Separate

Our God wants to have a people for Himself; He wants to share His and Jesus' glory (Matthew 16:27; John 1:14) and to have a bride for His son Jesus, a bride holy and pure, without "spot or wrinkle" (Ephesians 5:27; Philippians 2:15). 

Elohim God began "in the beginning" when Adam and Eve were made in their "image and likeness" (Genesis 1:26). We see something of God's glory here, in those early days. Adam and Eve will have known God as "Father", in the same intimate and loving way that Jesus does. They will have "known the Father's business" (John 15:15), and what was "good" and what was "evil" (Genesis 2:9); they worked with Father God during the day and walked and talked together in the beautiful and fruitful garden "in the cool of the evening" (Genesis 3:8).
 
Then came "the Fall" (Genesis 3:11), sin entered the world; "sin" is everything that does not please God. Sin causes separation between humankind and God, the opposite of God's loving desire.
 
Many generations after Adam and Eve, God chose Abraham and made covenant to form a people for Himself, the nation of Israel: "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, His treasured possession" (Deuteronomy 7:6).
 
God cares for "His treasured possession" to this day. We Christians are "chosen" (Ephesians 1:14) to be "different", "holy" (1 Peter 1:16), set apart for our God who calls on His people to look only to him: "I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy" (Leviticus 11:44).
 
Jesus calls to us: "'Come out from among them, and be separate', says the Lord. 'Touch no unclean thing. I will welcome you. I will be to you a Father. You will be to me sons and daughters', says the Lord of Hosts" (Isaiah 52:11; 2 Corinthians 6:17-18; Revelation 18:4).
 
I still ponder all this in relation to my life and my worldview; Jesus is growing me into the John He always planned that I would be. Jesus' work continues: "He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber or sleep" (Psalm 121:3).
 
In Old Testament times God saw that His people were being corrupted by their non-Jewish neighbours, (and even by their Kings and those in leadership over them). Do we see something of today in these prophetic Bible words from centuries ago? "Yet my people have forgotten me; they burn incense to worthless idols, which made them stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths. They made them walk in byways, on roads not built up" (Jeremiah 18:15-16). Do we give our time and money to what Father God would call "worthless idols", with what is popular or "trending"? I find myself avoiding more and more what our culture presents.
 
Jesus is front and centre of the whole Bible and is the "all" of God (Colossians 1:15-20). (Some say: "He is hidden in the Old Testament and revealed in the New", I found this to be true at Bible College where we were assigned psalms to present as pre-class devotions, I always found Jesus in the psalms I was allocated). It is clear that Father God wants us to look to Jesus in "all things" (Hebrews 12:1-2)). 

I have come to see that Jesus is now in a deep and eternal relationship with me, and through that He has brought me into His Father's family as a son, and into the constant care of His lovely Holy Spirit. My response is to love in return. "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind'" (Matthew 22:37).

I find that I do love our Father and Jesus and Holy Spirit, and also that Jesus is my focus; His humanity and the New Testament stories make Him so approachable. As I read my Bible I can see Him in my mind's eye (Luke 6:19). Now, through Holy Spirit's prophetic gifting, (1 Corinthians 14:1,3), I often see Him, feel His touch and hear His voice (2 Samuel 23:2). Jesus is my friend (John 15:15) and I know this to be true. Even as I write this I am singing "Jesus at the centre".. "Nothing in this world will do".. "Everything revolves around You", (Houghton, Massey, Ranney: 2014).
 
Jess Ray sings: "it may seem too good to be understood, but it's not too good to be true" - we hear her joy as she testifies to her certain knowledge of her relationship with our Saviour and Lord.
 
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians 2:4-5).
 
I see Jesus as front and centre of everything, the "fullness" of God (Ephesians 4:13; Colossians 1:19), and that "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ", (Ephesians 1:3), reveals Jesus endlessly (Matthew 3:17; John 14:6-7), as does Holy Spirit (John 16:14).
 
Jesus mediates a New Covenant for us, a covenant which gives us spiritual closeness to Father, Son and Spirit, a spiritual confidence (2 Corinthians 3:3-6; Ephesians 3:12; Philippians 1:6), an understanding that, although we live in "this present darkness" (Ephesians 6:12), Jesus is with us, we have spiritual authority and can know shalom, God's peace (John 14:27).
 
It may seem that the "powers" in the world, (Ephesians 6:12), are gaining more and more control and influence over us, our societies and our cultures, but we can choose to "abide" in Jesus (John 15:4), and live a "full" and "abundant" life (John 10:10); only Jesus offers this, "by His Spirit" (John 7:39).
 
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3) - note "every", a big word.
 
"You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:5).
 
When we think in terms of "Jesus", we recognise His desire for intimate relationship with us, each one, and that He has brought us into His "team", (more than simply His salvation and His protection). Jesus is risen; He rules and reigns from the throne room of God; He equips us and commands us to "do the works I have been doing" (John 14:12). This is "boots on the ground" living in faith; there is no guarantee of comfort or glory. We are His "friends" (John 15:15), and also His "servants" (Revelation 19:5): "Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve" (Matthew 20:28).
 
Paul reminds us: "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things" (Philippians 4:8), this verse is now on many hearts. See also Romans 13:14.

How Then Should We Live
(Also see post www.psalmsofjohn.com/2023/06/how-then-should-we-live.html)
 
"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).
 
As a Christian I have found a sense of being "foreign" to my old life, but with no desire to "fit back in" with the worldly culture I consciously left behind. This was hard, and still is; we lose friends, some enjoyable activities are now "out of bounds". Happily it is rewarding too, richly satisfying.
 
I have lived in four countries. The early days in each place were exciting and also difficult. Everything was so new, truly "foreign". I assimilated over time; I "fitted in" to the local way of things, and to their kind of "English"; (birth language to all of us but with different ways of speaking, a different idiom or vernacular). I am still "assimilating" into Jesus' "way" (Ephesians 4:13), praise the Lord.
 
"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household" (Ephesians 2:19).
 
"And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine" (Leviticus 20:26).
 
"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged" (Deuteronomy 31:8).
 
Testimony
I worked in an office where (I believe) I was the only Christian. I was blessed to be there, work was scarce and the money was good. Still, it was hard. Not only was I new, but I was "different"; I asked that people would stop using foul language in the office. Some became hostile; ridiculing or contemptuous. I was isolated and excluded from much of the comradery of the workplace.
 
Jesus found that work for me, it was not advertised. I was given some interesting and knotty problems to solve, one of which had defeated two programmers before me; my business users were overjoyed with my solution, they had been waiting more than a year.
 
By the time all my work there was finished I had found some welcome. I had opportunity to talk to some of my workmates who were experiencing deep personal troubles; they thanked me and said I was "wise and kind". This was Jesus work, He gave time for "divine encounters"; perhaps these ones saw something of Jesus' love and healing, and "Christ in me, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).
 
The job was timely, and the money was welcome for our family. But perhaps I was there for those struggling, so that Jesus could touch them? I survived having to "be separate”; I know that I grew from it; this was, and still is, precious. I was aware that Jesus was "always" with me (Deuteronomy 31:8; Isaiah 60:19-20; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5).

 
"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us" (2 Corinthians 5:20). 

Thank you, my lovely Lord and friend.

Rick Joyner wrote about a study which showed that about 65 percent of all Americans considered themselves to be born-again Christians, but only 3 percent had a Christian or biblical worldview; viewing the world as Christ does, knowing and adhering to His teachings. [Similar numbers appear in other studies]. These results show how poorly the church is accomplishing Jesus' Great Commission; we are commanded to "make disciples", not just converts, and to "teach them everything [Jesus] commanded us".
 
"Being a committed Christian, being baptized in the Spirit, involves a reorientation of life that is significantly different from the way the ordinary modern person thinks - it is a revolution in outlook on the world [our worldview]. We are able to explain the gospel message in a way that allows people to see how great the salvation is that is being offered, and how great a difference there is between living under the rule of Christ – life 'in the Spirit', and the rule of the world - life 'not in the Spirit'". (Discerning the Times, Part 53, 2009).

 
We are saved from sin and death by Jesus' great and sacrificial work; our salvation brought our "justification" (Romans 8:30), we have been given Jesus' "righteousness" (Romans 3:22), henceforth we are being "sanctified" (present tense continuous), being set apart, separated, for our Lord, (John 17:19). Our salvation is forever. (See Note 1).
 
Go
Jesus said: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
 
Later, Paul declared: "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).
 

Our God of all the Creation has plans for each one of us, His people, plans which will require our commitment and dedication. Let us ponder the words of the songs we sing to Him, and our heart and our life (1 Samuel 16:7; John 14:6).

 
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6).
 
"But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you" (John 14:26 Amplified).
 
"Be confident 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).
 
Jesus said "Come unto me" (Matthew 11:28).
 
My prayer, for all of us, Jesus’ people: "O Lord, you have brought so much to our lives (1 Corinthians 2:12). Go before us please, guide us into a greater commitment to you, your way (Acts 2:42-47), and your work (Philippians 2:13). Let it be clear, both in our selves and in our lives, that we are yours. Amen". 

Jesus' words, "A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35).

Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

Note 1. Our Salvation Is Irrevocable
Even now we can be diverted, as we were before Jesus got a-hold of us: "You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God?" (James 4:4). These are strong words, but they do not mean that we will lose our salvation if we slip and briefly befriend the world.
 
Once we are in our Father's heavenly family we are there forever. Sometimes we see people "fall away" who appeared to be fully part of Jesus "body"; this is a mystery and only Jesus knows. Jesus is "our redeemer" (Ephesians 1:7).

 

Our Bible is clear; once we are "saved" and "in" Jesus' Kingdom, vital aspects of who we are, are changed, renewed:

• Ezekiel 36:26 - He gives us a new heart and puts a new spirit in us; He will remove from us our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh.
• Romans 8:30 - Jesus' plans include our glorification.
• 1 Corinthians 6:19 - Our bodies are now temples of Jesus' Holy Spirit.
• 2 Corinthians 5:17 - We are a "new creation", the old has gone.

• 1 Peter 1:23 - We are made new, "born again".
• 1 Peter 2:5 - We are "living stones", a part of God's house.
• Titus 3:5 - He "saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit".

(Also see post www.psalmsofjohn.com/2011/02/lukewarm.html) 

 
Bless us all. Amen.

  

P.S. The photos for this post were taken on Trish and my winter-school-break holiday in the bush a couple of hours South from our house. Lovely, cold but beautiful. A true holiday, Jesus was with us :-)

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"Separate" is now a podcast in Spotify under PsalmsOfJohn

• Public link to podcast

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Amen.

Witnesses

"O give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name, make known His doings among the peoples!" (Psalm 105:1 - David's words). 

We are Jesus' witnesses; we walk in His footsteps. 

Whilst here on Earth, Jesus ministered, He suffered, died, rose and ascended to Heaven - He witnessed about our Father, about love, and about the Kingdom of God. He taught, He loved, He performed miracles. He said: "follow me".
 
At the end of Matthew's Gospel, Jesus gave us "The Great Commission", which is well known among Christians.
 
commission: (noun) the act of granting certain powers or the authority to carry out a task or duty; the authority so granted; the matter or task so authorized. (American Heritage Dictionary).
 
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20 - Jesus words).
 
Today we are Jesus followers, this commission is for us, each one, and for all Christians everywhere. I find this to be daunting but am encouraged by Paul’s words: "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers" (Ephesians 4:11). The broad scope of the Commission does not mean that I must be an evangelist and a missionary. Rather, I discern (after all my years following Jesus), that my rôle is to help to disciple Christians (of all spiritual ages), sharing and teaching something of the beauty, love and strength of the Lord which He has shown to me.
 
(Though sometimes Jesus does enable me as an evangelist, He prompts me for a particular person; we call this a "divine encounter").
 
I am a "what? why? where? when? how?" kind of person, a seeker after truth. It is natural for me to want to share what I have learned, and to help others to grow where I have struggled.
 
Testimony was, and is, a big help and a significant feature of my Christian walk. (Testimony is the active witness of what people have seen and heard). It was the testimony of excited Christians that carried me beyond simply knowing that "God is". Here He was, alive and vibrant, this Jesus, who I did not know, vitally active in lives near me.
 
In time, Trish and I also became "excited Christians". We too came to know Jesus and to know His love and His power (1 Corinthians 2:4). Now I find that, even in my small world, there are times where my telling about Jesus' miraculous, compassionate and loving work in me, or someone near me, has had a profound effect on others. 

Witnesses of His Majesty
 
While our children were still at school I had a long time unemployed and looking for work. It was a desperate time; I learned that a man who could not support his family lost something of his "man-ness", his sense of worth and of hope. We struggled financially. We learned what it is to be poor in an affluent society. All my training, skills and great work experiences seemed worthless. A desperate time.
 
(We now know that Jesus was always with us, He brought blessings as He invariably does. We never missed a meal or had a bill reach the "debt collector" stage. But during that season our family learned to stick together and to manage, even thrive, with what we had. We are still very close and know how to love and care for one another, a great blessing).
 
Then one morning, while Trish and I were having our quiet time with Jesus, I heard "Bible college" very clearly. I looked at Trish, she had not heard these words, maybe I was mistaken. "Father", I whispered, "I want a good job, what would I do at Bible college?" In my heart I was hoping He had made a mistake, why send me when so many people I knew would really make something of the opportunity? When I shared God's words with Trish she immediately became enthusiastic: "please don't be excited Trish", I said, "I have no desire to go, what I want is a job".
 
We agreed that we would research and see where that led. We reached a short-list of three colleges and went for interviews. One school stood out. Their motto was from 2 Peter 1:16: "Witnesses of His Majesty".
 
It was clear that I was not suited for "Ministry", "Mission", "Counseling", "Youth Ministry" or "Music". That left "Theology", (the study and understanding of God). I had done some teaching as a computer person, theology people tend to teach, so this sounded "possibly ok" to me.
 
Once I was enrolled, it became my desire that "the glorious Father, may give [me] the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that [I] may know him better" (Ephesians 1:17).
 
I now have a bachelor degree in Theology. Absolutely the correct choice, thank you Father! I discovered Jesus afresh, got to know my Abba Father and, like Jesus, my sonship (Matthew 17:5; John 17:22). I learned about God's faithfulness, (Church History 1), and something of how we humans function (Counseling 1 & 2), the whole-ness of the Scriptures (Old Testament, Exegesis, New Testament, Ministry of Holy Spirit). We learned to lead "Devotions", and so much more. I began to lose my anger and my fear. But mostly I grew in Jesus. My theology teacher and I became dear friends and deeply respect one another. Hallelujah!
 
I still remember the College motto: "Witnesses of His Majesty" and believe that this is the essence of what I learned (grew in?) there; to be so centred on Jesus that He has become a key part of me, and all my thinking and life and work. I love testimony, both hearing of others' experience of God's grace and miracle power, and being able to share my own testimonies. "Witnesses of His Majesty". Those years saw me "mushroom" in understanding, after years with seemingly little fruit.
 
I learned to see Jesus as the centre of everything (Colossians 1:16); this is how Father God sees Him; (so I am in good company). God became more personal to me, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; intimately, rather than as an idea I agreed with (so, not simply propositional). The truth of "in Jesus, in Father, in me" became rooted and still fills my life and my worldview, (see Note 1).
 
These truths are the essence of the New covenant. Under the Old Covenant, God chose Israel as His own special possession (Deuteronomy 7:6) but was still over-arching. People visited God at alters, and in His Temple at specially appointed times; only the priests got anywhere near Him. The written Law was rigid and overseen by the priests, scholars and other "special" people. The priests would deal with people's sins once a year; the people had to come to the temple and make the correct sacrifice.
 
Now, under the New Covenant, our sins are permanently covered, God "takes our sins away" (John 1:29) and will "remember them no more" (Hebrews 8:12, 10:16-17). The only sacrifice needed has been made, we need only to repent from our heart; Jesus shed His blood and gave His life to pay for our meanness, wrongdoing and sins, and fully redeem us (Luke 1:68; John 3:16).
 
Now we Christians are "the temple of the living God" (1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16). This is spiritual; our spirit and God's Holy Spirit are bonded together inside of us, every Christian; a mystery and a miracle. This can only be possible because Jesus has given us "His righteousness" (Micah 7:9; Romans 5:17), we are now "clothed with Christ" (Galatians 3:27).
 
God takes our history, no matter how broken or messy this may seem to us. He loves us and finds each one of us so beautiful that our Father in Heaven is preparing us to be His Son's bride, "without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless" (Ephesians 5:27).
 
Jesus' "Great Commission" is often a subject in our prayer meetings. We intercessors know that our availability and obedience to Jesus' calling is an important part of our "new life" in Him (Acts 5:20). But I am shy, not a mixer or networker, and am slow to make friends. Talking to strangers is scary for me, I often stumble over my words.
 
But I do love to disciple and to share about Jesus. I am so blessed with the Christian teaching, training and ministry I have received; many lovely, and loving, people have been patient with me, longsuffering even (Exodus 34:6). Their work has been rewarded in my spiritual growth (Colossians 1:9-10).
 
As I was reading my Bible, I saw many "witness" and "witnesses" verses. "Ah", I thought, "this word is my link, my connection, to Jesus' "Great Commission", I am truly a witness of Him, from my heart".
 
"Witness" is a word with an exact meaning: a witness tells what he or she has seen or heard, neither more nor less. Being a witness is serious. In a court of law, witnesses are sworn to tell "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth" so that justice may be served, to lie is a crime.
 
I love truth (John 1:14). I love to find out how things work, how they "are" in their essence. Perhaps this is why I love Christian testimony, people are so clear as they share what they have seen, heard or experienced as the Kingdom of God has come near to them (Matthew 4:17; Luke 10:9). I love too how the hearers are affected; they recognise that the testimony is true, for some this is the beginning of their "knowing" Jesus, His "salvation" (Luke 8:10), and his "life" (John 10:10). They can see that blessing and life can come to anyone through Jesus, the source and giver of life (1 Corinthians 8:6) and "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). 

Bible Witness Heroes
 
Throughout history our God has treasured His witnesses. Here are some of my heroes:
 
Abram/Abraham - I first met this great man of God when I was a new Christian, a friend gave me a book about him and he quickly became a hero to me. Abraham heard God speak to him and obeyed. He left his home and headed out to "a place I will show you" (Genesis 12:1). This would have been extraordinary, at that time, for a man in his social "landed" position.
 
Abraham's obedience was not perfect, his journey was long and his reward difficult to see, but his faith was steadfast. I find this so very encouraging, I well know that my obedience has not been perfect and my walk halting and slow. I too find our lovely God faithful in the progress of my life and in my troubles, and this causes my faith to grow.
 
God "appeared" to Abraham (Genesis 18:1-2); we learn from Scripture that he encountered the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ (John 8:56). Abraham rejoiced at his understanding that God's Saviour would come to all humankind. (We see the same eternal Jesus in John 1:1).
 
Abraham’s story witnesses to us today as it has throughout history: Jesus is real, He is the God of Heaven and Earth (Colossians 2:9) "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form .. He is the head over every power and authority". Jesus was and is and eternally will be.
 
Moses is another hero. He lived a small life and had simple communication skills, then God spoke to him: "Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say" (Exodus 4:12). Moses obeyed, he did speak, he helped our God change the world. Through the Bible and so many Bible stories Moses witnesses to us still.
 
Mary was unwavering in her love and devotion to both our Father in Heaven and to her Son, Jesus. Mary's prayer, known as "The Magnificat" (Luke 1:46-55), speaks to this and is known far beyond Christian circles. She endured humiliation by being unmarried while expecting her baby, and then knew devastation at Jesus' unjust condemnation and crucifixion. Another heroic witness.
 
New Testament - We also remember Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, then Paul, James, Peter, Jude and the author of Hebrews, whose witness fills the New Testament. 

And the hundreds of millions of Christians, not so different from you and me, who have shared about our lovely Lord Jesus, our faith, the Kingdom of God, and hope, love, forgiveness, healing, peace, and belonging, and who share the glory of our Father and His Saviour Son, Jesus Christ.
 
Heroes, yet simply servants; witnesses of His Majesty.
 
Praise Jesus for his ceaseless work among us all. Amen.
 
Note 1 - "In Jesus", "In Father" and "In Me" Bible References:

"On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me, and I am in you" (John 14:20).

See also: John 10:38, 14:17, 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 ...

Also see post "In"

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Or the "In" podcast on Spotify under PsalmsOfJohn

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Favourite "Witnesses" Bible Verses

 
"I have revealed and saved and proclaimed - I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses' declares the Lord, 'that I am God'" (Isaiah 43:12).
 
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14).
 
"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms" (Peter 4:10)
 
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9)
 
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10).
 
Amen.

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• Public link to "Witnesses" podcast

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Praise Jesus.

Constant Reminders

Constant Reminders - 154
 
An old wedding anniversary card, from Trish to me, was in some papers I was sorting through. I paused to read it - then again - what a lift to my spirits! Her love and memories of our shared life expressed so simply, so sincerely - Such a lovely surprise to be reminded like that. 

These days I am aware that our Abba Father God gives us constant reminders of His presence in, and impact on, our lives, and even on the whole world, and always with love. These reminders make such a difference when we are surrounded by difficulties and things-beyond-understanding, and also by many frightened people.
 
In the Old Testament God tells His story about the early days of humankind, and how He chose Israel for Himself, a tiny and seemingly insignificant country. Israel's early fathers were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Through these three God did many great exploits. Scripture is full of reminders of these patriarchs and events, and even today we still speak of them. Some friends were talking recently, we all shared our delight as together we recounted adventures from Ezekiel, Numbers, Chronicles and other Bible books we, (me certainly), do not often look at .. such exploits, such rescues, such Sovereign love and purpose from our Heavenly Father!
 
The telling about God's love continues right through the New Testament, with the coming of Jesus and Him gathering the first twelve of His people, (who would become more than a billion by our time). Then Jesus' unjust death on the Cross, His so-unexpected-and-amazing resurrection and then a wonderful time of spiritual growth with (almost) all of those twelve, then His ascension to be with Our Father in heaven. From all this came Pentecost and the Christian Church. Holy Spirit is poured out and fills God's people (Acts 4:31, 10:45). This continues even until today. We Christians have been brought into God's family as His sons and daughters.
 
We remind each other of all this great history, even as we share new "testimonies" (Luke 21:13; Acts 14:17; 1 Corinthians 1:6 4-9; Revelation 12:11), so that we can "encourage one another" (1 Thessalonians 5:11) to "persevere" (Ephesians 6:18), and "press on" (Philippians 3:12) in our "walk" (John 12:35; Ephesians 2:10) with Jesus. These are constant reminders for us.
 
Trouble abounds. Several in our family have recently recovered from Covid-19; the pandemic continues. Frankie's and Anlia's Ada was born during our first big lockdown and she is now two years old. It has been a long time. 

All over the world many are experiencing great fear. We are told that that mental health issues and suicides are at crisis levels in the Western countries. Sometimes I think that it is only we Christians who have any real hope today (Romans 5:3-5).
 
And we all know others who have terrible and painful troubles, we are reminded that trouble is one of life's certainties:
 
"Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward" (Job 5:7).
 
"Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away" (Psalm 90:10).
 
"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).
 
Most troubles come from people's sin, or are part of the legacy of the Fall when Adam and Eve sinned and chose to be independent from God, the same God who created them, gave them a fabulous place to live and fellowshipped with them in the “cool of the evening”. Adam and Eve chose to pursue their own destiny and seek their own glory. They were not only the first humans, they were also the first humanists. Since that day trouble abounds.
 
Other times our troubles come from God out of His love and concern for us; from His desire that we follow His way, and not the way of the Fall. One of the Bible's great calls to prayer, 2 Chronicles 7:14, is preceded by God telling us that our lawlessness will incur His just response .. God Himself will send us trouble to remind and encourage us to repent, to turn away from our sin, our willfulness, our disobedience and foolishness: (2 Chronicles 7:13) "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people .." (We note that God's call to us to pray comes after we repent and unite as one people under Him, the God of all Creation).
 

So we look to Jesus who constantly reminds us: through Scripture, through personal testimony, through song, and through the wonders and the beauty of His creation, that He is here .. and that He has indeed "overcome the world" (John 16:33); we only need "eyes to see" and "ears to hear", and the heart to follow (Acts 28:27; Matthew 6:21).
 
In Scripture we are often reminded of the Cross of Calvary and how Jesus has paid the price for all our sin, our wrongdoing, our meanness. All. This made available to us Jesus' righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30), even our full inheritance in Christ: "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross" (Colossians 1:19-20).
 
This cleansing, complete and universal among Christians, makes room in our hearts for love to flow into us, and out from us to our brothers and sisters in Jesus, and to our "neighbours", (Matthew 19:19), everywhere in the world: "And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:5-6).
 
These constant reminders are the substance of God's promise in Jesus: "and, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). Jesus is always with us.
 
When trouble comes, we remember that we are "in the boat" with Jesus and are able to see beyond "the storm" (Luke 8:22-25), to choose "faith" (Hebrews 11:1) and "fix our eyes on Jesus" (2 Corinthians 4:18).  
 

Our "eyes to see" affirm that Jesus is keeping our spirit safe and giving us His assurance that we are loved and have a glorious future. This is the same Jesus, the cause, the means, the purpose and the object of everything (Colossians 1:16).
 
"And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption" (1 Corinthians 1:30).
 
Favourite Bible Verses
 
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?" (Romans 8:35).
 
"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).
 
".. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).
 
Amen.
 

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Praise Jesus. Amen

Armour Of God: Breastplate Of Righteousness

From Father, Through Son, By Holy Spirit

Does everyone in the world want to be truly righteous? Or at least appear to be so? I think so. We see this in people in the news, in business, sport, entertainment .. everywhere. People want to be seen to be doing "right". There is a new thing: "virtue signaling", where people draw attention to the trendy thing that they are doing; that thing which makes them seem attractive and "valuable".

Testimony abounds that true righteousness is very hard to achieve. David from the Bible is still a big hero of God's people. Even though he was a man after God's own heart he is famous for the rotten things he did. Likewise with everyone in the Bible except Jesus. I am a fan of Queen Elizabeth, JFK, Edmund Hillary (first to climb Mt Everest), Paul Newman and many others. None of them were fully righteous in themselves, living their life on this earth.

Is it now harder to appear righteous? Does our being "jars of clay" (2 Corinthians 4:7) show up more clearly because of our powerful technologies?

If it is so hard for us to be righteous, how is that our Bible tells us to wear righteousness as a breastplate (Ephesians 6:18)? Clearly this impossible-to-acquire quality is to be part of our armour in the battles of life! (U.S. - "armor").

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).

There is suddenly much more talk about "this present darkness". We can see why God's Word advises us to protect ourselves, to wear the armour Jesus has provided, strong armour from head to toe (Ephesians 6:10-20).

"Put On The Breastplate Of Righteousness"

The breastplate is the second piece of armour listed (Ephesians 6:14). It will protect our upper body and all our vital organs. Our breastplate is made of righteousness. The very quality which is beyond our own ability to obtain is to be the essential protection for our heart?

Is there a secret here? A special way that we can gain righteousness and stay involved in life and in Jesus' work on the Earth (Mark 1:17; John 14:12)?

Yes! Ephesians 1:9-10 and 13-14 tell us about the ".. mystery of [God's] 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 .. you also were included in Christ when you heard the gospel of your salvation .. and are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit .."

"Jesus .. said, 'With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God'" (Mark 10:27).

"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God" (2 Corinthians 1:20).

Jesus

Jesus is eternally righteous, He is before time and will continue as the Creator and Saviour God for ever. He lived as one of us (which we so happily remember during our Christmas season) completely without sin. Yet our heavenly Father chose Him, the perfect man, to shed His blood and die for all our sins; yours and mine, King David's, Queen Elizabeth's, JFK's, Edmund Hillary's, Paul Newman's, all our sins. Jesus rose from death on the third day as part of God's plan (the prophets foretold this centuries previously); He rose as victory over sin and death, for all who believe (1 Timothy 4:10).

Jesus' righteousness is fundamental to the wellbeing of the entire Universe, and it flows to us, each one, when we believe. Faith comes from belief (Hebrews 11:1). Belief brings us to faith in Jesus as Saviour, then to repentance, and belief in Jesus as Lord. Our worldview is completely re-shaped by these beliefs, by this new-found faith. We are "born again" (1 Peter 1:3) and brought into God's family (Ephesians 1:5), as "a child of God", just as Jesus is (Romans 8:15)!

Christians recognise that Jesus' work on the cross and in His resurrection is a complete work. Jesus said "It is finished" (John 19:30). We can stand on His work and live free, as He intended (Galatians 5:1), free from the burdens of our sin, rebellion, our wrong-doing, our foolishness. Because of the promise of eternal life in Heaven with Jesus and our Father God we are also freed from the ever-so-human fear of death. Free!

Clothed

As we join with Jesus we are covered by Him: "for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Galatians 3:27). And this covering becomes our armour, He will protect us from head to toe and also equip us with His sword, the Word of God!

So can we be seen as righteous? Yes, but only through Jesus. God has heaped the cost all our sin onto Jesus who paid the full price that we were due to pay:
•  God will "forgive our iniquities" (Hebrews 8:12) when we confess and repent.
•  He has "cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross" (Colossians 2:14).
•  In God's love He has "kept me from the pit of destruction", He has put all my sins "behind His back" (Isaiah 38:17; Colossians 2:14).
•  "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12).
•  He "washes away our guilt" and "cleanses us from our sin" (Psalm 51:2; Isaiah 1:18; 1 John 1:9).
•  He "remembers our sins no more" (Isaiah 43:25; Jeremiah 31:34; Hebrews 8:12, 10:16-17).

"My sin — oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! 
My sin, not in part but the whole, 
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, 
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul".
(Song - "It Is Well With My Soul" - Horatio Spafford - 1873).

Long ago Matthew Henry taught about The Lord's Prayer: "We are taught to hate and dread sin while we hope for mercy, to distrust ourselves, to rely on the providence and grace of God to keep us from it, to be prepared to resist the tempter, and not to become tempters of others. Here is a promise, If you forgive, your heavenly Father will also forgive. We must forgive, as we hope to be forgiven. Those who desire to find mercy with God, must show mercy to their brethren. Christ came into the world as the great Peace-maker, not only to reconcile us to God, but one to another".

As much as we treasure God's forgiveness towards us, and we can have no righteousness without it, it is good to remember what The Lord's Prayer tells us; indeed it seems entirely conditional (Matthew 6:12). As we grow in forgiving others I believe that our compassion grows; (people who think little else of Jesus remember that He always had great compassion (Mark 6:34)); we become more Christlike (Ephesians 4:12-13).

This enables us to know a freedom found nowhere else; "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1).

Strange And Delightful

Many strange and delightful things happen to us Christians, things which we, on our own, could never accomplish. This is the spiritual world at work; the events are supernatural (beyond the natural and beyond what science can explain). This is all included in God's plan for the Universe, He wants humankind to be a part of His glory (1 Corinthians 2:7, Ephesians 1:14).

Our salvation is more than simply the forgiveness of our sins, we are brought into God's family (Galatians 6:10) and assured of life with Him for eternity (John 10:28). We become a "new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17), our "heart of stone" is replaced with a "new soft heart" (Ezekiel 36:26) and our potential for compassion grows (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

When the world looks at Christians they expect us to display righteousness; they fully expect us to be transparent, honest, loving and compassionate .. clean. They expect to see Jesus in us. Praise His name, He is the one who equips us and grows us to be like Himself (Ephesians 4:12-13). Jesus gives each one of us His righteousness (Philippians 3:9). He is the only one who can do this, and His is the only righteousness which is sufficient. This is what people see (John 7:38; Colossians 1:27).

Colin Meadows found this. There was something different about some fellow students at university; like them he encountered Jesus, became Christian, "as the central focus of my life", and, as a pastor, has blessed thousands for decades.

"These students I called religious; they had a different focus and purpose in life, compared to myself. I was attracted by their lifestyles and their views on many things, coupled with their genuine compassion for others. They explained to me that they were not religious but rather they were Christians. When I said that was the same thing, they had a different perspective. I began, in discussions with this group and others, to hear about a spiritual journey that was centred around a person called Jesus, and my interest was piqued. Over perhaps a year or maybe longer, I too moved into a faith relationship with Jesus Christ as the central focus of my life. I have been so blessed as I reflect now over the years of the impact of this journey, and am so glad I took this pathway". (Colin Meadows, "Lessons From The Middle East", p9-10, 2020).

It is one thing to simply read these very encouraging ideas, but quite another to appropriate them, to accept them into our heart, to know them on our inside so that the truths become foundational in our worldview and our life. It takes focus and work.

"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14).

Breastplate Of Righteousness

Our breastplate of righteousness is Jesus; it is Jesus who gives us our righteousness and it is Jesus who protects our heart. No wonder then that we love Him so. Not only are we dependent on Him but we can rely on His meeting us where we are, and then giving to us in ways quite beyond our deserving.

Our imputed righteousness lifts us up from being anxious, depressed or broken hearted:
•  We are encouraged and not disheartened.
•  We are no longer weighed down from past pains.
•  Bitterness, anger, mistakes, foolishness can all take their proper place in our past. Jesus has our past and gives us a future of bright hope (Jeremiah 29:11), and of life (John 10:10).

Remember, When God looks down from Heaven He sees you, His child, His beloved son or daughter. He sees you clean, righteous, radiant: "so that you may become blameless and pure, 'children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation'. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky" (Philippians 2:15).

Thank you Jesus.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (Matthew 5:6).

Favourite Scripture Verses

"This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe .." (Romans 3:22)

"God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, therefore you can look forward to sharing in God's glory. It's that simple. That is the substance of our Message" (Colossians 1:27 Message).

"For if we have been united with [Jesus] in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His.   For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin;  anyone who has died has been set free from sin.  Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.  For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him.  The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God" (Romans 6:5-10).

Amen.

After Note: The Full Armour of God: From Ephesians 6:10-18

• The belt of truth - Truth is Jesus - John 1:14

    See post https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2020/04/armour-of-god-truth.html

• The breastplate of righteousness - Jesus is our righteousness - 2 Corinthians 5:21

    See post https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2021/01/armour-of-god-breastplate-of.html

• Our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace - Jesus is the Gospel, this was a mystery until He gave us the Church - Ephesians 1:9

    See post https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2021/11/armour-of-god-shoes-of-good-news.html

• The shield of faith - Jesus is our shield - 1 Peter 1:5

    See post https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2020/03/armour-of-god-shield.html

• The helmet of salvation - Jesus protects our mind - 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV and Amplified

    See post https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2020/10/armour-of-god-helmet.html

• The sword of the Spirit - Jesus is our only weapon, the Word of God, invincible in spiritual battles - John 1:1 and 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

    See post https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2020/09/armour-of-god-sword.html

• And pray in the Spirit - continually, without ceasing - Romans 8:26 and 1 Thessalonians 5:17

    See post https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2015/11/in-their-image-prayer.html

Bless you Jesus. So lovely, so complete

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Blessings. Amen.

Grateful

Filled With Gratitude

"Rejoice always;

 pray without ceasing;

 in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus”

 (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Every day there comes a time when I'm filled with gratitude. Whatever sparks that moment I am reminded of this verse, and that makes me even more grateful because I'm also reminded of so many really cool things that our Abba Father and Jesus have done and are doing.  As a kid I knew an old lady who used to say "count your blessings"! I do .. I count my blessings ..

AND I'm very grateful that I live under the New Covenant and not the Old.

As New Covenant people we have blessings in abundance. Paul said that we live in the time of the "ministry of the Spirit" and the “ministry of righteousness" and that these bring glory (2 Corinthians 3:8). I know that I get great glimpses of the glory of our God (Romans 1:20; Hebrews 1:3)!

Many of the blessings we so easily take for granted were totally beyond the reach of Old Covenant people, even for the heroes of our faith like Abraham, Noah, Moses, David, Daniel, Ruth and Esther. We can see a fullness like that which was present after the Creation, then lacking after the Fall.

I’m so very grateful to know that I am part of God’s Creation.

As we get to know more about who God is, we can deduce that His purpose will always be “good” (Genesis 1:12), indeed, "very good" (Genesis 1:31). His purpose brought about the Creation where matter and life first came to be. Time and history began. God created over six days then rested. Almost all the creation came into being when God said "Let there be".

Once a vast and beautiful environment had been established, people were brought into being with the words: "Let us make humankind in our image, in our likeness" (Genesis 1:26). Humans were to be in family relationship with God, and to be fruitful and to rule and have dominion over all the creation; their work was to care for it, to be its stewards. God considered this to be "very good".

"Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath or spirit of life, and man became a living being" (Genesis 2:7 Amplified); here "living being" can be translated from the Hebrew as "speaking spirit"; we humans have language and can speak and we are spiritual.

Humankind are the ultimate created beings. We are not part of any other "kind", like monkeys, spiders or whales. Humans are unique in the universe because each of us is created in "the image and likeness" of God (Genesis 1:26). “God is spirit” (John 4:24). This tells us why, of all the creatures, we are the only spiritual beings.

(More than 80% of the world's 7.6 billion people believe that the spiritual world is real and that humans are spiritual beings).

Our spiritual life is the most important part of us. This explains why we are so creative and also so varied; we have free will just as God does, and, in part, we can see “the end from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:10). We can visualise things and then make them:

music, art, books, sticky date pudding, aircraft, puffer jackets, bridges, football .. No other creatures do any of these things ..

The Creation centres on family. Family takes the shape of the God-head:

•        Lord God, or Jehovah, or Adonai is Father.

•         The Son, Jesus, is Son.

•         Holy Spirit is the enabling power, the counselor and the helper in the Trinity (John 14:16).

They were and are eternally family, the original family. This is why family seems natural and desirable to us, and is the building block of every human culture in the whole world, and has been so throughout all of history.

We were designed to be in eternal, intimate and loving relationship with God; you just have to look at Adam and Eve, before the Fall, to see this. I can't figure out what they thought they would gain by eating that forbidden fruit!

I believe that this spiritual reality is little recognised, particularly in Western countries and in the Media. It seems that whenever we see Christians on TV panels, they, and those with them, talk entirely in physical or psychological terms, and never mention any spiritual truth .. Christianity is referred to as "a religion" which it is not! Jesus loves faith and strongly disapproves of religion; He spoke Isaiah's prophecy to the Pharisees of His day: "'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules'" (Matthew 15:8-9).

I’m so very grateful that Jesus brought the New Covenant.

Many generations after the Fall of Adam and Eve the world was in a terrible mess. Every human effort to overcome sin had failed. So God sent Jesus, as the only sinless human being. God had a plan, and through Jesus' perfect life, paid the price for all sin for all time. Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection redeemed humankind and defeated death and the power of sin (Romans 8:2).

With the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31, Luke 22:20) Jesus brought:

Light: "In him was life, and the life was the light of humankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:4-5).

Redemption: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit" (1 Peter 3:18)

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

Justification: "Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God" (Romans 5:9)

Peace with God: "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1)

Righteousness:  "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Relationship:  Because we are spiritual beings we are able to be in intimate relationship with God, who is spirit (John 4:24). Indeed we are in Him and He is in each one of us; Jesus said: "In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you" (John 14:20, see also John 14:16-17, John 15:4, John 17:20-21, Colossians 3:3).

"I am so very grateful that Jesus made me spiritually alive".

Donald Miller (2003. "Blue Like Jazz": Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson).

Donald Miller is of my children’s generation. He sees things clearly and is able to explain them. I borrowed this book so many times that I bought my own copy: He explains the faith position of Christians:  

"For me, the beginning of sharing my faith with people began by throwing out Christianity and embracing Christian spirituality, a non-political mysterious system that can be experienced but not explained".

And: "Christianity is a relationship with a living God who, as a man as well as God, can be experienced – this experiential life is modelled on marriage (or marriage on this heavenly relationship?) It is not an intellectual assent to a set of ideas; it is not propositional".

The Bible says we are "spirit, soul and body" (1 Thessalonians 5:23), with:

§         our spirit first, that is the part most intimately interfacing with Father, Son and Holy Spirit;

§         then our soul, which is our personality, our will and emotions, our consciousness, our "self";

§         then, least of all, our body, our physical being.

These three parts of us are inter-dependent:

§        we know that "the joy of the Lord" (spiritual) can be "our strength" (physical) (Nehemiah 8:10);

§         and that "laughter"(from our soul) can be a great "medicine"(physical);

§         my testimony is that Jesus (spiritual) took away fear from me (from my soul, my emotions).

§         And as a Christian I know that I am free from the curse of sin and alive with Christ: "even when we were dead in our trespasses, [God (spiritual)] made us alive together with Christ .. by grace you have been saved (all of our person)" (Ephesians 2:5).

§         And I am free: "For freedom Christ (spiritual) has set us free; stand firm (our soul) therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery (physical)" (Galatians 5:1).

These are spiritual truths .. take away the spiritual element of humanity and what have you got?

Fear, want, depression, anxiety, loss of identity .. all epidemic in our society,  and all are fueled by the media relentlessly bombarding us with "politically correct" propaganda. Political correctness is just another name for untruths, lies. Scripture calls these lies “strongholds” and tells us that Jesus can set us free from all strongholds.

"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine [spiritual] power to demolish strongholds.  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ"  (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NIV).

I’m grateful for all that happens when Jesus comes into our life.

At the time of our salvation several almost unbelievable things happen. Because you have repented of your sins and believed on the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. They are now so far removed that God can no longer see them. You are now redeemed, you have been bought back; someone else paid the price for all your wrongdoing!

Jesus immediately brings you to His Father God and says something like: "Abba Father, here is John, (for you He uses your name). Will you please adopt him, (or her), into our family and make him a son, (or her a daughter),, just as I am your Son?" Father God always says "Yes". I've heard a great many testimonies from Christians; everyone remembers the moment that these glorious changes took place.

We are "born again", born into the Kingdom of God: "for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God" (1 Peter 1:23).

We become a "new creation": "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

We are brought into Jesus' family and are one with Him "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,  for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Galatians 3:26-27).

We are made alive in our spirit: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit" (1 Peter 3:18).

We will have “rivers of living water flowing from our belly” (John 7:37-39, Psalm 46:4).

We become witnesses and ambassadors of Jesus and His gospel: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

We become a temple housing God Himself: "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).

We are able to pray in partnership with God: "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God" (Romans 8:26-27).

I’m so grateful that I know the grace which pours forth from Jesus.

"For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:16-17).

We get to "stand in the grace" which flows from Jesus (Romans 5:1-2)

The Bible talks about grace as though it has physical properties; I found this to be a strange notion until I began to see how Jesus' grace has a real impact on my life and our family life. I see it in other Christians too.

We can stand in this grace, just as we can stand in the flow of a river, with the water rushing past, pushing against our legs, constant:

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in [certain] hope of the glory of God"  (Romans 5:1-2).

I’m so grateful to have received spiritual gifts.

Paul prays that we may be transformed in our very selves:

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know

[1]  the hope to which he has called you,

[2]  the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and

[3]  his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 1:20).

I went to Scripture Union Masterclass which was great. It was intended for senior High School kids. Some of my readers are young people so I was able to attend. The MC spoke of his theology teacher who said that:

God is very big; so big that we can never know Him fully, probably not even very well .. but we can know Him truly !!  How very profound .. our God is personal!!

We see movies where the hero (or heroine) gets special powers and is able to perform amazing supernatural feats. Of course, this is all imaginary and nobody takes it seriously .. right ??

Well, we can take it seriously because Paul's prayer is answered when we are "baptised in the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 3:11)

We receive spiritual gifts of extraordinary and supernatural power.

Here is a summary of Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4: 

§         "There are different kinds of gifts, of service, of working, but it is the same Spirit in all of them, and in everyone, it is the same God at work, and for the common good.

§         There are gifts of wisdom, of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, helps, leadership, evangelism, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues and ministry and teaching.

§         All these are the work of one and the same Holy Spirit, and He distributes them to each [Christian], just as He determines".

These gifts can be seen in the Christian church today. I have been involved in hundreds of workings of spiritual gifts and witnessed many hundreds more. 

Trish and I went to a school of the prophetic and learned to hear what God is saying and see what He is doing .. and how to share these things .. what a great blessing this has been. We have also attended schools on healing and prayer with some outstanding results .. we see miracles!

This is supernatural power from God. The New Covenant has transformed how humanity may live on this beautiful planet.

God is love.

We know that God is love (1 John 4:16). How much is He demonstrating His love for us in His care and anointing towards us? And we also know that: "[we can be] confident 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)

I thank Jesus for including me in His life and work in these days.

Yes, I have so very much to be grateful for .. Thank you Jesus ..

Amen.

Note:
CNBC says that "Studies show that taking the time to be thankful and appreciative for things you have received, tangible or intangible, makes you feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improves your health, helps you deal with adversity and builds strong relationships".

Praise Jesus.

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Amen.