Category Archives: Christian Life

IN HIM WAS LIFE…

Christian Life, ,

What is life?

We humans have many differing ideas about the meaning of life.

To some, life means still breathing on this planet regardless of circumstances. If I emerge from a serious accident still breathing, I am glad to be alive!

To others, really living means enjoying every possible pleasure, good or bad, filling their days and hours. “Living it up” is pure indulgence!

Still others are alive if they can do what they enjoy doing. For the rest of their time, they are only existing.

Life, for most people, means living and breathing on the earth, doing the best they can with what they have, and keeping on going until they stop breathing….then what?

Jesus made a startling statement to people to whom life was mostly a drag. The Jews lived under Roman occupation, often cruel and unjust, …and under the oppressive religious system of their religious overlords.

But Jesus said,

John 10:7-10 NLT
[7]… “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. [8] All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. [9] Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. [10] The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

Whaaat! “A rich and satisfying life” in this place, here, where I live, under this oppressive government that has bungled its mandate and made life intolerable? Is this possible?

Yes, it is!

Let’s look at life from a different perspective. What makes life intolerable? Is it our circumstances, or is it the way we interpret our circumstances? It depends on whether we live from the outside in, or from the inside out.

What do I mean?

Living from the outside in means that people and circumstances dictate my emotions and responses. Not only that but my response to people and circumstances are random, depending on whether they please me or not. Worse than that, my responses compound my feelings of fear, guilt, and shame when I react badly to whom or to what happens to cross me.

My circumstances often lead to depression because “poor me” becomes the trap to keep me “under the circumstances”. It’s all a vicious circle.

So, how can we escape this “inside out” mechanism?

First, of which we might be not be aware, there are two opposing realms in which we can live. The first is the realm of this world,  according to its systems and its principles, in which we live to satisfy ourselves as best we can. We judge and react to everyone and everything in the world by our standards, and how they affect us.

Despite God’s law written on my conscience, I do as I please because I want to do as I please. When my conscience hurts me, I feel bad, so I take it out on others, punishing them for my feelings.

When everyone living under the world system behaves this way to some degree, the outcome is conflict and chaos.

There is another realm which Jesus came to reinstate after sin had set the course for disaster.

Mark 1:14-15 NIV
[14] “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. [15] “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Who was John and why was he put in prison?

According to ancient protocol, John was appointed to announce the arrival of a great king. Although Jesus came to earth as a king, He was disguised and functioned as a servant, Isaiah’s “Ebed Yahweh”, the servant of Yahweh to carry out the Father’s will on earth.

John 1:19, 23 NIV
[19] Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was…
[23] John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”

“According to the New Testament, Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee under the Roman Empire, had imprisoned John the Baptist because he had publicly reproved Herod for divorcing his first wife and unlawfully taking his sister-in-law (his brother’s wife) as his second wife, Herodias. He then ordered him to be killed by beheading.”
(https://en.wikipedia.org)

So, with John’s task complete, Jesus took centre stage to announce the restoration of God’s kingdom on earth. He came as the king to restore estranged mankind to God through His death for sin, and to set up God’s reign of righteousness and peace in the hearts of those who believe in Him.

Two kingdoms…seen and unseen, that rule over the inhabitants of earth.

The world’s kingdom is ruled by a usurper who had designs on Jesus’ position as Lord.

Ephesians 2:1-3 NIV
[1] “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, [2] in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. [3] All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.”

“Satan is called a prince because he is a ruler and possesses power to manifest evil in the world through influencing people and commanding demons.”
(https://www.gotquestions.org)

We are all born into this realm, held prisoner to its ways, and we live it out by gratifying our own sinful desires. Our circumstances dictate our responses and leave us unhappy and tormented by our guilt.

In the realm over which Jesus rules as king, our sin is forgiven, guilt removed, ad selfish domination is broken. We are free to do life together with fellow believers in unity and peace through unselfish service and mutual submission.

God’s peace monitors our responses and is only disturbed when we act towards others contrary to the kingdom’s constitution of love. We can respond from our inner freedom from guilt and shame; God’s love gives us complete confidence to trust Him in all circumstances; His sovereignty keeps us steady in times of trouble; His peace acts as the buffer against worry and anxiety.

Living from the inside out is God’s intention for us. Through our trust in His love, we can respond to whatever life in a hostile and uncertain world brings across our pathway instead of reacting in anger or fear to every circumstance.

Jesus called this way of living, “a rich and satisfying life.”

What makes the difference between living in the world and living in God’s kingdom in the world? 0ne simple response to Jesus.

Turn away from sin by trusting in Jesus as Supreme Authority over your life.

Mark 1:15 NIV
[15] “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

MOLLY AND ME – DIET

Christian Life, ,

Molly is a dachshund. Dachshunds have allergies. Molly has allergies! Molly has ALLERGIES!!

For almost eight years, Molly and I have struggled to diagnose the cause of her allergies. Grass is definitely a cause because her low-slung “chassis” turns red and itchy when she walks in long grass.

Food allergies are a different story. I haven’t always given her food that’s good for her. Bad mother! So, now I have tried to eliminate what might set up violent reactions. Her latest manifestation is a growly wheeze, eminating from somewhere inside her nose-chest area. True to Murphy’s law, she wheezes at home but not at the vetinerary clinic. I’m on my own as far as diagnosis is concerned.

Molly has had numerous courses of cortisone with temporary relief, and a cortisone spray to apply to her itch, but all temporary. I longed for a permanent solution.

I have tried different vet-researched, vet-expert, vet-wise, vet-created kibble, fortified with every essential vitamin and mineral you can think of, bulked up with grains like maize and wheat (that dogs should never eat), but she still kept wheezing.

So, now what! Molly must eat, but what must she eat to fuel her long body without setting it on fire?

In desperation, I kept calling on the name of the Lord. After exhausting all my options, a simple solution
eventually came to mind… honest-to goodness, home-cooked veg and meat. I tried my fussy-eater dog with a layer of veg and meat on her kibble. She hoovered it up like a vacuum cleaner!

So now, Molly eats real food! Not a factory-produced imitation of food that probably tastes like sawdust. Chicken, chicken liver, ground beef, white fish, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, green beans, even raw carrots…all look and taste like the real thing. And the wheeze? Almost gone!

Molly’s problem reminds me of my own Christian life. As a young believer, I feasted on every Christian book I could find. Biographies, autobiographies, theology, “how-to” books, all went into my spiritual digestive system indescriminately, setting up “allergic” reactions in my spirit.

In my eagerness to love the Lord and walk in the truth, I tried to apply many of the conflicting ideas I ingested from the man-made “kibble” I was eating.

Gradually, as I have grown in age and experience, I have come to realise that, despite the limited value of people’s research and expertise, there is only one spiritual diet that feeds the soul with honest-to-goodness, veg-and-meat nourishment, the word of God. The Bible even describes itself as bread, milk, and solid food.

John 6:33, 35 NLT
[33] “The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”…
[35] Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

1 Peter 2:2 NLT
[2] “Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment…”

Hebrews 5:14 NLT
[14] “Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.”

God’s Word is the only spiritual food that provides complete, all-round, spiritual nourishment, with every vitamin and mineral we need to keep us healthy and strong without provoking allergic reactions. Man-made “kibble” may have a limited benefit but it is laced with indigestible human ideas and opinions detrimental to our spiritual well-being.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
[16]”All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. [17] God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”

There we have it, the label of ingredients guaranteeing spiritual health in God’s provision!

Matthew 4:4 NLT
[4″But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

A dear old saint of God, known as Bernard of Clairvaux, captured this truth in these immortal words…

  1. Jesus, Thou joy of loving hearts,
    Thou fount of life, Thou light of men,
    from the best bliss that earth imparts,
    we turn unfilled to Thee again.
  2. Thy truth unchanged hath ever stood;
    Thou savest those that on Thee call;
    to them that seek Thee, Thou art good,
    to them that find Thee all in all.
  3. We taste Thee, O Thou living Bread,
    and long to feast upon Thee still;
    we drink of Thee, the Fountain-head,
    and thirst our souls from Thee to fill.
  4. Our restless spirits yearn for Thee,
    where’er our changeful lot is cast;
    glad when Thy gracious smile we see,
    blest when our faith can hold Thee fast.
  5. O Jesus, ever with us stay,
    make all our moments calm and bright;
    chase the dark night of sin away;
    shed o’er the world Thy holy light.

(Source: Psalms and Hymns to the Living God #384
Author: Bernard of Clairvaux 1091-1153)

PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD – 8

Christian Life, ,

Paul says nothing in this passage  about one piece of armour we need to protect our backs. However, his letters are full of exhortations to love and protect one another. We are in this battle together, caring for one another as much as we care for ourselves. Our backs are as vulnerable as every other part but we have no protective covering to cover our vulnerability.

Colossians 3:12-14 NLT
[12] “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. [13] Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. [14] Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.”

All Scripture points us to a precious truth that every believer is part of the protection for our backs. The New Covenant clearly teaches us that we are to care for and protect  “one another”. Love is the way we protect each another, expressed in every practical way that fends off the enemy’s strategy to hit us in our exposed parts.

Galatians 5:25-26 NLT
[25] “Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. [26] Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.”

Every “one another” Scripture protects a vulnerable part of us.

“These 23 One Anothers from the New Testament represent the heart of the Bible. They show us what it means for people to be soul mates who are “deep-spirited friends” (Philippians 2:2b, MSG). These are the spiritual blessings of God’s love in Christ that we long for from “one another.” This is “Christ in Community.”

THE “ONE ANOTHERS” IN THE BIBLE

Jesus said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all [people] will know that you are my disciples” (John 13:34-35).

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly [and sisterly] love. Honor one another above yourselves” (Romans 12:10).

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

“Stop passing judgment on one another” (Romans 14:13).

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

“Instruct one another” (Romans 15:14).

“Agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you” (1 Corinthians 1:10).

“Serve one another in love” (Galatians 5:13).

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2).

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

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

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21).

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13).

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16).

“Encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

“Spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24).

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another” (Hebrews 10:25).

“Do not slander one another” (James 4:11).

“Love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22).

“Offer hospitality to one another” (1 Peter 4:9).

“Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another” (1 Peter 5:5).

“Greet one another” (1 Peter 5:14)

“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another” (1 John 1:7).

(All Bible verses are from the NIV84.)
(http://www.mmlearn.org)

When we apply these “one anothers” to the way we treat each other in the body of Christ, we keep close rank and allow no fiery darts reach and penetrate our backs.

The battle for our souls is never an alone one. We are all in it together. We must watch one another’s backs, restore the fallen,

Galatians 6:1 NLT
[1] “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.”

and strengthen the weak.

Isaiah 35:3-4 NIV
[3]” Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; [4] say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”

Only then can God’s army remain strong and invincible on the battle field. Only then will we share in Christ’s victory over sin and death. Only then can we claim our prize when our Commander-in-Chief returns.

Concluded

PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD – 7

Christian Life, ,

Ephesians 6:18 NLT
[18] “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”

This is the often-forgotten piece of our equipment that secures the effectiveness of our counter attack against the enemy. In earthly warfare, it’s the command centre that controls and instructs the soldiers in the battle how, when, and where to conduct their operations.

War is not a will-nilly affair. It’s the execution of carefully-planned strategies directed by experts from the control room and carried out by the soldiers on the ground.

So it is in “spiritual warfare”. During our engagements with the enemy, we need to stay in close contact with “headquarters” from where we receive our instructions. We cannot overcome our opponent by hitting out blindly in every direction. We will end up exhausted and beaten.

Paul exhorts us to pray “at all times and on every occasion”. Keep in contact with the Holy Spirit who is in charge of operations. He is the “Commander-in-Chief” inside us who represents the “War Office”. He provides us with the weapons of attack and directs us to where we must apply our defensive strategies.

All this sounds theoretical but it is important that we apply, in our day-to-day lives, the lessons we learn in boot camp.

Lesson number one…submit to and obey your commanding officer. Without unwavering confidence in, and obedience to the Holy Spirit, the war is lost before we begin.

We must learn to listen to and obey Him. This means learning to identify the impressions we receive since He does not speak in an audible voice. How do we know who is speaking? The test is simple. The Holy Spirit never contradicts the Word. He reminds us of truth we have internalised and is applicable in each situation.

Jesus exemplified the strategy. First, He knew He was in the wilderness to be tested because the Holy Spirit led Him there. Second, He fended off every attack with the Word…”It is written…” submitting to the Father’s authority in each test.

Lesson number two… Whatever the thought we have, we must discern, “Does it match God’s Word?” Sinful desires will draw us away from the truth. Godly desires will have the Holy Spirit’s approval. What does your peaces say? Test first.

Lesson number three…never act in haste. Snap decisions made on the spur of the moment are never wise decisions. Decisions made out of emotion, not clear ans wise thinking, are invariably misleading. Weigh up first, listen, and then follow the leading of the Spirit.

In this way, we keep in contact with our heavenly headquarters, using every form of prayer. First, we worship, then we continue with thanksgiving and praise which put our thoughts into perspective, and then petition and request.

Like every other part of our walk with God, we put Him in the centre of our struggles, humbly submitting to His refining processes. We acknowledge His sovereignty, we honour His wisdom, and we allow His grace to take us through to new understanding and experience of His power at work in us.

Never, in this battle to overcome fleshly lusts, must we give credit to the devil for his part in it. He is our antagonist but God is always working for our good. He is moving us, one step at a time, towards likeness to Jesus, the blueprint of every true son. We are learning to submit to His authority in every circumstance, obey His instructions, and trust His love, even in the battles of life.

To be concluded…

PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD – 6

Christian Life, ,

Ephesians 6:16-17 NLT
[16]”In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.
[17] Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

The final three pieces of armour work together, our shield, sword, and helmet, which form the protective armour over our minds. The enemy attacks our minds through which he can influence our responses. Every part of our defence against the enemy originates in our minds to cover and secure us before we fall for his ploys.

Faith in the truthfulness of God’s Word is like the Roman soldier’s shield that covers our front from head to toe. From whichever direction the darts, arrows, and missiles come, and at whichever part they are aimed, we simply manoeuvre our shield to cover our vulnerable part.

Faith always functions in tandem with God’s promises. The Holy Spirit activates the truth by reminding us of the promises we have secured in our hearts through thought and practice.

How does this work? If we are tempted to doubt our salvation, for example, the Holy Spirit activates Scripture that assures us that we have been saved and will stay secure as long as we hold on to God’s truth.

If our righteousness, in response to Jesus’ righteousness in us, has been soiled by sin, the Holy Spirit calls us back to righteousness through confession and forgiveness.

If we have lost our peace, the Holy Spirit, through the Word, shows us how to recover our peace by indentifying the place where we lost peace and enabling us to restore fellowship with God.

If the devil tries to upend us by manipulating God’s Word or by casting a slur on God’s character, we can deflect those arrows with the unfailing faithfulness of God’s promises.

All of these “activities” inside us go on in our minds first. The temptations and their counter responses happen in our thoughts, and are then translated into appropriate responses. If we believe the devil, we fall. If we believe God’s Word, we stand.

How important it is for us, then, to “reign in life” over sin and death by reading, believing and acting on God’s Word. Without the Word and confidence in the Holy Spirit, we have no hope of overcoming in this war between life and death.

Romans 5:17 NIV
[17] “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness, reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!”

To be concluded…