True Freedom

If you know Jesus you can be in any situation, even in prison itself, but still be free because of your relationship with Him

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Henrietta Mears (1890-1963), who was a bible teacher told her students: “A bird is free in the air. Place a bird in water and he has lost his liberty. A fish is free in the water, but leave him on the sand and he perishes. He is out of his realm. Likewise, the Christian is free, when he does the will of God and is obedient to God’s command. This is as natural a realm for God’s child as the water is for the fish, or the air for the bird.”

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Many people live their lives in a mental or spiritual prison of their own making. Indeed, I believe that most of my Christian friends would admit to being in that place themselves before they knew Jesus. Many people don’t even realise that they are in a place of no hope or no escape from the things that bind them. Happiness can elude them because the things they believed would bring them that happiness actually turns out imprisoning and enslaving them. Nelson Mandela famously said: “As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison” To be free we have to get rid of our hatred, unforgiveness, blame, malice etc. and the only way to do that completely is Jesus. Only Jesus Christ can truly set us free from what binds us. In Luke 4:18 Jesus Himself says: The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free” 

Likewise in John 8:34-36 He says: Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free you will be free indeed.

If you know Jesus you can be in any situation, even in prison itself, but still be free because of your relationship with Him. I recently read in Christianity Today a moving article by a man called Antoine Davis, who is in the 16th year of a 62-year prison sentence in Washington State in the US. He heads his testimony with the words; “I went to prison for murder. God’s word brought freedom.” He tells of how he was brought up in a dysfunctional family. His step father was a very violent man, who physically abused him and his mother.  At the age of 13 his cousins introduced him to drugs and alcohol. He became the member of a gang. Another gang shot and killed one of his best friends so his gang committed a murder in retaliation. 

Three weeks before the killing he had become disillusioned with his lifestyle so he got on his knees and prayed but he still went out with his gang on that fateful day. In prison he was in deep depression. He writes: “I asked the young man in the cell for the bible he had offered and I had rejected just hours earlier. I had always believed in God, but I had never considered what he required of my life. I was too angry and bitter, never realising that my pain had become my prison, first figuratively and then literally,” He writes how after reading the word he received forgiveness and gave his heart to the Lord. When he was given his sentence of 62 years he asked God to help him through and he heard God say: “Walk with me son and I promise to work it out for your good.” 

True to His word Antoine received a certificate of Christian Leadership and then became a Pastor working under a Senior Pastor. He has seen numerous inmates come to the Lord and although he still has many years to serve in prison he has found true freedom in Christ.

Under the old covenant that was passed down through Moses, freedom was not given to the Israelites, even though they were God’s chosen people. They didn’t have direct link to God. They had priests, who served as mediators for them. They had to go to the temple and make a sacrifice as atonement for their sin. They had the unenviable task of having to follow many rules and rituals but they could not be justified by obeying the law, no matter how hard they tried. In the new covenant we have Jesus.  In John 8:31-32. Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” When we follow Jesus, we are set free. Through that freedom we experience alleviation from the yoke of sin. Freedom is knowing that when our world is falling apart around us, we have a Heavenly Father, who is in control, we have Saviour that knows our suffering and we have the Holy Spirit that lives within us to keep and strengthen us.

In Paul’s day there were people in the early church, who wanted to hang on to some of the Jewish laws. One example is in Acts 15:1. It says: Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers unless you are circumcised according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved. Legalism causes disunity. Wherever legalism is allowed to grow disunity will follow. Even in some churches today there are people who don’t understand that legalism is a trap and disrupts the freedom we have in Jesus. 

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In his book The Grace Awakening, Charles Swindoll tells of a missionary family who literally were forced off the mission field because of peanut butter. This family was sent to a distant place where peanut butter was not available. They liked it so much that they asked friends in the US to send them some now and then. The other missionaries that were already there considered this an indulgence. The pressure from the other missionaries to stop receiving the peanut butter became so intense, that the newer family finally gave up and left the mission field. We have freedom in Christ and we must keep watch that we do not fall into legalism and make rules doctrines and regulations more important than the truth of the gospel.    

As ever I will end by offering a quote from Charles Spurgeon on freedom in Christ. He says: 

“We are free by might, as well as by right, for that same Jesus who bought our liberty for us, has secured it to us. Those grim prison walls, He has thrown down by His own pierced hands. Those ebon shades of darkness that surrounded us, He has chased away by His own glorious manifestation as our Sun of Righteousness. It is the Lord, the Liberator, who has set His people free, therefore, if you are among them, rend the heavens with your joyful shouts, you liberated ones! By the blood of the covenant, you are set free by the almighty “Breaker” who has come to break down your prison walls, and to make you ‘free indeed’ ”

Author: Thelma Cameron

(This is the Final MCF Life Church Blog article, and I would like to thank all the people who, for the past ten years have faithfully written articles to encourage and inspire people from all over the world, and all those who have taken the time to read them, we hope you were truly blessed. A special thank you to Gary O'Neil who inspired the start of the MCF Life Church 'blogspot' in 2015. The reason for this being the final blog, is that the MCF Life Church website will close down by the end of May 2025, as the fellowship moves into a new chapter of it's journey with the Lord).

As we hold to Christ's teaching, may you all walk in the freedom for which Christ has set us free. God bless you and may His favour be with you always.

Pastor Kevin Hunt

The Everlasting Covenant

The constituents of covenant are: a promise, an oath, a sign or sacrifice, a seal, and finally a shared meal.

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The concept of covenant runs right through the Bible. It is the basis of God's dealing with mankind, from the creation of this universe to its closure.

There are five clearly described God-given key covenants:

- with Noah (to preserve a functioning world until its end) [Genesis 8:21-22],

- with Abraham (a land for his descendants) [Genesis ch15, ch17]

- with Moses (laws and blessings for that people) [Exodus ch19 - 24]

- with David (an everlasting kingdom and King from his tribe) [2 Samuel ch7]

- and the new covenant (laws written on hearts and minds, forgiveness from iniquity, and the promised eternal inheritance) [Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews ch8-9]

These covenants progressively build on one another to form a comprehensive redemptive narrative. In my view there is actually only one covenant, made up of successive declarations to an individual, to a tribe, then to a nation that could be used to bless all nations. God rescued contaminated humanity through Noah, initiated redemption through Abraham, promised an everlasting shepherd-king through David, then fulfilled all of this in Jesus, making redemption available, not only to the chosen Hebrew people, but to us all.

The world functions around contract, being an agreement amongst equals, supposedly to the mutual benefit of all, yet so often utilised to exploit and control. But the Bible is based on covenant, being an arrangement between a greater (suzeraine) and a lesser (vassal). The vassal has only to offer loyalty but gets in return protection and prosperity, safety and security. Man-made covenants existed, but God perfected the practice.

The constituents of covenant are: a promise, an oath, a sign or sacrifice, a seal, and finally a shared meal.

Jeremiah (ch 31:31-34) looks forward to the new covenant, which is then quoted in full by the writer to the Hebrews (ch 8:6-12). Then we find the words:

'In speaking of a new covenant, He makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.' (v13)

Does this mean we can do away with the entire Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)? By no means. God has seen to its preservation so that we may be instructed in the complete redemptive narrative, and the crucial connection between Jew and Gentile, linking Jewish Messiah and Saviour of the world.

The wider context of the letter makes this clear. Firstly, the letter wasn't written to gentile people looking for ways to set aside the Jewish identity of Jesus, but was written to Jews who were contemplating slipping back into Jewish law in order to avoid persecution as Christians.

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Secondly, the context of chapters 7-10 is about one specific part of the covenant with Moses, that of the sacrificial system and the use of animal blood as temporary atonement for unintentional sin. This aspect has indeed been fulfilled and therefore does not need repeating. We no longer sacrifice animals for sin because the perfect, unblemished, sinless Lamb of God has been killed on our behalf. Ritual slaughter is now obsolete, the most holy place has been opened to all who repent of their sins and turn to Jesus who became sin for us and the Way to our redemption.

So all the rest of the covenant story is intact, and as relevant today as it was at its inception. The seasons promised to Noah still provide for seed and harvest. The land of Canaan promised to Abraham's descendants has been miraculously restored to them and is still their homeland despite threats from all sides. A Prophet like Moses intercedes for us in heaven. A King in the line of David sits on the throne in the Kingdom of Heaven and will one day judge us all. And today the Holy Spirit visits us, instilling His instruction into our hearts and our minds, as we look forward to sharing an everlasting inheritance with Jesus who has gone before us.

“Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way." (2Chronicles 6:14)

Author: John Plumb

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God backs you up according to His will

When we are under attack, we need to know that we are in right standing with God.

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Joshua 8:18(NKJV) Now the LORD said to Joshua: “do not be afraid or be dismayed, take all the people of war with you, and arise go up to Ai see, I have given into your hands the king of Ai his people, his city and his land”.

Joshua 8:10 (NKJV) Then Joshua rose up early in the morning and mustered the people and went up, he and the elders of Israel before the people of Ai.

Joshua 8:18-19 (NKJV) Then the LORD said to Joshua, stretch out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hands. And Joshua stretched out the spear that was in his hand towards the city. 19So those in ambush arose quickly out of their place, they ran as soon as he stretched out his hand, and entered the city and took it, and hurried to set the city on fire.

It’s encouraging making us feel courageous when you know God is backing you up and you know He is on your side, you can say as the scripture promise in Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgement. This is the heritage of the servant of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me” says the LORD.''

Having said this we can fall into the trap of being over confident, which is self-confidence, because we plan, say and do things of our own will, without first seeking the Holy Spirit to find out if it is God’s will and purpose (in front and behind us).

In Acts 19:15 (NKJV) And the evil spirit answered and said “Jesus I know and Paul I know, but who are you?”. When we are under attack, we need to know that we are in right standing with God.

In 2 Chronicles 20:14-15&17 (NKJV) Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah a Levite son of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. 15 And He said “listen all of you of Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem and you, king Jehoshaphat, thus says the LORD to you, do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 17 You will not need to fight this battle, position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed, tomorrow go out against them for the LORD is with you.

Jesus said in Matthew 18:18 (NKJV) “Assuredly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth, will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven”.

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God has given us this authority and power as believers in Him to do this. There must be agreement in both realms, if it’s not approved where God is, it will not be approved where we are. Our confidence comes from knowing we are operating in God’s will.

In 1 Corinthians 3:9 (NKJV) Paul writes “We are God’s fellow workers, you are God’s field and you are God’s building”. So we can’t go off and do our own things, don’t try moving mountains the Lord doesn’t want moving or raising anybody from the dead, except the Lazarus He called forth. We do on earth only what God has declared to be His will in heaven. And He will back you up.

May God richly bless and keep you as you do His will, in Jesus Name.

Author: Herbert Jean

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Only Jesus...

In his letter to a confused and some might say worldly Corinthian church Paul focusses on one thing: “I decided that while I was with you, I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified”.

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Before our prayer meeting for a local prison on Wednesday night, I was mulling over some things that have been troubling me. Then the person leading read from 1 Corinthians 2 where Paul writes:

When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. 2 For I decided that while I was with you, I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. 

I thought about the lads in prison who are trying to reach for Jesus and I thought about our message. Jesus: the Son of God who loved us and descended from the throne of heaven:

* came as a baby

* lived amongst us (the only truly “good man” who has ever lived)

* tempted and tried in every way that we are but without sinning

* provoked by sinners to the point where He could have justly called on His Father to send angels to destroy the world

* suffered death for everyone, paid the debt of sin for everyone who would believe

* rose from death on the third day and made it clear to all the powers in heaven, on earth and under the earth that He was victorious for us

* returned to the Father and sent His Holy Spirit to live in all who believe and truly ask Him for this new life

* returning to earth one day to judge the living and the dead and receive all His followers to be “with Him” forever – with a promise that we will know Him as He knows us

This is a great and profound story with a glorious ending! Prophesied in the Old Testament, and fulfilled and discussed in the New Testament, the lynchpin of which is Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

In his letter to a confused and some might say worldly Corinthian church Paul focusses on one thing: “I decided that while I was with you, I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified”. This wasn’t though a mere matter of words; indeed, Paul says that He avoided “trying to be clever”, the words were backed up with a demonstration of the power of God, clear for all to see. Likewise reading about followers of Jesus in previous generations to ours - they retained a simple faith in the gospel, didn’t always agree on the detail, and didn’t have the benefit (if that is what it is) of our up-to-date education, learning, research and resources. What they did have though was spiritual authority and a demonstration of the power of God.

Jesus clearly lays out what the Kingdom of Heaven is and what it means to be part of it. Paul spends a good amount of his letters trying to undo the work of those who had come into the church and contaminated or added to the gospel – robbing people of their Christ- given freedom and putting unnecessary burdens on their shoulders.

More than once (see Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 10) he has to get into things like what people are eating, and what days they celebrate as “special” or don’t. For example, he talks about some followers of Jesus who realise that meat bought in a marketplace and placed before them by a host, might have been purchased from idol worshippers. 

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However, the people that he is thinking about don’t pay this any heed, because they know that to them the connection with idolatry means nothing – they are just eating meat. On the other hand, someone who is a follower of Jesus but young or weak in the faith may not be able to separate out the difference between the practice of idolatry and just eating what is put before them. Not only is this a stumbling block to them, but also, they feel the need to warn those who know that its just - meat - and it is God’s provision. Paul advises the believer with stronger or maturer faith to refuse the meal even though it will do them no physical or spiritual harm so that the person with the weaker faith will not be compromised in their spiritual walk.

So, we see two principles at work – what is and what is not the practice of idolatry and care for a “weaker” brother or sister who cannot distinguish between the two.

It seems that we have the ability to complicate everything and Paul goes around in his books in the New Testament like a spiritual “whack-a-mole” – every time he has addressed a problem in one place, another one – or the same one leaps up somewhere else.

John Westley wrote:

“I have thought: I am creature of a day, passing through life as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit come from God and returning to God; just hovering over the great gulf, till a few moments hence I am no more seen. I drop into an unchangeable eternity! I want to know one thing, the way to heaven -- how to land safe on that happy shore. God Himself has condescended to teach the way: for this very end He came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. O give me that book! At any price give me the Book of God! I have it. Here is knowledge enough for me.”

The full gospel of Jesus Christ is the epicentre of the Word of God and faith for all those who follow Jesus. It is the whole reason for the bible. Let’s focus on that and let the Word and Spirit do their work?

Author: Chris Pearson

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Trusting Gods Heart

Jesus!! He is the essence of God's heart of love for me and the whole world. 

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I was recently invited to a ladies evening which featured a Christian singer who I had never heard of or heard any of her songs before. The evening was lovely and I had a chance to be reunited with some ladies I had not seen in a long while. The singer shared with us how she had found the Lord and some of the things He had been doing in her life. She sang some of the songs she had written and I must admit I enjoyed the songs. But as she sang her final song I was really blessed by the lyrics as they resonated with me because of some of the life experiences I am currently working through. But I was also challenged by one line:

Though I can`t see what’s before me

I know that I can trust your heart,

And this one truth will be my story

You still reign and your still God

It was the line `I know I can trust your heart` that made me ask myself what does that mean?

When we meet someone for the first time, we tend decide whether we like them or not. Sometimes first impressions cause us to decide whether we want to spend more time with them, which can lead to us enjoying a light fun friendship or can lead to us really connecting, and developing a deeper friendship, which sometimes can develop into lifelong friendship. This happens because we get to know the persons heart and whether we can trust the integrity, honesty, and faithfulness of their character and if they can be depended on in a crisis. As well as, and more importantly, if they have my best interest at heart and if ultimately, they will not do anything to hurt me. 

So, this challenged me to evaluate.  Do I know I trust the Heart of God?  

When thinking about this I went right back to the beginning (not of time, although in some ways its all to do with the beginning of time) and thought about how the Lord had reached into my life and revealed His love to me. Jesus!! He is the essence of God's heart of love for me and the whole world.  “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NLT) So from our first meeting I knew that Gods heart for me was that I would not perish (die) because He had died to save my soul from death.   And so began my journey of discovering the heart of God.  There have been many milestone experiences through my life and the word of God (the Bible) has helped me get to know Gods promises for me as His child. And I have held on to so many through my life:

Isaiah 41:10 (NLT) `Don’t be afraid for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand`. This got me through 2 years of a nervous breakdown and mental health issues. 

Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT) `For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord. They are plans to for good and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope`. This got me through so many times of wondering what and where the Lord was taking me and did it make any sense. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT) `The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.  When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure`. This was such a gift in all the times I thought I would sink under the pressure of life, temptations and issues that seem too much for me.  That He would not allow it to drown me but He will show me how I can endure and come through the other side stronger than before 

And finally, for now; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (NLT) `All praise to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and source of all comfort. He comforts us in our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.' This teaches me that Gods love and heart for me is that I will survive and grow through my difficult experiences. That He will provide relief and comfort for me. And even more that no experience that matures me and strengthens me is a wasted and pointless experience. It is for my good so I can experience Gods comfort and that I can then comfort others.  

I have learned to trust the Heart of God because the Heart of God is for me.  For my development and growth. To keep me safe and protect me. To develop a relationship with me that is not superficial but deep and strong and redeeming. To ultimately bring me to Himself at the end of my life having used all the experiences in my life to perfect me and my trust and dependence on Him, my heavenly Father.

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So, because I am experiences some difficult situations in my life right now, God again assured me by causing me to reflect on whether I do trust His heart, by  revisiting some of the times I have learned that I can trust His heart towards me to be one of love, grace and mercy. 

The lyrics of the song are below. Today I pray that it will speak to you in whatever way God determines that it should. And that you will know that today you can trust Gods heart.  

When all foundations have been shaken

When I'm left standing in the dark

And all I feel is my heart breaking

You still reign and You're still God

And when it feels all hope has faded

The heavy questions hit so hard

And though my soul may feel forsaken

You still reign and You're still God

Though I can't see what's before me

I know that I can trust Your heart

And this one truth will be my story

You still reign and You're still God

I will declare that You are with me

Though voices whisper that You're not

You'll never leave me nor forsake me

'Cause You still reign and You're still God

Though I can't see what's before me

I know that I can trust Your heart

And this one truth will be my story

Your truth's still reign and You're still God

Though I can't see what's before me

I know that I can trust Your heart

And this one truth will be my story

Right You still reign and You're still God

I know You reign and You're still God

And when my enemies surround me

I'll trust the victory of Your cross

And fix my eyes upon You Jesus

For You are God and I am not

You are good and You are faithful

As You have been from the start

You're working all things for Your glory

'Cause You still reign and You're still God

And though I can't see what's before me

I know that I can trust Your heart

And this one truth will be my story, yes it will

That You still reign and You're still God

Yes, this one truth will be my story

You still reign and You're still God

Author: Jan Pearson

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