Money can't by you everything. ( i Peter 1 v18 -19)

 One of the things that  kicked off the reformation was the sale of indulgences by the Catholic Church  to raise money partially for work to be done in Saint Peters.The man given the responsiblity of raising money by selling indulgences was a Johann Tekzel,it was reputed that he said,'As soon as the coin in the coffer rings,the soul from Puratory springs' A Roman Catholic historian denies he said this,but he has to admit that he taught it's sentiment. It was one of the issues Martin Luthers raised in his 95 Theses, of course he didn't believe in Puratory,for the bible does not teach that. But the principal of thinking that one can buy spiritual benifites with hard cash,is totally wrong.We read of a man in Acts 8 called Simon who thought he could buy the gift of God with money,but Peter rebuked him very strongly for saying that. The  fact is money cannot buy anything from God,salvation is a gift,no price tag comes with it.Matthew 10 v 8 reads,'Freely you have received'.There are conditions in receiving salvation,repent of your sin,ask for forgiveness,and by Faith receive Jesus as your Saviour and Lord.

Putting off, Putting on.(Colossians 3 v 9-10)

 There is a saying ,'Don't judge a person by their suits, but by their fruits', of course people do,take another statement  which reads,'The Lord does not look at things people look at. People look at the outward appearance,but the Lord looks on the heart'( 1 Samuel 16 v 9).Of course our  Saviour said that one way you know people is by their fruits ,and he was speaking of religious people. In recent years there has been a discloser of  child abuse on a vast scale,by people who wear clerical garb. There are many Tele religous people who are fleecing millions of people , one writer said the following,'Dont be impressed with charisma;look for character'. There is nothing wrong with dressing well,but often people become over excessive with that, we have all seen pictures of  the rich and the famous,in beautiful clothes ,homes and cars. That does not impress God,nor should it impress us, James has something to say about that,read. ( James 2 v1-4) In  Colossians 3 v 5,we read,'Put to death,therefore ,whatever belongs to your earthly nature; sexual imorality,impurity,lust,evil desises and greed,which is idolatry'.Then in v10 we read as regards having ,'put on the new self', v12 b ,clothe yourselves with compassion,kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.......v14 'And over all these virues put on love'

                                                      'How are you dressed today?'

Not till then. (Romans 8 v28 )

 In my living room we have we have two framed plaques,I have had them for many years,one is a scripture and the other a verse from a hymn. The scripture reads,'And we know that all things work together for good to them that  love God,to them who are the called according to His purpose'.(Romans 8 v28 ) It starts by saying we kown,this was something that Paul was assured of,it is a statement of faith in a sovereign God,whose ways are past finding out. Then he goes unto say that all things work together for good  to those who love God.it does not say all things are good that the Christian experience ,many evil things that happen to God Children are far from  good,some of the things are down right evil. Luther comments,'The Spirit makes all things,even though they are evil,work together for good'.The unbeliever cannot appreciate or understand these words,not so for the Christian it is a fact,it is Morris who  gives it the sense of ,'final good,or  true good'.Sometimes we can with hindsight see how  God used the wrong things for our good as in the case of Joseph.But often we will not  see the good that comes from the evil we and fellow Christians suffer. In 1 Corinthians 13 v 12 we read ,'Now I know in part; then shall I know fully',Which come to that other plaque which has a verse of a hymn on it,which reads.

                                            'Not till the loom is silent,and the shuttles cease to fly,

                                            Shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why

                                            The dark threads are so needful,in the weavers skilful hand-

                                             As the threads of gold and silver,in the pattern He has planned'

It is a sin ( 1 Corinthians 10 v 13)

A person writing about the friends he had,said the following,' I used  to have one or two wealthy pals, up in the billions,on all the lists, and I liked them a lot,I really did. But the problem was that when ever I was round their house, sitting at dinner with a Magritte on the wall or a Gauguin over the fireplace,I'd be thinking, ''Give me the picture, come on,it makes no odds to you, it's a million quid, change my life, just give me the picture.''Now that is called coveting and it is a sin (Exodus 20 v 17) Many  years ago  when money was very scarce,I was working in a Christian bookshop,and a man bought something,and he took out his wallet, and it was full of a lot of money, and I thought if only he would give me some,now that's coveting.It was the apostle Paul who declared that at times he was seized and convicted of the sin of covetness (Romans 7)Make not light of that sin,whatever form it may take,it is a sin,and our holy God takes it very serious.If it takes a hold of us  it may lead us into all sorts of evil, like stealing,murder, adultery,wherever it may lead us, there will be a cost, There is no use making light of it,as if it was a trival thing, it's not, if one is a Christian,and beset by this sin,we must repent and seek the  Lords mercy.

Be on your guard ( Ephesians 5 v 14)3

 Edmund Clowney writes,'The imperatives of Christian living always begins with'therefore'.in light of what  God has done for us,in the light of that he puts in the word therefore .God has given us a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and a heavenly inheritance (1 Peter 1v3 -4) 'Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober,glorious as the future is, we must be alert in the here and now.1Peterv5 v8,declares ,'Be sober(Well balanced and self disciplined)Be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours ,the devil ,prowls around like a roaring lion(Fiercely hungry)seeking someone to devour'. When our dear Saviour was in the garden praying with His disciples,he found them sleeping. He said'Get up and pray so you will not fall into temptation( Luke 22 v46) Samson fell asleep on Delilah's lap,and it cost him his eyes (Judges 16 v 19-21),if a sentry on duty fell asleep it would cost him his life.

                                                          ' Christian ! seek not yet repose,

                                                            Cast thy dreams of ease away,

                                                            Thou art in the midst of foes;

                                                            Watch and pray.'

                                                               ' Words Charlotte Elliott'

Hope on. ( Hebrews 6 v 19) 2

 It is Peter who tells us' to set our hopes on the grace to be brought to us when Jesus is revealed at His coming'.One commentator writes,'It is the great charactistic of the Christian that he lives in hope;and because he lives in hope he can endure the trials of the present.For the Christian the best is always still to come.The Christian can live with gratitude  for all the mercies of the past,with resolution to meet the challenge of the present,and with the certain hope that in Christ the best is yet to be.'

                                                'Be still my soul ,the hour is hastening on

                                                When we shall be forever with the Lord,

                                                When disappointment,grief and fear are gone,

                                                 Sorrow forgot,love's purest joys restored.'

                                                                  'Jane L. Borthwick'

He sees,He hears( 1 Peter 3 v 12) 1

 Peter writes,'For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayers' 1 Peter 3 v 12.Dear child of God think on these words,you may be in a place of great lonliness,like Paul who declared that everyone had deserted him,but God was watching over him (2 Timothy 4 v 16-17).As a father of five children when they were very young I would keep watching them in case anything would happen to then, but you know what children are,they  can be very elusive,and sometimes you would loose sight of them.But not so with our loving heavenly Father,He is watching over us,He never looses sight of His children.Hagar  said,'You are the God who sees me'(Genesis 16 v 13)The song writer pennd these words,'His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches over me'From watching over His children Peter goes unto say,'That God is attentive to their prayers',these are words to encourage us in our prayers,could it be that you are thinking,whats the use of praying,don't give into that despair,God is attentive to your prayers.pray with that confidence,'He's listening',to you when you pray,He hasn't turned a deaf ear to your prayers,he hears your  faintest whisper when you pray.He is no respecter of persons,in other words He doesn't have any favourites,he hears a young childs prayer,and an old persons prayer,He hears all his Children's prayer,He not only hears their prayers, but He also answers them.