No Greater Love

“…And when I think that God, His son not sparing. Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in. That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing. He bled and died, to take away my sin.” ~ How Great Thou Art (Song)

It is the Easter season and passion week. For Christians it is a time of reflection, a time of still recognition and of supreme celebration. It is at this time that we stop and reflect on and acknowledge the ultimate act of love, carried out by our God. Consider how much God must love the world! In Romans 6:23, the Apostle Paul wrote that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ, our Lord.

Until Jesus Christ came to earth as a man, God’s people atoned for their sins through the sacrifice of animals. Death is the price for sin, and it is sin which separates us from our loving God. God knew that there was nothing we could ever do in our own power and ability, which would ever be enough to bring us home to Him. We can try and try to be righteous enough, but we will ultimately fail. Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of God, was sent to earth to establish His church in the hearts of men and women. He was tested and tempted in all the ways we are, but was able to resist in ways we are not strong enough. And, as the ultimate act of love, He willingly suffered and died one of man’s most brutal and humiliating styles of execution; so we would be redeemed. The same hands which formed the universe, bled for us. It is in Jesus Christ’s suffering and death that we believers see what our sin is worth. And we see our creator, our King and our Heavenly Father taking our place. He did not do the things we did to deserve such a fate, but He took our place. He bore the wounds, withstood the agony and endured the mockery for us.

Can a parent imagine what it would take to pour out such rath on their own child? Through this ultimate act of sacrifice, love and forgiveness, God demonstrates His desire to make us His bride and His family. As Christians we recognise this sacrifice. As Christians we watch Jesus Christ’s example and are empowered to live for Him. To do our very best to mirror His example in our daily lives. To live in this world as He did. We must be the city on the hill, the lamp on the lamp-stand, the salt of the earth and the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! Not to boast in ourselves, but to boast of what the Lord has done for us! We must live everyday, knowing our salvation has been bought at an unimaginable price, by the one who loves us most! The Great I Am! The Good Shepherd. The King of Kings and The Lord of Lords. We must live in this world, knowing this is only the beginning. We have been given forever with Him. Will we ever stop praising? The grave is empty. Death has no power over us. Our sins, past, present and future; have been put away. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” ~ Hebrews 8:12 (NIV)

Can I pray with you today?

Dear Heavenly Father, how much we love you. How much we thank you for what you have done for us. There is nothing we can do or say to ever say thank you enough. Through your love and mercy, you have saved us from sin, from death, and from the wickedness of this age. No power of the enemy can separate us from you. All we can do is surrender all to you, and we do. With all of our hearts, we commit ourselves to you. Please always guide us in your ways, help us to be more like you in everything we do. Thank you for the cross, Lord. Thank you for the three nails. Thank you for the empty tomb and this life everlasting. Thank you that now we can live for you, free and safe. Knowing that we are on a course to be with you, in your kingdom, forever! Hosanna in the highest! Amen.

The Church – The Body of Christ

We live in strange times. Not the strangest in history, but certainly very…strange. Never before have individuals had such capability to share their opinions and thoughts on so many things. Some might say this is a blessing, but I am not too sure. With every man-made leap forward, there is usually a man-made step back. There is an inherent loss in the gain. Consider the streaming of digital media. On the one hand we have gained unlimited entertainment and enjoyment at our fingertips. However, this has had an impact on our patience, as we no longer need to wait much for anything.

In our new ability to commentate on everything online, not only has this given the secular world the yet another means to attack the church, but it has allowed a place for the church to attack itself. There are many rooms in God’s house. Many denominations and many ways in which we study and worship The Lord our God. We are not always going to see eye to eye. Sometimes we will need to hold each other to account. Not judgement, but account. If we see the church doing something which is not in accordance with The Lord’s teachings, it must be called out. But we must also remember to be gentle. Afterall, the church is not a man-made invention. It is ordained by Christ and is in fact God’s chosen bride. It is not perfect, but it is the hands and feet of our Lord in this world.

Consider this reading from 1 Corinthians 12:

“This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭25‬-‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There may be individuals within churches who make mistakes and walk incorrect paths. I encourage you, my fellow Christians, to always look at the whole. Don’t condemn a whole congregation or denomination by the small error by the few. Certainly, be aware of apostacy in the church. There will be false gospels being taught and messages being delivered which are not gospel-aligned. From such things, we must separate ourselves. If we, however, see a church teaching the true gospel in correct and balanced context, this must be acknowledged.

The apostle Paul said in the above quote, we are all a part of Christ’s body. If one part is honored, we are all honored. We must call out where things are not what they should be, but also glorify God in the true teaching of the gospel. Afterall, what would any of us be without the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ? Lost in this fallen world. Lost in our own sinfulness. Like ships in the storm with no rudder. So, let’s exercise discernment when viewing the actions of our Christian brothers and sisters. Ask God for guidance to know what is of Him and what is a deception. Our enemy is real and he will infiltrate the church if we are not on guard and know what to look for.

I would like to finish this post with a prayer.

Dear Lord, thank you for making us a part of your holy church on earth. Thank you for making your home in our hearts and blessing us with the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Help us to see your truth in all things and to be able to see what is of you and what is not, so we can always choose to align everything we do, with your teachings and guidance. Thank you that we are not of this world, but of your holy kingdom. Thank you that we can know this confidently because of your finished work on the cross and through the empty tomb. Help us each day to live in a way which pleases you and serves others.

In Jesus mighty name! Amen.

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.

Human Nature and the Gift of Freedom

One of the areas in which humanity struggles with the nature of God is in understanding the age we are in. When God created man, he didn’t make us to be powerless in our submission to Him. No, he created humanity in his own image! He made us to be men and women with free will. He wanted us to know Him, to get to know Him, and to choose of our own free will to honour Him and serve Him with our lives. 

I have often heard the argument from both Christians and non-believers as to why Satan was even in the garden with Adam and eve. They asked the question why if God knew that Adam and Eve would be tempted by evil, why was that scenario allowed to have a place? After all, was it not Adam and Eve’s fall which led to the ultimate fall of man? Was this not the first event that said emotion everything that followed, which led us to require a saviour in the sacrifice of our precious Jesus Christ? Yes, it is true that this was the first event that set all other things after in motion, however we are trying to humanise God in His behaviour. As human beings we are limited in our perception of only what we can see, what we can smell, what we can touch, and what we can experience in the physical. I think sometimes we forget that God does not operate dimensionally the same way the human beings do. Consider the following passage from Isaiah 55:8-9:

““My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55:8-9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We may never completely understand why the path of humanity started out the way that it did in the garden, but what we do know is that God has a plan in each and everyone of us. Through his ultimate act of love, sacrificing his only begotten son Jesus Christ on that rugged cross; God revealed to us how dearly and completely He loves His creation. I am a parent, and I cannot imagine allowing a single hair on my child’s head to be harmed deliberately. I feel bad enough when I tell her off for doing something wrong, or disobeying my wife and I. God is not too dimensional. He is not temporal. He is not like human beings. He is a tri union God, consisting of father, son, and spirit. Through himself and within himself He gave his life to save ours. And even though in this age in which we live, the age of grace, we are still flawed in our human nature; we have been acquitted of the sinfulness of that nature. 

Consider the Old Testament for a moment. When believers in God were under the law, there were a large array of sacrifices and rituals that we had to undertake in order to clear ourselves of sin and atone for our nature. In the New Testament, after the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our saviour; it is He who payed the ultimate price. It is He who bore the weight of sin for all, so that even though we fall short everyday; we carry a gratitude within us which cannot be measured. This does not give us a false security to go on sinning, but instead drives us to live a life as pleasing to our Heavenly Father as possible. All sin is offensive to God. Not just the big ones. We are by nature, sinful and will never in our own ability measure up to what God actually expects. But He did not make us to be slaves, but family. He made us to be His children and His hands and feet in this world. In recognising this sacrifice which He made for us, in pouring out the penalty of death on His own son; we recognise that we cannot save ourselves. 

Consider this scripture from the Book of Galatians:

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Have you ever heard of people referring to church attendance or confession of sins as “wiping their slate clean”?  This is not the correct way to look at it. To understand this age of grace in which we live, that is post the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord, is to know that your slate as it were has already been wiped. All of your sins past, present, and future have been put away. This does not mean that we are free to sin, knowing that we have been justified by our Lord. Not at all. It is to be grateful that we have been justified, and each time we sin, is to say to our Lord that we are sorry and that we are grateful that for what He has done for us. The goal of our lives should always be to not sin at all, and to live in a manner which is pleasing to God. We should always be praying to our Lord that each day we shall be less like us, and more like Him. The life of Jesus Christ when He was a man on this earth, should be always seen as an example of how we must live each day. Loving our enemy. Being generous to one another. Treating ourselves with kindness and treating others with that same kindness. This world holds the children of God to a very high standard, and shouldn’t they do that? They are always looking for mistakes made by believers. I guess what they do not understand is that we are not perfect just because we believe in God. However, we have found a relationship in our creator, and it is something which has changed us and wants us to draw closer to Him. 

I want to conclude this message with the following verse from Paul’s letter to the Romans:

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is how we start our relationship with God. Why? Because in this acknowledgement we recognise that it is through Jesus’s death and resurrection, that we are indeed saved. 

Let us pray. 

“Dear Heavenly Father , I thank you that you paid the ultimate price for our sins through the sacrifice of your son, Jesus Christ. I thank you that on that day heaven and earth made contact. The vale was torn and we were saved from the powers of the evil one in this world. I thank you that you so love us that you gave your only begotten son so that we might have this beautiful relationship with you.  Thank you that through this gift you have brought us closer to you, cleansed us in your blood and made our lives unending. Please always guide us in your ways, and lead us in a way of life which blesses others and makes you proud. Please always watch over us, guide us and keep us. May your face shine upon us everyday, as we wait for your return. In Jesus Christ’s mighty name. Amen.”

Hearing the Voice of the Father

One of the most difficult breaches to gap in this world, between the follower of Christ and the lost; is proving that Christianity is not religion.  It is in fact relationship.  There are plenty of people in the world today who don’t rule out the possibility of a creator, but to go in search of the true God, to find Him and to form a dialogue and connection with Him is an entirely different thing.

This is what makes the non-believer so cynical.  They see Christians as fools who simply feel comfort in thinking that there is a God and that everything just falls under Him and then we don’t have to think.  Nothing, in fact, is further from the truth for the engaged believer.  There is nothing “simple” about a life in the study of the gospel.  In James Chapter 4 and verse 8, we are instructed to draw near to God.  Why?  Because when we do, He will draw near us.  “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:8 NKJV)

When you actively pursue God and commit yourself to His teaching, He will reveal things to you that the world cannot.  Personally, one massive thing God showed me when I chose to follow Him, and soon discovered how real and absolute is; is that there are in fact two levels to this life we live.  There is a physical world and a spiritual world.  The spiritual world directly influences the physical world.  Behind every world event.  Behind every national leader.  Behind every influencing factor of our world from the media, to entertainment, to music.  Word, both written and spoken.  The way people feel towards God and towards His faithful people.  Every aspect of life on this world is directly influenced by either the forces of God or the forces of Satan.  Now, I could go on and on and deeper and deeper into the things of this nature which God has revealed to me; but I don’t want to get off on too much of a tangent in this message.  My point is, that the closer you draw to God, the closer He will draw to you.

In the book of 1st Kings, the voice of God is referred to as a “whisper” or “still small voice” (depending on your translation).  Have you heard it?  Have you ever been in a situation of concern or confusion or question and heard that calm voice break through the clouds and speak to you?  It comes from deep inside, which makes sense as the Lord makes His home within the souls of the believers.  It’s usually unexpected and logical beyond doubt.  It comes suddenly and peacefully.  The answer to the question that has been keeping you up at night.  The realization that the mountain you face is entirely able to be conquered?  This is not our own entire dialogue.  We already know how we sound, don’t we?  It’s different.  It comes when we are in need and need the guidance of a parent and the one who loves us more than any human being ever could.  To find this connection with God, it requires surrender.  It requires looking at the state of the world around you and realizing particular things.  How beautiful and perfect nature is all on it’s own.  Without us.  How amazing the design of the human body and all living things are.  How limited humanity is in it’s capabilities.  We can only really influence what things we have been given authority over.  It is then that you start also noticing the things that are not of God in this world.  The non-believer will always try to stumble Christians with questions like: “If your God is real, why do so many bad things happen in the world?”  This is actually a reasonable question from their perspective.  Once you study the gospel and allow God to open your spiritual eyes, you will be able to answer this question and questions of the like.  You will realize that there are levels to this life and ages which precede each other.  And, in this age humanity has been placed on the earth with the right to make its own decisions.  We have been given authority to change and influence the world we live in and make up our own minds.  You will also have it revealed to you that in this age there are both heavenly and satanic forces at work behind the scenes.  It is a war that wages both in the physical and the spiritual.  Why do we blame God when evil happens?  Why do we not blame Satan?   Why is the world so opposed to the Christian God, but so accepting of any other god?  Why don’t they ask themselves this question?  This battle wages only because it serves the ultimate plans of God.   Satan will never overcome God.  It carries a deep theology (a discussion for another time), but Satan is in this world because this is his sentence.  He is given a short leash because the Lord God allows it for the duration of this age.  This earth is a proving ground for the believer.  We are to be tested.  We are to overcome the weapons which Satan uses against us.  We are to be members of the Kingdom of Heaven and to be the ever-growing outpost of Heave here on earth.  Defined in the spiritual battle which we fight every day.  Purified by the fire of God we will be strong enough when we lean into God’s teachings and call on Him to guide us in every aspect of our lives.

Have you not heard the voice of the accuser as well?  That voice that places a scenario in your head of loss or defeat.  That thought of “what would I do if I lost them?”  Or “how would I handle it if…?”  Know who that is and take that thought captive.  The Lord your God is your strength.  This life will not always make sense.  It will not always be fair, but there is something which the enemy can never take away from us: Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

“See, it is I who created the blacksmith

who fans the coals into flame

and forges a weapon fit for its work.

And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc;

no weapon forged against you will prevail,

and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,

and this is their vindication from me,”

Isaiah 54:16-17 (NIV)

So I urge you to lean into God.  Don’t surrender knowledge, but open your hearts and minds to levels of understanding beyond human capability.  Believe me that you will be surprised at who you find and ways in which you will grow.  Can I pray for you today?

Lord,

We lean into you today.  No matter what we face in our lives, we chose to focus our hearts on you.  We pray that in everything we go through, you will guide us and teach us.  You will hold our hand when we need your direction and carry us when we feel like we can’t go on.  In the midst of every aspect of our lives, we make you the centerpiece and the light on light in the darkness.  Please make us the city on the hill which the world cannot ignore.  Make us everything we need to be in the age in order to be your Kingdom on earth and strong enough to run this race until you return.  Open our eyes to the things unseen.  Make us joyful for what makes you joyful.  Break our hearts for what breaks yours and make us strong enough to stand against the agenda of the enemy in this world.

Thank you Father.

Amen.

Limitless Potential

As human beings, we are limited in this physical world.  Let’s face it.  None of us need to be told this really.  We live within the confinds of limitations.  We ourselves even place limitations on things.  Patience, time.  Even love.  Love is strong, but it also has limits.  Even when love dies, it can be re-ignited, but only through effort and perseverance.  Would you agree?  So what is it about Jesus’ love which outlasts our ability to love?  What is it about Jesus patience which outlasts even our last nerve?

Consider the crucifixion.  This was an act of complete selflessness.  It was an act of pure sacrifice and commitment to a people who were not worthy of it.  The very people Jesus came to save, mocked Him as He died on that rugged, unforgiving cross.  And why?  I can guarantee you that most of those people who watched on, had either not met Jesus before that day, nor had they even had much knowledge of who He was.  They simply hated Him without cause.  They preferred a a known criminal to go free into their society, rather than Jesus.  This is where the love of God and the love of man reach an impasse. 

You see, man-kind has great potential to love, but man’s potential to love is often matched and sometimes even overtaken by their capacity to hate.  How often do we gather to gossip in the work-place?  How often do we watch TV shows which go on and on about how someone is cheating on their partner or how they have been caught doing this or that.  Why do we want to see others fail?  We’re all guilty of this.  How often we give up on each other.  On family?  On friends?  How often they give up on us – hmm?  I know I’m very much a victim and guilty of this.  It is never easy, but always difficult having the required wisdom – is it not?

Consider the following scripture from Paul’s letter to the Philippeans:

Philippians 1:3-6 MSG

“Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God’s Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.”

I love this section of scripture.  Let’s look particularly at the last section around verse 6: “There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the day Christ Jesus appears.” 

You see, God has great things in store for each and everyone of us.  Even those who do not love Him, He loves them.  His potential for their lives may never come to fruition, simply because they have not embarked upon God’s journey for them.  Once we chose Christ, He can begin to guide us clearly and start His work in our lives.  Do you not feel a guiding hand upon your life every day and at every cross-road in your life? 

The love f Christ I believe can best be compared to that of a parent for their children.  I am, of course, referring to a healthy family situation.  Not everyone has had a child to parent relationship which was positive.  The “I would give my life to save yours” love is the closest thing.  The “no-matter what you do, I will always love you.” kind f love. 

As a born-again christian, I know that I have faced a reality daily which is quite difficult to explain, but it goes a little bit like this.  I still mess up, everyday.  I have this conviction and guidance deep within me which causes me to see how I need to try to improve, even though I am nowhere near as misguided as I once was.  I will never be perfect in this life.  I truly believe that any christian who believes themself to be any better than the non-believer, needs a smack in the head.  The difference is, that we know that we are not worth forgiving, but each time we stuff-up, we repent and we feel the hand of God standing us back up.  We know we would never be so forgiving of ourselves or others who may have so royally messed-up, but we know we are given a fresh start every time!  And it feels unnatural.  You know why this is Saints?  Because it is unnatural.  It’s beyond our realm.  It’s beyond our comprehension.  It is, i fact; supernatural!  Through God’s love, our potential in this natural world is made limitless.  Our ways do not separate us from the Father as they once did.  Because of the unfathomable love of Jesus, we are unlocked and given the opportunity to grow stronger and learn from our sins and draw ever closer to God!

Now, here is no-better opportunity to reference one of the most quoted Bible references in history.  And I hope it blesses you and makes you feel amazing today.  As your read it, ask yourself this.  Why is it that so many people in the world use this scripture to to reference other things.  How many times have you seen “3:16” used in another way on t-shirts?  In picket signs at the wrestling for Steve Austin?  In so any other ways?  What is it about this scripture which makes the non-believing world want to cheapen and “water-down” it’s purpose? 

I believe it is because it is the scripture which purely defines God’s eternal love for His people and illustrates perfectly; the key for us to access His love.  It is, in essence, God’s love explained.

God bless you!  Have a great week.  Much love.

John 3:16 NKJV

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.