#7 Blessing in the Gift of Making Music

Music is a truly wonderful gift that God has blessed us with. Every culture in the world has its own music and uses music as an expression of feeling, of hope, of faith, of anger, of conflict, and of love. And we are all able to share in this gift in one form or another.

Personally, however, I am even more thankful that God has given me the gift of making music. Not everyone can make the music, although all can listen and enjoy it. But God has blessed me with the ability to make music to honour and glorify His name.

I love music; I love playing music; and I love listening to music. Yet while it takes up a large portion of my life, I know that such a gift cannot replace what is more important: GOD. And this is the same for anything that takes up lots of your time and energy in life. You may have a particular hobby, job, or sport that takes up considerable amounts of your time, or it may be a preoccupation with something. Whatever it is (and I will add that these things are usually blessings from God for you to enjoy), it must not overtake what is most important.

And the reason I stress this, is that for me, music is a BIG part of my life. And yes, I mean BIG. This past Saturday I played in a concert that I had been joint organising for the last four months. And yes, preparation, rehearsals, individual practice, organisation meetings....and the list goes on....took up LOTS of my time. And this is only a part of the music I am involved in on a regular basis. 

So you get the picture, music is important to me. But there is a danger in this. And there is a danger in anything that takes up so much of your time and energy. The danger is in that this hobby, or job, or love in life, can easily crowd God out. And that must not happen. You cannot let anything crowd God out. And for me, this means that God comes first, and music must always come after Him (along with other things).

A good way to make sure that this happens is to use the blessing that God has given you, and in my case this is music, to the praise and glory of HIS name. Use it to honour and glorify Him, for that is our sole purpose on this earth. We live for His glory, for we live because of Him.

This is something that I always have to remind myself, especially when it comes up to concert time. For when the stress is on, you as a performer want to do well, you want people to like what you do, and you want your audience to have an enjoyable evening. You are out to please your audience, the people who have come to listen to you - that is the task of a performer. But as a Christian this task must come second. For yes, you do need to please an audience, but more importantly you need to play to God's glory. That is foremost. God and His glory must drive you as a performer to seek that high standard. And then when an evening turns out well, you can only reflect and say, 'Yes, God truly has blessed me. It is His gift that I may share with others, that they may enjoy and thereby praise God for it'.

And that's why I love music so much. I can praise my heavenly Father and express the wonder and glory of His name through a wonderful gift He has blessed me with: music.

#6 Blessing of Prosperity

It's high time that I started to blog again (someone kindly reminded me the other day), and yes, I am ashamed to have not written in nearly two months. Nevertheless, I will continue on with the blessings, as blessings are new every morning; they don't stop coming.

Today's blessing is PROSPERITY. Now I know that not everyone lives in prosperity, but I do know that most of you who will read this post do live in such a way. You (and I) have free access to a computer and the internet, you have a roof over your head, you have a car in the carport, you have a comfy bed to sleep in at night, you have more than enough food to fill you for three meals a day, you have a reliable savings account, money you can spend when you need something, you have a job, you have books to read, movies to watch, people to love, and people who love you. Now maybe you don't have all these things, or maybe you have these plus more. But in whatever state you are in, just think about all the things that GOD has given you (and I'm sure you should be able to make that list quite long).

But if that list is not so easy to make, start by comparing the comfort of your life to the physical conditions of someone living in East Africa. Life there isn't even half the dream of what we have in our western society. Food is often hard to come by; there is no guarantee of having a solid three meals a day; if there is water, it is often contaminated and dirty - one must walk miles to find clean and suitable drinking water; without an education a sustainable job is difficult to find; if there is a drought (which often happens) the productivity and reliability of a farming job fails; you are lucky if you own a car (and if you do, it would not be the latest model); walking is your main means of transport; and health facilities are few and scantly stocked with essential first aid. These are just some things, but I'm sure there are more I could add to this list.

By now I'm sure you have a good idea of how richly God has blessed you.

Prosperity is a blessing, however, it can also be a curse if we do not accept it in thankfulness. We are God's stewards on this earth, and He has bestowed on us more blessings than we can count. But now it is our task to use these blessings for the benefit and well being of others.

So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith, or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:5-8)

Here Paul commands his readers to use their spiritual gifts for the well being of their brothers and sisters in Christ, and this equally applies to our physical gifts. God in His grace has bestowed them on us, and out of thankfulness let us use them for others. Then we will understand the true meaning of prosperity as a BLESSING.

#4 Blessing of family

In a world where the importance of marriage (between a man and a woman) and family is diminishing it is beneficial to think for a moment how blessed I (and maybe you) are to have a 'real' family.

For me, personally, I am very thankful to have grown up with two parents (a mum and a dad), and what's more is that they are Christians. When I was baptised as an infant Dad and Mum promised to raise me up in the fear of the Lord; they made this promise to all the children in our family. And thus, we have all been/or are being raised up in a Christian family, a family where God is at the centre.

And its such a blessed thing when you realise and understand the beauty of being raised in a Christian family. Not everyone has had this privilege; but if you are someone who has, take some time to thank God.

Thank Him for Christian parents.
Thank Him for giving you a Mum and a Dad
Thank Him for giving you siblings, who have also been brought up as Christians.
Thank Him for giving you parents that bring you up in the fear of God's Name.
Thank Him for giving you a loving environment in which to grow up.
Thank Him for giving you siblings to love and cherish.
Thank Him for giving you people to shelter and care for you as you grow up.
Thank Him for the great times you've had as a family: holiday trips, outings, just fun together at home etc.

These are just some things you can thank God for in relation to your family. I'm sure you could think of more, also ones that may relate to your own family circumstances.

If you can't think of more ways, contrast your family life with someone who has none or very little family. Contrast it with some one who has only one parent (either their mum and dad have split up, or they never had both). Contrast it to an abusive family; contrast it to a family where mum and dad both work and have no time for the kids; contrast it to a family God is not the centre, but greed and materialism dominates the floor instead; contrast it to a family you would not like to be in. And then realise what a blessing your family is.

Take the time to thank God, and tell Him how blessed you are to have a family.

#3 Blessing of the Bible

I'll never forget what one high school religious studies teacher told us about the Bible: he called it the 'Living Word of the Living God'. For some reason this 'definition' has stuck with me, possibly because of its absolute truth and the implication of this in regards to my attitude towards the bible.


For indeed, the Bible is God's word. He spoke through the mouths of prophets and inspired ordinary men to write down His Words. The Bible is not some fictional story book with some great entertaining stories. The events described in it are not 'stories' but accurate descriptions of history. The Bible is a history book: God's History of the Salvation of His people through the redemptive working of His Son Jesus Christ.

The Bible contains all that we need for Salvation, and through it God speaks directly to us. Through the  Bible God reveals Himself to us. It is only when we read it that we can get an accurate picture of who God is and what He has done for us.

And that is why it is such an abundant blessing that we can have the Bible, we can hold it in our hands and read from it, we can study it at Bible Study clubs and we can hear it preached on Sundays. What a rich blessing it is to know that the Almighty, Living God, who is also our Father, reveals Himself and talks directly to us through the Bible.

We have received such a blessing, so let us also share it with others and let them know about our Living God.

#2 Blessing of Life

Life is indeed a wonderful blessing, something which we so often take for granted. God has given life to each one of us, and He has also made us that we may enjoy the life around us. Every morning we wake up to a new day, another day in God's service. And yes, sometimes it can be very hard to get out of bed in the morning, but if we change the focus of each new day into an experience of God's Almighty blessing, it makes it a whole lot easier to get out of bed.

This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

When you see the day as a gift from God your attitude towards it changes. No longer is it a grudge to pull yourself out of bed and face the things that need to be done. Instead you can rise up with joy, eager  to live another day in God's service.

God is the one who has granted you life and the least we can do is live it for Him in thankfulness.

I also thought this song was fitting with the Blessings them:

Blessings by Laura Story

#1 Serving God in Freedom

'Tis truly a wonderful thing to be able to worship God in freedom. It is a thing that we so often take for granted, especially when we have never personally experienced anything different.

Having grown up in a family where going to church every Sunday was the norm it is hard to imagine what it would be like if the government prohibited us from gathering together to hear God's Word preached on Sunday. Its hard to imagine being told you can not publically worship your God. It is hard to imagine a life where I am not allowed to go to church.

That is why it is such a blessing. But there is even more to it.

Being able to serve God at church is a blessing in itself. The fact that we are able to gather together as Children of God, where together we can hear His word as it is proclaimed to us from the hand of the minister. It is at Church that God speaks directly to His people (that is not to say that He doesn't when we are at home reading from our bibles). It is at church were we hear an explanation of the living Word, it is at church that we are spiritually nourished, and renewed with vigour to the coming week.

It is also at church where we can have communion with other fellow believers. That in itself is a wonderful thing. To be able to speak to others about our common faith, being a hand and a foot to each other. The communion of saints is a real blessing, and when you come to see it as such you realise how wonderfully blessed you are to be a part of it.

Thanks be to God who has blessed me in allowing me to come together with fellow believers twice every Sunday to hear His Word preached in Church. Thanks be to God that we can do this in freedom without hinderance. Thanks be to God that He allows us to have communion also with other brothers and sisters in Christ. And it is my prayer that God gives the strength to those who live in countries where the preaching of God's Word is prohibited.

How truly blessed we are!

God truly blesses

I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing. (Ezekiel 34:26)

God, who is rich in mercy, showers gifts upon His Children. He showers gifts upon us. Take note for a minute the word shower. God does not drip blessings upon us. We don't receive one here, and then another one some days later. No, God showers blessings. He gives then in abundance. If you are caught outside in a shower of rain (like I was the other day running from my car to the train station), you are absolutely drenched. The rain soaks into you, it completely covers you, and if you are in it long enough there will be nothing of you left dry.

Now apply this to God's blessings. He showers them upon us; He completely drenches us with His love and mercy. He does not leave us dry, no child of God misses His showers of blessings.

Why we may not feel as though God showers us with blessings is most likely because we are not looking for them. Open your eyes and look around taste and see that the LORD is good (Psalm 34:8). 

Just like the old hymn says so clearly:

When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed, 

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, 

Count your many blessings, name them one by one, 

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. 

Refrain:

Count your blessings, name them one by one, 

Count your blessings, see what God hath done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one, 

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. 

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly, 

And you will keep on singing as the days go by. 

When you look at others with their lands and gold, 

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold; 

Count your many blessings - wealth can never buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small, 

Do not be discouraged, God is over all; 

Count your many blessings, angels will attend, 

Help and comfort give you to your journey's end. 

God showers blessings on us, ones both great and small, we just have to open our eyes to see them. I challenge you, to count them, make and list and see for yourself the extent to which God blesses those He loves. And I also challenge myself to post a blessing I encounter in my life every day, for the next 30 days.

Where is the joy?

Joy is one of the defining characteristics of the Christian life, yet, sometimes I feel as though it is somewhat lacking in most of our lives. Yes, we are generally happy people, but we are often happy enough when we go to party and go out with our friends, or we are happy when we can get together with them and talk about the latest things we have, or what we did on the weekend. Yet, while we have happiness in these areas of life, we lack the same joy when we get together as youth of the church to discuss God's holy Word.

Reading through the book of psalms, I was struck at how many times they speak of joy. And how often  joy is spoken of in the context of singing and praising God. 

Let me mention just a few:

Psalm 5:11 - But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. 

Psalm 16:11 - You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 21:1 - The king shall have joy in Your strength, O LORD; And in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!

Psalm 27:1 - And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

Psalm 32:11 - Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Psalm 33:3 - Sing to Him a new song; Play skilfully with a shout of joy. 

Psalm 35:9 - And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; It shall rejoice in His salvation. 

Psalm 35:27 - Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favour my righteous cause; And let them say continually, 'Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.' 

Psalm 43:4 - Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God. 

Psalm 48:2 - Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. 

Psalm 51:8 - Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. 

Psalm 51:12 - Restore to me the joy of salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. 

Psalm 63:5 - My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. 

Psalm 65:13 - The pastures are clothed with flocks; The valleys also are covered with grain; They shout for joy, they also sing. 

Psalm 66:1-3 - Make a joyful shout to God all the earth! Sing out the honour of His name; Make His praise glorious. Say to God, "How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You. 

Psalm 67:4 - Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations on earth. 

Psalm 81:1 - Sing aloud to God our strength; Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob. 

Psalm 89:15 - Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance. 

Psalm 95:1 - Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. 

Psalm 96:12 - Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the LORD.

Psalm 98:4 - Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.

Psalm 98:8 - With trumpets and the sound of a horn; Shout joyfully before the LORD, the King. 

Psalm 100:1-2 - May a joyful shout the the LORD, all you lands! Serve the LORD with gladness, come before His presence with singing.  

Psalm 105:43 - He brought out His people with joy, His chosen ones with gladness. 

Psalm 106:1 - Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 

Psalm 122:1 - [The Joy of Going to the House of the LORD] - I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the LORD."

Psalm 132:9 - Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your saints shout for joy. 

Psalm 132:16 - I will also clothe her priests with salvation, And her saints shall shout aloud for joy. 

Psalm 137:6 - If I do not remember You, Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth - If I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy. 

Psalm 149:2 - Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. 

Psalm 149:5 - Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds. 

Well that was more than just a few, but I'm sure you get the picture (and well done if you read all of them). In any case, these texts highlight what a joy it is to be called children of God. They speak of the joy these children have when they can come together and worship together. They speak of shouting and singing for joy because the Lord is good, and His mercy endures forever. 

We also have every reason to be joyful. God has taken us out of darkness and brought us into His marvelous light. We are able to have communion with Him, through Jesus Christ, and we are also able to have communion with fellow believers. Shouldn't that be cause enough for joy when we come together to worship or discuss His Word. 

He, the Almighty King of kings and Lord of lords, has chosen, you, and me, to be His special children (heirs with Christ - Romans 8). If we then believe this and take it to heart, let our lives be filled with joy, let it overflow like a fountain, that others may see the joy in us and be drawn to that source of Joy. 

So let us PRAISE THE LORD!

Praise the LORD!

Praise God in His sanctuary; 

Praise Him in His mighty firmament!

Praise Him for His mighty acts; 

Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; 

Praise him with the lute and harp!

Praise him with the timbrel and dance;

Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!

Praise Him with loud cymbals;

Praise Him with clashing cymbals!

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. 

Praise the LORD!  (Psalm 150)

Put a Brave Face On

Whether we like it or not, we all have weaknesses. We all have things we stumble over in life, things that drag us down, sins that keep on returning even though we try hard to stop them. And if you can't find a weakness in your life, then you need to look harder. Examine your life in the light of God's Word and you will see the darker areas. 

The problem, is however, that as humans we are so often proud and do not want to admit to others our weaknesses. We would rather that our friends and family see us as strong people, people who life an upright and godly life, people who would never be tempted through weaknesses. We would rather put a brave face on instead of being honest with our family, friends and ourselves. 

However, the greater problem lies in that when we are not honest or open with the people closest to us,  we often lack the same honesty with God. If we spend all day trying to convince ourselves and the people around us that everything is OK and that there is nothing we need help with, we are also inclined to take this attitude to God. 

But this attitude is wrong! When we come before God in prayer, it must be in humility, with a humble spirit, confessing your sins, and also your weaknesses. We must come to God with all our weaknesses before the Devil brings them to us. Satan knows our weaknesses, he knows the places where we are weak and tend to trip up. He knows where to strike. 

But the good news is that you also know Satan's tactics. You know he strikes out at weaknesses. Think of the time when Satan tempted Jesus in the wildnerness. Jesus had not eaten for 40 days, and Satan tempted Jesus with food - Jesus would have surely been hungry. Satan said to Jesus, If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. (Matt 4:3) Satan tempts: he tempted Jesus and he tempts you and he tempts me, however, Jesus overcame. Jesus did not succumb to Satan's temptations, but rather, He rose above. And His defeat over Satan was final when He rose from the grave on Easter Sunday. He defeated death; He defeated Satan. 

What a blessing and comfort it is for us to know that Satan has been defeated. The victory is sure, yet the spiritual battle goes on until Christ returns. Nevertheless, we have the most powerful weapons to turn the devil away. We have God's Word and prayer. Two weapons that go hand in hand. We cannot use one with out the other, but when both are used, they are more powerful than a two-edged sword. 

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edgedsword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

So do not be afraid to tell others about your weaknesses, and above all, come before God in humbleness and tell Him everything. He wants to know, and He wants you to rely on Him. And what better thing is there to do than to rely on the one who supplies us with strength and the weapons to fight the devil. 

Always remember: In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. (Rom 8:37)

God is in You

Recently in my own bible study I was struck by a simple fact: God lives within me. It was one of those things that I knew and had been taught for a long while but the real meaning of this only struck me a few days ago.

So really, what does it mean for you that God dwells within you? That was the question I asked myself, and I hope to share my thoughts with you.

Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you...? (1 Corinthians 6:19)

God dwells within those whom He calls His children....He dwells within. What a great comfort that is!

God was with Abraham in the Old Testament; He called Abraham his friend (James 2:23). God dwelt with Abraham, however, since the out pouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, God lives within His children. Isn't that so much greater?

Christ's Spirit is within you, He understands what you are going through, and He is there within you every step of the way. You never have to be afraid that God will leave, or that where you go He will not come. For God has made a promise to us that He will never leave us. In Matthew 28:20, before Jesus ascended into heaven He said: lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. And how is Christ with us? Through His Holy Spirit that dwells within us.

The words from Psalm 139 also apply in this context. The psalmist says:

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there; 
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning, 
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 
Even there Your hand shall lead me, 
And Your right hand shall hold me.  (vs 7-10)

God will ALWAYS be there.

What a great comfort this is: that in whatever situation you may find yourself in God promises to be there with you, to help you and to comfort you.

Am I content?

How often are we just content? Think about it for a moment. How often are you thankful and happy for the present life you have? How often are you satisfied with the things that God in His wisdom has given us?

Or should we be asking ourselves these questions: How often do I wish for new things? A new car? New clothes? A new house? A new job? A new physique? A new toy? A new hairstyle? A new phone? A new TV? How is it that we always want new things, as if what we already have is just not good enough?

Yes, sometimes we do need new things, but more often then not we would be more than fine without getting that 'new thing'.

The apostle Paul says in his letter to Timothy: Godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Tim 6:6) The world seeks 'new things' it always wants more, it is never satisfied. And living in a modernised world we are encouraged by it to live with this 'never satisfied' approach to life. But Paul strictly tells us, that such as life is not for the Christian. A truly godly person must not be interested in getting the biggest and the best in life, for he possess a much greater treasure that earthly resources cannot buy. Real contentment is a mind at peace with God. (Michael Bently)

Earlier in 1 Tim 4:8 Paul tells us that bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things. Contentment is born from godliness. If you walk in godliness and lay up for yourself treasure in heaven, then you will be content. A true humble Christian knows that material possessions are like fleeting pleasures; they cannot satisfy the soul. Instead, a believer's contentment comes from knowing and doing God's will. (MB)

This is not to say that believers must live simple lives as if having more possessions is because they are not content. For Paul says in Phil 4: I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. He says he knows how to abound and to suffer need, yet in all situations he is content. And that is the key. We must be content in whatever situation God has placed us in.

Find peace and contentment in God, and He promises to grant you all that you have need.

Love - Christ's love

The only way that we are every able to love one another completely is by being filled with Christ's love. So I just want to spend some time in describing, as much as possible, Christ's love, and how He has made that manifest to us.

You and I are both totally underserving of God's love. With our forefathers Adam and Eve in Paradise, we fell into sin. Through our own disobedience we deliberately disobeyed God and as a consequence of this, we sinful. We are all conceived and born in sin. There is none righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10). The point I want to emphasise here is that MAN sinned. God did not make man sin; He is not the author of sin. But MAN by his own actions, sinned, and He has to bear the punishment.

God, however, is just and righteous; He cannot allow sin to go unpunished - that is why, of ourselves, we are worthy of death. We deserve to go to hell and endure God's eternal wrath against us. For we have sinned. We sinned with Adam in Paradise, and we also sin daily. Our sins are so great and they continually increase the debt that we have to pay. And what is more, we can never even begin to pay this debt ourselves. Why? Because we are sinful, and God HATES sin.

But has God left us in this miserable state? Has He left us alone in our sins? For He very well could say: "Well you sinned, now you have to bear the consequences." And He could just leave it at that. But He didn't, and that is the wonderful message of His LOVE.

While He could have left us in our sins, He chose us to everlasting righteousness. He said: "I want to save you from that sinful state; I want to call you my child, that you may know Me and glorify Me."

Yet there is more to God's love.

God could not leave sin unpunished; His justice and righteousness requires that our sin needs to be paid for. But we cannot pay for our sins, for we are not righteous. One who himself is a sinner cannot pay for his sins, or that of another (HC Ld 5 q/a 14). Therefore, the only candidate to pay for sins, is Jesus Christ.

And so, God sent His only begotten Son into this world, to assume our flesh and blood, and so pay for the sins that we have committed. For He (that is: God) made Him (Christ) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (1 Corinthians 5:21)

Isn't that the amazing love of God. Because He wanted to save us from our sins, He sent His beloved Son into this world, that He might endure the hellish agony of God's wrath against the sin of the whole human race. Christ endured mockings, scorgings, abandonment (by God His Father and His disciples), and so much more suffering, all that you, and that I, may have eternal life; that God may say to you: "Come My child, and I will give you rest."

And there is still more to God's love.

After Christ ascended into heaven, and His work was completed here on earth, He sent His Spirit to live in our hearts. God lives within us! And that is just wonderful when you think about it. God is so near to you. He comforts you, encourages you, strengthens you, and gives you what you need to live as a covenant child of God.

God's love is indeed amazing.

And if He has done all this for you, how much more do you want to go and love your neighbour?

Fruit of the Spirit - Love

How is it that we often fail to show true love to ALL our neighbours? It's easy to love our friends, and family; its easy to love those close to us, those who we get along with. But it's not so easy to love others - those who annoy us, those who make us frustrated, those who you just simply can't get along with, and those who hurt you.

But God has given us the command to 'love your neighbour as yourself' already in Lev 19:18. And it is a command, meaning, we have to do it. But how? How can you love someone when all they do is hurt you and frustrate you?

Well, I'll try to explain using the only basis I know that will truly teach me how to love: God's Word.

I have taken I Cor 13:4-7, providing the text and also my interpretation of it. This passage is a perfect practical guide on how to love, and it is so perfect because it is based on the character of the love of Christ. And when looking at this passage it becomes clear that love is not merely a feeling (no matter how much we often base it on feelings) but it is an action:

Love suffers long and is kind; 
Love does not envy; 
Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 
Does not behave rudely, 
Does not seek its own, 
Is not provoked, 
Thinks no evil; 
Does not rejoice in iniquity; 
But rejoices in the truth;
Bears all things, 
Believes all things, 
Hopes all things, 
Endures all things. 
Love never fails. 

Love is patient, she does not easily give up on others; she is merciful and kind.

Love is not jealous or bitter; she does not hold a grudge against another.

Love is not proud or arrogant, she does not brag.

Love is not rude, disrespectful or ill-mannered.

Love is self-less, she seeks the well-being of others first.

Love is not irritable or resentful

Love does not focus her attention on the wrongs that others do to her. 

Love does not rejoice in what is wrong,

Instead, Love delights in what is right. 

When Love bears all things,

She is not suspicious, but trustful, she thinks the best of things and so protects one's reputation. 

And so, love hopes the best of all things.

Love perseveres under all circumstances. 

Love is not a passing feeling or desire; it is not fleeting and will not pass away. Love has no end.

So, how do we put this love into action? How do you get going? It's such a list, and admittedly its quite overwhelming. 

Well, firstly, we need to understand the love of Christ. Know fully and completely what He has done for you, and be filled with that love. Let His love fill your heart and mind. Let it fill your senses so that all you want to do is show that same love in return. The more you know God and His love through His Son Jesus Christ, the more you will also be able to show love to your neighbour. 

So, KNOW WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU!!! (that'll be the topic of my next post)

"He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6

This text captures the essence of believing in Christ. It is not any of our work, but God's work within us. It is not because of our worthiness that we are saved. It is not that God knew before that we would have faith, so He saved us. Our salvation is based on nothing, I repeat, NOTHING, that we can do. God, by His Holy Spirit and through the preaching of the Word, works 'a good work' [faith] in us.

And what's more is that since God has begun this work in us, He WILL complete it. God will not allow those whom He has effectually called unto salvation to fall away from His grace, but they shall persevere until the end. Until the day of our Lord Jesus Christ! Those who try to live a Christian life in their own abilities will fall away (Matt 13:20-22).  But those who show themselves to be regenerate by God in their walk of holiness and love for their neighbour can have the comfort that they are secure in Christ. Although they may backslide and fall into sin, the Holy Spirit convicts them of their sin and compels them to repent and seek to live a life free from sin.

Now this does don't make the believer slack in living a holy life, as though he has a guaranteed safety net  that no matter what he does, he will never fall from God's grace. Instead, by knowing that God has pledged to keep him safe forever, the believer desires more and more to please God through a humble and grateful attitude.

What a comfort that is for believers, and at the same time it reminds us to devote our lives to the One who has saved us.

"Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faith, who also will do it." (1 Thess 5:23,24)

The wonder of it all

"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, 

that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." 

(1 Tim 1:15)

Sometimes I ask myself, why am I a Christian? Why was I born into a Christian family? Why do I go to church every sunday? Why am I a Christian when there are so many people in this world who either hate God or want nothing to do with Him?

Now, while I would almost like the answer to these questions to be complicated, its rather simple. God has chosen me; that's why I'm a Christian.  Before the foundation of the world; before He had even created Adam and Eve, God decided that I would be one of His covenant children. "Just as He chose us in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world..." (Eph 1:4a)

I never cease to be amazed by this. God chose me, not because He knew I would have faith or any other good quality of disposition, but so that I "should be holy and blameless before Him." (Eph 1:4b) It is so wonderful to think then, that out of the millions and billions of people in this world, God has chosen me to salvation through Jesus Christ. He could have chosen many others, but He chose me, and not because I am any better, for I can say with Paul "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." (1 Tim 1:15)


Christ came into this world to save sinners. And we are ALL sinners; yet through Christ we may be washed clean of sin. We are born again into a new life, a life with Christ as our master, rather than a life ruled by Satan. And all we have to do to receive this is believe: believe on Jesus Christ and be saved. "For God so loved the world that He gave is only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. " (John 3:16)

Now when you consider the wealth of wonder in that God has chosen you, out of the millions in this world, to be His child, your only response should be thankfulness. Humbled by the fact that He has chosen you, you seek to offer your life as a living sacrifice of thankfulness to Him.

So that's why I go to church, and that's why I call myself a Christian? Because God has called me to be His child. God did, not me.

"Those whom He predestined He also called; and those whom He called these He also justified; and those whom He justified, these He also glorified." (Rom 8:30)

Such is the wonder of it all.

Peacefulness

Do you ever get those times when you feel as though you can feel God's presence beside you? Well it was like that for me tonight. I know this can sound surreal, or just something from my own imagination; but I think its not. It's a feeling that you get, a feeling of total peacefulness where you are at peace with yourself, peace with God and peace with your neighbour. Now I don't mean to say that I'm perfect because I'm totally at peace with everyone and everything, however, I do believe that God grants me peace, and in that peace I am able to find myself closer to Him.

It's hard to describe, and I only really once have truly felt it before. That was when I was about 12 yrs old, kneeling beside my bed as I said my night-time prayer, and for some reason, which I cannot understand, it felt as though God was there present with me in my bedroom as I prayed. And I'll never forget it, for it was such a wonderful feeling; a feeling that I felt again tonight.

Coming home after a night of ice-skating with friends, I just sat outside for a few moments to think. To let my mind wonder. It's quite amazing when you realise the things you are aware of when you just open your mind.

There is no wind. There's a full moon. The crickets sing their evening song. My dogs lay at my feet, warm soft, and absolutely adorable. But what is more amazing, is when I lay down on my back; there are no clouds in the sky, only stars that shine so bright. And it is just so peaceful. It's such a beautiful feeling.

Now I could talk on and on about my feelings, but faith is not just what I feel at one present time. But its the surety and the knowledge of being Christ filled that brings me this peacefulness.

I think of the verses in Philippians 4 where Paul says: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." 


That is such a comforting passage; for my feelings are nothing - it is God who works that peace in me. And although I cannot understand it, I praise God that He has given me a heart to know true peace through Jesus Christ.

Love your neighbour as yourself (2)

Although love is of God, it still requires action from our side - that was the theme of the second speech at the camp. Love in Action.

The love that God wants us to extend to our neighbour comes from our new life in CHRIST (Col 3:1,2). We are to set our minds on the things above, not on the things of this earth. In so doing we are to be clothed with the garments of the 'new man'. These 'clothes' are what show us to be different from those who do not believe in Christ, and they are ultimately characterised by love.

Love is built on two pillars: patience and kindness. "Love suffers long and is kind;" (1 Corinthians 13:4a). Patience is defined as being willing and able to respond positively to a negative situation, and kindness acts to maximise a positive situation. Being motivated by Christ and His work on the cross, we are able to show true love.

Another characteristic of love is "bearing with one another and forgiving one another" (Colossians 3:13). In other words we cannot be showing true love to some one if we are not able to overcome a grudge we hold against them. If we choose not to forgive someone who has hurt us, no matter how deeply, we are basically putting ourselves under their control, and not allowing ourselves to be free to let God work renewal in our lives. Unless we dwell on the miracle of grace in our lives through Christ, we will not be able to forgive one another, and hence show true love. If we are filled with Christ's love; if we truly understand the depth of our own forgiveness through Him, then it will be easier to forgive one another. It is then that you are able to receive inner peace and the ability to freely give love.

As new men and women in Christ, we are required to wear new clothes bearing the fruit of the Spirit - Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control (Galatians 5:22). But "above all these things [we must] put on love, which is the bond of perfection." (Colossians 3:14) Love is the belt that holds all the clothes together. Without love we cannot truly wear kindness and forgiveness. In all this we must remember that this is only possible when we let the word of Christ dwell in us richly; when we desire to live closer to God; when we 'constantly and with heartfelt longing ask Him for these gifts and thank Him for them'.

"And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:17)

So, what clothes are you wearing?

Love your neighbour as yourself (1)

I just came home from the most amazingly beautiful camp ever! It was a week were I could enjoy fellowship with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Some people had come from Queensland, others Tasmania, a couple from Canada, and the rest of us from Perth. It was a great opportunity to make new friends and deepen friendships already made. But above all the camp was wonderful because it allowed us all to grow together in our love for God and our love for our neighbour.

The theme of the camp was 'Love your neighbour as yourself' and I just wish to share some of the valuable lessons I've learned through the various speeches that we heard over the duration of the week (but not all in one blogpost).

The first speech was titled: 'Love as a commitment', which really dealt with understanding 'what is true love?' The world has many definitions of love which are usually centred around feelings of desire, romance, appreciation and protectiveness, and while these are attributes of love are true and worthwhile, they miss the mark of true love. And why? Because true love can only stem through the One who has shown this love to us in the first place. God, in sending His only begotten Son into this world to die on a cross for our sins, has shown true love. For 'God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us' (Romans 5:8). That is God's amazing love with which He loves us.

Now we who have received this true love from God have been called to be 'imitators of Christ'. 'Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children. Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma' (Ephesians 5:1,2). This act of imitating Christ is not something that we can do of and in ourselves, rather, 'having been renewed in the spirit of your mind' (Eph 4:23), God will work this through us. Imitating Christ is not something we need to do for Him. It is for this reason too, that we cannot say: 'it's just me and my nature, I can't do it. I just can't love my neighbour and do good to him, to show love to him.' For love is more that just a feeling. Love is a command of Christ. Love is a commitment.

Another command we have received from Christ is to abide in His love. And by abiding in Christ's love, by clinging to His love, then we are able to show true love to our neighbour. It's like imagining your life as a tall drinking glass. If that glass is filled with the love of Christ, if you live your entire being for Christ, then there is no room for Satan to work. And if you are Christ filled, then you will seek to do the things that He commands, namely, you will show love to your neighbour. However, if Christ does not fill your life, and the glass is only half full, then there is much more room for Satan. And Satan will take advantage of that room, he will fill your life will other selfish and deceitful things rather than true love for your neighbour. So the more you allow Christ to fill your life, the more you abide in Him, the more you will show love to your neighbour.

There are three characteristics of true love as a commitment: it is unconditional, self-denail, and total. Love is of God. And its a wonderful privilege to be called to bear His love!