Tag: preparing the bride

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Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Peace

I can think of 3 categories of peace: peace of mind, political peace, and the peace of GOD which passes all understanding….

No anxiety

When we seek to control, we are inevitably going to suffer anxiety because a situation will arise which we will be unable to control. 

The solution is to surrender our will to GOD’s and to trust His course and care.

No war

When there is disagreement within a nation or between nations, inevitably there will be debate that might then transform into physical battle. 

The solution is to give way to GOD, to Jesus the Prince of Peace, to the love, joy and peace of the Holy Spirit. Those who can, must pray for the nation(s).

No fear

“Perfect love casts out fear” (1John 4:18a) and when we allow the Father of Creation to rule in our hearts and in our minds, we have His peace, which goes beyond human reasoning, beyond understanding, to a joyous experience in His care.

The means to this peace is through surrender and trust. When we give our control, our will to the goodness of GOD, and when we trust the outcome of our lives and those of our loved ones to this same Creator, we are choosing peace. 

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1)

Let us abide in Him (John 15:4), in His shadow, in His shelter. 

Jesus says, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” In Jesus, the Prince of Peace is a life of peace, a life without fear. 

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9)

There is only one pathway to real and lasting peace, and that is the peace which GOD offers to us. I pray each of us reading this will receive His lasting peace today.

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Politics and Society today

You call me a Nazi?

I’ve just visited Auschwitz and Burkenau

Auschwitz in Poland represents the largest network of concentration camps used by the Nazi’s during WWII to incarcerate and incinerate Jews and others whom they did not accept as fellow human beings.

Has it struck anyone else how the term Nazi is being thrown about rather casually and frequently today as an attack phrase by some leftist politicians and Social Marxists toward anyone who objects to their socially liberal view? “Anyone” includes socially conservative types like me, who believe that we are meant to be free to think for ourselves, that common sense should reign over what is trendy, and that allowing freedom of speech is fundamental to our existence in the West as part of humanity.

You who disagree with me, do you call me a Nazi?

If anyone wants to call me a Nazi to my face, because I believe in Jesus Christ, or I believe in the family unit as prescribed by GOD, or objective biology over subjective transgender feeling, then they haven’t visited Auschwitz… or if they have they explode my mind as to how they could call anyone a Nazi lightly.

Evidence of the evil that was done in the name of the Third Reich in Germany in the 1920’s to 1945, the murderous genocide (note: genocide, tragically, has also occurred in other nations and people groups in other periods of history) which sought to exterminate 11 million European Jews from the planet (and managed to achieve the destruction of some 6 million) is vivid when you visit. Thousands of shoes, plaits of hair, prayer shawls, lists of names, are just some of the evidence of death and the degree of mass extermination. But to bandy about this term Nazi today is to make frivolous the death camps under Hitler’s rule and labels people who disagree with Woke ideology and Cultural Marxism with the most heinous name imaginable.

Learn your history, Mr Trudeau. Learn your facts, university professors and indoctrinated students. Recognise what you are saying and reconsider. Otherwise, you sound as blind and stupefied by propaganda as the people of Germany in the 1920’s. Destroy history at your peril. Indoctrinate to your own destruction. Sadly, history has a way of repeating itself. 

The truth about the Christian voice

Learn instead to love your neighbour as yourself, even when you disagree with his politics. Whether it’s LGBTQ or Covid lockdowns, Global warming issues or anything else, everyone has the right to his or her opinion, however annoying or stupid it might seem to you. 

Those who seek freedom by stifling someone else’s, are sure to destroy the very fabric of the society which has enabled them to insult and verbally abuse others, and insist on their own rights, while attempting to destroy that of others.

To the Accusers

Discover the background to the vocabulary you use, you who label others, or you are very likely to look into the mirror one day and see the evil you accuse others of staring right back at you.

Rather, ponder these words from the Bible:

“In all ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” Solomon

“I have come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.” Jesus

“Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but you do not consider the log in your own eye?” Jesus

The Power of Words

To consider the long term outcome of our words is crucially important to the health and well-being of society. 

James wrote that it is hardest to bridle our tongues (James 3). Words do hurt, regardless of the adage, “sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.” Words do harm: they condemn, the cut, they have the power to destroy.

Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” 

To everyone

Let us acknowledge the power of our words and speak wisely and kindly. The alternative is to speak like the ultimate accuser, Satan, who prowls around “seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We don’t want to be the bringer of accusation and become the very thing we accuse others of: full of spite, hate, bigotry and venom.

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Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

GOD’S STORY: pt 32 Eden (part 1)

A Garden, A Man and Two Trees

“The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” (Genesis 2:8-9)

Preparing the Bride for GOD’s Story

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? One aspect is to learn GOD’S STORY. He created us in His image…. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. And we learn His perspective. 

EDEN: A Garden, A Man, two particular Trees

So, why did GOD create Eden, put in it a man, and two particular trees?

GOD gave Adam choice.

Did He know Man would choose to ignore GOD, follow the woman, who would follow Satan?

Here is the crux of the Creation Story

GOD created beauty. He created life. He created opportunity: eternal life or knowledge of good and evil; a walk with GOD or a walk without Him.

In Satan, long before the time of Man, came self-seeking, vanity, evil. So Satan fell from grace and took a third of the other angels with him. (See Ezekiel 28)

Then we have Creation, and Satan lures Man and Woman from GOD. 

And what does GOD do?

He sacrifices — kills to create clothing to cover Man’s shame. He allows Adam’s life to continue, albeit without immortality and outside the Garden.

Why?

Perhaps the best perspective I can possibly offer is that of a parent. GOD is Father, Adam is His son. And as a father, GOD gives grace to His son. Also like a wise and loving parent, there are consequences to disobedience. Adam failed to protect Eve and he failed to obey GOD. So GOD allowed pain and suffering to come to them; yet He spared their lives.

He sent them out of the garden, we will soon learn, ““lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.” (Genesis 3:22b-23)

GOD wanted relationship but Satan wanted power.
GOD wanted relationship but Adam wanted Eve, and the knowledge of good and evil.

GOD wanted relationship but it would be a long pathway for mankind to come back to Him. 

We who are saved through Jesus — faith in Him and through His death and resurrection — regain that relationship…. through the Sabbath Rest He offered in Eden and offers to us today.

As we attempt to gain a glimpse of understanding of GOD’s reasoning, we have to reconcile GOD’s brilliance with Man’s failure.

My conclusion

It rests with choice: GOD wants us to choose Him. But we must be allowed to do the choosing.

Next week I hope to delve into Eden a little more…

Every blessing,

Sarah

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For Mothers

For Mothers: Letting Go

It’s a theme that comes round every now and then…

Being a mother is a lesson in letting go! So this is a message for mothers letting go…..

“I surrender all to Jesus, all to Him I freely give…” goes the old hymn. “I surrender all, I surrender all. All to Him my blessed saviour, I surrender all.”

This commitment is from my heart. And here is a chapter of it…

Letting Go

Legally, parents are given the responsibility for the care and control of their children. 

There is quite an attack against this principle, with a move by some to limit the rights and role of parents. But so far, this basic principle still exists in the western world. 

Gradually, in the lifespan of a child, the parent encourages and allows a child to make his or her own decisions on age appropriate choices. Bit by bit, we release them to make choices: which juice? which outfit? which extra curricular activities.

Allowing children to make choices is part of the “letting go” process for us as mothers. Children need opportunities to make choices because this is how any of us learns how to weigh up information and how we develop healthy independence. Making decisions is part of growing up.

And letting go is part of mothering.

Off to university

My son is heading off to university soon. I’m excited for him. I’m also a little nervous, but that’s mostly for myself. He will make some mistakes but he’s sensible and it’s his time to set off on his own. As for me, I’ll be on my own for the first time in  about 40 years… my husband passed away a couple of years ago and now my son is off! So, here I will be, with Jesus, alone in the house.

What will life be like on my own?

The letting go process is just as much about my life as my son’s. Step by step I’ll make discoveries and adjustments. All is well. But I wanted to highlight this “season” for any of us who face major changes…. As mothers, let’s be aware that changes our children make effect us too. 

We need to let our young people go…. We celebrate with them as they venture into the world, trusting that we’ve trained them up and trust they will not depart from what they’ve learned* are right and true values. We need to find ourselves new focus and interests to continue to live a full and interesting life***. We need, once again, to surrender our children to GOD and our own lives to Him, so that our joy may be complete.

Letting go is a part of life, a part of parenting, a part of our journey toward the completion of the plans and purposes the LORD has for us all.**

Scriptures referenced: *Proverbs 22:6; **Jeremiah 29:11; ***James 4:8

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GOD'S STORY

GOD’S STORY pt 29 Creation History

Preparing the Bride for GOD’s Story

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? One aspect is to learn GOD’S STORY. He created us in His image…. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. And we learn His perspective. 

The history of Creation is encapsulated in the Genesis story. But why does the Bible restate so often the Creation History?

Genesis 2:4 says, “This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD GOD made the earth and the heavens,”

To follow the Word of GOD there can be no doubt in this and other statements that GOD is the Creator of the heavens and the earth.

The time line may be debatable and for our purposes I don’t think it necessary to debate that here and now. GOD simply wants it reiterated that He made it all. Why?

Ages Past

In pagan times, before the western world heard the Gospel of Jesus and in the main accepted it, pharaohs and emperors led their people in worship to gods and demons. There was an understanding that there were higher powers…. or that the Pharaoh was himself deified and was included in the realm of the most powerful. Humanity knew there was power beyond themselves.

Then was the voice of Judaism and the beginning of a world understanding who ruled ultimately. Ruth and Rehab are just two examples of Biblical persons outside of the Hebrew nation who came to recognise Yehovah, Elohim: the GOD of the Universe. Some from outside the Hebrew line accepted the Hebrew GOD. Ultimately, when Jesus walked throughout Israel He brought attention to the Father of Creation and gentiles received the message. Matthew 15:21-28 reveals a Canaanite woman asking for the crumbs from GOD’s table.

After Jesus’ commission, the apostles began ministering, “into all the world and preach[ing] the Gospel to all nations.” So the Word of GOD became known and accepted by people of many nations and across the socio-economic spectrum. Thus the way was paved for the Creation story to be spread across the known globe. And so it was.

Scientists and Faith

Across the Middle East and Europe, there was no real debate for centuries. Scientists in Europe were struck deeply as they investigated the intricacies of their speciality, to discover how GOD, through His creation, was confirmed repeatedly. Galileo, Newton are just two incredible scientists who did not alter their belief in GOD but were in fact moved more deeply and more profoundly in their faith in GOD.

Then came Darwin. His theory of evolution challenged the time line of GOD. Those who came after him though not he personally, as well as philosophers jumping on the bandwagon, lusted after pushing out religion and the Bible and GOD in the name of science and philosophy.

Today’s challenges

So much for the scanty history lesson.

Today western society’s most vocal contenders for authority (the so-called Woke folk) have thrown out GOD and science as well, in favour of individualistic truth and attempts to put current individualism: feeling and emotion, above and before any biology or historical reality.

And so, whilst GOD had Moses record early history all the way back to His Creation, He knew such a time as this would come. As we have headed our way back into paganism and hedonism in the West, and as Christian persecution is by far the greatest religious persecution on the planet at 86% of the total, we know GOD has this all in hand.

GOD’s Message to us today

With my whole heart I believe the Father’s message to us today is, He is the Creator. He knows the heavens because He made them. He knows the earth, because He made it. As we look to Him we will know how to navigate the times and seasons we are in. He knows how to take care of the planet earth and He knows how we can best take care of one another. We are stewards. Nothing has changed since GOD commissioned Adam and Eve to look after the garden.

Nothing has changed. We can hold onto that.

Every blessing.

Categories
For Mothers

Hello Mums

SONY DSC

I’d like to say “Hello” to any mum that might come across this blog stream. “Hello Mums!”

By way of introduction, I’m Rev Dr Sarah Tun. I’m a mum as well as being a watchman of the LORD, an author, an intercessor. Here, I’ll be sharing from my viewpoint, issues and thoughts as a mother. My aim is to share: to open up you the reader to me, so we can get closer and learn together how GOD is moulding us, shaping us in our roles as mothers (which never ends regardless the age of the offspring, so I’m told).

So here we go….

Today’s topic: A Mother’s Conscience.

Here is the question:

Do we ever get things 100% right? And if we do, do we ever allow ourselves the pleasure of enjoying we have got something 100% right?

My quick answer is to say, “Nope.” On the whole as a group, I speculate that we never can quite allow ourselves, by nature of the care and concern our biology or psychology provides, to say, “Yup, I got that perfect!”

Do you disagree? If so, how about this:

Have you ever thought you got something absolutely right? And how does the frequency of that compare to your thinking you got something absolutely wrong?

Why is it that — as I reckon it anyway — that we are predisposed to sabotaging ourselves? Could it be because we are predisposed to encouraging others and putting ourselves last.

What do you think?

Whether we are Mary types or Martha types* (see Luke10:38-42), whether we rest at Jesus’ feet (once the children are fed and we manage to have a quiet moment) or run around constantly to make sure everything is done which we think needs to be done, ultimately, resting is not easy for us is it? And when we do enjoy it, how long does it take before we feel regret? Yes, we can enjoy Jesus but we are predisposed are we not, to have an eye on our family and feel we’ve let someone else down if we’ve rested too long or enjoyed ourselves too much.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree or disagree? Feel like sharing your story? Please do!

Categories
Character Development Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Slavery 2

Slavery in Ancient times

I’m writing from the perspective of the Hebrew person who was rescued out of slavery in Egypt and trying to adapt to freedom.

I’m writing to scrutinise scripture rather than simply as a personal reflection because we are living in a society combating prejudice against historic slavery; many people locked into their own biases.

I’m writing, hoping to bring awareness to myself and to anyone reading, about how GOD’s perspective is from a completely different angle to ours with regard to slavery, and we need, I believe, to learn to look from His perspective in this an in all matters.

I’m looking at Deuteronomy 6

The written record has just reiterated the 10 Commandments in Chapter 5. Looking from Chapter 6 let us look at some of the language GOD uses to address those who will be left behind, to go into the Promised Land with Joshua after Moses has died…

“Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you… “ (v 3a)

“… when you have eaten and are full — then beware, lest you forget the LORD who brought you out of Egypt, from the house of bondage. You shall fear the LORD your GOD and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name. You shall not go after other peoples gods….” (v 12b-14a)

“You shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your GOD, His testimonies, and His statutes which He has commanded you.” (v 17)

GOD’s address

The language is bossy, abrupt, direct, warning and without any subtly… because these “children” descended from their fathers who were in slavery, and they have not yet learned how to walk in responsibility that comes with freedom.

His instructions are clear avoiding any doubt or confusion: live this way in order to avoid dire consequences. 

The behaviour expected is a bit prescribed, because that is what these people are accustomed to. This does not advocate slavery but does suggest freedom is not without its expectations.

What is important to note

Slavery is nasty, undesirable, constrictive; it keeps one within harsh boundaries. But are all boundaries bad? These Hebrew people are going into the Promised Land where the cities will be taken from others and they will not need to build. The land will offer delicious food — it is the Land flowing with Milk and Honey. They will have absolute freedom, which they have never experienced before. 

Freedom is the ability to make decisions and choices without any inhibitions or barriers. GOD is offering boundaries to those who’ve not experienced freedom because freedom requires responsibility if it is to be blessed, prosperous, healthy leading to joy and fulfilment. These people needed to learn how to live in freedom.

Freedom with Responsibility is what we all need today

While we may desire freedom, our downfall occurs when we have freedom and make mistakes. We can learn from any mistake but some mistakes are better not to make. GOD sets boundaries to protect us: ‘To love the LORD your GOD with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and to love your neighbour as yourself’…. A focus on this keeps us safe from our human propensity toward selfishness and subsequent decay.

Holy Spirit and Boundaries

When we are filled with and walk with and are in partnership with the Holy Spirit, there is total freedom because Holy Spirit within us is our safeguard from error. Ignoring Him brings unpleasant consequences. Walking with Him and following His lead provides protection.

Slavery is unpleasant bondage. But absolute freedom is risky. Boundaries within our freedom protects us from ourselves.

From Slavery to Freedom

The Hebrews gained their freedom but it took a long time for them to grow accustomed to walking in it. They needed GOD’s boundaries and they needed to be thankful. Instead they often grumbled, doubted, complained, disobeyed. Let us learn from them and instead enjoy the liberty and freedom we have without forgetting who GOD is and what He has done through Jesus for us.

Sometimes scripture is cited ‘we are slaves for Christ’… that is not so that we obey the Law. It is not so that we feel condemnation when we err. It is so that we can enjoy belonging to Him and accept the safeguard of boundaries that our mature conscience and relationship with GOD offer, so that we enjoy freedom with responsibility.

Every blessing,

Sarah

Categories
Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Working in partnership

We are meant to be partners with GOD. God working in partnership with us is His heart and it is the means to transforming society, bringing mankind back to Him.

How to partnership with Yehovah GOD

Writing from GOD’s perspective as I have been attempting to do for the past several weeks, I can’t possibly assume I know what He’s thinking or wanting to share; and yet, He reveals things to us through His Word and through His Spirit that complement one another and encourage us. GOD lives and breathes in and through us to the degree we allow, through our obedience, surrender, engagement and worship. We are saved individually, but also for the purpose of bringing others to Him. He is a good GOD, the righteous and generous father of mankind, giving good gifts to His children and desiring that none should perish.

“GO and make disciples of all nations…” said Jesus in Matthew 28.

A leaf from GOD’s STORY

So, this piece is not a part of GOD’s STORY per se, but about our relationship with Him and the depth and breadth He can draw us to Him.

Why did GOD create mankind? 

GOD created mankind for relationship — with Him, as well as with one another. 

Reading Genesis 1, He reveals Himself as 3 persons with 3 identities, aspects, personalities in the One Person of GOD. He is 1. Creator who creates. 2. The Word who speaks 3. The Spirit who hovers over the waters from the beginning. GOD spoke and creation happened. He was and is and will be GOD: “In the beginning, GOD”. 

As GOD is Creator, Word and Spirit – He is one GOD revealed in three persons, He is and always has been in relationship. Likewise, when He created Adam in His image, He did so for relationship. And then, He said it was “not good” that man was alone and He created woman. More relationship. 

And so it is with us, we who are born again, we who speak of a relationship with GOD, we who have faith and follow Him through His Word and by His Spirit — we are in relationship with Him.

In Partnership

But I choose to go a step further today to say: Yes, we have relationship, fellowship… and also partnership with Him.

I read a book recently which offered good teaching for young people about following GOD. I won’t quote it but I mention it to say this: It has solid information but it lacks one thing: It does not teach about partnership through Holy Spirit.

The book taught that since Word became flesh and that word has been written down, everything Jesus had/has to say to us is in the Bible; by following that Word, and using sound judgment, we walk the Christian life. This is true but it is leaving out a vital point: through Holy Spirit we have fellowship with GOD and the opportunity for complete partnership with Him. 

The Father wants relationship with us. He is relational; it’s a part of His identity. Even following the Bible with the best will and passion in the world, we are still walking in the flesh, which is still finite and, I purport, still limits our engagement with GOD. 

Only through the power and presence of Holy Spirit manifesting in our lives are we walking in complete partnership: yielding our flesh to His Spirit with each step that we take.

This does not mean we cannot tie a shoe without asking GOD. As the book rightly suggests, GOD is Sovereign and in that, He gives us freedom and room to choose, to think, to delegate, to “live and move and have our being” while He is also fulfilling His plans and purposes. 

But our walk can be so much more than applying the Bible to our lives. Applying the Bible is good! but it is still not the fullness of what GOD asks and what He offers. Rather, He offers and seeks intimacy that comes with constant fellowship — conversation with Him, seeking Him out, allowing Him to fill us with His supernatural presence and power through the person of Holy Spirit.

John 3:6 says, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.” Acts 17:28 says, “for in Him we live and move and have our being”

Faith is Trusting in GOD

First and foremost, we commit our lives to faith in Jesus, as son of GOD, as the one who died and rose again. We trust Him with our salvation and with our lives, both here on earth and in heaven after our physical presence on earth ends. We believe and we trust. But there is more…

Rigidity without Holy Spirit

There is a danger in following the Bible totally fastidiously:  that danger is to become rigid in our thinking, becoming religious or even self righteous. Without the Word we have no compass. But with only the Word we can become legalistic, dictatorial. Alternatively, our attempting to follow the Holy Spirit can become whimsical, irrational, or can even lead us toward error in our thinking without the Bible support. If, for example, we think “GOD said to do X” when X is clearly contradictory to the Word, it cannot be true. We do need both the Word and the Spirit to walk with Jesus in the way He has always intended.

The Word keeps us on a righteous path. The Spirit keeps us surrendered to GOD. 

Jesus said he did only what the Father told him to do (John 5:19). His Spirit will never contradict. We need to know the Word so we recognise the voice and the will of Jesus. But Jesus left earth in order for Holy Spirit to come, and we need that Helper to help: to lead, guide, teach, correct us. Father, Son and Holy Spirit will always have the same message, though they may express themselves to us differently. We need all three in our lives. We need Holy Spirit in order to grow in our intimacy with GOD, in order to become perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48), in order to fellowship with GOD and with one another to the capacity GOD has for us.

There is nothing trivial with GOD!

Some might say that GOD isn’t interested in what we should eat for dinner, or whether we should wear these shoes or those, take this job or that, marry this Christian or that one. But I disagree. 

“As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him.” (Psalm 103:13) He is watchful, He is engaged, He is interested.

Jesus adored and encouraged the children to come to him. Likewise, the Father relishes our time with Him. It is narrow for us to think He isn’t interested or that what is trivial to us is also trivial to Him. That is looking at ourselves as equal to GOD, as “adults”… but we are neither equal nor adult to Him.

1 John speaks of children, young men and fathers. And yes, we in the faith, mature. And Paul speaks in 1 Corinthians of teaching “meat” versus “milk” to the believers. We do grow in maturity as re are ready to hear.

But GOD does not limit our access to Him nor our prayers. Yes, He wants us to move and respond freely and as we grow, in a mature way. But this takes time and experience. We learn the Word and we discover Holy Spirit: both Jesus and Spirit of GOD are equal and of equal importance to grow us into the people GOD has created us to be. 

In one sense, we will always be His children.

Predestination v Arminianism

I think the debate between predestination — where everything is pre-ordained, and arminianism — where GOD gives us freedom to effect the outcome of our lives, is futile, because both purport a one way or other way view. 

I think the truth is in between, a both/and reality. GOD is sovereign. And yet, we must wrestle against flesh and blood to grow into His likeness. 

The Hebrew people were completely able to recognise competing truths. I think we gentiles need to be able to do the same.

Sovereignty and Partnership

Recognising GOD as sovereign does not mean we are puppets. Realising the active influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives does not mean we can foul up the predestination of GOD. Rather, we trust in GOD’s righteous and powerful sovereignty even in the midst of our attempts and failures at following His voice today through Holy Spirit.

GOD wants partners. GOD wants us to grow to full maturity. GOD wants to engage with us. And in my experience, I grew more though Holy Spirit than without. I failed more often too. But here I am, more surrendered, more intimate, more in line with the character of GOD as revealed in His list of Holy Spirit fruits (Galatians 5) , than I ever would have become with the Word alone.

I have studied the Word voraciously. But that alone was not enough to curb my impulsivity, my fleshly temperament, my ego. I needed Holy Spirit actively in my life to ensure my dependence and eventual maturity in GOD. 

Flesh v Spirit: obedience, wonder, worship, surrender, grace

We cannot walk in the flesh forever. Ultimately and sooner-is-better-than-later, we need to walk by the spirit in us. How?

“I die daily.” 

“I am crucified with Christ.” 

We must “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.”

Centuries ago, priests seeking to be more like Jesus literally flagellated themselves to try to defeat the sinful flesh. In the 1800’s many preached hell and damnation, not erroneously but without love, and alienated for generations those who would be lost; today Christians still have a rotten reputation for hypocrisy and judgementalism rather than for the lovingkindness of Jesus.

Seek Jesus, Seek Holy Spirit, Seek the Father

The Word of GOD is wonderful. It needs no editing, no addendum, no apology. However, Jesus was openly declared at his baptism by the voice of GOD and the presence of Holy Spirit. Only then did his ministry begin. Likewise, we need Holy Spirit to live our lives as Jesus teaches us. 

If we resist Holy Spirit out of fear, suspicion or pride, we miss an essential part of GOD and forfeit the power and presence He wants us to have. 

We learn to worship the LORD in Spirit and in Truth!

“Not my might, nor my power but by My Spirit says the LORD of hosts.” (Zachariah 4:6)

As we ponder the Spirit of GOD, to the degree we allow Him to be active in our lives, we will determine our growth in character and our depth of relationship… that’s what I’ve experienced and that’s what I believe.

Going forward, I press on to the upward call of GOD in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13) and pray for the same for all of us. How we manage is up to the LORD and may we all surrender fully into this so that He can have His way entirely in our lives.

Shalom and GOD BLESS you!

Categories
Reflections and Poetry

Empty Chair: GOD Always Remembers – a reflection

This week I went to my son’s high school graduation. After 14 years of education, he can put the certificate in its folder (not right away I hope) for safe keeping, and move forward.

It was an efficient and memorable ceremony. I watched as son and friends passed through a pivotal moment, a landmark rite of passage, a time when there is only forward, no looking back. Fond memories yes but life moves on….

As for me there was another very personal, surprising moment. It didn’t involve my son at all, at least not directly. And unless he reads this blog post he’s unlikely ever to know about it.

I was sitting in the crowded hall, focused on the stage. There were a few empty seats scattered about the room, but not many I think. There was one next to me.

As it happened, no one had sat next to me. And then, just as the ceremony was starting, just as the head-of-year teacher began to introduce the next hour, I realised: the seat was an Elijah seat so-to-speak, though not literally and certainly not so profoundly. Tender though. For I realised the seat was for my Alan, my son’s father, who is now in heavenly places amongst the cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1).

GOD showed up in that moment before the graduation commenced. He’s so loving, so thoughtful and so tender — He had kept a seat empty for me — for Alan. That I could put my hand on the seat and think, ‘Yes, this seat is reserved for the man who will not appear, but would have been so very proud of our son’.

I’m not weeping now. Nor did I weep then. I just sensed a profound love from GOD, my Father in Heaven, who reserved a seat for the father that would have been so delighted at the achievement of his son.

And so am I.

Let’s treasure our special moments, the moments that are fleeting and then they are gone. There are photos and memories. But the special sense of fulfilment that GOD provides is the most precious of experiences that comes with such landmark moments.

Every blessing,

Sarah xx

Categories
Reflections and Poetry

Joy can be natural

My heart is full of Joy! All the time! But is that natural? I testify that joy can be natural. The world is imploding, one disaster after another but we can keep our joy.

Right steps or Slip sliding

“By the works of Your lips,
I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.

Uphold my steps in Your paths,

That my footsteps may not slip.” (Psalm 17:4b-5)

The Word of GOD can keep us on the straight-and-narrow path, in terms of right behaviour and also in terms of our state of mind. As we meditate on His Word, as we ask Him to keep us in balance and in righteousness, He will not fail us. We can rely on Him… and the subtext is we must rely upon Him in order to stay on the path. 

And what is the path? Joy!

In Romans 7:15 Paul says he doesn’t do what he wants to do but does do what he hates to do. So true of us all, isn’t it? Certainly, I fall into this cycle sometimes. How do we get out of it?

Speak it out!

Reading the Bible is good. Reading it aloud is better! Let us speak out the word, so that we hear as well as see it. It’s not just for reenforcement to our minds. It’s powerful too!

How numerous the times the Psalmist says he praises GOD. Just the Psalms alone repeat and repeat this encouragement. So reading the Psalms aloud, the Bible too, brings me joy, lifts me up as I lift up the LORD, and leads me in a right attitude to this life I carry on earth.

This is joyful living!

It isn’t frantic or frenzy; it’s pure joy

When we are weary, when we are down, we must praise!

When we are happy, it’s so easy to praise. But when we are down, it is not the first thing that comes to our minds is it… But we must!

GOD gives us the way to keep on the path of rightness with Him and of joy: Rejoice!

Rejoice in all circumstances. Not just because of the Gospel we share, but also because it is our walk in holiness, rightness and peace. 

Emotion is of the mind

And joy is of the heart… Joy is deeper, richer than happiness, and can aid, comfort, help our emotions to overcome pain, disappointment, disillusionment. Happiness is of the mind, but joy is of the spirit.

Overcoming sadness

It is not wrong to be sad or nervous — in fact it is rather natural and normal as part of the human experience. But a right perspective gives us a right proportion. “Rejoice in the LORD always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4) We do not have to bow down to our circumstances, or be bent low.

Let His Word lead us above and beyond our circumstances and our emotions. Waves of happiness and sadness, come and go. Our joy remains, our hope in the Lord is everlasting.

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GOD'S STORY

GOD’S STORY Part 19 Heaven

What about Heaven

“Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.” (Genesis 1:6-8)

Firmament. What a word, firmament.. What is a firmament? — a space, a non-space rather. A mountainous something which is indescribable and incredible. There is power in this word firmament. It suggests something tremendous.

He takes action

He “divide[s] the waters”… there He is divisive again (note last week’s post https://laruspress.com/gods-story-part-18-god-is-divisive/ ). What is He creating? A firmament – an entity which divides waters which are eternal, with no end and no beginning. Just like GOD. 

Heaven! That is what GOD creates the second day. It takes the entire day: to think, to create, to speak it into being: Heaven.

Some translations say “Heavens”. There are three heavens: the sky we see, the domain of the demonic, and the domain of the heavenly hosts of GOD.

Light, Dark, Waters, Firmament, two days. That’s what we know of His Story from the beginning, so far.

What is compelling GOD? Does He know what will become of His Creation even before He begins to create? Does He know the marvel, and the tragedy? What compels Him?

What moves GOD

Fellowship. 

Love.

Energy, creative energy. Power and love. 

It is a mystery. And we continue on…

Larus Press with the blog stream Preparing the Bride is all about enabling us to be ready for Jesus’ return, preparing also for all He has in store for us in the meantime.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? One aspect is to learn GOD’S STORY. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. And we learn His perspective.

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to those who read it.

As I crawl through Genesis to discover what is GOD’s point of view, I discover today that GOD is powerful, inventive, awesome and mysterious in His creation of Heaven.

He is simply, GOD!

Categories
Reflections and Poetry

Life

Life is not a series of tick boxes on a to do list;

life is an adventure to be shared with others.

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Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

What is Reality?

Recently it has occurred to me that our perception of reality is wrong. If our perception is wrong then what is reality? And how can we know, how can we test to be certain: What is real?

What is reality?

There are two approaches to explaining what is reality… because there are two kinds of reality: the physical and the eternal.

The physically real is that which we see and touch, taste, hear — that which we can test as physically real. In the case of Jesus’ resurrection, there were hundreds of witnesses that saw, even touched Jesus after he rose from the dead (assuming the reader trusts historical documented accounts) and that physical reality of the resurrected Jesus is vital to the Gospel. So GOD recognises that physical reality whilst on earth is important. BUT…

The eternally real is that which is connected with GOD: the everlasting: Holy Spirit. Healing. Anointing. Revelation. These are everlasting.

I want to focus on GOD’s reality

GOD’s reality is harder to prove using scientific testing, but when you know it’s real particularly based on your own journey, your life experience with Him, the earthly, temporal existence we live and experience becomes relatively insignificant. Perhaps that’s why testimony is so powerful. In testimony, we demonstrate how our physical reality has met with eternal reality.

Jesus would have known

Jesus would have known that this earth, this human life, our passing existence is relatively insignificant. Oh, it is very significant when we are here! But measured next to eternity…. it is finite. It pales into insignificance. 

“Consider the lilies of the field…” (Matthew 6) Jesus tells us GOD takes care of the physical reality, and we don’t have to bother about it.

Reality is GOD. Reality is His anointing. Reality is the relationship He has with us. We only become alive when we are are born again, when we are in relationship to Him.

Earthly existence is finite

We put our attention on our earthly existence. For Believers we do recognise, even emphasise the heavenly destination. But every time we worry about the present, our earthly presence, we are saying the physical reality is what is (more) important. And that is simply not true. Distractions come and go. We need to put our greatest effort and attention into what is eternal. That’s my belief. Just as “the weapons of are warfare are not carnal,” (2Corinthians 10:4) so too must the greatest of our attention be not upon the carnal / physical, but on the spiritual / eternal.

GOD and our connection with him is Eternal. Therefore it is of value, of relevance, of importance, even whilst we live in this world. The eternal is what is significant, what is important, what is real.

Ponder this: Matter does not matter relative to the eternal.

Shalom. Happy pondering:)

Categories
Reflections and Poetry

A World Racing By

Where does time go?

In the quest for night have we missed

the day; as you reflect

simply danced the time away?

So fast —

Time is rushing passed

to sit and ponder Day and Light 

ticking along, and flicking

moments passing, blink: it’s night!

To wait and think and hope — take flight

A luxury.

The World is passing by

Time is rushing passed

I do not know 

Which way to go

Grab a breath, then on we go

On quest

Time is rushing passed

It’s time to stop and stare

time to wait and glare

Into the mirror of life 

shall we dare

to Stop?

Time: Wait!

No pace, no watch; just wait

and wait

lingering into a life of rest

meandering to

ease and nature and 

peace with time…

Time: not your master.

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GOD'S STORY

GOD’S STORY: Pt 16 Creativity Unleashed!

GOD’S STORY Part 16 His Creativity Unleashed

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to those who read it.

We look at GOD’s character and in the very first chapter of His story the Bible, we discover His creativity unleashed…

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked.

What was GOD thinking when…

“The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of GOD was hovering over the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2)

‘So much potential!’

Is that what He was thinking? There was no form to the earth, but a blank canvas. There was space, there was darkness, there was a deep, there were waters. The Holy Spirit dwelt above. That’s all there was… Until we read of His creativity unleashed!

What could be done with this earth? 

From GOD came the Creation, starting with two entities: the heavens and the earth. But did He know in detail what He’d create? Or was He playfully speaking and spontaneously creating?

I suppose there were already other planets or would be other planets, given they exist now. How would this earth be unique from all the other planets?

GOD created. At first, at the very beginning, there were heavens and there was earth without any sort of form whatsoever. And then: GOD spoke form and life into the earth. He then spoke light. Then He spoke life to many forms. 

The impetus behind Creation

GOD is creative. GOD is alive. GOD is expressive. It seems the vastness of the heavens and the earth was too great to allow it to exist in a state of nothingness. There was too much canvas to ignore! 

And so GOD created a wonder. He created a planet that had life! He put Himself into the planet… and gave it life. He was no longer an observer but became a part of the story of humanity. He created the habitat…. and then He created life for the habitat, first plant life and then animate life. As part of GOD’s self expression and as part of the story about GOD, this truth reveals a great deal about Him.

In creating the vastness of the universe, He decided to put some of Himself into it. 

This is what the earth is: a manifestation of life that mirrors GOD the Creator Himself. The culmination of it all life is Man.

“So GOD created man in His own image; in the image of GOD He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27)

Surely He looked upon all of it, at the end of Day 6, and marvelled!

Categories
Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Jehovah Nissi: The LORD is my banner

Jehovah Nissi — the LORD is my Banner

Yehovah is the correct Hebrew name for our LORD, just as Yeshua (rather than the English translation, Jesus) is the Son’s name. I wonder if the name of GOD is more powerful in the Spirit realm when we use the Hebrew. Does it matter?

Nissi means banner.

How relevant is this expression to our walk with Jesus?

Jesus and the Church

“His banner over me is love.” (Song of Solomon 2:4b) In the Song of Solomon we read a love story between a man and a woman… But the story also parallels the love between Jesus and His bride: the Church. We are the bride, He is the bridegroom. The banner is a covering. The waving of the banner demonstrates an all-encompassing mutual devotion.

It might be harder for men to relate to this wedding analogy than for woman… Esther, a woman, was pampered for months as she prepared to meet her King… We must prepare to meet Jesus. How can men prepare comparably? I suggest we also consider the spiritual battle we face against the enemy, which perhaps men can better relate to, and which is an integral part of preparation to we meet Jesus.

Moses and the original banner

From Exodus 17:13-16, we see that Moses created an altar after the Hebrews defeated the Amalekites, where the banner was raised.

But how were the Amalekits defeated?

It was through the power of unity, as reflected in Psalm 133:

“How good and pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity…”

The unity and love for one another between Moses and Joshua and Judah(?) is expressed as the two younger men supported and help Moses to keep his arms raised throughout the battle, which ensured victory for the Hebrews.

When we witness support for one another, the love for GOD and His love for them is represented. Through their unity, the LORD enabled the Hebrews to prevail, teaching them that strength is greater when there is unity of purpose, unity of will, unity of effort.

A New Testament Principle

“Love the LORD GOD… and love your neighbour as yourself”

When we celebrate GOD, when we raise a banner to Him, when we work together toward a common cause which gives glory to GOD, we demonstrate our love for GOD and for our neighbour. This fulfils the great commandment which Jesus shared as the fulfilment of the Law. The “waving of a banner” then, is a demonstration of our love for GOD and His love for us, for the LORD is [our] Banner!

What is a banner

Worship, which can include the waving of a physical banner, is a spiritually powerful activity expressing our love and honour toward GOD and celebrating Him: His grace, His power. The waving of a banner is an act which demonstrates an act of worship, humility toward GOD.

Whether we wave a physical banner or simply jump, shout, sing, dance in worship, we express our love and gratitude to GOD. When we show the LORD is our everything, He is certainly shared as our protector, saviour, the banner of us which is love Himself.

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GOD'S STORY

GOD’S STORY part 14 God’s Existence

GOD’S STORY Part 14 GOD’s Existence 

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked.

GOD’S STORY: Part 14 GOD’s Existence

“In the beginning GOD

created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

I’ve broken up the verse deliberately, to encourage us to ponder each line individually. 

Our Father in heaven existed before time. Our Father in heaven existed in relationship with Himself: Creator. Word. Spirit. To us, this is Father, Son, Holy Spirit. This is who we know. And He has always been. Always. When we grasp this, if we can grasp this, it makes our existence even more amazing. 

Once upon a time there was GOD. Then He created angels. Then one angel rebelled and took a third of the others with him. He – Lucifer – was cast out of heaven. His cohort became demons. Then GOD created earth, and us. This we glean from various scriptures in Job, Isaiah, elsewhere… but this is a wee bit of context and for this message is not where I’m stopping…

GOD has always BEEN

“In the beginning

GOD

created

the heavens and the earth.”

GOD has always been. He has always been in relationship. He didn’t need us, wasn’t lonely or bored. There is no evidence for that. But He is creative, and so He created. And eventually, He created earth and everything in it. He created humanity.

As I contemplate the beginning of the Holy Bible, and rest simply upon the first two verses, I question, I seek — knock — find — that GOD is incredible. We are incredible to exist. 

Let us simply take much more time contemplating GOD. From the beginning, let us abide in Him to discover Who He is and What is His Story. What is GOD’s Story?

We begin again at the very beginning, before Time, before Us

For homework, I suggest we just rest, abide, sit with GOD: Our Father, Our Creator, Our LORD. Just dwell in Genesis 1:1, then add Genesis 1:2…..

What will we glean? What part of GOD’s Story will He reveal to each and every one of us? For me it is His power, His awesome power as “in a whirlwind…..”

Shalom as you Rest in Him.

Categories
GOD'S STORY

GOD’S STORY: Part 5 What is the Law?

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. 

GOD’S STORY Part 5: What IS the Law? And How does it relate to Creation?

In a very personal way, the LORD GOD Yehovah has shared with us through Jesus what is the law… It all comes down to Love.

Last week GOD’s Story discussed why GOD created the Law. This week, I’ll share more about what that Law actually is….

Looking at Psalm 119 we can take apart so many verses and see how much the writer is devoted to the precepts, statutes, word, wonderful works. All these draw upon the Law of GOD, the Creator of the Universe.

Looking at the Laws of physics, mathematics, language…. GOD’s Law will not be mocked. We think of the Law as a set of rules (religion) or guidelines (relationship) but it is so much more….

“Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from your law.” (Psalm 119:18) These are not simply words of wisdom but the essence of life.

“Make me understand the way of your precepts; so I shall mediate on Your wonderful works.” (v 27)

The Father does not just want us to obey rules but He wants us to comprehend His workings! Like a watchmaker who intricately creates a timepiece, so the Father has intricately created earth, from Beginning to End. And He has created not just the physical earth but all the properties and laws of nature that govern how everything works together and holds together. He is the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 22:13). In the beginning was GOD (Genesis 1:1) even before Time, creating day and night on the first day, and hence a marker, a beginning of Time itself, there was GOD at work.

Core of Creation

And at the very heart of this Creation… is Love. A GOD who has three identities in one person: the capacity for thought, the physical embodiment, and the spiritual. GOD the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are the labels given but He is in harmony with Himself and models that for mankind. In the beginning was a void and out of that void He created life in all its fulness, that He would have companionship and share that with humanity.

And for humanity to exist well, it needs Love at its core.

Opposition to Love

What does the enemy sow? Hatred, animosity, strife. What does GOD sow? Love, forgiveness, kindness, generosity, grace.

Following GOD’s Law is not following rules and even goes beyond relationship. Jesus came to fulfil the Law, not to replace it (Matthew 5:17). And what did he encapsulate the Law as?

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40)

In essence His Law encapsulates the concept of Love and it goes right back to the beginning — to Creation itself and its natural laws. And GOD has always wanted us to explore, to discover His Laws. The writer of Psalm 119 yearns to understand, 

“Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed I shall observe it with my whole heart.” (v33-34)

GOD’s motive and science

The LORD does not shun our exploration but encourages it. And when we tried to build the Tower to reach heaven, tried to defy nature, He divided us through language, destroying our inter-communication, not so we would be confused against one another, but so we would rely upon Him still, to seek Him rather than to override Him, not to compete with Him, but rather to engage with Him.

The astronaut who goes beyond earth’s atmosphere and into outer space says that it is more obvious, not less, that there is GOD, a Creator, of this vast universe. Exploration in itself does not take us away from GOD, but draws us to Him.

A part of GOD’s story is Love. He loves us and wants us to love Him and one another. He also encourages us to explore, to understand His creation and its laws of nature and of science, so we can better understand Him and ourselves. 


He does not compete with science and exploration. He is science and exploration just as He is the Creator of all and created us in His image.

Comment on Environmentalism

I cannot finish this post today without drawing momentary attention to the climate change agenda, the environment, and where society has got off track.

Simply put, GOD created the earth and the universe. He called us to be stewards (Genesis 1:26-28). He called us to worship Him and to take care of the planet. One without the other is confused or disobedient. 

Let us love our world but let us love GOD first and foremost. Then the world will know us by our love. Hallelujah!

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GOD'S STORY Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

GOD’S STORY: Part 4 Why the Law?

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. 

GOD’S STORY Part 4: Why the LAW?

“Open my eyes, that I may see

Wondrous things from your law.”

(Psalm 119:18)

I asked the LORD, What is the next thing to share of Your Story?

He led me to the Ten Commandments. Really? Yes! Okay.

Why the Law to share with you?

You will know Exodus 20, where the LORD lists the summary version of His Law: the 10 Commandments. Exodus and Leviticus are full of GOD’s laws for various contingencies. But the Law is encapsulated well in the 10 Commandments.

Exodus 20:2-17

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

12 “Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour’s.”

But why was the Law necessary? 

Sin, yes. But why didn’t GOD just send His son in the first place? If Jesus didn’t come to replace the Law but to fulfil it (Matthew 5:17), why didn’t He just arrive in front of the Hebrews in the wilderness?

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of GOD.” (Romans 3:21) But first we need to know we’ve sinned in order to recognise we have fallen short. The Law teaches us our inability to keep it. Who hasn’t made a mistake and hoped and prayed we’d not suffer the consequences? That fear, that prayer, enables us to see we’ve fallen short. The Hebrews needed to learn GOD’s perfection before they could recognise their fallibility. So they needed to know GOD’s standard, His Law — They certainly weren’t going to find it in the heathen Egyptian society.

And so, why the Law? So we can know we’ve broken it, so we can know we’ve sinned, so we can know we’ve fallen short and need a Saviour… and then value The Saviour: Jesus, the Jewish Messiah Yeshua.

What does the Law signify?

Whilst GOD very much wanted relationship with the Hebrews, the fear of GOD pervaded their hearts. They saw the power of GOD in the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud. They saw His power in the parting of the Red Sea. And so, they pushed Moses up front and said, ‘You talk to GOD and then tell us what He says.’

“Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” (Exodus 20:18-19)

This was immediately after the 10 Commandments had been announced. The people were willing to obey but didn’t want intimacy with GOD. The Law gives rules, requirements and we turn it into religion. But GOD wants relationship. 

So, why Jesus?

Millennia after the Hebrews in the desert Jesus arrived, and He fulfilled the Law we failed to follow, with two commandments that encapsulated GOD’s standard even more succinctly, 

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your 

strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbour as yourself.’ ” (Luke 10:27)

Even further, through Jesus we can receive freedom today… overcoming the Law through the grace of faith in GOD.

John wrote in chapter 8 of his gospel, “If the son sets you free, you shall be free indeed.” Faith in Jesus, the son of God, offers us freedom from the Law as we receive Him and His love. We discover our choice to follow the Law changes; no longer do we follow out of a sense of duty or fear, but out of the desire to love others just as He has loved us. We are free as the yoke is lifted! “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

The Law makes us aware of our failure to keep it. But we don’t have to live in fear and anxiety about the consequences of our weaknesses. Rather, we can know we have been saved from ourselves — our sinfulness — through the blood of Jesus.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:14) Like little children innocent of their faults, we can embrace Jesus and His Father, knowing Jesus is the Truth and GOD the Father is a GOD of love. The sin of the past is left behind and the new has come: walking as Jesus walks, saved through faith in Him and living beyond sin because through faith in Jesus our sin is forgiven and blotted out.

So, the knowledge of GOD’s Law provoked mankind to realise our sinfulness and Jesus has released us from the yoke of the Law when we choose to follow Him.

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

God’s Story 

When we look at GOD’s Story through the lens of His Law, we recognise that the Hebrews and all the descendants, save one, were imperfect. It is through that one exceptional person that any and all can be rescued from imperfection. 

We cannot escape GOD’s Law but we can learn to live the Law as embedded in the principle of Love, GOD’s love. And a part of GOD’s story is to recognise His identity. GOD’s identity is that He is Love. 

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GOD'S STORY

GOD’S STORY: Part 2 Nature of the Hebrews

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

This is GOD’s Story: Part 2, looking at the nature of the Hebrews, God’s chosen people. He chose them because He had chosen Abraham and the Hebrews are Abraham’s descendants. Abraham had others descendants but the ones who are special to Him, according to Biblical scripture: the Chosen Ones are the Hebrews, descended from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Hebrews become Faithful

Exodus 14 is where we’ll start. The Hebrews have left Egypt with gold and silver from their Egyptian neighbours, who had watched the onslaught of plagues inflicted upon the Pharaoh — and his people — because of his own stubborn heart. But after their escape, when they see the Egyptian army following, “Then the Hebrews say to Moses, “Because there were not graves in Egypt, you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt so with us…?” (verse 11)

The miracles of GOD did not leave an impression on them, building them as a people of faith. Not yet. 

Next Moses obeyed GOD and the sea was parted miraculously. The Hebrews escaped across dry ground and then the sea closed over the Egyptians who were following them. “Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.” (verse 30) Very grim indeed. Such was the consequence of the power of GOD, and “so the people feared the LORD and believed the LORD and His servant Moses.” (verse 31)

They who were faithless became full of fear and full of faith.

Hebrews complain

Next, let’s turn to Exodus 16 and 17. The Hebrews have arrived in the wilderness. And they are getting grumpy, as people are inclined to do. 

They’ve celebrated their deliverance from attack and the miraculous parting of the Red Sea. GOD has promised He will take care of them. He has promised they will escape disease if they heed His voice and do what is right in His sight. He has offered them a one-to-one relationship with them. But they don’t like the wilderness and they start to complain.

Moses says, “for the LORD has heard your complaints which you make against Him…” (verse 8) and “He has heard your complaints.” (Exodus 16:9)

The LORD presents Manna — bread from Heaven for them to eat. He brings quail and promises bread will come by day and meat at evening.

But they break His rule which asks them to respect His Sabbath. 

Then “the people contended with Moses” (Exodus 17: 2) because they were thirsty. 

They had received water from a rock. Pillars of fire and cloud had guided and protected them, food and water was given. Why did they still complain?

A new enemy approaches and they fear the enemy; yet GOD gives them military victory. 

So many good gifts and mighty miracles have come from GOD. And yet, gratitude and obedience are missing, even after the fulfilment of all His promises and His miracles. Why?

Talking to Moses

“Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.” (Exodus 16:2) 

“And the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses, and said “Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” (Exodus 17:3)

What is missing? GOD has provided and protected at every turn. And yet the complaints and hostility continue to be the knee-jerk reaction of the Hebrews in their situation. One problem is that the Hebrews are communicating with the leader but not with Their Leader. They talk to Moses, they complain to him and Aaron. But they do not communicate with GOD. What if they had?

Celebration

The Hebrews are not without some gratitude. They are expressive, not only of fear and complaints but also of joy. Exodus 15 is all about the celebration of freedom.

Miriam, Moses’ sister, leads the dance and song as women rejoice at their escape from the enemy.

“The LORD is my strength and son, And He has become my salvation;” they sing. (Exodus 15:2)

There is an echo of this later in Judges 5, when the Hebrews rejoice after another military victory, “Thus let all Your enemies perish, O LORD! But let those who love Him be like the sun when it comes out in full strength.” (verse 31)


The Hebrews, who will become the Jewish people, know their GOD is powerful. But do they know He’s on their side. Do they know who it is they are celebrating?

Fear of the LORD GOD… without trust

When staring at the dead Egyptians on the seashore, after the waters of the Red Sea had come crashing down, the Hebrews must have shuddered. They must have paused and thought, “That could have been us!” 

The scripture says, “Thus Israel saw the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses.” (Exodus 14:31)

Reminiscent of this is Peter, walking on water…

In Matthew, this Jewish man, upon seeing Jesus walking on water said, “LORD, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” (Matthew 14:28) And Jesus does.


“But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” (verse 30)

What was missing in Peter? We might scoff at Peter and yet, at least he got out of the boat; at least he tried. 

What was missing with the Hebrews? We might think ‘how ungrateful they are’. And yet, they were homeless. 

They have fear. They have faith. So what is missing in the Hebrews and in Peter?

Missing Key

GOD provided to the Hebrews according to the requests. GOD was consistent. Jesus did do as Peter asked. And yet there was so much doubt. 

They all saw the power of GOD. But did they know His love?

Do you know what I believe was missing? They feared Him without trusting Him. 

Why was trust missing? They were not aware of the perfect love of GOD.

And even Peter, who had relationship with Jesus as one of his best friends, still lacked faith because he was unable to realise just how much GOD loved him.

Who is GOD?

This is GOD’s story. He made Himself available to the Hebrews. He made Himself available to Peter. He makes Himself available to us. What do we do with that opportunity? Do we talk to Him? To what degree do we trust Him? To that degree will be the our level of faith, the extent of our submission, and the limit of our peace.

GOD’s story will tell us at every turn, He loves us! He will never leave us nor forsake us. If we turn around and He isn’t there, why is that? Surely it is because we’ve moved away.

Every blessing as the LORD allows His story to unfold in our own hearts:)