His Kingdom (Isaiah 9 v7 )

When Israel were slaves in Egypt we read they were oppressed,but it goes  on to say,'The more they were oppressed,the more they multiplied and spread' (Exodus 1 v 11-12)Strange,  for one would think it would go the opposite way,yet it is still happening,the church in Iran is experiencing being persecuted,in spite of that the church is growing. Someone said,'The early Church's growth in the face of persecution was a remarkable phenomenon,despite facing hardship,imprisonment,and even death'.Suffering could not and cannnot extinguish the Church.many have tried and are still trying to extinguish the church ,they will not be able to do that.Jesus said in Matthew 16 v18,' I will build my church,and the gates  of  Hell will not overcome it.'For many years the church experienced persecution under Rome, but in 300 AD  the Emperor Theodosis 1, declared Christianty as the official state religion.Looking over all of human history, kongdoms have risen and kingdoms have fallen,one Kingdom stands triumphant  ,the Kingdom of God.

                                                    'Of His kingdom there will be no end'

                                                                      'Luke 1 v 33'

Three things. ( 1 Cointhians 1 v 26 -28)

I want us to consider three things about prayer,the first one is,'Don't neglect prayer',one of the most vital things in our Christian life is prayer .Our Saviour said,that we should always pray and not give up (Luke 18v1)It is utter folly to stop praying,when we do that we shut God out our relationship,and that is serious. Every Sunday our pastor leads the church in praying the Lords prayer,could it be that's only prayer some pray during,the whole week.Mary A.Kidder wrote,'Ere you left this morning did you think to pray?,well did you?The next point is,'Don't underestimate your prayers',sometimes we feel that our prayers are very inadequate,we may say I can't pray like the pastor,you are not meant to pray like the pastor,God doesn't want you be an echo of your pastor,no, He wants to hear you. You say I'm a weak person,God will not take any notice of my prayers,you are wrong,read James 5 v 17-18,these verses tell of the miraclous answers  to prayer that Elijah had,but it stresses the fact that,'Elijah was a human  being,even as we are.'The next point is, persevere 'Don't give up', you see that's what Jesus told us,that we should not give up.William Cowper wrote,

                                                   'What various  hindrances we meet

                                                     In coming to the mercy seat!

                                                     Yet who,that knows the worth of prayer,

                                                      But wishes to be often there.'

What's the answer? ( Psalm 121 )

 I read this recently,'The future is in God's hands', as a Christian I believe that's obivious, and yet we need to be reminded of that. There are so many  unsettling things on the news, the world is a very unstable place,wars and rumours of wars,climate change.We have had covid virus, the question we might ask is,'what next?', the Drifters sang a song,here are some of words in it, 'When this old world starts getting me down,and people are just to much for me to face.I climb up to the top of the stairs,and all my cares drift into space.On the roof ,its peaceful as can be'.I  know people who spoke of getting away from things,but often we bring the things with us,changing our geographical position,will not neccessary change anything. King David during his time of persecution by Suul fled to his arch enemies country,the Philistines 1 Samuel 27 .It appeared that he was going to fight with the Philistines against Isreal,that didn't happen thankfully. David returned to Ziklag with his men ,only to find that the Amalekites had attacked it ,burning it to the ground,and taking every body captive,sometimes you just cannot escape trouble, even if you go up on the roof.Everything was so awful but we read this ,'But David found strength in the Lord.'1 Sam 30 v 6'.and from that moment on ,things changed for the better for David. Let us follow Davids example,and find our strength in our great triune God,running away is not the answer,the answer is running to God,for the problems of today,and as to our future ,remember our future is in God's hands.

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,'