Blog
Mary did you know?
Mary understood who Jesus was better than anyone, but even she couldn’t grasp the full revelation of the child she bore. Sure, she knew she was a virgin, no matter what others might think, the angel Gabriel revealed to her that her Son would be very special, but how special, no-one knew then and, after 2,000 years of philosophy and theology, we still don’t really know just how great Jesus is.
The Apostle Paul arguably grasped the significance of Christ more than anyone else, but even He says in 1 Cor. 2: 9 as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
And in Ch. 13 he says that our vision of Jesus is like looking in a dirty mirror.
In Eph. 3: 18-19 Paul prays for us that we may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
In this run up to Christmas prepare your hearts by striving to know the greatest gift ever given, more.
The thrill of hope
I love Christmas. I don’t care that it’s a pagan festival stolen by Christians hundreds of years ago. I don’t care that, of all the dates that could’ve been chosen to celebrate His birth, December 25th is the least likely true date. I don’t care what the world or even what other Christians thinks about having a tree in your house, or decorating the tree, or having Christmassy food.
For me, Christmas is all about Jesus. Even the gifts hanging on the tree remind me of the greatest gift that God gave hanging on that tree 2000 years ago. Christmas dinner reminds me of the wonderful wedding feast that is yet to come – including the sprouts.
Even walking the streets at night-time and seeing all the lights reminds me that we, as Christians should arise, shine, for our light has come.
Christmas is all about hope. Hope that a world ensnared by sin and walking in darkness can be set free and drawn to His marvellous light.
Hope that a world torn apart by war and hatred and division can be healed, restored, forgiven.
Hope that peace can be known. There may not be peace between countries, but we can know peace with God.
That’s what peace on earth and goodwill towards men means. In sending a baby in a manger God declared that His wrath against man was ended. That God the Son would pay the price for our sins that we might receive the free gift of salvation found only in Jesus Christ.
If you are a Christian then you have that hope in you.
Hebrews 11: 1 says that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
And you can’t be a Christian without faith.
Hebrews 11: 6 says without faith it is impossible to please God.
For some though we have got that used to our ‘faith’ it no longer has much of an impact on our lives. Faith becomes like a religious tradition; something we do on a Sunday morning. Those with really strong faith might turn up to a Thursday night bible study or prayer meeting.
But that’s not faith. Faith should fill us with joy and peace because faith in God is to believe something that is steadfast and certain and then to act upon it.
We might have hope, but the thrill of hope is gone.
Do you remember what it’s like the first time you do something outside your comfort zone?
The first time you went on a rollercoaster, or to a concert, or on a plane? Or the first time you had to get up and speak or perform in front of a large crowd.
Do you remember the fear? The excitement? The adrenaline rush? The thrill of it all?
We should live in the thrill of hope.
Romans 12: 9-12 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honour giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer.
Paul here commands us to not be hypocrites, to hate evil and to grab hold and not let go of what is good. To be kind and affectionate with a practical love that is worked out in how we treat one another. The command to be diligent ties in with be fervent in spirit. It means to be on fire for Jesus and aglow with His Holy Spirit, and we should serve the Lord by serving one another. Each one of these commands is a sermon on its own, but I want us to look at those last three commands from Paul in verse 12.
Rejoice in hope; be patient in tribulation, and continue steadfastly in prayer.
Rejoice In Hope
Now when we talk about hope we are talking about spiritual hope. This is not hoping your football team will win, or that your lottery ticket comes up. This a hope that is steadfast and certain.
This hope knows that no matter how black and stormy the clouds may be on any given day, the sun is shining brightly above them.
Whatever this life may throw at you, Christ has won the victory.
In John 16:33 Jesus says, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
This world is full of things that don’t really excite us. Instead, they drag us down into pits of despair.
But the Bible says that we can overcome the things of the world just as Jesus Christ has overcome the world. Therefore, we not only have hope, but we can be confident and bold in our hope.
And our hope is not in this world alone, but in the promise of another, better, place waiting for us.
1 Cor. 15: 12- 20 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead
Titus 1: 1-2 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.
That’s the hope; this is where faith kicks in. It’s the evidence of things not seen; And we can rejoice in this hope, regardless of how bad things might get in this life, our God promises to wipe away every tear, to clothe us in righteousness, and to change us into incorruptible eternal beings. To know as we are fully known, and to finally know His peace that surpasses all understanding. Now that’s something to rejoice about!
How To Spot A Godly Person
How to spot a godly person (based on Psalm 1)
- They are blessed by God. ‘Blessed is the man…’ He or she is blessed by God. They will know the prosperity of the Lord. This does not mean they will necessarily have a big bank account or that they will never have to visit the doctors. On the contrary, the spiritual blessings of God mean that if calamity hits, they have the peace of mind that knows that God is always in control, and that He has our ultimate well-being at heart.
- They keep themselves from wrongful associations. ‘Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; they walk in integrity and pursue holiness. They are set apart from the worlds way of thinking, doing, or behaving.
- They love the Bible and can’t get enough of it. ‘But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.’ They read it, meditate on what they’ve read, and apply it to their lives. It is their guide book on life and their spiritual food. It sustains and nourishes them throughout their lives.
- Even in their weakness they are strong and healthy. ‘He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.’ They recognise that, if they are planted, then their must be a planter, and that it is God who does the planting, and that Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. (Ps. 92: 13)
- They produce the fruit of the Spirit. That brings forth its fruit in its season. The godly person will display the fruit of the Spirit in every season of their life – love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control. Their lives will display the good fruit of someone who walks close to God, and the world will know them by their fruit.
- God’s hand is visibly upon them. Whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. The anointing oil of the Holy Spirit is active in their lives and they will prosper. A godly person hears from God, obeys His commands and lives the life God calls them to. They work hard. They do not run dry, for God is with them, equipping, filling, and blessing. Their spirit is healthy, active, and growing, even when all around them is in a spiritual drought, because God’s favour is evident in their life, and they are successful in all that He calls them to do. It is not mere outward prosperity that is the true measure of God’s favour; but a deeper, more significant spiritual prosperity.
- God watches over them. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous. God has a path and a way for each one of us. When we walk on His path and in His ways, He watches over us. Even when that path leads to death and beyond, He is with us.
Fighting Lions
Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. And he killed an Egyptian, a man of great height, five cubits tall.
1 Chronicles 11: 22-23
Moab represents the flesh, Egypt represents the world’s system and the lion represents the devil.
These are enemies we all have to face in our lives at some time, but today I want us to look at the lion.
Not only does the lion represent the devil, but it also represents the things that cause us the most fear, which is what the devil wants us to be – fearful. What is it that you are most afraid of?
Being alone? A relapse? An illness? Financial insecurity? The thing that you dread and fear the most is your lion, and one day you will have to face your fears.
I don’t know about you, but if I was facing a wild, fierce lion I would want to do so under the best of circumstances: light of day, good conditions, large space, lots of cover and trees to climb, full body armour and a gun!
Benaiah jumped into a pit on a snowy day to face his lion.
Our lions attack when our faith is weakest, when we have little room for spiritual movement, and often when we are shaky and unsure of ourselves.
I don’t know about you, but if I was facing a wild, fierce lion I would want to do so under the best of circumstances
The thing is, God allows the lions to attack, and often wants us in the pit to face them, not so that we get mauled, but that we overcome our fears with Him at our side. That we come to realise that it is God alone who is our strength, that it’s only His arms around us that we need, and He is the only one who can rescue us.
Isaiah tells us that if we wait on the Lord He will renew our strength, and the Psalmist tells us that when we cry out to God He will lift us out of the pit and make our footing firm.
Deut. 20: 4 for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’
Eph. 6: 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
