They sacked him ( 1 Timothy 1 v 15)

A friend told me of how he was before he became a Christian, he told how he was in a position of authority where he worked.He described himself as not being a very nice person,especially to those under him,one could describe him as being a hard taskmaster, he didn't show much kindness to  the people he worked with.The company didn't mind for he got results,but things changed when he became a Christian, he became a different person,more kind and more understanding.But the company we're not pleased they wanted him back the way he was before he became a Christian,but that was not to be,so they sacked him.This is not made up,the bible says if any person be in Christ he is new creation; old things pass away; behold all things become new.  (2 Corinthians 5 v17).God is still in the buisness of changeing people yes even the worst of people,remember what Paul wrote,'For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation'.( Romans 1 v16)He spoke from his own experience,in 1 Timothy 1 v 13, ''I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man'',but mercy was shown to him when Christ became his Saviour.

                                       'Someone has said, go for sinners, and go for the worst'

Remember who you are. (1 John 3 v 1 )

 Alexander the great spoke to someone who had a bad reputation,he was also called Alexander, he said to him, 'you either change your name or your behaviour'. He felt that person  with the same name as his  reflected on him.  When we become Christians we nobodies are honoured and privileged . Someone asked the question,'How do you get from being a nobody to being a somebody?'The answer is become a Christian, It is John who writes ,'Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us,that we should be called Children of God' ( 1 John 3 v 1)  John is filled with an awesome amazment at such a thing, it was beyond anything  John  could take in,mind blowing. Of course we bear another noble name we are called Christians,how important that we reflect who we our.When the Duke of Windsor the incrowned Kung Edward V111 died, a television programme rehersed the main events of his life  .One of those events shown was of him answering a question as regards his upbringing,brief reign,and abdication. Recalling his boyhood as Prince of Wales,he said; 'My father (King George V) was a strict disciplinarian. Sometime when I had done something wrong,he would admonish me saying,  '' My dear boy,you must always remember who you are''.May our lives as Children of God  always reflect who we are.

God leads. ( John 21v 22)

 The words of hymn comes to mind,'God leads the way through,the wilderness all I have do  is follow',and then their is another hymn.' Guide me oh Thou great Jehovah.  What is the difference between God leading,and God guiding ?,is there any difference?.Well here is one explanation,' To lead' means to take someone along with you in a direction or  destination while they follow you,you are showing them the way.' To guide' on the other hand can mean, to provide direction or instruction to someone.Lets consider Israel's experience ,when they came out of Egypt ,God did not leave them to themselves  ,to wander  aimlessly about,He had a destination for them to go to,the promised land that God promised Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 15 v18 -21). All Israel had to do was to follow God  nothing else,but they did not do that,when difficulties arose ,they spoke as if they wanted to go back to Egypt ( Exodus 14 v11-12).Even when they were about to go into the promised land,they drew back in unbelief.( Numbers 13 v 26ff-/ Num 14 v 1-4).Yes all they had to do was follow Him,so it is  like them ,all we have to do is follow our dear Lord,oh yes there will be testing and trials ,losses and crosses,but He won't forsake us ,

                                        'I traveled down a lonely road,and no one seemed to care,

                                        The burden on my weary back,had bowed me to despair;

                                         I oft complained to Jesus,how folks were treating me,

                                                    And then I heard Him say so tenderly;

                                                    My feet were also weary upon the

                                                               Calvary road,

                                                   The cross became so heavy I fell

                                                            beneath the load;

                                                     be faithful weary pilgrim,the 

                                                            morning I can see,

                                                     Just lift your cross, and follow

                                                                close to Me'    (Words I F.Stanphill)

                                                     

                                                          

                                                     

Change . ( Philippians 4 v 8 /Colossians 3 v1 -2)

 It was Reinhold Niebuhr who wrote what is known as the Serenity Prayer, it is a very popular prayer  ,here are the words                                         

                                               'God grant me the serenity,to accept the things

                                               I cannot change,the courage to change the things

                                               I can,and the wisdom to know the differnce'

Yes there is much wisdom in that prayer, there are things we cannot change ,death,yes it obivious it is inevitable,but we can rejoice in a Saviour who died and rose again,and said ,'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who beleves in Me will live, even though they die'. (John 11 v25 ) Yes we cannot change death but we can have peace and serenity when our time comes,as David the Psalmist tells us ,'Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me'.(Psalm 23 v 4) There are many things we cannot change,we cannot change our past,the abuse we may have suffered,the mistakes we made,the hurts we have experienced,the failed marriage,the missed opportunities. All these things and more may hunt us ,but we cannot change the past ,but we don't have to be prisoners of the past,yes we may never forget them,Think of the people Jesus dealt with and how He healed them,how he gave them hope,He sets the prisoners free ,He can set you free from the past,that's why He came.Then the prayer says there are things that won't change,the apostle Paul had an affliction ,like all of us he prayed and prayed,and prayed that God would heal him but God said no,but he promised him grace to bear it.(2 Cor 12 v 9) One writer puts Paul's  response in the following words,'I quit focusing on the handicap ,whither they are,abuse,accidents,oppositionns,bad breaks'.Yes change by the grace of  God  can happen if we stop focusing on the past ,by God's grace we can,it is possible.

                                              

                                              

We die twice. ( Romans 6 v 1- 14 )

 When we think of dying we automaticly think of dying once,but in actual fact a Christian dies twice,now what do I mean by that?. We need to turn to Romans 6 to get the answer,the apostle is dealing with those who are saying if we are saved by grace alone ,it does not matter how we live. Paul was exalting the grace of God,he wrote ,''Where sin abounded,grace superabounded'', William Barclay writes that their argument would be something like this, ' The objector; You have just said that God's grace is great enough to find forgiveness for every sin.  Pual; That is so. The Objector; You are in fact,saying that God's grace is the greatest and most wonderful thing in all this world. Paul; That is so. The Objector; Your argument is that sin produces grace; therefore sin is bound to be a good thing if it produces the greatest thing in the world'. Of  course Paul is not saying that,and that he is horrified at such a thing,and replies ,'What a ghastly thought' (J P Phillips trans)Then Paul raises the issue of Baptisim and its meaning, v 3 ff ,Again W B writes,Baptism was by total immersion that was symbolically like dying and rising again, in which we die to the old life of sin and rise to a new life of grace.' as WB goes unto say we underwent '' a voluntary death''. We are now dead to sin,it is not that we won't sin,it is obvious we do,yes we fall into sin but we do not live in sin .We take no pleasure in sin,we are dead to it, Martyn Lloyd Jones says ,'that being dead to sin ,means,'That we died to the realm and to the rule and to the reign of sin'. 

                                                  ''Called unto holiness'' Church of our God,

                                                    Purchase of Jesus,redeemed by His blood;

                                                    Called from the world,and its idols to flee,

                                                     Called from the bondage of sin to be free''

                                                                     Words Mr . Morris.

Walking in the darkness.( Luke 15 v11- 31)

 I sometimes think back to the days when  I was away from the Lord,I was like a man stumbling along in the darkness.Not knowing where I was going, and I felt so lost,not realising the danger I was in ,not knowing where I was going, or whom to turn to.The darkness like a fog enveloped me,life was just a dark hole in which there was no escape. In that darkness of evil that beckoned me,the moral walls began to crumble ,I was blind to what was right and what was wrong, I who once knew the right way,had strayed from the one person I used to follow 'Jesus' I had lost sight of Him, and in doing that I  found myself walking in the darkness,I was often looking for a friend ,I felt a lonliness within my heart,it is said that one can be lonley even within a crowd. There is no darkness that can be compared to  the darkness of the soul, who knows where it will end up,one goes on in blind ignorance,yet one can see ,but it is only a short sightedness, one is fixiated in the temporal,the transient,that which is fleeting and of no lasting value,I was searching but not finding,because I did not grasp what I really needed.The word of God tells us that the world and its desires pass away,in my confusion and darkness,I couldn't see that,the lust of eyes ,and the pride of life was what mattered to me.Then one evening standing on a street corner lonely and forlorn,God interviened,that evening I found myself or should I say  God found me,and I found Him,and all things were changed.

                                                 'Like a blind man who walks in the darkness,

                                                  I had longed,I had searched for the light,

                                                  Then I met the Master,now I walk no more

                                                  in the night.

                                                  For all thigs were changed when He found me,

                                                  A new day broke through all around me,

                                                  For I met the Master ,now I belong to Him,

                                                              Words ,'The Booth Brothers.'

                                                  

Safe am I. ( John 3 v 36 )

 When I was a young boy I went to the local swimming pool,it was my first visit,I could not swim,and as I stood on the edge of pool someone pushed me in,I remember it so well, I actually was drowning but an  attendant jumped in and rescued me.God is merciful ,I could say why me?,I don't know, but I will always be eternally grateful that he did. I am reminded of another young boy his name was John Wesley he was aged five, he was asleep in his bed ,when a fire broke out in his home,and in the confusion and panic ,he was overlooked. John woke from his sleep he could see that the staircase was on fire so he  dragged a chest up to the window,climbed on to  it,and fortunately he was rescued.Later on his mother Susannah had a painting of John done,and these words were written on it,'''A brand pluked from the burning''. Every soul who is saved are brands pluked from the burning of hell ,it is as serious as that,this is not scare mongering, there is a hell as there is heaven. We are told that the wrath of God abides on every unbeliever,  John and myself had  people who were rescued us from death, so it is that God has provided one who can rescue sinners from God's wrath, his name is Jesus the word of God clearly teaches that if we call upon Him ,he will save us.

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

                                           Overwhelmed by guilt within,mercy I did implore.

                                           Then the Master of t from he sea heard my desparing cry,

                                            Christ my Saviour lifted me,now safe am I.

                                                 Love lifted me......Love lifted me!

                                                When no one but Christ could help,

                                                            LOVE LIFTED ME.  

                                                              (Words J Rowe)