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In Psalm 6 and at verse 5, we read of how King David was so upset and ashamed and guilty that he thought for a moment that it was the end.

Guilt is like the warning light in a car. You can ignore it and run into more serious trouble, or stop and deal with it. "Lord, I want to praise You, but how can I thank You and praise You and serve You from the grave?" It is all there. "The wages of sin is death."

Sin spoils a life, and soils the soul, and floods the mind, and affects our conscience, and depresses our spirit, and influences our heart,…  ( Click for more )

None of us likes when someone is angry with us, and none of us likes to be rebuked and reprimanded and on the receiving end of a row.

We come to Psalm 6. The Scripture is so true to life no matter where you are reading. Let the living God bless you as you read this peace and do read Psalm 6.

David knew that God could become angry, and that he deserved to be rebuked. He did want to be rebuked when God was angry! "Do not punish me when you are angry. I know I have done wrong. I know I have sinned against YOU. Lord, do not be angry with me when you punish…  ( Click for more )

In Psalm 5 at verse 7, we learn that King David is not going to remain on the outside when it comes to Worship. He is not a man to stand on the fringe. He is going to come into the centre of things - in the place of mercy and blessing. He is going to be where he knows he will find help and strength, and he is going to approach God with reverence and respect.

We do not just rush into His Presence. There is a time for separation - a time to come apart and be with God.

David is not ashamed to come in his need - nor embarrassed to come and worship His God and His King.…  ( Click for more )

In Psalm 5, David continues to be troubled, and he continues to pray. David's heart is heavy. He is burdened. This man of God has a real problem in his life, and he cries out to His God and His King for help. He knows that his crying out will reach not only the ears of God, but the heart of God.

Address your cry to the One Who can help. It will not always be words. It might be sighing! David is specific. There are times when too have to be specific in prayer.

Each morning I come before You O God. I will begin the day with You and I will share with You…  ( Click for more )

In Psalm 4, we read these words of a chosen anointed man of God who knows what it is to experience distress and worse. David is in real trouble. This is a distressing time in David's life. He has this most serious problem and he cries to God. He calls for help and for relief.

Answers in the past encourage us to call out for help in the future.

David the king relies on the righteousness of God - not anything worthy within his own life.

Man has always needed the help of God.

The manna will fall until we cross the Jordan. Even the best of men need mercy.…  ( Click for more )

If you were on the point of drowning in a river, you would not be interested in a nice polite call for help. This is the quality and type of prayer we read of in Psalm 3 at verse 3, as King David prayed when he was faced with serious opposition.

We need real answers to real prayers. Experience had taught David to cry to the Lord. David knew deep within his breaking heart that God would hear him.

God heard and his fear subsided - the strain eased - the pressure lifted - and there was something His soothing peace.

SELAH - We are told it means Pause - take it all…  ( Click for more )

In Psalm 3, we read of a man of God in trouble. These are the words of David the king of Israel. It is a time of personal and national crisis. Not only had some of the people turned against him, but his own son Absalom had turned against him.

David had been chosen and anointed and appointed king in Israel, and he is having to flee from people. He is on the run from his own son, and his heart is breaking.

These experiences can and do appear in the lives of God's people.

The number of people who were against David appears to be increasing. The numbers rising…  ( Click for more )

In Psalm 2 verses 4 to 6, we read of how God reacts to the foolish and folly of rebellious man. We turn our eyes from men to the throne room. God laughs at the puny efforts of man. God is above the malice of man. Man resists feebly only to do himself much harm.

In spite of men God will have His king. In spite of plots and plans and schemes, God will appoint and anoint His man. His King cannot be destroyed because God has set His King and He is established in a solid secure position, and He will reign sovereignly and majestically.

God has set in motion a plan that…  ( Click for more )

Psalm 2 opens with a most contemporary and highly relevant question. "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?" Have you ever asked the question 'Why'? Why is this happening? Why O God, am I in this situation? Why are these things happening around the world? Why do people rage against God and conspire against the people of God? Why do people plan and plot to outwit God - and become furious with those who name the name of Jesus Christ? Rebellion is a fact of life. This is a vivid true description of the hatred of human…  ( Click for more )

We are reading Psalm 1 and we reached verse 3. The man who loves God's Word and meditates upon God's Word is likened to a tree planted by streams of water. What kind of man emerges - and develops - the man who takes God's Word - reads it - believes it - meditates upon it - thinks about it and obeys it? We gain wisdom by reading and meditating upon God's law. We receive light and understanding. Our world so needs the light of Jesus Christ in these present days. What kind of person appears? We have a man who is like a tree planted by streams of water.…  ( Click for more )

Come with me into the Book of Psalms Of all the years I have writing “Word from Scotland” we have never seriously taken time to study the Psalms – at least a few Psalms. It has always been my joy to go through a book of the Bible.

Psalm 1 – where we read these opening words - "Blessed is the man". If there has ever been a day in which we have so needed the blessing of Almighty God through Jesus Christ, it is in these days when the challenges to the Christian Faith are increasing and deepening and becoming fiercer. These next weeks and months…  ( Click for more )

We are reading in Luke Chapter 1 verses 57 – 80, where we read of the birth of the baby who grew up to become known as John the Baptist. So much has been going on - we have looked at some of those events which happened over these weeks and months, as God was preparing the way for John and Jesus to walk onto the world’s stage.

Angels - appearing in the Temple - and to Mary at Nazareth - the reactions of the individuals involved - the meeting of Elizabeth and Mary - so much was going on.

Time has come for Elizabeth to give birth to John. It is a real family affair.…  ( Click for more )

In Luke Chapter 1 verse 39, we read of Mary making her way to the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth at Ein Karen, a village outside Jerusalem and around 70 miles south of Nazareth. Some 9 months later this same virgin, Mary, would make the 80 miles journey south, with Joseph, to Bethlehem.

Mary arrives at the home of her cousin, Elizabeth, and greets Elizabeth. Mary knows all about Elizabeth, but Elizabeth knows nothing about Mary. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice, the babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she speaks with a loud voice…  ( Click for more )

We were reading in Luke Chapter 1, of how the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah in the Temple while he was going about his duties leading the people in prayer and worship, and because Zechariah did not fully believe what the angel had said, he was given a sign. He was struck dumb and would remain silent until what God had said would happen actually happened. Doctor Luke then tells us that his wife, Elizabeth, conceived.

Now, we have been through Luke Chapter 2 and part of Luke Chapter 1, but we did not have the opportunity to complete Chapter 1.

Verse 26. Six months…  ( Click for more )

Many people are very interested in signs and wonders and superficial ‘spiritual’ excitement, but this is very different.

We have been reading in Luke Chapter 2, but now we return to complete Chapter 1.

In Luke Chapter 1 at verse 17, we learn that one main task of John’s ministry was to prepare a people for the coming of Jesus Christ. This is part of our ministry - TO MAKE A PEOPLE READY FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD.

After all this had been announced concerning the birth of John, Zechariah, this faithful and deeply spiritual man of God, whose prayers…  ( Click for more )

We move on to Luke Chapter 2 and verse 40, where we read that the child, Jesus, grew and became strong. He was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him. Here we see Jesus growing in every way.

In Jesus, there is a perfect development and balanced growth, physically, emotionally, socially and of course, spiritually.

Sometimes we see young people develop in a few of these ways, but Jesus shows us how we can grow and mature in various areas of our lives.

Place some people, who think they are so able, capable and mature, in a Prayer Meeting, and they…  ( Click for more )

As we launch out into 2016 may there be that dedication and commitment in your heart and mind to serve our living God, faithfully and loyally and obediently and graciously. It is going to be needed as the spiritual battle becomes fiercer.

Soldiers prepare in times of peace for times of war. That applies to solders of the Cross too.

We are in Luke Chapter 2 and at verse 25, we read of an old man named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and godly. He was waiting to see the Messiah, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. Mary and Joseph had taken Jesus to the Temple to…  ( Click for more )

We come to Luke Chapter 2 and verses 21 to 40. Amazing circumstances surrounded John when he was 8 days old. Let’s look at the amazing and wonderful things which happened, and which were said, when Jesus was 8 days old. Many are unaware of the significance of this event.

When Jesus is 8 days old, it is time to circumcise Him, and name Him JESUS. Joseph and Mary take Him to The Temple in Jerusalem to present Him to The Lord.

These verses will appear quite unfamiliar to many. This scene is almost totally overlooked and ignored, yet this is just a week after…  ( Click for more )

Many will be considering preaching on, and teaching, and speaking about, the birth of Jesus Christ over these next few days.

We will come back to Luke Chapter 1, but because of the time of year, let us move into Luke Chapter 2, although we do need to remember too that Jesus was not born in December, but more likely during the Feast of Tabernacles.

In Luke Chapter 2 we read of a ruler issuing a decree. Everyone in the Roman Empire is to be registered. Caesar Augustus orders a census, and this involves all the heads of households - all the men folks - to go to their own…  ( Click for more )

We are reading, and studying, these opening verses of Luke Chapter 1. Zechariah was a faithful priest in a day when there was not a lot of faithfulness around.

I wonder how many people thought, “Look at that silly old priest going away to conduct a service - and say prayers - and preach something - a message - which no-one really wants to hear.” How many people might say that of us as we meet for Worship and Prayer week by week?

Ignore it - forget it - overlook it. Let people say what they want. If you know you are right in the eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ,…  ( Click for more )

There is a new battle for the truth, the authority and authenticity of the Word of God.

There always has been, but it is undoubtedly going to become fiercer as we move into 2016.

Let us take time, and set aside time, to consider what the Scripture actually teaches regarding the birth of Jesus Christ, as we look afresh and anew in the Gospel of Luke, and share the truth with those around us – and also to know and remind ourselves of who Jesus Christ was and is.

We need to know, and our people need to know the facts, as compared with the rumours and myths and legends…  ( Click for more )

We continue in Jonah Chapter 3, where we discover so many relevant lessons for our ministries today.

Jonah preaches, and God is behind the word he proclaims and heralds, and it is simple and uncomplicated.

The people are penitent. There is a repentance which is real.

It would have taken a month for Jonah to travel to Nineveh.

Did he only preach once? But consider the weight of the message!

Every word went home to every one who heard it – God can do that. We have never seen or heard of anything like this!

Is this not…  ( Click for more )

Have been recalled, following a quite disastrous beginning, Jonah sets out for far away Nineveh, and his word to the people from Almighty God is simple – God is giving you six weeks to repent – get right with Him – sort out your lives.

We see here something of the marks of the divine message.

It reflects the character of God.

The message is simple – clear – definite – lucid – unambiguous.

On this occasion people are drawn to the message.

It is authoritative. The man of God must speak with authority. …  ( Click for more )

We move on to Jonah Chapter 3 verse 1 Jonah is on the point of being called again, after a rather disastrous start.

Paul remembered how John Mark had once deserted him on that first missionary journey, and a few years later Paul writes and tells Timothy to get Mark because he is helpful to me.

There is restoration and reconciliation in the Christian Life, and not always in that order.

God can intervene and rescue us from disastrous starts, and disastrous times, and disastrous circumstances and experiences.

It is not just back to church – and…  ( Click for more )