Going Deeper

In the beginning God....

We get so caught up on things we don't fully understand as God's church and huge schisms are wrought because of our various interpretations, theories and reasonings.  When it comes to the Genesis account, for some reason, of which I could guess, God didn't reveal all to us and this in itself is a spiritual lesson that he wants us to go deeper with Him into spiritual truths and relationship.

 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter. Prov 25:2

A natural analogy of this would be looking at the surface of a leaf with the natural eye as opposed to studying it under a powerful microscope.  The intricacies of God's creation is overwhelming in its diversity, order and creativity "up close and personal".

The other observation for this would be that God wants us to trust Him, believing that "He exists and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Heb 11:6).  We need to believe that God is who He says He is, and can do what He says He can do.

If God has raised Christ from the dead, and to date many others, who's to say He couldn't create the world and all in it as opposed to what secular scientists theorise about.  It is all speculation and theory seeming none of us were there to watch it happen (except the God and all the angelic host.). People could argue on both sides of the spectrum, more I would say for our Creator God, the awesome Trinity who spoke matter into being.

"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?
Whereupon were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,
when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Job 38:4-7

Now although I started this blog on a very controversial subject and I would not like to argue over who or who doesn't believe, what does everything, in reality, come down to?

I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins." Jn 8:25

Salvation can only be found in Jesus Christ, there is no other way.  (Acts 4:12) Christ died for the ungodly (Rom 5:6) so that we can be forgiven.  He laid down His life for us (Jn 10:17-18) so that our life could be found in Him. There is forgiveness in Him alone, as John testified of Him, "behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world." (Jn 1:29)

"All things were made through Him.  Without Him was not anything made that has been made.  In Him was life and the life was the light of men." Jn 3:4

There is life in Jesus Christ, as in Him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:28)  "The word became flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn 3:14) and "as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His Name". (Jn 3:12)  Jesus said, "most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born again, he can't see the Kingdom of God." (Jn 3:3)

The life Jesus Christ gives us, is not just physical but spiritual, as He explains, "that which is born of flesh is flesh. That which is born of spirit is spirit" (Jn 3:5-6).  Our spirits come alive, refreshed by the life-giver, when we believe in Him.  Spiritual things can only be discerned by the spirit not the flesh.  The born again life is spiritual life, in abundance, to the full and overflowing, the life that God intended for us to walk and move in.

The natural analogy Jesus used to explain this was with the wind which blows.  The wind is unseen, except for the effects it has on physical things.  Because it is unseen, we cannot see from where it starts or finishes but we can hear it rustling through the leaves and so too, we can't see the spiritual renewal in our hearts by the Holy Spirit but we can see the effects, changes in our behaviour, attitudes and our love for Father God.  We get a desire to know Him, to go deeper into our relationship and the things of God, and as Jesus testified, "whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (Jn 3: 15-16). This eternal life begins when we believe as opposed to judgement for the one who hasn't believed, "because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God."

Instead of all the arguments we tend to focus on, why don't we concentrate on the most important thing? :-

"One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who disobeys the Son won't see life but the wrath of God remains on him." (Jn 3:36)

The most important thing for us is to help those who don't know Jesus to pray that they too will taste of this living water.  Keep on praying for our loved ones that God would reveal the light to them that they too can share in this eternal life freely given through our faith and belief in Him. It's all about Jesus.  This is the most important thing, salvation is found in Him.

There is a thirst in the hearts of men and women for spiritual life, as God has set eternity into the heart of every person and we can help them find this life in Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world.

The Natural, The Spiritual

"For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.  All things were created through Him and for Him."  Col 1:16

I have just been thinking about creation (as I often do) and the vastness and variety of everything Jesus created, and realised afresh that all was created for us.  God's abundance is seen in creation.  Not only did He create on a practical level, for He gave man dominion over the work of His Hands, He also created it to be pleasing to our eyes, to surround us with beauty and to capture our inquisitiveness and imagination.

The works of the LORD are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them. Psa 111:2 

When I see the blue skies, the canvas of God's Hand, on which He hung the sun and paints the most incredible and awesome sunsets, I'm reminded of His goodness, His glory and His incredible order of things. 

God gave Adam the job of tending His garden.  He created us to do.  We have a great sense of achievement when we accomplish something and bring order too.  Work is a God given gift which gives us a sense of self worth and success.  Our Father works and we are made in His image.  He runs the universe for us, upholding all by the power of His Word.  Jesus told us that He only did the works He saw the Father doing, and the works He does are good and benefit society.

Creation should lead us to God as the natural often gives us clues into the spiritual.  When we look into creation, we see God's amazing wisdom and power.  Even Job encouraged us to:-

"Just ask the animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you. Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you. Let the fish in the sea speak to you." Job 12:7 -8

When we study the how and why of creation, the order of the universe, the incredible information stored in the DNA, these things should point us back in reverence and awe to a Holy God from whom all good gifts flow.  When we see the rain bring a drought-dry landscape back to life, we should equally see how much we need the rain of the Spirit upon us, the presence of God, to stay "green" and alive, flourishing under His care.

Jesus often used the natural in parables to bring out a spiritual truth.  He is the vine, we the branches and even as a branch is cut away from the vine it perishes. So it is imperative that we remain in Him.  Yet if a branch is pruned it brings forth more fruit.  We need to allow Him to prune us and to cut out all the things that damage our relationship with Him.

He is the Shepherd, we the sheep.  If we go astray, He'll look for us, He'll tend to us and feed us.  Spiritually we need to cling to Him as the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, knowing that we can trust Him to take care of us through any and all situations.

I challenge you, when you gaze upon the nature around us, to think about God's abundant Hand and love for us that He would create such beauty and colour for our enjoyment and pleasure.  A gift from the Creator's Hand for us to unwrap each and every day!

 

 

Creation is declaring

"the heavens declare..."

How captivating is the starry host on a dark moonless night. The expanse of the Milky Way, this river of twinkling lights, surrounded by the inky darkness of velvet! Beautiful, yet intimidating! Gigantically humongous! Incredibly large, in a seemingly endless and unreachable stygian blackness!

And what does this sight declare? The work of His fingers, His craftsmanship and, indeed, they speak even of His love. All around the globe, every human under heaven, witnesses this endless array of stars so bright that they hang plump in the night sky. And to know that the Creator of the heavens has named each and everyone and calls them out by name.

"Look up into the Heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of His great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing." Is 40:26

Why go to such an extreme of lavish proportions?

If God so caringly watches over the work of His Hands, the starry host so uncountable, we must know and understand how much He watches over us. Our delight in His creation echoes His delight over us.

"When I consider Your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him. And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honour." Ps 8:3-5

This reminds me how Jesus brought out attention to the care of our Heavenly Father in Matthew 6 regarding our everyday subsistences like food, water and the clothes we wear. He pointed to the common sparrow, worthless in human eyes, yet the Father does not let one fall without His knowledge. Jesus goes on to re-iterate this vital fact of God's intimate concern by pointing to the abundantly beautiful lillies of the field.

So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lillies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" Matt 6:28-30

Father, so loving; so kind; so generous; cares for the flowers and "the grass of the field that is here today and gone tomorrow." Infinitely more does Our Father care for us. This Holy Father, who saw us in our sin, before the heavens were created, still set this array of eye-catching entertainment to captivate us with His incredible glory. And what glory! Who on earth can create what the Heavenly Father has so lovingly put together for us to gaze upon. And think on this; He knew we would rebel, yet He gave us so much, preparing the earth for our survival, and indeed making us to have the dominion over it. Does this not show us the heart of the Father, full of love and care? This Holy God, who look upon our sin and instead of disdaining us, sent His Son full of grace and truth, even whilst we were sinners, to redeem us with His life giving blood on the cross on Calvary.

Indeed, creation screams out to us the enormity of God, the love of God, the highly visible manifestation of His invisible might and of the power of God, and of His Word and also of coming judgement for those who refuse to see that has been made plain to them.

"for that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them. For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification]. [Ps 19:1-4] Rom 1:19-20

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer. Ps 19:14