Not me, Him. ( Ephesians 2 v 8 - 9 )

 Witnessing to a lady recently, when I asked her , was she a Christian, she spoke of the good things she did, I sincerely commended for that, and encouraged her to continue to doing that. I think it is right to acknowledge the good people do, there are Muslins who do good, also Hindus as well, likewise there are atheist who do good.  I have mentioned this at times, it is not the good things we do that are a problem, it is the sins we commit ,they are the problem. What  makes one a Christian is not the good we do ,but what  Christ has done on the cross ,He dealt with what no one else could do, sin, He was ,and is Gods answer, that would enable us to have our sins forgiven. No matter what good works we may do, all they are, commendable though they  be,  are simply good works. They are not our ticket to heaven, they will not gain us acceptance with a Holy God .If  we are hoping that they will stand us in good  stead with God ,you are very , very, mistaken. I have assurance of eternal life, because of Jesus, a  man called Horatius Bonar wrote the following.

                                                  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.

She opened the box. ( Romans 5 v 13 )

 If  my memory serves me right, there was a quiz program on TV,  when  the contestants who had done well, were asked the question,' will you open the box or take the money'. There is a Greek legend about about a girl  called Pandora, who done something she shouldn't have ,she opened what now is called ,'Pandora's Box', in doing  so ,she released all the evil in the world. It reminds me of another story, not a myth, but something that really happened, when two people disobeyed God, and in that single act, they released into the world ,sin, with all its its dreadful consequences for mankind. We read, ' When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned' (Rom 5 v12 ) Yes its no myth ,it  is all to obvious, yes ,it is really bad news ,but let's move on, returning to Pandora's box, it tells how she tried to shut the box, and managed to stop one thing escaping,' HOPE'. As we look at the world with all it's evil, when we look at the power of death, we may ask in despair ,what hope have we?. There is a wonderful  answer, for God is called  the God of hope ( Rom 15 v 13),and He has provided hope, in the person of His Son  Jesus, why don't you trust Him and then you would have a sure and certain hope.

Bottle of tears. ( Exodus 2 v 23 - 25 )

 In Psalm 56  and  v 8 ,we read of  David in his destress crying unto God, 'You keep track of all my sorrows, You  have collected all my tears in your bottle, You have recorded each one in your book'. Tear bottles have been found in Egypt and in Rome , tears would be collected by a friend at times of sorrow. Barnes writing about this says,' All the tears that we shed  are remembered by God, the genuine tears shed, God will not forget, God will not forget the suffering of his people. David was suffering and in great distress, it  is not wrong to weep ,David wept, our Saviour wept, David desired that God would respond to his tears of supplication.  Consider how an earthly parent responds to the tears being shed by their child, how much more will our loving heavenly respond to our tears. So it was ,that David had confidence that God would deliver him, 'When I cry unto thee, then shall my enemies turn back; this I know; for God is for me'.

                                               I waited patiently  for the Lord;

                                               he inclined to me and heard my cry.

                                                             Psalm 40 v1 .

What do you do in trouble? ( Psalm 56 )

 Our bodies are  wonderfully made, is in it strange that we cry when we are emotionally upset, why?, in Psalm 56 v 8 we read ,'You keep track of all my sorrows, You have collected  all my tears in your bottle, You have recorded  each one in your book'. David who wrote the Psalm was experiencing a time of great  trial. In the Psalm he speaks of being afraid, his enemies are watching his every move ,seeking  an opportunity to destroy him, Yes even great brave people feel fear, yes even David the giant killer, he did not ignore the reality, but his thoughts did not dwell there ,and he declares to God,' I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN YOU'. When your heart is pounding with fear, look up to Him ,the one who can deliver you .It is Albert Barnes commenting on these words ,wrote..

                                    It is a good maxim with which to go into a world of danger;

                                         a good maxim to go to sea with;

                                         a good maxim  in a storm;

                                         a good maxim when we are sick;

                                         a good maxim when on danger on the land;

                                         a good maxim when we think of death and judgement.

                                                    ''I  WILL PUT MY TRUST IN YOU''

                                        

Only One. ( Exodus 20 v 2 - 5 )

In the ancient world  countries were filled with the worship of many gods, the list is endless, in Greece gods there were in plenty ,but even there, some of the great thinkers were beginning to see beyond their flawed gods.  Our arch enemy  Satan is called a god, in 2 Corinthians 4 v 4 ,we read,' The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers'.  Charles Hodge writes,' The word god  may be used figuratively as well as literally. 'We may say that money is the god of  this world, or as Paul said of certain men. 'their belly is their god ', but none of these things are in essence God. Satan  who is called a god of this world, because , as Hodge points, because of  the power which he exercises over the men of  the world, and because of the servile obedience they  render to him'. In Isaiah 43 v 10 we read,'' But  you are my witnesses ,O Israel!'' says the Lord, you are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me , and understand that I alone am God. There is no other god, there never has been, and there never will be. I, yes I, am the Lord, and there  is no other Saviour'  It is interesting to note  that there is only one God, and one Saviour'. That one true God manifested Himself as a saviour in the person of Jesus Christ.

                                                     Who is He on yonder tree

                                                     Dies in shame and agony?

                                               ' Tis the Lord! O, wondrous story !

                                                ' Tis the Lord , the King of glory!

                                                  At His feet we humbly fall-

                                                  Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

                                                      ( Words by  B. R. Hanby )

The Book. ( Jonah 2 v 9 )

I wonder do you have a favourite book or books, I have many favourite books, here are a few ,'The wind in the Willows, Watership Down, Pilgrims Progress,' I have hundreds of books ,and have read hundreds of books. I am always reading something. It was Sir Walter Scott who when he was dying said to his servant ,''Bring me the book'', and the book he meant was the Bible. Of all the books I have, the most important  one is the Bible. it is unique, what makes it unique ?,it is the word God. Of no other book can that be said , it is literally God speaking to us, that means what he actually said, and what others have said. It is a book with history telling us how the world began , and how man came into being and how sin came into the world. There is so much more we  can say about the Bible, the poetry ,the songs, the hero's, the villains, love stories, tragedies, the triumphs . All of life is there ,but it is a book about redemption from sin, Sin that offends a holy God, and its terrible  consequences for everyone is clearly spelt out. The Bible tells us the truth, that many people don't want to hear, that we are sinners, we might be into denial, but it is evident in a millions ways . We are all born separated from God ,His wrath lies upon us, left to ourselves we will perish and go to Hell. The Bible is the only book that reveals the God of loves answer, Jesus, whom we need to believe in, if the sin problem is going to be resolved.  

                                          ' Believe in the Lord Jesus , and

                                            and you will be saved.'

                                                         (Acts  16 v 31 )

                                                                                                 

You failure. ( Philippians 3 v 12 - 14 )

 What have these three biblical characters have in common? ,King David, the apostle Peter ,and Mark the writer of Marks gospel, they all failed. Unlike Islam ,who take extreme displeasure at any body who dares to criticise there prophet. The Bible does not try to hide the failings of those recorded within its pages, all the disciples forsook Jesus when he was arrested. The Roman Catholic church failed so many young people, by not dealing with  the awful abuse that was going on, better they had. China a great nation fails  to admit there failures, and begin to change. I remember being told that the Chinese hate to loose face, hate  to admit they have failed. But lets be honest none of us like admitting we have failed, or that our children have failed. There is a sense of shame  when we fail, and even anger, even pain, whither it is in our marriage, jobs, driving tests, moral failures, financial failures ,sporting failures. Let me say this ,we all fail, do you know anyone who has never failed?, of course not, that appears obvious. Consider those three men, David failed morally, God forgive him ,he will forgive you, and restore you, if you repent, and ask His forgiveness .Peter did something he said he would never do, he denied his Lord, well the Lord  restored him, and recommissioned him.  Mark,  in the apostles Pauls eyes had failed, well he recovered from that, and even Paul had to admit later on ,that he was useful. Let  us learn from our failures, to walk humbly, and not to be so judgemental of others, who fail, and not to give up, deal with what needs dwelt then, and then by Gods move on.