Who Is God Like?

Ever asked yourself that question?
Yeah, we know God is kind and compassionate and all that, but is there anyone we can compare Him with, so that we might be able to get our minds around it.
I mean, God is so big.
And, He is perfect in every way
He’s just not like any other human

And there you have it.
Do you ever notice that when you think of God you tend to think of Him in human terms?
Oh yes, we are always asking God for miracles but we need to jump start our minds when we do that.
Because, when things get tough for us, we tend not to think about God being able to help.
We just have to help ourselves.
Confusing?
Yep, sure is.
You see, there is just not anyone we know, like God
So it’s hard to see who God is like when you cannot see someone ‘in the flesh’ who acts like God.
I suppose this is where FAITH comes in.
The bottom line is that God is like someone we have never ever seen before
AND He is not human.
He doesn’t make mistakes
AND He doesn’t act like one of us
He is so much more or above what we perceive humans to be
So there is no one to compare God with.
And that is the crux of the problem fo us.
To trust in someone you just cannot get your head around is not easy.
Someone once said, to understand God, you need to disengage your brain and just trust Him, and then you will see God for who He truly is.
God bless you

Ron

Salt and Light!

Two very important ingredients in the world today but not just for today but for years and years passed
We have relied upon them heavily
But, as years have passed, many have decided that salt is not that important, and, in fact, it may be harmful, so many have reduced their intake of this commodity.
Anyway, one of the major uses for salt ~ preserving ~ has been taken over by the refrigerator.
Meantime light has become more and more important.
Billions of dollars have been spent on making light better ….. not just so we can see better, but because advertisers can sweet talk you into buying what they are advertising.
Mmm, sounds heavy
BUT what does it mean when JESUS says, “YOU are the salt of the earth, and YOU are the light of the world.”

Most of us have taken this to actually say God wants you to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
But that’s not what JESUS said.
So, take away salt and remove light from our existence and instead YOU be the salt and YOU be the light.

What would that look like, you think?
That should get your thoughts a moving.
Maybe that might start up a discussion over morning tea
God bless you
Ron

There’s something about flavour
It sets your taste buds a tingling
And, of course there is flavour that is sweet or desserty, and flavour that is savoury.
And salt fits into the last category
One might argue that it was the original flavour.
It was also the original refrigerator (of sorts)
Before the advent of such a luxury, people salted their meat to keep it as fresh as they could.
In calling us to be salt, JESUS is not asking us to be a preservative or a substitute to the refrigerator.
Rather He is inviting us to show by the way we live that JESUS is worth living for.
In the part of the chapter we read last week (Matthew 5: 1-12) JESUS spells out the attributes of the One who loves us all
And He calls us to follow Him (not just down the road) but by displaying those same attributes
When you mix salt and light together, you have a real dynamo, and these two things in us allows people to see JESUS in us
And that will draw them to want JESUS in their lives too.
Talking about JESUS is one thing.
Living a life that shows JESUS to the world is another and much harder thing to do.
But it can be done, when we call on God to help us.
And He will
Well, God bless you,
Ron

G’day!

There are times in my life (lots of them) when I think God must be shaking His head in dismay at the situations I get myself into.
There are many times that I wish I was a better Christian ~ that I was more like JESUS.

But I seem to mess up more than get it right.
But one thing I have discovered is that God really likes me.
From an early age my favourite subject at primary school was ‘Scripture’ (That’s what RE was called in NSW)

There was an old husband and wife who came to our school to provide the lessons each week and I was drawn in.
I enjoyed the stories especially the flannel graphs and even memorised John 3:16

But that’s as far as it went until one Sunday my Father said, “That’s it! I’ve had enough of your cheek. Next Sunday you are going to Sunday School”
My goodness I’d done it now.
Fortunately my grandmother had just moved out to our area and she was going to a church a bit from us and that kept me from going up the road where I had already caused a ruckus.

Strangely, the next Sunday we went to this new church for Sunday School and would you believe, I liked it.

A new family also started at that church that Sunday and they began to take me under their wing

A few years later they encouraged me to go on a kids camp and and I went not knowing anyone.

But my tent leader, who was preparing to go as a missionary to Pakistan, took me under his wing and before the week was out, I had invited JESUS into my life.

And that’s where the war began ~ the struggle between God and my new life and me and my old life.

I have to say the war continues.
But and here’s the thing: God still loves me with a passion.
And none of the messes I make causes Him to change His mind
I asked God once why He had put His hand on me and He said, “You were baptised”

The story continues ………Rev Ron French