All is well pt 2 of 2

(PT 2 of 2)

 All is well

[[ This Word holds great importance to God as he pledges Canaan to Abraham ~ Isaac & Jacob repeatedly]]

Ps 37:16 “A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked”

   Over my years the number of times I have known those who have an abundance of riches, like Richard Branson, Simon Cowell, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Roman Abramovich and so so many more, but it does not make them happy, truly happy. I grant you it might give them a softer cushion to sit on. Yet they are still unhappy, and those who don’t have much, well the saying goes like this this … ‘As Happy as a Pig in muck’

Ps 37:17 “For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, But the Lord upholds the righteous”

   Let Gods Words bring peace unto your troubled mind ~ Body & Soul. Whilst we may not actually see His ‘Rath’, but … V1 “Do not Fret”. For He tells us ‘please try not to fret I have you’ .. ‘Don’t be silly they wont harm you’. He will not beg you to not worry, He tells NO, did you get that “N O weapon formed against you shall prosper”. (Isaiah 54:17) God always uses a language that can leave nothing but His intention clear to us …

# All Is Well #

   I know a family that were faced with a group of men, who had nothing but murder on their minds, some had Baseball bats, one of them had a large pistol. Yes, the family had were Christians, after the group of men fled once the police got close, after ward it found that they had not put the ‘dead-bolts’ in place. They prayed to God for help, I can inform you today they are well and living in a new place, safe. It is sad that this is not localised, it happens the World over. Those in the News at the moment are those in the USA ...

Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn”

… WOW, this verse alone will help to quench fear, helping you feel safer. There are actually many scriptures to help bringing about peace & serenity to the most troubled of minds. God never minces His Words, Firstly to let us know that He has our ‘Six’. Secondly: He will do with those fears you have. It might be right there and then, today, or even next month, but “Fret not” For god always wants us to give ‘ALL’ our worries over to Him …

… Whether they be ..

• Paying the Bills .. like

• Paying the .. Mortgage

• Paying the .. Car & Repairs

• Paying the .. School bills

• Paying the .. Holiday payments

• Paying the .. Credit cards.

… These are but some of the bills everyone faces yearly. With the state of the World Pandemic ‘Covid19’. Now new worries are being found …

• Can I work from Home?

• How much money will I be paid?

• When I the Children going back to School?

• What state will their education be in?

   I’ll stop here because as this will depress you more than you might already be. I’m not here to do this, but simply to tell you “Do not Fret”, as we have god on our side for guidance. So please with Faith that God will give you peace in these hard times.

# All Is Well #

Ecclesiastes 8:12&13 “Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him. 13 But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God”

   So those who read or hear His word. There are so many translations, to choose from, of the Bible, might I be as bold to recommend ‘The New King James’ version to be your first, because it’s language is closest to the Earliest translation, in ‘The King James’. Before going to other such as …

• NIV .. New Internation Version

• TM .. The Message

• NLT .. New Living Translation

• AMP .. Amplified Version

… and so the list goes on. The above are just some of the more popular versions.

   One of my last portions of scripture comes from one of the shortest Psalms.

Ps 23:1-3 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake”

   No matter how mentally, or physically tired ~ worn out ~ run done ~ burnt out. God and only He can give you the healing that is needed.

# All Is Well with my Soul #

   I can go on with man many more scriptures, I want you to surround yourself with His Word, as I have shown here, also have fellowship with other Christians.

May God keep you and support you during this time

of great trials. Amen

Put the following link into your search tab let the words wash over you ….. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0dIWJ4t4Jg

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(PT1 of 2)

All is Well

   When you hear the cry .. All is well .. would you think of an Army Century at his post letting everyone know there are no new attacks, also letting others know your approaching the Century your a friend. Or, telling your family that you have no new illnesses, like Covid19 or Cancer. There is no taste quite like fresh food (even Vegetables), especially if have grown them yourself ..
Psalm 128:2 “When you eat the labour of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.”
… if you have ever grown your own produce or herbs, youy’ll know how better they taste than shop bought. The thing is you don’t need a farm or garden, just need a box and a kitchen window.

Ecclesiastes 8:12 “Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him”

v13 “But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God”

   Illness is surly one of humanity’s greatest robbers of fun ~ Energy ~ Happiness, and so much more, even to loosing loved one’s. But stop, it does not have to be, Christ gave us life .. “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” .. (John 10:10) .. come on now who would not want that? I know what I’m going to tell you next, many may argue against me for putting this. . . If Jesus, like myself who 20yrs in of broken my spine, and yet still not healed, don’t tell me God does not care, as He does. Try to think of as I try to do, ‘may be your not healed because He wants to use us as we are to witness to others’.
   

   As Christians we would have read/heard of the story where this father leave his sick son to go in search of Jesus, as he is told our Lord was near his home. . . .
John 4:47/53 “When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” 49 The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!” 52 Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household”
… Jesus must have been very frustrated, just by the language .. “you people” .. Jesus must have thought to himself ‘my message is not getting across here’, ‘do they think I’m a court jester, performing tricks & illusions for their entertainment’? Was all that God did for nought? He must have been pulling His hair out by now, I know I would have. 
   God is only asking us to have ‘Faith and Believe or Believe because you have Faith’. That is as simple as it is. In the morning let God know that He is Believed, because He has kept you and your loved ones safe over night, so tell Him …

# All is Well #

   Our Lord God will keep you safe, I was unable to find a better portion of Gods word that shows us to ‘Believe & have Faith’ than that of Psalms 37. The language there is so simple a child of 5yrs old could grasp. From the getgo .. V1”Donot fret” .. The Apostle John wrote in 1 John 4:4 4 “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” .. with God in us all things are possible.

# All is Well #

Psalms 37: 2 “For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb”

   Surly after reading this who could not help to feel more safe; secure and happier. When understand and fully grasp this, fully believe this, NO one can stand against us, so hold you head up high.

   The greatest thing is to have Faith in God guidance. He will always equip us with all the tools needed to over come any hurdles we are faced with .. Never look to anyone else .. I want for you to read this next portion of scripture a couple of time over, so that it goes in and sticks ...
37:3&4 “Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.”

WOW WOW WOW

… who would not want to do this. On this scripture alone, should have you running around with a smile as wide as the English Channel. I was once asked how in your darkest hours I seemed to find the good out of such a dark place? But it was not me, but Christ’s light, His strength is my strength, of which I give thanks for daily, He is the lamp unto my feet.

# All is Well #

   When we fret we start to our eyes off of Jesus. Then start to burn wasteful energy, instead of giving our worries over to Him. . .
37:12&13 “The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth. 13 The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming.”

   If you have ever watched a War movie, you would have heard them being told to .. ‘watch your six’ .. In other words .. ‘make sure there is no one sneaking up from behind’. God has us covered on ‘ALL’ sides, so “fret not”

Deuteronomy 8:1 “Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers.”

# All is Well #

Prayer

We worship Him in the highest, because we know the truth, let you soul sing for joy, because your free and in whom the Son sets free is free indeed. May His word be planted in your heart and produce fruit in abundance.

One Thing Lacking pt 1 of 2

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One Thing Lacking

“Lord by thy grace I have made my chance. In thy salvation

I rejoice. I was empty, I’m empty still. Thy full salvation dath

(does) fill me. Transient are all things that move, but thine is

everlasting love”

-Grosart

(PT1 of 2)

(NKJ) Luke 18:18/30 “..Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler
18 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”19 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honour your father and your mother.’ ”21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.”22 So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”23 But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich..”

With God All Things Are Possible 24 “..And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”26 And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?”27 But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”28 Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed You.”29 So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life..”

~ Jesus is equal to the need of all ~

   The above statement is one we all need to tell ourselves often till it is something has become part of understanding of what Jesus can do for us.

   In the TV series called ‘HI-di-Hi’. A slogan called out to all the campers every morning, then the campers call it out back. This would happen often throughout the day. This is a fictional TV series that has a laugh at many camps of the time, 1950’s on. The call was to let the campers know they are part of the family for their time there.

   We need to say the above often, first thing in the morning and last thing at night before we close our eyes to sleep. In this study I will look at (6) six points …

(PT1 of 2) I) An Important Question … II) A Searching Inquiry  III) An Honest Confession … 

(PT2 of 2) IV) A Testing Command   V) A Sorrowful Result … VI) A Forcible Application

I) An important Question
V18 “what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
   There is no question more important for any young Christian than this. It is clear to see that ‘Earthly-riches’ will not buy the same standard of life, when join our Lord and Saviour in Heaven. The Egyptians were big believers in bringing their wealth with themselves, sorry guys but your wealth is still here. The question still remains ‘What do you do’? Here’s one of the easiest ways …
John 3:15&16 “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

   God felt it so important, that He told us this twice over here. So why has this been so missed, in today’s message in Church. It wonderful to see a man, while revealing in his Worldly prosperity, he was so rich and could afford any luxury in life, but all was for nought, he now knows it all stays here for someone else. V23 “But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich..” You can’t but a better 2nd life, he now has realised that Salvation is a matter between Christ Jesus alone and our own souls.

II) A searching inquiry
v19 “So Jesus said to him, Why do you call Me good?”
   We all have fallen short of the Glory of God, for as much as we try we will fail, why? Because at the end of the day we are Earthly, and will so behaive accordingly. Try thinking of this picture if you will, you are awake after a wonderfully restful sleep, singing songs of worship whilst having breakfast, before the kids go off to school, and your partner leaves for work. You have never been so happy or revitalised. NO other is going to spoil this day, your soul at peace & happy. You feel a new strength, you have not a swear word in your thoughts, when suddenly whilst driving into work someone cuts you up nearly making you crash. Then B A N G you get hit in the side of the car, as the other driver runs a red light.

After the air bags deflate, you were luck and your only shook up a little, as they hit the passenger side of the car, luckily you had just dropped off the kids at schools. When …

... S N A P ...

… YOU jump out of the car, as you think of how badly the kids could have been hurt. You charge over to the other driver, screaming a bunch of swear words, telling them in no uncertain terms what you think of them.

   Now, all that serenity you had before leaving home has just evaporated, gone. Our Lord would have us understand that He deals not only with the language of the tongue, but also the deeper motives of the heart, NO matter how good we try to be, we will always fail.
V19 “So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.”

   When we come to Jesus about the matter of ‘Eternal-life’, we must come with purpose of heart, (in other words you are fully committed in your words & actions), believing that Jesus is like God divine, and He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Surely you believe this, don’t you?

III) An Honest Confession
V21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.”

   For sure this ruler was truthfully sincere when he said this as he knew nothing against himself. In today’s society it can be very hard to find someone who can be both humble also honest about themselves. There can be a peace of conscience that is not the ‘Peace-of-God’. All be it that there is for sure a character of justice, as seen in the sight of the law, although not justified in the sight of God, as it is written.
Galatians 3:11 “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”

   In Galatians 3: 10/14, goes onto talk about how christ came to release us from “the curse of the Law”. So there should be within us a sence of freedom, but a good balance of what is now acceptable. V14 gives much clarity for those in doubt .. “that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

   Due to the demands put upon them because of the law, it was broken time after time, demands that NO one was able to keep. To finish this is must be said that … “though His (death upon the cross) Christ Jesus died for us, this was what we could do for ourselves”.
Galatians 3: 10/14 “10For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

All Christians should know accept & believe planted deep within our hearts that .. “without faith it is impossible to please Him”. It is the one simple thing God asks of us …
Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” ... There is a misconception that just doing good works/deeds is enough to get into Heaven. Sorry not good enough ! The story of the Pharisees who went up to pray and many good works, but he was destitute of faith, in the stoning sacrifice.

Luke 18:11-14 “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

We lay all our burdens at the foot of the cross, as through all Him all things are possible. God bless your words to our hearts may these seeds grow to be like a mighty Oak tree. Part 2 follows next week, so don't miss it.

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The Joyful Life

1 John 1:4   “. . These things we write unto you, That your joy might be full . .”
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The joy of forgiveness is the beginning of joy

   What John is trying to tell us here is, the fellowship with Him causes us to walk in the light, in the fellowship with other like-minded believers in the one-true-God, who is light.

John 11 9/10  “. .Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him . .”

   I believe what Christ is alluding to here is that, if we have Christ living in us shining bright, His love & joy will spill out into our daily lives, thus illuminating all the shadows that cause us to stumble. This will give us Joy in the fellowship of other believers. From here we can find strength to . . forgive.

( I grew up knowing the Lord’s Prayer as thus) ..
“..Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who Trespass against us..” When, in all but he ‘Message’ version of the Bible it reads .. “..Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors..”
. . debts does not always me ‘monetary, we’re being told to forgive those who have wronged us, and them us. Day after day it will become harder, not only this, but slowly but surely, it will consume us from within, and destroying any and all Joy. Turning us into hard hearted and bitter, ending up, consuming all our Joy.

The Joy of fellowship is in fullness of Joy

In the Joy of fellowship there are 4 elements that are key, they are ..

• Walking in the Light
• The Confession of Sin
• The forgiveness of Sin
• The Cleansing of Sin

Walking in the Light .. This will never be easy, always testing you metal. Another way is to put a ‘fish’ on the back of your car. This tells everyone you live in the light, striving not to be wrong, only living right.

The Confession of Sin .. Bringing you wrong doings to God, for His forgiveness. As we may tell others of your doings.

Forgiveness of Sin. . Now we have ‘confessed our Sin, we can move on by asking for Forgiveness, as we have to ‘Forgive’ those who have wronged us.

Cleansing of Sin. . When we are saved there comes a time to be ‘Baptised’. Here we submerged in water. Thus mimicking being born, or born again, cleansing us of ‘All’ Sin.

John 3:5/7  “. .Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’. .”

Without new birth there is no ‘New-Life’.

   New Birth gives new perspective, as we can now see the Kingdom of God. Through our new birth we are introduced into a new realm, allowed to enter the Kingdom we have been born-again into. Being born-again is more than just being ‘Saved’. It has re-qualified us and opening us up, waking us up to our new life and its possibilities.

The Victorious Life

1 John 2:1  “. .My little children these things Write I unto you, that ye may not sin. . “
   How many of you have children and constantly telling/warning them against doing things that are going to harm them? But, no matter what you say they go ahead anyway? “My little children” were warned.


   The Message Bible translation “. .My little children. .” Was aimed so’s, to those who had already became so through Christ Jesus saving them. Bringing Gods children through Christ Jesus, now meant that their lives were Victorious and now had become their own possession through Faith. 1 John 2:13 “..I write ..because ye have overcome the wicked one..”

   We must always remember that when we sin, and we will sin because we are made of flesh. So sadly we will always sin, take comfort in that there is an advocate for us. Advocacy is for ever at work for us through Jesus Christ. For those sinning saint (us), of which He carries unto the father. Where He restores the saint because of the sacrifice He has already paid.

   Dr Griff Thomas once said. “If any man sin, we have an advocate. There is no allowance for sin, but there is a perfect provision in case we do sin, no need to sin ~ no right to sin ~ no compromise with sin ~ no licence, but a provision in case we do. All ships have life boats these days, whilst no ship sails with the intention of sinking. We have 2 yes 2 advocates.." Is that the Lord Jesus Christ is the direct advocate with the Heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit in John’s gospel means also we have an advocate within us all.

   Before we move on tell me this ‘What do you term as Victorious? Is it where you follow your childhood dreams and become that Fireman/Nurse? Or, is that you design something that turns you into a multi-Billionaire? Or, Is it you train hard for a race, of which you win a Gold medal at the Olympics?

‘What do you term as Victorious?

  The word of God is our road to victorious in all we do, may His blessing this message, help you becoming a winner and recieve your Gold medal for a race well run.

Amen

The Songs we Sing : “You’ll Never Walk Alone”

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The Songs we Sing

“You’ll Never Walk Alone”
Jerry Marsdon

   In the 1960’s Jerry Marsdon & The Pacemakers, wrote this song, as well as other very big hits like .. Ferry cross the Mersey .. It was the afore mentioned that I wish to explore and bring to your attention if you have never heard it before. Copy and past the link below into you internet browser to hear the song, as well as the lyrics below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV5_LQArLa0

When you walk through a storm ,

hold you head up high,

and don’t be afraid of the dark.

At the end of the storm ,

there is a golden sky and,

the sweet silver sound of the Lark.

Walk on through the rain,

For your dreams be tossed and blown,

Walk on, Walk on, with hope in your heart,

and you’ll never walk alone,

you’ll never walk alone

Walk on, Walk on, with hope in your heart,

and you’ll never walk alone,

you’ll never walk alone

   When ever the song genre, be it .. Secular .. Religious Hymns .. R&B .. Rock, they all have a message (mostly). For instance .. Rap. Though is mostly about Guns, money, killing, and cruising around in their ‘5.0’s. There is nothing to say to, we can’t take the Marsdon song in our hearts, and say thank you Lord for a wonderful song. Since this song was first aired back in the 1960’s Liverpool Football Clubs fans have sung it to the team at the beginning of and end of every match. Home or away in the league or their European matches. This has become known world wide, to the extent that now it is Liverpool FC’s anthem, letting letting the players know, you feel down after going behind, but lift up your heads and see we are with you …

“When you walk throught a storm,

Hold you head up high”

   God is always there with us through the good times and the bad. You will always come across those who believed, but now are ‘back-sliders’. They will turn to you and say, “if there is a God, why does He let there be so much pain & suffering happen to His people?” He is here I believe that with all my heart.

Isaiah 25:4 “.. You have been a strength to the poor, A strength to the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm, A shade from the heat..”

   If you ever needed assurance that God is sat there with you always. He will find always find a way to give shelter from all of life’s challenges. All we have to do is remember this simple little verse, which tells us about ..”the valley of the shadow of death” .. then goes on to say .. “ You are with me” .. The first part of this scripure is well known, but the rest is just as important ..
Psalm 23:4 “..Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."

“don’t be afraid of the dark,

At the end of the storm,

there’s a golden sky, and the

sweet silver sound of the Lark.”

   In the Psalms, he David talks of these 4 lines that whilst .. At the end of the storm .. He comforts and reminds us that .. “ You are [always] with me” .. this is something we always need to remember .. there’s a golden sky .. You will feel a good warm feeling. That makes you relax .. “ Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” .. as does .. the sweet silver sound of the Lark ..The sound is for sure a sweet silver, but it’s more than a song, lets us know the storm has passed, and spring has come.

“Walk on through the storm,

walk on through the wind”

   We should always push on through the Wind & Rain, for is able to calm both, as He did when the Apostles thought the boat was going to sink, we need never loose faith, and to push on. Whilst growing up, and even now, what did some of you want to be as a child? Fireman ~ Policeman ~ Astronaut, may be a footballer?...

Matthew 19:26 “..“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
… through God all your dreams can be possible, for He can do all this, it just takes some faith and belief.

   There was an tv advertisement about looking after your ‘Mental-Health’. It opens with a group of friends playing cards and having fun. Later, they start leaving to go home, once the last one leaves for home, the guy left turns and goes into the bathroom, then peels off a mask from his face, to reveal the true guy. You feel this was done to show how we all put a mask while in the company of others. Generally we don’t want to bother others with our true feelings. You may be in a group, but you can still alone.

   The Jerry Marsden has been adopted by the Liverpool FC fans, you will find it sung at the beginning and the end of every game at Anfield and away as well. It has become part of their history just like the stadium at Anfield.

Psalm107:28-9 “..Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm..”

“Walk on through the Rain

Walk on through the Wind

Though your dreams be tossed and blown”

Isaiah 4:6 “..And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain."

   Just when your soaked through, from your bills, when life has put you in a small boat, and set you loose in the middle of a force 7 squall, waves crashing over the side. It feels like a roller coaster without an ending in sight, and none of the fun.

"With hope in your heart,

and you’ll never walk alone

you’ll never walk alone.

With hope in your heart,

and you’ll never walk alone

you’ll never walk alone."

Nahum 1:4 “..He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, And dries up all the rivers."

   OK, I have a small confession, I’m an avid supporter of Liverpool Football Club, since I was 6 years old. This was when as a family we lived in London, because of being a ‘true-Cockney’, one being born within the sound of ‘Bow-bells’ in the east end of London. Dad turned to and said OK so which team will support, telling me he thought it would West Ham united. So I thought to myself, ‘I choose who I will support, and so chose Liverpool, which down like a lead balloon with dad. On a Sunday back then they showed a live game, now dad being a Tottenham Fc & me Liverpool, when they showed this game mum took the dog for a walk.

   Before I become to distracted let me get back on track here, lol. My biggest decision was to follow God, surely the greatest thing I ever did, followed closely by the meeting my wife, the story for another time. To have hope and faith, that no matter what the devil throws at you, God can & will there for you.

Matthew 19:26 “..“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

   It is very easy these days to loose your way in life, having the feeling of being on your own, that no-one truly knows, or wants honestly to know how your struggling. Some will say ‘call me if you need anything’, when really they are saying ‘ Don’t call me, as I don’t really care’. You wonder if the tables were turned then I feel things would be completely different, so ..

Walk on through the rain

Walk on through the wind,

with God by your side.

The Church as a new man

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The Church as a New Man

Ephesians 2:14/22 “..For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit..”

   In ancient days, the Churches character .. Ep 3:5 “Was not made known unto the Sons of man” ..It was .. “a mystery hid in God” (3:9).. In all ages god had His Holy ones, but ‘as a new man’, a new created body of Christ, though which in the “manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church” had not yet been revealed.

I’ll be exploring 3 points…

1. The Divine Plan
2. The Divine Preparation
3. The Divine Purpose

1. The Divine Plan
The was, (Jew & Gentile) “create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace”, (3:15) this new body was to be …

   i. Composed of Jew & Gentile
   This was to encompass the whole Human race, NO exemptions. The new rule meant no matter your skin Colour; Race; Gentile; no matter the Language you speak. It was made clear that, if you don’t come from a Jewish background then you are a Gentile; no matter religious persuasion, Muslim; Nazarene; Catholic. The church is now to be made up of, those ‘called-out’, this is now to be an inclusion of every Nation and people under God’s Heaven.

   ii Reconciled one to Another
   This means that there will no walls of fences to separate us from one to the other .. “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (v19) … All in one Christ Jesus, in being brought to God, each one of us is brought into Gods Symphony.

    iii Reconciled to God

“..that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross..” .. As we stand side by side with a Jew, God has stripped away all differences, and we are now all equal before God. Instead of 2, we now come together as one body, this is made possible .. “brought near by the blood of Christ” (3:13) .. The fact is we have all been saved by the grace of God. This ‘new-man’ ..
“..To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved..” (1:6)

    2 The Divine Preparation
   To prepare for what job ~ Exams or sport? Exams: the most stressful time of our childhood, even now as adults, we tremble as we live them times. Sport: Means lots of hours refining our fitness&stamina. That’s why, before this gracious purpose of God could be accomplished a great work had to be done, the work that only our Lord God could possibly do.

    i A Wall of Partition to be broken down
V14 “..has broken down the middle wall of separation..”
   In ancient days, the Temple a very sacred place, it was a place that you would have a ‘high Priest’. In the temple area was divided into 3 sections ... First .. you enter and there is an area that was set for the sacrifices (blood offering), once you pass here there is the ‘Laver’. This was made out of bronze, originally made from the highly polished bronze ladies used as ‘mirrors’. So when melted down and turned into the ‘Laver’, which the person who had done the sacrifices, they used this pool to clean both their hands and feet before entering the tabernacle. Second ..now entering the tent/Tabernacle everything is now made out of solid Gold. It was divided into 2 sections, see illustration below …

… you can see where out side the tent the sacrifices took place as well as the Laver. In the first section of the Tabernacle, is where Worship took place, the other section is separated by a thick Curtain from floor to the top/ceiling, some say it was 3-4 inches thick. Only the Priest/Pharisees were allowed beyond the curtain, as this was regarded as the Holy of Holy places and where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. This area was always kept shrouded in mystery, as you could never see in, because of the partition/curtain being so solid. No ‘Gentile’ was allowed any where near the whole area, as they were seen as unworthy.

   Now in this new creation in Christ all such prejudice, even ‘Sectarianism’, also every dividing thing was to be broken down and dismantled. To show this God tore the Curtain in the Tabernacle from the top to the bottom to show and prove only God was able to do this. The sad realism that we are still building walls, by ourselves, and continually carried with us. Out of pride – religious bigotry, and superstitions.

    ii Enmity to be slain
(V16) “..He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity..”

   The cross of Christ is God’s enmity weapon for breaking down barriers between individuals and Nations, between Human hearts and a Holy God. The news is not new but totally the opposite, God’s power has been around since God created the Heavens and the Earth, we have never tapped into it fully. The greatest of all ‘partitions-walls’ is the ‘Enmity of the mind’ of the carnal mind, and the the Wall that separated East from West Germany (known as the ‘Berlin-wall’, OR The great wall of China (that God can see from the Heavens … Romans 8:7 “..Because the carnal mind is enmity against God..” … No matter the obstacle God over comes all!

    iii. Both must be possible by the same Spirit
V18 “..through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father..” The marriage of both Jew & Gentile is not a mere expediency for a temporary end when in fact it’s an extremely vital part of God’s eternally wonder full of grace. Who would not want to have a life full of our Lords grace? I Corinthians shows us the truth….
1 Corinthians 12:13 “..For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit..”
…. Our Lord Christ Jesus is, and will always be the fountain head of our spiritual life, that flows through every member, if your having trouble thinking how much God’s grace can flow through us think of ‘Niagara-falls’. The apostle John said it like this…

John 7:37 “..If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water…” By doing this you will want for nothing else, as God’s grace is ‘ALL’ sufficient.

3 The Divine Purpose
V22 “..A new man, as a fixed abode of god through the Spirit..”
(from the Weymouth translation)

   When our Lord God brought out His people, from the land of Pharaoh, they spent 40 years in the wilderness. Now His people had no ‘fixed-abode’, at least so they thought, what they had is a tent called ‘the-Holy-place’. Does this mean, now that in the coming age, the church will be the ‘fixed abode’ of the Holy Spirit for the manifestation of the glory of Christ.

    i. All built on the One Foundation
Matthew reminds us of what a solid foundation can do for your faith... Matt 7:24/7 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”  … When Jesus instructs us to do one thing don’t be a like a petulant child, running around waving your arms all over place, stamping your feet because it’s not what ‘YOU’ want to do, just say yes Lord God. I have said this many times before, God places us where He needs us to bless - strengthen - encourage someone. Lets have servants attitude for ALL things to help others in Gods name.

Ephesians 3:20 “..been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone..”

   Paul wrote to the Hebrews Prophets & Apostles how they are to build upon the truth revealed, whether by the Holy Spirit or by Christ Jesus Himself… Hebrews 1:1-2 “..God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds..”

   In Matthew 21:42 it tells us accentually how the ‘Cornerstoner’ came to be, and the importance of it … Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

    ii. All fitly framed Together
V21 “..in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a Holy temple in the Lord..”

   In Christians we all have our Lord Jesus to depend on, for he is the ‘Cornerstone’ of our faith. Some would have you think, that us Christians, we must be obligated to God, and have to swear allegiance to Him alone. I say to them, that they have missed the point. God wants us to be free, no longer ‘bondservants’, but to those who are ... 1 Timothy 6:1 “..Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed..”

   They are individually fully-framed-together’ with their local fellow believer. Stones which do not fit with each other make an untrustworthy or uncomely structure. Christians have often ruined their testimony by being out of harmony with their brethren. So stay together, help each other with love.

    iii All uniting to make a fixed abode for God through the Spirit.
   When this Holy Temple is in the Lord it will be ready as a fixed abode for Him to whom it belongs, no tongue of Angel or pen of a scribe can tell. The day will come when the last addition will be made, and when the top stone will be put on. We have talked a lot here about stones, when the only unshakable foundation is our faith, a ‘fixed-abode’ is our hearts, always.
Zechariah 4:7 "..With shouts of “Grace, grace to it..”

    Every stone in the building is a monument of the grace of God, through Christ Jesus. This is surly ‘A New Man’, fully grown and glorified will become the Temple of the Lord our God, witness to the triumph of Christ’s sacrifice in the Kingdom that is to come, we pray.

Matt 6:10 “..Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven..”

May the Lord plant seed growth with His wonderful word

Amen

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How to Please God

Hebrews 11:6 “..But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him..”
Question: ‘What of the multitude who have heard, but not believed, to whom the word of this salvation has come, but yet rejected it’?

   There are some men who kind of have some faith, these are perhaps , in a more dangerous condition than those who have none at all, because they opt only to deceive themselves. Then fancy they are are in a state of grace, where as they are still in a state of nurture. The faith which pleases God …
. . . No Mock Faith..
. . . No Dead faith..
. . . No False Faith..
. . . No Faith in a line..

. . . No Fake News
… a man only believes that which affect his own life.
Prayer

“God grant that we may help each one each of us posses this real God given blessing”

   Without faith you are without God, for god is only apprehended by faith, for without faith you are without hope! For true hope, for a true hope eternal can only spring out of faith. And you are without faith in Christ, consequently, without a saviour, without the means of the removal of sin. Without a help with which to fight daily the battle of life against sin. So without faith we are indeed spiritually naked, poor, and miserably lost, condemned, and without a hope of escape.

   If a man is a poet, and can write fine verses, though they be steeped in lust, yet there are some who suppose that such a cultured person cannot be lost. (Song of Soloman) He who has missed this faith has missed a vital point. Had he began with that his mortality – his benevolence, had been acceptable, because in them there would have been the flower of life, the faith that makes them live, but without this, they are cold – soulless – dead mere carcases of virtue and devoid of life. Paul said this of Love .. 1 Corinthians 13:3 “.And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” .. The most self-sacrificing, and most heroic of deeds whenever they have been performed from any other motive than that of pleasing God. Without confidence in God have remained outside His acceptance.

   If a man prays to God whom he does not know as really existing, even from his own point of view, he is engaged in a senseless exercise?

• But do you believe in flexible justice? 
• Do you believe in infinite mercy?
• Do you believe in an omniscience that can not fail to see?
• Do you believe in the omnipresent that can never fail to be where you are?
• Do you believe all the … above?

   If not, you don’t believe in God. You may believe in your own idea of God, but you don’t believe in God! If you come to God, you must believe in that He is what He says He is. In this messed up World He reveals as the one God – the Father – th e Holy Spirit. Will you accept statements about Himself? Then when you pray, will you cease delivering an oration to the air and speak to Gods ear, believing that He knows every word you utter, and more, that He is reading your thoughts, that lie at the back of your words.

   We should believe that, God must bless you, that it is not a ‘may-be’, or a ‘mere-possibility’ that He will, but that, if you deliver His measure in the full conviction that somebody or other is going to get a blessing, there will a blessing for someone. Very often, just in proportion to our faith, it is done unto us.

Hebrews 11:1/3 “..Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible..”

    Without faith it would be impossible for you to please God by the way you talk. Lets put plenty of faith into all we do. If I have no troubles, where is there room for faith? How can I trust if there is nothing to trust? You cannot swim when the water only comes up to your ankles, you may go paddling about, but here can be NO swimming. But plunge into deep water, and then strike out like a mad man, now you will learn what faith is all about. When the last foot is off of the ground, and you are just trusting in the eternal God, this will make a man of you for sure, also educate you for grander and higher doings in time to come.

Hebrews 11:7 “..By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with Godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith..”

   I have heard of this Doctor who was somewhat severer in his treating his patients, but he healed a great many. A man had a bad leg, when he came to him. “Well”, said the Dr, “I will adapt such-and-such a course with that leg, and I will restore the use to you, so that you shall go away from this place made perfectly whole again.”

   He told the patient what he was going to do, but the man said 'NO. I could not bare to have that done. I will have to go to someone else'. The Doctor said to him, "your not bad enough for me to cure you yet. When you get sick enough for me, you will come back, and say Do what you like with me"… There is many a soul that is not, in essence, not bad enough for Christ yet, that is to say he thinks himself still to good to be saved in Christ’s way. 

   A man was on the beach with his family having a picnic who saw a man was drowning. The man swam out to him (being a very strong swimmer) was sinking and the spectators wondered why he did not reach out and grab the man at once, instead he swam out near to him only, but kept his distance. The he let the man go down a second time whilst there keeping his distance, after that moment he swam over to him, then brought him ashore. Someone asked ‘why he waited and let the man sink a second time?’ He replied “he was too strong for him to rescue at first, and would have drowned both of them, so I let him go down a second time and loose all strength, then I could rescue him”.

   In like manner, some of you will have go down a second time before you get weak enough to be saved. It is not your strength that qualifies you, it is surprisingly your weakness, it is Not your righteousness, it is your sin that qualifies you for Christ. Stop sinking and start living in Christ.

   That is the way to seek Him, to come to Him, we must come to Him as the living God, having a real existence, a true personality, other wise we can not come to Him. God bestows upon us His favour, His grace and the blessings of His covenant, as a gracious reward, Not because of our merit, but because of the merit of His Son (of our Father in Heaven) Jesus Christ. This we must believe or we will not really come to God!

(NKJ) Hebrews 10:23 “..Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful..”
(The Message) Hebrews 10:23 “..Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word..”

   So no matter how we dress it up the lesson is clear, you keep your faith in Him even nudge Him to remind Him. It’s not that God forgets, we have to remember every thing works in Gods time, and NOT ours. Reminding Him shows we are living in His accordance and have kept our faith by praising Him during good times and bad. By faith in God all things are possible, because greater is He who is you than he who is in the World.

May God find our Faith in Him through His Words, and see our unwavering Faith, that His faith in us will flow freely. In Jesus Name we pray.