Category: Examining Biblical Scripture

Diving into the Word: Scripture applies practically to today, bringing spiritual growth and a deeper connection with GOD. How does the Word prepare us, the Bride, for His Call upon our lives and for the return of Jesus/Yeshua/Messiah?

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Examining Biblical Scripture

Walking in the New Man… permanently

The New Man

What is the ‘new man’? How can I walk in the new man every day, all day, forever? I’m saved by grace, but don’t I have to work hard to be a Good Christian? The answer is simply, “No, you don’t.”

“Give me back my stuff,” said Jesus to Author and Prophet Graham Cooke in a personal encounter.

What is stuff? Stuff is the anxiety, worry, anger, hostility, fear, bitterness, resentment…. Stuff is all of the negative thoughts and feelings that are not a part of the Kingdom of God. They are dead, as dead as Jesus was on the cross. And they belong to the Old Man, the man you were and the man I was before accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. The old man is dead (Romans 6:6). The new man lives (Ephesians 4:22-23) and we can allow him to reign in us, by the power of the blood of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit.

We can discern the thoughts and the feelings of the old man versus those of the new man easily enough. Negativity is from the old man. Whatever is not holy, heavenly, delightful, life-giving is not the new man’s thinking or emotion. The fruits of the Spirit which are: love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, patience, faithfulness, self-control, are linked with the thoughts and feelings of the new man.

When Jesus died he took all of our stuff, so that we wouldn’t have to carry it anymore. When we fall into negative thought or emotion, we are taking back what Jesus died to overcome; we are taking back the stuff he died to have, so we wouldn’t have it anymore. He wants us to live in the new man, and let him keep the stuff of the old man.

Although the old man rises up inside of us, we don’t have to allow what is dead to be resurrected. We have the authority and the power to reject the dead man. It is not true that it is a part of us.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2)

Recognizing the old man as dead and that his negative emotions and thoughts are not actually a part of us is an understanding that comes to the transformed mind. We are no longer ‘dead’ in our sin. Saved by grace, we have access to the thought-life and emotional life of Heaven.

The old man, as cited in Romans 6:6 is, “crucified with Him,that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”

Continuing, “For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:7-11 NKJV)

Meditate on this. Allow it to sink into your mind and spirit, to transform you from the inside.

Paul’s reference to sin includes thoughts and emotions that are not life-giving.  They are dead, just as we were dead before we knew Jesus. And we do not have to accept them as a part of us any longer. Instead, we choose to turn a corner and to walk full of the newness that life with Christ offers.

The new man is described as, “renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” and we are to ‘put him on’ (Colossians 3:10). Now, “The new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24 NKJV) is described as, “as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering” (Colossians 3:12) is the person we have become through salvation, whether or not we realize it. We no longer need to walk in the futility of our minds but we have a new mind. Saved by grace we no longer live in despair or darkness except by ignorance.

Becoming Christ-like isn’t about wrestling with our bad habits to overcome them so we can behave more “Christian”. Becoming like Christ is living in the new mindset we’ve already been given supernaturally. We are not only saved by grace, but we are also sanctified by grace. And so let us with this information, walk in the new man, leaving behind the patterns, habits and trappings of the old man. Let us run the race set before us (Hebrews 12:1) with joy, peace, faith and love, knowing the old stuff is false and the new is our true identity, already accessible. We are alive in Christ. So, let us help each other to walk in that new life, knowing the old has passed away and the new is here to stay.

Studies in the world have proven that we will often manifest what we expect. Let us expect a life free from strife, filled with joy, and moving toward the Kingdom of Heaven which has come down to Earth and has already saved us from sinful selves so that we can live in the freedom of our true selves, free to be the people God created us to be.

My favourite scripture is this:

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14

Ready: Take time to unclutter your mind and discover who you are in Christ.

Set: Choose to be resolute. Trust and surrender is letting go of hard work and doubt. It is tenacity at it’s best. It is hope and faith in action.

Go: With faith and focus like flint and with a face to match, I’m going forward in the knowledge and love of Christ, to be the new man, full of God’s grace, truth, hope and joy. Please, will you join me?

 

One sure-fire way to find clarity of mind is to rest in scripture and consider letting go of any insecurity you may carry.

 Sarah Tun: Free to BeFree to Be offers you just the structure and strategy to go through the letting go process:

see and buy US: http://laruspress.com/free-to-be-defeating-insecurity-transforming-relationships-building-character

buy UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Free-Defeating-Insecurity-Transforming-Relationships/dp/1554527317/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1407125539&sr=8-2&keywords=sarah+tun

 

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Examining Biblical Scripture

Parenting is Tough, Jesus is our Role Model

“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

When I look at Jesus I see a man of infinite patience. I see the Son of God who loves me to no end. I see the Father’s face and am moved to tears of gratitude, joy and hope. I am safe in love, mercy and peace.

When I look at myself in the mirror I do not see Jesus, but I know I am Jesus to my child. And I want my child to see the Jesus that I see: daily, hourly, moment by every precious moment.

Parenting is tough. How do I represent God to my son, so that he will grow up full of love, and into a follower of Christ?

Many children want two things: to please and to have their own way. Often, these two desires are not compatible. When we parent our children, we have the responsibility to guide them to truth and responsibility, and to enable them to enjoy the life they’ve been given. Whether in joy or sorrow, pain or pleasure, we mirror God and His universe to them. We want them to grow, knowing they are imperfect, they are loved and they are to love.

I’ve asked myself many times, ‘Am I getting this right?’ How, as a parent, do I lead my child to Christ, to be a confident person, humble before God?

Ready: First, I pray. Pray when the child is in the womb, that s/he will grow into the person God has created. Pray and let your child see you praying for her, for your family, friends, colleagues. Pray for your city, country, world. Pray that you will have strength to parent your child wisely, and with compassion, strength and integrity.

Set: Next, enjoy. Play, challenge, encourage. Build his sense of right and wrong, his knowledge of Father God, his delight in others and in you, his parent(s). Discipline when necessary, with both firmness and gentleness.  Be consistent in your expectations, follow through with your promises, be tender when he fails and kind. Know that one day, in the fullness of time, you will want this person to be your friend.

Go: Be confident in your calling, even when you feel full of self-doubt. Jesus, by his Spirit, is within you and surrounding you with love. Love covers a multitude of weaknesses, both yours and your child’s. Know that just as Father God has led you this far, He will never let you down. Lean on Him, be strong for your child, and take courage. Your child will grow into the man or woman s/he was created to be.

My son and me: Photo

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Examining Biblical Scripture

How is it that Jesus is the only way?

Jesus is the son of God (Matthew 1:18). He is the Word of God (John 1:1). He is the immaculate conception (Luke 1:30-35). He died and rose again from the dead (Mark 16:6).

We who follow Christ know all these things to be true. But each of these facts may not convince a seeker who wants to believe that good people go to heaven and that those who’ve never heard of Jesus but are faithfully religious in their culture will ‘be saved’.

How is it possible that only one person can be the gateway for a relationship with the Creator of the Universe? How is it that Jesus is the only way to God?

Only one person was able to defeat death, so that others could piggy-back on His triumph, and be forgiven their sin and regain the relationship with God that was always intended. That one person had to be pure, so that others could attain that purity through their faith in him. That person could not be the son of a man, because any who are the son of man have inherited the sin of mankind, through Adam. That person happened to exist outside of time, before the world began, when he spoke words and the elements came into being and obeyed his voice.

Jesus was a baby, then a boy, who became a man. Before time and before he was born in Bethlehem, we know the Word of God existed because he spoke and there was light, and life. But his name wasn’t Jesus. His name was Word.

There is so much to grapple with in trying to understand how Jesus is the only way (John 14:6). He said it and so it must be true because he would not lie. But how is it true?

The theology of the truth of Christ’s power is not difficult, but it is profound. The reality is that no one else has the right to save. Adam forfeited the world God had given to him, and his immortality, to Satan when he disobeyed God’s will; God allowed Satan to tempt Jesus so he – and we – could see for ourselves he would not be tempted or tricked into disobeying God. Jesus did not inherit sin by being born in sin, nor did he become sinful through disobedience. Further, as he was totally surrendered to God, so he was a perfect model of surrender for us; he even surrendered unto death, the most painful form of execution in history. Then he rose from death to complete the task of enabling us to have eternal life.

Jesus has claim to be the only savior because he was the only one who walked the walk of a savior. He was only able to walk that walk because he was totally surrendered to God. And he was the only one able to be totally surrendered because he had the Spirit of the living God inside himself, speaking and working through him to do the will of the father.

When you witness your faith in Jesus, know the theology of who Jesus is. It isn’t particularly whether he was fully man, fully God or a mixture that needs to be resolved. What matters to the unbeliever is where Jesus got his authority. He was perfect, and so the ‘buck stopped with him.’

Ready: Know the why’s and how’s of your faith in order to answer questions intelligently and with the authority God has already given you as one of His children.

Set: Prepare your testimony and be ready to give an account of your faith.

Go: Live, love, laugh, knowing God has set you free from your sin and seeks to save others through who you are and how you live. You may never be drawn into an argument, but in case you are asked, you’ll want to be able to explain answers to the profound questions of salvation by God’s grace.

God bless. See you next Thursday. In the meantime, how about investigating another of my blogs:

refreshing lifeA Life Examined is a woman’s view of life as it unfolds. It is a more secular viewpoint and so can be a useful tool to offer to others who don’t want ‘God talk’ but who do want a healthy, sincere perspective on life as it unfolds.

 

 

Manitoulin LighthouseLife from the Lighthouse shares what I learn from God when I manage to listen.

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Examining Biblical Scripture

Does the Church need the Holy Spirit at Christmas?

It is Christmas! It is the day that so many of us around the world have marked to celebrate that Love came down to earth, to set us free from the despair in our own sinful lives.

Nothing can minimize the huge blessing that was the arrival of baby Jesus, nor does the amazing significance of his death and resurrection have any equal. Jesus came from on high and was baptized into ministry at the age of thirty. He did only the will of his Father, and all that he did, he did through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Does the Church need the Holy Spirit at Christmas? The Need for God’s Holy Spirit Anointing is evident at this time in our history. The Church needs the Holy Spirit at Christmas and every day.

In Bill Johnson’s book, Dreaming with God, he makes it abundantly clear we need the Holy Spirit to fill us, in order to live the life the LORD has for us. And Geoff Shattock of WorkTalk Weekly says, “your work consists of these same energy consuming characteristics, and you will need the same Spirit to equip you. Please don’t be tempted to believe that you can work in any meaningful way without the sense of the Spirit being upon you, anointing you and sending you” (post date: 8th September, 2014)

For far too long, far too many believers have been walking out their lives in their own strength and power. But we see in God’s word that Jesus was equipped for service through the power of the Holy Spirit:

Isaiah 61 and Luke 4 read:

“The Spirit of the LORD God is upon Me, because He has anointed Me…” (NKJV)

With the call and responsibility as Believers in these times, can we afford to think the Spirit is no longer available, is dormant or is only a connection point at the moment of salvation? No, the Spirit is active in and through you, and is available to the level of your faith, study, and willingness to receive. He is the power and the presence of Father God. He rested upon prophet after prophet in Old Testament times and filled many a believer in the New Testament church. We need him now, in these challenging and surprising times, no less than at any other time in history.

We need an awakening, an activating, an infilling of the Holy Spirit throughout the Body of Christ, as it was with the Apostles, as it was in the New Testament church. We need the Spirit of God actively working in us in order to function effectively for God’s Kingdom in these End Times.

Recently, I moved country, and the process hasn’t been easy. God’s adventures are never dull; there are so many blessings I’ve experienced through the people I’ve met and the challenges I’ve faced since the beginning of the process to move from Canada to Spain. But I have failed many times, particularly as a parent in these last few weeks, and I know I am only as ‘good’ as the Spirit who dwells within me.

How do we receive Holy Spirit’s power? We seek, ask and pray. What do we do to safeguard ourselves from the occult? Know the Word and the fellowship of other believers. How can we trust it is God working in us, rather than Satan? We shall know by the fruit our actions produce. The fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, Patience, Faith and Self-Control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Ready: Seek deep intimacy with the Father. Ask Him for a baptism of His Holy Spirit, because the power of God resides inside you, and is meant for leading, guiding and equipping you in your walk through life.

Set: As you ask in Faith to receive God’s Holy Spirit power, wait. As a Believer, the Spirit is already within you. Ask God to make you abundantly aware of His presence within and around you. Pray for His protection if you feel fearful, and trust He hears your prayer.

Go: Do you recognize your need? Do you experience God meeting you? In the power of the Holy Spirit, follow God’s lead to live, to witness and to minister to others to whom God will lead you.

In subsequent weeks I plan to dig into more depth about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

May this special day marked on the calendar be the beginning of deeper intimacy with the Father and His Son, through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

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Examining Biblical Scripture

When is it the time to witness our faith?

Sharing our Faith

When is it the right time to share our faith with unbelievers?

Recently, I heard David Wilkerson preach. It was a clip from You Tube, broadcast on Revelation TV. 

In essence, David said,

“When was the last time in church you felt the conviction of God, drawing you to repentance, drawing you closer to Him, drawing you?”

It’s so easy to live our lives day-by-day, as though we have all the time in the world to get to know Jesus.

But we haven’t.

And neither do our friends.

As the world spins around, anti Christ forces are pulling hard, and media, education, politics, and much of western society is speaking such anti God propaganda that it’s closing minds before they’ve even had time to consider Creation and the Creator.

I had the experience of losing a friend to cancer well before her time. Thankfully, she was a believer. But it taught me, the time truly is short and not to be taken for granted.

I don’t believe we are all called to be Evangelists. But we are all called to be ready to give an account of what we believe and know of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. (see 1 Peter 3:15)

When is the time to witness our faith? Now. And always. With meekness, gentleness, shamelessness and confidence in Christ.

When is the time to draw closer to God. Now. And always. With meekness, gentleness, shamelessness and confidence in Christ.

Ready: Prepare your testimony. How did you find Jesus? (How did he find you?) What difference has he made to your life? Why are you talking about him now?

Set: Pray for God’s occasion and calling, for you to speak on behalf of your faith in Him.

Go: Know the Holy Spirit of God resides in you, and will give you the time, the audience and the words to speak.

“Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.” (Acts 5:20)

 

 

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Examining Biblical Scripture

Jesus: Baby, Son of God, God

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” (John 1:14)

How do you celebrate Christmas? Is Jesus at the center of it? How do you show your focus to him?

It will be only days before the majority of the world celebrates the birth of a baby in a stable whose name was to be called, Jesus. The Christmas Season is upon us, and I for one choose not to ignore it.

Some Christian organizations celebrate on the 25th of December, some on the 6th of January. Some do not like to celebrate either of these dates, because it isn’t the actual season of Jesus’ birth; others reject the commercialism that has come to symbolize Christmas, and so for the sake of their principles, they ignore the occasion.

”As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15)

I enjoy the principle of Christmas. I know the date was chosen centuries ago, to fall on the last day of a pagan festival to try to draw those pagans into Christianity. But still, I enjoy the nativity and all the modern lights and scenes that depict the night of the birth of the son of God.

I don’t like the commercialism of Christmas. I love the carols, but not the modern songs that talk about snow drops and reindeer and which seem oblivious to the reality of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ, the Saviour of the world. I can take or leave a tree. But I don’t like to ignore the beginning of the life of the Word who became flesh.

READY: Choose how you will mark the birth of Jesus. Make it your own festivity, for you and your family, in your own way.

SET: Prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus in your own unique way.

GO: Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in a new and personal way to reflect the Christmas Season that manifests your relationship with Jesus, Saviour of the World.

 

 

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Examining Biblical Scripture

Prayer that bears another’s burden and leads to victory

Have you often wanted to help someone who is suffering, yet have felt helpless? Have you ever wondered, ‘How can I help my friend who is in pain?’

Do you know that you have the power to help anyone who suffers?

Distress is painful to experience, but it can be equally painful to observe from the sidelines the pain of a loved one. Those who follow Christ know that we are to “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

Though we may feel powerless to help someone else, we know the power that does help, which comes from above.

Prayer moves mountains and heals the physically and emotionally sick.

Prayer changes your heart and the hearts of others.

Prayer determines our course and touches the course of Heaven, when we pray the LORD’s prayers.

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:31-34)

As we mature in our personal prayer life, a natural shift begins to take place: We begin to ask more for others than for ourselves, trusting God knows and satisfies our own needs. As we pray, we are bearing others’ burdens in the Spirit; likewise,  when we share our needs with others, we are sharing our burdens. Doesn’t God love it when we knit ourselves together, bonding in Godly love and support for one another! (Psalm 133)

Ready: Who do you know who’s need is great and who perhaps God has laid on your heart?

Set: Find a verse that supports the needs of this person. (Bible Gateway will help you to find the location or specific wording of any verse.)

Go: Commit to pray for this person and allow God to lead your words. WAIT to hear what God will say, and how He’ll lift the burden. Trust that, when it lifts, God has done the work that needs to be done, through your prayer and your love toward your ‘brother’. Then, you can praise God, trusting, with faith, that the work has been done.

Bless you for your love. Trust that love is a gift from God and that, in the Spirit, it is powerful in the pulling down of strongholds.

 

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Examining Biblical Scripture

How to pray without ceasing

What is prayer?

Prayer is such an amazing tool and gift. Ultimately, it leads us to the throne room of God. Prayer elevates our thinking and reveals God’s perspective to us. It is the means we use to fight and win against the enemy. But until we dig, reflect, relate personally through prayer and worship, and allow ourselves to be broken, we cannot grow to be the spiritual warriors God has created us to be.

Romans 1:9-10 is just one of many scriptures that shows the effort prayer takes:

“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you.”

In the end, Paul did get to Rome.

Have you experienced profound practical results directly through your prayer life?

If you find prayer yields less than you hope, rest assured it isn’t because God is absent. You can deepen your prayer life. While it starts with determined effort, through reading the Bible and giving yourself a quiet space and personal room for calm moments of reflection, it doesn’t really blossom until you connect with the Holy Spirit, does it?

You can’t demand the Holy Spirit meet you, but you who have the Holy Spirit inside you, can expect Him to draw near. Everything in the Word that Jesus says about God’s Spirit promises intimacy. God hears our prayers; His Spirit is willing and eager to meet with us.

Let’s look at an issue I have experienced to show how close the Holy Spirit is to us…

Ready: My young son’s spiritual maturity is very much a heart issue for me. I earnestly seek God’s will for his life and pray protection over him daily. I don’t say a prayer and leave it at that. But nor do I repeat the same prayer over and over, because I believe God hears me the first time. I don’t presume and let the issue drop.

Set: I pray daily for my son: for his growth, through the issues that arise in his life, lifting up the challenges and situations he faces, and for his future as a Godly man. The words of my prayers change, but my heart’s desire does not. I also yield my prayers to God, asking Him to reveal His heart for the child, and His timing in the experiences that will teach and grow the boy.

One example of praying without ceasing is covering my son in prayer: for his safety, his maturity, his relationship with God, and his personal identity. I trust God hears me and I allow Him to touch my heart and to guide my prayers, as I surrender my will and my son’s life to God.

By the time he’s 21, my son will be a man. I still won’t stop covering him in prayer, but as now, the prayers will be adapted according to the needs and circumstances he faces, and based on God’s leadership and not my own.

Go: Now, is it your turn to sit with the LORD? Time to talk with Him, and to praise Him for the unfolding of answered prayer.

Earnestly seek Him, His will and His way, and He will reveal Himself and the ways in which He needs you and your prayer life to grow.

Sunrise 1

 

Seek a quiet place to pray.

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Examining Biblical Scripture

Why will the Poor always be with Us?

Why are there poor?

Jesus said, “For you have the poor with you always…” Mark 14:7a.

Did Jesus mean we are to care for them all the more? Or to recognize we can never rescue all of the poor? Or does this mean something else completely?

Recently, I was reading the children’s Bible to my son and, in its simplicity, I was suddenly struck by the notion that, like Lazarus, the LORD carries those who have lived wretched lives on earth; they experience comfort and wholeness after their earthly lives have ended.

The LORD, who exists outside of time, knows the purpose for all events and all of our lives. Perhaps the poor exist for themselves to be redeemed in the next life, and for the rich of this world to discover their own wretchedness in the next.

Ready: We are to value life, this life, irrespective of what our standard of living is. There is a place for all of us after life on earth, and those who are wretched in this life will be comforted in the next.

How this all works theologically remains somewhat of a mystery to me, as I know that Jesus came to save us all from our sins, and that none of us can see the Kingdom of God except through him. We must be born again by faith in the Son of God, just as Jesus said himself in John 3, if we are to have eternal life. BUT perhaps those in abject poverty are: in their humility, in their suffering, and in their despair, more aware of God, unlike the rich in their prosperity and distraction.

After this life, there is another that goes on for eternity. Perhaps, though Lazarus suffered in this life, God was using the suffering as an opportunity for the wealthy to love and to give. God honoured the poor man into eternity, for his suffering; comfort came to Lazarus. But pain and shame came to the rich man who saw nothing beyond himself while on earth.

Set: If we who have much honour the poor who have little, we are able to be grafted into the honour given to the poor man.

I wonder if this is how God sees the value of suffering? Certainly Jesus suffered on behalf of us all, but perhaps in His wisdom, he gives some of us more opportunity to suffer or to be a comfort to others in this life, in order to grow us for the next.

How will we move forward knowing the poor we will always have with us?

  • We will love, in word and deed.
  • We will acknowledge with respect and humility.
  • We will give as we have been provided for.

And then perhaps we may share in some of the Glory that comes through suffering and hardship.

Go: love, live, enjoy and give.

 

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Examining Biblical Scripture

What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?

Baptism means ‘to submerge’ so to be baptized means to be immersed in water. By definition there is no such thing as full immersion baptism as opposed to any other sort, because – at least as I see it –  the word implies full immersion and nothing else.

So, if baptism means ‘to be submerged’ then what is Holy Spirit baptism? What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit’?

Ready:

On the Day of Pentecost, 50 days after the Passover and Christ’s Crucifixion, many refreshing lifewere gathered when tongues of fire descended upon them and they spoke in various languages (Acts 2). This is one manifestation of the Holy Spirit. The Pentecostal Church denomination was founded upon this truth, and it is their doctrine which says you will speak in tongues if you are baptized in the Holy Spirit. For me, Baptism in the Holy Spirit is even simpler than that: the manifest presence of God will fall upon anyone it wills and the power and presence of God will be experienced.

The Holy Spirit is our teacher, comforter, and will convict us of sin.  He is our helper (John 14, 15, 16) Any who believe and follow Jesus receive the Holy Spirit at the time of rebirth. But how do we experience His presence? How do we know the power from on high? And do we need this power if we are saved by God’s grace? Indeed we do. Why?

We live in dangerous times. Many say it is the End Times.

Jesus had the Holy Spirit’s power and presence. In Luke 4 Jesus quotes Isaiah 61, speaking of the Holy Spirit of the LORD resting upon him. If he operated in and through the Spirit, then how much more do we need Him?

“The Spirit of the LORD God is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach good news….” (Isaiah 61: 1)

And yet I for one, haven’t enough of Him. I have experienced His power and presence. I have basked in the beauty of His holiness on more than one occasion. And yet, I am fearful of Him whenever He draws near, not because He will hurt me, but because I am anxious when it comes to surrender. Even though it is always good, always refreshing, always renewing, my flesh resists and I struggle to yield.

Set:

I experience the presence of the Holy Spirit in the following ways:

He makes me nervous

He makes me tremble

He gives me a rumbling ache in my tummy

My mouth wants to shout praise

I am sleepless

These are just clues to manifestation of Holy Spirit.

The fruit is patience. The fruit is greater love for others and for God

The fruit is joy, peace, goodness, faith, greater kindness, gentleness and/or self control.

Nothing ill comes from Holy Spirit. He does not overtake our bodies or our minds. He does gently and sometimes persistently prompt us to surrender to God’s timing, Word or wisdom. He does wake us up to spiritual understanding, deepening our experience or understanding of God’s word. He does not take over or harm. He is to be awed but not feared, to be followed, to be comforted and nurtured by. He protects, warns and guides.

Yes, in these end times, if indeed they are End Times, we need Holy Spirit. And those operating with Him can do much to bring God’s kingdom here, on Earth, as it is in Heaven.

Go:

Plan to experience a deepening awareness of God’s Spirit upon you.

1. Invite Him

2. Choose to trust Him

3. Give Him time to descend upon you and to fill you

4. Surrender: fear, suspicion, anxiety to Him

5. Receive from Him

poss for website 2May you have a Spirit-filled day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
Examining Biblical Scripture

How can the Church become like Jesus?

5 Aspects of Christ: How can Jesus’ church become like Jesus?

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12)

Many people say they like Jesus but not the church. The church follows but does not act like Jesus. We are called to be his hands and feet, but making the church like Jesus hasn’t been very successful so far, has it?

Ready: How can the church become like Jesus today? The church has a responsibility to reflect Christ. After 2000 years we are still lacking. How can we finally equip ourselves, and find our perfect character in Christ?

Set: For the church to operate in the way God intends, we need to be led within the structure God intended. One key lies in the five fold ministry, Jesus’ gift to the church. These five fold ministries are: apostle, prophet, evangelist, teacher, pastor. Each of these ministries is an aspect of Christ, who had all of these qualities. We need all the qualities of Christ if we are to operate in his authority and power.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to My Father.”(John 14:12)

Through these 5 ministries, the Body is prepared. Within the church, there are people with the particular calling of pastor, teacher, evangelist, prophet, or apostle.

The calling does not have to do with education but everything to do with anointing. You may know the person that just opens his mouth and out comes revelation about God’s Word (teacher). Or whenever someone is in need of wise counsel, you can spot the gifted pastor, ready with just the right word in just the right season. There are those who have a special gift for sharing Jesus with unbelievers, who’s witness seems so easily to affect others toward him; these are evangelists. Some have the ability to see God’s plans and purposes and are designed for the prophetic. Finally, there are apostles who lead naturally, and hold visions for the new things God has for His Church.

With any one of these ministries missing, the church is lacking a necessary part of it’s headship and does not grow as God intends it. So often everything falls to the minister employed by the church; many things cannot be fulfilled by one key person. God loves unity (Psalm 133) and to see His people working together for good.

How to play your part in building the church:

Step 1: Recognize the church structure is imperfect but God has given us the perfect structure to equip the Body of Christ.

Step 2: Study and learn these 5 fold gifts. See if you spot others who are these gifts to the Body of Christ. Could you be one of these gifts?

Step 3: Encourage the gifts in others; identify and practice them. 1 Corinthians chapter 12 tells us the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Romans 12 lists the gifts of God.

Step 4: Encourage your church leaders. Honour them. They too are gifted and seeking to honour God with their lives.

Step 5: Pray, asking God to reveal the gifts of Jesus that are within the congregation. This may be radical thinking for your church, so pray for God’s will to be done and for willing hearts within your congregation and church leaders.

Go: Intercede for your church, your city and your region, that the Body of Believers would be equipped and ready to serve the LORD with gladness, and the people with love. (And when you feel called to step out to share this message, step out in faith and share in love, asking for God’s timing and His window – first.)

 

Categories
Examining Biblical Scripture

Worship as a form of Spiritual Warfare

‘Music has charms to soothe the savage breast.’ (William Congreve) And it can do so much more!

Ready: We sing songs in church, and that’s nice. But what is worship really all about?

Set: Whether singing old hymns or new tunes, worship is a serious issue. Worship is much more than singing songs at the beginning of a church service, or enjoying a praise CD in our cars on the way to work. Although those experiences can be fulfilling, worship is a lifestyle and as we engage with our Heavenly Father, we can offer a sweet fragrance to Him and simultaneously thwart the enemy’s intentions. When we walk in a lifestyle of worship, we enjoy peace of mind, freedom of expression and joy in the Spirit.

Is worship a form of spiritual warfare? This question, “Is worship a form of spiritual warfare,” is one of the most commonly asked questions by today’s Christians.

If the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, patience, faithfulness and self-control, then any exhibition of these fruits will be sweet to the LORD and sour to the enemy. There are prayers of intercession, and declarations to transform our present circumstances to God’s will; there are prayers to heal hearts, overcoming poverty and oppression, and to protect the land and its heritage. But one of the most basic battles we can wage against the enemy is to enjoy this life and whatever circumstances we face (Philippians 3:1). As we worship the LORD in Spirit and in Truth, it pulls down the enemy every time!

1. Celebrate your life, with or without a music track.

Go: Enjoy every moment of the LIFE the LORD has given you today, knowing the weapons of our warfare are not physical but spiritual.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:14)

Categories
Examining Biblical Scripture

No more fear

How to beat fear in 3 steps: Most of us are afraid of something aren’t we, but it isn’t an enjoyable way to live.

Ready: Would you like to end fear creeping into your life forever? God’s love has already wiped it all away.

Set: The Bible says ‘fear not’ 365 times… that’s once for every day of the year. Why? Because it’s natural for us to fear. Except now that we are alive in Christ, we no longer have a reason to fear. We are supernatural beings! Fear is beneath us. How then, do we stay on top of fear? It’s through love… for when we experience perfect love there is no room for fear.

The opposite of fear is not courage; the opposite of fear is love. Fear can only get a grip on us when there is a lack of assurance that we are loved. The perfect antidote to fear is God’s love – because God is in charge of the universe and He has promised to bless any who make Him their God (Genesis 12, 17).

Steps to Beating Fear:

1. Acknowledge the Sovereignty of God: There is nothing that escapes God’s gaze or His power. All circumstances flow from his desire to bless His children.

2. Embrace the perfect love of God, who knows you intimately (Psalm 139:14) and will protect, defend, guide and teach you in all things, through the Holy Spirit.

3. Press forward, into God’s purposes. ‘Straining forward and focusing on what lies ahead’ enables us to overcome the temptation to fear.

Go:

Choose to walk in the knowledge that God loves you and is in charge. He knows the beginning from the end. There is nothing to fear.

Categories
Examining Biblical Scripture

Worry Free Living

How can we avoid worrying? Isn’t it just a part of life? No, actually, with Christ it doesn’t have to be.

Ready:

In Christ, your identity is sure and your purpose is secure. Your living spirit has overcome worry. Whether you have a long ‘to do’ list, major surgery or a pile of unpaid bills, you can ignore those things concerning you and get on with life. Believe-it-or-not, Jesus didn’t worry. And so we don’t have to either.

Set:

Perhaps one of the most famous passages of Jesus’ teaching is his word about worry, from the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 6:25-34 reads: “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?…” (NKJV)2 Swan on a Cold Day

We who believe in the Father and the Son can trust the Holy Spirit’s power to enable us to overcome the habit of worry. It robs us of the joy and freedom that Jesus died to give us. Here are four steps to accomplish this:

1. Decide to dwell on life-fulfilling thoughts. As Paul wrote in Philippians 4, ‘Whatever things are true, whatever things noble….. just….. pure….. lovely….. meditate on these things.’

2. Praise God, listing some of the things you are thankful for and some of the promises He’s made.

3. Read a passage from the Bible. Read it again. It’s amazing how our spirit will rise up when we feed it the Word of God.

4. Allow fear and control to slip away from you. At the root of fear is the desire to control… to protect ourselves. But when we have the Creator of the Universe watching over us, what more protection do we need?

A little self-discipline and a lot of the Holy Spirit enables us to overcome.

Go:

poss for website 2When we recognize our worries, we can give them up. Trading them in for God’s promises is definitely an upgrade!

 

 

Categories
Examining Biblical Scripture

How to have a Stress Free Life

How to keep the Stress Out of Life: Your spirit made alive by your faith in Jesus is a key to living a peace-filled life.

Ready: 

We want abundant life, as peaceful and free from stress as the life Jesus led. But we don’t generally experience that, do we? Why not? And if not, how can we get to the sort of peaceful existence Jesus lived?

Our flesh is powerful. The mind, and in particular our will, doesn’t always want to cooperate with God’s Holy Spirit. When we are surrendered to God the day runs smoothly; when we choose to control our day, it can be rough. We don’t live in a vacuum; we can’t control our circumstances nor everyone around us. Control is an illusion and trying to maintain it is like rolling a very large boulder up a very steep hill. Trying to stay in control creates stress. On the other hand, surrendering our will to the supernatural sovereign God of the Universe allows for His timing and His encounters. In my experience, I’ve accomplished more and had a more satisfying close to the day when I’ve lived with a plan that is surrendered to God.

Set:

We can say we surrender… but how do we stay surrendered to God beyond a moment of prayer in the morning (or the night before)?

Fortunately we are not on our own. We stay surrendered, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6)

Try this:

still water1. Select a passage of God’s Word and read it. It might be a single verse or a chapter; the length doesn’t matter.

2. Rest in His Word. Read it and read it again.

3. Fight an urge to resist “resting” by telling God – out loud – that you surrender your will to Him today.

4. Recognize a key step….

Did you surrender your will to your spirit and then your living spirit to God’s Holy Spirit? We have a soul and we have a spirit. Your spirit and soul are not the same thing… Here’s how: Our soul is our mind: will, intellect and emotions. But our spirit is another part of us – the part of us that makes us different from animals. It is what completes us in God’s image.

God made us in His image (Genesis 1:27, 2:7) and it is our spirit which enables us to live and move and have our being in Him. It’s a huge topic for future posts. But here I’ll split a hair… (for more see LarusWalk post The Soul and Spirit within)

Just as through our faith in Jesus we have been given eternal life, so our spirit has been given new life. The Holy Spirit is God’s comforter, helper and convicts us when we need it. In between our soul and God’s Holy Spirit is our living spirit, surrendered to God and empowered by Him. Our spirit is unique to us, ready to enable us to walk, not by might nor by power but by His Spirit. Surrendering our will to our spirit is a key to walking in Life, Love and Peace – daily. So, knowing this…..

5. Surrender your will to your spirit, and your spirit to God. Inviting your spirit to have leadership over your soul makes surrender a whole lot easier.

6. Wait. Listen internally for God’s prompting. Perhaps during the waiting you’ll feel a spontaneous urge to sing or to praise Him in some way; go for it! Or maybe there will be a sigh. It is all a part of your private surrendering process.

Go: Now go, give your day to the LORD, and see how easy the day – even with all it’s responsibilities – can be.

 

 

Categories
Examining Biblical Scripture

How to Be Super Spiritually Fit

How to Become Super Spiritually Fit

Ready:  How can you find and sustain intimacy with God so your mind is renewed and your spirit is toned to lead you? There is no formula to use to become more intimate with God, but it is intimacy with God that will keep you super spiritually fit. You will never deepen your relationship with Christ by filling your brain with my words. So, I’ll keep it short to give you the time to go away and apply – that is spend time with God – so He’ll renew your mind and transform you with His Spirit, so you become more like God. Psalms

Set:  Start with God’s Word. Choose a scripture and spend time with it… Try Psalm 23 or Philippians 4:13 to start with.

1. read it 2. roll it around in your mind

3. focus on whatever part of it jumps out at you asking, ‘what does this mean for me today?’

4. chew it – memorize a phrase or listen to your inner heartbeat: that part of you that knows that you know that Jesus Christ is the most real part of your life.

5. Ask God to reveal Himself to you… and wait.

6. Thank Him – just thank Him for being who He is and for anything else that is bubbling up inside of you.

7. Stay as long as you like – or go if you must – but go knowing the God of Heaven, Creator of the universe is filling you with His Holy Spirit to make you strong.

Go:  Now go! Choose a peaceful physical space and go into the Word of God. From this moment forward, settle for nothing less than intimacy with your Heavenly Father.

Categories
Examining Biblical Scripture

The Two Keys to Victorious Living

“But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

There are two keys in this life that I have found that help me to I walk – ultimately to soar – in spiritual victory, so that I am able to rejoice in all circumstances. These two keys are worship and warfare.

Knowing when to worship and when to fight in prayer, knowing how to do both of these things, are vitally important to all believers, so that we are all able to fight the good fight and to finish the race set before us.

To live a life empowered by God, discovering and fulfilling God’s call on our lives, is a task of hard work and surrender. But in all things we are more than conquerors. As we are sanctified, so are we prepared to stand in the front line, to live the spirit-filled life, ready and able to do that which He has willed and purposed in us to do.

I have found tremendous help in my journey from key experiences, ministries and individuals. From time to time I will make direct reference to them. Rod and Julie Anderson, Founders of the Prayer Foundation, I’d like to thank you straight up for being great teachers, friends, and mentors. Your word to me to ‘keep a sweet spirit’ has been instrumental in my growing and deepening relationship to the LORD.

Food for Thought:

Who has God placed in your life that has helped to bring you to this point in your life right now?

Categories
Examining Biblical Scripture

The Soul and the Spirit Within

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2; bold – mine)

When God created man, he created him in his own image. That means we were created with a body, a soul (intellect, emotions, will) and a spirit. The difference between human beings and all other animals, birds, reptiles, fish, is that unlike any other, we have a spirit. There is no question that animals have a will; just consider dogs and cats for a moment. Dogs want to please their masters – that is their will; cats want to be pleased by their masters – that is their will (for the record, I’m very much a cat lover). As to intellect, animals – whether by instinct or intelligence – can care for their young. And all creatures have emotion, witnessed by the grieving of a dolphin or a dove that loses its life’s partner, or the soulful mourns of a coyote at dusk. But animals do not have a spirit.

The soul is often called the mind. The spirit is that which comes only from God and which was ‘lost’ in Adam’s sin. Those who are born again in Christ have their spirits renewed, and receive the Holy Spirit, who is our comforter, our counsel and who convicts us of our sin. Often in scripture the spirit is referred to as our heart, just as the soul is referred to as our mind.

To make the distinction between soul and spirit is going to be very important in coming weeks and months as we seek the renewing of our minds. I want for you; I desire that you discover the unique calling and purpose God has for you, both corporately and individually. It is God who renews our minds, and it is through His Spirit we receive counsel and revelation. What part does our spirit play? As we study scripture and digest its meaning – not by my revelation, for I am not a teacher of God’s Word – but by your own revelation from the LORD – we will learn and grow in preparation for God’s call on our lives. And we will discover that by surrendering our soul to our spirit and our spirit to the Holy Spirit, we will be better able to surrender our will for our lives to God.

As believers we have confessed our sinful nature, have made a commitment to follow Christ, and are doing our utmost to live lives worthy of the fact we’ve been called by God. But we stumble, we fail, we get up again. This will always be the way. And yet, as we study to show ourselves approved, as we surrender our will to our spirit, and our spirit to that of the Holy Spirit, we will gain and become more and more like Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. How will we know this to be true? The fruit of our lives will be changed.

So, as you go forward over the coming days, I’d like to encourage you to study the word, and choose to allow your spirit to overcome your thoughts, will, emotions at times of stress, inconvenience and challenge. Let the world see in you all that God has for it is Him we live and move and have our being.

Theological references:

  • Genesis 1:27; 2:7
  • Ephesians 4:23; 4:11
  • John 16:13
  • Hebrews 4:12
  • Luke 24:3
  • 2 Timothy 2:15
  • Galatians 5:22
Categories
Examining Biblical Scripture

How are We Witnessing?

The Great Commission

“Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.  And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:14-16).

We who love Jesus are called to ‘preach the gospel’. But our love and character are means to declare the saving grace of God, as well as our words.

I’d like to suggest that words are powerful, but so too are our actions, our behaviour and our demonstration of love. In some relationships, we have been clearly asked not to talk about God. Those minds and hearts appear closed. If it is God’s intention to open them, we must let God show the lead.

I’m not personally a great proponent of friendship evangelism… the notion that we befriend people so that they will eventually become Christians can be manipulative. However, we often meet people who are not open to the gospel but whom we connect with naturally, see regularly and have opportunity to befriend. I believe if it is not through words we are called to convey the gospel, than certainly it is through our character.

Our witness then is not only through our words, but also through our behaviour, our interaction with others, and the sharing of our perspectives. As our ways draw closer to God’s ways, as our thoughts become more like God’s thoughts, then others will truly see the reflection of God through us. That is one form of witness.

So, over the coming weeks, we’ll open up issues to look at what God’s Word says, or what lies up with scripture, so we walk as Christ walked, doing only as the Father bid him. Opinions may be crushed – but let those be our opinions being crushed by God’s revealed perspective. Let there be no room for legalism, condemnation or judgment for we are not to judge those who are unsaved but to walk in love so that they might see God.

Concepts mentioned:

  • The Great Commission
  • Personal character
  • Actions, behaviour
  • Showing love
  • Befriending unbelievers
  • God’s perspective on current issues
  • Legalism, condemnation, judgement
Categories
Examining Biblical Scripture

A Time to be Whole

Everything Has Its Time

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

God’s Salvation brings us to a place of assurance and security. We know He loves us unconditionally, and forgives our rebellion and every other wrong we’ve ever done. Recognizing His sovereignty, we believe there is nothing that occurs outside of His will. He is ultimately in charge, and there is a purpose in everything that happens around and to us.

But we have lived in the world, experienced pain and disappointment. We’ve learned to think differently to God. So inevitably, there is thinking to be renewed, pain to be healed, and fear to be erased. God can do ALL things and there is nothing beyond His sight or understanding.

Though in an instant we are saved by God’s grace through our faith in Jesus His son, it can take longer to walk in the wholeness that Jesus offers.

As we look into God’s Word, and look into God’s mirror to see our reflection through His eyes, we are encouraged to love ourselves as He loves us. Then we become the whole person God created us to be. And then we can fulfill the purposes God has for us.

Over the coming weeks and months, may this blog be an encouragement to you, the reader, to grow in the likeness of Christ: fully restored in your mind (intellect, emotions, will) and with the unique personality and character God has implanted within you.

Concepts mentioned:

  • Unconditional Love
  • Forgiveness of Sin
  • Sovereignty of God
  • Healing of the soul/Inner healing
  • Renewing our mind
  • Salvation by grace of God
  • Likeness of Christ
  • Uniquely made for unique purpose
  • Wholeness