If. [ Matthew 26 v 39- 42 ]

I visited a Christian ministry a number of years ago, they had a book where they recorded prayer requests on one page, and on the other page the answers. Now contrary to what some people think it is not wrong to ask God for our needs or whatever. Jesus said ask and you shall receive, but let us always try and remember, that our requests if they are to be answered,
they should be in accordance with Gods will. Consider the following, ' This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to His will he hears us.'[ 1 John 5v14]Likewise we are told, 'If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.'[Psalm 66 v18].These are two important aspects in relation to prayer, that we need to remember, these words are not meant to discourage us in our asking. I spoke to a person recently who had experienced a disappointment, yes she had and others had prayed believing it was Gods will, but it did not happen.
I reminded the person how Gods no, is just as important as Gods yes. So it will always be, and instead of resentment building up, the proper response should be ,you will be done Lord.

                                      Ill that He blesses is our good
                                      And unblest good is ill;
                                      And all is right that seems most wrong,
                                      If it be His sweet will.
                                             [F,W.Faber]

Are you weary? [ Matthew 11 v28-29]

I have just come in from my daily walk, and I do feel a bit weary, it reminds me of when I attended Bible college. I used to cycle there each day, when I arrived there in the morning I sink into a chair as we gathered for a time of devotion, wacked out, and the words of a hymn came to mind, 'oh to lie for
ever here'. There is a lot of energy in the world, but one senses a great deal  of weariness ,the news adds to it, the suffering of so many weary us. Bringing up a family wearies us,  so I could go, but I wont, I do not want to weary you anymore.

                          Is your burden heavy as you bear it all alone?
                          Does the road you travel harbour danger yet unknown?
                          Are you growing weary in the struggle of it all?
                          Jesus will help you when on His name you call.

                          He is always there ,hearing every prayer,
                          faithful and true;
                          Walking by our side, in His love we hide,
                          all the day through.
                          When you get discouraged just remember
                          what to do,
                          Reach out to Jesus, He's reaching out to you.

                          Is the life you're living, filled with sorrow and despair?
                          Does the future press you with its worry and its care?
                          Are you tired and friendless, have you almost lost your way
                          Jesus will help you, when on His name  you call.
                                       [Words R. Carmichael ]
                          
                       

I remember. [Psalm 121]

My wife purchased a steam map, it was made by a company called Goblin,
to my wife it  was just a steam map, to me it was much more,  over forty years ago I worked for this company. Memories came flooding back,of the many people I worked with, it was during my time there that I came back to the Lord, it was during my time there I got married. During my time there I felt the call of God on my life, and left to go to Bible college. I could write so much more about my time working for that company, it was truly significant in my life. I looked at the box the mop came in, and I discovered that the map had been made in China. When I worked there they had two factories in the UK, now it appears they are gone. In forty years so much has changed, the UK has changed, the world has changed in so many ways.
But as a Christian I rest not on the changing things of this world but in my unchanging God. He changes not,[Malachi3 v6].As a Christian I rest on God whose love for all his children will never change[Jeremiah 31 v3 ].
His care for His children will not change[Philippians 4 v19/Psalm23].His
power has not change, power to save, power to keep, power to do exceedingly abundantly above all that ask or think[Ephesians 3 v20].His
faithfulness will never change [ Jeremiah 3 v22-23],He will never leave
His children or forsake them[Hebrews 13 v5]

                               Great is Thy faithfulness,
                               Great is Thy faithfulness,
                               Morning by morning new mercies I see;
                               All I have needed Thy hand has provided,
                               Great is Thy faithfulness , Lord unto me.
                                    Words///T.O.Chisholm
                                                  W.M.Runyan.
    

Aliens [Ephesians 2 ]

A friend of told me that his family was threatened with excommunication if they did not put him out of their home, the reason being, he had left that particular church. For many years he had no assurance of his sins being forgiven, even though he went through all the rigmarole demanded of him by the church he belonged to. Everything changed when a young Christian spoke to him about being saved, he shortly after this came to an assurance of sins forgiven, when he wholly trusted Jesus to be his Saviour. In Ephesians 2 v 1ff. we have described the condition of people before they
Christians, I highlight portions from that passage,'' Dead in ..transgressions and sins/followers of the ways of the world, and of the ruler of kingdom of the air/  disobedient/ gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature/objects of wrath./without hope and without God in the world. It  is H. Moule who describes us as excommunicated aliens, and of course it shows, we are cut  of from God, until like my friend, we  put our faith in Jesus, then all will be changed. Then we will be no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with Gods people and members of God's household[1 v19 ]

                                         A  prayer
Dear God it is amazing but true that through Christ we need no longer be an alien, thank you .Amen.

Oppressive religion.[ Nehemiah 8 v10]

I read an article of a lady who was brought up in a stately home in Derry, or London Derry, whatever you prefer, 'mainly by Presbyterian staff who taught her, if you enjoy yourself, you will pay for it later'. It reminds me of a story I read once of a young minister in Scotland, where they held very strict rules on the Sabbath. The manse was situated beside a lake, the church was on the other side of the lake. It was the Sabbath, and as he started to make his way around the lake but the road was blocked. What was he to do?, duty called, so he got into a boat rowed across the lake, and took the service. Well the local elders heard about his rowing across the lake on the
Sabbath, so they called on the local minister to reprimand him. Well said the young minister, what was I to do, I had to take the service. The elders
thought on this for a while, and then one asked did you enjoy it?. Both these
little stories make me smile, and yet there is a serious side to them,maybe
that's the point, they are to serious. The people our dear Saviour dealt with
took out all the joy out of the Jewish religion, and woe betide you if you crossed the line of their oppressive rules and regulations.
   
                                    A prayer
Dear God and Father, we know that life is serious, but we do not believe
that our Saviour came to burden us with a life that is oppressive, help us to laugh occasionally, and to enjoy it,fill our hearts with your joy in Jesus name Amen.

Not with God [ Luke 1 v26-38 ]

There is an old song with the words,'' It's impossible '',running through it,yes we cant stop a baby from crying, it's impossible, yes we cant stop the ocean from rushing to the shore, it's impossible. There was a young girl who had a visit from an angel, he told her something that was impossible, she was going to have a baby. Well to her it appeared impossible, for she was a virgin, the angel explained to how it would come about, the last thing he said to her was.
                             ''That nothing is impossible with God''.

When it is in keeping with Gods will, the impossible can happen, needs can be met, healing can take place, doors of opportunity can open. Yes He can make a way where there  appears no way. You may be thinking that you are useless and fit for nothing, ignore ,reject such thoughts,for Gods ways go beyond our ways, He can lift you out of the dung hill and place you on a throne[ Psalm 113v7-8],for remember nothing is impossible with God.

                                              A  prayer.
Dear God help us to look beyond our difficulties, remind us Lord that with you nothing is impossible ,in Jesus name we ask this Amen.

The gift of reading. [ 2 Timothy 3 v 15- 17 ]

We were on a journey to visit our youngest boy, his wife and child, I was driving, I felt tired, so we pulled into a service station for a break, I had a coffee, and went to one the stores, that sold sweets, news papers, books etc.
I was looking at the shelves full of magazines, and I made a discovery,a
magazine called ,' The Oldie', it does not take much thought to realise it is a magazine aimed at ,yes you guessed, for my age group, so I bought one. It is full of many short articles by well known people, I suppose they are short
because of  my fellow oldies short attention span, I joke, but I did find it a jolly good read. Now about that attention span, it is something a preacher should always take into  account, but unfortunately some don't. Most of my reading is in short burst, I get tired unless the book is very interesting. I am always reading something, I have  a kindle, plus a number of books. I read the Bible every day ,I love short devotionals, I read four. I never did like school, but I will always be glad that I learnt to read, it opened up a whole new world for me. I read because I enjoy it, as a Christian, I love the Bible
I love to read it, and I desire more and more to understand it, I honour  it as
being Gods word , as opposed to my other books. I read today of a man who
had to wait 65years before he got a bible, I am sure he would tell you and  I, that it was worth the wait, for you see as the little chorus goes,' the best book to read is the Bible'.

                                         A prayer
Dear God thank you for the gift of reading, we thank you for the world of books, especially for the Bible, the best book of all. Amen.