A shelter in the time of Storm . [Psalm 61 ]

In Psalm 61v 1-2, we read,/Hear my prayer,O God,attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee,when my heart is overwhelmed;lead me to the rock that is higher than I./As I write these words, a severe storm is raging,garden furniture has been blown over.It reminds me of many of Gods children who are facing severe storms,in so many countries, storms of persecution.There are all sorts of storms,I was asked to pray recently for a couple ,the husband is at the early stages of dementia. Are you in a storm?well what can you do?, you can pray that prayer,  David prayed. It commences,/Hear my cry,O God,listen to my prayer/,we are assured in Gods word that God listens to his childrens prayer,not only listens ,but answers,[Psalm 107]Next we  read,/From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed ,/When I'm far from anywhere,down to my last gasp [T M]/, in other words no matter where you are,and no matter how you feel,God will hear,he is no local diety,He the God of all the earth,and He is your God.Lastly he asks to be lead to the rock that was higher than I,/God is seen as a rock[Psalm 62v2].David was praying to God to keep him safe, and secure from the storm he was in.
                                           A  prayer.
                         O Rock Divine,O Refuge dear:
                         A shelter in the time of storm,
                         Be Thou our helper ever near,
                         A shelter in the time of storm.
                                     Amen.
                               [Words by F.R.Havergal]

Regrets. [ Romans 5 v 6-10 ]

 I attended a course in preparation for me eventually being part of the
chaplaincy team at a local hospice.I found it very helpful,for it dealt with such things,as death and dying,loss,grief bereavement care,dignity and respect,listening,responding and communication skills.They were all extremely helpful,I am sure many people would benefit from such a course.
Though I found some of it difficult emotionally to deal with,as it made me focus on the death of my first wife,and how I handled it,the regrets I have in relation to how I handled my boys.I wish I could say that I have no regrets
but the fact is I have many,I cannot join in the song,sung by the little sparrow,no regrets.I am a flawed human being,but this I know that  I am loved by my loving heavenly Father.He knows the best about me and the worst,and yet His love remains constant,there is nothing hidden from Him,
but everyday as I pray and thank Him for Jesus,He whispers, Billy that's how much I love you,and that will never change.
                             
                               How deep the Father's love for us,
                               How vast beyond all measure,
                               That He should give His only Son
                               To make a wretch His treasure.
                                How great the pain of  searing loss-
                               The Father turns His face away,
                               As wounds which mar the Chosen One,
                               Bring many sons to glory.
                                     [Words by Stuart Townend]
                                   

Attending church. [ Psalm 122v 1]

Peter Adams write of Jeremiah Burroughs one of the great preachers of the
seventeenth century.He wrote a book called Gospel Worship,a series of sermons on how to relate to God.He thought the most important thing we do each week is to go to church,to listen to the reading,and preaching of the
Bible.As you sit still to listen,he explains....you come to tender your homage to God, to sit at Gods feet and there to profess your submission to Him''. The fact is we need to meet with Gods people,to hear the ministry of Gods word,by the minister.As a minister I am continually studying Gods word,I pray for guidance,and Gods help,that the hungry sheep may be fed.That is my calling,I do it not for money,glory,but because I have been called by God to do it.When I go to preach I am not going to a debating
society,I am going to preach the word God has given me.Recently when I had finished preaching,a brother stood up,this brother is a difficult chap,he
wanted to say something,I asked him to sit down,he became angry and stomped out of the building.The point is ,it would have been better for him,and for those gathered, to just to take in the message that had been preached,in a submissive manner,as Jeremiah wrote.And for our own spiritual well being we really need to take seriously,the importance of attending church.
                                            A  prayer.
Dear God we thank you for being able to attend a church,where Gods word is preached,help us to not neglect this,help us to see its importance to our spiritual well being,in Jesus name Amen.

Are you afraid? [Isaiah 41 v10]

One of the characters in the peanut cartoon always carried a security blanket
,children often need reassurance,.I remember when I was very little,feeling scared ,so I ran to were my mother was. To some extent things don't change,even though we are now adults,there are still so many things can cause us to fear.I am sure every time I preach there will be someone who is feeling fear,I am certain that there is someone who is reading this ,is experiencing fear. If you are not experiencing fear ,because everything in the garden is rosy,I can assure you that life being what it is,you will in time come into something that will cause you to feel afraid. That is why continually God  seeks to reassure his children,to not be afraid.Here the word of Lord ,a word for us all,God  says to us all,/Fear not/,hear these words,/Fear not/,because he says,I am with you,whatever you may be facing you are not facing it alone,so be not dismayed.Next we are told ,I am your God,and I will strengthen you,we all need His strength,our strength will fail but his will not.Next He says, I will help you,though all human resources fail,though all human help fail us ,He will not fail us,he will help us.Next He says I will uphold you,you will not go under,the pressure, he will uphold you Isaiah41v10].This is the word of the Lord for you ,claim it ,believe it,and rest in it .
                                              A  prayer.
Dear God you know how prone we are to fear,you know,and so today,helps
by faith to trust your word, for us today ,in Jesus name Amen.

A sure and certain way. [John 14 v 6 ]

Philip Yancey wrote the following,/Towards the end of his life the artist,Paul Gauguin,painted a huge panelled triptych[a picture on three panels]he scrawled these words in French across a corner of the painting;
'Who are we?Why are we here?Where are we going.-questions he had learned in a Catholic catechism class for which he had still no answers./
When I was young I like many asked myself similar questions,that is ,until I came back to Christ,then things became clear.The question who we are is
absurdly answered by science we are ,just another animal,The Bible tells
us God made us,in His image,that is who we are.Why are we here?God put us here,but because of sin,we have lost sight of God ,and only until we trust Jesus,we will continue to wander lonely as cloud.Where are we going?,with Christ as my Saviour,I do know with absolutely certainty where I am going,heaven here I come.
                                             A  prayer.
Dear God we thank you that in Christ there is a way forward,out of the darkness and into the light,a sure and certain way. Amen.

An earthquake day[ Luke 24 v 13-

Yesterday was good Friday,tomorrow will be Easter Sunday,but what about today?,it has no special name that I know off. In the tale of two cities,we have these words,/ It was the best of times,it was the worst of times,it was the age of seismology,a study of earthquakes.Those followers  of Jesus had experienced,an earthquake,I have never been in an earthquake but I have witnessed them on the TV,and the utter devastation they bring.People who have lived through such events never forget such an experience,they stand among the rubble.That how the those followers of Jesus,they thought this
man was going to fix everything,after all they had witnessed His power.He actually stilled a storm ,which left them spellbound and asking,/What manner of man is this,that even the wind and the sea obey Him[Mark 4 v41]
With Jesus all things would be possible,the overthrow of their enemies,that long awaited day of the Lord had come,no one would be able to stop them,no one,He would rule,and they would rule with him,even arguing among themselves who would be greatest in His kingdom[Luke 22 v24.]Then on that faithful night they had watch Him being arrested,and meekly being led away,no demonstrations of power . Surely they must have thought,when is He going set things right,but no,the unthinkable happened ,they put Him to death,and even that most horrible of deaths,a Crucifixion,and that was that.One can only imagine what thoughts where going through their heads,and it seemed there was no answers,it truly was the worst of days.They had followed a failure,now they where paying the price ,on this earthquake day.But this, in between day as they will see, would soon pass,and very shortly all would be changed,and they would be changed.the world would be changed forever,and if you hold on,maybe tomorrow you may be changed.
                                             A  prayer
Dear God,when devastation comes into our lives,help us not to give up,
help us to wait,knowing that joy will come in the morning,in Jesus name Amen.  [

Good Friday.[ Isaiah 53 ]

Today is good Friday,I wonder how many think about this,how can we celebrate and call a day in which our Saviour was crucified?.As one reads the account of His arrest,His mock trial,for those at that time it was unbelievable,it was so unfair.A man hanging on a cross is not good,it is awful,it is cruel in the extreme,after all ,here is a man who did so much good,a wonderful teacher,yet there He was crucified,like a common criminal.It is D.A.Carson who wrote a book called scandalous,and I suppose
it was Scandalous,but is that all there is to it?.No of course not,it is only
understanding the reason as to why it happened,yes it was scandalous,it was awful,but it was necessary,it was Gods only answer,to great delema,caused by sin,when sin entered the world,everything in the natural universe was effected. From being innocent ,mankind became filled with a fallen nature
with the capacity to commit awful things,things so evil,unbelieveable evil,make no mistake there is a beast within all of us.The awful consequences of our sin is separation from a Holy God,and judgement,let
me be very clear Hell is not something ,anyone has made up,no more than
heaven is made up.We can refuse to accept,the Bibles teaching,on sin,and Hell,that is up to us,but if it is true,what then?. What makes good Friday
good,is the reason, which is summed up in the words of a hymn.
                              
                             He died that we might be forgiven,
                             He died to make us good .
                             That we might go at last to heaven,
                             Saved by His precious blood.