The Infinite God

Sometimes I just can't equate the God of the Old Testament to Jesus in the New.  they are the same God - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost - one God, three distinct personalities.  I came to a conclusion. How can we, who think from a human perspective, with finite minds and finite actions understand a God who is everywhere, all knowing, all powerful and all creative.

I look at some of the judgements of the Old Testament where people were to be cut off from their society or stoned. I think about the earth splitting open and swallowing up those who rebelled and my heart would almost cry out, "no, this cannot be God".  Yet somehow I know, that I know, that I know, God is Love and He is just.  He is also Holy yet He is Mercy.  When I look at His Mercy, surely it outweighs His Judgement.  It certainly did when "the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us".  God, Himself, manifest in Jesus Christ, sacrificed Himself on that cross to redeem us from death to life, from judgement to justification, from the curse of the law to freedom in the Spirit.

So how does this reconcile the Old with the New.  I know that I will never understand from my earthly perspective for we see in part but one day we shall see more clearly. (1Pet 13:9-10) I do know that in His Love and Grace, God chose for Himself a people, the Israelites from all the nations and with this came great responsibility.  As God's people, they were to be a witness to nations and from them would come the fulfilment of the Seed promised in Genesis to Eve, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who would save people from their sins and reconcile His people, the Jews and the Gentiles to God.

Ephesians 2:11-18 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” which is done in the body by human hands— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Colossians 1:19-20 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

The Old Testament clearly shows the effects of sin on the nation and creation.  Yet God promised them if they would obey Him, he would heap upon them blessings after blessings.  The nation was blessed and prospered yet His people continually gave themselves over to the prostitution of other gods.  So the cycle of apostasy is clearly seen.  Judgement fell and they were carried off as captives to the nations whose gods they worshipped.  In their captivity would cry out to God and He would deliver them and heal them and bring them back into their own land.  The cycle would start all over again.

What a lesson for us.  God is a jealous God. Not in a human, worldly sense but jealous of anything that would break the sweet communion of fellowship with Him where His abundant blessings flow and He showers us with His Love, Joy and Peace.  Outside of that covering fellowship, God knows that we are easy picking for the adversary of our souls.  As Jesus said,

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
We have a choice.  We can accept the gift of life Jesus came to give us or we can choose to go our own way.  His way is the way of Life and blessing.  Even in tough circumstances, His way keeps us and strengthens us, guarding our hearts and minds as we lean upon Him and keep our focus on Him.  Choose today, life or death, blessing or curses.  This is our choice, freely given by a God who loves us and desires to wrap His arms around us in that Love.  He has blessings for us, in our obedience, but we get to choose what we prefer.

Spiritual warfare

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Cor 10: 3-5

Divine power!  This really caught my attention as I was reading this scripture.  The weapons available to us are supernatural with inherent divine power.  I wondered about these weapons we have to demolish pretensions and arguments that seek to destroy our spiritual faith and walk. Arguments that stop our belief in the knowledge of God.  The bible tells us that those who know their God shall be strong and do exploits. Spiritual enemies like nothing more then to spread their lies and pretences for us to believe rather then what God has communicated to us in His Word. When we don't know who God is, we don't have faith in what He can do.  Whenever we don't see God as a loving, Almighty Creator of all, who dwells in the eternities and loves us, we have no confidence that He can and will deliver us. God is good. He desires good for His children. We just need to look at how Jesus died for us on the cross to see His love and desire for humankind,

So what are these divine, powerful weapons?  My thoughts went to Revelation 12:11.

"And they overcame him because of their testimony and the blood of Jesus and they loved not their lives unto death."

We are in a spiritual war for our souls and being in this spiritual war, we need spiritual weapons which God has given to us.  Our testimony - what God has done in our lives and how He has saved us is a powerful witness to those who are struggling with the same things that God so graciously freed us from - strongholds and bondages of being in a fallen world.  His Word has power to free us from these strongholds and bondages that grip our minds - lies we have believed about ourselves and God which are contrary to the Word.  Our testimony brings hope to others. I recalled the verse of scripture from Ps 149 4-6, 9

For the LORD takes pleasure in His people: He will beautify the meek with salvation

Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud on their beds.

Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hands.....

To execute upon them the judgements written: this is the honour of all His saints.  Praise ye The Lord.

This reminds me of the scripture in Hebrews 4:12 that tells us that the Word of God is active and powerful, like a two edged sword.  The testimony that is most powerful is the Word of God that comes from our lips. Declaring God's word over our situations and loved ones will bring the divine power of the Word to actively change, reconcile, heal or bring repentance.  It defeats the enemy's plans to kill, steal and destroy.

Oh the blood, the powerful blood of the Lamb that washes us clean from our sins and begins to restore.  The blood is an effective, powerful, spiritual weapon against the enemy and accuser of our souls. The blood covers and protects. Death could not take the Israelites when they sprinkled the blood of the lamb on the lintels of their doors when waiting God's deliverance from Egypt.  The death angel had to pass over when he saw the blood and this was a type of what was to come.  Jesus bled His blood out, laying down His life for us and in doing so, gives eternal life to those who plead the blood.  The enemy has no weapon against the blood of the Lamb which has redeemed us. We have great worth having been purchased by the imperishable, incorruptible blood of Jesus Christ.

The final weapon, and loved not their lives to death, is also very powerful and can only be accomplished in our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit. When we are willing to lay down our lives for each other, living in love and desiring only the best for others, the enemy has lost his grip on us.  When we refuse to gossip, be envious or take offence and instead encourage, love and support others, how can he influence us in any way and will therefore remain a defeated foe.  Love is definitely a divine weapon.

Let us ask God for the boldness to love as Christ loved us and to be able to fearlessly proclaim Him who called us out of darkness and into the light and to give us revelation of His word and His wisdom for all situations we find ourselves facing.

Destiny in the Words of Jesus

I read a devotional the other day which pointed out the first Holy Spirit recorded words of Jesus as a boy of 12:- "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"  (Luk 2:49).  His final recorded words in John  19:30 were:- “It is finished”.    From His first recorded response to His mother’s frantic cry, after having searched for him for 3 days, to His final words on the cross we see destiny and purpose fulfilled.  From a boy of 12 with a heart for the Father’s business, Jesus already knew His destiny and was taking it seriously, discussing spiritual themes with leaders in the Jerusalem temple. What an amazing destiny that was completed on that bloody cross in His early 30’s, having lived His life to the glory of the Father and reached a lost mankind.   He lived His life with purpose and vision and He allowed nothing to divert the plan that had already been settled in the eternity until He could utter the final words of His Life, “It is finished” – Father’s business on earth completed for the eternal destinies of those who would follow Him.

This reminds me of the Apostle Paul, who after His radical conversion, also knew God’s destiny for his life and could utter at the end of his ministry on earth, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2Ti 4:6-8)

We all have purpose and destiny in Jesus Christ.   There is a higher calling to just living our life on earth.  It is also to be concerned with the Father’s business and Jesus can be our example of living life this way.  The first recorded words in Matthew 3:15 was in answer to John the Baptist – “But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness."  Righteous living!  Jesus was concerned with living righteously and fulfilling everything that had been prophesied about Him.  John did not want to baptise Jesus, who he knew was the Lamb of God who could forgive him his sins but Jesus wanted to fulfil all righteousness by being obedient to His Father. 

The Apostle Paul recognised the worth of obedience and righteousness when he penned this encouragement for the church:-

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Tit 2:11-14 (Emphasis added)

“I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.” Rom 6:19

Walking in the footsteps of our Saviour is the call to “deny” ourselves but those who truly love do not find it hard to sacrifice for those of their affection.  Just look at how a man will woo a girl in their courting days.  If they live far apart, he will travel large distances to be together for weekends.  He and she will deny themselves sleep to spend that last moment together.  Yet the sacrifice hardly seems a hard thing, even when the tiredness becomes a battle the next day.  So it is when we fall in love with the Saviour.  We want to please Him. 

Jesus loved so much, He was willing to give Himself and pour Himself out and finally die on that cross so that we could be forgiven and given eternal life in Him.  He lived and He loved and He loved and He lived.

“Jesus said to him, 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Mat 22: 37-40 

The Apostle Paul, whose revelations came from Jesus Christ Himself, was quick to tell us that if we do not love, we are nothing (1 Cor 13:2) and that we are to pursue love (1 Cor 14:1).  In other words, we are to look for ways to love others and to come up higher in our love walk.

“Let all that you do be done with love.” 1Co 16:14 

It is in loving that we find living because God made us to give and receive love.  We are never happier than when we actively show kindness, friendliness and love to others and to God.  This is how Jesus lived, giving up His very life in the ultimate act of Love.

This 2014, let us try to walk practising loving others for doing so, in obedience to the Father, we shall help to make this world a better place and show others that we are His disciples.  The love walk is not an easy road but Christ has not left us alone to struggle and His promise to us is:-

Act 1:8  “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Let us lean on the Holy Spirit’s power for He is the One who sheds His love abroad in our hearts and we can ask Him to show us the way and help us to love even the “unlovable” in Jesus name, remembering that no one is out of the reach of the Father’s love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unconditional Love vs Emotional blackmail

Luk 15:29  So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

I know that I have written on the prodigal son before but in this blog I really want to have a brief look at the older brother in the story.

The father in the story represents our Father in Heaven who allows everyone to make their own choices in life.  God does not force people into submission but rather loves them into health and wholeness.

I have been asking God for healing for certain things (like a tooth that is dying) and I got to a point of exasperation and it was in my heart and mouth to say, “but God I do this and I do that, so You should do this”.  I realised afresh I was acting like the older brother, coming to God with conditions and expecting His blessing.  The older son said to his father, “all this time, I have done everything you ask but you did not....”  The older brother did not recognise the blessing he had from his father nor the fact that it was all available for him to use. This kind of conditional thinking hardens our heart toward our Father.  It has brought out feelings in me, that are lies, but nevertheless, in some way have taken root in my heart, that God favours others above me (even though I do this and that for Him).

The bible encourages us to not grow weary in doing well. (2 Tim 3:13)  We never see Jesus using this kind of “emotional blackmail” on those He came into contact with.  He never said to His disciples, after all I’ve done for you, after all I’ve given up for you..”  His focus was never on Himself but purely on those He came to touch regardless of their feelings towards Him.

Joh 2:24  But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,

Joh 2:25  and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

His Love is totally unconditional towards us. Even though He was scorned, mocked and treated with disdain on earth, “He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.” (Act 10:38)

As hard as it is, we His children are called to do the same.  God is a God of Love, yet He is also Holy.  This doesn’t mean that we are to blindly close our eyes to sin or that we have liberty to sin more.  Jesus was quite clear that we are to be perfect like His Father in Heaven is perfect.  Jesus warned of the consequences of living a sinful life and encouraged those “to go and sin no more”.

So going back to my emotional blackmail -  God does desire to prosper, heal and bless us.  Can I promise that you will seen His blessing and favour in your life?  I would say, “Yes”, but in God’s timing although I wonder how many times we just don’t recognise His Hand in our lives, or worse forget what He has done.

Hebrews tells us that many of the Old Testament saints did not live to see the promises of God, yet they are rewarded in heaven now and are the “cloud of witnesses” urging us onward and upward.  Great rewards are awaiting us in the Heavenly realms both now in this time and in eternity.

From the Written to the Spoken Word

Mat 4:4  But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.' "

The word has great power to change and this is attested to by many who have heard the Word and been saved and changed.  Jesus said to His disciples, “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.” (Joh 15:3)   He prayed to His Father, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (Joh 17:17)  Jesus also said that the word must abide in our hearts and if it abides in us we can ask anything and it will be done for us. (Jn 15:7)

I was thinking about the written and the spoken Word of God.  We are completely blessed to have the written Word (the logos) in our hands today but it is the spoken (rhema) word to our hearts that only has the ability to produce the sanctification process in us as Jesus said.  God sent prophets in the Old Testament to tell the people what was on His heart, and often to employ them to return to Him. 
 
Deu 18:18  I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.
 
Heb 1:1  God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2  has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
 
So In the New Testament Gospels, we see Jesus speaking and often He would use “Verily, verily I say unto you” when He addressed crowds to teach spiritual principles.  And so it is that He speaks to us today.
 
God spoke and worlds were brought into being.  Such is the power of His spoken Word.  His spoken Word (that which proceeds from His mouth) is the rhema (enlightened) word to us.  It’s this word that has inherent truth and power to set us free.  The word that God speaks to us enlightens us with His truth that remains unshakeable in our lives no matter whom or what opposes it.

Joh 8:31  Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.

Joh 8:32  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
 
When contemplating about the Word of God, I thought about the temptation episode and how Jesus, when tempted by satan in the wilderness said, “It is written” rather than “Truly, truly I say unto you” as He is the Word of God. satan is a legalist (much like the Pharisees and Sadducees were), hanging on every dot and tittle.  satan knows the word and can twist it and use it to condemn or confuse (much like many of the cults today) but satan does not have the rhema, the spoken Word in his heart. 
 
This was true of the religious leaders of the day who as Jesus said:-
 
Mat 23:2  ... "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.
Mat 23:3  Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.
Mat 23:4  For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
 
They learnt the scriptures and discussed them thoroughly but the Word did not bring them eternal life as they were hung up on every law yet the revelation of the Messiah was hidden from them.  The truth was reasoned but the truth did not become “flesh” in their hearts.
 
Joh 5:39  You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
 
The written Word has to become the spoken Word to our hearts.  It can only do this as we mediate and ponder the Word so that it becomes animate through the life-giving Spirit to our hearts instead of inanimate and remaining in our reasoning.  It becomes God-breathed and living, powerful and sharp, “piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb 4:12)
 
Joh 6:63  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
 
The Word becomes living to those who are willing to hear.  Spoken by God to touch our hearts and bring forth change.  We need to attune our ears to hear what the Spirit would say when we come to the Word.  Just like a mother who is so attuned to the smallest moan or cry of her new born that she would awaken out of a deep sleep.  We need to be awakened in our spirits too, to respond to every word that God brings to us. 
 
Let us come humbly to the Word of God and ask Him to speak to our hearts so that understanding comes and by it our hearts will be softened and pliable.  We need those “light bulb” moments with Him so that we can grow in the grace and knowledge of our Glorious God.  The Word He speaks to us is personal and relevant to each one of us, so that “.. we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2Co 3:18 

 

Living the Victorious Life

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, WHERE Christ sits at God’s right hand in place of honour and power.  Col 3:1

We have been raised to new life with Christ but do we, as His precious people, live life this way?  Our old life is left behind us – Christ has given us new life.  Old things have passed away – behold the new has come. NEW! 

2Co 5:17  This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

2Co 5:14  Either way, Christ's love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.

We are now no longer born of just the earth but we are born from above. 

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.

This means we have a new vibrant life where we should rise on the “wings of eagles”, the Holy Spirit beneath our wings, to a higher way of living than earthly living.

Adam was born from the dust, formed in the Loving hands of the Creator Father, but still born of the dust.  God breathed into him and so Adam became a living being made in the image of His Creator.  He bore God’s eternal spirit and therefore God’s characteristics of His kindness, His goodwill, His mercy, His Glory and comeliness.  (Is 40:6)  Adam walked in the Glory of God, intimate with His Maker and His Presence, learning of Him, being like Him until disobedience entered into his heart.  Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man, and death as the result of sin, so death spread to all men, [no one being able to stop it or to escape its power] because all men sinned. (Rom 5:12 )  In this state humankind became enemies of God, their Creator.  This state of living is way below what God intended for us and the wages of our sin is death.  Living in disobedience, enemies of God, we miss the mark of His Glory. 

Even before Christ came, God in His Mercy,  set before us the choice of life or death, blessing or cursing.  He spelt it out so simply, the choice we have.

Deu 30:19  I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live.

I think that this is a beautiful promise that when we choose life, it affects our descendants as for those who choose life the blessing of God comes upon the next generation.

Christ came and died for us so we could be freed from the law of sin and death that reigns in our members.  Yet we still have the struggle between these two laws as they compete within our members.  What is the antidote?  The Apostle Paul so emphatically tells us in Rom &:24-25a, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?  I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!..”

Jesus Christ delivers us  from our evil nature and wicked deeds, (Col 1:21) but we need to look unto Him, the author and finisher of our faith who has purchased us and ransomed us by means of His blood on the cross. He clothes us with this new nature because He has taken up residence in our hearts through the Holy Spirit and He has become our new life.

Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Rom 8:3  For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, Rom 8:4  that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Rom 8:5  For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

One of the keys to living this victorious life is in our thought life.  We don’t allow our thoughts to be filled with the earthly sinful things, but we look to Jesus, seated in honour and power at God’s Right Hand.  We are right with God for He obtained for us in becoming our sin His Righteousness. Christ who went through temptations just like us but remained without sin.  His blood cries out for eternity as the token of our salvation and forgiveness of sin.  We died with Him on that cross and our real life is hidden with Christ in God (Col.3:3)

Col 3:5  So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

Col 3:10  Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him. Col 3:11  In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and He lives in all of us.

Put off, put on!  Simple keys of understanding to live to the potential God wants us to live.  How do we do this in a practical matter, because it is not easy to walk the crucified life?  All of us have warnings when ungodly emotions begin to rise within us.  We can almost feel the heat rise from the stomach (ask any person who gets cut off in traffic, or anyone who has been the butt of a bad joke as two examples) and in that instant we have a choice – life or death!  We all have warning signals when anxiety or fear begins to come upon us.  Choose life!  Pull down every argument that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.  Any untruth seeks the place of power in your mind in an attempt to dethrone Christ in your life.  Choose Life – Truth which sets us free.

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

And be renewed in your mind as we learn more of the “word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;” Col 1:6 

God has chosen us to be His Holy people whom He loves and desires for us to live with heavenly potential bringing His Glory and His Presence to earth.  We are citizens of a Heavenly Kingdom, holy, thankful, speaking words of grace and healing, focused on Christ, eyes wide-open, magnifying His Glory and revelling in His Presence.

Christ did not bring us out of the kingdom of darkness so that we would stay in bondage to the law of sin and death but He brought us out to take us into the Kingdom of Light where His reign and rule brings Life and freedom.  For when Christ sets us free, we are free indeed.  He has redeemed us from the curse and died so that we would have the abundant life in Him, He promised.

Joh 10:10  The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

 

Let us love Him with all our hearts and obey Him in trustful surrender.  Let us choose life.  Let us with the Holy Spirit’s help, throw off the old nature and walk in the nature  and desires of  Him who is able to keep us from stumbling and present us faultless before the presence of His Glory with exceeding joy.  (Jud 1:24)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And He made Himself of no reputation

But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  Phl 2:7-8 NKJV

I was watching a program the other night about depression and they were saying that depression is a major sickness among the nations today.  I was contemplating this as I know many, including myself once, who suffered depression and seemingly lost some sense of hope to varying degrees. The main reason they gave for this is the fact that society today is so focused on self and I had to agree.

Jesus made us to be outward centred and not inwardly focused.  He himself lay down His life for others and gave up His rights and this I believe is the key to relieving depressive states in us.  Just think about it!

“And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. Jn 17:5 NKJV

 Jesus had glory with the Father and in fact the Word teaches us that He is the master creator of the universe.

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. Jn 1:3 NKJV

Angels worshipped Him, yet Jesus left His state of Glory to step into our time to heal, deliver and ultimately save us through His death on the cross.  He showed us another way of living and thinking, with a focus on relationship with the Father and relationship with each other.  And the Word tells us to have this same mind – be like minded with Christ.

When I look back on my past, before I met Jesus Christ, I was constantly thinking about myself and how life had thrown me the raw deal.  Being married and having children relieved this to a small point as it forced me to think about someone else, but even in that, I constantly came back to myself.  “I need my rest so you children better be quiet,  I’m doing this for you,  none of you appreciate the things I have to sacrifice for you.  I’m the one who has to pick up after everyone.  No I don’t have the time for you right now, I’m busy….” I, I, I!   No wonder I was in a state of depression.  I have learnt since receiving Jesus Christ into my heart that the world doesn’t revolve around me but in fact the world is centred around Jesus Christ and others.

Even today I can fall into this “I” trap. A good example of this being the other day when folding up countless handkerchiefs (okay maybe a little exaggeration here) and beginning to feel very annoyed.  Again, where was my focus – certainly not on being a blessing, or even doing my work as unto the Lord.  Even at work, when I went to make a cup of tea and others had left the sink area in a state of chaos and not washed up their plates, cups etc and I began to grumble (being focused on me again and getting very annoyed), the Holy Spirit had me catch myself and I began to thank Him that I could be a blessing to others and clean up all the stuff left.  I actually felt better rather then staying annoyed.

Is this difficult to do!  YES, but it is worth it and it is this kind of action that God can bless because, like Jesus, we are putting others ahead of our own interests.  Not only that but my blood pressure did not rise and the steam did not come out of my ears.  I felt more at peace.  I think that this is definitely something I could practise.

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Phl 2:3-4

My husband Sam definitely has shown me more and more over the years about this way of sacrificial living as he has a servant’s heart and is always willing to go beyond himself and walk the extra mile.  I have a long way to catch up but focusing on Jesus example certainly helps.  I think that maybe this is love – putting God and others first.  It is what we teach at Sunday schools all around the nations – J O Y = Jesus, others and THEN you.