Putting on clothes like this is a faith step, and a physical step of action, belief and attitude that we practice. Here, our the physical reality of the old nature is challenged by faith. And like a doctors coat, we allow the clothes of Christ to influence our thinking, our attitudes, our hearts. This is faith at work in a very practice sense.
Read MoreRemember People// People matter more than work!
Read MoreThroughout this letter John inseparably combines love and truth. We must love but it must be governed by the truth, a topical subject presently. John warns not to give any hospitality to or even greet the false teachers.
Read MoreThe best thing a dad can do for his kids is to really love their mother. More than giving “things”, more than fancy holidays, more than expensive schools. Really love their mother.
Read MoreWhat you meditate on, works its way out in your daily living. If we meditate on good things, those things also work their way out. Philippians 4:8 tells us to think on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely and of good report.
Read MoreDietrich Bonhoeffer said “Only he who believes is obedient; only he who is obedient believes.”
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And I understand well why Jesus said, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus calls us to be childlike. But why? There are many things about children that we can disregard. Things like tantrums, selfishness, immaturity, lack of wisdom... but there are also many things about children that we should seek after.
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And I understand well why Jesus said, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus calls us to be childlike. But why? There are many things about children that we can disregard. Things like tantrums, selfishness, immaturity, lack of wisdom... but there are also many things about children that we should seek after.
Read MoreJesus went all the way to cross - He counted the cost and He was prepared to pay. And His resurrected life is now offered freely to all. Jesus offered His life, like seed scattered by a farmer, freely and willingly. Jesus did not reconsider giving His life based on results, that is, our acceptance of His salvation. Rather Jesus made every preparation to help us be His disciples - Jesus has a plan and a purpose for our lives, and He does call us to live with intention and faith, building and provisioning for others who we invite to join Jesus on the Road.
Read MoreWhen we see what God has done through Jesus, we see the love, care, grace, mercy, power and wisdom of God. It changes our whole attitude towards God, the family of God and the whole meaning of life. What command of God is too burdensome in the light of this? What can Satan possibly throw at us to take away what God himself has sovereignly provided us? In Christ, we are more than conquerors over the world (Rom 8:37).
Read MoreThe nature of true fatherhood includes all the normal traits we admire and celebrate - provider, carer, giver, teacher, example...and the list goes on!
But what about vulnerable?
As we stepped out in our faith, those dreams and desires that God had placed in our lives started to become a reality. When we exercised faith, our confidence and reliance on the Holy Spirit increased, and God performed an amazing work within us.
Read MoreGod took the initiative to mend our broken relationship with him.
This is a lesson for our own broken relationships with others.
We agreed that there are times in every Christian's life, when faced with our own failures, we ask questions, like “Am I really saved?” “Do I have eternal life?”
Read MoreYou have shown mercy to Your servant beyond all hope; and have exhibited, favour and loving-kindness beyond all that is deserved.
Read MoreOur worship preferences can distract and even separate our hearts from the Lord in worship. Worship ultimately is not for us but for the Lord. Yet our preferences in worship tend to serve us. And this can become a conditional issue in worship from your heart unto the Lord. In other-words, your willingness or desire to enter into worship is dependent on your preferences being satisfied. That was how Cain worshipped in Genesis 4.
Read MoreSo here is something to think about....isn't it profound how God desires, and allows us, to be creative and give our own unique flavour and expression, and participate, and even be blessed and receive something ourselves, as we worship Him!
Read MoreWhen a servant had the opportunity for freedom, he or she could choose instead to become a bond servant to their master for life, willingly undertaking the duties of a slave. Paul, Jude and Jesus himself, all made themselves willing slaves to serve God joyfully. We see this in marriage and in our working in partnership with God. Indeed, God enslaves himself to us. I enslave myself to you so you can flourish. We do not give ourselves to manipulate God. Yet as St Francis once said: “We give so that we can receive.”
Read MoreThe faith required by this command is a world changer. Jesus makes a promise to us saying that we will prove to the world that we are His disciples - in other words the way of Jesus will be so radical, the world will take notice and be challenged. When we actually believe we are in Christ, what else really matters? Only His Kingdom matters. Why do we make choices that honour Jesus and His life? Because He first loved us, and now, everything else matters far less finding its proper place under Christ. Our values, choices and lifestyle become transformed by Jesus, and are being changed by following Jesus.
Read MoreJesus commands a new way of living - to Love One Another, His way. Jesus never sets us up to fail, therefore the life of a follower of Jesus means that God's way of loving can be ours. Humanly this is impossible. But Jesus gives us a new nature, a new spirit - a new expectation of christian living...
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