Cancer: Deep

"Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me" (Psalm 42:7).

This is a prayer week for me, a spiritual journey. I am down South at our favourite camp site by the sea. There are others here but my week has been almost entirely with Jesus and Father God and dear Holy Spirit.

I have been diagnosed with another cancer. Not melanoma this time, (I have had four of those). Cancer of my prostate. It is scary. (We have been told that I have been assigned an excellent medical team and that my prognosis is good).

Jesus is always able to make things work for our good (Romans 8:28). With this news Trish and my marriage has become sweeter, more tender, and our family have become closer. I know that I am loved, we all do. This is very precious.

My prayer friends from all the different groups are being very loving too. Trouble brings people closer, especially Christians, our relationships deepen, we bless one another with our love and prayer.

One friend, Betty, helped greatly; she sent me some teaching videos where a quarter century of new medical discoveries are linked to eternal Scriptural truths. (See Note 1).

This week, praying for myself, (rather than for others, or for the church, our leaders or the nations), has been really great. I have discovered a big area of laziness in my life; I have let anger and unforgiveness take root and build up in my soul; in my mind, will and emotions. Not good.

Praise Jesus who ".. appeared in order to take away sins .." (1 John 3:5), and ".. appeared to destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8). I have whole days with our lovely Jesus to review my life, I found that I have been harbouring toxic thoughts. I have not thought about "toxic thoughts" for years, rather, I was believing that I was becoming more settled and peaceful. (We are deceived in our deceptions (James 1:16)).

Recent Science

Fear, anxiety, unforgiveness, bitterness, self-hatred, low self-esteem, guilt, jealousy, envy, anger, rage, and resentment are now referred to in the medical field as "toxic thinking patterns" because they are known to cause disease. Experiencing trauma or betrayal can also cause disease in humans. The mind-body connection is real. What and how we think affects our body, our brain, nervous system, immune system, organs and internal chemistry, everything. This is accepted science, not simply Christian belief. Toxic thinking patterns also affect our spirit; the spirit-mind-body connection is also real; this is not accepted science, but is well proven in Christian studies.

The Bible calls these toxic thinking patterns sin. Therefore what medical science has recently proven is that, much of the time, disease is a consequence of sin; particularly sin in our thought life.

So I have been thinking about my thoughts about life and the world, about my anger and my deep disappointments at legal and societal changes over the past few years. And about my fears for our children, grandchildren and their entire generations in the years to come.

I pray. I search my heart and my memory and repent. I forgive. Then I pray.

Again .. I pray. I repent. I search my heart and I forgive. Again I pray.

Praise Jesus for this beautiful peaceful place with the trees and the sea. I can feel the weight lifting off me, feel the rust and corrosion leaching away.

(At a prayer meeting here on a New Years Eve many years ago someone pointed out that these Christian campgrounds are saturated in prayer; the people who look after the camps pray for all of us who camp here, day after day and week after week, and have done for more than 30 years).

There is a sweet old song, I remember very few words .. "O how He loves me .."

Birthday

Today is Sunday. Twenty of us gathered at Peter’s and Merci’s for a long late lunch to celebrate Peter’s birthday; he and Rebecca, our twins and our youngest, turn 30 on Tuesday. (Trish and I will no longer have any babies, not even twenty-somethings!).

What a great afternoon, such wonderful company, most of our family and Merci’s family came, and we enjoyed a great feast. (Jude (6), and Hamish (4) each had three helpings of the yummy berry, meringue, ice cream and chocolate dessert I brought, I was thrilled!) We all took turns cuddling the babies, and the conversations and laughter never stopped. That we all know Jesus' love added such a glow to the afternoon ..

And on top of it all, Peter and Merci gave Trish and me a dozen fresh laid eggs from their chickens!

Be Doers

The Bible says that we are to "be doers of the Word" (Proverbs 4:20–23; James 1:22); to be obedient to what God asks of us. I believe that obedience is more beautiful than anointing.

Jesus tells us to "forgive others their sins against us, then our Father will forgive our sins" (Matthew 6:14-15); to harbour unforgiveness is not "doing the Word". We have been told this before, right?

Jesus also tells us to "fear not" (Matthew 10:31; 14:27), and "do not worry or be anxious" (Luke 12:11,22), so when we live with fear, worry or anxiety we are being disobedient. Yes?

So I pray. I search my heart and my memories and then repent and forgive. Then I pray some more.

And the cancer? We will see what becomes of that, and of all my other aches and pains and complaints.

Happily, we are certain that "God is love" (1 John 4:16) and, by grace, His love flows to us, each one. Our heavenly Abba Father sent His Son Jesus to die and pay for our sins, for our redemption and our life (John 3:16), and I am eternally grateful.

Praise Jesus. Hallelujah!

Favourite Bible Verses

"I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, my soul knows it full well" (Psalm 139:14).

"My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.  Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;  for they are life to those who find them and health to one's whole body.  Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it" (Proverbs 4:20-24).

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22).

".. brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Philippians 4:8).

"Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul" (3 John 1:2). 

Amen.

Note 1:  For many years I have been blessed to hear, see, read and discuss with others, lovely committed Christian teachers whom I find sound in Scripture, theology, science and life-experience. Amongst these are: John Yates (www.cross-connect.net.au), Derek Prince (www.derekprince.com), Francis Frangipane (www.frangipane.org), Dr Michelle Strydom (www.eagleswings.co.zw), Dr Caroline Leaf (www.drleaf.net), John G. Lake (www.jglm.org) and others, and, with deep gratitude, draw from their teaching.

Thank You Jesus.

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Amen.

Armour Of God: Helmet

Jesus, Our Helmet Of Salvation

Jesus wore the armour of God first. At every attack, whether from a person or from Satan, Jesus defended Himself and His Kingdom; He responded with Scripture, and with truth, humility, righteousness and holiness. We see His great victory when He defeated sin and death and rose again after being crucified on a cross for our sins. Now it is our turn. Jesus reigns, He is seated at the right hand of Father God to rule and reign while we serve Him and all humanity here on the Earth.

"He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head .." (Isaiah 59:17).

These two, righteousness and salvation, may be the most precious elements of God's armour; they cannot be taken away from us. They come from God alone and have been given to us, each one.

Our righteousness is Jesus: "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).

Salvation comes entirely from Father's forgiveness and from Jesus (Romans 1:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:9), it comes from "his great love for us .. expressed in his kindness" (Ephesians 2:4,7).

So righteousness comes from our salvation which is from faith. Faith, salvation and righteousness are to do with our heart.

Living in the experience of our salvation brings our hope; the consciousness of our experience is understood in our mind, in our head. Jesus protects our hope as He protects our head. (I often think that, because we have Jesus the Rock, Christians are the only people who have any kind of solid hope in these troubled times).

Jesus is our "helmet" (Isaiah 11:2; 2 Timothy 1:7). He protects every part of our mind and our head; our thoughts and emotions, our brain, eyes, ears, and mouth, our smile.

Milestones

My testimony, and many others I have been blessed to hear, shows that we come to God in a progression.

Our salvation comes in an instant; something happens and we are saved; we are instantly justified, made righteous in the sight of God (1 Corinthians 6:11). We are redeemed; we have been bought back by Jesus, (passive present perfect tense), and all our sins, (our iniquities, disobedience and rebellion), have been paid for (1 Corinthians 6:20).

From that moment we are being sanctified, (present tense continuous). By the time we get to Heaven we will be fully formed as saints and ".. attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature personhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13). Amazing and awesome!

Testimony is very important to me. For years, (and it seemed like many years at the time), I would ask of God: "what do you want me to do?" I was stuck in the place where I knew about God and Jesus .. but I was not close or in intimate relationship. Hearing other people tell their wonderful true stories helped me. I learned to simply "be" with Jesus and Abba Father, to accept that we are together all the time (John 14:20; 17:20-21) .. I still find testimony to be precious and very encouraging.

Here are a few milestones from my journey:

Hoboken, New Jersey, U.S.A. (1979) - I went to church with Trish when we were engaged to be married. A parish priest gave sermons where Jesus was shown to be active in the world, in the politics and lives of people in the "here and now". I began to know and acknowledge that God is real, is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Trish tells me that I did not change "on my inside" from this understanding, I did not become Christian then, but something did happen.

Manjimup, Western Australia (6 years later: 1985) - Jesus took me by the arm, "come, I want you now" He seemed to say, and I personally met Him, a life changing moment! I asked Trish for "one of the new NIV Bibles", I really wanted to engage with the Word of God, with Jesus, in my spirit. It was also the time when I accepted Jesus' lordship in my life, I knowingly "bowed my knee" to Him (Romans 14:11). I believe that this is when I was "saved" and Jesus placed His helmet on my head. Salvation is spiritual, not intellectual or propositional. It is mysterious. I began to change and grow (Mark 4:8).

I struggled for years and years but, like Peter (John 6:68), I knew there was no-one else for me ..

(I think that we forget that we are always in this glorious place of salvation; we let the world wear us down. Geoffrey Bingham would tell us, every time that he visited, that we should be excited and filled with joy because our future, and our present too, is so glorious and is so assured, so filled with hope. And because we are with Jesus).

Mumballup, camping at "Rainbow Downs" farm, Western Australia (another 7 years later: 1992) - I was alone and deeply immersed in my Bible and my devotionals. Suddenly in my inmost being I knew that Jesus died for me, and that Father God was welcoming me into His family and kingdom; it was like an explosion in my heart and consciousness. I leaped in the air, skipping and dancing and shouting out loud, this was such a revelation! I believe that this was my "born again" moment. "Born again" is in the heart, is sincere and life-changing.

Perth, Western Australia, Tabor Bible College (another 13 years later: 2005) - I learned the centrality and pre-eminence of Jesus in all things (Colossians 1:15-20), and, more importantly, came into intimate relationship with Him (1 Corinthians 13:13). Jesus became my best friend, He "replaced" my wife Trish. It was after this that I found freedom (Galatians 5:1) and peace (John 14:27; 16:33) in Jesus and in life.

Now 2020 - Forty-one years have passed and I am still growing, this is one of the great joys of being Christian. We do not get a chance to become rusty! Praise Jesus.

I have found that struggle is good. We are equipped for struggle, Jesus wants us to "press on" (Philippians 3:12; Hebrews 12:1) and to "persevere" (Romans 5:3-4). We have Jesus to be our rock and to defend us from every kind of attack. We have His Word, our sword (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12), to remind us, to teach us, and to share His love and glory with people all around us.

When trouble comes we really need Jesus. Sometimes when I am tired or things aren't going well the devil likes to come and sit on my shoulder and remind me of all my faults and failings (1 Peter 5:8-9). He talks about old sins which were mine, but which Jesus forgave years ago, sins whose record is nailed to Jesus' cross (Colossians 2:14), old sins which Father God has put behind His back (Isaiah 38:17).

We learn that when we turn to Jesus, He is always there for us (1 Peter 5:10)! The bigger our problem, the more desperate we become and the tighter we cling to Jesus (Hebrews 10:39). These are the times we receive the most comfort from Him and the most help. We also do the most growing.

These Days

These days our minds are under attack as never before. History is repeating itself. Many times and in many countries people are being persecuted for not changing their views to agree with the group who want to discard our old ways. It is always ugly and many people, by refusing to "go along", are hurt.

•  We are in a time of unprecedented youth suicide; like mental illness it has become epidemic. Why? No-one seems to be asking. There is virtual silence in the media and among the self-appointed movers and shakers.

In the old days the miners would take canaries with them underground; when the atmosphere got toxic the canaries would die and the men knew to get out. Some are saying that our youth are the canaries in our increasingly toxic societies, but, though they are dying, everyone is pretending that our social atmosphere is still sweet. So our youth are not our "canaries", rather, they seem simply to be disposable. This is a tragedy, our youth are being sacrificed on the altar of ideological (backwards) "progress".

•  Our education systems now insist that our children's (and grandchildren's) identities are irrelevant. Anyone who has seen small children at play will know that the boys are definitely boys, and the girls, definitely girls; their boy-ness or girl-ness is a huge part of who they are!

•  After all these months people are saying that the ongoing COVID-19 lockdowns are "driving them crazy", but no-one is asking who is responsible for the events leading to the re-kindling of the pandemic and the need for new lockdowns. Those responsible remain in leadership to wreck even more havoc among our peoples.

•  Today the "politically correct" people, (a tiny minority), use social media, and much more, to silence people, even ostracise them and ruin lives. The same people may get you fired from your job, or at least have your career stalled, because you stick to traditional, conservative or Biblical views. In Australia we now have tribunals which appear to have almost no definition but do have enormous powers, seemingly greater than the legislature or the courts. These tribunals secure few convictions but accuse many, (later dropping all charges and pretending that "justice was served" and "no harm done"); with prolonged stress and the need for much legal assistance they destroy families and family finances in their attacks on ordinary people, people who continue to believe what our entire society believed just a few years ago.

Truth is suffering (Isaiah 59:14-16). We are allowing strangers to plant strongholds in our minds; "strongholds" are "arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the true knowledge of God" (2 Corinthians 10:5 Amplified).

What the world always regarded as good is now called "evil", and what we know to be evil is being called "good" (Isaiah 5:20).

Our Helmet At Work

Our Bible reminds us to avoid the ungodly: "sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;  idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions  and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like" (Galatians 5:19-21). 

This is a serious list, I recognise much from my past and am delighted that that is where it now belongs! Doing these things, even thinking about them, will build strongholds and turn us away from Jesus and His Kingdom. They also corrupt our body which is now "God's temple" (1 Corinthians 3:16), and can bring "sickness" (1 Corinthians 11:29-30).

So we are told to "be transformed by the renewal of our mind". This we can do .. when we think about our thinking we soon see where to turn away from bad thoughts and turn towards Jesus and "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). 

Strongholds are thus torn down (2 Corinthians 10:4) and Jesus' peace returns to us (John 14:27). Jesus said ".. [Satan] the prince of this world .. has no hold over me" (John 14:30). We can definitely do damage to any hold he has over us, he hates truth and he hates humility. He hates our helmet. Thank you Jesus!

Jesus will protect our minds from the lies of political correctness and social engineering: "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).

It is so good to know that Jesus, who is "truth" (John 1:14), is protecting our head, our thoughts, our memories and emotions; that He is our "helmet of salvation" (Ephesians 6:17). He saved each one from our sins and from destruction and now fully clothes us with Himself, head to toe (Galatians 3:27).

"keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life" (Jude 1:21).

Praise Jesus. Amen.

Favourite Bible Verses

O Father .. ".. you have cast all my sins behind your back" (Isaiah 38:17).

"I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist .." (Isaiah 44:22).

".. I will remember their sin no more" (Jeremiah 31:34).

".. I will remember their sins no more" (Hebrews 8:12).

"Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord" (Psalm 32:10).

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23).

Hallelujah!

The Full Armour of God: From Ephesians 6:10-20

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

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

• 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

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

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

• 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

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

Thank you Jesus.

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Amen.

One Another

One Anothering One Another

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35).

Jesus truly wants us to one another one another. When we look for "one another" in our Bible we see a great many verses. Even the seemingly negative ones really have a positive meaning. Our Bible is God's Word, God's Word is Jesus, and we know that all Scripture comes from Jesus' heart (2 Timothy 3:16).

"One another" is right there in the centre of God's heart. It speaks about what happens within the group.

Jesus tells us that when we come to Him we can begin to "live life and live it to the full" (John 10:10). One anothering is part of this.

Over the years I often noted the "one another" Scriptures during my quiet times. Recently I felt called to seek out and then print off dozens and dozens from a number of Bible translations. I then spent time reading and pondering them; I was like a herd of cows grazing rich pasture, going from one verse to the next, mulling over the words, seeing God's deep desire for us to be "one, as [Jesus, Father God and Holy Spirit] are one" (John 17:11).

We are each uniquely hand made in the "image and likeness" of God (Genesis 1:26). Because God is essentially relational, (God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit eternally), we also are relational. Jesus, Head of His church, wants us to live this out.

Early in my study I thought that the disciple John was the biggest "one another" author .. But no, "one another" is extensively in Paul's letters and in Peter and in Hebrews, (the Jewish people who knew themselves as "God's own", had been given the Law centuries before, and what we call the Old Covenant has "one another" appearing in Leviticus in the same sense as I see it in the New Testament).

(Perhaps I see John's "one another" verses so clearly because I am John, and am very aware that John was "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 21:7, 21:20); he was in such a breathtakingly beautiful relationship with our Lord).

Themes

There are themes among the "one another" verses; the very big one is "love one another".

Here are some of the "one another" verses I found; they cover many aspects of our lives:

Loving One Another

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34).

"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law" (Romans 13:8).

"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love" (Galatians 5:13).

 Behaving As God's Representatives Towards One Another

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32).

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).

And what I believe to be a very big "one another" for our generations; sharing our time, our home, our table:

"Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling" (1 Peter 4:9).

 Community Living With One Another

"Community" means being known as belonging to and being with one another, positioning ourselves with one another. Remember how Peter was asked if he was with Jesus and he said "no". Three times he did this; but then he knew differently and his life was changed. "Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life'" (John 6:68). We are asked to one another one another and be with one another.

"Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God" (Romans 15:7).

"I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought" (1 Corinthians 1:10).

"No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,' declares the Lord. 'For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more'" (Jeremiah 31:34)

Justice With One Another

"Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another" (Leviticus 19:11).

"This is what the Lord Almighty said: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another'" (Zechariah 7:9). 

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).

We see God's desire that we "one another" one another in many ways, indeed in every part of our lives. This is far from "just on Sundays" and far from "just my group".

In Acts Chapter 2 the new Christian church was established. The people were so much in community that they would have been rubbing shoulders pretty much all the time. We know that they visited, ate, prayed and worshipped together and in each others' homes. They shared things and helped each other out in every aspect of living. Their children would have played together when young and then married as they came into adulthood.

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.  All the believers were together and had everything in common.  They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.  Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,  praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:42-47).

Christians' neighbours saw their active and loving community, their transparency, their generosity and the richness of their lives. Scripture expressly tells us that they won "favour" among the people and many of those same people "were saved" and joined them to also walk with Jesus.

These early Christians called themselves "The Way" because their lifestyle and commitments were so different from anything humanity had seen before. They knew that they were being led by Jesus into this new lifestyle, this new "way" (John 14:5-6).

Do we see anything of "The Way" today?

The world may not know it, but they are relying on us to start making things right .. to bring some reality and honesty of care and community and inter-relationship into our screen dominated lives.

I now know many people who would love to find a husband or a wife; women, men, young and older, many. They find it incredibly hard to connect with new people. Nobody trusts anyone; everybody's motives seem suspect.

When my friends go to a church they find an effusive, well trained "greeter" then are ignored. Everyone else is already in their clique.

I know these single people, they are sincere, intelligent, and have good jobs, they are fun, energetic and generous. They are Christian. You know, the kind of people we all want as our friends and would want our children to marry!

Loneliness is epidemic in Western societies. So many of us find it near impossible to make new friends; we find impenetrable walls everywhere. People seem to be surrounded by their own shiny plastic shield, phone in hand connecting them to an artificial world, conversing as though they are in a movie, unconcerned that they will never meet or have anything to do with the celebrities and professional sports people who are central to the virtual world.

Our understanding of relationships and connecting seems to have been damaged as our societies have become wealthier. We seem to let people go so easily, just as we change our cars and clothes. The idea of family is under attack in all Western countries. We are also letting go of our values, those foundations of living which have supported our cultures for generations, and which were largely introduced by Jesus and His people through the centuries.

What to do? These problems have no simple answers, but the questions they generate are real. As in everything, we can find our answers in Jesus!

I believe that one anothering helps. It brings lives into contact in very real ways and opens the way for hearts and minds to talk and share with other hearts and minds. It opens the way for true conversations and relationships to form. And it shows shallowness and "political correctness" for what it is.

Sure it will be risky. To invite people that you do not know from church to your house, or to offer real and practical help to others who are struggling will be very daunting. It may be even difficult to find those facing troubles, many people will take care to hide any sign of struggle while at church (where we feel we may only show our successful, victorious face).

But isn't this what Jesus asks of us in His Word? He tells us that it will be hard. The New Testament is packed with stories of struggle, persistence and perseverance. The good Samaritan crossed social barriers (when everyone else had crossed the street to avoid the problem), he gave of his time, his money, (hotels are expensive!) and likely got blood on his clothes; "he had compassion"  (Luke 10:33). Jesus became famous for showing compassion. Is it our turn now?

Bless us all.

 Different Words

Some translations use different words. There are also many "each other" verses in our Bibles. These are so like the "one another" verses. For example in the NIV: "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other" (Mark 9:50).

Praise Jesus.

 Here Are Lots Of Verses (Annotated By Me) From The Bible

 "Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another". (Leviticus 19:11)

 " .. be at peace with one another" (Mark 9:50)

 " .. wash one another's feet" (John 13:14)

 " .. love one another .." (John 13:34)

 " .. love one another .." (John 15:12)

 " .. love one another" (John 15:17)

 "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love .." (Romans 12:10)

 " .. honour one another above yourselves" (Romans 12:10)

 "Live in harmony with one another .." (Romans 12:16)

 " .. love one another .." (Romans 13:8)

 " .. stop passing judgment on one another" (Romans 14:13)

 "Accept one another, just as Christ accepted you .." (Romans 15:7)

 " .. instruct one another" (Romans 15:14)

 "Greet one another with a holy kiss .." (Romans 16:16)

 " .. when you come together to eat, wait for one another" (1 Corinthians 11:33)

 " .. have equal concern for one another" (1 Corinthians 12:25)

 " .. greet one another with a holy kiss" (1 Corinthians 16:20)

 "Greet one another with a holy kiss" (2 Corinthians 13:12)

 " .. serve one another in love" (Galatians 5:13)

 "If you keep on biting and devouring one another .. you will destroy one another" (Galatians 5:15)

 "Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another" (Galatians 5:26)

 "Carry one another's burdens .." (Galatians 6:2)

 " .. be patient, bearing with one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2)

 "Be kind and compassionate to one another .." (Ephesians 4:32)

 "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other" (Ephesians 4:32)

 "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs" (Ephesians 5:19)

 "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Ephesians 5:21)

 " .. in humility consider one another better than yourselves" (Philippians 2:3)

 "Do not lie to one another .." (Colossians 3:9)

 "Bear with one another .." (Colossians 3:13)

 " .. forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another" (Colossians 3:13)

 "Teach .. one another" (Colossians 3:16)

 " .. admonish one another" (Colossians 3:16)

 " .. make your love increase and overflow for one another" (1 Thessalonians 3:12)

 " .. love one another" (1 Thessalonians 4:9)

 " .. encourage one another .." (1 Thessalonians 4:18)

 " .. encourage one another .." (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

 " .. build one another up .." (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

 "Encourage one another daily .." (Hebrews 3:13)

 " .. spur one another on toward love and good deeds" (Hebrews 10:24)

 " .. encourage one another" (Hebrews 10:25)

 " .. do not slander one another" (James 4:11)

 "Don't grumble against one another .." (James 5:9)

 "Confess your sins to one another .." (James 5:16)

 " .. pray for one another" (James 5:16)

 " .. love one another deeply, from the heart" (1 Peter 3:8)

 " .. live in harmony with one another .." (1 Peter 3:8)

 " .. love one another deeply .." (1 Peter 4:8)

 "Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling" (1 Peter 4:9)

 "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another .." (1 Peter 4:10)

 " .. clothe yourselves with humility toward one another .." (1 Peter 5:5)

 "Greet one another with a kiss of love" (1 Peter 5:14)

 " .. love one another" (1 John 3:11)

 " .. love one another" (1 John 3:23)

 " .. love one another" (1 John 4:7)

 " .. love one another" (1 John 4:11)

 " .. love one another" (1 John 4:12)

 " .. love one another" (2 John 5)

Amen.

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Praise Jesus.

Armour Of God: Sword

Completely Trustworthy

"He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow .." (Isaiah 49:2).

"Bless the Lord O my soul! And let all that is within me shout out! Shout out!" 

(Will Regan and United Pursuit, Live at Banks' House).

One of the great things about Christianity is how answers to all the mysteries of life and the Universe are revealed in such satisfying ways (1 Corinthians 2:7, Ephesians 1:9:10, Colossians 2:2); no fudged answers, no hypotheses or wild guesses. Our God-given natural understanding shows us well grounded answers which are supported by our observations of the world and life, as well as by our study of science, engineering, history, philosophy, anthropology and the Bible.

As we get to know Jesus we learn that He is completely trustworthy. When we first encounter Jesus, (rather than just hear about Him or read accounts of His life, miracles, teaching, death, resurrection and ascension in the Bible), we see an amazing and wonderful person who we can know intimately, and yet also worship as God of all the Creation!

When we are welcomed as a child of Father God and come into personal relationship with Jesus, (He becomes our brother as we now have the same Father), our spirit comes alive and we know we are changed. Indeed we are "born again" (John 3:3), we are a "new creation" (Galatians 6:15). We know that we have encountered God, Father God's Son (John 3:16), Saviour of the whole world (John 4:42). From this point in our life, our learning and our growing never stop!

Perhaps the most profound thing I learned at Bible College (See Note 1) is that Jesus is the answer to every question regarding life and existence, that He is central to everything, (and the Cross is central to all of history):

"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" (Colossians 1:16-17).

In my "best" Bible (NIV, with a leather cover and a lifetime guarantee, now 35 years old with hundreds of penciled notes), there is "ALL" in the margin above this passage: Colossians 1:15-20 tells us in a few words how completely Jesus is the centre of absolutely everything; the word "all" appears seven times in these few verses, along with "fullness", "everything", and "supremacy".

We the church, the ecclesia, Jesus' gathered ones, are fully part of this "all", we are His "body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Ephesians 1:23 ESV).

The Word Of God

This is where "the sword of the Spirit" comes in:

I have come to know Jesus as "the Word of God" (John 1:1-2), He has always been so since before time began. When God spoke (Genesis 1:3) and there was light, He spoke the same Word who is shown to be "the light of all humankind" (John 1:4) and the "light" which no darkness can overcome (John 1:5). In the "new Heaven and the new Earth" which we will one day inherit, Jesus is still the "light"; He is all the light needed there (Revelation 21:1,23)!

Jesus is the Word. Jesus is Light. The third tie-in is Jesus as Sword. 

"Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth" (Revelation 2:16 Jesus' words to the apostle John).

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34 Jesus' words).

"Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17).

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).

Jesus' Fullness

We see that:

•   Jesus is God, He is completely of the Trinity with Father and Holy Spirit (Genesis 1 and 2, John 1).

•  Jesus is the beloved Son who appeared on Earth to save us and defeat Satan (1 John 3:5 and 3:8).

•  Jesus is the Light (John 1:5).

•  Jesus is the Word (Hebrews 4:12, Revelation 19:13).

•  Jesus is the Sword (Hebrews 4:12, Revelation 1:16, 2:16).

"Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory" (1 Timothy 3:16).

Our Armour

When Paul writes about the armour of God, he includes "the sword of the Spirit" last. This is not saying that our sword is the least important part of our armour, but rather, that our armour will never be complete without our sword.

The "belt of truth" is the first piece of Paul's armour; the belt is needed to hold everything else together, to be a support and an anchor point. When we think about this and see "truth" first, and "sword" last, we get a sense of the fullness Paul is sharing with us.

Of all the armour of God (Ephesians 6:13-17) only the sword is an offensive weapon, all the other elements are defensive or foundational and supportive:

•  The "Belt of Truth" (verse 14).

•  the "Breastplate of Righteousness" (verse 14).

•  the shoes of "readiness that comes from the gospel of peace" (verse 15).

•  and the "Shield of Faith" (verse 17)).

These enable us to "stand" (verses 11,13,14).

The "armour" verses are the concluding teaching in Paul's letter to the Ephesians. That letter is a delightful description of the church, the spiritual blessings we have in Jesus, and how we can best live in the light of all this.

Paul makes clear that what was alluded to throughout the Old Testament and hidden throughout the ages was revealed to us when Christ appeared and lived among us, and now, as we know Him through our spirit. As we live our lives here on Earth, Paul wants us to make full use of this armour, every element of which is Jesus Himself.

".. I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day"  (2 Timothy 1:12). 

Jesus our "sword" is a fighting weapon, we are to use it as we go against our enemies, not just spiritual enemies but also those physically threatening us.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12).

Most people are not vicious or hate-filled but can be influenced and affected by evil spirits; here are two stories:

My friend Phil was visiting India. The short-term mission trip was going well and many were showing interest in Jesus. During one meeting Phil was interrupted by some men coming into the hall waving guns and calling on him and the other Australians to stop preaching Jesus and to leave that place. Phil stood his ground, looked directly at the men and spoke to the spirits influencing them. I have heard Phil pray many times, he would have said something like this: "you foul spirits affecting those men, we are here with Jesus Christ who defeated Satan and is Lord of all. Be still!" The men immediately froze in place. Phil went on to speak about Jesus and His Kingdom as though the men were not there, then he addressed them again. None of them had moved at all: "You ungodly spirits can now direct those men to turn and leave this building in peace, and to stay away and not bother us again, in the name of the Lord Jesus!" The men left and gave no more trouble on the trip.

The spiritual world is greater than the physical!

An African story I believe to be true was told to me by a friend of missionaries in Africa. They wanted to go to a far town to tell people about Jesus; it meant a two-day journey and staying overnight in country full of people hostile to the Gospel. They felt called to make this trip, so despite strong advice they prayed and they went. During their overnight stop the team were wakened by loud vehicle noise and shouting; they saw nothing and nothing happened. They reached the town safely and their visit was a success.

Later they heard about an amazing occurrence in the bush which was at the same time and place when and where they had camped overnight: A number of hostiles had heard about some Christians camping in the bush so decided to attack in the dark of night and kill them. As they approached the camp they saw that their would-be victims were not alone; their camp was surrounded by huge men, dressed as soldiers, with flaming swords and spears. The attackers were terrified and knew that they could not defeat these mighty soldiers, so they returned home. God had sent angels to protect His people! The missionaries were unaware but the hostiles saw clearly.

When we talk to missionaries we get such great testimonies of the power of God and His Word! Jesus always has our back (Matthew 28:20).

"The sword of the Spirit" describes the profound and complex effect of Jesus, who is God's Word, entering us and then fusing with, (or being enhanced by), God's Holy Spirit who is in us, in our spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).

We are given spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12, 13 and 14) which are effective because we can use them in conjunction with our sword, God’s Word. These gifts are for the church and the whole world, not just for us, they help us in our service to others.

More than that, our lovely Jesus always wants us to grow, to move on from our sinful and selfish past, to be ready and willing to participate with Him in His work in the world.

Pruning Shears And Scalpel

Remember too that Jesus' Word is always able to shape us, to cut out what is ungodly and heal us from the corruption and maladies of the world: "Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit" (John 15:2 Jesus' words).

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

Biblical Training

Our Jesus does not leave us defenseless from threats and attackers (Matthew 28:20), He is both our ultimate defense and our most effective weapon! Jesus is ready to help but like firemen and doctors we need education and training to bring our potential to any kind of fullness.

How many times have we been encouraged to "read your Bible, fill yourself with God's Word"? Many times, right? This is Christian training and will help give us a Biblical worldview; "a worldview is an all-encompassing perspective on everything that exists and matters to us. Your own worldview represents your most fundamental beliefs and assumptions about the universe. It reflects how you would answer all the 'big questions' of human existence". (James Anderson, "What in the World Is a Worldview?", 2014).

When we train in God's Word we learn to think and respond fast and effectively to all the situations which may confront us. (See Note 2).

A few days ago I was cleaning our barbeque and touched the hot steel, "ouch"! Immediately, I put my finger in my mouth, soon the pain was gone, all better! My response was automatic, I have been on many first aid courses, my training told my body what to do without my mind having to figure it out.

Well, we can do the same thing when spiritual troubles come. When we are full of God's Word, (Jesus), and are filled with Holy Spirit, (who is Jesus' Spirit) our response can be blindingly fast and fully effective. Just look at how our Lord answered Satan in the wilderness (Luke 4:1); three attacks (Luke 4:3-4, 5-8, 9-12), very similar to the three big problems Israel faced in their 40 years in their wilderness. Each time Jesus spoke Scripture, the Word of God; God's Word is Jesus. Satan gave up and backed off (Luke 4:13). He will back off for us too because we now carry Jesus' authority on Earth (Luke 10:19), and not just for our self and those close to us but for others in the world who need the "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).

"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you" (John 15:7 Jesus' words).

"He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away" (Isaiah 49:2). 

This is good news.

Praise Jesus! 

Favourite Scripture Verses

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of all humankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:1-5).

"Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?’ or 'What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matthew 6:31-34).

"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him" (Proverbs 30:5).

"Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written" (John 21:25)

Hallelujah!

Note 1: I heard a man tell of the most profound thing he learned at his Bible College: "God is so very, very big that we can never know Him fully. But He reveals Himself in such a way that we can know Him truly!"

Note 2: I find that spending time in my Bible is like any other kind of discipline. It is best not to follow the first method you are shown, but to find one which is effective and that you enjoy. One objective is to have the Scripture established inside us, so that we grow and change our worldview to conform to Jesus.

Many people would like to be slim and fit so start out in the trendy exercise program of the day; they don't like it so give up. Later, they will see something else and they try that, presto, the weight starts to come off and their energy increases.

Please find a system or program or method which you enjoy, you personally and not a group, you. You can join a group later, but your personal time in Jesus' Word is where you will grow the most.

"A worldview is a network of ultimate beliefs, assumptions, values, and ideas about the universe, and our place in it, that shapes how each of us understands our life and experiences, (and the lives and experiences of others), and how we act in response". (James Anderson, "What in the World Is a Worldview?", 2014).

Amen.

AfterNote: 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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Praise Jesus.