Pictures of Jesus – What Would He See?

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Good morning.

Had Jesus to come today for the first time, what would He see in our hearts? As you read this study consider your own geographical area, circle of influence, circumstances etc. and try doing some self-examination.

The Pharisees and teachers of the law were the ‘church leaders’ of the time when Jesus came to earth. When Jesus came to earth the people of Israel were basically living the Old Testament. “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ‘The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach,’” (Matthew 23:1-3). Jesus started to change things when He came and His disciples continued with it. Up to before His coming it was still Old Testament, so what these religious leaders did was the order of the day – people accepted them for what they were and looked up to them because that’s how it has been for centuries. The problem was that people saw their outside and what they portrayed, but Jesus saw right through them by means of a word of knowledge from the Holy Spirit. You may read about it in Matthew 23: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+23&version=NIV1984.

The Lord is coming for a pure bride when He comes again, which is why we received the Bible and the Holy Spirit, because they encourage change and purification in us. “Strive to live in peace with everybody and pursue that consecration and holiness without which no one will [ever] see the Lord,” (Hebrews 12:14 Amplified) Jesus told the Pharisees in Matthew 23:25: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.”

What will Jesus see in us if He would come to earth today and walk among us? The Lord is looking for undivided and dedicated hearts, pure motives, God-centred attitudes and -lifestyles. Why are you a pastor? Look for a moment deeply into your heart to what Jesus would see there. Why are you an elder or deacon, in charge of the ministry within the church where you serve? Is it maybe to be seen, to establish a position of status for yourself in society? What is really in your heart?

You dream of a large church... why? Do you want to be known as the pastor, elder, or whatever position you have of this large church that you managed to build up, or are it about souls? Why do we like titles? Where in the Bible did Jesus tell us to have titles like pastor, reverend, bishop and father? In fact He forbids it in Matthew 23:8-11: “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ.” According to this passage we are all on the same level. Why then do we want to be exalted above others? Jesus did say in verses 11 and 12: “The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

If Jesus should come today, what would He say to you? Would you have to listen to His speech as in Matthew 23? Maybe we are not that bad, but do have a little self-righteousness in our hearts, a little pride, wrong motives or -attitudes. Why not consecrate ourselves and allow the Lord to purify our hearts? Just be warned, it may be humiliating and painful.

Lord, please show me where I’m like the Pharisees and help me change.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

If you benefited from this, why don’t you link it to your Facebook or Twitter or forward the e-mail reminder to make it available to your friends? You can also use the e-mail link to pass it on. Please pray as well for its distribution to those who need it and feel free to ask questions or discuss thoughts.

Pictures of Jesus – Where Would You Be?

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Current topic: Pray with Us for Struggling Christians and Persecuted Church. Remember you can still pray for Families and the Church.

Good morning.

Had Jesus to come today for the first time, where would you be? As you read this study consider your own geographical area, circle of influence, circumstances etc. and try doing some self-examination.

When Jesus came to Judah, today’s Israel, He was non-existing for the people until He was thirty years of age. Because He was the good kid of the neighbourhood, He probably would have drawn some attention, for He would have been the target of the bullies and the envy of His brothers and sisters. Knowing who He actually was, His mother and father, being extremely godly people, would have kept things until control with wisdom from God.

When He, however, began to minister after having been baptised by John, He met with various kinds of people, just as we find today. He had the simple people adoring Him, the hurting people hanging onto His words, important people visiting Him openly and recognising His authority as well as visiting Him secretly, embarrassed to be seen with Him and then the religious educated snobs – the Pharisees and their mates. He also had prostitutes, foreigners, criminals, the curious ones and last but most importantly those He had chosen – His disciples.

Had Jesus come today, in which crowd would we find ourselves? This is now a time to look deep into your being and discover your heart. “Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts,” (Psalm 139:23 Amplified Bible)!

Maybe you would find yourself looking at this stranger doing these miracles and think; ‘Bet you he’s a con artist’. There have been men and women about doing these kinds of works and miracles in Jesus name. How have you reacted to their testimony? How do you react if someone testifies to you about a miracle that happened? Jesus certainly had His sceptics too.

Maybe, when you see Jesus loving the beggars, con-men, druggies, drug dealers, prostitutes, etc. you may have thought like Simon the Pharisee did: “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,’” (Luke 7:39). How often do we look the other way when a beggar asks for something, look down on obvious sinners such as prostitutes, thieves, drug dealers and drug abusers, whilst in our own hearts we do equal sins such as murdering our neighbour with our thoughts and tongues through gossip and criticism, stealing our neighbour’s goods through envying their lifestyle, sending people to hell by not obeying the Lord when He creates an opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus’ love, or simply thinking higher of ourselves than we ought to?

Jesus knew why these people were like this. He declared it in some of His last words on the cross: “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,’” (Luke 23:34). No sinner knows what they’re doing, unless they’re told. The law was brought in to help the Israelites knowing right from wrong. Christ came to put the law in our hearts and to convict sinners inwardly: “When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment,” (John 16:8). Christians have no excuse though, since we know right and wrong, or at least we should. If you don’t understand these things, you may be a Christian by name, but were never born again or Spirit filled. All those who are born again are called to work under guidance of the Holy Spirit to “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation,” (Mark 16:15).

Where would you find yourself? In our next message we’ll have some more tests.

Lord, thank you for revealing my heart to me.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

If you benefited from this, why don’t you link it to your Facebook or Twitter or forward the e-mail reminder to make it available to your friends? You can also use the e-mail link to pass it on. Please pray as well for its distribution to those who need it and feel free to ask questions or discuss thoughts.

Pictures of Jesus – Had He Come Today...

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Current topic: Pray with Us for Struggling Christians and Persecuted Church. Remember you can still pray for Families and the Church.

Good morning.

Had Jesus to come today for the first time, where would we find him? As you read this study consider your own geographical area, circle of influence, circumstances etc. and try doing some self-examination. Don’t think of Him coming into Israel for the Jews.

When Jesus came to earth as recorded in the Bible, He came to the simple people, so we most likely would find Jesus somewhere in a slum, an informal settlement or shanty town, around the fire in an African or third world village, in district sixteen of the Bronx or the dangerous parts of any big city. He would be busy healing those who cannot afford going to a doctor, meeting the needs of those who sleep outside on the streets. He would be the talk of the downtown people, but would the rich, or shall I say the middleclass in today’s distribution of riches, know about Him and if they hear of Him through the media, would they bother to find out what He’s like.

To be noticed in today’s society a person must be of some acclaim and at least be presentable to a decent society. Had Jesus come today having “no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him,” (Isaiah 53:2), how many of us would have gone down to the simple people to see and hear Him.

There are many representatives of Jesus among the simple people today and not only the poor simple people, but also those who grew up in good societies, but chose not to become like their society. These people have the Living Word of the Lord in their hearts, affect many people along their way and make a difference wherever they go. Do we acknowledge their gift to bring change in our own lives and encourage such service, or do we criticise and persecute them because they are not part of the establishment? Who was it that persecuted Jesus, the apostles and the first church? Wasn’t it the local religious establishment, the church of the time?

Who do we actually worship? I hear so often about this and that great preacher or revivalist. ‘Men of God’ in history are often remembered and honoured, but who are the ones that would be honoured in heaven one day. Wouldn’t it be those who were like Jesus – those who quietly did what the Lord expected of them among the people of need – the ‘children’ of society (Matthew 18:3)?

In today’s society we love to entertain and be entertained, we love to go to church where we would get a shiver down the spine and have a wonderful time in the presence of the Lord. We love to sit in front of the television set and listen to great messages of great preachers - men and women of stature in Christian society. All the while, though, people around us suffer in their material, spiritual and emotional poverty. Jesus told in the parable of the great banquet in Luke 14:15-24 of all the esteemed people refusing to come to the banquet. In verse 21 we read: “Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’”

Are we Jesus to the physically poor, crippled, blind and lame? Maybe we have not many of them near us. How about the spiritually poor and blind and the emotionally crippled and lame? Are we Jesus to these people, for if He came today, that’s where we would find Him? Does He find us there?

Lord, I wish to be where you want me to be. Help me to deny my comforts and obey you.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

If you benefited from this, why don’t you link it to your Facebook or Twitter or forward the e-mail reminder to make it available to your friends? You can also use the e-mail link to pass it on. Please pray as well for its distribution to those who need it and feel free to ask questions or discuss thoughts.

Work Out Your Own Salvation (Part Two)

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Current topic: Pray with Us for Struggling Christians and Persecuted Church. Remember you can still pray for Families and the Church.

Good morning.

In our recent message entitled ‘Bearing What Fruit?’ we’ve seen that the more we allow the Holy Spirit to take control, the more of His fruit He is able to manifest through us, i.e. the less attention we give to our sinful nature and its worldly, materialistic desires, the more we’ll have available for the Holy Spirit. Back in November I posted an article entitled ‘Remove the Air’ http://bibbytes.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/remove-air.html. The context then was idol worship.

I’d like to use the same analogy in this current perspective, just in more detail. The water in a bowl (which signifies life) represents the Holy Spirit and the air in a bottle (which signifies man) represents the sinful nature. If we try to get the bottle to stay under the water we can work as hard as we wish - pressing the bottle down, holding it there, putting a brick on it, etc. When it gets the chance, however, it will pop out of the water. If, however, we remove the barrier between the water and the air, the cap (representing sin), the water (the Holy Spirit) has access to the inside of the bottle. It, however, has one more obstacle – the air. As long as we keep the bottle facing downwards the air (the sinful nature) will stay inside, but as soon as we face it upwards the air will bubble out and the water will fill the bottle, which will sink to the bottom of the bowel and become one with the water.

This is the purpose of trials, to help us to face upwards so sinful nature could make place for the Holy Spirit. For years I’ve been forgiving automatically, but then had another serious occasion of offence I had to deal with. I have forgiven the people, but it took longer than usual, so I asked myself why. I had a look into my life and discovered I had some idols that needed to be dealt with. This was easier said than done, but if we’re adamant to live a holy life, the Lord is faithful in helping us getting there. “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.  Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation,” (Philippians 2:13-15).

Eventually I broke away from the power of my idols and submitted to the Lord unconditionally. It was then that I discovered the joy of the fruit of the Spirit manifesting in me effortlessly. But this needs to be maintained. We have to “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak,” (Matthew 26:41). Pride, comfort, sinful desires and the like are lurking on the horizon all the time, seeking to take control, “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want,” (Galatians 5:17).

We actually have a little bottle of air for each of various areas of our life that needs to be kept filled with the water of the Spirit. Just as we think we’re okay in one area, another piece of sinful nature demands control of us, doesn’t it.

Maybe you think that you’re not like this. Everything goes hanky-dory and your life is a smooth ride. If so you may be in a very dangerous position, for Jesus promised us hardship and persecution if we’re obedient and fruitful, and living by the Spirit will cause the flesh to retaliate. Maybe such a person should look at how obedient they are.

Lord, help me to empty myself of self so you can fill me.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

If you benefited from this, why don’t you link it to your Facebook or Twitter or forward the e-mail reminder to make it available to your friends? You can also use the e-mail link to pass it on. Please pray as well for its distribution to those who need it and feel free to ask questions or discuss thoughts.

Work Out Your Own Salvation

Our Intercession blog is Alive! – find link to your right è

Current topic: Pray with Us for Struggling Christians and Persecuted Church. Remember you can still pray for Families and the Church.

Good morning.

What is it that develops our walk with the Lord, makes us acceptable to Him and prepares us for being in His presence? First of all we need to receive a new spirit through being born again. In John 3 “Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again,’ (V3). “Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit,’” (V5-8).

Now that we have a new spirit, we have to bring our soul in line with our spirit. As we have discussed in the last few messages; walking by the Spirit, i.e. being led by the Holy Spirit is what life in Christ is all about. To get there, however, we need to sanctify our human nature, which is why Paul tells us to “continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” (Philippians 2:12) and in James 1:2-4 we read: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

There are many more passages in the Bible that encourage us that the Lord will work at our position of holiness before Him and we need to submit to Him so He could renew us. The Lord works only with our permission, so it’s our choice whether we want to develop those qualities needed to be efficient in obedience, or whether we want to be mediocre Christians who will stand empty handed before God one day.

Many years ago I worked for a Christian pharmacist, managing His pharmacy, and because I acted ethically and did not please the customers who were used to getting medicine in not-so-ethical ways, he asked me to leave. I was bitter towards him and, since I lived near the pharmacy and had to walk past it often, I always grumbled at him. One day the Lord stopped me and told me to forgive him. Because I’d like to please the Lord I said ‘I forgive him’. Words always come easily, but then the Lord told me to bless him. ‘Bless him Lord, no way! If I bless him, he would be convinced that I did harm to his business.’ The Lord just shrugged. Well I did bless him and felt much better.

Some days later I remembered he owed me a bonus. I went to him asking when I’d get it. He asked me whether I think I deserved a bonus after what I’ve done. I got angry and walked out, but at the door the Lord stopped me. ‘Tell him he doesn’t have to pay the bonus, it’s okay – but be nice about it.’ I went back to him and told him, trying not to sound like ‘you can stick your bonus you know where’. A week or so later my bonus came in the post and our relationship was restored. I’ve learned the principle of true forgiveness.

This is how we work out our own salvation if we are surrendered to the Lord. Since then forgiveness came more automatically for me, but the Lord wasn’t finished with me yet. More trials were to follow. See the next message.

Lord, I want to be like Jesus and am prepared to work out my own salvation. Please help me.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

If you benefited from this, why don’t you link it to your Facebook or Twitter or forward the e-mail reminder to make it available to your friends? You can also use the e-mail link to pass it on. Please pray as well for its distribution to those who need it and feel free to ask questions or discuss thoughts.

The Adventure of Being Spiritual

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New topic: Pray with Us for Struggling Christians and Persecuted Church. Remember you can still pray for Families and the Church.

Good morning.

What is the reason we exist as Christians? Is it only to get to heaven and avoid hell? When we were born again, our spirits became alive to God. Before it we did not understand the things of God, but since the moment of rebirth our understanding of the spiritual world is opened, the veil is removed. People desire all kinds of adventures – sky-diving, scuba-diving, a night out in town, having the house redecorated, watching an exciting movie or buying something new.

The adventure of the spiritual man, however, is getting to know the Lord. I’ve been an adventurous man before, but as my relationship with the Lord developed, I started to lose interest in worldly things. To me it became great fun receiving a revelation from the Lord, and I spend more and more time seeking His presence and obeying Him so that He may give me more revelation (John 14:21 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2014:21&version=NIV1984). Seeing Him in action in my life, and those of others I read about and minister to, bring amazing joy.

1 Corinthians 2:9-16:

⁹ “However, as it is written:

‘No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him’”—

The good question is whether we actually seek to see, hear and conceive the abovementioned. Are we really interested to discover who the Lord is and what He plans for our lives? How about you?

¹⁰ “but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.”

The word is ‘has’. The revelation is already there for us to grasp, but we need to be in the position to grasp it.

“The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹ For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. ¹³ This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths to spiritual man.”

This is the position we need to be in – in the Spirit. We need to be spiritual. We know the quote: ‘he is so heavenly minded that he is no earthly good’. Well, the choice is ours – do we want to be spiritual or worldly. If we are worldly we’ll understand the world, but if we are spiritual we’ll understand God and He will reveal to us what we need to understand about the world. We’ll learn from the Holy Spirit Himself, which is much better than any human can give us.

¹⁴ “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵ The spiritual man makes judgments about all things,”

How can this be? We are not allowed to judge, are we? In order for a spiritual man to minister effectively he needs to judge where a person stands in relation to the spiritual realm. It’s more to do with discernment than with condemnation.

“but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment:”

The spiritual man has made himself subject to the Lord and is accountable to Him who will judge our actions. I.e. we should not try to please man for their approval, but God for His.

¹⁶ “‘For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?’

But we have the mind of Christ.”

If we allow Christ, living in us, to manifest through us, whose mind is doing the actual thinking then?

Lord, teach me how to be spiritual.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

If you benefited from this, why don’t you link it to your Facebook or Twitter or forward the e-mail reminder to make it available to your friends? You can also use the e-mail link to pass it on. Please pray as well for its distribution to those who need it and feel free to ask questions or discuss thoughts.

Bearing What Fruit?

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New topic: Pray with Us for Struggling Christians and Persecuted Church. Remember you can still pray for Families and the Church.

Good morning.

Lately we’ve been talking about light and darkness and living by the Spirit doing His bidding, or by the sinful nature doing its bidding.

Many people struggle to bear the fruit of the Spirit and it becomes a life-long challenge. We would just like to be more patient, goodness seems to take much effort and not to even talk about self-control. We love selectively, struggle more with worry than having peace, finding gentleness an effort and faithfulness in today’s busy life impossible. With all these struggles it’s almost impossible to be friendly all the time.

I’ve heard Bible teachers trying to teach people how to bear the fruit of the Spirit; such as the fruit is present within us as seed if we are filled with the Holy Spirit, and all we need to do is develop it. So we go about working hard to develop it. I still remember years ago I stopped my car on the way home from work and pleaded the Lord to teach me how to love. It was only recently though, after years of my own effort, that I discovered the secret behind bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

If we have to work at the seed in our spirit to turn it into fruit it means our focus is on the fruit and the effort is ours. Once we’ve managed we can take credit for it. Let’s look again at Galatians 5: “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want,” (V16, 17). “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit,” (V22-25).

In our message entitled ‘By What Do You Live?’ we’ve seen the fruit of the sinful nature. Why is it so easy to bear the fruit of the sinful nature? It comes so naturally. It’s because we are the sinful nature, born into it and one with it. Our tree is called sin and therefore we will bear sin fruit.

The fruit of the Spirit belongs to the Holy Spirit. It’s He that bears that fruit. He is the tree called holiness bearing holy fruit. We can’t make ourselves bear the fruit that belongs to Him. We just need to get into Him, let Him envelop us from within and without. We need to get rid of the sinful nature (V24) – crucify it and keep in step with the Holy Spirit (V25). When He becomes all to us by us obeying Him, the fruit that He bears will manifest through us. The only ‘work’ we have to do is to stay in touch with the Holy Spirit.

When I eventually decided that I’m fed-up with trying to please both my flesh and the Holy Spirit and surrendered unconditionally, the fruit of the sinful nature faded away and the fruit of the Holy Spirit started to manifest automatically in my life. It was awesome, the battle was over, but it did cost me. I had to e.g. stop writing secular stuff, which I used to enjoy, I had to cut on my secular entertainment, which I’m still reducing, spending more time with the Lord and I had to gain the courage to obey regardless. Most importantly, our attitude have to become like that of Jesus (Philippians 2:1-11 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%202:1-11&version=NIV1984).

Lord, it’s worth it to surrender completely. Please show me how.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

If you benefited from this, why don’t you link it to your Facebook or Twitter or forward the e-mail reminder to make it available to your friends? You can also use the e-mail link to pass it on. Please pray as well for its distribution to those who need it and feel free to ask questions or discuss thoughts.

Confess Your Sins to Each Other

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New topic: Pray with Us for Struggling Christians and Persecuted Church. Remember you can still pray for Families and the Church.

Good morning.

I’ve been thinking about this following passage for a long time. I see the church obeying certain parts of the Bible on a regular basis and some parts seem to be obeyed more reluctantly. There may be people obeying this quite often, but I’ve not been aware of it. I have found though, that doing it to my wife helps me.

I’m talking about confessing our sins to each other. “Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective,” (James 5:14-16).

Why should we confess our sins to each other? Should I blunder out the deepest, darkest secrets of my heart? What about Jesus’ warning not to throw your pearls to the pigs (Matthew 7:6)? Wouldn’t people take advantage of such knowledge and then reject us?

In this context the sick person called for prayer. Any unconfessed sin would hinder prayer (Isaiah 59:1, 2 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2059:1-2&version=NIV1984) and confessing our sins would open God’s heart to receive our prayer with joy. Picture a son living in a way that annoys his dad. He does all kinds of things that embarrass his parents and disregards his dad’s advice and warnings. Would his dad be keen to help him when he asks e.g. for money to spend on his unacceptable lifestyle? Any wise father would expect of him to repent, change his ways and respect his parents before he would help him. Otherwise we just strengthen him in his wrongdoing, don’t we? We were made in God’s image and if we feel like this, the Lord is even more adamant about it. It is written all over the Bible that the Lord wants us to confess our sins.

But why should we do it one to another? Confessing your sins to a total stranger would probably not be wise, but doing it to a trusted friend holds great benefit. If we confess our sins to another we burn bridges behind us. We bring it to the light and then this sin loses its power. As long as we hide things and keep it in the dark, it has power over us. The devil needs darkness to do his work. I had a very strong temptation that overcame me regularly until I started to discuss the problem openly with my best friend - my wife. As long as I kept it in the dark, I could find excuses and justification to do it, but the moment I bring it to the light I’m delivered from it.

To confess our sins when we are sick therefore brings double healing. We become pure before the Lord, our relationship with Him is restored and therefore He’ll gladly heal us. We are also healed of the burden and the repercussions of the sin, which we experienced while keeping it secret. If our trusted friend knows about the sin, we’ll not easily sin again and this brings deliverance, particularly if it’s something we struggle with.

Those on the receiving end of a confession will also be kept responsible for keeping it to themselves, for love does not keep record of the wrongs (1 Corinthians 14:5) and you would not like to be a pig trampling your friend’s pearls, would you?

Maybe we should follow this instruction of James more to the letter in our churches, for then we’ll see more of God’s power.

Lord, please give me confidence to be honest about my sin.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

If you benefited from this, why don’t you link it to your Facebook or Twitter or forward the e-mail reminder to make it available to your friends? You can also use the e-mail link to pass it on. Please pray as well for its distribution to those who need it and feel free to ask questions or discuss thoughts.

By What Do You Live?

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Current topic: Pray with us for the Church. Remember you can still pray for Families.

Good morning.

“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law,” (Galatians 5:16-18).

This is stated as a fact. If we live by the Spirit we will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. We can deduce therefore that if we do gratify the desires of the flesh we’re not living by the Spirit? Living by the Spirit means we do what the Spirit wants and living by the sinful nature means we do what it wants.

Paul listed the desires of the sinful nature in Galatians 5:19-21: “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.”  As civilised Christians we probably don’t do all of the bad things mentioned, but how about selfish ambition? The Greek word ‘eritheia’ is also translated as strife and rivalries, which are less subtle. Selfish ambition, however, reveals also a subtle heart attitude. The moment our actions are determined by what we want, we are living by the sinful nature, no matter how noble it may appear. It’s only the Lord and us that would know the truth about it, unless the Holy Spirit considers it necessary to give someone else a word of knowledge in order to help us.

A simple example of this is charity work. If charity work is done to obtain e.g. selfish gain and honour, it’s an act of the sinful nature. If, however, we do it in such a way that the Lord’s name gets glorified and people are introduced to their saviour Jesus Christ, it’s living by the Spirit.

A pastor who desires a church with wonderful worship and powerful messages so that he may look good and people may think well of him, lives by the sinful nature and not by the Spirit, no matter how prosperous his church is. The Lord sees the heart and judges the attitudes and we can’t hide anything from Him. Such a pastor may appear to have great fruit on the surface, but his people will not have the same depth and intimate relationship with the Lord than those of a pastor who lives by the Spirit and maybe has less glamorous results.

Those in God’s army following the commanding officer (Holy Spirit) will enjoy both personal victory in their own lives and the corporate victory of the advancing Kingdom over the strongholds of this world. Those, however, who get sidetracked by their own sinful desires of selfish ambition, are building useless little kingdoms along the way and are liable of hearing one day: “‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:23), since Jesus said in verse 21: “‘Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven, ,” i.e. those who lived by the Spirit. Then He continued in verse 22: “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’”, and we know from the context that He referred to those who lived by the sinful nature of selfish ambition.

What is your ambition? Have you tested your motives? Who will benefit from your ambition?

Lord, please teach me the difference between living by the Spirit and living by the sinful nature.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

If you benefited from this, why don’t you link it to your Facebook or Twitter or forward the e-mail reminder to make it available to your friends? You can also use the e-mail link to pass it on. Please pray as well for its distribution to those who need it and feel free to ask questions or discuss thoughts. 

Shall we Mix Light and Darkness? (Part Two)

Our Intercession blog is Alive! – find link to your right è

Current topic: Pray with us for the Church. Remember you can still pray for Families.

Good morning.

Sin consists of two areas and Paul sums it up nicely in Romans 7:15, 17-20: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”

We can easily think poor Paul was actually not such a good guy, since He lived in this terrible state of sin. Note, however, that he referred to his sinful nature in this way with the intention to help his reader understand their sinful nature. This is why the Lord chose Paul to write most of the New Testament, for he was humble enough to make his weaknesses known so that we could identify with it. He, however, lived as he advised the Galatians in chapter 5:16-18: “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.” Even though Paul’s sinful nature was always present, tempting him to follow its demands, he chose to be led by the Spirit, which is why he received such ‘surpassingly great revelations’ as he put it in 2 Corinthians 12:7.

Sin is to miss the mark. If we disobey the Lord’s commands and do wrong things such as gossip, steal, lust, criticise, etc. we sin. God set the standard (mark) for a pure and godlike life by forbidding us to do these things, and missing this mark is sin.

If we don’t do the things expected of us, as written in the Bible and told us by the Holy Spirit continually during the day, we also sin. We read in the Bible we should preach the gospel, disciple the nations, love one another, encourage one another, be humble, surrender to God, resist the devil and the sinful nature, keep our eyes on the things above and not on earthly things, not to serve money, but to use it for service to God, etc. Even if we are being perfect by not doing any of the bad sins as mentioned in the previous paragraph and in e.g. Galatians 5:19 and 20, but fail to do the Lord’s instructions, we sin.

The Lord desires for us to be led by the Holy Spirit in doing what is expected of us. The ‘how-to’ we get from manuals, sermons and seminars in the modern church could be a guide to living a life in Christ, but if we want power and life we need to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance and not only the ‘how to’ rules and directions.

We ask why we don’t experience God’s power and don’t see revival. It’s because of the sin of not walking in the Spirit. Think a bit about it prayerfully. In our next message we will expand on it.

Lord, I don’t want to sin, but desire to walk in the Holy Spirit.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

If you benefited from this, why don’t you link it to your Facebook or Twitter or forward the e-mail reminder to make it available to your friends? You can also use the e-mail link to pass it on. Please pray as well for its distribution to those who need it and feel free to ask questions or discuss thoughts. 

Shall we Mix Light and Darkness? (Part One)

Our Intercession blog is Alive! – find link to your right è

Current topic: Pray with us for the Church. Remember you can still pray for Families.

Good morning.

Sin is the reason why Jesus had to suffer and die. Because of His sacrifice we are set free from the power of sin and, if we’ve accepted Him as saviour, our sins are paid for and we inherit eternal life. So what now, can we live as we please?

“But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life,” (Romans 5:20-6:4).

Have you noticed the words ‘just as sin reigned in death’? Sin is equal to death. The sin of unbelief leads to eternal death and the sin of disobedience leads to the death of our relationships, both with man and God. Have you noticed what happens to your relationship with a friend or spouse if you’ve offended them? The relationship has lost its joy and fun, hasn’t it? It became fragile. The only way to put it right is to confess your sin to the person. “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift,” (Matthew 5:23, 24).

Have you noticed what happens to your relationship with the Lord when you sin? If one was used to hearing the Lord’s voice, seeing Him doing all kinds of wonderful things in one’s life and then get involved in sin – serious sin such as lust or maybe simply unforgiveness or disobedience - the Lord suddenly turns quiet, doesn’t He. Gradually trouble starts in one’s life and everything turns upside down. We are being disciplined and convicted of our sin, because an intimate relationship with us is very important to Father God (Hebrews 12:4-12 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews%2012:4-12&version=NIV1984).

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives,” (1 John 1:5-10).

Have you noticed the words ‘claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness’? Light and darkness don’t mix. If we act as darkness, we can’t have fellowship with light. Any unconfessed sin that we haven’t denied place in our life, makes us darkness. Do you allow the Holy Spirit every minute of the day to convict you of your sin, so that your fellowship with God could stay intact?

Lord, I’m sorry if I allowed (name your sins) to muddle up my relationship with you, the Light.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

If you benefited from this, why don’t you link it to your Facebook or Twitter or forward the e-mail reminder to make it available to your friends? You can also use the e-mail link to pass it on. Please pray as well for its distribution to those who need it and feel free to ask questions or discuss thoughts.

How did Jesus Do It?

Our Intercession blog is Alive! – find link to your right è

Current topic: Pray with us for the Church. Remember you can still pray for Families.

Good morning.

One of the things that keep us from experiencing the Lord’s fullness is sin. “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear,” (Isaiah 59:1, 2).

The Lord wants me to create a picture of what Jesus went through in terms of temptation, so with utmost respect and reverence I obey.

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin,” (Hebrews 4:14, 15).

Do you think that a man of popularity and power would appeal to women? The women in Jesus’ time would then have tried to get Jesus attention and appeal to His male desires, just as we men get women trying to catch our attention and women today certainly get attention from men. Certain women in Jesus’ crowds would therefore have tried to catch His attention in a sinful way, wouldn’t they? Jesus, being a man with the hormones all men have, would have received the little whisper in His ear: ‘Nice girl, isn’t she? How about...’

With all the power Jesus exercised and the resulting fame it brought, do you think Jesus would’ve been tempted with pride? ‘Look what I have accomplished!’

When He really got tired He would have been tempted to respond to His human nature’s desire to follow the easy way out and disobey Father God. How many times do you think Jesus could have got up in the morning, not really feeling like walking the forty miles to the next town, having hundreds of people demanding His attention? If only He could do for one day what His flesh desired – pleasing His own desires.

How about the temptation to defend Himself when He was accused and in the end arrested, not letting the Father fight on His behalf (Zechariah 4:6, Exodus 14:14), the temptation to boast when He was asked whether He was the Son of God, the temptation to rather have lived in a comfortable house of His own when He declared “foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head,” (Matthew 8:20)

These kinds of temptations would have hailed down on Him relentlessly, for Satan knew that if he could only get Jesus to sin once, Jesus would have had it.

Were you able to identify with these temptations?

Jesus, however, didn’t give the temptations a second thought. He was too busy serving His Father’s desires to allow time to harbour such thoughts. The devil finds work for idle hands, the idiom says, and Jesus knew it. That’s why He either served - through work or through fellowship with godly friends - or He prayed (Mark 1:35, Matthew 14:22).

Jesus was tempted just as we are, but He did not sin because His purpose, His love for His Father and obedience to His Father was much more important. Yes, Jesus did not have hereditary sin and we have, so we will never be sinless (1 John 1:8). But we are able to overcome temptation by the power of God (1 Corinthians 10:13) and by being as focused on Kingdom issues as Jesus were, and not on earthly desires (Colossians 3:1-3). Obedience reduces sin’s power.

Lord, if Jesus could have given His all, I can. Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

If you benefited from this, why don’t you link it to your Facebook or Twitter or forward the e-mail reminder to make it available to your friends? You can also use the e-mail link to pass it on. Please pray as well for its distribution to those who need it and feel free to ask questions or discuss thoughts.