Honour God. ( 1 Samuel 2 v 30 )

Just recently one of my grandsons wives had a baby boy, he told me it's weight , and its name,'Judah, William, Heasley.I was emotional ,to think that he honoured me in this way,for my name is William,One of my other sons called one of his sons William in honour of me.One of the commandments has a promise attached to it, it is the 5th commandment'Honour your father and your mother,so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you'. Thomas Watson writes,'Honour is shown to parents in relieving their wants'.This is something that is pleasing to God, I have known children who have treated their elderly parents badly,God is not pleased with that. God is the Christians heavenly Father and we should always honour Him in all things in our obedience,in our service.You may have heard of Eric Lidell a great athlete,his parents where Scottish,and where missionaries in China,that was were Eric  was born. but he was brought up in Scotland. He played rugby for Scotland, but he excelled in athletics ,he was chosen to run in the 1924 Paris Olympics.He was a 100m runner but that created a problem for it was to be held on Sunday/Sabbath,and his Christians convictions would not allow him to run on that day.So he choose to run the  400m.On the morning of the event someone handed him a slip of paper with these words on it,'In the old book it says; 'He that honours Me I will honour them'.he won the race.

                                                       'In all things let us honour God'

More than Conquerors. ( Ephesians 6 v 10- 18)

Some religions are very violent we read about them everyday, I could give you many examples of the awful things they do to people,Dr Lloyd Jones wrote the following,'There is no violence in Christianity,no one should ever be forced or even bribed to become a Christian .Likewise  there should be no threats made to anyone who leaves Christianity,,that's their choice. It is not by the sword we conquer,so how do we conquer?by love,by the Word of God, and by the Spirit of God. Love is expressed and seen in many ways, when a mother gives the last food in the house to her children,and she goes without.Love is when you give out of your poverty ,love is when you give your life for another,Such was the love manifested by Jesus, when he not only died on that cross,but He also bore the punishment for our sins,yes He did it out of love. We conquer by God's word,'The writer of the Message makes these telling remarks on Hebrews 4 v12, 'His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel,laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it,no  matter what'Yes we conquer by God's Word.We also conquer by God's Spirit,every child of God has the Spirit of God within them.By God's Spirit we live the Christian life,and by that Spirit we can be overcomers,by that Spirit God can use us in His kingdom, and by that Spirit God can use us in His service and our efforts to win the lost.

Trust ( Luke 18 v 13 )

 In 1956 in the United States congress an act was passed,that on the dollar these words would be  displayed,''In God we trust'' these are very commendable words , There are millions of people who handle dollar notes everyday, and they possible never look at those words.Of course there are many who don't believe in God,and their trust is in so many other things. Think of all the things people trust in ,self is one,it was Ernest Henly who wrote ,  ''I am the master of my fate,and the captain of my soul'', it means as one person said,''I'm in the driving seat''. or I am in control of my life . Trust is very important in marriage and in our dealings with people, when trust is broken it can be very serious.What about trust in God how important is that? those who put those words on the dollar must have thought so,but times have changed.Yet in another sense times have not changed,people are still the same as they always were,wars still rage,crime has not gone away.The meaning of life has not gone away ,and mankinds fallen nature has not gone away,and believe it or not God has not gone away ,or our need of Him. Why do we need God?, the answer is very simple,we are sinners,not just imperfect,but sinners,the fruits of that manifest itself in a multitude of ways .I often say to people what we most need is a Saviour,everyone of us.Brokenness,and evil abounds, there are none of us who are truly innocent, none, and it doesn't end when we die,hell is real.It can all change for the better when we trust in God, and ask Jesus to be our Saviour.

                                     'I heard the voice of Jesus say, I am this dark world's light,

                                     Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,and all thy days be bright,

                                     I looked to Jesus and I found in Him my Star and Sun;

                                     And in that light of life I'll walk,till travelling days are done'

                                                                Words H.Bonar.

A God led day.( Exodus 33 v15 )

 The word of God says,'Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring'.( Proverbs 27 v1), The world is full of people making boasts about what they are going to do as regards tomorrow. The Christian should know better, yet even Christians  fall into the trap of boasting about tomorrow, knowing a truth does not mean that we live up to it.We are clearly told ,'that in all our ways acknowledge God ,and He will direct our paths' (Proverbs 3 v 6) Charles Bridges comments,' Take one step at a time,every step under Divine  authority.Every plan for yourself in simple dependence on God, He loves to be consulted'.Run not bfore Him ,let Him be your guide, for He will lead you in the right way,as sure as He led Israel to the promised land. God's way will always be perfect he makes no mistakes,even though it be a difficult way,it will be the best way.Make every day a 'God led day',may you not be guilty of vain  boasting,let your boasting be of God and His faithfulness in leading you in the path of life.

                                              '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'

                                                              Words , Grace J. France

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)