Tag Archives: all things

PAUL’S HAPPY LETTER…SECOND CONDITION – 17e

Bible Study, ,

“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Now, here’s another promise that has a condition attached. Taken out of context, it looks like another “blank cheque” from God to be cashed in at any time and in any circumstances but…this is far from the truth. 

Jesus made clear, on more than one occasion, that there is a condition attached to freedom,  fruit-bearing, answered prayer…and, yes…even the “all things”, good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant, in which He works for our good, and that make up life. 

“Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭31‬-‭32‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!”

‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

…and this one…

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Paul learned to be contented in all his circumstances, whether he had little or plenty, enough or not enough…without flinching…quietly trusting God…because it was from God’s hand that everything came to him. 

The context is all-important to understand what Paul meant…not victory, success, prosperity, applause…or any of the things that are attached to name, frame, or self-effort. Paul’s affirmation goes much deeper than that…right to the trust in God that refuses to celebrate only good fortune and chooses to complain about adversity. 

This contentment of which Paul testifies is a deep, God-empowered trust in and satisfaction with every situation he found himself in. He was convinced that his entire life was orchestrated and controlled by God, motivated by His love, and designed for one purpose. Of course, it was that purpose towards which he was striving…the goal of his existence…and the prize he was determined to win…becoming a replica of Jesus in his character and behaviour. 

“In the Bible, contentment is an inner peace and satisfaction with God’s provision. It does not depend on having an easy life or lots of money. Instead, it comes from trusting that God is in control and that Christ is enough for every need.” (Google AI)

That’s it, in a nutshell. 

Can you see that Paul’s contentment was not dependent on his outward circumstances but it was about his inner attitude and demeanour. His contentment was a settled inward condition of the heart, based on his trust in God and unmoved by adversity. 

How could Paul be so happy in his circumstances? How could he be so contented…chained day and night to a Roman soldier in a cold, dirty prison cell? How could he rejoice in such suffering? The answer was not in his effort…not even in his decision…but by the power of Jesus in him. 

For Paul, his ability to take the good and bad in his stride came from the roots of his life which grew in the soil of God’s love and drew its life from “Christ in me!”

So, he could testify…

“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

For Paul, this meant…not only his salvation but also his daily dying  to himself and…his settled standing in God’s grace. He didn’t dip in and out of contentment depending on his circumstances. Contentment was his home address…where he lived…in sunshine or rain, calm  days or stormy weather…

…ands he shared his secret…

“Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Where do you live?

To be continued

Who?

Bible Study, , ,

WHO?

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all — how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?

“Who will bring any charge against those whom God had chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Romans 8:31-34.

What a grand climax! Paul must have enjoyed and used his legal mind to bring his readers to this point where he could show them how secure they were in what God has done. There is no court higher than God, and when He declares sinners not guilty, places them in a new position with Him — sons and daughters — and sees them already perfected, not even the devil himself can contradict or oppose His ruling.

Everything God did was done according to the highest legal correctness. Man’s debt of sin was paid in full by one who no debt of His own to pay. God could legally justify sinners and lavish on them all His mercy because of Jesus’ death. He wanted them back in His family and there is nothing to stop Him from bringing them home and restoring them to their privileged position as His own beloved children.

By His obedience, Jesus undid everything Adam brought on the human race by his disobedience. Adam was banished from the Garden of Eden — God’s lavish source of supply. He had to wrest a living from a hostile environment. Now, in Christ Jesus, we have access to all of God’s resources because we are His children. Is there anything excluded in the “all things”?

Adam was charged with breaking God’s commandment. He was found guilty, driven from his home and cut off from the presence of God.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13.

But through Jesus, guilty sinners are not only justified — declared not guilty because their debt has been paid; their status has been changed. They are a new creation; a new species who are no longer sinners but saints, set apart from sin to God as His sons and daughters

Adam was condemned to death for his crime, and brought death upon all of creation. But, through Jesus, we are no longer condemned but accepted, adopted and affirmed as His children, made alive by His Spirit.

“For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will — to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.” Ephesians 1:4-6.

There is no other answer to Paul’s question, “Who?” than “No one!” There is no court of appeal higher than God, and His verdict is, “Not guilty! No charge! Case dismissed!” Every obstacle and hindrance between us and our heavenly Father has been removed. Even the great heavy curtain that shut people out of the Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom.

But we still have an accuser and he is quick to jump in when we mess up, with his accusation and condemnation. What do we do about him? We silence his lies just as Jesus did, with the truth. We have God’s authority to speak what He has already spoken, “Not guilty!” When we sin, instead of going through the agony of guilt and condemnation, we go to our advocate — Jesus — who is in the presence of the Father making intercession for us. He places His blood between us and our accuser and speaks the truth — “Not guilty!”

“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father — Jesus Christ the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”         1 John 2:1, 2.

Acknowledgement

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

 

Peter Got It

Christian Life, , ,

PETER GOT IT!

“Peter fairly exploded with his good news. ‘It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer. God plays no favourites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from — if you want God and are ready to do as He says, the door is open. The Message He sent to the children of Israel — that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again — well, He’s doing it everywhere among everyone.'” Acts 10:34-36 (The Message).

A light bulb moment for Peter!

It had taken years for him to reach this moment of revelation — and he exploded with excitement. He nearly burst with the realisation that this was what the good news of Jesus was all about. The entire story of his people was about this moment when the light of God’s truth would break through the barriers of racial prejudice and religious bigotry and engulf the Gentile world with its message of love and liberty.

Peter, and all those he represented in the kingdom of God, did not have to hate any more. He could throw off his religious rags and embrace people of every nation because God gave His Son for the whole world. Food taboos and religious rituals did not count any more. What Jesus came to do was much bigger than petty scruples and irrelevant externals. The very people he had so hoped Jesus would evict from his country were eligible to share in the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit that he had experienced through God’s unconditional love and grace.

For the first time in his life, Peter fully embraced the truth that Jesus was the Saviour of the world. The confession he had so glibly made at Caesarea Philippi, at that point in his understanding accurate yet misunderstood, glowed with new meaning: ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ At last the message he had to deliver was cosmic in his understanding and in its application.

Peter recognised an even greater significance in the life of his Master than he had seen before. This salvation was much more than a personal and individual thing. What Jesus did on the cross had ramifications for the whole creation. This was about reconciling and restoring everything to God, including the natural world which was included in the consequences of Adam’s rebellion.

Jesus did not come to make us comfortable. He came to put God’s cosmic programme back on track.

“He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood shed on the cross.” Colossians 1:17-20 (NIV).

Every dysfunctional thing was being restored through the death of Jesus and Cornelius and his associates were part of that new life. Peter would not only be able to share the story of Jesus with this group of people with new understanding but he would also take the same fleshed-out message to the rest of the world.

This is the miracle of walking with Jesus through His Spirit. It is a journey from ignorance to understanding; from the darkness of selfishness and greed to the light of generous love for all people; and from slavery to freedom. It’s a step-by-step moving towards shalom, wholeness and peace.

Religion can never do what Jesus does when He is given access to the very core of our lives. We are swept up into God’s plan of universal restoration and become an integral part of a new order of justice, righteousness and peace which will be perfected and completed when Jesus returns.