Good works ( (Matthew 6 v25ff)

 Let's consider further Matthew 6 v 19ff It is not wrong to have money,but it is wrong that money should  have us. God is not telling us ,to give all our money away.I remember reading about C T.Studd ,he came from a wealthy family,he and his brother ,played cricket for England. When the Lord saved him he  felt God was calling him to be a missionary,and I believe he gave most of his money away. He said many quotable sayings,here is one of them,'Some wish to live within the sound of chapel bell,I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of Hell'. So much for CT , Ephesians 2 v10 tells us'For we are God's handiwork,created in Christ Jesus to do good works,which God prepared us in advance, for us to do'.It is not all about money but money is included ,there are many societies that are involved in helping people, they need financial support,And as we give ,give as on to God,Jesus speaks of treasures in heaven CP  1 Cor 1 v 8ff,yes there will be rewards in heaven one person describes them as not physical but spiritual. Our security is not our bank balance.our security is God.

Money,Money,Money, ( 1 Timothy 6 v 10)

 In  Matthew 6 v 19ff our Saviour  instructs us as regards money and how we should manage it,He  reminds us of the uncertainty of wealth,After the confederacy (USA) was defeated their currency was worth  nothing,In the 1920 Germany suffered from hyperinflation their currency was practically nothing.In these days, the scammers are robbing people blind. When one hears of the very rich, one wonders why do they need so much money?But our Saviour is speaking to everyone, telling us to 'store your treasures in heaven'.He warns us we can't love God and money,in v 22-23, He warns us of that which clouds our vision in this case money  and that has adverse consequences that are very serious.The rich young man mentioned in Matthew 19 ,choose His money, rather than trusting and following Jesus.In Matthew 16 v26 Our Saviour said,'And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? It was George Beverly Shea who sang a lovely song ,here is the verse.  

                                             'I'd rather have Jesus than silver and gold ,

                                              I'd rather be His than have riches untold;

                                              I'd rather have Jesus than houses or  lands,

                                              I'd rather be led by His nail pierced hand

                                              Than to be the king of a vast do-main

                                               And be held in sin's dread sway.'

                                                              Words Rhea F. Miller

                                                                                                  

                                              

                                             

A man with a mission.( John 10 v 11)

The words of the song,'The impossible Dream' from 'Man of La Mancha'are very inspiring so much in it that challenges one,it is to say the least overwhelming ,'To beat the unbeatable foe,to run where the brave dare not go,to follow that star, no matter how hopeless,to be willing to march into hell,for a heavenly cause'. The  last part of the song reads,'And the world will be better for this,that one man ,scorned and covered in scars,Still  strove with his last ounce of courage,to reach the unreachable star' I know someone who did not have an impossible dream,he had something more than that,he had a mission that no one else could perform ,it was a mission of love,He was rich but he became poor,so many would be rich,oh no, not in worldly wealth,which passes away.He touched many lives for the better,filling them with hope,and joy,a hope ,not in that which is seen,but in that which was everlasting.a sure and certain hope that went beyond the grave,to a eternal home in heaven.This world is a better place for His coming, but there was a price to be paid . Scorned and covered in scars He paid the ultimate price that our sins may be forgiven by dying on a cross at a place called Calvary.

Faithfulness.(Acts 4 v 19-20)

 Ezekiel the prophet was with the Jews in Babylon,Judah  still survived,but not for long,eventually they would be overthrown,by the Babylonians.In chapter 2 of Ezekiel ,he received a call from God .No he wasn't going to be a missionary like Jonah who was called to a heathen nation.God speaks to him,he calls him 'Son of man', here it indicates his humanity,nothing more,Let us remember we should honour those called to be prophets, and leaders of God's people,but also remember that they are mere men.God declares ,I am sending you to the Israelites,oh that was wonderful,he wouldn't have to learn another language,but it was going to be a difficult assignment,for here is what God says about His people ,They are rebellious, obstinate,and stubborn,yet they are known as the children of God.As one reads the history of the Christian church ,how they burned people to death and opposed the gospel,it is not a happy picture.It was not going to be easy to say the least for Ezekiel ,God is telling Ezekiel how it was.Ezekiel is told not to be afraid or terrified. When God  calls you to be preacher,pastor or an evangelist .we must show neither fear or favour. God tells him 'You must speak my words to them , whether they listen or fail to listen'He had to be faithful to his God given calling. More than ever we need faithful servants of Christ one day we will  have to give an account to our Saviour, will we hear Him say?,'Well done good and faithful servant'.

The blood of the Martyrs ( Philippians 1 v 29)

In ancient Galatia,the 'Galatian League',met in solemn  convocation in memory of Caesar ....they wanted to honour him as their Saviour  and Lord'. People believed that he was an actual god,yes they really believed that,of course they had many gods,so imagined  that when Christianity came into being,they would have been none to pleased.As time went on they showed their displeasure ,by executing untold thousands of people,who refused to say Caesar was Lord,Peter and Paul paid the price by being martyred .We read of the account of the Bishop of Smyrna, Polycarp who was martyred, h,e was 86,they pleaded with him to say Caesar was lord but he refused,this is what he said,'Eighty six years I have served Him(Jesus)and He has done me no wrong',with that they burned him at the stake.Times have not changed,many countless thousands of people are still being martyred,we need to pray for them,that's the least we can do.Tertullian spoke of the,'Blood of the martyrs', as I said ,this still goes on ,they will die either by the machete, bullet, beheading,and even by been burned alive.

God revealed ( 2 Timothy 3 v 16)

 I am reading a book called Dominion by Tom Holland I find it an interesting book,but there are things that he writes I would take issue with him,one, being that Greek philosophy influenced our theology in relation to the being of God. Some philosophers like Plato or Aristotle  may have believed in one god,whatever they believed it would have not been the God of the scriptures, their concept of God would have come through their own flawed understanding.Our concept of God came  through divine revelation,in other words God revealed himself to us.The apostle Paul  declares that through wisdom mankind did not Know God (1 Corinthians 1 v 21) Likewise the gospel it is all foolishness to them (1 Corinthians1 v23) I Cor 2 v 14 we read,'But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit.It all sounds foolish to them,and they can't understand it.' One commentator writes the following,'No non Christians cannot understand spiritual truths' ,it is as simple as that, So where did we get our revelation from? 2 Peter 1 v 20- 21 reads ,'Above all,you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet's own understanding, or from human initiative.No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit,and they spoke from God'

                                                'The main thing to keep in mind here is

                                                 that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter

                                                 of private opinion. And why? because it's

                                                 not something concocted in the human 

                                                 heart.'

                                                 

                                            

Jesus saves (Luke 18 v 9 -14 )

 The apostle Paul  wrote to Titus who led the church,and in chap 3 he points out a number of  things,I will touch on two of them ,v3 'their past',v4 ,'the kindness and love of God '.Paul includes himself in what he  writes.let us look at their past,and we can also add our past ,because we are all sinners,and manifests that reality in different ways.Here is the list he mentions ,'At one time we to were foolish,disobedient,deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.We lived in malice and envy,being hated and hating one another.'I'm sure we could all add other things to that list,let's consider are dark and sinfull pass.Let us consider that we were foolish,or as one translation puts it, we were senseless,like the prodigal son .in Luke 15v 11ff.Next we were disobedient in so many ways ignoring God's moral laws,next we were deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures,do you remember those days,or are you still in those days?Next ,'We lived in Malice and envy,being hated and hating one another.'The hymn writer  wrote,'I  once was a stranger to grace and to God,I  knew not my danger,and felt not my load'.What does he mean by that,what danger? every unsaved person is a breath away from going to hell. Verse 4-5, tells us,'But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour ,appeared,he saved us',if you are saved ,offer up a praise of thanksgiving,if you are not saved,get down on your knees and ask Him to save you.