In Spite Of Us!

Today, my reading was up to 2 Corinthians 4. It speaks of things like...."through God's mercy we have this ministry we do not lose heart....setting forth the truth plainly....we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord...ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake...(God) made his light shine in our hearts..."

But then we are reminded that the message of Christ, as valuable as it is, is placed into the hands of fallible human beings.

Paul's focus is the power of God dwelling in us and working through us - see verse 14 "because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence."

TFTD: Let's focus on the treasure (the gospel of Christ) rather on the "jars of clay"


Have a great day,


Peter Clark.

God Is Doing A Work In You.

It is great to know that our Christian life and growth is being undertaken by God.

We are not to resist it!

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (New International Version)

16But whenever anyone turns to the Lord........ being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.


There are two important words here: "turning" to the Lord. This is the thought of repenting, or changing direction and heading towards God.

The other word is "transformed" - being transformed (by God) into the likeness of Jesus.

Have a great day,


Peter Clark.

How Smelly Are You?

2 Corinthians 2:15-16 (New International Version)

15For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.

TFTD: How sweet an aroma are you to those you come into contact with?

Have a good day,


Peter Clark.

A Recipe For Success.

Do you want to know how to do well at what you are doing?


2 Chronicles 31:21 (New International Version)

21 In everything that he undertook...... he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.

Have a great day,

Peter Clark.

Set Your Heart On Seeking God.

2 Chronicles 30:18-19 (New International Version)

18 ...... "May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone 19 who sets his heart on seeking God—the LORD....

What more do I need to say?

Have a great day,

Peter Clark.

Bad Move Ahaz!

King Ahaz was one of the worst, disobedient Kings.

He was so bad that he couldn't even come back to God when times were bad for him.


2 Chronicles 28:22 (New International Version)

22 In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD.

If hard times lead us back to God.....then praise God for hard times.

Have a good day,


Peter Clark.

Three Pieces Of Advice.

I am still in 2 Chronicles and today there were three verses that stood out for me.


2 Chronicles 26:5 (New International Version)

5 He sought God during the days of Zechariah....... God gave him success.


2 Chronicles 26:16 (New International Version)

16 But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.


2 Chronicles 27:6 (New International Version)

6 Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the LORD his God.

TFTD: Food for thought!

Have a great day,


Peter Clark.

Work On Your Friendships

I read something very sad this morning. I continue ploughing my way through Chronicles and came across King Jehoram (he was Jehoshaphat's son).

Verse 20 of chapter 21 says, "He passed away, to no one's regret.."

How sad. The fact that he killed all of his brothers wouldn't have helped!

Our world is relationships and so it is important to keep working on them and to be forgiving - and have a short memory.

Have a great day.

Peter Clark.


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Stand Firm!

1 Corinthians 15:58

"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain."

Have a great day,

Peter Clark.



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Encouragement To Go For It.

Prior to my reading the Bible this morning, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and wondering about the future. Then I read this...

King Jehoshaphat was under a lot of pressure.

The prophet conveys this message to him from God:


2 Chronicles 20:15-17 (New International Version)

15 .... This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged..... For the battle is not yours, but God's...... 17 You will not have to fight this battle....... stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you....... Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged...... the LORD will be with you.' "

Being There At The End

It is good to have repented and turned back to God, but it is important to "keep on keeping on".


1 Corinthians 15:2 (New International Version)

2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.


TFTD: Hang in there.

Have a good day,


Peter Clark.

God Treats Us Like We Treat Him.

2 Chronicles 12:5 (New International Version)

5 Then the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and to the leaders of Judah who had assembled in Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and he said to them, "This is what the LORD says, 'You have abandoned me; therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak.' "


In the end, God will treat us, as we have treated Him. Are we ashamed of God, then He will be ashamed of us.

Have we abandoned God...then He will abandon us.

Do we love Him and have trusted ourselves to Him....then He will do the same for us.

Have a great day,


Peter Clark.

Be Careful of Wealth And Security.

2 Chronicles 12


1 After Rehoboam's position as king was established and he had become strong, he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the LORD.


Rehoboam (Solomon's son and King of Judah) started off well.....but it seems that when he was established, and well off he left God behind.

It appears that he didn't need him any more....how sad.

TFTD: Let's not let this happen to us.

Have a great day,


Peter Clark.

Love

1 Corinthians 13:4-13 (New International Version)

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Have a great day,

Peter Clark.

"Now About spiritual Gifts"

My 365 Day Bible is up to 1 Corinthians 12.....spiritual gifts...why does something so good cause so many problems?

For the Corinthian Church, instead of building up the body and bringing unity to them - the use of the gifts was having the opposite effect.

Spiritual gifts were being used to show power or status over other people. This caused rivalries because some were putting themselves forward as more "spiritual".

This was very divisive. Spiritual gifts are not meant to be used like this - they are meant to help the church function more effectively.

When it comes to spiritual gifts we have to be careful....we must not insist on using our gifts, in whatever way, irrespective of others....nor must we use them as a way to manipulate others or to serve our self interest.

Gifts can be greatly misused and abused, but we should still seek out our gifts and use them for the glory of God.

Have a great day,


Peter Clark.

A Prayer About Following Jesus.

The special Prayer For Last Sunday.

Almighty God,

you have given your only Son

to be for us both a sacrifice for sin

and also an example of godly life:

give us grace that we may always thankfully receive

the benefits of his sacrifice,

and also daily endeavour

to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life;

through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

A Definition Of "Faith".

Last night we had our first "Contemporary Service" and we focused on "Faith".

And so, what is it? What is "faith"?

We were asked to write down a definition.....

Here is mine....

"Faith is trusting in something OR someone that you do not yet have all the information on, AND/OR couldn't understand it if you did."

How would you define "faith"?

This is how Hebrews sees it.

Hebrews 11:1 (New International Version)

1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.


Or, this is how the Message describes faith...

Hebrews 11:1

1-2The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.

Have a good day,

Peter Clark.

A Warning And A Promise.

I read this today...it is very good to be reminded of it.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (New International Version)

12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

We know then, that we have to be careful, not to become complacent about the temptation to sin AND be confident that God promises that we will not be tempted beyond what we can resist.

God IS faithful. We need to remember that.


Have a good day,


Peter Clark.

Being Guided.

Does anyone have the secret of knowing for a certainty what and where God wants us?

Does it make any difference? Is He mainly concerned with us being faithful, wherever we are?

This verse is a help

Isaiah 58:11

I will always show you where to go.
I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—
firm muscles, strong bones.
You'll be like a well-watered garden,
a gurgling spring that never runs dry.

Have a great day,


Peter Clark.

Avoid Being Half Hearted.

Revelation 3:15-16 (New International Version)

15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.


Lukewarm water makes a disgusting drink (have you ever tried a lukewarm coffee?).

The church in Laodicea had become lukewarm and thus distasteful and repugnant.

The believers didn't stand for anything (and probably fell for everything). Their indifference had led to idleness.

By neglecting to do anything for Christ the church had become hardened and self satisfied.

There is nothing more disgusting than a half hearted, in name only Christian who is self sufficient.

Don't go there. It is not a pretty sight.


Have a good day,

Peter Clark.

Special Prayer

Last Sunday the special prayer (or collect) was a great one.

Grant to us, Lord, we beseech you,
the spirit to think and do always such things as are right,
that we, who cannot do anything that is good without you,
may by you be enabled to live according to your will.
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Have a great day,


Peter Clark.

Don't Fall For It.

It is so easy to look over our shoulders at what others have got.

I was reading on from yesterday in Acts 20. Paul says this...

..."I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing".

What does that tell us about Paul?

He was satisfied with what he had, wherever he was....all he wanted to do was God's work.

TFTD: It is good to examine ourselves - our attitudes towards wealth and comfort. If we focus more on what we do not have then it is time to re-examine our priorities.

Have a good day,


Peter Clark.

Not An Easy Road.

Have you looked at Paul's farewell speech to the Ephesians elders lately?

Acts 20:18-21 (New International Version)

18When they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. 20You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

I just love the heart of Paul. He is such am amazing man and servant of Christ.

We see here that he served humbly and "with tears". It was hard for him, but he never gave up. He never missed an opportunity to share the message of salvation.

He may have preached his message in different situations, and to fit different audiences, but his message never changed - turning away from sin and turning to Christ by faith.

This is a good pattern for us.

Have a great day,

Peter Clark.

David's Heart For God.

When we read through the narratives of David's life, it is easy to see how he had such a great heart for God.

This morning I was reading 1 Chronicles 29 and came across verse 14.

He was talking about giving to the new Temple that he had proposed to build.


1 Chronicles 29:14 (New International Version)

14 "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.

It is hard for us to give up on all the treasures we have accumulated, unless we really know in our heart of hearts that everything we have comes from God in the first place.

If we give to God.....we are only giving back to Him what is rightfully His.


Have a great day,


Peter Clark.

"My Precious"

Remember that from "Lord of the Rings" - "My Precious"!

It is so easy for us to get attached to all manner of things - people, cars, houses, guitars, food, leisure.....the list could go on and on.

The Gospel reading today was from Luke 12. One verse jumped out at me......

Luke 12:34 (New International Version)

34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

TFTD: Let us not get distracted by other "treasures". It can happen so easily....the evil one is so cunning...he has a personalised trap set for each of us.

Have a great day,


Peter Clark.

Dangers......

I am preaching on "Hebrews" tomorrow evening - doing an overview really.

There are 5 dangers outlined throughout the epistle - here they are....

....there is the danger of neglect (2:1-4)

....there is the danger of unbelief (3:7 - 4:13)

....there is the danger of spiritual immaturity (5:11 - 6:20)

....there is the danger of failing to endure (10:26-39)

....there is the danger of refusing God (12:25-29)

We need to be very careful that we do not fall into these dangers.


Have a good day,

Peter Clark.

When Things Are Tough!

It is good to remember that we can have complete confidence in our great God. I read this yesterday.

1 Corinthians 1:8 (New International Version)

8He will keep you strong to the end.....

TFTD: Let's remember this when things are good, so that we will know it when things get tough.


Have a good day,

Peter Clark.

We Have No Idea...

....what God has in store for us.

1 Corinthians 1:9


"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him"

Have a great day,


Peter Clark.

A Daily Prescription.

Paul is about to finish his letter to the Christians residing in Rome. He gives a lot of Godly advice.

Here is an example.

Romans 16:19 (The Message)

19-20And so while there has never been any question about your honesty in these matters—I couldn't be more proud of you!—I want you also to be smart, making sure every "good" thing is the real thing. Don't be gullible in regard to smooth-talking evil. Stay alert like this, and before you know it the God of peace will come down on Satan with both feet, stomping him into the dirt. Enjoy the best of Jesus!

Have a good day,

Peter Clark.

It Will All Catch Up In The End.

Two of my daily readings matched up the other day.

1 Chronicles 9:1 (New International Version)


The people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.

and...


Romans 14:12 (New International Version)

12So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.


In the end each of us is going to have to give an account of our life to God.

TFTD: Have you something to say?


Have a good day,


Peter Clark.

Things That Disqualify!

In 1 Chronicles 10 and verse 13 and 14 we get a glimpse of the behaviour that disqualified Saul from the Kingship.

He was "unfaithful to the Lord".

He did not "keep the word of the Lord".

He "consulted a medium for guidance".

He "did not inquire of the Lord"

TFTD: These are some good things for us to stay away from.

Have a good day,

Peter Clark.

A Snapshot Of The Kingdom.

What does it mean for us to be a part of God's Kingdom?

Romans 14:17 says this:


17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,


Paul is in the middle of an argument about eating and drinking. If we remove ;these negatives from the above verse we end up with this:

"For the Kingdom of God is a matter of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."

This makes the three key elements in living in the Kingdom of God as: righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

"Righteousness" - the twin aspects of being right with God (that comes through Christ) and living in a "right" way.

Being at peace with God, and living at peace with others.

Having that deep seated joy, or a "happiness in God" that exists even when we are undergoing trials.

It seems to me that here we have a snapshot of what it is like living in the Kingdom of God.

Have a great Day,


Peter Clark.