God's choice. ( Amos 7 v 12 - 15 )

 I have two friends and for a long time they have  suffered from severe mental illness,but they are both very spiritual men. We must be careful when we think that because a person has a disability that they are not spiritual.The word of God says that God chooses the poor of this world, James 2 v 5,the foolish, weak and lowly 1Corinthians 1 v27 - 28. It is Paul who tells us that the Jews demand signs ,it is interesting that many Christians appear to demand signs. He  goes on to  to say that the Greeks looked for wisdom,they were noted for their great philosophers. In reply to these two groups Paul declares ,'but we preach Christ crucified',which to them was foolishness,that Christ in fact was the power and wisdom of God. 1 Cor 1v 22-25. When it came to choosing a new King, Samuel was told not to look at the outward appearance,for God looks beyond that,He looked on the heart,and  that man would be  a young man, who had a heart for God, his name was David. 1 Samuel 13 v 14/ 16 v7/ . As we read the Bible it is surprising whom God chooses,As I write, my mind turns to a person called Gladys May Aylward, born of poor Christian parents. She had a burden for China,so she applied to a mission to go there and was turned down,because they said she was two old, and they felt she would not be able to learn the language,how wrong they were.Gladys did go to China she became known as the 'small women' she was only 4foot 10 inches,yes she was small, but she accomplished great things for God.

Learning. ( Psalm 119 v 105)

I remember a way back when I was in primary school the teacher telling the class,that her role was to teach and our role was to learn. I did learn much at school ,to read ,write,and basic maths ,those three  subjects are very important,without them my life would have been poorer.I am indebted to the teachers who taught me, and I praise God that he enabled me to have those tools. Of course teaching doesn't stop when one leaves school,life experiences teach us many things. When one becomes a Christian there are things that you have to unlearn, and things you have to learn.Again looking back at my school days there was a point when I didn't want to be there,as result I really did not learn very much after that.But when I came back to the Lord 57 yrs ago I wanted to learn Gods word, and this has remained with me all my Christian life,I want to grow in knowledge of God's word and to teach people out of that knowledge, to help them on their ongoing Christian life.Learning God's word is vital, to understand the truths in it, and most important putting what we learn into practice.One hopes in all this we glorify the Lord,and become more like Him.

Honesty. ( 2 Corinthians 12 v 1 - 10)

 A young lady was speaking at the church I attend ,and I was blessed, and the thing that blessed  me was her honesty,and when it comes to life, honesty is the best policy.For most of her life she suffered from anxiety, surly a Christian should not have such a condition.The sad thing about that statement is,it is judgemental and unloving,and it challenges the falseness of people who teach or believe this. It shows a limited understanding  of  Gods word and is also in denial to the realities within the lives of many Christians, William Cowper,Charles Spurgeon, John Calvin, Fanny Crosby,Joni  Eareckson, Paul the apostle. I know people who suffer as a result of childhood abuse,and so I could  go on.We often say there are no perfect churches,we include ourselves in that,yet we judge people who are not perfect in mental or physical health. There are those who believe God will heal everybody,and tell those who are not healed they do not have faith ,and so they  load that person with guilt, pain.and of being inferior..I may touch on this next time ,I will just say this the only time when any of us will be perfect in everyway, will be in Heaven,until them there are many difficulties we will all have to cope with, by Gods grace.I will leave you a verse from the hymn ,'Amazing  Grace', written by John Newton.

                                                    ' Through many dangers,toils, and snares,

                                                      I have already come;

                                                      Tis grace has brought me safe thus far

                                                      And grace will lead me home'

They matter to Him. ( Zechariah 2 v 8 )

 In  Nigeria's Middle bank the Christian communities have suffered greatly from attacks by Fulani Islamist  militias, a Christian Pastor said,''It is as if the lives of Christians no longer matters''.It is very sad to read that,their lives may not matter to those who are attacking them ,but  their lives do matter to God and the Christian family. We read in Psalm 116 v 15,'Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints'. What makes them precious?,they are His children, I have known parents who have lost children ,it is heartbreaking, for ones children are  precious to them. So it is with God's children, they are very precious to Him.They are precious to Him because they cost Him the death of  His Son Jesus.Peter in his epistle writes these beautiful words, For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And  the ransom He paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God'.(1 Pet 1 v 18 -19 )They are precious to Him, because He loves them,( Romans 5 v 5),and in Romans 8 v 37- 39, we are told that nothing can separate them from that love ,not even death.

I shall see Him. ( Revelation 1 v 7 )

 In Psalm 17 v 15 we read,'As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied when I awake in your likeness'.This is King David  speaking, in contrast to the world and their temporary satisfactions, he looks to his eternal state. I think the words of a one time popular song sums it up, regards the here and now,'I can't get no satisfaction'.It appears to me that the world is also crying out for more,and more,and it is never enough.And even if they are satisfied it will not last, for no relationship on earth is permanent it will come to and end. It is so easy for us as Christians to forget that the things that are seen are temporal. King David didn't, nor should we.Martin Luther gave away money that people had given him,so that he would not loose sight of future glory. Verse 17 begins,'As for me ,I will see your face in righteousness'. Peter reminds us as regards Jesus whom we love,we have never seen Him  1Peter 1 v 8, but one day that will all change ,we will see Jesus, yes one day. Not on a cross but on a throne, the veil of time will be lifted,and our eyes will see the great King in His beauty.

                                               Oh the soul thrilling rapture,

                                               When I view His blessed face,

                                                And the lustre of His kindly

                                                beaming eye;

                                                How my full heart will praise Him

                                                for the  mercy, love,and grace,

                                                That prepared for me a mansion in the sky.

                                                            Words W.W.Harris.

No difference. ( 1 Peter 2 v 9 -10 )

Think of all the great people in the Bible, father Abraham, Moses,David,Daniel, and a host more,and people who are not in Bible ,missionaries,preachers, social reformers, glorious men and women of God.One can also think of many martyrs dear people who suffered so much  for Christ ,all these people were and are  precious to God. Then there's you and me,we are not of their stature,could be ,we will never do any great deeds,we will just get on with our lives.It was Abraham Lincoln who  said that God loved the ordinary people for He made so many of them.So let me say to you ordinary people I include myself, that God loves us just as much as He loves those people I have mentioned,and we are just as precious to Him as they are.

When they are gone ,they are gone. (Psalm 37)

 I would encourage you to read Psalm 37 ,it will bless you,encourage you, and challenge you, it opens with these words ,'Do not fret because of those who are evil, or be envious of those who do wrong;for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away'. In many places the sad fact is ,that evil people appear to prosper.H Lockyer comments on this Psalm are very helpful,here is what he says about these verses,'The word fret means ,'''burn not thyself with anger or grief''. To fret is to have heartburn,which alas! is all to common among us, as we see law-breakers riding in limousines,and obedient subjects walking in the mire. Queen Elizabeth envied the milkmaid when she was in prison; but if she had known what a glorious reign she would have had afterwards for 44years,she would not have envied her.Why envy the wicked when the candle flickers into everlasting darkness?.' The ,'Third Reich',which Hitler said would last for a 1000 years lasted 11yrs,that most evil of evil people, and those evil people who followed  him,are gone , remember evil doer's day will come,and they will be no more,