Belief based on ?. ( Matthew 16 v 21 )

Yesterday we spoke of God's word being the truth, it is not based on mythology but on historical happens,take present Jews,they are an historical  people,and every year they celebrate an event that actually happened. It is know as Pesakh or the Passover it is a remembrance  of their deliverance from being slaves in Egypt.This is not celebrated as a myth  but of something that actually happened, likewise the writings in what we Christians call the old covenant  is actual history and religion. most people  know about the ten commandments,these were given by God to the the Jews, they still exist .Moving on ,there was a man called Albert Henry Ross, better know as Frank Morrison,the author of a number of books. The book he is best remembered for is called',Who moved the stone'.it came about when he decided to investigate the resurrection of Christ, he did not belief in the resurrection, believing it to be a myth. But as he studied the subject he  became convinced in the truth of the resurrection. ( C P . 1 Corinthians  15 )

Truth ( John 14 v 6 )

When a person appears in court they put their hand on the Bible and swear to tell the truth, the whole truth ,and nothing but the truth.Now that truth may send someone to prison, in former days it would have sent someone to the gallows ,but it could have saved someone from prison and the gallows.    Telling the truth is important,most of us know about George Washington's confession to his father ,that he had cut down his cherry tree,''I cannot tell a lie, I did it''. But the fact is, it never happened, it was an invention by his biographer,it is now known as the ,'Cherry tree Myth'.The  ancient Greeks invented many myths,the important thing about myths, they are not true,but of course they may convey certain truths.Are you a seeker after truth? well the only place,let me repeat this,the only place one can find the truth,the whole truth,and nothing but the truth, is in Gods word.  So seek and you shall find ,the truth, and you will find Him who alone is the way,the truth, and the life,even Jesus.

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)