Feeling superior. ( 1 Timothy 1 v 15 )

One of the most detested bureaucrats in the Third Reich, Erich Koch was the Reich commissioner in Ukraine delivered a speech notorious even by the standards of  Nazi rhetoric it went,''We are a master race. We must remember that the lowliest German worker is racially and biologically a thousand times more valuable than the population here''.Such is the pride of man ,it has always been,where I come from the Catholic was looked down upon by the Protestant population. We could name many other examples in history of nations who looked down on others ,in Bible times ,the Roman Empire had millions of slaves,they were considered ,as inferior had no rights. Nations who ruled over other nations, felt that they were superior ,and often treated them with contempt,pride wherever its found is a just another sign of man kinds sinful nature.It is not only seen politically, but socially, and sad to say in religion,many who owned slaves,and many who practised apartheid,professed to be Christians. Pride blinds us to many things,that's one the reason people refuse to believe they are sinners and that they need a saviour.All man kind stand on one level we are  sinners,and all men need desperately a saviour,a man hanging on a cross called Jesus,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            O, the old rugged cross, so despised by the world                                                                                    has a wondrous attraction for me;                                                                                                              For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above                                                                                        to bear it to dark Calvary.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               In the old rugged cross, stained by blood so divine,                                                                                 a wondrous beauty I see;                                                                                                                           For twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died                                                                                   to pardon and sanctify me.                                                                                                                                (  George Bennard )

Holiness. ( 1 Peter 2 v 4 - 5 )

Someone has said that religion must never be divorced from morality; genuine belief must go hand in hand with consistent behaviour. The road of faith is called the road of holiness, we can judge how we are doing by looking at the ten commandments,or the moral teaching of the epistles , and our Lords teaching on the sermon on the mount. Holiness like good works are an evidence  of our salvation,that we truly are Christian, if they are missing ,then we are missing the importance of  the challenge as to what it means to be a Christian. Holiness must manifest ,in the workplace,in our homes,in our habits ,in our thought life,in fact in all things. Our worship must be in the beauty of   holiness,people admire much that is unholy,but that which holy, is beautiful..Our walk must please God in its holiness,Enoch must have been a very holy person,we are not talking about an holier than I attitude,that's  being a Pharisee. Holiness is saying no to all things that do not conform to a Holy God.When we speak of holiness ,many people see it as an unloving over serious thing,where in reality a truly holy person is a very loving person. A holy person will be an obedient person,for disobedience is a sin, and a holy person will be a Christlike person.Our bodies are seen as temples of the Holy Spirit ( 1 Corinthians 6 v 19 )                                                                                                                                                                                                              Holiness, without which no man shall                                                                                                       see the Lord.                                                                                                                                                     ( Hebrews 12 v 14 )                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              More holiness give me,more striving within;                                                                                            More patience in suffering, more sorrow for sin;                                                                                      More faith in my Saviour,more sense of His care                                                                                      More joy in His service,more purpose in prayer.                                                                                                       ( Philipp    Bliss  )                                                                                                                                                                 

A curse. ( Romans 8 v 28 )

Raymond Brown wrote the following, ''There are times when Christian people find themselves opposed and oppressed  by those who are intent on damaging them in one way or another. In His sovereignty, the Lord is still able to turn curses into blessings, and He continues to do such thing because He loves us. In the late nineteenth century,Tom Barnardo's work among the homeless boys of  London's east end was brought to the brink of ruin by a smear - campaign. A62 page booklet was published which brought slanderous accusations against Barnardo and the subsequent troubles( stretching over three years) caused him intense personal distress . He was finally exonerated, however, and the newspaper coverage of the case brought the needs of London's orphans to the attention of people all over the country. Money came flooding in to support him in his work. Yes, but for the publicity ,his essential ministry among destitute children would hardly be known beyond London. Because God loved Barnardo and the work he was doing he turned the curse into a blessing. God goes on doing that.''                                                                                                                                                                                  Genesis 50 v 20                                                                                                                    ''You plotted evil against me, but  God turned it into good''

Sovereign God. ( Isaiah 40 )

Is God sovereign? I believe He is,but of course ,but those in public office and society in general do not believe in a sovereign God.In media parliament ,God never gets a mention..R. C. Sproul writes of ,''A profound sense of the absence of  God,''he further writes,''The God of Christianity is in exile.Nobody thinks of naming a newly incorporated village or city '' Providence ''.Of course in a so called secular society,a political correct society,where historical writers,no longer put ,'AD or BC ''.instead put in a  meaningless  phrase ,'common era'., God is no longer in the equation.  As a Christian I believe we need to hold fast to the truth that God is sovereign,and as a preacher to proclaim it often. We are reminded of Gods greatness when we consider the truth that God is sovereign,we are looking beyond,time,mans plans,disasters,pain,earthly power,to where power really exists.  There is much we cannot explain, as to a sovereign God,but that makes no difference,because we are called to a position of faith, that He is God but also a sovereign God,who is working out his purpose and will  ,in this world and in the lives of every dear Christian.

Worship ( John 20 v 28 )

I read these words recently,' Jesus worshipped with Gods people'', what do think of those words?,did Jesus ever worship? I do not think the writer realised what he wrote.The fact is Jesus never worshipped, never. A friend of mine was at a seminar ,and the lecturer asked him a question,'when did Jesus realise He was God?.'My friend replied ,when did you become a heretic?.My friends answer was ,Jesus always knew He was God,that there was not a point in His life that He did not know He was God. So when He attended the synagogue, or visited the temple He never worshipped, being God  He never worshipped He received worship. cp John 9 v 38/ Hebrews 1 v 6.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Jesus is God, The glorious bands                                                                                                              Of  golden angels sing.                                                                                                                              Songs of adoring praise to Him,                                                                                                                Their maker and their king,                                                                                                                        He was true God in Bethlehem's crib,                                                                                                        On Calvary's cross true God;                                                                                                                    He who in heaven eternal reigned,                                                                                                            In time on earth abode.                                                                                                                                  ( F.W.Faber )

Christmas cards ( Hebrews 11 v 35 - 38 )

I have just posted 4 Christmas cards to three countries, one to Bangladesh one to Vietnam,and two  to China..Three of these cards are going to Christians who are suffering for their faith,let us remember that in many countries Christians have a hard time . In Egypt  and in Pakistan young girls are abducted and forced into marriage with Muslim men,and then forced to sign a statement ,that they have converted to Islam,some of these girls are as young as fourteen. I have never been persecuted for being a Christian,but my heart  goes out to these dear people . Do pray for our Christian family that they may be faithful in spite of all they are suffering.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Remember those who are in prison,as                                                                                                       though you were in prison with them;                                                                                                       those who are being tortured, as though                                                                                                     you yourselves were being tortured.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            ( Hebrews 13 v 3 )                                                                                                     

The power of sin. ( Luke 8 v 26 - 39 )

Raymond Brown writes,' The terrible thing about sin - its awful power to go reproducing itself, not only in our own lives, but in the lives of other people'.There is no human way of combating sin ,we stop in one area and it breaks out in another area.There is no place on earth were sin is not present, and that's inevitable, for mankind is a carrier of this plague,and devastation lies in its trail.Some children inherit their parents illnesses ,not all, but all children are infected by the seed of sin from their father.Yes it is a terrible thing about sin ,and its reproducing power,nothing   can stop this. be not surprised at this, it is self evident,so many would challenge what I am writing,they speak of the nobility of the human spirit,they speak of the noble savage.  There is really no such thing as the noble  savage,but there are savages,and they are not all in the jungle.Everyday we read of people being knifed, wars still rage within this world.. Is there an answer?,yes the answer is Jesus,who can do, two wonderful things, the first thing He can do,is forgive us our sin when  we ask Him to be our Saviour,the second thing is,He breaks the power of sin, in our lives.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          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.                                                                                                                                 ( John Newton )