He can. ( Psalm 23 )

Augustus Herman Franke(1662- 1727) ,wrote of a time when he was in utmost extremity financially,but as he thought on God's greatness,his heart was strengthened in faith. He wrote,'What an excellent thing it is when we have nothing, and can rely upon nothing, but yet are acquainted with the living God,who made heaven and earth , and place our confidence alone in Him, which enables us to be so tranquil even in necessity!.He tell how he needed money that day to pay the workmen's wages ,but when he got home he was told there was no money there,but he declared that he had faith in God to meet the need. No sooner had he uttered these words someone arrived with 30 dollars from an unknown source.He asked the overseer how much was needed,he replied 30 dollars'.I read this in Herbert Lockyer's book in the Psalms,one is greatly strengthened in ones faith when we read these things, for the God who met the need of that person can meet the need of anyone of His children,for we read.' My God will meet all your needs according to the  riches of his glory in Christ Jesus' ( Philippians 4 v 19 )

Secret sins ( Numbers 32 v 23 )

 Psalm 19  has a very instructive message ,it highlights 3 things,some call it a ,'A Psalm of Three Books', the three things are,' Creation ,Scripture,and Man'. In verse 12 , we have David writing,'Forgive  my hidden faults',another translation puts it,'cleansed from secret faults'. These are sins we commit which we don't want anybody else to know about, sins we seek to conceal. Examples are Achan  (Joshua 7) Gehazi (2Kings 5), King David (2  Samuel 11), Judas( John 12). All these people  committed sins they sought to conceal.They were deliberate acts ,they were not committed in ignorance, but with a brazenness that was disgraceful. Everyone of them did not take God into account,nor its consequences, but everyone of them was found out. The word of God tells us of something we can be sure about, and its this, that our sins will find us out. ( Numbers 32 v 23)There are no secrets from God, and those so called secret sins, will be dealt with,in judgement, unless we confess them to God  and have them forgiven. Remember there is no hiding place from God, He sees all, hears all, knows all,and will judge all.

Accepted. ( Luke 15 v 11 - 32 )

 I like football and when I was young I even played in a team,and supported a local team,now I follow a Premier league side.Over these last few years  they have struggled and have been disappointing in their performances ,one feels like not watching them, but of course I will. There is a bigger lesson to be learnt from this, when  I consider myself, and it goes without saying I'm far from being   perfect, when I was  young I trusted the Saviour, but I went away from Him, but praise be to God He didn't give up on me. When we read the history of Israel, my they blew it so many times, yes time after time, after time, but in spite of their dreadful history God never get up on them. In one of my daily readings, the writer told of an experience while he was on holiday ,as he was sitting reading his Bible, a young man approached him and his wife,he was nervous, and he spoke to them and said he had been in prison,he went on to ask,'' Do you think that God really cares about people like me?''. They assured him He did,and then he said ,''I wish my parents would forgive me to''.Very sad ,I prayed for him that he might feel loved and accepted by our wonderful Saviour, and that his parents may forgive him and accept him.

Are you an outlaw? ( Jude v 3 )

 Psalm 11 v 3 reads,''If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?'.Let me ask you a question, what are the foundations that our faith are  built upon?. The answer is found in Ephesians 2 v 20,'On the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the chief corner stone'. John Stott writes,' The church stands or falls by its loyal  dependence on the foundation truths which God revealed to His apostles and prophets, which are now preserved in the New Testament'. Of course Christ holds all things together,as it is His church,he is the chief corner stone. Anyone who undermines this foundation must be challenged,that is why Jude exhorted the church to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted  to God's holy people. ( v3 ) These truths have been intrusted to us by our forefathers,let us not betray that trust,by yielding to a godless society,and those who  have liberal leanings,or those who have added to the scriptures. It was Martin Luther who said,'' Here I  stand I can do no other, God help me''.for that, he was branded an outlaw.Are you an outlaw?.

                                                                   

Simply, ( Psalm 1 )

Psalm 11 is a about  David at a time when he was being persecuted by King Saul,who wanted to kill him, because he saw him him as a threat to his kingship.Charles Simeon writes,' His timid friends were afraid for his safety and recommended him to flee to some mountain where he have a have a  safe hiding place from the rage of King Saul. We don't know at one point were this persecution was taking place,possible it was early on,when David was still be in Saul's service. David responds by rejecting their advice,he replies,' I trust in the Lord for protection, so why do you say to me,' Fly like a bird  to the mountains for safety!'. There would be times, later on when he would have to flee, and he would have to trust God to keep him safe. We must be careful not to box ourselves in,in different situations,and circumstances, but at this time it was wrong for him to flee. He declares,''I trust the Lord for my protection.' v1,  Spurgeon see's what they are advising him to do was to distrust God. Davids life on the whole was full of so many situations , in which the only thing he had was his God,he needed to trust Him  as he faced a lion  a bear,Goliath,Saul the Philistines. All through his life he was called  to exercise trust in God, likewise it applies to all  God's  children, to simply  trust the Lord.

Unbelief. ( Hebrews 11 ) 3 Deut.

So in Deuteronomy 20 Israel were about to enter the promised land,it wasn't going to be easy, they were going into battle. There were those who could be exempt from fighting ,the exemptions are spelled out,the last one included those who were fearful or fainthearted,or soft of heart. J.A.Thompson makes a few helpful comments on this,'Such attitudes were not merely personal but were a threat to a whole army psychologically, for they may cause the heart of their comrades in arms to melt. Clearly, men who were fearful lacked faith, and faith in God's power is necessary for all who fight God's wars'. Without faith we cannot please God and it will hinder us and we will not get what we seek for Hebrews 11 v 6.It is a self made road block ,John Stott says the following ,''Unbelief is not a misfortune to be pitied; it is a sin to be deplored''. It was unbelief that  stopped Israel entering the promised land for 40 years  ,Hebrews 3 v19,unbelief will get you nowhere with God,He does not look  kindly on unbelief. We are saved by faith, and we are to live by faith , Habakkuk 2 v 4. I realize we will not all rise in faith at times,humbly confess this to God,asking forgiveness ,and ask Him to increase your faith.

A storm of his own making. ( 1 Samuel 15 v22 )

It is a very stormy day, the wind is exceptionally strong,so far  no damage done,I wonder will there be many more prayers offered up?.I am sure that many people pray who don't usually pray when in difficulties,for many prayer is just for emergencies, I wonder does God answer such prayers?,of course God is not a convenient store,but alas for many that's all He is.I am reminded of a famous prophet,and he was caught up in a storm, his name was Jonah,but it was a storm of his own making,and it was sent by God. He disobeyed God, it is a very serious thing when one disobey's God,as Jonah was going to find out. He was in a boat going in the opposite direction he was suppose to God.He put the other people in the boat in grave danger,sin and that's what disobedience is,it has a ripple effect .Consider the effect of what Adam and Eve did,massive, mind blowing, awful in the extreme.When David sinned,a man and a child died,but he also brought dishonour upon his God  among the nations 2 Samuel 12 v14 AV,and he brought permanent, consequences upon himself,let us all remember ,it is always better to obey God, because if you don't it can be very serious.

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