I don't understand. ( Proverbs 3 v5 )

In Hebrews 11 v 6 we are told,'And without faith it is impossible to please God,'in that chapter we have many people mentioned,and they all had this in common,they were people of faith.Not only is it impossible to please God without faith,it is impossible to know God without faith,but let us define that a bit more ,many people would say that they believe in God, but that is not not enough ,if  one has not put their faith in Christ,they do not know God. No matter who they are,it not just about knowing  that there is a  God, but rather about knowing Him personally,knowing Him as your loving heavenly Father. CP John 1 v12.That all comes about through knowing Jesus as one's Saviour, when one has done that, it becomes a living,personal, relationship,with God,a faith walk.There will be things on our faith walk,that we do not understand, let me stress this,'faith goes beyond our understanding'. Take the statement ,'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth',Genesis 1 v1.its impossible ,but faith says it is possible,and not only that,He did it in six days,and so people turn from a belief in God to a just happened theory ,now that really is impossible .The path of the Christian must be a path of faith,faith that goes beyond our understanding,oh yes there will be things we will understand ,but many things we won't,and that's were faith comes in.

Amazing. ( Isaiah 1 v 18 )

I have just finished a study on the book of  Micah, Micah was a prophet during the reign of 3 kings of Judah,although his message was to both Judah and Samaria, who were morally and spiritually at a very low level.Injustice was the order of the day,the ordinary people,were being treated dreadfully 3 v1 -3 describe their treatment in very graphic terms, these words where spoken to the leaders and prophets,here is the charge brought against them.'Should you not embrace justice,you who hate good and love evil;who tear the skin from my people and the flesh from their bones;who eat my peoples flesh strip of their skin and break their bones in pieces; who chop them up like meat for the pan, like flesh for the pot'.Eventually judgement would come upon them, their wickedness knew no bounds.One would think that God was finished with them,but not so, there is always hope if  they would call upon God repenting and forsaking their sinful  ways, God would have mercy upon them. Nothing has changed for God who  forgive Israel will forgive anyone no matter how wicked they have been if they call upon Jesus,forsaking and repenting of their sins,for whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

                                                   'Who is a God like you, who pardons sin'

                                                                  Micah 7 v 18

A precious promise. ( 1 Samuel 17 v 45 - 50 )

 The promises of God are very precious,they encourage us,and comfort us,there is a promise in the book of Isaiah that has been a blessing to God's people throughout the ages,it is in chap 41 v 10,it reads.

                                                  ' Fear thou not; for I am with you;

                                                    Be not dismayed,for I am your God.

                                                    I will strengthen you,

                                                    Yes I will help you,

                                                     I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.'

Israel was a small nation, but they had one vital thing in their favour. they had a big God,they would be preserved not by their military might, but by their God.Often they forgot that and suffered for their folly,but in spite of this God was faithful,and when during the reign of Hezekiah the Assyrian  super power came against them,right to the gates of Jerusalem,boasting what they would do to those within the city,God miraculously delivered them. CP chap 37 v36 -38. Many dear Christians live in places of great danger,threatened by political ,and religious powers,could it be, it is like that where you live?.These words are for all of Gods children,who feel threatened and overwhelmed by so many things. The words given to ancient Israel are for you and me today, God  is with us do not be dismayed He is our God,He will strengthen us,He will help us,and uphold us.

                                                              'He will not fail us'

                                                

Add- on's. 2 ( 2 Peter 5 -8 )

 We will continue as regards the add- on's,what are they?,  there are several in the New Testament. CP Rom 5 v3-5,2 Cor 6 v 4 -10,Gal 5 v22-23,Col 3 v 12- 14,1 Tim 4 v12,4;12;6;11. So let us consider 2 Peter 1 v 5 - 8,the first one is ,'goodness,in v3 ,as we look at Christs life we see goodness  personified,so much badness in the world,as Christians,goodness should be characteristic of our lives.Next ,'knowledge',John Brown writes,'This knowledge means making a distinction between what is true and what is false but also between what is right and what is wrong'. Next ,'self control',so many things it seems are out of control in this world, consider our Saviour, He always displayed self control especially in His suffering. Next ,'perseverance',it simply means not giving up,no turning back,as the old song goes,'Keep right on to the end of the road'. Next, 'godliness', in word ,thought and deed.Next,'brotherly kindness',remember what our Saviour said,' By this  everyone will know that you are my disciples,if you love one another'. John 13 v 35,Last but not least, 'love'but it means more than our Christian family,it means loving  those as Dick Lucas  puts it,'outside the family circle'. How are we to manifest these qualities? the answer ,the Spirit of God.let us depend on Him.

                                                      'And every virtue we possess,

                                                      And every victory won,

                                                      And every thought of holiness,

                                                      Are His alone.'

                                                             'Words Harriet Auber'

Add- on's. ( 2 Peter 1 v 5 - 11) 1

 When it comes to salvation, there are no add- on's,Jesus our beloved Saviour  paid the full price for us to be saved.We cannot add on to what He has done,if we do,we cant be saved.We are saved by faith and faith alone,but in our development as Christians,and being more conformed to Christ ,add- on's are important. We read in 2 Peter 1 v 3ff , we are told that by Christ's divine power we have been given everything we need to live a godly life. Let me just emphasise we are called to live a godly life,the moral values of the world run contrary  to godliness,we are to be different.We cannot do this in our own power,we are not meant to,our power comes from God the holy Spirit. We also have been given  great and precious promises,these can enable us share His divine nature,' and so escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.'( D. Lucas)Let us remember that Christ has set us free, but not free to sin,we are to abstain from even the appearance evil.(1Thessalonians 5 v 22) In v 5-7 ' Peter gives us a list of virtues in which we are to grow',(D.Lucas), yes the Christian life is on going,our quest for holiness ,and Christlikeness ,must continue until we get to glory.We will continue this next time.

Where is your God? (Psalm 42)

 Contrary to what many think, the bible has much to say about hope, it relates to those who are God's children,it does not only deal with the here and now,but also for the afterlife. In Psalm 42 v 11 and 43 v5, we have these words. 

                                                  'Why,my soul, are you downcast?

                                                  Why so disturbed within me?

                                                   Put your hope in God,

                                                  for I will yet praise Him,

                                                  my Saviour and my God'

Here is a man of God downcast,and yet a man who was searching for  God (Ps 42v 2) people are asking him,' Where is your God?' (v3). A teacher of atheistic outlook wrote on the blackboard- 'God is  nowhere,' at that moment the class finished, for lunch,the words remained on the blackboard. When they came back from lunch, someone had altered the words on the blackboard,it read,' God is now here'. Frederick W, Faber  wrote,

                                                  'Thrice blest is he to whom is given

                                                  The instinct that can tell

                                                  That  God is on the field,

                                                  when He is most invisible'

                                             'Jesus said,'' I am with you always''

                                                      'Matthew 28 v 20'

Waiting . ( Psalm 40 v 1 )

They  say timing is everything ,In an old devotional called ,' Springs in the valley ', Mrs . Chas. E. Cowman writes the following,'God always hears, and He never forgets, His silence does not mean that He is not listening and is not planning. Probably it means that the best time of deliverance has not come yet, and that He is patiently waiting for the moment  to arrive when He may prove His love and His power. Cromwell  said to His soldiers just before a great battle; ''Know ye soldiers all,that God always comes to man's  help in the nick of time''. Yes ,God is always in time; never behind never ahead. Happy is the man who learns to wait as he prays, and never loses patience with God. Let us wait His time ; ''He that believeth  shall not make haste''. God's time is the best time. ''When a great issue is in the balance and the path is obscure, wait; but with thy waiting shirk not the work that lieth before thee, for in that task may be the solution of thy problem'

                                                                Romans 4 v 18.

                  'Even when there was reason to hope,Abraham kept hoping  - believing that he would 

                   become the father of many nations.