Faith: Now Testimonies

Jesus lives. He said: "My Father is working until now, and I am working". Testimonies abound to the truth of these words.

 
"Therefore [Jesus] is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them" (Hebrews 7:25).
 
In recent days our family have twice seen our God Jesus intervene with intensely personal and uplifting help.
 
Like people everywhere, those near to me all experience trouble and difficulty; my understanding is that every generation sees troubles. We all think that we are very up-to-date and doing things in the very best up-to-date way, yet life is not perfectly smooth.
 
Job's friend Eliphaz was clear: "Humankind is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward" (Job 5:7).
 
Jesus said: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
 
When we see God's hand at work in our life we are encouraged. Our faith is affirmed and we know joy and peace. We find the strength to "press on" (Philippians 3:12).
 
 
Becky's and Chris's House - January 2026
 
Our youngest, Rebecca, married Christopher, then last May Sophie was born, she is now an 8 month old delight.
 

The couple have been looking for a house for some time. This is hard here because there is a severe housing shortage, people are immigrating here faster than homes are being built. Prices have been rapidly rising. Even so, every "for sale" property is quickly snatched up.
 

Becky and Chris are "young" Christians but have been hearing Trish's and my testimonies for years. We told them about Jesus undertaking for us when we moved to the country; He answered our prayers and helped sell our city properties in a very depressed market. This enabled us to buy our beautiful country acres where so much of our family history was lived out.
• This story is in PsalmsOfJohn.com post "Our Lord Will":
https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2010/06/our-lord-will-t3.html
 
I remember saying something like: "You may feel that you don't know Jesus well enough to ask for such a big thing as a house, but He's always known you and He loves you and put you together into a family, so pray. Pray simple prayers, ask for what you need, give detail".
 
Well, last night we received a message, their offer on a lovely house in a sweet part of the city has been accepted. It is near a primary school. Becky added: "Hallelujah! Praise the Lord". They will move in April.
 
One of our family responded: "You've done the almost impossible at the moment". So true. Thank you Jesus, who cares for us and answers prayer. Our faith is well placed in our faithful and loving God and Saviour. Amen.
 
 
An Old Man's Testimony of God's Goodness in Jesus - December 2025
 
Our time at camp down South in Busselton was especially precious this summer as it was my last camp in a tent, (though I did not know this at the time).
 
We had a few days with just Trish and I, then Becky arrived with her Chris and baby Sophie, followed by Frank and his Anlia and Jude, Hamish, Ada and Elroy. We had such great family time, lots of children, love, hugs, bush walks, fun in the sea and great food. Wonderful.
 
Jesus gave us a beautiful testimony. As we were gathering our camp gear, food, books and everything, I could see that this camp was beyond the now older me. (Last year was tough but ok, now I am notably weaker, less stable, less flexible, with less stamina).
 
But by then it was too late to say "not going"; Trish and I have so much "base camp" stuff that everyone always relies on, and they have no capacity to bring it along with their own camping and personal gear.
 
So I prayed that Jesus would undertake for me, give me strength, energy and alertness for the gathering together, loading up, travel, unloading and set-up.
 
We pressed on with the thousand-and-one tasks we have done dozens of times. The loading went so very well, Everything fitted, my Hilux truck was full, the trailer was full, even with three kayaks. We set off. 

When we were about half-way there Trish asked how I was going. My reply: "I am being carried, Jesus is carrying me along, it is Isaiah 40:31. I am not tired, I have energy, the load is perfectly balanced and I am enjoying this drive through our beautiful Western Australian countryside". Jesus’ spiritual reality was impacting our physical world (Matthew 10:7).
 
We arrived, unloaded and set up. Two old timers doing these big jobs. It went so smoothly. We had to have rests from time to time, we had brought lunch and drinks and pressed on in peace and harmony. The sun and the heat were ok, we were stretched but fine.
 
By about 4:30 we had a camp, it was not complete but was nicely livable. Then a swim in the ocean and a cool drink as the sun set in the West. A simple pre-planned dinner. Early to bed. Glorious.
 
That day we lived Isaiah 40:31 - it was answered prayer: "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint".
 
Jesus was manifestly present with us and gave us everything we needed to have a day accomplishing what was beyond us but was needed. We were at peace in the knowledge that we were in Jesus' hands for the purposes of restoration after a very big year for Trish, and for beautiful fellowship with family.
 
Praise Jesus.
 
Over the two weeks of camping I lost more than two kilograms in weight. Once we were home I needed to rest. I finished and posted "Faith: How We See" which I have been working on for a while, otherwise I tried to not do much. Our hearts are full. My "last camp" was an array of glorious moments – now poignant heart memories.
 
Meanwhile Trish is settling into being retired. This summer she does not have to plan her preparation for next school year but rather is thinking about visiting her brother in Melbourne and much more.
 
Hallelujah, our world may be in a worsening mess, but the Kingdom of God stands and is a glorious sanctuary for Jesus' people.
 
Amen.
 

And an old testimony I heard this week from my sister Dee. (Added 26th February 2026).

My Mother Wyn's Twelve Years

My mother had a heart attack. This was soon after I came to Australia and was living in a mining camp in the far Northwest. She was called Wyn, and I called her my Boffin, perhaps because she was the smartest person I knew.

Dee told me that our mother was not expected to go home from the hospital; the heart attack was caused by an unusual vascular problem that the doctors believed was beyond fixing.

She was offered Holy Communion and accepted it gladly. As she was eating the bread and drinking the wine of our Lord's Supper, Boffin felt a movement in her chest; she told Dee that "it was like a 'click', and I knew that God had put everything right". Soon she was able to leave the hospital, she later told Dee: "Jesus gave me twelve more years". 

Boffin and my father bought some acres on the Kapiti Coast, built a small house and developed a magnificent garden there. And she was able to come to Australia and spend time with Dee's family and with mine. Twelve years, thank you Jesus. She knew that it was Jesus who healed her in a way the doctors had not yet learned.

Dee tells me that my Dad got a huge lift in his faith from the truth of this healing. As I think about it, so do I, both my parents' faith was more profound than I had previously understood, hallelujah! 

Thank you Lord. Praise Jesus.

 
Favourite Bible Verses
 
When Jesus first drew me to Himself I asked for a Bible for my birthday. Trish gave me an NIV large print with a leather cover, very new at that time. This is where it opened; that day Jesus spoke to me in a way I knew was for me and have always remembered and valued. I am so grateful.
 

"Then Jesus said to his disciples: 'Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? "Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you - you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also'" (Luke 12:22-34).
 
Praise Jesus our Creator, Saviour, Sustainer, Rabbi, Lord and friend. Thank you. Amen.

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Joseph and Mary

Christians delight to remember how the God of all Creation came to Earth and lived among us, He was given the name "Jesus" and grew up in a family just like us. One of His names is Emmanuel; this means "God with us". It is so lovely that, at Christmas time, we celebrate Jesus' birth; I have great memories from childhood until now.

 
This last December, during her quiet time, Trish spoke to me: "How hard it must have been for Joseph and Mary", she said, "they had to face one hugely impossible event after another, yet they pressed on, they believed God, and they knew that there was no need for fear". Trish is my wife, life companion and mother of our children.
 
In the weeks since then I have been pondering Joseph's and Mary's adventures from that time, and marveling in my heart.
 
Jesus' birth story is told in two of the four Bible Gospels, Matthew and Luke, each one with its own emphasis. As I read and re-read the accounts I am surprised at the focus on God's presence, again and again, as events unfolded.
 
Ancient prophecies came to their fulfillment. God spoke to many different people through dreams and through angels. Holy Spirit was present to them and impacted their lives, first in Zechariah and Elizabeth, (by miraculously giving them a baby late in her life), and then by "overshadowing" Mary in what will have been a sudden and shocking way.
 
I am amazed that in every case, the people responded so gracefully. Zechariah seems to have accepted that God would make him speechless because of his unbelief. Mary "knew" in her heart that she was "highly favoured" by God Himself that she would bear His Son, the promised Messiah for all of Israel. We can understand Joseph’s sense of betrayal at Mary’s pregnancy, then how beautiful was his acceptance and agreement when the angel spoke to him. Such unexpected upheavals of lives, yet the people found peace in their hearts, such extraordinary faith!
 
This profound God activity was after a period we know as "the 400 years of silence" when God said nothing, prophesied nothing, and was not present to Israel for about fifteen generations; they knew themselves to be God's chosen people yet He had left them to themselves since the time of Malachi.
 

Then Caesar declared a census. This meant that Joseph would have to take his new family to Bethlehem to be counted. Joseph was a carpenter, a low income person, such a journey would have been hard financially, and the timing could not have been worse because Mary was well along in her pregnancy. They found no accommodation in Bethlehem except a stall in a barn with the cows, chickens, dogs and donkeys! Then Mary gave birth there. Imagine, Mary's first baby (who God had said would be King and Saviour to His people) being born like this, we do not even know if any family were there to help.
 
Yet the peace of God was with the young couple and with everyone involved.
 
Near by, some shepherds were "overjoyed" to see Jesus’ special star in the sky and to hear the angel tell them of His birth; the Bible accounts suggest to me that the shepherds were expectant and I ask: How? Why at that time? And why did God use lowly shepherds, another of the "ordinary" people He chose, (and not the priestly people or Jewish or Roman leaders)? The three Magi too were miraculously told about the birth and were thrilled to be involved; they were foreigners, not Israelites whose King had been born, foreigners. Then Joseph was told to escape with his wife and baby to Egypt; not a favoured destination for Jewish people in those days, but they went.
 
We see  radical yet willing obedience. To me it as an example of God's people pressing on with life because they know that they are inside God's will for them.
 
Joseph and Mary experienced one shock after another after another. God was always clearly present, He was the key factor in all of this. God Himself was working out His plan, a plan He had had in mind since before time began. This is what I find so thrilling about these Bible events with so many (mostly) very ordinary people.
 
In recent years and throughout the world we are all seeing frightening / negative / shocking changes and events involving all of us. Yet we know from Scripture, and so many testimonies, that Jesus is with us, even as He was with Joseph and Mary so long ago.
 
Praise Jesus that His work never ceases: "Jesus answered them, 'My Father is working until now, and I am working'" (John 5:17).
 
These Bible accounts are all about people, about relationships and how God reveals Himself and brings our lives into His great eternal plan. I treasure my time with my Bible as I see how we can relate in our lives and relationships today.  
 

More Than A Lifestyle
Christianity is more than a lifestyle, it encompasses all of life. Jesus gives us new life and comes to us as our Lord and Saviour .. I see that both "Lord" and "Saviour" are very big words.
 
I now see things with new eyes and new heart:
 
Love is an essential for a full life. My testimony is that I knew love from when I was a boy, and more so when I met and married Trish, then again when Jesus came to me, and again with my being able to call Father God Abba. My knowing of love grew and grows still. It adds to all my earthly relationships and how I see life.
 
When we have love we need little else. At this campground by the sea where I am writing, there are two families tenting, they have three generations there and perhaps eight little children, one just a few months old. The families are close, all the grownups love all the children. Anyone can see that the children are free and safe; they know they are always loved and cared for. The children may tumble and hurt them-self, but this doesn't matter, they are immediately cuddled and reassured, the love surrounding them is unconditional. Camping is living close, in this closeness the children see the grownups love for and acceptance of one another. This is another form of assurance to them. (The seagulls love these families’ meal times, they feast off the children’s scraps!)
 
We Westerners have been taught, over the past two or three generations, to be almost entirely materialistic. Love is better. God's love for us, from Father God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, is endless and without limit. It flows by grace. It flows and is the mortar, the glue which cements relationships. For me, this is a treasure which came from my lovely Jesus.
 
Newness of Life – Christians are made new, we are born again. Many people live with guilt, shame, lack - they feel lost. A part of becoming Christian is that Jesus' Father becomes our Father and we are "born again" (John 3:3; 1 Peter 1:23) and set free from the condemnation our sins deserved (Romans 8:1-4), we come into a refreshing "newness of life" (Romans 6:4). This changes our whole perspective, our worldview. We come to identify with Jesus, rather than with the world. Re-reading Ephesians Chapter 1 and Colossians 1:1-20 reminds me of all this. I turn to these chapters often.
 
Spiritual Awareness: Trish and I became Christians during a great time of renewal. We were thrilled to see the spiritual world impacting on "our" world, our physical world where there was much trouble, sickness and pain, and where so much was transient or temporary. We saw that Christians were different, also that they would pray and people would be healed. This was Jesus' spiritual gift of healing (1 Corinthians 12:9). We saw all of Jesus’ spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1-11) at work among us. This became clear to us. True.
 
Sometimes someone would share a word with me, or with Trish; they spoke about things they could not know in the natural, true and important things which helped us and encouraged us. This was the spiritual gift of "word of knowledge" (1 Corinthians 12:9), or of "prophecy" (1 Corinthians 14:1,3-4). These gifts do not make us a prophet, an Isaiah or a Haggai, but they do enable us to hear what God has to say for us, or for another. God loves everybody and wants to communicate and lift us up, to encourage and help us, and to show people that He loves them, each one (Psalm 139:17; Daniel 2:22; Amos 4:13).
 
"But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, 'God is really among you!'" (1 Corinthians 14:24-25).
 

Joy is a fruit of God's Holy Spirit. The different fruits grow in us as we grow in Jesus. Our Western culture teaches us to seek happiness. Happiness is different from joy, it is often fleeting, it comes and goes. Joy can live in our heart even when circumstances are tough for us.
 
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23).
 
These fruit add to us and make us more human and more Christ-like. We become able to get along in all the busyness and troubles of life. This may explain why Christians are keen to testify to others about the lovely changes they experience as their healing and understanding grows.
 
Working with Jesus is another treasure for me. I had been a believer for years when I began to see that Jesus expects me to work with and for Him, here on the Earth. While He was here Jesus ministered with great compassion, generosity, power and grace, all coming from love. Now He is with our Father in Heaven and He wants us carry on His work in this very needy and hurting world.
 
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).
 
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience" (Colossians 3:12).
 
"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give" (Matthew 10:8).
 
Prayer is a constant with Jesus, "Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them" (Hebrews 7:25 - note the present continuous tense). As I have grown in Jesus I have learned to love prayer. I am still not sure I know how to "pray continually" (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Ephesians 6:18), but I pray many times each day and regard prayer as a vital and satisfying part of my life work, praise Jesus.
 
Prayer works. We see results, sometimes spectacular and always thrilling. Prayer is part of our Christian adventure. Payer is integral: "So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding" (1 Corinthians 14:15). See also Matthew 6:9; Matthew 21:13; Luke 6:28; Luke 18:1; Romans 8:26; Romans 12:12 (and more).
 
The Way
Early Christians called their new kind of life "the Way"; they testified as to how their lives changed once they had come to Jesus. He previously said: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
 
I believe that Joseph and Mary understood that this was so; they, and Zechariah, Elizabeth, Anna and Simeon had a foretaste of the new life of faith, of being available to Jesus, and being ready to be obedient. We see this in committed Christians throughout history, and we saw it first in them.
 
When I have doubts or am confused at the state of the things, I am encouraged and remember that I too am on "the Way", pressing onward with Jesus and the people He has put me amongst. I love to remember the belief and faithfulness we see in God, in His Son Jesus and the angels and in the people He chose to share in His wonderful incarnation. So also the story we read every year where Joseph and Mary shine and reflect our Lord (Matthew 5:16). Such a lovely demonstration of His love, power and grace to us, even all these generations later.
 
Praise Jesus, Amen. 
 

 

The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
 
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
 
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

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Husbands, Love Your Wives

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:25).

"Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them" (Colossians 3:19).

Many may say "what a strange thing to talk about .. of course I love my wife, it is natural, it is why I married her".

My wife is Trish; we are long married, and the years have rolled by. Trish and I have had to face many difficulties, together and separately. Children have come along, bringing great blessings and also many complications. And there is our work, mine and hers, within and outside of our home, and also our extended family and sport and our other strong interests.

We grow and are not the same as when we were courting and newly wed. Love is different now. Isn't this true? Isn't your life together different?

"Husbands, love your wives" said Paul. The words are clear; they were written to the whole church at Ephesus and also at Colossae; Paul will have seen things which prompted him to share this thought with both groups.

I see Paul as the great discipler, he shows us who we are in Jesus - see the early chapters of Ephesians and Colossians. Then, to complete those letters, he teaches us how to grow in Jesus to realise our potential as human beings, as Christians (Ephesians 4:12-13) and as ambassadors for Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:20), and so that we can to bring salt and light (Matthew 5:13-14) to our generation (Philippians 2:15).

Like Paul I have seen things. Trish and I were "fine"; we now have grown-up children, and grandchildren too. But, truth be told, things were only mostly fine, other times there was friction and dissatisfaction.

Oscar Wilde said that bigamy is when a man has too many wives, and that having just one wife is very much the same .. In the Western democracies statistics suggest that about half of all married people feel as Oscar Wilde did.

Was I heading along the path to be another statistic? I don't know. Trish is likely strong enough that she would have kept us together regardless of any foolishness I did, like running off to live alone. I never stopped loving Trish. What we have is precious, as it was when I fell in love across a room. I think that it just became a bit patchy.

Thankfully I met two men for whom these Scripture verses have come alive, men who are now my friends, who have actively responded to this godly command and have the most beautiful testimonies. Each of them, and I, have different stories, but the glorious joy and richness we have found is the same.

Testimony: My Two Friends, And Now Me Also

Here is my wife, this person whom God gave to me, (and I truly believe this: my wife Trish was chosen for me and given to me by our loving Father God). Sometimes we became uncomfortable, at those times we seemed to no longer belong together or be fully fitted.

Even so, I knew that our separating would have a terrible impact on everyone in our family, us too. Our thousands of wonderful memories would be blighted. Family events, (and there are many every year), would be less fulsome, less happy, less complete. The children may feel that they have to take sides.

Trish and I remember when our kids would come home from school and say that such-and-such brother's and sister's parents had split up and how hurt the children were; years later the hurt is still there with the now-young-adult brother and sister making their way in the world; and the parents too, their pain is still clearly present, even after they have "moved on".

Besides, there was so much promise in Trish and my meeting and marrying, surely this was not a false promise?

And there is God's Word:

"May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth" (Proverbs 5:18, see also Malachi 2:15).

"He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord" (Proverbs 18:22).

"In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself" (Ephesians 5:28).

My testimony continues: "I thought that I could take this on as a project for Jesus (and for my wife and me). What do Paul's words mean? What is the "love" he talks about? How and what will I need to change? What do I need to give up? And for how long?"

Both my friend's testimonies, and my own, tell that we learned that "love" is a doing word; love requires thought, humility, commitment and sacrifice, indeed everything we admire in Jesus points to how we should love our wife (Ephesians 5:25). Just as Jesus always prayed before He acted, we learned that prayer was an essential part of our "work" in re-growing our marriages. And, the relationships between men and women are not simply physical and emotional, they are also spiritual, we had to learn to give more fully from our spirit too.

Marriage was never primarily for the husband and wife, and it is not "all about love" (which implies that if we can no longer feel the love, the marriage is over). No, marriage is primarily for the children, so that they grow strong and loving and balanced in a healthy, stable environment, and also for our society, that it too is a stable, healthy environment. This is why, in every country, marriage has been made part of the civil law. Marriage is so important to every society that we protect and encourage it for the betterment of all.

I was intrigued to note that, in our Bibles, wives are not instructed to love their husbands. My researches show that this is because men and women are different. Men must make a conscious effort to take their focus off their work and other interests, and deliberately care for their wife, while women will respond to true, practical love with love! Women are instructed: "However .. the wife must respect her husband" (Ephesians 5:33). Observation shows me that unless we husbands earn that respect, I believe we are unlikely to receive very much at all.

When I set out to grow in loving Trish, one of the first things I learned was to bite my tongue, to be less free with my comments and criticisms of Trish and her ways (James 3:5, 1 Peter  3:10). This was hard. It still is. Over the years I had become like Henry Higgins in "My Fair Lady", thinking "why can't a woman be more like a man?" Trish, like Eliza Doolittle, is not a man, praise Jesus, and, like all of us, was carefully hand-made by God our Father to be herself; and this I needed to learn again, how to treasure and respect her unique person and her woman-ness.

Another thing. These changes in me would not happen overnight. We three men learned that the necessary changes would be difficult and that we would have to call on our Christian training for guidance. Also we would have to break old habits and learn new ones (this I believe takes about 40 days, a timespan known to Jesus Himself): "train yourself to be godly .. godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come" (1 Timothy 4:7-8). I realised that loving my wife God's way would be costly, it would be me who would need to change so it would be costly to me.

In my career as a computer database specialist, I was involved in some important cutting-edge projects, I became a hot-shot and loved my work; but that was then. Now I no longer do paid work, my life is small and I have come to love that. I pray for the whole world, but day-to-day I live among my immediate family and a handful of small prayer groups. People with big lives seem to have all the big problems associated with the big things they are involved in; they may have too little time or energy for the truly big things in their lives, those things involving their relationships with family and the people close to them.

When we study God and the Cosmos, we see that God is most focused on relationships, firstly within the Godhead of Father, Son and Spirit and their eternal loving, sharing relationship, and then with us, His created people, the only creatures created in God's image and likeness (Genesis 1:26), and the only creatures with a spirit (Genesis 2:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:23), just like "God who is spirit" (John 4:24).

We can relate to God spirit to spirit. The whole Bible is about this special relationship between God and humankind (Matthew 22:37), a relationship where God's precious Son will marry a spotless bride (Ephesians 5:27), us Christians, and we will see and know His glory (Isaiah 60:2).

The Creation of physical things and all life was created on God's spoken word in six days. In the fullness of time this Creation will have served its purpose and "be rolled up like an old garment" (Hebrews 1:10), then God will bring forth "a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells" (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1). The Creation is vast to us and we all wonder at its beauty. Scientists have been studying it since the earliest days and still have many questions. The Creation is not a closed system. To God it is secondary to us people and our relationship with Him, including our marriages, these are all designed to last eternally. Hallelujah!

Trish’s and my marriage had sometimes lost some of its joy and flavour and vitality, but it did not so much need rescuing as reviving, happily it was far from dead.

We can find many lists of the most important elements of human life, none include "being divorced" or "being unhappy in marriage". Here is a list I made when reflecting on the past two or three years of our marriage:

• Listening
• Commitment
• Cleanliness
• Generosity
• Humility
• Contentment

"Listening" comes first, I think this was Trish's greatest unmet need from me, she is very relational (Trish is not strong with physics or numbers, while I am). People respond to her amazingly, (it was the same with my mother!) and she can make any plant grow and bloom! I needed simply to listen. I studied "active listening", it is a skill, easy to learn but quite hard to do.

"Commitment" speaks for itself .. I am often reminded that my greatest good will come from a great marriage, so, I am looking out for me, not just "us". Yes, I am committed!

"Cleanliness” may be obvious. I am not a dirty person but some of my untidy habits ("O, surely that pile of books is fine") really upset Trish who is a lovely homemaker, so I try to improve in those things .. inside and out, on myself and around about our household.

"Generosity" is something Jesus loves. I pray about giving and have learned to go beyond tithing and be free and relaxed about it, and now with myself towards Trish too.

"Humility" is a Jesus hallmark. He was the one who left His glorious life in Heaven to come and become a servant to all (Mark 9:12; Luke 9:22) and then die for us (Romans 5:8) and rise again (1 Corinthians 15:3-7). Besides, as Christians we are expected to "one another" one another, our wife is our best place to start: (Philippians 2:3-4; Matthew 22:35-40).

"Contentment" is lovely: we are told to "grow where you are planted" and "be grateful in all things". "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6), so true. Trish and I volunteer at "The Garden of Hope" where many of the people are recovering addicts, the amount of gratitude seen there is awesome and inspirational. I now have Jesus' peace (John 14:27) and am content .. I think that this is what the Bible calls "shalom".

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful" (Colossians 3:15).

So I have been working at all this for a good while now, it is not a burden and has mostly become second nature. Our marriage is really good. 

Trish and I, and our whole family, are facing some big challenges but we are facing them together with peace, joy and love in our hearts. 

Both Trish and I know and love Jesus, and we have one another truly and fully in our covenant marriage. Thank you Jesus. Hallelujah!

Simple But Poignant Quotes

"The greatest gift a father can give his children is to love their mother" - Theodore Hesburgh.

"And as ridiculous as it may sound, sometimes all any of us needs in life, is for someone to hold our hand and walk next to us" - James Frey.

Favourite Scripture Verses

"Keep looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2).

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant  or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;  it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never ends" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life" (2 Peter 1:3).

"So encourage one another and help one another to grow stronger in faith, just as you are already doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Thank you Jesus. Amen.

Permalink: https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2023/08/husbands-love-your-wives.html

How Then Should We Live?

Jesus wants us to live for Him. Thankfully, we can do this because we live in Jesus, and He in us, each one .. this is one of the great themes of the New Testament. 

But are we living in Him? Am I? Are you? Are our brothers and sisters at our local church? (Do we even think of them as brothers and sisters?).
 
Living for Jesus is a big thing, Paul makes it plain what Jesus is asking of us: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship" (Romans 12:1).
 
This can only be a spiritual action from our heart, empowered by Holy Spirit filling us, each one (Acts 1:8).
 
Here is the Romans verse from the Message Bible: "So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, [your family time], and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him" (Romans 12:1 Message).
 
Since the Covid pandemic, (March 2020 until May 2023), our Western world has become completely new. Governments are implementing laws and societal changes which would have been unthinkable just a decade ago. Everybody is talking about this, even people who normally would say nothing at all are alarmed and speaking out - they are deeply concerned for their children and grandchildren. The popular media seem to have little time for reporting truth, rather they promote their ideas for "liberal" or "progressive" change, which represent the opposite of what is truly liberal or progressive, and the opposite of what would come from a traditionally Western or Christian worldview. Big businesses are operating with a shocking degree of disregard for their customers, their employees, and the laws (and tax systems) of the various countries where they operate, (though they ensure that their lawyers and advertisers say that they are compliant and "good neighbours").
 
The Bible warns us: "We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one". And goes on: "We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life" (1 John 5:19-20).
 
".. the whole world is under the power of the evil one ..". Have those words always been in our Bibles? Yes. The Bible is truth; these words are true, many of us are just beginning to see this truth now .. Praise Jesus that the Bible goes on with another, hope filled, thought: ".. Jesus Christ, He is the true God and eternal life .." 

God is relational, three persons yet one God: our Father, His eternal Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit, our counselor and comforter. We were each created in the image and likeness of God. It makes sense then, that we are most complete when we lead relational lives; relational vertically by loving God and following Him, and horizontally by being in relationship with our natural family and our Christian family, and with our neighbour (Matthew 22:37-39).
 

 

In living for Him, Jesus wants us to care for one another:

" .. love one another .." (John 13:34)
" .. encourage one another" (Hebrews 10:25)
"Don't grumble against one another .." (James 5:9)
" .. pray for one another" (James 5:16)
" .. live in harmony with one another .." (1 Peter 3:8)
"Offer hospitality to one another" (1 Peter 4:9)
"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another .." (1 Peter 4:10)
" .. clothe yourselves with humility toward one another .." (1 Peter 5:5)
" .. love one another" (1 John 3:11)
 
He wants us to be His home here in the world, His temple:

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,  for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
 
He wants us to not be afraid because He is always with us:

"He said to them, 'It is I; do not be afraid'" (John 6:20); "I am with you always .." (Matthew 28:20).
 
"Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32).
 
"So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known" (Matthew 10:26).
 
He wants us to be strong and courageous in Him:

"My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ" (Colossians 2:2).
 
"I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong - that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith" (Romans 1:11-12).
 
He wants us to follow His leading:

"For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; 'he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes'" (Revelation 7:17).
 
He wants us to follow His way:

"Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy" (1 Corinthians 14:1).

Zechariah prophesied that John Baptist would go before Jesus who would "guide our feet into the way of peace" (Luke 1:79).
 
He wants us to keep our minds sharp and focused:

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2).
 
He wants us to see that we stay free in Him:

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1).
 
"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority" (Colossians 2:8-10)
 
He wants us to be servants, to Himself, and to our brothers and sisters, and to our neighbour:

"Jesus called the Twelve and said, 'Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all'" (Mark 9:35).
 
"Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant" (Mark 10:43).
 
"Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me" (Acts 26:16).
 
He wants us to be united, that is, together:

Not just conceptually and not just Sundays. He wants us to be alongside, truly as brothers and sisters. Alongside in joy and also when trouble comes, or persecution which is much more likely today, in the West, than for generations.
 
"For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body - whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free - and we were all given the one Spirit to drink" (1 Corinthians 12:13).
 
"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).
 
He wants us to be separate from the world:

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2).
 
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.  For everything in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - comes not from the Father but from the world.  The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever" (1 John 2:15-17).
 
He wants us to avoid close links with unbelievers:

"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14). For many Christians these links are already firmly established, then we must go on as we are, in Jesus and with love and humility. This struggle may be life long and require love, sacrifice and perseverance. 

I believe that all these commands have now become imperative. I also that believe that only those Christians who truly cleave to Jesus will make it through this present dark time in history:
"When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful, [hold tight, cling, cleave], to the Lord with steadfast purpose" (Acts 11:23).

 
Knowing My Need

When my life seems tough I love to reflect on how blessed I am. I "count my blessings", (a very old English expression). I have learned that the greatest blessing anyone can receive is to encounter Jesus and to love Him and grow and live in Him (John 15:1-17).
 
It was just before my 43rd birthday that I became Christian. I had led a happy and blessed life, and had taken this for granted while I was a kid growing up in New Zealand in the 1950s and 60s. There was not much prosperity there, (as we know material prosperity today), but there was hope and freedom and light.
 
World War II was past, freedom from a terrible tyranny had been won. The world was recovering from the costs of war. Democracy was flourishing and the economic principle of a buoyant middle class was well established and successful. New Zealand had become very egalitarian; there was not much difference between the rich, the professionals and managers and the trades people and workers. Even the dispossessed were cared for in a workable welfare system. Health care and education (even university) were almost free and also world class.
 
We children knew that the future needed bright, enthusiastic people, just like us, even though we came from a tiny and mostly rural island nation at the bottom of the world.
 
After much living and growing, and many adventures, there came a time when I saw that the world is not enough, (this was long before James Bond reached the same conclusion and made a movie about it). I thought that my need was for a life partner and our own family. I met, fell in love with, and married Trish, this was a whole new series of adventures; now, many chapters later, our book is still being written.
 
But we quickly found that the God who was somewhere in our consciousness was real and wanted us to come to Him. It was only then that the vacuum which was in both of us could be filled. Trish was much quicker at grasping Jesus and Christian life, I struggled for years, then when I had taken myself away camping so that I could truly seek Jesus, Father God revealed Him to me. At last I was born again (1 Peter 1:23). Our Lord Jesus brings us peace and many joys.
 
Who We Are In Jesus

The go-to place for me when I feel weak and useless is Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Here he makes plain the wonder of the spiritual changes that Jesus brings to every believer. He starts by affirming that Father God "chose us" (Ephesians 1:4), and we are to receive "Grace .. and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 1:2), he then assures us that our Creator God has: ".. blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless in his sight" (Ephesians 1:4).
 
".. every spiritual blessing ..", now that is something to ponder!
 
The whole Ephesian letter is as affirming and encouraging as these early lines. It is no wonder we feel "whole", and our friends, (and even strangers), see that there is "something different" about us. At the end of Acts Chapter 2 we see that the lives of the early Christians were so attractive that people willingly came to them and joined them in what they then called "The Way". There were no evangelistic crusades or tent meetings or "out-reaches". Jesus' people simply led authentic Christian lives, and thus were seen as remarkable, and blessed, in their community.
 
God is constantly at work: "But Jesus answered them, 'my Father is working until now, and I am working'" (John 5:17). Jesus will accomplish His goals in each one of us: "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).
 
We will reach His goal for us, each one: "until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature adulthood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love" (Ephesians 4:13-16). 

My Prayer For Jesus' Church - For Us, His "Gathered Ones"

Our Father and our Lord Jesus, I cry out for help and pray that you will speak and reveal your will for us, each one, so that we know how to follow you, even in these days.
 
I am so aware that many people who would never speak out or complain about the world are declaring their alarm at the increasing evil and darkness being brought to us by governments, businesses and the media. I bring their fears to you Lord, you who are our "Rock" (Psalm 18:2) and our "Anchor" (Hebrews 6:19-20) in the storms of life.
 
I also pray for the many church leaders who seem to be inclined to simply "go along" and "not be controversial" ..
 
My understanding is that throughout history evil has come to the world, and that once it has a foothold it seems to gain momentum and become a tsunami, overwhelming everything in its path, and then lasting for years or even decades.
 
Our political leaders now have the votes and support of millions, they keep getting re-elected despite their policies of destruction of the family and our children and grandchildren (and school systems and more); they act as do totalitarian regimes.

Everywhere I see Christians praying that you will come like a flood and restore good, benign governments and laws. They remind us, and you Lord, of how you have stepped in for your people and righted wrongs.
 
But I also see that you often seem to wait until your people turn back to you. Israel were in captivity for seventy years, then they walked in the wilderness forty years until a generation died; only then they could enter the lands you promised them.
 
The Nazi era lasted twelve years before Hitler's rule was stopped, and the Soviet Union lasted seventy years, (a familiar number). How long for us Lord? How then should we live? Help us to be aware and to pray. Come Lord Jesus (Revelation 28:20).

 
I am so grateful Father that you hear all our prayers, each one is placed in one of the bowls of incense before your throne (Revelation 5:8).
 
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
 
Are God's words for Israel for us today? "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a pestilence among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:13-14).
 
Faith, Hope, Love

Remember "faith, hope and love"? Jesus died and rose again so that we could live free in faith and in hope and in love. Paul wrote: "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God's people - the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel" (Colossians 1:3-5). 

How Then Should We Live?

We each live our own unique life and none can tell another how to live. We are assured that Holy Spirit will "teach us all things" (John 14:26), so are assured that He, who always reveals Jesus, will help us to lead a life of the Spirit (Romans 8:11) which centres on Jesus, regardless of the our present circumstances, (Hebrews 11:37).
 
Jesus brings peace. After He had been crucified the disciples were frightened; their beloved leader, their rock, had been unjustly killed, they were suddenly alone among hostile people so had locked themselves away. Jesus miraculously appeared to them and the first thing He said was "peace be with you" (John 20:21). He will do no less for us as we keep Him in our heart.
 
Bless us all as we greet each new day. Amen.
 
Favourite Bible Verses
 
".. I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-control" (2 Timothy 1:6-7).
 
"We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 6:19-20).
 
"The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold" 
(Psalm 18:2).

AND .. so many "in Jesus" verses. See John 10:38, 14:17, 14:20, 15:4, 17:21, 17:23-26; Romans 6:23, 8:1, 8:39, 12:5; 1 Corinthians 1:30, 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:6,10, 2:22; Colossians 1:27, 3:3, 3:16-19  and more.

 
Bless Jesus, Amen.
 
Permalink: https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2023/06/how-then-should-we-live.html
 

You Are Not Your Own

"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,  for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
 

I have been struggling to live this truth for months now. It is really hard to always acknowledge that I belong to Jesus and that He is the best person to deal with the difficulties I, and we in our family, are having to face, day after day.
 
One of our children is in deep trouble and is not coping at all well. Indeed there seems to be no growth or any kind of movement towards resolution of any part of all the complexity.
 
Trish has asked me to stop offering advice and suggestions as these are beyond being helpful until there is a major change in our (now fully adult) child. Now we simply pray and pour out love.
 
I know that Jesus is present with us always, and this thought renews my hope a hundred times a day. Trish and I also have great testimony of how Jesus has come and rescued both of us in very fraught situations, and this encourages us. But our question remains: "Jesus? How long will this all go on?"
 
It is in remembering that I now belong to Jesus that my hope comes. If I truly do belong to Him, then all my problems are really His problems! This is such an uplifting thought; we know that Jesus can do anything, He already has done everything!
 
Jesus is the Creator of the whole Universe, even of me and of you (Genesis 1:3; Psalm 8:3, 147:4; Colossians 1:16-17). Jesus became human and then died to save all humanity from the big enemies: sin and death (Romans 6:23). This was the "price" Jesus paid for us (Matthew 20:28; Romans 6:10). He defeated Satan and took back the authority Adam and Eve had given away, and this authority He has now given to us, His people on Earth (Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 9:1; Titus 2:11-15). Jesus brought us to His Father asking that we become children of God. As children we are loved and fed and nurtured and will grow and grow "until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).
 
Coming into the knowledge that I am "not my own" was quite shocking to me. For my whole life I have been taught that I am a unique individual and must grow in learning and character so that I can "be my own man" as an adult, and to take responsibility for myself.

 
We learn to "think for our self" while also "doing the right thing" in our family, workplace and society.
 
We are strongly encouraged to be "true to our self". This sounds fine until we realise that it is the opposite of what Jesus wants for us! Jesus knows that as Christians we have been redeemed, ("purchased / bought back"), from a sinful life in a fallen world (Galatians 3:13) and we need His strength (2 Corinthians 12:9) and the wisdom and teaching of His dear Holy Spirit (John 14:26) to be able to live fully in this world and be ready for the next (Matthew 5:12). So, in truth, He wants us to be true to Him - not to our self!

Jesus wants us to acknowledge that we are now part of His Kingdom, that we belong to Him, even that we surrender our self to Him so that He can truly be our Lord.

"In response to your surrender, God will do for you what you cannot achieve by any effort of your own will: He will renew your mind. He will change the way you think. This includes your goals, your values, your attitudes, and your priorities. All will be brought into line with those of God Himself.

This inner change will find expression in your outward behaviour. You will no longer be 'conformed', acting like all the unregenerate people around you. Instead you will be 'transformed', and begin to demonstrate in your conduct the very nature and character of God" (Derek Prince). 

Here is a testimony about belonging to Jesus:
Shirley married Trish’s brother so is our sister-in-law; after her marriage she met Jesus and became a Christian. Trish and I both saw that Shirley had a real glow after she was baptised; she declared that "it is so good that I now belong to someone". Shirley is Chinese and grew up in a Buddhist family in Hong Kong. She then went to live in the USA with her new husband whose family came there generations previously from Ireland and Scotland and are Catholic.
 
Shirley already belonged to her birth family and birth country, now she also belonged with us, her marriage family, and her newly adopted country. What did she mean:  ".. I now belong to someone"?
 
I believe that her spirit was rejoicing that she (her spiritual self) had been accepted into the most secure place in the Universe, that she had found Jesus, and He brought her to her Heavenly Father who welcomed her to be with Him forever!
 
"For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself.  For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's" (Romans 14:7-8). 
 
God's New Covenant ownership of His people is seen in many ways, but never as slavery, or even as coercion (John 15:15).
 
You Are Not Your Own - Sheep Of The Shepherd
 
Our Bible tells us that Jesus is our "shepherd" (John 10:11). This is not like saying that He is our lion-tamer; that he caught us as wild creatures then tamed and domesticated us. No, sheep are not really found in the wild, they have been living with humans for millennia, they are drawn to their shepherd and have a strong relationship of trust and dependence. This is how it is with us Christians and Jesus, we are safe with Him.
 
•  The shepherd knows his sheep, each one (John 10:14).
•  The shepherd gives his sheep a safe place (Micah 2:12).
•  The shepherd feeds his sheep and nurtures them (Psalm 100:3).
•  The shepherd will put his life at risk to protect the sheep (1 Samuel 17:34-37).
 
We find that all this is true of Jesus and us. I have come to love Christian testimony; so many true stories of how Jesus has saved people, rescued them from terrible wilderness lives and brought them "peace" (John 14:27), "fellowship" (Acts 2:42), "life to the full" (John 10:10), "freedom" (Galatians 5:1), and "freedom from fear" (Job 21:9; Ephesians 3:12; Hebrews 2:15).
 
I worked as a shepherd when I was young, this included leading the flock to good pasture, but mainly helping many mother sheep through difficult births of their baby lambs. It was exciting and satisfying work and expanded my love for the natural world. I see Jesus enjoying all of us, His people, and being satisfied as we grow.
 
Jesus, our shepherd, promises to meet all our needs (Luke 12:22-32; Philippians 4:19). We can trust Him, even in our times of trouble (2 Timothy 3:1, 10, 13, 15-16).
 

You Are Not Your Own - Abiding In The Vine
 
Jesus tells us to abide as a branch in the vine (John 15:4-7). He is the grape vine and our Father is the vine dresser, the farmer, the one responsible for the vine, and ultimately for the grapes and the wine.
 
"Abide" means "to dwell " or "to live". Jesus wants us to live our lives in Him; He, the vine, will support us, each one, and supply all our needs (Luke 12:22-34), even to ensuring that we will produce "more fruit" (John 15:2), even "much fruit" (John 15:8).
 
We know that a "good tree" will produce "good fruit" (Matthew 7:17); Jesus is the best vine, so after the bad branches have been cut (John 15:6), and the good branches have been pruned (John 15:2), the fruit will be good fruit. The good fruit in our lives will be that which comes from Jesus by His Holy Spirit (Luke 3:9; Galatians 5:22-23), and this fruit will always please our Father (2 Corinthians 5:9) and be in line with His will.
 
As I ponder these verses I see that pruning, though tough, is always good for us, and keeps us in line with our Father's will.
 
Jesus tells us that the object of the fruitfulness is to glorify our Father (John 15:8) and so that "Jesus' joy may be in us and that our joy may be full" (John 15:11). Joy is precious, it is much more than happiness; happiness is always fleeting, it passes. Joy fills us and is robust. Joy comes from knowing the glory of God (1 Peter 1:8).
 
You Are Not Your Own - Going Where Jesus Is
 
Jesus' plans for us are so detailed that He already knows how it will be when we go to Him when we die. He has a place especially for us, each one:
 
"In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also" (John 14:2-3).
 
That place where we will go is in Jesus, indwelling; the most joy-filled and secure place possible (Romans 8:1; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Galatians 2:20).
 
Even though I have a BA degree in theology, I'm not sure I understand all the discussion about the "last trumpet call" and Jesus "coming again" and the "rapture", but I do know that I can trust Him and our Heavenly Father; this is faith (Romans 14). Jesus has already prepared a place for me; a place where there are no tears, nor pain, crying or mourning (Revelation 21:4). We will know true joy: "and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away" (Isaiah 35:10; 51:11).
 

So if I can trust my future to Him, surely I can also trust my life here and now? And the lives of those I love and care for?
 
Well, I must, for I now know that I am not my own but now belong to Jesus.
 
Yes.
 
".. Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Genesis 18:25).
 
Yes. Such comfort, such great assurance!
 
Meanwhile our "prayers" continue to be "added" to the "golden bowls" in Heaven (Revelation 5:8), while we "press on" (Philippians 3:12) as we "follow Jesus" (Matthew 4:19) and serve Him and our neighbour.
 
We know that (like Jesus) love is central, and that all our prayers for our children, indeed every prayer we pray, is being heard at the very throne of God, our God, the God of all Creation and of all time.
 
"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things .. so now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:7, 13:13).
 
Favourite Scripture Verses
 
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.  I do not set aside the grace of God .." (Galatians 2:20-21a).
 
"This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God" (1 Corinthians 4:1).
 
"For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil" (1 Peter 3:17).
 
"We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him" (John 9:31)
 
"If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple" (1 Corinthians 3:17).
 
Amen.
 
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