We have a choice. (Matthew 6 v 33)

A friend and I were reminiscening about our pass expriences, he said there was a time he needed transport,he had 300pounds in his savings,and he bought a motorbike, that cost him 300 pounds,and he wondered how he was going to manage.So one day he was out on his motorbike and as he came to a roundabout  God spoke to him,and said this to him.'I have brought you this way that you may know that man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4 v 4)The word bread  can stand for many things,like sex ,sex is everything to a lot of people,it can literary take over one's life,God didn't make us to be like that.But we can also bring  money into it,money has become an obsession with many people,I saw a famous wealthy footballer,and he was doing an advertisement ,and I said why is he doing that ,he is a multi-millionaire,the answer must be money.As Christians we must be careful that we don't forget what our Saviour said to Satan,and to us,that principal of  putting God first.Many people who do lotteries have enough to live on,but many are driven  with the desire for more and more.The world will not change they will continue to focus on bread alone,and ignore what they really need ,God.As Christians we should know better than to live for bread alone.

Don't be hasty. ( Proverbs 3 v5-6)

 Do we acknowledge God in all our ways?as the scripture tells us to do   (Proverbs 3 v 6) or do we without a thought leave Him out of our affairs.? It is in the book of Joshua we read  how Israel got caught up in being deceived,the reason being they failed to consult God (9 v 14)It is an easy thing to do and it is possible, we often do it,we rush ahead of God ,failing to consult Him,and so in that moment we leave Hm out of our decision making,and do it our way,the unbelievers national athem,but it should not be our national athem. There are times I have done it and have grieved the Holy Spirit, and that's not a good thing to do,I will finish by leaving you with two verses from a hymn by W.D.Longstaff.

                                                  'Take time to be holy,the world rushes on;

                                                   Spend much time in secret with Jesus alone,

                                                   By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;

                                                   Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

                                                    Take time to be holy,let Him be your guide;

                                                    And run not before Him,whatever betide;

                                                    In joy or in sorrow still follow thy Lord,

                                                    And, looking to Jesus,still trust in His word.'

                                               

Testings ( Luke 14 v 26)

 I remember watching movies about test pilots,and the drama attached to it,and the dangers,the pilot would push the plane to its limits,and hopefully it would past the test.In Deuteronomy 13 v 3 God is speaking to Israel ,and this is what he says,'The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul'.The context is very simple yet very challenging, would they follow other god's?.We should not be surprised at this question,for as we look at the history of  the old covenant Israel, time asfter time they failed the test,and followed other so called god's.The one who surprised me most was Solomon, CP 2 Kings 11,for him it all began by his disobedience in marrying. foreign wives  ,who enticed him to follow other god's.As a young lad I was enticed away from following the Lord, Judas  was enticed by his love of money.The test usually is to find out whither we love God or something else, more than God.God is a jealous God ,he will not tolerate us giving our love to another,or lessening our love for Him.We must love God with all our hearts,and with all our souls,it has to be that way, our love for Him must be total.

                                                       'Thee will I love,my Joy,my Crown,

                                                        Thee will I love,my Lord,my God;

                                                        Thee will I love, beneath Thy frown

                                                        Or smile, Thy sceptre or thy rod;

                                                        What though my flesh and heart decay?

                                                         Thee shall I love in endless day.'

                                                                 Words John Wesley

I am a sinner yet righteous ( Romans 1 v 16 -17) 2

 Let us consider an earlier blog regarding what Joyce Myer said,'I am not a sinner', R.C.Sproul  quoted Martin Luther who said we are righteous ,and a sinner at the same time, we could use the word simultaneous, to describe our condition.Our righteousness is a flawed righteousness ,it was the apostle Paul  who wrote that his righteosness  was like garbage ,and that he desired the righteousness that  comes from God on the bases of  faith in Christ (Philippians 3 v 7-9)The prophet Isaiah  wrote ,'all our righteous acts are like filthy rags,one writer describes  the term filthy rags,like 'rags of  menstruation'.It is as serious as that ,so  God prepared a righteousness for us in Christ. (1 Corinthians 1 v 30)It is Christ's righteousness that makes us acceptable before God,and His righteousness that protects us from Satans attacks, (Ephesians 6 v14)  Martin Luther  was right  we are simultaneous ,righteous and a sinner at the same time.'The Gaithers,and Mitch  Humphries wrote a song that descibes us.

                                                'If you could see,what I once was

                                                 If you could go back with me,

                                                 Back to where I started from,

                                                 And I know you would see,

                                                 A miracle of love that took me

                                                 In it's sweet embrace,

                                                 And made me what I am today,

                                                 Just an old sinner saved by Grace,'

Why the Law? ( Galatians 3 v 16)2

 In my previous blog I asked the question,'Is it possible to be saved by keeping the law?we have to say no,for it is impossible for us humam beings to keep the law.So what does the apostle Paul mean when he said 'As for righteousness based on the law ,faultless'. Philippians 3 v6. The problem with what Paul says must not be taken at face value,our Saviour speaking to the Pharisees said,'You nullify the word of God by your tradition' Mark 7 v13,from a human point of veiw he was keeping the law perfectly.Keeping the letter of the law is not enough ,we must keep the spirit of the Law,Paul deals with it in Romans 7 where he considered himself as unspiritual v14.he writes of another law in his being,although he wants to do good he fails,and in his dispair he crys out,'What a wretched man I am!,and he speaks of his sinful nature v18. Our Saviour taught that just because we did not literally murder someone,we can have murderous intent,and even though we may never have committed adultery literally,we can do it in our hearts. Mark 5 v 21-28. So why was the law given,well Paul answers it,'What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body  that is subject to death? Thanks be to God,who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7 v 24-25.  The law was not given to save us,but to drive us to Him who can save us, Jesus.

I broke the law ( Isaiah 53 v 6) 1

I broke the law,no I didn't murder anyone,I received a parking ticket,I must confess I wasn't happy,I didn't realise that the place I parked had now become a permit holders district. So I got fined,yes breaking the law brings a penalty,we may not like it, but that's the way it is,and no amount of protesting  can change that. So  I paid the price for what I did,but what about God's law? the ten commandments, (  Exodus 20 ) can I be saved if I break  it?,is it possible to be saved by keeping it?,The answer to the first part, is yes,we can be saved  if we repent of our sins and trust Jesus as our Saviour.The fact is we all have broken God's law,that's why we are told that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,Romans 3 v23.Consider that the only person in all of history who kept the law perfectly was Jesus,unlike us He never sinned in word,thought,or deed.In other words Christ was absolutly sinless.In John 8 v46,Jesus asked the question to the religious people,'Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?,they couldn't,because He was sinless.In 1 John 3 v 5 we read,'In Him is no sin'in Hebrews 4 v15 we read that He was,'Tempted in every way,just as we are-yet He did not sin'. His death on the cross was for a purpose, 1Corinthians 15 v 3 we read ,'Christ died for our sins'.in other words, the just one would die for the unjust 1 Peter 3 v18.Christ the innocent one would die for the guilty ones,you and me.

                                                           'Alas and did my Saviour bleed?

                                                            And did my Sovereign die?

                                                            Would He devote that sacred head

                                                             For such a worm as I?' (Words Isaa Watts)

                                                                       'The answer is yes'

I am not a sinner 1( 1 John 3 v 6) 1

 I don't know why Joyce Meyer said she was not a sinner,it is obvious she has not thought through what she said, and of course everyone appears to be wrong but her. She also said,'I am righteous,and you cannot be a sinner at the same time.'Well lets think about it and see what God's word says,in 1John 1 v 8-9,we read, 'If we say we have no sin ,we deceive ourselves,and the truth is not in us.If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,and to cleanse from all unrighteousness'These words were written to believers,likewise Paul wrote of himself,' For I know that in me( that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing, (Romans 7 v18)The fact is very obvious that Christians do sin,read most of Pauls epistles,and it is evident that Christians do sin,look at our own experience we sin,by our words our deeds our thoughts, but we don't walk in sin,that's the difference between the saved and the unsaved.All sin is very serious,we must always realise that,As believers we will be tempted to sin,it is only as we yield to it, does it become a sin,but if we do yield ,repent of it and seek forgiveness as soon as possible,God will forgive us,but He may also chastise us CP  Hebrews 12 v4-6.

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