Panic. ( Psalm 27 v 13 - 14 )

 The great prophet Isaiah lived at times of great change, the nation of Israel had split, there was a gradually decline in their relationship with God.. Eventually  things would become so bad, that both the two lots would  became known as Israel also called Ephraim, they were made up of 10 tribes. Then we have Judah and Benjamin, although the Benjamin rarely gets a mention. Isaiah  ministered in Judah, through very difficult times, Judah was a very small country and came under threat many times ,from Israel and Syria, they were uncertain times. So God spoke to the prophet and the people, and hear is what he says ,'Do not fear what they fear',     Isaiah 8 v 12.    They were not to be alarmed, many were,   but they were to have confidence in God, to have faith to believe that God was able to save them.   When the pandemic came panic took over, the shelves in the supermarket soon emptied, so easy to panic, as the disciples did in the storm Mark 4 v 40. They were really afraid, they had no faith, today let us not  live in fear of anything, let us, have confidence in our God, to undertake for us, He has promised he will Psalms 23 /121/ 

Finish . ( 2 Corinthians 12 v 9 )

I wonder how many jobs ,have remained unfinished, how many university courses have not been completed, there is no end of things that have been left   unfinished. When I attended Bible college there were some students who did not finish the course, because of financial reasons. I said to someone recently that the Christian life is one of life's greatest challenges, Jesus made it clear that there is a cost  in following him, and there is, the old term ,the perseverance of the saints says it all .Perseverance means making a continual effort to do or achieve something  despite difficulties, failures or opposition , having a steadfastness. Read the life of the apostle Paul, don't compare yourself to him, but nevertheless we like him, are called to persevere .There are many challenges in life, moral, physical, mental and spiritual ,there will always be temptations, they  do not lessen with age. Everyday brings the ongoing challenges ,to  be faithful,  holy, loving ,forgiving, to be like Jesus. Yes we will at times fail, falter, and fall, but still we must press on, go on , strive on. The question we may often ask ourselves is how? , yes how,? Hebrews 12 v 1 -3 ,encourages us to get rid of the things that will hinder us, whatever  they may be, to persevere, to keep our eyes on Jesus, and follow in his footstep, to glory.

Bow the knee. ( 2 ) ( Proverbs 3 v 5 - 6 )

 So all things will be new, but what about now?, I know for many Christians ,life is not easy ,physical limitations, mental illness, and so it goes on, I heard this Christian song recently, written by Chris and Diane Machen, here is part of this song, it is called .'Bow the knee '.

                       There are days when clouds surround us, and the rain begins to fall,

                        The cold and lonely winds won't cease to blow,

                         And there seems to be no reason  for the suffering we feel,

                         We are tempted  to believe God does not know,

                         When the storms arise, don't forget ,we live by faith, and not by sight.

                         Trust the heart of your father, when the answer goes beyond 

                          What you cannot see 'Bow the knee',

                          Lift your eyes toward heaven, and believe the One who holds eternity,

                           And when you don't understand the purpose of His plan,

                           In the presence of the King, 'Bow the knee'.

                   

Will you be there? ( Colossians 1 v 27 )

 A  famous actor said this about death, ''Come on ,there is greater adventures beyond'', the writer of Peter Pan ,has Peter saying a similar thing. I would like to think that will be so, though I  don't speculate  on this  as we really don't know. I am sure of this ,that whatever eternity hold for those who know Christ as Saviour it will be wonderful, Before our Saviour went to heaven, he  assured us that he has gone to prepare  a place for us, John 14 v 3. Some take this to mean, that through his death on the cross he would be preparing a place for us in heaven. Of course there is a truth in that ,for without His death on the cross no one could go to heaven. For through that death ,our sins can be forgiven ,let me stress ,unless we trust  Jesus and so have our sins  forgiven we can never go to heaven, one writer comments ,'Those who will not lay aside the evil of their ways are barred from heaven', Rev 21 v 27. I am sure when Jesus  said he was going to prepare a place for us we can accept that at face value, it is Morris  who writes the following, 'Nothing is said about the nature of the place that Christ prepares. It is sufficient for the believer that he will be with his Lord' ,in other words, where Jesus is, it will  be Heaven there.

All things will be new. ( 1 ) ( Revelation 21 v 1 / v5 )

 When I was  young and went to school, we used to have what was called an eraser, it was a piece of rubber that we used for removing mistakes written with a pencil ,or a pen. Someone wrote ,wouldn't it be great go a. land of beginning again, if only, but it cannot happen. Yes  we have been forgiven which is wonderful, but for  some the scars remain, the pain remains, if only it were not so, we cannot erase them or go to the  land of beginning again. that's a fact. When  I think of heaven, and when we arrive there, all  will be new, no longer will any child of God  have to live with their past, the scars will be removed ,totally erased. Never again can anybody hurt us, never again will we suffer, all that will be, in the past ,we will no longer live with  the shadow of the past hanging over us. no longer having to cope ,we will  be completely set free, no longer have those awful flashbacks, nightmares, fears, painful memories, no longer feel crippled inside, no longer having to put on a front, and pretend that you are alright. Yes all things will be new, we will be new, and we  will live in an new heaven and a new earth. Yes something to look forward to ,in the meanwhile, we will continue that the next time.

Because. ( Ephesians 1 v 3 - 10 )

 We are now moving from the Easter celebrations, but we are not leaving the wonderful truths of  Easter behind us . In a sense ,everyday can be an Easter experience, we can rejoice everyday in our wonderful Saviour .

                                Because the world needed a Saviour He came.

                                Because we needed forgiveness of sin He came.

                                Because He rose from the dead we shall live for ever.

Let us live and rejoice each day in the wonderful, marvellous ,mind blowing, life changing, love of God in His Son Jesus.

                               'For this is how God loved the world, He gave his one 

                                and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him

                                will not perish but have eternal life'.

                                                            John 3 v16 

Faith makes a difference. ( Romans 4 v 18 - 21 )

 I do not know who wrote the following ,but I will share it with you. 'Faith is dead to doubts, dumb to discouragements, blind to impossibilities, faith lifts its hands up through the threatening clouds, lays hold of Him who has all power in heaven and on earth. Faith makes the up look good, the outlook bright, the in look  favourable, and the future glorious'.

                                                           Hebrews 11 v 6

                                     And without faith it is impossible to please God,

                                     because anyone who comes to him  must believe

                                     that he exists and that he rewards those who

                                     earnestly seek him.