Unconditional love. ( Romans 1 v 18 )

 I read this recently,' Love can move a person to act in unexpected ways, leave them to overcome the most  daunting obstacles with a startling heroism . In the end it is love that triumphs over death and  destruction.'   There are many things that are dressed up as love,and are not,but true love is truly the greatest thing.Is there such a thing as unconditional love?,we hear this term continually from Christian  preachers.In our unsaved state we were enemies of God Romans 5 v 10,we were ungodly 5 v 6,but the love God offers to humanity comes in the person of Jesus.The question is this in our unsaved state,are we prepared to repent of our sins,to seek forgiveness and trust Jesus as our Saviour?. If we are not prepared to do that,we are spitting in the face of God,we will not experience His love,we will remain under the wrath of a Holy God John 3 v36, and will face eternal judgement.There are conditions if we are going to be saved,His love is not unconditional,sin must be dealt with,at the foot of the cross..

God is leading. ( Psalm 23 )

 Following on with the thought,'We do not choose the hand of cards dealt to us', we applied it  to a non-Christian,now let us apply it  to Christians.We mentioned the sovereignty God,from the moment we became a Christian we died to self,and began to live unto Christ, in the path He would  lead us, not a path of our choosing.On that path we would experience many things,we would have blessings but we also would experience various trials James 1 v 2. Trials by their very nature ,put us to the test, Edward Clowney writes the following,' Trials should not surprise us, or cause us to doubt God's faithfulness.....  Our trials keep us trusting; they burn away our self -confidence and drive us to our Saviour, it shows the  genuineness of our faith, and purifies our faith'.The trials that God brings into our lives are not meant to destroy us ,they are meant to perfect us.Whatever hand of cards God deals to us He will bring us through,I want leave the words of a Christian song with you,its called ,'God leads His dear Children along',written by George A.Young.

                                              'In shady ,green pastures,so rich and so sweet

                                              God leads His dear children along.

                                              Some through  the waters ,some through the flood,

                                              Some through the fire,but all through the blood.

                                              Some through great sorrows ,but God gives a song,

                                              In the night season and all the day long

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'.