Reckless faith. ( Hebrews 11 v 8 )

One of my boys has just received a call to the ministry,it means leaving a well paid job, for a lesser paid job. I was speaking to him on the phone ,and he mentioned the day before the church  was going to meet and pray and anoint him, he was becoming a bit anxious,but the next morning he felt a peace.He mentioned the words of a song that spoke to him,called 'Reckless love'. Then I spoke to him about reckless faith, what do I mean by that?,well I thought of my calling, how I left my job to go to Bible college.I had no grant ,I had no money ,I mean it, I had no saving.I had then three children,and so started a reckless faith. Humanly speaking it was reckless thing to do,but for 4 years we lived by faith,trusting God ,and of course our faith was tested. It was a reckless thing to do , based on a reckless faith in a God who calls us to trust Him.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   His call we obey like Abram of old,                                                                                                         Not knowing our way, but faith makes bold,                                                                                             For though we are strangers we have a good guide,                                                                                 And trust, in all dangers, the Lord will provide.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        (  John Newton )                                                     

I am blest ( Hebrews 13 v 5 - 6 )

I often wonder as regards the words of an old hymn ,which says,'now I'm happy all the time', I wonder can any Christian honestly sing those words.Are we not being deceptive?, but we want win people to Christ,so we sing ,'now I'm happy all the time'. But we are are not happy all the time, but what I can genuinely say,I am truly blest all the time. Why is that? because Christ is my Saviour ,and that makes all difference,in sad times,the hard times, the difficult times. We all have those times, I know this wonderful truth whatever times I am going through, He is with me,and I can assure you from the bottom of my heart,that He makes all the difference.His love never changes,He will never leave me ,I stress the word never . He is my anchor, my rock, my shelter in life's storms,my  comforter in sadness,my  guide, my protector,my provider,and He is my best friend, as I said I am blest.

Preserved ( Psalm 31 v 15 )

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Plagues and death around me fly;                                                                                                             Till He bids, I cannot die;                                                                                                                           Not a single shaft can hit,                                                                                                                           Till the God of love sees fit.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            (  Words by John Ryland  )                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Because of the evil the Midianites had done C P. Numbers 25, we read  in chapter 31,that God commanded Moses to take vengeance upon then , he was told to  send into battle a thousand men from each of the tribes of Israel.This was done, and the Midianites were defeated, the officers over the army came to Moses,to offer a thanksgiving offering, because of the 12,000 Israelites who had  gone into battle, not one had perished. The  Lord in His sovereignty had preserved them,what a miracle,12 ,000 and not one had died, no wonder they offered a thanksgiving offering.When I was little boy,I remember so well,I was drowning, and was rescued, like those 12,000, God in His incredible mercy preserved my life.  I am now 74 years of age, how have I survived till now?,by eating certain foods going to bed early, no ,the answer is ,God.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    You will not fear, the terror of night,                                                                                                           nor the arrow that flies by  day,                                                                                                                 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,                                                                                           nor the plague that destroys at midday.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         A thousand may fall at your side,                                                                                                               Ten thousand  at your right hand,                                                                                                               But it will not come near you.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ( Psalm 91 v 5 - 7 )

Vengeance ( Matthew 5 v 39 - 48 )

In Numbers 25 we read how the people of God became involved with the foreign people ,particularly the women and their immoral practise's they were possibly Baal-shrine prostitutes .It became very serious and God judged Israel by sending a plague,in which 24,000 had died.The Midianites were behind it ,it is thought that the king of Midian had taken  Balaam's advice (Numbers 31 v 16 ).The result was God was going to judge the Midianites. In Numbers 31 we read how God told Moses to raise an army,a thousand from each tribe and take vengeance on them for what they had done. Moses raised the army,and Israel fought against them and defeated them,Balaam for his crimes paid with his life.This was not Israel taken vengeance,  it was God taken vengeance. It is in  Romans 12 we read, 'Do not take revenge,my friends,but leave room for God's wrath,as it is written ; ''It is mine to avenge, I will repay,'' says the Lord. On the contrary. ''If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty , give him something to drink. In doing this ,you will heap burning coals on his head'' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Pruning ( John 15 v 1 - 8 )

I was on my usual daily walk, and I had step over a lot of branches that had come down, owning to the strong winds we were having ,a lot of them look like dead wood, it appears the wind was pruning the trees . It got me thinking as to why the Lord sends storms into his children's lives, could it be to remove the dead wood in our lives. Our dear Saviour says as much in John 15 ,there are Saviour talks about about Him being the true vine, and His father the gardener.As the gardener he does two things he cuts off the dead wood, that's the branches that are bearing no fruit, He could have been referring to the Jews who bore no fruit CP  Mark 11 v 12 -14 /20 - 21 . But the branch that did bear fruit,the gardener prunes it that it will bear more fruit ,it goes without saying that as a Christian ,there are many things in our lives that hinder us from being as fruitful as we should . So there is only one remedy they need  to be removed,it can be painful,but accepted aright it will produce as Hebrews 12 v 11,says , a harvests of  righteousness and peace. T Wright  writes this,'' The vine - dresser is never closer to the vine ,taking more thought over its long -term health and productivity, than when he has the knife in his hand''.

The few. ( Philippians 4 v 13 / v 19 )

Winston Churchill who spoke of how much the many owed to the few,the few being those very brave young RAF pilots,who did battle with the German air force. In 1 Samuel 14  we read of Jonathan and his armour bearer  facing  a garrison of Philistines,made the decision to attack them. Before he did this he said to his armour bearer, 'Come let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised,it may be that the Lord will act for us; for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few'. There are many example of God giving victory to the few,to even one,over their  enemies,the question is, has he changed?,no He is unchanging unlike you and I. The key to this is, if it is His will,that is  absolute vital , for then nothing is impossible.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         I see the mountains, and I'm afraid,                                                                                                           I see the valley's,and I'm still afraid,                                                                                                         The problems mount up,I've had enough,                                                                                                  My health is bad ,I'm giving up.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Then God He whisper's in my ear,                                                                                                             Remember I'm ever near,                                                                                                                           My supply will not run out,                                                                                                                       So do not fear, do not fear.                                                                                                                          I take the weak,and make them strong,                                                                                                      So do not fear, so do not fear.

Love, compulsory. ( 1 John 4 v 19 -21 )

   Sometimes we find it easier to forgive  sinners than the saints,that is our fellow Christians,all  Christians are saints,but they don't always act very saintly. And yet the challenge is for Christian to love one another,and that is not optional,it is a command by our lovely Saviour,''My command is this; Love each other as I have loved you''.Recently I was angry at a certain person, a Christian,and the Lord said to me,'forgive them for my sake'.We may ask why should I love or forgive that person,especially if they are a Christian they should know better, yes they should,but then we all do things we shouldn't. Jesus spoke to a crowd of religious people who wanted Jesus to agree to a lady who was caught in adultery, to be stoned to death,what did he say? , ''If anyone of you is without sin, let him be first to throw a stone at her'.( Read John 8 v 1 - 11)  Any person who refuses to forgive,who refuses to love,excludes themselves from a forgiving and loving God. ( C P Matthew 6 v 12/  15/  1 John 4 v 8./ v 20 )