Change ( 1 Corinthians 6 v 9 - 11 )

 I remember when I was young my uncle asked this question,'What is everything doing?' I said growing old'.I wonder is everything changing?,I know I am,change is part of life, for all creatures ,life changes ,society changes.The industrial revolution changed human history,but there is something about humanity that does not change, his fallen nature.No matter how educated and civilised we become,that fallen nature will still manifest itself . One of the most civilised countries in the world was Germany,the home of the reformation,and yet in the 20th century ,an evil arose in the nature of a political group,that would commit unbelievable evil,and many other Eastern European countries joined in.We are sometimes lulled into a belief that humanity is moving upward and onward,but we are not,,we have not changed in our ability to sin.Why am I  always stressing our sinfulness? ,because it is a fact,the bible does not lie, when it tells us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.The beast within has not changed,and will not,unless one comes to know Jesus as their Saviour.In 2 Corinthians 5 v 17 we read, 'Therefore,if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation,old things passed away,and look,new things have come'. He can change you, and it will be for the better.

Mistakes ( Luke 15 v 27 )

 We all make mistakes,with different consequences,I feel sorry for goal keepers, his task is to keep the ball out,but if he makes a couple of mistakes,in the supporters eyes, he turns from being the best keeper in the world,to someone who needs to be replaced. Sorry if you are not a football fan,I am,and unlike many ,who are crying,' off with his head', I sympathize with him.as long as he does not make to many more,that's the way  we football supporters are. I am a preacher, but sometime I used to minister in song,but I used to make mistakes forgot the words,forgot the tune,just sometimes.I was watching two musicians playing a  trumpet duet and suddenly they stopped,they had made a mistake,one pointed out were they had gone wrong,and then started playing again.That is what you do when one makes mistakes, you carry on,you don't give up,I did not give up singing, I carried on.In relationships we are bound to make mistakes,we act wrongly and hurt people,I have done it,that can be remedied, if we are humble enough to go and admit our mistake and say sorry.Sad to say many dear people are being conned out of their money by evil people, mistakenly they fall for their  deceitful ways.The result is they cant forgive themselves, bring them to God and ask God to give you peace. Remember the biggest mistake anyone can make is to live in their sin, but even that ,God will forgive, if they turn to Jesus. 

Alone ( Hebrews 4 v 14 - 16 )

 We live in an overcrowded world, you would not think that loneliness would  be a problem ,but it is,and it is becoming a bigger problem,during this pandemic. What's the answer?,many years ago if my memory  serves me right ,there was a cigarette advert, which went, 'Don't be alone out there have',and it  mentioned the name of  the cigarette.Of course many people who smoke do get comfort from the Nicotine found in the tobacco plant,and it is a stimulant.But cigarettes are not the answer,in fact it is not the answer for anything.I must admit I have often felt lonely in my life, not so much now. We should not be surprised at feelings of loneliness,for many it has to be borne,getting married can be a help ,for God saw that it was not good for man to be alone ,so he created Eve, for Adam,/.Genesis 2 v 18 /I believe there is someone who really knows about loneliness, I want to take you to the cross,on that cross  there is a man hanging there,suffering dreadfully,suffering for our sins,that we may not suffer.He was truly human but he was also divine,he is called the Son of God,his name is Jesus.There came a point in his  suffering when he cries out,'My God,my God, why have you forsaken  me'/Matthew 27 v 46 /.In those words we see an aspect of his  suffering ,were he  felt utterly alone.He knows more than any one else, how the lonely feel,so go to him,if your are not a Christian go to  him,if you are a Christian go also to him, for no one understands like Jesus, He can meet your need.

Perseverance .( Nehemiah 6 )

Perseverance is vital for the child of God,this is the second attempt at writing this message,the first one suddenly disappeared,I must have pressed something. William Carey was a  man who didn't give up,he was a missionary to India, he accomplished so much for God.His translating of Gods word into different languages was wonderful.At one time when he had nearly completed one translation, a fire broke destroying what he had done, so he  started over again.At times he faced discouragements and frustrations, disappointments and loneliness,but he persevered, he didn't give up.He believed he was doing the will of God,and that the sovereign God would help him.His motto was ,'Expect great things from  God, attempt   great things for God'. At a time of  great discouragement he wrote,'Well I have God,and his word is sure'.It is profitable to read the lives of such people ,they can challenge us,but you must be your own man, you and I are not William Carey,as for myself I have a few talents ,he had ten,but whatever talents we have let us use them to the glory of our God.and Saviour.

I wish. ( Matthew 5 v 5 )

 A lady whom I know visited a lady aged 90,for years,these visits went fine,there was no discord,until one day she called and received no answer,a next door neighbour thought she may be in the garden,but no she wasn't there. As the lady turned to go home ,she noticed the lady,at the window. When she arrived home she sent the old lady an email,saying she missed her,but she would make up for it ,next time,The old lady replied in a very unpleasant manner,telling her not to visit anymore,the lady felt hurt and upset,she could have been angry, but she didn't,she sent her another email wishing her well and assuring her that she would visit her in the future,if she wanted her to visit. It is so easy to react in anger,when those we are trying to help,  turn on us for no apparent reason. Our Saviour went about doing good ( Acts 10 v 38 ) in spite of the fact that people were ungrateful ( Luke 17 v 11 ff ), in spite of the fact that he was hated,with a murderous hatred.the good that he did ,meant nothing to them. In 1 Peter 2  v  23,we read,'When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly'. I wish I was more like my Saviour and that lady who responded in a Christ like manner.

And then?. ( Hebrews 9 v 27 )

 There was a conversation between a young and ambitious lad and an older man who knew life.'' I will'', said the young man,''learn my trade'',''And then''? said the older man, '' I will set up in business,'' ''And then? ''    ''I will make my fortune'', ''And then ?'' ''I suppose I shall grow old and retire and live on my money,'' ''And then?''  ''Well, I suppose that some day I will die''.  ''And then''. In these days we cannot escape  what many people never speak about, that is death,like that young man, many do not give any consideration to that last,''What then?''.It is important that we gave serious thought to this most important question ,as to where are we going to spend eternity. We are fools if we ignore this reality,will it be heaven or will it be hell ?,ask yourself  this question, where am I going to spend eternity?. Listen, this will not go away,it is appointed unto men once to die,and it does not stop there, for we read,'and after that  to face judgement.'  ( Hebrews 9 v 27 ) Why did Jesus die on the cross? he died on the cross as a sacrifice for sin,on that cross he experienced the wrath of God,so that you and I may be saved from it. Horatius Bonar wrote,'Upon a life I did not live,upon a death I did not die. Another's life,another's death ,I stake my whole eternity'. He is answer to that last ,'What then.?''

Gratitude . ( 1 Thessalonians 5 v 16 - 18 )

 P.E,Hughes commenting on Hebrews 12 v 28, which begins,'Therefore let us be grateful','Ingratitude lies at the very root of all sin and rebellion against God. and he points us to Romans 1 v 21 ,which reads,'For though they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor give thanks to Him'.No matter how much people are blessed by God most of them never offer a word of thanks ,to the giving God. I never see anyone unsaved saying grace,or singing God's praise,if God gets a mention it is usually when  they .blaspheme. But if we are a child of God ,and Christ is our Saviour,we have good reason to be grateful ,for that very fact. I know many Christians in this world are having it hard,persecution, poverty,painful illnesses. The challenge for all who call themselves Christians is to remember, that we are blessed beyond measure ,we are loved, more than we could ever realise . Consider the apostle Paul, there was a man who suffered so much,and after experiencing a flogging and being cast into a prison with his friend Silas they sang hymns and prayed Acts 16 v 25. Let us not be a moaning Minnie Christian, in other words a complainer and one who is never satisfied . My son Brian said the following  ,in Romans 12 v 2,we are exhorted to,'  not be conformed to the pattern of this world.  The pattern of this world is based on what they don't have,I need this and I need that, the anti dope to consumerism is gratitude to God.'