For His word teaches. [ Romans 5 v 6 - 10]

There is a little song which was popular years ago,it reads,
                       Wide ,wide as the ocean,high as the heavens above,
                        Deep,deep as the deepest sea is my Saviours love,
                       Though I am unworthy,still I'm a child of His care,
                         For his word teaches me,that His love reaches me
                        everywhere.
Those words remind me,just how great Gods love is towards His children,I
like the words,for His words teaches me. It reminds us that we are not resting on what others say,or what we may think,it is what Gods word tells
us, that matters.I used to visit a person ,who often said, God doesn't hate me
I would reply, no He loves you, Gods love is for everyone.He loves everyone,if you are not Christian, God loves you,the cross says it all,this is Gods declaring His love,in its fullest measure.that we sinners may be forgiven.For those who are Christians, He loves you ,even though you have failed him,even though you are reminded of your past,when you were told that you were worthless,for His word teaches,hear the word of the Lord,you are loved,more than you can ever appreciate.
                                     A  prayer.
 Dear God we thank You for Your word ,that tells us plainly that You love us,through Your son Jesus Amen.

Our imperfections. [Isaiah 6 ]

Although our Lord Jesus is perfect and sinless,when we read His genealogy,those chosen by God to be part of the covenant people,none of them were sinless.Even David was far from perfect,likewise Abraham,kings prophets,priests,wealthy or poor they were sinners,chosen by the grace of God,to serve His purpose.
   God does not choose perfect people, for then there would be no one to choose,if we are a Christian,it is totally by Gods unmerited favour,in other words by His grace.Salvation is a work of grace from start to finish,now of course that does not mean we are not to seek to be holy [ Matthew 5 v48 ].
Life is ongoing our walk will never be a one hundred percent  perfect,so there must perfect repentance.One child of God prayed,/make as me  as
holy as a sinful man can be/.
     Again let me stress God can use us even though we are imperfect to one
degree or another.If we are willing God can even bless our ministry,yes we
can be a blessing to others.When David sinned ,he repented,and continued
to serve his God,so we can rise even from most gross of failures,and still serve our God.
                                           A  prayer
Dear God ,You who are holy,we are amazed that we can be used by You
in spite of our flaws and imperfection's,we thank You in Jesus name Amen.

    

How long?[ Revelation 6 v 9-11]

In many countries Gods dear children are suffering,a person from North Korea told how he witnessed his brother being beheaded.I receive a magazine,informing me of the suffering that many of Gods children are enduring.Thousands have had to flee from persecution,and so it goes on,and on. As I thought on these things,my mind was directed by Gods Spirit,to the book of Revelation,a book in which we read of many of Gods people being
persecuted. In chapter 6 we read how John the apostle see's an altar and under the altar,the souls of them that were slain,for the word of God,and for the testimony they held.Many are still being added to their ranks,many are being faithful even unto death to this day,v11 stresses that the dying for Christ will be ongoing. We should not be surprised at this,but it of course saddens us immensely, that such suffering is still going on,and there appears
no easing of it,in fact the ferocity of it is increasing.
   In verse 10 we read,/And they cried with a loud voice saying,How long,
O  Lord,holy and true,dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?./ W Barclay describes an insanity of evil,which is involved in Gods people being persecuted,we can reason with
or hope that it will cease,no the only way it will cease is when God intervenes,like the N T Christians we cry out,how long Lord before You intervene and deal with the wickedness that Your dear people are having to endure?.
                               A prayer.
Dear Lord we ask that You will uphold,and help those of Your children who
are suffering for You,and ask that You will intervene,Amen

The Lord will provide .[John 3 v16]

It was Abraham who declared to his son, God will provide,[Genesis22v8 ],
the context in which this was said involved Abraham ,and his son Isaac.One of the greatest challenges Abraham was to face was  being commanded to
 offer his son him as a literal sacrifice.As he travelled to the place where he would do this,his son who was ignorant as regards what was really going to happen,asked a question,where is the lamb,for the burnt offering?.It is
then that Abraham,spoke those words,God will provide himself a lamb for
a burnt offering.
    Isaac was not sacrificed, and at the altar ,a ram was provided.God indeed had provided a lamb.That animal died in place of Isaac ,and in this we are taught the great truth of substitution,which clearly points to Him,who was called the Lamb of God[John 1 v29/36]. His death on Calvary was a substitutionary death,in other words He was dying for others.Philipp Bliss wrote,/Bearing shame and scoffing rude,in my place condemned He stood/.
     All mankind no matter who we are,are sinners by nature and practise,
let me stress the importance of this,for we are all inclined to underestimate this truth,and its terrible consequences.Hell is not something I or any other person has made up,it is clearly taught in Gods word, that  sinners will suffer as regards their sin,eternally .
      Through His death on the cross Christ has paid the price for our sin,so that we need not be punished,This will take place the moment we trust Him
as our own and personal saviour.
                                     A prayer.
Dear God we praise and thank You for Jesus Your son who died that we may be forgiven,and that we at last can go to heaven Amen .

Send the fire. [ James 5 v16]

I try to attend a prayer meeting each month,to pray for persecuted Christians,I am sure many people do not realise the extent of whats going on.  Last meeting we were told of a young lad of 13 who had petrol pored over him,and set on fire,and of course he died.A great percentage of persecution,is from Islam,the Barnabas aid agency makes this comment,
              /Even moderate Muslin's seem to accept the need
                for violence against infidels,apostates ,those who
               criticise Muhammad and perceived enemies of Islam./
That statement gives me great concern if it is true,and I have no doubt,that it probably is. All I can say in all my time I have prayed for many persecuted
 Christians living under political oppression,that is still going on,but Islam
gives me great concern.What can one do?, yes we can approach  our own
governments,the United Nation,the European  union, but it does not appear
to be making any difference. It appears that many Christians are in Gods sovereignty having to suffer,even martyrdom.
          So what can we do ?,we can look back in history, to the early church were many Christian suffered ,Paul was beheaded.Well getting back to my question , what can we do?,we can pray.On our last prayer meeting I was particularly touched by a young women's prayer,as she prayed, she wept'ed.
I could not understand what she was praying,but I did understand the tears,
as indeed does God, such prayers I believe accomplish much.
                                          A prayer.
Dear God deliver us from cold indifferent praying,send the fire Lord ,send the fire,in Jesus name Amen.
                                   

Requests. [ Psalm 23 v1]

Well the drain problem has been sorted out, of course I did pray, and I believe God answered.If you are facing difficulties, think on the following.
/Be careful for nothing ,but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,shall keep your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus[ Philippians4 v6-7 ]/
      Think on these words, that is the word of God for us today,and may the
Lord help us to put it into practice.
                                                 A  prayer.
 Dear we place all our needs,worries and difficulties into your hands,
  confident that You will answer our requests,in Jesus name Amen.

Small difficulties.[ Psalm 41 v1 ]

Last night as I walked into our kitchen I found myself treading water,one of the drain pipes was blocked.So I set to work and dried up the water ,but the problem that has caused it has to be sorted out.It is a problem but my mind
turned to the problems that many dear children are suffering,my problem
appears so  small and insignificant,compared what they are having to cope with.
      I pray for seven dear young Christians in Iran who are in prison for being Christians,now that's big,I think of so many who are suffering
blindness,which a simple operation could solve. Of children left with no one to care for them because their parents died of whatever,of children who are
taken into the sex trade. Keep our small difficulties in proportion,it is not that God will not help us in those difficulties,for even the very hairs on our
counted by Him.
    The blocked drain will be dealt with,but let us remember the many today
who are faced with major problems,that are not being dealt with,and let us pray,and if we can,let us help,in some way.
                                   A  prayer.
Dear God help us to keep our small difficulties in proportion,help us to see them as small reminders by You to think,pray,and help the many who are
suffering  in this world,in Jesus name Amen