Walking in their shoes ( 2 Corinthians 1 v 3-4)

I listened to what a person was saying at our home group,the conversation had arisen as regards a person in our fellowship who is married ,he and his wife had lost a son whom they had looked after for 40 yrs,the son had special needs.Coming back to that person he could not understand why the brother was still grieving over his loss.As a person who lost a young wife many years ago, I still remember her and am sad at times,I know that grief can be long lasting,time eases the pain,but we never forget,nor should we,it doesn't control my life,for I know she is in heaven,and that's the most important thing.That person who could not understand why that brother had not got over his sons lost, had not walked in that brother shoes, but one day he will understand,so let us not judge people,let us pray for them .

Heed the warnings ( Hebrews 10 v31)

'' Beware of the ides of March'' is a famous warning from Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar,telling the Roman dictator to watch for danger on March15th. The day he was famously assassinated .The warning was added by Shakespeare,it never really happened,but if it had been uttered would he have heeded it?,we will never know. Many people have ignored warnings,of real dangers,and have suffered the consequences. One of the most well known warning in the Bible was given to Lot and his family,just before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah,they were told ,'Flee for your lives! Don't look back' (Genesis 19v17) Lot's wife for whatever reason looked back,and suffered the consequences,but there were other people in this chapter who were warned Lots sons-in-law, but they treated the warning as a joke,but soon found out that it was no joke. When God gives a warning we ignore it to our cost,the preacher is given a solemn responsibility to warn people of the dangers of ignoring God's warnings,They have to warn people of the dangers of sinful behaviour,not to cross God's moral boundaries,and the consequences if they do . This is a challenge not just to the unsaved, but to the saved,when it comes to  sin God will act,heed the warnings.

                                                     

                                                  

                                                        

Preach the gospel. ( Romans 1 v 16)

There are those who say  as regards the Gospel you can't preach the gospel every time you preach,the sad thing is many so called ministers never preach the gospel. As regards those ministers who don't preach the gospel they will be held accountable, I remember being at a funeral service at a crematorium and  I   was so sad that the minister had not really spoken about Christ, and afterwards I spoke to him and I challenged him. All Christians have a responsibility to  be witnesses  for Christ,but a minister should be a minister of the gospel, God has entrusted  us with that responsibility, of telling sinners about Jesus Christ. Responsibility brings with it accountability. We must be not be intimidated ,showing neither fear or favour,but be faithful,to the charge that has been given unto us.People need to be saved,saved from what?,there fallen condition and its consequences.. What is their condition? they are sinners ,I include myself in that,and what do sinners need,they need their sins forgiven ,what is the consequences,so many peoples lives are in ruin because of their sinful ways,only Jesus can break the power of sin,and set people free. But there's more , in the novel 'the Scarlet  pimpernel,the question is asked,is he in heaven? is he hell?. It is very clear that  if one dies without Christ you will go to hell,if you trust Christ  you go to heaven.

New life ( Romans 6 v 1-14)

 I heard recently of a minister who refused who to baptise a man ,many people knew this man by reputation that he was a scoundrel who had not repented of his sins .It was John the baptist who challenged the religious elite whom he felt were very wicked,that they should bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3 v8) John spoke of another who would baptise with the Holy Spirit and  fire,the one he spoke of  was Jesus .Cp  1 Corinthians 12 v 13 which reads,'For we were all baptised by one Spirit so as to form one body whiter  Jews or Gentles slave or free and we were all given the one Spirit to drink'.Water baptism is not for the unbeliever,but for the Christian,it is a personal confession  of ones faith in Christ. It is saying I have died with Christ,my old life is gone,  and as Jesus was resurrected and so I am also resurrected to live in newness of life,dead to sin but alive in  Christ Jesus

                                                          'I give myself to Thee

                                                          My Saviour and my God,

                                                          To be Thine own for evermore

                                                          O help me to renounce      

                                                         The hateful works of sin,

                                                         The empty vanities of life,

                                                          The flesh that strives within.

                                                              Words Emily Symons

 

He is able (Romans 5 v 8 )

 I want to bring to some thoughts from Isaiah 50,Israel is in captivity in Babylon,and they are complaining that God has forsaken them,in fact they are saying ,he has divorced them.Of course this was rubbish He had not forsaken them but He had dealt with them because of their sins ( v1) The prophets had spoken to them but they did not listen,and just kept on sinning.We expect that of the unsaved but they were the  people of God, they should have known better. In verse 2 God declares He had come to them ,but He got no answer they turned a deaf ear to Him,He reminds them of His power that could save them,with those well known words,'Is my hand shortened at all, that cannot redeem them,  reminding them of His power. Never underestimate the power of God ,He is all powerful,He can save the chiefest of sinners ,hear what the apostle wrote,

                                                'Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves

                                                 full acceptance; Christ Jesus  came into the

                                                 world to save sinners of whom I am the worst'

                                                                  1 Timothy 1 v15

Trust Him. ( Habakkuk 3 v 16 - 18)

So it's all over for another year, one has to laugh at the words of a song, ',I wish it could be Christmas every day' imagine the turkey dinners we would consume,I dread the thought. Now back to reality back to the future,it goes without saying we don't know what the future holds, but there is someone who does, ''God'' Thats very important to be reminded of that, but He is not just a spectator, He is a sovereign God who rules and reigns over all things,if that is true why?yes that why again. Tozer writes that He is all knowing, all powerful,and absolutely free. Consider the last one absolutely free.We do not have the answer as regards ,'the riddle of permitted evil'. or the mystery of permitted evil. The Westminster Confession tells us,'His not the author or approver of sin,nor is he blameworthy for it' .Because God is sovereign we can have hope,our times are in his hands,that means the good times and the bad ,and some very bad time.Bad things happen to God's children,in Philippians 2 v29 we read'For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him,but also suffer for Him'.Romans 8 v28  tells us that all things work together for good  to those who love God'.  All things, yes even evil things, I may not understand these words,but we must exercise faith in our sovereign God  and His will for our lives,and not to give up on God, whatever the new year brings.

                                       'I know who holds the future,and He'll guide me with His hand,

                                        With God things don't just happen,everything by Him is planned;

                                        So as I face tomorrow with its problems large and small,

                                         I'll trust the God of miracles,give to Him my all'.

Three things Ephesians 6 v10 -20) New Years day

 As we enter the new year ,I would like to mention  three things,that I feel are very important for all Christians ,including myself,I'm not sure if I mention them before ,.even if I had,I want to mention them again

                                                              'The first one'.

The apostle Paul writes the following ,'But one thing I do : forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead' (Philippians 3 v13 )The apostle had a long history ,full of so many things,he wrote 14 epistles if you count Hebrews,which I do,a tremendous achievement by any standard.He established a number of churches, suffered so many things in his effort to spread the gospel,of course he also had discouragements . But he does not linger on those things,he refuses to dwell on them,he does not become a prisoner of the past,nor should we. Unfortunately many of us are so caught  up with past that we do not move forward,

                                                               'The second one'

 It is very simple yet very challenging, 'Pray,Pray,Pray',  in Ephesians 6 v 18-20 the apostle Paul  mentions prayer 5 times.each bring a challenge to us,a challenge we need desperately to rise to.Make the coming year a time of communing with God,tell Him everything.

                                                                  'The third thing'

Last but not least,don't starve your soul,read the word of God, memorise the word,get to understand the word of God ,use the available helps to do that,and most of all  rely on the Holy Spirit. The word of God is food for your soul,so don't starve it. Our Lord Jesus said 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word  that comes from the mouth of God' (Matthew 4 v 4.)