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.

Follow Me

"But Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved, following –"  John 21:20

I love the word picture we see in this incident.  Jesus has just commissioned Peter, "Follow me", yet Peter looks back, looks at John and asks, "what about this man?"  What Peter's motivation is, we can only hazard a guess, but Jesus replies, "If I want him to stay until I come, what is that to you? [What concern is it of your?] You follow me!" (Jn 21:20-22)

We can learn quite a few lessons from this incident.  Firstly, Christianity is about relationship, not ritual, but a living relationship with the Risen Christ.  We can so hold up the "badge" of denomination as though this is salvation in itself, but this only produces pride in our hearts.  This reminds me of the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector in the synagogue. (Lk 18:10-14) The Pharisee, proud of all the religious activities which I'm sure he kept to the 't', whilst the tax collector, recognising his deep need of forgiveness humbly beat his breast in humility of heart.  I hate to burst your bubble, but Jesus wasn't an Evangelical, a Catholic or even a Pentecostal.  He was not a denomination.  He is the Saviour who came and showed a radical way to live by relationship not ritual.  Personal relationship!  That is, intimacy with Him, one-on-one, face-to-face fellowship not ritualistic going-through-the-motion, once a week duty.  Hence in that one-on-one relationship of love between Himself and Peter, He commissions and equips.  Jesus is clear, each must have their own relationship with Him.  "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."  1Jn 5:12 

This leads us to the second lesson.  We are not to look at others.  We are not to compare.  We alone, each one, are to look at Jesus – period.  We look to Him, we love Him, we obey Him and we follow Him.  Are you following Him?  Are you following Jesus – no one else, just Jesus!  We don't follow any man, any priest, teacher, evangelist, man or woman.  No we follow Jesus.  We do what He did, love God and love others.  We learn from Him, He is the Light (Jn 812), He is the burden-bearer, He said, "Take my yoke and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls". (Matt 11:29)  This is not to say that we cannot be encouraged by others of faith but we are to listen, each one of us, to the personal charge of the Holy Spirit in our lives as He speaks to us through the Word of God.  And we give grace to others who are also on this journey of getting to know Christ intimately as their Saviour and LORD.

The third lesson I get from this is that God has a plan for each one of us. (Jer 29:11)  Peter who became a leader of the church in Jerusalem along with James (Jesus brother) had a big impact on the Jewish nation to whom they were called.  Equally John's revelation of "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn 1:14) has made and will continue to make impact upon humankind.  John's gospel oozes with the revelation of love and relationship.  He presents Jesus in intimate ways, such as the Vine and we the branches, connected yet pruned for greater fruitfulness, receiving health and vitality from the Vine. (Jn 15:1-6) Close, joined, abiding - the only way for the life to flow from Vine into branch.

Lastly we learn about God's amazing grace toward those who are repentant and His restorative desire to reconcile relationship.  Peter had mucked up, and mucked up bad. He had declared his allegiance to Jesus before all the disciples – "I'll die for you, even if the others leave you and stumble, I won't." (Matt 26:31-35) We know the story, when the crunch time came, the crunch of Peter's retreating footsteps became a distant, quiet sound in the dark night.  Peter denied His Lord, not once but thrice before he fled into the night.  We don't see him standing at the cross.   We see the fulfilment of Jesus words,  "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I WILL STRIKE THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK WILL BE SCATTERED.'"  Imagine how Peter felt, the remorse, the bitter weeping, the shock that what he declared he would do - stand by his Lord - he couldn't do.  He let down Jesus who had loved him thoroughly for 3 years, sowing into His life and building him up.  Now the Risen Christ stands before Him and asks Him to "follow me".  There is no recrimination but reappointment.  Grace is extended, mercy received and Peter became one of the "Fishers of Men". (Mat 4:19)  Peter's journey had led him back to the shores of Galilee where Jesus first called him and where he had put down his nets to follow.  The reappointment came on the shores of Galilee where once again they were fishing.  And the commission was clear, the fishing is behind you, service in the Kingdom is in front of you.  "Follow Me."

Jesus is still calling today.  He calls to you, "Follow Me."  What will your response be?