Looking Back (Hebrews 13 v 8 )

    There is a looking back that's negative and there's a looking back that's positive.Paul the apostle touches on the negative,in Philippians 3 v 13, he writes ,'But one thing  I do forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is a head'. This sort of looking back entails that which hinders one moving forward, a refusal to go forward,we dwell on what worked yesterday,and it is obvious it is not working.The sad is they don't give new things a chance.I know God gives us words in relation to the church,but the evidence that it is from  God means a fulfillment of that promise,if it doesn't happen then we have to accept that and move on.That can hold back the church from moving forward,and it can can cause individuals from moving on also.(Deuteronomy 18 v 22) It is worth considering  that the negative reasons for a church and individuals that stop us moving forward.What about the positives aspects of looking back?Michael Wilcock say's  the following,'Bible people would be nonplussed by our curious modern preoccupation with the future,or rather by the notion that we need to find out somehow what the future holds, and we do so by turning  our backs on the past.He goes to point out that by looking back ,'we find God is always active and always consistent.'  What He done in the past He can do today,.leading,protecting,and providing, you get the picture.That God always keeps His word,he cannot lie,He did not forsake Israel of old ,so He will not forsake us the New Covenant Israel..What God did in the past He can do in the future,MW further says,'That is a considerably more reliable forecast,be it said, than any we are likely to find in our news -    papers from astrologers, meteorologists, or politicians!.

                                                                ' Ebenezer' 

                                                             '1 Samuel 7 v12'

Our heavenly home.( John 14 v 1-4 )

In Psalm 119 v 19 we read'I am a stranger on earth', in Hebrews 11 we read about the saints of God in the OT as being  ,'Foreigners and strangers on earth, and that they were longing for a better country-a heavenly one.it carries on into the NT we are told that our citizenship is in heaven, ( Philippians 3 v 20),and in 1 Corinthians  15 v 49 we read,'Just ae we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man'.One day where Jesus is we will be,  ( John 17 v 24 ) Yes a wonderful destiny awaits us,until that day comes whither in death or when Jesus comes back we are to be witness'es for Him by our words ,and by our lives.As Christians we long for heaven and home, so  be careful not to be so taken up with this world that is our temporary dwelling place to the point that we forget our eternal destiny.We are to set our hearts on things above,where Christ is,seated at the right hand of God  (Colossians 3 v1).

                                                       ' Heaven here we come'

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Promoted to Glory. ( Philippians 1 v 23 )

 For all us death is inevitable that's an obvious thing to say ,we cant change it,for the bereaved it can be very painful,even though their loved has gone to heaven.My youngest son's father-in-law died recently,he was a Christian, he had suffered long with cancer.My son said although he was sad at his death he was no longer suffering and he had gone to a better place.William Barclay writing on Pauls words in Philippians 1 v23 ,'of having a desire to depart and be with Christ'.says,'The word for depart...is the word for striking camp, loosening the tent ropes,pulling up the tent pins and going on.It is said that in the terrible days of the war,when the Royal Air Force stood between this country and destruction,and when the lives of its pilots were been sacrificially spent, they never spoke of  a pilot as having been killed; they always spoke of him as having  been ''posted to another station''.Each day's march is a day's march nearer home.Death is a setting sail,a launching out into the deep, a departure on that voyage to the everlasting haven and to God. Heaven is that place where all earth's questions will be answered,where the torturing problems will find their solution, where the broken things will be mended and the lost things found, and where those who have waited will in the end understand'.The Salvation army  speaking about  of fellow salvationist when they die as being ,'promoted to glory'.

Nice people. (Romans 3 v 23 )

 My wife are members of the ,'National Trust',it is an organisation that manage former stately homes ,we hope to visit one soon.They usually have beautiful gardens,as to myself I have a small garden,and now that the weather is changing I have been attending to it, I do appreciate my garden.When God had finished creation,he gave Adam and Eve a garden to live in,they were to look after it,at that stage they were perfect  in everyway, but these lovely people sinned,and that sinful nature and it's consequences has been passed unto all of us.That means even lovely people sin,and they need a Saviour. yes the king on his throne and queen on her throne are sinners .Consider this ,King James the ist of England was a very religious person,he loved sermons,and authorised a Bible translation generally known as the AV ,the Bible that Paul the apostle used (I joke).This very religious king, had a likening for women and men,in fact there was a saying at the time which went,'Elizabeth was King; now James is Queen'.Yes humanities sinful nature will always manifest itself ,yes the nicest of people are sinners, don't let us ever forget that.That is why everyone needs a Saviour, the nice young person,the nice old granny,the nice mother the nice father,all need a Saviour. They are all lost, just as lost as the worst of people,and the most evil of people,niceness is not enough,it only hides the fact that they need Jesus. So don't be fooled,don't let their niceness,hold you back from witnessing to them,and indeed praying for them.

Stuck in the mire (Psalm 40 v 1-5)

 Michael Wilcock wrote the following,' Are you stuck in the mire? Then get stuck into the scriptures!'It made me smile,but it's very good advice,I have had my moments of being stuck in the mire,In Pilgrims Progress ,Christians finds himself in what is called ,'The  slough of despond' ,and it only became worse as he went along,as he met all sorts of people like ,Mr Obstinate,Mr  Pliable and a certain Mr Worldly  Wiseman. You see he failed to follow instructions of the man called Evangelist,but eventually he met a man who told him to keep to the straight and narrow path,and it would lead him to the place of deliverance.If like Christian we go to any Tom, Dick or Harry, that will not help ,yes there are many  voices calling out to us, but where will they lead us?where are you looking to find refuge?,Here is a word  from God to you ,spoken by a man who found himself stuck in the miry clay,he declares ,'I waited patiently for the Lord,he turned to be me,and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit,out of the mud and mire'.And two wonderful things happened,'He set him upon a rock',that's a place of certainty and this followed by a note of certainty and rejoicing,,from  despair ,and being downcast ,to singing praises unto God.

Mercy, ( Ephesians 2 v 1 9 )

 When someone  commits an awful crime,one may think or say that person doesn't deserve mercy, instead they are getting what they deserved,put them in prison and throw away the key.Or we may say bring back capital punishment,they should be ,'hung, drawn and  quartered, that was an awful way to die,it involved ,well I won't go into that, all I  can assure you is ,it was ghastly. We are talking here on an horizontal level level,  sins and wrongs that we perpetrate on each other,but what about the wrongs we commit against God?,they are called sin,and the fact unlike human justice, no one will escape the judgement of God,in fact no one deserves mercy,no one.Here is one definition of mercy, the compassionate treatment of those in distress,especially when it is within one's power to punish or harm them'.The Bible teaches that everybody sins,and everyone will stand before God to be judged ,there will be no plea bargaining , or saying you are innocent,that it wasn't you, or it was someone else, no  for all have sinned an come short of the glory of God. (Romans3 v23 ) .All the sins one has committed all their lives ,will be judged,the seriousness of your sin will be seen for it was,hateful in Gods estimation,and absolutely no mercy will be shown you,and let me say it will be worse that being,hung ,drawn ,and quartered,for it will be an eternal judgement.But while you live and our spared here  there is hope for you,for God is merciful,. If we seek God for mercy now,by accepting Jesus as our Saviour then we can have all our sins forgiven, and can escape the just judgement of God.

The word of God. (Isaiah 40 v 8 )

 The longest Psalm is 119 it has 176 verses,the longest chap in the bible,and it is divided up into 22  portions and each portion is  headed by a letter from the Hebrew alphabet,twenty two in total. Portion 9-16 is a word for young people, although it could apply to all ages. Verse 9 reads.

                                           'How can a young person stay on the path of purity?' 

There are so many things that young people have to face in life that can harm them,in the sexual area, that's a major thing,addictive things,wrong company,etc .The answer to the question is this,

                                             By living according to your word.

Yes God's word is the answer v105 tell's us that God's word is ,'A lamp to our feet,and a light to our path'. The young people of the world,are walking in darkness,and when you walk in darkness then you will be sure to fall morally. One my son's called Brian ,and his wife served the Lord in Ibiza,and they saw the state that many young people got into,at times it was very grim.If your a young Christian  you need to live by God's word. ( This applies to all of us. next we are told ),

                                             I have hidden your word in my heart 

                                             that I might not sin against you. v10.

It 's good to read God's word,but we must remember what it says,and obey it,James 1 v 22 reads,'Do nit merely listen to the word,and so deceive yourselves' Memorise it ,and live by it'

                                               'I delight in your decrees;

                                                I will not neglect your word'.

He is saying,' I love the word of God ,I treasure it , it will be my daily bread,it will be my purest delight.I know if I neglect it,I will be self harming my soul.'

                                           'Don't let  dust gather on your Bible'