An imperfect family. ( 1 Peter 4 v 8 )

 Would it be a good thing if church leaders would gather any new Christian together and teach them a very simple truth ,let me put it this way,'When we are born we are born into a imperfect family,so it is when we are born again  we are likewise born into  an imperfect family.We who are part of God's family are far from perfect,we are at different levels of sanctification.Our Saviour said ,'be you perfect',He was talking to his disciples and indeed to every Christian,telling us to always to bear that in mind,we are accepted by God  because of Christs righteousness, but in ourselves we are still children of Adam, and unfortunately we sometime show that more that  the fact, that we are children of God.We loose sight of the fact that we are to be .conformed to the image of Christ.(Romans 8 v 29) . The result being  Christians are not always loving to each other, I  have been hurt by other Christians,and I'm sure you have, and I'm sure I have hurt other Christians.There is a little rhyme which goes,it is a bit cynical,'To live with saints above that will be grace and glory,to live with them below ,now that's another story'. As Christians we have to accept our fellow Christians imperfections,as they have to accept ours,it will not always happen,but it should.As God loves us so we must love others,1 John 4 v 20, reads ,'Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar'. 

                                                 'Dear brothers and sisters in Christ

                                                  we are not perfect, but one day we 

                                                  will be. ( Jude 24-25)But until that

                                                  day ,be patient,forgiving, and 

                                                   loving with one another.

Amazing Love. ( Romans 5 v 8 )

Around our coasts we have  an organisation called the coastguards ,their job is to rescue those in danger in the sea,children can be washed out to sea very easily on little rubber dinkies.Some people do not take the dangers seriously, and get into trouble,and the coastguards will rescue  them.They have a policy that rescues everybody ,who needs  rescuing irrespective of how they  got into trouble. In someways it is like Gods mercy,take the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 v 11ff. The  son in the story that Jesus told,was no good,he was interested in doing things his sinful way,the bitter older brother summed it up ,he had squandered the money his father had given him on prostitutes,he spent all his money on the good life,with his no good friends.He ended it up in Skid Row,he ended up in dire straits,serves him right ,he made his bed,let him lie in. The situation brought him to his senses ,so he decided to go home to his father when he came to him, begging forgiveness his father choose to forgive him,irrespective of what he had done.We are all prodigals to some degree yet irrespective of whatever we have done,if we come to God in all our need ,in all our guilt, God will forgive and forget those sins we have committed, and welcome us into His family, through Jesus His Son.

                                           'I was sinking deep in sin,sinking to rise no more, 

                                           Overwhelmed by guilt within,mercy I did implore

                                            Then the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry,

                                             Christ my Saviour lifted me,now safe am I .

                                                                                       

                                              

                                              

The race set before us,( 2 Timothy 4 v 6-8)

Just recently the London marathon took place,it is a very large event ,  it raises a lot of money for charity,it is 26mi 385 yds or 42.195 km, long.In  Hebrews 12 v1  we read,'Let us run with perseverance  the race marked out for us', generally people running a race wear very light clothing,they remove all that hinders them,so the writer of Hebrews tells us that we are to 'throw off everything that hinders  and the sin that so easily  entangles'us.consider how inclusive this exhortation is,we are to throw of everything that hinders us,no matter how legitimate it may be,we are not to spare it ,if it is a hindrance we are to get rid of it.This also includes the sin that so easily trips us up,yes it is easy to fall into sin ,whatever it may be, we are to get rid of it.The race that the Christian is on will have obstacles to overcome.What obstacles are we facing?, let us remember every obstacle we face is an opportunity to exercise faith  and they are not meant   to drive us away from God ,but to drive us to Him.We must keep our eyes on Jesus,for without Him we can do nothing,but with Him we can do all things Philippians 4 v13.Let me highlight what is very important.,in the the words of Paul the apostle ,one who suffered so much for Christ,and faced tremendous difficulties/, just before he was put to death he said,'I have finished the race,I have kept the faith.2 Timothy 4 v 7,in giving up we loose everything ,but in finishing the race we will be be wonderfully rewarded, that's not saying we earn our salvation,John Stott calls it 'the evidence of our justification ' that will be rewarded. 2 Tim 4 v 8.

                                                          Press on,hold on ,carry on'

The worst of sinners.( 1 Timothy 1 v 12 - 17 )

 In Luke chap7 v34ff, we have Jesus in the home of a Pharisees called Simon ,He had been invited there for a meal,there were other guests there as well,some were Pharisees.As they sat eating the meal a woman came in, people knew who she was , she came to where Jesus was sitting, she came not just as a spectator ,but as women who had a great need,which only Jesus could meet.This woman  was more than likely a prostitute,she carried in her hand a container with very expensive perfume in it. Jesus was sitting on a low couch with His feet tucked behind Him.Standing behind him she started crying profusely wetting  his feet, so she knelt and wiped his with her hair,she also kissed them and then poured the perfume over them.The Pharisees were outraged,saying if this man were a prophet he would have known what kind  of woman she was,that she  was a sinner. Jesus knew this,they failed to see  that Jesus had come to save sinners. He said to the woman,''Your sins are forgiven'' ,and,''your faith has saved you go in peace''. He also said ,' her many sins have been forgiven',connecting  that with the great love she had shown.Thomas Brooks said the following.

                              'The greatness of a man's sins  does but set off the riches of free grace.

                               Sins are debts,and God can as easily blot out a debt of many thousands,

                               as He can a lesser one; therefore let not the greatest rebel despair, but

                               believe, and he shall find,that where sin abounds,grace shall much more 

                               abound'.

I'll do it my way( James 4 v 13-17 )

In James 4 v13 -16  There is a challenge to the blatant presumptuousness and blindness of people who are taken up with the affairs of life ,ignoring the uncertainty of life,and ignoring God.They make their plans without giving a thought for God, it is Alec Motyer who writes the following,'We overlook frailty (a mist) v14, and ignore the fact that even the small print of life is in the hands of a sovereign God(if God wills) It is a presumption that we are masters of our own life,so that we need to do no more than decide and, lo and behold, it will happen like that.It touches ability ; and trade and get gain. Of course we shall succeed if we want! We can do it'.James rebukes them ,instead of them bringing God into their affairs they boast in their arrogant schemes,ignoring the fact that all such boasting was evil. It appears he is challenging professing Christians who should have know better,does not the scripture tell us that we should acknowledge God in all our ways (Proverbs 3 v6 ) It was Fanny Crosby who wrote,

                                              'Hold Thou my hand! so weak I am and helpless,

                                              I dare not take one step without Thy aid;

                                              Hold Thou my hand for then ,O loving Saviour,

                                              No dread of ill shall make my soul afraid'.

William Cowper. ( Psalm 40 v 1- 3 )

 William Cowper was befriended by John Newton and he lived with John and his wife for a number of years,John was the minister at a place called Olney in Buckinghamshire. They were very close friends and William helped in his ministry,and they worked together  in writing a hymn book for the church at Olney. One of the hymns John wrote  was,' Amazing Grace',and one of hymns William wrote was,'God moves in mysterious ways',they are both ,two of my favourite hymns.William was one of the most widely read English poets of his day,he had a wonderful grasp of the English language. He used to take part in the prayer meetings at the church and people loved to here him pray.John said ,' Of all the men I heard pray, no one equalled Mr Cowper'.He was a very shy man so it was quite a task for him to pray publicly, and he confessed ,' that his mind was always greatly agitated for some hours preceding'. Yet he like us  had been taught and was convinced,that,'Satan trembles when he sees,the weakest saint upon his knees'.Never underestimate the power of prayer in dealing with the enemy of our souls,prayer is the most wonderful gift God has given to us His children,don't neglect it,don't underestimate the importance of it.

                                                 'Prayer makes the dark'ned  cloud withdraw,

                                                 Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw;

                                                 Gives exercise to faith and love,

                                                 Brings ev'ry blessing from above.'

                                                         Words W. Cowper.

Seek God. ( Isaiah 12 v2 )

 In Psalm 143 v 8,David prays,'Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life' he is in difficulties,he  writes of his enemies pressing in upon him,so much so that he is overwhelmed v 3-4. Sometimes we are brought into situations that overwhelm us,David was a very brave man,he had faced many difficulties in his life,he was hounded and hunted by King Saul, his was in continual danger,Saul was relentless in his attempt to kill him. How did David react to all the trials  he experienced,well the scripture records that he turned to the only one who could help him  ,'God'.So he seeks Him,not in a trivial way v 6 reads,'I lift my hands to you in prayer,I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain'.Here is a man who is in desperate straits, he acknowledges his unworthiness v2, God owes no one any favours no matter who they are,Yet we are encouraged to seek God in our difficulties , to all call upon Him in the day of trouble that in his mercy He will help us.As His children we are assured of His care and protection His word tells us He will come to our aid as He came to Davids ,time after time.

                                           'His love in times past forbids me to think,

                                            He'll leave me at last in trouble to sink;

                                            Each sweet  Ebenezer I have in review

                                            Confirms His good pleasure to help me

                                            quite through'

                                                         Words John Newton.