Aptiva

The bible records many messages from God, via His prophets, to His people. Many of these messages are about future events, which will directly or indirectly affect God's chosen people. They call for a large dose of trust on the part of the people of God. Many imply , like Jeremiah, that the present will quickly get worse, but will eventually be restored. This restoration however will be beyond the lifetime of Jeremiah's listeners. How then did they react to this message? Badly. Few wish to hear of doom and destruction, less wish to go through it, and even less will thank you for telling them. Yet here lies the challenge, do we trust God? The same warnings carried by Jeremiah are pertinent today, put not your trust in things of this world, but instead turn to the spiritual, to God and seek His face. Yet how many of us are dong this, in the west we spend many hours earning money, or storing it for when we can't, how much trust are we placing in our own endeavours, and how muc

When reading the Bible is often easy to fall into the trap that we cannot do the things that Jesus the Christ did. The truth is the exact opposite. The same power and authority and Spirit that he used to accomplish the work of God the Father is available to us as promised by Jesus upon his resurrection. Yet even when we realise this there exists a second pitfall that awaits the immature Christian. Most desire that works that they do to be grandiose affair well noticed by man and God . However, the less well-informed about Christ's life seemed continually miss the fact that the bulk of what Jesus did was very self-effacing, quiet, and done with complete humility to God the Father's will. In fact it was in the smallest things that Jesus did that we see his greatness coming out.How he was obedient to his earthly parents . How he managed a business and paid for his family to live. How he resisted his family's desire to manipulate him. How he found time to be with God the Father

Most of us develop our Christianity along the line of our temperament, not along the line of God. Then we use the excuse that our behaviour is just because of our character. "I'm sorry, I'm just and outspoken person", we say after yet another inappropriate comment, or "I'm just built that way" after another burst of anger. Yet these traits we so easily define as "part of our character", have no place in being used as an excuse to ignore God's word, if we do then we have in fact idolised our self. Who we like to think we are has become more important than who God is calling us to be.Self worship is the most deadly form idolatry , as it plays on our desire to justify sin as something to be proud of.

God set the Jewish nation a practical expression of his mercy and grace, every seven years freedom for Jewish slaves, and every 50 years, freedom for the land. Sadly the y never really seemed to practice it. Maybe if they had they would have better understood the maker of this law, and what it taught about his character. Setting things free is what God is about, yet who on this world would rescue a fawn of the forest , who had hurt it's leg, nurse it carefully back to full health, then take it to the wolves den, and in full sight of the pack, release the hapless doe. This is why, when God saves us, He wants to place us back healthy yet away from the tearing down of the evil one. It is why God tells us to move our associates and change our ways, so that we can be returned without fear of imminent attack, until we have adjusted to our new freedom, and then and only allow us to face the enemy, but to do so with his full armour. What is your life needs a jubilee?

"The central thing about the kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship to Himself, not public usefulness to men." We run hither and thither, like ants on some well aimed, but ultimately pointless mission. Until, finally when our last curtain call is upon us, we discover, like a bad golfer, that we have been playing the ball towards the wrong hole on the course, all our skill and effort leads to nothing, for we have aimed at the wrong thing. "he with the most toys wins", says one bumper sticker, "wrong" says God. "He who knows the Son of God and obeys with love wins". The world is aiming for Hell, and off there in a hurry. Yet Christians fall for this rush of life, refusing to plan into their time, reflection, so essential for the soul. Reflection helps answer the "why" of life, giving context and framing to an otherwise frenetic life. Are you to much in a rush?

"True faith drops its letter in the post office box and lets it go. Distrust holds onto a corner of it and wonders why the answer never comes." Faith has failed to be all that it can. Until we are willing to totally surrender to the person or object we claim to place our faith within. A person may have faith that the rope will hold their weight, but only those who actually take the jump prove this statement to be true. Too often people of "faith"are in fact very far from the mark. Replacing true faith with estimated risk. Having backup plans in place, in case their faith was misplaced. The Western world is very good at holding onto that corner of the letter of faith. The Christ told people that whoever was to follow him was to give up everything to make sure he was placed at the primary position within their life. Anyone who failed to do this, he said was not worthy of him. We place our faith in the Christ, trusting that the promises he made are true. Have you let

One person wrote about Jesus, that ..."He had nowhere to lay His head, and we have made poetry out of His poverty while being extremely careful not to share it." In this western world, the need for money has become overwhelming, we are bombarded by things to buy with it, ways of making more with it, and presented with fears about what would happen if we didn't have enough of it. Existing within such an atmosphere and still maintaining perspective is not easy. I read recently, that one of the richest men in the country was depressed as his fortune had fallen by over 2 billion, he still twice that much left, but felt a failure. When your God is money, then your natural enemy is poverty, and all your efforts are placed to defeating this, your self esteem is wrapped in this battle, he was losing his! When Jesus is recognised as God, then the natural enemy is Satan, and all your efforts will be put into serving Jesus and avoiding the pitfalls of the Satan. One such pitfall i