Christian Helps

I presume that most of you read your Bible every day, and enjoy the guidance and blessings that it brings, But did you know that you can gain a bonus that will be of great benefit to you ?

We all know that everyone of us has to meet temptations, and the Devil is so subtle, often hitting us where we are weakest.

In His quiet way Jesus has given us a wonderful method of dealing with the temptations we face. A real bonus to Christian living !

How did Jesus deal with the tempter ? He quoted Scripture at Satan as the answer to the temptations. “It is written” He said. After all this is God’s Word There is nothing like texts of Scripture to drive Satan away defeated. You just try it and see.

It is not a new idea of course, in fact I have met many people who carry a little case full of texts from Scripture, and they read one or two in spare moments that they have , and remember them for such an occasion when needed. Some write or type them out and store them in a handbag or pocket.Sooner or later when they are needed the Spirit calls them to mind, and Satan goes off frustrated.

It is important that we go into this battle against Satan confident of winning. No half-hearted thoughts that we would like to do what we are tempted to do. Have faith that , by God’s grace, we will have the victory. Say No to Satan and mean it.

Paul tells us the we need a Shield of Faith to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. He probably got the idea from the Roman Soldiers who had a shield covered with thick leather, and the flaming darts would sink in and the flame be extinguished. We need to have a quiver full of texts to shoot back at temptations when they come, so here are just a few examples you can write or type out on bits of post card and learn them ready for the fight. Perhaps you could have a little envelope to put them in.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” “I am with you always, even to the end” “Ask and it will be given you” “It is written, You shall not tempt The Lord your God” “Look unto Me and be saved” “Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit has set you free from the law of sin and death” “If Christ be for us, who can be against us” “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us” “He is the Christ, the Son of the living God” My God is with me. Get behind me Satan you offer not the things of God. Of course there are thousands you can find yourself as you look for them in your daily readings. .So Fight the good fight with all your might. for the battle is The Lord’s.

Happy Victories, Gerald Gossage.

AFRAID SO.

I recently heard the story from WW2 about a sergeant who was badly wounded at Guadalcanal. A shell fragment had embedded itself in his throat. Unable to speak and in great pain the only way he could communicate was to write notes on bits of paper.

He wrote to the doctor “Will I live ?”. The doctor said “Yes!”

The next note asked “Will I ever talk again ?” The reply came back “Yes”

The final note asked “Have I anything to worry about ?”

The doctor grinned “No, nothing at all !”.

If only we could see it there is nothing that any of us need to worry about. To worry is to have fear that what we want, to happen or be… won’t !

We might not be able to pay our future fuel bills and we want to. We might get some illness. We might lose the love of someone. We may not be able to do something we have to.. or want to do. There might be an accident.. There are countless reasons to worry, and some people seem to be born worriers and if we could only see the situation in the right way we need never have fears about it.

“My God shall supply all your need through His riches in Christ Jesus”.

Millions of sparrows are fed everyday yet they don’t have to worry where food will come from, God feeds them ! Look at one of the wild flowers in the field, they are beautiful and wonderfully made, but never have to work at what they are. You are far more important them and your Father God will look after you and all your needs. Why should YOU worry or fear about anything. Worry does you more harm than good !

Just trust your wonderful God.

Would you like to know why some of your prayers don’t seem to be answered? It can well be that you are double minded. You ask, but you don’t believe in your heart that you will receive.

This I find so true when praying for healing. I have seen people come forward for healing and the laying on of hands, and when talking to someone after say “Well it would be nice if it did happen but I don’t suppose it will”. It is fear that it will not be granted that creates a barrier, and you have doubts.

You will not receive anything that way (as James says)

When I was a child I never thought about the winter weather ahead and that I would need a new overcoat; or that there would be good food on the table at meal times. That was my parents job, and they never failed to provide all my needs. You have a loving Father in heaven, He will supply all your needs.

Fear is the opposite to Faith. If you fear, your prayer won’t work, you are not having faith, But if you trust your Father in Heaven, in His love for you, the best and highest will happen.

Small children will often try to mend their broken toys themselves, but as they learn that they cannot, But Dad will fix it., Dad gets the job. There is NOTHING that Your Heavenly Father cannot do, and He will do what is best for you, so just lovingly trust Him.

(Greetings from Gerald Gossage)

When I was a little boy, as the daylight died in the evening I often watched the lamplighter travel down the street to light the street lamps. The lamps were lit by coal gas, and as he arrived at each lamp post he would move his long poll from his shoulder and with it use the hook at the end of it to pull down the lever which turned on the gas, and them push the flaming taper through a gap in the lamp to ignite the gas. As he walked down the road so the darkened street would change to light, and soon everywhere was illuminated.

As you journey through life you will meet with the darkness of temptation to do what you know to be wrong. If you overcome the temptation you will bring happy light to yourself, to God, and to others. The more we have victory over temptation the brighter our world.

Let us learn a few things about temptation. Temptation is not a bad or wicked thing. The best way to think about it perhaps is that it is a test, an examination to see if a thing we believe in is what we practice in fact.

In Matthew ch 4 v1 we read “ Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil”. Jesus knew who He was, Satan said “If you are” , then tempted Him. There is nothing wrong in being tempted, but if we fail the test and give in to the temptation it is to go against our believed standards.

We also see in that verse that temptations are tailor-made to our situation, not somebody else.

What about resisting temptations? We always find it so hard, and that is because we really want to do what we are tempted to do. They are real tests ! Enjoy reading this verse from scripture, (1 Cor: ch 10-v13)

“There is no temptation taken you but is common to everyone, and with the temptation God makes a way of escape, that you may be able to deal with it.” If you are being tempted look for the way to escape. I have learned to shoot a little prayer to God to get me out of it, and surely because I don’t want to give in to it, the way to escape comes for me to take.

(A verse worth committing to memory, for temptations will come again) You never have to give way to temptations. Avoid the disasters that always follow !

I close with this lovely verse from I Peter 5v8)

“Be self controlled and alert, your enemy, the Devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him ! Stand firm in the faith, for you know that fellow Christians throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering.”

Give Joy to God and don’t give in, He will help you if you want Him to, There is always a way to escape..

Your Lord be with you. Gerald Gossage..

We all have to go through black days and tough times in this life, to smile or look on the bright side is very difficult, but NOT impossible ! Have faith and believe that bad times will end. There is a light at the end of every tunnel and it gets brighter as we travel toward it. “With God all things are possible”. As I have proved many times.

It was a sad little old lady who trudged back to her home without her dog “Jack”. She had left him at the vets where he had been put to sleep, she knew she had made the right decision, he was sixteen years old and would only have gone on suffering, and she could not bear the thought of that. She felt heartbroken and already lonely without him trotting by her side. Who could she talk to now ?.

In the following months the house was so quiet without Jack. But then she had to face another problem, she just was not well.

In the end she had to go into hospital and face an operation and she felt more and more lonely. After the operation , although she tried, she had to face the fact that she could not cope by herself at home. And it was decided that she would have to go into a home for elderly people, It was a thing that she had never wanted to ever happen, and knew that she would hate it..

She just dreaded going into to the home, but the date drew ever nearer, and finally the car was at the door, and the helpers with every kindness helped her in.

Tears ran down her face as she drew near to the “Home”, and even as she was welcomed at the door she thought, “So this is to be the end” “I shall hate it”. .

To her surprise she was not given the room she had seen on her visit, but a much nicer one overlooking the grounds, She was introduced to very friendly people who made her welcome. When someone said something that made everyone laugh. She felt suddenly quite happy . There were smiles and laughter as two or three residents told her about the events and goings on, and soon she was feeling happy in their company.

It was a week or so later that she suddenly realised that she was happier than she had been for a long time, There were activities to enjoy with others, and people who visited bringing good cheer. Those who looked after them all were friendly, and good fun to be with. She also now had real friends who were always with her

As the home’s cat settled on her lap, she thought “Tibbie” is not quite like my dog Jack, but at least I don’t have to take this one for walks in the rain or the cold of Winter. I do have a lot to be thankful for.

Perhaps we all should remember – Life’s difficulties and disappointments can make us better, not bitter. Who can know what happiness may lie ahead ! As Jesus once said “Be of good cheer”.

Christian Love, Gerald Gossage.

Although I may seem to be a calm peaceful sort of person, I am not so by nature, but I have learned to suppress feelings of upset, and by The Grace Of God I keep placid, even though I may be upset or angry. It certainly pays off as I have found in practice. I have had experience in meeting unpleasant people who have put me to the test People are one thing, but circumstances and things really do put me to the test. Early today I had a very good idea for one of these magazine articles and wanted to get it down on paper before it slipped away from me. I spent two hours typing the article on my laptop and finally finished it in triumph.

It was at that very minute that the computer decided to declare war on me. It would not do what I told it to do, and refused to save the work I had so laboriously put on the screen. I got angry with it, calling it a stupid computer, and it at once confirmed that it was just that, and blotted out every word I had written. Yes… gone forever.

I remembered that I was a Christian Minister (all be it retired) and calmed down. The next hour and three quarters I endeavored to remember what I had previously written, and finished with a not-so-good article, but passable. Would you believe it the computer gave a repeat performance and would not save my work.

I have seen people kick a chair in anger, throw something, or do a little stupid dance to express their feelings. I could have thrown the computer through the window if I had not recalled that it was double glazed. But I didn’t do anything.

When you consider how stupid it is to blame some inanimate object because either it or you have failed in something, there is not much sense in it. Anger is never logical , and it can be changed to something more pleasant.

I remember my father once came home to the gathered family feeling very upset over something. After trying to tell my mother what had made him angry, with a great gesture he took off his hat, threw it to the floor and stamped on it. We all looked at the hat, and I being the youngest said “Is it dead Dad?” Happily we all ended up laughing.

You see we can, with a little control, change our mood, and stop looking foolish or show our lack of control.. My mother’s method on such occasions was to stop and count slowly up to ten. I recommend that rather than ruin a good hat.

The fact remains that we can do much damage to our reputation, and even to other people if we lose our temper, let alone good furniture.

The real answer is to be filled with The Holy Spirit. “The fruit of The Spirit is

Love, joy, peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness and self control.” (Gal.5v22)

Remember ANGER is only one letter short of DANGER.,

May The Good Lord give you His Tranquility… Gerald Gossage.