And this is Life Eternal….

…. that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. John 17:3

Someone once said, that God created man in His own image, and man has returned the compliment. In Jesus’ prayer above He expresses to His Father the very essence of what eternal life is all about. Jesus did not speak of the duration or the eternality, nor the joys, the happiness or peace, although all those things certainly are a part of eternal life. What Jesus focused on of all things is that we may know the true God. We may know Him as He truly is. Not an image of God as expressed by another, nor our own misconception of Him. It is so very easy for us to give God attributes that He does not possess, and to deny Him attributes that He desires we be familiar with. We create God in our own image, and wonder why so few we witness to want to know that God.

The single most important attribute God desires we be familiar with is His love. Jesus came to reveal to man the Father. He said if we have seen Jesus, we have seen the Father. Jesus was the express image of His Father, the personification of God in the flesh.

Jesus said an extraordinary thing on His way to the cross. He said :
John 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

There was never a time when Jesus could not have pulled the plug on His death. He had the authority and power to literally squash His enemies under His feet and return to heaven leaving mankind to its doom. In the garden He pleaded with His Father in the hope there was another way. Not another way out of saving man, but another way that didn’t mean separation from His Father. His bond and connection with His Father was so close He dreaded and feared the separation. And as the burden of guilt for the sins of mankind were laid upon Him, He began to sense the exact same death that all must experience who would die in their sins. Total, complete life draining separation from the only source of life, God the Father; a death from which there is no hope of a resurrection, a death of which there is no end. Eternal death without hope. That is our lot, those of us who refuse to repent and accept the substitutionary death of our Saviour.

Jesus paid the full price for our sins. He did this voluntarily, laying His own life down out of deliberate choice. And because as the sins of the world were laid upon Him He continued on His course, even when He couldn’t see past the grave to His resurrection, the love He there demonstrated is the love He wants us to understand.

Jesus self sacrificially considered the saving of our lives of greater priority than saving His own! Calvary was the ultimate revelation of the true nature and character of God. Calvary was the crown which adorned all that had gone before. And Calvary belonged as much to the Father as it did to the Son.
2 Cor 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself….
Amazingly, in the same prayer in which Jesus spoke of life eternal, He added:
John 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Wow. God the Father loves us just as He loves His own Son Jesus!!!
What this means is that despite our sin, despite our shortcomings, faults, personality disorders, eccentricities, character defects and so on and so on, His love towards us doesn’t change, doesn’t relent, doesn’t fade, doesn’t even flicker. Unlike man, who draws away from people who offend, God draws nearer. No wonder the apostle John declared; “what manner of love is this!”

Let us get to know this God of uncompromising unconditional love. Let us know and love Him who first loved us, and gave Himself for us. “For this is life eternal, that we might know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He did send.”

I Know where you Live

…and I know you. Your name is engraved on the palms of My hands.
I know the names of your parents, your children, your brothers and sisters, your friends, your neighbors, your work colleagues, and your classmates.
I know when you go out, for I am by your side. I know when you come home; I am there waiting.
I share your joys, your sorrows, I understand your troubles, your fears, your confusion.
When you are threatened, abused, and neglected, I feel the pain, I experience the loneliness. When you get hurt, I flinch.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock...." Revelation 3:20

I understand when you feel like giving up. When you want to give it all away. When the only options open to you are to throw crockery at the wall, bricks at the neighbours windows, or shoot arrows at anything or nothing in particular. When you would do anything just to be free from the suffering, the pain, then it is that time when I love you the most. I know that crawl space inside your head where you retreat to when life gets too much. Then is the time I would gather you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. Then is the time I would surround you with My love and compassion. Then is the time to come to Me, and I will put My arms around you and hug you and comfort you.
I love nothing more than to be involved in your world. I know everything there is to know about you, and there is nothing you can do, neglect, think, or say, that will stop Me from loving you. My entire being is focused on seeing you through your troubles, on being your closest friend, confidante, and companion, all to the express purpose of bringing you home with Me when I come.
I will see you through your time of trial. Every one of your tears leaves it’s stain upon My cheek. Every cry you utter I echo before My Father. And together, we will see you through to the other end.
Do not fear. Do not worry. I have been where you are. I have felt what you are feeling. I have experienced the injustice, the abuse, the slander, the pain, the suffering and even the death you fear.
But I now live, and My life is now focused on ensuring that you also shall live with Me. So be not afraid. Be strong. Be of good cheer.  I am bigger than your greatest fear. I am your Maker, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, and there is nothing I will with-hold from you that is to your good.
Make Me your hope, your trust, your fortress. I will not fail you.

Sabbath Rest?

I am bemused by a common argument used against the observance of Sabbath; that is that ” Jesus is now my Sabbath rest” because this or that one has ceased from his own works. The insinuation is that those who do observe the Sabbath as a day of rest according to the commandment, have not ceased from their own works.
My question is this, though it seems obvious to me: how can anyone observe the day as a Sabbath, without ceasing from his/her own works?

Hurricanes,Typhoons,Tempests, and Storms

Various parts of our fragile planet have been left reeling in recent times as a result of “inclement” weather. I use the word “inclement” as a euphemism for the simple reason that through the proliferation of news casts recently focusing on the many storms that have thrust themselves upon us, other expressions which render a more succinct descriptive of current events have become rather hackneyed with overuse. So “inclement” I thought enbales you, the reader, to insert your own more appropriate word perhaps based on your own experience.

3 Hurricanes in the Gulf and the Atlantic.

Floods, snow, ice, wind and drought have ravaged many communities across the globe, in all continents and in all hemispheres. Many see these seemingly increasingly devastating events as somehow portentous of even greater catastrophes to come, culminating in a global disaster so overwhelming as to end all life as we know it.

Miserable Days

It’s raining, it’s cold, and it’s the middle of summer. My wet weather gear has deteriorated somewhat since the end of winter and it wasn’t long before the water seeped through and saturated every article of clothing I was wearing, except for my socks which were neatly tucked in under a new pair of boots. Soaked to the skin and very uncomfortable. I was miserable and feeling rather sorry for myself. Then I thought of the hot shower to come within an hour or so; the warm dry clothes and the hot cuppa, and the wet cold misery guts that was masquerading as me relented and relinquished sovereignty to my usual self who once again  had hope!
As we look around us at the declining moral standards,the worldliness, the rampant divorce rates, (and that’s just in the church),and the crime, depravity and violence that pervades the world around us; when our personal lives are filled with health problems, marital stress, work related issues and financial woes, it is oh so tempting to allow ourselves to turn into miserable unbearable depressing sad-sacks that make everyone else’s lives as miserable as we think our own is, but we needn’t go there. Our time here is so very short. We have eternity to look forward to in which dwells righteousness and peace in the very presence of our Holy and loving Creator. We will stand before the very throne of God and sit at the feet of Jesus and look into the face of our Saviour in person. He personally will wipe away every tear, and make all the difficulties we are going through here a distant memory. There is our hope.

Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

A sure blessed hope of a resurrection with new bodies that will never die, never get sick, never grow weak. A Father who owns the entire universe at last able to dote on His children in person, never again to allow them to suffer pain or heartache or sorrow.

Ro 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Ro 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Ro 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

What a hope. So at times when this life is beginning to get you down, times when the days here seem nothing but misery and heartache, look up, because Jesus is coming soon!

Ro 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Amen.

 

Heavens Point of View

“Surely, this was not the way it was intended to be”. These sentiments were echoed back and forth across heaven. Wonder, consternation, and astonishment was written almost indelibly upon the faces of every angel and every creature that graced God’s universe. How could anyone have been prepared for that? I know I wasn’t, and looking at the expressions on the faces of those around me, I could see they weren’t expecting anything like what we were witnessing either. Sure, we knew the prophecies, even Jesus Himself had warned us a long time ago of what to expect, but all the foreknowledge in the universe could not have prepared us adequately. The unbounded joy and excitement we all experienced and expressed at the announcement of His birth (yes, I was there, among many thousand others, and all of heaven was singing that day, not just those the shepherds could see) was now, in light of recent events and what was transpiring before us, a fast fading memory.

On Social Morality and Law and Order

Any media outlet that expresses public opinion in any form, for example talk-back radio, is awash with concern over the current state of crime, violence, social addictions and morality. Much of the debate centers on law, what changes need to be made if any, and how to enforce those changes once made, or simply retain the status quo but strengthen penalties for transgression.

A few years ago our government was embarrassed by revelations that it had broken the law over some election issues. This was not just the ruling party, but also opposition parties who were found to be guilty, some quite seriously. The eventual response to this, after much discussion and pointing of fingers from all directions and red-faced obfuscating and fudging of issues, was a retrospective change to the law.

Godly Patience

Biblical patience is far far deeper and more profound than the modern understanding of the concept. Yes, there is of course , as Strongs would indicate, the idea of waiting constantly and quietly without complaint. But look at the following scriptures. 

Hebrews 10:32 But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;
33 Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.
34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.
35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.
36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

Paul was writing here to the Hebrews; how much they were indeed following the path previously trod by their Saviour!!! Think of how so much of the above could have been written of Jesus Himself.

Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

Romans 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Romans 15:3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

2 Cor 6:4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;

Col 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

2Th 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

Re 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

As can be seen from the above verses, patience is nearly in all cases when it is mentioned at all, to be associated with affliction, anguish, trial and persecution. It is almost synonymous with suffering.

Overcoming sin

There is much debate and confusion within Christianity as to whether we need  to or even if it is possible to overcome sin in this life. Some say we are now free from the law because of the cross of Christ, others say we must still obey the law because it is still in effect, still others claim that if we attempt to keep the law, we are no longer under grace, and are still lost, trusting in our own works.

Surely, there must be in all of this hodge podge of belief and confusing doctrine on such an important matter,  some truth to be found. What does the Bible say?

Here is my take on the matter.

I am convinced that it certainly is possible to overcome sin, that this is accomplished by faith in the promises of God, (just as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness:

And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Romans 4:21,22.),

and I also think  that this life of sanctification (a constant living in victory over sin) is :
1. Living the character of Christ (being conformed to His image) and
2. Is conformable to the moral law of Ten Commandments.

That we all must determine in our hearts to stop sinning is a given. Jesus said that we must first seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness.To gain entry to heaven and live holy lives go hand in hand.
The care we must take in our determination to stop sinning,is to tread a fine line between ‘legalism’ and true faith. We cannot do away with the law because without the law, there is no knowledge of sin. Nor can we ignore the law in our quest for righteousness, because it is the standard that God has given us by which we determine our true state.

The Ten Commandments: too tough?

Inherent in the Ten Commandments is the gospel. The first commandment has been edited by most but if we read the entire passage of scripture, we can readily see that God is not commanding us to do the impossible. The Ten Commandments begin:
Exodus 20:2 ” I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.You shall have no other gods before Me.”

In this small portion of the scripture is found the key to understanding our relationship to God’s laws, and how to find the power to obey them. Here is the gospel.
You may be thinking, “Hey, that first part isn’t a part of the law, because it doesn’t tell us something we must do or not do! Instead, it tells us of something God has done!!!”
Yes, exactly! And that’s the point. The entire Ten Commandments start with something God has done, and not with something we must do.