The best made plans ( Psalm 107 v 7 )

 I had arranged to visit a friend, but I felt unwell ,so I had to cancel my visit, often the plans we make don't work out. When David was sent to take provisions to his brothers, he ended up facing a giant. likewise when Joseph was sent to see how his brothers were, he ended up in Egypt as a slave. We often need to be reminded that God  is sovereign ,our lives are in His  hands, in Psalm 31v 15,we read, ' that our times are in Gods hands'. and in Jeremiah  10 v  23, we read ,' that is not in man who walks to direct his steps'. People act as if they are sovereign and in control, don't be fooled they are not. When Abrahams servant was sent to get a wife for his son Isaac ,it was not by chance that he was led right to  the girl who become Isaac's wife, he thanked God ,and declared ,''The Lord led me''. (Gen 24 v 27 ). Yes we make our plans, but it is the Lord who directs our steps ( Proverbs 20 v 24 ). Yes we make our plans, but God has a plan, and He will cause all things to fit in, with His plan, not ours. In my life I had my plans,  as to where I might serve God, in  the end His will prevailed. In proverbs 3 v 5-6, we read,' Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.' these words are important, the apostle tells we in Romans 8 v 26, 'That we do not know what to pray for', but He does, and He make no mistakes, We are told, to trust God with all  our hearts, so total trust is vital. Verse 6, tells us something else that is important, that we are to acknowledge God in all our ways and He will direct our paths'.

                                                   I know who holds the future,

                                                   And He'll guide me with His hand,

                                                   With God things  don't just happen,

                                                    Everything by Him is planned;

                                                    So as I face tomorrow

                                                    With its problems large and small,

                                                     I'll trust the God of  miracles,

                                                    Give to Him my all.

                                                        

Peace ( 2) ( Galatians 6 v 14 )

 We saw last time how humanities sinful nature reached zenith level  in the suffering inflicted on Jesus, a manifestation of  our hatred towards God, a shrilling scream of defiance, that said we will not have this  man to rule over us. We were the enemies of God, rebellious ,on the run from God, we swallowed the Devils lie that we would be like God.  But let us lift our thoughts to the sovereign God, He who made this world, who in eternity had a plan to bring  humanity back to Himself, to know peace with God. The suffering of Christ would be a substitutional sacrifice, in other words, He would bear the guilt of our sins on the cross. That meant ,not only would He suffer  the violence of men, but he would also experience the wrath of a holy God ,Isaiah 53 v 10, reads,' Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him, God did not take pleasure in Christs suffering, it means, that it pleased Him that Jesus voluntarily submitted to the suffering he would experience on the cross, for our sins. It pleased him that eternal redemption for us sinners, was possible, As Luther said,'' The punishment that was laid on Him would mean that we might have peace, with God.                                            

                                           You can know peace with God by trusting Jesus

                                            as your Saviour.

                                             

Peace ( 1 ) ( Ephesians 2 v 1 - 3 )

 We live in a world that is at war with itself, from the moment Cain slew his brother the world has been a slaughter house. As the population of the world has increased so has the loss of life in conflicts, the 20th century is an example, it has been thought that as many as one billion may have died in wars throughout all human history, It is really hard to know fully, consider how many  people have been murdered. The question is why are we as human beings so out of control? ,the reason is ,it is part of our sinful nature ,I say part it is not the whole, Romans 3 v 15 ,reads ,' Their feet are swift to shed blood'. read Romans 3 v 10 -18, and you get the fuller picture, v 23 sums it up,' For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God'. Could the reason for all this killing  be , that we are seeking to destroy that which reminds us of God, for we were created in the image  of God. We are at war with God, do you doubt that? look at the cross see the Son of God, whom we inflicted ,He was led as a lamb to be slaughtered, the physical suffering, that He endured was inhuman in extreme, in Isaiah 52  v 14 , we read,' His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from His appearance, one would scarcely know He was a man'. We will continue  this next time.

He can do it again. ( Matthew 15 v 7 - 10 )

 Leupold , writes the following, 'The arm of the Lord did such a mighty things once, He can do it again', Israel had been held captive, in Egypt as slaves, and yet He delivered them . He brought them out. Isaiah foretells of  the captivity in Babylon,  which would last for 70 yrs which the prophet Jeremiah also foretold , and at the end of that period they would return to the promised land. ( Jer 29 v 10) The question they may have been asking, can God do it again?, and the prophet assures them He can, Isaiah 51 v 11, ' And the ransomed of the Lord shall return', and of course they did. We are a bit like Israel of old, we read about revivals, when multitudes have been saved. yet the situation now, appears hopeless, to our finite minds it does not seem possible, but with God all things are possible. There are so many situations in life that  cause us to stumble in unbelief, healings in the will of God can happen, He did it before ,He can do it again. I  had to trust God to meet my needs , my wife and children's needs, when I went to Bible college  and He did, He can do it again. This is the word for all of us, 'He can do it again.'

The man in the pub. ( Hebrews 9 v 27 )

 Returning to the second man I witnessed to,  the man in the pub, it was rough place, it reminded me afresh of  the fact  that  Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance ( Matthew 9 v 13) I feel many have forgotten this. We expect people to come into the church buildings, instead of  obeying the go ,in the Gospel. It was C.T, Studd  who said, ''Some want to live within the sound of  church or chapel bell. I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell''. So there I was in a pub, simply to watch a football match, I sat near a man, and started up a conversation with him, he told me different things about himself. I told him a bit about myself , and it led to an opportunity to witness to him. He told me two things about himself, one, how bad he had been, to bad to be forgiven. Of  course this is not true, every Christian is but a sinner saved by God's wonderful grace, and the whole reason why Jesus came, was to save sinners.  No matter how wicked we have been when we trust Jesus, He will forgive all our sins. The next thing he told me was ,''when your dead , your dead'', in other words ,that's all there was ,but of course he was very wrong, the resurrection of our Saviour proved that. The word of God reminds us clearly that death is not the end, and we will all stand before God the judge in the person of Jesus. For those who have not accepted Jesus as their Saviour,  hell awaits, for those who have , heaven awaits.

Not Hereditary. ( John 3 v 7 )

 Recently I witnessed to two people. one in the street and one in a pub, the first one was a lady ,I asked her did she know Jesus as her Saviour?. She did not give me a straight answer, she mention a relative who had been, a theologian ,indicating that should  answer my question. But it didn't, so I asked her again  so she said she did, I had to leave it at that, but I wondered ,did she really know Jesus as her Saviour?, I hope so, all I would say is this, salvation is not hereditary, it comes through  us personally trusting Jesus, to save us. Jesus  said. we must be born again.

                                                                    John  1 v 11 - 13

                                     'He ( Jesus )   came to His own people, and they rejected Him. But

                                    to all who believed Him, He gave the right to become children of God.

                                   They are reborn- not with a physical  birth resulting from human passion

                                   or plan, but a birth that comes from God.'

Trustworthy.

 What dose ii mean to be trustworthy ?,it can mean that a person is reliable, dependable, one you can have confidence in. When I worked , my manager asked me to do a particular job it was important, she said she could rely on me.  Here is what God said to those who are His ,''Who among you fears the Lord and obeys  the word of His servant? Let the one who walk in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name  of the Lord and rely on their God.  ( Isaiah 50 v 10 )   Leupold comments,' They  who follow the Lord without reservations may frequently find themselves in situations of ,'' deep darkness'' , even to the point where ''not even a glimmer of light guides them'' Such persons are counselled by the Lord to ''trust in the name of the Lord and firmly rely on Him''.  

                                                  A  Prayer.                

                   

                    Dear Lord,' Let every trial teach me more of Thy peace,

                    more of Thy love. Thy Holy Spirit is given to increase

                   Thy graces, and I cannot preserve or improve them

                    unless He works  continually in me.

                    May He confirm my trust in thy promised help,

                    and let me walk humbly in dependence upon thee,

                    For Jesus sake. Amen.

                      ( From , The valley of Vision )

              

                    

                                                 

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