I got it wrong ( 1 John 4 v1 )

 Yes I confess I got it wrong,when I was 65 ,I read  in 2 Kings 20 that  King Hezekiah   became very  unwell and was at the point of death ,indeed Isaiah told him so.Well Hezekiah prayed  pleaded with God with tears.Isaiah was leaving the palace  but God stopped him,and told him to go back to Hezekiah,and tell him that God heard his prayer and seen his tears. and that he was going to heal him,and then He said He would add fifteen years to his life.Nor for  some reason I felt that was a word for me,in other words God was given me 15yrs to live.I didn't tell many people ,but of course I got it wrong ,I am now 81, let me just say this there are no infallible people,the Papacy declares that in things spiritual the Pope is infallible,they got that wrong,when one considers what they believe,so many things the Roman Caholic church believe are contrary to the word of God. I don't claim to be infallible,but I do wordship a God who is infallible,His word is true,what He says will has come to pass,the prophecies as regards our Saviour has came to pass, his birth (Isaiah 9v6) His death, (Isa v53) His resurrection, (Acts 2 24-28) His ascension, (Psalm 67 v 19) His coming again,( Zechariah 12 10.) Let me just say again only God is infallible,no matter how spiritual we are,we are not.

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False prophets ( John 14 v1-6)

The early church had to contend with many  things that could have destroyed them, so Peter in his second letter wrote to such a church ,he warned them of such people.(2v 1-3) He calls them false prophets,he reminds them of the evil people in Sodom and Gomorrah whom God destroyed.He speaks to the church warning them of wicked people of their corruptness and rebelliousness they appear to be moral degenerates calling them an accursed brood.They knew the way but had gone away from it ,Peter sums up their actions as a dog returning to its vomit,or a sow that has been washed,returning to her wallowing in the mud(2 v22)These false teachers were throwing doubt on the coming again of Christ,but Peter challenges them,telling them clearly that Christ is coming but in His time (2 v3-10) Let us not forget that no one on our planet knows when Christ is coming again only the Father knows.(Matthew 24 v36).Our Saviour said ,'So you also must be ready,because the Son of Man will come at an hour  when you do not expect  Him(Matthew 24 v44)In light of the day of Lord ,(that is Christs coming) Peter tells the Church and indeed all of us,'To make every effort to be found spotless,blameless and at peace with Him.(2v 13)

Abraham ( Romans 5 v1)

 Abraham is one of the major people in the Bible,and it is from  him we get the answer as how to be justified before  God,in Genesis15 God promised  him a son and from that son and his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the heavens,(in Gen 22 v 18) we are told that through that son all the earth would be blessed)So returning to Gen 15v 6 and hear Abraham's response,'He believed the Lord,and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith'.Now let us move forward to Romans 4 v 2 and it tells  us at that Abraham was not saved by works,then to v13 we are told that he was not saved by the law,no it was by faith,my son said as regards a certain cult ,ask them who are trying to save,and of course they are trying to save themselves,by their door knocking. Of course they are not on there own most religions believe that  they are saved by keeping laws,and even doing good works. Romans 4 v3 ,starts by saying ,'What does Scripture say?,yes that's were we are clearly told that we are saved by faith alone in Jesus.Salvation is a gift from God(Romans 6 v23),we cannot earn salvation, nor can we merit salvation, Some teach that they believe in Jesus who died on the cross to save us,but then they add on,but we must do our bit, not so, Salvation is of the Lord (Jonah 2 v9).

                                                          'Not the labours of my hands

                                                          Can fulfil Thy law's demands;

                                                          Could my Zeal  no respite know,

                                                           Could my tears for ever flow,

                                                           All for sin could not atone;

                                                           Thou must save, and Thou alone' ( Words by A M.Toplady')

        

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You must ( John 3 v7 )

 The Bible makes it very clear that we are all sinners and  the result is we are seperated from God in fact we are told that we are without hope and without God (Ephesians 2 v 12) We are spiritually dead (Genesis 2 v 16) we are born that way, so how can we know God and have a relationship with Him? .We need to hear to what Jesus said to a very religious person ,He told him something of the utmost importance,here is what He said,'You must be born again'(John 3 v7).Consider that important word,'Must',  that means everyone no exceptions,you will never have a relationship with God unless your born again by the Spirit of God.Jesus  speaks of two births,the natural and the spiritual,first He mentions the natural birth,He says 'Flesh gives birth to flesh',that's how we come into being,but we not spiritual beings,but Jesus goes unto say,'But theSpirit gives birth to spirit'. (John 3 v6) In John 4v 24 we read,'God is Spirit,and although the word speaks of Him in human terms,that is just to accommodate us,helping us to relate to God. yes God is Spirit,but then the verse goes unto say,'and His worshippers must worship in spirit and truth'.So in order for anyone to worhship God,it must be on a spiritual  relationship,and that only comes about when you trust Jesus to be your Saviour,and when you do that you are born again.

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'