An appointed time ( Habakkuk 3 v 16-19)

 The prophet Habakkuk was told by God what he was going to do,it was grave news,his country would be invaded,and it would be devastating.Nothing was to change, it had come to the point of no return,Judah had shown  no signs of repentance,they were not for turning from their evil ways.Having heard this Habakkuk  turns aside to wait on God ,he had complained to God and  he wanted a reply.So God replied to him,he is told to write the revelation down,and He says this,'The revelation awaits an appointed time,'(2 v 3) it would come into being in God's appointed time. God has His time table,and its often contrary to ours, we are all a bit like Habakkuk ,we have questions as to why God did not act in certain situations.There are many of  God's people who are suffering,many are  being lead like lambs to the slaughter,they are being called to be faithful even unto death (Revelation 2 v10) It will always be like that,but at the apponted time,all such suffering will cease when Christ comes back again. That is one aspect as regards God's appointed timing, but His appointed timing includes also, delivering,providing, saving,helping God's  people,just at the right time.

Awesomeness ( Romans 1 v 18 -20)

 One thing I miss is seeing the stars,I see just a few,light pollution hides them from me. Sometimes we catch a glimps of the awesomeness of the universe we live in on TV.God's ceation is truly wonderful. Sometimes a friend and I go to a bird sanctury and a man there said he had spotted a Peregrine Falcon,my friend who used to be bird watcher when he was young , so he is very knowledgeable told me that  the Peregrine Falcon is the fastest animal on earth,reaching speeds of 300 Km/h or over 200 mls per hour.It reaches that speed when diving on its prey,from a great height, it is the most  aerodynamic of all birds,I wonder who designed it?. So many people have lost the awe factor and the awesomeness of creation, and the awesomeness of their Creator,they know so much yet know so little

                                                        'All things bright and beautiful,

                                                        All creatures great and small,

                                                        All things wise and wonderful,

                                                       The Lord God made them all'

                                                            Words  Cecil F, Alexander

Persecution 2 ( John 14 v 28)

 I wrote last time of the persecution of the church of Christ,that it went on for a long time,and I finished by saying ,'to believe that a Caesar might be  won  for Christ was  indeed to believe in miracles',well the miracle happened,Constantine the Great became a Christian ,he would reign for 31yrs.Much would change,but not everything,slavery didn't,some Christians saw it as a neccessary evil,it was taken for granted by many Christians,there were those like Gregory who spoke of the  evil of it.But Christianty did make a difference no longer were slaves of no importance for Christianity taught that in Christ they had a new standing ,spiritually  they were now equal citizens of the Kingdom of God, for in Christ,'There is neither Jew nor Gentile,neither slave nor free,nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus'.A new reality had come into being that in itself  was a miracle.In a world we expect things right now,but that's not the way things happen.There so many things needing to change in this world,awful things,the church is still being persecuted,Isalamic violence is beyond descrpition,a religion that holds a knife at the throats of its followers,if they dare to question their religion,or leave it.Yes there is so much that  needs to change.As for myself and many others we lift our eyes heavenward ,and pray even so come Lord Jesus, for  His coming  will be the final solution for this world.

Persecution (1 Peter 4 v12-19)1

For over 300yrs Christians were  persecuted under the Emperors of Rome the most severe persecution happened under Diocletian, it lasted for 8yrs. It was Origen  who said,'Should  the Romans embrace the Christian faith,'he had declared, then their prayers would see them overcome their enemies;or rather, having come under the protection of God,they would have no nemies at all'.The Christian church will always have enemies. of some sort or other,many Christians today are suffering in many places in this world,people scratch their head  and say ,why are they doing that?why indeed?.It was Peter who wrote,'Dear friends ,do not be surprised at the very ordeal that has come on you to test you,as though  something strange were happening to you.'And of course Peter would experence marytom,being crucified upside down,his fellow apostle Paul was beheaded. Commenting on the persecution under Rome one  writer declared,'to believe that a Caesar  might be won for Christ was indeed to believe in miracles'.We will look at  this next time.

Praise ( 2 Chronicles 20 v 1-29)

                                                                   Psalm 50 v23

                                                 Who so offereth praise glorifeth Me.

                                         'Let everything that has breath praise the Lord

                                        'I'll praise in the valley, praise on the mountain

                                        I'll praise Him when I'm sure,praise Him when I'm doubting,

                                        I'll praise Him when out numbered,praise when surrounded

                                                  

                                                As long as I'm  breathing I've got a reason to

                                                Praise the Lord,O my soul

                                                Praise the Lord,oh my soul.

                                         I'll praise when I feel it,and  I'll praise when I don't

                                         I'll praise cause I know you You're still in control

                                         Cause my praise is a weapon,it's more than a sound

                                          Oh, my praise is the shout that brings Jericho down.'

                                                     Words Chris Brown/Chandler moore.

                                                

                                       

                               

Suffering ( Luke 22 v 42)

 Job was a very godly man,we read,he was blameless and upright,that does not mean to say he was sinless, he acknowledged this in 9 v20 /40 v4/42 v6. We must never loose sight of the whole of humanities nature,it is a fallen nature,and the best of men and women are sinners.Job was a good father  CP. ch1,he helped others 29 v 12ff/ 31v 32.Now here was this good man and in a blink of an eye his whole whole fell apart,he lost one thing after another,all his flocks were taken,next his ten  children were taken yes all of them,next his health was taken.He didn't understand,what would the so called prosperity gospel say to all Jobs suffering.We need to accept the fact that good people will suffer we may find it hard to accept this.Job's wife did ,and even Job found it hard to accept.As a general rule God will preserve us from much evil,and He promises us that in His word, All things come under the umbrella of God's will all things,so it was for Job ,so it is for us,and so it was for Christ. Job didn't understand his  suffering ,but in the end he bowed to Gods will,as we must do.

                                                            'Renew my will from day today,

                                                            Blend it with Thine and take away

                                                            All that now makes it hard to say

                                                            Thy will be done.'

No giving up ( 2 Timothy 4 v 6-8)

 I love Pilgrims Progress it is about man on a journey his name  is Christiam ,He  meets all sorts of people they are called by strange names that sum  up their character.There is a point on his  journey they came to a  hill called Difficulty on either side there where two broad roads.He and his companions made a choice as to which way they would go, we read of a man called Formalist he chose to go to the left ,which  led him into a dark wood.Did he but know it, the road was called danger,and he lost his way forever.Christians other companion called Hypocrisy chose to go to the right, which led him unto rough ground , and full of holes.he did not know  that the road was called Destruction.Here he fell, and rose no more.As for Christian, he paused  and drank at a spring  to refresh himself. Then after looking both ways, he started briskly straight on up the hill called Difficulty.Let us remember the road that leads to heaven is not paved with gold,no there will be many difficuties on the way many inticements, God has not promised us skies always blue. Matthew 24 v13 tells us,that one who endures to the end will be saved, it  reminds us that the Christian life must be one of steadfast faith until the end of ones life,facing trials and persecution with perseverance.