Change ( Romans 12 v2 - 3 )

 Recently I saw family members ,and others and they had changed, as indeed I have, change is inevitable, and that applies to us Christians. I read this recently about C.H. Spurgeon ,''he once asked  a young girl who served  as a domestic in one of his families homes what evidence she could give of becoming a Christian? She meekly answered, '' I now sweep under the mats''. None of us our perfect, but I believe  that there should be evidence of some change when we become Christians.I wonder what your reply would be  if you were asked that question?,as to myself,I could say that when I came back to the Lord ,I stopped going about with the wrong crowd, in Romans 12 v2  we read, 'of being transformed by the renewal of our minds'.Our  minds,that is were change often has to come,and it is on going. Were once we cherished our evil thoughts now we should resist them,we avoid those things that could take hold of us and destroy us,control us, enslave us.It is Paul who writes ,'Whatever is true, whatever is noble,whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things'. Phil 2 v 8. I'm sure if we do that, there will be a change in our lives. People may not see the change,but our Saviour will.

Give encouragement .( Romans 12 v 3- 8)

I always remember when I was a Bible college a minister saying,that the enemy will always undermine God's calling on your life. it is true.Looking back on my life I have always felt God's call on my life to preach,yet there are times,I have struggled , even though I have preached thousands of time.  Recently after I had preached  and watched it on utube,I wondered was it not time I gave up. In an email I mentioned to the secretary of the church I didn't feel I had done so well,I hadn't been feeling to well physically. A few days later he posted me an email from a couple who watched it on the Internet,saying how they are always blest when I preach. Those words encouraged me, we all need encouragement ,the last time I visited my GP I told him how much I appreciated all the support they had given me, I meant it.In Romans 12 v 3 - 8,we are told of different gifts people have from God,v 8 reads,'If it is to encourage, then give encouragement'.

                                              ' Someone today needs encouragement'

The Lord is. ( Psalm 121 )

 In 2 Samuel 22 v 2 ,we have King David praising God,it is described as song which he composed and sung for delivering him from all his enemies ,which included King Saul. This song is also found in Psalm 18 ,the words of verse two read,'The Lord is my rock,my fortress,and my deliverer'.David had more than his share of enemies,but the Lord delivered him from them all,the word of God tells us if God be for us who can be against us?( Romans 8 v 31)The greatest enemy that humanity has to face is death, because Jesus is the  resurrection and the life,the one who defeated death,we shall defeat death also.His song describes three aspects of  whom God is,He was Davids rock,one in whom he built his hope,often David was in hopeless situations,but God never failed him, he will not fail us.People may fail us ,our finances may fail,our health may fail,you get the picture, but God will not fail us. Next he says God is his fortress, a fortress is a place of safety, whatever is  threatening us ,the God of David is our God he can keep us safe.A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at our right hand, but it will not come near  us( Psalm 91 v 7) When we are in danger ,facing  overwhelming odds, let us look up and remember our help cometh from the Lord who made heaven ,and earth  (Psalm 121 v 2).

Old age. ( Hebrews 13 v 5 )

 I was reflecting on my life,I am 78, and I thought of how God had cared for me, and my conclusion was, no one else could have done it better,and of course His care doesn't end with the past. God will not suddenly change,He will still continue to care for his children. Old age brings its own particular problems,our bodies were out,our minds,are not what they used to be,and so many other things, how will we manage?,that's the question .Let us not fear the ageing question,let not fear or doubt and let not bitterness take over,remember God is in it for the long haul. Listen to the words from a godly old man,David, ''I was young and now am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread'' ,(Psalm 37 v 25). That is his experience and that is my experience, Hallelujah, may it   be your Hallelujah today,from one aged saint to another.

                                              '  Be not dismayed whate'er betide,

                                                 God will take care of you!

                                                 Beneath His wings of love abide,

                                                 God will take care of you.

                                                 All you may need He will provide,

                                                 Trust Him,and you will be satisfied,

                                                  God will take care of you.'

                                                       Words Civilla  Martin.

Now. (Isaiah 1 v 18 )

 In Lewis Carroll's Alice in wonderland the white rabbit is in a hurry to get to the tea party,and he keeps saying, ''Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late''. In the animated  Walt Disney's movie he says why he was  late. ,''I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date.No time to say hello ,goodbye, ''I'm late, I'm late,I'm late''. I suppose we have all been late at one time or another, there are a number of reasons. There was a time in Belfast,when the shipyard employed thousands of people,in those days companies did not tolerate lateness.So it was if one arrived at the shipyard late,you would be shut out,that means you would loose a days pay. Our Savour told a story of 5 foolish virgins who missed a wedding feast , because they were not ready,they  called for the door to be opened to the wedding,but it was shut. They pleaded ,''Lord ,Lord,open the door for us,but He replied,''Truly I tell you , I don't know you''.Many people want and think they are going to heaven,but if you they don't Jesus as Saviour they will not get in, it will be to late,instead of the joys of heaven,they will go to a lost eternity.

                                                        'Now is the day of salvation'

                                                               '1 Corinthians 6 v2 '

Fear not. ( 1 Peter 5 v 7 )

In his book  'Jesus and the Disinherited', Howard Thurman  tells the following,'When he was a very  small boy, Halley's comet visited his  solar system,he wasn't usually allowed up to see it.one night he was awakened by his mother ,who told him to get dressed, and go in the back yard with her,so he could see the comet.As he stood with his mother, he was in utter, speechless awe,as he beheld the great spectacle with its fan of light spreading across the heavens.As they stood there,he asked his mother a question,'What will happen to us if that comet falls out of the sky?. His mother was silent for along time,later when they went indoors,he found his mother in prayer. When she spoke to him, she said,'' Nothing will happen to us, Howard; God will take care of us''.                    

                                                       'De not dismayed whate'er betide

                                                        God will take care of you

                                                        Beneath his wings of love abide

                                                        God will take care of you.'

                                                              Words  Civilla  Martin.

Stubborn. ( Luke 23 v 27 - 31 )

 I wonder if you ever think ,'what if'', as I look back on my life,there are so many things ,I could ask that  question. Would things have turned out any better?, in some way it seems a pointless exercise,what is done is done, none of it can be changed, so whats the point?.  Yet we can learn from our past, now I am not ant Semitic,like Paul of old I would love for those sinners Israel ,to come come to Christ. But the sad thing is they have a terrible history,and they never once learned from  the past. From the time they left Egypt  till their awful rejection of their Messiah,they continually forsook God,they never changed, I repeat never,we have in the book of Jeremiah, God crying out ,'For my people have done two evil things. They have abandoned me the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves  cracked cisterns, that can hold no water'. Jer 2 v 12, and so it continued time after time with no let up,but then Messiah came that long awaited person ,who would bless them,but all to no avail, In  Proverbs 29 v1 we read,' He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck , shall suddenly  be destroyed ,and that without remedy'.There are many examples of this in the Bible, Pharaoh,Eli's sons,Ahab,and even Judas,they paid for their stubbornness, likewise Israel,likewise all who resist God's pleadings and warnings.

                                                      When mercy is rejected

                                                       Judgement will follow.