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JESUS

1) Message: 07 May 2014

 

Grant unto thy servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word.

 

Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 29

 

Lord God you are God for you alone has made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them. Lord you are Sovereign Lord and besides you there is none other. The kings of the earth and the rulers of the earth were gathered together against you Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

They did not prevail for at Calvary Jesus you made an open show of all principalities and powers of Satan triumphing over them. Lord Jesus because of your glorious triumph the way is open for your Church to be built for the gates of hell cannot prevail. 

 

Satan and his cohorts from hell cannot prevent the building of your Church even though they do their utmost to hinder the advance of the gospel. Lord on the foundation of your triumph at Calvary give your servants all boldness to speak your word. 

 

May there be signs and wonders once more as sinners are convicted of their sin and repent and become washed from their sin through your blood. This prayer seeks only to bring glory to our God. Amen

2) MESSAGE 30 10 12

 

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.


St Luke chapter 2 verse 15

A very powerful event must have taken place for shepherds to leave their flocks during the night. Their diligence to guard their sheep was needed during the day but at night the sheep were in danger from many sources who would look to destroy the sheep. The shepherds had been deeply affected by this visit from the angels. There was no unbelief with these shepherds but a desire to see that which had taken place in the city of the king. 

Instead of a palace there was a cattle shed. What condescension the Lord of glory submitted Himself to. It was not to a life of luxury that He was born into but even though He was God incarnate it was to take the lowliest place of all. The creator even at birth humbled Himself to be born amongst animals and placed in a manger. This is our God that from His first breathe on earth He identified Himself not with the rich but with the poor. 

The Jews were looking for an earthly monarch, one who would restore the Kingdom as a conquering Messiah. The Jews sought a deliverer who would free them from the rule of Rome. The incarnation of the Lord Jesus did bring the deliverer as Immanuel means God with us. The shepherds came and found this babe of whom the angels spoke but did they understand the significance of who the babe was and what He would do when He became a man. It is unlikely that they had an understanding but in faith they came to worship then returned back to their sheep.

Just as the shepherds had come to worship we too need to worship as we consider what took place in Bethlehem. The Lord Jesus was born so as man so as to be the man on the throne.

Thou hast put all things in subjection under His feet. For in that He put all in subjection under Him, He left nothing that is not put under Him. But now we see not yet all things put under Him.
 

Hebrews chapter 2 verse 8

If Jesus had come in the expected manner as an angelic messenger and king then all Israel would have bowed at His feet. God, though, has not put the future Kingdom under the subjection of angels, but of Man. To inherit His Kingdom the Lord Jesus had to be made lower than the angels and become the Son of man. 

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, And hast crowned him with glory and honour.
 

Psalm 8 verse 4 and 5

All things were to be put under the His feet. The babe of Bethlehem was to come to fulfil the Word and obtain the crown and to execute judgement.

The Lord Jesus had to stoop to the lowest earthly place that He might rise to the highest not by right alone but by merit. 

As we examine further the lowly birth of Jesus we see Him as the Son of Man.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.


Hebrews chapter 2 verse 9

The greatest and most dreadful thing that man has to face is death. Angels do not die so Jesus had to be made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death. The Lord Jesus by the grace of God tasted death for every man. His suffering was not only to become man but to undergo the worst that man can endure. 

The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
 

Romans chapter 6 verse 23

The wages of sin had to be paid for all. The penalty of sin had to be exacted. Therefore the Lord Jesus tasted death for all. He died the just for the unjust. 

The Jews had thought He was coming straight into His millennial glory. They had not considered that there was a price to be paid. The Lord Jesus was first to become the Kinsman Redeemer. This was to be the one who took His place and have the right to redeem so that when He does come to reign, every power and authority, even death itself, shall be put in subjection under Him. 

We have considered the birth of the Lord Jesus and from His first moment on earth He was subject to the will of His Father. He had not come as an earthy king but to be born a little lower than the angels in order to become man. It was as man that Jesus would suffer and die to redeem mankind. He alone could remove the wages of sin. It was His own blood which has paid the price for our sin. We have been set free from the curse of sin if only we will come the God given way. May there be in our day the grasping hold of why Jesus had to be born at Bethlehem and accept the lowest possible place which He could have taken. Do we who have repented of our sin and asked Jesus to be our Saviour thank Him day by day for taking the lowest possible place so that He might take our place when He suffered and died on the cross.  Have we seen the cost to the Lord Jesus as He went to the cross? There is a cost too if we are to be Christians. Must Jesus bear the cross alone and His followers go free. Can you say there’s a cross for everyone, and there’s a cross for me. Today Christianity appears afraid of the way of the cross. Are we prepared to be different and like as the Lord Jesus suffered for us dare we say let me suffer for you and that whatever He allows us to go through we will never complain. Let us get away from the Christianity of self seeking and embrace that which the Lord Jesus showed us in His lowly birth and the death. 

Lord Jesus Christ may we never forget the purpose of your birth at Bethlehem. Although God you became man in order to redeem man from the curse of sin, the penalty of death. Lord you did not come as an earthy king but to be born in a cattle shed and take the lowliest place in life that anyone could have taken. Lord not only in your birth but in your death you accepted the cruellest death possible, that reserved for the worst of people. Lord where is this same acceptance of suffering in Your Church today?  Yes it is seen in those countries where there is poverty and persecution. How your heart is grieved, though, with that which is said to be Christian in many countries. There is no lowliness of spirit or willingness to embrace the way of the cross, only a self centred, disobedient people who have no concept of the true meaning of your birth and death. Lord Jesus in your mercy bring Your Church worldwide to the place which embraces the cross so that all who say they are Yours are God centred and not self centred. This prayer seeks only to bring honour and glory to the name of our God. Amen. 

3) BRIAN MASON MESSAGE 26 03 13

 

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt.

 

St Matthew chapter 14 verse 31

 

What is so pleasing to God?  It is when He finds those who act in faith.  In contrast the great sin of our day is that of unbelief. 

 

Jesus had just performed the miracle of feeding five thousand men, besides women and children.  Jesus instructed the disciples to get into a ship and cross to the other side of the lake whilst He sent the multitudes away.  After spending time in demanding ministry Jesus would go aside to a quiet place and pray to the Father.  He always so how essential it was to spend time alone being refreshed in prayer.  Now as this was seen as essential by Jesus, how  much more should this be an essential requirement by each one who has been baptised in the Holy Spirit.  Whether we are in ministry or have another occupation or retired we become in need of refreshing.  Each day and more than once a day should the demands of the day permit we need to get alone both to be strengthened through reading the Bible and in prayer.

 

Whilst Jesus was in prayer with his Father the disciples had encountered stormy weather as a strong wind had arisen and the ship was being tossed with the waves.  What a shock it was for the disciples to see Jesus walking on the sea.  Yet here was the Lord of life fully at ease with His creation.  The One who had created the heavens and the earth was not going to be troubled by a stormy sea.  Jesus entered right into the fears of his disciples. 

 

The reaction of the disciples was in the natural as they thought in human terms.  Not only had they seen a troubled sea but were now troubled as they thought this was a spirit rather than the Jesus whom they had parted company with when they had left Him behind on the shore. 

 

As Christians Jesus is always with us even though we do not see him.  Are not His promises enough to encourage us through each and every day no matter how overwhelming life may seem at times.  Faith takes hold of promises like the one below and makes them our very own.

 

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.  Amen.

 

St  Matthew chapter 28 verse 20

 

Can there be anything more clear or definite than to know that Jesus is with us always.  O what a wonderful Jesus He is, so lovely, so beautiful and kind.

 

Jesus becomes our strength in our weakness to those who like Paul think in the spirit and not with the human mind.

 

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong.

 

2 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 10

 

What Paul said to the Corinthians was all against human thinking.  Paul accepted that which the human mind would see as unwanted interference with his life as the means of spiritual growth and making him more like Jesus. 

 

Back to the disciples in the storm.  It was when the disciples looked at the situation from the natural point of view that they became afraid.  Before their eyes was a great storm and their lives were in danger.  Into the midst of this storm came the master Himself.  They had great difficulty in accepting that it was Jesus who was walking on the sea and had come to their rescue. 

 

O but what words of comfort Jesus brought, “ Be of good cheer, it is I ;be not afraid.”  Can we grasp hold of this, that Jesus is right in the midst of whatever situation we encounter in life.  The Christian life is so different from that of all other religions and those who have no beliefs.  Christianity has a person at its centre, a person who is God and not a remote unapproachable god but one who if only we will let Him comes to live His own life within us.

 

Peter looked to walk out on the sea to meet Jesus.  Although Jesus said “come” to him, Peter was still acting with the natural mind.  Peter saw the waves instead of Jesus.  He was thinking with his mind and began to sink.  It was only when Jesus stretched out and helped him that he was safe. 

 

It is the same in the Christian life.  This is a life which demands the continual exercise of faith.  The Bible clearly states that:

 

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

 

Hebrews chapter 11 verse 6

 

Have you accepted that faith is the key to seeing God doing the greater works which Jesus spoke about.

 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

 

St John chapter 14 verse 12

 

These greater works will never be done through those who lack faith but also cannot be done by those who think along human lines.  No they can only be done by God himself as he manifests His own life and power through us.  Do you have this life whereby the Holy Spirit lives his life through us, a life like that of Jesus.  It is the dynamic of a God-possessed personality, so impregnated by the life of Jesus which changes the ordinary to the extraordinary, the human mind to the mind of the Spirit, the weak to the strong and the unholy to a vessel constantly seeking to be  baptised with holiness.

4) Message: 28 August 2013

 

And Jesus said, Who touched me?

 

St Luke chapter 8 verse 45

 

What a wonderful word we have here for in Jesus we are shown someone who entered into all the needs of the people.  Here was Jesus on His way to the house of Jairus to meet the needs of Jairus’ daughter when a woman in her desperate need reached out to Jesus.  There has never been such a loving compassion from anyone else who has come into the world.  Jesus is different.  He knows the need of everyone who comes to Him with their need.  He will never turn anyone away.  One thing we have to accept is that Jesus meets our needs which is very different to our wants.  This can be supported by scripture.

 

But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

 

Philippians chapter 4 verse 19

 

In Jesus we meet someone who is so different from anyone else who has walked this earth.  Here was someone very meek who submitted Himself to the will of the Father.  He aroused the anger of the religious leaders of the day as He made Himself equal with God  as evidenced when He spoke about Abraham.

 

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

 

St John chapter 8 verse 58

 

Jesus claimed to be God.  Paul in his epistles makes it clear that he accepted that Jesus was equal with God.

 

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.

 

Philippians chapter 2 verse 6

 

And

 

For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

 

Colossians 2 verse 9

 

There is a spirit which has entered the Christian church which is defying every known Christian principal.  Forces are at work out to take away the absoluteness and definiteness in the Bible and in doing so undermine both the deity of Jesus and the necessity of why He came into the world.  Nearly all translations of the bible outside the Authorised Version of the King James bible have weakened the position of the Jesus known, loved and preached by men like Wesley, Moody and Smith Wigglesworth.  These men would see most of modern day preaching and teaching as the laughing stock of devils for Jesus on the basis of most bible versions is only a god not the only begotten Son of God and the fundamental truths like sin, the cross, the blood of Jesus, repentance and hell are either discouraged or rejected altogether.  No wonder people today do not know whether or not they are saved.  When the absolutes and the definite positions are removed this is not the Jesus we find taught and held dear to over the centuries.

 

Let us come back to the Jesus we have been shown in the precious Word of God.    This dear woman had been afflicted by an issue of blood for twelve years.  She had spent all her money on seeking a cure yet none came and all her money was gone.  Does this not have a ring about it in similarities with deliverance ministry today.  There are those going time and again for deliverance of some kind  only to find they are not delivered and go back time after time.  There is no absoluteness with this kind of ministry seen in our day as it is not like we have recorded in the sacred record.   Jesus did not have a partial ministry by telling people who came to Him to come back for further ministry to deliver them of whatever afflicted them.  He spoke the Word and it was done.  Let us beware of these deliverance ministries which have nothing to do with the Word of God and all to do with the benefit of those who run them.

 

This woman was desperate as she was at the end of herself. What a position to be in when we have come to the end of our own ideas and solutions and have only one option left that of Jesus who never turns anyone away.  This woman had faith in Jesus to heal her and reached out and touched His garment.  She had no doubts. She knew in her heart that Jesus would not leave her to go away either in the condition in which she had come or only partially healed.  There was a certainty in her heart.  To her, here was a man, indeed more than a man who could not fail.  Jesus knew that someone had touched Him in faith as He felt healing power go out of Himself.  Others around Him no doubt touched Him in the throng but they were not reaching out in faith for healing as was this woman who was at the end of herself.  When hearing what this woman had to say we see a loving compassion overflow from Jesus to this woman which was like nothing in the nature of man alone.  This was the compassion of God reaching out to someone who had experienced the ravages of life which even today  afflict and destroy lives. 

 

O we have a Jesus who can meet any need today when people come to Him in faith just like this dear woman did.  For Him to be able to do this He still needs to be given His rightful place as the only begotten Son of  God and the only means of reconciling sinners with God.  Unless there is a hell to be saved from and sinners needing to be deeply convicted of their actual sins and deeply repent of them then Jesus will only be a god amongst other gods which much of Christianity has reduced Jesus to by having another Jesus, one who has not the power to save for there is nothing to be saved from.  Yet does not the Word of God warn us of this which is taking place in our day.  Paul knew this would happen  and even saw this in his own day.  How much more of today when this spirit of deception will look to deceive even the elect.

 

For he that preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

 

2 Corinthians chapter 11 verse 4

 

In closing this verse is a perfect description of today.  Which Jesus do you belong to?

5) Message: 04 September 2013

 

And as He entered into a certain village, there met Him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off.

 

St Luke chapter 17 verse 12

 

What a wonderful account we have recorded here of an encounter with the Master which transformed the lives of ten outcasts of society.  Here was Jesus on His way to Jerusalem, passing through Samaria and Galilee.  He would have no doubt passed through many villages on the way and the crowds would have gathered to see Him as word went before Him that someone was coming who could heal the sick and cast out devils.  Moreover  reference would have been made that a man was coming who spoke and acted like none other who had  visited  their villages.   Word would have spread quickly that the man who had compassion and although Himself a religious leader ( for His way of dress would have distinguished Jesus as such) loved the people and looked to make God known to them.  Here was a man instead of showing cold religion and inflexible demands came to show what God is like and that is to be able to enter right into a person’s needs however impossible that need may appear.

 

Word would have gone before to this particular village and the people would have been ready and waiting.  However, just as Jesus was about to enter this village there stood ten men afar off.  These men were excluded from all that took place in the village.  Word had somehow reached them (probably someone had shouted from a distance) that a man called Jesus was on His way to the village.  O what sweet music this must have been to these men.  The word was that a man who had already healed lepers elsewhere was going to be passing their way.  These men had suffered rejection and exclusion.  Some may be even for years had been cut off from their families without any prospect of ever  being able to join them again.  Here, though, was their only hope and they were determined not to let this pass them by.

 

These dear men from whatever distance it may have been shouted as loud as they could to attract the attention of the Master.  What did they cry?  This was for mercy not for healing.  They were cut off.   They had been brought together through circumstances beyond their control and may not have found it easy to have lived together as a small, rejected and excluded community.  Jesus heard their cry and O the compassion.  He knew their needs.  He saw this piteous group from afar and His heart went out to them. 

 

Jesus answer to them was to ask them to do something which only those who had already been healed of leprosy could do.  He said “Go shew yourselves unto the priests.”  We do not hear any questioning of Jesus as to why they should do such an impossible thing. No the piteous group set off.  There may have been those with stumps and unable to walk on their own. There may have been some who were blind.  Whatever their individual conditions they looked to support each other.  Those who could see guiding the blind whilst those who could walk unaided helping those who needed aid.  As they set off along the road which they knew society had excluded them from walking along the miracle happened.   Their faith in obeying Jesus brought the answer to their deep need.  Mercy had been shown and with this mercy came complete healing.    What rejoicing there must have been.  Nine of them dashed off to shew themselves to the priest so that afterwards they could have been reunited with their families.

 

One healed leper, though, “came and fell down on his face at  His feet.”  This was at the feet of Jesus.  This man was not a Jew.  He was a Samaritan.  He was someone who was further excluded from society as the Jews have nothing to do with the Samaritans.  How this man had come to be with the other nine lepers we are not told.  He would have been accepted as a leper but now he was healed would the other nine have continued to accept him?  Life can be cruel.  The likelihood would be that he would be excluded and would have to find himself somewhere else to live away from this village.  Inbetweentime, though, this man had seen in Jesus more than a man.  He had seen someone who was nearer to God then anyone he had seen before.  There was none of the rejection of cold religion with Jesus.  In fact as this Samaritan man glorified God we can see that he saw in Jesus someone who was like God even though this Samaritan may not have had revelation that the man at whose feet he lay was none other than God.  What a day this man had, one which transformed him for he  had a whole new life to start.

 

What a compassionate Jesus we see here.  Jesus told the man that his faith had made him whole.  What is the greatest hindrance to seeing Jesus work in our own day?  It is the sin of unbelief.  There will be unbelief  for does not the Word of God say:

 

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

Romans chapter 10 verse 17

 

There will be lack of faith when the word of God is devalued and not given its rightful place.  Experience has in most of Christianity become more important than standing on the promises of God as contained in His word.  Not only this the word has been challenged to say it is no longer inerrant.  When the word of God is altered to take away its power then where can faith come from.  Relying upon the old flesh life will not generate faith for it is not something which can be worked up. No faith comes from above not below. It comes through the Holy Spirit when He lives His life through those whom He indwells and gives those who He indwells deep insights into the Bible and makes this still the living word of the living God.

 

There needs to be a return to the preaching of God’s word in the power of the Holy Spirit where God’s word and not personal experience is central to any  church service or fellowship meeting.  How otherwise can faith become a living faith.  We must accept that faith is central to the Christian life.  To become a Christian the gospel message based on God’s word needs to be made known.   There needs to be a return to authoritative, anointed preaching in the power of the Holy Spirit based on the Bible alone in order to convict sinners of their sins, to know of the virtue of Christ’s death on the cross, His flowing blood His eternal mediation and the free bestowal of unmerited grace for these alone will redeem the fallen sinner.

6)

 

We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

 

1 John chapter 2 verse 1

 

O to know there is an advocate with the Father.  What assurance there is, what a comfort there is that there is One who pleads the cause of each Christian who is in need of an advocate.  This advocate is no one less than Jesus who is God the Son.  There is no greater advocate to plead before the Father than the One who is co- equal with the Father.  This is not the case of Jesus the Son of God, it is Jesus in all His deity as God the Son.  What a position the Christian is in for he or she has no greater authority on their side than the glorious redeemer Himself.

 

Jesus through His death on Calvary’s cross had made a perfect atonement for sin.  He had identified Himself with the sinners penalty for sin and taken upon Himself the penalty for sin which is death.  There was no one else who could expiate or make amends for sin.  The scriptures are clear that there is only one outcome for sin and no one except God Himself was exempt from the penalty of sin.

 

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

 

Romans chapter 3 verse 23

 

Not only have all where ever they live or whenever they  live have sinned, all receive the same penalty.  That is no exemptions whether they are rich or poor or think they have earned their way to heaven through good works. However, the scriptures not only condemn they also give a glorious solution.

 

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Romans chapter 6 verse 23

 

In the loving heart of God there was an answer to the condemnation and penalty of sin.  This was through God the Son who is described as:

 

The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

 

Revelation chapter 13 verse 8

 

The loving heart of God was reaching out to His creatures even before Adam had sinned and caused sin to enter the whole human race and in doing so cut mankind off from communication with God.  The heart of God could no better be seen in that He spared not his own Son.

 

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 

St John chapter 3 verse 16

 

Could there be any clearer promise that God has done all that was needed to reconcile hell deserving sinners to Himself.  That sinners are hell deserving cannot be denied for within human flesh lies not one good thing which would want to love and serve the creator.  Instead of looking to love God the human heart is rebellious and seeks its own selfish ways.  The description of sin can be seen as “I” reigning upon my own heart instead of Jesus reigning in my heart.

 

Can there ever have been a more loving act than the death of Jesus on the cross.  There could only have been one outcome when Jesus was nailed to the cross.  Crucifixion results in death.  Once someone was nailed to a cross their life blood drained away until their life ebbed away.  Could there have been a more glorious outcome.  Here was God the Son Himself making the only possible atonement for those condemned to death through sin.  Jesus became the redeeming Savior.  He bought back those who were bound and condemned by sin.  This was through the price of His own blood.  It was a once only act and was comprehensive.  It was not like the offerings of the old covenant which could only cover sin and not bring reconciliation with a holy God.

 

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

 

Hebrews chapter 9 verse 12

 

When Jesus cried from the cross:

 

It is finished

 

St  John chapter 19 verse 30

 

It was at this moment that the one perfect offering for sin had been accepted by the Father.  There was now a new and living way open to the Father whereby all who come this way are reconciled with God.  This is nothing to do with any other religion or works of self.  This is all to do with one person God the Son called Jesus Christ who said:

 

I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

St  John chapter 14 verse 6

 

Have you accepted this offer of forgiveness and received Jesus as your Savior.  When you do this you receive life, the life of the risen all conquering  Jesus, then the darkness of  a life previously cut off from God turns to light as His presence becomes your portion.  Even when there are times when you believe you have sinned against Him He is there as your advocate when you confess your sin and seek the cleansing of His blood.  It it a most wonderful thing to know that His life can still be poured into human hearts which brings the peace and joy of God into lives which have been reconciled with the One who loves them with His own everlasting love.

7)

 

He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.

 

St John chapter 14 verse 9

 

Could there be a more comforting thought than to be assured that Jesus during His earthly ministry referred to God as the Father.  Back in the Old Testament there is reference to God as a father, one who had a tenderness and able to understand those who put their trust in Him.

 

Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

 

Psalm 103 verse 13

 

This verse is a picture of the loving relationship of a father who cares for his children.  This is a foretaste of the new relationship which the believer receives when through being born again he or she is brought into a living relationship with God.  This is one whereby God is not a remote being who is inaccessible but becomes a loving Father having been made known through His Son Jesus.

 

What a glorious entrance has been made available to those who are reconciled to God through the one perfect offering for sin made when Jesus died on the cross.  Sin was the barrier which stood before all mankind.  Sin had brought a condition which had made communication between the sinner and his or her God impossible.  God, though, in His love and mercy showed Himself to be a Father wanting to be in a living relationship with His creatures by sending His own Son to be the reconciler between the sinner and the creator.

 

Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

 

Hebrews chapter 10 verse 7

 

In the loving heart of God the remedy for restoring the lost communication between God and His creatures had to be through God Himself.  Jesus as the eternal Son of God was the only one who could offer Himself in the place of the sinner.  Jesus became the mediator when He accepted the punishment for sin.  This was death.  The One who did not have death in His nature was prepared to die in order that all could live. 

 

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much more also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

 

Hebrews chapter 8 verse 6

 

Mediator what a wonderful word for this takes us into a deep understanding of who God is for this shows what God was prepared to do on our behalf.  As sinners we were condemned.  We were spiritually dead with no hope of ever knowing that there is a  God who wants to be our Father.  Jesus, though, accepted our own condition.  He was made sin and carried our sin in His own body when through His own blood He offered Himself to make an atonement for our sin.  Is there a sweeter word than atonement for when an atonement is made there has to be an acceptance of the penalty that the one who sinned would have to pay.  It is in the light of the penalty which Jesus had to pay that mediator and atonement speak to our hearts.  For Jesus to become our mediator before God and make an atonement on our behalf shows us to what depths Jesus went in order to open the way to God whereby we who belong to Jesus now know God as our Father.

 

And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

 

Romans chapter 5 verse 11

 

Jesus during His earthly ministry spoke of the Father.  However, it was only after His death and resurrection that it became possible to know God as our Father.  During His earthly ministry Jesus showed what God the Father was like for Jesus spoke of the Father and Himself being one.

 

I and my Father are one.

 

St John chapter 10 verse 30

 

O the depth of the word of God for this takes us right into the heart of God.  It is in the written word and through the written word we see the Living Word who is the eternal Son of God  who is co-equal with the Father.  This is why Jesus could speak of  Himself being one with the Father. 

 

Philip and the other disciples could not grasp what Jesus was speaking about when Jesus spoke of the Father being seen through Himself.  Jesus had spoken of Himself as the way to the Father.

 

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

St John chapter 14 verse 6

 

Jesus is the only way unto the Father no matter what other ways others may voice for no one else died for sin in order to reconcile sinners with a holy, righteous and pure God.  He alone brought the reconciled sinner to know God as a Father, the heavenly Father.  He opened the way into the holiest through His own blood.

 

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.

 

Hebrews chapter 10 verse 19

 

As those who now know the Father and can speak to Him as Father may we ever keep before us the price which Jesus paid to bring us to a knowledge of God as our Father.

8)

 

Never man spake like this man

 

St John chapter 7 verse 46

 

What a word we have before us regarding Jesus.  The officers who had been made responsible for bringing Jesus to the chief priests and Pharisees had been captivated by Jesus and left powerless to carry out the command that they had received.  The officers had seen that Jesus was completely different from those who called themselves the religious leaders of the day.  The officers had seen in Jesus a person who not just spoke about God: He lived a life in which the words He spoke were a living reality.  How different this was to the dead religion which emitted its spiritual death from those who claimed to act on behalf of God.  In Jesus could be seen life, the very life of God in the one who claimed to be God.  Jesus had said:

 

Before Abraham was, I am.

 

St John chapter 8 verse 58

 

With Jesus these were not empty words, these words were backed up by the life of a God possessed personality.  He who is God could bring to others a God possessed personality because He was the creator who had come to bring life, His own life to those who would receive Him. 

 

Jesus disturbed the chief priests and Pharisees.  The religious leaders had been unchallenged in their complacency and lives of comfort which only sought their own selfish ends.  Their lives had nothing of God within them.  They could say that they believed in God yet they did not belong to God.  Should they have belonged to God then their lives would have had flowing out of them the joy of being in a right relationship with God. 

 

Jesus in His earthly ministry had disturbed the chief priests and Pharisees for He had shown them that religion is not based on the ideas of men, it is a living relationship with the living God.  Jesus had come as a sound form heaven bursting upon the deadness which had come upon those who were called to be set apart for God.  There were still those who came to train to be priests and Pharisees and believed they were serving God.  What was not right was that the religion they followed had become lifeless for it had become legalistic to the letter of the law and had nothing of the spirit of the law.  Dead religion will never bring about spiritual life. 

 

The same can be said about most of Christianity today.   Christianity is not to be based on human ideas; it is spiritual and as such hears from God and because of this will receive the life which Jesus spoke about:

 

I am come that they might  life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

 

St John chapter 10 verse 10

 

Compare this to both the deadness of the letter of the law as seen in the lives of the religion imposed by the chief priests and the Pharisees of Jesus day and the deadness of unregenerate lives which know nothing of a God possessed personality in our own day.  Most of Christianity today is no different to that of the dead religion of the chief priests and Pharisees who had sent the officers to bring Jesus to them.

 

Unless our lives are filled with the life of God we too will be following the ideas of the human mind and not be filled to over flowing with the Spirit of God.  It is lives who are possessed by the Holy Spirit who are going to impact upon a world calling out for reality.  Christianity which is as legalistic and dead as that of the chief priests and Pharisees will never bring reality.  Reality is only to be found in a person and that person is Jesus Christ.  He who cried out:

 

If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

 

St John chapter 7 verse 37

 

Drink to over flowing with His life, the only life which can quench the searching of the human soul.  The creator Himself alone can be the supply.  He is the only source of joy and peace.  He alone can reconcile sinners with a just and holy God and bring the mercy of God to troubled souls. 

 

Dead religion will remain just that as this only leads hell deserving souls to their place of destiny to cry for the mercy they have closed the door to in death by not receiving Jesus who during their lives had said:

 

I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

St John chapter 14 verse 6

 

What is lacking today is a rediscovering of the those sounds from heaven which were known in the past and now appear to have been forgotten.  These were times when God Himself intervened in the affairs of men and women.  There is a deadness just as deadly as that of the chief priests and Pharisees which has crept over even those parts of Christianity which have known spiritual fire in days gone by.  Only a fresh receiving of the unction of God and with this a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit similar to that seen at Pentecost will cause the disturbance needed to awake and bring about another wave of God possessed Christians. 

 

O God waken me and others upon whom you place your desire to seek Thee for a new wave of those sounds from heaven which have not been heard for many years.  May our lives be totally immersed in yourself so that every area is God possessed.  Use us O God to disturb those who call themselves your people to seek and find the rivers of living water of which Jesus spoke; lives which are saturated with the unction of the Holy Spirit and lived out in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Lives O God which are yours and yours alone lived out for your glory for they will have nothing to do with that which is a Christianity not separated unto yourself.  Lives which have come out of the deadness of that which calls itself Christianity and wholly separated unto yourself for you to live through to show what God is as seen in Jesus Christ.

9)

 

Jesus said, Take ye away the stone.

 

St John chapter 11 verse 39

 

Jesus when He said to take away the stone at the entrance to the grave of Lazarus was defying all human logic.  Martha one of Lazarus’ sisters even told Jesus that Lazarus had been in the grave for four days and the body would have started to decay.  Jesus, though, knew exactly what He was doing.  Had He not already said to His disciples as recorded in verse 12 “ Lazarus is dead.”  There were no human restraints to Jesus, He was not limited to human thinking or human actions for Jesus, although a man had come as God amongst His own creation.  As God He was in perfect control of every situation which confronted Him.  There was no situation which took Him unawares for He was always ready.  This should be the same with all who belong to Jesus and have been baptised in the Holy Spirit. Should you have to wait to be ready then you are not ready.  What a place to be to know that nothing will take us unawares for the Holy Spirit living within us will always be in perfect control when we have the confidence to ask Him to tell us what to do.

 

Lazarus had been taken sick and his sisters Mary and Martha were deeply concerned.  They sent word to Jesus expecting Him to respond by coming to their home in Bethany straight away.  Jesus did not respond by coming for He knew that Lazarus would die.  Jesus Himself knew that He had power over death and would be able to raise Lazarus from the dead.  Had He not already done this before with the young man being carried out of Nain.

 

And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still.  And He said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.  And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak.  And he delivered him to his mother.

 

St Luke chapter 7 verses 14 and 15

 

Jesus had had compassion on this young man’s mother for He knew she was already a widow and this man was her only son.  The compassion of Jesus for this widow had been greater than death.  This was to be the same with Lazarus for Jesus had a compassion for Lazarus’ sisters which was greater than what would in human terms been an impossibility.  This is because human death looked upon in human terms has a finality about it.  For the Christian, though, the death of the believer is a temporary parting for they already had within them during their earthly life, eternal life, for they had received the life of Jesus at conversion. 

 

Jesus when He received the news of Lazarus’ sickness had spoken clearly that this would not lead to death for the outcome would be for the glory of God.  Jesus as the Son of God would also be glorified in the sight of all who would see what was to take place with Lazarus.

 

Jesus after waiting two days set out to go to Bethany with His disciples.  His disciples still could not understand what Jesus was talking about.  The flesh can never receive the things of God so until the day came at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came to dwell within them they were men of the flesh and not men endued with the Spirit who would see and understand from God’s point of view.

 

When Jesus arrived He was met by Lazarus’ sister Martha.  Now Martha had faith in Jesus to have believed that had Jesus come to Lazarus whilst he was still alive then Jesus would have healed Lazarus.  Martha could not comprehend what Jesus was talking about when He said, “Thy brother shall rise again” (11:23).  She could not see beyond what was the evidence of the reality of the situation.  Her brother Lazarus had been dead in the grave for four days.  She had not heard of anyone coming out of the grave after four days.  Here, though, before her was Jesus her brother’s friend who was not in the slightest concerned by human limitations.  There is an Almightiness about Jesus which can be seen demonstrated in how He overcame human limitations and swept them aside as though they were just a minor distraction.

 

Martha spoke to Jesus about Lazarus being raised on the last day.  Jesus spoke to her as being the resurrection and the life.

 

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

 

St John chapter 11 verse 25

 

Jesus as the eternal Son of God is the One who is Life.  In this conversation with Martha He was making known that He was able to do something way beyond that which Martha had had in mind.  Jesus like with the widow of Nain was moved with compassion.  This compassion was stronger than death.  When Jesus went to the grave and saw the stone blocking the entrance He was in perfect control.  No barrier was too great for Him.  No human convention deterred Him.  All who followed Him to the grave followed as mourners.  Jesus had not come to mourn.  He had come to raise Lazarus.  He had come to defy death for in Jesus is Life, not death and He had come to command death to let go of Lazarus.  When Jesus asked for the stone to be taken away from the grave He knew it was not to look at a body, it was to see Lazarus walk out of the grave.  What a command went out from Jesus when with a loud voice He said “Lazarus, come forth” (11:43).  Could Lazarus do anything else than come forth. No the Master had commanded and Lazarus had to obey.  What glory was brought to the Father that day and Jesus Himself was confirmed to be the Son of God.

 

What Jesus did in raising Lazarus defied all human logic.  This was an act of God from the One who is God.  There is nothing today which should deter those who belong to Jesus.  When we are filled with the Holy Spirit through the baptism of the Holy Spirit this transforms, this enables, for this brings a boldness of action which defies human logic for we then know the mind of God. The need today is to have God’s thoughts and not our own. This has to be for those who receive the Holy Spirit no longer accept the restraint of human thinking. They are men and women who think as the Holy Spirit thinks and their actions are ones of boldness.  Jesus spoke of what would take place when He left His disciples to return to the Father.

 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

 

St John chapter 14 verse 12

 

Let those who are filled with the Holy Spirit realise that God wants to have all of their life to Himself. This is because they have God the Holy Spirit dwelling within them and living a life like that of Jesus.  They are not bound by the deadness of human logic for they are not polished or cultured, they do know, though, the unction and power of God working in and through them to the glory of the Father.

10)Message 09 January 2014

 

And all the city was gathered together at the door.

 

St Mark chapter 1 verse 33

 

What a sight this must have been when the Master was within the house and the news of Simon’s wife’s mother being healed had spread throughout the city.  The needy clamoured around the door in expectation that this man called Jesus would reach out with His compassion to those who were in desperate need.

 

It was the needy who came to the Master.  Those who consider themselves not to have a need will never come to Jesus.  In this city, though, were those who knew that here was someone who cared about them and had no self-interest, so at one was He with their needs, whatever the needs were. O what a wonderful Jesus we have for He is lovely, He is the One who brought all the loving compassion of God.  This same Jesus as we see Him in this city is still in the midst when we take hold of the Word of God, for Jesus is the living Word.

 

The day in which Jesus visited this city would have remained in the memories of all who gathered together at the door.  Inside the house and ready to open the door was the One who on another occasion was to speak of Himself as the door.  This door, tough, was the door which opened the way to life, the life of Himself.

 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

 

St John chapter 10 verse 7

 

How the sheep were outside the door of the house looking for healing of body or mind or deliverance from demonic powers.  The people had gathered in anticipation and Jesus would not disappoint for it is not in His nature to turn any away.  What did Jesus say on another occasion?  Two words only were sufficient to show what was required. 

 

Only believe

 

St Mark chapter 5 verse 36

 

These words were spoken to a ruler of a synagogue who had come to Jesus seeking Him to come to his daughter who was very sick.  The condition in which Jesus can work is in belief.  Where there is doubt this is unbelief: this is none other than sin, for it is the denial of who Jesus is, none other than God the Son who is co-equal with the Father.  It is in our belief that Jesus will work for He is waiting for our response to who He is, the One who is sufficient to meet every need, no matter how humanly impossible this may appear.  Here was perfect man and perfect God about to come through the door and meet the needs of all who could “only believe.”

 

Jesus did not disappoint for He could not fail.  He, the creator has all the solutions to ever need for He was not only to die for sin, He knew the peoples infirmities and was to take both sin and infirmities to His cross and bring about complete restoration of sinners with the Father and the means of healing to all sickness.

 

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.

 

Isaiah chapter 53 verse 5

 

What a glorious prospect.  Here is someone in Jesus who took upon Himself our sins, our sicknesses and is able to reconcile us to God and make us whole.  The wholeness is Himself for He is Life.

 

In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.

 

St John chapter 1 verse 4

 

Life not death is in the Savior.  These people who gathered at the door were seeking wholeness and the wholeness was to be found in the One who is all perfection for He is the author of life and made all things perfect.  It is the usurper, that is, Satan who has disfigured and distorted the perfection of mankind as was found in Adam when man was first created.

 

No matter what the need of those who came or were brought to the door Jesus was ready to meet   that need.  No sickness or demonic oppression was beyond the Master for His compassion was more than equal to the need.  What a wonderful evening was had when the sun did set.  Here was God the Son Himself pouring out His life into the needs of the needy and bring perfect healing to broken bodies, troubled minds and disturbed spirits.

 

The word of God declares:

 

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.

 

Hebrews chapter 13 verse 8

 

On the strength of what Jesus did not only for those who waited at the door on that glorious evening we have before us a promise of the unchanging Life and power of Jesus.  He is still waiting for a response to come to Him as the only way to God.

 

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

 

Revelation chapter 3 verse 20

 

Opening the door to Jesus as the only Savior because He as co-equal with the Father who can reconcile sinners with a holy, righteous and pure God is the most important decision which everyone has to decide in life.  This is just the opposite to that of the ecumenical movement. Those who know Jesus living in and through them in the person of the Holy Spirit will avoid this snare of ecumenicalism which has only one terminus, the broad road to hell.

 

The door is still open for those who seek healing whatever the need may be.  The needy are still with us throughout the world.  The supply is still available in Jesus.  May the Holy Spirit find those in whom He can indwell so as to release the compassion, the power of Jesus, even in these days where the words “only believe” have been forgotten and the Master not given His rightful place, that of, pre-eminence.

 

11) Message 15 January 2014

 

And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

 

 Acts of the Apostles chapter 3 verse 16

 

What a name is that of Jesus.  It was the name which changed this man and made him strong.  This is the name of the eternal Son of God who had left the glory He shared with the Father to bring the life of God into human situations.  Jesus had healed many who were sick and delivered many who were demon possessed during those few years He spent in ministry before returning to the Father.  Jesus had spoken of when He had left the disciples to return to his Father that they were to wait to receive power.  This power was to be received through the coming Holy Spirit who would come to indwell them.  This power was to be in a life, the life of a person that of Jesus Himself as the Holy Spirit lived a life like Jesus through those whom He indwelt.  This was to be a power to witness to Jesus.

 

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

 

Acts of the Apostles chapter 1 verse 8

 

This power came on the day of Pentecost and the world has never been the same since.  The Holy Spirit came to fill every one of those who had obeyed the Master and faithfully waited in prayerful preparation in the upper room.  At Pentecost it was to this small room where these faithful few waited in expectation that God’s power came down upon human weakness and the Church was born.  From this little beginning millions and millions redeemed by the blood of Jesus rejoice.

 

A little beginning soon created a stir which shook Jerusalem.  Jesus had spoken about those who were His doing greater works:

 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he also do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

 

St John chapter 14 verse 12

 

There can be little doubt that Peter and the other disciples would not have understood the implications of these words of Jesus at the time.  They had been obedient and faithful though in waiting in the upper room.    Now on the day of Pentecost came a sound from heaven which not only shook the room where they were in prayer for this shaking was to reach out over the centuries to the whole world and is still reaching out today.

 

One of the greater works which came after the day of Pentecost concerned a man who was over forty years old and had always been lame.  He was in a condition which humanly speaking had no solution.  Day by day he was carried to the gate of the temple and laid there to be collected and taken back to where he lived.  He was brought daily to ask alms of those who came to worship at the temple.  This was not life, it was an existence.  The man was totally dependent upon others to bring him, take him back and yet others to give him the means to buy his food to continue the daily routine.  There was no hope here until the day arrived which was to change this man’s life.  He was to hear of the name of Jesus, that name which would bring healing to his body.  Not only his body, his soul too for instead of lying at the gate he would be able to go rejoicing to worship in the temple.

 

What a transformation took place in this man’s life.  He saw Peter and John approaching and just as he had done countless times to others before them asked an alms.  The response he received shook him to the centre of his being.  Not silver, not gold, no the gift was through a name for Peter said:

 

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

 

Acts of the Apostles chapter 3 verse 6

 

The sound of this name brought a response for it brought a stirring throughout his body which he had not encountered before.  Whilst this stirring was taking place Peter took hold of the man’s right hand and lifted him up.  O what a power flooded through this man’s body as he was stirred to obey and in obeying Peter’s command his feet and ankle bones received strength.  Here was a man who had never walked before leaping up and walking.  Whether he had ever been carried into the temple and always left at the gate is not mentioned.  What is mentioned is that this man went into the temple with Peter and John not just leaping and walking for he was now praising God.  This man’s life had been changed beyond all recognition.  He was no longer dependent upon others for Jesus had met him at the point of his need.  Whatever happened in the rest of this man’s life would have been so different for he had come into contact with the One who is Life and once Jesus has been met all things become new.  The words which Paul would write to the Corinthians at a later date had become a reality to this man’s experience.

 

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 

2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17

 

This was not religion or a principle or a philosophy by which this man had been changed, it was a Person, a life.  Jesus Christ became as real to this man as He was to Peter and John.  This is the difference between Christianity and anything else in the world.  When Jesus Christ comes into our lives He is able to change any situation for we need no longer struggle in life or try to live a life pleasing to God in our own strength for when Jesus comes in He will express Himself through us.  Once we are His we will want to allow the perfections of Jesus to express themselves through our personalities. This is the work of sanctification being carried out in us by the Holy Spirit.  This is one of the greater works which Jesus spoke of for His life becomes our own life.  What joy, what peace to know Him within, the one who is eternal Life.

12)  Message: 20 07 14

 

Is not this the carpenter?

 

St Mark chapter 6 verse 3

 

Just before these words were said the following had been said of Jesus “From whence hath this man these things? And what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?” (Mark 6:2) There was a surprise here at what Jesus had done for somehow those present had not been able to associate a carpenter with the teaching which Jesus had given in the synagogue. Jesus is so different to anyone else. Down the ages He has caused a reaction to Himself. There have been and still are those who will accept Him as God and those who will reject Him. However whatever has or is said of Him there has been no one else who has been said to have died for the sins of others. He as God did not have sin in His nature yet He took upon Himself sin when He was nailed to the cross. There may have been those who would give their life on behalf of another. Jesus, though, laid down His life as He was the only acceptable offering for sin which was His own blood. 

 oweverr

 

As a carpenter Jesus had had to do a great deal of repair work. This is even more so when it comes to life. There are those who are in a state of disrepair and the carpenter comes along and takes them in hand and puts them right. Not just right He gives them His abundant life. “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10) How this gracious, glorious Savior comes right into our lives when we let Him do so. There was the dear woman who for twelve years had suffered and her life was broken. “And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living on physicians, neither could be healed of any” (Luke 8:43) This woman came in faith and touched Him and “immediately her issue of blood stanched” (Luke 8:44) When the Master touches us He repairs us and makes us whole. Sin had robbed mankind of communication with the living God. Jesus through His ministry showed who God is and that He wants lives to be in a living relationship with God. 

 

Jesus also constructs. There are references in God’s Word to show how beautiful, how lovely are these works that Jesus is constructing. One of these is “Upon this rock I will build my Church” (Matthew 16:18) This Rock is Christ Himself on which He is constructing the company of all true believers. This is the Rock of the Deity of the Lord Jesus and you and I if we are true believers in the Lord Jesus are members of that blessed Church. Joy what joy is ours when we know we are Christ’s and He is ours. Jesus not only repairs and constructs He replaces the spirit of error who had previously expressed his sin-self through me. He replaces the independent me as my real inner self. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” (Galatians 2:20) 

 

13)  Message 01 11 14

 

I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images

 

Isaiah chapter 42 verse 8

 

Isaiah is speaking of the Sovereign God. Here is the Almighty in His Almightiness. The LORD of Glory. The LORD who gave His name to Moses. “I AM THAT I AM” (Exodus 3:14) There is a definiteness when the LORD speaks for He will not give His glory to another. He is the creator and the One to whom worship is due. God is God. He has said in His Word “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me.” (Isaiah 45:5) In the Psalms we find that there is acknowledgement that “from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” (Psalm 90:2) God in the Old Testament called upon His people to be separated unto Himself. When His people worshipped other gods as Isaiah is speaking of then God’s wrath was displayed in that His judgement came upon his people.

 

Jesus caused quite a stir amongst the Jews when He said “before Abraham was I am” (John 8:58) There was such anger that they were ready to stone Him. It is God as Jehovah who came as Jesus and those who are in Christ have Him dwelling within them. This is a great marvel. How we rejoice at this wonderful truth. Not only can we be a branch in the vine who is Christ we also know that we have God the Father who is the husbandman. “My Father is the husbandman.” (John 15:1) God is no longer a far off being for He becomes our life. He becomes responsible for our growth along life’s way for this is His life within us: Growing more and more into Christ so that His love and compassion reaches out to all we meet.

14)  Message 16 12 17

In reply to an email from Swaziland

 

Dear Rev. Brian

​

True to the point we must pray for the restoration of the teaching of the coming of our Lord Jesus. I was invited to for a prayer meeting in another church here in Swaziland early this year, and I was told that their church does not believe in the return of our Lord. The pastor's wife explained to me: " Here we worship the Lord Jesus who is not coming back, we have seen and heard many great leaders telling us that Jesus is coming back but until today nothing had ever happened even when others mentioned dates for His return". I was disturbed in my heart when I heard this and I sensed this as another form of deceit and denial of our Lord.

I looked at the great multitudes, and thought of the many church branches led by this church and saw a great sheep without shepherd. I took my time to explain to them about the second coming of the Lord as an instruction given to us to always look forward to it as no one knows the day or the hour. Having seen a few visions about the return of our Lord myself I was strengthened to share some of them.

Thank you very much to raise this topic and surely I am joining in this prayer for restoration of the teaching on the second coming of Jesus Christ, also I'm realising that there is getting common to despise the teaching about the Cross and Blood of Jesus Christ.

Shalom

Lydia

 

On 13 Dec 2017 10:54, "Brian Mason" <brianmason4219@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Preacher Lydia

 

December Prayer Request

 

“Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

Acts of the Apostles 1:11.

All scriptures from the Authorised King James Version

 

There is absolute certainty in the words of the two men who came and stood by the disciples. “Two men stood by them in white apparel.” Acts 1:10. The words are to be received and believed. There are to be no denials and no compromise through doubts which make out that God does not have a plan which He is working to. The doctrine of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ is vital to an understanding of the Christian faith. It is not an option to choose or reject. Jesus had died as the Son of man. At His Ascension Jesus was returning to heaven and  taking the evidence of His death on the cross at Calvary. He had to return to heaven as the assurance that all who have been born again shall also go to be with Him in heaven. “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” St. John 3:3.

 

The neglect of the doctrine of the Ascension shows a lack of understanding of the wholeness of the Bible. To neglect any doctrine will leave an imbalance in the life of a Christian. No wonder Peter spoke of the need to grow through knowing the Word of God.“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” 1 Peter 2:2. What in the main is seen today, especially in to so-called “enlightened” countries? It is immaturity even amongst Bible-believing Christians. Immaturity is a result of the failure of the shepherds of the sheep by not feeding the sheep on the whole counsel of God. “He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.” St. John 21:17. It is out of an overwhelming love for the dear Lord Jesus of those who have immersed their lives into Him that comes the desire to feed the sheep; the sheep who are the body of Christ, with the whole Word of God. To do so involves leaders accepting and living out in their lives a life which shows the life of the Lord Jesus. The leaders are also to be certain that those parts of the Bible yet to be fulfilled, like the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, are included in their balanced teaching.

 

Jesus, Himself, was the great teacher. He used the scriptures in bringing an understanding of God’s plan contained in the scriptures of the time. He also gave new teaching which is now contained in the New Testament. Included in this new teaching is a time speaking of Himself coming again to earth. “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” St. Matthew 16:27.

 

There is no coincidence that the last book of the Bible emphasises the second coming of Jesus. The plan of God is seamless just like Jesus wore a seamless garment on His way to be crucified. There is a wholeness, a completeness, for should there not have been a second coming Jesus’ own words would be shown to have been untrue. “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:21. This next to the last verse of the Bible gives not just a great hope, it gives a great certainty. Jesus dispensed His own will through the covenant He made through His own blood. Everyone else who makes a will is dependent upon someone else dispensing the contents of their will after their death. Jesus’ will contains the promise of His return to earth to come for His bride, that is, those alone who are His on earth at that time, and take them to present to God the Father in heaven.

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Are you ready for His coming? The Ascension is vital teaching to ensure that each Christian should not be solely concerned with the things of this life. When the Lord Jesus is our life then we shall be always living in the expectation of His second coming. You are invited to join me in praying for restoration of the teaching of the second coming throughout Christianity and to ask for His return. Furthermore at a time of increasing evil which in itself is a warning that Jesus’ return may not be far off, for God in His mercy to send a mighty revival of repentance so that Jesus “Shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.” Isaiah 53:11.

Reverend Brian Mason

The Bible College of Wales

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