God spoke to me. ( Philippians 4 v 6-7)

Let me share something with you,about 8wks ago I had an operation as regards a enlarged prostate,since then its being very challenging,I have had to wear pads,and I had to go to the toliet continually.I felt very restricted as to wear I could go,this coincided with being given tickets to go to see the ,'Trooping of the colour',in London,my grandson who is in the household calvary,and would be taking part in it.So I really wanted to go,I asked people to pray,but I was not sure,if I could go,which leads me as to what I said yestrday,as regards trusting the Lord with all ones heart,and not leanng on ones own understanding.(Proverbs 3 v 5 )I had prayed that God would speask to me,and as I did the message, God was speaking to me so I decided I would go to the event,and to trust in the Lord.So I set of yesterday,with my dear wife,and my son and his wife to attend the event.I brought extra pads with me, but the good news is I didn't need them. Yesterday turned out to be best day I have since my op,I sensed the Lord reassuring me throughout the day,and so all went well,all I can say is thank you Lord , for your goodness to me.

                                          'Don't worry  about anything; instead

                                          pray about everything.Tell God what you

                                          need,and thank Him for all He has done.'

                                                          Philippians 4 v 6.

                                          

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Don't be half hearted ( Psalm 112 v 6- 8 )

There are so many things we cannot change ,the list is endless,so what can we do?,the word of God tells us, to,' Trust in the Lord with all our heart,and lean not on your own understanding.' (Proverbs 3 v5) These words highlight two things,first we are told to ,'Trust in the Lord',Think of it like this,God is actually speaking  to us,you may say I never hear God speaking to me,that's only for those very spiritual people,not so ,the words in this verse ,is God speaking ,to everyone who reads it.There are people who may come to us and say,' I have a word from God to you', be careful of such people,it may not be so. But it is God speaking to us when we read this verse,make no mistake about it.So what is God saying to us,in our situation?it may be difficult for you to accept what He is saying,'Trust in the Lord,but not just trust in Him,but with all of our heart,unwavering,fully,not holding anything back. Bridges  says,'it must be entire,and it must be exclusive' .That's the big challenge we must take it serious, many don't ,the result is they loose out, It is the sort of trust that honours God above all others,it is the sort of trust that we read of in Psalm 46 v 1- 3,' God is our refuge and strength, an every present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear,though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,though its waters roar and foam and the mountains  quake with their singing'. It is when we don't know were to turn  and we hear God saying,'Be still and know that I am God' v10.

                                  'O for a faith that will not shrink,Though pressed by many a foe;

                                  That will not tremble on the brink of poverty and woe;

                                  That will not murmur or complain, beneath the chastening rod;

                                   But in the hour of grief or pain can lean upon its God'

                                                               Words W H Bathurst

                         

What are you building on? (Matthew 7 v 24-27)

 I have been to Venice, and travelled on a gondola,we were only there for the day,Venice is a very old city,it came into being on March 25 ,421 AD.It  was built on marsh lands.How were they able to do that?,a good question,well they discovered a place where there was clay,so that enabled them to build the city of Venice if they had not discovered the clay Venice could not have been  built. You must have a good foundation, you cannot or should not build on sand.In Matthew 7 v 24-27 our dear Saviour told the story of  two builders  ,one was foolish,the other wise,one built his house on sand,the other built his house on rock.this is what followed,a severe storm came,rain and strong winds,the result was the house built on sand collapsed,but the other stood firm ,because it was built upon rock.So what is Jesus  seeking to teach us? He is teaching us the importance of not just hearing what He taught,but to obey it.Those who don't are classed as being foolish,the house they built, fell with a great crash,emphasising  the severe consequences  of disobedience.One writer said,'It is Jesus claim that obedience to Him is the only sure foundation  for life;and that it is His promise that the life which is founded on obedience to Him is safe,no matter what storms may come'.

Two ways ( 2 Timothy 4 v 10)

In Matthew 7 v13 -14 our Saviour spoke of two gates one was narrow and the other wide they lead unto two roads one narrow the other broad.They are not roads to nowhere they have a destination,ask yourself  where is your destination  going to be?.Jesus spells it out,the broad one leads to destruction and the narrow leads to life. One writer says,'Consider the difference between the two roads,one is hard the other is esay,William Barclay writes,The easy way may look very inviting at the moment,and the hard way may look very  daunting.The only way is to get our values right is to see not the beginning but the end of the way ,to see things not in the light of time but in the light of eternity'.The narrow way may look uninviting ,two many restrictions,the vast majority don't want that,so most people  choose the broad road,for they want to do it their way,as opposed to God's way.Look out in the world  ,it is a very broken world,full of very broken people,not knowing why they are here,or were they are going.The narrow way,is not easy, yes it is challenging,but it will be worth it all when we see Jesus,who forgive us all our sins, saving  us from its consequences,and also enableing us to overcome sin. John  Oxenham wrote the following.

                                 'To every man there openeth  a way,and ways and a way; 

                                              And the high soul climbs the high way,

                                              And the low soul  gropes the low;

                                              And in between on the misty flats

                                              The rest drift to and fro;

                                 But to every man there openeth,a high way and a low way,

                                    And every man decideth the way his soul will go'

There is a cost.( Hebrews 11 v 36-38)

I asked a lady was she a Christian  she said,yes but a little Christian,I sensed that she chose what made her a Christian, to be honest I'm not sure what she meant.But  it was opportunity to say a brief word of witness, and the importance of knowing Christ as one's Saviour. It sounds like a very  easy way to become a Christian,just believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.Yet it is not an easy believism,for it means that we follow Jesus come what may, many people are paying a great price,as they suffer for knowing Him and following Him,let me give you some examples.Three Iranian Christians were arrested and received prison sentences.They were charged with 'propaganda activities'Thirty -seven -year old Narges Nasri, was sentenced to 16 yrs., even though she was 4mths pregnant.Abbas Soori aged 48,received a sentence of 15yrs .Mehran Saloumi aged 37,  recieved a sentence of 11yrs. No its not easy believism ,for those dear girls are paying a severe price,as followers of Christ,Do pray for them and their families, Hebrews 13 v 3 reads,'Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them'.

                                          'Jesus said,'Take up your cross and follow Me'

Don't give up (Luke 18 v1- 8)

 Our Saviour said,'That we should always pray and not give up'. (Luke 18 v1)Just today I was talking to my neighbour Sandra,I have known her a long time,we are in very good terms. When her mother died  she asked me to take her funeral,which I did,every day I have prayed for her,that she may know Jesus as her Saviour,I have never really spoke to her about that,but recently I have prayed that He would give me an opportuniy to witness to her,and He did,I asked her did she know Jesus as her Saviour,she didn't,I said to her I want to see you in heaven,and she replied she wanted to see me in heaven..Well I said why don't you pray a little prayer and ask Jesus to be your Saviour,she said she would,then I said promise me you will do that,she replied ,'I will'.I am glad I didn't give up praying for her,so often we have to persevere in prayer .

                                                                     'Keep praying'

Be ready .(2 Peter 3)

 Just recently bones of 10.000 Dinosaurs were found,speaking of what might have happened archaeologist said some catastrophic of some sort must have caused that.The Bible has the answer we read of it in Genesis 6-8 ,the world was very wicked to such a point that God  would send a world wide flood,and this He did.The Story is not a myth or some fictitious made up story,no it really happened,it is a point in history that really happened. Likewise Noah and the ark,it really happened and we should take it very serious,because the end of the world is coming, why ? the same reason God judged the world for their sinfulness by sending a flood.It is Peter who writes about the day of the Lord when God will judge sinful humanity.It will not be by water Peter tells us the following,

                                              'But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.

                                               The heravens will disappear with a roar; the

                                               elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth 

                                               and everything done  in it will be laid bear.' 2 Peter 3 v 10'

                                               That day will bring about the destruction of the

                                                heavens by fire,and the elements will melt in the

                                                 heat'.  2 Peter 3v 12.

At this moment God is holding back this Judgement,allowing for people to get saved not wanting anyone to perish,are you ready?.