Thank you. ( Matthew 6 v 1 -4 )

 Thank you is very important, we try to teach our children to say thank you,when you say thank you ,you are expressing gratitude. The apostle Paul expressed gratitude to the church at Philippi for their support  Phil 4 v10 ff. Thank you does not only involve receiving a gift of money,a kindness shown,I often say I am praying for them,and usually they say thank you.Our Saviour highlighted certain people as regards their giving, because they gave money publicly, to be admired by others.Matthew 5 v1 . Our giving should not be  done for the general public to  applause,it should be privately, even secretly, done totally for the glory of God.If  someone gives you a gift ,it is not wrong to say thank you,if you give a gift and they don't say thank you,don't  worry, your heavenly father who sees everything , will reward you.  Matthew 6 v 4.

Jesus wept. ( 1 Peter 5 v 7 )

 The 11 th chap of John has so much to teach us, it is mainly about the death and  amazing resurrection of Lazarus by our dear Saviour. I want to turn you to that point in this event to v 35,Jesus is standing outside Lazarus tomb, he had been dead 4 days.As our Saviour stood there we read,'He wept', this is the shortest verse in the bible, it has so much meaning attached to it.Our Saviour was not just a miracle worker, I do not read that of miracle workers who make a living out of it, very rarely do we see any weeping. Most of them are more interested in self glorification,it is easy to start up as a miracle worker,so many dear people are desperate to try anything to see a loved one healed, and usually money is involved.Jesus never did anything for what he could get out of it, never once did he charge anyone for healing them,freely He gave and freely they received. I do believe that miracles happen, not  to glorify any person, but to glorify God. Let me return to the weeping Christ, he is the one who feels for suffering humanity,especially those who are his,in your suffering cast all your cares upon Him,for he cares for you.May His love ,compassion, peace fill your heart, May you hear his gentle whisper speaking words of comfort, telling you that he is with you always.

 

God is ( Psalm 121 )

I read this recently,'An Eastern story has it that a poor woman ,came to the Sultan one day, and asked compensation for the loss of some property.''How did you loose it '', asked the monarch. ''I fell asleep'', was the reply,''and a robber entered my dwelling . ''Why did you fall asleep?'' said the Sultan. The woman answered,'' I fell asleep because I believed you were awake.'' The Sultan was so delighted with the answer, that he ordered her loss to be made up.In Psalm 121 we read,' 

                          He will not let your foot slip ,He who watches over you will not slumber

                          Indeed He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

                                                Child of God ,He is watching  over you.

Only God . ( Psalm 121 )

Every morning before my wife goes out to work I pray with her that the Lord would keep her safe as she drives her car ,she works as a community care. Recently when she arrived home, she told me that she nearly had an accident with a young fellow on a scooter. When she told me that,I replied,'' that is why I pray with you,' that appears obvious ,and it is,as I look back on my life,God has preserved me on the road.Yes  I have had a few accidents during my time on the road, but I never been injured,I have had near misses.Psalm 121 is a wonderful Psalm , a favourite of many people,and v 8 reads,'The Lord shall preserve  your going out and your coming in,from this time forth,and even for evermore'.That includes everything,air ,sea,train, car and walking, so do get the good habit of praying whenever you go out.But it does not only include our travelling,for v7 reads,'The Lord; shall preserve you from all evil ; He shall preserve your soul.'  I have been following the Lord for 58 years, and in the words of a hymn,I have experienced ,many dangers, toils and snares.How have  I managed to come this far? the answer is God,it was Spurgeon who said,'Everyday one is a Christian its a miracle' I would say a big Amen to that.

Jesus wept ( Ephesians 2 v 1- 10 )

 Let us consider John 11 v 35 , and those words ,'Jesus wept'.just recently a neighbour  who had suddenly taken ill died. When I heard  this from his daughter , I wept, and when Jesus stood outside the tomb of Lazarus He wept, he burst out into tears. Jesus is the Son of God, that means that he is truly God and truly man, he was not just manifesting his humanity,but he was also manifesting his deity . God has emotions, He loves,he is angry, he is merciful,compassionate,etc.His anger is never out of control , all of His emotions are not in anyway tainted by sin, for God is holy. When you read the ministry of Jesus ,you see God reflected in those things he did, He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities .We are told God  is love 1 John 4 v 16, we are talking about the God of the the whole bible,old and new covenant ,some misguided people make a difference, there is no difference. In the old , time after time, he showed love, mercy and compassion.Yes he judged people and nations ,as He will judge all the unsaved in a coming day, but millions will be saved from judgement,for the God of love provided a way of escape through His Son Jesus death on the cross. The Christ who stood  outside Lazarus tomb, is the Christ who even now reaches out to all,to come to Him and be saved.

                                                   'Jesus loves me this I know

                                                    for the bible tells me so.'

Shame ( Ephesians 5 v 8 - 20 )

 I read this verse of a poem by Joanna Baillie.

                                             'I can bear scorpion's stings, tread fields of fire,

                                              In frozen gulfs of cold eternal lie,

                                              Be toss'd aloft through tracts of endless void,

                                              But cannot live in shame'

As I think back on my life there are things I feel ashamed off, but at that time I wasn't ashamed,but coming back to the Lord ,changed me,I became more aware of right and  wrong. I  am sure we have all done things we are ashamed off.There are extreme things in life that people do, like child abuse ,and they don't know any shame,they are just consumed  with their sexual lust. The sad thing is that those who have been abused feel  shame,even though they are not guilty of any wrong. Things have changed in our society pornography is endemic, and often what we see on the media,feeds into that,and there is no shame.The history of mankind is filled with shame, not only in the sexual realm,but in relation to money, in relation to the truth, to an addiction that does not care of the pain or hurt they inflict on others,no shame.I am not finger pointing,I am a sinner saved by Gods grace ,through my dear Saviour Jesus. When I trusted Jesus I found forgiveness and acceptance,and I believe he has made me a better person,oh yes I still will fall, when I do, I repent, and receive forgiveness.

                                                 'Out of my shameful failure and loss,

                                                  Jesus, I come! Jesus I come!

                                                   Into the glorious gain of the cross,

                                                   Jesus, I come to Thee!

                                                       Words W.T. Sleeper.

                                             

                                              

Thank you. (Isaiah 53 )

 Somethings you remember  until the day one dies,that moment when I was drowning as a young boy,how my life was saved thankfully  by one of the attendants at the swimming pool. One of the other most important things was passing my  driving test , I am so thankful for my wee wife and children praying while I did my test,and for God answering. Following that I am thankful for the lady who give me my first car, a  little, ' Morris Minor'.There are so many other things one could mention,here is the main one, a prayer of thanksgiving to God,'Thank you Lord for what you were prepared to endure for me on Calvary'. Yes me,why me? ,after all what have I ever done to deserve such love?,the answer is ,I did not deserve such love.I was born a sinner. As I look back on my life especially my thought life, I can assure you that I was far from God. The words from a hymn sum up what God did for me.                                                

                                                        'In loving kindness Jesus came,

                                                        My soul in mercy to reclaim

                                                        And from the depths of sin and shame,

                                                        Through grace He lifted me'  Words C.G.Homer.

Yes He suffered humiliation , flogging,the cross, but it did not stop there,there was an even deeper suffering, for on that cross He bore the wrath of God for me.There are no words that can describe the depths of that suffering,no artist could paint a picture of it.love so amazing so divine demands my soul my life my all.

                                                               Thank you Jesus.