Monthly Archives: June 2025

JESUS, THE GOD-MAN – 1

Bible Study, ,

THE GOD-MAN, HIS ORIGIN

I enjoy writing series because, like painting a picture, little by little, a series builds a mental image of our topic and we gain knowledge and understanding as we go along.

I have entitled this series, “Jesus, the God-man” because nowhere in human history is there any other record of God coming to earth as a man except Jesus. There may be fanciful stories of such an event but no evidence that these stories are true. However, we have a book, an authentic book, rooted in history and brimful of the records of God interacting with humans, that tells us that such an event happened!

This story covers millennia of time. It is the story of, first, one nation, Israel, that spreads into all nations. It’s a complete story, yet open-ended, continuing on, mostly unwritten, in the lives of millions of people down the generations.

Despite the time it took to write this book, more that 2000 years, the number of contributors, more than 40, originating in more countries and continents than one, as well as a collection of different genres, this story ultimately has one central figure and one subject, the God-man, Jesus.

The Bible presents this Jesus from eternity to eternity. From before the first record of human history when the story of people begins and when the original pair decided to ditch their allegiance to their Creator for self-made rules, He was already present.

John 1:1-3 NIV
[1] “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was with God in the beginning. [3] Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”

“The Word”, said John, “who is the God-man, that spoke the universe into being, became part of the creation He made”. He came from eternity to be part of His own creation, to share in its life, to suffer with and for those He had made. He was the bridge between heaven and earth, to reveal the true God to the world.

John 1:14 NIV
[14] “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

However, long before the historical event of Jesus’ birth, our book gives us detailed hints about Him in the writings of His ancient people. This fact alone should alert us to the authenticity of this book. No one else can tell a story so accurately and in such detail before it happens as tgecstory of Jesus. Prophecy is God’s prerogative and ability alone, not ours.

God alerted His prophets to the promise of this God-human person in the types and shadows of His religious system as well as in the visions and impressions they received through the Holy Spirit.

These “hints” added up to the promise so accurate that, when the God-man came, His disciples were able to match picture and person, and conclude, as Peter, their spokesman, declared, when Jesus asked outright about His identity…

Matthew 16:15-16 NIV
[15] “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
[16] “Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

On the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came in power on the fledgling church, Peter was able, finally, to match prophecy and fulfilment.

Acts 2:14-17 NIV
[14] “Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. [15] These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! [16] No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: [17] “ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams… “

In his masterful sermon, Peter put the story together. Finally, it was Jesus, the God-man, the one God had promised, described, and spoken about in His ancient writings who had come…and gone, leaving behind His Holy Spirit to continue the work He had come to do.

After thousands of years, our story ends where it began. Isn’t that amazing! It ends with the restoration of everything the first pair messed up when they decided to go it alone.

Revelation 21:1-4 NIV
[1] Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. [2] I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. [3] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. [4] ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Let’s look at the process…

In the beginning, the earth was good and everything worked perfectly.

Genesis 1:31 NIV
[31] “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.”

Genesis 2:25 NIV
[25] “Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.”

Isn’t this what God wanted the earth to be when He made it… God and man, living together on a perfect earth, in harmony and without shame?

So, He planned, prepared and sent His man to reset the earth and mankind to His plan.

So, what went wrong?

One wrong choice, one act of disobedience, and the unthinkable happened.

Romans 5:12 NIV
[12] “Therefore,… sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned…”

Poof! Gone in a moment! All the amazing things God planned and prepared for His children…gone!

But…take heart. God had it all prepared before it happened.

His plan? It starts with the whisper of a God-man, standing in the wings to fix the mess the first pair made. No names, no pack drill, just a hint of things to come.

To the initiator of the mess God said…

Genesis 3:15 NLT
[15] And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

The rest of the story unpacks, in detail, the careful preparation for this momentous event, when the God-man would come to set the earth and its destiny back in order.

To be continued…

THE MOST DAMAGING FORCE ON EARTH!

Christian Life, ,

Before I begin, let me explain the difference between force and power. I have deliberately chosen the word “force” for my topic because there is a difference between force and power. Force is the energy applied to accomplish something while power is the amount of energy needed to accomplish the task. For example, if I force a door open, I am applying energy to the door to open it. However, if my level of power is insufficient to open the door, it will not open despite the force I exert on it.

There is a force at work in the earth that is continually causing untold damage everywhere. It is unstoppable until another power intervenes, a supernatural intervention that changes lives and redirects humans into a new reality.

Now, let’s examine our topic.

A few weeks ago, I was on a mission to discover the real reason for Jesus’ suffering. I had always thought that His suffering on the cross was the pinnacle of His earthly suffering and that, in order to share His glory, as Paul explained in Romans 8…

Romans 8:17 NLT
[17] “And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”

… I had to suffer for Him as He had suffered for me.

My misunderstanding left me stone cold. Was I never to share in Christ’s glory because I have never suffered for Him as many others through the ages have? There must be another explanation… so I set about finding out what this verse in Romans means.

My discovery blew my mind open to a new understanding of what suffering “with Jesus” really means.

First, the condition is that we suffer WITH HIM, not for Him. This helped to clear up a part of my dilemma.

Second, from what Peter wrote…

1 Peter 4:1 NIV
[1] “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body (literally “in his flesh”), arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body (in the flesh), is done with sin.”

… Jesus suffered in the flesh. “In the flesh” here, from the Greek word “sarx” which, in Scripture, mostly refers to fallen human nature, the sin nature, refers to Jesus’ human nature, not to His physical suffering. Jesus had a human nature, but not a sinful human nature. He is the “last Adam”, born with the nature of the “first Adam”, who was able either to sin or not to sin.

Romans 5:19 NIV
[19] “For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.”

1 Corinthians 15:45 NIV
[45] “So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.”

This leaves us with a question. Was Jesus fully human?

Hebrews 2:16-18 NIV
[16] “For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. [17] For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. [18] Because he himself suffered WHEN HE WAS TEMPTED, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

This implies that Jesus suffered in His human nature. Let’s dig deeper. How did He suffer?

This verse changed the direction of my understanding. How did He suffer? He suffered being tempted. Did you get that? He had to wrestle within His human nature not to sin because to sin would have left Him in the same condition and to the same fate as all fallen humanity.

This suffering was continuous and intense.

Hebrews 5:7-9 NIV
[7] “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. [8] Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered [9] and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him… “

Since Jesus did die, physical death was not the issue for Him but rather, eternal death, had He given in to temptation. The Bible assures us that He never sinned, but what was He tempted to do?

Again, Peter gives us a clue.

1 Peter 2:18-20 NIV
[18] “Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. [19] For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of UNJUST SUFFERING because they are conscious of God. [20] But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.”

Speaking specifically to slaves, Peter urges compliance and non-retaliation from slaves, even under unjust treatment. Why?

1 Peter 2:21 NIV
[21] “To this YOU WERE CALLED, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”

To retaliate under injustice is the greatest temptation humans will ever suffer, even greater than giving in to fleshly lusts. Injustice strikes at the very core of who we are. Injustice demeans us, reducing us to the level of worthless objects to be treated with disdain. When someone treats us unjustly, we are nothing to that person. He elevates himself above us, making himself God. Every word or action that puts us down is injustice and we are quick to react, to retaliate, to take revenge, because our very existence is under threat and we rise up to fight for self.

We retaliate to injustice in two ways. We either punish the person who treats us unjustly and continue the cycle of revenge by our own contribution to unjust behaviour, or we punish those closest to us and set up a new cycle of injustice and retaliation.

Jesus is the greatest example of one who interrupted and broke the cycle of unjust treatment by His response to injustice. He refused to retaliate, choosing to absorb every word or deed against Him into Himself, letting it go by redirecting his focus, away from His own ego to “entrusting Himself who judges justly”.

1 Peter 2:22-24 NIV
[22] “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” [23] When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. [24] “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

Look what happened when Jesus cut off the cycle of injustice and retaliation at the knees.

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

Notice how often He refused to speak when He was accused and could have defended Himself, especially during His trials before the Jewish Sanhedrin and before Pilate, when His opponents hurled baseless accusations at Him.

Matthew 27:12-14 NIV
[12] “When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. [13] Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” [14] But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.”

John 19:7-10 NIV
[7] “The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” [8] When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, [9] and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. [10] “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

Jesus was the epitome of one who adhered to His own counsel in His own Word.

Romans 12:17-19 NIV
[17] “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. [18] If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. [19] Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.”

What was Jesus’ strategy to overcome the temptation to retaliate?

1 Peter 2:23 NLT
[23] “He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.”

Can you now understand why I said that retaliation is the most damaging force on earth? Retaliation started the ball rolling in Genesis 4.

Genesis 4:3-5, 8 NIV
[3] “In the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. [4] And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, [5] but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast…
[8] Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.”

A perceived gross injustice, followed by extreme revenge! Now let’s see where this leads…

Genesis 4:23-24 NIV
[23] “Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. [24] If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.”

Murder was the pattern for retaliation down the family line. Centuries later, descendants of Adam were still retaliating to injustice by murdering. Remember the story of Absalom?

2 Samuel 13:4, 14, 20, 22, 28-29 NIV
[4] “He (Jonadab, Amnon’s adviser) asked Amnon, “Why do you, the king’s son, look so haggard morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”…

Tamara refused Amnon’s advances, so…

[14] But he (Amnon) refused to listen to her (Tamar, Absalom’s sister), and since he was stronger than she, he raped her…
[20] Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has that Amnon, your brother, been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister; he is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart.” And Tamar lived in her brother Absalom’s house, a desolate woman…
[22] And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar…”

Later, Absalom saw his chance…

[28] “Absalom ordered his men, “Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I given you this order? Be strong and brave.” [29] So Absalom’s men did to Amnon what Absalom had ordered. Then all the king’s sons got up, mounted their mules and fled… “

Another tragedy born of injustice and retaliation happened!

So, what is our conclusion?

Society in general is run on the principle of injustice and retaliation, revenge… one injustice, followed by retaliation, giving birth to another, more evil injustice than the first, escalating with every act of revenge. Families, communities, societies are torn apart by actions of injustice and revenge.

We, God’s children, have the power… enough energy from God’s Spirit in us… to break the cycle by refusing to retaliate to unjust treatment.

We, God’s children, can also watch our own words and behaviour, so that we don’t start the cycle by treating others unfairly.

God had given us a simple prescription for life.

Micah 6:8 NIV
[8] “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

My dear readers, let us not be those who add to the chaos in the world by perpetuating the endless cycle of “tit for tat”. Not even “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” can change the course of destruction we see everywhere.

Jesus showed us a better way. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can choose not to retaliate. We can put our situation in God’s hands. We can “turn the other cheek”. We can choose to forgive, to let go, and to embrace peace as a weapon to disarm evil. It takes the power of God to break the force of retaliation that is destroying the world.

Psalms 37:5-8 NIV
[5] “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: [6] He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. [7] Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. [8] Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.”

SHAKING AND WAKING

Apologetics, ,

What on earth is happening in our world? One only needs to follow the information pouring out on social media, Google news, YouTube etc., to catch a glimpse of the goings-on in the nations. Yes, we must be discerning because misinformation is as prolific as genuine news. However, not everything we read and hear is false. Evidence is everywhere and available to confirm the information we are receiving.

How do we process this plethora of events, happening so fast that, before we blink an eye, situations have changed. It seems as though a mighty hand has dipped into the pot of nations, stirred them around to bring up the silt, and left their citizens reeling in confusion and fear.

Take, for one example, the mess that is happening everywhere as thousands of people flee their homelands because of strife, only to create more strife where they go for refuge. Whole nations are being diluted by immigrants, legal and illegal. Some of the intruders are even trying to force their own country’s laws and culture on their adopted homeland, causing as much strife as the strife they left behind.

While it is good to receive those who are fleeing from suffering in their own land, it is not good to be so overwhelmed when they bring with them their own set of problems and misdemeanours that the host nation begins to collapse.

The chaos is out of hand. Stability, economies, systems of government and control, law and order, are under severe pressure and collapsing under the weight of the disturbances. Money is losing its value, world leaders are scrambling for answers, stabbing in vain at new ideas to hold things together.

Then we have the plight of those who are scurrying around in their own countries like frightened rabbits because of wars and internal conflicts. They have nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. Fear haunts them like a ghostly monster. Enemies are everywhere. Who can they trust?

Then, just to add to the suffering, weather patterns have gone crazy. “Global warming” and “climate change” are on everyone’s lips. Huge areas, whole cities, are under water. Extreme heat and cold are swallowing lives. Storm more violent than the earth has ever known, are wreaking destruction. Homes, neighbourhoods, are disappearing into the collapsing landscape. It’s as though the earth is writhing in pain as it witnesses the bitter conflicts in the nations. And so it is!

Romans 8:20-22 NLT
[20] “Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, [21] the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. [22] For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.”

Where is God in this mess? Does He have anything to say?

There are two words that highlight God’ doings in these days. He is shaking the nations and waking the spiritually dead.

Hebrews 12:26-27 NLT
[26] “When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens+ also.” [27] This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.”

The one great, overriding reason for this uncontrollable chaos is…

Romans 3:11-12, 16-18 NLT
[11] “No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. [12] All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”…
[16] Destruction and misery always follow them. [17] They don’t know where to find peace.” [18] “They have no fear of God at all.”

Do you get the picture? When the people in the world deliberately choose to leave God out of their lives, they create their own consequences. God has no option but to leave them to their own devices or to shake everything people trust.

However, He also has a plan… to shake the world awake!

The global shaking that is going on under our noses right now, brings out two responses from us humans.

The Bible vividly describes the response of world leaders and all others, to the shaking.

Some shake their fists at God…

Psalms 2:1-3 NLT
[1] “Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? [2] The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one. [3] “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

Others flee in fear…

Revelation 6:12-17 NLT
[12] “I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood. [13] Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong wind. [14] The sky was rolled up like a scroll, and all of the mountains and islands were moved from their places. [15] Then everyone—the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person—all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. [16] And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. [17] For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?”

No repentance, no taking responsibility, no grief over their ungodly lives…just defiance or panic and fear!

Isaiah 26:5, 9-11, 21 NLT
[5] He humbles the proud and brings down the arrogant city. He brings it down to the dust…
[9] In the night I search for you; in the morning I earnestly seek you. For only when you come to judge the earth will people learn what is right. [10] Your kindness to the wicked does not make them do good. Although others do right, the wicked keep doing wrong and take no notice of the Lord’s majesty. [11] O Lord, they pay no attention to your upraised fist. Show them your eagerness to defend your people. Then they will be ashamed. Let your fire consume your enemies…
[21] Look! The Lord is coming from heaven to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will no longer hide those who have been killed. They will be brought out for all to see.”

Then there are those who steadfastly trust and obey the Lord.

Isaiah 26:16-18, 20 NLT
[16] ” Lord, in distress we searched for you. We prayed beneath the burden of your discipline. [17] Just as a pregnant woman writhes and cries out in pain as she gives birth, so were we in your presence, Lord. [18] We, too, writhe in agony, but nothing comes of our suffering. We have not given salvation to the earth, nor brought life into the world…”

…but the Lord says…

[20] Go home, my people, and lock your doors! Hide yourselves for a little while until the Lord’s anger has passed.”

Like those who were saved from death in the ark when the great flood fell on the earth, the Lord will protect those who take shelter in Him. Not even death can separate from the Lord those who trust in Him.

Isaiah 26:19 NLT
[19] “But those who die in the Lord will live; their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For your life-giving light will fall like dew on your people in the place of the dead!”

Not so prominent in the media but just as real is the awakening! God’s shaking is waking the spiritually dead and bringing them back to life. Thousands upon thousands, all over the nations, are turning to the Lord in their suffering. Celebrities in Hollywood, Jewish leaders and ordinarily Jews s of all persuasions, inside and outside Israel, Muslims and Imams in the Arab nations, ordinary people in the United Kingdom…England, Ireland, and Scotland reporting spiritual revival…joy despite their circumstances…singing and celebrating in the streets of London. Thousands in Iran are believing in Jesus. Even many ex terrorists, Jihad extremists, have turned to the Lord from their murderous hatred for Jews to faith in Jesus and love for God’s people. Reports in the media are telling the story.

We can only conclude that all this is the work of God. He is winding up history in preparation for Jesus’ return and the coming of His kingdom on earth.

How must we respond to these events?

Hebrews 12:28 NLT
[28] “Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.”

Let’s rejoice in God’s intervention as we await the day when…

Habakkuk 2:14 NIV
[14] “… The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

HOW CAN WE LIVE CLOSER TO JESUS?

Christian Life,

I can hear, echoing in my memory, the haunting sounds of the old song,

“Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, let it be…
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.”

As emotional as the words of this song may be, they don’t accurately reflect the message of Scripture.

What do we mean when we sigh, and yearn, and pray to walk closer to the Lord? Is there something we expect the Lord to do to draw us “closer” to Him? What do we mean by “closer”?

Jesus placed the requirements and the initiative squarely on us. Too often we cry and moan and pray that the Lord will draw us closer to Him when, in fact, He has done everything necessary to remove the barrier and open the way to fellowship with the Father and with Himself. He leaves it up to us to take the initiative.

Let’s see what the Bible says and follow this way instead of waiting for God to do more than He has already done.

First, He has given us a new status! He has dealt with our spiritual condition that blocked our way to Him. He has made us righteous, freed from guilt and shame through the blood of Jesus.

He has drawn us to Jesus. He has opened our hearts to the message of salvation and even given us faith to receive the truth.

John 6:44 NIV
[44] “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

It’s the Father’s initiative to draw us to Jesus.

He has brought our dead spirits back to life.

Ephesians 2:1, 4-6 NIV
[1] “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins..
[4] But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, [5] made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. [6] And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus…”

He has seated us next to Jesus on His throne in the closest proximity possible. We are as close to Jesus in spirit as we can ever be. In fact, we have become one with Him through the Holy Spirit in us.

Did you get that? God did something we could not do! He brought our dead spirits back to life, joined us to Jesus, and seated us with Him in the heavenly realm. So, where are we now? Seated with Christ in the heavenly realms! Can we be any closer to Him than that?

Second, we have an open-ended invitation.

Hebrews 10:19-22 NIV
[19] “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, [20] by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, [21] and since we have a great priest over the house of God, [22] LET US DRAW NEAR to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”

Again, did you get that? Now, the initiative is ours! It’s up to us to act, by faith, on what God has done.

James 4:7-8 NIV
[7] “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Submit…resist…come near! These are all attitudes we must adopt, mindsets we must cultivate, truths we must believe, not to FEEL near to the Lord but to LIVE near to Him. Paul said, “We walk by faith, not by sight (or by feelings)”.

One thing blocks our fellowship with the Father…sin! Sin, in its many forms… thoughts, attitudes, words, deeds…puts up a barrier between us and others, and between us and God. Sin, in its worst form, is doing anything without reference to the Lord. If we make choices and decisions without communicating and doing what Jesus tells us, then we have taken control and He is no longer Lord for us.

John wrote…sin is the barrier to fellowship. Deal with it!

1 John 1:5-10 NIV
[5] This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. [6] If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. [8] If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”

God has provided the solution to our lack of transparency. Forgiveness! Use it! As long as we are harbouring sin, we cannot function in the realm of closeness to the Lord.

Jesus has a solution to our desire for closeness…

John 15:4-5 NIV
[4] “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. [5] “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Remaining in Jesus is a choice we must make and an attitude we must cultivate, based on what He said. We cultivate the awareness of His presence by choosing to believe that it’s true, and by communing with Him in our hearts continually.

How do we maintain this union? By “walking in His commandments”. What are His commandments? “Love one another.” It’s as simple as that.

Romans 13:8 NIV
[8] “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.”

How can we know that we are close to the Lord? He has given us one simple test…His peace! When we have peace in our hearts, we know there is no barrier between us and the Lord.

Colossians 3:15 NLT
[15] “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.”

Do you get it?

The most powerful and accurate monitor of our closeness to the Lord is His peace in our hearts. Keeping our thoughts aligned with His Word and our attitudes and actions towards others loving, we can know and experience His closeness to us.

Philippians 4:6-9 NLT
[6] “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. [7] Then you will experience GOD’S PEACE, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. [8] And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. FIX YOUR THOUGHTS on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. THINK ABOUT things that are excellent and worthy of praise. [9] Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then THE GOD OF PEACE will be with you.”

Once again, God has given us, in His Word, the way to cultivate and experience the closeness to Jesus that we desire. He has done His part. Now it’s up to us to do our part. As we position ourselves, by faith, in union with Jesus, in the realm where He is sovereign, His peace guards and protects us from all the dangers and challenges the enemy uses to lure us away from that place of perfect peace.

Isaiah 26:3-4 NLT
[3] “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! [4] Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.”

MOLLY AND ME – AN EAR ATTUNED

Christian Life,

Molly has devised another way of communicating her wants. She used to be demonstrative, making her wants known by her body language. Her tail could speak volumes!  She used it to tell me when she was pleased or displeased with me, when she was happy or depressed.

For example, Molly is terrified of children. As the only “child” of an elderly “mother”, she had no opportunity to socialise with little ones when she was a puppy. Her first encounter was with young children at a creche, when they lunged at her in their eagerness to get acquainted, but left her traumatised for life.

Unfortunately, not long ago, she had a chance encounter with two lively little boys at a friend’s house that she couldn’t escape. Her tail clearly demonstrated her  “Post Traumatic Distress Disorder”, drooping sadly and immovably for three days after her traumatic experience.

Nowadays, as she gets older, her way of communicating is more subtle. We are so attuned to one another that her look tells me what she wants. Most of the time, I anticipate her wants, but there are times when I need to interpret her look by trial and error.

She uses not only her gaze but something even more intimate to talk to me. She uses sound! Let me explain.

At night, after we have been outside for toilet purposes, she retires to her bed in the lounge while I prepare for bed. Showered and refreshed, I call her to the bedroom but she ignores me for her own reasons while I climb under the covers for a few quiet moments before sleep. After a short while, I hear the softest of sounds from her other bed next to mine. Sure enough, I see her little face, her soft brown eyes looking up at me, and hear her eager, unspoken request, “Please pick me up!”

After our trip outside, when we wake in the morning, she again  retires to the bedroom and I to the lounge, knowing full well that she will soon want to be on my lap. While it’s still dark, and I am engaged in writing, the same soft sound alerts me to the same request, “Please pick me up!” Before I see her, I am instinctively aware of her presence and her want.

Despite my increasing deafness,  my ears are attuned to her. I hear her and I respond. From the moment she is beside me on my chair, she doesn’t move. She lies so quietly that only her warm body next to me keeps me aware of her presence.

How like the Lord’s response to us!

1 Peter 3:12 NIV
[12] “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer…”

Sometimes we scream, not because God is deaf but because our need is so desperate. Other times we whisper, we sigh, or we groan, sounds so quiet that only God hears them. Whatever the volume, God hears because His ears are attuned to our cry. Sometimes, only tears are left but He still hears the fall of a silent tear.

How blessed we are to have a Father whose love for us is so tender that He hears us even before we call. How better to express the wonder of prayer than the old hymn…

1. Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire,
unuttered or expressed,
the motion of a hidden fire
that trembles in the breast.

2 Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
the falling of a tear,
the upward glancing of an eye,
when none but God is near.

3 Prayer is the simplest form of speech
that infant lips can try;
prayer the sublimest strains that reach
the Majesty on high.

4 Prayer is the contrite sinners’ voice,
returning from their way,
while angels in their songs rejoice
and cry, “Behold, they pray!”

5 Prayer is the Christians’ vital breath,
the Christians’ native air;
their watchword at the gates of death;
they enter heav’n with prayer.

6 O Thou, by whom we come to God,
the Life, the Truth, the Way;
the path of prayer Thyself hast trod:
Lord, teach us how to pray!

(Author: James Montgomery
James Montgomery (b. Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland, 1771; d. Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, 1854)

(Source: www.hymnary.org)