The Cross. ( Isaiah 53 )

 What was involved when our dear Saviour died on the cross?. I would like to mention two things, ( 1 ) Christ became a substitute,in other words He was dying in the place of sinners.This is foreshadowed in the animal sacrifice .CP  Leviticus 1 v 4, we read,'Lay your hand on the animals head, and the Lord will accept  its death in your place to purify you, making you right with Him'. ( 2 ) An offering for sin. Leviticus 16, Jesus the Lamb of God became a sin offering CP also John 1 v 29.On the cross Jesus was dying for others,and their sins, lets remember Jesus never sinned. CP Hebrew 4 v 15.  we read In 1 Peter 2 v 24,/  'Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree', also CP Isaiah 53 v 11-12.A. M. Stibbs writes,'To bear sin or iniquity means in the OT to be answerable for it, and to endure its penalty.' Now everyone of us are sinners, and we read that Gods wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness.Romans 1 v18. And in John 3 v36 we are told that the wrath of God abides on all unbelievers.To sum it up,Jesus on the cross became a living sacrifice, and that meant bearing the wrath  of God for sin,so that when we believe in Jesus,our sins are forgiven,wrath is removed from us, and we are accepted by God as His child.

                                                 By Christ, the sinless Lamb of  God,

                                                 The precious blood was shed,

                                                 When He fulfilled God's holy Word,

                                                 And suffered in our stead.

                                                The wrath of God that was our due,

                                                 Upon the Lamb was laid;

                                                 And by the shedding of  His blood,

                                                 The debt for us was paid.

                                                          D.W.Whittle

Be a witness. ( Acts 1 v 8 )

 I have always been  conscious that I should witness to people ,today I went to the optician ,to have a test on my eyes, and purchase new glasses.A nice young lad dealt with me  and he appeared to know what he was doing. My wife was with me,and he was as many people are,is living with a young lady,the term is his partner. I didn't get into that to much, I  know it's wrong,but I left it,remember our Saviour  did not condemn a certain lady , who had a number of husbands,and the person she was living with at that time ,was not her husband. I did manage to talk to him about Christ,I hope and pray that God would bless my witness, brief and all that it was.It was a brief  encounter, but it may have been that young lads first time anybody had spoke to him about Christ. I do wish that I was more capable at witnessing,but at least I did witness.There are people who are Christians, and they find it hard to witness,people can be very reserved in this country, or just shy,but the fact is ,how are people going to hear the gospel, unless someone like you and I tell them?.If you do witness to people, keep at it, don't give up. and if you do find it hard to witness, the Holy Spirit who dwells in every Christian can help you

                                                                    Prayer.

                                                  Lead me to some soul today

                                                  Teach me Lord ,just what to say.

                                                                     Amen.

/

YOU Say vs God Says.( John 15 v 5 )

                   My niece sent me a calendar with the following on it,so I will share it with you.

                            You say; ''It's impossible . '    God says; ''All things are possible''   

                                                           Luke 18 v27  

                            You say ; ''I'm too tired ''        God says.'' I will give you rest''.

                                                           Matthew 11 v 28- 30.

                            You say;''No one loves me''     God says; ''I love you''.

                                                           1John 3v1.  Jeremiah 31 v 3.

                             You say; ''I can't go on''            God says.'' My grace is sufficient''.

                                                            2 Corinthians 12 v 9

                            You say;'' I can't figure things out''God says;''I will direct your steps''.

                                                              Proverbs 3  v5 -6 .

                            You say;  ''I can't do it''. God says ; ''You can do all things''.

                                                             Philippians 4 v 13.

                            You say; ''I'm not able''. God says;  ''I am able''.

                                                            2 Corinthians 9 v8 

                            You say; ''I can't forgive myself''.God says; ''I forgive you''.

                                                            1 John 1 v 9.

                            You say;'' I can't manage'' God says; ''I will supply all your needs''.

                                                             Philippians 4 v19.

God alone did it. ( 139 v 1- 18 )

 Psalm 100 is very short,only five verses,it is called , The Old Hundredth',and has been a great blessing to many.It is a very positive psalm.It begins,' Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.'Joy ,sometimes all we see is gloom and doom,but let us remember God is still on the throne,and he is in control,even though things appear out of control. they are not,God is still sovereign ,not the sovereigns of this world,they come and go ,but He still reigns,He has not given up control,nor will He,He is the same today as He was yesterday, and He will be same for all our tomorrows, So shout for joy to the Lord praise Him, and rejoice in Him. In v 3 we read,'Know ye that the Lord He is God', There are no other god's, consider the following scriptures,  Isaiah 44 v 6 ,'Apart from me there is no other god's, 45 v 5,'I am the Lord, there is no other ; apart from me there is no God'. v 22,'Turn to me  and be saved;all the you ends of the earth; for I am God .and there is no other'. 46 v I am God , there is no other'.Show that to Mormon missionaries,and others in their blindness who believe in multitudes of god's . V 3 continues by declaring  ,'it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves'.We are self made, no we are God made, it is the only possible answer, as Lockyer writes,'We did not make ourselves or contribute anything towards our  composition', God did it all.

Time will tell . ( Psalm 94 v 23 )

 I read this recently,'Do you believe that everything in the world and in our own lives down to the minutest details is ordered by the providence of God.?'Very searching question, very challenging also,yet it must be so , for God is sovereign .We have a God  who is not just a spectator of what is going on in His world, a world that appears to be out of control. I say appears,Faith looks beyond what we cannot see,to God,who rules over all the universe, and all that is going on, in this world.But the fact is His ways are past finding out,let us not judge God,as regards the evil that is going on in the world.Evil does not originate from God, evil originated from the devil,and from him it took root in humanity.Both these factors are continually at work in this world,we must  not be surprised at the war in Ukraine,although it saddens us,but we are part of the problem,for all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God.Painful and awful as to what is in this world,God purposes will be fulfilled.I read this as to the providence of God,''Providence arranges retaliations as remarkable as they are just'''In Psalm 94 v 23,we read,' He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness;' Only Gods knows what will happen to the Kremlin , and to Russia itself, it's in God's hands,time will tell . 

God our teacher.( Hebrews 12 v 4 - 12 )

 We would all agree that education is a wonderful thing, I personally am grateful for what I learnt at school,I am also grateful for the Pastors and teachers who ministered to me and others. I am also grateful for the Christian books that I possess ,that have instructed me in the things of God written by godly people.I wonder do you realise that our God is also a teacher,  In Psalm 94 v 12 we read,'Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest ( disciplines),O Lord, and teaches him out of thy law'. Spurgeon comments ,'The afflicted believer is under tuition, he is training for something higher and better, and all that he meets with is working out for his highest good'.Herbert Lockyer comments,'It is by trials that God teaches.Trials, in themselves , can be severe schoolmasters,but the Divine Schoolmaster knows how to guide us into a deeper knowledge of all He is in himself through them. As seeds,  covered with snow in winter flourish mostly in Spring, so God knows that the sorrows of life can yield much fruit  in our witness for him'. Many of the Psalms were written by people who suffered,like many hymn writers, also consider Job and Saul,all these people were under the chastening hand of God. Consider what Paul wrote ,that out of suffering, blessings came , because of what it produces,Romans 5 v 3-4.

                                                I've had many tears and sorrows,  

                                                I've had questions for tomorrow,

                                                there's been times I didn't know right from wrong,

                                                But in every situation God gave blessed consolation,

                                                That my trials came to only make me strong.

                                                                  Andre Crouch.

Friendship. ( John v 13 - 15 )

I'm sure we would all agree that friendship is  important,some friendships last a life time,others come into our lives for a while and then move on,yes friendship is important.J.C. Ryle writes the following,'Every true Christian has a friend in heaven , of almighty power and boundless love. He is thought of, cared for, provided for, defended by God's eternal Son.  He has an unfailing protector, who never slumbers or sleeps, and watches continually over his interests. The world may despise him, , but he has no cause to be ashamed. Father and mother even may cast him out, but Christ having taken him up will never let him go. He is the ''friend of Christ'' even after he is dead.! The friendships of this world are often fair- weather friendships, and fail us like summer dried fountains, when our need is sorest ;  but the friendship of the Son of God is stronger than death, and goes beyond the grave.The Friend of sinners is a Friend that sticketh  closer than a brother.'

                                                  ' What a friend we have in Jesus'.

!