Have Confidence ( Romans 8 v 31)

 Are you a confident person?,I am to some extent,it is easy to loose confidence,and affect one's performance if you are involved in sport.There are people who can speak words that can give us confidence,think of Winston Churchill how he spoke words that encourage a nation to hold on and not give up,when threatened by the might and power of Germany.Often I feel very inadequate and its then I look to God for a word that will encouage me to go on. Romans 8 is a wonderful chapter,the writer is the apostle Paul,a man who faced so many difficulties,yet God give him wonderful words of encouragement for God's children, Let me just highlight some of these words, v31 reads,'If God be for us,who can be against us'.It is John Stott who clarifies the 'if 'to  'since',so that right away should give us confidence that God is for us. That means no matter who or what is against us we have God with us to help us.Consider our foes the 'World', the world is no friend of God, or God's children. expect no favours from this world,be not surprised when they persecute the church,which they are doing in so many countries.Then there is the flesh described by one person as indwelling sin,our sinful tendencies, God who is for us can help us to overcome them,be they sexual,anger,lying ,love of the wrong things.Then there is the devil,he is a strong foe, who will do his best to pull us down,by hook or by crook. Self confidence is not the answer , it is confidence in our God who is for us,and that's all we need to know.

                                             ' We rest on Thee our shield and our defender!

                                               We go not forth alone against the foe;

                                               Strong in Thy strength ,safe in Thy keeping tender,

                                               We rest on Thee,and in Thy name we go.'

                                                                Words Edith G.Cherry.                                              

                                                   

                                                        

He makes all the difference. ( Psalm 23 v1)

I was in the chemist shop to collect my wifes medication,and I was asked what is your wife's birth date,and I looked at her,and said(Wait for it),'you must be joking'.I am not good at remember birthday's even though I have the task of sending birthday cards,to my five sons and their wives ,plus a mulitude of grandchildren and some great grandchildren, how do I remember their birthdays?very simple,I write  them down on a calender. Let me  just add  I have been married 40yrs,shame on me for not remembering her birth date,then I thought mybe I should have the date of her birth tattooed  on my arm. Well it was just a mad thought,I do not like pain, so no tattoo.Enough of this tom foolery ,as regards myself  I do remember my own birth date,just to prove it,oh I forget,not really.There is something I do remember ,what happened 60 yrs ago, it was a week before my 20th birthday.when I went to church with a neighbour and his wife.I do not remember what was preached,and I even thought the preachers voice sounded funny, but as he progressed I felt a deep need in my heart for Christ,that is somehing I will never forget,and life has never been the same.Oh the sixty yrs have not been all fun and laughter,but I have had the abiding presence of Christ with me all the time,and He makes all the difference.

He makes all things new. ( 2 Peter 3 v 3 - 14)

 I'm sure I don't have to remind you that our planet is very,very small,and when we come to consider the vastness of the the universe,very,very small does not describe it.The universe is made of galaxies,how many galaxies are there?,we do not know the exact number,but there could be between ioo billion and 2 trillion. Our galaxy is called the ,'Milky Way',and within that there are 100-400 billion stars,100 billion planets.If one studies the universe it is to say the least overwhelming,it really is very difficult to take it in,it truly is incomprehensible.Here is the amazing truth that is also mind blowing, God made it all, but He made a special planet which we call earth,it  is unique, in His eyes  it is the most important of all the planets in the universe,he made it beautiful,and He made it for us human beings to live in.We were the crowning glory of His creation,we are different from all other creatures,for we were made in the image of God. The crew of Apollo 8  described this planet,''as the most beautiful thing  there was to see in all the heavens''.But a disaster of monumental importance occured ,we sinned,and everything changed, this little planet was infected by a virus called sin,from space it looks lovely,but that is deceptive, a darkness had decended on this planet.But God had a plan personified in the person of Jesus who make us fallen human being,  new creations ,and through His his death on the cross, would bring spiritual life into all those who would trust Him as their Saviour.Eventually He will make a new creation a new heaven and a new earth, free from the absence of sin,where we will reign with Him for all eternity.

                                                 'Where will you spend eternity?'

Hurdles ( Philippians 3 v14 )

It was the apostle Paul who likened the Christian life as a race  ( 2 Timothy 4 v 7) ,in relation  to it being a race ,one could add to that, and see it as a race with hurdles. If you have been a Christian as long as I have you will realise that there will always be hurdles you have to get over.Disappointments are hurdles that all of us have to face, how do we overcome our disappointments  ? , bring them to God ,and leave them with God,and focus as to what He says in His word,that all things are working together for our good .(Romans 8 v28)yes even our disappointments.Then there are trials ,they are hurdles not ones we have to get over ,but to get through.The question is how do we get through them? ,faith, Peter tells us that trials will prove the genuineness of our faith . (1 Peter 1 v 7)There are many who when trials come fall away, (13 v 21) they are only rice Christians. If our faith is genuine it will show it in our perseverance,in our faithfulness,in our stedfastness.Make no mistake our faith will be tried one way or the other, may we be found faithful,as we go through that hurdle.The next hurdel we will consider ,is when a crisis comes,an extreme example of a man who experienced one crisis after another was Job,how did he deal with what was happening to him. James 5 v 11 reads ,'Ye have heard of the patience of Job'.some translations have perseverance,I am sure those two things are complimentry,In Job 1v20- 22 we read that he worshipped, and he did not sin by charging God with wrong doing.

                                                     'So Spirit, come, put strength in every stride,

                                                      Give grace with every hurdle,

                                                      That we may run with faith to win the prize

                                                       Of a  servant good and faithful'

                                                             StuartTownend  @Keith  Getty

Our chief aim.(Philippians 4 v 20)

 We must remember that those great men like Spurgeon and John Calvin  ,where but men,and they suffered from various illnesses, Spurgeon suffered from gout,rheumatism,Bright disease,and also contacted smallpox.  John Calvin  suffered from migraine,digestive problems,hemorrhoids,chest and psychological pains,kidney stones,gout,and fevers.In spite of all these thing they achieved much  for  God.We know that the apostle Paul suffered from a thorn in the flesh plus all the other things he went through,floggings,stoning,danger from bandits,hunger thirst,shipwreck,being cold and naked.Yet in spite of all that he achived so much,like Spurgeon and Calvin. I'm sure that Spurgeon,and Calvin like Paul proved that the grace of God was sufficient for them and they bore evidence of that. they are examples that God's power was made perfect in their weaknesses.A thought struck me that most people want a quick  fix,  I know I do,yes mircales do happen now and again,but often there are things that must be borne.They may be physical complaints,psychological complaints,and so many other things.In my own life I prayed for many years for a problem to be solved,but it didn't happen. These trials happen for many reasons,one is that we may glorify God  in all our trials and afflictions,for that is the impotant thing in all our lives, it was in our dear Saviours life. ( John 17 v 1-5 )

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Turning back.( Matthew 13 v 1ff)

 Recently my friend met his former Pastor and his wife,it was with sadness when his wife said,they did not believe in God anymore.Many years ago I had a similar experience when someone I knew who had been a bright Christian,was no longer following the Lord.It is very sad when we hear that,there are many, sadly to say, who fall by the wayside,they all have their many reasons, we can read about them,in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13 v 1ff/ Mark 4 v 1ff/ Luke 8 v5ff)Most of us know this parable told by our Lord, that illustrates the different reactions,to those who hear the word of God.that includes those who turn away .In v11 we see how the devil is actively engaged in turning  people away from God.Satan tempts us in many ways  to turn back from following Christ ,in Exodus 32 the people of Israel turned from God to worship a golden calf,imagine leaving God for a golden calf,Peter Lewis writes the following,'Where would we be without the gracious presence of the Lord in our lives? God knows, but you may have an inkling! So,when Satan offers you the golden calf or an alternative loyalty, when you are tempted to turn your back on all the kindness and grace of the One God,when  you are tempted by the world to 'chuck' Christianity, remember it is a thousand times better to 'chuck' the golden calf'.

The whole council of God.( Luke 16 v 19 - 31)

 We had a heavy storm with thunder and some lightening recently,later on I jokingly said to my wife,'I thought it was the end of the world'.It is interesting that Noah and the ark is often depicted in a lighthearted  manner, like  the man holding up a placard,with the words ,'The end is nigh',is not taken seriously.When Lot went and told his sons-in-law that judgement was going to fall on Sodom and that they should leave that place,they treated it as a joke. Genesis19 v 14.It is sad that even ministers shun preaching on the time when God will destroy this world (2 Thessalonians 1 // 2Peter 3 v10). This teaching is totally excluded by most preachers,why?,because they don't want to offend.Recently I read in a devotional ,that when Paul preached at Athens,the center of  Greek philosophy, he didn't preach hell,it appeared the writer was given those who dare to preach about hell a rebuke, its as if he was saying,we should'nt offend people with such a thing. It appears that it takes a brave man  to tell people about hell and judgement,and the end of the world.I wonder how those who play down the coming end of this world,of sin,judgement, and hell will fare when they stand before the great judge Christ?. It was Paul the apostle in his farewell speech to the elders of  the Ephesian church said, 'Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all ,for I did not shrink from declaring the whole council of God'.