What we do not know ( 1 John 3 v 2 )

Last time we mentioned how Paul had a wonderful experience when he had  a vision of heaven,and yet he is not willing to reveal what heaven was like.Now we know somethings about heaven,but there is much we don't know, he speaks of those unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter(2 Corinthians 12 v 4) .Those tourist who apparently visited heaven ,let it all out,well that speaks for itself,it helps the sale of their books. I will share with you  what R.V.G.Tasker has to say on this subject,'The New Testament is deliberately reticent about the details of the after- life;and it becomes Christians to refrain from idle and curious speculation on the subject.The things that are necessary for our salvation God has  made plain,what has not been made plain is not necessary.'We could say the same as regards our Saviours early life,  we do not know what He looked like,it is not necessary,but what is necessary is made known to us.The fact is there are so many things we don't know ,it is  Paul who declare,' we only know in part'. (1 Corinthians 13 v 12)  Hodge says the following ,' It is enough that we know that in that world the saints shall be made perfectly holy and perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God for ever'.

                                                 'The secret things belong to the Lord our God'

                                                                  Deuteronomy 29 v29

No boasting ( Matthew 23 v 11- 12)

I was visiting friends and one asked the question,'How's Peter?',I knew who Peter was, I say was ,because he had died a number of years ago so I told my friends. As an after thought I said,'Peter is fine',I said this  because I know he was a lovely Christian,and he is now in heaven,and he sure is fine,yes more than fine. It was the apostle who had a wonderful experience,we read about it in 2 Corinthians 12 ,one writer puts it like this,' Paul was seized by Christ and swept in ecstasy to the heights of heaven'. Now Paul does not tell us much about his experience of heaven,he didn't want to exploit it,he was concerned that people would think he was bragging,and he would be filled with pride, God who give him that experience knows how we can let pride take over, so He sent an affliction into his life to keep him humble,and gave him the grace to bear that affliction. I am very wary of people who tell us they have been to heaven,and unlike Paul  they exploit  it,like the so called faith healers,and none of them are very humble.If God blesses us with a wonderful gift,a wonderful experience, or a successful ministry it is not to feed our ego,

                                                 'Naught have I gotten,but what I received,

                                                 Grace hath bestowed it since I have believed

                                                  Boasting excluded, pride I abase,

                                                  I'm only a sinner saved by grace'.

                                                             Words J.M.Gray

Reality ( 1 Peter 5 v7 )

Chuck Swindoll in his commentary on Mark says 3 things about ,'Reality', No 1, 'Reality can be so irritating at times..  No 2, 'Reality ,'That's where we live'.  As a young lad I loved going to the cinema ,I remember thinking how wonderful if I could live in the cinema,and see all those wonderful movies. There are many people who want to escape from reality ,people that are being persecuted,people who are living in poverty. Why do people take drugs?,often to escape reality, the list can on and on,often people  cannot escape from their reality,they have to face it,it is not only irritating its a big challenge.There are some things in our reality that wont go away,we must realise some things have to be borne, that is a reality.Our dear Saviour knew what He had to face when He came into this world,the cross was always there,yes He struggled with it in the garden ,but He faced it with bravery, and courage, he didn't run away from it. Just let me say this there are realities that we would be wise to get away from,bear that in mind. But as I said some things have to be borne,you wonder how you are going to cope, Well dear old Chucks answer  for this last reality,'On our knees', that 's when we receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need. ( Hebrews 4 v 16 ) 

                                                         'You say I can't go on,God says,

                                                         yes you can,for I will be with 

                                                         you'.

Why He came.( 1 Thessalonians 1 v 10 )

 It is that time of the year when as Christians we celebrate the birth of  Christ, the most important event in world history. A child is born,we hear those words sung. Yes a child but what a child !,  and He will be called, 'Wonderful,   Counsellor, Mighty God  ,Everlasting Father,Prince of Peace'. My, think about who Jesus was and indeed is,it should take one's breath away.He's not just a man  He is the God  Man,truly God and truly man. Angels worship Him,He made the universe ,and by His power it is sustained.( Hebrews 1 v 2-3. Those who continue to deny these truths will one day knell in His presence and acknowledge Him as Lord,on that day they will realise to late how wrong they had been.Yes that is whom He is,but we must not  stop there  ,no, there is more,the purpose of His coming, yes He came for a purpose,John Stott wrote the following.'We cheapen the gospel if we represent it as a deliverance only from unhappiness , fear, guilt,and other felt needs,instead   of as a rescue from the coming wrath'.( 1 Thessalonians 1 v10).That's why He came,miss that and you miss ,the reason for the season.      

Never forget.( 2 Corinthians 13 v 14 )

 I often wondered why Christina Rossetti depicted the nativity as taking place in the bleak midwinter ,for a long time it didn't make sense. Well she was an English poet and she felt that our winter with all its bleakness,was very descriptive of what many people in this world are going through. The oppressed, those experiencing conflict,the lonely,homeless ,sorrowing,the hungry,the persecuted,exploited,the nativity as she saw it,is telling us of God who loves and cares  . I will share something I read recently,about two people in a conversation.The first one says,'I believe that God hears our prayers,and cherishes them.I believe He answers by sending His Spirit,and peace and insight.I don't think He responds by turning away bullets and curing cancer.Though sometimes that does happen. The second person says ,' In other words the answer is no?. The first person replies,no, sometimes the answer is,'' This is life,in all its variety. Make your way through it with grace, and never forget ,I  love you''

                                                    ' Love came down at Christmas'

I want.( Acts 26 v 19 )

The Rolling Stones sung a song with the following words,

                                                        'You can't always get what you want

                                                        You can't  always get what you want

                                                         You can't always get  what you want '

                                                         

If you think about it ,that's true,I read of a famous person who was in love with a certain girl,she appeared so lovely,and he wanted her,but it didn't happen.Years later he saw this lovely girl,and he was glad he didn't get her. A child going round the supermarket with his mother wants a lot of things but the mother says no. As a Christian of many years I have discovered that God does not always give me what  I want, and I'm thankful for that,He is all wise,and all loving,and He has to protect me from myself.I know a couple and they wanted to be missionaries,they did everything they could to achieve that goal,but it didn't happen, they didn't get what they wanted,it boils down to this, is it our will  ,or God's will that matters?, and of course it is God's will that matters, every time.If we step out of the will of God then we are in trouble,we are disobedient,the will of God must be the priority in all our lives.

                                           'May our prayer every day be',not my will but yours,Father'

Are you satisfied?. ( Ecclesiastes 2 v 1 -11 )

 We continue to consider Proverbs 27 v 20,and the last part of it,'So the eyes of man are never satisfied',  our Saviour said to a woman at a well,'Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again'.(John 4 v 13) Charles Bridges said,'Man is always seeking for what he can never find,satisfaction in earthly things. All the affections of  fallen man are filled with unquenched thirst.The soul was originally created  to find a suitable and infinite gratification in the love of its Creator.And now that it is turned aside by the fall, it has an immortal depth, that craves to be filled.' It was the Rolling Stones who sang a  song,with the words,' I can't get no satisfaction , cause I try,and I try,and I try.'Adam and Eve were told that they could eat from any tree in the garden of Eden ,except one,but they were not satisfied with that.(Genesis. 2) King David had many wives and concubines yet he stole  another mans wife (2 Samuel 11)God provided manna to feed Israel,but they where not satisfied,( Numbers 11)  So we could go on, look around you,look into your heart, the more man gets the more they want. Augustine said,'Thou has made us for thyself; and our heart can have no rest,till it rests in Thee'.Jesus promised to meet that women's deepest need,all she had to do was to ask and she would receive.

                                                 ' O Christ , in Thee my soul hath found,

                                                  And found in Thee alone,

                                                  The peace, the joy I sought so long,

                                                   The bliss till now unknown.

                                                    Now none but Christ can satisfy'