Dont be fooled.[2 John v 10-11 ]

One of the aspects of 2 Corinthians that Paul is having to deal with ,where false teachers, who were seeking to undermined his authority, and the gospel. He calls them false apostles, deceitful workers,[2 Corinthians 11v13],this was not just name calling ,rather it was Paul pointing out ,the danger and the damage these people could cause to these young believers at Corinth. In verse 4 ,he writes of those who preach another Jesus,another spirit, and another gospel.The J Ws are very active where I live,we also have a Mormon gathering,  what Paul wrote of those false teacher in Corinth applies to them.They all preach another Jesus,another spirit, and another gospel,this is not a trivial thing,no it is deadly serious ,peoples eternal destinies are at stake.They may be nice enough people but they are not Gods people.Islam is the same they have another Jesus,another spirit, and an other gospel.There are many religions,who appear Christian,but when you look at what they believe, your discover many weired and strange things that run contrary to Gods word. Be careful that you are not fooled by them,and led a way from the truth, to the damage of your eternal soul.
A  prayer....../Dear God deliver us from being deceived by false religions,give us discerning minds,and steadfast spirits, to stand and having done all to stand, in Jesus name, Amen /

Love not just an abstract thing.[ John 3 v16 ]

In 2 Corinthians 8 v 24 ,we read /The proof of your love/,the apostle Paul is encouraging the saints at Corinth to contribute to the needy saints in Jerusalem. So he encourages them to show the proof of their love by giving help to them financially.Let us remember that love is not just an abstract thing,it is and should be manifested in real deeds. God loves this world so much, everyday we receive food ,drink and a multitude of things,and the greatest manifestation of His love was in the person of Jesus,and His death on the cross,Where is the proof of Gods love? look to Calvary, herein is love,here is a love that is not just in words and ideas,but in real flesh and blood body.We are to be like our loving heavenly Father,to show our love, in a practical manner.There is a brother who attends our church,while walking around his neighbourhood ,he got into conversation with a person,her husband was tinkering with his car, he was having trouble with it,and although he didn't really know that person he offered him the loan of his car,the people were not Christians, surely that brother was showing the proof of his love.Again let me stress that love is not just an abstract thing,it should be evidenced by love in action. 
A  prayer....../Dear God we thank for your love to us shown us in so many ways,especially in Jesus Your dear Son,grant us to be more like You in expressing our love for You and for others, in Jesus name Amen /

Love one another. [ Genesis 50 v 15-21 ]

Our Saviour prayed that as Christians ,and that we love one another, I have always tried to take this seriously,but sometimes it is hard. Last week I felt convicted that I had offended a Christian couple it was not intentional,but it unsettled me,so as I drove by their home I stopped my car and went and spoke to them,saying I was sorry if I had offended them, and so peace was restored in my heart. It is amazing how unforgiving some Christians are,the divisions that develop in churches, and go on for years,and years. There are Christians who hold ill feelings in there hearts for years,and they simply ignore what our Saviour commanded,the love that we are meant to show and feel,is a Christlike love,that forgives,and forgives, and forgives.It is a love that is bigger and better than how we feel naturally,it is in fact going beyond our natural feelings. Christ like love is on a higher level than even our natural family love, our natural families  can  be so unforgiving, as in the case of Joseph, and his 11 brothers.They hated him with a murderous hate, they wanted to destroy him.But this Old Testament saint showed New Testament love, he not onl  forgive them but he also blessed them. Is this not what Jesus did ,and continues to do, and commands us to do. John the apostle of love wrote,/ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God,and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He goes onto say,/He that loveth not,knoweth not God, for God is love [ 1 John 4 v 7-8 ]
A  prayer..../Dear  God grant unto us a forgiving spirit in Jesus name Amen /

Lessons we can learn. [ Philippians 3 v 4 -7 ]

There are lessons to be learnt from everyday happens,take yesterday when my son John with his dinner in one hand, decided to move a pot on the cooker which he thought was in danger of falling over. As he reached out to the pot  ,his dinner fell to the floor, how should one reacted, shout, huff,?, well what can we learn from this simple happening?. Well we need to keep things in proportion,I used to watch a TV program called one foot in the grave,the main character always appeared to get things out of proportion, if only he could have laughed at so many things, it would have made life so much easier. Let us not make a mountain out of a molehill. Next ,  it is no good crying over spilt milk ,there are things that happen a car crash,a wrong investment, or whatever it is not helpful to keep going on, and on, and on,about it, let it go,stop punishing yourself..Next I often say to myself when things happen, look for the mercies,in this case,we have plenty of food in our home, my son did not go without a dinner,and we have a nice tiled floor,so making it very easy to clear up the mess.
A  prayer....../ Dear God  help us to know how to cope with the unexpected difficult things that You allow to come into our lives, in Jesus name Amen /

Not optional. [ Psalm 46 ]

Romans 12 v12. /Rejoicing in hope,patient in tribulation,continuing instant in prayer/ Let us consider the last part of this verse,/continuing instant in prayer/,the point is this, how are we going to rejoice in hope,and be patient in tribulation?,the place of prayer is the answer.The qualities that we need,cannot be manifested in our lives naturally, these are spiritual qualities. We need continually to learn that we do not have the resources ,in ourselves to rise to the high calling of being a Christian.Jesus said that our righteousness must rise higher than mere religion[Matthew 5 v 20].Read the sermon on the mount,the challenge that it brings us,is awesome,and yet we are challenged to live according to what our Saviour taught there. The reality is, in ourselves we cant,and so we must, continue instant in prayer,for it is only in prayer do we receive the grace to face the challenge of being victorious.Prayer is not just an extra something that is optional, no it is vital,and the vital key to not only surviving but of overcoming and being victorious.Jesus said we were to pray and not faint,if we don't pray we will faint. So what difficulty are you facing today?well what is the answer?,pray ,pray and pray,yes the answer is as simple as that,it is not complicated,but it is vital for all of us, we neglect it to our own hurt.
A  prayer....../Dear God help to pray without ceasing,help us to pray as if our very lives depend on it in Jesus name Amen/

Patient in tribulation. [ John 18v 36 ]

 Romans 12v12  /Rejoicing in hope,patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer/ Let us now consider, being patient in tribulation,it is Morris who points out that Paul is not writing about a minor pinprick,but deep and serious trouble.I receive news of what many dear Christians are suffering,particularly in North Korea,but  also in many places, and it is not a pinprick, it is very severe. But we do not want to underestimate the difficulties many people are having to cope with,be it severe sickness, or poverty,or injustice. Whatever trials we are going through ,we are as W Barclay puts it,are to meet tribulation with triumphant fortitude. We can if like Christ we keep our vision clear,first of all to remember what He said, in the world ye shall have tribulation,[ John 16 v33],but He goes on to say,but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. In saying that He had overcome the world, he is inferring that we like Him can be victorious over whatever we have to face.  How? by Christ who is with us ,consider the words of an old hymn by Mary Peters,/  Though we pass through tribulation, all will be well. Ours is such a full salvation ,all, all is well, happy  still in God confiding,fruitful if in Christ abiding. Holy through the Spirits guiding, all must be well. We expect a bright tomorrow,all will be well. Faith can sing through days of sorrow,all,all is well. On our Fathers love relying, Jesus every need supplying. Or in living or in dying, all must be well/.
A  prayer..../ Dear  God and Father  have mercy upon Your dear children who are suffering tribulation,grant them to know Your joy,and help us all in whatever trials we are facing,to know that  all will be well, in our Saviours name we ask this Amen/

Rejoicing in hope [Psalm 42 v 5 ]

Romans 12 v12 reads/Rejoicing in hope,patient in tribulation,continuing instant in prayer/, Godet in his commentary,quotes  a Hofmann ,who paraphrases these words as follows,/In so far as we have cause to hope, let us be joyful, in so far as we have cause of pain, let us hold out, in so far as the door of  prayer is open to us, let us continue to use it/
Rejoicing in hope, is this possible,when everything is taken from you?, yes it is possible, consider Job and what he suffered, consider Paul and what he suffered,yet they never lost hope.What about rejoicing in hope?, yes it is,consider Habakkuk ,he saw the devastation that was coming on his people.What Habakkuk never lost was hope, and so he was able to rejoice,he declares ,/Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation [3 v18] William Barclay wrote ,/There can never be any such thing as a hopeless Christian/, I don't know about that,but I do believe that if our hope is in God and His word, then we can truly hope and truly rejoice.When our hope is in others or even self,that hope can so easily leave us,but when our hope is in the one who cannot lie,in one who will always be faithful,in one who loves us with an everlasting love, and who manifested that love ,on an old rugged cross.
A  prayer...../Dear God, help us to rise above our fears,to trust in You,to not give into despair, and even the grace to rejoice in every situation in Jesus name Amen /