Buying a blessing. ( Acts 8 v 20 )

In Acts 8  v 9 ff, we read of a man called Simon the sorcerer who had great influence with the people of  Samaria with his magic arts. The people were so impressed with him they believed he exercised divine power.but things changed,when  the gospel was preached by Philip, The result was, many believed in Christ and were baptised, Simon professed also faith  in Jesus, he was astonished at the great signs and miracles performed by Philip.In the meanwhile, Peter and John appeared on the scene.Many were receiving  the Holy Spirit and this impressed Simon, so much so , that he went to the apostles and offered them money to receive the Holy Spirits power.Peter said to him ,''May your    money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money ''( v 20 ) One of the things that  kicked off the reformation was  the practice by the Roman Catholic church selling indulgences as payment for peoples  sins being forgiven,also there was also a charge when a mass was carried out,no money no mass. Well what about the prosperity preachers,by your giving you will receive a blessing,now they way they teach it appears that one is buying a blessing of God. All these people are followers of Simon the sorcerer, and they need to repent of this wickedness.

Is prayer pointless ? ( Habakkuk 3 v 16 - 19 )

I read these words from a prayer, 'Give me unwavering faith that supplications are never in vain,that if I seem not to obtain my petitions I  shall have larger, richer answers surpassing all that I ask or think.' I pray for many things and often I wonder  if I am just offering words,is it all in vain ?,these fleeting  thoughts cross my mind occasionally but  when I gave serious consideration ,I am reminded that there are mysteries we do not always understand,for we do not know that total situation as regards prayer.The God who bids us pray has a purpose in relation to our prayer life, prayer is essential in our relationship with Him,if  we are neglectful,then our relationship with God will not develop the way it should. Prayer is not just about requests give me, give me ,God  will want to develop qualities in our lives, that is vital to our spiritual well being..One of these qualities is patience ,unlike the world ,or the selfish child who wants everything now. Consider how many people cause themselves difficulties because of a lack of patience,   the God of patience wants His children to be patient .and so avoid those difficulties that comes with impatience, and prayer is well suited to enable His children to develop this quality.

God's Kingdom. ( Matthew 21 v 5 )

Years ago in the church I attended,I remember with much fondness as regards my then Pastor,he was a grand preacher,faithful to  Gods word, in every way. I thank God for him,but he taught  things I would not agree with now,he said the Lords prayer was for the millennium,I don't believe that. Also he taught that the Kingdom of God,and the Kingdom of Heaven had two different meanings. God has only one kingdom,and there is only one King,Jesus ,who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.( Revelation 17 v 14).In the book of Matthew the phrase the ,Kingdom of Heaven', is used 32 times.The gospel of Matthew was written with Jews in mind,and as Bruce Milne writes,''If the pious Jew wished to avoid using the holy name of God,he could  use ,'The  Kingdom of Heaven'', they would have understood there was no difference, in the two terms. Remember this Kingdom we are writing about simply reminds  us that God rules in heaven ,on earth ,and in our lives, could it be that we have forgotten this wonderful truth?

I have been Christened. ( John 3 v 7 )

We  had a leaky tap,fortunately we were insured so we phoned our insurers and in a couple of days the workman arrived to fix the leaking tap.He was a nice young man ,he told me about himself,he was a recovering alcoholic. I managed to speak to him about the Lord,and before he left I give him a Christian book,his name was Joe. During our conversation he said he had been Christened, when he was a child, I was also Christened when I was a child.Now it is important to realise that being Christened does not make one a Christian,faith must be exercised in Christ.WE must experience the new birth ,which is not a a natural birth, I read these words recently,'Humans give life to their children. Yet only God's Spirit can change you into a child of God.In John 31 v 13, we read that this new birth  does not come about through natural descent,or human decision, or of another's          decision., ( John 1 v 13 ) it happens when we accept Jesus as our Saviour ( John 1 v 12 )

No other. ( Matthew 11 v 28 )

Writing on Psalm 72, applying it our coming Messiah, Bruce Milne ,he comments on verse 6 ,which reads,'He will be like rain falling on a moan field, like  showers watering the earth', The human heart is forever subject to dryness of spirit. Life drains us. The stresses of  daily life, with its multiple relational demands and pressing demands and pressing responsibilities, constantly harass and deprive. WE find ourselves frequently in ' dry and weary land where there is no water' ( Psalm 63 v 1 ). to all such Jesus comes; to all such He makes himself available. He is the servant  who knows, ' the word that sustains the weary'( Isaiah 50 v 4 ). In words expressing his identification with  that promised intercessor,he invites us still, ' Come unto me, all you are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest' ( Matthew 11 v 28 ).' There is no need  of the human heart which Jesus cannot meet, and that is why he belongs to east as well as west, and why no greater than Jesus  will ever come- no other is required. ( E Norman)

Loveless. ( Ephesians 2 v 1 - 10 )

I  read these striking words,'O Lover of The Loveless',it is easy to love a little baby,it cant do one any harm.I remember a person saying of a young girl ,''you couldn't love her if you reared her'', In Ezekiel 16,We read the following words from one of my commentaries,' The Lord traces the history of Jerusalem , as a type of the people.It began as a foundling child,unwashed and unwanted. The Lord had pity on her and cared for her lovingly and she grew, matured, and became very beautiful''  The book of Hosea compares Israel the nation to a harlot ,yet one whom God loved,in spite of their wickedness and unfaithfulness,we hear God declaring ,'I will heal their waywardness , and love them freely'.  ( Hosea 14 v 4 )As with Israel of old, God is still ,'the lover of the loveless'.and that applies to  us sinners,we ungodly,wicked,sinful enemies of God.I exaggerate not ,we were all born prodigals,love for God was absent from our lives.There are so  many people and the word 'loveless' ,   describes them , but in spite of this , look to the cross,see Jesus dying for the loveless,dying for the likes of you and me.

Psalm 16 ( The golden Psalm )

Keep me safe,O God,for in you I take refuge. I said to the Lord,'' You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.'' As for the saints who are in the Land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips. Lord you have assigned me my portion and my cup, you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord who counsels me;even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because  he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body will also will rest secure,  because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence,with eternal pleasures at your right hand,