A Love Relationship and oneness with GOD

He has brought us into a loving relationship with Himself, so let us give Him the reverence and honour He deserves

facebook.com

Recently I’ve been encouraging people to realise that when we meet together whether in person or over multimedia, that as Christians we enter into the Throne room of GOD.

There are a number of reasons why this is important to grasp. Firstly, when we enter GOD’s Throne room we should do so with reverent fear and trembling, because of the awesomeness of who He is, secondly, there’s the fact that for Him to allow us to do this is an immense honour and privilege that has only been made possible through the shed blood of Jesus. An entrance fee we could never have paid. Then thirdly, there’s a sense of oneness and fellowship between us and GOD as we seek His face to honour and glorify Him and have a conversation with Him regarding the things on our hearts.

How important is this for us to grasp? Well, let me take each of these points individually. 

Firstly ‘The Reverent Fear of the LORD’. This is something that seems to be very much in short supply in the church at the moment, and we almost consider Jesus more of a mate than who He really is, ‘GOD ALMIGHTY’ our Saviour and King. I wonder how many people who have given their hearts to Jesus have ever been taught in their early years, if ever, about the ‘Fear of the LORD’. We teach them who Jesus is, what He’s done for us and that as Christians we’ll be with Him one day. We encourage them to read their bibles, to pray and explain the need for fellowship, all very important and relevant stuff, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything on the ‘Fear of the LORD’ in any of the discipleship books for new Christians.

flickr.com

We ask GOD for wisdom when we pray or have to make decisions, especially difficult ones, and yet seem to ignore the fact that GOD has already told us how to get wisdom. Here’s just a couple of examples: Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Job 28:28 ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom'. Without the Fear of the LORD the church will never be as effective as it should be, and I don’t think will ever treat GOD with the reverence and respect He deserves.

Secondly, The fact that Jesus left His Majesty and came to earth in human form to stand in the gap for us, to be falsely accused, be wrongly convicted, be unjustly beaten, whipped and crucified so He could take on Himself all of our sins and pay the ultimate penalty that we deserved, which enables us to enter into the most holy place, is something we should never lose sight of and should always give thanks from the bottom of our hearts for, and never forget that it’s an immense honour and privilege that we’ve been afforded by GOD.

Thirdly, I would like to consider this idea of oneness and fellowship with GOD. You see it’s easy to think that GOD is up in Heaven and we’re down here on earth. A concept that we may have because of scriptures such as Matthew 6:9-10 Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. That may suggest that there’s a separation between heaven and earth and GOD and us, after all these are the words of Jesus. But I don’t think that’s what Jesus is suggesting in this scripture or any other scriptures that may give us the same impression.

Let me explain it this way. Let us consider that there are a number of levels of heaven known as the heavens, and let’s also consider that GOD being omnipresent is in fact present in all these stages of heaven. For example, the first heaven is the atmosphere that is all around us, the second heaven is the sky, the third is space etc, etc. This would then mean that whilst GOD is indeed up in Heaven, He is also in every level of the heavens so our prayers don’t have to travel trillions of light years to reach God’s ears, He can actually hear the quietest of whispers.

Now, if we then consider the way that Jesus told us how to pray and take into account the various stages of the heavens then it could look like this: Our Father in heaven all around us hallowed be Your Name, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth (this level of heaven) as it is up in the highest Heaven. Thinking of it this way means we would understand that GOD is as close to us as we are to ourselves (in our body). In other words when GOD created mankind, He formed a shell for us to walk around in and then created us in His image when He breathed our spirit into that formed body. 26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27

7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and (at that point) the man became a living being. Genesis2:7 (Comment in brackets added).

Note: In Genesis 2:7 LORD is spelt with all capital letter’s meaning we were created in the image of Father, Son and Holy Spirit – YAHWEH.

Therefore, when we give our lives to Jesus and become ‘Born Again’, the very moment that happens the Holy Spirit enters our body and becomes one with our human spirit and makes us like Jesus and one with Himself. 

We could now pray ‘Our Father who is heaven and in us, hollowed be Your Name’. God has brought us into complete fellowship with Himself, so to treat Him without reverent fear, to not give Him the respect He deserves or completely surrender to Him, is in my opinion to not understand who GOD really is and is in part the reason the church is currently without power and ignored by the world.

How can we possibly give GOD the spiritual praise and worship only He deserves, if we don’t firstly fully understand who He really is? I believe there urgently needs to be a mind shift and a spiritual awakening in the church for this to happen, because only then will we fully trust Him with our lives and have the relationship with Him that He wants with us.

Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4-5. Church, He has brought us into a loving relationship with Himself, so let us give Him the reverence and honour He deserves.

There are many other things that could be said about the three points above but listen to the words of the song attached to this blog, and I pray that in all aspects of your life, your words will be those of Jesus, ‘‘Father, not my will but Yours be done’’.

Be blessed.

Author: Kevin Hunt

May God bless and enrich your life

Please feel free to share this article and other articles on this site with friends, family and other

Time - The seal of the Blessed Holy One

He knows best and all His ways are just. So wait on the Lord at all times.

hagenberg-gamejam.at

In coming to write this blog (which has been a long time coming) around the theme/word 'time' I thought where do I start. One of the things I do when I spell out a word is I re-arrange the letters to see what other word I can spell, as in this case of 'time' I reversed the letters which gave me 'emit' and on looking up the definition of 'emit' I found:-

1. To give or send out (matter or energy); isotopes that emit radioactive particles. 

2(a) To give out as sound, utter. (b) To voice, express. 

3. To issue with authority.

I also looked up the Hebrew definition which stated that the three letters, Aleph, Mem, Tav are the first, middle and last letters of the Hebrew language. Also meaning "The seal of the Blessed Holy One".

Eureka, could you Adam and Eve it, I not only had my title, but my start, middle and last part of this blog.

So I don't know about you, but when I hear or use the word time it's often attached or referenced to many/various meanings or sayings, such as:-

"Wintertime", "Christmastime", "Springtime", "Summertime", "Autumntime", "Harvesttime", "Daytime", "Nighttime", "Breakfasttime", "Lunchtime", "Dinnertime", "Suppertime", Etc. Etc.

Yes time, time and time again as through the spirit and the Word from Genesis to Revelation. In the beginning, creation, life/death, fall, separation from God and all the time in between to eternity with God.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and to refrain from embracing; a time to gain, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace".

Amongst many blessed times as when we first experienced and witnessed our daughter give birth to their first son in August 2017, and their second in January 2021. My baby sister celebrating her big 60th in March and our mother her big 90th in July. Then when we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary on 11th September 2021. Also we celebrated with our eldest granddaughter her 18th birthday on remembrance day, 11th November.

Yes what with climate change, (land, sea and sky disasters), health (sickness), wealth (poverty) and violence. Leaders of countries having conferences, summit meetings to try and address and correct these issues. Then you have pro and anti protestors. All of which Father God is fully aware and in control of.

Which brings me right up to the present time - The Eternal Word - John 1:1-5

vinebiblestudy.org

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it".  

And oh what a time to give praise and thanks to our faithful loving Father God, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and ever present with us the Holy Spirit for such a time as this.

For as a hymn by John B. Vaughan says:

There's a blessed time that's coming soon

It may be evening, morning or at noon

The wedding of the bride, united with the groom

We shall see the King when He comes

We shall see the King

We shall see the King

We shall see the King, when He comes

He is coming in power, We'll hail the blessed hour

We shall see the King when He comes.

So my friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, whilst it may look like we are surrounded by uncertain, unprecedented times our God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End and has a perfect plan for each of our lives that requires certain things to happen at a certain time, so don't be impatient for the Lord to act out everything in His time, remember He knows best and all His ways are just. So wait on the Lord at all times.

Psalm 9:9 The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed. A refuge in times of trouble.

Psalm 31:14-15 But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say "You are my God" My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.

Author: Inie Jean

May God bless and enrich your life

Please feel free to share this article and other articles on this site with friends, family and other

Climate Change

Primarily we need to honour our Creator, the One who made and sustains every living biosphere

dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com

‘Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?’ God questioned Job (Job 38:4). Yet man’s arrogance persists.

Climate change and its effects are currently high on the political agenda. Many organisations signed up to the Climate Coalition in an attempt to effectively lobby COP26 delegates. Amongst them are various Christian groups and church denominations. Apparently the generally accepted view by Christians seems to conform to that portrayed by the media; namely that human activity is causing global temperatures to rise, and that the planet is doomed unless we humans reduce our exploitation of natural resources. The assumption is that a global problem caused by humans can therefore be solved by human action. If you hold to humanist or animist philosophy then post COP26 you will be either depressed or frustrated. The oft mentioned ‘hope’ in this context is of the wishful and wistful order. Furthermore some of the solutions proposed, should they be carried through, could be more damaging to impoverished communities than the degree or so rise in temperature. Worse still the urgent measures called for could become yet another tool for wielding power and subjugating populations. However, let us turn from conspiracy theory and media hype to a more secure information source – the Bible.

Jesus warned of the increase in wars, famines, earthquakes, persecutions – ‘great distress upon the earth’ (Luke 21:23).  In the gospels (Matthew 24, Luke 21) and in Revelation (6-18) we are clearly told in the words of Jesus that there is cosmic trouble on the horizon.  Scripture is also explicit that the world as we know it will one day end, not by the hand of man but at the command of God himself (2 Peter 3).  According to Peter the end of the world is not a bad thing because we expect God to replace the old with new heavens and a new earth where everything will finally be made right (2 Peter 3:13).

Does this mean we don’t care if the earth becomes polluted? Of course not. From the beginning we were made stewards of God’s wonderful creation, ‘to work it and keep it’ (Genesis 2:15). And after all God ‘will destroy the destroyers of the earth.’ (Revelation 11:18) Genuine hope is fixed on Jesus’ return and His reign, while daily working out our responsibilities to care for and to nurture both people and planet.

Here is today’s question: what are the reasons for global warming, with its consequent carbon release, ice melt, floods, fires, famines and damage to ecosystems and life cycles? Activists would have us ‘follow the science’, deifying science along with ‘mother’ earth, idols which have proved as fickle as any other false gods worshipped through the ages. No, these unfolding disasters are just symptoms of a deeper driver. The monumental problem is intrinsically moral rather than material.  

thewarehouse.blog

Isaiah 24 speaks of God’s judgement on the earth, and gives us the reason that ‘the world languishes and withers’ (v4). The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants because they have transgressed God’s laws, violated His statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant (v5). And so the earth is devoured by a curse and its inhabitants are suffering for our guilt. (v6).  So whilst it may be excellent and honourable to move towards renewable energy, to clean up our act on pollution, to protect our forests and to produce our food sustainably, primarily we need to honour our Creator, the One who made and sustains every living biosphere.  

In all of this it is we Christians who carry first responsibility. It is the believer who perceives God through the things that have been made (Romans 1:20) and can therefore pray for those misled into worshipping things created rather than the Creator himself. May we be led by the Word of God, not panicked by the world’s agenda, but seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Author: John Plumb

May God bless and enrich your life

Please feel free to share this article and other articles on this site with friends, family and other

The Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer

God is good all the time. Life is not very easy a lot of the time, but if we have a bit of hope, if we trust in God to be with us through it all then it seems possible again.

This blog is slightly different; two of us, Richard W and Becky, both from MCF Lifechurch, recount and reflect on our involvement with the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer.

Richard W

In the autumn of 2019 MCF hosted a presentation for the people of Coleshill about the Wall of Prayer. Richard Gamble shared his vision that this would be a living national monument to declare the faithfulness of God our saviour. A living monument, because each brick within the uniquely designed wall, would virtually embody an answered prayer! The full detail and development of the project is illustrated clearly on their website at www.eternalwall.org.uk

Richard went on to explain that preparations for the planning application were underway; it was to be sited within the parish of Coleshill. I decided to actively support the project through the local planning process. He also hoped that many of us would submit answered prayers. I intended to do that, but 2 years later I haven’t followed it through. Why is that??  Recently, I talked about this with Becky, here are her comments:

Becky 

When I heard about the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayers I thought what an amazing idea and felt excited that something like this was being planned. Despite the UK being founded as a Christian country, you just wouldn't know it today. It feels as though it is acceptable to be anything or anyone so long as you don't have genuine Christian faith and values. I have been so shocked and disappointed recently to find that the Lord’s name is being used way more frequently than ever before, in films, on tv (even in programmes that you would imagine are aimed at kids) and everyday life, but as a form of cursing not for the praise and appreciation it deserves. 

It seems to me that there are less occurrences of sharing the amazing and incredible things that God does in our lives, perhaps because we are anxious of "offending" others, or are so used to the vacant expressions and eye rolling responses from those who don't believe that we just don't see the point of sharing with anyone, other than those who understand. Perhaps we are even out of the habit of sharing the wonders and working of God in our lives with anyone at all. It feels to me like this wall is an opportunity to display to the world that God very much exists in our world and he answers prayers. Need an example? There are at least a million! It provides hope to a nation, a world, where there seems to be a real need for even just a little. 

m.facebook.com

God is good all the time. Life is not very easy a lot of the time, but if we have a bit of hope, if we trust in God to be with us through it all then it seems possible again. We need to not be afraid to share how amazing our God is and this building will be a great start and example to the world that God does hear us.

Richard W

Wow, didn’t that lift your faith! On an august day, I met with a group who were praying at the site of the wall, and there found out that Becky had joined the office team at eternal wall as a volunteer. I asked Becky how that came about:

Becky

I have volunteered to help out with the answered prayer database and while it plays into my skills as an admin role, I was very excited to be involved with this part of the project because it is such an awesome job to be able to read the ways in which God has moved in people’s lives. It is an incredible privilege to be a part of sharing in these experiences and be able to rejoice in the goodness of God.

Richard W

Both of us have said that we will now submit an answered prayer this week. In Luke 17, we read that Jesus healed 10 lepers when they cried out to him for mercy. But only one returned to give thanks: 

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him – and he was a Samaritan.  Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well.’

May we all be like that one!

Have you had an answer to prayer, why not consider sharing it at eternalwall.org.uk/testimony

Authors: Richard Windridge & Rebekah Cronk

May God bless and enrich your life

Please feel free to share this article and other articles on this site with friends, family and other