Silence

"Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). 
 

When Jesus began His earthly ministry He told the people, "the Kingdom of God is at hand" (Mark 1:15). Our participation with our Lord Jesus, however small our rôle may be in our eyes, is truly a part of that same Kingdom and the whole plan of God.

 
Every one of the Bible prophets added something unique and essential to our understanding of God's Kingdom, and of our relationship with Him, the God of all Creation, and of the whole history of humankind. Those prophets, their work and their hearts, speak to us still, even to today.
 
Nothing any person does is small when is in the will of God. Like the prophets of old, we hear from God, Father, Son and Spirit, and move forward with Him. We are part of all the purposes of God.
 
If you were to take your mobile phone and punch a hole right through it, as small as your little finger nail, your phone would no longer work; whatever parts you had cut out would prove to be vital to the working of all the many functions needed for your phone to be a phone.
 
"Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ .. As it is, there are many parts, but one body" (1 Corinthians 12:12, 20).
 
So also with our work in Jesus. We are needed, each one, our availability and our obedience is needed because our lovely God is working out His plan.
 
And we cannot obey unless we hear.
 
Perhaps the most famous Bible passage about God speaking into silence is when God told Elijah that He had something to say to him. Soon a mighty wind came, it was so strong it tore rocks apart. Surely this would carry the words of the Lord? God is big and He is mighty, isn't this how He would naturally come to us?
 
Then an earthquake came. I grew up in New Zealand and remember the terrible Christchurch earthquake of 2011. Earthquakes can tear chasms into the ground and destroy buildings and bridges. Is this how God spoke to Elijah? Then came a fire; we see news stories of vast forest fires. Movie makers love to show us heroic firefighters and terrible blazes. When Trish and I lived on our little farm I was a volunteer firefighter; the fires we fought and extinguished were fearsome, compared to our human size, they were big and dangerous.
 
Elijah heard God speak in none of these big things. We love big things, 60,000 seat stadiums will fill to see a rock group or a famous singer. We love a big family dinner or a "big night out".
 
And how does God speak? ".. after the fire a sound of gentle stillness and a still, small voice" (1 Kings 19:12).
 
The Hebrew of the Old Testament says "qō-wl də-mā-māh ḏaq-qāh" which translates as "a voice still small" (Biblehub).    
 
Often it is in the silence that God speaks. Let us stop, rest, quiet our life, be available to Jesus, listen. 

My testimony is that it is when I am quiet that I hear Jesus speak to me; I receive His guidance. Other times I may see Him, I will become aware that Jesus is standing nearby, watching, always with a soft and loving smile. A couple of weeks ago Trish and I were at a healing seminar. After one session a woman was chatting with me, she said "you see things, right?". I responded that I do have a prophetic gifting and then laughed, remembering, "O", I said, "did you see Jesus this morning, when we were singing? He was over there, in the aisle, near that woman in blue". Our friend Jesus was with us, enjoying us being His church.
 
Jesus began to visit and to talk with me after I asked Him. I would pray, "please Jesus, I have some time, please come and be with me". It took a few times of asking before I was able to see Him. Jesus is with us all the time (Deuteronomy 31:8; Isaiah 60:19-20; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5), and sometimes we can hear His voice, feel His touch or see Him, it is spiritual.

Trish and I became enthusiastic students of a couple who had studied the spiritual gift of the prophetic (1 Corinthians 14:1,3). We, and a great many others, have been blessed since then. The gifting continues. I am sure that many others experience Him in ways I do not; He treats each of us uniquely, (just as we respond differently to each of our siblings or friends).
 
We are called Christian because we are "of Christ", (just as an Italian person is "of Italy"); we belong to Christ. It is the person of Jesus Christ who is the centre of God's attention and His love, the centre of history, (history - "His story"). Also Jesus is "the founder and perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2), this is manifestly personal to every Christian.
 
(Colossians 1:16, 19-20) "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross".
 
All this fullness is available to us. See John 15 where Jesus tells His disciples that already they are clean (because they had been "washed by Jesus' word"); then He commands them: "Abide in me, and I in you [live, dwell, remain in me]. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me" (John 15:4). 1st John 2:20 makes it clear that these words, calls and commands were not just for the people who saw Jesus in Bible times, but are to all believers everywhere: "But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge". We have this anointing, by Holy Spirit, and this possibility of understanding, since we are saved, it is an essential part of us being a "new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15) in Jesus, under His "new covenant" (2 Corinthians 3:6).

 
There are so many ways that I am aware that God is, and that I am with God; a part of everything that is. This is a very big thought but also a great comfort to me. It means that I am on the "inside, with" and not on the outside or opposed. So lovely. I am a child in the family of Father God (1 John 3:1). My awareness is of Jesus being present, often I see him, just for a second or two, near, close, always loving - He will be at rest, He is never in a hurry. Three Bible verses fill my heart and assure me that this is real:
 
(Matthew 28:20 Jesus' words) "Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age".
(Colossians 1:15) "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation".
(Colossians 1:19) "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him".
 
Those words from Jesus close Matthew's gospel. One day I suddenly saw how important they are, they show us "always". Long ago our family attended a church in New Jersey where a preacher had a profound impact on me, a young Christian. When he used a big word from the Bible he would pause, look all round the church to be sure he had our attention, then state the obvious, so that we would register its significance. Were he to read these words, he would have paused and declared: "'always' means 'always". That preacher wanted us to know in our hearts how very big God is, there is no time and no place where Jesus is not with us, each one. Always! 

I am blessed to have opportunity to be quiet, truly quiet, and to be surrounded by silence.
 
After my big "accident" four months ago, I suddenly became a "home body", almost a "shut in". Previously I would go to three, four or five prayer meetings every week and other Christian events too. They were of great importance to me; I consider prayer my "work" (Ephesians 2:10); prayer, intercession, standing in the gap - often for others who do not know to seek Jesus for themselves. Now I mostly stay home.
 
I have changed on my inside. I surprised myself while sharing about the accident with a friend, I said "it is as though I aged three years in a day", and saw that this is true. I am suddenly "older", less strong, and slower; less able to "do".
 
Now, day after day, I have time to read, pray and ponder. (I have medical appointments and family and household duties, but on other days I have many hours alone). Quiet.
 
I am at peace, I am learning more about "shalom", that very big Hebrew word which Jewish people seem to know from childhood. Matthew 28:20 is fully real to me, I am aware that Jesus is present "with" me. We share peace together, shalom, in the silence. This is like being married for so long to Trish, Jesus and I can be like this too.
 
Praise Jesus. Amen.
 
Favourite Bible Verses
 
(Psalm 62:5) "For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him".
 
(2 Corinthians 12:9) "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness'. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me".
 
(Zechariah 4:6) "So he said to me, 'This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit", says the Lord Almighty'".
 
(1 Samuel 16:7) ".. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart'".
 
(Ephesians 1:18-21) ".. having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come".
 
(Isaiah 42:14) "For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant".
 
Amen.
 
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Tract - Anxiety? Depression? Stress?

Jesus Brings Rest
 
Our Pastor, Bill, could see that we needed something more in the entryway of our church building. He thought: "A tract would fill the gap. What concerns people today? Stress and worry are everywhere, I will ask John to write a tract telling those stressed people that Jesus will help". 

I see too that depression and anxiety are epidemic in the Western democracies (and elsewhere also, see Note 1).
 
This is not God’s desire for humankind; He wants us to be "free" (Galatians 5:1) and "joy filled" (1 Peter 1:8) in a loving relationship with the God of all Creation who we are now able to call "Abba Father" (Romans 8:15). We are praying that these tracts will awaken peoples' desire to grow beyond their present oppression and into the "abundant life" Jesus offers (John 10:10).
 
This (updated) tract is now available, with instructions, to be downloaded, printed, cut and folded, then given away. You may download PDF copies of from our new website:
 
www.sd-alliance.church/tracts
 
We are happy to say that we place a small stack of these tracts on the entry-way coffee table and people take them. We keep having to print off more. Praise Jesus that His love, salvation and hope is helping emotionally burdened and suffering people, even today.
 
The tract comprises six panels, can be read in a few minutes, and will fit in a shirt pocket. Be blessed in Jesus. Amen.
 
 

Are you troubled by   Anxiety? Depression?  Stress?   You are not alone .. Jesus can help you find rest.

 
Front panel – the invitation
 

Jesus - our willing helper   Many people discover that Jesus helps them find rest. This may sound impossible or weird, but it is true. It is spiritual. The spiritual world is real. Jesus and Father God rule that world with love; they also rule our world here on Earth. For me, my spirit has come alive and I have found peace and hope since I welcomed Jesus into my life.   Once I knew and accepted that Jesus loves me and cares for me, He brought me into His family, forever. I saw big changes in me, changes on my insides and on my outside too. I am now eternally safe here. You too are welcome to join us because our God cares for you. Our centre is our heart, this is where we want to find rest. 1

 
2^nd panel – page 1
 

Everyone Has Trouble - Jesus Gives Rest   There is always trouble and pain in the world for everyone. Christians know this too. Jesus gives us a new soft heart which is resilient in all our troubles, we develop a new view of everything, centred on love and faith, a new perspective or worldview.   Only when we are in the will of God can we know complete rest. Jesus is always in our Father's will and He is always at rest. He says we can share our burdens with Him and learn from Him: "for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls" (Bible, Matthew 11:29).   We can learn to be at rest. For me it has been a journey over many years, but happily, always moving forward.  2

 
3^rd panel – page 2
 

Jesus Sets Us Free - He Gives New Life   Jesus saves us from death and sin, He gave His life for us; His death paid for all our wrongdoing, meanness, wickedness and pride, our sin. When we sincerely repent of our sin Jesus forgives us, sets us free and defeats death in us. This brings our spiritual change and our new life.   We learn to look to Jesus. He gave us the Bible which tells His story and the whole story of humankind, and also teaches us how to live and get along with one another.   We can be encouraged that we are not alone. Together with Jesus we can experience life in fullness and beauty despite our difficulties.   3

 

4^th panel – page 3
  

Healing Our Heart - Building Resilience   We can think about our heart and care for it. No worldly success will satisfy our heart, but Jesus can; we find this in His people, in other like-minded Christians. We can have a full heart and know joy.   "My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my hope is from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress. I will not be shaken" (Bible, Psalm 62:5-6).   Bless you. Bless all of us. Amen.     By John G © Southern Districts Alliance Church, Western Australia. Quotes are from World English Bible. You may download a PDF of this tract from: www.SD-Alliance.church/tracts to give away.   4

 
5^th panel page 4
 

How to become Christian? Ask God.   So many testimonies of coming into relationship with Jesus and Father God begin with desperation, The person is at, or beyond, their own strength, or has become terribly convicted of their wrong-doing, their sin. They cry out: "God if you are there, show Yourself to me", or, "Help me please Jesus". Soon after, they see a deep change in them-self and their life. This is spiritual. The person sees and knows that the God of all Creation is with them and is helping. Jesus has responded with love to their cry. People always smile as they speak of these moments.   "You shall seek me, and find me, when you search for me with all your heart" (Bible: Jeremiah 29:13, God of Heaven speaking). 5

 
6^th  and final panel – The “other” invitation, "How to become a Christian".
 
 
Postscript: The Making Of A Tract
 
I have found that tract writing is not for the faint hearted. There are so many needs and constraints. Fortunately, friends were happy to help. O, and my friend Jesus was a lovely and constant inspiration and contributor.
 
The specific "tract" needs I sought to meet were many - it needed to:
 
 1 - be simple yet attractive - people decide to take one, or not, in an  instant
 2 - address a real felt need in people
 3 - offer real hope
 4 - be non threatening - not "churchy"
 5 - reveal Jesus
 6 – fully reflect Jesus’ New Covenant
 7 - address salvation
 8 - address sin in all of us
 9 - address the reality of the spiritual world
10 - address trouble and also truth
11 - address worldview
12 - address the reality of the need of change in us
13 - contain meaningful Bible truths
14 - show how to become a Christian
15 - use clear language
16 - be physically small and quick to read
17 - be easily printed on regular sized paper anywhere in the world
18 - be free, no cost to the Christian giving them, or the person receiving.
 
Some of these needs were pointed out by friends after I thought the job was done, so I went back and made room for the new thought/concept/element to be included. In the finite 6-small-panel space, that meant deleting something, or being more concise by using fewer or "better" words. Challenging. 

To make the tract personal, it starts with testimony, "Many people find ..", and later includes testimony of my journey and other people's seeking. I love testimony, having been blessed so often by others' true stories of Jesus healing, salvation, love and grace; I trust that Jesus will bless others as I have been blessed.
 
Because tracts are public documents, I felt it needed copyright. Our local church were happy to hold copyright and to host the tract. (www.PsalmsOfJohn.com is not set up for downloads).
 
The Bible verses needed attribution. I love the World English Bible; it comes free with free PC Bible software I have used for decades: e-Sword. (For a birthday I asked family members to pay for other translations too). WEB is a fine translation, and requires the simplest of attributions; space was at such a premium, my decision was easy (after careful research).
 
For the sake of simplicity I chose to use an A4 page, halved lengthwise, folded into three. When I first tried this, friends had trouble following the path through the document. So we played with different layouts and concluded that what is now presented is simple and clear to most people. This was frustrating and fun at the same time.
 
The "chunks" of text had to be discrete "panel sized chunks". I would often play with a couple of sentences for an hour or more, changing words and phrases to get what-needed-to-be-said into the panel nicely. Challenging.
 
Some tracts have a space where the Christian or local church can put their details. I chose not to do this, mainly because I believe that Holy Spirit will guide new believers to the local church of His choice. I have heard many testimonies of people who found a church and walked in, full of doubt and skepticism, only to be met by Jesus Himself, in His people there. Their testimony shows Jesus' love and readiness to welcome and grow His people.
 
This was a labour of love. Already people are reading these thoughts and Bible verses. I pray that our lovely Jesus will reveal Himself and draw them to Himself. Such blessing. Praise Jesus. Amen.
 
Favourite Bible Verses
 
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14).
 
"And so you will bear testimony to me” (Luke 21:13).
 
"For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus" (Revelation 19:10b).
 
Bless us all. "Come Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20). Amen.
 
 
Note 1:
"Over A Billion People Living With Mental Health Conditions" - World Health Organization
 
"Mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression are highly prevalent in all countries and communities, affecting people of all ages and income levels. They represent the second biggest reason for long-term disability, contributing to loss of healthy life. They drive up health-care costs for affected people and families while inflicting substantial economic losses on a global scale". (Emphasis added).
 
https://www.who.int/news/item/02-09-2025-over-a-billion-people-living-with-mental-health-conditions-services-require-urgent-scale-up  (15 March 2026). 
 
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Shut Up, Confine, Enclose

Testimony of Jesus' Love and Care

"shut up" - (transitive verb), to prevent all access to, to enclose, confine, or imprison, to close all the entrances to, to close up, to lock up. 

Lately, when I have been reading Francis Schaeffer and A.W. Tozer, I see that they use the expression "shut up", in a definite way; to them it means "Jesus, in His love for me, left me with no other choice". Paul wrote the same: "But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed" (Galatians 3:23). 

Now I find that I am "shut up" with debilities. I was accidentally struck very hard in the front of my body. The impact drove me backwards two or three metres and I crashed onto a garden bed. A shocking experience!
 
There are multiple "severe" (the radiologist's word) pinched nerves in my neck and this has a profound referred effect on my right shoulder, arm, hand and fingers. My doctors say that the different pain, weaknesses, tingling and discomforts that I experience are because every slightest move I make changes something in my neck, fresh urgent signals are sent through my nervous system to my arm and hand. Because the nerves are pinched the signals do not represent what is happening, rather they signal what the pinched nerves figure is happening from their pinched state. So, for me, it is intense, continuous, variable and inescapable. More than two months have gone by.
 
The symptoms vary and cannot be predicted. There was great pain, but targeted treatment has largely relieved this. Science has made great advances in pain management. This is good. After some adjusting I am blessed with a 24x7 program of three painkillers and anti-inflammatories.
 
But there is also tingling and a new kind of stiffness in my fingers, I drop things. Also I experience varying weaknesses in my right arm and hand, I begin to do something and suddenly find that I can't. 
 

I have seen a specialist physiotherapist who helped, but the nerves stayed pinched. Now I am seeing a chiropractor. First he put my right clavicle (collar bone) back where it belongs, now he is working to release the two nerves which are still pinched, (one is released). Happily, I am calm and at peace and can sleep.
 
Even so, despite all the good care, I am in a constant state of distress. Something in me changed because of that traumatic impact. I can hardly explain, but I am different on my inside. I hardly leave our home. I attend almost none of my regular prayer meetings or fellowship with friends, and sometimes miss Sunday church. I suddenly became a homebody.
 

Happily, I am calm and at peace and can sleep.

 
This is where "shut up" comes in. It would be easy to wallow, "O poor me, all this pain and difficulty". But I am trying not to do this, rather to seek the truth of my lovely theology teacher's promise: "the answer to every question is 'Jesus'".
 
I am surprisingly more in awe of the beauty and majesty of the Creation around me. Our God made this beautiful world as a place for us to be as we learn to relate to Him, and to those around us, before we go to dwell with him forever (John 6:58).
 
Trish and Tom, our eldest son, go to work and I am largely home alone, but not quite, my frequent companion is Jesus (Matthew 28:20b); He and I do not talk much, mostly we are quiet together, companionable.

 
Jesus pops Bible verses into my consciousness and I ponder on them, this is spiritual and it is wonderful! I am not musical, nor a gifted singer, nevertheless our Lord gives me songs and hymns to sing: "And can it be .." has been in my heart for a week or so, this fills my heart with gratitude. I am told that we cannot be grateful and fearful at the same time.
 
And I have been busy with Psalms Of John. Lots of searching, thoughts and notes, some revisions, and lots of podcasting. Perhaps Father God allowed me to be "shut up" for this season .. so that I would press on (Philippians 3:12) with the work Jesus has given me (Ephesians 2:10).
 
My most recent writing was "Authority" and was about the Christian believer's authority in relation to our God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and His great plans and eternal work in the world. I am still pondering this, now with greater motivation. 

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!" (Romans 11:33).
 
I may be "shut up", but I am free in Jesus (1 Corinthians 7:22) and at peace. Trish and I are both aware of the shalom in our hearts regardless of the complications and difficulties all around us. We continue to love and to pray and press forward, counting our blessings with joy.
 
Praise Jesus.
Amen.
 
Quotes and Favourite Bible Verses
 
Abraham Lincoln: "I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day".
 
(John 6:68) "Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life".
 
(Ephesians 2:10) "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do".
 
(Acts 14:21-22) "They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. 'We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God', they said".
 
(Galatians 5:1) "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery".
 
Hymn: "And Can It Be" - Charles Wesley - 1738
 
    And can it be that I should gain
    An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
    Died He for me, who caused His pain—
    For me, who Him to death pursued?
    Amazing love! How can it be,
    That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
                           
    ’Tis myst’ry all: th’ Immortal dies:
    Who can explore His strange design?
    In vain the firstborn seraph tries
    To sound the depths of love divine.
    ’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
    Let angel minds inquire no more.
             
    He left His Father’s throne above—
    So free, so infinite His grace—
    Emptied Himself of all but love,
    And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
    ’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
    For, O my God, it found out me!
             
    Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
    Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
    Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray—
    I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
    My chains fell off, my heart was free,
    I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
             
    No condemnation now I dread;
    Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
    Alive in Him, my living Head,
    And clothed in righteousness divine,
    Bold I approach th’ eternal throne,
    And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
 
So grateful to be in your Kingdom Lord, rather than just this world (1 John 3:1), thank you Jesus.

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Thy Rod And Thy Staff

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4).
 

Most of us like to have structure in our lives, you know, so that we know we have a place, and are close to people we can rely on. We long to be blessed and secure in loving relationships and a peaceful, prosperous nation, but these things are out of reach for many. Such structures help us to cope and rub along together and be a people, a society (Isaiah 61:9).
 
For me it is a great comfort to know that our God designed us, and the whole Creation, with this desire for structure in our heart; really, it parallels the laws of physics, chemistry, thermodynamics and logic which apply always everywhere in the Universe, (except when God over-arches and intervenes supernaturally with a miracle).
 
Our Bible tells us that we are made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26), and from that same Bible we see a vast narrative in time and space. The Bible begins with a miraculous and very ordered building from nothing until that glorious (perfect?) world before the Fall, with the second family of Adam and Eve as its carers and stewards. They were intimate companions of the God who gave them everything they needed, even meaningful work, and He walked and talked with them in the garden at the end of each day (Genesis 3:8). Our families are descendents of this couple. The first and eternal family is God, three persons in one Deity, Father, the Son Jesus and Holy Spirit who is the inner presence of God in us, the believers.
 
I grew up in New Zealand in the post WWII years when the Western democracies were known as Christian countries. We had Bible readings, hymns and prayer as part of assembly at school, and I went to church as part of Sea Scouts and, later, Bible class. Our people and our government followed the ethics and morality as outlined in God's Ten Commandments and everyone understood that this gave us a fair, safe and generous nation.
 
David's 23rd psalm was well known to me, and to just about everybody, as was the true meaning of Christmas and Easter.
 
Some church words and phrases embedded themselves in my consciousness, I still remember "thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me" (from Psalm 23:4 in the KJV) and "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds" (from Philippians 4:7). I now believe that these verses told me that the God I did not know was (is) truly there, and is very big, and there are mysteries I may take a lifetime to understand.
 
Looking back, I see that God was assuring me that, more than simply being "there", He was aware of everything going on in the whole Universe, including everything to do with me. But the people around me did not seem to be happier or more welcoming because of God; I now think perhaps they did not know God or see His glory, they may have simply known about God with no deep and abiding relationship with Him.

Since Jesus drew me to Himself I have read many excited, articulate, "born again" Christian authors who were writing during those years. I believe that these writers saw people around them who were very like me; lost in what seemed to be a flourishing but materialistic world.
 
Whilst a new Christian, I spent time reading the Psalms; all these years later I still love them deeply, they are the Bible book where God's people talk, (and cry out), to Him. Psalm 23 soon came to my attention, I had heard it throughout my life - probably I had connected it to the "God" I knew was "there" but who I did not know and could not define.
 
Here were the "out of reach" words, "your rod and your staff, they comfort me" (v4). I knew this as deep but real, and, yes, "transcending my understanding".
 
My Dad had come home from WWII, he was whole physically, but we realised later, very damaged on his inside. He was a navigator on bomber airplanes, guiding his pilot to the bombing target amidst the anti-aircraft gun fire and the enemy fighter planes. Again and again he had been "through the valley of the shadow of death" (v4). Were these Bible words telling me that this God-over-everything could make sense of all of life (Acts 9:18) and give me a correct and complete perspective, or Biblical worldview? (So that I would know and be strengthened by God's moral absolutes, the certainty of miracles past, present and future, the dignity and value of every person, and the certainty of redemption, of being forgiven and set free?)
 

Jesus' words: ".. I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me" (John 14:6).
 
Again Jesus' words: ".. blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it" (Luke 11:28).
 
Later, when I read the Bible passages where Jesus likens Himself to a shepherd, I connected these thoughts and knew comfort. I had worked as a shepherd during a springtime school holiday, the idea that God was also my shepherd resonated with me. This is what this PsalmsOfJohn piece is about: Jesus shepherd-like care for us, His strength always there to help and protect.
 
Jesus loved to teach about the shepherd caring for His sheep, He clearly saw Himself as the shepherd of His Father's flock. As a boy Jesus would have learned about His famous ancestor David, who, being the youngest of Jethro's sons, was the shepherd of their sheep. David took his work seriously and found good pasture, water and shelter for his charges, and when trouble came: "I slew the lion and the bear" (1 Samuel 17:35-36). As he tells King Saul about this, David clearly thinks he was simply doing his job, and, because he was one of God's own, he needed nothing more than God's covering.
 
My shepherd's crook was just like David's "staff" and was a vital part of my equipment (and often difficult to hold onto as I rode my horse around the flocks of expectant mother sheep with all my "midwife" equipment). The crook was shaped like an "f" (without the horizontal) and about 1½ metres (5 feet) long. It was beautifully made from a single slim tree branch and carefully shaped to give the "crook". I needed my crook for the extra reach it gave me to catch a ewe sheep who was having trouble giving birth to her lamb and needed help.
 
My crook and David's "staff" were an aid to help us guide and nurture the sheep in our care. In Christian terms I see this being God's Word, the Bible, the living Word of God to us, together with God's New Covenant, His eternal promise to humankind that He will forgive our sins and welcome us into His family, in full communion, when we believe in His Son Jesus Christ, as Saviour, with all our heart.

(I also believe that the New Testament shows that this kind of belief will inspire us to join with the living Jesus in His work in the World today, with prayer, discipling and mentoring, helps of all kinds, evangelism and mission, teaching, pastoring and leadership, and music for "the God who sings over His people" (Zephaniah 3:17). All these form our worship (John 4:24)).
 
David's "rod" was a sturdy wooden stick used as a weapon to fight off wild animals, a weapon of protection (much like a policeman's billy club). As a Christian I see Jesus providing discipline, authority, protection from danger. Part of this is our conscience through which Holy Spirit tells us when we are off God's true path for us (1 Timothy 1:5); and also His prophetic word by which He shows us His will, and His discipline when needed (John 16:13; 2 Timothy 1:7; Revelation 3:19).

The Weather

Our weather is one way everyone sees God's power and foresight in our lives; we experience the effects of weather every day.

 
Scientists marvel at the symbiosis and synchronicity of everything.
 
Symbiosis: a close and long-term biological interaction between two biological organisms of different species, be it mutualistic, commensalistic, or parasitic (Wikipedia).
 
Synchronicity: coincidental occurrence of events that seem related but are not explained by conventional mechanisms of causality (Wikipedia).
 
Our weather is a part of "everything" and is one vast ongoing system involving the oceans and land masses, the mountains and the deep ocean trenches, the polar ice caps and the equatorial tropics.
 
The Sun, the star at the centre of our Solar System, pours out light and heat and radioactivity and magnetic fields. It is an essential and intrinsic part of all life here. The Sun gives us day and night, it is the driving force for our weather, and it keeps our planet safe and warm, but not too hot or too cold.
 
God manages all our weather with the same love and care and the same eternal perspective as He cares for all of humankind. We are assured that we will never again see an overwhelming flood such as Noah and his family knew (Genesis 9:8-17).
 
At first glance our world may look chaotic. There are times and places where we are overwhelmed. But even lightening, bush fires, hurricanes and the Antarctic cold have purpose in the global weather processes. This is a high degree of order which our lovely God provides for us, even in the still-fallen state of the world in which we live. Every day I rejoice and am amazed at God's Creation, that I am a part of it and in so many relationships within it. I know that we all are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14).
 
Now
At men's group last week one of the guys was happy to tell us how his sin life has shrunk since Jesus drew him to Himself. We all agreed that this is what Jesus does; He doesn't just forgive our sins (when we repent) but in some mysterious way He de-motivates us from sinful habits and new temptations. One of us read Galatians 5:19-21:
"Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God".
 
Seeing and acknowledging our sin and then repenting are at the heart of our Christian life, a true part of God’s "rod" and "staff". They bring belief and faith, we know we are loved and have been set free (Galatians 5:1). We remember that our "flesh" nature still influences us but Jesus is stronger.
 
What a relief to be (almost totally) free from what many think of as the "normal life" that we had been part of. As Jesus grows us we flourish: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23).
 
Paul says that we crucify the sin in our self (Galatians 5:24). I am not sure that is totally true for me. Sure, I have learned to say "no" often, but it is Jesus in me who has made the big difference in living cleaner: "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).
 
I see that Jesus' "rod" and "staff" have been at work in my life. In His provision for me and my family we are blessed; in His care for us we are safe, as were David's sheep when He provided good pasture and "slew the lion and the bear". Jesus holds our lives together; "In Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).
 
This is not surprising really; it is part of the ordered way Jesus does everything (Colossians 1:16). His "rod" and "staff" guide us from our heart outwards. He promised through the prophet Ezekiel that He would do this: "I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 11:19).
 
Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual gifts help in our life here. They are given so that our spirit is equipped and strengthened. They add to us inside, and enable us to be more effective on the outside (Romans 1:11; 1 Corinthians 12).
 
"Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a New Covenant, not of the letter [of the law] but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" (2 Corinthians 3:5-6 ESV).

Jesus Speaks
Today Jesus still keeps and guides us, He is every bit the shepherd He was for Israel and the early Church. He does not use a wooden "rod" or "staff", but speaks in words or by His Holy Spirit through His relationship with each one of us:
 
• "Jesus said: 'Follow me'" (Matthew 4:19).
• "Let me hear what God the Lord will speak .." (Psalm 85:8).
• "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" (Luke 11:28, Jesus' words).
• "Paul's spirit was provoked within him" (Acts 17:16).
• "So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself)" (Romans 10:17 Amplified).
 
Jesus does go before us, He is at our shoulder and He has our back; indeed, Jesus, our shepherd with His "rod" and His "staff", is with us always (Psalm 23:4; Matthew 28:20). Always. So encouraging.
 
Thank you Jesus.

Song: Singing In The Spirit - (their 2nd CD)

Holy Spirit, you're the illumination of my soul, of my soul
Searching all my inward parts, and defining me as whole
You quicken God's word like a lamp unto my feet
Guiding my every care to the Mercy Seat
You quicken God's word like a lamp unto my feet
Guiding my every step to the Mercy Seat
Guiding my every care to the Mercy Seat  Holy Spirit, you're the illumination of my soul.
 
Thank you Jesus. Amen
 
Favourite Bible Verses
 
"And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for 'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we are indeed his offspring'" (Acts 17:26-28).
 
"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15).
 
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit .. he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you" (John 14:26).
 
"The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him" ( Ephesians 1:17).
 
"But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him" (1 John 2:27).
 
"And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony" (Colossians 3:14).
 
Praise Jesus. Amen
 
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Authority

We, God's people, have authority over all the Creation; we are to help in determining how things are to be here on the Earth. 
 

God has knowledge and power; He is all knowing, omniscient, and he is all powerful, omnipotent.

Yet our Bible tells us: Satan is "the prince of this world" (John 16:11) and "the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient" (Ephesians 2:2) and will remain so until Jesus returns after our Father has put "everything under His feet" (Matthew 22:44).
 
Here is my question (I am still pondering this): What, in all the Creation, is my sphere of influence? Where can I, a simple Christian believer, bring God's mighty power, (Matthew 3:11; Matthew 10:8; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:1-2, 38-39), to my neighbour, my family, and even myself, and see God's love, glory and peace overcome some of the pain, sickness and trouble in the world?

My present understanding, (while I continue to pray and study):
 
In the beginning God gave humankind authority over the Creation: "God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground'" (Genesis 1:28). These words were spoken to the first human beings, both to the man and to the woman, thus to all humankind.
 
Then, even before Adam and Eve had their first baby, Satan came and tricked them into giving him the authority God had given them. What Satan promised was less than Adam and Eve already had, yet they went along, thus precipitating the Fall with sin and death coming to the world (Genesis 3).
 
Throughout the Old Covenant, Satan had authority while God in Heaven continued in His eternal knowledge and power. We can see why things were so difficult for the Israelites during those centuries. Yet God loved Israel and her people deeply with a Father's love, He was faithful to them despite their callous treatment of Him and His way. God foresaw the cost of sending His Son to Earth to pay for all of humankind's sin, yet for Jesus' sake, He continued, and continues still, to love and be faithful to His Creation and its crown, humankind.
 
At just the right time Jesus came to Earth, "Emanuel, God with us", born as a boy child to the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:23, 25); His God-given name means "saviour":
 
"You know that [Jesus] appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin" (1 John 3:5).
 
"Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8).
 
Jesus' earthly ministry concluded with His Passion. Humility in God's people is a great Bible theme; Jesus, the only person who ever lived without sin, humbled Himself even unto death on the Cross (Philippians 2:8). Jesus died (Mark 15:33-38) then God's mighty power raised Him from the dead (Ephesians 1:18-23) and He ascended to Heaven where He now rules and reigns, with Father God, by their Holy Spirit (Revelation 19:6).
 
This is how Jesus recovered back (an exact legal term) the authority Adam and Eve had given away; Jesus defeated Satan, sin and death. Jesus established the New Covenant so that we Christians, the "ecclesia", His church, could work with our God in Heaven to reveal Him and share in His glory. 

Jesus gave us His authority (Luke 10:19; Matthew 28:18) and commands that we, His body, do His work on Earth until He comes again (1 Corinthians 4:5; Ephesians 2:10). Remember, Jesus is "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6), "God is love" (1 John 4:8,16). We are called to pray and lend our authority to ensure that God's knowledge, power and love can do their good work as we continue to steward and care for all the Earth (John 14:16; John 14:23; Luke 10:19; Matthew 10:8).
 
This is why we are given "spiritual gifts" (1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12; Ephesians 4:11-13; 1 Peter 4:9-11), so that we have the skills and power to exercise this God-given authority to do good.
 
Are we the church fulfilling that rôle today?
 
How did we do last century? Well, we had World War I, The Great Depression, World War II, also many totalitarian and communist governments (who deliberately killed more than 100,000,000 of their own people while completely failing to bring their utopian paradises into being).
 
In my lifetime we have seen the sexual revolution and acceptance of many unbiblical practices which undermine the family; "family" is God's foundation and building block for every human society. Sure, there were many advances too, in productivity and prosperity and diminution of hunger and some diseases. But the church shrank in impact, in numbers and in its blessing to the people and the societies of the world. This 21st century already looks worse.
 
Happily, Christian testimony shows that when we follow Jesus and God's way, His Kingdom can be seen here and now in our midst (John 7:38; Acts 2:42-47; Galatians 5:22-23; Colossians 1:27).
 
God asks us to unify, repent and pray:
"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:13-14).
 
Those words were first spoken to Solomon about Israel's great Temple. We Christians are the present-day "temple of God" (2 Corinthians 6:16) made of "living stones" (1 Peter 2:5); we are spiritual workers for God's earthly Kingdom (Ephesians 6:10-12).

Jesus ever intercedes for us, by His Spirit (Romans 8:26), so that we can live by and for Him (Colossians 1:16). God asks us to "humble [our]selves and pray and seek [His] face and turn from [our] wicked ways [of omission as well as commission], then [God] will hear from heaven, and will forgive [our] sin and will heal [our] land". 

We may be small in number, it seems to me that we are a remnant like those reported in our Bibles. Hitler's Germany had a remnant during those twelve terrible years, as did the Soviet Union during their three generations. We know, and thousands of testimonies show us, that Jesus is truly with us and amongst us, but the world does not see Him.
 
Let us unite and care for one another. "Jesus, I pray, reveal yourself, teach us to love in your likeness".
 
We each have a place and a rôle to fill. A great theme of the Bible is that we, God's people, pray:

God is the power,

Ours is the prayer,

Without Him we can not,

Without us He will not.

(Quoted by Stuart Robinson in "Prayer Power").

Let us gather together and pray often. Let us seek our Father’s will, and lend our hearts and voices, our availability and obedience, to His wisdom and strength, for ourselves, our families, our brothers and sisters in Jesus, and for our neighbours everywhere.

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know" (Jeremiah 33:3).
 
"Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them from heaven" (John 14:23).
 
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, Intercessor, Advocate to help you and be with you forever" (John 14:16).
 
"I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you" (Luke 10:19).
 
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6).
 
"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give" (Matthew 10:8).
 
Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
 
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