Today has been my 66th birthday and I have been so blessed with over 200 different greetings by cards, Facebook, Skype and telephone from various parts of the world. Today I am also grateful to Lisa in Singapore for this song - I heard this beautiful song for the first time, "Jesus at the Centre of it All," sung at the Hillsong Conference. It sums up all that I desire the rest of my life to be - Jesus at the Centre. I trust that as you click on the link below you will be as blessed as I was by this song.

Jesus at the Centre of it All Israel Houghton & Micah Massey - Hillsong Conference *New Song*

A Girl With An Apple

Digital Social Networking and Poor Relationships

I received from a friend this interesting editorial of Charisma Magazine, written by the Editor, Lee Grady, and find it very challenging in the context of friendship, relationships and the Y generation.

Technology has connected us superficially. But the Holy Spirit can knit us together supernaturally.

Two weeks ago I attended a men’s retreat in Georgia with some of my closest friends. Chris, Eddie, Rick, Michael, Ray, Robert, Medad, Quentin and James were in the audience with 120 other guys. We spent 2 1/2 days together—worshipping, attending teaching sessions, praying in small groups and eating our meals together. Nobody wanted to go home. It felt like heaven because we enjoyed being together so much.

“In this sophisticated age of social networking, when everyone is supposedly ‘connected,’ we are as self-absorbed and isolated as ever. Digital technology has trivialized relationships to the point that we ‘friend’ or ‘unfriend’ a person with a click. You can have 5,000 ‘friends’ and yet be the loneliest person in cyberspace.”

When it was time to leave I asked all the guys to come near the stage. We linked arms and sang a simple chorus I haven’t heard in years. You may remember the words:

Bind us together, Lord, bind us together / With cords that cannot be broken / Bind us together, Lord, bind us together / Bind us together with love / There is only one God, there is only one King / There is only one body, that is why we can sing ...

That song was popular during a simpler time, at the tail end of the Jesus movement in the 1970s when church wasn’t as trendy and professional as it is today. Back then we didn’t have savvy marketing strategies, media-enhanced sermons and hipster preachers. But what we lacked in coolness we made up for with deep relationships.

Call me old-fashioned, but I think we need a return to that simpler style. Not only is the world crying out for genuine love, but Christians are too. In this sophisticated age of social networking, when everyone is supposedly “connected,” we are as self-absorbed and isolated as ever. Digital technology has trivialized relationships to the point that we “friend” or “unfriend” a person with a click. You can have 5,000 “friends” and yet be the loneliest person in cyberspace.

I meet many believers, especially men, who are starved for real relationships but find it too painful to make them. This is partly because we tend to emphasize the importance of a vertical relationship with God but spend very little time teaching people how to make their faith horizontal. And in charismatic churches, we often are too busy chasing an electrifying personal experience with God to place any value on community.

Those of us who pride ourselves on being experts on the Holy Spirit have neglected one of His most important roles. He is not just the One who heals us, anoints us and empowers us to work miracles. The Spirit is also the One who unites Christians with a holy bond and draws us into close fellowship with each other. He forms us into a tightly knit family.

The Greek word koinonia, translated “fellowship,” first appears in Acts 2:42, immediately after the Holy Spirit’s outpouring on the first disciples. This is because genuine fellowship—the knitting of our hearts to each other—is a supernatural work of the Spirit, a manifestation of His power that is no less important than dreams, visions, speaking in tongues or prophecy. (Koinonia is also attributed to the Holy Spirit in 2 Corinthians 13:14 and Philippians 2:1.)

Even a cursory reading of the New Testament proves that koinonia, this powerful bond of the Spirit, was what held the early church together and fueled its growth. The first Christians had no marketing plans, no church growth gurus, no Twitter or Facebook, no concert tours. But they had a gushing love for each other, a holy affection that glued their hearts together to form a cross-cultural, multi-racial family.

When the Holy Spirit came on the early church, He changed everything about the way they related to each other. “And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common … and they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:44, 46b-47, NASB).

It is the Spirit who enables true community. He gives us the grace to humble ourselves, take off our armor of pride and open our hearts to each other. He enables us to forgive and mend our rifts with each other. He connects us, and then nourishes every connection with His love.

If you find it hard to make close friends, or to enjoy a deep level of fellowship with other believers, then ask the Holy Spirit to help you. He will heal the hurts of your past. He will free you from the fear of betrayal and rejection. And He will connect you with real friends. Just as He knit the hearts of David and Jonathan, and just as He knit the heart of the apostle Paul to the saints in Ephesus, Thessalonica and Philippi, He will give you close relationships. This is part of your inheritance as a child of God.

I see a spiritual awakening on the horizon, but it is not what many of us imagined. Yes there are miracles and clouds of glory awaiting. But what will stand out the most—and make the biggest impression on unbelievers—is not our fiery sermons or our charismatic power but our passionate love for each other.

J. LEE GRADY is contributing editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. His most recent book is 10 Lies Men Believe (Charisma House).

Jesus is risen and returning as King

What a wonderful time it is when we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. This past Sunday we were so blessed by the word on what the resurrection meant to Thomas, to Simon Peter and to Mary Magdalene. 

I was especially touched by a few words in John's Gospel - "The Simon Peter came, following the disciple whom Jesus loved, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying together with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself." I have wondered why God makes such specific mention of this in His word and why the handkerchief was folded. There is a simple reason. When the master leaves the dinner table he leaves his serviette lying next to his plate. If he has not finished his meal the servant will fold the cloth - it is a sign that the master is coming back! The resurrected Jesus is coming back!

I was so blessed listening today So Hyang singing "You raise me up." In Jesus I find myself, my true identity, my strength, my victory in ever storm and in Him I become more than I could ever be without Him. I trust that this song will bless you today.

[HD] Sohyang - You raise me up

www.youtube.com

Sohyang - You raise me up KBS Open concert (21-June-2009)

Every Pain Can Be Redemptive

After some months of not writing my blog I have felt today that I should begin to write and use the blog site again.


I was so blessed today as I listened to this wonderful song and lyrics sent to me by a special friend in Singapore who has been going through a very difficult time. Please allow it to bless you.

The cruelest words, the coldest heart
The deepest wounds, the endless dark
The lonely ache, the burning tears
The bitter nights, the wasted years

Life breaks and falls apart
But we know these are

[Chorus]
Places where grace is soon to be so amazing
They may be unfulfilled, they may be unrestored
But when anything that's shattered is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see it will not be
Unredeemed

For every choice that led to shame
And all the love that never came
For every vow that someone broke
And every life that gave up hope

We live in the shadow of the fall
But the cross says these are all

May the Lord especially bless you at this Easter time as we remember the seat and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus.

Knowing Your Identity in Christ

Here is the latest “spirit food” message. You may wonder why it is not the next in the series of Romans, but I have felt somewhat bogged down with this and want to share with you something that is so much on my heart right now – taken from Ephesians, Paul’s writing on who we are in Christ! Thank you to several people who have asked me when this next blog message will be written and have prompted me to continue writing.  

KNOWING YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST

In Colossians Paul says that we are complete in Christ [Colossians 2:10]. We are to walk in Him [Colossians 2:6]; We are to be rooted and built up in Him [Colossians 2:7]

We used to sing a song, “He is my everything, He is my all….” and this is exactly how Paul sees Jesus – He is everything!

Our identity is in Christ and if our identity is in anything else then when difficult times come we will be shaken and will find it hard to stand! Our families, job, hobbies or ministry may be wonderful and may reflect our identity they may all fail and be lost. In Christ alone is our identity and security.

Our identity is not first in our job, our family, our ministry, however good and important these may be. but in Christ! When we know who we are in Christ we can reject the lies of the enemy; we can speak out with confidence and we do not have to grovel in fear about the future!

IN EPHESIANS PAUL POWERFULLY DECLARES WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST

WE ARE BLESSED [Ephesians 1:3]

Every blessing that God wants us to enjoy we have in Christ!

All the promises of God are available to us – they are “Yes” and “Amen” in Christ Jesus!

In Ephesians 1:3 Paul says, “Every spiritual blessing” – there is no dichotomy in Christ between the secular and the spiritual – all things are spiritual in Christ, including material things!

WE ARE CHOSEN [Ephesians 1:4]

Jesus said that many are called but few chosen [Matthew 20:16]

This does not mean that He chose us but rejected others – the Gospel is for the “whosoever.”

We make the choice when He calls us!

Paul says that God chooses the foolish and the weak things to put to shame the things which are mighty [1 Cor.1:27] – the people who recognize their helplessness!

He chose us to bear fruit that would remain [John 15:16]

We do not serve Jesus to be accepted but we serve Him because we love Him

WE ARE ADOPTED [Ephesians 1:5]

“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption

by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” [Romans 8:15]

Notice from Romans 8:15 that the adopted have:

[a] A deep sense of intimacy – “Abba, Father” – “Abba” is the most intimate word for father!

[b] Freedom from fear – we now belong to a family of love and perfect love casts out all fear!

[c] Become joint-heirs with Christ [Romans 8:17] – all that belongs to Jesus also belongs to us.

WE ARE ACCEPTED [Ephesians 1:6]

Jesus Christ was the most rejected man who ever lived, and because He was rejected we can be accepted!

Rejection is so often the root cause of fear, aggression, isolationism, and low self-esteem. It is the denial of love, acceptance and approval. The opposite of rejection is to be loved, accepted, approved, and affirmed!

In Jesus we are totally accepted – just as we are. The hymn writer Charlotte Elliott wrote about this in her great hymn, “Just as I am.”

“Just as I am without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me

And that Thou bidst me come to Thee, O Lamb of God I come!

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome pardon, cleanse, relieve, Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God I come!”

When the prodigal returned to the Father in Jesus’ wonderful parable he was totally accepted. The father ran to him and hugged him. He put a robe on him that covered his shame, he put a ring on his finger that said, “You are mine,” and shoes on his feet. Servants did not wear shoes but sons do! Here is total acceptance. Our heavenly Father totally accepts us.

WE ARE REDEEMED [Ephesians 1:7a]

To be redeemed means “to be bought back.” The picture comes from the slave market! A price has been paid for the slave and the slave becomes the possession it the one who bought him. Jesus paid the price to buy us back from the slavery of the devil!

Because He bought us back we want to give myself to serve forever!

“Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe;

Sin had left its crimson stain; He washed me white as snow.”

WE ARE FORGIVEN [Ephesians 1:7b]

A part of being bought back is being set free! We are no longer in bondage. Our sins have been removed! Here is freedom, joy and peace! The joy of sins forgiven, hell subdued and peace with heaven!

“As far as the East is from the West so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

[Psalm 103:12]. According to Micah 7:19 – He casts all our sins into the depths of the sea!

When the Egyptians were covered by the Red Sea they were totally destroyed. When God forgives our sins they are put into the depths of the sea, totally destroyed, and never to be seen again! Hallelujah!

A songwriter wrote:

“Gone! Gone! Yes my sins have gone!

Buried in the deepest sea;

Yes that’s good enough for me,

I shall live eternally,

Praise God, my sins have gone!”

WE ARE SEATED TOGETHER WITH CHRIST [Ephesians 2:6]

Jesus is in heaven and our position is that we are “seated together with Him in heavenly places.”

Christ is seated above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named….everything is under His feet – and we are with Him!

According to Ephesians 6:12 the principalities and powers are demonic forces.

Seated together with Christ is our VICTORY – we share in His triumph!

Seated together with Christ is our AUTHORITY – He has given us His authority - we speak from authority and with authority!

To be seated together on the throne with Christ means that we also are reigning with Him. We are destined to reign with Him!

WE ARE SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT [Ephesians 1:13-14]

Following hearing the Word of Truth, trusting in Christ and believing in Him, Paul tells the Ephesians that they were sealed with the Holy Spirit!

The word ‘sealed’ means to set a mark on something and this denotes that it is genuine, authentic and approved. It was also used in the sense of closing [sealing] a book or document so that it may not be opened or read, and is thus protective. We have the seal of acceptance, approval and protection and even more than that it is also the guarantee that one day we will receive everything that God has prepared for us – this is the deposit or down payment!

This is who we are in Christ – Blessed, Chosen, Adopted, Accepted, Forgiven, Reigning, Sealed!

THE BOOK OF ROMANS [Part 4]

THE BOOK OF ROMANS [Part 4]

JUSTIFICATION [Part 2] [3:21-5:21]

Since Romans is a book of logic, Paul makes use of the word “therefore” in his arguments. He uses the word “therefore” at four key moments in this Epistle.

JUDGMENT OF SIN

Following his teaching on sin, the law, and judgment in Romans 1:18-3:19, Paul says, “Therefore by the deed of the law no flesh shall be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin” [Romans 3:20].

JUSTIFICATION

Paul has both explained and illustrated the teaching of justification [Romans 3:21-4:25]. Now he  “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” [Romans 5:1]

SANCTIFICATION

Paul writes about the crucified life, of having been slaves to sin but now slaves of God, and of freedom from the Law that cannot save us [Romans 6:1-7:25]. There comes the cry of the desperate man, who is struggling with sin and cries out, “Who shall deliver me from this body of death?” Then comes the glorious statement that, “There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” [Romans 8:1]

CONSECRATION

The Jews had been banished from Rome and were now returning. These included Jewish believers. There were some difficulties between the Gentile believers and the Jewish believers. Following his teaching on sin, justification and sanctification Paul took three chapters to clearly state the position of the Jews and Israel [Romans 9:1-11:36]. God is faithful to them and to His “everlasting covenant” with them. The gospel is to the Jew first, but He is also faithful in keeping His promise to the gentile believers. Now both Jew and Gentile in the light of this teaching should consecrate themselves totally to God

“I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” [Romans 12:1] 

Justification illustrated and explained in Romans 3:21-4:25 makes it clear that God declares those who trust in Jesus righteous. It is not of works but by faith alone. It is His gift. We are declared righteous through what Jesus did on the cross. In Romans 5:1-11 Paul’s explains more fully the Christian experience of justification. The previous passages laid out the Biblical theology of justification, and now, continuing from the phrase, “our justification” at the end of Romans 4:25 he enlarges on what justification means in our personal experience.

In his commentary on Romans Warren Wiersbe entitles Romans 5 “Live like a King!” Here we have the wonderful blessings of justification in our daily lives. I like to think of these as the sevenfold fruit or blessings of being justified.

We have peace with God  [5:1]

Two verses from Isaiah make the matter clear  - “There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked” [Isa. 48:22]; and “The work of righteousness shall be peace” [Isa. 32:17].

“peace” =  ‘shalom’- expresses all the benefits of a right relationship with God, namely a partnership of reconciliation, eternal well-being, and wholeness of life.

We have access to God  [5:2a]

The Jew was kept from God’s presence by the veil in the temple; and a wall in the temple kept out the Gentile with a warning on it that any Gentile who went beyond would be killed. But when Jesus died, He tore the veil [Luke 23:45] and broke down the wall [Eph. 2:14]. In Christ, believing Jews and Gentiles have access to God [Eph. 2:18; Heb. 10:19-25]; and they can draw on the inexhaustible riches of the grace of God [Eph. 1:7; 2:4; 3:8].  The child of a king can enter his father’s presence.

We have hope in God  [5:2b]

Peace speaks to the past…. access speaks to the present….hope speaks to the future! The hope of salvation is a helmet [1 Thess. 5:8]

We have confidence [5:3-4]

“Justification is no escape from the trials of life. “In this world ye shall have tribulation” [John 16:33]. But for the believer, trials work for him and not against him. No amount of suffering can separate us from the Lord [Rom. 8:35-39]; instead, trials bring us closer to the Lord and make us more like the Lord. Suffering builds Christian character.

The word “experience” in Romans 5:4 means “character that has been proved.” The sequence is: tribulation — patience — proven character —hope.

The English word “tribulation” comes from a Latin word “tribulum.” In Paul’s day, a tribulum was a heavy piece of timber with spikes in it, used for threshing grain. The tribulum was drawn over the grain and it separated the wheat from the chaff. As we go through tribulations, and depend upon God’s grace, the purifying trials help us get rid of the chaff.” [Warren Wiersbe in “Being Right”]

                                                                                         

We experience God’s love [5:5]

We become channels of His love – “agape” -  always seeks the highest for another person, no matter what he does. It is unconditional love!

We have salvation from future wrath [5:9]

Through justification God’s anger is averted and we can face the day of God’s judgement without fear!

We are Reconciled with God [5:10-11]

The word ‘reconciliation’ is sometimes translated ‘atonement ‘meaning “brought back into fellowship with God.”

A review of these seven blessings of justification shows how certain our salvation is in Christ. Totally apart from Law, and purely by grace, we have a salvation that takes care of the past, the present, and the future. Christ died for us; Christ lives for us; Christ is coming for us!