A new year. ( 8 v 31 - 39 )

 2021 is gone for good it is just a memory,the future all unknown,looking back,what did we have?,two major things hunted us daily ,Covid and climate change.There are many other things we could mention,so what does 2022 hold for us,when I say us ,I mean those of us who are Christians?.Well here is a word for us all,it is found in Deuteronomy 31 v 8.

                                    The Lord himself  goes before you and will be with you;

                                    he will never leave you nor forsake you.

                                    Do not be afraid,do not be discouraged.

Consider,God will lead you Himself, he will make the crooked places straight, and the rough places smooth.look into your future,what do you see?. I will tell you, God going before you,and God with you.

Next. The nature of life can appear so uncertain, you look around and ask where are my friends,you feel suddenly, alone,it is not a nice feeling,don't let your heart be troubled,God says to you I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Next. Are you fearful as regards the future? ,hear what God is saying to you,yes you,''Do not be afraid''.I will look after you,I will care for you.Are you discouraged?yes, there is much that can discourage us,but our loving God says,''don't be discouraged'' take away the first three letters of that word and the last letter ,what do you read,courage.yes have courage, whatever you are facing now or in the future remember if God be for you,who can be against you?

The devil.( 2 ) (Deuteronomy 6 v 16)

 We digressed a little on my last message but it was important to stress the  vital importance of the truth that Christ was truly God and truly man,hold fast to that truth.So lets continue looking at that occasion when the devil tempted our Lord to cast Himself down from the highest point of the temple.He even quoted scripture,but our Lord didn't obey him, and told why he would not do it,He also quoted scripture, Deut 6 v 16,which reads,'Do not put the Lord your God to the test'.Let me mention  some examples of people putting God to the test. A man wore a blindfold and walked across a busy road,he believed he would be kept safe by God,he wasn't he got knocked down.Another case of a man who got into the lions enclosure with  a bible in his hand,shouting out,''if Daniel was kept safe by God in the lions den, he can keep me safe'', He didn't and the man was mauled by the lions.There are people who are not taken precaution at this time, not waring a mask, not getting vaccinated,they believe God will keep them safe,he won't, we must act in a responsible way at all times,if there is a means of preventing us from catching the virus then we must use it, to do otherwise is doing the very thing our Saviour said we shouldn't do,'putting God to the test'.

Out with old ,in with the new. ( Hebrews 10 v 1 - 10 )

The coming of Christ was clearly  foretold in what we call the.' Old Testament',we can call them the scriptures of the Old Covenant,likewise the New Testament are the scriptures of the New Covenant.The Israel of the Old Covenant lived under the laws of that covenant.The New Covenant was foretold in Jeremiah 31 v 31 - 34, Alexander Cruden writes the following,'The New Covenant is the spiritual covenant of God in Christ with his followers'.Christs coming and what he was do on the cross would usher in the New Covenant,replacing the Old Covenant. That means we no longer live under the food laws,clothing laws,or the law of tithing.As regards the food laws they included not just the pig ,but the camel,rabbit ,shell fish and other creatures. All those laws are gone,we can eat what we want,wear what we want,as regards giving ,we give as God has prospered us.1 Corinthians 16 v 2. Now of course we are  called to be Holy,that is vital ,but always bear in mind that we are never saved by keeping laws and regulations. The Christian religion is one of grace,and let me add mercy,the only merits that save us,are the merits of  Jesus and his death on the cross.To come into that wonderful New Covenant  blessing, we must put our faith in Jesus and His finished work. John 19 v 29 - 3

                                           Free from the law,oh happy condition

                                           Jesus has bled, and I have remission,

                                           Cursed by the law, and bruised by the fall,

                                           Christ hath redeemed us once for all.

                                                      

                                                     Words by Philip Bliss.

                                                   

The devil. ( 1) ( Matthew 4 v 1 - 11)

Recently while driving my car I nearly had an accident,but thankfully I didn't, if it had happened it would have been my fault.What I think is very important that one should live prayerfully,that does not mean we act foolishly,we should always act responsibly. Here is a very important consideration,we should not put God to the test,we see this when our Saviour was taken by Satan to the highest point of the temple. ( Matthew 4 v 5 - 7 )This is what he said to our Saviour, ''If you are the Son of God'', throw yourself down. For it is written;He will command his angels concerning you,and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone'.he quoted the scripture,Psalm 91v 11-12.,bear that in mind,the next you face cults or even false religions.Satan used it as a pretence, he was trying to undermine the truth of the deity of Christ,that is big thing with false religions they take great offence at this beware of this, John said he wrote his gospel,that we may believe that Jesus is the Messiah ,the Son of God,and that believing we may have life in His name ( John 20 v31) Remember what our  Saviour said  as regards the the devil, in John 8 v 44.'He was a murderer from the beginning not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies'.Consider whom Jesus was saying this to,the religious leaders of his day and telling them clearly that the devil was their father.Truth is important our very standing with God ,and our eternal destiny, depends on it. We will continue this next time.

Lesson three. ( Proverbs 11 v 21 )

Now let us consider the  next lesson, as we read the account of the incarnation  we are made aware that it was time of great danger,for the wise men ,for Mary and Joseph,and mainly for the baby Jesus.For there was a king on the throne of Israel ,and his name was Herod. If you read the background of this man, we discover a very dark and wicked person, he had some of his children put to death,and others,and of course we all know about the slaying of the innocent Matthew2 v 16. When the wise men came and told him they had come to worship the new born king of the Jew. Mt 2 v 2 , you can imagine what he thought,'I'm king of the Jews,who is this they are talking about'.He must have known of the Jewish hope of a Messiah,who would rule Israel. This child would have to die,thankfully it didn't happen, because God overruled,and warned both the wise men ,and Joseph of the danger . They heeded the warning, here is a very important lesson,we need to heed the warnings that are in God's word. If you are not saved,then flee from the wrath to come, by forsaken your sin and trusting Jesus as your Saviour. If we are  Christians ,don't dally with sin, God is no respecter of persons, He will deal with us if we sin,stolen fruits may taste sweet ,but their sweetness will soon turn to bitterness,and regret.

                                                           ' Heed the Warnings'

Lesson two. ( Matthew 26 v 42 )

 The next lesson we learn around the birth of Christ is obedience, we see that in Mary's reply to the angel who told her she was going to have a child. She knew the consequences of having a child out of wedlock,how could she face Joseph,the shame she would have to face,it was a very legitimate question she asked the angel,Luke 1 v 34. When she was told , consider her answer,' I am the Lord's servant,'May your word to me be fulfilled'.William Hendriksen writes,' She made a complete surrender. She placed herself, body and soul, at the disposal of God who loved her and who, by means of this promised pregnancy and childbirth, was bestowing upon her an inestimable blessing.' It may  appear a dangerous thing to do, when God tells us to do something ,even considered by some as being irresponsible.I am stressing it is what God tells us to do,but if it is,then as the hymn puts it, we are to,'' trust and obey'.

                                                      As a little child relies

                                                      On a care beyond his own,

                                                      Knows he's neither strong nor wise,

                                                      Fears to stir a step alone,

                                                      As my Father, Guard and Guide.

                                                          Words John Newton.

Lesson one. ( Isaiah 1 v 18 )

 There are many valuable lessons we can learn in relation to  the people involved around the coming of Christ.Take Joseph when he discovered that Mary was going to have a baby, he assumed she had sinned. That would be very serious,at the very least she would have suffered a life time of disgrace, religious societies can be very unforgiven, very judgemental, and often treat those who have fallen into sin with severity.Joseph was not like this,although he was a godly man who would honour  the law, but he did not want Mary to suffer,there is a saying that goes, ' to err is human is, to forgive is divine.'So it would seem Joseph had a very forgiving heart,think about it if you were engaged to someone and you found out she  had been unfaithful,you would not be to pleased.The question is, how would you feel?, would you ever forgive her?, would you nurse that hurt so that it becomes a root of bitterness,that you are going to carry with you for the rest of your life ?.Our Lord taught us to forgive others, as we have been forgiven Matthew 6 v 12,I can admire Joseph,but am I willing to follow his example?.