John the Baptist (Matthew 6 v13)

 Before Christ was born John the Baptist was born,John's birth was in answer to  prayer, it would have seen that his parents had missed the boat,we do not know what age they were,only that they were very old(Luke 1 v 7).If it is God's will our request will be granted, even if everything appears to the contrary.I love those words written about Abraham how against all hope,in hope he believed the promise by God that Sarah and Abraham would have a child,even though Sarah was 90 and Abraham was a 100,and so it came to pass. If God gives a promise He will always fulfill it,and so Abraham had a son called Isaac.When John's father heard that his wife would have a child ,he did not believe,Luke 1 v19,and was struck dumb,which continued  till after John was born,the fact is ,that even the most godly of people,can fall into unbelief, and usually God wil deal with us,whoever we are.The sciptures foretold of one who would prepare the way of the Lord,(Isaiah 40 3),in Malachi 4 v5,he is called Elijah ,our Saviour said that John was Elijah,in that he miistered in the Spirit and power of Elijah. (Matthew 17 v 12) . In Luke 7 v28 our Saviour said of  John , 'among those born of women there was no greater than John',but then He adds this,'Yet the one who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he'John foretold of Christ's coming,and prepared the way for Christ coming ,so that they could enter His kingdom,but we as Christian's have not only seen the kingdom of God come we have entered into it through faith in Christ,such is our privelege.The kingdom of God has come , but we are told that we are to pray for God's kingdom to come (Matthew 6 v12),that means that through the proclaiming of gospel, people may by accepting Christ' be rescued from the kingdom of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of His dear Son'. (Colossians 1 v 13)

Love is ( 1 Corinthians 13v 7) 10

 Verse seven tells us ,'Love always protects', The word means covering,or concealing  the faults and imperfections of others( Barns)When Joseph heard that Mary was expecting a child,he thought she had been unfaithful we read,'Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law,and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace,he had in mind to divorce her quietly'.Not like the Pharisees who appeared to take pleasure in exposing the faults of others (John 8 v 53ff). Then we read ,'Love always trusts',it has with it the idea of always believing the best about someone,There is a song called,'After the Ball' by Charles Elmer Szabe, about a man who attended a ball and when he arrived,he saw the girl he was going to marry kissing someone,filled with anger he left,and that was the end of that,he never did marry,and as an old man he discovered it was her brother she had kissed. Let us not jump to the wrong conclusions, believe the best about people, and do not make a rash judgement. 'Love always hopes', when things are difficult beyond words,and the difficulties don't go away,it is easy to give up, but as one translation puts it ,'Love is always hopeful',We can be hopeful in spite of all the difficulties we may be facing, because our God is sovereign,and nothing can seperate us from the love of God,and that He will cause all things to work together for our good.Last but not  least ,'Love always persevers', or as the Ampilified Bible puts it,'Remaining steadfast during difficult times'.which we all will experience in some measure.The hymn writer wrote,'Nor death nor life,nor earth nor hell,nor time's destroy sway,can e'er  efface us from His heart,or make His love decay'.

Love is ( 1 Corinthians 13v 6) 9

Love rejoices with the truth v 6. From not delighting in evil,to 'rejoicing  with the truth', the reformation came about because the truth of God's word  was being underminded,not only was it was undermined  ,it was withheld from God's people. Christianity is built upon truth,personified in the person of Jesus Christ who is ,'the Way,the Truth,and the Life'.We rejoice in that truth,and many are suffering and dying for that truth. The problem with fallen mankind they will believe a life rather than embrace the truth of the word of God.It was Joseph Goebbels the propaganda minister under Adolf Hitler, said,'If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe in it,and it becomes the truth' Of course it does not become a truth,for a lie dressed up,still remains a lie.Psalm 119 v 160 declares , 'All your words are true ',we cannot say that of humanity our words are often far removed from the truth.In so many areas of life truth is is distorted,evil is called good and good is called evil.Many people lives are built on lies,and no matter how a lie is dressed up,it is a lie for all that,when people tell  a so called half truth it becomes a total lie.Many people swear on the Bible to tell the whole truth,and nothing but the truth,with no intention of being truthful.

                                                        'The Lord detests lying lip

                                                         but He delights in people

                                                          who are trustworthy.'

Concerning Jesus. ( Luke 24 v 25-27)

Evidence is very important in solving crimes,likewise when it comes to history ,so what about our Christian faith,what evidence do we have in it being true? Christ was a historical figure,his death is a historical fact, Another pointer for Christianity  being true and  not something made up by man,well consider the following,Scholars say that there are 332 Messiaic prophecies in the Hebrew Bible(Old Testament) that Jesus fulfilled.Peter Stone applied the modren science of probability to just eight of these prophecies being fulfilled was '100,000,000,000,000,000.Philip Yancey wrote,'For centuries the phraise,''as predicted by the prophets'' was one of the most powerful influences on people coming to faith in Christ.Justin Martyr credited his conversion to the OT predictive accuracy. The brillant French mathematician Pascal also cited  the fulfilled prophecies as one of the most important factors in his faith.'

                                                       'Much of the OT  explicitly or

                                                        implicitly points to Jesus'.

                                                                   P.Yancey'

Love is ( 1Corinthians 13 v 6 )8

Love does not rejoice in evil but rejoices with the truth v 6,There is a perverseness in humanity that actually rejoices in evil, and even delights in evil,there are endless examples of that. Evil must be seen for what it is,and not to be laughed at ,we pray that the Lord will deliver us from evil.'In ancient Rome people took a delight in the gladiatorial games where for entertainment people fought to to the death.The story is told that a monk called Telemachus from Asia,heard an inner voice telling him to go to Rome,he ended up in the colosseum,where  to his horror  he saw two gladiators fighting,he ran between them calling out ,'in the name of Christ stop'.The result was he was run through with a sword,as he lay dead,the crowds left  the stadium.it had an affect and eventually the games came to an end.' In these days when moral values are being eroded by people who delight in evil practices,may we not go along with evil doers but be like that dear monk who stood against the evil which he witnessed.

Love is ( 1 Corinthians 13 v 5 ) 7

 Love keeps no record of wrongs  v 5 ,I wonder if you every got your own back on someone? the movies are full of people who kept a record of the wrongs done to them and took vengence on them.In the Bible  Joab  and Absalom both kept a record of wrong  done to them and likewise took vengence. Stalin was a very wicked person anyone who harmed or opposed him would be dealt with,he nursed that memory kept it warm.and at a chosen moment he had them put to death. Here we have very challenging words,'Love  keeps no record of wrongs.Two OT saints lived that out in their own lives,the first one was Joseph who forgave his brothers all the wrong they did to him,he not only forgive them but was very kind to them. ( Genesis 50 v 15-21) David was  treated very badly by King Saul,but when Saul died David showed great kindness to his son. (2 Samuel 9)In November 8th 1987,at a rememberance service,the IRA  planted a bomb killing a number of people.one of the people injured was Gordon Wilson, I believe he was a Christian,his daughter was seriously injured,and eventually she died.Before she died she took hold of her fathers hand held it very tightly,and said,'Daddy I love'.Painful beyond words,but when Gordon was interviewed by the BBC he said,'' I bear no ill ,no grudge''.

                                             ' Love forgets as well as forgives

                                               and does not keep a record of

                                               things said or done against them'

Love is ( 1 Corinthians 13 v 4 ) 6

Love is not easily angered v 5,I have friend and he tells me when  his wife gets annoyed with him,she gets even more annoyed,because he stays calm.Oh, how I wish I was more like my friend, I have always had a short fuse,all my life, William Barclay translates ,'Love is not easily angered',as 'Love never flies into a temper'that I'm sure is  an aspect of it,and he makes the following comments,'Exasperation is always a sign of defeat;When we loose our temper we loose everything.Kipling said it was a test of a man if he could keep his head when everyone else was loosing his and blaming it on him,and if he was hated he did not give way to hating' .I know someone personally who let his emotions get the better of him and the result was he lost his job. Anger got the better of Cain and he murdered his brother,in spite of what God had said to him (Genesis 4 v 6 -8 ). How many murders have been committed since then,by people who ran with their anger.Many murders have been committed,over triflies,by people letting their emotions run away with them. Not all anger is sinful in Ephesians 4 v26 we read of righteous anger, that anger will not manifest itself  in a sinful way. How can we overcome sinful anger,yes recognise it for it is ,confess it to God and seek God to help us to  know victory over that spirit of anger ,that can cause so much harm to ourselves and to others.

                                                      

                                                          'Dark passions subdue,

                                                           look ever to Jesus ,He'll

                                                           carry you through.

                                                             Words H R .Palmer.