Home . ( John 14 v 1 ff )

I have been on many holidays,some I liked more than others,I have enjoyed my holidays in Malta,here in UK Felixstowe ,the latter has not to much traffic,so it makes it easy,to drive in.Where I live driving is challenging ,Malta has very good and cheap transport system.I have to confess no matter were I go on holiday it is always nice to come home.Of course for the Christian their earthly home is temporal, if we turn to the book of Hebrews 11 v 13 ff  we read of those of those who seen themselves as strangers and exiles on the earth.The Message goes on to say,''People who live this way make it plain that they are looking for their true home.......a heavenly country''I wonder do you ever get homesick for that heavenly home?, I do,what a glorious place it must be,I often imagine as I close my eyes in death and open them in heaven, I can hear my loving heavenly Father, saying to me,'welcome home Billy'.

Opposition ( 1 Corinthians 15 v 58 )

Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, Shemaiah, the nobles of Judah prophets,prophetess,and others, why do I mention these people,well the answer is simple,they were the people who opposed Nehemiah in the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.Yet in spite of this opposition Nehemiah stuck to the task, and encouraged those others, who were involved to stick to to their God given task.Any God given task will more than likely involve difficulties ,I can think of a dear couple who went to Brazil to serve as missionaries ,the wife died, and he was told to go back home,he didn't, Dr Hudson Taylor founder of the China Inland Mission,was preparing himself to go China ,was involved in an operation,became infected and was told to go home and put his house in order,he was going to die.But they and many others like them faced so many other things, did not give up,like Nehemiah,they stuck to their God given task.                                                                                                                                                                                                            William Barclay                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   The Christian life may be difficult, but the goal is                                                                                     infinitely worth the struggle.

The walls are broken down. ( Luke 15 v 11 ff )

 I am just beginning to study the book of Nehemiah whom God used to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, this took place when the Jews had returned from Babylon.Nehemiah served king Artaxerxes as his cup bearer, when news was brought to him of the state of those in Jerusalem,and that the walls of Jerusalem was broken down. This disturbed him greatly,he wept,prayed and fasted,in reading this it reminded me how far the moral walls in our society are in ruins.This came home to me recently while on holiday`, I noticed many young people in our hotel and how most of those young were more than likely were sleeping together.Of course the spiritual walls have fallen down also,eroded by the steady drip of so many things,that are contrary to humanities well being . When this happens things can only become worse, sex becomes the all. I heard of a single young girl who was expecting, she was devastated,the father did not want to know,she said,'he told me he loved me'.Consider how many children are being aborted, conceived not out of love ,but out of lust. It is all part of a situation, when things will not become better, only worse, when God is forsaken,and Christ is rejected,we move more and more into the darkness.                                                                                                                                             Jesus said,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will                                                                              never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.

Growing .( 1 Peter 2 v 21 )

 Someone writing on the persecution of Christian said ,'More persecution, more growing', in China many Christians suffered tremendously under Communism,but the church has grown  When Israel was in Egypt oppressed  by Pharaoh, they were made to do hard labor, treated ruthlessly. But we read these remarkable words ,' The more they were oppressed the more they multiplied, and spread.' There are applications I see in this,one in relation to individual Christians, .God has a loving purpose for every individual Christians,and often that means a degree of suffering. Believe it or not we can grow through suffering,for it is then we seek the Lord,for grace,that enables us to endure, and to trust.There are things in my own life which have not gone away,God permits the suffering we experience ,so that we can rely on Him more.We will not permit us to suffer longer than God sees fit,there will be a time when  God says enough,consider God's choice servants , Joseph, and Job, men who suffered much,in Gods refining fire, and who in their suffering grew.

Spiritual deafness. ( Matthew 10 v 14 - 15 )

 I was walking in a shopping centre when I heard a lady,speaking to one of her children or it may  have been her husband,she said,'you don't listen'. I am sure it must have been her husband she was speaking to, I am sure you dear women can identify with that lady. Well it may surprise you to know that God knows exactly  how you feel. Speaking about those who were His own,He declares,''they have not listened''. As we read the Bible we read that God continually speaks to individuals,and to nations,and they refuse to listen. I can assure you that God is speaking, if we have ears to hear,what He is saying.In Psalm 19 the writer declares how Gods voice is heard by creation.Every Christmas,  every Easter God is speaking,there are many ways God is speaking,but we are not listening. We can laugh at what that lady said, but it ceases to be funny as regards God speaking and us not listening.We don't listen to God for many reasons,we don't want to listen,for we do not like what He says ,He  challenges us, as to sin, warns us, even tells us that He loves us,and points us to his Son hanging on a cross, that's how much I love you.,yet we still will not listen.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Psalm 95 v 7 - 8                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Today, if you hear his voice, do not                                                                                                           harden your hearts.

Growing ( Matthew 16 v 18 )

Let us consider the thought,'  More persecution, more growth',a minister friend of mine used to visit a Christian church in Poland when the communist ruled.The church was alive and earnest in spite of the difficulties,but when the communist lost power, the church appeared to lose power.No one wants to suffer but often suffering is the instrument  by which God will drive it to its knees.Consider how few churches have prayer meetings, or even Bible studies,in our church we have home groups,they are badly attended. Persecution will not destroy Christs church,but it will purify it and I believe enabling it to grow..At a time of great persecution and the Christians were scattered,we read that wherever they went they preached the word. (Acts 8 v 1 / 4 )John Stott writes.'' What is plain is that the devil ( who lurks behind all persecution of the church) over reaches himself. His attacks have the opposite effect to what he intends . Instead of smothering the church, persecution succeeds only in spreading it. As Bengel  comments,'the wind increases the fire'.

He knows ( Romans 8 v 32 )

In  April 1989 there was a horrendous disaster at the Hillsborough football ground in Sheffield, in which many spectators were killed and injured. The story is told of a Christian doctor who, after he had finished the medical work he had been asked to do, was invited  to have a word with some of the bereaved,many had lost a son a father. The doctor approached a man who was deeply distressed,and sought without words to draw alongside him to comfort him. After some time he thought it appropriate to offer to say a prayer for the man. So he asked the man whether he might pray to God for him.  The bereaved man reacted bitterly,and said,'What does God know about losing a son?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  John 3 v 16.                                                                                                          For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son,                                                             that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal                                                                 life.                                        '