Saturday 25 August 2007
Friday 24 August 2007
Crying
"Thus I set free the tears which before I repressed, that they might flow at will, spreading them out as a pillow beneath my heart. And it rested on them, ..."
Augustine Confessions Book 9
Thursday 23 August 2007
Comic Genius
I have just come home from Moore DBS Doctrine 2 lecture and have found this comic gem.
A must see!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNWeWY7xCVk
A must see!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNWeWY7xCVk
Wednesday 22 August 2007
This most beautiful passage describes a woman overcome with her own sinfulness and with love for Jesus, in tears at His feet. In an exquisite display of belief and repentance, she shows true faith - and she is set free.
At times I feel overcome with the gravity of my sin, my total unworthiness. But with this comes a great gift. For I am forgiven much and can tell of God's awesome grace and mercy.
Luke 7: 36 - 50
Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner."
Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said.
"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner."
Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said.
"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Monday 20 August 2007
Friday 17 August 2007
Rejoicing in all circumstances
I have always found that command to "rejoice in all circumstances" odd.
I have never really understood how we can be thankful to God when things are really bad.
Rejoicing in all circumstances is probably the opposite of self-pity. And self-pity is such an ungodly and unattractive quality, isn't it?
Blessed Be His Name is my favourite song. "...blessed be Your name on the road marked with suffering, Though there's pain in the offering, Blessed be Your name".
But am I really thankful, truely joyful, in times of great pain? No, I don't think I am. It is counter-intuiative. I lapse into self-pity. Wanting to know the reason why. Unless I can understand the reason for my pain, it seems to be in vain.
A woman in childbirth certainly isn't enjoying the experience, the pain of the moment, but she may be rejoicing that God has blessed her with this great miracle of new life.
I know that God is sovereign in all things. I know that he loves me. I know that he has called me to be His daughter. I know my salvation is assured. I know that he will glorify me.
I know that he is changing me to become more like Christ. How does he do this? Through the experiences, circumstances, emotions, relationships in my life. If my pain is making me more like Christ then I can rejoice. I can rejoice in all circumstances - good, bad, boring, challenging, mundane, painful, because I know that my sovereign God is using them to mould me into the woman He intends me to be. A Christ-like woman.
So let me praise God for all the things in my life. How wonderful, how gracious, how awesome is our God!
Romans 8: 28- 30
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Wednesday 15 August 2007
Meme - Tagged by Phil
I’ve been tagged by Phil (http://casethepromisedland.blogspot.com) to post “that verse or story of scripture which is important to me, which you find yourself re-visiting time after time”.
So hard to choose. The passage by which I was converted - The Prodigal Son Luke 15 will always hold a special place in my heart (I have talked at length about this passage on this blog under "Welcome Home - a bible passage to knock your socks off" 14 April 2007)
However, the passage to which I return most frequently is John 10. I am vulnerable and easily led astray, but I belong to Jesus. God the Father has given me to Him and nothing can snatch me out of his hand. He will not let go of me. I am His.
John 10: 11 - 18, 27- 30
11"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30I and the Father are one."
I now tag Craig T.
So hard to choose. The passage by which I was converted - The Prodigal Son Luke 15 will always hold a special place in my heart (I have talked at length about this passage on this blog under "Welcome Home - a bible passage to knock your socks off" 14 April 2007)
However, the passage to which I return most frequently is John 10. I am vulnerable and easily led astray, but I belong to Jesus. God the Father has given me to Him and nothing can snatch me out of his hand. He will not let go of me. I am His.
John 10: 11 - 18, 27- 30
11"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30I and the Father are one."
I now tag Craig T.
Tuesday 14 August 2007
What happens to us when we die?
What happens to us when we die? As Christians we believe in the sure promise of the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. However there is some debate about what happens to a believer’s existence between her death and resurrection after the Final Judgement. This temporary period is known as the intermediate state.
There is a paucity of information in Scripture on the intermediate state. Some argue that this is due to the belief of the early church that the Second Coming was so imminent that it would be almost irrelevant to reflect upon the state between death and Final Judgement.
Salvation is ultimately the resurrection of a unified body and soul. So as to avoid the idea of a disembodied existence, some argue that when a believer dies she passes out of the whole time order, until her next conscious moment at the Final Judgement. Her resurrected body is created by God out of nothing, with God bringing forth a new life.
Other theologians propose the idea of soul sleep. According to this theory, a believer ‘sleeps’, in the protective care of God, unconscious until resurrection. Scriptural passages including Acts 13:36-37, 1Corinthians 15:5 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 which refer to death as sleep are used in support of this view. Whilst these theories overcome disassociation of a body and a spirit, a review of Scripture provides evidence for cognisance in the intermediate state. For example, in the appearance of Moses and Elijah (Luke 9:30 ff); the words of Jesus when questioned on marriage and the resurrection (Luke 20: 35-38); and the account of the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:55-56).
Alternative views of the intermediate state, incorporating conscious awareness have therefore emerged. The Roman Catholic Church holds to the doctrine of Purgatory. Purgatory is said to be a period of temporal punishment for sins after death and before heaven. The suffering is thought to cleanse and prepare the believer to be in the presence of Christ. Scriptural passages used in support of this doctrine include: 2 Maccabees 12: 42-46 purporting both punishment and forgiveness beyond the grave; Isaiah 4:4 and Malachi 3:2ff describing refining or cleansing; Matthew 12: 32 leaving open the possibility that sins are forgiven not only in this world but in world to come; 1 Cor 3: 15 supporting transient purification and punishment; and the parables of Matt 5: 26 and Matthew 18:34 where the prisoners, not released until the last penny is paid, are paralleled with the souls of those enduring time-limited punishment of Purgatory.
Purgatory is rejected by evangelical Christians based upon the weakness of the biblical basis for this doctrine (2 Maccabees is not part of the inspired canon of Scripture and the other Scriptural texts are used out of context or misinterpreted) . Furthermore, the doctrine of Purgatory deprives God of his freedom and majesty as Judge and denies the sufficiency of the cross. Purification from our sins was accomplished by Jesus Christ on the cross and no further cleansing is required (Hebrews 10:14; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:38-39).
The best evidence as to the nature of the intermediate state is to be found in the following Scriptural passages. Firstly, in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16: 22 ff), set before the Final Judgement, Lazarus is carried to Abraham’s side and comforted, whilst the rich man is suffering in hell. Secondly, in the moments before his death, Jesus tells the repentant sinner on the cross, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43). In Peter’s Pentecost sermon he refers to Psalm 16:10, to assure believers that they will not be abandoned to the grave (Acts 2:27). On several occasions, Paul refers to dying as being preferable to life because it means being with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5 has been interpreted by Calvin as meaning that after death, the condition of the soul changes, commencing the process of becoming the eternal building made by God, which will be completed at the final resurrection. Finally, Revelations depicts the martyred saints gathered around the throne awaiting the Final Judgement, crying “How long, Sovereign Lord?” (Revelations 6: 9-11).
From Scripture we can conclude that the believer does not cease to exist after death, but rather is delivered from the power of Hell. The intermediate state is not yet the gloriously resurrected life, but it is a fellowship with Christ in some incomplete, provisional form. The central hope of the Scriptures is not the mere continued existence of the soul, but the resurrection of the united body and soul. Therefore, speculation on the intermediate state should never detract from the certainty we have in the hope of the new creation.
There is a paucity of information in Scripture on the intermediate state. Some argue that this is due to the belief of the early church that the Second Coming was so imminent that it would be almost irrelevant to reflect upon the state between death and Final Judgement.
Salvation is ultimately the resurrection of a unified body and soul. So as to avoid the idea of a disembodied existence, some argue that when a believer dies she passes out of the whole time order, until her next conscious moment at the Final Judgement. Her resurrected body is created by God out of nothing, with God bringing forth a new life.
Other theologians propose the idea of soul sleep. According to this theory, a believer ‘sleeps’, in the protective care of God, unconscious until resurrection. Scriptural passages including Acts 13:36-37, 1Corinthians 15:5 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 which refer to death as sleep are used in support of this view. Whilst these theories overcome disassociation of a body and a spirit, a review of Scripture provides evidence for cognisance in the intermediate state. For example, in the appearance of Moses and Elijah (Luke 9:30 ff); the words of Jesus when questioned on marriage and the resurrection (Luke 20: 35-38); and the account of the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:55-56).
Alternative views of the intermediate state, incorporating conscious awareness have therefore emerged. The Roman Catholic Church holds to the doctrine of Purgatory. Purgatory is said to be a period of temporal punishment for sins after death and before heaven. The suffering is thought to cleanse and prepare the believer to be in the presence of Christ. Scriptural passages used in support of this doctrine include: 2 Maccabees 12: 42-46 purporting both punishment and forgiveness beyond the grave; Isaiah 4:4 and Malachi 3:2ff describing refining or cleansing; Matthew 12: 32 leaving open the possibility that sins are forgiven not only in this world but in world to come; 1 Cor 3: 15 supporting transient purification and punishment; and the parables of Matt 5: 26 and Matthew 18:34 where the prisoners, not released until the last penny is paid, are paralleled with the souls of those enduring time-limited punishment of Purgatory.
Purgatory is rejected by evangelical Christians based upon the weakness of the biblical basis for this doctrine (2 Maccabees is not part of the inspired canon of Scripture and the other Scriptural texts are used out of context or misinterpreted) . Furthermore, the doctrine of Purgatory deprives God of his freedom and majesty as Judge and denies the sufficiency of the cross. Purification from our sins was accomplished by Jesus Christ on the cross and no further cleansing is required (Hebrews 10:14; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:38-39).
The best evidence as to the nature of the intermediate state is to be found in the following Scriptural passages. Firstly, in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16: 22 ff), set before the Final Judgement, Lazarus is carried to Abraham’s side and comforted, whilst the rich man is suffering in hell. Secondly, in the moments before his death, Jesus tells the repentant sinner on the cross, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43). In Peter’s Pentecost sermon he refers to Psalm 16:10, to assure believers that they will not be abandoned to the grave (Acts 2:27). On several occasions, Paul refers to dying as being preferable to life because it means being with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5 has been interpreted by Calvin as meaning that after death, the condition of the soul changes, commencing the process of becoming the eternal building made by God, which will be completed at the final resurrection. Finally, Revelations depicts the martyred saints gathered around the throne awaiting the Final Judgement, crying “How long, Sovereign Lord?” (Revelations 6: 9-11).
From Scripture we can conclude that the believer does not cease to exist after death, but rather is delivered from the power of Hell. The intermediate state is not yet the gloriously resurrected life, but it is a fellowship with Christ in some incomplete, provisional form. The central hope of the Scriptures is not the mere continued existence of the soul, but the resurrection of the united body and soul. Therefore, speculation on the intermediate state should never detract from the certainty we have in the hope of the new creation.
Thursday 9 August 2007
Finding Encouragement
Some of Broughton Knox's words have given me great encouragement. He says.."Faith in God is the truest form of worship... The Christian concept of God is that of a loving heavenly Father. This concept may be expressed in hymns and psalms of praise to God’s goodness; but it is more suitably expressed in action than in words and that action that corresponds to the Christian concept of God as a gracious Redeemer and Father, is utter faith and reliance on God’s fatherly goodness and saving power.
God is glorified when men call upon Him in the day of trouble; when in the face of adversity they put their confidence and trust in Him, expecting His promises to be fulfilled to them according to His word.
Psalm 50 clearly teaches that the worship of trust is the highest worship that can be offered by men. "
Psalm 50: 14-15 Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High,
and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.
So as men and women in times of adversity, we have an amazing opportunity to worship our God by calling upon Him and living each day in faith that His promises will be fulfilled.
Monday 6 August 2007
Friday 3 August 2007
Restraint
A friend of mine who has a chronic illness, commented recently that she thought because of her illness God was restraining her in so many areas of her life.
Have you ever felt that ?
I sure have. If only God would...... .then I could........
If only God would heal this illness, then I could serve His kingdom better. That was one of my most frequent laments, and still is.
But who am I to say that serving without this burden would be better than serving with it. It certainly makes me aware of my need for God's mercy and grace every day and maybe that's more important than being on another church committee or being involved in another ministry.
Have you ever felt that ?
I sure have. If only God would...... .then I could........
If only God would heal this illness, then I could serve His kingdom better. That was one of my most frequent laments, and still is.
But who am I to say that serving without this burden would be better than serving with it. It certainly makes me aware of my need for God's mercy and grace every day and maybe that's more important than being on another church committee or being involved in another ministry.
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