Friday, December 28, 2007

Offenses will come (Luke 17:1)

The bait of satan is to use offenses to hinder us from entering into a life of willing forgiveness and joyful holiness.
The Gospel we preach will offend but we seek if at all possible not to offend (even by sometimes giving up our rights).
When we are offended, we need to ask the Lord for healing and seek by His power to forgive, knowing how much we have been forgiven ourselves. The test of true forgiveness comes when we can really pray blessing for the person who has wronged us like David did in Ps 35:12-14.
Our Father has called us to be holy ("kadosh") meaning to be a cut above the rest (higher level of living), let us then rise up to His level of compassionate and forgiving love for all who offend us.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

True Sons

The Bible has 2 Greek words translated as "sons".
1) "teknon" meaning son by birth (John 1:12)
2) "huios" meaning son who display the character of the father (Matt 5:45)

We should move from just being "teknons" (immature sons) to "huios" (mature sons who are led by the Spirit to grow into the character of our Heavenly Father)

Friday, December 7, 2007

Critical/Complaining Spirit

Recently I have found myself harbouring a critical/complaining spirit that subtly invaded my soul. Though circumstances seem right for me to complain or provide 'constructive' criticism, they actually made me cynical and harsh in my attitude.
The Holy Spirit gently reminded me to be thankful and grateful in all circumstances so that my spirit man will stay refreshed, joyful and victorious. Thanks be to God for His grace!

Thursday, November 22, 2007

The New Testament

The NT has 27 books (mostly letters) written from about 49 AD to 95 AD.
The order shown below is when each book was written:
1. James / Galatians
2. 1 & 2 Thessalonians
3. 1 & 2 Corinthians
4. Romans
5. Mark
6. Ephesians/Colossians/Philemon/Philippians (the letters of Paul from his first imprisonment)
7. Matthew
8. Luke
9. Jude
10. 1 Timothy/1 Peter/Titus
11. Acts
12. 2 Peter/ 2 Timothy / Hebrews
13. John
14. 1 John / 2 John / 3 John
15. Revelation

Saturday, November 17, 2007

The ONLY Question that Matters

The only question that each of us really need to ask and that really has eternal ramifications is:

WHO IS JESUS TO ME?

If we answer that Jesus is a Great Teacher, Leader or Prophet that He can do nothing more in our lives then provide us teachings and principles which in most cases we cannot sustain or completely live up to.

But if we answer that Jesus is the Son of God, then we have full assurance and hope that He can and will save us and grant us eternal life that starts now when we put our full trust in Him.

To God eternal life is knowing and believing in His Son, Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
John 17:3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Healings on the Sabbath

In the gospels, Jesus healed on the Sabbath. There are 7 records of this to show that God cares for all who need His touch even on the rest day where He willingly healed all who came to Him.
1. Deliverance of a man possessed with a demon (Mk 1:21-28)
2. Healing of Peter's mother-in-law (Mk 1:29-31)
3. Healing of the lame man by the Pool of Bethesda ( Jn 5:1-18)
4. Healing of the man with a shriveled hand (Mk 3:1-6)
5. Healing of a crippled woman (Lk 13:10-17)
6. Healing of a man with dropsy (abnormal accumulation of fluids) (Lk 14:1-6)
7. Healing of a man born blind (Jn 9:1-16)
Remember that Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath! Complete rest and healing is ours if we commune with and trust in the Lord, especially on the Sabbath day.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

John 6:29

The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent.
Believing in Jesus is God's work in us, drawing us to Him and then helping us to live out His work through our lives.
All that we do for God begins with our faith in Jesus, continues in faith through Jesus and ends in faith revealed when Jesus comes.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Three Kinds of Laws

In the Old Testament, there are 3 kinds of laws:
1) Ceremonial Laws (laws that govern the kind of rituals and sacrifices to make in order to approach God) These have now been replaced by the New Testament Law of approach to God through Jesus Christ.
2) Civil Laws (laws that govern daily living in Israel) Some of these laws may not apply to us because of cultural, geographical and historical differences but their principles are still applicable and should be used to guide our daily living.
3) Commandments (Moral Laws) The 10 commandments are still as applicable today as it were years ago in Moses' time. The New Testament does not replace them but we can fulfill their requirements through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Christ-centred Marriage

The miracle at the wedding in Cana showed that the Lord puts a high priority on marriage.
Why get married if in heaven we will not be married like here on earth?
The reasons:
1) God created marriage right from the beginning (before sin came) - Eve was created from Adam to be a "help meet" (companion for and complement to) him.
2) God redeemed marriage through Christ to show to the world the relationship that He desires that Christ has with His church.
3) God is transforming marriages so that godly offsprings will be the result of their unions.

So unless God specifically calls you to singlehood, pray and ask Him to lead you to His mate for you so that His purpose for marriage will be fulfilled.

Friday, October 5, 2007

The Holy Trinity

The mention of the Trinity (Father, Son and the Holy Spirit) occurs 8 times in the New Testament (twice in Matthew, once in John, 4 times in the letters of Paul and once in the letters of Peter)
Matthew 3:16-17
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
(the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are pictured here working in unison at Jesus' baptism)
Matthew 28:19
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Discipling requires all three Persons of the Trinity)
John 15:26
"When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me."
(Jesus sends the Holy Spirit from God the Father)
1Cor 12:4-6
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
(Gifts from the Spirit to serve the Lord Jesus through the work of God the Father)
2Cor 13:14
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
(the Benediction shows that all 3 Persons are present in blessing)
Eph 2:18
For through him(Jesus) we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
(Again, all 3 Persons are present in the unity of the saints)
1 Thess 1:2-5
We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. (God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is present in the Full Gospel)
1 Pet 1:2
who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood:
(the Holy Trinity works together in the salvation of men)

I do not fully understand the mystery of the Trinity but how wonderful is this "Three-in-One" and "One-in-Three" God in my salvation!

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

The Gospels

Matthew writes of the Magi bearing gifts for the baby Jesus. The gifts were gold, incense and myrrh.
Gold symbolises a gift for a king. Incense - gift for a deity. Myrrh - gift for a person going to die.
How appropriate that our Lord received gifts to show that He is King, He is God and He is to die for our sins. Truly He is the Messiah - Saviour of the world.

Yet there are many who shun Him or refuse to acknowledge Him. How sad!