God of all grace ( 1 Peter 5 v 10)

''and be gracious to you' (Numbers 6 v 25 ) Why would, or even why should God be gracious to any of us, and that includes  Israel.?The answer love ,consider what God said to Israel in Deuteronomy 7 v 7 -8 ,'The Lord did not set His affection on and choose you because you were more numerous than other people,  for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you'Nor was it because of their righteousness or integrity ( Deut 9 v 4 - 5 ), as with Israel of old ,so it is with  all who receive Gods kindness .Recently I have been thinking what our dear Saviour said,'when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, we are unworthy servants,we have only done our duty' ( Luke 17 v 10 ) It reminds us that it is all about grace,grace, grace, and more grace from the God of all grace..  ( 1 Peter 5 v 10 )                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Amazing grace.

A reflector . ( Matthew 5 v 14 - 16 )

'The Lord make His face to shine upon you' It is G.J. Wenham  who writes,' When God smiles on His people, they can be sure that He will be gracious to them, that is, He will deliver them and save them from their enemies, sickness and sin' ( Psalm 4 v 1/ 6 v 2/ 41 v 4 ) When Moses came out of the presence of God ,the divine glory reflected on his face ( Exodus 34 v 29 ff),though he was not aware of it. Raymond Brown comments,'This priestly benediction anticipates the time when not only Moses but all who receive God's blessing will know the 'shining face' of God's approval, experience His presence and reflect His radiance in their everyday lives'.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         A question                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  What do others see when they look at us?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Kept ( John 10 v 28 - 30 )

'The Lord bless you and keep you'.,these words are spoken to a people who had endured 400 years of captivity in Egypt,they had spent 40 years as nomads in the wilderness.How did the nation survive?, the answer comes in one word, 'God',He had preserved ,protected,and kept them all that time.After all they were his, no man ,tyrant could  change that fact.It goes further than those without,but it involved them also,they were far from being a perfect people far from it,they continually murmured ,rebelled, lacked faith,in spite of all the miracles they had witnessed.Yet the miracles of a God who loves, and loves, and loves,remained,and because He loved them ,he would keep them as the apple of His eye.Dear child of God like Israel of old we of the new covenant,are assured that we will be kept by our wonderful triune God.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    His love in time past                                                                                                                                  Forbids me to think                                                                                                                                    He'll leave me at last                                                                                                                                  In trouble to sink;                                                                                                                                      Each sweet Ebenezer                                                                                                                                  I have in review                                                                                                                                          Confirms His good pleasure                                                                                                                      To help me quite through.                                                                                                                               (John Newton )                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Blessings. ( Romans 8 v 28 )

Let me share with you a few thoughts  on the Aaronic blessing,the blessing would not come from the priest but from the Lord,who are you looking for to bless you ?,God or man?,well take your eyes of man,and fix them firmly on the Lord,then even your trials will be beneficial.We must not think of blessings in relation to good health,financial security, this is what so many people limited  it to,sadly to say even some professing  Christians ,no it is so much deeper than that. The poet wrote the following,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                I'll that He blesses is our good,                                                                                                                 and unblest good is ill,                                                                                                                               and all is well that seems most wrong,                                                                                                       if it be His sweet will.

A blessing. ( Proverbs 10 v 22 )

As Israel where about to enter the promised land ,the Lord commanded that Aaron the High Priest to declare a blessing over the people of God. Raymond Brown comments ,that for modern society ,the term 'God bless', is nothing more than,'Hope everything goes well'.But for Israel  something concrete is conveyed'. Wenham suggests that, just as our contemporaries long for success, Old Testament people yearned for blessing. For them the term was multichrome; what was in mind was explicit ,precise,almost tangible'So today as we go into another year, I pray this blessing over you.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          'The Lord bless you and keep you;                                                                                                             the Lord make His face shine upon                                                                                                           you and be gracious unto you;                                                                                                                   the Lord turn His face towards you                                                                                                           and give you peace.                                                                                                                                             (  Numbers 6 v 24 - 26 )

The minority . ( Matthew 7 v 13 - 14 )

Driving is becoming more challenging,everyone is in a hurry,I have been really trying to not break the speed limit,it is harder than you think.When your driving along and you look  behind in the mirror,and you see a long line of traffic behind, you feel like you are doing the wrong thing,put it another way,you feel that you are as it were out of step.And you are made to feel ever more so when someone flashes their lights ,telling you to get a move on.But you are doing whats right,why do they not see this?,but they don't.but you keep trying to keep the speed limit.Because many people choose to ignore the speed limit,does not make it right . Let us consider the fact that many people are not Christians, in some countries Christian are made to feel they are criminals,they end up in prison,where some are even tortured .Because they can treat Christians like this does not make it right. I remember a missionary telling us of two young Christian lads ,the only two in that school, who said in spite of the fact that they where only two ,they said they were many,and that did not make them wrong                                                                                                                                                                                                      The majority are not always right.

Adultery ( Psalm 19 v 14 )

'Adultery' is OK,so read the words in a national news paper,the writer went on to write,' Yes ,you can indulge in extra marital relations.The writer went on to explain that she was writing of mental adultery,and went on to say it had a wonderful playful aspect to it.Our Saviour said far from being a  wonderful playful thing,it was a sinful thing,equal to actually doing it physically.He said,'that anyone who looks  at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart  ' ( Matthew 5 v 28)                                                                                                                                                                                                                         A  prayer                                                                                                                                 Dear lord you  say blessed are the  pure                                                                                                    in heart,Please forgive my sinful  thoughts,                                                                                               grant me a pure heart, in Jesus name .Amen.