '( Matthew 10 v 22 - 25 ).                                                                                                                                                    I have decided to follow Jesus                                                                                                                  No turning back, no turning back                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   The world behind me, the cross before me,                                                                                               No turning back, no turning back.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Though none go with me, I still will follow,                                                                                              No turning back, no turning back.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Will you decide now to follow Jesus,?                                                                                                       No turning back, no turning back.

All things new. ( Revelation 21 v 1 - 4 )

King Canute  king of England was famous for a legend, about his failure to stop the waves coming to the beach.The fact is some things you just cannot stop.That lovely old hymn by Isaac Watts, has a verse in it  which reads,                                                                                                                                                                                 Time like an everlasting stream,                                                                                                                  Bears all its sons away;                                                                                                                              They fly forgotten, as a dream                                                                                                                  Dies at the opening day.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Again this verse reminds us that there are things like old age and death we cannot do anything about,but of course many do try.The plastic surgeon is a very busy person as people try to stop the inevitable,but in the end  it all ends in dust and ashes.The word of God reminds us that we are dust,God made us from the dust, (  Genesis 1 v 27 ), no matter how much we try, we cannot change this fact. Yes we are all being borne along like an everlasting stream. No matter what we do, we cannot  change anything,we will never be able to hold back the corrupt bodies deterioration.While that is true  there is a greater truth,a truth that brings hope beyond time.,read about it in 1 Corinthians 15 v 35 ff  ,the heading reads ,'A new heavenly body'.writing to all who have trusted in Jesus,it describes,that time when we will all have a new wonderful body,when death will be banished, and we will enter into a wonderful newness ,for Jesus said He will make all things new.( Revelation 21 v 5)

Keep right on to the end. ( 2 Timothy 4 v 6 - 8 )

Sir Harry Lauder was a  super star of his day, not just in his native Scotland,but in USA, Australia,and other lands.He wrote many songs which were very popular,one of his recordings sold  over two million copies. Here is the chorus of one of them.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Keep right on to the end of the road,                                                                                                          Keep right on to the end.                                                                                                                            If the way be long,let your heart be strong,                                                                                                Keep right on round the bend,                                                                                                                    If you're tired and weary, still journey on,                                                                                                Till you come to your happy abode,                                                                                                          Where all you love,that you're dreaming of,                                                                                              Will be there at the end of the road.                                                                                                                                                                                                                            The question is how are we going manage  to keep right on to the end of the road? the answer for the Christian is very simple ,by keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus ( Hebrews 12 v 2 ) .who will grant us the strength  to press on ( Philippians 4 v 13 ) and to keep the eye of faith on our glorious future with Jesus ( 1 Thessalonians 4 v 17 )                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Are you sleeping?. ( Judges 16 v 19 )

C.H.Spurgeon wrote the following, ''When is the Christian most liable to sleep? Is it not when his temporal circumstances are prosperous?. Have you found it so? When you  had daily troubles to take to the throne of grace, were you not more wakeful than you are now?. Easy roads make sleepy travellers.Another dangerous time is when all goes pleasantly in spiritual matters.Christian went not asleep when lions were in the way,or when he was wading through the river, or when fighting with Apollyon , but when he had climbed half way up the Hill Difficulty, and came to a delightful arbour he sat down,and forthwith fell asleep, to his great sorrow and loss.''                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Be alert at all times,be on your guard                                                                                                        when the sun is shining,be on your                                                                                                            in days of  prosperity.Be on your                                                                                                              guard.

Adding on. ( Psalm 119 v 105 )

One of the things our Saviour had to cope with was the traditions of the elders, often in relationship to the sabbath,in Matthew 15 v 6, we read Jesus accusing the Jewish leaders,that for the sake of  their traditions they made void the word of God. Many Christians have traditions , that have no bearing on Gods word .When the Law was being given to Israel,they were instructed, that they must not add anything to what God had told them, nor take anything  away from it ( Deuteronomy 4 v 2 ),we have a similar statement in Revelation 22 v 18 - 19.Beware of those who add on to the Bible ,the Mormons , accept the King James version of the Bible,but they base their beliefs on the book of Mormon. The Roman Catholic church,believe the Bible is the word of God,but they add on tradition, and church teaching.The result is many erroneous beliefs are accepted as the truth .There are so called Christians who would remove from the Bible , creation, miracles,hell,some would love to remove the Old Testament. Beware of those who add unto the scriptures,or take away from the scriptures.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           All scripture is inspired by God                                                                                                                 and is useful for teaching,for                                                                                                                     reproof , for correction, and for                                                                                                                 training in righteousness,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      (  2 Timothy 3 v 16 )