Do it. ( Hebrews 4 v 16 )

 Let us consider Matthew 7 v 7- 8 ,which is all about prayer, Asking,seeking, and knocking, one can raise so many aspects  as regards prayer,prayer is not all about asking,but asking comes into it a lot.As we consider those three aspects mentioned they gave the impression of keeping at it,of not giving up,hanging in there.We are to be serious about it,and earnest about it,and not limiting God,for there is nothing to hard for Him for Him to do,but all things must fall within His will.Ask, that seems simple it is not always multiplying words,when Peter began to sink in the sea,Matthew 14 v30, he cried out three simple words,' Lord , save me',and He did just that.Prayer must not just be for emergencies ,Corrie Ten Boom said,'Is prayer your steering wheel or you spare tyre? ' So lets consider the asking ,seeking ,knocking, I will simple say this one thing, just do it,put it into practice.God delights to hear His children pray, our Lord is encouraging us to pray,and stresses God's willingness to answer our prayers. In v 9- 11 He speaks how a father will give  what his children ask,how much more will our loving heavenly grant to us what we ask.

                                                    My soul, ask what  thou wilt,

                                                    Thou canst not be to bold,

                                                    Since His own blood for thee  He spilt,

                                                    What else can He withhold?

                                                            Words John Newton.

A quite time. ( Proverbs 15 v 8 )

When is the best time, to have ones quiet time of prayer?, King David said,''In the morning you hear my prayer'', Psalm 5 v 3.Lets be clear ,one can pray at anytime and anywhere, but I am talking about what one would call having a quite time. We must be careful not to get into legalism,or to make people guilty,or inferior, because they don't pray in the morning.There is a number of reasons I have my quite time in the morning ,one, I wont be disturbed ,also things can crowd out prayer. Everybody's circumstances are different , a mother of children can find it hard to have a set time,there are so many different reasons.The  thing is, we need to pray,it can be anywhere, the main thing is, to do it, find your own rhythm as regards your prayer life.God delights to hear us pray ,be yourself ,sometime when we listen to certain people pray we feel inadequate ,well don't, that's the way they pray,you pray as yourself, for that's what God your heavenly Father wants to hear,the real you, not someone impersonating someone else. In 1 Thessalonians 5 v17 we read,' Never stop praying', have a prayerful spirit, God's  listening 24/7 it's is a mystery how God can hear all our prayers individually but He can, and He does,and what is more we have His full attention. It is wonderful having a relationship with our God, because of Jesus, our great high priest , who ever lives to make intercession  for us.

Not now. ( Deuteronomy 29 v29 )

 Chuck Swindoll one of my favourite preachers, tells how as a young man attending a seminary,found himself struggling with questions as to the whys in life.One of his tutors whom he respected and admired greatly, said something like this to him,'' Chuck , I've come to the place where I believe only on rare occasions does God tell us why, so I've decided to stop asking'', It is in 1 Corinthians 13 v 12 we read, 'Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror but then we will see everything with perfect clarity'.  Our Saviour said to Peter ,''You don't understand now what I'm doing,but someday you will''.( John 13 v 7)

                                                   'Not till the loom is silent,

                                                   And the shuttles cease to fly,

                                                  Shall God explain the reason why,

                                                  The dark threads are so needful,

                                                  In the weavers skilful hand

                                                  As the threads of gold and silver

                                                  In the pattern He has planned'

                                                            By Betty Kramer

 

Persecution. ( John 15 v18 - 25 )

It is terrible the suffering many dear Christians are enduring, Christians being hacked to death,shot,and so many other ways. I pray daily for our dear brothers and sisters ,and feel so sad.This is not something new ,as we look back over history we see that it is ongoing,and it will never cease. It is amazing the courage many show in their suffering, John Lambert a godly man who lived in the 15th century, during Henry the eights reign, was ordered by the king  to be executed by being burnt at the stake.At his martyrdom at Smithfield in1538 he suffered such a cruel death, but as he died, faith was victorious for he lifted up his fingers flaming with fire , and cried,'None but Christ, none but Christ'.Our Saviour said,''If the world hates you,keep in mind it hated me first''.( John 15 v18 ) He also said this,''In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world''.( John 16 v 33 )

Making preparation. ( John 3 v16 )

 One of my sons was  talking about the will he was going to make, it is an important thing to do, a sensible thing to do.Insurance is also  another way of making preparation in case the unexpected happening,it is also an important and a sensible thing to do.Here I believe is the thing we need to make preparation for that moment when we shall  stand before our maker, God. In these days we receive warnings as to a severe storm that is coming ,which enables us to batten down the hatches, or to move to a place of safety.Let me say this there is a storm coming ,  when God will destroy this world by fire (2 Peter 3 v 10) and every soul that ever lived will be ushered into Gods presence.For the Christian that day will hold no fear, for those who have never accepted Jesus as Saviour, judgement will fall ,it will be to late to seek forgiveness,the door of mercy will be shut,the door of judgement will be opened. We live in a time of opportunity ,a day of grace,in which we can be saved from ,sin, Satan ,and hell, be prepared don't leave it to late ,trust Jesus to be your Saviour today.

An invitation. ( John 4 v 7 -26 )

When I was young our family to say the least would be, by todays standards, considered poor.There was no possibility of pocket money,or indeed of any money.So if one of our friends had a birthday party we looked forward to going and enjoying the goodies on offer. But I remember one of our friends had a birthday party, but we were excluded, we never got an invitation ,boy what a let down, we were disappointed. I suppose its wonderful to go to Buckingham Palace to see the Queen,so far it hasn't happened to me,but we live in hope.But here's a wonderful invitation by someone greater that the Queen,it is an invitation from Jesus ,who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.One writer put what Jesus said  like this,'Are you tired?,Worn out? Burned out on religion ? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me- watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill fitting  on you. Keep company with Me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly'These words are based on Matthew 11 v28-29 ,why don't you accept that invitation? ,you will never regret it ,if you do.

                                                      'I heard the voice of Jesus say,

                                                       Come unto me and rest;

                                                       Lay down, thou weary one,lay down

                                                       Thy head upon My breast,

                                                       I came to Jesus as I was,

                                                       Weary and worn and sad,

                                                       I found in Him a resting place,

                                                       And He has made me glad.

                                                            Words H. Bonar.

For thou art gone backward/ ( Jeremiah 15 v 6)

 I was speaking with a Christian and she mentioned a number of her family including her husband,and  son whom she said had backslidden. I understood what she meant, for as I look back on my early life,as a  youngster I trusted Jesus,and then I went away,later I came back,then later on I went away,then a week before my 20th birthday the Lord in his great mercy restored me, that was nearly 58 yrs ago. Since then I have sought to be faithful by God's grace,yet I have two brothers who one could say are backslidden. Those words from Jeremiah 15 v6 ,'For thou art gone backward',where spoken by God as regards Israel, that special people blessed beyond many,and yet time after time they backslid turned away from the God who loved them with an everlasting love, a love that they continually spurned.And yet God was not finished with them, as He was not finished with me,God is the great restorer,the words of an old hymn,come to mind,'When I would wander from the path astray, then He will draw me back into the way'. No matter how far you have wandered from God,and no matter how long its been since you wondered  away from God,He the good Shepherd can restore you,if you return and seek Him.

                                                       I've wandered far away from God.

                                                       Now  I'm coming home. 

                                                       The paths of sin to long I've trod

                                                       Now I'm coming home.

                                                       Coming home ,coming home,

                                                       Never more to roam,

                                                       Open wide Thou Thine arms of Love

                                                       Lord  I'm coming home.

                                                                Words W,J, Kirkpatrick.