No turning back ( John 16 v33 )

 The person who turns back from following  Christ,is a back slider,yes instead of going on with the Lord ,they have gone back.In John 6 v 66,we read,'From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him'.They turned back because they took what Jesus said literally,instead of seeing the spiritual truth in it, that it was a metaphor ,in other words not a literal application (John 6 v 53ff) So they turned back,people turn back for many reasons,intellectual,the lure of what the world has to offer,or because of  God not saving them from suffering.Let us not judge them ,but let us not follow them in forsaking our Lord.So how can we avoid becoming a backslider?,well what does the word of the Lord say?.in Ephesians 6v12 ,we read,'Our warfare is not against flesh and blood', yes we are in a warfare,you may not  have grasped this truth, if not ,it is time you did. We read in Psalm 78 v9,'The children of Ephraim,dispite being armed retreated in facing their enemies'. We are faced with enemies,'the world ,the flesh ,and the Devil', those words may be a bit daunting, but thanks be to God! 'He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ' (1 Corinthians 15 v57)

                                                              'No turning back,

                                                              No turning back'

Repent. ( Revelation 6 v 15-17) 1

 The book of Nahum  is about God's anger against Ninevah, although it is addressed to Ninevah,he is really  speaking to the powerful nation of Assyria .How can a loving God be angry?,surely that can't be right,oh yes it can be.His anger is a righteous anger, not all anger is wrong, God's is never wrong and acts totally appropriate,it is not like our anger which often is hasty,and sinful.Chap 1v 3 of Nahum tells us that the Lord is slow to anger.Assyria were a very wicked nation,kingAshurnasirpal hung  his enemies on posts,flaying them,and lining the city walls with their skins.They had many gods which were not god's , and they would have seen Israel's God ,as just another god who would not be able to stand against their god's (CP 2kings 18 v 32-35.) Nahum says that  He will not leave the guilty unpunished,and so He takes action against the wicked.Many wicked people have escaped just punishment as to the here and now,but they will not escape punishment in the here after. But let us consider what Jesus said in Luke 13 v1-5,as regards two groups of people who had suffered violent deaths, they were considered to be sinners, getting their just deserts by most people,but  Jesus turned the whole thing on them,and He said,'unless you repent ,you to will perish'.We can think of many people who have done very evil things,and they should be punished.but we are all sinners and if one is going to be saved from the wrath of God,we must repent of our sins and trust Jesus,remember even one sin will take you to hell.

God speaks. ( John 6 v 63)

C.S.Lewis said,'God whispers to us in our pleasures,speaks in our conscience,but shouts in our pains;it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world'.There are many voices  speaking to us,false religions,politicians, scientist,entertainers,there are many court jesters,experts on every subject under the sun,an example is  Sports Psychologist.But the most important voice of all is the voice of God,our Saviour said,'Whoever has ears,let him hear'.C.S.Lewis is right that when it comes to God the world is deaf, I add ,'stone deaf'.There are countries that ban the Bible,and imprison people who  proclaim the word of God.An example of that is Iran were three Christian women have been sentenced to long terms in prison,one is pregnant,that doesn't  matter to them,I understand why they do these thing,for faith comes by hearing the word of God,(Romans 10 v17)One commentator writes ,'We should listen to the word of God like our lives depend on it, because it does,for it relates to our eternal life and life here and now'.

                                                             'Are you listening? '

There is a way out.( John 10 v 10)

Looking back in my early life ,I had no qualifications,so one got poorly paid jobs,of course most of the  population had no qualifications. I was always looking for a way out but it never seemed to happen,I even joined the army as a boy soldier at the age of fifteen,as a band boy,although I could not play an instrument, I wasn't happy in it, so I was glad when  I got a discharge after 9 months,but I wasn't any further on,I got a number of short term jobs,and  then I was employed for a number of years, in a light engineering factory,but I didn't particularly like it ,but it was a job,but I was still looking for a way out.I'm not an exception,there are many people who are looking for a way out of poverty,of hunger,suffering, like the people who cross the English channel in inflatables,some loosing their lives.Many young men seek a way out through sport,boxing, etc, some make it ,many don't .Coming back to myself ,my way out began when I was just turning 20,as  a youngster I had been in and out of church situations, made dicisions that left a mark in my life,but  that was all.but one evening I went to church, and had an encounter with Christ, and He changed everything, and so the adventure began,I discovered the way out,and so it continues to this day,and it's not finished yet.

                                       'What a wonderful change in my life  has been wrought

                                        Since Jeuse came into my heart!I have light in my soul

                                        Which  so long I had sought ,since Jesus came into my

                                          heart.' ( Words R,H.McDaniel)

                                        

Mutal support.( Exodus 17v 8-16)

 Although one may be a Chistian a long time ,we will  still have to battle with different things,we still find that certain things will manifest themselves,and it is a reminder  to all of us,why Jesus died for us.But it is also a challenge to us that we  need to change,and yet we may find it hard to do,even though we know we should,so what should we do.Well first of all let the wrong we are doing,see it for what it is ,sin,stop making excuses,stop saying that's the way I am,that will not help you to overcome the sin that so easily besets,honesty with yourself is vital, that's what God wants.When an alocholic goes to a meeting of  Alcoholic Anonymous,they stasnd up and say ,'I am an alcoholic',they have stopped hiding behind lies,making excuses.So it is we must be honest with ourselves and with God,if not you will not be able to overcome the sin that so easily besets you.What I am saying  is not for an unbeliever, I am focusing on Chistians. James 5 v16 reads ,'Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed'.These words stress the importance of mutal support,in helping us to overcome our sinful tendencies.Find a trusted friend who will prayerfully support you in relation to that which you have been battling with.

The good Samaritan( Matthew 5 v 43 -48)

 In Luke10 v25ff it starts with a man asking Jesus as regards eternal life,Jesus asked him ,'What is written in the Law?and how did he read it?,he quoted Deuteronomy6 v 5/Leviticus 18 v18.'To love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind ,and love your neighbour as yourself'.Jesus said that he had answered correctly and then he added,'Do this and you will live'.Now of course no one can fulfill what the law says,it's impossible,for no one to do that.Well this religious teacher was more interested  in trying to  vindicate himself,it is Barnes who comments ,'Every sinner is desirous to justifying himself' .He didn't attempt to answer Deut 6 v5,no he skipped that, I wonder why?,well he asked, 'who is my neighbour?', So Jesus told him a story about a man travelling down from Jerusalem to Jericho, thieves attacked him,even stripping him of his clothes,and beat him up ,leaving him half dead .The story continues ,a priest came along,and he passed by on the other side, a Levite came he did the same . Then it comes to the interesting part,a Samaritan came along he saw the man and he had compssion on him,and he went and ministered to him,,then he took him to a local inn ,he stayed with him to the next day,he then had  to leave him ,he paid for him to be looked after until he returned,and any outstanding debt he would pay.Jesus challenged the teacher of the law to show love as the hated Samaritan did, Our Christian faith must rise above hating others no matter who they are,no matter what label they have on them.

The love of God( John 3 v16)

John 3 v 16 tells us that God loves this world,that everyone in it,that's the scope if His love,it is so high you can't get over it,so wide you can't get round it,and so deep you can't  get under it.we can't take it in, it is truly incomprehensible.This pinprick of a planet and all who exist here,why should God love any of us,the fact is we all are unworthy of His love,look at this world,we are tearing each other apart,there will never be peace in this world,why oh why,does He not wipe the slate clean,and why does He not turn His back on us?But the fact is He won't ,it was manifested in its fullness,when Chist came into this rotten place,and died a horrible death on Caalvary,it was a death with a purpose,it was love in it's fulness reaching out to a fallen humanity in all it brokenness,lostness,and guilt. F.M.Lehman wrote the following words.

                               'The love of God is greater far,than tongue or pen can ever tell:

                                It goes beyond the highest star,and reaches to the lowest hell:

                                The guilty pair, bowed down with care,God gave His Son to win;

                                His erring child He reconciled,and pardoned from his sin.

                                When hoary time shall pass away  ,and thrones and kingsdoms fall;

                                 When men who hear refuse to pray,on rocks and hills and muntains call;

                                 God's love,so sure, shall still endure,all  measureless and strong

                                 Redeeming grace to Adam's race,the saints and angels song.

                                 Could we with ink the ocean fill,and were the skies of parchment made

                                 Were every stalk on earth a quill,and every man a scribe by trade;

                                 To write the  love of God above,would drain the ocean dry;

                                  Nor could the scroll  contain the whole,tho' stretched from sky to sky.

         Oh love of God,how rich and pure !How measureless and strong! It shall for ever more endure

         The saints and angels song