Coalface. ( Ephesians 6 v 18 - 20 )

I remember reading  George Orwell's book ,The road to Wigan Pier' ,the author wrote a searing account of the dreadful conditions in the heart of England's industrial heartland. This included ,social injustice, cramped slum  housing conditions,injustice,squalor, hunger, and growing unemployment. One of his investigations took him down a coal mine,and there he witnessed,the awful conditions, and the dangers involved. It was dreadfully hard work,those working at the coalface worked on their knees , the term working at the coalface ,is about those who  are at most danger, and experience the hardest tasks.Every day I pray for many dear Christian who are at the coalface, they are continually in danger, many suffer beatings ,imprisonments and even death. In Hebrews 13 v 3, we are exhorted ',to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison,and those who are ill-treated as if you yourselves were suffering.

Worthlessness ( John 3 v 16 )

In his book ,The Message of the Cross', Derek Tidball  writes,''There is a danger of unhealthy attitudes to oneself and to people in general,as in Elizabeth  Clephne's otherwise beautiful hymn, 'Beneath the cross of Jesus'.  It includes the words, 'Two wonders I confess-/ The wonder of redeeming love,/ And my own worthlessness in view of the doctrine of creation and the cost of redemption, it is surely wrong to speak of our 'worthlessness'. We should readily sing of our 'unworthiness',but not of our worthlessness'. I have sung that lovely hymn many times,yet it is only as I read  Derek Tidballs  words did I  see the truth of what he says. We are not worthless ,so many feel they are worthless, and it effects them ,they feel unloved ,and it effects their whole life,the unsaved person may feel ,that God would never accept them,because they think they are worthless. Even Christians may feel that they are worthless,and they live under a cloud, every person in Gods sight is precious, and are loved by God. When we trust Jesus as our Saviour, our sins will be forgiven,and no matter how unworthy we are,we will be welcomed into the family of God.

Change ( 1 Thessalonians 1 v 9 )

Returning to the movie Aeronauts ,the scientist wanted do something that would help mankind,and their is a point in the movie where someone uttered these words,'' Few are given opportunity to change the world''.I believe as a Christian we have the opportunity to change maybe not the world,but were we live,were we work,or wherever God has placed us.We have a message that can effectively change people for the better, and that's why we should support ministries that are being used by God to transform lives.As a parent you have been given an opportunity to point your children to Christ, who will change their lives for the better.Let us pray to God,to use us in a way that will change,situations,and people for the better.

Fear ( 1 Corinthians 2 v 3 )

I  have a fear of heights, I don't know  why I have this fear,it does not effect me flying,or indoors, but it appears to kick in in very exposed places. Now I have just been to see a movie called,'The Aeronauts', it seemingly is based on a true event. There are two main characters in the movie and one is a scientist. He wants to prove that if one goes high enough one can forecast the weather.So this is what they do,but to my surprise as they ascended into the atmosphere ,I felt fear,I wondered will I be able to stay in the cinema ,but I did,and in spite of my fear I enjoyed the movie,and encourage you to go and see it. Now of course I am a Christian a minister,should fear grip me?, should I feel condemned ?,no, thankfully it does not effect my life,I am not going to take up mountain climbing.All I know is I have fear as regards certain aspects of heights, it is part of my frail humanity,God understands,and loves me,and he loves you to, in spite of your fears.

Opposites ( Lamentations 1 v 12 )

I read something that was very meaningful by Elie Wiesel when he said,'The opposite of love,is not hate,its indifference'.Now I know hate is a powerful emotion ,but when one thinks about indifference, we can see that it is very prevalent .How many people view disasters on the TV with indifference, how many pass homeless people in the street without a thought.In many countries many Christians are hated and persecuted for their faith , in the west the vast number of the population are indifferent to the Christian message. In Lamentations 1 v 12 we  have the prophet Jeremiah crying  out, ' Does it mean nothing to you ,all you who pass by'. Now  the traditional meaning  is, that of  a cry towards those who are indifferent to the suffering that Jerusalem had experienced. Many have applied these words to those who are indifferent to the suffering of Christ.Lets be honest many wear a cross who have no feelings as regards the suffering of  Christ.Many will look on a babe in a manger, and give no thought of the Christ on the cross. Indifference can be classed often as a sin of omission,in other words we looked on suffering, on the needs of others the pain of others, and we did nothing, felt nothing.The other possible meaning to Lamentation 1 v 12 ,that it is cry, a warning  a pleading ,to not let such suffering befall on those looking on.

Small and insignificant .( Matthew 6 v 28 - 34 )

I  sent a text to an old friend,she is living in a residential home ,this is what I said,''We may be small and insignificant ,but the One whose eye is on the sparrow is watching over us''.To God our loving heavenly Father we are precious,how do I know that ?,how do you know it?,the answer is simple yet profound,Calvary. We are told,'He did not spare his own Son,but gave him up for us all' ( Romans 8 v 32 ).Imagine that, amazing,words fail me when I read those words,what do these words tell us?,they tell us that we are precious to God,that He values us immensely,and so we read ,'the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer.' ( 1 Peter 3 v 12 ) Now of course God is not a man ,he has no physical body,but He does see,and hear,and speak ,the Bible uses terminology in ways that we can understand .The truth  this verse is telling us, is of an almighty God who is watching over us,and listening to us when we pray to Him,always.

A Promise

We have all made promises,and have not always kept them,one of the charges made against politicians is,they don't keep their word.Someone has said ,'A promise can never be an end in itself, it must be fulfilled'.This is so true, a promise that is unfulfilled is of no use, unlike us ,God always keeps His word ,always.If He says He will do something ,He will do it, the greatest and most important promises was,the promise of a Messiah, a Saviour,consider the  dilemma  if that had never happened, no forgiveness ,no heaven,only guilt and judgement would be our portion. But the wonderful thing is He did keep His promise ,and what a blessing that continues to be.The Bible tells us that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved ( Romans 10 v 13 ).