I saw the light. ( John 3 v 19 ) 1

 This thought came to me,'We do not choose the hand of cards dealt to us', it may be prosperity or adversity, life like the rainbow has many colours to it.it is a sovereign God who paints the colours. The poet wrote  ,'Our lives through varied scenes are drawn', every life lived is somewhat unique,.and God has a plan for all of us,we might not like the plan . If you are not a Christian then you may curse God,you may rule God  out of your life,which is not the answer,it does not solve anything,it only leads one further into darkness. and one ends up in eternal darkness,from which there is no escape.Here is what Jesus said,' I am the light of the world,he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life'. (John 8 v 12). Trust Him to be your Saviour.

                                                        'I wandered so aimless,life filled with sin,

                                                         I wouldn't let my dear Saviour in,

                                                         Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night,

                                                          Praise the Lord I saw the light.

                                                                         Hank Williams.

Grace ( 2 Peter 3 v 18 )

 I found myself  singing words from that well known hymn ,'Come Thou fount of every blessing',by Robert Robinson,it was the last verse of that hymn that blessed me. Here are the words,'O to grace how great a debtor,daily I'm constrained to be.' Grace, what is the grace of God?,it describes,'God's unmerited love and favour', and I would add it comes through Jesus the Son of God. Grace falls into two categories, 'Common',and,'Particular', common grace is described by someone as the protection and care God gives to all His creatures, regardless of their relationship with Him'.Our Saviour taught that God makes the sun to  rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5 v45 ). Particular grace relates to salvation,and all aspects of our lives,God saves us by grace,keeps us by grace,and blesses those who are His, daily,with His special care and love.So from the moment I was conceived and born till now I have experienced the grace of God,and will continue to experience it ,till I go to heaven.As a Christian I am so grateful for His grace that has been granted to me,especially for the grace that saved me,when I trusted Jesus as my Saviour.

                                                        '  O to grace how great a debtor

                                                          Daily I'm constrained to be!

                                                          Let Thy grace,Lord, like a fetter,

                                                          Bind my wandering heart to Thee,'

                                                                       R.Robinson.

                                                     

Evening Praise. (Ephesians 5 v 20 )

                                              'Evening Praise', From  valley of vision'

                                   'I thank Thee for the temporal blessings of this world,

                                    the refreshing air, the light of the sun,the food that renews

                                    strength,the raiment that clothes,the dwelling that shelters,

                                    the sleep that gives rest,the starry canopy of night,the summer 

                                    breeze,the flowers' sweetness,the music of flowing streams,

                                    the happy endearments of family and friends.I bring my 

                                    tribute of thanks for spiritual graces,the full warmth of faith,

                                    the cheering presence of Thy Spirit, the strength of Thy restraining

                                    will,the overturning of hell's artillery.'

                                                           'Blessed be my sovereign Lord '

                                     

    

                                   

What's wrong with this world? ( Romans 3 v 23 )

What,s wrong with this world?,it is a scary old world ,why would a man go into a nursery of all places,and murder little babies,and adults?.We could multiply the why's in life,I don't want to depress you,it is no good sticking our head in the sand and ignore the awful things that are happening now ,and throughout history.I watched a movie recently,an old lady was talking to her son,she spoke of inherit goodness of people,they were are not all bad. Her son replied with a biblical quotation from Jeremiah 17 v9,'The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;who can know it'.That goes against what we say about certain people,that they have a good heart.You may not think this verse applies to everyone,but it does ,given the wrong circumstances ,wrong as regards evil,we can easy become part of that evil. When I look in my heart it scares me,are you any different?. Money and power does not change this it often increases the evil we commit ,as for religion ,it is no different,yes even the religions that go under the name of Christianity,the lust for money power rules many,likewise sex,in the abuse of children.Why did Christ come?,to make us rich and powerful,to give us a trouble free life,no, He came to forgive us our sins,and by His Spirit aid us  to overcome,the evil without and the evil within, that's why you need Jesus and I need Jesus.

Be the Magnet ( Psalm 139 v23 - 24 )

Robert Robinson lived in the 18th century,he was a minister,and the Lord blessed his ministry,he wrote the hymn,' Come Thy fount of every blessing',Here is the second  verse.

                                                   'O to grace how great a debtor

                                                    Daily I'm constrained to be!

                                                    Let Thy grace,Lord , like a fetter,

                                                    Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

                                                    Prone to wander, Lord I feel it,

                                                    Prone to leave the God I love;

                                                   Here's my heart ,Lord,take and seal it,

                                                    Seal it from Thy courts above'

It reminds me of Christian and his friend Hopeful in Pilgrims Progress who wandered of the pathway and were taken prisoner by Giant Despair and cast into the dungeon of Doubting castle. Like them we can so easily wander away from God,morally and theologically,I am reminded of two great kings who did just that,David and Solomon, Like them it would be so easy to wander away from the God we love.I found myself praying these words, 'May you Lord, be the magnet to my soul,that draws me back from wandering from You,in Jesus name'.

Be ready ( Revelation 1 v12 - 18 )

 In John 7 v 1 ,we read that the Jewish leaders were looking for a way to kill Jesus, now of course Jesus knew that they would eventually have their way,Matthew 16 v 21.But that moment would come in God's time,and not before,the purpose of Christ coming was to die on the cross. John 12 v 27. There was times when people tried to kill Jesus but it did not happen Luke 4 v 28 - 30,the reason being it was not God's time.the scripture puts it like,'His hour had not come'.John 7 v 30. It is Calvin who reasons from Christ's death to ours;' From this a general doctrine must be gathered; for though we live unto the day, the hour of every man's death has nevertheless been fixed by God...... we are safe from all dangers until God wishes to call us away'. And as I often say,' be ready',as believers let us live as if it were our last day on earth, and if  you are not a believer, trust Jesus as your Saviour, for it may be your last day.

                                                         'Sovereign ruler of the skies,

                                                         Ever gracious,ever wise;

                                                         All my times are in Thy hands,

                                                        All events at Thy command.

                                                        Plagues and death around me fly;

                                                        Not a single shaft can hit,

                                                        Till the God of love sees fit.'

                                                                  John Ryland.

Our priority. ( Matthew 6 v 9 - 10 )

 We read in John 7 of our Lord going up to Jerusalem during the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles,for Him it was a dangerous thing to do, for the Jewish leaders were looking for a way to kill Him . Alongside this his own brothers did not believe in Him,but undeterred He went to the festival knowing the risk . He was very brave and courageous ,He was not acting foolishly or in a spirit of bravado ,no, He was  walking in the will of God. His whole life entailed that very thing, doing the will of God.It was His delight  Psalm 40 v 8, and His purpose in coming into this world, in John 4 v34, He declared,'My food',...'is to do the will of Him who sent Me,and to finish His work.' As Christians the challenge  for all of us is to follow in our Saviours footsteps,in doing the will of God. I recently heard of a man who was very discouraged because he did not get what he prayed for,he wanted a job.What we want is not the priority in our lives ,the priority must  always be the will of God,

                                                                    A prayer.

                                                 'Not my will, but yours be done'.