The Day the Kingdom of Heaven came to Earth

Every year Christmas time comes around, and many of us go through the motions. As a grown adult, I miss those precious childhood days when Christmas was so exciting and had a special feeling which really can’t be described. Every year I think about how I would love to recapture that feeling, but life just gets so busy. Work is crazy, family visits, things to organise etc. Before you know it, it’s Christmas day and all that excitement never had time to form.

Saying this though, one thing has changed the older I have become. My understanding of the significance of the Christmas season has become better understood. I was raised in a Christian school and in a Christian family, so the story of Jesus Christ’s birth is well known to me. A story of still beauty and peace. As an adult I now see the depth of the story. That Mary was just a teenager when the Angel of the Lord appeared to her and told her of the special mission God had entrusted her with. She was a virgin, unmarried and inexperienced in life, but her faith in God was strong.

Consider what this moment signified historically for mankind. Up until this moment, the relationship between man and God had been different. The old covenant was coming to an end. The old ways which saw man striving to fight their inherited sinful nature through constant sacrifices and atonements, was soon to be changed forever! God was coming to earth in the form of a man, born of woman. He was coming from a kingdom of light to a kingdom of clay to walk amongst His creation. He was to teach us of the love of God. To show us how we are seen in the eyes of the Father. And He was to show us not only the cost of sin (death), but how He was to pay that price in our place. Through this ultimate sacrifice and victory Christianity was beginning. We would know for the first time to depths of God’s love. That He would sacrifice Himself, through His only beloved and begotten Son; so that we can stand justified in His sight.

This amazing gift and everything it means for God’s people, would start one night in a stable, just outside of Bethlehem. The creator of all things, the Lord almighty, the saviour of mankind, the Prince of Peace, the name above every other name, the defeater of the enemy, the Lion of Judah would become the lamb for us. Gentle and mild, never lacking in virtue. Let us give thanks to the Lord!

“So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” ~ John 1:14 NLT

The secular world has tried to hijack Christmas in many ways. They have tried to make it seasonal and all about presents and parties. They have even tried to institute their own god in place of the true and living God. Why is this? Is the true story of Christmas not beautiful and precious enough? But God is sovereign. At this time of year we still see the whole world singling Christmas carols which honour and praise Jesus Christ. The true meaning of Christmas will never be lost or truly changed as long as we, the Lord’s people, continue to celebrate and recognise the true reason for the season.

Let’s pray!

Dear Lord, thank you that at this time of year we are reminded of why we are here. We are reminded that it is only because you sent your beautiful presence into the world, in the man of Jesus Christ; that we were able to learn your ways in such an intimate way. Thank you for loving us so much, that you would bring your glory to earth, that we may know you. The people of those times met you as a man, but we your people today, know you in our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. We give you thanks that The Word became flesh on that glorious day. We thank you for Mary and Joseph, your loyal and hard-working servants. Just as the shepherd and kings bowed down and worshiped you that night, we commit out lives to you. That each day, although we may fail, we will always bow down to your majesty and give thanks that because of your love; we are saved. Amen!

Works and Faith

It is a long term debate within the Christian world. From where does our salvation come? Is it through godly works and actions? Or, is it by faith in God? The problem with this debate is that Christians can find scriptures to justify either and both views. This can cause confusion. Another problem this debate causes, is a misunderstanding of said scriptures.

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT

A well known pastor once said: “The old testament explains what God expects. The new testament demonstrates how He achieved it for us.” Indeed, this is true. The old testament taught us God’s laws. They are perfect. They are so perfect in fact, that there is not a human being alive today who can fulfil them in their entirety. So, does this mean that we discard them and do not attempt to fulfil them? Certainly not! It is by recognising what it cost to buy our salvation, that we are inspired and led by the Holy Spirit to keep God’s commandments. Will we fail at times? Yes. Does this mean we lose our salvation? No, it does not. You see, it is by the grace of God that we are saved and by salvation that we recognise what it means to live a godly life.

In the Book of Acts chapter one, we see Jesus Christ promising the gift of the Holy Spirit will be poured out upon His disciples after he has ascended to His kingdom. He was referring to what we now refer to as the day of Pentecost. In the upper room, later that week, the power of the Holy Spirit would fall on the disciples. It is this same gift which is poured out upon a person today when they except Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour. I still remember the day I made this decision for myself. It was so powerful, warm, intense and tender. It was like no love I had ever felt before. Now, how can I do anything else but talk about the love of God? So what am I getting to? The Holy Spirit speaks to us in our hearts. As believers, we have all heard that still small voice – have we not? Some believers are not aware of it, but that conviction we feel which pushes us to do the right thing. That is the presence of God, the Holy Spirit Himself, working within our souls.

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;  for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.  But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” ~ Acts 1:4-8 NKJV

So, is it works or faith which saves us? We are saved b believing in God. By believing that Jesus Christ died for our sins, and was raised from the dead. That through following Him, we are crucified with Him, buried with Him, and resurrected with Him. We do not make this declaration in order to go on living life any way we like. We make this choice and the Holy Spirit teaches us how to live a life which is pleasing to God. A life which is defined by Jesus Christ’s teachings and a life which is refined each day that we reflect on The Lord our God.

Dear Lord,

There are no words which can ever explain completely how grateful we are for what you did for us through your only begotten Son on that rugged cross. We can never live up to what you require to atone for our sins, so we thank you that your precious Son took our place. That He paid the price of sin for us. He stood in our place. And now, when you look upon us, in all our shame and sin; all you see is your son. We chose to follow Him and to live for you all the days of our lives. And we wait in joyful hope with the knowledge that one day, we will see you face to face. Your arms are open wide to us, and we give you thanks forever. Thank you for saving us from our sins, from death, from the world and from the enemy.

Amen

The Human Dilemma

“If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.”

Mark 8:35 NLT

When Jesus Christ said these words, what did He mean?  What does it mean to “give up your life” for the Lord?  In Matthew 16:24, Jesus told us “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”  Denying one’s self and trusting in another has always been something human beings have struggled with.  Some of us find it difficult enough to trust another human being with even the smallest things, much less trusting in our unseen God.  

It is the leap of faith which allows the Holy Spirit to enter our hearts and lives, and allows us to feel the undeniable presence of God.  Until we surrender to Him, and acknowledge that there is so much more to this life than what we see here in front of us today, we will always feel alone.  

Consider the following version.

“Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”
‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3:11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God has placed eternity within us.  There is something woven into each of us that says there is more.  This world and all of its dramas is not the be all and end all of our purpose for exiting.  This is just the first steps of what could be eternity in the kingdom of God.  In this age we have been given free will, which is why from the very beginning, Satan has been working hard to make people believe that they don’t need to believe in God, only themselves.  He is playing on that part of human nature that fears to trust.

This age that we are in, the age of grace, is the time to exercise the free will we have been blessed with.  We must acknowledge that we are incomplete without a relationship with the one who made the ultimate sacrifice for us.  Jesus Christ, through His sacrifice, and through His Father’s miraculous work in the resurrection; has shown us that we cannot save ourselves. 

So, what does it mean to “give up your life” for the sake of God and His message of good news?  It means to acknowledge that we need Him.  We need Him to be our saviour, our parent, our councilor and our best friend.  This leap of faith is the best thing I have ever done.  My life has never been the same since, and I have been living with the power of the Holy Spirit within me, and the comfort of His loving embrace, ever since.

Have you ever wanted to take this first step?  Have you ever wanted to make that decision to follow Jesus CHrist, and to open your life up to Him?  There is nothing of this world, nothing we have done, said or thought which makes us ineligible to come home to the Lord.  God paid the ultimate price for our shortcomings when he poured out His wrath on His only begotten son.  And Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price when he suffered and died for us.  We were raised incorruptible with Him when the Lord God Yahwey almighty, raised Jesus Christ from the dead.  Our future should be with Him in His kingdom.

If you have ever wanted to make this decision, please allow me to lead you in a prayer.

Dear Lord Jesus, 

I ask you to come into my life.  I ask you to forgive me of my sins and make me your child.  I choose to turn away from my ways, and to turn to you.  I recognise that I am incomplete without my saviour king and I choose to follow you, all the days of my life.  Thank you for the cross.  Thank you for the empty tomb.  Thank you that you have saved me from sin, from death and from the evil one.

Amen!

How to Pray

It might sound strange, but this is a very real question. “How do I pray?” Even some of the most seasoned Christians have this question in their minds. There is no shame in this. To some people, praying in an affective and comfortable manner comes very naturally. To others it can be a behaviour which is not so comfortable. After all, we are not just talking to just anyone. We are talking to our creator. It can be difficult balance to strike. On the one hand, it is difficult to not to feel just a little afraid when realising that we are being called to speak to the Lord of Lords, the creator of all things. But on the other hand, we also know that God is calling us into relationship with him. He wants us to approach as a child to their loving and ever patient father. 

Consider the apostles. These were men who knew the physical Christ. They ate with him, walked with him, had a social life with him. They were Jewish men, raised in the traditions of the Jewish faith. They were no stranger to Yahweh. However, even they asked Jesus how they should pray. In the book of Matthew, the apostles ask this very question. In chapter six Jesus answers:

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:5-10, 12-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This scripture is where we received the “Our Father” prayer. You see, God wants our prayers. He wants us to call on him for all we need in this life. Certainly he wants our reverence and our respect for exactly who he is, but he also wants us to be transparent and communicative. 

God is many things. He is a creator, the king of kings, the restorer of the lost, a forgiver of sins, a healer of bodies and souls; but let’s not forget that he is also a parent. In sacrificing his only begotten son on the cross, he has shown us that he wants us to be welcomed into his holy family. He never wanted slaves. No, he wants family. He wants friendship with us. His love is deeper and his mercy greater than we could ever know. Let’s never shy away of from speaking to the Lord as our father. In Isaiah chapter 9 God is referred to as “wonderful counselor”. There is no topic too upsetting, no drama too painful, that he cannot help us through it. 

I encourage you to always take time out of each day, to quietly approach the Lord for a chat. 

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Let’s pray together!

Lord, thank you that you are always there for us. Even though in these times we cannot see you, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can speak to you and feel your presence in the quiet moments. Thank you that even though the world grows colder in these strange times, we can rest in the secret place of the most high, Jesus Christ. Please always guide us, and teach us how to live in your way. Please always heal our pains and lead us in how to be in ever increasing closeness with you. All our love, father. Amen.

The Ultimate Act of Love

As with every Easter period, the true believer in Christ takes stock in the gift which we have been blessed with through the Lord our God’s ultimate act of love.

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

‭‭John‬ ‭15:12-13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus Chris, only begotten son of the Father, suffered a death which He did not deserve. Even Pontius Pilote, of the Roman government did not see why he was being asked to level such a harsh penalty on an obviously innocent man. It had been prophesied in the Old Testament that the messiah would give his life to save His people.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment which brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:5 NIV

So why did Jesus have to do this for us?  Why was this the only way for man to be connected for all eternity with their creator?  Because God’s ways are not our ways. We can’t try to understand the ways of the heavenly kingdom through the earthly eyes of man. In Isaiah 55:8, the Lord our God says:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.

You see, our God is building His kingdom. Here in this age, right now, The Lord is gathering His people.  How could we ever understand the depths of the love of our God if He did not demonstrate it through the ultimate sacrifice by fulfilling His law at a level we never could.  He gave His only beloved. He crushed His son in our place. Now, when God looks upon us, he doesn’t see our iniquity. He sees His beautiful child.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of a God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 NIV

No amount of good doing on our part could ever equal the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for us on that rugged cross, but because He so loves us, we so love Him and are empowered to live as best we can for His glory. There’s an old gospel song which goes: “To be like Jesus. To be like him. All I ask, is to be like him.”  So let’s reflect during this Easter period on everything we have been given. That we are now free from sin, free from Satan, free from death and forever in the hand of God because of the sacrifice of of our Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ.  Let’s pray.

Dear Heavenly Father,

No words will ever be able to completely explain how much your love means to us. Thank you for saving us and welcoming us home into your kingdom. Thank you for not giving up on us or leaving us behind, but instead paying the ultimate price so that we could know you personally and have eternity in your loving embrace. We are your people, and you are our God.

Forever and always. Praise be to you Lord God.

Amen

Jesus Christ: A Man of Sorrows (Part II)

Today I’d like to continue my discussion on the person of Jesus Christ.  In part 1 I spoke on why the Bible, in the Book of Isaiah; Jesus is referred to as a man of sorrows.  Why He carried such a heavy burden.  I goes far beyond the physical realities of the crucifixion.  It goes far beyond the physical scars.  It is also sorrows of heart break.  Watching the world you love in the grips of Satanic torment.  Seeing the human capacity for so much love and so much tolerance, along side it’s capacity to hate and destroy.

I would like to continue speaking on this topic this week, but I would like to discuss the levels at which Jesus Christ was and is entirely humble.  As human beings, many of us find it difficult at the best of times to humble ourselves.  We often find it all too easy to be arrogant or to hold ourselves over others due to accomplishment of success.  How quickly we lose sight of the fact that we have nothing which was not gifted to us by God.  And our accomplishments and blessings are only and always to glorify God’s love in our lives.  Right?  I think in order to fully understand Jesus’ capacity to be humble, we must first recognize His authority.

We often think only on terms of what we know about our own world, but think very rarely about the realities of the cosmic garden in which we have been planted.  Jesus’ authority reaches far beyond this world, this solar system and even this physical realm.  There are a number of scriptures and verses throughout the Bible which reference the authority of God and of His son Jesus Christ.  I have quoted these below and made bold, any particular sections which draw attention to Jesus Christ’s authority.

“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”” (Matthew 28:16-20 NIV)

Consider for a moment, what Jesus meant when He said that “all authority in heaven and on earth” had been given to Him.  Remember that before there was planets.  Before there were stars.  Before there was matter and anti-matter there was God and there was the Kingdom of Heaven.  The Kingdom of Heaven is not of this realm.  It is the unseen to us (for now).  But in all of its divinity, Jesus Christ reigns over it all.  Next quote:

“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  (Philippians 2:8-11 NIV)

The Roman government tried to intimidate him. False religion tried to silence him. The devil tried to kill him. All failed. Even “death was no match for him” (Acts 2:24 MSG).

Jesus “disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross” (Colossians. 2:15 NLT)

“Two sparrows cost only a penny, but not even one of them can die without your Father’s knowing it” (Matthew. 10:29 NCV)

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”  (Colossians 1:15-20 NIV)

Consider specifically the above quote form Col. 1.  “For in Him all things were created”.  And you might say, that this is referring to God, to Jesus’ Father; no Jesus Himself.  But don’t forget that in John 14:9, Jesus told His disciples that if they had seen Him, then they had seen the Father.  And also, remember that our God IS three-in-one.

1. The Father
2. The Son
3. The Holy Spirit

One last quote on Jesus’ ultimate authority.  In reading this one, I find myself wondering why Satan ever believed He could be God.  Why he ever thought there was an equal plain on which they both stood.  Satan was created by God, as an angelic being.  The angels, as humans, were all created by the Lord’s capacity to design and build.  As you read the below, consider how much we still need to learn.  How much the Lord still needs to teach us.  We need to draw near to Him and allow His understanding to grow our minds to meet the the challenge of even attempting to understand the meaning of it all.  The Holy Spirit spoke to me while I was writing this Bible study this morning.  He said to me: “There are rain drops falling on worlds on the other side of the universe; which I have counted.”

“All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence” (Ephesians 1:21-23 MSG)

So why am I drawing so much attention to Jesus Christ’s authority?  Because it all relates back to the burden He carried here on earth.  Imagine having heavenly knowledge of all of the things described above, but not being able to talk much on it, for the audience would not be able to handle the depth of it.  I believe this is why Jesus often demonstrated righteousness through stories.  He used scenarios to describe the correct way to relate to each other.  He used parables to explain how to love.  He used the power of the Holy Spirit to break our hearts for that which broke His, and bring joy our hearts for the things which brought joy to His.  Jesus humbled Himself to be whipped, shacked and brutally executed at the hands of those, who’s authority would have seemed ludicrous to Him.  Men of flesh and blood, wearing crowns fashioned by man.  He had to live by the limits of this world, in this age in order to save His followers from the one whom has been sentenced to dwell here in this age: Satan.  He saw the battles of the spirit, in the physical; with human eyes.  God, born as man so that man could know their God.  What I would give just to hold His hand for an instant.

So I pray that we will draw near to God.  Read the gospel and reflect on it everyday.  There was much that Jesus could have told us in His time here on earth, but could not as we were not yet ready.  But in John 14, we see how Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit (His Advocate) to teach us and prepare us for His return and the age to come.  The power of the Holy Spirit reveals more and more to us the more we call on God and ask for His guidance in this life.  He IS the way, the truth and the life.  He is our life blood, our oxygen and our guiding light.

I pray that this message has blessed you today.  May God bless you and keep you, all the days of your life.  Amen.

Jesus Christ: A Man of Sorrows (Part I)

Today I have woken up with the need to talk about the person of Jesus Christ.  Born of man, from another realm.  The mighty name of “Jesus Christ” has defined our world on so many levels.  Born as man over two thousand years ago, the message of Jesus has transformed the world and is, in many ways; more influential today than it was in the days that He was flesh and walked upon the earth.

Even though there are forces of Satan in this world that would like to see the message and the church and the people of Jesus Christ, disappear into history and become nothing; the power of the story of Jesus continues to transform lives and save souls everyday.  It is a perfectly positive message, so we should ask why the secular world wants so much to destroy it.  Hmm.  A Bible study for another day.

Jesus Christ was spoken about in prophecy hundreds of years before He was born to His Mother, Mary more than two millennia ago.  The Book of Isaiah is estimated to be written between 700 and 800 BC.  There is a profound scripture in Isaiah which described Jesus Christ vividly.  The scripture is Isaiah 53, and it is quite long.  Please read all the way to the end.

Who has believed our message

and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

He grew up before him like a tender shoot,

and like a root out of dry ground.

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,

nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by mankind,

a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.

Like one from whom people hide their faces

he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain

and bore our suffering,

yet we considered him punished by God,

stricken by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was on him,

and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

each of us has turned to our own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted,

yet he did not open his mouth;

he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,

and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,

so he did not open his mouth.

By oppression^a and judgment he was taken away.

Yet who of his generation protested?

For he was cut off from the land of the living;

for the transgression of my people he was punished.

He was assigned a grave with the wicked,

and with the rich in his death,

though he had done no violence,

nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,

and though the Lord makes^c his life an offering for sin,

he will see his offspring and prolong his days,

and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.

After he has suffered,

he will see the light of life and be satisfied;

by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,

and he will bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,

and he will divide the spoils with the strong,

because he poured out his life unto death,

and was numbered with the transgressors.

For he bore the sin of many,

and made intercession for the transgressors.

Jesus Christ: A Man of Sorrows.  Why was Jesus a man of sorrow and pain?  At first thought, the answer to this question seems quite obvious.  He suffered a crucifixion.  Yes, however it goes much further than this.  Consider Jesus’ life on earth.  If God wanted to, He could have sent His son as a supernatural force on earth.  He could have sent Him as He is described in the final book of the Bible: The Book of Revelation. (See Revelation 19)

He could have arrived with fire and the kind of entrance that makes all men fall to their knees and awe.  But Jesus was born to a modest couple, in a place where cattle spend the night.  He is from a realm of the unimaginable and the immeasurable, but was born with flesh and blood, skin and bones just like you and I.  He worked a job, and paid His taxes.

Why is the fact that Jesus Christ was born as a man, relevant to what made Him a man of sorrows?  Jesus was made to feel what it was to be human in a fallen world.  At any time, He could have called on the forces of Heaven to deliver Him, and Satan did test Him to do this (See Matthew Chapter 4); but He was here for a greater purpose.  Jesus knew that He was here to introduce us to His Father’s kingdom, and to cleans us of sin.  He knew that if He allowed Himself to be blemished by sin, He would no-longer be suitable to be a clean sacrifice to His Father for our iniquities.

We have all been tempted, haven’t we?  Tempted with fame and fortune.  Tempted with sex and lust.  Tempted with feelings of ecstasy and pleasure.  We have all fallen at one stage or another.  Sin is sin, regardless of how severe on seemingly harmless it may seem at the time.  So, was Jesus tempted?  Hard to know exactly how He felt in moments like we see described in Matthew 4, but it is safe to say that in His humanity; He was able to see how easy it is to give in to temptation.  I imagine there were moments when the pressure was on.  This is why Jesus was born into this fallen world, as man.  He had to be one of us in order to offer the ultimate sacrifice that a human being can offer: Their own life.  But there was no point in us killing ourselves or allowing someone else to slaughter us in order to repent for sin.  We are born into sin and are therefore not pure enough.  Jesus had to go to that rugged, awful cross as a pure man, and I praise Him everyday for the pain and suffering He went through for a people so undeserving.

Well, it’s been a long Bible study, and only part 1!  Stay tuned for part 2, but for now I would like to end this study with a prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your love.  Thank you for your mercy.  For this life of freedom in Christ that we, your people now live, everyday.  You could have abandoned us.  You could have left us alone in our ways.  You could have cut us off for the things we can be, but instead you made the ultimate sacrifice.  God, you gave your precious, your beloved, your only begotten son.  You sacrificed one who is perfect in your sight, for a multitude who are not.  Jesus Christ, only begotten son of the Father, you suffered, struggled and died for us.  And while even on that cross, you looked down at those who mocked and executed you; with eyes of God and eyes of everlasting compassion.  You defeated Satan.  You defeated death and set us all free from both.  We chose to live for you.  Thank you.  We love you always and forever.

Amen.

Walk in the Flesh. War in the Spirit. (Part III)

In this final portion of my three-part message, I want to talk a little more on the Church’s place in the world.  If you have not yet read parts 1 and 2 of this message, I encourage you to do so as this message will be of more value to you.  At least, I hope you definitely take something positive from it.

So in previous parts of this message I spoke on spiritual warfare.  I described the spiritual battle that all Christians face in this life, and why the battle occurs.  I described how even if there is a physical opposition in our lives, there is more times than not; a spiritual reason which we must recognize.

So what is “The Church”?  When I say “Church”, what images come to mind?  If you ask a believer, you may get a few different descriptions.  If you ask a non-believer you may get some entirely different ones.  Is it s building?  Is it a place where people go to worship God?  It can be.  But what is the actual meaning of the word “Church”?  The Church is described in the Bible as several different things.

In Colossians 1:24-27, Paul refers to the Church as the Lords body.

“Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Several times throughout the Bible, from Old Testament to the Book of Revelations, God refers to the Church as His bride.  See Isaiah 54:5, Ephesians 5:25, John 3:29 and of course Revelation 19:7-9.

“Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.””

The Church is in fact the culmination of all believers.  It is the title given to the population of people who follow and worship Jesus Christ the Father.  I am a member of the Church as I sit here by the river writing this message.  Whether you are standing in the Church building praising God, working, sleeping, or wherever you are and whatever you are doing; you are the Church.  I am your brother.  So why am I describing the Church?  Let me get down to it then.  I am describing the Church because it is important to realize its importance and our place in this world as it is today.

There are parts of the world today, where Christians (Christ Within), are literally slaughtered for their faith and for the one whom they carry in their hearts.  In other parts of the world, the Christians are persecuted relentlessly for their faith.  There are nations that are actively trying to remove God, that is, the Christian God from their society.  They are intentionally making society believe that God is dead and that there is no room for the Gospel in modern-day life.  Children are being ridiculed for reading the Bible.  Christian monuments are being removed from parks and schools.  If anyone carries out the great commission by sharing their beliefs, they are immediately being falsely accused of offending non-believers and people of other beliefs.  People are made to feel guilty for doing what is right by their Christian standards and the secular rules of Godlessness are being cultivated.  Of course, this not true of everywhere in the world, but it is becoming more and more common nowadays.  Satan is working extra hard to lead people away from God, more than he ever has before.  Just look at some of the movie titles coming out these days.  If the entertainment industry is anything to go off, we can see the underlying spiritual battles taking place before our eyes.  One movie will get released which is clearly satanic in origin, whereas a movie about the resurrection of Christ will be produced and released right along side it.

The secular world, and the forces that drive it against God, would like very much to see the Church disappear  into the darkness of time.  But, it won’t.  How do I know this, you might wonder?  No, it’s not just positive thinking and not just a “figer-crossing” exercise.   There is, of course, a biblical president to this truth.  You see, if there were no Christians, no branches of the vine and no congregation of the Church left on the earth; there would be nothing else.  The presence of the Bride of Christ on this earth is the only reason that the game of life on this world continues at all.  A big statement, I know, but it is a truth I have felt God has revealed to us many a time.  It is the reason why we put on the full armour of God.  It is the reason why why stand, completely unafraid.  God wants everyone to have the opportunity to find Him and to come home to the Kingdom at the end of this race.  It is why he gave us the great commission in the first place!

So as biblical president, I would like to draw your attention to two scriptures.  The first is 1 Corinthians 15:14 (NIV):

^“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”

What does the Apostle Paul mean?  He is saying that if Satan is right.  If Jesus Christ was just a man and he was not raised from the dead, then this life has an end point.  It terminates and ultimately means nothing outside of what we can know as men in the flesh.  There is no spiritual.  Of course, Paul was a Christian, and a mighty man of God, as we are.  He knew in His heart of hearts the truths which The Holy Spirit has revealed to us.  There is no questions.  But to the secular world, who has not excepted Jesus Christ and thus, does not have access to the power of the Holy Spirit, our faith looks foolish.

I want to leave you with one lasts scripture.  This one explains perfectly how the the world we know, continues for the existence and the ongoing growth and maturity of the people of God.  I hope this message has blessed you today.  I wish you all an amazing week and may God bless and keep you and yours.  And, to all my Australian and New Zealander brothers and sisters, have a peaceful ANZAC day.  Much Love and God Bless!

“All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.”  (Ephesians 1:22-23 MSG)

Death Loses Its Sting

Resurrection Sunday.  It is the day when believers gather all over the world to give thanks to Jesus Christ The Lord, for the immeasurable gift which He accomplished for us on that rugged cross.

Why did Jesus have to go through persecution, death and resurrection in order for the new covenant to e formed between Heaven and Earth?  It is a question which is often asked by the non-believer, and sometimes even by the believer.  So why was it necessary?

In my previous Bible Study “Where Heaven and Earth Meet”, I referenced Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans – chapter ^ and verse 23:

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 NIV)

There is a great deal more to this scripture than what it might immediately appear.  When I first stumbled across this verse many years ago, I assumed it meant that if you sin for long enough; you will die.  This is actually not what Paul was saying at all!

In order to understand the meaning of this scripture, you need to break it down.  Firstly, what is a wage?  It is what we are paid in return for what we work at.  The wages of a hard day’s work can be currency.  It can be something material or even the promise of a returned favour.  If we toil at sin, it is repaid by death.  You might now say: “We all die one day.”  Yes, this is true, but again you need to ask yourself what Paul means by “death”.  “Death” is not referencing expiration of our physical bodies.  This is inevitable.  It is referencing separation from eternal life with the creator.  It is referencing a life lived less than could be.  A limited life which ends when our physical body stops.

In John 10:10, Jesus told us why He came to earth.  He told us clearly why His Father sent a Saviour, and not a condemner.

“Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:7-10 NIV)

Death steals and destroys.  Death can be seen in the eyes of the living if the soul is riddled with that which leads to death.  Do you know what I mean by this?  It is the soul which can live forever.  The body cannot.  Even if we found a way to make the human body live forever, is this the “life” we are ultimately meant to live forever?  No.

God’s payment for the sin in this world, is paid by death.  In my last Bible Study “Where Heaven Meets Earth”, I explained briefly how the debt of sin was settled in the Old testament and under God’s old covenant.  It required the sacrifice of a lamb.  The sin of the person was placed upon this sacrificial lamb, and it’s blood was spilled.  This is what God required.  The wages of sin IS death.  This is where the term “scapegoat” comes from.  It is also why we Christians refer to Jesus Christ as the “Lamb of God”.  Jesus Christ, our beloved saviour, piled the sin of the world upon himself.  And, in sacrificing Himself under the wrath of God; He cleansed us of our sins.  Why do you think Satan was so eager to tempt Jesus Christ in the wilderness?  If Jesus had given into temptation, He would have never been the pure, untainted sacrifice for the sins of man.  Jesus Christ knew this all along.  In rising from the dead and defeating death’s hold over Him with the power of the Holy Spirit; He became a living sacrifice for God.  He cleared our debt permanently and satisfied the wrath of God.  We access this amazing selfless gift by recognizing God’s love and declaring Him as our God!  Now, when God looks upon us, He doesn’t see our sin.  He doesn’t see our faults.  He sees His beloved child.  He sees Jesus.

I want to share something with you which is quite personal.  Throughout my walk with Jesus Christ, Satan has often attacked me over the story of Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection.  Satan has tried to make the whole story sound false.  He points out things like: “If God is all powerful, why did He need to sacrifice His own Son in order to form a new covenant with His people?  Why didn’t he just decide it and make it so?”  To the atheist and to many mocking parties, this would seem like a good argument.  But doesn’t this sort of questioning sound familiar?  Doesn’t it sound similar to the way Satan questioned Jesus Christ on several occasions?

“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'” (Matthew 4:6 NIV)

Every trick the enemy uses is to direct us away from God and fellowship with Him.  His ways are not our ways.  Humanity is not capable of loving the way He loves us.  We are not capable of omnipotence.  We are not capable of omnipresence.  We are not eternal on our own.  We are not capable of healing with the laying on of hands without Him.  We cannot fathom the ends of the universe and the things unseen.  There are many ways which are not ours, which ARE God’s.  Not everything is for us to know write now, but we DO know that our God is real.  If you pursue Him, and have that amazing God-encounter, you can’t ever question His existence and sovereignty ever again.  The Holy Spirit reveals the ways of God and the ways of Heaven as we read the gospel and reflect upon the things beyond this life.  It is unfortunate that such things cannot be downloaded and simply given to the non-believer.  If they could, would not everyone be a believer overnight?  Isaiah 55 explains God’s ways this way:

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts.  Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,and to our God, for he will freely pardon. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” – declares the Lord. (Isaiah 55:6-8)

There IS a life beyond this one.  This is our time to build the Church of Jesus Christ, to continue the work of His Holy ministry on this earth, and to prepare the Bride (The Church) for His return.  We are to be a shining light in a fallen world.  We are to be the optimism and hope in the midst of the most evil of times.  We are, indeed, to be at peace in the midst of the storm.  We are to live ever day, not with arrogance and self righteousness.  There is nothing we are or have which the Lord our God has not placed into our hands.  What ever the Lord has given us, let’s use it to glorify Him in this world.  Use it to bring the measure of the gospel and the love of God to the world we live in.  These are the days when men shall rise up and woman shall stand strong and be everything they have been called to be by the Holy Spirit.  Let’s go out and change the world!  “…your Kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

Let’s pray!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for for the cross.  Thank you for the three nails.  Thank you for the crown of thorns.  Thank you for the price you paid that we can live this life eternally for you.  Thank you for the empty tomb.  Thank you for so loving us God that you would sacrifice something so unimaginable.  That you would give a gift which cannot be repaid, and will never need to be.  We edge forward Lord.  We run this race and we pray that each and every day, you will teach us how to be more and more like you in this world.  Help us to be a light on a hill in a dark world.  Make us to shine so bright that darkness cannot escape your love within us.  Lead us and guide us in your ways and help us to e trusting and dependent on your for everything we need Lord.  Thank you!

Our Lord, Our Love, Our Life.  Amen.

Where Heaven Meets Earth

Today is Good Friday.  Today is the day that we remember the work of God and His Son – Jesus Christ.

In the mix of all the Easter eggs and and bunny rabbit, it has almost become uncommon for anyone to speak on why we have the season.  Why this is the most important day in the Christian calendar.  So, I would like to write this Bible Study today as a prayer to our King.

“For at just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords.” (1 Timothy 6:15 NIV)

Prayer time.

Dear Heavenly Father,

In the history of your creation of man, we have been troublesome.  The things we have done.  You have sent a flood to destroy the wickedness and the weakness of of man’s sinful betrayal, but you saved the best of man’s obedience in Noah and his family.  Then, through the continued legacy of the man; it didn’t take long for us to fall back into similar patterns.  We were far from perfect.  You sent us your commandments, but we could not follow them.  Many men and women followed you, but the sinful nature within them continued to drive them in directions which led them away from the God they loved.  So we offered sacrifice after sacrifice after sacrifice to you so that sin could be satisfied.  In the Book of Romans, Paul reminds us that the wages of sin is death, so death needed to be satisfied in order for the debt of sin to be paid.

This would cleans us for only a short time.  We are sinful by nature, so we would be in debt not long after leaving the temple.  We needed something lasting.

Father, you could have given up on us.  From a human perspective, that is what we would expect anyone to do.  But, your love surpasses our understanding.  It is a love which is deeper and stronger than anything we are capable of.  You sent us an amazing gift in your only begotten son.  In your precious sin, Jesus Christ; you gave a gift which we could never repay.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV)

Even the secular world knows this scripture.  And they mock it, even as they mocked at the foot of the cross where your son gave His life and suffered an unimaginable agony; for your people.  Lord, we know that you love even those who mock you.  Lord, we now kneel at the foot of that same cross and surrender everything we are to you.  For your love is so great for us, a people so far from deserving; that you poured out your wrath upon your own family.  And Jesus Christ, your glorious son; gave a gift which we could never say thank you enough for!  He came into this earth as one of us.  And although He was tempted, He did not give in.  He taught us your ways and allowed us to understand your world.  He established your Church here on earth which we are now the proud descendants of.  Finally, suffering a death which was reserved for the worst of society; He faced the sting of death.  And after three days, through the power of your hand upon Him God, He rose from the dead.  He became the first living sacrifice for us and removed sin from us FOREVER!

Lord our God!  Our Heavenly Father!  Jesus Christ!  King of Kings!  Lord of Lord!  We gladly live for you in this life.  Teach us every day to be more like you, and to love others and each other as much as you love us.  The indescribable gift you have given us can never be re-payed by human abilities, but you not asked for payment.  There is nothing left for us to fear.  There is nothing left for us to do, but pick up our crosses and follow you home.  I pray in these times and always, you will give us strength to run this race.  I pray that you will be everything we need to stay the course and to live our this life in a manner which is pleasing to you.  We know we will see your face in time, and it is by your love that this is true.  In Zachariah 4:6 you said that it is not by might, nor by power; but your spirit that these things are possible!  We give thanks Father.  We give you all the glory!  Thank you Jesus Christ!  We thank you with all we are, now and always.  We love you!

Amen.