Suffering Christians. [ Hebrews 13 v3 nlt]

Well the thing I have dreaded has arrived, no not the electric bill ,the dreaded snow, I have made up my mind ,that I am not going to build a snow man, or a snow woman[ She would just melt in my arms ], and I am not going to go sledging, or throw snow balls. But what I am going to do is carry on as best I can, and prayerfully and carefully drive my car,as I do my job of visiting my clients.My mind turns to people who are suffering not just inconvenience, but real difficulties,my dear brothers and sisters in North Korea, many of them in awful prisons, my dear brothers and sisters in so many places ,who are suffering for Christ.In Hebrews 13 v3, we read,/Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies./[ Dear God we bring to You, our fellow Christians who are suffering for our Saviour, have mercy upon them today in Jesus name. Amen ]

The dark clouds. [ Romans 8 v28 ]

Still no snow ,thank goodness, but the weather forecast tells us it is only a matter of time, I must confess if I had my way ,snow would be restricted to the Christmas card. I dont really mind snow, it is the fact that I have to drive in it, concerns me, I have had ,a few hairy moments in the past, that have unnerved me.I dont like the cold, but then I think well it may snow, but I have a nice warm home, I have warm clothes, God will watch over me,He does not suddenly disappear ,whatever the weather. Why do we so many times think the worse?, well its part of our human condition, and of course some of us our more pessimistic than others. William Cowper, suffered from mental illness, as a child He was bullied at school ,and I am sure this must of had an affect on him. but he was a man of God,and inspite of his illness ,he expressed words of deep faith, here is a verse of his most famous hymn. /Ye fearful saints fresh courage take, the clouds ye so much dread ,are big with mercy, and shall break with mercy on your head./[ Dear God help me to see beyond the dark clouds in my life, and to trust in You, in Jesus name . Amen ]

An old friend.2 Peter 1 v 4]

I met an old friend this morning, I have a great love of him,for he encourages me everytime I meet him, his name is, Precious Promise,I meet him often as I read Gods word. He comes to me when I am struggling,and directs me, assures me of Gods love ,stills my fearful heart, directs my steps in the right way, encourages me not to fear, but to trust in my God who cannot lie. Let me intoduce you to my friend,/ Casting all your cares upon Him, for He careth for you [1Peter 5 v7 ]. Now consider what my friend is saying , he is saying if this day we are facing difficulties of any kind, he tells tells us not to hold unto anything, all means all. Then he tells us what to do with all our cares, give them to God, He wants to relieve us of our anxieties. Then my friend tells us something wonderful, he tells us that God cares for us, yes, you and me, we may believe the devil who is a liar, that no one cares for us, but it is not true , God cares for us. [ Dear God thank You for your precious promises, help me to believe them, in Jesus name Amen ]

Give thanks.[ Ephesians 5 v20]

Sometimes we forget to say thank you, especially to God, it is legitimate to ask, but it is important to say thank you, to Him. Stop for a moment this day and say ,thank You God, for Jesus , think of all we have been blessed through Him, Chosen,forgiven, a relationship with God,justified, a reciever of the grace of God, the mercy of God, a home in Heaven, saved from Hell. Then there are the blessings in life, food ,fresh drinking water,no shortage, clothes ,shoes,a bit of money, holidays, the ability to do so many things. Then there is Gods protection , and so it goes on, and on ,and on, I know there are the difficulties in life, but I also know that all things, let me repeat this, all things , are working together for the child of Gods good, so today let us lift our voices, and hearts and say ,thank You God . [Dear God we raise our hearts and voices to You in thanksgiving,for loving us, and blessing us in Jesus. Amen ]

Uncertain riches. [Luke 16 v16-21 ]

I just saw on the news that a pensioner lost 80 thousand pound, he had put it on the roof of his car,it was his lifes saving, I do feel for him. Yet this story illustrates the truth being taught in 1Timothy 6v17 , of not trusting in uncertain riches, money is like many things , here today gone tomorrow. A few years ago I was talking to my cousin who lives in Dublin, the Irish economy was thriving, and He mentioned how people were just focused on that, they were living just at the level of financial gain. What the vast majority of people where doing was trusting in uncertain riches,now what have they got ?,a country on the brink of financial meltdown. No matter who we are let us learn the important lesson of not trusting in uncertain riches. Our Saviour told the story of a rich farmer who trusted in uncertain riches, and in a moment he lost all, and God called that man a fool,Christians need to remind themselves continually ,that God is their security, and if we are not Christians, to realize the folly of living just on a material level, Jesus said what does it profit a man if they gain the whole world and loose their souls[ Matthew 16 v25 ff] [Dear God help me never to loose sight ,that my security is in you, and You alone, and in knowing Jesus as my Saviour Amen ]

Precious blood of Christ. [ 1 Peter 1 v 18-19]

In 1Peter ,it mentions the word precious, in chapter one, we read that we have been redeemed [1v18-19], why redeemed ?well it reminds us that in our unsaved state we were as slaves, W Barclay, says this involved three things,[1] A life of ignorance. [2]A life dominated by desire. [3]A life characterized by futility. We were in the slave market,Peters readers would have fully understood what that meant,living in a time when slavery was common, Peter reminds us that we who were once slaves have been purchased and set free. In the normal course of events a slave would be set free if someone paid a price, silver or gold, but Peter is writing of us being set free spiritually. That redemption involved a greater price to be paid, silver or gold has no value in Gods sight,no, it needed something of more value, if we were going to be rescued from the slave market of sin,the precious blood of Christ. Through His death on the cross He was paying the price of our redemption,we are not redeemed with siver or gold, but with His precious blood. [ Dear God thank You for Jesus who shed His precious blood to redeem me . Amen ]

Be ye holy[ Psalm 139 v 23-24 ]

I wonder do you like a challenge?, well here is one that no Christian can op out of, /Be ye holy/[Leviticus 20v7],what does it mean to be holy?. Well I believe it means two things,to refrain from anything that is evil,and to seek to aspire after God, to love Him with our whole being. We live in a world of changing standards, and sometimes as Christians we loose sight of the important fact that ,we must march to the beat of a different drum. The ten commandments are not reduntant, [Exodus 20], nor is the teaching of the sermon on the mount[ Matthew 5-7]. While we must be careful not to judge others, we must judge ourselves.[ 1 Corinthians 11v31],we must be senstive to the Holy Spirit, that we do not grieve Him.Within everyone of us , God has placed a conscience,,we need to take heed to it more often than we do.When we do sin as we will[1 John 1 v8] then we must confess our sins to God,and seek His forgiveness, which He has promised to grant us[1 John 1v9][ Dear God help me by Your grace to be holy as You are holy, in Jesus name. Amen ]