I'm Trying. ( 2 Corinthians 3 v 18)

 Someone told Tony Campolo the following story about a derelict man, standing  on a street corner in the Wall Street district of New York, begging for money. Reaching out his hand,he pleaded with a passing  corporate executive with the words,''Change? Change?''. The corporate executive responded with a pained expression on his face,''I'm trying! I'm trying! Tony goes unto say,'Being a Christian isn't just  changing once and for all. It is a commitment to change daily. The entire life of a Christian is one of pressing toward the mark of becoming the kind of person that Christ calls each of us to be ( Phil. 3 v 13 -14 )

                                           'Only the grace of God is kind enough and the

                                           power of God is strong enough to achieve this

                                           transformation in our broken and darkened lives'

                                                          So writes Paul Barnett.

                                            

Death denial. ( John 3 v 16 )

 'Our society's  culture of death denial', these are words from a newspaper I read,I wonder if that is true?,and if it is true, why? When God created humanity, we were never meant to die, and yet the reality is we all know that we are going to die.,we cannot stop it,but we try in everyway ,in vain, to hold it back. People are kept alive by every means possible, but we still can't beat it,it will happen, it is a sure thing.We find cures for many illnesses,but then another illness takes the stage,and so the war goes on. It was Dylan Thomas the Welsh poet who wrote,'Do not go gently into that night', Rage,rage against the dying of the light'.I have known Christians that have done just that,they did not want to die,but they found out like we all will,that resistance is futile,for the word of God tells us 'it is appointed unto men once to die.'(Hebrews 9 v 27),when that appointment will be is in the hands of our Saviour (Revelation1 v 18 ).So is that it? no of course not, we are told there is an existence after death when we all will appear before the great judge Jesus (2 Corinthians 5 v 10.) and there will be a great divide,those who trusted Jesus will be separated from those who have not trusted Jesus. 1Thessalonians 5 v 9 tells us that God has not appointed those who have trusted Jesus unto wrath.But those who not trusted Jesus will experienced the wrath of Jesus,it will not be gentle Jesus meek and mild, but it will be the wrath of the lamb, and an eternity in Hell,this may seem a blunt way of putting it, but there is no easy way.

                                                        'We all have a choice,

                                                         make the right choice,

                                                         trust Jesus, before it is

                                                         to late.'

Freedom (John 8 v 34 -36 )

I am reading or popping into what was a very popular book,written by Philip Yancey called ,'What's so amazing about grace',I have just read the 13th chap of this book,it is called ,'grace healed eyes', it involves his friendship with a person called Mel in many ways a very lovely man, but ,ah there's that but, he is a homosexual.I try to love everybody by God's grace, I am not into gay bashing,of any kind,no Christian should  .He would profess to be a Christian,but is he?, he wanted to become a minister.I'm not sure if he did.So what can we say about this?,we have to realise that it is a sinful practice,it says this in the OT ,CP Lev 18 v22,and of course we can consider the judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah  CP, Genesis19.then we can turn to the NT , CP Romans 1 v 26-27 were it is called shameful.In 1 Corinthians 6 v 9 -11,we are told that gay people will not inherit the inherit the kingdom of God.We cannot change that ,as long as they continue in that activity, they will never enter God's kingdom. I know it is very hard, whatever sin we are enslaved to, (John 8 v 34 ) to break free from ,but that's where the grace of  God comes in.What is so amazing about the grace of God?,it covers many things,but two things I will emphasise, it saves us,when we put our faith in Jesus.You see it is impossible to save ourselves,it is an act of God ,CP Jonah 2 v 9.Likewise it is impossible  for us to break free from sinful practices it is  only by the grace of God can we do that.I have had my own  challenges in life, it is only by the grace of God I have overcome them,and so it will continue till God takes me home.

                                               'It is for freedom that Christ has set us free'.

                                                                 Galatians 5 v1 .

A prayer by Christina Rossetti. ( 1 Thessalonians 5 v 23 )

 I want to leave a prayer with you,not a long prayer, a short prayer ,and a very meaningful prayer, it is a prayer  by Christina Rossetti,let me tell you a little bit about her.She was born in London in 1830 of Italian parents,who arrived in London as asylum seekers.Christina became famous by her poems,which were highly acclaimed.She was a very religious person ,and her writings reflected that,but she had a very practical side to her religion,for she spent most of her life volunteering at a hostel for prostitutes in London. She died  at the age of 64 of cancer.so here is the prayer.

                                       'O Lord, grant us grace never to parley with temptation,

                                       never to tamper with conscience, never to spare the right eye,

                                       or hand, or foot that is a snare to us; never to lose our souls,

                                        though in exchange we should gain the whole world.'

The bigger picture. ( Habakkuk 3 v 17 -19

I remember when TV's had very small screens,my what a change has taken place, I also remember when movies were made  in  cinemascope, a very wide screen,not so long ago I went to see a movie and it had a massive screen.I must confess the bigger screen is better, or the bigger picture is better. Life is so often like a small screen, events happen to us disappointments, and so on,although these things can be major , we often do not see the bigger picture . I am aged 79 many things have happened in my life and so often  I didn't understand why ,but now looking back at the bigger picture, I can see God's providence in his protective care, and in so many ways,and am assured that He is working out  all things for my good. I can truly say ,great has been His faithfulness .Of course there are still mysteries , I have to bow in humility and simple trust Him, whose ways are pass finding out (Romans 11 v 33),yet holding on to the truth of Romans 8 v28,that all things are working together for  good for all God's children.God only knows the bigger picture, one day we shall know,and on that day,

                                                 ' We'll bless the hand that guided,

                                                   We'll bless the heart that planned,

                                                   When throned where Glory dwelleth

                                                    In Immanuel's land'.

                                                         Words A.R.Cousin.

What need I more?. ( John 1 v 1 - 3)

 One of the readings in our Kings coronation was Colossians 1 v 15 - 20,it was read by our Prime minister , it reveals to us wonderful truths about Jesus,His being,His power,His purpose.There were those who were troubling the Christian church in Colossae, saying  that they needed more than Christ,but they are told ,when we have Christ our needs are fully met,beware of those who say you need more, so here is what Paul wrote.

                         'The Son is the image of the invisible God,the firstborn over all creation.

                          For in Him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible

                          and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;all things 

                          have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in

                          Him all things hold together. And He is head of the body the church;He is 

                          the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything

                          He mighty have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness

                          dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile  to Himself  all things, whether

                          things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through  His blood, shed

                          on the cross'.

                                                            'Hallelujah !what a Saviour!'

Follow where He leads. (Matthew 8 v 18 - 22)

 C H. Spurgeon started preaching at the very early age of 17 ,and  God blessed his ministry,and one  of those  who heard about  him was a principal of a Bible college,he felt that if  Spurgeon would attend a Bible college for some  formal training his usefulness could be multiplied. He arranged to have an interview at a friends home,when Spurgeon arrived for the interview he was shown into the drawing room, the principal of the college was shown into the parlour, they had not been informed of the others presence.In the end he had to leave to catch a train,so the interview never took place. The principal left a note encouraging him to apply to the college ,feeling that a trained preacher's usefulness would be increased by this.That evening while out walking,and thinking about what had happened , his direction was changed when he heard as it where a voice saying,''Seekest Thou great things for thyself, seek them not'.So there and them  he decided against going for formal training,though many friends urged him to, He said,'I remembered the poor yet loving people God had placed in my charged,so he decided that he would continue ministering to them ,even though it would mean possible obscurity and poverty'. God knows what we need,we may need training ,we may not ,Spurgeon was a remarkable gifted man, a humble man,and a obedient man,and God used him wonderfully .We all have a path that God has ordained for us,let us not be disobedient to His heavenly calling,and with humble obedience follow where He leads.