Rule your spirit

2010 Happy New Year

2010-01-01T23:45:00.001+01:00

'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed me
To preach good tidings to the poor
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord'

2010. A new year. after Christmas and after the New Years celebrations people are settling down into a New Year.
A year of hopes, expectations and possibilities, of New resolutions, ideas and plans.

We as believers look forward in hope too. But our hope and strength and our plans lie not in vain hopes or unrealistic expectations but in our ever faithful and unchanging God. We look forward towards one more year when God will move and reveal Himself to us, His people and to a lost world that needs Him.
This is one more year with Him, an acceptable year, a jubilee year when those who are in debt, in bondage and slavery to this world system, to their own flesh fallen natures, to satan himself, can be liberated forever and can live in the Kingdom of life, of light and His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The b part of verse 2 refers to 'the day of vengence of our God'. There is a day coming when Jesus will return, a great day of wrath, the Day of the Lord, a return in judgement. But before that day, we have an acceptable year, one more year to reveal Christ, to walk in the light, win souls, live by faith, seek His presence and live this Christian life to the full whilst living in a world that does not know Him, but needs desperately to do so.

Ezra 9:8 speaks of a grace space, a little time when we can experience His grace and live in the eye of a storm.

Let's get God's perspective in 2010. Not just a time to relax and enjoy, not just a time to work hard and achieve goals, or make new friendships and renew old ones, important and valuable as these things are, but a time to find our calling in God, a time to live in our calling, a time to be hidden in the Body of Christ, in a local assembly, submitted under a Pastor teacher and living by faith. A time to win souls and redeem the time and a time to seek God's presence and study His word, being led by the Spirit.
Let's be led through 2010 by the Holy Spirit, let's proclaim the beautiful sound of the Gospel of Good News and let's see the Lord Jesus high and lifted up, drawing all men to Himself.
2010; one more year with our God. Let's go forward in confidence, boldness and hope.

Happy New Year and God bless you.

Identity

2008-11-03T22:20:00.002+01:00

Your identity is not in what we do. One failure, or even a series of them, does not define who we are. Neither do our successes!

If you are born from above (John 3), you have received a new heart and a spirit and are a new creation. (1 Corinthians 5:17).

This means that every moment is completely new, with a limitless potential in Christ.
You are not what other people see you as. You are not the guy that makes the coffee at church on a Sunday, you are the person that sits at the back of the church, you are not someone’s wife or husband. You are not what you do! Nor does your relationships with other people define you!

We fall often into the trap of becoming what other people want us to be. The good father, the diligent worker, the guy in the church who encourages people, or the friend of someone else.

People always categorise. They put labels on things and on people’s lives. You are not a Social Security number or Employee number. You are a living human being! God gave you a heart and a spirit. You will live forever, in eternity worshipping God, long after the man made systems that seek to define you have perished and disappeared.

Let the Word of God define you. It tells you what you were. A hellbound sinner with no hope and no way of redeeming yourself.
It tells you what you are now! Heavenbound with eternity awaiting you and a goodly inheritance. It tells you who you are! A child of God.
The more we read the Word of God, the more we become what we are reading, studying and applying, because the Word dwells richly in us.
The more we live in His Word and seek His thoughts, the more we become like Him, whose character is revealed through His Word.

Our relationship with the living God defines us. This relationship is our identity, become our identity is only in Him and His Word. And we grow into this identity, allowing it to define our lives, laying convictions upon us and within us that allow us the freedom of choice, but guide us in our daily living.
When the Lord Jesus Christ becomes our identity, we need no longer to strive. We do not need to do good works, try and be a good Christian or a good person in our community. We do not justify our existence, by trying to help others.
We allow God to fill us so completely, that the Love of God flows out of us and the characteristics of the perfect love defined in 1 Corinthians chapter shape our personalities.

We relax. There is no longer anything to prove. The throne life flows out of us and reaches out to others. It becomes natural to reveal God and we are led by Him. Our faith is revealed in the works we are doing, because we doing them only in His strength. This is the rest that we need to seek, because whilst we are in action, we are at the same time at rest. This is the reason, that we can be busy with many tasks, yet at the same time, apply Psalm 46:11 as an application. We are still in our spirits, and yet our bodies are active!

Let the living God be your identity this day and stay rested in that identity!

Studying to be quiet

2008-02-25T19:23:00.001+01:00

In 1 Thessalonians 4:11, the first part of the verse says ‘And that ye study to be quiet’ in the original King James version.

I got to thinking about the ‘quiet in the land’. Who are they and why are they quiet?

It is better to understand those who are not quiet and why first!

The world under the rule of Satan and the flesh are constantly restless. Inbuilt in man is the desire to work, to strive. This came with creation. We were ordained to work, but after the fall, this was twisted and our fallen nature strives to accomplish things and is never satisfied with the results.

The world is a Kingdom of Noise and restlessness. Because man cannot cease from the work, he cannot find any rest and this ceaseless action is meant to justify man, when God is replaced in men’s lives, man must find a reason for existing. He dares not to stop, because it is that moment of silence that he is confronted with his thoughts and many people dread coming to face with themselves in those quiet moments. They cannot look into the mirror, lest they see something they cannot bear. In the quiet moments, the still soft voice of the Spirit of God speaks and many people do not want to listen to Him.

The Prince of the Power of the Air was once a powerful archangel who had an authority that amongst other things involved music. This is a separate issue, but the fact that his title is power of the air means that he cannot introduce atmospheric disturbance, that makes it difficult for the Christian to be quiet. Distractions can sometimes come from a Satanic source, because satan wishes to keep man separated from God by any means possible and minimize the power of the Christian on this planet by creating disruptions that make it hard for us to tune into what God is communicating to us.

We are a new breed, born from above and therefore living in a Kingdom that cannot be moved. Therefore as Spirit calls unto Spirit and we search out the deep things of God, we discover Him further in the peace and quiet. Jesus spent much time alone, in prayer, to strengthen Him for His mission and if He needed this so do we. Also He did so in obedience to His Father and displayed this as an example for us to follow.

We live in the Kingdom of Noise, but whilst we reside temporary we are not citizens and therefore need time with God. The quiet speaks of ceasing from striving whilst still being involved in activity. God is using us to do the work, and because His burden is light, we are yoked to Him, His work is not wearisome to us and we are able to continue to walk with Him and accomplish His work.
Because we live in the Finish Work, we are the quiet people of the land.

We study to be quiet, studying (greek – philotimeomai – meaning to strive earnestly/ make it ones aim, from a love of honour to strive to bring something to pass) to be quiet (hesychazo – to rest, cease from labour, to be silent, to hold one’s peace, to say nothing).
The paradox is that we strive to cease! But it is activity done and learnt through God’s provision, so we do not learn this in our own flesh nature, it is not a disciplined action of the flesh, but a faith action in the spirit!

Can we slip back into the old nature? Yes! But in everything we do, there is a choice, to live in the old sin nature or to live in our New Christ given nature.

Hebrews chapter 4 talks of this Godly provision of rest, referring back to the Sabbath day granted the children of Israel, an example we still follow and one that is instituted for good reason. Yet this rest is not just a physical day, but in our entire lives day by day, because we are of a different kingdom.

Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10)
This verse is an example again of the quiet in the land, who rest to hear God. Cease from your activity, because God is speaking to you. This does not necessarily mean that we have to always physically stop doing something, but that we may purpose to take time during our day, to listen to God. But also it may mean that our brains which process so much information and for some of us we are always thinking, must make it a discipline of dwelling in God and allowing Him to steer our minds towards His thoughts.

We have been given the mind of Christ, (1 Corinthians 2:16), but do we stop to allow God to make this a practical reality in our lives? Romans 12:2 means that by a practiced disciplined of dwelling on what God has given us, we can be renewed in our minds allowing us to be more receptive to what God is saying to us; We are practicing to listen properly!

Our lives are full of legitimate activity and as His stewards; we have jobs, houses, families, friends and many other things that require our attention. God teaches us that if we are faithful in little things, He can promote us onto bigger things.

But we must be faithful in the little things first! And to be faithful means that He is teaching us to manage the legitimate things of our lives by an ordained order (Matthew 6:33). And all that we have responsibility over can be managed in this priority because we are learning to be the Quiet People of the land!

Build up each other together in a most Holy Faith

2008-02-11T19:33:00.000+01:00

We are called to edify each other. Why?
Well firstly, because we manifest Christ’s love, so it is done out of God’s love and secondly, because we help the receiver to grow more in Christ. (Jude 1:20) (Ephesians 5:19)
This means that by being edified, our capacity to receive what God has to give increases. We can receive more each time. (2 Peter 3:18)

This means something else, our discernment of what is of God and what is not of Him, sharpens because God is imparting wisdom and we receive it. (1 Thessalonians 5:21). This means transformation, because we believe by faith and receive in faith, hence inward transformation, not conformity to the world. (Romans 12:2)

People of faith need to hear from God. (Deut 8:3), (Job 23:12).They have an attitude of expectation when they meet and when they listen to preaching and enjoy worship. This means that when the Word of God is preached, they literally 'pull the words out of the mouth' of the preacher. They draw it out of Him. They need it and God desires to give it. Why would He not want to feed His flock?

And because His desire to feed them (Psalm 23:1), (John 21:17) and they desire to receive it by faith, then the preacher who is the vessel of God, speaking with God's authority will open His mouth and the words will fly out, the flow will come and the Word of God will reach the receptive hearts of those who listen.

Christians living totally for Christ have incredible friendships, because they are relationships made in heaven, centred in Christ. Christians are living stones (1 Peter 2:5) and we altogether are a house being built by Jesus, who is both the head of the Body (Ephesians 1:22, Ephesians 5:23, Colossians 1:18), the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20, 1 Peter 2:6) and the builder (Matthew 16:18)!

So go ahead, build up and encourage each other!

A Christmas Message

2007-12-21T18:37:00.000+01:00

25Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,
28Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss[a] your servant in peace.
30For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
32a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
33The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him.
34Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
35so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

Luke 2:25-35 (NIV)

Jesus Christ changes lives and at Christmas we remember that the He came into this world, Mighty God, as a humble baby born in a small stable in an obscure town in the Middle East. With God, things start small and seemingly insignificant and then grow to unimaginable proportions…

Simeon prophesied that Jesus would cause the falling and rising of many in Israel. Jesus still does this now. He polarizes people, He continues to challenge everyone who He confronts and when He moves His church, made up of humble disciples, to spread His Love, His message of Hope and redemption to a messed up world, this reaches the hearts of people and brings healing and joy where there was only brokenness and misery.

This Christmas season, look beyond the pretty lights, the displays in peoples’ homes and shops, the bars and restaurants, the celebrating and mad last minute shopping sprees, the orgy of television, alcohol and food.

See beyond all this. Jesus is still here. He never left and He is using this season to reach those who need Him and are seeking Him.

Christmas is about reconnecting with our God, our Saviour who came to earth, in humble surroundings to save a world that always has been in desperate need of Him and always will.

This Christmas… connect with Jesus. Meet your God.

God bless you and Happy Christmas.

The Banner of Love

2007-08-11T12:34:00.000+01:00

“He brought me to His banqueting house and His banner over me was love.”

Song of Solomon 2:4 (New KJV).

I am today a complete person. Complete and whole in Christ, because I live in Christ and Christ lives in me. I am in the position today as new creation, totally and utterly loved by God, without condition and without end. Because I am the recipient of God’s love, I discover my true value through seeing myself through God’s eyes. I cannot earn this, I am cannot work to continue to seek God’s approval. I am loved by a God who never changes and I have accepted this, by accepting Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for me personally at the Cross.

Because the work is finished, I can rest in faith and continue to enjoy God’s presence, so totally at rest because there is nothing else to do. In this position, I am bathed in God’s love today, because His thoughts are towards me, He lives forever to make intercession for me and He has made a new and living way, meaning that I can access the throne of Grace, day and night.
Even the charge of the accuser of the brethren, who accuses us before God, day and night, is disarmed because Jesus Christ is my advocate, who pleads my case.

He saves me to the uttermost. There is nothing that God has not done for me and receiving His love, living in His presence and being led by His Spirit means that I am being continually transformed by Him, whilst His love is outworked as a witness into the world through my life. I am a witness of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, because my life manifests His glory when I am in obedience and am directed by Him throughout my daily living.

I am overwhelmed that His banner over my life is love, a deep and continual love without ever ceasing and that His grace, unmerited favour that can never be earned.

Because of this love, I am empowered and motivated to love others, both fellow believers and those who have not yet met and accepted Christ. I love them without condition and do not expect to anything in return. I am motivated into action, not to be a nice person, but to totally live out the Christ who dwells in me. Once I do this, all else will follow naturally as I reveal the 9 fruits of the Spirit talked about in Galatians 5:22-23.

What an incredible privilege it is to be alive and with God today!

All of this, because God first loved me.

Today I am loved. Today, you are loved by God!

Be still and know that I am God…

2007-06-03T21:45:00.000+01:00

'Be still and know that I am God… '
(Psalm 46:10a)

The whole world works by running at a great pace. Busy, Hurry, Worry. These are the most predominant activities and thoughts that go on in most peoples’ head’s these days. Technology, once heralded as the great solution for our lives, instead of being a useful servant has become a ruthless master. We are slaves of our mobile phones, PDA’s and laptops. And computer systems are the cause of as many problems as they solved. Instead of a slackening in the pace of life, we note that in fact the opposite is true; it goes gets faster.

The world seeks to suck us dry. It builds up false dreams, that keep us entranced for years, but ultimately we realise alas too late, that they were false hopes. At that stage we become cynical and bitter… drained of opportunism, energy, enthusiasm and life itself. Is it any wonder that some many people are on medication, alcohol, recreational drugs, in and out of relationships, or in total despair they take their own lives. Many people burn out under the pressure, others make it to retirement and then die suddenly afterwards.

This was never the world that God intended it to be. But it is the one that man has fashioned. Our world is suffers conflict in human relationships on all levels, from nation to nation, to neighbour to neighbour in conflict. Ultimately, man has a hard time loving his fellow man, because he has a hard time to love his God.

In the end, it comes down to one thing. We are unable to function without God, ultimately leading to our destruction through unwise lifestyle patterns. Our search for purpose and meaning, is whether we realise it or not, a search for God.

Yet Jesus Christ, who is both fully man and God, came down to us, so that we could saved from our own worst enemy, ourselves. Unable to redeem ourselves, defeated by our own very genes, He redeemed us.

Now, in our ‘Hurry, Busy, Worry’ World, God is speaking. To those who do not know Him, He calls out for them to come to Him, to be reconciled through His Son. To those who do know already, His Spirit calls unto our spirits, as deep calls unto deep… ‘Be still and know that I am God‘. And when we stop, when the rapid cycle of thought dialogue that goes on in our heads, ceases, God can bring us into a place with Him. A place where we stop performing, stop racing, and just … rest. We have rest from the burdens in our lives, an opportunity to catch breath, to put all things in perspective by looking to Him, and a place to receive His life and His love.

Today, we have the privilege of being able to spend time with God and just rest in His presence. It is not easy. The world desires to keep us on the treadmill. But we are in a different race and we have that option of going to God and spending those vital moments with Him, time that will make all the difference to what we think and how we act for that day.
This day, Be still and Know that He is God…

When the heat comes!

2007-04-26T21:30:00.000+01:00

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
(Jeremiah 17:7-8 KJV)

Our lives are divided into seasons (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8), some of which are pleasant, some not so. The consistent factor throughout our lives is that as believers we walk by faith with God, and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). God and His Word are unchanging factors in our lives. Jesus Christ does not change (Hebrews 13:8) and neither does the Word of God (Matthew 24:35). Because God and His Word will have no end and are the only unchanging factors in our lives, we need must base everything we do and think upon them if we are to live victoriously and consistently through all of life’s challenges and hardships.

We will experience trials and many difficulties. This is a certainty. We cannot exist in a world system that is under the government of Satan, who deceives and controls the world and its inhabitants (Revelation 12:9) without experiencing spiritual and physical conflict. Persecution has always been a fact of life for the believer, if we consider for example the Book of Acts and through the history of Christian church. In many countries, believers meet in secret, knowing that discovery by the authorities could mean torture and certain death. Believers in Western societies have become accustomed to the benefits of democracy, one of which includes the cherished right to religious freedom and the right to express it.

We should NEVER take this for granted. Our lives were bought with a price, and we cannot assume that these freedoms will be always respected, given the changing nature of the world as a whole as we live in these very last days.

One of the most vital things for a believer is a close and intimate walk with God. This comes from a desire to submit totally to Christ and die to self, daily. The diligent and Holy Spirit inspired study of the Word of God is crucial in maturing the believer in solid and categorical doctrine. Through these things, like a tree in Jeremiah 17:8, the believer will develop deep roots of faith as each is grounded in God’s unchanging truths. The waters and rivers referred to are God’s life through received through reading His Word and hearing His Word preached, through meditating on His Word and permitting the mind to be renewed. Each believer needs to be rooted so deeply in God that when the heat does come, we will not be burnt.

The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:5-6, Mark 4:5-6) reveals in these verses that the hearers did not become established in God’s Word, did not develop deep roots of faith and had nothing to draw upon when the trials of life (the heat) came.

An example of the opposite is also referred to in the same parable (Matthew 13:8, Mark 4:8, and Luke 8:8), where a solid root was established because of the soil being of good quality. The soil in the parable is speaking of the heart attitude of the hearer, who hearing and believing, allows God’s words to travel that important distance from the head to the heart. We must cultivate our hearts to be eager hearers of God’s word, receiving it with all eagerness and discerning its truth (Acts 11:17). We need to seek God and receive His truth and then hold onto it, not letting it go, allowing solid convictions based upon doctrinal truths to be established in our lives (1 Thessalonians 5:21, 2 Timothy 2:15).

In the book of Daniel, chapter 3, we have an excellent and very literal example of three men whose faith was tested by a very literal fire. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the three Hebrew boys chose not to worship the image of Nebuchadnezzar, but chose to hold to their own faith in the Living God even if it led to their death. Such was their faith in God and such was God’s faithfulness, God himself being present in the furnace with them (Daniel 3:25) that it is recorded that the king saw Him and commented upon it too! Not only did God deliver them from the trial, completely unscathed and untouched by the trial, despite the furnace being turned up 7 times hotter (verse 19) that it was a testimony of the faithfulness and sovereignty of our God, that spoke to both that king and also to generations since.

Daniel himself was thrown into a den of lions in chapter 6 of the same book, but again, because of His faith in God, he came through this trial as did the three Hebrew boys, completely unharmed.

What can we learn from this?
Whilst God is faithful and true (Revelation 19:11), will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) and whose promises are all Yes and amen (2 Corinthians 1:19), we must use the time we are given wisely. We must redeem it and walk with wisdom (Ephesians 5:15-16, Colossians 4:5). We must deepen our roots of faith in Christ and God’s Word, drawing from the life sustaining water of God’s life. The Christian life is marathon, not a 100m sprint. We are in it for the long haul and must always consider that each day is the preparation for the next; no moment is wasted in God’s sight.

Today, dig deeper and develop stronger roots in Christ. The day the heat of the trial comes, we will be able to withstand it. Jesus Christ will keep that which we committed to Him against that day! (2 Timothy 1:12). And the best thing, not only will we come through the heat of that day, but we will be bearing the fruit of Jesus Christ at the same time. What a promise!

God Bless you.

Resurrection Life

2007-04-09T22:48:00.000+01:00

Jesus said to her, I am the Resurrection and the Life! He who believes in Me, though he die, yet he shall live.
And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?

(John 11:25-26)

Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me.

(John 14:6)

This day!

2007-04-06T18:54:00.000+01:00

Today is Good Friday. Christ was crucified on this day, around 2000 years ago. And He was crucified for every single human being that has ever lived and will ever live. He went to the cross for the sins of the whole world and He died having finished the work that Father God gave Him. He died for each one of us, so that we may not die in our sins but have access to a loving God, directly. The separating gap that sin brought has now be bridged by the atoning work on the cross.
When we read the sobering accounts of the last supper, the garden of Gethsemane, the trials, the scourging, the public mockery, that last journey to the Golgotha and the crucifixion itself, we can be reminded of just what Christ went through for each one of us personally. And when He was dying, He was thinking of us personally!
For those of us who have accepted Him and walk with Him, we look forward to Easter Sunday; the day that He rose from the grave. Because like Him, we died at the cross, but also we rose in our new Christ given natures and we have a new life and hope.
Good Friday is more sombre. We wait for Sunday, because on that day there is a hope for the whole world. We declare to the world that Sunday is coming! With Sunday, Jesus Christ will rise and even death is defeated!

It is this hope that we can declare to a world that lives without hope!

God Bless you this Easter.

Studying the Word of God

2007-03-14T00:35:00.000+01:00

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV))

The highest form of education is to study God’s word.

Firstly we should understand that as all Scripture is God breathed, that is inspired of God, (2 Timothy 3:16). Since the Holy Spirit inspired specific individuals at specific times, resulting in the Hebrew and Greek scriptures that is now the Canon of Scripture, God breathed His life into these words and this means all scripture, not just some of it.

Secondly, God cannot lie (Titus 1:2) and Jesus Christ is called Faithful and True (Revelation 19:11), so as God’s character is true, so are His words.

Thirdly, God’s words are vital to our spiritual health and we should place as much importance on our spiritual nutrition as we do for our physical needs (Matthew 4:4, Luke 4; 4 and Deuteronomy 8:3). Man must live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God and the entire Bible contains His Words.

Fourthly, all God’s promises are Yes and Amen (2 Corinthians 1:20) and all His promises are contained with His Word. They are exceeding, great and precious. (2 Peter 1:4). We should trust in His promises as absolute certainties and guarantees. God is always delivers on His promises.

Fifthly, we should meditate on God’s word (Psalm 1:4) because this will help us understand who we are in Christ and who He is in us. We are set free from the influences of the World and we are transformed by His Word progressively to become like Him (Romans 12:2) and we will not be deceived by Satan who deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9-12) because we know who we are in Christ through His Holy Spirit illuminating the Word of God.

Sixthly, the Word of God provides illumination (Psalm 119:130, 2 Peter 1:19) shining into dark places to reveal God’s light to those who do not know Him and illuminating the path of those who trust Him and walk in fellowship with Him. (Psalm 119:105)

The noble Bereans studied the scriptures daily to ensure that what Paul was preaching to them was in line with Scripture (Acts 17:11) and they were called noble (fair minded in another version) because they had hearts seeking after God and were prepared to receive His Word.

Ezra had an excellent foundation in God’s Word, because He desired to seek after God more than anything else and took the opportunity to do so. More importantly, he studied it, APPLIED IT and TAUGHT IT (Ezra 7:10). This is contrary to the Pharisees in the Gospels who had studied it, did NOT apply it though they taught it to others.

The study of God’s word gives us stability as believers, where many false doctrines have entered Christian churches. With the leading of the Holy Spirit, such doctrine will allow us to live wisely and not become gullible victims. Christians are not to remain babies, but must mature in Christ (Ephesians 4:14).

We also know that God’s word is living and powerful, it cuts right to the heart of any issue and every person when it is declared (Hebrews 4:12) and always has an effect on its hearers (Isaiah 55:11). It makes people accountable!

The study of God’s word without the direction of the Holy Spirit upon the individual leads to legalism, whilst the failure to study the Word, leads the believer to drift into emotionalism which will become unbiblical. We need the both the Holy Spirit and the Word (2 Corinthians 3:6).

All believers are called to have some ministry of defending the Gospel (Apologetics) (I Peter 3:15), it is not just for a select few individuals in the Body. And a ready defense comes from a believer who studies seriously with humility seeking after God’s heart for the human race. Such individuals will be spirit led and have God given courage, compassion and authority to speak what gives them at each given opportunity.

Eventually, a maturing believer who is receiving God’s Word, studying and applying it will become a living walking Bible – a living Epistle (2 Corinthians 3:2).

Finally, a believer who studies the Word with sincerity and is led by the Spirit will fall deeply in love with The One who wrote it. This love received directly from the heart of God, will transform the believer and they will manifest it through their words and actions to all those around them. And they will have a dramatic impact in lives of others, because the royal law will be fulfilled (James 3:8).

Whatever our calling, God desires that we should study His Word so that we may know Him and reveal Him to others in the Body of Christ, ministering to them, and to those who are in a lost and dying world on a straight line to Hell.

Living for Christ means living in the light of His revelation and this comes from His Word and through the Holy Spirit. It is the best education in the world, and the most practical, for this life and the one to come!

God Bless you.

Luke Chapter 8 – Faith brings transformation and restoration.

2007-02-21T15:19:00.000+01:00

I read the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 8 recently and I really received back an enormous amount.
Verses 1 to 4 give us a picture of who were following Him. What is interesting here is that a number of women were involved in His ministry, some who had been healed and who now followed as disciplines.

Verses 5 to 18 talk about a parable taught by Jesus regarding the sowing of God’s word into the hearts of men. It comments on the state of their hearts and their receptivity to His Word. It warns us of being careful on how we hear – our heart attitude when listening to God’s word. Are we really listening with faith? Are we really coming to God with a hunger, a desperation to hear from Him, Have we become familiar with God’s word and therefore do not hear it afresh each time?

Verses 19 to 21 mention that His mother and brothers came seeking to talk with Him. Compare this with Matthew 12:46-50 and Mark 3:31-35.
It is interesting to note the significance of these passages. Why do they wish to speak with Him? Why were they not following Him in the first place? It is interesting to note his reaction; He was very clear as to where His priorities lay. And for us, our friends and families; our loved ones; to whom we are obliged, both through love and duty to share our time with them – What happens when we experience a conflict of interest – a leading by God to come to Him and what He calls or to go back to our families? What do we choose? What should we choose? Are they both the same?

Verses 22 to 25 describe Jesus and the disciples in a boat on the lake, when a storm blew up. Christ was asleep and the others started to panic as the boat filled with water. They feared the storm and because they saw by sight, their reaction was a natural one – panic. Note that some of the disciples were fishermen; accustomed to such conditions. Their reaction is perhaps a measure of the extreme conditions they found themselves in, beyond even their control and experience. That Jesus woke up and dealt with the situation instantly and totally is revealing.
How often do we find ourselves entering a situation in familiar conditions that suddenly blows up into a storm beyond our control? How often do we think that God is sleeping and unaware of our panic in such situations? How unaware are we that God is actually always in the situation with us and always in control? How often do we know the promises in His word about His protection over us, sovereignty and the total control that He has over every situation, regardless of how bad it appears? How often do we forget such promises when we are in the midst of such storms?
When God becomes active in such a situation, He steps in quickly and His actions bring a close to the trial with a finality and totality that clears things up cleanly and leaves no loose ends. There are no elements of doubt, no work half done. God is sovereign and He leaves His mark of perfection, that makes it clear that only He can resolve such matters. All such things point back to Him so that we as believers may be strengthened in our faith and discover more about Him, and for unbelievers that they may see that there is a God in Heaven who cares for man, loves man and desires communion with Him through Jesus Christ, A God that is fully involved in the affairs of man.

Verses 27 to 39 reveals further interesting facts.
A demon possessed man comes to Jesus. The man is in bondage, with the demon totally controlling his life. Straight away the demon recognises Jesus as God and acknowledges His authority without question.
(V28). It is interesting here to note that the only ones who cannot acknowledge authority are men. Angels and Demons recognise authority without question, but man rebels constantly against any kind of authority, examples existing around us in everyday life.
The man is set free permanently with a totality that is a mark of our God yet again.
The reactions of people living that country (V35-37) reveal something interesting about their state of mind. They are in fact in as much bondage as the demon possessed man was.
Why? Because they were afraid of Him! Imagine you leading a normal life. Everything remains the same and you are comfortable in its normality. Suddenly things that were always the same begin changing – and dramatically! When Jesus comes into our world, it will never be the same again. There is no doubt that these people recognised that there was something very special about Jesus. That is why they feared Him. When a supernatural all powerful God enters our lives, things that have been a constant, unchanging factor – change. There is a sense of normality, of safety, of security in our world. God brings upheaval, He uproots things that by rights have never been uprooted; He changes the unchangeable. Such sense of upheaval can bring fear to us if we have allowed other things to shape our identity and have become our idols. They feared both Jesus, what He had done and what was possible that He could do because it challenged everything that they had founded their lives upon.
They were slaves, in bondage to fear, to change and this was why they rejected Him. (V37).
What is interested here is that they told Him to leave and He did!
In contrast, the man that was in bondage to the demon, had been set free. And He willingly had accepted Jesus and His authority. He was healed and made whole, because the living God had touched His life and he was forever changed!

Verses 41 to 56 talk about two healings. The first one is that of the woman who had been haemorrhaging blood over a period of many years. She has spent all her money on conventional means to obtain healing, but none had work. Finally in desperation, she sees Jesus and in faith reaches out to touch His garment, believing that she will be healed by this act.
Firstly she recognises that Jesus is of God and acknowledges His authority.
Secondly, she believes by faith that just touching the hem of His clothing will result in her healing. What an amazing faith! And she is healed and immediately! (V44)
What is more, her reaching out and touching the living God in faith means that no only does He heal her, just in that one touch, but He recognises her presence. He feels the power coming out from Him, in the midst of a large crowd of other people, who must have been in close contact to Him. Note the disciples answer to Jesus’s question (V45). It must have seemed a strange question for Him to ask, when He was surrounded by others who must have been touching Him too.
Firstly, God recognises that when we cry out for His touch, that we are in His presence and that we are drawing upon His provision for a situation; Nothing, no small thing is overlooked by the living God, however trivial or seemingly insignificant.
Secondly, she comes forward to tell Him, in response to His question (V47) and she witnesses in front of Him and a large crowd as to her healing – God asks us to testify to what He has done for us personally, often in a public setting, so that He might be glorified.
Thirdly, His answer (V48), reveals that He encourages her and reveals His loving heart. The heart of God desires that our lives are touched by Him and forever changed – for the better and for His glory.

The other person to be healed in the daughter of Jairus, responsible for the synagogue it that town.
He could see that no other than God was in front of Him and was desperate. This is a religious man, but a humble man, because He does not hesitate to accept Jesus for who He is.
Jesus was already on His way to the house, when the crowd had stopped Him. With Him speaking to them and healing the woman mentioned previously, the daughter died before He could reach her. (V49). It seemed like God was too late and the girl had died already, certainly this was what the people involved must have thought.
Verse 50 reveals that nothing is impossible for God and that He was in control. No single thing was an accident, He has not made a mistake. This was all part of His plan. And so He went to heal her.
He told them firstly, not to fear. How fearful are we in situations that seem beyond our control, out of our hands and perhaps God appears in the picture too late?
Secondly, He gave another condition – believe. When we stop fearing and look to God for the solution, looking without doubt, just in faith – He steps in and the person is healed, their problems brought to a clear cut conclusion and again – all with the hallmarks of a mighty God, who glorifies Himself through it.

Verses 51 to 53 reveal that He limited those who entered the house to, three of the main disciples and the two parents of the girl. Why only these?
The grief of those around is clear (V52) and what Jesus says next is interesting. He tells them to stop mourning and that the girl is alive, but just sleeping. Can we imagine saying that to a group of mourning relatives? Can we imagine the consequences of such words?(V53)
A couple of interesting things can be noted here. The girl was dead. There was no doubt about this.
And Luke records this in Verse 53. Luke was a doctor (Colossians 4:14) and this gospel bears the marks of a man who was extremely precise in recording details, particularly healings that would have been impossible with the medical knowledge of the day.
Yet again Jesus steps in, where it what is by appearances a situation that is too late for any resolution. Only God can bring life where only death exists and this is precisely what Jesus does!
In Verse 54, He puts out those who were in the house already, grieving the girl’s death and who had reacted in a very natural and understandable way to His words about their girl not being dead. He puts them outside so that He can heal the girl privately.
This is interesting. The woman with the haemorrhage was healed publicly. But the little girl was brought back to life, healed privately. Clearly the girl could not respond in faith, believing that she could be healed, but the faith of those who knew her, her relatives was important, otherwise Jesus would have not told them so (V52). On this point also consider the Gospel of Matthew 13:54-58.
In Verses 54 to 56, we see the conclusion of this matter. The girl is revived back to life from death. How?
Jesus took her hand and spoke to her, calling her (V54). When God wants to bring life to us in a dead situation, He takes our hand and He calls us by name. There is a deep significance in this matter for it to have been recorded this way. Luke noted this facts for a reason and the Holy Spirit draws our attention to its importance.
In verse 55 she comes back to life after He calls us and got up immediately. There was no delay in time. However late the situation may seem, when God comes, His timing is perfect and His touch brings an immediate result. An interesting point to note here is also that He instructed that she be given something to eat. Does not God when He revives us from what seems a dead situation, gives us His spiritual food, so that we may immediately be fed?
Verse 56 records the reaction of the parents, their astonishment. No doubt their first reaction would have been to have immediately told everyone they knew of what had happened. But Jesus orders them not to.
A lot happens in this chapter and it teaches us an enormous amount about what God’s nature and about faith. Hearing in faith (Verse 15), responding in faith in the middle of contrary conditions (Verse 25), receiving healing by faith (Verse 48) and the faith in God restoring someone to life (Verse 50-56).

Goodness and Mercy

2007-01-26T15:27:00.000+01:00

‘Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.’
Psalm 23:6 (New King James version)

The mercies of God are new everyday, great are His compassions (Lamentations 3:22-23). We discover that we are new creations, not connected at all to our old lives in Adam (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Yes! We have everything to live for in this Christian life. We have the very power of the living God inside us. The Holy Spirit directing our paths on a moment by moment basis if we permit it.

We do not deserve mercy. We deserve only death. Yet the God that created the universe and all in it, had mercy on us, because He first loved us; and at the right time, He came back and paid the price for each of us, individually.

This Jesus Christ, the Son of David, came to earth and had mercy upon us. I heard a woman giving a testimony in a church recently. It was an audio recording, so I only had what I heard to go upon. She said that the Son of David had had mercy upon her. When she spoke, she displayed such enormous brokenness. God had brought her through many deep waters for her to come to the stage of being able to say this. I never met her and know nothing about her, but it was what I sensed in her voice; a gentleness and humility; a quiet spirit who had experienced a turbulent past.

This had a profound effect upon me. I realised that indeed we cry out in desperation and need to God. When we are in the middle of pain, in a crisis, we care not for theology, for philosophy, clever arguments of others. Much like a dying man, we only need want more life. And this life is imparted to us from above by a loving God.

Just as the manna fell from heaven as a divine provision for the Israelites in the wilderness, we experience supernatural life bringing subsistence to us for every moment. We just need to look up to our heavenly Father for it. He is merciful and knows what we require.

All He asks is that we trust Him and make ourselves available to Him. That is all the Christian life is. Not a complicated system of rules or a work schedule to win God’s blessing or approval. God loves us unconditionally and has already done it for us, once and for all, paid for by Jesus on the cross. This is why it is the Finished Work! God finished it and by faith we live in it! This is positional truth.

And in the middle of our most difficult of situations, at the lowest points, we discover that God is with us, because He is a beautiful provision to us for each situation; and more besides. We as the temple of the Holy Spirit, carrying God around in our bodies, bring God to others, in these situations. So we discover that such situations are for our good, to develop our relationship with our Father, and they allow Him to speak to others around us, by using us.

Whether we are young or old; rich or poor; alone or in company; employed or unemployed; sick or in good health; happy or sad; God’s mercies are new every morning and His mercy and goodness will follow each of us all the days of our lives!

Living in your spiritual potential.

2007-01-26T15:26:00.000+01:00

The widely held belief is that being a Christian is about adhering to rigid rules. This was my perception before I was saved and for many people, it still is. Even for some Christians, it seems to be more about their efforts than those of God’s.

In fact, it is a misconception. Worse still it is in fact a gross misrepresentation.

The Christian life is actually about a relationship, between me and God, initially and then between me and others around me.
It is about me having the opportunity to live up to my potential. It is radical, life changing and enormously liberating.

Jesus wants us to become transformed into individuals who increasingly bear His characteristics and who reflect the true mark of creator God upon our lives.

In the Garden of Eden, Satan lied to Eve. It is lie that has never changed since. Satan promulgates it to this day. It goes like this;

Eat the forbidden fruit and you too can become a god. God does not want this, but go into those areas that were originally out of bounds and discover that you will not die. In fact it will bring a quality to your life.

This is the root of the lie. Do what you want and take God’s place.
There is only one God and we discover to our cost that He accepts no substitutes. And in fact we cannot become a ‘god’ in His place. This is beyond Satan’s powers to grant us and beyond our abilities to receive. We were never designed for this.

But, in union with the living God, submitted to Him and receiving His life as a born again believer, we can live in the potential He has given us.
And such potential is beyond our comprehension.

It is a sad fact that so few individuals recognise this. Many Christians have not moved on much, spiritually speaking, since they were saved. Many live in past experiences, but do not risk stepping into the future. When we do not continue moving forward in our Christian lives, we miss so much which was purposed for our good. So many blessings, victories and glories in Christ remain in our future. We must press on towards the mark.

The Christian life is not a one way ticket to heaven, given to us when we were saved. It is so much more. It is invigorating, challenging, scary and fun. It is a daily walk by faith into unknown territory, with Jesus by our side. It is testifying to a lost, dying world which exists without hope, that we are that hope, we have that hope and we desire to share that hope with them.

Inside the Body of Christ, the church that God calls us to, we experience the fullest expression of God’s life. In a vibrant church, full of the Spirit of God, submitted to the Word of God and under a Pastor, we find our true place and our heart’s home. We discover our spiritual family (for those from dysfunctional family backgrounds, this brings stability, security and healing) and in an atmosphere of loving trust, accountability and friendship, we mature as people in God.

We can live by faith, receiving God’s life for each moment and expanding further into the potential that God has given us. It is a process that will continue with us until the day we die. And then finally He will take us home to be with Him.

God has given you a spiritual potential to live in and today each one of us has the freedom to choose yet again to live in it, by His grace!

Going all the way for Jesus Christ

2007-01-10T15:50:00.000+01:00

There is much on my heart to say and so little time to say it. Sometimes when I start writing a blog entry, I get distracted, have to stop it and consequently never finish it.
Sometimes I have great ideas for blogs whilst walking, in the gym working out, shopping or cleaning the house. But these ideas never make it to my computer, let alone as far as being published on this blog.

For this reason I want to share the following thoughts and do so quickly before something grabs my attention.

1. Like never before, we must walk with wisdom before God, seeking His direction for each moment of each day. (Ephesians 5:15-17).

2. We must exercise this wisdom in what we say and how we act, in front of man and before God.

3. We must seek God’s presence every morning, so our steps will be ordered for the rest of the day.

4. We must seek God’s presence in every situation and desire that if God is not in it, that we should not be in it either.

5. In the same spirit as point 2 we must desire to speak words of life into people’s lives. We cannot do this with our old nature. Only the words from Spirit of God are able to build up, strengthen, rebuke, heal and comfort another person. Anything else is vanity from our Adam nature. Words from our old man destroy, they do not bring life, however nice they may sound.

6. When we start plans for our days, we should remember that many of the things we might seek to do may not come to pass. And we must not feel angry or frustrated when they do. Our sole purpose in this life is to know God. And if we seek Him everyday and in every way we will find that our other plans will fit in perfectly around Him.

7. In the same spirit as point 6, we must desire to discover more about God each day and ask God that for every verse of the Bible we read and every message preached from a pulpit that we hear, that He gives us a practical understanding and application for our lives. We will mature in Christ as believers by living out His Word in our lives, not by intellectual understanding. Heart knowledge not head knowledge.

8. We should desire to go 100% for Jesus and to go all the way with Him, to the cross and beyond. He will return to take us home soon, we must be ready for that. So let us be so committed to Jesus for everyday that it will not matter if He comes back in a day or in 100 years.

9. Let’s go all the way for Him and be occupied in living His life in us and serving Him 100%. Let’s put aside in obstacles in our path that prevents us from doing so.

10. If He is coming back soon and looking at the signs in the world, it may be very soon, though no man knows the hour or day, let’s just go out and win as many disciples (disciples note! Not just believers!) to Jesus as we can. We do not convert them, we make ourselves available to Jesus and let Him use us with the Holy Spirit speaking through us with our testimonies and with God’s word to win them into the Kingdom. And let’s pray for the wisdom so we may be led to do so and have a real burden for those who are lost and are going to a lost eternity as we speak. Time is short, so let’s go to it and remember that one of the purposes of the church of Jesus Christ is to reveal Him to the lost and to go into all the world to win them for Him.

11. Let’s get into God’s word. The Koran calls both us and the Jews ‘The People of the Book’. Well let’s prove them right in the context that we study God’s word so much, with such depth that we live up to that title! Let’s open our Bibles each day in faith that God is going to give us something from His Word just for us, because we need to be spiritually fed.

12. Let’s ask God more to help us to see every person as He sees them and to ask Him to give us His love so we can love them, regardless of how obnoxious and unlovable they may seem. And we can love them as they are, not judging them, but revealing His love that draws people to Him. His love changes everything and It never fails (I Corinthians 13:8a).

The list looks long. It looks hard, perhaps even impossible to follow.
I could not do it, neither I suspect could anyone else. But Jesus can, if we let Him do so. All it takes is our desire to know Him better and our availability to let Him do it.
He does the rest. We just keep saying ‘Yes Lord, Your Will be done’ and staying available for Him every day.

I am sure I could say more, but I have no more time now.
May God bless you whoever you are who is reading this and may you get the same level of anticipation, excitement and blessing as I am getting. May you discover Jesus in a new way today.

God bless you.

Happy New Year 2007

2007-01-03T18:15:00.000+01:00

And as they went, it happened that He entered into a certain village. And a certain
woman named Martha received Him into her house. And she had a sister called
Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted
with much serving. And she came to Him and said, Lord, do You not care that my
sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.
And Jesus answered and said to her, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled
about many things.
But one thing is needful, and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be
taken away from her.
(Luke 10:38-42)

So then there remains a rest to the people of God.
For he who has entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own
works, as God did from His.
(Hebrews 4:9-10)

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but
now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
(Philippians 2:12-13)

As we find ourselves entering a new year, we will consider what God has done in our lives in 2006. Our thoughts will also turn to what we can expect from 2007.
Maybe we have already been given by God some personal vision for this coming year. This is an exciting time, with our hopes and expectations being raised. Whether 2006 was a hard year with many trials and we look to 2007 as a season of hope and joy, or whether 2006 was a season of great blessing and we desire more of the same in 2007. Generally, most people, certainly many Christians are hopeful at this time.

One of the most challenging obstacles in our Christian lives is our own enthusiasm and desire to do something for God. When we got saved and received Jesus for the first time, we acknowledged the facts that we were out of relationship with our God and that we were unable by any means to redeem ourselves with Him. We accepted that Jesus died for us and that He saved us when we accepted Him. Note, He did the saving and we were the object of this action.
Our desire to work for God, however genuine and sincere, will be a temptation to us probably for the rest of our lives. It stems from the good side of the tree of knowledge, from our old sin nature. We try to do our most noble efforts towards God and towards people, Christian or otherwise. Whilst we can fool other people much of the time, God will not be taken in. He sees beyond the exterior into the heart of each of us and knows our true motives.

Some of us possess more disciplined old sin natures and in the flesh we are indeed capable of producing the most impressive works. By sight alone, it would seem that the Kingdom of God is being honoured. But however externally impressive things might be, however professional and polished, if it is made by man’s works, God cannot take the glory. It would be entirely possible for God still to use it to, but if the root comes from Adam, then like the fig tree in Matthew 21:18-19 and the fruit tree in Matthew 12:33, there will be no acceptable fruit for God and eventually such works will wither and die.

It is also most likely that those involved in such schemes will burn out and become disillusioned because they were drawing upon their own resources alone.

Our continued submission to the Lord Jesus Christ, our humility and acceptance of Him and our availability to Him are what pleases God. And we find ourselves in these attitudes when we believe by faith that we are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) and when we say to Him – Lord, not my will, but your will be done (Mark 14:36).
When we do these things we stop trying to work for God and start letting Him work in us and through us. And it is because we seek His presence in our lives and because we desire to know Him whatever the cost, that He can finally use us as vessels of honour (Romans 9:21-23) (2 Timothy 2:20-21).

Whilst as newly saved Christians we may have to experience a process to learn this fact, many mature Christians have sadly not understand this and continue to strive like Martha (Luke 10:38-42) when they could just sit down at the Lord’s feet and receive like Mary did. Paradoxically, we are at our most productive for the Kingdom of God when we receive like Mary did. It is likely that she understood Grace far more than many do, because she realised that nothing she could do of her own efforts would please God, so she sat down and received His portion at that moment. Afterwards, it is likely that having received from the Lord first, she was in a position to give something.

Whilst it is true that many Christians understand that it needed Christ only to save them, it is sad that they do not realise that it needs Christ to keep them saved, not their own efforts. Grace is by definition a gift, we cannot earn it. True to say that Grace is not a licence to sin, in fact it is a motivation not to, because what God gives us makes us accountable directly to Him. We do have a part to play in this process, we must be available to Him and though this sounds simple, it is anything but.

But these things are also true of many Christians who understand grace and walk in it day by day. A system of works can be a very well disguised and subtle trap that any one of us can fall into, however mature and however well taught we may be. We must accept in humility that we need Christ and walk with Him first, thus being lead to look to Him in every situation, and then we will receive our direction from Him and not fall back on our own resources and back into works.

So this year, let us just approach God will a quiet humility and ready hearts and ears, listening to Him. Let’s ask for His wisdom, like Solomon did. Let’s ask that He teaches us how to live and to lead us into His projects, however grand or however small. Above us, let’s ask Him that regardless of whether we fail and fall or whether we rise on eagles’ wings, that He can be glorified and rest at the centre of everything we find ourselves involved in.

Happy New Year and may God Bless you in 2007.

That I may know Him

2006-12-15T16:56:00.000+01:00

‘That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;‘ (Philippians 3:10 King James Version)

I was thinking about this theme recently.
Our sole purpose on earth is that we may discover who God is and to live with Him. We must know who Jesus Christ is, what He did for us and who He is for us. We must recognise the authority of His Word, the Bible and we must study it. We must really study it. We must discover for ourselves who God really is and discover His character. We must meditate on His Word, read it, ask Him to give us something new from His Word for us and then ask Him how we can apply it to our lives.

We must become God conscious, Christ centred. We must desire God’s presence at every moment and for every situation. Most importantly, we must voluntarily submit our schedules to Him on a daily basis asking for His divine guidance so that we can use the time profitably.

Many of us love Him dearly. We get up and pray, read our Bibles and then go off and spend the day busy in other things. We forget Him in the midst of our busy lives. When we come to our churches on Sunday, we remember Him and acknowledge that He has ultimate control not only over our lives, but that of the entire world, past, present and future. We watch as other believers in our midst live out their lives in total faith, going to the mission field, Bible College, outreaches and Evangelism in the community. We see these people and recognise God’s leading in their lives, but we think that they are different and that we could never be the same as them. We read books and hear testimonies of great men and women of God who had great faith and did great things at God’s leading.
But we think that this cannot happen to us, because of our personal circumstances. We work 10 hours a day, we are too tired at the weekend, and we are busy with family commitments and duties running the house. We have time for church on Sunday, maybe both morning and evening services. We love God, we got saved and maybe God did some great things years ago, but that was then and not now.

Dear reader. When I am writing the above passage, I am including myself too.

Our God loves us with an unchanging love. He has a calling for each one of us. Each one of us has a unique Christian walk with Him, a life that demands faith and obedience, that asks sacrifice at times and costs us, but gives back a hundredfold when we honour Him and do it.

When we apply God’s word into our lives, when we ask only to have God’s presence and seek it, we will rise into the potential God gave us. True, not every person is called to missionary work in their own or other countries. True, not every one is going to be a Bible teacher, a Pastor, an Elder or even to work in full time Christian service. But each and every one of us is called to become a disciple of Jesus Christ, a Student of His Word, and An Evangelist who with compassion for the lost shares the Gospel, shares the hope we all have in Jesus, to others when the occasion arises.

Each one of us can encourage and edify others, sharing the portion that God gives you to others as the Holy Spirit leads you. You may be a housewife, a mother, a father, a business man or woman, an electrician, postman or builder, whatever our job or trade; you may be single or divorced, widowed. You may be a teenager just starting out or a twentysomething not sure where you are going. You may be settled and married.

Whatever our circumstances, if we are born again Spirit filled Christians, people who accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, WE ARE CALLED! We are called to walk with Jesus Christ every day of our lives, to know Him better and better, to become disciples, students of the Bible and to win the lost to Him, before He returns.

The time is short; our days are few (even if we are young, time goes quickly). There are many distractions in our lives. But if we commit ourselves to Him, He honours it and will give us grace and wisdom to manage our busy lives, our family commitments, finances, work life. He will use our personal circumstances and personal lives to reveal Himself to us and to others and He will be glorified. The only question He asks us is
‘Are you available for me?’ And He asks us this question every day!

Our identity is not in what we do or who we are to others. Our identity is in who we are in Him. We find our identity in Him.

One day all the things of this busy life will be gone and we will stand before Him. There will no longer be school, college, work, housework, shopping, groceries, children, wives or husbands. There will be just us and just Him and we will glorify and worship Him, which is our sole purpose here on earth too!

So let us get ready for His return. Let us make each day count. Let us go before Him asking for wisdom for our lives, our responsibilities and relationships. Let us ask Him to teach us about Him so that we can know and trust Him and win the lost to Him.

The hour is late. His return is imminent. Let’s make the moments count.
Let’s go all the way for Jesus. I am ready? Are you?
God Bless you.

God's Love

2006-12-12T21:10:00.000+01:00

I was reading the chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 last week. The entire passage is inspiring, but inside it there are parts that stand out in virtual capital letters to me.

‘Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.’ (verses 1-3 New King James)

I chose the new King James for the wording. It is just a personal preference. I use the NIV and other versions too, but on this occasion, I think that the KJ illustrates my point better.

We often get into doing things for the sake of just doing and sometimes though we still love God, we become involved in a schedule of works, be it personal or based up our activities in a local church. Gradually, we find ourselves taking our identity in the thing we are doing, rather than The One whom we are serving.

When this happens, we lose objectivity. We start living in personal subjectivity and no longer have God’s perspective on things. Then we start to get tired, seek the approval of others for our work and compete with others to see who is the most spiritual!

The most important thing we must recognize is that God loved us first. We must always come back to this fact. We can do nothing without it. We are incapable of loving God back unless we receive His love first.
When we accept this fact (not with our head, but with our heart), we can receive love from God. Next we can love Him back and then we can love others as well.
It is God’s love that motivates us to serve others. Not a sentimental love. No. But instead a love that is practical and compassionate that will allow us to even lay down our very lives for others.

The point that I have seen in verses 1 – 3 is this. That without God’s love we can still serve. We can still do ‘good’ works. We did so before we were saved. And these good works will benefit others, that is true.
But this is not the point.
The last part of verse 3 tells us that I am the one that does not benefit from serving without having Love. I am the loser.
Why?
The whole point of my life with Jesus is that I gave up my old sin nature. It still exists of course. I still can and do live in it. But I have now a new God nature given to me at the time of my initial salvation.
When I live in this nature, I live with God and my new nature cannot sin.
When I live with God in this nature, this new life, I can draw upon the resource God wants to give me for a particular situation. He can then work through me. My life becomes a living testimony of God living through me and this will be noticed by others, both believers and unbelievers.
I can thus impact with whom I come into contact by my very actions. I do not even need necessarily to say a word. The old saying, ‘Actions speak louder than words’ can be applied here.
God is looking not at what I do, but at how I do it!
Namely, the attitude of my heart.

Often the attitude of heart (but not always) will been an influencing factor in the way I do the work I am giving and the perhaps even the quality of my work too!

Remember that God wants to be glorified through my whole life. If I am serving Him out of my old nature, I begin living in the flesh again. And flesh comes under the curse of sin and death and the law. The old sin nature cannot please God. So our serving Him, however noble our desires, however good the work is, cannot please Him and does not glorify Him, if we serve from our flesh. It only can glorify us.

The next four verses are also very interesting.

‘Love suffers long and is kind, love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up,
does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.’
(1 Corinthians 13:4 – 7)

When I read this passage for the first time, I found it very inspiring, but I could not help thinking that it would be an impossible standard to attain.
And truly it is!
We cannot do any of these things. But it is talking here about the character of perfect love. And that character was manifested in human form in the person of Jesus Christ.
It is the character of God that is being talked about here. And when we live in our new nature, we take upon these characteristics too!
This is how we can love the world unconditionally with God’s love and how we can share our faith with someone who does not know God.
Truly the unlovable can be loved with God’s perfect love. We just accept it by faith and live in our new man, new creation.

Much of what I read on the internet, written by people professing to be Christians makes me sad. They judge others harshly, are coarse and rude in their comments, do not be gentle and graceful with others. They are quick to condemn. This does not give a good testimony to the outside world.

The same can be said when you attend a church. As you start to get to know people better, after their spiritual masks start to slip or are removed that they decide to live in their old natures and communicate to the old nature of others. It is disheartening to see people do this.
Of course there are many people who attend church, who have lived in a tradition and know how to say the right words. They profess to be Christians. But they have not experienced a new birth in Christ at all and live in the only nature that they have, their old sin nature. For them, the most important thing is to accept Christ.

Aside from this, there are a large number of believers who love God, but still live largely in the old sin nature a large majority of the time. They struggle to keep up appearances and try to act as they think a Christian should act. I have been one of these. I think that we all have been at one time or another. What is needed is a revelation from God; personal to them that tells them that God loves them for being themselves and to rest in Him. When we enter this rest, we can let God minister to us, to teach us that He can work through us and we just need to be willing and available to say yes every time and let Him get on and do it.

‘By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.’
(John 13:35).

And we likewise will be recognized as disciples of Jesus Christ by a world that does not know God nor His love.
People have been emotionally deeply wounded by institutional religion that uses a Bible to manipulate and hurt people. Others are sick of hypocrisy and double standards. Others still dislike liberal theology that has crept into the church as a whole trying to water down our faith and draw us away from the Gospel of Jesus Christ and replace it with some feel good substitute.

We will love others because we live for God and receive His love. And we will desire His wisdom and compassion that will direct our every word, both written and spoken, because His love fills us totally and His character will have preeminence in our thought patterns.

When we communicate with others, however strongly we feel, however passionate the argument, however robust the other person defends their views, we will reveal God’s love to them by our meekness, our humility, our love of God, our convictions and our wisdom in choosing words.
However intelligent we are, however well read we are, however versed in apologetics we are, however passionate in defending our faith, we must always walk in God’s love consistently and desire that He is glorified through us and in our situation. Then we will manifest these great characteristics mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
And regardless of how the situation turns out, God will be glorified and we can rest in it.

‘Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.’
(I Corinthians 13:8).

Love never fails! And God will always love us. His love will transform us and others around us if we let it. We need to continue receiving it each day for each situation.
What speaks loudest to people in a lost and dying world, who are heading for hell and do not know it? It is a loving God and His people, who live out their faith boldly, in victory and in power regardless of their personal circumstances. They are living without hypocrisy, without double standards, without legalism and without judgment. They live in His Finished Work, His Grace and His Love.

Should we stand up against sin and iniquity? Absolutely! Should we declare that our God is a Holy God who will one day judge the world in righteousness! Should we make it clear that there will be a terrible day of wrath that will come over the entire world? Yes.
Does God’s love and His Grace make us accountable before Him?
Yes it does! Make no mistake, every believer will come before God to account for every word they spoke and every action they did. We will be held accountable!

But remember that we must do all these things through God’s love, not outside it. When we stop intellectualizing the Word of God and stop learning with our heads, we will live it.

And that makes all the difference.

Welcome

2006-12-12T21:05:00.000+01:00

Welcome to my first blog entry in the ‘Rule your spirit’ blog.

I sense the presence of God so much in my life. He died for me personally. He forgave my sins. He has been so faithful through out my life and continues to be so.
I have everything to thank Him for.

I have experienced many seasons in my Christian life, as talked about in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.
Times of sadness and rejoicing, peace and conflict, new friendships and the loss of friendships, the death of loved ones, new jobs bringing more money and some temporary stability.
I have spent several seasons now in France now, close to the Swiss border and the city of Geneva. These have been the hardest of times, away from everything I knew and loved; a call of God that demanded everything of me and has reshaped my life.
I have known times of good health and poor health here. The loss of friendships and their renewal again. I have come to the end of my finances and then found work. I have worked and then found myself again without a job and without money.
I have seen the difficulties that are typical to a small church, I have encountered the joys and demands of serving behind the scenes to help the running of a church.
I have spent quality time with God, discovering in silence, isolation, the pain of others, in conflict, in busyness and noise the very presence of the living God.
I have been given promises from His word, personal to me. I have seen them realised again and again.

The internet in general and websites and blogs in particular seem to be the thing that I find most drawn to. The phenomenon fascinates me. We spend many hours surfing the web, visiting sites, reading and actually getting involved by joining chat rooms, message boards, writing blogs and building and/or modifying sites.

I cannot speak for anyone else, any one church or ministry. I only can say that I feel God leading me to share what He puts on my heart to other Christians out there.
I do not have any formal education in Christian ministry work, I am not a Pastor, nor do I aspire to be one. I am an ordinary guy to whom God has given me an extraordinary life. I am not anything special, just someone who said yes to God and was available when He called me.

I desire that other believers that visit and read my blogs may be given a double portion of everything God has given me.

I do not pretend to know everything. I am not an expert. I just have a heart for serving others, to encourage others.

God bless you.