An important question. ( Matthew 22 v 16 - 22 )

There it was lying on the ground bright and shiny ,a penny which someone had lost,so I picked it up and it became mine. The penny has a portrait on it of our Queen,and it reminded me of  what Jesus told the religious leaders of his day ( Matthew 22 v 16 - 22).They wanted to catch him out ,so they asked him a question, which was politically loaded,it went like this,'Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?.So our all wise Saviour asked for a coin,and he asked the question,whose portrait was on the coin,they answered Caesar.Then Jesus replied,'' Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's''.What a wonderful answer ,how applicable to modern life,their are employers who expect their employees to serve them in total,their are political powers, who want  total commitment to them,there are relationships where God is totally excluded.Let us not bow to the one sided idea that our belief in God should not  interfere to whoever or whatever.

Learn ( Psalm 23 v 1 )

A  Margaret Gallagher is 77 and lives in Co Fermanagh in Ulster, she has lived all her life in a thatched cottage,and in all that time she has had no running water or electricity.She has to go a well 10 times a day.She has led an active life, even receiving  an award from the Queen for services in the community.When interviewed she gave us all a bit of advice,'be content with what you have'.In a world that is always pressurising us to buy, buy,buy. it is so easy to become discontented.It is the word of God that warns us against a love of money, many people crave after money,but the scripture challenges us with the following words ,that some people think that godliness is a means of financial gain, Again those words cut across the so called prosperity gospel,but no says Paul,' godliness with ..  contentment is great gain'. ( 1 Timothy 6 v 6 )                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

As in the days of Noah ( 2 Peter 3 v 7 - 14 )

It was raining as I was on my daily morning walk, and I noticed a leaflet on the ground, I picked it up and discovered that it was a gospel tract.I read the heading,' as in the days of Noah',it was a quotation  from the gospel of Matthew 24 v 37,the context is about the Lords coming again . It is our Lord speaking, and He is warning us to be ready,He reminds us in the days of Noah people were doing ordinary things ,like eating and drinking ,marrying and giving in marriage.Even though they had a preacher in their midst ( 2 Peter 2 v 5 ) they were oblivious to the danger of what was going to befall them, and so they perished.Let me just remind you that Jesus is coming back again if you are a Christian live in the light of this momentous event,as Peter tells us ,that we should make ever effort,to live a holy life.( 2 Peter 3 v 14 ). If you are not a Christian then seek the Lord while he can be found, call upon Him while he is near  ( Isaiah 55 v 6 ), before it is to late.

Chief of sinners. ( 1 Timothy 1 v 15 )

A well loved minister was retiring ,and in his closing address he said the following, there are two important things I have learned, that I am a great sinner, and I have a great Saviour. Let us never underestimate our sinful condition,we are all sinners, and let none us think that we do not need a Saviour,an old Puritan wrote this , 'Grant me never to lose sight of the exceeding sinfulness of sin.'  Yet for all of us there is hope, it is to be found in Jesus who died that we might be forgiven, for He is a great Saviour.

No room for despair. ( John 4 v 35 - 36 )

I have heard of a system used in personal evangelism, not sure of the details,but I asked a friend about, how successful  it was.He said they had used it in his church,and the results were not very favourable, but he said that may be so ,it is something,better than doing nothing.I do not know if there is a successful system in personal evangelism.. I have in my lifetime witnessed to many people,I cannot say I have been very successful,at least I can say I have tried ,I have done something.Yes not perfectly but prayerfully ,and I leave the rest to God,let us remember what our Lord said to His disciples, 'one sows and another reaps'..I sent you to reap what you have not worked for.Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labour' ( John 4 v 37 - 38 ).W .Barclay  writes,'' No word for Christ and no great undertaking ever fail.If we do not see the result of our labour others will. There is no room for despair in the Christian life.''

God ( Psalm 94 v 17 - 19 )

I have been following the Lord for just over 55 years,a long time, how have I mentioned this ?oh yes I prayed my way through, I have read the word of God continually,I have attended Christian fellowships,regularly.Now of course all these things are important, I am responsible to do all I can in following my Saviour,but  in the end it does come down to the God of all grace. Fifty five years with all the pit falls and dangers,both physically,mentally, and spiritually,are very real,The only answer I can give, can be summed up  in the words of the hymn,'To God be the Glory great things He has done'.

No divorce . ( James 2 v 1 - 9 )

Raymond Brown writes the following  ,''doctrine must not be divorced from life,belief and behaviour  are the inseparable  components of authentic faith''. The history of the visible church often             manifested  a severity that was far removed from the teaching of Christ.The greatest example of this is seen in the inquisition thousand and thousands suffered,often being tortured and murdered.In Isaiah 58 God speaking through the prophet condemned the people who believed that religious practises covered a multitude of sins, such as oppressing their fellow Israelites. Cp  Nehemiah 5 ,where the same thing happened.As A .Motyer writes of' the assumption that it is possible to be truly religious and socially indifferent.As Smart says' one of unique features of the Biblical faith is that there is no     genuine relation with God that is not at the same time a relation with the brother'   May our lives match our Faith.