Transparent

Definition: trăns-pâr'ənt, -păr'- something clear, see through or obvious. A window is transparent. When you are transparent your authenticity will translate as honesty and integrity, even as Godly love.

 

God's Plan

 

Isn't it God's intention that the whole of the Creation comes to know and share in His glory?

 

The Bible tells us that God's glory, grace and truth are inextricably joined together in Jesus (John 1:14,16,17).

 

It is so good to know that this is where we are headed, those of us who belong to Jesus, who are in His family and part of the Kingdom of our Father God .. We are headed to God's glory! 

Upon our salvation we were given a certain hope of eternal life with Jesus; we were immediately set free from the burden of our sins (Romans 6:22), justified and declared righteous (Romans 3:21-24), and made a son or a daughter of His Father (Romans 8:16; Philippians 2:15; 1 John 3:1).

 

From that moment God has been filling us and growing us, each one, by His Holy Spirit (John 14:26; Acts 13:52), more and more into "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).

 

Thus, we also, like Jesus, become filled with grace and truth. This is good .. wonderful for us who are saved, and really great for the world which seems more and more to be heading into "this present darkness" (Ephesians 6:14).

 

Truth is so central to life in Christ, yet seems to be becoming lost to our World (Isaiah 59:4).

 

Just as God wants us to be gracious (and generous) in the broadest sense, He also wants us to be true (John 4:23), to be genuine (2 Corinthians 6:6, 8), to be transparent (Ephesians 4:15).

 

No Transparency

 

In Western Australia we have just gone through our state government election. During the campaign there was no transparency to be had anywhere from any of the parties. None of the vital issues of our day formed any part of the discussions or comprised any part of the different electoral platforms. So the successful majority can legitimately do anything they want .. they have promised nothing of substance.

 

"The Lord has handed sinners over to their own choices in rejecting his all illuminating glory, handed them over to the darkness of their own choices" (John 9:39).

"Since an existential state of emptiness is unbearable for those made for the indwelling divine glory (Psalm 8:5), idolatry is inevitable" (John Yates, January 2021).

 

Are we so conditioned by the flow of lies and misinformation, political correctness, no-platforming, confusion, intimidation and even electoral tampering, that we will accept any kind of government that wins our untruthful election campaigns?

 

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

 

What are we to do?

 

Pray!

 

"Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication .. keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18) and even for the whole world ..

 

Two Meanings

 

Led Zeppelin sang "sometimes words have two meanings". That was 50 years ago, and it seems that their insight has never had more poignancy than now. ('Stairway To Heaven', Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, 1971).

 

Humpty Dumpty and Alice in Wonderland shared the same ideological concept: "When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less". "The question is", said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things". "The question is", said Humpty Dumpty, "[who] is to be master?" (Lewis Carroll 'Alice in Wonderland' 1934).

 

Controlling the meaning of a word gives power. Words and ideology are playing a big but unwelcome part in the lives of billions of people today in ways few foresaw at the turn of our new Century. Neither truth nor common sense have their true value.

 

Ideas which are central to our society’s core were codified in our national constitutions and also by the United Nations protocols to which our nations are signatories .. ideas now being ignored and over-ridden by our provincial, state and national law makers.

 

Truth, common sense, generations of cultural norms and even true science and proven economics play no part in decision making and law making for whole nations, and even multi-national corporations.

 

Is there now no room for God's leadership in our world?

 

Our liberty to raise our children, express what we think, and worship and pray together is being removed. Will we be unable to be parents to our children, but rather be legally obliged, at great governmental threat, to allow state representatives to be our children's only influencers?

 

Must we leave God, and our Saviour Jesus, out of our conversations? Even out of our hearts and thoughts? I believe that this is what is beginning to be demanded of us.

 

The toxic politics of our time are very destructive. Politics is supposed to work for the ultimate benefit of each nation. It is sometimes called "the art of compromise" where there is give-and-take among those proposing different solutions until a workable way forward is found. When I was young we saw this happening and our nations grew in civility, fairness and prosperity.

 

Now though, no-one will even listen to the other's point of view. Discussion is being shut down. People are being denied a place to air their view. Some subjects may no longer be spoken of in public. This path can only lead to totalitarian governments.

 

My generation were well exposed to what life was like in totalitarian Russia and the Soviet Union, and in East Germany who endured the Stasi secret police with more than 1,000,000 citizens voluntarily informing against their neighbours.

 

All this just a few decades ago! Have we all forgotten?

 

God Knows

 

These worrying thoughts bring me back to verses from Isaiah:

 

"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter" (Isaiah 5:20).

 

"Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter.  Truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil [and seeks after good] makes himself a prey" (Isaiah 59:14-15).

And these verses remind me that Jesus is "King of kings, and Lord of lords" (1 Timothy 6:15); He has equipped us as His "ambassadors" (2 Corinthians 5:20) and "servants" (Ephesians 2:10) in the world ..

"Because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction .." (1 Thessalonians 1:5).

"Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you" (Luke 10:19).

 

Remnant - Real Friends

 

I'm sure that Christians have shared these kinds of thoughts with one another again and again over the centuries, in those times when they became aware that evil forces were at work to take over their nation. Christians are having to gather more tightly together and learn what it is to be a remnant; persecution always comes with totalitarian government.

 

Today there seems to be no broad scale and practical opposition to the evil advances .. ungodly rule is spreading.

 

Let us look to our real friends, those friends who are filled with Jesus and His Holy Spirit and live for Him. Let us share our lives, pray together, study the Scriptures and worship. Let us be careful with our resources and at the same time be generous towards those with real needs. Let us care for one another and love one another, and especially all our children and young adults ..

 

"Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).

 

Being transparent is to do with truth, truth and clarity, and even vulnerability. Sometimes transparency may be costly to us, it was costly to Jesus first. Jesus is truth (John 1:14; 1:17; 4:24).

We ask "what would Jesus do?" Then we look to His loving relationship with His (and our) Abba Father God. As in so many things, Jesus is our example of what it is to be Christian and to be a follower of His Way.

 

And let us remember: the New Testament tells us that people would come to the Christians seeking the wondrous thing that they had found (John 12:21) .. they did not need to be persuaded, they came because they were hungry, needy, and saw the light of Christ in Jesus' people, the ecclesia of God (Colossians 1:27).

 

"Be earnest and unwearied and steadfast in your prayer, being alert and intent in your praying, with thanksgiving" (Colossians 4:2 Amplified).

 

Praise Jesus for His constant love and for the Christian brothers and sisters He has given each one of us ..

 

Amen.

Favourite Scriptures

".. Now in putting everything in subjection to Him, He left nothing outside His control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to Him" (Hebrews 2:8). 

 

"They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. 'Sir', they said, 'we would like to see Jesus'" (John 12:21).

 

"To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).

 

 " .. Love one another .." (John 13:34, twice)

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

 " .. Love one another" (John 15:17)

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

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

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

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

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

 "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)

 

Thank you Jesus ..

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Amen. Praise Jesus.

Armour Of God: Breastplate Of Righteousness

From Father, Through Son, By Holy Spirit

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Put On The Breastplate Of Righteousness"

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

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

Yes! Ephesians 1:9-10 and 13-14 tell us about the ".. mystery of [God's] will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth .. you also were included in Christ when you heard the gospel of your salvation .. and are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit .."

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

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

Jesus

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

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

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

Clothed

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

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

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

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

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

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

Strange And Delightful

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Breastplate Of Righteousness

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

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

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

Thank you Jesus.

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

Favourite Scripture Verses

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

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

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

Amen.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bless you Jesus. So lovely, so complete

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Blessings. Amen.

Cancer: Anxious For Nothing

Take Every Thought Captive

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4.6).

"Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).

These Bible words all suggest immediacy, that there should be total fulfilment straight away and consistently thereafter, no exceptions.

"Be anxious for nothing": does this mean that we are to be relaxed and confident about everything?

We know that we are to forgive [all] those who sin against us (Matthew 6:12,14), and forgive our self for [all] our failings, weaknesses and sins (Proverbs 28:13).

Can I even do this? Is this why we are called to have a "childlike faith" (Luke 10:21)? And even that childlikeness is essential (Luke 18:16-17).

We know that God always looks at our heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Am I truly searching and responding from my heart, from the very core of me?

Is this what sanctification is? That we grow in Jesus to the place where we become fully trusting and thus saintly? I know Christians who are quite lovely, I would even say they appear "holy", but they all acknowledge sin in their lives even now, and doubt too. None of us know what tomorrow will bring. We only know that we belong to Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and that He loves us, and has eternally saved us, each one.

Is this enough? Can we get beyond our anxieties and fears? Can I?

I think of myself as a "short accounts" person, I do not like problems to build up. Rather I try to resolve issues in the world, and also to confess my sins to God and repent. At the same time, I am aware that I see only what I know to see. Are there still things from my past which are yet to be resolved? Past events, or even whole seasons, that I don't remember but which still influence and affect me (and those near me), even now?

"There is no [anxiety or] fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love" (1 John 4:18).

Cancer

A few weeks ago, after I was diagnosed with cancer, my newly inspired prayers opened the way for our Lord and Saviour to show me several hidden areas of unresolved trauma, fear, anxiety and unforgiveness which (I believe) I have now let go and given to Jesus, "cast on Him" (1 Peter 5:7).

Great weights lifted off me and I am aware that Jesus now is taking on those burdens (Matthew 11:29). I am "renewing my mind" (Romans 12:2). Those toxic thought patterns are steadily being replaced with "Jesus' peace" (Luke 7:50), thus removing stress and allowing my immune system to repair itself and set about healing all of my body. Praise Jesus for His endless love. 

My oncology doctors say that I will be "cancer free" by June, but are less assured about the type and extent of side-effects from the treatment. Plenty of room here for anxiety and fear! But I look to Jesus and His great healing works in my Bible, and in hundreds of people I have seen and prayed with. Perhaps most of all, I remember how He has so lovingly cared for my health over many years; that I am alive and mobile today is such a great testimony to His love and faithfulness!

I am learning to "take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5b).

As I pray and ponder I keep remembering Hebrews Chapter 11. The many heroes we see there, that wonderful "crowd of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1), are all remembered even now. Despite their very difficult circumstances they were totally committed to God's way, in their hearts. They died, still seeking the "city whose architect and maker is God" (Hebrews 11:10), but also, we know that they are eternally alive with Jesus because of their faith, their trust.

I Trust

I now pray this prayer; I am growing in it. (I know that I am still holding something back, I'm not sure that I trust everything to our Lord, but do know that that day is not far off):

"Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, please teach me to say truthfully and from my heart: 'I trust the present and the future to you: for myself, for Trish my wife, for our children and grandchildren, for all our extended family, indeed even the whole Christian church'. And: 'I will be fully available, and radically obedient to you Lord'. In Jesus' name. Amen".

Thank you, Lord Jesus. Hallelujah!

Afternote

After all the cancer treatment was completed and I recovered, (this took another two or three months), I became aware that some long-standing uncomfortable health issues were gone. My sinuses had been in a bad way for years; my GP said that the lengthy antibiotic treatment to clear them would knock me around so badly that I was better off to just live with the problem - gone! Jesus healed them, nothing my doctors did had any influence on my sinuses. Other long standing annoying health problems too - gone!

Praise Jesus, when we follow His leading He will rebuild our immune system and our body will fight off illnesses. The marrow in our bones produces our immune system cells - we do not want "dry bones":

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones" (Proverbs 17:22).

"I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14).

"By his wounds I have been healed" (1 Peter 2:24).

Favourite Bible Verses

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know" (Jeremiah 33:3).

"I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, 'My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please'" (Isaiah 46:10).

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time" (1 Peter 5:6).

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

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

"We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Yes. Amen.

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Praise Jesus.

Cancer: Consequences

Behold He Comes

Trish had her Roar prayer meeting here on Saturday. Before that, our second son Frank and his family came to pick up their kayak, and we had a lovely visit; the boys discovered that our blueberry bushes have ripe fruit so made an enthusiastic harvest!

I have a very bad cold so spent Trish's meeting time in our room, mostly sleeping; I partially awoke when the ladies sang "Behold He comes, riding on the clouds", what a truly great expression of our Jesus and our faith! The meeting ran two hours longer than normally. Trish has been so busy with end-of-school-year that she asked Jesus and Holy Spirit to plan and run the meeting; an hour or so after it ended she seemed to be still floating above the ground. Big things are happening in the Heavenlies ..

How wonderful it is that so many are praying all around the world, building spiritual walls (Ezekiel 22:30) and holding Satan and his demonic army (Ephesians 6:12) back from their planned destruction (John 10:10).

Cancer

My (newish) prostate cancer, (really the eradication of that cancer), has come to be a significant element of my life. I do daily exercise-physiotherapy and weekly gym-physiotherapy and actively pursue the clean-up of all my old "toxic thought patterns", (is this spiritual-physiotherapy?) and now eat much more as Trish does, that is, more wisely!

There are no noticeable symptoms from the cancer, but since I began these lifestyle changes I am noticing a rapid and significant decrease in the symptoms for a number of other things, most of which have been long-lasting.

My cold is an annoyance, (and also contrary to the flow of other health things), it saps my energy so I can do little more than sleep and read, I am down to two small meals a day which is surprising, normally nothing will keep me from my food. Colds and flu hit older people hard but my immune system is doing great, it is fighting; there is no sign of infection, so it has to deal only with my "common cold".

Consequences

Definition: 'consequence' - noun - the effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier.

Time and again, what we do, or do not do, has consequences that cannot be avoided: "If you keep doing that, there will be consequences!" How often have we heard these words when we were growing up? How often do we now say them to our children? Our siblings? Our friends?

Every culture has many "if" sayings for its young people and always has. There is great truth there, truth learned in the crucible of human experience over many generations. Pain and illness can often be avoided by "following rules". We may call this "righteous living".

Our Bibles contain both wisdom and commandments involving "if" and "consequences". I am learning some of these afresh as I contemplate this cancer. Am I thinking and living as our Abba Father designed me? Is my spiritual life predominant? Or am I letting the world's influences (some translations call these "my flesh"), bring unwanted consequences?

Am I being true to my request to God? "One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple" (Psalm 27:4).

And how about Jesus' big call to us? ".. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself" (Matthew 22:37-39). We know what "all" means!

Am I: ".. taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5)? And we also know what "every" means!

Over a long time, I have watched the deterioration of our society, the ongoing removal of our freedoms as citizens, the lessening of truth and integrity, and the increase of government and corporate control over our lives.

I have allowed anger and frustration to grow in me. I have not kept my eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) and accepted His peace (John 14:27), instead I have allowed the things of the Earth (Ephesians 1:10; Colossians 1:20) to enflame my mind and cause trauma in my emotions; the consequences have arrived (a simplified summary):

•  The inflammation of my thinking became "toxic thought patterns"

•  Stress affected my "mind-body-connection" and adrenaline flooded my system

•  Prolonged stress caused cortisol to be added to the adrenaline

•  Cortisol inhibited and killed cells in my immune system, (it "dries up the bones"; our bone marrow is where our immune system cells come from)

•  Unhealthy cells were free to multiply in my body

•  Cancerous tumours formed ..

The Bible explains: "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones" (Proverbs 17:22).

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Luke 12:34).

".. my peace I give you .." (John 14:27).

Peace

We can choose to accept Jesus' peace, or try and work things out for ourselves (and then stress can cause disease). One or the other. "His way" and His peace, or "my way" and the consequences!

Once I learned afresh about "toxic thought patterns" I asked Abba Father, Holy Spirit and our Saviour Jesus to show me where I needed to forgive and repent. This is now an intense, long, ongoing work of prayer. 

Positive change was quickly apparent in my spirit, my soul and my body, all three!

It may not seem very heroic but seeing reduction in illnesses in my body has really encouraged my spirit, I have a more "joyful heart" .. and that has lifted my spirit!

Even this bad cold doesn't bother me much. Normally when I catch a cold it gets worse and worse until I am so run down an infection starts, then I need two courses of antibiotics which devastate my gut flora, eventually I get well again. This time, my immune system is dealing with the cold on its own, without any ugly impact. Trish and I are managing life, our house is tidy, she is on top of her school commitments, I am up to date with our laundry, and tonight I prepared a delightful avocado pasta dish for our dinner.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear .." (1 John 4:18).

Praise Jesus who loves us and cares for us, each one.

These small things are what we have, these and prayer, availability and obedience. The world seems to be in an unfathomable mess, but:

"We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.  And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life" (1 John 5:19-20).

Amen.

Favourite Bible Verses

"My child, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.  Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.  For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.  Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life" (Proverbs 4:20-23).

"But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God, being watchful to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command you this day, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you.  Then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary strokes and blows, great plagues of long continuance, and grievous sicknesses of long duration.  Moreover, He will bring upon you all the diseases of Egypt of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you.  Also, every sickness and every affliction which is not written in this book of the Law the Lord will bring upon you until you are destroyed" (Deuteronomy 28:15, 59-61 "Blessings And Curses". Note the use of the words "all" and "every". These words were addressed to the Jewish nation).

"Guard your heart for out of it flows the issues of life" (Matthew 12:34).

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).

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.

Praise Jesus.

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https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2020/12/cancer-consequences.html

Amen.

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.

Permalink

https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2020/11/cancer-deep.html

Amen.