Making void the Grace of God

"I don't make void the Grace of God.  For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing." (Gal 1:21)

Quite a scary thought that we can make the Grace of God void in our lives.  The only way we do this is by relying on our own works to keep and maintain our salvation.  The Law which came through Moses, showed that human endeavour was utterly useless to keep and maintain a standard of holiness. In fact, the Law produced more sin in us. (Rom 7:8)  Must be the rebellious heart in mankind.  We see a sign, "don't touch, wet paint" and the first thing we want to do is to touch and see if it is wet, or "don't walk on the grass" and it almost impels us to try.

The Law was similar in its way to draw us into doing what we shouldn't (Rom 7:23) as it made us focus on the don't and we became sin conscious.  The bible is clear that what we focus on, we become.

When Paul spoke to Peter, the opening verse of scripture for this blog, he brought correction as Peter was hypocritically social to the "uncircumcised" until some of the "circumcised" joined them.  The Law of Moses dictated that the Jews not eat with Gentiles so by moving back to Law, Peter was making the grace of God void in his life.

Christianity is to be lived out in faith by the grace of God, which is His empowering presence in our lives to help us to do what God requires us to do.  Christ dwells in us, and as Paul asserted, he was crucified with Christ, so that the life he lived, he lived purely by faith in Jesus who gave Himself up on that cross. (Gal 2:20).  "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." This is a life livedin complete dependence and faith on the empowering grace of Christ within us.

We have God's moral law which is the guideline for our faith and we know not to steal, kill or covert etc. Darkness cannot fellowship with light, so if we have a battle (i.e. with envy), we rely on the grace of God to help us overcome.  We repent of envy and hand it over to God and ask by His grace to replace it with thankfulness and a spirit of contentment.  If we rely on the grace of God in faith and listen to what He tells us to do, we will overcome temptation.

When Paul said it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me, I believe he understood a principle of the Law of life and death.  His fleshly desires were to be crucified with Christ, so Christ's life could be lived out through him.  His main focus was on Christ, becoming like Him, which made him Christ-focused and not sin-focused.

Hebrews encourages us to keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.  Keeping our eyes on Him, will change us to be more like Him and we will desire to follow Him and His ways.  Filling up on Christ will help us to follow the desires of the Spirit rather then the desires of our flesh.

Righteousness can never come through works.  We are right before God purely through the Cross.  He who knew no sin, became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor 5:21)
There is nothing we can do to earn our righteousness.  All we can do is gratefully and thankfully accept the grace of our Loving Father and rest in the atonement of the Cross of Christ, relying on its cleansing and empowering virtues to become more and more like our Lord and Saviour.

Versing your Goliath

"So Saul clothed David with his armour, and to put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail." (1Sam 17:38)

We cannot fight battles with natural means for our fight is not against flesh and blood (as was David's), but scripture teaches us we fight a spiritual battle against, authorities, rulers and spiritual wickedness in heavenly places. (Eph 6:12). Saul tried to arm David with his own battle arrangement but it didn't fit.  We also cannot fight battles by using someone else's successful methods, as every "fight" has different circumstances and different levels of faith. Saul had won many battles using his armour, but it would have made David clumsy. David won this battle purely through his faith in God who had delivered him in various other situations.

Interestingly,  Goliath came out every morning and evening to taunt them for 40 days and nights. Mornings and evenings were times of worship for the Israelites and Goliath was distracting them from that worship.  This is exactly what the enemy wants, to detract us from looking and relying on God. God was the One, who clearly in their history, fought their battles successfully, but in this situation they were not drawing close to Him for their strength, comfort and faith.  They had moved from faith in the Deliverer to their own arm of flesh and it was inadequate against Goliath and his army.  We tend to do the same when trials come and we don't draw near to the Father in faith and trust that the battle belongs to Him and He will help us through to victory.

This whole 40 days of taunting, reminds me of Jesus temptation in the desert.  Jesus came against His "Goliath" with the Word of God, the Sword of the Spirit, yielding power against satan that was undefeatable. This too, is one of the Spiritual weapons that we must wield against tormenting
circumstances.  We see clearly that David had the last word with Goliath.

".....but I am coming against you in the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel's army, Whom you have defied !  This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand.."

After declaring God to Goliath, David's slingshot released the stone with such power it buried right into Goliath's forehead and silenced forever, the taunts that filled the air for 40 days and nights and held captive, with fear, the whole Israelite army. We too, can come with the Word of God and with the Name of Jesus against "Goliaths" in our situations that taunt us day and night; all the "what ifs" can be silenced by our faith and trust in Him.  David spoke with boldness and strength, full of faith in God's delivering power.

It took a worshipper to slay Goliath.  David worshipped God even in the wilderness while tending to the sheep, and in his worship he saw God deliver him from the lion and the bear.  If the armies of Israel, or even Saul, had been worshipping God instead of listening to the taunts of the enemy, perhaps the outcome would have been totally different, and the voice of Goliath silenced long before forty days.

Saul was a man, whom we know from scripture stood head and shoulders above everyone else, yet here he was, paralysed by Goliath's taunts, even though God had delivered him and his army in many past battles.  However, his focus was on Goliath and the fear rendered him powerless and his leadership with no authority to lead as King.  David, a young "whippersnip" of a lad had his focus on God and His faithfulness.

What we focus on becomes our reality, the paralysing fear and defeat of the problem, or the strength
and delivering power of the Word of God.  Speaking out God's promises  concerning any trial will release God's delivering power to change any situation.

The Fullness of the Godhead

"And of His fullness have we all received, and grace for grace." Jn 1:16

I believe that the Holy Spirit arrested my attention on "fullness" as I read this scripture.  "Of His fullness" - the fullness of Jesus Christ (peroma in the Greek and explained in the Strong's Dictionary as that which has been filled:-

1. As a ship (manned) with sailors, rowers, soldiers
2. In the New Testament, the body of believers, as that which is filled with the presence, power, agency, riches of God and of Christ.

Wow!  Did you get that.  We are filled with the presence of Christ, His Power, agency and riches!

Scripture confirms this thought:-

Now the church is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Eph 1:23)

Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things? (Rom 8:32)

The Strong's also explains this as " completeness", "fullness" and "abundance".  I think that they are pretty cool words but not just words, God is conveying the awesome truth that Christ dwells in us, in all His fullness.

Jesus went about doing good and destroying all the works of the enemy, healing all who were oppressed because He was empowered by the Holy Spirit and God was with Him.  (Acts 10:38) That same spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us (Rom 8:11) which is why Jesus said that the works He did we would do, and even greater works (Jn14:12) as He was going to the Father.  Maybe we don't quite get this.  That same creative power that brought life back to Jesus, that resurrection power is in us, and available for us, to bring healing into other people's lives and situations. We have the answer to their illnesses and woes, but we don't utilise the power that is available in us.  Jesus, seated in Heaven, still wants to touch people today as the scriptures tell us, He is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Heb 13:8)  Did you catch that, Jesus NEVER changes.  His mercy, grace and truth are still integral to His nature and character.

Now we know that Jesus is at the right hand of God but we are His agents on earth to bring His Kingdom goodwill and favour to a broken world. (Luke 2:14)  Just mediate on this.

Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt 28:18-20)

This mandate was not just for the disciples of yesteryear but for every disciple (follower) of Jesus Christ today, and history, as well as this present day, can confirm many who have taken this mandate personally and moved in the supernatural miraculous power and authority of heaven.  They have indeed believed in the authority of Christ, His all encompassing authority over everything. Not just some authority!  ALL THINGS, whether in heaven, on, or under the earth must bow to the authority
and power in the name of Jesus. (Phil 2:10)  Every knee will bow, every sickness, every lie, every
demon will submit to the authority that great and powerful name.  And HIS name is the badge of authority He has given us TODAY to bring about Kingdom purposes, to save, heal and deliver.

If we believe, we have heavenly gifts that we can pull down from heaven, to give to others; a gift of a healing, a gift of salvation, a gift of a new organ, a gift of sight, of hearing, of mercy, of comfort and whatever Father God has available to give.  This is because we have at our disposal, the riches of Christ and God. We just need to proclaim in faith and boldness as an ambassador of Heaven, speaking those things that are not as though they are, (Rom 4:17), even as children of God.

while we don't look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Cor 4:18)

Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our
 confession, Jesus;  who was faithful to him who appointed him (Heb 1:2-3)

I love the way scripture exhorts us to consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus.  You see we often look at the container instead of the contents.  Jesus Christ dwells in these jars of clays , so that no flesh will glory because the power in us, is of Him.  (1 Cor 1:24-30)

For in him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, (Cor 2:9)

Jesus our Apostle has gone before us and shown us the "how to..!"  As we worship Him and consider His life and His compassion which moved Him to touch, even the untouchable, how He carried our sins and infirmities, we will have the courage to step out in His Name, knowing without a doubt, that He wants to connect with those He loves in the world.  After all, He freely gave His life on that cross
to bring many, healed and whole into a relationship with the Holy Trinity.

Whose miracle are you today, whose comfort, whose wisdom, whose healing, whose encouragement, whose revelation, whose touch of a Loving Father to a person's heart today?

I believe that the Holy Spirit arrested my attention on "fullness" as I read this scripture.  "Of His fullness" - the fullness of Jesus Christ (peroma in the Greek and explained in the Strong's Dictionary as that which has been filled:-

1. As a ship (manned) with sailors, rowers, soldiers
2. In the New Testament, the body of believers, as that which is filled with the presence, power, agency, riches of God and of Christ

Wow!  Did you get that.  We are filled with the presence of Christ, His Power, agency and riches!

Scripture confirms this thought:-

Now the church is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Eph 1:23)

Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things? (Rom 8:32)

The Strong's also explains this as " completeness", "fullness" and "abundance".  I think that they are pretty cool words but not just words, God is conveying the awesome truth that Christ dwells in us, in all His fullness.


Jesus went about doing good and destroying all the works of the enemy, healing all who were oppressed because He was empowered by the Holy Spirit and God was with Him.  (Acts 10:38) That same spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us (Rom 8:11) which is why Jesus said that the works He did we would do, and even greater works (Jn14:12) as He was going to the Father.  Maybe we don't quite get this.  That same creative power that brought life back to Jesus, that resurrection power is in us, and available for us, to bring healing into other people's lives and situations. We have the answer to their illnesses and woes, but we don't utilise the power that is available in us.  Jesus, seated in Heaven, still wants to touch people today as the scriptures tell us, He is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Heb 13:8)  Did you catch that, Jesus NEVER changes.  His mercy, grace and truth are still integral to His nature and character.




Now we know that Jesus is at the right hand of God but we are His agents on earth to bring His Kingdom goodwill and favour to a broken world. (Luke 2:14)  Just mediate on this.

Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt 28:18-20)

This mandate was not just for the disciples of yesteryear but for every disciple (follower) of Jesus Christ today, and history, as well as this present day, can confirm many who have taken this mandate personally and moved in the supernatural miraculous power and authority of heaven.  They have
indeed believed in the authority of Christ, His all encompassing authority over everything. Not just some authority!  ALL THINGS, whether in heaven, on, or under the earth must bow to the authority and power in the name of Jesus. (Phil 2:10)  Every knee will bow, every sickness, every lie, every demon will submit to the authority that great and powerful name.  And HIS name is the badge of authority He has given us TODAY to bring about Kingdom purposes, to save, heal and deliver.

If we believe, we have heavenly gifts that we can pull down from heaven, to give to others; a gift of a healing, a gift of salvation, a gift of a new organ, a gift of sight, of hearing, of mercy, of comfort and whatever Father God has available to give.  This is because we have at our disposal, the riches of Christ and God. We just need to proclaim in faith and boldness as an ambassador of Heaven, speaking those things that are not as though they are, (Rom 4:17), even as children of God.

while we don't look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things
which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Cor 4:18)

Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus;  who was faithful to him who appointed him (Heb 1:2-3)

I love the way scripture exhorts us to consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus.  You see we often look at the container instead of the contents.  Jesus Christ dwells in these cl of jar, so that no flesh will glory because the power in us, is of Him.  (1 Cor 1:24-30)

For in him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, (Cor 2:9)

Jesus our Apostle has gone before us and shown us the "how to..!"  As we worship Him and consider His life and His compassion which moved Him to touch, even the untouchable, how He carried our sins and infirmities, we will have the courage to step out in His Name, knowing without a doubt, that He wants to connect with those He loves in the world.  After all, He freely gave His life on that cross to bring many, healed and whole into a relationship with the Holy Trinity.

Whose miracle are you today, whose comfort, whose wisdom, whose healing, whose encouragement, whose revelation, whose touch of a Loving Father to a person's heart today?

One in Christ - Sharing in the Unity of the Trinity

Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me. The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one;  I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me.  Jn 17:20-23

The question that came up for me in reading this scripture was, "Do I see myself as one with Christ?"....Where His thoughts are my thoughts, His love my love, His words my word, His actions my actions.  Jesus said that I am in Him and He is in me and that the works that He does I will do too.  Do I see this?  When I reach out to someone do I see and feel His love flowing through me to bring healing, peace and rest?

Jesus prayed that we would be one, even as He is one with the Father.  This is unity.  One is the only number that is not divisible, except by itself.  Am I divisible from Christ?  Do I hold to any teaching or opinion that is in opposition to Him? Do I have any negative emotions that are not Christlike nor bring Him glory? Do I show forth His character or humility, love and grace or do I bring division and control or manipulation because of my strong opinions?  I thing that these are good questions for those of us who follow Christ to ask.

Do I see myself as one body? There is so much division in the body of Christ yet the Holy Trinity are one.  They function as one.  God the Father as the creative mind, Jesus the Son as the creative word and the Holy Spirit as the creative power.  This is why they do not act independently of each other.  This is why unity is so important to the Godhead because unity is their very nature and essence. Right from Creation, we hear God say, "Let US make.."  And we see the picture of the Holy Spirit brooding, waiting for God to speak.  We know from scripture that the Holy Spirit can read the mind of God.  If He wanted to act independently, He could have said, "I know what you are thinking" and He could have created the substance God was thinking about.  He didn't!  He waited for God to speak the Word and then brought it into being.  Clearly the Holy Trinity in operation together in the opening pages of the Word.

Jesus purposely demonstrated this unity in His ministry on earth.  He very succinctly stated that He only did and said what He saw His Father doing.  Jesus only began His powerful ministry after being filled with the Holy Spirit at His baptism; even though He was fully the Son of God.

Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. 
Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Matt 3:16-17

Once again, this show us the Trinity at work together.  Jesus was also obedient to the Spirit who lead Him into the wilderness to be tested by satan.  Scripture tells us after this time of testing, Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit.  He conquered temptation of the flesh.  He conquered sin. He was victorious over rejection.  He was victorious over sickness, demons and nature.

If we are one with Him, we should be in perfect unity with the Holy Spirit, obedient to do what He tells us, even as Jesus listened to do the Father's will by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Yet, we are clay vessels and wounded souls and we so easily take up offences.  satan seeks to divide and bring disharmony which is totally opposed to the essence of unity of the spirit.  This is why the bible continually teaches on the aspect of peace and unity, which involves our actively being full of grace
and forgiveness.

Put on therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do.  Col 3: 12-13

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love; being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all. Eph 4: 1-6

Interestingly Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, finishes the discourse of keeping the unity, with a series of "one" statements.  One Body, One Spirit, one hope, One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all.  I think the concept of being one and moving as one is most important to the Godhead.  If we are keeping in the Holy Spirit, and constantly checking if we have grieved Him in anyway, we have more chance of being "in unity" being empowered by the Spirit to put on love and be gracious with each other.  Unity is totally opposite to what our current world view teaches us.  We just need to look at the politicians for a worldly example.  Christ calls us as the body to act according to His Kingdom principles, as hard as we struggle to obey, He can and will help us to change.

Lastly, I have heard people say that we shouldn't allow ourselves to be walked all over just because we are Christians.  Maybe I will let scripture answer this one for me.

For what credit is it if you sin and are mistreated and endure it? But if you do good and suffer and so endure, this finds favour with God. For to this you were called, since Christ also suffered for 
you, leaving an example for you to follow in his steps. He committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth. When he was maligned, he did not answer back; when he suffered, he threatened no retaliation, but committed himself to God who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we may cease from sinning and live for righteousness. By his wounds you were healed.  For you were going astray like sheep but now you have turned back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. 1 Pet 2:20-25

Offences will come but how we deal with those offences is of utmost importance.  Jesus never retaliated, never considered it His right to get even.  He trusted all to God.  Jesus promised in Matthew 18 that offences will come.  Interestingly the word offence means a "snare" like an animal trap. This is how satan works, trapping people to take up offences and the picture I get, is that the person who takes up an offence is caught in the torment of pain and struggle if he doesn't forgive and let it go.  He stays trapped and will rehearse that offence over and over, causing more hurt as it literally eats him alive.

There is a time for confronting someone who has sinned against you but it must be done in the biblical manner and always in the spirit of humility, grace and reconciliation.

“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother.  But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established." Matt 18:15-16

Notice that this passage of scripture does not say that we must first rehash our hurt to all family and friends.  Every time we re-live the offence, the worse it becomes and the more torment it brings. The specific instruction from our Lord is that we sort it out with the person first and only take witnesses if reconciliation fails.

God wants us to live in unity.  When "stuff" happens, He is more interested in the outcome of reconciliation between us, so much so, that He would prefer us not to be in church offering any gift to Him until the rift is healed.

But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment. And whoever insults a brother will be brought before the council, and whoever says ‘Fool’ will be sent to fiery hell. So then, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother and then come and present your gift.  Matt 5:22-23

Carrying offences is not worth the torment and the destruction it brings to our soul. This is definitely an opening where demonic activity can be prevalent in our soul.  We need to walk in forgiveness. As Jesus warned offences will come, but WOE to the one who brings the offence.  We cannot be a stumbling block to others nor can we afford to pick up a stumbling block. The burden is too heavy to carry.

The Seed

The word of God is powerful and likened to a seed in the parable of the sower.  In the natural, there is potential for growth in the life of a seed but it has to be activated. The seed can be left in the garage on a shelf for a long time and it will remain as it is, but when it is brought into the right environment, planted and watered, the potential is released and the seed begins to grow.

When we were saved, The Seed, Jesus Christ, came to dwell in us.  All the potential for growth and fruit is in us from that moment on.  However, we can have all that potential in us yet not activate the power in that seed.  The anointing abides in us but we need to activate it and release it so that the inherent power brings about all it was created to do.

The question is how?  I believe it can be activated by our faith.  Jesus said, "all things are possible to him who believes." Mark 9:23

"Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, BELIEVE that you have received them, and they shall be granted you." Mark 11:24

The word, that powerfully packed, creative, faith building seed, has the life and power to change, equip, teach and guide us. The huge, over and above, exceedingly and abundant power is available to us all, though our believing that what God says, God means and brings it to fruition.  "So it is my word that goes out of my mouth it will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Is 55:11

Notice that God declares His word and will as a package in this declaration and we have opportunities to speak His word into our situations until we "get it".

In the natural, a seed needs to be watered to grow.  So too, we need to constantly water and nature that seed in us with the words of our mouth.  If we are choosing to speak God's word and not continually speaking against it by negative, dark words, or choosing to believe the negative circumstances surrounding us, we will release the potential of that seed and fruit and harvest will be the reward.

 God is not a man, that he should lie, nor the son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it good? Num 23:19  His word is eternal and even angels harken to the voice of the Lord to do His bidding.  Our basic problem is that we don't approach the word with childlike faith, full convinced that if God said it, He will bring it about.

I see so many Christians passively allowing sickness to come upon them.  They seem to accept it as their lot or the season in life, yet God said "I am the Lord who heals you." Ex 15:26 and "by His stripes we are healed." Is 53:5. The apostle Peter in quoting this scripture used the past tense, "you were healed." 1 Pet 2:24.  Yes, we were healed, two thousand years ago on the cross.  He bore our sicknesses as the same time as He bore our sins.  I do get amazed at how passive we are.  Flu season comes around, and everything in our media advertises it and we agree, "flu season, I hope I don't get it." My husband and i actively speak against flu all the time by declaring, "we don't do coughs and colds, for even though a thousand my fall at our side and ten thousand at out right hand, the plague shall not come nigh our dwelling." Ps 91:7. Have we had colds, yes, but the day will come when our confession (agreeing with the seed) is going to make the connection between head and heart and the faith seed in our hearts will override the analytical thoughts and we will BELIEVE God's word over and above sight-feeling.  As Jesus said, "be it unto you as you have believed," and "your faith has made you well." The main point I am trying to make here, is that we are actively proactive in speaking God's word over our lives, for the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence (there is an enemy seeking to kill, steal and destroy) and the violent (our proactive fight against him) take it by force. Anyone passive in a war looses.  Yet God has given us keys for victory.

Some might say, Jesus touched those who He healed, If He touched me I would be healed too!  Remember Jesus is the Word and as the bible teaches, this word is in our hearts, "we also believe and therefore we speak." 2 Cor 4:13. This is not "blab and grab".  We speak because we are saying what God is telling us to say (our confession) and our faith comes from hearing the word.  
Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8).  He hasn't changed.  He willed to heal when He walked the earth, and paid for it by his stripes and now lives to intercede as our High Priest for eternity.  Healing is just one aspect of the redemptive cross for us today.  We only have to believe, put our faith into action, believing the atonement will have full effect in our lives and agree with God, (which is our confession as we voice His words back to Him in prayer.)

  

Let not our hearts grow cold

Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold. 
But he who endures to the end, the same will be saved.  Matt 24: 12-13

This is not just a "matter of fact" statement but rather a warning from the Shepherd about the state of our hearts when these things begin to happen, that our love will grow cold.  As love is the most important state of our hearts, especially in the light that God is love, I think that we need to heed the warning and determine in our hearts not to let this happen.

Jesus explains that our love will grow from increased lawlessness (iniquity).  We see so much of this already on media; wars, rebellion, murder, injustices etc all of which can have a hardening effect on our hearts.  Sometimes it's just too overwhelming, sometimes we become indifferent to the pain or just plain judgemental.  Our compassion and mercy can be severely stretched or completely dulled.

What is the answer?  We need to see people through the eyes of Christ.  He was never moved by behaviour for he saw beyond the behaviour, to the brokenness of heart that was the cause of the behaviour.  A perfect example of this, and there are many, is the woman caught in adultery that was cast at the feet of Jesus.  She was thrown at his feet, firstly for entrapment - to catch Jesus, but as a worthless harlot, who the religious leaders, being cold of heart, wanted to severely punish. Humiliated in front of all, fearful and broken, Jesus looked at her with love and grace and offered her the olive branch of mercy and forgiveness.  He did not consider her behaviour, to pass condemning judgement, but saw her in her pain.  The Samaritan at the well, coming for water met the giver of life giving water.  Again, although the bible does not amplify her past hurts, we can offer conjecture that if she was onto her fifth relationship, the cycle of rejection was being masked by her behaviour of looking for love in all the wrong places.  Again, Jesus knowing all things, offers no condemnation but ministers to the brokenness of her heart.

but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. Jn 4:14

He offered her, who possibly felt the rejection of the past, the water of love, acceptance and life.

Lawless behaviour masks pain and becomes self-fulling prophecy as people are caught in the trap of guilt and shame.  Ask any child who is fatherless, rejected, abandoned, unloved, or has believed lies such as " you are worthless, you will never amount to anything, you should be more like your sibling". As Jesus said, "be it unto you as  you have believed."  This works in the positive (believing truth) or negative (believing lies.). We can allow the truth of the Word to define us or the world.
"Choose life or death."

Freedom is the fruit of truth.  Healing too!  This is why Jesus mentions in the same starting passage of this blog,

Jesus answered them, "Be careful that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will lead many astray. You will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you aren't troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places. But all these things are the beginning of birth pains. Then they will deliver you up to oppression, and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name's sake. Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.  Many
false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray.  Matt 24: 4-11

False prophets...liars who deceive many.  Lies are powerful but truth is the ultimate healing power. When you are defined by the truth, it matters not what others think of you.  You live out in your behaviour what God thinks of you; for truth, apart from healing and freeing, nurses brokenness. There is no healing balm better then the word God speaks to you.

I have been asking God, "how do I minister to someone's brokenness?"  I have seen how Jesus did it, offering the word of truth in love and not being condemning.  The word of truth helps to break the cycle of destruction by the renewing of the mind, and consequently ministering to the hurt that has been caused by some lie believed. The greatest balm is acceptance (of the person not of the behaviour) and loving them to health.   What a good reminder, at this point, to have the famous passage of love that the Apostle Paul coined through the spirit of God as an ending to this blog:-

Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, 
doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; 
doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 
Love never fails.  2 Cor 13 4-8a

Joy in His Suffering

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb 12:2 

Can you imagine the joy that Jesus must feel when he see his children "get it".  When we understand who we are in Him and who He is in and through us and what He accomplished for us on the cross.  Think about it!  Jesus endured the cross so that our salvation and healing would be
His joy and great reward.  Every time one of His kids get what is available to them because of His suffering and spilt blood on Calvary, His pleasure must be immense.

So many struggle with low self esteem and somehow don't feel that salvation and healing is for them but only for others.    We still feel that somehow we have to earn it, but scripture is quite clear....

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  Is 53:3-5

The original meaning of the word "griefs" in verse 4 means sickness and "sorrows" means physical and mental pain.  He "hath borne our griefs", our sicknesses and "carried our sorrows", our physical
and mental pain.  Jesus certainly showed the Father's heart of compassion being moved to heal all who came to Him.  It matters not what we think of ourselves. The reality is Christ paid an incredible and awesome price for our salvation and healing.  Think of His precious blood that seeped when that whip crisscrossed His back for our healing. He who was so merciful was beaten merciless. Think of the blood that flowed from the thorns jammed into His head for our mental stability and peace.  Think of the blood running down from His wrists as He was nailed to the wooden beam so that we could lift up holy hands to our God and Father.  Think of the blood that trickled from His feet that we could walk in the gospel of peace bringing the good news to others.

He was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8) and because of what He accomplished for us offering Himself up as a sacrifice for our transgressions we are people set free
and blessed.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ; 
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without blemish before him in love; 
having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, 
to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely bestowed favour on us in the Beloved, 
in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace... Eph 1:3-7

What wonderful and precious promises we have.  What destiny in Him.  What identity in Him.  Did you get it, we are a blessed people, and blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.  Not only are we blessed, we are chosen children, holy without blemish, favoured, redeemed
and forgiven. Hallelujah!


Scripture tells us that it was the Father's good pleasure to bruise his Son.  How can we fathom such a price the Father and Son collectively paid just so their love and goodness could be evidenced in the life of countless millions as this scripture explains:-

Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill, 
once restitution is made, 
he will see descendants and enjoy long life, 
and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.
Having suffered, he will reflect on his work, 

he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done. 
“My servant will acquit many, 
for he carried their sins. (Is 53: 10-11)

What amazing, sacrificial love!  All for mankind.  Jesus accomplished a great work for us and now seated at the right hand of the Father he reflects on that work being satisfied with the fruit of His suffering.  That fruit is you and me who have accepted His gift by faith.

Vibrant Hope

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.  Jer 29:11

There is no foreseeable future without hope.  Our future is closely tied to the hope we have, because hope releases the future.  Hope inspires the future because without hope there is no vision, and without vision the people perish.  Hope births vision, because hope sees positively into the future.

Hope is tied to our belief in God and His promises, especially His promise that pertains personally to us as individuals.  The more hope that we have in God's promises to us, the tighter we can hold on to a future filled with expectation in His goodness and grace.  God's intent toward us, as the scripture from Jeremiah states, is good and prosperous.

Hope can ride adversity because our hope in Him keeps us secure.

For you will forget your trouble; you will remember it like water that has flowed away.  And life will be brighter than the noonday; though there be darkness, it will be like the morning. And you will be secure, because there is hope.  Job 11:16-18

Hope keeps us optimistic for our future.

Even if He slays me, I will hope in Him. Job 13: 15a

Hope can be restored on a word from the Lord.

From there I will give back her vineyards to her, and turn the "Valley  of Trouble" into an "Opportunity for Hope."  There she will sing as she did when she was young, when she came up from the land of Egypt. Hosea 2:5

Hope brings joy.

Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced; my body also will live in hope.

Hope increases faith.

Against hope Abraham believed in hope with the result that he became he father of many nations according to the pronouncement, so will your descendants be. Rom 4:18

Hope sees the eternal, invisible realm.

For in hope we were saved.  Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with endurance." Rom 8: 24-25

Confident hope brings boldness.

My confident hope is that I will in no way be ashamed but that with complete boldness, even now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether I live or die.  Phil 1;20

Let us thank God for the hope that we have in Him, for His promise to us is that our future is bright no matter what it may appear to look like at the present.  God loves us and wants us to have a vibrant, faith filled and expectant hope in our future, because He holds it securely in His Hand.

   

A yielded life

I am the true vine and my father is the gardener. (Jn 15:1)

I have read this statement of Jesus often but was really stuck this morning with the symbiotic relationship between father and son.  A vine does not grow well without external interference.  A wild vine will be straggly and not produce much fruit,  Jesus understood the principle of full dependence and submission to the gardener, His father.

Yes, Jesus is divine, but he laid aside His divinity completely,  (the Word became flesh) and relied on God completely whilst in the flesh.  There is absolute trust in this statement of Christ's.  The farmer has every right and ability to uproot the vine, replant or destroy it.  He also will tend the vine, prune and fertilise it for better growth.

Jesus lived a yielded life to His father, as scripture says, "He, in the days of His flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death...learned obedience by the things which He suffered,"  (Heb 5: 7,8b)

The trust Jesus had in His Father came out in His bold and confident living, even enduring persecution for what He said and did, bolding declaring the truth (he is the truth) amidst pre-conceived mind sets and fickle human nature which inevitably got Him into trouble.

"Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing he signs which He did.  But Jesus didn't trust Himself to them, because He knew everyone and because He didn't need for anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man." (Jn 2: 23-25)

The relationship, as in Sonship, that Jesus had with Father, as He testified was One.  Jesus laid aside His glory and yielded completely to the Father's will and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit's direction.  Jesus was one "being" with the Father and so went about "doing" good, His identity in Sonship secure and more important then His reputation with people.  He did not need to look for accolades, and in fact, many times told those He healed to keep quiet.  His fullness was of, and in, God and He was completely and absolutely confident that God heard His prayers.

"Father I thank you that you listen to me.  I know that you always listen to me, but because of the multitude that stand around, I said this, that they may believe that you sent me."  (Jn 11: 41:42)

I don't know about you, but I want the same kind of relationship that Jesus had with God.  I want that trusting, obedient, "your will be done" kind of relationship, fully secure in our Sonship, believing our prayers will be answered, knowing and understanding the Father's Iove, listening to and hearing His voice.  If we walk in this kind of relationship with the Holy Trinity, I think we might turn the world upside down as we step out to do His will in boldness armed with the Father's love.

Heavenly Calling

"Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.." (Heb 3:1 NET)

Take note, be aware, of not just anything but Jesus.  Take note how our High Priest lived whilst on earth.  Why?...because we are partners with Him in a heavenly calling.  Jesus came from the eternities or eternities to, as Hebrews teaches, bring "the message of salvation", and those who heard the message and communicated it, "God confirmed their witness with signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will." (Heb 2:4 NET)

How could his be?...because "Jesus....now crowned with glory and honour....suffered death, so that by God's grace, he would experience death on behalf of everyone"  (Heb 2:9 NET) so that, "both He that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one," (Heb 2:11 KJV)

Did you catch that..."all of one"?  Through His death, we are all made of one.  That means the same, united, undivided, of the same origin, born from above, sons and daughters of the Most High God, called to be partners with God our Father, acting as one unit, to the heavenly calling as Jesus did.

How amazing that God our Creator, who made us "flesh and blood", should "likewise share in our humanity," (Heb 2:14) and that "through death He could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is the devil)."  Because Jesus shared in the experience of our humanity, He qualifies as a compassionate and understanding High Priest before God our Father, for "He himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are tempted."

Incredible that Jesus suffered temptation but remained without sin.  He was obedient to His call and remained obedient to His Father with whom He had a loving, intimate relationship.  Jesus said in John's gospel that those who love Him obey His commands and this principle was clearly demonstrated in His own obedient relationship with God.  Jesus testified of Himself, "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own initiative, but the Father residing in me performs his miraculous deeds." (Jn 14:10) and again, in case you missed it, "For I have not spoken from my own authority, but the Father himself who sent me has commanded me what I should say and what I should speak." (Jn 12:49) Jesus only did and said what His Father commanded because out of their love and respect relationship, they moved as one unit with one heart and mind, to love on and bring healing and restoration to children who had gone astray.

So Jesus was fully obedient to the Father and because He "loved righteousness and hated lawlessness, so God, your God has anointed you over all your companions with the oil of rejoicing." (Heb 1:9). Obedience brings the joy and the power of the Holy Spirit to play in our lives even as it did in Christ's life.

Hebrews 3 talks of the faithfulness of our High Priest to God's calling, "faithful to the One who anointed Him."  "But Christ is faithful as a Son over God's house.  We are His house, if in fact we hold firmly to our confidence and to the hope we take pride in." (Heb 3;6)

So all of this is pointing to the fact that we too need to be faithful and obedient to the call on our lives, for as children of the Most High, and brothers and sisters in Christ, we too have a commission from heaven.

Jesus said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.The one who believes and is baptised will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; they will pick up snakes with their hands, and whatever poison they drink will not harm them; they will place their hands on the sick and they will be well.” (Mark 16:15-18)

Just a few things to note on this passage.  Jesus commanded "Go".  This is for all disciples of Jesus, that's you and me.  This is not just for missionaries, priests, evangelists or preachers. How challenging is that.  We can go into our community, workplaces or to family and sow seeds by explaining what Christianity is about when given Holy Spirit opportunity to do so.  But we have to be willing, obedient  and listening, even as Jesus obviously listened to God.  We also need to get over our fear.  There is eternity at stake...scripture out of Jesus' mouth clearly states that those who don't believe are condemned.  There is no, "I'm a good person, so I will go to heaven".  All of us are sinners and the bible is absolutely clear, sin separates us from a Holy God which is the whole reason a Holy God sent His only Son Jesus to die for us, so we can receive eternal life when we believe.

Lastly, for those of us who believe, signs and wonders will follow when we step out in obedience.  Jesus promised, "I tell you the solemn truth, the person who believes in me will perform the miraculous deeds that I am doing, and will perform greater deeds than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. (Jn 14:12-14)

There are broken and hurt people out there who desperately need the touch of a Saviour through our hands and words.  Let us believe that, like Jesus prayed for us,  "I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them safe in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one." (Jn 17:11) and “I am not praying only on their behalf, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their testimony, that they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me. The glory you gave to me I have given to them, that they may be one just as we are one – I in them and you in me – that they may be completely one, so that the world will know that you sent me, and you have loved them just as you have loved me. (Jn 17:20-23)

We are one with Him.