Planning for Christmas

I think I am quite a contented person. My Christmas present list is usually non- existent and when asked I struggle to think of things I really need. Maybe this is because I am so well looked after, that I have very little need of anything.

The whole idea of being content poses questions that we would be wise to ask regularly

Am I satisfied with my life?

Is there meaning in my life that is bigger than merely maintaining my existence?

The Bible suggests that we were not placed on this planet for our own pleasure! We are actually most satisfied when living life in the way God designed. Focusing on self is not the best way although it is our natural bias. 

The Lord Jesus Christ is the best example of the right way to live. In fact, He was the only person ever to live up to the exacting and high standards of God as defined in the Bible. In the biblical book, ‘Hebrews’ Jesus is described as 'holy... and undefiled'. BUT in addition to this He lived for the glory of his Father, read John 17:4, and for the good of the people He came into contact with, see Acts 10:38.

Driven & Contented!

One major feature of modern life seems to be people's constant ability to complain. If it's too hot we moan, if it's too cold we complain and so on. The bible encourages us to be 'be content'.  In fact in 1 Timothy 6.8 it states that if we have clothes on our back and food in our stomach we should be content with that. Many in the world do not enjoy these simple blessings and therefore those who do should be grateful for the blessings they enjoy. The same passage of scripture warns against the driving passion for wealth. The bible is often misquoted, probably no passage is more misquoted than this one. People often say 'money is the root of all evil' however the bible actually says 'the love of money is the root of all evil'. The driving desire for wealth is the problem, not money in itself.

Important Message for everyone who reads this blog!

If I could have everything I wanted would I give it up under any circumstances?

http://goodnews4liverpool.wordpress.com/2014/10/13/barrow-in-furness/

Eavesdropping!

I was sitting in a shop listening to two shop assistants chat as they sort out the clothes on the display racks.

Eavesdropping is good fun sometimes; especially when it is harmless. You can learn a lot by just listening. I've had just been reading about how upset the FBI and the various security agencies in United States are about the highly secure encryption system of the new iPhone 6. Eavesdropping will be very difficult for them when it comes to these types of phones.

Did you realise that God is always able to eavesdrop on everything that you and I think and say. There is a little verse in the bible which seemed to be seriously scary when I was a child. It is this "Thou God seest me". This verse is found in the Bible, in the book of Genesis chapter 16 verse 13. It is really a statement describing the all seeing eye of God. In the calamities of life when we think the one else notices; God does. It was a relief to the lady in this story in Genesis to understand that God saw her and her circumstances even when she thought everybody had forgotten.

Maybe you find it a relief to know that God notices and understands your circumstances even though others seem to be unaware of them.

It could also be quite a frightening thing to realise that God is aware of everything that is going on in our lives. In a slightly different context it says in the gospel of John (John 2:25) that Jesus did not commit himself unto people because he knew exactly the way men operate and the way they think.

Again there is a passage in the Old Testament that is very very frightening. Frightening in the sense that God knows me inside out and knows everything about me (yet He still loves me - see ROMANS 5:8). David, the Shepherd King writes in Psalm 139 about his awareness of God's knowledge. He actually bares his soul to God and says "search me O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts". It is a brave man who invites God to analyse the depths of his mind and to determine and understand his thoughts. But David realises that God already knows his heart and he is willing to submit to God's scrutiny.

It is because of God's knowledge and awareness that he planned the scheme of salvation through the death of his own dear Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

Before the world began God had already ordained that his Son would pay the price for sin upon the cross outside Jerusalem.

Christ died for sins, He was buried and on the third day He rose from the dead (1 Cor 15).

It is my privilege is to tell you that through this man, Jesus, is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. If you turn from your sin, turning to God and confessing that you are guilty he will not turn you away.

Please get in touch if we can help you further through our website www.seekthetruth.org.uk.

Stephen


For more posts and info visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk

Location:General Drive,Liverpool,United Kingdom

Loneliness - it's a major problem in our society!

One of the most undesirable experiences that a person can encounter is that of loneliness. Some look back to childhood days when they were surrounded by family members; there was laughter, companionship, helpfulness, mutual care and love. However the enemy, death, gate-crashed the family and one after another, loved ones were taken and loneliness followed.

Perhaps others feel the emptiness of loneliness because a spouse died after many years of happy marriage. How often we have heard the following sentiment expressed, "It’s not too bad during the day when I can get out and about, but it is when darkness falls and I am alone in the house. A house that formerly was alive with chatter and friendly banter is now silent."

If loneliness on earth for a period of time is so sad and painful, what an awful thing it must be to experience this for eternity. For every soul that dies without Jesus Christ as Saviour the only outlook is the "blackness of darkness forever" Jude v.13. Some foolhardy and spiritually ignorant people have the mistaken idea that when they arrive in hell they will meet their friends and enjoy an eternal party! Since the judgment of God will be absolutely righteous, no two people will have the same sentence allocated to them and so each will be alone for eternity. What a horrendous thought, lonely and in the dark, under the judgment of God for all eternity.

However, there is One Who can save us from such an eternity of woe. In wondrous love God sent His Son to die for sinners. He bore the judgment so that we, so undeserving, could be rescued from hell. God’s Son, Jesus Christ, experienced loneliness in His life. He was, "despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" Isaiah 53.3. We read that He was homeless, John 7.53-8.1 "And every man went unto his own house. Jesus went unto the mount of Olives". He had no comfortable shelter, "Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head" Matthew 8.20. However, when we want to see the depth of the loneliness He suffered for us, we must come to His death. As He anticipated His sufferings He said, "Reproach hath broken My heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none" Psalm 69.20. But it was when He hung in the agony of dark Calvary’s cross He cried, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Matthew 27.46. God left Him alone when "His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree" 1Peter 2.24. 

H. K. Burlingham wrote these words:

"Alone upon His cross, God’s judgment Jesus bore,

He paid in full the cost of glory evermore:

His precious blood was freely shed,

And Jesus crushed the serpent’s head!"

"The blood of Jesus Christ His [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin" 1 John 1.7.

 By trusting Him as your Saviour you will never experience eternal loneliness, but will enjoy the bliss of His companionship both now and for evermore.

For access to more articles, audio messages and 

video bible teaching visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk.

Written for FTMP by a Guest Blogger (copyright Assembly Testimony)