Suffering ( Job 1 - 2 )

 Again I need to remind whoever is reading this, and myself that God is sovereign, as we look at so many things in the world . and you may be experiencing ,real pain ,real hurts ,real looses. Can we say God is sovereign when everything is falling apart?, consider a man who lost all his children, lost all his possessions, and lost his health, how would we feel if that happened to us ?. The same man went unto say,'' Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him''. Job 13 v 15.  In Job 23 v10,he declares ,'' He knows the way I take;'' The words he utters are coming from a man whose heart must have been breaking, Job did not know the way God was taking him, but he by faith  trusted in his sovereign God. David Atkinson writes ,' Faith does not provide answers, but it is a hand in the darkness keeping alive  that trust  that despite all appearances, God is still on his side '. The rest of 23 v 10 reads, 'when He has tested me, I shall come forth as pure gold, You have to admire Job, D A writes, as regards Jobs trust in his God and Saviour, CP  chap 19 v 25, 'How marvellous that Job could have said so much, knowing so little! What  a rebuke to some of us,  who  know so much more of God than Job ever did, that we trust him so little''.

                                                He leadeth me! O blessed  thought!

                                                O words with heavenly comfort  fraught!

                                                Whate'er I do,  where'er  I be,

                                                Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me.

                                                 Sometimes 'mid scenes of deepest gloom,

                                                 By waters calm, o'oer troubled sea,

                                                Still' 'tis God's hand that leadeth me.

                                               Lord, I would  clasp Thy hand in mine

                                                Nor ever murmur nor  repine;

                                                Content,  whatever lot I see,

                                                Since 'tis my God that leadeth me.  ( Words J.H. Gilmore.)

The old, old story. ( Romans 1 v 16 )

 Since the virus started I have visited on  You Tube ,Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco ,Texas, the Pastor is Charles Swindoll, a wonderful minister of the word. It is different to many churches ,it has so many gifted people, a wonderful  choir, orchestra, it is very socially motivated, and supports 25 missionary families. One of the things I appreciate from the Pastor, he always has a little word for the poor old sinners. I often hear that said that the gospel is not  for preaching to Christians, well the more I go on in life and in these present climate Christian need to be reminded  continually of  gospel truths. Many ministers are not mentioning, those gospel truths because they don't appreciate,  the wrath of God, or sin, or whatever. There is a difference of teaching gospel truths to believers, and a evangelical message to unbelievers. Yet even so like are dear brother Charles Swindoll, in any message we can always drop in little word for the poor old sinner.

                                              I love to tell the story, of unseen things above.

                                             Of Jesus and His glory, of  Jesus and His love

                                              I love to tell the story, because I know its true;

                                               It satisfies my longing ,as nothing else would do.

                                               I love to tell the story, for those who know it best.

                                              Seem hungering and thirsting, to hear it like the rest;

                                              And when in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,

                                             'Twill  be the old, old story, that I have loved so long.  (Words A.C. Hankey)

The true Israel ( 2) ( John 10 v 16 )

 I  ended last time by stating that we are the true Israel, when I say we I mean the Church, made up of every nation ( Revelation 7 v 9 -10.) in that chap it mentions 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. As  with so much of Revelation this number is symbolic, because of what I have pointed out earlier, from    Ephesians .The old divisions are gone for good, likewise the temple it is gone never to return, it served its purpose ,the church is now the temple of the living God, he no longer dwells in a  building, if you are a Christian he dwells in you.  1 Cor 3 v 16 -17. Ephesians 2 v 21- 22. Likewise it is inconceivable that sacrifices will ever be reinstituted ,that  would any by stretch of the imagination, be at odds with the atoning work of Christ on the cross. Jerusalem has no spiritual significance  now, the New Jerusalem in Rev 3 v 12/21 v2 , represents the church, also called the Bride of Christ. our Saviour  made it clear that the old Jerusalem was finished John 4 v 21ff. As for Christ reigning for a thousand years on earth, Christ mentioned , that his kingdom was not of this world ,John 18 v 36.The Jews had a wrong belief that the Messiah would  set up an earthly kingdom, Jesus did not go along with that, in fact He avoided it, John 6 v15, the Jewish belief was wrong, why do we give it any credibility?, rejoice that we children of Abraham ( Galatians 3 v 26 - 29 )

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The true Israel ( 1 ) ( John 10 v 14 - 16 )

In the temple grounds in Jerusalem  there was a stone wall, no  foreigner was allowed to enter within this barricade which surrounded the temple enclosure. Along the wall there were notices attached  warning non Jews  to not  enter into the temple enclosure ,written in Greek and Latin, it read, ''Anyone who is caught doing so will have himself to blame for his ensuing death ''.At that time there was distinction made between Jew and Gentile, but with the gospel this would all change. In Ephesians 2 v 11 ff  ,the apostle Paul  writes the following to his Gentile readers ,'Remember you were Gentiles...... remember that at time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship  in Israel and foreigners  to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed  the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility........His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace...... For through him we both access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners  and strangers, but fellow citizens with Gods people and also members of his household.'  I heard a preacher recently say that the church is not Israel, I find this a very strange thing to say, there is only one true Israel , only one true children  of God, they are the New Covenant Israel ,( Jeremiah 31 v 31 ff)   We will consider this further next time.

He is coming again. ( Matthew 24 v 36 - 53 )

 On my daily walk I found myself singing, no it did not start to rain, the sun shone the whole time, well back to my singing. The question is what was  I  singing?, here is the words,' Some glorious daybreak Jesus will come, Some glorious daybreak  battles all won, He'll shout the victory, break through the blue, Some  glorious  daybreak for me, for you'. I wonder do you ever dwell much on the fact that Jesus is coming again. A person I know speaking about his minister, said, in the 11years he has been his minister he never heard him preach on the Lords coming . I cannot understand that ,for our Saviour spoke of it many times, on the night  he was betrayed he said,' I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am ,John 14 v 3..When Jesus was taken up into heaven, two men dressed in white, told them, ''Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus , who was taken up  from heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven''. Acts 1 v 11.  In the last book of the Bible we have our Lord saying twice ,''I am coming quickly''  Rev 22 v 7/12. The word quickly stresses the fact that every generation, must be on the alert  in the light of his coming. We are not to speculate as to when he is coming, but to live in the light of it, remember he may come today.

Who is my brother? ( Matthew 15 v 32 )

In a book by J. B. Priestly, called ,'An Inspector Calls', a man calls at the home of a wealthy family ,he tells them  he is a police inspector. He  goes on to tell them about a girl who committed suicide,  his purpose is to show each of the people present, that they had part in her tragic death. There are five people the wealthy businessman who had sacked her ,another visitor  the son of a lord had taken her for his mistress, then left her. The daughter of the wealthy businessman, had caused her to be dismissed from her job in a store, the son of the wealthy couple who had got her pregnant, and finally the wife  of the businessman who served on a charity that helped the needy, decided not to help her ,leaving her destitute. The result being , she committed suicide by drinking bleach, and died a horrible death .This is what the inspector said to them before he left,  ''We don't live alone in this world, we are responsible for each other''. When Cain murdered his brother Abel ,God came to him , and asked him, ''Where is your brother Abel?, he replied,'' Am I my brothers keeper?'. the answer to that question is simple, yes ,he was, as we are.

What God has promised. ( 1 Timothy 4 v 6 - 8 )

 Peter Lewis wrote the following in his grand book, 'The  message of the Living God'. ''God is our deliverer but he is not  a good luck charm; he gives us protection, but not immunity; hope in trouble, but not freedom from trouble'. There are so many people teaching a imbalanced Christianity, paradise has not been regained, planted earth will never an be an earthly paradise, never. Paradise comes later, that new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Here we are to fulfil  God's will,  in the task he gives us to ,and the life he calls us to live, to glorify him, in everything. Everyday I read of  Christian experiencing dreadful things, I would not like to be in their position, no one enjoys suffering,  ,no one likes having an incurable illness, or losing a love one. Jesus said ,''take up your cross and follow me'' ( Matt 16 v 24). Yes He will deliver us, He will protect us, that's a reality, He has promised to do that and more.

                                                 God hath not promised skies always blue,

                                                 Flower strewn path-ways , all our lives thro',

                                                 God hath not promised sun with-out rain,

                                                  Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

                                                  God hath not promised  we shall not know

                                                  Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;

                                                   He hath not told us we shall not bear

                                                   Many a burden, many a care.

                                                   But God has promised strength for the day,

                                                   Rest for the labour, light for the way,

                                                  Grace for the trials, help from above,

                                                    Unfailing kindness, undying love.  ( Words A. J. Flint )