Don't stop the Children

Don’t stop the children

Mathew 19:13-15 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

Four lessons in this passage, wise loving parents bring their children to Jesus that’s the first thing. Do you know the Lord? Have you got children? Then it is a good example to follow to bring your children to the Lord. The disciples rebuked them but Jesus told them not to stop the parents from bringing their children, children need the Lord just as much as adults do. He says for as such is the kingdom of heaven, their simple faith and trust is what we need, we are not to be childish but childlike, so the second lesson is don’t stop anyone coming to the Lord, don’t think you ever know better than the Lord as to whom He will receive. 

The third lesson is this, that Jesus is never impatient, aren’t you glad He is not impatient with you? I am so glad the Lord has not been impatient with me. He is never ever impatient and He always makes time for little children. Jesus says “allow the little children to come to Me because of such is the kingdom of heaven” that is a remarkable statement. And the fourth lesson which I suppose is the obvious one is that Jesus laid His hands on them and He prayed and blessed them and we should also pray God’s blessing upon little children, it is a good thing to do to follow the Lord’s example. Putting your hands upon your children and praying for them is a thoroughly wise course to follow. Not just with little children because if someone has a need then we should pray but the Lord here is dealing at this moment with little children.

Matthew 19:14

Cripple Tom and his Texts part three

“But now about yourself. How would you like to end your days in one of those homes for cripple lads, where you would be nursed and cared for, and where you would see the trees and flowers, and hear the birds sing? I could get you into one not far from my home if you liked, Tom.”

The weary lad looked wistfully into the man’s kindly face, and after a few moments silence answered: “Thank’ee, sir; I have heard tell of ‘em afore, but I ain’t anxious to die easy when He died hard. I might get taken up with them things a bit too much, and I’d rather be a lookin’ at Him, and carryin’ on this ‘ere work till He come to fetch me.”

“Well, my lad, then I will see that you have proper food and all the paper you need while you live. I will settle it with one of the Bible-women. Now, laddie, before I go I want you to pray aloud for me.”

There was a bright light on the poor, pale, upturned face, as he said in a tone of the deepest reverence: “Lord Jesus, I know you’re a-listenin’, and I’m much obliged to You for sending this gentleman here to cheer me in my work. Now, Lord Jesus, he’s a bit troubled about not havin’ lived for Thee in past days, will You help him to see that there’s nothing’ left undone in the comin’ days? And please, Lord, make him go straight away and tell them other rich men of Thy love. Now, Lord Jesus, please bless this kind friend, all roads and always. I ask this for Thy name’s sake.”

“Amen” said the deep-toned voice.

Then the gentleman rose, and said farewell. Before leaving London, he made arrangement for the lad to be cared for, and then with a gladder heart he went back to his beautiful country home, and lived for Christ. News of the dying lad reached them from time to time through the Bible-woman, but it was not till winter set in, and the snow had fallen and covered the earth with its crystal whiteness, that they heard the dear lad had

GONE TO BE WITH JESUS.

The same post brought a parcel which contained Tom’s much-prized and much-used Bible. What a precious relic was that marked Bible in that beautiful home! For when the cripple boy’s friend lent it to his youngest son to read, the careful marking, the short simple prayers written by the cripple lad on the margin, and the dying wish on the fly-leaf, written about a week before his death, that “This Holy book may be as great a friend to someone else as it have been to me,” made a deep impression on the youth that he got converted, and gave himself to the Lord, and later on to mission work in foreign fields; and out in Central Africa he has shown that worn-out Bible to many a native Christian telling them about Cripple Tom and his texts.

Reader, young or old, have you learned to know the Lord Jesus as your personal Saviour? If not, He waits to be gracious – to be to you little child, and to you, grown-up man and woman, all that He was to Cripple Tom. If you know Him, are you seeking to serve Him? If a dying lad, in suffering and destitution, could joyfully deny the little sip of milk, which cooled his parched lips, and partly fed his weary body, surely it is possible for us to suffer a little, deny ourselves a little, and work a little for the blessed Saviour, who has loved us, and given Himself for us.

Taken from The Journey And It's End, compiled by A. J. Pollock

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Cripple Tom and his Texts part two

But love is quick to discover ways of serving its object, and so, looking to God for guidance and strength, the little helpless cripple said:-

"It won't do to keep all this blessed news to myself"; so, he thought and thought, until at last a simple work was decided on for the Master. His bed stood close by the window sill, which was low, and somehow he got a pencil and paper, and wrote out different texts, which he would fold, pray over, and then drop into the noisy street below, directed-

"To the PASSER BY - please read."

He hoped that by this means someone might hear of Jesus and His salvation. Generally his texts were simple gospel ones, but sometimes he wrote a text, which had been given him by the Lord for his own soul. This service of love, faithfully rendered, went on for some weeks, when one evening he heard a strange footstep, and immediately afterwards a tall, well-dressed gentleman entered the room and took his seat by the lad’s bedside. “So you are the lad, who drops texts from the window, are you?” he asked kindly.

“Yes” said Tom, brightening up. “Have yer heard as someone has got hold of one?”

“Plenty, lad, plenty! I picked up one last evening, and God blessed it to my soul. I have been a Christian for some years, but lately I got cold in soul, and God has used your text, and spoke to me by it.”

“I can believe in God’s Word doing anything, sir,” said the lad humbly.

“And I come,” said the gentleman, “to thank you personally.” Not me, sir! I only does the writin’; He does the blessin’.” And are you happy in this work for Christ?” said the visitor.

“Couldn’t be happier, sir. I don’t think nothin’ of the pain in me back, for shan’t I be glad when I sees Him, to tell Him that, as soon as I knowed about Him and His great love, I did all as I could to serve Him? I suppose you get lots of chances, don’t you sir?”

“Ah, lad, but I have neglected them; but, God helping me, I mean to begin afresh. At home in the country I have a sick lad dying. I came to town on pressing business. When I kissed him goodbye, he said, ‘Father, I wish I had done some work for Jesus’; and the words stuck me all day long, and the next day too, until evening when I was passing down this street your text fell on my hat. I opened it and read, ‘I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.’ (John 9:4) It seemed like a command from heaven.”

Tears of joy were rolling down the lad’s face. “It’s too much sir,” he said, “Altogether too much.”

“Tell me how you managed to get the paper to start with, my lad.” “That warn’t hard, sir. I jest had a talk with granny, and offered to give up my ha’porth of milk she gives me most days, if she would buy me paper instead. You know, sir, I can’t last long. The parish doctor says a few months of cold weather may finish me off, and a drop of milk ain’t much to give up for my blessed Jesus. Are people happy as have lots to give Him, sir?”

The visitor sighed. “Ah, lad, you are a great deal happier in the wretched room, making sacrifices for Jesus, than thousands who profess to belong to Him, and who have time, talents, and money, and yield little or nothing to Him.”

“THEY DON’T KNOW HIM, SIR.

Knowin’ is lovin’, and lovin’ and tryin’ to please Him is doin’. It ain’t love without.” 
“You are right, Tom.”

(to be continued)

Cripple Tom and His Texts part one

In one of the miserable East London homes, in a dark, wretched room at the top of the house, lay a cripple boy. He had lain there for over two years, greatly neglected and comparatively unknown. When quite young his parents had died, leaving him to the tender mercies of an aged relative. Born a cripple, he had always been a sufferer; but, as long as he was able, he had swept a crossing on his crutches, or gone short errands to earn a few pence. But soon after his parent’s death the boy had to take to his bed. Very ungraciously the old woman allowed him to occupy the top room of her house, which room he never left again.

His mother had taught him to read and write; but, not knowing the truth for herself, she had never told him of "Jesus and His love." Sometimes, however, on a snowy night when the wind was blowing hard and cold, the lad had crept into a mission hall not far distant, merely for the sake of getting a warm by the comfortable stove. Numb with cold, and weary in body, he took little heed of what he had heard on those nights; but now, lying alone day after day, there came to his mind the memory of it, and by degrees he was possessed with a great longing to know more of the things of God, and to have a Bible of his own. He knew that it was from the Bible that the speakers had gathered their knowledge, but that was all. So, summoning his courage, he one day consulted granny about it. His only encouragement in that direction was a laugh. " Bibles weren't in her line! What did a lad like him want with Bibles?" So, the matter dropped for a time, but the lads desire to possess one did not grow less.

One day, however, up the creaking stairs came noisy, boisterous Jack Lee, the only friend the cripple had in the world. "Hurrah! Hurrah! Got a new birth! Off north tomorrow! Come to say goodbye, Tom," he cried, all excitement, seating himself on the bed, and wiping the perspiration from his brow. "But I've got a real beauty present for you, my lad," taking from his pocket something wrapped in a greasy bit of brown paper. Tom raised himself on his elbows, not at all gladdened by the news he had heard. "A bright new shilling for you, Tom, lad. And you're not to spend it till yer wants suffin real particular."

"Oh Jack! You're good, but I want something now very particular."

"Yer do? What's he?"

"I WANT A BIBLE."

"A bible! Well, I never! Spending all that on a Bible, when I had to save months and months to save it in coppers."

"Don't be angry Jack," said the cripple boy.

"I do so want a Bible. Please get it Jack, now, this very evening, at Fisher's, afore the shop closes. Granny never would; she would spend it in gin, if I let it get into her hands."

"What can ya want with a Bible, Tom, lad.? Only scholars understand them there things," he answered rather crossly.

"Maybe so, Jack, but I'm hankering after one."

"Very well, lad, then I'll go, but I knows nought about Bible buyin' Fisher has 'em at a shilling, for I saw 'em marked in the window when I used to go by."

Jack descended the stairs less rapidly than he had mounted them. But he got over his disappointment before he returned with a beautiful shilling Bible.

"Fisher says I couldn't leave you a better friend, Tom, lad, the shilling couldn't be vested better; and, says he, 'it may be worth thousan' pound to the lad.' So, 'pears there's a suffin as we ought to know about."

Tom's joy and gratitude were unbounded. "I know it, Jack. I know it!" Hugging the book to his breast.

"I'm happy now. Oh! How kind you were to save that shilling."

So, Tom got his Bible, and valued it, and read it.

Do you? - you, reader-man, woman, boy, girl, do you value and read the Book of God? If so, you will find out what Cripple Tom discovered. And what was that? He found out he was a sinner, lost, and in need of a Saviour, and he found the Saviour in Jesus. He trusted Him, confessed Him, loved Him, and was filled with a great longing to do something for Him. But what could He do? Tied to a bed of sickness, it seemed as if he could do nothing but lie still and suffer.

(to be continued)

Be a Voice

Our pastor has been teaching from John 1 for the past few weeks, one week we were looking at John the Baptist in the wilderness. The one who would come before Jesus, who would baptize people in water unto repentance. He was warning people, he was telling them to repent, and he was telling them that the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world had come. He pointed people to Jesus, who was and still is, the only way to the Father.

Each one of us who knows the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, should be a voice, warning people of the return of Jesus, not this time as the Saviour, but as King and Judge. We should warn of the judgement to come, that no man can escape from, aside from the cross. John the Baptist knew how urgent it was to warn people, even so in these days the urgency is more so. For those who repent and believe there is eternal life, for those who refuse the offer of grace they must face judgement.

We are so much at ease here in the West, we take everything for granted, even our salvation. But we are to tell it out, warn people. If you saw someone walking toward a bog, you wouldn't just say nothing because that was their choice, you would use your voice and warn them of the danger, you wouldn't watch them drown. Christian, why then are we standing by watching people head toward hell?

Jude 23

Don't Do it Your Way

Many in these days are aware of the need to look after their bodies. There is more now than ever a glut of information, on how to eat healthy, keep fit, and awareness of beauty products and the harmful chemicals that some have in them. Even people who are not necessarily allergic to certain foods have become keenly aware that there is too much wheat, sugar, and fat in their diet.

Detoxing is popular, to rid your body of the harmful chemicals inside and out. Not only are people mindful of all these things but more and more people are becoming aware of the awful ways in which animals are treated to bring food to the table, and cosmetics into the bathroom. Keenly aware of their environment they not only want to look after themselves but nature too.

Not only are they aware of the importance of looking after the body, but also the mind and will study and practice various techniques to keep their mind free from negative thoughts. They focus on loving themselves and others. Despite all the information available, despite all the health warnings etc some people will choose to live an unhealthy lifestyle because they do not want to give up those things which satisfy their cravings and that gives them pleasure.

Those who chose to do something are to be commended but there is a flaw in all of this because it does not, and cannot deal with the sin nature of man.

All that man tries to do does not deal with how we break God's standards, and our inability under our own steam to deal with keeping those standards. People think that they can say, "There is no God and so keeping Gods commandments has nothing to do with me, I can please myself" They are wrong.

God doesn't exist just because some people believe He does. If no one believed in God, He would still exist.

So, the problem lies not in whether God exists (because He does) but whether you are willing to believe all that He says in His word, the Holy Bible.

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Just as in the natural there is a penalty to be paid for doing wrong, so there is a penalty to pay for sin. Jesus, the sinless Son of God took the punishment for our sin, so that we don't have too.

We are saved by grace through faith, not of works lest any man should boast.

It is good to keep your body clean, inside and out, it is good to try and keep your mind healthy, but you cannot keep your heart clean.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)

Don't let your heart deceive you, you are filthy because of sin and you need cleansing. Jesus can, and will make you clean, He offers forgiveness for your sins, it is called salvation.

When you acknowledge, you are a sinner, and repent of your sin and turn away from it to follow Jesus, then you have a relationship with God your Heavenly Father, and Jesus. Not only are you saved from sin, guilt, shame, fear, judgement, condemnation and eternal punishment but you receive forgiveness, love, peace, joy, liberty, rest, freedom, hope, light, life, and everlasting life. Don't try and do it your way, you will fail, do it Gods way, repent and receive new life in Jesus.

But as many as received Him He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12)