Do you want to know a secret?( Proverbs 3 v5 - 6)

 Augustine was asked a question, 'What was God doing  before He made the world'? Augustine answered,  'Making  hell for people who ask questions like that''. The fact is there are so many  things we don't  about God,and we may never know. God is under no obligation to tell us everything. Deuteronomy 29 v 29,tells us,'The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children for ever, that we may follow all the words of the law'.  We have two things highlighted in this verse, God has His secrets which He will not  reveal to us,but there are things He has revealed to us.Nothing is going to change that,it will remain locked to us those secret things.That is where obedience and trust comes in, when God commands us do something then we must obey,though it may cost us everything. Whatever it may cost us,we are called to trust our God and follow Him,ours is not to reason why our's is but to do or die',Why is  it,I continually hear the words ,'Trust Me'?, for that's what I need to do, that's what we all need to do,it  was Edgar Page Stiles who wrote the following hymn.

                                  'Simply trusting everyday,trusting through a stormy way;

                                   Even when my faith is small,trusting Jesus that is all.

                                   Brightly doth His Spirit shine,into this poor heart of mine;

                                   While He leads I cannot fall, trusting Jesus that is all.

                                   Singing,if my way be clear; praying if the path be drear;

                                    If in danger,for Him call; trusting Jesus that is all.

                                   Trusting Him while life shall last,Trusting Him till earth shall past,

                                    Trust within the jasper wall; Trusting Jesus, that is all.

                                                      Trusting as the moments fly,

                                                      Trusting Him as days go by;

                                                      Trusting Him whate'er befall

                                                      Trusting Jesus that is all.'

                                                     

Hudson Taylor. ( Matthew 9 v 37 - 38 )

 I would like to share with you something I  read recently as regards Hudson Taylor. He was the founder of the China Inland Mission, now known as the,'Overseas Missionary Fellowship'. He believed that the work in China needed a thousand new missionaries to be found in the space of five years for the work to be established. He took the matter to the Lord in prayer and shared his concerns with Christian friends. The task seemed impossible to some of his friends. So they asked him how he could imagine that so many people could be found in so short of time. His answer was simple and convincing. 'When I look at the map of mainland China  I cannot see how I could ask for less. And when I look at the promises of God in the Bible, I do not see why I should ask for less!

                                                            'Have faith in God'

Rough diamonds. ( 1 John 3 v 2 )

If I would describe myself, I suppose I would call myself a rough diamond,yet I feel we are all rough diamond to some extent, for the simple reason we are all sinners. A friend of mine has a young daughter who was having a bit of grief,with other children.Her dad sought to explain to her that there are nice people  out there ,and this young child answered ,'yes there are, but they are still sinners'.Very insightful for a young child,all Christians are but sinners saved by grace,and although we have been forgiven, we still have a sinful nature within us (Galatians 5 v 16ff), so does that not mean that we are all rough diamonds to some extent?, I think so .Did not the greatest of the apostles say he was not perfect (Phil 3 v 12). So we are all imperfect beings,rough diamonds. Consider when a diamond comes out of the ground,it may not look like a diamond,it has to go through a process,before it becomes that beautiful gem, that we all so admire . So it is that we have to experience a  process which we could call sanctification,in order that we may look more and more like Jesus. That process can involve many things,like Pauls thorn in the flesh, like Davids painful experience with a son who sought to kill him,like Joseph being hated by his brothers,being sold into slavery,of being  falsely accused and imprisoned for something he didn't do.Someone has said ,'Nearly all of God's jewels are crystallized tears'.As one song puts it                                                     

                                               'When He cometh ,when He cometh

                                                To make up His  jewels.

                                                All His jewels,precious jewels

                                                 His loved and His own

                                                 Like the stars of the morning

                                                 His bright crown adorning,

                                                 They shall shine in their beauty

                                                  Bright gems for His crown.'          

                                             

9

Sexual morality ( Romans 3 v 23 )

 In raising the subject of homosexuality , I hope I have not come across in a wrong unloving way,one of  my purpose in writing what I have, is to clarify how God's word makes it clear ,that it is sinful, and like all sin it comes under the judgement of God. God will judge all sin one day,you may not be a homosexual but you are a sinner needing to be saved from coming wrath.God is a forgiving God but those who choose to ignore His offer of forgiveness will suffer  terrible consequences,not only  homosexuals will be shut out of God's eternal kingdom, all will be, unless they repent of their sins. I am reminded of the account of the lady who caught in the very act adultery,she was brought to Jesus by the religious leaders,they said she should be stoned,but declared ,he that is without sin cast the first stone. The result was the all were convicted of their  sin, and left,Jesus did not condemn her to death, but he did not ignore  her sin,and told her to leave her life of sin. ( John 8 v 1 -11).Jesus says to all ,leave your sinful   ways and come to me and have your sins forgiven. One writer wrote the following, 'Here we are faced to face with the eternal situation of the gospel,the eternal choice. Jesus confronted that women with a choice that day, she could go back to her old ways or she could reach out to the new way with Him'.

                                                    'What will you choose?'.

Sexually morality . ( Romans 1 v 18 )

 Just recently the Anglican church ruling body met to discuss and vote on the clergy being able to bless same sex relationships, the vote was carried.This is so sad and will cause a great division world wide within the Anglican community. Following this vote a letter was published in a national newspaper by a former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord  Carey '',What has taken place will be out of step with the book that has influenced our Church more than anyone else; the Bible. There is no doubt in my mind that the General Synod has taken a step away from the foundational roots of the scriptures'. To the charge that we who oppose the vote by the Anglican Church Synod,that we do not represent the God of love.We reply in the words of John Stott that God's love is a holy love,and his love will not accept that which He declares is sinful.He will not compromise on that,nor should any  Christian . In my last blog on this subject,I mention the Bishop who said to a young minister,'go look at the NT'.It is strange that he stipulated only the NT, it shows where he stands in relation to the whole of   scripture.Let us see what the OT and  NT,says about homosexuality ,in Leviticus 18 v 22,it is called an abomination. We can point to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah,of course they  committed other sins CP Lev18, but it is homosexuality that is  highlighted there. Lets move to the NT,to Romans 1 v 26-27,were it is described as shameful lustful,unnatural,indecent,perversion.'.There are practicing homosexuals who called themselves  Christians,they are not ,in 1 Corinthians 6 v 9 we are told clearly,'they will not inherit the kingdom of God'.

Sexual morality. ( Romans 1 v 18ff ) 1

 We live in a moral universe ,but we live in a fallen world,where the morals of this world run contrary to the morals of God's kingdom. Those within the kingdom of God are expected  to live by the morality of  God's kingdom.In  so called western societies ,things have gradually changed,things that were once  seen as wrong are now seen as being right.Those things that used to be unacceptable  are now applauded,and celebrated,they have parades where they openly declare their sexuality as being normal. The media continually supports this and those who hold contrary views are not given a voice. The advertisement world also are likewise pushing seculars world views of sexual relationships. So where does that leave us within the kingdom of God?,and how should we act in this situation?.A certain Bishop who appears to favour  going along with the world view of sexuality, and has pushed for the church to bless same sex relationships,  when questioned as to the wrongness of his views he replied  go and read the NT. Before we go into that, I wonder why he said  just  the NT?, the OT surely is as valid as the NT. CP 2 Timothy 3 v16.next time we will consider this further.

He is!. ( Psalm 46)

Sometimes I think that the world is like a troubled sea,so much unrest,one thing after another,that's not counting ones personal difficulties ,and trials.Se here is what God say's,in Nahum 1 v 7 ,'The Lord is good ,a refuge in times of trouble,He cares for those who trust in Him'.The first thing it tells us that God is a good .I have experienced the goodness of God all through my life.He has always been there for me,in times of sadness,in difficult times,all the time.I could mention many things to confirm that.Money was very short,in fact often we had none,yet we prayed.One day a there was  a knock at our  door,when we opened it there was a man with a basket load of shopping,he said someone had asked him to deliver that.Next we have God mentioned as a refuge in times of trouble.It was the time of the Mau Mau troubles in Kenya, often African Christians were targeted,one day a Christian was faced with a Mau Mau pointing a pistol  at his head.A  verse of scripture came inti his head,'The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe'.(Proverbs18 v10),so he immediately shouted out .' Jesus ,Tower',four times he did this,and four times his attacker fired his pistol and didn't hit him.'Last but not least,'He cares for those who trust in Him'.let us remember there is one who is looking after us,His name is Jesus.