Monthly Archives: September 2024

A LIGHT ON OUR WAY

John 1:4-5 NIV
[4] “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

The New Living Translation renders these verses…

John 1:4-5 NLT
[4] “The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

Life and death, light and darkness… these are two of the great themes in John’s gospel.

In what sense is light used in these verses? Physical light reveals what our eyes can see. Spiritual light enlightens our understanding to see sprituaal truth.

The living Word, Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, enlightens God’s truth to our understanding to enable us to “see” into the unseen realm.

Before the Holy Spirit could reveal spiritual truth to us, we were in “darkness”. What was this darkness? Darkness is the inability to perceive truth because sin produces unbelief which blinds and hardens the mind.

2 Corinthians 3:14-15 NLT
[14] “But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. [15] Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.”

Paul wrote that the Jews were unable to understand the gospel because a veil of unbelief kept the from” seeing” the truth. Only faith in Jesus can remove the veil.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 NLT
[3] “If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. [4] Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.”

Unbelief is a veil of darkness that prevents people who are perishing from seeing God’s glory shining through Jesus.

How can we see the light?

Psalms 36:9 NLT
[9]”For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.”

Psalms 36:9 NIV
[9] “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.”

God is the only one who can illuminate our spiritual darkness to give us understanding about who He is and what He has done for us.

Paul speaks of the “natural man”, the person who has no contact with the Holy Spirit, and who, therefore, cannot understand spiritual truth.

1 Corinthians 2:14 NIV
[14] “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.”

1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV
[18] “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

What blinds their minds?

1 Corinthians 1:22-23 NIV
[22] “Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, [23] but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles…”

It was the death of Jesus on a cross that blinds the minds of the Jews, and a crucified “god” that the Gentiles reject as foolish…and yet, it is the death of Jesus on a cross that saves those who are perishing!

It is this very truth that demands supernatural enlightenment from the Spirit of God to believe and receive.

We can only, ever understand what is going on in the world when we “see” God’s place in the world and what He has done through Jesus to bring us back to Himself. The world is in chaos because of unbelief. Every form of sin is the fruit of unbelief. Darkness rules. Unbelievers are blind and deaf to God and His Word.

Jesus came as the Light to bring the light of truth and understanding to light up the darkness, and show us the way to the Father.

John 8:12 NLT
[12] “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Everyone hopes to go to heaven, even thinks they will go to heaven even if they ignore God’s way. All religions try to end up at some delightful “eternal bliss” conjured up by human imagination.

However, John connects three imperatives if we are to reach our desired haven, not a figment of our imagination but a declaration of God’s promise of eternal life with Him in His kingdom.

John 14:6 NLT
[6]”Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

The Way…this was the name given to the Christian faith in the early days of the church.

Acts of the Apostles 19:23 NLT
[23] “About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way.”

“Way” has a multiplicity of dictionary definitions and applications, for example,

“the course traveled from one place to another : route,
“…asked the way to the museum”…

A “way” implies a road or path one follows to reach a destination.

First, John connects Jesus, light, life, and the Word.

John 1:1, 4-5, 14 NLT
[1] In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God….
[4] The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it….
[14] So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”

So, when David declares,

Psalms 119:105 NLT
[105]”Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path”….

…what is he saying?

Jesus is the path, and the light that illuminates the way to the Father. No one can access the Father and eternal life because of the barrier of sin. Jesus alone could remove the barrier because His perfect human life qualified Him to take our place in death.

Jesus rose from the dead to secure our forgiveness and restoration to the Father. Without the cross, distasteful as it is to Jew and Gentile, no one will access the Father.

Hebrews 7:24-25 NLT
[24] “But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. [25] Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.”

Hebrews 10:19-22 NLT
[19] “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. [20] By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. [21] And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, [22] let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.”

MOLLY AND ME – DIET

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)

FINISHED!

Finished! What a satisfying word! What a satisfying feeling, when a difficult or unpleasant task is completed. One can breathe a sigh of relief, sit back and relax because that task will not need to be faced again…unless it is one of those routine jobs one faces every day.

In God’s realm, He has finished or promised to finish everything He started that relates to His purpose for His creation. “Purpose” and “finish” are inseparable in God’s work. He does nothing without a purpose, and He finishes everything He purposed to do.

Let’s examine some of His completed or to-be-completed acts in creation and redemption.

Genesis 2:1-3 NLT
[1] “So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. [2] On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. [3] And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.”

Now, evolutionists insist that the universe came into being over millions of years and that tings are still evolving! The Bible declares that God finished His work of creation in six days. Someone is lying! It cannot be God because He is truth. He cannot lie!

Numbers 23:19 NLT
[19]”God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?”

Has God finished creating? Yes! Has He finished with creation? No!
Together with His redeemed people, God has promised to restore His natural creation to its pristine perfection.

Revelation 21:1, 5-6 NLT
[1]” Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone…
[5] And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” [6] And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.”

Wow! Did you get that! Finished! Everything new! Not new as in brand new but new as in restored to its original state. Peter tells us that Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, will burn everything that was corrupted by sin – calledvthe basic elements or elementary principles that govern the world i.e., sin – with the fire of His word.

2 Peter 3:7 NLT
[7] “And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.”

Will God finish what He started? Yes, He will because it’s His purpose and He promised!

Jesus spoke another resounding “It is finished!” with His final breath, from the cross.

John 19:30 NLT
[30] “When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

Essentially, He used an accounting term to declare the end of sin’s debt to the Father by His death. “Paid in full.” However, in the broadest sense, He spoke the completion of salvation from beginning to end.

A third significant “finished” is God’s commitment to finish the work of salvation in everyone who believes in Jesus.

Philippians 1:6 NLT
[6] “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

You see, although we are to respond to Him by faith and obedience, it is God who begins and finishes the work of salvation in us. We can do nothing to save ourselves. Jesus finished the work on the cross. We can do nothing to believe in Jesus.

The Father draws us to Jesus.

John 6:44 NLT
[44″For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.”

We can do nothing to change us from the inside. We can only work with God.

Philippians 2:12-13 NIV
[12]”Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, [13] for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

Even our faith in Him is a work of God.

Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
[8] “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— [9] not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Grace, faith, salvation, all freely given to us without any effort on our part.

The fourth “finished” was Paul’s response to all that God had finished for and in him.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV
[7] “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. [8] Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

Fought the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith…the response of a faithful servant of the Lord to all that God had finished for him.

This was God and Paul, working in partnership to accomplish His purpose, both for Paul and for His greater purpose for the gospel in His kingdom.

And what of us? God does nothing without a purpose, remember? He purposed you, your birth, your circumstances, your life on earth, your salvation, your place and work in His kingdom. Only in obedience to His leading and faithfulness to do His work will He enable you to say with Jesus, and Paul…

John 17:4 NIV
[4] “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.”

Be a good finisher!

PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD – 8

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

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…