Listening to the news I thought, wonderful the depression is over and business is expanding. We play the VLTs for an extra two hours, well until 2am. What a bright idea? I wonder who could ever have thought of that?
It is so sad that we promote evil in this wonderful country that the Lord gave us. We choose to gamble away our cash and waste our lives. There are so many great things to do.
Our world is hungry, people are needy, homes are falling apart and we put our money into machines that are designed to win. They send us home with empty pockets and shamed faces.
The Apostle wrote about people like that in Ephesians 2:1. And you hath he quickened (made alive) who were dead in trespasses and sins. Were in ye walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the air, the spirit that worketh on the children of disobedience among whom we all had our way of life in times past in the lust of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. In other words they were on their way to Hell. Slaves to sin. Verse 4. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even whom we were dead in sins (no contact with God) doth make us alive with Christ and hath made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ. That is the present position of a Christians, now the future that in the ages to come. He might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.
Verse 10: Then comes the new life for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
In this chapter St Paul talks about the past, the present and the future. Verses 1-10. The wonderful news is it is for all who will take it by faith from the highway to Hell to a highway in Heaven from a life of misery to a contented heart of a satisfied mind. Oh yes there will be struggles but Jesus has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5-6: so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper and I will not fear. Ephesians 2:13. But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made near by the blood. We need to see we are brought by the blood he shed on Calvary for us. Verse 19: Now therefore ye are no more strangers to foreigners but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God and are built on the foundation of the Apostle and the prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.
Dear friends, our world is getting more violent by the day. The Lord is coming back for his people. Are you ready?
Listen to St John 5:24: Verily verily I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent him hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is past from death unto life.
I believe the greatest need is to take time out to read the world of God. Verse 39: Search the scripture for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testify of me.
Henry MacDougall
St Peter's Bay