Renovations

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Jesus Has Our Back

Most of this year we've been renovating our house, we're nearly finished now and just tidying up the last few hundred details. We did five rooms this time, our bedroom and ensuite bathroom, the living room, and the kitchen and laundry.

It's been really exciting, but also very hard work for me as I've been the key player while Trish continues to teach. She and I made the big decisions together, then I did the detailed planning and much of the shopping, also the project management and much of the work. I got really, really stressed! So many balls had to be gotten into the air, then kept there! Too often I worked a 12 or 14 hour day (and I turned 74 right in the middle of it all).

Throughout I've been so aware: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1).

We went for a Mexican hacienda look, (I'm told that it's really called "Santa Fe"). We found these lovely terra-cotta-like ceramic floor tiles, with just the slightest red blush; they are now laid in our bedroom and right through the living room too, we're delighted; when friends or family see them for the first time they all smile and say: "O, yes". Ceilings are white and the walls slightly off-white. We now have wooden venetian blinds, lots of timber, blues and greens, dozens of plants, even bamboos, and all our many paintings, photos and books.

It's those many times when I've come completely to the end of my rope that I want to share about here. Jesus had my back the whole time; when my hands became so tired that I couldn't grip things properly I would become aware that He had changed some aspect of the task and it was now easier. Or a simple, clear idea would come into my mind, right out of left field, and an impossible or very worrying problem would suddenly have a solution.

We wanted to be able to completely empty rooms as we progressed. I thought we could put the furniture and all the other stuff out on the patio and cover it with tarpaulins, but concluded that there would be weather damage no matter how careful we were, (it was coming up to mid-winter here). There is a storage facility near our house but this would be expensive and we would have to rent trucks to carry everything back and forth and would need heaps of man-power. A few days before we were to start work I was doing our laundry when the word "container" popped into my head. Within hours our Shire engineer gave me copies of the local laws about using sea containers for domestic building projects; then after a quick search I found Huska, on the other side of the country, who for a modest cost arranged for a 20 foot (6 metre) container to be dropped (gently) onto our driveway in two days time. I mention Huska by name, not only was his quote the best, he responded instantly to all my requests and was just the greatest guy to work with. So lovely. The container was weather-proof, clean, very secure, a perfect size, right where it was needed, just in time! This was Jesus speaking a word, by His Spirit, into my worried heart and solving such a big problem! A miracle. Many times I felt that Jesus helped in my Internet searches, I found such great suppliers!

God does speak to His people, "To .. another is given a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:8), after all, we have been brought into His family as His children (John 1:12, Romans 8:14) and our loving, generous Father knows everything and wants to help and to participate in our lives!

Trish and I have six grown children and were delighted and grateful that they helped us so much, but their availability did not always match our needs, particularly on weekdays. So we were more than blessed to have some men along from a half-way house our church has set up. These guys are amazing, they are all in recovery from drugs or alcohol and some quite recently in from "the life", mostly they have workmanlike skills, they are very keen and worked for a modest hourly rate, cash, and were very thankful to be given the work (partly, I think, because time can pass slowly in the half-way-house when there are no planned activities or teaching). They were such a God-send when we were humping furniture, getting wall after wall of so-very-stuck-on wallpaper off, and prepping for the painting! We fed these guys like princes and gave them the very best coffee. There was a real sense that Jesus was there with us, and not just in our conversations and singing; everyone was being blessed by this shared work.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord .." (Colossians 3:23).

"God .. will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people .." (Hebrews 6:10).

Tradesmen we had built relationships with over many years were unavailable for different reasons. I found this pretty scary; you hear stories of people being stranded with a job half done or getting poor quality work or even being ripped off financially by trades people they don't know well. Once again Jesus went before us. The people who were recommended to us were all available when we were ready for them, they were sweet people and straight shooters who did truly excellent work at reasonable prices. Our house shines ..

We are told that the Bible is the "living word" of God (1 Peter 1:23). This huge project is another demonstration of the truth of this: Jesus' nearness and guidance and influence and His light make a massive difference in all the every-day workings of our lives!

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life'" (John 8:12), my experiences over many years testify to the truth of these words.

Trish and I are as different as chalk and cheese yet we worked hard together for months, planning and making dozens and dozens of decisions. It's been wonderfully peaceful! These renovations have been a long time coming and it is such a joy for me to know that she will have a lovely, (and solid), house to live in after I'm gone home to be with Jesus.

"The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore" (Psalm 121:8).

So, thank you Jesus, and Father, and Holy Spirit, and family, and brothers and sisters, for all your help.

Hallelujah!

Favourite Bible Verses

"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together" (Colossians 1:15-17).

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:3-4).

"But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code" (Romans 7:6).

"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10).

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

"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies" (Proverbs 31:10).

"Enjoy life with the wife you love each and every day of your precarious life. Each day is God's gift" (Ecclesiastes 9:9).

Yes! Amen.

• Permalink to web page

https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2016/09/renovations.html

"Renovations [Jesus goes before]" is now a podcast on Spotify under PsalmsOfJohn

• Public link to podcast

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1ur3YsSkSnmICI8W2jmCxo

Praise Jesus. Amen.

Father Heart of God: 4

I taught "God’s Father Heart " over six sessions, then posted my (abbreviated and cryptic) teaching notes to Psalms Of John. Now I am revising these posts so they will be more clear to read. Jesus came to show us His Father, to heal us and set us free. Bless us all – February 2026.

Part 1: Big Questions/Big Ideas

Part 2: Relationships

Part 3: Beliefs and Strongholds - Consequential Beliefs

Part 4: Unworthy, Yet Adopted - (I’m So Rotten)

Part 5: Faith And Intimacy

Part 6: God Is Love

Jesus' Family and Ancestry

How is Jesus introduced in the Bible? The Old Testament closes with the prophets who are trying, unsuccessfully, to get Israel to have a change of heart towards the God who had brought them so far. Israel knew themselves as God’s chosen people yet they were wretched and scattered far from their own lands. They were waiting on the promise that the Messiah would come: "But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings; and you shall go forth, and gambol as calves of the stall" (Malachi 4:2). 

There followed the Inter-Testament period of 400 years of silence; waiting for Messiah. Silence from God for 400 years! Then the New Testament begins with the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew (called "an Evangelist") was an Israelite, a Jew, and wrote for his own people.

When meeting someone, Jewish people want to know: "who is your father?" 

How does this Gospel, (and the whole New Testament), begin? 

"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren" (Matthew 1:1-2

 . 

It begins with "begats", (like the Book of Numbers).

Jesus’ Ancestors:

Abraham repeatedly lied to protect himself. He betrayed his wife three times, and made her servant pregnant to "help" God multiply his seed like the "sands of the seashore".

Isaac's older half-brother Ishmael was sent into the desert to die.

Jacob stole his brother's birthright. He lied and betrayed to "succeed".

Judah slept with his daughter-in-law thinking her a prostitute. He learned who she was, and that she was pregnant with twins, and tried to kill her.

Rahab was a spy and a prostitute; treacherous, with a dollar each way on the outcome of the war. (Rahab became Boaz' grandmother).

Boaz was disloyal to his people, selfish. He married Ruth, an immigrant girl from the hated Moabite country. (Later David was under dire threat and he was given sanctuary in Moab).

David was a man "after God’s own heart". Even so he was adulterous with Bathsheba who became pregnant with Solomon, then he murdered Bathsheba’s husband Uriah to cover the adultery, and married her.

Solomon was wise, rich and successful? The son of the adultery of David and Bathsheba. He married Pharaoh’s daughter and other foreign women, women from enemy countries: Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites who "turned away his heart". Insecure? Selfish? Promiscuous?

Manasseh was a prodigal son, but also an occultist and a murderer.

Joseph was a lowly carpenter. He found that Mary was pregnant but not by him. He planned to divorce her, but heard directly from God so took her to Nazareth where Jesus was born in poverty in a manger, an animal stall. (John 1:46) "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?"

But you, today, how would you feel if a family with this kind of history moved in next door?

Was your own family so bad that it’s impossible for God to see you as lovely? No.

Jesus says: "Honour your father and mother" (Exodus 20:12). A command with a promise! Do I honour my parents? Do you?

O To Have A Perfect Dad

If we were offered a second life on earth, and were to be given the father of our greatest desires, what qualities would we request? 

A kind and generous father perhaps, one who loves our mother, a story teller, hard working, a good provider, prayerful, honest, strong, sporty, a protector, well regarded, not religious but a true follower of Jesus, a solid family man - what would you ask for?

Jesus found only wonderful qualities in His Father – now He’s our Father!

Our own earthly life may have been difficult – painful – with much darkness. But our heavenly Father is still with us, illuminated by Jesus, the light of the world. 

Father God is not only powerful and purposeful. He is relational, and he is with us: "Behold, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). 

His desire is to be Abba Daddy to each one of us. 

Jesus' story shows Him to be very close to His Father, and Father God was always close to Jesus. The N.T. books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Acts, and the Epistles are exciting true adventure stories. Drama. The Kingdom of God breaking in on the world.

Jesus died to bring us to Father. Now His Dad is our Dad. Eternally. Forever.

Problems On Earth

Even in times of war we see people who seem to rise above their circumstances: in the Nazi Concentration Camps, Christians in Arché province in Indonesia, the persecuted Christians of Somalia, India and so many places, Christians in jail in China. These people cleave to Father God and to our Saviour, Jesus. 

They are our brothers and sisters. We are all in the same family (1 Peter 2:17). God is always with us all; but there is no promise of a bed of roses. We always need our Father and our Saviour Lord.

Do you have problems?

• Satan loves to give us problems – he is the great deceiver – he lies, destroys and kills (John 10:10a).

• God will help us see a stronghold or problem, then will bring truth and a solution. Thus He is able to bring good out of what was intended for bad: "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

• Jesus brings light from darkness. Jesus is light (John 1:4-5).

Righteousness And Forgiveness For Christians

We are fully righteous in Christ. God will always forgive. Whatever our sin, we are invited to repent. Father God will always respond with forgiveness. Always (Ephesians 1:7). So lovely! 

Old Covenant – offered only temporary and partial forgiveness:

"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon" (Isaiah 55:7). 

New Covenant– immediate, complete and eternal forgiveness:

"For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes" (Romans 10:4).

"For Him who knew no sin He made to be sin on our behalf; so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (2Corinthians 5:21).

We are righteous in Christ. God brings solutions. Father God will always be on our side.

Jesus' Delight In His Fear Of The Lord

Jesus loves his Father. We see this throughout the Scriptures and in everything he did. 

Isaiah wrote about Jesus: "The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord - and he will delight in the fear of the Lord" (Isaiah 11:2-3).

Jesus considered that being God's Son was something more precious and majestic than anything else imaginable. Glorious. He lived for His Sonship; He died for it. And He rose to take His place in all of Creation and all of history to fulfill it. His "fear of the Lord" revered and honoured God’s moral authority, His perfect love and perfect judgement.

"Moses said to the people, 'Don't be afraid, for God has come to test you, and that his fear may be before you, that you won't sin'" (Exodus 20:20).

"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth" (Psalm 46:10).

Jesus' holy fear of the Lord motivated Him to rescue humanity as royal sons and daughters, set over the entire created order:

"Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ . . The creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to corruption and decay, and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God" (Romans 8:17,21).

Adopted

I used to see life as chaotic ... as though God had taken His hands off the world's controls for the Twentieth Century.

Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) saw life as: "then comes the day of the Laodiceans, when you know you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, and with the visage of a gruesome, grieving ghost you go shuddering through nightmare life". 

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life" (Proverbs 13:12).

If we turn and seek our eternal Father He will surely come: "I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me" (Proverbs 8:17).

"... even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love  he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will" (Ephesians 1:4-5). 

"You shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13).

Father God fulfils His greatest wish for us; He makes us His child, alongside His beloved Jesus. Jesus' sonship was His greatest treasure during His time on Earth. Jesus was ever aware that He is Father God's Son, beloved, precious, eternal. Even when He was taking on all the sin of the whole world, Jesus clung to his sonship. 

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning? My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don't answer; in the night season, and am not silent" (Psalm 22:1-2). 

Yet He still clung to His Father; He had "the faith of God" (Mark 11:22): "But you are holy, you who inhabit the praises of Israel" (Psalm 22:3). 

He vowed to continue to give glory to his Father: "I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the assembly, I will praise you" (Psalm 22:22).

Yes, Father God did choose me (Ephesians 1:11); I am an adopted child of God!

Cleave To Father God, through Jesus, By Holy Spirit

Encouragement for our lives, each one of us:

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us. For the creation waits with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed" (Romans 8:14-19).

Hallelujah! Thank you Jesus.

Amen.

• Permalink to web page

https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2011/08/father-heart-of-god-4.html

"Father Heart Of God: 1 of 2" is now a podcast on Spotify under PsalmsOfJohn

• Public link to podcast

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2GhGdSKu4XKfmc652hgo9J

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1coFc3RgOhdtb6WtCczE9m

Praise Jesus.