Our eternal home.( Revelation 21 v 5 )

I was visiting two fellow elderly people, they live in a residential premises,and the conversation came about heaven,and I was  asked the question will we know each other in heaven?.The point is this we do not a lot about our eternal existence ,we can be sure there will be no need of doctors or dentist,no hospitals,no motor cars,no TV,no falling out. Relationships will have changed no wives ,husbands,sons and daughters, and so on,oh yes they will be there,but they are no longer what they once were.The bible speaks of a new heaven and a new earth,what it will be like we do not know. In Isaiah 64 v4 we read,'Since ancient times no one has heard , no ear has perceived, no eye  has seen a God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him. We move into the NT, 1Corinthians 2 v9, it is repeated ,but in verse 10 we are told,that there are things God has revealed to us through His Spirit.Yes we can see and understand things that the non-Christian can't see.but there are things we cannot see we have now a limited understanding of, eternity is one of them.In Deuteronomy 29 v29 we read,'The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us,In Romans 11 v 33, we read ,'Oh the depth of the riches and wisdom of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and His ways are past finding out'.So rejoice in what we do know as regards our eternal existence, Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then  we will see everything with perfect clarity'. (1 Corinthians 13 v12),so be patient until that day comes,one thing for sure heaven will be wonderful,beyond our wildest dreams.

What's in a name? ( Psalm 121 v1)

It was William Shakespeare who wrote ,'What's in a name?,That which we call a rose by any other name would smell so sweet'.All names have  a meaning ,although I am called Bill, or Billy,my  Christian name is William,I can never understand why William can change to Bill or Billy.So what does William mean? Well it comes from the German  , 'Wil =desire', helm= helment protector'.from that ,people say it means ,'Resolute Protector'. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.Now in Proverbs 18 v 10,we read,'The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;the righteous run to it and our safe'.It is Charles Bridges writing on the term,' The name of the Lord, say's the following,'Not the bare outward words, operating as a charm, but His character ;'in other words  he is strong ,mighty,and the supreme protector.Israel often forgot this and looked to other god's,other nations,for the protection they needed. The question we ask is this when danger threatens where do we run to?,who should we run to?,the answer is simple to the Lord.He is the believers security and protector, he will not fail us.

                                             'How oft in the conflict,when pressed by the foe, 

                                              I have fled to my refuge,and breathed out my woe;

                                               How often ,when trials,like sea billows roll,

                                                Have I hidden in Thee,O Thou rock of my soul!

                                                                 Words William O. Cushing.

No scheme of man. ( Romans 8 v 31 -39 )

                   In Stuart Townends hymn ,'In Christ alone my hope is found', the last verse  reads,

                          ' No guilt in life, no fear of death, This is the power of Christ in me,

                            From life' first to cry, to final breath,No power of hell,no scheme of man,

                            Can ever pluck me from His hand, Till He returns or calls me home,

                                                    Here in the power of Christ I'll  stand'

 The words ,'no scheme of man', the words are very reassuring,as we read God's word we see so many occasions when God overthrew the scheme of man,as they sought to harm and destroy God's people.I think of Joseph,how his brothers sought to destroy him,likewise Potiphar's wife falsely accused him of rape,and he was thrown into prison.But in the end God overthrew their wicked schemes.Moses was preserved from Pharaoh's wicked decree, Haman's plot to destroy the Jewish people came to nothing. There are many more incidences when God brought to nought the wicked schemes of men. We must keep in mind that God is sovereign, hold unto that precious truth, As the words of the hymn puts it,

                        'From  life's first cry, to final breath, No power of hell, no scheme of of man,     

                        Can ever pluck me from His hand,Till He returns or calls me home,

                                                       Here in the power of Christ I stand'

                                                      

Saint Patrick. ( Acts 1 v 8 )

 Yesterday was St Patricks day, he is the Patron of  Ireland,he was born in Roman Britain ,at an early age he was taken as a slave to Ireland,and had a very hard time. After six years he managed to escape and returned home, eventually he became a cleric,and eventually he returned to Ireland to spread the gospel,it appears he may have had a vision of a man ,who told him to to Ireland, and so he obeyed.Let us consider a few things about Patrick,he did not get rid of all the snakes in Ireland.He is remembered as a Saint, but of course every Christian is a saint 1Peter 2v 9 tells us that all Christians are a chosen race , a royal priesthood ,a holy nation', we are all set apart for God.Speaking of the people who became Christians,he wrote,'Never before did they know God except to serve idols  and unclean things.But now they have become the people of the Lord,and are called children of God'.Wonderful truth ,but as to the present saint Patricks day it has nothing to with the gospel,it is just simply a day in which people declare that they are Irish,or of Irish parentage, for most people, religion does not come into it. Many do not know much about Patrick,and know even less of his God and Saviour. Let us rejoice and praise God for those whom God raised up to proclaim the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,not only in history,but present day evangelist and missionaries.But let all of us who know Christ,remember that we also can and should tell people about our wonderful Saviour.

Forget me not. ( Luke 22 v19 )

 Daniel Defoe wrote a book called,'Journal of a Plague',  that came to London in 1665,many fled from the city,but there those who couldn't,many died.Yet there were those who survived,Defoe was one of them,he records in his Journal,as regards those who survived.'These poor recovering creatures,give them their due,appeared very sensible of their unexpected deliverance; and I should wrong them very much if I should not acknowledge that many of them were really thankful; but I must own that for the generality of the people it might too justly be said of them,as was said of the children of Israel ,after their being delivered from the host of Pharaoh, when they passed the Red sea and looked back, and saw the Egyptians overwhelmed in the water,viz, that they sang His praise, but they soon forgot His works.'' We need to continually remember Calvary,in fact we are commanded to do just that,why?because like Israel of old,we may forget , is it possible?,yes sad to say it is.

                                                  'King of my life I crown Thee now,

                                                   Thine shall the glory be;

                                                   Lest I forget Thy thorn-crowned brow,

                                                   Lead me to Calvary.'

                                                      Words Jenny E. Mussey.

No distinction ( Galatians 3 v 26 -29 )

Not so long ago people were judged by what class they were ,working class,middle class,or upper class,we do not hear so much about that now.In many countries they have casts systems,that means there are those who are looked down upon, they were  known as untouchables ,and could only work in the lowest of jobs.The class system,or even the cast systems,are an open invitation for pride to take over,and all that means.That aspect of pride encourages  so much evil,people  think that they are better than others,George Orwell's father served in the British colonial service in India,when he came back to England  he brought  with  him a rigid class structure ,he had a tailor who made his suits,but any attempt by his tailor to have a conversation  was met with a gruff monosyllabic responses.If he met him in the street he would  not acknowledge him.As Richard Bradford comments Orwell's father saw his tailor as belonging to a lower class.At a more evil level ,Nazism had an ideological belief built on a false idea of their superiority ,we all know what that led to. So where does that lead us to? it leads us to what God has to say about humanity,  that we are all one class,that is clearly declared in Romans 3 v23 ,'For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God',those words should put to rest any thoughts of  superiority.As sinners we all need to be saved,we all need to take our place with all our fellow sinners,and bow humbly before a holy God and ask Christ to save us .When we have trusted Jesus as our Saviour ,we become Children of God ,He  has no favourites in His family,there is no class or cast distinction ,we are all one in Christ Jesus.

'It is no secret' ( John 11 v 40 )

  Stuart Hamble was a very famous person in the entertainment world,a song writer,singer and picture actor  .He was  born into a family of a traveling Methodist Preacher,He himself was not a Christian until one night he was persuaded by his wife to go and hear Billy Graham preach,he personally spoke to Billy after the meeting and he gave his life to Jesus.He told how he and his wife visited John Wayne and during the evening  they had a conversation of how people can solve problems within themselves.Stuart made a statement,'It's no secret what God can do'',as they were leaving John said to him,'Stuart you ought to write a song about,it is no secret what God can do,that is a beautiful thought. When he arrived home he sat down at his organ,and at that moment his clock began to ''chime out the hour of midnight'' He got pen and paper,and to his amazement he wrote the words and music in 17 minutes.The song became a great favourite, I remember it well very popular,and very meaningful,here is one the verses and chorus.

                                                  'The chimes of time ring out the news,

                                                   Another day is through,

                                                   Someone slipped and fell,was that someone you?

                                                   You may have longed for added strength,

                                                    Your courage to renew,do not be disheartened,

                                                    I have news for you.

                                                    It is no secret what God can do,

                                                    What He's done for others,He'll do for you,

                                                   With arms wide open,He'll pardon you,

                                                    It is no secret what God can do'