Don't be surprised. ( Revelation 3 v 5 )

 She is 67 she lives in Iran, she was arrested suffered the trauma of intensive interrogation by the state security agents and given a jail sentence,she was summoned again to face the same charge. She said that her only crime is her belief in Jesus Christ. Our Saviour said,'If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you'. .....'if they persecuted Me,they will also persecute you'. John 15 v 18- 20.Her only crime was her belief in Jesus Christ , our Saviour said ,we shouldn't be surprise,because Christianity challenges ever other religion,declaring that Jesus is only way to God ,John14 v 6.Of course the devil who has blinded the minds of those who do not believe the Gospel,will not like being robbed of his followers. In Colossians 1 v13, the apostle reminds the Christians, that they had been delivered from the power of darkness, and had been translated into the kingdom  of God's dear Son'.Satan and his followers do not like loosing any prisoners, and so believers in Christ will be persecuted, so don't be surprised when you read of believers being persecuted .But do pray for them that they will be faithful , if need be ,even unto death..

Made new .( John 3 v 1 - 8 )

The surgery I go to has three doctors,of course I have not gone to the surgery recently ,since the virus kicked in,like many people, my contact was by phone.Considering this they have been excellent,they have sent me for many tests to have things investigated.Thankfully nothing serious has been found,just recently I was sent for another test  a Gastro investigation,this means a tube with a light on it ,would be passed down ones throat into my stomach.I found it difficult,but no complaints,for everyone was very kind and helpful,and it has revealed no serious problems. It is wonderful how things have developed within the medical profession,but one thing they cannot  see is our fallen nature, no camera can see that, only God can do that, He knows all about us ,our totality of being.and this is what His diagnoses ,and its not good,here how it is described in Jeremiah 17 v 9, 'The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked'. Only God can say that, for only He can see what we are really like.Only He , has the answer for such a complaint.  When a person comes to Christ a wonderful thing happens , they receive a new nature,old things pass away, all things become,which enable to have a new attitude,a new focus,based upon a new relationship  with God  through Christ.  2 Corinthians 5 v 17.

Small requests. ( Psalm 37 v 4 )

I am sure we all have a favourite food,which we really love,I have a favourite bread, Irish brown soda bread,also known as wheaten bread.Now only one store sells the particular brand that I really like,but alas they only  keep it occasionally.Well as they say absent makes the heart grow fonder,so I usually buy a couple of loves, when they are in stock ,and put one in the freezer.I don't have to share this bread, thank goodness,as I am the only one in my home who likes it. Well the store recently had not stocked it for a while,and would you believe it, I spoke to God about it ,asking him that the store would get some in,and low and behold,it did, to my delight. Oh some people say ,we shouldn't bother God  about such things,such trivia,they may even think that one is being disrespectful ,not so,He the God of the greater things,yes He is,but He is also the God of the small things Matthew 10 v 29.I once read when Spurgeon's wife was ill and confined to bed,she told her husband that she had asked God, for two little song birds,and God answered, Spurgeon  jokingly said that she was God's spoilt little child. Child of God ,he loves us so very much ,and delights to answer even ,our smallest request.

Troubles their are many. ( Psalm 31 )

 David that man after Gods heart ,lived a very challenging life from dangers as a shepherd boy ,were bears and lions roamed,to facing a giant, and being hunted and hounded like a wild animal,by King Saul.In his later life his own son Absalom, sought to kill him,and so we could go on,how did he survive?.We will come to that,the good that came out of Davids life is his writings,writings inspired by Gods Spirit .Of course the  Psalms are a wonderful example of this. consider how they have blessed so many people.Psalm 31 is such an example ,again he is writing out of a life threatening situation,Unlike the many surrounding nations,who worshipped worthless idols,his hope he declares was ,'In you,Lord,I have taken refuge',in v 9-10,  he is honest to admit how he feels ,emotionally and physically affected,we may not smile in the storms of life,but we can trust in our God and Saviour, who does not  despise us for our weaknesses,but understands.and feels for us.  Our dear Saviour experienced the trials of life,one person has written,'He ,''co- suffers'',with us'.and encourages us to come to the throne of God with confidence so that we receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.  Hebrews 4 v 14 -16.

                                                          '  Ask the Saviour to help you.'

Pray. ( Psalm 107 )

In Psalm 107 we have the ongoing experiences of God's people, in the wilderness,and the Babylonian captivity,being afflicted with sickness, deliverance in a storm,blessings and chastisement,and mercy.The history of the Israel of the OT has a repetition to it,blessing, sinning,chastisement,restoration.I want us to consider the deliverance in a storm v23- 30,sea travel was notoriously dangerous,wind power drove the ships but it also could destroy them.In the storm here mentioned,it was sent by God v25.Why does God send storms into His children's lives?, the fact is, He does for different reasons,sometimes we are not sure why.In the case of  Jonah it was for disobedience,in the case of Paul and Silas in Acts 27, the witness of  Paul ,to those in the ship, To the disciples in Mark 4 v35ff, to challenge them as regards faith ,or the lack of it.In Psalm 107 we read three times,'Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress'. We read that the storm was so bad, they could do nothing,it reads that,' they were at their wits end'. It appeared that they were going to perish, and its only then we read,that they cried unto the Lord, Spurgeon  comments,'Though at their wits end, they had wit enough to pray'.It is never to late to call on God,no matter how dark things look,the Lord answered,'He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed', not only that ,'He guided them to their desired haven'.

                                                                   

                                                                 ' Psalm 50 v15'

                                                 ' Call on me in the day of trouble;

                                                   I will deliver you, and you will

                                                   honour Me'.

                                                   

He is real. ( Luke 4 v 14 - 21 )

 The devil is called the god of this world, he is not a god in essence,but this  he desires more anything else, that people worship him as god.He is barefaced in this we see his brazenness ,when he tempted our Lord to bow down and worship him Matthew 4 v 9.of course our dear Lord,reminded him that God alone must be worshipped, and served. He has more success with fallen humanity, in a moral sense,and in a spiritual sense, history teaches us that.Surely Hitler and Nazism manifested a satanic  influence, also the genocidal tendencies that many in power have manifested. In 2 Corinthians 4 v 4,we read that he blinds the minds of unbelievers, so they will not be saved ,from hell,because his joy is one of destroying humanity.Our Saviour called him the prince of demons, Matthew 9 v34,and the prince of this world,John 16 v11. Often the devil is depicted  by the world as a comical character,but God's Word tells us that he is like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour 1Peter 5 v 8.The vast majority of people don't give much thought as regards him,and of course he is happy with that,he wants people to believe he does not exist.There is much more could be said about him,but the good news is,'The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devils work, 1 John 3 v8, the devils works are manifold and are always evil,and destructive,when we sin we following in father devils footsteps.John 8 v 44/ Eph  2 v 2.John Stott writes ,'in Christ we can escape his tyranny,' when we accept Him as our Saviour.

Too good to be true?. ( Acts 16 v 31 )

 The wonderful truth as regards salvation,it is free, religious observance,good works, can not save a person,it is not a flat pack ,something that we have to assemble ourselves. Most religions are flat packs,in other words you have fulfill certain things to qualify ,to be accepted, and go their special place after death, but even them it appears that there are no guarantee ,that you will make the grade. Here is a wonderful thing the moment one trusts Christ,one is saved, no if's or buts,it seems to good to be true, but it is. Is there a catch?, no,we receive Christ in simple faith,in all our need,repenting of our sin, that means turning away from them. The result will be, your sins will be forgiven.You will receive God's Holy Spirit, who will enable you to live the Christian life . This is possible because Christ paid it all ,through His death on the cross,it is on the bases of what He accomplished on the cross,that is sufficient . 

                                               'God forbid that I should glory,

                                                save in the cross of our Lord

                                                         Jesus Christ.'

                                                       Galatians 6 v14.