Faith: Knowing God

Knowing God In Jesus
 
"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).

For the last year I've been wrestling with faith issues and truly want to understand why some prayers seem to have no power and appear to go nowhere (1 Corinthians 2:4). I want to grow in faith, but more than that, I want to pray what Jesus is praying (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25), to pray His will so that I join Him in praying for His spiritual reality. I want to make room for Jesus to grow His faith in my spirit.
 
My mother gave me an assurance that "God is". This God is the God of the Bible whose Son Jesus came that first Christmas to save all the people; He was born far across the sea in the Northern Hemisphere, and long before even my Grandpop was a boy. I was then a child and do not remember more than this. For decades both Father God and Jesus were beyond my tangible knowing; even so, I believe that I have never doubted these essential truths.
 
Francis Schaeffer wrote about this same God as "the God who is there"; now that I'm older I can truly grasp this concept. My God is "there", and also here, in my heart.
 
I believe that we can know God and believe, and that this belief builds our faith and makes it possible for us to "see" in our spirit "things not seen" by our physical senses - things God shows us, through Jesus, by His holy Spirit.
 
Today our faith seems to be a fight, a daily conflict, a wrestle. So much of the world wants to undermine our faith. Friends send me conspiracy stuff; sadly these seem to be about proven facts rather than imaginings or trouble-in-the-making, not "just theories". What are we to make of all that is happening to our lives in our world?
 
"We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.  And we know 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, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life" (1 John 5:19-20).
 
Praise Jesus who is always for us, otherwise we would be swept away in fear and despair like so many of our neighbours (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).
 
Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith sees what is "unseen". Faith sees God's reality, hidden from our physical eyes (Job 10:4).
 

"Having faith means to be so convinced that one is dependent on God and the facts pertaining to God. It implies a life so surrendered to the divine that lifestyle and conduct are changed to conform to the ways of God" (John Laughlin, "Church Words", 2026, p59).

"Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear" (Matthew 13:16). Yes, our heart and our spirit can "know". This is the faith Jesus wants for us; that we stand firm because we know Him (John 17:3; Ephesians 6:11).
 
Knowing God in Prayer - Talking With Jesus
 
Prayer is a profound gateway to the spiritual world; "God is spirit" (John 4:24; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 5:5). Prayer is spiritual. And remember, our God commands us to pray:
 
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
 
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).
 
Many Christians say they find prayer difficult, even elusive? I learned to pray by praying, also by attending prayer meetings - people there were kind and happy to help me learn, especially when asked.
 
Often I pray Bible verses, or themes of Scripture; I will have a concern and find a similar situation in my Bible, this makes a great starting point. Sometimes I pray the reality of who God is, or His purpose in the Creation, or who we Christians are, in Him. But mostly I pray briefly, as thoughts, troubles, hopes or joys come to mind, (so not structured or formal). This is how Trish and I will chat when we have a day together - so I talk with Jesus. We Christians are always together with Him (Matthew 28:20). This is true fellowship, and I get to know our Saviour Lord. In the early days I didn’t say much, I listened and prayed along silently. Lots of "amen".

 
Prayer is a gateway to intimacy with Jesus - prayer, and making time, asking Jesus to be with us as we wait on Him. So precious, I find this to be life changing.
 
"you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul" (Deuteronomy 4:29).
 
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).
 
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13).
 
Knowing God in Truth
 
Our God is real and alive. We know Jesus who is "the fullness of Him [our God of all creation] who is all in all" (1 Corinthians 15:28; Ephesians 1:17).
 
We read about Jesus in our Bibles. Even now Jesus is acknowledged by serious historians. We hear about Him from teachers, preachers, friends and so many testimonies of His glorious work in people's lives, in our time, right here where we are. 

 

"For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose" (Philippians 2:13).
 
The "armour of God" includes an offensive weapon - our sword - the Word of God - the "sword of the Spirit" and this is Jesus Himself being present to us (Luke 11:28; Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12). We always have Jesus in us (John 14:17, 14:20, 15:4), and with us (Deuteronomy 31:8; Matthew 28:20). He is the "Word" of God able to "to divide soul and spirit, joints and marrow" (Hebrews 4:12). Jesus is truth (John 1:14).
 
Knowing God In His Word, Jesus
 
Mark 11:22: "Jesus answered them, 'have faith of God'". Our modern English Bibles read "have faith in God", but the original Greek of this verse has "of", meaning, "have God-like faith", or (essentially) "have My certainty"! This is my desire.
 
This is key for us Christians - we are "people of faith" (Colossians 1:4). I've been pondering faith for years; many authors and teachers have helped in my (still growing) understanding.
 
"Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Romans 10:17). Hearing Jesus' Gospel is key, the "good news" that a Saviour has come to redeem the people (Luke 1:68). More than our salvation, Jesus by His Holy Spirit will grow us (present tense continuous) "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). Father God knows that we will be a "radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless". Then it will be time to marry our bridegroom, Jesus - a great mystery (Ephesians 5:27).
 
We "hear" through Jesus' own Word in our Bibles, from Christian teaching and also from testimony - testimony from our own life or ministry, or from another close to us, or from Hudson Taylor or William Wilberforce or Billy Graham, or King David or Saul/Paul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6).
 
Ephesians 6:10-19 tells us what to look for in times like ours, and something of how we are to be, Jesus wants us to be able to "stand". He wants us to see that He knows about our situation and that He is present with us to shield us and come to our aid, to bring us His "shalom" (John 14:27): "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12).
 
We need Jesus to help us in our faith. Our Jesus is "Lord of all" (Acts 10:36, 17:24); He has given us "authority" (Matthew 10:1) and "power" (1 Thessalonians 1:5).
 
This is where, I believe, faith comes from. Because we come to "know" our God:

"We are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul [and our shalom, our integrity, our ability to love]" (Hebrews 10:39).
 
Faith is linked with perseverance, and also with suffering:
"Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring" (2 Thessalonians 1:4). 
 

"The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in From this time forth and forever" (Psalm 121:7-8). We can believe these words, even when things are hard. People who survived the WWII concentration camps and the Russian gulags lived the truth of this verse even when they were in such peril. Many of Jesus’ "twelve" were killed horribly, yet they were able to remain true to Him, strong in their spiritual bond. Jesus asks us to cling to Him, to hold and to stand to the end.
 
Jesus has given us His "authority" (Matthew 28:18-20). We sing "demons will have to flee", these are true words. When we believe that our authority is as Jesus describes it and speak into situations, we will see faith at work. We will be aligned with Him. We will have responded to what we know to be true, demons will flee.
 
"Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:3-4).
 
Again and again our Bibles assure us and testimony shows us, that we can rely on our God of all Creation; to me this is the "substance", the very "proof" of faith; we have something which, as Christians, we can "know" and thus "see" in our spirit; our spiritual eyes have been empowered by Jesus' Holy Spirit and by His Word. This is an essential element of the New Covenant where we are brought inside God's Kingdom as sons and daughters (1 John 3:1).
 
This "inside-ness" is the focus of PsalmsOfJohn post "Inside Out" of June, 2019

• Permalink https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2019/06/inside-out.html
 
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:5-8).
 
"Jesus answered him, 'Do not fear; only believe'" (Mark 5:36; Luke 8:50).
 
At Bible College we were taught to ask: "what does the Bible text say?" These verses are so clear, so simple, right? But often not easy to do.
 
Knowing God In Testimony - Here And Now, Effective In People's Lives
 
We find that God is faithful; many times our Bibles assure us of this. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).
 
These wise words continue: "It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones" (Proverbs 3:8). This is a promise, not a suggestion. Don’t we all long for "healing" and "refreshment"?
 
I will see someone in need and know to pray, know the words to pray, and know that the person will be healed (or their heart or their circumstances made right), they will be (or begin the journey to be) set free. My spiritual eyes see what God sees (Proverbs 15:3), the Kingdom of Heaven comes near (Luke 10:9, 21:31), and the physical world responds as it must. This is sovereign, God is at work (John 5:17). Our Lord Jesus always leads in these encounters, my compassion or desire to help or the fervency of my prayers does not bring them about; it is Jesus. 

Then the "confidence", "confirmation", "conviction", "evidence", "assurance", "proof", "substance", is clear to me, I see clearly and pray. I am confident that I am in the will of God (Romans 8:27), even that I have "the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16). Just think about this: me, a mortal man, often distracted, faulty and weak (2 Corinthians 11:29), being so gifted, so able, even for a moment! You too. This is for every Christian.
 
Jesus drew me to Himself - to me this was the ultimate revealing of Himself. Jesus took a grip on my arm and pulled me in to Himself in love; this was physical – I truly felt His grip on my arm, and His drawing me against His breast. A miracle. Finally He had broken through all my fears and doubts and mistrust.
 
This is one view of my faith. Jesus' touch. Certain knowledge. Unshakeable. There is a sweet song: "To get a touch from the Lord is so real", so true.
 
Before I had a personal "knowing" of Him or of Jesus, I learned that this God that my mother knew is faithful. He gave me a miraculous healing. I had no faith, yet Jesus saved me from lung cancer. After Christians prayed, I felt God's hand reaching into my lungs and drawing out all the black gunk and damage from years of heavy smoking. I felt His touch, His fingers working, all the harm being drawn out. I knew then that I will never have lung cancer. This was from Trish's faith, thank you Jesus for your obedient people. Soon after this I had a chest X-Ray as part of a job application; the "shadows" seen on previous X-Rays were not there - gone! Praise Jesus.
 
This story is told in post "My Lungs: T2"  from May 2010. I have tears in my eyes as I remember.
• Permalink https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2010/05/t02-my-lungs.html
 
I know that Jesus is, I remember His physical presence. Sometimes I see Him, He will be looking at me: I have His attention, He smiles. He often speaks to me, clearly so that I cannot doubt.
 
Our Bibles explain this in the lives of many godly people who have gone before us: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2). We look at these witnesses' lives and take heart from them.
 

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:23). It is God's faithfulness (Romans 3:3), our knowing leads us to faith in Him, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, remembering that Jesus is the centre and the fullness of God (Colossians 1:15-20).
 
"Jesus said to them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent'" (John 6:29).

Heroes
 
I see that my experiences are normal for Christians. I have sat under the teaching of John G. Lake who prayed for thousands of people who were healed; he believed that his understanding, and his gifts, were completely normal as told in the Bible; he is one of many who can be found in Christian literature. My experiences and testimonies are similar, mostly smaller, and less frequent.
 
It was the teaching of John Lake which led me to pray about, and then embark on "30 Days In Jesus' Hands", one of the most profound and love-filled times of my life. John Lake, my Christian hero, taught me scriptural truths in a way I could understand.
 
• For my testimony of this season of Jesus' love, kindness and power, search "Jesus Hands" or "In Jesus' Hands" in PsalmsOfJohn.com. Jesus heals; He encourages and He heals.
 
Hebrews chapter 11 lists many heroes of faith; they were people of action; they pushed ahead into what their spiritual eyes saw; they were not content to simply know what Jesus was thinking or planning, but trusting that they knew God, they obeyed and moved forward, often before they could see physical doors opening. Some "received what was promised" (Hebrews 11:33), but others did not (Hebrews 11:13). Many suffered, even unto death. But our God remembers that "they kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith" (Hebrews 11:2).

 

Our God is very big and nothing is beyond his reach (Psalm 8:3). Jesus wants all His disciples to minister in His name, all of us who receive the living Word of God (Matthew 10:8), thus bringing God’s love and power to people in need everywhere.
 
With the blind man (John 9:6), Jesus knew before He made the mud and smeared it on his eyes that God was healing him and he would see.
 
George Müller could see, before he asked the hundreds of orphan children to sit down for breakfast, that someone was bringing the food they would eat, and would soon be at their door. He "saw" through his certain knowing that God's Word is true (Luke 12:22, 30).
 
George Müller is another hero. He never asked people for money or let anyone but our God of Heaven know his needs. Gifts of many kinds came for his work as they were needed, God provided in ways we find amazing; Müller saw the physical reality conforming to God's Word Jesus. He built and ran orphanages, brought thousands to Jesus, and gave away Bibles, scholarships and money. He said he simply trusted God to do what He said in His Word.
 
John G. Lake knew the Bible; to him God's Word was perfectly clear - Jesus came to heal the sick, the demonized, (the mentally ill), and the brokenhearted, and to set people free (Isaiah 61:1-3; Matthew 10:8a). Jesus expects us to continue this work now (Matthew 10:8b; Ephesians 2:10). He has gone to Heaven to rule and reign with Father God.

John Lake and George Müller knew Jesus, the Word of God, and knew that He is true (John 1:14).

 
Are these men exceptional? I think so. I used to worry that my faith seemed so small beside theirs. Then I thought about Edmund Hillary and Roger Bannister, I was 11 years old when Hillary (also from New Zealand) climbed the worlds highest mountain, Mt Everest, in the Himalayas, and was 12 when Roger Bannister, an English medical student, first ran the sub-four-minute mile.
 
Like Edmund Hillary, I love the mountains and spent months in the Himalayas; I was so thrilled to climb a peak of 16,500 feet (5030 metres), much less than Everest - my mountain did not even have its own name. From that peak I could see Everest, magnificent in the distance, with many other snow-capped mountains all around. The same thing with running, rowing, basketball and so much else; I loved to participate but was never exceptional. I am simply me. Don't we all like to achieve? But we do well only at some things, and then not always. Only a few people truly excel and are newsworthy. But we can all do our best (Colossians 3:23), especially in our availability to Jesus (Isaiah 6:8), and in our obedience to Him (Matthew 7:21; 1 John 2:3-6).
 
We celebrate George Müller still, he said: "faithfulness is not only about belief but also persistent action", and "I live in the spirit of prayer; I pray as I walk, when I lie down, and when I rise up".

 
This aligns with God's promise to His people: "I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people" (Leviticus 26:12) and Isaiah's understanding of the truth of this, even in the New Covenant that we live under today: "for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulders: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
 
Our Lord Jesus, "the mighty God", is "an everlasting Father" to us, who "provides" (Luke 12:22-24) and "heals" (Matthew 8:16) and "sets free" (Galatians 5:1). Thousands (millions?) of testimonies show all this to be true.
 
Can I stand as Paul commands? "So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you" (2 Thessalonians 2:15; Ephesians 6:13).
 
Some Conclusions 

I have come to see that having "faith" does not make us miracle workers, rather we grow into the assurance that "the God of all the earth shall do right" (Genesis 18:25). We believe that our God in Jesus is who He says He is. He is faithful and can be trusted. We do see miracles, things which cannot be explained in physical terms or by science; our Jesus intervenes by the power of His Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:19-20). 

Other times our faith enables us to persevere and wait on Jesus. I can neither predict nor demand answers, but I do expect to participate with my Saviour Lord and rejoice with Him.

I remember that Jesus did only what He saw His (now our) Father doing; praise Jesus that He now leads His people, us, even me (John 5:19; John 16:13). And I pray "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8).

 
In spiritual conflicts, we can stand on Jesus' name, and the Devil will have to "flee from you" (James 4:7), our faith together with His name is our "strong shield" (Psalm 140:7).
 
In our family we are often joy filled and encouraged because we have seen miracles, our God working on our behalf, His grace flowing towards us. We have also had times of crisis and have known ages of achingly unanswered prayer with sickness, unemployment and other big troubles. My response is to cling ever tighter to Jesus (Acts 11:23; Hebrews 10:39). I have reported that "my faith became like bullet proof steel" and "my dependence on Jesus became radiant", even though things seemed not to be improving. I know that I know my God and His faithfulness, and I can fully trust Him. Jesus has faith enough for both of us, He is our source: "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Romans 10:17).
 
Praise Jesus, praise His name. Amen.
 
In June 2010 I posted "Jesus’ Faith in Me", It seems to me that today I am saying the same thing with different words:
• Permalink https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2010/06/jesus-faith-in-me.html
 
Praise Jesus our lovely Master, Teacher and Friend.
 
Favourites
 
(John 14:1, Jesus’ words)
"Don't let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me".
 
(Philippians 1:6, Paul writing)
"[I am] confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in me will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ".
 
John Lake’s prayer:
"O God, our Father, let our lives be once and forever and for all be settled on the eternal rock, Christ Jesus, Lord God, where our lives shall stand".
 
Hallelujah. Amen.
 
Permalink to this post "Faith: Knowing God"
https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2026/01/faith-knowing-god.html

Forgiveness

Everyone knows trouble. For some, our trouble was brought by another person and the anguish and pain is with us still. It may seem impossible to forgive that person - don't they deserve a full punishment for what they have done? 

Jesus is here to help; He always wants the best for us (Matthew 7:11); He is the great reconciler and restorer (Colossians 1:19-20). I pray that my experience and testimony will help you, I bring understanding from my own healings, and from much study. Praise Jesus that the effects of unforgiveness are today being recognised among God's people.

For many years Galatians 5:1 has been a favourite Bible verse - I sought freedom and have found freedom, and peace, in Jesus, "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
 
When Jesus died and rose from the grave He defeated death and sin, humanity's two biggest problems since The Fall (Genesis 3). "For our sake [God] made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
 
Jesus is our shepherd and will guide us and care for us all the days of our life (John 10:11, 14:6). He has given us tools to help us. The Lord's Prayer is one such, a beloved and perhaps the most spoken prayer on Earth. (On Easter Sunday 2007, it is estimated that two billion people spoke this prayer).
 
"Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen".
(Luke 11:2-4 and Matthew 6:9-13, in words I learned as a child).
 
We see that Jesus links our being freed from our sins to our forgiving others and setting them free from their sins against us. This is a theme throughout the Bible.
 

"Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord" (Leviticus 19:18).

"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins" (Mark 11:25).
 
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32).
 
Healing Our Heart
 
To forgive someone who has hurt us may seem unfair and unreasonable, but with prayer and perseverance Jesus will bring us through, we will be released from our anger and pain. O, the relief, the healing of our heart!
 
Along the way we see the truth of what our friend Bev P. says: "Unforgiveness is like us drinking poison and hoping the other person will get sick". Often the person who hurt us is unaware of our pain, they carry on with life with no burden from their wrongdoing. 
 

Our emotions of resentment and anger, and our desire for revenge produce a bitterness in our heart, (medical people know this as a "toxic thought pattern"). Our Bible warns us about this: "See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no bitter root springs up and causes trouble, by it many are defiled" (Hebrews 12:15). Those emotions are "bad fruit" in our life, the opposite of the "fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22-23) which Jesus grows in us (Luke 11:13).
 
This is a spiritual problem which cripples us and has profound impact on our ability to help others.
 
Another thing. God is in charge of justice. "Do not seek revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord'" (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19).
 
It may be that the offending person is already remorseful; we humans learn to wear masks to cover our negative feelings. I have been amazed at the number of seemingly successful, outgoing, "comfortable" people who have confided in me their deep insecurities and profound feelings of guilt and shame. The repentance we hope to see may already be present. Our worry will not help us or them.
 
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:1-2). How many times did I read these words before they came alive in my heart? Prayer is needed before we can release everything to our Lord Jesus.
 
Christians remind one another: "Let go and let God"; our children love to recite a favourite memory verse: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6). I find these thoughts uplifting in times of difficulty. Paul calls on us to renew our minds (Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 2:16), this is a conscious process which bears precious fruit.
 
Here is a song which brings joy to my heart, especially when I am troubled:
 
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
 
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
 
Eight great verses! Joseph Scriven, 1855.
 
My Testimony
 
Twice I have had major healings through forgiveness, (and a thousand other healings too).
 
Arthritis: I was at work and reached out to answer the phone. A searing pain shot through my right shoulder, I was frozen, totally surprised. My boss sent me to see a doctor who said: "John, this is arthritis; often it will strike out of the blue like this. There have been big advances in treatment, and we will begin by trying this medication which helps many people like you". I was upset. "We will try?", I responded, "you are not sure what to prescribe?" The doctor explained that there was no way to determine the best medication for any arthritis patient, and no guarantee at all of success. Some people suffer terribly for life. Not encouraging news.
 
At the pharmacy I waited in line behind two women and could not help overhearing their conversation, (I totally believe that this scene was set by our mighty Lord Jesus). One woman said: "O, that Sonja, she still complains all the time. She has seen every doctor and they can't help her. I keep telling her: arthritis is a disease caused by unforgiveness. She just refuses to forgive that ex-husband of hers".
 
I had about 20 minutes to wait for my tablets and nothing to do but ponder those words. Unforgiveness? Arthritis? "Jesus, were those words for me?" The medication I was prescribed did no good at all, neither did the doctor's second "try".
 
My morning quiet times took on a whole new shape. I looked at my life: Who has hurt me? Who do I resent or hold in unforgiveness? Also, how do I forgive? Just saying the words will not be enough, God looks at our heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
 
This was a battle. When I thought I was done, Jesus would soon bring to mind another person or event to be forgiven: from my childhood, my teens, my 20s, from friends, family, even from myself. From betrayals, from mistakes and misunderstandings. Three times I thought I had completed this task.
 
Then the pain went away and I had full use of my shoulder once again, and still do to this day. Hallelujah. Thank you Jesus. This was big. I was still young, with a wife and six growing children. Jesus has faithfully kept me mobile all these years since.

Every Day: We Christians progress towards "unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God; until we become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13). But we still seem able to hurt one another and be hurt ourselves: in marriage, in family, and with others. Sometimes we may blame God for our pain or lack or trouble. We can cause or feel offence or pain. Happily, in Jesus forgiving is always possible. Trish and I have learned to repent often and forgive each other quickly (Ephesians 4:32). "Short accounts" are good. I often think of our marriage as a lovely long conversation.
 
Cancer: More recently I had a big fight with prostrate cancer. By the time they found the tumors they were well established. My doctors decided that radiation was the best treatment for me. I was told that there was hope for success but the risks were high; our prostrate is near several major body parts and the cancer can easily spread.
 
A prayer friend sent me some links from a Christian doctor who studied medical advances in the light of what God's Word says about health and healing. I watched the talks, downloaded the big PDF book and had it printed.

Jesus made it plain that I was to clear the "toxic thought patterns", (the "bitter roots" (Hebrews 12:15)), from my life; these included anger at the declining state of our culture and the world, and once again, unforgiveness, of myself and of others. A weeks-long prayer battle followed.

 
I re-learned to: ".. take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). I pondered what "every" means!
 
Once again I prayed and sought forgiveness for my own sins, prayed and forgave others, and myself. Once again this process needed to be repeated. It is very hard work. My knowledge of my dependence on Jesus became radiant. I sought to ensure that nothing would impede the flow of His grace to me.
 
I went through my treatment as one of a cohort, we were together every weekday for months. I was at peace and made a remarkable recovery. Most of the other men appeared to suffer more, in every way, as the radiation affected us; they seemed to feel a great weight as their days slowly passed. My days were filled with life and prayer, Jesus was manifestly with me, He kept my spirit, my soul and my body for me. At the same time I was able to do less around the house and apologised to Trish. "O John", she replied, "you are fine, you could be all grumpy and demanding but you are not, we can manage, it is ok". Bless her! Jesus was with us in every way.
 
Jesus Helps
 
Jesus is complete love, its source and its essence: "So we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them" (1 John 4:16). We know that Jesus is "always" here with us (Matthew 28:20).
 
My prayer for you: "Dear Lord Jesus, I pray that, by your Spirit, you encourage and help this person who is reading what we have written together, to let go of all those they hold in unforgiveness, even them self, and that he or she may find the peace, freedom and hope only you can bring". Amen.

 
Favourite Bible Verses 
 

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14:27, Jesus' words).
 
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).
 
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
 
Thank you Jesus my beloved friend (John 15:15).
 
Bless us all, come Lord Jesus. Amen.
 

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Amen.

My Prayer - April 2023

Dear Father and our Lord Jesus, I feel strongly to respond in prayer to you, after my friend shared his prayer of Godly commitment last Tuesday.

My heart knows that L's desire to give himself completely is wonderful. It is what you ask of us, and I remember it from reading Scripture, and about St Francis of Assisi and others. I thought that I could never be that wholehearted, but admired it in Francis, a hero of our faith.
 
When I hear teachings about Martha and Mary I can never see myself with Mary's degree of devotion. I am so aware of my, and Martha's, areas of responsibility and stewardship towards our families, friends and beyond, that I cannot conceive of turning aside from them and totally towards you. Instead I try to work a balance where I meet my "You are not your own", (1 Corinthians 6:19), devotion to you and your Kingdom, while also meeting my worldly obligations.
 
Such a balance is difficult and I have often shared about it with prayer friends without ever reaching clarity; I often feel overwhelmed with all that is before me day by day. Help me please Lord.
 
(Perhaps too there is something of the mystery I find in Acts 2:44-45 where the first Christians "had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need". I see no-one doing this in present decades [except for those in the Bruderhof and similar communities], and feel we are missing something big. I remember hearing about the Pilgrims who did live like this when they first arrived in America, they had no sickness until they started calling a parcel of land their own and claiming title to it. I believe that this is similar to the Exodus: while your people worshipped and followed you, you met all their needs day-to-day, their clothes did not wear out and there was no sickness among them. Again, my sense of responsibility does not allow me even to consider this course of action or suggest it to Trish).
 
Some may believe that we should all be fully and totally committed, full time, like St Francis, George Muller, John G Lake, and Mother Theresa, but I cannot see this. Scripture tells me that each of us is especially created, and that you want from us, each one, that which you ask of us, and our love. It seems to me that you give all grace for this. Some people are able to do lots, but I know that I can only do a little bit. It is good that I see this and do not fret. I thank you that I now see that "small is beautiful", and that many, many small things are happening in your Church near me. We are growing and I am truly encouraged.
 
I am delighted that you have taught me so much about obedience, and I do pray that you will continue to grow me in it. I often pray for others that you will help them to hear your voice so that they know Whom to follow and also may learn what, and Who, is truth (John 1:14); I pray the same for myself. Please Lord, be clear with me, speak to my spirit, reveal yourself more and more (Daniel  2:28; Amos 4:13). The New Testament shows that you have unique work for every Christian, (Ephesians 2:10), and I find great satisfaction in the ways you use me.

I truly want to thank you that you gave me a love for pondering things, and that you give me such great things to ponder. Your sending me to study theology at Tabor College when you did was just wonderful and has enabled my latter years to be filled with delight in you, your ways and your people. From this comes my understanding of your lead in my writing; now there are more than 150 pieces we have written together. I am thrilled that people still read the early work, not just the most recently posted. Thank you, I am so very grateful, this is the most satisfying work I have ever done.
 
You will remember how I love the hymn "Here I am, Lord"? Hundreds of times I have sung it to you from my heart. I remember too, though it has been many years, and I still feel the same. Here I am Lord, use me.
 
I know that I am free (Galatians 5:1), and blessed (Romans 5:2; Colossians 1:27), I am in your family (Philippians 2:15; 1 John 3:1), and stand in your flow of grace (Romans 5:2; 1 Peter 5:12). Thank you, I am ever so grateful.
 
Bless us all Lord. Again I pray: Come Lord Jesus .. Amen.

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Singularity - Infinity

Singularities And Infinity

I have run into a "science" word: "singularity", which is new to me and which may help shed light on the mysteries of our beginnings.

The clearest definitions I have found are these:
•  Singularity - an event without a beginning and therefore outside the laws of physics, chemistry and thermodynamics; a supernatural event.
•  Singularity - a geometric point with no dimensions where the laws of physics break down. It is a theoretical point of zero volume and infinite density.
•  Singularity - a point where all parallel lines meet.

Scientists tend to not like singularities because they cannot be explained. What they call the "Big Bang" is a singularity. Scientists talk as though the word, singularity, on its own, fills the gaps in their explanations of where the Universe and all life come from.

I'm glad science does recognise that there is a beginning, that there was something before time, matter, galaxies, supernovas, our Sun and our lovely "blue planet" came to be. A time before life and flowers, strawberries, dogs, eagles and us. Logic, (and our heart), tell us that these all had to come from somewhere, and must be for a purpose.

When I ponder "singularity" I see God. Singularities have to do with the infinite, so from that perspective must be theoretical. God is the only infinite thing we know. This may seem strange to say, because in the world of science the concept of infinity is often present. But things are not infinite, infinity is just a necessary theory and a part of mathematics. Even the smallest atomic particle can be measured so is not infinitely small. If we travel to the outer edge of the universe there will be a "last" or furthest galaxy, so not an infinite distance.

The early scientists were Christian. They saw their discoveries as showing the glory, creativity, order, and kindness of God in His provision for us, and they delighted to continue to learn more, and better understand their Creator.

Today many scientists try to persuade us that there is an impassable divide between faith and science, but this is not true. Scientists need faith too, to believe what they think they have found. We have faith because we are "certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1); we are assured that we "will see God" (Matthew 5:8).

God Is

All God's attributes are without end, without limit. Infinite:
•  His love is boundless, (happily, Christians know this to be true; even in trouble we know God's great love (John 16:33)).
•  His omnipotence is without limit, (though His power is always exactly what is needed).
•  Omniscience is what we call God's understanding of everything.
•  God will even forgive sins seventy times seven times and that is a Bible number without end, infinite.

We know our Father God to be real and present with influence, purpose and power, all of which come from His great and infinite love. God can set things "as far as the East is from the West" (Psalm 103:12), a distance which cannot be measured. Infinity?

Everything else is created.

Time began. We Christians know this as the "beginning" in our Bible (Genesis 1:1, and John 1:1). Time is not infinite, though eternity is. Eternity belongs to God. Every other use of "infinity" can only be symbolic, hypothetical or imaginary.

Science has never come close to explaining where all the Universe’s energy and its mass, (physical matter), came from; it has no reasonable, scientifically proven explanation at all for where life comes from. (Attempts to demonstrate the "origins of life" are seen as empty by serious molecular biologists (YouTube: "James Tour: The Mystery of the Origin of Life")). On top of all this lack, the much heralded "Scientific Method" rules out any possibility of there being a supernatural reality, a spiritual world, where miracles occur; (yet "supernatural" is included in definitions of "singularity"!)

Our Bibles tell us that ours is a world where, besides the Kingdom of God, there are "rulers, authorities, cosmic powers", and "spiritual forces" (Ephesians 6:12). Can you imagine living without the possibility of God and miracles in your life? In your family? In our world?

When we think of God as being infinite, beyond measure, then we can see that it would be no trouble for Him to create a big Universe, no more trouble than creating a small one, or just a "garden in Eden" .. (Genesis 2:15).

I know from Scripture, from hundreds, (probably thousands), of testimonies I have heard, from studying history, science and logic, and from many of my own experiences, that God can do anything; I can think of nothing that could limit Him from "creat[ing] the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1) in a heartbeat.

And all this Creation was put in place on God's spoken word. A one-time event, a singularity.

"God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:4; 10; 12; 18; 21; 25; 31).

(A pod of dolphins just swam by! So beautiful, so graceful. I am down South at our favourite camp-site, by the sea, working with my laptop. It is late afternoon, and campers are coming to walk, paddleboard, play in the sand or share a bottle of wine as the day ends and the sun sets. A hush fell over the people, we were all blessed by this lovely event, a dolphin family getting their dinner).

Let us remember that God also created the intangibles that are so vital to life: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). These "fruits of the Spirit" are known to every person who ever lived. Let us not forget that these words are God's, that it was God who brought these concepts, and their reality, to the Universe and to us.

The atheist world of accidental creation of life, and purposeless incremental development through countless generations of evolution and partial-development, (including much doomed-to-failure-partial-development), is claimed to have brought survival and breeding success of the fittest. There is no room there for empathy or compassion or loyalty or laughter, all gifts of God to us. Even whales, horses and baby lions love to play.

And how could gender form, you know, so that species could breed and reproduce themselves? How could that very complicated multi-faceted both-male-and-female process develop over countless accidental and purposeless generations? Now there is a question!

Mark Twain said: "there is something fascinating about science. One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such trifling investments of fact". Quoted by Michael Crichton in "State Of Fear", Harper Collins, 2004. Just as true today as in Mr. Twain's lifetime.

A New Heaven And A New Earth

And it will be just as easy for God to roll up the Universe, when He is ready, "like a garment" (Hebrews 1:12), and create the "new Heaven and the new Earth" (Revelation 21:1) that He already has planned. It does not sound as though it will take millions or billions of years for God to dismantle what He created, or to establish our new home; a heaven to last for eternity .. another singularity from infinity and for infinity.

Those "beginning" days of creation were unique, never to be repeated. The Bible tells the creation story, and it fits with what we see of the world. From the infinity of eternity, the infinite God created. As my lovely theology teacher often says, "it is all for His Son and for His glory!"

A singular "God" event, from love, for love, never to be repeated. Awesome!

Thank you Jesus.

Favourite Bible Verses

"And, 'You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands;  they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment,  like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end'" (Hebrews 1:10-12).

"O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens" (Psalm 8:1).

"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 13:4-8a).

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,  so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.  For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands" (Isaiah 55:10-12).

Amen.

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Praise Jesus.

Grace Upon Grace

"For from His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace" (John 1:16).

Our boys brought home a Christian rock CD by a young man called Reliant K; Reliant said "the great thing about grace is that it's not fair". This was years ago and I've never forgotten. "Not fair". We've been brought up to share our toys and to "play fair" with the other kids. This becomes part of who we are as adults and helps make the world a more civilized place. (It also partly accounts for why Western countries are so prosperous after many generations of spreading the wealth so that many of us are able to participate fully).

But God's grace comes to us as He wills, we cannot earn or lay claim to it.. and it is not fair, but also it is wonderful!

"God saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began" (2 Timothy 1:9).

Grace is the practical outpouring of God's love. Grace is favour, it is a gift from God which blesses and changes us.

"God is love" (1 John 4:16), love is the essence of who He is, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God lavishes grace upon humanity as an expression of His love and as a way to bring people into His embrace. This way each one of us can grow and be fulfilled according to His plan in the Creation and in His New Covenant.

By God's grace we find Jesus, (or Jesus reveals Himself to us), our sins are forgiven and we are adopted into God's family as His children. The whole of Creation was brought into being so that humankind would have a place to be. Humans are the only creatures to have a spirit; because of this Jesus can fill us by His Holy Spirit.

We were created, each and every human being, to be in relationship with God, to be spiritually alive, to be transformed by being eternally saved, and to grow in saintliness until "we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13). This Bible verse makes a very big statement, especially in the light of all the divisions in the world, and even within the Christian church. But its meaning is quite clear; this will come to pass, meanwhile "the body of Christ [the Church] [is being] built up .." (Ephesians 4:12)! Grace.

Grace is free, and it is entirely from God. We cannot earn or deserve or buy grace. God calls us. Jesus died to take away our sins and this work is His alone. Sin may seem an old-fashioned word, but its meaning has not changed. It includes all our wrong-doing, our mean-ness, lies, cheating, willfulness, crime, and going against God's will for us. A big subject.

Our confession and repentance for our sins is our response to Jesus' saving and sanctifying work. "By grace we have been saved" (Ephesians 2:5). At the same time, grace is costly, we give up our old life and work at growing in our relationship with Father God, (as a Christian I know I am constantly growing). We want to please and serve Him, to participate in Jesus' work on the earth.

There is a flow from God to us: God leads to relationship leads to faith leads to repentance leads to salvation leads to righteousness leads to freedom leads to love leads to obedience leads to service leads to peace. It is all given to us by grace " .. Freely you have received; freely give" (Matthew 10:8).

This is like Martin Luther's experience of agony for his sins and through that finding faith in Jesus and being born again. We simply need to meet Jesus and believe that His death on the Cross will set us free ..

Justification by grace alone is the sole foundation of Christian life (Romans 3:23-24). Only Jesus will give us the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

Although this is completely true, it is our necessary response to God’s grace that brings His love into the world. We become "salt" and "light" (Matthew 5:13-14) in the world, and serve all humanity (Matthew 5:16). We are actively part of God’s family (Galatians 4:7) and His Kingdom (Revelation 5:10). We separate our self from the world (2 Corinthians 6:14, also see James 4:4).

I'm very grateful that God is not fair with grace. I think I would have deserved to have been given very little grace, but have had lots, all my life, in many, many ways. Praise Jesus.

"Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:2).

"For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace" (Romans 6:14).

"Even when we were dead in our trespasses and sins, God made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians 2:5).

Encounters

In our Christian circles we talk about "divine encounters". These are the times when we meet with someone "by chance" and the meeting turns out to be really special and very helpful. Afterwards you realise that on your own you could not have expressed yourself anywhere near as well as you just did; it had to be Jesus in you who was bringing forward ideas and forming sentences (Colossians 1:27). Grace at work (2 Corinthians 9:8).

I'm at Trish and my favourite camp ground, by the sea in our Southwest, and yesterday, quite separately, I met two men for the first time. One became a born again Christian after his wife died many years ago. He has been increasingly disappointed at the way both the world and the Church are going. We talked for ages and I was able to share with him some very positive truths which never appear in the media. I'm sure that he walked away with a much lighter step than he had when he approached me. I know that meeting him was a blessing to me. A divine encounter? I believe so.

The other fellow has only just retired after working in Christian ministry for decades. He's now very keen to find what he will be doing for his remaining lifetime and getting started on it. I felt to share about taking time to think and pray .. it's been very precious to me to have lots of time, when I was unemployed, and now that I'm older, to have lovely long periods where I can think and then pray and think and pray some more; to really ponder and get to grips with what the Bible says and to hear what Jesus is now saying. Yes, and to take the time to smell the roses too! I see this as a huge outpouring of grace towards me .. We have just enough money to meet our needs (Luke 12:22-32), but I am rich in time and relationships. I keep my life simple and try to stay close to those who are near to me. I am never bored!

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).

Sea Scouts

When my dad took me along to Boy Scouts we didn't know that very soon that group would become Sea Scouts. I really thrived. Initially we had no "boat" stuff and started from scratch building our boat shed, pier and launching ramp, and a fleet of boats most of which had sails.

You can’t imagine the thrill it was for a ten- or twelve- year-old boy to be so engaged in such big, exciting learning projects. I spent one whole school holidays going there every day to fabricate rigging for the sailboats. I represented Wellington Province in both rowing and sailing. We also trekked in the mountains and did many camps. Often the food at camp was awful, when I complained to my Mum she began to teach me how to cook. I still love all these things and still love to cook for people. I learned other things like first aid and leadership, and patriotism and respect for our Queen and our government. What grace filled gifts these all are; if my father had got me into a different kind of activity none of this would have happened. But God knew. He guides our steps even when we are un-aware.

"A person's steps are directed by the Lord. How can anyone understand their own way?" (Proverbs 20:24).

Information Technology

Grace comes to all of us, but Christians know it with such gratitude because it is "by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).

Long before Jesus came to me I "fell" into a career in IT. This gave me many exciting and challenging projects, and it sustained me and my family for decades. It also enabled me to work here in Australia and in England and the United States. As a young man I was working for a firm who needed some accounting equipment; the most suitable machines came with new digital features. I was the odd-job person in the office so this was added to my work list. The equipment-supply people saw that I took to it like a duck to water and I flew through all their aptitude tests.

Not long after that I moved to the wild mining country in Australia's Northwest to work and save money for a world-wide back-packing trip. The mining company, who had a "recruit from within" policy, were looking to set up their first IT department and I was given one of the positions as trainee computer programmer. Computers in commercial businesses were still rare in those days so I was very blessed to have such an opportunity! Soon I showed that I had a real flair for designing and building computer systems to solve complex business problems. My end-users loved my systems because they did their job well, and were reliable, and were delivered on time. I loved my work! Grace. I didn't even know Jesus but He gave me something immensely precious and long lasting.

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8).

Drownings and Car Crashes

I've nearly drowned three times. It is true that your life flashes before your mind's eye as you come near to the end; I found it a peaceful experience, perhaps because my life has been full, rich and satisfying. Clearly, I survived these three events!

Two of those times I was trying to drag somebody out of the surf. I reached the point where I knew we were both lost and I went through the terrible thoughts that I would have to abandon my friend and try to save myself. Then my toes touched the sand and I found the energy to continue the struggle. Grace. At the last possible minute my lovely Jesus, who I did not know, rescued me. Twice. Years apart and in different countries. Grace.

The third near drowning happened when our son Tom and I were body surfing in some pretty good waves. We soon realised we were in a rip, we did not know where the rip would take us so began the struggle for the shore. Tom was still in his teens but he is tall and strong. Once again I thought I was finished but Tom's determination, size and strength got us out. I was Christian by this time and we stood on the beach, half crying and also yelling out praises to Jesus at the top of our voices, our Shield and our Rock! What grace! I have tears in my eyes as I share this ..

"But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head" (Psalm 3:3).

With all my crazy car crashes I've never been hurt or caused a death or injury. I've grown up a lot since those days and praise Jesus for His shielding hand. Grace abounding!

Until I was mature my health was very good; since then I've had some serious issues .. I've written at length about the many miracles I've seen in my health, and also about healings for many other people. Jesus heals, still, in our time. Such grace!

"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).

Jesus And Trish

It has been a study in the grace of God how I even got to know and love Him. I was offended by the Church when I was young so stopped having anything to do with church people; I had only ever attended church and had not become a believer, but church was so much a part of society then that this was a big step.

Later on, Jesus had to soften me up before I would be open to His approach. He gave Trish and me to each other. I love to recount how Trish and I met, how impossibly unlikely that meeting was, how un-alike we are, like chalk and cheese, yet we have six gorgeous grown children, also daughters-in-law and grandkids; there are now fifteen of us in our immediate family! In July we'll have been married 37 years. What a very long and lovely conversation Trish and I are enjoying. Why should I be given such a glorious gift? Why such favour towards me?

We met in New York when I was on holiday there; it seemed an extremely chance meeting but its impact is still being felt. Trish was a church-goer and went to Mass in Hoboken every Sunday evening. An amazing priest would give the sermons; he was on loan from the local diocese to the office of the Governor of New Jersey. As he spoke he would reflect Jesus' light on all the events and happenings in N.J. and even the U.S.A. and the world. I saw Jesus in a new way, in today's world. Trish and I were married, also in New Jersey, and soon after came to Western Australia where I had an apartment by the sea.

The beginning of our marriage was rocky for Trish and, after some struggles, a group of ladies from church took her to a prayer meeting .. it was there that she met Jesus and her life was changed. I became interested and went to many meetings with Trish and these other, very excited, Christians. About three years passed, then Jesus came and took me by the hand. Some years after that our marriage was in trouble, (most marriages encounter trouble at some point). This began to resolve when we asked Jesus to come and be the third strand in the rope of our union (Ecclesiastes 4:12). Now we are still happily bound together, Jesus, Trish and I, and still rejoicing in the joys, and prevailing over the troubles that come our way (2 Corinthians 6:4). Jesus has been going before us, all these years, pouring out His grace upon us and our marriage and our family.

"But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness'. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

It has been a surprise to me, how fruitful this writing-time has been, focusing on the grace of God. How widespread grace is in the world! While I've been thinking about specific times when grace flowed towards me, there is also common grace. In the very Creation, and every day, grace abounds towards all humanity. We don't just have a universe, but it is full of benefits and beauty. We have the seasons, flowers and animals, mountains and oceans, countless wonderful foods, babies and dogs and whales, and for most of us, the richness of being in families. Just the other day I was riding my bike round our neighbourhood, for exercise. The most brilliant sunset filled the sky. I saw cars pausing at intersections, then stopping. The peoples' faces were directed to the sky and filled with awe and delight at the glorious spectacle God was painting in our sky! Grace.

As for the Church, I'm certain that Jesus is not worried about its future and is working out His plan in His time:

".. I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Jesus' words: Matthew 16:18).

"So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace" (Romans 11:5).

My prayer for you:

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Favourite Bible Verses

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

".. to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,  which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight  making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ  as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth" (Ephesians 1:6-10). 

"Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost (completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He is always living to make petition to God and intercede with Him and intervene for them" (Hebrews 7:25 Amplified).

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things were created through him and for him.  And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.  For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,  and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross" (Colossians 1:15-20).

Amen.

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"Grace Upon Grace " is now a podcast on Spotify under PsalmsOfJohn

• Public link to podcast

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0W5PVEwdvXkgQXUG77KRSk

Praise Jesus.