It's Hard Being Christian

Shoulder Rotator Cuff Tear

My left shoulder has been troubling me for most of the year. This escalated when a tendon tore badly as I was loading bikes onto the rack on Tricia's car. I now see that it's hard being Christian when you are in pain and your physical abilities are constrained, and you can't get enough good sleep.

It feels as though the steepness of the "hill of life" has increased, and troubles seem harder to deal with. It is definitely harder to stay cheerful and positive, and to be conscious that I am always with Jesus, and always being cared for and favoured by Him.

But there are plenty of good and lovely things which bring encouragement. Our second son, Daniel, (now Frank, a family name), married Anlia, a radiographer; she operates an MRI machine. She arranged for me to have a shoulder ultrasound scan which would be supervised and reported by the really gun doctor at their practice. He told me "your shoulder is a mess, it has done an awful lot of work; one tendon is broken and another is hanging by a thread".

Then Merci, wife of our fourth son, Peter, stepped in. She's a 

physiotherapist. After reading the report she said: "Wow, it really is a mess. But the damage is mostly to your tendons and we can do good things for that! With correct exercise the muscles which are now weak will become strong and your posture will get better. Together these two changes will improve the mechanics of all your arm movements. You'll be operating more as God intended when He designed and made you; things will be much better".

Well, it took some months but we are now at that point; things are much better; I know I'm stronger, and there is now less pain, (but still enough to be a constant reminder and a bother). I still get less done in a day and do not sleep very well; the pain increases when I lie down (nobody can tell me why this is so), and I keep waking up, so do not get those long periods of deep sleep that we need for our body to repair itself.

I find that it is much harder to stay close to Jesus. This makes no sense .. I have so many great testimonies of how He helped me get beyond serious relational problems, and cancers and heart disease and diabetes and even the scourge of envy when my (until then exciting) career fell apart. I remind myself that I know the truth, and that I have seen many lives radically changed by our lovely Lord .. Despite all this it is hard to stay close ..

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak" (Isaiah 40:28-29).

There are so very many places in Scripture where we see Jesus as the most peaceful, kind, gentle and loving guy. (There are also places where He is angry or tough because He is just and He hates injustice). In my heart of hearts I know that if I could just stay snuggled up with Jesus everything would seem easier and my outlook would be brighter.

It's a bit like Martha and Mary in the Bible. Mary wanted to hang out with Jesus and worship Him, and learn about the Kingdom of God; Martha saw all these hospitality and household things that needed doing and pressed into them (Luke 10:40-42). Sure, everybody got fed and had a bed to sleep in, but Jesus is the "bread of life" (John 6:35) and the "light of humankind" (John 1:4) and He helps us with our burdens (Matthew 11:29-30); this is what Mary was seeking. Jesus has promised to meet our needs (Luke 12). Does this mean we'll experience miracles (Matthew 14:20) if we all pour ourselves out to Him? Sometimes "yes", right? But mostly we seem to need to look after the infrastructure and the fabric of our lives or they will quickly unravel .. I've always felt a strong kinship with Martha while admiring Mary's gift for being able to spend those many hours close to Jesus. 

But these days I feel a lot like Martha. At the same time I'm very grateful for the whole-weeks-at-a-time I'm able to head South to the camp by the sea and write. I love Trish and our family very much but those weeks with Jesus are a treasure .. my Mary time .. At home I get caught up in the day-to-day house-husband and Dad  things .. like Martha.

Now, with my shoulder, I find that:

•  I don’t read my Bible as much as I feel I should

•  My prayer life is smaller and with little vision, I'm easily distracted

•  I don’t seek Jesus, or my heavenly Father, enough, I don't hang out as much

•  I feel that I'm not as compassionate or empathetic and am more inward looking

•  It's really hard to help others because I'm tired and less motivated

•  I try to be generous but .. surely ..

•  I'm naturally shy and not good at conversation or “fellowship”.

"I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven" (Psalm 123:1). Israel would sing "psalms of ascent" when they were walking up the steps to the temple; we know that we are in a better (and higher) place when we are consciously in the presence of God. I know this truth and have affirmed it countless times .. why do I now allow the pain and tiredness to get in the way? Jesus is always with us (Matthew 28:20); I just have to acknowledge this truth.

But it's not all darkness; several times each day I'm encouraged .. Jesus is such a good friend (John 15:15), such a good big brother (Romans 8:15) that even when we wallow in our difficulties He will help by moving things along.

"God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1).

Hallelujah! Recent Encouragements:

Family

Our Peter and Merci have been exploring the idea of living and working in New York City. Well, Peter now has a job with a big and prestigious advertising agency in their head office on Sixth Avenue. The couple have a tiny apartment in Chinatown, a delightful part of Manhattan, and they are loving it there. While Peter and Merci waited for their visas to be approved they agreed to come and have dinner with Trish and I one night each week. Our family often get together, even so, we thought this may be a bit over-the-top, but it turned out to be a really special season. I cooked something special each time. So for several weeks we were saturated with family .. It was an outstanding time in our lives. So much love. Many of us spontaneously thanked our heavenly Father for giving us each other. Love, laughter, delightful conversation and wonderful food filled our house. Thank you Jesus for your lovely participation in our lives.

Christian Unity

In Australia we are having a plebiscite, a national survey which will indicate to Government what the people want. The issue is same sex marriage. The Christian churches have really come together to argue and fight for our corner, for God's biblical view on this issue. Over recent years I've been excited about the increasing Christian desire for unity which is reflected in the increase in opportunities to do things together, outside the four walls of our church buildings. But now, during this campaign, our unity has taken on a brilliant new glow. It's really exciting. I have a number of other big projects on-the-go and am often tired, yet I'm motivated to join some of the campaign activities. Jesus' life in His people is amazing and encouraging.

Adventure and Growth

Trish went on a 74 kilometre (46 mile) bush walk with the Bible Society as a fundraiser for Chaplains. We have an internationally famous walk here called the Bibbulmun Track (1003 km or 623 mi), and her team walked part of that. I'm notably older than Trish and we have been walking (still together but) different distances for a year or two. But this was something new, her heading off with others to be truly challenged. (Also it is something I used to do before we met). I stayed home and worked on PsalmsOfJohn.com while she walked. It's spring time so there is an explosion of life in Western Australia. Those days she walked were stormy with strong winds and lots of rain. I was praying that none of the wet fronts would occur exactly where Trish and her colleagues were and that they would stay relatively dry. There is no phone coverage in that part of the bush so I heard nothing; when she got home Trish said that they had only got really wet once, at the end of a day when they would be sleeping in a shelter rather than in tents; answered prayer? Jesus is the great creator (John 1:3) and delights in bringing us into greater light (John 1:4). 

Although I don't feel as healthy and robust as I have been, it is lovely to know that Jesus has not forgotten me. Indeed He never forgets any of us once our name is in His book of life (Revelation 3:5)!

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,  as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

".. we do not lose heart ..". Thank you Jesus!

Favourite Bible Verses

"But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.  For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:8-9). 

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope" (Romans 5:3-4).

"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" (Hebrews 12:1).

"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).

"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among humankind by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.  Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits" (Psalm 103:1-2).

"Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, who else can we go to? You have the words of eternal life'" (John 6:68).

Amen. Praise Jesus.

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Amen.

Thrilling Creation

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1).

The creation never fails to thrill me. I think I see something new and profound or delightful every day. I'm down South at our favourite camp site by the sea, It's Spring and everything is lush from the Winter rains; "everything" includes mosquitoes which have exploded in number. As soon as I step outdoors I'm surrounded by these little critters. There are tiny ants here too, they have a pathway near where I have my work table; they are only about the size of a mosquito's fore-leg, and mosquito legs are about as thin as the blond hairs on my arm. Mosquitoes are so fragile that when I squash one I have no sense of anything being there even though my fingers are sensitive enough to pick up a few grains of sugar from a bench top.

 

"Ants - frail as they are, they get plenty of food in for the winter" (Proverbs 30:25).

 

Even though they are tiny these creatures are complete in a similar way that we humans are, and elephants and whales. They are completely mobile, have eyes and all the senses and brains they need to find food. They are able to live out their lives in their particular environment and social order. Their unique structures include all that they need to grow and live and to woo a mate, and set about having babies.

 

They have life.

 

"Through Him [Jesus] all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of humankind" (John 1:3-4).

 

It is just awesome when we realise that the creation was made for us to enjoy and to thrive in. God could have given us a digestive system like cows and just had lots of grass for us. But no, He gave us an enormous variety of other species and the vast numbers of foods to eat to give us our energy and keep our bodies healthy .. wonderful foods we use to fellowship with others and to celebrate together!

"How precious is your unfailing love, O God! We take refuge in the shadow of your wings. We feast on the abundance of your house; we drink from your river of delights" (Psalm 36:7-8).

 

What amazes me is that every kind of creature, and all the plants too, are comprised of cells; every cell has life. There are only about two hundred kinds of cells in you and me. The millions of different creatures and plants in the world are all made with similar sets of cells as their building blocks. It's a bit like all the different vehicle manufactures using Lucas electrical components for their cars and trucks, motorcycles, trains and boats, but much more complicated. Far beyond that, cells  reproduce themselves, a mysterious and miraculous process.

"As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things" (Ecclesiastes 11:5  ).

 

Great intricacies of design appear in every species, but only people have a spirit.

 

"The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts" (Proverbs 20:27).

 

How then can my eye be perfect for me, it must have a million cells if I am comprised of trillions, in the same way these tiny, tiny ants' eyes are perfect for them though so infinitely smaller. How can the mosquito proboscis, so miniscule, drill into my skin, or an elephant's tough hide, and suck out our blood? This tells me of the beauty of all God's design; that the mosquito has such a tool, AND that it knows where to find the blood it needs for food, AND it can get at the blood regardless of the victim's skin type, AND that a portion of blood thinner is squirted into the puncture to stop the blood congealing as the mozzie gets her dinner! The mosquito digestive system finds all kinds of mammals' blood to be quite manageable.

Nature, Science And Four Big Questions

 I very much enjoy science and nature magazines and often get them from our local library; I like some of the science shows on TV too. But of all the hundreds of articles and features I've seen, I've never found even one with a satisfying explanation for:

1)  The origin of life, or
2)  The origin of DNA and cells, or
3)  The origin of gender and sex and reproduction, or
4)  How the various species stay discrete from one another.

 

Neither has any article shown a true record of an evolutionary advancement where one species becomes another species by an increase in their complexity. (Though I have seen much in Creation magazine which clearly dis-prove well known claims for evolution).

 

"God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:25).

"So God created humankind in his own image and likeness, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:27).

 

Some science writers will publish an article to define or explain these things, but invariably they reach a point where they must make an enormous assumption. They will present a hypothesis or made-up-idea, a leap-of-faith, which completely includes the essence of what they are trying to explain.

A hypothesis is just a theory, a premise, a supposition, a guess. It may be made by a scientifically trained person, but it is not science, it is just an assumption. So such a hypothesis can never be taken as any kind of true explanation, can it? Why then are we led to understand that these things have been proven and explained? These writers are scientists. How can they accept each other when they claim that ideas or hypotheses are scientific proofs? (They often present their work as "peer reviewed"; what does the lack of true evidence tell us about that process?)

 

When I read my Bible I find really great answers in my four questions where science has none. My God, whom I have known personally for many years, has the power and the genius to design and build our Universe; He keeps it functioning through the days and seasons and years and millennia. He is our Creator God. I find it easy to believe His creation narrative in the Bible, a narrative which makes complete sense as  we observe the world. I have faith in our Creator. I am sure that it takes more faith to believe in evolution than mine to know Jesus and my Abba Father!

 

"You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit" (Job 10:12).

Synchronicity And Abundance Beyond Understanding

All the species in the world co-exist, the microbes and bacteria and the grizzly bear, and mostly, there is enough food to go around for everybody and everything. The seasons cycle year after year and different latitudes have different climates and ecosystems, yet the whole world is in sync; it sometimes may seem chaotic but an amazing degree of balance has been maintained for all the millennia of our shared history. Just watch the many nature shows on TV, so lovely. 

I have often seen supernatural events and know that miracles occur every day and all over the world, these events are seemingly beyond the understanding of many scientists. They are a blessing to those involved and a sign that God is, and that He cares for us.

"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).

 

So I thank Jesus for His Creation. It is so very beautiful, so wonderfully complex and full of variety, and it so suits the billions of people who God has put here .. all the nations and expressions of the image and likeness of God Himself, with whom I share this glorious blue planet, set in its safe place in the vast Milky Way! So very grateful.

   

"It is I who made the earth and created humankind on it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshalled their starry hosts" (Isaiah 45:12).

Amen. Praise Jesus.

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Bless us, our neighbours and our world.

 

This Is That

Testimonies Reveal God Working In Us

A lot of the life among Christians comes from sharing testimonies; Jesus said: "And so you will bear testimony to me" (Luke 21:13). Testimony is our witness of what we have seen and heard and know to be true. And "truth" is Jesus:

"For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). 

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'" (John 14:6). 

"In him was life, and that life was the light of all humankind" (John 1:4).

Often the changes we see in our lives are not so much material, (though they often include improvements in our material well-being), but are changes to our self, to our soul, our person, our memories, our will and emotions, and more importantly, to our spiritual life. If one denies the reality of the spiritual world, then one also denies the possibility of this fabulous improvement.

Many, many experiences and testimonies convince me that the spiritual world is real and it powerfully affects our physical and personal worlds. The Bible describes us as "spirit, soul and body" (1 Thessalonians 5:23), spirit first, then emotional and thinking self and lastly, our body, our physical self.

When I was younger I felt bullet-proof. I am tall, I grew up with lots of sport and outdoor stuff, and really great New Zealand food. My spirit was not fully alive and I would have doubted what Paul wrote to the Thessalonians. But, now I'm older. My body, though still bullet-proof (thank you Jesus), has had many hits and is affected by age. Now I know that my spirit is my most important part. Happily my spirit is connected and aligned with Jesus. 

I still thank Jesus every day for my wonderful body; despite many health issues, I know that I am "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14). I now have to fuss about doctor visits and have experts guide me in exercise programs to reinforce those parts of my body which are less reliable. I seek ways to do things which do not need that young man's strength. I'm now much more thoughtful and spiritual (I have lots of time to think and ponder). I have also become kinder and more generous!

As we see our lives change in the days and years after we come to Jesus, we notice that almost all the changes are for the better. Some (eventually, all) of our (previously enjoyable) sinful activities may go from our lives, but these are more than replaced by things which are very satisfying and rewarding.

We are all so different from one another that I see no point in sifting through my past sins and sharing them with you, but I will say this: this morning, almost the first thing I did was to sit in bed and read my Bible; some verses from First Corinthians were brought to my mind and I spent a delightful half hour or so with Jesus contemplating His word. This has been warming my heart all day. I am connected to the Creator God of the whole universe, and He loves me (1 Corinthians 2:9-16). He even brought me into His family and made me His son (Romans 8:15).

Christian life is experiential. We live a new kind of life with Jesus (Acts 5:20). All of us soon have true stories to tell of what our awesome God, Jesus, and our heavenly Father, and Holy Spirit, do in our lives. I have known many people who had been badly beaten by life before they came to know Jesus; early in their Christian walk they say very little, but soon enough the presence of Jesus in them gives them courage to speak up. 

Some of their stories make your hair stand on end .. yet Jesus is able to rescue and heal even the hardest and most broken of people. Paul, who had been an enthusiastic enemy of Jesus and killed many early Christians, said: "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 7:24).

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

This is where "this is that" comes in; this life we now live is so very like that which is recounted in such great variety and power in the Bible and in the testimonies we hear. The phrases "this is that" and "this is what" appear in various places in various English Bible translations, the writers back in Bible times are reminding their readers that the revelations they have received and their great new experiences are in line with the promises that earlier people of God wrote down at the Lord's direction.

The Bible is full of promises for us and for people like us from every generation. Though the newest parts of the Bible are nearly 2000 years old, (and the oldest, thousands more than that), the promises are still true; the Bible is the living Word of God (1 Peter 1:23), who is Jesus (John 1:1).

And we know that Jesus is alive; death could not contain Him (Acts 2:24, Revelation 1:18). Historians from that time wrote that Jesus did live on the earth, was crucified, and that many people saw Him ascend as a living man to heaven; there is a written record supporting the Bible. Indeed, these events are among the most thoroughly documented of all of our ancient history. There is a whole section of the Bible we refer to as "The Prophets" which starts with Isaiah and runs through to Malachi. God told these prophetic people what to write; He wanted us to know that He has a plan and that it is ultimately for the good of all humankind, for ever.

God's plan is being worked out. Today our media paint a very dark picture of the world and high-light (and often glorify, or ignore) the many, many terrible things going on. But there are also countless good and lovely events and encounters between people which never see the light of TV, yes, and many miracles too, every day.

A miracle is something which occurs outside of what science can explain, in other words, a supernatural event. This is God's realm. I have experienced many miracles and witnessed hundreds, possibly thousands more. Trish and I were once at a city wide Christian meeting where a man had a heart attack. A doctor was there and immediately did what he could; after a time he announced that the man's heart had stopped and he was now dead. This was shocking to us who were gathered to worship Jesus. We all prayed, together as one. The heart began to beat again. Soon the person was able to be taken to hospital by the ambulance which had arrived. The doctor said the man had a good prognosis. Praise Jesus who tells us: "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give" (Matthew 10:8); this is that command realised, in our city, in our time and witnessed by hundreds.  

I think I understand something of how there is so much trouble and pain in the world: many people do not want to acknowledge that God is, that He is in charge, Lord of all; they prefer to think of themselves as ruling their own destiny and providing their own wealth and wellbeing.

I was one of these, when I first came to know that God exists and cares for me, I still could not allow Him to be my Lord, I would not bow my knee to Him. Trish and I were at a conference in a country town, the teacher was a well educated Episcopalian (Anglican) pastor from a very wealthy town in Connecticut, USA. He had a fabulous testimony.

On the way to our friends' house the second evening, Trish asked: "So you are ready to say 'yes' to Jesus? I've been watching you during the sessions". I replied that I was nearly there, "but I know that I cannot bow my knee to Jesus". The next evening as we drove to our friends' house I told Trish what had happened that day and asked "would you buy me a Bible for my birthday"; while I was silently saying "not just yet" to Jesus, He had come to me, taken a firm grip on my wrist, and pulled me gently to Himself. This was totally real. I found it irresistible. I became a Christian there and then! I can still remember His fingers and thumb around my wrist, gently tugging. Jesus had chosen me (Ephesians 1:11)! What kindness, this was the beginning of me being set free. Hallelujah!

So our testimonies and our stories are the evidence of promises being worked out. We can say "this is that of which the Bible promises", or, "this is that which Joe talked about at the house meeting last week". It's everywhere amongst God's people and it never stops.

Praise Jesus.

Favorite Bible Verses

"This is the Bread that came down from heaven. It is not like the manna which our forefathers ate, and yet died; he who takes this Bread for his food shall live forever" (John 6:58) Amplified.

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1).

"However, as it is written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived" -  the things God has prepared for those who love him - these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, "Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:9-16).

Thank you Jesus. Amen.

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Bless us all. Amen.

My Identity In Jesus

We Are Given A New Identity In Jesus

Immediately we believe in Jesus our family relationships and our identity are radically changed. This is a truly wonderful "suddenly" in our life, and it starts in our heart.

Jesus brings us to Father God, who He calls "Abba Father", an intimate and very personal name for His Dad, it shows absolute love and trust. Jesus then says, "Abba Father, here is John, (for you, He uses your name), will you make him a son (or her a daughter), just as I am your Son? Will you fully forgive all his (or her) sins and bring him (or her) into your great inheritance?"

Father God always acts on these requests from Jesus, He always says "yes". Straight away we become members of God's family. Jesus is now our big brother .. God becomes our totally reliable Father. We do not lose our earthly family; this will be good news for some and perhaps not so good for others who have a tough or lonely family life. But in God's family, life becomes full and precious.

Do you remember in the film "The King and I", where the king is in a very important meeting with some high officials .. his young son is playing elsewhere in the palace and suddenly has a question; "I'll go and ask Daddy", he says, and runs and runs through the palace towards the council chamber where the meeting is going on. As soon as the king sees his son he asks the others to excuse him; he will help his son before getting back to the matter they are discussing. The king is gracious to all but his focus is immediately on his child. This is how our Abba Father is towards each one of us. Always there for us: ready to help, ready to guard our back. So is Jesus ..

All this is because God loves every person (1 Peter 1:8, 1 John 3:1); He created you and me out of love, because He is love (1 John 4:16), and wants to spend eternity loving each one of us (Jude 1:21).

"For in Him we live and move and have our being . . For we also are His children" (Acts 17:28).

"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 to intervene for us" (Hebrews 7:25 Amplified).

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

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

"But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him" (1 Corinthians 6:17).

"For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3).

"The Holy Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (Romans 8:16). 

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

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch can't bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me" (John 15:4).

Not only do we come into God's family, we become a part of His body, the Christian Church. This too is very real, and very precious. Most of my life I thought of the church as being partly Anglican, partly Roman Catholic, with Presbyterians, Salvation Army, Pentecostals, and on and on. Now I actively try to go beyond any barriers, real or imagined, and be a part of the whole church. There are now many Christian events which are outside congregational or denominational boundaries, and I have come to love these; I seek them out. We find that we have so much in common and can be truly effective prayer warriors. We see miracles.

"And God put all things under Jesus' feet and gave Him as head over all things to the church,  which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Ephesians 1:22-23).

Jesus Equips Us By Giving Us Our Identity In Him

Here are some truths which I have gathered together over the years; each of these statements is true for me, they are expressed in Scripture and, because they are my experience, I feel free to personalise them.

They are true for every Christian.

I Am In God's Family

•     I am fully included in God's family, and have a full share of His inheritance (Ephesians 1:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:10, 1 Peter 2:17).

•     Like Jesus, I am God's child (John 1:12).

•    I am Jesus' friend, not His servant or slave (John 15:15).

•     I am united with Jesus and one with him in spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17).

•     Like Jesus, and through Him, I always have access to the Father by Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:18).

•     My life is hidden with Jesus in God, (perhaps the safest place in the world) (Colossians 3:3).

I Am Complete In Jesus

•     I am created in the image and likeness of God, (who is complete unity in diversity), (Genesis 1:26).

•     I, and every person, man, woman and child, are equal, different and unique (Genesis 1:27, Galatians 3:28).

•     I am a branch of Jesus, the true vine, and will produce much fruit (John 15:1,5).

•     I am more than a conqueror through Jesus (Romans 8:37).

•     I am established in Jesus; anointed, sealed and given His Spirit in my heart (2 Corinthians 1:21).

•    The good work God has begun in me, He will complete .. (Philippians 1:6).

•     In Jesus, (the head over every power and authority (Matthew 28:18)), I am being brought to fullness (Colossians 2:10).

•     I was dead in my transgressions and sinfulness and God made me alive with Jesus (Colossians 2:13).

•     Jesus, who is at the right hand of God, is constantly interceding (praying) for me (Romans 8:34).

I Am Set Free In Jesus

•     The law of Jesus' Spirit has set me free from all condemnation (Romans 8:1-2).

•     Nothing in all creation, can separate me from the love of God in Jesus (Romans (8:39).

•     For freedom Jesus has set me free (Galatians 5:1).

•    Father God has delivered me from the domain of darkness into Jesus' kingdom, and in Jesus I have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:14).

•     God has forgiven me for all my sins and trespasses, past, present and future (Colossians 2:13).

I Have Authority And Power In Jesus

Jesus has all authority and power and He gave it to His Twelve Disciples. Under the New Covenant He asks us, in the same way He asked them, to do His work on the earth, and He passes His authority and power on to us.

"And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me'" (Matthew 28:18).

"And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases" (Luke 9:1).

I'm like the band of seventy-two disciples; I can say, "Lord, even the demons are subject to me in your name" .. Jesus has given me authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt me. I am to rejoice that my name is written in heaven (From Luke 10:17-20).

I Am  Given Great Purpose In Jesus

Christians are given purpose and responsibility in the world; we are to participate with Jesus in His great work on the earth.

•   I am a temple of God, a house for His Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16)

•     I am Jesus' workmanship, created in Him for good works (Ephesians 2:10)

•     I am a minister of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18)

•   I am an ambassador for Jesus' gospel (Ephesians 6:19-20)

•    I am God's fellow worker in Jesus (1 Corinthians 3:9, 2 Corinthians 6:1)

•    I can do all things through Jesus who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).

Grateful

All this is something of what it is which fills me with joy and fills my life with good things. It is much more than agreeing with some ideas or lifestyle choices. I am inherently part of Jesus and what He is doing, and He is inherently part of me and what I am doing.

Upon my conversion Jesus fully justified me, at the same time He began the process of sanctifying me; I still sometimes sin but sin has been defeated in me and in my life. I know that in time I will "attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).

I'm so very grateful that I belong to Jesus, my Lord, and my big Brother, and to my Abba Father in heaven and am so blessed by all the guidance and counsel from Holy Spirit.

Amen. Hallelujah! Praise Jesus!

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Bless you.

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

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Praise Jesus.