God bless you!

Prayer

Our thanks go out to you, O Lord, for the gift of your love to us. Amen

The Song Of Mary

Jon Watson — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The Song Of Mary

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 24th December 2022

Passage: Luke 1:46

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You have to marvel at the way in which Mary, the mother of Jesus, responded to the message God brought to her telling her that she would be the mother of the long-awaited Messiah. Yet she would have to go through misunderstanding, and the terrible trauma of seeing her first-born son savagely beaten and then crucified — a terrible death. But that was all in the future. Some months before the birth of Jesus she visited her relative Elizabeth, and she sang these words at the top of the page, recorded in Luke 1:46, in humble delight at God's goodness for his people in sending a Saviour for her and for them.

As we look forward to Christmas Day we too should remember the event of Jesus' birth with humble thankfulness to God and remember among all the joy and thankfulness there is the tinge of sadness that Jesus Christ, the Holy Child from heaven, had to suffer so much in his time on earth — all because of our sin and the world's brokenness. Charles Wesley wrote: "Come O Long expected Jesus, born to set your people free! From our fears and sins release us, Christ in whom our rest shall be."

May we all be able to rejoice because the long expected Jesus has come so that as we celebrate Christmas together we can praise and thank God for such an amazing message that set Mary singing and all the world-wide church joining in her song.

May this last sleep before Christmas be a peaceful one!

Getting Ready For Jesus

Jon Watson — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Getting Ready For Jesus

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 23rd December 2022

Passage: Luke 2:4-6

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Getting ready for the birth of a baby is usually a busy and an exciting time. Care is taken to have everything in place so that, if all goes well, the newborn child will be welcomed home with everything ready for him or her. When we read about the preparations for the birth of Jesus it is quite a different story. Although many of the usual preparations could not be in place for the baby's arrival yet, all that happened fulfilled what God had planned. Joseph did everything God asked him to do. The Roman authorities demanded that all the people go to their home towns to be counted in a census and that was why Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem, just as the prophets had foretold. God had everything in place. You can read all about this in Matthew chapters 1 and 2 and in Luke chapter 2.

At this time of year I'm quite sure you are getting everything ready for Christmas Day — food, presents, cards, a host of things that we have 'tagged on' to the celebration of Christ's birth. With it all we need to be sure not to forget the Lord Jesus. As it is said, 'he is the reason for the season'. Let's put Jesus first in all the preparations.

Prayer

We thank you, O Lord, for the coming of the Lord Jesus. Help us to praise and honour him. Amen

Commandment No. 10

Jon Watson — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Commandment No. 10

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 22nd December 2022

Passage: Exodus 20:17

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Now I know it's getting near to Christmas so why am I writing about the Ten Commandments? I'm asking us to think about the Tenth Commandment so that you won't spoil your Christmas by being jealous about what other people might get as presents and you didn't! Jealousy spoils everything. Mind you, there is a good jealousy. The Bible tells us that God is jealous, meaning that he cares very, very much about the honour of his name and the good of his people. In that sense we can say God is careful about how we think of him. He alone is God and we must not worship any other so-called god.

But there is a bad jealousy, meaning envying what someone else has or, as it is sometimes called, 'coveting' what someone else has. The Bible says "Don't set your heart on anything that is your neighbour's." If someone is to get a bigger or better present than you may get at Christmas, don't be jealous — it will spoil your attitude towards the other person. That is not good. In one of his famous sayings Shakespeare wrote: "O! Beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-ey'd monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on." In other words it spoils everything, especially you or me if we are jealous. So let's be content and happy and look forward to a happy and blessed Christmas. It's not about presents after all!

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to set my heart on pleasing you most of all. Amen.

Proclaiming The Word Of The Lord

Jon Watson — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Proclaiming The Word Of The Lord

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 21st December 2022

Passage: Acts 15:36

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How would you describe what the minister or preacher does at the sermon time in church? You get a good clue in the verse above! Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed the word of the Lord in all the places they had visited. Proclamation is preaching — it is announcing publicly what God wants us to hear.

The Apostle Peter used the word proclamation when speaking about the prophets foretelling the coming of Jesus (Acts 3:24). It is also used when we read that the Lord's Supper 'shows forth' (proclaims) the death of the Lord Jesus. Going to church should take on a new meaning for us if we took seriously the expectation that we were to listen to the proclamation of the word of God. It is not something to be just accepted as another part of the service — it is the main part — it is the public 'sending forth' of God's eternal word.

As we are coming up to Christmas let's remember that God proclaimed Jesus as the great Messiah through whom all the promises of salvation were to come. It was a proclamation of Good News to a dying world — and it still is. Let us be thrilled by it!

Prayer

Almighty God, we pray that you will bless the proclamation of your word wherever it goes out. Amen.

Jon Watson — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The Marks Of A Christian's Life

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 15th December 2022

Passage: 2 Peter 3:11

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There is an old saying that "We are the sinners' Bible, we are the scoffers' creed". In our day, when so many people do not go to church, that saying is really very important. The only contact many people may have with Christianity is you! Someone has said that a 'saint' is someone who makes it easy to believe in God. A life that has certain 'marks', a certain character and personality that mark him or her out as special is the kind of person God wants us to be. Peter mentions two special words in writing about the Christians he had in mind. They should be holy and godly. The word 'holy' sums up the kind of life we should be living — clean and pure in mind thoughts and words. The word 'godly' refers to the attitude we have to God — an attitude of humility and reverence that shows just how great and how good God is.

In one of his poems, Robert Burns wrote: "O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us, To see oursels as others see us!" So if you are a Christian, how do you think others see you? Can others see Christ in you? Can they see holiness and godliness in you? These are very challenging and personal words. I speak to myself as well. We must be signposts pointing people to Jesus. God bless you as you do that!

Prayer

Lord, I know I can't be a good and true Christian without your help. Please live in me so that your life will shine through me. Amen.

Does It Really Matter What I Believe?

Jon Watson — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Does It Really Matter What I Believe?

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 14th December 2022

Passage: John 14:6

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I was reading today about a Presbyterian church in America where about 10% of those who attend may be Jewish, atheists or agnostics. They are admitted into membership as "Associate Members of the Church" and even those who are full members don't need to believe the fundamentals of the Christian faith.

While we must, and do, always welcome all who come to church, it is quite another thing to admit people to membership in the church if they do not believe in the authority of the Bible and the whole teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ. It does matter what you believe and the church would be doing a bad thing if it said to anybody that you can believe what you like and still be considered a member of the church.

You see, Jesus makes very serious claims in the Gospels such as the verse at the top of the page. There Jesus says he, and only he, is the way by which we can come to God and find the truth and the life that is acceptable to God. No doubt there are many people who enjoy the warmth and companionship that they can find in church, but church is more than a social club — it is a gathering of people to worship God; and to worship him acceptably, we need to believe and follow the teaching of Jesus.

Prayer

O Lord, it is vital that I believe your word — help me to put it into practice too. Amen

Christian Trials

Jon Watson — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Christian Trials

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 13th December 2022

Passage: Psalm 49:5

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Almost every day we get news of terrible things happening to Christian people within countries like India, China, in Africa and several Middle Eastern lands. There seems to be no end to suffering that is inflicted upon innocent people simply because they love and serve their Lord, and are different from those in power. For too many people this world must seem a horrible place.

When we think of that it may seem a bit trite to say with the writer of Psalm 49, "Why should I be afraid of bad days?" Very many people are afraid of bad days because they suffer so much. So, was that writer wrong to say what he did? I don't think so — and I will tell you why.

God knows the wrongs and the suffering that people have to put up with and he cares for all his people who are caught up in the conflicts going on in the world. And God has a day when all who practise evil and inflict suffering on others will die, no matter how powerful and rich they may be in this life, and God will then hold them to account. "But God will save my life and will take me from the grave" (v15). That is the assurance of ultimate salvation given to every believer in Jesus. The memory of the pain rejection and persecution will be forever wiped away and God will give the joy and the glory of heaven to those who endured so much on earth in his name.

Prayer

O Lord I pray now for all those who are suffering because they are Christians. Please keep them strong in their faith and help them. Amen.

Cheating

Jon Watson — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Cheating

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 12th December 2022

Passage: Genesis 31:6-7

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The words written by Sir Walter Scott in his poem Marmion are very, very true: "O what a tangled web we weave, when first we practise to deceive".

The story in the book of Genesis involving Jacob shows a whole web of deceitfulness, cheating and being cheated. You can read the story if you have time in Genesis chapters 27 and onward. Jacob became a practised cheat and he found himself cheated. How true the New Testament words are: "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience" (Ephesians 5:6).

You see, God is the God of truth, he hates lies, he hates cheating, whether it has to do with sexual wrongdoing, family relationships, or religious worship, God hates the sins of cheating and deceitfulness. One result of cheating is that a person has to go on covering up (or trying to cover up) the results of the first time they cheated. It usually gets worse and worse. It becomes like a soiled dirty rag. Telling the truth is always clean, even when it is not always easy. You can be sure God is on your side when you tell the truth and act truthfully and that is a bonus every time. "Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord." (Proverbs 12:22)

Prayer

Make me to act truthfully at all times, O Lord.

Lydia, Whose Heart The Lord Opened

Jon Watson — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Lydia, Whose Heart The Lord Opened

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 11th December 2022

Passage: Acts 16:14

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Women today are in all sorts of top jobs, with a real push for women to take their place at the 'top table' in all kinds of business and professions. Lydia, the woman Paul and Silas met when they went to a Jewish prayer meeting on the banks of the river in Philippi, was a business woman selling top of the range goods and her customers would have been top of the range people. Lydia was from the city of Thyatira which was famous for its luxurious purple cloth.

As Paul and Silas told the Gospel to the few people at the prayer meeting, Lydia's heart warmed to the message about Jesus and we read that "The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul" (v14). Lydia was converted. Her life was changed and her home soon became the meeting place for the Christians in Philippi.

I think it must have been a real encouragement for Paul and Silas as they met with that small group of people to find that the message they brought became such a blessing to Lydia and maybe to the others as well. We are told that Lydia's household — maybe her family and others who worked for her — were baptised as believers. We find God was at work there and he worked through Paul to bring people to faith in Jesus. That's still how it is today.

Pray that as you go to church on Sunday God will open the hearts of people to respond to the Gospel as the minister preaches.

Concessions

Jon Watson — Sat, 10 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Concessions

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 10th December 2022

Passage: Luke 13:24

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One of the many 'perks' of being older is that you are often given concessions when entering exhibitions or musical events or whatever. We even travel free on pubic transport! We get used to concessions — to free TV and a winter heating allowance. It's a sign of a caring society that wants to look after its elderly citizens.

Concessions! Jesus found there were some people who wanted concessions to get them into heaven. Some would tell him how good they were at keeping the commandments or praying long prayers or giving money to the poor. They felt that these things would help them when it came to getting into God's heaven. But Jesus made no concessions on that score at all. When someone asked him if only a few people would be saved Jesus in effect said 'Yes'. Why? Because so many people thought their own good works were enough to get on God's good side as it were, whereas Jesus said the door into God's presence is narrow. You can only get through by humbly following Jesus and recognising that it is only through his saving work that we are saved. Of course good works are good, but they need to be the effects of our appreciation for what Jesus has done for us. Remember there are no concessions to get round God and into heaven. Jesus is the only way — the narrow door.

Prayer

Teach me, O Lord, to follow you and thank you. Amen.

Telling The Next Generation

Jon Watson — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Telling The Next Generation

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 9th December 2022

Passage: Psalm 48:12-14

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It was good going back to where our parents and grandparents had lived and showing these places to our children. Some of these places are now only ruins, especially the great-grandparents' homes, but they were still interesting - part of our family heritage. The Jewish people of old just loved Jerusalem and especially the temple area. The writer of Psalm 48 pictures people going round that area taking note of every part in it so that they could tell their children what a wonderful place it was and, more importantly, what a wonderful God their God was. And God still is wonderful. He is our God and we want the 'next generation' to know that too.

Telling children about God is one of the most important jobs God gives us to do — as parents, as churches, as Christians, whether we are parents or not - and we should be excited when we do this. Psalm 48 is a really happy Psalm the writer was really excited about God and all that he did for his people. When we know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, we should be excited about that, about him and all he has done for us. We should be excited as we live out our Christian faith and that excitement should be obvious to our younger folk too. It should be infectious. And what a story we have to tell! The story of Jesus is the greatest story ever told — let us tell it to the next generation.

Prayer

Help us, Lord, to be your story-tellers to the young folk among us. Amen.

Not A Pretty Picture

Jon Watson — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Not A Pretty Picture

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 8th December 2022

Passage: Jeremiah 17:9

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If you are like me you enjoy looking at the photographs people put up on Facebook. I think there is quite a competition among some folk to see just how dramatic they can make some of the places look — ones we know well — by using special lenses or drones. Sometimes, however, a picture comes up showing just how selfish people can be by leaving rubbish by the roadside or 'fly-tipping' at a beauty spot. Not a pretty picture!

On a more serious note, the prophet Jeremiah wrote about the lives some of his people were living and that was not a pretty picture. This led him to give God's verdict on the way people look from the' inside' - the way God sees us. The human heart — that means the real person we are - "The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked". That is certainly not a pretty picture.

Are we all like that? Well, the deceitful part is always telling us we are not all that bad, indeed we are quite good. But God tells us a different story. Without his salvation we are "dead, doomed for ever because of our many sins." Ephesians 2:1 (NLT). Not a pretty picture! But God in his mercy doesn't want to leave us like that like so much rubbish by the roadside "But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead." Ephesians 2:4-5 (NLT) It is God and only God who can change our wicked hearts through all that Jesus has done for us. A very different picture! Let's put all our hope and confidence in him alone.

The Garden

Jon Watson — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The Garden

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 7th December 2022

Passage: Genesis 2:8

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As someone who likes gardening I find it interesting to see other gardens and how other gardeners plant and lay out the gardens they have. I am interested too in the different references to gardens that we find in the Bible.

The first reference in the Bible to a garden is of course to the garden of Eden which we are told God planted. In this garden he placed Adam to be his gardener. It must have been a beautiful place to work in with all kinds of plants and a fruitful orchard as well. It was also a well-watered place so it had all the makings of something very beautiful. Sadly we know what happened as Adam sinned and was expelled from the garden. And that sin has marred all of us since then. The Old Testament people of God were described by Isaiah the prophet as a garden without water (Isaiah 1:30) because they stopped doing what God wanted them to do.

In my own garden there are plenty of weeds, plenty of slugs and snails which spoil the plants and lots of other things which tend to spoil what I want to have as a beautiful space. It's kind of like the lives we live — we keep so many 'weeds' in our minds and hearts, sinful things that make us very unlike what God meant us to be in the beginning. Our Lord Jesus Christ went to a garden, Gethsemane, the night before he was put to death and there in the garden he was in agony in his soul as he knew the terrible cost he was to pay to take away the sinful weeds in the hearts and minds of his people. Only Christ can make our lives clean and beautiful again like a well-watered garden.

God's Promises

Jon Watson — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

God's Promises

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 6th December 2022

Passage: 2 Corinthians 1:20

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We all make promises but sometimes we fail to carry them out. Perhaps that may be through no fault of our own or it may be because we just forget or find that we just don't want to keep the promises we made.

In the language of the New Testament there are two words (a noun and a verb) that refer to promises and, except for two places, these words are always referring to the promises God makes. Indeed the Old Testament and the New Testament are full of God's promises and, unlike us, God never fails to keep his promises.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the great fulfilment of all the Old Testament promises and through Christ we have "better promises" than those of the Old Testament. We have the promise of the Holy Spirit to come and live in the hearts of believers in Jesus; we have the promise of eternal life for all who believe and the promise that the Lord Jesus will come again to establish a new heaven and a new earth. God who makes all these promises — and many more - 'is faithful' (Hebrews 10:23). God is the truth itself, so he will not, indeed cannot, lie. He keeps his promises. That means when he asks you to repent and trust him for salvation, you can trust him — he promises he will do what he says. Guaranteed!

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you that all your promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Jon Watson — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Religion That God Our Father Accepts As Pure And Faultless (James 1:27, NIV)

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 2nd December 2022

Passage: Micah 6:8

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God is the best judge of our religion. In the Old Testament book of Amos, the prophet described the people as being very religious and described all their religious actions. Yet God said about it all "I hate, I despise your religious feasts." (Amos 5:21) Why? Because their religion was a sham. The people were just one-day-a-week worshippers and the rest of the week they forgot all about God, they trampled the poor and were thoroughly ungodly. It's not that they didn't know how God wanted them to live — as Micah tells us in the verse above. God had shown them the kind of worshippers he wanted them to be. The New Testament gives us the same message: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:27, NIV). "If we are true servants of Jesus Christ, we will keep our eyes open (as he did) to human need, and our ears cocked to pick up cries of anguish" (John Stott). A true test of our Christianity is a real everyday love for our Saviour Jesus Christ and an open heart towards the needs of other people whether they are near us or far away. We cannot claim to love God if we have no love for our neighbour and no desire for justice and righteousness to flourish in the world.

Prayer

Gracious God, give me a heart to love and serve you well, Amen.

Renewable Energy

Jon Watson — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Renewable Energy

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 30th November 2022

Passage: Hebrews 4:12

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Renewable energy is something that is often in the news. There is a whole industry built around harnessing the forces of nature that will give us power, light and comfort, without using fossil fuels that can run out and whose use leads to carbon emissions which pollute the atmosphere and hasten climate change. So wind and tides and the sun give us renewable energy.

There is an interesting group of words which we find in the Bible which tell us about the wonderful energy of God — energy that is powerful and effective in so many ways. One of these 'energy' words is used to tell us about the word of God — it is full of living power. God's energy is always effective.

The Bible itself is the Word of God and it is full of living power in the way that it speaks to people in thousands of different languages and people's lives are changed wonderfully when they believe it. You find that from the very first page of the Bible, where we are told, "God said..." and the whole of creation came into being. God's word is always powerful and effective. And we can say that his word is like renewable energy — it doesn't run out, it is always the same and you can trust that word with your very life.

Prayer

We thank you, dear Lord, for your Word. Help me to believe it and trust it as your guide for my life. Amen.

The Bringer Of Good News

Jon Watson — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The Bringer Of Good News

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 29th November 2022

Passage: Nahum 1:15

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This little book written by the prophet Nahum is no for the squeamish! "Horsemen charging, flashing sword and glittering spear, lots of slain, heaps of corpses, dead bodies without end..." (Nahum 3:3) It describes in vivid detail what was going to happen to the great Assyrian empire and its capital city of Nineveh. It all collapsed in the year 612 BC — the end of one of the most blood-thirsty empires the world had even seen.

Nahum's prophet's eye saw it all as if Nineveh had already been destroyed, although it was still in the future when he lived and wrote about it. He could do this because God had given him a vision of what was to come as it surely did, exactly as the prophet said.

But there was another message — a word from God for his own people and what a beautiful word it is. It is the picture of a messenger racing over the hills to tell the people the good news of the destruction of Nineveh, so that now God's people can have peace — shalom — that great experience of all-round well-being.

That is a lovely picture of what the Gospel of Jesus brings into the troubled lives of people and nations. The Gospel is good news — the great shalom of peace with God, the ultimate well-being.

Prayer

How we thank you, O Lord, for the Good News of the Gospel. Amen.

God's Trumpeters

Jon Watson — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

God's Trumpeters

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 28th November 2022

Passage: 1 Thessalonians 1:8

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Trumpeters often have to play an important part on big occasions — maybe when the Queen appears in her state robes and with her crown. They also play an important role in the army when the soldiers are on parade and often when the troops went into battle. The Old Testament mentions trumpeters very often - they were the 'alarm bells' in cities if there was a threat from enemies. They also called men to arms to go and fight. One of the reasons trumpets were, and are, important is that they give a clear sound which can travel well. That, I think, is the reason the Apostle Paul used the trumpet sound when he wrote that the Christian life of the believers in Thessalonica was so true to Christ that people could really 'hear it' and 'see it'. These were genuine Christian folk. And the 'sound' of their Christian reputation travelled widely. What a wonderful testimony to have! And what a challenge to us if we say that we are Christians. Do people really 'hear' Jesus living in us through the words we speak and the way we act? Let's think about that.

Prayer

Dear Lord, too often I fail to live up to what I should be as a Christian. Forgive me and make me strong to be a trumpeter for Jesus. Amen.

Back-Room Staff

Jon Watson — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Back-Room Staff

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 27th November 2022

Passage: Judges 10:1-3

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Have you ever looked carefully at the list of people whose names are scrolled on our screens at the end of a TV programme or at the end of a film? Nearly always the list is long and we probably never bother to take more than a passing interest in it. Yet without all these people the film or the programme would not be made. The back-room staff may not be the 'stars' but there would be no 'stars' without the back — room staff.

Maybe you have never taken much notice of the two men who are written about at the top of the page. Tola and Jair were like two 'back-room' boys but between them they judged and led Israel for a very considerable period - 45 years in total. It seems they did a good job even although we don't read of them again in the Bible story.

Have you ever thought about the many 'back-room' staff who have helped you in your life or the people who help us in church each week but whose names are not up in lights yet they help us enormously. Thank God for them. Like Tola and Jair they serve God just as effectively as the 'stars'.

Prayer

Dear Lord, I do thank you for the many people who help me each day. Show me in what ways I could make life easier for the people I meet each day. Amen.

What's Your Excuse?

Jon Watson — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

What's Your Excuse?

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 26th November 2022

Passage: Luke 14:14-18

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Excuses! Not many of us would pass up an invitation to a great banquet. Each year our Moderator is invited to a great banquet at the Palace of Holyrood House — and no one makes an excuse not to go. But many of the people mentioned in Jesus's story did make excuses not to attend the banquet — and some silly excuses they were.

The story Jesus told was a parable and like all of his parables, this one had a very serious side to it. It has to do with the Gospel invitation which Jesus extends to all of us to come to him and to enjoy the great' feast' of good things which are all included in his salvation. But so many people give all kinds of excuses why they don't come to follow Jesus as their Saviour. Some say they don't need him, they are good enough. Others say the Bible isn't true (although they have never read it!); others say that science disproves what the Bible says (although they may know very little science or the Bible). But there are others who do hear the Gospel and may say they will think about it - another time.

How often excuses turn out to be disasters, opportunities lost for ever! Do you have an excuse for not having come to Jesus yet? Don't make any more excuses; don't put it off.

Jon Watson — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Who'll Wash The Dishes?

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 21st November 2022

Passage: Luke 10:40

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There are often arguments in a home over who will set the table, or wash the dishes... Often the excuse is made "I'm busy" - but does that excuse not giving help when a busy mum needs it? It's easy to be selfish.

Martha, in the verse above, obviously thought her sister Mary was being selfish and she even brought Jesus into her criticism as if she was accusing Jesus of encouraging selfishness. But Jesus had a different 'take' on the situation. Food was important, but "man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." (Deuteronomy 8:3) Jesus knew he was not to be present in their community for long. His days on earth were limited and his teaching was "from the mouth of God." Mary had her priorities right.

We too can easily get our priorities wrong. Our lives may be busy with many things — things that may be good and that we might think necessary. But they should never come between us and the Lord; they should never make us so busy that we have no time for prayer, or our Bible reading and study. We may very well have to think how we can re-arrange our timetables in order to give Jesus and his word their proper place in our lives.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to put first things first and you first of all. Amen.

When It's Not Always Sweetness And Light

Jon Watson — Sun, 20 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

When It's Not Always Sweetness And Light

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 20th November 2022

Passage: Acts 15:39

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One of our ministers used to have a saying, "The best of men are mere men at best." That is true of Christian men too! It's hard to think of two better men, better Christian men, than Barnabas and Paul, yet here we read that they had 'a sharp disagreement' - no doubt tempers flared. Why were they fighting? It was about a young man named John Mark. Mark had gone with Paul and Barnabas, who was probably his uncle, to help them on part of their first missionary journey, but he turned back and went home. Did he think it was all too dangerous? Or was he homesick? So Paul didn't want to take Mark with them the next time, and Barnabas did. So the disagreement ended up with Barnabas taking Mark to Cyprus, and Paul took a man called Silas on another visit to the churches that had been planted on his first visit. Happily all came right in the end as Paul came to value Mark's work and he spoke well of Barnabas too and the Gospel continued to spread.

Christians still fall out at times and it is never a good thing — indeed it can make us look really bad in the eyes of the world when they might say, "These are the people who are supposed to love one another." It is a bad witness and should make us ashamed unless the disagreement is really over a vital matter of Christian truth. Jesus does want us to stand up for the truth but always in a gracious way.

Prayer

Jon Watson — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The Final Battle

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 14th November 2022

Passage: Revelation 19:11

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The final pages of the book of Revelation are as dramatic as they are solemn. We are given a wonderful picture of the Lord Jesus coming from heaven like a mighty warrior. Jesus is described by words we come across in earlier chapters of the book — he is the only One who is rightly called King of Kings and Lord of Lords (v 16).

There were two great reasons for Jesus Christ coming as he is described here.

The first reason is to oversee the final defeat of Satan and all the evil host that followed him. Every form of sin and opposition to God will be overthrown judged and condemned to everlasting exclusion from the presence of God. Jesus will make no mistakes in his judgements - "If anyone's name was not found written in the Book of life he was thrown into the lake of fire." (i. e. Hell) (Revelation 20:15) That is Christ's final battle.

The second reason for Jesus coming as he is described here is to assure all those who love and follow him that no matter what they have to go through here on earth, they will never be forgotten or overlooked by God. Jesus is the Faithful and True Saviour; he knows each of his many followers and, as he promised he would, he will take every one of them home.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to look forward to the glory that is waiting for all your people. Amen.

The Reluctant Refugee

Jon Watson — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The Reluctant Refugee

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 13th November 2022

Passage: Luke 17:32

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We live in a time when there are, sadly, many thousands of refugees. People are having to flee for their lives, leaving all their possessions behind them. The world can be a desperately cruel place when wicked men are in control.

Yesterday we read about Abraham pleading with the Lord to save his nephew Lot and his family when the wicked city of Sodom was to be destroyed. In his mercy, the Lord agreed, and in Genesis 19 we read that the angels of God did save Lot, his wife and his daughters. The angels told them to flee for their lives to a place of safety before the terrible destruction of Sodom took place.

But Lot's wife's was obviously reluctant to leave her home and possessions. She still clung to the hope that she could go back or at least save something. She lingered behind the others and we read, "But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt." (Genesis 19:26) Years later, Jesus used this as an example of neglecting to be right with God before his judgement day which will come to all of us. Remember Lot's wife.

This should come as a wake-up call to any of us who may not yet be Christians, who have not yet given their hearts to Jesus and asked for his forgiveness and grace. It is Jesus who warns us: "Remember Lot's wife."

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, help us to truly trust you for salvation. Amen

Unexpected Visitors

Jon Watson — Sat, 12 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Unexpected Visitors

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 12th November 2022

Passage: Genesis 18:2

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Unexpected visitors can cause panic or joy according to who they are! Panic maybe because the catch you unprepared, joy when it is great friends whom you haven't see for ages.

Abraham may well have been having a rest in the shade of his tent when he became aware of three visitors, one of whom he immediately understood was none other than the Lord himself — one of those rare appearances of the Son of God, Jesus, in the Old Testament. Like the perfect host of those times Abraham saw that food was prepared for his visitors, and water to wash their feet.

This visit of the Lord and two angels had a very serious purpose. God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of the wickedness of these cities. Abraham's nephew Lot lived in Sodom. The Lord told Abraham what was going to happen to Sodom and Abraham began to plead with the Lord to save the city, or at least to save Lot and his family and any other good people. The Lord agreed to Abraham's request — an amazing instance of the grace of God and of Abraham's boldness in praying — and the two angels rescued Lot and his family. There were no other people in the city who loved God.

Do you have friends and people you love who are not yet Christians? Pray to God for their conversion.

Prayer

Dear Lord, I pray that you will save my unconverted friends. Please be merciful to them. Amen.

Jon Watson — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The All-Knowing Saviour

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 7th November 2022

Passage: John 4:39

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We all need the help of doctors at one time or another. Sometimes after an examination and tests the doctor may have to tell us bad news — the tests may show there is a problem that needs treatment. Or worse, there may be no cure at present for the problem.

One day Jesus met a woman who had a problem — a very severe moral problem. Jesus didn't need to call for any tests or expert help. He knew exactly what was wrong with the woman and she had to admit "He told me all that I ever did." You can read the whole story in John 4:1-43.

In John chapter 2 and verse 25 we read that Jesus "knew people inside out" (The Message) and that was obvious from his conversation with this woman at the well in Sychar. She went to tell everybody about her conversation with Jesus and it was clear that the meeting with Jesus changed her life.

Jesus has not changed, although he is now at God's right hand in heaven. He knows us 'inside out', the good, the bad and the ugly — all the thoughts that live in our hearts and that we would like to hide. But the great thing about Jesus knowing us through and through is that we don't need to pretend with him. We can be completely open and ask him to deal with the problems of our hearts. The Bible calls them sin and there is only one Saviour who can help us, and that is Jesus. With him there is a complete cure for all who come to him for salvation.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I thank you that you know me and I pray that you will cleanse me from all my sin. Amen

Two Good Guides

Jon Watson — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Two Good Guides

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 6th November 2022

Passage: Psalm 43:3

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When you live in Edinburgh, as I do, you become very aware of the number of tours that are provided for visitors. And tours need guides, so you will see lots of guides, many with flags on top of poles or wearing distinctive clothes as they hurry their followers on to the different spots of interest in the old part of the city. A good tour guide is a great asset.

God has provided us with two good guides in the form of light and truth as the writer of the psalm tells us here. These two go together very well, each helping us to know more of the richness of a godly worldview that our Creator wants us to have. Let's see how they work together for us.

The first thing God did as he created the world was to bring light into the darkness: "Let there be light and there was light." (Genesis 1:3) The light came at the command of God. The Bible tells us that without Jesus Christ we live in the darkness, the darkness of not knowing God and far away from the life of God until "God, who said "let there be light in the darkness" has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6 NLT) God's great light!

And now God's truth. "The Lord does not shine upon us, except when we take his word as our light." (John Calvin) The writer of Psalm 119 said: "Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path." (v105, NLT) In the New Testament we read: "And the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." Jesus is the truth and the light. Let's follow him.

Jon Watson — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Whose Agenda Do We Follow?

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 2nd November 2022

Passage: 2 Timothy 4:3-4

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We may find it hard when other people tell us what they think about us. We might react by saying, "I'm not like that; it's a lie." But it may be true! The truth often hurts.

For that reason people often turn away from what the Bible says about us. We don't like being told that we are sinners — all of us, and that no matter how hard we try we will never be able to save ourselves. We all need help from God to save us.

So when people don't accept that they search around for a' nicer' way to think of ourselves; a way in which we can hear about the good things in us, a way that will tell us what we want to hear. We set the agenda and God will have to fit into that — somewhere.

But when it comes to telling the truth about us about society, about right and wrong, sex and relationships... it is God's agenda that matters. His agenda as given us in the Bible does not change with each generation or with each new idea that society comes up with. God is the God of truth and his truth is unchangeable. Sadly what Paul wrote in the words at the top of this page is true in our day. Don't be fooled, hold to the right teaching found only in the Bible.

Prayer

Dear Lord, please help me to be faithful to your agenda for my life. Amen.

Speaking To Yourself

Jon Watson — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Speaking To Yourself

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 1st November 2022

Passage: Psalm 42:5

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We laugh at someone speaking to themselves. A sure sign of old age or worse we say! Actually it is a good practice — as long as you do it when nobody is around! The writer of this psalm had to take himself in hand when he became depressed. He tells us of a longing for a sense of God's presence, of his broken heart and his loneliness because of his lack of fellowship with God's people. He is really downcast. And then he takes himself in hand. It is a if we said, "I'm so miserable because I can't go to church and worship God there." And then we realise that God is right here beside us. "Why am I so upset?"

We may well have hard times in our Christian lives when we feel down. God seems far away from us. "Troubles have come again and again, sounding like waterfalls." (v7, NCB) "My enemies' insults make me feel as if my bones were broken." Depression, spiritual depression can really make us feel down in the depths.

But then the writer takes himself in hand again "Why am I so sad? The Lord shows his true love every day. I should put my hope in God." He repeats this over and over. He tells himself to sing God's praises and come to God with prayer when he can't sleep. God is never far away. We too should remember that. Let's speak to ourselves when we feel down.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to take all my questions to you and to remember all the wonder of your love for me. Amen

An Overlooked Martyr

Jon Watson — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000

An Overlooked Martyr

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 31st October 2022

Passage: Acts 12:1-2

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It is one of the great scandals of our present age to see the terrible persecution of Christians in African countries and others and they are not even mentioned in the news media. It seems to be unimportant. Persecution and suffering have been there from the very start of the Christian church.

The sad story we read in Acts 12:1-2 tells about the suffering inflicted on the early church under King Herod Agrippa. In trying to be a friend of the High Priest and his group Herod harassed the Christians and had James, the brother of John executed. Poor James does not get much of a mention as the scene moves on to what happened to Peter. It is similar to today when the media quickly moves on to another story.

But let's not overlook James' martyrdom. James was one of the first disciples of Jesus, along with his brother and his friends Andrew and Peter. He was probably an outspoken character and may well have drawn attention to himself because of that. We are not told. The fact is, however, that James had become an apostle, one of Jesus' most trusted men, and he paid for it with his life. We honour him and are challenged by his courage.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me not to forget the faith and courage of believers like James, but to be ready to follow them. Amen.

No Backward Looks

Jon Watson — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

No Backward Looks

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 30th October 2022

Passage: Luke 9:62

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My father used to plough with horses. I am sure he was proud of the straight furrows that he cut. The one thing that you don't do when you are ploughing is to look back, because it immediately throws you off your straight line, and if you were ploughing in a competition you would be sure to lose!

In Luke 11:57 to the end of the chapter, Jesus was telling about the cost of being his follower. It is not for cowards or for lazy people. A Christian needs to be willing to follow Jesus, even when it is costly in terms of time, comfort and relationships. So if you are a Christian, Jesus expects you to trust and follow him wholeheartedly- 'No backward looks'. (v62) And we remember Jesus is Lord — our Lord and Master.

One of Charles Wesley's great hymns goes like this: ""Take up your cross," the Saviour said, "if you would my disciple be, deny yourself, forsake the world and humbly follow after me." Take up your cross and follow Christ, nor think till death to put it down; for only those who bear the cross may hope to wear the glorious crown."

Yes, there is a cost in being a follower of Jesus. But what a privilege to be a follower of such a Saviour, the One who suffered so much for us — with no backward looks. Let's keep our eyes on him and follow him faithfully.

The Glorious Trinity

Jon Watson — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

The Glorious Trinity

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 29th October 2022

Passage: 2 Corinthians 13:14

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If you are at all used to going to church you will be familiar with the above words. They are usually said at the end of the service — the Benediction. Yesterday we looked briefly at the person of the Lord Jesus — he is the perfect human being and at the same time is the eternal Son of God. Today we look briefly at the Trinity, the word we use to describe how God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, is one God — not three gods, but one glorious God living in a perfect harmony of love and fellowship. One God, yet Father, Son and Spirit — each a person with his own special characteristics his own special 'functions', but always in perfect unity and always good.

The Old Testament stressed "The Lord our God is one Lord." (Deuteronomy 6:4) That is, he is unique, not just one among many gods. He alone is God. But even in the Old Testament there is mention of the Spirit of God, and even appearances of the 'angel of the Lord', who may well have been the Son of God (See Exodus 23:23). The New Testament is full of references to God the Father and to the Son who is considered God (see John 1:1) and to the Holy Spirit. There is a mystery surrounding the belief in the Trinity, in the sense that it is nowhere stated as a fact, but in so many places it is assumed as a fact, and gives an explanation for all the wonderful and good activities of God.

Prayer

Dear Lord, I believe in the one God who exists as Father, Son and Holy Spirit and who loves me. Amen.

Glimpses Of Glory

Jon Watson — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Glimpses Of Glory

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 28th October 2022

Passage: Luke 9:29-30

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For most of the time as Jesus went about he looked just an ordinary man. We don't have any description in the Bible as to what Jesus looked like — was he tall? What colour of hair did he have? What colour were his eyes? But then we see this ordinary looking man doing amazing things: healing the sick people, even raising to life dead people stilling a storm on Lake Galilee and feeding 5000 people with a few little loaves and fish. This ordinary man was clearly no ordinary person after all. And then we see why.

Peter tells us "But we saw the greatness of Jesus with our own eyes. Jesus heard the voice of God, the Greatest Glory, when he received honour and glory from God the Father. The voice said, "this is my Son, whom I love, and I am very pleased with him." We heard that voice from heaven while we were with Jesus on the holy mountain." (2 Peter 1:17-18)

Jesus, as well as being an 'ordinary' man, is also the glorious Son of God. While Jesus lived on earth it was essential that he was in every sense an ordinary man because he took the place of ordinary people as he died on the cross, a perfect and sinless substitute for us sinners. But it was also essential that he was God the eternal Son to be the perfect Mediator between God and man. He is the Lord of glory.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, we worship you as our Saviour and our God. Amen.

Who Is In Control?

Jon Watson — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Who Is In Control?

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 27th October 2022

Passage: Genesis 8:22

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There are many predictions about the predicament our planet Earth is facing. Climate change is big news, carbon emissions are being monitored carefully and fossil fuels are becoming very 'uncool'. According to some experts, we are heading for the destruction of the planet. Of course these are issues we must take seriously. Climate change — and there have always been periods of climate change - has really severe consequence for many communities and animals if the level of the oceans rise the temperatures of the oceans rise and so on.

Certainly the Bible urges us to be good stewards, managers of the earth God has given us. And the Bible has also a word to tell us about how and when our world will end. It is a solemn word and well worth thinking about: "But when the Day of God's Judgement does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief. The sky will collapse with a thunderous bang, everything disintegrating in a huge conflagration, earth and all its works exposed to the judgement of God." (2 Peter 3:12, The Message)

It will happen at God's appointed time. Until then, what God promised to Noah will continue. God is in control.

The reason the world exists is because God willed it and it will fulfil his purposes from beginning to end.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to respect and take care of your good earth. Amen.

An All-Rounder!

Jon Watson — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

An All-Rounder!

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 26th October 2022

Passage: Luke 8:39

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As I write this the cricket season is in full swing and a whole variety of games go on especially in England. Cricket is a game that sometimes produces a player who is good at bowling, batting and fielding — a most useful player in any team — an 'all-rounder' - and most interesting to watch.

I have often been amazed by another all-rounder -and that is Jesus. The reason I say this is that he was to be found in all sorts of situations with people from different backgrounds and needing his help in a whole lot of ways and he just seemed to cope with it all in a calm and wise way.

The verse at the top of our page is about a demon-possessed man who had been healed by Jesus. Just before that, Jesus had calmed a storm on the Lake of Galilee. The next thing we find Jesus doing was healing a woman who had been ill for twelve years and then he went on to raise a young girl of twelve who had died. In the middle of all that, Jesus had been teaching the people and then had the serious job of appointing his twelve apostles. And as Luke tells us in his Gospel, Jesus did it all quietly and with great compassion. (He even told the young girl's parents to give her something to eat when he raised her from the dead!) Nothing was too hard for Jesus to do, nor was it a bother. Remember that when you need his help.

Prayer

Dear Lord, what a wonderful Saviour you are. I love you. Amen.

Looking After The Poor And The Weak

Jon Watson — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Looking After The Poor And The Weak

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 25th October 2022

Passage: Psalm 41:1

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"How a community looks after its poor is, for the Bible, the acid test of its life." (C. N. Sugden)

Poverty, sadly, seems to be a permanent feature of our world. It should not be like that. In nearly every part of the world, even in the wealthiest parts, you will still find many poor people, weak people, orphans and the sick.

The Old Testament is full of directions as to how the poor and the weak were to be looked after, and the New Testament puts a lot of emphasis on this as well. The Bible sees no virtue in poverty as such, but it does tell us that God cares for the poor and he calls blessed those who in his name car for them and help them in their need. It is our Christian duty.

But there are two kinds of poverty highlighted in the Bible. There is the economic poverty we have been noting and there is also a spiritual poverty, when people think they can do without God but then come to realise that without him they are poor wretched and blind — even if they have plenty of money. Jesus has a great message of good news for such people just as for the other kind of poor people: "Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?" (James 2:5)

Prayer

Dear Lord, I thank you that though you were rich you became poor for my sake and to be my Saviour. Help me always to consider the poor. Amen.

Demons And Evil Spirits

Jon Watson — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Demons And Evil Spirits

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 24th October 2022

Passage: Mark 3:22

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The Bible especially the New Testament, has many references to demons and evil spirits. One of the most disgusting accusations made against Jesus was that he was possessed by Satan (here called Beelzebul). Jesus was the opposite of Satan as he was sinless, holy and good.

Satan, demons and evil spirits are real and they always act in evil ways. The Gospels and the early Epistles mention them a lot because it seems Satan was trying hard to destroy all that Jesus came to do — but he failed. The effects these evil spirits or demons brought about in people were often like severe illnesses, possibly like epilepsy, or some violent reaction to the presence of Jesus. But the Bible always makes a difference between a real illness and the work of a demon.

In modern times demonic activity is just as strong as it was in Bible times. People sometimes even want to be possessed by a spirit for one reason or another — witchdoctors, clairvoyants and people using a ouija board etc.. Christians must avoid such things as they are evil and never 'for fun'. Keep away from them. Christians sometimes worry in case they could become possessed by an evil spirit. The answer to that is 'No'. As a Christian, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit and he will keep us safe.

Prayer

Dear Lord, keep me safe from the devil and all his works. Amen.

Forgetfulness

Jon Watson — Sun, 23 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Forgetfulness

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 23rd October 2022

Passage: Proverbs 3:1

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Some time ago a friend gave us a little book which tells how when we reach a certain age, 'the muddle age', we tend to forget things very easily. So, as we get older, we tend to forget what we were speaking about, or the name of someone we know very well. 'Muddle age' indeed!

There are some things we should never forget. One of these is that God forgets! For those who trust in Jesus God says "I will remember their sins no more," (Hebrews 8:12) and in Isaiah 43:25, he says: "I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and I will not remember your sins."

Isn't that wonderful? God forgets! When God forgets our sins, they are gone forever for all who trust in Jesus.

But there is something that we should never forget, and that is to remember the teaching of our Lord. When we grow older there are many things we do forget, but if we start to remember God's teaching, the words of Jesus, when we are young, then we will not forget them when we are older. By starting young to follow our Lord Jesus, his ways will become part and parcel of our lives, part of our nature, and God will keep helping us to live as his child.

There is something very beautiful in seeing an elderly Christian showing the grace and wisdom of many years of following Christ. There is also something very beautiful in seeing a young person learning the ways of Jesus.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me not to forget your Word or your ways. Amen.

Milk Or Meat?

Jon Watson — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Milk Or Meat?

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 22nd October 2022

Passage: Hebrews 5:14

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Any teacher gets fed up with pupils who pay little attention to what is being taught. It will be little wonder if pupils sitting staring out of the window all the time will learn little, and may end up being kept behind when the others move on.

The person who wrote the letter to the Hebrews obviously felt like a fed up teacher. Those he had been teaching should have been mature believers by the time he was writing. Instead, they were like children who were still being fed milk when they should have been on solid food — they were immature.

Paul had the same complaint about the church in Corinth: "I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it." (1 Corinthians 3:2) The reason seemed to be the same in both cases. People were arguing about unimportant things and neglecting to study the Bible and the deeper things of the Christian faith. "And a person who is living on milk isn't very far along in the Christian life and doesn't know much about doing what is right." (Verse 13 NLT)

I think a lot of us are like that. We are lazy and inattentive about spiritual things; we may neglect our Bible readings, our prayer times and our reading of books that will help us to deepen our understanding of God's truth. When this happens we don't just fail to grow in our Christian life, but we are in danger of slipping back into unfaithfulness.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to mature in my Christian life through your Word. Amen.

The Church

Jon Watson — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

The Church

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 21st October 2022

Passage: 1 Corinthians 1:2

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"Are you going to church?" That's the kind of question we might ask of a Christian friend as we walk towards the church on a Sunday. But what do we mean when we say 'the church'? A building? A gathering of Christians? A denomination? We use the word in a variety of ways.

In the early days of Christianity, there were no church buildings. Buildings came along much later, and can be a great blessing, but sometimes a great burden.

But what do we mean by 'the church'? The most important thing about the Bible's word for church is something we probably don't really think of at all when we ask a question like, "Are you going to church?" The first reason why we go to church is because God calls us together and he calls us together to hear his word. When we go to church, it is like answering a summons from God. That gives us a very important reason for 'going to church' - God is calling us.

When Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth he wrote in such a way that reminded them they were but a part of a much bigger community — wherever Christians come together to hear God's word, they are the church. We are members of a worldwide family.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to value the church family of which I am a part. Amen.

We Will Feast In The House Of Zion

Jon Watson — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

We Will Feast In The House Of Zion

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 20th October 2022

Passage: Revelation 19:9

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One of the favourite hymns we sing in church is the song by Sandra McCracken: "We will feast in the house of Zion, we will sing with our hearts restored...' The hymn goes on to tell of God's grace in salvation and the hope the believer has of being at the 'great marriage supper of the Lamb' in heaven.

The Bible tells us in different places about this great feast that will be held in the glory of heaven. Jesus tells us that "people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at the table in the Kingdom of God." (Luke 13:29)

Now there are two lessons here for us. One is this: God's kingdom will have believers from all over the world. There is no racism as far as the Christian gospel is concerned. That means that the believers from other nations are our brothers and sisters in Christ, so we should care for them, love them and look forward to meeting up with them in glory. We will feast together in the 'house of Zion'.

Secondly, Jesus tells us in Luke 13 that there will be those who will not be at the feast — the door will be shut to keep them out. Only those who are invited will be welcome and admitted. Why will they be invited? Simply because they have trusted and followed Jesus and had their hearts restored.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to trust and follow you always, Amen.

So Shall My Word Be

Jon Watson — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

So Shall My Word Be

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 19th October 2022

Passage: Isaiah 55:10-11

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As I am writing this it is a very showery day — now snow but rain lots of it! As I came into my study — getting wet in the process for the study is in a shed in the garden — I was reminded of these lovely words in Isaiah 55. Indeed the whole of this chapter is so encouraging it is a real Gospel chapter and well worth your time reading it.

Through the prophet, God is telling us about the 'fruitfulness' of his word - which we have today in the Bible. Just as the snow and rain meant the ground would be read for seed and plants to flourish, so God says his word shall not return to him empty but it will accomplish all that he wants it to do.

One of the great Christian activities over very many years has been the work of the Bible Societies helping people all over the world to get Bibles in their own languages at reasonable prices. God's word has gone out to the ends of the earth. And, of course, it is accomplishing great things.

It is also a great encouragement for preachers of the Gospel to know that when they faithfully proclaim God's word, that word will accomplish what God wants it to do. God wants his word to accomplish great things in your heart and mind too. It can make a terrific difference to us when we take it seriously.

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for the Bible. Help me to read, study and live its message. Amen.

Uninvited Guests

Jon Watson — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Uninvited Guests

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 18th October 2022

Passage: Jude 4

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They were not invited, they are noisy, messy and hang around all day and night. No, I'm not referring to new neighbours or party-goers, but seagulls who have taken up residence on our chimney pots!

I don't know if Jude was bothered with seagulls but he was certainly warning about the danger of travelling uninvited preachers. There were many such men in the early days of the Christian church and they claimed to have special powers, healing powers, revelations directly from God. But James said they were "Shameless scoundrels. Their design is to replace the sheer grace of our God with sheer license — which means doing away with Jesus Christ, our one and only Master." (The Message) People like them are still around. There are still preachers, maybe in churches or maybe on television who claim special healing powers or 'charismatic gifts', but who do not teach the whole Gospel of the saving grace and purity of God. Don't invite them in! Wrong teaching always leads to wrong living.

Too often Christians are tempted to take a lead from worldly people and end up living in a non-Christian way themselves, denying the way of 'Jesus Christ our one and only Master.'

Let's heed the warning Jude gave to the people of his day. Beware these 'guests' who turn out to be 'shameless scoundrels'.

Prayer

Dear Lord, please help me to avoid inviting into my heart the devil and his ways. Amen.

Face To Face With The Almighty

Jon Watson — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Face To Face With The Almighty

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 17th October 2022

Passage: Job 40:1-5

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You can't help feeling sorr for Job. He had been through so much and now we find him having to stand up and face God. We read that God spoke to Job out of a violent storm — it is a symbol of all that Job had been going through. He had been tossed to and fro by his physical problems and the criticisms of his friends. He was at a loss to understand what was happening to him and why. And then God spoke to him. The final chapters of the book of Job are truly wonderful chapters. They did not give Job answers to all his questions in a way. What God did was to show Job who he the Almighty really was like. God was far and away greater and more wonderful than Job had ever imagined. God was far and away wiser than Job had ever imagined and, as Job found out in the end, God was far more loving and generous that he had ever imagined.

When faced with all of that, no wonder Job was "ready to shut up and listen."

Well how about us? God hasn't changed. Today we can say that God has shown us even more of himself and his grace, mercy and love than he showed to Job because Jesus came into the world — God's only and well-loved Son — to be our Saviour. Are we tempted at times to grumble about God and his ways with us? Should we not 'shut up and listen to him' the Almighty. He cares for us.

Prayer

O Lord, help me to realise just how wonderful you are. Amen.

Living For Christ In A Hard World

Jon Watson — Sun, 16 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Living For Christ In A Hard World

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 16th October 2022

Passage: 1 Timothy 2:8-9

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When we plant new churches today, problems can crop u for different reasons. Many of the people who attend a church plant are new to any kind of church, some may be from churches where they did things differently.... In a way, Paul faced the same problem. Many of the people in the new churches (like Ephesus, where Timothy was at the time) came from Jewish backgrounds and some from pagan backgrounds. So at times they would argue about things (the men especially in this case) and some of the women seemed more anxious to catch the eye of the men. Timothy needed advice!

Paul wanted each congregation to be a real family in Christ, loving one another eager to learn more about God and his word, and to be different from the pagan culture that surrounded them and which was often giving in to all sorts of sexual temptations. It was hard to be a Christian in those days. It was especially hard for women who were for the most part less well educated than men and needed to learn more about the Scriptures and the faith so that they would not be taken in by the false teachers going around. Much of what Paul writes in these verses was to help both men and women to become strong Christians, as he mentions earlier in his letter: "Pray for rulers and all who have authority so that we can have quiet and peaceful lives full of worship and respect for God." (1 Timothy 2:2)

The Patience Of God

Jon Watson — Sat, 15 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

The Patience Of God

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 15th October 2022

Passage: 1 Timothy 1:16

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Just imagine you are in a museum and one of the rooms is full of life-size figures of people from all over the world and in different times. You come to one figure and it is called Paul. What do you think the notice describing him might say? Well, here is what he wrote about himself in verse 16: "Public Sinner Number One — someone who could never have made it apart from sheer mercy." (The Message)

It seemed that Paul, to begin with, was a' no-hoper' as far as becoming a Christian was concerned, but God was patient with him even though Paul persecuted Christians, and was insolent — he was a thoroughly nasty character. But God was patient with him. All that he had heard about Jesus slowly but surely began to seep into Paul's mind and heart, and the mercy and grace of God brought him to put his trust for salvation in the very Jesus whom he had been fighting against. God had been patient with him. When Paul thought of it all it was almost a if he gave a leap of joy and sang out "Deep honour and bright glory to the King of all time — One God, Immortal, Invisible, ever and always. Oh yes!" (verse 17, The Message)

Perhaps you pray for someone who seems far away from trusting in Jesus. Don't give up praying. Be patient. God is patient — he was with Paul and maybe he was with us too. Keep on praying, God hears us!

Prayer

Dear Lord, Thank you for your patience with me. Help me to have the same. Amen.

Jon Watson — Sun, 09 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Treasures In Heaven

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 9th October 2022

Passage: Matthew 6:19-20

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Today we had to go to the bank. The staff were very helpful and our business did not take very long. I was wondering how the staff might feel if they were advising people about money — maybe telling them about savings or investments. People become very possessive about their money! On another occasion, I saw that there were big chains attached to the cash machines — people do break into banks and try to steal even these very heavy cash machines.

Of course there were no cash machines when Jesus was on earth, but he knew that people could be very attached to their money in his day just as people are now. So Jesus warns us about this. The really important 'treasures' are not those you can keep in a bank, but treasures of wisdom and knowledge which we find in Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:3). These treasures contain within them the 'pearl of great price' (Matthew 13:46), which is finding Jesus as our Saviour and the 'real gold and silver' of the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18 - 19).

When the Apostle Paul was nearing the end of his life, he was able to say (using 'banking' language) "I am convinced that he (Jesus) is able to guard what I have entrusted (my deposit) to him for that day." (2 Timothy 1:12, NIV). By 'that day', Paul means the last judgement.

Prayer

Dear Lord, I pray that I will always treasure you in my heart and know, with Paul, you will keep me always. Amen.

Words

Jon Watson — Sat, 08 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Words

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 8th October 2022

Passage: Genesis 1:3

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I have been reading the book The Secret Life of Words by Henry Hitchings. It is a fascinating study of how English became English and it is fun to read. I suppose we don't normally give much thought to the words we speak or how many words we use in any given day. But how wonderful it is that we do have words with which to communicate with one another, whether by speaking or writing. Words are wonderful.

And we read that God also used words to communicate with us. Throughout the long history of the Bible's story, God has been communicating with people in order that they might know him and how to react to the words he has given them.

We too must give heed to the Bible's message — it is God's word to us today and it is a word that not only gives us information but it is a word that challenges us to do what God wants us to do.

In the Old Testament when we read that God 'said' something, it always means that God also 'did' something. For example, God said "let there be light" and there was light (Genesis 1:3). Now, when God speaks to us in the Bible, he expects us to act on what he says. One of the greatest messages in the Bible which God gives us is about Jesus. God said: "This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." (Matthew 17:5) And when we listen to Jesus he says to us: "Follow me." (Mathew 4:19) Let's act upon that!

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, help me to obey your words and follow you. Amen.

A Timely Reminder

Jon Watson — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

A Timely Reminder

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 7th October 2022

Passage: Psalm 39:4

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When we are young and just starting out on the adventure of life we don't give much thought to the end of life. Recently there was quite a bit of publicity given to a poor man who was suffering from motor neurone disease and he wanted to end his life at the time he chose. You do have great sympathy for him and for his wife, although we know that only God has the right to choose the time of our death. But this terrible illness caused them to think seriously about the fact that his life was fleeing away.

Of course we don't know when our last day will be and it is not right for us when we are young to have morbid thoughts of death. Yet it is right that we should think about how we are living. Have we turned our life over to God and asked him to be our Saviour and our Guide?

You see, when Jesus Christ is our Saviour, he promises to be with us all the time. He gives us the Holy Spirit to live in our heart and to show us the ways that are pleasing to God and that will lead us day by day until our 'brief time on earth' will come to an end. When that day comes we will be prepared and will enter a fuller life that will never end in the presence and company of our God and Saviour.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to think seriously about the life you have given me and help me to trust you to lead me in your good ways. Amen.

Unbelief And Its Consequences

Jon Watson — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Unbelief And Its Consequences

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 6th October 2022

Passage: Matthew 13:57-58

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Upset with Jesus! No doubt most of us would just love to have heard Jesus speaking and teaching and to have seen the miracles that he worked. We would not have become 'upset with Jesus', would we? I wonder. These people who heard Jesus in Nazareth long long ago knew him well; they knew his brothers and sisters and they had known his father. Why were they now upset with him? I think some were jealous - "Who does he think he is?" Some were angry because he had said things which probably pricked their consciences. Some people just closed their minds to what he was teaching — they had no faith. They just refused to believe anything he said.

The consequence of this was that Jesus did not do many miracles there in his home town. What blessings they missed! What good they missed because of their unbelief!

And it is exactly the same today. If we shut our minds to what Jesus is saying to us in the Bible, if we refuse to obey him and just go our own way, we too will miss a great blessing and much good and be left to answer for our unbelief. One day Jesus will ask us : "Why did you not believe me when I could have been so good for you and given you the gift of my salvation?"

Think seriously about that.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to realise that unbelief has serious consequences. Amen.

Wasn't That A Happy Coincidence?

Jon Watson — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Wasn't That A Happy Coincidence?

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 5th October 2022

Passage: Acts 8:26

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Life is full of strange coincidences — or is it? The interesting story of Philip and the Ethiopian official is case in point. Philip must have wondered why ever he was being told to go to that particular place - "This is a desert place" (verse 26).

But Philip obviously obeyed this prompting by the Spirit (the angel of God) and found himself walking this lonely road (it was a road seldom used at that time). However, Philip found he was not the only traveller on the road. And it so happened that the other traveller was reading the Bible as he went in his chariot and was finding it difficult to understand what he was reading. Now wasn't that a happy coincidence that Philip caught up with him as he puzzled about the words in his Bible? Philip explained it all to him and by the end of the conversation the man became a Christian. A coincidence? No indeed; this was all by God's appointment.

Philip was a man who was ready to be used by God and so God was ready to use Philip. If we are willing to be used by God, we may find God will lead us to someone who needs spiritual help or who is lonely or in trouble — and we 'just happen' to turn up at the right time. Not really a coincidence, but a willingness to be used by God wherever he needs us. So we may be a blessing to others. Philip went on to other places where God used him again in many ways. (You can read the whole story in Acts 8:26 - 40). Let's ask God to make us ready and willing to hear his voice and to go where he leads us.

He Will Hold Me Fast

Jon Watson — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

He Will Hold Me Fast

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 4th October 2022

Passage: Deuteronomy 33:27

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One of the hymns we sing in church is a good commentary on that verse. The first verse goes like this:

"When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast; When the tempter would prevail He will hold me fast. I could never keep my hold through life's fearful path; For my love is often cold; He will hold me fast."

It is a great encouragement for us as Christians to know the truth in these words because there are times when life can be difficult and we do honestly wonder how we can keep going, keeping trusting that God will help us cope with things.

Verse 2 of the hymn helps to explain the text even more:

"Those he saves are his delight, Christ will hold me fast: Precious in his holy sight, He will hold me fast; He'll not let my soul be lost; His promises shall last, Bought by him at such a cost. He will hold me fast." (Ada Habershon)

Someone has written: "Security is not the absence of danger, but the presence of God, no matter what the danger." The everlasting arms of God under us will indeed hold us fast.

Prayer

Dear Lord, how good it is to know you are our secure refuge for always. Amen.

Cooking The Books

Jon Watson — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Cooking The Books

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 3rd October 2022

Passage: Luke 16:10

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There's a lot of dishonest people around — from multimillionaires to small-time crooks who survive on their wits. In Luke 16 Jesus told a parable about a man who entrusted his whole business to a man who turned out to be a crook. When he was found out, the manager 'cooked the books' in order to make things look better and so that when he was out of a job he would get help from the people whose debts he had cancelled.

Jesus often pointed out the dangers that money can cause, especially when people put money before God. We read that the Pharisees loved money — it would have been better if they had loved God instead. So Jesus told this fact of life: if you are a crook in small things, you' ll be a crook in big things - and no one will trust you. But if you are honest in small things, then you will be trusted with big things.

This is especially true when it comes to serving God and telling people about the true riches of the Gospel. Sometimes people don't tell the whole truth of God's Word — they don't like to tell people about sin and the consequences of sin — God's eternal judgement. There are times when telling the truth about these things can cause offence but God wants us to be faithful to him and his Word. Let's not be crooks!

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to be faithful to you and to tell people about the truth of the Gospel even if people take offence. Amen.

I'm Sorry!

Jon Watson — Sun, 02 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

I'm Sorry!

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 2nd October 2022

Passage: Psalm 38:18

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"Oh, I'm sorry. Are you all right?" How often we may have said something like that if we bumped into someone, or made them spill their coffee. However we soon move on and forget all about the incident. That word 'sorry' didn't trouble us much. Psalm 38 is all about being sorry and David who wrote the psalm took it very seriously indeed. The psalm is really a conversation between David and God in which David opens his heart to God. He tells God all about the things he had done wrong and the fact that he was genuinely sorry for all the times he had done things God calls sin and iniquity. David felt guilty before God because he knew God was pure and holy and hated anything that was wrong and sinful. God takes sin very seriously indeed.

But David was not the only sinner. You are one and I am one too. Indeed the Bible tells us that we have all sinned and we "fall short of the glory (standards) of God" (Romans 3:23). We need to be truly sorry for our sin because even the littlest of sins is hateful to God and should make us ashamed.

So what are we to do? Well, David gives us an answer in the last verse of the psalm when he calls God his salvation. Yes, we sin against God and only God can forgive us. He does this when we go to him, confess our sin and ask him to forgive us — not because we deserve to be forgiven but because he is a God of mercy and grace.

Prayer

Dear Lord, in your mercy pardon my sin, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

Sincerity

Jon Watson — Sat, 01 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Sincerity

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 1st October 2022

Passage: 2 Peter 3:1

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Just imagine you are in a rather dingy shop and you like a sweater that you see on a model. It looks good but you as if you can take it to the doorway to see how it looks in the daylight. It looks quite different when you see it clearly.

Or again imagine you are going to bake a cake but the flour has some lumps in it. So you must sieve it until it is all white and smooth again. This is the real meaning of the word 'sincere' which Peter uses. It can be translated as 'pure'. It is not a common word in the Greek language which Peter spoke here but the Apostle Paul also liked this word.

What does this word mean for us as Christians? That is a really challenging question because it has to do with our mind, the thoughts we think, the words we speak, the very people we claim to be as followers of Jesus.

Think again of taking the sweater to the sunlight. Will your mind and thoughts stand the searching light of God and his Word?

Think again of the sieve sifting out the impurities. Will your mind stand that test or is it full of thoughts that shouldn't be there at all?

The sincerity the Bible speaks of is part and parcel of our Christian way of life. Peter said "I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of a reminder..."

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to remember to keep my mind clean and pure. Amen.

Devilish Deceptions

Jon Watson — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Devilish Deceptions

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 30th September 2022

Passage: Revelation 12:9

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Satan or the devil is often treated as an almost comical character — someone who really doesn't exist. The devil is quite happy with that — it is one of his 'devilish deceptions'. He is cunning and he is exceedingly cruel.

One of the wise old Puritan writers called Thomas Brooks wrote this about Satan: "Satan promises the best but pays the worst: he promises honour and pays with disgrace; he promises pleasure and pays with pain; he promises profit and pays with loss; he promises life and pays with death."

The book of Revelation shows us how Satan tries his hardest to attack Christ and to attack the church of Christ. Satan really goes to war against Christians trying to destroy them and he does this in many ways. One of the most obvious ways is to use the wholesale persecution of the church in countries like China and Iran. But he also uses more subtle ways to destroy a person's faith as for example tempting Christians to watch porn, to try drink or drugs, to engage in immoral relationships. Satan is also a master of dropping doubts in people's minds about the Bible and its teaching. He is a master — deceiver.

But the book of Revelation shows us emphatically that Satan is a loser and his utter destruction is coming. Christ and he alone is the truth — there is no deception with Jesus. Trust him.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to reject Satan's efforts to undermine my faith in you. Amen.

My Good Servant

Jon Watson — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

My Good Servant

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 29th September 2022

Passage: Isaiah 53:11

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As I am writing this, it is pouring rain and the forecast says we will have heavier rain tomorrow — not much sign of the sun! But of course we know sunshine will return and the gardens will blossom abundantly because of the rain.

Isaiah chapter 53 is in many ways like a dull rainy day but because of all that it tells us the sunshine of God's salvation comes shining through in the most amazing colours. And all of this comes to pass because of what the Lord Jesus Christ God's 'good (righteous) servant' has done.

This chapter of the Bible shows us in vivid and sad detail all that our Lord Jesus suffered and endured as he went to his death on the cross. It is the saddest chapter in the Bible for we realise that all the suffering of Jesus was not for any wrong thing he had done but to pay the debt for all the wrong things we had done — all the reasons that made us not right with God. But we read "My good servant (Jesus) will make many people right with God". That is what Jesus has done.

It is for that reason what we can sing: "Bearing shame and scoffing rude In my place condemned he stood; Sealed my pardon with his blood: Hallelujah! What a Saviour!" (P. Bliss)

Prayer

Thank God for "His good servant" - Jesus!

The Unbelievers

Jon Watson — Wed, 28 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

The Unbelievers

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 28th September 2022

Passage: 2 Corinthians 4:4

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To be an unbeliever is to be in a very 'dark' place as far as the Bible is concerned: "All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want..." (v4 The Message)

Of course people who do not believe what the Bible says think that they have been 'enlightened' in the sense that they think science and all our advances in knowledge have left the Bible behind — it is 'old hat'. But it's not new to say things like that. Some 1600 years ago Augustine in North Africa said "No man says, 'there is no God', but the person whose interest it is there should be none. People prefer the "fashionable god of darkness rather than "The dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ who gives us the best picture of God we'll ever get." (The Message),

Science with all its advances simply "traces the lines that flow from God" (Albert Einstein). There need be no conflict between science rightly so-called and the Christian's faith in Almighty God. 'Science' is often an excuse for those who wish there was no God. But there IS a God and he makes himself known to us supremely in Jesus Christ "Who is the exact image of God" (NLT). To follow him is the true wisdom and life eternal.

Jon Watson — Sat, 24 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

He Fell Asleep

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 24th September 2022

Passage: Acts 7:59-60

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The Christian view of death and dying has been formed by the Lord Jesus himself. Without the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, death would remain an enemy to be feared because death is present because of our sin which is everywhere. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)

But through the grace of God in sending his Son, Jesus Christ, to take on himself sin and its judgment death the 'sting' of death is taken away. When that is the case death loses its terrors and the believer in Jesus can concentrate on the glorious freedom and purity of our heavenly home.

That is why when Stephen was brutally stoned to death as we read in Acts chapter 7, the Bible could say that 'he fell asleep.' Could anything be more contradictory than that? With his head bashed in by stones 'he fell asleep'? Was the Bible being unrealistic? By no means. Make no bones about it poor Stephen's death was painful in the extreme, but God was with him giving him the grace and courage he needed at that moment — and then God took him home to his eternal rest. He fell asleep in the arms of Christ. The death experiences of Christians vary as is true for non-Christians as well. But for the Christian there is the sure hope that death has a door that opens into heaven no matter the circumstances of our going.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you that by your death and resurrection I may not fear death and I may trust you to the end. Amen.

Our Inheritance

Jon Watson — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Our Inheritance

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 23rd September 2022

Passage: 1 Peter 1:4

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People are usually interested in what they can expect to get when their parents or their loved ones die. The heir of a very rich person may expect to get not only money but property and land. If the person who died was an aristocrat then the heir would inherit the title as well — perhaps duke or sir or some other such title.

In that case the inheritance was very important indeed. There are many references to inheritances in the Bible both in the Old Testament and the New. But let us confine ourselves here to just the reference that Peter makes in his first letter, chapter one. "An inheritance pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay". It certainly sounds an impressive inheritance but who is it for?

This inheritance is for every member of God's family — that is those who have been born again (verse 3). Through that new birth we come into a new family - God's family and we become joint-heirs with the Lord Jesus of the great inheritance blessings of God. We come into the full riches of our inheritance not when God dies — that will never happen — but when he takes us home to heaven at the end of our life here.

He is guarding our inheritance so that it can never disappear or lose its value. What does it look like? Too wonderful for words according to Paul (1 Corinthians 2:9) and glorious (Ephesians 1:18). All of this comes through God's great mercy for each of his children.

Prayer

Dear Lord I do thank you for making me your child. Help me to look forward to my heavenly home. Amen.

Keep Right On To The End Of The Road

Jon Watson — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Keep Right On To The End Of The Road

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 22nd September 2022

Passage: 1 Samuel 9:1-2

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Years ago there was a well-known Scottish singer and comedian called Harry Lauder who had a song called 'Keep right on to the end of the road'. It may not have been great poetry but it did have some down to earth common sense about it.

Beginning a journey is one thing, but arriving safely at our destination is just as important no matter how long and difficult the road may have been. The handsome young man Saul about whom we read in 1 Samuel 9 and onwards became Israel's first king. He looked the part and he started well. However as time passed he became a man of violent moods and murderous ways. Worst of all he became disobedient to God "He did not seek guidance from the Lord. Therefore the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse." (1 Chronicles 10:14).

Saul is one of history's tragic figures. But he is by no means the only one. Jesus said to those who professed to follow him, "You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings." (John 8:3 NLT). Keeping on to the end of the road! The secret of doing this as a Christian is to stay close to Christ, trust in his word, and ask him daily for his grace and strength. In this way you will arrive home having finished your journey well.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me on each step of my journey with you. Amen.

Hallelujah!

Jon Watson — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Hallelujah!

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 21st September 2022

Passage: Psalm 147:1

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Hallelujah! This word occurs 24 times in the Book of Psalms — one of several words giving praise to Almighty God. Those psalms beginning (or sometimes ending) with the word Hallelujah came to be favourites of the people worshipping in the synagogues so our Lord Jesus Christ would have been used to singing this great word of praise very often indeed.

Hallelujah is one of these words which has come into our English language straight from the Hebrew so to speak. We have come to know it as a great 'praise' word. Maybe this has come about especially since the musician Handel wrote the music for the Messiah with the magnificent Hallelujah Chorus. Some newer translations of the Bible in English use the word instead of the translation "Praise the Lord".

We know too that Hallelujah is a familiar praise-word in heaven. It is sung four times in chapter 19 of the Book of Revelation. There in the New Testament, as in the Old Testament, the word is sung in places describing God's salvation of his people. It is a word of spontaneous praise from hearts that know the saving goodness of God.

Prayer

Dear Lord, as I think of all you have done for me, I pray you will always help me to sing Hallelujah in thanksgiving. Amen.

Jon Watson — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

A History Lesson

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 16th September 2022

Passage: Daniel 11:45

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You can find many ways to explain what history is and if it has a great lesson to teach us. Winston Churchill wrote: "To test the present you must appeal to history." One of the Christian historians wrote: "What history does is to uncover man's universal sin." (H. Butterfield). You can certainly see that plainly when you read the book of Daniel in the Old Testament.

In its later chapters the Book of Daniel tells of kings and queens, generals and war-lords, each of them appearing for a time seeming to be all-powerful until an even more powerful leader appeared and toppled them. One of the most ruthless and ungodly of these leaders appears in the second part of Daniel 11. It seemed he could do anything he liked. But look at the words at the top of this page. That happened in 164 BC. Today he is forgotten.

In the middle of all that is described in Daniel God was working out his purposes. In the overthrow of all these ancient rulers and especially the king of whom we read in Daniel chapter 11, we have a picture of what is yet to happen when Satan the great anti-Christ and all who follow him will be overthrown under the terrible judgement of God - "Yet he shall come to his end with none to help him." Only God is the all-powerful one whose kingdom has no end. Then all will see that history is truly his story and the end will be glorious.

Jon Watson — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

The Great Angel With A Little Scroll

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 12th September 2022

Passage: Revelation 10:1-2

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This is another vision which God gave to the apostle John as he was confined on the little island of Patmos. We remember that John had been sent away from his beloved congregation in Ephesus on to this small island because the Roman authorities were hostile to the Christian message at that time. But this vision has at least three great truths which we want to see.

Number one - John saw a mighty angel, obviously one of authority and power. He stood with one foot on the land and one on the sea — in other words he came from heaven with an important message that spanned the world in its importance.

Number two - the little scroll (book) which the angel carried was clearly meant for John to take and to understand fully what God was saying in this book. The message in the book is the message of the Bible itself, the word of God. This wonderful book has the amazing message of salvation — sweet indeed. But it also has a solemn even bitter message too — God's judgement on all who defy him.

Number three - John had to tell God's message to a largely hostile world - the whole message of 'sin and salvation, wrath, and grace'. The same is still true today. People must hear God's word even when it is a bitter experience for the preacher when people reject what he is telling them from God.

Getting First Things First

Jon Watson — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Getting First Things First

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 11th September 2022

Passage: Luke 11:2

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The church congregation we attend has two weeks of special prayer times every year — one week in the spring time and one in the autumn. In these weeks the plan for the days of prayer is based on the different phrases of the Lord's Prayer. So on the opening day of our special week of prayer we start with prayers of adoration and thanksgiving: "Father, hallowed be your name."

Every day of these 'prayer weeks' we bring before God the different and pressing needs of our congregation, our city, our country and our world, as well as special prayer for friends we know who are not yet Christians. All of this is very important.

But when Jesus responded to his disciples' request to teach them how to pray he showed them, and us, the first great principle of prayer — to honour the very name of God. Jesus got 'the first thing first'. Why is this so important? After all we usually think of prayer as a way of coming to God to ask him for things. We do also praise him and thank him (sometimes!) but it seems strange (to us) to start off prayer with something that we may take for granted — that God is God; he is great and he is good.

Jesus however does not want us to take God for granted. He wants us to realise that coming into God's presence in prayer is an awesome, holy privilege — we are on holy ground! Think of that!

Prayer

Father, hallowed by your name. Amen.

The Fountain Of Life

Jon Watson — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

The Fountain Of Life

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 9th September 2022

Passage: Psalm 36:9

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Many years ago now I visited the lovely little city of Wells in Somerset. The name of the city comes from three ancient wells which watered the city. One of the things I especially remember is that from a fountain in the Market Place fed by one of the wells water gushed out and ran down a gully through the centre of the city.

Among the many beautiful pictures the Psalm writer David gives us in Psalm 36 are the pictures of a river and the picture of a fountain. The river is the 'river of God's delights' and the fountain is 'the fountain of life.' These illustrations are part of what the Psalm is telling us of the really wonderful blessing which God gives to those who trust him.

The New Testament also uses such pictures to tell us of the wonders of God's blessings which come to us in Jesus. Jesus himself said: "Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." (John 4:14).

Jesus is indeed the fountain of life and what a difference he makes to life! It is abundant life. In Isaiah 12:3 the bible speaks of people joyously "drawing water from the wells of salvation" - it is a picture of glorious abundance. Life with Jesus is the best!

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to enjoy more and more of the delights of our salvation. Amen.

Blind Man's Buff

Jon Watson — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Blind Man's Buff

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 8th September 2022

Passage: Psalm 36:2

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Blind man's buff is a game that I'm sure we have all enjoyed playing when we were younger. It seems it's been popular almost all over the world. It's just a game of course, but many people seem to live that way — as if they were blind-folded and didn't know where they were going.

David, who wrote Psalm 36, tells us about the wicked men of his day. They had no respect for God and because they were almost 'blindfolded' they thought God didn't see what they were doing or how they were living. They just didn't care about God.

But life is not a game, and David tells us that the wicked person (the unbelieving person) has ceased to act wisely. He is foolish to think God doesn't see how we live nor care how we live. God sees, God knows, and God judges!

The sad thing is that the person who does not believe in God or follow in his ways is really missing the main point of life, which is to trust God and walk with him. Just as a blind-folded person can be easily led so that he doesn't know where he is, so Satan can tempt us away from God almost without our knowing what he is doing. And he will make us think our iniquity will not be found out. That is a lie and we must not be deceived.

Prayer

I pray, Lord, that you will lead me in your ways and help me to stand against the attempts of Satan to take me away from you. Amen.

Works Of Darkness

Jon Watson — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Works Of Darkness

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 7th September 2022

Passage: Ephesians 5:11

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It turned out that there were two of them. Thieves had broken into our big garden shed — my study! It was very late and very dark but we saw flashing lights in the shed. The first thing we did was to put on the bright light that lights up the garden and when the thieves became aware of the light they knew they were discovered. Out of the shed they bolted and leapt over the garden fence and ran away as quickly as they could. They only tried to steal one thing and even that they dropped in their hurry to get away. So for them it really was the "unfruitful works of darkness" on that particular night. The light exposed their evil deeds.

"Works of darkness" are sinful things which a Christian should have nothing to do with — we have not only to avoid them but to show how shameful some of these 'works' are. We have to shine the light of the Gospel on them both to make sure our own hearts and lives are pure, and also to show to others how wrong such sinful practices and thoughts really are. "It is shameful even to speak of the things that (are done) in secret" (Verse 12).

If we belong to Jesus we have a great responsibility to have lives that are true examples of Christlikeness because so many people do not know the Bible and do not know the moral values that make life worth living and are pleasing to God.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to look carefully at how I walk both before you and those around me. Amen.

Something Beautiful

Jon Watson — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Something Beautiful

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 6th September 2022

Passage: Ecclesiastes 3:11

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Suppose as an artist you have spent a long time painting one of your very favourite scenes and at last it is finished and looks good. Then disaster strikes — you spill paint all over it and it is ruined. It was beautiful. You can only grieve.

Don't you think God must feel the same sadness when he looks at us? He created people to live in a perfect world, a world of beauty, peace, and contentment. But the picture was ruined by our sin, pride, and rebellion against the very God who so wanted the very best for us. What had started so beautiful became in many ways so ugly. But do you know what? God can take that ruined picture (you!) and change it into something beautiful — something restored!

William T. Gaither, the author of many Gospel songs has written these words:

'The hope for life's best were the hopes that I harboured deep down in my heart; But my dreams turned to ashes, my castles all crumbled, my future turned to loss, so I wrapped it all up in the rags of my life and laid it at the cross. Something beautiful, something good; all my confusion He understood; All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife. But He made something beautiful of my life.'

Christ is the great restorer of ruined sinners.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, please make my life into something beautiful for you. Amen.

Pressing On

Jon Watson — Mon, 05 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Pressing On

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 5th September 2022

Passage: Hosea 6:3

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I have just been reading the story of a young soldier who lost both his legs and two fingers in a horrific bomb blast in Afghanistan. Since then he has endured lots of operations; the last one was to amputate his legs above his knees to help his mobility. After it all he says "I have so much drive and ambition". He spends his time telling his story 'to inspire young people to be more resilient.' Wow! That takes courage! He is out and about and he is pressing on.

Paul the apostle had a similar spirit. He says "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed." )2 Corinthians 4:6). Twice Paul wrote that he was 'pressing on' (Philippians 3:12 14) and 'straining' to know the fullness of God's blessing and the power of the resurrected Lord Jesus.

Hosea the prophet also wanted his people to press on to know the Lord. This is the spirit that we too should have. Every day we should be pressing on to know Jesus more fully to serve Jesus more faithfully and to enjoy being a Christian more joyfully.

The young soldier I was reading about said "If I can inspire just one kid it will be so fulfilling." I am sure he certainly will. Will we point others to Jesus as we press on in the Christian life ?

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, I ask that you will help me to be an inspiration to others 'to press on to know the Lord' Amen.

The Day Of The Lord

Jon Watson — Sun, 04 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

The Day Of The Lord

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 4th September 2022

Passage: Joel 2:31

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Robert Browning wrote in one of his poems: "God's in his heaven — all's right with the world."

It is true that God is in his heaven but it is sadly true that all is not right with the world. But one of the great themes of the Bible is that things are not going to remain that way for ever. God has a special day coming when all that is wrong in the world will be put right.

The Old Testament prophets called that special day 'The Day of the Lord'. Sometimes they emphasised that the Day would be a Day of fearful judgement. Sometimes the emphasis was on the happy salvation of God's people (Malachi 4:2-3).

In the New Testament we read about that Day as the Day God has set "when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the Judge..." (Acts 17:31, The Message). The judge will be the Lord Jesus our risen Saviour.

It's very easy to live as if that Day will never come — we think it's something we don't need to worry about or bother with. But that is very foolish. Jesus himself said "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour (Matthew 25:13). Jesus is coming again on the great and awesome Day. To be ready for that special Day we should live in a God-honouring way, so that when he comes we will not be ashamed.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to live in such a way that I will rejoice to meet you at your coming. Amen

Quarrelling Among The Christians

Jon Watson — Sat, 03 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Quarrelling Among The Christians

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 3rd September 2022

Passage: 1 Corinthians 1:11

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Just imagine a football match where all of a sudden one of the teams started arguing and fighting among themselves. The other team would be looking on wondering what on earth was going on. If the fighting continued the game would have to be abandoned and the points would go to the other team. So because of their arguing that team would be defeated.

The apostle Paul heard there was quarrelling among the church members in Corinth. There were serious divisions and Paul was so disappointed: "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united..." (Verse 10)

Church congregations can easily be destroyed when the people in them start arguing and fighting over things that should never be allowed to cause divisions. Our Lord Jesus wants us to be people of peace and of love. Just imagine how non-Christian people must think when Christians are busy fighting with each other. What should you do if conflict arises in your church? Let Paul give us the answer: "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love" (1 Corinthians 16:13 - 14). Bitter quarrelling and division has no rightful place among Christian people.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, help me to be a person of peace and a peace-maker in your name. Amen.

For Such A Time As This

Jon Watson — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

For Such A Time As This

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 2nd September 2022

Passage: Esther 4:14

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Do you like a good story? Yes? Well the book of Esther has all the ingredients of a good story — a beautiful and brave heroine, a romance, an evil villain who gets his just desserts, an obscure good man who gets a great honour... all played out in an exotic Persian palace and its surroundings.

Strangely enough for a Bible book there is no mention of God! Yet the Providence of God is everywhere in the story. By Providence we mean God's gracious working out of his purposes so that all events that happen are made to bring about what gives glory to God and ultimate good for people, especially all who have their trust in him. That is the great lesson the book of Esther teaches.

Yet God uses people to fulfil his purposes not as robots but as free agents who know and are responsible for what they are doing. This was why Esther's cousin (or uncle?) Mordecai challenged Esther to be brave and plead with the Persian king to save the Jewish people when they were in danger of being completely destroyed.

Esther, a Jew, was the queen of the Persian king at that time and she was in danger of being killed along with all the other Jews. But Esther used her position to get the king's help to save the Jews — she had come to the kingdom for just such a time and she did not fail.

Prayer

Jon Watson — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

It's All About Me!

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 29th August 2022

Passage: Genesis 11:4

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"It's all about me!" That is a good way to sum up just how many people feel in the day we live in. People are encouraged to project a positive image of themselves and so they come to be very self-centred and selfish as a result.

The story we read in Genesis chapter 11:1-9 is a story about people who wanted to be independent and self-sufficient, and they felt no need for God. The Tower of Babel has come to be a symbol of people's desire to do things their way without any reference to God.

The words 'us' and 'ourselves' tell us a lot. "Let us make a name for ourselves" is at the heart of the story and it has a very modern ring to it. People have not really changed with the passing of the years. So many people see no need for God in their lives or in society today.

But the irony is that all human efforts to get rid of God always end in failure. Life is not 'all about me'. Rather our first duty is to acknowledge God.

As the New City Catechism asks: "What is our only hope in life and death?" And the answer: "That we are not our own, but belong, body and soul, both in life and death, to God and to our Saviour Jesus Christ. Only as we live in the light of that truth will our lives be truly what God meant them to be — the good life!

Prayer

Dear Lord, please help me to put your first in my thoughts and actions. Amen.

God's Children... Children Of The Resurrection

Jon Watson — Sun, 28 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

God's Children... Children Of The Resurrection

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 28th August 2022

Passage: Luke 20:36

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Resurrection! Jesus Christ often had people arguing against his teaching. One of the groups of people who were opposed to his teaching were called the Sadducees. They were a powerful group of people in Jerusalem and they did not believe in life after death. As far as they were concerned there was no such thing as resurrection.

Sometimes they tried to make fun of Jesus and his teaching about heaven and the teaching about believers in God who go to heaven. This was even more surprising since several of the High Priests were from the Sadducees.

We don't hear anything about the Sadducees after the resurrection of Jesus. I don't know what they would have made of it. However the resurrection of Jesus was the proof of the deity of Jesus — it proved he was God. It was proof also of the reality of everlasting life.

The poor Sadducees who thought themselves to be so clever and powerful were soon almost forgotten by the Jewish people, while the teaching of Jesus and the resurrection has gone throughout the world to bring salvation, comfort and great hope to all who put their trust in Jesus.

They are God's children — the children of the resurrection.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, help me to know the glorious hope of the resurrection to everlasting life in heaven. Amen.

Do You Believe In Angels?

Jon Watson — Sat, 27 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Do You Believe In Angels?

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 27th August 2022

Passage: Psalm 34:7

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Do you believe in angels? The Bible certainly does — they are mentioned nearly 300 times in the Bible.

But what do angels do and how do we know they are doing it? Angels are spirit-beings — they don't have bodies and we normally cannot see them. They were created by God. There are good angels and bad angels.

Satan and other angels who followed him are the bad angels, expelled from heave for their rebellion against God. Satan continues to try to destroy the kingdom and the people of Jesus, but he and his devilish followers will never succeed.

The good angels enjoy serving God as they praise him in the holy atmosphere of heaven. Angels serve God in many ways. For example they were present at the creation of the world (Job 38:7), they help and they defend Christians (Psalm 91:11-12), and they announce special messages from God, such as the birth of the Lord Jesus (Luke 2:8-15).

Two particularly important angels, Michael and Gabriel, conveyed special messages from God and are the only two whose names are mentioned (1 Thessalonians 1:16 and Luke 1:18). We read that an angel helped Jesus as he prayed in Gethsemane before his crucifixion (Luke 22:43) and angels announced that Jesus had risen from the dead (Luke 24:4-7).

Angels do not die but we know that Satan and his crew will be destroyed for ever at the last Judgement (Matthew 25:41). Many of God's people today experience help in trying circumstances which have proven to them God's protection by his ministering angels.

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for the help of your angels. Amen.

God's Holy People

Jon Watson — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

God's Holy People

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 26th August 2022

Passage: Colossians 1:1-2

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It would be a very bold person who would describe himself or herself as a holy person. But that is exactly what a Christian is called to be; indeed that is what a Christian is in one sense, because the word' holy' means being set apart for God.

But we usually think of the word when we are describing the kind of person a Christian 'looks like'; the way he or she lives out the Christian life day by day. You may not be conscious of it as you go about your daily living, whether it be at home, work, school or wherever but it is very important what you 'look like'! What other people gather from the way you speak, the way you do your work, the way you react to those around you, is going to tell people what kind of person you really are.

When Paul was writing to the Ephesian Christians, he said "You used to live just like the rest of the world..." (Ephesians 2:2). But when we become Christians things change — we change. The 'things of the world' no longer occupy the place they once did for us — indeed many of these 'things' have no place in a Christian's life at all.

But the Christian's life is full of very positive and beautiful characteristics as Paul tells us in Galatians 5:22-23: ...affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart and much more. Being a holy person means we reflect the likeness of Jesus.

Prayer

Dear Lord, sometimes I feel very unholy. Help me to become more like the Lord Jesus and to show this by the way I live. Amen.

Are We Really Serious About Following Jesus?

Jon Watson — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Are We Really Serious About Following Jesus?

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 25th August 2022

Passage: Matthew 10:38

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In a very famous speech in the House of Commons in 1940, at the height of World War 2, Winston Churchill said "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat." That saying has gone down in history to describe a really serious situation a person may get into — the only way out is through "blood, toil, tears and sweat."

That is what our Lord Jesus is telling us the cost of following him may very well bring to us. "Taking up the cross" must have sent shivers through the hearts of those to whom Jesus first said these words — they were like a death sentence. So many of those early Christians and so many since then paid that extreme cost as they faithfully followed Christ.

Putting Jesus first in our lives leaves us open to all sorts of opposition and possible rejection even by our own relatives and friends. But that is the reality if we are seriously following Jesus faithfully. It also means we should be very clear about that cost if we are to become a Christian. It isn't just case of being "nice" to people; it is an honest handing over of our life to Jesus and being prepared for anything that might follow.

Of course along with the cost there is the "crown", whether in this life or the life to come. Jesus himself will be with us each step of the way.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to be a faithful follower of yours, come what may. Amen.

Living To Please God

Jon Watson — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Living To Please God

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 24th August 2022

Passage: 1 Thessalonians 4:1

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One of the prayers I pray to God every morning is this: "Heavenly Father, I pray that this day I may live in your presence and please you more and more." It is both a challenge and a privilege to live to please God. We are so keen to live to please ourselves; we are very selfish at times and get upset if things don't go our way.

But the Christian's life is characterised by some really tough decisions resulting in us becoming more and more like Jesus Christ — and that will be pleasing to God. Here are some examples: "Keep your mind and your heart clean and pure. Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing." 1 Peter 1:14 (The Message).

Remember God is holy and he wants you to be holy (set apart for him). Again we should consciously be asking 'What would Jesus do?' When we are faced with difficult choices like drinking, clubbing, friends and so on. Always ask yourself "Can I take Jesus with me if I do such and such a thing?" "What would please God?"

Another thing is to watch your tongue. We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way. "Don't brag about the good you do" "If you are wise and understand God's ways, live a life of steady goodness so that only good deeds will pour forth." (James 3:2-13, NLT)

Prayer

My dear Lord, help me to live a life that pleases you more and more. Amen.

Wages Or Gift?

Jon Watson — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Wages Or Gift?

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 23rd August 2022

Passage: Romans 6:23

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Roman soldiers could be seen everywhere in the time the New Testament was written and the Apostle Paul would have seen many of them in his many travels. Paul often refers to the soldiers, to their training and their equipment. Here in Romans 6:23, Paul mentions two types of money which the troops received. He does this in order to teach us a very serious and important lesson.

Paul writes about the wages of sin. The word for wages he uses was the word for the ordinary pay a Roman soldier received — it was his due, that what he had earned. If we choose to keep on sinning as an unbeliever then we get our due, which Paul says is death.

But there is this other word — the gift. When a Roman Emperor had a birthday or some other great celebration he gave his soldiers a free gift — he gave it out of the goodness of his heart. Paul says this is what we receive from God when we believe — his (free) gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Isn't that really wonderful?

We get our due wage if we remain sinners but we are given the amazing gift of God when we come to trust in Jesus. Surely, surely it is so much better to accept God's gift of life with him for ever than to work away at a life that will only earn you death for ever ?

Prayer

Dear Lord, I thank you for the gift of life with you for ever through what Jesus has done for me. Amen.

Something Both Bitter And Sweet

Jon Watson — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Something Both Bitter And Sweet

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 22nd August 2022

Passage: Revelation 10:9

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When we were children, one of our favourite sweets was 'soor plums'. They were hard sweets (boilings) that were both sweet and sour at the same time.

There are places in the Old Testament and here in the New Testament where we read that God's Word can be bitter and sweet at the same time. In Revelation chapter 10, John the Apostle has a vision of a great and obviously special angel who was sent to John for him to take and eat a small scroll. The scroll obviously contained the word of God and by 'eating' it John was to really take it upon himself to live by this word and also to tell other people what God wanted them to know.

When we come to believe God's word and tell others about Christ this can be sweet indeed. The word is true it is food to our souls and it gives us real joy. However the bitterness can come in two ways. One way is when we disobey that word ourselves and go away from God even for a little time. We become bitter in our spirit.

But we feel bitterness of soul also when we tell people about Jesus and they reject the message and go on in their sin. This makes us truly sad. It is a sadness that Jesus himself felt when people turned away from him.

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for how sweet the name of Jesus is to my soul. I pray that you will keep me near to you and faithful in telling others about you even if I suffer the bitterness of rejection. Amen.

If

Jon Watson — Sun, 21 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 21st August 2022

Passage: 2 Chronicles 7:14

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Sometimes very small words are really important. The little word 'if' is one of these. In 2 Chronicles chapter 6, King Solomon used the word six or seven times in his prayer to God. But now in chapter 7, God uses the word as he answers Solomon's prayer. There are times when it is wrong for us to say to God "I will do such and such a thing for you if you will do this for me". We don't lay down conditions to God. It is God's place to lay down conditions to us.

In this chapter 7 of 2 Chronicles God said to Solomon that when the land would suffer from drought or was attacked by a swarm of locusts or there was a plague among the people (and all of this was because they had sinned) then if the people prayed God would hear.

This is a very important lesson for us to learn. We all sin in one way or another. This is true personally but also true at a national level. But if we repent and turn from our sin and pray, then God will hear from heaven forgive our sin and heal our land. How desperately we need to take that to heart at the present time!

Our broken society needs to come to God, confess our sin, repent of it, and leave it. Only then can we expect God to forgive us and bless us.

Prayer

Dear Lord, give us a repentant heart and forgive our sin we pray. Amen.

Jon Watson — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

It's Miserable Being Miserable!

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 16th August 2022

Passage: Psalm 32:4

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Just suppose you broke one of the most precious ornaments in the house and put it where it wasn't easily seen and told no one about it. Would you feel happy? I'm sure not. You would feel miserable.

David who wrote Psalm 32 was feeling miserable over something that he had done. He doesn't tell us what it was — it was obviously something that was very wrong in God's eyes. To begin with David tried to brazen things out as if what he had done was hidden from God. But he felt miserable. In verses 1 and 2 he uses three different word for the sinful things he had done, and he would have said as a result "It's miserable being miserable... When I kept it inside, my bones turned to powder... the pressure never gave up". (Vs 3 - 4. The Message).

So what did David do? He confessed to God what he had done — he let it all out and a great burden was lifted from him, he felt free. It happens that way with us too when we own up to a wrong we have done and receive forgiveness — being miserable turned to a great relief. Each of us must confess to God the sin that is in our hearts and minds. We will be miserable as long as we don't do this. But when we do we will find "the pressure was gone, my guilt disappeared, my sin was gone." (V 5 - The Message)

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to confess my sin and to receive your forgiveness.

We All Need Encouragement

Jon Watson — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

We All Need Encouragement

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 15th August 2022

Passage: Isaiah 43:1

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Encouragement! A dictionary definition of the word tells us that it is to give courage to someone or to inspire with hope or boldness. Courage, hope, boldness — do you have plenty of these, or are you like me and needing all the encouragement you can get?

When Isaiah wrote the words at the top of the page he was writing a message from God to his people who were still in captivity in Babylon. The chapter goes on to speak of the people having to pass through waters, walk through fire and through rivers — in other words they had to face many and terrifying difficulties.

They really did need courage, hope and boldness! But God said to them "You are mine." Yes the people had to come through difficulties but nothing would destroy them or take them out of God's hand. He loved them, he saved them and he would take them back home again.

The same message comes to us in the New Testament. Just think of this: "Do you think anyone is going to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble nor hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats ... None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. (Romans 8:36-37, The Message). Courage, hope, and boldness — we can have them all with the Lord Jesus on our side!

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the encouragement of your word. Amen.

Friends!

Jon Watson — Sun, 14 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Friends!

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 14th August 2022

Passage: Romans 16:3

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There is an old saying which goes 'All roads lead to Rome'. That was literally true when the Apostle Paul was alive. There was a huge network of roads right throughout the Roman Empire — and they all started from or led to the great city of Rome the capital of the Empire.

When Paul wrote his great letter to the Roman church, he was far away in Corinth and he gave his letter to a lady called Phoebe who was from the seaport beside Corinth and she delivered the letter to the Christians in Rome. At the end of his letter Paul sent his greetings to all the people he knew in Rome, and what a collection of friends he had there! Yet he himself had never visited Rome at that stage in his life. As you read the list of the people to whom he sent greetings you can see how all roads led to Rome — they came from such varied and faraway places. They were all people (more than thirty of them) whom Paul had met in his journeys and they had become his friends.

But they were more than friends, they were his brothers and sisters in Christ. At another time we will be introduced to some of these good people. But for the moment I just want us to see what a joy and comfort Paul found in the fact that he had good Christian friends, so many of whom had been a help and encouragement to him on his life's journey. Be sure to make good Christian friends in your church or fellowship. They are more precious than gold.

Prayer

Dear Lord, I thank you for my Christian friends and ask that I may be a good Christian friend to them. Amen.

The Commander Of The Lord's Army

Jon Watson — Sat, 13 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

The Commander Of The Lord's Army

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 13th August 2022

Passage: Joshua 5:13

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Joshua was all pumped up in readiness for the battle to capture Jericho, when the Israelites would cross the Jordan river. But what a surprise he got when all of a sudden a warrior with a drawn sword appeared in front of him! Joshua had never seen him before. Who could he be? "Is he one of our men or is he our enemy come into our camp?" Joshua wondered.

Joshua's biggest surprise came when this newly arrived soldier said to him "I am the commander of the army of the Lord" (Joshua 5:14). What could this mean? The commander said to Joshua "Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy. And Joshua did so" (Vs 15). Here was one of those special visits of the eternal Son of God before he came to be born in Bethlehem. He came at that critical time to show Joshua that the battle he was going to fight was really God's battle against the evil heathenism of Jericho and the other tribes in Canaan.

The Commander of the Lord's army was going to battle against evil then, just as the Lord's army is still fighting the forces of evil in our day. Joshua too had to fight against the evil enemy he could see just as we have to fight against evil as we see it. But Paul reminds us that there are spiritual forces of evil in the unseen world too strong for us to handle — the Lord's army fights against these (See Ephesians 6:10-13)

Prayer

Dear Lord, we need your help to fight against evil. Help us we pray. Amen.

A Safe Pair Of Hands

Jon Watson — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

A Safe Pair Of Hands

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 12th August 2022

Passage: Psalm 31:15

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It is quite a common saying to describe someone as a 'safe pair of hands'. The person concerned may be a goalkeeper in a soccer team or a person delegated to do some important work. A 'safe pair of hands' will do whatever has to be done, and do it well.

If you read the whole of Psalm 31, you will find that David who wrote the psalm was in lots of trouble and he was often feeling at his wits end, for he says "my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing" (Verse 10). Yet for all that David is quite upbeat as well. He tells us he trusts God. God is his rock, fortress and his refuge. In spite of all the bad things which have happened to him he knows the comfort and encouragement of knowing that "my times are in (God's) hands" - the safest pair of hands one could ever have to hold him and help him.

The word 'times' means the whole of life as we live it, with the whole variety of experiences we go through. David said "Hour by hour I place my days in your hand, safe from the hands out to get me." (Vs 18, The Message). What a great example to us to place our lives into the great safe hands of God, knowing he will take us through the hard times as well as the good times. He will do all things well for us.

Prayer

Dear Lord, my times are in your hands. Help me to rest in the comfort of knowing that great truth. Amen.

The Compassionate Saviour

Jon Watson — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

The Compassionate Saviour

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 11th August 2022

Passage: Luke 7:12

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This is a very touching story, and it shows Jesus as a truly compassionate man as well as the almighty life-giver. It so happened that Jesus and his followers were passing by the little town of Nain when they came upon the funeral procession of the only son of a widowed woman. It seems that Jesus' own mother Mary was a widow by this time and Jesus knew the sorrow and loss that she felt.

I remember seeing a funeral procession in Nazareth and the body of the dead person was being taken to the cemetery in an open coffin. Something similar was happening in Nain when Jesus was passing by. So Jesus stopped and in his compassion and power he brought the dead son back to life to the amazement and joy of the mother and of the people in the procession. This is another reminder to us of the tender sympathy of our Saviour and of his willingness to help us in our times of sorrow and need. It is an encouragement to us to go to Jesus to pour out our hearts to him for he knows us, loves us, cares for us, and always wants us to trust him. What a privilege it is to be a Christian - to have Jesus as our Saviour and Friend!

Prayer

Dear Lord, I thank you for this story and for the miracle of life-giving joy that we are told about here. Give me a compassionate heart like Jesus. Amen.

Jon Watson — Sat, 06 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Words Of Bad Company

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 6th August 2022

Passage: Mark 7:20-23

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When you read all the words in Mark 7:20-23, you get an idea of just how ugly and sinful people can become. And you will find that there are several places in the New Testament where there are other lists of the bad things that people did in those far off times and people do the same things today. The words Jesus uses in the verses above are similar to those the apostle Paul uses and that the apostle Peter uses: they are words of bad company - "vile things ... and make you unacceptable to God" (verse 23).

When we harbour any of these thoughts in our hearts we have to repent of them and ask God for his cleansing and grace in forgiveness. Remember that such thoughts are bad company and make us unacceptable to God. Surely we don't want to live like that ?

But how do we deal with someone who does live like that — a person who loves the ways of the bad company Jesus was speaking about. First of all we must pray for them. They need God's help as only he can give them a sense of shame and a longing to leave the bad company they keep and desire to live a clean life. We must love someone like that and show them our love — a caring love that will want God's best for them. It may be that such a person needs more help than we can give them, but we can help them find such help and by God's grace they may come to find in Jesus the cleansing forgiving Saviour they need.

The Angel Of The Bottomless Pit

Jon Watson — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

The Angel Of The Bottomless Pit

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 5th August 2022

Passage: Revelation 9:11

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There is a terrifying battle going on all the time between the great God in heaven and the forces of darkness and evil, egged on by Satan the destroying devil. This battle will one day come to an end. Satan will be destroyed for ever; Christ will be the glorious Victor.

The book of Revelation has many pictures which show us a lot about the battle that is going on between good and evil. It shows the terrible effects that evil can have, the misery it brings and the sorrow that comes with it. We should never forget that behind many of the bad things which happen in our world there is an evil genius Satan the 'angel of the bottomless pit', as he is called in Revelation 9. His name means 'destroyer' - the destroyer of all that is good.

While Revelation 9 has some things that are difficult to understand, one thing stands out. God's people cannot be destroyed by Satan. The angel of the bottomless pit has no power to harm those who are trusting in Jesus. That is a great encouragement.

Another thing that becomes clear is that many people just ignored God's warnings and pleadings. People did not repent of their sins and continued under the power of the angel of the bottomless pit. That is a terrible choice to make.

Prayer

Dear Lord, I pray you will keep my soul in your care for all eternity. Amen.

The Only True God

Jon Watson — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0100

The Only True God

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 4th August 2022

Passage: Isaiah 45:21

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The passage from which this verse comes is a wonderful Gospel passage speaking about many people coming to plead with God for salvation. Many of the people spoken about had their idols of wood and stone, but they would come to the Jewish people to see if their living and true God would accept them. God's answer was that of course he would: "Turn to me all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other" (Verse 22). God wants all people to be saved.

But look at how God describes himself in verse 21: "a righteous (just) God and a Saviour." One meaning of God being a righteous or just God is that he can be trusted; he speaks the truth and tells only what is right (45:19). But one other great thing about this text is the fact that God has a way of being just and a Saviour at the same time.

We see this in a clearer way in the New Testament when God's perfect Son the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross. He took all the sin of all who put their trust in him and paid the penalty for that sin (God is just and he must judge sin) and so he became at the same time the Saviour. God is just so does not demand any more punishment for the sin of those for whom Jesus died. That is Gospel good news and it is the message God wants all people to hear. It is true.

Prayer

Dear Lord, as I thank you for Jesus, help me to spread this good news. Amen.

Jon Watson — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Blowing My Trumpet!

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 29th June 2022

Passage: 1 Corinthians 1:31

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We don't need to learn how to boast — it comes naturally. We boast about our favourite football teams, or about our skill at doing this or that. The truth is we really like to boast about something — we like to blow our own trumpet!

Paul the Apostle was often given to boasting or glorying, as it is often translated in some Bibles. The words mean the same thing. When Paul boasted about himself it was to make fun of himself - "boasting like a fool," as he writes in 2 Corinthians 11. But Paul loved to boast in Jesus Christ. In Galatians 6:14 Paul wrote, "But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ..." The Lord Jesus was Paul's hero and he loved boasting about him and about all that he had done for him.

Many centuries ago a man named Ambrose was the leader of the church in the city of Milan. He was a fine Christian teacher. One of his good sayings was this: "I will glory (boast), not because I am righteous, but because I am redeemed. I will glory, not because I am free from sins but because my sins are forgiven me." Paul would have agreed wholeheartedly with Ambrose. So are we going to boast? Certainly not about ourselves. Of course we can cheer on our sporting heroes. But let us boast in the Lord Jesus for who he is and for what he has done for us.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, may I never tire of boasting in you. Amen.

Jesus' First Miracle

Jon Watson — Sun, 26 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Jesus' First Miracle

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 26th June 2022

Passage: John 2:11

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John always calls Jesus' miracles 'signs'. They all point to some important aspect of his work in salvation which brings glory to God. It may seem strange to us that this miracle was Jesus' first and that he was so quiet about it. But then, Jesus was Jesus; he acted according to his own ways and always with a deep purpose in view.

Jesus and his disciples were at a wedding when the supply of wine ran out. The miracle which Jesus did at this time was to turn the water in six big stone jars into wine. This wine was obviously much better than the wine the wedding guests had had earlier. This was a lot of wine but wedding feasts in those days often went on for a whole week.

The miracle had three effects:

Firstly it saved the host of the wedding feast a great embarrassment.

Secondly the miracle confirmed to Jesus' disciples that Jesus really was who he said he was, the Son of Man, which was a way of saying he was the Son of God.

And the third thing — always what the signs or miracles pointed to — was the glory of heaven that truly belonged to Jesus.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, I pray that I may rejoice in the glory of who you are. Amen.

This Little Light Of Mine

Jon Watson — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0100

This Little Light Of Mine

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 20th June 2022

Passage: Mark 4:21

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We have by the fireside in our house a little lamp which we bought in Israel many years ago. It is just the kind of lamp Jesus would have referred to in the verses in Mark 4:21-25. Jesus loved using stories and word pictures to get across what he wanted people to hear and think about. He said: "Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand." (Mark 4:23).

When we do listen to Jesus and take his word seriously we will realise that what he has to say is truly important for us and for other people as well. As we take Jesus' teaching into our hearts and as we follow him as our Lord and our Saviour then he gives us a great work to do — to let our light shine - that is, to tell others what Jesus wants them to know too.

Our little light by the fireside will not give much light when compared with the electric lights we are used to today. However, in the time Jesus lived on earth there were no big lights in most houses and the little lights shone out brilliantly in the darkness. So, no matter how young we may be or how old, Jesus wants us to shine out for him and the truth he wants everyone to know about him.

Do you know the children's chorus: "This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine"?

Prayer

Dear Lord, please help me to shine out for you by the way I live. Amen.

The Right Way

Jon Watson — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0100

The Right Way

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 17th June 2022

Passage: Psalm 16:11

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Psalm 16 is, on the whole, a happy psalm. This is quite remarkable because it is probable that David wrote the psalm when he was in hiding because King Saul was searching for him in order to kill him. He begins the psalm by saying: "Keep me safe, O God, I've run for dear life to you." (Psalm 16:1, The Message) Well, David found true security in God — see the text at the top: "Ever since you took my hand, I'm on the right way." (Psalm 16:11, The Message)

Do you ever wonder if you are on the right way in your life? Sometimes we give in to temptations that seem fun at the time but end us up in disappointment and difficulty. Life can be full of choices — who to be friends with, what job should I apply for, is it wrong to take strong drink or drugs when everyone else seems to be doing it? Elvis Presley wrote a song and the end of the first verse had some really good advice : "Put your hand in the hand of the man of Galilee." That's just what David did and he found that God led him in the right and good way. Jesus, 'the man of Galilee', said he had come to give us life — abundant and full life — and to show us the right way by following him.

When you wonder what you should or should not do, ask yourself: "What would Jesus do? Can I honestly take Jesus with me into this place or company?" He shows us the right way.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to take your hand so I will go in the right way. Amen.

Roots

Jon Watson — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Roots

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 8th June 2022

Passage: Joshua 2:1-2

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When you start looking into your family history you may find rather surprising facts. Many families have found 'skeletons in their cupboards' - ancestors who did strange things, or who were born in surprising circumstances or places.

At the beginning of the book of Joshua we are introduced to a woman called Rahab. It seems she didn't have a great reputation to begin with. But Rahab and her family became joined to the people of Israel when they entered the promised land of Canaan. After some time Rahab married a Jewish man called Salmon. It was from their family line that Boaz came. Boaz married a fine woman called Ruth and their great grandson was King David. Very many years later Rahab was mentioned among the ancestors of Jesus Christ (See Matthew 1:4-5)

Who would have thought that a woman of Rahab's reputation — and she was a Canaanite, not one of the people of Israel — would have special mention among the ancestors of Jesus? Indeed Rahab is mentioned another two times in the New Testament for the way she helped the people of Israel when they entered into the land of Canaan. It all goes to show that when we attach ourselves to the Lord God and his people, it does not matter what our background is but what counts is our faithfulness to Him. Rahab became a woman of faith in God.

How Long, O Lord?

Jon Watson — Sun, 05 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0100

How Long, O Lord?

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 5th June 2022

Passage: Psalm 13:1

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"Patience, patience conquers nations" we say. But it is sometimes very hard to be patient, especially nowadays when we have so many instant things from coffee to news. There are times when we even become impatient with God. He doesn't seem to answer our prayers right away!

In Psalm 13, David, who wrote the psalm, became very impatient with God. Four times he asks God, "How long, O Lord?" It was as if he was saying, 'Lord, you have ignored me long enough'. Maybe we have thought the same thing but were too afraid to say it out loud? Yes, David did have his troubles, as we do too.

But if you look at the last two verses of the psalm, you find David has changed his tune. His troubles have not gone away — there are always troubles and difficulties to be faced. But David's view of God has changed; he remembers the relationship he has with God, and God's unchanging love for him, and the salvation God has given him, and just how good God has been to him in so many ways.

So what does he do? He says, "I will sing to the Lord". Yes, the troubles are still there but David's focus is not now on them but on God who is with him in the troubles. There's a good lesson there for you and me.

Prayer

Dear Lord, I can be so impatient with you. Forgive me and help me to focus on you and not on my wants. Amen.

The Blessing Of Shalom

Jon Watson — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0100

The Blessing Of Shalom

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 30th April 2022

Passage: Leviticus 3:1

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In the Old Testament worship of Israel there were several sacrifices. They were the constant reminders of two great truths that are still of vital importance today. One is that God is holy and separate from all that is sinful. The other is that we are not holy and we can only have fellowship with God when he shows us how to have fellowship with him and provides the way for this to happen. The different types of sacrifices in the Old Testament religion showed the different aspects of God's way of salvation, and so to fellowship with him.

One of the sacrifices was called the Peace Offering — the word "peace" is the word "shalom" that many people today use as a greeting . This "Shalom" offering was use for several reasons, one of which was as a way of expressing to God a big "thank you" for all the blessings that a person had experienced, and he wanted God to know how much he appreciated them all.

This offering is often linked to the blessings we now have through the Lord's Supper and the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus which it represents. This is often spoken of as the cup of thanksgiving — saying "thank you" to God for his way of salvation through Christ Jesus. This brings us "shalom" indeed, and fellowship with him.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you for your sacrifice for us and pray that we never forget how great a debt we owe to you for this. Amen

A Tale Of Two Brothers

Jon Watson — Sun, 24 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0100

A Tale Of Two Brothers

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 24th April 2022

Passage: Genesis 27:41

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The story of Jacob and Esau is one of the most important stories in the Bible, and one of the saddest. It is a story of how deceit, favouritism and shameless trickery tore apart a family that should have shown the world an example of godliness and happiness. These two sons were the sons of Isaac, Abraham's son. Their father was a good man who became blind in his later years. Their mother showed favouritism to the younger son Jacob. Jacob was a 'stay-at-home' guy while Esau was a hunting and shooting man of the outdoors. There was a real jealousy between the brothers, and both wanted the special blessing of their father that normally would have gone to the older son by right. However, with the connivance of their mother, Jacob tricked Isaac into giving him the father's special blessing, and once it was given it could not be withdrawn. The rift between the brothers caused no end of problems for the people of Israel for years to come.

This gives us a very clear warning about family relationships and the damage that can be done when we allow these to go wrong. There is no place in Christian families for jealousy, dishonesty and favouritism. The New Testament teaches that every family should be rooted and grounded in love. Christian families are to show a Christ-like example to an often dysfunctional and deeply sad world.

Prayer

Dear Lord, please protect our Christian families and help them to be your witnesses to the world. Amen

Spare A Thought For Joseph

Jon Watson — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Spare A Thought For Joseph

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 21st April 2022

Passage: Acts 1:23-26

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We all know how Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, and afterwards he went and committed suicide. A terrible and sad story. Now the eleven remaining apostles of Jesus came to appoint a man to take the place of Judas Iscariot. They outlined the qualifications this new apostle must have — the same qualifications they had, of being with Jesus since the time of John the Baptist's ministry and having seen the resurrected Jesus. There were several men who maybe could have met these requirements, but two men were obviously standing out from the others — Joseph and Matthias. Eventually Matthias was chosen (after much prayer) and we don't hear of Joseph again. I wonder what he felt like having been so nearly made an apostle? We should spare a thought for him.

Sometimes it may be that we are passed over for a promotion or not chosen for a team or not appointed to some office in the church. We can feel hurt when that happens; maybe we feel angry or jealous of the person who was chosen instead of us. I have no reason to think Joseph felt like that. After all the other apostles liked him well enough to think he would have been a good apostle. But in some ways I do feel sorry fo him.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to cope with hurts and disappointments, and to see that you have another plan for me. Amen

Boasting

Jon Watson — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Boasting

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 18th April 2022

Passage: 1 Corinthians 1:31

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There are few things in life which come as naturally to us as boasting. In every age there have been people who made great claim for products they had concocted and they boasted that those mixtures could cure everything. We call them "quacks."

Sometimes we, too, make great claim for ourselves — boasting that we are much better people than we honestly are, much cleverer, can do greater things than we have ever really done. We become "_full of our grandiose selves" (_James 4:6, The Message).

The Bible gives us plenty to boast about — a far greater reason to boast than anything about ourselves. Paul is a great guide in this respect. He loved to boast in the Lord Jesus Christ who had done such good, life-changing things for everyone who trusts and follows him. "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:31); "But be it far from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 6:14); "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God not as a result of works so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:9). So let's be "clothed with humility" about ourselves and do all our boasting about our great Saviour.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, let my boasting always be about you. Amen

Follow The Leader

Jon Watson — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Follow The Leader

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 12th April 2022

Passage: Matthew 4:18

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We used to enjoy playing the game "Follow my leader." In and out of different objects we would go, often holding on to one another as we went.

The word "follow" is a very common word in the New Testament, often on the lips of Jesus. Jesus called certain men to follow him as his disciples. Others Jesus asked to follow him and leave the kind of lives they were living, for Jesus wanted them to change and live in his way. Indeed, the Christian life can be summed up in these few words; it means following Jesus.

If we are to become a follower of Jesus Christ it will involve us in certain actions. First of all we follow Jesus and Jesus only. We cannot be a follower of Jesus and still walk in ungodly ways. Then if we are to follow Jesus we must do so willingly. We read in the Bible of one young man to whom Jesus said, "Follow me," but he turned and went away sorrowfully, because he was rich and wanted to keep his riches instead of following Jesus.

As followers of Jesus we must be willing to learn —to be taught by Jesus all the things of God he wants us to know. Jesus' early disciples followed him closely during the time he was here on earth to learn all they could. There is always a cost in following Jesus — people you know may not want to be friends with you any more. But following Jesus always has a great reward — we will follow Jesus into heaven itself to be with him there. Ask the Lord to help you follow him all your days.

The Wrath Of God

Jon Watson — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0100

The Wrath Of God

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 9th April 2022

Passage: Romans 1:18

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There is a saying among Scottish people about someone who loses his temper: "He lost his heid!" God never "loses his heid" even when people say horrible things about him or do the very opposite of what God wants them to do. But God does have a strong and settled opposition to all that is evil (including our sin) — that is the wrath of God.

We remember that God is our Creator. He is also our Judge. Because God is perfectly holy his judgments are perfectly fair. This means that when men and women give up God and go away from him, he gives them up. The Letter to Romans tells us that when that happens the result is even more sinfulness, unhappiness and ugliness. God's judgment is a fearful thing when people choose to go away from him, and each person receives precisely what he/she deserves. God is always fair.

But God is also the God of grace. He does not wish that anyone should perish under his judgment. He has sent his Son Jesus Christ to be the great Saviour of all who as for his forgiveness from sin. For all who do this Jesus stood in their place to take the wrath of God so that they can be forgiven free from the judgment and the wrath of God. They will come to know the love and tender care of God for his family.

Prayer

Almighty God, help me to grasp the reality of your angry displeasure at all that is sinful, and help me to stay close to Christ for ever. Amen

Does He Know Something We Don't Know?

Jon Watson — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Does He Know Something We Don't Know?

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 6th April 2022

Passage: Genesis 6:14

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We had a neighbour who bought an old boat, parked it in his driveway and set about repairing it to make it sea-worthy again. It took him a long time. Indeed, the boat was parked in view of every passer-by, and because we don't live very near the sea sometimes people would say jokingly, "Does he know something we don't know? Is there a flood coming?"

I'm sure people must have said the same thing about Noah when he started to build a boat. It took him a long time (you can read the whole story in Genesis 6-8). Noah did know something that the people of his day did not want to listen to or to take seriously, though Noah preached to them. We read that "the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth" (Genesis 6:5), and God made up his mind to come with a terrible judgement upon them, and to do it by means of an enormous flood.

Noah was a godly man who "walked with God," so God warned Noah about the coming flood and how God wanted to save Noah his family and many of the animals. So that's why he commanded him to build a great ship — the ark. And it all worked out as God said. Noah and his family alone were saved along with the animals in the ark while all the unbelieving crowds were lost. God's judgment for sin is a very real, very terrible thing. And God has promised that there will still be a judgment on sin unless people repent and turn to Chris for salvation and then live godly lives.

Who On Earth Is That At The Prince's Wedding?

Jon Watson — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Who On Earth Is That At The Prince's Wedding?

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 31st March 2022

Passage: Matthew 22:2-3

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Imagine if you were looking at a family wedding photo, and you ask "Who on earth is that at the wedding? How did he get in there?". And the reply you get is "I don't know. I've never seen him in my life before." The guests at the wedding banquet in Jesus's story were not the kind of people you would expect at a royal occasion such as a wedding. These were people 'just off the street', all sorts of people, whoever happened to be out and about on the roads. The invited guests had turned up their noses at the invitation and didn't show up.

Now there are many different themes in this story told by Jesus but there is just one that I want to stress here. God invites us to come and enjoy the Good News of his son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Many hear the invitation - perhaps you have heard it very often — but they refuse to come. How about you? Will you be in the "photo" of the crowd at the wedding feast? It is not just rude to reject God's invitation to come to Christ, it is absolutely disastrous. In very strong words Jesus tells about the sad end of those who had been invited but had refused the invitation. How terrible it will be for us if at the end of our lives Jesus were to say to us "Depart from me for I never knew you".

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, I thank you for the Gospel invitation to come to you. Just as I am, I come. Amen.

Tears In The Darkness

Jon Watson — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Tears In The Darkness

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 29th March 2022

Passage: Psalm 6:6

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One of the great things about the Psalms is that the writers allow us to know how they felt so that we can express our feelings in their words.

Psalm 6 is a very emotional Psalm; it is a real cry from the heart. The writer says "My soul is greatly troubled." That can be true for us as well at times.

It may be that you have had the experience of things falling apart in your own life. Perhaps you have done something that you know was un-Christlike and you have ended up feeling rotten and ashamed and reduced to 'tears in your darkness' as you think about what you have done. As he felt like that the writer did what we must do — pray to God that he will be gracious to us, that he will forgive us and take us out of the mess we have got ourselves into. As he prayed to God in this way he tells us how we will feel when we pray - "The Lord has heard my cry for mercy".

The New Testament puts it this way - "If we confess our sins, (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (wickedness)" (1 John 1:9). That truly is a wonderful promise and will make us shed tears of relief and thanksgiving to our gracious God.

Prayer

Dear Lord, I confess my sins and pray that you would have mercy on me and make me clean. For your name's sake. Amen.

The Ugliness Of Bitter Jealousy

Jon Watson — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The Ugliness Of Bitter Jealousy

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 26th March 2022

Passage: James 3:14-15

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The kind of jealousy that James is writing about in the words at the top of this page is truly a very ugly thing. Indeed James goes on to describe it as earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. What then is this kind of jealousy and how does it show itself?

Imagine you see your friend with a brand new watch. It not only looks good but it is the very kind of watch you've always wanted but couldn't afford. And now, instead of being pleased for your friend having such a lovely watch you grudge your friend's happiness, you envy your friend for having that watch you always wanted — you become jealous of your friend. Jealousy destroys friendships.

Indeed, the Bible blames jealousy for causing all sorts of ugly problems in congregations. It was jealousy that caused the Jewish leaders to put Peter and John in prison; and jealousy caused others to reject the message of the Gospel altogether. But sadly we read in the Bible that jealousy always keeps bad company and along with other nasty behaviour it always destroys the peace and love of Christian people and congregations and destroys real fellowship between those who are brothers and sisters in Christ. We have to pray seriously that God will help us to put away a jealous spirit from our hearts.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to be a person of Christian wisdom with a heart that is pure, peaceable and sincere. Amen.

Shield Your Eyes When You Look At The Sun

Jon Watson — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Shield Your Eyes When You Look At The Sun

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 23rd March 2022

Passage: Ezekiel 1:28

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The light of the sun is so bright that it can be very dangerous to look at without some protection over your eyes — they could be permanently damaged.

Have you ever wondered what God is like? Quite often the Bible speaks of God as being gloriously bright — so bright that you couldn't really look at him without it having a deep, deep effect upon you. That was what happened to the prophet Ezekiel when he saw this amazing brightness — it was the brightness of the glory of God, and Ezekiel fell flat on his face.

In the New Testament we read that the Lord Jesus Christ was, for a short time, changed into a person so bright that the men who were with him had never seen anything brighter before and had never seen clothes as shining white as those Jesus was wearing. The brightness of the glory of God shone in Christ. Some years later, the apostle Paul was struck down on the road to Damascus by the brightness of God's glory and he was temporarily blinded.

God is glorious. The glorious brightness is telling us that God is absolutely pure in every way. He is so pure that we cannot look at him directly. But we do see him in the person of Jesus Christ — the divine shield by which we can see God and trust God.

Who Do You Hang Out With?

Jon Watson — Sun, 20 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Who Do You Hang Out With?

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 20th March 2022

Passage: Psalm 1:6

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Our friends are very important to us . When we are growing up we can easily get drawn into wrong friendships that can have a really bad influence on us and on the way we behave.

In the modern language of the Message Bible, Psalm 1 speaks about three groups of people to be avoided — those who hang out at Sin Saloon, those who slink along Dead-End Road, and those who go to Smart Mouth College! It gives a pretty dire picture of people who could mess up your life. The funny thing is that people like that think they are the happy ones; they imagine that a Christian life could be pretty dull and restrictive. But in reality, it is their lives that are empty — they are like 'wind-blown dust'.

In contrast to that way of life, the Christian is like a tree that a gardener plants beside a stream of water which makes it blossom and fruitful, and it is never affected by drought. It is a life that is guided by God's word; that will be surrounded by good friends and will keep on enjoying the help of God at all times. Jesus Christ said he came to give us a full life, and he certainly keeps his promise when we give ourselves to him.

Remember the text at the top of the page - God charts the road you take. Walk with him on his road and you won't get lost!

Prayer

Lord, please help me to walk in the way that pleases you and leads to everlasting life. Amen.

Coming Face To Face With God

Jon Watson — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Coming Face To Face With God

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 17th March 2022

Passage: Job 42:5

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Job is one of the world's best known people. His story has come to us in the Bible in a way that has made him an icon of suffering and wisdom and patience. We know very little about where he lived or when he lived. But we do know that Job had a very real faith in God and that his faith was tested to the limit through the loss of his children, his wealth and his health, and also because of the awkward friends he had. Those friends kept questioning his faith.

With so many difficult things happening to him Job sometimes wondered what on earth God was doing with him and why? He really wished he could take all his questions straight to God and speak to him face to face.

Near the end of the book of Job we are told that such a face to face meeting did take place, and it turned out to be different from what Job thought it would be. God began by questioning Job and showing him just what he is like - very great and wise and astounding in his power in all creation and the universe. In the end Job realised that all his own questions about God came as a result of his ignorance of who God really is.

"I babbled on about things far beyond me", he said. (Job 42:3) (The Message) . Job asked God to forgive his ignorance and we know that God did just that. So the end of Job's story turns out to be a happy one, even better than it was in the beginning.

God never turns away from our questions but he asks us to look at who he is to remind ourselves that God always knows best and care for us more than we can ever realise.

A Surprising Convert

Jon Watson — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

A Surprising Convert

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 14th March 2022

Passage: Matthew 9:9

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People from all walks of life and all backgrounds become Christians. Are we surprised at times when we hear that some well-known person has become a Christian? We raise our eyebrows and think — HIM? or HER? Have they really become a Christian? Miracles never cease! And that's exactly what people were thinking when Matthew (also known as Levi) became a follower of Jesus. Matthew was an educated man, a well-to-do man but he certainly was not the kind of fellow you would hang out with. He was a tax-collector, despised by nearly everybody and he was not even allowed into the Jewish churches (synagogues) or the Temple.

However, Jesus probably had seen Matthew very often and probably knew that there was a sore heart inside this wealthy tax-collector. So one day Jesus spoke to him and said quite simply, 'Follow me'. And Matthew got up and did just that.

And what a great help Matthew has been to the church of Jesus Christ! He wrote the Gospel that bears his name. As we thank God for Matthew, let's remember to thank God for all the other surprising converts who are brought into the Christian family. Let's always welcome people who may not fit into our ideas of what Christians ought to look like or the background from which they come.

Prayer

Dear Lord, we thank you for Matthew and the Gospel which he wrote. Help us to be very thankful for all the people you bring to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Migratory Birds

Jon Watson — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Migratory Birds

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 11th March 2022

Passage: Hebrews 13:14

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In our country we have a lot of birds which only spend part of the year here before flying off, whether to northern countries or to Africa. They are not permanent British birds.

In a sense Christians are also migratory people. As our text at the top of the page says "Here we do not have an enduring city". Heaven has become our real home. Many centuries ago Christians were known as 'resident aliens' - they lived on earth but they were always on the move to their heavenly city where their Saviour waits to receive them.

Does that mean we, if we are Christians, have to ignore all who are not Christians and separate ourselves from them? Of course not. While we are here we have a job to do -to tell people about Jesus, to show people the love and compassion which we have received from Jesus Christ and to thank God for all the good and pleasant things which he has given to the world we live in . We mus try as best we can to bring peace and wholeness into our broken world. We should try with God's help, to leave the world a better place as we journey on to our heavenly city.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, as I am "marching onward to Zion, the beautiful city of God", help me to tell people about the wonderful Saviour whose home it is. Amen.

Repentance (2)

Jon Watson — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Repentance (2)

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 8th March 2022

Passage: Colossians 3:3

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We tend to think that repentance is a one-off thing: we repented and believed the Gospel so we are safe in Christ Jesus. And that is gloriously true.

However, we very soon come to realise that we struggle and fail every day to live the life that our Lord Jesus Christ wants us to live. The Bible tells us that our 'old self is dead' but sadly we keep looking back at it and sometimes have a nostalgic longing for the things that find no place in a truly Christian life. So, as we Christians sin every day we also need to repent every day. "Repentance is the draining routine on the highway of holiness on which God calls us to travel. It is the way we get beyond what has proved to be dirt, rubbish and stagnant flood-water in our lives" (J. I. Packer).

A holy, humble, faithful life is what God want for us as Christians and he has given us the Bible and the help of the Holy Spirit to get rid of the 'dirt, rubbish and stagnant flood water' of un-Christian thoughts and actions. God will keep on cleansing and forgiving us.

It can be a struggle but our' real life' in Christ will become more and more apparent as we seek to walk with the Spirit on the' highway of God's holiness.'

Prayer

Lord, please help me to really discard the 'old self' and to relish living in my 'new, real life' in Christ Jesus. Amen

The Courage Of The Christian

Jon Watson — Sat, 05 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The Courage Of The Christian

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 5th March 2022

Passage: Romans 1:16

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When the Apostle Paul wrote these words such a long time ago, he knew very well what a risk he was taking. People were being put to death for believing this Gospel so it took real courage to be a Christian. Why was Paul willing to put himself in such danger?

Well, first of all it was the Good News of God. We all like to get birthday cards; they tell us that somebody cares for us, remembers us. The Gospel is like God's card to us, a great reminder that he does care for us. The Gospel is what God promised in order to meet our need as lost sinners. It is good news that we have a living Saviour, Jesus Christ . And Paul wanted to tell people about this good news even if it were to cost him his life — which it did.

So here is a challenge for those of us who are Christians. Do we have the courage to tell people about the Lord Jesus Christ and God's good news? It is surely a cowardly thing to back away from telling people about our Saviour when we have the opportunity to do this. The old hymn says "Courage, brother! Do not stumble.... Trust in God and do the right" (Norman Macleod). With that in mind let us not be ashamed of the Gospel.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, give me the courage to spread the Good News which has changed my life, because you were not ashamed of me. Amen.

A Man Sent From God

Jon Watson — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

A Man Sent From God

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 2nd March 2022

Passage: John 1:6

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What a great honour — and a great responsibility! This man whom we usually call John the Baptist had a very special job to do . God sent him to prepare the way for Jesus. He was to be a witness telling people who Jesus was and what Jesus was coming to do. He himself was a popular preacher; many people went out to the desert to hear him preach but his whole job was really to point people to Jesus. John said "He (Jesus) must increase but I must decrease" (John 3:30). And so it was. John carried out God's work of pointing people to the Lord Jesus. That was what God sent him to do .

God wants us to do the same thing. If we have come to know Jesus as our Saviour and Lord then we too have the honour and responsibility of telling others about our Saviour. We shouldn't be afraid to do that. We have good news to tell and we can tell it with confidence as we know and have experienced just what a wonderful thing Jesus has done for us.

You don't need to be a great preacher to tell the good news; you don't need to tell it to a crowd of people. Just tell your friends, your relatives, your work-mates. And you can use the most simple words. The Apostle Paul gave us a great example when he said about Jesus "He loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). You can tell that story too!

Prayer

Lord, help me to tell others about Jesus and his salvation. Amen

Jon Watson — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The Compassion Of Jesus

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 15th January 2022

Passage: Mark 1:41

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Nowadays we are used to hearing about 'carers' - people who look after those who are not able to look after themselves. The word carer is a good word. In the Bible there is a special word which is related to caring. It is the word translated 'compassion' or 'pity' (ESV), or 'deeply moved' (The Message). The word always applies only to Jesus or is used in the two great parables Jesus told, the 'good Samaritan' and the 'prodigal Son.' Compassion means more than caring. It is the sense of pity that breaks the heart. This was seen so often in Jesus' life on earth — he touched and healed the leper, he raised the dead son of the widow in Nain, he saw the crowds as lost sheep and fed them. Jesus was the great, compassionate Saviour. What was true of Jesus must also be true of us if we are Christians. The non-Christian world can be a harsh, cruel place — a pitiless place — unless Christian values prevail. So as Christians we must show the compassion of Christ as 'good Samaritans' in a bruised and lost world.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you that you had compassion on me when I was a lost sinner. Please help me now to show your compassion and love to the people I meet. Amen

God Is Calling ... Are You Listening?

Jon Watson — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

God Is Calling ... Are You Listening?

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 12th January 2022

Passage: Isaiah 65:12

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I think we all know what it's like to phone someone and the phone rings and rings and nobody answers. It is just as frustrating when we start talking to someone only to realise that they're not really listening to us. The Bible is full of instances where God calls to people, starting with Adam in Genesis (3:9) right through to the last book in the Bible (See Revelation 3:20). And all too often when God calls nobody answers; when God speaks to us, we don't listen.

Why does God bother calling us and speaking to us? The answer is that he had good news to tell us and he has bad news to tell us. The good news is that God has sent his Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to be the Saviour we need if we are to become friends of God and go to heaven when we die. The bad news is that if we don't answer when he calls, if we don't listen when he speaks to us then God will be silent and we will be lost. But God is still speaking to us, he tells us to listen to Jesus and believe what he has to say to us. He says: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Are you listening? Believe then, he is calling to you.

Prayer

Gracious God, I have heard your voice calling me. Help me to believe and follow Jesus. Amen

Amazing Sorrow ... Amazing Grace

Jon Watson — Sun, 09 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Amazing Sorrow ... Amazing Grace

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 9th January 2022

Passage: Job 1:2

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We cannot go through life without at some point meeting problems, heartaches, sorrows, perhaps even tragedies. When such times come we may be tempted to question what God is doing to us — asking the question 'why me?' Job teaches us how to cope with our sad experiences and come through them with our faith in God strengthened.

The main thing we should grasp is knowing the character of God. Job, even in the very depths of his sorrow, pain and even questioning, always refers to God as the LORD. It is the name by which God made himself known to his people and it tells us that he can be trusted, he is good; there is nothing unreliable in God.

Job learned also that all things are ultimately in the hands of God — the good times and the suffering. 'The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away'. Of course we don't always understand — we can't. But God gives grace and faith to us, to trust him, knowing that he will work all things for our good when we are his children (Romans 8:28).

Prayer

Dear Lord, my times are in your hand. May your amazing grace always be sufficient for me, even when I am passing through hard experiences. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

What’s So Special About Being A Christian?

Jon Watson — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

What’s So Special About Being A Christian?

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 6th January 2022

Passage: Malachi 3:16-17

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Think of the question at the top of the page. I can give you several reasons which answer the question!

A Christian is special to God. In Malachi 3:17, God calls those who believe in him his 'treasured possession', or 'his jewels'. Just how special we are is shown to us in Paul's letter to the Ephesians when he says that IN Christ God has blessed us, chosen us in love, predestined us to be adopted as his sons, according to the pleasure of his will; he has redeemed us and forgiven us. Yes indeed, the Christian is special to God.

The Christian is in a great family. The believers in Malachi's time "spoke often with one another". They had so much in common. They had fellowship together, they loved and they helped one another — they were the family of God. You need never feel alone or unwanted as a Christian if you are an active family member of your church.

Christians are secure for time and eternity. Each one is in God's 'book of remembrance' - the New Testament calls it 'the Lamb's (Christ's) book of life.' As a Christian your name is there — it speaks of your place in heaven.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, I thank you for making me a Christian. Help me to make you as special in my life as your word tells me I am special to you. Amen.

Why I Am A Christian

Jon Watson — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Am A Christian

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 3rd January 2022

Passage: Acts 26:19

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Three times in the book of Acts Paul the apostle tells how he became a Christian. In Acts 26:1-32 Paul's testimony comes in four steps that are very helpful for us, if we are Christians and want to tell others why we are believers in Jesus.

Step 1. What we were. Paul tells about his past in verses 1-10. We all have a past — maybe not as colourful as Paul's but it is a past that needs to come under the searching gaze of the holy God.

Step 2. What we needed. Paul needed to be changed. He had been persecuting Christians, fighting against Christ Jesus, thinking he was pleasing God. We too need to be changed. We have all sinned against God and it is only God who is able to make us change in the way that is needed.

Step 3. What happened. Paul met with Jesus and his life was changed for ever. This is what happens to every Christian when we meet with Jesus as our Saviour and Lord.

Step 4. The new life in Christ. Paul was given a job to do by Jesus and he carried it out faithfully. We too, as Christians, have a job to do for Jesus — to tell others who he is and how he can change their lives too.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to follow you day by day, and be obedient to your vision for my life. Amen