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Don’t forget that other baby born around this time. As well as Jesus, another special child came into our world?

Was this baby’s birth unusual in any way, like Jesus’ birth?

Jesus birth wasn’t unusual. His conception was uniquely different, but his birth was like that of any other baby.

What was so unusual about this other baby? His parents were quite old.

One day when his father, Zechariah, was leading worship and prayer in the Temple in Jerusalem, an angel appeared and explained to Zechariah that his prayers had been heard and that his wife…  ( Click for more )

Dangerous December has come and gone! "Write again on debt". OK.

This is a month when more and more people incur debts, which take years to repay.

Debt causes serious arguments, distress and trouble.

People get into debt when presented with tempting offers and special terms.

One very simple way of avoiding debt is to say clearly and specifically, "I am not buying that. I can't afford it."

It is possible to resist that temptation to buy things which you know are beyond your means.

God has something very real and highly practical to say about…  ( Click for more )

Jesus is alone with His disciples, as they rest and recover from a demanding time of service and ministry. He rises from prayer to ask a question.

"What are the people saying about me?" Did He not know?

They give the most favourable comments, editing out any unfavourable remarks.

Some think you are John the Baptist, or Elijah, or one of the prophets. There are those who regard you to be Jeremiah. Many out there consider you to be unique.

Now, that was a mighty compliment to be thought of as being Jeremiah.

It is a phrase frequently repeated today. “He…  ( Click for more )

It is highly significant that when Jesus Christ’s disciples returned from their initial experience of outreach and mission, He saw the importance of withdrawing from the draining demands of people.

Work and rest and worship were so important in the eyes of Jesus. Each of us needs these elements in our lives for our well-being and wholeness.

Nevertheless the crowds discovered where Jesus was, and they came to Him.

Jesus welcomed them, spoke to them, and healed those who needed healing.

We frequently see this. Jesus is either healing people, or on His way to heal…  ( Click for more )

There is always someone who deliberately chooses and decides that he wants nothing to do with Jesus Christ. The consequences of such a decision can be quite tragic.

One man was not in His kingdom, and he did not want to be in His kingdom, but the ministry of these disciples made this one man tremble.

Herod heard of all that was being done by Jesus, and now Jesus has a group of men out preaching and healing.

When the Word of God is preached tremendous things happen. Some get rescued, renewed, healed, blessed, and others become upset, perplexed and start to tremble.

Some…  ( Click for more )

When Jesus Christ sent out these disciples preaching, they were also told to heal the sick. Jesus Christ is against sickness, and for wholeness.

Jesus is against fear. He wants people to have saving reassuring faith.

Jesus is against sin, and does not wish to see people lost, sore, scared and scarred. He wants to see people found, healed, secure and whole.

On this brief mission they are to take nothing which would hinder or hamper their ministry. They are to be free and mobile and uncluttered. This only applied for a limited period of ministry. At other times they are…  ( Click for more )

What are you aiming at as 2008 starts? What is your vision for 2008? Are you still looking for a goal?

The author of Psalm 92 held various certainties upon which it would be difficult to improve.

He knew it was good to praise God. We praise God for what He has done, and worship Him because of Who He is.

The Psalmist was a worshipper who had good cause to praise.

High on his agenda was the decision to proclaim the love of God each morning, and the faithfulness of God at night before he fell asleep.

He was so aware of God’s mighty works, and His profound thoughts. …  ( Click for more )

We do not precisely know what heaven is like, but we do know what it is not like, and what is not there.

There will be no more seas to cause havoc through hurricanes, typhoons, or killer tsunamis, but there will be a river of pure clear water proceeding out of the throne of Almighty God.

There will be no handkerchiefs in heaven because there will be no more tears. God will have wiped them all away. There will be no more funerals, parlours, coffins, caskets, and cemeteries and no more death, sorrow or crying.

There will be no more chemist shops where people collect their…  ( Click for more )

Like repentance, heaven is a similar subject, in as much as not many speak about heaven these days. How strange.

This is the promise of Jesus Christ to disciples, concerning our eternal home after it is all over down here, and yet, we are not told much about heaven.

Jesus never sat down with His disciples and explained the glory and majesty of heaven.

Paul refers to heaven when he speaks about being taken up to paradise. What he saw so amazed him that he had no language to describe it.

Whatever he witnessed, it so impacted him that for the rest of his life he longed…  ( Click for more )

Earlier this year a colleague spoke on, “Whatever happened to repentance preaching?”

In so many places you can hear all about God’s love, His blessings, or how God can help you cope with life, but not a word about godly sorrow for sin.

You can hear messages on loving others and being a kind person and all of that is scriptural.

But will you hear a message like the one Peter preached at Pentecost, when his challenge led thousands to freedom in Christ?

There must be a knowledge of sin before there can be true repentance. One of the purposes of the…  ( Click for more )

One day Jesus calls His twelve men together. They have been with Jesus now for about a year, and He gives them a special anointing with specific authority and power, to go and minister to those in need.

They have been watching, listening, observing, learning and training. Now they are being sent out on a mission. It was time for the practical, and the opportunity for service, mission, and ministry.

Jesus Christ gives his disciples power and authority over all demons and diseases.

Authority is the right to speak and act in the name of Jesus Christ.

It is when we…  ( Click for more )

We are not told who wrote the first Psalm. It is as if these words come from God, directly inspired by the Holy Spirit.

We have this descriptive picture of a man whose delight is in the Word of God, and he knows that God's Word is going to protect him from the counsel and advice of the ungodly or wicked, and prevent him from getting into the company of sinners.

He wants to know what God is saying, and so he seeks to meditate upon it continually. Meditate means to think seriously.

What kind of man emerges and develops? We have someone, who is like a tree planted by streams…  ( Click for more )

Many people seek this but do not know where to find such wealth.

God shows us how we can be blessed, and He indicates the path of blessing, and for blessing. Of course, He also warns us what will happen if we ignore His ways.

There is a very real blessing to be received and enjoyed when a man takes his counsel from men of God.

Blessed is the person who comes to God, and God's Word, and to God's men, for advice, and help in time of trouble and need.

If we take the wrong counsel and advice,…  ( Click for more )

Dangerous December has arrived! "Write again on debt". OK.

This is a month when more and more people incur debts, which take years to repay.

Debt causes serious arguments, distress and trouble.

People get into debt when presented with tempting offers and special terms.

One very simple way of avoiding debt is to say clearly and specifically, "I am not buying that. I can't afford it."

It is possible to resist that temptation to buy things which you know are beyond your means.

God has something very real and highly practical to say about debt.…  ( Click for more )

Matthew the tax collector was sitting at his custom post gathering in money for the occupying Roman force when Jesus Christ called him with these simple words, “Follow Me”. The response was immediate and positive.

What is your response?

Now, Matthew was not the most popular man in Israel. Most would keep their distance from him, as they were rogues and rascals, but not Jesus.

It gets interesting.

Matthew threw a party for Jesus at his home, inviting all his tax collector colleagues, who were not the most moral men in town, but Matthew wanted his friends…  ( Click for more )

Last Sunday evening, a Prison Chaplain colleague phoned a BBC programme dealing with the apparent escalation in stabbings and shootings.

He spoke about “the sanctity of life, and how once that goes, everything is up for grabs”.

God has said, "You shall not murder".

God also says, "You may be sure your sin will find you out".

Why is murder so abominably wrong? Man was created in the image of God.

Murder is more than the highest form of theft. It is more than just stealing someone else's life.

Murder is wrong because it is sacrilege.…  ( Click for more )

It is said that Jesus Christ knows how we are feeling. How can that possibly be true?

Well, we know that because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.

Jesus knew what it was like to be poor. If you are financially strapped Jesus Christ understands. He knew what it was to have to borrow a coin to illustrate an important lesson.

Jesus knew the problems of having to lead and train others.

He saw Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s station and said, “Follow me”.

Tax-collectors were not among…  ( Click for more )

If you think walking with God over a number of years is complex and challenging just try standing, or speaking out, regarding an important principle.

By yourself you can be an easy target for the enemy, or enemies, but in the strength of Jesus Christ, it is possible to stand and not give in.

Thousands of women and men around the world, imprisoned for their faith in these present times, refuse to compromise and succumb to the subtle pressures and attacks confronting them.

When it becomes known that you believe in Jesus Christ and that He is your Saviour and Lord, and that…  ( Click for more )

It is possible to spend an hour in prayer and not really pray. On another occasion you meet with God for a moment and continue to be in touch with Him all day.

Some people just pray to pray, while others pray to get to know God.

Ananias and Paul knew there was a big difference between saying prayers and praying.

Many times Abraham Lincoln was driven to his knees by the overwhelming conviction that he had nowhere else to go.

When a Christian shuns fellowship, the devil smiles. When a Christian stops reading and studying the Bible, the devil laughs, but when a Christian…  ( Click for more )

Do you ever feel you are just ordinary?

Surely Almighty God would never use someone who is just ordinary. O yes, He does.

What kind of difference could one ordinary person possibly make?

Noah was an ordinary family man and he saved his family from a world wide flood.

Joseph had been a day dreaming teenager who was sold as a slave, imprisoned unfairly, but because of his wisdom and patience rose to become Prime Minister of Egypt, and saved the known world from hunger.

Moses ran away at one point in his life, having killed someone, and having been found out, but…  ( Click for more )

“What students should learn in American schools, above all, is the religion of Jesus Christ.

“The Bible is the sheet anchor of our liberties.

“Where we have been the truest and most consistent in obeying Biblical precepts, we have attained the greatest measure of contentment and prosperity.

“The foundation of our society and government rests so much upon the teaching of the Bible that it would be difficult to uphold that foundation, if faith in these teachings were to cease.

“A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college…  ( Click for more )

Ramadan, observed throughout the Islamic world, began last week, and lasts for one month.

Over these past years many Christians pray specifically for the Muslim world using an excellent booklet, “Loving Muslims Through Prayer”.

These thirty days of prayer have been used by Christians to pray for God's sovereign intervention in the lives of Muslims during this month of the year when they are particularly religious.

Those participating are encouraged to pray for Muslim friends and acquaintances.

One cannot emphasise enough our total dependence upon the…  ( Click for more )

There are people who attempt to compare God with something or someone else. That is why man likes images and idols, which raises serious questions.

Can a man make an idol big enough and would it give him any real help when he needed help?

By having an idol you are really cutting God down to size.

Where could you find a craftsman who could make an idol which would not topple?

Isaiah knew what he was saying when he spoke like this and the people also realised what he was saying because some years previously they had erected idols all over Israel and they toppled.

Then,…  ( Click for more )

In order to be a prophetic preacher who was able to speak clearly and tenderly, Isaiah had to be strong, courageous and unafraid.

He had to speak to people who had been forced from their homes by the Babylonian conquerors, and while in Babylon they had a horrendous time. Much of this suffering could have been so easily avoided, if only they had listened to the men God sent.

Such was their sadness, in modern day Iraq, that they could not sing, praise and worship.

But, Isaiah sees a big God, who is able to deal with all the troubles of His people.

God is big.

He…  ( Click for more )