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Christians Together Haslingden – God’s Wisdom Hidden in the Cross No 5

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Christians Together Haslingden  24th November 2017

God’s wisdom is hidden in the cross and revealed to us as we enter into the benefits of Jesus’ passion.

As a result of my encounter with the Holy Spirit, and the cross, he has brought me into a fresh study of the various aspects of the cross:

Isaiah used one of the titles of the Christ, Jesus the ‘Branch’ coming from the root of Jesse’s stump.

The redemption through his dying to sin and its causes

From the curses put on man and the woman after they ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Healing at the cross.

Dying to self and for today this reading in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 1: 18 – 31

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1: 18

The wisdom of the world sees the death of Jesus on the cross as punishment  for wrongdoing, public humiliation, shame, fraud, and a painful death.

The world’s wisdom fails to believe that God has reconciled us to himself through Jesus’ death on the cross and in his resurrection three days later, it  is folly.   Folly – lack of good sense, madness, stupidity, foolish action, without understanding.

Hidden from worldly view in Jesus’ death on the cross is God’s wisdom. We can only access the cross through faith in Jesus.

Worldly wisdom produces in people both good things and bad things: good things like scientists have discovered how laws work governing the universe nuclear energy was used to enable the Rosetta spaceship it to increase its speed so as not to be pulled by gravity into the orbit of a planet before it reached its destination, it took the 10 years to reach the meteor. The achievement was described as like ‘a fly landing on a speeding bullet’. World health programmes that are beneficial to the poor countries saving thousands of lives, and bad things, nations are spending millions on weapons of destruction and the foolishness of the world’s wisdom in disposing of plastic waste into the sea is causing it to gather together on the surface creating plastic islands on the sea.

Both good and bad aspects are coming from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil .

In Romans 5: 12.   “Sin entered into the world through one man and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all had sinned.”

Bob Gordon in his book “The Cross” writes, “When God created man, did he create mankind to be mortal-that is, subject to death? The answer is clearly, no

Jesus himself was not subject to man’s death until he took mankind’s sin into himself, because death is the outcome of sin. Jesus himself was not sinful, therefore, he did not live his life under the threat of death.

Bob continues, “Charles Wesley writes with tremendous spiritual insight when he proclaims the depth of this: ‘Tis mystery all! The immortal dies: who can explore his strange design? In vain the first-born seraph tries to sound the depths of love divine.’”

Clearly Bob has resonated with Charles Wesley the fact that Jesus was immortal in all purity and holiness blameless and without sin, he willingly took our sin in  himself and became sin and he paid the penalty of his life laid down, to redeem humanity from sin,.

Romans 8: 11   “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give you life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you.”

Our immortality is in the cross, we enter and dwell in our immortality, we are in the family of God. Set free, no condemnation as sin has no more dominion over us.

“No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine.” Charles Wesley “And can it be.”

Our Point of need –is to see God’s wisdom in his saving power of Jesus on the cross

Prayer – Open my eyes Lord, to what Jesus has done for me on the cross to make me right with God, I’ve done good things and bad things, but I know even if the good outweighs the bad, it won’t make me right with God. I understand that I need to recognise that to be right with God I come to the foot of the cross and say sorry and ask the Lord’s forgiveness. Please forgive me Lord for______________and all the sin that separated me from God.  Jesus has died in my place to satisfy your holiness, and now I believe that everything  bad thing has been taken from me and I thank you Lord. In Jesus’ name Amen.

In the Church of England Common Prayer Book it says we are blessed with all the benefits of his passion.

On the cross Jesus suffered and bore our suffering. “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then he said to the disciple , “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.” John 19: 25-27

From the cross Jesus spoke to his mother, Mary must have been devastated, in bits and Jesus comforted and counselled  her

Mary was deeply hurt and no doubt her sister and John, Mary Magdalene were there supporting Jesus and Mary.

 But Jesus wasn’t silent he asked John to become his mother’s son, for Mary to adopt John as her son.

Again in Paul’s letter to the Romans he wrote that Gentiles have been adopted into the family of God, God is our Father. Romans 8: 23.

 We are blessed with the Father’s devotion and love towards us as his adopted children. The Holy Spirit working with Father God and Jesus, who only wants the best for us, if we suffer then we can be assured that the Father has allowed it for his  reasons and purposes.

Point of need – Through the cross we discover our relationship with God, we are his children.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Fatherly love, you searched for me until you found me and changed my rebellious nature to be like yours, the things that used to pleased me no-longer satisfy my longings, I want only to please you and walk with you. In Jesus Christ my Lord God’s name. Amen

Unity in the Cross

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he wrote that Gentiles had no covenants with God, but in Christ, the cross has united Jew and Gentile as one new man, so making peace and both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

The cross is an integral part of God’s plan to unite Jew and Gentile. The church the body of Christ has been given the task of making Christ known as the Saviour who was promised to the Jews, the Messiah.

( Added afterwards: For centuries the Jews were accused by Christians of killing their Messiah. However, this was part of God’s plan that the Messiah would suffer and be killed on a cross. The Jews acted in ignorance, otherwise they would have not allowed their Messiah to die, they were taught from the law that when the Messiah came he would live for ever. ‘The Messiah’s Secret’)

The Lord gives us his Spirit, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit to bless other Christians and for us to embrace the lost.

Point of need – The Holy Spirit’s ministry. actively uniting people  through the cross.

Prayer

Thank you Jesus, for bringing Gentiles into the New Covenant, so that we are one family in God, It is such a privilege to be part of  God’s plan, built upon the faith of people like Abraham and Sarah, the shepherd David and the prophets like Isaiah and Daniel. Thank you for Jesus being the fulfilment of the promises of God  The Lord would provide a Saviour and in him all the nations would be blessed. Thank you for the faithfulness of Jesus’ disciples and the  early church.  Help me to be faithful in my witness . In Jesus’ name.

Mary stood at the cross would remember Simeon’s words. “A sword shall pierce your heart,” it became her experience heartbreak and suffering

As we journey with Jesus we find ourselves suffering, whether it’s in bereavement or when we have been hurt by others, we bring our deep hurts to the cross and know that Jesus cares for us, as he cared for and bore his mother’s suffering. He will lighten our load help us work through them and  very often heal through repentance.

When we take up our Cross and lose our earthly life, we enter into these victories and many more that Jesus has given to us, we gain an abundance of life.

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The Reflection of the Cross – Encountering the Holy Spirit No 4

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The Reflection of the Cross –  Encountering the Holy Spirit No 4

Evening Service at St Mary’s Acts 2: 1-18 Luke 3: 15-23.

My husband and I where on a walking holiday at Scargill House in Yorkshire. There we met John he had come for an interview to become a member of the Scargill community. In conversation with him he shared with me his testimony. He had been a drug addict and his life was in a mess. He said that he spent a lot of time in his room at home where most of the time he was high on drugs.                                  On this particular day he was in his room, when for no particular reason he picked up his grandmother’s Bible, it fell open and he read the words, “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 10: 39 John encountered the Holy Spirit He said, “It was like someone breaking down the door of his bedroom, releasing him into freedom.” He went on to say that as a result of his meeting with Jesus he made a cross from part of their garden fence and he carried it from Liverpool to London, camping on the way. When people asked him why was he carrying a cross? He told them what Jesus had done for him.  He was set free from the drug addiction that had bound him.

I’ve no doubt that his grandmother’s prayers had been answered.

Encountering the Holy Spirit

The encounter between Jesus and John the Baptist at Jesus’ baptism fulfilled the prophecy of John which was that “The Christ would baptise them with the Holy Spirit and the unquenchable fire.”

 In order for Jesus to baptize us with the Holy Spirit in our humanity, he received first the Holy Spirit in his humanity, and so when he sent the Holy Spirit into the world it was so that we can become like him, we are a heavenly people, translated into his kingdom, in the present,

At Pentecost the disciples received the Holy Spirit they left the house and went out onto the streets where they encountered people from across the known world. Luke was told that they were able to converse in languages that were unknown to them.

This was sign from God as uneducated men were able to speak in diverse tongues.

Peter confirmed that what the crowd were witnessing was the coming of the Holy Spirit prophesied by Joel ‘In the last days I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” Joel 2: 28 and we read those who received his word were baptised and received the Holy Spirit.  The undisputable sign that Jesus is the Christ.

Jesus had spoken about the Holy Spirit to his disciples, he would be their comforter, and counsellor.

The Holy Spirit would help them pray to God when they were stuck for words. He would give them remembrance of his words and reveal Jesus to them, some would prophesy and others have visions and dream dreams.

The church was born at Pentecost, it consisted of Jewish people and proselytes, Gentiles that had converted to Judaism.

There at Pentecost Peter having been given the keys of the kingdom, here in Acts 2 he opened the door of the Kingdom to the nation of Israel and proclaimed publicly for the first time that Jesus was the Christ. With another key he opened the door to the Gentiles when he visited Cornelius. Acts 10

The Holy Spirit has brought me into studying the various aspects of the cross.

The Common Prayer Book says we enter into the benefits of his passion. To elaborate on that:

Isaiah used one of the titles of the Christ, Jesus the ‘Branch’ coming from the root of Jesse’s stump. The wooden cross being part of the total redemption, the cross withstood the earthquake, how Jesus must have suffered as the tremor shook it, his disjointed body taking the strain.

 He redeemed us through his dying to sin and its causes

from the curses put on man and the woman after they ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

 And the curse put on the man who was faced with the penalty of death and was hung upon the tree, he had to be taken down before night fall. Joseph and Nicodemus took Jesus down from the cross before night fall. Deut 21:22,2.

He took our suffering upon himself, for example:

John 19: 25-27. “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then he said to the disciple , “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.”

From the cross Jesus spoke to his mother, (we see the gifts of the Holy Spirit in Jesus).

Mary must have been devastated and Jesus comforted and counselled  her

Mary was deeply hurt and no doubt her sister and John, Mary Magdalene were there supporting Jesus and Mary.

 But Jesus wasn’t silent he asked John to become his mother’s son, for Mary to adopt John as her son.

Paul wrote that we have been adopted into the family of God, God is our Father. Romans 8: 23. Galatians 4: 5

Alexander Tee ‘The Amazing Cross’.’The Aroma of Adoption’ “  

Who can conceive the content and kindness of the Calvary’s cross? The Messiah actually suffered inconceivable torment not only to redeem us from Satan’s slave market, but to promote every one of those slaves to an equal share of all his royal inheritance. The wealth and estate of any king is usually tremendous but Jesus is no normal king. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and ours is an inheritance on the basis of a joint heir! What love, other than divine love, could ever dream of such a promotion for such sinning slaves? Surely this aroma of adoption oozing from Calvary’s unique tree is very fragrant.”

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he wrote that Gentiles had no covenants with God, but in Christ,  the cross has united Jew and Gentile as one new man, so making peace and both have access in one Spirit to the Father. The Holy Spirit actively involved with this encounter and it’s still going on today.

Therefore we are blessed with the Father’s devotion and love towards us. The Holy Spirit working with Father God and Jesus, who only wants the best for us. His gives us his gifts to bless other Christians and for us to embrace the lost.

Mary would I’m sure remembered Simenon’s words. “A sword shall pierce your heart,” it became her experience heartbreak and suffering

As we journey with Jesus we find ourselves suffering, whether it’s in bereavement or when we have been hurt by others, we bring our deep hurts to the cross and know that Jesus cares for us, as he cared for and bore his mother’s suffering. He will lighten our load help us work through them and  very often heal through repentance.

Taking up our Cross

When we take up our Cross and lose our earthly life, we enter into these victories and many more that Jesus has given to us, we gain an abundance of life.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending the person of the Holy Spirit into the world. When I encountered Him he revealed the truth about who Jesus is, the Christ.  Thank you for all the benefits of Jesus’ victory that are ours in Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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The Reflections of the Cross No 3 Jesus’ Humility

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A deeper in-site into the cross reveals that every aspect of our relationship with God and the example of Jesus’ humility working out in our faith.

“He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.” Matthew 8:17.

Matthew writing his gospel after the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus relates Isaiah’s words with Jesus’ healing ministry, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.”

“When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.17 This was to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.” Matthew 8: 16,17.

Matthew the disciple is telling the reader of his gospel that Jesus healed all manner of sickness in his ministry and Jesus took up our infirmities and bore our diseases on the cross, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy.

Jesus, “He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten (beaten) by him and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53: 4, 5.

Matthew in his humility, under the discipline of the Holy Spirit didn’t  include an up to date account of what God was doing in his life in the healing ministry, but he pointed us to the prophecy of Isaiah being fulfilled.

Jesus healed people of all kinds of ailments: blind, deaf and dumb, paralysed, arthritis, leprosy and many more accounts of various illnesses and raising people  from the dead, and like Lazarus  to resume his life on the earth. These were signs that the Kingdom of God was among them.

Jesus was born into this world as one of us, in his humanity he encountered in his ministry  these infirmities and diseases in order to bear them on the cross and as a result destroy completely the work of the enemy, a finished work.   John the apostle wrote “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of darkness? 1 John 3: 8.

Jesus’ suffering

“By his wounds we are healed.” Within a few hours this perfect body of Jesus in excellent health was reduced to a physical wreck by what he suffered. Jesus was scourged, a whip with cords, at the end of each cord a sharp piece of bone or metal, designed by the Romans to tear the flesh down to the bone.

Jesus suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane deep spiritual agony and after his arrest, and trial, he endured physical suffering and finally the excruciating pain of crucifixion..

Jesus was subjected to being arrested and taken for trial to the home of the high priest Caiaphas where the scribes and elders had gathered. Witnesses spoke against him, but Jesus said nothing.  “Jesus was asked by the high priest, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God?” Jesus replied, “You have said so, but I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” The high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy . . . . . .  What is your judgement? They answered he deserves death,” then they spat in his face, and struck him and some slapped him.”  Matthew 26: 57-68.

Jesus was accused of blasphemy of being the Christ, the King of the Jews.  He was taken in the morning for trial before Pilate the Roman governor. Pilate was unable to find fault in Jesus, so, he handed him over to the crowd to make a decision for him, they shouted ‘crucify him.’

Jesus was scourged, during which he was beaten, and his body disfigured. The film ‘The Passion’ gives us graphic details of the results of the scourge on human flesh. It was designed to tear the flesh down to the bone.

His beard was torn out and a crown of thorns was placed on his head and a purple robe was put upon him by the soldiers as a gesture of mockery at his claim to be a king. The soldiers mocked, spat at him, and beat him with reeds (sticks) he was verbally abused. His facial expression must have shown the pain he was suffering. Matthew 27: 15-18, 26-31.

The cross is where Jesus took the whole of our sicknesses, diseases and sin in his being on the cross and as a result of the condemnation of  our righteous God. When he drew near to death Jesus cried out, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me.”

The Bible reveals that God cannot and will not uphold sin, Sin separated Jesus from God his Father and so he died. The cross bore Jesus’ body and all sin against God and creation. The pain in his body plus the spiritual weight of evil, crushed his soul and extinguished his life.

But his death was not the end of his life, God raised Jesus up from the grave, giving his body new life, eternal life. It was a finished work, in his resurrected body the marks of the nails identified him as being the risen Jesus.

Point of need – Jesus heals our relationship with God our Father.

The wonderful selfless act of Jesus through bearing and redeeming us from sin is that we too must be able to forgive those who have wronged us. These wounds, the results of past sins are healed as we forgive as we have been forgiven by God.

The cross is the meeting place between every person and God. There we find Jesus has paid the penalty for all our wrongdoings and bore our infirmities and sicknesses on the tree. Humbly we approach the cross and acknowledging that we need to be right with God we say sorry to God and ask him to forgive us, we repent and God in His love forgives our sin, and by the action and grace of the Holy Spirit we become children of God.

Prayer  Jesus, I ask for your forgiveness for my sins against God and  others. Thank you for taking my sin upon yourself on the cross, for all that you suffered, I am really sorry, I accept the sovereignty of God over my life, take all that I have it is yours. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Dying to self

Peter wrote, “He himself bore our sins on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds we have been healed.” 1 Peter 2: 24.

Peter was saying in this verse that having been forgiven, so we should continually die to sin, especially to the sin that resurrects the old self, looking to our self, putting our faith in our own ability to do what we think is God’s will for us, but as Jesus found out for himself our humanity is bound in fear, and self-preservation.

Jesus is our example there in the Garden of Gethsemane he emptied himself of self to live determining his own life and he died to the sin of humanities fallen nature that looks to self interests and determining our own destiny.

 We read he prayed to his Father saying, “Father if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you wilt.” He prayed a second time, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, thy will be done.” Jesus died to the sin of pride that seeks to look to self, and for self to dominate a person’s life, he chose the cup of suffering, the way of the cross.  Matthew 26: 39, 42.

For us, dying to self is to turn to the cross and know that in Jesus I have died to sin, and therefore, I live according to the conviction of the Holy Spirit as to how God feels about sin.

Being spiritually raised up to a new life, means the lord has transformed my nature to his righteous nature and the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin that is in the world. Being raised up becomes our experience to know we are with Christ in Spirit, ascended with Jesus into God’s kingdom.

“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give you life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you.” Romans 8: 11

The difference between human and mortal.                                                     Bob Gordon in his book “The Cross” writes, “The difference between human and mortal. Part of the problem is that we don’t stop to consider the real meaning of the words we use. These two words are terms which we often confuse with each other. To be human, as far as we are concerned, is to be mortal. But is that the truth as far as God is concerned? When God created man, did he create mankind to be mortal-that is, subject to death? The answer is clearly, no. Both the book of Genesis and the Epistle to the Romans are explicit as to the source of death. Genesis 2: 22 makes it clear that God expelled man from the garden to prevent him from eating from the tree of life by which he could live forever. From this point on, no man became subject to death as a judgement from God. Paul is very explicit on the subject when he writes to the Romans. “Sin entered into the world through one man and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all had sinned.” Romans 5: 12.

Bob Gordon goes on to write, Jesus himself was not subject to man’s death until he took mankind’s sin into himself, because death is the outcome of sin. Jesus himself was not sinful, therefore, he did not live his life under the threat of death as a necessary outcome of sin. Jesus himself made his position clear in this regard. He was the only man who ever lived who had the authority of life in him: “ For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father.” John 10: 17,18.

Bob continues: Charles Wesley writes with tremendous spiritual insight when he proclaims the depth of this: ‘Tis mystery all! The immortal dies: who can explore his strange design? In vain the first-born seraph tries to sound the depths of love divine.’”

Clearly Bob has resonated with Charles Wesley the fact that Jesus was immortal in all purity and holiness blameless and without sin, he willingly took sin upon himself and became sin to be able to redeem humanity from sin.

Point of need – His righteousness is to be faithful to do the will of God and not the will of self.

Faith is about being willing always to seek and to do God’s will first and foremost in our life, to be dependent upon God knowing that He only wants to bless us and what is best for us and for others.

Prayer

Thank you lord, for the new life that I have in Christ’s risen body, his victory over the sins of the flesh that Jesus achieved for me on the cross. He has conquered death, doing for me what I could not do for myself, only God could transform my fallen nature and save me from eternal separation from God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Learning to live in the power of the cross.

When suffering comes to us, we grow closer to God in our dependence upon Him. This is where our strength lies, Jesus energies our spirit. I find that I’m comforted and strengthened by His word, but what also strengthens me is when the Lord acts upon faith in His word. I believe that I can put my trust in His word; I have found out that God keeps His word. Colossians 1: 29.

When we pray believing, we are giving God the opportunity to act on our behalf. When we pray what seems to be an impossible request, it’s answered.

Jesus has enabled us to live in God’s kingdom, through bearing our sin, sickness and disease that lead to his death on the cross. By his wounds we have been healed for all eternity.

Sickness in our lifetime is not transferable into the eternal kingdom of God when we die; therefore, the cross has brought us everlasting peace.

Nothing can separate us from the love of God; our lives are hidden in Christ

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Reflection of the CROSS – No 2 Jesus ‘The Branch’

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Reflection of the CROSS  – No 2  Jesus ‘The Branch’

The Cross – Nothing can shake loose or break the victory that Jesus achieved in his death on the cross.

Only once have I experienced locally a minor earthquake, it was about 7.30am I woke up hearing a rumbling sound rolling towards the house coming down the lane, the house gently shook, we hardly felt it and it continued on past the house.

I visualise in my mind what the scene was like in Jerusalem on the afternoon of the day of Jesus’ crucifixion. At the sixth hour the light began to fade, the birds stopped singing and a chilling wind filled the air. People suddenly heard a rumbling sound in seconds it grew louder and louder and the earth began to shake violently. People held on to what they could, some ran into the street, cracks and chasms began to appear in the ground, buildings began to crumble.

Jesus’ body on the cross must have shaken, the cross didn’t give way and break under the strain of the weight it bore. It was held firm in place in the ground, immovable by the quake.

 “And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; the earth shook, and the rocks were split.” Matthew 27: 51 RSV Bible

The temple building was damaged it’s recorded that the curtain that separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place was torn from top to bottom revealing the interior of the most sacred room in the temple where the high priest entered once a year with the sacrifices of blood on the day of atonement. Christians believe that the torn curtain from top to bottom signified God leaving the temple. The new temple being the body of the risen Jesus.

From the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour and Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27: 45-50 RSV Bible

The cross during those most crucial hours when Jesus took upon himself, in his being the penalty of the sins of the whole world and universe. His words tell us that he was separated, forsaken by God his Father. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Jesus died soon after saying those words.

Through Jesus’ death sin died with him. God defeated Satan and his principalities and powers, taking from Satan his power over humanity that caused eternal death separation from God our creator.

 “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” Hebrews 2: 14, 15.

Point of need – Our every point of need to work out our salvation is found in Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross.

On the evening of the day of Jesus’ resurrection Jesus appeared before his disciples and in the house where they were staying in Jerusalem. There Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit on his disciples, (the wind, the breath of God’s Holy Spirit) they were later told to wait for the Holy Spirit’s coming in power. The Holy Spirit came into the house where they where and filled them, it took place at Pentecost. John 20: 22.  Luke 24: 49. Acts 2: 1-4.

Through faith in Jesus and acknowledging that we need to be right with God we say sorry to God and ask him to forgive us, we repent and God forgives our sin, and by the action and grace of the Holy Spirit  we are united with Jesus in his death, dying for our sin and in his resurrection by being raised up with him into heavenly places. As a result of sincere faith we receive Father, Son and Holy Spirit into our heart.

We can’t say that this sequence happens in this way every time. God isn’t restricted to one way, but turning in faith to Jesus, seeking repentance and forgiveness of sins are the ingredients to being filled with the Holy Spirit.

We can ask in faith to receive God’s Holy Spirit as a gift, we say in a prayer:

Prayer   Lord thank you for all that you have done for me on the cross reconciling me to God my Father and I ask to receive your precious gift of your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The cross part of Jesus

Every part of the work of redemption is in Christ, even the wood that bore the force of the earthquake.

Jesus referred to as ‘the Branch’ of a tree and a root out of dry ground.

“There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of its roots.”  Isaiah 11: 1. No coincidence that Jesus is called the ‘Branch’ one of the titles associated with the Messiah. Isaiah identifies the suffering of the Messiah, For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground.” Isaiah 53: 2.

Isaiah’s clear reference to the Messiah in describing him being a descendent of King David through Jesse’s line.  The Spirit of the Lord resting upon Jesus, as a boy aged 12 he knew that God was his Father and he had the characteristics of his Father God in his amazing miracles and healing ministry that revealed God in their midst. Isaiah 11: 1-9. Luke 2. 41-52.

Nathaniel in conversation with Jesus immediately associated Jesus’ reference to the Messiah when Jesus said to him, ”Before Philip called you when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathaniel replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” John 1: 48, 49.

Jesus saying that he saw him under the fig tree perhaps Zachariah’s vision came to Nathaniel’s mind.

Zachariah wrote what the angel had said, “Behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. For behold, upon the stone which I set before Joshua, upon a single stone with seven facets. I will engrave its inscription, says the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the guilt of this land in a single day. In that day, says the Lord of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbour under his vine and under his fig tree.” Zachariah 3: 10.

Jesus the Branch “I will remove the guilt of this land.”  

Jesus’ death on the cross removing the guilt of past sins and the curse God put on a man punished under law, hanging from a tree, to be removed before the end of the day otherwise the land would be defiled.

Jesus became sin, the curse that God put upon the man who hung from the branch of the tree.

“And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is accursed by God; you shall not defile your land which the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance. Deuteronomy 21: 22, 23.

Point of need –  On the cross Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the righteousness of God, setting us free from God’s condemnation, from being accursed by God.

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us-for it is written, “Cursed be every one who hangs on a tree.” Galatians 3: 13, 23.

Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus’ body down before the end of the day.  John 19: 31. Matthew 27: 57-62

Jesus, ‘having become a curse for us’ smitten by God and afflicted, he became all that separated us from God the Father: God in his wrath put upon the ground of thorns and thistles after Adam’s disobedience of God’s word to him that he was not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The curse put on woman: having pain in child-bearing and the rule of man over her. Jesus has redeemed mankind from the curses and every sin and wrong thoughts, attitudes and actions. Genesis 3. Isaiah 53: 4

Prayer  Thank you, Lord for redeeming me from the curse put upon man/woman/child and for all curses coming down my generational line over the third and fourth generations of my ancestry. My goodness, righteousness is in Jesus Christ through repentance and faith in Jesus, I’ve been born anew of the Spirit of God my Father. In the name of Jesus. Amen

Point of need –  to be aware of putting curses upon ourselves.

James 3: 10 “From the same mouth come blessings and cursing.”

He writes that with our tongue we can bless the Lord and curse people in the same sentence.  To bless someone is to want God’s favour to rest on them. To curse is to come against someone with remarks to cause hardship and ill will.

The late Derek Prince on his DVD ‘Generational Curses’ says, “Wrong attitude can lead to self-imposed curses, we should not say, ‘I’m tired of living’ or ‘I’m a failure’. If someone says that to us, revoke the negative with a positive, he gave the example of Jesus in conversation with Peter his disciple before and after his resurrection. In the courtyard of the high priest Peter denied Jesus three times and Jesus revoked it three times when he asked him, “Do you love me?” three times.” John 18: 15-27. 21:15-17. Matthew 26: 74

We can make mistakes and our Lord God has given us protection for those mistakes in our redemption through Jesus dying on the cross for all curses and their causes.

Point of need – protection from hindrances.

Sitting under the branches of the tree, gives protection from direct sunlight and a place to invite a friend, a neighbour to sit in fellowship.

The Branch Jesus, the cross shelters and protects us from the fiery darts that would otherwise hinder and preoccupy our time.

  • Time spent in prayer for the needs of others, instead of ourselves.
  • Time spent listening to God, instead of wrestling with enemy.
  • Time spent with others engaging in bringing people to know Jesus as their personal Saviour.

The devil will try to hinder and frustrate the ministry of the church. Being aware of his tactics we can through prayer and Godly wisdom working together discern his activity.

God discerned that Jesus’ strength in his body was failing when Simon of Cyrene was commandeered to carry his cross on the journey through the streets of Jerusalem. Matthew 27: 32

There are times when in our ministry we need to discern when to be supported by others, or to maybe hand the baton to someone else. Recently I’ve handed the baton of leading the Ladies Fellowship to another lady, who graciously has taken up the ministry, this has enriched and blessed her and  the Fellowship.

If we find our strength failing and the task feels  too great, may we humble ourselves before you and pray for your help and grace at the point of our need.

Prayer Thank you Lord, for when we recognise  we are weakened by the limits of our humanity. You are our example and It’s good to know that when the cross we carry is hard to bear, we share with fellow Christians the tasks that you have called us to.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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The Reflections of the Cross – A New Heaven and a New Earth

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The Reflections of the Cross – a series on the cross of Jesus.

Every point of need to live the Christian life is met by Jesus on the cross.

The Lord gave me a word on the morning of Sunday 15th October 2017 ‘Jesus the seed that died on the cross contains the new heaven and the new earth.’

Millions of people across the world who have not read the Bible won’t know about God’s promise of a new heaven and earth reserved for God’s people.

The Apostle Peter writing almost two thousand years ago foresaw the continuing downward slide of humanity’s sin, where the majority of people’s thoughts and activities exclude any reference or acknowledgement of God.

God has said through his prophets he will make an end of sin and dissolve the earth and the heavens with fire and they will be replaced by a new earth and a new heaven.

Peter’s second letter he writes that they (Earth and Heaven) will be dissolved with fire, “And the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up.”

I do not want to produce a climate of fear by writing this in order to turn hearts to Christ. I have been prompted by the word that came into my mind to make known the Bible’s prophecy.  There is already fear in people’s hearts and minds over the threat of mankind’s capability to extinguish life on the earth through nuclear wars breaking out.

Matthew recorded Jesus’ words in regard to the close of the age.

Jesus gave us a sequence of events that will lead to the dissolving of the earth. Part of these things he mentioned have already come to pass: the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem 70AD, and wars kingdom against kingdom nation against nation.

In more recent times as the prophecy of Jesus nears the close of the age, the escalation of violence and evil has brought about two world wars, and civil wars continue to intensify world tensions among world leaders. Idolatry of leaders will increase as people worship someone they can see and believe in. There have been false Christ’s on the world scene who have established cultural and spiritual change, the setting up of Communism a humanistic society that promotes disbelief in God and ‘the Age of Aquarius’ New Age spirituality that combines themes from various religions and the search for utopia, happiness through self satisfaction. These have coincided with the space age and the movie maker’s imagination has had the technology to put their ideas and prophecies into a visual media that is false.

The pollution of the planet, the seas are warming up causing huge hurricane storms and flooding, the deserts are increasing in size causing drought, famines, and disease. The pollution of our atmosphere with CO2’s. But things are to get worse even with the increase of knowledge. Matthew 24: 1-31.

Peter continues: he spoke of the day of God, on that day God enforces his Godly judgement on the world. “Waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be kindled and dissolved and the elements will melt with fire! But according to his promise we wait for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” 2 Peter 3: 10-13

Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians points to the coming judgement on the world. 

5 “This is evidence of the righteous judgement of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saint, and to be marvelled by all those who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.” 2 Thessalonians 1: 5-9.

Jesus tells us that we are accountable for the life that we live here on the earth, although in his ministry during those three years he said that he came not as a judge but as a Saviour. He spoke of the fire of judgement that he knew he would bring in to the world at a future date.  “I came to cast a fire upon the earth and would that it were already kindled.  I have a baptism to be baptised with and how I am constrained until it is accomplished!” Luke 12: 49, 50. The baptism that Jesus spoke of was of his death on the cross at Jerusalem.

The cross of Jesus – Jesus the imperishable seed has within its makeup, a new heaven and a new earth.

A seed is complete it contains everything it’s going to be, what it is, its colour, height, shape of leaves, flowers and seeds for future growth, one seed produces many more. But in that process of production of wheat, the seed dies, it reduces in size.  The seed has to germinate before it can start to grow. Most seeds are planted in the soil where they germinate.

Jesus the seed that died on the cross and was taken down and placed in the darkness of the tomb. The grain of wheat, the wheat seed Jesus referred to when he said, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12: 24

God gave Jesus’ dead body new life; his life of his body, his flesh was no longer in his blood, as it was poured out when the soldier pierced his heart. Luke records Jesus’ resurrected body consisting of flesh and bones, but his resurrected flesh having the ability to go through solid objects like doors and walls. Luke 24:39. John 20: 19.

The 120 people gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem were the ‘first fruits’ to receive the imperishable seed through their faith in Jesus. Acts 1: 15. 2: 1.

Peter wrote of believers being Christ-like in receiving the imperishable seed.

“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brethren, love one another earnestly from the heart. 23 You have been born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for

“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord abides for ever.”

That word is the good news which was preached to you”.

Through our faith in Jesus we receive the imperishable seed and also our inheritance is the new earth and the new heavens, while those who do not believe through the prophecy will be burnt up with the fire that will dissolve the earth and heaven.

The Book of Revelation 

John in his vision on the Isle of Pathos recorded seeing a great white throne where the final judgement will take place and the opening of the books. In these books are written the names of believers and unbelievers.

But before this judgement takes place John wrote, “Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it; from his presence earth and sky fled away.” Rev 20: 11. In Rev 21.1”Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and the sea was no more.”

The Bible speaks of there being more than one heaven.

He quotes Genesis 1: 1. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The word ‘heavens’ indicates more than one heaven.

We read that the first heaven and the first earth pass away are dissolved including the sea. in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he spoke of a man caught up in the third heaven, where God has his kingdom and also where Paradise is located, so logic determines there must be a second. The second is described by some theologians as being in space where the stars and planets are found. Exodus 32: 13. Nehemiah 9: 6.

There will be a new earth and a new heaven, on the new earth, the children of God will reside and new heavens will be free from the devil and his kingdom. This will one day become a reality

There we will live out our eternal life. Isaiah wrote about this, he described it as a place of peace and fulfilment where our lives are blessed continually as we don’t devour one another with self preservation, interest and desires and where animals like the lion and the lamb live together on a different diet than here on earth.

The New Jerusalem is already in existence in heaven.

Jesus is the creator of all things.

The New Testament writers reveal Jesus the word of God clothed in the flesh. John the Apostle wrote in his Gospel that Jesus is the Word of God, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” and in his first letter he wrote, “We have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-the life was made manifest and we saw it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us.”

Jesus is the spoken word of God, and by God’s word he created life. “In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets. But in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. . . upholding the universe by his word of power when he had made purification of our sins, when he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Hebrews 1: 1-3.

The fact is that truth stands the test of time whether we believe it or not.

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The Messiah’s Secret – RELEASED

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Luke 4: 1-13. John 3: 7-10.   RSV Bible.

Saturday 30th September 2017 I was at the Bridge Church Bolton at a Proclaim Trust ‘Fixed 17’ Conference  Evangelist Barry Woodward

At the conference I heard several testimonies from people whose lives were destroyed by the responding to the devil’s temptations taking drugs and alcohol and it wasn’t until they came to the end of themselves they cried out to God. Then they were open to hear the gospel about Jesus their Saviour and Lord and were released from their bondage. In all of their situations God had prepared a Christian to tell them about Jesus.

In our reading in Luke’s Gospel, God was preparing Jesus for his ministry, he was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness, where He spent forty days praying and fasting. His prayers I’m sure reflected how he wanted to glorify His Father and to consecrate himself, to keep focused on his calling and purpose, to proclaim the coming of God’s kingdom and with it the signs: miracles and his healing ministry.

For His ministry to succeed Jesus’ encounter with the devil was a very relevant part of it.

It wasn’t until the end of the 40 days and nights, that the devil seized his moment and challenged Jesus’ identity, “If you are the Son of God”. It’s a small word ‘If’ in this context it was meant to undermine his identity and he challenged Jesus to prove it.

“If you are the Son of God command these stones to become loaves of bread.”

The devil will challenge our spiritual identity; Jesus was born into the world to become one of us, in order for us to have the identity of being a child of God.

At the ‘Fixed 17’ event Trudy Makepeace gave her testimony, she spoke of losing her identity as a result of being under the influence of the devil. Her life style reflected this: lying, stealing, and prostitution. Trudy said that she felt ashamed and was afraid of her family finding out.  Tracy was befriended by a Christian who brought her to faith and released her from the bondage of the devil into being a new creation in Christ. Tracy being aware of the struggle with temptation that every Christian experiences said, “No matter who we are, when we walk away from God, we lose the security of which you belong to.”

From her experience taking drugs starts in a small way and soon becomes an addiction, ‘The same with alcohol they take away the pain, the wounds of rejection, this feeling of nobody loves me, I don’t love me, the way I am, unloved’.

Resisting temptation applies to every Christian it’s a slippery slope.

Jesus’ response to his temptation, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

We believe that Jesus is the living bread, his words are life and they are acted upon by the Holy Spirit.

In John’s gospel Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about being born again, Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit being like the wind; we can hear the sound of the wind and feel it, but we are not able to see it.  Nicodemus said,”How can this be?” so Jesus in response said, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this?”                  Nicodemus without the Holy Spirit giving him understanding, he hadn’t related  to what Jesus was referring to found in scripture. Ezekiel’s prophecy;  “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. behold, I will cause breath to enter you and you shall live.” Born again from the deadness of a life without God, to being raised up a new creation in Christ and receiving eternal life.

The Holy Spirit is constantly prompting people to seek the Lord and receive his word into their heart.

I heard some amazing testimonies two weeks ago at the Christians Against Poverty’s event ‘The Gathering’ at the Harrogate Conference Centre.

Stef’s testimony revealed how she came to know Jesus as her Saviour. Growing up she was rejected by her father, who declared to her and to others, that he no longer had a daughter, that his daughter was dead.

Stef left home and later on she was in serious debt and was helped by Christians Against Poverty who sorted out her debt problem for her, not by paying the debt off, but by their expertise in negotiating with the creditors and putting in a place a budget for her to follow. Also they introduced Stef to Jesus, she came to know her heavenly Father’s love for her through Jesus dying for her sin on the cross. Stef’s life has been released and her life transformed through Jesus breathing his words of love into her heart.

The devil lied when he offered Jesus the kingdoms of the world

Again the word ‘if’ is said by the devil. “If he would serve him and worship him.”

Jesus was being tempted to come under the devil’s authority which would have broken his relationship with His Father and for the devil to be ‘Lord over his soul’. Jesus responded, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.”

Yesterday at ‘Fixed 17’, a testimony from a man who described himself like the man who lived among the tombs, breaking the chains and fetters that bound him and cutting himself with stones. Luke 8: 26-39

John said that he had no control over his violent behaviour, He was sent to prison on an attempted murder charge, and there in prison he was so violent, literally broke the handcuffs, he attacked people, as a result he was kept in solitary confinement for long periods.

Through a Christian’s witness and a succession of God co-incidences: one day his friend was assaulted and stabbed in his cell, John bandaged his head wound and was about to take revenge on the man who perpetrated the assault, when he turned and looked at his friend his bandage on his head covered in blood and his hands stretched out pierced from the stab wounds, he said,” I saw Jesus in his appearance” and as a result it stopped him taking revenge. John surrendered his life to Jesus and Jesus became Lord over his soul.

The third temptation took Jesus to the edge of a pinnacle of the temple this time the devil used scripture, he tried to pressurise him to commit suicide, to jump from the highest pinnacle of the temple. Jesus said, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.” God the Father does not tempt people to take their life.

Christians Against Poverty’s guest speaker at Harrogate was Malcolm Duncan he told us about his nephew’s suicide. His nephew took out a Wonga loan for £400 pounds; he kept it a secret from his family. The debt increased and his nephew killed himself. Afterwards, they found on his phone that during one day Wonga had rung him 33 times about his loan. He said the effect on the rest of the family is still being felt.

Increasingly many people are being pressured by the thoughts coming from the devil to take their own life; it’s presented to them as the only way to resolve their problem.

From this series of temptations Jesus had with the devil, the devil had discerned who Jesus was, the Son of God. We know this because the first encounter in Jesus’ healing ministry in Mark’s Gospel was to a man with an unclean spirit; the spirit being in the man knew who Jesus was.”What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us, I know who you are, you are the Holy One of God.” Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and it left the man. Mark 1: 24

John the disciple wrote that “The reason Jesus the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil,” and in doing so he made his kingdom known. Matthew 12: 26 recorded Jesus’ conversation with the Pharisees and were Jesus spoke of the devil’s kingdom, and God’s kingdom.1 John 3: 8. Matthew 12: 26, 28.

Today we celebrate the Harvest; Christians Against Poverty announced that 7,000 people have come to faith in Jesus since their ministry began 21 years ago. (65,000 people helped to become debt free)

Yesterday at ‘Fixed 17’ over 90 people gave their lives to Jesus.

Now they will count it all joy when they are tempted as they apply their victory in Jesus Christ.

Footnote Trudy Makepeace

In 2006 Trudy met with Jesus, who radically transformed her life. Since then, Trudy has managed a rehab centre, ministered in prisons and travelled. Trudy recently graduated from Elim Bible College and is a member of the team at E5 Bristol City Church.

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Blessed are those who Mourn, for they shall be Comforted.

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Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5: 4.  Jonah 3

Our focus this morning Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”                

PRAYER

Christian Francis S. Collins, director of the Human Genome Project, the world’s largest collaborative biological project.

On his website introduction page I quote, “Francis Collins is a scientist and believer and finds no conflict between those worlds.

However, the former atheist didn’t always embrace these perspectives. It wasn’t until he went to medical school and encountered life and death issues at the bedside of his patients where he was constantly challenged with the question “what do you believe, doctor?” that he began searching for those answers. Through that journey, he found Jesus Christ.  Collins has led a consortium of scientists to read out the 3.1 billion letters of the human genome, our own DNA instruction book. As a believer, Collins said he sees DNA  as “the information of all living things, as God’s language, and the elegance and complexity of our own.”

Francis Collins I would say has been able to see that God in his character is both factual having the perfect analytical mind and has given humanity the capability of unlocking the understanding about DNA through God’s universal language of a mathematician.

Secondly in his answer to “What do you believe doctor?” in Francis’ character I think he was open to seek beyond logical thinking, to look into the God’s manual the Bible. It’s the only book written where the author is always present when it’s being read. The Holy Spirit revealing Jesus to him.

In the Bible we can see the emphasis on the theological factual truths in prophesies fulfilled and secondly the attitudes, emotions and relationships from the people who were working out their salvation in daily life in Biblical times, that we can relate to now.

Jesus acknowledged as a fact that Jonah was in the stomach of the whale for 3 days and nights. And in his divine humanity in his ministry he compared his message of repentance to Jonah’s ministry  “They repented at the teaching of Jonah,” “But, someone greater than Jonah is here.” To explain what he meant in Luke’s account where Jesus was addressing the 70 disciples to go out with the Kingdom message, “Repent for the kingdom of God has come near to you.” and he instructed his disciples to wipe off the dust from their feet over the towns that did not receive them.    Jesus cursed Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum  because they had not repented. Matthew 12: 40. Luke 10: 10, 13.                                                       Jesus’ character being like that of His Father, we read in Deuteronomy 28 the first 14 verses Moses spoke of God’s blessings and for the remainder of the chapter (50 verses) God’s curses for disobedience.

The disciples returned with joy over their successful mission, how blessed and comforted Jesus was. Jesus had great concern for the people to repent and how he rejoiced and was comforted when he heard many had done so. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Mourning for sin and comforted when people repent.

God calls us to fulfil  his purpose, the great commission:

”Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. . . . .  Those who believe and is baptised will be saved, but those who do not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16: 15, 16.

Jonah having heard from God to go to Nineveh with God’s message “Repent or in 40 days your city will be destroyed.” Overwhelmed by the task, he fled in another direction.

In 2001 I published my book “The Messiah’s Secret” I was asked by Pastor John Young of Manchester Messianic Church to go with him to all the synagogues in Manchester, to tell them what God had revealed to me that ‘Pentecost was the time for the Jews as a nation to receive Jesus as their Messiah,and  not before Jesus was crucified.       But I couldn’t do it, at the time I was under great spiritual pressure, it seemed too big a task.    In 2009 God gave me a second opportunity and I put the word ‘The Messiah’s Secret’ on-line and I updated it in 2013 ‘The Messiah’s Secret Revealed.’.

Jonah swallowed up by a whale

It was after Jonah experienced falling from the whale’s mouth into its stomach where there he prayed and died and after three days was spewed out alive. God spoke to him again to go with his message, this time he responded to God’s call and went to Nineveh. Jonah watched over the city to see if God would destroy it. He doubted that their repentance was genuine. He was a pessimist But God responded to the cities King his heart-felt repentance, and didn’t destroy their city. 

Attitude  –    Jonah’s attitude changed after he had prayed during his time within the whale and died to his own will. Afterwards he was committed to take the message to the people of Nineveh.Jonah 2: 6

Emotion  –   His fear was conquered.

Relationship – he had regained God’s blessing on his life through obedience..

For us today

God the Father recognises our concern over the sin in the world and in his love for us as we respond to go out with his message, we have assurance that we will be blessed and comforted. Mourning for sin and comforted by repentance.

Character building going on in our lives.

Jesus describes his followers as a city:

Matthew 5: 14 “You are the light of the world, a city set on a hill cannot be hid.”

Revelation 21: 2 “I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”

The characteristics of a heavenly city:

  • Residential areas– where we live in our communities.

Attitude –  our attitude should reflect the light In our house, our bodies are the dwelling place of God and so we are blessed by putting God at the centre of our lives,

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth. For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Colossians 3: 2, 3

  • Areas in city of deprivation, run down dwellings; broken down after years of neglect. Proverbs 25: 28

Emotions  We feel how God feels about sin and our message is in earnest because we want people to be saved from eternal death.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not  perish, but have eternal life.” John 3: 16

  • Areas of commercial trading: business parks, and shopping malls, banks and supermarkets.

God calls us to take out this message about Jesus’ It’s the parable of the talents, being actively involved in mission.

In our special Relationship through Jesus’ death the cross, he took upon himself all that separates us from God and through faith and repentance we receive the forgiveness of our sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit, the eternal life.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”Ephesians 1: 3. 2: 10.

How blessed we are as God holds us in the palm of God’s hand, The Lord’s character building in the areas  of our lives to reflect the light of His glory.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places.”

Amen

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Longholme Methodist Rawtenstall – The Son of the Living God

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July 30th 2017   Morning Service at longholme Methodist Church 10.30am

‘Jesus, the Son of the living God’. God revealed this to Peter one of the disciples of Jesus.

Romans 12: 1 – 8. Psalm 138. Isaiah 51: 1 – 6.  Matthew 16: 13 – 20.

Visual Aid with Power Point.  1-DSCF3549

The orange represented Longholme Church

The children were asked to come and peel the orange taking off the outer layer to reveal the segments.

1-1-DSCF3552

The segments of the orange the members of the church each person God using their best gifts, easily identified by their use.

The seed of faith is complete in Jesus, it contains all the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Paul in his letter to the Corinthians urged Christians to seek the best gifts

Psalm 138

 King David looked to the greater attributes the distinct quality of God: His name and His Word.

God’s name greater than the creative work of His hands.  His Word has created:  the universe and the earth with its abundance of life.

King David his great attribute was that of his kingship, he led the people by his example he looked to God to deliver him from his enemies, he was dependent upon God. God’s right hand saved him, with the other it was stretched out against his enemies,

God allowed David to suffer in body, mind and spirit; but his suffering brought him closer to God. Verses 6,7.

 “The Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar, and though I walk in the midst of trouble thou dost preserve my life.” The haughty God knows, his son Absalom sought to have his father’s throne.

King David’s son Absalom conspired against David. He stood at the entrance to Jerusalem and when men came to speak with the king for advice, Absalom took his father’s place and advised them. “He stole the hearts of the people” and persuaded them to unite behind him to overthrow his father. 2 Samuel 15 – 19

Lowly King David was warned, so instead of making a stand against his son, he left Jerusalem weeping, his head covered as he climbed the ascent of Mount Olives. On the road he met Shemei who threw stones at him accusing him of taking Saul’s throne.

Jesus on his decent on the same road to Jerusalem, the people took palm branches and cheered Jesus, shouting out, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.”The Pharisees told him to stop the people from praising him, Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.

Not stones thrown in rejection of Jesus, he meant the fulfilment of prophecy, the stones would witness that he was their King.

 In Judaism stones were witnesses e.g. Joshua made a covenant with the people at Shechem, “And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a great stone, and set it up there under the oak in the sanctuary of the Lord. And Joshua said to the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us; for it has heard all the words of the Lord which he spoke to us.” Psalm 118: 26. Luke 19: 39, 40. Joshua 24: 26, 27.

Later when King David and Absalom met in battle, David told his commanders to deal gently with his son, but we read one of David men found Absalom caught up in branches of an oak tree and killed him. King David wept over Absalom’s death, they said, ‘Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom. They couldn’t understand why he had turned his victory into mourning.

 David had the heart and mind of God, therefore he had forgiven his son, and he loved him. In New Testament it’s the parable of the ‘The Prodigal Son.’

God had preserved his life from Absaloms failed conquest for his throne and from Shemei’s stones and on the battle field. He depended upon God, who delivered him from his enemies.

On occasions the Lord allows us to suffer, we can praise God for these times because we will draw closer him and be dependent upon him. That’s the key to be dependent upon God and that is faith and grace.

Readings: Isaiah 51: 1 – 6.  Matthew 16: 13 – 20

A friend of mine, Harold Oldham was a great Christian man, he had a wonderful gift of a healing ministry, he was dependable, and his faith was as ‘solid as a rock.’

In our reading  Isaiah sees God ‘as solid as a rock’ with another distinct quality, his faithfulness. You can count on God, He keeps his promises. Isaiah reminded and gave Israel assurance that God was faithful to keep his promise with Abraham and Sarah, from their offspring he would be a father of a great nation in whom all the families of the earth would be blessed.

Isaiah’s greatest attribute or hallmark, was his gift of prophecy.         In the book of Isaiah he wrote chapters 1- 39. From these chapters his followers identified in later years after his death, the fulfilment of many of his prophesies. Chapters 40 – 55 covers prophecy that were substantiated when archaeologists discovered the Cyrus Cylinder. On the cylinder were chiselled messages about the return of the exiles  Isaiah 2: 2-4 this prophecy fulfilled in part in 51: 1-6 God will deliver them from their enemies by releasing them from their exile. The arm of God would bring down Babylon for Israel’s sake, but for the people across the Babylonian Empire would benefit from God’s ruling in world affairs.  Isaiah’s prophesies not just for Israel but for the world.

The defeat of the Babylonian Empire by the Persian King Cyrus

King Cyrus rule brought hope and freedom, he encouraged the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and re-build their temple, the book of Ezra contains the details also the archaeologists discovery of the ‘Cyrus stone Cylinder’ which has chiselled upon it the events of that era, confirming the accounts of events in the book of Isaiah.

Isaiah prophesied the birth of the Saviour, the holy seed.

”Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and you shall call his name Emmanuel.” Isaiah 6: 13. 7: 14                               

His Lordship, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called “Wonderful, Councillor Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, of the increase of his government there shall be no end. Upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom to establish it, Isaiah 9 : 6, 7.

These prophesies clearly have been fulfilled in Jesus, but they are as controversial now as they were in Jesus’ day.

Some denominations of Christians, Jews and Muslims contend with Christians who proclaim  that Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ.

Their views can be found on the internet: www.religioustolerance.org  An essay by Rabbi Allen Maller he quotes the Quran and the Torah, disputing Jesus as the Son of God and Messiah, but he does not mention Isaiah’s prophesies concerning the birth of the Christ.

Jesus’ greatest attributes: He is the Son of the living God and Israel’s Messiah, the Christ and he used the gifts of the Holy spirit.

There was great discussion among the people in Jesus’ day, some of the people addressed him as ‘the son of David.’

Matthew 9: 27, “Have mercy on us, son of David.”

12: 23 “Can this be the son of David?”

John the disciple recorded the people’s confusion over Jesus

 “When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This is really the prophet.”  Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee?  Has not the scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”  So there was a division among the people over him.” John 7: 40-44

Jesus  answered their questioning with a question

 “But he said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is David’s son?  For David himself says in the Book of Psalms, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I make thy enemies a stool for thy feet.’           David thus calls him Lord; so how is he his son?” Luke 20: 41 – 44.              

Jesus had quoted from Psalm 110: 1

In it David had discerned two persons: “The Lord said to my Lord,’ In just in a few words he had spiritually discerned that both were superior to David, and neither were the son of David.

Jesus was separating the Lordship of the Christ from being David’s son, a man. Jesus is the virgin’s son Emmanuel. ‘God with us’

God called Jesus His Son    

“A voice came from heaven, “Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased.” Mark 1: 11

In the first century, the writer of Hebrews confirms that Jesus is the Son of God from the Hebrew Scriptures. He makes the distinction between the rank of angels and that of the Son of God. Hebrews 1: 2 – 13.

2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 5 For to what angel did God ever say, “Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee”? Psalm 2: 7 Or again,“I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?    2 Samuel 7: 14. 6 And again, when he brings the first-born into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” Deuteronomy 32: 43. 7 Of the angels he says,“Who makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire.”    8 But of the Son he says, “Thy throne, O God,[a] is for ever and ever, the righteous sceptre is the sceptre of thy[b] kingdom.  9 Thou hast loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, thy God, has anointed thee with the oil of gladness beyond thy comrades.” Psalm 45: 6,7. Isaiah 61:1, 3.                     10 And,“Thou, Lord, didst found the earth in the beginning,
and the heavens are the work of thy hands;
11 they will perish, but thou remains;
they will all grow old like a garment,
12 like a mantle thou wilt roll them up,
and they will be changed.[c]
But thou art the same,
and thy years will never end.”
13 But to what angel has he ever said,
“Sit at my right hand
till I make thy enemies
a stool for thy feet”?                                                                                                           

 “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son These words came alive recently when I was reading Nathan’s prophecy to King David, I realised that Jesus is the Son of God.

My husband said, “But you already believe that Jesus is the Son of God!” “Yes, I said, but now God has added substance to my belief.”

Matthew 16: 13 – 20.   

Matthew records Jesus asking his disciples “Who do the people say the Son of man is?” The response was to give names of deceased prophets and Elijah who was translated into heaven on a whirlwind. Peter’s response “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” God had whispered into Peter’s inner ear, and Jesus said that God his Father had revealed this to him.  God had revealed to Peter that Jesus was His Son..                                                                                                 

Also we learn from Peter’s answer Jesus’ question: 3 titles ‘the Son of man, the Son of God and the Christ belong to the same person.

When we pray, in Jesus’ name, we are praying in the authority of those 3 titles.

in verse 20 they were not to tell anybody that he was the Christ. Why were they not to tell anyone? The answer is in the next verse: “Then he strictly charged his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.”

Jesus went on to say that he was going to be killed and rise from the dead, Peter then said, “God forbid that this should happen to you.” Why did he say that? The answer is because the Jews were taught from the law that the Christ when he came would remain forever. “The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?” John 12: 34

But God did not give them understanding of his words concerning his death, we read that they couldn’t grasp it. “But they understood none of these things; this saying was hid from them, and they did not grasp what was said.” Luke 18: 34

After Jesus had been crucified someone shouted up to him on the cross, “If you are the Son of God come down from the cross.” So also the chief priests, with the scribes, and elders mocked him saying, “He saved others but he can’t save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come now down from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him; for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.” Matthew 27: 40-43

From their mocking it couldn’t be clearer that they didn’t believe that he was the Son of God, and also the Christ would not come and die.

Another of Jesus’ greatest attribute: sacrificial love the writer of Hebrews wrote quoting Jesus’ words as he quoted from scripture, ‘A body you have prepared’  Jesus knew that he would be sacrifice for sin and for that reason he was prepared to be born as one of us, “My frame was not hidden from thee, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth. Thy eyes beheld my unformed substance.”  Hebrews 10:5. Psalm  40: 6-8. 139: 15.

Mary gave Jesus his flesh, in order to take our place and die for our sin, and God raised him from the dead and after he won the victory over the devil who held the power over death, God raised Jesus from the dead.  Hebrews  2: 14.

Being one of us in his humanity the Son of God he made it possible for us to be in our resurrected humanity, the bride of Christ.

Jesus is risen, the Christ, the living Son of God.                                                 On the evening of the day of Jesus resurrection when he came into the room and stood among his disciples, he breathed upon them the Holy Spirit and he opened up their minds to understand the scriptures that prophesied  his suffering, death and resurrection. Luke 24: 44-48

After his ascension at Pentecost Peter proclaimed publicly for the first time that Jesus was the Christ. In Acts 3: 17 – 21 Peter tells them that they acted in ignorance the people and rulers when they crucified Jesus it was God’s plan and if they repented their sins would be blotted out and God would send in the times of refreshing and the appointed Christ Jesus.

The times of refreshing: the restoration of the throne of King David and the land given to Abraham for an eternal possession.

How is this relevant for today:  If you go on to Jewish websites like myjewishlearning.com  “What do the Jews believe About Jesus” by Ben Harris you will find one of his headings, ”Did the Jews kill Jesus?” This is still an open wound and needs healing.

All Christians and Jews, I believe need to understand that the Jews and Romans crucified Jesus in ignorance, that Pentecost was the time for the Jewish leaders, to recognise and accept Jesus as their Christ, it was a national calling.                               Isaiah called for the nation to be prepared for the coming of the Saviour of the world, but they missed the moment, Jesus hoped to return within their life time. “Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.” Jesus also said, that only his Father knew the exact time of his return. Mark 9: 1.13: 32.

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Christians Together Haslingden – Jesus is the Son of God

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Jesus is the Son of God

2 Samuel 7: 11 – 18

From this reading God showed me that Jesus is God’s Son. Today many religions reject Jesus being the Son of God. They regard him just being a prophet.

The people of Jesus’ day had assumed that the prophecy given to Nathan for David meant that the Christ would be a direct descendant of King David, the son of David, a man. “I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son.” 2 Samuel 7: 12-14.

Solomon the son of David was made a King; his kingship was passed on down the hereditary line from his father King David. The lineage of the ‘House of David.’ Solomon built God’s house, the Temple at Jerusalem, but it was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586BC . 1 Kings 4: 1, 6: 14.

In the gospels some of the people addressed Jesus as Christ, ‘the son of David.’

Matthew 9: 27, “Have mercy on us, son of David.”

12: 23 “Can this be the son of David?”

John the disciple recorded the people’s confusion over Jesus.

 “When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This is really the prophet.”  Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee?  Has not the scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”  So there was a division among the people over him.  Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.”   John 7: 40-44.

Jesus answered their questioning with a question.

In Mark’s Gospel  he recorded where Jesus  questioned the teaching of the scribes, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?  Mark 12: 35, 36.

Luke tells us that his quotation came from the book of Psalms.

“For David himself says in the Book of Psalms, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I make thy enemies a stool for thy feet.’           David thus calls him Lord; so how is he his son?” Luke 20: 41 – 44       

Jesus had quoted from Psalm 110: 1                                                   

David had discerned two persons: The Lord said to my Lord,’ Just in a few words he had spiritually discerned that both were superior to him. By Jesus quoting these words from the Psalmist he was separating the Lordship of the Christ from being David’s son, a man.

Thomas the disciple who after Jesus’ resurrection spiritually discerned that Jesus was both his Lord and his God, ‘My Lord and my God.’ John 20: 28. This was following Jesus saying to his disciples, “In that day you will know that I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you.” John 14: 20.

Nathan’s prophecy to David about his throne and kingdom being eternal referred to the Christ/Messiah.

The link between the prophecy and Jesus, Mary was a descendant of King David and God was His Father, ”I will be his father, and he shall be my son.” Jesus is ‘Christ the Lord,’ the Son of God.

 Isaiah prophesied that a virgin would conceive and bear a son, and he would be called Emmanuel’ (God with us.) Isaiah 7: 14. 9: 6, 7.

Archangels’ words, “He will be great, and will be called the son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Luke 1: 32, 33.

The gospels record Jesus’ birth at Bethlehem. Matthew 1: 18-25. Luke 2: 7.

God called Jesus His Son    

“A voice came from heaven, “Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased.” Mark 1: 11

The crowd gathered at the cross shouted up to Jesus “. . . If you are the Son of God come down from the cross and we will believe in you.” Matthew 27: 40

The crowd shouting out these words confirms the association between the Jesus the Christ, and the Son of God.

In the first century, the writer of Hebrews also confirms that Jesus is the Son of God from the Hebrew Scriptures. He makes the distinction between the rank of angels and that of the Son of God. (We find Nathan’s prophecy the eternal throne and Psalm 110:1)

“In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has obtained is more excellent than theirs.

5 For to what angel did God ever say,

“Thou art my Son,
today I have begotten thee”?

Or again, “I will be to him a father,
and he shall be to me a son”?

6 And again, when he brings the first-born into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

7 Of the angels he says, “Who makes his angels winds,
and his servants flames of fire.”      

8 But of the Son he says, “Thy throne, O God,[a] is for ever and ever,
the righteous sceptre is the sceptre of thy[b] kingdom.
9 Thou hast loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;
therefore God, thy God, has anointed thee
with the oil of gladness beyond thy comrades.”

10 And, “Thou, Lord, didst found the earth in the beginning,
and the heavens are the work of thy hands;
11 they will perish, but thou remains;
they will all grow old like a garment,
12 like a mantle thou wilt roll them up,
and they will be changed.[c]
But thou art the same,
and thy years will never end.”
13 But to what angel has he ever said,
“Sit at my right hand
till I make thy enemies
a stool for thy feet”?

Hebrews 1: 2, 5, 6, 8, 13. these verses confirm that Jesus is the Son of God born of a woman to become one of us to enable us to be the body, the eternal House of Christ in our humanity, Christ-like.

Hebrews 2: 14 reveals why he was born as one of us in order to defeat the devil’s power over death.

 “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil.”

Jesus is the Son of God faithful over God’s House

“Yet Jesus has been counted worthy of as much more glory than Moses as the builder of a house has more honour than the house. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ was faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house if we hold fast our confidence and pride in our hope.” Hebrews 3: 3-6

He makes the distinction between ranks: Moses the servant and Jesus the Son of God.

Nathan’s prophecy point to the Christ’s suffering.

 “When he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men;” Jesus suffering insults, mocked and being flogged by men and finally suffered death.

 “But I will not take[a] my steadfast love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.’” 

We know the history, Saul was disobedient towards God and the kingship was taken from him. David the shepherd had a heart for the things of God and he was anointed King by Samuel and later succeeded Saul as King. Solomon had a continuous reign even though he worshipped Canaanite gods at one point. 1 Kings 11: 5, 8.

God the Father raised Jesus His Son from the dead, His eternal love poured out on the day of Jesus’ death in forgiveness of sin, the magnitude of God’s love to forgive the sins from the fall of man to the cross, from the cross to now and from now till there is a new heaven and a new earth.

Jesus has fulfilled Nathan’s prophecy

God has allowed him to suffer at the hands of men when he bore the sin of the world. And God in his steadfast love raised him up to sit at His right hand in His eternal kingdom. Till he makes his enemies a stool for his feet.

We Christians are in the ‘House of Jesus’

We do not become Christians through our parent’s faith. Jesus is the seed sown into our hearts through our faith in him; the seed comes direct from Jesus that is why it’s personal salvation. We are joint heirs with Jesus all that belongs to Jesus belongs to us. We are a heavenly people, blessed by God our Father.

Knowing personally that Jesus is the Son of God

For Christians it’s about our relationship with God as our Father. David the shepherd boy had a good relationship with his father Jesse. In his relationship with God he asked for God to create in him a clean heart and a new and right spirit within him.  David was blessed by walking in the anointing of God’s Spirit, but the creating of a clean heart was brought about through the death and resurrection of Jesus, being born again. Psalm 51: 10 John 3:6-8

Jesus’ relationship with his Father was close in that he heard and did as he saw his Father doing, he was willing to do His Father’s will and he responded like His Father to the need to love one another, to honour and respect and to forgive others.

In our relationship with God our Father we revere and talk to Him as Jesus did. We grow closer to God our Father during times of suffering, as we become more dependent upon Him. We concede when we have fallen short in thought, word or actions. We pray believing that God our Father always hears us when we come to Him in faith.

There are many people who for one reason or another have never met their father or who have a bad relationship with their father, so the thought of having a relationship with Father God a perfect father who loves with an everlasting love, must mean a lot to them.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God for being willing to be made like us and to feel how we feel, to experience at first hand the fallen humanity and our longing to find God and to know Him as Father, our dad. Thank you for suffering and taking my place on the cross, bearing my sin and thank you Father for raising Jesus in forgiveness of all sin  and the causes of sin. Thank you for forgiving my sins and raising me up into newness of life, a life transformed to know that Jesus is the Son of God. Thank you, Lord Jesus, Amen.

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The Messiah’s Secret – The Father’s Love

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Colossians 1: 15-23

The Father’s Love

God using His power of love to create life we see across the universe even now stars and planets in the process of being created.

1-Download-Sun-Moon-Stars-Wallpaper-Free

Hubblesite: Hubble Space Telescope

 “In our attempt to understand how planets form the Hubble Space Telescope has worked with other telescopes to open a window onto the mystery of planet formation.

According to our current understanding, a star and its planets form out of a collapsing cloud of dust and gas within a larger cloud called a nebula. As gravity pulls material in the collapsing cloud closer together, the centre of the cloud gets more and more compressed and in turn, gets hotter. This dense, hot core becomes the kernel of a new star.”

Scientists have discovered how stars and planets are formed; they are also able to give precise calculations of movement of planets in our solar system.

It took the Rosetta spaceship 10 years to reach the meteor; the achievement was described as like ‘a fly landing on a speeding bullet’.

They also know that our own planets tilt controls the seasons and the growing of our crops that sustains our lives.

This speaks of a great mind behind the universe that holds it all together. Paul in his letter to the Colossians tells us that Jesus is the One with God who holds it all together. He created and sustains life by his loving words in heaven and on the earth. “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Verse 17

John the Apostle recorded the words of Jesus in his prayer were he revealed that he had come from God before the world was made. “And now Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory which I had with you before the world was made.” John 17: 4

Verse 15 Jesus is the Image of the invisible God

Jesus in conversation with Philip discussed his relationship with God his Father.

Philip was confused when Jesus said, that having seen him they had seen the Father. It must have been quite a shock for Philip to hear Jesus say this.

 “Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.” John 14: 8-11.

Jesus’ reply doesn’t imply that he is a visual image of God in his appearance or features, but it’s by his Father’s power in his words producing evidence of who he is.

35 years ago now the Holy Spirit showed me through the study of the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus is God revealed in the flesh.

His teaching on the Mount upholds the Laws given to Moses by God and at the same time he brings in the New Covenant, the Law fulfilled in love;”Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish but to fulfil . . . For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” We can only exceed the Scribes and Pharisees righteousness by entering into the New Covenant in the love of the father.

In the same chapter we have the example: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”     Matthew 5: 17-20, 43-48

Sin separates us from God, so we are all enemies of God, all under condemnation before God; thankfully the Father’s love is available to all as it continually reaches out to reconcile us back to God through forgiveness of our sins.

God is Love

The power of God’s Spirit of love working with his words having authority to create life: like the stars and planets, is able to forgive the sins of the world, totally delete the cause and the effect and bring about healing.

Christians are being born like the stars across the world fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham. “I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.” Genesis 26:4.

God’s love has strength of its own: pure, holy, blameless, humble, and selfless. An all embracing love

Like many Christians Jesus has been showing me over several days the magnitude of His Father’s love in two ways

Firstly: the greatness of the Fathers love, in the quantity of His love as vast as the universe. Our Father’s outpouring of His love on the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, the magnitude of His love to forgive sin and its causes. Cleansing heaven and earth with his blood, and whether the sin is great or small His love removes, annihilates sin, from the fall of man to the cross, from the cross to now and for future generations, till there is a new heaven and a new earth. 

Secondly: “He is the head of the body, the church . . . . “ Christians in the body of Christ producing love through our relationship with God and walking in the Spirit of God’s love:

Last Wednesday I was at a CAP Christians Against Poverty ‘Revive’ meeting where the emphasis was on being confronted with difficulties coming from people in debt or jobless. Debt Manager Mr G said, “We need to re-position ourselves from the overwhelming need of that person debt or job problems and not to bear them ourselves, but to hand them to God. Mr G said, “It’s ‘Position’ before ‘Purpose’ for us to look to Jesus in prayer and to be known as a people who walk with God.” Not by first ‘Purpose’ looking to sustain them in our own strength, carrying their burden with them, but instead hand over their worries, their situation to the Lord and to those who can deal with their problem and in that way share their problems and help them to resolve their situation..

Testimonies were shared of perseverance were a Debt or Jobseeker’s attitude don’t often reflect what’s going on in a person’s interaction with God.

Once they can see answers to our prayers for them, they begin to take notice and respond, the relief shows on their faces as gradually the light begins to dawn, a new beginning, hope for the future and for some it’s much deeper, they find Jesus as their Saviour, he has paid the price for their sin and wiped their slate clean. Freedom through faith in Jesus.

Working for God doesn’t pay much, but His retirement plan is out of this world.

The Father’s love is powerful in a beautiful way that embraces the whole person. “Beloved let us love for love is of God and only those who love delight in God” 1 John 4: 7.