Follow God's example ... walk in the way of love ...

"Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:1-2).

God's love for us always comes before our love for Him. His love is eternal. It has no beginning. It has no end. It comes to us from the very beginning. It takes us on to the very end. Let us receive His love. May our lives be shaped by His love.Where do we see His love for us? We look at Jesus. We see how much Jesus loves us - and we are changed by His love. May we become more loving people, as we learn to appreciate how much we have been loved by God.

The best thing I can tell you is God loves you.

"He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap" (Ecclesiastes 11:4).

"I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3).

Like everything else in our world, the weather can be so changeable. 

The love of God is unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable. What's so different about God's love? His love is eternal love. It's not something that comes and goes. He doesn't blow hot and cold. He loves us in life's rainy days as well as its sunny days.

How do we know that God loves us? - The answer to our question is Jesus - especially the fact that Jesus died for us.

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As I was thinking about the love of God and the death of Jesus, our Saviour, I started thinking of a song which says, "The best thing I can tell you is God loves you." Here are two versions of it - 

The Best by Dion - YouTube and

Dion DiMucci "The Best" - YouTube.

The first video concentrates on the words of the song. The second tells the story of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. This second video is very graphic in its presentation of Christ's death on the cross. It tells it like it really was! I think that the combination of pictures, Bible verses and the song is powerful. I hope it will help you to see how much Christ suffered for you. I hope it will help to see how much he loves you. Look at his suffering - and catch a glimpse of his love. He suffered for us because he loves us - this is the meaning of his suffering. He suffered for us so that we might be forgiven by him - this is the purpose of his suffering..

A Vision - For Daniel

"I, Daniel, alone saw the vision ... the men who were with me did not see the vision" (Daniel 10:7).

Here, we have a vision that was intended for Daniel. The vision was not given to the men who were with him. While this was, for Daniel, a unique experience of divine revelation, it raises for us a more general question: Why is it that some people receive blessing from the Lord, while others miss out on the blessing?

What are we to say about those who miss out on God's blessing? They may be present when the Lord's people are gathered together for worship - but they have no real sense of the Lord's presence. The power of the Lord is at work in the lives of others, but nothing happens to them. The Word goes on one ear and out the other. Others are being transformed. They remain unchanged. Are we simply to say, "Some are blessed by the Lord. They give thanks for His blessing. Sadly others miss out on His blessing - and we can say no more about this"?

In Romans 9:13, we read these awesome words: "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated." Here, Paul is writing about "the purpose of God according to election." He emphasizes that salvation is "not of works but of Him who calls" (Romans 9:11).

If we are to enter into the blessing of God's salvation, we must honour the principle upon which His salvation is based - "not of works but of Him who calls."

- "Not of works" - In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul emphasizes this point: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

- "Of Him who calls" - In 1 Corinthians 1:21, Paul emphasizes that "it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." In Romans 10:17, he writes, "So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ."

When we come to hear the Word of God, we must come to God, seeking His glory. His glory is much more important than our blessing.

If we are preoccupied with getting a blessing for ourselves, we will find that His blessing is like the elusive butterfly - so close yet so far. We are so close to the blessing. It's all around us. Other people are being blessed. We may ask, "Why them? Why not me?"

There is a problem with the "Why not me?" question. It's centred on ourselves. It's asking about what I can get. It's more concerned with getting blessing for ourselves than giving glory to God.

When we gather together for worship, let's not get stuck at the self-centred level of "I hope there's a blessing there for me." Let's pray that God will lift us up to His God-centred level: "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to thy name give glory, for the sake of thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness!" (Psalm 115:1).

Let's return to the tragic story of Esau: "Esau despised his birthright" (Genesis 25:34); "Afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears" (Hebrews 12;17).

The tragedy of Esau is this: everything centred around Esau - what Esau wanted. He showed his true colours when he "despised his birthright." Later on, he wanted to get the blessing for himself. He wanted to be 'one up' on his brother, Jacob. What did all this have to do with the glory of God? There were "tears" - but what was he crying about? There were "tears" - but they weren't tears of "repentance." Esau was feeling sorry for himself. Jacob had been blessed - and he hadn't.

Feeling sorry for ourselves because other people have been blessed and we haven't - This is very different from seeking the glory of God. God wants to bless us. We must never doubt that - but we must never forget this: He does not bless us because we want to get blessing for ourselves.

God looks at what's going on in our hearts. Are we filled with envy? - We see others being blessed and we become obsessed with one thing: "Why am I not being blessed as much as he is? I deserve blessing every bit as much as he does."

What does God say about this? - "not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:9); "not of works but of Him who calls" (Romans 9:11).

Let us pray that God will give us a heart which seeks its glory - and let's leave the blessing to Him. He will send His blessing to those who seek His glory: "the vision ... will surely come", "Though it tarries, wait for it" (Habakkuk 2:3).

Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord …

Daniel 1:1-2:23; 1 Peter 5:1-14; Psalm 134:1-3

Daniel’s praise, offered to God, in Daniel 2:20-23, highlights for us the direction from which blessing comes. It comes from above. What we do not have is given to us by God – “He gives” (Daniel 2:21), “You have given me” (Daniel 2:23). Daniel’s praise is echoed in Peter’s praise: “To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 5:11). Again, in Psalm 134, the connection between praise and blessing is underlined: “Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord … May the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth bless you from Zion” (Psalm 134:3).

From my One Year Bible

The God of heaven will set up a Kingdom that will never be destroyed ...

Daniel 2:24-3:12; 2 Peter 1:1-21; Psalm 135:1-12

God is sovereign. He is establishing His Kingdom which is heavenly, eternal and glorious – “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a Kingdom that will never be destroyed … it will itself endure for ever” (Daniel 2:44). Alongside the sovereignty of God, there is also the responsibility of man – “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fail, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:10-11). There is no comparison between the kingdoms of men and the Kingdom of God – “I know that the Lord is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods … He struck down many nations and killed mighty kings … and He gave their land as an inheritance, an inheritance to His people Israel” (Psalm 135:5,10-12).

From my One Year Bible

God’s Kingdom will prevail over the kingdom of Satan ...

Daniel 3:13-4:18; 2 Peter 2:1-22; Proverbs 29:1-9

“The Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of men” (Daniel 4:17). It is a great comfort to know that God is sovereign. It gives strength in the midst of the conflict. It’s an unequal conflict – God’s Kingdom will prevail over the kingdom of Satan. We must not, however, doubt that Satan will provide determined opposition – “false prophets … false teachers … will bring the way of truth into disrepute” (2 Peter 2:1-2). However fierce the conflict may be, we have this assurance: “The Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the Day of judgment” (2 Peter 2:9). In the heat of the battle, we must never forget what we are fighting for and who we are fighting for – ‘To be the best that I can be for truth and righteousness and Thee.” In this battle, the Lord Himself fights with us and for us. He enables us to maintain His standard. He keeps us from dropping down to the level of the world’s standards. “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern” (Proverbs 29:7).

From my One Year Bible

Your Name, O Lord, endures for ever ...

Daniel 4:19-5:16; 2 Peter 3:1-18; Psalm 135:13-21

Worldly men “praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone” (Daniel 5:4). They worship things – material possessions. The Lord calls His people to higher things. He tells us that “the idols of the nations are silver and gold” (Psalm 135:15). They are not to be worshipped. We are to “praise the Lord” (Psalm 135:19-21). we are to give the glory to “our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). We are to praise the Lord – “Your Name, O Lord, endures for ever, Your renown, O Lord, through all generations” (Psalm 135:13).

From my One Year Bible

Link to "The Reformation Continues"

The Reformation Continues

The 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War

This sermon was preached on 11th November 2018 - the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. The Bible reading was 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5.

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On 11th November, David Lloyd George announced the Armistice - the ending of hostilities, the truce which, it was hoped, would lead to a better and brighter future.

He looked back, and he looked forward.

Looking back, he described the First World War as "the cruellest and most terrible War that has ever scourged mankind."

Looking forward, he expressed his hope for the future: "I hope we may say that thus, this fateful morning, came to an end all wars."

Where are we now, 100 years on from the end of the first World War?

There have been quite a number of ward during these 100 years.

From 1939 to 1945, there was the Second World War.

Since that time, there has been the development of weapons of mass destruction.

There are still wars, and many fear that our world may yet spiral out of control.

Is there any hope for our world?

History warns us: Human sin is very great. We dare not assume that the future will be brighter and better than the past.

Scripture encourages us: God's love is very great. He is directing our attention beyond this world with all its uncertainties. Many centuries ago, the prophet Daniel spoke of the warnings of history and the encouragement of God's Word.

He speaks, in Daniel 2, of the rise and fall of the kingdoms of this world. 

The rise and fall of the roman Empire, the rise and fall of the Nazi regime - from the ancient world and the modern world, we have terrible warnings about what can happen when power-hungry men try to take control of the world.

Have such things become a thing of the past?

The events of the twenty-first century are not encouraging. 9/11, Afghanistan, Iraq - we only need to speak these words to know that there is still much anxiety about the future of our world.

Where can we find encouragement?

We must turn to the Word of God, where we read about God's eternal love, God's eternal purpose and God'e eternal Kingdom.

Here are some great words of hope from Daniel 2:44 - "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure for ever."

The changing circumstances of our world, the unchanging purpose of God - what a great contrast there is between the history of human sin and the Kingdom of God's love.

When we look back to 11th November 1918, we are reminded of the First World War. It was a time of terrible atrocities. Millions of people lost their lives.

Many of the veterans of the World Wars refuse to speak of these terrible days. The memory of these horrible days is too painful for them. 

We look back at these events from a distance of many years. Is it a safe distance? I believe that our gathering together on this Remembrance Day is a reminder to us that we need to pray for our world and its future.

There may still be difficult times ahead of us. We have no guarantee- in our sinful world - that our problems are all behind us.

Is this all that we can say at this Remembrance Day service: - No! There is more than this. There is also a word of encouragement.

We still have to face the fact that, in this world, there are many "wicked and evil men", who continue to exert a godless influence on our world.

Paul tells us to "pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not every one has faith" (2 Thessalonians 3:2).

Standing up for Jesus, in this world, will never be easy. As we sing hymns like, "Onward! Christian soldiers", "Stand up! Stand up for Jesus" and "Who is on the Lord's side?", we are reminded of the spiritual conflict between good and evil, between god and Satan.

We are not, however, left in any doubt about the final outcome. The Lord will be victorious. Satan will be defeated. The Word of God points us beyond the raging conflict to the final victory - "the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thessalonians 2:14).The Word of God assures us that God will not leave us, and God will not fail us: "The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one" (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

When we hear God's Word of encouragement, we are able to say, with Paul, "We have confidence in the Lord" (2 Thessalonians 3:4).

 On this Remembrance Day, as we recall some terrible times in the history of our nation and our world, let us learn to look beyond our ever-changing world, with all the uncertainties concerning its future. Let us look to the Lord, who is unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable in the faithfulness of his love for us. Let us hear his words of encouragement: "May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and, by his grace, gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and work ... May the Lord, direct your hearts into God'e love and Christ's perseverance" (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 ... 3:5).

God's love, God's call, God's glory

2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5

God's love, God's call, God's glory (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14)

"the traditions" (2 Thessalonians 2:15): Who is behind the tradition? If it's the Lord, we have something that's more than a tradition. Who does the message come from?  - It comes from the Lord. That's why we must "stand firm."

Eternal encouragement for here-and-now (2 Thessalonians 3:16-17).

Contrast "not all have faith" (2 Thessalonians 3:2) and "the Lord is faithful" (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

"He will strengthen and guard you from the evil one" (2 Thessalonians 3:4) - "The Lord bless you and keep you" (Numbers 6:24).

"May the Lord direct your hearts to God's love and Christ's endurance" (2 Thessalonians 3:3). When the Lord is at work, He becomes the chief focus of our attention. It's His love and endurance that inspire us to keep on loving Him and serving Him.

The Kingdom Of God: 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus

We begin with some great verses from Titus - "Jesus Christ ... gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds" (Titus 2:13-14); "He saved us, not because of deeds dine by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5).

There are kings who need to be prayed for (1 Timothy 2:1-2), and there is the King to whom we offer prayer (1 Timothy 1:17). To understand the nature of God's kingdom, we must understand the character of the king. God's kingdom contrasts with the kingdoms of men. (a) Kings are "in high position" (1 Timothy 2:2), but "the king of ages" is in the highest position of all. (b) The kingdoms of men last for a time, but "the king of ages" is immortal. (c) The kingdoms of men display great outward show, but "the king of ages" and his kingdom works in an "invisible" way - the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:24-30,36-43). When we compare "the king of ages" to the kings of this world, we conclude that he is "the only God (to whom) be honour and glory for ever and ever" (1 Timothy 1:17).

If we are to be men and women of the kingdom, men and women whose lives are controlled by the king, we are to be men and women of prayer (1 Timothy 2:1), men and women who read the Bible (2 Timothy 3:14-17).

There are many obstacles to our living as men and women of the kingdom. Paul faced many obstacles, and so do we. In the face of many obstacles, Paul had a marvellous testimony (2 Timothy 4:17-18). The Lord stood by him. The Lord rescued him. The Lord saved him. Paul looked at the Lord, and gave the glory to him. He looked at what the Lord had done for him, and he said, "to him be the glory for ever and ever." Like Paul, we can overcome the obstacles. Like Paul, we can bring glory to God - through prayer and God's Word.

Paul, a humble man, who worshipped and served the Lord

1 Timothy 1:12-17
The Lord saved Saul of Tarsus. The Lord changed him. Saul - "blasphemer, persecutor, arrogant man" (1 Timothy 1:13) - became Paul, a humble man, who worshipped and served the Lord.
  *  humble - "worst of sinners" (1 Timothy 1:16)
* worshipper - "Unto the King ... " (1 Timothy 1:17)
* servant - "the ministry ... an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life" (1 Timothy 1:12,16).

God was manifested in the flesh ...

"I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God ... the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh ..." (1 Timothy 3:15-16).

We read, in 1 Timothy 3:16, of our deeply-held convictions concerning our Saviour, Jesus Christ: "God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory." Paul is not only speaking about beliefs that we hold with our minds - 'I believe this about Christ. I believe that about Him.' He's speaking about beliefs that change the way we live - "how you conduct yourselves in the house of God" (1 Timothy 3:15).  

When Paul speaks about "the mystery of godliness", he's speaking about "God was manifested in the flesh". He's also speaking about "how we conduct ourselves in the house of God." This is the practical mystery - How can sinners live a godly life? This takes us beyond recalling the events of Christ's life. This takes us beyond, "I believe this about Him. I believe that about Him." This takes us on to Paul's teaching concerning the Holy Spirit: "your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you ... you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit ... " (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). 

When Paul writes to us about "how we conduct ourselves in the house of God", we may recall his description of our life (it's more than our body, it's our body and our spirit) as "the temple of the Holy Spirit." Paul is not only concerned about how we behave when we set foot in the house of God. He's concerned about our whole life. He's saying to us, "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16).

What is the connection between "the mystery of godliness" - God was manifested in the flesh" - and "the mystery of godliness" - sinners saved by grace are led in the way of the Holy Spirit? - "You were bought at a price": If we really believe the things that happened to Christ and the reason that these things happened to Him ("for us and for our salvation"), how can we continue to live as if these things were not true?
How we conduct ourselves - in the house of God and in the whole of life: This is where the real strength of our faith will be seen. Strong faith expresses itself in godly living. A strong faith is always ready to ask the question, "How much is my life being changed by the Lord?"

That’s just ancient history ...

‘That’s just ancient history’: this is what many people say about the Bible story.

Is that all there is to it? or Is there something more?

The Bible story challenges worldly people to think again – to question their assumption that everything can be explained without God.

Could it be that the world’s ‘answers’ are not as convincing as we’ve been led to believe?

Could it be that there’s an ‘old, old story’ that we still need to hear and believe – a story that tells us that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15)?

Getting Ready For The Lord's Return

There is one wrong attitude we must take care to avoid. We must not sit back and say, “Let’s just wait and see what happens.” We dare not think like this. We dare not live like this. We must get ready for the Lord’s Return. At the heart of 1 Corinthians 15, there is a very challenging verse - “Come to your right mind, and sin no more” (1 Corinthians 15:34). Whenever our thoughts turn to the Lord’s Return, we must hear the challenge of the future. God says to us, “Jesus is coming again. Come to your senses. Don’t keep on going your own way, the way of sin. Go Jesus’ way, the way of faith, the way of obedience.” If we are to know the blessing of God in our lives, there must be a willingness to go the Lord’s way.

I told you so ...

I told you so ...

Often, these words are spoken with the kind of pride that takes pleasure in putting other people down. How different are the words of Paul, "Pride puffs up. Love builds up" (1 Corinthians 8:1)! Where did Paul learn to love like this? He learned it from the Lord. Jesus loves us. He teaches us to love one another. May there be less pride - putting people down - and more love - lifting them up.   

Celebrating The Lord's Supper In Joyful Obedience

1 Corinthians 11:1-34
We celebrate the Lord’s Supper (23-26).
We take note of whauyt Paul says about the way we are to come to the Lord’s Table (27-29).
What’s this all about? Is it about the whole thing looking good - impressive?
Paul gives us something to think about in verse 22 - ‘Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the Church of God and humiliate those who have nothing?’
In Paul’s questions, we hear an echo of the Old Testament prophets (Isaiah 1:12-20; Amos 5:21-24).
We rejoice in John 3:16 - ‘God so loved the world…’.
Let’s not forget 1 John 3:16-18 - ‘let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth.’
Jesus says, ‘…first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift’ (Matthew 5:23-24).
Don’t just think about it. Act on it (James1:22-25; 2:14-17)!

Thank You, Lord ... for victory over death ... beginning here-and-now.

"Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Towards the end of the great resurrection chapter, this verse proclaims Christ's victory over death - "Death is swallowed up in victory" (verse 54), there's a call to serve the Lord wholeheartedly, We are to serve Him with the firm conviction that "our labour is not in vain in the Lord" (verse 58). This victory is not achieved by us. by us. It is given to us by God. It comes to us "through our Lord Jesus Christ." What are we to say to this? What can we say? There's only one thing we can say - "Thank You, Lord." 

The Kingdom Of God Is Not In Word, But In Power.

The kingdom of God is a power. Paul tells us, "The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power" (1 Corinthians 4:20). It is the power of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, breaking into our lives and transforming them. "The race of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Corinthians 13:14). This is the blessing of God's kingdom. It's a blessing which is more than mere words. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit - these are not just religious words. They are spiritual realities, the power of God at work in our live, the power of God which brings the forgiveness of sins, the power of God which brings new life, the power of God which gives us a foretaste of heavenly glory.

A foretaste of heavenly glory - This is what the kingdom of God is in our present experience. God's future breaks into our present experience. Here and now, we have begun to experience the salvation of God. In heavenly glory, we will experience all the fullness of God's salvation. Here and now, we have begun to see glimpses of the perfect love and the perfect holiness of God. these glimpses appear in our lives as we learn to walk with Jesus Christ. In the heavenly glory, we will dwell forever in the presence of the God who is both perfect in love and perfect in holiness. Paul contrasts this present life and the life to come. This is what he says: "For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12). The contrast between our present experience of God and the fullness of our future salvation is the contrast between "the imperfect" and "the perfect": "⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears" (1 Corinthians 13:9-10). What we have now is only a hint or glimpse of what we shall have in the glory of heaven. What we are now is only a hint or glimpse of what we shall be in the glory of heaven. To speak of heaven in this way is not to assume that everyone who says, "Lord, Lord" will find  place in heaven. "The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power" (1 Corinthians 4:20). 

As we look at what the New Testament says to us about the kingdom of God, we must give our answer to the question: Do you know the power of God's kingdom in your life? Has the kingdom of God broken into your life as a transforming power, enabling you to trust Christ as Saviour and submit to him as Lord?

God's future is not a faraway, distant future which has no effect on our present life. It's not an airy-fairy irrelevance which is utterly remote from our life here and now. Those whose lives have been changed by the power of God's kingdom are not to spend their days day-dreaming about a glorious yet irrelevant future. we are to live for Christ here and now, allowing the power of God's kingdom to make us, each day, more like Jesus and more useful in the service of God's kingdom. To know that you are  going to heaven is a great privilege. It's a God-given privilege. God gives this privilege to every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ: "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life"  (1 John 5:13). Do you believe in the name of the Son of God? - not in word, but in power. Has the power of God's kingdom broken into your life, convicting you of sin, showing you your need of Christ to be your Saviour and enabling you to trust Christ and give yourself to him? To receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour is to receive the gift of eternal life. This is the great privilege of which the hymnwriter speaks, "Blessed assurance! Jesus is mine, O what a foretaste of glory divine." With this great privilege comes a great responsibility - to live as sons and daughters of our heavenly Father. We are to live as men and women who have been changed by Jesus Christ. God's Word says to us, "Do not be conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2). How can we avoid being squeezed into the world's mould? We must learn to live in the power of the world to come. We dare not get bogged down in the things of this world. We must learn to turn our eyes upon Jesus: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full on his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace." Look often to Jesus, and you will find that the world's way of living loses its appeal. Look often to Jesus - not once but often. Turn your eyes upon Jesus - and keep your eyes upon Jesus. We must not only begin with Jesus. We must go on with Jesus. To go on with Jesus means putting the past, with its sin, behind us and moving forward, with faith, into god's future. This is what Paul stresses when he writes to the Christians at Corinth. They, and we, are to leave the past behind us and press on to God's glorious future. Corinth was a city in which there was much drunkenness and much prostitution. Into this situation, Paul wrote these words of warning:"⁹ Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men ¹⁰ nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). This is the situation into which the grace of God came with mighty power: "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:11). What was Paul saying in these verses? Three things:

 * Don't forget what you were. That's what you were. Don't forget it.

 * Remember that you have been saved from all that. What a great thing Christ has done for you. Never forget that.

 * Don't go back to the old life. Don't go back to living the world's way. The Lord saved you so that you might live the new life, the life of God's kingdom. We are to live as those who have been "washed ,,, sanctified ... justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:11).

There is a past which we must leave behind. There is a future towards which we must move. 1 Corinthians 15 has been described as 'the great resurrection chapter.' It reaches its climax in these great words: "⁵⁴ When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

⁵⁵ “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” ⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). With this as our future hope, how are we to live here and now? -

"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:58). May God help us to live this kind of life - a life that is faithful, fruitful and fulfilled, the life of God's kingdom within us.

     

Don't get your fingers burned ...

Don't get your fingers burned ... You might set fire to the rest of you!!
"If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire" (1 Corinthians 3:15, King James Version).

These are challenging words. What does this mean? Let's look at some of the other translations, and see what they say.

 * "If someone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but it will be like an escape through fire" (Evangelical Heritage Version).

It's great to escape from a fire - but it's better not to be in the fire in the first place! 

 *  "But if any person’s work is burned up [by the test], he will suffer the loss [of his reward]; yet he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has barely escaped] through fire" (Amplified Bible)

Barely escaped - this makes it even more dramatic! This is more than getting our fingers burned - more like getting ourselves killed!

 * "But if anyone’s work goes up in flames, they’ll lose it. However, they themselves will be saved as if they had gone through a fire" (Common English Bible).

No-one wants to go through a fire. Who knows if you'll come out the other side? 

 * "Or, to put it another way, you are God’s house. Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you’ll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won’t get by with a thing. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn’t, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won’t be torn out; you’ll survive—but just barely" (1 Corinthians 3:9-15, The Message)

As usual, The Message is a bit different! It doesn't specify which verse is which. It takes verses 9-15 as a paragraph. It helps to read it in full. Note that it emphasizes the importance of building on Jesus Christ. There's not to be just a superficial building on him. There's to be more than just believing in him. We are to serve him.
How are we to serve him? 
Perhaps, the best comment on 1 Corinthians 3:15 is another verse from, later on, in 1 Corinthians -  "Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:58, New International Version - UK).

Draw back the curtain ...

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18).

In these words, Paul is encouraging us to draw back the curtain and catch a glimpse of a bigger and better world than this world, which is passing away. Draw back the curtain - and catch a glimpse of glory - the glory of God. Paul's encouraging us to see our life with the eyes of faith, hope and love. He speaks about two different kinds of seeing - "For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face" (1 Corinthians 13:12). When we're learning to look at life with the eyes of faith, hope and love, we're catching a glimpse of what lies beyond the curtain - "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13). Faith, hope and love - these are the things that remain. May God help us to keep these eternal things at the heart of our life. This is what Paul prays for us - "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people" (Ephesians 1:18).

Simple, Sincere And Spiritual

1 Corinthians 2:1-16 
Paul's ministry was simple, sincere and spiritual.It was preaching in the power of the Spirit. What Paul is saying is this: Less about me, more about Jesus.
* His message was simple. He wasn't trying to impress people with great learning. He was bringing Jesus to them. He was bringing them to Jesus.
* His preaching was sincere. He said what he meant, and he meant what he said. He spoke the truth, and he lived the truth.
* His outlook was spiritual. The power did not come from himself. It came from the Spirit - the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of love.

Our Love For The Lord Must Be Stronger Than Any Other Love.

1 Corinthians 6:12-7:24
The Lord has placed the highest value on us: ‘you were bought with a price’ (6:20; 7:23).
Our love for Him must be stronger than any other love.
Some are under pressure, at home, from an unbelieving husband or wife. You wonder whether your Christian witness is doing any good (7:16). You feel you are getting nowhere. You feel like giving up. You feel yourself being dragged away from the Lord.
What does the Word of God say? - ‘Lead the life which the Lord has assigned’; ‘Remain with God’ (7:17,24).
A difficult situation at home is just one example of ‘the world’ trying to ‘squeeze us into its own mould’ (Romans 12:2).
The world will keep chipping away at our faith - until there’s nothing left. ‘Do not love the world or the things in the world... He who does the will of God abides for ever’ (1 John 2:17).

A remnant ... The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

"For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and those who escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this" (Isaiah 37:32).

A remnant - When Isaiah was called by God to the prophetic  ministry, he was given a warning. He was told that only a small minority of his hearers would respond positively to his message. If Isaiah was expecting the majority of his hearers to welcome his preaching, he would have been discouraged by the poor response that he received from so many people - The land is utterly desolate ... and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land" (Isaiah 6:11-12). Isaiah needed to receive encouragement from the Lord. This is the encouragement he was given - "But yet a tenth will be in it ... As a terebinth tree or as an oak, whose stump remains when it is cut down. So the holy seed shall be its stump" (Isaiah 6:13). If we read most of Isaiah 6, without reading on to the final verse (verse 13), we would be greatly discouraged, thinking that this is all doom and gloom - there is no hope in this. We must read the word of God carefully - not overlooking verses that we need to read! Thank God for Isaiah 6:13 - There will be a remnant. There will be the holy seed. We must not allowed our thinking to be controlled by majority opinion. What does this mean - majority opinion? It means, "That's the way most people think" - but it doesn't mean that they have truth on their side. Jesus made this very clear to his hearers: "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:13-14). Jesus' ministry was like Isaiah's ministry. Many rejected him, but those who received him found the greatest blessing they could ever find: "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:10-13). In our generation, we need to learn the lessons taught by Isaiah and Jesus. When we learn from them, we will learn to trust in God's promise: "The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this" (Isaiah 37:32) - and we will understand what Paul meant when he said, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58). 

God's Glorious Future

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

How does the Lord keep us walking in His way? – He keeps on bringing to our attention the glorious future which He is preparing for us. He keeps on reminding us that we are being prepared for His eternal glory. How is He preparing us for ”praise,  glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed”? – He is teaching us to “love Him. ” The more we are learning to love Him, the more we will look forward, “with an inexpressible and glorious joy” to  ”the end result of our faith, the salvation of our souls” (1 Peter 1:7-9).

God's Temple ...

"Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple" (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

God has given us a great privilege - "you yourselves are God's temple... God's Spirit dwells in your midst."  He's given us a great responsibility - we must take care of "God's temple." When God's Spirit comes into our hearts, what does He do? Does He give us a feeling of superiority - we're better than they are? No! He calls upon us to search our hearts more deeply: "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24).

God fobrid that I should boast ...

“God forbid that I should boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14).

These words of Paul take us to the heart of the gospel. They remind us of his words in 1 Corinthians 1:23 – “we preach Christ crucified” – and 1 Corinthians 2:2 – “I decided to concentrate only on Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.”

What is truth? ...

"What is truth?" (John 18:38).

This question can be asked in a cynical way, suggesting that searching for truth is pointless, because there is no truth. The sceptics may say to us, "If it's true for you, that's okay by me - but it's not true for me." 

It can also be asked as part of a sincere search for truth. Where will such a search lead us? The question was put to Jesus - and the question leads us to Jesus. He described himself as "the truth" (John 14:6). 

Do we believe that Jesus speaks the truth? Do we believe that Jesus is the truth? Do we believe him when he says, in prayer to God the Father, "Your Word is truth" (John 17:17)?

If we believe that Jesus speaks the truth, and that Jesus is the truth, will we not stand, with him, in the confession of faith - God's Word is truth?

How much sense does it make to speak of Jesus being true for one person, and not true for someone else? Surely, that is to reduce faith to feelings - the way we feel about things. 

If our faith is to be more than feelings, we must build on the facts of the gospel - "Christ died for our sins ... he was raised on the third day ... " (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). 

Is faith in Christ, crucified and risen, something we can take or leave? - if it gives you a good feeling, take it, and if it doesn't you can just leave it.

That may be the way many people, in today's world speak about Christ, but it's not the way Paul spoke about him. This is what Paul said, "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile" (1 Corinthians 15:17).

Take away the resurrection of Christ- and you have nothing left - no gospel, no faith. 

In a world in which so many people are turning away from faith in Christ and his gospel, may God give us the grace and faith that we need to continue to take our stand with Paul: "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).

Knowing the Lord - and giving all the glory to him

“All that I know now is partial and incomplete … ” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

We have come to know the Lord. This is the work of his grace. We must never forget this. Without his grace, we are nothing. All the glory belongs to him. When we give our testimony – telling the story of what the Lord has done for us, we must never speak too highly of ourselves. We can never speak too highly of the Lord, but we must take care that we don’t give the impression that we are closer to the Lord than we really are. Our knowledge of the Lord “is partial and incomplete.” We must always keep this at the forefront of our minds when we speak the Lord’s Word. If we don’t, we will speak pride, but it will not be pride in the Lord. It will be pride in ourselves. Our ‘testimony’ will be very different from the testimony of Paul: “I am not ashamed of the gospel …” (Romans 1:16). Let there be less about ourknowledge of him, and more about our knowledge of him. It’s not about us. It’s about him – what he has done for us.

Let's Live As Resurrection People!

1 Corinthians 15:1-45
Here, we learn of Christ’s resurrection: the fact - ‘Christ has been raised from the dead’ - and the meaning - ‘the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep’ (20).
* We look back to His resurrection. We ‘remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead’ (2 Timothy 2:8).
* We look forward to our own resurrection. We will be ‘raised’ - ‘imperishable… in glory… in power… a spiritual body’ (42-44).
Looking back to His resurrection and looking forward to our own resurrection, we are to live, here and now, in ‘the power of His resurrection’ (Philippians 3:10).
* We believe the fact of the resurrection.
* We live in the power of the resurrection.
* We rejoice in the hope of the resurrection.
With ‘resurrection’ faith in the ‘resurrection’ God, let us live the ‘resurrection’ life as a ‘resurrection’ people!

When the going gets tough...

When the going gets tough ... What do we say after this? Do we say, "The tough get going"? or Do we say, "The Lord is my strength"? There's a big difference between the two. The first is about doing everything in our own strength. The second is about receiving strength from the Lord. We may think that we're "tough" - but we're not! We need to be strengthened by the Lord. In 1 Corinthians 10:13, God gives us his promise. He will not leave us to battle on in our own weakness. He will give us his strength. God's strength - this is what makes the difference. Without him, we fail - and we fall. With him, everything changes. This doesn't mean that the going gets less tough - but it does mean that the Lord is with us: and this is what changes everything. He changes everything! Let us take our stand - in the strength of the Lord: Stand up, stand up for Jesus. Stand in His strength alone."