85. HOW TO DEAL WITH DOUBT. John 20:25

Have you ever doubted? Do you ever have doubts? Will you ever doubt? Of course the answer to all three of the previous questions is a resounding YES. You are not the first and certainly not the last person to doubt the existence of God and His Scripture. Some people, not having received what they thought they were entitled to from God, throw their hands in the air, pull out the plug and allow the baby to go down the plug-hole with the bathwater; hoping this God business will just go away, but it usually doesn’t!. It will hang around their minds and conscience sometimes for years until it is dealt with one way or the other. Once we know about the existence of God, we have to make a definite choice to accept or reject Him. He will keep pursuing us until we do. Either we get to know Him rather than ABOUT Him, or turn our backs on Him completely, and decide not to have anything to do with Him. That doesn’t necessarily mean we deny His existence, it means we don’t want to have anything to do with Him; certainly not at this stage of our lives If we choose this, He may leave us alone for a while and allow us to see how we get on without Him But remember, Death doesn’t always give a warning, Scripture says, “If to-day you hear His voice, harden not your heart” None of us knows what’s around the next corner. One thing is sure, God will always let you know when and where you can find Him. If we decide on the former, God will help us by turning-up in one form or another, to show His Love, His Faithfulness, His kindness, His power patience etc. You probably wont understand it at the time, but there will be no doubt as to who has changed circumstances to accommodate you and your doubts. And this will happen in the most unusual places, times and conditions. Just as it did with Thomas the Apostle. Thomas wasn’t there when Jesus appeared to His Disciples after the resurrection. He, like many of us, didn’t accept other people’s experiences they just weren’t good enough for Thomas – He had to have his own experience and form his own opinion. Isn’t that so like us! And Jesus made sure he got that opportunity. Notice, Jesus didn’t put Thomas down for doubting, He understands that any queries arising from an honest heart isn’t a sceptical question, it’s a search for truth. And ultimately isn’t that what we are all wanting? Especially in today’s world, and we should settle for nothing less. Therefore we need to search, find and live by it. And I venture to say the best and only place we can be sure to find that truth is in our Bibles Why? Because The World, Our countries, Our Governments, Our educational systems and even some of the churches have let us down. So we turn to Jesus Christ who is The Truth, The Life and The Way. He alone is the one we can trust. Please, Please; Don’t trust or believe what you hear or read from any other source until you have checked it out with a good Bible. A good teacher will always cross-reference their words with Scripture. The Bible tells us; that after eight days the Disciples were once again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came...stood in the midst of them, and said, “Peace be to you” Then He said to Thomas ‘Reach out your finger here, and look at my hands, and reach your hand here, and put it into my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ And Thomas answered Him with these words; “My Lord and my God” (John 20 :26-28) We glean two important lessons from this story 1. Your doubts can actually lead you to a new level of faith. When the bottom drops out of your world, When the pain of your circumstances becomes unbearable, when a shattering event occurs and doubt marches in unannounced, don’t deny it – acknowledge it. Times of doubt can be classrooms of learning when they drive you to God for answers. As you work your way through them, you reach a new level of faith. (2) Your doubts can lead you to a stronger and deeper personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The Testimony of others will only carry you so far. Ultimately you will need your own deep, strong, personal experience with The Son of God. And you can have it! You will know without a shadow of a doubt that when something happens or is achieved that could not have occurred or been accomplished without the express Hand, Will or Purpose of God. You will know and have your own experience. On that, one day you will see for yourself God in action. Don’t miss it! It will change your prospective and strengthen your faith. Thomas started out doubting Jesus and ended up dying as a martyr for His cause. Think about that!. Some of us have taken the message of Christianity and put it in a box marked ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Ever feel like you need permission to cry when you lose a loved one? Or feel intimidated about admitting, “I really don’t know for certain?” The story of doubting Thomas teaches us that not only is it okay to doubt – sometimes it’s even necessary! If you don’t know, you wont grow. You’ll wind up with somebody else’s answers, and in many cases they will be inadequate for your questions – even if you are honest enough to ask them. Has some well-meaning religious soul pushed you into a corner and tried to make you believe that your questions are an offence to Christ? If so, it’s time to listen anew to the tender words of the one who knows your doubts and fears better than you do; ‘Peace be with you.’ He said… ‘Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe.’ (John 20:26-27) It’s okay to pray ‘Lord, like Thomas, I still struggle with doubts. I haven’t got my life all together yet, not until I am with you will that happen. Thank you for accepting me in my struggles and not ignoring my questions. Thomas reached the place where he could say “My Lord and my God” Thank you for being patient with me as I strive to reach that place as well.’ So how do we get through our doubts? Like Thomas! By facing them honestly, bringing them to Jesus, and growing spiritually as a result of them. If you need help, Go to your Pastor or the Elders of your church they are always ready and willing to help. Thank you for reading these words on dealing with our doubts. Whether we have grown up inside or outside church, we all have doubts. Satan’s greatest weapon from the time of Adam has been to make us doubt Our God. But Jesus called him The father of lies, so don’t follow him, he will entice you far away from God and right into the pit of hell. Stay with the One who loves you, has given His life for you and only wants the very best for you. God Bless Phaline.

84 WALKING IN THE BLESSING James 1;22.

But be doers of the word, not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer and not a doer, he is like one who looks at his natural face in a mirror; Once he has gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.’ (James 1:22-25) in this particular Scripture, the word MAN comes from the Greek word for MALE (I am pointing this out because in most other Scriptures the word MAN means male and or female) why is that significant? Because there is a difference in the way men and women use a mirror. Men in general glance at it just long enough to get the basics done; whereas women are sometimes so intent on knowing how they look that they even carry a mirror and refer to it regularly throughout the day. But don’t miss the point here, it’s not about the difference in how men and women use mirrors, No, it’s about spending a few hurried moments in the Scripture before rushing out into your day; instead of meditating on it and allowing God’s Word to shape your character into the likeness of Jesus Christ for the day ahead. None of us know what awaits us each morning when we shut the door and leave the relative security of our homes and families, But, those few extra minutes spent in the presence of God could be of tremendous assurance and comfort if and when things don’t go quite as we expect them to during the day ahead. Think about it.!! As you read the Scripture The Holy Spirit holds a mirror in front of you, so that you can make whatever adjustments are necessary. Note the words ‘Whoever looks intently and continues in it, will be blessed’. Walking in God’s Blessing is a two-way street. we need to take care of the ‘Doing’ and He will take care of the ‘Blessing’ As a Christian, your new nature is programmed to want to obey God in much the same way as a calculator is programmed to compute numbers. When you put in the right information, you get the right responses. And when you feed your new nature with God’s Word, it’s designed to give you the right response. That’s why Satan keeps us so busy doing other things so that we wont spend time reading our Bibles. His goal is to keep us weak and ineffective. In (2 Corinthians 3:18) Paul writes; “We all ...beholding as in a mirror the Glory of The Lord, are being transformed into the same image” A mirror is simply a reflector. And the more time we spend in God’s Word, the more we begin to reflect His likeness, But it wont happen by just grabbing a verse here and there or skimming through a passage saying to ourselves “Oh yes nice story” No! God always has something new to tell us and you wont hear it by spending a few hurried moments ‘on the run’ with Him, It doesn’t have to be long, but it has to be “Quality Time” If we want God’s best, we must learn to give Him our best, that includes Time, energy, money and work. In fact all we have comes from Him. If we can’t trust Him with it, where is our Faith? That’s a good question, because it calls for a renewing of our minds everyday with God’s Word, to the extent that the Holy Spirit connects with your spirit and produces a Christlike lifestyle. Jesus said in (John 15;3-4) ‘You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Abide in me and I in you,. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you bear fruit, unless you abide in me.’ When food dries on a plate, that plate needs to abide in some hot soapy water so that all the mess can be removed. That’s why your mind needs to be soaked in God’s Word, it removes not only gross sin but hardened, baked on stubborn attitudes that will prevent you from growing in grace. Thank you for reading my take on “Living In The Blessing” I find the best thing about living this way is-- You never have to look for God or wonder where He is, because you KNOW He is always with you. And you are completely covered, surrounded and protected (Head to Toe) by the veil of Almighty God Himself. Like Daniel in the Den of Lions Like the Israelites in the Wilderness. Like Paul in the Storm or, Peter chained to two guards in prison. God is always there for you. Now, I am not saying there won’t be difficult times, there will be; but, Living in the Blessing gives you the confidence, the assurance and absolute knowledge that whatever happens good or bad, God is in control and sometimes we have to go through some pretty tough situations, not only to see, but to experience and understand the benefits of God’s Grace and eternal presence in our lives.. He has your best interest at heart Give Him a call He has promised to answer you. (Jeremiah 33.3) God Bless. Phaline. --------------------------------

83. DEAL WITH YOUR FEARS Psalm 118:6

During the great depression in the 1930s unemployment hit 25 per cent of the American population, and our country was in much the same boat. Savings accounts were wiped out by bank failures, Farmers lost their land to repossessions, and people were having trouble feeding their families. During this dark time Franklin D Roosevelt addressed his nation. In these words ‘Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyses, needed effort to convert retreat into advance.’ What most people didn’t realise at the time is that the President himself had experienced some dark hours during which fear paralysed him. He was born a child of privilege and educated in Europe, at Harvard, and at Colombia law school. But at age 39 he was struck with Polio which left him severely disabled. During his recovery he developed an extreme fear of fire. He worried he wouldn’t be able to escape because of his disability. But in time he overcame his fear, regained the use of his hands and even learned to walk again with the use of braces. He re-entered the political arena Fearlessly campaigning to become the Governor of New York. Which he did in 1929. He then went on to become one of Americas greatest Presidents. He also Joined with Britain and her allies in the victory of World War 11. In his memoirs he recalls, When he turned to God for help,courage and guidance, He received it. Are you afraid today? If you are, stand on this promise,’The Lord is on my side, I will not fear, What can man do to me. (Psalm118:6) We tend to think that successful people are exempt from fear, nothing could be further from the truth. Every generation in history has experienced fear. The first person God created was Adam, and the first recorded words Adam spoke were these:-’I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself’(Genesis 3:10) . Fear is genetic; It’s part of human nature. Studies confirm that seven of our greatest fears are; (1) Finances, (2) Health, (3) Career Concerns, (4) Parenting Struggles, (5) Family Relationships, (6) Accomplishing Personal Goals, and (7) Death. Are you fearful and anxious in any of those areas? Fear can be a destructive force in your life. One of the old English words for fear is”Sudden attack” It’s akin to an old German word that means “Ambush or Snare”, That’s what fear does it attacks, and takes us Captive. So what’s the answer? Faith in God! Fear weakens but Faith strengthens. Fear imprisons, but Faith liberates. Fear Paralyses, but Faith empowers. Fear disheartens, but Faith encourages. Fear sickens, but Faith Heals. I understand that the words”Fear Not” appear 366 times in Scripture, if that is so, God has given us a ”Fear not” for every day of the year and also one for leap year! And here’s one of them, “Fear Not for I have redeemed you, (bought and paid for you) I have called you by name, you are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1). Today God is with you and He promises to be with you in every situation you face. If you allow it, fear can be devastating. Why? Because it breeds more fear! And the most insidious thing about fear is its ability to exaggerate. C .Everett Koop Former Surgeon General of the United States, Observed, ‘People just have an inappropriate sense of what is dangerous . Do you fear flying? The fact is you are more likely to die from choking on a piece of food than in an air crash in a commercial aeroplane, Are you afraid of dying in a robbery? You are more likely to die playing sport than be stabbed to death by a stranger. How about Sharks, afraid of them? More people are killed by farm animals than by sharks each year. What about surgery? You are much more likely to die in a car crash than surgical complications. Seldom do our fears come to pass. In our minds we conceive disasters that will likely never happen. And when they don’t occur, we think, That was a close one! The truth is – Our thoughts were the only thing creating potential danger for us. So how should we deal with our fears? By practising the truth of this Scripture. ‘You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast’ (That is committed and focused on You – in both inclination and character) Trust confidently in The Lord forever. (He is your fortress, your shield, your banner) For The Lord God is an everlasting Rock. The Rock of Ages (Isaiah 26:3-4) To enter the Promised land the Israelites had to cross the Jordan river at the stage of its flood. Were they afraid? How would you feel? Nevertheless, the only way to reach their goal and destiny was to do the very thing they feared! When you let fear take hold, you become more fearful and end up creating a debilitating cycle that works like this; fear breeds lack of action; lack of action breeds lack of experience; lack of experience breeds ignorance; and ignorance breeds fear. It makes you afraid to do the very thing that would be beneficial to you. Taking action means you have to step into the unknown and do the untried – and that can be scary. But, if you give in to your fears, you wont move forward. You don’t receive the benefit of what you avoid, nor do you gain the valuable experience that will improve your life. As a result, you will remain ignorant about that area of life, and ignorance always breeds more fear, making it that much harder to push ahead when you want to achieve your goals. Henry Truman remarked; “The worst danger we fear is the fear of being paralysed by doubts and fears, this danger is brought about by those who abandon Faith and sneer at Hope...by those who spread cynicism and distrust to blind us to our great chance to do good for all mankind.’ Someone once said;; “Fear is the Darkroom where all our negatives are developed. It’s interest paid in advance on a debt you may never owe. And it undermines Faith – in yourself, in others and in God. Charles Spurgeon once said;”Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its problems but today of its strengths” As long as you allow fear to take the wheel, you will never get to where God wants to take you or develop and discover the talents He has placed within you. And here’s the great thing, God will help you to confront and conquer those fears that control you. David the Giant Slayer, author of Psalms and Israel’s beloved King, often found himself with his back to the wall, This is when he wrote:-Make haste to help me Lord” (Psalm 38:22), “Lord, be pleased to deliver me” (Psalm, 40:13), David knew who to turn to, “The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid” (Psalm 27:1). When God is the source of your strength you can face your worst fears, and overcome them Sometimes the thing we fear does happen, and if we haven’t learned how to trust God to bring us through, we tend to use our own instincts, running away or mistakenly believing they will just go away, but they don’t. So what should we do?. We can’t wish or wait for it to go away,The only way to escape this prison of fear? Is action. You can only work your way out. Every time we escape that prison of fear we grow stronger. Fear has no upside, and no benefits, it pushes us in the wrong direction while producing nervous energy as you fight its paralysing effects. Don’t let fear rob you of your God-given potential. Learn to trust God in small things, while believing Him for greater things. Start stepping out in your small fears attempting to do them in His strength and you will find God will grow you into trusting Him in bigger things. It works for me!!When you succumb to fear you are already beaten, and you’ll always stay where it’s safe, and that’s sad. Because you can’t reach your potential by always staying in a safe place. Shakespeare said “Our doubts are traitors, they make us loose what we oft’ might win by fearing to attempt’. What would you attempt in life if you were sure you couldn’t fail? Before answering, read these words of David. ‘When I cry out to You...my enemies will turn back...I know because God is for me.(Psalm 56;9). Believe that God is on your side today, then step out and attempt the thing you are afraid to do! You’ll never be the same again – because You are liberated. Thank you for reading these thoughts on not allowing your lives to be ruled by fear . I have carried this one verse in my mind all my life, and even when my worst fears are realised (and sometimes that happens) I know “God is with me so what or whom should I fear”. A strong faith will dispel all your fears. So work daily on your Faith in God and be fearless. God bless, Phaline. -------------------------------

82. GOD STILL SENDS ANGELS. Hebrews 1:14

God can come to you in varied forms. When Jesus appeared to His disciples and stilled the storm, they thought He was a Ghost. In the book of Hebrews (1:14) The Bible says Angles are “ministering Spirits sent to those who will inherit salvation” Have you ever seen an angel? They are not always dressed in white with dramatically arched wings; sometimes they are so ordinary that they are overlooked. Hebrews 13:2) says ‘Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing, some people have entertained Angels without knowing it. Perhaps you think God doesn’t send angels these days, because He has given His Holy Spirit to help, protect and guide us. Not so. Sometimes your intellect can undermine your faith. Remember, God sent an Angel to deliver Peter from prison on the eve of his execution. On his way to Roam, Paul was on a ship destined to be destroyed by a ferocious storm. But God sent an Angel to assure him that he would survive it. So Paul announced to the crew and passengers; ‘Take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, Saying ‘Do not be afraid Paul’...’Therefore take heart, men, for I believe it will be just as it was told me’ Acts (27:22-25) You may not be able to see angels, but you can be certain they can see you, Indeed they never take their eyes off you. Just read Matthew (18:10). In what situation will God send an Angel to help you? 1. When those you love and trust disappoint you. Genesis (21:18) We can only imagine how Hagar felt when in a joint decision Abraham and Sarah got her pregnant in order to try and fulfil God’s promise. Then when Isaac was born a year later she and her baby were sent away weeping and crying with no child support, she believed they would both die. Hagar left baby Ishmael under a tree and walked away because she couldn’t bear to see her baby die of hunger and thirst. But God sent an Angel to tell her that her son was a child of destiny from whom would come a great people. 2. When you are facing embarrassment and can’t defend yourself, Mary intended to get married first then have a baby, but God had different plans for her. Not only was she facing public humiliation, but according to the Law she should have been put to death. But in Luke (1:34-38) we read that God sent an Angel to vindicate her and tell her that she was in the centre of His Will 3. When you are grieving over the death of someone you love and fear for your future. Read Matthew (28:6) Mary Magdalene loved Jesus more than life itself. So when He died and was buried. She was distraught and heartbroken. That’s when God sent an Angel to announce. ‘He is not here. He is risen’. If you allow it to, the cynical world will tell you that God doesn’t send Angels these days, but believe God’s Word, and believe me I’ve experienced the work of Angels in my life very often and still do quite regularly. God is very good at sending His messengers to and for us when the situation demands it. What are some other situations when God may send His Angels to help you? 1. To get you out of trouble. Lot was living in Sodom, a city about to be destroyed because of its sin. That’s when God sent angels to rescue him and his family from impending doom. Lot listened, obeyed and survived, but sadly, his wife didn’t and she perished. (See Genesis 19) 2. To change your life’s direction. ‘Moses was tending Jethro’s flock. Right there the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush’ (Exodus 3:1-2). Moses thought his life was over. He started out in a palace, and ended up in a pasture. But every experience both good and bad, equipped him to lead the greatest migration of people in history. 3. When your facing your biggest challenge. In order to enter the promised land, Israel first had to conquer its largest city. Jericho. And Joshua hadn’t a clue how to do it. That is when God sent an Angel with a plan that would literally bring down the walls (Joshua 5:14). 4. When you have given it your best shot and are ready to give up. After his spectacular victory over the prophets of Baal on mount Carmel, Jezebel put out a death threat on the prophet Elijah. How did it effect him? ‘I have had enough, Lord,” he said “Take my life” Then he lay down under a bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said ‘Get up’ (Read the rest of the story in 1 Kings 9. very interesting) Today God still sends angels to help us in and out of the battles in our lives. When you go through something you can’t explain, look for God’s Angel in the experience. Thank you for reading about God’s (Angels) Messengers, I hope you get something out of it. Although Angels are not given much space in the Bible, or surrounded with Doctrine or Dogma, their timely arrivals are certainly worth praying, thinking and reading about. There are many more instances in Scripture where the arrival of Angles come into their own to change situations. God bless, Phaline. ------------------------

81. LEARNING FROM MOSES Hebrews 11”24.

When reading through the life of Moses we find there are four issues we need to come to grips with in order to succeed in life. First; Know who you are. (Hebrews 11:24) tells us ‘ Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter’ Moses was born a Hebrew, but was raised an Egyptian. Even though he was groomed to be second-in-command in Pharaoh’s Kingdom, Moses knew God had called him to free His people and lead them out of Egypt. So, He had to make a choice; ‘What am I going to do with my life? I am not who these people think I am.’ Moses had every comfort he could wish for in the palace, and he could have stayed there. What would you have done? Moses made the right decision, but it meant spending the next eighty years of his life in the desert. Every one of us must come to grips with our identity. All of us have a deep need and desire to accept who we are. Trying to be who we are not is a quick way to get an ulcer, because it puts us under so much pressure. Moses recognised this tension and decided to stop pretending. It’s liberating when we stop trying to be somebody we are not and accept God’s plan for our life. How would we have remembered Moses today if he had stayed in Pharaoh’s court? Maybe as an Egyptian mummy in some museum or maybe not at all! But he made the hard decision and, in the light of eternity, it was the best one. Learn from him. Secondly; Take responsibility for your life. In the second part of the above scripture we read’ Moses chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.’ He chose to go God’s way, and refused to be anyone but himself. The principal here is ‘You can always replace a negative with a positive’ You don’t just stop doing something, you start doing something else. The Christian life isn’t a matter of negative rules and regulations. It’s a matter of relationships – With God, with other people and with yourself. Notice, Moses made his decision ‘when he had grown up’ It’s a mark of maturity when you can settle the issue of personal responsibility. When Moses was a baby it was okay to postpone the decision about who he was. But when he became an adult he had to make a choice; to assume responsibility for his own life and move ahead. It’s always easy to blame others; ‘I’d go God’s way if my boyfriend or girl friend or, mother or father, husband or wife would do it too.’ or ‘I’d be a better person today if I had better parents.’ You can’t choose all the circumstances that come into your life, but you can choose whether those things will make you a bitter person or a better person. Ultimately no one can ruin your life except you! The devil can’t because he doesn’t have enough power – and God won’t because he loves you too much. So choose to go God’s way. Thirdly; Determine your problem. The book of Hebrews tells us in (Hebrews 11;26) Moses regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ; of greater value than the treasures of Egypt. Because he was looking ahead to his reward. Much of the world’s wealth at that time was stored in Egypt, so Moses already had what most people spend much of their lives trying to get; popularity, pleasure and possessions. Yet God asked him to do something that was more important. - and he did it . It was a matter of priorities. Moses could easily have rationalised, “The slave situation is bad, so I’ll stay in the system and work for reform’ Most of us want to be liked, but there is one big problem with popularity. It never lasts.. You can be a big name in your city or town for a while, but in just a few years, most people don’t even remember you. Then there’s pleasure; Is pleasure wrong? No, not unless it’s sinful. Then comes possessions; And there’s nothing wrong with material success either. Some of the greatest people in the Bible were extremely wealthy including Abraham and Solomon/ But Jesus said in (Luke;12–15) ‘Life does not consist of an abundance of possessions’ Ultimately, wealth doesn’t bring happiness. Ask the people who have it this one question, how much money would it take to make you happy? The answer is always ‘just a bit more’ Money is to be used, - not loved! God wants us to use things and love people. But if we love things, we will end up using people. Moses had his priorities right; he devalued material things because there was something more important in his life. - namely, God’s Will. Fourthly; Persevere when life gets difficult...In (Hebrews:11:27 we read “By faith… he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.” We can sum up the life of Moses with these two words “He persevered.” It’s a fact of life that there’s no gain without pain, no advancement without adversity and no progress without problems. Moses understood that difficulties come into every life and he knew how to respond to them correctly and move on. And we must learn to do the same. As followers of Christ, we should never let problems defeat us; Instead, we should use them as an opportunity to draw closer to God. Someone once said the only time problems should get us down is when they get us down on our knees to pray! God allows specific situations into our lives to bring growth. And without perseverance we just wont grow. Notice the words”By Faith... he persevered.” Faith in what? Faith in whom? Faith in God! We are not talking here about some white-knuckled, flesh-based form of self-help. No we are talking about the fact that when God calls us to do a job, He equips and empowers us. He goes ahead of us, providing everything we need When you say yes to God’s plan for your life, you can stand on this promise; Found in (Romans 8:28) We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purposes.” So you must—a.) Know who you are: (b.) Take responsibility for your life (c.) Determine your priorities. And (d) Persevere when life gets difficult. If you live by these four Bible truths, you will live a life that is truly blessed by God. Thank you for reading these observations of this great man of God. In the end I believe it’s a life of submission and dependence on God that determines our destiny. The more we read His Word, the more we get to know Him, the more we know Him, the more we get to love Him and the more we love Him, the more we get to trust Him in life. So Daily, read, learn and trust God’s Word, (your Bible). That’s the only trustworthy way to know the truth about Life, Death and Eternity. it’s God’s ultimate Word for you and me. In the world today. God Bless. Phaline.

80 NOT QUALIFIED TO JUDGE Matthew 7;1-2

Judging is like breathing - it comes naturally and sometimes the worst critics are Christians who use Scripture as their weapon of choice. So if you are the one being judged, try to remember these four things; (1) Show humility. If you’re guilty, admit it to God, yourself and the appropriate other person or people you have judged. Confession brings honesty and spiritual growth see (1John 1-9) (2) Know your Bible. Satan took Scripture out of context to try to trap Jesus. But Jesus knew the context and didn’t fall for it (Luke 4:1-13) When the Bible is taken out of context, remember God isn’t aiming at you. And when you are rightly judged by God’s word, don’t despair: It doesn’t mean He’s mad at you. He loves you – just as you love your children even when they disobey you, then use their actions as “teaching moments” to develop them. “The Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son” (Hebrews 12:6) (3) Don’t be goaded into trying to defend yourself. Judgemental people aren't interested in facts - They just want to feel good, while making you feel bad. Pick your battles wisely and don’t waste time on the unimportant. Here is how Paul responded to His critics; ‘I care very little if I am judged by you or.. any human court’ (1 Corinthians 4;3) (4) Don’t volunteer for the jury. If God doesn’t find you guilty, don’t judge yourself. Follow Paul’s example; “Indeed, I don’t even judge myself” (1Corinthians 4;3) If you are wrong, confess it and, by God’s Grace correct it. Then make up your mind to live your life free from condemnation. If you are the one doing the judging, remember this timeless principal: What goes round comes around. Jesus said in (Matthew 7:1-2) “Do not judge…For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged and with the same measure you use it will be measured to you. It’s called the law of reciprocity and it guarantees you will get back what you give. It’s not a threat; it’s an immutable law, just like the law of gravity. But, you say, “I am honest; I just tell it like it is, and besides, that person’s sin needs to be exposed.” This is not about your honesty or their sin, it’s about God’s Word. That forbids judging. You may be right and they may be wrong, but judging puts you in violation of Scripture. And that is what sets you up to be judged.. Question; What if the other person has already repented and received God’s forgiveness? Think about it; The worst kind of sin is judging sin God has already forgiven and forgotten, see (Isaiah 43:25) When we judge others, we are looking in the wrong direction, and avoiding what we don’t want to see – our own shortcomings. In (Matthew 7:3 Jesus also said “Why do you look at the speck in your brothers eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? Whatever their speck is, it’s God’s business - not yours, or mine, Your plank is your business! And in ( Matthew 5:7) Jesus also said “They are blessed who show mercy to others, for God will show mercy to them. So start investing in your own :Mercy account” You will need it soon enough. We are all sinners, and the sooner we realise that the better off this world will be. Some of us have sins that are out there for everyone to see, others of us have our sins hidden, but only from other people, however, you need to know, God sees them all and deals with each of us accordingly; sometimes publicly and sometimes privately, but one thing is certain, they are all dealt with. So, as with all sin, the best thing we can do after understanding our guilt is to… Turn immediately to God and the one we’ve judged and express our sincere sorrow for judging them, that’s the only way we can stop judgement on ourselves before it hits us. It’s also the easiest and quickest way of getting rid of the guilt of judging others. Thank you for reading about how to deal with “Judgement” you are not the first, and you wont be the last Christian to have to deal with this problem. It’s just another stumbling-block along the rough road which we have to recognise, climb over, get around and deal with; along the narrow road to our final destiny where the open arms of a loving Savour is waiting for us. God Bless. Phaline. --------------------------------

79. The Grace Of “Living Water” (John: 4 10)

When the Samaritan woman at the well offered Jesus a drink of water, He replied, “You don’t know what God wants to give you and you don’t know who is asking you for a drink, If you did, you would ask me for the water that gives life.” (John 4:10) Jesus routinely showed mercy to people who least deserved it, and this woman was one such a person. (In the opinion of most.) Today I am asking this question of us all, How do you and I measure up when extending God’s Grace to others, are we gracious, or do we take it upon ourselves to dole it out sparingly? Jon Walker says: Grace allows people to make choices...it’s free...flowing.. Unencumbered by guilt or shame. it says, ‘I know all about you, and I still love you’...most of us, if we are honest, function as if God were stingy with His Grace We fear His punishment.. We fear He, like the school Head master is walking the corridors of life, taking down names, but God already knows who did what and who’s to blame, and He loves us anyway. His interest is in redeeming us, not in keeping us on the hook for our sins. Unfortunately, many of us Christians live our lives as if we were still on the hook.. therefore we have to keep everyone else on the hook as well, we use weapons of the flesh – the sarcastic comment, the angry stare the raised eyebrow – to get people to wise-up and live right. By contrast, The Woman at the well went back to her village and said, “Come see the man who told me everything I ever did (John 4:29) Nothing was hidden from Jesus, Yet, He communicated in such a fashion that she left feeling loved and accepted. That’s God’s Grace!. Recently reading Chuck Swindal I had to agree, “Many of us believers are intolerant of those who don’t fit our mould - an attitude that reveals it’s self in the stoic stare or caustic comment. Such reactions will thin the church ranks faster than a fire in the basement or flu in the pew.” Paul rebuked the Galatians for “Deserting Christ” (Gal 1:6) “nullifying the Word of God” (Gal 2:21) and becoming “bewitched by legalism” (Gal 3:1) Sure there are limits to freedom. Grace does not condone licence … The opposite of legalism isn’t ‘do as you please’ But the limitations are broader than most of us realise. I can’t believe for example the only music God smiles on are High brow or hymns, nor do I believe the necessary garment for entering the veil is a suit and tie...Let’s remember who gets wound up over outward appearances It’s not God, “He looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Jesus reserved His longest and strongest sermon for the legalists – present day Pharisees. When it came to self righteous showing off, Jesus pulled no punches. He found it was the only way to deal with those who hung around places of worship destaining and despising others. No less than seven times He pronounced “ Woe to you” Because that’s the only language the Pharisees understood.. while we can’t and don’t need to accept inappropriate behaviour, dress, language or uncleanness in or outside church, we need to remember, grace is a gift from God which not only identifies us as good people of God, but helps us to show Jesus for the loving, understanding and accepting God that He is. Grace also tells us that gentle guidance and allowances should be made for the mentally and or physically handicapped, such people God loves more than He loves us (if that were possible) They have a special place in the heart of God. So love them and don’t disparage them, or you may find yourself with a large stone around your neck in the middle of the sea.!! And for those of us who think we have it all together ...and can get away with crossing the borders in the above categories, remember, that due diligence plus soap and water are easily procured.. I still remember an elderly teacher always ending our weekly “Health and Hygiene” class with these words “Never allow a few sprays of perfume to taker the place of a good shower.” Good advice.!!! Thank you for reading these words of “Living Water Grace” Water is a wonderful commodity, It can clean both the inside and the outside of our bodies, it’s no wonder Jesus used it in so many of His miracles and dealings with the people., He changed water into wine, He walked on it in the sea, He multiplied the catch of fish, He spoke to Nicodemus of the importance of being Baptised with water and the Holy Spirit, and what a cup of water given in His name would do for us. Yes, Jesus took something as ordinary as water to teach some of His greatest lessons. Also in the old Testament we can see God doing the same thing, The flood, the crossing of the red sea, and the water from the Rock. There are many more references to water in Scripture, well worth doing a study on. God bless us all as we look to His Word for “The Living Water Of God’s Grace.” Phaline